25
She winced when the mean looking cotton touched her skin, burning slightly. The damn wounds around her wrists were everything but pretty, and the nice looking nurse was doing a good job cleaning her.
But that thing on the cotton still burned!
She was been a crybaby, and she knew it. But after the day they all just had, she felt she was in tittle to whine around a little. But just a little.
Once she was nicely bandaged up, and the painkillers they had given her for that nasty headache started working its magic, she was free to go looking for her family. She spotted a familiar silvery haired man stepping out of a trauma room and walking down the hallway, and she decided to check that particular room before going Haruka hunting.
She was a woman of her word, after all.
She saw him sitting on the bed, testing his bandaged shoulder and growling.
He was everything but pleased with his wound, and he wasn't ashamed to show it. His shirt was long gone, and probably completely worthless now, reaped apart by the paramedics and covered with blood.
She smiled, appreciating the sight in front of her green eyes "That's what you get for playing hero" she joked, getting his attention.
He looked up at her, surprised at first. But then he narrowed his eyes, growling again "It's my job" he stated.
"Oh, so you get paid for getting shot?" she joked again, walking up to the bed and standing right next to him.
"Did you need anything?" he asked her, fighting the urge to roll his eyes at her.
"You know, for being such a strong, smart guy, you sure can be quite stupid at times" she said, as an answer to his question, before bending down on the bed and kissing his lips.
It was a soft kiss, barely brushing her lips against his. And when she pulled away, and saw the surprised expression on his handsome face, along with the cute slight blush on his cheeks, she couldn't help but giggle at him.
He reached up a hand to his own lips, blinking up at her "What was that for?" he asked, surprised.
"I said I could kiss you, so I did" she simply answered "Besides, you played the hero, you deserved your prize" she said, winking at him, before turning around and walking to the door again "I would love to stay here with you and play nurse, but I have a blonde to scold for scarring the life out of me" she said, before disappearing behind the door.
Nephrite stared after the closed door, blinking away his surprise before growling again.
"What a crazy girl" he mumbled. A small smile making its way to his lips.
...
With strong, fast steps, he made his way along the hallway. A frown on his handsome face, as his eyes searched the hospital waiting area for a certain woman he needed to talk to.
He had spent the last hour talking to the local police, making sure they kept Asuke behind bars and with watchful eyes until he could make the necessary arrangements to take him back to prison.
Kunzite growled. He knew he had at least two days worth of paper work ahead of him. If he was fast...
But first, he needed to talk to her. After the ambulances had taken his wounded partner and his sister away, and after all the other occupants of the house had followed after them to the local hospital, he had stayed behind for a little while.
Taking the envelope with the black and white photographs in it, he had searched the entire house. He had been doing his jobs long enough to realized those pictures had been taken from the inside. And there was no way for Asuke to walked around the house with him and Nephrite in it. So that meant he had been there before they got into town.
A quick, efficient search confirmed his suspicions. There were hidden, small cameras all around. In the kitchen, in Hikari and Hotaru's bedroom, in the living room, in Haruka's bedroom. The bastard had somehow got in, plant the cameras, and then watched them like a hawk, waiting for the right moment to attack.
A quick glance into the white van only confirmed this. There were monitors showing those exact rooms, laptops, earphones, and a switchboard.
And tapes. Neatly labeled tapes.
Kunzite smiled at that one. The asshole had taped it all. And now there was enough evidence to lock him up for life. Because it wasn't a simple kidnap this time. This time, he had tried to kidnap and hurt his own daughter. And that fact alone could easily add another five years to his already long time in prison.
He knew the envelope he still had in his hands was evidence, and as such he should give it to the police, so they could tag it and then send it to his Station, where Asuke's case was being followed.
But before doing that, he felt he needed to talk to her. Another unpleasant surprised was the last thing anyone needed right now...
He found her sitting on a chair. Her gaze lost at some point in the white wall. Her face still pale from all the previous drama and agitation. And her long, aquamarine hair, falling down her shoulders and framing her face, only made her look even paler.
He walked up to her, noticing she was sitting there alone.
He frowned at that, wondering where Makoto and Minako could be. But the worried expression on her face when she noticed him made him forget about those two for the moment.
"How is she?" she asked, before he could say anything at all "She's going to be fine, right?"
He smiled reassuringly at her "She's fine, it's nothing serious" he said, sitting down next to her "I need to talk to you about something" he said, giving her the brown envelope.
She frowned at that, taking the envelope in her hands. And upon his nod, she opened it, taking out the photographs.
Her face got even whiter, blue eyes going wide open "What... what is this?" she asked, her voice a trembling whisper, staring at the picture of her, Minako and Hotaru on the outside of the house.
"That's my fault" he said, in a somewhat apologetic manner "I knew he was watching, and I should have looked for bugs and hidden cameras..."
He stopped talking when she suddenly looked up at him, with a mix of embarrassment, panic, and confusion in her face. He looked down at the picture she was now holding on top of the others, and he simply nodded his head at her.
"I just thought I should warn you" he said "I know it's your private life, and it's not my place to ask any questions. But there is going to be questions about it. A lot of questions, actually"
She looked down at the picture again, not really saying anything, and simply listening to him.
He let out a sigh, a hand going through silvery white hair "He planted cameras and microphones all over the house, and it's evidence" he explained "I know this must be uncomfortable for you, but I can't ..."
"I understand" she softly said, nodding her head and interrupting him. She then blushed, deeply, and lowered her gaze "Is this... are there.. more... photographs?" she asked, obviously embarrassed.
He rubbed his head at the question, somehow embarrassed himself "There were tapes on his van"
She looked up at him at that, her face burning red, her blue eyes wide open "Tapes?" she asked, in a trembling whisper "Oh God..." she breathed, covering her face with her hands.
"I'm sorry..." he apologized, even though it wasn't his fault. But there was nothing he could do to hide those tapes. It was evidence, and he couldn't hide it "We've already took the bugs and everything's been taken away to further investigation..."
"God! I'm so embarrassed!" she exclaimed, now standing up. Her hands going trough her curly hair in a nervous manner.
"Hey" he said, standing up too, and looking at her "I promise I'll do anything in my power to keep this as private as possible" he assured her "I know the person who manages the lab, and I know she's a very professional woman. I'll ask her to keep it quiet about that one tape"
"Can you do that?" Michiru asked.
"I can try" he said, shaking his shoulder "Unless they find something out of place in there, it's no good to the investigation anyway"
She frowned at that "Something out of place? Like what?"
"A shadow, a reflection on a mirror, something like that" he explained. He put a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it lightly "Don't worry, there won't be anything useful. He had a high tech equipment, and he's not that stupid. He knew we were there, and that he couldn't be around the house. And with all the bugs and micros, he didn't need to"
She looked at him, still frowning, but nodded her head anyway. She knew there wasn't much he could do about it. She just didn't really feel comfortable knowing someone, anyone, was going to have a private show with that one tape...
"So this is how he knew..." she murmured "About... about Haruka and me... he knew..."
Kunzite nodded his head "I'm sorry" he apologized again "I should have checked..."
"It's ok" she interrupted him, shaking her head "I'm just glad it's over"
He nodded his head again "Me too" he agreed.
He studied her for a moment, before smiling "You're good to her" he simply stated.
Michiru looked at him, frowning for a moment, before her cheeks went red again, and he chuckled at her.
"We all need someone, right?" he said, his gentle smile never fading "And you're good to her. I really hope it works out"
She smiled at that, nodding her head "Me too" she said "Me too"