Alright, second to last chapter ya'll! As for the sequel, it is in progress, the first chapter is completed and the second is underway! As for when I'll be posting it... well, you'll find out next chapter! Hope you like, and I really hope you like the names I chose for the twins... It took me so long to decide, and I'm STILL not sure they're perfect! Please let me know!

Chapter 13

"Kurosaki-kun?"

Ichigo looked up slowly, rubbing at his eyes. "Unohana-taichou?"

The gentle woman looked concerned, her blue-gray eyes worried. "Please, Kurosaki-kun, you need to rest. I don't want to get another patient."

The orange-head sighed, looking back to the still, pale form in the bed. "I'm sorry, but I can't leave. If I let him go then he might… he might slip away."

Unohana was silent, and then quietly left the room. Ichigo stroked the cold flesh under his hand, chewing on his lower lip.

"I need you back, yuki hime… Everything reminds me of you… I need you so much right now…" Ichigo reached out, his fingers ghosting over Toshiro's face. "I never told you… You mean so much to me… more than myself. I would give everything for you, heart, soul, mind…"

He breathed in shakily, tears finally spilling down his cheeks after a week of holding them back. "See? See how much I need you?" He choked softly. "I miss you so much… I can hardly breathe without you here… I'm in pieces…"

Ichigo leaned down, pressing his forehead to Toshiro's hand, pleading. "We were made for each other, I know we were… So please… come back… I need you…"

We need you…

Only the sound of soft breathing answered him. He stayed for a few moments, and then something from the corner made him look up. A whimper from the cribs; one of the babies was waking.

He stood, going to the crib and lifting his younger son, humming softly. The child calmed in his arms, staring up at him.

They were beautiful in Ichigo's eyes. They were perfectly identical, dark teal eyes that they got from their 'mother' and vibrant orange hair from their father. The only (barely) noticeable difference between the two was that the elder's hair was a bit darker.

Ichigo chuckled faintly to himself. They looked like mini-Toshiro's with his spiky orange hair. Neither one had a name; Ichigo didn't have the heart to name them alone.

The orange-head moved back to the bed, sitting in the chair beside the bed. The baby in his arms wriggled, large teal eyes looking toward the still form on the bed.

Ichigo chuckled, turning so the child could see the little shinigami. "That's your papa, little prince. I can't wait until he wakes up so he can hold you."

"How about right now?"

The orange-head gasped, his brown eyes snapping to the bed. Tired, dark teal eyes were staring at him, a small smile on his lips. "Hey…" he whispered.

"T-Toshiro…" Ichigo whispered, his eyes wide. "You're awake!" He lunged forward, carefully holding the baby away from them, cradling him in one arm while wrapping the other around his lover. "Oh, God yuki hime… I was so worried about you… I'm so glad you're okay."

"Our babies?"

Ichigo grinned, bring the baby in his arm forward. "This is our youngest, the one you didn't see."

Toshiro took the child from him before he could protest, pushing himself into a sitting position. "Whoa Toshiro, slow down, are you sure you're strong enough?"

"Oh, shut up. With the reiatsu you're pouring into me I could stay awake for a month." Toshiro said with a grin, cooing to the baby in his arms. "He's beautiful…"

Ichigo smiled. "Just like his papa."

"Do they have names?"

"No." Ichigo's voice grew soft. "I couldn't… not without you…"

Toshiro's hand was gentle as it touched his cheek, his teal eyes full of love and worry. "Ichigo…"

Ichigo's head was lowered, orange bangs shielding his eyes, but Toshiro could see the tears trailing down tanned cheeks. Ichigo's shoulders shook and then he fell forward, his head in Toshiro's lap. "I thought I'd lost you… I couldn't feel you… You were so… still… so pale…" His hand clenched in the fabric that covered the smaller's legs. "I was so scared…"

"Oh Ichigo…"

A small hand rested on his hair and gently stroked. The baby was sleeping now, but whimpered faintly. Toshiro hummed softly, rocking his son. "Shh… I'm here…"

Ichigo cried softly into Toshiro's lap for some time, Toshiro's hand stroking his orange hair, the tiny shinigami's voice flowing around him. The orange-head shivered as Toshiro raised his reiatsu a little, the icy coils of his power curling around him. He had missed that feeling, the cool presence in the corner of his mind. He could feel Ogichi reveling in the cold, a feeling that he loved.

"I missed you."

Toshiro smiled faintly. "I missed you too. I'm sorry that I scared you."

Ichigo sat up slowly, wiping at his face. "It's okay, I'm just glad you came back."

The smaller smiled at this, leaning forward to kiss his lover gently. "I will always come back. You won't let me go."

Ichigo grinned widely at that. "Damn right. You're mine, and I'm never going to let you go."

The sound of a soft cry came from the crib in the corner and Ichigo stood, going and lifting their first son. He moved back to the bed, smiling as Toshiro wanted to switch him. He took their sleeping child from his lover, giving him their oldest.

Toshiro rocked the baby gently, a smile on his face as he did. "We need to name them, Ichigo."

He nodded. "I know. I've been thinking about it, and I cam up with one for the younger."

"Yea?"
Ichigo looked down at the sleeping child in his arms. "Sora."

A smile crept onto Toshiro's face. "I love it." He looked down at the older twin in his arms, thinking for a moment. "And for the older… how about… Yoru?"

Ichigo chuckled softly. "Night and Sky. Perfect." He kissed his lover gently, and then kissed Sora's forehead. "I love you. All three of you. And I have to say, we made some pretty good-looking kids."

Toshiro laughed lightly at that. "I love you too, Ichigo." He looked down at the child in his arms with a smile.

The two's smiles grew as they heard Ogichi's voice in their joined consciousness.

And I'll teach them how to fight!

Ichigo snorted, but he knew that was Ogichi's way of showing his caring. He was pretty sure that the one time he had said it was going to be the only time they were ever going to get those words out of him.

Toshiro laughed. "Silly Hollow."