A/N: Here it is the final chapter. I know it took longer than expected, but it was hard to make myself finish it and I'm a little sad to see this story end but now I can set my sights on Unfettered and I hope you all enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thank you to everyone who left a review and I hope you will all let me know what you think of it now that it's finished.

The poem at the beginning of this chapter is "Love" by Lady Izumi (born 970) translated by Hiroaki Sato

BTW There is a LEMON (heavily edited, full version on mediaminer) in this chapter. This chapter is much shorter for the edits so don't be surprised by its length.

There is no color

called love in this world,

yet how thoroughly it has dyed my heart

"You two go sit at the table while I go get papa, okay?" Kagome said.

"Okay, mama." The five year old twins responded as one, her son who looked so like his father, taking the hand of her dark haired little girl.

She smiled as they headed for the dining room. "And don't touch anything." She called after them. Kagome shifted the baby on her hip. He too was the miniature of his father from the tips of his furry ears to his tiny claws. "Let's go find papa..."

Her hanyou was standing on the back porch, the wind fanning his hair out to the side. He was looking toward the sky and trees that covered the most of the back yard. He didn't even notice as she came up beside him. His eyes were distant and she felt a twinge of sadness in her heart.

She had given up living in the city, and the closeness to her family, and agreed to building their house on this small tract of land. It had been gifted to them by Sesshomaru in the hopes that the more open space would help InuYasha feel at home, but sometimes in moments like these, when she found him staring off into the distance, she couldn't help but wonder if he was truly happy.

"Hey..." She said softly, putting a hand on his arm.

InuYasha blinked and looked at her. He smiled, but she couldn't tell if it was genuine or not before he took the baby from her arms, holding him up over his head and wiggling him slightly in the air. Her mate laughed along with their son and she knew that even if his smile had not been, his laughter was real.

"Hey pup. You being a good boy for your mama?" InuYasha asked, cuddling the little boy to his chest. The baby chewed on his fist and InuYasha directed his attention to his beautiful mate. "Did you need something, love?"

Kagome shook her head. "Only to tell you that dinner's ready, and you'd better hurry if you want any since I sent your son and daughter to the table already."

He nodded and she headed for the door. When she looked back she found her husband again staring out into their yard. "Are... Are you coming?"

InuYasha cocked his head to the side and studied her face for a moment. Something was bothering her. He left his place on the porch and paused at the door to place a kiss on her cheek. "Let's go eat."

Dinner was filled with talk and laughter, mostly that of the twins, who delighted in telling their father about their day. InuYasha was attentive, as he always was when it came to her and their children. He really was as amazing a father as she had known he would be. Kagome forced herself to put on a happy face and take part in this time they spent together as a family.

Kagome sang softly as she walked around the nursery, trying to put six month old Kenji to sleep, while InuYasha put Takara and InuTaro to bed. She was halted in her pacing as a familiar pair of arms wrapped around her from behind.

"The pup giving you trouble?" InuYasha asked as he nipped at her neck. "Here. Let me try."

He released her and Kagome placed their son in his arms. A soothing growl spilled from him and in no time at all Kenji was sleeping peacefully.

"I guess he just wanted his papa," Kagome said with a smile, watching as her mate placed the baby in his crib.

Her hanyou crossed over to her and again embraced her, one hand sliding down to cup her behind and the other behind her neck. He sucked gently on her ear lobe. "I think it's time I put you to bed too."

Kagome didn't protest as he lifted her from the floor and carried her into the their bedroom. He set her on her feet at the foot of the bed and removed his shirt. As he stepped forward he untied her robe and was surprised to find her wearing nothing underneath. A smirk formed on his lips.

"I'm waiting," she said quietly.

Needing no further encouragement InuYasha dropped his pants and lifted her off her feet. Her legs locked around his waist and on his knees he made his way up the bed. Falling forward InuYasha pinned her body to the bed with his own and his lips fell over hers roughly. She was still the most beautiful woman he had ever seen and the power she held over him had only grown over the years.

She was his mate, his heart and he knew her better than he knew himself. He had explored her thoroughly over their years together and knew exactly where to touch her to have her panting with desire and pleading for more. She shuddered beneath him as his mouth settled over the sensitive skin behind her right ear and he sucked and nipped gently.

As well as he knew her though, she knew him better. Her fingers played along the tips of his ears sliding down along the edge of each furry appendage and he groaned. His fangs scraped lightly along the side of her throat leaving light red marks behind, which he soothed with his tongue as he made his way down her body.

She grabbed for his hair and pulled him up to face her, kissing him deeply as he rubbed his length against her. "Make love to me now..."

They had learned together that there were many ways in which they could pleasure each other with their bodies. Sometimes their couplings were quick and hard, when they were driven as much by lust as by their love for one another, or when the pups were napping and time was short. They had shared angry sex, make up sex, and celebratory couplings as well as the slow and tender joining of a couple very much in love and wholly aware of just how precious a thing that was. Tonight InuYasha sensed that this way the type his mate needed from him.

There were no words spoken and none needed as they made love to each other. The room, while many times having been filled with loud cries of pleasure, was this time marked by soft moans and gentle kisses. They urged each other onward with sweet caresses meant to convey their love. InuYasha rested his head against his mate's shoulder as they both panted lightly and her soft hands rubbed his back.

After a long moment he lifted his head and brushed the sweat dampened strands of hair from her face. "I love you." He said quietly, placing a kiss first on her forehead and then on her lips.

"I love you too." Kagome whispered with a small upturn of her lips.

Her hanyou rolled off of her and pulled her into his arms, holding her against his chest as he smoothed her hair. For a long time they lay together simply enjoying this quiet time together.

"InuYasha, are you happy?" Kagome asked quietly, looking up at her hanyou.

He brushed a hair back from her face, raising himself onto his elbow, and gazed at her seriously. "You have to ask?"

"I guess not." She said with a ghost of a smile. "Do you think... Would you have done anything differently...?"

"There's a lot of shit I would have done different and most of it has to do with how I treated you before you were hurt." InuYasha answered honestly. "But when it comes to the way things have turned out with you, me and the pups, I wouldn't change a thing... Koibito, why are you asking this now?"

"No reason I guess. It's just sometimes, like tonight, you were looking out into the yard and I don't know... You were so far away." Kagome replied quietly. "I just always wanted you to be happy, even if it wasn't with me, and for a long time I was sure that it wouldn't be. I know I'm being silly. I know you love me and our children, but I also know it was hard for you to come here and leave your forest, and you did it for me... I was always too afraid to ask if you resented me or felt that I made you choose this time instead of your own-"

Kagome was cut off as InuYasha kissed her gently. "I did it for us and our pups and I would do it again without hesitating. It was hard at first, but I had you and that made it worth it, whatever it took. I love you Kagome, and my home is where you are, nothing else matters."