while writing another chapter for "Baby, Maybe" i suddenly had this idea for a two-shot.

this is, in no way, connected to "Baby, Maybe"s plot and i just wrote it for fun.

i was listening to "take her to the moon" by moira dela torre and i suddenly was like,

i wanna write a story with this song.

and so, here we are.

Post-Canon AU where, 15 years after the LL Movie, Kotori's health worsens.

Second Years are now 32

Chapter One: Set Me Free

"I'm sorry." Maki looked down, refusing to meet Umi's amber eyes "I.. it's too late, Umi. She has less than a month."

Her world shattered around her. It felt like her heart had stopped beating, multiple emotions running throughout her. Anger, confusion, frustration, and pain. Hearing it from Maki, who insisted in the beginning that Kotori does have a chance. Tears silently flowed down her cheeks, as she hugged a sleeping little girl with ash-hair tighter.

Umi lifted her head up, looking across the room, where Kotori was sleeping. Her gaze travelled to the desk beside her, where numerous needles and medications lay.

"You fought so hard, my love."

"I'll leave you alone for now." Maki's voice cracked as she exited the room.

It broke Maki's heart, hearing Umi let out a hoarse scream, followed by a little girl's startled cry.

"I'm so sorry, Umi, Kotori,

Kohaku."

Maki knew that she would face patients who would eventually die. She accepted that, and showed little to no emotions. But this one.. she was so eager to cure Kotori, not because of her career, not only because of Umi, but because there's a little girl involved, and Maki didn't want such a sweet, innocent little girl to lose a mother this early.

Dr. Nishikino Maki broke down for the first time in her ten years of being a doctor.

Despite knowing deep inside it wasn't her fault, it wasn't anyone's fault but the illness, Maki couldn't help but blame herself.

"Umi-chan.." Kotori woke up to her wife's scream, to her little princess' cry. Her voice, although more quiet and hoarse now, still caught Umi's attention "Is everything okay..?"

After muttering "I'm sorry" to her daughter a lot of times and kissing her forehead, Umi quickly rushed to Kotori's side, still holding their daughter in her arms.

"My Umi-chan.. my Kohaku.." Kotori weakly reached out her hand to hold Umi's face "I'm sorry, okay..?"

"Mama.. Why is Mama.." Kohaku, a little girl that's four years old, sniffled "Why is Mama sorry..? Why is Papa crying?"

"Mama will say goodbye soon, my princess." Kotori let out a weak chuckle, wiping away Umi's tears "And you, Umi-chan.. I'm sorry.."

"Goodbye? Where are you going, Mama? Can I go, too?" Kohaku smiled, wiping away her tears. Kohaku loved travelling with her parents ever since she turned six months, but for a year now, they didn't go anywhere else but the hospital - back and forth. "I wanna be with Mama..!"

"No, my love.." Kotori sighed "You have.. to stay here and make Papa happy, okay?"

"But.." Kohaku's lips trembled, then she buried her head in the crook of Umi's neck "Papa.. I don't understand Mama.."

"Kotori.. I love you.."

"Umi-chan, I want to go home. I want to be with you and Kohaku, in our home."

"Mama is coming home?"

Umi couldn't respond for a moment, then nodded.

"Yes, we will bring Mama home."

Wish I could stick around and fight back your tears

Tell you

"My love, I'm still here."

Someday, we'll understand why I had to leave,

But for now, my love, I need you to set me free

Kotori was given the permission to leave the hospital that week. To her delight, needles and medications were not needed anymore. All she was instructed to do was be happy in her home.

Her close relatives and friends would come and visit sometimes, but they respected the fact that Kotori preferred spending her final days with her family.

"Mama! Mama! Look what Kohaku did!" Kohaku ran to Kotori, who was at their garden, enjoying the warm breeze of spring "Isn't it beautiful?"

With Kotori's fabric scraps and Umi's help, Kohaku made a dress for the rabbit plush that Kotori made before she was born.

"Wow, my princess made this?" Kotori grinned, taking the little plush from her hands "So beautiful.. One day, you'll make even better creations than Mama.."

"I want to be like Mama! I wanna be as pretty and as talented as Mama!" Kohaku grinned "But Mama, when will you go..?"

"Hm? Ah.." Kotori signaled her daughter to sit down beside her on the bench, to which the little girl happily followed "Let's see.. Mama doesn't know when, either. But Kohaku, can you promise something to Mama?"

"Yes! I'll keep it, like what Papa said!"

"Good girl! Papa said you should always keep your promises, right? Can you promise Mama you and Papa will always be happy, even if I'm not here?"

Kohaku, although she was only four, understood what her mother said and let out a nod, before hugging Kotori tightly and silently cried.

"Mama, I love you."

"I love you more, my princess.

And I will always be with you, as long as there are shooting stars in the big, big, sky."

Umi, who was listening the entire time, held back her tears and composed herself as she called the two for lunch.

9:00 PM

Kotori could walk, but it was rather slow, and insisted that Umi didn't need to help her always. She spent the rest of the day playing with Kohaku, much to Umi's dismay. ("You'll get tired, you know?" "I'd rather spend my energy with Kohaku, my love.")

Kohaku wanted Kotori to read her a bedtime story that night, and when she finally fell asleep, Kotori returned back to the master's bedroom, where Umi was already lying down, waiting for her.

"Kotori, come in already. Geez, that Kohaku.. and I told her not to tire you out.." Umi sighed, opening the blanket so Kotori could scoot in. Once she was in, Umi gently -- but tightly -- held her close.

"I'm so scared, Kotori.."

"Umi-chan." Kotori played with her wife's hair, pausing to look at her own wedding ring "You know that I love you very much, right?"

"..yes."

"And you love me too, right?"

"So, so much.."

"Then, promise me you won't spend the rest of your life mourning over me. You have Kohaku. You have the girls.

And you'll always have me.."

Kotori's voice cracked at the end, and she began crying, too. Even still, she continued, trying to comfort her wife.

"But you know, I've been really happy ever since we met. That little girl who was hiding behind a tree.. who would've thought she would become my wife?"

"You still remember that?"

"Of course! You looked so scared when Honoka-chan found you."

The two of them spent the rest of the night, talking about the past, forgetting about the present and the future.

"Umi-chan.. after fifty, no, eighty years.. I'll be waiting for you at the end of the rainbow, okay? After you raise our daughter well, see our grandchildren and live a happy, fulfilled life.. I'll wait for you there, okay?"

Umi refused to answer, and only buried her head even more in Kotori's bosom.

"I love you, Kotori."

"I love you, Umi-chan."

Two weeks later..

"Umi-chan..?" Kotori was resting on the sofa. She grew weaker and weaker everyday, but was still happy. She's in the comfort of her own home, of her wife and daughter. And for Sonoda Kotori, that is enough.

"Yes, my love?" Umi rushed to her side, even Kohaku stopped playing and did the same "Do you want something? Water, maybe?"

"Umi-chan, Kohaku.." Kotori let out a small smile "I'm sleepy. Mama is tired, Kohaku. Can you give me a kiss?"

Kohaku knelt beside her mother and gave a kiss on her cheek, frowning. It was as if she knew something bad was happening.

"Kotori.." Umi tightened the grip on Kotori's hand "Are you.."

"Umi-chan, is it okay if I.." Kotori felt a sharp pain, then let out an airy chuckle "Is it okay if I sleep now?"

Umi knew what she meant by that. She let out a shaky breath, before kissing Kotori on the forehead, another on her lips. It was a bit long before she pulled away, and gave Kotori a smile, even though tears were peeking out.

"Go, my love. Rest well. Kohaku and I will be okay."

Kotori nodded, smiling happily.

"I love you so much, Umi-chan."

Even though Kotori's eyes were already closed, and her breathing had stopped, Umi held her wife's cheek with one hand.

"I love you more."

Sonoda Kotori had passed away with a smile across her face.

Her final days, although a bit more painful without medication, were happily spent with her little family.

The day Kotori was buried, it was sunny and bright. Warm, yet cool. Spring has really sprung.

And it hurt Umi that Kotori, who loved spring, wasn't able to experience this with her and their little family.

Sonoda Kotori

September 12, 1997 - April 7, 2029

A loving wife and mother.

"We'll meet again by the rainbow's end."

"My love.. wait for me at the end of the rainbow, okay?" Umi uttered, carressing her wife's grave.

sad kotoumi fics break my heart tbh

yoshh, this is a two shot, dont forget that ;)