Chapter 9: Save it For Later

(No POV)

"C-Can we save the rest for tomorrow?" Asked Haruka, her voice sounded shakely as she glanced over at Minako, "Remembering what they were doing to me… is returning to my mind and I rather not fret about the rest of them yet."

"Sure, Haruka-san." Minako replied, she was a bit worried about the way Haruka said her statement, "We'll take as long as we need too to tell you the story."

"Arigatou, Minako." Haruka said.

…..

(Haruka's POV)

Once Setsuna, Hotaru, Michiru, and I got home: I wanted to spend some time away from that, after hearing that story, my back was throbbing and my arms were hurting all over. I that I only made them concerned for me, especially Michiru. I wasn't meaning or trying too, but it happened. I sighed a little as I went to the master bathroom that was attached to master bedroom that belonged to me and Michiru. I needed to clear my head with some steam. I turned on the water after I closed the plug to keep the water from escaping. I took off my clothes from the day and got in. I sat in the hot water in the bathtub, waiting for the right moment to turn off the knob.

Once I was okay with it, I turned off the water and looked at the water, I couldn't feel the heat; all I could tell was my skin was really red and it was clouding up the glass of the mirror. I began to feel the burn scar on my back start to shiver a little. I placed my forehead to my knee when I started to think about the times I nearly escaped without help, but I was caught and was punished for doing so. These scars were the reasons why I took baths instead of showers anymore. I hated this pain! I hated that pain and suffering I went through there! It felt like I was being followed again every time I thought about it, every time I saw my scars.

There wasn't anything I could do to stop from keeping myself from looking at the ones on my palms of my hands, that was nearly impossible! My thoughts were interrupted when I noticed the water starting to turn red. I blinked a few times and let the water out of the tub. I could feel the sharp stinging pain as the water swept acrossed my leg. It made me tense and groan in pain as I held onto my left leg.

"UGH! What the he-!?" I asked before I noticed a nice long cut that went from my calf down to my ankle, and it looked pretty deep, "What? How? I didn't-!?"

"You're still one us, Tenou Haruka!" A familiar voice ran in my head, it made my eyes widen, "This is your punishment for leaving your treatment early!"

I began shaking my head I put my hands to my ears, trying to block out the voice that was in my head. I knew who it was perfectly clear. But, how could it be possible? His soul should be in the Shadow Realm. Was there still a trace of him still left inside of me?

"I'm not a crazy person! I'm Sailor Uranus!" I yelled, "I'm Tenou Haruka, leave me alone!"

I tried to stand up, but slipped back down, only making my leg bleed harder. I grabbed my leg and tried to stop the bleeding, hearing a voice at the door. I gasp and turned to look at the door.

"Haruka!" I hear Michiru's calming voice from the other side, she was calling out to me, "Are you alright?"

"I love it when you're IN pain!"

"Who-Whoever is calling me from the asylum, leave me alone!" I hissed, yelling again, "I have no business with you!"

"Haruka, answer me!" Michiru speaks again, "You're scaring me."

"M-Michiru, I need your help… someone f-followed us from the asylum." I finally reply, "I-I can't go back… I d-don't wanna g-go back!"

I hear the door open and Michiru came over to me in a quick rush.

"Haruka, your-!" Exclaimed Michiru, after she saw the large cut on my leg.

"Wh-Whoever this guy is gave it to me." I answered.

"Let me handle them." She replied, "Neptune Eternal! Make-Up!"

I glanced up, watching her as she transformed into Eternal Sailor Neptune. The cold air hitting my leg was making it sting even worse and it hurt worse. Michiru held her Deep Aqua Mirror in her hand as she began looking around the bathroom.

"Try all you want, Eternal Sailor Neptune." The voice said, it echoed around the bathroom, "But your lover belongs to us. The mark symbolizes it."

"My Haruka belongs to NO ONE except me!" Snarled Michiru, "Submarine Reflection!"

That made the burn ache terribly, and I held onto myself.

"M-Michiru!" I yelled.

The voice that I was hearing and it's presence seemed to go away shortly after that. The pain of the mark slowly going away. I placed one of my bloodied hands against my bare shoulders. Something was telling me that this was only the beginning of something even more greater.

"It seems like there was a part of the doctor's soul that was still inside of me." I said.

"It was inside the burn scar, wasn't it?" She asked.

I nodded a little as an answer, sighing a little as well as I glanced down to look at the bloodstained tub.

"I made a mess…" I muttered.

"You didn't mean to make the mess, Haruka." Michiru said, calmly.

"I can't believe this." I replied with a groan, "I'm sure that I looked like a fool when you guys-."

"Haruka, let's get you out of the tub before you start on a tangent." Michiru paused, "I love you and your body, however we need to take care of your new wound and get you dressed."

"You're right." I said with a small sigh, "I hope I can get up and help you as much as I can."

"Do what you can, Haruka." Paused Michiru, "That's all I can ask for."

I nodded slightly as I slowly started began to stand up with Michiru's help and got out of the tub before I pulled on one of my white tank tops and black basketball shorts.

"I'll come clean the blood up after I dress your cut." Said Michiru.

"What? No, I should clean it up!" I protested against the idea, "That's my blood! I should be the one who cleans it up."

"Haruka, you can't be up on that leg for a day or so." She replied, "Your wound is pretty deep, I', not sure if I can do it without some help from Setsuna."

"I-It's that bad?" I asked, that just brought back those painful memories of the rusted knife from my time in the asylum, "Michiru, tell me it's not that bad."

"Haruka, I can't lie to you. I know how much it hurts." She paused, "I felt it."

"Our connection is too strong, isn't it?" I asked.

"Nothing can really break it." She answered.

I smiled as she finished dressing my deep cut on my leg, I was feeling a lot better after talking to her about all of this. It felt like a burden was lifted from right off my chest.

"I won't ever leave you again, Haruka." She paused as she kissed my cheek, "And I won't let anything hurt you."

"Well, you know I would say the same thing about you, Michiru." I said brushing her aquamarine hair behind her ear with a smile as I cupped her cheek with my hand.

She smiled a little before she leaned in and we both closed our eyes and our lips gently brushed against each others. We stayed like that for a minute or two, I was kissing her gently before I feel Michiru pulled away with a small smile.

"Now, let me go clean the blood out of the tub." She said before she kissed my nose and then headed to do that.

"I'm glad that his soul is now gone." I paused, "I think I can now listen to the rest of the story without too much trouble now."

"Was that your problem earlier?" Asked Michiru.

"I guess it was." I said.

"Well, let's hope so, Haruka." Paused Michiru, "Because we are being treated to the story again tomorrow at Minako and Joey's place tomorrow."

"Sounds like a group date." I joked, replying with a small chuckle.