Ninth Story – Life Series Prt. II – Brother to Sister

Rating – PG

Summary – First, Byakuya wanted to talk to Ichigo. Now he wants to talk to Rukia. But she's not going to make it easy...

Life Series – II

Their house didn't explode. Ichigo wasn't brutally and mysteriously murdered in his sleep. When the orange-and-raven-haired Shinigamis woke up the next morning, everything was completely normal. Byakuya was standing over the bed with a pitchfork, ready to pierce Ichigo like a turkey on Thanksgiving. "Think it's safe to move?" Ichigo muttered after about five minutes of laying in bed and, well...not moving.

"Prob'ly," Rukia muttered into his chest, "But I like it here better"

"You would," he currently had his arms wrapped tightly around her small frame, holding her close to him. "So what are we going to do today?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, your brother knows," Ichigo elaborated, "May not be thrilled, but he knows. That means we can tell everyone else now, right?"

"Guess so," Rukia, seemingly reluctant, pulled herself out of Ichigo's arms and rolled over onto her back, "I'm not exactly looking forward to telling everyone...or anyone...maybe we could just-"

But at that moment she went deathly pale and darted out of bed. A second later a retching sound drifted in from the bathroom, and Ichigo sighed. Six more months to go.

Ichigo pulled himself out of bed and stumbled into the bathroom, kneeling down behind Rukia. She stopped throwing up after a minute, and fell sideways against the wall, breathing hard. "Hey," he reached out and rested a hand against her back, "You all right?"

"Mhm," she muttered something under her breath and tried to stand up. Her knees buckled the second she put any weight on her feet, though, and Ichigo had to move fast to grab her before she fell. "Okay, maybe I need a second..."

Ichigo smiled weakly as he flushed the toilet and helped Rukia back to the room they shared. She collapsed onto the bed and fell against the pillows, eyes closed. Ichigo couldn't take his eyes off her as he started to get ready.

Ding-Dong

Ichigo exchanged a weary look with Rukia, who had sat up and opened her eyes at the sound of the doorbell. They both knew perfectly well who would come to call at this early hour. "Think we're ready to do this?"

"You mean do you think I'm ready to die?"

"Pretty much," Ichigo scowled as he helped Rukia out of bed, and the two of them made their way downstairs and opened the door. They weren't exactly surprised at who the visitor was.

"Nii-sama," Rukia said in a surprisingly steady voice. Steady, considering how shaken she suddenly looked, like her brother scared her.

"Rukia, I'd like to have a word with you," the older man paused long enough to throw a glare at Ichigo, "Alone"

"Anything you can say to Rukia, you can say in front of me," Ichigo snapped. He wasn't about to let Rukia be alone with her brother. Who knows what kind of things he'd fill her mind with?

"Don't you have a division to be in, Kurosaki?"

"Don't you?"

"I left Abarai in charge"

"Well I can leave Hinamori in charge while I talk with you"

"Ichigo, just go," Rukia said, sounding faintly annoyed as she pushed her boyfriend out the door, "I'll see you tonight, have a good day, and don't say anything"

"Yeah, yeah, I know the drill..."

Byakuya raised an eyebrow at his sister. "Drill?"

"Yeah," Rukia muttered, leading her brother to the living room, "It's this thing...after we found out I was pregnant we decided it was best to keep it secret until we figured out a way to tell you about...well, you know. We didn't really get a chance to talk last night or this morning, so we're still kind of keeping it quiet. Listen, Nii-sama-"

"Rukia, I need to know something," Byakuya's sudden words snapped Rukia out of her babbling. She gulped a little and nodded. "What do you see him?"

Rukia knew he meant Ichigo. "I...I don't know. I'm sorry. I can't give you a straight answer. I know you don't like him, and I know why. I know he's rude, and idiotic, and stubborn, and insolent, and pretty much the worse Shinigami ever to step foot in Soul Society. I know all his faults Nii-sama, really I do, I've seen every one of them at their absolute worse. I know every bad thing there is to know about Ichigo. But it's...it's the little things, you know? It's...I don' know how to explain it. Like when I told him I was pregnant...he was so happy, Nii-sama. I swear, he smiled for the rest of the night, he smiled in his sleep. It's the little things like that, those things that tell me he really loves me...those are what make all his faults seem to go away, Nii-sama. I know you don't understand. Sometimes I don't even understand. But I love him. And, well...it's like Ichigo told you last night. I want your approval. But if you don't...that won't stop anything. I'm sorry"

The entire time Rukia had spoken, she had looked at her hands, which were resting in her lap. Her sharp violet eyes were narrow as she spoke. Silence echoed through the room once Rukia had finished speaking. Finally, Byakuya said, in a crisp voice, "You're right. I don't understand it. There are plenty of other..." he seemed to be fishing for the word, "eligible men in Soul Society who would be much better for you than Kurosaki-"

Rukia couldn't believe she was actually talking to Byakuya about this. And what was more, he was listening. But he still didn't get it. "I know Ichigo's not the best in your eyes," she said quietly, cutting across her brother's words, "But from the first time we met, he's given me what I wanted. He treated me like I was normal. All I ever wanted was to be normal, Nii-sama, but no matter where I went, people treated me differently. Ichigo gave me the chance though, he treated me like a regular person. And that's how he's always treated me. But you wouldn't understand that, would you, Nii-sama?"

It was obvious he didn't. And there was no reason he should. Nobility suited some people. Kuchiki Byakuya, with all his prim and properness, his love of rules, was one of them. But Kuchiki Rukia, with her outspoken, defiant attitude and her love for Kurosaki Ichigo, wasn't one of them. So of course they wouldn't be on the same wavelength.

"I don't understand, no," Byakuya said after about five minutes, "And I'll never think he's good enough for you. But if you...if you love him..."

And that was when Rukia remembered something. Her sister, Hisana. Byakuya had loved her, hadn't he? No one had approved, but it hadn't mattered to him. And Rukia realized something; blood relatives or not, Rukia was still a lot like her older brother.

"I do," she whispered. She wouldn't bring up the matter of Hisana. No one ever brought up the matter of Hisana. "I'm sorry if you don't approve, but I do"

"Very well then," she could tell Byakuya was speaking heavily. He wouldnever approve of Ichigo. It was just in the natural order of things. If he ever did approve, Rukia was sure she would have to worry, just a little. "Well then..."

"Yes?" and Rukia found the courage to look up at her brother at last. Byakuya wasn't looking at her, of course; he was staring straight ahead, analyzing the wall with a critical eye. She couldn't help but be just on the side of worried about what was coming next.

But Byakuya shook his head. "Never-mind. I must be going"

Rukia showed her brother to the door. Right before he left, she tried speaking once more. "Nii-sama, I-"

"Did you choose him Rukia?" the question took her by surprise.

"I...yes"

"Then that's all that matters," and Byakuya left, closing the door behind him, and leaving Rukia to feel extremely confused.

One would think that Kuchiki Byakuya, master of shunpo, would be able to get to the sixth division in less than a second after leaving his sister's house. But Byakuya needed a minute to himself, to think over his latest conversation. So he walked.

Rukia loved Kurosaki. That was no surprise to Byakuya, really. There had been bets going around about the two since Kurosaki had saved Rukia from being executed (Byakuya happened to know that Abarai had a lot of money riding on the two getting married then killing each other). It was also no surprise that Rukia couldn't explain why she loved him. No known force in the world would ever be able to explain why anyone would love Kurosaki. No, what had surprised Byakuya the most was the sincerity with which his sister had spoken. She had pointed out that she knew all his flaws all too well, and that she knew perfectly well that he was nowhere near good enough for her (well, she hadn't said it. But Byakuya was sure it was implied somewhere. And if it wasn't, he'd make it up). And what had surprised him about it was that Rukia, for everything she was, had sounded exactly like him, Byakuya, when he had been trying – and failing – to explain his love for Hisana. Now that he looked more closely, the eldest Kuchiki realized that his situation with Hisana almost mirrored the one with Rukia and Ichigo (save for the fact Rukia was pregnant). And it made him realize that what Rukia was doing was no different then what he had done with Hisana. He had loved her, and that was all that mattered. And Rukia loved Kurosaki. That was all that mattered.

But that didn't mean Byakuya had to like Kurosaki. No sir. Byakuya would hate that boy to his dying day. The world would stop spinning before Byakuya liked Kurosaki Ichigo in any way.

But he made Rukia happy. And Byakuya wanted his little sister to be happy. So, whether he hated the boy or not, he was going to have to grit his teeth and deal with it.

But the wedding was going to be murder.

"Captain Kurosaki?" Ichigo, who felt extremely jittery as it was, jumped a mile and sent the pile of papers he had been playing with flying.

"Dammit!" he swore furiously as he tried to grab the papers out of the air and throw them back onto his desk. His vice-captain, Hinamori Momo, was watching with large, dark, curious eyes. "Uh, sorry Hinamori," he stuttered, "What's up?"

"I was just going to ask if you're okay," Hinamori said a little uncertainly, "You've seemed kind of distracted today. Anything you want to talk about?"

If there was one good thing about what Hinamori had gone through with Aizen, it was that she had become a very intuitive person. O f course, on days when Ichigo wanted to be left alone – like this one – it was a very annoying trait. "No. It's nothing, Hinamori. Don't worry about it. Anything else you need?"

Of course, Hinamori was far from fooled. "You've been really distracted all day, Captain. Are you sure you don't want to talk?"

"No, it's all right," and she turned to leave. "Hinamori, wait a sec," she looked back, satisfaction shining in her eyes. Ichigo couldn't say a word against her and she knew it. "It's about...well, to be quite honest, it's about Rukia"

"Relationship problems?" Hinamori guessed, "I dunno if I can help you there. You and Rukia have more than Toushirou and I do"

"It's not relationship problems. More like family problems," Hinamori's eyes lit up with understanding.

"Kuchiki-sama?"

"Exactly," Ichigo said, "You see, Rukia...well she...she's uh..." they hadn't said anything about telling anyone yet, but now seemed like as good a time as ever to start, "Rukia's pregnant"

A grin spread over Hinamori's face and she said, "That's great! Congratulations, Captain Kurosaki, that's wonderful!"

"That's the least of our problems," Ichigo muttered. And he proceeded to tell Hinamori what had happened the night before and that morning. She listened attentively, nodding every now and then, and let Ichigo speak. When he was done she said,

"I don't know Kuchiki Byakuya well at all. And I won't pretend I do. But I hear things. And I hear that he cares about his little sister. A lot. Even if they aren't related by blood. And I'm sure he just wants what's best for her. And if you're what's best for her, then even if he doesn't like you – and by the way, it's pretty obvious he doesn't – and even if he doesn't approve – again, he doesn't – he won't stop you from being together. And besides, if Rukia really loves you – which, by the way, she does – then no one, not even Kuchiki-sama, will stop her from being with you," she smiled and stepped forward, "Hey, it's late, you should go home. I'll handle this paperwork"

"Would you?" Ichigo said, relieved, "Thanks Hinamori, you're a real life-saver"

"Don't mention it," she took Ichigo's pen out of his hands, "Go on. Get out of here. I bet Kuchiki-san is waiting"

Rukia didn't go into the division that day. She should have – a vice-captain had many responsibilities after all. But she couldn't bring herself to go. So instead, after her brother left, she went back up to her room and laid down. She needed some time to herself, to think. And with Kiyone and Sentaro hanging around the division, time to herself wasn't something she was going to get. And Rukia had a lot to think about.

She was so deep in thought she didn't notice when the front door opened, or when someone was walking up the stairs. Which was most likely why she jumped so badly when Ichigo touched her shoulder. "Jeez, jumpy much?" he asked jokingly. She glared at him. "Sorry, sorry," he muttered, "So, uh...what'd your brother say to you?" he asked after a minute.

"Exactly what we expected him to say," Rukia said, "It doesn't matter though, does it? We already decided we weren't going to let him stop us"

"Yeah, I know," Ichigo snaked his arms around Rukia's shoulders and drew her close to him. She leaned her head against his chest, smiling. "Anyways...do you think we'd better start telling people? I mean, eventually you'll start showing, they'll guess...you know?"

"Yeah, I know, I know," she muttered, "All right. We'll start telling people...tomorrow. No point in starting tonight. Sound good?"

"Sounds fine," they leaned back on the bed, still practically intertwined in each other. They watched the ceiling, not talking. There wasn't anything left to say. They didn't know what the future held, and they couldn't even begin to guess. So they'd relax, take it one step at a time. That was what life was about, after all. Taking steps.

Author's Note: I think I just like Byakuya. I don't know. It's weird. Anyways, this is obviously the continuation of chapter six. There are a couple more after this one. I just feel like doing a mini-series, really. All righty, review please! - Sam