InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Strength of Love ❯ Chapter 12 ( Chapter 12 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha...or Sesshoumaru.

I just have to say that I am sorry for taking so long for this -cough- crappy -cough- update. I have been busy with school. Papers, projects, and, of course, finals all seem to fall at the end of the semester and there is nothing I can do about that. I have not been able to get to this story until after all that was completed and that was just last week and being the holiday season there are parties and friends to see so I could not rush back to my computer as soon as I made it home. I sincerely hope this is good enough until I can do a proper chapter after the holidays. (It probably won't be able to come out until after the first, but I will be writing it on paper while I'm visiting family.)

I'm sorry if that last bit came off a bit bitchy, but I just wanted to state to a certain reviewer why I hadn't added another chapter. I am sorry for having everyone wait for this long. I guess I shouldn't have been happy about writing a lot the last time and sending out the next chapter so close to the previous one. Oh well! You live, you learn, right?

I would like to thank Tiger5913 (i hope you like this chapter/blurb!), Cirrus, the pheonix of life, agrias-101, Vikki, PXLism (the first review didn't offend. i don't mind constructive criticism), sessy ocd, essis, and thanks Verona for yelling at me to get the next chapter out even though yelling at me doesn't make me move any faster.

Just one more....SORRY!!!!

"You don't need to be bothered with that right now, Rin," said Kagome, who was cleaning up the room.

"Yes I do. That's my child."

"And Sesshoumaru has her," continued Kagome.

"What are you going to name them?" asked Mochihiro.

"I don't know. I wasn't really thinking of names. I chose Tatsuki's name, maybe Sesshoumaru should name them," rambled Rin as the baby started to cry, letting her know she was finished.

"It's all right," said Rin as she brought the baby to her shoulder. She looked at the small girl falling asleep on her shoulder and kissed her bald head. Her hands were still balled into tiny fists and her left one was finding its way into her mouth.

"I'll leave you alone," said Mochihiro.

"Find Sesshoumaru," said Rin. He bowed his head and walked out of the room and she turned her attention to Kagome. "Can you hand me my prayer beads?"

She watched Kagome walk over to her table and take off the beads she knew were getting dusty from non use. Rin smiled weakly as she was given the beads she once said would always be with her.

Rin closed her eyes, 'Please let everything be all right. If she has to…If she is…I hope both of you will look over her.' She let a few deep breaths flow through her and slowly opened her eyes to a figure in front of her on the edge of the bed.

A small cry escaped the bundle in the figure's arms. 'Thank you,' she mouthed to the gods and gave teary smile.

"She must be hungry," said Rin as she tried to move the baby from her shoulder without waking her up. "Would you like to see our youngest?"

He stood up and walked to his side of the bed and moved in close to her with the other child. They carefully switched the two and Rin began feeding their other girl.

"What are their names? I had some in mind, but I thought you might want to name them."

"Rin," he said hesitantly.

She closed her eyes as her heart skipped a beat. "I don't want to know. She's fine, right?"

"I do not know, my Rin," he said looking deeply at her.

"You…?" She started to ask the question she didn't want to know, but received her answer before he opened his mouth and continued. "Then we shall hope for the best and pray for her heath." Rin smiled and looked down at the baby in her arms. Her eyes were closed as she suckled. Her small patch of brown hair seemed to circled her two brown dog ears that twitched as they picked up the sounds around her.

"Nozomi."

"Huh?"

"That shall be her name."

"Hope," smiled Rin.

The baby in Sesshoumaru's arms started to cry and tried to wiggle free herself from him. "Her name shall be Hotaru."

"Firefly?" He nodded his head and she smiled. "Hotaru it is. I just have one more question. How come they look…different?"

"They look different because they are."

"All right," she smiled knowing when not to continue.

"I will leave you two alone," said Kagome, walking towards the door.

"Lord Genbu will take you back," said Sesshoumaru without looking at her.

"Be safe, Rin."

"I will. Thank you, Kagome," smiled Rin and Kagome left them alone.

"Nozomi and Hotaru."

"Mommy!! Daddy!!" cried Tatsuki as he ran through the door the best he could with Mochihiro close behind.

"Tatsuki!!" laughed Rin.

"I see?!"

"Yes you can," she said and Mochihiro helped the child onto the bed so he could crawl the best he could between his mother and father.

"Tell Lord Seiryu and Lady Leiko to leave this palace at once. I will not allow them to stay under my roof with our pups any longer," commanded Sesshoumaru.

"Anything else, my Lord?"

"Tell the rest they can stay if they wish. Please give my thanks to Lord Genbu and Lady Nara."

Mochihiro bowed and walked out of the room, sliding the door shut quietly.

"What names?" asked a smiling Tatsuki.

"This one is Nozomi and Daddy has Hotaru."

"Pretty."

Rin moved Nozomi to her shoulder to burp her. "Yes they are." She looked at her son and smiled. "As their big brother you are going to watch over them, right?"

He smiled his toothy grin, "Yes, Mommy."

Rin let a yawn fall out of her mouth and did her best to hide it from Sesshoumaru knowing he would want to leave her to sleep and that was one thing she did not want. She turned her head to look at him for a brief moment. 'After all this he still…'

Hotaru took the peaceful silence as her queue for to start screaming at the top of her lungs.

"My ears!" winced Tatsuki.

Rin moved her free left hand over to her baby in her mate's arms and gently ran her finger down her face. "Shhhhh. Everything is fine. Daddy has you and won't let go."

This seemed to calm her down a little and Rin's hand left her and went to Sesshoumaru's face. Her hand landed on his cheek and her thumb traced his markings. "I love you now more than ever, my one and only Sesshoumaru."

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"I carry?" asked Tatsuki after Rin put the girls in their clothes.

Rin chuckled. "No. You're a little young for that."

Tatsuki pouted for a bit then smiled. "Next time?"

"We'll see," smiled Rin.

"Are you feeling better, my Lady?" asked Mochihiro as he came through the door to her room.

"Yes. I'm ready to get out of the room for a whole day," she said looking at the balcony doors. "Maybe we can eat outside with Lady Nara today,"and with feinted sincerity added,"It's a shame that Lord Suzaku and Lady Yuki couldn't stay longer."

"They were probably afraid of you," smiled Mochihiro.

She looked at Mochihiro and laughed. "I'm sure. Can you help me carry one of them?"

"Yes," he nodded and carefully picked up a sleeping Hotaru.

Rin picked up Nozomi and looked into her deep brown eyes. 'Just like your father. You look around taking everything in, not even bothering to make a sound.'

"Let's get something to eat, Tatsuki."

"Daddy there?"

"Of course!" Rin smiled and Tatsuki turned around and walked out of the room with Rin following behind him.

Walking into the dining room she saw Lord Genbu and Lady Nara talking to each other at one end of the table as Sesshoumaru looked around the room at the servants placing the food on the table. She watched as he straightened up when she walked near.

"Sesshoumaru," she whispered as she passed him.

"Daddy!!" yelled Tatsuki and he grabbed onto his hakama.

Chuckles could be heard from the Lord and Lady and Rin blushed. "Tatsuki. You just saw Daddy."

"I like Daddy," he said into the cloth.

"Now it's time to eat," explained Rin.

"I eat Daddy."

"Did you ask him?"

"No," he said looking up at her and then turned his head to look up at Sesshoumaru. "I eat you?"

Rin looked at him and then at Sesshoumaru with a smile. His eyes looked at her and smiled.

"Yes," he answered his son and then let him climb onto his lap.

She felt like crying, but decided on a deep sigh as she watched this happen. She remembered when she was allowed to sit on his lap and how she felt so protected. Her heart overflowed with joy as she thought that her life couldn't be any better than this. Of course there were rough spots along the way and there will be some in the future, but right now this was her paradise.

She looked down at Nozomi and then looked at Hotaru still in Mochihiro's arms. Glancing at Tatsuki once again she thought herself lucky to have three beautiful and healthy children. Rin knew she said she didn't want to know, but then she just had to. A mother has to know what happens to her children. His eyes said it all. She was rescued from death by his sword and she's doing just fine. Hopefully, Nozomi will be the same way.

Eating her meal she thought more about her new children. What will Hotaru be like? Will Nozomi always be so small? Will she be looked at any differently because she is so much different than her twin sister? How will Sesshoumaru treat them? He seems to be gentle enough with Tatsuki, but what if Nozomi doesn't turn out like Tatsuki and Hotaru. What will he be like then? As she thought about all the what-ifs, one thought reined supreme. 'As long as we stay together everything will be fine. As long as we have the strength of our love to hold us together we will be able to take anything that is thrown at us.'

I just have to say that at that one part Sesshoumaru didn't smile, but his eyes did. It seems confusing, but I liked that line a lot so I kept it.

I know this isn't the best quality or the greatest length, but I wanted to get something in before I left my computer behind for a week. I am sorry for having this take so long. I know I keep saying that, but I really and truly am.

I'm thinking that the next chapter will be about a month later, but I'm not sure. I just know that it will have Sesshoumaru, Rin, Mochihiro, and the kids. DUH!!! (Yes. After finals I do get ditzy. I think my brain goes on vacation for a week or two.)

THANKS FOR READING!!! (and stopping to take the time to review.I appreciate that!! XD )