Epilogue

Shinigami's didn't age as normal humans, and as Ayla found out neither did Izanami's. Ryuu being a mix of both still maintained his youthful appearance hundreds of years later, as did she. Shuuhei and Renji were only slightly older in appearance and her love for both men had never faltered. Renji and Shuuhei both had mastered their bankai and were now captains and very well respected, they had imparted infinite wisdom to Ryuu as he too began to master his powers. His powers were growing rapidly and he was fast becoming the strongest person around rivaled only by herself. She gazed out over the yard, she had fallen in love with the Kuchiki estate and had wanted a spot of her own where she and her family could relax and spend time, she toed her shoes off and began to walk through the grass feeling the softness on her feet.

"You really shouldn't be out here alone" came the deep baritone of her flame haired lover at her elbow. She smiled at him, her eyes sparkling as they met his.

"I'm not anymore" she replied, slipping her hand in his.

"You never will be" came the smooth tenor of Shuuhei as she felt his arm encircle her waist, his lips dropping a kiss to her cheek. She smiled and snaked her arm around his slender torso as the three continued to walk.

"How are you feeling?" Renji asked gently, a smile turning up the side of his lips as he placed his free hand over her extending belly.

"Fine, we are all doing well and feel good. I think that they will be strong." She saw Shuuhei smile brightly out of the corner of her eye. She knew both men were happy, and Ryuu; well he was overjoyed. She had renewed her bond with her mates, as she needed to do every so often and this time had ended up pregnant with twins. She and the men were intimate as always but as Tstiayuga had told her only when the bond was renewed would she be able to carry. They had wanted to try for another child and instead she would have twin girls, one from each father. She placed her hand on her stomach as she saw Ryuu come into view, his hair waving around him like a flaming crown, his strides sure and true, his lithe body standing tall. He neared and embraced her warmly before inclining his head to his fathers who smiled in return.

"How was it?" Shuuhei asked the young man, his eyes dancing.

"Eh, he is barbaric as usual" he said, speaking of captain Zaraki "but we had a great fight!" He grinned, showing his teeth. "He even had to remove his eyepatch!"

She laughed, her son had been forcing Zaraki to remove his eyepatch since he could brandish a sword, and even Ichigo had proven no match for Ryuu. She gestured to the trio of men to sit down as they neared the man made koi pond, ungracefully sitting down with a grunt she settled in the grass.

That night as she lay tangled in the two men's arms with their hands resting loosely on her distended stomach she allowed her thoughts to was her family, the life she had chosen and she would never go back. She had been trained in the healing arts, had two loves of her life who had given her a son she would cherish and now two daughters. She smiled and snuggled deeper into their embrace as she recalled the night she first met Renji, thinking he was insane and Shuuhei with his sarcastic demeanor that she had grown to love. The opposite of each other yet in love with her and each other; the perfect ending to their story. She felt the love from both men gently waft through their link, and closing her eyes sent a surge of her own love for each man back through, she heard them sigh contentedly in their sleep as she closed her eyes and succumbed to her own dreams.