Disclaimer: I do not own anything except for the few characters that I have invented to make my story possible. If there are any questions about the story refer to the end of chapter 15 or leave a signed review and I will answer it.
We have finally reached the end of the story this is the final chapter but for all of you who want the details of what happens after I will be writing up a epilogue and posting it in the next week or so depending on my schedule with midterms and all. Also I will be posting a additional chapter after that that will be more of a spoof and what if kind of thing so look out for that too. Thank you all and please continue to read my work and review.
Ch.25 The Puzzle Completed
Kagome slowly began to wake up and as her eyes opened she realized she was in a room that seemed to be almost completely pitch black except for a crack in the curtains that a beam of moon light fell through.
"Where am I?" She asked out loud as she tried to sit up using her elbows but was then immediately stopped by something or someone that was holding her down at her waist.
She laid back down and waited for her eyes to adjust some more in hopes of figuring out what her exact position was. She knew from her feeling around that it was someone's arm that was holding her down but she couldn't figure out where she was or who it was.
'Great!' She thought trying desperately to remember what had happened and who exactly was holding her captive.
All of her thoughts and memories were jumbled and the last thing she could remember was seeing all her friends at the weddings.
'But that still doesn't make any sense!'
She mentally yelled in frustration as her confusion increased. She then thought of Sesshomaru and a flood of memories and emotions filled her from their encounter after the wedding in his gardens.
'I left…he didn't stop me… but where am I? This isn't my room so I'm not home and this is definitely not one of the huts in the village….'
She then looked towards whoever it was that was holding her down, she still couldn't make out their features though due to the darkness despite her eyes adjusting.
Kagome then grunted in frustration laying her head back on the pillow and looking to the ceiling. Suddenly then the arm moved withdrawing itself from her waist and the person next to her began to move also. Kagome jumped up and quickly moved away.
"Who are you?"
The person stopped and she could tell that they were staring at her.
"Who are you?" She demanded again.
Then they fully sat up and the moon light hit his face revealing a half naked Sesshomaru. Kagome froze.
'But…he…'
"Do you not remember anything? Have you forgotten me, Kagome?" He asked sounding both concerned and hurt.
Kagome then shook her head, "Lord Sesshomaru, I…"
"Ah so you remember me." He said as he then moved closer to her but she backed up in response.
He stopped, "What is the matter Kagome?"
She shook her head, "You…you rejected me and I…I left. Where are we? Why am I here?"
"I was wrong, I went after you but the well had been sealed but then you came through it after I started to believe I had lost you. We are in my chambers and you are here because I wanted to be close to you when you awoke."
Kagome was confused, "When I awoke? What happened? Have I been asleep long?"
He shook his head, "No you have only been asleep for two days and I would assume that is to be expected with all the changes you went through."
"Changes?" She questioned not particularly liking the sound of his words.
Sesshomaru then reached towards her, "Please sit with me?"
She looked at him and nodded but she reached behind her and opened the curtains a bit more allowing more light into the room before she sat on the edge of the bed. Sesshomaru then sat beside her.
"When you came back you confessed to me that you loved me and that you were giving me one last chance to stop you from leaving my life forever. I then told you that I felt the same. That I love you and that Jaken had saw that and retrieved a potion that would make it so that we could be together forever and that you could be a Inu- demoness. You drank the potion accepting that and that you would be marked as my intended because of my blood that was in it."
"So then…I'm a…I mean I am a demon now? But I can feel my miko powers still and I feel the same and…" she stopped as the rest of his story hit her, "You love me?"
He chuckled lightly and bent forward capturing her lips in a chaste kiss, "More than my life."
She then began to cry tears flowing down her cheeks. He moved them further onto the bed and into her lap attempting to soothe her, "Shh, what is wrong Kagome?"
She looked up at him and smiled slightly, "You love me and want me to be your mate?"
He smiled at her before kissing her forehead, "Yes, and I told you that the other day but I will tell you again until it is done and you believe me."
She then hugged him and he wrapped his arms around her not wanting to let go of the thing that was most precious to him now.
"How have I changed?" She asked now as she pulled away from his embrace.
"Would you like to see?" He asked.
She nodded smiling and watched as he got up and walked across the room. He then lit a candle and motioned for her to come to him. She got up and was at his side almost instantly.
"Your faster, probably better with that sword now than before to. But as for your physical changes..." He trailed off as he motioned towards a mirror.
Kagome stepped forward and looked at her reflection. Even in the dim light she could see the changes he had spoken of her hair was longer than it had been before and seemed to have blue highlights though it. She also had the same markings as Sesshomaru did. And then there was her body. She looked in awe at how much more mature she looked and was amazed at how the kimono she was wearing hugged her hips and accentuated parts of her body that were not nearly so developed before.
Sesshomaru watched as she looked at herself in the mirror and how she touched her face and then continued to outline her new figure. He growled slightly as he watched her but he didn't want to interrupt her from figuring out this new body. She then used the mirror to look back at him and she smiled at him.
"I have gotten taller also I see."
"Not by much, I prefer you shorter than me."
She then turned to him pouting slightly, "But why? Doesn't it hurt to have to bend so far to kiss me?"
He then bent his neck and kissed her deeply. When he pulled away, Kagome gasping for breath, she grinned devilishly and said, "Not at all and if it did it would not stop me."
"But what if you get stuck bent like that?"
He then picked her up so she was eye level with him, "Then you should get used to being off your feet a lot love for this is how I will kiss you if you are going to be so concerned about me."
Then he kissed her again but this time she was ready and returned the kiss as fiercely and passionately as he did. When they parted for breath finally she laid her head on his shoulder and whispered, "I love you Sesshomaru."
He then closed his eyes and buried his face in her hair inhaling her sweet scent before he replied, "And I love you my miko, my love, my intended, my Kagome."
She giggled at that.
"What?" He asked as he lowered her back to the ground.
She looked up at him smiling, "It sounds funny when you say your 'intended'."
He raised an eyebrow at her, "Well if you rather we can fix that now and you will be simply my mate instead."
She then began to blush furiously and looked down to her feet, "Well…if you want to."
He lifted her chin, "I want you to be happy my love and I want you to be sure. When we have mated we will most likely have produced a child and I want you to be certain that it's what you want."
She then looked up into his eyes and smiled, "I want nothing more than to be with you and have your children my love if that is what you want also."
He watched her eyes as she said this for any hesitation and found none, "Are you sure?"
She smiled, "Yes, I am."
~*~*~*~
Jaken arrived on the back of the little dragon that he had fondly named Aiko (little love) because she always followed Jaken everywhere. He then dismounted and went to the hut but before he could lift a finger Inuyasha came out and looked down at the toad demon, "What do you want?"
"Lord Sesshomaru has told me to make sure that you and Lady Kagome's friends have received these invitations to the Western Lady's banquet."
Inuyasha stopped for a second before reaching for the letters and opening one.
To all of the friends of the Western lands,
We are pleased to invite you to a banquet honoring the return of power to the heir of the West Lord Sesshomaru and also honoring his mate who will be presented at that time. The banquet will be held in day's time on the evening of the full moon. Please be present and all are welcome.
-The Lord and Lady of the West
He then looked back at the toad, "So they are mates now huh?"
"Well of course." Jaken said matter of factly, he felt that that would be the obvious course of things after Lady Kagome had drank the potion and felt that since Inuyasha had been present at that time he should know better than anyone else that it was to be expected.
Inuyasha then took the other two letters and asked, "So it will be tomorrow?"
"Yes, it will be tomorrow night."
Inuyasha nodded, "I will give these to the others."
Jaken bowed and then he was off to go and deliver the other two letters to the northern lord and lady and then to the eastern lord and soon to be lady.
Jaken shook his head at the thought, 'Who would have expected that after all that had happened and nearly killed my lord that he would find happiness again so soon and because of Kagome others like Lord Arisugawa have found their happiness again as well.'
Aiko then ka-cheeped at Jaken as he sat in the saddle wanting to know what would be next, he then pointed northwards and said, "To the northern lands and castle."
~*~*~*~
Both the Northern and Eastern Lords had expected Kagome to stay with Sesshomaru and even to inevitably become his mate but both were still surprised at how soon it had happened. Poor Arisugawa now couldn't pester Sesshomaru about such things and instead he found himself being questioned on why he had not yet claimed or announced his own planed mating with Kumiko who had accompanied him.
Both Kumiko and Miyuki watched as the lords' bullied, teased, and tormented one another laughing together at their antics.
"When do you think Kagome will show up?" Kumiko asked Miyuki as she decided she wasn't going to listen anymore to the two men badgering her Lord and love.
"I don't know since I have yet to officially have my own banquet and I am already starting to show with our child now!"Miyuki said a bit louder than necessary in hopes that her mate would hear her and begin to plan their own banquet of revealing his mate.
This only seemed to work to the advantage of Arisugawa to take the attention off of him and put it on Lord Kazuki for his disgraceful and un-orderly conduct.
The two women laughed again and then the doors to the banquet hall opened to reveal Inuyasha accompanied by Kikyou, Sango with Miroku, and Kaede.
They all greeted each other and spoke of what things had happened since the last time they had seen one another and Kagome.
When the formalities and catching up was done though, Sango asked Miyuki and Kumiko, "Where is Shippo?"
Kumiko then looked over to Arisugawa and he mouthed 'Kagome' to answer her question, "Apparently he is with Lady Kagome."
"I wonder where she is? Everyone is here now and we should be starting the feast soon but she isn't here."
They looked at the door waiting for it to open again but were then surprised to watch Sesshomaru go to the door open it barely enough and slip out himself.
"Ah ha! He has gone to get her." Miyuki said triumphantly.
"You don't think something is wrong do you?" Kumiko then asked a bit concerned for her friend.
Sango then shook her head, "Nothing that I know of, maybe she just is a bit nervous. I would be, the youkai customs are much different than the human ones."
The other two women nodded in understanding and all three waited and watched for the doors to open again. It didn't take long though of course before Jaken slipped inside and cleared his throat loudly to get everyone's attention. The chatter began to die down and they waited for him to speak.
"May I now have the honor to present to you all My Lord Sesshomaru and his mate Lady Kagome!"
The doors then slowly opened to reveal the couple, Sesshomaru's arm linked with Kagome's and Shippo on his shoulder. The other two lords and ladies noticed Kagome's new appearance and were surprised and happy for her more than they had before realizing she could lead a long life with Sesshomaru. Kazuki then noticed something else and began to chuckle lightly as the couple and the small boy made their way to the table and sat as everyone else did. Arisugawa turned to the dragon lord with a questioning look.
Kazuki then smiled, "It would seem that you have a lot more catching up to do old friend than you know."
Arisugawa furrowed his brow confused and then he turned to look at Kagome thinking he had missed something and then he caught it. Her scent and aura was that of more than one being and then he realized, "She is already pregnant with your pup?"
Kagome heard this and blushed looking down into her lap and Sesshomaru then raised an eyebrow at him, "Did you doubt this Sesshomaru's ability?"
This only caused Kagome to blush even more and Kazuki to laugh, "Quite a lot of catching up to do I dare say!"
Kagome then looked over to Kumiko who was now the one to be looking down in her lap blushing.
Miyuki who was sitting closer to Kagome then leaned over slightly and said, "Well I guess we will have to arrange for all the play dates they will want to have and the men will use as excuses to get out of their duty."
Shippo smiled excitedly imagining all the fun he could have with two playmates instead of just the one that he had been told about before they came in the room.
Kagome giggled a bit at the idea and looked around at the rest of her friends, no her family as they had become, and found that she was completely happy.
She then turned to her mate and he looked at her before giving her a light kiss.
Yes indeed, everything was now completed and put back together to how it should have been.
~*~*~*~
A/N: Yay! I have completed my first full length fan fiction and I got over a hundred reviews! Thank you all for your support and contributions! You really made a difference to me by reviewing when you did and as often as you all did. Please continue to read my work and remember to keep an eye out for the epilogue and extra spoof chapter that I will be posting sometime before the end of the month. Thank you all again, everything you have said has meant so much to me as an author and I hope to hear from you all in the future on other stories and one-shots that I post.
Your humble and most dedicated servant,
-Vamp ^-^