Disclaimers:

I forgot to mention, Cherrychan is mine! Mineminemine.. Lol. I don't own the song, "Right here waiting" by: Richard MarxNor do I own Haruka or Michiru oo; ohh I like this song XD..'Another day' by Madonna. Anyway XD

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Authors notes:

HI um I'm writing this right after I wrote the last bit. Isn't the Victorian Era so fascinating! I just love the book, 'The awakening' by Kate Chopin. Its so tragic and beautiful. A woman in love, against traditions and expectations, an artist who dies to save the humiliation of her family, and her own inner self..ah..well just read it! Anyway..so..On ward!P.s. All the coffee lingo, the requests the customers make, and Michiru's little 'accidents' are all true. Hey I only hit the half decaf button once! o0' and Jason was an actual co-worker of mine, only he had a badddd temper and was a huge Starwars geek, but then so am I, just not quite as much. He was like a brother to me.

p.s wow three reviews and I only just posted it, awesome! Thanks! Ill be so sad when this is over, I like being inspired. Lol. Perhaps a Victorian love story is in order! Hmm..yess :plots:

Also, the noisy neighbour thing, I really am suffering with it. ;-;

Btw, when you see: (or an astrick) after a sentence, and can figure out why it makes me giggle in relation to what Michiru is saying and what it makes you think of and how ironic that it fits, (song lyric) will win a cookie XD Im insane. Just don't get too distracted from the prospect of a cookie. Okieday?

Edit: I fixed some errors o-o; EditEdit: I fixed some more errors. O0;

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It burns

Haruka had expected a layer of dust to cover everything when she had arrived at the seventies style beach house and for the furniture to be covered in old sheets with spider webs as the main decor; Just like in those old haunted mansions in the movies. But as she fitted her key into the lock and nudged the door open, she found the place to be in near immaculate shape.

"Tesaga must still have someone come to clean this place on occasion..." She felt so weird standing in this huge part of her family and past. She felt like she knew nothing about it anymore, like the little girl who used to live here had died.

"I've been in the city too long." She walked in and sat her suitcase down. The hard wood floors were well loved and still creaked as she took a look around. She opened the cellar door and remembered herself and her cousins playing hide and seek and all the spider bites she had encountered, but it was well worth it. She opened the pantry which had seemed so large when she was little, and now she'd have to turn sideways to step into it. Dare she peek into the cupboards? Once when her and Morgan had stayed here for their anniversary, they had bought wine and cheese, and well after that she never returned. So, with a closed nose, and an outstretched hand, Haruka removed it shortly after arriving. She was ashamed, even under bachelor standards.

Walking over to the south side of the house, she climbed the creaky stairs remembering how she would slide down the banister when her mother wasn't looking. Standing now in the narrow hallway, three doors greeted her like old ghosts. The one on her left was the guest room, the middle her parents room, and the right was her old bedroom. She walked into the guest room first, she had always preferred this room to her own. The way it was positioned made the wind echo and howl even more so then the others, as it was right on the corner. She opened the windows letting the musty air out in favour of the salty tinged air of outside and breathed in deeply. Glancing down she was glad to notice the sheets had been recently changed; Not that anyone would be coming here with her. She tacked that last bit of reality on as she walked into her old bed room. All her favourite sports teams stuck out cheerily and loudly with the periwinkle coloured paint her mother made her pick. The pretty vanity set was riddled with action figures and toy cars. Once she had turned sixteen she didn't feel like coming back here in the summer for the whole season, and eventually she never came back until she was courting Morgan. The bustle and noise of the city life seemed so exciting and new to her then and kept her away. But now, seeing all she had, she almost longed for a more meaningful quiet life. Which was completely ironic considering her career. She laughed to herself, 'perhaps that's why', Perhaps it was her noisy neighbours, with their even nosier dogs, which barked and yapped at anything and everything and broke the peace so often that she invested in that huge stereo to block the barking out. Or perhaps it was the BBQ's held on the fire escapes, and how the smoke always only seemed to come into her window. But here, she could think. It wasn't quiet enough to unnerve her because of the constant breeze, and the only noise she had to contend with was the roaring of the waves, and the occasional tinkling of her mothers long since forgotten wind chimes. How long had it been since anyone heard their lonely song?

She paused to push back the blue curtains and lifted the heavy wooden framed window. The best view in the house, her mother often told her, stretched out before her in brilliant seascape.

The sun glittered behind peach clouds, making the crests of the waves sparkle like diamonds. Birds cried out in the distance and swooped past the window. The sunlight danced through the tiny leaves on the trees and its shadows played across her face. She leaned on the frame, tears suddenly pricking her eyes and she wondered why this sight made her so emotional. She wondered why this soft ocean scented breeze made her long for something, why the crashing waters and the way the wind sounded together with it, made her so desperate. She especially wondered why it only reminded her of one thing: Kaiousan.

Sighing she pushed herself up and stared a bit longer, letting herself imagine, just a mere lingering thought, the two of them out there. Walking in the sand laughing, and that girl in a billowing white sun dress which flowed about her ankles while she walked. Her long hair blowing behind her in the wind, Haruka's fingers reaching out to touch-

Haruka's eyes widened. What made her think of that suddenly? Then she realised, this vision, it was a memory of her parents so long ago, happy and in love. Her mothers fine sun dress, that tied around the neck, and layers of thin gossamer material that billowed as she walked barefoot and held out her hand to Haruka who was barely four years old. Perhaps that's why she took Morgan here so long ago, it was a place for lovers and happiness. It held some of her happiest times, some of the safest times. Protected by the slow ticking hand of time, the excuses that being a child gave, the peace of mind when you're small, it was priceless.

Idly she ran her hand through her hair thinking as she descended the stairs and did a turn about in the kitchen again. Well if she was going to stay here for a week, then she would need some food. She didn't like the prospect of starving even if it meant the possibility of eating her own cooking. She smirked a bit and ran a phone conversation outloud to herself jokingly.

"Hey Morgan, I was wondering if you and you're new beau would like to join me for dinner, yeah, you cook." She chuckled and shut the cabinet door. Grabbing a sheet of paper towel, the poor bachelor scrolled a make shift shopping list ignoring such details as plastic cups and forks. She grabbed her keys and suddenly had a passing thought. Would this be it for the rest of her life? The events marked only by coming and going, arriving and leaving? Was it her destiny, or just her nature to do this? She always felt like she was leaving some place to arrive to another. Would there ever be a time in her life that she could stand still and just watch the world for once?

Haruka walked down to the beach, the high noon sun beaming down to her, warming her skin. She picked up a palm sized stone and tossed it into the churning waves. It hit with an unheard 'plunk'. She threw a few more, each going further each time, till a small sweat formed on her brow. She breathed feeling a little bit better, so much so that she hadn't been bothered to move until a wave washed over her legs.

"Kuso! ... well, I better change now." Although she acted annoyed she was secretly a bit glad, it gave her a reason to get out of those old clothes, without admitting to the world and her destiny that she was all right with everything that's been happening in her world lately.

"First clothes, then food...then.." Then what? She glanced back at the water, mind fighting over heart. Oh well since it was on the way she might as well stop and get something.

"Chai." She muttered and smiled a bit. Not that she was going just to see her or anything.

'I think this time I'll make her so nervous she'll drop the cup.' Haruka grinned and it made her eyes glow again. She went to take a shower, laying out some nice looking yet casual clothes, and her cologne.

An hour later Haruka was zooming down the highway feeling better then she had in days. A loud song on the radio made her feel so alive as she sung along. The wind was drying her short hair which was always so soft after she bathed, she missed having fingers run through it. She cranked up the radio and enjoyed the clear highway, her only lucky break that day considering the festival made everything crowded. She changed gears, her other hand on the steering wheel. She enjoyed the vibration of the car beneath her, the sun on her neck, and the warm plastic and leather interiors which somehow still held the new car smell. Somehow everything seemed right when she was in her car, she spent a lot of years like this thinking.

The spring warmth felt great. The morning seemed pretty dismal at first but maybe it would brighten after all.

The ride was over too soon as she rounded the corner and pulled up into a local grocery store, the one adjacent to café Luna. She had seen some of the employees carrying gallons of milk desperately across the parking lot during the rush last time she was here. The place was deceivingly big for Artists Alley, and it looked smaller on the outside then it was. She loved the little stores in the Alley, she was fond of the home made items, and thought they seemed to have more care put into them then the manufactured kind. This shop in particular carried a variety of things, from vitamins, and organic foods, to produce, western food and Asian food. It was great for Haruka who could be all American and buy hot dogs, and yet still pick up some ramen and curry. No one said she returned from her tours here guilt free, she also had gotten a sweet tooth and decided when she went in to look for a box of chocolate chip cookies. Or better yet…supplies for s'mores. Yup, that sounded about right.

With a wistful glance at the café, Haruka got out and went in determined to buy enough food that she could manage to both survive and not burn down her beach house.

"Yosh!" Haruka vowed and scooped up one of those 'grocery basket things' and went about her business feeling oddly domestic again.

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The afternoon had passed uneventfully in comparison of that morning for Michiru. She for the most part didn't let herself think about what Lady Anigusta said. For one thing she had been so busy getting ready for work, and the café was so packed she was too busy to think. The last thing she needed was to be distracted from all the things she said running through her head.

After returning from Lady Anigusta's Michiru had ran around like a mad woman changing into her clothes and had a hard time trying to find where she last flung her apron. Slipping on her shoes, she dashed out the door and down the steps knowing shed have to run the block and a half there or shed be late. It was too bad for her she avoided sports besides swimming, because she was almost out of breath by the time she arrived. Running wasn't her thing.

Another reason she tried not to think about her words, was that it made her sad. It made her wonder if she had what it took to be who she was, and that was something that was too much to think about right then. She began to even stop looking for her latte woman either. It had seemed so long since she saw her, she thought a lot about finding another job lately, the demands of the city people were becoming too much. Half soy half non-fat, one and a half shots, one hundred and seventy five degrees exactly, three and a half pumps of syrup, and the list continued. She was still trying to wrap her brain around the concept of an 'espresso macchiato.' A concept consisting of half and half, foam and two shots poured on top, crosshatched with caramel, all in a teeny tiny little cup. The concept made her head hurt for some reason. Why were people so particular about coffee?

But then when the elderly owner woman would remind her of how helpful Michiru was, she was reminded how she liked her job. Even if she found herself hitting the decaf button by 'accident' a lot more these days.

Upon entering the café she pushed her way through to the counter, nudging her way past the mob of people, her co-worker looked up and smiled.

"Michiru, you look ready for work today, all focus and here early again I see." She kidded and Michiru grinned at her sheepishly. Vaguely she picked up the words of the love song playing in the café over the noise of the city yuppies and protesting locals:

'Oceans apart day after day

And I slowly go insane

If I see you next to never

How can we say forever

Wherever you go

Whatever you do

I will be right here waiting for you

Whatever it takes

Or how my heart breaks

I will be right here waiting for you'

Michiru snapped out of her day dream when the espresso machine stopped steaming and poured the next latte. Her days here were always measured by how many gallons of milk a day they went through, or by how many lattes she made; Latte, after latte, after-.

"Hey Michiru, switch with the new girl and take the register, I gotta train her on making drinks before the customers accuse her of far worse then your average coffee misdemeanour."

Michiru shrugged and wiped her hands. "Sure."

She took the register and tried to handle the customers one at a time ignoring the overwhelmingly long line which was so uncharacteristic for this café.

Once in awhile as a habit Michiru would look up every moment or two and check to see how many people were still in line. When she glanced up this time, she wasn't prepared for who she saw nudging their way in. Her stomach seemed to fall through the floor; the same angular face and 'better then thou' expression.

'What are they doing here! This cant be happening..'

The captain of the football team and his friend jockeys from her home town, here. Her worst fear, that this foul person would step into her safe haven. And here she thought the day was going to be dull.

"Yeah she's gotta be some where around this piss poor town. She can't hide from me forever, you'll see."

Michiru paled and stepped back, sliding behind the espresso machine as she tried to gain time to think. One other co-worker, Jason, was wiping down tables on her right side. His shift just started and he whistled under his breath, taking in her direction. "Man, busy day already?"

He took one look at Michiru and he looked concerned.

"Hey are you okay, you don't look so well.."

Michiru untied her apron feeling kinda nauseated and hoped she looked as sick outside as she felt inside.

"Ah..yeah..I have a horrible..flu or something..Do you think you could step in for me, Id appreciate it." Michiru crumbled her apron and peered behind the espresso machine again the jocks three people behind the counter. Jason came from the lobby to her side at the register in seconds.

"Yeah sure, go home and sleep it off, your record is too spotless to say no."

"Thanks I owe you one! Listen, if anyone asks for me..." Jason looked worried and glanced out into the customers spotting the unruly heathens who were currently having a contest to see who could eat the most cream and sugar packets.

"Yeah sure, I'll cover you.. Go out the back way..no one but us knows its there."

Michiru nodded gratefully, "Thanks Jason, you were always like a brother to me.." She smiled before slipping to the back.

"Don't mention it." He said quietly his cheeks tinting a bit red.

The rowdy boys stood oblivious as Michiru slipped out the back, too busy talking about how boring the town was and how much they wished they could ditch their family to have a drinking party in the woods.

Haruka meanwhile, put her groceries into the trunk and glanced again at the café debating to go in or not. It was booming in there, and yet she was sure shed see her favourite but clumsy Barista.

Walking in she took her place in line behind some really obnoxious riffraff whom she's never seen before, she inwardly groaned and glanced up at the front scanning behind the counter for... nothing in particular. A scone perhaps, or maybe a muffin.

"Yup, I swear I'll get her to come back. I don't know what she sees in tthis place anyway." The captain continued. Haruka was only barely listening and glanced at her watch. Oh god she was becoming one of 'those' customers. Now all she needed to do was to sigh and grunt in sheer torturous agony at the minute long wait before she got her caffeine fix.

"I always thought she was weird, liking a place like this just confirms it." The guy on his right asked laughing. "What do you see in her anyway?"

"Kaiousan is the most gorgeous piece of ass in the whole country! What else? Besides it would be like the ultimate touch down if Michiru and I-"

Haruka attention went from zero to one hundred as her eyes arched in an amused yet pissed fashion. Kaiousan..Her Kaiousan? Were these punks planning to do something, or say something to her? True Haruka hardly knew her, but somehow she felt like Kaiousan was still a lady and deserved respect.

"You're holding up the line." She pointed to the three feet they had to go before the guy could take their order. He didn't look to happy to see them either for some reason.

"Oh excuse me, how rude of us. You know, why don't you cut in front. Lady's first!" They all snickered. Haruka was royally pissed now. She stepped up into his face, herself being at least a foot taller then him, and about the same if not greater in build.

"Im sorry, I wasn't aware this line was for pricks only." A lot of the other butches and femmes in the café smirked, turning their attention to the scuffle. This was the Haruka they knew.

"Hey you gotta problem, Sir?" Although his voice didn't sound as confident as before as Haruka loomed over him. Now the guy behind the counter stirred a bit torn between the duty to stop the fight, and the desire to watch it.

"Hey man, don't mess with him.. That's Haruka Tenoh.. He's like famous." A third guy stammered recognising Haruka at last, at least her media persona.

"Oh yeah, who's side are you on anyway? I don't care if he's the king of England, he's starting to really piss me off!"

A lot of the other butches and guys in the café stood up and walked over surrounding the young men. If an outsider messes with one of their own, then there was a price to pay.

"I think you outta order your drinks and beat it gentlemen, before we show you some real hospitality."

"Forget it, we don't need to come to some rundown place like this. Come on guys, lets go."

"But what about-"

"Another time, lets go." They pushed their way past Haruka who smirked as they left.

"Thanks fellas, I owe you all." She said grinning to the guys who were regaining there seats.

"Nah Haruka, those guys were grinding on our last nerve anyway. Way to take out the trash in here, eh Jason?" The man behind the counter looked relieved that there was no bloody noses or black eyes.

"What will it be Haruka, the usual?" He asked as she stepped up.

"No, I'm cutting back on the caffeine. Just a chai.." She was beaming, she hoped Kaiousan had seen. She scanned behind the counter, no one else was with him. She frowned a bit and sighed. She wasn't there after all, she defended her name, and she wasn't even there.

Jason looked up knowingly, his brow arched in amusement. This was the woman Michiru always looked at wistfully, and now it seemed Haruka returned the favour. What luck.

"Looking for someone?"

Haruka shook her head and handed him the money not waiting for her change. "No."

The Barista looked a bit doubtful but smiled anyway and handed Haruka her chai. She was almost disappointed when he didn't even mess up once. She felt mad at herself because she knew darn good and well that she came there just to see Kaiousan, it was silly of her. Sighing she left the café and walked to her car again opening the door. So much for being the heroic knight, Haruka glowered.

Well, while she's here she might as well enjoy the weather, she needed a place to think. Or maybe a place she needed to go just to make sure it was over or not, if she was even at liberty to make Kaiousan believe she might be interested or not.

Haruka drove to the park on the boarder of the alley right before the exit you take to get to highway forty three and picked a space turning off the engine again. She took a moment to gather herself then stepped out. This was the park she had asked Morgan to marry her in, and the place they had their first date in high school as well. She figured if she could handle this, then she was getting better. Still it made her stomach clench a bit as she sat down on their bench and nursed her chai. Why had she let herself see her again? And so soon after the wounds from Morgan, however small now, were beginning to heal? She leaned a bit on the metal bench making it creak under her weight with each movement. It was an irritating distraction, and yet it took her back to her youth and the way the jungle gym would squeak and creak in places. Haruka smiled to herself. In school she preferred sports to the jungle gym at recess, only using it as a way to show off for the girls. Usually though she would be found roughing up the boys, joining in their games of kick ball or soccer, or jumping off on the highest swing anyone ever saw. She liked it because for a moment it felt like she was flying, and the wind rustled past her ears and blew her hair.

And when she was playing sports, running or racing, she felt..normal. She felt whole.

"I knew I'd find you here..." A female voice began. "I tried to call but the cell was out of range.. Can we talk?"

She tried with a wince to hold onto those memories, those wholesome times, but they slipped through her fingers like silk at the sound of the voice. Haruka knew who it was before she even looked up, she shrugged and stood tossing her cup out. Sometimes, especially lately, she wished for the simplicity of being a child again.

"Sure, Morgan."

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Michiru quickened her pace taking a round about way from the back around the café. Protests were being discussed as she caught a glimpse of conversation by the fountain. She tried not to look like she was being chased or anything, but her heart was pounding. What if they don't leave? Will she have to move again? Did they see her?

She took every back alley she knew of and in the process got lost a couple of times and ended up wandering for about ten minutes. Eventually she ended up walking into a park on the edge of the alley. She wasn't sure which direction to go now, and her head was pounding. She did feel sick after all, and sore. Michiru miserably walked a few more places deciding to put her apron back on rather then hold it. As she looped it over her head she looked up and realised she was about six yards behind the mysterious latte woman who had been haunting her dreams for almost a month now. She ran off the path and behind the row of bushes that defined the path, ducking behind a tree. She panted quietly as she watched the tall blonde exchange heated words with a smaller shoulder length red haired woman. Michiru's eyes flashed in anger as the woman smacked Haruka across the face, she touched her own face in response somehow feeling the sting as well, brows knitting.

"Over! Don't you get it! Stop bothering me about it, Haruka!" The woman had shouted to the blonde whose hands clenched at her sides.

Michiru gasped her eyes wide. Haruka... Tenou Haruka! Was that the woman Lady Anigusta mentioned? She felt kinda woozy suddenly as everything seemed to be in a new light. She leaned against a tree nearby. So that's the woman who caused Haruka so much pain. Her cheeks burned, as she glared at the short haired woman in the mini business suit, hating her more already. Her latte woman was Haruka, all this time. The outstandingly talented girl who took piano lessons in the Alley and whose fiancé's mother, broke Anigusta's heart those many decades ago?

"Can't you just hear me out?" Haruka yelled. The red haired woman turned away from her scowling.

"Why else did you come back here, to this same spot for? Just wanted to twist the knife a bit more!"

"I came to say Goodbye Haruka!..For good. I'm leaving the city. I'm leaving everything." She retorted quietly, business like almost.

"Leaving.. where?" Haruka asked her hands clenched in her pockets, her groceries forgotten in the car. Her face was red but her voice was calm even though she was so passionate before. She was so calm it made Michiru shiver, Morgan seemed not to notice.

"To live with-" A car went passed whooshing out the name from earshot and stopped close to the two arguing woman. Michiru couldn't hear over the idling engine so she crept closer.

Haruka seemed to have taken a few steps forward as if she couldn't believe what she heard. Morgan continued quickly, annoyed by Haruka's exasperation.

"He's a land developer, and was only in the area a short time to try and reshape this town into something greater, something much more then college kids and stray cats. But the damn hippie protesters had an act of some sort passed, and its not worth all the legal trouble now. Personally I would have been glad to see it paved down, nothing but an over run wood stock, if you ask me." Haruka's eyes widened and the tips of her ears got red, something she did when she was really angry. How did her sweet Morgan get so bitter?

"You can't mean that; You know this place is so much more then that." Morgan scowled looking down. "And what kind of creep is he anyway, when you cant see the beauty and richness of this town?" Haruka said in contempt, regretting already how impassioned she was getting.

Michiru winced when her creeping caused a twig to snap between her sneaker. She ducked, pressing her cheek against the damp earth and froze her heart beating wildly. Both of the women turned, but didn't see her.

Morgan merely crossed her arms and shrugged. "I'm sick of this town and its ghosts."

"Well I guess that's it then. All wrapped up." Haruka said knowing for sure the Morgan she knew had died. "Thanks for everything, really."

"Don't be like that, please...you know it wouldn't have worked, Tenou-kun" Michiru noticed how Haruka stiffened when she addressed her so formally.

"Yeah I know. Its just a damn shame.. It had been beautiful you know, between us-" She admitted doggedly. Love is a precious mask of illusion.

"Yes.."

"He's waiting then?" Haruka heard herself ask.

"Yes. I should go now."

Despite either of them, Haruka pecked her cheek goodbye, the sensation somewhere between boiling rage, and the thick tugging feeling of sweet regret. It was so thick in her throat, Haruka couldn't breathe. Not only did she loose her once, but now twice, forever. The best part of her adolescence, her teen years, so full of nervous uncertainty, of bittersweet bliss, walking away.

Morgan went briskly off in the direction of the car that had temporally obstructed Michiru's hearing. As she had slammed the door, it pulled out of the park in a screech of rubber on gravel.

Haruka wondered, distantly, dazed, if somehow this was Morgan's psychological way of soothing all the pain her mothers affair caused, by having one of her own, and hurting someone else in the same way. Abuse is like ripples in a pool, they echo out forever in different generations unless stopped. Haruka hoped though that if anyone benefited from this experience, it would be Morgan. Haruka knew eventually she could handle the pain, it would just take a lot of time, or so she thought. But there was one thing she knew for sure, it was clear to her like a beacon, like an allergic reaction, rippling over her body. She didn't want the city any longer, not right now. Morgan could have it, the land developers and the non-fat extra hot latte people, as well. Trembling from emotion, rage, shame, guilt, sadness, disgust, Haruka quickly made her way up the path. She needed the peace and solitude of her car, she needed the safe haven of her childhood, she didn't want to be seen anymore. She didn't want to feel anymore.

As Haruka walked the clouds broke and it begun to rain again. It caused the newly budding leaves to rustle and forced the rest of the remaining blossoms off the branches. The scene was now collecting with pain, as if each rain drop was represented by it.

It was another season shift, summer was coming. Nature tore away the scabs to allow new growth. Soon leaves would replace the flowers. But somehow it was so very sad, watching the last delicate petals go. If they did represent young love, their love, it was being washed down the storm drain; literally. This was the very place Haruka proposed those years ago. She made a sort of noise which resembled a gasp and a cry of pain, but it was quiet, and if Michiru had known how much the blondes demeanour from before had diminished, that would have been worse of all for her to witness.

As it was she still felt so bad for Haruka. Wiping away a tear, Michiru got to her feet. Her muscles trembled and stiffened in protest from being so still and stiff all that time. Rain plastered her aqua hair to her cheeks in thin ringlets. Vaguely she acknowledged a scratchy throat, and her face felt so warm. The fluky weather and her off sleeping last night must've made her vulnerable to this changing weather.

'I gotta get out of here before she thinks I was spying on purpose..'

Heart pounding she walked back a few paces and then turned breaking into a full out run in the direction to which she came, vowing to take every back alley until she was home again.

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Haruka heard the footsteps and looked in that direction, somewhere on her left, eyes narrowing. Had someone been spying on her? She caught a glimpse of blue apron strings and white bottoms of sneakers. Shocked, she let out a shuttering sob of crumbling pride and growing anger. How..why.. did she always show up in her life when she wasn't wanted. Haruka's social life, she felt, was possibly the only thing she could control and this girls way of popping into it whenever she wanted irritated Haruka. Why wasn't she there then Haruka needed to see her? When it was okay enough to be seen, when Haruka was willing to let her in?

She didn't know what she was doing, but she tore after the fleeing form. Her athletic legs carried her twice as fast, and soon she knew before even touching her arm, or making her face her, that it had been the young woman from café Luna. Always lately, in her dreams, those eyes, that stare, haunted her and she woke up reaching out for Morgan's side of the bed. And then today at the beach, this woman's presence haunted her still. Haruka liked her privacy and this young woman was not invited into it without her permission like this The way she made her feel, surprised and scared Haruka and she didn't think she was ready to feel it again, to possibly love again. It was too soon, specially now, after this. After she went to see her, after she allowed such kind thoughts about her. After Morgan rejected her, why now?

"Why!" Haruka yelled her voice raw from the pain. She couldn't tell from what, be it her tears, or the rain, but water streaked down her strong face, and made her eyes strain nearly closed.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-." Michiru stammered, feeling Haruka's mix of rage and pain as her pride had been so wounded as this. Haruka grabbed both of her shoulders making her look up into her eyes. Michiru's face flushed, despite how pale and cold she felt, shivering from the icy spring rain. "I'm sorry." She said again, as Haruka let her go, her eyes too much for the blonde to bare right then, the emotion piercing her. Despite what those eyes told her, she had to know, and the rage she felt wouldn't let her stop there.

"Do you enjoy watching people in pain, or prying into their lives?" Normally Haruka wouldn't react this way, but the raw sting of Morgan's rejection, and the natural desire to confess herself to the girl made Haruka ever more wary and frustrated.

"Iie..Gomen nasai!" Michiru answered weakly over the rain over and over, which hardly made a sound at all, her voice being raw and exposed since she had been running all the way from the café through the back roads, and the gulp fulls of cool air made her chest ache. Vaguely now, she knew where she was, and could somehow detect the shoreline in the distance nearby, closer them she expected. Her mind began to mesh dream and reality into one, as her eyes unfocused. She wanted to reach out and smooth the older woman's hair, the pain caused wrinkles on her forehead, the tears she would swear was rain on the corners of her eyes. Then she finally made the connection between the lover in her dreams with this blurry outline of her café woman. All this time, she had been dreaming of her. She felt so dizzy and tired.

"Well? Did you hear what I said?" Haruka barked, as the young woman swayed on her feet. Haruka's eyes widened as she instinctively reached out and caught the woman mid fall, sweat and rain collecting in little drops against her feverish forehead.

"Michiru-" Haruka remembered from over hearing the boys. Had she been running from them all this time? Is that why she wasn't at the café? Haruka frowned a bit, suddenly feeling very awkward and ashamed. Michiru wasn't spying, she was just walking through, or trying to. Haruka had over reacted. Again, another reason she should stop using these troublesome things called emotions.

She adjusted the limp woman in her arms into a more secure position and scowled. Her scowl turned into a anxious glance as the street was deserted and she had no idea where the girl lived. She could take her to the café, turn her into the manager, explain what happened but that would be embarrassing for both of them. And what if those boys came back? Did Michiru have anyone who could protect her? And why did she care?

Cursing, Haruka strolled to her car and laid the soaked Michiru into her back seat and got in herself slamming the door. She roared the engine into life, and despite the slight spring humidity, she flicked on the heater hoping it would help reduce Michiru's chills. Flicking on the windshield wipers, she allowed herself a moment to think. Glancing back at Michiru in the mirror, Haruka tapped the steering wheel. Well, what else could she do? It would just be best to take her to crash on her sofa, just until she wakes up or her fever breaks, one or the other, she reasoned. But carrying a young woman in her arms, in the middle of the day unconscious was suspicions even for the city. Besides that it would cause too much media publicity. She had no choice, shed have to take her to the one place she felt safe, where no one remembered her. Where the only other person besides her who had stepped into it for at least twenty years, was Morgan.

So, Haruka pulled out, and headed south away from the city and Artists Alley. Soon the salty stretch of coastline, stormy and angry crested with churning foam, peeked out from the edge of the highway. Haruka despite the rain and circumstance, cracked the window just a bit and took in the air, feeling a rushing mix of nervous excitement. There was no other way, no where else she could go. They were zooming back toward the coastline beach house. Haruka could somehow give Michiru refuge there, although she didn't understand the real significance this could be for the girl, after Michiru saw that suspicious car in the morning and the rowdy customers Haruka ran into going inside the café. Maybe this was a bit of a refuge for herself as well, at least now she had some company. No she couldn't think that way, this was very serious. There was an unconscious girl in her back seat, and she had just screamed at her like a maniac, for no reason. Haruka's brows furrowed and she clenched the steering wheel. Perhaps in the morning they could be more civil to each other, and Haruka could make it up to her. Glancing at the beauty in the back seat, Haruka hoped she wouldn't be accused of kidnapping in the morning.

"How do I get myself in these situations?" She asked. Michiru simply stirred a lone tear slipping down her cheek as she dreamed.

The setting sun and the world as she knew it blurred into wet crimson and purple as they sped down the highway.

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