After the Storm

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. If I did, Renji would be naked more often, Hyorinmaru would be materialised all the time and Hitsugaya would get more screentime.

Author's note: The first chapter of a plot bunny that materialised in lectures today. Despite the fact that it is currently gen, there will be pairings later on. Ishida/Orihime is a certain one, but that will be strictly background. I'm playing with the idea of Hitsugaya/Rukia, for the age similarities and the general ice affinity. This leaves me with Ichigo/Renji... mwaha... purely because I cannot write Byakuya for too long. [Sorry Bracket]. Anyhow, as the fic evolves, the pairings will appear in the summary.

Now, on with the story!

Chapter 1:

Yamamoto sou-taichou looked around at the assembled Captains and Vice-Captains he had called together. A week previously, Aizen and his fellow deserters had been brought down above the streets of Karakura town, and now the battle scars were fading thanks to the 4th Squad. However, large gaps still loomed in the line-up, gaps that needed to be filled. A vice-captain was supposed to be a substitute for their Captain in an emergency, not a replacement. Now that the war was over, there were procedures to be adhered too, and neither of the three Vice-captains in question had attained bankai.

"Captains and Vice-Captains of the 13 Protection Squads," Yamamoto began. "You have done well, and the threat that Aizen represented towards Soul Society and the real world has been nullified. However, there are still problems caused by the traitor that must be seen too. We need Captains for the 3rd, 5th and 9th Squads, and the position of Vice-Captain in the 13th squad has been vacant for too long."

At this, Captain Ukitake opened his mouth to protest, but a warning glance from Kyouraku stopped him from speaking. Sighing a little, he nodded back at his friend. However fond he was of them, his two third seats were not suited for the role Shiba Kaien had left vacant, and Kuchiki Rukia was not ready for the position, and would not be for a number of decades. Besides, her elder brother had vehemently opposed the idea of her even being promoted to a seated position; he would never allow her to become a Vice-Captain.

"There are no Shinigami in Soul Society capable of filling those positions, which we need filled if we are to rebuild after the destruction," Yamamoto continued. "So, I propose that we look backwards rather than forwards. Captains Isshin and Urahara will be invited to return to Soul Society, as well as the substitute Shinigami Kurosaki Ichigo... and the Vizard led by Hirako Shinji."

As he expected, there was an immediate uproar following that announcement, every Captain and Vice-Captain protesting loudly. Instead, Yamamoto focused on the Shinigami who were not reacting to his statement. Zaraki Kenpatchi just looked pleased, Kuchiki had his arm out, preventing his fiery Vice-Captain from surging forward to throttle Kurotsuchi and Hitsugaya looked like he had a headache. Yamamoto didn't blame him.

"SILENCE!" Yamamoto roared above the babble. "I have told you of the plan. Abarai Renji and Kuchiki Rukia, as the two Shinigami most familiar with the area, will be the ones to carry the formal acceptance letters to the parties concerned. Dismissed!"

xxx

Renji was having a hard time gauging his captain's mood as they walked away from the meeting, back to 5th Squad barracks. Byakuya didn't seem pleased or displeased, emotions usually conveyed by a slight quirk to his lip or his right eyebrow. Perhaps he did not care? No... If Urahara was coming back to Soul Society, that meant that Yoruichi would be visiting a lot more frequently, and Renji couldn't imagine Byakuya being overjoyed about that.

"Na, Taichou-"

"Renji. Ukitake-Taichou will be briefing Rukia shortly. Pack for a short trip, I imagine it will take several days for the persons concerned to make a decision and settle their affairs."

"Yes Taichou."

"I will contact you one hour before the opening of the senkai gate. Until then you are on leave. Understood."

"Yes, thanks Taichou."

"Dismissed."

Renji flash-stepped away, darting in the direction of his own quarters. He often joked to Rukia that the best part of his promotion to Vice-Captain of the 5th squad had been getting his own room, rather than sharing with Ikkaku, Yumichika and Iba as he had been before. The reality was that he disliked having his own place. It was lonely, being on his own. At least when sharing there was always someone to talk to, even if they did have to keep the place freakishly clean because of Yumichika's fastidious nature.

Renji's quarters were not particularly messy, they just looked un-lived in. He spent more time hanging out at the bar, in the office or taking tea at the Kuchiki mansion. The red-head grabbed the bag Ishida had lent him last time he had visited Karakura, after listening to him moan for half an hour about all the extra junk he had accumulated while on assignment. He would have to buy his own this trip, and return the Quincy's. Blue with a large white cross on it wasn't his style anyway.

Several changes of clothes later, after having remembered this time to pack his hairbrush and extra hairbands – he didn't want to have to borrow Ururu's again, Renji was more than ready to head to the bar for one more night of getting sloshed before being predominantly on duty for days. Not that he had a moral issue with drinking on duty if that duty was non-lethal, but Rukia would first smack him, then tell her brother and Renji didn't feel like enduring Byakuya's wrath that month.

Headband tied firmly around his forehead, he left the barracks and made his way through the winding maze of streets. Hopefully the others would be there already, and would take the news that he was disappearing on them again in good grace. Hopefully...

xxx

Ichigo waited impatiently by the river for a senkai gate to appear. It was raining, he was getting soaked, and he didn't like the river in the rain. It reminded him too much of that day, and he never, ever wanted to be reminded of that day if he didn't have to be.

"Bloody Shinigami! Out of all the places in Karakura to appear in, they have to appear in this one. Why not under cover somewhere? Urahara's place would do. A bus stop. Somewhere where I wouldn't have to get soaked!"

Fuming, Ichigo began to pace, the sodden grass squelching under his trainers. A slight shift in the atmosphere made him pause and peer out over the water. Finally, something was happening. The two sets of doors materialised and slid back, emitting two hell butterflies quickly followed by Rukia and Renji, carrying luggage.

"Finally! It's raining, in case you hadn't noticed," Ichigo said frostily. "I am soaked. Can't you people be more specific with your arrival times? I've been waiting for twenty minutes!"

"My apologies, Ichigo. There was a woman's society meeting that ran late," Rukia said, not bothering to bow. Ichigo's frown deepened.

"You made me wait here while you went to some meeting?"

Renji nodded. "Terrible, isn't it? I was hanging around too, but at least it isn't raining in Seireitei."

"Come on, let's get under cover. Rukia, you are staying with Orihime this time, I am fed up of having you in my closet. Renji, you have a choice; mine or Urahara's."

Renji considered this for a minute. "Given the choice between being called a freeloader and sleeping on the floor I'll pick the floor."

"Good choice. I'll tell my family you're visiting. You'll love my sister's cooking."

"Is she a good cook?" Renji asked, shouldering Rukia's bag for her.

"The best!"

They began to walk along the path, Ichigo silently offering to take one of the bags from Renji while Rukia walked ahead, oblivious. The rain beat down, pooling in the dips and cracks of the path. Each footstep seemed to splash.

"Ichigo," Rukia said over her shoulder.

"Yeah?"

"I should tell you why we're here. We've come to ask Urahara, the Vizard, yourself and-"

Ichigo stopped dead in the middle of the path. Renji walked into him and bounced back, cursing. "What? Why?" he interrupted.

"Because there is no-one in Soul Society qualified to fill the empty positions within the timeframe we have. Four squads have important, high ranking positions that need filling, and there aren't enough Shinigami with the power to fill them."

"What about you?" Ichigo protested, water dripping from his hair.

"Sode no Shirayuki might be powerful, but I do not have the experience to handle her. Renji is only a vice-captain because he spent all his effort training, and he was only made one a short time ago. If I train very hard I might be ready to take the vice-captain's test in a year, but we don't have a year. We need to start rebuilding now, and we cannot do that and effectively fight hollows when we're as crippled as we are."

Ichigo shook his head, spraying water droplets in a wide arc. "That's all very well. Urahara would give you one captain-class Shinigami, and there are four within the Vizard. You only have three positions that need filling so why do you need me?"

Rukia shrugged. "I don't know, I'm just following orders."

"If they told you to jump off a cliff, would you do it?"

Rukia stared curiously. "Of course I would. There would probably be hollows beneath it."

"Idiot. I meant, don't you ever question your orders? Why do you need me? What about my life, my family? What about Karin and Yuzu?"

Rukia paled. "There's something else."

Ichigo glared at her. Rukia dropped her eyes before continuing. "We have also been ordered to speak to Kurosaki Isshin, offering him the position of Captain in the 3rd division."

xxx

An uncomfortable silence reigned over the dinner table, and Karin didn't know why. Ichi-nii had shown up about twenty minutes beforehand, sopping wet and dragging an equally wet red-head in with him. Literally dragging; the tattooed guy had been saying something about staying at a shop. Once in the front door Ichigo had yelled "family meeting" and stomped into the kitchen, accepting the towels that Yuzu handed him and his friends with poor grace.

Slightly drier, Ichigo hung the towel with exaggerated care over the radiator, making sure that it was hanging evenly with no creases. He took the red-head's and did the same. Seeing as her brother was failing with the introductions, Karin decided to take matters into her own hands.

"Hello. I am Karin, this is Yuzu. Who are you?"

The big, tattooed man did a very good impression of a rabbit about to be run over. Karin could sense Yuzu supressing a giggle.

"I... um... Abarai Renji, pleased to meet you. I... um... I have a message."

"From who?" Isshin asked, walking into the kitchen. "Why are you here?"

Karin was shocked to see her normally scatty parent acting so... normal. His eyes were narrowed and fixed on Abarai, he looked dangerous. She hadn't seen him look this serious in a long time.

"I turn a blind eye to you creeping in and out of Ichigo's room," Isshin continued. "He's old enough to look after himself. But now you're sitting at the table; this is different. What is going on?"

Karin watched carefully. Abarai looked like he really didn't want to open his mouth. Ichigo was glaring from next to the radiator, and Isshin was staring intensely from the doorway.

"I... have a message from Yamamoto Sou-taichou. You are formally invited to return to Soul Society and take up command of the 3rd Squad."

Karin frowned. "Who's that? Is this a job offer?"

Abarai looked at her and the sorrow in his eyes made her want to cringe. "Sort of."

A chair creaked as Isshin sat down. "Ichigo, sit. We need to discuss this."

"Dad, what? You can't be seriously considering this offer!" Ichigo protested, his fists clenching so hard she heard one of his knuckles crack. "And don't you have some explaining to do? What the hell is all this about you being a former Captain?!"

"Of course I am considering it. They wouldn't be asking if things weren't serious. I left a long time ago, and they are bending their pride to offer at all. Sit."

Ichigo sat down, reluctance echoed in his every gesture.

"Ichigo, there's something I haven't told you yet," Abarai said quietly, looking at his hands.

"What?" Ichigo snarled.

"They.... Yamamoto Sou-taichou wishes to promote you from Substitute Shinigami to... to Vice-captain of the 13th."

Isshin nodded. "A worthy post for someone of your level."

"Dad!"

Yuzu stared around the table in confusion. "Could someone please explain what is going on? Should I make some tea?"

"No, Yuzu," Ichigo said. "I'll make it. Dad can explain, it's his story."

Isshin sighed and rested his chin in his hands. "A long time ago, before you were born, I died."

"Dad, is this some sort of joke?"

"Shush! Listen to the story. I died, and I woke in Soul Society, which is where all souls go after death. While in Soul Society, I discovered that I had power. I went to the Academy and studied, eventually becoming a member of the 8th division, under Kyouraku Shunsui. Years passed, I became more powerful, and one day I became Captain of the 10th division."

"10th?" Ichigo asked, twisting around and nearly pouring boiling water on his hand.

"Yes. You didn't think the little genius had been Captain for long, did you?"

"I suppose." Ichigo turned back to making the tea, but Karin could tell from the set of his shoulders that he was listening intently.

"One day there was a disturbance in Karakura. My squad was called to investigate. During that mission, I met my beloved Masaki. I left Soul Society to be with her. They weren't happy about it, but I did not have family obligations to stop me from doing what I wanted. I married Masaki, and lived happily with her."

Ichigo placed the cups of tea on the table. "That's it?" he asked.

"Pretty much."

Ichigo whacked Isshin on the head. "You're a crap storyteller." He turned to look at Karin and Yuzu. "So, now, there's been some trouble in Soul Society, and three of the Captains have um, gone. So they need people to fill the gaps, and they want our dad to help."

"And you, Ichi-nii," Yuzu pointed out.

"Yeah. And me. But we can't."

"Why not? They need your help, you said."

"Yes, but we can't leave you."

Karin and Yuzu looked at each other. "We need to talk about this," they said together, leaving the table and running up the stairs to their room. Behind them, Karin heard the arguments erupt. She glanced over her shoulder just in time to see Abarai dodging the kettle.

"Man. Sometimes I think we're the adults..." she muttered. "Come on, Yuzu. We need to think about this."

Omake:

Rukia: Inoue, thank you for letting me stay.

Orihime: Oh, it's no trouble! I need someone to help me eat this marshmallow and mushroom lasagna I made!

Rukia: …I think I should have stayed with Urahara...

Orihime: There's green bean and fennel ice-cream for dessert! With whipped cream and gravy!