Note: I took liberties with the ceremony (mimicking them after a traditional temple wedding for Chinese b/c I couldn't find any real sources fast enough) and also please read the author's note if you want the extra "scene."

WHEN THE SNOW FALLS
by Yih

Chapter Thirty-four
The Wedding

This was what it would be like to watch a child of his own walk on the wedding path, Jushiro thought, as he waited for Rukia to make her appearance. There was still a few minutes before everything would start and Kaien was not present. Jushiro was going to smack Kaien like Kiyone did to Sentaro if he missed Rukia's final walk as an unmarried woman. Just as he thought this, Kaien appeared in his seat, looking winded.

"You almost missed it."

"But I didn't," Kaien stated and gestured to the seat that Kira Izuru was now taking. "I'm not the latest either."

"You should have been earlier."

"I was asked to help look for someone."

"With Kira?" Jushiro said, looking astutely back and forth between the two of them. "For who?"

"Abarai Renji."

"Squad 6's fukutaichou? Why?"

"He's a childhood friend of Rukia's and… he's in love with her."

"I see," Jushiro remarked. "He wouldn't come?"

"I couldn't find him. I don't know if Kira found him either. I don't think he wanted to be found."

"It would be hard," Jushiro murmured more to himself than to Kaien, " to watch someone you love marry another."

-

This was the happiest day of her life. Nothing could compare to this moment. How could it? She was finally marrying the love of her life in spite of all the trials they had faced to get to this point. Rukia kept her eyes to the ground, afraid to look ahead – to see all the friends and family that had gathered here on this special day.

"Rukia-sama," one of her attendants said, "it is time."

All the attendants that followed her were members of the Kuchiki clan. Rukia wished she knew them better, but she had gotten to know them a bit when they had helped her plan the wedding. Rukia looked up as cherry blossoms began to fall from the sky. She took a deep breath and starting walking down the path, her attendants following behind, to her husband-to-be.

Byakuya was standing at the end, waiting for her. He was handsome in his traditional garb that his father and his grandfather before him had all worn. Rukia smiled at him and watched him smile back at her. Rukia let her eyes wander a bit and she was pleased to see that all those from Squad 13 were present for her wedding as was most of Squad 6 with the notable exception of Renji.

Momo and Izuru were present, but it hurt that Renji wasn't there. He was such an important part of her life and yet she understood that he couldn't accept that she was marrying her adopted brother and his Taichou. Rukia would admit freely that she and Renji shared something special and intangible, but it wasn't the love she felt for Byakuya. Maybe – if circumstances had been different – maybe it would have been Renji.

But now it would never be, Rukia thought as she walked closer and closer to her beloved. She was forever Byakuya's.

-

It was like a dream, watching Rukia walk toward him. She was wearing a beautiful pale pink kimono of cherry blossoms while the cherry blossoms he had arranged floated down upon her and the crowd. It was a large ceremony as befitted a family as great as the Kuchiki's. It was not Byakuya's preference, but he was proud to display his chosen wife to all the Seireitei if they could see her how he saw her.

Byakuya glanced briefly away from Rukia to meet Jushiro's eyes and he saw the warm approval in them. Somehow that made this day feel all the more right. Byakuya held out his hand as Rukia drew near and the nerves inside of him settled as soon as he felt her hand in his.

Together they walked up the steps of the Temple to the platform where Takahiro was waiting with the Priest to perform the wedding rites. Byakuya and Rukia both kneeled on the pillow mats that had been place before the priest and they bowed to him, then to the east, then the west, then the south, and finally they bowed to each other.

"On this lucky day before the gods, we join Kuchiki Byakuya to Rukia in a ceremony that will pledge their love and devotion to each other for now and ever. With the gods' blessing, may the two of them receive peace and happiness. May the two of them respect and honor each other, to share their joy and sorrows in the life they lead together. Do you vow this?"

"I do. I vow to love and protect Rukia," Byakuya swore, looking deeply into Rukia's violet eyes, "for this life and beyond."

"As do I. I vow to love and safeguard Byakuya," Rukia said, her eyes glimmering with amusement as she changed one of the words, "for this life and beyond."

"I humbly declare you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride."

Byakuya held both of Rukia's hands and gently drew her closer until their clothes rustled against each other, only then did he lower his face and pressed a kiss onto his accepting lips.

After the kiss, he drew back and pressed his forehead to hers. "Are you ready, Lady Kuchiki?"

She looked up into his eyes. "Are you?"

"I've been ready for this day longer than you know."

Her eyes widened a bit before narrowing. "How long?"

Byakuya smiled and after a second of wavering, she also smiled. "That is for me to know alone."

"I love you," Rukia whispered sweetly.

"As I love you."

Behind them, Byakuya was aware that people were throwing rice at them, but all he could do was stare into Rukia's eyes – completely and utterly happy. There might be better days to come, he thought, but this was their happiest day in his memory thusfar. Of course, there was something looming. Byakuya could feel a presence of a danger drawing closer, but he wouldn't allow it to come close to Rukia. He had vowed to protect her in this life and beyond and he kept his promises.

Byakuya finally looked up and caught Takahiro staring at them. There were things that he didn't know of yet that would trouble them and there were things that they already knew of that were going to cause problems. It was going to be difficult, but no one had ever said it was going to be easy. It would be okay in the end. Byakuya looked back down at Rukia.

He had been blessed with love twice and this time he knew this one was the one meant for him.

-

A/N: Thanks for being so awesome and reviewing that much! I will be writing a Wedding Night omake soon. If you would like to read it, please leave a review as I will not be posting this on ff . net . Don't expect it to be that explicit, but it will of course have something that would not fit the current rating. Anyway, we've come to a turning point in the story. From here on out… I basically consider the romance part of the story complete and any further chapters are bonuses. Let me stress, there will be more chapters, how many more I don't know yet. As long as you keep supporting me, I'm sure I'll find the encouragement needed to keep going!

Released: 3/15/2009