Love Me As I Am
Chapter 70- Meet Me at the Goshinboku
"You…you're kidding me!" Sango exclaimed.
"But she wasn't due for another week or so right?" asked Miroku.
Kanaye, who was still exhausted from staying up the entire night before and into the morning, smiled tiredly and then nodded.
"She had told me she wanted me to be there. Just us. I really am sorry. I would have alerted you sooner but…well, you know Trinity."
Sango stood up and hugged her son-in-law tightly.
"Yes, of course I do. Congratulations Kanaye." She whispered, pressing her forehead to his.
"I'm so happy for you."
Miroku nodded in silent agreement.
"Oh yeah, have you alerted your parents yet? I…think they would be surprised."
"No, not yet." Kanaye replied.
"Well, you go over there and do that. We'll meet you over and your house. Miroku and I are very excited in seeing the baby of course. Aren't we, Miroku?"
"I'd rather be there than anywhere else in the world."
"Wait wait wait! I think I misunderstood you. Say that again?"
"Daaaaaaaaad…"
"Kagome! Come here!"
Kagome dried her hands off on the dish towel and set it down, walking into the other room.
"Hai?"
"Um…Kanaye? You tell her."
"Tell me what?"
"That I'm a father."
Kagome went instantly pale in shock.
"Oh Kanaye! Is it true?"
Kagome hugged her son and kissed him gently on the cheek with all the tenderness only a mother could possess.
"It seems like…only yesterday you were learning how to pick up Tetsusaiga and here it is…sixteen years later…and you're a father."
Inuyasha had a few burning questions to ask and so his curiosity came bursting out in one quick explosion.
"What gender?"
"Girl."
"Ears or no ears?"
"Furry ears. Just like yours and mine."
Kagome sent Inuyasha a sideways glance and he swore her saw a small smirk cross her face but it disappeared as fast and it had appeared.
"Eyes?" he persisted in asking.
"Trinity's."
"Hair?"
"A darker shade of silver."
Kagome took another short glance at Inuyasha and then all of a sudden they bolted out the door, leaving Kanaye standing alone in their living room.
"Well then…"
He felt a small hand tug on his arm as he looked down to see his littlest sister on the floor, looking up at him longingly with large eyes. Kanaye smiled and picked her up as she wrapped her small legs around his waste and smiled back.
"I love you big brother."
Kanaye butterfly kissed the little girl.
"I love you too you little rascal."
At the use of her pet name, Kuneau giggled and hugged him tighter around the neck.
"Can we see the baby?"
"I was just going to suggest the same thing." he said as he held her high and perched her on top of his shoulders.
She giggled and ducked under the doorframe as he walked out the door, Kanaye smiling to himself.
"Now this is what life's all about. If only everyone knew that. If only…it was always this easy."
Everyone had already gathered around Trinity and the baby by the time Kanaye and Kuneau reached the house.
Suki, Yasuo, and their entire family stood behind her. Sango and Miroku were beside her on the other side with Miyatsu nestled comfortably in Sango's arms. Kohaku had been fully re-introduced to the family earlier and now was kneeling on the floor. Kagome and Inuyasha stood by the wall and naturally, as soon as Kanaye had set her down, Kuneau went running and latched onto Inuyasha's leg affectionately, barely managing to reach his knee.
The most shocking thing, the thing that baffled everyone in attendance, was the fact that there were not only two newborns in the room, but that the number seemed to have doubled to four all of a sudden. To everyone's surprise, Sesshomaru and Rin had made an appearance. Having earlier been informed of the birth of Kanaye's daughter, Rin had decided it was the perfect opportunity to introduce her own children to the rest of Sesshomaru's family. Sesshomaru stood over in the farthest corner as everyone fawned over his two newest sons, obviously wanting no part of it. Meanwhile, Kunara was fitting in quite well with the other children. Because of her age she seemed to act as leader for the lot of them. She appeared to be a "child-magnet", as Kagome called it, noting how all the young ones flocked to her ready to play games.
The happy reunion was interrupted by a subtle clearing of the throat, courtesy of Inuyasha as he held one clawed hand in the air for only an instant and waited for silence.
"Up until now," he began, "A family reunion never meant much to me."
In his mind, visions of his father flooded his memory. Fighting, protecting, but never spending time with him. Pictures of his mother with her arms around him and whispering sweet words of wisdom and love to him appeared, and yet he never remembered her sharing with him the truth about the world and what it held within it. There were no memories of mother and father together. He knew their bond had existed and yet it wasn't evident to him. He had wished their lives hadn't ended so abruptly so that maybe he would have been able to grasp at least a little of a memory of their love for eachother.
His fights with Sesshomaru flooded his mind next. He saw himself fighting and yet completely ignorant to the reasons behind it. He wished he hadn't been so blind. They had been through so much together. Even if Sesshomaru was too stubborn to admit it.
"And now…two generations later…I see a cabin full of not only friends…but people who are now family, blood related or not."
Kagome touched Inuyasha's hand gently as it rested on her shoulder. She seemed to know that speaking like this was hard for him and so she continued.
"I see children of different backgrounds and blood." She noted, seeing Shippo and Karlie enter with their latest litter close at hand.
"And yet we are all able to live together as if evil didn't exist in the world." Inuyasha took over again.
"Ever since I was young, I had dreamed of a place like this. I wanted to believe that there existed…somewhere where I wouldn't have to fear for my life due to the blood my parents gave me. When I say this, I'm sure each and every one of you would agree with me that we want to protect the ones we love. Our children, their children. We never knew it. But it's all because of them. They're the ones that brought us together."
"Through hardships and sorrow even." threw in Kagome as Inuyasha nodded and set his head gently on top of hers.
"And I'd like to keep it that way." he responded, a note of finality in his voice.
Understandably, another bout of silence filled the room. Or, as much silence as four newborns, one human, and three mixed-blood toddlers, and countless kitsune pups could muster.
Although, it did lighten the mood.
Kagome watched Kuneau run off to play with the others and then she leaned into Inuyasha slightly once conversation had picked up again. Looking up at him, she smiled and he took her hand, leading her outside.
Slowly, Inuyasha took Kagome through the forest until they reached his favorite tree; the Goshinboku.
"Inu…"
Kagome was caught off guard (although she was quite happy to be) as Inuyasha covered her mouth with his, his fangs gently brushing against her lower lip. He held her face gently in his hands and she closed her eyes and encircled his waist with her arms, holding him closer to her.
As Inuyasha pulled away for a moment, Kagome touched the side of his face affectionately and in return he closed his mouth around her wrist and kissed it.
"I never realized…you felt so deeply about everyone. And I don't mean just me." She giggled. "I knew you always loved me. Just somehow, deep inside, I knew it."
"I didn't know either." Inuyasha whispered back in all honesty.
"I only felt it recently. It was like…receiving a kick in the stomach. Only…pain didn't follow. Instead, I felt…no…I feel…happy."
"I'm glad." Kagome responded, setting her index finger gently on his lips to stop him from kissing her, only for a moment.
"And more than anything…I'm glad to be with you. I'm glad I could be your wife, your mate. For all eternity."
Inuyasha half smiled.
"Even if I am a hanyou." He finished for her, repeating the words which she had spoken to him countless times before.
"I never understood you Kagome." He whispered again, now looking down at her as he gently pushed her down in to the grass.
Kagome ran her fingers over the inside of his ears and then down his neck and chest.
"And in saying that, you're completely correct. I love you, Inuyasha. Just the way you are. And that will never change."
"How can you say that?" Inuyasha wondered, a hint of curiosity in his voice.
"My feelings, I have discovered, are not like the phases of the moon. They don't change as often as the moon as we see it does."
Inuyasha seemed to be barely breathing, waiting for her to continue.
"But I suppose, you think it sounds silly." She laughed quietly.
"Not at all."
Inuyasha kissed the side of Kagome's neck as she tilted her head up and looked up through the branches of the tree; the sun's rays shining through and illuminating her face; creating a familiar warmth in her skin.
"Kagome?"
"Yes Inuyasha?"
"There's something I'd like you to know. Something…I've never really told you."
"I'm listening." She replied, not at all unkindly.
Inuyasha paused for a moment before continuing.
"I love you Kagome Higurashi. And more than that, I'll never let you go. Not even if that decision results in my own death. I'll stay with you until the very end."
"I'm…truly happy Inuyasha. You are my world as well. And I wouldn't want it any other way."
While enjoying each other's company they took the time to listen and admire the sounds of the forest. Animals roamed freely about the forests, not knowing anything of danger. The birds sang gaily their songs of the newly free and beautiful world.
And as the feudal fairy tale came to a close, alas, everyone did live happily ever after.
If there were typos in there still then sorry. The edit thing might have messed them up again. I had to upload it twice.
Anyway, on a more final note. I don't really know what to say about this story besides the fact that I enjoyed writing it. That's the end. I hope you really liked it (which I know most of you did thanks to your reviews) and I hope you'll continue to read (or start reading) some of my other fanfiction. My two most popular stories at the moment are my newest, an AU Inuyasha fanfic by the title of 'Le Livre d'Amour', (which I think fans of this story would really enjoy) and my Witch Hunter Robin one titled 'Blind Love'. Keeping with my theme they're both chock full of fluff and stuff for those of you hopeless romantics like me. Make sure you drop me a review if you decide to pursue reading them. I really appreciate all of my faithful readers and reviewers and I want to thank all of you (new people or old) for all of the wonderful feedback you've all been giving me. This story would not have lasted 70 chapters if it weren't for you so again I want to praise you all for that. Thank you SO much sticking with me through all of this and not hating me when I didn't update for months because of recent circumstances. (My dad leaving for Iraq on the 4th. He'll be back in October though ) I love you guys so much and I hope you'll continue to stick with me and maybe decide to read my others as well. So long and thanks again! I will now walk away. (whispering to self) I will not cry...goshdarnit. I will NOT cry.
oO-Miyu-Oo