A/N- So it took almost twelve hours of sitting here and thinking of what the hell I should write… but I did it. I finished chapter ten. I honestly didn't think I was going to make it. Anyways thanks to RukaMichi92 for her help with this and I hope you all enjoy it.

Living Ch 10

Lightening lit up the sky once more as a yellow sports car made its way along the slippery roads. The thunder reverberated through the cabin of the car, almost making it impossible to hear the ringing of the cell phone that sat on the dash. The blonde occupant however reached over and hit the talk button, putting the call on speakerphone.

"Moshi Moshi."

"Hey it's me."

"Hey Michiru. What's up?"

"Nothing much I just wanted to know where you were right now."

"I just left the track and unless you want me to pick something up, I'll be home in about forty minutes. The driving isn't that great."

"No I don't think we need anything… just you." Haruka knew that Michiru was smiling as she said this and returned the smile, though it couldn't be seen.

"Well them I'm on my…" Haruka stopped talking as she heard a scream penetrate them phone. Her worried eyes widened in the afterglow of the last strike of lightning.

Panic coursed through her. "Michiru!?"

"Yes, Haruka I'm still here."

"What was that scream? Is everything alright?"

"The power just went out. It scared Hotaru, but we're fine." Michiru answered as she stroked the head of the little girl that was clinging to her leg now. "Ruka do we have a flashlight anywhere?"

"Yeah. I think there should be one in one of the kitchen drawers."

"Ok here… talk to Hotaru for a minute while I go try to find it in the dark." Michiru passed the phones to Hotaru and carefully felt her way through the kitchen.

"Haruka-papa?" The little girl voiced timidly into the speaker of the phone.

"Hey there Hime-Chan." Haruka answered in a soothing voice in an effort to calm the frightened little girl. "Are you scared of the thunder and lightning?"

"Hai."

"Don't worry about it Hime-Chan. It's just a lot of noise and light, but it can't hurt you ok? Just stay close to your Michiru-mama and I'll be home soon."

"Ok Haruka-papa." At that point Michiru had returned with a flashlight in hand and took the phone that Hotaru held up to her.

"Hey it's me again."

"Did you find the flashlight?"

"Yeah, but we only have one. I'll light a few candles and try to keep Hotaru calm. She really, really doesn't like the storm." Michiru said with a hint of laughter in her voice as she looked down at the girl who had just jumped at the crack of the thunder.

"She'll be fine. I'll see you guys soon ok?"

"Ok. Bye Ruka. I love you."

"I love you too Michi. Bye."

Haruka pressed the end button and sat back in her seat. She heaved a great sigh as she did. When she had heard that scream she was terrified that it somehow had something to do with Takashi. They had filled everything out for the restraining order and had to set up a time for a hearing. However Takashi was nowhere to be found to be served with the papers. So for the last two weeks Haruka and Michiru had been quite on edge. While they had not been pleased that he had been harassing them it was quite disconcerting not knowing where he was or what he was up too.

Haruka was brought out of her thoughts when she hit a pot hole and her car suddenly started to stall. Frowning she guided the slowing vehicle over to the shoulder of the road. She turned the key in the ignition, pulled the hood release and stepped out of the car. She shivered as the rain pelted her body and flipped the collar of her jacket up in a vain attempt to shield herself better. She walked to the front of the car and lifted the hood, securing it in place with the stand. She watched the steam waft off the engine as the cool water made contact with its heated surface. Haruka looked around searching for the cause of her cars failure. Not seeing anything obvious she gingerly started tugging on wires searching for a loose connection. As she touched one of the wires connected to the battery it disconnected itself completely. She took it between her fingers and examined it closer. This was no accident… the wire had been partially cut by a knife. The pot hole must have been the last thing needed to completely sever it. Haruka stood up, letting the rain run down her face as she thought about whom would have done this. Not more then a minute later did it hit her… Takashi. She pulled her keys out of her pocket and flipped open the small knife that was attached to it. She quickly striped the ends of the wires and spliced them together. She would fix it properly later, but right now she had to get back home. Jumping back in the car she started it and then gunned it down the street.

Haruka hit the talk button on the cell phone and waited for it to start calling the house, but instead all she heard was a recorded message telling her that the service was down.

"Shit!" Haruka cursed as she slammed her palm against the steering wheel. She guessed that a relay towed must be down due to the storm. She pressed the gas pedal as far as it would go. "Please say I'm wrong. Please say I'm wrong about this." She mumbled hoping that she was over reacting and that everything was fine at home.

Back at the Mansion, Michiru had found a few candles and had placed them on the coffee table on the living room. She was sitting on the couch with Hotaru, straining her eyes in the dim light as she read a story to the child. She looked up from the book when she heard a noise. She glanced out the window, but couldn't see a thing due to the darkness and rain that had obscured the window.

"Hime-Chan stay here. I have to go check on something." Michiru extracted herself from under Hotaru and took the flashlight from the table. She turned it on and walked to the front door. She hesitated a bit, a worried feeling gnawing at her as she finally turned that handle and opened it. She moved the beam of light over the front porch and was relieved to find nothing suspicious there. She closed the door and locked it. She turned and moved back down the hallway into the living room and dropped the flashlight at what she saw.

Takashi was standing there, drenched and deranged, with a hand covering Hotaru's mouth while the other held a gun that was now pointed at Michiru.

"You would think that you would have been more careful about making sure the back door was locked." He said in a mocking tone as he waved the gun towards the couch, indicating that Michiru should sit. She didn't move at first, her eyes flitting between his and Hotaru's. "Sit down!" He yelled, causing Michiru to wince. She immediately took a seat and was relieved when Takashi pushed Hotaru down next to her. She took the sobbing girl into her arms and tried her best to calm the little girl given the situation.

"How did you find us?"

"Well your address had to be written down somewhere… like say in the files at your girlfriends race track."

"Why are you doing this Takashi?" Michiru asked in a small voice.

"Why? Why am I doing this? Are you really that thickheaded? You and that dumb dyke ruined my life." He spat.

"You did that to yourself." Michiru mumbled under her breath, but immediately regretted it as Takashi roughly grabbed her by the hand that had been on Hotaru's head. He jerked her away from the little girl and closer to his face as he sneered down at her.

"What was that?"

"Nothing." Takashi threw her back down to the couch and Michiru rubbed her wrist where he had grabbed her. "Haruka will be home soon." Michiru said in an attempt to scare him off. She really didn't think it would work, but at this point she was willing to try anything. She frowned though as Takashi smile.

"Don't be too sure… I think she's having car troubles." Michiru's face paled at his words.

"What did you do?"

"Oh don't worry… She's fine. I just wanted to ensure that she wouldn't be able to interrupt us. After all… I want her to suffer. I want her to suffer for what she did to me… and what better way to do that… then by hurting you?" The smile he had was sickening. Michiru felt her stomach churn and was wracking her brain for some sort of escape plan. She couldn't think of one, but when the sky lit up with lightning, drawing Takashi's attention to the window… Michiru made her move.

In a swift motion she knocked the few candles from the table, the air as they moved extinguishing them, and grabbed Hotaru and the flashlight that had been at her feet. As she moved towards the kitchen she could hear Takashi screaming and running after her. She turned the flashlight off and used her knowledge of the houses layout to her advantage, navigating it fairly easily in the dark while Takashi cursed as he ran into something. They made it out the kitchen and back down the hall towards the stairs. Slowly they climbed upstairs and Michiru led them to Haruka's study. She closed the door and brought Hotaru over to the large desk and pushed her under it.

"Hotaru stay here and be absolutely quiet… ok?" Michiru's eyes had adjusted somewhat to the dark and she could barely make out the girl nodding. "Good girl. I'll be back for you." She kissed Hotaru quickly on the forehead and then crept back to the door. She listened for any sound. Upon hearing none she carefully opened the door without making a sound and snuck out. She unfortunately had no idea where Takashi was, but she knew that she had to make it to a phone. She went down the stairs, towards the kitchen again straining her ears for any movement. She managed to make it to the only non portable phone in the house, thus making it the only one that would work in the power failure. She quickly dialed the police and waited for an operator to pick up…

"119 emergency how may I direct your call?" Michiru sighed as she heard the operator.

"I need officers at 101 ocean drive. There's a man with a gun and he…" Michiru never finished her sentence as she heard the dial tone. Lightning flashed outside again, illuminating the room enough for Michiru to see Takashi with his hand on the phone's cradle and the gun pointed at her. He pulled Michiru to her feet.

"Where's the little brat?" Michiru didn't answer. "Where is she?" He screamed as he brought the back of his hand across her face. She fell to the floor and held her stinging cheek. "You better tell me where that kid is or I swear to God I will shoot you." He pulled back on the hammer of the gun and Michiru cringed as she heard the click. She closed he eyes tightly and prayed that it would at least be quick and that somehow Hotaru would be safe. However the sound of a car door closing caused both of them to look at the front door.

"Ruka…" Michiru whispered. Takashi looked down at her and for a moment seemed like he was at a loss for what to do. He then pulled Michiru up again and dragged her into the living room. He placed a hand over Michiru's mouth as he leaned against the wall that separated the living room from the front entrance and held the gun to Michiru's temple.

"Not a sound." He whispered darkly. They heard the keys in the lock and then the front door opening.

"Michi?" Haruka's worried voice echoed down the hall. She walked further into the house and was about to turn into the living room when she heard a yell of pain followed by Michiru's voice.

"Ruka he has a gun." As soon as the words left her mouth Takashi had recovered from the painful bite he had received from Michiru and swung the weapon at her, striking her in the face hard enough that she toppled to the ground. Takashi looked up as soon as he heard Haruka enter the room. He quickly pointed his gun at her and she froze.

"Woah! Takashi… take it easy." Her eyes that had now adjusted to the blackness looked from the barrel of the gun pointed at her, to Michiru who was getting back to her feet. As soon as Michiru was up Takashi was switching his aim from one to the other, unsure of which one actually posed more of a threat now that Michiru had twice thwarted him. Haruka however made it easy for him to decide by swiftly moving in front of Michiru and holding her back with one hand. "Just put the gun down… We can talk this over."

"Shut up!" He cried. "Just shut up! It's all your fault… I had it all. I had the perfect life. I had a good job… I had a beautiful girlfriend and you screwed it all up."

"I know… I know, but you don't need to do this. Please… just put the gun down and we'll figure this out." Haruka took a tentative step forward, closing some of the 15 foot gap that was between then, while reaching out with one hand for the gun. "Just give me the gun and we can sort this out." Takashi stared at Haruka for a moment.

"Screw you Tenoh!" With that he pulled the trigger and Haruka's body fell to the floor with a thud.

"Ruka!" Michiru screamed as she dropped to her knees. She reached for her lover, but Takashi had stepped over Haruka and grabbed her, dragging her away.

"You see? You see what you've done?" He screamed at the sobbing Michiru. "Her blood is on your hands."

"It's not on her hands, but it's going to be on your face." Takashi whirled around towards the voice. He flew backwards as Haruka's fist connected with his face. Haruka groaned in pain, but didn't let up. She jumped on him and tried to knock the gun from his hand by smashing it on the ground. She succeeded and the gun slid across the hardwood floors. She was about to make a move for it, but Takashi grabbed her by the shoulders and threw her to the side. They grappled with each other, both managing to land substantially painful blows to the other. Takashi had managed to get the upper hand and was now unleashing a volley of punches to Haruka's face as he sat on her. He was about to hit her again when he felt something metallic being pressed against his head.

"Get off of her." He turned his head and looked up to see a shaking, and very angry looking Michiru aiming the gun at him. He stood up and backed away from Haruka with his hands in the air. "Ruka?" Michiru asked worriedly.

"I'm alright." Came the quiet reply. Michiru watched from the corner of her eye how Haruka, using the wall, slowly got to her feet. She kept her eyes trained on the man before her. God how she wanted to shoot this man… to make sure he could never hurt them again. She was trembling from head to toe and tears were quietly making their way down her red cheeks.

The sound of sirens and the flashing of lights brought everyone's attention to the door. A few minutes later Police burst through the door, their flashlights landing on the figures of first Takashi and then Michiru.

"Put the gun down ma'am." The officer ordered. Michiru dropped the gun on the floor. It was at that moment that the power came back on.

"Michiru-mama?" Called a small voice from the top of the stairs. Michiru turned around and saw Hotaru standing there.

"Hotaru." Michiru said with a sigh of relief. The little girl ran downstairs and threw herself into Michiru's arms. Michiru held her as tight as she could, but then remembered Haruka. "Oh God, Ruka." She turned around in time to see Haruka slide down the wall, holding her left shoulder where there was a large red stain. She dropped to Haruka's side.

"Ruka… Ruka look at me." Michiru demanded as she saw Haruka's eyes start to close. She placed her own hand over Haruka's and applied pressure. "Ruka say something, please!" Michiru begged as she began to sob.

Haruka didn't answer… instead she just closed her eyes and succumbed once again to darkness.

A/N- Please don't hurt me. I couldn't very well have drama without a cliffhanger now could I? Anyways I hope that you all liked it and remember reviews lead to a happier me, which leads to a faster update… normally. Lol. Thanks for reading!