Chapter 9

Ichigo woke up slowly. His eyes were too heavy to open, his first attempt futile. He blinked hard with a small groan, his eyes finally opening. His vision was blurred, a white blob blinking in and out of focus. But after a few seconds his vision cleared and the white blob became a face.

"Shiro…" Ichigo reached a hand up, touching it to his face in a sleepy daze. He smiled, but Shiro didn't return it. Instead his eyes were worried, his lips pulled into a thin line. Ichigo's smile slowly fell. Pain suddenly tore through his abdomen, his chest arching up as he screamed, looking down to his stomach. He screamed again when he saw it was large, his hand grasping it as another scream was torn from his throat.

Shiro grabbed both of his hands, pressing his forehead against his. Ichigo gasped in pain, tears forming in his eyes.

"What is that!" he hollered, Shiro kissing his forehead. Ichigo arched again with a scream, squeezing Shiro's hands till the bones were nearly broken. Shiro shushed him silently, trying to calm him down. Ichigo sobbed hard, screaming out his agony before falling against the bed limply, the pain slowly passing.

Ichigo's hand fell from Shiro's, his eyes shut tight as the pain passed. He panted hoarsely, his throat dry. Like he read his mind a cup was put to his lips, Shiro lifting his head enough for him to drink.

"What the fuck is happening?" Ichigo panted when the cup was taken away, looking back down to his stomach. It looked like he was already several months pregnant, but that had to be impossible. It had just been barely a week!

Shiro shushed him gently when he sobbed again, holding his hands again.

"Baby, I need you to calm down alright?" he asked, Ichigo closing his eyes tight. He nodded after a brief second of silence, biting his lip to stop it from trembling.

"What's happening to my baby?" Ichigo whispered shakily, Shiro kissing his forehead again.

"Syrian come in here!" Ichigo's eyes widened as a full grown golden retriever walked into the room, his shocked brown eyes looking up to Shiro. He looked down to him, Syrian placing his head on the bed.

"When given life directly from the Soul, the organism grows at a faster rate. They will live until someone kills them, just like a vampire, except they are still alive." Ichigo looked back to Syrian the dog whimpering softly, pressing its wet nose against his hand.

"They stop growing at full maturity, so Syrian will have the appearance of a year old, until he is killed." Ichigo sobbed silently, afraid now to look at his stomach. He squeezed Shiro's hand, searching for comfort.

"You gave our child life, and its growing quick. Soon, maybe in a day you will be going into labor," Shiro told him, Ichigo's tears falling down his temples.

"Where are we?" he asked, looking around. The room was familiar, the bed sort of outa place.

"We are at your family's place," Shiro told him, Ichigo's eyes going wide.

"Shinji told me they thought I was dead! I can't be here!" he told Shiro, struggling to get free. Shiro held him in place.

"He lied Ichigo. Your family knew of this, they knew you were alive. Shinji only told you that so you wouldn't return here," Shiro told him, Ichigo looking up to him. Sudden anger rose in him, his eyes closing as he sobbed.

"Listen, Ichigo. Your father has agreed to do the delivery, and we are preparing the delivery room as we speak. I need you to get up and walk there with me alright?" Shiro told him, Ichigo turning his head away. Syrian's wet nose pressed harder against his hand, his voice echoing in his mind.

"Please King? Please get up?" Ichigo wanted to say no. He didn't want to get up. He wanted to lay there and die there. He had never felt so alien in his entire life.

Syrian barked angrily at him, Shiro narrowing his eyes at his sudden change in mood.

" had got up even when he felt weak! How come you can't do the same!" Syrian asked angrily, more from fear and worry than actual anger. Ichigo opened his eyes, remembering that flower.

"He was afraid and alone. But you helped him! You gave him a reason to live on, no matter how short his life had been! Shiro is trying to help you now, but you won't take it! What is the point of doing something if you can't even stand up to do anything!" Ichigo looked to Syrian, his eyes misted over with tears.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, Syrian's narrowed eyes widening. Shiro looked back from Syrian to Ichigo, hoping Syrian had convinced Ichigo to get up. Ichigo took in a deep breath, feeling the being inside of him stir. It was almost time.

"Shiro, help me up,"Ichigo whispered, grasping his hand as an arm was placed beneath his back. Shiro was gentle, slowly helping Ichigo up to a sitting position before off the bed and onto his feet. Ichigo felt it easier to move standing, holding his stomach. He looked around, seeing they were in his old room. He couldn't help but smile at that.

No wonder the bed didn't fit in there.

They walked to the stairs, Ichigo's eyes widening when he saw Karin. She was talking to Yuzu, but she seemed to notice he was there, looking to him.

"Go get the ice," Karin told Yuzu who nodded and left. She gave him a small smile as Shiro led him down the stairs, her eyes understanding.

"Hey Ichigo," she greeted, Ichigo swallowing thickly before nodding, reaching the end of the stairs.

"Hi," he greeted in turn, Karin's eyes looking down to his stomach. She touched a hand to it, Ichigo feeling his stomach tighten up painfully.

"I always wished I could have been like you," she said with a smile, Ichigo frowning. He looked to Shiro who just shook his head.

"Karin, we have to hurry," Shiro told her, Karin looking to him. She nodded, taking a step back.

"I'll get some towels," she told them, Shiro nodding.

They walked through the living room, the blinds drawn over the windows. Ichigo wished he could see what was outside. But they continued on, walking to the door that led to the basement. Ichigo was shocked when he saw Orihime, feeling a tad nervous around his old friend. She turned away from Yuzu who had just got a cup of shaved ice, Orihime turning to them. She smiled at Ichigo, but did not say anything. Ichigo felt like it was for the best.

"Orihime is a werewolf who had went against the other's. She has been protecting you for many years," Shiro told him as they walked down the stairs of the basement, Ichigo looking back to the door with worried eyes.

"She will fight them off if they come here. Don't worry, Chad and Renji are with her," Shiro informed, Ichigo frowning. He hadn't seen them, but once again he felt like it was for the best. They reached the floor of the basement, but then Ichigo was led through a steel door. Inside, a hospital bed was placed, all the necessary supplies also placed there.

Ichigo grunted softly when he got on the bed, looking to the side when the steel door was slammed closed. Uryuu stood in front of the door, his back to him as he sealed it shut.

"We had to take many percussions," Shiro whispered, Ichigo nodding slowly. He rested against the bed, closing his eyes for a brief second. He felt a familiar hand run through his hair, his body relaxing.

"Hey dad," he whispered, hearing a soft chuckle.

"Can tell even with your eyes closed eh?" his father chuckled, Ichigo smiling despite his fear and jittery nerves.

"Your stench can be smelt from miles away," Ichigo chuckled, his father lightly slapping his cheek. He felt him pull away though, Ichigo opening his eyes. His father had his back to him, getting the IV ready. Ichigo closed his eyes again, trying to relax. He couldn't though.

He was trying to take in too much at a time. Childhood friends were monster's, he was far from being the human he always saw himself as, and not to mention soon, the child he had in his body was about to be born. He wondered how he was supposed to accept all of this.

"Why was I chosen?"

" I wish I had an answer. But, Ceasar asked me the same thing. All he wanted was to live a normal life."

Ichigo looked up to the ceiling, wishing at that moment he was back at the ocean. Maybe there he could have lived a normal life. Lived in the mountains and hunted for fish during the day. He and Shiro could go there, after this is all over. Ichigo smiled softly, his eyes slowly closing.

Next to what he loved the most about life, he could live a normal life.

XXXHeartXXX

Hachigen kneeled in front of Yamamoto, anger rising in him. The other's shared his anger.

"We have tried for decades to obtain the Soul, and now that he is in the hands of those things, you just want to let him go!" Hiyori yelled, the other's agreeing with her. The yells of disagreement and rage were silenced by a loud thud. Yamamoto opened his eyes, looking to ever single person in that room.

"Have you forgotten what is at stake if we do this? The Soul, if separated brutally from what it loves the most will destroy us all. We were young and foolish during the time of Caesar, but I will not risk losing another being to such destruction!" Hachigen rose up, Yamamoto's eyes turning to him.

"You have grown weak," he told him, Yamamoto remaining silent.

"If we kill the child and his lover, we can convince him to love one of our own. Then, when his child learns of its power, we can use it for our favor," Hachigen told them. No one responded.

"You want to destroy the very being, that is life?" Yamamoto asked him, Hachigen nodding.

"Life can always be made over again."

One of the nay sayers spoke up.

"The time of Caesar will be repeated! Life can be remade, but all those who die cannot. Not even the Soul could recreate the body of Caesar! So why should we destroy one being, and in turn lose our entire pack?" Many agreed with that, more yells and words thrown back and forth. Yamamoto slammed his cane down with a loud thud. Hachigen was angry once again, but remained silent.

"If you can kill the child and Shiro, we will be in part of your favor. Ichigo will be put away until he has forgotten. But, if you fail and you are killed, we will leave Ichigo alone, along with his child and lover. All those who followed you will be banished, and I will curse your very soul so it cannot return to the planet. Do I make myself clear?" Hachigen nodded, a small smile rising on his lips.

"All those who follow him, rise." His smile fell when no one rose. He looked to Hiyori, but her eyes were downcast. He looked to Momo but she remained silent. He looked to all the other's, his eyes disbelieving. They hardened, Hachigen raising his chin. If he was to go alone, he will drag the rest with him in death. He turned and left, the other's watching.

Izuru sent a small prayer up to the gods to protect them, but once again, his pleas went ignored. This was no longer their war.