MS
Disclaimer: Do not own CCS characters.
Every Second
Chapter 10: Our Lives and Secrets
Syaoran hated it. He could not get the smell of the hospital out of his nostrils no matter how much he scrubbed. It was a deceptive smell that clung to his mind regardless of where he was. He let the hot water burn his skin, hoping that it would at least assuage his restlessness.
They had almost been too late.
It was the only thing that kept running through his mind as he stared mindlessly at the tiles that surrounded him. He had almost lost her, the only tie to his life, and the only person that truly made him smile and enjoy life regardless of its hurdles. His hands clenched, fists forming as he conjured her current state in the hospital room. It had only been 3 days.
A knock interrupted his thoughts. He couldn't help but grimace as Yukito entered a few seconds later. Syaoran knew when he was being cornered, with nowhere to run. He sighed as he turned off the stream of water. It was about that time to get out anyway before he became a member of the amphibious family.
"Did you get any sleep last night?" the older man asked, sitting on the closed toilet, his long legs crossed and effectively cutting off any escape through the narrow path to the door.
"Some," Syaoran inwardly screamed as he refused to open the glass door. He took the towel he'd laid out over it and would be damned if he didn't take his time drying. He knew Yukito's eyes had narrowed. He always did when he chose to simply answer with one word and refused to elaborate.
"Huh," was all he had in return, which surprised Syaoran. He grasped at his clumped hair, his fingers tangled on the long locks that desperately needed a cut unless he wanted to change his hairstyle. The silence was overwhelming as each refused to budge. He wrapped the towel around his waist and finally slid the door open to leave the shower.
"If you think you're leaving this bathroom with only one word spoken, you're mistaken," Yukito's tone was affable, but his narrowed eyes belied its playfulness.
"What do you want me to say?" he was getting frustrated, unsure of what he had to say.
"What you're thinking," Yukito shot back, crossing his arms as the long sleeve shirt he wore adjusted to the new position. "What are your plans? How are you dealing with Sakura's condition? What are you going to do about school? You know, what's bothering you. As the guardian in this relationship I need to know what your problems are so that I can help you."
Syaoran smiled sardonically as he bit back a sarcastic reply. It wouldn't help the situation. He could tell that Yukito was in one of his moods and would not back down. Maybe there was a little trouble in paradise, he chuckled inwardly.
"I'm still coming to terms with the fact that she's actually alive," Syaoran turned, unwilling to let him see the emotions twisting his features. In a short time, the man who had chosen to become his guardian had grown to become an important figure in his life. He didn't want to show weakness or insecurity to the person that would lend a hand and strength if he needed it.
"I've seen that guilty expression in your face quite a bit Syaoran," the taller man stood and placed a hand on his shoulder for support. "You blame yourself because it was your argument that seemed to have started this whole thing, don't you?"
It was a rhetorical question he didn't need to answer. His shoulders sagged as he fought the need to cry out and punch the wall while he was at it. It all came back to that in his mind. If he hadn't been an irrational jerk and hadn't opened his mouth because he'd been more than irritated, she wouldn't have skipped practice. Then they would have walked home where she would have been spared all the physical and emotional turmoil.
"Syaoran, I want you to look me in the eye and tell me that you were not the cause of this," his grip on his shoulder became stronger. "I have enough to deal with one stubborn, guilty-ridden man without having to add a teenager into the mix. I swear the two of you have such similar personalities it's no wonder you can barely be in the same room for a couple of minutes before exploding at one another."
Yukito tugged at his hand, making sure the young man understood that this would be discussed and silence would not dissuade him. He heard the sigh and silently cheered when he finally turned so they could talk. Maybe getting out of the bathroom would be best now that the issue was out in the open.
"I'll let you get dressed while I make some tea. You can come down and we can have a snack with some cookies."
A shrug was his answer, and he took it as a good sign.
It wasn't long before the sullen teenager joined him. He didn't speak as he set things on the table. He figured if Syaoran was fed, then he had a better chance of being reasonable while they hashed it out. "You really cannot berate yourself over what happened."
It was inevitable that he would though, as anyone in his position would do the same. "This would be the same thing as if you had told yourself that your father had been killed because you hadn't been able to get him out of the drug run."
"Just because I know it, doesn't mean that my mind will accept it," the teenager's tone was resigned, in complete misery. "The truth is that if I hadn't argued with her, she wouldn't have skipped."
"That may be true," Yukito agreed with him, stopping him with a look as Syaoran was about to open his mouth again. "But if it hadn't been Sakura, it would have been someone else. She was at the wrong place, at the wrong time. You have to remember that Sakura was the one that made the decision to use your argument to fuel her own frustration and go to the park. It was her decision to not call any of us, leaving us to believe that she was still at school. Her actions guided her to be at the wrong place, and the wrong time."
"I was the cause of her state of mind," the youth argued, knowing that he'd had a part in it. "I should have known better than to react that way and push all her buttons. I knew exactly what to say to make her as pissed as I felt at the time. I wanted her to be hurt and in a temper so I wouldn't just grab and kiss her."
"Ahhh," Yukito smiled as he sipped his tea. "We've already had a bit of this conversation before but I do agree with that. You should have known better than to give reins to your own insecurities and be hurtful in return when she hadn't done anything directly to you. I think we need to work a bit on your temper, but I think this will become better with age and experience. You have the basis of a good understanding of how you should act, and what you want to be," he handed the teen a cookie to nibble on to keep his hands occupied. "Maturity will come with age. Maybe instead of just opening your mouth though, think it, and debate before you select what will come out of it."
"I don't think I'll be able to do that," Syaoran was also true to himself. He knew his impatience and overzealousness was going to keep getting him into situations until he was able to grow.
"One day you will if you work at it," Yukito's response was supportive while admonishing at the same time. "Now that we all came close to losing her, it might be a good time to just tell her why you were irritated with her and blew up at her like that."
The redness appeared instantly on his cheeks. It was adorable how it always burst forth almost instantaneously when it came to this subject. He would of course never tell him that or he would never tell him anything personal ever again. Yukito understood what it was like to be so young, and afraid of being ridiculed or called on their age to being told that they really didn't understand. Not all children learned or were the same when it came to their understanding and knowledge.
"I think it'll take a great pressure off your mind," he tentatively searched to see if he would look him in the eye again. "I don't think you have to worry about your feelings not being somewhat reciprocated."
Syaoran immediately looked his way. "And how do you know? She hasn't told you anything, has she?" There was a bit of hope in the tone that he hated to reply.
"No," Yukito reflected on the last few months. Regardless of how it had come about, Sakura had a deeper bond with Touya, but as a girl, he was sure that she wasn't comfortable enough because of her gender, to speak to either of them about it. "I think she sees me as an older friend that just happens to live in this house while Touya is her lawful guardian but more of an older brother figure. They treat each other as I would think siblings do. There are certain things a young girl does not tell a man, whether he is her father, her brother, her best friend or whatever category they fall into."
He laughed at the frown that had overtaken the other's face after his monologue. "But I do think she knows how important you are to her, and regardless of what you tell her, she will never laugh in your face or take those feelings for granted."
The same could not be said about anyone else really. This was a very awkward age as it was, and confessing one's feelings regardless of what age one was, took a lot of courage. He couldn't help but feel reassured that Syaoran was debating the issue. He was taking it seriously, but perhaps too much. "I just want you to think about it."
"Alright," the teenager nodded, running his hands to his still wet hair.
"You may want to dry your hair before we leave," his watch to his eyes to check the time. "I'll leave you at the prison hospital so you can speak to Sakura's father since she can't make her usual visit. I'll go into work, while making sure that Touya hasn't escaped the hospital in a fit while trying to get away from his nurse."
"Syaoran," Yukito called his name to get his attention. "Come on," he offered a commiserating smile and started to clean the table. He was sure it would all be alright. After the disaster that their last week had been, they had nowhere to go but up.
"Syaoran," the man's weak voice wavered, an errant cough coming through as he motioned for the young man to enter the room. He knew how bad he looked, the sullenness of his eyes profound as his skin was a pale and sickly white that would not recover any color. He had no hair, his bald head devoid of any follicles from the cancer treatment. "How are you doing?"
"I'm recovering," he grimaced at the gentle question. He could feel his eyes watering, unsure of what to do without bursting into tears and throwing himself at a man that had always treated him well. "Sakura has been taken off some of the pain medication and has regained consciousness for small periods of time."
"It has only been a few days," the older man winced as he apparently made a motion his body did not agree with. "I am glad you did come today though. I wasn't sure if I'd be able to see anyone. I am glad that you called me to let me know. Sometimes when we think others are in a fragile health state, we tend to do the opposite."
"I couldn't not tell you," Syaoran took a seat next to him, not missing the facial expressions of Sakura's father as he settled into another position. It looked like the body was wasting away, which was true. Still, his eyes twinkled when he opened them after a brief silence.
"I wish we could all have more time to get to know one another. I didn't actually get to see much of you growing up and you're almost a man," the exaggeration was not lost to Syaoran, but he understood. They had done all they could for him but the body had already decided it could not do any more and would only function for a small time.
It came, suddenly, a coughing fit that took him by surprise. He helped the man to the bed, unsure if he was supposed to call one of the nurses or simply hand him some water. It wouldn't help any, the body shook so much, it would have thrown the liquid all around the room before it would have landed in the man's throat.
Syaoran's eyes clouded as he tried to reconcile the fact that the heaving body on the bed, hacked with coughs and labored breathing, was the same one he'd been conversing with normally just minutes before. The reconciliation was hard, but the truth could not be escaped. Tokiro Marden was not long of this world.
"Syaoran!" his breathing had calmed a bit, his eyes beseeching the attention. "I don't have much time. I can feel my body losing strength each day, withering slowly but surely. I'm glad you came alone," he smiled hesitantly at the young adolescent, knowing that it wasn't fair that he would unload all these surprises on him. "In this world, I will leave knowledge of my most hated period of my life, which also brought the best, but I was never an angel."
"I don't understand," he was having trouble following. He didn't know if it was because he hadn't been able to completely focus or because Sakura's father was having trouble in organizing his thoughts before he spoke.
"I will trust you with my darkest secret. It's important that you know it though as I will soon pass on, and someone must know. You've always been there in the background of my life. I have never been so glad that Canare had known your father, and therefore both of you became a part of Sakura's life."
"Are you saying that this secret has to do with Sakura?" it hadn't taken long that things were coming back to the only thing they had in common.
"Yes," was his succinct reply, taking deep breaths as he sipped more water. He hated those fits, signaling his dying body, shaking and hurting from a single cough. The old man cursed himself for his weakness, his emotions in turmoil as he tried to say something, anything, and not damn himself in the process. He couldn't though, he had been part of a heinous act that had cost a young woman her life, and only his last shred of humanity had saved the infant she had brought into the world.
Syaoran kept his own mouth shut. He could see the emotions flickering over the man's face. His body was ready for action, expecting a bomb to go off. It was nerve wrecking, but he would wait. This man had kept him alive in more than one occasion when he'd been nothing but a toddler, and he would never forget all he'd learned from him through the years with his stories.
"I don't want you to know this because I know it will change the way you see me," his voice cracked, his hands fisted on either side of the bed as he fought to not turn his head away. He had to get the words out. There was a fever in his mind, he knew it to be remorse, for all the things he had done since he'd been a young man. He'd tried to atone himself by raising Sakura, and keeping her safe from those that wanted the opposite. His resources had been limited, so he'd done what he'd thought best at the time. It usually turned out to be the complete opposite.
"I've done too many things I've not been proud of, but I did them all so I could survive that part of my life. I have not been able to completely apologize for those things, and I cannot, as I will not face those that can truly bring me absolution, but I hope that when I am gone, you will be able to bare the weight of my sin. Can you do it Syaoran?"
His confusion was apparent, as there was so much exposition, but nothing of substance. "It's unfair, but as I know that you love Sakura, I hope that you will be able to help her if her past comes to haunt her."
"What do you mean?"
"I am not Sakura's father," he could tell that the teenager was flabbergasted. His indrawn breath, the widening of his eyes, and the tale of his thundering heartbeat by the vein that started pulsing over his collarbone and the turning of his head and unbelieving expression were tipping one after another. It wasn't easy to keep his stare. It was one of the hardest things the older man had to do in his whole life.
"When Sakura was a baby, she was kidnapped with her mother a few days after her birth. The negotiations went wrong as they tend to do, and her mother died, leaving us with a baby that until that point, I hadn't known we were supposed to kill. I killed all my associates in turn, and kept her with me."
Syaoran's eyes were closed as he took the information in. He could tell from the short narration that there was probably a lot more to the story, but he was still digesting what had been said.
"Kidnapped?" he concentrated on one of the few verbs.
"Sakura's mother was the beloved granddaughter of a very powerful man in the world. She'd always had a special place in his heart. As with anyone in power, they wanted her as leverage, I always thought it was a straight snatch and grab, we'd get the money, and then she'd be returned. It was never intended to be that way as I saw how things escalated hour by hour. I made her a promise I would keep Sakura safe, I had been the cause of her mother's death, and the only way I could do it was by keeping her with me. I couldn't think of anything else."
"Calm down," Syaoran put a hand on his struggling shoulder, his tears running as he saw the pain and sorrow present on the other man's face. "Here," he refilled the cup of ice and water, letting him wet his cracking lips. "Breathe."
The coaching applied to him so he could process the information. There were so many things that he could tell would have brought them to this scene. He'd always refused to talk about his life with Sakura's mother, and that was because there hadn't been anything to speak of. There were no similarities between father and daughter, her green eyes and auburn hair a complete contrast of the black haired and eyed man. They'd always been told that she took after her mother physically, but now he wondered how much of that was true.
"That family is evil," Marden refused to look away when he met Syaoran's eyes. He had to have courage to get through it. "Nadeshiko had taken herself out of its machinations by marrying out of the family and cutting herself off. Still, they all knew that she was a bargaining chip and if she was the play, the old man would bow to what they wanted. She knew from the start that she would never come out of it alive."
"Who were you protecting her from?"
"The family is big. I never could figure out just who out of them all was pulling all the strings, but I never forgot their surnames. We buried ourselves in the ghetto for a reason, but they're so powerful, that they may still be searching to make sure she's dead and covering their tracks. You need to be careful Syaoran," Marden took a breath before continuing. "If the Amamiya's come around sniffing, there won't be a stone unturned."
"Amamiya," he tried the name, trying to see if he could recall it from anything. Maybe after this visit, he could put his computers skills to use and do a bit of searching.
"In a way," he cried into his pillow, unable to stop himself from breaking down. "I'm glad things turned out this way. I'm a coward; I would never have been able to tell Sakura the truth. I will be selfish and have you carry this burden for me after I'm gone. I will leave it to you if she should ever find out the truth of not."
The unfairness was not lost on the teen. He would be damned if he did, but damned if he didn't. This was a part of her past, and he would be the one to make the decision on whether she would know it or not. Still, there was a dying man in a prison hospital who was unburdening himself and trusting him. A man that had been there when he'd been needed before other troubles had taken him away. Without this man, he would not have gotten to know Sakura or have her in his life.
Marden had simply let the information sink in, knowing that however unfair it was, Syaoran would rise to the cause and keep it for him as long as it was needed. He just couldn't die and not pass the information along in case the past came back to haunt them as it tended to do. "All I want is to be able to see her again before this sickness takes me, so I can believe that I did my best to carry out my promise."
"I believe you have," Syaoran took his hand in his, the cold and clammy texture bringing to the fore the seriousness of his health condition. "No one can fault you in how you raised Sakura. There are things that went wrong, just like in my life, but the good things outweigh all of those hard turns. No one said life would be easy."
"I knew I could count on you," a great burden had come off his shoulders, his eyes closing so he could rest. "I hope that Sakura is able to be here on the next visit. I chose you because of how close you are to both of us, but I also believe that your guardians are good people. I'll leave it to you if you wish them to know as well. I just ask that you wait until I'm no longer in this world as I don't wish to see Sakura's disappointment. I wouldn't stand it if she looked at me with anything but love in her eyes."
"I promise sir," he wanted to keep the man's mind at ease. Syaoran nodded silently as the old man smiled and settled further into the bed. "I'll leave you to rest. I'll keep you updated in any changes."
Syaoran stumbled as he reached the door, his thoughts scattered as he closed the door and then simply sank in front of it. Sakura was not the Sakura he'd always known. There was a part of her life that as intertwined with a powerful family that had also been the cause of her estrangement and the cause of her mother's death. He wondered which things he could separate as fact and fiction from their last 13 years. He had to wonder if anything he knew of himself would also be true. Their parents had been so secretive that they had taken it for granted that there just hadn't been any more information to share. Unlike Sakura, Syaoran's father had refused to speak of his mother. There were no keepsakes, no memories, and no ties to anything but the name Syaoran Li. Same with Sakura. Since the fire, she'd only been able to salvage certain items because she'd always carried them with her.
How was he going to be able to cope with this situation?
Touya grumbled as he left the superintendent's office. He had been discharged from the hospital, but had been placed on medical leave for another 2 weeks. If he'd been truly paranoid, as he'd been accused of inside the office, he'd have gone straight to his grandfather's office and raised hell. He knew the man had something to do with it.
Instead, he fumed and loitered at his desk until they decided to throw him out. He couldn't access any cases, but he didn't want to go home and bore himself to death. He was coming up with different plans to annoy his captain to early retirement, but with his luck, he'd be stuck with someone who was worse. He didn't know how that would happen, but with the way karma worked in his personal world, things usually escalated regardless of how improvable they turned out to be.
"Hey sleeping beauty," Maxwell's voice grated on his ears. He knew the younger man had pitched his voice on purpose.
"What do you want?" he huffed out, looking across his desk to his partners, knowing that the only thing that occupied it was air.
"You should go back to your castle before the dragon comes out of his office and sees that you're still here. I'd kill for two weeks paid leave about now."
"How about we trade places?" he mirthlessly suggested.
"Wish we could buddy," Maxwell winked and turned on his heel. "I have to get to work. Maybe you should take a trip. Go see your father at his dig or something. Take your mind off this continent for a couple of days and then come back good as new."
"Have you been talking to Yukito?" the suspicion in his tone alerted the long haired man that daggers were being shot at his back.
"No," he laughed nervously as he started making his escape. "Whatever gave you that idea?"
"An interfering man about my height with dark gray eyes and gray hair, wearing glasses, that won't stop suggesting it," he muttered to himself, only to jump out of his seat as he was poked from behind rather forcefully. Said interfering man stood behind him, glaring, having heard each and every word.
"Interfering?"
"You know it," he didn't have to lie to save himself even though he felt regret at the glare that wouldn't shake. "It's like you want to get rid of me."
"Have you given it a thought that maybe I wanted you to see your father so that he can see that you're in one piece after all that's happened in the last few months? Maybe he's worried and I'm the one getting all the phone calls and fishing expeditions into your well-being? Maybe I'm just trying to make sure that you get to see the only immediate family member that you currently have before you kill yourself one of these days?"
"You're in a mood today," Touya grimaced as he saw that the glower did not diminish at all, even when he kept his mouth shut. "I'll go home."
"How about you go pick up Syaoran from the prison hospital and you can both go see if Sakura's awake? That should keep you busy and out of trouble dealing with the two hellions as you dubbed them."
"Better than sitting at home," he gave a mock salute and ran for his life. He couldn't wait for Sakura to get out of the hospital and go home as he hated having to go into that place so that he could be reminded of all of his inadequacies in keeping her safe.
The ride to the hospital was silent. Perhaps too silent, but he'd been glad to have caught the teen before he'd taken off in a cab as Yukito had instructed him earlier. They all needed their introspective silences, so he had no choice but to battle his own demons as they arrived.
Time went by so fast when you were having fun, he thought to himself sardonically as they stepped into the room. "I'm so glad you guys are here. I've been so bored!"
Touya perked up as he heard the lyrical tilt of Sakura's voice wash over them both as they entered. It was one of the few times she'd been conscious. It was happening more often, which spoke of her recovery, but the cast and abrasions would stay as a reminder of the things that went wrong. Still, she was recovering and between their visits, and Usagi's, she had taken the experience in stride. She'd managed to save a life. If she hadn't been taken and things hadn't progressed the way that they had, Touya would have more than likely had to stare at the mutilated body of the young girl. If anything, he was thankful that the whole ordeal had managed to get a happy ending for all involved.
The nurse motioned from the door for him, more than likely so he could have a talk to the doctor, so he left the two teens alone. There was a morose atmosphere hanging that needed clearing up, but Touya really had no idea what it was about.
"Thank you," it was the truly first time that they could talk coherently. All the other times Sakura had still been under the effect of the painkillers or anesthesia, as she was settled into her cast and her bruises were cleaned to prevent infection.
Syaoran's head snapped, his eyes landing on hers as she repeated it. "I'm sorry for just taking off like that from school. I had no excuse."
"I need to apologize too," he grabbed her free arm by the hand, enlacing their fingers together. "I should have kept my mouth shut. I shouldn't have said all those things to you. I had no cause."
He felt like the words he'd just said were lies. He did have cause; he just couldn't get it out. "I told myself I'd stop being an ass and talk to you about this after we found you. I don't like it when we're fighting and things happen that shouldn't and that was the last thing we'd said to one another."
"I know," tears streamed down her cheeks as she offered a tentative smile. "You're the most important person in my life Syaoran; I don't want to lose you."
"You can't lose me," he chuckled. "You couldn't pry me off your side with a crowbar."
"That's how I would always want it," she finally smiled, tugging her hand so she could wipe away the trails.
"Your father has been asking about you," he broached the subject. "As soon as you're able to, you need to go see him. His health has deteriorated more, I'm sorry."
He could tell she was processing the information as best as she could. The tears returned, but the tentative smile did not leave. He was glad for that. He knew that she had accepted the inevitable, but having it happen was another thing entirely. At least now they also seemed to have Touya and Yukito on their side. They would not be separated.
"Good news," Touya's voice disrupted their quiet stare. "You'll be discharged in the next 3 days depending on how the healing progresses. Then depending on how you feel, you can go back to school and resume your usual activities, except for gym."
"I kind of figured that somersaulting would be out for a while," she stuck her tongue out, as Touya rolled his eyes. "Also, there will be no traveling by yourself so if Syaoran is staying late, you're staying late. If you need to be picked up, call and one of us will be able to pick you up. No more flying off on any snits."
There was no room for argument or changing his mind. It wasn't like it hadn't been expected. The school year would be winding down soon, and Sakura would have school work to make up, to make sure that she kept up with the current curriculum. She laughed at the glare Touya was giving that broke no arguments.
She staved off the argument by placating him. She glanced Syaoran's way, giving him a smile before her glib reply had them all arguing up a storm.
All was right with the world.
Another couple of months passed them by. Syaoran was at the end of his sanity. He could barely sleep at night, his dreams turning into nightmares of all the people he had lost. His father was prominent in his nightmares, turning into a black monster that would crush the life out of him. They usually ended up in the same place with him wrapping these black talons around his neck and suffocating him. He also dreamed of Canare, her maddening cackling laugh following as he went through a labyrinth of dark hallways in search of Sakura, unable to ever find her as the walls burst into flames. Bullets, knives, bombs, endless darkened streets followed him again and again only for him to wake up in a cold sweat.
He had gotten used to getting up early in the morning, dressing to go on an exhausting run, returning drenched as he tried to drown the images from his mind. He sometimes succeeded, but most of the time, he could not. His soft chestnut hair swung, reminding him of the need of a haircut, as he took off at a run. He had to clear his head. Things could not continue as they were. He didn't know what to do.
How was he going to be able to solve the conundrum that was realizing whether he should tell someone Marden's secret? The man had passed away, which had built into his anxiety. He was the only one currently that knew his darkest and most important secret. He was only 14, and the pressures of life were weighing down on him.
The second anniversary of his father's death was coming up, which meant that they would have been living with Yukito and Touya for two years as well soon. After the furor had died down at school in a couple of days, they had settled back into their usual routines with the difference that while Syaoran had his kendo practice, Sakura was being tutored by her teachers after the last class to make up the weeks she had missed.
The trial had been expedited. He really didn't know how they had managed it, but instead of dragging things on for months, the grand jury had been called, the jury itself had been selected, and things went as smoothly as they could.
There was a media circus for various months as Sakura, Syaoran, Yukito, and Touya were all called as witnesses for the prosecution. More than once, Syaoran had been tempted to jump over the rail and land a punch at both the defendant and his lawyer. Syaoran had lied under oath to make sure nothing could be used to dismiss the case.
He wasn't losing sleep over stating that he'd followed Touya in his chase and had witnessed the need for the bullet wound and how the slamming of his face against the door had happened in another scuffle after when the defendant had been trying to get away. There were things that they refused to let go over in case the defending attorney would use it against them. They followed protocol as dictated by the law and no one there would say otherwise. The knock in the head of the assailant had robbed him of any memory of the encounter, and he had 3 people whose stories were cohesive and flawless.
Syaoran and Sakura did not go to school for that month, relying on the teachers and their school friends to transmit the information so they wouldn't be left behind on the new school year. It was a nightmare that had made it difficult to go anywhere without being asked ridiculous questions by the media.
His breathing ragged, Syaoran increased his speed. He had gone for a run after dinner, promising to not stray from the path, knowing that if he didn't exhaust himself now, he would not be able to sleep undisturbed that night and he needed it. Sakura had kept glancing at him in the last few weeks when the nightmares had become more pronounced, sure that something was wrong. She thought that it was the anniversary of his father creeping up that was upsetting him, not knowing that he had a bigger secret that was eating at his conscience.
"You've got to be kidding me!" a shout to his left had him lessening his speed. He slowed down to a walking pace as he turned his head to see where the sound was coming from. He veered to it, wondering what could be happening at almost 10pm in the usually quiet neighborhood.
He blinked repeatedly as he saw a group of men surround someone. There was a girl to the side, shaking her head before picking up a small black dog, to cradle him. He had to continue blinking because he thought he saw a staff materialize out of thin air, a sun like fixture on the top, only for it to only be a long staff. The men were preparing themselves to attack, which prompted him to burst forward.
He kicked an incoming punch, reeling at the force of it before he double kicked and landed effortlessly to look over his large bangs at the uninterested girl who simply examined her nails. She didn't seem surprised by his sudden arrival, waving as the other guy swung the staff to their feet, tumbling a great number as he hit their ankles in the sweep.
"You're all punks!" the blue-black haired teenager shouted as they started scrambling away. He wasn't even out of breath as he punched one of the men in the face hard, snickering as he heard the sound of a broken bone. "Leave before I make you really sorry!"
They were left alone soon enough, the girl huffing as she set the struggling dog down. Or was it a cat? Syaoran wasn't sure. With the darkness and the poor lightning of the hour, he couldn't really tell. "Are you guys ok?"
"Yes, thank you," the girl volunteered as the other guy was staring in the direction that the others had disappeared to. "We appreciate the assistance, but as you saw, we could have taken care of the situation ourselves."
"Ourselves?" the dark tone belied the twitching eye sported by her companion when he turned around. "Tomoyo, I'm going to strangle you one of these days."
"Ha, ha, ha, ha," she was bowled over by his comment, finding it hysterical, which only confused Syaoran further.
"Ahhhh," he tried to get the gears in his head to move so he could make his getaway. He had to get home anyhow. "I should get going."
"Great going woman," Syaoran's eyes widened at the feral smile that graced the beautiful girl's face at the word. "You're running him off with your nuttiness."
"Nuttiness," she sweetly whispered out almost in question before turning to Syaoran. "Excuse me, I'm usually not this violent," in the time it took him to blink, she was by the guy's side and thumping him hard on the head. "Whose bright idea was it to go through the 20th district only to trail the gang of morons to this park?"
"It was mine," he whined back, rubbing the back of his head as he shot daggers at her neck. "You didn't need to cage Spinel. He can take care of himself."
"You can take care of yourself," she shot back. "You need no help to handle a handful of morons who think themselves dangerous because they're out this late."
"I'll be going now," Syaoran left the bickering couple to their own devices, glancing at his watch and wondering how long it would take him to get home.
"That won't do Syaoran," at the mention of his name, the teenager turned around, alarmed when he saw how close the other guy was to him.
"Do I know you?" for the life of him, he could not remember ever having met a guy or a girl quite like these. They were simply smiling. The guy was at his height, same haircut with slightly smaller bangs. His light gray eyes directly watched him unabashed. He had the same thin athletic frame, clothed in a pair of dark jeans and black t-shirt with a gold design he had never seen before. The girl in turn was wearing a frilly pink and white summer dress that fell to above her knees, dark brown boots coming to her calves. She exuded an elegant and delicate-looking aura with her porcelain-white skin and long, wavy, grayish-violet hair. Her round violet eyes made a contrast with the delicate skin.
"I'm psychic," the other man threw back, a Cheshire cat smile ever present as his eyes were closed in the grin.
"Only when it's convenient for you," the girl threw out. "My name is Tomoyo, and this certifiable crazy person is Eriol. We are simply exploring the city."
"At night?" Syaoran didn't know what to make of that story. "You said you went through 20th, why? Not to say anything against the old neighborhood, but those aren't really safe streets to walk at night."
"I was looking for something," Eriol decided to say, his mask not slipping a bit. "And I think I've found you at last, darling relative."
The silence was deafening at his pronouncement.
"What?"
AN: What a delay. I actually had to write this chapter around 4 times to get to where I wanted to go and scrap other things that just delayed it. I'm going to finish this story, and then I'm going to tackle those that I have unfinished as well like 40 Seconds and from then on I can publish one I've written a bit previously four years ago after I make some changes to it. For this one I'm still debating whether to add magic to it or not.
It took a while, but it's finally here. Sorry to all the readers I've had for the last 8 years since I started writing in the CCS fandom for the wait. I don't think there are many left as most have moved on to other fandoms but I'd like to at least finish the stories I have up here.
MS