Kataiyakusoku

Yoruichi read on and thought; 'I need to check on the Sōkyoku… it's the only way to know if he is still there… '

She got up from her chair and hastily headed to Urahara's shop, passing through the special pathway. Upon seeing her, Urahara knew that his best friend discovered something.

"So you got something ne, Yoruichi-san?" Urahara stated as Yoruichi silently handed to him the scroll containing the information on Arturo Plateado.

"Yes… and a very interesting tale to go with it. But first we must proceed to Sōkyoku Hill; I need to check if it is still there." She replied.

"Alright… Byakuya-sama and Michiko-sama are still in the Kuchiki manor. I'll have Tessai-san take over while we go check the Sōkyoku Hill." Urahara said as he placed the scroll in his pocket, and spoke with Tessai. After a few moments, Urahara and Yoruichi left to go to Sōkyoku Hill.

At the Kuchiki manor…

"Shiro-chan; I want you to stay here in the manor at all times. Things are pretty different right now and all the Taichous and Fukutaichous are stationed in their respective duties. If something happens, and if you need to defend yourself, do so…" Michiko told her son.

"Hai, okasama, I will…" Shiro replied seriously. Michiko embraced her son, tears were gathering in her eyes as she thought of the war going on. Both mother and son were in Byakuya and Michiko's bedchamber, standing by the vast window overlooking the garden.

"Mommy… is it true that I am going to have a brother and a sister?" Shiro asked, a smile appearing on his handsome face.

"Hai… akachan… you will now become an Oniichan…" Michiko answered as her son hugged her happily.

"I know this will be over soon mommy… that you and daddy will come back from your duties and when the time comes that my brother and sister will be born, we will be all together… happy." Shiro replied.

"You are certainly right Shiro-chan." Byakuya said as he entered the room and walked towards them. "We will play tag and teach them how to fly kites and also make origami" he smiled at his son who hugged him. He smiled tenderly at his wife and was worried as he saw tears welling in her eyes and smiled at her, hoping to cheer her up.

Byakuya looked at Shiro and playfully ruffled his silvery white locks, "It's getting late now, Shiro-chan. A young man like you needs plenty of sleep so that you would grow tall and healthy." Byakuya told Shiro who in return chuckled and hugged both his parents.

"Hai otōsama, I want to be as tall and as handsome as you." Shiro replied and looked at his mother who chuckled at his remark.

"You will be far more handsome and taller than me, I assure you that" Byakuya smiled at their son.

"And you will be the next dreamboat of Seireitei" Michiko added, chuckling as Byakuya winked at her.

Shiro laughed at his parents' teasing and yawned. "Oyasumi nasai otōsama, okasama… " Shiro said as he went to his room.

As the shoji door closed, Byakuya looked at his wife who turned her back facing the garden and was crying silently. Silently he walked and turned her towards him; tenderly wiped the tears from her eyes with his fingers.

"Iie, don't cry hanata… I can bear anything but your tears… you know that." Byakuya said as he tenderly kissed her cheek, cupping her lovely face with his hands.

"Gomen ne, hanata. It's just that when I think of the war – "Michiko replied, her voice cracking as she sobbed.

"Then all the more we should strive to win this war… for our children hanata… and the children of Seireitei and the Human World as well." Byakuya said as he cradled her gently in his arms.

Michiko embraced her husband, burying her face on his chest, cherishing the moment of being held in his arms. Slowly she raised her head to see him looking at her lovingly; he kissed her passionately his hands gently caressing her womb, feeling their children growing inside her.

"Byakuya, aishiteru. I love you with my whole being" Michiko whispered in between kisses.

"Aishiteru Michiko… forever" he replied as he tenderly kissed her, his hands gently caressing her as she molded herself to him. "Hanata…" he said huskily as he trailed gentle kisses from her lips to her neck, eliciting a moan from Michiko as slowly melted into her husband's caresses.

Byakuya looked at her thoughtfully and asked, "Is it alright hanata? I, I mean, the babies – "

" - will know how much their parents love each other…" Michiko replied as she kissed him passionately. Byakuya moaned in pleasure as he felt her tongue gently teasing his lips open. Eagerly he returned her kisses; his tongue stroking hers as his hands gently removed her yukata, caressing her silky smooth skin beneath the fabric.

Michiko gloried in Byakuya's caresses and sighed in pleasure as she felt his hand on her bare skin. Teasingly she broke their kiss, and smiled sensuously at Byakuya who looked at her curiously. Her hand on his yukata, she gently undressed him, her hands lingering on his skin as she slid his clothes off his body.

Byakuya gently lowered Michiko on the futon and groaned as his he felt her warm, soft, body beneath his. He looked at her tenderly, and kissed her passionately, his lips sensuously trailing down from her lips to her neck as his hands caressed her. He gathered her against him, his voice husky as he whispered breathing words of love with every ragged breath.

Michiko moved sinuously against him, moaning in ecstasy as she felt his hands caressing her. Her hands moving sensuously as she slowly caressed her husband's body. His groan of pleasure made her giddy… and bold.

As his lips touched her nipple, Michiko could not help but whimper. Byakuya instantly stopped; looked at her with concern etched on his handsome features. "Did I hurt you hanata?" he whispered.

"Iie… no… its just that its so sensitive… the mere touch of your lips feels so pleasurable" she rasped, looking at him with love in her eyes.

"It… it is much redder… and… more… bigger…" Byakuya whispered, in awe of the change of his wife's body brought by her pregnancy. Michiko blushed as her husband lovingly swept his gaze on her body noticing the slightest change in his wife's body. Byakuya smiled tenderly at her and shifted his gaze on her womb. "I love the change in you hanata… do not be embarrassed of it" as he tenderly caressed her still flat womb.

Still blushing, Michiko replied, "Byakuya… in a couple of months time I will be big and heavy and –"

" - all the more beautiful. I love you Michiko, and I love the changes that is happening in your body" he replied, caressing her lovingly with hands and his lips. Sensuously he looked at her, his eyes full of love and desire and huskily asked "do you like when I do this hanata?" his tongue gently licked her nipple.

"Yes… oh Byakuya" Michiko moaned, getting bolder by the second, arched herself to him and as he captured her taut nipple and gently sucked. His name being cried softly in the silent room as desire spread like wildfire throughout her body.

"Michiko… aishiteru" Byakuya moaned as his fingers found her apex of desire and began pleasuring her. Sensation streaked into her very core, needing to inflame him too with the pleasure he bestow her.

Michiko's hands grew bolder as she caressed his body. A smile formed on her lips as he gasped in approval when her fingers closed on his hard shaft of arousal and began pleasuring him. "Michiko… hanata" he groaned in sweet pleasure as she claimed him with her gentle caresses.

Their soft cries of passion filled the room, with Michiko and Byakuya loving each other. He could no longer hold on, he wanted, no needed to be one with his wife as he felt that her desire was the same as his as she moaned in desperation, wanting him to take her.

"I love you" he breathed as he sank into her welcoming depths, groaning in pleasure as he felt her enveloping him.

"I love you" she whispered as he kissed her passionately as they were joined as one.

This time both felt like it was a communion of their souls as they both reached the summit of their love and desire for each other. They clung to each other, whispering each other's name as both loath to break the sweet connection symbolizing their love for each other.

"Kataiyakusoku" both whispered to each other in unison as wonder and love spread on both their faces as they said their pledge to each other. Byakuya tenderly looked at his wife and kissed her lovingly; Michiko returned his kisses and sighed in contentment, feeling his warm body against hers. Pulling the warm covers over them, Byakuya gently cradled Michiko in his arms. Both husband and wife fell asleep in each other's arms, each knowing that the battle they would be engaging on would put their solemn promise to each other to a test.

oOo oOo oOo

Author's Note: again thank you for reading this story and for the reviews... now a little japanese words which i forgot to post in the previous chapters. :)

daibo - godmother

hanata/anatta - sweetheart

aishiteru - i love you

oyasumi nasai - good night

gomen ne / gomen nasai - i'm sorry

otōsama - father; this is the more formal form of otōsan the honorrific 'sama' was used instead of 'san', since byakuya is a noble

okasama - mother; the formal form of okasan honorrific 'sama' was used since michiko is of noble lineage

ojousama - my lady this was addressed to yoruichi in chapter 21 by one of the shihoin clan staff :)

and lastly which is one of my favorite japanese words...

kataiyakusoku - solemn promise