A/N - Er, hey. Okay just to let you know this is more a transition chapter (nice wording impersonal ;)) and thanks to impersonal for being my long-suffering beta-reader and anything smexxiful or decent in this chapter is probably her work, so if (when) you review please don't forget to leave some love for her! Anyways, I'm gonna shut up and let you enjoy this chapter! -VR

CHAPTER 8 – MY BEST FRIEND'S MEDDLING

"Seriously! 'I won't make any rash decisions'! What the fuck?!"

I watched in absolute shock and horror as my best friend slammed our front door behind her and resolutely walked up to me. I looked quickly to Setsuna and saw her eyebrows were knitted and she threw me a look of confusion.

Chibiusa grabbed my arm and forcefully pulled me from Setsuna and pushed me back. She faced Setsuna and began ranting and raving.

"She's a minor! Underage, Setsuna-san! Does the term jailbait mean nothing to you? Jesus H Christ, what is wrong with you!" Chibiusa swirled around on the spot and I could see her face was almost as pink as her hair. She was flailing her arm with every word she said.

"And you! Hotaru, you told me you wouldn't do anything rash or make any stupid mistakes!"

I rolled my eyes as my best friend gave a pointed look to Setsuna. Chibiusa whipped her head back around to me, her lips were in a thin line, her eyes were blazing and she was breathing heavily.

"So, what the fuck, Hotaru, were you doing kissing her?!" Chibiusa threw an accusing finger towards Sets.

I sighed heavily and looked up at my best friend.

"Sit down, Chibi... please?"

My best friend gave a disgusted snort directed at me. "Uh, no!" Chibiusa crossed her arms and began agitatedly tapping her foot on the floor.

I sighed once more and looked up into confused burgundy eyes.

"I... You said she knew, Hotaru."

I closed my eyes at the simple statement and coughed to clear my throat – was it me or was the room suddenly stifling hot? No, it really was. I pulled at my collar and breathed deeply two or three times.

"She-she knew about my feelings for you... I didn't get around to telling her..." I trailed off and felt like a pathetic five year old who just got their hand caught in the cookie jar.

I looked up and saw Setsuna's crimson eyes staring at me with understanding and Chibiusa's ruby red eyes glaring at me in disappointment.

"Wait! How long has this been going on?!" Chibiusa's face was raised but now there was no anger in her voice... only hurt.

"A while."

Okay that came out like an immature kid not wanting to answer the question directly. I could have slapped myself at my lameness. Jesus, here was my best friend and I couldn't even bring myself to telling her the truth; the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

Kind of like a court oath, eh?

Before I could answer, Setsuna cleared her throat.

"It's time for school."

I gawked at her random statement and was about to argue that now wasn't the time to bring up school but Setsuna raised a hand, instantly silencing me.

"I don't want either of you to be late. Let's go."

I noted the coldness in Setsuna's voice and I gulped. I spared a sideways glance to my friend and saw she was shaking her head and clucking her tongue but she nodded eventually and led the way to the car out front.

Setsuna grabbed her keys and I took a step towards her. She clenched her jaw and shook her head.

"Don't, Hotaru. Just don't."

I watched on as Setsuna silently made her way to the car. I gave out a deep sigh.

Today is going to be hell.

"Soooo..." Chibiusa drawled out the vowel for as long as humanly possible before looking over at me and her eyes radiating annoyance. This car journey was taking longer than I would have liked.

"So what?" My best friend tilted her head to one side and raised an un-amused eyebrow towards me.

"Um, jeez, I dunno... so... when the freaking hell, were you going to tell me you were getting it on with grandmother time here?"

Chibiusa flailed her arms once more and I could see from the corner of my eye that Sets had clenched her jaw at being called 'grandmother time'. Before I could say anything I saw Chibiusa cringed and looked over to Setsuna.

"S-sorry, Setsuna-san, I didn't mean you were old like a grandmother... just that you were..."

"Old?" Setsuna supplied for my friend who grimaced and nodded slowly.

"Yeah! Well... older than us anyway."

A very awkward silence filled up the car and all that could be heard was the noise the indicator made when Setsuna made a right turn into another lane.

"Look, I'm sorry, okay?"

I don't think I could have been more shocked if Mike Tyson appeared from nowhere and knocked seven shades of crap out of me.

Chibiusa was apologising to me? To me?!

"Sorry?"

Chibiusa nodded he head and cleared her throat, I noted a slight rise of pink making its way to her flushed cheeks; thank God this time not out of anger but embarrassment.

"For shouting at you... both of you. It just took me by shock. It's like one day you're IM'ing me and telling me that Setsuna-san is giving you the cold shoulder and then I walked into your house and see you two getting your freak on... it kinda threw me off."

I let out a breath I didn't know I had been holding.

"It's okay, Chibiusa, it's my fault... things just kind of happened. But I swear I was going to tell you today! I was!"

I watched as my friend nodded at me. She looked out of the window and I swear I could see the remnants of a small smile playing on her face.

"I believe you Hotaru... you've never lied to me before…"

She turned to face me and then she gave me her trademark devious smirk, "But! Try to make sure no-one else finds out by catching you two making out!"

She began laughing hysterically…

Myself and Setsuna paled.

Chibiusa's laughter died down as she sensed the tense atmosphere. She looked at me questioningly and I answered her unasked question.

"Well, uh... Michiru-mama... sorta walked in on us... making out." I blushed furiously at my last two words.

I looked over to Chibiusa and saw her mouth was wide enough to fit in three or four birds' nests. She looked from Setsuna to me and her eyes looked as though they were about to pop out of her head.

"NO WAY! Ohmigod! Well... damn don't I feel stupid? If your parents know and you're both still alive – "

"No... only Michiru-mama knows... and she was not happy."

I frowned as I remembered the look of disappointment in my mother's eyes. There was another silence and Chibiusa formed a small 'O' with her lips and sat back.

"I don't know how to tell Haruka-papa. Michiru-mama has given me – "

"Us."

My eyes darted to the driver's seat of the car. I looked into the rear-view mirror and saw Setsuna offer me a somewhat comforting look – there was no smile to accompany that look, it was just an odd fierceness in her eyes accompanied with the protective tone of her voice - but it gave me enough to bring a smile to my own face.

"Us... Michiru-mama has given us until New Year to tell Haruka-papa."

I looked at Chibiusa who seem to be counting off something on her hand, she turned to me and gave me her 'so what?' look.

"Uh... New Year is like forever away! Jeez, you had me worried. I thought she gave you like 24 hours or something!"

As I watched my friend giggle in her seat, I sighed and began rubbing my temples furiously. I could tell I would need to be on some major painkillers for the headache that would plague me later today.

"I don't think you get it Chibi... Michiru-mama gave me until New Year, yeah that's right, but she knows now! That means that every time I see her, every time I look at my own mother, she'll be looking at me... at us, with her judging eyes. And did you stop to think for a moment Chibi? I turn 18 on January 5th... I have to tell my father before then that I'm having a relationship with not only one of her best friends, but also someone who, up until a few months ago, I thought of as a parent."

I turned to my now dumbfounded BFF and saw she was staring at me; mouth agape. "So forgive me if I'm on edge for the next two months, thinking of how I'm undoubtedly, going to break my father's heart. Of course, while remembering that Haruka-papa could very well do anything rash considering that I'm a minor and Setsuna is an adult... I just don't know what to do!"

And that was when I felt my body give into my emotional state. Everything caught up with me; Diana, Michiru-mama, having to tell Haruka-papa, my feelings for Setsuna, the reaction we would get from our other friends and family... how would people would treat us.

I hate those judging eyes.

I stayed in my seat, silently shaking as tears trickled out from my eyes and cascaded over my cheeks; I lifted my hand to wipe my tears but found that only provoked more and soon I was sobbing uncontrollably; my cheeks became hot from my rising temperature no doubt caused from over exerting myself physically with crying. My shoulders were slumped and I felt Chibiusa crawl closer to me and hold me gently.

"Hota-chan, don't cry. Please, don't cry."

I could hear my own friend's voice begin to falter. I wasn't sure when but the car must have come to a halt at some point in between my tears; I felt the door on my side open up and I felt my entire body being enveloped into an indescribable warmth. Two arms were around me holding me tight, as I felt a face near me gushing out warmth near my cold forehead.

I felt safe and secure as Setsuna wrapped her arms around me.

I knew Chibiusa had let go because all I could feel was Setsuna; she stroked my hair tenderly and spoke into my ear soothingly.

"Hime... don't cry... it's okay. We'll do it when it suits you. Calm down, breathe...please?"

I kept crying and I felt Setsuna pull back slightly, the pads of her thumbs gently caressed my skin as she wiped away some of my tears. She kissed me gently on the cheek and pressed our foreheads together; we both ignored Chibiusa's presence.

"I-I-I don't want to lose you, Sets!"

I felt her lips gently touch my forehead and some more of my tears fell from my eyes. She gripped me around the waist and brought my close to her and I inhaled her scent – Lord knows when the last time would be I would ever see her after Haruka-papa finds out.

"I'll always be here, Hotaru."

I was instantly reminded of our time at the airport.

The time when she said that then I didn't see her for nearly ten years. I couldn't have that.

I needed her.

I loved her.

I gripped Setsuna and pulled my head back, my tears ceasing for now. Setsuna pulled her head back too and looked curiously at me.

I needed her.

I lunged forward and caught her lips with mine. I heard a distinct 'gasp' from beside us but I blocked out all sound except from Setsuna; I heard her moan lowly into my throat and I closed my eyes tightly – I was engraving this into my memory. I needed to remember the way she sounds, the way she feels and the way she tastes.

We pulled back and our breathing was ragged and mingled with one another. She still had one hand around my waist and the other was on my neck, holding onto me gently, trembling slightly.

She felt the same and I just knew it, there was no real logic behind it but I just knew she felt the same.

I kept my eyes closed but spoke quietly.

"I need to break up with Diana... then I'll talk to Haruka-papa afterwards."

The sound of a throat being cleared caused me to look at my pink-haired best friend. Chibiusa smiled sheepishly at me.

"I, er, I'll come with you... I am your best friend after all."

I smiled at Chibiusa. Thank God I still had my best friend throughout all this. We shared a smile and I knew, she knew, I was grateful for her.

"You two had better go. School starts in five minutes. I'll pick you both up here at four."

Setsuna shuffled out of the car, she stopped and leaned down and gave me a quick peck on the lips. It was reassuring... and arousing – damn her!

I whimpered and heard my best friend snort playfully and shove me in the back.

"Come on, red eyes... let's get you fixed up before class."

I shook my head playfully and stepped out of the car, as I stood up I couldn't help but notice how close I was to Setsuna. I blushed heavily as she smiled gently once more and stroked my cheek lovingly.

"Urgh, it's so sweet I could get a cavity."

Chibiusa shuffled out of the car and passed me. I rolled my eyes at her before turning back to Setsuna, only to find she was closer than before and before I knew it she had leant in and captured my lips.

In public.

Okay, we were in a fairly dormant street a few minutes away from school but still! Anyone could see! But...

It didn't stop me from kissing back.

Warmth spread throughout me and as soon as I was flooded with it, I was deprived of it.

I pouted at Setsuna as she got back into the car and gave me a little smirk.

"I'll see you two... now hurry up... you'll be late."

I narrowed my eyes playfully at her and began walking with Chibiusa in silence towards our school.

As soon as our school came into sight I looked over at Chibiusa and saw her biting her lip; a telltale sign she was holding back a laugh. I raised one eyebrow at her and pushed open the large double doors of our school.

"What's so funny?"

She shook her head but then looked at me and burst out into uncontrollable laughter.

"I... was..." She trailed off but then managed to control her laughter down to a snicker before linking her elbows with mine and walking down the hallway and lowering her voice, making sure no-one heard.

"I was just thinking about that time I told you to film anything you did with Setsuna-san... I was only kidding then but I really think we'd make a bomb!"

She smiled at me and I playfully hit her shoulder.

"Ecchi."

I'm glad to have her as a friend... It's like she has this gift for taking my mind off of things, she always has and she's doing that now. Things like Diana... and Haruka-papa.

Damn.

At least I have until New Year.

And I'm not alone.

I have her.

I always will.

A/N 2 - So there that reaaaaaaally long wait and that was it ;) Queen of anti-cimax :P Hehe anyway R&R if you made it this far! Ja ne, -VR