Ichigo was nervous as they waited to hear back from Soul Society. They would either attack again, or they would send an emissary to work out a treaty between them of some sort. He sat bundled in the bed waiting for something to happen. He'd almost fallen asleep when he felt someone shake him. He blinked and looked up to see Starrk had come back. He sat up quickly, pulling the covers tight around him since he hadn't dressed yet.

"Have you heard anything?" he asked.

"Not yet, but give it time, it has only been a day," Starrk smiled a little.

"I just worry, you know, because Soi Fon was not happy. What if she influences the head captain? And I know Kurotsuchi will be against us; he just wants to get hold of me for research again. But the others are my friends, surely they would defend me?" he said hopefully.

Starrk reached out and cupped Ichigo's face. "Hush, we'll face whatever comes, no matter what it is."

Ichigo nodded, staring at him openly. Suddenly he ducked his head into Starrk's hand. "Thank you."

"No need to thank me," Starrk said, tilting his head a bit to the side. "You're my beta now. We are intertwined from now on."

"It's so weird, to be like this, with another guy." Ichigo sighed, looking at him. "I know, genderless, but still, you look like a guy and I never considered being with one. I mean, to be honest, if I'd known having a guy was as good as this, I never would have got with Orihime," Ichigo chuckled a little.

Starrk swept his thumb over Ichigo's lips gently, then pressed on them until he opened his mouth. Ichigo's tongue sought out his thumb immediately, wrapping around it and then suckling on it a bit. He hummed then closed his eyes.

"Yes, the pleasures of the flesh are something to look forward to, are they not?" Starrk said. "We are but animals at heart, and this drive to procreate is stronger in those of us with increased abilities. It is why you feel the pull when we are near each other." Starrk moved, pulling his hand away, sliding his thumb out with an audible pop. "We shouldn't get too involved. Luna will chastise us if your wound opens up again."

Ichigo sighed, a little disappointed because Starrk's presence was intoxicating to him. He looked down at the bandage and rubbed his chest where Soi Fon had struck him. "I guess you're right."

"You already carry the babies, I can sense that easily, now. The reiatsu signature is starting to separate from yours and become independent. Soon, we will know how many you carry," Starrk said.

"Will I look pregnant?" Ichigo frowned, imagining all the pregnant women he'd seen in his life waddling around with big bellies.

"Your body will change to accommodate them. It will be quite a sight to behold, no doubt," Starrk smiled a little.

Ichigo placed his hands on his flat stomach and wondered how he would look eventually. "I wonder how long it will be?"

"Time is of little consequence, you will grow as fast as they require," Starrk assured him. "Come, time to check in with Luna and change the dressing on that wound. You should heal quickly, but until then, it must be taken care of."

Starrk stood up and waited as Ichigo finally crawled out of bed and put on his clothes. He settled into his hakama and the coat but didn't fasten it, letting it hang open. They headed to the medical bay where Luna was already waiting for them. The short Arrancar narrowed her hazel-green eyes at them as they entered. Ichigo thought she was pretty, with her pale pink skin and light blonde hair pulled up in a high ponytail. But she reminded him a little of Unohana and he knew that she was strong. Her mask fragment was a small triangle of bone under her right eye. Today, she wore a long flowing dress with flowers all over it. She was also barefoot.

"You are late," she said, arching a brow at them.

"Sorry, Ichigo was sleepy," Starrk explained.

Ichigo nodded. "I was doing what you said, and I was resting."

She nodded. "Good, at least someone listens around here," she muttered and glared over at one of the beds where Grimmjow was sitting up on the side, his arm and shoulder heavily bandaged.

"I told ya, I'm fine!" Grimmjow growled.

"You stay put!" she instructed in a soft, yet commanding voice.

Grimmjow looked at her and sighed, crossing his arms with a flinch and staring the other way. Ichigo shook his head and followed Luna to a bed where he sat down and slipped off his coat so she could see to the bandages.

"That was a significant wound," she said as she began to undo the wrappings.

Ichigo nodded, looking around the room. It was decorated with various flowers and he had to guess Luna was the one who did it. It made the place feel warmer, and much less sterile than the plain white walls, floors, and ceilings in the place. He was still as she asked him to be and checked the wound. It hurt a little, but the concoction they had given him seemed to dull the pain a lot. It also made him feel floaty. She quickly and efficiently wrapped him up and patted his upper back.

"There we are, Ichigo. I would also like to do some checks on the babies," she said.

"Already?" Ichigo asked, a bit surprised. "Isn't it too early for that?"

Luna smiled gently. "Oh, not at all. Once the souls have implanted, I can use my own reiatsu to examine you. Perhaps determine how many you will carry." She pushed him back onto the bed. "Lay down here."

Ichigo was a little overwhelmed by how fast everything was happening, but it was amazing at the same time. He folded his hands over his chest and waited as she placed both hands on his mid-section and concentrated. Starrk moved to stand beside his head. After a few minutes, he reached out and took his hand.

"Hmm, I think there are three," she said, nodding. "I cannot tell much more than that, but they are healthy and their reiatsu is strong already. It is obvious they are going to be powerful in their own right, so I do believe."

"Three?" Ichigo gasped. "What will we name them?" he said, turning to Starrk.

"Well, why don't we meet them first, then their names will come to us," he said, smiling. "But I'm sure if you want to think of possible names, we can do that."

"You can't tell anything else about them?" Ichigo asked, frowning.

"Well, I know two will be alphas, and one a beta. More than that, I don't know until they are born," Luna explained.

"Hmm," Ichigo mused. "Then we should give them neutral names, or names that can be for boys or girls, right, Coyote?"

"You really want to name them, don't you?" Starrk smiled at him.

"Well, yeah, I mean we can think about it, right?" Ichigo looked at him hopefully.

Starrk nodded. "Of course."

"I would advise you to wait until the initial phases are past, but I know it won't matter in your excitement," Luna said.

"Ah, Luna!" came a voice from the door. Ichigo turned and recognized an Arrancar he'd fought before, Nnoitra's fraccion, though he didn't know his name. He was dressed rather oddly, wearing a rather mixed set of clothes. He was wearing a really short pair of shorts, really daisy dukes, with rainbow suspenders and a t-shirt that said "Keep on Truckin'" on it. Ichigo nearly burst into giggles at the sight.

"Tesla, what is it?" Luna asked, moving toward the door.

"Grimmjow left again!" he said.

Luna sighed deeply. "I'm not surprised. He'll be back when that arm starts bothering him again." She turned back to Ichigo and Starrk. "As for you, you're already starting to heal the wound, faster than expected, so give it a few days and it should be completely healed. Luckily, your reiatsu protected the babies completely."

Ichigo watched as Luna left with Tesla, and after they left, Ichigo started to chuckle and then laugh until his chest started hurting. Starrk looked at him curiously, but just stood there with him.

"Sorry, just that outfit Tesla had on," he said as he got himself under control.

"Oh, I'm used to his interesting choices in clothing, I guess," Starrk said, then reached a hand out to take one of Ichigo's. "But good news on the babies."

"Yeah, three of them. I know one name, how about Ren?" Ichigo said as he slid down off the table. And maybe Shion, I like that name. And what else? I know, what about Hikaru?"

"I think those are lovely names. How will we know which is which?" Starrk asked as they walked hand-in-hand out of the med bay.

Ichigo thought about it for a minute. "I think that's when we just have to meet them to find out who is who," he said with surety.

"Primera!" they heard and looked up to see an Arrancar running toward them. She wore a maid's outfit and had a bone fragment that surrounded her left eye with her hollow hole in it.

"Stacinda. What is it?" he asked.

"We have a group from Soul Society that has entered Hueco Mundo," she said.

"How many?" he asked, stiffening a bit.

"Looks like a group of five. That's all we've detected so far," Stacinda said with a nod of her head.

"Alright, have them shown into Las Noches, we'll meet them in the great hall."

Stacinda saluted and turned to run back the way she came. Starrk's hand had tightened in Ichigo's and he let go as he relaxed.

"They're sending emissaries," Ichigo said, smiling a little.

"Yes, let us go meet with them," Starrk said, taking Ichigo's hand again.

They went to the great hall where it was set up with a large table with chairs of various types. Nothing matched, as everything had fallen through the Dangai, so there was just a conglomeration of various furniture that served the purpose of seating. The table itself was set with a large plaid cloth and sitting in the middle was a Christmas wreath with candles sitting in the middle. Ichigo thought the things they used stuff for was endearing, but he'd have to show them what a wreath was for. Starrk and Ichigo sat down beside each other in two of the chairs and waited.

A few minutes later, Stacinda came leading the group of five into the room, and when she did, Ichigo felt his heart freeze. Kyōraku-taichou, Ukitake-taichou, Renji, and Rukia had come, but they had brought Uryū with them. He hadn't seen Uryū since at least a year ago and hadn't seen him at all since Orihime's announcement. He reached over and took Starrk's hand tightly. Starrk looked at him curiously for a moment, then looked back at the others.

"Primera," Kyōraku said with a nod. "I'm Kyōraku-taichou, and this is Ukitake-taichou. I'm sure you remember us both well from Aizen's attack on Karakura Town."

"I do, quite well," Starrk said with a nod.

"This is Abarai Renji and Kuchiki Rukia, also Shinigami and friends to Ichigo, and this is Ishida Uryū, a Quincy from the World of the Living and also one of Ichigo's friends," Kyōraku said as he gestured to each of them.

"Please, have a seat," Starrk said, motioning with his free hand.

Everyone sat down, Kyōraku and Ukitake across from Starrk and the others beside them. Ichigo couldn't concentrate on anything except Uryū and almost missed what Kyōraku was saying.

"…in as much as you can help with the hollow incursions."

Starrk nodded, no doubt noticing the tight hold Ichigo had on his hand. "We can attempt to locate and stop them from crossing the Dangai."

"That would be helpful," Ukitake said, nodding. "While it is a small request, it is one that will significantly ease the burden on Soul Society."

Ichigo suddenly stood up, nearly knocking his chair over. "I can't do this right now," he said.

Starrk looked at him, then turned to see what Ichigo was staring at. Uryū sighed and lowered his head as Ichigo turned and walked off from the table.

Uryū stood. "Ichigo, wait!" he called.

Starrk narrowed his eyes at him and nodded. "You are the one who betrayed him."

"I guess you could say that," Uryū said, sighing.

"As much as I would like to intercede on his behalf, this is something he must deal with on his own. I will have Stacinda take you to him. I have a feeling he has gone to the garden," Starrk said as he waved for the Arrancar in the maid's outfit to come over again.

She led Uryū through several rooms and halls until they came to a door. It was clear, and inside, Uryū could see Ichigo kneeling in front of some flowers. Uryū thanked Stacinda and went in.

"Ichigo."

Ichigo stood up, glaring at him. "What do you want?"

"I want to apologize."

Ichigo just stared for a minute. "Apologize?"

"Yes, I know it is too little, too late, but I am sorry for what happened and how it hurt you," Uryū said, looking away for a bit then back at him. "I never said anything because she was your girl, and later, your wife. I never intended for it to go anywhere, but I think it was a little too much alcohol and it loosened my tongue. I don't expect you to forgive me," Uryū said with a sigh.

"No, you don't get to be the one upset right now," Ichigo said, coming over and pointing at him. "You slept with Orihime and got her pregnant! How is that supposed to be something I just get over?"

"We don't know that the baby is mine…" Uryū said softly.

"I do. It is. Because of the way I am, I couldn't have children in that fashion," Ichigo said, trying to keep his voice even. "That's why we tried for four years and it never happened. It was never going to happen with me like that. I'm a beta, and more hollow than human."

Uryū looked at him. "I don't know what to say to you now," he said. "I can't change what I did. I can't go back and fix it. All I can do is move forward and hope you can at least let me be a part of your new life."

Ichigo crossed his arms over his chest, then winced because it pulled on his wound and the tonic he'd drank was wearing off. This didn't help his temperament any.

"Look, you can have Orihime all you want. I want nothing to do with her from now on. You go back to the World of the Living and take care of her and the baby. I won't say you can't come visit me here, but don't expect me to be over this anytime soon. You're asking a lot." Ichigo sighed, unable to stay angry as the sadness took over. "No matter what, what you did led me here, and this is where I've always belonged."

Uryū nodded. "You're not going to go back at all?" he wondered.

Ichigo pointed to the bone fragment on his neck. "I can't, not anymore."

"Kon will be happy to hear he gets a body for good finally," Uryū said, smiling a little at Ichigo.

"Yeah, I guess he would, though he's going to mess up my med school, I just know it," Ichigo said, smiling a little now, too.

Uryū and Ichigo were quiet for a time, then Uryū spoke. "I am so sorry, Ichigo. For everything that happened to you."

Ichigo wondered how much they had actually told Uryū from what he'd said to those from Soul Society. Surely, they wouldn't have told Uryū the truth behind the attack. Of course, he wouldn't count on anything when it came to Soul Society.

"Let's go back," Ichigo said, and nodded to Uryū.

He led him back to the room with the others and found that they were apparently done with whatever negotiations had taken place. Starrk was chatting, now, with the captains while Renji and Rukia came running up to them when they came back.

"Is everything okay?" Rukia asked, frowning.

Ichigo glanced at Uryū. "Not really, but it doesn't matter right now anyway. I'm alright here."

"They're really going to leave you alone, looks like," Renji said. "I told them I thought it would be for the best, but I was still surprised they listened. But after what happened…"

"Yeah, I don't want to talk about that. Right now I've got more things to worry about, like the babies," he said with a soft smile.

"Babies?" Rukia gasped and looked at him. "Wait, already? They said you could carry babies, but you're already pregnant?"

Ichigo nodded. "Here, feel their reiatsu," he said and reached out for Rukia's hands.

He placed her hands on his mid-section, and she closed her eyes, sensing for a moment, then her eyes popped open and she looked at him.

"There's three of them!" she said.

"I knew you'd be able to tell," Ichigo smiled.

"This is so weird, you having babies, and I just had Ichika…" she said.

"Ichika, is that her name?" Ichigo hadn't seen Rukia since she had been pregnant herself.

"Yeah. She's with Rangiku right now while we came here," Rukia explained.

Uryū was quiet, but Ichigo could tell Starrk was looking at him now and then. He supposed he should talk to Starrk and let him know things were okay for the most part between them. He gestured for them to come back to the table, where Starrk stood as they approached.

"I take it negotiations were successful?" Ichigo asked, going to sit by Starrk again.

"We've come to an agreement with the Shinigami," Starrk nodded, sitting down himself.

"What did you come up with?" Ichigo asked, glancing over at Kyōraku and Ukitake.

"We've agreed to leave the Arrancar of Las Noches alone, as long as they stay in Hueco Mundo," Ukitake said, smiling slightly. "In exchange, the Arrancar of Las Noches will be vigilant and try to stop incursions from hollows into the World of the Living and Soul Society."

"As long as we stay here?" Ichigo asked, frowning.

"That was an essential part of the agreement, that all Arrancar stay in Hueco Mundo, and if any cross the Dangai, they will be treated as hollows by any Shinigami they encounter," Kyōraku said with a nod of his head.

Ichigo didn't quite like that part. "But what if they're chasing a hollow?"

"It doesn't matter, if they cross the Dangai, they are out of the realm of this treaty," Ukitake explained.

"But we can come visit!" Rukia said, smiling at him. "And your father, of course, can come visit you here. You just won't be able to leave unescorted."

"Unescorted? You mean, I can leave with an escort?" Ichigo frowned.

"It is given as an exception that any Arrancar who is accompanied by a Shinigami, may cross the Dangai, as long as that Shinigami remains with them and vouches for them," Kyōraku told them.

Ichigo thought about it a minute. "I suppose that makes sense. Are there any other aspects, or was that it?"

"That is all for the most part. Other than that, we are going to set up a trade agreement with Soul Society to get wares to trade, but they will bring them here and we'll be setting up a market in one of the open areas," Starrk said, reaching an arm around Ichigo's shoulder and squeezing him.

"And of course, if you are still willing, we have asked Urahara if he will come here and study your pregnancy and the birth of the babies, as well as what caused this change in your physiology," Ukitake added.

Ichigo nodded. "Yeah, that's fine. Urahara can come here anytime, or if he wants to come and stay, I'm sure the engineers would be interested in hearing about the World of the Living from him and they're always finding stuff they don't know how to use."

"We'll take the agreement back to the Sou-Taichou and draft a trade agreement. Until then, we were asked to get an idea of what kind of Arrancar society you've built here, and see how things are going," Kyōraku said as he stood up.

"I'll have Nel join you and Ichigo, and she can give you a tour of some of the places in Las Noches we have built up in the last few years." Starrk motioned and Stacinda came running back over to him. "Please summon Nel and have her join them here."

"Of course, Primera," she said and ran off.

"You're staying too?" Ichigo asked, looking at Renji, Rukia, and Uryū.

"Yeah, we'll stay and look around. I'd like to see what they've done here," Rukia said, grinning at him.

"It really is amazing," Ichigo nodded, looking up as Nel came into the room. "Here, let's go!"