Chapter 7: Nightmares of the Past

Two months passed with out incident and Haruka sat in her living room. Michiru had gone out of town for two weeks and was due back today. Why, you might ask did this cause the blonde to sit and wait for a phone to ring? Simple answer, Michiru needed a ride back from the airport and didn't know the exact time her flight would land. So here sat Haruka, Wind-Chaser curled on her lap and Triton wandering around on the balcony, waiting for her black, cordless phone to ring.

Hours past and the blonde started to feel her teal eyes growing heavy as she tried to focus on the movie she was watching. She started to nod off but tried to fight it. Finally her blonde head drooped, teal eyes falling closed as she began to doze off.

The phone rang and Haruka jumped, grabing it and glancing at the caller ID. For some reason the ID seemed to be random numbers with no pattern. Shaking her head she thought the phone probably needed to be replaced or something.

"Hello?" Her teal eyes looked around for the clock in her front room but she couldn't seem to find it. It was dark outside the glass doors and there was no sign of Triton or Wind-Chaser anywhere. "Michiru? Sure I can meet you at your place, I'll leave right now. How did you get back from the airport? Okay, I'll ask again when I get there."

Haruka hung up and walked out the door and down the hall. She reached her car in almost record time and hopped in the driver's seat. She revved the engine and wondered to herself why the streets seemed so empty. Taking the trip as fast as she could Haruka pulled up in front of the large house and turned the car off. She walked up to the front door and noticed it was slightly open.

"Michiru?" Haruka called as she stuck her head through the door into the dark house. Slowly Haruka entered and began carefully looking through each room in turn. She started up the staircase and tried to fight back the sense of having been in this moment before. She began to quietly search the top floor when the sounds reached her ears. Haruka's teal eyes went wide and she froze.

'Not again, don't make me do this again.' The tall blonde thought, wanting to run but instead following the sounds. She reached the door to Michiru's bedroom and just started to ease it open when..

Wind-Chaser pounced on Haruka's chest, bringing her out of the nightmare and back into the world of the living. Teal eyes blinked again as she sat up on her couch and looked around, taking notice of the morning sunlight which filtered through the glass doors of the porch. Haruka took a few moments to feed Wind and Triton before walking to the door. She skipped changing her rumpled clothes and instead headed straight toward the parking garage in the lower floors. It didn't take long for the tall blonde to drive the trip from her apartment to her girl friend's house in the early morning traffic. It was Saturday so most people were still trying to sleep.

Haruka parked her car, leaving it running and walked toward the door. She was incredibly glad it wasn't night right now. She reached the door and pressed the doorbell, not actually expecting an answer. She kept telling herself the plain must have been delayed. Maybe it hadn't been allowed to take off yet, some kind of weather problem. When she was ready to turn and walk away the door pulled back to reveal a man in his pajama's with no top on.

"Can I help you, sir?" He asked in Japanese, green eyes still sleepy and brown hair sticking out at odd angles. He gave Haruka a measuring look as the two stared at each other.

"Is Kaioh-san in?" Haruka asked, reverting back to her own Japanese speech and formalities and sorely wishing she could ask who this man was.

"She's still asleep, can I ask who came by so I can tell her?" The man looked past Haruka, seeming to eye the golden yellow convertible as he had its driver.

"Don't bother, I'll speak to her another time." Haruka barely restrained the growl in her voice and the man jumped just slightly as the blonde spun on her heals and ran over to the car.

"Who was at the door, Ryu-kun?" Michiru appeared at the top of the staircase, full dressed, just as the man was shutting the door. She could hear an engine revving outside and her heart jumped into her throat.

"Some blonde man, he seemed pretty mad about something." Ryu started to answer as Michiru started to run down the stairs. He was looking down and didn't notice. "I told him you were asleep, didn't know you'd already gotten up."

Michiru ran past Ryu and threw the door open just in time to spot the yellow convertible peeling out and racing down the road. Ryu blinked and watched as Michiru, barefoot on her own lawn, just watched after the now gone car. Finally she walked back up the steps and entered the house again. With out a word she walked to her music room and shut the door.

It was late afternoon when Haruka decided to return to her house, at least long enough to change. The blonde looked down at her answering machine as she entered and saw it read five messages. She hit play as she entered bedroom. The automated voice announced the first message as being shortly after she left the apartment.

"Haruka, its Michiru." The violin player's voice sounded a bit worried as it played from the speaker. "I'm sorry about this morning but we need to talk. I tired your cell but it was turned off. Please call me back." A beep than the voice announced the next message an hour later.

"Haruka, are you there?" Again it was Michiru's voice on that speaker. "Please pick up if you are." There was silence for a moment before a slightly sadder Michiru spoke again. "I'll try to call again later."

It was no surprise to the blonde that the other three calls were also from her girl friend. The blonde had been gone for more than eight hours. Haruka shook her head and walked out the door, sticking a post it to the door as she walked over to the stairs. She felt a need to burn off energy that the elevator wouldn't do for today. Just after she disappeared through the door the elevator dinged. When the doors opened Michiru stepped out followed by the man from that morning.

"I don't need you here." Michiru spoke in a saddened voice as they walked toward the door. "I can talk to Haruka alone, in fact I probably should."

"I think it was mainly my fault, besides I'd like to be here for you." Ryu placed a hand on one of her shoulders but she pushed it off.

"Stop that, Ryu-san." Michiru ordered as she halted to look at him a moment before turning toward the door. "Things are not the same as when we were in school."

"I know that, really I do." Ryu raised his hands in surrender as Michiru pulled the note from the door and quickly read it. He looked over her shoulder and his eyes went wide at what was written on the paper. "Uh-oh."

"Ryu, go home." Michiru's voice was tired and he began to protest but something about the way she refused to look at him told him he should leave. Ryu turned and walked back to the elevator with out comment. Michiru didn't so much as move until the elevator door had shut and the machine had taken the man away. She leaned forward, her head lightly touching the door and a few tears started to escape as she clutched the note in her hand.

Haruka reached the garage and calmly walked over to her convertible, taking notice of the second car next to it. She ducked behind a support beam as she spotted Ryu leaning against it speaking into a cell phone. He finished his call and stood, looking over her convertible with curiosity.

"What is it about your owner that caught Michiru-chan's attention?" He asked the car, never noticing the teal eyes that watched him from behind. "She could have any number of guys and she goes for some convertible driving blonde who wont pick up a phone. And what could cause somebody to be, okay well I did answer the door shirtless."

Ryu shook his head and walked off toward the parking structures exit. Haruka raised an eyebrow when she noticed the cab waiting for him there. She came out from her hiding place, shoving her hands into the pockets of her leather jacket as she approached Michiru's car. With out thought she hopped and took a seat on the trunk. She looked again in the direction the man had disappeared and thought over the events of the day.

'He didn't seem the way that guy was with Jill.' Haruka thought to herself and began to stare up at the ceiling. Her teal eyes took in the gray ceiling with its blank and dark appearance in the fading light from outside and the slightly dim artificial light provided. 'What other explanation could there be?'

Her cell phone rang; it played a dark sounding tune from some movie sound track. Haruka fished the device from her pocket and saw the ID read 'Kaioh, M.' The blonde hit the talk button and began walking toward the elevator.

"Just wait, Michiru." Was all that she said before hanging up the phone. This was something Haruka knew should be talked about in person. The elevator ride was short and as the doors opened on her floor Haruka's resolve nearly crumbled right then and there. Michiru was leaning against her door, silent tears streaming down the young woman's face.

Michiru jumped when someone wrapped warm arms around her and pulled her back against their chest. She caught a glimpse of blonde hair over her shoulder as the second person leaned their head onto her shoulder, effectively hiding their face from her. She leaned back into Haruka, knowing who it was by scent, feel and that blonde hair. Michiru closed her eyes and tried to calm down, waiting for Haruka to speak first.

"Who was he?" Haruka whispered into her ear after she'd stopped crying, still holding her and hiding her own face in Michiru's neck.

"His name is Ryu, he is an ex-boyfriend from when I was in high school." Michiru explained sadly and felt Haruka stiffen but the blonde didn't pull away. She took a breath and continued, hoping that Haruka wouldn't run away before it was all explained. "It was late when my plane landed and Ryu had been on the same flight. He offered to drive me home."

"Why didn't you call?" Haruka asked as she restrained her voice as best she could, asking one of the two most important questions in her mind.

"It was around one am." Michiru answered even as guilt swept over her, she never meant to worry the blonde like this. Never meant to bring back the memories she'd surely invoked this morning. "Ryu commented that you were probably asleep, since I was tired myself I thought he was right. I was going to call you this morning but you were on my door step before I could call."

"And nothing happened?" Haruka's voice had dropped to being barely audible but Michiru knew what line of thought the blonde was on now. She turned in the taller woman's arms and held Haruka's face in both hands. Michiru looked deep into Haruka's teal eyes as she spoke.

"Nothing happened." She smiled weakly at the taller woman before she continued. "I made him use the guest room on the first floor, we were nowhere near each other. The only reason he answered the door like that was his room was next to it."

Haruka tried to say something but Michiru shook her head and lightly kissed the blonde's lips. She pulled back and looked again into those teal eyes.

"I am not Jill, and this isn't the same." Michiru spoke seriously. "I am not going to cheat on you, Haruka. I don't want anyone else, I love you too much to want anyone or anything else."

"Next time just call." Haruka growled out in a playful but somewhat choked voice as she crushed the shorter woman in a hug. She again hid her face in Michiru's next, placing a gentle kiss there as she held her.

"I promise, if you promise to trust me and not jump to conclusions again." Michiru whispered back.

"Deal." Haruka pulled back and shot Michiru a lopsided grin as she unlocked her apartment door and pushed her gently back through it. She kicked it closed behind her and leaned toward Michiru. "I never got to welcome you back, by the way."

"Really?" Michiru raised an eyebrow just before their lips met. She wrapped her arms around Haruka's shoulders as Triton ran into the room barking happily. They finally broke for air and noticed the German Shepard sitting at their feet. Michiru giggled and pulled away from Haruka to kneel before the dog. "And hello T-kun, I hope you have been good for Haruka."

"Oh yes. Even raised his hand to good outside." Haruka grinned as she nearly quoted what Michiru had said almost a year before. The aqua haired woman looked back up at her, eyes dancing with happiness even though they were still a little red from crying not long before. Haruka held out a hand to help her stand and Michiru took a hold of it. "I missed you."

"I wasn't gone so long, Haruka." Michiru grinned and pulled the blonde toward the couch, taking a seat and patted the spot next to her. She again became serious as she looked at Haruka. "You do trust me, right?"

"I didn't mean to jump to conclusions, Michiru." Haruka looked off toward the still fading sun coming through the glass doors. She felt a gentle hand on her face and allowed it to turn her toward Michiru again. The violinist was obviously waiting for a better answer. "I thought I was over what happened, but I had this nightmare and when Ryu answered your door, it was too close to what happened in Nevada. I do believe you, I was kind of scared."

"But do you trust me?" Michiru questioned again, as she looked at the taller woman. "And I want an honest answer."

"Michiru, I mean, I'm not sure what I mean." Haruka hung her head and looked down at her own feet. She waited for a moment, thinking things through in her mind and replaying the past few years. She thought about everything since the two had first met and during the few months they'd been dating. She felt Michiru stand and heard the click of her attaching a leash to Triton's collar. "I do trust you with my life Michiru."

"I know." Michiru stopped for a moment at the door and looked back at the blonde who still stared at her own feet. She knew that Haruka was hurt still, that what Jill had done a year ago wouldn't be easy to get over. She smiled a bit sadly as she opened the door, thinking over the love she felt toward the woman and the fact that the blonde had yet to say the same. "I can wait, Haruka. I can wait."

Haruka sat in silence after Michiru left the apartment. Wind-Chaser jumped onto her lap and she absently stroked over the cats fur as she let her head roll back. Her head was resting against the back of the couch as she stared up at the ceiling, its once white surface another reminder of Michiru. The aqua haired woman had painted all of the ceilings in the apartment, saying that Haruka had a habit of staring at them and she didn't want the blonde to be bored. Now Haruka stared up at a recreation of a blue sky with fluffy white clouds that looked so real sometimes swore the moved across the ceiling.

Haruka knew that she was in love with Kaioh Michiru; she had been forced to terms with that this morning. Haruka knew that she'd probably loved the woman for months and had just been too scared to admit it, but today just made it obvious, she could no longer deny it to herself. Now the blonde was truly scared, scared of being in love again. Michiru wasn't Jill, but than Jill had not been Jill when they met. The two were entirely opposite. Jill hated instrumental music and art, said they were boring and she'd rather have a good rave song or a movie. Michiru loved art and played music for the joy of it. Jill was always refusing to go anywhere new, forbidding use of Japanese in the house. Michiru seemed to love new experiences and usually spoke to Haruka in English to keep them both in practice. The blonde could compare the two for hours.

'But that isn't right either, can't just say that one will work out better because they like different music than the other.' Haruka thought with a quirk of her lips. No, Michiru and Jill could be, and were, as different as night and day but that didn't change a thing. The thing that did make a difference was how it felt. Haruka had been hurt when Jill had cheated on her, she felt betrayed and also felt at fault. When she thought that Michiru might have taken Ryu to her bed however, the thought that the violin player had chosen someone else had made her heart break. Haruka had spent those hours feeling like nothing mattered with out the aqua haired woman in her life.

She knew that she loved Michiru, she even knew Michiru loved her, but still there was something in the way. Maybe she'd rushed into things last time, maybe that was why she couldn't bring herself to say those three words yet. But until she could say it, Haruka decided she'd do her best to show the artist how she felt about her.

AN.

Feel free to smack me for bring Jill's name back into their relationship. This chapter was affect by my mood and I have been a bit down. I actually rewrote the whole chapter from scratch instead of using the one I started over a week ago. I am still thinking about how I am going to get them to the point I want them at, so I have no clue how many chapters this story has left. Thank you for the continued reviews, and to those who have read and/or reviewed "A World Apart" and "A Night At The Club". If anybody hasn't caught it yet and they were wondering about the "gay club" story Tom refers to on the phone, that's "A Night At The Club". On to reviewer responses!

Michiru Loves Haruka: Thank you for the compliment, I am working on the grammar one story at a time. B-) I have just gone through "Can't Leave You Alone" and hope that I caught everything. Hope this update came fast enough for you.

Riva van Dyk: B-) You reviewed in plenty of time. Actually I've been delayed myself by an offer of a new job, hopefully I'll still have time to keep pace on this story. Wish me luck on that, I start tomorrow.

I like to try to keep them as in character as the story allows, I'd probably write more non-AUfictions if I had seen more of the later episodes. Alternate Universe when I try to write it always goes through my mind as "What would happen if Haruka lived here, instead of there?" or "What if it happened in this order instead?". I just hope I am keeping their characters as intact as I am trying, as I admit that I have learned most of what I know about the two in the last six months.

Thank you again for all of your reviews, and also for the stories you have written since I tend to go read them whenever there are no updates. B-) Hope whatever work you've been doing went well. (bows and hands Riva an orange rose and a dark pink rose) Take care and I hope you like the update.

Moonjava: Thank you. Honestly I wasn't exactly the kid who read romance either, I was always reading science fiction. (STAR WARS) I hope this chapter is worth the wait, I think I may have verred off a bit. I don't know if I can be called a romantic, my friend's call me for advice but I'm not sure how good I am. I have bad luck with romance to be honest; maybe these stories are an offshoot of what I wish I could pull off or something? Anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter, and thank you again.

d3V4n63L or anacondatiger011: Thank you for the compliment, I will do my best. B-)

Domestic-Goddess: I just finished editing "Can't Leave You Alone" and am working my way through my other stories. Thank you for pointing out the errors to me, I am sorry that I didn't fix them sooner. B-) Thank you again.

Moon-Daisuke: I am glad you liked the last chapter so much. I was trying to think of what Tom would be saying to Branson and all I could picture him saying was "I told you so" like a kid. The ceiling was something I think would be really cool to have and it seemed to fit so I put it in. I can kind of picture Michiru having Neptune painted on her own ceiling. How this chapter is worth the wait, please forgive the slight lack of romance.

I warn that my spelling and Grammar check began to act up after I started on the reviews. I am sorry about any odd errors.