InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Lucky Ones ❯ Chapter Thirty-One ( Chapter 31 )

The Lucky Ones

By Terri Botta

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. Sole copyright belongs to Viz and Rumiko Takashi. I'm poor so don't sue.

Rating: R for later chapters.

Pairing: Inuyasha/Kagome, Miroku/Sango

Summary: Sometimes Fate hands you a gift you never thought you'd ever get, and it's up to you to accept it for what it is.

Email feedback to: tci100@psu.edu

Webpage: http://www.wordsmiths.net/Botta

A/N: This story is almost over. I do have some other things planned but it's wrapping up now. I just want to warn all of you that I am going on vacation from May 1 to May 9 so don't expect any updates until after May 10. Thanks for all of the great reviews. This story has been very fun to write. :)

Take care all.

Terri

*******

Chapter Thirty-One

Inuyasha waited until Kagome was gone before he spoke.

"Kikyou..." he whispered, trying to put all of his regret and sadness in the name.

"Do not suffer for me, Inuyasha. In many ways your debt has been repaid tenfold."

He paused, his eyes downcast. "I... I'm still sorry."

"Don't be. You have found love. Isn't that what you wished for with me?"

"But you're alone! And... and I made you a promise."

"The promise you made was to someone who no longer exists. Your Kikyou died fifty years ago, Inuyasha, when she followed you in death."

"Why... why are you saying these things to me now? Before you demanded that my life was yours. You told me you wouldn't give it to anyone else. Why the change of heart?" he demanded.

`All that time she made me think she would come for me. She made me deny Kagome and kept me from building a house. Kagome may not see it as I do, but I am dishonoring and shaming her by not making her my wife.'

She looked at him and did not answer. Her silence irritated him and he scowled.

"Kikyou, where have you been? No one has seen you in over a year. You just left without telling anyone anything. The only way we knew you were even alive was through Kagome. Where did you go?"

`Why did you just leave me without a word? Why didn't you set me free if you did not intend to return?'

"After we last saw each other by Goshinboku all those months ago, my travels took me into Shi Nano to a place called Zenko-ji. You have heard of this place, yes?"

He nodded that he had. "It's a holy place like Mt. Hakurei."

She nodded back. "Yes, but all are welcome there. It has been a shrine for centuries. I went there looking for a Shikon shard and instead I found... peace."

He blinked. `Peace?' "Peace?"

"The holy ones there, men and women, they are pure in ways I had only hoped to achieve while I was alive. They knew me for what I was immediately, but they offered me no hatred or violence. Instead, they accepted me and invited me to stay. I have been there ever since."

There was something in her eyes, a serenity and calm that he had only seen on her face but once before. It was on the night that he had agreed to become human for her. She had taken his hand and smiled at him, and the same peaceful light had lit her eyes.

"Kikyou..." `Has she been happy?'

"For the first time since my resurrection, I found a place where I could live and be myself," she told him. "It is a rare thing for something which is an abomination to most to find acceptance. I never understood the importance of it before I became... this. So many times I had to hide what I was in order to find a small bit of peace. Then I came to Zenko-ji and experienced acceptance. To them, I was not an abomination, but another sentient being walking this earth in need of solace and a place to belong."

"I'm glad. I am glad you found a place where you could be happy and accepted," he said honestly. `I'm glad you were safe, Kikyou. But why did you not send any word to me? Why did you go away for over a year and leave me hanging?'

She smiled softly. "I have been re-learning how to live."

"But why did you not send me any word that you were safe? I can read you know," he chided.

She chuckled. "I know. But would you have come seeking me out if you had known where I was? Would you have left my reincarnation's side to come to mine? By then I had realized my claims on your life were unfounded and unfair. I allowed you to blame yourself for something that was equally my fault. And I had betrayed you in more ways than one with Naraku."

He lowered his head and shifted his feet. "I understand what you were trying to do with Naraku."

"Do you? I don't think you do, Inuyasha. I did not fire my arrow to free the Kodoku in order to save you. If I had wanted that, I could have shot the Kodoku and killed it, thus denying Naraku a new body. No, I chose to free the Kodoku and allow Naraku his new body in order to see who was there. It was my own hubris which allowed Naraku to become even more powerful. Then I added to my shame by giving him the shard I stole from Kagome. I, in my arrogance and anger, thought I alone could purify the Shikon no Tama and rid it, and Naraku, from the world. I deeply regret these decisions because I know how much pain and death they caused," she explained.

He swallowed hard and clenched his fists. `Kanna, Kagura, Goshinki who broke my Tessaiga and freed my demon blood... All detachments from Naraku that he made with the power of the Shikon no Tama...'

"I tried to kill Kagome that time, you know. On the day when all of you were captured by Naraku's illusions. I had instructed my Shinidama-chuu to drop her into the miasma after I stole the shard."

He gritted his teeth, stamping back the sudden rage he felt. `So I was right. Kikyou had gone after Kagome...'

"I suspected, but Kagome would not tell me what you had done to her."

Kikyou made a soft sound. "Trust my reincarnation to keep the truth from you in order to prevent you from being hurt. This is why she is more worthy of you than I could ever be. I am happy that you have found love with her."

He drooped his ears and closed his eyes. "I... I did love you, Kikyou."

"I know. And I loved you. In my own way. But I could not love you as a hanyou, and you needed to be loved for what you were. Now that I am thisI understand all too well the importance of being loved and accepted as you are. It is a lesson I never learned in life so I have had to learn it in death. Kagome loves you as a hanyou. She can give you the peace and acceptance that you need. Your wish upon the Shikon no Tama will be pure because she is not tainted as I was."

He looked up at her, seeing her with eyes that were clear and sad, but understanding.

"Kikyou..."

The undead miko reached into her kimono and drew out a small cloth bag. This she removed from around her neck and handed to him.

"Give this to Kagome. With this and the shards she already has, it should be the last or very close to it. I only ask that you not make your wish until I join you in the village."

He closed his hand around the bag, feeling the shard within. It felt about the right size.

`Is this it? Is this the last shard?'

"I won't do anything until we see you again, Kikyou. I promise."

She gave him a sad smile. "And your promises are never broken."

He looked away again, flushing, then her hand caressed his cheek and her lips were upon his. He was shocked at first, but then he hugged her and kissed her back, softly, tenderly- a kiss good-bye.

"Live, Inuyasha. Live and be happy," she whispered as she pulled away.

"Kikyou... I'll never forget you, Kikyou."

"And I shall never forget you, Inuyasha. You were my first love."

"Mine too," he admitted.

The Shinidama-chuu encircled their mistress and lifted her up.

"I'll come to the village soon. Wait for me."

He nodded, looking after her as the soul-catchers carried her away. "I will."

"Thank you, Inuyasha, for loving me and remaining true even when I did not deserve it. I free you from your promise. Go and be with Kagome. Build her the house she deserves."

He gave her a smile that lit up his eyes. "Thank you, Kikyou. Be safe until I see you again."

"And you, Inuyasha. Be safe and keep your family safe. Good-bye."

"Good-bye, Kikyou."

He watched until she was nothing more than a misty white speck against the dark sky, no different from a twinkling star except that it was moving, then he tucked the shard she had given him close to his chest and drew a deep breath.

`I'm free. She set me free. I can marry Kagome and build her a house and we can have a family.'

The sudden rush of joy he felt was almost too much for him to contain.

`Kagome. My beautiful Kagome. I am forever yours for as long as we both shall live.'

He took a moment to compose himself before rushing off to find his lover and soon-to-be wife. He found her sitting by the campfire, Yukio in her lap and playing with the unopened carton of ramen as he impatiently waited for his father to return. Kirara in her kitten form, Shippou and Myouga were all next to her.

"Kagome," he said.

She looked up at him, and he saw the worry and fear fade from her eyes once she saw his face.

"Otou-san!" Yukio cried happily, dropping the cup of ramen.

"Inuyasha-sama, you've returned," Myouga announced.

"She's gone?" Kagome asked him.

He nodded, moving to crouch beside her. Yukio leaped into his arms and he held his pup close. "But she'll be coming to the village soon."

"She will?"

"She wanted me to give you this," he told her, and gave her the bag.

She blinked at him then opened the bag, revealing the shard. He heard her gasp.

"Inuyasha..."

"Wow!" Shippou breathed, his eyes opening wide.

"Looks like the last of it. Yeah, I know."

She fished her own shard out from inside the collar of her shirt and brought the two pieces close to each other. "We'll know for sure once I fuse them together."

He put a hand on her wrist. "Tomorrow," he requested.

She stopped and stared at him, but agreed, placing her shard back into her shirt and wrapping Kikyou's back up in its bag.

"Once it's complete, it will attract even more trouble than it already does and I want peace tonight," he explained.

She nodded that she understood.

"There's something else," he began. `How do I tell her this?'

"She freed you."

`She knew...'

"You knew..."

She nodded again. "I suspected. That's why I left you two alone. I wanted you to be able to say good-bye without worrying about me being jealous."

He grinned and kissed her. "My Kagome, always thinking of others and never of herself…" `I can say it now. I'm free to say it…' "I lo..."

She put a hand on his lips, halting his final confession.

"Later. When we're alone. I want to be alone with you when you tell me the first time because then I won't have to worry about what I do to you when you finally do say it."

Her eyes were swimming with happy tears and he kissed them away. "Kagome..."

"Inuyasha..."

"Food!" Yukio yelled, shattering the mood.

"Oi, pup!" he scolded.

Yukio glared at him then stuck his fist in his mouth. "Yukio hungry. Want ramen."

Kagome giggled then began to laugh. "Our son has spoken."

Inuyasha growled making Yukio blink and flatten his ears. :Pup good!:

Inuyasha nuzzled him with his nose to reassure him that he really wasn't angry. :Pup good.: "Pup has bad timing."

"Bad timing?" Yukio repeated, confused.

Still nose to nose with his son, which made them both cross-eyed, he huffed. "Pushy pup broke the mood."

"Mood?" the toddler answered then grabbed a lock of his father's hair and pulled.

"Ow! Ow! Ow! Leggo, pup!" he complained, pulling away.

"What's your problem? You got some complaint?" Yukio asked, parroting back statements he had heard his father make hundreds of times.

Inuyasha just sputtered and must have looked deranged because Yukio reached up one hand and tapped him on the forehead. "You got a fever?"

"Wha??!!!"

Shippou sighed and shook his head. "Inuyasha is such a bad influence."

Kirara mewed an assent while Myouga nodded. "He wasn't always like that. When his haha-ue-sama was alive, she was raising him to be a proper man…"

Inuyasha grabbed the flea-youkai and squished him. "Shut up!"

Kagome laughed and set the pot on the fire to boil. "I told you Yukio was turning into you. This is why I wanted you to watch your mouth around him."

"But I've stopped cursing around him!" he argued indignantly.

"You're still teaching him how to be rude. The first thing he said when he saw Kikyou was that she smelled bad."

`Well, she does. She reeks of grave dirt…'

Yukio nodded and grabbed his nose. "Kussee," he said.

"See?" she said.

He frowned. "Now see here, pup. You need to mind your manners. No one likes a rude brat running around."

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Oh, now he gets it…"

"Feh, this is why we need a house with separate rooms for sleeping. So we can put this brat in his place and make him stay there when he's misbehaved."

"And you'll keep him in his room precisely how?" she asked incredulously.

"Permanent seals? One of your `locks'? I know, I'll get Toutousai to forge a youki door that can only be opened from the outside when locked."

"So I can lock you in there too when I want to be alone?" she teased.

"Oi!"

She smiled and kissed him to soothe his wounded pride. "I love you."

He beamed at her and kissed her back, then hugged her with one arm because the other still held his pup.
"I can build the house now, right Kagome?"

She gave him a tearful nod and rested her head on his shoulder. "Yes, you can build the house."

He sighed and all the tension left his body. `She's accepted me. Did you have any doubts that she would? Fool. She should. She should see you for the tainted half-breed you are and run for the hills.'

He looked at her fondly and kissed her temple. "Kagome…"

"How many rooms should it have?" she asked faintly.

"Hmmm? Ummm, three at least. One for us and two for the pups, that way the older ones won't have to sleep with the littles."

"Three bedrooms? It sounds like you plan to build me a palace."

"Do you want one? I'll build it. As big as you like…"

"No," she cut him off. "I don't need a palace or a big house. I'm happy in our den actually. I think I'll miss it."

He smirked. "Who says we're going to abandon it? You think I'd give up our love nest?"

She chuckled. "I'm glad."

The water was boiling so she pulled away from him to make the ramen. He mourned the loss of her warmth beside him, but the smell of the food was adequate repayment for his momentary loneliness, and soon she was handing him the steaming cup of noodles. Yukio released him and turned to sit in his lap, clapping happily.

"Ramen! Ramen!"

Kagome placed his dinner on the ground beside his father's knee.

"Here, you have to wait a bit, baby. It's too hot to eat yet."

Yukio pouted but knew what would happen if he ate the ramen when it was too hot because he'd already learned that lesson. Inuyasha took the opportunity to hastily eat his dinner in preparation for feeding his son once the noodles were cool enough for the toddler to eat. Then he noticed that he and Yukio were the only ones with cup noodles.

"Hey, aren't you eating?"

Kagome fished into her bag and pulled out one of the sacks of provisions given to them by the villagers.

"You and Yukio may want those instant noodles, but the rest of us want real food," she answered.

"That's because hanyous have no taste," Shippou commented sagely.

"Oi!" he groused but the kit was just out of hitting range.

"Shippou, stop insulting Inuyasha," Kagome scolded.

The kitsune looked chagrined but not really repentant. Then he brightened when Kagome handed him a bowl of steamed rice and dumplings.

"Thank you, Kagome!"

"Keh. I still say the instant stuff is better," he sniffed.

Kagome shrugged and ate her dinner. He ate two cups of ramen and then fed Yukio his cup. The pup was still too young to use chopsticks, so he cut the noodles up into small bits and fed him with a spoon.

"How can you think you're a bad father when you are so caring and attentive to him?" Kagome asked him suddenly.

He drooped his ears and blushed a little. "Because I'm rude and violent and teach him bad manners," he replied.

She cocked her head and looked at him with amusement. "That's true, but you're also loving and tender and he adores you." She came up behind him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, pressing her soft breasts against his back and making him shiver with desire. "I think you're a wonderful father."

Yukio looked up at the both of them and beamed.

"Otou-san. Okaa-san."

She reached over his shoulder to rub the pup's ears. "Okaa-san loves Yukio."

Yukio giggled and grabbed at her hand. "Yukio loves Okaa-san, loves Otou-san."

The toddler moved forward further into his lap and hugged him around his chest, his little head right against his collarbone. He put one arm around his pup, and used the other to reach up to hold Kagome's hand.

`My mate and my pup. Do I need anything else to sustain me in this world?' he asked himself. `I never thought I would ever have someone to love me. I never dreamed of taking a wife or having pups. Then I met Kikyou and she loved me. I would have done anything for her and I would have become human if Naraku hadn't tricked us into betraying each other. But was Kikyou right about her love not being pure? Would her taint really have caused my wish to go wrong?'

"What are you thinking?" Kagome questioned. "You just got all tense."

"Something Kikyou said to me before she left."

"Oh?"

`There's no anger or jealousy in her voice when she speaks of Kikyou now…'

"Do you think what Kikyou said about my wish to become human possibly going wrong if I'd made it all those years ago is true? That her love for me was tainted with her hatred of youkai, and that the jewel would have used that to twist the wish?"

Kagome was quiet for a moment and he wondered what she was thinking about this new revelation.

"Hmmm. She might be right. The Shikon no Tama is very sensitive to the energy around it. It's entirely possible that if her hatred was strong enough, it could have affected your wish."

He nodded. "So it might have corrupted the wish and destroyed us," he added.

Her arms around him tightened a little bit. "I'm glad that didn't happen. We'll have to be very careful with your wish."

"She said your love was pure and wouldn't taint the jewel."

"Mmm. She said something very similar when I was there. She said it was the reason my being with you didn't decrease my spiritual powers."

He turned his head to nuzzle her and lick her temple lightly.

`Mmm, I love how you smell and taste…' he thought with a small needy whine.

"Did Kikyou say where she's been all this time?"

"Eh? Oh. Yeah. She's been at Senko-ji," he replied, forcing himself back from his amorous haze.

"So she was the shrine maiden from the temple there."

He nodded. "Kikyou told me the holy ones there accepted her even though they knew she was dead, and that she found peace there."

"Oh, that's so wonderful. What a comfort that must be for her to not have to hide what she is for fear of being hated and hunted."

`Like a hanyou… Kikyou's learned what it's like to be a hanyou. Now she understands what my life has been like…'

"She said they taught her how important it is to be accepted as you are. She said it was a lesson she never learned in life."

He felt Kagome nod. "Yes. It's important to love someone as they are and not want to change them."

He leaned back into her a little, seeking more contact. "You've never tried to change me."

She shook her head. "No, never. To me, you are Inuyasha and you're perfect just the way you are."

He closed his eyes and sighed. "Thank you."

She gave him a kiss on the cheek then playfully licked his ear; a clear sign that she intended to pleasure him later because she knew what licking his ears did to him. He groaned softly deep in his throat and nipped at her chin as he turned his head, then gave a little moan and grasped at her when she pulled away.

"Later," she whispered in his ear, giving it another quick lick.

He whined, but she just nuzzled him with her nose and moved to get more rice and dumplings for herself.

"Yukio want some of Kaa-san's dumplings?" she asked, offering the toddler one of hers.

Yukio sniffed at it, his nose screwing up, and looked at her with suspicious eyes. "Not ramen."

"No, but they're just as good."

"Don't believe her, pup. Nothing is as good as ramen," he warned.

"Nothing?" she answered coyly.

`Shit. If you wanna have her tonight, you'd better do some fast talking...' He stammered and back-pedaled. "No food is better than ramen," he corrected hastily.

"Ahh, no food is better. Well, thank you for clarifying that."

Shippou just shook his head. "I think I'm too young for this conversation."

Kagome giggled and blushed, but Inuyasha just beamed proudly and reached over to pat the fox kit on the head. "Someday you'll understand, Shippou."

The kitsune gave him a tolerant look. "I understand now."

"Inuyasha-sama, you should be more discrete in front of the children!" Myouga scolded.

"Hey she started it!" `With the ear licking and the teasing and the...'

He looked at his companions amused faces and realized they were kidding him. He snorted and looked away, folding his arms into his sleeves.

"Keh!"

He watched and waited as Kagome finished up the dinner chores and got things ready for the night. He pretended not to care about her actions or even be aware of her as he played with his son, but when all the preparations for the evening were complete and they were all settling down, he fixed her with a look that was pure heat and undisguised need.

"Kirara, can you watch Yukio?" he heard her ask the firecat.

Kirara mewed and transformed into her full form. Yukio saw the firecat change and launched a protest.

"No!"

"Now see here, pup. Otou and Kaa-san are going off to have some time alone together. No pups allowed."

"No leave Yukio!! No! No!"

Kagome came close and took him into her arms. He latched onto her with his claws and clung.

"Now, now, baby. Otou and Kaa-san need their time. You'll be safe with Kirara and Shippou-chan. And we always come back, ne? We've never left you for long, right?"

Yukio sniffled and sucked on his fist.

"Okaa-a-a-a. Nooooooo."

"Hush. There's lots of times when it's just you and me, ne? Does Otou complain when I spend time with you?"

The toddler blinked at her and sniffled again. "Yes."

"Oi! I do not!" he protested.

"Yukio, sweetheart, Okaas and Otous need time alone. It helps Okaas and Otous stay happy together. You want us to be happy, ne?"

Yukio gave her a perfect imitation of `soulful puppy dog eyes' and Inuyasha blanched.

`He is turning into me!'

His pleading expression fell on a hardened heart. "Now Otou and I are going to go have our time, and you are going to be a good pup and stay with Kirara, Shippou and Myouga-jiichan, right? Because if you don't, you'll be in trouble and Otou will punish you."

Yukio looked his way and tried `soulful puppy dog eyes' on him. He felt his resolve wavering and bit his lip.

`How does she say no to either of us when we make that face?'

But the thought of not having any alone time with Kagome was even less appealing than refusing his pup what he wanted, and that gave him the strength to hold his ground.

"Listen to Okaa, pup. If we go off and you follow, I'll put you over my knee. Got it?"

Yukio's eyes widened at the threat and he shrank back against his mother, eyes tearing up again and spilling over.

"Noooooooooooooo." :Pup good! Pup good.:

:Obey Leader-male,: he ordered.

"Are you going to be good and stay with Kirara and Shippou?" Kagome asked.

Yukio nodded sadly.

"Ye-e-e-sss."

"You promise?"

"Yes."

"Good. Remember promises have to be kept, right?"

Yukio nodded again. He knew keeping promises was very important to his parents and was one of the values they were doing their best to instill in him.

"That's right, pup. A man's word is his bond. If you can't be trusted to keep your word, then no one will ever trust you with anything," he reasserted. "Are you a man?"

Yukio nodded dutifully, and Inuyasha gave him a grunt of satisfaction. "Then you'll keep your word and leave Okaa and me alone until we come back."

"And we will be back, baby. Before you go to sleep. We'll all get into my sleeping bag together, and you'll snuggle up between us like always, safe and warm. Okay?" Kagome added.

With a final pout and sniff, Yukio nodded. "Okay."

Kagome smiled and kissed him on the cheek. "That's my brave boy. Who's a big dog?"

The toddler beamed. "Me!"

"Good. That's what I like to hear," she said as she gently placed him next to Kirara. "Be good now. Okaa and Otou will be back soon."

"Not that soon," he corrected, murmuring in her ear as he nipped at the lobe. `I'd keep you to myself all night if I had the choice.'

"Hush."

He growled then sighed as she nuzzled him. Reaching down, he rubbed his pup's ears and gave him a smile.

"You be good and keep an eye on the others, pup. Especially that fox. He's a tricky one."

"Hey!" Shippou complained.

He snickered and gave the kit a smirk, then he wrapped his arms around Kagome and pulled her close.

`Mine.'

"Ready?" he asked.

She nodded and he could smell the beginnings of her excitement. Gathering her up, he leapt off, taking her back to the banks of the hot spring.

"Back here?" she asked as he set her down.

"You don't like it? I thought it would be nice. You could bathe afterwards…" `Did I make the wrong choice?'

"Yes, but Kikyou was just…"

`Here. Oh. I understand.' "We could find another onsen. Where there's one, there are usually others."

She looked up at him, pleading and apologetic. "Please?"

"Heh, so my Kagome still gets jealous," he teased, then raised his head to sniff the area. He thought he caught the scent of another spring not too far away.

"This way," he said, motioning for her to get on his back.

She obeyed and wrapped her legs around his hips, bringing her soft spot right against his spine and deliberately rubbing it against him as he moved. Her arousal wafted to his nose and his own body reacted with enthusiasm.

"Stop that, woman, or we won't get to the spring," he warned.

"Stop what?" she asked innocently.

He just gritted his teeth and growled in frustration. `I'll make you pay for that, tease.'

The second onsen was smaller, but thankfully not as hot. This one he would be able to tolerate and that pleased him because he liked bathing with Kagome, especially after lovemaking.

"Is this better?" he asked.

Her answer was a deep kiss that he took as a `yes' and he returned her kiss eagerly.

"I love you," she whispered.

He shivered at the words and licked her neck. "I… I love you, koishii," he stammered, still half-afraid to admit it because then it would be real and it could be taken away.

There. He'd said it. He'd finally said it, and the words broke the last chains from around his heart. He could almost hear them shattering and falling in tiny orphaned links, and his heart, open at last, beat wildly with its newfound freedom.

`Kagome will never betray you. Never.'

She gasped and kissed him again, her hands cupping his face, and he could smell the tears on her cheeks.

"Inuyasha. I love you, Inuyasha."

"I love you, Kagome," he repeated, licking at the salty wetness on her skin. "I'm yours for as long as you'll have me."

"Forever. I'll have you forever," she vowed, threading her fingers into his hair.

"Forever will do, koishii."

They fell together, landing on the soft grass and he took off his haori to use as a makeshift blanket. Kissing her, he covered her with his body, his hands caressing and stroking as they sought to bare her flesh to his hungry mouth and eyes.

"Ah, Inuyasha. Inuyasha," she panted over and over as he licked his way across her willing form.

"I love you," he said again as he held her open and delved his tongue into her core.

He loved licking her, mostly because she loved it so much and pleasing her always meant he was being a good lover, but also because he loved the taste of her, the smell of her. The place where her scent was strongest drew him like a moth to flame, and he emmersed himself in the sensations, losing himself to the pleasure of satisfying her. She let out a strangled cry as he worked her and grabbed his ears, rubbing them in time with his rhythm. Her scent and flavor exploded all across his senses, and her sounds were music to his sensitive ears as he brought her to climax.

He was in her before she stopped shuddering, sliding home with one thrust as she wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him in. Her back arched and she lifted up to meet him with each stroke, tightening her muscles around him and driving him insane. He didn't last long and neither did she, and he came with her name and another `I love you' on his lips.

Afterward they both slipped into the hot spring and he made love to her a second time on its bank, and again in the onsen itself although that was a little trickier. He couldn't get enough of her; couldn't get enough of her body, her moans, her hands on his back and her nails scraping along his skin in her ecstasy. He couldn't get enough of his telling her he loved her and hearing that she loved him in return. He couldn't get enough of loving her with everything he had, of finally being free to make her his for good, and promising her his life forever.

It was as if everything he had lived through and suffered up until now had been preparing him, honing him for this reward, and now he knew what he was being offered and would be a fool to use or mistreat it. Not that he would. He had absolutely no intention of ever letting Kagome go, or of ever harming her or betraying her in any way.

`Naraku could never have turned us against each other.'

Kagome was a precious gift as was his son; both of them gave a lonely, wounded hanyou a second chance to belong somewhere and be part of a family.

`Not to mention the lovemaking. Can't forget the lovemaking. The lovemaking is awesome.'

"You'll want a wedding, right?" he asked her when they'd caught their breath and were just soaking in the spring. Her head was resting on his shoulder and she had one hand on his chest. He was sated, happy and surrounded by her love.

"Mmmmm, Mama and Jii-chan will."

"In your time?"

She nodded.

"I know nothing about the customs of your time."

She shrugged. "Things haven't changed that much in 500 years. The clothing has changed a bit, but I don't mind having a traditional Shinto wedding."

"Will you want one here?"

"Hmmmm, might be nice to have a little something. Kaede can officiate and Yukio can be in it."

He grunted an agreement. "Okay."

`I think it will be nice to marry you. The villagers will see me build you a house and make my vows, and they will know that I am honorable.'

"Have you thought about what you'll wish for?" she asked suddenly.

"On the jewel?"

"Yeah."

"A little, but I haven't really decided yet."

She snuggled closer. "I trust you. You'll make a good wish."

`You have such faith in me. I wish I had as much faith in me as you do.'

"I love you," he said for the umpteenth time.

"Mmmmmmm, I don't think I'll ever get tired of hearing you say that."

He chuckled. "I hope not. Koishii," he answered, kissing her temple.

"As much as I hate to leave here, we should be getting back. We promised Yukio we wouldn't be gone too long and I think it's been almost three hours."

He sighed and petted her back but reluctantly agreed. "Yeah."

Together they got out of the onsen and dried each other off. Then he dressed her in her clothes, taking time to kiss her soft places in promise of more loving to come at a later time. She responded by going down on him and giving him another climax to hold him over until they got back to the village. Then they slowly returned to camp after a few more ardent kisses and `I love you's.

The others were waiting for them when they got back. Yukio raced towards them and jumped into Kagome's arms. They both cuddled and nuzzled him, which made him quickly forget all his earlier upset about being left behind. Reassured that all was well with his parents, the toddler started showing signs of his fatigue and they retired for the night. Each of them took their usual places in Kagome's sleeping bag and they cuddled in happy contentment. In the morning they would return the Shikon no Tama to the village where everything had begun, and prepare for the final task destiny had in store for them: the wish and dissolution of the sacred jewel.