I slowly come to, every muscle in my body aching. As my vision clears I can see Eudiel pointing some sort of strange gun at Uranus. She's laughing about something about the talismans, but I'm too far away to hear. All I know is that that bitch is going to hurt her. With a cry I yank my arms and legs free and stumble forward. My vision wavers as I start moving, and I can hear Uranus shout for me to stop. But all I can think is that I don't want her to die. Even as the bullets his me, as the pain drives me to my knees, I fight to stand because I can't watch her die. Even as I stand, another volley of bullets drive me to my knees. But I stand again, and this time there are no more bullets. My vision narrows to a thin field in front of me, and I can barely hear for the rushing in my ears. I rush forward, but Eudiel swings the gun around and pulls the trigger. It feels like something is ripped out of my chest as I fall forward. I've failed. I'm dying. And I've never told her I…
I'm perched on a mostly clean worktable, watching Haruka fiddle with something under the hood of her car. There's an old beat-up radio playing, but it does little to break the silence between us. We should be happy; we found the talismans without anyone having to die. Yet here we both are, with barely ten words spoken between us since last night. I open my mouth to say something, but words stick in my throat and I end up just coughing.
"You don't have to stay here you know" Haruka says without turning around.
No, I couldn't. I've wrapped up so much of my time, my life - who I am, in her. "I'm fine" I say.
Suddenly, she stands up from the car and turns on me. "What did you think you were doing back there?"
"What?"
"At the Marine Cathedral. We'd agreed, nothing was more important than finding the talismans. And then you get yourself killed trying to save me. Why?"
She's so angry, I can't really look at her. Instead, I stare at the cracked concrete of the garage floor. "I couldn't let her kill you" I answer, my voice barely more than a whisper.
"Why not? You were the one who said if one of us fell the other should go on. And you knew my heart held a talisman! Was my life really worth more than saving the world?"
"Yes"
"What the hell!" she steps towards me and I back up instinctively. "Why?"
A hundred different reasons crowd into my mind. A hundred different lies and rationalizations. And yet when I open my mouth it's the truth that comes out.
"Because I love you"
"What?" She backs up a pace. There is a long moment of silence. I can barely breath, as I finally make myself look at her.
"I love you" I say again.
The words hang in the air. Finally Haruka blinks and says "Oh". Then she turns back to her car and my heart shatters. Suddenly I can't stay there anymore. The air feels thick and heavy and I can feel tears stinging my eyes. I take off running, out of the garage and down the street. Maybe if I can just run fast enough I can outrun my heart. So long I've wanted to say those words to her, but held back for fear of just this reaction. I can feel the tears start to fall as I run, and I try to blink them back. I can't cry. I can't let myself cry. I should have expected this. For all that she flirts and teases, she doesn't feel about me like I feel about her.
I can hear someone running behind me and I try to run faster. It's hopeless. She's wind incarnate, I could never hope to outrun her.
"Michiru!" she calls. I don't stop. I can't bear to face her right now. I just want to get away, get somewhere where I can let water wash me away. But she catches up to me and grabs my shoulder. I stumble, trying to pull away but she pulls me around.
"I'm sorry, forget I said anything. I know, I know, we don't have time to be falling in love. I won't let this get in the way of our mission, I promise. Forget I said anything." I'm babbling and I know it. I try to pull away again, but she is too strong.
"Michiru" she says. I look up at her, still trying to blink back the tears that threaten to fall.
"Michiru" she says again, softer. "When Eudiel took your heart crystal, I realized something. You mean more to me than anyone ever has. I didn't want to lose you."
My heart lifts very very slightly. Does she mean what I think she does? "Haruka, that's…"
"No, let me just get this out. I was angry because you mean so much to me. I didn't want to see you in such pain, just for me. You are always willing to make what ever sacrifices are necessary. You're so much stronger than I am."
I shake my head "You're the stronger one"
"Idiot" she says lightly. "You are far stronger than I. I could never have withstood all those bullets. I could never have done any of this."
I just shake my head again and look down at the pavement. It's starting to rain lightly, and the raindrops make circle patterns on the sidewalk. I think I know what she's trying to say, but I can't let myself give in to what might be a false hope.
"Michiru" she says again. She places a finger under my chin and slowly lifts my face so that I'm looking at her. "What I mean… I mean what I'm trying to say is…" It's her turn to look away, but she takes a deep breath and meets my gaze again. "Michiru, I think I am in love with you."
My heart flies up into my throat. The words I have always wanted to hear. My eyes begin to sting again, but this time they are tears of happiness, and I let them fall. "Haruka!" I said, half choked with emotion.
"There, there, don't cry" she says with a laugh, but she's getting a bit choked up as well. Her arms wrap around me and she pulls me close. She smells of sweat and oil and gasoline from the garage. She smells wonderful. I wrap my arms around her waist and rest my head on her chest.
"Promise you'll never leave me alone again" she says.
"I won't," I say. "We will always be together."