A/N: Here is something a bit different from me. I will be updating this and 'You're The Only One' as often as I can. Hope you enjoy it! By the way, credit goes to Spunky0ne for the spirit chamber and reiatsu idea for Hisana's pregnancy. I appreciate you so much approving my use of it, Spunky!

Warnings: Yaoi, quite angsty, sexual themes and possible later mpreg.

Fifty years ago

"All right, Hisana-sama, now just relax and let me do the rest," the chief healer of the Kuchiki medical staff, Hiroshi instructed the clan leader's wife as she lie on a table in the infirmary, sweaty and trembling from the exhaustion of labor, just moments from giving birth.

Hisana nodded meekly, closing her eyes and panting softly as she tried to relax herself. Byakuya-sama, I wish you were here... she whispered sadly in her mind, a tear sliding down one flushed cheek. But, of course he couldn't be, they'd sent him away before they induced her labor. She hadn't even been able to tell her husband that she was pregnant with his child, the Kuchiki elders had threatened if she told anyone they would terminate her pregnancy and have her marriage to Byakuya annulled. Because shinigami women bodies are different than human females and the baby grew inside a spirit chamber instead of a womb in reiatsu form, they'd ordered a healer to use a special medical kido spell on her so that she wouldn't show as in a normal pregnancy, so it was easier to conceal from Byakuya. It pains me so much to have deceived you, my darling, I know how deeply you have desired to be a father. I hope someday you will forgive me for keeping this secret, but I cannot bear to lose you and our child both. My hope is that, although I am dying and must leave you soon, that possibly one day you will find our child and know that our love has survived even if I have not.

She flinched, releasing a soft breath of discomfort as Hiroshi placed his hands over her abdomen and raised his power gently, enveloping the reiatsu within her and beginning to extract it, feeling the little life force trying to pull away from the reiatsu it seemed to instinctively realize was not its father. She clutched Byakuya's head of the household staff and her close friend, Sukina's hand and listened to her softly whispered encouragement as she stroked Hisana's knuckles with her thumb. On her other side was Byakuya's grandfather, Ginrei Kuchiki, who watched with troubled eyes and dabbed Hisana's sweaty forehead with a cool, wet cloth as the healer finally managed to get hold of the baby's reiatsu and lifted it into his arms. A light flared around them, then it faded and in its place was a small newborn girl who loosed a loud squawk and then began to cry loudly. Hisana smiled at Sukina tiredly, lifting her head to see her daughter better, smiling at the baby's resemblence to both her and Byakuya: delicate porcelain skin and surprisingly thick raven tresses, and the signature big, smoky gray Kuchiki eyes, but hers had a thin ring of violet right around the pupils.

"She is beautiful," Ginrei said quietly, watching the healers first check his great-granddaughter to make sure that she was perfectly healthy, then swaddled her in soft, warm blankets.

Hisana managed to sit up against the pillows with Sukina's help, then reached out for her daughter. "Onegai, can I hold my baby? Just for a moment," she pleaded, tears pricking her violet-blue eyes.

Hiroshi started toward the bed, then stopped when he saw the stern expressions of the Kuchiki elders who hovered in the doorway.

"Onegai," Hisana begged them again.

"You may have five minutes," Head Elder Noburu Kuchiki said gruffly, then stalked out of the room into the hall with the others to discuss things.

Hiroshi nodded and placed the baby in Lady Kuchiki's outstretched arms, then stepped back to give mother and daughter the only time they had left together.

"What a precious little one," Sukina crooned as she sat beside her friend, slipping her pinky finger into the infant's tiny, balled up fist. "My lady, she needs a name," she reminded Hisana.

"Oh, yes..." Hisana said softly, chewing her lip as she contemplated. "Hikuya, a combination of Byakuya-sama and my names. Because she is all the best parts of us both."

Sukina smiled and looked up at Ginrei and Hiroshi, but her smile died on her lips when she saw their solemn looks. "I think that is perfect, my lady," she told Hisana softly.

Hisana nodded, then covered herself with a blanket to feed Hikuya, managing to finish and burp the baby before Elder Noburu came back in with another member of the Kuchiki council and Tanaka, Byakuya's most trusted friend and head of the security team at the manor, whom also happened to be Sukina's husband.

"You've had the time you requested, now you must relinquish her to us. Tanaka, collect the child," Noburu instructed, glaring at Hisana as the woman began to cry and looked down at her baby one last time.

Tanaka reluctantly stepped forward, bowing to Hisana as he bent down to gather Hikuya into his arms. "Gomen nasai, lady Hisana-sama. I hope you will forgive me for this someday," he whispered regretfully to her.

"It is not your fault, Tanaka-san, there is nothing for me to forgive," Hisana sniffled, kissing Hikuya's little cheek as she handed her over to the guard. "Sayonara, my sweet Hikuya, aishiteru yo. Know that your tou-san and I love you very, very much. I so wish he could have seen you just once, and maybe someday he will."

Tanaka bowed again and straightened up with the small bundle in his arms, giving Sukina a small kiss before he followed Noburu and the other elder, Daichi from the room.

Ginrei sighed sadly and patted Hisana's arm gently before turning and leaving the room as well. When they were all gone, Hisana folded herself over and began to cry into her arms while Sukina stroked her hair soothingly and rubbed her back.

"Do not despair, Hisana-sama," the maid whispered in her friend's ear. "Takana-san and I know a couple in Inuzuri, a healer and his wife, they are dear friends and very trustworthy. He has arranged for them to take and care for Hikuya, so she will be in good hands. Tanaka would never let harm come to your and Byakuya-sama's child, he will make sure that she is safe before he leaves her," she promised, squeezing Hisana's hand.

Hisana sniffled and nodded, squeezing the servant's hand in return and giving her a small, hopeful smile. "Arigatou, Sukina-san, I do not know what Byakuya-sama and I would do without you and Tanaka-san."

Sukina smiled and planted a kiss on her friend's forehead, then rose from the bed. "I will make you some tea and something to eat, then I will take my leave of you for the night so you can get some rest. Byakuya-sama is expected home from his mission sometime early tomorrow morning."

Hisana nodded and settled back in bed, turning her eyes toward the bedroom window and gazing out at the moon as Sukina left. Her heart ached as she thought of her daughter, her arms feeling unbearably empty without a child to hold in them, and allowed a few more tears to fall down her cheeks. When Sukina returned with a tray of tea and food she found Hisana curled on her side around the pillows, so she went over and tucked the blankets around her chin and left quietly.

Tanaka followed Noburu and Daichi, holding Hikuya close to his chest and trying to comfort the softly crying newborn. The men stopped outside the Kuchiki manor gates where Tanaka turned to face the elders and awaited their instructions.

"You will take the half-breed brat into Rukongai and leave her on the doorstep of the first orphanage you come across. Do nothing more and come right home, and try not to be seen by anyone. If we discover you have deviated from these instructions, your punishment will be great and you and your peasant wife will be banished from the manor, do you understand?" Noburu narrowed his eyes at Tanaka, who nodded and bowed.

"Hai, sir, I will do exactly as I am told and return as soon as possible," Tanaka swore to the elders, then shunpoed off toward Inuzuri. He didn't slow until he reached the run-down, dirty streets of the district that was once Hisana's home, walking until he reached a small, weather-worn cottage near the district's edge, glancing around to make sure no one saw as he lay the baby on the steps.

"Gomen nasai, little one," he whispered, kissing the infant's forehead. "I hope your tou-san will not hate me for this when he discovers what we've done. I promise you one day I will bring him to you so that you may be reunited, and together we will find a way to bring you back home," the young, green-eyed man stood up, gave a soft whistle, then quickly shunpoed back toward the Siereitei.

A porch light came on and an elderly man opened the door, looking around, then down at the baby now wailing on his doorstep, tightly wrapped in warm blankets. He knelt down and scooped her up, crooning and whispering to her soothingly as he rocked back and forth on his feet, then watched as a piece of paper fell out of the newborn's blanket. He stooped back down and picked it up, reading the words.

Hikuya Kuchiki, it read in decorative print.

"So, you've come to us at last, little Hikuya," Yoshiro smiled warmly, carrying the baby inside from the cold night.

Hisana stirred in the early hours of the morning as a warm body slid in bed next to her, and her husband's strong arms pulled her against his side, his warm lips brushing over her cheek.

"Byakuya-sama," she said sleepily, curling up against him and blinking up at his handsome, young face, a pang going through her heart when she looked into his gray eyes, like their daughter's except without the ring of lilac.

"Hello, my darling," he murmured, this time claiming her lips in a tender kiss. "I have missed you so," he ran his fingers through her shoulder-length raven hair and gazed into her eyes. "You look troubled. Are you feeling unwell? Shall I go and find a healer?"

"No, no," she whispered, hating that her voice broke ever so slightly and that tears rose in her eyes as she tried to nuzzle into his neck so he wouldn't see. "I am fine, I have just missed you as well, and I am glad to have you home."

Byakuya's lips curled into a soft smile, brushing his lips over her temple as he held her close while she fell back asleep, though he stayed awake, watching her a bit worriedly. You looked so upset tonight, darling. What is troubling you so deeply that you cannot tell me?

The clan leader eventually joined his wife in sleep, blissfully unaware of what secrets his clan and wife were holding from him.