I'm sorry again for being so late, really, I didn't mean to frighten you. But alas, this is the last chapter and I hope that it pleases you all.

Our hearts beat together

It was hours before dawn, but Isane was already up. There was just so much to do, and there was never enough time. The cook was already starting on the breakfast, the fire in the kitchen was slowly being lit up. She took a big bucket and ran to the well to get some water. Her wooden shoes made an extremely loud sound on the stone floors and the pail was clanging in her hands. If there was a book called “Les Miserables” at that time, Isane was like a grown up version of Cosette.

She reached the well and stopped to take a breath. The fresh night air filled her lungs and burned them, making her cough. Suddenly, she felt too weak to stand and sat down in the grass.

The moon was shining so brightly that her reflection in the water was like a precious stone. There was not a cloud in the sky, and the stars looked upon the land freely. It was so peaceful! Isane stared at the bucket at her feet-it was still empty. She had to stand up, to get on with her duties and…

She hissed sharply when the pain hit her. No good, she had to sit down.

Isane sighed-even though it had been months since that time, her wounds still bugged her from time to time. She brushed a few snowy bangs from her eyes-her hair had turned white overnight back then-it was troublesome and painful…like a stigma that stayed for life and put you apart from the others. But she couldn’t blame him…not ever.

It was silly, her crush on Kyoraku-san. It was just a passing fancy on his side, and it had been nothing but a good-hearted joke…and yet she had taken it so seriously, and now look what it brought upon her. She was so ashamed of herself, she just couldn’t imagine what she’d do if her sister followed her example.

Well, there was no use in sitting around feeling sorry for yourself, right? She got up and took the bucket, then leaned over the well to pour the water. Then her knees gave out and she lost her balance, leaning dangerously over the edge of the pool. Isane felt like fainting, she couldn’t swim, and that well was probably so deep you couldn’t see the light of day from the bottom.

Just then, a pair of strong hands wrapped themselves around her and pulled her back so sharply that both she and her savior fell on the ground. They lied down, his grip on her still vice-like, and she could hear his breathing in her ears, heavy and erratic from haste.

“Are you ok?” Hisagi asked

“Yes…” Isane breathed “I just…”

“You’re just stupid.” He stated flatly as he got up and filled the bucket for her. There was a bandage on his left cheek. “You should’ve waited for me.”

“What?! I mean, I think I can bring a bucket of water without…”

“Tumbling into the well?” he looked at her with his sad brown eyes “Isane, please don’t make me feel more guilty than I already am.”

“G…guilty? But if I fell, it wouldn’t be your fault, would it?”

“I’d feel like it’s my fault. I’m assigned to look after you.”

Isane blinked, then felt like stupid rage hit her. It was like the time when she first heard about Shunsui’s engagement and went berserk on Nanao. But this time she calmed herself down enough to say in a deadly tone:

“So is this it? You care for me because it’s your job?” she waited for a few seconds for her anger to sink in, then snorted “Well, you don’t have to look after me for life, so consider yourself free from your charge. I am fine!”

She took the bucket from his hands and marched back to the castle, only to feel terrible pain strike her and stumble down, spilling all the water on the way. Hisagi ran after her and knelt down to help her:

“See what I’m telling you? You’re not well enough yet.”

“I’m not a child.” She turned her head away to hide her tears. His hand rested on her cheek and turned her to face him. Hisagi gently wiped away her tears and said:

“I’m sorry if I insulted you, I didn’t mean it. What I wanted to say was that I wouldn’t forgive myself if something bad happened to you. Not because it’s my job.”

Isane sighed.

“I know. I just…”

“You’re hurt.” He looked at her eyes “Your wounds are open…it’s my fault, I did this to you….”

“They’ll heal.” She smiled “And anyway, it’s not your fault, you were given orders…”

“And I followed them blindly. I’m sorry, Isane, I should’ve stood up for you.”

“The worst is over now. There is no point in blaming yourself.”

“I’ll blame myself for as long as your scars hurt you.” He sighed “Isane, I wanted to show you something.” He pulled the bandage on his cheek off and showed her a tattoo of the number 65, still red and swollen. She touched the sensitive flesh with the tips of her fingers and he winced from the sudden pain, but didn’t scream. “Sixty-five…because that’s how many times I hurt you. And I…don’t mind if I look after you for life because…”

He was cut off when she lunged herself forward and kissed him. Slowly, his arms came up and wrapped themselves around her.

“Silly.” She said “We’ll see who looks after whom.”

Nanao walked out on the top of the tower, wrapped in her dressing-gown and holding her glasses on. They always slipped off, for some reason.

Shunsui was sitting there, looking at the distant horizon. The only thing in order in him was his hair-no matter what, it was always combed neatly and tied in a tail. The rest of his attire was hanging on him in ways that defied the laws of proper clothing, but he never seemed to care. Nanao felt an urge to go to him and straighten him up, but then smiled at herself and sat down next to him.

He started, then exclaimed:

“Nanao-chan, what happened to you? You’re all disheveled.”

“I was worried about you. You’re not an early riser.”

He smiled warmly and brushed a lock of hair behind her ear, then kissed her cheek.

“You’re so sweet, my Nanao-chan. Worrying about me like that…”

“Somebody has to.” She rolled her eyes “Do you know what day it is today?”

“Yes. It’s the big day.” He smiled “Are you nervous?”

“No.” she stated firmly “I just wish that Byakuya-san and Hisana-san didn’t have to leave so soon.”

“Don’t worry, they’ll be back, and married.” He grinned “We did a nice job yesterday, with Hisana-chan’s family tree.”

“Yes, indeed.” They had stayed up with the master of the castle to make things look like Hisana was some distant cousin of Yamamoto-san, so the Kuchiki’s may not have a problem with accepting her into the family. Shunsui’s father had secured a proper dowry for her, and Nanao had given her some of the trousseau gifts they had send her a few months back. She was also allowed to take the dress that was handed down through generations in the Yamamoto family to be married in it. In the end, the poor girl was at tears, thankful for her friends’ kindness.

Byakuya had arranged so that Hisana and Rukia may travel with him back to the Kuchiki estate where he and his love may marry, and then move away. Shunsui and Nanao approved of that plan very much. The whole problem was that they had to leave right after the wedding ceremony of their hosts, which was scheduled early in the morning.

“So, Nanao….” Shunsui looked at her “Are you feeling ok?”

“Of course. Why?”

“You don’t feel any regrets? No cold feet? You do plan on marrying the most impossible and irresponsible man in history.” She laughed and leaned on him.

“You sure know how to beg a compliment out, but I’m not buying it.”

“So you do think I’m irresponsible.”

“Perhaps that is a very harsh word, but you don’t think about the consequences of your actions. Just…you remember what happened with Ritsuko-in the end we barely made it.”

“But Nanao-chan, that was a separate case. There are only a few women that take things that bad as Ritsuko. She was just…filled with anger and jealousy. She never loved me.”

“Yes, she was just looking for money…but Isane wasn’t….and now she’s got scars…. and Ritsuko’s stuck with a child, her parents and Rangiku will have to work hard to raise it…have you ever thought how far would a woman go for you, Shunsui?”

He bowed his head. Nanao took his hand and kissed it.

“I’m not saying it to scold you, far from it. You’re the most caring and generous man I ever knew and I am sure that whatever happened, you’d suffer the consequences from your actions. But now things are different. We’ll be married, and that means that my life and my heart are yours to keep. I want you to think carefully what you do, because it’ll affect a lot more people than you and me.”

“Nanao-chan…how can’t you see that you changed me?”

“I can see. You changed me as well…” she smiled “You may be impossible, but I love you that way. Got it?”

He smiled, cupped her face in his hands and kissed her senseless. The glasses fell off.

“Oh, Nanao-san, you look so beautiful!” Isane sighed.

“You think?” Nanao flushed.

“You look like a queen no matter what you wear.” Rangiku called from somewhere behind her, where she did the last touches on her wedding frock. It was silk, snowy white, with a small ribbon under the bust, then the skirts flowed freely. It looked like an everyday gown, but it brought out the wonderful silhouette Nanao had, and it went wonderfully with the pain lace veil her mother had made for her.

“Thank you, Rangiku.” Nanao smiled, as she looked at herself in the mirror. “It’s wonderful.”

“You’re the one making it beautiful. It was very kind of you to send the rest of your wedding presents to Ritsuko, Nanao-san. She does not deserve it.” Rangiku ran a hand through her warm locks “Honestly, I don’t know what will become of her.”

“It’s nothing. She wanted them more than I, and you’ll make a better use of them. I won’t, and I don’t want you to lose your honestly earned wedges to her, you need them too.”

“No matter what, she still doesn’t deserve them.”

Nanao just smiled and arranged her flowers. This was her day, and those hypocritical gifts from the rich families were not going to spoil it.

In the garden, they waited the lovely bride. Shunsui looked outstanding, and his best man-Ukitake, looked bright despite his illness. Byakya had jus picked a small bouquet of wild flowers for Hisana and was offering them to her with a small blush on his cheeks. In the other corner of the garden, an even more embarrassed Ichigo was trying to convince little Rukia to stay by giving her a butterfly. The small girl told him that she couldn’t accept the gift because she couldn’t stay, but kissed him on the cheek and promised to write.

Finally, Nanao headed down the path, her veil flowing freely behind her like fairy’s wings. But Shunsui saw only her face-she had put aside the glasses and her hair was falling freely around her cheeks and neck. Her smile, radiant and lovely, rendered him speechless. When he took her hand he just knew that this was the way things had to be.

The new dawn is the sunrise of our lives,

Our lives we share and shall never part,

Yours by mine, our hearts beat together,

The fire of our love shall never die.

So be it, forever and ever.

"I love you!" both said in union.

The ceremony and celebration were wonderful, as one may expect, and right afterwards the bride and groom decided to take a walk to a very special place. And now, as our story draws to a conclusion, it is in order to make things like a real tale should be told and say a few words about the days beyond the wedding.

Isane and Hisagi’s scars healed and they both got over the guilt and painful memories to create happier remembrances together. Rangiku found love as well, and lived to prove herself different and a lot better from her sister. Ritsuko gave birth to a boy that grew up to be quite sensible and just, and for some reason he bore a striking resemblance to Yamamoto-san. The rest is better left untouched.

Byakuya managed to fool the council of the Kuchiki clan and married Hisana with no problem, and then they moved to live together in a separate house, away from the meddling relatives and annoying gossip, free to love each other the way they wanted to. Nothing will be said about minor nuisances and quarrels, they never regretted anything. Rukia grew up to be quite a sophisticated and charming young lady, and in due time was courted by many young men, but gave her heart to only one. (Want a clue? He had orange hair and his name begins with I.)

As for Nanao and Shunsui, they never left their sides, and they never stopped loving each other. Their love was one of those rare types-not like a flower that crushes under the heavy snow, but more like the sun-warm, passionate and eternal.

It turned out that their happiness didn’t lie in the game of chess, in working strategies to make the other surrender and checkmate him, but it was more about finding out who the other really was, understand him as a person, and finally-to love him as a man. (or woman, reciprocally).

No ‘The end’ or ‘Finis’ will be written-the story doesn’t stop here. It lives though us-aren't we a part of it?

A/N-Yes, everybody, this is sadly the end of my part in this story-I have written it and I leave it to you to judge if it's worth remembering (favouring). I'd like to thank all of you for your support through the reviews and your patience with me, I know I've got a lot of glitches to fix. I hope the ending doesn't sound to venomous or hurried, I did my best, but in my country is really late now, so I can't be sure. The verses are from the little poetry they were supposed to read, I tried to make them not too bad. I put ByakuyaxHisana and IchigoxRukia at your request, but I couldn't bring in Hitsugaya in the story because I like him with Rangiku, and sadly I can't stand Hinamori, so I hope you're not too angry with me for that.

Special thanks to darkangel1910, JenovaJuice97, Devinatron2000, akrik85029 and Meesh, for reviewing when there wasn't much to review. I'd appreciate a feedback on this one, to see how it is in a whole. Once again, thank you all, you're wonderful. Really, reading this means a lot to me, I enjoyed writing it a lot and I hope you enjoyed reading it as much. Thank you, and goodnight.