Hi everyone. So this chapter has been a long time coming. But Im now ready to release it. Thank you very much for your patience, and thank you very much to everyone who has left a review, favourited, and added me to your alerts list. Ive been keeping up to date with the manga for some time, because I always like to link my story into the current timeline if I can. However, I've been feeling very dismayed after reading each chapter of the current arc. And I think I died a little after reading the last three releases. All I can say is, I'll keep my bleach universe seperate from that universe. I hope you all enjoy reading this chapter, and I hope it helps to pick a few peoples spirits back up. Happy Reading ^_^


Someone To Watch Over You Chapter 48

For the best part of the afternoon and well into the evening Nanao's pain filled cries echoed throughout the many corridors and hallways of the Fourth Division. Unohana had predicted that it would be a quick birth. However, the first twin which happened to be the largest of the two, seemed to be in no particular rush to come on out. It was almost as if it was taking its sweet time.

"This is your fault!" Nanao growled at Shunsui after a particularly painful contraction.

"My fault?" Shunsui asked bemused as he flexed the feeling back into his fingertips.

"If our twins have inherited your lazy, laid back ways.." Nanao broke off as another contraction hit. She latched onto the front of Shunsui's robes.

"And breathe," Unohana instructed.

Meanwhile, outside in the corridor Nanao's fresh cries bounced of the walls. Rangiku closed her magazine and dropped it down onto the spare seat next to her, "Nanao's contractions are getting closer together."

"Hmm, and her screams are getting louder too," Ukitake commented as though he was observing the weather.

"I wonder if they're going to be boys or girls," Rangiku sighed.

"That's the million dollar question Rangiku," Ukitake nodded, "There's so many different betting pools, I've lost track."

Another ear-piercing scream filled the corridor and they both winced.

"I never knew Nanao could be so loud," Rangiku jammed her fingers in her ears.

Ukitake chuckled, "That's because she's always so cool, calm and collected. Unless of course Shunsui gets on her wrong side."

"Its enough to wake the dead."

Ukitake's eyes dropped down to Kotaro who was fast asleep in his lap, "Unless of course you're Kotaro who can apparently sleep through anything."

Once Nanao had stopped screaming and the ringing had gone from their ears, they heard the steady approach of footsteps coming down the corridor.

Rangiku smiled when she saw Toushiro heading for them. She jumped to her feet and rushed to him for a hug, "Toshi, I'm glad you're here."

Once Rangiku had loosened her death grip on him, Toushiro walked the last few steps to where Ukitake was sitting with Kotaro.

"I wondered where you two had gone," Toushiro glanced at Kotaro and a small smile formed on his face.

"Look Toushiro, I'm really sorry about earlier, and what I said."

Toushiro shook his head, "No I'm sorry too."

Ukitake discreetly averted his gaze to give them what little privacy he could, which wasn't much considering they were in a very public part of the Fourth, and the fact that he was stuck since Kotaro had fallen asleep on him.

"I don't want to fight any more," Rangiku frowned, "And about our baby girls name."

"Rangiku, I don't want to fight any more either. If you want to give her a Western name, then I can live with that."

"Really?"

"Yes," Toushiro replied.

"Oh.." Rangiku had a small pout.

"Oh, what?" Toushiro had noticed her disappointment.

"Well, erm.." Rangiku twirled a strand of her hair around her finger, "About our little girls name. I was so frustrated that we couldn't see eye to eye, that I kinda told Kotaro that he could pick his sisters name instead. Since we couldn't agree on one."

"Oh.." Toushiro replied.

"Is that a good oh, or a bad oh?" Rangiku winced.

Ukitake smirked and shook his head in amusement, he glanced down at his lap and noticed that Kotaro was starting to stir.

Kotaro sat up looking very groggy as he rubbed at his eyes. His hair was sticking up at all angles.

"Welcome back from the dead young man," Ukitake chuckled.

"Are my cousins here yet?"

"No not yet sweetie," Rangiku smiled and tried to smooth his hair down.

"Hey little man," Toushiro greeted and sat himself down.

"Hi Daddy, are you still mad at Mummy?"

"No, we're friends again now."

Kotaro nodded in approval.

"Do you need the bathroom sweetie?" Rangiku asked as she rose to her feet, "I could do with going myself."

Kotaro nodded and jumped down from Ukitake's lap, "I'm bursting!"

"Well lets take you before you head back home with Daddy."

Toushiro had just settled himself down and was about to ask Ukitake how things were going with Nanao, when the delivery room door flew open. Both Toushiro and Ukitake rose to their feet, expecting some news. But they sank back into their seats again when it only turned out to be one of the nurses wheeling out an empty cart.

"How long as it been now?" Toushiro asked.

Ukitake glanced at the clock on the wall, "Her waters broke just after noon, so about seven, getting on eight hours now."

Rangiku returned a few minutes later, Kotaro bounded over to Toushiro and practically jumped into his arms, "Ready to go home Kotaro?"

Kotaro nodded his head, "I'm hungry."

Toushiro kissed Rangiku, "Will you keep me posted?"

Rangiku smiled, "As soon as we hear some news."

Toushiro left them and Rangiku sank back down onto her seat next to Ukitake, "The waiting is the worst."

"I know dear, but it will be worth it in the end."

Rangiku and Ukitake sat in silence, each listening to the bustle of activity coming from inside the delivery room. They could hear Unohana issuing orders, they could also hear each and everyone of Nanao's painful contractions. They even heard such a tremendous crash that had them both sitting up straight from their slouched positions in their seats.

"My goodness, what was that?" Ukitake wondered.

Before they could wonder further, the delivery room door opened and they saw two nurses trying to drag something from the room. A second later and they saw that it was actually Shunsui's prone body that they were trying to heave out of the room, without much success.

Ukitake shot to his feet and hurried over to help, since he had a lot of personal experience when it came to dragging Shunsui's unconscious body around. "Its okay ladies, I've got him," In one swift movement, he'd lifted Shunsui's upper body, got his arm around his waist and then managed to drape Shunsui's arm around his neck and shoulders. He then dragged him over to the nearby seats and plonked him down, with help from Rangiku, they stretched him out across five seats.

The nurses hurried back inside to help assist Unohana.

Ukitake noticed that Shunsui's pink haori had become dislodged and discarded on the floor just outside the door. He stepped over to retrieve it.

For a brief moment, he had an unobstructed view of Nanao, who was red in the face and sweating from the exertion. He briefly met her eye and gave her an encouraging nod. As he reached for the door to close it so she had some privacy, he heard Nanao call out to him.

"Ukitake-san," she sounded breathless.

Since finding out that he was in fact Nanao's father, Ukitake had encouraged Nanao to be less formal towards him, however it was difficult to break a life times habit and he knew she would find it difficult to address him as 'Dad,' but she had started calling him Ukitake-san, rather then the much more formal, 'Captain Ukitake."

Ukitake was about to offer some encouragement but she was ceased by another contraction.

"Arghhh dammit where's Shunsui!?" She growled through the pain.

"Its quite common for men to faint during labour Nanao," Unohana commented, "He'll come through. But in the meantime lets concentrate on getting the first twin out. You're doing wonderfully."

Nanao returned her gaze to Ukitake and held her hand out, "Can I hold your hand for a little bit please?"

Ukitake stepped over to her side, as soon as his hand was within reach Nanao latched on, tightly. He smoothed her hair back from her forehead, "I'm right here dear."

Unohana frowned at the readings on one of the monitor screens, "Juushiro, could you share some of your reiatsu with Nanao please. Hers is almost drained and the first twin is requiring so much more then what is available. We just need to keep them both stable with a steady stream of reiatsu, just until nature takes its course and they are ready to come out."

Ukitake nodded and started to direct a steady stream of his energy into Nanao, who then utilised it and streamed it into the twins.


Shunsui groaned and slowly blinked his eyes open, to see Rangiku's face peering down at him with a Cheshire cat grin.

He blinked a few times until the realisation dawned on him and he shot up, "Nanao!"

Rangiku restrained him with her hands on his shoulders, "Is doing just fine at the moment."

"The twins!"

"Haven't made an appearance yet," Rangiku reassured, "Although she must be getting close now. Are you good now?" Rangiku released him and he slowly stood up.

"Yeah, I think so."

"Well then, what are you waiting for? Get back in there. They need you."

Shunsui smiled, grateful that she wasn't teasing him too much. He marched back into the delivery room and returned to Nanao's side.

Ukitake grinned at him and stepped away from Nanao, "Will you be okay now, or are you going to faint like a little girl again?"

Nanao screamed loudly.

Ukitake hurried from the delivery room, Unohana had a strict policy of only allowing one accompanying person in the delivery room during labour.

"The first twin is coming, on your next contraction I need you to push with everything you've got Nanao," Unohana instructed.

Shunsui held Nanao's hand tightly, his other arm was wrapped around her shoulder. He kissed her cheek, "You can do this sweetheart."

"PUSH!"

Nanao pulled in a deep breath, her grip tightened around Shunsui's hand, then she started pushing, hard. Her loudest cry yet echoed and bounced off the walls.

Soon her cries died down and were replaced with loud wails, as their first baby entered the world.

"Congratulations, baby number one is a beautiful bouncing boy," Unohana informed with a soft smile and a look of pride in her eyes, "Shunsui, do you want to help me here?"

Shunsui was overcome with joy, "Nanao-chan! Can you believe it!" He gave her a squeeze before stepping over to Unohana who was gently holding his wailing son and reaching for the scissor. She handed them to Shunsui, "Could you cut the cord here please?"

Shunsui complied, then Unohana quickly wrapped the baby up in a blanket, before handing him over to Shunsui, "Congratulations."

"Nanao-chan, you have to see him, he's adorable," Shunsui had tears in his eyes.

Nanao gave him a smile, which quickly turned to a grimace. Unohana quickly resumed her previous position, "I'm sorry Nanao, we cant stop yet, baby number two will be along much quicker than the first."

Shunsui carefully walked back to Nanao's side, with his son cradled securely in his arm. With his free hand he held onto Nanao's as she started to push all over again.

Within ten minutes, the second twin emerged.

"And twin number two is a very tiny, but very beautiful baby girl," Unohana announced.

Nanao collapsed back into her pillows, gasping for breath, "Shunsui, can I?"

Shunsui understood and he carefully placed their son in Nanao's arms, before stepping over to Unohana, to cut his daughters cord too, "Oh my god, she is so beautiful Nanao-chan," Shunsui wiped his tears away, "They both are."

"Can I see her?" Nanao was still catching her breath.

Unohana wrapped the baby girl in a blanket and handed her to Shunsui, she then stood on her toes to kiss him on the cheek, "Congratulations."

With a large happy smile on his face, he joined Nanao and she got her first glimpse of their daughter, "They have your hair," she commented with a smile. Both of them had a wispy mop of brown curls.

Shunsui leaned in and kissed her forehead, "Nanao, you've made me the happiest man alive."

Nanao smiled and reached up to rest her hand against his stubbly cheek, wiping his tears away with her thumb. She suspected that if hadn't been feeling so exhausted, then she would've most likely have been sharing some tears with him. But as it was, she was spent.

Unohana stepped over and stood on the other side of Nanao's bed. She brushed a few strands away from Nanao's forward and smiled, "They're both beautiful."

"Nanao!" Shunsui exclaimed, "Look, she's opened her eyes! She has your eyes."

Nanao lifted her hand and stroked her daughters forehead with her thumb and smiled, she then looked down at her son in her arms who was peering back at her with a beautiful pair of grey eyes. It was like looking at a miniature Shunsui.

"He has your eyes," she commented and kissed her sons forehead.

Unohana smiled then stepped away from the bed, "I shall give you four some time alone. I'll check them over and weigh them when I return."

"Thank you, Retsu," Shunsui smiled at her, "Thank you for getting them here safely.

Unohana nodded before quietly stepping out of the room.

"I cant believe we're parents Nanao-chan."

"Me neither," Nanao admitted, "I'm still not sure how its going to work with running the Division though."

"Hey, don't worry about that just yet, we'll work something out," Shunsui kissed her again.

Nanao adjusted their son to one side, so that she could make room for her daughter too. Shunsui carefully placed her down, he then perched himself on the edge of Nanao's bed.

"They're identical twins, apart from their eyes," Nanao couldn't take her eyes off of them, "He's an exact replica of you, but she is a nice mix of the two of us."

"She's going to be a beauty, just like her Mother," Shunsui smoothed his daughters curls, "Do you think that the names we picked for them will fit?"

Nanao nodded and gazed down at her son, "Daichi Kyouraku, its perfect. Although I would like to give him a middle name."

"That's fine sweetheart, what middle name do you have in mind?"

"Juushiro. Daichi Juushiro Kyouraku."

"That has a nice ring to it, I'm sure Juu will be thrilled when we tell him," Shunsui dropped his gaze to his daughter, "Kaori Kyouraku," he smiled, "Daddy loves you very much," he glanced back at Nanao, "Will she have a middle name too?"

Nanao nodded, "Retsu."

"Kaori Retsu Kyouraku," Shunsui nodded, "Its perfect."

Unohana returned to the room and started with the after birth procedure. She checked both babies thoroughly and gave them both a perfect ten. She then started to clean Nanao up, and gave her some more pain relief. Then she started to fill out the birth forms with Shunsui's help while Nanao rested.

Daichi started wailing and Nanao instinctively knew that he was requiring a feed. Kaori was also growing restless and in need of a feed too.

Nanao was starting to feel a little daunted, was it possible to feed both at the same time?

Unohana read Nanao's expression well, "Don't worry Nanao, there are a few positions you can use to feed both of them at the same time. If Shunsui could take your daughter for a minute please."

Shunsui carefully lifted Kaori into his arms, While Unohana lifted Daichi into her own arms, she then picked up an extra pillow and placed it behind Nanao's back for support.

Nanao loosened her hospital robe and leaned back into the pillow. Unohana placed Daichi in Nanao's left arm and he greedily latched on and started sucking away. Unohana then instructed Shunsui to place Kaori in Nanao's other arm. With a bit of encouragement, Kaori soon found Nanao and started feeding too.

"Its as natural as breathing Nanao," Unohana commented, "I'll let you give them a good feed before we move you to one of the recovery rooms. Then once you've had something to eat yourself and some rest, I'll then allow you to have some visitors if you feel up to it."

Nanao gave a small nod, "Thank you."

While Nanao was feeding the twins, Unohana pulled Shunsui to one side, "How are you feeling now? You went down pretty hard earlier, did you bump your head at all?"

Shunsui rubbed his head, "Nothing too major."

"Nanao's reiatsu is going to take a few weeks to recover. I suspect it will be the same with yours too."

"It will be worth it. I'm just glad that the labour went smoothly, especially after all the problems we had early on in the pregnancy. I knew it was going to require a lot to keep the twins stable, I just had no idea that they would end up needing all of my reiatsu. I guess I reached my limit and crashed out. Remind me to thank Juu for stepping in for me."

"He's outside with Rangiku, I'm sure they're both eager to speak with you. I only told them briefly that both twins had arrived safely. Nothing more."

Shunsui smiled, "I best go and put both of them out of their misery."

"I may have a riot on my hands soon if you don't."

Shunsui stepped over to Nanao and gazed down at the twins, "Nanao-chan, I'll just be outside talking to Juu and Rangiku."

"Okay," Nanao replied softly, she felt so content sitting there feeding her babies.

Shunsui kissed her forehead, then quietly slipped out of the room.


Nanao wasn't sure how long she'd been asleep, or to be more precise, when she fell asleep. But as she slowly came to, she heard soft murmurs in the room. The light was different, it was much softer.

She slowly peeked her eyes open and noticed that she was now in a different room, a much more comfortable room then the sterile delivery room.

She glanced over to the right of the room and saw Ukitake cradling Kaori in his arms. He looked delighted and full of pride. Shunsui was standing next to him talking softly to his best friend. Over to the left, Rangiku was sat in a seat with Daichi in her arms who was fast asleep.

Nanao felt a soft hand rest against the top of her head, she glanced up and met Unohana's gentle gaze, "How are you feeling now?"

She still felt sore, but she was feeling better after a bit of rest, "Better."

"Would you like a cup of tea now?"

"Some tea would be great, thank you."

"Lets me help you to sit up," Unohana had her sitting up in no time.

Rangiku saw that she was awake and beamed at Nanao, she stood up from the chair and carefully stepped over to Nanao's bed, "Nanao he's so gorgeous. He's a mini version of Shunsui. And Kaori, what a little cutie!"

Ukitake swept over to the bed too, "I'm so happy for you," he bent down and kissed Nanao's cheek.

"I cant believe how big Daichi is," Rangiku smiled, "I didn't realise how tiny Kotaro really was as a baby, until I saw Daichi here."

"He was rather stubborn about coming out too," Unohana added with an amused smile, "I think he was quite content to stay put."

"Father like son," Nanao commented quietly.

"I heard that Nanao-chan."

Rangiku let out a soft squeal, "I'm so happy, I have a nephew and a niece. Kotaro's going to be thrilled. All he's been talking about for the last few days is whether his cousins had arrived yet."

Daichi started to grow restless in Rangiku's arms, he then started to cry.

"Does Daichi-kun want to go back to Mummy?" Rangiku cooed.

Nanao sat up a bit straighter, "He's after another feed."

Rangiku handed Daichi back to Nanao. His cries had gotten louder and now Kaori was starting to grow restless too.

"It must be the twin thing," Ukitake smiled.

"Shunsui, can you help me please?" Nanao asked as she readjusted Daichi.

"Of course sweetheart."

Rangiku stepped away from the bed to give them room, "I'll just be outside. I told Toushiro that I would let him know how things were going."

Once Ukitake had handed Kaori back to Shunsui he smiled, "I'll just be outside too, so you can have some privacy Nanao."

"And I'll be back again after checking on the other patients," Unohana glided out of the room after Rangiku and Ukitake. She looked back at Shunsui, Nanao and the twins as she closed the door behind her. They were going to make a lovely little family.

"Retsu," Ukitake's voice pulled her out of her musings. He was standing there holding his hand out to her.

Unohana stepped forward and took it, they then started to walk down the corridor together.

"I'm relieved that things are so different in the Seireitei nowadays," Unohana admitted.

"Me too," Ukitake wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"If only things had been different back then," Unohana's voice had a hint of regret in it.

Ukitake paused in his walking and turned to her, "Things may have been different, but we shall never know. I'm happy with how things are now Retsu. In a roundabout way, everything has turned out all right in the end."

Unohana absorbed his words and gave a little nod.

Ukitake beamed at her and started walking again, "Come on, I have a few gifts I'd like to pick up for the twins."

"Juushiro, please tell me that you haven't gone overboard. They've only just been born."

"Its just a couple of things," he defended.

"I've heard that tone before."

"I promise!"

"I've heard that promise too."

Ukitake grinned sheepishly back at her, "I've found all of those baby grows you've had stashed in your office."

Unohana paused, "How did you?"

"And you tell me not to go overboard," he grinned, "You're just as bad Retsu."

"I feel as though..." Unohana began.

"As though you're making up for lost time. Time that you lost with Nanao."

"Yes," Unohana admitted.

"Me too," Ukitake smiled, "Which is why we're going to spoil the twins rotten."

A small smile graced Unohana's lips. She liked that plan a lot.