Epilogue

130 Years Later

"Boys! Behave yourselves or I will send for your father! I won't tell you again!" Inuyasha watched three of his older boys teasing their eight younger brothers in the game they were playing. He sighed. Teenagers. The boys were all rambunctious, all except his thinker. He looked across the garden to find him just where he expect to, in the big willow with a book. But instead of reading he was looking down at his sisters. His eldest daughter was sitting with five of her younger sisters sitting in a ring around her, telling them, once again, the story of how she had helped their father wipe out a nest of snake demons. The younger girls loved the story. They idolized their big sister. She was as strong as her brothers and twice as fierce.

Inuyasha put his fists against his back and stretched. He hated being pregnant. Six months of constant back aches. A tug on his robe had him looking down. And all of his annoyance was gone. He picked up his baby, his youngest child. She was the only one of his 19 children to be born alone. At 10 years old, she was the size of a human two year old.

"I'm hungry, mommy." She put her legs around him and sat on top of his swollen belly. She stuck her thumb in her mouth and Inuyasha was reminded, yet again, of why he loved being pregnant. His children were his life. He could endure the pain because the end result was these precious little lives.

"It's not time for lunch yet, baby. Why don't you go sit with your sisters?"

She blinked large gold eyes at him and took her thumb out of her mouth. "'K."

Inuyasha put her down and watched her run to her sisters, her pink kimono flapping. She climbed into her big sisters lap and put her thumb back into her mouth. Inuyasha sighed and smiled, rubbing his back again.

Strong arms snaked around him. "Everyone all in the same place at the same time? That doesn't happen often."

"I told them I wanted to spend the day with all of them together before the new ones are born and I don't see them for a while." He put a hand to a kicking baby.

Sesshomaru moved his hands over his mate's enormous belly, glad for the millionth time that he had two arms again. "How many do you think this time?"

"I'm bigger than I was with the first time. So we'll see." He smiled as Sesshomaru started playing with one of the babies. That one liked to play push and shove with its daddy.

"Mmm. About the same I think." He used his other hand to rub Inuyasha's lower back, making him groan. "Let's see. We have four sons and a daughter that are 130 years old. Three sons that are 100. One son and three daughters that are 80. Two daughters that are 40. Four sons that are 30. And then our baby. Our little 10 year old angel. 12 sons and seven daughters." He kissed the side of Inuyasha's neck. "Never in my wildest dreams did I think we would have so many. Who do you think will win the bet? Are there more boys or more girls in here?"

"We aren't nearly done. There are at least four in me now. And we are still young. We will have many more children." He smiled as he watched the boys get rough with each other again.

Sesshomaru laughed. "Just how long do you want to keep having them?"

"You're the one that can't keep your hands off me when I'm in heat. We're just lucky I haven't gotten pregnant every time. Could you imagine how many we would have if this was my 14th pregnancy?"

"We would need a bigger castle. You tend towards giving birth to whole litters."

"We will probably need a bigger one someday anyways. I plan on letting you get me pregnant until the day I die. I love our children." He hissed and bent forward.

"Where did you get kicked this time?" Sesshomaru rubbed his back comfortingly.

Inuyasha shook his head. "Contraction."

Sesshomaru frowned. "How long have you been having them?"

"Couple hours."

"Damn it, Inuyasha." He whistled sharply and their five oldest children were by his side almost instantly. "Take care of the little ones. It's time to add some more to our brood." The children nodded and he swept Inuyasha into his arms. "You need to be in bed."

"I wanted to spend time with them." He groaned as another contraction started.

"Inuyasha, they are your children, you can spend time with them anytime you wish. You know that your labor goes faster the more little ones you are carrying." He pushed open their bedroom door and shouted for a guard to fetch Sora.

"I know. I was in labor for almost a full day with baby." He moaned in pain and curled around his belly when Sesshomaru laid him on the bed. "I waited too long. The first ones coming. Now, Sess."

Sesshomaru ripped Inuyasha's robe off and picked up one of his legs, pressing it to his chest to spread his legs so he could give birth in his preferred position, on his side. "Push, love. I'm right here." No sooner had he said it then a head was in his hands. Inuyasha was now a pro at having babies. "That's it. A little more."

Inuyasha screamed as he pushed again and felt the baby leave his body. "Oh, Kami. I always forget how much this fucking hurts."

Sesshomaru turned when the door opened and closed. Sora walked to him with a large bowl of steaming water. "You're late. It's already started." He couldn't help but laugh. Trust Inuyasha to stir things up. "If you had waited any longer, you would have just had our 13th son squatting on the garden lawns."

Inuyasha nodded to let Sesshomaru know he heard. He was already contracting again. "We aren't done yet."

"I know." Sesshomaru cut the cord with the knife Sora handed him and passed the baby to the servant, who wrapped the squalling boy in a blanket and set him on the featherbed set against the wall that Sesshomaru had made up to put the babies as they were born. "He looks like father."

Inuyasha moaned in pain and started to pant as another contraction ate through him. "Sesshomaru, would you shut up!"

Chuckling, Sesshomaru rubbed Inuyasha's back. "Are you comfortable?"

"I'm being ripped open. Fuck no, I'm not comfortable." The contraction eased, and another started right away. "I need to push."

"Do what you need to do. I'm right here." He watched another head make its way out of his mate and keep going. "Another boy." He laughed and cut the cord. "So far, our sons are winning the bet."

"Not nearly done." He whimpered in pain and pushed a hand into his belly, trying to ease the pain. "I need to move."

"How do you want to be? Do you want to squat?" Inuyasha nodded quickly as the pain kept going. Sesshomaru put his leg down and slowly helped him ease off the bed and into a squatting position. It was his second favorite position to give birth in. He often switched between the two during long births. "There we go." In this position he could rub Inuyasha's back more easily. "Do your thing, love."

"Not yet." He moaned and rocked on his toes. This position wasn't as comfortable as being on his side, but sometimes his instincts told him that he needed to be squatting to get things moving. He had tried to ignore the instinct before because he hated giving birth while squatting. It was such an embarrassing position.

He had ignored the instinct during his second pregnancy and had spent 8 hours trying to get the last baby out of him. He had finally given in and got into the squat and had had the third and final baby of that pregnancy within two minutes. The baby had been born blue and Inuyasha's soul had ripped apart believing that it was dead. But Sesshomaru hadn't given up on it. He had rubbed the tiny boy vigorously and after a heartrending 2 minutes the baby had started to cry. But being through such a difficult birth and being born blue had taken its effect on the boy. He wasn't as fast as his brothers, physically or mentally. But Sesshomaru was extremely protective of his miracle baby. The other boys knew not to pick on him for being a little slower or they would be in for a world of hurt.

Inuyasha cried out and clung to the bed. "It's coming."

Sesshomaru moved his hands so that he could catch the baby as it was born. This one started screaming before it was even halfway out. "We've got another feisty girl!"

Inuyasha laughed softly. "All of our girls are feisty."

"Except baby."

"Even her. You should have seen her yesterday. The little boys were playing with a kite and wouldn't let her play. Before I could tell them to share, she walked up and kicked all four of them in the shin and just took it." He laughed and the laugh turned into a groan as he pushed again.

Sesshomaru was laughing as he caught his 9th daughter. "Another girl. May she be as feisty as her sisters!"

Inuyasha laughed through the continuing contractions. "I need to move again."

"How do you want to be, love?" Sesshomaru helped Inuyasha stand.

"I need to walk." He leaned on Sesshomaru and moaned through the contractions as he very slowly walked. "How many was that?"

"Four, love. Two boys and two girls."

Inuyasha groaned. "Not done yet."

"I know." He walked backwards across the room and back for the next hour. "How are you doing?"

Inuyasha shook his head. "It's not coming yet." He stopped and leaned against Sesshomaru as he probed his belly with his hands. It had shrunk considerably. "There's more than one left."

Sesshomaru smiled. "I know, love." He started moving again. "Just tell me when you need to stop."

Inuyasha moaned long and low and slid down into a squat again, leaning on Sesshomaru. He tried to push but nothing happened. "It's not coming."

"What do you need me to do?"

"Help me to the bed." Sesshomaru did just that and he laid down on his back. "I think the baby is laying sideways."

Sora approached the bed. "May I, my Lord?" At Inuyasha's nod, he felt around the lower part of Inuyasha's belly. "You're right. Do you wish to wait, or do you want to try to turn it?"

Inuyasha shook his head. "I'll wait a while. It hasn't been that long."

Sora gave him a nod. "You should keep walking. It encourages the little ones to move."

Sesshomaru helped Inuyasha to his feet again. "Are you sure you don't want to turn it? Things would move faster."

"I don't like help."

"Alright. I'll leave it be for now. But don't let what happened with the twins happen again."

Inuyasha nodded. "I won't let it go that long. Let me know if another hour passes." He hated needing help. The twins, his fourth pregnancy, had been another difficult birth, though for different reasons. After the first baby girl was born, the second had turned sideways. He had labored and walked and tried stretching and moving in different ways for four hours before he finally gave in and allowed Sora to turn the baby. It had been pain beyond imagining.

Sesshomaru kept Inuyasha moving. "He hated seeing him in pain. But they both loved the end result of the pregnancies. "Keep breathing." Another hour passed and he stopped them by the bed. "It's been an hour, love."

Inuyasha shook his head. "Just a bit longer. I can feel it moving."

"Alright. I'll give it another half hour."

It didn't take another 5 minutes before Inuyasha dropped into a squat again. "Now." He strained and bared down.

"And the girls take the lead." He passed the baby to Sora and turned his full attention back to his mate. He was squatting in the middle of the room. "Can you move to the bed?"

Inuyasha nodded. "I want to lay down."

Sesshomaru got him settled onto his side again, with his knee against his chest. "Almost there, love. One more."

"One more." Inuyasha closed his eyes and tried to focus past the pain. He could feel the baby moving into position. It was low in his pelvis. But not ready yet. "Rub my back."

Sesshomaru complied. "Almost there. And then you can see what we've made this time."

Inuyasha smiled. "I love seeing their faces for the first time."

"As do I. And I'm lucky enough to see them as soon as they leave your womb." He rubbed more firmly as Inuyasha continued to moan in pain.

"It's worth the pain. No matter how much pain I'm in. They are worth the pain." Inuyasha said it like a mantra.

"I wish I could share it with you so this would be easier on you. I hate seeing you in pain." Inuyasha whimpered gave a small push. "Just think of every time you have seen a little face for the first time." Inuyasha strained again. "See their sweet faces while they nurse at your breast." A stronger push. "Picture our children all playing together in the garden, happy and healthy." Inuyasha bared down again. The last one always took the longest to get out. "I can see the head. Just a little more." Inuyasha pushed again and he was holding their 15th son. He laughed as he passed it to Sora. "It's a tie, love. 3 boys and 3 girls."

"The children will find that amusing." He sighed in relief as his body relaxed. His eyes grew heavy. "I'm so tired."

Sesshomaru rubbed Inuyasha's belly, working the after births free. "Just a little more. We need to get rid of the waste."

"I know. I'm just so tired."

"Six this time, love. We have 25 children. 25 beautiful, healthy children."

"You're never getting me pregnant again."

Sesshomaru chuckled and continued to massage his mate's greatly deflated belly. "You will be saying different in two days. You will be telling me that you can't wait until next time."

Inuyasha smiled. "I know. I love when you get me pregnant."

"Do you want to see them now or wait until you have had some rest?"

"You know I want them now." He pressed a hand to his chest. "I'm already leaking. I need to feed them.

"Sora has almost finished bathing them. As soon as the afterbirth has passed you can feed them."

Inuyasha nodded. He was starting to cramp again. "Soon. The pains are starting again."

"Good. The sooner it comes, the sooner you can meet the six new joys in our lives."

Inuyasha closed his eyes. The contractions were getting stronger. Too strong. "This doesn't feel right, Sess."

Sesshomaru turned from looking at the babies. "What?"

He cried out and pressed his hands to his stomach. Something was moving through his pelvis. He laughed.

"Inuyasha, what's happening?"

"It seems we have a late arrival." He groaned as the overwhelming need to push came again.

"Kami." He lifted Inuyasha's leg again.

"Here comes the tie breaker!" Inuyasha laughed as he pushed, making for a very odd delivery.

Sesshomaru couldn't help laughing as well. He put his hand to the very small head being pushed out. "Push, love." Inuyasha pushed again and he cradled their 11th daughter. "It's a girl." He cut the cord and carried her to where Inuyasha could see her.

"Oh. She's so tiny." He touched her wet head. "But Kami, the lungs on her." She was louder than her brothers and sisters. She shrieked like a banshee until Inuyasha rolled onto his back and took her to cradle against his breast. She latched on right away. "She is so small. Are they all this small?"

Sesshomaru shook his head. "Not nearly. She seems to be the runt of the litter."

Inuyasha looked her over while she nursed. "Is she alright? Is she healthy?" She seemed to have all of her fingers and toes.

"She's fine, Inuyasha. She is healthy and strong. Just small." He moved to rub Inuyasha belly again. Inuyasha gave a pained grunt and a large mass of tangled afterbirth left his body. Sesshomaru passed the mass to Sora so that he could count them and be sure everything was out.

"She's the smallest we've ever had." Inuyasha couldn't take his eyes off of her. He used a piece of his ruined robe to wipe her face clean. She had just a crescent moon on her forehead in a pale, silvery blue. "She looks like her big sister. I hope that doesn't mean that she is going to be daddy's hunting buddy as well."

"She will be who and what she is meant to be." Sesshomaru massaged Inuyasha's womb more firmly. "How are you feeling?"

"Empty. And that hurts." He shifted uncomfortably.

"We need to make sure everything is out."

"I have seven here, Master." Sora wrapped up the afterbirths and put them into a basket. He carried it to the door and passed it to a servant waiting outside.

Sesshomaru stopped the massage. "Ready to meet your litter?"

Inuyasha's eyes opened again. The little girl had fallen asleep. He passed her to Sora to be cleaned up. "Bring them to me."

xxxoooxxxooo

"Father!"

Sesshomaru stopped walking and waited for his first born to catch up to him. "Where is everyone?"

"Still in the garden. We've been waiting." The boy rocked on his heels. He had a wide grin on his face. "So?"

Sesshomaru clapped the boy on the shoulder. "Come on. I will tell everyone at once." A dozen voices all started talking at once as he walked back into the garden. He held up a hand and they silenced.

"How's mother?"

Sesshomaru nodded to his eldest daughter. "Your mother is resting comfortably.""

"Did everything go alright? No problems?"

Sesshomaru smiled. She may have been his fierce, strong girl, but she was also one of the most caring and selfless of his children. "There were no complications. The birth went smoothly."

"Who wins the bet? Boys or girls?" His first born was standing with his baby sister in his arms. She wasn't quite old enough to really understand what was going on.

Sesshomaru smirked. He was going to have a little fun with them. "We had a tie. Three boys and three girls." There was a collective groan among the older children. They had been placing bets back and forth for weeks, making the payoff pool into something truly amazing. There were clothes and weapons and toys and candy and slips of paper promising different tasks. Each group had been looking forward to someone winning.

"Are you serious, father? A tie?"

Sesshomaru sighed and shrugged. "I said we had a tie." When he received serious looks he continued. "We thought everything was done and finished. And then we had a very special surprise." More curious looks, a few smiles from the older children who understood.

"A boy or a girl, father." Their thinker was grinning. He appreciated a good joke.

"A very tiny, healthy little runt of a baby girl."

A cheer went up among the girls. The twins dances in a circle singing "We won, we won."

"Yes, yes. Congratulation, girls. Boy's, you honor your bets." When he got nods from the boys, he continued. "This is the largest litter your mother has had. He is very tired. You older ones know the rules. You leave your mother alone until he is ready to have you visit. Help the nannies take care of the little ones. Especially baby. She won't understand why she can't see mommy." He bent to pick up the little girl when she held up her arms to him. She gave him a kiss and laid her head on his shoulder, her thumb in her mouth. "I expect all of you to be on your best behavior."

"I'll take care of baby, father." His first born took the little girl back and she turned to fall asleep on his shoulder.

"Thank you. Let her sleep with you. She isn't old enough to sleep alone." He got a proud, determined nod. He could always count on the boy to step up.

Sesshomaru looked around at his children. The sea of snow white hair. The scattering of crescent's. The vivid cheek markings. He saw Inuyasha's eyes in so many faces, his own in others. His chin, Inuyasha's nose, his cheekbones, Inuyasha's mouth. Every one of them so beautiful. And so different. That son loved hunting bugs. That daughter loved flowers. That son was an excellent swordsman. That daughter could give her older brothers a run with her skills with daggers. He knew each of their personalities. He what made each of them happy and what made them angry. He knew their favorite foods and their favorite colors. He knew that that son loved nothing more than a nice long horse ride. And that that daughter loved to sew.

They were his children. His blood. His legacy. He couldn't wait to learn everything about their new additions and about every child yet to come. He looked forward to seeing the men and women that they would become. And he even looked forward to seeing his children's children when the time came that they chose to take mates. He really didn't care anymore about how strong his bloodline had become. Because Inuyasha and the children gave him something that he never thought he could possess. True happiness.

xxxoooxxxoooxxx

Wow. I've never written a story this long this fast and actually have it finished! I wrote this is five days. It just kept coming. I love this ending. It was so fun to write. I hope everyone enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. For those that dont know, this is the second InuxSess story I have written. I started this one the same day I finished the other one...which is 50 chapters long! So if you like the OTP and havent read the other one, Burning, go check it out.