The sun rose over the horizon, and the first bursts of sunlight streamed through the windows and into Haru Okamura's room. As the light reached her face, Haru opened her eyes and began to awaken from her all to short night's sleep. She sat up and slowly put her fingers to her lips and drifted back to the events of the previous night.

Was it real or just a dream? The truth was she had long held the desire for Ann but had always been content to be her friend and close confidant. She was only ever able to acknowledge her longing with looks and the desires in her mind it was the only line she ever allowed herself to cross. A grimace crossed her face as the pang of guilt took over. Who was she kidding... of course it was real. She stopped for a moment and allowed her mind to wander, to think about how everything got to this point.

There was a time when Haru was head over heels in love with Joker. How could she not have a crush on the dashing leader of the phantom thieves? Besides, He had done so much to help her after the death of her father and was instrumental in helping to give her the courage to end her engagement to Sigamura it had only felt natural for her at the time. Then one night she headed over to Lablanc; hoping to confess her feelings she rounded the corner and caught a glimpse of Sadayo Kawakami leaving the small café. She had stopped in her tracks and wondered what a teacher would be doing to leaving the restaurant at 10 pm when she knew the café closed at 8. Ohhh. Her cheeks blushed at the thought of the two of them together. At that moment she gave up on Akira and promised herself she would hold his secret close to her chest just as she held her own.

Haru had known for years that she was bisexual, but it wasn't until recently that she felt comfortable enough to let her friends know. It had been complicated for her even to be honest with herself about her feelings. Her life had been dictated by societal norms and the whims of her father for so long that she had compartmentalized her desires and put them away where she would never be tempted to act on such ideas. Instead, she funneled her passion and desire into her café, gardening and cultivating food that would bring a pleasurable experience to others. It was not always the life she had imagined she would have by now but it did bring her the kind of happiness she could only dream of before the phantom thieves.

Now she felt like she was in an impossible position. She knew deep down that Ann and Makoto belonged to each other. Even if they couldn't admit that to themselves, she encouraged them to seek each other out. Haru, felt sick to her stomach pining for her best friend, thinking about her lips and passion coursing through her body and the heat that existed the night before even if it was for mere seconds. No stop, Haru, this isn't you...she snapped herself back to reality. You should never accept being anyone's second choice. Remember you and Ann tried this once before... "oh god." All the color left her face, and she decided the best plan of action would just be to ignore what happened for now. Ann was in no position to even begin to have that conversation.

Haru quietly got dressed, She hoped to leave the house for the cafe before Ann awoke. She collected her things and went to leave her room, suddenly, she was startled by a loud bang coming from the kitchen. Well, there goes that plan, she thought as she stood against the door planning her next move.

Finally, Haru gathered the courage to open the door. She walked down the hall to reveal a barely dressed Ann hunched over in front of the refrigerator searching for something.

"ugh," Ann groaned and punctuated with a burp. "I feel like crap." She grabbed a bottle of water and slowly turned around holding her forehead with the opposite hand. As she reached the counter, she looked up to see Haru walking down the hall perky as always.

"Ann are you okay? Is there anything I can do?" Haru approached her with concern. Masking her discomfort and secretly hoping that the blonde woman had no recollection of their kiss the night before.

Ann grumbled as she hobbled over to the couch and laid down. She looked at the older woman searching for recollection from the previous night. Ann was unsure what to say; she was scared that she had tarnished their relationship. The silence in the room had created an air of awkwardness; Ann knew she must break the ice. Finally, she found some words. " Oh...Hey... Haru. I think I am alright. Nothing a little water and aspirin won't fix."

Haru felt the awkwardness in the room. She knows... She remembers. "Look, Ann, we need to talk about what happened last night..."

Ann looked at her and covered her face "Oh my god... that wasn't a dream." A blush overcame her face as Haru sat down next to her and searched carefully for the words to express how she felt.

*Knock* *Knock*

Both women were startled. They each looked at the door and then at each other. "Don't worry I will get it," Haru said with urgency.

Haru opened the door to reveal Makoto who was quietly debating about whether she should have been there at all. "Oh. Haru I thought you would be at the café. I was wondering if Ann was home?"

"Makoto… I am not sure right now is the right time." Haru whispered hoping Ann would be too hungover to realize Makoto was at the door.

"Of… course… I-I-I just had something I really needed to get off my chest." Her normally confident and sure demeanor had been replaced with trepidation and humility. "I-I-I am really sorry to bother you bo…"

Makoto's sentence was interrupted by a gruff voice yelling "Who on earth is at the door Haru?"

"Look Makoto I know you are eager to make this right and under ordinary circumstances, I would invite you in and offer you tea but right now is not a good time," Haru said in a rushed hushed whisper

"Ugh, Haru just tell them to go aw…" Ann stopped gawking as she approached the door. Her curiosity had gotten the better of her. On the other side, she saw the outline of what looked like Makoto, but she was pretty sure she was hallucinating. "Ouch," she pinched herself a little too hard and realized she was not dreaming.

"Ann…" Makoto stopped her eyes stuck on the blonde woman as Haru turned around to see the two women had boxed her in between them.

Haru stood there her mouth agape unsure if she should walk past Ann who was currently 30 shades of red. She had not seen Ann that angry since Ryuji had made an off-color comment about her panther outfit.

"What in the holy hell is this? Some big joke? Why on earth are you here" Ann screamed crying and yelling at the same time.

Haru looked at Ann and Makoto several times unable to move and unsure what she should do. Makoto took a step towards Ann when Ann pushed out her arm "Stop… Just stop don't you dare try and comfort me right now. Not after yesterday. Not after I-I-I…told you what I told you and you…" Ann paused emotionally and physically drained she collapsed into a heap on the floor small tears continued to emanate from her eyes and roll down her face.

Haru looked at Makoto pleadingly as Makoto worked up all her courage and strength to move past the heiress without a word she effortlessly picked up the blonde from the floor and walked her over to the couch setting her down gently.

Ann opened her mouth as if to speak anger still swelling in her eyes as she looked at the woman she loved and simultaneously loathed.
Makoto took a step back even though all she wanted to do was run her hand through Ann's hair and comfort her. She took a moment to collect herself closing her eyes and looking deep inside to find the courage with what she wanted to say next. Somewhere in there queen still existed, and that was who she needed to be right now.

Haru suddenly felt awkward like she was intruding on an intimate moment not meant for her eyes. She felt her flight instinct kick in "umm... Ann… I need to get to the café would you mind if I…" she stumbled over her words finally looking up to see Makoto looking right at her with her piercing red eyes.

"you are not going anywhere" Makoto growled. "I need you to stay for this." Haru stopped slowly setting her keys down and staying attentive to the situation.

Makoto returned her gaze to Ann who hadn't moved. Her blue eyes seemed to be searching, wanting, and unsure of what to do next so there she stayed the shock of it all rendering her speechless.

Makoto finally broke the awkward silence she looked directly into Ann's eyes and just began to speak as quickly as possible "Look I know I don't deserve your time. That I don't deserve to just show up on your doorstep after everything… after our history…after I ran from you… from us… but here I am. I am a coward I have run from everything I have ever loved and still pretended my life was perfect that I was happy." She felt herself faltering tears began to roll down her face she wiped them off with her hands and steadied herself. "I honestly am crumbling and have been crumbling ever since I abandoned you and ran from our friends. I threw myself into school and then into work trying to be the perfect cop the perfect image to the outside world. I let my heart harden and worst of all the mask I ripped off when I awoke my persona covered me anew and served as a crutch to server all my desires."

Ann looked at her softening her eyes "Mako.."

"No Ann. I do not deserve your compassion. I am a coward who does not and did not deserve your love. I sacrificed your heart for an image. The worst part is that I have been so caught up in what everyone else would think… what Sae would think…how loving you would hurt our careers… I convinced myself that you were better off without me, that you would be able to find love again. Yesterday, when you told me all that had happened to you … all that your life had become it broke me again. I couldn't bear to see the trauma and pain my decisions had inflicted on you. You caused my perfect world to crumble, and I-I-I ran from you again because I had no words to express the sorrow and regret I felt. I ran from you because I still wouldn't face the fact that I am a lesbian. I somehow convinced myself for years that that meant I was broken and needed to be alone to get to the top of my profession to be a success." Makoto stopped she searched Ann's face for something anything just some recognition. It was the same blue eyes staring at her piercing her soul deeply. Haru crossed the room and set herself on the couch within sight of Makoto. She tried to give the other woman engorgement the will to keep going, but Makoto's eyes never left Ann's. IT was as if they were the only two people in the world.

Makoto gulped she knew this last part would be the hardest but she had to do it… "My whole world is a lie Ann, and I don't even know what I like because I have never truly done anything for myself. I even built my sense of justice on a lie. It's like I forgot everything I had when I was a phantom thief, I forgot Johanna, I forgot Queen… I forgot all of us, and what we stood for, I forgot how hard we fought to break the chains that society created. I built a palace around my heart because it was easier to be alone than to love you publically. I am so sorry I left you, that I disappeared without a word. I love you, Ann, I have always loved you; but honestly, right now I do not deserve your forgiveness or your love. I would understand If you told me to leave and never come back, I would understand if you moved on to someone who has always been able to give you what you need… what you deserve. I do not expect you to love or forgive me today or tomorrow or maybe ever. I understand if you cannot forgive the pain I have caused you, but I will spend the rest of my life trying to make it up to you if I have too. I will work to be a better person. Not for you or anyone else but, for myself. I hope that someday we can at least be friends, that the rest of the thieves will also take me back as their friend once I show them the real me as well. I refuse to live a lie anymore…" Makoto finally let herself break down in tears, all the strength she had received from queen had vanished, and there she was vulnerable to the world. Somehow she felt lighter and yet as she looked at each of the other two woman's faces her heart felt heavy.

Ann opened her mouth to say something tears were finally streaming down her face "Mako…I"

Makoto put a finger to her lips as if to quiet the younger woman. "No Ann don't give me your answer now. I don't deserve an answer now. When you are ready, we can sit down and talk. All I ask is that you consider what I have said here." She looked at Ann Longing for what they once shared, turned her eyes to Haru and mouthed a silent "Thank you" before she turning on her heels and quickly leaving the room.

Ann's mouth was slack. Slowly she turned towards Haru. "What am I going to do?." The blonde asked rhetorically while the redhead searched her brain for an answer to their problems. Finally, Haru responded "I don't know... I honestly don't know." It was Haru's turn to let tears fall from her eyes quiet despair washed over her body. Both women were at a loss, neither of them knew how to reconcile their desires and their actions. The room grew silent and there both women sat silently thinking about the events of the past 24 hours.

Makoto stepped outside her breath was cold against the air. Eventually, she allowed herself to lose it. All of the energy and angst that had built its self up inside her seeped its way out with each tear. She sat there letting it go until she felt steady enough to mount her bike.

Pulling on her helmet, she recognized the long road that lay ahead; most people would crumble under the vast amount of pressure still facing Makoto on every front. She sighed a long sigh as she pulled the visor down over her face. Even with the sheer amount of work to be done Makoto couldn't help but smile, she was finally on the path to freedom. Now she just had to figure out how to talk to Sae.