(22) You should know now that you're not alone
Dr. Tomoe was busy. The snowfall did not cease, so did the number of patients coming to the hospital everyday to mend a broken arm, leg or even rip. He wanted to take his daughter home when he found that she was able to go home and make her Christmas gifts of which she had spoken of so often during the past days. Most certainly she wanted to draw pictures for all of her friends, but did only want to use her own crayons.
That was why Hotaru was now leaving the hospital with Michiru and Haruka by her side. The blonde hung the girl's bag over her shoulder and held the big teddy tight. Hotaru was too busy to look gladly at the white winter's wonderland. Dr. Tomoe checked Michiru's injuries again and asked her at the same time if they could take Hotaru home and take care of her until his babysitter or he would get home. Of course Michiru agreed immediately.
"It's so cool! Chibiusa is coming over tomorrow to make her photo calendar for Usagi. And I don't have to take so many pills any longer, only two each morning and one in the afternoon. And there's only two more days till Christmas. And I already got Mister Snuffles." Hotaru was chatting excitedly about whatever came into her mind.
Their car was parked near the hospital, but Haruka only put the bag and the big teddy bear into the boot. They wanted to go around the corner into a shopping mall to buy Hotaru some chocolate covered fruits. The little girl liked them a lot, but did not have the chance to eat any during the past two weeks. Of course they asked Dr. Tomoe about it and he agreed if they would take good care of his daughter and would not spend longer in the mall than an hour, at the maximum. Haruka and Michiru promised to be careful. So they were on their way now to do the last Christmas shopping, although they already had all gifts for their friends.
"Chibiusa brought my calendar to me, but I had to give her most of the chocolate, because she looked so hungrily every time she visited me." Continued Hotaru with her story. "But there are still two windows left, and the last one looks really big."
"Chibiusa and Usagi are simply gluttons." Haruka shook her head and stopped the little girl to correct her scarf and to button up the dark winter jacket correctly. It was such a natural gesture that Michiru wished herself a camera. The both of them would have made a lovely picture together.
"But they are nice gluttons." Hotaru picked up some snow in her black gloves and formed a small snowball. Her purple eyes were shinning and her normally so pale cheeks were flushed. Now she looked like a healthy child. Nothing reminded of her laying in a hospital bed, fighting for her life, being on razor's edge.
"What is a glutton, Ruka?"
"Someone who eats a lot."
"Yes, Chibiusa likes to eat, at least good stuff. She hates spinach and never eats her vegetables."
Michiru smiled as Haruka made a sympathetic face; she did not like any vegetables and if it weren't very expensive and unhealthy, she would order pizza for every dinner. But the blonde kept her thoughts to herself and took Hotaru's hand to prevent her from slipping on the frozen underground and fall down. The little girl's smile widened and she threw proudly her snowball. She did miss her goal, an old garbage ban, but Haruka praised her nonetheless for her excellent technique.
We love you, Hime-chan.
We'll always be here to protect you.
It was a promise she thought she would never be able to make, even it was in silence, because she thought only weeks ago that she had to die during the fight against Mistress 9 – and that the little girl was doomed, as well. But now she knew that they would live, that no heart attack would ever endanger Hotaru's life, that there would be many more Christmases like this to come. That thought warmed Michiru's heart.
Now she could make that promise and know that she would be able to hold it. For her it was the greatest gift of all.
Shuddering Michiru remembered the coughing, shivering girl who spent so much time in her darkened room, playing with dolls, without any friend to join her. Every coughing fit scared all the other girls of the boarding school away. It was them who did not care, Chibiusa finally broke the spell.
No, Hotaru would never sit in that room again, waiting for her father to come home, sometimes until late in the night. Now there would be people to take care for her while her father was at work. Michiru was more than willing to be one of them, and she did not have to ask Haruka; it was obvious that she was wild about the little girl. First she did not give in her feelings, but now that Mistress 9 disappeared and took the blonde's worry to kill the little girl away with her, Haruka allowed herself to act as a crazy aunt or even sister. Michiru had the good feeling that those two would be inseparable in the future.
"Do you wanna have a chocolate banana, too? Or do you wanna have something else?" Hotaru took Michiru's healthy hand trustingly in her own and looked asking up to the young woman.
"She's taking a candied apple. She always does, Hime-chan, because she's a glutton, too." Mocked Haruka giggling, but Michiru decided to scold her later for being so cheeky. After Haruka had bought her her beloved candied fruit.
Right now she watched Hotaru walking between them, holding one of Haruka's and one of her hand tight. They almost looked like a family; and they surely felt like one.
No, you'll never bee alone again, Hime-chan.
Michiru squeezed the small hand and smiled affectionately down at the little girl.
Never again.