Thicker Than Water

celestia193's Author's Note: Now, finally, we come to the epilogue. This story has come a long way since the request we got for this fic and took a lot more twists and turns than we'd originally mapped out. It's been a long, heart wrenching journey to get here, but now, everything is working out for everyone. We present to you a fluffy happy ending with a family reunited and hope and love in the air.

Silver's Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews and giving these unconventional pairings a chance. We hope you enjoy the grand finale to Thicker Than Water. Oh and please feel free to check out our other stories, if you're interested. We've got collaborations and solo fics.

Chapter 30

A warm summer breeze blows through the castle grounds as a pair of beautiful rings shimmer in the vibrant colors of the sunset, one silver and adorned with an onyx stone to protect against the rays of the sun, the other made of twisted gold set with a watery blue opal alight with the colors of a sunset over the ocean. Both were beloved, but it was the latter that came as a token of love, and not of necessity.

Itachi smiles softly as he leans against the archway leading out into on of the terrace courtyards. This was a place that had once been an escape for him. Now, however, it was filled with happiness, light, and life. Itachi wouldn't have it any other way.

"Uncle Sasuke! Uncle Sasuke!" A tiny girl with long, raven black hair tied back in a loose braid and a bluish tint to her skin races towards one of the cushioned lounge beds set out along the inner edge of the courtyard. Her vibrant red tunic catches the wind like a kite and Itachi can't help but chuckle at the sight. Chiaki was such an excitable pup, just like her father in some respects. "Uncle Sasuke! Play with me!" She jumps for the bed where his little brother lay with his lover and Itachi covers his mouth to stifle a louder chuckle when his daughter lands squarely in her uncle's lap.

Sasuke blinks and yawns as he stretches. His niece had woken him up for a soothing sleep. She was far too adorable for him to be angry, though. "Alright. What do you want to play? Itachi, what are you feeding these kids?" They were so damn…hyper.

"Blame their father, Sasuke. They take after him." Of course, it was Itachi who had the taste for sweets, so perhaps he passed on that predisposition to them.

"Be a bear and carry me on your back!" Chiaki grins widely. She loved it when her papa played bear with her. Her uncle was even more fun because of all those faces he'd make.

Gaara smirks as he rolls over and cracks open a single aqua eye. His hand comes to rest on his lover's hip. "It sounds like the little princess has issued a command, Sasuke. Shall you be leaving me behind to humor her?"

Sasuke playfully rolls his eyes as he bestow a kiss upon his beloved. "For a time. I'll be back soon enough. One can hardly refuse a princess's requests. Can they?"

"Yes, very much so." Gaara presses into the kiss and plants a firm smack against Sasuke's ass. "Now go have fun, Sasuke."

"I'll get you back for that later." Sasuke smirks. "For now, I've got a niece to indulge."

After reclaiming a small sliver of his dignity, Sasuke darts over to the excitable hybrid and allows her climb on his back. "Alright." He issues a mock roar as he proceeds to run around with her clinging to his back. "You definitely take after Kisame."

"Faster! Faster!" Chiaki squeals with delight as she clambers up higher on Sasuke's back and issues a high pitched 'roar' of her own.

Sasuke goes faster and faster. Chiaki was a little daredevil. The child loved nothing more than going fast. Probably something to do with the shark demon blood, he suspected.

Itachi shakes his head at the sight and turns his attention over towards where his other two pups were batting at one another with wooden swords. Haruto took the craft a little more seriously, whereas Akiko just liked being able to hit something. Particularly if that something was her brother.

Truly, his children were such unexpected mergings of him and Kisame. And for it, Itachi loved them all the more dearly. Even if Akiko did like to hit her brother, and Chiaki enjoyed parading around on Sasuke's back like Sasuke once had on Itachi's. "They're such precious little pups." Itachi sighs softly and strides out across the courtyard to join his seated Sire in watching the children practice their swordplay.

"Yes, they are. I remember when Madara was their age." Indra chuckles as images from long ago dance across his mind's eye. "He would have sulked like a wet cat had I said so, but he was quite adorable."

"It's difficult to imagine that the fearsome ancestor that I grew up hearing stories about would sulk in that fashion. Or that he was an adorable child at one point." The way Itachi had heard it, Madara had practically sprung from the womb with a sword in hand. Now he knew better, for he knew from whose womb that child had sprung. "You like watching the little ones running about."

"Aye. Which is just as well considering how much they do seem to revel in doing so." He shakes his head in amusement. "I suppose that surprises you. Best not to let this hobby of mine become public knowledge. I do have a reputation to protect."

"Of course, though I believe that you should be more worried about their tongues wagging than mine." Itachi wouldn't put it past his children to finally spill Indra's deepest, darkest, most cuddly secrets to the entire court. The fact that they had not yet done so in the ten years since their birth was nothing short of a miracle in itself. "But it's good to see that they love you as I do." Even if it had taken Itachi time to come to this point.

"They are well compensated to keep my confidence. Where do you think they got their training swords and tiaras?" He snorts as if the answer should have been obvious.

"Not to mention the new cases in their bedrooms in which to keep their gifts." Itachi wasn't blind, he knew that there were more gifts than simply those. "And the new tunics and belts and boots, and those dresses that Akiko never seems to wear, but that Chiaki likes to steal out of her closet."

Indra shrugs. There was no point in denying it. "They come from a noble bloodline and as such are entitled to certain privileges."

"Meaning that you enjoy spoiling them like the doting Grand-Sire you are." Itachi had long since learned how to read through Indra's supposed indifference. The truth was that the vampire lord was much softer than he cared to admit, at least in public. "But it makes them happy to be so spoiled and their happiness is all that I desire."

"I don't believe it's spoiling. It's rewarding them for good behavior." He nods at him. "Anyway, when are you planning to tell Kisame?"

Itachi blinks, then his cheeks pinken as he shifts an arm into his lap. "How did you know?" He hadn't told anyone, and yet…Indra knew.

"I have my ways. Shall we leave it at that?" Mirth dances in his eyes.

"Of course you do." Itachi huffs softly but considers the question seriously nonetheless. "Soon. I doubt I could keep it quiet for much longer." Kisame would find out one way or another, so Itachi would have to fess up soon enough. "I'm sure that the children will be thrilled."

Indra nods in understanding. "Yes, most children do love it when someone smaller than them comes along."

A smile dances across Itachi's face as he holds a hand against his stomach. "Yes, and I'm sure that Obito and Naori will just as enthusiastic as Sasuke in humoring the little ones." Speaking of his youngest siblings… "Where did those two get off to, anyway? The last I saw of them was at dinner."

"Oh they're off training with your parents. Learning how to use their fangs properly and feed. Things of that nature. They've both taken quite well to being vampires." Indra smiles, remembering they had been turned not that long ago. His family really was being reunited.

"Of course they are." Itachi lays himself down tiredly to watch his two feisty pups. "I'm glad that they are here with us." Many years ago, such a thing would have caused Itachi no end of despair. But now, he had his whole family here, and they were quite a force to be reckoned with in Indra's court. "I do still miss the rest of our clan, but I'm certain that Shisui is doing an excellent job leading our human relatives."

"I'm quite certain he is as well and if you really wished to see them, you could." He did try to make this as easy on Itachi as possible. His human mind was still there sometimes, though.

"I suppose. I have been writing letters to him, asking after the clan. He has five children now." Itachi could hardly believe that it had been long enough for that, but the eldest was nearly sixteen years old. "I might see soon if he would accept us into his home for a visit. He knows that we're safe, and he still holds us in his heart. I invited him to come, but he says that his duty is to look after the clan for us, and so he will stay to live his life and die with them."

Indra nods. He respected such a decision. "I hope that he lives a long life for a human and doesn't com to regret his choice."

"As do I." Itachi sighs and closes his eyes. "But he may yet change his mind. When last he wrote, he said that his eldest son and daughter had some interest in joining us here." Perhaps one day, they might transition from a clan of humans into a clan of vampires. Now wouldn't that be something?

"That does sound interesting. Though perhaps we should focus on you telling Kisame that our number is about to expand once more in the immediate future." Indra tries his best not to laugh, but it was difficult.

"Ah yes…he will be so smug when he hears of it." Itachi rolls over onto his back and opens his eyes as he gazes up at his Sire. "I suppose my fertility has not yet quite dropped to the once a century mark that you predicted." Though he suspected that the curve towards low fertility was not quite as steep as he had been led to believe. "How many do you think I will be adding to our number this time?"

"Probably one or two, considering how early it is for another pregnancy." Indra pauses as considers the situation.

"Two would be manageable." Itachi hums softly. "Though I can't help but wonder if Kisame's kind can truly sire nearly a hundred offspring at once. I can't imagine carrying a hundred within me, I'm quite certain that I would burst."

"Due to physical limitations, I find it doubtful that you would ever sire that many at once." He snorts at the very thought. Indra did love the children of his line, but a hundred was just ridiculous. Itachi had to know this. "So, I wouldn't fret on it."

"At once, perhaps not, but if Kisame continues on like this, I'm sure we'll reach nearly that many eventually." They did, after all, have a great many centuries ahead of them, and Itachi wouldn't be adverse to birthing a few dozen children so long as he had time to recover between each pregnancy. "It is only when he leaves to see to Lord Nagato that I get any peace at all." Not that Itachi didn't enjoy Kisame's attentions, he did. But when his mate got carried away, Itachi often found himself confined to his chambers for days at a time.

Indra shakes his head in amusement. "You're most fortunate to find yourself a member of such a happy union."

"Yes, I am." Itachi was more than fortunate, he was downright blessed. Kisame had brought him love and children, had stood by him while his family put itself back together, and tirelessly handled each and every one of Itachi's moods. It was more than he could have ever asked for, and Itachi was never going to let him demon go. "He has been the catalyst that brought me happiness."

"Papa!" Itachi barely has a moment to blink before a fast little shadow pounces on him in the blink of an eye, followed closely by a second little shadow dropping onto his Sire's lap. "Grand-Papa!"

"I'm so glad to hear that." Indra smiles as he looks at Itachi and the children. "Yes, I am here as always. What adventures do you have to tell me today?"

Akiko's eyes grow round and happy as she settles herself in her Grand-Papa's lap. "Haruto and I found frogs in the pond yesterday and wanted to know what they tasted like. So-"

Itachi chuckles and shakes his head as his little princess gives a full rendition of just how she watched her brother try to figure out what frog blood tasted like. It seemed that they were beginning to show their vampirism already.

But his chuckles quiet into a hum as thick fingers wrap themselves over his shoulder and neck. Itachi leans back and looks up over his shoulder and smiles. "You're back."

"Course. Couldn't have missed out on a story about frog blood, could I?" Kisame laughs as he kisses Itachi's cheek. "I guess it's a good thing she's still so little. I heard about that kissing the frog who turns into a prince thing. You don't think that actually happened once, do you?"

"Who knows?" Itachi glances at Indra, then places a kiss on top of Haruto's head and gently shuffles his son off his lap. "Shall we take a walk, Kisame? There's something that I would like to tell you."

"Sure. Lord Indra, do you mind watching the pups for a bit?" Kisame grins at Indra.

"Of course not." Indra smiles as Haruto clambers into his lap to join his sister. "They'll be perfectly safe right here. And I'm sure that the two of you have a great deal to talk about."

Kisame frowns at that. Indra definitely knew something that he didn't. "Yeah. We'll be back soon. Thank you, Lord Indra."

With the kids taken care of, the shark demon intertwines his fingers with Itachi's. "Lead the way." He wasn't sure what was going on, but it couldn't be that bad. Could it? Indra looked pretty happy about whatever it was.

Itachi squeezes Kisame's fingers softly as he pulls his mate away from the courtyard and towards the stairs leading to the gardens on the next terrace. The place had a symbolic meaning to Itachi now, and he wasn't one to break this sort of tradition. "You know, you're going to get wrinkles on your brow if you insist on looking so anxious, Kisame."

"Eh, not too worried about wrinkles. What's going on, Itachi?" Kisame searches his Mate's eyes for some sort of clue. Why had he been left in the dark about whatever this matter was until now? "Lord Indra seems to think you've got a lot to tell me about something."

"Well, in reality, I have very little to say. But I'm sure that you will have plenty to say about it." After Itachi shocked him speechless first, of course. The scent of roses and lilies fills the air, a soothing scent that Itachi took great solace in. "It's good news, I promise."

"Well, good because you're kinda freaking me out with all this secrecy. I know vampires get off on that sorta thing, but it makes shark demons edgy." Kisame raises an eyebrow at his Mate's serene demeanor.

"Yes, I know, and I'm sorry." Itachi turns about and seats himself on the same bench he had sat on all those years ago when he first announced to Kisame that they were expecting pups. "But this is a cause for celebration. I had planned to tell you first, but it's impossible to keep anything hidden from Indra." Itachi laughs softly and places Kisame's hand to his stomach. "I'm pregnant."

He blinks. Whatever he had been expecting, that hadn't been it. It takes approximiately three seconds for Kisame to process that news before he sweeps his Mate into his arms. Then as any proper shark demon would do, he spins his beloved around and grins fangtastically. "That's wonderful news!"

Oh no, not again. "Kisame!" Though Itachi hadn't been feeling any morning sickness yet today, he did not like the idea of pressing his luck. "Please stop spinning me."

"Right. Sorry, sorry." He gently sets his Mate down. "It's just an instinct."

"I know…I know…" Still, those instincts of Kisame's were going to make Itachi seriously ill one day. "It seems that the drop in fertility that Indra mentioned is less of a steep drop and more of a downward curve." Itachi hadn't expected to become pregnant again so soon, but he was hardly going to complain about having the chance to bring more children into this world.

"Well, that's good to know. How are you feeling...I mean other than dizzy from the Spinning?" Kisame grins at him, almost unable to believe their good fortune.

"I feel…" Itachi places a hand to his stomach. "I feel happy, hopeful. How can I not? We're about to add more members to our family."

"Good. I'm glad." Kisame grins as he kisses his beloved. "So when do you wanna tell the triplets?"

"Perhaps when I actually start showing." Itachi couldn't imagine explaining the mechanics to them without concrete evidence that he was telling them the truth. He runs his hand over his still flat stomach. "Of course, that shouldn't be long now."

"Yeah. That makes sense." Kisame nods in agreement so excitedly that it was a wonder his head didn't fall off. "So, what should we do now?"

"Hm…eat some pie?" Itachi had been craving cherry pie today. And pickles. "I could also be persuaded to eat some lamb stew with rose petals sprinkled over it."

"That sounds great. Let's go and get you some food." Kisame smirks as he pulls his mate away from the garden.

"Yes, let's." Itachi did so love being wrapped in Kisame's love for him. It was like being wrapped in a thick, warm blanket. "I love you, Kisame." With a love that was thicker than blood and thicker than water, Itachi did love him so.

"I love you too. More than anything." Kisame wraps his arm around Itachi's waist. "Now, let's get you and our pups that pie."