Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach :)

A/N: Today (Jan 31st) is Byakuya's birthday. I figured it would be a good day to end this story.

Epilogue

Yoruichi paused as Byakuya pulled her closer to him. It was something he often did in his sleep. His body needed to be close to hers. The skin-to-skin contact with Yoruichi was something he craved even in his sleep, which made it harder for her to slip away.

She waited until he reestablished the skin-to-skin contact and settled back into a deep sleep. Yoruichi knew there was only one way out of Byakuya's possessive grip without waking him. She slid one finger from his elbow to the tip of his little finger. She gently raised his pinky finger and like a lock his grip opened just enough for her to move away without waking him, or so she thought.

Byakuya was already awake with anticipation. He was only pretending to be sleep so Yoruichi could wake him. He loved the incentives Yoruichi would use to pull him out of his slumber. He wondered if she would nibble on his ear, kiss him until his eyes opened, or maybe she'd sing to him. Today was his birthday so Yoruichi would do something special to wake him; maybe she'd let her hands do the talking.

The thought caused Byakuya's lips to curl upward. He quickly removed the small smile; if she thought he was awake the game would be over and Byakuya couldn't let that happen. He wanted to play all morning.

Byakuya waited for Yoruichi to wake him up, but nothing happened. He waited for what seemed like an eternity, a minute. Much to Byakuya's disappointment Yoruichi ignored him and slipped out of bed. He cracked one eye opened and realized it was still dark. He'd have to wait whiles longer for his wake up call. Byakuya returned to his dreams.

A few hours later Byakuya did get a wake up call, but it wasn't from Yoruichi. The sun brightened the entire bedroom forcing Byakuya to open his eyes. He squinted and grumbled at the sun's intrusion of his dream. Even after 100 years Byakuya was still adjusting to a having a large window in his bedroom.

The window was an annoyance to Byakuya on occasion but Yoruichi loved the window it was her second favorite napping spot. Byakuya's hand moved to where Yoruichi should have been but she wasn't there. The discovery awakened Byakuya fully.

Byakuya pulled himself out of bed and headed to the bathroom. Part of Byakuya expected to find Yoruichi in the tub, but it was empty. "Where is she?" He tried to sense Yoruichi's spiritual pressure, but found nothing.

Byakuya got dressed and begun his search for the elusive demon cat. The wing was eerily quiet. There were no sounds or scents, which surprised Byakuya. That wing of the Kuchiki manor had been alive since the day Byakuya and Yoruichi moved in almost 100 years. There were usually the smells of some delicious dish or fresh flowers. Laughter filled the halls morning to night. Today there was only silence.

Byakuya continue walking until he reached his grandfather's home.

"Good morning, grandfather."

"Good morning, Byakuya. Happy birthday, what brings you by?"

"I was just out for a walk."

"Oh I see. When you finish with your walk let Yoruichi know I enjoyed the pomegranate tea. Maybe she can stop by again tomorrow morning and we can have some together."

"Grandfather, you saw Yoruichi this morning."

"Yes, she was in quite the hurry."

"Did she say where she was going?"

"No, I thought she was in a hurry to get back before you woke up. She did head in the direction of Shihoin estate."

"Grandfather, I will talk with you later." Her grandparents, of course it makes sense.

Byakuya made it the Shihoin estate in less than five minutes. He still could not sense Yoruichi. "Maybe Adaeze and Emeka know where she is." Byakuya found the loving mature couple tending to Adaeze award winning roses.

"Oh it's just Kuchiki. Ouch!" Emeka's warm greeting for Byakuya earned him a pinch from Adaeze.

"Young Kuchiki please excuse my husband he's been working in the sun too long. Plus, it's surprising to see you without Yoruichi or the triplets".

"Adaeze-sama, Emeka-sama, have you seen Yoruichi and the children?"

"Kuchiki have you lost your wife and kids?" Emeka moved out of Adaeze's reach. However, there was no way from him to dodge his wife's glare.

"Sorry young Kuchiki we haven't seen Yoruichi or the triplets today." Adaeze's eyes lit up. "Young Kuchiki it may have to do with your birthday. Happy birthday, young Kuchiki." Adaeze gave Byakuya a hug.

Byakuya's arms remained locked to his sides, but at least did not look uncomfortable. He was still getting used to the Shihoin joy of hugging. "My birthday."

"Yeah, baby girl said you said you only wanted peace and quiet for your birthday. A day without your wife and children that's what I call peace and quiet." Emeka laughed until he saw the disapproving look on Adaeze's face. "I wouldn't even want to think of spending my birthday without my beautiful wife." He kissed Adaeze on the cheek. He stared into Adaeze's eyes. Then without turning to Byakuya he mumbled, "Oh yeah happy birthday Kuchiki."

"Thank you both." Byakuya walked away. So today she decides to listen to me. Today of all days; she even took the children. The children cannot mask their spiritual pressure as well as Yoruichi.

Byakuya stopped and focused on finding his children. "Damn!"

Byakuya was unable to sense his children because they were stepping into the human world with their mother.

Less than five minutes after arriving, Yuki was tired of holding Udo's hand. He was the oldest by four minutes and thought he was old enough to walk without holding anyone's hand not even Yoruichi's. "Mommy do we have to hold hands the entire time?"

Yoruichi looked into Yuki's golden kitten eyes and said, "We will hold hands until we take our seats."

Yuki held his head down a little causing long black purple tinted bang to fall forward. "That long," he mumbled.

"I like holding your hand mommy." Ayo smiled brightly squinting his steel grey eyes.

"Of course you do, you're a baby." Udo laughed and Yuki soon joined her.

"I am not a baby." Ayo stuck his tongue out his sister and brother.

Yoruichi looked at her daughter. Udo not only inherited Yoruichi's mocha skin, golden eyes, and purple hair; she inherited Yoruichi's mischievousness. Yoruichi decided to nip everything, "One", the dreaded countdown started.

The children quickly fell back inline not uttering a word. They knew if Yoruichi started counting she wasn't playing with them. Plus, it was time for them to take their seats for the movie.

Byakuya was taking his seat too, behind his desk. Byakuya had planned to spend the day with his family, but his family was missing. He figured work could distract him from his loneliness. It did work for little over an hour, but even working couldn't keep his mind off of his family for too long. Byakuya felt Renji's spiritual pressure move closer and Byakuya thought sparring would be a better distraction.

Renji brushed his shoulders off. "Captain Kuchiki left me in charge because of my fine leadership skills. As a matter of fact he's been leaving me in charge most of the time."

Kira and Hisagi shook their heads rapidly. Renji took as a sign they did not believe him not knowing Byakuya was approaching. "Yes not no, I am telling you I run things around here."

"Renji"

Renji's eyes widened and he swallowed hard. He turned around slowly to face Byakuya. "Yes, Captain Kuchiki."

"Renji, what are you doing?"

"See captain, I was, we were."

"I can't believe it," Omaeda interjected. He stuffed a hand full of rice crackers into his mouth. "I can't go to lunch with you guys because I have to deliver this", Omaeda's greasy hand held up a stained brown envelop, "to Captain Soi Fon. She's in the human world with that Kisuke Urahara again. She's been spending too much time with him lately. She should be spending the time with me. I mean she's my captain."

Yoruichi and the children must be in the human world. "I will deliver the envelop for you."

"Thanks, Captain Kuchiki."

Byakuya took the envelope and left for the human world just as Yoruichi and the children were returning to the Soul Society. He rushed to Urahara's shop and found Urahara and Soi Fon talking outside.

"Byakuya-kun, what brings you to my humble shop?"

"This", Byakuya handed Soi Fon the envelop, "have either of you seen Yoruichi?"

Kisuke and Soi Fon's eyes zeroed in on black cat in the distance. Byakuya frowned, "That's not Yoruichi."

"Of course not we didn't say it was, we haven't seen, Yoruichi-sama today", responded Soi Fon

Byakuya left to return to the Soul Society. He sighed as he stepped out of the gate. It was lunchtime and no Yoruichi and no kids. "Where are you, Yoruichi?" Suddenly Byakuya felt Yoruichi's spiritual pressure. He flash stepped toward a familiar place, Kinkakuji.

Yoruichi's spiritual pressure grew stronger with each step. Byakuya moved faster and faster until he saw Yoruichi. She greeted him with his smile and he froze in place.

"Yo-" she stole her name from his lips. He pulled her close wrapping his arms around her waist. He embraced her like he had not seen her in days.

Yoruichi broke the kiss and whispered, "Happy birthday," rubbing her noise against his. She pulled his head down and returned to kissing his lips.

"Wait mommy and daddy are kissing", said Ayo from behind a huge shady pine.

"So, they do that a lot," responded Yuki.

"Quiet, maybe mommy will give daddy a baby for his birthday," added Udo.

Udo's statement was enough to bring an abrupt halt to Byakuya and Yoruichi's kiss. "We'll finish this later", said Yoruichi with a wink and a smile. "Kids its time."

The kids spring from behind the bushes yelling, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY FATHER!"

Yoruichi had Byakuya close his eyes and Udo and Yuki led Byakuya to a clearing.

"Open your eyes father."

Byakuya opened his eyes and saw a huge spread with all his favorite foods. There was even a Seaweed Ambassador cake with a candle in its forehead. There was a slight upward curl of Byakuya's lips.

Yoruichi kissed him on the cheek and whispered, "I figured you'd have had enough peace and quiet by lunch."

"Oh really." Byakuya tilted Yoruichi's chin and gave her quick soft kiss on the lips.

Udo decided she should be the one to light Byakuya's birthday candle. "I'll light the candle."

Yuki disagreed, "No, I'll do it I am the oldest."

"So, I am better at kido."

Ayo stepped up, "I'll do it."

"No!" Udo and Yuki yelled in unison, "You'll the burn the cake."

"I will not."

Byakuya stopped the argument by removing the candle. "No one will be lighting the candle.

Udo gasped, "But father your wish."

Ayo added softly, "Father you can't make a birthday wish without a candle."

"True," Byakuya stared in the eyes of his three children, "but," he took hold of Yoruichi's hand and smiled, "I already have everything I could wish for."

A/N:

Velveteen: I knew you were going to add an epilogue

Miko: I did too.

Velveteen: Yeah, ByaYoru kids

Miko: I guess this means Byakuya made a complete recovery

Velveteen: Of course he had Yoruichi to take care of him

Peace in Chaos: That's right Thank you again for reading The Uptight Prince and the Free-Spirited Cat. Thanks for all the favs, comments, and PMs, until next time peace.