Courage to Love

By: sakuraflowergal

Chapter 6: I have found him

Dinning Room

He paced around the empty Dinning Room, hands reaching up to scratch his hair as he wondered if he was too early. Thinking that he may get lost in the mansion, Syaoran set off for dinner half an hour earlier. But the kind host had already placed directions all over the mansion to direct any lost guests to the Dinning Room.

Just when he was about to call Sakura on the cell phone, the lights in the room dimmed to a soft glow and the main double doors opened. Pink and white fabric slid across the white marble as Sakura slowly glide towards the young man who simply could not keep his eyes off her.

"Sakura…" Syaoran mumbled.

"Yes?" Sakura answered with anticipation, those big emeralds shining brightly.

"Um… you look good."

She smiled at the compliment, "Well, you don't look too bad yourself."

Then, the lights in the attached Ballroom were switched on and a sweet melody filled the two rooms.

"That, must be Daidouji-san's work." He whispered to himself. He then turned to Sakura and offered his hand, "Shall we dance?"

The lady lowered her eyes to the floor, but she demurely raised her hand to him. Hand in hand, the couple proceeds to the Ballroom where the timeless tune of 'Beauty and the Beast' played.

After bowing to each other, Syaoran placed one hand on Sakura's waist while the other reached for her hand, then, instinct lead the way. Ambers to emeralds, the two looked into each other's gems as they waltz around the room. Neither seemed to know where their feet were bringing them to, or perhaps they know, but they just didn't want to face the reality that they are confined to the Ballroom.

The music slowly came to an end while the next melody picks up the pace. This time, it was the fast, yet romantic song, 'Ten minutes ago'. Syaoran knew the lyrics and sang to the wonderful classic

Ten minutes ago, I saw you,
I looked up when you came through the door.
My head started reeling, you gave me the feeling
The room had no ceiling or floor.

Ten minutes ago, I met you
And we murmured our how-do-you-do's,
I wanted to ring out the bells, and fling out my arms, and to sing out the news.

I have found her, she's an angel
With the dust of the stars in her eyes.
We are dancing, we are flying,
And she's taking me back to the skies.

In the arms of my love I'm flying
Over mountain and meadow and glen.
And I like it so well that for all I can tell,
I may never come down again.
I may never come down to earth again.

Imitating the Cinderella in the musical by Rodgers and Hammerstein, Sakura happily continued with the duet

Ten minutes ago I met you
And we murmured our how-do-you-do's
I wanted to ring out the bells
And fling out my arms and to sing out the news

Syaoran sang the man's line :

I have found her

And he waited for the next line: I have found him, but it never came…

"SAKURA!"

The pale girl had fallen to the ground, unconscious. A trail of blood flowed from a corner of her mouth as her body temperature dropped to a dangerous low.

Hospital

"Gaki! What have you done to my sister?" The anxious brother yelled as soon as Syaoran exit from the emergency room.

"Quiet down, this is a hospital." Syaoran said calmly as he removed his rubber gloves and tossed them into the bin

Veins popped out of his forehead and a disturbingly dog-like growl coming from him, Touya threw himself forward to punch the doctor hard.

But, of course, Syaoran had enough martial arts training to be able to block that move easily. Nonetheless, this simple, almost instinctive move had triggered a volcano worth of lava from Touya. Thank goodness for the hospital, Kaho stopped the fight from going any further.

"Please behave yourself in the hospital." Syaoran warned while he smoothen his shirt. "Sakura is alright, but the cancer cells have mutated and so we need to use another form of treatment."

"Who are you to call my sister by the name?" Touya growled aloud, already preparing for the next assault.

"Touya, please!" Kaho restrained the man by placing herself between him and his target.

"Please proceed to the counter to arrange for her stay in the hospital." Syaoran then turned and walk off.

"Wait a minute," the voice made Syaoran paused in his steps. "she's not staying."

"And why is that so? Did she tell you that?"

Touya's face turned deep red, "No, but I'm her brother. I can make decisions for her."

Syaoran rebutted with a tinge of anger "May I remind you that Sakura is passed 21 and is an adult recognized by Law. Unless under special circumstances, no one, but herself can decide where she wants to be or who to be her doctor. If she makes the request of changing doctor or hospital, I will gladly hand her over. Otherwise, I will continue to be in-charge of her."

He would have continued with his argument if the nurses hadn't wheeled Sakura out of the room at that moment. Seeing that pale face and the closed eyes, Syaoran's heart ached painfully. The feeling of being helpless was slowly eating him away, and as more of his soul was taken away, he became more and more aware of his heart and what it wanted.

2 days later

"Is she going to be alright? She's been like this for two days already." Sonomi asked the nurse when she noticed that Sakura was still unconscious.

"Her condition is stable, Madam, but I'm afraid that there is no telling in when she will awake."

"Is that so…" Sonomi mumbled, and then sighed at her niece's cruel fate.

Syaoran then walked into the room for his daily rounds in the hospital wards.

"You!" Sonomi narrowed her eyes to a thin slit. "Weren't you supposed to take care of her? What kind of a doctor are you?" She went on to strangle the poor doctor and almost took his eye out.

"Syaoran?" A soft whisper came from the bed.

Everyone, including the nurse, stopped whatever they were doing and just stared towards the direction of the voice.

Sakura rubbed her eyes a bit and saw her aunt's hands around Syaoran's neck. "What are you doing?"

"YOU"RE AWAKE!" A loud cry burst out and the tearful lady gave the sleeping beauty a fierce hug.

Normally, a doctor would not interfere with such matters. But as Sakura slowly turned purple from the lack of air, Syaoran saw the need to pry Sonomi away and send her out with the nurse.

"Are you alright?" He lovingly caressed her silky brown hair.

That tiny action brought red to the pale face as Sakura silently nodded her head.

"Sakura…" He started; he wanted so much to tell her his feelings, but his sense of responsibility took over and he allowed the doctor side of him to take over.

"I'm sorry to tell you that your cancer cells have mutated. It doesn't happen often, but please be sure that it is still curable. I've already changed you from radiation to chemotherapy, which is basically just a treatment based on drugs."

"Syaoran, please, stop. There is no need to explain all this to me, I trust you with my life." Sakura whispered with as much energy as she could master.

Syaoran stopped the explanation while many thoughts went through his mind. 'She trusts me with her life!'

"Sakura…I…I…" Words of confession were already at the tip of the tongue, but at the same time, he was going to regret not locking the door.

"SAKURA!" Touya bellowed even before he opened the door.

Of course, Syaoran could no longer continue with what he had in mind and just managed to get a meter away from the bed when Touya opened the door.

"What are you doing here?" Touya yelled, pointing offensively at the young doctor.

"For your information, I'm Sakura's doctor, and I have the right to be here!"

"Well then, since Sakura is awake, I'll make it clear once and for all: Sakura's changing doctor!"

"NO!" Sakura exclaimed, although the actual loudness of her voice was only 10 of her original volume. "Syaoran is my doctor, and that's final! No one else can ever be better than him!"

"Let your sister be, Touya-kun. She is old enough to make her own decisions." Fujitaka said when he appeared at the door.

"Otou-san! How can you trust this fellow? Look at what had happened to Sakura and what good he had done to her!"

Fujitaka shaked his head in dismay; Touya could be so stubborn sometimes.

"Oni-chan, please trust me to make the right decisions. I know you love me very much, and I love you too, but it is time I grow up and make my own decisions."

Touya bit his lips hard, "If that's what you want." And he walked away.

On the way out, Touya met Tomoyo and they decided to take a walk in the hospital garden.

"Was I wrong for wanting to get Sakura a better doctor?" The man mumbled softly.

Tomoyo just shook her head and replied with certainty, "Of course not."

"Then…"

"Don't take it to heart, Touya-san, but you are one very protective brother."

"What's wrong with…" Touya's words were cut off again.

"Touya-san, I know how it feels to have lost a parent. You may not realize it, but you're trying to be both a brother and a mother to Sakura-chan."

"How…"

"I know, because my mother was just as protective when my father died. She was also trying to play two roles, but instead of feeling protected, I felt…restricted."

Touya remained silent as Tomoyo continued with her story.

"It seems like wherever I am, there is always a shield between the real world and me. The tension really built up during those years as I struggle for just a tiny bit of freedom, just a little fresh air. I was only four, and the tension was slowly strangling me. Then one day, the tension broke, I ran away from home."

"I didn't know…"

"It all happened in England, before I moved to Tomoeda. I was later found by a Children's Home, and the matter was brought to court. The family court then separated my mother and me, and settled me into an Orphanage. It was only until when I was eight when the court finally allowed my mother and me to reunite."

"But Sakura's not a…"

"I'm glad you know that she's not a child anymore, and so you should also know that she needs her freedom. Touya-san, please let her go before something worse happens to her."

"…"

Tomoyo pushed on for a reply. "Promise me!"

After hesitating for a while, Touya finally nodded his head. Tomoyo produced a big smile, and turned to return to the wards.

"Where did you learn to speak like that?" Touya asked, referring to Tomoyo isolating him from the conversation

With a light giggle, Tomoyo replied, "Kaho-san!"

2 weeks later

"Is it alright for Sakura to discharge?" The concerned father asked.

"Hm…" Syaoran flipped through Sakura's medical reports. "There shouldn't be a problem. Her treatment consists of orally-taken pills and tablets only, so just ensure that she take her medicine right on time."

"Anything else that we have to take note of?"

"Not really…but she may feel discomfort due to the medication. Feel free to contact me if anything comes up."

Sonomi, who was standing behind Fujitaka, went forward and asked the doctor, "Can you come and stay at the mansion? It helps to have a professional in the house all the time. If you hadn't been with Sakura that weekend, she would have…well, things would be a lot more different."

"I do have other commitments, madam. But I promise to drop by and take a look whenever possible." Syaoran kindly rejected Sonomi.

"I'll take your word for it."

"Of course."

Kinomoto Residence

Although a little disappointed that Syaoran had refused to be her private doctor, Sakura was still very happy to be finally home. The happiness didn't last long though, as just after 2 weeks of chemotherapy, Sakura was experiencing some mild side-effects, and her mood had been badly affected by it.

"Sakura-chan, don't be too upset; it's only a few strands of hair!" Tomoyo consoled the crying girl.

"You call this 'a few strands'? Oh, Tomoyo-chan! I am balding!" Sakura cried hysterically, holding up a lock of hair from the comb.

"They will grow back, Sakura-chan, I promise. When you get well again, your hair will all grow back."

"I will never get well, I know I won't. Look at me! I feel tired even when I did nothing, and there are times when my head spins so hard that I could feel the world coming to an end! I'm dying, Tomoyo-chan, I'm dying…"

"Sakura-chan…" Everything that the best friend wanted to say drowned into tears.

The timing couldn't be better when Syaoran stepped into the room and saw two crying girls. He sighed deeply. It seems like every patient had to go through the crying and yelling before they could continue on their journey to recovery. Of course, she was not just another patient. She was Sakura, and the doctor could feel the little dagger plunging deeper into his heart when he saw her in tears.

"Sakura." Syaoran called out to make his presence known.

Sakura turned and saw him at the door, and then the reality of her loss of hair quickly sets in.

"Turn him away, Tomoyo-chan!" Sakura mumbled in a pleading tone before escaping into the attached bathroom.

Once again, Syaoran was quicker in action and rushed to grab the maiden by the arm. With a skillful jerk, he pulled the struggling lady into his arms.

"Sakura, calm down…" Syaoran whispered softly into her ear. It worked like a charm, and very soon, Sakura stopped crying and became still and quiet.

"Sakura, look here: hair loss is a common side-effect of chemotherapy. And trust me, once we end the treatment, your hair will return to normal and everything will be fine again."

"But I'm afraid that I'll never get well, and I want to live on. I don't want to leave my family, my friends and… you!" The girl said and the tears once again well up in her eyes.

"Sakura, I…I…" Syaoran tried to summon up his courage to tell her how he feels.

"Let go of her!" An order came from the door. Touya marched up to them and peeled them apart. "Gaki, I give you 5 seconds to disappear from here! 1…2…"

"Touya-san!" Tomoyo rushed over and pleaded, "Please, Touya-san."

Her eyes reminded him of her story and Touya let go of his sister. A dejected look flashed across his face before he walked out of the room in silence.

"Oni-chan…"Sakura mumbled sadly.

To Be Continued