Epilogue

Time went by as it should. Some things were confusing to Ichigo at first, but accommodating to his new, well-deserved happy life was more easy than he would have guessed. It was strange, but he came to realize, that he could actually call memories forth from the nearly two years he had missed (or rather lived differently). The sensation was like the knowledge was inside his mind, he only needed some trigger to call it forth.

'You remember, Ichigo...' Orihime called on his third day '... that I'm going out with Tatsuki this afternoon. We hardly saw each other lately, not since they got together with Uryu-kun!'

Ichigo blinked. The new information unlocked a few unregistered memories again. And in seconds, Orihime's statement lost all it's surprise factor. Of course. Tatsuki and Ishida even came together to their wedding, though they still both firmly denied the relationship then. Oh gosh! Their wedding!

He grasped at the memories desperately, and they unfolded obediently enough, like a slowly blooming flower. Like all memories, they weren't full-detailed, like some film, but they brought tonnes of emotions with them, that made up for the gaps. He was able to call an almost perfect picture forth of Orihime in her white dress though, and her happy smile...

'Ichigo? Ichigo!'

He shook himself slightly at her calling voice, returning to reality. Orihime was looking at him with a little concern.

'You've been spaced out again... you do that a lot lately.'

He smiled.

'Sorry about that.' he said, and pulled Orihime close for a kiss.

She didn't expect the kiss to be as passionate as it was, so it surprised her. She started to giggle, with a hint of totally unnecessary embarrassment.

'What was that for?'

'Just for loving you. I'm glad you're gonna have fun with Tatsuki. I think I'm going to take Miyako out to the park, if that's ok.'

She smiled, and kissed him back.

'You're the best Daddy ever!'

'I'm trying. And did I already mention I love you?'

'Ding, ding ding! We have a winner to our annual "Best daddy and husband contest"!'

It didn't take much time, and his new memories already started to feel more solid and real than the dark memories of that other time-line, than the memories of his life as a hollow. They almost seemed like a bad dream now. Except that he had some proof to remind him of it's reality.

When he first transformed to his soul reaper form to take care of a hollow, all his friends were shocked to see the bloody red marks running across his face. They were like some weird tattoo, shaped exactly like the markings on his mask used to. The marks came with a new boost of power, just like every transformation he had so far, but he had enough former practice in that to adjust to it quickly. Only problem was handling Soul Society's freaking out over it, because of it's "hollowish feel"... But even they weren't as strict about it any more as they used to be in the past.

Unfortunately, they had to include Urahara in the smoothing out of things. That was the cause of the most headache for Ichigo. He knew that the answers he could give to the exceptional scientist's questions wouldn't be enough, but how could he tell the full truth? It seemed too incomprehensible for him to even try to explain. But Orihime insisted that she wouldn't feel secure until Urahara-san had sad something on Ichigo's "disturbing new change in power", so he had to submit himself to the man's inspection to calm his wife's anxiety for his welfare.

'So, what do you think, Urahara-san?' Orihime asked.

They were sitting in the dining-room of the Urahara Shop, gathered around the low round table. Orihime shifted nervously, while she kept rocking Miyako in her lap. Urahara had just finished his examination. He had made Ichigo transform, and fight a little with Yoruichi down in the basement.

'I don't know, Ino... pardon me! Kurosaki-san! But the transformation seems solid, and comparable with his powers. And he had many strange changes before. As to what caused it, I have no idea, but about HIM I wouldn't worry...'

Ichigo noticed the strange emphasis on the "him", but since Orihime seemed so much relieved, he didn't dare ask the scientist to elaborate. Something told him it would be unwise anyway. So he simply settled for lifting an eyebrow and scowling.

'Well, I'm glad then. I've been worried.' Orihime sighed, smiling down at her baby daughter, who was playing with the shiny buttons at the front of her robe.

'Have you noticed any other changes? Behavior? Customs? Speech?' Urahara asked.

'All right! Enough with the inspection already!' Ichigo declared grumpily.

'Ah... and I haven't even asked about your love life... Kidding! Only kidding!' Urahara joked, quickly jumping out of Ichigo's arm's reach.

Ichigo tried to remove the deathly glare from his face before he turned to his wife.

'Hime... we should head home. It's late already, and Miyako haven't had dinner yet.'

Orihime frowned.

'Look... I'm fine! Really! But if it makes you feel better, I promise you that if I feel anything else out of place, I'll come here myself and report it. Is that fine?' Ichigo added confidently.

Orihime finally smiled.

'Deal!' she agreed, sounding relieved.

So the Kurosaki family said their goodbyes, and after they secured Miyako in her carriage, Urahara and Yoruichi walked them out of the shop. The two longtime friends stood in the doorway watching the three orange-heads depart.

'So... what do you really think, Kisuke? You know how well I know you, it's useless to hide it from me.'

'You know, Yoruichi...' Urahara slowly began. 'I may be a great scientist, knowing things that are hidden from the common eyes, but there are things that I'll still never know...'

'What do you mean?'

'It seems to me that the hogyoku have finally abandoned Aizen, and chosen a new hiding-place for itself.'

'What?' Yoruichi cried, mewling like a cat who had it's tail stepped on.

Urahara wasn't shaken by her outburst, he continued to look the same meditating way as before.

'You mean Ichigo?' she asked more quietly.

'No.' Urahara replied simply. He took an apple out of his pocket, cleaned it carefully with the hem of his cloak, and took a bite, chewing thoughtfully. 'Though I'm convinced I see this right I have no idea how on earth it managed to hide itself so mysteriously inside Kurosaki-san's daughter.'

Yoruichi turned to her companion sharply, wearing a horrified expression. Unfortunately, she had known Kisuke for quite a long time now to know that he wouldn't joke about something like this, so all hope of that kind would be in vain. So, she collected herself somewhat, and asked:

'Do you think they know? Ichigo?'

'I wonder about that myself... But I think it's safe to assume it's linked somehow to his mysterious new transformation. He clearly knows more about this business than he's letting on. '

The Kurosaki family turned at the corner, and waved back to them, Orihime enthusiastically, the little girl experimentally, and Ichigo just half heartedly. Urahara and Yoruichi waved back.

'What do we do about it?' Yoruichi asked in a needless whisper. The family was well out of earshot.

Urahara smiled. He took another bite from the apple, and watched Ichigo bending down, and gently arranging the hat on Miyako's little head, so that the sun wouldn't hurt her eyes, as Orihime pushed her carriage. One more moment, and the family turned the corner, vanishing from sight.

'Nothing.' Urahara answered simply. 'It's probably all for the best... I can't think of any safer place for it anyway... So... we're just gonna keep on watching...'

...

A/N: Thank you for all the reviews, favs and alerts! Your attention has been really encouraging! I'll mark this story as "complete", until I decide to write the alternate ending. Please review!

( chosen name's meaning: Miyako – mi:beautiful, ya: night, ko: child)