Chapter 22: Shattering a Star

It'd been a week since Bugendai's defeat and still Kiyoko had no answers to her dilemma. Most of the Senshi were occupied. Some with overseeing the repair of damage done during the battle with Bugendai. Some working with Serenity as they combed over planetary security to try and prevent this from happening again. Some dealing with the wayward Sailor Asteroids. Her mother and Helios were helping Botan work through the trauma she'd suffered and decide where her life would go from here. Kiyoko had been avoiding them all, except Setsuna.

She'd spent all of her time either with Endo, Ruka, and Usa-chan out in the city or with Setsuna in the temple. Though that hadn't given her answers either, it was nice to be around someone who knew and understood the situation she was now in. She'd even been avoiding Haruka and Michiru, however that was mostly because she knew the pain Haruka had felt when she thought she'd lost her. Kiyoko was trying to give them the time they needed together.

Today was one she'd chosen to spend in the temple with Setsuna. At the moment she was silently watering the roses, Setsuna simply standing nearby. This was how most of these days had gone. Kiyoko quietly tending to the temple that hand been her charge most of her life while Setsuna just stayed quietly nearby, offering patience and support.

Unfortunately, Kiyoko could sense that Setsuna's patience was beginning to wane. She walked over to Kiyoko and put her hand on the watering can, speaking gently, "Kiyoko, I'm afraid you cannot avoid this much longer. You have to face it."

Kiyoko bit her lip and nodded, "I know Setsuna. I know that I can't keep avoiding it." She chuckled, but it sounded hallow, "We have beaten back the forces of darkness for so long, even longer for all of you than me. I keep hoping for the peace that we enjoyed the first two centuries of my life…. But then I wouldn't have the love, the family, the people that I do now, the purpose I do now."

"I know Kiyoko. There are times even I wish for it. Nonetheless, the future cannot hold endless peace. It is not possible. The balance is always there, good and evil, dark and light. It is needed," Setsuna always spoke with such resignation about things. It was comforting to know that even she wasn't perfect.

Kiyoko whispered, "What do I do then? I know I have to tell her. But how can I tell her without explaining and ruining everything we tried to do?"

The sound of Setsuna's voice was pained, "I am afraid I cannot answer that for you. But I can say that what you did before was the right thing. And so I have faith that what you choose to do now will be also."

"Thank you Setsuna. Thank you for everything this week," Kiyoko said as she set the watering can down and wrapped her arms around herself. She looked down and smiled momentarily, "I will protect what is precious at all costs." As if in response she felt her heart warm again. Then she looked over at Setsuna and spoke firmly, "I am going to tell her tonight, though I'm not certain what I'll say."

Setsuna smiled at her, "You will do what needs to be done and protect those who need to be protected." It was strange, to most Setsuna's words wouldn't make sense. However, Kiyoko knew what she meant and knew that she spoke this way intentionally.

Kiyoko and Setsuna parted ways and Kiyoko made her way back to her chambers, where she knew that Seiya was waiting for her. She also knew that her wife was angry. It made sense though. Seiya was an intelligent woman. She had to know that Kiyoko had been avoiding her and that she was shutting herself off form her psychically, which was no simple task. With a sense of dread and determination, Kiyoko entered her chambers. Seiya stood there with her arms crossed. Shutting the doors behind her, Kiyoko decided to begin, "Good evening Seiya. We need to talk."

"Damn right we do! You've been avoiding me for a week," Seiya said with fire in her eyes.

This was what Kiyoko had been dreading, but she pushed on, "Yes, I have. There's something I've needed to tell you…. But I wasn't certain how."

Seiya replied sharply, "You should know you can tell me anything. We've been together for a decade! We're married now! We shouldn't have secrets between us Kiyoko! What's so terrible you can't tell me?"

Kiyoko's heart wrenched at Seiya's statement about secrets, reminding her of the time she'd spent with Seiya in the twentieth century… The time Seiya no longer knew about because Kiyoko had suppressed her memories in order to preserve the timeline. And though she still felt it had been the right thing to do, Kiyoko also knew Seiya well enough to know that she wouldn't agree. She sighed as she made her decision and responded to Seiya's question, "I'm pregnant Seiya…. I am pregnant with a child that was conceived in the twentieth century."

The look of shock and confusion on Seiya's face was absolute. She actually stammered," What…. What are…. What are you saying?... We never… We never met then…." It was like Kiyoko could sense the neurons firing, the connections forming. Letting her powers go just a little she could see the flashback that Seiya was having. Thinking back to the battle with Bugendai and how Haruka knew that Kiyoko had been sent back. The rage filled her eyes as she shouted, "You slept with her! You slept with Haruka and now….."

Her voice broke and so did her heart. She couldn't look at Kiyoko, Kiyoko understood. She turned from the woman she loved most in the universe, no matter the time or place, and told her with sorrow in her voice, "I think I should leave. I am so sorry." Kiyoko flung the doors open and took off running, the warmth in her heart not even enough to comfort her now. The tears started flowing freely… Her heart shattered as she thought of the betrayal she'd committed in not telling Seiya the truth. Kiyoko wasn't paying attention to where she was going and nearly ran into Haruka.

Haruka shouted to get her attention, unsure what had her so upset, but knowing something did, "Kiyoko! Kiyoko stop!"

Jarring Kiyoko from her tears and inner turmoil, Kiyoko heard Haruka's words and stopped. But when her eyes met Haruka's she couldn't help but cry even harder. Haruka, acting on instinct took Kiyoko into her arms and held, simply trying to calm her. A few minutes later there was a sound from behind Kiyoko, a fist pounding the wall. She turned and saw Seiya staring at the two of them, broken and filled with rage. But the brokenness won this time… The pain was simply too much. She turned and walked away without so much as a word. Kiyoko looked back and up at Haruka, "I am so sorry… But I need your help."

Haruka looking at the empty space where Seiya had stood and sensing the flurry of pain within Kiyoko, nodded and said, "You know I'll do anything I can." Kiyoko nodded, wondering though if this was something Haruka could do. Keeping her arm around Kiyoko to comfort her, she started leading her back to the chambers she shared with Michiru. Kiyoko thought to herself that the future must look so uncertain right now… She wondered if it was giving Setsuna a headache at this point…. Again she felt that warmth in her heart and just let Haruka lead her, hoping that she and Michiru would really do anything… They were duty bound and they were her family after all….

The End…. Until Next Time…..

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