Disclaimer: I'm only a girl with a colorful imagination. CardCaptor Sakura is not mine though I'd want it to be.

Summary: Tomoyo and Eriol's children traveled through time by a century old pocket watch that turned out to be a time turner. They traveled back where their parents were still in school, only to find out the shocking truth… that their parents hated each other's guts! So how are they going to end up together? Will they learn to love each other? Or will they hate each other more? Read and review!

Author's Notes: I'm sorry for the delay. I had a terrible block but I'm trying to piece the puzzle together. Again, I'm sorry. Here's chapter six. Enjoy!

Now and Forever
by Hidden Tala

vi. A walk home

"Just what the hell is wrong with those two?" Akira asked, mildly irritated at his parents' dysfunctional behavior.

Syaoran Li gave them his infamous 'don't know, don't care' shrug as he watched the two figures walk ahead of them. But he cared, he thought to himself, he cared a great deal. His friends – though he'd rather be trampled by burning elephants than admit he thought of Hiiragizawa as friend – meant a lot to him, especially Tomoyo.

Being Sakura's boyfriend, he automatically became closer with the prim Daidouji girl and over the years, the bond strengthened. He looked out for her as any older brother would to his younger sister. He protected her from her countless suitors – that it was as if emptying an ocean with an eye dropper – from malicious gossips, and sometimes, from herself. He knew he loved her.

"Syaoran-kun, why are you brooding?" A soft hand worked its way to his tensed shoulder and it miraculously loosened under the touch. He looked at the girl beside him with large green eyes. Oh yes, he may love Daidouji Tomoyo but never as much Kinomoto Sakura.

"I was just thinking about that Economics exam we'll have tomorrow," he said, his unsmiling mouth curved to a grin.

"Mum and Dad are acting strange," Tama observed, studying the distance between his parents. "Is one of them sick or something? Why are they walking a meter apart?"

Sakura dramatically sighed. "They've been acting like that since class started. I don't know what happened between them but they used to be so close. Like me and Syaoran-kun."

Nami goggled at the new piece of information. "What do you mean like you and uncle? Did they have a relationship before?"

Akira frowned at that. "They never told us anything about that."

"No, it's not like that. Hmm, how do I put it… they were always together. They were… inseparable." Sakura's eyes softened at the last word. They used to be like that too, she thought sadly. Syaoran noticed the change and studied her in the corner of his eyes. "They were often teased because of that closeness but both of them shrugged it off. She told me she never thought of Eriol-kun as boyfriend potential."

Akira and Tama chuckled at the statement while Nami analyzed the whole situation.

"What happened before class started?" she asked, wanting to know.

"It's-" Sakura started but was immediately silenced by Syaoran.

"It's not our story to tell," he said firmly, almost stiffly. He avoided everyone's stares even Sakura.

Akira narrowed his eyes at the Chinese boy. He knew there's something fishy going on with those two and Syaoran knew. He'd get that information out of him whatever happens. He closed his eyes in deep concentration and when he opened them, his used to be deep purple eyes changed to glassy gray. Seeing this, both Tama and Nami tried to distract him by arguing with him telepathically, knowing how their uncle's known for his bad temper. But he ignored them and continued to stare at the back of the head of Li Syaoran. He saw an opening, a moment of defenselessness, and wrapped himself around the mind of the Li Clan leader.

Surprisingly, there wasn't anything inside it except one single word.

Mizuki.

Stop poking inside my head, a cool amused voice boomed in Akira's mind. You won't get anything from me except that. Ask your no-good-sense of a father.

Akira muttered streaming foreign curses at the failed attempt. But he won't be defeated, he couldn't afford to.

"And don't even dare try her head," Syaoran said laughingly. "You won't get anything there but me."

Though it came out as a joke, he knew his Uncle Syaoran meant it. There was an underlying threat behind that tone and he wouldn't try to test Syaoran's power. Tempting as it was, he wouldn't.

"Who's Mizuki, Aunt Sakura?" But that didn't mean he couldn't ask her directly, right?

"She's our teacher way back elementary. She also helped me with the Cards," she answered absent-mindedly.

Nami adjusted her eyeglasses and looked crossly at her older brother. "Nakuru-chan thought we're Mizuki-san's children when we arrived at the Manor last week."

"Oh, I remember that. Dad looked squeamish when she mentioned that name," Tama added.

Sakura and Syaoran shared a look and resolved to keep their mouths shut. Akira caught that look and probed further. "Why would Nakuru-san think we're that Mizuki person's children?"

"I told you, don't ask me. Ask your father." Syaoran walked briskly, dragging Sakura along with him.

And Akira would do just that. No matter what it takes.

Tomoyo Daidouji walked alone in silence. She always wanted a moment of peace and quiet in her walk home so she usually disentangles herself from the group. So when she heard a familiar clearing of throat beside her, she immediately tensed.

"So, how are the boys with you? They're giving you a hard time?" She heard him say, some three feet away.

When had he gotten there?

"No, they're wonderful," she heard herself say, in that cool, impersonal voice. "They gabber a lot but they miss their sisters – though they'd rather die than admit that to themselves."

He chuckled silently and dared to look at her in the corner of his eyes. "The girls miss them too. The twins talk about them every night. They miss you too."

He watched the hardened expression melt and find himself relaxing at the sight. "It's a good thing that we switched them with Tama. No one would be there to look after them in your house when we're in school and you'll have bags underneath your eyes."

"Three-year-old twins could be handful," she said in a gentle tone, smiling unabashedly. "But I love them as if they're my own."

They're yours, ours, he thought, raising his brow in amusement. "Yes, I love them too."

Then the smile froze in place and it was immediately replaced by a scowl that didn't go well with her pretty face. The word love and the way he said it, with so much warmth and meaning, punched her heart with a cold, brutal fist.

"If there's anything wrong with the children, please do inform me, Hiiragizawa-kun." The business-like tone in her voice was back in place and so was the cold, impersonal mask on her face. "I'm sorry for being rude but I'll be going ahead. You can tell the others that I suddenly felt ill. Bye."

He watched her pace grow then turned right to the corner that led to her house.

Last week, when all this time-traveling stuff erupted, she'd been speaking to him either irately or in irritation. He didn't mind, not really, since it was the only time she'd spoken to him this year. He understood she felt jittery and the nerves got into her that time. And it was out of her control. But by Merlin, it was out of his too.

Then he realized he enjoyed seeing her manhandled by fate. When he saw her cool and icy façade broke, he felt it was like the old times. He easily saw what she felt because it showed on her face. The transparency, that familiarity, he didn't knew he missed it, until now.

She was cold, maybe not as cold as ice, but she was and it tore his guts out. He made her that, he knew he did. But it wasn't his fault, he reminded himself though a nagging voice in his head screamed otherwise, it wasn't his fault that he's in love Kaho.

And her at the same time.

He glanced behind him and saw Sakura and Syaoran and the three Hiiragizawas four meters away, looking back at him. He stifled a sigh. He turned left at the corner, opposite of the girl he talked to awhile ago, and headed to the Hiiragizawa Manor.

"You know that when I hate you, it is because I love you to a point of passion that unhinges my soul."
-- Julie de Lespinasse