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

His Place

He couldn't believe it. He really couldn't. Despite the fact that he had asked his older demon brother to decide his fate within his home, he never said anything whatsoever about any placement in his pack. He stared around at all the sets of eyes that looked at his with different emotions, but none of them in hatred or disdain. In fact, they seemed quite, dare he say it? Content? Proud?

The meeting had gone off without a problem. He was confused at first as to why so many demons were in attendance, mostly the higher ups of Sesshomaru's chain of command but he had thought nothing of it and allowed his brother to do his job. He listened vaguely as Sesshomaru discussed something or other with each individual before catching his attention with "It is settled than, Inuyasha will be in command of my armies and will be second to only me. Ryuji, I want to you teach Inuyasha everything that he has to know for his position as you will be his second in command."

He looked around at those around him. "Should it come to the point that I cannot take my position as general of my armies for any reason whatsoever, Inuyasha is to do so in my stead. You are to follow his every command without fail, is that understood?" The other demons nodded in acceptance of their new orders. "Wait a minute Sesshomaru." Inuyasha started. All pairs of eyes turned to look at him. "I'm honored that you would entrust me with such a position but I can't take someone else's job right out from under them."

Sesshomaru raised a brow in question. "Why is that Inuyasha?" The younger man frowned as if it was obvious to him. "These demons have obviously worked hard to earn and keep the positions that they have under you. What right do I have to suddenly come out of nowhere and take something I don't deserve?" The men around him cracked a fanged smile. "Inuyasha, you do realize that everybody in this room has spared against you and lost, correct?" Inuyasha nodded. "Yes, but what does that have to do with anything?"

Ryuji laughed. "You didn't know it at the time, but Sesshomaru-sama was testing you against the strength of his best warriors. We know what he was doing because each and every single one of us has gone through it. An individual will spar against each one of the chain of command and continue to do on until they are defeated or they have defeated them all. The rank of the last demon you defeat becomes your rank and it's their responsibility to show you have everything is done. Once you know everything they've taught you, they either become your second or drop down to the next rank, whichever my lord decides." He finished with a shrug.

Inuyasha sighed and shook his head. "All right, if that's how it's done. I accept." He met his brother's eyes. "I won't fail you." Sesshomaru smirked. "I know." He stood up from his seat. Paying no mind to his brother's mystified expression, he said. "Ryuji, you start tomorrow. Dismissed." He gestured for Inuyasha to follow and he did so, too stunned by his brother's confidence in his to do much of anything else. He followed as Kagome and Sesshomaru walked quietly in front of his before they left him at his room's door with a good night and welcome home.

They had just entered their room down the hall by the time he snapped out of it. Opening his door, he entered. He walked over to his bed and laid on it, suddenly a wide grin spread across his handsome face; the joy and good fortune of the day finally crashing in on him. He felt elated and with the closing of his eyes and the evening of his breath, he muttered out, "It's good to be home." Then with the sounds of his family's peaceful breathing around him, he succumbed to his dreams of the future to come.

SKSKSKSK

The months that followed proved to be the longest and most challenging months Inuyasha ever had the misfortune to endure. During his days, Ryuji was like his shadow, always teaching him what he had to do for his new position and throwing him out to the wolves to test him in that day's lesson. He stumbled about at first, not quite sure if what he was doing was correct, but seeing as how Ryuji didn't utter a word of disapproval, he came to the conclusion that he was doing it right and grew confident.

Once Ryuji had taught him everything he had to teach him, he left him to do his work as the commander of his brother's armies. He spent the days overseeing the soldiers training, correcting what needed to be corrected, issuing punishment work to those that would disobey an order, and giving an encouraging word when he felt it appropriate. He took the time to get to know his soldiers and made it a point to introduce himself to each and every single one of them.

Many were confused at how he did things, their previous commanders not having done so, but warmed up to him after a while. Seemingly a few scant months of vigorous effort on Inuyasha's behalf, he had each and every soldier listening to his orders with question or complaint. To say that Sesshomaru was rather pleased would have been an understatement.

Inuyasha also found that he really had to keep an eye out for his many nieces and nephews who pranked the uncle they had come love unconditionally. He learned the hard way for the first two weeks to never let his guard down during waking hours. The most embarrassing of the pranks being where they had switched his bottle of shampoo with another filled to the brim with a multicolored solution.

He had been horrified to find that his normal white hair had been turned to a mess of neon green, hot pink, and electric blue. To the day, his soldiers still made teasing comments about the incident. Never the less, the lesson had served its purpose and made Inuyasha keep constant vigil of his surroundings at all times. Thankfully, it turned out to be a great asset as many of the things others did to get away with things never worked when he was around to see it all.

Before he knew it, a year had passed since his arrival to the Western castle and he couldn't have been happier. He came to realize that the pain that Kikyo had left behind in his heart had been filled by the love of the numerous pups in his pack and by the acceptance and peace of his pack mates. His relationship with Kagome had improved to something far greater than the one they had previously had and he had grown very close to his older brother. Shippo was a pleasant companion for harmless rivalry and his mate a breath of fresh air with her calming aura.

His job and responsibilities kept him busy but never to the point that he wouldn't make time to see the pups grow and flourish in any and all endeavors they pursued. He felt very much like a proud father and could only imagine how Shippo and Sesshomaru felt if his emotions were so intense. However, if there was one thing that he knew, it was that all good things eventually came to an end.

As the years progressed, the dragons of the north became greedy for land and treasure. They craved power and the devastation that only a long and bloody war could cause. As the peace treaty between the North and the West began to fray at an alarming rate, Inuyasha knew just by looking at the stony and unreadable expression on his brother's face that war was upon the horizon.

With a mighty roar, he commanding his troops to prepare for battle and to wrap up any loose ends they may have before they moved out in two weeks' time. That night's dinner tasted like nothing, for he couldn't process its exquisite flavors, and settled in his stomach like a ton of bricks. Shippo's children opened cried at the news of their father going to battle for an undetermined amount of time. Rin's eyes had flooded over with tears that she refused to spill. She audibly swallowed her panic and worries away and forced herself to remain strong for her children.

Sesshomaru's pups, however, were a different story all together. Each and every single one of them from the, now, eight year old triplets to the seventeen year old Daichi had adopted their father's blank mask. Gone were their smiles and happy laughter. In their eyes was the look of acceptance for what was to come. He knew that Sesshomaru and Shippo could as easily as he see the hardening of their eyes at the possibility of one or all of them never returning and the steady breath they took to settle themselves to steel their hearts.

He could see Daichi sit straighter in his seat, readying himself to take over whatever duties his father required of him after his departure. He watched as they all glanced briefly at one another then flicked their gaze over to their mother before one more glancing at each other and settling their gaze of the eldest sibling. He gave them a barely noticeable incline of his regal head and, just like that, whatever it was that they were silently communicating to one another was decided. They bowed their head to their father as an indication that they had heard their father's announcement.

From the corner of his eye, he could see the pride that shined through his brother's eyes at how his pups had accepted the news without much of a scene and how they had settled amongst themselves that they would watch over their mother. It wouldn't surprise Inuyasha if they later met up to discuss who was in charge of what. He looked over at Kagome, who sat calmly in her seat beside her mate. She tended to Sesshomaru in her usual manner, treating the news as if it was an everyday conversation. The only indications that she knew otherwise was in the deep coldness of her eyes, the mask she had mastered so long ago, and the way her tail had wrapped itself around her mate's waist.

Rin dismissed herself and her kits from the table when they showed no signs of calming down. Shippo promised to meet her after their children had been laid to rest. Sesshomaru's pups quietly asked to be excused and with a nod from their father in acceptance, they got up as one and walked to the Western wing. Kagome looked after her children but said and gave nothing away. Inuyasha watched as she squeezed Sesshomaru's clawed hand before she got up and squeezed his shoulder. One her way out, she curled her tail around her son's nine and continued on until her tail could no longer touch his. Without a word, they got up from their seats and followed after Sesshomaru.

SKSKSKSK

The weeks had passed in a blur of preparation for the war and of quiet evenings with the pack. The children were subdued in their moods. They wouldn't laugh or play but would give a quiet giggle and shy smile on occasion. The nights, Inuyasha knew, were spent in the frenzied passion that their mates to desperately sought to give them and they receive. The last day was spent in tense anticipation and their final night was filled with caresses of everlasting love.

By the time the first rays of dawn light crept over the horizon, they had already set out and were well on their way to their camp site. The war was long and indeed very bloody. Inuyasha stood by his brother's side for the next five years; carrying out his order to his soldiers and those of the chain of command. He watched as his brother lead his faithful followers to countless of encounters and watched as he fought alongside his brothers-in-arms and how he gave them all the strength and encouragement they needed to keep going

At night, long after the other's had been dismissed from their nightly meetings; he spoke with his alpha and his fox pack mate of their family back home. At last, just when he thought that he would never see his home again, the final battle of the war was fought. He saw how many of his brothers fought and died with pride on the battlefield. He felt the hot, sticky red liquid on his hands as he hacked and sliced at his enemies all the way close to his brother. He saw the flash of silver that was to close to dodge, the rustle of red and white silk, and the spray of blood.

Inuyasha's eyed widened in surprise that his brother saved his life. Sesshomaru, without missing a beat, severed the arm of the demon that injured him and continued on his way. He paid no mind to the wound and Inuyasha kept close and cut any and all that came too close to him. The climax of the battle came down to the enormous beast forms of his brother and the dragon lord of the north. In a massive rain of blood, acid, scale, fur, flesh and bone, the victor was none other than his brother; whose howl of victory echoed through the silence, reenergized his troops, and sent shivers down the backs of the surviving enemy. Finally, the war with the north was over and the west was once again victorious!

SKSKSKSK

It had taken many of the demons of their camp several days to heal, youkai healers only able to do so much with the number of injured they had to attend to. Sesshomaru, who had used a very large amount of his strength and had lost quite of bit of blood, took two full days and three bloody deer carcasses to heal. Shippo had received a belly wound that thankfully hadn't been too bad and a few sword wounds to his legs and arms. He was fully healed a day later and more than eager to return home to his mate and pups.

With spirits high and bodies sore, the warriors of the west rushed home. Happy to finally see mates, children, mothers and fathers left behind. Inuyasha, howver, was not prepared for the assault that they received as soon as they came within sight of Shippo's pups. They crowded around them and smothered them in their hugs. Shippo was immediately pulled aside by an ecstatic Rin, who proceeded to happily kiss him to death. Once she was done, she and her children moved aside for the stunning sight of Sesshomaru's sons and daughters.

Daichi, now with the appearance of a nineteen year old male, gracefully walked over to his father. He bowed to his in respect and then stepped forward to give his father a tight hug, taking in his scent as Sesshomaru did the same. He backed away from his father and moved over to him. Inuyasha was stunned when he bowed to him as he had his father before him and then gathered him into a hug. Inuyasha wrapped and arm around the boy's shoulder and took in his scent as Daichi did him. Once again, he stepped away and moved over to Shippo, repeating the process once more.

When he returned to his brother and sister's sides, seventeen year old Eiji and Aimi stepped forward and followed their bother's example the only exception being that they wrapped their tails around their father, a gesture he gladly returned. As soon as they joined Daichi's side, sixteen year old Michiko and fourteen year old Mamoru stepped forward and did as the three before them had. Twelve year old Mizuki and Tsukiko went next and bringing up the rear were ten year old Masaru, Kenshin, and Yoshinori. All three of the triplets wrapped themselves around their legs and waists before slowly joining the rest of their family.

They then stepped aside for Kagome, glorious in a metallic amethyst and black kimono. She stopped at the bottom them the stone steps to briefly drink Sesshomaru in. Inuyasha couldn't help the smile on his lips or the longing to have someone look at him in such a manner. He wasn't able to ponder the sudden thought as she turned to him and walked over. She bowed slightly and then wrapped her arms around his torso. "Welcome home."

"It's good to be back." He responded after he released her. She made her way to Shippo. She bowed and hugged him and gave him the same greeting only with "my son" at the end. Finally, she calmly made her way to her mate. She stopped before his and bowed deeply. She straightened and quickly closed the distance. Clawed hands were wrapped around his neck and his around her waist. The kiss they shared was that of lover's long separated but finally reunited, intense with the fiery passion that scorched

Their tails cocooned them and the dancing length of hair on the wind obscured them from their view. They separated after a moment and Kagome pulled him away from them and into the castle. "Daichi make sure the pups are cared for." Daichi gave his mother a happy grin. "Yes mother." He turned to Rin and Shippo. "We'll watch over yours too aunt Rin. Go on." Rin smiled. "Thanks." Shippo gave his mate a loving grin as he picked her bridal style and made off to their chambers.

Inuyasha laughed at the scene the love birds made. The rest of them smiled. "You have a visitor uncle Inuyasha; an inu demoness from the Continent. She came looking for you a year ago and has been here since." Inuyasha's ears perked up at this and a happy gleam entered his amber eyes. "Could it be?" he thought to himself as he went in search of the very first friend he had made in the Continent. He wisely ignored the sound of their laughing, his chest filling with happiness at hearing those sounds again.

SKSKSKSK

It turned out that his guest was indeed his friend Meihui, a raven haired and jade eyed beauty with a seemingly bottomless wisdom. He spent hours catching up with the young woman that he surprisingly missed. An hour before dinner was to start, they went their different waits to wash and dress and then met up again before heading to the dining hall together. Dinner was a welcome experience as his nieces and nephews smiled and asked them about this and that.

Meihui told them of how the two had met and what had caused her to come to Japan in search of her dear half breed friend. She was pleasantly surprised at how intelligent they all seemed to be and in awe of the knowledge that Sesshomaru's pups demonstrated. They spoke for a while of various things subjects until he saw Kagome and Rin simultaneously rise. They patiently waited for the others to finish talking, Sesshomaru's pups having done so the minute that they saw their mother stand. Shippo's kits took a second longer and the three males that had just arrived home looked expectantly for an explanation.

"Mate," Kagome began. "There is something that you must know." Sesshomaru raised a single brow in question. Inuyasha could see from the corner of his eye, that all the pups present had a secret smile on their faces, the pure breeds a little less wide than those of their half breed cousins. He glanced at the woman sitting next to him and noticed her small happy smile. The question he was about to ask died on his lips as two of the youkai maids came in, their arms occupied by a child each.

One of the pups was a hanyou with black hair streaked with red. Red and black kit ears proudly perched atop her waving mass of hair and a tail thumped happily at when the small boy saw Rin. Rin walked over and gently retrieved her son from the arms of one maid then made her way over to a stunned Shippo. "This is Kohaku." She told him. "He'll be turning four in the next two weeks." Shippo stared into the emerald eyes of his offspring and couldn't help but bring his pup close to his chest and growl happily.

He looked up at his mate with suspiciously wet eyes. "I love you mate." He said to her as he pulled her into his lap being mindful of the babe pulling on his long red locks. Inuyasha stared in amazement and looked to his brother to see his reaction when he noticed that Sesshomaru was paying little to no mind to the couple not far from him.

He followed his gaze to see that he was staring at the three pups remaining. Kagome gave her mate a smile and motioned for the women to walk forward. She plucked each child out of one arm and placed them in their father's laps. The seemingly three year old girls stared up at him with eyes as golden as those of their father. This set of triplets were the exact opposite of their triplet brother's in coloring. Their mother's dark hair and their father's eyes. The same markings on their tiny faces but the colors reversed, dark where theirs was light and light when theirs was dark.

They opened their tiny mouths in gummy smiles. He watched as Sesshomaru's lips twitched in an answering smile. "She is Akari." Kagome said as she indicated to the little girl currently stuffing her father's tail fur into her toothless mouth. "This one is Kazumi." She said as she pulled Sesshomaru's hair out of the mouth of a second youngling. "That one is Rumi." She said at last, indicating to the child currently drooling on her father's exposed hand.

Inuyasha chuckled softly at the sight and nearly gasped when his brother's tail deposited to the fur munching Akari into his lap where she proceeded to stuff his finger into her mouth. He grimaced at the sliminess of her drool as it slowly made its way down his finger and hand. His ear twitched at Meihui's light laughter and scowled at her for laughing at his expense. She gave him a look and shrugged. After that, dinner continued on as if nothing had changed. They ate and laughed and caught up with one another before separating and going to their rooms for the night.

SKSKSKSK

After that night, time passed like a whirlwind. A few months after the war had ended, he found himself being the center of attention as Sesshomaru acknowledged him as his father's second son and as prince of the West before the attending courts of the four lords. He realized then that his brother had set him up. 'That sneaky...' he thought to himself before Meihui captured his attention.

From then on the years passed as they should. Kagome keeping demon kind from extinction as safe and happy as possible while history played itself out. During those years, he had listened with amusement as Rin and Kagome made the decision to stay with the pups they had and have no more for the time being. He watched as the pups grew and developed themselves into formidable warriors that made their mother and father proud. He watched over them as they fell in love with young males and females that were worthy of them and of being a part of his brother's pack. As the older pups mated and had pups of their own, Kagome and Rin soon found themselves surrounded with plenty of grandchildren to spend the time with.

Sometime within those centuries he found himself falling for the beautiful inu Meihui and, after getting his brother's permission to court, had asked Meihui who had responded with a gleeful yell before knocking him down to the ground, kissing him senseless. Kagome and Sesshomaru, who had gone to witness his proposal to her, had brother smothered their smiles and silent chuckles behind the sleeves of their haori before walking away to give them their privacy.

A year after they began courting, they were mated and well on their way to adding their own pups to the increasing large clan of the West. Now as golden eyes once so wild and broken stared out of the window of Taisho Corp's CEO's office, he couldn't help but smile at all the things that he had achieved in his long life. He turned back around to see his brother typing away at the computer, his demonic features hiding under his human disguise.

"Are you almost done yet?" He asked. Sesshomaru looked up at him with a raised brow. Inuyasha simply sighed at his brother's nonverbal reply. He was going back to stare at all the shining lights of the city below when they sudden sound of Sesshomaru's phone beeping went off. He watched as his brother took out his phone and tapped on the screen. He tensed when he saw the edge of his eyes tint red before he closed them and calmed for a moment. Sesshomaru saved his work, turned off the computer, stood up and made a beeline for the elevators, his coat trailing behind him in one arm.

"What's going on?" Inuyasha asked as he got up from his seat and hurried after his brother. "What is today's date?" Sesshomaru asked Inuyasha, ignoring his previous question. "It's September 2nd. Why?" Sesshomaru ran a hand through his short dark hair. "Kagome told me that her family died in a fire. Apparently today was that day and she went in to save them all. They are at home with the others. Forget the vehicles, we are running home." Inuyasha nodded silent response. As soon as they made it to ground level, the headed towards the back of the company and in a flourish of youkai, they were gone.

A/N: Very long chapter. Yes I know. I was too lazy to separate it not to mention that I didn't want to. I hope that you enjoyed it and thank you to all of my remarkable reader's. Next chapter will be the last.