Chapter 56

They all stood inside in silence, as the snow fell outside, painting the ground in the purest white, a stark contrast to the feelings in their souls. Tsunade had completely stopped talking and had her head on her sister's shoulder, watching the nearby wall with a blank stare. Soifon and Omaeda failed to console her and felt completely useless. Soifon offered to stay with her for a few weeks, but she had refused, wanting only her sister by her side. Naturally, Sachiko gave up on her plans of leaving and she couldn't care less about Takumi and Masami's love affair.

Momo tried to hold her tears inside, because she wanted to be strong for her son, but he had also closed himself in, refusing to cry or even talk about his sorrow. The only person he allowed closer was Takumi, much to Toushiro's uneasiness.

Takumi and Hideki were by the window, when he spoke, while watching the falling snow outside.

"Where are they all when I need them? My brothers...My sister..."

"Your sister has a small baby. She just couldn't come. And I heard Takashi has some serious business to handle at his district."

"Yes. And Masaru has a cold and they didn't let him travel in this weather because of his weak lungs. I know."

There was a long pause, before Hideki spoke again.

"You are more of a brother to me than them." He turned to Takumi's direction, looking straight into his blue eyes.

The other man was caught off guard by this sudden confession. Hideki grabbed his shoulder.

"Aren't you?"

Takumi put his hands on his shoulders too.

"I am here for you when you need me."

Toushiro could stand it no longer, so he took matters into his own hands, talking to Takumi in private, when the opportunity came.

"You should head back to Hueco Mundo. Your mother is waiting for you."

"She would have sent me a letter if it was so."

"You understand what I mean." Toushiro's cold look was truly eloquent.

"I will leave when your son feels better."

"You will leave tomorrow with all of us. He needs to stay alone with his wife and family to overcome this pain."

Takumi felt furious.

"He asked me to stay."

"And you will surely find a good reason to leave."

His low voice sounded really scary. With these words Toushiro quickly moved away. He met Masami at the first corner.

"Brother..."

"What are you doing here?"

His sharp words and angry eyes made her feel scared. Especially when she spotted Takumi's figure in the distance.

"I was just walking around to take my mind off this."

"You are also coming back with us tomorrow. Only Sachiko will stay to comfort her sister."

"Yes." She answered quietly.

Masami waited for her brother to continue his way, so she could speak with Takumi, but he stood there watching her instead.

"Come back with me, Masami. Momo is really upset. She needs you."

Masami nodded her head, but threw a look in Takumi's direction, driving Toushiro suspicious. He also looked back to see Takumi's retreating figure in the distance. Masami tried to ease the tension, so she grabbed his arm and moved closer to him.

"I am so sorry that they had to go through this pain as well. They are so young."

Toushiro kept quiet, all of his memories about the loss of Makoto awakening.

"God willing, they will overcome it together."

Tsunade had retreated to her room to rest, after taking her medicine. Now Hideki was alone with his mother, who held his hands, while talking.

"I know your pain very well, my son. You were still a small boy when we lost your brother and you may not remember it well. My world crashed then. I lost part of my soul and heart. I thought I couldn't go on, but I found meaning again. In you."

She moved one hand to his cheek. He felt her sincerity and knew how much she loved him, but there was something lingering in his mind. He remembered his brother's death very well, because that was the moment, he had felt something break between him and his mother. When she had closed herself in, driving everyone away. He knew how hard she had it, but he was so little and scared and grieving too, so he couldn't forgive her for leaving him alone. And then he had started his military education, slipping further away from his sweet mom and his happy childhood.

Toushiro and Masami came inside in this moment and Hideki moved away, never giving voice to all his quiet thoughts. Momo wiped away a tear that had slipped down her face and faced them too.

"Are you leaving?" Hideki asked, looking indifferent.

Toushiro nodded his head.

"When Masami is ready."

"Good. Let's say our goodbyes now. I also want to rest."

"Hideki, I can stay here for a while, if you let me. I will feel calmer that way." Momo stood up.

"No, mother. Go back and take care of Masaru. You will never fell calm when you know he is sick."

"It's nothing serious. He will heal without me."

"No. Really. I want to be alone." Hideki said and gave her a short embrace.

Then he took his goodbye with Masami too, leaving his father last. Toushiro pulled him into his tight embrace, whispering in his ear, when no one could hear.

"It will pass, my lion. You will overcome it. I know it. You are strong, just like me."

"I know."

Then, Toushiro grabbed Hideki's shoulder, trying to give him some of his strength. When he left the room, Momo rushed to Toushiro's side.

"Toushiro, I have to stay. We can't leave him alone in that condition." She grabbed his arm, her eyes pleading.

"We also went through this, Momo. Did anyone's presence help you?"

"I did not have any parents by my side."

"As if my father or Matsumoto could help. How did we overcome it in the end? By being there for each other. He and Tsunade will find a way to heal."

With that said, he gently caressed her hair and instructed the maids to go and prepare Masami's things. An hour later, they were all in the carriage, taking them back home. Masami kept on looking behind the curtain. She had managed to send Takumi a letter, begging him to not look for her for a while.

"What are you looking at?" Toushiro asked, feeling anxious by her constant movement.

"The nature around. I really liked this place." She said, but then stopped doing it and continued the journey quietly, abandoning the idea that Takumi might have taken a shortcut with his horse.

He had done that indeed and he watched the carriage from a far. He had hoped to see her face one last time, but knew how dangerous that was in these circumstances. The only thing he could do was go back home, breaking his bond with Hideki in order to keep the one he had with Masami. If he did not follow the Emperor's orders, there was no way for him to keep on coming into his lands, not to mention visiting his sister. He sighed.

Toushiro had drifted off into sleep eventually, feeling too tired to keep his eyes open. He was woken up abruptly by Momo squeezing his hand tightly. He quickly looked to her side, finding her pale and panicked, having her other hand on her chest, her breathing shallow.

"Momo! What is wrong?"

"It hurts..." She whispered.

Masami had also woken up and she looked scared.

"Brother..."

"Stop the carriage!" Toushiro shouted and the coachman obeyed immediately.

He stepped outside and took his wife into his arms. Masami followed.

"Breathe, Momo! Breathe!"

Momo felt unable to breathe at all, the irregular rhythm of her heart making her think she was close to death. Still, Toushiro's face and his hands on her cheeks, his calm words, his scent, everything helped calm her down and she managed to inhale deeply.

"Great! Now again." She was lying in his lap, focused on his face, fighting for every breath, until the tight feeling in her chest disappeared and her heartbeat slowed down. "That's it. It's all passed, my love. You will feel better soon." Toushiro moved his hand to her chest desperate to take her pain away. She squeezed it hard with her own, tears running down her cheeks.

Masami went back inside the carriage to take some water.

"Thank you." Toushiro said and made Momo move up a little in order to drink.

She rested her head on his chest.

"Toushiro...let's stay here for a bit more before going."

"Of course. We will stay as long as you need." He kissed her forehead. "Masami, give me our coats and you stay inside. It is cold."

From inside the carriage, Masami kept on watching as her brother had Momo lay on top his coat, while covering her with her own, holding her into his arms for the next hour. She was so touched by this rare display of affection coming from her brother, that she started sobbing inside the carriage. He seemed cold and scary, even ruthless maybe, but she knew better. He was a man who knew love and was able to sacrifice his all for it. He would never stay indifferent to her feelings. She knew it. She just had to gather the courage to confess them.

Once they reached the palace Toushiro took Momo inside in his arms, despite her protests. Isane came immediately to examine her. Momo kept on saying she was already fine, but she could not convince Toushiro, who knew her well enough to know she was able to discard her own feelings to please others. Isane spent the next 15 minutes using her tube to listen to her breathing sounds and heartbeat and also held her wrist for so long that Momo got impatient.

"I am telling you that I am fine, Isane. It was just the stress taking a toll on my body."

"I am afraid it is not just that, Your Majesty." Isane said, looking worried.

Momo raised her eyebrows, also feeling worried.

"Your heartbeat is irregular, even now. And I hear some heart murmurs."

"What does this mean?"

"You have a heart disease. And you have to be really careful from now on. You have to avoid stressful situations."

Momo turned pale and did not even listen carefully. She had felt some discomfort now and then, but she never thought it was really serious.

"How long do I have left?"

"Your Majesty! Who said anything like that? You are not terminally ill. You just have to take more care of yourself." Isane raised her voice.

"Shh...Isane..." Momo raised her hand. "Please. Keep this a secret. Especially from Toushiro."

"But..."

"No buts. You are a doctor. I know that you have to keep a secret, if your patients want to."

"But please...Take care of yourself. Your family needs you. Your subjects too."

Momo smiled and took her hand.

"Thank you."

Then Toushiro came inside and made a sign to Bora to wait outside with Isane. He kissed Momo's forehead, asking her how she felt.

"I am all better. It was just from the stress."

"Isane?" He asked for confirmation.

"She is fine now. But she has to keep calm and avoid stress as much as possible. We cannot underestimate such situations."

Momo hoped for a milder response, because she knew Toushiro would freak out over even this explanation.

"Did you hear that, Momo?" He said and his look confirmed her suspicions. He would keep her out of problematic situations.

"How is Masaru? I want to go visit him now." She tried to get up, but Toushiro caught her arm.

"I will go visit him instead. You rest. You will visit him tomorrow."

"Toushiro! I won't feel at rest until I see him."

"Your Majesty, he is really well. He has a really capable concubine. She follows all my instructions and has some incredible knowledge about herbs. With her help he is almost healed. He has no fever and his cough has almost resolved."

"Are you telling me the truth?"

"Of course. I would never lie to a mother about her children's health."

"See, love? You have to rest now. I will come later." He smiled and went out accompanying Isane.

Bora stood by the door frame. He instructed them to move away and spoke.

"Did you really tell me the truth, Isane?"

Isane gulped before answering.

"Yes. She is too stressed. She won't admit it, but she needs to take it easier. I know it is difficult with everything going on, but..."

"It will happen. Right, Bora?" His eyes looked frightening. "From now on you will always consult me first before telling her anything that can stress her. Even if it concerns the inner palace and the order, do you understand?"

"Yes."

"I am sure you can manage most of the affairs on your own and if it concerns my sons and their concubines, you will ask me."

She nodded her head. She had to put everyone in check, because she was sure that the emperor would not be so generous as the empress.

He went to visit his son first, but found him sleeping with a really beautiful girl with exotic beauty next to him in his bed. He smirked, decided not to wake him up and returned to his chambers tired from all that had happened, but determined to finish everything he had left abruptly when the news about his grandson's death reached him. A letter from Nobu waited on his desk. He picked it up, expecting a normal report on the situation in the district and Takashi's management, but instead got unpleasantly surprised to learn that his son let his concubines meddle in his business. Or at least one of them. He closed his eyes and squashed the paper in his fist.

A few hours later he returned to Momo's room. It was already late and he expected to find her sleeping, but she was praying in her bed. When she spotted him, she quickly wiped the tears from her cheeks. He moved closer and sat next to her.

"Stop it, Momo. Please. Don't keep on tormenting yourself over something you can't fix. You have to stay healthy for our children and for me."

She tried to smile, but ended up crying anyway. He pulled her into his embrace. She was praying for Hideki of course, but also for herself. She hoped to live longer to be with her family for at least 10 more years. She was still so young. And she wanted to see her grandchildren grow up.

"Why did our boy have to go through the same pain?"

"I don't know."

"I kept on praying that God will send everything bad to me and spare my children. But it does not happen. First Takashi learned about Deiji's condition, then Hideki lost his baby. And this is a second baby son...And the upcoming war..."

"Momo...don't think about it. We might avoid this war. Things are going well at the borders. I think the enemy is frightened by our joined forces with Haribel."

She looked up, hopeful.

"Really?"

"Yes." He looked confident, but the truth was different. The war was inevitable and things were getting out of control. He knew that there were barely months left before it was to start for real.

"Toushiro...If it weren't for you today, I feel that I could have died. Your presence...I can't live without you." She said, her eyes still sparkling from the tears. "I can't be anyone's strength. My whole strength comes from you."

He cupped her face with his hands.

"It is the same for me, Momo. My whole strength comes from you too and I can't live without you."

She smiled, but knew it wasn't true. He was much stronger than her. Toushiro also smiled and wiped away the tears from the corner of her eyes, pulling her back into his embrace.

Amidst the sadness and problems, Isamu had gathered the courage to go and ask Renji for Ichika's hand in marriage, leaving the redhead shocked. The first thing he did as always was to go to Rukia and ask her of her opinion. She was even more surprised. Not that she hadn't noticed the interest the boy showed in her daughter, but never expected him to propose so suddenly. They called Ichika to ask her what was happening.

"Father! Or course we are not secretly meeting! He is only a friend to me."

"But he seemed sure you would reciprocate?" Renji raised an eyebrow.

"Then he is a fool!" Ichika knitted her eyebrows and for a second looked like a splitting image of her mother when angry. Renji hardly suppressed his laughter.

"Ichika! Don't be so rude!" Rukia intervened. "Are you sure you haven't misled him?"

"Absolutely! I told him clearly that I don't feel that way towards him."

Renji and Rukia exchanged funny looks.

"Maybe you should think again about it. After all you are good friends. And Ikkaku is my good friend too." Renji said.

"Father!"

"Renji..." Rukia rolled her eyes.

"What? She is of certain age, so it's normal for her to receive such proposals from boys. I am waiting for Kazui to make his move now." He smiled.

Ichika turned bright red and lowered her head, before turning around to run outside.

"Wait, Ichika! Of course, daddy is not going to give you to someone without your consent!"

"Renji, you really crossed the line!" Rukia shook her head, then stood up to follow her daughter outside.

Renji sighed and moved to the window, watching his daughter in the garden. Rukia soon caught up with her.

"Ichika! Ichika, stop and look at me!"

Ichika obeyed and met her mother's warm eyes.

"What is wrong?"

"Nothing. I just feel offended that he came to speak to father without even asking me first. And I don't want him!"

"Then you won't get married to him." Rukia smiled. "Don't worry! Your father was just making some dumb jokes."

Ichika moved to embrace her mother. Rukia softly patted her head.

"Now tell me about Kazui."

"What?" The young girl looked up, startled.

"Come on. I know you like him. And he likes you too."

"It is not true."

"You don't want to confide in your mother?"

"No. He does not like me."

Rukia shook her head.

"Oh, yes, he does. Trust me!"

"No. He's never told me that. Even though...he kissed me once."

"Kissed you?" Rukia widened her eyes, excited like a young girl again.

Ichika turned bright red again.

Rukia caught her hand.

"You don't really expect Ichigo's son to confess so easily, right? When his father spent years fidgeting around Inoue before confessing his feelings to her."

"He did?"

Rukia nodded and laughed, remembering those sweet moments.

"Listen. I have a plan!"

As if her mother's smile and strength were contagious, Ichika immediately smiled too, feeling a wave of positive energy overwhelm her.

That evening Ichika retreated to her room early and the others had dinner without her, prompting questions from Ichigo and Kazui. Renji told them everything about Isamu's proposal, still finding it amusing. Rukia carefully watched Kazui's reactions, trying to hide her smirk when she noticed how confused and worried he was. Ichigo obviously had no idea about his son's feelings, because he listened to Renji with wide eyes, paying no attention to the boy.

"Did you agree?"

"I told him that Ichika will decide. I will respect her decision, of course."

"And what did she say?"

"She is still thinking about it." Rukia answered instead.

Kazui was quiet, looking into his plate.

"To be honest, Kurosaki, I expected your son to ask me first." Renji said.

"What?" Ichigo took a look at Kazui who had quickly looked up, embarrassed and was about to become as red as his hair. "If there was something like that, my son would have told me, right Kazui?"

Without even waiting for the boy to answer, they continued their stupid banter. Rukia moved her hand to her forehead, amazed at how inconsiderate they were.

"Such fools!" She whispered.

Poor Kazui stood there in silence, trying to sort out his feelings alone.

The same night Tsunade was sitting in her bed, holding a piece of clothing that belonged to her baby boy, with her dinner untouched on the nearby table. Sachiko was sitting next to her, trying to convince her to eat.

"Please, Tsunade, eat something. Don't keep on torturing yourself! You have no fault. And your daughter needs you."

"It was Hideki. He played with him in the snow for too long." She looked at her sister, her eyes accusing.

Sachiko shook her head. In fact, the doctor had told them that Tsunade's extra blankets and sleeping regimen might have been the reason for this tragedy, but they had of course kept this a secret from her.

"You know this is not true. No one has any fault. It is just a terrible tragedy."

"No one..." A tear rolled down Tsunade's cheek and she started shaking from the unvoiced sobs.

Sachiko pulled her into her embrace.

"God is punishing me for my sins that way." She whispered and Sachiko paid no attention to those words, until she said something else. "I killed an innocent child and he took my son from me."

Sachiko moved back to look at her face.

"What are you talking about?"

"I didn't want to. But lady Cao suggested it. I had no other choice. Rika's son could have been a danger for my own baby." She spoke quickly, with a strange shine in her eyes.

Sachiko moved her hand in front of her mouth.

"Mother would also accept it. I needed to have the first-born son. And I did not want for Rika to die. She forced me to do it by sneaking inside my husband's bed!"

"Does mother know about it?"

"No. But I know she would have supported me."

Sachiko stood up, finding it hard to take it in. Behind her Tsunade continued to speak, but she heard nothing more. Her sister was a killer. A killer of an innocent child and his mother. And she felt no remorse. She was convinced to have done the right thing and it was just her own loss that had triggered her feeling of guilt, buried deep inside. She moved to the door slowly, finding it hard to take a breath.

"Sachiko! Wait! Don't leave me! You have to listen to me and you will understand! You will understand..."

She was shaking back and forth in her bed repeating the same words again and again.

"I am not guilty...I am not guilty...I am not..."

Both sisters did not sleep that night. Tsunade was waiting for the redemption that never came, while Sachiko just couldn't believe that her older sister had become such a despicable person. She promised herself to never get married, if she will also have to make compromises with herself.

Kazui also spent a sleepless night, while thinking about Ichika's marriage to Isamu. He just couldn't lose her without a fight. That's what he decided. So when he saw her form outside in the garden early in the morning, he rushed to meet her.

"Ichika!"

"Kazui..." She faced him, her hands crossed in front of her chest.

"I heard about Isamu's marriage proposal. Are you going to accept it?"

She rolled her eyes, annoyed.

"I don't know. Do you think I should?"

"No!" He grabbed her hands and she felt her heartbeat increase, surprised by his boldness. "I mean...you should if you love him, but I hope you don't, because I..."

She kept quiet, wanting him to continue. He sighed, becoming again as red as his hair, searching for the right words.

"I have always cherished you very much as a friend and I was afraid to lose you. That's why I kept quiet. But I can't do that anymore, because if I keep on doing it, I will truly lose you."

He made another pause and she pulled her hands from his, her eyes sparkling with anger.

"Kazui, stop that! Just tell me! Do you love me?"

He widened his eyes. Ichika had always been straightforward, but never that much.

"I...Yes, I do. I mean...I love you, Ichika!"

He moved his hands behind his back, nervously twisting them. Ichika smiled and pulled his face in for a kiss, without giving him time for his reaction to be anything but spontaneous. He answered her kiss with such eagerness, that they almost fell on the grass. When they pulled for air, their faces were burning hot, even though it was very cold outside.

"I love you too. And I was hoping you would say it."

"Will you become my wife?"

She looked down, a little embarrassed.

"I will."

He took her by the waist and spun them around.

"Just to clarify..." She said, when he left her down. "I would not have become Isamu's wife, even if you didn't confess. But you would have truly lost me, because I would never accept such a loser as a husband."

"Shut up!" He kissed her again, determined to soon compensate for all the times he had held back.

From inside Rukia, Renji and Ichigo were watching the scene. Rukia had a dreamy expression on her face, Renji wore a smirk, while Ichigo had become redder than his son, ashamed of his inability to understand his boy's feelings.

"Eh, strawberry, so you would have known if Kazui had feelings for my daughter?" Renji looked at Ichigo.

The red-haired man quickly took a hold of himself.

"And did you know your daughter loved my son? Because she actually kissed him first!"

Renji's smirk disappeared from his face and he raised his posture, ready to face the challenge.

"Be careful, Kurosaki! Your son followed her in the garden that morning. And if I decide, I may not give him the hand of my daughter!"

"Why would you do that, pineapple? What is wrong with my boy to make him not worthy of your daughter?"

Rukia sighed and shook her head, before deciding she had finally had enough.

"Shut up, you fools!"

And as always her words had the needed effect with both men immediately stopping their banter to look at her.

After a long pause the new chapter is here! I was really busy these past months. I am sorry for the wait! Enjoy and review!