:: Author's note: I had it brought to my attention by a friend that I apparently cannot math, heh. Anyway, the mistake has been corrected on the last chapter and is now accurate for this one, my apologizes, but Linake and Kenpachi only have four months left until they welcome their bundle of joy, not six! Anyhoo, bad math skills aside, I hope you all continue to enjoy my little adventure!::


Linake Zaraki walked slowly down the dirt pathway as she made her way back to the squad 11 barracks. Linake smiled as she tried to think back and place the exact time she and Kenpachi had actually conceived their son but she was beginning to see it would be too hard to pinpoint-could it have been the night Kenpachi told me he loved me under the stars, or was that too long ago? Maybe it was one of the times in the bathtub?

Linake laughed to herself as she felt a wave of heat wash over her body; taking an actual mental count of all the times she had been with Kenpachi made her realize Mayuri's earlier statement wasn't as sarcastic as it had sounded-I really shouldn't be surprised at all! Linake paused on the pathway turning her head up to the afternoon sky and lingered there for a couple minutes. As she stood Linake began to pull from the sun, the comforting sensation of heat spread throughout her body and illuminated her skin.

"Can you feel that?" Linake asked her son as she placed her hand over her stomach again, something she was sure was about to become a constant habit until she gave birth to him-four months, that's all I have left to prepare for this!

Linake let out a deep breath before she allowed her head tip back down from the sun, she could feel it's energy coursing through her body filling her with some well needed energy, easing the fatigue she had begun to feel a couple hours before-I still need to eat!

"Can't let you go hungry now, can I?" Linake smiled as she rubbed circles over her stomach.

Linake sped up her pace a little after thinking about it, now she wished she would have listened to Kenpachi and actually made it a point to eat on a better schedule, something she would have to start doing now that she had more than just herself to think about. Linake turned the corner on the pathway and let out a nervous breath as she spotted the squad 11 barracks come into view. Linake felt her stomach flutter as she thought about how to tell Kenpachi the news-at least I know he wants a family!

Linake stopped just as she reached the front porch to her and Kenpachi's quarters. The area seemed so quiet to her, almost as if the whole place was empty.

"Did Kenpachi decide to do some afternoon training?" Linake wondered aloud as she turned her body to face another pathway that would take her all the way to the 80th district if she followed it outside of the walls. It was normally the pathway Kenpachi took when going on the morning runs with the squad.

Linake turned her head, about to walk over to the main barracks and raid the kitchen when she heard her name being called from in the distance. Linake jerked her head back to the pathway in front of her and she saw him. Kenpachi was running up the pathway towards her with an expression on his face she had never seen before. Linake smiled to herself before she took off in a sprint, the excitement of the moment too much for her to hold back.

Kenpachi closed the distance between the two of them within seconds. Linake let out a laugh as she felt herself being lifted clear up off the ground by her husband, his strong arms wrapping around her waist, his breath ragged from the exertion of running. Linake lifted her hands to Kenpachi's face and her excitement turned into confusion.

"What's going on!? Where is your eye patch?" Linake asked him as she met Kenpachi's gaze, her eyes searching his face.

Linake lowered her hands tracing her fingers over Kenpachi's bottom lip wondering how in the hell it had been split? Linake's eyes widened as they scanned over the rest of his face and trailed down his neck and chest. He was covered in blood spatter!

"Did it happen, woman!?" Kenpachi demanded ignoring her questions completely.

"Kenpachi! What happened to you!? Was there an attack while I was gone?" Linake insisted, not about to let him change the subject and get away with not explaining his current appearance, it was obvious by the way he looked and the amount of sweat that had collected across his upper body that he had been fighting something.

"No. I was just messin' around! Now tell me, Linake!" Kenpachi insisted.

Linake raised her gaze, looking into her husband's eyes, seeing what looked like a million emotions swirling behind his light green gaze.

"Did Amaya tell you?" Linake asked.

Kenpachi shook his head at her as he began to walk the two of them down the pathway towards their room.

"All she said was you went to see Kurotsuchi, I put two and two together myself. Now are you gonna fuckin' tell me or not, woman?" Kenpachi countered.

Linake leaned her head forward not even caring about the blood spattered across her husband's face. Linake pressed her lips over his gently before she pulled back and closed her eyes.

Kenpachi held his breath as he watched Linake close her eyes; feeling his stomach roll and then drop. Kenpachi wasn't sure what to think with how the woman was holding back and for a second he thought she may have found out something else. Kenpachi felt the rush of so many emotions at once he wasn't even sure how to act and the suspense was doing nothing more than agitating him.

Kenpachi paused when he reached the sitars to his captain's quarters and then turned and sat down on the top step, making Linake straddle his lap as he reached his hands up and cupped her face. Linake opened her eyes as she wrapped her arms around the back of his neck, Kenpachi could see the welling of tears that had started to come to the surface.

"Talk to me, Linake; tell me what's goin' on!" Kenpachi ordered her.

Linake met Kenpachi's gaze just as her emotions got the better of her; she knew she was probably doing nothing more than driving the poor man crazy as he waited for her answer. Linake inhaled a deep breath as fresh tears of happiness fell down her cheeks.

"We're having a baby..." Linake whispered to him.

Linake felt Kenpachi's chest rumble as he let out a deep laugh, his arms lowered and pulled her tight against his chest as he met her gaze.

"We are?" Kenpachi whispered back.

Linake nodded her head to him as she continued to cry, unable to force her emotions back no matter how foolish she felt for the display.

"Fuck, Linake...for a minute I thought you were gonna tell me it couldn't happen! Why are ya cryin'?" Kenpachi asked her as he pulled her even closer to him and spread both of his large hands across her back.

Linake let out a laugh as she shook her head at him.

"I don't even know! I'm sorry, I'm just emotional..." Linake answered.

Linake watched Kenpachi's smile deepen into one of the most beautiful she had ever witnessed him make, filling her with more joy than she ever could have imagined was possible.

"Are you happy?" Linake felt the need to ask.

Kenpachi scoffed at her.

"Tch. You kiddin'? I don't think I've ever felt like this..." Kenpachi answered honestly.

"What did Kurotsuchi say? Tell me everything, Woman!" Kenpachi continued.

Linake let out another laugh before she took in a deep breath.

"I've been pregnant for almost five months without realizing it." Linake admitted.

Linake watched as Kenpachi's expression changed, his smile now replaced with what looked like concern. Linake felt Kenpachi slide his hands down across her rib cage and cradle the sides of her stomach. Linake's brow furrowed as she watched the change in him.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Linake asked him.

Kenpachi met her gaze before he replied to her, his rough voice coming out almost apologetic.

"I've been pretty rough with you lately..."

Linake couldn't hide the smile that spread across her lips; she understood that he was referring to the other night and the way he had made love to her.

"I'm fine! The baby is fine too! Mayuri said I didn't have anything to worry about!" Linake reassured him.

"So it's okay?" Kenpachi asked.

Linake nodded her head at him before she leaned in closer and pressed her lips against his. Kenpachi lifted his right hand and slipped it into the soft strands of her hair, carefully grabbing a handful and pulling back a little the way he knew she liked. Linake moaned into Kenpachi's mouth as he deepened the kiss, slipping his tongue between her parted lips.

Linake kissed Kenpachi back almost mindlessly, pulling his tongue deeper into her mouth as she sucked and lapped at him with her own, not even caring that she could taste the feint metallic taste of his blood coming from his split lip. Linake reached up with both of her hands, delving them into Kenpachi's dark hair, showing him her own passion as her body stirred to life for husband all over again.

Kenpachi used the strength in his legs and lifted them both up from the wooden porch, careful to keep Linake supported with his left arm as he walked them both up the small staircase. Kenpachi reached out blindly for the door and managed to slide it open and then closed again without breaking their heated kiss.

Kenpachi walked them both over to the large futon that they shared and laid his wife down gently on the mattress, Kenpachi could feel the woman's need as she began to claw at his back through the fabric of his captain's haori. Kenpachi growled lowly from his chest as he deepened his kiss even more. Linake moaned back in response as she lifted her legs and wrapped them around Kenpachi's middle, pinning him to her.

Kenpachi pulled back abruptly making Linake gasp a breath of air as she looked up into both of his eyes. Kenpachi smiled down at her, making Linake's heart race as she waited for him to make the next move.

"There you go drivin' me crazy all over again, Wife." Kenpachi growled at her.

"It's okay! We don't have to stop!" Linake breathed.

Kenpachi chuckled as he shook his head at her, it seemed no matter how many days went by or what happened between them, they would always crave to share each other. Kenpachi reached his hand back running his palm along the outside of Linake's left thigh.

"Let me up, Woman. I wanna see." Kenpachi stated.

Linake nodded to him before she unlocked her legs from around him allowing him to push himself up onto his knees. Kenpachi reached his hands down pulling at the t-shirt Linake was wearing, his gaze searching her stomach more closely. Kenpachi remembered how he had noticed her weight gain that morning before she had left, thinking that the woman was just putting on a few extra pounds-fuck, I guess it's because of the kid!

Linake stared up at her husband as she watched him look at her stomach with an expression she couldn't pinpoint; he looked as if he were trapped between happiness and awe. It was an expression Linake would cherish for the rest of her life, knowing that she had been able to give Kenpachi a moment that had truly made him happy.

"It doesn't even look like anything's in there..." Kenpachi laughed.

"I know. Mayuri said I wouldn't be able to hide it for much longer." Linake explained.

Kenpachi lifted his head, meeting his wife's dark blue gaze.

"What else did he say?" Kenpachi asked, wanting to know everything.

Linake smiled up at him as she reached her hands down and unzipped the jeans she was wearing allowing her stomach to lay naturally.

"Actually, he told me if I stood sideways I would be able to see how much I have changed..." Linake remembered.

Kenpachi grinned back at her before reaching out and pulling her tennis shoes from her feet, tossing them across the floor before he pulled on the legs of her jeans. Linake lifted her hips allowing her husband to strip her of her clothes, already knowing what he wanted her to do. Linake reached out for his hands at the same time he reached for her. Kenpachi backed up, pushing himself up to his feet and effortless lifted Linake from the mattress. Kenpachi stepped back as Linake turned to her side allowing her stomach muscles to stay relaxed, even though her first reaction was to try and suck in her gut.

"Fuck, Woman. How the hell did we miss this?" Kenpachi stated as he lowered his right hand and gently caressed Linake's stomach. Now that she was standing to the side and letting her stomach out Kenpachi could see the curvature, it wasn't just her lower abdomen that had changed, her whole stomach had, he just hadn't noticed it.

Linake laughed as she felt her husband's gentle touch.

"I have no idea!" Linake admitted, feeling more than foolish for not realizing sooner.

"Did you find out anything else?" Kenpachi asked just as Linake's stomach let out a loud sound followed by a deep grumble, once again, her body betraying her in front of her husband.

Kenpachi's gaze narrowed at her as she looked up at him with a guilty look on her face; Kenpachi didn't even have to ask if the woman had bothered to eat something in the human world.

"You gotta stop forgetting to eat, Woman!" Kenpachi growled at her before pulling back his hand from her.

"I know! I won't forget anymore now that I know, I promise!" Linake replied.

"Tch, shouldn't matter either way, you need food to keep your strength." Kenpachi countered, his brow furrowing at her with apparent agitation.

"Lay down, I'll go get us somthin'." Kenpachi sighed.

Linake watched as Kenpachi turned his large frame away from her and reached out for the pocket door. Just as Kenpachi pulled the door open he was met with his lieutenant's surprised expression. Ikkaku stood with his hand raised as if he had been about to knock on the door. Linake let out a small gasp, remembering she was standing there half dressed; nothing but a black t-shirt, her panties and her socks!

"What!?" Kenpachi spat at Ikkaku as he stepped forward filling up the space of the doorway.

Ikkaku turned his head up, looking his captain in the eye, trying to shake the sensation of shock from his mind.

"Uh...you left your eye patch, Captain." Ikkaku explained as he held it out to Kenpachi.

Kenpachi reached his hand out, grabbing the black patch from his subordinate and reached up, placing it back over his right eye, once again sealing his spiritual pressure.

"Captain, is Linake-"

"Don't worry about it." Kenpachi cut him off, not in the mood to be answering any questions.

"Yes, Captain." Ikkaku answered before turning on his heel and jogging down the small staircase. Kenpachi turned his head back, meeting Linake's sheepish expression and it made him grin-oh well, he didn't see much I guess.

"I'll be right back..." Kenpachi stated before stepping out onto the porch and sliding the pocket door closed behind him.


Linake turned away from the door just as Kenpachi slid it shut. Linake walked her way across the room, bending down; she pulled both of her socks from her feet and tossed them into a nearby laundry hamper she had positioned next to the door of the bathing area. Linake stepped inside the bathroom and headed straight for the sink. Linake caught her reflection and smiled when she noticed the slight golden hue of her skin from the sun energy she had pulled forward-I'm surprised Kenpachi didn't say anything about it!

Linake turned to her left allowing her stomach to relax completely as she glanced at herself in the mirror-I'll be damned! Mayuri was right; you really can see the difference! Linake lifted her head, feeling her emotions escalate all over again as she traced her own hand over the slight bump she was now able to see.

"I can't wait to see you!" Linake whispered down to her stomach as a new rush of fresh tears rolled down her cheeks.

"I hope you look like your daddy, little man!" Linake continued talking as she sucked in a breath trying to gain control over herself before Kenpachi returned with their late lunch.

"I promise I'll do everything I can to keep you healthy and safe!" Linake whispered before deciding to make herself more comfortable.

Linake turned her body to face the mirror head on and couldn't help the tears that continued to flow down her cheeks, it seemed like her and Kenpachi's journey was continuing to grow with each passing day, leaving Linake almost speechless-I'm married to the strongest soul reaper and now I'm giving him a son!

Linake reached her left hand up to her right arm and squinted when she pinched herself-I felt it, this is my reality even though deep down it feels like nothing more than a wonderful dream! Linake smiled at herself through her tears before she grabbed the black t-shirt and lifted it over her head and then removed her bra, letting out a deep sigh in the process. Linake stepped back a couple steps taking in the way her body looked now that she was naked. Turning to her side Linake smiled wide at her bump, knowing that with each day her son would keep growing-you're going to be just as strong as your dad, I just know it!


"Captain Zaraki!"

Kenpachi paused on the pathway just outside of his barracks at the sound of his name being called. Kenpachi turned his head, his brow furrowing in unspoken question when he saw Amaya walking up to him from the pathway. It seemed like her and Sosuke had spent a good deal of time talking back in the meadow before making their way back to the Seireitei.

Kenpachi shifted his weight as he turned his body to face the woman, making sure he didn't spill the platter of food he'd just collected for him and Linake. Amaya closed the distance between them and smiled softy up at him before she reached her small hand into the pocket of her pants. Kenpachi's brow lifted, remembering the surprise he had wanted to do for Linake.

"You got it after all, huh?" Kenpachi asked.

Amaya nodded her head before she spoke softly.

"I had to have Ichigo help me; Linake would have noticed I was gone, but, I think he did good!" Amaya smiled as she lifted the lid to the small black velvet box, showing the squad 11 captain his wife's wedding ring.

Kenpachi let out a soft laugh as he looked down at the ring he would be placing on his woman's finger in a matter of days in front of everyone.

"Yeah, I'd say he did good, too." Kenpachi agreed.

Amaya closed the box softly and met his gaze as another wide smile spread across her cheeks. Kenpachi noticed the welling of tears in the woman's eyes and that's when he figured she'd been listening in on his thoughts.

Kenpachi let out a sigh before he nodded his head, already knowing why the woman was staring up at him with such an emotional expression.

"I'm so happy for you! Really!" Amaya whispered.

Kenpachi averted his gaze, not really knowing to how to respond to the younger substitute soul reaper, the woman's power was a pain in the ass to deal with sometimes-when he remembered she had the ability to begin with.

Amaya let out a soft laugh before lifting her free hand and wiping at her eyes. Kenpachi didn't have to voice a thank you; Amaya already knew how uncomfortable it made the man to hear such things.

"I didn't want to leave this laying around just in case Linake found it." Amaya explained.

"Yeah...tell ya what, you keep it with you until the ceremony; then she won't find it." Kenpachi replied.

Amaya nodded her head before stuffing the black box back into her pants.

"I won't keep you any longer then." Amaya replied before she turned away from him.

Kenpachi watched as the woman walked back over to Sosuke. When Kenpachi raised his gaze to look at the immortal man he was greeting with a soft smile and with one word Kenpachi knew he hadn't made a mistake when deciding to trust him.

"Congratulations!" Sosuke spoke lowly with a gentle nod of his head.

Kenpachi nodded back, knowing that through the link Aizen shared with Amaya, it was the news about the baby he was congratulating him for. Kenpachi turned away from the couple as they did the same; about to head back to the squad 2 barracks. Kenpachi reached the stairs to his captain's quarters and climbed up quickly, balancing the food on his forearm like eh had before he reached out and slid the pocket door open.

"Need any help?" Linake asked him as she met him at the door.

Kenpachi looked down at her and smiled wide, seeing the woman had changed out of her human clothes and into the light blue sleeping kimono she would normally lounge around in at night before bed, that was, when he let her keep it on.

Linake reached up taking the bottle of Sake from the inside of his forearm, allowing him to keep a better grip on the platter of food he'd once again pilfered from the squad 11 kitchen. Linake walked over to their futon and took a seat on the mattress. Kenpachi's gaze lowered taking in the sight of his woman's thick thighs and the urge to nibble and suck on her pale skin filled him; even knowing Linake was already pregnant didn't stop the urges to make love with her.

Kenpachi shook his head trying to clear his lust filled mind before he stepped inside the room and closed the door shut behind him. Kenpachi walked over and bent down on his haunches laying the platter of food down in front of her before he stood to his full height once again.

"Eat, Wife." Kenpachi ordered her before he pulled his Zanpakuto from his hip and leaned it up against the wall next to hers. Kenpachi shrugged his large shoulders, allowing his captain's haori to fall and when he turned to place it on the back of the chair he noticed the bag that was already there.

"This the dress?" Kenpachi asked as he reached his hand out like he was going to pick it up.

"Don't look at it!" Linake yelled with her mouth half full.

Kenpachi turned his head back to her with his brow raised and a half smile on his lips-she wants it to be a surprise eh? Kenpachi laughed and shook his head deciding to humor the woman before he tossed his captain's haori over the bagged up dress and then bent down to take off his sandals and socks.

"Who were you fighting?" Linake asked abruptly making Kenpachi look back over at her as he tossed his left sock down on the floor.

Kenpachi stood fully as he stared down at her, wondering if the woman would ever be able to understand the side of him that craved battle.

"Sosuke." Kenpachi answered.

Linake let her hand drop from the platter as she tipped her head up and looked at him with a wary expression.

"What did he do!?" Linake whispered.

Kenpachi snorted at her as he lowered his body down to the mattress and took a seat next to her.

"Nothin'. We we're just blowin' off some steam, that's all." Kenpachi answered honestly.

Linake met his gaze, her full lips parting as she took in his explanation. Kenpachi met his woman's gaze and reached his left hand up to cup the side of her face. Linake didn't shy away from him like he half expected her to; instead the woman leaned into his palm and allowed her eyes to close as if simply touching her was somehow soothing to her.

"You mad?" Kenpachi asked, wanting to know.

Linake opened her eyes once again meeting his gaze.

"No." Linake answered simply with a soft smile.

"Good." Kenpachi replied before lowering his hand from her face, even though all he really wanted to do was pull her into his lap and run his hands across the woman's illuminated skin. Something about the way she looked after taking in the sun's energy seemed to call out to him, he'd even been close to asking her to pull the energy into herself while they had been making love the other night, but then he'd remembered the possibility of being burned by it.

Linake turned her head back to the platter of food and reached out for a piece of chicken, taking the time to dip in into the red curry sauce she liked before she decided to let Kenpachi in on what else she had learned about the baby.

"There is one other thing that Mayuri told me..." Linake started.

Kenpachi paused and turned his head back to her, the bottle of Sake hovering in the air half tipped.

"You gonna tell me or what, Woman?" Kenpachi insisted.

Linake smiled as she played around with the piece of chicken for a couple seconds.

"It's a boy." Linake whispered softly.

Kenpachi jerked his body as he realized he'd tipped the damn bottle of Sake into his lap, spilling about a shot's worth all over himself.

"Shit!" Kenpachi grated as the sound of Linake's soft laughter filled the room.

Kenpachi turned his head back to her and let himself laugh with her before he met her gaze again.

"Did you just say I'm havin' a son?" Kenpachi asked.

Linake nodded her head as she smiled up at him.

Kenpachi's smile widened, once again making Linake's heart race and her chest pull so tight she felt like it might burst straight from her chest; all this time she had wanted nothing more but to see the warrior happy and for the first time since their crazy journey had started Linake didn't have to guess. The battle loving brute of squad 11 was actually happy and he wasn't even using his Zanpakuto.