A/N: This story has been sitting around in my broken laptop for a few years. I have been fortunate to retrieve and upload it for your reading pleasure. I hope that you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the original characters from the Inuyasha series. However, the many characters that pop up from time to time are indeed mine.

"…." –Speaking

'…' –Thoughts

"…"– Spirits Talking

"…"– Beast Talking

Meet the Family

To say that Sesshomaru went easy on Inuyasha was a complete and total understatement. He pushed him to his limit and even beyond, pairing him up with his chain of command to see how far he could go. He was pleasantly surprised by the control he possessed and was quite happy to take note that he no longer yelled out annoying insults at his opponents. He paid avid attention to everything his brother did, from the slightest shift to the accuracy and strength of his attacks. He felt his chest swell with pride at the changes he saw in the younger half demon male and for the first time in his very long life, he felt no shame in calling him his brother.

As he watched the commander of his armies fly through the air to hit the tree at the far side of the field with a sickening thud, he knew what it was that he was going to do with Inuyasha. "Enough." He called out to the younger man. "Come Inuyasha. I have seen enough. Let's go wash up before going down to the dining hall where you will meet the rest of your family." Turning to his commander, he said, "Gather the chain of command and meet me in my study after you have all finished eating." The man, a dragon demon with onyx hair and steel grey eyes, bowed to Sesshomaru. "As you wish Sesshomaru-sama."

Inuyasha followed after his brother without uttering a single word, knowing well enough that if Sesshomaru wanted to speak to him than he would. Sesshomaru stopped a young rabbit maid and requested a set of clothes for himself and his brother to be brought to the indoor hot spring in the Western wing. The black rabbit youkai nodded in understanding. "Hai Sesshomaru-sama."The inu paid her no mind as he continued on his way.

He lead Inuyasha up a series of stairs and then to the family wing were the scent of his pups and mates was strongest. Inuyasha stopped and sniffed the air, the scent tickling his sensitive nose. "How many pups do you have Sesshomaru?" He asked as he followed after his brother once again. Sesshomaru glanced back at his brother, a single canine tip peaking through the smirk on his lips. "You will see." Inuyasha gulped, suddenly nervous. "Is that supposed to be a good thing?" He asked, the question directed more to himself than to his brother.

Sesshomaru paid him no mind as he turn to a door on the left and pushed it open. He stepped in, Inu only a few seconds after. The room by itself was not intricately decorated. It was beautiful in simplicity from misty heat to surrounding rock structures and plant life. The water was hot, what could one expect of a indoor hot spring?, and nearby bathing area to clean off all the dirt and sweat.

Disrobing, both males washed off all the grime they had accumulated throughout the day then made their way over to the spring, stepping in and relaxing against the heated rocks. Neither spoke, both far too comfortable for words. Minutes passed and a knock echoed through the silence. The door opened and in came the small rabbit youkai. "I have brought you your clothes like you requested. Kagome-sama also sent some drying cloth." She placed the clothes on a shelf in two separate piles and quickly walked out, quietly shutting the door behind her.

They got out of the spring and walked over to the shelf that contained their respective clothing. After thoroughly drying, they dressed. Sesshomaru in a black silk hakama and haori set with his customary honeycomb pattern in red stitching, a gold obi completed the look. Inuyasha was given a set of black hakama and red haori, both made from the finest silk. Around his waist an obi of silver with threads of gleaming gold held his clothes into place. The half demon male looked at his clothes in wonder and caught the distinct smell of Kagome. He smiled wistfully. "She really is something, isn't she?" He said out loud as he followed his older brother out.

Sesshomaru looked back at his brother. He glanced at his outfit and after catching the scent of his mate on it, he nodded. "She is. She has changed much throughout the years Inuyasha and she knows that you have as well. To her, that's all that matters." he led the way to the dining hall. Sounds of laughter could be distinctly heard and increased in volume as they approached. Inuyasha gulped nervously. Sesshomaru held back a chuckle at his brother's nervous disposition. Without a word of warning to the hanyou, he pushed open the doors. The occupants inside instantly fell silent as a multitude of eyes turned to stare at the both of them.

Inuyasha swallowed as he noticed the many pairs of brown, green, blue, and golden eyes staring at him. Not to mention, the many scents of kitsune hanyou that assaulted his nose. He was startled at the sound of Kagome's laugh as she made her way over to him. "Don't be so afraid. They don't bite, much." She added as an afterthought. Inuyasha shifted wide amber eyes from the crowd of children to his brother's mate. "Is that supposed to make me feel better?" He asked.

The rough bark of Shippo's full blown laughter drew their attention. "NO, I think mama was just giving you a bit of a warning. She told me you were back. I almost didn't believe her. It's good to see you again Inuyasha." He stated as he walked in through the open doors, his mate's arm loosely wrapped around his and safely tucked between his nine tails. He came to a stop beside him. A single puppy ear twitched as the two looked each other over. "Inuyasha clasped his clawed hand around Shippo's unoccupied forearm as Shippo returned the gesture. He gave the younger male a gentle smile that caught him off guard. "It's good to see you again as well Shippo. You've changed quite a bit since I last saw you."

Shippo said nothing for a moment before squeezing his hand around his first pack leader's forearm. "So have you Inuyasha and I must say for the better." Inu smirked at the compliment. "Thanks." He looked down at the woman who stood silently on the kitsune's arm. "If I'm not mistaken, you must be the little girl that followed Sesshomaru around all those years ago." Rin gave him a beaming smile. "You are correct Inuyasha-sama." Inuyasha shook his head. "Inuyasha is fine. There has never been a "sama" attached to my name and I highly doubt there ever will be."

Sesshomaru covered a secret smile behind a clawed hand. Kagome, seeing the gesture, raised a fine dark brow at her mate. He returned her gesture with one of his own, his face giving nothing away like always. Kagome sighed and turned back to the conversing trio. "Come before the pups start to riot." Rin and Shippo laughed in agreement before sitting in their proper seats. Kagome led Inuyasha to the seat to the left of Sesshomaru. Inuyasha stared at the placing before looking at his brother. With a slight bow of his head, Sesshomaru gave Inuyasha the encouragement he needed to sit. Without a hitch, the feast began. One by one, Inuyasha was introduced to his rather large family.

Their first born son, Daichi, had the appearance of a fifteen year old. He was the spitting image of Sesshomaru, from crown to toe, but Inuyasha could clearly see that the easy smile he gave was Kagome's. He was quiet and reserved much like his father. Never lifting his voice and always speaking softly and calmly, but with respect to those he loved. Inuyasha instantly grew to respect the boy who knew when to keep his father's famous emotionless mask and when to let it go. He was proud of his first nephew who was, quite literally, the best of both his mother and father.

Eiji and Aimi were, by all appearances, at least thirteen. They were also Sesshomaru and Kagome's first set of twins and were a gorgeous blend of their parents. Eiji had his mother's dark hair and tail. His brow, eyes, and cheeks were adorned with his father's markings in the same magenta and royal blue outlined in his mother's silver blue. His eyes were a lovely blend of brilliant gold around the catlike iris that bled into silver blue. He too was soft spoken and very easy to get along with. He offered an easy smile to everyone he spoke to and treated Inuyasha with great respect.

Aimi was the light to her brother's dark coloring. She had her father's silver hair and tail, but her mother's silver blue rampant inu on her brow and two similarly colored stripes on her cheeks. Her markings, however, were outlined in royal blue and magenta in respective order. Her eyes were a beautiful molten gold that faded to shining silver blue as they got closer to her iris. Aimi was a little more outspoken then her twin and far livelier, but their hearts were pretty much the same. Both, like their brother before him, and inherited their mother's beautiful smile.

Michiko was a beautiful little girl of twelve. She had her mother's dark black hair that faded to her father's moon spun color towards the middle; her tail curiously the same. She had her mother's markings with her father's coloring as well as his golden eyes. She was more her father in silence, but when she spoke, she did so with careful wording and vast knowledge that showed great intelligence for her young age. She offered sweet shy smiles and her laughter was quiet and gentle.

Mamoru was a ten year old boy with the top half of his hair the color of platinum silver and the bottom half black. His tail was silver with black strips running through it. He had silver blue eyes and his father's markings in his mother's coloring. He was a lively young fellow who laughed loudly in joy and could instantly brighten anyone's mood. However, like his name described, he was very protective of her siblings especially his sisters and the younger pups of the family.

Mizuki and Tsukiko were eight year olds and the last of the twin set. Both were the spitting image of their mother but with their father's colored markings. They modeled their behaviors and personalities to their favorite brother, Daichi, to almost exact likeness but for the mask that he would wear at times. The rest of their siblings had dubbed them the "moon twins" as Inuyasha later came to find. Last, but most certainly not least, were his three bold nephews.

Inuyasha could only stare in wonder of the six year old triplets. The coloring they were born with making them look far more exotic than the rest of his brother's brood. Masaru, Kenshin, Yoshinori were the youngest of all of Kagome and Sesshomaru's pack. They had their father's silver hair and tail along with their mother's silver blue eyes. Interestingly enough, they had a combination of their parent's brow markings, a crescent moon with the top paws of their mother's rampant inu resting on the upper section of the moon's curve. Their cheeks, however, were adorned like the rest; two smooth stripes and all had their father's eye markings as well.

It was the color of those markings that made the light pigment of their skin, eyes, and hair to really stick out. The color of the crescent moon was the royal blue of Sesshomaru's crest at the middle then faded out to silver blue. Kagome's inu marking was silver blue that darkened into royal blue. Their stripes and eye markings were no exception to the odd coloring either. The first stripe started off as silver blue from the top and darkened to their father's dark magenta at the bottom. The second stripe began as a dark magenta that faded to their mother's silver blue. The eye lid markings were silver blue from the innermost corner of the eye that darkened to magenta towards the outer corner. As if that wasn't bad enough, there was absolutely nothing that set each individual triplet apart. They all looked exactly the same. However, nothing prepared Inuyasha for the mischievous nature of the three who spent too much time around the half kitsune kits.

Once Inuyasha was done with Sesshomaru's pups, he was introduced to Shippo's hanyou bunch. Natsumi and Natsuko were twin 13 year old girls with Shippo's red hair and Rin's brown eyes. They each had a set of reddish brown fox ears atop their mass of red hair and a tail to match. They had their mother's sweetness and flower loving tendencies with their father's love for sweets and drawing. They had a sunny disposition that rival the summer sun of the season they were born in.

Takumi was Shippo's eleven year old first born son. He lived up to his name of having a wide range of skills from something as simple and drawing and instruments to as complex as weaponry and magic. He had Rin's black hair and his father's green eyes. Unlike his sister's, he didn't have a set of ears, but he did have a tail the color of obsidian and he was every bit a troublemaker as his father, which the older male took great pride in, much to Inuyasha's displeasure.

Finally, it was their last set of twins the age of seven. Yoshihiro and Yoshio were a blend of mischievous sweetness that made no sense what so ever. Yoshihiro was the mini version of his father in looks as Yoshio was the mini male version of his mother. Each had a set of ears on their heads that matched their hair color as well as a set of fluffy fox tails that danced in their joy of having a new "favorite uncle" to introduce to their prank wars. Rin, seeing the calculating looks on her two sons' faces, gave them a look that promised trouble.

Shippo laughed as his pups released a yip and ducked under the table to hide of their mother's view. She had just given them what they had all dubbed the look and knew that they had to keep a low profile for the time being. Inuyasha gave Rin a grateful smile which she returned with her own, but he was no fool. He knew that he'd have to keep an eye out for those two more than all the others. As the time passed, the children asked their uncle questions of where he had been and what it was like. He told his stories of his adventures and off all the silly moments he had had throughout the years.

By the time dinner was over, the children had been charmed to bits by their uncle who they had heard many stories about but never knew. As they all got out of their seats, they made a bee line to Inuyasha, giving him an affectionate hug and a quiet good night before one by one they left. Rin bowed to him and happy said good night as well before following after her kits. Inuyasha remained quiet for a moment, his throat tights and eyes swimming. He laughed as he blinked and allowed a few tears to escape as he brought a hand to quickly brush them away. "Those kids really are something." He said to the quiet adults behind him.

Kagome smiled as she looked at him and gave him a quick hug. "They love you Inuyasha." She told him as she moved away and wiped the last of his tears. His heart, heavy with sorrow after the betrayal and death of his beloved mate, swelled to life with happiness, peace, and love. He swore to himself that whether Sesshomaru gave him a place within his castle walls or not, he would die to protect those children who with a few hugs and gentle farewells had done more for him in a matter of minutes than anything else had in long lonely months.

Kagome gave his hand a squeeze. She made her way over to her mate and kissed him lightly. "I'm going to make sure that the pups are put to bed." Sesshomaru nodded as he leaned into caress her cheek with his. "Hn. When they are settled meet me at the study room. We will be discussing his placement within the castle shortly." She bowed her head in understanding. She walked out gracefully, leaving the three males to watch her departure. Shippo turned to Inuyasha with a smirk. "You better watch yourself from now on Inuyasha. My pups and the rest of my brother's and sister's like to play pranks on those that they love more than those that they don't. You won't have another peaceful day in your life."

Inuyasha gave him a fanged smile. "To be honest, I am looking forward to it." Shippo chuckled. "Come back to me in two days' time and let me know if you still feel the same. Sesshomaru ignored his brother and his adopted kit. "Come. We will discuss what your place will be within my home Inuyasha. Kagome will be with us shortly." Without the word, they followed after. Inuyasha looking forward to whatever fate his brother decided for him.

A/N: There you have it folks. I'm sorry if it's long and boring. I wanted to introduce the rest of the family to Inuyasha. It would be weird if I didn't. Talk about a big family and yet none of them are around. I hope you enjoyed it at the very least. Good night!