Chapter 16 - Going Home/Epilogue

Catherine had seen Tomoe and Hannya again the following morning.

"It's time for you to return to your time," Tomoe had said.

"Thank you, for all that you have done for us, and for them," Hannya added.

"Can we say goodbye?" Catherine asked.

"Hai," Tomoe replied with a smile.

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Catherine had told Michio and the children that they were going back home. Michio then told everyone at the dojo. They all gave each other hugs. Misao and Kaoru were crying.

"I'm so glad I got to meet all of you!! I'm going to miss you chibi-chan!" Misao wailed while hugging little Aoshi. Aoshi hugged her back, with tears of his own.

"I'm going to miss you too, Misao-san!"

Kenshin knelt down so he was level with Shinta. "I'm going to miss you little one. Take good care of your mother and sisters, okay?" Shinta nodded, then wrapped his arms around Kenshin's neck. "Arigatou for helping me and okaa-san." Kenshin hugged him back. "You're very welcome, little one."

Shinta let him go and ran to give Kaoru a big hug.

Little Aoshi ran up to Aoshi and raised his arms. Aoshi bent down and picked up the child. Little Aoshi then wrapped his arms around his neck. "Arigatou for helping me and otou-san find Shinta and okaa-san." "You're welcome, chibi-chan," Aoshi replied with a small smile. "I'm glad to have met you." Little Aoshi just hugged him tighter.

Aoshi then put little Aoshi down. He ran to his father and grabbed onto his father's right hand with his left and Shinta's hand with his right. Catherine held the twins and Michio had his left arm around her shoulders. "Arigatou, minna-san. For everything," Michio said. With that, a white light enveloped them, and they were gone.

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

The Shinmori family returned to the place where their journey had begun. Time didn't seem to have passed at all since they were gone. They still had a month left of vacation time, which they spent at the dojo. Before their trip back home, they all vowed to never tell anyone about their trip to the past.

And so the years went by, Shinta and Aoshi grew up and had families of their own. Both would tell their children the same bedtime story, of a family who went to visit the place of their ancestors, and ended up meeting their ancestors instead.

OWARI

....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

a/n My work is now complete! And there was much rejoicing throughtout the land....yay!