Oh dear it appears i left you all out on the edge... again. Anyway i tried to be as quick as i could writing this chapter without making it seem rushed.

Disclaimer - The fluffy pink bunnies with the laser gun have asked me to say that i don't own Sailor Moon.


"W-What?" Seiya sputtered while Rei's eyes continued to widen and tears began to form. Mostly due to the betrayal of her friends secret, but also because Mina's slap had been very painful. Mina was now rubbing her head and looking quite lost. This was exactly the worst thing that could happen. After years of torment from Haruka, Seiya could hardly be expected to hold back, he'd probably march himself over there any second. She glanced up towards the bar, then flinched and felt her face burn as she realised Haruka's gaze was fixed on their group. She turned quickly away.

Seiya was still reeling from the news, okay so a few weeks ago he'd noticed something was up, but he'd put that down to simply a lovers tiff, nothing so serious as this.

"Why?" he said loudly, Mina and the others immediately shushed him and Makoto pulled him down into a seat beside them,

"Not so loud!" She hissed, "Rei's already proven what a loud mouth can achieve," Rei went even redder.

"Things like this don't just happen!" Seiya hissed back.

"You weren't meant to know anything about it in the first place, which is why we tried to stop you going over," Piped up Ami,
"Well you've told me now, you might as well explain!" he chanced a quick look over at the bar, but recoiled sharply on noticing that Haruka was glaring daggers in their direction. Mina sighed and put her head in her arms on the table.

"Promise me you won't make a jibe, at least not today…" Seiya raised an eyebrow, but he was eager to understand what had caused the unbreakable couple to shatter so suddenly and so he nodded.

"I won't jibe unless she lays into me," Mina sighed, knowing that was the best she was going to get.

"Alright, well we don't know much but from what she's yelled at us and others we figure this much… that Michiru came in earlier this morning after being out all night, and suddenly announced she was leaving. From what we gather the two have been arguing a lot recently but still it was a shock… anyway Michiru said she was with someone else…"
"Someone else?" Seiya wasn't sure whether or not to be surprised, after all his own experience had taught him that Michiru was often flirtatious, however he'd heard that Haruka was just the same and it had never gone further than flirting for either.

"A man, and that's all we know she hasn't gone into any detail…" Said Rei quietly. They all sat in silence for a while. Seiya wasn't sure how to feel… after all this was the woman who'd belittled him and gone to every length to keep him from Usagi, and when she'd succeeded had put a lot of effort into rubbing it in, and yet he couldn't help but feel slightly, ever so slightly, sorry for her. After all he could identify with the pain, to know that the one you loved had someone else.

He got up and began to walk away.

"Seiya?" and Mina stood sharply knocking her chair over, "Where are you going?" she didn't bother picking it up.

"To the bar where else,"

"You said you wouldn't…"
"I never said anything of the sort," He marched right up to the bar, leant on it and ordered his drink, pretending that he had no idea he was stood beside the glaring figure of Haruka. He could feel her eyes stabbing him repeatedly. He wasn't going to say anything, just like he promised; he always kept his word. But still he really did need a drink… and maybe a little part of him hoped that Haruka would offload her anger on him so he could have a good go back, without feeling guilty.

"Come to gloat I guess Kou," she said, the tone was new to Seiya; whenever they'd spoken she was always so cocky and strong, now her voice was quiet and cracked. Not showing his surprise, not even looking at her Seiya answered.

"I came for a drink,"

Haruka smirked and cleared her throat.

"What… not one little mocking observation, no sarcastic remark?" Seiya stayed silent, she was trying to rile him, trying to start an argument, trying to vent her anger on him. Well if she wanted to vent she'd have to do it herself, because despite the fact that he would have liked nothing better than to offload his frustration, he was also well aware that the scouts were watching him closely.

Haruka was more annoyed by his silence than anything, he wasn't giving her any reason to be angry, and that made her a hundred times angrier than any remark would have. He knew perfectly just how fast she was boiling up, she knew that he had done nothing to warrant being yelled at, and yet that was all she wanted to do, she wanted him to give her a reason, and so he wouldn't give her one.

Instead he simply collected his drink and went to sit back with the scouts. Mina sighed with relief as he sat back down.

"What?" he looked at her pretending to be hurt, "You thought I'd break my promise… Mina I thought you knew me better,"

"I'm sorry but I do know you, and I know Haruka, and I know what you two get like, and with her in this state, I think an argument might end in your demise,"

"I can handle it Mina you worry to much,"
"We're all worried," Said Ami looking down at the table, "I've never seen Haruka like this before,"

The scouts talked about it for a while longer, Seiya wondered briefly whether they'd discussed him like this when he'd disappeared into the apartment for two weeks, he remembered that they'd come over to see him, but he still wasn't in a state to face talking with anyone. After a while he became bored with the conversation and decided that maybe listening to Yaten moan about Mina would be more interesting. So he stood and bade goodbye to the girls and walked out of the café, heading back home.


As he headed down one of the back alleys he often used to avoid being seen on his way back he became suddenly aware that someone was walking behind him. He turned his head briefly and saw a tall blonde haired, rather dishevelled looking woman.

"What do you want Tenoh?" He said turning around. She was silent for a moment, unsure of what to say.

"I said what do you want? Why the hell are you following me,"

"This happens to be my way home!" She spat and walked a little closer,

"If your looking for an argument, I'm not in the mood!"
"Oh I'm sorry I'll come back when it's more convenient shall I?" She glared at him,

"You in my way Kou," Seiya didn't move, okay he'd promised not to make a remark, but he hadn't said he would take orders.

"I suggest you move," She said threateningly. Seiya shook his head and couldn't help allowing a small smirk to cross his face.

"It hurts doesn't it, having nothing to relieve the anger onto,"

"Shut up!"

"You don't order me around Tenoh!"

"This is all your fault!" She practically screamed. That was enough for Seiya, he'd sworn to say nothing as long as she didn't push him, and she'd just gone way beyond his line of patience!

"My fault? Sorry to disappoint you Tenoh but I'm not the one that hopped into bed with Michiru!" he kept his voice perfectly calm, and this only served to frustrate Haruka even more.

"All this started when YOU arrived!" She was still shouting at the top of her voice,

"You know what's really funny…" He smirked again, "The fact that the one person you know that might understand how you're feeling, is the one you want to lay all the blame on, the one you seek out to vent your anger,"

"Don't you dare," Her voice went low and dangerous, "Don't you dare compare my love for Michiru with your childish crush on our Princess… it was that which started all this anyway!"

Seiya couldn't keep the angry shake from his voice any longer, "Are you that narrow minded. You think you're the only one capable of loving someone that deeply!"

"You don't know love… You don't deserve it, and you don't deserve my princess,"
Something suddenly clicked into place in Seiya's mind. My princess?

"Maybe I don't deserve her, that doesn't mean I don't love her with all my soul," It was Haruka's turn to smirk.

"I give it three months before you're off and 'in love' with someone else. The sooner the better I think, once your over her then the rest of us can get on with our lives a little more peacefully,"
"And what about you, are you going to get over her,"
"I don't need to, I'll get Michi back,"

Seiya shook his head, "I wasn't talking about Michiru, I'm talking about Usagi," Haruka's smirk vanished instantly and was replaced with a look of shock.

"What?"
"You think I'm stupid… you think that Michiru is stupid?" he said,

"You have no idea what you're talking about,"
"No see I think I do… and I think that Michiru knows too. You said this all started when I came, when I started chasing Usagi. You hated me long before you knew I was a Senshi, long before anyone else, and I think Michiru noticed that. I think she noticed the cute little pet names, the looks you gave your princess and I think she noticed how far you would go, what you would sacrifice to protect her. I think there were days when she wondered whether you would put Usagi before her,"
"I would never sacrifice Michiru," snapped Haruka, "Never!"

"Never? Not even for the sake of your precious Kitten, your princess. You know what Tenoh, Michiru didn't leave you because of my brothers, or me, or even just because of her, but because of you. She left because she was giving you all her heart and you; you were still giving half of yours to your princess."

Haruka's fist made sudden sharp contact with Seiya's face, and it sent him reeling backwards. As he straightened up and wiped some blood from his lip he realised that Haruka's actions had just confirmed everything he had said, he hadn't even believed half of what he was saying, but it all made sense.

Haruka felt like she did after a race, her heart was pumping and her breathing was sharp and fast. She realised that Seiya was staring at her wide-eyed, and she knew suddenly that she had just confirmed his theory, and she hadn't even realised it until now. There was something strange about the look he was giving her, it was almost as if he felt sorry for her. A knot in stomach tightened, he couldn't be sorry for her, she wouldn't let him, she couldn't bare pity from this man. She glared at him and clenched her fist again.

"She left because your love wasn't all hers and it killed her, it drove her crazy, and it drove her into someone else arms." Looking at her expression he suddenly understood and his voice had softened, "Did you even realise?" Haruka looked down at the floor and her fists clenched tighter.

"How long Haruka?" Her head jerked at the sound of her name, his eyes were searching her face "How long have you loved your princess?"

Haruka stood a few moments her eyes darting back and forth as if looking for an escape, and then she sank to her knees and suddenly did something she had never done before except around Michiru and even then rarely. She cried.

Seiya was in shock; he'd always wondered… it had always been a possibility. After all Haruka had given her own life and the lives of her fellow Senshi to save Usagi against Galaxia.

From Haruka's reaction she had long been denying it to herself, what he had said had broken through her well placed barriers, she'd locked off her feelings channelling them into anger and letting them out on any enemy that dared try to harm her princess. She'd probably even convinced herself, but not Michiru. Michiru must have known, she was highly intelligent and knew Haruka better than she even knew herself.

Now staring at the wreck in front of him, Seiya didn't know what to feel, pity, strangely enough was the thing that clamoured for most attention. Okay so he didn't like her, scratch that he really despised her. But this wasn't her, whoever this person was it wasn't Haruka Tenoh, the woman that showed no fear, no pain, no emotion, the woman he'd thought was a guy when he first met her, the strong soldier that had fought so fiercely against Galaxia, she'd just vanished and left behind this fragile quivering shell. He was about to turn away when a small voice came from her.

"You…" She stopped as her voice cracked. She stood up keeping her head down; her pride had been shattered. Seiya tried to fight the urge to apologise, he had his own pride after all, but it was no use; that nagging little good part of him called conscience had beaten him down.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know what I was talking about I…"

"You're right," She said to the ground, "And to answer your question…" she paused for a moment and then looked him in the eye, her own eyes still holding tears.

"Forever,"

Then she turned on her heel and walked slowly down the alley in the opposite direction, leaving Seiya to simply stare after her in surprise.


"You look like you slammed into a wall," Yaten watched as Seiya collapsed onto the sofa.

"If only that were all, it would make so much more sense," Sighed Seiya his hand over his eyes, but he just couldn't erase the image of Haruka from his mind, he'd never seen anyone so broken since their princess had died to save them three years before. Yaten had walked over and was staring worriedly down at him.

"You didn't run into Usagi did you…?" Seiya shook his head and Yaten's worried look became slightly confused… "Mamoru?"

Seiya shook his head again and Yaten sat down beside him, "Okay I give up,"

"Tenoh,"
"What? What's she done to get you into this state," Seiya stared at him for a moment, could he trust him not to mention it to her… he knew the answer to that, hell no. Still.

"It's more what I've done to her, I said some stuff… I really shouldn't have,"
"Well if you ask me there's nothing to bad you can say about Haruka Tenoh, and if there is it would just bounce off her," Yaten said matter of factly, then seeing that Seiya was still looking the same he rolled his eyes, "Don't beat yourself up, whatever you said she probably deserved it,"

"Maybe she did, maybe she didn't… I don't even know… does someone deserve to know a truth that might break them, from someone they hate."

"Man, I have no idea what you're babbling about but…" There was suddenly a loud bang on the door.

"Who's that!?" Yaten growled and walked over to the door throwing it open, "Mina!" Seiya froze as a very angry looking Mina came into view, she must have spoken to Haruka… he was dead; he knew it.


Also as always any constructive criticism is welcome, i'm always trying to make my writing better