A.N: Hey ya'll! I'm
so sorry about the very long wait, life got rough and everything was
crazy. But now I finally got the time and the will to sit down and
write this for you all. This is indeed the last chapter of Puppy Love
and omg, how much fun this has been! I'm dedicating this chapter to
my best friends who are amazing. They keep me sane when life sucks,
they make me laugh when I'm sad, they let me cry when I need it, they
rock! They're the reason this story started, and they're the reason
that we're now at the end of it. I love you guys! NOW, ENJOY THE
LAST CHAPTER!!!! and please, all you people who read but dont review,
PLEASE review, I beg you, I really want to know what you guys think
of this story. Thanks everyone!A.N. II: This story
has seen what has more than likely been one of the hardest times of
my life. When I began this story, life was good, perfect even. Now
things are falling apart beneath my feet. Chapter
17 - Epilogue - New Demons
Lori, I will not
apologize for something I didn't do, but I am sorry that whatever we
did or whatever we failed to do, caused us to lose our friendship.
This chapter is still dedicated to you and becca, and the memory of
what we used to have.
"Wow Lori, those drapes are lovely. I assume Sesshomaru finally gave in?" Tara asked, holding her sleeping baby girl, Lorana.
"Yeah finally. I thought I'd have to start threatening him with sleeping on the couch for years." Lori answered, holding onto Becca's arms as she waddled beside them.
She was very much pregnant with her and Sesshomaru's first child, and though the great Lord of the West would never admit it, he was ecstatic.
"Oh I'm sure that would have scared Fluffy." Becca giggled. She reached her arm out casually to grab the shirt of her second youngest child and only boy as he dashed inside.
"No running in the castle dear." she said smiling at him.
"Yes Mama." the boy said adorably, his brown ears flickering amidst his curly brown hair, flashing her a smile before walking away fast.
Tara smiled brightly.
"Becca, it's not exactly fair that you and Koga got a headstart." she said as they walked into one of the many living rooms.
"Well it's not my fault you two decided to wait nine years to have children." Becca shrugged.
The girls giggled, and Becca moved to help Lori sit down since Tara's arms were occupied.
The room was beautiful, dark blue drapes and silver couches and chairs. The rug in the center of the room was silver with a blue rose pattern over it.
The girls all agreed that it was the best room in the castle.
"So Becca, how is the house?" Lori asked, leaning back on the blue toss pillows.
Becca grinned.
"We finally got our white picket fence." she laughed, Tara and Lori joining in.
"I was afraid he was going to back out on it, when we were both at your house he was still complaining about it being dorky." Tara said, rocking slightly as her little girl started to fuss.
"Well he still complains about that, but I still have it." Becca said.
Their conversation was interrupted by all four of Becca's older children came running in, Lana holding Becca's youngest, Aalyah.
"Hi Aunt Lori! You have a baby in your tummy." the little boy said matter-of-factly, running up to Lori.
Lori smiled at him and nodded.
"Yes, I do. Soon though, you'll be able to play with him." she said, stroking his hair.
"So it's going to be a boy?" Becca asked, taking Aalyah from Lana and rocking her slightly. Her baby was seven months now, she and Tara had had their girls around the same time.
"We're pretty sure. Sesshomaru certainly thinks so." Lori smiled.
"He wants his heir before we think about more kids."
"Well that's silly." Becca and Tara said in unison, giggling when they realized they'd spoken at the same time.
The three girls had run over to Tara and were staring at the baby in her arms.
The oldest, Lana looked up at Tara.
"Can I hold her?" she asked, her eyes showing maturity, her size showing youth.
Tara smiled at her and nodded.
"Sit here by me and you can hold her." she said.
Lana jumped up beside her, wiggling around to get comfortable and rounding her little arms.
Tara placed her child in the girl's arms, correcting how she was holding her and turned back to her friends.
"So when are we going to get to see yours Lori? You take forever!" She accused with a grin.
Lori rolled her eyes.
"Believe me, I want this kid out just as bad as everyone else. I'm getting a little tired of not being able to see my feet."
"Well you did good today girl, your shoes even match!" Becca smirked.
"Shut up you. That was one time!" Lori pouted.
"But it was a memorable event! I dont think we'll ever forget it!" Tara grinned.
"Oh I'm sure you won't. And you won't let me forget it either!"
"Well you do kind of deserve it." Becca snickered. "Showing up with a pink sandall and a yellow sneaker with a deep green dress is a crime."
"I can't help it that Sesshomaru brought me the wrong shoes. He has no fashion sense at all." Lori said with a grin.
"Obviously." Tara said with a laugh. "So how bad did Sesshomaru freak out when you put the fluffy in the dryer?"
Lori and Becca cackled.
"Oh it was hilarious! I really thought he was going to pass out. He turned so pale and his eyes went huge and he just stared at me." Lori snickered.
Becca laughed harder.
"I would have given anything to see that!" she choked out.
Her second oldest girl grinned at her.
"Mama, breathe." the girl said.
Tara laughed and touched the girls hair.
"This one got the best of yours and Koga's qualities. Beauty and sarcasm."
"I'm not real sure if that's a good thing." Becca said, smiling at her daughter.
"Yes it is." Tara smiled down at the lovely girl, black hair falling around her shoulders with two little ears sticking out from the top.
A loud bang and tons of clattering were heard from in the hall, occompanied with angry yells and quite a few curses.
Tara closed her eyes in irritation, hearing the voice of her husband say a couple of things that shouldn't be heard by children.
Since she was the only one able to get up, she stood up and ran into the hall.
Stomping into the castle were the three demons, faces red with anger.
She put her hands on her hips and glared angrily at the three of them, stopping them in their tracks.
"And just what, may I ask, is the reason you three are polluting the air with that filth?" she hissed.
Inuyasha swallowed hard, wincing at the sight of his very ticked wife.
It still amazed him how someone so small could still be frightening at times.
"We um..." he started.
"Sesshomaru said...um..." Koga added.
Sesshomaru crossed his arms, trying not to show how much the small girl had startled him.
"I told them that they were pathetic excuses for demons that I didn't want in my castle." he said coldly.
"Sesshomaru!" Lori cried in disbelief. "How could you say something like that?!"
Sesshomaru winced and backed slightly away from his wife.
"And you Koga! How could you curse in front of the children?" Becca demanded, joining the others, holding Aalyah.
The other four children, Lana still holding Lorana, peeked from within the other room, staring wide-eyed as the daddy's got in big trouble.
The three demons hung their heads, praying they didn't get too busted.
"You three should be ashamed of yourselves. You, Sesshomaru, I will leave Lori to deal with." Her blue eyes were icy. "I'm ashamed to call you my brother in law."
Sesshomaru winced yet again. He had deserved that.
Inuyasha inched closer to his wife, touching her arm gently with one clawed hand.
She snapped her gaze to him.
"What?" she demanded.
Inuyasha grinned and pulled her fast against him, pressing his lips to hers. She gasped and grasped his shoulders for support, eyes fluttering closed.
Koga looked at Becca who was also fuming and grinned, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively at her.
She pursed her lips, trying not to smile at the sight of her husband sauntering seductively towards her.
She giggled as he wrapped his arms around her and Aalyah, leaning his head to hers.
"Forgive me for being a baka?" he asked softly.
Becca sighed mockingly.
"Maybe someday." she said.
"I'll take that!" he said and kissed her deeply.
A chorus of "eeeewwww"s were heard from their children, making them laugh.
Sesshomaru rolled his eyes and looked at his very pregnant, radiant wife and suddenly felt bad for what he'd said.
And let me tell you, Lord Sesshomaru feeling guilty does not happen. Just goes to show how much he really loved Lori.
He walked slowly up to her, eyes on hers.
"Forgive me?" he asked softly.
Lori's eyes searched his eyes for sincerity, and upon finding it she nodded.
"Yes, but it's not my forgiveness needed." she nodded her head in the direction of the two couples.
Sesshomaru sighed in irritation.
"Inuyasha. Koga." he said, not even going to allow himself to look weaker than necessary.
Both demons looked up.
"I'm sorry for what I said earlier."
Koga's jaw dropped and Inuyasha raised an eyebrow, but both nodded and said "Me too."
The girls squealed and hugged their husbands happily.
"And now that everyone is happy and all that, it's time for us to go to the hospital!" Lori said, her voice strained slightly.
"Why would we do that?" Sesshomaru asked.
Tara and Becca shared a glance and walked calmly to their friend.
"How far apart?" Becca asked, taking one of Lori's arms.
"About twenty minutes."
"Okay good, we have lots of time." Tara said, taking her place at Lori's other side.
Koga's eyes widened.
"Oh man! Oh man! Is she about to...? Do I need to get the car? And the suitcase? What about hot water?" he spluttered.
Inuyasha smacked him over the head.
"One, this isn't your wife so why are you the one freaking out, two, we dont have cars in this era, baka."
"Oh yeah..."
"Would you two shut up?" Sesshomaru snapped at them, his face getting very pale.
Koga grinned evilly.
"Is someone a little nervous?" he teased.
"Oh and you can talk." Inuyasha snorted. "You passed out when Becca went into labor with Lana."
Koga glared at him.
"You just have to keep rubbing that in dont you?"
"Yep!" Inuyasha said cheerfully.
"Alright, Koga, you get the kids and run them to the Glade portal, Sesshomaru can carry Lori and Inuyasha can carry me and Becca." Tara said, taking charge, taking Lorana from Lana.
Koga nodded and grabbed up his kids, ensuring that all were there and ready for running. Then he kissed his wife and took off.
Yes, normal kids would have flown off in the whirl wind, but these were half-demons, made of tougher stuff.
Inuyasha crouched so his wife and Becca could climb onto his back and stood up.
"You comin' Fluffy?" he asked Sesshomaru who had gracefully picked up Lori. "Stop calling me that mutt." He said calmly. Then he took jumped out the door and into the sky, dashing towards the Glade portal.
"You two ready?" Inuyasha asked.
"Ready and waiting!" Tara and Becca said, both holding their baby girls close.
Inuyasha nodded and darted out the door, running fast.
Feudal Era trees and shacks rushed by them, and Becca and Tara both simply absorbed the feeling of clean air, unpolluted atmospher.
Then, taking a deep breath, the five of them charged directly into the shimmering screen that was the portal into their world.
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While Sesshomaru had been perfectly fine with Lori having their child in the Fuedal Era, that was one thing Becca and Tara slammed their foot down on.
Well actually it was on Sesshomaru's head that they slammed their feet on, since he was trying viciously to attack the young male doctors escorting Lori to go get ready.
"He was feeling her up, I just know it!" The silver-haired demon hissed.
"No Fluffy, he wasn't, he was helping her into her hospital gown. He was not feeling her up." Tara said calmly, rolling her eyes at Becca who smirked.
"Was Koga this bad?" she asked softly.
"Every single time." Tara growled. "I'm so getting to old for this. No more kids for either of you."
Becca laughed and looked over at Koga, who was holding Aalyah and Steven and talking to Inuyasha who was holding Lorana.
Her eyes sparkled and she had a contended, blissful smile on her face.
Tara saw this and touched her hand, still keeping a firm grip on Sesshomaru's shirt collar.
"We did good didn't we?" she asked with a smile.
Becca nodded, her eyes misting over.
"I didn't think we'd ever get this lucky." Becca whispered. "I didn't think any of us would make it to this day. All of us together, husbands, children."
"Everything we could want." Tara finished and smiled.
Becca nodded and wiped at her joyful tears. Then she promptly smacked Sesshomaru in the head.
"No going anywhere, got it Fluffy? You attack those doctors and we'll make sure Lori has no way of getting pregnant. Got it?" She said smiling evilly.
"Yeah, we're going to go in the room with Lori, you stay out here and stay out of trouble." Tara said, narrowing her eyes at him.
Sesshomaru's eyes widened as he stared at Tara and Becca in horror.
Then he nodded and walked swiftly over to sit beside Koga.
"They are both very scary." he said bluntly to the brown-haired wolf demon and his silver haired half-brother, as they watched the girls walk away.
Koga gave a blissful grin, his eyes on his wife.
"Yeah I know. Ain't she great?" he said.
Sesshomaru rolled his eyes and Inuyasha laughed.
"Oh come on Sesshomaru, you can't tell me that Lori isn't a thousand times worse than that on PMS." He said grinning.
"Oh my God yes. But it's even worse when all three are on PMS at the same time." Koga muttered. "I still have a bump on my head."
"Papa, what's PMS?" Steven asked innocently, pulling at Koga's pony-tail.
"I'll tell you when girls stop having cooties, Son. You don't want to know until then." Koga answered easily, smiling at his son.
"Okay Papa." and with that the boy went back to playing with his fathers shirt buttons.
"Poor boy." Inuyasha said with a grin. "Maybe we should all three just instill in him a natural fear of women."
"He'll need that to survive them anyway." Sesshomaru said, his face in his hands.
"Hey, give us a break, we're tougher than them!" Koga said defensively.
Sesshomaru pulled his face out of his hands and gave Koga a stare and Inuyasha raised an eyebrow, eyes also on Koga.
"Yeah?" the brothers said together.
Koga's shoulders sagged.
"Okay so they could kick our butts if they wanted to. But it's only because we wouldn't fight back!" Koga grumbled.
"Yeah sure. I'll bet they'd start attacking us with lipgloss or brushes or some other crazy crap like that." Inuyasha said with a laugh.
"What on earth is taking so long??" Sesshomaru cried, standing up and pacing in front of the other two demons.
"She's having a baby Sesshomaru." Koga said simply, like it were as obvious as the sky is blue.
Sesshomaru glared at him.
"No duh moron, I noticed that. Having a hormonal woman running around, screaming that she wants a sardine shake, kind of clued me in on that one." he said grouchily.
"Well what did you expect Sessh, that she'd go in there and the doctor would say BOOM and your baby would be right there?" Inuyasha asked, rocking Lorana gently.
"Well...no...I guess not...I just thought it'd be...quicker." Sesshomaru floundered.
Koga looked at his watch.
"It's only been three hours Fluffy."
"Stop calling me that." he growled.
"How bout Fluffy-poo?" Koga cooed.
Inuyasha smacked Koga across the back of the head.
"Shut up and leave him alone before he has a mental breakdown and starts crying for chocolate." He said firmly, his face completely straight.
Sesshomaru let out a breath and sat down on the other side of Inuyasha.
"Was it this stressful for you?" he asked softly.
"Yep." Inuyasha and Koga answered instantly.
"Well that's just great!" Sesshomaru cried.
"Whats the problem?" Koga asked, eyebrows creasing.
"I'm no better than you two welps!" Sesshomaru nearly wailed.
Inuyasha stared at him before smacking him across the head as well.
"Get a grip bro. You're acting like a girl." He said.
Steven walked up to Sesshomaru and put his little hands on the demons knees.
"Don't be sad Uncle Sesshy, Auntie Lori will be okay. She's just going to get her baby." he said, his brown eyes full of childhood innocence. His ears flickered.
Sesshomaru looked steadily at him and pulled the little boy into a hug, which Steven happily returned.
It wasn't often his Uncle Sesshy hugged him.
"Thank you Steven. I feel better now." Sesshomaru told him softly.
Steven smiled at him and leaned up to kiss his cheek before going back to sit beside his father.
Lana walked into the room, followed by Jeni who was holding Danielle's hand.
"Hi Daddy." Lana said to Koga and walked gracefully to Inuyasha and took Lorana from his arms before sitting herself on his lap.
Inuyasha grinned and held her close to him.
That was the thing about all of the children.
They were all around each other so much that the six present children and the one who was soon to join them, had three pairs of parents.
And thus, each pair of parents had several kids.
Oh those poor people.
"Uncle Sesshy?" Lana asked, rocking Lorana as she looked at Sesshomaru.
"Yes Lana?" the silver-haired demon asked with a not-well-hidden smile.
"Are you excited?" she asked with a smile.
Sesshomaru paused, his eyes pondering.
"Yes...actually...I am." he said, his voice slightly surprised.
"Me too. It's like getting another little brother." Lana said giggling. Then she leaned down and kissed the sleeping Lorana's forehead.
"Yes, I suppose it would be." Sesshomaru smiled, not trying to hide it this time.
"Watch out bro, I think these kids might be softening up the great Lord of the West." Inuyasha said with a smile, kissing the side of Lana's head.
"Look who's talking. You just wait till your girl gets older. She's already got you wrapped around her finger." Koga said smirking.
"Yeah I know. But I dont really mind." Inuyasha grinned.
All of them looked up as a smiling doctor walked out. "She's fine now, and she's asked to see you sir." The doctor said to Sesshomaru.
His eyes widened and he swallowed, trying to soothe his dry mouth. He nodded silently.
All stood and followed but allowed him to walk in first.
There, on the hospital bed with a tired, but happy look on her face, was his wife.
Becca was stroking Lori's hair away from her face, and Tara stood beside her, holding a soft bundle in her arms.
His wife looked at him and smiled tiredly at him.
"Hello love." she whispered.
"Hi baby." he said, kissing her head.
"Sesshomaru." Tara said, and smiled when he looked at her.
"Meet your daughter." she said, her blue eyes sparkling as she extended the small bundle.
"My daughter?" Sesshomaru said in wonder, his hands at his sides.
"Yes Sesshomaru, your daughter. Now take her." Tara said firmly, but kindly.
He reached out shaky hands and with help from Tara, was soon holding his newborn daughter.
The girl had silver-blonde hair and pointed ears, and there was a single purple slash across each cheek.
"She's beautiful." He whispered.
"Yes she is." Tara said and kissed his cheek. "Your wife did splendidly."
Sesshomaru walked over to the bed, Becca and Tara both withdrawing silently from the room.
"Thank you." he said to her, his eyes full of adoration, instead of the chill that had been there so many years ago.
"No thank you. So, you aren't upset that it isn't a boy like we thought?" Lori asked softly.
"Actually I'm very happy with this. My own daughter." he said again, looking at the sleeping infant in his arms.
"Besides, we have a long, long life ahead of us. Plenty of time for sons." Sesshomaru grinned and wiggled his eyebrows, making Lori laugh.
"I love you Lori."
"I love you too Sesshomaru."
He leaned over and kissed her lips gently, their child between them, and the room shimmered a little with a strange mist of joy.
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"Time to go home kids!" Koga said, rounding up his children.
"Awww, but we didn't get to see the baby!" Jeni, the second eldest said sadly, taking her little sister's hand.
"We will soon though Jeni. Uncle Sesshy and Aunt Lori are going to be all googly-eyed for a few days, then we'll get to see the baby." Lana told her with a maturity that still shocked the adults.
"Will she get to play with us?" Steven asked softly, walking up to Lana who picked him up.
"Maybe someday." Lana told him and kissed his cheek.
Becca smiled at her children and hugged her husband, who was still holding Aalyah.
"I love you Koga." she whispered to him softly.
"Mmmm and I love you, pretty lady." Koga grinned and kissed her lightly, both of them laughing when their kids "eeewww"ed.
"Okay love birds, get out of here and go home before you traumatize your children." Inuyasha said with a grin.
"Yeah okay, we'll see you two later!" Koga said, walking out the door with his children around him.
Becca ran up to Tara and hugged her tightly.
"Call me later?" she asked.
"Of course." Tara answered and smiled.
When they had gone, Tara looked at Inuyasha.
"Well I'd say today went well." she said calmly.
"Yeah I suppose it did. I don't know if I want Lori to get pregnant again though." he said thoughtfully.
Tara's eyebrows raised.
"That's an awful thing to say." she said in surprise.
"No really. Sesshomaru is worse than three females on a sugar high." he grinned.
Tara laughed and took his face in her hands, kissing him deeply before pulling away and kissing her daughter who had awoken.
"Hello there my love." she whispered, stroking her child's head.
Her baby smiled at her and cooed innocently and the parents laughed softly.
"Let's go home." Inuyasha said, kissing his wife's forhead.
"That was so 'A Journey Home.'" Tara laughed and linked her arm through his as they left the hospital.
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Three weeks later and things were back to normal, or, atleast as normal as things could be.
Life is never normal when you have demons and kids in the mix.
Lori was home and she and baby Litha were doing wonderfully.
Sesshomaru was making a good father, if a little dramatic.
Heh...Sesshomaru...dramatic...heh heh heh.
Becca and Tara went often to visit her, brought her chocolate, beat up on Sesshomaru, awwwed at the baby, normal girly-friend things.
After a very long day of visits and children, Tara and Becca decided that, for their own sanity, it would be best to go home.
They all three embraced and said their goodbyes, promises to call and visit, smiles and a few tears.
Lori waved goodbye to them from the front door as the two women walked towards the Glade Portal.
"Wow. Long day." Becca said, rubbing her tense neck.
"Yeah. Litha's adorable, but I've never seen a child wail so much." Tara said, running her hand through her hair.
"I have to disagree, Shaira screamed." Becca said, grinning.
"Oh my God, do I remember that. That was one time I was willing to ditch my friend for a few hours of sleep." Tara said fondly.
"That was silly of you, I never asked you to come help me with her and the other kids." Becca said with a smile.
"Well duh, that's why I went, because you wouldn't ask." Tara said and gave Becca a side hug.
When they weren't around their children, all three of the girls fell back into their youthful selves.
Time or distance, children or husbands, they were still friends and still kids.
They came up to the shimmering portal and taking each others hands, they took a deep breath and walked through.
They felt a tingling running up and down them, making them shudder lightly with the pressure of it, but then smiled at the familiar sight of their home.
Yes, they had homes of their own now, but the Glade was somehow bound to all of them.
It was their mother, their safety, their protector.
It had always been there for them.
The two women walked up to the tree in the center of the Glade, the one that held their house.
Tara touched the trunk gently and Becca leaned against it.
"Do you think anything will ever happen to this place?" Becca asked, turning her head to look at Tara.
"I dont know. I hope not." she smiled softly. "Maybe our children will keep it safe."
"And make adventures of their own?" Becca said.
"Well, I doubt theirs will be like ours. Ours was particularly...weird." Tara grinned.
"Naturally." Becca said with a giggle.
They were silent for a moment, both simply absorbing the familiar feeling of the Glade's magic.
"I love this place." they both whispered at the same time, glanced at each other and began giggling.
Becca pushed off the tree trunk and grabbed Tara's hand.
"Let's go play with our kids." she said with a child-like happiness.
Tara giggled and nodded, and they both started running towards the vine door.
Before leaving, they paused and turned back to the Glade.
They shared a glance, both seeing memories and feeling all that had happened in this place.
Then they smiled.
No matter where they went, the Glade was a part of them. It kept their friendship in tact, whole, complete.
It would never fade from them, because it was them.
A shimmering wind rushed towards them and ran around them, warming them.
The magic was in them, it always had been.
Their friendship, the strength of it, the love that kept it, was what had created the wonders of this place.
And thus would it stay, as long as love stayed alive.
With one final glance to their home, the two girls turned and left.
The emerald leaves on the surrounding trees whispered and rustled together, creating their song again.
The air shimmered with a warm, glittering air that filled the sacred place.
And the Glade waited patiently, for She knew that soon her magic would be carried on by the next generation.
Fin
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A,N.: I dont really know if I like the ending, but I liked the conversations. Please, please, PLEASE, review people, You've no idea how much I'll adore you if you do. Thank you so, so much to all the people who have been with me with this story from the beginning, thank you for your wonderful ideas and words of encouragement. I love you guys, you are all awesome!