I'm so sorry for the delay, I've just been really busy with my other stories, but my mind is positively busting with ideas for this story, so never fret, I will be continuing this story still!! Hope you don't hate me!! Enjoy the chapter and don't forget to review, 'cause I LOVE them!! I hope to reach 100 after I've posted this chapter - do you think we can make it? I sure hope so! Thanks again!!

Oracle of the Stars: Even though this may look like a Serena/Seiya fic it is most definitely NOT!!! I'm not a big fan of Seiya, but I needed him in the story. Serena will be leaving Kinmoku within the next few chapters, and Seiya won't be in the story after that - or at least not now. Thanks for the review!! Keep reading and you'll find out!!

BUNNY: Thank you very much for the help, I tried to find where you were looking at and changed Serena's transformation -uh- chant? Anyways, if you tell me where the Neo Queen Serenity thing is, I'll correct that too!! Thanks again!! And keep reading!!

mlk: This will most definitely NOT be a Serena/Seiya fic! I promise!! I'll be making an announcement in the next chapter, and then you'll find out what's going on! Don't worry, Kunzite should be in the story around Chapter Ten or Eleven. Don't give up on me!! PLEASE keep on reading!! -Lara1786

Chapter Nine: Tears

Hotaru ran down the halls, not even noticing the people that she was pushing past. All she could think of was her Princess, her mother. When she could see her Princess's door a ways ahead of her, she put forth a extra spurt of energy and ran even faster towards said door. When she reached it, Hotaru wrenched the door open and sprinted inside.

As soon as Serena heard the footsteps from down the hall, she knew who it was, she could always tell Hotaru's footsteps from anyone else's. Her friend, whom she considered a daughter, opened the door and flew at her. Serena already had her arms open and was waiting for the small girl to throw herself into her awaiting embrace.

Hotaru did just that; she ran forward and buried her face in Serena's shoulder. The small girl's whimpers became full-fledged sobs in seconds. Serena held the girl who held too many burdens and strengths, and let her cry.

She knew exactly why the child was crying; it was because of her love for her. Sailor Saturn had always been extremely close to the Princess in the Silver Millennium, for Saturn had been very lonely and had immediately found comfort and love in her Princess's arms. Since Saturn was the youngest of all the Senshi, she was often left out. And the fact that she was much more quiet than any of the others only helped her slink back into the shadows of loneliness. Because of Saturn's relationship with the Princess and Saturn's lack of parentage and close friends, she began to think of Serenity as a mother. And Serenity began to think of Saturn as a beloved daughter.

Hotaru was crying the tears of her Princess. Let me explain, because of the love that the two girls shared, the girls could always feel the other's pain and sorrow. That is why Hotaru was crying. Even though Serena was not shedding tears of her own at the moment, her heart was still breaking and her loss was still being felt deeply within her breast. To help soothe the younger girl's cries of pain and distress for her Princess and Mother, Serena held her own tears back in order to try and calm her 'daughter'.

It was a sad and beautiful sight to see, for if there had been any onlookers, they would not have seen a Princess and her Guardian, but a mother and her child. Arms wrapped around another, one whispering soothing words to the other, who was crying sweet tears into the other's shoulder.

Meanwhile, back in the gardens of Kinmoku, the three Outer Senshi were still talking.

"I think that since the Princess does not wish to return to her home in Japan, at the moment, that her 'guardians' should know just that." Michelle said while walking a little ahead of the other two Senshi on their path back to the palace.

"I agree. Mercury will eventually try to find Serenity on another planet and I don't want that to happen, unless the Princess knows and allows it to occur." Setsuna said.

"It's settled then, let's pay a little visit to the Princess's so-called guardians." Haruka said with an evil glint in her eye.

"Should we tell the Princess though? She may not be too happy with our interference." Michelle said as they all turned to walk back to the palace.

"Yes, you have a point; but we do need to tell her that in order to keep the Inners at a distance, they need to be warned." Setsuna replied.

"We'll just tell her that and nothing more. She doesn't need another burden from those worthless little pieces of -" But Haruka was cut off by Seiya who walked up to the three as they re-entered the palace.

"Tell the Princess what? What is going on? You three look as though you're out for blood." Seiya said as his eyes drifted over the three guardians of his love.

"That's because we are. We are going back to Earth to warn the Inners to leave the Princess alone and that if they try to come near her, there will be great consequences to their actions." Setsuna replied.

"Oh." Was all Seiya said as he followed the group back to the bedchambers of Serena.

As the group neared the room, they heard muffled sobs coming from within. Hearing this, their pace became faster and they quickly rushed into the room to find little Hotaru in the warm embrace of Serena. Hotaru was huddled in Serena's lap and her sobs were quickly dying away. A sweet humming escaped from Serena's lips and soothed all that heard the familiar, yet haunting, tune.

"Is everything alright, Serena?" Setsuna asked, looking worriedly at the small girl cuddled into her Princess's side.

"Shhh, I think she's asleep now. Everything is just fine. No need to worry. Hotaru always took things done to me so personally. I just wish that I could have been around for her more often. She has missed me much more than I thought she would. It was wrong of me to have abandoned her like that. What kind of mother am I? What kind of princess? A bad one, that's what I am. I could never do anything right. Even when everyone was counting on me, I just - I just - just let them down. I'm a big disappointment to everyone who has ever known me." Serena could no longer look at her guardians, her friends, she let her head drop onto the sleeping head of Hotaru, her daughter.

"NO! Princess - Serena! That's not true. You are amazing and have always been as such! We all love you more than anything else in this entire universe!! Please believe me when I tell you that you have never and will never be a disappointment. You bring hope and joy wherever you go and we would all die without you beside us." Setsuna said as she rushed forward to kneel beside Serena.

"I know that you all care for me, but how do you know that the love you feel is not just from the past, the love that you felt for the real Princess Serenity. How could anyone love someone like me? I'm nothing special, I'm klutzy, stupid, ugly, and a pain, and I'm just w-worthless." Serena said as she looked around at all of her guardians, she didn't even notice that Hotaru had woken up and was looking at her with incredible amounts of pain and sorrow brimming in her eyes.

"What have those Inners done to you? I remember when you used to be confident and would let no one put you down. I will kill those so-called 'guardians' of yours." Hotaru spoke so quietly that for a moment, everyone thought that they had imagined it. Serena was shocked at what Hotaru said.

"Yes, it was partly them, but I also lost much of my confidence when I found out that I was the Princess. All the memories, of friendship, peace, l-love, they were wonderful, but then I compared them to how I am now and how the earth is now. Everything is so different, nothing will ever be like it was, and now especially. I was angry before when I told you that I wouldn't go back, but now I am saying it again and I am serious. I will not go back to a place where I feel pathetic and a burden, or worthless. I have come to the decision that I will remain here on Kinmoku and I will train. I will leave when I feel that I am ready, I don't know if I will return to Japan ever again, but we will worry about that later." Serena said to the now completely quiet room. She added, "Now, I believe that you wanted to tell me something."

"Um, yes, Serena. We are going to go back to Earth and warn the Senshi to stay away from you. We will tell them that if you want to be contacted or found, you will contact them." Michelle said.

"I understand, but please do not give them any false hope. That is, if they care that I'm gone at all." Serena said as she lay her head down on to Hotaru's.

"yes, Princess. We will not allow them any false hope, but neither will we let them accept your absence. If what they did to you isn't already enough and the guilt that will come along with it, we will make them very sorry for driving you away." Haruka spoke again. It seemed as though she would greatly enjoy the meeting between Inner and Outer Senshi.

Serena smiled slightly at Haruka's eagerness to avenge her pain, and said, "I do want them to regret what they have done, but cause them no bodily harm, unless it comes down to them striking the first blow. I do not want those who are supposed to be joined together be cloven in two because of me."

"We will be sure to keep our powers within us, and to open our senses to be as alert as possible." Setsuna said as she began to exit the room.

"And I will keep a hold on Haruka, here. Heavens knows what she might do if she doesn't have a chain around her neck." Everyone laughed at Michelle's light-hearted comments, but soon quieted as Hotaru sat up in Serena's lap.

Wiping her eyes that had begun to betray her with tears once more, Hotaru looked directly into Serena's eyes as she spoke with such force that it made the other scouts take a step back, "I love you, and because of my love for you, I will never forgive those that have betrayed you. They will pay dearly for making you doubt not only those around you, but yourself as well. I would use my glaive on every one of them if you would allow it, but since you wish them no harm, I will merely observe them. Let your doubts never reach Saturn and her protector, for her step behind you will never falter in the slightest."

Serena wiped her eyes and looked down at the now standing girl. "Thank you, my Little Saturn, I would never doubt you, as one could never doubt their daughter. On with you now, for the sooner that all of you have succeeded in this mission, the sooner that you will be at my side."

With their princess's last words, the Outer Senshi all exited the room, leaving Serena alone with her thoughts of remorse and pain.

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I hope you liked it! I'm so sorry for the wait, please don't hate me! REVIEW as much as you possibly can!! I love you all!! See ya next time!! -Lara1786