A/N: So, yeah, I changed the title for this story, because honestly, the previous tittle had nothing to do with it. This still comes from the tarot card, but now it has something to do with the story as well. I don't know why no one reviewed before. I know I'm no shakespeare, but c'mon, I don't suck that bad.

Anyway, this story takes place four or five years after the end of the show. Touya has left after Fujitaka died and Sakura isn't coping as well as we'd like. This isn't a romance, but there'll be hints of every canon pairing as well asnew ones if you ask for it.

Rating PG 13 for now

Feedback is absolutely necessary, one review per chapter at least, or there's no second chapter- I'm evil like that- and for those who review, I'll have big pinky hearts with their names, Bribery is such a nice word!

BTW, this story is both mine and my little sister's, and you made her cry. Tsk Tsk

On with the story.

CHAPTER ONE

THE RETURN

There wasn't much movement on the streets that night. The Nadeshiko festival had been held a few days before, so there was still reminders of the celebration on some of the shops and buildings. Touya made his way through the deserted town trying to compose himself and keep focus on his surroundings at the same time.

It had been too long; three years since the last time he'd seen the places that were now right in front of his eyes, looking as if nothing had changed; as if no time had passed.

But it had, Touya knew that.

He let out a shaky breath and came to a stop just in front of a house he knew all too well. He had to decide a course of action. Touya wasn't back because he was homesick, even though he really had been. He had a reason for being back in Tomoeda after such a long absence, yet he feared, no...he knew, there wasn't a warm homecoming waiting for him. He didn't deserve one.

His mind drifted back to the last days before he left.

Flashes of him driving at night, with heavy eyelids, though he didn't know why he was so tired.

His father, with a pleasant smile on his lips, chatting amiably about something he couldn't remember.

Suddenly a bright, blinding light. Touya desperately gripping the steering wheel tighter, trying to get the car under control again.

The last thing he remembered was his father's face in a rictus of pain, asking him if he was alright. Then there was darkness.

The next memory was always clouded with rain, though he couldn't remember exactly if it had really been raining. He could see, as if outside himself, people gathering around a coffin, faces masked with grief. In front of them all were a little girl and a two grown men. The girl's eyes were puffy, but never-the-less empty of emotion, dead. The smaller of the two men was sitting in between them. His eyes glued to the floor, gripping the girl's hand tightly. His entire demeanor spoke not only of grief, but of fear. He was scared for the other two, as his sporadic glances from one to the other confirmed. They never lasted though; his eyes always seemed to find the spot on the floor more interesting every time. The other man was considerably taller than his companion, but sitting as he was, on that wheelchair, his face covered with bruises and enough bandages on him to make him resemble a mummy, he seemed weaker than him. Not only that, but his face spoke of a pain deeper than whatever physical damage could cause. He was broken.

He thought he could remember someone standing in the shadows behind the crowd.

The figure stood still, concealed behind a Wisteria. But Touya had seen him. He hadn't thought much about it at the time. he hadn't thought much about anything. But he wondered why his mind had filed that little detail.

Everything after that was foggy. All he remembered was he felt compelled to leave. It didn't matter that his family seemed to need him more than ever. He couldn't stay and watch what he'd done. Because he knew, it had been his fault and his only.

He remembered both Yukito and Sakura pleading him not to go. Sakura's eyes were filled with tears, if nothing else. And that alone was enough to convince him that if he were to stay, he'd lose his mind. Curiously enough, Yukito seemed to accept his decision more readily. He just nodded silently and helped with the preparations, only expressing his concerns that he wasn't ready to be on his own. In hindsight, he knew Yuki hadn't looked at him in the eye once after he'd said he was leaving.

"Everyone I love goes away." he'd told them before closing the door behind him. "And everyone that loves me ends up in pain."

There wasn't anything for him in Kioto, he just chose that city because Tokyo was too close to home. He'd moved to Alaska if he'd had the means to do it with such short notice.

Now he knew he'd been running away. He'd known for some time, but didn't feel it proper to jump back into everyone's lives after what he'd done.

He'd paid the price for his stupidity. The first few months on his own had been hell. Touya had felt lost and guilty and absolutely incapable of putting his life in order. Loosing job after job; dropping out of college; he went as far as being completely broke, without money enough to eat and still managing to drink more than what was advisable before realizing he had to pull himself together.

He'd managed, his life eventually settling into a pathetic routine. Six months in Kioto and he had a steady job, a dingy room he could call his own and endless nights regretting ever leaving the people he loved at the worst of times. At least, his battered conscience told him, he hadn't abandoned them to fend for themselves. He knew Sakura wouldn't need money; their father had left them enough to live comfortably for a long time. He'd asked Yukito to promise to look after his little sister, knowing he didn't really need to ask.

Every once in a while, when guilt and loneliness became too much for him to bare, he'd find a pay phone and call home, just to hear their voices as a proof they were ok, waiting a bit longer before hanging up if Yukito happened to answer.

He laughed humorlessly. Running away had proved to be the worst thing he could have done if what he'd wanted was to forget. He was sure both Sakura and Yukito had probably gotten over everything- including him- while he still clung to the memories desperately.

Touya sighed, seeing movement behind the curtains in the living room. He couldn't tell whose, since he guessed Sakura must have grown into a young woman by now. He couldn't keep the smile away from his face, trying to imagine how she'd look. Should he simply knock and explain? Was he needed as he'd suspected?

His gut told him he should be there, but that was all. For the millionth time he wished his powers weren't reduce to a faint shadow of what they were, so he could be sure.

Finally he decided that it didn't really matter. If he'd just been homesick and jumped to grab the first excuse he could find to come back, then it was ok. He was back. Still, he decided against knocking right then. He was tired from the drive and needed both a good bath and a good night sleep. Tomorrow, after work, he'd call them to let them know and test the waters.

He glanced at his watch wearily while throwing his jacket over a chair. It was almost midnight and he was tired to say the least. He thanked his judgment for not letting them know of his arrival that night, figuring he'd still be explaining himself at that moment if he'd had.

One inspection of his hotel room and he felt back in Kioto; the place being as impersonal and spartan as the places he'd used himself to inhabit. He shrugged and picked a few papers out of his briefcase, making sure he had everything clear about his new position in Tomoeda elementary school, where he'd start working the next morning. Yes, he'd dropped out of college, but eventually found a career a little less demanding and a bit more satisfying than medicine to pursue, and he'd gone back.

Throwing the papers on the bedside table, he let himself drop on the bed, sighing in relief. They landed next to the phone, making him stare at it as if it was trying to tell him something. No, he would not call them that night. He'd wait at least until tomorrow after work. He had to get used to being back first.

TBC

A/N: If you know me, you'll know that my first chapters are always shorter than the rest, so that's why this is so short. Hope you like it!