A/N: Here it is, the epilogue…Disclaimer please, Yura…

Yura: Aki doesn't own Inuyasha. Nor do I own his pretty silver hair…but I'm merely a comb…so what do I know…?

Me: Reviews…

Dragon Man, well…uhh…the wish thingie won't happen…But…I did happen to include Hana breaking Sesshy's hand.

Angie, It's ok…(pats ur back comfortingly) It'll be alright. Don't worry…

Jane, I know you're busy, but hopefully you've gotten caught up by now. So please enjoy this.

Riku, Sorry to have made you wait for such an excruciatingly long time without food, sleep, or any of those other necessities. My teachers decided that the last week of school would be a good time to bombard us with a crap load of essays. So I had to crawl out of the hole all that homework put me in, but now that I'm officially on Winter Break from now until the 3rd. So, expect more updates. Yay! The ending had been in my head since like, Ch. 30 something…maybe even earlier than that. Anyway, I hope your curiosity hasn't killed you yet, because the ending to this one is probably much worse and crappier than the one to the actual story. So it'll probably really kill you. Your scene greatly met my approval. Beautiful as always, Riku. Please enjoy this final chapter of this fic. Look forward to Chapter One of the sequel to appear very soon. (smiles like Sora did when he first joined Donald and Goofy in Traverse Town)

Ghost-chick, Aww, don't cry! Fight the tears! Be strong! Thank you, I find the ending to be most wonderful as well. I have already started the sequel. I'm almost done writing Chapter Two of the sequel.

J Baker, Thank you! Lots of comments on the ending…anyway, don't worry, I've got it all planned out…they'll be together don't worry…

And now…the epilogue…Everyone, this is for all of you. Please enjoy. Also, don't forget that I release the title of the sequel at the end of this. Anyway, here's the moment you've been waiting for…the epilogue…

Chapter Forty-Five: Epilogue

The following day, a shrine had been made at the base of the Goshinboku. Everyone had come, dressed in their dark mourning clothes. Even the villagers had come to witness the shrine's construction, some helped build it, others simply stood awestruck by its brilliance. A ceremony was held soon after the shrine had been completed. Elderly Kaede walked forward as the soft murmurs of chatter died away in an instant.

"As ye all know, we have recently lost two very wonderful people…both of them we have lost twice now…but at last, they will be at peace…I am speaking of my Onee-sama, Kikyou, and the hanyou who we knew, Inuyasha. Both have gone to the depths of hell to rest their souls. They both can be at peace, knowing now that Naraku, or Onigumo, as he was formerly known, has been vanquished. Their spirits will guard this village from now on, unless their sleep be disturbed. It was just yesterday when we lost the both of them…" Kaede began.

Kagome stood with Sango and Miroku on either side of her. Kohaku stood with his ane-ue, Shippou on Kagome's shoulder, Kirara at the taijiya woman's feet. Sesshoumaru was also there. In fact, all who knew Inuyasha were there…all except for one.

Mei Lhi was not present. She was still in Kagome's era, last seen in the young miko's room, crying.

"Sango-chan…she's still not here…it's her own brother for Kami's sake! She should at least show up for a few minutes at least!" Kagome whispered in Sango's ear.

All the others heard her and nodded in agreement.

"Hai…but she's very distressed…" Kyo replied.

"Why?"

"She feels that Inuyasha has betrayed her…by leaving like this…"

"What do you mean?" Sango asked curiously.

"Mei knows that Inuyasha loved Kagome more than anything…but she feels he's betrayed her by going to the woman who tried to kill him, but the woman who is also dead, and one he doesn't really care for as much…I guess that's why she hates Kikyou…"

The group nodded in silent agreement, listening as Kaede continued with her speech.

"Kagome, perhaps ye would like to say a few words?" The elderly miko inquired.

The girl nodded her head, and nervously fingering the completed Shikon no Tama around her neck she stepped forward and cleared her throat, wringing her hands anxiously.

"Ummm…well…I…just want to say…that…um…Inuyasha…I'll never forget what you told me…Kikyou, I have come to see you now as Inuyasha did…you're not a bad person…and I don't hold a grudge against you any longer…I don't have any ill thoughts of you, and I have forgiven all things you've done in the past. I just hope that now everything will be settled and peaceful, and everything can get back to normal…Inuyasha…I love you…and I always will…"

Kaede again stepped forward.

"I don't think that any of ye others are going to have anything to say…Sesshoumaru, I know ye don't speak much. Hana-sama, ye never knew him as well. Miroku-sama, I wouldn't trust ye to speak in front us all with so many young children around. Sango, I don't know what ye would say, but if ye wish ye may come up and speak…All the rest of ye most likely have nothing to say…so I guess this concludes the ceremony…unless someone else would like to speak?"

No one dared to say a word.

"Then let us pray for their souls, and we shall leave parting gifts at the shrine, and then we may conclude the ceremony."

Everyone formed a line and placed small trinkets at the base of the shrine and said a small prayer. Once everyone in line had done so, they all turned and left to go home. Sesshoumaru, Hana, and Rin had remained there, waiting for Jaken to bring Aun.

The taiyoukai's head lifted at the small sound of a twig silently snapping under someone's weight. He backed away into the shadows and had his mate and daughter hide with him, the three full inuyoukai watching as the tall trees parted and Mei Lhi made her approach.

She was dressed in a black kimono and had a dark veil over her face. In her hand she held a single white lily. She approached the shrine and looked at all the other gifts that had been left behind. Setting the flower down, she sank to her knees and stared at the stone in which her brother's name had been carved into.

"…why…?" She said scarcely above a whisper. "…why did you choose her? She didn't love you like Kagome did…you and your stupid promises and your stupid formalities and vows…you shouldn't have cared whether or not Kikyou would hate you even more if you decided not to go with her. You bastard, Inuyasha. You left me when we all needed you the most. How dare you do this to me! To all of us! To Kagome, even! You truly are a bastard…a selfish bastard…I hate you…I hope that wherever you are in hell with that bitch that you've been damned to faced the thousand terrible evils! Because for what you've done, you deserve it! I wish you to be condemned into the coldest, deepest, foulest, cruelest depths of oblivion in hell! Because thanks to you, that's where I am now…only on earth. I hope you're happy. I will cry no tears for you. You don't deserve my sympathy. You deserve nothing more than what you've earned."

She stood quickly and turned to walk away to the well.

"…If you hate him so greatly, why leave him a gift of kindness?" Sesshoumaru asked his half-sister.

Mei Lhi whirled around and met his gaze.

"It isn't out of kindness…"

"Mei Lhi…" Hana called out.

"What do you want Hana?"

"I don't really understand why your brother did what he did…but Kagome-chan and the others did, and I guess they aren't as hurt over it simply because they understand. And even though you don't like it as much as I do, we must respect Inuyasha's decision. Your brother did what he felt was right."

"I don't need your lectures right now!"

The hanyou girl continued to walk away.

"I will keep my silence of this encounter…you were never here at this place…" Sesshoumaru said.

Mei Lhi turned and nodded a thank you, before proceeding to jump into the well, returning to Kagome's era.

Mei Lhi never visited the Sengoku Jidai again after that day.

-

A few days after the ceremony everyone went off in their own ways. Shippou stayed with Kaede, Sango, Miroku, Kohaku, and Kirara traveled around Japan, Hana, Sesshoumaru, and Rin returned to the Western Lands. Kagome returned to her time, and life went on.

-

Another few months passed by. It came time for Hana to whelp the pup. Sesshoumaru, Hana, Rin, and even Jaken, had returned to Kaede's village riding on Aun. The moment they arrived outside Kaede's hut, the old woman, the taijiya, and the young miko girl all rushed outside, already knowing why they were there.

Everyone was in an uproar. Kagome and Sango, who had returned early to help upon hearing the news, were running around frantically gathering all the things that Kaede would need, Miroku and Shippou were rather ungracefully kicked out by Kyo who had also recently arrived, and explained to the two of them how dangerous it would be for any male, Ningen or youkai, to be present at a youkai whelping. So the three of them remained outside about a good twelve feet or so, only to be joined by Rin, Jaken, and Aun.

Sesshoumaru was inside, sitting behind Hana, allowing his mate to support her back against his chest. He had his arms wrapped around her, his hands intertwined with Hana's. It would have been a very romantic moment if it hadn't been the fact that Hana cried out in pain every five minutes or so.

"Sesshoumaru, it's going to come soon. You must support Hana-chan through all of it, no matter what. Do you understand?" Kagome asked.

The taiyoukai nodded in understanding.

"Alright…Hana-chan, I would give you some of the medicine from my time that relieves pain, but, I'm afraid of having you take it now, because it might affect your baby. Especially at this time…" The miko girl continued…

"…Just…do what you must…Kagome-chan…" Hana managed to say.

The miko-youkai let out a loud, low growl escape her throat, before she cried out again as another contraction hit.

"Time!" Kaede called out to Kagome.

The miko girl hastily checked her stopwatch.

"Two minutes and thirty seconds."

"Here it comes…be ready, all of ye…I've never aided in the birthing of a child to a youkai woman, but…I will do my best…"

Hana screamed and Sesshoumaru winced at the sound being magnified in his sensitive ears.

"Hana-chan, breathe! Listen to me, breathe! Steady, slow, deep breaths, ok?" Sango instructed.

Hana turned to her mate behind her, tightly squeezing one of his hands, a sharp snap sounding from it as the bone broke.

"Hana-chan…my hand…" Sesshoumaru said quietly.

"Sesshoumaru…I swear to Kami, if this thing kills me, I'll make sure Rin brings me back with Tenseiga, and when she does, I'll give you so many more broken bones that it'll make your broken hand look like it was nothing!" She hissed at him, her eyes tinged red.

"Hana-sama! The child is ready to be born! Push, woman, push!" Kaede shouted.

-

Hana let out a final scream, only to have it joined by a second voice, a powerful cry that came from a small voice.

"Hana-sama, ye have a girl…" Kaede said.

"Kawaii!" Kagome and Sango both cooed.

"Hana-chan she is so adorable!" Sango exclaimed.

"What're you going to call her, Hana-chan?" Kagome asked.

The two girls cleaned off the newborn pup and did all the other necessary things needed to be done before handing the pup to its mother, all wrapped up and warm in a soft blanket.

The pup was placed in Hana's arms, and looking at the child's face she lightly traced over the familiar crescent moon on the pup's forehead, and the two markings on either side of the pup's face. It was then that Hana cried again for the first time in many years.

"Sesshoumaru…gomen…I wish I could have given you a son…" She said quietly.

"Hana-chan, I do not care if the pup is female. She is ours, and that is all that matters…" Sesshoumaru whispered in her ear.

"Demo…I should have given you an heir…"

"Iie…do not think that…even if the pup is not a suitable heir, it does not matter, Hana-chan…I care for you very much, if I had not, I never would have taken you as my mate. Even if you bear me no sons while we are together, I will just simply do what no taiyoukai has ever done…pass the throne on to our daughter. Hanajima-san, never think such a thing again…it doesn't matter if I have no sons. All that matters is the time I was able to spend with you, and the child we were able to bring into this world together."

"Hai…Sesshoumaru…you're right…gomen…I was being silly again…worrying for nothing…"

"…Hana-chan, you have always found something to worry about in any situation…now, what will you name the pup? We cannot simply call her 'whelp' all her life…nor can we call her 'pup'. Such names are not suitable for a youkai of noble blood…"

Hana laughed lightly.

"…I have the perfect name…Kon'nichi wa, Tsukimaru…"

"Hana-chan…it truly is a perfect name…"

"Anno…I don't mean to ruin your happy little moment, but your baby needs to know who her mother is…and she should probably be hungry…" Kagome said, sounding somewhat anxious.

"Oh, hai…gomen, Tsukimaru-chan…"

The miko-youkai shrugged her yukata loose and nursed her pup, while Sesshoumaru watched over his mate's shoulder, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

After an eventful day of introductions to the newborn, mother, child, and father were all very tired. The happy family was not to be bothered as they all rested and recovered from the day's events.

-

A short time later Miroku and Sango had been the ones to rush off to Kaede's hut, this time in the middle of the night. Luckily they made it just in time for Sango to give birth to a son. The boy was named Minoru.

After about two years, Hana and Sesshoumaru were again blessed with another pup. A son was born, making the boy the heir to the Western Lands once his father was too old and weary to do it himself. Their son was called Tsurugi.

-

Kagome passed all of her exams and entered her later years of schooling. She was doing very well and she matured into a beautiful young woman. She continued to go back to the Sengoku Jidai to visit everyone now and then, providing ramen for Sesshoumaru and his family and Shippou. She visited Inuyasha's shrine each time she went back, and each time she would sit before it for hours on end, talking to the stone, telling him of how everything was going for her, things she wished he could've seen with her, and things about how she missed him and how she still remembered what he had said.

Kagome sighed and looked at the clock mounted on her bedroom wall, watching as time passed her by, time dwindling away before her eyes.

Tick, tick, tick, tick…

A/N: Thank you very much everyone for your support! It was so greatly appreciated. You've all helped me make this story into what it is now. And thanks to your kind reviews and suggestions and all your help, it totally kicks ass! Please look forward to the second fic of this trilogy, The Threads That Bind Us Together.