notes – A sequel to my other fic "The heir of Las Noches". So, it may be a good idea to read that one first. And obviously, spoilers. This is a project i'm doing just for fun, and because a part of me doesn't feel right having THOLN end where it does. Hopefully this one will be lot shorter though.

EDIT 19/11/16 - I've gone back over this, and I have edited some things to better accommodate current THOLN developments. And also to fix some of the writing.

Chapter 1: Picture perfect

It was a warm sunny day, a normal summers day in the little town of Karakura. A picture perfect day. Like you would see on postcards. The sun was in the sky, birds were singing, and there wasn't a cloud in the sky.

The sun broke into the windows of a small apartment building very early in the morning waking the residents from their dreams. Orihime was one such person. She had been awake ever since the sunrise, but as she liked to stay cozy in her bed under the duvet, she waited until the alarm clock rang out before getting up.

She immediately got up and switched it off; there was no hitting the snooze button for her. Not today. She had a lot to do. She had to get up, get dressed, make breakfast for everyone, make their lunches, and then get her son ready for school and then go off to start her new job.

She got up and pulled on her work clothes, consisting of a white shirt which both flattered her figure and adequately covered her ample breasts and a plain black pencil skirt with heels. She interviewed last week for a veterinary receptionist position, and today was her first day at this new job, so she thought she'd better make a good impression on the manager. She went down the stairs form her room, pinning up her long orange hair as she walked into the kitchen, expecting to be the one to make the breakfast. Only when she walked into the room she was greeted by a tall yet somewhat gangly figure, a man, currently standing over the oven, a frying pan in hand. He had pale skin and eyes that squinted in the daylight. His hair was a snowy white with tints of purple, and he had a grin that stretched from ear to ear that most rational people would flee from, but not her.

"Ah, g'mornin' Orihime-chan. I make ya pancakes!"

"Oh!" she gasped, quite surprised. "Gin. I didn't think you'd be up yet."

Gin grinned at her. "Well, can't let ya start yer day without breakfast, can I? Not on yer first day. Now, I made yer lunches, and' did th' laundry, so you just get yerself psyched fer yer first day a work."

"You're very sweet." She smiled across at him, watching Gin set a plate in front of her, sitting on it being a not quite circular pancake. He'd even put the syrup on it in the shape of a smiley face. She had to smile at it. Gin was like that.

"Hope ya like!" he grinned as she picked up her fork and took a bite.

"Mmm yummy! You make the best pancakes."

"Tha's cuz I don' put weird stuff in it." he teased her. "Like bean paste an' wasabi."

She giggled as he playfully poked her. He smiled and sat down beside her. And for a moment she thought how funny life was, because once upon a time, she and Gin had been at odds with each other. Because of one man. Because of Aizen Sousuke, a man they both loved. A man she'd had to kill in order to save him and everyone else from the monster inside him. A hollow called Jacinto Alejandro.

Sometimes she still thought about it. Dreamed of it, even. And sometimes she wondered if she would ever be forgiven for it. If it was worth it. Because while everyone else was happy about his death, she and Gin were left to mourn him.

Gin had been angry, at first. Once the shock had worn off. He'd lashed out. She'd lashed back in return. Bitter words of hurt and grief had been spat back and forth. There had been tears, too. But they were there for each other. They comforted each other. And eventually, Gin had forgiven her. Life carried on. They worked together as a team to raise Erik, her son and Gin's godson. They became a family.

They started over.

Erik then came into the kitchen, yawning and stretching, wearing his school uniform.

"G'morning. What's for breakfast mummy?"

Orihime smiled at the boy. "Pancakes."

He looked at her suspiciously as he took a seat at the table. "Did you make them?"

"No. Gin did."

He tried to stifle his sigh of relief. "Oh. Good."

"What do you mean, oh, good?" she frowned. "My pancakes are edible!"

Erik glanced across to Gin and they both shared a doubtful look. Orihime pouted.

"Well, they are!"

Gin smiled, and set down a pancake on a plate for Erik. "A course they are." he said gently "They're jus' an acquired taste that we aint acquired yet."

Erik pointed at Gin. "Yes. What he said."

Orihime huffed and continued to eat, looking across at her son. He had so much of his father in him. He was such a respectful child, too, most of the time, and he embodied his father in that manner, as well as in his appearance. His mahogany hair settled in a rather unkempt mop on his head, just covering his eyes. His strong jaw accentuating his features. And although his skin wasn't as pale as his mother's, he did have her eyes; grey in colour with a purple hue to them. But unlike his mother's eyes, his reflected nothing of the hardships of the past. Nothing of betrayal and lies. He was a clean slate.

"I hope you've done all of your homework due in today. I am not going to talk to your teacher again about you not handing it in."

"Yes mother." he sassed, making her frown, and Gin fight to suppress a snicker. She turned her head to scowl at Gin, who silenced immediately. And Erik swallowed his bite and corrected his tone.

"Yes, mother." he said again, his tone softer and more respectful. "I'll study hard."

"Glad to see yer still stickin' at it with th' books kid." Gin grinned, messing up Erik's hair as he took another bite of his food. He loved Erik as if he were his own child, and as such he wanted to see him do well in life just like any parent. After all, having a child in his life had been his hearts desire for many years. Although it hadn't quite happened the way he'd planned it. He had Jacinto to thank for that, wiping his lover's memories of him clean away. It had been a battle just to get Sousuke to remember him. And then it was a battle against Orihime over who had his heart. Because Sousuke always had a large, soft heart, and Gin knew Sousuke loved her, too.

He shook the thoughts away. Now wasn't the time to be remembering the past. It was simply ancient history now. Not worth worrying about.

"It's your first day at your new job, isn't it mummy?" Erik asked her.

"Yes, it is." she answered. "I'm so nervous, though."

"Don't worry, you'll do fine. You're good with people, and everyone likes you."

She smiled tenderly at her son, and ruffled his hair. "You're sweet." she told him, making him grin. And so much like your father.

She fought to keep the sigh inside her. Today was going to be one of those days, where her mind lay in the past again. Her mind wandered back in time to the white building where she had ultimately been held as a prisoner. Las Noches... she even remembered what it was called. She dreamt of it. She dreamt of him. She dreamt of that unforgettable night when they first made love, the time when she was young and stupid and naïve. But then, they all were, in some way. She for falling for Sousuke even though it was a terrible idea, Gin for believing he could manipulate her into getting what he wanted, and Sousuke himself, for believing he could play with her and not develop feelings for her.

They were all stupid, really.

She shoved the memories aside. That was the past, she told herself, the past. I have a family now. I have to focus on them.

Quickly glancing at the clock she realised that she was running a bit late. And Erik would be late for school.

"Ahh! Oh my god, we're going to be late! Erik come on you're going to be late for school!"

Erik immediately leapt off of his chair to follow his mother, who was currently trying to run in her heels out of the door, the both of them leaving Gin to drink his coffee. They ran to the door of their little apartment and Orihime fumbled clumsily for her keys, almost knocking over Erik in the process. She almost tore the door open when she finally managed to get a hold of her keys and open the lock.

"Great, being late, what a perfect way to start your first day at a new job..." she mentally scolded herself as she flung the door open, hoping to run straight out and into her car, but instead she just stood stock still in the doorway, with Erik standing behind her wondering why she wasn't moving.

"Mother? Why aren't we going?"
Erik just looked at his mother's back, quite confused and worried now, for she was trembling.

"Mother?"
Orihime's eyes widened in shock. Horror even. No, it couldn't be...

It just simply couldn't be...
She swallowed, words seeming to fail her as she stood there frozen. Unable to even blink. It was like being transported back in time to when that fear descended upon her being whenever she was in his presence. Right at the beginning.

But this was now, this was real. This was many years, one war and one death later. When she had escaped with her child and fled from Jacinto's clutches. But no, he was really here, it was really him, standing there in her doorway as if nothing had happened. She gasped again, swallowing all of her fear right back down into the very pit of her stomach, somehow screwing together the courage to acknowledge his presence and remember how to speak.

"Sousuke."