Standard Disclaimer applies.

A/N: 10.8.09 Last chapter (cooough 59)/ epilogue (._.). I didn't want to put this up. Waaaaa. I'm so teary. There is smut. Beware my dears.

Hatori's Remedy presents:

Epilogue

Tohru and her husband walked hand in hand, beaming smiles as wide as rulers, each holding the pudgy hand of a child. Tohru clutched Natsuo's. Hatori grasped Kasumi's. Hatori wore enclosed sandals while the rest of his family treaded across the warm sand, barefoot. They made fun of him for shrouding himself in long-sleeved shirts and linen pants, but loved him all the same. The set down their blankets and polka-dotted umbrella.

"Otou-san, are you going into the water?" Tohru called out to her husband of fourteen years.

"We want to find crabs first!" Natsuo interrupted, crossing his arms and sticking his nose into the air like a little haughty prince. "Right, Sumi-chan?" His little sister nodded.

"I guess not," Hatori said to his wife, smiling. Natsuo was a replica of his father, hair black as night, and bottomless eyes, though his were brown. Kasumi was a sweet raven-haired girl with a toothless, dimpled grin that would lighten any room. Today she wore her hair in a big whale's tail ponytail. Her demeanor was like that of her father's, calm and thoughtful. She liked to observe, whereas her brother was more idealistic and prone to temper tantrums (not like either of his parents). He wanted results, results, results, whereas his younger sister liked to enjoy the process of getting there. For example, a few days ago, they had filled water balloons for a neighborhood get-together. She had enjoyed watching the balloons expand in her hands, sometimes popping and soaking her. But her brother had been working hard so that he could though the balloons like grenades at his friends, complaining that they were 'too slow.'

The curse had not been passed down. Hatori had been so weary. One night, a month before Natsuo's birth, he woke her in the middle of the night. I'm sorry if our baby are cursed. Don't get mad at me. I'm sorry. I'll do my best to be a good father. I'll make sure they are protected. He had been so fragile, so emotional, that all she could do was hold him in her arms, and rock him like a baby, until he fell asleep.

He was afraid that while breast-feeding, the child would transform. They wouldn't be able to find the small creature swathed in pastel hospital garments! Luckily that hadn't been the case. Both kids had been 'normal.' But Kasumi loved to act as a kitten. She mewled and licked.

Kasumi and Natsuo used their plastic shovel and dug in the moist white sand. Natsuo wanted to reach water. Kasumi just wanted to dig. Natsuo's brow furrowed in deep concentration. "Natsuo, if you see a bubble on the surface, then there might me a creature under." Hatori said. After Natsuo reached his first goal, he asked how to find animals. "I want to see a crab, or sea urchin, or sea cucumber, starfish jellyfish, snail, sting ray... Oh yeah, and a shark." Hatori raised his eyebrow, but didn't say anything.

"Maybe you should look in a tide-pool." Natsuo pondered and then found a quiet spot away from his sister, as though she had the plague that would prevent him from finding a crab.

"Look, lookie. I found one daddy! Onii-chan come here!" Kasumi beamed at her dad. She was in front of a shallow tide-pool. Her brown eyes twinkling. The crab was about the size of his thumb and green.

"Good job. Be careful not to touch the legs. He might scratch you! Look, it has a green circle design on it's back! Algae, I think!" Hatori looked back at his wife. The wide grin on his face matched that of his daughter's. Tohru hobbled over, and peered, bumping her wide brim hat against his. "Ooof. Sorry. How cool!"

"Why is he green?"

"Prolly the seaweed." Her brother said stuffily as he looked at it. Hatori nodded in agreement.

"Can we keep him?" Kasumi asked. Everyone leaned in to see the shovel Kasumi was holding. She handed it over to her father and progressed to imitate how a crab "walked."

"Sure. But only for one night. Tomorrow we will drop him off at the beach."

She scuttled back to the car to get some empty bottles to hold sea water and a bag for moist sand. Tohru smiled, thinking about how kids always wanted to keep a souvenir. They wanted pinecones from the hiking trails, smooth rainbow pebbles from the streams, fresh flowers from the meadows. Sea glass from beaches and now, also crabs. They were no sheltered hermits. They went out every weekend as a family. Hatori taught them about nature. He was like a jumbo nature encyclopedia. Berries, mushrooms, flowers. They watched him with wide eyes and intense patience (rare among young kids), lingering on every mellifluous word that dripped from his lips. He wanted to be the father that he never had. He had told her before the kids were born that he wanted to witness every of their "firsts." He wouldn't miss a thing by working late hours. He followed through. The first night without diapers (which had gone well). Natsuo's first word. First time on a bicycle. First lost tooth. (Even Natsuo's first big accident. Almost eating a toy block.)

Kasumi shoveled the crab into the bottle. As she looked into the bottle, she noticed another small speciman. She pulled on Tohru's sundress. "Mama, is that a little shrimp?"

Tohru followed her daughter's gaze. Indeed it was. "What will you name them?"

"Kiki the crab. And Jiji the shrimpy!" The young girl chirped, bobbing her head up and down ecstatically. Tohru smiled at her daughter's recollection of the movie they had seen at home the previous weekend. Kasumi had nearly begged for a talking black kitten like Jiji.

Hatori took Natsuo into the water after changing into shorts, but Kasumi stayed on shore. The water was smooth, unbreakable. She mentioned something about the ocean being a great big monster, as she twirled the frilly accent at the bottom of her strawberry-patterned one-piece suit that matched Tohru's. When Tohru asked for her to repeat what she had said, Kasumi shook her head. No.

"Oh honey. The ocean is very scary, but you are a fearless girl. Look at your brother. He has his googles on, and is enjoying the waves. You don't even want to dip your feet into the water. I promise it will cool you down from this heat."

She bit the bottom of her perfect bee-stung lip. Kasumi was a closet adventurer. She secretly wanted to try everything. Have a taste. "You promise?"

"I promise."

"But can I ride on daddy's shoulder's first?"

"Sure."

Tohru called out for her husband. He sauntered over. His shorts rode low on his hip bone. She found them the most attractive thing on a man, liking to trace her fingers along the ridge.

She took out the camera and snapped many pictures. Hatori had bought her a nice camera for her to cultivate her new love. She loved scrap-booking. Sometimes her memory wasn't the sharpest, but one look brought the details flooding to her.

She checked her watch, still in good condition after all these years.

It was time to return home.

Home was a three-story, three bedroom townhouse. Purchased a year before Natsuo was born. They had been quite frugal, wanting to give their child the best conditions - a beautiful home to play in. It had quite a lot of character. It was technically two-and-a-half stories, with a loft off the staircase, which Tohru had dubbed "The Princess and Prince's Playloft." Tohru and Hatori had painted the walls themselves - an enchanted forest. They had found a secret talent they both had. They drew woodland creatures - a deer, rabbits, hummingbirds. A cat, mice, toads, even a weasel. As well as a hidden fairy, a lost tome, magical mushrooms, a bamboo ladder leading to the sky, some rice plants, and an oversized seahorse (since their was no water, it was an ornament that hung from the tallest tree). It was like an page from the book 'I Spy.'

They had stayed in Asahi after spending the summer working for Sakiko. Hatori had found the work thrilling. It was not something he did often, outdoor labor, but to him, it was relaxing. He was outdoors, enjoying the fresh air. Or indoors, by her side, collecting eggs or pickling vegetables. He loved playing with the boys. He was like an older brother. To Tohru's surprise, he was very good with his hands. They built several multi-level birdhouses to put around the property.

Together, they had fallen in love with Asahi. The weather, the people, the serenity. An ideal place to raise a family. Hatori immediately began work at a local clinic. He had lost all chance of an inheritance from the Sohmas, as it was Akito Sohma's decision who to give it too. Before long, he was the head physician. His skills were impeccable. He made house calls, and the villagers loved him. He was professional and kind. Gentle and patient. They came to him with all kinds of questions; he even shared home remedies. In a few years time, Tohru became the head of the catering division of Yoshiki's restaurant. It was popular among the start-up businesses with young employees. She had created a few speciality dishes. A favorite was the crystal riceball. It was a riceball with a savory filling of egg, minced pork, and green onions. It was a simple finger food.

When the kids were born, she worked only one stressful week a month. She planned out all the menus and delegated all the work. She did the difficult dishes and added the final touches. She had passed down her secrets to her workers.

---

She dried her shoulder length hair before turning into bed, thinking about tomorrow. They were visiting Yuki at the planetarium in the city. He was still a bachelor, like Shigure. Shigure joked about how Yuki had taken after him. Yuki frowned and feigned angry. The kids loved their "Uncle Yuki" who always lavished them with small gifts of food or playthings. He was a top surgeon, very respected. The meetings were always in secret. Never at the estate. Tohru heard from Momiji that Akito frequently asked about Hatori. The Sohmas had all told her that he went to America. She was suspicious. But he never came around and she assumed it true. She was locked in her room most of the time. She had gotten a computer too. Once mumbled something about research. And of course she threatened the rest with disownment and much more punishment if they ever followed him. She asked about Tohru too, but everyone said they didn't know what happened to her. Kyo had the guts to tell Akito that he saw her once saw her on the arms of a much older man in the banking district. That kept Akito quiet (smug too, thinking that she had become a pitiful gold-digger), or so they guessed. Tohru thanked Kyo for his story, and he said "Sure thing. It's fun making up things on the whim." It was good to reminsce about the good times they shared.

Hatori closed his book, removed his glasses, and turned to face her. He took her arm and ghosted small kisses along her the inside of her arm, starting at her wrist - the purple veins, like the roots of a tree, disappearing into her palm. He licked the soft, translucent skin above her pulse, making her breath hitch. Before soon, his presence loomed above her, his arms trapping her in his loving, radiant hold. His arms no longer shook to keep his chest away from hers. They had built strength. Years of practice. Her heart raced, pounded, and his lips were against hers. Her lips parted naturally, yielding to its assailant. His tongue darted into her mouth and probed. She responded - a duel of tongues. Her fingers gripped his arms reflexively to prevent herself from moving beneath him. Even the accidental movement of her knee could provoke the curse. She felt him firm and throbbing; it was spectacular.

If only the curse was like that of a vampire's. Hatori could bite her, and she would be his. They would be able to touch, release the feral behavior that had been so carefully fulfilled. She would become a-a weasel, or lizard for pete's sake! For her to be able to rub against him, feel his hot chest, the taut muscles. Their heat. Together.

Hatori's right arm moved down the length of her sensitized body and nudged her legs apart. He looked deep into her hooded eyes. She nodded once. He entered her in one long smooth motion. Holding her hips still, allowing her to adjust to his girth before he began to thrust. She sucked in a sharp breath as he started moving inside her. His usual stone-set expression was carved with something primal. It always made her burn, like a dragon had breathed down her back. She wrapped her legs around his hip, meeting him thrust for thrust when she angled her hip. The rhythm was deliciously slow and deliberate. The sounds she made were soft and feminine. They made him hotter, unraveled his tight control. It never failed to intrigue him that her small body could accomodate his bulk. The sensations grew. He needed release, but not before hers. He always made sure her pleasure came before his. She trembled desperately - trying to hold out as long as possible, dug her fingers to his back sharply, bucked blindly. But he kept her anchored to the bed. He said gruffly, "Let it go." She came. He covered her shattering cries of his name with his hot, hard mouth, swallowing the sounds she made for him. They reverberated through him, harmonious. So brutal... Two more thrusts and he was complete. He released the shameless, low guttural sound as an overpowering orgasm drove through him - thick, wet, warm.

The familiar blush crept onto her cheeks. She didn't bother to hide the emotions. It did not bother her that she felt sticky. The scent of their love making filled her nostrils and buried itself in her head - stimulating and pungent. Tohru draped a leg and arm over his body, protectively. Her hands reached out to touch his jaw. He closed his eyes, opening his mind to just feeling, touching. He wanted to shut down all his other senses. Don't think. He turned his face into her fingers. He felt her breath, like a zephyr skitting across a lake. His own breath was ragged in anticipation. The fingers trailed down, lingered at his darkened, pebbled nipples, before entering the territory of hard, damp, contracting muscle. They heaved at her touch, slaves to her fingers. He watched her. She was always so intrigued by his body. Her fingers tiptoed across the protruding hip bone that formed the top of the letter V. She made sure to pay each side the same attention. She leaned her head to kiss down the line of hair that arrowed to his... Oh Kami... he wanted to crash her body against his, and feel the loving heat soak into him; the firm globes of her breasts heaving, molding to his body, mesmerizing. If only...

He stilled, breathing shallowly, expectantly. Her fingers reached for his hardened member and wrapped it around the rippled skin. He groaned, hoarse, inarticulate. Don't to this to me if your aren't prepared for the consequences. She began to stroke.

---

Hours later, they woke to the early rays of sun spilling into the bedroom. Hatori whispered in her hair, "Can we make strawberry crepes for breakfast today? I'm extremely hungry."

"I thought you didn't like sweets." She teased.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

fin

oo

---

A/N: This is about 16 years later. Tohru is 34. Hatori is 45. Natsuo is 8. Kasumi is 5. Cookies for anyone who can tell me the movie Kasumi is referring to.

There is a alternate ending plot bunny. A lovely quotation that sums it up...

I almost wish we were butterflies and liv'd but three summer days - three such days with you I could fill with more delight than fifty common years could ever contain. -John Keats

It won't be happy. Get yourselves mentally prepared, or just don't read it. If you guys are up for it... Tell ME!

Marisol Akyri: You are the sweetest!

Botan and Kurama Lover: I will leave your question hanging... hehe.

Unlove You: I wanted something tropical too, but I didn't want to delve into a topic I know nothing about. Boo-hoo. Glad you liked the proposal. It is a mirror of their relationship too. Did I answer your question about the lemons? -grins-

Kaoru Sayuri Kamiya: Glad you enjoyed the wedding scenes. Kyo, that poor cat!

LibraryLady08: Thank you for your support! You know how much I appreciate it, MJ!

Akira Johnson: It could end here, eh? But I can't let go, darn!

kouga's older woman: How'd ya like the babies?

devilgrl1: My supporter. You never cease to make me smile!

Mathinza: Hello newbie! Thank you, thank you, Thank you!!! all good things come to an end... good phrase. (menacing laughter from above)

Nikki-4: Haven't heard from ya, girl! Thank you!

konchama: New to HRSS! I agree, you have to invest a lot of time into long fics! I'm glad you did! Hatori is my ideal guy - mysterious, yet sooooooo lovable

Running To My Heart: You review was marvelous! Thank you for being my biggest fan; it means soooo much! Your quote is very fitting for the future...

Jaffa-Cake-Queen: My latest obsession is baking (and eating!). Cakes are delicious. I made this cinnamon bread, from ... which turned out more coffee-cake-ish. Still superb. Definitely check out that website. It's the best. User reviews included. Thank you for the comment!

I hope you all I enjoyed this roller coaster ride. I have enjoyed writing it and reading all of your thoughts. I hope most of you have heard back from me. (._.") Hope I didn't forget anyone. If I did, I'm super sorry! I'm excited to read some plot bunnies. (Fun, alternate universe okay too!) d(._.)b Maybe something angsty, with another male character, another location. Whatever. Just let your imagination run.

Muw, muw, MUW!