It's finally here! Hope you enjoy it. : )

Ichigo was lost for words, opposite him a snow white copy of himself was laying his mother gently down on the bed.

"L-little brother...? No... My little brother died at birth... A-are you his ghost? Is that why you're so... Pale?"

Shiro couldn't help the laugh that erupted from his belly, he was kind of nervous now that he was here.

"No, I'm alive... This is just... how I look..." Shiro made a whimsical gesture at himself, whilst a stirring on the bed caught his eye.

"Ichi...go... Ichigo..."

The boy ran to his mother's side and gently took hold of her hands. "Oh Ichigo... Thank goodness... I dreamt you were all white from head to toe... But your eyes... Your eyes were black.."

Even from where he stood, Shiro could see the look of fear cross her face, he almost didn't want to alert her to his presence. "Actually... You weren't dreaming... But I'm not Prince Ichigo, I'm Shiro, Ichigo's little brother..."

The Queen sat bolt upright and stared at him, fear melting away to make room for something else. Confusion? Love? Disbelief? Shiro wasn't sure what it was... "How can this be...? My youngest son died at birth... He didn't make it..." tears welled up in her eyes but she refused to let them fall. This was by far the cruelest dream of all, to see her son grown and standing there in front of her, knowing that only too soon she would have to wake and break her own heart. Queen Retsu leapt from her bed and pulled Shiro in to a tight hug.

"Oh my youngest son," she whispered "I have waited many years to meet you, my only regret is I was not strong enough to carry you and my fear is that this dream will end all too soon... Please know that I have always loved you." and finally Retsu kissed her youngest sons cheek and let him go with a sigh.

"Mom..." Shiro let the word fall from his lips like a raindrop off of a flowers petal. It felt so weird as Rangiku was the only mother he had ever known.

"I've come to tell you something, something important. You must listen OK?"

Retsu who had not taken her eyes off of Shiro since she awoke glanced at Ichigo, who in turn shrugged. Queen Retsu pulled her gaze back to her youngest son, nodding slightly indicating that he should continue.

"... Mom... You were lied to, you were strong enough, you carried my brother and I until our day of birth and we were born strong healthy boys. The King lied to you..."

Shiro looked directly into his birth mom's big blue eyes, imploring her to listen to what he had to say "When you couldn't conceive an heir together he went to see the witch Matsumoto and she gave him a potion which he had to give to you orally. Childbirth of twins was guaranteed but the price for such a miracle was a heavy one. A twin was to be given as an offering to the witch on the day of his birth..."

Tears leaked down the Queen's face as she silently listened to what her son had to say, knowing in her heart of hearts that he was telling the truth.

It was Ichigo who spoke first, shaking with anger. "You're not going to believe him are you?! Why would the witch let him go and just waltz here? It makes no sense! Why would dad do that?"

Queen Retsu still hadn't broken eye contact with Shiro. "I'm...not dreaming am I? You're really here..." She gently reached up and stroked her son's cheek.

Suddenly a figure burst into to the room. "Here you are! I have someone I want to introduce... You... To..." King Isshin's sentence trailed off as he saw just who was standing in the room with his wife and son. "You...what are you doing here?! You demon! Get out of my castle. Go back from whence you came!" The King crossed the room in large strides drawing his sword as he went.

The look on his father's face was all Prince Ichigo needed to convince him of his brother's truth. The King looked like a man caught by his wife in a brothel, a look of guilt was clearly written in his features.

Ichigo stepped in from of his mother and brother brandishing his own sword. "You will not hurt them anymore. Get out. Guards! GUARDS!" Two guards came running in to the room. "Take him to a guest room and stand guard outside. Don't let him out until I say so, are we clear?"

The guards looked a little confused but did as the crown Prince had asked. "Yes Sir."

As the guards approached the King he dropped his sword and obediently went with them, he didn't even look back at his family that was rapidly tearing apart at the seams because of the demon child.

Once the King was out of sight Ichigo sheathed his sword, turned and hugged his brother. "I don't know why you are here, or how you are here but this is the best birthday present I could have ever asked for."

Relief flooded Shiro's body as he hugged his big brother. "I'm so happy I could finally meet you brother" after a second he broke the hug and beckoned the mother he had never known, together they shared a group hug. It had been 18years exactly since they had all been together like this, but it felt as if only a moment had passed, almost as if they had never been apart.

So finally the Kurosaki family was together again. But this was only the start of a very long night. Lives are lost, secrets are revealed and nothing will ever be the same again. Who will survive the night? Will there be a happy ending? Fate has yet to reveal what she has in store for the royal family.

I wonder what secrets are left to be revealed?! You do too? Well there's no point asking me I'm just the writer... Oh wait... ;P
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