Were-cat and Bucket-head
Disclaimer: Standard disclaimers apply.
A/N: This chapter is for Rei Eien, who would get a glimpse of what Byakuya's life would have been like had he married Rukia. Hi CielDoll, yes he will. He's even willing to give all up for her. Hope that's enough of a ByaRuki for you. ;) Hello Rei Eien, He's a proud man but he's an intelligent one, which is why he knows he needs help. Although, he is willing to risk all just to get her out. Hi YuzurihaNoRyuu, of course he will, I don't write tragedies, all of my stories have happy endings. Hello CoolbeansChinchilla, Thank you for your compliment, your reviews really makes me happy. Hi FleurSuoh, I plan on almost following the canon except with some changes of course. Although, I think I only plan to stick to the canon up until Aizen's defeat.
'Who would have thought that Byaku-bo would be breaking the rules?' Yoruichi thought peering at him quizzically as he calmly sat listening to Rukia's friends from the real world form their plans to free Rukia and escape with her. His contributions to the planning stage asides from Rukia's execution date are the different blueprints of places where she could possibly be detained, even the high security Senzaikyū or the Palace of Penitence, these blueprints that had been entrusted to the Kuchiki family for generations. Yoruichi was naturally surprised at his blatant disregard for the law and his illegal use of the resources of the Kuchiki clan. Then, she remembered something.
"Hey! I remember, didn't Ryuki Kyouraku and Ginrei Kuchiki planned to set an engagement between the two of you. Seeing, that Rukia still carried the surname Kyouraku, I presume you're still engaged?" Yoruichi asked. The others who were present looked at him in surprise and ogled. Byakuya took a deep breath and shook his head. "No. We broke off the engagement 50 years ago." He answered. Yoruichi stared intensely at him, he felt like he was being dissected. He remembered the feeling from 100 years or so back, it hadn't changed. But like he always did, he faced her scrutiny with courage. "You do realize that by doing this Bya-bo, you'll be throwing away everything you've worked for, for the past century; your captainship and your position as the head of the Kuchiki clan. What would make you…" Yoruichi looked at him. Byakuya kept his features schooled, emotions unreadable. Yoruichi's face softened. "You love her don't 'cha?" She asked.
Byakuya stiffened but his face remained stoic. "What I feel for her is inconsequential. She cannot die there. She deserves to die either in battle as a shinigami or as an old woman surrounded by her family. But she cannot die there…" Byakuya answered strongly. Urahara and Yoruichi looked at him in surprise at his uncharacteristic outburst. They nodded their assent and Yoruichi placed a comforting hand on Byakuya's shoulder and but did not say a word. Byakuya did not shrug it off as she expected him to do. She sat herself across from him and noticed the fatigue in his face, like he had not slept well in a while. She understood how hard it is for a proud man like him to seek help from the girl who tormented him while he was growing up. Thus, she refrained from teasing him further. 'You've grown up, haven't you Byakuya-bo?' She thought as she looked at the young boy, she pestered to entertain herself with.
They agreed upon a strategy. It was haphazard but better than nothing. Byakuya wasn't a fool to risk getting her out of Soul Society by himself, worst comes to worse, he is mercenary enough to use them as a diversion so he could get Rukia out. Rukia might not like it, but it was his last resort. She cared for them, thus he will do his best to ensure that they will all get out of Seireitei in one piece. Because of this, he agreed to help train Rukia's friends as they prepared to go to Soul Society.
He knows that he has to prepare himself mentally as well as physically for what they will certainly encounter in Soul Society. Yoruichi urged him to sleep and to eat so he would be in top shape. He reluctantly slept, strangely he did not have a nightmare but dreamt a beautiful dream.
Byakuya entered the Kuchiki manor as the sun sets. But unlike the almost deafening silence the servants had been trained to maintain, and the one he's used to; shouts and shrieks filled the manor. A young boy who looked like his replica lunged at him, and he opened his arms and hugged the boy who returned it with a tight hug of his own. "You're home early tou-sama. Kaa-sama made us takoyaki for our afternoon snacks and they were awesome!" The boy prattled. "Souichiro, let otou-sama relax a bit. He's tired from work." A boy who also looked like him but with purple eyes scolded the younger boy. He shook his head. "But Sōjun nii-sama I miss outo-sama and I want to welcome him." The younger boy answered. He smiled as he patted the head of the older boy and walked inside the house. A little girl, barely a toddler welcomes him with a kiss. He could almost smell milk and that unique scent babies have on her. "Tou-sa!" She exclaimed happily as she picked him up and carried her with an arm. Rukia approached him, he noticed as she drew closer that her belly was rounded with pregnancy. "Byakuya, you're home. I thought you'd not be home till later." She said happily, kissing his lips as their older children made gagging noise that he once heard Rukia, her uncle and father made at the "smoochies" their parents were giving each other. He did not answer as he felt his throat thickened with emotion but instead drew Rukia and the children his arms, never wanting to let them go.
Byakuya unwillingly woke up with a start. He looked up at the clock and noticed that it was still early in the day. Instead of getting up, he took the time to think about his dream. Of how that would have been what their life could be had he married her. She wouldn't even be in the living world because as the clan matriarch, the Kuchiki clan would not allow her to go on such a dangerous mission. She would have been safe in his arms and his home. They would have been happy. He felt tears threatening to fall from his eyes. He got up and fixed his clothes to prepare himself for the day's training. If there's anyone to blame in this situation, it would have been him. He blames himself for his inability to keep her safe.