Well, here's the final chapter. Once again, I am thankful to all of you who were willing to stick around long enough to follow my less than magnificent story to the end. Seriously, more people followed this than I thought there would be! So I hope this meager ending is to your liking.

Disclaimer: Blu Rose doesn't own the Blue Exorcist series, only her OCs and this fic.

Chapter Summary: After months of worry, Rin felt at peace the moment he brought his son home.

X-X-X

#6 (June): Welcome Home

Rin wasn't entirely sure how long childbirth was supposed to last before the experience was over and the parents were allowed to take home their bundle of joy. He only knew one expecting couple—part of which was Izumo's friend Noriko Paku, and he hadn't been there at the time the child was born. Then again, it wouldn't matter, because the situation surrounding his child's birth was different than an ordinary childbirth.

For one, the baby came early—it was supposed to come in the fall, but instead came in early June. Also, Satori was made to give birth in a specific room in the True Cross-related headquarters decorated with holy verses and seals, blessed under various means, and filled with exorcists prepared to take down a newborn if need be. Rin wasn't allowed in, and he felt it was more for their wellbeing rather than his or his wife's. They were really dedicated to ensuring the worst case scenario didn't happen. All that was missing was freaking Arthur Auguste Angel to fulfill the role of Paladin and eliminate the 'Satan spawn'.

The preparations made the actual birth seem anticlimactic, though. Nothing unnatural happened. Satori didn't burst into flames or die of blood loss like Rin had secretly been dreading. That kid, though, must've put her through some unbearable pain on the way out, because she screamed, cursed and even threatened to kill the doctor delivering the baby if he didn't do it fast enough. Although a few clueless exorcists thought she was possessed, Rin was too concerned with her screams of pain to pay much mind to anything she said. But eventually, her pain paid off and their son was born. Little Kazuki—one of the names chosen by a few of their friends—wasn't covered in blue flames, and he didn't have pointed ears or a tail. He was just a small red thing who wailed at the top of his lungs. He shouldn't have looked so beautiful as to make Rin cry and shove his way into the room to try and embrace both his son and his exhausted wife.

Of course, their first happy family moment didn't last long. The doctors insisted on beginning tests as soon as possible. All things considered, anyone would be skeptical to think that a descendant of Satan would be born completely normal, although Rin thought it was pointless to test. If their fancy tests couldn't tell if Yukio's demon power had begun awaken until it was too late, what made them think the same tests would prove Kazuki was a similar case? Not unless they had…other, less healthy means of learning the truth. The thought of them probably trying to harm Kazuki just to get answers led to Rin refusing to hand his son over and the doctors being forced to go back and forth as they drew blood from the newborn to test. It took hours of tests that went on into the evening before the doctors in charge were convinced to finally allow Rin and Satori to take their son home—under the condition that they take him in for checkups occasionally. All their weariness was replaced with happiness. This was truly the start of their family.

"Can you believe he's been quiet for so long?" Rin asked after they reached the door of their apartment. The blue-haired man was happy to be away from the insistent doctors and back home with his family. "I thought he'd at least cry a couple of times on the way home," he added as he tried to find his keys.

"Me, too. Especially after all those times they took his blood," Satori spoke, looking weary, but still managing to cradled Kazuki close to her. "He's not even asleep. He's just staring at us… I wonder if he knows how much trouble he's been."

"Eh? Why would you think he's been trouble?"

"Because I had to give birth to him," the dark-haired woman spoke flatly. She looked down at her son, who stared up at him with blue eyes the same as his father's, and she couldn't help but give a weak smile. "But he was worth the pain."

Rin smiled as well as he unlocked the door and led them inside. "Alright. Welcome home, Kazuki-chan~!" Rin exclaimed with a flourish as he opened the door to their apartment. "I know it's a little small, but once Papa and Mama have saved enough money, we'll buy a house! Then you can have your own room to sleep in and make as much noise as you want! Won't that be nice?"

Kazuki's reaction was to just stare blankly at Rin. His father's cheery attitude decreased a bit as a result. "I'm sure he'd be grateful if he knew what any of that meant," Satori said.

"Sorry, sorry! I didn't mean to…" The blue-haired man watched his wife yawn and took in her tired expression. "Hey. If you're still tired, you can always go and rest up. I can handle Kazuki."

"Really? But you have to be as tired as I am."

"I can handle a bit of fatigue better than you. Besides, this'll be the first time in months that you can sleep in your own bed."

"That's…really enticing…" The dark-haired woman looked back and forth between her child and her husband. "…Okay. But wake me up if he needs me."

Minutes later, the small family of three were on the bed in their bedroom. While his wife was fast asleep, Rin cradled Kazuki in his arms while humming some nonsense to himself and occasionally talking about. The uncertainty of his child's future had been put in the back of his mind, and for the first time in the last few months, the half-demon felt completely at peace. For now, Rin could enjoy being in the company of his family.

"Welcome home, Kazuki-chan," Rin whispered softly before kissing his son on the forehead. Kazuki cooed at the sensation and Rin's smile became wider.