Chapter Two - In Heaven, by The Rainbow

The night after Kotori's burial..

Surprisingly, Kohaku didn't cry after Kotori's passing. During the wake, the burial, she didn't cry. While Umi originally found this odd, she realized that maybe.. her daughter only did that to pretend to be strong.

After all, Kotori had always told her to stay strong and always smile for Mama.

"Papa.." Kohaku muttered, clutching her rabbit plush tight "Mama isn't coming home anymore, right?"

"Y-Yes, my love." Umi continued brushing her daughter's hair "But Mama is somewhere happier now, with the pretty rainbows and soft clouds."

"Then, Papa.." Kohaku's little voice cracked as she turned to face her father, but her amber eyes refused to meet Umi's and instead, stared at the floor "Papa.. I'm sorry. Mama told me not to cry because..because it will hurt you and her.

But, Papa..? Is it okay to cry, just for now?"

"Of course, my love."

Umi held her, no, their little girl in her arms as Kohaku finally cried. Soon, she found herself crying too.

"Kotori? Can you see us? We'll be okay. Kohaku, your little princess, will be okay. We'll be in pain, yes, but we will be okay."

After all, no matter how many years fly by, there will always be a slight pain stinging them both on the inside.

Someday I know we'll meet again,

in heaven by the rainbow's end

And I only wish you happiness,

until we meet again

Twenty Years Later..

"Papa.. Papa, please talk." Kohaku, now 24, held her father's hand "Or please.. please respond to my touches again."

Umi got into a car accident a month ago, and has been in a coma since then. There were no signs of her getting better, and instead, she slowly got worse. Everyday, since then, Kohaku stayed by her side.

"Kohaku." Maki smiled upon entering the room "How is Umi?"

"Papa isn't..responding much, not even to my touches." Kohaku pouted. Maki ruffled her hair, before checking Umi's overall health.

"Kotori, do you know? Kohaku grew up to have your voice, only slightly deeper. She reminds us so much about you.

Kotori, tell Umi to wake up soon."

"..tori.." Umi's eyes suddenly fluttered open.

"Pa-Papa?" Kohaku quickly held Umi's hand again, only a bit tighter this time.

"Umi." Maki grinned, then slowly frowned, realizing Umi said Kotori's name "Umi, did you see a light?"

"No.."

"Papa.. how about.. a rainbow?"

"..yes."

"Ah.. Umi, did you see Kotori?" Maki asked yet again, preparing herself to comfort Kohaku soon.

Perhaps, Umi will be seeing Kotori sooner than they thought.

"..hair."

"Y-You saw Mama's hair? She wasn't facing you?" Kohaku sniffled "Papa.. do you want to be with Mama..?"

"..yes.. but Kohaku.."

"Kohaku." Maki put her hand to her, well, niece's shoulder "Umi.. Umi wants to go. She has to go. But she can't, because of you. Kohaku, let your Papa go, so she can be with Kotori again."

"But.. I'll be alone." Kohaku began to cry, laying her head on the side of Umi's bed. She felt Umi's hand on her head, causing her to look up.

"You won't..be alone. You'll have your aunties.. you'll have Takara and the girls.."

Maki gave Umi a smile and a slight salute -- something the SG trio would often do, knowing it would possibly be the last time she'd see her. Soon, Maki left the room, giving them the privacy they needed.

Umi took a deep breath in, before continuing.

"..you'll always have me and your mother."

"Papa.." Kohaku straightened her back as she sat down, then inched a bit closer to caress Umi's face "Go and rest well. I'll.. I'll eventually be okay. C-Can you tell Mama I said hi? That I love and miss her so much?"

Umi slightly nodded with a faint smile, reaching out to hold her daughter's face.

"Thank you, Kohaku. I love you, so much."

Even though the room was surrounded by the sound of the line going flat, and even though Umi's hand soon fell, Kohaku let out a smile while reaching out to hold her father's hand again.

"I love you and Mama more, Papa."

Sonoda Umi, much like her wife, passed away with a small smile across her face.

Happy, that she would meet her wife again, by the rainbow's end.

And even though it brought Kohaku pain, that she lost her father, too, she was comforted by the fact that at least.. they were together again.

That the bird and the sea would meet by the rainbow's end,

and would always watch over their beloved amber.

The first thing Umi was greeted with was a blinding light, then a warm feeling.

She looked down, as if to examine her body, and realized that she was back to her twenty-year old self, but with all her memories still intact.

"That is.. confusing."

"Can you cage me?

Only just for you

The melody I want to sing right now, is a poem of love."

"Kotori?" Umi looked around her, but saw nothing. Nothing but a streak of a faint rainbow ahead of her.

So she ran towards that place, towards Kotori's voice. She didn't know how long it took, or how far she actually ran, but she finally reached her destination at some point.

And finally, she saw her Kotori again. Free from the scars the needles gave her. Lively and happily dancing around again.

"Cause I'm in love.."

"I'm singing love." Umi continued, gaining Kotori's attention "Hello, my love."

"U-Umi-chan?!" Kotori's eyes widened. Her lips trembled as tears began to well up her eyes. She felt her legs walk, no, run towards Umi, giving her a tight embrace while crying. She pulled back, and began hitting Umi's chest lightly "You idiot! Idiot! Idiot! I said eighty years! Not twenty!"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry.." Umi giggled, hugging Kotori tighter again "My love, I missed you. You.. you look more beautiful than I remembered."

"Idiot Umi-chan.." Kotori sniffled, but soon smiled "I've been waiting for you, all this time."

"I'm sorry I came earlier than you expected. That I wasn't able to see our grandchildren. But you know, our Kohaku.." Umi closed her eyes, smiling as she remembered Kohaku "She grew up like you, reopening your fashion business and all. She has some of my traits, sure. Her hair got slightly darker and.."

"..and she loves kendo and manjuus, like you. But she loves fashion-designing the most." Kotori chuckled "But still.. we left our Kohaku so early.."

"She will be okay, Kotori. A bit of pain here and there, but she will be okay. Especially with Takara and the rest.."

"Takara? Nozomi-chan and Eli-chan's little girl?" Kotori pulled away from the hug, raising her eyebrow "You mean to tell me my little princess fell in love with their little girl?"

"Yeah, since they were sixteen. The same age I fell in love with you. I couldn't stop them.. it was destiny, after all." Umi nodded, holding Kotori's face with her two hands "This is not a dream?"

"I told you, that I'll be waiting for you at the end of the rainbow, right?" Kotori smiled, but soon frowned, dragging Umi closer to the rainbow "Now that you're here, come with me! You have a lot of stories to fill me in with!"

And to the rainbow they went, to the afterlife, where they'd spend the rest of forever, together again.

Sonoda Umi

March 15, 1997 - November 22, 2049

A loving wife and father

"Towards the rainbow we go."

"Papa, Mama." Kohaku smiled, putting two bouquets of flowers on each grave "I miss you both dearly. How is it there at the rainbow?"

Kohaku swore she saw a glimpse of the rainbow's end between her parents' graves, and soon, a little bird rested on her hand.

"It must be wonderful there, no, Mama?"

"My princess, it is."

"Thank you, my angel."

i had fun writing this two-shot. and yes, the last two italics are kotori and umi's messages for her, and the cool wind of november delivered it to their daughter. kotori calls kohaku princess, while umi would switch between princess and angel.

the girls that umi talks about to kohaku are the rest of muse's daughters.

kohaku means amber and ayase takara is around kohaku's age, btw ;)

I didn't want the second part to be too angsty, and wanted KotoUmi together again uwu

and yes! i do plan on posting my stories on ao3 one day when i get a laptop! until then, my stories are exclusively on this website uwu

thank you for reading and keep safe, everyone!

- zumi