Kana had her eyes closed as they drove home. Her face was resting against Shuuhei's back. She loved the feel of being on his motorcycle; of being so close to him.

It had been good for them to go out on it today since they had spent so much time cooped up on the tour bus. The wind whipped around them and Kana had never felt more alive and more in love than she did at this moment.

When they stopped at the light, Shuuhei picked up Kana's hand and kissed it. The appointment had gone well, and it had been humbling hearing their baby's heartbeat. It was still too early to tell if their child was a boy or girl, but they were looking forward to going back and finding out.

Shuuhei pulled into the parking lot of their apartment complex and parked the motorcycle.

"Kana get off that thing. You could have been hurt."

Kana looked up at her mother as she got off the motorcycle. "Shuuhei's a great driver."

"I'm sure he is, but I've been waiting for you. I tried calling you."

"I had an appointment."

"Something for the wedding?"

"It was a follow up appointment with my doctor," Kana said quietly. It wasn't the full truth, but it wasn't a lie either. Her mother had known about the fainting spell.

"Emi, can I get your bag for you?" Shuuhei asked. As Emi walked over to her car, Shuuhei whispered in Kana's ear, "Tell her."

"I don't know how."

"Do you want me to tell her?"

"No. I will. Before the wedding. I promise."

"Does she know we're getting married tomorrow?" he teased.

"Of course she does."

Shuuhei kissed her lightly before walking over to help Emi with her bag.

They walked into the apartment, and Shuuhei put Emi's bag outside of Kana's room before heading to his own room.

"You keep your dress in here?" Emi asked as she looked around Kana's room.

"It just came this morning."

"Did Shuuhei see it?"

"Not that I know of. He's not allowed in my room." Kana glanced behind her. "Shuuhei will be leaving soon." Emi nodded. She had wondered how long he would stay. "A car will be here in about a couple of hours to pick us up for our spa treatments."

"Mother-daughter manicures and pedicures." Emi smiled. "I wish your father could be here to see you get married."

Kana smiled. "He would have liked Shuuhei." She had loved her father, and his untimely passing had devastated her when she had been a child.

Emi caught a movement out in the living room. "Go say goodbye to Shuuhei. We can talk after he leaves."

Kana walked out of the room and didn't notice her mother close the door behind her.

Smiling, she stood at the door to his room and watched Shuuhei pack his suitcase. "You just unpacked everything."

"I know." He grinned at her. "I'm not packing as much this time. We're only going to be gone ten days."

"Where are we going?" she inquired as she walked over to him.

"You'll find out when we get there." Shuuhei kissed her.

She followed him into the bathroom. "You don't have to leave so soon. You can stay a while."

"You need to talk to your mother."

Kana scrunched up her nose. "She's just going to lecture me about getting pregnant, using protection, and all that. I'll have to agree with what she says just to get her to stop."

He grinned. "Why do you think I'm not staying?" Shuuhei reached over and closed the door. Picking up Kana, he placed her on the counter and stepped between her legs. "Kana, I love you, and I have no regrets with you."

"I love you. I have no regrets with you." She kissed him.

...

"How is it I'm done before you?" Emi asked as she watched a technician paint her daughter's nails.

"I changed my mind on my polish color. I had picked out red, but I like this better." Her nails were a romantic dark pink that suited her more than a bold red would have. The technician had just started applying the red polish when Kana changed her mind. "Will you hand me my wallet out of my purse?"

Emi picked up Kana's purse and reached inside. She pulled out the sonogram photograph and saw the words 'Baby Hisagi' in the corner. A gasp escaped her lips. "Kana, what is this?"

Kana looked at her mother. "It's exactly what it looks like. We will talk about it later."

"But Kana," Emi began.

"Later," Kana repeated. She didn't want the news to spread just yet. Emi nodded and retrieved Kana's wallet.

...

"No girls. This is boys' night." Ikkaku said when Shuuhei's phone rang.

"It's Kana. I have to answer it."

"She has you trained," Yumi commented with a grin. Ikkaku barked, but Shuuhei ignored him.

"She's supposed to let me know when she told her mother that she's pregnant."

"She hasn't told her mother yet?" Yumi asked.

Shuuhei walked into the other room and answered his phone.

"I was afraid they wouldn't let me talk to you," she confessed.

"They almost didn't," he told her. "How did it go?"

"She saw the picture in my purse and she..." Kana let out a breath. "She's so excited. I think she's more excited about the baby than she is about our wedding."

Shuuhei laughed. "That's good."

"Shuuhei, I promised her... Well actually I thought of it earlier when she arrived. I hope you don't mind, but we had been talking about my father, and I thought I'd like to name the baby after him. If it's a boy."

"I don't mind, Kana." She was quiet for a moment, and Shuuhei thought he heard her sniff. "Kana," he said softly, wanting to be there with her.

"I'm sorry."

"You can't cry if I'm not there to wipe away your tears."

"They're happy tears." She wiped them herself.

They didn't make him feel happy. "Kana, what are you wearing?"

She laughed as he hoped she would. "A smile."

"And?"

"And?" she asked coyly.

"And what else?"

Kana grinned. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

"I would."

"I'm in bed. Our bed." She yawned hugely. "My mother wants to go shopping for the baby. I think I talked her into waiting until we find out if it's a boy or a girl."

"That might be best."

"I was thinking we could turn my room into a nursery." She yawned again. "Unless we want to move into a real house."

"It's something to think about."

"Maybe we should look at houses when we get back from our honeymoon. Where are we going?"

He grinned. "Maybe we will."

"You didn't answer my question."

"You still haven't answered mine."

"I know." Kana smiled. "I am wearing a smile though."

"Someplace where the sky is blue, the grass is green and the temperatures are warm." It was the only clue he'd give her about their honeymoon. Kana laughed, and it turned into yet another yawn. "Get some sleep, Kana. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Goodnight, Shuuhei. I love you."

"I love you."

"I'm wearing your shirt. It's like being wrapped in your arms even though you're not here." She disconnected the call and for a moment, Shuuhei stood where he was with a smile on his face.

...

Half asleep, Kana reached for her ringing cell phone and answered it.

"Good morning."

"Good morning," Kana said with a smile.

"I hope I didn't wake you."

"I was awake, but I'm still in bed. It's odd not sleeping next to you."

Shuuhei smiled. "I know. I felt the same way last night. It took me a while to get to sleep." Once he had finally managed to get rid of Ikkaku and Yumi.

"It was just for one night," Kana reminded him.

"I know. I'm already counting down the time until I see you."

"How long do we have?"

"Too long."

Kana laughed. "It'll be here before you know it."

"I hope so." Shuuhei paused. "I made you breakfast," he told her.

"You were here, and you didn't wake me up?"

"Kana, if I had been there you would have known. I made pancakes for you. They're in the freezer. All you have to do is put them in the toaster to heat them."

She smiled. "Thank you, Shuuhei."

"I knew you wouldn't eat anything if I didn't make you pancakes."

"Is that what you were doing yesterday when I got up?"

He smiled. "Yes."

She stretched. "You're always taking care of me."

"Now and forever."

There was a knock on the door. "Kana? Are you awake? Aki's on her way up."

"I should go. Mom's up and Aki's on her way."

"Share your pancakes with them."

"No," Kana said with a laugh. "I love you."

"I love you. See you soon."

...

In front of their closest friends, family, and fellow musicians, Shuuhei and Kana were married. They said "I do" and made vows to each other. When the preacher, a man named Ukitake, asked for the rings, Shuuhei turned around to Yumi.

"It's beautiful, Shuuhei. You did well."

Shuuhei grinned and took the ring from him. "With this ring, as a sign of my love, I thee wed." He slipped the seven carat emerald cut diamond on her finger.

Kana looked from the ring to him. "It's gorgeous."

"Just like my wife," he whispered.

Kana smiled and took his ring from Aki. "With this ring, as a sign of my love, I thee wed." This band was steely grey platinum that had reminded her of his eyes.

Ukitake smiled. "I now pronounce you man and wife. Shuuhei, you may kiss your bride." He didn't need to be told twice. Shuuhei pulled her closer to him and kissed her. The people watching cheered. When they broke apart, Ukitake looked out at the crowd. "I present to you Shuuhei and Kana Hisagi."