This is a re-write of the first chapter. WAIT!!! Before you leave the screen. Notice the scroll bar? Originally the chapter was meant to be longer then I made it. I was typing off head without my note that's why it was so short. This re-write has more in it. I will remove that first chapter in a few days… If you want me to type more, please review it will encourage me. Enjoy.

What was Meant to Be

Bad Tifa

Chapter One

The rain continued to pour. I beat relentlessly at him. His head, shoulders, back… He was probably soaking wet by now – no longer could he tell – but there was nothing to be done about it. He had no idea how he had come to be in this place, wherever this place was, but he knew that he had to keep moving – had to keep going. That he couldn't stop.

If he stopped they would find him.

If he stopped they would take –

If he stopped they would –

If he stopped they –

If he stopped –

If he –

If -

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He was wet. Period. He hadn't been out here for more then ten minutes and was willing to bet more money then he actually had that even his bone marrow was soaked down to its core. It had been raining all day and Touya Kinomoto squinted at the think blanket of water that in front of him. It was a futile effort to see more then foot in to the gray mush that hung all around him. The bicycle beneath him was moving so slowly he wondered if the rain was somehow keeping it up right. Only a few more blocks and he'd be home. Home with a heater, a dry blanket, a cup of hot chocolate a T.V., a remote control-

The flash of white almost didn't register in his mind. Touya stopped the bike abruptly and barley missed hitting the obstruction by seconds. He gazed down the handle bars, wondering what could be laying in the middle of the sidewalk in a storm like this, and all thoughts of the pounding rain flew out of his mind when he realized what exactly 'it' was. The bike fell to the ground with an almost inaudible crash as Touya jumped out of the seat.

The obstruction on the ground, which in reality was a man lying pace pressed against the concrete. Brushing aside the mans wet hair Touya gingerly pressed two fingers to his pale neck and released the breath that he hadn't realized he had been holding. His pulse was slow – slow and dangerously weak – but it was there. Swiftly Touya stood. Pulling out his cell phone from his pocket jacket and grimaced as large drops of water fell onto the screen. Hunching over the phone he dialed the one number that he knew better then any other. Using one hand to protect the little phone, Touya listening to the ringing tone.

"Hello?" Relief flooded through Touya at the sound of that familiar voice came through the receiver. Fujitaka Kinomoto – his father –wasn't always at home.

"Hey Dad, I need your help." His gaze wondered to the unconscious body on the pavement. Oh yeah he needed help. "Can you pick me up? Trust me, this is important."

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Dark eyes watched intently as Fujitaka Kinomoto and his son, Touya, hefted the unconscious body carefully off the ground and deftly maneuvered him into the back seat. The fallen two wheeler disappeared into the trunk and the two men stood for a moment talking, the rain momentarily forgotten after a while. Touya looked up at the clouds the rain pouring down on his face. Fujitaka nodded but stood looking into the back seat if the car. As one the two enter the car and drove off.

The watching eyes stepped out form the house that they had hid and watched the Kinomoto car disappeared through the sodden haze. A small smile appeared on the lips that belonged to those eyes as their owner brushed aside a lock of dry dark hair. The rain that had beat Touya so relentlessly didn't touch him. It stopped in mid-air about a foot or so away from him and slid, through the air, to the ground. Dark eyes glinted with eagerness as they turned and headed down the street in the opposite way the Kinomoto car had driven.

Now the wheels had been set in motion. It was now up to him to guide their progress. That small smile widened slightly as they walked through the down pour completely dry; mind racing with thoughts of things to come.

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"How long will he be unconscious?" Touya shrugged. It was Fujitaka who answered his daughter's question.

"A week at least, according to the Doctor rest is all that he really needs." Sakura was silent for a brief moment before starting up with yet another question – something she had been doing for quite sometime now ever waiting to hear the answer. Again. Touya watched as her father described how they found the unconscious man and couldn't help but smile slightly at his sister's childish reaction. Sakuras emerald eyes sparkled with an excitement Touya thought would have faded by the third retelling. With only weeks till her eighteenth birthday Sakura was still as innocent as she had been when she was twelve. Sure she had grown but she still had that naïve air that she had always had.

"Can I see him?" Sakura was looking at her father eagerly and he laughed before nodding.

"Sure you can." Touya opened his mouth to protest but a faint and familiar whisper of the wind dammed up anything he had intended to say. "Are you coming Touya?" Sakura looked at him impatiently; Touya glanced at his father before shaking his head.

"Nope. I want to sleep. Work to night." Fujitaka nodded understandingly before turning and walking off, Sakura on his heels. Touya wrapped the blanket he had around him tighter around himself and sneezed three times in rapid succession. Grumpily, he turned to the closest door – which was the door to his room – and entered. He closed the room door before turning to the woman sitting – quite at home – on his bed. She was wearing a flowing green dress. Some of her wavy hair fell on to her shoulders the rest fanning out on the bed. Her green eyes gazed up at him with warmth he so missed. Warm, loving concern filled those beautiful eyes when and he sneezed worry filling that lovely face. Even thought it had been a while, Touya was once again struck by her beauty, but then Nadeshiko Kinomoto had always been beautiful.

"Oh Touya, your sick." She made to stand up but he waved her back onto the bed. He moved to sit next to her, grabbing the box of tissue on the way. Worry crept into her eyes as she watched him blow his nose.

"Don't worry Mom. It's just a cold." She nodded her long hair shifting about with the movement.

"I saw your visitor today. That was a good thing that you did Touya. There are some who would have left him there." He shrugged raking a hand through his brown hair.

"It was nothing. Any decent person would have done the same thing." Nadeshiko shook her head.

"Do you like the way things are now?" Touya remained silent he could feel his mothers eyes on him and avoided her gaze by staring into his lap. Suddenly he shook his head and stood up. His mother stayed seated where she was. He walked towards the closed window and stared at the storm outside.

"No. I don't. You're not around anymore. It's been so long but… everything still seems off somehow. I miss the pancakes that you used to make every Sunday, sure dad's are great, but I-we still miss you." Silently, the way she did everything now, she stood up and stared at her son's back sadness in her large green eyes but mad no move to approach him.

"Don't be silly Touya. I'm always here. I've always have been." Touya whirled suddenly eyes blazing.

"You mean this?" He gestured at her widely; his voice had become softer and emphasized the inferno in his eyes. "How could this possibly be a replacement?! They both miss you! How do you expect me to tell them that not only do I see you on an almost daily basis but often have lengthy discussions as well? His voice dropped to something just above a whisper. "He sleeps with your picture beside him and Sakura gets quite whenever any of us starts talking about you. They miss you… After all these years they still miss you." Touya slumped, the rage that had been there gone as suddenly as it had appeared.

"I'm sorry Touya. I am so sorry." He looked across at his mother and a shaft of guilt shot through him. She had a white knuckled grip on her silk skirts and tears ran silently down her face. He shook his head, mentally berating himself for turning his anger loose on her.

"No Mom. I'm sorry; I know that is wasn't your fault." He hung his head. "I know it but… it just wasn't fair." Life wasn't fair. Years ago, his mother had died of some rare dieses. The doctors had been mystified by how quickly whatever it was began to diminish her strength. Nadeshiko had kept a good face in for the sake of her children. Touya knew that it was only their father that she showed her pain to during those last months. He'd promised her, before she passed, to always take care of Sakura and even though he was young at the time, he'd understood and kept that promise to this day.

For some reason that he couldn't understand, he could see sprits – ghosts to his younger sister. At first he had thought he was just loosing his mind at such a young age but when he saw his mother again all the doubts were chased out of his mind. She wasn't always around but she did visit him on occasion. A long time ago he had told Sakura about his gift to see ghosts, thinking that maybe she too could see them, the idea that they actually existed freaked her out badly. She could sometimes feel them but she couldn't see them. He had tried to comfort Sakura and relay messages that their mother sent to them, that generally she would always be there for them even though Sakura couldn't see her. Only that had made Sakura both afraid and depressed and soon he gave you telling her anything at all. 'Mom says she proud of you' became 'Mom would be proud of you.' Sometimes she gave him looks as if he was hiding something from her but he had figured out that it was best to keep his gift to himself. Nadeshiko approached him but stopped just out of arms reach. She didn't move to touch him; she couldn't.

"I'm sorry for what happened to me Touya. I truly am. I lost so many years with my precious children and my wonderful husband. To watch my husband and daughter carry on and know that they cannot sense me just there… But if I could go back and change things, I wouldn't. Some things are meant to happen." She was silent a moment her green eyes studying him intently. "The reason I came is to apologize for what is to come. I shouldn't be telling you but your lives are going to change once again and there is nothing that can be done to stop it. Her expression turned to one of pondering. "Oh Clow, you set everything just so didn't you? So why have thing gone so askew?" She was muttering under her breath and Touya got the feel that he wasn't supposed to hear and let it slide, instead he said:

"What do you mean 'change once again'? What else could possibly happen?" If it was possible her eyes became even more intense then they had been before.

"I cannot tell you everything Touya, but I will tell you what I can. I will tell you only if you promise me three things. And real promises this time." Her eyes turned fond, laughter filling them. "Not like those times you swore who hadn't taken a cookie from the jar as you had one behind your back." She laughed, a sound like silver bells, before suddenly becoming serious once again. "This promise you have to keep… just as you have kept the one to protect your sister."

"What do you want me to promise?" She was silent for a long moment.

"First, you cannot repeat anything I tell you to anyone." She cocked her head slightly. "Secondly you must not interfere. What is meant to happen will happen getting in the way will cause more harm then good. You will have to stand on the sidelines, no matter how had that is, and watch. And lastly, keep Sakura safe. Don't mistaken me, keeping her safe and interfering dance close together on that thin line but they are not the same." After a long moment Touya nodded. He would keep Sakura safe.

"Alright. I promise. But how do you expect me to keep Sakura safe?" She smiled softly.

Don't worry. You'll know, trust yourself. Now…" She sat down on his bed again and patted the sheets beside her, urging him to sit. "It has begun," She said once he had sat. "It all started as soon as you found that stranger lying in the rain this afternoon. It isn't often that you ride that way but today you did. Nothing happens without a reason. Remember that. Soon he will wake up and then…

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So how did you like it? Please review. If you do I will continue. Flames are welcome only in the case that they are constructive. Later