"I heard it was a whole army!"

"Yeah? Well, I heard it was only a handful of people. But if you're scared, don't be. They didn't get through the gate now did they?"

"I'm not scared! You're an ass. Besides, I heard that if that Captain Ichimaru hadn't shown up they would have gotten through the gate."

"I don't believe it."

"I'm telling you what I heard!"

"Get your hearing checked. I'll bet you there's no way they can get inside the Seireitei. A weeks wages."

"You're on."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Retsu woke slowly, then tensed. She wasn't alone. It took her a confused second to realize just who was in the room with her.

Dark gray eyes opened and narrowed on the person standing next to her bed. Or tried to anyway. Because that's when a plain cracker was suddenly pushed in her face.

"What?" She murmured, then nearly choked as it was shovled into her mouth.

Now she glared. Yachiru beamed back happily at her, nearly bouncing on her excited toes, ignoring the healers rather sour expression.

Retsu chewed the cracker quickly, swallowing while trying not to cough and sputter crumbs all over her own bed.

Yachiru kept ignoring the pregnant woman's glare as she held up a second cracker, obviously prepared to send it right after the first.

Retsu intercepted this hand and prevented the second one from being shoved into her mouth. "No." She managed, though she blushed to think she may have let a few crumbs fall. She cleared her mouth and then restated her objection. "No."

"But you're supposed to be sick." Yachiru's open expression turned cloudy and stubborn. Retsu paused, wondering about the odds of that second cracker actually ending up in her mouth. She moved back out of the way, across the empty bed to stand on the other side.

Yachiru pouted.

"Kenpachi told you." Retsu eyed her diminutive opponent.

The pout disappeared into a huge sloppy grin, excitement fairly bubbled out of the young lieutenant. "I'm going to be an auntie!"

Retsu grimaced and nodded, her hand going to cover her belly. "Yes, I guess you are."

"I like the name Niji." Yachiru grinned happily.

Retsu frowned, then choked back a quick laugh. "Have you told Kenpachi that you want to name his child after a rainbow? By the way, what if it's a boy?"

Yachiru looked startled for a second, as if she hadn't considered that possibility. The pink-haired lieutenant shrugged after a moment. "It works for a boy too."

Retsu shook her head and looked down at the empty place in the bed where Kenpachi usually slept. Then she glanced at the clock, her eyes widened. "I overslept? What happened to my alarm?" She nearly ran into the bathroom.

Yachiru followed, making Retsu stop and stare. The healer turned the pink-haired young lieutenant around and pushed her out of the bathroom, shutting the door behind her.

It barely worked. As Retsu relieved her bladder, she could hear Yachiru perfectly well and suspected the youngster was leaning up against the door. "You needed your sleep. You have a baby inside you to look out for. Kenny's baaaaaby."

Retsu grimaced but didn't respond. She finished up and turned on the hot water in the shower. She usually didn't need an alarm to get up on time. But sometimes after a long night spent at the medical barracks, it would throw off her sleep cycle. So she kept an alarm set to keep her from oversleeping, though she was usually up before the alarm sounded. As she reached for the shower cap though, then her eyes widened at a sudden thought.

Still dry, but nude, she walked up to the closed door. "Yachiru? Did Kenpachi turn off my alarm?" She asked suspiciously.

"No." Came the immediate response.

Retsu nodded, feeling foolish, ready to hop into the shower for a real quick rinse off, she was late getting to the medical barracks as it was.

"I did."

The healer stopped cold, then sighed. Then wondered why the confession should surprise her in the first place. She didn't say another word as she stepped under the hot spray of water. As she let the heated spray wash over her she sighed at how good it felt.

As for Yachiru? The diminutive lieutenant probably thought she had the right. For the past thirty years, the pink-haired girl had made room for her in Kenny's life. For the longest time it had been Kenpachi and Yachiru, alone against the world, and then against the Gotei 13. Fighting their way in the world and into acceptance. Yet Yachiru had happily made room for Retsu, even if she thought she could then boss around both of them.

Retsu knew that the two of them needed to have another 'little talk about boundaries'. Like they had after the wedding thirty years ago. Retsu smiled and let the hot water wash over her pleasantly. She remembered having being 'involved' with Kenpachi when Yachiru had bounced into the room to deliver an 'important' message. The young lieutenant had shielded her eyes, but hadn't been embarrassed at all. Once could be overlooked, but it had continued. So the two of them had sat down to hold a private 'chat' about the situation. That had gone well, and the problem had resolved. Now Yachiru knocked when she and Kenpachi were alone together. No reason why a new such talk wouldn't go over well now that she was pregnant.

Pregnant. She smiled at the memory of Yachiru's excited face. The lieutenant looked so happy! And Retsu was so happy that the pink-haired girl wasn't feeling jealous in any way. She laughed to herself. Just as Yachiru seemed to feel that Kenpachi was 'hers' and now Retsu was also 'hers' to look after ...that meant the new baby would also be considered 'hers'. No doubt she felt she had a right to take care of Retsu, including turning off the alarm clock. Oh yes. They needed to 'chat' soon.

It wasn't until her hand touched the shampoo bottle that she remembered that she'd wanted a 'quick' rinse off and shouldn't have doused her long, long hair. Now, with her thick hair to dry, she would be even later.

"Damn it." She muttered under her breath.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Kenpachi didn't scowl when someone sat down next to him on the rooftop. He was already scowling. And that someone wasn't alone either. "What?" He asked roughly.

Rangiku Matsumoto studied her nails, rather than looking out over the rooftops of the Seireitei as he was.

There was someone else shifting their feet uneasily behind him. A quick glance from the corner of his eye spied the lieutenant's badge. Hm. Aizen's lieutenant to be exact. He couldn't remember her name off-hand. But he knew these two women didn't usually pal around together.

A shift in the wind. A third person. Kenpachi had to turn and look. Another lieutenant. Shuhei. "Strange bedfellows." He rumbled. These three were an odd mixture. The only thing they had in common? Lieutenants.

"Someone came to me today, asking about pregnancy. Symptoms, timing, ailments, cures, and on and on." Rangiku said in a false off-hand manner.

Kenpachi stilled. Ah. They were digging for information. Yachiru was a brilliant fighter. But she lacked a certain ...tact.

"You pregnant, Matsumoto?" Kenpachi rumbled. "Hadn't heard." He deliberately turned the verbal probing back at her. He and Retsu were going to have to go public soon. But not here, not now and definitely not to these three.

Rangiku frowned lightly. "Not me."

Kenpachi cruelly turned to stare full-on at Aizen's lieutenant. Hinamori, that was the mouse's name. "Seriously?" His voice dripped with doubt, implying he couldn't understand anyone knocking the girl up.

It worked. Hinamori's face turned flame red and she stopped breathing. She waved her hands mutely in abject denial and hurt. Shuhei's lips thinned.

"Shuhei? You stepping up or out?" The Eleventh Division squad leader turned the verbal knife just that much deeper.

The male lieutenant finally shifted his weight, but showed no other reaction other than to look up over the horizon.

Rangiku clucked her tongue. "Not us. Yachiru."

The large warrior turned to stare harshly at the woman. "I assure you, my lieutenant is not pregnant. And you know that, so what do you really want?"

The honey-blonde shrugged. "Why is your lieutenant asking about pregnancy information? If someone is 'bothering' her, we thought you should know."

Kenpachi laughed gruffly and shook his head. "Bullshit. If someone were 'bothering' Yachiru in that manner he'd be dead. Her hand, my hand ... hell, even Ikkaku's hand. Anyone from my squad would have taken care of it. And you know that. You're here for gossip." His gossip. They wanted to know who he'd gotten pregnant.

Hinamori shook her head, but couldn't bring herself to look up, staring down at the street level.

"Ikkaku could have knocked up someone." Rangiku shrugged. "Yachiru could just be curious or trying to help out."

Kenpachi sighed, rolling his shoulders as if bored. "What business is it of yours if he did? My squad members do not answer to you."

"She came to me." Rangiku stressed the comment. "And we care about our fellow lieutenant."

"Ah." Kenpachi turned and stared at her, only grinning on the inside. He deliberately ran his eyes down her figure and back up again. He frowned at her thoughtfully. "Now that you mention it, she did say something strange to me yesterday morning. I didn't think anything of it at the time."

Rangiku cocked her head slightly all while listening intently.

"She asked if I thought that you looked like you'd gained some weight." Kenpachi drew out his answer. "I told her I didn't really look at you enough to know."

Slam and double slam.

Shuhei's fingers twitched and Momo sucked in a shocked breath. Rangiku looked frozen.

Kenpachi shrugged. "Yachiru was probably trying to be subtle in asking if you're pregnant." He looked back over the Seireitei, as if dismissing the idea altogether. "But since you say you're not ..."

"I am not!" The honey-blonde snapped out the words irritably.

"So you say, so you say." He waved one hand at her and rolled gracefully to his feet, looking down from his not inconsiderable height. "Just tell her to mind her own business next time. Oh, and if you are? Tell your captain sooner rather than later."

"I am NOT pregnant!" Rangiku yelled, making several people on the street turn and stare up at them all. The honey-blonde hissed as she realized she was probably starting her own rumors now.

Kenpachi laughed. "Look, I'm not saying you are. But Yachiru is young. She probably thinks you look older and sophisticated in some way. No doubt she thought your weight gain was automatically a pregnancy. No need to involve me in all of this."

Rangiku looked beyond pissed. "I have not gained weight!"

Kenpachi shot an amused glance at Shuhei, then over at Hinamori. As if to indicate he thought Matsumoto was protesting too much. "Sure." He dismissed her and took off across the rooftops.

Rumors sometimes worked in your favor. By the end of the day, at least half a dozen people would be convinced that Rangiku was pregnant.

As for Yachiru? He'd have to have another talk with her about tact. The girl could keep a secret forever, and she could infiltrate just about anything. But for some reason she was horrid at digging out information quietly.

And it was as if thinking about his lieutenant made her appear, as a familiar weight suddenly settled on his shoulder. He grunted in approval. "Hey."

"She's at her barracks safe and sound." The pink-haired girl said quietly.

Kenpachi nodded, though he hadn't sent her to check on Retsu specifically. But Yachiru knew him, and she often knew what he needed before he himself did. "We need to talk about ..."

That was as far as he got before a sudden 'BOOM' of a sound had everyone staring up at the sky in shock and surprise.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Tired and uneasy, Retsu checked on what medical supplies they had on hand. Ever since the Ryoka had actually managed to pierce through the shielding around the Seireitei she had been on edge. And it wasn't the presence of the Ryoka themselves that had her uneasy. It was something else. Something ... off. And she didn't know what. Which only served to piss her off.

"More wounded." Isane sounded shell-shocked, her face pallid.

Retsu nodded, but Isane didn't move away. The medical captain looked up in question.

"Division Eleven."

Retsu's jaw clenched. "We've seen heavy casualties from that division already." Too heavy. These Ryoka were cutting through some of their finest fighters.

Isane shifted her weight, as if she had more to say. Retsu lifted one eyebrow.

"Third seat. Ikkaku Madarame." Isane let loose a huge breath and then bit her bottom lip. "Captain? He's one of our strongest."

"He can be an ass." Retsu commented deliberately, and she got the reaction she was looking for.

Isane looked shocked, and a bit angry. "Captain? He's our friend."

"He is indeed." Retsu said as calmly as she could manage. "And our friend, who is also one of our strongest, deserves only our best. Not our fear."

Isane caught herself, and then nodded slowly, collecting her emotions as she pulled it together. "Yes, Captain Unohana."

"Captain? Captain Unohana?" A panicked young voice. She turned and stared at her 8th seat, who didn't even bother to blush. "I need your assistance!"

Retsu and Isane hurried over to look down at the patient on the cot. Overflowing the cot. She frowned. "He needs a bigger bed."

"We're out." The 8th seat pulled back the sheet to show the wounds.

Retsu's dark-gray eyes blinked despondently. "Someone destroyed his saketsu chain and hakusui soul sleep."

The 8th seat bit his bottom lip. "Captain, I don't know how to fix this."

Isane whimpered. "It can't be fixed."

Retsu was already running scenarios over and over again even as she put her hands on the patient. She frowned sharply. "Ryoka?"

"Yes." Came the answer she really didn't want to hear.

The medical captain frowned. "This man will live, but he will never again hold a zanpakuto or be able to wield any form of spiritual pressure."

Isane sucked in a shocked breath. "A lucky hit?" She prayed it was so.

Retsu shook her head. "No. It's too precise a blow. This was done deliberately."

A tear slipped down Isane's cheek. "What if Madarame ...?"

"No." Retsu snapped out the word more harshly than she'd intended. "We know nothing until he arrives at the barracks. Do not diagnose before the patient actually gets here." She looked over at her lieutenant, who was starin in horror down at their current patient. "Isane!"

The young woman's eyes snapped up, and she blushed. "Yes, Captain!"

"This is Jirobo Ikkanzaka, fourth seat of 7th company." The medical corps 8th seat read from her chart, frowning. "Isn't he the one known as Kamaitachi Jirobo?"

"The ultimate weapons master? Or so he liked to claim." Retsu seemed surprised. "I never thought much of his skill, or the way he watched those weaker than he. Still, he is one of ours."

A commotion at the front of the barracks drew their attention. Isane paled. Ikkaku Madarame had arrived.

Retsu waved at her lieutenant. "Work on Ikkaku, call me if you must. I need to see if there is any way to salvage Ikkanazaka's spiritual pressure."

It was over an hour later before Retsu could look over Ikkaku's chart. She read it through twice before beckoning Isane over to her. She looked up. "A wound such as you describe is a mortal one."

"Immediate medical attention to staunch the blood flow definitely saved Ikkaku's life." Isane nodded. "It had to be done on scene. When he got here he was in bad shape, but nothing that can't be healed."

Relieved to hear that Ikkaku would not be reduced as Ikkanzaka had been was good to hear. For all his rough ways, he was a loyal friend to Kenpachi. And to her. "The saketsu chain and hakusui soul sleep are both intact?"

Isane knew it was in the chart, but she too was relieved to hear it out loud. "Entirely intact. He will make a full recovery."

Retsu looked up, then frowned as she saw the tail end of a captain's haori heading into Ikkaku's room. The person she'd glimpsed had not been Captain Zaraki. Of that she was quite sure.

She was about to investigate when one of her medics ran up to her with an urgent question about dwindling supplies on certain medications. When she did finally look back up, she caught sight of the person she most wanted to see.

Captain Zaraki. Standing tall and unharmed. The fact that he was scowling and obviously angry didn't dilute her joy at all. Little Yachiru waved at her from Kenpachi's shoulder even as she watched her husband nod at her before turning to enter Ikkaku's room.

A moment later, Captain Kurotsuchi hurried out of the same room, looking upset.

Retsu's eyes narrowed suspiciously. The unethical and horrid leader of Division Twelve had obviously been questioning the wounded man, who wasn't even in squad 12!

She smiled with satisfaction as the man met her eyes for a second, then let his own gaze drop as he hurried out of her barracks. Good riddance. Still, she sighed and shook her head. He wasn't the enemy. She looked around at the beds full of the injured and pursed her lips. These Ryoka needed to be stopped. She wondered what their cause was to be here, invading.

A sound made her turn. Kenpachi fairly flew out the door of Ikkaku's room, and then out of the barracks itself. He hadn't even looked in her direction. She smiled, unhurt at the thought. Kenpachi had obviously gotten some good information from his man.

Telling herself it was a professional visit, she headed in to see Ikkaku herself. She frowned as she spied him on the bed, wrapped up like a mummy in his bandages. She didn't like to see someone so strong and vital laid so low. It was an insult. To her. To him. To the shinigami and the Gotei 13.

"Damn them."

"Don't." Ikkaku coughed, then grinned. "The guy who beat me? He's the one who applied the healing salve."

Shocked, Retsu's eyes widened. No such mercy had been shown to Jirobo Ikkanzaka. But then she knew that Ikkaku was considered far more nice a fellow for all his rough ways than the 4th seat from the seventh division.

"And I think he's also strong enough to give the captain a good fight."

Those words made Retsu stop. Her heart skipped a beat to think of Kenpachi hurt, to see his saketsu chain damaged, or severed. Yet she knew that he had been dying on the inside as of late, not having any good fights. It would be like a dozen Christmases for him.

"The Ryoka seem to be doing a lot of damage."

"They want to rescue Rukia Kuchiki." The wounded man coughed, then winced and coughed again. Retsu passed a hand over his body, letting an exchange of energy flow from her fingertips. A slight thing, but it eased him as Ikkaku caught his breath. "Thank you."

Rescue Rukia? A puzzle piece slid into place within her mind, but the picture was not yet whole. "Is this the boy from the land of the living they say stole her soul reaper powers?"

Ikkaku shook his head, then stopped as that hurt. "Don't know. Seem decent enough, for a Ryoka that is. Still angry that he left me alive."

"I'm not." She said almost absently, moving to look out the room's window at the Seireitei. Who was it that was out there? And was Ikkaku right? Could he be a 'good' fight for Kenpachi?

Could this Ryoka actually cut her husband? No. Absolutely not.

But still, she couldn't get Jirobo Ikkanzaka's wounds out of her mind even as her hands went to cover her unborn child. His unborn child. Her lips firmed.

No. No mere Ryoka could take on her Kenpachi Zaraki and win. Not even remotely possible.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"That way, Kenny! That way!"

Kenpachi sighed and turned toward the indicated alleyway. "Didn't we already go this way?"

Yachiru kicked him slightly and tugged on his hair. "Turn there! We'll find where Ikkaku fought and follow him! Wheeee!"

Kenpachi turned and then growled. "I think it's the third time we passed the leatherwork shop."

"Go that way!" Yachiru pointed, fairly bouncing up and down on his shoulder. "This is going to be so much fun!"

Fun? Kenpachi Zaraki grinned full out. A fighter able to take on Ikkaku Madarame and win? Yeah, this did promise to be fun after all. He just prayed he wouldn't be disappointed.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Retsu returned to her patients, making rounds. She checked on each and every case. It took quite a while. Hours. In that time she'd heard nothing further from her husband.

She turned to her desk, sighing at the number of charts. She had a headache, but didn't want to take anything because of her own condition. However, a nice cup of herbal tea would be good.

Relieved at the thought, she went to make some. Smiling as she saw Isane had already poured her a hot cup of tea.

"Captain!" Her lieutenant came bustling in with a tired expression. "That third seat of division eight? Fever is spiking, and I think he's having an allergic reaction.

Captain Unohana sighed and nodded. "Switch his medication immediately, and give him something for the allegy as well. Any trouble breathing?"

"No." Isane nodded. "And I did all that, just wanted you to know. Oh, you made tea." Her voice indicated she wouldn't mind an offer to join in having a cup.

Retsu's hand stilled. "You didn't make the tea?"

"No." Isane laughed without mirth, running one hand over her tired face. "Haven't had time."

The medical leader handed over the hot cup of liquid. Isane looked confused. "I didn't mean you had to give me yours, captain."

"Don't touch, don't drink. Analyze. I didn't make that. You didn't make that. The 3rd seat is in surgery right now, and I know he wouldn't dare enter my office without direct permission."

Isane sucked in a shocked breath. "The Ryoka? How could they get in here?"

Retsu shook her head. "Don't jump to conclusions. Just get that analyzed. Top priority."

"Yes, Captain!" Isane turned, about to leave when a messenger paused at the doorway, panting. "Yes?"

"Captain Unohana? Lieutenant Renji Abarai is extremely hurt and needs medical attention!"

Stung at the thought of the vital red-head so injured, Retsu caught her breath. "He is outside?"

"No, Captain." The messenger gritted his teeth. "Captain Kuchicki had him thrown in a cell instead."

Retsu drew up to her full height. "Oh did he indeed? Did Captain Kuchiki formally refuse medical assistance?"

"No Captain Unohana. Captain Kuchiki didn't call for help, but he did not command otherwise." The messenger looked upset but resolute.

"Then let us go." The healer said sternly. As she passed her lieutenant though, she pointed at the tea cup.

Isane nodded. While her captain was out, analyzing the contents of the tea was her top priority.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hope you're still enjoying the story! Jirobo Ikkanzaka is not an OC, but was the fellow that cowardly attacked Orihime and whom Uryu defeated. THANKS for reading!