After Ten Years - Epilogue, Part 9 - End

-X-

'So what's up?' Homura asked with a smile as she flopped down onto a chaise lounger her family kept on the front porch. It was a mid-spring afternoon, so the weather was absolutely gorgeous.

'What's up...' Kentaro repeated numbly, feeling his stomach begin to twist up.

'Is there something on your mind?' Homura asked innocently, putting her feet up and leaning back easily, like she hadn't a care in the world.

'Umm...' Kentaro started to stutter. 'Kinda...' He finally admitted, sitting down on the far end of the chaise lounger. Homura was kind and curled her feet up closer to her.

'Y'know, we've been through a lot...' Kentaro started bravely. Here went nothing.

'Yep...' Homura agreed simply, nodding her head.

'And, well...' Kentaro gulped. 'We've been through it together.'

'Mm-hm...' Homura nodded again.

'And... You know I love you...' Kentaro said shakily.

'And I love you too...' Homura smiled, crossing her arms behind her head. 'C'mon, tell me what's on your mind. It's just me.'

'You seriously don't know what I want to say?' Kentaro asked, standing up.

Homura stood up and shrugged. 'I'm horrible at guessing games. Ask my family...' She added with a chuckle.

'Oh...'

'Spill it...' Homura urged playfully.

'Okay...' Kentaro sighed, taking a big breath and gathering all of his courage, shoving a hand into a pocket in his jacket. 'Homura, you know that I love you, and you know how much I've been through,' Kentaro blathered, not even knowing if what he said was making sense to her, she was just staring at him. 'and I know what you've been through, and... And I don't want to have to face fear or pain alone again.' He trailed off, closing his fist in his pocket. 'And I wanted to ask, if we ever had to go through anything else, if you would want to go through it together?' He finally asked, pulling a shining ring from his pocket and dropping to a knee.

Homura stared and stared at the shimmering jewel.

'I know this is sudden and random, but if you would just blink once...' Kentaro begged. 'It would make me feel like I haven't blown it...'

Homura went the extra mile and blinked twice.

'Are you asking me to-?' Homura croaked quietly, her own mouth becoming dry.

'I know you're only seventeen, and you're still in highschool, but I love you...' Kentaro told her. 'Will you marry me? Will you be my wife?' He asked quietly.

Homura dropped back onto the chaise lounger. 'I've never-'

'We don't have to do anything immediately. You don't even have to answer if you don't want to, I'll understand.' Kentaro told her. 'Even if it's three more years, I'll wait until you're ready...'

'I am kinda young to get married...' Homura reasoned.

'I know...' Kentaro sighed dejectedly. She hadn't kissed him and said 'yes' without a thought like he had predicted.

'But I do graduate in a few months, and then I'll be eighteen.' She concluded. 'That wouldn't be so weird, right?'

'And...?' Kentaro asked, feeling a little more hopeful.

'My parents would approve of you...' Homura thought some more.

'Even if you just wear it...' Kentaro told her, holding out the ring. 'I love you and want you to-'

'Yes...' Homura finally answered.

Kentaro wasn't sure if heard correctly. He had been talking after all. 'Yes?' He repeated. 'You don't even want to ask your parents?' He asked.

'Nope...' Homura shook her head, her cheeks flushing.

'Okay.' Kentaro smiled in relief. 'May I?' He asked, reaching for her left hand.

Homura nodded silently without a word.

Kentaro couldn't hide his pride as slid the engagement ring onto Homura's slender ring finger. There was some wiggle room, so it slid around a little.

'This isn't anything like I thought it would be...' Homura sighed distractedly, holding up her hand to examine the ring.

'I'm kinda shy...' Kentaro apologized. 'Not very creative either...'

'Oh, silly!' Homura chuckled, leaning in to kiss him. 'It's better...'

Homura and Kentaro had barely begun their passionate exchange when a light tapping was heard on the front window.

Immediately ejecting from one another's grasp, they looked around to see who might be watching. To Homura's relief, it happened to be only Rena, but still she was known for running her mouth.

Rena's eyes were a mile wide, and her face was set in an expression that screamed 'What just happened?!'

'We'd better go inside...' Homura sighed, taking her new fiancée by the arm. 'We're not doing anything right away are we?' Homura added suddenly, a little worried.

'We don't have to...' Kentaro told her.

'Good...' Homura sighed in relief. 'I'm terrified of dresses.' She explained with a giggle. 'It might take a few years for me to be brave enough.'

'We could get married in blue jeans for all I care...' Kentaro assured her with a smile.

Suddenly the door opened, and fourteen-year-old Rena poked her head out. 'I'm watching...' She reminded with a hint of sarcasm.

'We're coming...' Homura groaned, dragging Kentaro into the house.

Once they got inside the house, it was Homura's turned to get dragged away, up to the bedroom she shared with Rena. 'I'll bring her back...' She promised Kentaro.

Forcing Homura into their bedroom, Rena shut the door behind them.

'Are you serious?!' She exploded, unable to contain her disbelief any longer. She grabbed Homura's left hand and held it up exposing the ring. 'You're marrying him now?!' She exclaimed, scolding ever so slightly.

'Why shouldn't I?' Homura asked innocently. 'He loves me and I love him...'

'What'll Dad say?!' Rena insisted.

'I have to marry somebody when I grow up, at least it's Kentaro and not a total stranger...' Homura reasoned with her immature younger sister. 'We're not doing anything for a few years anyway...' Homura told her, taking her hand back.

'You know there's only one reason seventeen-year-olds get married...' Rena said immaturely, narrowing her eyes into slits, hinting at something inappropriate.

'Rena, I am not pregnant!' She scolded loudly.

'Why don't you say it a little louder?' Rena asked. 'I'm sure Dad'll come up and straighten everything up...' She antagonized.

Homura clapped a hand over her mouth, embarrassed upon realizing how loudly she had said that.

'What were you doing watching anyway?' Homura changed the subject. 'It's not polite to eavesdrop...'

'I wasn't eavesdropping!' Rena defended very matter-of-factly. 'Mom told me to find you because she wanted to clean the table off. Well, I cleaned it off for you, then I was going to come tell you we're going to be eating, and-'

Rena rambled on with an extremely detailed story that Homura didn't care to hear.

'You were listening...' Homura told her, not amused. Rena was fourteen now, the cute little girl act wasn't going to work anymore, and certainly not on her older sister.

'Only until I heard was he was doing!' Rena protested with a little pout.

'No, then you watched...' Homura scolded, trying not to smile.

'It was cute...' Rena admitted.

The two sisters could have gone around and around for hours, but fortunately for both of them, Rukia called everyone to dinner. Upon Ichigo's miraculous return, Rukia immediately set to cooking a large celebratory meal.

Needless to say, at dinner, Homura was very careful about keeping her betrothed left hand discrete. It wasn't too difficult of a thing to do, seeing that she was right-handed.

However, as if fate would have it, someone down at the far end of the table wanted the pepper shaker. Homura, not thinking, continued to hold her fork in her right hand, and pass with her left.

Ichigo, being a dad who was always on top of things, couldn't possibly miss the glittering rock that sat on her hand.

Normally, he wouldn't think anything of either of his daughters wearing jewelry, but Homura had never worn jewelry, ever. Not rings, not necklaces, nothing. Certainly never anything with a diamond. He hadn't seen her all week, but he had never seen anything like it on her before. All too easily, in the all-knowing dad manner, he guessed the ring to be very, very important. Her cheeks had been rosy all night too. Now, everything made sense.

At that time, Ichigo had put his cup to his lips. The water he had in his mouth was spit out back into his cup as he tried to cough up the rest of the liquid from his windpipe.

'Upstairs... Now.' He said weakly, but firmly between coughing spurts as he pointed to Homura.

Homura shot a quick worried glance to Kentaro before obediently excusing herself and following her father, who had begun to lead the way.

None of the rest of the Kurosaki family had noticed anything out of the ordinary, and were greatly confused. Kentaro had become sick to his stomach, nervous.

Ichigo led his seventeen year old bride-to-be upstairs to his room and shut the door behind them. Resting an elbow on the wall and crossing his legs, he looked firmly at his daughter.

'Is there something you need to tell me?' He asked sternly, but determined not to sound accusatory.

'Nothing gets by you?' Homura guessed sheepishly, clasping her hands behind her back and blushing furiously.

'I know that already...' Ichigo said, determined. 'Homura, I'm not angry, I'm not upset, and I'm not even raising my voice... I just need you to talk to me...' He told her.

Homura sighed, knowing full well that she couldn't hope to hide anything from her father.

'Kentaro asked me to marry him-' She blurted out quickly, preparing herself for the worst-case scenario. 'I said yes...'

Ichigo nodded his head, feeling very nervous indeed. 'You didn't say anything to me.' He observed, not knowing whether to leap for joy for his daughter, or reprimand her for her hasty, opinionless decision.

'Are you objecting to it?' Homura asked, fear welling up in her throat.

'I don't know yet...' Ichigo admitted, hanging his head in thought. Soon afterward, his ears perked up, and he made his way to the door. 'Stay here please...' He asked, heading downstairs.

Ichigo marched downstairs to find that the rest of the family was still enjoying their dinner. Silently, Ichigo tapped Kentaro on the shoulder. Kentaro, finding Ichigo towering over him, got up obediently, as to avoid a scene.

'I'm sorry to steal our dinner guest...' Ichigo apologized to his family. 'But this will only take a few minutes.'

Without a word of opposition from his family, Ichigo proceeded to force Kentaro up the stairs to his room, where Homura was still waiting.

'There now...' Ichigo sighed as he closed the door again. 'Now that we're all here... I can-'

'Ichigo-' Kentaro interrupted. 'Ahem,' He cleared his throat. 'Mr. Kurosaki. I love your daughter, and I-'

'Yes I see that...' Ichigo said, his turn to interrupt. 'If you didn't, you wouldn't be asking to marry her, now would you?'

Kentaro slowly shook his head.

Homura kept her mouth shut, seated on the bed whilst the two men talked back and forth. Finally, Ichigo was tired of arguing, or whatever it was they were doing. Ichigo sighed deeply, admitting his defeat.

'So you want to be part of this family?' Ichigo interrogated.

'I want her to be my family...' Kentaro responded bravely.

'Then do you promise to protect her?' Ichigo asked.

'Absolutely...'

'And love her, no matter what?'

'Of course...'

'And respect her?'

'Yes.'

'And take good care of her?'

'Yes.'

'Children?' Ichigo asked with a raised eyebrow.

'Eventually?' Kentaro responded, unsure of his answer since the subject of children never occurred to him.

Ichigo stroked the stubble on his chin.

'And you really, truly love her?' Ichigo asked again.

'You know I do...'

'Then you can have her when she's nineteen, and not a day younger.' Ichigo finally decided. 'Until then, she's still my little girl, understand?' Ichigo asked.

'Yes sir...' Kentaro agreed respectfully.

'You may leave now...' Ichigo said, beckoning him to go to the door. 'I have only a few more things to say to my daughter.'

Nobody in the room could see it, but Ichigo was barely holding everything together. This happy time in his daughter's life, although happy for him too, made him want to cry.

He turned back to Homura, finally letting the tears in his eyes shine.

'You're going to be happy with him forever?' Ichigo finally asked.

Homura slowly nodded her head, suddenly sobered at the sight of her father's emotions.

'Although I never expected to give him one of my daughters, I'm proud to. He seems deserving.' Ichigo added, trying to smile while he cried tears of happiness.

'Is this a 'yes'?' Homura asked slowly.

'I'm afraid so...' Ichigo forced himself to smile.

Homura jumped out of her sitting position on her parents' bed and hugged her father tightly. 'Thank you Dad...' She sighed. Then, she noticed his sadness. 'What's the matter? Aren't you happy?' She asked.

'As much as I hate to admit it, you've grown up...' Ichigo admitted. 'I'll only have you for another year and a half...' He added.

'I'll be yours forever Dad...' Homura told him, hugging him tight.

'Congratulations...' Ichigo offered, holding his daughter.

'Are we done here?' Homura asked, smiling uncontrollably. 'I want to tell him.'

'I don't have anything else to say...' Ichigo admitted sadly.

'Thank you again Dad.' Homura smiled with glittering eyes, kissing her father on the cheek before leaving the room.

She found Kentaro waiting just outside the door.

'He said yes!' Homura announced excitedly, barely containing her happiness.

Kentaro let all his pent-up worry out in a single relieved exhale, pulling Homura close to him. Their faces were closing in on each other, until Ichigo came out of the bedroom.

'Oh, please don't stop because I'm here...' He said, sensing their embarrassment. 'You're getting married, I had better get used to it...' He said as he started walking down the stairs.

'I barely get in the door after just nearly escaping death, and I have to give my daughter permission to get married...' He mumbled to himself, barely loud enough to hear. 'What a welcome home. And now my dinner's probably cold...' He added. He turned around to face the newly engaged couple, who were passionately kissing. He cleared his throat to get their attention.

'Homura, you two are in charge of telling your mother and siblings, understand?' Ichigo told them. 'I've done my part...'

'Yes Dad...' Homura agreed, going back to her fiancée.

'Save that for after dinner...' Ichigo added, continuing down the stairs, with the blushing couple close behind him.

-X-

Naturally, the news came as quite a shock to Rukia and Shizuku. Rena was indifferent, seeing as how she already knew.

Rukia digested the news internally, while Shizuku accidentally inhaled his dessert. I wasn't the thought of sister getting married that startled him, it was the image he got of his sister in a dress. However, he was the only person that knew his reason for snorting.

Finally, Rukia accepted the idea of her daughter being engaged, and heartily congratulated her, with her own supply of tears.

'At least they're doing it the right way...' Rukia told Ichigo that night as they got ready for bed. 'Get married, then have kids.' Rukia chuckled, referring to their past escapade.

'Hey,' Ichigo defended. 'We all turned out all right.'

'Some of us more than others...' Rukia chuckled, rolling over.

'What's that supposed to mean?' Ichigo asked. 'If you're talking about my parenting, I think I did excellent tonight.'

'You know what we have to do next...' Rukia mumbled, falling asleep.

'What?'

'Wedding plans.'

'Let's keep it small and cheap...' Ichigo groaned, flopping his own head into a pillow.

'She's your daughter, don't you think she's deserves a little bit better?' Rukia asked with a chuckle.

'I don't have a little bit better to give her...' Ichigo sighed. 'I'm not made of money.'

'Guest lists too...'

'Urg.' Ichigo replied from underneath his pillow. 'Like I said, small and simple.'

'Good night Ichigo...' Rukia chuckled.

-X-

Looking towards the future, a year and a half until Homura's nineteenth birthday seemed like so far away for the two young people. But sooner than later, the date rolled around, Homura turned nineteen, and the day for the wedding was set.

In that time, much had changed. Of course, Homura and Shizuku had graduated from highschool, while also maintaining their Soul Reaper duties, which had slowed down over the years.

Shizuku went to the University in Tokyo to study Ancient Japanese history. Rena entered her junior year of high school. Even though he was away at school, Shizuku managed to come back into town for the wedding.

As Ichigo hoped, it was kept very small, with an even smaller guest list. Ichigo's family, along with Rukia's brother, and at Kentaro's request, Renji. There were a few other guests, such as some of Ichigo's friends, and Homura's from high school. Shizuku had invited a girl he met and become friendly with in college to join in his family's special occasion.

Homura wore a dress and lived to talk about it.

Ichigo couldn't help but cry as he watched his oldest daughter become Mrs. Kentaro Sasazaki and kiss her new husband.

Finally, after all the festivities and celebrations surrounding the wedding were over, Kentaro found himself opening the door of his apartment for his new wife.

In preparation for his new partner, Kentaro set vases of flowers on every available surface in the apartment. His living space looked absolutely adorable and homey.

'Now what?' Kentaro asked meekly, shoving his hands deep into the pockets of his dress trousers as Homura took in her new home.

'Do you want me to cook dinner?' Homura asked.

'You can cook?' Kentaro asked raising an eyebrow.

'A little...' Homura admitted, measuring with her pointer finger and her thumb.

'Aren't you tired?' Kentaro asked. 'Maybe we could just order out tonight and tomorrow you can cook us whatever you'd like.' He suggested.

Homura thought for a moment. 'That's sound fine, except for the fact that I'm not really hungry tonight.' She chuckled seductively as her fingers played with Kentaro's tie.

Finally, her hand grasped it tight, and she proceeded to drag Kentaro to the bedroom and bed they now shared, shutting the door and locking it behind themselves, where they discovered a new part of married life.

-X-

Two Years Later...

Twenty-one year old Homura stood over a cutting board chopping onions while her husband made room in the living room for their dinner guests. Homura and Kentaro had made it a point to have Ichigo, Rukia, and Rena over for dinner periodically, since their home was infinitely emptier without Homura and Shizuku, who was still in college.

Kentaro was attempting to make everything absolutely perfect, from straitening everything right down to the throw pillow on the sofa and the coaster on the coffee table. He was nervous, and he vented it by obsessively fixing everything.

'What's the matter Kentaro?' Homura asked with a chuckle, turning from her work to look at her husband, who had now moved from the living room to the front door to fix the foot mat. 'It's only my parents and my sister...' She reminded him. 'There's no need to get uptight.'

'I know...' Kentaro sighed as he put a pair of shoes into the closet.

'And it's only been three months since we last had them over...' Homura added, smiling slightly.

'I know, I know...' Kentaro repeated, pausing his work for only a few seconds. 'But you weren't noticeably pregnant last time either...' He added.

'That's true...' Homura admitted, her hand straying to her distended stomach.

Kentaro nodded. 'Your dad still scares me...' He admitted, embarrassed.

'Oh...' Homura shushed him, taking him into her arms. 'They'll be fine.' She told him. 'I mean, we are married after all, I guess this is what we're supposed to do.' She giggled.

Kentaro sighed contentedly as he felt his wife's stomach with their tiny unborn child inside press against him.

'I love you...' He sighed.

'I love you too babe...' Homura said as she ejected herself from his arms. 'But dinner's not going to make itself.' She chuckled as she went back to what she had in the oven.

'The idea of being a parent scares me too...' Kentaro admitted, rubbing Homura's shoulders gently.

'We'll be fine...' Homura insisted kindly, turning back around.

'How are you feeling?' Kentaro asked. 'Are you tired at all? Do you need to sit down for a bit?'

'Kentaro, I need to get dinner done...' She chuckled. 'You don't need to worry about me until my water breaks and I'm on my back screaming for medications.' She chuckled.

'Oh...' He understood, blushing slightly.

'Do we have enough water glasses?' Homura asked.

'I don't know...' Kentaro answered.

'Then how about you stop interrupting me and find out?' Homura smiled.

She chuckled as slowly her husband released her again and began to rummage through his small cabinets.

'Daddy...' She chuckled quietly.

'What did you just call me?!' Kentaro exhaled, pulling his head out of a floor level cabinet. 'Did you just call me 'Daddy'?' He asked again, standing up and taking a step towards her.

'Don't you like it?' She giggled, holding her smallish belly.

'I love it...' He sighed, kissing her firmly until the buzzing doorbell interrupted them.

'I'll get it...' He said quickly, turning Homura back to her work. 'You just keep your back turned.' He told her. 'We'll tell them when we tell them I guess...' He decided as he walked to the door.

'Daddy's scared...' Homura chuckled to no one in particular as she opened the oven and peeked in.

'Have a seat...' Kentaro tried to chuckle as he led Ichigo, Rukia, and Rena into the living room.

'Hi Homura!' Rena smiled, stepping into the kitchen, and not into the living room as Kentaro planned, and waving to Homura's back.

Homura sighed, figuring that she had better just turn around and expose her pregnancy, since really, it wasn't anything to be ashamed about.

Homura turned around, and instantly, Rena's jaw dropped. Homura had to chuckle; that awestruck surprised expression of Rena's never got old.

Rena buried her face in her hands. 'Why Homura?' She asked, blushing behind her hands. 'Why, why, why do I always have to walk into it and nearly die of shock? One of these days...' Rena peaked out from behind her hands. 'One of these days I'm really going to die. You're gonna turn around one day, and I'm just gonna fall down dead...' Rena tried to chuckle.

'Rena...' Homura chuckled.

'Why can't you give me a sign or something?' Rena asked. 'I mean, we should both get used to this... I always walk in, and then I just want to wash my eyes out.' Rena continued her ridiculous, yet amusing speech. 'Should I just ask you from now on what you're planning on freaking me out with?' Rena groaned sarcastically.

'Are you really freaked out?' Homura chuckled slightly.

Rena looked her pregnant sister up and down. 'Only with the fact that my sister isn't a virgin anymore...' Rena finally decided.

Homura couldn't help but laugh. 'I've been married for two years!' She choked out between laughing spurts. 'I haven't been for some time.'

Rena paused a minute to process what her sister said, until a disturbing image of her sister popped into her mind's eye. 'Oh God!' She exclaimed quietly, rubbing her eyes and palming her forehead. 'Oh God, God, God...'

'Dinner's ready!' Homura called/laughed to the rest of her company. 'Guttermind...' She whispered in Rena's direction. 'That's what you get...' Homura chuckled.

'Why doesn't Mom walk in on anything important in your life?' Rena groaned to Homura. 'I think I could handle it better if someone told me, and I didn't have to find out for myself...'

'Why don't I walk in on what?' Rukia asked, who was leaning on the threshold to the kitchen, eyeing both of her daughters, especially the one expecting.

'Hi Mom...' Homura exhaled, happy to see her mother again, and happy to see someone who would share in the joy of her pregnancy, and not writhe like Rena had.

'Look at you!' Rukia said happily as she hugged her pregnant oldest daughter. 'Congratulations!'

'Thanks Mom...' Homura sighed contentedly.

'Well?' Rukia asked excitedly, barely containing her happiness for her daughter's expanding family. 'A boy? Girl? What is it?!' She asked, still excited.

'We don't know yet...' Homura said with a slightly disappointed sigh. 'Just a few more weeks.'

'Either way, I'm so happy for you!' Rukia sighed, hugging her daughter again.

At this moment, Ichigo walked in, curious as to what all the happy chatter was about. He was shadowed by Kentaro, who was looking very nervous. 'What are we happy about?' Ichigo asked with a smile.

'Dad!' Homura breathed, hugging him next.

Ichigo took Homura into his arms without even blinking his eyes in surprise at her pregnancy. He had learned to relax over the years.

'You look great...' Ichigo sighed as he held her tight.

'Thanks Dad...'

'See Homura?' Kentaro stepped in with an antagonistic chuckle. 'I told you there was nothing to worry about.' He said with a wink, hoping she realized that she was the one who told him not to worry.

Homura did, and instantly shot back a playful glare.

'Guess what Ichigo?' Rukia chuckled as she patted her husband's shoulder. 'You're Grandpa now, and barely forty!' She laughed.

'Don't remind me...' Ichigo groaned as he released his daughter.

'Mom, that was mean...' Homura reprimanded Rukia playfully.

Rukia shook her head. 'It wasn't mean at all, it's just reality.' She chuckled, rubbing Ichigo's back.

'What do you hope it is?' Ichigo asked Homura with a proud grin.

'Well,' Homura started. 'I'm hoping for a boy, but Kentaro will tell you that it's a girl for sure...' Homura chuckled fondly, patting her stomach gently.

'I'm ninety-eight percent positive...' Kentaro agreed proudly. 'Of course I could be wrong.' He added humbly.

'Anyway...' Homura said, changing the subject. 'Who's ready for dinner?'

Everyone agreed that they were hungry simultaneously and unanimously.

Dinner conversation was pleasant and refreshing for everyone, and the food was delicious. Homura's cooking had improved a lot over the past two years. Kentaro particularly enjoyed playing with Homura's feet under the table. Soon the meal was over, and even sooner afterward, once the cleanup was done, it was time for the company to leave, much to everyone's dismay.

'Call often dear...' Rukia reminded her daughter, kissing her goodbye.

'You bet Mom...' Homura smiled.

'Bye Homura!' Rena waved. 'Warn me next time!' She added with a smile.

'Definitely...' Kentaro answered for her.

'Take care of her...' Ichigo reminded Kentaro as he herded the remaining ladies of his house out of Kentaro and Homura's apartment.

'Yes sir...' Kentaro nodded, wrapping his arm around his wife.

'Bye Dad!' Homura waved slightly.

'Bye...' Ichigo breathed, blowing his daughter a kiss before shutting the door after the rest of his family.

Finally, Homura and Kentaro were left alone.

'And you were all worked up with worry...' Homura chuckled sarcastically, elbowing Kentaro gently.

'Hey, you never know...' Kentaro defended. 'At any time tonight he could've pounced.' He chuckled.

'You are so full of it!' Homura laughed.

'Yep...' Kentaro agreed. 'But now, you're all mine preggers.' He chuckled, pulling her in for a kiss.

'If you want any more children...' Homura breathed into his lips. 'You had better not call me that, ever again...'

'Yes Ma'am...' Kentaro answered obediently, walking her into the living room and sitting them down on the couch.

'Sit with me...' He said, laying her head down on his lap.

'You spoil me...' She sighed, closing her eyes contentedly, feeling her basketball-sized stomach all over.

'Can you feel anything?' Kentaro asked meekly, twirling a strand of her hair.

'Very, very lightly, every now and again...' Homura sighed, holding her husband's free hand.

'Well, maybe Saaya's just sleeping...' Kentaro suggested, attempting to poke Homura's stomach.

'Saaya?' Homura repeated incredulously, holding her belly defensively. 'Is that what you're calling it now?'

'I am.' Kentaro affirmed. 'Unless it's a boy... Then you can call him whatever you want. But, since I'm positive it's a girl, that's what I want to name her.'

'Honestly Kentaro...' Homura started, chuckling. 'How would you feel if you were a boy and your father was calling you by a girl's name?'

Kentaro thought for a minute. 'I'd like it better than an 'it'...' he finally answered.

'You win...' Homura sighed, closing her eyes again. ''Saaya', if it's a girl...'

'Which it is...' Kentaro insisted.

'There it goes again...' Homura breathed quietly, resting her hand on her swollen belly.

'There goes what?' Kentaro asked.

'Shh...' Homura shushed him, guiding his hand to a resting spot by just below her belly button. 'It's very, very light...' She whispered.

'I don't feel anything...' Kentaro said disappointedly. 'She must be sleeping.' He insisted.

'It-'

'She...' Kentaro repeated.

'She is definitely not asleep...' Homura told him. 'Not if it's moving this much...'

'Then why can't I feel it?' Kentaro pouted slightly.

'Maybe 'cuz it's a boy and he's getting back at you...' Homura chuckled, repositioning Kentaro's hand. 'Maybe here...' She whispered.

'Why are we whispering?' Kentaro asked quietly.

'So we don't miss anything...' Homura told him.

'But we're feeling, not listening...' Kentaro reasoned, utterly confused.

'Hush...' Homura slurred, falling asleep.

Kentaro obeyed, and let Homura fall asleep. When finally, he thought he felt something light, however, it could have been his imagination.

'Was that it?' Kentaro asked rather excitedly, not knowing if he actually felt movement in his wife or not.

'Mmm...' Homura smiled in her sleep, holding Kentaro's hand tighter.

'Can I poke it a little?' Kentaro asked meekly. 'And maybe wake her up?'

'I'm telling you, she's awake all right...' Homura slurred, not even opening her eyes. 'Just make sure you don't wake me up...' she ordered.

'Then I better get you into bed...' Kentaro told her fondly, delicately jostling her head with his legs.

'No...' Homura mumbled, holding Kentaro's hand and her stomach even tighter. 'I don't wanna move...' She moaned lightly.

'But I can't feel my legs...' Kentaro whimpered lightly.

'Tough...' Homura mumbled.

'How about I carry you then?' Kentaro offered.

'If you can lift me...' Homura resigned, falling deeper into sleep.

Kentaro tried to wake his legs up before lifting Homura, which he found to be rather easier than what he was expecting. Although Homura was taller, plus the baby she was carrying, Kentaro found her relatively easy to lift and carry into their bedroom.

Putting her down onto the bed, he intentionally jostled her.

'Mmmm-!' She groaned irritably, stretching out her legs, which had been curled up until now.

'You need to get into your pajamas...' Kentaro reminded her. 'I'm not going to do that for you.'

'Fine...' Homura mumbled, blindly grabbing for a pair of sweatpants that conveniently were already lying by her on the bed. Still with her eyes firmly shut in sleep, Homura wriggled out of her non-maternity jeans, and slipped the sweatpants onto her legs, leaving on the comfy t-shirt she had been wearing all day. Slowly, she crawled under the covers and pulled the blankets up to her face.

'Happy?' She mumbled.

'That's my side of the bed...' Kentaro chuckled fondly. He found pregnant Homura infinitely more attractive and cute than normal Homura.

'Good night...' She moaned, not caring to move.

Kentaro also changed into his night clothes, and very gently, inched Homura over to her side of the bed. She was easily thirty pounds heavier when she was fast asleep, so Kentaro moved her only so much that he would have enough room to lay beside her.

He nestled his face tightly in the back of her neck and laid a hand gently on her shoulder. Then slowly, he wound his arms around her expanding waist, eager to feel their child again. He jumped slightly when Homura growled in her sleep.

'Just don't wake me up...' She threatened, the playfulness drowned out by her exhaustion.

'And if I do?' Kentaro asked.

'Then we'll be up all night playing with the baby, and we'll never get any sleep.' Homura mumbled her explanation, not bothering to roll over and face her husband.

'I'm fine with that...' Kentaro insisted hopefully, squeezing her gently.

'I'm not though...' Homura mumbled matter-of-factly.

'Then Saaya and I will have fun all night without you...' Kentaro bargained, jiggling Homura's belly gently.

'As long as I'm asleep, I don't care.'

'Goodnight, love...' Kentaro chuckled, kissing her neck.

'Uhmph...' Homura mumbled back, but Kentaro knew what she meant. Although Homura was asleep, she was still cognizant enough to move Kentaro's hand to a place on her stomach. 'Now...' She ordered firmly. 'Don't move.'

Kentaro waited and waited for the tiniest bit of movement, but unfortunately, he fell asleep with his face nestled in Homura's neck before anything moved.

-X-

'Kentaro, can you pick up this dishtowel for me?' Homura called. 'I dropped it...' She explained.

'Why do you need me?' Kentaro asked, walking into the kitchen, finding his wife at the sink.

'Do you really want to see me try to bend over?' Homura asked, raising an eyebrow as she leaned forward over her eight and a half months pregnant stomach.

'Oh no, of course not...' Kentaro assured her quickly, already bending down to pick up her towel. 'I don't need you falling over.' He chuckled. 'Sorry...' He apologized, handing Homura her towel with one hand and frisking her tummy with the other. 'How're you doing?' He asked with a smile.

'I'm ready to have a baby...' Homura sighed tiredly, holding the underside of her stomach. 'It won't stop moving and it keeps me up all night. My back's killing me...'

'She?' Kentaro reminded her. He was still intent on her having him a little girl.

'Kentaro, you heard what the doctor said. We don't know what it is because of the way it's laying. It could be either a boy or a girl. We'll have to be patient just a little bit longer.' She said, patting his cheek. 'Soon enough.' She repeated contentedly.

Kentaro put his hands on his wife's stomach and prodded gently with his fingers, eliciting movement from the baby inside. Kentaro smiled as he savored the gentle pressing and kicking. 'I never get tired of this...' He sighed.

Kentaro smiled lazily until he noticed his wife's less-than-amused glare.

'It was asleep all afternoon... Now you woke it up.' She half-scolded.

'Sorry...' Kentaro hung his head.

Homura waddled into the living room and flopped down tiredly onto the couch.

'Just three more weeks...' Homura encouraged herself, wincing as she tried to rearrange the baby inside her. It felt like a tiny arm was pushing against her ribcage, which was horribly uncomfortable.

'I like your belly...' Kentaro sighed, laying his head down on it and closing his eyes.

'Ouch...' Homura winced.

'What's the matter?' Kentaro asked, removing his head.

'Nothing...' Homura assured him, holding her stomach gingerly. 'Something just pinched, that's all.'

'Is that bad?' Kentaro asked, getting slightly worried.

'It's totally normal...' Homura chuckled. 'But if you'll excuse me,' Homura added. 'Your daughter seems to enjoy using my bladder as a pillow...' Homura grunted, awkwardly standing up and making her way to the bathroom.

Finally, Homura returned and sat back down beside her husband. 'Yep...' She repeated. 'I'm ready to have a baby.' She sighed as she struggled to button the button on her jeans just underneath the broad curvature of her belly. Finally, the button was fastened, but it was a very tight fit.

'I should just wear sweatpants...' She sighed.

Kentaro simply nodded, his hand slowly making its way back onto her stomach.

'Ow...' Homura grunted again, leaning forward slightly and holding her stomach.

'Are you sure you're alright?' Kentaro asked again.

'I'm positive.' Homura smiled lightly. 'It's just the baby moving...' She assured him.

'What if it's coming early?' Kentaro asked, getting jittery.

'It's not...' Homura repeated. 'I still have at least another month.'

'How do you know?' Kentaro asked, fidgeting slightly.

'I don't but-'

'Then you'll understand my worry...' Kentaro insisted.

'I'm fine...' Homura forced herself to smile easily. 'See? The pain's all gone.' She assured him, standing up. 'I have to finish the dishes.'

'No, don't!' Kentaro insisted, standing up as well. 'I'll do it, you just sit down and relax.' He offered.

'Thank you...' Homura sighed with an appreciative smile as she sat back down to play with her stomach.

Kentaro generously washed the dishes until he was distracted by the sound of Homura giggling on the couch, feeling her belly.

Kentaro could watch her all day she looked so pretty with her big stomach. He couldn't help smiling dreamily in her direction.

'It's got the hiccups...' Homura chuckled.

'Really?' Kentaro asked, taking a step closer to her.

'Ah-ah!' Homura stopped him, holding up a finger. 'Finish the dishes first.' She reminded.

Kentaro obediently went back to the dishes, not wanting to make his wife get up. However, Homura got up anyway and waddled to his side.

'It went away...' She pouted.

'Oh...' Kentaro sighed, also disappointed.

'Is there any laundry that we have to do today?' She asked.

'I don't know...' Kentaro answered simply, his mind lost in thought.

'I guess I'd better check...' Homura supposed, turning to go.

After taking a few steps into the other direction, she slammed her hand down onto the peninsula, letting out a small groan in pain. 'Ouch...' She groaned deeply as she doubled over.

'Are you okay?!' Kentaro cried, hurrying to her side and helping her stand up. 'The baby?' To his surprise, instead of groaning in pain, Homura was laughing gleefully as she stood back up.

'What was that?!' Kentaro asked, somewhat frantically.

'Nothing...' Homura laughed. 'You need to relax.' She added. 'I'm fine, I swear...' She assured him fondly.

'Don't do that again...' Kentaro scolded. 'You nearly gave me a heart attack.'

'Sorry dear...' Homura smiled. 'But you do need to relax...' She repeated.

'I'll be relaxed once you stop doing that...' Kentaro told her. 'You know I'm already edgy enough, why did you have to do that?' He asked, slowly releasing his pent-up anxiety.

'I wanted to see how fast you'd come running...' Homura admitted shamefully. 'I'm sorry. 'I won't do it again.' she promised.

'If you keep doing that, I'm not going to let you off the couch...' Kentaro told her, somewhere between playfully and dead-seriously.

'Okay...' Homura pouted, sitting back down on the couch.

A twinge in her stomach prodded her to begin attempting to shift her baby again.

'Why can't you sit still with it?' Kentaro asked, flicking a dishtowel over his shoulder as he sat down.

'It's uncomfortable...' Homura grunted. 'Don't question me until you know what it's like to have a little foot stuck in your diaphragm.'

'I can't...'

'Exactly...' Homura chuckled, patting Kentaro's leg.

-X-

Slowly but surely, to Homura's anxiety, and Kentaro's as well, the last couple weeks dragged by.

'Now how are you feeling?' Kentaro asked one night as they were lounging in their bed.

'Big...' Homura answered simply, wincing slightly.

'Oh, don't think like that...' Kentaro assured her, pulling her close. 'I like you just like this.' He smiled, fondling her belly. 'Although I do wish I could hug you from the front again.'

'You think I'm fat?' Homura asked.

'Not at all...' Kentaro insisted.

'But I'm not skinny...'

'Not quite...' Kentaro admitted, avoiding her eyes.

'I'm hungry...' Homura announced, changing the subject as she struggled to get down off the bed, much to Kentaro's relief. He had yet to master the art of talking to women about their weight.

Homura slowly waddled her way out the bedroom and into the kitchen, where all was silent for a couple minutes as Homura got together her snack.

However, a distinct-sounding splash on the linoleum brought Kentaro racing frantically out of the bedroom and into the kitchen, where he found Homura looking down, horrified at the large puddle of her water on the kitchen floor. She still had a cup of milk and a stack of crackers in her hand.

'You're not fooling with me this time, are you?' Kentaro asked, worried.

'No...' Homura grunted, clutching her stomach and doubling over. 'I'm not.' She groaned. Homura was having her baby.

'Oh jeez!' Kentaro exclaimed to no one in particular as he raced around the apartment gathering the hospital items and such, avoiding the crib and baby clothes they had accumulated over the past few months. When he raced back into the kitchen, he found Homura down on her knees, cleaning up the mess her broken water had made.

'What are you doing?!' Kentaro cried.

'I'm cleaning it...' Homura grunted innocently between her contractions. 'I can't just leave this mess here.'

'I'll get it...' He told her, helping her stand back up and throwing paper towels all over the puddle. Tossing the soaked towels and wiping the floor one last time, Kentaro declared the kitchen floor clean and hurried his wife to the car.

'Do you want me to call your mother?' Kentaro asked the now panting Homura as they sped to the nearest hospital.

'Please...' Homura grunted, rocking forward in her seat.

Rukia arrived at the hospital just as Kentaro helped Homura in.

'Dear...' Rukia breathed gently, taking her travailing daughter's hand.

'It hurts Mom...' Homura cried painfully, tears streaming down her cheeks as she held her heaving stomach.

'I know it hurts dear...' Rukia tried to comfort her. 'But it's only for a little longer. You'll be okay.'

Hours later, the doctors declared Homura ready to start pushing. And bravely, with her husband on one side, and her mother on the other, Homura gave birth to a baby girl with brown hair and bright violet eyes.

The doctor laid the tiny baby in Homura's arms, and instantly, Homura looked to husband. 'Saaya?' She asked him expectantly.

'Whatever you want to call her...' He told her, content to just see his daughter.

'I like it...' Homura sighed contently. 'Saaya it is.' She smiled at Kentaro.

'I love you...' Kentaro breathed, kissing first the forehead of his wife, and then the forehead of his daughter. 'Both of you.' He smiled. 'I knew it was a girl...'

Both of them were blissfully happy that night, finding it impossible to imagine their lives if they had never met that one day at the Shino Academy, and if Homura never brought him home, and if she never kissed him that first time he saved her. Never minding who Kentaro was or where he came from, but the incredible loving and gentle person he was. Homura was happy that he was the father of her children, and she was proud to have his children.

Shizuku later returned to the Soul Society, deeply wishing to see his uncle again, and also claiming that he had to be the member of his family to continue his duties to the Soul Society, where he also eventually married, shortly after reaching the rank of Third Seat. Rena became a music teacher at Karakura High, remaining close to her parents and sister all throughout her married life. While Ichigo and Rukia aged with grace, looking proudly at their children, and their children's children, knowing that it all began with their promise to be together, no matter what happened, and no matter where life took them.

THE END

AN: What a totally awesome way to spend the last day of the semester. Rushing through a few finals in the morning, then coming home and writing for innumerous hours straight with only a bag of potato chips and a bottle of soda! By far, the most fun I've ever had. A totally relaxing way to end a particularly busy and stressful semester. And not to mention this chapter! Quite a doozey of an ending if I do say so myself, but not to brag or anything. I didn't want to just stop after the wedding, but then I figured I couldn't stop until Homura had a baby, cuz that's probably what half of everyone was expecting. Anyway, I hope I provided an ending and the closure the story deserved. :) Saaya is pronounced (sigh)-(yuh). I also want to apologize to any men reading this ending, it seems, to me at least, that it might be more appealing to a female audience... I'm sorry, I tried my best... :(

Wow... When I first introduced Kentaro's character in chapter 4, as an unnamed student, I had neither idea nor intention that I would get him to the place you read in the ending. As the story moved forward, I started liking him more and more. And don't get me started about how I said I was wrapping up at the end of chapter 15... When the story's now twice as long?

Please nobody beg for a sequel... As far as I'm concerned, this tale is over. Sadly enough, if people beg for another sequel, I won't be able to say no, but then I won't be able to finish it, so I'll only disappoint everybody.

Thank you, Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who read and followed along, and an even bigger thank you to everyone who faithfully reviewed! :D We reached one hundred reviews! As a final favor from everyone that read or followed, I would really appreciate a review, even if it's just one word: good or bad. It'll take all of two seconds in the box below! :) Thanks so much again everyone, I'm not lying or exaggerating at all when I say you guys rock, cuz you do!

Thank you, goodbye, and Peace! (^_^)v

PS: My thoughts and prayers to all the victims and their families of the elementary school shooting tragedy in the state of Connecticut, USA. 12-14-2012 3