LOST WITH YOU
by brada_m
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. I really don't.
Rating: M for language, violence and... to be on the safe side anyway.
Setting: AU
CHAPTER 1
- WHEN YOU FALL I WILL CATCH YOU -
* * * * * * * *
Haruka opened her eyes and blinked a couple of times before taking in the view of green leaves above her.
'What the..?' She thought, trying to stand but she gasped in pain, her shoulder hurt like hell.
'What the fuck!' She realized she was hurting everywhere, and with great effort and a lot of grunts, she managed to stand, stumbling a little as she tried to get a look around. She was surrounded by trees and that was quite odd because she was supposed to be on a plane...
Then she remembered.
Her breathing increased as she turned around in every direction, making her head spin. More green, more leaves. She tried to calm herself and concentrate on her surroundings.
When the sound of her own heartbeat subsided, she was able to perceive a noise from her left. She walked in that direction and soon she was out of the woods and on a white sanded beach. She stopped for a moment, as a young blonde woman with strange pigtails passed before her, running, she had tear-streaked cheeks and was screaming furiously. Haruka was still dizzy and couldn't understand what the girl was yelling but decided to follow her anyway. When she was completely out of the shelter of the trees the scene before her eyes took her breath away for a moment.
Only a dozen of feet away there was the middle section of the plane. There was a long breach running all along the side and flames enveloped one of the ends. People were running back and forth amid fragments of the airframe, clothes and corpses. Haruka snapped out of her dazed state and ran to the cabin. She passed by the pigtailed girl who was hugging a dark haired man, crying loudly.
When she was near the cabin, she stopped and turned to look around, searching for something but she didn't find it so she kept running in a frenzy. She passed by two men carrying a pregnant woman away from the giant burning wing. When she finally was by the big gash on the side of the airframe, she looked inside, coughing because of the smoke.
"She's still in there," A voice behind her made her turn around. There stood the strange tanned woman who had been sitting in the back of the first class before the crash-down. "Go ahead, we need to pull her out."
Haruka had the disturbing feeling that strange woman could read her thoughts. Did she really know who she was searching for? But she had no time for conjectures, she stooped and entered the cabin.
* * * * * * * *
She had found herself face down, still fastened to her seat and someone was calling her name. When she managed to turn around, she saw Taiki staring at her with dark stripes of dirt on his face and concern in his eyes. Still confused, she felt hands fumbling at her waist and when her belt was unfastened she fell into strong arms.
"Are you OK, Michiru-chan?" Seiya's soft question had the power of removing her from her dazed state. She pondered the situation. She wasn't hurting too bad and she was alive.
"Yes, I'm OK, thank you." She answered smiling to reassure her friends.
Taiki and Seiya were carrying an unconscious Yaten out, but instead of following them, she looked around. A lot of seats were vacant but some of them were still occupied by unconscious people. She looked more closely and gasped when she realized that they weren't just unconscious.
Suddenly, the reality of what had happened took over her and she stumbled as her knees gave out. She took a moment to recompose herself and started checking every person's pulse looking for someone still alive. No one was and she felt tears pooling at the corner of her eyes.
"Oh Gods..." She approached a little girl who could have been no more than nine. She reached out for the girl's neck, her hand trembling. When she touched the still warm flesh, the girl opened her eyes quickly.
Michiru jumped back, surprised but also relieved. She caressed the little girl's cheek smiling. The girl stared at her, terrified, then asked in a small voice, "Are you an angel?"
Michiru chuckled at the kid's question and with a soft smile she replied, "No, dear, I'm afraid I'm not. Are you hurt?" She searched the still sitting little body for any blood, but there wasn't any though her legs were stuck between her seat and a big piece of the fuselage.
The little girl seemed to think deeply before answering, "No, I don't think so." She shifted uncomfortable in her sit and winced.
"Do your legs hurt?" The aqua-haired woman asked again.
"Mmh... a little, I can't move them." The girl said pouting.
"I see, lets move this thing so you can slip out, OK?" Michiru tried to lift the fragment that was blocking the child's legs but she managed only a couple of inches. After several attempts of unsuccessful pulling, she had to let go, exhausted.
"Did I hurt you?" She quickly asked, worried.
"No." The kid said, smiling at her in reassurance.
"We have to think of a way…" Michiru mumbled looking around for something to use as a lever.
"Hime-chan! Hime-chan... Oh God, are you alright?"
When Michiru turned, she saw the blonde woman who had helped her with her luggage caressing the little girl's face, eyes full of concern. The girl smiled up at the blonde, visibly happy to see her.
"Her legs are stuck, and that thing is too heavy." Michiru pointed to the metal fragment.
Haruka leaned in to take a closer look at the metal sheet.
"Well, let me try." She said and took a firm grip on the metal sheet and tried to lift it, it quickly moved three or four inches, then she let go of it panting. "Ok, I can do it. Kaioh-san, when you have enough room, please pull Hime-chan out of there." She leaned again and took the metal sheet with both her hands.
"Are you ready Hime-chan? We're going to take you out." The tall blonde gritted her teeth and pulled. She winced as blinding pain passed through her left shoulder, but she didn't let go.
Soon Michiru had enough room to pull the little girl out of her seat and Haruka finally let go of the piece of metal with a loud screech.
The blonde leaned back, panting, her eyes closed, waiting for the pain in her shoulder to subside. She opened them as she felt two tiny arms encircling her neck.
Michiru took in the tender view of the little girl hugging the tall, exhausted and wincing woman.
Haruka stood holding the child tight against her chest. When she was up, the little girl's gaze went down to her seat.
"Papa..." She murmured. Both Haruka and Michiru followed the kid's look and they saw a man's hand turned upward peeping out from under a pile of rubble.
The blonde turned around immediately and walked fast along the cabin afraid to let the kid see that.
"Let us take you out of here, Hime-chan, then I'll return for your papa." She said, exchanging a worried look with Michiru.
* * * * * * * *
"Lay him here!... Careful! Careful!" The blue-haired woman warned the two men as they deposited an unconscious person on the ground. She kneeled beside him and immediately checked his pulse, then she made a rapid tour of his body, searching for evident injures. When she found nothing, she turned to the two men watching her nervously and waiting for a response.
"He's not injured, just unconscious. Wait for him to wake and lay him on his side in case he throws up." They nodded and watched her go and check on some other victim.
"Hey! This guy is bleeding like a fountain!" Someone yelled.
Dr. Mizuno turned and ran in that direction ,passing by a man who was walking slowly rubbing his wrist and wincing. A blond young man waved at the doctor, he was kneeling next to a male laying on the sand who had a large gash on his leg and was bleeding copiously. She took a close look at the wound then tried to clamp it by pressing vigorously with both her hands.
"Ami-chan! Come here!" She yelled. Her daughter came running. She stopped with her hand on her knees, trying to catch her breath.
"We need a tourniquet for this leg." Dr. Mizuno said, her hands already covered in the man's blood.
Ami took off immediately, she spotted two men in elegant suits kneeling by someone who was unconscious.
"Excuse me, can I have your tie?" She asked, bowing to the one with the red suit and curly hair. He looked up at her uncertainly at first, then he understood and quickly untied his fancy yellow tie and handed it to her.
"Thank you." She bowed again and fled off to her mother.
"Someone!! Help!!!" A young woman yelled from her left, Ami looked in her direction and had a quick glimpse of a pregnant woman panting holding her abdomen while a black haired girl tried to support her. She tossed the tie to her mother and told her about the pregnant woman.
"I'll get her. Try to stop the bleeding in the meantime." The older woman said, then ran off. Ami looked down at the bleeding wound and tied the tie very tightly a good three inches above the gash. Soon the blood flow decreased and then it ceased. The young man watching was in awe.
"Wow! You're awesome!" He exclaimed.
Ami blushed and lowered her head, shyly. "Maintain some pressure on the wound, I'll be right back."
She wasn't awesome, she knew that. She wasn't even all that good, Ami thought, looking at her mother who was attending the pregnant girl.
* * * * * * * *
"There. That blue-haired woman down there, she seems to be a doctor." The long haired man in traditional Japanese clothes said while helping an older, bald man to stand.
"Arigato." Michiru said, following the fast running Haruka who had the black haired little girl in her arms.
When they reached the supposed doctor, the woman was helping a pregnant brunette, obviously in panic, to breathe regularly, trying to calm her down with soothing words. She turned and saw the little girl curled in Haruka's arms and was immediately at their side.
"I don't think she's hurt but we better be sure." Michiru said. Dr. Mizuno gestured Haruka to lay the girl down, when the blonde did it, Michiru noticed she winced. The aqua-haired woman looked at her worriedly but soon their attention was on the little girl.
"Papa..." She said softly while the doctor checked on her. She looked at Haruka, pleading.
"I'll get him out of there, Hime-chan." Haruka said reassuringly. She turned and set out to the the cabin.
"Tenoh-san!" Michiru ran after her. "It's dangerous to go in there again!" She looked to the burning and cracking fuselage. "It could collapse at any moment!"
"Then I'll have to hurry. I promised her." The blonde keeping on walking.
"Haruka-san..." Michiru said not realizing the familiarity she had addressed that practically stranger with. Haruka for her part was already too far to hear that.
* * * * * * * *
Walking towards the air-frame, Haruka looked around searching for someone who could help her. She spotted a dark-haired man, he was with the pigtailed girl she had seen before. She ran up to them.
"Hey, I need help!" She said in English, "I'm going to look for someone still alive in there." She pointed to the air-frame. The younger girl looked frightened. "I know, it's dangerous, people keep telling me, but I need to give it a try."
"I'm with you." The man who was not much older than her said and leaned down, kissing the scared girl lightly.
"Darien! Take care! Please!" She said, her eyes watering.
"Don't worry, Serena, I'll be back soon." And then he followed Haruka, who was already running.
The two entered the cabin and looked around checking on everyone's pulse.
"Hey...?" Darien called the blonde.
"What?"
"Look at this!" He pointed to a corpse.
"Is he dead?" She asked, "It's Haruka, by the way... You're Darien, right?"
"What?... Oh, Haruka. Yes, yes, I'm Darien." He said, shaking her hand. Then he pointed at the body's wrist. "He's dead, but it seems like someone else is not."
Haruka looked down, the corpse had a hand cuffed while the other end was unlocked. She decided to search for the man's documents and found a marshal badge in his coat's pocket.
"Great, it seems like he was the good guy..." She said bitterly looking at Darien, preoccupied. "We'll deal with that later, come on." He gestured her to go back to their searching.
Haruka went straight to the little girl's father's seat while Darien checked on the others' pulses. She lifted all the rubble under which the man was with great effort and pain. When she reached him, he was a bloody pulp. He had a big gash on his head, his shirt was covered in blood and one arm was bent at an unnatural angle. His weird glasses were smashed and some shreds had penetrated his face. She contemplated the macabre view for a minute, then she took a hold of the body.
"Emh, I think it's too late for him, Haruka." Darien said from behind her.
"I know..." she paused, panting, "...but... argh!...I made a promise... ungh... and I don't break my promises. So less watching and more helping, pal." She said between sharp intakes of air. Darien moved and together they managed to pull the body out of its seat but fell on the floor in the process. They sat for a minute, trying to catch their breath.
"Hey, is anybody in there?" A female voice yelled in English. "The wing is about to fall! If there's anybody in there, they'd better hurry!"
Haruka and Darien looked at each other and stood, lifting the heavy body that now was coughing softly.
'Wait... coughing? Corpses aren't supposed to cough...'
"Oh Kami-sama, he's alive!" Haruka exclaimed in Japanese, looking at the man in her arms. Darien looked at her questioningly. "He's alive!" She repeated in English.
The dark-haired man looked down, surprised. They hurried down the aisle, half dragging, half carrying him.
When they reached the exit, a young, strongly built brunette was waiting for them and helped them so that they could ran away before the huge wing of the plane fell down on the fuselage loudly.
* * * * * * * *
CRASH!
Everyone turned at the horrible noise of metal cracking and smashing.
"DARIEN!" Serena yelled and started to run towards the wreckage but was stopped by a firm grip on her arm.
"No, Serena! It's dangerous, there could be an explosion or something." Mina said, holding her struggling friend.
"Let me go! Darien's in there!" She cried, tears falling down her cheeks. Mina didn't reply, just held Serena even tighter, hugging her while she sobbed.
A few steps away, an equally distressed Michiru stood but she didn't manifest her inner turmoil. She just stood there holding her breath, looking in the distance to the crashed airframe. Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder, she turned around and met a serious pair of garnet eyes.
"You have to trust her, she gave her word." She had met the woman only a few minutes ago, she was beautifully exotic, with tanned skin and long green hair, she was kind and calm and was circled by a mysterious aura.
"I know, Setsuna-san." Michiru said softly despite her heart was pounding in her chest. She didn't even notice that the other woman's comment was creepily insightful.
"Hey, there's someone walking this way!" A young man with very thick glasses yelled, his arm stretched, his finger pointing ahead. Even if he had spoken in Japanese his gesture was unmistakable and even Serena looked up. When she spotted three - or were there four? - figures walking their way she collapsed in Mina's arms, sobbing even more, but this time they were happy tears.
Mina rolled her eyes but held her best-friend tight as a large relieved smile graced her face.
Michiru felt the hand on her shoulder squeezing knowingly just before it was gone. She turned to the woman behind her and was greeted by an enigmatic smile.
Some of the observers ran towards the approaching group to help them take the injured man to the doctor.
"Papa!" Hotaru ran too, wanting to see her father but was intercepted midway by Haruka who scooped her up with one arm.
"Hime-chan, it's better if you let the doctor take care of him." The blonde didn't want the little girl to see her father in that condition, "You'll see him later, OK?" She asked, though never gave the kid a choice, she just walked away towards Michiru and the tanned woman that was with her.
When the blonde reached them, Hotaru was struggling furiously in her arms. Michiru frowned as she noticed Haruka wincing every time the girl hit her with her little fists and even then the blonde didn't let go.
"Hotaru-chan, come here with me. You have to be a good girl and let the doctor do her job." She said taking the little girl from Haruka's arm. She saw the blonde sighing in relief.
"Hotaru... So that's your name, Hime-chan." Haruka said, smiling.
"Yes, I'm Tomoe Hotaru. And what's your name?" The child asked.
"I'm Tenoh Haruka. Nice to meet you, Hotaru-chan." The blond winked grinning.
"Thank you for saving me and my papa, Tenoh-san." Hotaru bowed politely, suddenly looking older. She disentangled herself from Michiru's arms and hurled herself at the blonde hugging her tightly.
"Ow!" Haruka grimaced, her face suddenly pale. "Easy, Hime-chan!"
"Setsuna-mama said you were going to take your word, and bring my papa back!" Haruka looked questioningly at Michiru who pointed to the tanned woman beside them.
"Thank you for the trust," Haruka said to the mysterious woman, a little puzzled.
'Setsuna-...mama?!'
"You're welcome, Haruka-san." Setsuna replied with a sparkling in her strange, garnet eyes.
In the meantime, Michiru stood and left them without a word. She walked down to the others and returned after a moment with the short-haired doctor's daughter. She pointed at Haruka and the younger girl nodded.
Haruka watched them questioningly, even more confused as the blue-haired girl got closer and closer to her.
"Excuse me?" The blonde asked, glancing suspiciously at the approaching girl.
"You're hurt." Michiru stated, matter of factly. "Left arm?" Haruka looked at her, surprised.
"I'm afraid you'll have to take your shirt off, Tenoh-san." Ami said, withdrawing to give her some room.
Haruka glared at Michiru but did as she was said. She fumbled with the buttons of her white shirt, one-handed. After a few minutes, she gave a frustrated sigh.
"Here, let me help," Michiru said and leaned down, unbuttoning the blonde's shirt gently.
"T-Thank you..." Haruka mumbled and blushed slightly, suddenly aware of the aqua-haired woman's vicinity.
"Here you go," Michiru was finally able to slip the shirt down the blonde's shoulders, "Kami-sama!" she gasped when Haruka's left shoulder was revealed. From her tank top poked out a weird bulge surrounded by a large bruise.
"I'm afraid that's a dislocation," Ami said calmly, "We have to reduce it, before the ligaments are damaged permanently." She said and got dangerously closer to Haruka.
"Hey! Hey wait a moment, isn't your mother the doctor?" The blonde said frowning.
"Ami-san is a doctor too, aren't you?" Michiru said.
"Mmh... yes, ehm... almost." Haruka's shot her a worried look, "I mean, technically I'm not a doctor yet." She explained, "Actually I was going to my graduation." She lowered her head self-consciously.
"Ok then," Haruka nodded.
"Michiru-san I need you to hold her in place while I reduce it." Haruka looked at Ami again, worried.
"Hold me in place, wh...?" Ami was already taking a hold of her wrist with one hand and placing the other under her armpit. "At the count of three, I'm going to pull." She explained, Haruka didn't like the sound of that, her shoulder hurt badly, but eventually, she nodded at the blue-haired girl who begun counting.
"One... tw-."
"ARGH!"
Ami had pulled early to prevent Haruka from tensing too much. The shoulder came back in its socket smoothly, even though Haruka had pain filled eyes and Michiru had had a hard time holding her still.
After a couple of minutes, Michiru handed Haruka a sling made with a handkerchief.
"Thank you." The blonde said.
"You're welcome. How are you? Does it still hurt?"
"Nah, it's OK," Haruka said dismissively, but her face was still pale and her eyes pain-filled.
"You're a very bad liar, Tenoh-san." Michiru chuckled.
"Am not!" She protested in fake indignation, then smiled "Call me Haruka, please."
"You're a very bad liar, Haruka-san." Michiru repeated, smiling back. Her blue eyes locked with the blonde's teal ones until an anxious voice broke the moment.
"Michiru-chan! Thank Kami you're alright." Seiya approached them and embraced a surprised Michiru tightly. "Yaten-chan has been unconscious for two hours, I was so worried!"
"Is he alright?" Michiru asked, truly concerned.
"Yes, he is, but it's been awful. Come on, he'll be glad to see you." He said and literally dragged her away, eying Haruka grimly. She shot an icy cold look back at him and watched them leave, Michiru's hair waving in the light marine breeze.
To be continued...
Many thanks to my beta reader: T-R-Us