CCS+MGLN: The Shard Card

--Thought up by Yoshilord, found on Shoujoai website

Shorter Summary: Things go from weird to worst and back again as Tomoyo suddenly falls ill. Ignoring that her wedding to Shaoran is in less than a week, Sakura does her best to care for Tomoyo. But who are these new people who claim to know how to cure Tomoyo's incurable illness and what is this "Jewel Shard" that they speak of? CCS meets MGLN. Shoujo-ai centric.

Pairings: Sakura/Tomoyo, Nanoha/Fate, Hayate/Harem (as per requested)

Disclaimer: I do not own Card Captor Sakura anymore than I own Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha and the associated characters. I don't even pretend to claim credit for this plot prompt. I am merely a writer- a bored writer looking for something to pass the time with this summer.

Review as you will, tell me what you like, what you don't like, I'll probably write whatever I want anyway, but if you hit me when I hit peak boredom, you just might see me take an idea or three. Enjoy!

Chapter 2

This was getting very difficult very fast. Now that she was in front of her, Nanoha saw that the newcomer was overflowing with magical energy. But at the same time, her aura did not seem to have the same signature as the other Lost Logia. And with the sword that Sakura suddenly brandished from seemingly thin air, it was becoming increasingly harder to imagine how a follow-up report would be written still claiming to be an investigate-not-retaliate mission.

Nanoha held up her hands in surrender. "I mean no harm. Your friend is ill; I was merely trying to heal her."

Sakura still seemed suspicious. "Who sent for you?"

Nanoha pointed at Tomoyo, who was now feverishly glowing. "The thing that is making her sick, it summoned me. Please let me help her."

It was only at this point that Sakura chanced looking over her shoulder at Tomoyo, and all at once dropped her sword and the shield and rushed to Tomoyo's side. Nanoha opened her mouth to tell her not to touch the possessed person, but a great flash of light momentarily paralyzed her.

When she could see again, the glow was gone and for all intents and purposes, Tomoyo's fever seemed to have broken. Nanoha cautiously approached, hoping what had just taken place was not what she thought it was.

"T-tomoyo-chan?" Sakura was now unabashedly holding Tomoyo's hands in hers, watching her face intently for any sign of her eyes opening.

Rarely one to disappoint, Tomoyo opened her eyes before long, giving Sakura a smile that was now without pain. She seemed as if she was merely waking up after a good night's sleep.

"Sakura-chan… Are you all right?"

Sakura lunged forward and embraced the other girl, a few sniffles escaping in the process. "I told you, didn't I? You work too hard… you don't have to work so hard for my sake…"

"Sakura-chan… didn't you have plans with Shaoran?"

Sakura leaned back, giving Tomoyo room to sit up as she insisted, "You… You're more important. I can go to dinner anytime. But your health… if anything happened to you… I don't know what I would do…"

"But I'm fine. I'm fine… now that you're here."

Nanoha didn't appreciate being ignored, but their exchange had sent her back to her memories of when Fate woke up after having her heart crushed by her own mother. Still, forgiven as they were, work had to be done.

Stepping forward, she bent down on one knee so that she did not tower over the two crouching girls. "Tomoyo-san, Sakura-san, are you two fully knowledgeable about the realm of magic? It is of most urgent importance that I know."

Sakura frowned, once more being interrupted from her concern for Tomoyo. She considered lying, but the magic that she felt from the stranger told her there would be no sense in doing so. She seemed to be asking only out of politeness and to see the extent of her knowledge. Very well then. Sakura straightened and explained, "I inherited the great magician Clow Reed's cards, which are filled with positive magic. Using these Sakura Cards, I can use magic. I'm also aware of ancient Chinese magic that a… close acquaintance of mine knows. Tomoyo… Tomoyo has no magic, but knows about everything that I know."

Even as Tomoyo nodded, now fully awake, Nanoha had to respond, "I'm not so sure about that last bit now. But I understand your side, so please allow me to explain mine." Nanoha paused to make sure they were both listening, which they were, as she surreptitiously had Raising Heart scan Tomoyo's vital signs and her current magical condition.

"You see," Nanoha started, "Where I come from, there are magical items… like those cards, perhaps, but they come in different forms. My personal item, Raising Heart, is a sealing rod that can also act as a shield and as a blaster, among other things. The item I came here in search for is known as a 'Lost Logia'. It has great magical power alone, and even greater when fused with an animal, especially a human, with magical capacity. Tomoyo, it seems, has fused with such a Lost Logia. There is a high fatality rate with the uninitiated, thus why Tomoyo fell ill, but if her current wellness is any indication, the Logia seems to have bonded with her safely, allowing for a healthy, symbiotic relationship."

They were both silent for a while, but it was Tomoyo who asked, "I… I have magic now?" Her voice was clearly one of disbelief, but Nanoha couldn't blame her.

Nanoha nodded. She looked at Raising Heart, which now pulled up a screen at her mental command. She scanned the contents and then gestured towards it for their sake, despite knowing that they could not possibly read it. "According to my initial scan, Tomoyo has an extremely benevolent affinity, one most suited as a back-up member of a team… a healer, if you will. She also seems capable of the rare ability to heal herself as well."

Tomoyo's eyes still shone with clear recognition and yet astonishment at what she was being told. She suddenly wanted to try it out.

Sakura clasped Tomoyo's hands, cheering exuberantly, "Tomoyo-chan has healing magic! Something neither Shaoran nor I have! Tomoyo-chan!'

Tomoyo smiled wide at Sakura's enthusiasm, but it faded as she caught the still serious look on the visitor's face. "There's a catch, isn't there."

Sakura immediately sobered and she looked to the bearer of what sounded like it could be bad news.

Nanoha did her best to smile for them. "As with any power, it comes with a great responsibility and a potential for great harm, as well as great good. Although healing powers are normally very positive in nature, the rapid increase of white blood cells and the like to cure a wound… if the wielder is not properly trained, she might give the victim a cancer on top of whatever injury they've incurred. I did not want to have to resort to this, which is why I tried to extract the Logia before it had fully bonded, but the people I work for have taken it upon themselves to ensure that people who have merged with Logia are monitored carefully. That said… it is protocol to take persons such as Tomoyo back to headquarters, where she will become a citizen of that world and live among other magic users."

Tomoyo caught the slip, although she paid no mind to the possibility that Nanoha had let it slip on purpose. "Another world? You mean, you come from a world that is not Earth?"

Nanoha smiled. "Technically, no. I was born here in Japan. But after finding my own magic, the organization I now work for took me in, and adopted me into their society. I now work for their military as… ah… a flight instructor."

A feeling stirred in Tomoyo that she had not properly felt even in the days where she was videotaping Sakura's Clow Card adventures. Magic of her own… a new life… a chance to embrace a world where there would be new things every day… a world far away from a time when Sakura was taken by another person. It was overwhelming… and yet exhilarating.

But before Tomoyo could express her own enthusiasm, Sakura had her protectiveness meter leveled up again. "I won't let you take Tomoyo-chan away from me."

Tomoyo's heart fluttered at Sakura's sentiment, but Nanoha's words were gentle as well as serious. "That is not your choice to make. The cards are of this world and so we have no legitimate reason to deal with you. Tomoyo, however, is supporting and being supported by a Lost Logia of our world. We need to bring her to our world, for her safety as well as those around her, before others who are searching for the power of Lost Logia come to find her once it gives off a powerful enough signal."

"You're… you're going to kidnap me?" Tomoyo found it amusing that she was going to be abducted by a pseudo-alien, who might be advanced enough to have a UFO.

Nanoha shook her head vigorously. "It is, in the end, your choice, Tomoyo-san, how we go about this. And you do not have to answer right this moment either." She winked, whispering in a conspiratorial tone, "I'm actually here for a bit of a house visit as well, which is why I came with my partner and my daughter. We wanted to take care of this business first before we took care of our own private affairs."

"How long do I have?"

"Mm… A week? Maybe two."

Tomoyo sighed in relief. "Then I can make it to Sakura-chan's wedding."

Nanoha raised an eyebrow at Sakura's divided expression. "You're getting married soon? Congratulations."

Sakura nodded mutely, burying herself in her own thoughts.

Tomoyo looked at Sakura, and then at Nanoha. Putting on a hostess smile, she climbed out of bed, hugging Sakura on the way as she found her slippers. "Well, in that case, Sakura-chan, could you take our visitor downstairs while I freshen up in the bathroom? I'm sure I must be all stinky and gross… even if I do feel fine now."

Nanoha gave a laughing smile and shook her head. "I didn't notice a thing."

Even still, she and Sakura stood up, Nanoha and Tomoyo bowed to each other, and the two groups went their separate ways. Nanoha returned Raising Heart to pendant form, and, taking the cue even in her daze, Sakura did the same with hers.

Walking towards the bedroom door, Nanoha asked quietly, "Does Tomoyo-san's mother know about magic?"

Sakura shook her head. "We never told her." She paused, and then continued, "But I never told my brother either, but I think he still figured it out on his own."

"I think Tomoyo-san's mother is much the same. When we arrived on the balcony, she assumed we were your friends and let us pass. She mentioned that you often snuck up to the balcony to visit Tomoyo-san?"

Sakura had the decently to flush, even as she mumbled, "Is that so wrong?"

Nanoha giggled. "Not at all. If Fate-chan would do it all the time when I was still living at my parent's house."

Sakura stopped short and gave Nanoha a puzzled look. "You know our names but you never told us yours."

"Nyahaha… Sorry, I forgot. I'm Takamachi Nanoha. My partner, who should be downstairs with Tomoyo-san's mother, is called Fate T. Harlown. Since I've been calling you two by your first names, which I realize is rude of me, it is only fair that I ask that you call us by our first names. After all, I have a feeling we four will become very good friends in the near future."

When they arrived at the hallway, there were no guards in sight. Nanoha guessed that Tomoyo's mother had called them off entirely.

Sakura was quiet as they walked downstairs, but she looked up with a start when they were close enough to hear a very familiar male voice.

--

"Sakura came here, didn't she? I know she was headed here."

Tomoyo's mother shook her head. "Sakura-chan hasn't been by tonight, Shaoran-kun. Only Harlown-san and Takamachi-san."

Fate had looked up when the rugged hair man had come in, but when her memory of her preliminary research had come to her and identified him as Li Shaoran, Sakura's fiancé, she returned her attention to Vivio.

"Then I'm staying here. I know she'll come here."

"If you wish." Tomoyo's mother turned her attention to the maid. "Ah, here comes some tea and cookies. Bring an extra cup for Shaoran-kun."

As Shaoran plopped down on the chair across from Fate, who was sitting on the couch, something woke up inside him. There was something about this woman with her long blond hair, her blood red eyes… eyes currently looking at the child with clear affection.

"Vivio… be careful not to spill your hot chocolate."

"Mm, I know Fate-mama."

Shaoran blinked. She was a mother? He looked at the woman and then the child. Impossible. She could not be much older than him.

"Fate-mama, here, I'll share my cookie with you!"

Fate laughed and watched as Vivio broke the large cookie in unequal proportions, frowned, and then pouted as she gave the elder the bigger half. She pushed it back towards the child, "You can have that piece, Vivio. I'll take the other one. It looks tastier."

Vivio's eyes widened, wondering if the other piece really did look tastier. No, the bigger one was always tastier- Fate just didn't know how to pick her food right. So Vivio smiled brightly as she gave Fate the smaller piece, looking at her guardian as if she were the child being cheated of the real tastier morsel.

Fate did her best to keep from laughing outright, petting Vivio's hair before patting the seat beside her. Vivio obeyed with eagerness, her legs swinging back and forth as she ate her cookie and drank her hot chocolate.

Shaoran felt his heart beat faster with affection as he watched the scene. Seeing the woman's tender kindness, he felt his earlier irritableness melt away. When Fate looked his way, he even smiled.

Amused as ever, Fate sipped from her tea as she asked cordially, "Shaoran-kun, was it?"

Shaoran nodded. "Li Shaoran. I'm… er… Tomoyo's best friend's fiancé."

Fate nodded. "Have you and Kinomoto-san been together long?"

Shaoran nodded once. "We met when we were…" He glanced at the child. "About her age, I guess."

Fate remembered that there was another potential source of magic in the area. She felt it in the man before her. "That's nice. I met Nanoha around that age too."

Shaoran frowned, wondering why he felt so disappointed that the woman said another's name with such affection. Shaking it off, he asked, "Who is Nanoha?"

Fate gestured upstairs. "She's my 'healing' partner. She's upstairs seeing if she can help Tomoyo break out of her strange illness. I think she'll be down soon."

Healing partner? Who used words like that anymore? Unless… maybe it was a code name for a rehab trainer? Was Fate actually handicapped and bearing it all with a grin? Indeed, she hadn't moved from her seat since Shaoran had arrived. Perhaps…

"Li-san? Is everything all right?"

"You can call me Shaoran." Li grew a little flustered at the idea of wanting a perfect stranger to call him by his first name, but stranger things had happened before. "You… Are you staying in town long?"

Fate raised an eyebrow. "Perhaps a little longer. Why do you ask?"

Shaoran panicked as he tried to think of a reasonable excuse, blurting out with fading exuberance, "You can… go to our… wedding… I mean, we have room… and the more the merrier…"

Fate looked at him for a long moment, studying his expression. Inevitably, he grew even redder at the attention, the color not fading even as she finally said, "We wouldn't want to be a bother…"

"It's no bother at all! Really!" Shaoran sat down quickly once he'd realized he'd stood up in his protest. "Um, Sakura… Sakura likes making new friends, so…"

Fate chuckled. "She and Nanoha would get along really well then, I imagine."

"…Shaoran?"

The occupants of the room looked up as two women descended the stairs. Fate recognized Nanoha as easily as Shaoran identified Sakura. They stood to meet them.

Shaoran's eyes darted to Fate. Her standing threw out the idea that she was handicapped- from the waist down at least.

Nanoha gave Fate a victory smile before walking over to talk to Vivio quietly. Meanwhile, Sakura felt very much like a deer caught with its pants down. While she wasn't in any mortal danger, she wasn't quite sure what to do at that point. She had bigger things to worry about now than her fight with Shaoran.

"Sakura, I-"

"I'm sorry." Sakura walked over to Shaoran, though she made no attempt to show bodily affection. "I'm sorry for getting mad at you. I was just… worried about Tomoyo-chan."

"How is she?"

Sakura smiled and nodded at Tomoyo's mother, who had come back from the kitchen upon hearing Sakura's voice. "She's doing just fine now. But her fever hit its peak while I was there." Sakura looked pointedly at Shaoran as if to say, You see? There was a perfectly good reason for me to come and check on her."

Nanoha spoke up, causing Shaoran to blink at the insurmountable love he suddenly felt in his chest for this other woman. This was bad. "I think we've overstayed our welcome. We were only supposed to check on her today but our visit ran long."

Vivio tugged on Nanoha's skirt. "Mama… are we going?"

Nanoha smiled and nodded. "We have a bit of a ways to go to get home. We should have left earlier. As it is, I doubt they'll still be awake. They aren't expecting us, after all."

"Then please, stay here for the night."

Everyone looked up as Tomoyo walked down the stairs, in perfect health.

Shaoran was startled to find the same stirrings of attraction directed towards Tomoyo. What was going on?

Tomoyo looked at her mother. "It's all right, isn't it? It's the least we can do. They were able to do what all those other doctors could not. And they're my age, too."

Tomoyo's mother moved over and put her hand to her daughter's forehead, amazed at the complete normalcy of her temperature. Just hours ago it had been bordering on hospital-worthy.

She sighed, defeated, but gratefully so. "Very well. If you do not mind our hospitality, I'll have the maids prepare bedrooms for you."

Nanoha looked over at Fate. "You want to?"

"They're your parents. You think they would rather we come during the morning?"

"… That might be best, now that I think about it. I hadn't been expecting to arrive here at night, anyway. Our timing was a little off, I suppose."

Vivio immediately caught the change of plans. "We're staying here then? Yay! Mama, can I have another cookie?"

Nanoha looked at the cookie plate that had a noticeable dent in it, as more than half of its contents showed traces of being eaten.

Before she could protest, Fate defended, "She didn't eat them all herself, Nanoha. We've been talking for a while now."

Nanoha looked at Fate, and then at Vivio doing her best impression of a pout. "Oh all right. But only one more, understood?"

"Yes, ma'am!" Vivio happily picked out another cookie and started munching on it.

"Vivio… what else are you supposed to say?"

Vivio yelped and looked around the room for Tomoyo's mother and directed a bow and a "Thank you for your kindness!" her way.

Tomoyo's mother chuckled and shook her head. "And thank you for being polite, little girl."

Tomoyo asked, "Do you think it feasible to stay in my room tonight? There are things I wish to discuss with you… about my future health."

Fate nodded. "If you have futons… those are sufficient for us. We three are used to traveling together and sleeping together anyhow."

Nanoha nodded. "And we would be happy to answer any questions you might have for us."

Tomoyo's mother looked over at Sakura. "Will you be staying too?"

Sakura hesitated, but when she looked at Tomoyo who flickered her gaze towards Shaoran, she sighed. "No… no, not tonight. I'll come by in the morning though. Come on, Shaoran. Let's go home."

Shaoran had been staring at the three women before him this whole time, wondering why he felt more attraction towards them than he did Sakura, whom he had loved since childhood. Shaking himself out of his stupor, he decided distance was the best remedy for the moment. "Um, yeah. Let's go."

Fate voiced for them, "It was a pleasure to meet you."

Sakura promised, "We'll meet again soon."

Within the next half hour, Sakura and Shaoran had gone home, and Nanoha and Fate had tucked Vivio into bed.

Once Vivio had fallen asleep, happily drugged on chocolate and sweets, it was time for a little game of 20 questions.

Tomoyo sighed. "Let's start with this. Is there any beginning spell I can use right now, so that I can see for myself that I have magic?"

Having been filled in on the details, Fate answered, "I'm afraid that neither of us specialize in healing. A friend of ours back home is a natural at it, however. If you come back with us, she will gladly take you under her wing and teach you everything you need to do."

Nanoha offered, "But there is a simple light spell that any magic user can use without too much practice. Especially if they are naturally well-disciplined."

"How do I do it?"

As Nanoha explained, the moon was already 'setting' on the night's horizon.

--

The next morning, when Sakura slowly opened her eyes to the light of the rising sun, there was a soft smile on her face. She had dreamed of being an unmatched duo with Tomoyo, backing each other up, clearing the way for each other with the ease of lifelong partners. Together, they stopped the wars of the world, healed the injured in droves, and at the end of the day, breathing hard, they looked at each other… and smiled, knowing that their pain would not be in vain.

Well, dreams were dreams for a reason. Sakura knew that the images she had seen were far off in the future, if even at all possible, but the feeling of working side by side with Tomoyo stayed in her mind. It was odd, she realized, that she had never had such a dream with Shaoran.

She chalked it up to the fact that they had been working together since the first night they had clashed, so she now took it for granted.

Tomoyo with magic though… the very idea of it sent excited shivers down her spine. She felt like a little girl again, getting ready to- Sakura stifled a laugh. She supposed she felt like Tomoyo did when video taping her. She knew the trust, the teamwork, the mutual caring for each other was already in their hearts. All that was left was for Tomoyo to learn how to harness her new power.

Sakura's breathing slowed as she thought of the messengers from another world. They had said Tomoyo would have to be trained on their world, because the source of her power was from their world.

But… didn't that mean that they would be separated soon? Sakura shut her eyes and rolled over in bed. She didn't want that. She… really didn't want that.

But opening her eyes reminded her of the other side of the coin. Shaoran. She couldn't just up and leave Shaoran. Especially if… what reason did she have to go? Unlike Tomoyo, her magic was apparently negligible to these outsiders, and she would be left to her own devices. But she wanted to go. She wanted to be there for Tomoyo. After all, what kind of best friend would she be if she abandoned her just when she had finally gotten her magic? Tomoyo hadn't done that to her, back when her secret was first discovered…

Sakura sighed, remembering her carelessness so long ago that allowed Tomoyo to videotape her after her capture of the Fly card. Against the background of the moon, it was impossible to wiggle out of telling Tomoyo the truth…

Wait. Moon? Sakura sat up. The honeymoon! Of course! Sakura turned and started to shake Shaoran's shoulder. "Shaoran. Shaoran! Wake up!"

"Mmmph?" Shaoran rolled over, batting away the pestering hand. "Lemmee sleep…"

"Shaoran!" Sakura whined, before talking as if Shaoran was listening. "Let's go see Tomoyo's new home for our honeymoon!"

"Eh? Tomoyo's moving?"

Sakura bit her lip, remembering that she hadn't had the chance to tell him yet. She had been so busy thinking about the possibilities… "Um, she might. There's a strong chance she might. You remember those two women we met? They'll be… in the same neighborhood. That's partly why they came."

Shaoran sit up so quickly, Sakura yelped and leaned back. His eyes were bright and wide awake. "You… you want to visit them too? You want to see Fate-san again?"

Sakura stared at him, not sure what felt wrong, but it came to her all of a sudden. "AHH! You called her by her name…"

Shaoran huffed, the blush already invading his face before he could crush it. "What of it? That's what you do, isn't it? What else are you supposed to call them?"

Sakura pouted. "When you first met me, you called me 'Hey you' for at least a week! You only met her yesterday! And it couldn't have been for that long…"

Shaoran froze. Did she know? Did she suspect? "T-that was different! I was different then! I… I have a better memory of people's names now. Like… like… that girl! That girl that was with them. Her name was uh… Viv… Vivian, wasn't it?"

Sakura's eyes narrowed. "It was Vivio. So Fate-san is a special case, isn't she? You remember her name so well…"

"Well, it's like the English word for 'umei' isn't it? Fate… It's just easy to remember."

Sakura stopped, considering of dropping her mask and letting a smile through to show that she'd only been teasing, but then something else occurred to her. "Why are you so defensive? If there was nothing there, you wouldn't feel the need to…"

"M-maybe it's because you're attacking me all of a sudden! Ever think of that? It's only," he glanced at the clock, "Seven-thirty…"

Sakura gasped and started to scramble out of bed. "Is it really? Shoot. I have to get ready so I can meet Meiling-chan for breakfast at nine. Ah, don't you have work soon, Shaoran? Don't worry about me; we can talk later. Ah, have to hurry, hurry…!"

As Shaoran watched her scramble around the room to get ready to take a shower, he couldn't help but wonder, secretly, if there really was a reason for his defensiveness. Fate was just a stranger that had come into their lives… she would probably be leaving it soon too…

Shaoran looked up as he remembered that he had invited Fate and her family to their wedding. He hadn't told Sakura yet… remembering their little tiff just now, he decided it best if he waited a little longer before he mentioned it.

As he made the bed and prepared for work, however, he couldn't get the image of Fate's smile out of his head, and he hated himself for even thinking of a woman besides Sakura… even if he couldn't control his thoughts at the moment.

--

"Okay, this is it. Are you ready?"

Fate sighed as Nanoha turned to fix Vivio's hat as if she wasn't even waiting for an answer. "We'll be fine, Nanoha. The truth isn't that difficult to understand anyway."

Vivio piped up, cheery from her sound sleep, "Nanoha-mama and Fate-mama found Vivio and took her in because she was all alone, right?"

Nanoha protested, "Ah, Vivio, don't say that, all right? I think my mom's heart would just break if she heard you saying that…"

Vivio tilted her head to the side. "But it's true, isn't it? Or…" Vivio looked up in thought, a finger cutely positioned on her lower lip. "Or was what Hayate-neechan said the truth? That Vivio was born when Nanoha-mama and Fate-mama first shared a bed and- MM!"

Fate chuckled uneasily as she clamped her hand over Vivio's mouth. "Ah, Vivio… don't tell any stories like that to Nanoha-mama's family either, okay? This is their first time meeting you. All you have to do is be the sweet little girl we know you are. Don't worry about the details for now."

As Vivio nodded her assent, Fate loosened her clamp over Vivio's mouth, but tightened it again when Vivio asked, "So I shouldn't say that sometimes, in the middle of the night, I hear Nanoha-mama and Fate-mama-"

Nanoha sighed. "This is going to be a long day… Let's just go. The bakery's open, so at least we know someone's there."

The bell tinkled and signaled their arrival as Fate held the door open for her little family.

"Welco- Ah! Nanoha-chan!"

Nanoha smiled as her older sister hugged her. "Hey, I was in town for a bit and I thought I'd stop by and visit… how is everything?"

"Oh fine, fine. Come on to the back. Mom and Dad'll be so happy to see you. Ah, it's good to see you too, Fate-san."

Fate smiled. "It's been a while, Miyuki-san."

Miyuki smiled and nodded, hurrying them through the kitchen door. "Sorry I can't talk more; I'm the only one manning the tables this morning. Kyoya! Look who dropped by on our doorstep just now!"

Nanoha's brother looked up from the order he was cooking and smiled. "Hey, little sis. Good to see ya."

Miyuki was on her way back out when she noticed Vivio, now fearfully clutching Fate's leg. "Oh? Who's this?" She looked up at Fate and then back at the child, and surmised, "Your little sister? How cute! What's your name, little one?"

Vivio huffed at being called 'little one' but remembering that she would be rewarded if she was good, she answered with a smile, "It's Vivio."

"Ahh, she's so cute!" Miyuki picked up a chocolate coated donut and offered it to Vivio. "Here, take this. I'd offer you something healthier, but those take time to cook and we've only just opened. Nanoha-chan, I'll see you later, okay?" She nodded to Fate as well before hurrying back to welcome the latest customer.

Nanoha sighed. "What do we do now? She thinks Vivio's your sister…"

"Maybe it's better that way for now." Fate smiled, nodding to Vivio who waited for approval before biting into her donut. "Besides, my adopted mother, Lindy-san, was the one who adopted her officially, too. Although we're her day-by-day guardians, she is technically my sister… I don't think of her that way, of course."

"Hey, Nanoha!" They looked up as Kyoya addressed them. "I know you just got here and all, but do you think you could lend a hand a bit? At least until Mom and Dad come downstairs."

Nanoha nodded, eager to help. "Sure. What needs to be done?"

Fate asked, "Can I be of help as well?"

After directions were given, Nanoha told Vivio that she could wander around upstairs and see where Nanoha-mama used to live. After being reminded to not leave the building, Vivio happily skipped up the stairs.

It was quite the adventure, looking around at this house that was so clean and yet so downtrodden compared to the military quarters she was used to. She found a room with pictures of Nanoha-mama and bounced from one still picture to another, clapping when she discovered one of Nanoha-mama and Fate-mama together as kids. They really were her age when they met...

The next line of work was, of course, to wear in the new looking bed by jumping on it. With her mamas downstairs, busy as they were, surely they wouldn't notice a thing. Vivio giggled and laughed at the softness of the big (though not as big as the one back home) bed and plopped down with glee after a few minutes of using hardcore jumping skills.

Just as Vivio was getting ready to move on to the next room, however, she heard a high pitched yelp. Looking at the doorway, Vivio saw a middle-aged woman Nanoha-mama had once told her was her mother. Giggling happily, Vivio ran towards her, hugging her legs as she greeted, "Obaa-san (Grandma)!"

Vivio looked at her in wonder as the woman fell to her knees, a hair's breadth from fainting altogether.

"Momoko, what was…?"

Vivio looked up as a middle-aged man stopped short before her.

Momoko looked up at him wearily, moaning, "Shiro… This girl… she called me…"

Vivio grinned at the newcomer, now recognizing him. Her instructor Nanoha-mama would be so proud of her, remembering these people from pictures and descriptions alone! "Ojii-san (Grandpa)!"

Shiro stopped short. Although he didn't faint, his voice was weary as he whispered, "Is… is Nanoha home?"

"Mm! Nanoha-mama's downstairs helping in the kitchen!" Vivio wondered if she would be rewarded for being such a good girl.

Shiro helped Momoko up, who shook her head before smiling at Vivio. "What's your name?"

Suddenly remembering her manners, Vivio took a step back into Nanoha's old room and bowed low. "It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Vivio T. Takamachi."

Momoko twitched, straightening to whisper into Shiro's ear as if Vivio wouldn't be able to hear, "She has Nanoha's last name… what do you think that means? The father left her?"

"Wait, let's think about this," Shiro protested in an urgent whisper, "She can't be… my little girl is to young to have-"

Momoko decided for them both, "We're going to have a talk with our little girl." Holding her hand out to Vivio, she said, "Shall we go downstairs then?"

Feeling that this sign of good will meant that she had down well, Vivio happily accepted the offer and led the pair downstairs.

When they returned to the living room area, Nanoha was leaving the kitchen, calling over her shoulder, "I'll go get her and then we'll-"

"Takamachi Nanoha!"

Nanoha yelped and straightened to attention instinctively. "Y-yes!" She calmed when she saw that it was only her parents, but she stopped short of hugging them when she noticed Vivio was with them. She cursed to herself as she realized what must have happened.

Momoko raised the hand holding Vivio's hand. "Would you care to explain this?"

"Fate..." Nanoha winced. "Come quick- they found Vivio before I could tell them…"

As the seconds ticked by in silence, Nanoha wondered how she was going to say this, now that the time had come to actually explain it.

Oblivious to the plight of her Nanoha-mama, Vivio smiled as she wondered if breakfast was ready.

A/N: Please excuse some suspension of disbelief on the part of CCS characters (and Nanoha-verse as well) in regards to the sight of new magic users. Really, once you've met one other magic user (thus disqualifying the initial belief that 'you're the only one') one or two more isn't really going to surprise you as much. That said, Tomoyo has been friends with the /magician/ Sakura for at least ten years at this point. Her mother would have to be very dense indeed (which I don't think she is) to not notice even a little bit...

Also, I apologize for the pure CCS lovers who do not know the wonders of the Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha world, knowledge of which makes the last scene all the easier to imagine.