You may hate me or love me by the end of this chapter...

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Chapter Fourteen

"Usagi!" Michiru and Setsuna cried as they watched helplessly as Uranus' attack hit their princess.

"Oh my Gods!" Maker said, horrified at the sight before her eyes.

"Seiya! Usagi!" Healer cried.

Luna ran towards her princess and friend, who was now collapsed into a heap upon the ground. "Usagi-chan!" She cried, tears coming from her ruby eyes.

Michiru and Setsuna ran for their princess, while Maker and Healer ran for Seiya, who was lying unconscious just a few feet from Usagi.

Uranus fell to her knees and was staring at her gloved hands in disbelief. She was in total shock. Her Princess, the one she would lay her life down for in an instant, was now lying a mere ten feet away. She was hurt, by her attack!

Her green-grey eyes stared at the limp form of her dear friend. Michiru was covering Usagi with her robe while Setsuna had her blonde head in her lap. Tears were streaming from the older woman's garnet colored eyes as she stroked the blonde hair of her friend.

Green-grey eyes drifted to the other form that lay upon the ground. The intended target of her attack. He was unmoving as the two women, clad in black leather, kneeled next to him, trying to wake him.

'Why?' She thought. 'Why did she risk her life for him?' A tear escaped from the green-grey eyes of the Wind Senshi, and it slid down her face as a yellow glow surrounded her, de-transforming.

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Maker and Healer gently shook their friend, trying to wake him. Relief showed on both of their faces as Seiya started to stir. His indigo eyes fluttered open and focused on the two faces that hovered over him.

"Healer? Maker?" He asked in a groggy voice.

"Hai," Healer said, squeezing her dark haired friend's hand.

"Odango!" Seiya cried suddenly, bolting upright. He looked around for the one who saved him. His indigo eyes fell upon two women hovering over a third that lay upon the ground.

"Oh, Kami-sama. Iie….." Seiya whispered as he crawled over to the blonde haired angel who has saved him many times over. Tears freely flowed down his face as he looked at the face of his love. He looked at Michiru, who was directly across from him. The sadness in her ocean blue eyes was almost too much for him to bear.

He sensed Maker and Healer behind him as he held Usagi's hand to his heart.

"Onegai, Odango, don't leave us. Don't leave me," Seiya murmured, his salty tears landing on her pale hand. His raven hair had come loose from its binding and flittered about him with the breeze, covering his darkened indigo eyes.

"I can't go on without you! I already had to once, and it nearly killed me! I am not even half the person you know when you are not here. You complete me," he whispered. Setsuna and Michiru were watching the anguished man, almost embarrassed by listening to his confession to their princess. Haruka, who was now standing nearby, heard what Seiya had said. She felt the love come from him and his words and only then did she realize how much he truly loved her princess.

Seiya looked at Usagi. Her features were so still. She was hardly breathing. It was his undoing. He looked towards Healer. She nodded and positioned herself between Seiya and Setsuna.

Seiya closed his eyes as Healer took his free hand while her other hand was placed on Usagi's forehead.

Setsuna, Michiru, Haruka, Maker and Luna looked on as Healer closed her Peridot green eyes as a pale green glow surrounded her, Seiya and Usagi.

All was silent as they watched Healer. Suddenly, all three gasped as Healer let go of both Seiya and Usagi. She would have slumped forward onto Usagi with exhaustion if it hadn't been for Maker's quick actions.

New tears flowed from the older womens' eyes as Usagi's sapphire eyes fluttered open. Relief showed on everyone's faces as she turned her head to the left and saw Michiru holding her hand, crying.

"Michiru……daijōbu…." She whispered with a faint smile, trying to cheer up her dear, teal haired friend. Usagi felt something drip onto her face and she looked up, locking eyes with the green haired Time Senshi.

"Set….suna-san….there is no…..reason…..to cry," she said, between grimaces of pain.

Usagi looked to her right and saw both Healer and Maker kneeling, tears flowing freely from their eyes. She looked down as she felt something soft nudge her shoulder. She looked at Luna and tears sprung to her eyes as she stared into the black cat's moist ruby eyes.

"Gomen…….nasai…..Luna. I …..was being…….rash again,' Usagi said in between breaths, still trying to manage her pain.

"There is no need to apologize to me, Usagi-chan," Luna reassured her princess. Usagi went to reach for the black cat when she realized someone had a hold of her right hand. Usagi looked at her hand and saw Seiya firmly attached to it.

"Seiya?" Usagi asked, uncertain if she was seeing him actually there, or was imagining the man with his long, raven hair unbound crying over her hand.

"Hai," he whispered, his indigo eyes held her sapphire ones, questioning her.

"Nani….Seiya?" She questioned.

"Dōshite?" He asked softly. "Why risk your life for me? You should have let me be hit. There are too many people here that depend on you. You should have let it hit me," he repeated.

"I couldn't...let that……..happen. I…..couldn't just…..stand by and…..let you get….hurt," Usagi said, slowly shaking her head.

"Dōshite?" He asked again.

"Because……" Usagi said, taking a breath. "It's because…….."

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Sailor Star Gatherer was pacing back and forth across the small chamber that held the three Starlights and their Princess for the past three days.

"Do you think it's safe?" Reader asked, sounding tired.

"We haven't heard anything from the other side of the door in ages," Singer whispered from her position on the floor next to Princess Kakyuu.

"Hime?" Gatherer stopped her pacing and turned to face the red haired woman.

"Hai, Gatherer?" Kakyuu said, tiredness carrying in her voice.

"I think it's time to try to contact the other Starlights," the green eyed woman said.

Kakyuu sighed. "I think you are right, Gatherer. We cannot wait forever," the red haired Princess said, rising to her feet. Both Singer and Reader rose to their feet, their eyes on the shorter woman.

"I will go first," Gatherer said, solemnly. Silver, brown and red eyes stared at the orange haired woman, all acknowledging the sacrifice the green eyed woman was willing to make for all of them.

"Remember, two hours. After that, one of you try," Gatherer said, slowly opening the door and peaking into the throne room beyond. A quiet emptiness met her eyes and ears as she slowly emerged from the secret room.

"Ganbatte, Gatherer,' Singer said in a hushed voice before the short, green eyes woman silently closed the door behind her.

Gatherer slowly made her way though the throne room. She stopped at the door and took a deep breath. She slowly opened the door that lead to the main hallway and peered her green eyes down the dark passage. She glanced both ways before proceeding into the normally busy hallway.

The short Starlight slowly made her way down the passage and stopped in front of a large, elaborately carved wooden door that led to Princess Kakyuu's private office. Gatherer tried to control her rapidly beating heart as she reached for the door handle. She opened the door a few inches and slowly poked her head in, searching the softly lit room with her emerald green eyes. Little did she know that a pair of dark eyes were watching her from behind a statue that was across the hallway.

Gatherer slipped inside the office and closed the door quietly. She rushed over to Kakyuu's desk and flipped open the communication device. She pressed a button and anxiously waited for an answer, her green eyes darting back and forth between the screen and the door. Finally, Maker's face appeared on the screen.

"Yes? What is it? This is not a good time," Maker said.

"Maker? Oh, thank the Gods!" Gatherer said, so relieved that the other Starlight had answered that she did not notice the door to the office slowly open.

"Gatherer? What's wrong?" Maker asked.

"Maker! We've been attacked! Kakyuu-hime, Singer, Reader and I have been in hiding! Sailor Star Killer-"

"Is right here." A voice said from across the room. Gatherer looked up from her screen and gasped.

"Gatherer?" Maker's voice echoed though the silent room.

Gatherer held up her Star Yell.

"STAR GATHERING EXPLOSION!"

Sailor Star Killer easily dodged the glowing green orb that was sent her way.

"What is going on? GATHERER!" Maker's panicked voice came over the communication device.

"Heh, heh," Sailor Star Killer laughed, an evil gleam in her dark eyes. She raised her staff high. The long black staff had a blood red garnet star atop of it. She slowly leveled it towards her opponent.

"STAR SILENT REVELATION!"

"Oh, Kami-sama!" Gatherer gasped as the attack flew towards her, engulfing her in an instant.

"GATHERER! GATHERER!" Maker yelled.

Sailor Star Killer laughed as she stepped over the now limp form of Sailor Star Gatherer and faced the communication screen.

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"Because……" Usagi said. "It's because I……. I love you. I couldn't….let you leave me again."

"Odango…." Seiya whispered, fresh tears falling from his eyes.

"I…. hurt so bad when you left the…..first time. I didn't know if I could go on. I know I wouldn't be able to if you had left me again."

Usagi had managed to sit up during this time. The four other women and a cat slowly scooted away, giving the two some privacy.

"I know that it has been awhile," she said, staring straight ahead, her sapphire eyes unfocused. "And I know that you once felt something for me besides friendship. I know that I cannot expect you to still have those same feeling for me after all these years. But I-" Usagi was cut off when Seiya put his finger to her lips and turned her head towards him. She kept her sapphire eyes focused on the ground between them.

"Look at me," Seiya said gently. Usagi kept looking at the ground, afraid of what she would find in the raven haired man's eyes. "Odango, Onegai, look at me."

Usagi slowly raised her eyes and her sapphire orbs locked onto his indigo ones. A single tear escaped the corner of his eye and slid down his cheek as he began to speak.

"Yes, I felt something for you all those years ago. It tore me apart having to leave you, knowing that I might never return. I would never get to see your beautiful smiling face again. My soul died the day I left this planet and you. When Kakyuu-hime released us from our duties and told us that we were invited to return to Earth, I was ecstatic! Just ask Taiki and Yaten! I squeed like a five year old being told that she would get to go on a family outing! I was so excited that I would be able to not only return to Earth, but get to see you again." Seiya stopped and took a breath before continuing.

"When I returned, I wanted nothing more than to see you, just once. To make sure you were doing alright. I had figured that you and Mamoru-san would be long married by now. Demo….when Ami-chan informed us of his passing, I was shocked. Part of me was filled with sympathy, for I wished no ill towards the man you cared for. But, at the same time, part of me was elated. Because I knew I might possibly have a chance this time.

I never, in my wildest dreams…….well…okay…maybe in my wildest, did I really expect you to actually love me. I thought I would spend my entire life in a one sided love." He smiled.

"I guess what I am trying to say, Odango, is that I love you. I've never stopped loving you."

"Seiya….."Usagi whispered. He slowly brought his lips to hers and finally clamed them for his own. A jolt went though both of their bodies as their lips met. Usagi wrapped her arms around Seiya's neck, trying to bring him closer to her. He slid his arms around her and drew her close, his dark, unbound hair almost covering them both. He nibbled on her lower lip and she opened her mouth, granting him access to the most intimate of kisses. She moaned softly as she felt his tongue caress hers. It was a sensation that she never wanted to end.

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Haruka stood rooted to her spot with tears in her green-grey eyes as she watched the scene before her. The confession of love by her Princess and the raven haired man was far to great for her to deny. She had sorely misjudged her Princess and the one she loved.

When the two became one, Haruka could feel the love that emanated from the two upon the ground. With fresh tears in her eyes, she kneeled and gently laid her henshin wand upon the ground and turned and walked away, disappearing into the night.

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Setsuna, Michiru, Healer, Maker and Luna had retreated to a respectful distance when they heard a muffled beeping sound. All five of them looked around when Maker finally realized that it was her that was beeping.

"Ah….gomen nasai," Maker said sheepishly as she flipped open her communicator.

"Yes? What is it? This is not a good time," she said into the handheld device.

"Maker? Oh thank the Gods!" A voice on the other end said, relief evident in her voice.

Maker's sheepish expression turned to worry in a matter of seconds as she saw the expression on the orange haired Starlight's face. "Gatherer? What's wrong?"

"Maker! We've been attacked! Kakyuu-hime, Singer, Reader and I have been in hiding!" Maker glanced at Healer, then back at the screen. "Sailor Star Killer-"

"Is right here." Another voice came though on the communicator while Gatherer gasped.

"Gatherer?" Maker asked, shooting Healer another glance. She watched as Gatherer held up her Star Yell.

"STAR GATHERING EXPLOSION!" All standing around Maker heard, followed by a sinister laugh.

"What's going on? GATHERER!" Maker cried.

"STAR SILENT REVELATION!" They heard over the communicator.

"Oh, Kami-sama!" They heard Gatherer gasp before the screen was flooded with an intense red light.

"GATHERER! GATHERER!" Maker yelled when the light faded and the orange haired woman was no longer there.

Maker gasped when a new face appeared on the screen. Violet eyes met dark ones.

"Sailor Star Maker, good to see you again."

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Hehehehehe... what's to happen next? What will Usagi do about Haruka? What does Sailor Star Killer mean by again? Hmmmm the suspense...it's killing even me! Muwahahahaha!

I'm in an updating frensy today...three updates...one day...my fingers hurt. Okay...has anyone else notice my fetish for having at least one Starlight with their hair down? Drools...long haired men...sigh...wha? Nani? You wern't supposed to see that! Teehee :blushes:

Ja ne!

Luna