*Delicate Angel*
by Michiru Kaioh 

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hotaru ran happily into the living room, waving a piece of paper 
in her hands. Her hands and face were dirty with paint, and she had a 
huge grin on her face.
"Haruka-papa! Setsuna-mama!" she called. "Where is Michiru-mama?"

Haruka and Setsuna had been watching a late night television show
on the couch. 

They both turned around and faced the small bouncing girl.
"Hotaru-chan, why aren't you asleep?" Setsuna asked her.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't sleep!" she said as she climbed onto Haruka's
lap. 

"But look at this!! I made it for Michiru-mama." 
Setsuna and Haruka looked at the picture that Hotaru had painted
on a piece of computer paper. It was a scene by the ocean where Michiru 
often took her to swim, play, or just watch the waves lap up onto the rocks.

Haruka smiled. "That's beautiful Hotaru-chan."

"Where is she? Where is Michi-mama?" Hotaru asked, waving the 
picture again.
"She went out to get some soy sauce for tomorrow's lunch," Haruka
said. "She should be home at any moment."

"How silly she is!" Hotaru giggled innocently. "It's real late 
to be going out for groceries."

Setsuna glanced at the clock. "Haruka, she's got a point actually.
It's nearly eleven o'clock."

"Huh?" Haruka turned up her wrist and glanced at her watch. 
"I didn't realize it was so late already." She and Setsuna had apparently
passed a long time watching television and chatting about their day, losing
track of the time. 

"She left over three hours ago."
Hotaru looked at Haruka with worried eyes, tugging on her shirt.

"Where is Michiru-mama?"
"She'll be home real soon, I'm sure she's just lost her way," Haruka
patted Hotaru on the head. 
As if on cue, they heard a small knock on the door. "Hai!" Haruka 
stood up and opened the door, and her eyes grew wide. "Mi...Michiru??" 
Sure enough, standing there in the doorway was Michiru. A beaten, 
and exhausted one. 

She had a large gash in her left arm, and there were
thin cuts on both her cheeks extending from her ears down to her mouth. 
Her hair was matted and she held her blood stained dress together in the front. 
A small trail of dried blood dripped down her leg, and she was trembling. 

"Haruka..." she said in a small, shaking voice. She collapsed into 
Haruka's arms and sobbed.
"Michiru-mama??" Hotaru said as she saw her. "What happened??"
Setsuna gently pushed Hotaru into her bedroom, urging her to 
go to sleep, and telling her that everything was okay. "It's alright, Hotaru.
Everything is just fine."

Once Haruka and Setsuna had calmed Michiru down, she changed her
clothes. She now sat on the couch, wrapped in a blanket that draped over
her shoulders. Haruka cradled her in her arms.
"Michiru," Setsuna said. "Michiru, what happened?"
And Michiru told her story.

************

Taking a deep breath, Michiru drew in the cool evening air and 
smiled to herself. Her day that day had been absolutely wonderful. She 
and Hotaru had gone shopping for a new dress for her to wear at Chibi Usa's 
birthday
party. 

Afterward, all four of them had eaten dinner at a new restaurant
downtown that included an elegant dance floor.

Haruka and Michiru danced
a few dances, making her very content indeed. 

They had all decided that the following day they would have a picnic in 
the park and go catch an afternoon movie. As Michiru had begun to prepare 
the lunch, she realized that she had used the last of the soy sauce to 
cook dinner the previous night. 

Taking the car keys, she announced that she was making a quick trip to the
grocery to pick up a few things, and that she would be back shortly.

Upon arriving at the grocery store, she casually walked up and 
down each aisle, checking to assure herself that she didn't need anything 
else. Just as she was about to check out, she decided to look at the small
corner with manga to pick one up for Hotaru. 
"Ara, how am I to know which one she reads?" She asked herself, 
glancing at all the neatly arranged and colorful books. 

As she reached up to grab one off the shelf, she got the feeling that
someone had been watching her. She hadn't noticed anyone around her, 
so she shrugged it 
off.
She checked out, paid, and took her small bag of items into the parking
lot, looking for her car. It was then that she got the erie feeling again
that she was being watched-- or followed. 

"Hello?" She said, turning around. 
No one.

So she continued on to her car.
"I don't remember parking so far away," she remarked to herself.
That was when she hear footsteps behind her. Slow, menacing 
footsteps that seemed close. Too close. She turned around again. 
Nothing. No one.

Michiru let out a sigh of relief. "How silly of me, getting worked
up," she laughed to herself. She reached her car, and started to 
unlock the car, 
when a tall shadow loomed over her. 


This time, she knew someone was behind her.

She turned around.
Standing there looking at her was a very tall and odd looking 
man. He was relatively young looking, except for his beard. He had 
a terrible unshaven face. His eyes were dark and hidden behind his 
long and stringy hair.

He made Michiru feel incredibly uncomfortable. 

"Can I help you?"
Michiru asked with an uneasy voice.
"Kaioh Michiru, ne?" He asked her. His voice was deep and rough.
"Can I help you?" Michiru repeated herself.

"I have something for you, Kaioh-san," he said, adding a creepy 
grin.
Michiru backed away toward the driver's side door. "I'm sorry, 
you'll have to excuse me."
The man gripped his hand around Michiru's arm. "But I have
something for you."

"Let go of me!" Michiru snapped, attempting to pull her arm away.
The man whipped out a pocket knife, flipped Michiru around to 
face him, and pointed the knife at her neck. "I said, I have something
for you." He grabbed her and pulled her over past the parking lot and 
toward a large ditch. 

The grocery was now out of hearing and sight.

Michiru attempted to crawl up the side of the ditch and she screamed
for help at the same time. "Someone!!! Help!!!"
"Shut up!!!" he snapped at her and took his knife up, slashing 
Michiru's left arm deeply.
She screamed out in pain, falling to the ground and clutching her
arm. "Haruka," she whimpered. "Help me..."

"Shut up," he said again, yanking her up by the arm. He threw her
up against the side of the ditch, and stood in front of her. As he put 
his hands on either side of her face against the dirt, he placed his face
inches away from hers. "I like you." He grinned his deathly grin again, 
and pulled his knife out once more. The moon's glow glistened against the 
metal. Fear was racing through Michiru's heart and she began to slide down
to the ground along the wall.

"I don't think so," he said, yanking her up again. He touched the
dull end of the blade against her cheek. "I've always wondered what it 
would be like to have a perfect life like yours in my hands. To know how 
it felt to have enough power to completely ruin it.

His words echoed endlessly in Michiru's mind and she began to cry.
"Aww, no tears now," he said, mocking her. He placed the sharp 
edge of the blade against her cheek and gently pulled it along her tender
flesh. Deep red blood trickled slowly down her cheek and onto the sky blue
fabric of her dress.

He turned to her other cheek and pulled the knife along 
her skin in the same manner, leaving an identical trail of pain. 
"Please..." Michiru whimpered. "Please..."

The man chuckled a little. Drawing his face next to her ear he
whispered, "Why, are you scared, my dear?"

He took his finger and placed it onto her wound. As Michiru winced, he 
painted her lips with her own blood,and kissed her. As he continued his 
intrusion, he lowered his hand with the knife. In an instant, Michiru 
screamed out and winced in severe pain as he 
dug his knife into her upper thigh. Blood oozed out onto her leg and 
dripped 
onto the ground. 
"Please..." Michiru cried again. 
He laughed menacingly. Stepping away about a foot, he touched his
knife to her chest. Pulling down on it firmly, only enough to barely 
punctureher dress and her skin, he slid his knife down between her 
breasts, slitting her
dress, and down past her stomach. Her dress fell to the ground. Where 
his knife had graced her soft skin, a shimmering trail of blood trickled 
down. Michiru clenched her teeth and began to slide down to the ground 
again, now
suffering a great deal of pain both physically and mentally.
"That's right, deary..." he said. "That's right..."

************

Michiru was crying terribly. "He left me there like that after 
viciously raping me."

Haruka wrapped her arms around Michiru and comforted her like a 
small suffering child. 
"As soon as I could stand up again, I made my way to the car and 
came home," Michiru said as she lay her head on Haruka's chest. "I'm so 
sorry..."
"Shh..." Haruka said. "We're here, and no one is going to hurt 
you."

Haruka turned around, looking at Michiru who was still asleep in
bed, curled up in the sheets. Her wounds had been cleaned and dressed by 
Setsuna. She knew she must be tired. She walked over to her, sitting on 
the edge of the bed.
"Michiru," she said very quietly, brushing Michiru's hair away from
her face. "Such a delicate angel. How could anyone do such a thing to you?"

Michiru stirred

and awoke slowly. As she opened her eyes, she looked
tenderly at Haruka. "Haru-chan," she said, placing her hand on hers.


Haruka smiled. "Good morning."
At that moment, Setsuna and Hotaru walked in the doorway.

"Michi-mama!!" Hotaru said, bouncing over to the edge of the bed.
She had in her hand the picture she had painted for her. "You're awake 
now!"

Michiru smiled softly. "Ara, Hotaru-chan!" she sat up and held open
her arms to the small child. "What have you there?"
"It's for you!" Hotaru climbed up onto the bed and sat in Michiru's
lap. "I painted it with the paints you gave me. Do you like it?"


Michiru looked at the painting, and then at Hotaru. She brushed 
her hand through the girl's hair and kissed the top of her head. "Hotaru-
chan,
it's the most beautiful painting I've ever seen."
Hotaru's eyes lit up in delight and she threw her arms around Michiru, 
hugging her. Michiru smiled and hugged her back, wincing slightly from her 
wounds.
"Michiru-mama? Are you alright?" Hotaru asked with a concerned look.

"Hai, I'm fine."
"Michiru," Setsuna said. "I want you to go somewhere with me today."
"Where?"

"Well, I would like all of us to go actually. 

To the doctor."

"Why, Setsuna-chan?"
"Michiru..." Setsuna looked serious. "You were raped, and we need to
make sure everything's okay."

Michiru nodded, understanding.

Room was cold and confined, 

as all doctor's offices tended to be. Haruka stood
leaning against the wall, and Setsuna sat on a chair holding Hotaru in her lap. 
Michiru 
was sitting on the examination table, waiting for the nurse or doctor to return. 
They had already 
taken various blood samples from her 
and they had just performed a pregnancy test as well.
Results were all they were looking for now. The four girls were quiet, somewhat 
nervous.
In a few minutes, the doctor came in with a smile on his face. 
"Kaioh-san?"
Michiru stood up and the others directed their attention at the doctor.
"Yes?"

"Your pregnancy test has come out negative."
They all let out a sigh of relief. The idea of having a child was 
not a displeasing one to Michiru, but who the father would have been is 
the disturbing part.

"However we are going to mail you the results for the tests of STDs."
Michiru nodded. "Thank you, doctor."
On their way out of the building, Haruka put her arm around Michiru to
reassure her. "See, everything will be just fine."
"I hope so," Michiru said.

The next week or so, Haruka, Michiru, Hotaru, and Setsuna were closer
than they had ever been before. It seemed as though the unfortunate occurance
that Michiru experienced had made them want to spend more time with her. 
Hotaru didn't even fully understand the situation, but she knew that something
terrible had happened to her Michi-mama, and that she didn't want it to happen
again. 
All was normal in the outer senshi's home, all was calm. 

Until 
the Saturday came that would change their lives forever. 

It had been about a month since Michiru had been raped, and it was 
a normal Saturday afternoon. Haruka was sitting on the couch and watching 
a movie, Setsuna was typing up reports on the computer, and Michiru and Hotaru
had gone on a walk. The sun was shining brightly into their home, and they 
were all in quite a cheerful mood. 

They were planning on going down to 
watch the stars in Haruka's car later that evening, a quiet pastime that 
they all enjoyed very much.

"Here they come," Setsuna said to Haruka as she glanced up from her
work to look out the window. 

She was referring to Hotaru and Michiru. Hotaru
was bounding up the driveway, and Michiru was carrying the mail and struggling
to keep up with the energetic child.
Haruka stood up and opened the door to greet them. 
"Konnichiwa, Haruka-papaaaa!" Hotaru said, running up, giving her 
a hug, and running past her into the house.

"Kawaii, ne?" Michiru said as she walked up to Haruka.
"Yes, she is. Very cute," Haruka said. She put her arms around
Michiru's waist and gave her a small kiss. "What have you got there?"

"Oh this?" Michiru waved the small stack of mail in her right 
hand as they made their way into the house. "Only a few days worth of 
mail that someone forgot to pick up." she teased Haruka.

"Euh," Haruka put her hand behind her head. "Sorry."
Michiru slightly giggled and tossed the letters onto the kitchen 
counter.

Hotaru had her head in the refrigerator, looking for something 
to snack on. As Michiru flipped through the letters, she read them aloud:
"Bills... bills... junk... catalogue... bills... junk... " then her eyes 
grew wide. "Haruka! Setsuna!" 
"What is it, Michiru?" 

"Michiru-mama?" Hotaru came into the room. "What's wrong?"
Michiru turned the letter around that she had in her hands so that
the others could see it. "It came in!" It was the results of her tests.
"Well, let's see them," Haruka said.
Michiru nodded, and pulled open the top. Her face lit up in a smile
as she read. Must be good news. Haruka and Setsuna exhanged glances.
That's when Michiru gasped. "No..." she whispered. "No...
it's a mistake..." 

she looked at Haruka, shaking her head and putting the
paper back into the envelope. "These are someone else's results." She gave 
them to Haruka and went over to sit on the couch.
"Ehh?" Haruka opened the letter and read. There was a list of 
various sexually transmitted diseases, and the results to the tests. Haruka
read through what all the results are. All negative. Except one. 
She looked over at Michiru, who was slumped over on the couch, 
sobbing furiously. "Michiru..." She went to her, kneeling down next to 
her. Taking Michiru into her arms, they both cried. Michiru wanted to 
be lost in Haruka's arms forever, and in turn Haruka wanted to protect
her from the rest of the world. 

"Haruka? Michiru?" Setsuna and Hotaru were looking in confusion.
Picking up the letter, Setsuna too read the results.

Michiru had H.I.V.

************

"Are you about ready to go?" Haruka called to Michiru, standing
near the door.
"Ara, one moment!" Michiru put her last touches of make-up on, 
straightened her dress, and smiled. She was wearing a pastel colored 
dress that reached her ankles. It came up like a turtleneck and had no 
sleeves whatsoever. She wore long and elegant gloves to match. 


The last 
time she had worn that dress was when she played the violin in concert with
the Three Lights.

As Michiru joined Haruka and they left, Haruka smiled. "You look
beautiful."

"Arigato," Michiru smiled. 
It had been about a month since they had learned about Michiru's 
condition. 

At first, it was a big shock.

Michiru didn't want to believe 
that the results were hers, and so they had to return to the hospital for
a confirmation. After that, Michiru didn't know how to act. She seemed
a bit skiddish about things,

and tended to be very cautious about things 
that she did. This lasted about two weeks. Slowly, Michiru had come to a 
realization that she couldn't crawl up and hide from life. She still 
had her time left, and she only had H.I.V., she hadn't yet developed the 
AIDS virus.

And now, it was one month later. March 6th, her birthday. 

Haruka
had something very special planned for her and she was keeping it a 
surprise.Haruka had reserved a table at a very prestigious restaurant, 
their favorite 
one.
It had dinner and dancing, and they were prefered customers. Upon
arriving to the restaurant, they ate a nice meal, talking and laughing. 
They had danced through a few of the more romantic songs, receiving 
applause after
their third dance. Soon after, they walked out onto the balcony to look 
at the night sky.
"They're beautiful, aren't they?" Michiru said, looking at the 
stars. She stood next to the railing with her arms resting on it.

"Very beautiful..." Haruka said, standing directly beside Michiru
and looking at her. "Of course."
Michiru blushed, realizing that Haruka was referring to her. "I
never used to realize how beautiful everything really is. The stars, the
sky, the land, the trees... everything," she looked at Haruka.
"Michiru..." Haruka went and stood behind her. All of a sudden,
she passed her arms around Michiru's waist, and pulled her closely against
her. Whispering next to her ear, she said, "Michiru, you know you are 
important to me, don't you? You know that.. that I love you, right?"

Michiru could feel herself blushing, and her heart fluttering. "Of
course, Haru-chan..."
Haruka drew one hand back and reached into her pocket. Then, 
slipping her arm back in front 
of Michiru, she held out a box. "Open it."
"What is it?" Taking the small box into her hands, Michiru pulled
out a delicate gold necklace. The moonlight reflected off of the chain in
such a way that it seemed to sparkle. Dangling from it was a tiny gold 
heart. "Haruka..."
Haruka took the necklace and unfastened the clasp. She then put it around
Michiru's neck, and then turned Michiru around by the shoulders to look 
at her.
"Michiru... you look... beautiful."
Michiru had a teary eyed smile on her face as she looked at her.
Then, Michiru broke down into tears and fell into Haruka. 

"Michiru??" Haruka held her close and tried to comfort her. "What
is it?"
"Haruka... I.. I don't want to leave you.. I don't want to leave you,
or Hotaru, or Setsuna.. I want to stay here with you, I don't want to die."
"Oh Michiru... please... you're going to be okay... you're still
here... please don't think that way..."
They stood there, holding one another and crying. 

It was something
that they seldome did: being so close together. But it seemed like the 
situation had brought everyone closer, including them. Even Usagi, Minako,
Rei, Makoto, Ami, and Mamoru had been wanting to spend time with Michiru once
they learned of her condition. Taking her out to lunch, going shopping,
buying her small gifts. Michiru's life wasn't the same. However, it was
having a positive effect in addition to the negative aspects. She started
seeing life differently than she had before. The things she took for granted
in the past, she now cherished. She cherished every day, every moment. The
simple things truely mattered, and the petty things no longer did.
Much 
of her money from performances went to charities and organizations instead
of herself. 


She was making a difference in her life. Everyone could notice
it, and they were supporting her all the way. Even though she was afraid of 
her
fate ahead, she didn't lie down and let it consume her.


~*Ten Years Later*~

There was a knock at the door.

"Kaioh-san?"
Michiru turned her head and looked in that direction. "Hai?"

The woman stepped into the room, and walked to the bed. "You 
have visitors. Are you feeling up to it?"
Michiru nodded.
The woman smiled, and stood up, leaving the room. Michiru could
hear the soft muffled voices outside the closed door.

"Okay, she's agreed to allow you in," the nurse said to the group 
of people. "We're going to ask that you all stay only a short while, she
has received her medication recently and she is very tired." The nurse looked
to the side a little. "Before you go in, I'm going to prepare you. She
doesn't look good."

They all nodded. 
Sighing, the nurse opened the door and allowed them into Michiru's
room. The room looked as if someone had dumped white paint everywhere. 
Everything
was white. White curtains, white sheets, white floor, ceiling, walls-- 
everything.

Michiru's bed was placed on the opposite end of the room, parallel to the 
far wall. Under the sheets of the bed lay a frail and fragile looking form. 
Michiru
lay there, her eyes shut. It seemed that her head barely dented the pillow. 
Silence
was around them except for the noise of the Michiru's breathing magnified 
by the 
machines, and the constant beeping of her heart rate. 

Usagi and Mamoru were the first to approach her.
"Michiru-san? Usagi said hesitantly.
Michiru opened her eyes and turned her head to look at her. She 
looked dazed and sleepy, yet she smiled. "Usagi-chan... Mamoru-san."


Usagi and Mamoru both smiled a little. "We just came to see how 
you were doing," Usagi said. "You look wonderful."

Michiru managed a soft laugh. "Liar."

Mamoru set down a vase of assorted flowers on the table next to Michiru's 
bed. "Michiru, these are from all of us."
Smiling, Michiru said, "Arigato."
The two smiled, left and Minako, Makoto, Ami, and Rei walked in next. 
"Michiru!" They all said in unison as they walked in.
"Ohayo, minna."

Ami set a book down on Michiru's bedside. "I want you to have this.
I've just finished reading it, and I know that you would enjoy it. Very 
fascinating and it's relatively easy reading."

"Arigato, Ami-chan."

"Michiru, we want to take you to the beach when you get well," 
Rei said. "Minako and I have reserved a place for you and Haruka in 
a beautiful hotel room. Haruka doesn't know, but we thought it might be 
something nice for you."
"And I plan to fix you a gormet lunch," Makoto smiled.

"Thank you all, so much..." Michiru said quietly. "I appreciate 
it. You've all been so good to me."
"Of course, Michiru-san," Ami motioned for them to leave, and she
had tears in her eyes.
"Michiru-mama!" Hotaru smiled as she walked in with Setsuna and 
Haruka.

"Hotaru-chan," Michiru's eyes lit up at the sight of her "family".
Hotaru was now about sixteen years old, and Haruka was nearing twenty eight.
"Michiru, it's so wonderful to see you," Setsuna said. 
"Yes, it hasn't been the same around the house this past few 
weeks without you," 

Haruka knelt down by Michiru's bed and placed her hand
gently on Michiru's frail one. 
Michiru looked at Haruka lovingly. She then glanced up at Hotaru.
Then at Setsuna.

Her family, her friends. Her loved ones. The people who
had always been there for her. The people she would be there for to watch over.
She could feel a slight lump in her throat at the thought of leaving them all.
"I love you, all," Michiru said. Her eyes were looking very tired
at this point.

"Let's go. It was short, but she's clearly tired," Haruka said. She
didn't really want to leave her.
They looked tenderly at Michiru. Setsuna smiled. Hotaru hugged her. 
Haruka kissed her. Then they all left. 

Michiru watched the door close, and she once again listened to the
steady beep of her heart rate and her megnified breathing. She then glanced 
over at her table, looking at the vase of flowers and the book, smiling to 
herself. She had made good friends in her life, a great accomplishment 
that some people aren't 
able to maintain. It was something that she treasured. Especially in the past 
few years, since she had grown closer to all of the inner senshi. They truely
cared about her, as she did for them in return.

She looked over at the wall. The only color on the wall, the one 
thing she looked at frequently. 

It was a small child's painting of the 
ocean. Scribbled in black pen on the side in hiragana was Hotaru.
She smiled. Such a precious girl, Hotaru was. She had always been there for 
her, and she would continue to be there for her. That was her child in her 
mind, and she hated to leave her behind.

Then, Michiru placed her hand on her neck. Still placed there, was
a fragile gold necklace with a small gold heart. Never had she unfastened the
clasp, ever since she first had it on. It represented the love that she and
Haruka had shared, and that they still shared. That was something that 
would last beyond the physical world. She knew it, and Haruka knew it.

Closing her eyes, she reflected on her life. There was nothing that
she regretted, and nothing that she felt that she had missed. She wasn't 
sad to be leaving, only disappointed that she couldn't have been there longer
for her loved ones. She let out a shallow breath.

And all that could be heard, was a steady tone.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------