Reborn Into Innocence - Bleach (boyxboy)

Chapter 5

AN: Hey again! Finally, an update for this fic! Yeah, I kinda got writer's block all of a sudden, which is very annoying. And it always happens when you least expect it, am I right? Well, anyway, enjoy!

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Chapter 5:

A deafening silence fell over the battlefield of Fake Karakura Town. And then, a child's cry was heard when Ukitake found himself struggling through the darkness of trying to stay conscious and an immediate sense of dread washed over him when that child's fearful cry continued, echoing through the air like to tolling of a bell.

What in the world was a child doing in the middle of a battlefield?

Opening his eyes that felt as though they were glued together harshly and pushing himself to his elbows under the aching protest of his muscles, Ukitake peered through the tilted haze to spy the silhouette of his Sensei standing tall and proud near a small, squirming bundle of...clothing?

No, another child's cry rang out and he suddenly saw his Sensei pull a child out of the clothing, holding him harshly by the one arm, ignoring the child's cries and pleas to stop. That child was Aizen, the Hougyoku may no longer be within his chest, but that child was most definitely him.

Kisuke Urahara did this. But did he seal the Hougyoku as well?

And then, the world seemed to stop as he watched as Head-Captain Yamamoto draw back his arm, a Kidou spell on his lips, a deadly haze swirling around his hand.

It felt as though Ukitake's heart literally came to a stop.

No, he can't. Not a child. He can't do that to a child!

No...Sensei, stop!

Suddenly, he found himself lying in a cloud of dust, the wind knocked out of him harshly as he struggled to breathe. Then a deep, excruciating heat of pain seemed to explode on the left side of his face, obscuring his sight that was already insufficient from the exhaustion he had placed on his already too fragile body.

However, it meant nothing compared to the squirming, sobbing bundle that he held in his arms, clinging to him with tiny, shaky hands. This child was scared, he was terrified and he was innocent.

That was all that mattered.

"Juushiro! Get out of the way!"

A sense of defiance washed over him as he struggled to his feet to stare down his Sensei for the second time, and just like before when he interfered with Rukia's execution, he won't idly back down from this, either.

"No, I won't, Sensei."

"Senpai?"

The next thing Ukitake knew was an incredible warmth, his aching body laying in a soft bed, a warm, thick blanket like material was draped over him, tenderly, reassuringly. Then, a large hand touched his brow, brushing away his hair from the clammy skin. The touch felt familiar, comforting and kind. He knew this touch, though it has been a many year since he had felt it.

"Isshin?"

Opening his tired eyes, Ukitake took a few agonizing moments to blink away the blurriness of his gaze enough to see a familiar face, the face of someone he hadn't seen for quite some time, though hasn't changed a bit.

"Hey," came a smiling drawl, a relieved expression on a ruggedly whisker-lined face. "Long time no see, Senpai."

After disappearing for so many years without word, making him think that he was dead and that was the only thing he had to say? Honestly, Ukitake didn't know whether to hug him or slap him across the face for making him worry and then hugged him.