Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, Kagome, Mrs. Higarashi, Souta, Sango and Miroku. I do own Natsu, Aki, Juri and Natsu's rock.

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Hotaru

Epilogue – 3 Years Later

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"Mama!" Turning slightly, the inu-haynou-miko looked over at her daughter, running towards her at full speed. She was a full age of 2 and ½ right now, curious eyes and nose getting her into much trouble. Since she was also an inu-haynou like her parents, she was growing up slightly faster than normal and was quite intelligent.

"Mama! Mama! Look what Natsu found! Isn't it pretty? Isn't it pretty?" She held out a dirty rock, about as big as a lemon, which in the clean spots, sparkled in the sun.

"Very pretty Natsu." The miko smiled. "Now, why don't you wash it off in the water. It'll be even prettier."

"Okay Mama!" she chirped and turned walked a few steps to the river and sticking her hands in, scrubbing the rock. This part of the stream was only a foot deep, with hardly any current and not very wide, probably an arm's length. This was her favorite spot since she could watch her daughter and relax to think.

Both her and her mate wanted another child but when Natsu was being born, the miko had to be watched over 24-7 due to the fact youkai smelled her baby and wanted to come rip them to shreds. They were trying to decide how old Natsu should be so that they wouldn't have to watch both the miko and Natsu every second of every day. Natsu should be able to defend herself in battle. It wouldn't mean they wouldn't watch Natsu, but that she'd have a little bit looser leash.

"Kagome! Natsu!" They both turned to find the miko's mate walking over.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome cried.

"Daddy!" Natsu shrieked running over, arms open for a hug. He plucked her up hugging her as she giggled. "Lookie, lookie what Natsu found!" She showed him the rock. "Isn't it pretty?"

"Yes. It's very pretty Natsu." Kagome got to her feet and walked over and he pulled her into a one-armed hug, kissing her. "Hello love."

"Hello." She giggled. "So how are Sango and Miroku?" she asked as they turned and headed towards their home.

"As good as can be considering the burden they just took in."

About two weeks ago, the taijiya and the monk had found a lost inu-haynou child. He had been unconscious when the found him, a high fever from malnutrition and being soaked to the bone and chilled. A note had been pinned to his shirt. It said 'This is my son Aki. He's 3 years old, born on the first of fall. He is an inu-haynou. Please take care of him.'

They'd immediately taken him into their care. It had taken a week to make him feel better and another few days for him to understand they wouldn't hurt him. He was now almost comfortable around them and they wanted to wait to introduce Natsu to him until they were sure he wasn't a threat.

For some reason Kagome had always expected them to have a child before herself, but they'd settled down and seemed to enjoy life together, in peace and quiet. Kagome snorted at the thought. Natsu was anything but. She couldn't imagine going from peace and quiet to inu-haynou child in a few weeks. Inuyasha was enough of a handful and he was an adult!... at least he was an adult in age. His mental adult-ness might not be that.

"Mama! Mama!" She was pulled from her thoughts, looking down at Natsu. "Mama, can Natsu give rocky to Gramama?"

Kagome smiled and nodded. "Yes Natsu." She looked up at Inuyasha. "Ask Papa if we can go now."

Natsu, still in Inuyasha's arms turned to her father. "Can Natsu Papa? Can Natsu?"

He frowned and Natsu gave him puppy eyes, causing him to laugh. "Of course. Come on." He held out a hand to Kagome and she grabbed it. He pulled her in close and she got dizzy.

"Ugh."

"What's the matter?"

"I got really dizzy all of the sudden." He put Natsu on his shoulders, the girl sticking the rock in the pouch around her stomach.

"You all right?" he asked, rubbing her back lightly.

She shut her eyes and took a deep breath before nodding. "I'm all right." She opened her eyes to find worried golden ones looking back at her.

"Maybe you shouldn't go through the well today…"

She giggled. "I'm fine. It's probably from jumping through the trees so crazily."

"Mama!" Natsu cried. "Natsu likes jumping through trees!"

They both laughed and Inuyasha reached up, grabbing her sides and pulling her so she was hanging upside down. "We know you do," Inuyasha said. "But your Mommy doesn't."

"Aw." She gave her mother a sorrowful look. "Mama doesn't?"

Kagome laughed and poked her nose. "No. Mama likes to jump but not in spinny circles."

Natsu tossed her arms into the air, though she was upside down. "Spinny circles! Spinny circles! Go spinny circles!"

Inuyasha grinned wickedly at Kagome who rolled her eyes. "Go. I'll keep up."

He flipped Natsu around, the girl squealing and clapping her hands before he knelt down then burst into the trees. Kagome laughed softly and followed after them, watching him do dangerous flips and twists from branch to branch.

She giggled again as she heard Natsu's squeals of excitement and shook her head. Doing so made her stomach churn, so she paused a minute, holding onto the tree beside her, waiting for it to pass. After it did she hurried to the well. Inuyasha stood there, eyes slightly unfocused, a grin across his face as he watched Natsu walk slightly tilted before falling over.

"Papa! The sky is spinny circles!"

Kagome laughed and plucked her up as she walked to the well. "No. Your brain's spinny circles!"

Natsu giggled, holding onto her mother. "Are we gonna see Gramama now?"

"Yup." She set Natsu on Inuyasha's shoulders and he grabbed her hand and they leapt over the lip of the well, going through blue and carefully landing on the ground. Kagome plucked out her powers and hid all signs of youkai from her small family then allowed Inuyasha to pick her and Natsu up and leapt out of the well. He set Kagome on the ground and headed for the door.

"Gramama!"

Mrs. Higarashi turned from her sweeping as a child's voice echoed from the well house. A moment later, Inuyasha slid the door open. "Duck Natsu."

She giggled and ducked her head down as they walked through the doorway. She spotted Mrs. Higarashi and squealed. "Gramama!" Inuyasha put her on the ground and the girl ran, arms wide to Mrs. Higarashi who laughed and plucked her up off the ground.

"Natsu! I've missed you!"

"Gramama! Gramama, look what Natsu found for you!"

She held up the still semi-dirty rock. Mrs. Higarashi gasped. "Oh my Natsu! It's so pretty!"

"Yeah-yeah! Natsu likes pretty rock. It's for Gramama!"

"I've got an idea! Let's put it in the fish tank, so then the fishes can enjoy it too."

"Okay!" Mrs. Higarashi led Natsu into the kitchen while Inuyasha and Kagome flopped onto the couch.

"Kagome? Inuyasha? Would you like some tea?" Mrs. Higarashi called from the kitchen.

"Yes and please!" Kagome answered back.

"Natsu, would you like some chocolate chip cookies?"

"Yes and please!" They heard her copy from the kitchen. Both women giggled, Inuyasha rolling his eyes with a smile.

"I'm home!"

"Souta!" Kagome shouted happily.

There was thud, signifying his backpack had hit the floor before the boy appeared in the living room. He grinned and raced for her. "Kagome!" He grabbed her in a hug and she squealed as she was lifted up off the ground in a tight embrace.

Souta had a growth spurt over the last three years and was now almost as tall as Inuyasha. He set Kagome back on the ground and grinned. "I missed you guys!"

Kagome laughed as Natsu came squealing into the room shouting "Unco Souta! Unco Souta!"

Souta grabbed the little girl and swung her into the air, hugging her tightly. "Hi Natsu! Did you miss me?"

"Yes! Natsu missed Unco Souta and Gramama!" Mrs. Higarashi walked into the room carrying a tray of drinks.

"Here we are!" she said happily. "The cookies will be done in just a little bit." She sat down beside her daughter, Natsu climbing onto her lap.

"Inuyasha!" Souta grinned. "I gotta show you my new game! Come on! Upstairs! Upstairs!" The haynou chuckled as he was pushed towards the door.

Inuyasha suddenly paused midway across the room, causing Souta to bump into him and fall over. He lifted his head taking a deep breath.

"What's the matter Inuyasha?" Kagome asked, both her and Mrs. Higarashi turning to the haynou. He turned back to Kagome and walked over, sniffing. His eyes widened considerably. "Kagome!" he cried and pulled her to her feet. "You're pregnant!"

She gasped and grinned. "I am?"

"She is?" Souta and Mrs. Higarashi cried together.

"Yay!" Mrs. Higarashi cried happily, Natsu not knowing what she was happy about also crying out in happiness. "I get another grandchild!"

"Another one?" Souta cried jokingly and Natsu copied him as well until he tickled her. Kagome hugged Inuyasha tightly then her mother.

"Mama?" She looked down at Natsu who tugged on her robes. "What's another one?"

They all chuckled and Kagome smiled. "Natsu, how would you like to be a big sister?"

Natsu blinked then smiled, not understanding the word sister. "Okay Mama."

"Natsu, you know how Juri, from the village, has a younger baby sister."

Natsu made an 'ohhhh' with her mouth then frowned. "Juri say baby pulls on Juri's hair. Juri doesn't like it."

"Then you'll have to teach your sister not to pull on people's hair."

Natsu grinned brilliantly. "Okay Mama!"

Kagome ruffled her hair. "That's a good girl."

Natsu giggled then turned to Mrs. Higarashi. "Cookies Gramama? Cookies?"

Mrs. Higarashi laughed. "Yes Natsu, cookies. Let's go."

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Kagome hugged her mother tightly. "We'll see you guys again soon."

Mrs. Higarashi smiled. "Good. We're having a family reunion in about three weeks so sometime before then, okay?"

Kagome grinned and nodded. "We'll be there with bells on! Come on you two."

As they headed for the well, Mrs. Higarashi heard Inuyasha ask, "why do we have to wear bells?"

"It's just an expression, you idiot."

"Hey! I'm not an idiot!"

"Yes you are."

"No I'm not!"

"Are too!"

"Are not!"

"Are too!"

"Are not!"

She still heard them arguing as they dropped into the well house. When silence fell across the yard she sighed then looked at Souta who turned to her. "What?"

Smiling she hooked an arm through his. "At least I still have one child to torment."

"Mooo-ooom!"

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Kagome sighed happily as she sat on the hill overlooking the firefly pond. She rested against Inuyasha's chest, his arms around her's and Natsu's waist, the little girl curled up against Kagome's stomach. From his even breathing she could tell he was asleep, Natsu as well.

Kagome looked up at the night sky. She never would've imagined that she'd be here today, enjoying a simple quiet evening with her husband and daughter, watching the stars twinkle instead of graves of her friends when Naraku attacked.

She shook her thought away and looked down at her daughter, brushing a strand of hair from her twitching nose. A smile crossed Natsu's features as the girl relaxed once more. Kagome watched her in silence before she leaned back against Inuyasha and closed her eyes, sleep overcoming her. Unconsciously she placed a hand on her stomach, the other on Natsu's arm, Inuyasha's arms tightening around her.

And as they slept through the peaceful night, on the pond the fireflies danced.

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The End
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To all of my Hotaru readers / reviewers,

Hotaru is finally over… My baby's all grown up! In exactly 1 year, 6 months and 12 days Hotaru is complete! Thank you all for the awesome reviews, the fact that you read it and keeping along with this slow and lazy bum writer. I love you all and good luck to you all in the future!

For the last time,

Kadasa Mori

Signing off.