Vasilysa's POV

I groaned, struggling to get out of bed. A large part of me did not want to get up, considering how often the boys had woken me last night… but I had school. I smiled softly. Summer was almost here. It was almost time to relax and enjoy the day…

Then Enra and Yukiya both started crying.

"I'm coming," I sighed, getting up and walking over. Seconds later, Ichigo was at my side, helping me with Yukiya. "Good morning… Ichigo… is there something wrong?"

"It's Rukia," he answered. "She's acting strange."

"I knew this was coming," I thought aloud. "After you faced that Gillian… it was only a matter of time before the Soul Society caught wind of this mess… Ichigo, your hardest battles have yet to come… but they are most certainly on their way. Promise me you won't give up, no matter how bad things get."

"You know I won't," he replied. "Now what are you talking about?"

I shook my head sadly.

"Do you remember when you told me about that other Soul Reaper, back on the anniversary?" I asked softly. He nodded. "He mentioned something was a grave crime, yes?"

"Yes," he answered, now that I had his full attention.

"The answers you seek you will get in short order," I told him softly, my hands shaking at the thought of the boy going up against (heaven forbid) a captain… "I can't tell you more than that, okay? Just know this is only going to get harder on you."

He scratched the back of his head, his expression annoyed.

"Again with your cryptic answers," he told me. I gave him a soft smile, but let it pass. Thus, he carried Yukiya's bassinette and I carried Enra's and we headed off to school.

~Ichigo was right. Rukia knows what is coming just as I do…~

Then Uryu came to class. After he sat down, I frowned at him, tossing a note his way. He unfolded it, only to frown at me and shake his head. I rolled my eyes.

~Stubborn fool… He KNEW I would heal him. He only needed to ask…~

I shook my head and focused on my boys and my schooling. After school, I looked at Ichigo.

"Head on home without me," I told him. "I need to go visit Kisuke."

"Hat and clogs?" Ichigo asked. "What do you need to see him for?"

"Ichigo, please… just do as I ask," I told him. He frowned, but I didn't give him time to continue talking, choosing to take my leave instead. I was grateful when Rukia didn't let him follow me as I took Enra and Yukiya's bassinettes and left for the shop. Sitting outside was Yoruichi and Kisuke.

"You know," was all Kisuke said. I nodded, taking a seat, resting the sleeping babes near me.

"They've been here for a while," I admitted. "I know you've felt them."

"Do you recognize them?" Kisuke asked.

"One of them, yes," I answered. "It's Byakuya. The other… is new to me."

"You aren't going to help them?" he asked. I shook my head.

"Byakuya and I never got along," I answered. "It would be best if we never crossed blades. I have even more to lose now than I ever did back in the Soul Society. It would be best… if I remained hidden in all this."

He nodded, just watching the sun start to set.

"Well, I'm going to give Ichigo some help," he announced.

"Then you know Byakuya will strike at the root of his power," I stated. He nodded, confirming it. "You will then train the boy? You and I both know he won't just sit idly by and let Rukia die."

"I know," was the reply as he left. Sighing, I stepped into the back of the shop, into my saved room. I forced myself to relax and focus on my kids. However… I sent out a tendril of energy and reached out for Hiyori. She was not the only one to answer, either. So did two other familiar energies: Kensei and Rose. To be fair, I filled them in on all I knew of current events, including the two Soul Reapers here to collect Rukia, Ichigo taking on the Gillian, and now, wanting to take on the Captain and Byakuya.

*He's an idiot. * Hiyori stated.

~Clearly. But I'm rather fond of that idiot… Byakuya will take all of his power away… and Kisuke will train him. This is not the end of Ichigo's story. ~

-This will not end well. – Rose noted. Silently, I agreed and pulled back my energy. I knew, with my warning, they would be careful and remain out of sight.

I offered a silent prayer for the safety of all my friends, especially Ichigo… and then focused on my boys over all.

A loud scream woke me, one I'd recognize anywhere!

"Ichigo!" I whispered, rising and running towards it, only for Kisuke to stop me with a gentle hand on my arm.

"Relax," he told me. "He'll live."

I frowned, but obeyed, returning to my now crying boys. After a bit, I sensed Kisuke leave Ichigo alone… and ventured into that room with my children. Ichigo looked torn between determination and loss.

"He can train you, Ichigo," I told him softly, getting him to look at me. "You're fortunate to be trained by Kisuke of all people. He is… or was… once one of the best warriors out there. He's grown lax in his old age… but I don't doubt he can still make you strong enough to survive this battle. Your will needs to be unwavering. Do you understand me?"

"Can he really get me strong enough in ten days?" he asked. I smiled warmly.

"Ichigo, I can guarantee it," I answered him. "The training he doesn't give you… will come from your battles within the Soul Society. Tear down that fifteen-foot wall of crap between you and your emotions. Those emotions are what will give you your power, push you to new heights. So far, it is your fierce need to protect everyone around you that has made you stronger, harder, and able to face all foes you come across. Kisuke can train you… but you must listen to him. He'll try to lighten up your training with humor and his way of training will be strange… but effective."

"What will you do?" he asked. I smiled again.

"I've been talking with Isshin about getting my own place," I told him. "While you're training and then while you're gone, I will find a nice apartment and a job to support us. I want a full blow-by-blow account when you return, Ichi. I'll make sure Kon behaves while you're gone as well."

That relaxed him a bit.

"Alright," he said. "Guess I'd best prepare for the hardest week and a half of my life."

I chuckled.

"No, Ichi," I corrected him. "This ten days… will have nothing on the future that awaits you. This is but a stepping stone."

I kissed his cheek, then took my leave. It would only be fair to tell Isshin what was happening.

"Are you awake?" Kon asked, knocking on my door. Ever since Ichigo had started training, Kisuke had returned his body so that Kon could masquerade as him until he returned after ten days… until the day they went to get Rukia, too. Chad and Orihime, unsurprisingly, were also training, trying to get their powers to the level of usefulness. It meant a lot to them to be able to help Ichigo.

I smiled softly to myself.

"I'm awake," I replied. "Feeding at the moment. Can you pick out their outfits for the day?"

"Yeah," he answered, getting in the door. He glanced my way and quickly looked away again with a blush. He was more than used to seeing my breasts at this point. He'd often been in the room when I'd fed my boys and was past the nosebleed stage.

"Thanks, hun," I told him softly. "You've been amazing, Kon. You're always there when I need you."

He spared me a small smile.

"You're the only one in this house that appreciates me," he replied. I chuckled.

"Yuzu appreciates you," I teased, recalling the dress and flower incident. He immediately growled at me, giving me a dirty look. I giggled and focused on the baby that was slipping off my nipple, having fallen asleep while feeding again. I chuckled and gestured for Kon to take him, so he picked the boy up. I smiled softly.

"You'd make one hell of a dad," I told him honestly, making him blush again.

"Would you be the mother?" he teased. I laughed and lightly pushed him.

"You're terrible," I told him, making him grin and wink. I just giggled, then set my other son in his bassinette, getting into my dresser to find a bra. Kon had agreed to accompany me to look at numerous different apartments today, knowing it would probably be boring as hell. It had made me smile, the idea of him coming with me on something so droll.

Abruptly, my cell started ringing.

"Hello?" I answered, packing the diaper bag.

"Are you going to be busy today?"

"Sosuke! No, just looking into apartments. I can't leech off Isshin forever."

"Mind if I join you?"

I paused, surprised.

"Can you do that, just leave without permission?" I asked. He chuckled.

"I can be there within the next hour."

I smiled softly.

"I'd like that, Sosuke. See you then."

Then we both hung up.

"Kon, Sosuke wants to come with me," I told him. "Do you mind staying behind with Yuzu and Karin today?"

He actually looked relieved, making me laugh.

"Guess I'll see you later," he told me, taking his leave so I could finish getting ready for the day. I smiled softly, dressing in a button-up, crimson, short-sleeve blouse and a pair of black, bell-bottom, hip-hugger slacks. I smiled softly, pulling my hair back into a ponytail and put in a pair of golden shoulder-dusters. I applied the minimal make-up and then slipped on a pair of stilettos that would give me another two inches of height. While I waited for Sosuke, I also painted my nails crimson and shined up Shinji's ring along with the amulets from Kouga. Shortly after, the doorbell rang. I smiled softly and made my way downstairs, the boys' bassinettes over my arms.

Sosuke stood in the doorway, making me smile. I could honestly say it had been so long since I'd seen him dressed like a human. He was wearing a white, button-up shirt and black slacks. He looked like a man on a business trip, his demeanor matching perfectly with his polite and kind responses to Yuzu. He smiled when he saw me.

"Seems we had the same idea," he teased, making me chuckle.

"Indeed," I answered, getting the bassinette strollers out. Then I attached the boys' bassinettes and Sosuke and I left. "Glad you could come, even if this will be terribly boring."

He chuckled.

"Time spent with you is never boring," he assured me, making me flush. "Where to first?"

I pulled out the map and showed him.

"Three blocks that way," I answered. "It's one Isshin recommended. The landlord is reasonable and the apartments are fair-sized."

"What kind of apartment do they have available that you're interested in?"

"It's a two bedroom, one bath," I answered. "All of them, save one, that we will see today are the same thing."

"What's the last one?" he asked.

"It's styled after American apartments, so it's wide and open," I answered. "The rooms are huge and the kitchen is said to be twice the normal size. Ichigo actually heard about that one and the rent is reasonable for so much space. The only part that slightly worries me is it's on two levels, not a single level. The bedrooms are upstairs. Everything else is downstairs."

"You'll need a door for those stairs or a gate," he surmised, and I nodded. "I take it we're seeing that one last?"

Again, I nodded.

"How are you going to pay your rent?" he asked.

"I got a job," I answered uneasily. He noticed and placed his hand on mine. "I'm working from home most of the time. I joined an editing company and all I'll have to do is put my incessant perfectionism of punctuation to work on other people's writing. I'll have to go out occasionally to do a meeting with the clientele, but not often enough to worry me."

"Then why are you so uneasy?" he asked me. I sighed.

"My boss is a sleaze…" I answered uncomfortably. "I know damn well my chest size is the only reason I was hired."

That made him frown.

"You think he will purposefully make plenty of meetings that clientele 'forget' about, allowing him to use his position to pursue you?"

I nodded and his frown deepened.

"Quit that job," he told me firmly, making me look at him in disbelief. "Why didn't you get a different job if you didn't like the boss?"

I frowned.

"That job was the only one that would hire someone without a college education that can support three people in this economy and not require me to sit in an office instead of go to school," I explained. "I didn't have much of a choice…"

"Let me support you."

Now I stopped just outside our destination.

"Now you're just being absurd!" I objected. "I can't ask you to do that!"

"Then don't ask," he replied. "I'm offering. Let me support you. I have nothing better to do with my money and it has just been building up after all this time. It would give me a reasonable excuse to spend it."

I sighed heavily.

"Nothing I say is going to deter you, is it?" I asked. Immediately, he shook his head. "Fine… Let me call my boss."

That phone call was short. He was not pleased that I was quitting mere days after accepting. His attitude got even worse when he heard Sosuke next to me, talking to the apartment manager as we were shown to the apartment in question. He was royally pissed that I'd had a boyfriend, telling me if he'd known, he'd have never bothered to hire me (confirming my suspicions). I didn't stay to listen to the rest and hung up. Then I called my phone company and had my number changed in case the guy went stalker on me.

Seven Hours Later

Sosuke walked me back to Isshin's home. After a long, long day, Sosuke had talked me into going a size-up on the American style apartment, getting a three-bedroom, two bath. He had also had me sign the lease and paid a year's worth of rent and the safety deposit right then. The manager was ecstatic and I just shook my head, letting him spoil me. After all that, he had taken me out to dinner at a lovely, upper-echelon restaurant. He had also not hesitated once to help me with the boys, not once.

Part of me wished I'd fallen in love with him instead of Shinji in that moment… only for the guilt to settle in for having such a traitorous thought, let alone having voiced it to him. It had made Sosuke smile genuinely, true happiness showing through those eyes… which only made me feel all the guiltier.

"It was a pleasure to take you out today," he told me warmly. "I will return tomorrow to help you buy furniture and housewares."

I shook my head with a smile.

"You're enjoying this a little too much, Sosuke," I teased, making him chuckle.

"Just a bit," he admitted. "I've been wanting to take you out again for a long time."

I blushed darkly.

"Sosuke…"

He lightly clasped my hand, bringing it to his lips for a kiss.

"Until tomorrow, my dear," he told me, then walked down the street with a wave. I shook my head, chasing the blush off my face.

"What the hell was that?"

I jumped at the sound of Hiyori's voice as she jumped down in front of me, a betrayed frown on her face.

"Sosuke was just doing as he always has," I told her. "He's the reason my pregnancy went off without a hitch. Yes, I know he's the one that betrayed you and no, I'm not falling for him. Not at all. I'm just letting him help me out. He really seems to want to and, right now, I don't have much of a choice. Any job I can get right now will not support us… and I can't leech off of Isshin forever. Sosuke is being very generous. It would be cruel to turn him away, not only to him, but to my children."

I barely dodged the flip-flop aimed for my head.

"Then get over yourself and go talk to Shinji!" she snapped. "He has a job and can more than provide for you!"

I sighed, feeling a headache coming on. It would be the um-teenth time we'd had this conversation… and I knew her patience with me was growing thin.

"Hiyori… I can't…"

"BULLSHIT!"

Once again, I barely dodged the flip-flop.

"What the hell is wrong with you two?!" she snapped. "Gah! I can't decide who's pissing me off more, you or him! You're both such idiots!"

Yukiya started reaching up towards the blonde, having woken at the sound of her voice. He wasn't crying or fussing, just cooing happily, smiling at her. Her rage quelled almost immediately and she picked him up, holding him. I knew she would always have a soft spot for these two boys.

"You're home!" greeted Isshin, helping me get my things inside, taking note of Hiyori and greeting her warmly. "Welcome to our home, miss."

She nodded to him, but said nothing as he ushered us both in. We sat down on the couch and I started feeding Enra. Isshin warmed a bottle so Hiyori could feed Yukiya, which she did gladly, thanking him grudgingly for making the bottle. It made me smile and Isshin seemed to understand she was not the friendliest type.

"Shinji tried to follow me again," she told me, making me tense. "I had half a mind to lead him straight here, to get you two to stop being idiots."

I gave her a begging, pleading look, and she sighed in frustration, looking away from me.

"I lost him," she assured me, getting me to relax.

"Thank you," I told her yet again. "You're the best friend I have."

"Are you sure it isn't Aizen?" she snarled, letting me know she still wasn't happy with me. I sighed again.

"Aizen?" asked Isshin. "What does this Aizen have to do with anything?"

I frowned as I mentally groaned.

"Sosuke came by today and helped me pick an apartment," I explained. "He paid for it through the next year, all up front. He's coming back tomorrow to help me shop for furniture and then get it moved in."

"Is that so?" he asked, his tone giving away nothing of his thoughts. "Which one did you choose?"

"The one over on Westbright Street," I answered.

"The American one?"

I nodded.

"That's the one," I answered. "He wouldn't let me argue with him about it, either. Kind of steam-rolled me… just like he did about tomorrow. He has a tendency to do that. When he sets his mind to something, come hell or high water, he's going to do it. He was so much like Shinji that way…"

That last bit came out in a bit of a nostalgic tone.

"So you'll be gone all day tomorrow, too?" Isshin clarified. I nodded.

"Is that okay?" I asked. "Did you need me to do something?"

"Vasilysa, I can't force you, but I'm asking you to cancel your date with Aizen tomorrow," he told me, his voice dead-serious. I frowned.

"Isshin…?" I asked softly. Several emotions crossed those eyes, but I saw torment there. So, I picked up my phone and dialed Sosuke.

"I was just going to call you," he told me, surprising me. "Something's come up. I'm not going to be able to come tomorrow."

I smiled softly, relieved I didn't have to come up with an excuse.

"That's unfortunate," I told him. "But I guess things there are keeping you busy, huh?"

"I'm afraid so," he answered. "It was wonderful to see you, my dear. I'll have a card sent to you that has access to my account so you needn't worry about finances at all, okay? I'm sorry I have to cancel."

"It's fine," I told him. "It'll just wait until next time. Take care, Sosuke."

"You too," he answered. "Keep those boys safe."

Then we both hung up. Seconds later, Hiyori snatched it and dialed someone else. After a few seconds, someone answered rudely.

"Who the hell do you think it is, dumbass?" she snapped. "Look, I need your visa tomorrow… Don't ask why, idiot!"

There was a short argument between the two, confusing the hell outta me. She wanted to use this person's card, but he wanted a damn good reason why she wanted it.

"DAMMIT SHINJI! STOP ARGUING AND JUST GIVE ME YOUR DAMNED CARD TOMORROW! YOU'LL THANK ME LATER!"

I froze at the name, looking at her in horror after she argued with him some more. Finally, she threatened to shave his head, castrate him, and sew his mouth shut if she didn't have his card come morning and he finally gave in. It amazed me that she'd managed to get him to agree without telling him why. After she hung up, she handed me back the phone.

"I'll be here by nine," she told me, getting up. "We can get your furniture tomorrow."

"On S-Shinji's dollar?" I asked, stammering over his name. "Hiyori, I can't do that!"

This time, I didn't dodge the sandal, sprawling to the floor.

"Dammit, these kids are his and he can help support them whether you like it or not!" she snarled at me. "It's bad enough that his worst enemy is paying for your lodging, but to have Aizen pay for all of your furniture and everything your kids need, too?! Are you trying to make Shinji hate you?!"

She narrowed her eyes as she stood over me.

"When Shinji finds out about those two—and don't argue, you know he will someday—he'll never forgive you for letting Sosuke take care of everything," she stated. "But if you let him help—even though he didn't know it at the time—he'll be thankful and will love you even more, knowing you let him contribute to their lives in some form."

Her eyes softened.

"Just let him do this much, Lysa," she said softly… and I caved, sighing.

"Alright," I told her. "I just hope that credit card doesn't keep records of purchases including exactly what was purchased… or—"

"Or nothing," she told me firmly. "If he sees it, he'll just assume I was helping a friend furnish their apartment and get rooms set up for infants. It won't be until he realizes you're alive and these kids are his that things will click in his head, telling him everything you own is because of him. You two are so damn stubborn and so damn alike… What would you do if you found out Cimorene had bought all of Shinji's furniture?"

Immediately, I tensed up, clenching my fists at the thought, white-hot jealousy burning through me.

"Exactly how he would feel if you let Aizen," Isshin put in, catching on. "I have to side with Hiyori on this. When you get your furniture bought, how are you planning to get it to your apartment?"

"Delivery," Hiyori and I chorused, then laughed at each other.

"Here," she said, holding Yukiya, heading for the stairs. "I'll help you get them to bed."

I smiled softly.

"Thanks, Hiyori," I told her and we ascended, putting the boys down for the night. She then said her goodnights and left, promising to be back by nine to start another long day of shopping. I just smiled and accepted, getting ready for bed myself. A soft knock on my door made me look up.

"Isshin?" I asked softly.

"I just… wanna thank you for cancelling your date," he told me softly. "Aizen… Aizen is the reason Ichigo's mother is dead."

I froze completely.

"Sosuke… but I thought Grand Fisher—"

"She would have been able to protect Ichigo if it hadn't been for Aizen," he revealed. "Masaki… was a Quincy. Aizen… Aizen destroyed what she was… and she couldn't protect herself, let alone Ichigo when Grand Fisher attacked."

I felt my heart breaking for this man.

"I'm so sorry, Isshin…" I whispered. "I had no idea…"

He shook his head.

"Please, don't tell Ichigo," he told me. "I want to tell him, but not until he's ready to hear it."

I nodded.

"Of course," I agreed. "My lips are sealed."

He spared me a soft smile.

"You know, you don't have to leave…"

"I can't leech anymore, Isshin," I stated firmly. "I can't do this anymore. I've taken advantage of you long enough."

He smiled softly.

"Then how did you and Shinji manage in the Soul Society?" he asked.

"I was a Kuchiki," I answered. "My wealth came from our people. I owned our home. I paid all the bills. Shinji used his income for trips to the human world for our family and the occasional meal at a restaurant. I loved being the one to support us… but I can't do that here."

"You say 'was' a Kuchiki," he questioned. "Are you not now?"

I sighed.

"I honestly don't know," I answered. "Byakuya is the head of the family… and he never really liked me. Considering I was MIA for 100 years; I wouldn't be surprised if he had the family disown me entirely. I won't know until I finally break down and face him… which I'm in no hurry to do."

I paused.

"Ginrei wanted to name me the next head of the family… but I told him to let Byakuya be the leader," I revealed, making Isshin start in surprise. "I would have become his daughter-in-law if Kouga hadn't been framed and then sealed away."

"Who's Kouga?" he asked. I smiled sadly.

"I forgot you weren't there at that time," I admitted. "Kouga Kuchiki was married to Ginrei's daughter. He and I fell in love, though I wouldn't learn of his feelings for me until after he was sealed away. Kouga and his wife had filed divorce just before that event, too… so he and I could be together… But if Kouga hadn't been sealed away… I never would have realized that the love I had for him was not as strong as the love of a spouse should be. I would have been happy, yes… for a time…. But Shinji was my Alpha. Falling for him came as easy as breathing… and felt like… like complete transcendence into the heavens above when I was with him… Byakuya never approved of Shinji being my spouse, never liked how I was choosing to marry a low-level noble instead of another high-level noble house."

I shook my head sadly.

"But I don't know if he'd still feel that way," I went on. "Sosuke told me about Hisana… She was purely Rukon commoner…"

I shook my head sadly.

"At least I can admit to knowing the pain he went through when he lost her…"

The warmth of a hug drew me from my thoughts, surprising me at Isshin's unexpected kindness. Softly, I hugged him back… then let my tears fall. I wept in that moment, wept for everything I had lost, wept for everyone I missed… wept for Byakuya whose heart may never heal… It took me a few minutes to realize that he was crying, too, letting himself mourn Masaki yet again. We all shared a mutual suffering, a similar pain… the loss of our other half…

I cried until I had no tears left, my cheeks stinging from the salt and the wetness, my breathing ragged and shaking.

"Get some rest," he told me gently. "I don't want to push the subject, this being the last time I will bring this up, but keep this in mind, okay? Byakuya and I lost our spouses entirely. They can't come back. They're gone for good, for all time. You lost Shinji, yes, but he is not gone forever. He's still here, close enough to touch… If I were you and I had the chance to be with my loved one again… I wouldn't hesitate. When he finally comes to you… don't hesitate. I promise, he still loves you as you love him. You may not have much time left… but you will never regret the time you spend with him until the end."

Then he hugged me once more before taking his leave, letting me think over what he said. It was the first time anyone had put it to me like that… and I unconsciously reached out towards Hiyori. She was angry, furious even. I sensed the others there… and then I sensed him.

Once again, I fought my energy, fought it so it wouldn't react to his presence. From Hiyori's energy, I gathered that he and Hiyori were fighting over his visa again. He did not want to give it to her… so I casually asked permission… and she allowed me to hear and see the whole thing as it happened.

"I'm not giving you my card so you can spend it on crap you don't need!" he told her, getting downright aggravated. My jaw dropped in shock.

~WHAT HAPPENED TO HIS HAIR?! ~

Durnehviir, Rose, and Hiyori all snickered mentally at me.

"It's not for me, dumbass!" she yelled at him. "It's for—"

She caught herself just in time.

"It's for a friend that needs it," she finished, forcing herself to calm down… which surprised Shinji. Hiyori never forced her temper away. "Please Shinji… You know I wouldn't be this adamant about it if it wasn't necessary…"

"Then why don't you ask Kensei or Love?" he asked. "They have jobs, too, you know."

"It can't be us," Kensei answered. That told me that Hiyori had revealed to the others why she had demanded Shinji's card. "It has to be you."

"Why me?" Shinji demanded, getting more and more frustrated. "Dammit! What aren't you all telling me?!"

"It's not our place to tell you," Rose answered firmly. "Just trust us when we say if we did this instead of you, you'd hate us for it in the long run."

That just made Shinji's scowl deepen. How desperately I wanted to soothe that temper, to push aside that frown…

*STOP THAT! I'M NOT GONNA KISS THE GUY SO STOP MAKING ME WANT TO! *

I flushed and forced my emotions under control again.

"Just give it to her, Shinji," Lisa said, exasperated. "She won't bankrupt you."

~I hope not…~

I started adding up the prices of the items I'd need and winced.

-He has more than that stored away. – Rose assured me. -He's had 100 years to work without really needing to spend his money. –

I sighed, but accepted that they were probably right. Still didn't make me feel any better about this. I began to argue with myself over whether or not to tell him the truth or to let it lie… and an unexpected voice answered me.

Do not concern yourself, Master. It will be revealed within the next two months anyway.

~How would you know, Durnehviir? ~

Your Ada told me.

I froze… so did Hiyori and Rose. I could feel their surprise, their uncertainty.

Hiyori, you must convince Shinji to do this… no matter what it takes. He will be most displeased to find out Sosuke offered.

That sent shock through Rose, telling me Hiyori hadn't mentioned that little detail. A bit of guilt seeped through our bond as I thought about it.

"What the hell are you two hiding?" Shinji demanded, looking from Hiyori to Rose. He'd seen the entire myriad of emotions that had crossed their faces during our little exchange. Without meaning to, Isshin's words came back to me and I accidentally sent them through the bond.

"You may not have much time left… but you will never regret the time you spend with him until the end."

I closed my eyes, feeling a new emotion wash over me.

~Ada knew… that's why he sent me this far into the future…~

Neither Hiyori nor Rose could answer me, both dodging the glare Shinji was giving them.

"Fine," Shinji snapped. "Don't answer me! Here's the fucking card!"

He chucked it at Hiyori's head and flashed out, furious. My heart ached, seeing him like that.

~Shinji…~

*You're both idiots. *

Then Hiyori broke the connection, forcing my energy away from her. Through Rose, I saw her storm out, herself. I sighed.

-I'm going to pay you a visit. Do you mind? –

I shook my head softly… then pulled my energy back, making sure to erase all trace of it from the air around him. It took him less than twenty minutes to get across town to my window. I let him in without a word, letting him sit at my desk.

"Akalia… or Vasilysa… I don't really care what your name is anymore," he admitted, his eyes hard. "Why are you putting Hiyori and Shinji through this?"

So I caught him up to speed, showing him how much my hole had grown in the past week alone. I was rapidly running out of time. My grief, having Shinji so near but desperately keeping him away, was only causing me to die faster. I knew this… but I refused to admit it aloud or let anyone else know that.

"Kisuke said my time has grown much shorter," I finished explaining. "I will perish… in four months."

Rose was completely taken back.

"That soon?" he asked, struggling to comprehend this. "What happened to two years?"

I looked away, my pain on my face.

"I don't know… but I can't get it to slow down… I've tried," I admitted. "Rose… I can't. I can't do this to Shinji… having two years left with him was one thing… but four months?"

I felt my heart ache painfully again, reaching my hand up to clutch it. Tears stung my eyes.

"And now… it doesn't matter anyway… Durnehviir said two months from now… that's September… the beginning of next term…"

I shook my head, feeling tears slipping down my cheeks.

"How can life be that cruel…"

Softly, Rose pulled me into a hug.

"Will you regret the time you will spend with him?" he asked me, sounding just like Isshin.

"No… and yes," I answered. "The lasting effects—"

"Forget about the damned consequences for a moment," he said sternly, pulling back and forcing me to look at him. "If you focus only on the time you spend with him, will you regret it?"

My heart already knew the answer to that.

"No," I said softly. "I will not."

"Then at the start of the new term, you WILL face Shinji," he told me firmly. "You WILL spend your last months with him and you WILL be happy… if even for only a while. It's better than seeing you both utterly miserable."

I frowned.

"Do you have any idea what he was like after Aizen betrayed us?" he asked me. I shook my head. "All he thought about was you. All he wanted to do was race back to the Soul Society to get you! He fell apart completely, a broken shell of a man when we were told you had vanished, making us believe you were dead. He nearly lost the battle with his hollow because his hollow got him to believe you would never want him, never love him, as the monster he had become! Your name became taboo! The mere mention was enough to send his temper through the roof or send him into a complete emotional shutdown. When Kisuke sent the note, telling him you were alive, he flew into a rage and attacked Kisuke, furious that he would deceive him so! Vasilysa, he still loves you, very deeply… and I can't watch him suffer anymore. At least, knowing the time limit… he'll get to say goodbye this time. This time… he won't have to wonder where you are or if you're even still alive… He will finally be able to be at peace."

His words hit me hard, causing a fresh wave of tears as I realized just how selfish I had been. I had been both selfish and cruel… and Shinji was the one paying for it!

"He's not the monster… I am…" I wept, letting Rose hug me again. "Oh god… Shinji…"

My heart felt like it was breaking all over again. All the pain and anguish I had fought against for so long came back hard like a slap in the face. Was I really ready to face Shinji, to face my own fears? No. But I couldn't be selfish anymore.

I needed him. I needed him like the very air I breathed… and I had been hurting us both, suffocating myself because of all these ridiculous fears! I felt so stupid… and so guilty… and not knowing how to deal with those emotions… I just cried.