Chapter 5: An Insightful Morning...

The sun had barely begun to rise in the east, as its golden rays peeked through the bedroom's curtains and shone on the room's sole occupant. Her body was clad in her silk nighty while in her arms, was the same plush Killer Whale that she had gotten when she and Haruka visited Sea World just a few days before. Now she was cuddling the rather large stuffed animal as if she were a child hugging up her favorite teddy bear.

So far she and her lover's stay in America had been a pleasant one. Alexander had been a generous host, he had opened up his home to them and treated them as if they were his family. Then again both he and Haruka were cousins so it was no surprise that he treated them as such. But he did not have to treat them like this, he could have very well easily refused to let them stay in his home and tell them to stay at a hotel. But instead he welcomed them in with open arms, showed them nothing but respect and even took the time to show them around the city he lived in. Alex had even treated her as if he had known her for years, even though they had only met just a week ago.

It was then that the aqua haired violinist came to a realization, Alexander was treating her and Haruka the very same way that their fellow senshi had tried to treat them when they first made them selves known. The inner senshi and their princess had showed them nothing but respect and even admiration for the couple. But even though their princess and her inner court respected them, the two lovers were not so kind as to return the feeling. When they looked at the inners, all they saw were a bunch of children that were weaker than them because they allowed love and compassion to hinder their duties as senshi.

It was then that she realized that the other girls, as well as herself and Haruka, were not senshi alone. They were human beings like every other person in the world, they all had their own lives with their families and such in human nature, they were trying to establish social bonds with them outside of just being senshi. But the thing that two lovers were interested at the time was both finding their princess and preventing the "silence" from consuming the world. That was all they cared about, getting the mission done no matter what the cost and now looking back at their actions, the cost could have been much higher. Other that business associates, they really did not have any friends. It was just the two of them and they thought that was all they needed to survive in the world.

It was quite possibly that train of thought that made her agree to Haruka's plan to "help" Galaxia in their fateful battle, but look at where it had gotten them. Now they were on a self imposed exile in America and they did not even know just when they would return to Japan. Let alone if they could ever look into the eyes of their beloved princess and not feel the guilt that was now tearing them up inside. Only time would tell if they could ever be able to live with their actions.

It was then that Michiru noticed that she was alone in bed. Puzzled, the young woman got up from the bed and was about to leave the room when she saw that a small note was left on the room's dressing table.

'Hey Michi,

I got up early and I saw Alex was about to go for a run so I went with him. We should be back in an hour or two.

Love, Ruka.'

'So she just went for a run.' the violinist mused. She knew that Haruka loved to run and would use any opportunity to flex her leg muscles. But she knew Haruka better than any one and she knew that her lover would never wake up at such an unholy hour just to go for a run. She knew that the only time Haruka would ever do such a thing is if she had something on her mind that was troubling her. Well there were things on her mind that was troubling her, considering their new found guilt. But this was the first time since their arrival in America that she had gotten up this early to go for a run.

Michiru began to wonder if her lover was truly alright, if she was just putting on a brave face for her on the outside while the was tearing herself up on the inside, still beating herself up for their actions during that fateful day. Maybe when the time was right she could sit her lover down and they could finally talk, but Haruka was not known to be open when it came to her feelings. All Michiru could do right now was hope that her lover would be able to deal with what ever was troubling her, while she was on her run.

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Haruka could not even remember just when last she had gone running so early in the morning, she along with Alex were now resting on a park bench after spending the last hour or so jogging in the cool morning air. She had asked her cousin if she could go jogging with him when she saw him heading out earlier that morning for a run, Alex agreed and after borrowing a pair of sneakers from him, the two cousin were off.

Now even though the tall blond love running, she normally did not go for a jog in the morning, especially when Michiru had on that silk nighty that she wore every time they went to bed and some times Haruka would ensure that her lover would not have it one when they woke up the next morning. But for the past few weeks her mind had been awash with many thoughts and she had begun to question her actions in the past. They were not just about her actions during the battle with Galaxia, but of her relationship with her princess and the rest of the senshi.

The only reason she and Neptune had acted so coldly towards Sailor Moon and the inner senshi was because that was how it was during the time of the old Moon Kingdom. Serenity had her court to protect her while the Outers main job was to was to defend the solar system from outside threats, hence they saw no reason to socialize with their inner counter parts and why should they? That was how it always was and how it should have always be. But it was only now that she realized that that sort of thinking was obsolete.

The Silver Millennium was long gone, the Moon Kingdom no longer existed and there was no evidence that it ever did. If that were the case, then just why did they (Neptune and herself) always acted so harshly towards their princess when all she wanted to do was be friends with them? This was a new era and from what Setsuna had told them, a new kingdom would rise with their princess becoming queen. But that did not explain just why she along with Michiru were still unable, if not unwilling, to associate themselves with their princess and their fellow senshi.

"Hey Haruka," Alexander's voice brought Haruka out of her deep though, "are you alright?"

"What? Oh. Yea I okay." the tall blond replied. Alex saw the odd look on his cousin's face and said, "Haruka, I know that look. What is bothering you?"

"It's nothing." Haruka replied in her normal, gruff tone. But Alexander was not buying it, "I know you well enough to know when something is on your mind, Ruka. We lived together for a few years remember? What's wrong?"

"It's nothing!" the tall blond shot back, "Can we just drop it and get back to our run?"

Alexander just shook his head and said, "I guess you have not changed much since Japan."

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Haruka shot back.

"Remember when you first started to live with us?" Alex began, "My parents had to enroll you in school on the base and on your first day, you refused to talked to any one there."

"Well... I did not see any reason why I should have." Haruka replied.

"Haruka... When any one would try to say 'hi' to you you would tell them to buzz off. And that was if you were in a good mood."

"Where are you going with this?" Haruka asked in her trade mark gruff tone.

"You just can't keep pushing people out like that." the marine told his cousin, "You are going to start letting people into your life so they can help you if you have a problem."

"Um... have you not noticed Michi?" Haruka asked him, "I allowed her into my life."

"Yea... and just who else is there?" Alex shot back at her. Haruka was about to answer him but what he had said began to take root. Yes there was her "Michi" but who else was there? Other than Alex and his father, Haruka had no other family (family she could talk to anyway) and even then, there was a huge ocean in between them.

"Haruka, if you don't want to tell me what is wrong then I will not force you to tell me." Alex stated, as he got up and got ready to start back running "But sooner or later you are going to have to open up to other people and let them into your life, or else you will be all alone in the end."

"Alex..." Haruka spoke up. The young marine paused and looked at his cousin and replied "Yes Haruka"

"Can I ask you something?" the blond woman asked modestly. "Sure, what is it?" Alex replied.

"Well... me and Michiru did some thing back in Japan and we ended up hurting some people that we cared about a lot." Haruka told him, "Now we are afraid that we have lost their respect in us."

"Is that why you decided to came to stay with me?" Alexander asked the tall woman. Haruka just sighed a bit and nodded as she said, "Yes, that is part of why we are here. We just needed some time to think so we decided to leave Tokyo for a while."

"So what did you guys do to destroy their trust?"

"I... I... rather not say, but I am afraid that we may no longer be able to regain their trust in us ever again." Haruka informed him.

"Well I am sure that what ever it was that you did could not be that bad. I mean it is not like you two killed some one or anything like that." Alexander replied, unaware that his statement was not too far from the truth.

"Um... yea... right..." Haruka replied quickly as she shifted her eyes.

"Haruka... it is not a good thing when you run away from your problems you know." Alex stated, "Sooner or later you are going to smooth things over with who ever it is that you hurt."

"I know that," Haruka replied, "it is just that... I do not know if we could ever become friends with them again."

"Sounds like you are really sorry for what ever you did to them." Alexander replied, "Did you tell them that you were sorry before you left?"

"Well... sort of."

"Meaning?"

"We left them a note." Haruka answered, "When we went to visit them we heard them talking about us. Believe me, they were in to mood to talk to us."

"Haruka, I really can not tell you what to do right now. If they really are as upset as you say they are, then I suggest that you give them some time to cool off before you decide to talk to them." Alex told his cousin.

Haruka took a minute to let what he cousin had told her to sink in, maybe she and her lover leaving Japan was a good thing. Maybe giving the other senshi some space and time to cool off was the best thing to do before they went back home. There still was no surety that the others would forgive them, but it would still give the two lovers a chance to clear the air.

After resting for a few more minutes, the two of them were about to head back home when Haruka spoke up again and asked, "Alex... you are in the military right?"

"Yea... and?"

"Well I was wondering, if you were on a mission and your orders were to complete it no matter what, would you turn on your fellow team mates if you felt that it would accomplish the mission?" she asked the marine.

Alexander just shook his head and replied, "I don't think I would ever do such a thing. If the mission is to be successful, then every one on the team would have to work closely together so that every one could go home in the end. Besides, the last thing any one wants is a lose cannon in the mix. Some one could get hurt or even worse. Why do you ask?"

"Um... I was just wondering. That's all." the tall woman lied. Alexander just raised an eye brow, "Okay, if you say so." he replied, before running off.

Haruka just stood there for a moment. This morning had turned out to be a very insightful one to say the very least and her mind was now a flood in a torrent of thoughts. She realized that her sometimes cold ans abrasive attitude towards the inners were not because of the guardian planet's past, but it was because she had always been that way. If that were the case then it truly was a miracle that she had Michiru in her life.

It was then the senshi of the wind realized that just maybe it was time for her to change the way she acted and not just toward her princess and her inner court, but the other people in general. The Silver Millennium was gone and a new era of peace will soon sweep across the globe, causing the planet to unite under the rule of it's future rulers. It was time for a change that would reflect the future that was to come. In that future every one on earth would become united and live in harmony, it would not look too good if the future queen's senshi could not learn to work together.

If she and her lover were to have any chance at redemption and be seen as equals by their fellow senshi, then they would have to change their attitudes and be willing to work together as a team. Haruka's only hope, as she began to run again, was that Usagi and the rest of her friends would be willing to give them a second chance and allow them to be their friends when they returned to Japan.

When ever that may be.

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A/N: This chapter took FOREVER to write. I just hope it was worth the long delay. Any way please leave a review and tell me what you think. - UH-60