Intersections Chapter 7:

The usual disclaimer: I don't own the TRC and CCS characters, but I would date any of the guys there in a heartbeat, haha.

Thank you, thank you for the reviews and for reading! I can't believe this story has gotten over a thousand hits already! I really appreciate it, and to all who reviewed, here's a fast update. The story is actually done, but I like to fix and polish as I go along. Thanks, and once this story is complete, I will finish"Body Memories" (chapter 7 up) and begin the new one!

Author's note:

I have to explain something here. There is a theory that two versions of the same soul cannot coexist in a single world. When the balance is disrupted, one inevitably begins feeding off the other one's positive energy—usually the interloper.

The way to love anything is to realize that it might be lost. (G. K. Chesterton)

Good Night, Sweet Prince

It was a subdued group that traveled back to Tomoyo's home. Sakura was missing, as was Fai. Syao and the Princess, however, had become more relaxed, and she leaned against him on the way home. Syaoran watched them with satisfaction, and once at Tomoyo's house, Syaoran collapsed in a heap on the sofa in the drawing room, while Syao escorted the Princess to her room.

Tomoyo gave Syaoran a searching look, and seemed as though she were about to say something, but she shook her head, then left for her wing of the house.

Syao found that his earlier high had dissipated, leaving behind a warm feeling of contentment. Moments like these made his lonely quest to find the Princess' feathers worthwhile. I will remember this, he thought, all of this, and I will use this memory to become stronger. For her sake.

The Princess stood quietly in front of her bedroom door, and thanked him for the dances. He turned to leave, when...

"Syao-kun?"

"Yes, Prin...Saku?"

"I had fun tonight. With you." She was smiling softly at him, and Syao found himself smiling back.

"It's good when you smile," Princess Saku said. "I wish you would do that more often."

"For you, yes," he said gratefully. He wanted to touch her again, hold her hand, or, God, even kiss her. But Syao knew the moment had passed, and he did not want to force the Princess into anything she would not be ready for. Plus I bet King Touya would cross dimensions to chop me into cat meat if I ever did anything like that!

Which was why he was surprised when her hand slipped into his, and she came oh-so-close to him.

"Hold me. Please. Just for a while," Princess Saku asked him.

And Syao gratefully enfolded her into his arms, melting when he felt her arms snake around his waist and pull him closer as well. She leaned into him, drinking in his scent; Syao smelled like clean cotton and library books.

Syao bent down, and, as lightly as he could, kissed the Princess' hair. She looked up at him, not smiling anymore, but with a gentle look on her face. After what seemed like an eternity of drowning in those emerald-green depths, Syao realized that she was tiptoeing up...and Saku kissed his cheek tenderly.

"Good night, sweet prince," she whispered, then, reluctantly, she let his hand go and closed her door.

Syao stood in the darkness, a silly grin on his face, his fingers touching the place on his cheek where Princess Saku had kissed him.

"I love high school," he murmured.

And he came down to earth with a thud. When they found the feathers on this world, what would happen then?

Making My Other Self See Sense

"Why isn't Sakura here, boy?" Syaoran turned to see that Kurogane had come up behind him, eyeing him oddly.

"I..." And Syaoran finally realized what had been missing the whole night: Sakura. He remembered escorting her to the dance, but in the chaos of things, he never even noticed she was gone.

Kurogane saw the look of confusion cross Syaoran's face. Given the magician's absence so soon after the girl had vanished, he had put two and two together.

"Go to her. Now." There was no arguing with the ninja's tone.

"I can't." Syaoran bowed his head. "There's something I have to do. I have to help..."

"Something more important than the girl who loves you?" Kurogane interrupted as he raised his thick brows. "Boy, you are stupid. And here I thought you weren't." Snorting in annoyance, Kurogane left the room, brushing past Syao, who was on his way back.

Syaoran stood frozen, like a statue, in the middle of Tomoyo's living room. Syao took one look at him, and understood that something had gone wrong.

"Syaoran?" He strode over and shook Syaoran's shoulders. "Syaoran!" Syao called more loudly.

"I..." and Syaoran turned anguished eyes to Syao. "I think I just hurt Sakura."

Syao stood there, stunned. He'd been so wrapped up in the Princess and in the euphoria of the moment that he'd never noticed what was going on. But yes, Sakura had disappeared from Syaoran's side.

"Then you can apologize. She loves you. She will forgive you," Syao said.

"I can't! I have to...I mean, things are going so well between you and your Princess. I have to stay and make sure you find your happy ending." Syaoran's eyes were wild, and for a moment, Syao had to resist the impulse to run away from Syaoran.

Syaoran suddenly grabbed Syao by the shoulders.

"That day when we first sparred...what did you see that didn't make sense?"

"Uh..." and Syao thought back frantically. "I saw what I often see when I black out. A boy, looking just like me, trapped in some chamber. I thought I saw him beside you. It's just a recurring nightmare, really."

"You looked like you were someone else!" Syaoran raised his voice. "I've been reading. You say you have no memories, that you black out...I thought you might be a victim of a psychic attack or possession attempt. I've been trying to cast a spell to help you, but it hasn't been working."

Syao was aghast. "Syaoran. Listen to yourself. You can't control my destiny any more than I can yours. What are you doing?"

"I'm trying to help you!" Syaoran roared, and Syao stepped back warily. "When you came here, you looked tortured and unhappy. I was happy! And I want you to be like me--happy!"

Syao couldn't believe his ears. "Was happy! 'Was', Syaoran, 'was'! Can you hear yourself? Are you happy without Sakura right now?" Part of Syao was recoiling in shame; how dare he talk this way to the boy who had helped him so much?

But Syaoran was being a fool, and Syao owed it to him to tell him so. "Why does my happiness matter to you? Shouldn't Sakura's happiness be first? Didn't you tell me how, when you fought that last card, you were willing to give up 'your most cherished emotion' for her sake? Where is that feeling now?" Syao roared back.

"You ungrateful..." Syaoran was pacing the room restlessly, running his hands through his messy chocolate-colored hair. "You can't judge our relationship?"

"Judge? You should talk! You're the one who's meddling in mine, and destroying yours!" Syao roared back. This is not me! Why am I acting this way?

Syao turned away, and felt darkness descending over himself again. Had Syaoran been able to see Syao's face, he would have seen that strange expression coming into Syao's face again. When Syao spoke, his tone was flat and cold. "You deny the source of your power and turn your back on it. You weaken yourself."

Then he was back again. Syao cursed mentally for having blacked out in the middle of an argument. Thankfully, Syaoran was silent as well. Then, "Hey! Don't you appreciate the help I've given you?" Syaoran snarled.

Syao turned around. "Help? You know what makes it worse? Because tonight reminds me of what I've given up!" Syao screamed. "I can't fool myself that everything will be all right!" He ran his hands through his tousled bronze hair agitatedly. "Are there going to be school dances on the next world? Probably not. I can't get too close to the Princess because every time she manages to remember me, it all just disappears."

He took a step towards Syaoran, who unconsciously mirrored him. "You...you have someone who has loved you for six years. Six years! If we are indeed the same age, then you two fell in love when I had just been getting to know the Princess. What I'd give for that! No, I already have!"

Syaoran gestured wildly as he spoke. "I know what you've suffered. But you're another me, and I can help..."

"I'M NOT YOU!" Syao yelled. "God, why can't you understand that?"

The two boys now stood nose to nose, cheeks flushed in anger.

"I'm not you," Syao said quietly. "I have my own life, my own trials. You should be living your life. Not mine. I am not ungrateful. Far from it, Syaoran. But all this...the dance, the teenage things you've introduced me to...just shows me what I've given up. Can you understand that?"

Finally, blessedly, Syaoran began to breathe slower. Syao's words were getting through, and he was suddenly horrified at himself.

"I haven't called her in three days. I haven't kissed her in three days. I ignored her at the dance. I've never done these things to her before...and I promised I would just fall in love with her all over again if anything ever happened," Syaoran whispered.

"Then you should," Syao said in a strained tone. "Because...do you really want to know what it's like if she were no longer within your reach...like me and the Princess? To have a relationship that's neither here nor there?"

Their eyes met, and Syaoran saw how Syao was clenching his fists. Like me, he thought. Sakura told me I do that when I'm trying to suppress something.

Syaoran was surprised by the sudden flood of memories that came over him. Discovering Sakura was the Cardcaptor. Realizing that he was falling for her. Making that teddy bear for Sakura, counting stitches. The many times he'd tried to confess to her. The first time he'd called Sakura's name in that elevator. His joy upon realizing that not only had Sakura confessed her love for him, he also remembered who she was. Their first kiss.

And he whirled on the balls of his feet and sped towards Sakura's house, leaving Syao behind.

For the first time, Syaoran wept as he ran. How could he have been so stupid?

Little did he know that he was not the only boy that night with tears in his eyes.

Renewed Promises

Sakura tossed in her sleep, and finally sat up. She realized she'd fallen asleep in her ball gown, and she dragged herself to the bathroom to take it off. She cold-creamed her makeup off, rinsed her face, then brushed her teeth, and winced when she saw how red and swollen her eyes were. She couldn't remember having cried so hard since she thought she had lost Syaoran in that clock tower six years ago.

And that was when she heard a soft noise in her bedroom.

Damn it, she cursed. I left the Key and the Cards in my room! Annoyed at her lapse, she searched the toilet for a weapon, and since the only thing there was a newspaper, she rolled it up, switched off the light, and crept out.

Someone was standing above her bed, bending down towards the lump of pillows there.

Sakura brought the newspaper down hard on the person's head, and was surprised when she was wrestled easily to the bed, pinned down under her attacker's weight. She was about to scream for Syaoran when someone kissed her. Hard.

Without thinking, she brought her knee up the way Syaoran had taught her, and connected with an extremely sensitive part of her attacker's body. He moaned, and rolled off her. Sakura heard the moan, recognized the voice, then realized he smelled like pine and tea...like Syaoran!

"Syaoran!" she gasped, and she brought her hands up to her face. "I...I'm so sorry!" She switched on the lamp by her bed.

"Mmmff," was his weak response, and he smiled faintly. After a few seconds of panting, his face returned to its normal shade from the puce color it had been earlier.

"I guess I deserved that," he said. "I'm such an asshole."

"What?" Sakura was surprised by his language.

Syaoran sat up, and winced. "I guess I ruined the dance for you," he said. "Sakura, I am so sorry. Can you forgive me?"

Silence stretched out as Sakura looked down at him. The light was behind her, and Syaoran could not read her expression.

Sakura saw that Syaoran's eyes were swollen, just like hers. Could he have been crying too? She couldn't remember a time when he had ever cried in front of her.

She sat down carefully next to him.

"Yes, you ruined the dance," she began. "You ignored me for the past few days too. And you...you haven't given me a good night call for those days as well."

Her voice was still and small. Syaoran longed to touch her, but he didn't know if she would welcome any advances from him tonight, especially not since she was in her underwear...

Her underwear!

He stood up abruptly and turned around, blushing violently. "Sakura!"

"Huh?"

"Y...You...your..." and he pointed a shaking finger at her clothing, or lack thereof.

Syaoran is stammeringSakura couldn't believe her ears. The last time he'd stammered was on their first date. And for heaven's sake, what was he pointing at? She looked down, then turned beet red, and fled into the toilet with a loud "Hoee!"

He waited patiently for her to come back. Syaoran was embarrassed; he'd never really noticed just how well-built Sakura was, and he was annoyed at himself for noticing. Then he heard her call him.

"Sakura?"

"Um..." and her hand waved from the bathroom door. "I forgot...could you give me my big nightshirt? It's draped over the chair in front of my study table."

Nightshirt, he thought, and found a violently pink, thick nightshirt right where she said it would be. He handed it to her, and waited.

When she came out of the bathroom, they both blushed.

"I'm sorry, Sakura. I don't know what came over me," Syaoran began. "I just wanted to help Syao, and then things..."

Sakura discovered that she did not want to hear it, but she did want him to kiss her.

"Shut up."

"What?"

"Shut up," Sakura said softly.

Syaoran shut up, then, "Does this mean you're breaking up with me?" His heart ached as he said the words.

"What?" Sakura almost yelled, and Syaoran clamped a hand over her mouth.

"Are you stupid?" she asked in a fierce whisper.

"I am! I'm the stupidest guy in the world. That's why I'm here, and that's why I'm apologizing!" Syaoran shot back.

"Why would I want to break up with you?"

Syaoran couldn't believe his ears. "You don't? Really?"

The bedroom, which had seemed so dark and gray earlier, was in Syaoran's point of view suddenly filled with light.

"When I said I loved you, I meant it," Sakura said crossly, and she pouted. Then she gasped when Syaoran lifted her up, spun her around, then kissed her. Hard.

"Oh how I've missed you," Syaoran said, when they came up for air. "I'm such an idiot..."

"Stop saying that. I already know it," she teased.

"Good thing. Now," and Syaoran rubbed her nose with his, "am I forgiven?"

"You really are an idiot," she grumbled, but that was all she got out before Syaoran crushed her lips with his again.

0-0-0

Syaoran woke up when the sunlight streamed into his eyes. He raised an arm to ward it off when he realized that his arm was white.

My God, I'm still wearing that Prince costume!

He was about to stand up when he realized two things. First, he wasn't in his own room. This room was pink and peach. Second, he couldn't move because someone adorable was asleep on his arm, using it as a pillow.

A hot flush crept over Syaoran's cheeks when he realized that he'd literally slept with Sakura. He tried to disentangle himself, frantic with fear. Someone might say I took advantage of her!

"Don't worry." Syaoran's hair stood on end when he heard someone else speak. "I was here. You two didn't do anything except, ugh, kiss. A lot." Kero-chan was digging into a cupcake as he spoke. He slurped his paws, then, "Good thing neither of you snore."

"I..." Syaoran blushed again. "I should be going home now."

"Don't," Kero-chan said. "I think it would be better if she wakes up and finds you there. She's missed you, ya know?"

"Yeah, I'm an idiot of the highest degree. I know that. I came here to make up with her," Syaoran said.

"Well, if you two are making out, I'm leaving."

"How did you get that cupcake?" Syaoran asked. A whiff of Sakura's cherry blossom scent wafted up to him, and he inhaled. God but he had missed her! "What if Sakura's dad saw you?"

"Sakura's dad isn't home. Not that I'm telling you to do anything indecent," Kero-chan swallowed the last of the cupcake, "but I'd make good use of the time if I were you." He flew out of the room, closing the door behind him.

Syaoran lay back again, and Sakura curled into him, murmuring in her sleep. He stroked her hair, and thought, I so owe Syao for this one.

"Syaoran?" She opened her beautiful eyes sleepily.

"I'm here, Sakura," Syaoran said, and he kissed her forehead.

"I'm glad you're here," she said.

"So am I. The next time you see me acting the way I did," Syaoran said, "feel free to give me another kick in the you-know-where."

"Are you ever going to stop apologizing?" Sakura covered her head with a pillow.

"No. Because I can't imagine what would happen if you don't forgive me."

"I already have." Her voice was muffled by the pillow.

Syaoran gently raised the pillow, throwing it to one side. He bent down, and kissed Sakura gently.

"Mmm. That was nice. What was that for?" she asked.

"I just wanted to remind myself of what it was like to kiss you."

"We did that all night, last night," she giggled.

"Not enough. I have to remember what it's like to almost lose you," he said sorrowfully.

She raised a hand to his cheek. "You won't."

He kissed her hand as well. "I love you, Sakura Kinomoto. Do you know that?"

"I love you too, Syaoran Li. Now quit being sappy," she said lightly.

"I don't care. I'll be sappy all I like," he sassed back. "But really, I do."

"I know." They nuzzled together, then both sat up quickly, sensing yet another magical presence.

The book where the Sakura cards had been kept was glowing. On top was the last card they had transformed together, and now, something was coming out of it. Sakura and Syaoran watched as a feather drifted out of the card, and floated lazily towards them. They caught it together.

"Is this what I think it is?" Sakura asked.

"It is." And Syaoran laid it gently on Sakura's bedside table.

She stood up. "We have to get dressed and bring it to the Princess!"

A hand pulled her back down on the bed.

"Never mind that. It can wait," Syaoran said as he rolled her under him. "Some things...some people...are more important. I learned that last night," and he kissed her yet again.

"And you figured that out yourself?" she asked teasingly.

"So to speak." And Syaoran bent down, vowing to always remember what mattered most.

And In The Meantime...

"Mekkyo!" Mokona suddenly started in the middle of breakfast.

"Where is it?" Syao was suddenly alert.

"I can't get a clear fix on it...but it feels..." and Mokona concentrated for a moment, "kinda lovey dovey."

"What does that mean?" Syao asked, puzzled.

"I have no idea. But it's coming from that direction," and she pointed.

"Good, I've been bored," Kurogane said, having just sauntered into the breakfast room.

"I don't sense any danger," Mokona said curiously.

"I'll go look for it," Syaoran said.

"I'll go with you!" Mokona leapt onto Syaoran's shoulder, and they set off.

When Fai stood up and stretched, he said, "I think I'll go help him."

"No you won't," Kurogane growled, and grabbed Fai's arm. "Where were you last night?"

"Aww, Kuro-tan is jealous of my night life," Fai said.

"Are you meddling again?" Kurogane kept a steady gaze fixed on Fai.

"No idea what you're talking about," Fai said calmly.

Fai and Kurogane stared at each other for a few moments, then Kurogane released the mage.

"You better not have had anything to do with what happened to Sakura and the boy," Kurogane said, never dropping his gaze from Fai's eyes.

A soft cough interrupted them. Tomoyo had entered the kitchen. She eyed the plates, then said, "I can have more breakfast prepared if you're going to fight over the pancakes," she smiled.

Kurogane and Fai knew better than to point out that she very well knew they weren't fighting over pancakes. But Tomoyo was so perceptive, almost frighteningly so, that Fai decided to pick up a fork and sit down again.

"You saved me from the big mean greedy puppy! Thank you!" he said cheerfully.

Kurogane snorted in annoyance, and walked out.

Tomoyo sat across Fai, her beautiful violet eyes inscrutable. Fai could not tear his gaze away from her.

"I like it when people try to help others," she said in her soft voice. "Especially Syao and Princess Saku. But sometimes," and she poured herself some tea, "some other people get hurt in the process."

"Sometimes it's inevitable, Tomoyo-chan," Fai smiled at her.

"Ah, but what if the person who is trying to help is the one who ends up hurting himself?" Tomoyo continued stirring her tea. "I would think that sometimes, one has to be selfish in order to avoid hurting others. Ne?"

She stood up, smiled at Fai, and left him alone in the breakfast room, staring off into the distance.