It's All My Fault

Sakura sat in her desk as she looked out the window of her classroom. She watched the fields as there was a soccer game going on. Smiling dreamily as she watched the one player kick the ball and shot it in the net. She sighed as she watched. Syaoran is so good. She thought, before her thoughts were snapped back into reality.

"Sakura!" The teacher called her. Sakura looked up shocked and relaxed a bit as she waited for the teacher to continue. "Can you tell me what Mars is?" The teacher asked her, testing her to see is she where awake.

"Uhh… a chocolate bar?" Sakura asked. The class roared in laughter and the teacher sighed as she rubbed her temples, "Please pay more attention in the classroom, Sakura. I would hate for one of my good students to fail my grade." She told her, Sakura blushed slightly as she nodded.

"Class is dismissed." The teacher said and watched the students rush out to go home. Sakura waited outside of the boys' change room, waiting for Syaoran. It had been about four years since the couple had confessed their feelings for each other. And Sakura found herself falling more in love with the boy every day. Her love continued to grow more passionate than she imagined. It was puppy love when they confessed. But she's learned that even that love matured into what she's become now. She blushed as she thought about their confession. It was definitely an amazing experience to go through.

The boys' started coming out of the change room and Sakura turned to watch for her handsome boyfriend. Syaoran emerged laughing alongside Eriol. They both noticed Sakura and smiled.

"Hey." Syaoran greeted her as he kissed her cheek. Eriol smiled, "Why isn't Tomoyo here waiting with you?" He asked politely. Sakura looked at him.

"She said that she had to go home for something and told me to tell you to go there after school." Sakura shrugged, not knowing the reason Tomoyo insisted him on going to her house. Eriol nodded, "Thanks, I guess I should go then." He said as he waved at the couple.

Syaoran smiled down at Sakura and took her hand and walked with her out the school doors.

"So how's your ankle?" Syaoran asked her as they walked slowly in the nice summer breeze. Sakura had nearly forgotten about her ankle; she had been limping the whole time. Damn Kero. Sakura thought to herself, remembering how she had almost broken her ankle. "It's getting better," She started, "I can almost walk better now." She said happily.

"Does it still hurt to walk?" Syaoran asked concerned. Sakura smiled and looked up at him. "A little, but I'll be fine." She told him as she leaned her head on his shoulder.

"I need to ask you something." Syaoran said after a while of walking in silence. Sakura popped her head up to look at him, waiting for him to continue. "Do you think you can get out of the house tonight?" He asked her. Sakura furrowed her eyes in confusion. "I want to take you somewhere." He told her, smiling down at her. Sakura stared at him, thinking about how she could get out of the house without her father and brother knowing. She looked down, "I don't know. Touya would probably hear me, since it is hard to climb out of my window, especially with a sprang ankle." She told him. Syaoran thought about it as well, "Good point."

"Where would you like to take me?" She asked him.

"It's a surprise." He said calmly. "I'll come here then, and climb up to get you." He said. Sakura's eyes widened. "Is it really that important?" She asked him.

"Yeah." He said softly.

"What about my brother?" Sakura started, the mention of her brother made Syaoran's nose wrinkle as he secretly scoffed at him. The boy had always given Syaoran trouble. "He would hear you, and you obviously know what he would do to you then. He'd think you were coming up to spend the night. He still doesn't like the idea of us going out." She said in concern for Syaoran's safety. Syaoran smiled sweetly at her. "I'll be quiet then." He grinned at her, turning so that her body was in front of him.

She giggled as he tickled her. She pushed herself away from him as instinct when someone tickled her. Her foot slipped off the curb behind her, causing herself to fall backwards. She gasped as she held onto Syaoran's shirt for support. Syaoran wrapped his arms around her waste before she had time to fall, concern filled in his eyes. Once she stopped falling, she was being held by Syaoran, who was staring at her with an intense gaze. She watched him as he tightened his grip around her waste and came closer. She parted her mouth and her eyes became weak.

Syaoran's lips came down and crashed against hers. It was slightly hard, but firm and soft. Their eyes were softly closed and Sakura's arms wrapped around his neck as she deepened the kiss. Syaoran couldn't possibly tighten his grip around her, her waste was so close to his; they were almost attached.

By accident, Sakura pulled away as she grunted in pain. She slightly slid down to the ground so that there wasn't pressure on her ankle. "Sakura!" Syaoran held her fast.

As she held onto his shirt, she tried to pull herself up so that she was standing, but the pain was unbearable. "I think when I slipped on the curb I did something to my ankle again." She said. Syaoran picked her up and carried her, the rest of the way.

Sakura's arms were around his neck again for support. She stared at him as she leaned her head on his shoulder, "Thank you." She whispered. Syaoran nodded and continued carrying her with his serious face.

"Sakura?" Touya yelled from the top of their home steps, he was coming outside, ready to go somewhere when he saw his sister in the arms of the brat. He narrowed his eyes at him as he ran towards them.

"What happened?" He asked both of them, glaring at Syaoran.

"I hurt my ankle again." Sakura said.

Secretly thankful that Syaoran was there to help her, Touya hid it as he glared at the boy. He's always there. Touya started to grab Sakura when Syaoran slightly stepped back with her. "I can take her in." He told him sternly. Touya glared at him for what seemed like an eternity, but finally moved aside to give them room to walk by. As Syaoran walked by him with Sakura in his arms, Touya ruffled Sakura's hair, "I'll be back later to check on you, monster." He told her before he ran off.

Sakura's father still wasn't home from work when they entered her house. Syaoran set her on her bed gently and planned to stand up, but was quickly deciphered when Sakura pulled him down with her. He managed to sit on the edge as he looked at her soft skinned face. Softly rubbing her cheek with his thumb he smiled sweetly at her, remembering when they first met. He remembered seeing her for the first time how angry he was that a pretty girl would possibly turn out to be the mistress of the Clow cards. He was angry because he wanted the cards, but resisted by her beauty. The only reason he wanted them was to not be punished by the elders of the Li clan. But soon after he realized it was worth it.

Sakura sat up and stared him in the eye. She wished so dearly to kiss him, but something told her that it wasn't the right time, "Is something wrong?" She asked him. He nodded as he stared at her, "Just thinking." He told her. He kissed her chastely and stood up. "I'll come to pick you up at ten" He told her as he started for the door.

"That late?" She asked him as she furrowed her eyebrows.

"It's better at night." He said, and closed her door.

-

The moon was full, giving Syaoran some light. He climbed slowly up to Sakura's room. Sakura watched from her window, awaiting him. This will never work, she thought to herself, especially with a sprang ankle such as mine. She looked down the ankle she was trying not to put pressure on. She then turned to look at Kero's sleeping form and glared at him. It's all because of him.

She looked back down and realized that he was waiting on a branch. She sweat dropped at his capacity to climb and not be afraid of how high he was. His hand was stretched out to her as he smiled, "C'mon."

She laughed nervously as she slowly brought her sour ankle out the window first. "Sit on the ledge and I'll pick you up." He told her. She did as she was told and held out her arms to hold herself around him. When he picked her up bridal style, he jumped down and landed on his feet and stood up.

"Wow. Did anyone tell you, you're like a cat?" Sakura told him, making him laugh at her comment. He carried her down the street.

"Is this gunna be a long walk? I would hate to cause you so much trouble carrying me, I'm such a burden." She said with her head hung low. He shook his head as he continued walking, "You're not a burden, if you were, I would have dumped you long ago. Besides, it's not that far." He said to her. She leaned her head on his shoulder as she waited for the surprise he was about to give her.

Sakura recognized the place he was walking into. This was his house but, he was going to the forest behind it. Sakura was confused, why would he be taking her to his forest? He took her deeper into the forest after Sakura watched behind them in the highest window of their huge house, Wei was watching with a smile. Sakura rose an eyebrow and looked at Syaoran before she watched the path ahead.

They came to a small river and a clearing with a blanket set down on the ground, a picnic? Sakura thought as she watched it come closer and closer.

Syaoran set her down on the sheet and sat down beside her. He gave her an apple from the basket of food he had in front of them. Sakura felt a cold chill and hugged herself. Syaoran noticed and pulled a blanket out from the basket, he new it would be cold at this time of night. He wrapped it around her body and felt her cuddle against his body. Smiling at her childishness he sat against the tree behind them and let her sit in between his legs for warmth.

"So this was the surprise?" She asked him. The sound of her voice rumbled against his chest. He looked out at the shining river beside them. "I come here often, and decided that I should bring you here."

"But why so late?" She asked him. He turned his head to look at her, "Like I said, it's better at night. It's not as pretty in the day." He told her. Sakura took another bite of her apple and watched the river.

"It reminds me of when I first came here. This was my first place by myself, I felt peaceful. I was a bit angry when my mother sent me here suddenly, telling me that I was suppose to become some random girls enemy in order to get the cards." He told her. Sakura felt something slightly tug at her heart when he said she was supposed to be his enemy. He chuckled, "I never would have thought that I would find myself fallen in love with her instead."

Sakura smiled, "When did you start liking me?" She asked curiously. Syaoran looked down in thought, "I seriously don't know. I think it was when I decided to make that bear after hearing you and the others talk about how you give a stuffed teddy bear to your loved one."

"I don't know why I made it at the time. I wasn't even aware of it when I bought the kit." He whispered. Sakura leaned in on his chest as she listened to him. He was so comfy to lay on. "And when I had it with me one day, Yukito came and sat beside me." He started, causing Sakura's bitter interest, "He asked me if it was for someone that I loved, and at the time, every time I stared down at the silly thing, you're face always came to mind. And when he asked me that, I panicked. I dropped the bear and ran but was stopped by Yukito's other half. He gave me the bear when I dropped it and told me that he felt love in my heart for you. I was shocked and sat at Penguin Park asking myself if I really liked you."

Sakura fell completely silent. She had no idea that he could possibly hold such feelings for her then; it was a long time after that when he confessed. "After that, the thought was still in my head and every time I saw you I realized that I loved you. And every moment without you, I would still see your face."

Syaoran tightened his grip around her waste as he nuzzled her neck. Sakura held his hand underneath the blanket they were in. "Most people have to look for someone. Not many people get to have their partner so quickly in life because of magic." Sakura started to say. Syaoran opened his eyes as he listened to her. "I'm very lucky to have you Syaoran. I wouldn't change you, and I would never trade you for anything." She said as she turned around to give him a soft kiss on the cheek.

"I guess you could say I should thank my mother for sending me here huh?" Syaoran chuckled, suddenly having the images of what had happened to him when he failed to bring the cards home. Sakura sat up and stared up at him in concern. It almost looked at if there were tears in her eyes. She stared at the scar on his forehead and almost chocked on her tears. Syaoran sighed as he held her head, "Please don't cry Sakura. It's in the past now. I'm free." Sakura still couldn't stop her tears.

"I still feel like it's my fault." She coughed out. Syaoran pulled her towards his chest as he hugged her. "Stop thinking that. You were worth every strike they gave me." He said, feeling the dampness of his shirt grow as she sobbed.

"You are no longer a member of this family!" Syaoran heard his mother's voice again. Her cold voice leaking the hatred she held towards him because of the choice he had made. The elders punished him for weeks. But it was nothing compared to being separated from Sakura for so long.

"I'm sorry." Sakura sobbed. Syaoran held her more tightly.

"Sakura, it's in the past now. Just be thankful I'm here and never have to go back again." He said. Sakura looked up at him, her face soaked with salted water. Syaoran smiled down at her as he whipped her tears away, "Promise me not to let it bother you again. It wasn't your fault."

Sakura smiled sweetly and rose up to kiss him. "I love you" She said as her eyes became heavy, and soon she fell asleep on his chest. He was surprised at her sudden sleepiness but wrapped his arms around her, to keep her warm. "I will always love you." He whispered as he closed his eyes to enjoy the night with her in his arms.

- - -