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Italics mean the thoughts of characters.

Echoes of the Past

Chapter 7

Judiko pulled up in front of the apartment building and got out of the car. Michiru had cried herself to sleep in the passenger seat. He opened the door and picked her up. He turned to find that Suniko had come out. Both refrained from talking as they walked upstairs so as not to disturb the sleeping woman. Suniko held the door for them and led Judiko to Michiru's room. He laid her on her bed and closed the door behind him as he left, giving the sleeping beauty one last look. Suniko handed him a glass of the tea she had been making. "Judiko, will you please tell me what's going on between them." Judiko looked at her. "You better sit down." They moved to the living room and sat down on chairs across from each other. Judiko took a deep breath. "That night, Suniko, with Tristan," Suniko looked down. This was something she didn't want to talk about. "That night I saw that Haruka loved you. I'd never seen her so hurt."

"I know." Suniko began to cry. "And I'm so sorry. I can't believe I did that to her, I..."

"Suni," Judiko interrupted her, "that's not the point."

Suniko looked up, confused. "What do you mean?"

"That night I saw her hurt, but not nearly as hurt as she was today."

Suniko's eyes went wide. Suddenly everything was clear. Why they were so close, why they had been distant since she came, why Haruka wouldn't talk to her about it. "She's in love with her." She said softly.

"Yes, and Michiru loves her back." He considered the crying girl in front of him. She was obviously hurt by this, but he had to make sure that she did the right thing. "Suniko, you know what this means. You can't try to stop it, they love each other."

"I know" she whispered and looked Judiko right in the eyes. She didn't have to say anything more. He knew she would not stand in the way of love. Suniko wiped away her tears and smiled at the man before her. "Why don't you stay here tonight? I'm afraid Haruka might come back and if she's as mad as she was earlier I'm not sure that I can handle her." Judiko returned her smile. He had planned on staying anyway. He needed to talk some sense into the blonde. "Of course"

By two AM Suniko and Michiru were both sleeping quietly in their beds while Judiko lay awake on the couch waiting. He was just beginning to think that Haruka was not going to come when he heard a key in the lock. In the dark, he watched Haruka enter the apartment and walk quietly into her room. She came out a couple minutes later with a small bag in her hand and Judiko knew she was planning on leaving. He stood up. "Where do you think you're going?" She turned around at the sound of a man's voice and found Judiko there. "What are you doing here?" She asked.

"I brought Michiru here after you almost broke her wrist." Haruka felt herself start for a moment, but quickly regained her angry composure. "It's not like she didn't deserve it! After all, what was she doing with that creep in her dressing room?" she hissed.

"I don't know, but what makes you think running away from her is going to solve anything! How about for once in your life you try talking!" He was yelling now, as much as he could without waking up the girls.

"Goodbye Judi." Haruka turned and began to walk towards the door. She was done with this conversation.

"She loves you Haru." Haruka stopped and turned around to face her friend. Her face was a mix of confusion and anger, but Judiko could see the prospect had softened her a bit. "What?" She choked out. Judiko moved towards her. "She loves you Haruka. And you love her." He gently took the bag from his friend's paralyzed hand. "Now go in there and talk to her. She deserves that much." Haruka felt like she couldn't move. Michiru loved her? How could that be true? And how could Judiko know that? But he knew that Haruka was in love with Michiru. And somehow she knew what he was saying was true. Seeing her stuck to the ground, Judiko walked over and gently pushed open the door to Michiru's room. Haruka swallowed and forced her feet to move. She entered the dark room and her eyes passed over the young girl. She was still dressed in her concert attire as Judiko hadn't found the courage to change her. Haruka heard the door click closed behind her. She walked slowly towards the sleeping figure before her eyes rested on the soft wrist that was illuminated by the moonlight streaming in from the window. There were a few dark splotches there and Haruka recognized them as the work of her own hand. She fell to her knees beside the bed, laying her head on the sheet. "I'm sorry Michiru" she said softly. The aqua haired goddess stirred and then spoke "for what?" Haruka jumped back, surprised. Michiru sat up on the bed. " I...I thought you were asleep."

"I'm sorry. I've been awake since Judiko started yelling." Haruka's eyes widened. That meant she must've heard the entire conversation. They were silent for a moment, both rather awkward in the realization of each other's feelings. Finally, Haruka spoke. "But I don't understand. If you feel...that way about me, then why did you have Seiya in your room?" Michiru smiled at her uncomfortable friend. "Well, I had gone out with Seiya because I thought maybe, well maybe making you jealous would get you to come back to me..."

"Michiru" Haruka interrupted, wanting to tell the girl that her heart was always hers, but she was quickly silenced when Michiru continued. "But having dinner with Seiya showed me what a truly stupid idea that was. I didn't have time to tell him then, so I asked him to come to my room after the concert. When you saw him leave I had just told him that I didn't want to see him anymore."

"Oh" The blonde responded, her hands anxiously stuck in her pockets and her eyes roaming the floor. Now she felt like a complete idiot. "So then you're not homophobic" To Haruka's surprise, Michiru fell over on the bed laughing. "Homophobic? Are you kidding? Haruka I've loved you since the moment I met you! What could possibly make you think I was homophobic!" Haruka laughed tentatively. "Well, I thought when you saw me and Suniko together that you..."

"Oh Ruka" Michiru smiled. She gently patted the bed next to her and Haruka obediently sat, but kept her eyes fixed on the floor. "I was upset that you were with Suniko because I wanted you for myself" she said gently. But then something occurred to her. "What about Suniko?"

"What do you mean?" Haruka asked.

"I mean, what are you going to do about Suniko?"

"Oh...I guess I'll have to break up with her." Michiru's face fell. She and Suniko had become such good friends the past few days, she didn't want that all to end because of her. "Don't do that Haruka. I don't want to be the cause of that." Michiru said, turning away from the blonde. Haruka touched her shoulders and she found herself gently wrapped in Haruka's strong arms. "Michiru, even if I did stay with Suniko, I would never be happy with her and she'd eventually find about everything. She'll understand. I know she will." Michiru pulled away and looked at the face she knew so well. She knew Haruka was right. "I'm sorry Ruka..for everything." Haruka gently took Michiru's wrist in her hands and ran her fingers over the bruises. "No, I'm the one who should be sorry." She kissed the wrist and then replaced it in Michiru's lap, moving her own hands to cup the smaller girl's face. With more gentleness and love than she had ever experienced in her entire life, Haruka slowly kissed the girl in front of her and soon after found herself falling asleep holding Michiru. It was the most wonderful feeling Haruka had ever known.

The next morning, Judiko woke to the smell of bacon and scrambled eggs. He yawned and walked into the kitchen to find Suniko bent over the stove throwing spices into a frying pan full of eggs. "Morning Suni" he said. She turned around with the usual bright smile on her face "morning." He could tell that the realizations of last night were still on her mind, but she seemed to be okay with it. He grabbed the newspaper from outside the door and sat himself down at the table to read it. Soon he found breakfast placed in front of him. Michiru and Haruka walked out sleepily and Suniko stopped for a moment. Judiko watched as tension passed between the three, but after a moment Suniko smiled again, saying "breakfast?" and Michiru and Haruka let out the breath they had been holding. "Thanks" Haruka said as all three took their places at the table. Judiko smiled. It appeared as if everything was going to work out all right.

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Author's Notes: Sorry it's taken so long. I hope you liked it though! Thanks for all your great reviews, they really helped keep me going!

Im nothing but a dream: Sorry if it seemed cheesy. I just knew that once I got past that point I would have to finish it and I didn't want to finish it quite yet.