Chapter 4: Of Heist and Time

"Tomoyo, you don't understand how humiliating that was. Oh God, just thinking about how I-I groped him."

Sakura felt her blood rush to her cheeks, making her feel way too hot underneath her black turtleneck and slim leather pants. It had been almost a week since the incident, and she still wanted the earth to swallow her up whole. Her pink earpiece glowed in her ear, it was the only thing that gave away her location in the sky in the moonless night.

"Sakura, I'm sure it wasn't as catastrophic as you say it was. If anything, I bet he thought it was charming the way you freaked out."

"Oh yeah 'Moyo, guys love a good basket case."

"You can be such a drama queen sometimes. But speaking of guys, I want you to meet someone I've been seeing."

Sakura stumbled on her staff, slightly veering off the straight path to the museum.

"You're seeing someone and I'm finding out now?"

"Again, don't be so dramatic. He said he wanted me to meet his best friend, his cousin from China, he's town and I thought we could kill two birds with one stone."

"It sounds like you didn't want me third wheeling your date, so you're doing that thing where you try to get me to go on a double date so you don't feel bad about leaving with the hot guy later, while I'm stuck making small talk with a guy who won't look up from my chest."

"Exactly, two birds."

Landing on the rooftop of the Mori Art Museum, Sakura transformed her winged staff back into a key, tucking it inside her collar for safety. She felt a little nervous, she had never broken into this museum before. She took out the small drill from her bag and began unscrewing the bolts of the conditioning vent.

"Are you sure that it's the East vent that leads to the main exhibit? I won't have enough time to get out if it's not."

Tomoyo scoffed, feigning offense as she gave Sakura a rundown of the building schematic again.

"Can't you just summon one of those freaky spirit things and make them steal the painting for you? They can't arrest something that's not tangible."

Sakura laughed as she climbed into the vent, the sound echoing all the way to the main viewing room.

"Now, 'Moyo, then we wouldn't have our lovely heist chats anymore. But seriously, I have to actually earn the right to seal the card. If not, then all this effort would be for nothing and it would be a matter of time before the cops-"

Sakura went completely silent as she saw a flashlight in the corridor bellow. Pulling her phone from her pocket, she checked the schedule she had written down the day before. She still had seven minutes before the next guard did rounds around that area.

"Sakura, is everything alright?"

"Tomoyo, there's someone else here," she whispered "Tall, wide frame, dressed in bla- son of a bitch!"

The male thief spotted her in the vent, raising his gun and emptied a whole round in her general direction. She barely had enough time to cast Shield onto herself before the first shot penetrated the vent. The bullets dropping harmlessly around her. Tomoyo, hearing the gunshots went completely frantic.

"Ohmygod, was that a gun!? Sakura, forget the painting get out of there, now!"

"Tomoyo, I'm fine. I'll call you when I'm out."

Pressing the button on the side of her earpiece, Sakura counted to three before jumping out of the vent, the triggered alarm ringing in her ears. A shudder passed throughout her body when landed on the floor. She did a quick survey of herself, thanking shied for still being in effect, if not she would have broken every bone in her legs.

By her calculations, it would take two minutes for the closest guard to run from the East wing, and the police would take five minutes tops. The other thief was gunning toward her just as she recovering from the impact. There was no time.

Time.

The Time.

That was the card she was there to seal. If only she could get past the other thief, she could reach the painting by the Kronos exhibit. Deciding to make a run for it, Sakura sprinted toward the painting, transforming her key back into a staff as she ran.

The other thief was right behind her, she could almost feel his breath on her neck. She swung her staff blindly behind her, only relaxing slightly when she felt metal hit flesh, and heard a grunt right before his body collapse. Risking a quick glace behind her, she saw the man groaning on the floor. Satisfied with the fact she hadn't killed him, she kept running.

The painting of the Tree of Time came into view. Another time, Sakura would have taken a couple moments to admire its beauty, but in all the chaos she was barely able to sense the magic coming within the painting before taking action. Conjuring the seal she had learned in her past life, Sakura transformed the painting back into a card, casting it immediately.

The room quieted as everything and everyone froze. She spotted the guard just around the entrance of the exhibit, the other thief paralyzed in mid crawl.

With her magic depleting quickly, Sakura ran back to the other thief. Grabbing a foot in each hand, she dragged him to the stair banister near the back of the gallery. Pulling the hair tie from her hair, and three more from her wrist, Sakura tied his hands against the banister the best she could.

Summoning Fly, Sakura elevated herself back into the air conditioning shaft. Fatigue weighed her body as more and more magic was sucked by the effect of Time. By the time she reached the rooftop the effect of the card was long exhausted and she barely had enough magic to fly away from the building.

She watched as seven Tokyo police cars and a SWAT truck pulled up to the museum, she briefly wondered if Syaoran was there as well. She thanked the Sun and the Moon for being out of sight, even though the stammering pink staff kept drawing attention to her.

Every so often the magical wings would dispel and Sakura would drop at least ten feet straight down. Bile rose to her throat every time, but Sakura was too tired to keep her vomit at bay, too tired to even spare a scream. Exhaustion weighed her body down, she was practically hugging the staff to her body in order to stay on.

The wings disappeared again, this time nose-diving Sakura right into a forested area. Sakura tilted her staff, mustering every last ounce of magic she had to summon the wings back. Just ten feet off the ground, the wings extended and sputtered until Sakura came crashing against the ground.

Sakura felt the key return to her collar, feeling the cool metal every time she let out a labored breath. She tried to sit up, but her body screamed in pain. Black spots appeared in her vision, slowly drawing her deeper into the darkness.

Managing to move her right arm, Sakura reached for her phone. Shaky fingers struggled to unlock the cracked touchscreen phone, sighing in relief when she saw the blue hue of her home screen. Pressing down on the lower right corner where her phone app was, she blindly reached for the number one, hoping to speed-dial Tomoyo.

It ringed twice before she heard the receiver pick up.

"'Moyo," she said without waiting for a response "I'm East of the museum in a forested area. Don't call an ambulance. Please-"

The words died on her lips as her vision went completely black. All her pain numbed under weight of her exhaustion. She vaguely heard someone calling her name in her ear before completely losing consciousness.

When Sakura woke up there was a soft pillow under her head, and a warm blanket over her body. With all the adrenaline out her system, Sakura felt the extent of her injuries.

Moving hurt.

Breathing hurt.

Everything hurt.

Sakura opened her eyes, disoriented in the dark, unfamiliar room. the room dark and unfamiliar. A clean lemony scent clung to the sheets. That scent, she had smelled it before on someone. It reminded her of her father and her brother.

"Shit."

Someone flicked on the light switch, illuminating what she assumed to be Touya's room. Family portraits hanging from the walls, her mother's nestled right next to her father's.

"Here I though you left your monster ways behind, and then you go and use a word like that."

Touya walked into the room, his arms crossed across his chest in a stance that reminded her of a parent about to scold their child. Although he said the nickname he used to tease her with as children, there was no humor in his voice. Sakura tried to sit up on the bed, a sharp pain exploding across her chest.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, you have three bruised ribs. But from what Dr. Yashida could tell those are the worst of your injuries."

His voice was even and calm, way too calm to be any good.

"The veterinarian Dr. Yashida?"

"You insisted on forgoing the whole hospital thing, and Dr. Yashida was around."

She studied his face from the corner of her eye, his expression giving nothing away of what he was feeling.

"I should probably call Tomoyo. She is probably worried sick."

Sakura moved to get up again, this attempt just as unsuccessful as the last. She flopped back on the bed, grateful that at least her head didn't hurt.

"I already called her and explained the situation. She was relieved, and not at all surprised of your nightly adventure."

"Touya, I-"

"You what? You're sorry?" His calm tone was gone, his words now were full of rage. Rage Sakura hadn't seen since she took his bike when twelve on a joy ride and broke her arm going down a steep hill.

"You're sorry that you got caught. Just what do you think you're doing anyway? I don't know how you're doing it, but you're behind those robberies aren't you? Aren't you, Sakura?"

Sakura cringed at his tone. But it was his eyes full of hurt that really unnerved her, making her feel small and fragile. Sakura opened her mouth to say something, then closed it because she could never lie to her brother. She sat up then, ignoring how her body retorted in pain. She couldn't do this if she didn't at least meet him face to face.

"I am."

Touya let out a long exasperated breath, it was if part of him was hoping it wasn't true. He paced the length of the room, running his fingers through his dark hair. When he looked at her again, Sakura almost felt like crying. He looked…disappointed.

"What would Dad say, Sakura? You're a criminal, how do you think that would make him feel?" he asked in a low, pained voice "He's been gone for two years now, and I promised I would take care of you. And yet I had to carry your unconscious body in here, injured from head to toe, wishing I could take you to a hospital but couldn't. Because there is no way of explaining your injuries. I've failed as your brother."

"Touya, that's not true."

"Then tell me, Sakura, what would lead you to do such an incredulously stupid thing? If you don't end in prison, then you'll surely end up dead next time. You're my only family left, I can't lose you too. Promise me you'll stop this."

Tears rimmed her eyes, Touya had always been strong, never had she seen her brother so broken. A lump formed in her throat, making it even harder to breathe, let alone speak. When she finally managed to make a sound, she barely recognized her own voice.

"I can't, Touya. I have to finish what I've started."

Touya dropped to the side of the bed, his head falling into his hands. He shook his head in disbelief, desperation coating his words.

"Why? Is it money? I'll give you every last cent I have."

Sakura took a deep breath, knowing she couldn't keep a secret like this away from him.

"It's not about the money. This is about Dad. I can get him back."

Author's Note: So here is chapter four, I feel this chapter came out a little too dramatic but I enjoyed writing it nonetheless. Next chapter will be written once again from Syaoran's point of view (probably) which I'll write and post as soon as I get the chance. If there are spelling or grammar mistakes I apologize, I always try to get the chapter out as soon as I can. But feel free to point them out to me. Please let me know what you think by reviewing (they absolutely make my day), and thank you to all of those who have already reviewed.

Follow the story if you'd like to know the second the next chapter comes out. But until then...

~Stay Golden

Disclaimer: I do not own CCS, CLAMP does.