Monday morning was predictable. Haruka was still missing, Howard called again, no one heard from Jill and Michiru was preparing for the concert. The entire day went by with out any real events, nothing worth any real notice compared to previous days. The concert hall was packed; guests in suits, tuxes and dresses filled the seats and spoke quietly as they waited. Michiru stood back stage, Howard next to her looking nervous.
"Its less than five minutes to show time, I should have called another piano player." Howard spoke as he twisted a paper between his hands.
"No Howard-san, I don't want a replacement." Michiru gently touched the man's shoulder. "Please try to relax." He only nodded and took a few steps back from her as she focused on the stage.
On stage a man was announcing the young violinist to her audience. He was almost done with his speech when a hand landed lightly on Michiru's left shoulder. She looked over her shoulder, expecting Howard, and came face to face with a pair of bright teal eyes. After a moment of surprised silence she spun around and gave the taller woman a hug.
"You made it!" Howard exclaimed as quietly as possible. The man seemed extremely relieved.
"I'm hurt, you sound like you doubted me." Haruka joked playfully. She looked down at Michiru and gave her a measuring stare. "Now Kaioh-san, you didn't doubt me did you?"
"Not for a second, let's go." Michiru took a hold of Haruka's arm and walked out onto the stage. The two women bowed to the applauding audience before each took to their own instrument.
Michiru's violin started the quiet tune, its strings singing a tune neither happy nor sad, before the piano joined in. Soon the music changed, transitioning not into a happy tune but instead one, which sounded as if two forces of nature were mixing. The sound was that of contentment and hope, of the ending of one event and the beginning of a new journey.
In the back of the hall sat two figures. Thomas Coffel, if asked, would admit that he'd rather not be next to Jill on any given night. Jill, if asked, would admit that she had very little interest in instrumental music. Still the two sat quietly, even they were absorbed into the music, forgetting for the moment all that had happened. Among the guests in attendance they were merely two, disappearing in a sea of suits and dresses.
The concert took just under two hours. The audience applauded as the two musicians bowed on stage. Soon they walked off the stage, both gratefully to escape the crowd and on stage lighting. As Haruka turned toward the dressing rooms she spotted the side door opening and two figures entering. Jill walked quietly behind Thomas as they approached.
"Hey Tokyo Raider, that was a great performance. Maybe you should give up racing all together." Thomas grinned at Haruka before he held a hand out to Michiru. "I'm Thomas Coffel, that was wonderful miss Kaioh."
"Thank you, Coffel-san." Michiru gently shook his hand and smiled lightly. For a moment they all fell into silence.
"Well, thank you again for the tickets Raider." Thomas broke the silence as he pulled a packet of papers from an inside pocket of his coat. "The reason Jill came with me is so we can finish these papers tonight. Is there any where the three of us can go?"
It wasn't long before Haruka, Jill and Thomas were in a dressing room with the door securely shut behind them. Thomas placed the paperwork into Haruka's hand, telling her to look it over a last time before she signed it. Her eyes skimmed lightly over the text on the white paper, making sure that everything she asked had been done correctly.
"Amazing how quickly you can get a divorce in this state." Thomas spoke with grim recognition as he gathered the now fully signed paperwork. He tipped a non-existent hat toward the two women. "I'll take this to the lawyer first thing in the morning. Good night ladies."
Thomas left, the door shut softly behind him, and it was just Jill and Haruka. They regarded each other in silence for a long time. Jill's face seemed to hold guilt and she couldn't bring herself to meet Haruka's eyes. Haruka, on the other hand, seemed unreadable, giving away nothing.
"Why?" Asked Jill as she looked at the tall blonde before her. "We both know this was my fault so why are you giving me the house? Why leave me with a car and some money, you didn't have to?"
"Listen Jill." Haruka looked down, running one hand through her short hair as her teal eyes focused on her feet. She took a deep breath before she spoke again. "I wont say it didn't hurt, but I don't blame you. I should have seen it much earlier and we did meet when we were pretty young."
"But I was the one who changed, Haruka, not you." Jill paused to collect her thoughts. "I was mad and wanted to press for more thinking you left me for your beautiful friend out there, until Thomas told me the stated reason. That's why you never came home isn't it?"
"I came home." Haruka spoke quietly as she looked back up at two regretful brown eyes, her own teal eyes clouded and completely unreadable now. "I came home and was finally forced to see it."
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have let it happen that way." Jill looked back down at the floor. "But I still don't understand why you are being so nice to me in all of this."
"Like I said, I don't blame you." Haruka stood and walked toward the door. Before she left she looked back at Jill and spoke one last time. "We were wrong for each other, but you were one of my best friends. I couldn't leave you with nothing for that, or for the time we did share." There was a small pause. "But please, you deserve better than that guy."
With out another word Haruka left the room and walked out to the parking lot. She was surprised when a ball of blue-gray fur ran over to her at what appeared to be warp speed. Wind-Chaser jumped into her master's arms with a happy purr. Haruka had to smile even as she wondered how she'd get the fur off her tux before the next night's performance.
Looking up for the first time she spotted the figure next to her car. Michiru stood leaning on the hood in much more casual cloths. Even though she'd changed into what almost looked like a school uniform Haruka had to admit she was striking in the moonlight. She walked over and grinned down at the shorter woman, handing her the keys to the gray GTO.
"Hope you know how to drive, I don't think Wind will let me." Haruka joked as Wind voiced a meow of complaint each time Haruka's hand left her fur.
"I think I can manage, why don't we go get dinner?" Michiru asked as she unlocked the doors. Both climbed in and Michiru started the car. She pulled out of the space and they waited in the line of cars leaving the concert hall. Silence fell for a total of five minutes before Michiru broke it again. "What are you going to do now, Haruka?"
"I don't really know." The blonde smiled somewhat thoughtfully as her hand ran across Wind-Chaser's fur. "I guess I'll go wherever the wind blows me."
"What if it blows you back to Tokyo?" Michiru asked, a sly smile starting to form on her lips as her blonde companion raised one eyebrow and teal eyes glanced toward her.
"Well, I supposed I'd have to follow than. After all, who can resist the power of the wind." Haruka smirked. "It has to be the most powerful element on earth."
"Oh I don't know." Michiru spoke again with a playful look and a thoughtful tone of voice. "I've always thought that the sea is the most powerful element."
"Does it even count?" Haruka teased and received a glare from the other woman. She grinned and raised her hands to Wind's protests. "Okay, you win, the sea is an element but the wind is still faster."
"Would you come with me on tour?" Michiru finally asked, becoming serious as they pulled onto the street.
"Thought you'd never ask." Haruka grinned and stroked Wind's fur again as she leaned back in her seat and shut her eyes. "It'd break poor Wind-chan's heart if I said no."
"I'm sure T-kun would be sad as well." Michiru commented with a smile. 'So would I.' She added silently. The car fell silent as they drove into the night.
AN:
Sorry if this is a cliffhanger type ending, and sorry that this is short but I wanted to leave it at a transition point for the next story. Believe it or not this story is FAR from the original idea that spawned it. I will do my best to get a sequel out soon, though it looks like time is going to be getting tight soon. I am joining the Army and should be taking a physical in the next two weeks. Wish me luck.
Also, thank you to the reviewer who commented about their ages when they met. That review had a good effect on what Haruka said to Jill in this chapter. B-)