"The Soulsower"
by
Sailor Heart and Eclipse


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------
EPILOGUE (SH's point of view)
________________________________________________

It had been about a week since the Soulsower had been plugged back into the
ground.  We were all pretty unsure whether such a powerful entity could be
contained, but Samantha made it clear that it would never be free again.
She
made a small show of burning the revival chant in Raye's firepit.

Things were slowly returning to normal.  Amy had been released from the
hospital and into her mother's care.  Molly was also making great progress
in
her battle to return to her active state. Mina had volunteered to be Amy's
nurse while Dr. Mizuno was at work, but after about an hour, we all got
called
in to help Mina the wonder-clutz.

The end of the week brought a sad occasion though.  Haley was leaving.
Lita,
Serena, Raye, Darien and I were sitting out on the Mizuno veranda waiting
while Haley said her goodbyes to Mina, Amy, Luna and Artemis.

As Haley came out, Serena almost tackled her to the ground with a
waist-lock-like hug.

"Oh Haley," she sobbed, "Do you have to leave so soon?!  It seems like you
just got here!"

"Yeah, Haley.  You've got an eternity to waste; why not hang around here for
a
couple of decades?" Darien joked but fondly.

"Call it the call of the road, or a gypsy's heart." Haley smiled as she
kissed
Serena's forehead.  "Okay Serena, I may be immortal, but I do need to
breathe
you know?"

"But I just hate the thought of you being out there all alone travelling to
who-knows-where!  And I'll miss you so very, very much!"  Her waterworks
were
starting to flow.

"I'll be back soon, Serena.  Besides, I can't stay away from my little
sister,
too long, can I?  Some strange man in a tuxedo might try to swoop you of
your
feet to who-knows-where!"  Serena giggled at that, but it wasn't enough to
make her forget her tears.

Darien hugged them both firmly.  "You should really come visit more often,
Haley."

"I'll try.  I promise."  they kissed and Darien managed to peel Serena off
of
her so she could say goodbye to the rest of us.

We stood there, Lita and I, looking at her dubiously.  Lita and I both had
mixed feelings about Haley.  Still, as far as I was concerned, she was a
friend and thus deserved a pleasant send off.

She walked over to us and stood in front of me, unsure what to say.

"Haley, I..." I started, as she turned toward me.  She put a finger
to my lips to motion me to be quiet.

"I know." she said.  "You couldn't bear seeing a friend or a loved one
hurt by someone you hardly knew.  I understand."  She knew the words weren't
coming as easily to me as I would have liked.

"No, I don't think you do; at least, not completely.  I completely
misjudged you and for that I truly appologize.  You aren't what I saw you
to be and I am so sorry that I didn't see the real you."  I leaned forward
and hugged her, a little to her surprise.  But she knew it was warm and
inviting.
Yet, still, it was only the hug of a friend.

"You are a valuable member of this team, and don't let me or anyone
else tell you different."  I offered my hands to her and she  placed them in
her own.  We gave each other glances.  I gave her apology and friendship,
and she gave me forgiveness and cameraderie.

"Wandering gypsy heart, huh?"  I said, breaking the silence.  "Try not to
wait
until the next Nega-disaster to show up, okay?"  We all laughed and she
started to shake my hand.  Caught up in the moment, I pulled her toward me
and
we hugged again.  We had been through a lot this past week.  I guess it must
have been the high emotional levels that brought me to hug her.  It caught
her
by surprise again, and she was unsure as to what to do.  I felt her answer
when her hands cupped my shoulder blades.  I was facing Lita and for once, I
didn't see the almost too familiar daggers in her eyes.  She must have
understood.

"Thanks a lot, Haley.  Now, get out before you change your mind and want to
stay some more!" I said, with a small laugh.  She knew I didn't mean
anything
by it.

"Lucky for you, Adrian, I'll be back.  Until then, Lita is going to have to
kick your ass in gear when the going gets tough!"  She smirked at me and we
both laughed.  Then she faced Lita.

"That's a promise!" laughed Lita.  Lita was smiling as she took both of
Haley's hands in hers.  Then she became very serious and very quiet.
"Thanks
Haley."

Haley squeezed Lita's hands and winked at her as she playfully pushed me
aside
to face the final Scout; Raye.

They didn't say anything to each other as they embraced, but I could sense
that they were holding long conversations with their eyes.  I looked in
Raye's
eyes and it spoke books to me.  She was quietly weeping on the inside.
Outside, she wore an almost perfect mask of nobility.

"I'll be back soon, I promise." Haley whispered into Raye's ear.

The dark-haired beauty nodded and as she pulled away from Haley but not
before
kissing her on the lips.  It was the first time the rest of us saw them
kiss,
but again, I sensed that they really didn't care what our reactions were.
Serena hugged her again and she waved as she headed down the road.

"Strange but wonderful creature, she is," said Lita.  That caught me a
little
off gaurd.  I didn't expect Lita to say something like that.  But I figured
that Haley must have had a profound effect on her as well as the rest of us.

"She sure is."  I couldn't help but agree.

She was almost out of sight when she turned and we all waved.  Then she
disappeared over the horizon.  She'd be back.  Come hell or high water,
she'd come back to us, and again, we could all stand to only benefit.

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