Chapter 19- Epilogue

Aoi had finished the papers, the exercises were done, there was nothing else to do. She looked over at him with a smile. "Can we go out for a bit? I need to get a little shopping done."

"Shopping? Are you dragging me into another drinking contest with Matsumoto?" She giggled, remembering last week when they were both so drunk they couldn't stand. She, on the other hand, had decided to agree full heartedly to Byakuya's idea and had abstained.

"No, not this time." She smiled at him and he nodded. "Are you wanting to hit the dango shop again? Last time that poor guy actually remembered you by name."

"He's not poor!"

"Not anymore!" Kira grinned and Aoi smiled at him. "I may get some dango, but I really want to get a new obi. My purple one was pretty badly damaged while in squad six. It was torn off, burned, stepped on and has blood all over it."

"Good god, what did Byakuya-sama do to you?!" She looked up at him with a sad smile. "Let's not talk about him." He nodded. Even though it had been a month since she'd come back, he was still a sensitive spot with her. He knew that she'd really cared about him, but he also knew that Byakuya wasn't competition anymore. She loved Kira, and he couldn't have been happier about it.

"An obi, huh? I guess we could do that." Aoi smiled at him, standing. "Let's go then!"

They made their way down the street, her in his arm and they pointed at the random things in the shops. "Oh, there's something I think you'd like." He pointed at a ring in the window and she gasped at it. "It's beautiful! I don't think it's appropriate, though!"

"Why?" He looked down at her, a curious look crossing him for a second. "Well, first is the sold sign on it, second, it's only really appropriate for a guy to get a girl a ring if he's proposing to her." The look on her face was more joking than anything and he looked at her. "Do you really believe that?"

"I do. It's just the way I think about things." She was ready to walk off when Kira's arm around her stiffened, keeping her still. She looked up confused as Kira waved to the man in the store who nodded and walked over, taking the ring from the display. He walked out and handed it to Kira with a wink.

"Aoi, I actually bought you this ring." She looked at him, surprised. "Then why did you make such a show of it? You just-" He looked at her and bent down kissing her before getting down on one knee.

"... Aoi, I was wondering... If you'd..."

"Izuru, I think you should know something before you finish that sentence." Her face was fearful and he stood, suddenly scared. "What? Has something happened?"

She nodded, her face turning down, her cheeks filling with a rose tint. "Aoi?"

She looked up, seeing the fear in his face. "You know how I keep feeling ill after I eat. I thought I had a stomach problem." He nodded. "I went to see Unohana yesterday." He nodded. "Are you alright?!"

After stopping his proposal he was worried she was more ill than he'd thought. "I'm fine, I really didn't want to tell you out in public like this..."

"Aoi, you're scaring me! What's happening?"

"I'm pregnant." He looked at her, his eyes widening. "You're? My?" She nodded, looking at him for a defining response. She got it shortly after. "God, I thought you were dying or something! Don't do that to me!" He hugged her and sighed. "You're pregnant." She could feel a tear down his cheek. She could hear the smile in his voice.

"Then this is even more appropriate. Aoi, will you be with me forever? Will you marry me?" She nodded, her fingers clenching into his haori. "You don't even need to ask. Of course I'll marry you, Izuru."

She reached up and kissed him, feeling suddenly tired. "I think I'll worry about the obi tomorrow. Let's go home." He nodded and surprised her, picking her up.

"Let's go." He carried her off.

Renji watched as this took place, trying his best to not be thrilled for them. Byakuya had taken the news of her going back to Kira badly and had been holy hell ever since. If he hadn't been Byakuya, Renji would have killed him by now.

He knew that no one else could have made her that happy, or scared. He knew that she'd always be with him.

He was so happy that she was able to be that happy with someone, even if it wasn't his Taicho. Renji smiled, lowering his head and turned, walking away. He had a little something he had to tell Matsumoto and Hitsugaya.

Byakuya happened to turn down a street and came face to face with Aoi and Kira, he was pointing at a ring. Byakuya sighed, watching as Kira did his best to be romantic. It broke his heart to see her like this. She was so happy with him.

He couldn't bring that kind of smile to her.

She stilled and Kira stood, taking her by the shoulders. He could see the fear on the young Taicho's face. Byakuya stepped forwards, just able to hear.

"I went to see Unohana yesterday."

"Are you alright?!"

"I'm fine, I really didn't want to tell you out in public like this..."

"Aoi, you're scaring me! What's happening?"

"I'm pregnant."

Byakuya stood still, for once his eyes wide. She was pregnant. She was going to marry him, this much was known. He couldn't hear anymore and turned, walking back to his home. He really didn't want to be seen anymore.

As they entered the house Aoi grinned at him. "We'll need a bigger place. It won't just be us anymore, we need to have a room for the baby."

"I'll start looking into a house tomorrow. It won't be a problem, though." She smiled at him. "Really? I know you make a bit, but a house?"

"You do realize I'm the last surviving member of a noble house, right?" She looked at him surprised. "Really?" He nodded. "The Kira house was a major noble house generations ago. We probably were higher than the Kuchiki's at one point in time."

"Really?" She sounded more amused than amazed. "I thought the family would die with me. Aoi, are you sure you're wanting to marry into this?"

"As long as it's you, I'll do it happily. Being a noble woman may be fun!" She giggled and Kira laid her down on the bed. He laid next to her and she smiled at him as he pulled her over, her head on his chest as normal. "You'll be a noble woman and I'll be a father. That's a frightening thought, actually."

"You'll make a wonderful father. Your kindness and caring nature, your sweet disposition and patience have made you well suited for it. Just wait and see." She smiled at him and he looked down at her, tears again in his eyes. "Such a day. I've gained everything today. There's nothing else I want besides what I learned I'll have today. You, a child, a house..."

"Izuru, there's one more thing." He looked at her, his eyes wide. "Something else? I don't know if I can handle any more news."

"I'm having twins." Kira laughed. "Twins! We can have rhyming names."

"Oh, we can't do that! That's horrible!" She laughed, playfully swatting him on the arm. "Kira Ai and Kira Mai. What do you think?"

"What if it's boys? What if it's one of each?"

He looked down at her and kissed her softly. "It won't matter. It won't matter, I'm going to have a family..."

Aoi smiled at him, the sentiment shared. "A family... It sounds too good to be true, doesn't it?"

"Not anymore. It came true. It came to me. I have everything now. Aoi, it's you. You came here and we both got what we wanted, didn't we? You wanted a family, didn't you?" She smiled at him.

"Every day since I can remember. You brought a dream to reality for me as well."

He kissed her once more before closing his eyes, but he no longer had any idea of what to dream about. There were no better dreams than their reality.

The End.