You'll Be In My Heart

Chapter 16: Epilogue: A Happily Ever After

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Author's Note: The last and final chapter. Wow. I thought it would take me so much longer to complete this story. But with all your encouragement I was able to keep going. Thanks guys! You are my inspiration! Lol.

Due to another snow day and winter break I was able to work on this chapter quite a bit. Though, if I have another snow day I will be making days up at the end of the year and I sure don't want that! Don't take away my freedom!!

We had a brown out today… only during last hour. The lights went out and the TV's didn't work. Of course it was too late to send us home early… sucks…but with the seven generators my school has some of the lights in the hallways were working. It was kinda odd. DARN! Couldn't finish watching Moby Dick.

Special Thanks To: Paprika012345, Karin Kinomoto, Taeniaea, juusan'ya, Catbuddy. And I can't forget anyone who has ever read this story. You may never know how much you truly mean to me.

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Ichiro's POV

Months have passed since my first real adventure. An adventure, in which, I intend never to forget. I have learned a lot and often find myself reflecting upon those dark times here and there. Sometimes I find myself wondering if they even happened when I think about how perfect things seem now. The way we are with one another… it's almost hard to believe Naraku had caused so much pain. But everyone and a while there is a small sign (My dad making a big deal about my mother wandering off alone… etc.) that seems to cement the fact that it did happen further into my mind.

This is an adventure I will be sure to pass along to my children just as my parents have done for me. My children will know of all I have done and all my family has done to assure they have a safe and bright future.

After we returned, surprisingly the villagers welcomed us warmly. Days later they held a festival in our tribute, honoring our safe return. The ceremony was quite festive and merry. I suspect it had something to do with the fact that without our presence here there was no one to protect them from rogue demons…. I noticed that many of the villagers seemed to be missing….

Still, since then the villagers have been exceptionally pleasant to us. Perhaps a change has taken place. Do they realize the error of their ways? I certainly hope so. At present I find the younger ones are more open minded than their elders. I understand it is a slow process and given time I'm sure there will come the day when we all can live together. I look forward to the day when humans and demons can live together in some kind of peace.

Minako comes home more often now but she still spends most of her time in the modern world. It seems whenever she comes home a certain wolf demon just happens to be nearby… I'll have to keep a watchful eye on him….

Sensing I have dallied enough I leave the Sacred God Tree and head for home. Just as the hut has come into sight I see that our guests have already arrived.

There is Amaya and Shippo and their pups. Amaya gave birth to twins several months ago. She birthed two healthy kitsune boys. Shippo really has his hands full with those two… Kouga and Ayame are here and Takuto is already on Minako's tail…. I better watch out for him… if he thinks he can get close to my sister without my wrath, the baka ookami has another thing coming!

Aunt Sango and Uncle Miroku are here as well, along with Katashi, Katana, and Kimiko. It has been so long since I have seen Kimiko. She is always away on far away demon exterminations that cause her to be absent from several weeks to months at a time. She is just like her mother was before her.

(A/N: For those of you who have forgotten these are Sango and Miroku's Children. Haha. They didn't make much of an appearance in the story. Katashi is a lecher just like his father and Katana and Kimiko are their daughters, Kimiko is the oldest of the three. It seems I kept with the 'K' names for them in this story. Lol. I introduced Katashi and Katana in one of the first few chapters… but Kimiko was just hardly mentioned. She didn't even have a name until this chapter!)

Uncle Sesshoumaru and Kagura have come as well. Over these last few months they have gotten considerably closer. I'm sure I will have a new aunt to welcome into the family soon.

Rin and Kohaku have come as well. Rin has moved to the Slayers village to be near Kohaku to be closer to him. Although, they visit Sesshoumaru often. After all without him Rin would not be alive right now.

"Ichiro! Where have you been? We've all be waiting for you!" Mother calls. "Get your butt over here before the food gets cold!"

I smile and head over to join our odd group. "I was just thinking and got carried away. I didn't realize the time." I chuckle lightly.

"Your mother was worried about you." Father says eyeing me sideways. As is his trademark, he crosses his arms.

"Sorry Dad. It won't do it again." I promise and head over the blanket set aside for the food and begin to help set things up.

Today is nothing but a family gathering my mother insisted upon having. She says she doesn't want any one to drift apart. She says it's important for us all to keep in touch and this is the only way to do it. Sometimes I don't understand her logic. But, whatever keeps her happy that's all I want.

Father is somewhat back to his old self. He has given mother some of her space back but under the circumstances he has returned to is ever protective self, rarely leaving her alone. He seems to think he needs to be near her every waking second and know exactly where she is and what she is doing. Surprisingly, Mother is taking this very well. She's trying not to get upset with him but there are moments when she can stand him no longer. Every so often I wonder how she was able to live with him for so long!

It is Minako's laughter that startles me from my thoughts. I look up and see her still with Takuto. Seems I might have to keep a more thorough eye on those two than I originally thought… At that moment Takuto looks up and catches my eyes. His laughter ends and he swallows slowly. Good. Be scared. Be very scared. Minako glares at me and I grin.

I mouth, 'I'm watching you.'

She growls disgusted, leading Takuto out of my sight.

"Time to eat!" Mother suddenly says, stopping me from chasing after my sister and stopping her from doing something stupid.

As I wait for my turn in to get my food Kimiko comes up from behind me. It has been forever since I have been able to talk to her. She has changed a lot in that time… I never realized just how pretty she really was.

"Hey." She says to me and I can feel my face turning a deep red. "How have you been?"

"Good." Smooth, Ichiro, smooth…

"I'm glad." She genuinely smiles. "I haven't been able to visit in a while. It's nice of your mother to do something like this."

"Yeah. She wants everyone to keep in touch."

"I think that's sweet of her."

"Yeah." I agree.

Once we have filled our plates we walk away together a little ways from everyone else for some privacy. I sit with my back leaned against a tree and she sits beside me.

"So, how have the demon slayings gone?" I ask just to make small talk.

Her blue eyes meet mine and I can feel my heart almost stopping. "Good. We just exterminated an awful badger demon that had possessed a headmaster's daughter last week."

"Wow. Was it hard?" I stare as the sun reflects off her ebony hair.

"A little. But I always like a challenged. Ya know, the feeling of excitement before you make the final blow, your adrenalin pumping…" The fire flashes from deep within her eyes and I suddenly have the urge to see her in action.

"Yeah, I think I know the feeling." I recall battling Naraku and remember the rush of adrenalin running through my veins.

She laughs at me then and I wonder why. Did I say something funny?

"What?"

"Your face just then. You are so cute!" She reaches to tweak the ears atop my head, ones that look exactly like my father's.

I roll my eyes and feign hurt.

"Awe, come on! Don't be like that! I was just teasing." She throws a vegetable at me to prove her point.

I turn farther away from her.

"Aren't you going to look at me? I said I was sorry. Sheesh. What is with these demons and being so touchy? Don't tell me I have to exterminate you too!"

Even I can't help but laugh at that last remark. "You? Exterminate me? Yeah, right!"

"I bet I could if I tried!" She retorts, desperate to justify yourself.

"Psh! Forget it! Like you even have a chance! I'd take you out before you even knew what hit you!"

"Alright! If that's how you wanna be! Then—"

But I don't get to finish the thought when I hear Minako singing off to the side from me, a little ways away. She strategically placed herself just out of my reach… little bitch…

"Kimiko and Ichiro sitting in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-G! First comes love, then comes marriage—"

I pick up the nearest rock and throw it at my annoying little sister. She moves out of the way just in time, much to my added anger. "Shut up!" I say in my most threatening voice.

"Revenge is a bitch, big brother. Get used to it." And she walks off leaving me wallow in my embarrassment.

"Sorry about that…" I can hardly stand to look at her again but when I do I find her smiling at me.

"What?" I ask, wondering what she could possibly be smiling about.

"Nothing. Your sister is just so adorable."

"Don't let her hear you say that…" I trail off.

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Ichiro's POV Cont

The conversation between my mother and Sango distracts me from my time with Kimiko. I look away and train my ears on the pair to better hear what they are saying.

"Kagome, are you expecting?" I hear Aunt Sango's almost shrill voice ask my mother from a few feet away.

The broadened grin on my mother's face gave it all away. With much enthusiasm she replied, "Yes. I'm about two months along now."

"That's such great news!" Sango hugs my mother and they both squeal in delight. "I'm so happy for you!"

Now that I look I can see the small signs. My mother's slightly bulging belly… and all the food she had eaten today. Demon pregnancies are a lot quicker than human ones.

"What is it?" Kimiko asks, noticing my distraction.

"It looks like I'm going to have a younger brother and sister." I reply, motioning to my mother and her mother. Both women seem to be laughing and giggling talking about what it will be like when it comes. Will it be a boy or a girl? Things like that. Things I really don't care much to hear about.

"What makes you say that?" She wonders.

"Demonic hearing." I tell her simply. "I can hear what they are saying from over here."

"Ohhhhhh. I forgot about that." Her cheeks turn a pale shade of pink that only enhances her beauty.

"Everyone!" Kouga's booming voice shouts, quieting all the chatter and drawing attention to himself. "I propose a toast." He raises his glass. "To Kagome and her family and the new pup on the way. May things continue as they are, and may we never have to worry about a danger such a Naraku again!"

"Amen!" Our voices chorus as we raise our glasses.

Ah, this is the life. I really couldn't be any luckier. Things couldn't have turned out any better than they have. I really am lucky to have a family as great as mine. And even luckier to have this beautiful woman sitting right beside me.

I couldn't have hoped for a better ending than this.

Whatever this new sibling may be (although I've got my fingers crossed for a baby brother) I will be sure to teach it all I know and to be there for it just as I was for my sister before it. The new pup will know all about my adventures and that of its parents. I'll be sure it knows how lucky it is to be here.

"To my new baby brother!" I raise my glass once more and everyone else follows. Everyone except Minako.

"Who says it's going to be a boy?" She wants to know. "For all we know it could be a beautiful baby girl. Just like yours truly."

"We'll just have to see now won't we?" I say semi-snidely.

"Yes, we will. But don't come crying to me when we welcome a new baby girl into the family."

I stick my tongue out at her as she walks away.

"Glad to see you and your sister are so close." Kimiko's musical laugher rings in my ears.

With my response we go into a long argument over what pests our younger siblings seem to be. Hours pass in what appears to be only minutes. With the coming of the night Kimiko and her family must head out to be home before daybreak.

As I watch her retreating form I know where I shall be spending most of my days this year. With a certain human, hoping to charm my way into her heart.

THE END.

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It only seemed right that because I began the story with Ichiro's POV, that I end it that way. I hope you all enjoyed it! I'm surprised it turned out as nice as it did. Gotta love those snow days and days off, right? Although I have been back to school for just over a week…

My lovely Gazette entertained me as I typed this. Great music, right therr… lol

In case anyone is interested, I have some ideas for future works. I don't know when they will be posted but keep your eyes open for them!

Thanks everyone for reading!! For the last time, please Read and Review!!

Your one and only,

Clouds of the Sky