It was gone. The bond. He couldn't feel her. At first, it was the pain, the desperation, then this eerie feeling of conformity. She was reluctant about her fate. Her. His Mia. His mate.

Seconds ago, he had felt her contentment. She had spoken to Yui; they had laughed, exchanged jokes, and held his son and daughter together while Mia showed his sister how the children resembled them. She spoke of the future. Of what they will be.

A healer?

Maybe a guard to Oberon Castle?

A soldier in the newly rebuilt Neptunian army?

He could feel her chest fluttering with happiness, with excitement for the future.

What future?

What future?

Tasuki felt like someone had sunk their hand inside his chest and pulled out his still beating heart. Pain dragged the air out of his lung, and although Haruka held on to him for dear life, although she tried to tell him words that would ease the sickening sensation vibrating through him, Tasuki knew there was nothing either she or Michiru could do.

The cold cut of the bond had shriveled his insides. He fell to his knees, his hands clutching the fabric of Haruka's blouse.

Breathing was hard. His throat was dry and ached with the relentless screams of agony as he called for her.

Her.

Mia was gone.

Amidst the chaos, Tasuki could only focus on the empty solitude consuming his consciousness. They couldn't stay here. It wasn't safe. The babies needed to be protected at all costs.

Pushing the wind queen off of him. Tasuki stood, towering over her form before he turned to the hills of sands surrounding them. It would take less than a minute for arrows to fill the sky.

Haruka was up, her sword unsheathed, as she faced the same hill as Tasuki.

The ground beneath them shook, and Tasuki's already broken soul froze with fear.

Explosions?

"We need to get them out of here now!" Tasuki said, referring to his children, Michiru and his sister.

His words died as he spotted far away, rising to the sandy hills of Umbriel, a dense haboob. As the dense cloud of sand dashed them, Tasuki saw people moving within it.

"I will take care of that," Haruka said, her jaw and shoulders tensing.

Tasuki didn't wait. He scrambled over to the wagon where his mate was. He snatched the wooden back door, lifting and closing it. His eyes traveled from Michiru's tear-drenched face to the unmoving body right in front of her.

The grip on the door wavered as he sucked in a shuddering breath.

"Tasuki…" Michiru whimpered. She was unsure what to do with her blood-stained hands.

"We have to go now," Tasuki ordered. His voice cracked at the sight of his mate, pale and lifeless. "No one is commanding the horses. I need you to do this." The soft cry of one of his children drowned Michiru's sob and stole his attention from the corpse to the life before him.

"Tasuki, I am so sorry."

"This is not the time. We must get out of here alive…" His cobalt eyes fell upon his mate; if it wasn't for the obscenity of an arrow upon her stomach and chest and the blood drenching her clothing, he could've sworn she was sleeping.

Michiru nodded before swiftly jumping off the wagon. Tasuki noticed how she glanced at Mia, closed her eyes tightly, and tried to regain composure. He took notice of Michiru's pain, but the only thing keeping him going was his children. He will not rest until they are safe.

Michiru jumped on one horse tied to the wagon. She grabbed the long reins and commanded the petrified horses to move. The explosion and screaming overstimulated them.

Tasuki settled behind the wagon and pushed it hard enough to get it going. As he struggled with the weight, he heard his sister's soft voice calling out to him. Tasuki raised his face high enough to glance at her. He was sure she could see how he collapsed from within. She always did. After all, she was his big sister.

"Get in," she said, struggling to hold the two infants in her arms.

"Not yet."

Yui's face contorted in pain and confusion. "Wait, Tas!" Yui called him out using his childhood name, which she always used when she wanted to get the point across. As she struggled to get closer to him, the wagon moved, sending Yui to the floor. She held the babies closer, and Tasuki sighed in relief as Michiru moved further away with the remaining members of his family.

A loud blow hit him on his back as if horses had trampled him. He felt the burning fire sizzling behind him. The air left his lungs as he landed on his chest, as the bomb exploded behind him.

Haruka was used to haboobs. When she was younger, Sasuke would take her to Umbriel to train. He would have her endure the ruthlessness of the burning desert. Haruka encountered many sandstorms. She had to live between the caves, waiting for the storm to subside. But there was something off about the haboob.

Grabbing the reins of the scared horse, the blonde steadied the animal until she could climb onto the saddle. With one last glance at the wagon. Her heart ached as well as Michiru's.

Digging her heels to the horse's flank, Haruka directed her attention to the blanket of sand about to shroud her and the Neptunian and her men. The horse's steps increased as she got closer, and with a bellow, Haruka encapsulated herself as her steed was in a tight air bubble, protecting her from the swatting and cutting sand blowing around her. Her horse did not waver. As her grip on the Space Sword grew taut, she saw the eerie silhouette of an army, and in front of that army, a man galloped on his black horse, leading the group of men.

Piercing hazel eyes pinned Haruka's green ones.

A cold shudder ran down her spine as she noticed the striking scar from the man's temple to his chin.

Sasuke.

Haruka took a deep breath, nudging the horse's side harder, wanting to get it to go faster. The animal huffed angrily as the swatting and prickling burned and plastered against its skin. Haruka gritted her teeth as she prepared her body and got closer to the man responsible for everything wrong.

A gust of wind slammed against her chest, knocking the air out of her lungs. Haruka shook her head and turned her attention back to Sasuke. He lifted his hand and moved it forward. Another gust struck her horse's neck, yet neither of them yielded. If any, Haruka yelled as she got closer and closer.

With a final grunt, she deflected another gust and jumped off her horse, tackling Sasuke off his steed and onto the sandy grounds.

The haboob disappeared, as did Haruka's protective cocoon. She pulled the Space Sword from the scarab and stood menacingly, huffing her chest, squaring her shoulders as Sasuke rose.

"Found you," Sasuke snarled, raising his sword. Haruka deflected his strike easily, pushing him off her.

She moved a fist forward, a steady stream of air hitting Sasuke's stomach, yet he did not move. He kept his feet firmly dug onto the ground before Haruka moved her hand away and thrust the sword at him. He blocked the attack with a side strike. Haruka's body shook with the strength Sasuke's hits carried, and before she could gather her footing, he grabbed her by her blouse and pulled her to him.

Haruka ripped the buttons off her blouse and watched as he stumbled with the dirty cloth in his hand. Standing in her chest wraps and linen pants, Haruka took a defensive stance and taunted him.

"I am not scared of you, Sasuke."

He snarled again and threw the piece of clothing aside before saying, "Good to know these months served as a growing experience for you, Ruka." Sasuke chuckled, flipping the sword in his hand before imitating Haruka's stance. "It is also good to see that you remember everything I've taught you."

Haruka shifted her leg slightly to the side, her stance wider as she focused on Sasuke's moves. Haruka knew what he was doing. He would first talk shit and get her riled up. Maybe throw in personal attacks until she ran to him, ready to attack. He would use her weight against her, push her down to the ground, flip her over his shoulder, and stab her. He would find that his words had no effect. Sasuke would hope that she would be fatigued and then give an ultimate attack.

And just as he was about to open his mouth and rile her up with his words, Haruka dashed towards him and slammed the handle of her sword against his temple. The sound of bone cracking made her stomach turn.

Sasuke stumbled back, and Haruka struck his sword's handle before he could gather himself. The weapon stumbled to the sand at Haruka's feet, who kicked it away from Sasuke's reach. The General fell, blood pouring from his left temple, his eyes lost because of the blunt force of Haruka's strike.

Suddenly, the crumbling explosions cut away the sound of the galloping horses heading toward the Neptunians. Haruka raised her gaze. Icy dread ran through her. Tasuki and the rest were still there. Planting her feet firmly on the sand, Haruka sheathed her sword. With a strained huff, she focused on the group of men following Sasuke's lead, her hands moving in a slow, wide circle. The rough wind deafened her as the surrounding sand swatted her skin. Yet Haruka never closed her eyes as a tornado formed between the Neptunians and the raging cavalry of Uranian traitors.

Within seconds, the gusts of wind picked up the throng of Sasuke's soldiers. Their bodies pulled into the circling whirlwind, becoming bigger and taller than Oberon Castle. The handling of the wind in the form of a tornado quickly depleted Haruka's power. When she rode the horse and wagon away, she never stopped.

With a sigh, Haruka collapsed to her knees and braced herself on her hands. Sand muffled the dying screams of the traitorous soldiers as one fell to the sand and to their death. The sound of bombing made her look away from the Neptunians. They were still fleeing, still running. Haruka turned to where she had left Sasuke. Instead of finding his unconscious form, a small puddle of blood drenched the sand. Haruka's eyes widened as she lifted her gaze, scanning her surroundings. The man was gone. He couldn't have gotten far with the injury she inflicted.

Shit!

With a tired sigh, Haruka stumbled before standing up. The display of her powers had drained her energy enough to make it difficult to stand. She grabbed the nearest horse, struggled to sit on it, and sped away in Michiru's direction.

A dark spot covered the sand where the bombs went off.. Clothing, wood, and water barrels lay destroyed around her, and just as she was about to continue her path, a burly man walked toward her. The remnants of Haruka's tornado flew over his long, blue hair. His shirt was scorched and charred as the skin on his back. His staggering steps proved he wasn't well.

Haruka stopped the horse, jumped off the saddle, and landed near the man.

"Oboshi!" Haruka called on Tasuki, falling on her knees and catching him just as he was about to hit the ground.

"I am fine," Tasuki said between gulps of air. "I am fine."

Haruka moved his hair away from his face and noticed his gaze was lost and confused. She pressed her palm to his cheek, and for a moment, the man leaned into the queen's warm touch. Haruka's chest tightened as she placed his heavy arm over her shoulders and turned to her horse. "Come, let's go, Captain."

Haruka got Tasuki to sit behind the horse's saddle. Then, she climbed on the animal sitting in front of Tasuki, who leaned his sweaty forehead on her shoulder. Haruka knew Michiru needed to look at him as soon as she could.

If she was fast enough, she might get Michiru to give him some Neptunian water. It would hopefully minimize the scarring on his back and bring him back from the brink of death. Haruka nudged the horse's flank with her heels and sped back to the rocky formations.

Michiru pressed her trembling hands over a fresh wound on a Uranian soldier's chest. Osion, he said his name was. He also said he had accompanied Haruka to Prospero. Osion had a slash wound on his shoulder. He was lucky the wound wasn't deep or wouldn't be here.

Michiru bit the sewing string she was using on his wound and made one last knot before covering his wound with a clean bandage.

"Reed," the man said. "He—."

Michiru's upper lips twitched before her eyes shot back to Osion's. "I am sorry.

She didn't know what to say. Dark thoughts clouded her mind.

Mia's body was laid down on a makeshift bed, covered with a thin sheet. Michiru had removed the arrows as soon as they settled back in the caves. The babies were safe. Maris volunteered to take care of them. Being that she was still lactating her baby, she was more than happy to feed them.

Michiru patted Osion's face and walked out of the cave, only to see another Neptunian waving his hand at her, begging for help. Yui walked up to her as she was about to examine the young man. She was still limping, holding the side where her broken ribs were.

The older woman patted Michiru's hand and shook her head before saying, "I got this. You need a break."

"I can't—"

"You must," Yui snapped, her grip on Michiru's hands growing taut.

Michiru's jaw clenched tightly. She needed to keep her mind busy or go back to Mia. She couldn't afford to be emotional, not now.

"I can help," Yui whispered, giving her a rueful smile.

Michiru nodded, pulled her hand away, and wiped the blood with the back of her tunic. She stood and walked back to the cave, where she tried to filter the screams, the cries of the pain of losing someone and the physical one. Michiru walked amongst her people, failure pressing hard on her shoulders and chest. Failure. She had failed every single one of them yet again.

She swallowed the knot in her throat and took a deep breath, pushing the feeling aside before her eyes landed on a young person leaning against the ragged cave wall.

Alton sat with his legs bent, his forearms resting on each knee. Blood stained his hands crimson, and his entire body quivered with every ragged breath he took. Michiru scrambled to him, kneeling before the young boy and cupping his face, which had blood splattered. His blue eyes, similar to hers, were dark and dazed. He wasn't here, not mentally at least.

"Alton?" Michiru called out for him, trying to connect their gazes. "Alton, it's me, Michiru."

The young boy turned to Michiru the third time she said his name. Michiru tried her hardest to suppress the shocked gasp that threatened to escape her throat, but it was inevitable. Alton, the young happy Alton she knew, wasn't there. Instead, a husk of him peered back at her. Darkness had shadowed the spark in his eyes.

"What happened?" She asked, holding his face steady with both hands. He tried to pull back, but she wouldn't allow it. "Alton!"

"I — I pr- protected them."

Michiru frowned, trying to hide the fear creeping up at the back of her neck. "Who?"

"Coljar and the kids," Alton whispered, finally breaking away from Michiru's hold and shaking his head as if trying to clear the cloud from his mind. "Uranians, they were going to hurt them and I k—" A sob quacked through him, his gaze falling to the ground.

Michiru wanted him to look at her. She placed a gentle hand on his back and rubbed the guilt away. "You protected them," Michiru rectified. "You did well."

"I've never…" Alton inhaled a sob and choked on his breath. He racked, his hands forming tight fists.

"This is your first time? Taking the life of another?" Michiru asked. Maybe talking about it might help the boy come to terms. Alton nodded, facing away from her as if he was ashamed of his actions. Yet Michiru gathered him in her arms, pressed her lips to the top of his head, and allowed him to cry.

It wasn't his fault. Alton was no older than sixteen. He was doing what he thought was correct.

Fuck…

Michiru pulled back and cupped his face again. His actions painted his features with regret, and Michiru couldn't help but see Haruka reflected on Alton's expression.

"Your highness!" Osion touched the bandages on his chest, walking towards Michiru. Whatever he wanted to say to her seemed urgent.

Michiru turned to Osion again and frowned at his interruption. But the man seemed adamant about talking to her, so she allowed him.

"Reed, Bermon. I—" the Uranian man stuttered before clutching his long blond hair. "Those… bastards…"

Michiru frowned deeply. "What are you trying to say?"

As Osion's heavy breathing waned, he opened his mouth to talk, interrupted by a wave of gasps.

Michiru's attention went from Osion to the entrance of the cave. Yui and Haruka dragged Tasuki inside.

The smell of blood hit his nose the second he was inside the cave. He wasn't the only one injured. Chaos unfolded before him when he opened his eyes. People were holding their injuries. He saw women crying while being comforted by their loved ones. He then noticed the wrapped-up body lying at the far end of the cave, and his heart shattered again.

Tasuki held on to Haruka's shoulder and muttered Mia's name. Yui tried her best to hold on to him, but as Haruka tried to settle him on the floor, his heavy body fell against the ground.

Yui let out a curse before wrapping one arm around his waist and pulling him into a sitting position. As he straightened up, Michiru walked to him, kneeling down to check over his injuries.

His eyes never left his mate's body, which lay forgotten at the end of the cave. It wasn't until Michiru touched his shoulder that he snapped back to reality. He was back in ruins, hurt, and needed help.

As Michiru stood to go around his back, he grabbed Michiru's wrist tightly, earning a pained groan from the sea queen and a snarling warning from Haruka.

"Tasuki! You are hurt—"

"Where are my children?" Tasuki asked, his dazed eyes fixating on Michiru. "Are they—"

"They are with Maris," Yui answered, grabbing his arms and unhooking his grip from Michiru's arm, who hissed and rubbed her skin. "They are safe, they were fed, they are warm."

Tasuki released the anxious sigh he was holding. His body leaned forward, and he braced himself with his hands, displaying the injuries on his back to anyone around him.

"Let me help you." Michiru whispered, touching his shoulders, but Tasuki shook his head.

"I am fine," he lied.

He blatantly lied.

"You are not fine. Look at your back—" Desperation washed over Yui, and Tasuki didn't blame her. He would be overprotective of her. But Tasuki knew better. He didn't have enough time and needed to say his proper goodbye to his mate.

"A bomb exploded behind me, but the blast was weak. I can assure you." He groaned and stood straight, towering over Michiru and Yui, while Haruka stood behind him. "See? I am fine." He hit his chest twice, then peered back at Haruka. "I am fine."

At first, Haruka looked at him with concern, but then her gaze softened, and her jaw tensed. She slipped her hand over his shoulder and squeezed him before she turned to Michiru. "Leave him be."

"Haruka…" Michiru shook her head before Haruka silenced her by raising her other hand.

"I need to say goodbye to my mate," Tasuki muttered before he swallowed the knot in his throat. His pain was clear, and he hoped Michiru allowed him to sit by Mia.

Michiru took a deep breath, peered at Yui, and then back at Tasuki. "Fine. But I want you to be with your sister at all times. Also, if a bomb goes off behind you, you need to stay awake." Michiru's voice was demanding. She pointed the finger at him as if scolding a child.

Tasuki gave her a rueful smile and nodded. "Yes, my queen…"

Michiru's lower jaw trembled, and before he could walk away, she wrapped her arms around him, pressing a tender kiss to his hairy face. The embrace was warm, sisterly even, and Tasuki returned the affection with an overbearing hug.

Tasuki then looked at Yui, who was still recovering from her injuries. The older woman allowed him to walk toward his mate's corpse. Tasuki could feel the burning spreading across his chest and stomach as his steps got heavy. The only thing making the pain bearable was his mate. His sister helped him settle down next to the corpse. The pitied gaze of his sister slithered through him. Tasuki didn't want pity; he wanted to be left alone. He looked up at her, and without saying a word, Yui touched his dirty cheek, kissed the top of his head, and walked away, enough to give him some much-needed space.

Finally, Tasuki turned to his mate's body, which was covered by a thin white blanket. He could make out her soft and beautiful features through the cloth, and his chest tightened with the emptiness that weighed him down. His blood-stained hand moved to pull down the sheet, revealing his mate's clean face. Perhaps Michiru had cleaned her up.

Mia looked as if she was sleeping. As if any second, she would open her gorgeous green eyes, look at him, and smile. She would probably fight with him; tell him to clean up or to join her in bed.

Tasuki swallowed hard. A sob broke from deep within him, and he groaned as the pain moved throughout his body. Tasuki parted his lips, but the emotions swelled his throat, and he could barely talk. He bit his lower lip and leaned over her, his lips brushing over the cold skin of her forehead.

"I am so sorry," he muttered, pulling back and brushing the back of his hand against her cheek. "I am so sorry I couldn't protect you." He sighed, looked past her, and turned to see his sister talking to a Uranian soldier.

"But the kids will be fine. They will be well taken care of." He shuddered in a breath, unable to control himself. His heart ached because of the emptiness coiling inside.

"I am sorry we didn't have enough time to see them grow, I am sorry I… " He pressed his forehead to the makeshift bed and sighed. "I am sorry I couldn't take you to Neptune. You would've loved it there. The beaches, the islands… You would've loved all of it."

Tasuki straightened, his hand still on her cheek, his eyes still roaming the beauty of who used to be his mate. "I will find you, Mia," he whispered, only for him to hear. "I will find you, and I will make you fall for me. We will have children, we will raise them, and we will grow old." He nodded at his words. "We will have time." He leaned forward again, his body screaming in pain as if his life was being depleted from the inside out. He kissed her again, this time on the corner of her mouth. "See you soon."

And as he exhaled, he closed his eyes, never to open them again.

Haruka sat down next to Michiru. Her body was weak from what she pulled with the tornado. Her mate also looked tired as she noticed the dark circles under her eyes. Yet Haruka didn't find her any less beautiful. She didn't want to disturb her. They needed to take action. Her first thought was to go to Prospero and get Rei to join them.

Haruka closed her eyes and leaned against the wooden box behind her, her arms propped over her knees. Michiru let out a tired sigh as well and leaned against her shoulder. Haruka welcomed the closeness with a soft kiss on Michiru's head.

She didn't want to think what she would've done if it was Michiru, the one wrapped up in the thin white sheet. The thought alone sent a shiver down her spine, which Michiru surely felt through their bond. Her lover sneaked her hand and squeezed Haruka's thigh before looking up at her. They both needed to rest, yet Haruka couldn't bring herself to sleep.

"Tasuki!"

Both Haruka and Michiru turned towards the person who had just bellowed. They found Yui shaking her brother, who lay unconscious on the ground. Haruka was the first to stand, pulling Michiru with her. The Neptunian rushed to Tasuki's side, falling to her knees and pressing her fingers over his pulse.

Michiru's face darkened as she shifted her gaze to Yui. "What happened?"

Yui shrugged as she shook Tasuki again. "He was fine! He was saying goodbye to Mia!" Yui sobbed. "Tasuki! Wake up!"

Haruka frowned, her mind drifting to the memory of Tasuki's charred and burnt back. She moves Michiru's hands away and rips the captain's shirt, exposing his torso. His skin had changed color. His sun-kissed abdomen had a dark botched spot, moving from his back to his flank and reaching his lower stomach.

Haruka shuddered in a breath in disbelief, her hands trembling in realization.

The bomb…

It had exploded behind him.

He had internal injuries…

"Do something!" Yui begged, her hands cradling Tasuki's face.

Michiru's gaze jumped from the dark skin on Tasuki's torso to Haruka. "Get me some Neptunian water. We can fix this."

Haruka blinked, startled. She nodded and pushed herself off the floor. Haruka stumbled as she ran outside the cave, her eyes drifting through what was left of the attack. Damaged wagons laid out on the desert ground. Inside them, cracked water barrels. Haruka inspected one by one, her hope of finding a sip of Neptunian water diminishing as the barrels broke under her instigation.

Haruka shook her head as she checked the last wagon. There was no water. How could she return to the cave and tell Yui they couldn't help Tasuki?

Haruka clenched her fist at her side, swallowed her desperation, and walked back to the cave. Inside, Michiru used her entire body weight to give Tasuki compressions while Yui cried quietly, resignation on her face.

As Haruka got closer, Michiru lifted her head to look at Haruka. "Did you get it?" she asked, never stopping her attempt to bring Tasuki back.

The wind queen shook her head, lips parted as she said, "There is no water left."

Haruka watched as Michiru slowly stopped her compressions while Yui demanded why she was stopping. Michiru's eyes quivered as tears gathered. "What? No. That can't be right."

"There is none left," Haruka muttered, tightening her jaw.

Yui's shoulders drop. She leaned over Tasuki's corpse and enveloped the body in a tight hug. Her face pressed against the crook of his neck as she released a pained howl. Michiru fell on her bottom. Her hands trembled as she looked past Tasuki and Yui, her gaze falling on Mia's corpse.

"They couldn't stay away…" Michiru whispered, Yui's cries drowning her voice. She turned her head to Haruka. "They couldn't—"

Haruka gathered Michiru in her arms. Her larger frame covered Michiru's body like a blanket. She allowed Michiru to press her face against her chest. Soon enough, she felt the warm tears soaking her blouse.

"They have been blessed with death together," Haruka rasped, her hand circling soft patterns over Michiru's skin. "They will find each other soon enough."

As night fell, the moons adorned the sky with their brightness. Yet, there was another source of light.

After counting their losses, Michiru and Haruka tried their best to say their last goodbyes to their fallen. A fire burned the bodies of those who lost their lives in the attack. The flame licked the chilly night, keeping those who slept around the formations warm.

Michiru sat by the cave opening, watching the fire. In her arms, Ciel fuzzed, her tiny hands reaching to grab something, anything. Maris was taking care of the twins and her own child and was sleeping beside the babies, exhausted after today's ordeal.

Michiru didn't waste a moment taking one twin while Yui sat with the other one, staring at Struan intently while Michiru walked outside and sat down. Michiru wasn't sure how long it had been since she sat there. She couldn't tear her eyes away from the flame. Tasuki and Mia were there together. Combining their ashes would help them find each other faster in the afterlife. Maybe. Hopefully.

Michiru heard soft footsteps coming her way. She raised her gaze as Haruka emerged from the cave. In her arms, Struan slept peacefully. The blonde does not utter a word as she sits by Michiru's side. A trail of tears down Haruka's cheeks reflected the fire. It was weird to see the blonde crying. Then again, Haruka and Tasuki must've become close after all those months together…

Suddenly, Struan fussed. His soft cries reached Michiru's ears. She sighed tiredly as Struan's cries woke up Ciel. The baby girl cried as well.

"Do you think they know their parents are gone?" Haruka asked while swaying Struan in her arms, hoping it would calm him.

"Perhaps," Michiru whispered, pressing her forehead to Ciel. The baby girl hiccuped, whined one last time, and then settled back in Michiru's arms. Haruka glimpsed what Michiru had done. She imitated Michiru by pressing her forehead to Struan's, and just with Ciel, the baby boy snuggled in Haruka's arms and fell asleep.

Haruka leaned her head back and closed her eyes. Michiru watched her through her own exhaustion. The silence brought some comfort. And so did the sounds of the nightly creatures, and the crackling and popping of the fire.

"It wasn't your fault." Haruka's deep voice broke the silence. "Only Sasuke's."

Michiru's body tensed, her eyes drifting to Ciel's face. The baby girl's cunning resemblance to her mother made Michiru's heart ache even more. "I couldn't help her," she muttered, her lower lip quivering. "And I didn't notice his injuries."

"It wasn't your fault." Haruka's tone made her statement final, and there was no space for Michiru to disagree. And yet, she disagreed wholeheartedly.

Everything happened so fast. The arrows, the attack, the explosion. The chaos of taking care of those hurt, Tasuki's fainting… his death…

Michiru shuddered in a breath and closed her eyes tightly. The flashes of pandemonium hit her with full force. The blood, the screams, the cries. She remembered Alton and what he had told her before Tasuki walked in. She could already see Coljar and the rest running for safety, Alton hesitant in killing. The boy was no older than sixteen and had taken it upon himself to play a soldier. Michiru imagined his soul cracking as his sword plunged into a Uranian soldier's stomach.

A child, forced to do things he didn't want to do…

Michiru's eyes fluttered open, and she turned to her lover again.

A child forced to do things…

A child.

Haruka's tired eyes drifted from the infant in her arms to Michiru's deep orbs. Confusion raked through her as she tilted her head. "What is it, love?"

Michiru swallowed hard. A fresh stream of tears overwhelmed her. "I forgive you."

Haruka's frown disappeared as the realization settled in her features. "Michiru—"

"I forgive you for what you did to my father. It wasn't your fault."

"Why?"

Michiru scoffed and shook her head. "I thought you would be happy that I forgave you. Instead, you ask me why?"

"Of course…"

Michiru rolled her tongue over her lips, tasting the saltiness of her tears. "Alton killed today, for the first time. It... changed him. He wasn't himself and I couldn't help but see you in him. You were young, you were following orders, you didn't know what you were doing." She shrugged. "You did what you thought was right." She glanced at Haruka, who nodded at her words. A heaviness on her chest lifted, as well as Haruka's. She could feel how the blonde breathed easily. "Also, if we ever get separated—"

"We won't."

"If we do—"

"Michiru," Haruka interrupted, her large hand gripping Michiru's thigh as a warning. Her green eyes pierced through Michiru's tear-clouded ones before she said, "We will stay together."

Michiru swallowed the lump in her throat. Forgiving Haruka was important to her. Especially now, she could feel how close death was to them. If she lost Haruka without forgiving her, or if she died without granting Haruka her forgiveness, it would damage both of them to their very core.

Michiru's eyes trailed over Ciel. The baby slept soundly in her arms, warm and protected. Haruka moved closer to her, wrapping one arm over her shoulder and pulling her in to share warmth together while Struan cooed. And for a moment, the pain in Michiru's heart diminished. It disappeared into the night as the ashes floated over the fire.