Chapter 18: New Life
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(My very deepest thanks to all of the readers who keep this series and the Bleach fandom going. This one is done, and that means that the next story will be getting a new chapter soon. Stay tuned! Love to all, Spunky)
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Byakuya stood quietly within his and Renji's bedroom, his pale hand curving around a framed picture that had been taken on the day of Renji's promotion to the post of vice captain of the sixth division. Warm grey eyes blinked slowly as he recalled the moment.
Things were so different then. I was a prisoner to the expectations and the needs of my clan, and Renji was only there with me because he longed to grow the strength to overcome me and take back the friend who I stole from him.
He set the picture in a waiting box, then moved on to the next, which showed Renji dressed in a captain's haori, smiling proudly.
Just from that picture to this, it seems that so much changed around us. But even with the changes, some things remained precisely the same. Once we came to realize who we were meant to be to each other, we never faced a day, nor an hour, not even a moment alone, as our souls were slowly and permanently bound together.
He moved on to more photographs that recalled for him the births and growth of each of their children.
The love that Renji and I have for each other has continued to blossom and grow, even as our world has widened and changed. But no matter what happens, there is that love, which holds everything together, and that we return to, to find our strength as we meet each new challenge.
He set the last of the pictures into the box and handed it to a waiting attendant, then he left the bedroom through the garden doors and found Renji sitting silently in his wheelchair, looking out across the lovely gardens, his handsome cinnamon eyes looking distant. Byakuya moved closer and laid a hand on his husband's. Renji smiled and laced their fingers together.
"Where are the children?" he asked.
"Giving us a little space," the redhead answered, giving him a little smile as he lifted Byakuya's hand and gently kissed the soft fingertips, "I was thinking that it would be nice to walk up…erm, to ride up to our special place, which is the crossover point anyway. We can watch the sun set together, one last time before we go."
Byakuya nodded approvingly.
"That would be lovely."
Renji smiled and gave a soft whistle, summoning a beautiful white stallion Byakuya recognized as one of the king's own.
"Perks of family membership," Renji chuckled as Byakuya helped him out of the wheelchair and onto the horse's back. Byakuya mounted behind him and wrapped his arms around Renji's waist. The horse walked slowly around the trail in the gardens, allowing the two men on his back to gaze at the flowers and trees, recalling the days they had spent there. He headed out the back gate and along the forested trail they had tread many times, walking to their favorite moongazing spot, the top of a little cliff, where a little stand of sakura trees grew next to a waterfall that spilled down into a lake on the edge of the large green meadow, where they and their children had spent so many hours training. Renji stopped the horse and Byakuya slid off and helped him down off of the regal beast's back, then let the redhead lean against him as they looked up into the darkening sky.
"Funny how this place hasn't changed much at all," the redhead mused, "You can sit here and imagine being back in those earlier days. It's like a time machine that can take you back through each moment we spent here."
"Yes," Byakuya agreed, "this place is magical, and I am glad to have shared so many days and nights here with you."
Renji lowered his eyes and let out a shuddering breath.
"It was good, wasn't it?" asked, closing his eyes, "I mean, it was hard sometimes, when we'd get into trouble and shit would be hitting the fan and then some…but somehow, we always made it back to here. It's like this whole place was part of what held everything together."
"I agree," Byakuya said, "however, it is important for us to remembers that this place was here before we were, and it charted the days of our predecessors too. It will go on, marking the days as our children take their places here."
Renji bit at his lips and gave a troubled sigh. Byakuya nuzzled his cheek and offered him a tender kiss.
"What is it?"
"Eh, it just seems like the older kids are still kinda young, you know, to be leading the clan, and without us here to make sure they don't mess with Takeshi"
"Ah, yes," Byakuya agreed, "but Takeshi is not any younger than I was when I assumed leadership, and he really is ready."
"It's not just that. I'm gonna miss all of us being here together. You know, just the day to day being. Not that we won't have the little kids with us in the royal realm, but it's gonna be…"
"It is going to be different for us and for them," Byakuya affirmed, "Still, we can watch over the children from the palace."
"Sure."
"And we can come here to spend time with them. They can come to us in the royal realm. No matter what happens, Renji, the ties of family between all of us will remain strong."
Renji glanced down at his healing body and sighed.
"At least something will," he said under his breath.
Byakuya frowned and squeezed his hand.
"Do not let yourself be discouraged," he said sternly.
"No one knows what's gonna happen with me," Renji sighed, "I may just…"
"Shh," Byakuya hissed, kissing the redhead's mouth to stop him, "The man who I love is not one who gives up easily…nor ever. Renji, your faith has brought both of us through so many obstacles. That and your great strength."
"I know," Renji assured him, "and I'm not giving up, I'm just…tryin' to be reasonable here. Even our Hajime's power…"
"We have talked about that," Byakuya chided him, "There are still many options that wait for us in the royal realm. And while we pursue them, we will have some new beginnings too."
Renji glanced down at the little bump that had formed on his lower abdomen and grinned, shaking his head.
"There is that, isn't there?" he chuckled.
He glanced back in the direction they had come.
"I kinda wish that they could be born here, you know?"
"I know. I feel as you do, but the royal realm is a beautiful place, and it is a safer one for them."
"Yeah, I know. I just…"
"I understand."
The two men paused looking over their shoulders as voices sounded on the pathway behind them, and they turned to greet Takeshi, Chisaki and Takeo. The grown children smiled, but the two elder men couldn't help but feel the tension between them.
"It's that time, huh?" Renji said, breaking the silence between them.
"Yeah," Takeshi sighed, "Everything's packed and our attendants are moving our things into our new rooms."
"Good," Byakuya said approvingly, "We are ready also."
A long moment of silence opened up between them.
"I suppose it is time then," Byakuya said finally.
The three children moved forward and exchanged solemn hugs with their parents.
"Be good," Renji said, embracing Chisaki, "The Shihoins are a feisty clan. You're going to have your hands full."
"Mine will be even more full and way less fun," Takeshi sighed, "At least she doesn't have to deal with stuffy elders."
"Just ones who cannot sit still long enough to discuss anything," Byakuya said dryly, "You will both have your share of challenges. And I know that I need not remind you that Aizen is still going to be a danger to all of you. Although he has been quiet, that does not mean that he has given up his vendetta against our family. He has even gone so far as to threaten the king's consort and samurai, himself. There is no end to that man's ambitions, so you need to be on guard for him."
"We will be," Takeshi promised.
"Very well," Byakuya said, laying a palm on one of the sakura trees at the top of the hill.
The five watched in silence as the doorway to the king's garden opened and Byakuya helped Renji back onto the white horse. They called out a final goodbye as the horse and riders passed through and the doorway closed. A short time later, the horse stepped into the king's garden, where the two shinigamis were greeted by the sounds of splashing and children's laughter.
"Sounds like the little ones are having fun," Renji chuckled.
They moved forward to the king's healing pool and found the king and elder Hajime reclined under a tree with Hajime leaned comfortably up against the royal monarch, his blue eyes watching the ones in the pool and his lips smiling. In the healing pool, the younger Hajime watched over his smallest sister and brother in the shallows, while Akiko and Akane played in the deeper water. Renji's eyes saddened suddenly as he watched them. Noticing his husband's melancholy, Byakuya took the redhead's hand, squeezing it supportively.
"It kinda seems to be a thing in our family, doesn't it," Renji said unhappily, "being gone and coming back to find you've missed some really important things."
"The important thing is that we have come back, and no matter what we've missed, we will not lose even more time lost in our sorrows. We will grow beyond what happened."
"Yeah," Renji agreed half-heartedly, wincing as he landed on the ground and Byakuya kept an arm around him to steady him.
"Daddy Bya! Daddy Red!" Akiko and Akane yelled, abandoning the water and running to their fathers.
Neither minded at all the splashes of water that got on their clothes as the girls hugged them tightly.
"You've grown up so much!" Renji managed in a choked voice, "You were just babies when I left."
Young Hajime moved to join them, leading Chiasa and Kisho, who hid behind him and observed their fathers warily. Renji's face fell and Byakuya froze for a moment. Elder Hajime came to his feet and moved to the children's side.
"Come out, now," he coaxed them.
"Damn it," Renji swore, "Our own kids don't know us."
"They were infants the last time either of us saw them," Byakuya sighed.
"Come and meet your fathers," elder Hajime said, smiling warmly, "You remember the stories I've told you of how brave they were, and how they gave so much to protect everyone."
The two youngest children edged out from behind their brother, their eyes wide as they approached Byakuya and Renji.
The two men knelt on the grass as the youngest children moved to greet them. Byakuya reached out to curve a hand around Kisho's face, while Renji lifted Chiasa and smiled up at her.
"Have you been behaving while we were gone?" he asked.
"Chiasa is always good," young Hajime said, smirking, "but Kisho is headstrong."
"Is that so?" Renji said, glaring down at the little boy, "It looks like we've got our work cut out for us, don't we? I guess we'll be training in the morning, eh?"
"It sounds that way," Byakuya agreed.
"Hey, who here is hungry?" Renji asked, grinning, "I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm starving. How about some grub?"
"Grubs?" Akane and Akiko said together, "Eeeeew!"
"No, not grubs," Renji chided them, "grub, as in food. Real food, not wormy things."
"I eat worms!" Kisho announced.
"I seed him," Chiasa added.
"Eeeeeeew!" Akiko and Akane laughed.
"We do not eat worms," Byakuya said firmly, "They have work they do, here in the gardens. You will respect them and let them do their work from now on,"
Kisho's little mouth dropped open and he gazed up at Byakuya wordlessly.
"Better do what he says," young Hajime warned his smaller sibling.
"He's the boss of you," Akane laughed.
"Yeah," Renji said, pinching his son's cheek, then sweeping the surprised boy into strong arms, "C'mon, let's get inside."
Renji held the little boy securely on one arm, while he leaned on Byakuya and the little family returned to the palace together. The king and elder Hajime walked a short distance behind, and Hajime looked up at the monarch questioningly.
"What is it?"
"I am worried," Hajime admitted, "While Renji's injury does seem to be slightly improved…"
"You sense the damage is going to be difficult for him to overcome."
The king closed his eyes and nodded, then looked back at his consort.
"We must continue to have faith in him," he counseled Hajime, "After all, you were dead, yet you came back to me, did you not?"
"I did," Hajime agreed, "and I do not mean to doubt."
The king slipped an arm around Hajime and kissed him on the cheek.
"You have a gentle heart, and this makes you worry for him. But I feel that you also sense the determination that runs in his veins. I still cannot see the outcome, because of the strange circumstances of his injury, but…I do sense something that tells me there is a force approaching that will affect his future."
Hajime's blue eyes widened.
"You've had a vision!" he mused, "What did you see?"
The king's head bowed and his hand tightened on his consort's.
"I saw a son of your house encased in ice…a healing power that approaches Soul Society, and a howling wolf that will be a shield for that power as it rises. This is somehow connected to Renji's fate. We must be patient and be ready for whatever happens."
Hajime took a steadying breath and straightened, nodding.
"Yes, of course, my lord. As your consort and your samurai, I promise you, I will be ready."
The king smiled.
"Yes," he agreed, "I know I can trust in that always. Your house is still strong, still a light for all of Soul Society."
He slipped a warm arm around Hajime and the two continued on their way back into the castle.
Back in Soul Society, the three eldest Abarai-Kuchiki children laid on their backs at the top of the cliff where they had said their farewells to their fathers, and they looked up into the stars together.
"It's strange," Chisaki mused softly, "how the sky still looks the same, but everything is so different. It just doesn't seem like they can really be so far away."
"Yeah," her twin brother agreed, "It seems like we could walk back to the house and find them waiting for us. Damn, it is going to be weird…and hard, being the head of household. I know Father said that I am old enough and strong enough, but…some of those old geezers on the council. You're lucky, Takeo, that you just have to run a military division. I have to do that and lead the family."
"I have to lead a family too," Chisaki sighed, "I just want to go back to my room and have everything be like it was before."
"But we can't go back," Takeo said quietly, "Not all of our wishing and daydreaming can change things to bring it back. Still, we can wish for the future, right?"
His two half-siblings nodded.
"Byakuya always said that while doors close all of the time as we pass through them, new ones open," he went on, "We have to focus on the future, not the past."
"I just hope that now that they're up there, Daddy Renji will be healed," Chisaki said, looking into the stars.
"I wish there was something someone could do to make that happen," Takeo sighed.
The three caught their breath as a huge shooting star blazed a trail in the night sky above them.
"Look at that," Takeshi mused, "You're so lucky, Brother. It appeared just in time to make your wish come true."
"Ah," Takeo sighed, looking up into the stars and shivering at the night's chill, "If only."
Several miles from where the Kuchiki children rested, deep in the belly of an old, abandoned prison, a lone pale figure entrapped in a sea of ice began to radiate with returning warmth.