AN: This is the very last chapter. I know it's been a long time, but I was busy and that chapter needed all my attention. About the POV, it's Michiru's until a certain moment but there is a change to a extern narrator POV, then there is another change for a nurse's POV, after you have a return to an extern narrator POV… I know it sounds confusing but tell me if you have a problem to understand something…
Chapter 5
Sunset
The very night, the doctor made Haruka come back home. I had a bad feeling about all that. My manager got us bodyguards, and I had the apartment surroundings watched. I hated that, but I was determined to not let something like that happen again. I was also very tensed at the idea of nursing Haruka. It was my choice, but it would mean being even more near than before. Would we still bear each other? I feared that our love would fade. I feared that proximity would stiff it. I loved Haruka, and I didn't want to loose her.
But my apprehensions were proved wrong. The days passed and everything went alright, even better than it was before if possible. I got quickly used to not be apart from her more than fifteen minutes and whenever I had to go to the mall or anything that involved Haruka not being there, I felt like a lack in my soul. Whenever what I had to do outside took me too long this lack turned into pain. I felt so relieved, so happy when I came back home and was able to embrace her. For the past weeks I guess I had been too spoiled and I didn't see how happy I truly was, now I got it.
The weeks flew. We were together, filled with each other presence. Everything seemed to smile to us. There were fans writing to us, sending messages of comfort. Whenever I met someone of the school when I went to the mall, no bad comments, only friendly smiles and one or two questions about Haruka's health. Everyone thought we had been victim of homophobia. If only they knew we had been victim of my father's wrath… Haruka health was improving day after even if she kept acting like a fool. She was not the kind of person who'd stay in bed for long. She only played the patient's role whenever she wanted something from me, like today…
« Michi… you look good with that dress… You're going out? »
« Yes. I need some chocolate for the cake I promised you. But I'll be right back… or I'll find you flirting with our old neighbour.»
« Can't it wait?… hey… I'm not interested in her, you're all that I want… and you see… I feel sooooo weak. I think I've got fever. Can't you check? I'm burning. » she said innocently.
« Haruka… You're not burning. It's been three weeks, you're the first to say that you're fine. This wanted I had to hold you back because you wanted to bring me on a motorbike ride. »
« I was agitated… but now… please I feel very bad Michi… Maybe I'm having a relapse? Maybe something hadn't healed right… it could be serious… »
I chose to give in. She had intentionally leaned herself on the bed since eleven in the morning and it was not the first time she tried to make me get nearer. But I had been busy with homework the whole morning and the nurse had come to check on Haruka earlier. She had said everything was ok and that she'd be able to go back to her normal life next week. So of course I couldn't believe what Haruka was telling me. Besides she wasn't as good to play the patient as she was to play Casanova. But I felt a bit guilty… what if she truly suffered? And well if she wasn't it wouldn't be bad at all… I leaned my hand on her forehead, sitting on the bed doing so.
« You're ok. » I said.
I tried to stand before she could go any further but she truly had recovered her full strength. She seized my waste all of a sudden and made me roll under her in no time and kissed me with passion.
« I won't let you go. »
« What about the cake. » I said, showing her a false worried face.
« I love your homemade cakes Michi, but pardon me, your scent is far more overwhelming. I wish I could stay forever in your arms. »
« I don't want to leave you. »
« Are you sure? I mean… You spent three weeks trapped in here with me… I'd understand if you wanted to be a bit alone when I will go back to school and resume racing. »
« I said I don't want to leave you… Haruka… Those three weeks were tough. I mean… nursing someone is not an easy task. But I've never been so happy. I love you. I don't want to be anywhere else. Being in your arms is just perfect. I belong to you. »
« No… I belong to you. Without you I wouldn't have bear those weeks, I hate to feel weak. But with you it was easier. You made me forget I was hurt, forget everything… Michiru… I want to ask you something… I want to move out. I'd love it if we just bought a house in the countryside, only you and me, far from the city and its troubles. I want to forget the pain, those damned last months, the people who hurt you, who hurt me, who tried to destroy us. »
« And our studies? »
« I will stop. I will concentrate on the race from now on. I took the decision while I was leaning in the hospital. But I know it's important for you and… we will wait for you to finish… »
« No. I also want to leave this town. I agree with you. And I want to quit as well. As I was looking after you at home I realised school didn't matter. The only thing important to me is my music, and you of course. If I get to be a musician full time then it will be ok. »
« We could be just you and me, travelling all over the world. We'd always together. I'd be there at all of your concerts, no matter if they occur in Paris or Venice. »
« And I'll be there for all your races. Everything will be alright. »
« And whenever we'll be tired we'll just go back to our nice house in the countryside… »
She kissed me again with so much love it burnt my heart, but this burn was so sweet, not painful, it was pure happiness and my own love reacting to hers… Our love in fact.
When I awoke, I was still holding her waist. She was already awoken, stroking my hair.
« I love your scent… but the idea of the cake is tempting you know… » She said calmly.
« You're hungry now? Can't you just live from love and fresh water? »
« I could… but chocolate is great. I'd like to go out with you. We wouldn't go far… and I'd let you drive. »
« You have no choice, I hid your license remember. »
« I will find it. Well… I already searched every little drawer of this apartment but… hey… I hadn't checked your underwear's drawer! »
« It isn't there, I thought it was the first place you'd check… »
I closed my eyes and let myself drown in the intense feeling of her body's warmth, of the softness of her skin. Then I leaned a tender kiss on her lips and got up to find my clothes scattered everywhere in the room. Haruka put on a pair of jeans and a white shirt. Once outside she changed her mind.
« What if we walked a bit instead, there's a grocery not far. »
« Tenoh Haruka wants to walk instead of driving? Honey, you should go back home, after all you might have fever. »
« I can't drive as you nicely reminded me. I don't want to die because of your sloppy driving. »
So we walked. Haruka passed her right arm around my shoulders and her left hand in her pocket. I passed my arm around her waist. The sun was setting, the sky was a nice shade of orange. I felt so right, so peaceful. Haruka's sweet scent was filling was nostrils and a cold but pleasant breeze blew on my face.
« I love you, Ruka. »
« Hey… what's with you? You sound serious all of a sudden. »
« I was just thinking how lucky I am. Those three words… I should say them to you more often. »
« I am the one who is lucky, Michi. I'm glad to have you in my life. I didn't deserve such a lover. But still, you are by my side, tender and loving. I love you, Michi. »
They hadn't walked quickly, and therefore they weren't very far from the apartment. They were not really outside, They were in their own little world… And it didn't surprised them when a black car stopped near them. Michiru just didn't realise someone had stepped out in a hurry. She didn't realise the man that was facing them was actually there, that he was holding a gun. Michiru didn't hear the gunshots, but she felt Haruka had suddenly left their little world… But she felt herself suddenly leaving it when she felt the bullets entering her chair. When Haruka, who was standing in front of her, fell on her knees, when her head touched the ground… Michiru had suddenly come back to reality. She hadn't took any bullet, Haruka had. All she had done was feeling her pain.
Michiru could not believe what she had just seen. She heard the whispers of the crowd without really listening… «That is Kaioh Michiru and Tenoh Haruka… » « This man is mad… », « He is the father, isn't he? I saw him in some tabloid…», « How can someone be that homophobic? », « He's not understanding! Not at all!» « How can someone do that to his own daughter… » But no words could reach her mind. She felt on her knees, near the lying form of Haruka. There was blood around her, reddening her white shirt, running away from her, melting with pale rose skin and sandy blond hair. Michiru was horrified, she could not move, she did not dare to touch her, fearing to not sense her pulse. She suddenly heard a feeble mutter.
« Michiru… sorry… »
« Haruka! »
Tears began to fall freely from her eyes. Haruka was alive, Haruka would live! Everything would be alright! Michiru passed her arms around her and kissed her face frenetically. She would not bear it if she was to live without her. She was relieved, Haruka would not leave her, she would not die. This precious fresh scent she loved so much, this warmth, this so special love… she would not loose it. She'd rather die herself.
« Michiru… »
« Shhh! Don't say anything. You must not exhaust yourself, someone will come, you'll be ok… Everything will be ok. »
« I won't… I love you, Michiru, even if I die I will always be by your side… »
« You won't. Everything will be fine… Haruka… We're going to move out… we're going to live somewhere else, just you and me. Far away. We'll have a big house in the countryside. We'll get married and have a child, a cute little daughter… »
« In another life Michiru. I promise. I'll see you in another life, I'll always find you. »
« Haruka… no… you're going to live! Don't say such things… »
« Michi, don't cry… and give me… A last kiss… »
« Haruka! You're not going to… »
Michiru never finished her sentence. She could feel her lover's body suffering in her arms. She could feel her life running away even if she would not admit it.
« I love you Haruka. Wait for me. »
She placed a kiss on her warm and sweet lips. She knew it was the last one. Her lips barely moved, but she felt all her love and that last bit of life in this kiss. The last time their souls touched. When she broke the kiss she knew her life had gone out. She broke into tears. Why was she leaving her? Her Haruka, her love had abandoned her! She pressed her body against hers, searching for her warmth, her soul, her life… But she knew it was too late, she knew she was gone. Michiru died at that moment.
Ten minutes later, we arrived. We had the greatest difficulty to pull Michiru apart from Haruka's body. Of course it was too late. They already knew it. With such gunshots, this woman couldn't have make it alive, even if we had been there earlier. Seiya Kou, the famous singer had come to visit Kaioh Michiru at the hospital, I'm sure I never saw someone in that state. There was something weird about her, as though she was dead too. Her glance was empty, she was immobile. She didn't accept any food, she didn't talk at all. We had to inject her some drugs to make her release her fiancée's body. I still don't understand how it happened, why some people can be like that… I don't know the whole story, I'm just a nurse. But I don't understand the father's reaction. How can one be that homophobic? If he couldn't bear his daughter lifestyle, why didn't he just let her? Those two must have been very near, very much in love. As everyone, I had read the press, I knew it made a scandal. But who would have imagined such an end. The same day, Kaioh Michiru left the hospital. She seemed almost normal. Everyone thought the shock of her lover's death had passed. But I wasn't convinced, there was something nonhuman in her behaviour, in her way to talk, to look, to walk… I knew I was right when a few days later I learned that her father had been found dead on the very place Tenoh Haruka had been murdered. A single gunshot. He had been on the run for days. I wonder how she found him since the police had failed. But I think the worse was that the very same day, her dead body was found leaning next Tenoh Haruka's in the room she had been placed for her family and friends to come and see her a last time before the funerals.
« Michiru… What did you do? »
« I'm glad you waited for me. »
« I would have never left you. But I didn't want you to die. »
« And what was the point in living without you? What would have you done if I had died before you? »
« You're right… Sorry Michiru… I know I wouldn't have hesitated a second. »
« Look, we're near the sea. »
« Yes, we are. And do you feel this rough wind? »
« I do. »
« Will we stay like this forever? »
« Just until we are reborn… »
« How do you know that?»
« A blonde woman came to me when I landed here. She said a lot of things about past lives, a mission, a lost kingdom… She said we've been granted a life without wars, a life without monsters and fighting. A life just for us. »
« I remember now… we are sailor senshi, aren't we? »
« And it was supposed to be our gift, a reward for all the fights. And it have been spoiled. She said everyone else was alive, that's why we haven't reborn yet. But since the way we died was unfair, we were granted this: a paradize just for us. And we have a life to spend in it. After all will begin again, and we will be senshi again. »
« I don't regret anything. This life had its inconveniences, but I met you, and we fell in love, once more, so it's perfect for me. »
« As long as I am with you, the world could fall apart I don't care. Let's have a good time, let's be happy for the time being. »
Michiru and Haruka were where they felt the best: in each other arms, that wouldn't last for eternity, soon, the fights would resume, enemies would come, they'd have to meet again, to fall in love again as though nothing had happened… But they had at least fifty or sixty years to live in their land of dream before it happen, before the last senshi dies and they all began to reborn. First would be Pluto, then Tuxedo, then Uranus, and three months later, Neptune…. They had all been granted a normal life, only once. But right after they'd have to fight again.
AN: So here was the last chapter. Kill me all if you want to, but I was kind of depressed when I wrote this, and I found that it was sad, deeply sad but still it's the greatest end I could find to such a story. If you want happy endings go and read my other stories cause usually it's more joyful at the end. I thank you all for having reading the story so far and for all your nice reviews. Special thanks to Ten'o Haruka, Jem, Light Avatar, labstractl, PrincessSerenity101, papapuffy, amnesia nymph, No need to know, Some other name, Sailor Star Rae Rae, oh.sure, noneloveme, xsojix, unknown01, YamiHaruko, I'm nothing but a dream, Xenolord, Ellen Kuhfeld, Ten'ousai, sporty anime lover, TheWretchedOne, Shadowcub, wind n sky priestess, Drz lil Moon Bunnie, Yuki Asao, Jynsawah, Healer, Metal Salamence, life'z, tsubasa, m.strokes, Biggi, Ari Matoya, StealHeart9, harumichi, Kaya Sara, aquaxeyes and Miharu (I hope I forgot no one) Thanks again to all of you and of course to those who read it without leaving reviews. See you in another story!