Many thanks to anyone who has ever written me a review/critique to keep me going with my creativity.

This is Version 1: Haruka/Michiru.

------- "Fall" -------

Haruka straightened her tuxedo's jacket, offering an arm to his date, the beautiful Michiru. They were both decked out in formal-wear for the evening, the taller of the two wearing a black tuxedo. The smaller girl's hair was in a stylish bun. She clung to a shawl to keep herself warm in her strapless cranberry dress. Just as she clung to the shawl with one arm, the other sought out Haruka's warmth, holding onto her wife's elbow. They had just finished seeing a movie and had taken a side-exit that entered an alley to avoid the crowd.

"Well what do we have here..." stated a man covered in rags.

Haruka eyed the men suspiciously. "We simply wish to go home, we have no quarrel with you." She wrapped an arm protectively around Michiru's uncovered shoulders, eying the men that began to surround them.

The homeless, desperate men eyed the couple who were obviously well off. One of the men held a dagger; another held a gun, and the other two simply clenched fists, growling to what appeared to be a blonde headed man. Michiru gasped as one of the unarmed men grabbed onto her arms from behind, pulling at her, trying to separate them.

"No...!" Michiru cried out, unwilling to release her hold on her love.

Michiru and Haruka's laced fingers held tight until the one with the dagger sliced a cut on the top of Michiru's hand. Finally they were torn apart... Haruka was roughed up, bruises and black eyes forming already. Michiru, however, was too busy to notice. She was trying to fend off two men at the same time. She flailed against the one who held her arms behind her back, squirming away from the other man who wielded a dagger menacingly. The one with the dagger was cutting at her dress. He pulled pieces of it off her pale body in an attempt to see more of her flesh. Haruka noticed what they were doing even though she had a bloody nose and bruised face. Michiru screamed as she watched her love throw a few well-placed punches. Haruka was able to fend off the men long enough to grab the one with a dagger and send him flying. Michiru was thankful for that, but the one behind her continued to struggle with her. Michiru gasped as she noticed the men behind Haruka starting to get up. The one with the gun was the first up, with one unarmed and the one with the dagger behind him. She noticed two of them going through her purse and Haruka's jacket pockets to get money. However, her eyes were locked on the one with a gun pointed straight at her love. Haruka did not see any of them; she was too busy trying to beat the one who was holding Michiru captive. Michiru stared in horror as she saw the man take aim.

In a flash, she was out of the other man's grasp, desperate to save her wife. She grabbed Haruka, twirled around, and stood in front of her. Her lips pressed against Haruka's for a brief moment before she gasped in pain. A stab in her side and a gunshot wound grazing her shoulder was enough to make everything around her grow dark.

It took a moment for Haruka to realize what had happened. The gunshot was deafening. She felt her love's body go limp in her arms. She stared at the body that fell to the ground. Michiru was a mass of aqua and torn scraps of cranberry fabric, bleeding from a stab wound. She did not hear or see the men who walked away. They had gotten her tuxedo jacket, Michiru's purse and some of her jewelry which would fetch a pretty penny. Obviously the men were trying to run away before someone noticed what had happened. Haruka stood up and ran. She ran hard and fast, yelling for someone to hear her; someone to help call an ambulence. When she finally got to the hospital, everyone said she should go to the emergency room herself. She must have looked like a wreck. Finally, though, she was able to urge a paramedic to drive an ambulence back to where Michiru was.

I close my eyes

Thought I was lost but I was stranded

...She didn't remember much of what happened between this moment at the funeral and the moment that she felt Michiru's lips one last time. She pushed blonde bangs out of her eyes; she sat there wearing a black shirt with black pants, even a black hat to cover the tears that undoubtedly trailed down her cheeks. She watched as Setsuna and Hotaru went up to the coffin and paid their respects. It was a sight that broke her heart even more. She couldn't stand to be right there in front of the dead body of her love. She rushed outside, ignoring all the senshi that called after her. They didn't feel what she felt, not even little Hotaru could understand how much it hurt...

I go outside

To my surprise the sky had landed

I thought it made more sense

If I could only keep you guessing

Outside, under a black umbrella, was a lithe figure with shoulder-length aquatic hair. She wore a tight black velvet dress, black high heels, wrist-length black velvet gloves and a small black hat with a bit of black mesh.

Haruka stared in awe, "M-Michiru...?"

Her words barely above a whisper, but obviously heard, because a curtain of aqua shimmered as her head turned and sapphire eyes locked with emerald ones.

The small girl whispered, "Ruka-chan..."

The umbrella fell onto the ground, forgotten. Michiru ran to her, gloved hands reaching up to cling around her neck. Haruka felt the warm, soft embrace and closed her eyes.

"Is this a dream, Michi?" Haruka opened her eyes and stared at the small girl who had tears in her eyes, "...it's not, is it? It feels so real."

Michiru laid a kiss upon her cheek and whispered in her ear, "I love you so much, but..." Michiru's hand moved from the back of Haruka's neck to stroke her cheek. "You have to wake up."

Haruka blinked and shook her head, "No...No...!"

I was a fool to think that I should stop you from undressing

Now I believe all the words you say

That I can't say back to you

To you

Haruka sat upright, sweat pouring down the sides of her face. A hand reached up to her cheek, touching where her mermaid had done so only moments ago. "But it felt so real... It's impossible... She must still be alive." In disbelief, she stood and got dressed, "I won't believe she's dead!"

And so I fall

I don't wanna feel this small

You know I just can't handle this

Handle this at all

The blonde ran to the temple where the Inner senshi all gathered on a daily basis. She knew Hotaru and Setsuna were staying there. They did not want to stay at the apartment. It reminded them too much of Michiru. Once she arrived at the temple, she flung open the sliding door to the temple and gasped for breath.

Haruka spoke inbetween breaths, "Michiru... I saw her..."

A sigh came from the women in the room, "of course you did... we all miss her."

Usagi walked to Haruka and placed a hand on her shoulder, "We all see her everyday in our hearts..." she stated, trying to comfort the taller woman in her time of crisis.

Haruka pulled her shoulder away from Usagi. "Not like this!" Haruka grabbed their future Queen by her shoulders and shook her body roughly, staring at her with wild eyes, "I FELT her! I felt her touch, her kiss, everything! It wasn't a dream,

it was real I tell you!"

Haruka then released her grip on the shocked Usagi. She backed up a little and clenched her fists. "I'll prove it, you'll see..." With that, Haruka was gone, running in desperation to, hopefully, find the one she cared about so much.

And I'll just fall

I'll let my heartbeat drop

I falter as the music stops

And you watch me as I stall

And wonder when I fall

Haruka eventually made her way back to the apartment and hopped into her car. She drove to one of her and Michiru's favorite outlook spots. There, they could view the beach and the large beautiful cliffs where the ocean rushed against the boulders below.

Suddenly, the blonde noticed a figure with aqua hair out of the corner of her eye. Blinking those emerald eyes, she stared at the beach down below, was that her goddess, her love?

Slipping her car keys into her pocket, her eyes never left the aqua-haired girl's figure as she made a desperate run for the boardwalk stairs which led down to the beach below the cliff. Tear-stained cheeks were rosy red with cold from the wind against her face during the long run down to the beach. Haruka felt the smaller woman reach out her arms and embrace her. Haruka sighed into her waves of sea-green hair. She could hear Michiru sobbing into her shoulder.

"I love you..." the smaller woman sighed the words into Haruka's neck, "...I want you with me forever."

Haruka nodded in response, "I love you too, please don't go away."

Michiru sighed, "But you have to wake up... please."

Haruka blinked and shook her head, pulling her face back to stare at those dark blue eyes, "No!... please don't go!"

Michiru smiled, laying a kiss onto her cheek, "Please wake up. Wake up, Haruka!"

Haruka shook her head, holding onto Michiru with every ounce of her body.

I kiss your neck

I feel you breathing on my shoulder

Still I'm perfect

It must be you cause now it's over

Haruka awoke again in their bed, no... Now it was just her bed... She raised her right hand, noticed the strands of hair, how there were still aqua pieces tangled in her fingertips. She quickly removed the pieces of hair with tweezers, carefully placing them into a plastic bag. Zipping the bag shut, she shoved it into her pocket and made a very speedy drive in her car back to the temple once again.

I was so close

That was the most that I have ever been through

Once there, she pulled Hotaru and Setsuna aside. Everyone gave her dirty looks, or just confused looks, except those two. They knew Haruka was going through a hard time.

Hotaru broke the silence, "What is it papa?" Setsuna looked at her in question as well. Once the three of them were out of sight from the others, she took the bag from her pocket and showed it to them.

"I'm not crazy, I saw Michiru on the beach last night, I felt her. When I woke up, there were pieces of her hair still tangled in my fingertips, and here is the proof!" Haruka presented the bag.

Now old cassettes and cigarettes

Will be the ones to save you

How can you ask for me to stay

When all you ever do is go?

Just go

Setsuna and Hotaru examined the baggy. They gave Haruka a confused look. Looking from the baggy, back to Haruka, back down to the bag.

Haruka blinked, "What, don't you see the Aqua hairs?"

The two other women shook their heads. Haruka grabbed the bag quickly and stared in awe. "The hairs are blonde!? They were aqua not 20 minutes ago... I swear it!" Hotaru sighed a bit, the poor girl was worried about her papa, she was going crazy for sure. Haruka dropped the baggie, leaving it forgotten on the floor. She bent down onto her knees as her face fell into her hands. Her shoulders heaved as she sobbed.

"It'll be alright, Papa. I still love you. Try not to go crazy; you are all I have left in the world..." Hotaru said, placing an innocent kiss on Haruka's cheek. "I miss her, too."

Setsuna smiled to the girl and tapped her on the back, making her walk away a little faster.

Setsuna helped Haruka stand and pulled her arm so they were a bit further away from everyone, especially Hotaru. "You know Hotaru is worried about you; she thinks she has lost both of her parents. I know how you two felt about each other. I know you could barely stand the thought of being apart. I know what you must be thinking of doing, but don't do it. We love you and would miss you far too much."

With a gentle touch to Haruka's shoulder, the senshi of time disappeared behind a sliding door of the temple's many rooms.

And so I fall

I don't wanna feel this small

You know I just can't handle this

Handle this at all

Haruka was in awe, how could she possibly dream up Michiru that many times and have such real accounts of seeing, hearing, and touching her? It was impossible; it was so hard to believe. Her head hurt, but not nearly as much as her heart. She couldn't handle this pain.

And so I fall

I'll let my heartbeat drop

I falter as the music stops

And you watch me as I stall

And wonder when I...

Haruka walked into their home in a daze. She dropped her keys on the coffee table, closing the door behind her. She silently walked into the kitchen, grabbing a sharp paring knife. She walked into their bedroom. No, it was no longer their bedroom, only hers. Once there, she saw pictures sitting upon their walls and dresser. The walls had a few pictures of Haruka and Michiru's wedding. On the dresser were pictures from Mamoru and Usagi's wedding, there was a few from Hotaru's birthday party when she turned 10, and a few from a picnic with all of the Outer senshi together. Once Haruka's eyes fell to the bed, she remembered how she would only sleep on one side of it. How that other side would always be Michiru's side. It was then that she noticed the picture of Michiru on her own nightstand. One beautiful picture of Michiru all by herself. She remembered fondly when they had gone to a professional photographer to get that picture. It took Haruka lots of begging to get her lover to finally agree to it. She tried not to cry, but the tears came like a waterfall as she stared at the immortal, still, beautiful face.

Go on

You've kept me waiting

Go on

And watch me as I fall

Haruka spoke while looking at the photo, "I'm sorry. I don't want to, but I can't do this... I am going crazy without you." Haruka held the knife to her wrists, as if about to slit them. She knew it would be the quickest and easiest way to end her life and be able to join her love.

Suddenly, the picture on the nightstand came to life and Michiru's picture spoke with concern, "Haruka, please. There's something I must tell you."

Haruka took the picture into her hands, fingertips stroking the picture gently, staring at the face with a soft smile. "I know, Michi. And I love you, too."

Michiru's picture shook her head as tears rolled down her cheeks, "I have to tell you how much I love you. How I can't live without you, and how I need you back with me. I need you to wake up and be with me again. You're all I have in the world, and you're all I want. Please, for my sake, for Hotaru's sake, wake up!"

Haruka gasped, "Wake up? No! Not again! Please don't ask me to wake up!"

The photo of Michiru cried out desperately to Haruka, "Please! Wake up, Ruka-chan! I beg of you!"

I don't wanna feel this small

You know I just can't handle this

Handle this at all

And so I'll fall

Haruka's eyes fluttered open, looking through her messy blonde bangs. She saw, crying at her bedside, a beautiful aqua-haired goddess.

"Michi..." tears welled in her eyes, "I... don't understand..."

Michiru gasped as she heard words coming from her love's mouth. It appeared as though Michiru was wearing that same cranberry dress. It was partly torn still, she obviously had not changed out of it.

"What happened, Michiru?"

I'll let my heartbeat drop

I falter as the music stops

And you watch me as I stall

And wonder when I...

Michiru began the story, "There was a fight; four men tried to rob us. They stole your tuxedo jacket, stole pieces of my jewelry, beat you up, and tried to shoot at us. I moved you and tried to move myself at the same time, but ended up having a bullet graze my shoulder. The man fired again and shot his friend dead... I got stabbed at the same time and fell onto the ground, blacked out from loss of blood."

Michiru winced a bit and lifted a few pieces of torn cranberry fabric to show the dressed wound to Haruka. "But you, you were only beat up a bit and ended up running for an ambulence. You refused help from people you ran into and refused to call 9-1-1. No... you RAN for the hospital." Michiru smiled a little bit. Of course Haruka ran for the hospital, she was always so stubborn.

Suddenly, all the other senshi entered the room. They'd heard the commotion and knew Haruka must be awake... They then helped Michiru explain that someone from a nearby shop saw her and thought she'd been mugged, but noticed she was hurt. So they called 9-1-1.

Haruka interrupted, "I distinctly remember running and getting to the hospital and getting a paramedic to come back to get Michi, though."

Setsuna shook her head, "Must have been an illusion, because that never happened. Michiru had awoke in the hospital bed and asked immediately about you, but no one knew anything you. Michiru had yelled and screamed, demanding that they go searching for you.

Hotaru smiled and began explaining further, "She really was quite fussy, papa. She insisted that they send out search parties for you. She knew you were still alive out there somewhere."

Michiru blushed faintly and nodded a little, letting Hotaru continue her explanation. "They found you lying on the ground two blocks south of the hospital. Someone had reported that you were running and had passed out."

Michiru sighed and laid a kiss upon Haruka's hand which she still refused to let go of.

Setsuna spoke after Hotaru was done, "Once they realized what had happened, they explained to us that it was due to hyponatremia, an extreme sodium defeciency in the blood. You were in an extreme exercise-enduced hyponatremia coma."

Usagi chimed in, "Michiru has laid here by your bedside for the past two weeks, begging for you to come out of your coma. They said they weren't sure if you would make it or not."

Hotaru smiled, "They all said there's no way you could have possibly heard her talking to you, but she still stayed here and continued to try."

Haruka had tears freely falling from her eyes by now. She turned to face Michiru and raised a hand to gently cup her cheek. "I heard you, Michiru. I heard you."

-----

I hope you enjoyed the fic. The song is "Fall" by Something Corporate. I've been listening to a lot of them lately. Critiques/reviews are greatly appreciated. The other version is Usagi/Mamoru and it is available on & Feedback always appreciated!