Chapter Eight (Ending of December)

Snow danced as light as a feather from the cloudy sky down on a busy city. Soft wind played with the flakes being as soft as a ray of light. The white element covered the earth like a protecting blanket. Nature slept. But it would wake up again coming spring.

Coloured lights covered the shop windows of a long arcade. Christmas music filled the air and old Santa Clauses in red jackets asked for some money for the poor and the people in need.

"Arigato." Said a man to a woman who gave him a big note into his shaking hands. It was very cold and the sun was already setting. Soon it would be even more colder.

"Just use the right way." She smiled at him and took the huge bags again in her hands.

"Let me carry it." Demanded the other woman. First the Santa Clause had expected her to be a man but then he recognized the swollen belly she hided behind the thick black coat.

"You carry enough for both of us!" declared the young woman determinedly and slipped on the smooth underground.

They went along the coloured shop windows lost in their own thoughts.

"Why do we always buy the gifts on the last possible day?" asked Haruka and glanced up to the cloudy sky. The snow fell gently around them and gave the young woman a feeling of cosiness.

As every year at Christmas she felt save and secure.

That's the holiday of love...

She lowered her head and looked at Michiru at her side. She laughed happily and snow shimmered in her sea green hair. She wore a white coat and a deep blue scarf protected her neck from the bitter cold. Her cheeks were redden and her deep blue eyes shone with all the love she felt inside.

She looks like an angel.

"That's funnier, don't you think?" laughed Michiru and rose the huge bags she carried. "I would miss this exciting feeling not to know what to give to Usagi until the very last minute when the shop assistant already wants you to leave the shop because they close at four o'clock in the afternoon."

My little angel...

Suddenly Haruka wrapped her arms around Michiru and pulled her closer. Then she kissed her gently. Some people went by. Looking at them curiously. Some of them shook their heads when they recognized that it were two woman who kissed each other with so much passion. Some of them were really shocked when they realized that one of them was well advanced in pregnancy. Some of them just smiled. Understandingly. Knowingly.

Because today was the holiday of love.

Of every kind of love.

"What was that for?" asked Michiru gasping for breath. Tenderly she smiled at her lover who blushed slightly.

"Mistletoe." Declared Haruka simply and gave her another sweet kiss that expressed all the other words she wasn't able to say aloud. Michiru understood her. They had never needed much words.

"We should go now. Our small princess will be very exciting about the Christmas tree. And her gifts, of course." Michiru's hands slipped under the black coat and she felt the unborn child kicking against her tip toes.

"I see that our other princess is very inpatient, too."

"Hai..." Haruka gave her lover another loving kiss and Michiru put down the bags with a resigning sigh. Then she embraced her young car racer, as well, and returned the kiss with all her love.

Michiru had seen the ultrasound's pictures. She had been present at all the doctor's appointment since September. And she had to admit that she had reacted like a becoming daddy there. The doctor seemed to be a little bit confused at the beginning. But his behaviour changed as he realized that the pregnant woman's green eyes weren't empty any longer. Now they were full of happiness. Once he talked to Michiru while Haruka dressed for the ultrasound. He couldn't find an answer why Michiru was a woman and not a man how he had expected. But he told her that he was glad that the young woman wasn't alone any longer.

No, you're never alone.

Michiru pulled her lover nearer and slowly finished the loving kiss.

"We should go now." She whispered and burst into laughter as she saw the wicked gin on Haruka's face.

"Hai..."

They both walked down the long streets of Tokyo, their fingers entwined.

They all sat around the round table in the big living-room in Usagi's white house. The future Queen of Crystal Tokyo smiled at her daughter who laid in her arms and watched the scenery with her big pink eyes. Hotaru didn't leave her side although she glanced more than once over to the big Christmas tree. The gifts shimmered in the dimmed candlelight.

The dinner had been delicious. Makoto was very proud of herself and Rei lamented that she had eaten too much. Minako just laughed happily. Her laughing increased as she watched Ami who hunted Tahiki. The young man held up a book. It contained the famous Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.

"I wanted to read it!" scolded the inner senshi and almost fell over Sejya who went down on his knees on the soft carpet to observe the gifts.

"But we all know this story. I want to have my gifts, first!" The hunting ended and Ami got her book back. A satisfied smile appeared on her face while Tahiki looked very bored.

"Well, I'd love to hear the story of old Scrooge and tiny Tim." Declared Usagi and stroked Hotaru's black hair who played with little Chibiusa's hands carefully.

"And me, too." Mamoru sat down next to her and gave her a short kiss an her redden cheeks. She looked so beautiful. His queen.

"Why can't we open some gifts, first? Please!" Sejya stood up and looked at Usagi pleadingly.

"You're such babies!" sighed Rei but her eyes hadn't left the gifts under the tree during the past minutes, as well.

"Okay." Agreed Usagi who was also very curious what she would get from her husband. And what her Mamo-chan would say to her gift.

"Fine!" Sejya clapped into his hands.

"May I start?" Yaten rose from the couch next to the chimney where a warming fire burned. Haruka who sat next to him near her Michiru could see how he paled slightly. Suddenly he seemed to be very nervous.

"Why not? But hurry up!"

"Greed doesn't suit you!" scolded Rei Sejya who just made a face and rolled his eyes.

Yaten reached under the Christmas tree and picked up a small box. His hands were ice cold as he gave it who Setsuna who watched him silently.

"That's not very big. I hope my gift's a little bit bigger than this..." Sejya's ecxited voice became silent and he stared at the youngest part of the Three Lights in disbelieve as Yaten went on the knees before the senshi of time as she opened the small box. It contained a golden ring. The brilliant shone in all colours of the rainbow in the soft candlelight.

"I know that I am not perfect, Setsuna. And the future won't be always be shinning. But..." He swallowed hard but the tender smile that suddenly appeared on Setsuna's face gave him the power to speak on.

"But do you want to become my wife?"

The senshi of time went on her knees next to her lover and wrapped her arms around him. She looked down at him, saw the love that lay in his light green eyes and knew that she did the right thing.

"Hai..." she whispered and kissed him gently. She felt how the young man embraced her, too, and returned her passionate kiss.

Minako, Rei and Ami rose from their chairs and cheered loudly. Usagi smiled and took her husband's hand. Just the other two of the Three Lights started at the young singer in disbelieve. Finally they started to laugh and congratulated him to his great catch.

I wish you all the best.

Haruka closed her eyes as the pain returned inside her body. It had started in the early afternoon but she ignored it. Until now. Now it increased.

These can't be labour pains. The date of birth is the tenth of January. Not Christmas.

Haruka took a deep breath. Maybe she ate something wrong. Or the Christmas stress had been to much for her.

The young car racer rose from the couch and smiled at the other young woman who observed the brilliant ring, smiling happily.

"Everything okay?" asked Michiru as her lover waddled over to the door.

"Hai." Whispered the young woman and ran a steady hand through her short blond hair. With the other hand she supported her swollen belly. There were just two weeks left and the child was very wild now.

Now even the wide pullovers couldn't hide it anymore. But the others were very gently with her. Haruka never felt the slightest reason to be ashamed about her pregnancy. No one ever asked who the girl's father was. Maybe they did accept the crazy thing the two women seemed to have done. Or they even believed the unbelievable.

I don't want to worry her for nothing.

Quietly Haruka closed the door and Michiru could hear her walk slowly along the corridor.

"That's cute!" Usagi had gave her daughter into her husband's strong arms and watched the ring at the finger of Setsuna. It fitted perfectly. But Setsuna didn't actually notice her. She just stared into Yaten's blushed face. Into these lucky shinning eyes she loved that much. The young man couldn't help but return her tender looks.

"I wanna a gift, too." Said Hotaru but didn't leave Chibiusa's side. "And I've got a gift for Chibi-chan, too." The small girl watched her mother with her big darks eyes. "Where's Haruka-papa?" she asked and her eyes were suddenly full of tears.

"I'll call her." Replied Michiru and wondered why she felt so cold with a sudden. So lost. So alone...

"Okay, then gimme my gift!" demanded Sejya and laughed as Rei started to fight with him over it. His voice faded as Michiru left the living-room. She went through the long corridor which was too dark with a sudden. First she went slowly but finally she ran. Her heart beat wildly inside her chest. She pushed the door open and stood in the white bathroom.

Haruka kneeled on the white carpet. She had grabbed the soft fabric with both hands as if she searched senselessly for hold on the ground.

As Michiru switched on the light she could see the red fluid that drenched the carpet. It grew wider with every second.

"Ruka..." whispered Michiru and didn't know what to do.

"Michi-chan..." whispered the young car racer with a flat voice and stretched her bloodstained hands toward her lover. A desperate expression was on her pale face. "Please, help us!" Then she fainted.

That was the moment when Michiru started to scream.

Five minutes later the ambulance arrived. The sirens could be heard all over Tokyo at this quiet Christmas Eve.