Haruka awoke to the sun shining on her face.  She reached over on the bed, but felt nothing.  Her eyes snapped open.

            The room seemed different than it had last night, but Haruka couldn't guess how.  "Mamoru?" she ventured, looking about.

            "Kitchen!"  Mamoru's called.

            Haruka smiled and sunk back into the bed, pulling the covers about her.  She stayed like that for a few minutes, until her curiosity got the better of her.  *I wonder what he's doing in there...*

            Stretching, Haruka got out of bed.  Seeing a robe on the couch, she hurried over and wrapped it around herself, shivering at the sudden change from warm bed to walking about naked.

            "Morning, love." Mamoru greeted Haruka as she wandered into the kitchen.  He leaned toward her, kissing her on the cheek.  Mamoru grinned mischievously.  "Sleep well?" he asked nonchalantly.

            Now Haruka grinned, too.  "Better than ever."  She replied.

            "Good."

            Haruka breathed in the aroma of cooking food. "What are you making?"

            "Chocolate chip pancakes, eggs, and a huge salad." Mamoru replied.  Haruka chuckled at the "unmatched" selection.

            "You need any help?" she offered.

            Mamoru shook his head.  "Nope.  It'll be done in a minute, anyway."

            Ten minutes later, the table was set--Haruka had insisted on helping--and they were both sitting down to test Mamoru's masterpiece.

            Haruka took a bite of he salad, then grinned. "It's great."  She informed him.  Mamoru beamed.

            Over breakfast, they spoke of many things, but both avoided the subject of their girlfriends, until it became clear that something would have to be said.  Mamoru took it upon himself to say it, while they were sitting on the couch.

            "Haruka," he started, "What are we going to do about...you know?"

            Haruka nodded.  "I know."  Then she sighed.  "I just don't know what to do.  I've never had to be in this situation before."

            Mamoru shook his head.  "Neither have I."

            "Well," Haruka said, "You can't break it off with Usagi," even as the words came out of her mouth, they hurt. She held onto him tighter.  "Because she has to be the Queen, and Chibi Usa must be born."

            Mamoru nodded, flinching.  "What about Michiru?" 

            Haruka shrugged.  "I think that it might be unwise to do anything drastic right now...they might suspect."

            "Do you still love her?" his voice sounded slightly cold, as if a dear friend had insulted him.

            "What?" the abruptness of the question caught Haruka off guard.

            "Do you still love Michiru?"  Mamoru repeated doggedly, not meeting her gaze.

            "Yes."  The answer was instantaneous.  "But not in the same way."

            "What do you mean?"  Mamoru asked.

            "Do you love Usagi?"

            "Oh course," Mamoru replied.  "I've known her forever!  She's always been there...she's like a little sister..." trailing off, he met Haruka's gaze.  "Is that what you meant?" Mamoru took her hands in his own.  "Is that how you love Michiru?"

            Haruka nodded, smiling.  "We're best friends; closer than sisters, even."

            "I know."  Mamoru muttered underneath his breath. "And that's what worries me."

            "Why?"

            "Because," Mamoru answered, "You two have always been together."

            Haruka laughed.  "What a hypocritical thing for you to say!" she cried.

            "How so?"  Mamoru asked.  "It's the truth."

            "So?"  Haruka asked.  "You and Usagi have been together forever, as well.  You were together as Endymion and Serenity on the Moon, and you're together now, on Earth.  You will be together in Crystal Tokyo, as King Endymion and Neo Queen Serenity--Hell, you were even together while you pretended to hate each other!"

            "That may be so," Mamoru consented, "But I love *you.*"  He kissed her tenderly, and wrapped his arms about her shoulders, pulling her onto his lap.

            Haruka sighed contentedly, snuggling closer to him.  "I love you too, Mamoru."

            Haruka was standing outside the door to her beach house, nervously debating whether it would be a good idea to just stroll right on in.  It was eight in the morning, on a Saturday, so she expected everyone to be asleep.

            *Maybe Michiru won't even notice that I never came home last night.*  She comforted herself with the thought.

            Heaving a sigh, Haruka unlocked the door and walked inside.

            Setsuna stepped out from behind the rose bushes next to the front door.  Her brow was knitted in question. *Where has she been all night?*

            When she stepped inside, Haruka immediately noticed Michiru.  She was sleeping on the couch, her hand rested near the phone.

            *Oh, God.* She had obviously been up long enough to realize that Haruka was not going to be coming back that night, and had camped out next to the phone, incase her lover should decide to call.

            "Poor, poor Michi." Haruka trailed off.  She picked Michiru up gently and carried her into their room.  Placing her on the bed, Haruka covered her with the blankets, then headed out of the room, when Michiru's voice stopped her.

            "Haruka?"

            "Yes, darling?" Haruka winced, such treachery making her feel ill, but she knew that it must be done.

            The minute that she heard Haruka's voice, it was like a beacon for Michiru.  She jumped up, out of bed, and raced to Haruka's side, throwing her arms about the girl's waist.  "Oh, Haruka." she whispered.  Then her eyes narrowed, and she looked up fiercely.  "Where were you last night?"

            "I told you," Haruka said, "I just went out on a walk, to spend some time alone.  I stopped at the garage, to check on my car and work on it a little..."

            "Just go on, Haruka."  Michiru interrupted, backing up and folding her arms over her chest.  "While you're at it, why don't you just dig yourself deeper?"

            "What?"  Haruka asked.

            "I called the garage."

            Haruka felt the color drain from her face.  "I didn't hear the phone."  She answered easily, wishing that her voice didn't sound so pinched.

            "That's because you *weren't there!*"  Michiru finished the last part in a shout.  "That one guy... whatever his name was...answered the phone."

            Haruka groaned involuntarily.  *Oh no...*

            "Oh, yes, Haruka."  Michiru snapped, as if answering Haruka's thoughts.  "He said that you weren't there.  He hadn't seen you all night."

            "Look, Michiru." Haruka searched her mind for a good lie.  "I'm sorry about lying...I just went on a walk.  I needed to be alone, that's all."

            "Lies."  Michiru shook her head.  "You don't go on walks, Haruka--you go on runs."  Now she turned her back.  "I'm going to go take a shower.  When you're ready to tell me what happened--what really happened—then please do so.  Until then..."

            "Michiru, please," Haruka begged, but Michiru had already shut the door.