"Inuyasha! Come quick!"

The red clad hanyo was in front of her on the hut's little porch before she'd even finished calling him, wringing his hands in nervous agitation.

"What is it Sango? Is she alright? Is she hurt? What's wrong?"

Sango huffed and shook her head fondly, gesturing to the door and holding the matting aside.

"She's fine Inuyasha. You can go in and see them now."

He froze, staring at her sweet, soft smile and trying to process what he'd just heard.

She didn't look sad.

She didn't smell scared.

She'd said he could see them.

He bolted inside before Sango could say another word, the matting falling back in place with a clatter.

Sango chuckled and stepped off the platform to go meet her own husband who was keeping a certain little kit occupied a short walking distance away in a similar little hut.

"That monk better not have let those kids destroy my house while I was gone."

————

Inside the cozy little home, Inuyasha stared in wonder at the sight laid out before him in the center of the floor.

Kagome beckoned him closer and he came, but softly, slowly, scared to break the perfection of the dream this surely must be.

She would probably have to remind him again soon that this was really his life now.

"Look Inuyasha, look what we made."

He looked at her first, taking in her sweat slicked hair, rosy cheeks, and eyes sparkling with shed tears of joy and love and pain and exhaustion. Only when he'd assured himself of her health and safety did he look into the little face he'd been dreaming of for months. His breath caught in his throat and his eyes burned.

Perfect. Perfect.

"Do you want to hold her?"

"Her?"

"Yes. Your daughter."

She passed the tiny baby over, and Inuyasha held her carefully, frightfully, terrified at the sight of his claws so near to her soft, new skin. Kagome tutted in disapproval.

"She's not made of porcelain Inuyasha. You won't hurt her. Relax and enjoy her."

So he did.

Kagome leaned into his side and he carefully cradled his daughter- his daughter- to his chest and memorized each and every feature. Her little nose twitching, already looking for the scents of her prarents; her little mouth suckling on her own lip while she slept; her black curls still damp and stuck to her head; her ears... puppy ears, his ears folded down on top on her hair. They would open up over the next few weeks.

"She's perfect." He knew she could hear the tears in his voice but he didn't care.

"Hmmm." She hummed as exhaustion began to overtake her. "I want to name her after your mother."

And then the tears fell. He leaned over enough to press several kisses to Kagome's head, overcome with love and peace and gratitude, so completely bewildered at what he'd done to deserve any of this.

"Thank you Kagome. Thank you."

She breathed the steady, rhythmic breath of sleep and he simply cuddled them both close.

His wife.

His child.

His family.

Briefly he felt nervous at having to figure out how to keep a baby alive, but they would figure it out together.

He recalled the words he'd spoken to her in the cave those years ago, when they'd finally fully opened their hearts to each other. Before they'd continued on their hunt for the half spider. Before they'd adopted an orphaned Kitsune, or joined forces with a cursed monk or a broken taija all seeking the same end, the end of Naraku. They'd found that end, all of them, together. They'd all settled in Sango's old village, burying Naraku's victims and rebuilding a place where love and hope could flourish and thrive.

And they'd all done it together.

The words echoed again, the words that had been the beginning of all of this, the words that meant even more now than they had then...

Together.

That's what mattered.

That's where they belonged.

Together.

A.n. Its always so bittersweet to finish a fic. I'm excited to close this one out and dedicate more time to some of my new projects but I already miss having it be at the front of my mind. I want to thank each and every one of you who've been reading and commenting along, your support mean so very much! I'm not going anywhere though, I have many more stories planned so stick around! I'll see you in another fic. Au revior!