Happy Bleach Monday y'all!

A bit shorter than last chapter, but enjoy!

Six months had passed, and it was late summer now. Kurosaki Kamari was giggling at the person holding him. His brown chocolate eyes reflecting the warmth he felt towards this person. A soft and gentle female voice could be heard in the wind. "You're becoming such a big boy. I'm sure your daddy will be pleased once you get to see him." Kamari laughed at the mention of the word 'daddy'.

"Don't you think he needs to eat lunch now?" Another voice chimed in, watching the two from a distance. "It's lunchtime little man. Want to eat some fruit?" The young crawling toddler nodded and made his way to the kitchen.

The past few months a dark cloud hoovered over the Kurosaki kingdom. In the entire 6 months, the army leader and crown prince Kurosaki Ichigo did not succeed in finding his son. In every outskirt of the kingdom he looked for his son, but all the intel he received eventually led to a dead end. He even confronted Byakuya about his son, but even that led to a dead end.

Months had now passed, and the situation didn't get better. Both Ichigo and Orihime lost their son and grieved in their own way.

For Orihime the past months were extremely difficult. It was as if a part of her was missing. Desperately she wanted to help Ichigo look for her son, but he refused her help. All she had to do was sit at home and be the pretty wife. It felt suffocating. Today once again was one of these days she sat on the balcony, staring into nothingness.

"Orihime, are you okay?" Ichigo asked. He stood in the door half dressed, wiping his wet hair. No response came from his wife. He sighed and walked towards her. His cold hand touching her face, bringing her back into reality. "Hime, you okay?" She looked up at him and nodded. "Y-Yeah… just thinking."

Ichigo rubbed his face and sighed. "I'm sorry about not finding Kamari. But we're not giving up on the search." She smiled sadly. The young woman was of course aware of the hard work her husband and his team each day performed to look for her son.

"I want to help." She suggested once again. It was the most frequent line he heard in the past 6 months and Ichigo started to grow annoyed. "Hime, we have discussed this." He said sternly. Ichigo did not want another argument with his wife, but with the look in her eyes he knew it was inevitable.

"But I want to help! What if my help accelerates the search process? Please Ichigo…" She pleaded now to her husband. The palms of her hands rubbing against each other. "Orihime, it won't help. Our army is trained to do this work. Please, just please have some faith!" Ichigo said, looking haggard. "I have faith, but I also have to try! He's our son Ichigo. I have to know that I did my best to find him!"

The orange male sighed and hung his head, but not in defeat. "Orihime. I beg you. Please don't make this harder than it already is. Don't you think I know how disappointed you are when I come back home? Each day I have to meet that crushed look on your face when I come back home." He fell silent for a while but soon resumed. "But if something were to happen to you… I don't think I can forgive myself. There are dangerous people out there. Don't you remember what happened to you? Please understand."

Orihime found it really hard to listen to her husband and decided to give him a piece of her mind. "Why do I always have to understand it for you, Ichigo? Is it because you're the crown prince? Is it because you're a man? Why don't you understand how I feel?!" She raised her voice, something she rarely ever did.

"Day in and day out I'm waiting. Waiting to hear from you, from your parents or the guards about Kamari. Why does everyone receive more information than me, his mother? I feel like I'm in a house made of glass, being watched by everyone. But there is nothing I can do for my son who probably forgotten my face by now.

Ichigo… I can't take it anymore. I want to do anything I can do to help."

The painful expression on his wife's face broke his heart. But who knew what would happen to Orihime if she helped in this operation. It was too dangerous, and he knew that if she was in danger, he would lose it. She was the only person he could lean on, but he forgot that he was the only person she could lean on, and he didn't fulfil his duty as a husband.

"I'm sorry Hime, but I can't allow you to help. And that's my final answer. But I do promise that I'll be here for you more, and I'll tell you anything you want to know." He said, rubbing her back.

Orihime felt on that moment her resolve break, and she whimpered, tears flowing from her eyes. She pulled herself away from Ichigo and walked away from the balcony. "Please, don't bother." She said harshly, leaving the room with Ichigo in it.

She went to the far away tower in the palace, given to her by Masaki, and she cried her heart out. Her heart felt as if it could burst any moment. She hated her situation, she hated her position and most of all, she started to hate this place. Never in her life had she thought she would hate the palace. The place she first thought her heart would feel home was now a place she despised.

Because their relationship and the marriage had to stay hidden from the kingdom, Orihime wasn't allowed to leave the palace as she pleased. If she wanted to go out, someone had to go with her. But since Kamari's missing, Ichigo became even more protective of his wife and requested his parents to not let her leave the palace grounds. Who knows what they were planning if they got their hands on Orihime as well?

The young mother, however, experienced the past few months very differently from her husband. It wasn't that she couldn't understand him, but once again she felt useless. She couldn't save her friends, nor the other females at the facility. Once she married Ichigo she thought things would be different, that they could be a team. But once again she was wrong. Why was she so helpless and being treated like a doll. A fragile doll that would break with every harmful encounter, while doing nothing ended up hurting her just as bad.

Why am I always being held captive? Maybe I should just escape and roam around freely, forget all the bad things that happened.

….

Orihime, what are you thinking? Kamari needs you. You can't live without your son. Onii-chan would be very sad if he knew what I was thinking.

Tears fell again. Orihime gripped her chest as she could feel her heart hurt. Then she suddenly screamed loudly.

Screams echoed through the rooms of the towers, but no reply came back. Orihime was alone, captive in a place she once called home.

The head of the Kuchiki was sitting in his office, eyes narrowed at a certain picture. It had been months since he gave Rukia the order to arrange the kidnapping of Kurosaki Ichigo's son, Kurosaki Kamari. But ever since she left for her mission, he didn't hear anything from his dear adopted sister.

It made him mad to think about the events that happened in the past months. He clenched his hands while standing up from his large table, walking towards the window. The memories coming back to him.

Two weeks had passed since Kamari's missing. Kurosaki Ichigo was screaming in front of the gate of the Kuchiki estate. Two guards were trying to hold him back from breaking in.

The male had veins popping out on his head, screaming and groaning loudly. "L-LET M-ME MEET BYAKUYA! DARN IT! HE HAS MY SON! THAT BASTARD!"

It was finally after exact 39 minutes that an order came from the main guard Kira that he was allowed entrance. Something exceptional to do for a Kuchiki, seeing their history.

"Kuchiki-sama has deemed you worthy of being in his presence. Even though I am flabbergasted." The male said cold in a cynical tone. Ichigo shot the blonde male a glare, pushing the arms of the guards against him. "Lead the way." He said cocky, walking inside.

Byakuya was sitting in his usual chair in the main ballroom. It was the only room where he would receive nobles from lower houses and where also the yearly charity event was held.

Letting Ichigo meet him in this particular room said a lot about how Byakuya was looking at the Kurosaki household. They were the lowest of the lowest.

"Byakuya-sama, Kurosaki Ichigo is here to have an audience with you." One of the guards standing at the door announced. "Let him in." He said in usual monotone cold voice. His icy light gray eyes staring in a straight line to the door.

Ichigo was walking behind Kira who shot him another authoritative and contemptuous look before stepping aside. Kira bowed down on one knee, his left hand was placed on the right side of his chest and pointed to the ground. "Byakuya-sama, this 'person' is here because he believes you have taken 'his son'."

Kira's tone sounded condescending, and it stung Ichigo's ego but also his pride as a father. It felt as if Kira was downplaying his situation, and it made him clench his teeth. A curse was on his mouth, but then he felt Byakuya's gaze on him.

The gaze was different from his usual gaze. The last time he met the head of the Kuchiki he was younger, ignorant and weaker and Byakuya's gaze was cold and filled with hate. But now it was as if he sensed curiosity and for some reason enjoyment emerge from it.

"Is that so." Byakuya broke the silence, standing up from his chair. "Kurosaki Ichigo. It's been a long while since we met." There was a silence before he continued. "Exactly 6 years ago when I found you sniffling around with Rukia and Renji. Oh, how times have changed."

Ichigo remained silent, the sweat dripping off his face. "And here you are, many years later asking me where your son is. How should I know where is? You didn't even inform you had a son. Congratulations." Byakuya stood now before Ichigo, his cold gaze never leaving his eyes

"I know you are lying! Byakuyaaa!"

The cynicism in his voice drove Ichigo over the line as he lunged forward to grab Byakuya by the collar, but Kira was faster. With his sword, he pushed Ichigo back, the blade now pressed against his neck.

"How dare you attack our master, Kurosaki!" Kira was also gritting his teeth as he had a hard time containing Ichigo. The young man was a strong fighter and Kira knew the well-known stories about an always victorious Ichigo.

"Kira, let him go." Byakuya's watchdog slowly removed his blade as Ichigo took a step back. But Kira still shot him another nasty glare. An almost noticeable smirk was on Byakuya's face.

"We meet after so long, and you have the audacity to come into my home and accuse me of your nonsense? Your effrontery is despicable. It's low. Just what I expected from a senseless beast."

Byakuya's eyes now met those of Ichigo. The young male now was raging with anger, so much anger that his entire body was shaking, his hands clenched into a fist with his nails digging into his hands."

Ichigo lowered his head, his gaze now unreadable. "I, the senseless beast wants to beat you up Byakuya, but my son is missing. I know you have something to do with this. Every bone in my body screams that you are behind this." The young dad's tone was calm and collected, but his body was still shaking.

"Tell me where he is, or else people will get hurt. You don't want that, right?" Ichigo's eyes now turned dark and ruthless.

Byakuya returned his gaze with an unfazed one of his own. "You know, it's funny Kurosaki Ichigo how you threaten me with hurting my people, while you crushed my soul."

He now walked past Ichigo, their backs facing. "Defiling Rukia like that. Putting illusions in her mind about a perfect kingdom. Marrying her and making her only queen in name? You are more naive than I thought." He now raised his tone. "Who do you think you are? Kurosaki Ichigo, bring me proof that I have your son. If you can bring me proof, I will comply to any of your requests."

Byakuya slowly made his way to the exit. Ichigo turned around and wanted to stop him by extending his hand, but his mouth would not open. He had evidence! But… it would mean he would have to sell out his dad. His dad had memo's about what had happened to Orihime, he knew what was happening within the kingdom because of the spy he placed here. However, Ichigo couldn't utter a word. The consequences were too big and the risks too high.

Byakuya shot the male one more glance. "I thought so."

"Kira, show him the way out. The beast has lost his tongue."

[in the present]

Byakuya hoped for months that Rukia would return, but 6 months had passed and still no word from her or Renji. Both Soifon and his grandfather were pressing him to take measures. They were both agreeing that Byakuya was taking too long, mainly because of Hisana, his late wife.

"Kuchiki-sama with all due respect, but your trust in Rukia-san is beyond limits while anyone within the kingdom can see that she does not deserve the amount of trust and respect she received from you." Soifon's said in her usual rushed and raw tone, which came across as aggressive and rude.

"Byakuya." His grandfather started. "I am with Soi Fon on this one. You are taking this too far. I understand she is Hisana's sister, but there are rules and boarders that simply cannot be crossed. We already forgave her for having relationships and bonds with the Kurosaki family." Byakuya now tightened his jaw.

"There is simply no excuse for her to disappear for 3 months to carry out a mission." Soifon now once again joined the conversation. "I should've carried out that mission! I knew she wasn't to be trusted, together with Abarai-kun."

Byakuya kept silent while listening to the critique being given by his subjects. "I don't know you like this. Before this child came you were never afraid to make decisions. You always put the kingdom first. Our people admire you for that."

"But your behavior is disappointing me. A Kuchiki should never doubt when deciding." Byakuya now looked down at the ground. When was the last time his grandfather was speaking to him like this?

"Don't forget who you are Byakuya and the sacrifice your parents made."

Those words brought him back from his thoughts. His eyes widened at his grandfather's reminder as if he were immediately stung by those words.

Bur He had promised Hisana to take care of Rukia like she was his own. Every night he would go to his private garden and wait, hoping that Rukia would return.

The ruler of the Kuchiki kingdom today took his sword with him and walked straight to the garden, ignoring his servants who were shocked by him suddenly leaving.

"K-Kuchiki-sama, is there…" the voice trailed off when Byakuya shot Kira a death stare. "If anyone tries to interrupt me, they are a dead man." And with that, he left.

While he stood in the garden, he walked straight to the first tree his eyes laid sight on and started to slash it with his blade. Byakuya kept his composure, but inside he was screaming.

Rukia Rukia Rukia Rukia. Unforgivable. I have given you the highest honor in the kingdom, and you dare to betray me! Betraying me, Kuchiki Byakuya!

While his thoughts were racing his slashes became harder, sloppier, and he was now even groaning. All the anger, the hurt and the disappointment had to come out. He wanted revenge and blood for her disloyalty.

My apologies Hisana.

….

Rukia, you're dead to me now.

That same night Byakuya called in Kira in his office, his expression cold and hard as ever. "Spread this to the kingdom and make sure they'll be found."

Kira took the documents, his eyes widening from shock as he read the content. "Are you sure Kuchiki-sama? This is about the appointed heir and Abarai-kun, our army leader."

"Yes, I am aware. Dead or alive, bring them to me whatever it costs."

"Yes sir!" Kira bowed before leaving the room. Nobody could mess with Kuchiki Byakuya now.

In a dark room where tick curtains were closing off all sunlight was a tired Aizen Sosuke lying down. The past night the male had been reading one of his favorite books 'succeed with tactics, fail with emotions'. It was a book he received from his father once he turned 18 years old. A book his father treasured more than anything.

Sosuke could never understand his father when he was younger. He had always been kind and understanding and provided Sosuke with a lot of love. He doted on his son, but Sosuke soon noticed that the love his father received wasn't enough to be happy in life. Each day his family was confronted with poverty and violence. Furthermore, he could never understand how his father was content with this life while there was so much more to achieve.

Things like revenge. It was therefore a surprise when Sosuke turned eighteen that his father gave him his most treasured book. It was a small red book with about 70 pages, but the content was rich and to Sosuke's liking.

Now years later after his father passed away, he finally decided to get the revenge his family deserved, and this book was giving him all the inspiration needed to succeed.

"Aizen-sama, can I come in?" It was Ulquiorra on the other side of the door. Sosuke wiped the sleep out of his eyes and sat up. He barely managed to get an hour of sleep, but still, he decided to remove himself from his bed and walked to his desk. "Come in."

Ulquiorra brought in a tray with tea and snacks. "Loly kept pestering to bring these to you. Knowing your current state I thought it would be wise for me to come in her stead." Aizen let his fingers run through his tick brown hair and chuckled.

"You know me so well. I'm impressed Ulquiorra. How is the rest going?" He took the tea from the pale male and sipped on it while looking at the documents on his desk. "Everything goes according to plan. I sent Yammy and Luppi to look for Grimmjow."

"Hmm, it's remarkable how that tiger keeps escaping from us."

"I admire his infinite effort. Even though it's naive, even for Grimmjow." Ulquiorra responded.

There was another silence in the room. Ulquiorra's eyes shifted around the room and his eye fell on a wall where pictures and maps were displayed. The picture that immediately caught his eye was the picture of his friend together with her brother.

"Aizen-sama, please forgive for my curiosity. How are things going with Inoue-san?" He asked carefully.

"Glad you asked." A smirk playfully appearing on Sosuke's lips as he walked towards the wall Ulquiorra was looking at.

"I'm wondering how our little princes is holding up?" Aizen now took the picture off the wall and held it in his hand, caressing it with his thumb. "She must be devastated by now."

Ulquiorra couldn't make up what Aizen was saying, but for some reason he felt a faint worry for his friend. "You know, being crushed in spirit isn't necessarily a bad thing. It gives hope and reason. When people's spirits are crushed, they find a deep deep power and resolve within that keeps them alive."

Aizen kept on speaking, a gleam of admiration in his eyes. "Our princess is cut from the same cloth as me. Strong as a coneflower, steadfast like stilt grass and beautiful as an orchid. She just needs a bit of help to realize her worth."

"And you are planning to be that help for her by isolating her from everyone?" Aizen took his eyes from the picture. "As always, you know exactly where I'm headed. You never cease to impress me Ulquiorra.

The pale green eyes male now scanned the rest of the wall and noticed that there were pieces of news articles on the wall before his time. All mentioning the Inoue kingdom and the downfall of the Aizen family. Ulquiorra was never nosy but was taught to be respectful and obedient. But ever since meeting Orihime, he learned that what he admired about his friend was not her strength, but it was the ability to be forgiving, compassionate and being curious and nosy. She would always ask 'why' while he had always been taught to say 'yes' and not to ask questions.

"People from the same flock should first realize that they do not belong with others. Inoue Orihime does not belong with backstabbing royals. Since she has nowhere to go, she has no other choice than to turn to someone else."

"What if she turns to the wrong people?" Ulquiorra asked, studying Aizen's body posture while he speaks.

"Don't start the foolish questions. You know that I know everything. Would she turn to Kuchiki? The ones who killed her brother? Or Unohana who is a loyal ally and confidante of the Kurosaki family?" Aizen started laughing.

"Everything and everyone is right in the palm of my hand. There is no one but me that will save her."

…

A knock interrupted the two males. It was Harribel that was knocking on the door, her low voice ringing through the door. "Aizen-sama. Stark is back and brought two visitors with him."

"Very well. Let's take a look, shall we?"

Ulquiorra and Aizen walked out of the room and made way to the main room of the building. In that room Aizen made a throne for himself where he would sit during formal gatherings with his subjects. Next to him was another throne, reserved for his future queen.

He sat down on his throne, Ulquiorra standing beside him. "I wonder what Stark has brought me this time."

Harribel stood in front of the throne and knelt down. "Please allow Stark to enter with our new prisoners."

"Let him in!" Aizen said loudly. The doors of the hall opened slowly as Stark appeared with behind him two people in chains. He tugged the chains to make the people walk into the room. Both of them bare foot, wearing only little clothes.

"How unexpected." An amused look on Aizen's face. He enjoyed the sight in front of him. "Such a pleasure to welcome you to my home. Please make yourself comfortable, if you can" He laughed, pushing his hair back.

Ulquiorra's eyes widened as he recognized the two people.

Aren't they part of the Kuchiki…

Masaki heard Orihime cry in a secluded room and each sob that reached her ears broke her heart. Orihime's personal maids came to Masaki, expressing their worry for the young mother who had been locking herself in the tower for the past few days after her talk with Ichigo.

Both parents had been observing Ichigo and Orihime, but they knew it wasn't their place to interfere. Masaki however decided that she no longer could watch her daughter-in-law suffer.

"Orihime-chan?" Masaki asked while knocking on the door. "Orihime-chan, can I come in?" The auburn haired girl was seated on the ground, next to the door. She hugged her legs and rested her face on her knees. The fabric of her skirt soaked in her tears. Masaki's voice stopped her tears and brought her back to the room she was in.

The female always had a high respect for Masaki, hence why she couldn't refuse her request to come in. Slowly she got up from the ground and opened the door, revealing a worried Masaki who immediately wrapped her arms around the child.

"Orihime!" She gasped out loud and tears filled her eyes. "My dear. We are so worried about you." She walked into the room while hugging the girl still, patting her back as the sobs returned. "Let's sit down my dear."

Once the two were seated Masaki was overwhelmed with feelings and started crying with Orihime together. There the two women sat down, each letting go of their own pains. The past few months weren't only hard for Orihime and Ichigo, but also for Isshin and Masaki. They lost their first grandchild, which wasn't only a sad event but also a threat for their kingdom.

"Enough! We have cried enough!" Masaki suddenly said after a while, wiping Orihime's tears. "Look at us! We've been crying here for over 30 minutes, can you believe it." Orihime simply nodded and sighed.

"My body is exhausted, but my heart hurts and tears are the only way to communicate what I'm feeling." Masaki patted Orihime's head. "I know what you mean. It's good to let it all out, but it's not good to only keep on crying. Otherwise, you'll be called a crybaby."

Orihime chuckled softly. "My Onii-chan always used to call me that. Just like Ulquiorra-kun."

"Ulquiorra? Hmm, I think Rangiku ever told me that name. I thought he was your guard during the transportation?" Masaki faintly thought back to her conversation with Rangiku.

"Oh no. I have known Ulquiorra since my 8th birthday. Onii-chan and used to move from place to place. For some reason, he always got dismissed from his jobs, and I didn't really enjoy school that much, so I didn't mind." A sad smile formed on Orihime's face as she recalled the times the children of her school would cut off her hair due to the unique color.

"I met Ulquiorra at the last place we moved to. He was the first friend I made when I arrived in Haiku. The first time we met he was very quiet and not really friendly, but we managed to eventually get along and even make more friends."

Masaki could see that Orihime held him dear to her heart as a fond look was on her face. "How did he end up working for the Kuchiki's? Was he also taken from Haiku?"

Orihime shook her head. "I haven't quite figured out how he managed to work for them. You see, we separated a few years after being friends…"

"It happened so sudden that I couldn't even say goodbye. It was bittersweet meeting him again, despite the circumstances." Masaki took Orihime's hand and held it in her own.

"I'm glad that at least there was someone with you when you went through that awful time there. Your life sounds like it had more downs than ups." The girl next to her shrunk once again and nodded.

"I miss my Onii-chan terribly. I also miss Ulquiorra and Tatsuki."

"What about your parents? Don't you miss them?" Masaki asked, already knowing the answer. "Parents? I don't have any. Sora always said that we are orphans and that we don't have any. He did mention that our parents aren't worthy of being called parents because they weren't good to us and that's why we are called orphans." When Orihime spoke, there wasn't any sign of hurt, she sounded rather distant.

"The strange thing is, I do get these weird dreams. It's always about me being in a place and being strangled by someone who looks like me. She keeps accusing me of something. I don't feel good after those dreams."

Two eyes widened as Masaki thinks back of the letter she received from the detective. She gasped as she couldn't believe what she was hearing. "I don't think those are dreams…" she softly whispered.

"Hmm, what did you say Masaki-san?"

"N-No… it's nothing. I'm sorry about your parents." Masaki said, a pained expression on her face. "You don't have to apologize. However, I am grateful to my parents. Despite being not good to me and Onii-chan, I managed to have a good life.

I even got the experience of birthing a beautiful son. What they couldn't give to me is what I want to give to Kamari…" her voice trailed off, the sadness returning to her.

"Masaki-san, please talk to Kurosaki-kun for me. I beg you." Masaki bit her lip, patting Orihime's hand once more.

"I did, but he sent me away. I even pleaded on my knees, but he won't listen to even his own mother." She looked down at her lap.

"I'm truly sorry Orihime."

"It's okay. I just have to hold out a little longer."

I'm really really really sorry for this chapter! It's just a bunch of drama but I'm all here for it. You guys must be tired of seeing Orihime suffer hahaha. But it's all Aizen's fault, not mine ;)

Next chapter will be a lot longer than this once. It will be an early Christmas present from me to you. A lot of things will be revealed, so stay tuned! Also, are you guys ready for today's episode? Unohana and Kenpachi, I can't waaaait!

Please review, follow and favorite. Thank you :)