LOL, was this fast enough? Well, I once again told you that the next chapter would be
up. Before I say anything, I REALLY have to thank every single sweet person who's
read this story and commented on it...especially at Fanfiction.Net. *cries* I've almost
got one hundred reviews there! And this is only my second E+T fic ever, too....you are
ALL so nice, and I can't thank you enough. I especially have to thank you for putting
up with the seemingly pointless mush...this chapter finally gets back into the plot,
though ^_^. Sure, it has mush too, but still...you'll see ^~. I really hope you enjoy it,
and once again, thank you SO much.



Disclaimer: *sighs* I ...don't own Card Captor Sakura, nor Celine Dion's 'Beauty and the
Beast', nor 'The Simple Things', by Rebecca Lynn Howard and Jim Brickman.
All fabulous artists that I can never be, but will forever worship ^^*














TALE AS OLD AS TIME











*~Ever as before
Ever just as sure
As the sun will rise...~*








The evening was upon the world, beams of multicoloured sunset streaming in through
the window of the room which belonged to one Daidouji Tomoyo.

Who, at present, was studying herself in the mirror, incredibly tentative and embarrased.
Not at herself, of course -- at what she was wearing; a long violet gown with billowy
sleeves and which reached past her ankles.

For the first time within Hiiragizawa Manor, she was wearing something that wasn't
hers.

Tomoyo couldn't take it anymore, and whirled to look at the chocolate haired Akizuki
Nakuru. "Nakuru-san, isn't this a bit much?" she asked frantically. "I'm only eating
supper with you all. This is far too formal."

Nakuru shook her head, a bright smile fixed on her face. "Of course it is special, Tomoyo-
chan!" she insisted. "This is to celebrate you and the Master becoming closer."
Tomoyo blushed faintly at that, turning back to the mirror. "Whatever do you mean by
that, Nakuru-san?" she asked flustered. "Of course we've become closer -- I've learned
so much about him lately, even if he HAS kidnapped me."

The truth of those words rang through her heart -- while it seemed on the outside that
nothing had ever changed between now and a few weeks ago...somehow, Hiiragizawa
Eriol seemed like a whole new person, if she looked carefully. A whole new person that
she enjoyed very much.

And maybe, just maybe, she had become a whole new person as well.

"We've been friends for days, however, and you know that," she continued. "What is
so different now?"

Nakuru clucked her tongue, shaking her head. "It's to celebrate the Master finally being
so happy -- and all because of you," she squealed. "It's so amazing...I've honestly
never seen Eriol-sama like this. You should have seen him in the kitchen -- so dedicated
to everything he was doing, and making it the absolute best he could.." She glanced
at Tomoyo slyly. "Whatever it is you're doing to him, it must be great."

Tomoyo's jaw dropped. "Nakuru-san!" she protested. "What a thing to say. We're...
friends."
"A friend he cares for very much," Nakuru said smartly, nodding her head in satisfaction.

Tomoyo fiddled with a piece of the satin material of the dress. Eriol's own creation
would know what he was thinking better than anyone...needless to say, it was very
flattering that she had come to mean so much to Hiiragizawa-kun. He meant a lot to
her as well...she hadn't been so close to anyone like this, other than Sakura-chan.

Of course, Tomoyo wasn't so dense that she had completely missed Nakuru's implied
meaning. But she didn't think she minded much.

"Tomoyo-chan, you look BEAUTIFUL!" Nakuru gasped, her eyes shining. Tomoyo turned
away from the mirror, looking down at the dress as Nakuru gaped over it. "Just like a
princess."

"Where did you find this, anyway?" Tomoyo wanted to know.
"Eriol-sama made it for me," Nakuru said matter-of-factly. "A couple years ago. But it's
too small for me...just perfect for you, though. And it goes SO well with your eyes,
and your hair, and your skin tone..." Nakuru sighed in utter bliss again. "You're even
cuter than Sakura-chan!"

Tomoyo flushed again at the compliment, at even being remotely connected to the
cuteness of her best friend. "Really, Nakuru-san..."
"No, I'm serious!" the other girl insisted, sitting up on the bed. "I mean, Sakura-chan
does look extremely cute in those outfits you make for her, but you look fabulous as
well! So beautiful..." Her eyes went starry again. "Can't wait to see what Eriol-sama
thinks!"

Tomoyo didn't even want to go there -- she simply sat down on the edge of the bed
next to Nakuru, drew her knees up, deep in thought. She glanced out the window --
the town of Tomoeda lay below...she hadn't seen it in so long. Yet here she was,
about to go to dinner with the boy who had kidnapped her...and enjoying herself.

Yes, enjoying herself. Even she herself couldn't get over the change in Eriol...nor the
change in herself whenever she was around him. As if she was letting everything go..
she had NEVER told anyone else about her love for Sakura-chan, not even her own
mother...yet he knew everything. Only because it was near impossible to hide anything
from him.

"Tomoyo-chan?" Nakuru broke her out of her thoughts; she was watching her worriedly.
"Tomoyo-chan...everything's going to be okay."
Tomoyo just smiled. "Of course they will be." She stood up. "Don't worry Nakuru-san;
tonight will be fun..won't it?"

"Yes, it will," Nakuru seconded, a twinkle in her eyes. Then she bounded over to the
dresser and pulled out two silver-purple hair clips. "These will do very nicely," she
said ecstatically, presenting them to Tomoyo. "Purple is SO your colour."

"I REALLY think this is a bit much--"
"Nonsense. Now just hold still. You'll be gorgeous."

After Nakuru had finished setting her hair, she stepped back, looking at her masterpiece.
"Forget princess...you look like a GODDESS!" she near screamed.
Tomoyo looked into the mirror, and winced. Granted, even she had to admit that she
looked lovely...but this was STILL too much for a simple dinner, wasn't it?

Before she could protest again, however, Nakuru bounced toward the door. "I have to
check up on something. But come down in a couple minutes, okay?" Then she was
gone.

Tomoyo sighed, still staring at the closed door. Then she leaned against the dresser,
thinking again about the slight tug-of-war that had been going on in her mind since
the beginning of the day.

Sakura-chan. Eriol-kun.

When had Eriol come to mean as much to her as Sakura did? That was what was
bothering her; she hadn't even seen it coming. Because Eriol now seemed to be equal
to Sakura in her mind..and Sakura meant more to her than anything...

Now she was officially scared. Because it was so sure and set in her mind.

She was in love. All over again.






"Spinel, what is up with this?" demanded Eriol, glaring at his sun creation, and then
down at the light blue and black dressy outfit he was wearing. He had only ever worn
it once, that day that Tsukishiro-san had rejected Sakura. "I still think this is a
bit overboard--"

"I'm under strict orders, Eriol-sama," Spinel said with a smirk, leading him to the bottom
of the staircase.
"You're supposed to take orders from me," Eriol grumbled. "And since when did you start
listening to Nakuru?"

Since she started making sense, Spinel responded silently, but figured that that reply
would not go over well with the Master. Eriol was already edgy enough about tonight,
especially after Spinel had dressed him up like this.

"It's for your own good," Spinel simply told him.
Eriol sighed, rubbing his temples in circular patterns. "Spinel, for the last time...if you're
trying to set me up with Daidouji-san, she's already in love--"

"Oh, just like you were 'in love' with Mizuki-sensei," Spinel muttered.
Eriol's eyes darkened. "And what is that supposed to mean?"
"Eriol-sama, you really need to look deeper into the real picture, if you think 'love' is
what Daidouji-san feels for Sakura-san," was all Spinel would say. "You shall understand."

And then HE was gone, sailing into the kitchen deftly, to avoid any other questions.
Eriol lowered his head, sighing in defeat. Shoot..now he couldn't even TRY to hide his
feelings anymore..because what he felt for Tomoyo was too big to hide.

But there was no questions about it; he HAD to hide it from her. Because he didn't want
her to be hurt...or go through something similar to what HE had gone through when
Kaho had rejected him.

And now that he thought about it...Kaho. Now he finally saw what she had meant --
because compared to this, his feelings for Kaho were small beans.

He glanced up from the carpet when he felt, rather than heard Nakuru skipping down
the staircase.
"Tomoyo-chan's coming in just a while!" she told him happily. He raised an eyebrow
at her suspiciously; so THIS was what she had planned?

"Just wait right here for her," Nakuru ordered, leaning against the railing easily and
glancing at the top of the staircase expectantly.

A moment later, what seemed to be a blur of purple ran out from one of the doors,
then stopped abruptly at the top of the stairs. Eriol blinked slowly as Tomoyo came
into view, wide eyed. She was staring down at him in what seemed to be shock, not
that he could identify it.

She was Aphrodite. Literally.

There was simply no other way to describe it.

Nakuru gazed from one to the other, and then clamped a hand over her mouth to
stifle her triumphant and exuberant squeal of satisfaction, not wanting to ruin the
picturesque moment. It was like out of a fairy tale...even with all this careful planning,
she NEVER would have expected this from Eriol-sama. She could practically see his
heart melting as all the walls he'd built around it crumbled like Jericho.

Tomoyo was the first to snap out of her daze, burying her face in her hands to attempt
to gain a bit of control over the situation that had suddenly spun out of control. She
should have stayed in her room, said she was sick or something...

"I-I'm sorry, I know," she stammered the first thing that came to mind. "It's a bit much..
I TOLD Nakuru-san--"

Nakuru glanced at Eriol, who had shaken off the stun spell as well. "But really, Eriol-sama.
What do YOU have to say about this?" she asked mischeviously.
Eriol glared at her as Tomoyo descended the stairs VERY hesitantly. "I have to say
that you and Spinel Sun are way out of line..." he turned to Tomoyo as she stepped
up beside him, also giving Nakuru a glare.

Nakuru simply winked and took off in the same direction Spinel had disappeared in.

Tomoyo kept her eyes glued on the floor, not even needing to look up to feel his
probing gaze; those dark sapphire orbs were always intense like that. She also didn't
want to look up for fear of getting trapped gazing at him again and making a fool of
herself -- he shouldn't be ALLOWED to look that good. He had cheated somehow...she
didn't know how, but he had SOMEHOW cheated on their promise and made her fall in
love with him.

And now she was completely powerless to him, because she had no idea how he really
felt about her.

"Y..You look very nice." She hated herself for stammering again.
The playful smile played across his face again. "And you look....stunning."

She buried her face in her hands again; there he went -- how was she supposed to
NOT fall in love with him? She was only human...it was so unfair..life was always unfair
like this.

This isn't love, the sensible half of her mind corrected. For sure she was simply respond-
ing the way anyone would to his flirtations -- she was already in love. And she wasn't
so shallow as to be in love with two people at once. It was just a crush, that's all. And
once she saw Sakura-chan again, it would all be over, because she would know with
absolute certainty.

That thought sent another pang through her -- if that was the case, she hoped she
saw Sakura again soon..

"Daidouji-san?"
Tomoyo blinked, realizing that Eriol was watching her with concern. She smiled weakly.
"It's nothing, Hiiragizawa-kun," she said dismissively. "I was just thinking about some-
thing."

Nakuru's voice came from the dining room. "Come ON, you two! You can flirt all you
want once you're at the table."

Tomoyo pretended not to hear that part.
Eriol offered her his arm. "Shall we go, Daidouji Tomoyo?" he asked, still with that
mischevious smirk. She glanced at him in surprise, taking his arm.
"Why that name?" she asked.

"Can I call you Tomoyo, just for tonight?" he asked, rather tentatively, for him anyway.
Tomoyo blinked at the strange request, but then gave him a smirk of her own. "Only if
I can call you Eriol-kun," she replied. "It's not fair that Sakura-chan gets to call you
that, when I'm the one living with you, not to mention the fact that you've been
attacking her."

Eriol seemed greatly amused by that, his eyes glittering in laughter. Tomoyo was struck
once again by the change in him when he was like this -- not holding any secrets back
in the depths of his eyes, but completely carefree and...innocent. And truly innocent --
Tomoyo knew him enough to recognize that things got dangerous when Eriol got
"innocent", but she wasn't sensing any real danger now, except for that mischevious
streak of his.

"All right then," he agreed, brandishing a violet from his garden from seemingly out of
nowhere. He stuck it in her hair. "Ms. Tomoyo."
Tomoyo quirked an eyebrow. "Why THAT name?" she asked curiously.
"That's what you would be called if you lived in England," Eriol explained, steering her
toward the dining room. "Has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?"

Tomoyo shook her head with a chuckle. "I never figured you one for pet names,
Hiiragizawa-kun," she murmured. "I suppose England must be really nice."

Eriol's reply never came as they both wandered into the dining room and stopped
short, staring around.

The room was dimly lit, with the lights down low in the far corner of the room, and
the rest of it lit by the candlelight on the table. The sunset was just slipping even
lower down the horizon, creating a rather beautiful picture -- if it hadn't been planned
and meant for them. There were only two places set at the table, at opposite corners.

Tomoyo met Eriol's eyes, both coming to the same conclusion.
"I knew it," sighed Eriol.
"Well, I suppose it doesn't take extreme genius," Tomoyo murmured, staring at the
setting. "They're not being very subtle."

The door that connected the dining room to the kitchen swung open, and Nakuru
sailed in, made up like a waitress. She smiled a beaming grin at them. "Good evening!"

"Nakuru, what the heck is this?" Eriol demanded with very strained patience.
Nakuru ushered them both to their respective places at the dining table, all the while
seeming completely innocent. "It's supper, Eriol-sama."

"Um, why aren't you and Spinel-san eating with us?" Tomoyo wanted to know, already
hating the answer.
"Suppi-chan says that he's tired," Nakuru replied smoothly. "Remember, I interrupted his
nap this afternoon? And I...um, I'm just going on diet! I REALLY want Touya-kun to
notice me, and I have this fantastic plan! Now you two just sit here, and we'll be right
back!" She was gone before either of them could say anything else.

Eriol mentally reminded himself to stop lying so expertly around his creations; it was
rubbing off on them. If Tomoyo hadn't known otherwise, she would almost have believed
Nakuru.

"That's the lamest excuse I've ever heard," Eriol muttered, sliding into the chair. "Nakuru
doesn't need to go on diet -- I MADE her. She can't gain weight!"

Tomoyo giggled at him from across the table. "Yes, I had to admit that there was
something fishy about Spinel-san catching such a sudden case of exhaustion; he was
animated enough a mere few hours ago." She studied the setting again. "Table for two,
dinner by candlelight. You have to hand it to them..are you sure Nakuru-san's never
played matchmaker before? Even I never would have thought of this for Li-kun and
Sakura-chan."

"Nakuru tends to go a bit over the extreme," Eriol explained dryly. Tomoyo nodded in
understanding.

The kitchen door once again opened, and a large basket of garlic bread seemed to
float toward them. On closer inspection, they realized that it was actually being carried
by Spinel Sun.

"Aren't you supposed to be asleep?" Eriol demanded in annoyance. Spinel seemed to
blanch for a moment. "Um...Ruby Moon woke me up; apparently, this is too much for
her to handle alone." He quickly darted back into the kitchen.

"Such experienced liars," Tomoyo appraised, shaking her head. "At least I know where
they get it from."
Eriol grinned, wincing mockingly. "Ouch. Now that one hurt, Ms. Tomoyo."

Tomoyo couldn't stop the shudder that ran down her spine at the way he said her
name, his pet name for her, no less. If ONLY it were a shudder of terror...
"As well it should," she replied to his statement, proud with herself for not missing a
beat. "It's only the truth."

Eriol just smirked, and then gestured to the bread on the table. Reaching out, he took
one and tried it. He frowned. "So they're making this a cultural dinner."
"Either that or just plain Italian," Tomoyo seconded, having reached out and grabbed
a piece for herself to try.

"Nakuru always did love the Italian kitchen," Eriol remarked ruefully. "And it is Spinel's
favourite next to Japanese -- he hates sweets, but he loves the different spices used in
Italian food."
"My favourite, other than home-cooked naturally, has always been French," Tomoyo told
him with a smile. "And Italian is very good also."

"Interesting," Eriol mused.
"What?"
"French is my favourite as well," he told her with a smile back.
Tomoyo just looked down at her plate, trying to ignore the fact that they had yet
another thing in common.

Nakuru sailed back into the room, balancing a tray on her hand. Setting it down on a
small stool next to the table, she calmly placed a glass of water, and a teacup in front
of each of them; she put the teapot in the center of the table. Then she smiled sweetly
at them. "You two don't have to stop talking just because I'm here," she told them.

At Eriol's withering look, she quickly gathered up the tray and the stool and scurried
back into the kitchen.

"I never knew Nakuru-san was such a good waitress," Tomoyo murmured laughingly.
"She's done it before; remember that field trip we took to the water park?"
Tomoyo smirked slightly. "Ah yes, where you nearly drowned poor Rika-chan."
He winced again. "That hurt too; you really wound me."

She simply stuck her tongue out at him; it created a surreal image against the
candlelight. Even from the other side of the table, he could still see the hooded gleam
of her liquid amethyst eyes, shining in the firelight.

Dazzling.

But he really shouldn't think that way.






The two were in the middle of a discussion about England -- basically where they had
left off before entering the dining room -- when Nakuru and Spinel brought the main
course meal in. All truth be told, the two had certainly gone all out for this little scheme.
Eriol KNEW he'd had a right to be suspicious when Nakuru had announced that she had
gone grocery shopping.

But they could have done a lot worse. This entire night could have been so much worse
-- he and Tomoyo could have been sitting in silence with nothing to say to each other.
But that wasn't the case at all. Eriol had always found it easy to talk to Tomoyo
whenever they'd ended up together over the past week, but it was easiest of all this
evening -- he hadn't ever opened up to anyone the way he was to Tomoyo right now.

Who, by the way, was laughing at an offhanded comment he had just made about his
cute descendant. A couple days ago, Eriol had only just noticed that Tomoyo's laugh
was a very nice sound. Now, it was obviously the best thing he'd ever heard -- it made
him want to laugh as well.

"I KNEW there was a reason you always seem to pick on Li-kun," Tomoyo giggled. "You
singled him out from all the other boys in the class."

"Really Tomoyo-san, can you tell me that it isn't fun to torment him?" he asked
mischeviously, knowing perfectly well that she couldn't; he had seen the way she would
torture him during one of her various matchmaking schemes.

Tomoyo smiled wryly. "Well, it IS a lot of fun to play with Li-kun," she admitted. "I guess
I can't blame you for something I am guilty of myself."
"So true."

"But I do it for a good reason," Tomoyo protested. "He is so in love with Sakura-chan,
he can't even see straight when she's around! And I know Sakura-chan feels something
for him as well...but she does tend to be a bit dense; she just doesn't realize it yet. So
I want him to get her to figure it out before it's too late."

Eriol watched her seriously. "Doesn't it bother you?" he asked her curiously.
"What?" Tomoyo asked, feining confusion, though she became serious as well.
"The fact that Sakura-san and Li-kun nearly belong to each other...and you.."

She shook her head before he could finish, already knowing what he was saying. "I
told you before, Eriol-kun -- if Sakura-chan is happy, that's enough for me. And it's
also enough for me simply being in love -- that is happiness as well." She studied him
from across the table. "Haven't you ever felt that before?" This was said carefully --
she sensed that he had, and it had ended painfully.

He glanced away, a bit of his frigid air returning for the first time that evening. "I don't
know," he murmured. "Because I can't tell the difference between that and a simple
crush. That's just it -- how are you supposed to know?" Frustration was creeping into
his voice, as if he were once again trying to settle an old dispute.

"Eriol-kun..."
Tomoyo stood up from her seat, ignoring the rest of the food on her plate, and slid
into a chair right beside his. As he turned to her in surprise, she gently reached for his
hand and grasped it in her own in her lap, the way she did to Sakura-chan when she
wanted to comfort her.

Eriol was using his whole being to fight down the flush that threatened to erupt in
his cheeks. "What?" he asked archly.
Tomoyo didn't say anything, just continued to look at him steadily. And Eriol couldn't
stand up against those violet orbs for long.

He sighed, and proceeded to tell her all about Kaho. Everything.

Neither of them noticed when Nakuru and Spinel quietly slunk into the room and remained
in the shadows as they listened to their master open his heart to the violet-haired
girl. They could only glance from him to each other in surprise -- this was considered
Eriol's deepest, darkest secret; he hated it when even THEY mentioned the incident.






When he was done, Eriol couldn't meet Tomoyo's gaze, the familiar confusion, pain and
anger welling up inside of him. Until he felt her gently put her arms around him in a soft
hug -- now he couldn't control the blush at all as her body pressed up against his.
Damn, now he was acting like Li-kun.

Tomoyo pulled back, simply looking at him and not saying anything; her heart welled
with sympathy for Eriol, who after being such a powerful magician, had fallen in love
for the first time, and then have been told that it WASN'T love at all...and then coming
to the conclusion that there was no such thing as real love, and if there was, he never
would be able to feel it because he was...not himself. Because he was the reincarnation
of a powerful magician.

Then she took his hand, and though he was surprised he didn't protest as she led him
out of the dining room and into the ballroom. She led him right up to the piano.
"Ms. Tomoyo? What exactly--"

"Would you like to play that piece of yours?" she asked calmly, tilting her head slightly
as she regarded him carefully. He furrowed his brow in deepening confusion. "Um..why?"
"Please just trust me," Tomoyo responded, arranging herself in the usual spot by the
grand piano. "I'll sing the words for you again."

Eriol just watched her, deciding not to comment as she leaned against the piano,
closing her eyes. He looked down at the piano, remembering the tune and calling it
from within his memory -- he very rarely needed music sheets to play the piano. Neither
of them noticed when both Nakuru and Spinel snuck again into the ballroom, again
staying in the dark shadows as they spied on them -- by stroke of genius, the
ballroom was also low in light as well.

Eriol began to play, and after a few bars, Tomoyo joined in.


~Hey
Time won't wait
Life goes by
Every day's a brand new sky~


Eriol was still in confusion about what exactly THIS was supposed to teach him, but
he simply decided to just let himself get lost in the music and in Tomoyo's beautiful
voice -- strange, how long it seemed since he had heard it, even though it had been
less than a week ago.


~Every tear
Comes to dry
All that really matters in this crazy world
Is you and I together, just remember~


In the shadows of the ballroom, Spinel and Nakuru glanced at each other; Spinel was
nodding in approval, while a happy beam was highlighting Nakuru's expressions -- so
this was the song their Master and his best friend had written together; it was simple
to tell. It was so very different from the music that Eriol-sama usually was prone to
producing.

"How adorable!" Nakuru squealed-whispered.


~The first leaves off the tree
The way you look at me
A thousand chiming churchbells ring
The simple things are free
The sun, the moon, the stars
The beating of two hearts
How I love the simple things,
The simple things just are~


And Eriol's two creations actually got the message -- the lesson -- Tomoyo was trying
to send to their master before he did. Nakuru's face lit up with even more bliss, if that
was possible, as Spinel continued to nod in satisfaction now. And here Eriol had been
trying to deny that he was in love with Tomoyo -- how could he possibly not be? She
had managed to do just what they'd been trying to do for the past two years, ever
since Kaho. Now if he would just take the lesson...


~So here we go
Let's just dance
Teach my soul
To take this chance~


Finally, the song was beginning to sound just a little too familiar...and not because he
and Tomoyo had written it...mostly because it seemed to..relate to his situation right
now?

Now there was even more confusion than ever. He wasn't completely dense -- he could
hear the words of the song and knew that they were trying to tell him something..


~Put my heart
In your hands
Out of all the moments that we leave behind
Turn around and tell me that you'll remember~


She had always been one for the simple things in life...despite all her wiseness, she
never ignored the little things that people usually paid no attention to -- on the contrary,
she acted as if they were the major things in life. And she had somehow managed to
rub that onto Eriol...or else perhaps make him notice that he had always been that way
as well?

The lesson became clear to him. And he smiled.


~The thunder and the rain
The way you say my name
After all the clouds go by
The simple things remain
The sun, the moon, the stars
The beating of two hearts
How I love the simple things,
The simple things just are~


And as the song drew to a close, Nakuru clapped silently in the shadows. "They deserve
a Grammy for that one," she whispered dreamily.

Back at the piano, Tomoyo trailed off, the way the song was directed, and then opened
her eyes after the silence. She smiled at Eriol. "Do you understand now?"
He simply nodded, and her smile turned to satisfaction. "She was wrong to say that it
was a simple crush -- there really is no such thing as a 'crush'. Just different various
levels of love...but they are the same emotion."

Once again, Eriol had to marvel on how wise Tomoyo-san was.

Applause came from the side, and Nakuru bounded into the dim light a moment later,
Spinel hanging from her long braid. "That was AMAZING you two!" she cried, hugging
them both.

Their Master and the amethyst eyed girl simply stared at them for a moment, before
Tomoyo sighed, sitting down on the piano bench and deciding to simply give up.
"Do I even need to ask why you two were spying on us?" Eriol asked wearily, leaning
against the grand instrument.

Spinel shook his head. "You most likely shouldn't," he suggested. Eriol nodded, taking
his suggestion.

Nakuru clapped her hands together one last time, briskly. "Well, what would you two
like to do now?" she asked quickly.
"I suppose 'leaving' would be a wrong answer?" Tomoyo asked in a dry tone, shaking
her head slightly. Nakuru grinned. "Ditto."

"Well..." Tomoyo was instantly alert at the mischevious tone in Eriol-kun's voice..but
she didn't pay it too much attention. Until he spoke again, turning to her in definite
sneakiness. "We COULD always dance. And before you say anything, Tomoyo-san, I
should tell you now that it would be futile to insist that you don't dance."

Tomoyo froze at that, and at the undertone she heard in his voice. Then she shot up
from the piano bench, staring at him wide-eyed before glaring in disapproval. "Eriol-kun!"
she cried. "You should have TOLD me you were there that night!"

"But you would have stopped," Eriol pointed out in an innocently obvious tone, a pleased
smirk decorating his figures. Tomoyo groaned, burying her face in her hands. "No
kidding," she muttered.

"Well?" Eriol asked, holding out a hand to her. "May I have this dance, Ms. Tomoyo?"
Tomoyo hesitated for just a moment, before taking his hand gently, letting him help
her up. "But I don't want anyone else to see," she quickly insisted.

"Okay!" Nakuru was practically melting in happiness that her master and the mistress
of the house were going to DANCE together, just like a true romance movie, she didn't
even care what she agreed to. What they didn't know couldn't possibly hurt them.

She bounced over to the shelves of cds. "What would you to like to dance to?" she
asked.
Tomoyo considered. "Well, that night I was listening to Savage Garden--" she began.
Eriol shook his head instantly. "That's not fair, Ms. Tomoyo. Because it would be just
the same as last night...and I want to see what else you can do."

Tomoyo glanced at him. "The only other forms of dancing I do are ballet impressionism,
and modern impressionism."
"Well then how about waltz impressionism?" he asked slyly.
Tomoyo narrowed her eyes at him. "I've never done that..."
"I'm sure you'd have no problem with it, Tomoyo-san."

Nakuru, who had been sifting through the various discs, smiled in delighted satisfaction
as she pulled one out. "I've got one!" she told them triumphantly. Skipping over to the
stereo player, she put it in, humming a tune -- too bad no one paid any real attention
to WHAT she was humming.

When the music spewed out softly into the ballroom, Eriol and Tomoyo glanced at each
other, eyebrow raised. "Beauty and the Beast," Eriol muttered. "How...fitting.."
"That's really not fair," Tomoyo began, but then he put an arm around her waist, taking
her other hand...and effectively silencing her. Quickly remembering what she HAD been
taught about waltzing, she placed her other arm around his shoulders.


~Tale as old as time
True as it can be~


Nakuru smirked at them, quickly plucking Spinel out of her hair and safely in her grasp.
"We'll just be leaving now," she told them softly.

If they hadn't already been lost to each other, they probably would have noticed that
the ballroom doors never did open or shut.


~Barely even friends
Then somebody bends
Unexpectedly~


Tomoyo turned to look up at Eriol with a dry look. "We were definetly set up," she told
him.
He nodded. "I never thought that Nakuru would have done this so...efficiently," he
replied. "Usually by this time the scheme would have gotten far out of hand."
"You mean it hasn't already?" she demanded.


~Just a little change
Small to say the least~


Eriol didn't know how to reply to that for a moment -- if 'out of hand' meant actually
starting to work...and in this case, it probably did. Because he never would have fallen
for Daidouji Tomoyo...or would he have? They had barely talked before...but just whose
fault was it that she had just happened to be wandering around in the forest at that
particular time on that particular night?

"If you'd ever witnessed one of Nakuru's earlier schemes, you'd know that this is
practically nothing to what she's capable of," he responded to her earlier statement,


~Both a little scared
Neither one prepared
Beauty and the Beast~


Tomoyo wasn't sure what to do when he pulled her slightly closer..it was just for one
of the dance steps, but still...she resolved on simply keeping her eyes on her feet to
make it seem as if she were making sure that she was doing the dance right, even
though the steps seemed to come naturally to her. She was better at impressionism
waltzing than she thought she was.

Or maybe that was because of him?


~Ever just the same
Ever a surprise~


They stepped back from each other, still held together by both their hands, however.
Then she glided easily behind him, coming around to the other side...all the while being
extra careful not to look up at him.


~Ever as before
Ever just as sure
As the sun will rise~


As the interlude arrived, she took his one hand as he twirled her under his arm and
coiled her out.
In the shadows once again, making absolute sure neither she nor Spinel could be seen,
Nakuru gasped in awe. "Aren't they absolutely beautiful together, Suppi-chan?"

Ignoring the nickname, Spinel nodded slowly in agreement, his eyes also fastened on
the pair. It was true; they did look extraordinarily good on each other.


~Ever just the same
Ever a surprise
Ever as before
Ever just as sure
As the sun will rise~


As the end came near, the final small interlude, he once again pulled her back close to
him, turning her around so that it was her back pressed against his chest. At least
she wasn't looking at him, but...
It's just part of the dance, it's just part of the dance, her mind began chanting again.


~Tale as old as time
Tune as old as song
Bittersweet and strange
Finding you can change
Learning you were wrong~


Tomoyo suddenly stiffened a bit; as he turned her back around to face him, she caught
the curious concern on his face at her sudden rigidness. She simply smiled at him,
brushing off the concern...her only real problem was that THAT particular line had
somehow seemed to remind her of what she was going through now...although that was
a bit silly, wasn't it? In truth, the whole song should have been doing that.


~Certain as the sun
Rising in the east
Tale as old as time
Song as old as rhyme
Beauty and the Beast~


Spinel glanced over at his companion momentarily, then did a double take as he realized
what it was she had in her hand. "Um, Ruby Moon? Where did you get that camcorder?"
he demanded warily, eyeing the moon guardian strangely.

"I've always had it," Nakuru told him innocently, with a devious smile as she recorded
the oblivous couple on tape. "Don't you remember? Eriol-sama gave it to me for
Christmas as a joke just last year. And now I'm finally putting it to good use; won't
he be pleased?" She cackled quietly.

Spinel shook his head, backing slightly away from the brunette. "Honestly Ruby Moon,
I think Daidouji-san is rubbing off a bit too much on you."

"I finally understand why she loves videotaping so much," Nakuru told him. "I would love
to have a memory of this for eternity as well."


~Tale as old as time
Song as old as rhyme
Beauty and the Beast~






A little while later, Eriol and Tomoyo stumbled out onto the second floor balcony, Eriol
quickly sliding the glass door shut and locking it behind him, all in an attempt to escape
Nakuru.

"I never realized just what Sakura-chan and Li-kun go through whenever I do this to
them until now," Tomoyo exclaimed breathlessly, as Eriol took her hand and steered them
both into the shadows on the balcony, so they wouldn't be visible from the inside.

Eriol glanced at her in surprise. "Does that mean you're going to stop?" he asked her.
Tomoyo smiled mischeviously. "No."
"I suppose it IS too much to hope for," Eriol rolled his eyes with a grin.

Then silence fell, as they both looked out into the night, over the garden. It was warm
out, although the sun had long since set. Tomoyo guessed that it was probably around
nine 'o clock at night.

Nine o' clock on a Saturday night...Tomoyo's mind flashed back to what she usually
would be doing on a Friday night. Most likely sleeping over at Sakura-chan's house,
giggling as Kero screamed about losing at another video game, while Sakura continued
to sneak snacks up to the bedroom for them all.

Strange...the pang of nostalgia was somehow dulled, even though it was SAKURA-CHAN
she was thinking about.

Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced at Eriol; he had his gaze up on the stars
above, a thoughtful, musing look on his face. Her breath caught in her throat
involuntarily as the thought flitted across her mind: he was very pretty. Not just cute-
handsome-pretty...no, more like BEAUTIFUL. Most girls probably couldn't look that
beautiful even if they tried.

Once again, Tomoyo found herself trembling, the same way she had after their little
dance in the ballroom. She willed herself to stop before Eriol noticed.

It was the longest silence they'd had all evening.

Finally, Tomoyo dared to break it. "What are you thinking about?" she asked softly,
gazing up at the sky herself. She leaned against the railing slightly as Eriol turned his
eyes on her -- she hadn't thought it humanly possible, but the midnight cerulean orbs
were even MORE dazzling with the glow of about thirty different stars in them.

He didn't respond for a while, and then, "Not much. Just about how much lovelier the
sky would look if all those stars were shooting across it."
Tomoyo blinked, taken aback by his response, then looked up at the sky. She nodded.
"Yes, it would be astonishing," she agreed, then sighed. "But that's asking for a meteor
shower -- those happen about once every fifty years or so."

The smirk played across his face again. "Do you like meteor showers, Ms. Tomoyo?"
Tomoyo nodded again. "At least, I suppose I would if I ever got to see one," she said.
"The pictures I have seen of them are wonderful."

Eriol didn't say anything, and Tomoyo turned her gaze back to the sky, wondering at the
strange exchange. So she happened to miss seeing the first star shoot across the sky;
however, she certainly caught the second; and the third, and the fourth, and the fifth...

The girl gasped, jumping back slightly as she stared at the sky, wide eyed and stunned
beyond words as one star after another shot across the navy canopy.
"I...I don't BELIEVE it," she managed finally. A meteor shower...what were the chances
of THIS? And right when they'd been talking about them too...

A sudden suspicion gripped her, and she turned to Eriol, scrutinizing him carefully. He
didn't seem the least bit surprised, although his eyes were fastened firmly on the sky
in an incredibly calm expression. Too calm.

"Eriol-kun?" she asked slowly.
"Yes, Ms. Tomoyo?" he replied nonchalantly.
"Did you hear that a meteor shower was going to happen today?" she wanted to know.
That smirk was on his face again, lightly teasing her. "I assure you, the papers said
nothing about a meteor shower this evening. I imagine the astronomers will be very
surprised."

"Eriol-kun?" she asked again.
"Mm-hmm?"
"Are...you causing this?" The moment the words were out of her mouth, she knew it
was the truth, and she stared from him to the sky and back in awe.
"Wonderful deduction, Ms. Tomoyo," he said teasingly.

Tomoyo gasped, still looking from him to the sky in rapid succession, her expression
completely shocked. Eriol couldn't help but laugh lightly. "You'd think you'd never seen
a meteor shower before," he said sarcastically.

At that, Tomoyo snapped out of her momentary shock and stuck her tongue out at him..
yet again. "Ha, ha," she said. "Not everyone can turn on meteor showers whenever
they get bored. And you say you don't flaunt your powers. But Eriol-kun.." Now awe
filled her tone. "This is amazing."

He shrugged carelessly. "You DID say you would enjoy seeing one."
This shocked her more than even the myriad of falling stars. He had done this for her...

After getting lost in the feeling for a moment, she suddenly tried to pull herself together.
It WAS a very sweet thing for Eriol-kun to do...but why was she...MELTING this way?
That was the only way she could describe it -- as if her heart was literally melting, just
at the thought.

Eriol felt her arms go around him for the third time that evening, second time if one
counted it as a casual hug. Momentarily taken aback, he slowly put his arms around her
as well, very hesitantly. "Ms. Tomoyo?"

She pulled back, her eyes shining with gratitude, happiness, and the glisten of three
dozen shooting stars....utterly beautiful. "Thank you, Eriol-kun. Thank you very much."
Somehow, he didn't think the meteor shower was worth the look in her eyes...nothing
could compare to her. Nothing at all.

"Don't mention it," he murmured, tearing his gaze away. "Don't forget to make a wish,
though."

"Oh right!" She turned back to the sky, and then closed her eyes calmly, running the
wish around in her mind.
This was one of the few times Eriol wished he hadn't promised not to read her mind; he
had a pretty good idea of what she could have wished for, though. What she wanted
more than anything in the world. And he sighed.

Tomoyo opened her eyes when she heard him sigh, and glanced over at the boy next
to her in curiousity. "Eriol-kun?"
His manner was strangely subdued, a hidden look in his eyes. He looked up at the sky
again. "Tomoyo-san...I think I have a pretty good idea of what you wished for."

She blinked, a faint trail of fear in her heart. "You do?" she whispered, her mind spinning
frantically. It was a silly wish, she shouldn't have made it. She had completely forgotten
that he could read her mind if he wanted to...of course, she had told him specifically
NOT to, but it was ridiculous to think that Eriol-kun, such a wild card, would listen to
her..

She waited patiently, not saying anything.
"Tomoyo-san..." he trailed off; then after what seemed to be a long pause, waved his
hand casually in the air.

She felt a strange flickering in the air.

Inside the house, Spinel felt the flicker as well -- only he knew what it was. Nakuru
probably would have felt it as well, had she been on earth, and not in a state of utter
bliss as she replayed Eriol-sama's and Tomoyo-chan's dance on the videocamera yet
AGAIN.

Back on the balcony, Tomoyo turned to Eriol in utter confusion; he had crossed his arms
and was leaning back against the wall. "Eriol-kun?" she asked carefully. "What did you
just do?"

"The barrier around the house has been broken, it's gone," he told her, still looking up
at the shooting stars -- the shower was starting to die down.
Tomoyo remained confused for a second, until she thought back to her second day
here; the barrier she'd touched, which had hurt her...the barrier, Spinel had said, to
keep her inside the house...meaning..

Her eyes went as wide as saucers as she turned back to him, hardly daring to breathe.
"Eriol-kun?" she whispered. "Does that mean..."

Eriol nodded in confirmation, still not daring to look at her. "You're free to go," he
clarified quietly.
Tomoyo could only stand there, completely stunned, not sure she had actually heard
the words he'd just said correctly. This had to be a joke...a dream to taunt her...she
could actually go HOME..

"Really?" she breathed, not wanting to speak too loudly, less she break the spell, or
he changed his mind...or tell her he was just kidding..Eriol-kun wouldn't be so cruel as
to joke about something like this, would he?

Eriol sighed again, STILL not looking at her. "I know you miss your life very much," he
told her, in the same dead-quiet tone. "You miss Sakura-san. And that makes you sad.
And...Ms. Tomoyo..I really don't want to see you sad.."

Tears were actually brimming in her eyes. Tears. And a bittersweet type of pain was
welling up inside the chambers of her heart.

She couldn't speak -- her throat had completely clogged, and was not about to unclench.
So she did all she could; she stepped up to him, and then hugged him as tightly as
she could, the tears now seeping into his shirt. "Eriol-kun...I don't know how to thank
you...I don't think I CAN thank you enough.."

Eriol just smiled down at her...a strangely sad smile. "It's nothing, Tomoyo-san..I mean,
you deserve your freedom. I'm...sorry for keeping you here so long."

Tomoyo shook her head quickly with a slight smile. "No, don't be...some of the best
times I've had happened here..thank you again." She finally pulled away from him and
walked toward the balcony doors. She paused, then turned back to him. "Eriol-kun?"

He had turned back to the stars, which were now still except for one or two extra
falling ones. "Yes, Tomoyo-san?"
"I'm going to miss you," she admitted in a hushed voice.

Eriol smiled at that, glancing back at her. "I don't see why. I'll still go to school, you
know."
Tomoyo smiled, a bit wistfully. "I know...goodbye, Eriol-kun."

Then she was gone. And it was a while after the balcony doors slid shut before Eriol
finally whispered, "Goodbye, Tomoyo..."








To Be Continued.....








A/N: People, don't kill me yet! I swear that's not where it ends -- there's still more to
come. But still...I know it's sad...but everything will be okay! ^_^ But also, don't
forget (a hint for the next chapter), despite all the fun they've been having
together, and that they've become so close....the bare fact is that Eriol kidnapped
Tomoyo...and not many people will be willing to overlook that little point. So please
stick with me people -- it's almost done! Just a couple more chapters...I'm sure
you're all disappointed, hmm? ^.~ LOL, I wish -_-* Well anyway, everyone, you
know the drill -- please be a responsible reader and REVIEW! Thanks, all!

Now for the extra notes -- no, I DEFINETLY do not own the song that Tomoyo and
Eriol composed together; it's 'The Simple Things' by Rebecca Lynn Howard and
Jim Brickman, in my opinion one of the best songs of all time, and it's so beautiful.
And I just naturally fit it with Eriol and Tomoyo -- Jim Brickman and Rebecca
Howard are a piano/singer duet too! People, you have
really got to hear that song. But just another note, I didn't write the entire song
into this fic.




~Starchick