A/N: So I randomly had this idea for a CCS fic during one of my super BORING graduate class that is THREE hours long and I decided to give it a go. I'll give you a run down of the plot before the actual story starts so you know where all the regular characters stand at the beginning. This will also be the first fic I'll have written that includes song lyrics b/c I just felt like giving that a go. I've looked at several pages of S&S fics and I haven't seen one sport a plot quite like this so hopefully it's a little different, although I'm not gonna say it's amazingly interesting or anything. It's pretty simple and straight forward really.

Background Info: Okay so this fic is slightly AU as most of mine tend to be. Sakura and Tomoyo are best friends, nothing new there, and so are Syaoran and Eriol. They are all juniors at Seijou high school. Sakura and Syaoran haven't really talked much since they finished re-sealing all the cards back in middle school (bumped the time line up a little there), they aren't on bad terms, just not close friends. Syaoran stayed in Tomoeda after the cards were caught in case something ever happened again involving them. Eriol had nothing to do with the cards, he's just a boy from England who became friends with Syaoran after moving to Japan back in eighth grade (after all was said and done with the Clow Cards because they collected them in 6th and 7th grade). The whole Sakura (Star) Card thing never happened because it wasn't necessary so they are all still Clow Cards.

Plot: Everything was fine in Sakura's world until Tomoyo and Eriol started dating. Suddenly Sakura and Syaoran find themselves missing their best friends since they used to spend all their time together. In an effort to fill the void their best friends left, Sakura and Syaoran start hanging out together. After they start spending all their time together will friendship be enough? And what if Tomoyo and Eriol break up and want their best friends back? Will they pull Sakura and Syaoran apart because of their issues? (I'm a big shipper of happy endings, keep that in mind lol)

Disclaimer: "I don't own Cardcaptor Sakura, CLAMP does as everyone is most likely aware of by now."

" means spoken words

Italics means thoughts

Italics in bold are song lyrics

( means insert A/N, etc.

Us After This

Chapter 1: A Head Injury Leads to Love!?!

It was a beautiful autumn day in Tomoeda and the students of Seijou high were itching for the final bell to ring and release them from the prison they called "high school." Sakura Kinomoto was tapping the tip of her pen on the edge of her desk impatiently. She glanced at the clock again and sighed. Five more minutes until the end of class yet it seemed like five hours. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the final bell rang and the students started to file out of the room. Tomoyo Daidouji, Sakura's best friend since elementary school, walked over to her desk as she shoved her books into her satchel.

Throughout the years her appearance hadn't changed much. Her amethyst eyes were as beautiful as ever along with her long, shinny, purplish-black tresses. Her skin was still smooth and the shade of the purest porcelain. The only difference now was that she was a little taller, more slender and curvaceous, and her bangs were a bit longer while the ends of her silky strands were always banana curled. She looked fragile, however she was anything but. She still had her sweet disposition, but over the years she had become a little more outspoken and jocular; she had stopped being so prim and proper, she'd loosened up a bit. Basically, she was a teenager, which worked for her since she was seventeen after all.

"Was it just me or did it seem like the bell was NEVER going to ring?" Tomoyo asked as she reached her friend.

"Trust me Tomoyo, it wasn't just you," Sakura replied dully as she pushed her chair in.

She picked up her own satchel and the two girls headed for the door.

"So we're still on for the sleepover at your house tonight right?" the raven haired girl asked.

Sakura nodded her head, "Definitely, My dad's cool with it so meet-"

Before Sakura could finish her sentence she bumped into someone else heading out the door. She looked up to see Syaoran and Eriol standing there, Syaoran being the thing she bumped into.

"Oh sorry Li, I didn't see you."

The boy shrugged indifferently, "S'ok."

"Sorry girls we're kind of in a rush. Coach will grill our asses if we're late to soccer practice," a navy blue-haired boy with glasses explained, a lopsided smile etched on his face.

"Oh, well, better get going then," Tomoyo said as her and Sakura moved out of the way to let the two boys plow by.

Once they were gone Sakura turned back to her friend, "Anyway meet me after practice by the front gates and we'll walk to my house together."

"Alright, I'll see you in an hour or so."

Tomoyo headed towards the music room for choir practice while Sakura headed towards the soccer field to partake in her cheerleading practice.

XXXXXX

Sakura threw her baton in the air and caught it behind her back.

"Wow, nice one!"

She turned to see Tomoyo walking down towards her from the bleachers.

"Hey what are you doing out here?" Sakura asked confused.

"Choir practice was cut short today because apparently our conductor had other responsibilities to attend to," she answered with a roll of her eyes, "So I figured I'd just come watch the rest of your practice."

Sakura opened her mouth to reply but before she could say anything there was a shout from the soccer practice taking place on the field next to them.

"Heads up!!"

The girls didn't have a chance to turn and look before Sakura was beamed in the back of the head by a rogue soccer ball. Tomoyo's eyes widened in shock as her best friend immediately sunk to the ground in response to the surprise attack.

"Oh my gosh Sakura!" she cried.

Tomoyo was on the ground next to her friend in seconds. Chiharu and Naoko rushed over to check on their squad mate shortly followed by Syaoran and Eriol who came running up from the soccer field.

"Tomoyo is she alright?" Chiharu asked in concern.

"I don't know!"

Eriol looked at Tomoyo apologetically.

"Daidouji I'm so sorry! It was a total accident I swear! I was just trying to get the ball past Syaoran and it got away from me!"

"And just happened to smash Kinomoto in the head," Syaoran added with a small snicker, clearly amused by the whole ordeal.

Eriol glared at his friend but said nothing to him. He turned back to Tomoyo and saw her trying to get Sakura's limp body off the ground.

"Here let me help you," he said as he effortlessly lifted Sakura into his arms.

Tomoyo glanced at the muscles in his biceps that clearly showed from supporting Sakura's weight and blushed.

"I'll carry her to the infirmary."

Tomoyo snapped out of her stupor, "Thank-you . . ."

Together they headed for the nurses office to get Sakura some help. Not being of any use, Chiharu and Naoko returned to their practice while Syaoran did the same.

XXXXXX

Tomoyo and Sakura were walking down the street towards the Kinomoto residence. Sakura had a white bandage wrapped around her head but looked okay otherwise. Tomoyo was smiling and chattering up a storm, her raven hair bouncing with her sway while Sakura trudged along silently.

"And then he carried you all the way to the nurse's office! It was so nice of him don't you think?" Tomoyo asked sweetly.

"I THINK it was the least he could do since HE was the one that kicked the soccer ball into my head," Sakura grumbled.

Tomoyo's perky smile slipped a little. "He didn't mean to do it Sakura, it was an accident."

The honey-haired cheerleader sighed.

"Yeah I know but it doesn't make my head hurt any less . . ." she said rubbing her sore head to emphasize her point.

They continued on in relative silence for a little bit before Tomoyo spoke up again.

"So . . . what do you think of him?" she asked as nonchalantly as possible.

"Think of 'who'?"

Tomoyo rolled her eyes, "You know . . . Hiiragizawa."

"What about him?" Sakura asked still not sure of what her friend was aiming at.

"Well do you think he's cute?"

"Uh . . . I don't know he's Hiiragizawa. We've known him since 8th grade."

Tomoyo shot her a look, "Come on Sakura, do you or not?"

"Okay okay, sure, he's cute, I guess . . . Sheesh," Sakura finally answered with a sweat drop at her friend's incessant interrogation.

Tomoyo smiled but said nothing else. Sakura eyed her suspiciously.

"Why?"

"Nothing I just wondered if you thought he was good looking that's all," she replied truthfully.

"You're not going to try and fix us up or something crazy are you because he's not really my type," Sakura asked still suspicious.

Tomoyo waved her hand, "Of course not. Don't be so silly."

"Good. Guys that knock me unconscious aren't really on the top of my list," she said sarcastically.

Tomoyo let out a laugh and cleared her throat before saying, "Come on Sakura you know it was an accident. Besides he's really pretty sweet."

"And how would you know?" she asked with raised eye brows.

A light blush graced Tomoyo's pale cheeks which didn't go unnoticed by her friend.

"Well Hiiragizawa didn't want to leave the nurse's office until he knew you were okay so we talked for a bit while the nurse checked your head," she answered as she subconsciously tucked a silky strand of purplish hair behind her ear, "He knows a lot of stuff. It's funny how you can know some one for so long without really knowing them you know?"

"Yeah, hysterical," Sakura deadpanned.

As they turned the corner the Kinomoto household came into view. When they reached the front gate Sakura swung it open and Tomoyo followed her up the front stairs.

"I'm home," she yelled as she and Tomoyo took off their shoes and placed them to the side.

"In the kitchen," her brother's voice sounded from down the hall.

The two girls entered the kitchen to see Toya finishing up some of the dishes from the dinner he had made since it was his night to cook. He turned from the sink and the first thing he saw was the white bandage on Sakura's head.

"What happened to you Squirt?"

"I got hit in the head by a run away soccer ball during cheerleading practice," she told him straight out.

There was silence for a few seconds before Toya broke down in a fit of laughter at his sister's ill fortune.

Sakura narrowed her eyes at her big brother, "Its not funny Toya."

He slapped the counter top a few times still laughing.

"Trust me it is!" he squeezed out between laughs, "Oh man I wish I could have seen that! It had to have been priceless!"

"Shut up," Sakura said shoving her brother a little.

"It was a pretty interesting sight," Tomoyo added biting back a laugh as the scene replayed itself in her mind, "I mean she sunk to the ground like a rock."

Sakura glared at the pale girl. "Don't encourage him Tomoyo!"

Toya wiped a tear from his eye.

"Well as much as I'd love to stick around and make fun of you I have a night class to get to. Dinner's on the stove. Don't make a mess," he said as he walked out of the kitchen still chuckling to himself.

"Why couldn't he have gone away to college?" Sakura complained out loud.

Tomoyo blinked, confused, "I thought it was because of the tuition waiver he gets from Seiko University since your father works there?"

Sakura sweat dropped. "It was a rhetorical question Tomoyo . . ."

She walked over to the cabinet and grabbed two dishes. She handed one to Tomoyo and they each fixed a plate and sat down at the table to eat.

"The only good thing about Toya staying home for college is that Yukito stayed too. Now he acts like a real big brother," Sakura finished and shoved some rice into her mouth.

Tomoyo snickered, "So you see Yukito as a big brother now instead of a love interest?"

Sakura rolled her bright green eye, "On please Tomoyo that ship sailed ages ago."

Tomoyo put a tiny, pale hand up in defense, "Okay okay, just checking."

Sakura picked up a dumpling with her chopsticks, "Besides, it was just too weird once Yukito turned out to be Yue too."

Tomoyo shrugged, "I guess it would be a little weird," she got an impish grin on her face, "So if Yukito's out of the picture then who do you want to date now, hmmm?"

Sakura popped the dumpling in her mouth and answered between chewing. "I don't know. No one I guess."

"What?!" Tomoyo practically shouted, "How can you not have some one in mind our school is crawling with good looking boys."

Sakura narrowed her eyes at her best friend, "Well, who do you want to date huh?"

"Touché," Tomoyo answered sipping some tea.

"That's what I thought."

The pair of friends continued to eat in silence for a bit. Finally Tomoyo broke the silence.

"Is that weird?" she suddenly asked.

Sakura looked up from her half empty rice bowl. "Is 'what' weird?"

"I don't know, that we don't have any crushes."

Sakura shrugged, "I never really thought about it. I've always had so much fun with you and all my other friends I've never really felt like I was missing much not having a boyfriend . . ."

Stars twinkled in Tomoyo's shinny eyes, "Awww, Sakura you're so sweet!"

Sakura smiled sheepishly, "Uh thanks."

They finished up their dinner and cleared the table. Sakura fixed a small plate to bring up to Kero then they headed up to her room still discussing boys.

"Still though I'd kind of like to have a boyfriend . . ." Tomoyo trailed off as she ascended the stairs behind her friend.

Sakura stopped with her hand on the doorknob to her bedroom and turned to look at the raven-haired girl with a sly smile. "Well maybe your dream guy will waltz into your life soon."

She opened her door and was instantly greeted by Kero bugging her for his dinner as she stepped into the room.

Tomoyo hung back for a second. "Maybe he already has . . ." she whispered with a playful smile. The image of a cute boy with azure eyes and glasses floated through her mind briefly.

Giggling to herself she walked through the doorway to join the guardian beast and his mistress.

XXXXXX

Sakura and Tomoyo rushed through the classroom doors to keep from being late. They hurried to their seats and plopped down out of breath. Even in high school the two girls sat next to each other.

Tomoyo shot Sakura a glare. "Every time I spend the night at your house on a school night I'm almost late to class the next morning."

"I'm sorry Tomoyo its Kero, he's so lazy he always shuts my alarm off so he can continue to sleep," Sakura finished apologetically.

The bell rang and all the students still mingling headed for their seats. As Eriol passed Tomoyo's desk on his way to his own he shot her a small smile. She blushed slightly at the attention and gave a tiny wave of acknowledgement in response. His smile widened as he took his seat behind the delicate beauty.

Sakura caught the exchange between the two and raised her eye brows. The expression on the face of the amber-eyed boy behind her mirrored her own. The teacher walked in and class got underway.

XXXXXX

After the morning lectures where over, the bell rang and every student rose from their desk to head for lunch. Sakura walked over to her best friend's desk. The girls started for the door.

"Daidouji, wait up!"

They turned around to see Eriol heading towards them, Syaoran in tow with a puzzled look on his face. He obviously was unsure of what his best friend was doing. Tomoyo smiled at her classmate as he approached. The feeling of butterflies grew in her stomach.

"Hey," he said dumbly once he caught up to her.

"Hey," was her simple response.

"So . . . how's Kinomoto doing?" he asked.

"Oh she's fine, just a bump on her head is all."

Sakura narrowed her eyes at Eriol. She was standing right there, why didn't he just ask her? After all she was the one that he hit in the head.

"Uh, I'm right here you know. You could just ask me how I'm doing," she said a little curtly.

Eriol blinked as if seeing her standing next to Tomoyo for the first time.

"Oh right. I really am sorry about yesterday," he said sincerely.

"It's okay I-"

"Anyway how are you Daidouji?" Eriol asked obviously not listening to Sakura's reply.

She crossed her arms over her chest and scowled in irritation.

Tomoyo laced her slender fingers together out of nervousness. "O-oh, I'm fine, and you?"

"I'm doing good," he replied simply.

"I see."

"But I'd be doing better if you had lunch with me," he said with a flirty smile on his face.

Tomoyo's eyes lit up, "Really?!"

Eriol nodded his head, "Yeah, would you like to join me?"

"Sure!" she exclaimed.

Tomoyo and Eriol left the classroom together chatting animatedly oblivious to the two friends they were leaving behind.

Looking for something I've never seen
Alone and I'm in between
The place that I'm from and
The place that I'm in
A city I've never been

XXXXXX

Sakura was in her seat waiting for the bell that signaled the end of lunch and the start of class to ring. She was digging out the homework due for the upcoming period when Tomoyo danced into the room. Sakura stared at her friend as she gracefully took her seat across the isle.

"Thanks for ditching me at lunch," Sakura said casually.

Tomoyo blinked confused, "You didn't eat alone did you?"

"No I ate with Rika and Naoko but I was supposed to eat with you."

"It's not like you ate by yourself though . . ." Tomoyo argued as she started to dig her own homework out.

Sakura opened her mouth to reply but the bell rang cutting her off. She crossed her arms over her chest and fumed quietly in her chair as class started.

I found a friend or should I say foe
Said there's a few things you should know
We don't want you to see
We come and we go
Here today, gone tomorrow

XXXXXX

Soccer practice was over for the day and Syaoran and Eriol were in the locker room changing to head home for the day.

"So how was lunch?" Syaoran asked nonchalantly.

"Oh it was great, Tomoyo's a neat girl."

Syaoran raised an eyebrow. "Tomoyo??"

"Yeah we spent so much time talking, we almost didn't have enough time to eat," Eriol said, clearly missing Syaoran's surprise at his informal use of Tomoyo's first name. After all, only family, close friends, and significant others use a person's first name . . .

They locked their lockers back up and started to leave the school. Syaoran stretched as the sunlight hit them once they got outside of the gym.

"Man coach sure can be rough."

"Yeah but it will be worth it when we dominate this season," Eriol said in response.

"That's true. It's still a pain in the ass though," Syaoran complained as he ran a hand through his messy locks, "So what's up for this weekend? Eriol?"

Syaoran glanced to his side at his companion. "Hey yo Eriol are you paying attention?"

Still receiving no response he looked across the street to see what was currently occupying his friend's attention. There on the other side of the street was the lithe form of a gorgeous classmate of theirs. It was Tomoyo.

His eyes still on Tomoyo, Eriol said, "I'm going to go walk Tomoyo home." And he crossed the street without a backwards glance at his friend.

Syaoran watched Eriol approach Tomoyo and the two walked on down the street completely wrapped up in each other's company. He sighed and started his walk home by himself.

Were only taking turns
Holding this world
It's how it's always been
When you're older, you will understand

XXXXXX

The phone rang at the Kinomoto house. After a few rings Toya picked it off the receiver.

"Hello?" he answered, "Hang on one second."

He walked over to the staircase and shouted up to his little sister.

"Hey Squirt! Tomoyo's on the phone!"

Sakura pounded down the stairs in a hurry. She went to take the phone from her big brother but he held it out of her reach.

"What the heck Toya!? Give me the phone already!" she growled and stomped her foot on the tile floor.

"What do you say?" he asked with a snicker.

She sighed, "Please."

He handed it to her and went back to sweeping the kitchen since it was one of his choirs for the day. Sakura stuck her tongue out at his back before putting the phone to her ear.

"Hello?"

"Sakura? Hey why didn't you answer your cell phone?" Tomoyo questioned.

"Sorry Tomoyo you know the crappy shape my cell is in. I didn't even use it today and it was down two battery cells so I plugged it in to charge but I forgot to turn it off vibrate so I didn't hear you call. Sorry," she apologized.

"Oh, well, the point is I got a hold of you now. Anyways I have huge news! You'll never guess what happened after school today!"

"Well, tell me what happened?" Sakura asked slightly curious.

"Eriol walked me all the way home!" she squealed excitedly.

"Oh, that's cool I guess," Sakura said, although she really didn't understand why this was such a huge deal.

"But that's not even the coolest part!" Tomoyo continued, her voice raising a few decibels as her excitement rose substantially, "After we reached my house I said goodbye and had the butler open the front gate but he called after me so I walked back over to him and, and . . ."

"And what?!" Sakura finally yelled wanting Tomoyo to spit it out.

"He asked me out!" she finally blurted out.

If I say who I know it just goes to show
You need me less than I need you
Take it from me
We don't give sympathy
You can trust me trust nobody

Sakura was at a loss for words. What was going on? How had this happened and so fast?! Yesterday she was smashed in the head with a soccer ball by accident and now a day later her best friend had a date with the culprit? Eriol had been sitting behind Tomoyo for the last four years and in all that time they'd hardly uttered a word to each other mostly because they never really had a reason to.

"Hello? Sakura? Hey are you still there?" came Tomoyo's voice form the other end of the line.

"Yeah I'm still here, sorry. So he asked you out?" Sakura said trying to sound enthusiastic for her friend's sake.

"Yes! I mean he didn't ask me to be his girlfriend or anything but we're going on a date tomorrow after school!"

"Wow that's . . . wow," was all Sakura could think to say in her shock.

But I said you and me
We don't have honesty
The things we don't want to speak
I'll try to get out but I never will
Traffic is perfectly still

"I know right?! I still can't believe how suddenly this happened!"

"You and me both . . ." Sakura trailed off in a whisper only she could hear.

"Anyway I couldn't wait to tell you! I'll totally give you the 4-1-1 tomorrow when I get home! Oh my gosh I have a date tomorrow!" Tomoyo squealed.

Sakura pulled the phone away from her ear slightly at Tomoyo's ear splitting screech. Toya raised his eye brows at the noise coming from the phone, his curiosity obviously sparked.

"You sure do," Sakura said despite having the phone a few inches from her head.

"Well I'm going to go do my homework. Ha! Yeah right like I could study now! I'll see you in class tomorrow okay?"

"Yeah of course, see you tomorrow," Sakura replied.

She hung up the phone slowly, her mind still in a whirl. After it was hung up she just stood there rooted to the freshly swept kitchen floor. Toya stopped sweeping and cleared his throat to get his little sister's attention. She looked at him blankly waiting for him to speak.

"So what was that all about?" Toya asked, referring to Tomoyo's squeals of delight that he could hear clear across the kitchen.

Sakura simply said, "I think things just changed forever . . ." and she walked out of the kitchen and back up the stairs to her bedroom with heavy steps.

Toya rolled his eyes at his sister's over dramatic attitude. "Girls," he muttered as he put the broom away and got out his school books to start his homework.

We're only taking turns
Holding this world
It's how it's always been
When you're older you will understand . . .

End of chapter 1.

A/N: So that's the first chapter. I know it wasn't really exciting or anything and there was next to no interaction between Sakura and Syaoran but it is coming in the next chapter. I had to set up Tomoyo and Eriol first. For the record, though I'm going to try and keep the character's as in character as possible, since they are in high school I kind of had to change them somewhat. Make them more mature and teenager-like, hence the language and attitudes at times. I just wanted to clear that up. The song lyrics are from the song "Trust Me" by The Fray. All their songs are generally sad love songs but for all intents and purposes of this chapter I'm using the song to show the divide in friendship between Sakura and Tomoyo and Syaoran and Eriol over E&T starting to like each other and how some mature faster than others but the others will understand as they get older (like Sakura will understand Tomoyo's excitement over a boy asking her out when she matures more). Anyway review and let me know what you think and all that jazz. I'd really appreciate it. Hopefully I'll see you in chapter 2! Which should be up relatively soon b/c it's already completely written out in a notebook, I just need to type it :)

SakuraJade