Reconciliation

A/N: Alright, here's the finale! Hope you like it!

Haruka raised an eyebrow, then said," Alright, well I'm not stopping you," as she directed her eyes away from the tempting, intoxicated beauty before her, and lit a cigarette.

Michiru placed her delicate hand against the side of Haruka's cheek, turning it back to face her, "I came here to tell you, Ruka, that I love you."

Haruka was stricken speechless, and became quite concerned. "How much have you had to drink tonight Michiru?"

Michiru glared, and replied,"Not that much, alright? And if you'd shut up for a minute, I'd like to do what I came to."

Blowing a stream of smoke in the opposite direction of Michiru, she waited, and got more than she bargained for when Michi closed the distance between them, and kissed her gently. Haruka was in a bit of shock. Then Michi kissed her again, and Haruka started to think that maybe, just maybe, she was sincere, so she kissed her back.

Somewhere, a fuse snapped inside of Michiru, and she shoved Ruka back against the arm of the couch that she'd been sitting on, making it impossible for her to escape, and simply took.

When she finally released her, they were both quite out of breath, and again it was Ruka who spoke first.

"So did you really mean what you said, or was that the alcohol talking?" although it was phrased nonchalantly, the blonde's normally overly confidentcontralto voice was shaking.

Michiru just smiled, and whispered scant centimeters away from those lips flushed by her onslaught," Yes, I meant every word, and I'll say it again. I love you Tenoh Haruka."

It just seemed too good to be true. Haruka looked around for anything to explain Michiru's sudden change of heart, and came up lacking. She felt so frustrated because she wanted to trust the one person who mattered, but could she? Haruka sat back a little from her, and asked the question that burned in her mind.

"If this is really how you felt, then why did you hurt me so much before? Why did you destroy my hopes and tell me that you only wanted to be friends? Why did you make me suffer in solitude?"

Michiru's laughter had subsided. She could see the still very real pain in the teal orbs of Haruka's eyes and chose her answers carefully.

"I didn't want to hurt you, but I didn't know what else to do. I didn't know what my heart was trying to tell me. I'd never felt for anyone what I did, and do, for you. I've never opened up like I can with you, none of my friends know the first thing about me, except for you. I didn't know what that meant exactly. I'd never loved anyone before, and I didn't know how to react to what I was feeling. I would get light-headed just being around you sometimes, and when you got close to me, it was hard to breathe. I was scared. Scared of what my parents would say, if they would shun me completely for falling in love with a woman, or if they'd try to counsel it out of me. Therefore I've been fighting through this on my own too, and I'm so very sorry that I hurt you, it wasn't my wish to do so. I had hoped that we could talk things over, but you ran away, and wouldn't talk to me." She paused to brush away a few stray tears running down Haruka's beautiful face, and kissed her again softly.

"But eventually, with some help," she snickered," I was able to come find you, and I hoped you'd listen, because I won't let you go. There is noreason for me here, other than you."

A wave of relief pulsed into her at those words, and at last she allowed herself to believe that maybe things would work out for the better. She shifted back into her love's embrace, then Michiru's lips returned to hers, and she stopped thinking again for a long time. As she ran her long fingers through silky aqua locks, and kissed her lovingly, the last words she muttered that night were,

"And I love you Kaioh Michiru. I've loved you since that first day you went for a ride with me. You smiled up at me as we stood overlooking the sea, and I knew my heart no longer beat for myself alone. I can survive anything, as long as you're with me."

Therethey fell asleep, locked in a secure embrace until morning came, and had everything.

The End!

A/N: Wow, I finished it, but I'm afraid it might have ended a little suddenly, any suggestions on improvement? Either way, it's finished and I like how I resolved it, though the middle may be a little shaky. # dances # Now the only thing left to do, is have someone come dance with me. Any takers? # extends hand to whoever would be so kind # Until next time, ja!

Neptune's Mask