Was this Really Meant to Be (A Byakuya x Ichigo fanfic)

Chapter Fifteen: Grievances

Lilith and her little brother ran as fast as they could from the attack, but it was to fast...Suddenly they were forced head first into the ground. The attack passed, and they weren't hit, they turned their heads to see who it was that forced them onto the ground. "Dad!?" Rin yelped in surprise. Ichigo brought the two to their knees and gave them both a hug, they hugged back just as tightly. "CAPTIN KUCHIKI!" Someone yelled. Letting go of the twins Ichigo turned to see what was going on. His eyes widened when he saw his husband's body. There was a giant hole in the middle of his torso—he was practically split in two—and one of his arms was hanging off his shoulder. The man fell to the ground, barely clinging to life.

Byakuya ran with his husband to defend his children. Standing in front of the blast coming their way, he put all of his energy into creating a barrier. The barrier was weak and it didn't hold for long. The weak shield shattered and disappeared, the white light ran through him like he was made out of paper. At that moment, he felt no pain. The ringing in his ears got louder and he felt ice cold. His vision went blurry and he felt his body give out causing him to fall backwards. Byakuya heard distant voices and sounds all around him, but he could never process any words. He felt a hand grab his, and that's when his husband, Ichigo the love of his life, came into view. He smiled softly, feeling tears brim his eyes. "No, no, no, no! You're gonna be okay, okay, we'll get you to Unohana and she'll fix you right up" Ichigo was rambling, he was talking so fast that his words were jumbled together. "PLEASE! BYAKUYA!" Ichigo grasped his husband's cold hand as hard as he could "STAY WITH US! YOU CAN'T LEAVE! WE NEED YOU!...I need you...please..." the boy began to break "...don't go..." he whispered as tears fell down his face. "Father? I-" Lilith tried to form words, but none could leave her throat. Rin just stood there, watching, crying.

Coughing up blood, Byakuya spoke weakly "Ichigo...I'm...sorry-" he coughed up some more blood. Ichigo looked at his husband and shook his head "please, save your energy...I beg you" Byakuya smiled slightly and shook his head "I'm sorry...for being so weak..." he sighed, coughing up a hand full of blood that just landed onto his face. "Don't!...just...please don't say that....you aren't weak" Ichigo began to choke on his words, trying his hardest to muffle his whimpers and cries. "I...let you...all...down...I'm not fit...to be your lover...or your father..." he looked over at the twins as he said the last part, the twins looked back at him, terrified. "Don't say that! Father you're the best!" Rin cried, falling down to his knees, grasping Byakuya's other hand. Byakuya gave a small chuckle in response. "I love...you all..." he uttered under his breath, just loud enough for the three to hear him. "We...we love you too...Byakuya" Ichigo stuttered. "Tell Renji...and Rukia that...I'm sorry..." Ichigo looked at him and nodded. Byakuya gave his husband a small appreciated smile.

The captain felt cold, ice cold even. He wanted to go to sleep, he wanted to finally rest and let the worries of battle wash right off of him. Ichigo looked Byakuya in the eyes as he watched him take his last breath, they watched as the light faded from his beautiful purple eyes. Drops of rain fluttered around them before a downpour began. "Byakuya?" Ichigo faintly called out. "No..." he cried weakly. Rin was a mess and Lilith didn't know what to do. She wanted to get revenge. She wanted to charge after Jaakuna, but her body wouldn't move a muscle. She was left standing there in the rain next to her father's dead body. She couldn't stand the sight of it. She couldn't tell what she was feeling. Was it sadness? Regret? Despair? She couldn't figure it out. At that exact moment, she felt nothingness. At that exact moment, she wanted to scream and cry. Her legs gave out and she fell to her knees, right next to her wailing brother. And at that exact moment, she let out a scream, slamming her fists on the rain soaked ground, Lilith let out a blood-curtailing-scream.

Ichigo, startled by Lilith's scream, opened his eyes and quickly got onto his feet. He ran to Lilith and Rin, scooping them into a tight hug. The twins held onto him for dear life and just cried harder. Jaakuna was exhausted after firing that last attack that he didn't have the strength to fight anymore—of course he's not going to turn himself in—so he just stood there and watched the family grieve.

"Jaakuna, can you hear me?" a voice called from his ear piece. "Yeah, I can hear you" he answered nonchalantly "change of plans, the boss doesn't want the twins anymore" the voice informed him "why?" Jaakuna asked annoyed at the news "he said that it was a waste of time and energy" the voice joked "what the fuck? Seriously? So I came down here for no reason?!" Jaakuna silently yelled "no, the boss wants you to bring him back with you" the voice smugly responded. "Oh, alright" he sighed scratching his head.

"Rukia? You okay?" Renji asked his friend. She gave him a concerning look "it's my brother...I can't...I don't feel his spiritual pressure..." she sighed, looking up at the gray clouds. Renji placed a hand on her shoulder, giving her a soft smile "I'm sure that the captain is fine, he's got Ichigo with him after all! So don't worry your pretty little head Rukia" he said softly, comforting her to the best of his abilities. She looked at him and nodded "I'm sure you're right Renji" she professed, giving the red head a small hug. Renji smiled fondly, hugging her back.

Ichigo slowly opened his eyes, slightly being blinded by the bright light in the room. Once he adjusted to the light, he sat up and looked around. He was in his and Byakuya's room in the Kuchiki manor. He opened his mouth to speak but only sounds came out. 'What the-I can't speak...' he thought, he began to look around the room some more, panning his eyes door to door, wall to wall, shelf to shelf, the all-to-familiar-room felt so...dim, and dead. He put his right hand on his head and his left hand on his stomach, clenching the cloth at his stomach, he groaned in pain. 'What the hell, this hurts so much' he whined internally. 'And where's Lilith and Rin?!' His anxiety began to spike when he noticed that his children weren't in the room with him. The door to the room slid open and in came the twins. It was as if the heavens above heard his question.

The siblings stared at Ichigo with wide eyes. They looked at each other, then back at Ichigo. A giant smile appeared on their faces and they rushed towards the bed jumping onto their dad. Ichigo graciously welcomed the surprise attack. He wrapped his arms tightly around his children, giving them both a small kiss on the cheek. "Dad! You're finally awake!" Rin said with excitement. Ichigo patted their heads, the two looked at him and he smiled softly. "Yeah..." he uttered breathlessly. Lilith asked Rin to get a glass of water from the kitchen and bring it back to the room. The boy nodded and left to do what was asked of him, he soon returned back with the glass of water. He held the glass of water up to Ichigo's lips helping him drink the clear liquid.

"How...how long have I been asleep?" Ichigo asked his children. The twins looked at each other then back at Ichigo, sorrow filled their faces. "T-two and a half weeks..." Rin answered, Ichigo's eyes widened "T-Two weeks!?" He yelped, Lilith nodded her head "yeah, after...um....after everything...you started coughing up Reishi then you passed out" Lilith explained, looking down at the white bed sheets.

Two and a half weeks ago

The sky's tears mixed with theirs on their face. The three huddled up together next to the person they truly loved was a heart breaking scene for anyone that witnessed it. Ichigo felt like a fire just erupted in his stomach and his body began to heat up, he wrapped both arms around his stomach, hugging himself. "Dad? What's wrong?" The twins asked in unison, Ichigo shook his head "I-I don't...know..." he stuttered out, suddenly out of breath. Violent waves of coughing emerged from Ichigo's throat, the boy was coughing so hard and so much that he couldn't catch his breath. The boy coughed and coughed, soon enough, Reishi began to drip from his mouth.

Present day

"After that, you passed out, Captain Zaraki carried you to squad four's barracks, and you were just moved here yesterday because they were running out of room to put the injured and the-..." Lilith explained. She had a look of shame and regret on her face that explained what she was trying to get out but she couldn't say the word. "...Dead..." Ichigo uttered. Lilith glanced at him, then looked back down at the sheets nodding her head. Ichigo sighed, "C'mere" he opened his arms to the two in front of him. They looked at each other and nodded, leaping into his arms. The three lied down on the bed. Lilith and Rin cuddled up to their dad, falling asleep in his arms.

Ichigo smiled softly, wishing that his husband was there with them...