Saki shifted nervously as the captains talked. She was sitting outside the door with Natsumi, Renji, Rukia, Kensei, Shinji, Rose, Love, Hachi, Lisa, and Mashiro. "Hey, if they do decide to imprison or kill you, I'll get you out of here." Kensei smirked. "We will all go back to base and you can live with us."

"Thank you Kensei, but it's okay." Saki smiled and looked up at him. "I'm going to stay here, no matter what happens."

"Why?" Kensei frowned. "They will end up imprisoning you in the end."

"No." Saki smiled. "I'm going to stay here… with Byakuya."

"You really love him, don't you?" Kensei frowned.

Saki smiled and nodded. "Yes… I will." She chuckled. "I always will, even when I thought he might hate me…. I loved him, and I still do."

"Saki…" Natsumi looked over, but couldn't say anything else as the door opened and Ukitake walked out.

"Hello." He looked at the vizards, and looked a little nervous.

"Hello Jushiro." Shinji smiled. "It's been a long time, hasn't it?"

"Yes… It has…" He sighed. "Follow me in." He turned and walked back in.

Everyone looked at each other, but walked in after Ukitake. All the captains were waiting for them. Saki gave a small smile towards Byakuya. "So what's the decision?" She asked weakly.

"You helped in the death of x-captain Souske Aizen?" Captain Yamamoto asked.

"No….." Saki looked down. "I wasn't strong enough… Kensei, Byakuya, Natsumi, and the others did all the work. Ichigo and Natsumi are the ones who in the end killed him."

"Hmm… And you did not kill your father."

"No, I did not kill Gin Ichimaru… Aizen killed Gin." She shifted slightly. "I had nothing to do with his death." Saki looked towards Byakuya. "All the credit for Aizen's defeat goes to the vizards, Natsumi, Captain Hitsugya, Ichigo, and Byakuya."

"So what are your plans now?" Yamamoto asked calmly.

Saki shifted. "I truly don't care." She looked up at the captains. "I'm tired of trying to run or hide…"

"I say we throw her in prison now." Soi Fon growled. "She can become a threat."

"Only if we treat her like that." Unahana looked over at Saki. "She choose to come to us, I don't think she will betray us."

"Captain Yamamoto." Byakuya stepped forward. "I have something to say."

Saki looked at Byakuya. "Byakuya…"

"I know Saki won't betray the soul society." He looked over at her and smiled. "And after this meeting I plan to protect her." He moved forward. "And if she will, I want to marry her." He pulled her into a gentle hug.

"Byakuya…" Saki sniffled slightly; she hadn't expected him to do that so soon, or in front of all the captains.

"Captain Kuchiki… are you sure of this decision?" Yamamoto asked.

"Yes." Byakuya looked up. "I have made my decision and I will stick to it." He wrapped an arm around Saki.

"Very well." Yamamoto nodded. "Miss Saki is now the responsibility of the noble Kuchiki family. As for the vizards…"

"They helped." Toshiro said calmly. "As well as protect Saki and Natsumi in the world of the living."

"They were once soul reapers." Ukitake pointed out. "And they helped take down Aizen." He looked at the vizards. "I say we let them back in."

"They are part hollow." Soi Fon glared.

"So is Ichigo." Kenny chuckled. "All it means is they have more strength." He smirked.

"They are good, and it's not their fault that they are part hollows." Saki flushed and looked down at her feet. Byakuya wrapped his arm around her pulling her close.

"Saki…" Byakuya whispered. "It's okay."

"We will talk about it." Yamamoto nodded. "All besides the captains leave and the vizards leave."

Byakuya leaned down and kissed Saki gently. "You go ahead and leave, we will talk after."

Saki nodded and glanced at Kensei and Mashiro. She followed Natsumi out. "You're going to say yes, aren't you?" Natsumi asked as they walked. "To Byakuya's proposal."

Saki nodded. "Of course…. I'm still a little shocked though…"

"He said he loved you." Natsumi smiled.

"I know it's just…"

"Hey!" Ichigo rushed up behind them. "Natsumi!"

"Oh I forgot you were there, idiot." Natsumi smiled.

"What are you angry about this time?!" Ichigo frowned.

"The way you told me to go, and leave you to fight Grimmjow yourself." Natsumi frowned. "I could have helped."

"I didn't want him anywhere near you. The way he was looking at you… I wanted you to get far from him." Ichigo sighed.

Natsumi blinked in shock. "Oh…."

Saki smiled. "I'll leave you two to talk." She turned and walked off a little, sticking her hands in her pockets. She paused as she pulled out the note that Gin had hurriedly given her. On the front of the letter was her name. She gripped it close, not sure if she wanted to read it or not.

Saki looked up as Byakuya headed towards her. "Byakuya…" She got up and smiled slightly. He smiled slightly. Saki rushed to him and snuggled into his chest. "Well?"

"The vizards will rejoin the soul society." Byakuya whispered, brushing his hand through her hair. "You don't have to worry about them any more…. X-Captain Kensei Muguruma, X-Captain Shinji Hirako, and X-Captain Rojuro Otoribashi will take over their former positions as captains of the ninth, fifth, and third squads. The others will take up positions within the squad of their choice."

"Thank goodness." Saki smiled. "I would hate it if they were hurt."

Byakuya nodded and smiled gently and kissed her. "Will you?" Byakuya asked getting down on his knee and pulled a ring out of his pocket. "Saki?"

Saki smiled gently. "Yes…. Yes…" She smiled and hugged him gently. "Of course… But are you sure?"

"Yes." Byakuya nodded and got up. He took her hand and slipped the ring on her finger. "I love you Saki, and I have made my decision.

"Byakuya…." Saki whispered. She hugged him tightly. "I love you so much…"

He kissed her. "Everything will be fine now." He smiled and held her close. "You don't have to worry. Life will get better and you will never have to deal with Aizen or Gin again."

Saki looked down and thought of the letter she had read. "I…. Thank you Byakuya…" She snuggled close. Gin is dead… I can't do anything else… He tried to be a good father in the end…. There is nothing else I can do about that now. She leaned up and kissed him. "I love you so much…."

Natsumi looked out over the town with Ichigo. "It's over… Finally…" She smiled. "Gin and Aizen are dead…. As are the espada…."

"Yeah." Ichigo smiled and hugged her close. "We can spend more time together now."

"Yeah… When you're not in school and I'm not off being a soul reaper." She sighed. "I guess we do have to figure that out."

Natsumi nodded and snuggled closer. "We'll figure it out…."

"Natsumi…" Ichigo whispered. "I still have a while with school… But, when I'm done I want to… I want to be with you." He held her close. "I love you Natsumi."

"Are you proposing to me?" Natsumi frowned at him.

"Just letting you know that I want to be with you… In the future." He smiled gently. "After I finish school, my father will freak out if I don't wait."

Natsumi smiled. "I can wait a few years…" She smiled and hugged him. "As long as you promise not to stay an idiot for forever."

Ichigo leaned in and kissed her. "I'll try, for you."

Natsumi hugged him and kissed him back. "Then in the future, we will get married… and I'll be able to beat you up as much as I want when you're being an idiot." She lightly punched his shoulder. "Got it."

"Alright." Ichigo chuckled. "As long as you're willing to put up with my idiot father."

"That's no problem." Natsumi smiled. She kissed him again. "I love you enough to put up with him."

"Good." Ichigo kissed her again. "Because I don't know what I would do if you couldn't." He held her close. "You will just have to wait for a few years… Can you?"

Natsumi nodded and laughed. I'm happy for this future. Looks like my life is looking up from here…. A future I could love and look forward to. A future with Ichigo and everyone living happily. Saki and Byakuya will get married, and the vizards will be back in soul society. Aizen and Gin are dead so I won't have to deal with them anymore. To think I went from being a small girl in the rukion district to helping take down the soul society's biggest opponent. Who would think that? She chuckled and kissed Ichigo. Life will be great from now on.

A year after Aizen's defeat Saki and Byakuya were married. Saki lived happily by Byakuya's side, but never became a soul reaper. Then two years after that their first son was born. A boy named Takao. Saki was as happy as she could be.

Ichigo finished school a year after Byakuya and Saki's marriage and then at the end of the year he married Natsumi.

Both couples lived happily and with no problems, until ten years after the defeat of Aizen. But that is a story for another day…. Read the continued story Ice and Fire where the future will be discussed and written. Stay tuned to that story… And what will happen there.