A/N: I apologize for the wait and thank you for your continued patience! I do hope you enjoy this chapter.
()()()()()
"Impossible!" The doctor gasped as she read the results over and over. It was the last test she had run as it had seemed the least plausible. She grinned in disbelief. "Byakuya, you sly, devil of a man, you!"
()()()()()
Orihime slowly opened her heavy eyelids to the room around her. It had been hours since she had been brought there by the handsome Byakuya Kuchiki. She had no recollection of moving from the city street to the soft bed and extravagant room, but it was a welcome surprise.
"You're awake." A warm voice broke the young woman from her admiration of her current accommodations. She turned her head in the direction of the familiar voice. There he was - gorgeous, stoic, and always serious. He was like a living statue.
"I'm sorry to have troubled you. I feel much better now, so if you could show me the way to -" She proceeded to get up and scoot her way to the edge of the bed when a large hand gently wrapped itself around her arm. "To... Um..." She unsuccessfully tried to continue. He was so darn beautiful, and his touch sent an army of shivers down her spine.
"You are not well. Please, lay back down." She smiled awkwardly at him and scooted back to her original spot. How could she refuse a face like that?
There was a knock at the door. "Who is it?" Byakuya responded with a stern voice.
"Unohana, captain. I have an update on Miss Inoue's condition." The doctor replied through the door. He got up from his seat next to his guest and unlocked the door for the doctor. "It might be better if we talked someplace private, sir." She glanced at the bedded woman and smiled reassuringly. The raven haired man nodded in agreement and lead her to his study - which peculiar to her, wasn't too far from Orihime's abode.
As soon as they arrived to his office and the door was shut, the doctor continued. "Thank you. I wasn't sure what you'd want to do with the information I am about to give you." The master of the house stared at her intently, waiting for her to relay her news. She took the silence as an invitation to continue. "I spent hours going over the data I received from Miss Inoue and ran a number of tests. Because I thought it impossible I saved this one for last." She handed him her findings.
"She is with child? My child? How?" The Royal was in shock, not sure how to receive the information he had just been told.
"I think you know how." The doctor laughed.
"But it's been over a year since-" Byakuya silenced himself. That particular topic was not something appropriate to be discussing with anyone apart from the lovely Orihime, the mother of HIS child.
"I am still trying to understand that. It seems as though her soul was incubating the newly formed one for quite sometime. We used to think that a new soul could not survive when carried into the living world and would die off, but her soul, unbeknownst to her, protected it until she could return." Unohana's face turned grim as she continued to explain. "I'm not sure if the new little soul benefitted in Miss Inoue's natural death, or was the cause of it. That is to be later determined. But, now that it is here it can resume its growth inside of her."
"I might have caused her demise?"
"You didn't kill her. It was a choice her own soul made. From what I hear she is quite the fierce protector." The doctor tried to assure him but she wasn't entirely sure she was convincing enough. The master of the estate had a small, but readable to those who were acquainted with him, look of guilt displayed on his features. "She ultimately made the decision, captain."
"Yes, maybe." He was lost in thought as of what to do with the new circumstances. "Thank you. That will be all." The doctor bowed and left. He let out a large breath. His body was overrun with the feeling of guilt. Not only did one night of passion lead to the end of the life of the woman he loved more than his existence, he was left with the task of telling her - when she had little to no recognition of who he was. Then there was the Kuchiki family who would be more than opposed to the situation at hand, but with a royal baby on the line, they would do little to stop him. This time he would not abandon her. No matter what the result. He had a chance to make things right. The woman he loved was carrying his child for heaven's sake - he beamed. Their child.
()()()()()
When Byakuya finally returned to Orihime's room he found her there, the most beautiful woman to ever grace the universe, fiddling with the edges of the blanket that covered the lower half of her body. The sight overwrought him with joy because he knew that this would be something he'd get to witness again and again for all eternity. They would wed and raise this child and hopefully many more in the time to come. Provided she forgave him and agreed to it all, of course. He cleared his throat to gain her attention.
"Oh, Byakuya! I was lost in thought." She gave him a warm smile that melted him to his core.
He locked the door behind him as he did not want any interruptions for what he was about to do. He sat on the edge of her bed and took her hands in his. Her eyes widened in shock at his boldness. "There is something very important I need to tell you." The young woman gulped, clearly concerned over his choice in words. "You do not have anything life threatening. For that you need not worry." She sighed in relief, squeezing one of his hands affectionately in thanks. It was an act he was not used to and it brought a strange feeling of excitement. Holding hands was not something he was used to, but this moment seemed to call for it. "You are with child, Orihime."
"B-but I just got here!" He laughed inwardly at her odd response. "How is that possible?"
"We do not know exactly, but the last time we made love-"
"We? It's yours? I mean ours?" She interrupted him. She threw herself back into the pillows, pulling her hands from his to cover her face in frustration. Somehow it seemed to help her keep her head from exploding.
"Does it disappoint you? I assure that you will be well taken care of. By the doctor and myself. If we marry, you will want for nothing."
"I've barely just arrived and have had motherhood thrust upon me. I don't even know if I can be a mother, let alone be a good one! You are a very nice man, of that I'm very certain, but I don't know you well enough to marry you." He looked away as the last words she uttered struck his ears. It was true that they were newly acquainted, but they once knew each other very well. He still knew her exceedingly well - his heart was still full of her. She could sense his pain at her words. She sat up to rest a hand on his back in comfort. "I'm sorry. I'm just..." Scared.
"I know you are scared." The truth was that he was scared out of his mind as well, but he dared not show it. He had to convince her that everything would perfectly fine. It was his duty to her and the child to make it so. "Please, Hime, put your trust in me."
She paused in thought. The silence was driving him mad until finally she replied. "Okay." She said wearily as she moved to sit next to him, legs dangling over the side the bed from underneath her covers. His words had warmed her heart, but she was still unsure of all the goings on. She knew she could trust this man whole heartedly - his spiritual pressure told her that much, but was this it? Was he the man she would spend the rest of her days with? Would he be the one and only father to her children? He was handsome and a noble, but what more did he have to offer? She had so many questions for him. "But first, could we at least get to know one another?"
"Of course." He chuckled lightly. If he could make her fall in love with him once he was sure he would be able to do so again. "We will have dinner together tonight. I will have it brought here."
"I am perfectly able -"
"No, my future wife and mother of my child, you need your rest. At least for tonight." She rolled her eyes and he laughed again. He wrapped his long arms around her and pulled her into him. It was a good, mild alternative to scaring the poor woman off by picking her up entirely and dancing about the room like he wished he could. "Tomorrow we can go on what you women call a 'date'."
"Us women?" Orihime mocked offense. "You are an odd man, Mister Kuchiki." She giggled and rested her head on his shoulder. As soon as she had done it she almost retracted her action, suddenly feeling unsure of her thoughtless action.
"You are an odd woman, Mrs. Kuchiki." Suddenly she was put at ease. "Orihime Kuchiki. It has a nice ring to it, don't you think?"