Author's Notes: Uhm... R&R o.o That's all I have. And I re-iterate, don't hate me! ; I'm really quite nice and a huge fan of the Haruka/Michiru relationship! ;

A few months had passed since Nina's birthday. Haruka had played a game of football with Seiya and did relatively well, though it was still obvious that it was definitely Seiya's game. But right now, sports were the last thing on her mind.

At the moment, Haruka was reading Nina a bedtime story, the small girl curled up in her lap as she slowly nodded off to sleep. She was enjoying a last night with her before she left on an Asian racing circuit that would keep her away for several months. Having kept herself out of the world of racing since learning of Michiru's pregnancy, it was definitely time to get back in.

After finishing the story, she looked down to find Nina completely asleep. She carefully tucked her in, kissed her forehead, and left the room, shutting the light off as she went. Closing the door behind her, she headed downstairs just in time to hear a knock on the door. She went to answer it, and at first, found no one there. Stepping out the door to investigate, she cast her gaze about to find out who it was that had knocked on the door and then seemingly fled.

"Surprise!"

Usagi, Mamoru, Ami, Rei, Makoto, Minako, Hotaru, Taiki, Seiya, and Yaten were all out in her front yard. Chuckling, Haruka made her way down the front steps to join her friends. "What's this about?"

Laughing, Makoto dropped a party hat atop Haruka's head. "Well, since you're going to be gone on your birthday, we figured we'd give you your party early, and combine it with a goodbye party."

"But a quiet one, so we don't wake Nina," Ami said pointedly. She had obviously just gotten out of her evening classes at the pediatric college, because she was still wearing the nursing scrubs her school required.

Haruka nodded, and looked to all of her friends. They all had so obviously gone on with their lives. She was glad that she was finally putting hers back together.

The party lasted only a couple of hours. Usagi needed to rest, Ami had classes in the morning, Rei had to rise early to be able to care for the Hikawa Jinja before going to her recording, Makoto and Minako both had planes to catch in the morning, and Hotaru was staying with Usagi and Mamoru to help out during her break while Mamoru was at work. Yaten and Taiki were the last to leave, but only after getting Seiya's promise that he'd be back at their apartment before long.

He helped her carry in the gifts she had gotten. Usagi, Mamoru, and Hotaru had gotten her a gift certificate to a detail shop; Ami, Rei, and Makoto had pulled together and gotten her a new sound system for her car; Makoto had also given her a cook book she had recently published; Minako had given her a book of piano sheet music; but one gift was left outside - the brand new motorcycle the three brothers had given her. She had said that she'd make sure to use the gift certificate for it, receiving laughs from everyone.

After everything was put away and Haruka had checked on Nina, they both settled down with a can of soda to talk.

"So, besides the big races coming up, how's your life been in the past, oh... week?"

Grinning slightly, Haruka shook her head at Seiya. "Better, actually... I guess finally letting all of what I had bottled up made me realize that Nina really is my whole world. Michiru was right about that... without her, I wouldn't have reason to live."

Nodding his head in understanding, Seiya fell into one of his silences that were becoming habitual when he was around Haruka. He seemed to instinctively know when she just needed to talk to someone that wouldn't treat her like some poor bird with a broken wing.

"And... I'm finally letting go of Michiru... I know I'll never love another like I loved her, if I even love again. Holding onto her memory like I was only kept me from living my life... I can't do that if I want to give Nina the kind of life she deserves."

Seiya nodded his head again. Haruka was stronger than most others would have been had they been in her position. A lot of children would be the object of resentment from the one standing in her place. But she only saw the innocence of a child who was very much her mother's child.

"I know you can't perceive of it now, Haruka... but don't give up on love. There will come a time when you'll have to give it a second chance."

Haruka made no comment and simply took a drink of her soda. Seiya wisely let the subject drop and brought up another.

"Hey, guess who's going on tour with your racing circuit?"

"Hm... That's a hard guess... is it... the tooth fairy?"

Chuckling, Seiya shook his head. "No... But can you imagine Yaten in a tooth fairy costume?"

Haruka nearly spit out the soda she had just drank because she was laughing so hard. "May the powers that be keep such a think from ever happening!"

Grinning, Seiya kept the joke going. "I don't know... get him a pair of wings and a wand... he's certainly short enough to play the part!"

Haruka smirked before responding. "You're one to talk, little man." As she rose to throw away her empty soda can, she found herself being tackled to the ground.

Seiya took full advantage of the element of surprise, pinning down the taller of the two to the ground. "Little? Who are you calling little?"

Shock wore off, Haruka grinned and slipped easily from the hold and reversed it. "I'm calling you little, shorty."

Seiya struggled briefly before using leverage to get Haruka from on top of him. Using the same technique, he pinned her back to the ground. "Okay, I'm short. Doesn't mean I can't beat you!"

Haruka worked a few minutes at trying to get up, but to no avail. She finally went still after about five minutes of struggling. "Alright. You win. Let me up."

"Uh... no."

"What? Why?!"

"I still haven't figured out a punishment for you calling me little."

Giving an exasperated sigh, Haruka obligingly kept still. In her stillness, she became aware of how close Seiya's face was to her's out of the pure purpose of keeping her arms pinned above her head, and more importantly, away from doing him bodily harm.

Seiya seemed to become aware of this fact the same time she did, and did his best to ignore it while he tried to come up with a fitting punishment.

Haruka closed her eyes so she wouldn't have to look at his face, inches from her's. She had them closed for several moments before she felt a pair of lips pressing against her's. Her eyes jolted open immediately to look up at him in utter surprise. As he drew away, he seemed just as surprised as Haruka. With a smirk, she took advantage of him being off guard and shoved him away. She got to her feet first and turned to offer a hand to help him up. "Was that supposed to be my punishment?"

Seiya smirked and took her hand, getting up. "You know, most girls would have killed to be in your shoes just then."

"Well, I'm not most girls, and I get enough threats on my life out on the track. I don't need you adding to it." Still smirking, Haruka shoved Seiya playfully toward the door. "You'd better go before Taiki and Yaten decide to kill you."

Nodding, he took the hint and headed out the door with a small wave. "See ya, racer chick."

Shaking her head, she shut the door behind him. She took a couple of minutes to clean up after their goofing off before heading upstairs. She wanted to make sure she had packed everything for Nina so she would be ready to drop her off at the Hikawa Jinja in the morning before she left on the racing circuit that afternoon.