Wilting Roses

*Haruka*

Haruka cradled Kiyoko in her arms, feeling the blood and life itself trickling from her body, as they all ran as fast as possible from the ruins of the dark kingdom. Once they'd put some distance between themselves and the ruins, Serenity stopped and turned to Haruka, "How bad is it?"

Haruka didn't even look at her, all she could see was Kiyoko and blood, "I can feel her dying. We have to get her out of here!" Serenity nodded and called on the silver crystal, able to channel enough power to get them all back to the palace.

Helios came out to meet them, his face changing from happiness to concern as he took Kiyoko's appearance in, "What happened?"

Haruka answered before anyone else had the chance, "She took extensive damage from the dark energy binding those stones! She is DYING!" She held Kiyoko more tightly to her, completely unaware of how covered in blood she was at this point.

The look on Helios' face was desperate, "We have to get her to the temple!" His face grew pale looking as the blood continued to trickle.

Haruka nodded and looked over her shoulder before taking off, "Usagi! Go! Now!" She didn't look back, but heard the others following her. She ran as fast as her feet would carry her, feeling Kiyoko's life slipping away in droplets. When they reached the temple doors, Helios opened them and told Haruka to follow him. As Haruka ran down the halls of the temple she noticed that the floors were covered in rose petals. And when she looked up she saw the roses that normally bloomed in Kiyoko's presence starting to wilt. It was like they were dying with Kiyoko.

Finally Helios stopped at the top of the steps that led to the underground chamber where the late King Endymion lay to rest. He looked at Haruka, "We have to get her down there, to the heart of the temple. You can lay her on the bed the Queen Mother slept in."

Haruka nodded and wasted no time getting Kiyoko down the stairs and laying her gently on the white sheets, tragically taking note of the red already tinging them. An overwhelming feeling of panic was gripping Haruka. She looked at Helios, "What can I do?"

Helios looked fiercely over Kiyoko's bleeding body and turned to Haruka, "Hold her…. Hold her and concentrate all of your energy on her! Now!"

As Haruka climbed onto the edge of the bed and took Kiyoko back into her arms, concentrating, worrying that it was no use. This wasn't something she could do. She wasn't strong enough. But she had to try. And so she put everything else out of her mind and concentrated on Kiyoko, on lending her strength and noticed that the golden crystal that lay loosely in Kiyoko's hand begin to faintly glow. Helios sat at the end of the bed and began to pray.

A moment later Rei entered with a bowl of water and a cloth with a symbol stitched into it. She dipped the cloth into the water and quietly began cleaning the blood from Kiyoko's wounds. As everyone continued their work the crystal's glow increased and Kiyoko's wounds started to close on their own. The glow from the crystal spread to Kiyoko's body and eventually enveloped Haruka as well. She didn't dare move.

After a while Helios stood and spoke, "We've done it. She will live. Thank you Haruka." Haruka was shocked at Helios' gratitude. She really didn't feel as though she'd done anything. But still she didn't move, didn't look up.

Serenity entered the room quietly and went to sit on her sister's other side, "Why do you have to be so stubborn Kiyo-chan?" Tears falling to the sheets, she looked at Haruka, "Thank you."

A slight nod was all that she could manage, still refusing to turn her gaze from Kiyoko, "Is Usagi on her way?" Serenity nodded and held her sister's hand.

*Haruka*

It seemed that for some time Kiyoko felt herself slipping away. At one point she began to wonder if her own star seed would leave her soon and take her life with it…. But eventually she felt something… A power of sorts…. And then the feeling of restoration clearly coming from the golden crystal. In faint snip-its Kiyoko heard voices around her, she couldn't make them out, but she recognized them: Helios, Haruka, and her sister…. And then a blackness overtook her…. But it wasn't death…. It was protective…. Restorative….

When she started to regain consciousness, Kiyoko had no idea how long she'd been out. But as she started getting a sense of the world, Kiyoko realized that it must have been a while. She felt two hands holding hers and it astonished her. The first one of them to speak was Haruka, "Is she finally waking up? Is that what this feeling is?"

A sense of trepidation and hopefulness overtook the voice that belonged to that other hand. Then Seiya spoke, "Yes, she is starting to regain consciousness. And she can hear us, trust me."

Haruka's hand squeezed hers tighter, "Kiyoko?" The concern in her voice was heartbreaking. What had happened? She had felt herself slipping away, but the pain in Haruka's voice….

A second later she heard her beloved Seiya, voice filled with just as much pain, "Kiyoko my love…." She rubbed Kiyoko's hand gently.

Slowly Kiyoko was able to open her eyes. She looked at the two people she was closest to in the universe sitting on either side of her and whispered, "Did it work?" A whisper was all that she could manage at that moment.

Seiya spoke first, "Yes, Kiyoko. They're alive and well. And luckily so are you." Her eyes glassed over with tears.

Kiyoko smiled at her fiancee, "I'm sorry to have worried you my love." Her gaze turned to Haruka as an image of blood and panic and fear flashed in Kiyoko's mind. She didn't say anything, but when she turned her eyes back on Seiya, Seiya nodded.

She stood and kissed Kiyoko on the cheek, and as much as it pained her to do so she said, "I'll be back my love. I'm going to go and let the others know you're awake." Reluctantly she left, knowing that Kiyoko needed to speak with Haruka…. Reminding herself that the two of them had forever…. She was still alive….

Kiyoko watched Seiya leave and then turned her eyes to Haruka, "I'm sorry for what I put you through."

As a few tears dropped onto the sheets that had clearly been changed since Kiyoko had stopped bleeding Haruka's voice was low, "You almost died! I could FEEL you dying! How could you do that?"

Kiyoko bit her lip, "It wasn't my intention to die. As I said, I'm sorry Haruka. But thank you, if not for you I think I would've died." She took her free hand and put it over Haruka's. It was the extent to which she could move.

Haruka just stared, seeing Kiyoko, but clearly wrapped up in her own memory, "It was terrifying! You were bleeding…. The roses were dying…. I was certain you'd die too…. And then part of me would die with you."

Kiyoko smiled, "But I didn't die because you and your strength saved me." She put as much strength as she could into squeezing Haruka's hand, "Now I am going to ask you to do something even more difficult than saving my life."

Haruka looked at Kiyoko, very confused, "Other than watching you die or losing Michiru, what could be harder?"

The smile on Kiyoko's face widen a bit, "Will you be my maid of honor and stand with me at my wedding?" The look on Haruka's face was priceless.

She chuckled, "You're right…. That would be more difficult….. And of course I will." So happy as the realization that Kiyoko was alright finally sank in, Haruka leaned forward and kissed her. And of course that was the moment that Seiya walked back into the underground chamber.