Author's Notes: Part two! Hoo-hah! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The only sign that Haruka gave off that she was even worried at all was the shaking of her hands as she opened the door to Mamoru's car and climbed in. Thankfully, Mamoru and Usagi didn't say anything to her on the way there, though, because she knew that the more time went by, the more her voice box was being turned into a pile of mush. She spent the ride trying to focus on the words that she would inevitably have to say to the receptionist. By the time they arrived, she had them all planned out in her head. "Who are you here to--" started the young girl behind the counter. "Kaioh Michiru," answered Haruka. "Okay, she's in surgery in the E.R. right now, if you want to head over--" This time, a different voice interrupted her. Mamoru, Usagi and Haruka all turned to see Ami running towards them, eyes watering. She immediately approached the tall blonde. Looking up into her eyes, she answered the unasked question. "It looks bad, Haruka-san. She has a broken arm and a large gash on her head. She's also... She slipped into a coma. We don't know if..." she trailed off, dropping her gaze. Pieces of Haruka's composure began to crumble. Suddenly, she felt a mixture between anger and some other crippling feeling that made it hard to breath. "Where is she?" she choked out, trying not to sound frantic. "Being put into a room on the second floor intensive care unit. Come with me, I'll take you there." Surprising herself with her ability to walk, Haruka followed the young doctor upstairs, accompanied by Usagi and Mamoru, who quietly trailed along. Knowing that she was worried about her friend and soldier, Mamoru slid his arm around his fiancée's shoulder, who smiled sadly up at him in thanks. The first look at someone after something like this was always the worst, Ami decided. It's when you first see them, unconscious in a bed with IVs in their arms and bandages and in Michiru's case, the cast on her arm, that made your knees grow weak and the tears rush out from your eyes. Of course, Ami had already seen Michiru, but when she saw Usagi sob and bury herself into her Mamo-chan's shoulder, who, by the way, was clearly fighting off the urge to look away, she herself lost it. Ami sank to the ground, leaning against the wall and watching the tall sailor of Uranus. All the girl did, though, was pull up a chair a sit down by her girlfriend's bedside, reaching out to hold her hand. It was her right hand, the one not obstructed by a cast but hooked up to an IV. Green eyes became dark and cloudy, and Haruka spoke, sounding a million miles away. "How long will she sleep?" "There's no way to know," Ami practically whispered, her voice failing. "She could wake up tomorrow, or a month from now, or..." Usagi sobbed loudly. Haruka closed her eyes, gripping her lover's hand tighter. "I see," she whispered. ------------------------------------------------------------ When the other Senshi got to the hospital, Ami stopped working and stayed in the waiting room with them. Makoto had immediately taken her into her arms when they saw each other, and Ami had finally allowed herself to cry, gripping her girlfriend tightly. Minako and Rei sat down in the chairs, choosing a secluded corner for the group, laying out a blanket on the floor and setting down some bags holding clothes, food, book and magazines that they may need. It was clear to everyone in the waiting room that the group of girls and one boy intended to stay for as long as it took. Haruka made a short appearance in the waiting room, but it was clear that she planned on staying in the hospital room. The only reason she had left Michiru was to call Setsuna and Hotaru, telling them what had happened and what was happening. They would be back from the beach by the next day, deciding to leave immediately. "We'll start packing our things now," informed Setsuna. "Hotaru-chan wants to talk to you, first, though." "Okay," replied Haruka, leaning against the wall next to the payphone. "Haruka-papa?" came the teary voice of her fourteen-year-old daughter. "Hai, Hotaru-chan," soothed Haruka, feeling sadness at her daughter's obvious pain. A few sniffles later, Hotaru spoke. "Are you going to be okay, Haruka-papa?" Finally, finally, the blonde's resolve shattered. She forced back a sob and stated, through gritted teeth, "Please don't ask me that, Hotaru-chan." A plea. That's what it was. Haruka was pleasing with her daughter not to ask her about the state of her own being. And though she tried to hide it, her papa was crying. Fear leaked through her wall of sadness. Her papa never cried. Never. "I have to go, Hotaru-chan. Be good for your Setsuna-mama, okay?" And she was speaking to Hotaru as if she was a child. She was trying to hide the truth from her own daughter. As the dial tone filled her ears, silent tears began to run down her cheeks. Her Michiru-mama was dieing, and no one wanted to face the truth. Shaking her head furiously, she told herself, "No, that's not true. She's isn't dieing." Then she realized that she was running from it, herself. After she hung up the phone, Haruka collapsed against the wall and slid to the floor, hugging her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. As she buried her face in her arms, she began to sob full on. Makoto walked in then, looking to call her work and tell them she wouldn't be in for the next couple of days. But upon seeing the older woman curled up in the fetal position, she gasped and ran over, gathering her into her arms. To her surprise, the older woman immediately returned the embrace, practically crushing Makoto with her strong arms. Just as she did this, Minako, Ami, and Rei walked in, as well, stopping immediately, looking at the sobbing woman with a mix of fear and sadness. Haruka never cried. Never. "What if," she sobbed into Makoto's shoulder, "What if she doesn't wake up?" Minako put a hand to her mouth to stifle a sob. "What if she dies, Mako-chan? What will I do then?" Still sobbing, she plunged on, "I need her. I need her more than I ever knew I needed her. But now that she's not with me, I feel like I can't breathe. If it's this bad now... Then what if... What if I lose her?" At this point, Minako had a steady stream of tears going down her face and Rei's arm around her shoulder, and Ami looked as white as a ghost. "I can't lose her. I don't want to lose her. And what about Hotaru-chan? And Setsuna-chan?" "Stop, Haruka-san," said Makoto, firmly. Everyone looked at her, surprised. "Michiru-san is not going to die. She'll stay as long as we're all with her. And as long as you are with her. In the stream of fate, Michiru-san's death does not flow. She'll make it through this, just as you will. We can get through this." Haruka looked away, moving out of the embrace of the younger girl. "It hurts so much, Mako-chan," she confessed, clenching her fist. "It hurts to see her like this." "It hurts all of us. We all love her. But we'll get through this, just as we have gotten through everything else in the past. We'll live through it together. Trust us, Haruka-san. And rely on us. Don't keep it to yourself. I want you to share yourself with me as more than an Outer to an Inner, as more than an elder to a star-struck underclassman. I want you to share as a friend. I love you both, and Hotaru-chan and Setsuna-san." Makoto looked up at her friends, who were watching warily. Rei jumped in then, sitting down and taking one of Haruka's hands. "That goes for me too," she said quietly. "Me too," added Minako, who was controlling her tears. She, too, moved and sat in front of the older woman. "And me," agreed Ami, moving to sit next to Makoto, who put her arm around her. Haruka looked at them, all gathered around her. She seemed stunned, then closed her eyes and smiled slightly, wiping her cheeks with her sleeve. "Well, surrounded by pretty ladies like yourselves, how could I not agree to a friendship?" she joked. Minako was so overjoyed to hear the old, flirtatious tone in the tomboy's voice again that she threw herself into Haruka's arms, hugging her around the neck. Ami hid her giggle behind a hand, and Makoto let a tear slip down her cheek, which was quickly wiped off by Haruka. "Thank you so much, Mako-chan," she said, almost sadly. "You don't have to thank me. We're friends, right? That's what friends do."
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