Chapter Six

And Baby Makes Three?

A/N: Gomen!! I have been busy writing something as a thank you to Kaze and Vanessa, and because of that I have neglected my darling work. But here is another chapter for you and I promise to update sooner then last time!! Enjoy the static!!

I tried, I really did. But I don't think anyone could have suppressed giggles at the sight before me. My beloved covered in flour, the whole kitchen really, covered in flour. I stood still, my hand covering my mouth, my laughter loud and filling the room. She cocked a smile at me before chasing me down the hall to our bedroom. I realized after it wasn't smart to get cornered by her. Grabbing me she began to tickle me; I was in fits of laughter when she moved us to the bed. Soon I was under her, my eyes closed and tearing, my body gently fighting against her, then, she stopped. I opened my eyes letting ours meet. Her smile faded and she looked, simply beautiful. Slowly her eyes closed and her lips touched mine her tongue gently exploring my mouth fighting with my own. 'Michi.' I moaned wrapping my arms around her body. She deepened our embrace her hands tracing through my hair, her legs straddling my hips. My mind wandered to a week ago, when I was in a bed I didn't recognize dreaming about this moment. We'd not really talked about our time apart, only that we needed to make some changes. That it was both of our fault. That she was sorry and so was I. We'd both agreed to work on things. Start fresh. But at this moment, fresh was not where I wanted to start. Knowing what my lover liked, how if I ran my hand straight down her spine she'd shiver against me. That was what I craved. Her mouth moved from my lips to rest against my neck, softly nibbling the sensitive flesh below my ear. I ran my hand ups her back pulling her hair away and unzipping her dress. My other hand rested against her thigh my finger tips dancing against her. She shivered as the zipper fell, just as I knew she would. I pulled my weight to my left switching places with her, my body hovering over her. I slipped the dress down her shoulders and smiled into her. 'I love you Michiru.' I said before I lowered my lips to catch her neck.

'I love you Haruka.' she breathed against me.

..

Three hours later I untangled myself from her legs, she was sound asleep. Crawling out of bed I made my way to the kitchen cleaning up the mess of flour and half baked cookies. A smile touched my lips as I tossed out the remaining dough. The thought that she'd actually attempted baking for me was touching. Slowly i made my way around the house, my mind remembering all our good times. I stopped at the front door, remembering the horrible sight of my Michiru in the arms of that man. Her face, cold and unfeeling. How she'd just let me go. Shaking the thought from my mind i headed back down the hall to the bedroom, changed into my tank top and boxer shorts and brushed my teeth. I pulled the blankets back to climb into bed yawning harsh. Gently I slid my arms around Michiru, my head buried in her hair smelling forever of sea salt. She moved her rear to the curve of my pelvis filling the void, moaning softly as I held her close. I let my eyes close memories of our forgotten time together flooding over me. The hours we'd spent making love in our small apartment in Japan. Our friends who'd wished us well. The accepting stares on the streets rather then the up turned noses of the Canadians and worse the Americans. I remembered the first time she'd said she loved me. Sitting under cherry trees enjoying a lunch our friend Mako had packed. Our friends were busy enjoying themselves, her hand was softly tangled with mine. Her hair blowing in the breeze. I was caught staring at her and when she finished blushing she lean into me, her lips every so gently brushing mine then, when my eyes finally opened she said it. 'Haruka, I love you.' I remember my heart stopped. I felt like she's caused some kind of earth quake. I said nothing in return, merely looked beyond her to our friends. Pointing at us with echoed 'awes'. My heart ached at the memory and i pulled her tighter against me. Something felt wrong. She was colder then normal.

'Michi.' I said gently my voice raised. 'Michiru.' I tried again after no reply. I pulled away from her, my shorts a sticky damp. I glanced down to see a large pool of red. My mind raced what was the date, it was neither of our time. 'Michiru.' I called loudly. Pulling her to face me. Her face was pale, nearly gray. I checked her pulse. Faint. Quickly I reached for the beside phone dialling 911.

..

Floors in a hospital shouldn't be so shiny. I thought as I paced back and forth watching my own reflection in the floor below me. 'Miss Tenoh?' someone said behind me, jarring me from my focus.

'The doctor would like to talk to you about Miss Kaioh.' I nodded to the small nurse following her through several corridors before coming to stop at a nurses station marked ICU.

'Miss Tenoh.' The doctor started glancing from me to the chart before him.

'Haruka.' I said.

'Haruka, you and Miss Kaioh are partners?'

'Yes.'

'She's lost a lot of blood, and the baby. We had to operate to fully perform the abortion, but she came through surgery well. Unfortunately we've had to perform a right oopherectomy.' The doctor said.

'What?' I asked peaking. Baby? My mind raced.

'We had to take her right ovary. She'll still be able to have children should you try again. Invitro?'

'No.' I said. Baby? I asked myself again.

'She's been asking for you. I can take you to her if you'd like. We've asked the unit she gets moved to for a private room. I'm sure you'd like to stay with her.'

'What? Oh. Yes.' I nodded following him passed a few curtained rooms, finally stopping.

'She's been through a lot. But she's tough.' The doctor smiled his hand on my shoulder.

'Thank you.' I said slowly my mind still stuck. Baby?

I stood just outside the curtain for a moment, quietly recalling what the doctor has said. Letting the whole event sink in. Michiru had needed surgery. They'd taken her right ovary, she'd lost the baby. She'd lost the baby. Michiru had aborted the baby. What baby? I pulled the curtain open to find Michiru pale and asleep against the stark white of the hospital linen. My stomach wretched at the sight of her. My mind replayed the doctors words over and over. I began to questions my ability to stand so i took the seat next to her bed. My head cradled in my palms, my arms resting on my knees.

'Haruka?' the whimpering voice of Michiru said.

'Yes. I'm here.' I answered unsure of my own tone.

'What happened?' she asked reaching for me. I wanted to hold her, to tell her she's been hurt but she was alright. To forget that she'd lost a baby. Our baby, her baby.

'You.' I started unable to find the right words. Her eyes gleamed with tears, confusion set deep within them.

'What is it?' she pressed.

'You slept with Blake.' I managed. Cursing myself after, that wasn't what i had planned to say. I wanted to tell her she'd lost the baby.

'What are you talking about?'

'The doctor said you aborted just now. Your baby.' Her eyes widen, her face turned even paler. 'Didn't you know?' I asked sharply.

'I, no.' she answered.

'What did you think would happen Michiru? That you'd sleep with him and everything would be fine. Did you get tired of him and come to find me? Was that it? Or did he use you and throw you away? When did you decide i was missed huh? When you figured you were pregnant and might need a father. God damnit Michiru.' I forced. I was impressed that i had managed to keep my tone below that of a scream. It had taken some effort.

'Haruka, no.' She started.

'I can't listen to this. I'm sorry Michiru. I'll come back when I've cooled down. The doctor says you'll be fine.' I pulled the curtains back into place once I'd left the room. As i passed the nurses desk a few of the nurses smiled to me. I couldn't care less, storming out of the hospital i headed for my car. I needed air.

..

Two hours later I was sitting at her bedside again, my back screaming at me from the position I slept in. My mind was racing and my heart was broken, but this time I'd made a real promise. Not only to Michiru but to myself. I was going to fight for us. Until I found out the whole story, I wouldn't leave. I'd let her explain, let her try and at least give me a form of honesty before I wrote off any chance of our future. My drive helped. When I had arrived back at the hospital Michiru had been moved from the ICU to the nursing unit. She'd been sedated, apparently she'd become an emotional wreck just after I left. I felt guilty at this sliding into the chair I now occupied. The nurse smiled at me. 'I'm really sorry about your loss.' she said.

'What?' I managed through a yawn.

'Your wife, she lost the baby. You two must be devastated. My sister is a lesbian, she and her partner have been trying invitro for years. Still nothing.'

'Oh, right.' I nodded.

'I've given her something to help her sleep. She went a little crazy down stairs.'

'So I heard.' The nurse had left the room and I watched Michiru, wondering. My elbow rested against the arm of the chair, my head against my palm. Slowly I drifted.

'Haruka.' The groggy sound of Michiru's voice called to me.

'Hai.' I said sleepily.

'You came back.' tears streamed down her face as I tried to focus on her.

'Hai.' I said rubbing my eyes. 'How do you feel?'

'I didn't sleep with Blake.' she said her voice still not quiet her own.

'Huh?' I asked now fully awake.

'Haruka, I would never, ever cheat on you.' I stared at her. My emotions flooding over me. I was about to ask her what she meant when a troop of doctors bombarded the room.

'Kaioh, Meechiru.'

'Michiru.' I corrected.

'Age, 34.' a resident said.

'Admitted for missed abortion in the first trimester following invitro fertilization. Left oopherectomy.'

'Right.' I corrected again.

'Right oopherectomy.' The resident glared.

'Vitals?' the doctor asked.

'Temp, 39.2, BP stable on the low side, pulse 94.' The resident looked to me to argue. I moved to the bed my hand clenching Michiru's. 'She's been on Morphine for the pain but hasn't taken much. We gave her 1.5 mg's of Ativan to sleep last night after she had an emotional break down in the ICU.'

'Blood?'

'CBC is back, levels are alright.'

'Define alright Dr. Greg.' Doctor Gracen demanded pulling the chart from the hands of the resident. 'Low, she'll need a transfusion. Anything under 80. How many times?'

'Sorry.'

'Michiru.' Dr Gracen smiled stepping ahead of his residents and resting against her bedside table. 'How are you feeling today?'

'Tired.'

'No pain?'

'No, nothing major. Can I go home? I'd rather be home.' Michiru's voice sounded pained and it hurt me to listen.

'Maybe later, I want you to have a unit of blood first. Then we'll re-test this afternoon. After you eat and drink you should be alright. Do you want to speak to someone about your loss?'

'No.' she said softly, holding my hand tighter and glancing to me. I smiled at her, then to the doctor.

'Alright, whose next.' Dr. Gracen called behind his residents as they headed for the next room. Michiru lay her head against my chest, her hand still firmly holding mine. 'Michiru.' I said running my free hand through her aqua hair.

'Not now please Haruka.' she begged. I nodded holding her tight against me.

..

After two units of blood and three days Michiru was finally released from the hospital. She had yet to talk to me. I still wasn't sure of all the facts, I knew Michiru had been almost three months pregnant and that the loss was quiet violent. I knew she'd bled a lot and she was lucky to be alive. I also knew my Michiru was keeping something from me. I helped her into the house, leading her past the living room and kitchen straight down the hall into bed. I'd made sure to have the room clean and fresh for her arrival. I'd thrown out the sheets she'd bled all over, and even got a new mattress. 'Do you need anything?' I asked helping her out of her clothes and into her nighty.

'No.' she said softly.

'Are we going to talk about this?' I asked helping her legs onto the bed, grabbing the blankets and pulling them over her body.

'In the morning I promise.' she smiled at me. Her hand brushed my cheek as she closed her eyes. 'I'm sorry.' she said before drifting off.

'Me too.' I said slowly closing the door behind me as I made my way to the kitchen. I took to the task of making dinner, knowing Michiru hadn't had much in the hospital. Once the chicken was seared and the salad was made I crept back into our room, I flicked the light at the bedside and gently nudged Michiru.

'You need to eat.' I told her placing the plate next to her.

'I know.' she frowned pulling herself into a sitting position.

'Michi.' I started gazing at her.

'Haruka.' she replied looking at her plate. Tears streaming down her face. I moved next to her, my arms wrapping around her shoulders I pulled her into me. Softly rubbing her back as she cried. Between sobs she spoke. 'I tried, I couldn't think of anything else. I thought if we had a baby, if we had a family. But look how it turned out.'

'You did this on purpose?' I asked trying hard to keep control of my anger.

'I wanted us to be happy Haruka. I didn't know what else to do. I thought if we had a baby our lives would go back to how they were. I thought you'd fall in love with me again.' she cried. I looked at her, anger and confusion making their home on my face.

'You did this on purpose?' I repeated. 'Michiru, we talked about a family but never seriously. What were you thinking? When were you going to tell me? What the hell were you thinking?' I could no longer contain my anger. Standing from the bed I faced her, no longer caring that she was in pain, no longer worried that I may hurt her.

'I wasn't Haruka. I wanted you back, I needed you with me. You seemed so far away.'

'You were already pregnant when you, oh god, of course you were.' I stammered. My mind racing. One week ago she'd come to me, begged me to return home. Cried to me that things would be better. That she'd be better. We'd promised to make a real try, promised to be the people we had been. But she knew, she'd known that things would never be the same. Not with a new person on the way. I slammed my fist into the wall behind me, causing her to jump. My eyes were full of fire when I looked to her. 'I can't do this.' I said sternly.

'I didn't know what else to do. We talked about a family. How happy we would be. Haruka I was trying for both of us.'

'And what about for the baby? Huh.' I demanded taking her by the shoulders. 'What about the poor defenceless child you were about to add to our war? What about that huh?'

'You're hurting me.' she managed. I dropped my hands from her, my face still close to hers.

'Michiru.' I said. 'It's over.' My heart felt as if it had been pulled from my body and tossed into a grinder. Mechanically I grabbed my suit case from the closet and began to fill it. She stare at me from the bed in disbelief.

'No, please.' she tried.

'Over.' I repeated stomping into the bathroom and grabbing my toiletries. I tossed them into my over night bag and headed for the living room. Grabbing the things that meant something to me. Taking photos and keepsakes. My trophies, plaques, things that she would miss but that were mine. I strode back into the bedroom, Michiru was doubled over crying. I took the handle of my suitcase and headed for the door.

'Wait. Please just a moment.' Michiru said following me. Her body defying her as she collapsed in the middle of the hall. I went to her, dumping my bags and helping her to stand.

'Michiru, I love you.' I said walking her back to bed. 'But I can't do this anymore.' My tone was hurt and straight. I couldn't do this anymore. 'We're to different now. And your answer to this whole thing is to add a new person to our already strained hearts? I'm sorry. Michi-san. I can't.' I helped her under the covers placing a soft kiss to her lips. 'Good bye Michiru.' I whispered against her lips.

'No.' she begged reaching for me. I stepped out of the room and made it down the hall. I could hear her sobbing as I closed the door behind me. Tears flowed down my cheeks as I loaded my belonging into my car. I knew what I needed, I needed to go home.