Chapter One: Breaking Free
Haruka smiled as she looked in the mirror, her slim figure was gone, it had been for a few weeks now, but she didn't care. She was excited about this new life inside her. Haruka heard the door slam and knew her husband was home. Haruka quickly moved out of the room with excitement, but that soon faded as she noticed her husband was drunk. She quickly tried to move away, but he had seen her.
"Come here woman!" Haruka thought about it, but decided it was better in the end, however knowing her husband's brutality she pressed the call button on her cell phone which was in her pocket. The phone started to dial Michiru's number, "Why are you fat?" Haruka wanted to lash out, but restrained herself. She could smell the alcohol on his breath and all over as it started to make her dizzy. "You need to lose weight. He grabbed her as he pulled himself up. Haruka felt sick, but didn't move. He spat in her face. "You are a horrible person. You are ugly." He spit again before throwing her back into the wall. He then moved to pull his fist back and began beating on her without showing a sign of letting up. Her ribs, her face, her shoulders, he forced her against the wall and tore off her dress. Tears poured from her eyes as she thought nothing about herself, she could handle the abuse as well as his force, but her unborn child. She had married him because of her father and mother, but she had never loved him although she thought the child would change their relationship; however that plan did not seem to be working. She felt him let up, but stayed where she was, she knew not to get up, a long time of experience had taught her that lesson. She didn't even move when the door slammed, blood was dripping from her nose, her long blonde hair was matting from the blood that leaked from her head womb, every breath was causing pain as she felt he had cracked her ribs. She pulled her knees towards her and sobbed.
It took no time at all for Michiru who had heard the whole fight over her cell phone to arrive. She picked up Haruka and drove her to the hospital. Michiru was struggling on the inside, she couldn't stand to see the woman she loved, the only woman she had ever loved in so much pain. She stood pacing outside of the trauma room where inside Haruka laid being patched up. The doctor had informed her that she had lost a lot of blood and that the trauma may have effected the child. Michiru prayed to whatever god was out there that Haruka would make it through. Michiru took a deep breath steading herself, she could not afford to get worked up, nor could she go involving her emotions, Haruka had made her choice, she had chose her father's money and a husband over Michiru. The battle inside Michiru was just as great as the one Haruka was fighting for her life and for her child's life. She had been hurt, wounded severely by Haruka's choice to live a planned life, instead of the one both of them had dreamed about. Haruka had told her that their days of messing around were over, but then it was Michiru Haruka had dialed when she was in trouble, could this mean she still had feelings for Michiru. The doctor drew back the curtain smiling;
"Excuse me, are you Michiru?" Michiru nodded, "It looks as though the baby and Mrs. Azumo will be alright. We are still stitching her up, but she has asked for you." Michiru nodded and taking a deep breath she drew up all her courage and followed the doctor into the room. Haruka was sitting up, while the doctor tended to her head womb. Two black eyes and a bandaged nose, Haruka still looked stunning to Michiru even in the short hospital gown. Haruka tried to grin at the beautiful aqua haired goddess that stood before her, but it turned into a wince as she took a deep breath and the doctor continued to stitch up her head;
"Thank you," Haruka let out the breath she had just taken in. Michiru nodded, Haruka held out her hand and Michiru reached for it. She knew she was again risking her heart, but when it came to Haruka, she knew she would do it over and over again, until she had no heart left to give, and even then she could not imagine going through life without Haruka. Michiru fixed Haruka with a stern but caring look;
"You are not going back, not this time, not in your condition." Haruka looked at her friend as the doctor was stitching the back of her head. He had already cut most of her long beautiful hair off and had to shave a good portion of the back to get a clear line of vision. She stroked her belly just to give her time to think. Her heart was aching inside, as she longed for freedom, but felt trapped deep inside. Her baby bump even a reminder of her betrayal and the depth of pain she had inflicted not only on herself, but on her true love. This pain deeper than any her husband had ever inflicted on her. She took a deep breath and felt her ribs ache, but her heart soared as she made up her mind, she squeezed Michiru's hand tightly;
"I'm going to divorce him and I'm going to live the life I once did, my life, not my parents." Michiru grinned as she looked into the eyes that were slowly coming to life. Michiru grinned as she felt tears run down her cheek as she moved closer to Haruka and touched longingly her sweet face where she was bruised.