* sigh * Okay everyone, this is the last chapter. I have to say its been
fun these past eight month. A lot has happened. Between moving from Texas
to Japan, and scoring an 1100 on my SATs, this fic has been my escape from
the pain of reality. I really enjoyed writing it, and I hope you guys
enjoyed reading it. This is the end of my first fanfic, but certainly not
my last. To my loyal fans, thank you for all your support, and to my
lovely reviewers, I love you all! I hope everyone continues to read my
stories and that you enjoy this last chapter. Bye!
Chapter 60- The Last Remaining Light
Kagome hesitated a foot from the well. The darkened sphere that was once the Shikon no Tama hung around her neck in contrast to the light color of her kimono. She held Kaemon in her arms as the pup slumbered oblivious to his mother's anxiety. Inuyasha sat on the lip of the well patiently, holding his hand out to Kagome to join him. Reiha lay in his arms, her dark brown eyes watching her mother intently.
Closing her eyes, Kagome took Inuyasha's hand, and together they jumped into the well. When Kagome opened her eyes, she was staring at the ceiling of the well house at her family shrine. "It still works," she whispered to herself, bewildered.
Inuyasha smirked at his Mate's antics before leaping out of the well, waiting until Kagome had done the same before they started towards the house.
Asami sighed to herself, almost mechanically fixing dinner for her family and guests. Kagome's friends had paid a visit not an hour ago, and Asami had insisted they stayed for dinner. The girls accepted a bit hesitantly, not wanting to appear rude.
Kagome and Inuyasha had not come back through the well in months, and Asami had begun to worry that something serious had happened. At first the notion had seemed impossible. Kagome always came back, no matter what. But as the weeks passed, the more such thoughts began to make sense.
So when her daughter and son-in-law appeared at the kitchen door with two young babies in their arms, Asami had thought she was dreaming.
Kagome stepped into the kitchen and paused in front of her mother. Inuyasha hung back little ways, leaving room for Asami to greet her daughter.
"Kagome?" whispered Asami in disbelief.
"Sorry we were gone so long, Mama," Kagome replied sheepishly.
Asami hugged her daughter tightly, all her worries gone. Kagome freed one arm to hug her mother back before breaking away to look at Asami. "Would you like to meet your grandchildren?"
Asami smiled brightly before looking down at the pup in Kagome's arms. "Who is this?" she asked, happily taking the babe in her arms.
Kagome grinned before replying. "This is your grandson Kaemon."
"Kaemon. What a good name," she said quietly, mesmerized by the pup's white dog-ears. "So soft."
"Don't forget your granddaughter," Inuyasha interjected. "She'll start to complain if she isn't the center of attention."
"She gets it from her father," Kagome supplied, taking back Kaemon so her mother could hold Reiha.
Asami laughed when Inuyasha growled at Kagome. Kagome just shook her head and continued on the same vein. "You know it's true, Inuyasha. Don't pout."
"What is her name?" Asami interrupted before the couple could start another argument.
"Reiha," replied Inuyasha.
Asami nodded, enchanted with Reiha's dark brown eyes. "She's beautiful."
"Mom?" called Souta, walking into the kitchen. "Who are you talking to- Kagome!"
Kagome smiled at her brother's delighted squeal, ruffling his hair as she did so. "Did ya miss me twerp?"
Souta huffed before sticking his nose in the air. "Of course not."
Kagome rolled her eyes before kneeling down so that she could introduce Kaemon to his uncle. "Wow," Souta muttered, looking first at Kaemon then Reiha, before glancing up at Asami. "You won that bet."
"Bet?" repeated Inuyasha.
Souta nodded before explaining. "Mama and I made a bet. She said she would have grandchildren in less than a year, I said more than a year."
"Oh," replied Inuyasha, still confused.
Asami shook her head. "It doesn't matter. Would you like to join us for dinner? Kagome, your friends are here."
"T-they are?" Kagome said nervously.
"Why don't you go say hi?"
"Uh . . ."
Inuyasha sighed before pushing Kagome towards the door. "I'll put a concealing spell on us."
"Alright, I guess."
Yuka was the first to notice Kagome standing in the doorway. "Kagome- Chan!" squealed the schoolgirl, leaping to her feet and embracing her friend in a tight hug. "Oh, I missed you."
Kagome smiled when Yuka pulled back, only to be pulled into another strong hug by Ayame and Eri. "We've been so worry about you," said Eri when she released her.
"I've missed you guys too," Kagome replied, giving her friends a sincere smile.
"Whose this?" cooed Yuka, lighting touching Kaemon's hand.
"This is my son, Kaemon," Kagome said proudly. "And," Kagome turned around to where Inuyasha stood with the other pup. "My daughter Reiha."
"Wow," said Eri, "Twins."
"And they're so cute," added Ayame.
Asami entered a moment later with Souta close behind her, both holding everyone's dinner plates. After a few more delighted coos about the pups, everyone sat down and began to eat.
"How long will you be staying?" asked Asami after the schoolgirls had left and Inuyasha had gone upstairs to put the pups to bed.
"Two weeks," replied Kagome.
"Good."
Mother and daughter were silent for a moment before Asami spoke again. "Did everything turn out alright?"
Kagome thought about it for a moment before giving her mother a happy and content smile. "Everything worked out fine."
Miroku nodded his head in approval. Sango stood beside him, her arm wrapped around his waist and her head resting on his shoulder. "So what do you think?" she asked although she already knew the answer.
"It's perfect."
In just under two weeks, the village men had pulled together and built a six-bedroom house. And best of all, it was designed so that the house could easily add more rooms, which Miroku had no doubt they would soon need.
"I have something to tell you," Sango whispered, leaning up to look at the houshi.
"What is it?" Miroku asked curiously. Sango had been acting strange all day.
The Demon Exterminator smiled widely before answering. "I'm pregnant."
The first thing that registered on Miroku's face was shock, followed by glee and an amazing amount of happiness. "Am I dreaming?"
Sango laughed and shook her head at his antics. "It's real enough. Now why don't we finish some decorating before Kagome and Inuyasha return tomorrow."
Shippou was waiting for Inuyasha and Kagome when they returned. "Come on," he called excitedly, "We've got a surprise!"
"A surprise?" echoed Kagome.
"Hai! Come on! Miroku and Sango are waiting," Shippou shouted.
Inuyasha gave a light smile before following Shippou up the hill, Kagome beside him. He was not prepared, however, with the sight that awaited them. His mouth dropped open in shock.
Miroku and Sango laughed hysterically before welcoming their friends home. "So what do you think?" asked Sango, nudging a shocked Kagome.
"It's perfect," replied the miko.
"It is, isn't it?" agreed Miroku, obviously pleased with their reactions.
Inuyasha smiled before shaking his head to dispel his shock. "I never thought I'd see this day."
Miroku gave the hanyou a lopsided grin before speaking. "You know, I can say the same thing."
"What do you mean?" asked Kagome.
"Well, for one thing I never thought I'd see the day I didn't have to wear those blasted prayer things. For another, I never expected that the love of my life would bear my child. Now both of those have come true!"
"Sango-chan, you're pregnant?" Kagome asked.
Sango blushed, looking down at her feet before nodding. "Hai."
"That's Wonderful!"
Inuyasha entered the house slowly, admiring the woodwork and the structure before laying the pups in one of the rooms and returning to his friends. "So," he began, looking at them. "Is this the part where we live happily ever after?"
Kagome smiled, wrapping her arms around Inuyasha neck before giving him a light kiss and replying to his question. "Something like that, my Mate."
Machiko watched from a distance as Inuyasha and his Pack entered the house. "Happily ever after, hn?" The human smiled lightly before returning to the comfort of the forest.
Chiyo sat under an old tree, staring off into the distance. "Is it done?" she asked when Machiko returned.
"Hai. It's over."
The Ancient Hanyou nodded; staring down at her hands as a tingling sensation began to spread through her body. "Yes. Now it's time to sleep."
"Sleep?" replied Machiko.
"Hmm . . ." Chiyo closed her eyes and took a deep breath, exhaling slowly.
"Chiyo-sama?" Machiko repeated quietly. She kneeled down to hanyou, placing her hand on her pulse. She was dead.
Machiko sniffled and absently brushed away her tears. "Hai, Chiyo- sama. Time for you to sleep. Don't worry, I'll still be here when you wake up."
*The End* AN: That's the end of the first installment of To Bind a Soul. I'm debating a sequel, but won't attempt anything until I have completed the two other fanfics I'm working on.
Chapter 60- The Last Remaining Light
Kagome hesitated a foot from the well. The darkened sphere that was once the Shikon no Tama hung around her neck in contrast to the light color of her kimono. She held Kaemon in her arms as the pup slumbered oblivious to his mother's anxiety. Inuyasha sat on the lip of the well patiently, holding his hand out to Kagome to join him. Reiha lay in his arms, her dark brown eyes watching her mother intently.
Closing her eyes, Kagome took Inuyasha's hand, and together they jumped into the well. When Kagome opened her eyes, she was staring at the ceiling of the well house at her family shrine. "It still works," she whispered to herself, bewildered.
Inuyasha smirked at his Mate's antics before leaping out of the well, waiting until Kagome had done the same before they started towards the house.
Asami sighed to herself, almost mechanically fixing dinner for her family and guests. Kagome's friends had paid a visit not an hour ago, and Asami had insisted they stayed for dinner. The girls accepted a bit hesitantly, not wanting to appear rude.
Kagome and Inuyasha had not come back through the well in months, and Asami had begun to worry that something serious had happened. At first the notion had seemed impossible. Kagome always came back, no matter what. But as the weeks passed, the more such thoughts began to make sense.
So when her daughter and son-in-law appeared at the kitchen door with two young babies in their arms, Asami had thought she was dreaming.
Kagome stepped into the kitchen and paused in front of her mother. Inuyasha hung back little ways, leaving room for Asami to greet her daughter.
"Kagome?" whispered Asami in disbelief.
"Sorry we were gone so long, Mama," Kagome replied sheepishly.
Asami hugged her daughter tightly, all her worries gone. Kagome freed one arm to hug her mother back before breaking away to look at Asami. "Would you like to meet your grandchildren?"
Asami smiled brightly before looking down at the pup in Kagome's arms. "Who is this?" she asked, happily taking the babe in her arms.
Kagome grinned before replying. "This is your grandson Kaemon."
"Kaemon. What a good name," she said quietly, mesmerized by the pup's white dog-ears. "So soft."
"Don't forget your granddaughter," Inuyasha interjected. "She'll start to complain if she isn't the center of attention."
"She gets it from her father," Kagome supplied, taking back Kaemon so her mother could hold Reiha.
Asami laughed when Inuyasha growled at Kagome. Kagome just shook her head and continued on the same vein. "You know it's true, Inuyasha. Don't pout."
"What is her name?" Asami interrupted before the couple could start another argument.
"Reiha," replied Inuyasha.
Asami nodded, enchanted with Reiha's dark brown eyes. "She's beautiful."
"Mom?" called Souta, walking into the kitchen. "Who are you talking to- Kagome!"
Kagome smiled at her brother's delighted squeal, ruffling his hair as she did so. "Did ya miss me twerp?"
Souta huffed before sticking his nose in the air. "Of course not."
Kagome rolled her eyes before kneeling down so that she could introduce Kaemon to his uncle. "Wow," Souta muttered, looking first at Kaemon then Reiha, before glancing up at Asami. "You won that bet."
"Bet?" repeated Inuyasha.
Souta nodded before explaining. "Mama and I made a bet. She said she would have grandchildren in less than a year, I said more than a year."
"Oh," replied Inuyasha, still confused.
Asami shook her head. "It doesn't matter. Would you like to join us for dinner? Kagome, your friends are here."
"T-they are?" Kagome said nervously.
"Why don't you go say hi?"
"Uh . . ."
Inuyasha sighed before pushing Kagome towards the door. "I'll put a concealing spell on us."
"Alright, I guess."
Yuka was the first to notice Kagome standing in the doorway. "Kagome- Chan!" squealed the schoolgirl, leaping to her feet and embracing her friend in a tight hug. "Oh, I missed you."
Kagome smiled when Yuka pulled back, only to be pulled into another strong hug by Ayame and Eri. "We've been so worry about you," said Eri when she released her.
"I've missed you guys too," Kagome replied, giving her friends a sincere smile.
"Whose this?" cooed Yuka, lighting touching Kaemon's hand.
"This is my son, Kaemon," Kagome said proudly. "And," Kagome turned around to where Inuyasha stood with the other pup. "My daughter Reiha."
"Wow," said Eri, "Twins."
"And they're so cute," added Ayame.
Asami entered a moment later with Souta close behind her, both holding everyone's dinner plates. After a few more delighted coos about the pups, everyone sat down and began to eat.
"How long will you be staying?" asked Asami after the schoolgirls had left and Inuyasha had gone upstairs to put the pups to bed.
"Two weeks," replied Kagome.
"Good."
Mother and daughter were silent for a moment before Asami spoke again. "Did everything turn out alright?"
Kagome thought about it for a moment before giving her mother a happy and content smile. "Everything worked out fine."
Miroku nodded his head in approval. Sango stood beside him, her arm wrapped around his waist and her head resting on his shoulder. "So what do you think?" she asked although she already knew the answer.
"It's perfect."
In just under two weeks, the village men had pulled together and built a six-bedroom house. And best of all, it was designed so that the house could easily add more rooms, which Miroku had no doubt they would soon need.
"I have something to tell you," Sango whispered, leaning up to look at the houshi.
"What is it?" Miroku asked curiously. Sango had been acting strange all day.
The Demon Exterminator smiled widely before answering. "I'm pregnant."
The first thing that registered on Miroku's face was shock, followed by glee and an amazing amount of happiness. "Am I dreaming?"
Sango laughed and shook her head at his antics. "It's real enough. Now why don't we finish some decorating before Kagome and Inuyasha return tomorrow."
Shippou was waiting for Inuyasha and Kagome when they returned. "Come on," he called excitedly, "We've got a surprise!"
"A surprise?" echoed Kagome.
"Hai! Come on! Miroku and Sango are waiting," Shippou shouted.
Inuyasha gave a light smile before following Shippou up the hill, Kagome beside him. He was not prepared, however, with the sight that awaited them. His mouth dropped open in shock.
Miroku and Sango laughed hysterically before welcoming their friends home. "So what do you think?" asked Sango, nudging a shocked Kagome.
"It's perfect," replied the miko.
"It is, isn't it?" agreed Miroku, obviously pleased with their reactions.
Inuyasha smiled before shaking his head to dispel his shock. "I never thought I'd see this day."
Miroku gave the hanyou a lopsided grin before speaking. "You know, I can say the same thing."
"What do you mean?" asked Kagome.
"Well, for one thing I never thought I'd see the day I didn't have to wear those blasted prayer things. For another, I never expected that the love of my life would bear my child. Now both of those have come true!"
"Sango-chan, you're pregnant?" Kagome asked.
Sango blushed, looking down at her feet before nodding. "Hai."
"That's Wonderful!"
Inuyasha entered the house slowly, admiring the woodwork and the structure before laying the pups in one of the rooms and returning to his friends. "So," he began, looking at them. "Is this the part where we live happily ever after?"
Kagome smiled, wrapping her arms around Inuyasha neck before giving him a light kiss and replying to his question. "Something like that, my Mate."
Machiko watched from a distance as Inuyasha and his Pack entered the house. "Happily ever after, hn?" The human smiled lightly before returning to the comfort of the forest.
Chiyo sat under an old tree, staring off into the distance. "Is it done?" she asked when Machiko returned.
"Hai. It's over."
The Ancient Hanyou nodded; staring down at her hands as a tingling sensation began to spread through her body. "Yes. Now it's time to sleep."
"Sleep?" replied Machiko.
"Hmm . . ." Chiyo closed her eyes and took a deep breath, exhaling slowly.
"Chiyo-sama?" Machiko repeated quietly. She kneeled down to hanyou, placing her hand on her pulse. She was dead.
Machiko sniffled and absently brushed away her tears. "Hai, Chiyo- sama. Time for you to sleep. Don't worry, I'll still be here when you wake up."
*The End* AN: That's the end of the first installment of To Bind a Soul. I'm debating a sequel, but won't attempt anything until I have completed the two other fanfics I'm working on.