Chapter 2

Ichigo arrived to a dimly lit bedroom. Inoue looked up from her phone and let out a small laugh.

"Did you two have a good time?" She began to help Ichigo undress, but only got to the last button of his shirt when Ichigo decided to collapse onto their bed.

Inoue joined him, and snuggled as close as Ichigo would let her – which was difficult because he was prone with his arm and leg dangling off the bed. She eventually retreated, giving him a kiss on the head and settling into her own side of the bed.

Ichigo couldn't sleep that night.

Rukia arrived home tempted to collapse in a heap at the front door. However, Renji was with her, kindly guiding her through the house. He made jokes about how a captain shouldn't drink this much and Rukia could only reply with a tired glare. Eventually, much to Rukia's protests, Renji carried her up the stairs and into bed. He tucked her in still fully dressed in the clothing she had worn out and he joined her in his boxers.

"Thank you," Rukia's voice muffled into a pillow.

"Of course," the smile could be heard in his voice. "Ichigo this drunk too?"

Rukia shuffled to reposition herself in the sheets away from Renji, "Yeah," she hoped.

Rukia paced her office, waiting impatiently for her visitor. She perked up when she heard quick steps drawing nearer. The sliding doors opened to reveal Ichigo in his shihakusho – a sight she hadn't seen in years, and now that he had grown into it…

"You're here," Ichigo said, quickly shutting the door behind him.

"Yes, now what is this emergency?" Rukia asked, "I'd hoped to notify more people but if-"

"Shut up," Ichigo said, stepping closer to her.

"Ichigo?" She asked, confused, looking up at him.

Before she could stop him, he had pulled her into his arms, his lips tracing her shoulder and neck. Rukia let out a pleased shudder. He took a moment to search for consent in her eyes, and when she leaned in, Ichigo's lips met hers in fiery passion. A hand traveled down her back, while another slowly loosened the ties of her robes.

Suddenly he shook her, "Captain Kuchiki!"

Rukia looked at him in surprise as Ichigo disappeared abruptly and she found herself blinking at one of the officers.

"Hanataro!" Rukia exclaimed, clearing her throat and tidying her hair. "I-"

"It's okay Kuchiki-san," Hanataro smiled genuinely, "you must be tired, I'm only waking you to deliver this."

He held up a fancily decorated basket to Rukia.

"Ah, yes," Rukia received it still in a daze. "What's this for?"

"Kurosaki," Hanataro said, "It had been a while since I spoke to him, so the fourth division decided to put together a care package."

"The fourth division or you?" Rukia asked with a smirk.

"Mostly me," Hanataro laughed, red in embarrassment. "But don't tell him – he won't accept it otherwise."

"He'll get it tonight, thanks Hanataro," Rukia said kindly, standing to escort him to her door.

"That's good," Hanataro replied, "its perfect timing; it seems you were dreaming about him too." He laughed.

"What?" Rukia's looked at him in surprise, "What do you mean?"

"You were saying his name in your sleep," Hanataro replied, "Anyway; I'll see you around, thanks again."

Rukia closed the door once Hanataro had disappeared from her view. She looked at the care basket and found herself blushing at the thought of potentially seeing Ichigo that night. The dream replayed in her head over and over again in the same moments: that look he gave her, his hands. She put a hand to her head, and let out a deep breath. Just a dream, she told herself, it doesn't mean anything. She sat on her chair, staring at the present. What else was there besides being friends?

Inoue noticed that Ichigo spent the day in a daze. She realized it when Kazui had to remind his father to read him his bedtime story and the proper way to tuck him in. It was hard to tell based on their child though, who was surprisingly particular about his bedtime routines.

"Let mommy do it!" He whined, taking the book from Ichigo's hand and rushing over to his mother.

"It's okay, I'll take over from here," Inoue said, taking Kazui's hand gently and tucking him into bed.

Ichigo only nodded and kissed his son good night, then retreated into the clinic downstairs. She watched as he descended the stairs in silence. He had been strange ever since the night he returned home from drinks with Rukia, and Inoue couldn't help but wonder about what had happened.

Ichigo slipped on a sweater and his sneakers. He wasn't one to wander at night, but for some reason he had taken a liking to it these days. In the past he would patrol the entire city each night in his shinigami form, but as hollow activity receded after the winter war there was no longer any reason to exhaust his spiritual energy. He settled for the late night walks, finding lately that his house felt suffocating.

He took a moment to look up at the building. Ichigo and Inoue had both decided to renovate the place to fit a large family, seeing that his siblings lived there part time and with Kazui and Inoue now taking residence, the upstairs apartment began to shrink. For some reason, Ichigo couldn't touch his room. It stayed more or less the same since he was a teenager, and ever since Kazui was born he didn't see any reason to use it anymore. Kon used to say it held too many memories of Rukia, Ichigo never voiced it but he internally agreed.

"You're out late." A familiar voice behind him sounded.

Ichigo turned and was surprised to see Rukia in her shinigami robes smiling politely.

"I hoped to catch you before bedtime, but it looks like it doesn't matter now."

He closed the distance between them, to receive the basket she was holding.

"Hanataro," Rukia said, "and the fourth division wanted to give you a care package."

"Delivered by a captain, no less," Ichigo took the package and placed it onto the ground.

"Well, you're still sort of a legend, though I wouldn't let that get to my head," Rukia replied, crossing her arms.

"You're here," Ichigo said in a near whisper.

Rukia was caught off guard at the statement; she looked away and fiddled with the scarf around her neck. "It's just a delivery, I'm not staying long."

"Thanks for the delivery," Ichigo said, picking up the basket.

"Good night, Ichigo," She smiled, and she began to walk away.

Ichigo watched as she leisurely left. He turned to put the basket away in the clinic quickly and he exited his body, leaving it lying on the couch.

Rukia felt the surge of power and let out a frustrated sigh. She heard his footsteps coming closer and he eventually fell into pace beside her.

"Isn't it a school night?" Rukia asked, "Go home, Ichigo."

"I'm free. Besides, tomorrow's actually the weekend." Ichigo said. "Fancy a patrol, captain?" He smirked.

Rukia shook her head with a smile, "Hard to say no since you asked so politely."

They shunpo-ed along the trees and challenged each other with their speeds, Rukia watched as Ichigo bounded before her, disappearing from her line of sight. He returned beside her just as easily, playfully threatening to knock her over mid stride. She laughed and shoved him back, landing on the nearest rooftop a little out of breath. Ichigo landed beside her and they looked out into the city.

"What happened the other night, Ichigo?" Rukia asked.

Ichigo looked at her, surprised at her forward question. "Nothing happened."

"We're married, we've got kids and we've got careers. It's an era of peace."

Ichigo stayed silent, waiting for Rukia to finish her lecture, as he had so learned to do over the years.

"What's going on with you, what was with the question the other day? Of course we can't be more than friends, we-"

"Of course not," Ichigo said, "You with your rules and your career…"

"What?" Rukia was astonished at his accusatory tone.

"We had a chance," Ichigo started.

Rukia was bewildered. "Are you drunk?"

"I wish I were." Ichigo stood before her, tall and so uncharacteristically open – a man, so unlike the child she had met. "If I were drunk I could tell you how you never left my mind, and how every now and then this wave of aching pain drowns me."

"Poetry, Ichigo?"

"Stop it. Stop with the fucking sarcasm and listen to me."

Rukia glared at his rudeness, but let him speak.

"Every year, I remember what a pain in the ass it was to meet you. I remember what a pain in the ass it was a save you. I realize what a pain in the ass it is to not see you every day."

"We're married."

"And so we are," Ichigo said, "and I'll be honest, I never imagined ending up here, I thought battle would kill me before I saw this day."

Rukia couldn't say anything, she watched him pace a few steps.

"That night when we met in the bar," Ichigo started, "You said to me that you were pregnant."

Rukia clutched her arm, and retreated as he neared.

"What the fuck, Rukia? What happened? Where the hell did that come from?" Ichigo demanded. "Only a little over a year after the war… I was still having nightmares; you and I were still fresh from… from whatever mess we had to clean up."

"You don't get to be angry at me!" Rukia exploded, pushing Ichigo away. "Anyone could see that Orihime was madly in love with you, you stupid fool – I only assumed…"

"You assumed?" Ichigo asked. "Rukia, you were the only person that was keeping me sane!" He matched her tone.

"And what happens afterwards Ichigo? After we wake up from licking each other's wounds and see that I belong in another world entirely and you still had a life to live? We wake up and we argue over stupid shit every day and grow to hate each other?" Rukia asked.

"We are not you and Renji."

Rukia's face displayed one of hurt and pain, and Ichigo could only maintain a frustrated face.

"How dare you." Rukia said.

"So what, when it looked like we wouldn't work out, you fuck your best friend?"

Rukia glared at him, "Yes, that one off chance… the one time Renji and I share a bed and I end up pregnant? Do you think I fucking planned that? Do you think I even realized that I was fertile after that stupid piece of rock Aizen put inside me? Fuck you!" She began to walk away.

"And now you're going to run?" Ichigo asked, "You know I can catch you, I'm the fastest shinigami alive."

"You're the only shinigami alive," Rukia exclaimed. "And – if you were so heart broken by my pregnancy how the hell did you have a kid with Orihime less than a year later?"

"Don't tell me you forgot." Ichigo replied.

Rukia stopped, turning to look at him, "Oh please, remind me."

"You stopped talking to me entirely." Ichigo replied. "Something about being a parent, me becoming a doctor and focusing on school."

Rukia remembered. That year was a whirlwind. Byakuya's reaction to the pregnancy was far from pleased, though most times it was hard to tell what he thought of things. Renji had proposed and Rukia couldn't say no, realizing how important it would be for her daughter to have a father.

"Tell me how you would feel if the next thing you heard about your best friend was when her fiancé asks you to be at the ceremony."

Rukia's fierce air fell; she had nothing to say and watched as Ichigo sat on the ground. The smell of an impending storm lingered in the wind that passed between them.

"How did you feel?"

Ichigo buried his head in hands for a moment, and then rubbed his face. "Bad enough to go looking for someone else," he looked up at her with a face of sorrow.

Rukia turned away; she was always sensitive to Ichigo's pained faces. "When Orihime told me she was pregnant with your child, I was overjoyed. How wonderful, I thought, for Ichigo not to be alone."

Ichigo didn't say anything, still sitting on the rooftop, staring at his feet.

"I cried all night." Rukia said, sitting beside Ichigo. "There was this... gnawing pain in my chest, I felt like I could throw up."

Ichigo looked at her, as she turned away, eyes down cast as if trying not to cry.

"Renji asked what was wrong, and I could barely reply." She wiped the few tears that escaped away quickly with her robes.

"You should have seen me after your wedding." Ichigo laughed, swallowing the pain at the sight of her tears. Such a fierce woman suddenly so delicate, Ichigo wondered if he should have said anything at all. "I was a mess."

Rukia laughed gently, and Ichigo smiled.

"It's too late," Rukia said.

At this, Ichigo stood with a stretch.

"It is getting late. Inoue will wonder where I am." He turned, facing Rukia with a frown. "I'll see you around, captain Kuchiki."

Rukia nodded, dusting herself off as she stood.

"Good night, Ichigo."

Rukia woke the next morning with wet eyes. She looked at herself in confusion in the mirror, wondering if she had cried in her sleep. The sight at the breakfast table told her that yes, in fact she had. She knew because Renji had set out a feast full of her favourite foods. She let out a soft smile.

"What's this?" She asked, as she sat down.

"For you," Renji said with a confident smirk. "Ichika's already gone to her weekend activities with Captain Kuchiki, so it's you and I for the day." He busied himself with filling her plate: waffles, fruits of all kinds.

"Thank you," Rukia said, as Renji pulled her head in to kiss it.

"Everything okay, though? You were crying quite a bit last night. It's been a while since, I couldn't hear what you were mumbling but you were sobbing." Renji said, looking at her seriously.

Rukia shrugged, unable to fully recall what had thrown her into such despair. She poked at her plate, and eventually started on one corner of fruits.

"No strawberries?" Rukia asked as they were her favourite fruit.

"Oh- I didn't even realize, I'm sorry, I'll pick some up later tonight." Renji smiled, filling her mug with coffee.

"That's okay," She replied, she picked up his hand as he set the coffee pot down. "You're sweet, sometimes." Rukia kissed Renji's hand, and Renji responded by pulling her into his big arms.

"I want you to be happy," Renji said into her hair. He breathed in her scent and gave her another kiss, "Above all things, you deserve to be happy."

Rukia felt tears tug at her eyes.

How dare she dream of other men, worse, of married men?

Kazui waved goodbye to his mother as Ichigo escorted the child to soul society. The first of his kind, Kazui was receiving special instruction from Urahara and Yoruichi at the Shiba estate, as they believed that his reiatsu would be easier to control in an environment where it flowed most naturally. This morning was special as the third weekend of the month meant that Kazui would be training with Ichika. He looked forward to seeing his friend, as his friends on earth found it difficult to understand his education.

"Are we seeing auntie?" Kazui asked, looking up at his dad in excitement. "Mama asked me to give her some fresh strawberry shortcake!"

Ichigo returned the child's grin with a soft smile. "Of course, make sure you keep that safe."

Kazui hummed happily as they walked into the green fields of the Shiba household. He raced towards Ichika's form and surprised her with a tickle. The young girl turned and laughed, chasing Kazui with shrieks and giggles.

"No Rukia today," Ganju stated simply, side-eyeing Ichigo.

"That's not the only reason I'm here." Ichigo said.

"Sure."

Ichigo had to admit that he searched for her form. The fields were so familiar, the wind echoing a time when losing her was so close, and finding her so exhilarating. They never spoke about it. Ichigo was too young to fully comprehend the situation, let alone articulate his feelings. And Rukia… she was probably aware, but probably felt indebted more than in love.

Love, eh?

Ichigo had to take a deep breath. He didn't realize that he had stopped breathing, staring at the green dazed and in another time.

"Papa, papa!" Kazui exclaimed, "Look what Ichika can do!"

Ichigo walked over to the pair, and Ichika created a very small, bright, glowing ball of kido.

"That's great!" Ichigo replied, squatting before the pair. "I can't do that, maybe you can teach us."

Kazui plopped to the ground, and pulled his father down as well. Ichigo smiled and sat back with Kazui as Ichika began a longwinded retelling of the history of kido.

"Aw man, skip that boring stuff!" Kazui interrupted.

"No! Mama says it's extremely important to know where something came from to know how to use it now!"

"That doesn't even make sense. If you're gonna tell a story, tell a good one!"

Ichika glared, "Fine, I'm not teaching you!"

"Papa that's not fair!" Kazui, at 6 years old, was still inclined to cry for things he wanted – and so he did.

"What a baby!" Ichika laughed.

"Kazui," Ichigo started in a stern voice, "You must respect your teachers." Kazui hiccupped, glaring at Ichika. Ichigo patted Kazui on the head. "And Ichika, you must teach from where your students can understand - that's how your mama taught me."

Ichika and Kazui turned to Ichigo with impossibly curious faces, "She taught you?"

"But you're so much stronger than auntie!" Kazui exclaimed.

"Nuh-uh! Mama is a captain, and captains are way stronger." Ichika crossed her arms and beamed with pride.

"What's this now?" Rukia interrupted.

Ichigo looked up and his heart skipped a beat (surprise?).

"Are you two making things hard for this guy?" Renji added, catching up to Rukia carrying a basket of what looked like food.

Ichigo stood to meet the pair, laughing as Renji playfully punched him on the arm.

"Long time no see." Ichigo smirked.

"Tell him papa, mama is stronger because she's a captain!" Ichika exclaimed, pulling at Renji's garb.

"Yes, mama is stronger than Ichigo." Renji said, picking Ichika up. "You should have seen how your mama would beat sense into him."

"Beat?" Ichika asked. "Oh, like in battle!"

"That's exactly it," Rukia smirked at Ichigo.

Ichigo cleared his throat and looked away.

Rukia responded with a slightly concerned look, which disappeared once she noticed Kazui in the corner with a glowing orb floating from his fingers.

"Ah, it seems talent wins again." Rukia crossed her arms in amusement, and watched as Ichigo joyfully congratulated his son.

"Amazing!" He scooped Kazui up into his arms, and Kazui beamed.

Rukia imagined that Ichigo probably looked as innocent as a kid, beaming at his mother as Tatsuki would always describe him.

"Ichika, make sure to teach him how to lengthen the spell." Rukia said, as she watched Ichika high five Kazui from her own father's arms.

"Yes mama!" Ichika wriggled out of Renji's arms, and pulled Kazui down. The adults watch them run into the dojo gleefully.

Rukia followed suit, with Ichigo and Renji trailing behind.

"One moment, Rukia, take the basket, I've got to talk to Ichigo for a second." Rukia received the basket, and Renji's hands lingered on her shoulder. She shook her head at him with a smirk, and walked away.

"Something wrong?" Ichigo asked.

"Yes." Renji started, crossing his arms. "Rukia's been saying your name in her sleep, crying."

Ichigo was taken aback. "What-"

"What happened between you two?" Renji asked, looking straight into Ichigo's eyes.

Ichigo couldn't think of anything to say. Rukia crying? Rukia dreaming about him? He felt sickened with the guilty happiness bubbling in his chest. He did his best to hide the disgusting ache to race to her and see how she would react to the information. Did she even know that she was dreaming of him, too?

"The last time this happened was after the winter war… I'm concerned that something's triggered it."

"Triggered it?"

"I think it's you." Renji said seriously, hand to his chin in thought. "Whenever you meet, she does this."

Ichigo waited.

"I think you should stop seeing each other." Renji finished, crossing his arms again, his extra few inches leering over Ichigo.

If anyone were to tell him that the same person could inadvertently break his heart twice, Ichigo wouldn't believe it. The fact that it was Renji that shared the information which shattered his chest both times was insulting irony.

"I agree," Ichigo swallowed the bowling ball of pain threatening to explode out of his chest and throat.

Renji let out a relieved smile, patting Ichigo on the shoulder. "You're a good man, Ichigo. Thanks for listening and helping me out."

Ichigo smirked, "This better be the last time, you're running up a tab, man."

Renji laughed, "Yeah, yeah. Let me know if you need someone to babysit, I'll help you out with baby number 2."

Ichigo couldn't help but curse the gods at that moment as Renji somehow unleashed the ghosts he so carefully shut away for months.

"We gotta cut it short," Rukia said, as she gently pulled Kazui along. "Someone didn't follow instructions and got too eager."

Kazui, eyes red from sobbing appeared from behind Rukia with his hand wrapped in a bandage.

"What did you do, kid?" Ichigo stooped to assess the damage.

"First degree burns, nothing that won't heal quickly. I did what I could, but him being human-"

"Thanks," Ichigo said, picking up his son gently. "We'll get going now."

"But – the picnic-"

Ichigo smiled sadly, not even looking at Rukia.

"Say goodbye, Kazui," Ichigo said.

The 6 year old sniffled and waved with his good hand. Ichika waved with a forlorn look, watching her favourite playmate disappear into the gate.

A/N: agh, jeez.