Author's Note: I want to thank everyone for their support of this story and their support for everything Kiss and I have done. Jointly and separately, we just want to thank you all. Now moving on to the story and out of mushy AN land...
Disclaimer: nope, all we own is the plot... No seriously we swear!
Betrayal.
It has touched all of us at some point. Some we can brush off and move on from and others wound us to the core. Some are matters of the heart and others of the mind. Some are all in our minds and some are hard based fact.
Usagi had no clue which one this would fall under when it came down to it. All she could see was the woman she loved hugging another woman. Not just any other woman – her ex. Apparently Michiru had not gotten the memo that Haruka was taken. Her blue eyes narrowed as she bent to pick up the keys she had dropped at the sight in front of her.
Haruka looked at Michiru and then at Usagi and continued to curse Kou in her head blaming her for everything, "Hey sweetie, I was waiting for you."
Usagi looked at them with a raised eyebrow, "I can see you were waiting for someone, I must have come in a little early for my cue in this little show. Hello again Michiru, it has been awhile."
Michiru could see the anger in her princess' eyes; feel the rage building up in her smaller frame. And for a moment Michiru had felt victory. Now let Usagi know how it felt to know your lover might have feelings for another. Michiru smiled sadly though. From the look on Haruka's face the type of reunion she had been hoping for was long gone. Her heart was in the small fists that were shaking, clenched at the sides of a very angry princess.
"So let me get this straight Haruka. I can't reminisce with an old friend but you can get all snuggly with your ex? I think we need to redefine a few things here." Usagi said quietly, but the rage was clear in her voice.
Ami felt rage spill through her veins with an intensity that scared her to death. She even jerked in Taiki's arms as they sat on her fire escape. Her eyes went wide as it tore through her like flames. She could hardly breath.
Minako and Makoto gasped in line at the mall. They were on fire. And suddenly full of a hurt righteous sort of anger that was tearing them apart. The y looked at each other and went outside to use the phone.
"We really need to get a better system of letting each other in on how we feel. This is getting ridiculous.
Rei watched Seiya and Yaten fight. A smile teasing her lips. If she and Usagi looked this silly when they were fighting she would break herself of the habit right now. It was getting sillier by the minute. Then she felt rage in mind and in her heart. She moaned in pain and fell to her knees right after having stood up to get something to drink. Who was capable of this much bottled up emotion?
Ami called Rei who called Minako who confirmed that it was neither of the two of them. That is when everyone realized no one had called Usagi. No one knew where she was or if Haruka had found her. Then Makoto looked over to a wall and started to read the posters absent-mindedly while ideas ran through her head. Then her leaf green eyes landed on a poster.
"Oh shit..."
Minako was back on the phone with Rei within seconds of reading the poster, "Michi is back."
"Oh for the love of Pete..."
Usagi's cell phone started to ring and with a quick look she saw it was Rei. She turned from the two people she couldn't bear to look at anymore and answered, "Hey there stranger."
"Usagi, are feeling over cranky right now."
"You could say that I am yes. Why?"
"I dunno, maybe because we all felt your rage in us about five minutes ago. Where the hell are you."
"Cherry Blossom Park. Why? You coming to see the joke on me too?"
"Just don't go anywhere."
Usagi turned back, "Rei and the others are on their way. You two don't have to stay."
Haruka stepped forward, "SO I get a trail by fire and get found lacking? I don't even get to tell the story of what happened?"
Usagi looked up at her, "What would you do if it were Seiya and I in a hug when you walked up?"
"Kicked her ass and then kissed you and let you tell your side of the story." Haruka replied right off the bat. There was no way in hell she was going to let some silly argument cancel out everything right she had done. She might not deserve the love of her princess, but now that she had it there was no way she was giving it up, "But I would have listened."
Michiru stepped forward, "I wasn't coming on to her Usagi. I knew I had lost her before I left. It is why I left. I hugged her out of friendly affection only – nothing else. I promise you that. Please just calm down..."
"NO! I always listen and try to take in all sides. I like to think of myself as fair. But then something like this happens and all I want to do is scream and kick both of you oh so very hard. And I don't because that would be wrong. But why shouldn't I? Your hands were rapidly approaching areas they had no business being in." Usagi said turning her rant onto the Sea Senshi.
Haruka closed her eyes and counted to ten. If this is what Usagi had felt when she and Seiya – that damn Kou – were fighting then she deserved to be left behind. While her eyes were closed she never noticed the twinkling in two pairs of eyes.
Rei pulled up with Yaten and Seiya in the car. Minako not too long after with Makoto and Ami zoomed in with Taiki. They all had a variance of worry and annoyance on their faces.
"Revenge for the other day Usagi? Couldn't you have waited a touch longer than this?" Ami teased, "Hello Michiru, it has been awhile. You remember Taiki, my girlfriend?"
Michiru smiled at the tallest Starlight and winked, "I remember her but not the title. Must be a new development. Good to see you again Taiki" Michiru said with a smile at the younger woman.
Taiki smiled and returned the handshake. Rei had gone over to Usagi and they were talking quietly when Rei turned with blazing eyes at Haruka.
"After all of that you go and do something so damn stupid! Maybe we should let Seiya steal her from you!" she shouted at the wind goddess. Haruka held up her hands in mock surrender.
"If anyone is interested in my side of the story before the lynching I am more than happy to share it with you all..." she said with a roll of her navy eyes. And again no one noticed the look between Michiru and Usagi, or the smiles that tugged at the corners of their lips.
Haruka could not believe this was happening to her. Today of all days. First off, she was only acting like any significant other would when they think someone else is horning in on their beloved. Then she had gotten yelled at in public, followed by her own girlfriend stealing her car, the damn Kou brushing off her offer of civilized behavior and now this. She had come and waited for her love by the car to make sure she got home all right and her ex had appeared out of nowhere and hugged her. Only to be caught by the same girlfriend who was more than likely still mad at her in the first place. If her night could get any worse – she didn't want to know about it.
Minako looked at her oddly then went over closer to Usagi and Michiru. She looked at them very closely and her eyes went wide, "Usagi Serenity Tsukino, You explain this to me right now."
Usagi looked at Minako like she was crazy, "Minako, I think all the popcorn and pop you have had lately has gone to your head. I am over here. That is Michiru."
"But I feel your strength when I stand this close to her. So I think I smell a rat around here." Minako said with a serious look on her face.
Usagi smile and shook her head slowly, "The pen was lost years ago Minako – you know that. If anything it is because Michiru has changed while she was gone. We all have changed."
"Pen?" asked all three Starlights, Haruka and Michiru.
"Never mind it is moot since it no longer exists. Now Haruka I think there was a story you wanted to tell us?" Usagi said, hopping onto the roof of Ami's convertible.
"I was the huge not the huger in that little scenario you walked in on. I had no idea she was in town let alone in this park. All we were and are for that matter are friends who had not seen each other in awhile. But my heart is still yours." Haruka said with a soft smile as she walked closer to Usagi.
"Kind of like Seiya and I are old friends who were just catching up. My heart can still belong to you and I can still love Seiya as a friend and you as a lover?" Usagi said slipping away at the last moment.
Haruka's eyes narrowed as she finally caught a wink between Michiru and Usagi, "You!"
Seiya felt her heart clench at the mention of loving her as a friend and another as a lover. But her eyes narrowed and her resolve firmed up. Seiya Kou never went down without a fight. And this was one fight she no intention whatsoever of losing – let alone something as important as this was.
Minako looked at Seiya with sad blue eyes and knew in her heart that the Starlight was still planning on fighting to the bitter end. And it would be bitter. Because of the thin line between love and hate. Out of all the Scouts she and Usagi tread that line the most gingerly. Usagi's power was based on love and her was the essence of it. But every time they felt rage – they had to step back and calm, or their power would be used rooted in anger instead. And that was a cliff they could never get to close to the edge of. It was too dangerous. But Seiya if her love turned to hate...Minako could barely contain the shudder.
"Hey Kou...come here for a minute." She said softly, leading an only slightly resistant Seiya to the edges of the group.
"What Minako? I didn't start this on Haruka brought it all on herself."
"Yes, but I wonder. You were out driving for a bit; it's why Rei and Yaten had to wait to come. You had a cell phone and you could have called information at any point in time. So I wonder Miss Kou how much of a coincidence this all is really." Minako said. Her eyes narrowing slightly.
"You two are up to something. What the heck is going on around here?" Haruka said wrapping a firm around her girlfriend and pulling her close. Like a shield from the rest of the Senshi.
Usagi wouldn't look anyone in the eye, "I have no idea what you are going on about Haruka. No idea at all."
Michiru flushed slightly, "I don't know either. I just happened to be in the park. You know how I like a nightly walk Haruka. You used to come on them with me -- remember." All the while Praying Haruka didn't look in her eyes
"And suddenly I don't believe either on of you!"
Usagi smiled faintly but it was gone in a moment, "Really Haruka I think you are going soft here in your later years. There is nothing weird about any of this. I live a few blocks away. This park is my sanctuary. This is not so unusual for me to be here at any hour of the day."
Michiru stepped forward, "Honestly Haruka you always had the most suspicious mind! Usagi, I could tell you stories..."
Haruka flushed and put her hands over her girlfriend's ears, "Michi, I am partially home free here. Do be quiet or I will have to go car hunting again tonight."
"Should I tell you I can STILL HEAR YOU, Haruka?" Usagi teased stepping away with a sweet smile.
AN: Well here we go with my faithful chapter. All I can say is hopefully Kiss can get hers done so I have something to work on and avoid my impending family invasion. Anyway, hope you all like it and let us know what you think. We are suckers for reviews...