Restraint

By: pnaixrose

Disclaimer: I don't own Card Captor Sakura or any of its characters. They all belong to CLAMP.

Summary: For eighteen years, Syaoran's family has kept him in the dark about a secret that would tear him away from everything he loved. He would soon learn that loving her would be the one thing he would never be able to do...for her sake. But it's hard when your body, heart, and soul aren't cooperating with reason. It's hard when you want to love someone, when doing so will only hurt her in the end.

Chapter 7: Feeling

Two and a half weeks. Two and a half long weeks.

Sakura sighed, feeling her lead body weighing her down and urging her to crawl into bed. Her fatigue seemed to only grow with each passing day and it was not just due to Tomoyo's, Eriol's, and Meiling's constant hovering. She had been expected being tired because of her pregnancy. She just didn't realize that the urge to sleep would be so strong.

She sat on a nearby couch that was situated near a window. Hearing Meiling milling nearby a different couch watching television, Sakura sighed, looking out into the quad from her window view. It was a bright, sunny summer day. She never thought she would have to spend her summer before college stuck under the watchful eyes of three paranoid friends. She had been stuck under their watch for days, going everywhere from walking along the courtyard to having dinner with Yelan and her daughters with at least one captor. Throughout it all, she hadn't fully seen Syaoran. Even when Sakura had dinner with his mother, Syaoran would mysteriously be missing from the table. Sakura suspected that her prison guards had requested that. As if keeping him away would actually make her stop thinking about him. Even if she did find him, she would be under the watchful eye of one of her friends. And no matter how many times she tried to sneak away to find him by herself, they'd always manage to find her. They've even made night shifts so that she wouldn't sneak off while they were sleeping! It was getting absurd! But no matter how many times she tried to tell them that they were being insane, they simply wouldn't listen. And now that walking just a few feet was difficult due to her constant fatigue, her mission was definitely harder.

She had considered using the Cards to help escape, possibly use Time and then Fly. However, she knew that Eriol would just be able to stop her as soon as she whipped out her Cards. Besides, with her being so tired nowadays, just thinking about using magic made her sleepy.

She sighed. It was a miracle that her friends had even agreed to stay here in Hong Kong. It was mostly Meiling's doing. Sakura realized that the Chinese female wanted them to stay because she still believed that Syaoran would crack soon, that his want to speak to Sakura alone was too great that he would spill some big secret Meiling was convinced he was hiding. However, Sakura hadn't heard Syaoran make any attempts to come to see her. Did he really want to talk to her?

Remembering back to that day two and a half weeks ago, she pictured his amber eyes. They were pained. They were apologetic. They were fearful. There was no way that she had imagined all that. Surely, what he needed to say was something significant. Sakura felt that she needed to know.

Besides, she wanted to see him. It almost felt like yet another excruciating month feeling empty and alone without him. However, it certainly wasn't as bad as their last time apart. At least now she was speaking. She didn't feel as bitter. She was more up and about. And she was certainly eating now. It was because knowing that Syaoran needed – wanted – to speak to her gave her some hope. He hadn't seemed upset about the news that she was pregnant when he had announced he wanted to talk to her alone. He hadn't even seemed like it regret it like she thought he did. There was just something else…

Speaking about the news, it was getting harder and harder to try to hide her pregnancy from her hovering friends. It was especially hard to hide it from the overly perceptive Tomoyo. And now that her fatigue seemed to only get worse, Sakura was scared that her cover would be blown.

She didn't want them to know yet. Seeing them so angry at Syaoran…she was scared what they'd do to him, especially Eriol. She couldn't imagine what he would do when he found out that she and Syaoran had…and that he had just left.

Sakura herself still didn't understand it fully. Why was he so cold that night? After they had made such amazing, pure, passionate love? It was clear that something was troubling Syaoran. And Sakura was sure that whatever he wanted to tell her would explain everything.

Suddenly, she realized that her eyes had closed while she was thinking. She sighed as she slowly waddled to her bed and slipped under the covers. She would figure out a new plan when she awoke. For now, sleep was definitely overpowering her.

Amber eyes shifted as it carefully scanned the quad. Hiding behind a wall, Syaoran squinted across the empty courtyard, keeping a look out for three certain teens. He sighed at the absurdity of all this. He was hiding and sneaking around in his own home from his guests. Damn that Hiiragazawa. He always made a big deal out of everything. Yes, he knew that he hurt him, Tomoyo, and Sakura, but if the four-eyed idiot only knew why Syaoran did what he did…

No matter. He wasn't going to say a word to him, Tomoyo, or Meiling even if they continued to act so idiotic. Before that, he needed to let Sakura know about everything. That was the most important thing right now.

He stared across the quad quietly as he watched her look outside the window. Her emerald eyes were soft as her face contorted in an almost frustrated but pensive expression. She looked tired though, as if just thinking wore her out. His jaw clenched in aggravation. She was right there. Right there. Oh how he wished to just run across the quad, jump through her window, and hold her before he had to tell her everything.

"Syaoran-kun?"

He jumped at the sudden voice and whipped around to face his captor. Tomoyo stood behind him, a slight smile on her lips. "T-Tomoyo!" he stuttered. "I was just…"

"Stalking Sakura-chan?" she asked teasingly. "Trying to scheme a plan to get to her?"

"O-Of course not!"

She chuckled softly as she observed his skittish demeanor. It was familiar. Despite his constant cool attitude, he was always somewhat easily embarrassed when he was teased. At least, that was how he was like before everything had gone awry. But suddenly her smile faded as she analyzed his face. It was tired with dark circles under his glazed eyes. He looked haggard, as if he wasn't getting enough sleep. And there was also a sense of guilt and shame hiding behind that as well. But most obvious of all was his desperation in seeing Sakura in his faded amber eyes.

"Syaoran-kun, if you tell us, you know I would let you see her," she whispered.

He sighed, running a hand through his hair as he looked away. "I can't. I need to speak to her first. You don't understand how…complicated this all is. I just…I just really need to let her know…"

"And this situation is too complicated that we can't even know about it?"

"Tomoyo…"

She looked desperately at him, her amethyst eyes weighed with sadness. "It's just…she was so hurt. And then she came here and she…fainted! I just…" Her eyes narrowed in thought, trying to articulate what she had been noticing for the past few weeks. Her best friend sleeping for hours and taking random naps. Her best friend staring into the air as if in a trance. The sudden new atmosphere around her. "For some reason…I feel like something's off about her. Like she's somewhat more fragile since you left that day. I feel like…I need to protect her…" She caught his eye and looked at him apologetically. "I just…don't want to see her hurt again, you know? And if seeing you hurts her…I don't want you two to see each other. At least for now, when she seems so vulnerable."

He felt the slight accusation in her voice. It stung. After all, Tomoyo was not one to accuse or judge. Syaoran looked down at his feet, not knowing what to say. Everything she had said was true. He had hurt Sakura badly. And he had made her vulnerable…and not only emotionally. Tomoyo was hitting it right on the mark. Sakura's sudden fragility and vulnerability was odd. After all, the girl was strong both in spirit in body. He was sure that in just a few more days, Tomoyo would be able to see that Sakura was…carrying a baby.

"But you know," the dark haired maiden suddenly said. She sighed. "This really has gone too far. Sakura-chan's right. It is ridiculous. I'll try to talk to Eriol. A few minutes of you being alone with her can't hurt that much right?"

Syaoran looked at her gratefully as he let out a breath of relief. Thank goodness for Daidouji Tomoyo.

Meiling watched a soap opera in boredom, hearing Sakura's heavy breaths behind her. Damn. That girl was always sleeping nowadays wasn't she? But Meiling couldn't blame her. It wasn't as if there was anything else to do. Lately with all the tension, especially between Eriol and Syaoran, everyone was on edge. And she could forget about taking them sightseeing around the city like people did on a real vacation. Things were just too complicated now.

Suddenly the door opened and in walked an azure haired teen with glasses perched on his nose. "So Sakura-san, I talked with your father. They're only going to let you stay a few more days. It's a miracle I got them to calm down and not pick you up right away in the first place. But I'm afraid that–"

Meiling quickly put her index finger to her lips, silencing him. He finally realized that Sakura was serenely sleeping on the bed. He sighed as he ran a hand through his hair.

"She surely is sleeping a lot lately isn't she? Is she really alright?" he asked as he shook his head slowly and sat down next to Meiling in front of the boring soap opera.

Meiling shrugged. "I just figured she's making up for a month's worth of lost sleep."

"I guess," he muttered, but still not fully convinced.

"So did Syaoran snap yet?" the girl asked curiously.

"Seems like it'll be soon."

"Are you sure this is alright? Keeping them apart? Isn't this becoming a little too 'Romeo and Juliet'?" Meiling asked. This little game between them and Syaoran had been going on for far too long and she was getting fed up. Yes, she wanted Syaoran to confess what has been happening and why he acted like such a cold-hearted jerk but maybe this was going too far.

"We need to know what's been happening," he insisted, like always. He was stubborn about this subject. After all, he was pretty much the leader of this whole "keep-Syaoran-away-until-he-confesses" operation. "Besides, I don't want that jerk to hurt her again."

"Oh really, Eriol! You're turning into Kinomoto Touya!" she exclaimed. "Besides, have you even considered that maybe Syaoran will tell us after he gets done telling it to Sakura?"

He crossed his arms in front of him stubbornly, still disliking the man he had called his best friend. "If that's so, I don't see why he can't just tell it to all of us together."

Meiling just sighed at Eriol's stubbornness. Men…

Suddenly, they heard a pained groan behind them and they immediately looked to an awakened Sakura. She looked a bit pale and green as she sat up and held her hand to her stomach.

"Sakura-san?" Eriol asked worriedly, instantly on his feet and at her side. "Are you okay?"

"Are you sick?" Meiling asked in confusion as she too hurried to Sakura's side. She placed a hand on the girl's forehead and shook her own head. "Doesn't seem like you have a fever."

The newly awakened girl groaned as a new wave of nausea seized her. Suddenly, Sakura shoved past her friends holding her mouth with a hand as she ran across the room to the bathroom. She sank to her knees as she looked into the toilet bowl and instantly emptied her stomach, groans of distress following her lunch as it left.

Tomoyo walked towards the guest room with Syaoran following close behind. She planned that she would go inside and talk to Eriol while Syaoran waited. It was a long shot trying to reason with the stubborn Hiiragazawa Eriol, but this childish game had to end. Yes, Syaoran had hurt them all. But he obviously didn't have ill feelings towards them anymore. She had realized that she was correct in thinking that his coldness he had displayed a few weeks ago was only a mask to hide something bigger. And even though she wasn't happy that he was hiding things, she was sure that he would tell them all when he was ready.

Behind her, the boy swallowed, trying to prepare himself of what he was going to say to Sakura. Yes, he had wanted – had needed – to talk to her for so long, yet he was still unsure of what exactly to say. His stomach dropped as the shame filled his body for the umpteenth time. How was he supposed to tell her that…he had basically resigned her to death?

Suddenly, they stopped outside the door and looked at each other in confusion as they heard fretful yells from inside. Also, there was a strange gagging noise that was buried under all the fussing voices.

Syaoran paled as realization hit him. Was it already time for her to have morning sickness?

Instantly, he and Tomoyo burst into the room only to be welcomed by no one. But as they followed the frantic voices, they found everyone in the adjoining bathroom. Sakura was weakly on her knees in front of the toilet. Behind her, Eriol and Meiling were yelling at the suddenness of her sickness. Trying to console her and directing each other to do things at the same time, they were at her side in the cramped bathroom, unsure of exactly what to do.

"What on earth?" Tomoyo whispered in shock as she too hurried to the crowd at Sakura's side. She looked to Eriol and Meiling in confusion. She only received the same look back.

"She just suddenly started throwing up," the Chinese teen said in frustration. "Do people even throw up out of nowhere? Do we bring her to the doctor?"

Eriol was just as equally frustrated. "She hasn't been sick or anything. She doesn't seem to have a fever either."

Tomoyo shook her head slowly, trying to comprehend Sakura's sickness. People didn't randomly vomit. Not unless they were…

Her amethyst eyes widened in shock and her jaw dropped as she slowly turned around to look behind her. Everything started to click. Syaoran was standing stiffly at the door, unnoticed by everyone as they anxiously babbled. Her eyes caught his wide amber guilt-ridden ones as the realization stunned her.

That was when Sakura finally stopped vomiting, and the toilet bowl flushed. Meiling was immediately consoling and helping the poor girl. Eriol on the other hand, had followed his girlfriend's gaze. His eyes too landed on Syaoran. However, he wasn't shocked like Tomoyo was. He was furious.

"W-What did you do!" he growled as he approached the stiff Syaoran, immediately misunderstanding his girlfriend's surprised expression for an accusation.

The boy didn't answer as he continued to stare in alarm at Sakura, who was now weakly washing and wiping her mouth. He was still shocked, experiencing the first symptoms of her pregnancy up close. Up until now, it hadn't really hit him, that she was pregnant. Now…

Suddenly Eriol's hand was enclosed on Syaoran's collar. He shook him roughly, eyes flashing behind his glasses. "I said, what did you do!"

"Stop it, Eriol-kun!" Sakura yelled desperately, the feeling of nausea starting to leave. She stood there helplessly and tiredly as she finished wiping her mouth, throwing the soiled towel in the garbage.

Eriol ignored her and continued to silently glare at him while Syaoran simply stood there like a rag doll, still in shock. Eriol was starting to get annoyed with his unresponsiveness and the tension in the bathroom heightened. Meiling rushed to try to get the boys to back away from each other as Sakura continued to uselessly shout at Eriol, too scared that the queasiness would come back with a vengeance if she moved too suddenly. Tomoyo on the other hand was still kneeling on the tiled floor, her mouth opened in shock.

The current situation would have been humorous because of where it was all happening, in a cramped, tiny bathroom. However, the atmosphere was getting dangerous as Eriol's anger rose. Both Sakura and Meiling couldn't stop him and Tomoyo was still too stunned to even say a word. Syaoran, although in Eriol's grasps, was simply bewildered as he stared into space. The sorcerer seizing him was growling in anger, almost ready to start throwing punches…

…But then something else caught the men's attention. Both of them whipped their heads towards Sakura, their eyes wide.

Confused, Meiling looked towards her as well, not understanding the look of utter shock written in both of the guys' faces. Sakura was just standing there normally. Albeit she was still a bit pale, but she seemed okay now. Why were Syaoran and Eriol so shaken? Then she noticed Sakura's sudden shock as well as she looked down at her own body.

"W-What's the matter with everyone?" Meiling asked, ruby eyes baffled. "Eriol?"

He didn't answer. All he did was furrow his eyebrows in confusion. There was a new…aura. It had come out of nowhere but he could clearly tell that it was coming from Sakura. Yet, her own aura was still distinctly there. He tried analyzing this new magic power, taking it apart piece by piece in his mind. It felt strange. Unique and strong yet distinctly familiar. But he could also tell that it was new, almost fragile. It was powerful, he could tell. The strength embedded in such a new power was staggering. Despite its immaturity, it was clear that it had the potential to be almost as strong as Sakura's, Syaoran's, or his own. He had never felt anything like this before.

His eyes widened even more as he stared at Sakura. His glasses dropped to the tip of his nose. He now knew why it felt so familiar. It bore so many similarities to…both Syaoran's and Sakura's.

Suddenly Syaoran strode past him as Eriol's grip on his loosened, walking slowly towards Sakura who was standing next to the sink. No one stopped him, too involved or confused at the current situation. Their eyes caught, both gazes enlaced with alarm and surprise. His amber eyes then wandered downward. As he suspected, the place where the new aura was concentrated was at her torso, more specifically, her stomach area.

He had stopped breathing when he had felt it. Syaoran knew right away what it was. It was the aura of Sakura's child…his child.

As soon as he felt it radiating toward him, he suddenly felt absolutely numb. Since he found out about it, he hadn't thought of the…thing inside her as a baby. Even after just a few seconds ago when the reality of Sakura being pregnant had hit, he had thought of it as…a thing that could possibly lead her to her death. It had been the proof of his shame, of his uncontrolled emotions. It hadn't hit him that it was a baby, his baby.

His daughter or son.

The Li curse was suddenly pushed to the back of his head. He was…going to have a baby with Sakura. He was…going to be a father.

It was a feeling he had never felt before. It could only be described as something in between elation and fear. He lifted a shaking hand, tentatively and awkwardly placing it on top of Sakura's flat belly, the area where the aura was coming from.

She wasn't surprised at his touch. Sakura had felt it too, probably was the first to feel it. Her own hand joined his as she tried to comprehend it, tried to figure out if it was really real. Numbness enveloped her. This was it. This was really it.

The baby.

Yes, she had known that a baby was growing inside her. But she didn't think she really realized…that it was a person. Only now, feeling its aura radiating from within her did the fact that she was pregnant and going to give birth to a boy or girl truly hit her. Only now did she realize that it was going to grow up, have feelings, eat, smile, laugh, cry, and…live.

Suddenly, a voice surprised them back to reality. They had forgotten that people were still in the room, watching them carefully. "It's yours, Syaoran," Eriol said, his voice enlaced with shock. His sentence wasn't a question. It was a fact that he needed confirmation to.

Eriol and the girls were staring at the two. By the shocked looks on their faces, it was clear that they both knew now, Tomoyo knowing full well before any of them. Everything was starting to make sense. Sakura's strange glow, her constant fatigue, and now her sudden vomiting. Everything was clicking.

Eriol's statement caused Sakura to look up wearily at the face of the man who was holding her stomach. She wasn't sure how he was going to respond to that. Surprisingly, she felt warmth fill her as she watched him nod.

"Yes," Syaoran answered his tone deep and quiet, pride filling his voice. "It's mine."

Yelan and her four daughters waited anxiously for Syaoran and Sakura to arrive. The five women were scattered around Yelan's grandiose study room, some talking with each other in hushed voices, others standing around in shock. Yelan happened to be one of the latter as she sat in her chair behind her desk. Eyes narrowed and fingers laced together as she rested her elbows on the desk, it was strange for her to be so on edge.

She stared straight ahead at the door, feeling a couple of familiar auras slowly approach the room from afar. All of the auras were familiar…except one.

Yelan closed her obsidian eyes, trying to pinpoint and study the new aura as she's done for the past few minutes since it had appeared. She knew what she had concluded in her head. She knew who the aura was from.

She just had trouble admitting it.

She had called her daughters - who had run up to her in unease as they too felt it - and her son and the Card Mistress to her study, demanding to get to the bottom things. But Yelan already had a feeling to where things were headed.

How could he be so…irresponsible? After everything they've revealed to him? How could he?

Suddenly three soft knocks on the door caught the five women's attention and they stiffened. Yelan let out a hoarse, "Come in," before the door cracked open ever so slightly.

Five teenagers hesitantly walked in. Her son was leading them with Sakura trailing tentatively behind, while Meiling, Tomoyo and Eriol brought up the rear. Tomoyo closed the door behind her and everything grew still. The sisters were eyeing the recently entered persons, especially a certain emerald eyed girl who had her head bowed down.

"Maybe it is best that Meiling, Daidouji-san, and Hiiragazawa-san leave?" a voice whispered. It came from Fuutie, who was quietly standing in the corner by the window.

The three in question were about to fervently refuse before another sister, Fanren, interrupted.

"Let them stay," she sneered, almost with malice as she eyed Syaoran. "Let them see what kind of trouble our little brother is in."

Suddenly, with that one comment, all hell broke loose. Syaoran stood there, his eyebrows knitted, as he took accusations and insults from his four sisters. The Japanese teenagers were overwhelmed by the bustle and stood there, numb to it all, hearing only a few key phrases that the sisters had decided to say in Japanese.

"Do you understand what you've done?"

"Xiao Lang, this is the most irresponsible, most outrageous–"

"The Card Mistress, out of all people!"

"Just how do you plan on going about this situation –"

But he simply stared straight ahead, ignoring his sisters, catching eyes with the only silent female in his family. Yelan stared back evenly, her face blank, as her daughters continued their assault.

As far as Meiling, Sakura, Tomoyo, and Eriol could see, it was clear that the Li family had concluded the truth. What they didn't understand was why they seemed to be more upset than they expected them to be. Yes, the situation might be a little displeasing because of their young age and recent arguments, but Meiling had at least thought a few of the normally bubbly sisters would be happy, jumping at joy at the possibility of having a mini-Syaoran or mini-Sakura.

Sakura frowned at the harsh words that were directed at the boy in front of her. The thing that really irked her was that they seemed to place all the blame on him, forgetting that it takes two people to make a baby. She stared at his back, trying to understand why he would take all of this by himself. She was about to open her mouth to protest, to protect him, when Yelan suddenly cleared her throat and stood up, silencing her daughters.

The Li sisters quieted immediately, looking away from their brother as if in disgust or shame. Syaoran, Sakura, and their friends watched as Yelan emerged from behind her desk to come face to face with her son.

Syaoran looked up at her anxiously as she simply looked down at him, her dark eyes still blank. Everything stayed still as the others in the room looked on at the interaction between the mother and son either with confusion or nervousness. Suddenly, Syaoran saw her eye twitch ever so slightly before he felt a harsh sting across his cheek.

The slap reverberated in the room, leaving a lasting impression of shock on all of their faces. Syaoran looked at the floor, trying to ignore the sting in his left cheek. It wasn't the slap itself that hurt him. It was the shame and the disgrace that his mother had put into that slap.

"Do…Do you understand what this means, Xiao Lang?" she asked darkly, her voice quiet.

His jaw clenched. "Yes."

"How could you?" she asked incredulously, her voice rising. "How could you do this? I thought I had raised a responsible boy who knew the difference between right and wrong! I thought that after I revealed to you what happened to your father, you would understand that this…" Yelan raised her furious eyes and set them on the Card Mistress behind him. Her eyes softened, as if in guilt or pity. "…this was the one thing you should've avoided!"

Sakura shook her head slightly, confused at the whole situation. "Y-Yelan-san," she said quietly. "This isn't just his fault, you know. This is my responsibility as well. Please don't concentrate your anger only at him."

Sakura felt her body tense as Yelan looked at her carefully and silently for a moment. The woman then sighed deeply and turned to glare down at her son.

"She doesn't know." It wasn't a question. Yelan already knew the answer as she looked down at the bowed head of her son. A murmur among the sisters arose at the new information and Yelan gave them a sharp glare that quickly quieted them again.

"I…I don't know what?" Sakura asked. She wasn't appreciating the fact that she was being left out of the conversation, as if she had nothing to do with the situation.

Yelan's body was starting to shake as she looked away from her son, almost as if she couldn't even bear looking at him. "I cannot believe you didn't even tell her."

"Tell me what?" Sakura urged. She saw Syaoran glance at her and quickly look away. She pleaded with him, trying to restrain herself from reaching out and making him look at her. "Syaoran-kun, tell me what? Why is your family that opposed to this...? Are they that opposed to…us?"

Syaoran sucked his breath and looked away from her, feeling pained. "It…It's not that they're opposed to us…"

"We just don't want you to get hurt, Sakura-chan," Shiefa suddenly said.

Feimei nodded. "We wanted to protect you."

Feeling fully exasperated, Sakura sighed and threw her hands in the air. "From what exactly? What exactly is putting me in danger?"

The Lis were silent, looking away pensively at her question. She looked hopefully to the brown haired boy in front of her who slowly turned to her, looking at her straight on with ashamed, conflicted amber eyes.

"From me."

She looked at him in confusion, shaking her head slightly, trying to understand. How could Syaoran be putting her in danger? Is this the reason why he had been trying to hurt her so much before? To try to break them apart?

Slowly, she reached up a hand to touch his face and he visibly winced. "Syaoran-kun," she said solidly, looking into his conflicted amber eyes with confidence. "You will never hurt me. I know that you would never. So don't ever try to break us apart, for what ever reason. Even if you think it would protect me. Even if you try, I will still…" She gave him a small smile. "…I will still love you, regardless."

He started shaking his head and opened his mouth to protest but she continued before he could speak.

"So don't worry about 'hurting' me," she said. Then she lightly touched her flat belly and smiled slightly, a small blush coming across her cheeks. "After all, with this…you've made me the happiest woman in the world. It's…proof of our love."

Suddenly, Syaoran's eyes widened and he ripped himself from her touch, a look of horror on his face. What was she saying? That baby inside of her…would make her happy? Even if it meant it would eventually take her life? It wasn't proof of their love! It was proof of his uncontrollable, sick self!

"No, Sakura," he said, a growl erupting from his throat. "If I loved you, I would have stayed away from you. If I loved you, that thing wouldn't be in you!"

Sakura paled at his anger in his voice. He had called it, "That thing." He thought of it as a thing?

"Now hold on just a second, Syaoran," Eriol suddenly said, outraged at his reaction. "That thing is your child! Surely you felt its aura! How can you treat it with such hostility when it's a part of you?"

"Wasn't it you who just a few minutes ago proudly stated that it was yours?" Tomoyo asked in confusion, remembering the pleasure in his voice as he asserted to all of them that he was the father when they were all in the guest room.

Syaoran looked down, tumult in his eyes. "It's…It's hard to explain," he said as he remembered that odd, but satisfied sensation as he thought of himself as a father. Yes, he did feel a sense of pride. A father. Him. His child was that little thing with the enormous aura. Sakura's child.

But then, when he started thinking of what it will do to her, to his love, to its own mother, he suddenly…couldn't make up his mind to love it. He looked at Sakura's hurt eyes desperately. "When I think of what it'll do to you…I…"

Suddenly Yelan cleared her throat interrupting her son as she felt certain auras coming their way. "It seems as if we have new guests." She looked at Sakura, a fatigued look in her eyes. "I believe the Elders have contacted your family and have brought them here right away. I'm guessing you haven't told them yet?"

Sakura stiffened. Her family. She hadn't even thought of their reaction to this. She had been so involved with trying to set things right with Syaoran that telling her family was the last thing on her mind.

Suddenly, the door burst open, and in walked three tall men and a flying stuffed doll. The one who had barged in had been no other than her brother, looking more enraged than usual. Behind him were Fujitaka and Yukito, looking at the people in the room in hesitation. Kero on the other hand was fuming as well, looking much like the angry Touya.

"We were told by your Elders that our presence was needed and we were suddenly brought here via," Fujitaka said uncertainly, trying to gauge the situation. He still wasn't accustomed to the knowledge of the magical blood that surrounded him. It had taken a very long time before he had grown accustomed to Keroberos. However, being transported magically like that was something that he would never get used to. It must've been a very important reason for three humans and a guardian to be transported to another country like that.

Before anyone else can say anything, Touya had caught sight of the one person he had been seeking. The one person he had wanted to punish for the last few weeks. He strode over to Syaoran, grabbing his collar roughly as he menacingly pulled him closer.

"T-Touya!" Yukito exclaimed.

Sakura grabbed his brother's arm, uselessly trying to pull it away from Syaoran. "Onii-chan, stop it!"

Ignoring the people around him, the dark haired man glared angrily down at the boy in front of him who was simply glaring back up at him with intense amber eyes. "What else did you do to her you insensitive, little punk?" Touya snarled. "Do you know what kind of hell you put her through? And what kind of hell that had put us through? I swear to god I will make you pay for hurting her. I won't forgive you. I swear I won't forgive you–"

"You have a lot of explaining to do, brat," Kero interrupted as he landed on Touya's shoulder, backing him up. He would've done the exact same thing as Touya if it wasn't for his stubby, tiny hands. His usual cheerful stuffed doll expression had melted into a malicious look. "I don't think I'll ever let Sakura come within ten centimeters of you after–"

"Kero-chan! Onii-chan!"

Suddenly Touya and Kero backed away at the sound of the stern voice of the Card Mistress, still glaring at the boy. Yukito quickly pulled Touya and the sun guardian back in their distraction, wanting to avoid a fight.

"What did he do to you now, Sakura?" Touya asked darkly, letting himself be pulled by his best friend but not taking his eyes of the brat.

"Touya-kun!" Fujitaka scolded in disappointment. He sighed and turned to Sakura and Syaoran, who were standing a good few feet away from each other now. He gave a slight disapproving look at the amber eyed boy and turned to his daughter. "What's the meaning of this, Sakura-san? Although you've been here for weeks, we still have no answers. Why did you suddenly leave? And why are we suddenly here?"

Yukito nodded once he was sure Touya and Kero had calmed down a bit, wanting to know more of the situation as well. "We were intensely worried, Sakura-chan." He looked to Syaoran with an unreadable look before turning to Sakura with a worried face. "I had heard about everything and when Touya told me you had disappeared, I was at the airport on my way home. And when we suddenly heard some voices urging us that we were needed, I…feared the worse."

"I…I'm sorry," Sakura said guiltily, seeing their sincere, concerned faces. "I left because…I just had to…see Syaoran-kun about something."

At the mention of his name, Syaoran looked down, trying to avoid her family's gaze.

"And that was more important than leaving us some form of indication where you were going?" Fujitaka asked, his voice stressed.

"I'm sorry," Sakura apologized again. She bowed her head in shame as she saw how much her sudden departure had hurt her father. She felt more ashamed that she had refused to speak to him the last two weeks since she's been here, making Eriol deal with them. They had been truly worried about her all this time. But truthfully she hadn't wanted to deal with them. She had only wanted to focus on talking to Syaoran, trying to figure things out. She felt horrible now though for being so selfish.

"So what was it all about, Sakura?" Kero asked, still glaring at the brat. "And why are we here now?"

Sakura sucked in a breath, as the others in the room stiffened. She looked at her family's faces as she took a deep breath, trying to build up her courage. "I…It's just that…well…"

Without warning, Syaoran quickly stepped in front of her, as if trying to protect her. "Kinomoto-san, Yukito-san, Touya-san, Keroberos…" he said sincerely, ignoring the intense stares he was receiving. "Before she says anything, I want to assure you that all of this is my fault."

Touya growled and immediately tried to jump at him. Fortunately Yukito held him back. "So it was something you did! I knew it! 'Fess up already so I can pound you to a bloody–"

Yukito sighed as he struggled to keep him back. "Touya, please! Calm down! Let them–"

"I'm pregnant."

The room full of people hushed at Sakura's words. She was breathing heavily, closing her eyes, knowing what was to come. She could picture her father's shame. The shocked expression on Yukito's face as his glasses dropped in surprise. The rage in both her brother's and Kero's eyes.

She opened her eyes slightly and indeed saw everything she had imagined. She gulped in hesitation as she felt Syaoran stiffen in front of her.

"Sakura-san," her father choked in disbelief, "are you…sure? How long have you…known?" His face was pale, looking more desolate than ever. It was a look of pure distress, something that is hardly ever seen on the usually calm man's face. However, this news was shocking to the core.

She gulped momentarily. "About five and a half weeks…" she muttered meekly, trying to look away from her father's gaze.

"Why you little–!" Before they knew it, Touya had leaped from Yukito's shocked and stiff hands. He snarled as he headed towards the one who was to blame for all of this. His anger unleashed as he tackled the amber eyed boy to the floor, pinning him down.

Syaoran felt the wind knocked out of him as he painfully fell to the floor, held down by a livid Touya who was cursing at him all the while. He struggled slightly but was stopped by an angry fist to the face.

"Damn you, Li!" Touya sneered, throwing more punches at the boy. "I'm gonna make sure you never touch my little sister again!"

During the exchange, all hell broke loose again. Kero jumped in on the mix, trying to bite Syaoran's skin, just realizing that new odd aura in the room. Eriol, Meiling, Yukito, and Syaoran's sisters tried to pull the scuffle apart. Yelan protectively held Sakura back, knowing instinctively that the girl would want to pull her brother off of Syaoran. Tomoyo was trying to comfort a shocked and speechless Fujitaka. This all continued for a good few minutes. It seemed as if nothing would stop the chaos.

Suddenly an unknown voice boomed throughout the room.

"ENOUGH!"

A sudden spark of white light flashed and Touya was suddenly frozen in his mid-punch. He struggled against the magic, still snarling at the bruised boy beneath him. However, the pause was enough time for the others to peel him off of Syaoran, who weakly got to his feet, panting and feeling his lip for blood.

"Yelan," the voice continued, dark and aged with wisdom.

"Yes, Elder Honghui?" Yelan answered into the air, trying to keep her voice steady.

"Keep these visitors under control while we have a word with Xiao Lang in our council hall."

She immediately turned to Syaoran, fear present in her eyes. He caught his mother's look and his sore body stiffened.

"Of…Of course Elder Honghui."

After the voice had seemingly left them, all eyes were on Syaoran, especially those of his mother's, sisters', and Meiling. He knew what they were thinking. They were thinking that he was in some deep trouble to be called directly to the Elders' council hall. His face paled and he forgot the bloody nose and lip he had received from Touya. Every little pain had suddenly numbed away.

Sakura felt an uneasy feeling rise to her chest. The way that voice had sounded…she knew that something bad was going to happen. And this would be because she carried…Syaoran's baby? "I-I'll come with you," she immediately offered.

"No," Syaoran insisted. "You're staying here."

She shook her head. "But Syaoran-kun–"

He looked at her firmly, his mind made up. "Promise me you'll stay here."

Sakura frowned and opened her mouth to protest before Yelan touched her shoulder. "It's best that you do stay, Sakura-chan," Syaoran's mother said gently. "They might get even angrier at him if you show up with him."

Feeling helpless, Sakura and the rest of the people in the room watched as Syaoran slowly trudged out of the room, closing the door softly behind him.

So they finally know! And furthermore, the secret is about to be revealed! Stay tuned guys!

I wasn't sure when exactly you could first feel someone's aura (I don't know many people who have magic haha). But i figured 5-6 weeks was good. I've been doing research for this fic and that's when organs start to develop in a fetus. It's also the earliest that the woman could get morning sickness as well.

This fic reached over 100 reviews! Thank you so much! Your support really means a lot to me!