Disclaimer: the usual.

A/N: *sobs* awww I hate to write the last chapter of anything! Its gone! Forever *sobs harder* I hope you enjoy it as much as I did, perhaps not…we'll see. Thanks to everyone for staying along the way with me. Please review and stay put for my next fic ^.^ till next time!

Forget me not

By Auraluna7

Chapter 24: A part of you, a part of me

Michiru stare with amazement at the girls surrounding Claire, she was certainly not the only one, there was quite a crowd forming around the drama scene. Shizuka held her hand and squeezed it gently, the friends look at each other for a brief second. "Shall we go?"

"I think so…" The couple turned around and was about to walk out of the room when they found Maino on their way. The blue haired woman wearing a grey tailored mandarin suit.

"Will you like to give a statement to the press Miss Kaioh? I am sure they will be more than interested in what you have to say about Claire." Her words demoted no emotion but Michiru knew this had been her doing.

"Talking to the press is just going to make Claire more famous in the long run, you should know that."

"Perhaps, but she won't be part of this Gallery anymore." Michiru looked into the grey eyes without fully understanding the woman's words. "Mizuki will never endorse an artist publicly known to be against women rights, it goes against her principles."

"What will you do when Mizuki finds out it was you who invited us all here tonight?"

Maino took a long look at the beauty standing before her, in another situation she would have found her beauty mesmerizing, but tonight she only had eyes for Mizuki, she wanted to remember every detail of her dark beauty forever. "I will manage."

"Why did you do it?"

Smiling the woman leaned towards Michiru and whispered in her ear. "One does crazy things for Love, things beyond our control and or our nature but no matter how hard we try to go against it, the heart always longs true love." Michiru wished she had any words for Maino, unable to find any she brought the woman to a brief but warm hug.

A surprised looking Maino looked at her and after making a small smile and bowing a goodbye to her and Shizuka she walked away. "What did she told you Michi?"

"Nothing I didn't knew already. Let's go, there is nothing left for us here." The blonde nodded and they started walking towards the entrance, before leaving Michiru caught a last glimpse of Haruka and her heart felt heavy, knowing she would put her past behind her but never forget it.

-0-

With a feeling that could only be described as searing pain irradiating from her stomach and all the way up to her throat Haruka walked down stairs and crossed the gallery floor until she reached the center of the crowd. The press was having a field day. Mizuki seemed to be trying really hard to quiet down the situation, everyone could argue bad publicity was still publicity but for Mizuki this was a major blow, a lot of her sponsors were women groups and just the year before she had been granted the Woman of the Year award by the Women Rights association. Haruka didn't really care, she walked the distance between her and the dark haired girl and she firmly grabbed her by the arm. "We need to talk."

Mizuki looked at Haruka with incredulity, didn't the blonde realized in what kind of pickle she was at the moment? "Haruka, this is not a good time." The blonde kept holding the smaller girl's forearm, it was not a forceful grip but it was firm.

"Now." Raising her violet eyes to match the green ones, Mizuki noticed the anger on them, the blonde's jaw tight.

"Is everything alright?" Her voice was brittle and when Haruka looked for a brief second at Claire the dark haired girl knew it had finally happened, the web of lies she had knitted around her was starting to crumble.

"We can do it here in front of everybody or outside, it is your choice."

Sighing Mizuki freed herself from Haruka's grip and started walking towards the front entrance, her violet eyes filled with angst. She was not sure what Haruka knew or what was she going to tell her but she didn't felt she could lie much longer; she was skirting the edge of desperation.

They stepped out through a service door, the cool night greeted them, the air carried the soft perfume of the spring blossoms along with the unmistakable humid scent of the upcoming rain, the sky was cloudy and dark. "Haruka what's going on?" Mizuki cursed in silence, her own voice was betraying her, her words have sounded weak and fearful.

"Is it true Mizuki?" Mizuki looked into the green eyes; she lowered hers unable to stand the gaze.

"That depends what 'it' means."

"Look me in the eye Mizuki, are you sleeping with Claire?"

"Is that what Michiru and Shizuka came here to tell you? I have to say they have quite a rich imagination."

"This has nothing to do with Michiru; 'they' are well off without us."

They. Mizuki's confidence came back to her slowly, perhaps not everything was lost. "Are they together?"

"That does not answer my question Mizuki."

"No." Another lie, what did it mattered, a warm raindrop touched her soft cheek and Mizuki wiped it away avoiding Haruka's eyes.

"You can't even look at me." Haruka walked the distance between them and lifted Mizuki's chin. She found the violet eyes filled with tears, this time the tears of the girl did not stroke her guilt. "Tell me the truth."

"I…" Another raindrop fell on the perfect oval of her face, and another, the soft rain turning quickly into a storm. "You have to understand, it was before I knew who she was! It was before us."

"You are lying to me again, aren't you? Or you were somehow, didn't you told me I was going to be your first? Didn't you claim the night we kiss you discovered who you truly were?" Mizuki bitted her lower lip; she was cornered against her lies. "Tell me the truth once and for all, if you ever truly loved me, if all the years we have been friends mean something to you, tell me the truth."

Bursting into bitter tears Mizuki looked at Haruka and knew she could not lie anymore. "I'm sorry. I tried to stop, I did." Haruka let go of her chin and stepped away from her, the rain showering them.

"It is all true, isn't it? You brought Claire to the party; you knew what was going to happen." Mizuki's shoulders trembled as the girl sobbed harder. "Why?"

"Because I love you." There was no excuse for all her lies, there was no redemption for her sins, but she was not lying anymore, she Loved Haruka to a point where everything else just faded, nothing all these years had mattered more than try and conquer that love. "Because I thought if she was gone you will finally look at me, there was nothing in this world I ever wanted more than that. But you never did, you never looked at me that way."

"You lied to me, you turned me against Shizuka. You knew I shunned away Michiru for a lie and yet you have been lying to me all along. Shizuka was your friend."

"My friend? None of them was ever my friend! They were all obstacles in the road and I got rid of them all! Why Haruka? Why? Why you never looked at me like you look at her? What is it that she has that I never did?" Haruka looked at the woman she had thought to be her best friend, Mizuki had never appeared more vulnerable but this time she could not be her Hero. "What did all of them had I never did?"

"I don't know. There was a time when I tried to love you like that, but you closed the door, not me. What other lies have you told me Mizuki? Why have you done this?"

What other lies? The list could go on forever. Mizuki sobbed softly, the tears mixed with the raindrops. "Can't you see I did it for you? Can't you see how badly loving you hurts me?"

Haruka shook her head, her clothes damped and her eyes dark. "I'm sorry if your love for me has turned into pain, I loved you all these years as a part of myself but you cannot blame me for not seeing you when you never spoke of your love to me. It is over now; we have grown apart to a point where I cannot see who you are anymore without despising you."

"No. No Haruka please." Mizuki touched the blonde's arm, Haruka didn't refuse the contact but her eyes showed Mizuki nothing but sadness. "I need you, I love you."

"But I don't." Covering her mouth to muffle the sobs of her broken heart Mizuki stepped away from Haruka, the blonde looked at her with sad eyes. Haruka walked to her, she fixed the wet locks of black hair away from the beautiful face and kissed the smaller girl on the forehead. "Goodbye Mizuki."

As the silhouette of Haruka faded on the rainy night Mizuki fell to her knees defeated, she had lost it all.

"Mizuki." The husky voice made her raise her eyes, she didn't know how long she had been under the rain, her dress was ruined and she felt really cold.

"Maino…" The woman help her get back on her feet, she placed her jacket over the frigid shoulders and just as Haruka before she fixed the hair away from her face.

"Let's go inside."

"I lost her Maino, forever." She hung to the blue haired woman, her sobs hard, it didn't cared that Maino was her employee, she was probably the closest thing to a friend she had.

"It's ok." Maino held the crying Mizuki and closed her eyes. How bitter unrequited love could be…

-0-

The rain slashed the windows of the car and Michiru looked outside the window to the dark night. "It's pouring out there." Shizuka nodded. "You're very quiet. Was it that bad? Was Haruka mean to you?" The blonde shook her head, her eyes fixed on the profile of Michiru against the window. "Then what is it?"

"Do you still love her?" Michiru looked at Shizuka, she nodded softly. "Do you think you could love me?"

Looking back out the window Michiru sighed softly, the raindrops making unpredictable patterns on the windows. "You deserve better than a broken heart." Shizuka nodded again, silence fell between them. The rest of the ride was presided by the silence and they arrived to Shizuka's penthouse a few minutes later.

When the elevator door opened on the elegant foyer of the blonde's Penthouse Michiru stopped Shizuka from fleeing to her room. She held the soft wrist, her deep sea eyes meeting the stormy ones. "Are we ok?" Shizuka nodded, she didn't felt like talking after bluntly embarrassing herself. "Shizuka, you said I was not your type, remember?" Again a soft nod, Michiru stepped closer to Shizuka, her leg brushing softly against the blonde's thigh. "I love her, she is gone I know that, she will never come back to me. And you are my only friend, I am afraid of being alone too, but can we really base our love on that? Can we really turn need into love?"

The stormy eyes filled with tears, Shizuka looked down and shook her head. Michiru had seen right through her, she just could not bear the idea of Michiru moving to Italy, being alone again was a scary thought. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Michiru kissed Shizuka's lips softly, a brief kiss full of tender feelings. "Besides, we both want to wear a wedding dress; it'll be a recipe for disaster." Shizuka smiled, the friends hugged each other.

"I am going to miss you Michi."

"Don't miss me, I will remember you always and a part of you will always be with me, no matter where I go."

-0-

The afternoon sunlight bathed Shizuka as she sat on her sitting room, her face towards the floor to ceiling window, the scent of fresh roses in the air. Her assistant announced the visitor as she took her blue eyes from the window to greet her guest.

"I never thought I will see you here again."

Haruka walked the distance between them; she held a fragrant bouquet of red roses, Shizuka's favorites. "Is it too late to say I am sorry?"

"Is it ever?" Shizuka got up from her chair; she was wearing a white linen dress, her youthful face free of any makeup. Haruka handed her the roses and Shizuka inhale the soft perfume with delight, she met the green eyes and offered the blonde a seat. "How's Mizuki?" The green eyes flashed with pain and Shizuka knew what had happened. "Are you ok?"

"I don't want to talk about it. I just came to say I am very sorry for not trusting you, I was wrong all along and there is no excuse for how I behaved. I hope you can forgive me."

"I have. Thank you, apologizing is never easy."

The tall blonde nodded her green eyes full of sadness. Mizuki was not the only one that had lost it all that night. "I wish you and Michiru all the happiness on the world."

Shizuka looked down to the red roses, then back at Haruka. "Do you still love her?"

"Does it matter?" Shizuka's eyes showed no emotion, Haruka messed her hair with one hand. "Yes. I am sorry."

"Why are you apologizing?"

"Because she is yours now."

Shizuka stood up from the couch; she walked to a small table on the corner where she started fixing the long stem roses on a vase. "Michiru belongs to herself."

"You know what I mean. You and her are together and I was stupid enough to let her go, there isn't much to do anymore."

"If you could do something, would you?" Shizuka's words were cautious; Haruka wished the blonde would look her in the eye to see her expression.

"I will not try to come between you two. I love her, yes, but I also love you, as my friend. We shared a long time together and it is full of good memories."

Shizuka turned to face Haruka. "She's leaving."

"Huh?"

"Michiru is leaving; she's going to study art on Italy." Shizuka sat next to Haruka; she touched the tomboy's hand. "If there is anything left to say between you two, you have one last chance before she is truly gone."

"Shizuka, but you…"

Shaking her head Shizuka smiled. "You're so thick sometimes; do you really think I will be staying here if we were together? It was all a sham. Don't give me the 'you lied to me' speech, it is done, but now you know the truth. What are you going to do Haruka? Are you going to let her go without knowing you still love her?"

"I don't even know where to start looking for her…"

"She lives here you know?" Shizuka pointed to a door t Haruka's back. The tomboy looked at Shizuka again.

"She must hate me."

"Has she told you that?" Haruka shook her head. "I can't tell you she will forgive you, the wounds between you two are deep and old, but before everything is truly lost you should tell her how you feel."

-0-

With trembling hands Haruka knocked on the door, Michiru's soft voice asked her to come in. She opened the door to see her, she had her back to the door, her soft long hair falling down her back, boxes half packed all around the room, the open case of her violin lying on the bed.

Michiru turned around smiling. When her eyes met Haruka's the smile froze on her lips. The blonde looked at her, her courage suddenly gone. "Haruka."

"Can I still come in?"

The aqua beauty nodded, she placed the music sheets she held on her hand down on the bed. "Hi."

"Hi." They looked at each other in silence; Haruka walked a few steps closer to her. "You're leaving."

The girl nodded. "Nothing holds me here anymore." Her voice was low and brittle, how much did it hurt to be so close to Haruka.

"I am sure you will succeed wherever you go, you have a special talent, your soul is full of light."

"Thank you." Haruka looked at a stack of paintings ready to be packed; the one on the top was the garden painting she had once owned.

"I am sorry." She said touching the frame with her long fingers. "I never meant to send it back."

Michiru picked up the painting and looked at it. "Do you mean it?"

The tomboy nodded and Michiru handed her the painting. "You can have it back then, if that's what you want."

"Michiru, I didn't come here for a painting" Michiru's deep sea eyes looked right at her in a profound silence. "I came here to say that I am sorry. I am sorry for running away before you could explain yourself, I am sorry for letting you go. I never loved anyone as much as I love you." Michiru turned her back at her; she picked up the music sheets and started packing in silence. "I don't deserve anything and that's exactly what I have, but I am truly sorry."

"I am not staying. All my life I've wanted to become a real artist." Haruka nodded, the girl could not see her, she still had her back at her.

"I understand." Reaching her right pocket Haruka took out a small velvet box. She opened it and the sparkling blue heart-shaped diamond shined on the sunlight. She stood behind Michiru, she could smell the soft scent of the girl's hair, feel the heat from her soft milky skin. Michiru didn't move, she closed her eyes, the presence of Haruka painfully real. Haruka placed the ring in front of Michiru, the deep sea eyes looked at it.

"What is this Haruka?"

"A part of me. I don't expect you to take it with you, but if you do a part of me will always be with you."

"A part of you. Do you expect me to give you a part of me?" Michiru's voice was nothing more than a whisper, the girl could feel Haruka's body behind her own, the scent of the blonde tantalizing her.

"A part of you will always live in me. It has from the first time we kiss, from the first time I swam on the ocean of your blue eyes. A part of you for every time we kissed, for every time you let me love you, you will always be with me." Michiru looked down at the breath taking diamond; she touched it with trembling hands.

"I never said that I loved you." Haruka closed her eyes, a wave of pain bracing her heart. "I should have. I loved you always, I love you now." Haruka opened her eyes as Michiru turned to face her, the smaller girl's face bathed in tears. "I cannot stay."

Haruka kissed the soft lips, a salty kiss full of goodbye; she noticed Michiru was not the only one crying. "I love you Michiru."

"I love you too. But I cannot stay, my dreams are out there." Haruka took the velvet box from Michiru's trembling hands; she picked up the ring and held Michiru's soft hand on her own.

"Then let me come with you. To the end of the world, in the darkest night, let me come with you." Their eyes met, Haruka placed the ring on Michiru's finger without letting her hand go.

"A part of you will always live with me too. I don't need a ring, all I need is you. Come with me to the end of the world." Haruka closed her eyes and kissed Michiru, to the end of the world, through the darkest night, always and forever together.

The end

A/N: I am still crying over here, I hate endings v.v . Thanks to all my reviewers. Special thanks to my wifey Cganya for surviving the emotional experience. (Lol) And thanks to Petiyaka, Amnesia Nymph, faintfiction, Centauri89, HaruMichi, CW151, Tripower, RS Wolf, Sakura, Isabelle, and so many more! Sorry if I forgot someone, I read every review and treasure it like a fine gem. Thank you so much for reading.