Hellllooooo! Something was brought to my attention and I guess you guys should know the real score. Syaoran is the real grandson here. His parents died so his grandfather took him in. So he's adopted in the real sense of the word. I hope it's not too confusing. If it is, tell me and I'll clarify it all up.

Thank you for your reviews! I'm getting some good ones now. There are no more violent reactions. Although after reading this chapter, I hope you won't get pissed off with me. So let's read on!

Disclaimer: CLAMP owns Cardcaptor Sakura.

Chapter 4:

Syaoran yawned again. Their plans for an early departure were delayed by the loading of the bags. Grandpa's golf clubs wouldn't fit in the trunk of his car and Syaoran had to put his foot down. Although Grandpa suggested using his SUV instead since it'll be more comfortable. So they had to take them all out and transfer it to the four-wheel drive. They had to top on the way for food because Grandpa wanted doughnuts. Then he wanted an apple pie. Then he wanted coffee. Then he finally fell asleep. It was a good thing Syaoran was the driver. Sakura was the one who kept on getting out of the car to buy Grandpa's every whim.

He yawned again. It was clearly late, around 10pm. They still had a few miles to go but he was getting really sleepy. Sakura was already fast asleep beside him. Grandpa's been out for hours.

He glanced at Sakura out of the corner of his eyes. Her mouth was slightly open as if anticipating for a kiss. She was wearing his jacket since hers was in a bag somewhere out back. Her iPhone was on her lap, earphones still in her ears, her hair slightly disheveled.

He sighed. He should stop this, he sooner the better. It was not good to be looking at her like this. The fact that she was his cousin isn't going to change anything at all.

Okay… Do not look at her for the rest of the drive.

Though he didn't look at her, she smelled wonderful to him, just like the first time they met. All he wants is to sink in to that soft creamy sweetness that her arms promised. Her supple skin that's so enthralling to his very being—

STOP ALL THOUGHTS.

He sensed her move, shifting the jacket tighter around her. He reached for the thermostat and turned it down a little bit.

He rubbed his eyes as his feet shifted methodically at the whims of traffic. Soon, they'll be out of the highway and onto clear roads. The car in front of him stopped so he gripped the handbrake and stopped too. He felt for his water bottle and gulped it down.

"Tired?" A soft voice asked beside him.

ALAS! She's awake! He smiled at her. "Still good for a few more hours."

She stretched her arms over her head. "God… I'm stiff all over. I don't know how Grandpa does it." She yawned widely and gathered her hair in a ponytail. "How long have I been out?"

He shifted into first gear just as the car in front of him lurched forwards. "I haven't really noticed," although he was really counting the minutes.

"Well, I'm awake now. Aren't you tired at all?"

"Like I said, I'm still good."

"I can drive if you'd tell me where to go." She pressed on.

He considered it for a moment, teasing her.

"I do have a driver's license, you know." She sulked. "And besides, Grandpa—"

"Okay then. I was only yanking your hair." He chuckled. "There's only about five miles left."

"Okay good. My ass is going numb. Doo you have water?"

He gave her his bottle. "Here."

"Can I finish this?"

"Help yourself."

XXX

Finally, they were there. But there was no one to welcome them. The house was lit up but completely deserted. The caretakers were nowhere to be found.

"Maybe they didn't get our message?" Sakura asked anxiously, pulling the jacket tightly round her. The wind was very cold. Grandpa remained in the car, the windows rolled halfway. Syaoran was scouring the house for open windows or doors they could use to get in.

"Don't we have a key, Grandpa?" Sakura stuttered against the cold.

"It's all with the caretakers." He was trying to call the butler at home but they were out of cell range.

Syaoran was coming back. Sakura noted his clothes. He looked very good in casual clothes. Not that he didn't look tasteful in suits. His hair was all over the place.

"I jimmied the kitchen window open with a pocket knife. It's getting cold. Let's go." He said hurriedly, running a hand through his hair.

XXX

They were inside but they found all the doors to the bedrooms locked. Surely, it was a way to keep thieves from getting hold of the valuables inside the rooms.

Sakura and Grandpa went to the living room and sank onto the plush velvet sofas while Syaoran went back to the car to get their bags and to lock it.

"Do you want some coffee, Grandpa?" Sakura asked after a while.

"I want a bed." The old man complained.

"You can sleep on this couch, Grandpa." Sakura said cheerfully.

"Well at least I don't have to get into my pajamas. It's too cold for them. Grandpa said as he put his feet up and Sakura tucked him in.

"You go sleep. I'll wait for Syaoran." She assured him.

XXX

They were settled in. Grandpa was fast asleep on his side on the largest sofa. Sakura and Syaoran were in the loveseat munching cookies and milk. It was a good thing they found the TV remote though the cabinet with all the DVDs was locked.

He wasn't really watching. He was too preoccupied on the enticing scent that had him hooked since they first met. He was taking deep careful breaths.

"Syao…"

His ears perked up as she softly said his name.

"Hmmm?"

"Do you think I could stay here with you, guys?" Her voice was small and unsure.

"Why do you ask? Is there a problem at home?" He turned to look at her in the darkness.

"Don't tell Grandpa but Daddy doesn't live with us anymore." She said under her breath.

He didn't press further/ "Is your mom okay with you staying here?"

"She actually doesn't care much about me. She's too busy dating other guys." Her head was bowed.

Syaoran couldn't see if she was crying. He didn't know what to say.

"You already feel like family. You're my big brother and Grandpa is more like my dad…" She choked. "That's why I want to stay."

With no warning at all, her head fell on his shoulder and he had no choice but to put his arm around her and listen to her sniff. He caressed her hair, tracing small circles on her back.

"You ca stay as long as you want." He said softly, inhaling the scent of her shampoo.

"Do you want me to?" She looked up at him.

He gulped. Their faces were inches apart. Her eyes were glistening with tears, her lips slightly open. How could he resist?

"Yes… I want you to stay."

XXX

Syaoran woke up just after dawn, intending to fix breakfast but couldn't get up because Sakura was fast asleep on his chest and he didn't know how she ended up there.

Her legs were tangled in his and her hair pulled up at a loose ponytail. Her face was buried at the crook of his neck; her hand lay flat on his chest. What's even more mysterious is that his arms were around her tight.

He managed to calm his racing heart and angry manhood even with Sakura's leg right on top of it. This position was utterly dangerous and illicit and illegal and… Perfect… Still, he resisted the urge to tilt her face up to his and kiss her right then and there. But he didn't move. He stayed perfectly still, savoring the moment.

After a few minutes, he decided to move and get out of this predicament. Grandpa might wake up any second and see them or the caretakers might arrive any moment. He shifted to the left. Sakura didn't budge. He moved a bit more but felt her hand clench around his shirt hitting his nipples, teasing his member with the involuntary gesture. He held his breath and shifted for the third time when Sakura rubber her eyes and looked at him.

A full minute passed without them saying anything. Nobody was moving.

Then, as if nothing happened, she sat up slowly yawning. "You kept on moving. What time is it?"

He stood up quickly and pretended to be looking for something in his bag. "Around 6 or 7am. You'd better get back to sleep." He said softly, his heart still pounding.

"Nah… I'm awake now… Are you going to make breakfast?" She asked.

"Yes. If I can find any food in the kitchen. Or I'll go to town and get breakfast." He said, pulling a sweatshirt over his head.

"I'll go with you."

He looked at her. He wanted time alone to collect his thoughts. But what the hell… How could you resist that face?

"Sure. If you'll drive."

XXX

"Okay… Slowly… Slowly…" He said under his breath as he watched Sakura back out of the driveway. But it didn't seem like she needed any help. He got into the passenger seat.

There was silence as Syaoran watched Sakura's ease f footwork on the manual foot pedals and her practiced hand movements, shifting from 2nd gear to 3rd gear effortlessly.

"My ex-boyfriend was a race car driver back in the States. He let me drive his Genesis Coupe and his brother's McLaren MP418." She said conversationally.

"Why'd you break up?" He asked.

"He cheated on me with my classmate. He told me they were drunk."

He clenched his fist. Sakura must have seen it and laughed.

"So one day, I pretended to forgive him and went to his house, asked for his keys, drove with him to the park and smashed his precious Genesis Coupe right into a wall. He wasn't a fan of seatbelts so he ended up in the hospital for seven months healing all his broken bones."

Syaoran looked at her in disbelief.

"WHAT? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"You drove purposefully into a wall?" He asked slowly.

"He deserved it. He loved that car more than he loved me."

"But didn't you get hurt?"

"I did. Just a few scratches and stuff. I turned left at the last moment so it was his side that got smashed up real bad."

Syaoran was stunned. So his pretty little Sakura was pretty lethal too?

"I won't piss you off. Maybe I shouldn't let you drive." He said.

"I don't think you will. You love me too much," she grinned at him.

They arrived at the town proper and were grateful to find an open convenience store. They got what they needed with Sakura stocking up on several Snickers bars.

"So you're really addicted to that stuff?" Syaoran teased her as he backed out of the carpark.

"Yeah… My number one comfort food." She ripped open the wrapper and bit into it.

"I bet your boyfriend kept on plying you with the stuff." Syaoran asked, prying a little bit ore into her lovelife.

"Ex. And he didn't. He kept on giving me headaches. That's why I resort to this." She held up her chocolate.

"If he was such a jerk, why'd you go out with him?" He asked.

"It was my friends who kept on pestering me. People in school thought I was a lesbian because I didn't date. High school is overrated that way."

"Then why didn't you find a nice guy?

"He was the first person to ask me out when I decided to date." She put her feet under her. "What about you? Are there any exes in your lovelife?"

"As I told you, it's nonexistent." He chuckled.

"You mean you've never had a girlfriend before?" She gasped. "Not even one?"

"I've dated. But a girlfriend? I don't think so…" He glanced at her. "Don't look at me like that." He laughed. You forget that I had Grandpa to look after and I had to take over the company. The company and Grandpa are enough to keep me occupied."

"Now you also have me to take care of!" She said cheerfully.

"Yes. Now I also have you." He smiled at her.

"This feels great. I've never had an older brother."

"And I've never had a younger sister." He answered back.

"Yes! A younger sister who'd tear and drive you nuts like this!" With that, she smeared chocolate on his face. But Syaoran couldn't fight back.

"Keep your eyes on the road!" Sakura shrieked as he tried to reach for her and swerved a bit off the road.

"You wait till we get back to the house." He snarled. "This is sticky, you know."

"Of course, I'm the one who's eating it."

When they arrived, Syaoran didn't get a chance to get his revenge on Sakura because she ran right into the house before he was even properly parked, laughing all the way.

XXX

They have eaten lunch. The caretakers came early so they spent a better part of the morning in fixing up theur stuff in the rooms and getting settled n.

Now they were out back. Actually, it was only Syaoran who was lounging n the deck chairs. Sakura and Grandpa were trying to build a sand castle for the past two hours.

More like Sakura's the one who's building it. Grandpa is pointing and giving directions… He thought as he closed his eyes.

He was on the verge of falling asleep when a dark figure loomed above him. He opened his eyes.

"We didn't come on vacation so you can SLEEP." Sakura grinned mischievously at him, her hands behind her back.

He was stunned for a few seconds. She was wearing her white bikini… Her hair loose around her face. Her flat tummy longing to be touched… He shook his head to clear his thoughts.

"Well… You have to sleep sometime." He argued.

Sakura grabbed his hand and hauled himself off the deck chair. "Come on! Grandpa said you can take me out on the boat to find some dolphins!"

He yawned and ran his hands through his hair. "Sure. But Grandpa can't get on the boat. He'll get sick!"

"That's why he's not coming! It'll be just you and me!"

You and me… Her words echoed through his head. Fine by me.

XXX

"Will you teach me how to drive this thing?" Sakura was peering over his shoulder as he steered left, the boat leaving a wide wake of water behind them as the wind messed up their hair.

"It's easy. You just use this. There are no clutches on this thing. You just steer. You'd better not hit any fish." He joked as he stepped aside and let her take the wheel. He sat down n the bench and wished he brought a shirt. He'd have windburn after this.

They slowed to a stop and Sakura turned off the engine. She sat down beside him and looked at the clear blue sky.

"This is great…" She breathed out as she closed her eyes.

"Hmmm…" He agreed as he looked at her at the corner of his eye.

A few minutes passed in silence as they took in the fresh air.

"Want something to drink?" Syaoran offered as he opened the cooler at his feet.

"Sure! What do we have?" Sakura opened her eyes and looked at him.

He rummaged through the bottles of alcohol and beer as he tried to find something fruity.

"Uhhmm… Beer and…" He found nothing. "That's it. Our caretakers must be a bunch of alcoholics to fill this up with liquor." He looked at her scowling but she was still smiling.

"Champagne would be great! Do we have that?" She asked, propping her feet up.

He looked again. "Nope."

"How about something NOT beer?" She chirped.

He took a bottle of tequila and handed it to her. "Isn't it too early to drink?"

"It's about 4:30 in the afternoon. That's not early at all." She said as she popped it open. "Besides, we're practically in a yacht! Beer won't do! and I don't like beer." She said as she took the shot glass he handed to her.

"But we don't have salt and lemon." He said, regretting that he handed her tequila. He sat back down beside her. "I don't think we should be drinking—just the two of us… In the middle of nowhere."

"We do have lemon." She said simply. "And you're like my big brother. What could possibly happen?" She put the bottle down and opened the picnic basket they brought with them. She took out a salt shaker and a lemon.

"You planned this? Why else would you have the exact same things we need in your picnic basket?" He laughed.

"You forget Grandpa. I packed these for him. He loves lemons remember?" She said as she sliced up the lemon.

"Oh…" He said as she handed him a slice and a full shot.

"You go first." He said egging him on.

"Where's the salt? He asked.

She poured some on her palm and held it up to him. "There."

He looked at her. Darn… Yeahright… Nothing will happen? Who you kidding, Syaoran! This is making him hot. He took her palm, licked the salt off, tipped the shot glass in his mouth and sucked at the lemon.

"Is it good?" She asked.

He nodded, still sucking the fruit. When he was done, he poured hers.

"There. Your turn." He handed her the small glass and a lemon. "My hands are dirty though. You can't lick them." He teased. "Use yours."

"Where's the fun in that?" She grinned mischievously and before he could protest, she sprinkled salt on his shoulder.

"Hey!" He argued.

"Don't fight! It's not like I'm going to eat you." She giggled as she stood on her knees and approached him.

SHIT. Don't Sakura. He tried to suppress the hardness overcoming him. She isn't making things easier. He might be in control but not THAT in control.

Cousin. Cousin. Cousin. Cousin.

Her tongue was like ice on his skin, sending shivers p his spine. Two—three licks. It was over. He breathed out as he watched her knock back the glass.

"That wasn't so bad though I like my drinks colder." She licked her lips.

As he finished another shot and readied hers, "Where'd you learn how to drink?" He asked.

She pursed her lips in thought. "Back in the States, my friends and I did body shots together."

He handed her the glass and the salt dispenser but she thrust it back to him.

"Your shoulder!" She grinned.

Oh man… He held his breath. Not another one…

GOD HELP ME.

XXX

Sakura is very naughty when she's drunk. Exactly like a 5-year old kid. She kept on laughing. It was good he could hold his liquor or else they'd be stuck in the damn boat until one of them is sober. And it wasn't helping that she was wearing nothing but her damn white bikini and an over-sized t-shirt.

"Okay okay… y turn." He insisted. He'd been drinking five shots in a row now just to stop her.

"It was just your turn! It's my turn!" She half-shouted but was too sloshed to resist.

There were no more lemons. And Sakura 'accidentally' threw the salt shaker overboard when she dared Syaoran to drink it straight.

He downed another shot. It wasn't too bad. His tongue has been accustomed to the taste it doesn't burn all the way down anymore. He looked at the bottle, only about three shots left now. He's starting to get uninhibited. It was lucky he can still grasp his wits.

It was getting dark and chilly. They needed to get back soon. But first, he had to find the key, the key which Sakura hid somewhere.

He held her hands. "Sakura, we need to go back." He said softly and clearly.

Sakura yawned and batted her eyelashes at him. "And?"

"You hid the key. Where did you put it?" He asked patiently as she tried to free herself.

"If I tell you where it is can I drive?" She giggled. Her eyes were wide and her whole face was flushed.

"Yes. Anything you want." He figured she'll pass out in a minute or two.

She stood up and put on her sandals. "Wait! Lemme put on my slippers first…" She said slowly as she swayed on the spot. Syaoran held her by the waist to keep her steady.

She looked at him. "Syao…" She said in a small voice.

She was getting heavier by the second. He was supporting her whole weight." Hmmm?"

"If I tell you where the key is, will you…"

"What?"

"Will you kiss me?"

XXX

He looked at her flushed face with wide eyes.

A few minutes passed that seemed like days. He couldn't believe he was hearing this.

Finally, "I can't do that…" He said under his breath.

"But—"

"You're my cousin. I can't do that…" He said firmly, more to himself than to her.

"But I am not your cousin!" She whined.

"Yes you are. You are also drunk." He said as he held her tighter.

"Okay then! I won't tell you where the key is!" Sakura freed herself from his arms but lost her balance.

It seemed like things were happening in slow motion when Sakura flailed her arms and he tried to reach for her hand. There was a loud splash as Sakura hit the water.

Syaoran had no time to lose. He kicked off his sandals and dove in after her.

XXX

I am not your cousin! This echoed in her head, overlapping each other as Sakura regained her wits and she tried to swim back up to the surface. But it was dark and she couldn't move and her head was going to burst any time now.

Bubbles were everywhere as she exhaled and screamed for Syaoran's name underwater.

She didn't know how to swim.

Her throat was constricting. Her lungs were on fire.

She struggled.

She struggled some more.

Syaoran! I haven't to you yet that I l—

Everything went black.

XXX

He was doing CPR when Sakura finally opened her eyes after what seemed like eternity.

He gave a huge sigh of relief as he pressed his forehead against hers.

"I thought I lost you…" His voice croaked, tears in eyes mingled with the water from his hair. "Never, ever let me go again. NEVER." His breathing was ragged and labored. He held her and helped her sit up.

"Are you okay?" He held her face in his hands as he wiped away at the tears forming at the corner of her eyes.

"I thought… I was going to… Die…" She said in a small whisper.

"No no…" He hugged her tight as she burst into tears loudly. "I will not let that happened."

They sat like that, on the bottom of the boat, rocking back and forth until she stopped crying.

"I'll protect you… I won't let anything happen to you…" He whispered over and over again.

XXX

He put her down on the bed slowly and fixed her hair. He pulled the covers up to her shoulders and dimmed the lights. He closed the door silently behind him.

"What happened?" Grandpa asked in an urgent whisper when he came back to the living room. He sat down heavily and put his face in his hands.

Grandpa was waiting by the boathouse when they arrived. Night had already fallen and he was very cold without his shirt on. Sakura had fallen asleep on the way back. Without answering Grandpa, he lifted Sakura in his arms and went inside the house quickly. He laid her on the sofa and ran to his room to get her a sweatshirt. Sakura didn't even budge as he put it on her.

"She almost drowned…" He said hoarsely. The events were just starting to sink in.

"WHAT?" Grandpa exclaimed.

"She lost her balance—fell overboard." He ran his hands through his hair and looked at his ever-loving Grandfather with pained and tearful eyes. He went down on his knees and laid his head on the old man's lap.

"I thought…. I wasn't going to be able to save her." He said through muffled sobs. "I was so scared, Grandpa. I'm sorry I put her in danger." With that, he simply let the tears fall.

He felt like a child again. Like when Grandpa used to hug him tight when he got scared and he'll feel protected and safe. It's been a long time since he felt that.

Grandpa's hands ran up and down his back. "You did good, Syaoran. You saved her. You brought her back to us.

XXXXX

It's so heartening to see a man cry. Just proves that Syaoran is still human. And Sakura is the one who made him that way. So… REVIEW! Please! I hope you like it! Let us all give a round of applause for Grandpa! I love that old man. :D Thank you in advance!