Chapter 3

(A/N: Past events will be in italic and Sakura's communication will be in italic bold)

Tomoyo and Sakura froze. They were at the ladies room. Slowly, they looked at each other. Sakura pulled a little on Tomoyo's sleeve. W-what was that? That wasn't a gun shot…was it?

Tomoyo was almost too afraid to answer Sakura's question. She was shaking and was trying very hard to keep it together. She also shared the same fear Sakura had. There was no question about it. Something felt off in the air. Something was terribly wrong.

She patted Sakura's hand and tried to force a smile. "D-don't be silly, Sakura-chan. How could-" Tomoyo tried to reassure the both of them but stopped dead when they both heard some movement towards them. There was no way they could escape towards the door. They both panicked. They quickly made sure that they didn't forget any piece of their by the sink as they quickly made a run for the farthest cubicle from the door.

They barely made it as the door roughly swung open and hit the wall with a bang. They quickly stood on top of the toilet and tried to be as quiet as they could.

XxXxXx

Sakura woke up with a start. She quickly sat up, cold sweat gripping her body. Her breathing was fast. She placed a hand over her chest, trying to calm herself down. She felt so overwhelmed with emotions that pretty soon, she couldn't hold back the tears and simply broke down.

It had been years since she had felt that scared. Sakura thought that things were finally turning around…that things were getting better but it seemed that the more she drifted away from the past, the more she was brought back there by fate. She hated the feeling to constantly being scared.

Tears kept flowing. It drenched her face. She was on the verge of being hysterical. But as the minutes ticked by as soundless and excruciating slow as they could, Sakura's rational thoughts were taking hold of her again. She knew that there was no way she was going to give up. She knew that breaking down and not getting up was out of the question. She knew that those around her needed her to be strong. But for that fleeting moment, she told herself that it was alright to be overcome with vulnerability. She told herself that she wasn't ok and that she had to let the feelings go or else she might not have the courage to do the right thing.

So many conflicting thoughts and rationalizations were coming to mind that Sakura wanted them to stop. She wanted silence. She didn't want to think or feel anything. If only that were possible…when she realized that she wouldn't be able to get back to sleep, she got up.

It was cool as she took the robe Yukito had given her to use. She put it on and pulled on it as tight as she could around her body. She was still slightly shivering. Not caring if the remnants of tears were still visible in her eyes, she walked out of the room silently.

After a moment of daze of her thoughts, she realized that the light in the kitchen was open. She ventured over there, curious if Yukito was awake or simply forgot to close the light. She made her way slowly towards the light. It blurred her eye sight for a moment. As her vision adjusted to the light, she saw Yukito smiling up at her, sitting with a cup of coffee in front of him. She then noticed another cup.

"I knew you'd eventually venture out here. I made a cup of tea for you." He said.

The gesture made her smile. She knew she could always count on Yukito for things like that. He had always treated her like a little sister. He had always looked after her like her brother. He was much like Touya, only he was the one who always had a smile ready for her to make her feel better. Touya was slightly the complete opposite of Yukito but she knew that he cared for her as much as Yukito did.

Slowly, she took a seat across of him and thanked him for the cup of tea. The heat of the cup in her hands slowly brought warmth back to her chilling soul. She looked at the mug in front of her, allowing the warmth to seep in deep. Yukito looked at her softly, head slightly bent, looking at the cup in front of her.

"It's ok to cry, Sakura." She looked up to face him. His eyes were soft and understanding as always. "You don't have to cry alone. It's hard seeing you cry alone like this."

I'm sorry, Yukito-san.

He stood up and went to her side and pulled her in a hug. He didn't need to say anything as tears started to follow down Sakura's eyes again. It was like before. She was still the same sensitive, delicate cherry blossom he grew up with. She never let anyone see her tears. He, Touya and Tomoyo were the only ones who saw them. When he did see them, every time, it pierced his heart. Those were the times when she would simply show how she truly felt…but somehow he knew that she still wasn't showing everything.

"Don't apologize, Sakura. It's normal to feel the way you are especially after what happened. Don't hide it." He whispered. He felt her tighten her grip on the front of his shirt.

After awhile, when he knew she had calmed down. He broke off a little and looked at her. Thank you…for letting me cry, Yukito-san. Please don't tell my brother. You know how annoying he can get.

Yukito smiled. "He's like that because he cares about you."

She smiled a little and nodded. Her expression immediately changed. It was this raw fear that he had only seen once before…during that time. I'm scared, Yukito-san. She finally admitted.

"I know, Sakura. It's alright to be afraid. Please believe me though when I tell you that we are here to protect you. We are not going to let anything happen to you. Eriol and Shaoran are one of the best. Now, they are part of the team who are going to straighten this out. They also won't let anything else happen to you."

Sakura bit her lip. There was much more she wanted to tell him but she couldn't. She was too afraid to. She didn't want to put his life in danger. She chose to keep it. She needed to think about what was the right thing to do. She knew that he was looking at her every move. She knew that there were others who are looking at her. Some of those people cannot be trusted.

She closed her eyes and took a calming breath. What did you tell 'nii-chan?

"I only told him that you were found with blood and fainted, without any serious injuries. That's all I'm obliged to tell him, especially since this an open investigation."

I understand. I can tell that he's going to try and make me talk once he gets here.

"He might. But then again, have more faith, Sakura. He knows when to push it and when not to."

She could only nod to that. "Why don't you try and get some rest?" She nodded and stood, bringing her empty cup towards the sink. "I'll take care of that, don't worry. Just leave it there." She did as she was told, bid him a good night again and headed to her room.

He watched as she disappeared into the darkness of her room, knowing fully well that there was much more darkness that was around her. Sakura had always hated the dark ever since she was a child. Now that she was nineteen, it hasn't changed, only she had learned to live with it.

He got up and headed towards the sink. As he started cleaning the empty cups, he couldn't help but wonder what really happen. It had been bothering him since he had learned about it a few hours back. It was frustrating not to understand. He wanted an answer but he knew that if he forced her, he was only going to push her away but if he didn't start asking her questions about it, time might compromise her statement.

Sakura was yet to give an official statement. He had only agreed to allow her a few hours of calm before asking her to give her statement. She knew that and with the look in her eyes a few moments ago, he could tell that she feared that more than she was willing to admit at the moment.

XxXxXx

After giving her statement, Sakura wanted to throw up as she finished recounting what had happened and said as much as she needed to. Yukito was there behind her. She knew why he chose not to be her interpreter. It was hard to keep it all in but somehow she managed to.

Outside the room, she was met by Eriol and Shaoran. Yukito couldn't be involved with the case because her relationship to him might compromise the on-going investigation. As much as she wanted Yukito to be there, she knew that he had to go and do his job. She gave him a smile, making it as strong as she could and nodded. He nodded back and left.

"We had just gotten word from the hospital. Ms. Daidouji is stable. Would like to accompany us there?" Eriol offered.

Hearing that Tomoyo was doing good somehow brought relief inside of her. She gave a nod, grateful that Eriol said that. She followed as Eriol led the way with Shaoran close behind. Sakura still wasn't sure if she could completely trust these two men, especially Shaoran, but since Yukito trusted them enough, she allowed herself to hope that yes, she could trust them.

Eriol was on the wheel and Shaoran in the front seat. She sat quietly in the back. "You can trust us, you know." Eriol commented, making Sakura look at the rear view mirror. She saw the sincerity and the smile in Eriol's eyes. She wasn't exactly sure how to respond to that. It was only polite though to smile and give a small nod.

The drive to the hospital was a short one. They made their way towards Tomoyo's room. As she looked on from the glass, Sakura could feel a lump in her throat. She could feel tears in her eyes again. She couldn't bear seeing her best friend like that.

XxXxXx

"Sakura, you have to get out of here alive. You hear me? You have to promise me that you'll get out of here alive and I will promise you the same." Tomoyo said as they were caught with no choice but to separate.

Reluctantly, Sakura gave a nod. Tomoyo smiled at her and said, "Ok, I'm going to go this way and you go the other way. If they catch either of us, at least they won't catch us both. Come on. I know we are getting out of this alive."

XxXxXx

Yes. They did survive it. They were both alive but Tomoyo was in worse shape than her. She didn't know what happened after they parted ways. What happened that landed her in that situation? She was only told the previous night that Tomoyo was immediately brought to the hospital after she was found, bleeding and almost unconscious. She had wanted to visit the previous night but was told that Tomoyo was still in no condition for visitors as doctors were still trying to stabilize her. Yukito had suggested to rest for the night and go the next day.

"She was found bleeding with a gun shot to the chest and left to die. She was lucky though that the bullet missed any major organs but still, she had bleed much so the doctors had to trace where she was bleeding from and also repair all the damage that had been done. They say that she is stable for now. She seems to be a fighter, Sakura. I'm sure that eventually she will recover from this." Eriol explained.

Sakura turned to face him. Thank you for telling me. I appreciate the information and cannot thank you enough. But you know what…it should be me who is fighting for my life right now…not her… With that, she walked away and sat at the nearest chair. Emotions were starting to overwhelm her again. She was right. It should have been her. She should have drawn those men away from Tomoyo. She should have protected her. She would give anything to be in Tomoyo's situation granted that Tomoyo was fine and safe. She closed her eyes.

Pretty soon, she felt someone sit beside her. "You shouldn't say things like that." Sakura opened her eyes at the sound of the voice. She looked and saw Shaoran sitting there beside her. He glanced at her and said, "Eriol told me what you said a moment ago. You shouldn't be saying things like that. You escaped with minor injuries. For that alone, you should be thankful. Your friend is fighting for her life but still she is alive and has a strong will to live. Saying things like that will make her sad. No one deserves to be in that state because of another person, including you, so don't keep saying things like that." He then stood up and let her be.

Shaoran's voice had been calm yet firm. She knew that he was right. His words made her think. She kept thinking about it and what had happened. She glanced up. Shaoran and Eriol were there conversing about something. She took a deep breath and decided to go to the washroom to freshen up a little bit.

As she turned on the faucet and let the water run, she looked at herself at the mirror. She saw her grief written all over her face. She saw that scared little girl once more. She saw that same vulnerable little girl who only knew nothing but cry. The coldness of the water as she splashed some on her face brought back some sense into her. She had to keep on living. Life didn't stop there.

Sakura closed the faucet and took some paper towel to wipe the water off. She took a deep breath and walked out of the room. She walked towards Tomoyo's room again. She glanced around and didn't see Shaoran or Eriol. She wondered where they had gone to.

She didn't mind really that they weren't there as long as she was there for Tomoyo. She was too scared to enter the room. She feared that she might do more harm to Tomoyo's fragile state. She was still recovering. She thought it best if she only stayed outside. In a few days maybe she could be allowed to enter already.

"There you are. We were looking for you. You suddenly disappeared on us." She suddenly heard Shaoran's voice.

She turned to him and mouthed sorry. She knew that he couldn't understand sign language. She then turned back to Tomoyo. Eriol eventually turned up, making Shaoran and Sakura turn towards him.

"We got a lead. I'll work on it. Shaoran, why don't you bring Sakura home?" Before anyone could react, Eriol was out of there.

XxXxXx

Once Shaoran took Sakura home, Eriol left as well. Since he gave the flashdrive to Shaoran, he took over the other stuff of the investigation. After making sure that Tomoyo was safe, he went back to the Asturias. Driving there, a lot of things were going on through his mind. The trip wasn't long. He didn't even notice that he had already arrived.

He made his way to the bathroom. The body was already taken out of there. His face didn't register anything. His cerulean eyes were catching every detail though.

The blood of their witness was still there, almost as fresh as when he shed them. The man was the only witness they had that would truly implicate the Blood Triad and could possibly lead them to the masterminds. But now, he was dead and they had two women, one in critical while the other was mute, in danger because they were inadvertently witness the crime.

He started to walk through the crime scene again. He went to the last stall where Sakura and Tomoyo hid. He closed the door and tried to imagine how everything would look like, feel like being inside the stall while everything was happening out there. Eriol could imagine the fear that was coursing through their veins, knowing that at any moment they could be the ones that would be killed, not knowing what was to happen, and what they could do to escape.

After awhile, Eriol got out of the stall and slowly walked back outside. Instead of following the possible routine the girls took, he tried to figure out what happened to Mizuhara Akito, their star witness and a former police officer. He wondered how he could possibly be found when they had placed Mizuhara in protective custody a month back, changing his identity and never staying in one place for too long.

A lot of questions were running through his head. Eriol shook his head and sighed. Those girls were just at the wrong place, at the wrong time.

XxXxXx

They reached Sakura's apartment. As Sakura opened the door with her keys, Shaoran held her arm. She turned to him and was about to ask when he beat her to it, "Let me be the first to enter." She stood still and allowed him to do as he wished.

Shaoran had worked on cases like this for a long time, even drawing from his past. He knew that the adversaries are ruthless and wouldn't let any survivor alive for too long. He had seen it happen too many times before and in each occasion, they were too late. He wasn't about to fail this time. For the past two years, every time they were close enough to the real identities of the people who were behind the Blood Triad, witnesses disappear and only reappear to be dead. The latest of that trend was Mizuhara Akito.

Shaoran knew that they were smart enough to know that Sakura had survived and so did Tomoyo. He was smart enough to suspect that there were eyes that were watching him and Eriol since the beginning, always ready to retaliate to cover tracts that would lead to them. With all honesty, Shaoran was getting pretty tired of the game. Justice needed to be served. He will see to it that all the people responsible were indeed get served.

In the meantime, Tomoyo was safe in the hospital where there were a lot of people who were watching over her. He wasn't going to leave Sakura alone while not knowing if her place had been tainted.

"Stay close to me." He whispered to her in which she followed. After a while, Shaoran eased up and hid his gun. He turned to Sakura. "It's fine."

She smiled up at him and thanked him. She took out a piece of paper and wrote, "What's going to happen now?"

"We'll try and get these men as soon as we can. In the meantime, try and live as normally as possible." He answered.

Sakura wanted to ask more questions but thought against it. She wanted to know more about these people but wasn't sure she was ready to hear about them, much less if Shaoran was going to tell her about it.

"Listen, get your stuff together. Prepare simply the essentials. You're safe here tonight but tomorrow, we will be taking you out of here and bring you somewhere to keep you safe. I'll stay with you until the morning but I'll be leaving for awhile to help Eriol set something up for Daidouji Tomoyo. I'll be back before you wake up."

All Sakura could do was nod. Her heart started to beat really fast. She could understand what Shaoran couldn't say out-right. They were going to take her away to keep her safe. It only meant that what they were dealing with was more than the average. She knew, perhaps, the surface, some that Eriol, Shaoran and the others didn't know about but still…it was enough for her to feel the fear again.

So much for living normally. Sakura thought. She wrote on the piece of paper, "What would you like to eat then?"

"Don't worry about me. I'll eat later."

Sakura simply put her hair up and started to cook some dinner. While Sakura was busy preparing, Shaoran sat by the counter. He glanced around her apartment. It was pretty neat and tidy. What struck him the most was how simple it was especially for someone who was slowly becoming famous. At the corner, there was her violin neatly set with some musical sheets on a stand. From where he sat, he could read the title of the song as that of Niccolo Paganini's.

"You were preparing for your upcoming concert?" He couldn't help but ask. The silence was killing him. He couldn't understand how she could be so silent all the time.

She glanced up from what she was doing and nodded. She pointed at the musical score at the corner. Shaoran looked and said, "May I?"

Sakura seemed surprised at the question. When she understood, she smiled and gave him a nod. Shaoran walked over to her violin and admired how wonderfully maintained and made it was. It had been years since he last held a violin. He took it gently and placed it on his shoulder. He took the bow and started playing. It was surprising that even after years have passed, his fingers still remembered how to play.

He hadn't noticed Sakura walk towards him. After playing, she touched his hand and smiled. She guided his hand and allowed him to strike the strings again, but this time it sounded a little better. She guided his arm to relax a little bit and improved his stance. She encouraged him to try again and this time, it really sounded better than the first time he tried. After a while, he handed it back to her.

She smiled again and placed the violin upon her shoulder. She readied herself. She started playing. It was the same song as with what Shaoran played earlier. As he was listening, he also noticed that with the way she was playing it, the song sounded alive, full of emotion. The emotion was overwhelming. So this was her talent. After, she prepared to hand it back to Shaoran. He refused.

She urged him to follow her then towards the dining area. Even though he had said that he wasn't going to eat, she still prepared something for him. She wasn't comfortable not doing anything for him. In the end, she was able to silently convince him to dine with her.

This was a little awkward. She barely knew her protector. Yukito said that he was one of the best. He seemed very professional…very professional. He was stoic and she hadn't seen him smile or smirk or anything. With how he played the violin though, she could tell that he had a good heart. It was raw and very contained, but underneath it all, she could tell that he had a good heart and a very troubled soul.

After cleaning up, Sakura headed to her bedroom to start packing while Shaoran stayed in the living room. It was a chore that Sakura was having a hard time doing. For a moment, she forgot the gravity of the situation she was in. But as she was about to get her travel bag, it all came crashing back.

XxXxXx

As Sakura went inside, Shaoran started to look around. He wasn't really looking for anything. It was simply out of curiosity that he started looking. As he was looking, his instincts were telling him that something was off. Thinking rationally, it was quiet…perhaps too quiet, even for someone like Sakura.

Out of impulse, he took out his gun from the holster and decided to check up on Sakura. Something was wrong. He could feel it in the air. What bothered him was that he didn't feel it sooner.

XxXxXx

Sakura placed her travel bag on her bed. She wasn't really in a hurry or anything. Shaoran did say that they would be leaving in the morning. She still had a lot of time before then. She headed to her closet, when she opened it. Her eyes widened with shock. She was immobilized with fear and shock.

There was blood everywhere. A head with eyes open, staring back at her, bloody and there waiting for her. There was a note on her closet door, written in big, black letters with blood all over. It said, "You'll be next." Sakura couldn't even find the voice to scream, react or move.

Slowly, more of involuntary, she took steps back. Soon, her pace was quickening as the full extent of the visual assault settled in. She quickly turned and hit someone. She started to fight back but strong arms were around her as she started hearing a voice.

At first, she couldn't comprehend what was being said. But after awhile, she realized that it was Shaoran and he was telling her that it was ok. He was telling her to calm down, that he was there with her. When Shaoran first got there, he had his gun ready. When he saw what Sakura saw, he lowered it and quickly stood there, ready to catch her.

She was shaking in his arms, clearly frightened out of her wits. Even he, with years of experience, wasn't prepared to see something like that. He replaced his gun in the holster and started to soothe her. "Shh…it's ok…it's going to be ok. Shh…" He said.

Pretty soon, he could feel his shirt get damp. He didn't need to be told that she was crying. He tightened his embrace around her. She was still shaking pretty hard. After a few minutes, he broke off from her, holding her shoulders. Her eyes were completely shut tight but tears continued to flow. He took his jacket off and placed it around her shoulder.

"Come on. I'm taking you out of here." He said as he took her hand.

XxXxXx

"Why are you taking your time? You do know that those two girls should be dead right now?" A man said. He was in his early thirties. With scotch in hand and a cigarette in the other, he seemed to be slightly pissed with the men in front of him in the table.

The man directly in front of him was older than the first. The others were standing behind him, his men. They were very rough looking. It seemed that they had been in the crime business for a long time.

"Be patient, Sagato. It's no use if we aren't having fun. It seems that we hit the jackpot this time. One of those girls is a rising star in the classical scene, Kinomoto Sakura, a violinist, the sister of Kinomoto Touya, one of this country's greatest piano protégés." The man in directly in front of him smirked before continuing, "Her name sounds familiar." He turned to his right hand man, "Aro, study her for me. I want to know why she sounds familiar by tonight."

Aro, his right hand man, the most trusted among his subordinates bowed and said, "Very well, Yu-san." He was an computer genius who had been taken in by Yu Fa Lei when he was a child from the streets of Beijing.

Yu Fa Lei then turned to Sagato and said, "Besides, who is she going to tell?" He was a man in his early fifties, leader of the crime syndicate currently ruling all of Asia.

"If you haven't figured it out yet, Kinomoto Sakura doesn't talk. It seems that she is…how should we say it…disabled in that aspect." Another said. This one had a snake tattoo on his neck.

"Be nice, Serpent. We cannot expect Sagato to know such things with all the things that he needs to work on now." Yu Fa Lei said.

Sagato seemed satisfied with their answers, letting the sarcastic comment from the men slide. He smirked as he watched the smoke on his cigarette. These men were professionals. They were eventually going to eliminate those two surviving witnesses. It was only a matter of time.

"Serpent, Anubis. Blade." Yu Fa Lei said. The three men at his back stood and waited. "You know what to do. I will expect results soon."

Without another word, the three men left the room, ready to carry out their orders without a blink in the eye.

XxXxXx

The room was quiet. Only the steady beat of the cardiac monitor was heard in Tomoyo's room. Her condition was stable although she still hadn't regained consciousness since she was found. Eriol remained outside after Shaoran took Sakura home. He wondered what else happened that left her in that state. It was clear from what he was seeing that she was more or less tortured. With what or how, he could only guess. It sickened him that people could do that to other people.

This case was really bothering him. With these two young ladies as the survivors of what seemed to be the biggest, most dangerous syndicate they had ever encountered, he couldn't help but wonder if it was out of shear luck that they survived. He could tell that they were strong in their own ways but still…he knew that the experience left them very vulnerable.

Now his main concern was keeping them alive. Eriol knew that it was only a matter of time before they would be claiming for both Sakura and Tomoyo's lives. He knew that they would stop at nothing to make sure that they are dead. He wondered now how they could pull off something as hiding both Tomoyo and Sakura.

He had already taken the first step by alerting the hospital to keep Tomoyo's identity secret. As far as they are concerned, she remained a 'Jane Doe'. But pretty soon, that tactic wasn't going to be enough. They need to be one step ahead if not more.

As if bringing his thoughts back to reality, his phone started ringing. He checked the caller ID and saw it was Shaoran.

"Change of plans." Shaoran said from the other line.

"What?"

"They've already made their move. They know where Sakura lives. She isn't safe in her apartment for the night. I've already taken her out of there. She's here with me."

"What happened?" Eriol was trying to keep the alarm from reflecting in his voice. Shit. He inwardly cursed. They were moving faster than they had expected.

As Shaoran recounted what happened, Eriol couldn't help but clench his fist. He had seen how fragile Sakura was. To have her go through that after what she had been through only a day back, it made his body pumped up with adrenalin. His mind was working overtime trying to comprehend what Shaoran was telling him and at the same time coming up with a plausible plan to keep Sakura and Tomoyo safe.

"A team is already heading to the site to gather evidence. Yukito is leading them." Shaoran said before going silent on the other end.

Both of them needed to think. "Where are you headed now?" Eriol asked.

"There. We will be there in ten minutes." Shaoran then hung up the phone.

As Eriol returned his phone in his pocket, he glanced up again at the girl laying down in that hospital bed. It was only a matter of time now before they catch up with her too. At an impulse, he got his phone and started dialing. There was only one way to go for now.

XxXxXx

A man with reddish brown hair and a long scar through his left eye in scrubs entered the slightly dark room. It was as silent as it was a few hours ago after Sakura had visited her. The steady beat of the monitor was the only major sound in the room. He approached the bed and glanced at the girl just lying there. She had a lot of bruises all over. Her arm was heavily bandaged. It seemed broken. Her clothing and the sheets covered her other injuries but it seemed through the bandaging that it extended to her torso and elsewhere.

Her face was heavily bruised, black and blue almost all over her fair skin. The man looked on without any expression on his face. He took out a syringe from his scrubs and took the IV port. He filled the syringe with air and slowly injected it on the IV port.

A minute hadn't even passed when the effects started to become evident. Her body started to react as if in shock, having a heart attack. Her body tried to fight but with the bruises and all and the man holding her down, nothing much could be done. Pretty soon, she stopped fighting back and her heart monitor started to go flat. He turned off the monitor to give himself time to get away, delaying the health personnel in noticing that she was now dead.

He smirked and walked out of the room as if nothing happened.

XxXxXx

Eriol went to meet them once they arrived at the hospital. "Are you guys ok?" He immediately asked when Shaoran and Sakura were there. Sakura's eyes met his for a split second before looking at anywhere and anything else but him. Eriol could tell that it had shaken her. He knew what had happened but still it was something he had a hard time trying to get a grip on.

Even Shaoran wasn't sure how to answer that question. He glanced at Sakura. He could tell what was going through her mind. After he saw her reaction at the apartment and how she could keep it all in, it made him wonder what she was really hiding from all of them. On their way to the hospital, she hadn't shed a tear or made an attempt to interact with him.

"How's Daidouji?" Shaoran said, changing the subject. He needed time to think. He needed time to take all that had happened in. It was one of the most gruesome and inhuman things he had witnessed. If he was to remain sane and be able to do his job well, he needed to think.

Before Eriol could answer, medical personnel were scrambling about. Before they could ask what was going on, they noticed that they were heading to Tomoyo's room. They knew what it meant…it meant something was terribly wrong.

XxXxXx

"…now boarding…JAL 19 to Tokyo on Gate 37…"

Touya was momentarily brought out from his haze. He stood and got his stuff and headed towards the gate. Ever since he had heard the news from Yukito, he had been worried sick about his sister. He wouldn't have admitted it out loud but his actions spoke for him. He wasn't able to play anything at caliber ever since. Now he was on his way back. He hoped that he wasn't too late. He hoped that whoever it was responsible for it was far, far away from Sakura.

He clenched his fist as he walked. He didn't have any problems killing anybody to save her. If only…back then…she wouldn't be suffering silently now. It was his fault. It was now time to set things straight.

XxXxXx

All medical personnel quietly filed out of the room, leaving the three inside. Sakura showed no emotion, no tears. Shaoran said nothing but was watching her from the corner of his eye. Eriol extended a hand towards her, beckoning her to come nearer to the body now covered by a white sheet.

With trembling hands, Sakura accepted the hand and allowed him to guide her. Still, no tears came. After a moment, she closed her eyes. This is not her. This is not Tomoyo. She said.

"Sakura-" Eriol started, with empathy in his eyes.

She met his gaze. He could tell that she was tired and a full grasp of the situation. Still, he saw it in her eyes the full resolved in her belief that it wasn't her. It's not her. This is not my best friend. I feel sorry that this person is dead but I do not know her. She is not Tomoyo. She cut him off.

She started to take steps away from the body. Eriol tried to come near her but she pushed him away and roughly tried to get out of the room. But she soon found herself in Shaoran's arms, having his strong, reassuring arms around her. He didn't say anything. He was only there. It was enough for the walls she was trying to build around her to fall down around her. She gripped the front of his shirt hard as she buried her face to his strong chest.

Shaoran said nothing as he felt her hot tears soaking through his shirt. It wasn't his strength to give out reassuring words. He was even surprised at his action in taking her in his arms the way he was. He could feel her body start to shake as the entirety of the situation was sinking in.

Sakura's knees started to buckle beneath her and soon failed to support her. Shaoran was quick in catching her but still allowed her to sink closer to the floor, not letting her go or failing in supporting her.

Eriol was surprised with the quick turn of events. He had never seen Shaoran act like that. He never expected him, of all people, to simply wrap his arms around this girl to try and comfort her. It wasn't like him. Perhaps what he was saying over the phone earlier shook even his stoic best friend. From what he heard, it was enough to shake just about anybody…including experienced men like them. Eriol could feel his heart twist a little bit more as he realized that if it had that much effect on Shaoran seeing a brutalized, severed head and the message that went along with it, who knows how Sakura really felt. A delicate, sensitive young woman like her shouldn't have gone through that.

After what she went through a day back, a few minutes back and now the death of her best friend…Eriol could only clench his fist and shut his eyes as he tried to control his anger towards whoever was responsible. He hated this side of humanity. He hated seeing innocent people like Sakura go through what she was being subjected to. He looked over his shoulder to the mere shell of a girl on the bed, he vowed to get to the bottom of this and make people pay. Maybe he was starting to become a little more emotional than what was required in their job but this was simply too much…too cruel.

Sakura tried to get away from his firm grasp but Shaoran would not let her. She eventually found herself too weak to even try as she allowed herself to break down yet again in his arms. She couldn't believe that everything was happening around her. It wasn't fair. It wasn't supposed to be happening…again. Hadn't she paid enough? Hadn't fate already taken so much from her that she had to go through something as gruesome as this?

Shaoran didn't exactly know what else he could do. He wasn't sure if what he was doing was the right thing but he felt that if he had let her go, she would pull away from them and they wouldn't be able to protect her. His gaze fell to the girl tightly enclosed to him before meeting Eriol's. He could tell by the look in his partner's eyes that they shared the same sentiment. They had gone way too far now. It further strengthened their resolve in bringing them down.

It took awhile before Sakura calmed down. When Shaoran felt the change in her, he slowly let her go. He looked at her face, noting that she had her eyes tightly shut, face drenched with tears.

"Sakura?" Shaoran asked tentatively. He wanted to ask her if she was alright but he stopped himself because he knew that she was far from that. He inwardly cursed at how stupid he was going to act by asking something that wasn't supposed to be asked.

Slowly, he opened her eyes. It took his strength to keep himself from reacting or showing his reaction as he saw how raw her emotions were. He could see the hurt, the pain, the fear, the anger, the confusion all at the same time in her eyes. He also saw her feeble attempt in trying to be strong…trying to covering it up.

"Come on. Let's get going. Let's get you somewhere safer." Shaoran simply said in his usual stoic tone as he got up and offered his hand. He then looked at Eriol.

"You take her out of here." Eriol said before Shaoran could say anything. "I'll take care of this then I'll follow." He added. Shaoran nodded and led Sakura outside.

XxXxXx

Shaoran brought Sakura to the only safe place he only knew, Yukito's apartment. Yukito was already there waiting. Eriol had already told Yukito everything that had happened at the hospital.

"Sakura," Yukito said as he knelt in front of her while she was seated at the sofa. "I know this is more that difficult. I can't erase what you've seen tonight. Honestly, I don't know what I can tell you to do-"

Sakura looked up at Yukito catching him by surprise. I'll continue the concert in two days. She told him. Now that he didn't expect from her.

"It's too-"

No, Yukito-san. It's more dangerous to keep running. I will not be held captive…please…don't let them hold my life captive…I am not strong enough…please…

Yukito was speechless. He wasn't sure how to respond. He knew that he wouldn't be able to talk her out of it. He knew that she could be stubborn too. He took her hand and look seriously in her eyes. He wanted to get through to her. "This is a very bad idea, Sakura. As you know, they want you dead. They will stop at nothing to kill you. If you go through with the concert, it will only make it easier for them to get to you."

I understand. Please believe me, Yukito-san, I understand full well. I…I am not asking for your permission, Yukito-san. I've decided to go through with it. I'm more than terrified but this is the only way…use me to get to them. Use me to end this. I'm tired of being afraid, Yukito-san. Do this for me.

Yukito's eyes flew wide open. Use me to get to them. Her words kept repeating itself over and over again in his head. He had always looked at her as his sister. He felt his heart stop beating at her words. He grabbed on to her arms roughly and told her, "No. You are not going to use yourself as bait. Do you hear me?"

Yes. You are.

His grip on her arm tightened. He cursed. Before he could say anything, he stood and let her go. "Come on. Touya's arriving any minute now. We've got to get to the airport."

He needed time to think about what she was asking him to do. She was asking him to place her in danger to end everything. As he drove, he could feel his knuckles grow white as he grip the stirring wheel hard. He wasn't going to lose his precious little sister. They may be related by blood but Sakura and Touya were the closest to a family he ever got. He wasn't going to fail in protecting her. He promised that in front of their parents' graves when she stopped talking all those years ago. He promised to protect her. It was what drove him to become a detective.

Shaoran sat in the passenger seat. From the corner of his eye, he saw the inner battle his superior was having. It was the first time he was seeing Yukito so caught up. He secretly smirked. He could remember being told by Eriol before that Yukito was always like this when it came to Sakura. He could remember Eriol saying it that Yukito could get really protective so when the case file was presented to them, they were really surprised at how things turned out.

He saw the reflection of the girl from the side. He could tell how worn out she was. Listening to their conversation earlier shocked him as well. To think that she would propose something like that…she was stronger than she believed she was. Or maybe it was the trauma of the advent of things that was talking…either way…he could understand the turmoil that was plaguing Yukito at the moment.

XxXxXx

"Any minute now…" A man wearing a baseball cap while pretending to read a newspaper said. A woman next to him cuddled closer. She had a grin on her lips.

She whispered, "About time…"

Outside, men took their place as they waited for their target to arrive. A man in a black car watching over with a cigarette in hand smirked and said as he rolled up his window and his driver started to drive, "Let the fun begin."

XxXxXx

As the plane taxied, Touya couldn't help but feel anxious. He wondered what had happened to Sakura, where she was. With what Yukito told him over the phone, he could tell from his best friend's voice that it was something very serious. He had only heard part of the story but it was enough to keep him on edge. All the way back to Japan, he wasn't able to rest. He closed his eyes briefly before opening them with a renewed resolve. It was happening all over again. He knew quite well that she might not be able to handle it this time. She still hadn't fully gotten over what happened last time.

He gathered his stuff. It wasn't much. He left almost all of his clothes, only bringing with him the essentials. As he left the plane, he quickly opened his cell phone and dialed Yukito's number.

"I'm here." He said.

"So are we. We are waiting outside." Yukito said before Touya hung up.

Touya made his way outside together with the other passengers. As he was walking towards the exit, he bumped into a lady…or rather…was bumped. Some stuff spilled on the ground.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Came the woman's voice as she and Touya were picking up the stuff that fell.

"That's alright. I should be the one to apologize. I wasn't looking at where I was going. I'm sorry." Touya said. He then handed what he was able to pick up to the lady. He looked at her and smiled a little in apology.

"Thank you." She said as they both stood up.

"Hey, aren't you Kinomoto Touya? The pianist?" She said.

Touya was taken aback a little. As he was about to respond he heard a very familiar scream, "'nii-chan! Look out!" He turned towards the voice then the next thing he knew, it was all black.

XxXxXx

Sakura was waiting with Yukito and Shaoran by the car. From where they were, they could see much of the airport. So many things were going through her mind, mostly what to tell Touya. She knew that Yukito had already told him much but knowing her brother, he would be asking her more. She always had a hard time lying to him. He always knew when she was lying.

As she sat there, she started having this ominous feeling that she couldn't shake. She shifted in her seat trying very hard to push the feeling off. But the more she did, the more she felt it. Something was wrong. The ringing of a phone brought her back. She glanced up front and saw Yukito answer the phone.

"So are we. We are waiting outside." Yukito had said. Sakura didn't need to be told that it was her brother. She glanced back towards the airport.

Shaoran and Yukito had gotten out of the car to walk a little towards the airport. Sakura felt stuffy inside the car as she followed them out. As her eyes scrutinized the random people there, she had spotted Touya and couldn't help but smile. She felt safer knowing that her brother was there. It scared her knowing that could happen if he knew the truth. She fear his silence even though deep down she knew that he would never hurt her, much less allow someone to hurt her.

Then, the eerie feeling she felt earlier was back tenfold. She started scanning frantically. Some people around her brother caught her eye. She recognized them. She knew them from somewhere. Her mind scrambled to remember just where. She could feel goose bumps run throughout her body.

A woman bumped into Touya. Being the gentleman he was, he helped her. Suddenly, she saw some men pull out a gun.

"'nii-chan…" She said under her breath. "'nii-chan…" She said again. But it had been such a long time since she used her voice that it was almost impossible for her to generate enough sound to reach him.

"'nii-chan! Look out!" Sakura screamed as hard and as loud as she could, making Yukito and Shaoran look at her in such surprise. She saw Touya was about to look back at her but then a man knocked him out with a gun. Sakura gasped as Shaoran and Yukito followed her line of sight. People started screaming and scrambling as armed men started to pull out guns and some saw them and started firing.

(to be continued…)

Extremely long chapter won't you guys say? Well, I've packed in as much as I could. Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. Please do review. Thanks.

Michiko