Yue and Cerberus sat on the roof of the Kinomoto house, looking down into the garden. Touya sat huddled against the wall in the corner of the garden, his arms wrapped around his legs and his head buried in his knees.

"What are we going to do, Kero? We're supposed to return to the book and await a new master, but I can't….I won't leave him like this. He can't lose his little sister; his father and his lover in one go. It would destroy him."

"The cards would probably accept him as their master, you are the Judge, and you already said you want to stay with him, and between you, you have enough magic that there will be no issues over you losing power while he converts them, thanks to his father."

"And would you accept him? It is your place to choose the new masters."

"Yue, you are my little brother, I do not want to see you unhappy. He was powerful before he gave you his magic; he is powerful again since his father gave him the power of Clow. I…..I would have chosen him in the first place, if I had realized how much of himself he was hiding."

"It was better with Sakura first, I think. I would have fought harder against someone so much like Clow. Will you go and get the book, Kero? I should go to him."

"Of course."

Yue lifted from the roof, floating down to where his lover huddled.

"Oh Touya," he sighed, kneeling and gathering his love into his arms, closing his wings around him. He was relieved when Touya responded to his presence, wrapping his arms around Yue's waist and burying his face in the Guardian's chest.

"It isn't fair Yue," he whispered.

"I know," Yue agreed, stroking dark hair lightly.

Kero landed with the book, the key in the lock, and the ribbon Sakura had used to wear it trailing forlornly across the cover.

"Touya, I know this has been a really bad day, your little sister and your father have just died pointlessly, but we have to do this now," Yue said.

"What?" Touya looked up, puzzled, and saw the book Kero had set on the ground.

"What's going on?" Touya asked.

"You have to take mastery of the cards. Now."

"No, they're Sakura's. I can't take them."

"Touya, if you don't take them, now, then come dawn, Kero and I will be pulled back into the book and it will sleep to await its new master."

Touya looked up at his lover in horror.

"You mean I lose you too?"

"Yes, and there is nothing we can do about it, unless you take on the cards. I'm certain Sakura-san would have preferred you take them."

"I'm certain that Sakura would have preferred that she and father not get killed by some drunk driver," Touya said bitterly. He felt Yue flinch at that, and whispered a quiet apology.

"I know you're hurting, koi," Yue assured him.

Kero nosed the book closer to them, waiting with more patience than Touya would have thought him capable of.

"Don't I have to capture them, like she did?" he asked.

"Yue and I have both chosen you, but you can allow the cards the option, if you wish," Kero told him.

"How?"

"Open the book, and read out the name of the top card. If they scatter, you'll have to gather them once more, if they don't, they accept you."

Touya reached for the book, feeling the thrum of magic around it that felt so much like his little sister. He pushed back the grief that threatened to swallow him once more, and opened the book, reaching in for the top card.

"Thunder," he said softly.

There was a shiver, and the cards started lifting from the book. For one moment, Yue thought they were going to scatter, but they began to split between Kero and himself, surrounding their Guardians, tiny voices frightened and confused by the sudden loss of their mistress. He and Kero reached out to their cards, offering reassurance, offering them an already chosen and judged master.

Touya watched silently as the cards circled Kero and Yue, hoping that they would accept him, that they wouldn't take Yue from him.

None of them was watching the Thunder card, which Touya still held, so no-one saw the colors start to change, black and gold flowing out from where his fingers held to engulf the card, the seal on the back changing from Sakura's star to a stylized sun being eclipsed by a full moon. Once the change was complete, the card pulled free of his loose grip, rising between the two groups of cards proudly before pointedly returning to the book.

"What, how?" Touya whispered, stunned.

"Thunder has chosen, and taken on your power and seal without you even changing the wand," Kero said in awe.

After a moment, the rest of the cards one by one returned to the book, which flipped shut behind them.

"They accept me?" he asked.

"Yes, take the key, you need to change the wand, then you need to sleep. Tomorrow we can worry about getting the rest of the cards changed," Kero instructed.

xxx

Half a world away, Hiiragizawa Eriol and Kaho hurriedly finished packing suitcases, and Kaho silently went to make sure Akizuki was finished packing. Tomoyo's call telling them of Sakura and Fujitaka's deaths had come as a huge shock to them all. Eriol had received no visions that they were to die, and now he was concerned about his 'son by proxy' and Kero and Yue, knowing that this loss would have devastated them all.

"We're all ready," Kaho told him quietly when she came back in.

"Good. Kero and Yue will have been pulled back into the book by the time we get there, but I should be able to summon them long enough to make sure they're ok."

"Eriol, I'm really worried about Touya-kun. Losing his family and his lover will destroy him."

"I know, I may have to alter his memories, to ease the pain for him. That should be possible now that he is without his powers."

"Don't you think he's a little unkind, to take away his memories of a love that meant so much to him. He's only had two lovers in his life, and I broke his heart, damaged his ability to trust. If you take Yue and Yukito from him, he'll return to the damaged person he was, and no-one will ever be special enough to get through to him ever again."

"We'll see when we get there," he sighed. He didn't want to hurt Touya's future, but he couldn't see any way around the two Guardians being pulled back into the book.

xxx

Yue stirred from a restless sleep, feeling a shiver of approaching magic in the air. Old and young at the same time, the paradox was familiar.

"Hiiragizawa," he hissed.

Touya shifted beside him, his own sleep disturbed by the sibilant sound.

"Yue?" he asked.

"Hiiragizawa is coming; he's close to the house now."

"He's not going to be a problem is he?"

"He shouldn't be. Kero and I accepted you, the cards chose you, and you have the power to wield them. It is none of his concern beyond that."

"Good."

Touya rolled quickly out of bed and pulled some clothes on, there was no way he was facing Hiiragizawa in his night clothes.

The doorbell rang as the two stepped out of the bedroom, and they met Kero in the hall.

"It's him," Kero rumbled emphatically.

"Yes," Yue agreed.

Touya started down the stairs as the bell rang again, leaving it up to them if they followed or stayed up here, out of Hiiragizawa's way.

Outside, Eriol was looking up at the house with a frown.

"Give him a chance, Eriol," Kaho chided him.

"What? Oh no, it's not impatience. I can sense Yue and Cerberus active in the house."

"Could they have rejected the summons to return to the book?"

"Not without finding a new master."

Touya opened the door then, and Eriol could clearly see the transformed key, now black and gold, hanging from a leather thong around his neck.

"Touya-san, Tomoyo-chan informed us of the accident, our sympathies."

"Thank you. You'd best come in," Touya said, stepping back to allow entry.

He sensed Yue ghost up behind him and smiled faintly at that silent support. Touya led them to the living room and waved them to a seat.

"Can I get you anything?" he asked politely.

"No, thank you. Touya-san, how are you?"

"Angry, missing them. I'll survive."

"Tomoyo-chan didn't mention that you had taken on the card captor role, or that you had your magic back."

"I haven't, the cards are in the book, waiting to be changed. They have accepted me. And the magic was no-one's business but ours."

"Kinomoto-san, I don't think you understand how complex this is going to be. You need to capture them to build up the skill to use them, that's the only way to change them."

"Thunder didn't think so," Yue said.

"What?" Eriol asked.

"Thunder changed by choice," Kero rumbled, padding in, once more carrying the book. He dropped it into Touya's lap, and then sat at his feet, bracketing him between him and Yue, the three of them clearly united against Eriol.

Touya opened the book, and all of the cards hesitantly floated up and hovered in a circle, Thunder, the new colors clear and bright, hovering front and center. With a shimmer, the cards took on their spirit forms, Thunder curling up complacently, head on his paws, while the others found space around the room.

Dark and Light stepped forward, arm in arm, the two beautiful women looking down at Eriol.

"He is ours. He was chosen and AGREED by our ruling cards. You gave up any right to interfere when you locked us in the book and died, Clow. We loved our mistress, she was kind and gentle, and she would wish us to remain safe in the keeping of the 'nii-san. We do not wish to run, we do not wish to hide and make him battle for what he already has, our respect. We were offered the choice, which is more than we ever got from you, Clow. We were offered the choice, and we made it."

Behind them, one by one, the spirits re-took their card forms, all now wearing the new colors. Touya's name marked on their faces, and the eclipsed sun on the back. Dark and Light were the last, and they each kissed Touya lightly on the cheek before returning to the book. Touya swayed, paling, the drain of 51 cards pulling on even his magic to change taking its toll on him. He was very glad he hadn't had to fight them, he suspected he was going to have plenty of battles soon enough.

"My God, how powerful are you?" Eriol whispered.

"Don't you know?" Touya asked, genuinely surprised.

"He is more powerful than Clow," Yue answered bluntly.

"How is that possible?" Kaho asked.

"His father's gift replenished what Touya-san had given to Yue, but the added strength released hidden reserves that had been locked away out of reach," Kero snorted.

Eriol was stunned, he had known that Touya had more power than he ever admitted before he had given it up to save Yue, but the power that he wielded now was beyond anything Eriol had imagined. He wondered what would happen when the Li family arrived, he had asked them to come and get the book until it was time for it to wake again, and Touya had hated Sayoran on sight.

"So now that you know the cards and the Guardians are safe, is there anything else?" Touya asked.

"No. We would like to attend the services, if you have no objections."

"They're being buried in the family plot, the day after tomorrow, you're welcome to attend. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have much to do before then," Touya said, tired of holding back the grief to appear strong in front of them.

"Of course."

After they had left, Touya slumped into Yue's arms, burying his face in the familiar delicate scent of his neck. Kero pressed close, offering what support he could.

Yue held him tightly, wishing there was some way to ease the pain in Touya's heart. Touya had loved his family so much, and his heart was much tenderer than he had revealed to anyone but Yue.

xxx

Many people attended the burial of Fujitaka and Sakura, but Touya stood apart from everyone except Yukito, his midnight blue eyes dark and remote.

The service ended, and people lined up to pay their respects to the withdrawn young man. Sonomi and Tomoyo reached him, and Sonomi impulsively hugged him, not releasing him until she realized he had gone tense and rigid in her embrace. Tomoyo shook her head fractionally; she had told her mother that Touya-san hated to be touched, even their classmates had known better than to make physical contact with Touya.

"I am so sorry for your loss, Touya-san. Please, if there is anything you need, do not hesitate to ask."

"Thank you, Daidouji-san," he said distantly.

They were about to move away when Touya crouched down gracefully to Tomoyo's level.

"Tomoyo-chan?"

"Hai, Touya-san?"

"Thank you for making that beautiful dress for Sakura. You must have worked very hard to get it ready in time."

"It was the last thing I was ever going to be able to make for her, it was worth every moment," Tomoyo told him, her eyes filling with tears.

"She would have loved it."

"Thank you," Tomoyo gasped, allowing her tears to fall as she hurried back to her mother's side.

Once everyone was gone, Touya moved to the graveside, standing quietly with Yukito at his shoulder and Kero in his pocket. He knew that if he was patient…….the air shimmered in front of him, and three specters appeared, his family once more together on the other side.

"Touya-kun, I am so sorry we've left you with no family," Fujitaka's ghost said.

"I'm happy enough knowing you're all together again now. And it's not as if I'm alone. I have Yue, and Kero and the cards. They'll be with me always," he said.

"You have the cards?" Sakura asked.

"We chose him, Sakura-san. We chose to remain with him so that he would never be alone again, so that we could have a master we knew and trusted once more. We would never have been fortunate enough to come to people such as you again. We would have passed into the Li-clan, and they are not half the mages you and your brother are," Yue said softly from behind Yukito's mask.

"I'm glad, I'm so glad that you'll all be together. I love you all," her ghost said softly.

"I'll miss you, Kaijuu," Touya said.

The three specters began to fade away, their time done, and the three watched, not even blinking, until the final gossamer shimmers faded away.

"Let's go home, koi," Yue said, putting a hand to Touya's shoulder.

"Hai."

xxx

Later that evening, Touya sat on the floor between Yue and Kero, both in their true forms. They pressed against his shoulders as he leafed through photo albums. They all jumped at the sound of a firm knock at the front door.

"Stay here," Touya told them softly. He had no intention of inviting whoever it was into the house.

Opening the front door, he was startled to see the matriarch of the Li-clan, and Sakura's gaki boyfriend standing there.

"Kinomoto-san, our condolences on your loss," the woman said formally.

"Uh, thank you. Why are you here, Li-san? The burial was this morning."

"We've come for the book, the cards," Sayoran said aggressively.

He shrank back under a glacial glare from his mother, who then turned her gaze back to Touya.

"Hiiragizawa-san asked that we come to collect the book, so that we might safeguard it until such time as a new master is chosen. My son meant no disrespect."

"Respectfully, madam, yes he did. Your son and I didn't get along from the moment he first came here, and that is never likely to change. Hiiragizawa should have called you back and told you not to waste the journey. The cards are going nowhere, a new master is already chosen."

"Not if I beat them to gathering the cards. I won't lose this time," Sayoran sneered.

Touya's eyes flared with power as he silently summoned his staff, looking at them coolly.

"You have already lost," he pointed out softly as his Guardians came to his side.

"You? What miniscule amount of magic you had, you gave to Yue. You don't have the power or the skill to master the cards," Sayoran said darkly.

"Obviously you are mistaken," Touya said blandly, shifting his fingers slightly. One of the cards came into his hand, and he held up the new Water card.

The woman looked startled at the sight of the card.

"How many of them have you managed to change?" she asked.

"All of them."

Her eyes widened slightly at that, and then she bowed to him.

"We apologize for our intrusion at this time. We will not disturb you any further."

Sayoran looked like he was about to object, but his mother glared him into silence and startled to hustle him down the path. Touya hesitated, and then sighed. It didn't matter what he felt about the gaki, Sakura had loved him.

"Li-kun, wait a moment."

He turned back, eyeing the older buy suspiciously. He never spoke to him without the familiar insult.

"What?"

"Come inside for a second, please. There are some things Sakura would want me to give you."

"I will wait in the car," his mother said, walking away as he went back to the door.

Touya led him up the stairs to Sakura's room, swallowing hard before slipping inside, feeling the knife in his heart twist at the fresh, sweet scent of her that lingered.

"She….she uh, wrote you a letter, and bought you a gift the day before…….she was going to post it at the weekend, but obviously she never got chance," Touya said, picking them up from her desk.

"Thank you," Li said softly as Touya handed them to him.

They maintained a tense truce until Sayoran was out of the house and joining his mother in the car.

Yue and Kero were back in the living room, waiting for him. Touya went over and slumped down next to his lover.

"I can't stay here. There are too many things, too many places that hurt."

"What do you want to do?" Yue asked.

"Sell up, travel for a while, and then find somewhere to settle that doesn't remind us too much of what we've lost."

"Sounds….nice," the other two agreed.

Two years Later

Touya and Yuki stood in the quaint street, watching as the sign writer put the finishing touches on the sign over the door, gold lettering on the black background simply spelling Curiosity.

"Our own shop, our own place," Touya said with a smile.

"And a totally magical environment," Yukito grinned, looking around the rest of Hogsmead, and up at the imposing edifice of the school of Hogwarts, which sat above the village.

After traveling for two years, Touya and his two Guardians had wanted to settle, but none of them had wanted to return to Japan. They had heard about the magical community in England, and had thought about setting up in Diagon Alley, but Hogsmead had suited them better, and they had taken the shop with the living space above it. Everything was nearly ready now, they would be ready to open up tomorrow, once they had sorted out the last of the stock inside.

Touya was aware of the other residents of little village watching curiously, wondering who the newcomers were, but he didn't care. Turning, he pulled his lover into a tender yet passionate kiss. Yukito melted into the strong body that held him.

"Hmm, maybe we should go inside and make sure Kero and Move have the furniture sorted," Yukito mumbled against Touya's lips, his eyes lightening as he struggled to maintain his human form.

"Good idea," Touya agreed, pulling him inside.

tbc