Safe Haven | Yuzuru Hanyu

Epilogue

The big breakthrough for Emma's recovery was going back to the ice again.

Everything was a bit shaky at first but she had gone years without skating before Yuzuru and still managed to jump that triple axel. Now, after just a few months of absence, it was only a matter of time until she was skating to her full potential.

It took about a month and a half of Yuzuru's teaching to get her near the place she was before the diagnosis. Maybe it could've been less if he wasn't so overprotective but she had grown to love that part of him as well.

Only in November, when they were fumbling around with everything in Saitama for his new show did they fulfill that hidden promise he had made her almost a year before in Hachinohe.

Emma took her skates to the venue, just like he asked her to do.

This was the first time Yuzuru was trying out the ice for the show that would be held just a few days later. The beginning of his Japan tour.

When he asked her to put the skates on her feet, Emma didn't even bother to act surprised. She had been expecting this after all.

She ignored the looks of everyone at the venue, who seemed to be fascinated to see this woman by his side wearing skates.

It was impossible to know for sure, but she had a feeling that everyone had expected her to fall on her ass as soon as she was on that ice.

And well, she was the exact opposite. Emma did her best to look like the epitome of gracefulness as she stepped in after him.

Yuzuru's smile was huge as she started skating around.

"How does it feel?" He asked, almost as if they didn't have at least 50 people watching their exchange.

"Like Ice" she joked, making him chuckle loudly.

They skated together for a little, completely oblivious of their spectators and almost in complete synch.

It took just five minutes until he started jumping and she just shook her head in disapproval.

"Come on, love. You need to warm up for your triple axel"

Emma only laughed, her eyes looking at those around them, a little self-conscious about so many people watching her.

Truth be told, the jump had been very stable whenever she tried to jump it in Sendai.

Here, however, was a different story.

Yuzu smiled at her warmly and it took just a few seconds for her to forget about her surroundings.

When she started doing a few doubles, that's when people around them started murmuring.

"Ignore them" he whispered in her ear.

"Not that easy."

"Do I have to tell everyone to leave?"

"No, it's fine. Feels like a competition."

They laughed in unison.

"Then let's grab that gold."

He did a few triple axels in drill and she knew what that meant.

None of them tried the jumps until the real moment. It was more dramatic in that way.

"Whenever you're ready" she told him with a big smile.

"Yeah?"

"Hum... I want to try this with you."

"I have a feeling I'm going to be the one falling on my ass"

"If you do, we can always try the triple together."

"Fair enough."

But they wouldn't have to.

With just a few crossovers to get speed across the ice, a simple head gesture was all she needed to understand him.

They skated with enough distance, but still side by side.

Yuzuru and Emma launched into the air at the exact same time, facing forward and with a determined look.

When they both landed on a single leg, all balanced and completely rotated, Emma let out an embarrassing squeal.

With a huge grin on his face, Yuzuru looked at his mom who just gave him a thumbs up. She had been recording the whole thing and he couldn't wait to see the footage later.

"So... which program will you skate with me on the show?"

"Yuzu..."

He was just messing with her. Yuzuru had no intentions of making her skate in front of so many fans, completely unprepared.

But if she wanted, he would gladly allow her.

"Maybe some other time."

⛸️

This couple kept their struggles. There seemed to always be something making things harder.

When they eventually decided to be ready for children, it was very hard to tell if Emma would even be able to get pregnant naturally.

Sure enough, she had her eggs frozen in case IVF was needed but they wanted to try things naturally before using that resource.

It took months of disappointing attempts. Emma did more tests than she could count and she was certain that it wouldn't happen.

Her fertility doctor just told her to relax and allow her body to recover fully before panic set on about pregnancy not being a possibility.

It only happened about a year later, when they had been preparing to start IVF. Emma had convinced Yuzuru to have a weekend away, to try and get the stress out of her for not being able to have children.

In the end, it seemed that her doctor had been right.

All she needed was to relax and stop thinking about it.

Because when she did, they had gotten pregnant without even trying.

The results were only known when Emma did the routine tests before starting the fertility treatments. One of them included the pregnancy test.

When the doctor came to them and said they couldn't start the treatment, they had both been in tears, not understanding what the hell was going on.

Still, seeing the doctor smile as he said those words should have been a good indication that it was for the best of reasons.

"We can't do your treatments because you're already pregnant." The doctor had explained before giving a very wide-eyed Emma her results.

Let's just say that they had both been over the moon.

That baby taught them something that they should have known already.

No matter how much you try and want something, you can never control what life brings you.

And that's exactly what makes it so exciting.