Author's Note: This is an odd chapter; it follows all but Haruka around. There is a reason so please bear with me. Also, I used the term "Jap" more than once in this story. Please know I don't speak like that and wouldn't, it just helps me get Jill's personality across.

Chapter 6: Weekend

Saturday morning came with overcast rain clouds and light drizzles. Michiru emerged from her room, not sure if she was surprised to find the couch empty or not. The tall blonde was gone, leaving Wind-Chaser asleep on top of the now folded blanket.

After breakfast Michiru stood next to a large window observing the rain outside. It wasn't heavy, thought the artist in her, only gloomy. Gloomy, dark and somewhat fitting the events of the previous night. Michiru didn't want to think about what had happened, what the taller woman had seen. She continued to stare out into the light storm, Triton at her side, until the phone rang. She walked over to it, surprised a second time in forty-eight hours, and picked up the cordless phone.

"Hello." Michiru spoke, wondering again who would call here.

"Miss Kaioh." Howard's voice was warm though holding some concern. "I was wondering if you had seen Haruka. Jill called me, it seems that Haruka never came home last night and she was worried. For the oddest reason she insisted I call you."

"Ten'ou-san?" Michiru glanced at the gold wedding band, which still lay on her coffee table. She paused only long enough to pull her eyes away from it again. "She has not been here today, Howard-san."

"Of course." Howard chuckled over the receiver as if part of a friendly joke. "Jill can be such a worrier sometimes. I'm sure there's a normal reason, I mean Haruka has never up and disappeared like this before. You know Jill was silly enough to think Haruka might be having an affair?"

"How silly." Michiru commented in a light tone. Again she glanced at the ring, holding back any statements she wished to make. Her next words, though quite serious sounded like a joke. "Ten'ou-san will be back soon, I'm sure she hasn't left."

"Of course, enjoy your day Miss Kaioh." Howard hung up. Michiru sat down on the couch, one hand stroking Wind's back while the other scratched Triton behind an ear.

Hours later the rain had stopped but the overcast remained. Michiru, wrapped in many layers of warm clothing to keep dry, held Triton's leash as they approached the convince store. She had searched around the suite, wondering if Haruka thought to leave food for Wind, and instead finding a note about what Wind will "willingly eat" written in the blonde's hand writing. Finally she'd decided to venture out in search of cat food, thinking it cruel to leave her unfed. Now as she walked along the wet cement path, Triton alert to any passerby, she had to admit it was nice to be out in the wet weather. Before this she began to wonder where this state got its water.

Entering the store she wandered the isles until she came across pet supplies. Once there she showed Triton a bag of cat food and a can of cat food, he seemed to like the can so she put several into the cart. After that she grabbed a bag of dog treats and would have left, if the familiar voice hadn't caught her attention.

"I can't believe this, where would she have gone?" Jill's voice complained to the figure next to her. She didn't take any notice of the third figure as she looked at the cat food.

"Now calm down, it isn't like you really love her anymore, right?" The man returned. He put one arm around her. "If she were to leave we could spend more time together."

"First, Jose, I don't think that I just don't love her at all. It's just more like a sister would now." Jill's voice paused. "Also, have you ever wondered about the house or cars? Haruka was left a very large amount of money by her late parents. If she wanted to she could have retired before she ever worked."

"So what, money is money." Jose spoke with a shrug.

"And I suppose you own more than that car of yours lover-boy." Now Jill had hit sarcastic mode. She glared at the man in front of her. "I thought I was in love when I married her, I was wrong. However I at least know I can count on never having to work. I don't mind being a housewife in that manner. But if she is cheating on me with that violin playing Jap." Jill left the thought unfinished.

"That's a very noble way to look at things, Jill-san." The voice caused the other two to jump as Michiru pulled the hood of her jacket down. "Do all Americans use these double standards in their lives?"

"I don't know what you mean, Miss Kaioh." Jill said, trying to recover her composure from the shock. She carefully placed Jose between herself and the now growling Triton. "I'm merely concerned about my wife's whereabouts and the amount of time she spends with you."

"I see." Michiru paused, seeming to think this over as she let Triton growl to his hearts content. She tried not to focus on how annoying this woman could be. "Well, I will tell you what I have learned of Ten'ou-san over the past two weeks. I have learned she is a loyal and devoted friend, whom blames herself for anything her wife, can throw at her. She works though she doesn't need to, and she is very caring toward those she is friends with."

"And why do I need a lesson about my own wife?" Jill asked, voice somewhat off as she tried to glare at the violinist.

"Because, Jill-san, if you think Haruka would betray you over a pretty face, then you truly don't know her." Michiru stressed the name while she dropped all titles. She tugged gently at Triton's leash and they left the isle to pay for the purchases.

As they were walking down the road Michiru's cell phone rang. She looked down and was somewhat surprised to see the ID read, Ten'ou Haruka. She opened the phone and was cut off before she could speak.

"Thank you, Michiru. Gomen, I didn't realize it was you in that isle until you spoke." Haruka's deep voice came into her ear. After a pause the blonde asked an obvious question. "Do you need a ride back?"

"No, thank you Haruka." She looked up to notice the slow moving GTO across the road from her. It was dark and hard to see but she knew who the driver was. "Why were you there, were you following Jill?"

"No." A somewhat bitter laugh followed. Haruka took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I need to get away for some time, and you seem to enjoy Wind's company. I was going to bring some cat food and leave it with the front desk. Seems we were all on the same mission today."

"Take all the time you need, Ten'ou-san." Michiru spoke quietly as she looked again to the GTO. She gave a small smile as her mind remembered the first joke between the two. "If you leave for too long however, I may have to sell your soul again."

"Keep my soul, Michiru." Haruka paused, her car coming to a stop as she watched the other walk toward the corner. "I owe you at least that much."

Before Michiru could ask, Haruka had ended the call and the GTO shot past her down the dark road. She could not decide if she should be smiling or worried at the moment. Instead she kept to her steady walk back, Triton seeming to enjoy the water along the sidewalk.

Jill Tanner came home to the same house, which always waited for her. Having sent Jose away after the store she slowly turned on the lights as she explored the house. Something felt odd but she couldn't place it. Some things just didn't feel right. Jill was feeling as if she had suddenly lost control of everything around her. In these past seven years she'd never felt so helpless.

No that wasn't really true, just last time she had enjoyed that out of control feeling. She had felt very out of control when she and Haruka first met, and if she was honest she'd tried to find that feeling again. Jill knew her mistakes, knew she'd been wrong to marry the other woman. She hadn't been in love, not the type of love that lasts through out one's life. At the time she hadn't cared though.

Honestly Jill wasn't in love with anyone now. She had questioned herself many times over these seven years, coming to the conclusion that she had never found that right one all the hopeless romantics spoke of. She was not a hopeless romantic however and like hell was she giving up the easy life she'd had with the blonde. Meeting Jose at a race four years ago had given her a past time of sorts. One, which Haruka was never meant to find out about. Jill didn't think the blonde would in fact, as trusting as she was.

That was when it had begun to occur to Jill, if she could get away with this so easily why couldn't Haruka? If she could fall out of love with the blonde why couldn't the blonde do the same? Why hadn't the blonde found someone to replace her, what if she did? If she could find someone else to entertain her why didn't Haruka? The answer always being that Jill was bi so anyone would do; Haruka was a lesbian meaning they had to be female. Since Haruka rarely worked with females, and seemed to have no female friends, Jill didn't have to worry much. Jill had her affaire without the worry of Haruka leaving her for another.

Than came Kaioh Michiru. Jill didn't honestly fear that Haruka would have an affair with the violinist. No she feared something worse, she feared Haruka would fall in love with the beauty. That Haruka would replace their failed relationship and Jill would have to find her own way to get by. After all, for all the honor in the world who could look past a chance at real love? Hopeless romantic or not, even Jill had to admit she was a pain and Michiru seemed to be much more accommodating. Jill had thought last night that perhaps Haruka had finally given in, maybe that was why she hadn't come home.

Jill wouldn't have cared if Haruka was prone to one-night stands, but after over seven years she did in fact know how the blonde worked. She did not take relationships lightly; she didn't do things half way. The tall racer was all or nothing when it came to her heart and that was the real problem. Jill had to wonder where she now stood, was she the all or the nothing? After the encounter with Miss Kaioh in the store she had to admit the violinist seemed far more loyal. Kaioh has stepped into the verbal altercation when it would have been easier for her to walk away. So much easier to walk away.

Jill entered the kitchen and retrieved a bottle of whiskey and a glass. Tonight she was alone. Tonight she would grieve over the Jill Tanner she'd once been. She wasn't sure any more if that girl ever truly existed, or if Haruka had fallen in love with a façade.

Sunday morning found Michiru sitting on the couch, blue eyes skimming across hand written music notes as her small breakfast became cold. She had woken early, unable to sleep well, and decided to go over a recent composition. Her eyes continued to read the notes as her mind drifted to another topic. Her thoughts turned to a certain blonde woman with an intense teal gaze.

Michiru, if she were to be honest, had to admit she was curious about what Haruka was doing. Somehow she couldn't believe the racer was simply taking time for it to sink in, it didn't seem right for her. Michiru wasn't sure what it was that she was doing, but she hoped it went well. 'Haruka has had enough bad luck for a life time.' She thought to herself, just as the phone rang.

"Miss Kaioh." Howard's voice again greeted her, this time sounding apologetic. He didn't seem to want to say what was next. "I am sorry to say that Haruka is still missing."

"I'm sure Ten'ou-san will be fine." Michiru interrupted, hoping to reassure the worried sounding man. Howard seemed nice and had seemed to genuinely care about the blonde racer.

"I hope so, I've never known her to act like this." Howard cleared his throat, seeming to switch back to his business tone. "However you still need a piano player and the concert is tomorrow. I know some young men who are very good, though with this short notice they will need to prepare today and tomorrow, but I am sure one of them will be able to play as a suitable stand in."

"No." Michiru stated quietly. She put down the sheet music in her hand and walked to the window, gazing out at the now clear sky. "Haruka will be there, I wont replace her."

"Of course Miss Kaioh." Howard paused, he was surprised by the change in how she addressed Haruka but merely shrugged, and again realizing he didn't understand Japanese culture in the slightest. "But I can contact someone as a back up, this way if she is delayed or for some reason unable to show up you will still have a piano player."

"No." Michiru spoke firmly, eyes focused on the buildings beyond the window. "Haruka will be there, and if she isn't then I will play alone. I trust her to keep her word Howard-san."

"Of course." Howard paused, thinking over things before he spoke again. "I hope you are right."

"So do I." Michiru said quietly once the phone call ended. Triton and Wind silently gazed at the lone human, both seeming to wonder why their masters acted the way they always did.

Across the city Jill Tanner lifted her aching head from the kitchen table. She had been awakened by a loud pounding on the front door, all too far from the kitchen. She stood and muttered a bit as she stumbled toward the door. Blurry eyes focused on the men who stood there, one with a serious expression the other appearing to be quietly angered. Brown eyes met her own brown eyes as she recognized one of Haruka's oldest track buddies.

"Good morning Jill, did we wake you?" Thomas asked with a minimal amount of concern. The man behind him was unfamiliar to her but looked strangely intimidating in his business suit.

"Haruka isn't here Tom, in fact I don't know where she is." Jill looked up as he waved a hand to pause her. He gave her a very knowing look, almost accusing, as he gestured up the stairs.

"We aren't here to speak to Haruka. I suggest you go wash up and put on some fresh clothes, this will take a while." Thomas gestured the other man to the couch as he headed for the kitchen. "I'll make you some coffee for that hang over."

"Now just a minute!" Jill followed Thomas into the kitchen, cleared confused and angry while she tried to ignore her headache. "What the hell do you think you are doing Tom? This isn't your house and if you want to speak to me you should call first. Who is that man in my living room?"

"Jill." Thomas spoke in a dangerously calm voice as he turned to face her, brown eyes cold. He made sure that the kitchen door was shut before he continued. "How long did you think you could do this?"

"Do what?" Jill glared at the man before her, all she wanted to do was crawl into bed and sleep away the headache.

"Legally speaking this is Haruka's house, and I am here on her behalf." Thomas gave her the same look he gave a racer before they were dropped from a team. "As for that man, he'll be explained when you are cleaned up. Its in your interests to just act calmly for the moment, to think before you act."

Jill paused; dread growing inside her at the odd things Thomas was saying and the tone in his voice. Slowly, almost afraid of what would happen next, Jill walked out of the kitchen and up to take a shower. A very long shower.

Elsewhere in the city a cell phone beeped as it was given a connect alert. Haruka glanced at it for a moment, taking in the ID that came up.

"Yes Thomas?" She spoke into the direct connect phone.

"The hard part's over, got my foot in the door." There was a pause as Thomas considered how to say the next words. "I know this was partially my advice, but this is the last chance Tokyo Raider. Are you sure this is what you want?"

"Yes, are you sure you can handle it Thomas?" Haruka glanced out the window, sitting on its ledge and watching people walk on the street below.

"Of course, I've gotten pretty good at legal stuff, just leave it to me. Honestly though, you're being way too nice." There was a hint of venom in this comment. When nothing met his comment Thomas pressed the button again. "I'll talk to you later, Raider."

Author's Note:

If this is short I am sorry. I am distracted and will be busy tomorrow and over the weekend. What can I say, my love is Star Wars and number 3 is out. B-) Oh yeah! I swing my saber with pride, now I just have to choose which of the three sabers. Think I'll take my Darth Maul saber.

That said I wanted to get this update out all the same. So here it is, hopefully I've kept up with the story line. I do hate to say that it is starting to wind up and soon I'll be at the end. B-( All the reviews have been great and I can't thank you enough for submitting them. (Haruka's Knight bows to the readers) I hope you'll like the ending and let me know if you want a sequel. So far two people have said yes.

Thank you to all the reviewers, here's the ones I found so far.

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