Final Chapter ^^

hope you guys enjoy!

"Alright Akihiko, which one next?"

The small half-demon looked up at the tree, the small red ball in his hand as he turned it around, his father standing beside him and his mother resting her head in her hand as she smiled at the two of them.

"How about up there," Rin pointed to the middle of the tree closer to the top, the boy looking over before he grinned.

"Yeah! Can I daddy?"

"Alright," Sesshomaru smiled, bending down to pick up his son, "up you go."

The young woman laughed as the boy giggled and hung the red ball on the branch, the evergreen already covered in ornaments and lights the entire effect far more festive than any previous Christmases any of them had had, lighting and filling all of their hearts. For the last two years, Akihiko had gotten too heavy for Rin to lift him constantly to get the top branches of the Christmas tree, but she always made sure he felt included; seeing Sesshomaru lift his son up to the upper branches made her feel whole.

"What do you think mommy?" the child asked as his father pulled the boy into his chest, Rin smiling wider.

"It looks beautiful," Rin sighed, "you did a beautiful job honey."

"We all did!" the boy exclaimed, his father chuckling at the excitement in his son.

"That's true," Sesshomaru agreed, looking from Akihiko to Rin, "we all helped."

"Here sweetie," Rin handed a box to her small child, "some tinsel for the tree."

The little boy ran to her as he took the box from her hand, his feet pattering on the floor back to his father who hoisted him up so the child could spread the silver strands, Akihiko growing bored swiftly and beginning to make a game out of it, his fist reaching back to throw the decorations onto the tree, some of the strands landing on his father's head, Rin laughing at the antics.

"Sorry daddy," the boy giggled as he turned to look at his father, the demon shaking some of the tinsel loose as best he could.

"It's alright Akihiko," his father smiled at the child while his mother continued to laugh.

"I honestly don't see a difference," she laughed, the boy giggling harder at her comment while Sesshomaru teasingly glared at her.

Without a word, Sesshomaru set their son down on the wooden floor, Rin looking at him in confusion before he advanced on her and grabbed her around the waist, the young woman practically squealing as he began to tickle her, her eyes squeezed shut as she began to giggle and laugh.

"Se-Sesshomaru," she laughed, "c-cut it out!"

"Apologize first," he growled teasingly in her ear.

"A-Akihiko!" Rin called to her son, "help mommy!"

The boy fake-growled as he ran at the two of them, his own laughter mixed in with theirs as his father relinquished his attacks on his mother, the demon's attention to his child as was Rin's, her arms snaking around the lithe torso to hold him to her chest, the demon towering above her and their son, his smile unmoveable as he looked down at the two of them.

"Did I help you mommy?" the boy giggled, as he looked up at his mother, the young woman smiling down at him.

"Yes you did," she grinned before looking up at Sesshomaru, her hand reaching up to remove the silver stands from the demon's own, a deep chuckle rumbling in his throat before he leaned down to kiss her on her lips chastely before his kissed his son's forehead gently, the boy flicking his ears at the contact.

"So Akihiko," Sesshomaru asked, pulling him and his mother to a seated position, "are you sure there isn't anything else you want for Christmas?"

"Mmm," the boy mumbled, his finger to his lips before he shook his head, "Uh-Uh, nope!"

"Why not?" Rin asked kindly, the boy snuggled warmly in her arms, the demon reaching around them to grab the green blanket and wrap it around them.

"Cause," the boy explained, "I have what I want."

"Which is?"

Amber eyes looked from his mother to his father, "my mommy and my daddy, together, with me."

Both parents looked at each other before back to their son, the two of them smiling down at him.

"Well," Sesshomaru murmured, his son's hair ruffled, "we have you to thank for that."

The boy giggled at the demon's kind words, his head leaning into the large hand, his amber eyes looking around the room before he broke out into a large grin.

"Okay then," he looked up at them, "then for Christmas, I want a little brother!"

His parents seemed to freeze at his words, their eyes wide in surprise at his statement, the boy looking between the two eagerly.

"W-Well sweetie," Rin stammered, looking from Sesshomaru to Akihiko, "can mommy and daddy… talk about that first before we think about that?"

"But," the boy continued, "you didn't get married when you had me, why can't this be the same?"

"Because-"

"Because this time things are different," Sesshomaru interrupted softly, "and because we both want to be ready when something like that happens."

"Will it?"

"Well," Rin told him softly, "I don't know," her brown eyes met Sesshomaru's, "I would like it."

"As would I," the demon agreed quietly, smiling at the both of them.

"So, when it does happen," the boy pressed, "it'll be a brother right?"

"If it does," his father pressed, "we wouldn't know."

"Why not?"

"Well-"

"That conversation we'll save until later," Rin interrupted the two of them, Sesshomaru smirking slightly while their son pouted.

"So…" the child mumbled, "does this mean that I have to go to bed now, because this is an adult's conversation?"

"Well I was going to ask you if you wanted to watch a Christmas movie with daddy and me," Rin simpered as she looked at her son teasingly, "but if you want to go to bed…"

"No!" the suddenly energetic child bounced, "I wanna watch! I wanna watch!"

"Okay," Rin smiled, "you go pick a movie out of the box and I'll go make some popcorn for all of us."

"Kay!"

Sesshomaru smiled as his boy bounced over to the box of Christmas movies, the demon murmured that he be a minute to his son, his feet following his fiancée to the kitchen of her house, the two having opting for building a house of their own from the ground up, their little boy incredibly excited and thoroughly enjoyed playing at the construction site. Until the house was finished, Sesshomaru chose to remain with his small family in her house, much to his son's happiness.

"So," the demon asked quietly, the young woman throwing the popcorn into the microwave, "do you really want more children?"

"Of course," Rin told him smiling softly, slight worry in her eyes, "don't you."

"The child will be a unity of you and me," Sesshomaru told her quietly, "it would be loved as Akihiko is. Of course I would love to have another child with you."

The deep brown eyes felt tears slip into her eyes as she smiled at him, the demon feeling his heart lifted at the sight, his arms coming to wrap themselves around her, her dark locks falling onto his chest while his lips pressed to her crown tenderly.

"Mommy? Daddy?"

The two looked from each other to see their child, the boy holding Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas in his hands, his eyes looking up at them in slight curiosity and worry.

"What is it sweetie?" Rin asked softly, the bag of popcorn taken out of the microwave by his father, his mother watching as the little boy ran towards her, his arms outstretched as he hugged her, his mother slightly confused at his actions. "Where did this come from?"

"Cause I love you" the boy mumbled as the demon turned towards the two, Rin bending down to pick her own child and lift him up, "I love you and daddy so much I don't wanna lose both of you."

"You won't."

The deep timbre caught both of them by surprise, a gentle hand on the small back while amber eyes looked at the both of them.

"Your mother and I love you, so much," the demon told the child, "and we will never abandon you, just like I promised you."

"Yeah, I know," Akihiko murmured, "but, still…."

"We're all still working this out," his mother told him softly looking up at her fiancé, "but you'll be the first to know when we do."

"And if I find out first?"

"Then you tell us," Sesshomaru told his son smiling, his head nodding towards the movie, "shall we watch the movie before the popcorn gets cold?"

The little boy nodded as the three of them moved towards the hallway, the child passed off to the father while she took the bowl in her hands, the small family settling on couch with the boy in his father's lap and his mother sitting close beside them.

"Remind me," Rin nudged the demon, "Kagome said she wanted to have tea with me this coming Saturday, I need to call her back."

Sesshomaru pressed his lips to her black locks, nodding gently before he turned his attention to their son, the little boy having already put the DVD in the player before he returned to his parents, his hand pulling a blanket over his parent's legs and his body.

While Akihiko was at first nervous that his father might up and leave him in the middle of the night, his fears were sated after about a month and a half of having the demon live with him and his mother, Rin's own reservations ebbing away even further after their first night together. She hardly paid attention to the movie as she was torn between rubbing her thumb over Akihiko's left arm and feeling Sesshomaru's fingertips over the tops of her arms.

Akihiko was now enrolled in a kindergarten and, because of his happier disposition, as making more friends and was excelling, even in languages and reading which he used to hate. Though Rin made it clear to Sesshomaru, it wasn't his money she wanted, she had to admit it made her life a little easier not having to worry about how she could afford the schools Akihiko should go to and she was thankful that the demon did not spoil her son rotten with toys and games

The movie was only a half hour at most, but it appeared to be a half hour Akihiko couldn't take, mumbling tiredly that he wasn't sleepy aft the film had ended, protesting weakly all the while his father carried him to bed.

"You had a busy day," Rin murmured gently as she tucked him in, "running round like that in the foundation."

"But it's fun," the boy complained, groaning as he was gently kissed on the cheek by his mother.

"Goodnight goofball," the young mother told him, rubbing his back before she slipped out of the room, Sesshomaru following after her momentarily.

"He's just a kid," Sesshomaru murmured softly as he slipped underneath the covers next to her, his own body stripped of his clothes and in his sleepwear as hers was.

"I know that, but he really wants to give me a heart attack every time he runs around," Rin sighed, "you'd think a boy who recently broke his arm would be more careful."

"Key word, boy," Sesshomaru murmured as he slipped under the duvet with her, "we're stupid like that."

"So I've learned," she murmured softly, her brown eyes meeting his amber before she lifted her lips to meet his, his arms slipping around the middle of her waist to pull her body close to his, her breasts pressed to his chest.

Intimate moments shared between them were nothing brought her nothing but pleasure now; no more remorseful thoughts, no more anxiety that he might leave again in the morning. And, although she felt they were returning to what they once were, a small part of her kept the last five years in the back of her mind, reminding herself about how easily it was for him to destroy her if she gave him all she was.

His fingers raked through her hair as hers gently ran across his biceps, their actions slipping back into their devious nature.

"Daddy?"

The knock was timid, Akihiko knowing that he wasn't allowed to be up as late as he was.

"Rin," the demon whispered, his fingers running over her slim sides, "your son is calling for you."

"Sesshomaru…"

"Hm?"

Her chest swelled as she inhaled deeply, her lips running over his.

"When you go get your son, could you get out of the duvet quickly? It's cold."

The demon sighed deeply, his amber eyes unamused while Rin giggled.

"Nice try," she murmured, "but I heard him call for his 'daddy'."

"Fine," Sesshomaru muttered as he slipped out from under the covers, his body covered in his own navy robe. Moving slowly from the bed, his amber eyes flickering from her form curled up under the covers before a smirk crossed his face.

"SESSHOMARU!"

His body was swift as he slipped from the room after grabbing and pulling off the covers, exposing her body to the cool air and electing a squeal from her.

"What did you want Akihiko?" the demon whispered as he bent down to scoop up the tired boy, his son looking nervous at being up after being put to bed.

"You said you wanted… me to hold onto-"

"I did," his father gently interrupted, "thank you for not telling your mother and for holding on to it for me."

"Yeah," the ears flatted on his skull, "it's nothing bad right? It's not gonna hurt her?"

"I promised you didn't I?" the demon told him, Akihiko returned to his bed, his body tucked under the sheets, the long fingers reaching into the boy's nightstand to his special box for one of his own. "This won't hurt your mother," Sesshomaru repeated, his lips pressing to his child's forehead, "now stay in bed, alright?"

"Kay…" his son nodded, his covers to his chin before the door shut softly behind his father.

The demon felt something hammer harshly in his chest, him becoming aware of how nervous he was, a new feeling for him, something entirely foreign to him, even after all this.

"You're lucky I'm letting you sleep in here," Rin groaned, her body still under the covers, her back turned to his side of the bed.

Sesshomaru loved her dearly, he had always and would always, especially since he discovered she had given him her son, a boy that was someone any father would be proud to call his child.

"Rin?"

Turning over, Rin's eyes grew exponentially as they landed on the black velvet box in his hand. Slowly, using her fingers, she pulled open the case to reveal a beautiful ring, the band platinum while the four purple amethysts surrounded the center diamond live waves, the rocks far from bulky as they seemed to emanate from ring itself. Shocked, the young woman's delicate hand covered her mouth as she tried to remember how to breathe.

"Rin," the demon started, her attention brought back to him, "marry me?"

Everything came back to her, her first love, his betrayal, how he came back to her, with her son.

Their son.

"Sesshomaru," Rin whispered, "of course I will."

It took a moment before the words cemented themselves in the demon's heart, Rin's arms throwing around his shoulders almost shocking him out of his state, tears in her eyes and a smile that mirrored his was on her lips. Neither one cared as they crashed to the floor, arms around each other.

"Sesshomaru…" Rin whispered, "I'd be honoured to be your wife."

"YAY!"

Both parents, even the demon with his impeccable hearing, turned in surprise to the door, Akihiko realizing his mistake almost too late; the gasp of "oops" shocking him too.

"Akihiko," Sesshomaru murmured as he picked himself up off the floor and opened the door to the crouching child, "aren't you supposed to be in bed?"

"But you and mommy are getting married!" his son announced, bouncing as though he won't sleep for another hour or so, which his parents suspected he wouldn't. "You'regettingmarriedyou'regettingmarriedyou'regettingmarried!"

"Yes yes Akihiko," Rin told him, pulling her son to her chest, "yes we are."

"And then I can have brothers and-and we can be together," he snuggled closed to her, "always… right?"

"We'd always be anyway," Sesshomaru whispered, coming to stand over them, his lips pressed to Akihiko's ears, "now if we put you to bed a third time, do you promise to stay there?"

"But… I wanna stay here," Akihiko pouted, "please…"

"Akihiko…"

"I'll sleep," the young boy mumbled, "with you two… I promise!"

"Well if you promise," Rin whispered, "one night, okay?"

Nodding vigorously, Akihiko climbed into their bed, his mother on one side and his father on the other, him surprising the two of them with a kiss for each of them.

"Goodnight, Akihiko," the young woman told him, "we love you."

"Love you too," the child mumbled, "both of you," his amber eyes glanced to both of them, a flicker of worry in them.

"Stop worring," Sesshomaru whispered, reassuring the unspoken fears, "there's nothing to worry about."

"But… I do…"

"You shouldn't," Rin told him, her hand running over his ears, "you've done so much for us when we're supposed to everything for you."

"But-"

"Akihiko," the demon tried once more, "we'll keep you with us, always."

"Yeah?" his son mumbled.

"We'll be together," his mother told him, "alright?"

Nodding, the little boy slowly fell asleep, the two hands around him, protecting him, were that of a demon and a human, on wearing the engagement ring while the other was still bare. Both had a deep undying love for each other and for the boy that was their son, and both had made mistakes that they were now fixing together.

Thanks for those that stuck with me this long and I hope you all liked it. This story went well beyond what I thought it would and am so glad you all liked it or at least met your expectations^^

Much love to you all, and there are other stories to come in the future I promise you! I might start branching out into the Free! fandom as I haven't done anything new new in a long time, but I'll see what comes!

xoxo DarkPhoenix168