Epilogue: Home

It was snowing. Some falkes swam on the ocean's wild surface. However, today it was calm. Because today was a special day. Today was Christmas.

Light snow flakes floated down to an already covered ground. It looked as if the whole world had put on a white coat and it all looked so much cleaner. So much more innocent. Simply so much more beautiful.

"You love the sea, don't you?" asked Haruka and embraced her girlfriend from behind. They had just finished their Christmas shopping and were on their way to uncle Tarô's house to celebrate Christmas with him and Hotaru. The little girl had been very excited and had talked about her gifts all morning. For the first time in her life Haruka had got pocket money and she spent it almost all on Christmas presents.

She bought two heavy bags full of gifts.

Michiru smiled while she felt how her girlfriend held her tighter. Haruka was so happy to be able to spend all the money and to buy so many Christmas presents she hadn't been able to buy before.

She bought a small necklace, too.

Michiru held her girlfriend's hands in her own. They both wore gloves, but still they could feel their fingers under the fine clothes.

The sea green haired beauty knew for whom Haruka had bought the necklace. Once she had seen the picture of a young woman with a little baby girl in her arms in the photo album. Tiny hands had grabbed for a necklace. Haruka had softly said that she had destroyed it when she had been young and that her mother had been very sad. For a long time the tall had girl stared on the gift in her hands and wasn't sure what she should do. She didn't understand her mother. And she wasn't able to forgive her what she had done. What she hadn't done. But she knew that they both were simply the victims of a rude man. Of a brutal husband and of a hating father.

Maybe she'll mail it to her.

"Hai, I love the sea." Admitted Michiru and giggled as Haruka blew softly through her curls. "But I love the wind, as well. The sea is nothing without the wind."

She turned around and Haruka looked directly in deep blue eyes. Snow flakes sparkled like little diamonds in sea green hair and in the lamp light Michiru looked in her white coat like an angel.

My guardian angel...

Haruka pulled her angel nearer and kissed her with all her feelings. Now the tall girl was feeling better and after Christmas holidays they would go to school again. Quickly, Haruka regained her strength and Michiru realized how passionately her girlfriend could be - if she had the power and the will.

"I love you, too." She whispered between two kisses.

For another long time they stood there. Between snow flakes dancing weightlessly around them. Silently, they stood there and watched the steady waves, listened to the rushes of the sea and the screaming of the sea birds above, looking up to the moon and some bright stars sparkling through the clouds.

This must be a dream.

Haruka held her Michi tighter and felt again the wind playing with her short blond hair. But this time she wasn't as desperate as the last time she stood here. This time she didn't wish to be as fast as the wind. There was no reason for her to run away any longer. This time she didn't hear the shot again in her head. It had died away the very day Michiru had kissed her and had told her that she loved her. It was gone just like her nightmares the night she had told Michiru about her nightmares and about her father and how he had hurt her in the past.

Don't give up, 'cause you have friends...

Again she heard the soft song, the tender voice in her mind.

Somewhere there's a place where we belong.

Hai, this is my place. Where I belong. With my Michi.

"Are you cold?" asked Haruka as she realized how much her girlfriend trembled.

"No..." answered Michiru and raised her head to look up to the stars. Again she felt the wind playing with her white coat. But this time she didn't want to jump into the endless sea. This time she didn't want to follow her parents. After she had told her Haruka the truth about her parents' death. And the more time passed and the longer she could talk to Haruka and the more she knew that the tall girl was always there for her to comfort her, her fear decreased. Her nightmares stopped. Her whole body ached for life. After she had already decided to die, because it wasn't worth to live on this cold, cruel world any longer, she suddenly wanted to live. To spend her future together with her Ruka. This time she didn't see the burning car crashing down to the rocky ground and exploding there in a great ball of fire. This time she didn't smell the smoke of burning metal. Of burning flesh...

Don't give up, we're proud of who you are...

Surely, her parents were proud of her. Wherever they were right now. Surely, they knew that she was happy again. With Haruka. That she would never be as lonely and desperate as she had been shortly after her parents' death.

"It's almost seven in the evening. Surely, uncle Tarô and Hime-chan are waiting for us." Whispered Haruka and gave her another kiss that lasted for another long time.

"Guess you're right." Michiru's blue eyes sparkled as she took Haruka's free hand in her right and her bags into her left one. "Hope you'll like my gift."

"I like all your gifts." Answered Haruka while they walked slowly through the snow.

"And what do you want?" Michiru was very curious and Haruka smiled as she saw the pleading expression on her girlfriend's face.

Guess she's more curious to see my reaction than to see what she'll get.

"You." She said simply and blushed a little bit.

"Oh..." Michiru made a disappointed face, but her redden cheeks betrayed all her feelings. "Then you wouldn't do a great deal. You know, yesterday I saw in that shop a..."

Haruka let go her bags and the next second she had pulled her girlfriend into her arms and swirled around with her on the white element.

"Whatever you've seen, Michi, you're the only one I want!" she laughed and kissed her again and again and again.

"Why didn't you tell me earlier? That would have been cheaper." Michiru giggled and tried to repeat all the stormy kisses. But she wasn't as fast as her girlfriend. So she only giggled more.

"Cheaper? You're too expensive!" Haruka let her down and looked for a long moment deep into blue eyes. "I still don't know how I got you."

"I simply couldn't resist your charm." Whispered Michiru and stroked with her gloves over redden cheeks. "And your beautiful smile. And I love it to hear you laug. To look into your sparkling eyes. To see that you're happy."

"With you I am happy." Answered Haruka and again they kissed for another long time.

I want to be happy with you, Michi. For the rest of my life.

I only want to see you laughing, Ruka. For all times.

"Now, it's almost eight. Guess our two Tomoes will have starved in the meantime." Said Haruka and took her bags again.

"Starved? Our Hime-chan? Don't worry. She knows how to open the fridge and uncle Tarô knows how to open the microwave oven."

"I'd know how to burn it all."

Both giggled and took each other's hand to walk through the wide snow.

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A woman in a long, white dress watched them go. Wind played with her long blond hair and a tender smile was on her face.

Now, you're ready.

She reached into her bag and took out two golden henshin.

Now, you're ready to face your destiny - together.

They saw the bus coming down the street. Only ten minutes by bus and they would be at Dr. Tomoe's house to celebrate Christmas.

"Let's go home." Said Michiru as the bus finally arrived and the doors open for them to enter.

"Home?" whispered Haruka and held her hand suddenly tighter. The smaller girl turned around and smiled tenderly at her girlfriend. Too well she remembered the two addresses Haruka had lived at just a few weeks ago.

Lived? Existed.

Too well she did remember how much she had cried during the past weeks after her parents' death when she had been sure that she'd never be able to call any place home again.

Briefly, Michiru leaned over to Haruka and gave her another loving kiss. Her whisper was the sweetest melody Haruka had ever heard.

"Hai, Ruka. Our home."

End

Written: 18th December 2000 – 13th January 2001

Reread and reuploaded: August 2006

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