Chapter 7

"Yamazaki!" Shaoran yelled over the line but there was no answer. The line then went dead. He knew something was very wrong. He cursed and immediately ran out of his door and barged into the guest room. He found her sitting there looking out the window. He walked over to her hurriedly.

Sakura stood when she saw him coming to her. The expression he wore, or the lack of it, told her that something had gone wrong. She didn't have to ask as Shaoran said, "We're leaving." That was all he said as he took the bag on the bed and made for the door. Sakura followed him out without another word.

Once they left the room, they were met by a confused Wei and Meiling. Shaoran threw the keys to the car to Meiling. "Drive. Drive to the airport as fast as you can. Board the next plane out to Hong Kong. Don't look back just drive."

He then turned to Wei and said, "Make sure to keep Meiling with you in Hong Kong. Don't let her out of your sight. I will contact you as soon as I can. Go on. We'll leave after you."

Every thing was happening so fast that it was like the fast forward had been pressed. When Shaoran led her to another car and opened the door for her, Sakura could say nothing as she slid inside. Shaoran then hopped in the driver's seat a moment after. He turned the engine and was driving down the drive way fast.

"W-what is it? You're scaring me..." Sakura said.

She had said it in a soft voice. If Shaoran's senses weren't high, he would have probably missed it. He glanced at his side. Sakura wasn't looking at him but rather on the road ahead.

"Remember what you said?" He asked. Sakura looked at him but said nothing. He could feel her gaze on him. "I went over a few leads. I got a hold of videos of the day you and Daidouji-san were at the Asturias. You're right. When we were walking down the hallway and you said we were being watched, we were...probably the same people who encrypted the videos of that day. Now, the man I trusted with those videos to be decoded seems to have been attacked already. He found something...the real identity of the men most probably. It won't be long before they trace us back to my house. That is why I had to get Meiling and Wei out of there...also, you." Shaoran explained as he then glanced back to Sakura before turning his gaze back on the road.

She couldn't help but stiffen with what Shaoran told her. She cringed. She closed her eyes to will the feeling of dread away. Surprisingly, it was easier than she thought. It had been her life after her parents' murder that it had been very tiring to be afraid all the time.

"You ok?" Came Shaoran's voice, bringing her back to reality. She hadn't even realized that her mind had wondered off that far.

"You mean aside from us running for our lives again? Yeah I'm fine." She replied in a tired voice.

Shaoran smirked. "I never thought that you are heavy with sarcasm."

"Actually I'm more angry than sarcastic. I want this to end. My brother is suffering. Your family is being involved. I don't know what else I could possibly do to help. Lastly, I'm tired of being afraid."

Shaoran said nothing at first. He knew all too well that she could eventually feel that way. He felt that way too. It was too much for someone to bear. He inwardly smirked that at least she didn't give up. "Go through the emotions, Sakura. Let it guide you if you don't know what to do now."

"Easy for you to say..." She retorted, not meaning for him to hear but he did nonetheless.

"Fine. Then lean on me." He said.

Sakura stiffened. No one aside from her brother and closest friends had told her that. When she didn't respond, Shaoran glanced at her and saw her shocked expression. He smirked and pulled the car over the side of the road.

He was about to say something when Sakura suddenly said, "Why would you say something like that?"

"Because whether you like it or not, I'm the only one you've got. I am your protector. But being with you for the past few days has told me that I have to be sincere with you. The only way for me to do that is to be your friend. I don't do anything like this for people less than friends."

"You...isn't this...too much...I mean...I don't mean I don't want to be friends but...isn't this beyond 'work'? I mean..."

"I know what you mean. I will be honest with you. This is turning out to be really big so it could claim both our lives. I'm not going without a fight and I think that you feel the same way. You said you wanted to do something. Well, I will be asking for your help. Let's solve it together. I hate the fact that they crippled my abilities in a way and I'm going to make them pay for it."

Sakura was silent. For some reason she was having conflicting emotions, emotions that she wasn't even sure what. She knew that he was waiting for her answer. She let out a breath and answered, "Ok. What do you need me to do?" She looked at him and caught him smirk.

"We're heading back. We're going back to a friend's apartment. It's risky but I need to find out what he uncovered. Right now, it's a dead end." Shaoran said as he started down the road again. He glanced at her and smirked again. He teased her, "If you weren't so popular, we could blend in easier with the crowd."

Sakura shot him a glare. "Funny. And here I was just thinking that it was you. If you weren't so handsome, maybe we would move easier without your fan girls swooning all over you. If they weren't so dense, they would have noticed by now that you don't even look at them the very least. Thinking about it, I actually can afford to spare them pity." She answered back, not realizing how it really sounded.

Shaoran was stunned to say the least at her retort. He hadn't expected that from her. Sure, he knew that she was pissed with the situation as he was but he never really saw her as the type who would retort in that way. She always struck him as very delicate and fragile...someone who always needed protecting. Now he saw her as a strong woman with a sharp intellect behind that outer exterior.

"Jealous are we?" He decided to tease her.

"Hardly." Sakura replied as she laughed a bit. "I'm just stating the obvious, Shaoran. Come on like you never really wondered why Meiling acts the way she does? I noticed it before and all throughout my concert." She laughed again.

"Now that is an exaggeration."

"You wish it was. But hate to break it to you, it's the truth."

"Fine. It's true. Not that I'm surprised...I have this appeal that makes me irresistible to women."

"As much as I would like to challenge that I'll admit that that answer suits your personality more. It goes well with the whole 'stoic and mysterious' kind of personality you are going for."

It made Shaoran grin again. "For someone who wasn't even supposed to be talking, you talk too much."

"I chose not to talk. And for the record, for someone who's supposed to be a stoic guy, you smirk too much." She answered with a slight frown.

"Ok, how can one person smirk too much?"

"Well if you are Li Shaoran, one is already too much from what I've gathered or rather...from what Meiling kept on saying earlier."

"Ah so you've been asking about me huh? Not enough what you found out yesterday from my cousin?"

"I told you to ask Meiling. She's the one who can't stop talking about you. Trust me...I don't even need to ask to get her started."

Shaoran groaned. That was Meiling's personality alright...but for some reason he didn't mind like he usually would do. "Next time, ask me. I can tell you a lot more than her. Plus, it's more credible."

"So that we are on the same page here, are we really friends now?"

"If you want to call it that, I suppose."

"Wait! Are you really Shaoran or just some guy pretending to be him? Seriously, you've sort of changed on me the past few days. I'm not sure if I'm supposed to be bothered or not."

"I should be asking you the same question."

"I give up. I'm too tired to play mind games right now."

"Aww what's up, dear Blossom? Too much for you?"

Sakura stiffened after hearing that pet name. It sent shivers down her spine. She had been called that teasingly but the man who attacked her. Shaoran noticed it and cursed himself. He wished he could take it back.

"Please don't call me that...the only person who called me that is my mother and...that man last night...please don't utter it in that way..."

"I'm sorry, Sakura. I didn't mean to..." Shaoran let his words die out.

She gave him a small smile. How suddenly the mood in the car changed back to its gloomy state. "Yeah...I'm sorry too..." She replied quietly, enough to be heard.

Then there was silence. Neither Shaoran nor Sakura wanted to be the one to break it. Eventually it became a comfortable silence that soon was broken when Shaoran's phone rang.

XxXxXx

When Chiharu returned to their apartment, she dropped the groceries she bought. Her mouth hung wide as she immediately ran in but stopped suddenly at the door when she saw that everything was turned upside down, inside out.

As the initial shock wore out, she frantically looked for Yamazaki. She knew something bad happened. She wasn't sure if not seeing him there dead was a good thing or not. It then dawned on her to check the computers. She knew that what they were doing for Shaoran was dangerous. She knew it was a long shot and who ever did it had gotten their hard drive or have already destroyed it.

Chiharu cursed when she saw the sorry state their computers were. She then remembered that Yamazaki had handed her something very important. She quickly felt in her pocket and felt a surge of relief when she found the usb.

Chiharu grabbed her phone and quickly made her way out of there while dialing Shaoran's number. She needed to meet him and give the usb as soon as possible.

"Shaoran! Thank God! Listen they took everything. Takashi-"

"Yeah I know. He was talking to me when they took him. Where are you? Are you ok?"

"Yeah. I need to give you something. We have to meet somewhere. It's not safe here. I'll meet you at the intersection just outside Tokyo. You know the spot. I'm 15 minutes away."

"Alright. 15 minutes. We'll be there in 8."

XxXxXx

"Wei," Meiling started. The old man looked back at her. "I'm not going to Hong Kong."

The old man's eyes widened. "The Young Master-"

"I know. But something tells me that if I don't do something, we won't see him or Sakura ever again. I can do things in the shadows. I'm a Li after all. I won't go down easily."

Understanding swept over the old man. He knew that there was no stopping Meiling once she had set her mind on something. Even if Shaoran would hate him, he would allow Meiling to go.

"Just come back safe, my dear."

XxXxXx

Once Shaoran and Sakura arrived at the meeting place, both kept their gazes out of the window. The wait was almost excruciating. When Shaoran noticed Chiharu's car approach, he sat straighter. When she was close enough, Shaoran told Sakura to stay in the car while he got out and met Chiharu.

"Here," Chiharu said as she handed the usb over. "Much of it is still unfinished...less than half. They took our hardware and all the work they did. Takashi told me to verify some stuff but I think that you should have it now. It might actually help in a way."

"Thank you," Shaoran then looked at Chiharu and said, "I'll get him back alive, Chiharu. I swear."

Chiharu gave a forced smile and replied, "You know Takashi. He's too stubborn to die. But...thank you...I know you'll get him back. Please tell me though...what's going on..."

"I thought I knew too but somehow it's getting out of control. More and more lives are involved and are placed in danger."

Chiharu gave a nod. That was the closest answer she was going to get from him. She knew all too well that he never discusses any investigation unless they were directly working together.

"Is she ok?" Chiharu asked,

"Who?"

"Your girl friend."

"I don't have a girl friend but yes. She's fine. She's right there in the car."

"You brought her here and you don't introduce us? You seriously want to keep her to yourself?"

Shaoran just shook his head as he followed Chiharu towards his car. Sakura, who had been watching from inside, saw that they were walking towards her. She hesitated for a moment before finally opened the door and got out to meet them.

Chiharu's smile widened as she approached Sakura, who smiled back. "Hi. I'm Chiharu."

"Hi Chiharu. My name's Sakura. It's very nice to meet you."

"Likewise. It's good that the clothes fit you."

Sakura blushed. So she was the one who bought the clothes. She blushed a little more when she heard Chiharu's next statement, "Shaoran must like you a lot since he had me buy clothes for you. Shaoran rarely does that."

"We're not-" Sakura started, which Shaoran finished, "-together."

Chiharu raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Well anyway, you're in good hands, Sakura. He may seem cold at first but he knows how to take care of a lady."

Shaoran cleared his throat. He wasn't liking where the conversation was going. It felt very personal. He knew that it was going to be a distraction if he let it be.

"You said that it's not finished." Shaoran started looking at Chiharu. "Before the line went dead, he was saying something. He was about to tell me the identity of someone in the video. Did you happen to go that far?"

"I'm not sure what he found out. I left him to buy some stuff. Takashi must have found something while I was out."

Shaoran seemed to digest the information. He knew that what Yamazaki saw contributed to why he was taken. He looked at the flashdrive in his hand. He knew he had most of the answers already in his hand. He then glanced at Chiharu. "Keep a low profile, Chiharu. Don't return to Tomoeda. It isn't safe. Stay somewhere. I'll contact you when it is safe to return."

"Wait! You're not excluding me just like that. My boy friend's life is on the line too. I'm not about to just sit around and hide, do nothing while you take on this whole daunting thing on your own." Chiharu said, annoyed that Shaoran was brushing her off.

Shaoran's expression didn't betray anything. "You're not coming. You forget...this is an active investigation. I am telling you to stay clear while you can."

Sakura flinched a little. She hadn't heard him so serious before. The gravity of the situation in not foreign to her but she never really thought that more people were involved than what she originally thought. She said nothing as the two clearly wouldn't back down from their argument.

XxXxXx

Yamazaki was thrown into a dark room. He was unconscious. He was left there in the dark as his captors started sifting through the files in his computer.

XxXxXx

Shaoran sat at a bar, a glass of scotch in front of him. He was waiting for the girls to return. Chiharu had dragged Sakura along with her somewhere. He was worried but he knew that Chiharu wouldn't stray that far from him. He was confident that those two would do alright for awhile.

As he waited, he started to feel like someone was staring at him. He tried shaking off the feeling but Shaoran just didn't seem to be able to. It became a certainty. Pretty soon he felt a presence behind him, a moment later, seated next to him. Shaoran could tell it was neither Sakura nor Chiharu so he remained impassive.

"Hey there handsome. You don't mind me sitting here, do you?" A female voice spoke next to him. From the corner of his eye, he could tell that she was flirting with him. He chose to ignore her. He never liked women drooling all over him even when he was younger.

His mind then drifted towards Sakura. She was never like those women. She never threw herself at him, nor was she clingy. She was a sort of breath of fresh air. He couldn't help but inwardly smirk. He admired her now that he was thinking about it. But then it bothered him. He didn't want to understand why she had been the one to occupy his mind when he knew full well that they weren't together…that there was nothing going on.

"So, what's a handsome man like you doing alone? It's shame really. If you want, I could keep you company."

XxXxXx

"Honestly Sakura," Chiharu said as they walked. "What's the real deal between you and Shaoran."

"What do you mean, Chiharu?" Sakura answered. She was definite that neither her nor Shaoran had insinuated anything.

"Come on. Why do you think I dragged you away for a while. I've known Shaoran for a long time and I can say that he has never treated any girl the way he does with you." Sakura couldn't help but blush at the comment. She opted for silence as she willed the blush to go away. "You should know by now that girls are attracted to him but for some reason he never wastes his time on them. You, on the other hand, he would go such lengths to protect you and make sure you're comfortable."

"It's his job, Chiharu. That's basically it. We have a professional relationship, only that, but recently we agreed to be friends. That's all." Sakura replied with a smile. It was the truth after all. She could tell that Chiharu picked up the sincerity of her words when she sighed.

As they walked back, they started looking for Shaoran. They entered the inn once again and tried to find him. They eventually found their way near the bar of the lounge. Chiharu nudged Sakura and motioned for her to look. She noticed that there was a girl there.

"From his cold expression, he is pretty much annoyed right now. Why don't you go and bail him out?" Chiharu whispered.

"What do you have me to do? I'm not really sure I understand." Sakura whispered back, although she wanted to help Shaoran out.

Chiharu grinned mischievously and pushed Sakura slightly towards Shaoran. "I'm sure you'll figure it out. Go on so we can get out of here already."

Sakura let out a sigh and started walking towards Shaoran. She wasn't exactly sure what she was going to do but she had to agree with what Chiharu had said. Based on Shaoran's cold expression, he didn't like what was going on and the woman was indeed trying so hard to flirt with him. She shook her head as she pushed the thought about how funny the situation Shaoran found himself in.

As she approached, it seemed no one was paying her attention. She gently laid a hand on his shoulder, making his attention snap towards her direction. Without really thinking anymore, Sakura bent down and brushed her lips on his gently, catching him by surprise. Thank God he had his back towards the girl.

Sakura gave him a warm smile and said, "There you are. Sorry to keep you waiting. Oh! You have company." She turned towards the girl before continuing, "Who might you be?" Her expression never change but remained soft and sweet. The other woman was shocked at what she saw.

Shaoran immediately answered as he slipped an arm around Sakura's waist and pulled her close to him while standing up, "Nobody." He then pulled her closer and kissed her again, this time it was Sakura's turn to be surprised. She hid it but failed to hide her blush. She opted to keep smiling at him.

Shaoran smirked and said, "You look beautiful especially when you blush like that." He tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear and took out some money to pay for his drink. "Come on let's get going." Shaoran took her hand and led her out of there. He intertwined his fingers with hers and pulled her a little closer to him.

"Sorry bout that Shaoran but it didn't seem she was going to let you go if..." Sakura whispered but couldn't make herself finish. She blushed as what she had done dawned on her.

Shaoran smirked and lifted her hand and kissed it. He felt that they still had some audience. "Don't worry. Thanks for the save. It was getting really annoying."

Sakura couldn't stop her giggles now. She could remember quite clearly the situation he found himself in. He was someone who could get away from bad guys but couldn't seem to get away from flirty girls.

Listening to her laughter was like her music, sweet and pure. He couldn't help but smile.

"I can't believe that all it takes is for you to have fan girls to get that annoyed and powerless." She teased.

"Oh really? What about you? You didn't have to wait for a situation like this to kiss me. If you liked me a long time ago, you should have just said so and I would have kissed you. You didn't have to wait for an excuse." He replied.

Sakura was stunned to say the very least. She looked up to him and saw the teasing glint in his eyes. "Oh I hate you." She commented as she shook her head.

"Really? You didn't seem to a while ago." He teased some more, causing her to blush a deeper shade. She let go of him and walked towards Chiharu, not looking back at Shaoran. Chiharu had a grin oh her face, mimicking Shaoran's as they approached her. Sakura was red as a tomato, refusing to make eye contact.

XxXxXx

The phone rang and rang until it was picked up by a man with glasses. "Confirmed. He's fallen for the target." With that, the line went dead.

The man with glasses smirked and reported to the other men in the room, "It seems that even the coldest of detectives can be melted by the warmth from the blossom."

"Perfect. It will make things easier." Chief Sagato commented.

The lights were switched off and the projector was opened. Photos of Shaoran were shown. "Li Shaoran. Twenty four years old, born in Hong Kong, orphaned at 7. Raised there until he was 12 and moved here shortly after with his guardian and butler named Wei."

"He graduated from the Academy top of his class, knowledgeable of martial arts and is a sharp shooter." They continued to discuss all information that they have of Shaoran, wanting to understand how to out smart him and eliminate him once and for all.

Yu Fa Lei looked at the monitor in front of him. "So this is where the brat went all those years ago." He commented. "Interesting." He added as he leaned back on his chair.

"Brat?" Sagato asked, having heard the comment.

Yu Fa Lei twirled the remainder of his brandy within his glass, looking slightly bored and indifferent. "Years ago in Hong Kong, I met his parents. His father was all about morals and bull shit. I offered him a place within the organization, including offering him more power and wealth across Asia. The fool refused. He and his wife owned an empire there, a strong and influential empire. Since I couldn't get them to my side and they were in the way, I had them murdered. The idiots I assigned to finish them proved their stupidity when they were caught and convicted. I thought that their son was harmless but as he grew, I learned that the Li empire wasn't diminishing so I was going to have him eliminated as well. He escaped. Now I know where he ran to."

Sagato processed the information as he took a long inhale of his cigarette. "So he's been a thorn for all these year…cutting him off now would be about the right time. No one would suspect it is all part of this elaborate plan. It's about time if you ask me."

"The same could be said about Kinomoto Sakura. She and her brother should have died along their parents years ago. It only comes to show that it pays to be thorough. It is a mistake that will no longer be repeated."

"Come to think of it, her name does sound familiar. I just can't place where."

"It's not the time to reminisce, Sagato. You can reminisce as much as you want after but right now Li Shaoran and Kinomoto Sakura must be separated. It would make everyone's lives easier, especially theirs." Yu Fa Lei said.

"Might I make a suggestion," The man with glasses said.

XxXxXx

Sitting at a coffee shop while waiting for Chiharu was beginning to feel quite uncomfortable as time passed for both Shaoran and Sakura. They were seated by a booth for almost half an hour already. Chiharu had gone to see if she could find herself a laptop. They needed to start working.

"Have you gotten in touch with Yukito-san or Eriol-san yet?" Sakura finally said. She couldn't stand the silence any more.

He glanced at her who was seated beside him a little before answering, "No. I haven't. I'm sure they are fine." He would not admit it openly to her that he, himself, was starting to worry about his comrades. How come he couldn't get in touch with them for such a long time already? How were they exactly? More importantly, where were they?

His silent reverie was broken again when he heard her soft voice, "Yes. I trust that they are safe. That is what I want to believe too…" That was when he understood that she shared his thoughts and concerns.

"Did they contact you again regarding your brother?" Shaoran said. He watched how her eyes registered shock and sadness before she once again blocked all emotions from reaching her eyes.

"No. I think they like taunting me in this sick game of theirs." She replied. Her voice was frighteningly calm. Shaoran could tell the anger underneath it all.

"We will get him back, Sakura. I doubt he's going to say goodbye to this world easily. He isn't your brother for nothing."

A smile graced her lips before she finally allowed her gaze to meet Shaoran's. "How is it that you always know the right words to make me smile?"

Shaoran grinned and replied, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear, "I already told you. I have this charm that makes me irresistible to women."

With this, Sakura couldn't help but giggle. "Did I bruise your ego so much that you have to punish me like this?"

"Is it working?"

Sakura laughed again. She hit his arm jokingly. "Let's put it this way…you have to try harder than that."

"Damn. Oh well…seeing as you are stubborn, I guess it couldn't be help. But you should know I can be just as stubborn."

Sakura knew that he was teasing her back. She shook her head and simply smiled. She knew that the only reason why he was doing this was to make her feel better. He must have understood that by asking about her brother and the others brought back this worry and sadness in her.

"You want to know what you can do for me to help?" He asked.

She looked at him patiently, waiting for his answer. "Just smile, Sakura. That's all you need to do. Just smile for me." He said. She could feel her cheeks grow warm as they shared eye contact. She couldn't seem to turn away. When she saw him smirk, she understood that he was indeed testing he more. She playfully hit his arm again, making his smirk grow a little bit bigger.

"You know, you two really look good together." Chiharu said as she smiled and sat in front of them. She noticed that they both blushed, although Shaoran hid his pretty quickly before his usual stoic, cool face returned.

"What took you so long?" He asked.

Chiharu was currently starting up the laptop before she started decoding again. "I'm not as rich as you, oh almighty one, so I didn't have enough cash on me to even get a new one. I had to go to the bank and take out some money like normal people do." She answered.

Shaoran didn't say anything as he handed over the flashdrive. "Here. As long as you didn't do anything stupid, I'm letting that retort go."

Chiharu just smiled as she continued to type. She didn't seem to mind what Shaoran said. It was like she was in her own world. They could tell that she was in concentration with the task at hand.

Sakura's phone then vibrated. She took it out and was almost reluctant to check who sent her a message. She kept her hand from shaking as she read the message. "My dear, we are holding Tomoyo's…funeral…I know that right now you are in danger. She is to be cremated tomorrow at noon. I hope this reaches you well. If it's too dangerous, don't come. – Aunt Sonomi."

Sakura could feel tears well up in her eyes. She took a shaky breath in before she returned her phone in her pocket. The gesture caught Shaoran's attention. His imploring eyes told her that he was wondering if she was alright. His silence told her that he trusted her enough to tell him if there was something wrong.

She forced a smile and tried to keep her voice even. "They are still…Tomoyo's funeral…she will be cremated tomorrow. I know…my Aunt wants me there…she needs me there. But she told me that if it's too dangerous, I shouldn't go."

A few stray tears escaped her eyes but she still fought to contain her sobs. Shaoran placed a hand on the small of her back and gently pulled her towards him. He held her close as she clung to the front of his shirt and silent tears finally escaped her eyes. He could feel his shirt grow damp but he didn't hear anything from her.

Chiharu looked up from the laptop and was about to ask what was wrong but the look Shaoran gave her told her that she should hold her tongue. Neither said anything as they waited for Sakura to calm back down.

When Shaoran felt that Sakura's general feeling had changed, he whispered, "Go, Sakura. You have to go."

She left the warmth of his arms and looked at him a little confused. He only smirked and said, "She was your manager, Sakura. But more than that, you told me she's your best friend. You were really close. I'm not going to let this…let you stop living your life. Go to her. That's all you have to think about. Let me worry about the dangers. If your Aunt knows how dangerous it is, I'm sure she will do everything in her power to keep you safe as well."

Sakura still hesitated. She took out her phone. "If I make this call, she will call the police for assistance. You know full well-"

"Your Aunt is Daidouji Sonomi, right? You can tell her that her body guards are enough protection. She doesn't need to call anyone else."

She still hesitated. She knew that he knew full well her and Tomoyo's background. It was his job after all. She let out a shaky sigh and started dialing. After a few rings, the other line was picked up.

"Aunt Sonomi?"

"Sakura! Oh my God! How are you? I've been worried sick! And you're talking!"

"I'm fine, Aunt Sonomi. I'll be there for Tomoyo-chan. Please don't tell anybody that I can speak and please, please don't call the police for assistance. Your body guards are ok if you are worrying about my safety."

There was a pause from the other line. Sakura bit her lower lip. "Alright." Her aunt's voice was solemn. "I will do just that. Are you sure it's safe for you to come? After your concert last night…I don't want to lose another daughter…"

"It's fine, Aunt Sonomi. I'm…" Sakura's voice faltered. "I'm sorry…I wasn't…there…for Tomoyo-chan."

"Yes you were as you still are. Just come home safe, Sakura. Take care, my dear."

"I will. Be safe, Aunt Sonomi." Sakura answered as she hung up. She felt new tears well up in her eyes but as she looked back at Shaoran, she fought them down. She forced a smile for him.

"Uh…do you mind if I freshen up a bit?" She said.

Shaoran stood and let her pass. She whispered a thank you as she headed to the comfort room to freshen up.

"Chiharu, do you mind?" He said.

"Not at all." She answered as she followed Sakura. She was worried about her too.

Shaoran sat and turned the laptop to face him. There were a lot of windows opened. There were a lot of things being done that he hadn't even noticed that Chiharu had started. As he glanced at the progress, he knew that they cannot view the contents there. There were a lot of people whom they didn't know. It might put their lives in jeopardy. He decided to bring them somewhere safer before they viewed what they had.

XxXxXx

"Are you ok?" Chiharu asked as she got some paper towels while Sakura splashed cold water on her face, washing away all the tears that stained her face.

She thanked Chiharu as she was handed the paper towels. "Yeah...I'm sorry if I worried you two."

"From what I gathered, you lost your best friend."

Sakura said nothing in reply as she brought her eyes to look at her reflection. She didn't want fresh tears to come.

"It's ok to feel depressed. You don't have to apologize." Chiharu said as she leaned against the sink, looking as the inner battle Sakura was having being completely turn to her usual serene self. She watched her beautiful features regain their softness, a shadow of a smile dancing in her lips.

Sakura turned to Chiharu, a genuine smile reaching her eyes. "Thank you for understanding, Chiharu. I've been on an emotional rollercoaster for a few days already. Frankly, I'm not sure how long I can keep this up."

"You have Shaoran backing you up and me. But for what it's worth, you are holding up pretty well given your situation."

"That's because I never felt alone." Sakura replied softly as she opened the door and started to head back.

"And I doubt you ever will. Knowing Shaoran, he will go great lengths to keep that from happening."

Sakura blushed. As much as she wanted to answer back, no words came out. Once she saw Shaoran, her blush grew a little more as she mentally shook her head.

Chiharu could have laughed at the girl. The innocence she had towards that was something else. But she opted to smile instead. It was better that way. At least it distracted her enough from thinking the predicament she was in.

XxXxXx

Shaoran and Sakura sat inside the car, parked on a corner near where Tomoyo's remains were. They left Chiharu in a safe location while she worked the videos.

"You can do this." Shaoran said, putting an end to the conflict he knew Sakura was having inside her head. He watched as Sakura took a deep breath.

"Shaoran, can you do me favor?" She said while looking ahead. He said nothing as he waited for her to continue. "If something is to happen, please protect my aunt. She's been through enough. Save her first before me."

To say that he was stunned at her request was an understatement. "You know that I can't do that right?" His voice was serious.

He moved swiftly, an arm behind the passenger seat and another at the dash board, leaning closer to her with a serious expression. "Don't take the guilt of surviving the last couple of days while the others haven't. You didn't do anything wrong. Do not endanger your life needlessly."

Sakura said nothing as she shifted her gaze back at the front. With a gentle hand, Shaoran bid her gaze to return to him. He then spoke in a gentler voice, "My duty is to protect you before anyone else. But to soothe your fears, that doesn't mean I will forget all others. I told you let me handle the dangers. You shouldn't speak that way."

She leaned on his touch. "Then please don't leave me, Shaoran. I don't think...I can go through this. I can't look at Aunt Sonomi while knowing I left her daughter that day."

"Didn't I just tell you that it's not your fault? I also remember telling you to not speak this way while we were at the hospital. You really are stubborn."

Sakura said nothing again and almost glared back at him, making him smirk. "So will you go through with this? This should be an easy decision after adamantly deciding to go through with the concert."

"I'm not saying I'm not going." Sakura replied.

From the sound of her voice, he knew she was slightly annoyed. He simply grinned and straightened out.

XxXxXx

Sakura stood at the balcony, letting the cold night breeze blow through her hair. She kept herself together through the service to honor her best friend and all the while she was being cremated. She stopped herself from shedding a single tear. She wanted to be strong for her Aunt Sonomi and their great grandfather.

The mantra Shaoran told her kept repeating in her mind. It wasn't her fault. It was never her fault. She decided to mourn her loss with a free conscience. She knew that was what Tomoyo would have wanted it anyway.

From the silence of the balcony, she could hear her aunt's wails from her room. She knew the older woman held it together to face everyone but now that her only child was really gone, she couldn't hold anything back anymore.

Sakura could only close her eyes to keep herself from shedding tears. She committed herself to never show her Aunt her tears because she feared that it might break the older woman's heart more. During the ceremony and the agonizing wait for Tomoyo's body being fully cremated, her Aunt had approached her and privately they talked about the current situation. They talked about what was happening, what happened and their fears of what was to come. Sakura could remember strongly her Aunt's words…about her viewing her now as her only daughter, just like she had always thought and treated her after her mother's death years back.

Shaoran had been looking for Sakura for the past couple of minutes. He had been told that she had retired to her room. He knew that it wasn't gentleman-like to intrude without asking her for permission to enter when he knocked and she didn't answer. But he threw caution in the wind as he strode inside when he noticed she wasn't in bed when he opened to check in on her.

He saw the balcony doors open, the soft white curtains fluttering with the wind. He approached without making much sound. He stood by the open doors, leaning to his left with arms casually crossed to his chest. His amber eyes watching the girl bathed in moonlight, making her look much like an ethereal being sent from the heavens.

Just like her, he could hear the sobs from Sonomi. He watched in awe at Sakura's determination to stay strong. Not once that day did he see her shed tears but for fleeting moments, he saw her eyes tear up, only to be controlled. He could offer her soothing words or even take her into his arms but he could tell that she needed the silence now.

Taking her in his arms? The thought occurred to him like it was the most natural thing in the world. It was supposed to bother him but he was more curious now at why a thought like that would cross his mind so naturally…like she had always belonged in his thoughts.

For the past few days, there had been a lot of people teasing him about how he acted towards Sakura. He refused to think at first that this girl in front of him had slowly changed him. But the more the thought about it, the more convinced he was that maybe they were right. It wasn't mere teasing. They were actually saying the truth. He wasn't going to admit that though. He was stubborn enough to fight that. He was a professional after all. He never falls in love with a job. That was what Sakura was at that moment…his job.

One thing is for sure though and Shaoran would give her that. Sakura was different from the girls he had met in the past. She doesn't act the girls he had encountered. She was more than the emerald eyes, ivory skin, chestnut brown hair, or epitome of femininity. She was so much more as he was beginning to learn. Whether he liked it or not, admit it or not, she was more than his curiosity. She was more than a fleeting thought. He was already in too deep with her to back away now. He allowed her in his life and for the thought to bloom because he deemed her worthy. He allowed himself to show compassion towards her because she had shown him nothing but passion and truth, unafraid to witness it head on with him.

"Thank you…for not saying anything." His thoughts were disrupted by her soft voice. She slowly turned towards him and gave him a smile that lit up her beautiful face, making her look more like an angel.

He gently pushed himself from the door frame and took silent steps towards her. She tucked a few strands of stray hair behind her ear as she regarded him.

"It felt like if I didn't say anything, we'd be silent all night."

As he stood in front of her, Shaoran smirked, amusement crossing his eyes for a split second. "How long have you known I was around?"

"Not long really," Sakura admitted. "I had been listening to my aunt, checking to see if she'd need me. But knowing you, I knew sooner or later you'd be checking on me. I was right."

"Damn. If I'm becoming predictable, I should re-think my strategy."

Her laughter filled the space between them. It was a sweet sound after such a long, exhausting day. "You're not growing soft, Shaoran. After you've ingrained in me that you're here to stay by my side, it is already an expectation…something you are doing quite well actually."

He took a step forward, making her take an involuntary step back as he invaded her personal space. Soon, she felt her back hit the balcony rail. Shaoran caged her there with his arms on either side of her on the balcony railing. He kept her gaze. There was something sharp, piercing in his gaze. Sakura felt that he could stare right into her soul.

"Don't hide. I've seen your tears all day and I've also seen you hide them. I gave you room. Now it's time to be truthful to yourself."

"W-what…are you-"

The side of his mouth drew into a lopsided grin. "Has anyone told you that you are a lousy liar?" Sakura's breath caught in her throat. Her cheeks grew warm. It wasn't out of embarrassment but slight anger that he was now pushing her again when she was doing quite well in containing her emotions.

"Shaoran-"

He drew one of his long fingers along the curve of her jaw. Sakura could feel goose bumps run through her. She wanted to melt then and there. She grabbed his wrist, stopping his movement.

"Since when have you been afraid to express your feelings?"

"It's not a question if I'm afraid or not, Shaoran. I can't."

"Why can't you?"

"I need to be strong. Aunt Sonomi…Great grandfather…"

"They know you are suffering, Sakura. Seeing you like this, fighting your emotions and denying yourself to grieve…don't you think that it's hurting them more?"

She opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. She looked into his eyes. They were still as piercing…as knowing but now she saw such gentleness that finally broke the walls she was trying to build around her heart. One by one, tears started slipping through her eyes.

Shaoran drew a hand at the small of her back as he did the day before and drew her closer, his other arm encircling her waist, keeping her close to him. Her hands drew in fists on his shirt, clutching to him for dear life. She knew at that moment that she couldn't hide anything from Shaoran. She knew that she can allow herself to break down even for awhile if he was there. He always seemed to be there to catch her when she felt like she was falling.

He said nothing as he held her. She was an amazingly strong woman. Shaoran would give her that. The way she acted amidst all of the things she'd seen, been through, and are going through, not once did he see her submitting to it in her eyes. He had seen and felt all her emotions the past few days. To still have the first thought of helping others, she had a very strong character. He felt the need to protect that. He would die trying if he had to.

It seemed like a long time for her to have control over her tears again but Shaoran didn't seem to mind. He continued to say nothing as he held her. Sakura held on to him too, not wanting to let go. He was right. He was all she had at that moment who knew the entirely of the situation she was in.

Sakura found herself clinging to him for strength. Whenever she could find herself in his arms, she felt calm and protected. It surprised her that she didn't want to be anywhere else than where she was at the moment. As she leaned in on his shoulder, she allowed herself to wonder if she had already fallen for him. It was a scary thought but it did cross her mind. As quickly as it came, she pushed it away, not wanting to think about it. She didn't want to destroy the trusting relationship that they had now. She closed her eyes as she listened to his steady heart beat, wondering if one day it would beat for her.

"Shaoran," She started. As much as she didn't want to say it, she knew she had to. "I can't always lean on you like this." She broke off from his grasp, enough to look up at him. "Once this case is over…" She couldn't bring herself to finish as she let her voice die down. She looked away.

She felt him guide her to look back at him. When she did, she didn't have time to ask as she felt his lips on hers. Her eyes widened in shock before she let herself go and sink into his warmth, returning the kiss. Shaoran didn't know what to say. He didn't want to think. He let his instincts guide him and at that moment, the pull she had on him was painfully irresistible.

It was a chaste kiss yet filled with unspoken passion. It was brief and it left a taste of what could be if only they allowed it. "I don't like repeating myself but for you, I'll make an exception." He said.

He then looked at her and said, "I'm here, Sakura. I'll always be here. Lean on me."

Sakura didn't know what to say. As he grazed his fingers on her jaw, she leaned on his touch and smiled. "You know what? You're my first kiss." A tint of pink staining her cheeks.

She opened her eyes soon enough to catch his smirk. He bent a little and captured her lips once again. This time it felt like a promise that there were more to come.

"That's good. Now that I've successfully took it, forget that man's touch. I will never let anyone touch you like that." He whispered in her lips.

She knew what he was talking about. She was grateful of his kiss. It never felt so right. She allowed herself to feel the emotions Shaoran was offering her. She allowed him to comfort her...into her life like she hadn't before because she knew he would never betray her trust and he would protect her like he said he would.

"I thought that you've already kissed someone else considering you walked up to me yesterday and kissed me." He proceeded on to tease her.

She blushed just a little more before she replied, "I didn't kiss you. If I remember correctly, you kissed me after."

"Oh? What do you call it then?"

"I simply brushed my lips with yours ever so lightly and if I may be blunt for once...that was saving your ass."

"Call it what you want but it's still defined as a kiss."

Sakura was blushing like mad. She was tongue-tied. She leaned her forehead on his shoulder in an attempt to hide her blush. She felt him encircle his arms around her.

"Don't be embarrassed, Blossom." He whispered gently. "If it weren't for you, I would have been stuck there with that annoying woman for longer than I could handle."

When he called her 'blossom', somehow it felt different. It somehow felt endearing, slightly different from when her mother would call her that.

"Can we stay like this for awhile?" Sakura whispered. She then looked up and met his gaze. "I just want to feel safe…please."

Shaoran smiled at her and placed a kiss on her forehead before tightening his embrace. "Anything you want, Blossom." He could feel her smile against his chest as she pulled him closer to her.

Eventually, Sakura leaned on the junction of Shaoran's neck and shoulder, her nose gently grazing his skin. She could smell his calming scent. She closed her eyes and whispered, "You know what…I can't help but wonder why this is happening to me. I mean…wasn't it enough that my parents were taken from me years ago and now…" She felt his arms tighten around her.

Shaoran buried his nose on her hair, inhaling the scent of sweet cherry blossoms and a tinge of vanilla. He closed his eyes and tried to think of the right things to say. Eventually he broke the embrace and gazed directly at her eyes. "Come. Let's get you inside. It's getting cold out here. I don't want you to get sick."

Sakura gave him a small smile and allowed him to take her and intertwine their fingers, leading her inside. He led her to her bed and gently carried her bridal style and settled her in the middle of the bed. He then climbed in and sat at her side, wrapping his arms around her once more as they leaned back on the headboard.

"Years ago," Shaoran started. He decided to share his darkest secret with her. He wanted her to know that he understood her. He wanted her to feel that she wasn't alone that he was there for her, with her. "I too lost my parents." He felt Sakura stiffen and then look up at him. He met her gaze and continued, "They too were murdered."

"Oh Shaoran…I'm sorry."

Shaoran offered her a small smile before brushing his lips to hers once more. He then motioned her to settle against him once more.

"I can remember the night they left, the last night I saw them. There was a party back in Hong Kong. You see, my parents owned one of the biggest companies there, under the Li corporation. I was 7 at the time. I was grounded because I had let my grades slip because I was too excited with martial arts. My father told me that if I get my grades up, I could return to training and he would take me to his work some time."

Sakura stayed silent, letting him reveal everything he wanted to her. Shaoran started to run one hand through her hair, gently caressing her.

"I tried to wait up but I fell asleep. When I woke up at the middle of the night, my parents still weren't home. I asked Wei but he told me that they still weren't there and made me hot chocolate and even gave me extra marshmallows. The next day, I still didn't see my parents during breakfast. I honestly didn't want to go to school because I wanted to be there when they arrived. Wei convinced me that my parents weren't going to be happy if I skipped so I went to school. I took my math test and passed it with flying colors. I was excited to go home and show my father. When Wei came and picked me up, I had a feeling something was wrong. I tried to ask Wei about it but then I was afraid of what he would answer. So I waited until we got home. When we arrived, that was when I learned about everything."

Sakura could feel the gravity of Shaoran's emotions. She reached out a hand and intertwined it with his other hand, the one that wasn't running through her hair. With their intertwined fingers, Shaoran gently brought it closer to his lips and turned her hand and kissed it. Sakura looked up to meet his eyes. Her eyes were filled with unshed tears. Her heart knew what he was truly saying and why he was saying them.

Shaoran smiled and leaned in to kiss her. She allowed the gentle brush of their lips.

"I don't know, my Blossom, why this had to happen. But know that I understand what you are going through, the pain, the loneliness, the fear, the anger. Even if the men who committed the act against my parents have been convicted, those who gave the order are still out there. That is why I became a detective…to help stop this." He bid her to meet his gaze once more and laid her hand on his chest by his heart before continuing, "I am here, Sakura. As long as this heart beats, I will not give up and will always protect you. I don't know what it means to love. I have never been in love before. I've never even told anyone this before. Just know that you are special to me, maybe it started out as a simple job but-"

"Shhh," She said as she laid a finger on his lips. "I know and I understand. You do not need to say it. Thank you for sharing with me your hearts, your trust. I know how hard it is to let go, even share it…so thank you."

Shaoran gave her a genuine smile. He was happy for the first time in his life. He was happy that he had made the right choice in making the gamble of sharing the most hidden part of him with her. He had felt lighter, lighter than he had ever felt ever since his parents' deaths.

He drew her in within his arms once more and settled her head on the crook of his neck and laid his head gently on hers. "Try to get some sleep, Blossom. I will stay with you until you fall asleep. You have had a long day."

"Good night, Shaoran."

"Good night, Blossom."

XxXxXx

Yamazaki woke up, slightly dazed. As consciousness started to creep back at him, a sudden shot of pain overwhelmed him making him close his eyes. For a split second, he wasn't exactly sure where the pain was coming from.

As his other senses started to kick in, he allowed his body to lay on his back, trying hard to keep the pain in check. It took awhile to calm his breathing. When he had finally managed to do so, he opened his eyes again and saw nothing but darkness.

Judging by the hardness against his back, he knew that he was lying on the cold floor. Yamazaki waited for his eyes to adjust to the darkness more before he scanned his surroundings. He looked around and realized that it was a small room with almost nothing inside.

He wasn't bound or anything but he was injured, badly beaten up. He tested how bad it was by trying to move. He squinted a little when he started but after a while, he couldn't help but smirk when he realized that his injuries weren't as bad as he thought they were.

Yamazaki glanced at the door, he saw a small amount of light coming from beneath it. He tried to hear from beyond the door. He strained as much as he could but he couldn't hear anything.

Lying back down, he willed his mind to calm down. Obviously these men were ruthless. They were the people who were sworn to protect them. They will not hesitate to kill him. He had to figure out a way to escape as soon as possible. His life depended on it. Besides, he wasn't planning on letting the secret of the mastermind's identity die with him. He was going to get it to Shaoran. He knew that he would still have that knowledge but he'd be damned if he didn't get new information and get out.

Yamazaki smirked again as his determination, his resolve to get out alive grew stronger by the minute. He closed his eyes and without realizing it, fell back asleep.

XxXxXx

Meiling watched the airplane taxi and take off.

"You should have gotten in the plane." She said as she turned and looked back.

Wei smiled at her and said, "You should have too, my child."

Meiling grinned and replied, "Well it seems that stubbornness runs in the family." She walked over to the car as Wei opened the door for her.

"Master Shaoran isn't going to like this one bit but it seems it cannot be helped. Also, I wouldn't want our cherry blossom be put in harm's way."

"I know, Wei, I know."

XxXxXx

Sakura sat in the couch, Shaoran seated not far from her. They sat by the fireplace of the spacious living room, in front of Sonomi. The room was silent for awhile as they waited for tea to be served.

"So," Sonomi started, finally breaking the silence. "What are you planning to do now?" She directed the question at Sakura.

For a moment she was speechless but then answered, "I'm really sure, Aunt Sonomi. I plan to stay alive...at least...long enough for 'nii-chan to be found."

"Sakura, I have a proposition." She said. The younger woman said nothing. "In a few days, Grandfather, your great grandfather, will be leaving the country to go to Europe for awhile. Why don't you go with him? I've already talked to him and he agreed for you to come. All is set."

Sakura was stunned to say the least. Her aunt had said it with such finality that it somehow tugged at her heart.

"But-" Sakura started.

"This is not subject to argument. After what happened, we came to a conclusion last night." Her aunt had said.

Sakura's heart sank. "I'm sorry. But I can't...I won't." She replied.

"Like I said, this is not subject to argument. You are leaving in two days."

"I'm not going to leave my brother. I'm not going to run away while he fights for his life alone."

"I know you want to save him. We all do but we will not risk your safety."

Tears started flowing from her eyes. "Please...don't...safety? I never cared about it...the moment I witnessed my parents deaths...I knew safety is never going to be tangible anymore. I swore...my brother and I...we will always be there for the other especially if something happened."

"Words won't keep you alive, my dear."

"I know. But running away won't either. I know who is responsible. I will not leave the airport alive...neither would great grandfather if I go."

"You're leaving, that's final." Before Sakura could react, Sonomi motioned someone in. "I'd like you to meet Yue. He's going to be your personal body guard and will make sure you leave on that plane." With that Sonomi stood and left the room.

"Aunt Sonomi. Aunt Sonomi!" Sakura said as she tried to follow her but was stopped by Yue, gripping her arm.

He didn't say anything as Sakura looked at him. "Let me go."

"No. It's been decided. My orders are to keep you within this house and take you safely to the airport. My contract binds until you leave Japanese soil." He said.

Sakura clenched her jaw together. "Let me go. If I'm to stay here as you say, don't treat me like a child. I can find my way. I've been doing that the moment my parents died."

Yue slowly eased his grip on her arm. Sakura retracted her arm and walked away. She glanced at Shaoran and looked away not saying anything. Shaoran followed her as did Yue. He had never seen her like that. He wanted to smirk at the sheer stubbornness the girl had.

XxXxXx

Shaoran closed the door once he got inside. He knew that she was peeved to say the least.

"Sakura." He said.

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"I am more inclined in letting you go. She's right. You are in danger here."

"So you would rather me run while everyone here dies, including you?"

"Yes."

Sakura shook her head and uttered under her breath, "...unbelievable..."

"Will you stop being stupid? You have to go and be safe. If it means running away then run, Sakura."

Sakura took a hard breath and opened her eyes again. "I've been running all my life. I guess that's the only thing I'll ever be to people...someone who should just run and be stupid. Yeah. Thanks for understanding for a minute there I thought you wouldn't."

"Why are you making this so damn hard?"

"Me? I never asked for this. I didn't go around looking for people to kill me but it seems that right now I have this big target on my head."

"That is why you have to leave. I can understand why your aunt wants you to go. I also want you to be safe."

"So this 'lean on me', 'I'm here' was all a lie then? I thought that you needed my help?"

Shaoran clenched his fists and made himself to calm down. It was tugging at his heart. He was torn of letting her go or letting her stay by his side to protect her. But it was an inner battle that he wouldn't let her know. Sonomi had presented an opportunity to keep her safe. He wasn't one to waste that. He wanted her as far away from the danger as he could get her to. Just like that, the choice was easy. He wasn't lying to her then but he was going to lie to her now…just to keep her safe, he would say something that he didn't want to say and she didn't want to hear to make sure that she lived.

"Yes. Damn it! I am a detective, Sakura. My job first and foremost is to protect you since you were assigned to me. I am a professional. I think things through rationally to get my job done. Right now, this is the most rational thing." He said as emotionless as possible. His voice was hard. He noticed her flinch and her eyes register the hurt. He hated doing this but he had to. He wasn't going to fail in protecting her.

It took a moment but Sakura eventually found her voice. "I asked you to stay with me because...so I'm the distraction…ok. I know you have a job to do and I don't expect you to fail. You're right though…I'm being stupid. I'm stupid enough to believe that you actually care about me more than 'a simply job'. I'll go. I'm sorry for troubling you." With that, she walked past him not turning back. She could feel her heart shatter into a million pieces but she was determined to not show him a single tear. She wouldn't cling to him again. She walked away while creating this wall around her heart and soul. She wasn't going to utter a single word to him again after this.

Shaoran couldn't do anything but to watch her go. His knuckles were turning as white as a sheet for clenching them to tight. He had hurt her, something he vowed he would never do. Even if it was for her own good, it wasn't making him feel any better. He struck the wall with as much force as he could in an attempt to release all the pent up emotions he had.

He could still feel the ghost of the kisses he shared with her. He had opened his heart for her and she was opening hers to him. He silently cursed fate for making this happen. In the end, he failed her. He failed to protect her because he couldn't protect her from him. He couldn't protect her heart from getting hurt.

XxXxXx

Sakura made her way towards her room. She was surprised when she saw Yue waiting for her by her door. She stopped walking as he looked up to her. He straightened himself and looked at her. It took a moment before she willed her feet to start moving again.

She walked passed him and before she disappeared behind her door, she heard him say, "I'll be here outside. I'll keep watch and if you need something."

"Thank you. I just want to be alone for now." She threw back at him with a soft smile. He simply nodded and resumed his position as she slowly closed her door.

Once the door closed, Yue said, "You heard what she said," He then turned towards the corner. "She wants to be alone. I doubt she would make you an exception."

Shaoran stepped from his spot beyond the corner and looked back at Yue. His expression was as unreadable as the man before him. "I'm not here for her."

Yue stood straighter and faced Shaoran. He said nothing. "You make sure she doesn't get hurt and she will leave Japan safely."

Yue smirked. "I never fail. Besides, I don't answer to you. I'm not doing this for you."

"I know. But know that I will hunt you down if even a single hair in her head gets touched."

Yue smirked again and replied, "Don't compare me with you, Li. I don't let emotions get in the way. It's time to start doing your job. If you had, she wouldn't have to leave, now would she?"

Shaoran's eyes narrowed. "Remember what I said. I will not repeat myself." He said coolly as he turned and walk away.

XxXxXx

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." A voice said as Yamazaki tried to get up. His head was spinning and was inclined to laid back down to stop his head from spinning. He brought his hand on his head. It was hurting like hell.

"Take it easy for a while. It will eventually recede." A man's voice came again.

"Fuck," Yamazaki exclaimed. After awhile, he slowly sat up and opened his eyes, coming face to face with a man as badly beaten as him. He seemed familiar but it wasn't registering in his head.

The man across him smirked. "Good to see that you're one of the living." He commented.

"Yeah well right back at ya. You look familiar. Have we met before?" Yamazaki said as he leaned back on the wall to support him. His head was still spinning.

The man smirked again. "Not that I know of. The name's Kinomoto Touya. You are?"

Yamazaki's eyes widened in surprise. Right! That was why he looked familiar! He was the brother of Sakura, Shaoran's case. Touya smirked again upon seeing his reaction.

"Damn! Never thought that I'd meet you like this!"

"My thoughts exactly."

"Listen, I was working with a detective, Li Shaoran. He's taking care of your sister."

At the mention of Sakura, Touya visibly stiffened. His eyes darkened a little bit. "My sister? What exactly is happening? How is she?"

"I'm not exactly sure but I think she witnessed something that she shouldn't have. Because of it, a lot of very dangerous people are after her. I was working the case and eventually found the identity of one of the men who I think is involved and in charge when they raided my apartment and found myself in this shit hole." Yamazaki explained.

Touya said nothing. He was processing every word. He was becoming desperate for news. He was told that his sister went though some stuff according to Yukito but he hadn't explained anything in detail over the phone.

Yamazaki seemed to understand Touya's concerns as he suddenly said, "Listen," It was effective to catch his attention once more. "She's in good hands. My best bud is one of the best. He's not going to let anything happen to her. Knowing him, he'd rather die than let anything happen to her, especially with how he's been treating her. I've known him for a long time and I've never seen him treat a woman with much sincerity and affection, even for his standards."

Touya wasn't saying anything again. Yamazaki wasn't sure if it got him angrier. He quickly amended, "Shaoran is a professional. He never fails in anything. He's definitely not going to fail in protecting Sakura. Now," He tried to study their surroundings, changing the topic. "We need to get out of here. I don't know about you but I'm not going to sit around and wait for them to kill us. We are already in this shit might as well fuck up their plans, give them a taste of their own medicine."

With that Touya smirked. "I like that kind of idea." They started talking on what they knew and started to formulate a plan.

XxXxXx

Sakura laid in her bed, staring up at the ceiling. She closed her eyes, trying to block all of her emotions. She was hurting. Her final strands of hope were shattered by the man she had given almost all her trust to. Her heart shattered at the thought that she had opened her heart to him and it seemed that he was doing the same to her. In an instant, everything changed and he was as cold to her as ever. A single tear fell from her eye as she realized that everything was a lie and told herself that she didn't deserve to be happy.

Soon, tears fell one after the other as she cried in silence, knowing this time, Shaoran's arms weren't going to be around her nor his hand would come up and wipe her tears away. She could taste the bitterness of her tears, reminding her of the bitterness that her life had become.

She would be leaving Japan really soon. She was going to be safe. But deep down she knew that she would never going to be safe, not while the men responsible for this was either dead or put away.

Sakura hated the predicament she was in. She only wanted to be left alone and achieve her dreams like a normal person. She wanted to be able to go to Europe with her brother to further her music studies. She only wanted to share her music to the world…to drown in her music…the only pure thing she could offer the world…to fool them into believing that the world is full of beauty and warmth…hoping in the end that she too believes it and not the darkness that was her life at the moment.

Letting out an exasperated sigh, she took out her mother's necklace from under her shirt. The star pendant within a circle of gold in a gold chain was something she would always take out when she needed to think or calm herself. It reminded her so much of her mother and her smile when she was alive.

Sakura grazed her finger on the surface. It made her smile. Her thoughts were brought back to reality when she heard a knock on her door. She didn't have any intention of getting up to answer. She wanted to be alone. When the knocks were persistent, she let out another sigh and opened it.

She wasn't surprised when she saw Yue but what made her a little taken aback was what he held in his hands. He held a violin case out to her. It looked like her violin but then she silently questioned how it was possible when she had left it back at the hotel at the night of her concert.

"I retrieved it. I thought that you might want to back." Yue said, as if reading Sakura's mind.

She gave a small smile and thanked him. She then excused herself, not really in the talking mood. Yue didn't seem to mind though. She closed the door and laid the case on the center, circular table. She opened the case and allowed her fingers over the familiar strings, slowly letting a genuine smile on her lips.

She knew she couldn't allow herself to keep resisting so she took out the violin and headed to a seat near the open window. She sat and allowed herself to take a comfortable playing stance. She took up the bow and started playing chords, not really thinking what she was playing, only allowing the music flow through her, working on instinct.

Music started filling the room, filling in the void that was there. It echoed through the walls of the house. It allows Sakura to drown into a state of temporary tranquil and safety that made her detach herself from the coldness around her.

XxXxXx

Shaoran stayed in a room nearby. He sat in front of an open laptop, trying to get some work done. His windows were open to let the breeze in. But no matter how he forced himself to concentrate, his thoughts would draw back to Sakura. Watching her go hurt him more than he was willing to admit. Hurting her felt worse than hurting himself.

When he heard the soft music of the violin, Shaoran's heart ached a little more. He could tell the tinge of sorrow that laced her music. He knew that he had a hand in adding to that pain. Shaoran stood up and walked over to an open window. A few doors down, he knew that Sakura was beside her open window. The few feet that separated them was almost excruciating. He wanted to reach over to her and comfort her. He wanted her to seek comfort from him. He wanted to be the one to help ease the pain she was suffering like he had for the past couple of days.

Shaoran reprimanded his heart and told it to steel itself. He had to remind himself forcefully that if he lost all sense of reality and responsibility, people are going to die...the first one being the person of his affections, Sakura.

Knowing it will only make things worse if he continued to listen to the music, he tore himself away from the window and willed himself to get back to his stoic self. He sat down and started to go over the things he had.

XxXxXx

When morning came for her to leave, Sakura dreaded getting up. Over the previous day, she kept rolling the thought of leaving inside her head over and over again. But no matter what she did or rationalized, she didn't really like the idea. She hadn't been able to sleep that well because of it. The only reason why she got some was due to exhaustion and nothing else.

Now that she was awake, something was off. It felt more wrong than ever. More than that, it felt that something was going to happen although she just couldn't put her finger on it.

Sakura forced herself to get up and get ready. She hadn't spoken in about two days. She refused to utter anything. She preferred to be alone and listen to music rather than interact with anyone. It wasn't a hard thing to do after years of not speaking.

Sakura freshened up and got dressed. After brushing her hair, she looked at herself at the mirror and gave an exasperated sigh. She told herself to ignore her gut instincts. She forced herself to believe that it was going to be alright. With that, she headed out of the room.

She met Shaoran down the hall as she made her way. She stopped only for a moment to acknowledge his presence with a small smile and bow before she walked past him, not making eye contact or saying anything.

He watched her walk away. "Sakura," He called out, not being able to resist anymore. He watched her stiffen a bit before turning to face him slightly. "You're in good hands. And...leaving doesn't always mean you are a coward. You are not stupid." He wanted to tell her that he had lied but he held his tongue.

Sakura only answered him with a small, sad smile. When she turned away again and refused to speak to him, Shaoran unconsciously clenched his fists. He didn't like seeing her like that, so closed and unreachable.

Shaoran's expression hardened when he saw Yue meet up with her. Yue turned to him and said, "Daidouji-san would like to see you in her office now."

Shaoran gave a nod and proceeded to meet Sonomi. It seemed the short encounter at the hallway was the closest to a goodbye he would get to give her.

XxXxXx

Sonomi was seated behind her desk, writing. She had already wished Sakura a safe trip and now she had matters to attend to. A knock came from the door. She called out for whoever it was too enter.

"You sent for me, Daidouji-san?" Came a deep, male voice.

"Yes," She answered, not looking up from what she was doing. "We have a few matters to discuss. Take a seat." She added while Shaoran walked over to a chair in front of the desk.

He waited for Sonomi to finish writing and start the conversation. "Detective Li, for what you have done for my niece, I cannot thank you enough."

"I'm simply doing my job, Ma'am."

"And yet you have fallen for her."

Shaoran said nothing. He wanted to deny the claim but he knew that he would be lying. He wanted to admit it but he knew that he would be betraying his ethical code.

His lack of an answer was enough for Sonomi. "It doesn't matter. You let her go. It only tells me that you don't let your emotions cloud your judgment. Although I was surprised you made her go."

"Before anything else, Sakura needs to be safe."

"Yes. She does. That girl has been through a lot already. She does not need this."

"With all do respect, why only now? It seems like you are sending her away more than the purpose you are leading on. You would have gone to really make sure that she was alright."

Sonomi smiled and leaned back on her chair. "You are observant, Li-san, but you are in no standing to question my motives."

"Yes, I am. With regards to Sakura's safety, I am."

"As what? A detective? A friend? A lover? You are not her family."

Shaoran clenched his fists. He tried to contain his anger. This conversation was turning into something more than what he had intended.

"It's alright, Shaoran. I was the one who advised Daidouji-san to make Sakura go." Came a voice from behind, a voice he knew so well, that made Shaoran freeze slightly with utter shock.

He quickly turned and his eyes widened a little when his thoughts were confirmed.

XxXxXx

Sakura sat, looking out and saw staring blankly at the airplane that would be taking off in a few minutes. She was so out of it that she hadn't noticed Yue walk up to her.

"Come on. You may board. Your great grandfather is about to arrive."

Sakura followed him without much resistance or saying anything.

Once she took a seat, she stared out the window while Yue sat in front of her. He was studying her. He couldn't help but wonder what it was about her that made people want to protect her...how she could make one of the most talented detectives there are, Li Shaoran, almost powerless to her charms.

Sakura unconsciously traced her fingers on her necklace. When she couldn't feel the familiar texture of her safety blanket, she immediately shot up from her seat and started looking for it. She wasn't going to leave Japan without it.

"What's the matter?" She heard Yue ask as she frantically searched for her necklace.

"My necklace. I can't leave without it. I was wearing it on the way here. I'm sure of it." She answered.

Yue had seen her treasure. He had seen her wearing it all the time, whether slightly hidden under her clothing or openly displayed. He stood up and started to help her locate it.

When their searching was proving to be fruitless, Sakura sprinted out of the plane to look for it where she sat waiting. Yue followed her, noting the car approaching the plane. He knew they had to make it fast. The plane was leaving.

Sakura looked everywhere and was starting to panic. She felt a firm yet gentle hand on her arm.

"The plane is about to leave. You need to board the plane."

"But-" Sakura started but wasn't able to finish as Yue started to drag her towards the plane.

"I'm sorry about this but you need to-"

Yue wasn't permitted to finish as the plane suddenly exploded.

(to be continued...)

The longest chapter yet hehe. Anyway, how was it? I tried to incorporate as much as I could in this chapter. Please send in what you think. Thanks.

Michiko