Disclaimer: I do not own Card Captor Sakura. That belongs to Clamp.

Author's Note: Hey everyone! Before I start with the next chapter I would like to write some personalized notes to the people who actually reviewed my last chapter.

Tamelywild: Thanks for the review! And sorry, it's not going to be an Eriol/Sakura fic. I don't know that much about Eriol since I've only seen some of the dubbed version.

* hides head in shame* Yes, I'm pathetic I know. But I saw all of the old season and then only a few of the new. Oh well, hopefully I'll see them all one day. Anyway, thanks for the review, and it will probably continue to stay dark throughout the story.

Beautiful Midnight: Awww… I didn't mean to make you upset. Let me just warn you now, like I did Tamelywild: this story will probably continue to stay dark. And I'm glad that you can't wait for Chapter 2; it makes me feel good to know that someone enjoys my stories! * grins * Thanks for reviewing!

Yori-chan: I'm glad that happy that there's more coming! When I'm writing this I feel bad for Sakura too. It's kind of difficult for me to write since I'm a happy go lucky kind of person. But the idea just popped into my head so I started writing it down!

Neptune Avalon: I know what you mean. Even though I told Yori-chan that I'm a happy go lucky kind of person, I do have my bad days when I sometimes feel like that. If you're having a rough time, I hope you get through it all right. Just keep faith in yourself.

Gohan: Really? My story was sadder than yours? Wow, I never thought it was possible for me to write a sad story. Anyway, let me address the subject of the story seeming like Touya's death was Sakura's fault. It only seems this way since the story is through Sakura's point of view. To me, Sakura seems like the kind of person who would lay all the blame upon herself. Don't worry, though. This issue will be addressed again in a later chapter.

* drum roll * And now, here's the second chapter! I hope you enjoy it! Please review!

"And Then There Was One"

Chapter 2: The Letter

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            As I walked the streets of Tomeda, my thoughts drifted to the dreary gray sky. A storm was approaching… All havoc was about to break lose…

            My eyes wandered to an old man on the sidewalk, his back leaning against the picket fence of a whitewashed house in the neighborhood next to mine.

            "A penny for your thoughts!" he cried out, his raspy voice penetrating the space around us.

            Guilt began to sink in. Here was someone with no home, no food, and no place to sleep. Why was I so depressed about all my problems when there were people in the world whose problems were as troublesome as mine, times a tenfold?

            I reached into my wallet and pulled out a twenty-dollar-bill, dropping it into the can that he held. "Have a nice meal tonight," I almost silently whispered, trying to put a smile of encouragement on my face. But the old man could see right through my mask of feelings.

            "Come here, child," he spoke softly. I hesitantly walked toward him, placing my hand in his, sitting down right next to him.

            The old man's gnarled fingers felt rough to the touch, and a shiver went up my spine. Who was this stranger? Why was he freaking me out like this?

            "I see your future. Friendship… Danger…" His eyes opened wide, a possessed gleam in them, as if they were going to roll back into their sockets. "Death…" The possessed gleam faded as the last word was spoken, and the old man's eyes returned to normal. "Be careful, my child. The future is in your hands. Make proper use of it."

            I stared at him, wide-eyed in confusion. For a moment I blinked. In that instant, he was gone.

            Shaking my head, I continued along my unknown path. The wind swept my hair as I walked along and thought about what the old man had said. I was so lost in my thoughts that I barely noticed when I bumped into someone.

            "OOMF!" came the stranger's voice. Quickly, I looked below me, trying to see if the person I had knocked down was anyone I knew. Thankfully, I didn't recognize the person, saving me the embarrassment.

            Lending my hand, I helped the young man up off the ground. Tanned skin and chocolate eyes were donned on him, wind-blown, russet hair completing the handsome look. A smile played at the young man's lips, revealing sparkling, ivory pearls. "You'll have to watch where you're going," he teased.

However, I mistakenly took his teasing for scorn. "I'm very, very sorry, Mr." I replied, trying to make amends with this mysterious man.

His grin widened. "Geez, you need to learn how to take a joke. I was just kidding. Actually, the accident was probably my fault; I wasn't watching where I was going."

"Oh," I answered. For the life of me, I couldn't think of anything more intelligent to say.

            "Well, I'm glad I ran into, Miss," the stranger articulated. I was looking for someone who might know the town. With the storm coming, I didn't think there would be anyone around."

            In this pause, the realization that something was familiar about the man came over me. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, though. How the heck did I know him?

            "You see, I'm from out of town, and I don't know my way around yet."

            The grocery boy! Yes, that's who it was. I had only seen him from a distance before, but now I knew it must be him. Tomoyo had once told me that it was a shame that the grocery boy was from out in the country and didn't live a bit closer, otherwise she would've gone out with him.

            "So could you please tell me where the cemetery is?" the grocery boy concluded.

            Why would he want to visit the cemetery? Who did he know that would be buried in our town's small plot? I paused for a moment, and then relayed the directions to him. "Continue walking up this street until you reach the first traffic light. Make a right, walk to the next corner, and then make a left. It should be down about a block on your left."

            The young man smiled again. "Thanks for your help." I turned to leave, but he caught me by the arm. "And please, don't look so down. Cheer up a bit!" he grinned.

            As we parted, I mumbled to myself, "Easy for you to say. You've probably led a good life." Then I took these words into consideration. If he had led a good life, then whose grave was he going to visit? Something inside me pulled; I knew what I had to do: follow him. I didn't want to follow; after all, that was the graveyard where Touya was buried. For some reason though, I felt compelled to do so. Curiosity must have gotten the better of me, I reasoned with myself.

            Hastily, I whirled back around, briskly walking towards the young man, trying to make up the distance lost will I was pondering over my decision. I didn't, however, want him to know that I was following him, so I hid in the shadows as I ran along behind him.

            In just a few short minutes we reached the dark, dank cemetery. Chills rushed up and down my spine. The last time I had visited the cemetery was the day we had buried Touya.  Tears threatened to spill from my eyes at the thought, but I held them back. Instead, I turned my attention back to the boy, trying to see whose grave he was visiting.

             As my eyes passed over the words written on the tombstone, I froze. Touya… That he was Touya's grave that he was visiting!

            My thoughts wouldn't settle. How did this stranger know Touya! He was definitely too young to have been one of his classmates.

            The grocery boy looked on at the grave, the cheery attitude from just minutes before disappearing. Now sadness overcame him. You could sense it and feel it.

            His mouth moved. Straining my ears, I intently listened to the words being spoken.

            "Hey, buddy. How you doing?" he whispered gloomily. "What's life like up there in Heaven?" He paused. "I never thought I would say this, but I miss you. You were kind of like the older brother I never had. It's hard living with all girls, man. I didn't care if you called me names. It felt good to hang out with someone besides the girls I was surrounded with." Again, an unearthly silence... Then, "Have you been watching over Sakura for me like I asked you to?"

            My head flew up in astonishment. He just said my name! A man that I had no recollection of meeting before in my life had just said my name and was talking to my dead brother! What the heck was going on here?

            In all of my confusion, I missed the last part of the conversation. The boy was turning to leave. I knew that I had to follow him now; I had to find out who this guy was.

            We turned out of the cemetery and onto the main street of Tomeda. For a time, we walked on a straight path. On and on we went, minute after minute passing by. Weariness started to settle in, and until after a while, I didn't realize where we were going anymore.

            Finally, after twenty minutes, the young man stopped. I raised my head from my downward position, which had been looking at the sidewalk. Once again, my eyes widened. The grocery boy was standing at the door of my house! My house!

            I shook my head in puzzlement. It didn't seem like I was going to find out what was going on any time soon.

            He knocked on the door. When no one answered, he knocked again. Obviously, no one was home. Sighing, the young man removed an envelope from his jacket pocket and placed it on the doormat that at one time had proclaimed "WELCOME!"

            As quickly as he had come, the grocery boy left. I was too curious to see what was in the envelope to follow him once more. Maybe it would answer my question of what this whole thing was about.

            I rushed to my doorway and rapidly tore open the envelope. It was a letter, addressed to me.

Dear Sakura,

            It's been such a long time since we've last seen each other. I hope you can ever forgive me for my failure to correspond with you these last few years.

            However, that's not really what this letter is about. Over the past few months I've been experiencing dark feelings and having nightmares when I lay down to sleep. In these nightmares, I'm back in Tomeda, fighting something, although I don't know what. As time has passed, the feelings have become stronger and the nightmares more frequent. Something terrible is about to happen; I just know it.

            Please, as soon as you have time, visit me at my new residence: 1678 Cardinal Drive. We need to discuss this immediately and find a solution to the problem.

                                                                                                Your friend,

                                                                                                Syaoran

            The letter fluttered from my hands. Syaoran was back… My heart thumped wildly inside my chest as his image passed across my mind. He was back! My beloved was back!

            A cold breeze brushed my back. That's when I remembered the real task at hand. Something dark was lurking about… Something evil… If Syaoran could sense it, why couldn't I?

            Shaking my head, I rushed towards Syaoran's new home. Luckily for me, Cardinal Drive was close by, otherwise I would have bailed out because of all the previous walking.

            Hurriedly, I rapped on the door of the given address. The young man from earlier, Syaoran, opened the door and peered outside. "My help you, Miss?" he asked questioningly.

            "Syaoran," I whispered, "It's me, Sakura."

            His eyes widened in disbelief. "Sakura?"

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Author's Note: Yes, yes, I know. You saw that coming. Heck, it's not my fault if I lack originality. * sighs * Oh well, we can't all be good writers. But anyway, that chapter was definitely less dark than the last. I'm not sure how dark the others are going to be; it will be decided as I write them. Anyway, please review! Any type of review is welcome: good, bad, happy, and sad. You get the picture. Even flames are welcome! But hopefully more good than bad or some constructive criticism! * bends down on knees and prays for advice in writing next chapter *

~Sailor Polaris~

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Preview of Chapter 3…

            It's been said many times that the past is done and over with. But is it really? Sakura sure thought so, until now at least. Will Sakura and Syaoran renew their friendship? Will the couple be able to overcome the hurdle that had troubled them so many years before?