Chapter 10: Tears of Sorrow, Tears of Joy.
Haruka slowly began to stir as the golden rays of the morning sun shown brightly through the bedroom's window. Laying next to her was the naked form of her lover now fiance, Michiru who now had a very satisfied look on her face as she slept. Evidence of the night of passion they had shared just hours before. As Haruka watched her Michiru sleep, the could not help but to think of just how lucky she was to have some one like her, in her life. The last few weeks had been a very trying time for the couple indeed, but it had also been a very insightful as well.
They realized that their lives did not just have to revolve around the fact that they were both senshi, nor did they have to isolate themselves from the rest of the world because of this. They learned that they could both be the guardians of the outer solar system and still be the happy, talented couple that the rest of the world saw them as. But most of all, Haruka was finally able to let go of all the doubt and fear that she had about her relationship with Michiru. Despite all of her mistakes and flawed mind set at the time, the guardian of Neptune still loved her and had stood by her side all through this dark time for them.
Now with a new day dawning, the happy couple now had a brighter outlook on life. Especially now that they were much more than lovers, but there was still one more thing that needed to be done before they could really start moving on with their lives and even though Haruka was a bit weary at the thought, she knew that it needed to be done eventually. If they were to start their new lives together, both the guardian on Uranus and the guardian of Neptune would have to face the one person that they had possibly hurt the most. They were going to have to face their princess and if necessary, accept what ever punishment she had planed for them.
As she laid there, Haruka felt her lover began to stir, "mmmmmmm... good morning, my love." the young violinist said happily, as she looked up towards her new fiance. Still feeling satisfied from the passion they had shared just hours ago. Haruka smiled a bit and planted a small kiss on her fiance's fore head, "I see that you are happy."
"Why shouldn't I be? I have the love of my life in bed with me. As well as my soon to be husband." the young violinist giggled a bit. Haruka giggled as well, as she proceeded to plant another kiss on Michiru.
After spending a few more minutes in bed, the couple finally decided to get up and go to get some breakfast, but as they exited their room, they noticed something was off. Normally when they got up the first thing that they would smell was breakfast being prepared in the kitchen by Alex. But today the kitchen was empty and there was no sign of him anywhere. The women were starting to wonder if their host had even made it back home last night when the heard the front door open and when they investigated they saw a very sleepy looking Alexander walking through the door and that her had a pillow and blanket in his arms.
"Alex?" Haruka asked curiously, "Um... what time did you get in last night?" The groggy marine just stared at the two women and replied,
"I came back in just after ten. When I did I saw that you two had gone to bed so I went in my jeep to sleep."
"Why were you sleeping in your jeep?" Michiru asked, equally puzzled by Alex's decision to sleep in his 4x4. Alex just continued to stare at the women, as her replied, "Because i heard you two when you went to bed."
At that moment both Haruka and Michiru became wide eyed as their faces soon became bright red, apparently their activities from the previous night had been more "festive" than they had thought. Alex on the other hand just ignored the couple and made a bee line for his bedroom. All the while he was strongly considering sound proofing his bedroom just in case his cousin and her girl friend ever decided to visit him again.
A couple hours later Alexander rejoined the couple in the living room, after catching up on some badly needed sleep. He was surprised to hear that the couple had become engaged while he was gone last night and he congratulated them on the engagement.
"This calls for a celebration!" he declared, "Later I think I will treat you two to dinner later tonight."
"Thank you Alex," Michiru replied, "but I think you should save the celebrations for when we actually get married."
"Oh okay, I guess you guys celebrated enough last night huh?" the marine said with a grin, causing the two of them to blush once again.
{{{ }}} {{{ }}} {{{ }}} {{{ }}} {{{ ]}} {{{ }}}
For the next couple of days, the soon to be married couple enjoyed what little time they had left in America. Michiru was able to do a bit of shopping in the cityand she was able to buy a few new dresses for herself ans some suits for Haruka, while Haruka on the other hand had a ball when Alex took them to an Air Show that was apart of the Fleet Week celebrations that were taking place. But the day finally came when they were to leave America and finally return to Japan to not only chart out the new course their lives were about to take, but to face their princess and accept what ever punishment she had in stored for them.
Alexander was with the couple as they waited in the busy terminal for their flight to board and the couple were saying their final good byes before they left. "Thank you Alex for letting us stay with you." Michiru told her new friend.
"Yea Alex," Haruka added, "You really were a big help." Alexander just modestly shrugged off their compliments and replied, "It was nothing, I was kind of glad you called and asked if you could stay by me."
"So you are getting ready to return to Japan as well , I see." A new voice yet familiar cut in to the conversation. When every one looked to see who it was, they saw the familiar figure of the goddess of time. This time she was wearing , red, one piece dress with long sleeves and a skirt that reached down to her knees and even though it was covering her up, the dress showed off her curvaceous figure.
"Setsuna?" Michiru gasped in surprise, "Your heading back to Japan too?" The elder woman nodded and replied, "Yes I am, but I am on a much later flight since I was unable to get a seat on this one."
"So what are you doing here so early?" Haruka asked her friend.
"Oh you know me... I like to reach early for every thing." Setsuna lied, knowing very well that she did not need to travel commercially to get to any point on earth. The other two women knew this fact as well but decided to go along with it considering that Alexander was with them, who was busy taking in the garnet eyed goddess that was in front of him. A fact that was not lost to the other women.
'FLIGHT 127 TO LOS ANGLES IS NOW BOARDING AT GATE 4' a voice suddenly called over the airport's PA system.
"Well that is our flight," Haruka announced, as she picked up her carry on bag. "I guess we'll be seeing you around."
"Yea I guess," Alexander replied, "Just remember to call when u get back home okay?" Haruka just nodded before she turned to Setsuna and asked a bit warily, " When will we be seeing you again?"
"In due time." she replied cryptically. "But I will return soon."
"Well then, we should get going. Good bye Alexander." Michiru said, as she got up from her waiting seat and shook Alex's hand. Haruka just smiled a bit, before coming up to her cousin and giving him a big hug right there and then before saying, "It was nice to see you again, Alex."
"Um... it was nice to see you again too, Haruka." Alexander replied, surprised at the fact that his tom boyish cousin was hugging him. A few more words were exchanged between them before the couple began to make their way towards their flight, leaving both Alexander and Setsuna behind. Neither of them noticing that the two of them had struck up a small conversation, nor did they notice their friend smiled as she walked away with Alexander to enjoy a drink with him at the airport lounge.
{{{ }}} {{{ }}} {{{ ]}} {{{ }}} {{{ }}} {{{ ]}}
After a short flight to Los Angles, the couple spent another hour at LAX before boarding their JAL flight back to Japan. As the 747 cruised over the warm waters of the Pacific ocean the two lovers were both lost in deep thought, wondering just what would happen to them when they finally returned home.
Just what did their princess had planned for them when they returned? Would she ever truly forgive them for what they had done? Would the the other senshi accept them back? Questions that would not normally bother the couple, haunted them to no great extent.
"What do you think will happen when we return?" Michiru asked her lover, as she watched the clouds float by in the sky. Haruka shrugged a bit and replied, "In all honesty, I really don't know."
"Do you think that Usagi could ever forgive us?"
"Usagi is a very intelligent young woman," Haruka replied, "and I have seen her capability to find the goodness in every one. She may be able to look at us as fellow senshi and team mates, but I am not sure that we would ever fully regain her trust again."
Michiru turned towards her lover and looked at her with a warm expression and replied, "I do not care what awaits us back home, all I know is that what ever punishment awaits us back home, we will go through it... together."
Haruka smiled a bit, as she leaned down and planted a small kiss on her lover's forehead. "I wouldn't have it any other way, Michi."
"Did you let them know that we were coming back?" the young violinist's expression soon became depressed. " I called Usagi when we were in LAX. She said that everyone would be waiting for us at the temple." Haruka replied in a equally depressed tone, "She said that we will be given a chance to speak for ourselves."
Michiru nodded in understanding, as she rested her head on Haruka's shoulder, soon they would know what their princess had in store for them.
{{{ }}} {{{ }}} {{{ ]}} {{{ }}} {{{ ]}} {{{ }}}
The sun was out in its full glory and a slight breeze could be felt, as two lone figures made their way up the steps towards the Hikawa Jinja. One was dressed in a simple green 2 piece business business suit with low cut heals, the other dressed in a pair of slacks with matching sports jacket and shoes. As they walked, they could not help but to feel a sense of dread as the got closer to the shrine on top of the hill. Which was understandable considering that their future working relationship with the rest of the senshi would be determined after today.
As soon as they made it to the top of the steps, they were met with the gaze from five young women who at one time they thought were weaker than them. Two of the women that were there stared at them with a look that showed disgust and anger towards the couple, while the other two women that were there gave them looks that were although stern, were a little more sympathetic towards them. But it was the look that they were getting from the young woman directly in front of them that had the lovers' attention.
I t was not a look of anger, disgust or disappointment, nor was it a look of joy or forgiveness. It was a look that was completely alien to the couple, Usagi's expression was completely neutral. "Do you have anything that you would like to say in your defense before I speak?" Usagi asked them in a calm, yet cool voice.
"No we do not." Michiru spoke up, as she and Haruka got down on one knee and hung their heads. "In our actions of one month ago we did not only shamed ourselves, but we also betrayed your trust in us as members of your court."
"Is that all you have to say for yourselves?" Usagi asked the couple again. This time it was Haruka who answered for them and said, "No, it is not. In the past moth we learned that our lives did not have to revolve around the fact that we are senshi. We learned that we were still capable of living our own lives outside the fact that we are your protectors and that we were wrong for thinking that were did not need to work along side you and your inner court."
The other girls that were there were surprised to say the very least, they were not expecting the normally aloof couple to be apologetic about anything they had done. But here they were basically throwing themselves at the mercy at a woman that they once thought to be inferior to them in every way.
"So what do you want?" the odango princess asked her so called 'protectors.
"We ask..." Haruka began, "We ask that you allow us a second chance to be your protectors once again. We learned the hard way just how dangerous our train of thought was and in the end we lost everything that was near and dear to us."
"All we want is a second chance to prove that we can be trusted one again." Michiru spoke once again. "We know that you may never be able to forgive us, nor consider us your friends. But we ask that you give us a chance to prove our selves."
Usagi took a moment to allow their words to sink in, from what she could hear they were truly sorry for what they had done and that they really wanted another chance to become friends. But there was still the fact that they had betrayed the team and placed not only the lives of their mates in jeopardy and that was something that not even she could let slide.
"Haruka... Michiru," the young blond began, "I am glad that you came back and that you have sen the errors of your past actions. However, your most recent actions can not be fully forgiven and that you must be punished for what you had done and after a bit of thinking I have come up with a suitiblr punishment for the both of you."
The two lovers tensed up and prepared for what would be their princess' judgment towards them. "For the rest of your lives, you shall continue to live with the guilt and shame that you have brought upon yourselves." Usagi spoke in a stern tone, "No matter how much good that you do or hom much you change yourselves, you shall be forever haunted by your actions of that horrible day. But do not think of this as a punishment, but as a sad reminder of what could happen if you do not place the well being of the team first instead of the mission."
There it was, their normally kind and loving princess had dealt them a fate that neither of them wanted. For as long as they lived, the memories of that horrible day would never go away. It would be a constant reminder for them of what could happen if they were to make that same mistake ever again. They were about to get up and leave but Usagi stopped them and said, "But despite your life long punishment, I do forgive you for what you did and I do hope that we could become friends again after this and maybe one day, we can all put this mess behind us once and for all."
For a few moment's the two women just stood on one knee as the other girls wonder just what the outers would do. Suddenly, they all heard a sniffle as tears began to hit the sandy dirt on the ground and both Michiru and Haruka came in and hugged their princess.
For them, they felt as a great weight had been lifted off of them, as it the pain, fear and saddness that had followed them for weeks had just vanished. Though they would have to live with the memories of that horrible day and that the other senshi may not be as forgiving as Usagi, just to hear that their princess forgave them for what they had done, out weighted any grief that they had felt.
All they could do was hold on to their princess and cry, grateful that their princess had forgiven them for their sins.
{{{ }}} {{{ }}} {{{ }}}
A/N: There is still one more chapter to come so hold on. A very special thanks to petiyaka, who has reviewed most of my chapters in this story. Thanks :)