You Set Me Free, You Give My Heart Wings Part Two (Contin.): The Middle


How is all you peoples?!?
Everyone: Great!
Me, too! I just finished Mercedes Lackey's book Storm Rising, and OHMIGOD!! It had SUCH a good ending!! Everyone out there that likes fantasy books, go out right now, buy and read every Mercedes Lackey book you can! I've only got one more series and one more book of hers left to get and read, and she's my fave author at the moment! She even beats out Anne McCaffery and Brian Jacques!! SHE'S ~THAT~ GOOD!! GO READ HER BOOKS RIGHT NOW!!!
Well, let's get this chap started, shall we?

{Disclaimer}
Don't own the CCS characters.
Do own the following: Shawn, Garlin, Patience, Hope, Jade, Josuah, Sage, Celos (Celosrata), Aku Darkness, Katalia, Morgog, Cecile, Leo, Nadissa, Saby (Sabyina), the town of Rocky Wood, and anyone else mentioned (or will be mentioned) that never appeared in the Cardcaptor Sakura series.
Please be kind, and don't reuse or steal my characters. They're my children, after all. Since I don't plan on having any human children of my own, my lil' babies in my fics and books mean a lot to me.
{And no, I'm not crazy. I'm just mentally unstable. *(^-^)*}

Chapter Eleven: Li Returns, Kero's Ultimatum, And Nadissa.....

~Find me here,
Speak to me,
I want to feel you,
I need to hear you.
You are the light,
That is leading me,
To the place where,
I find peace again.~
Sakura was still sitting on her windowseat when someone came to stand in her doorway. She didn't even bother to look up as she addressed the interloper.
"Go away. I don't feel like talking," Sakura said stolidly.
"Well, if that's what you want..." Li's voice answered.
Sakura turned with mouth wide open. Tears threatened to fill her eyes again. "Li?"
"Hi." Li said simply, his face expressionless. Inwardly, his heart ached. How had Sakura gotten so thin in a mere week?!? And she looked so tired and worn!
~You are the strength,
That keeps me walking,
You are the hope,
That keeps me trusting.
You are the life to my soul,
You are my purpose,
You are everything.~
"Li!" Sakura exclaimed, jumping up and running to him. Just before she wrapped him in a warm hug, Li took a step back.
"Li?" Sakura asked sadly, looking up at him with bewildered eyes.
"I meant what I said before, Sakura," Li said coldly. It was only supreme will that kept Li from hugging her tightly. "Madison and Shawn were worried about you, and they asked me to come back."
"Why did you?" Sakura asked, confused.
~And how can I
Stand here with you,
And not be moved by you?
Would you tell me?
How could it be,
Any better than yesterday?~
Li shrugged noncommitically. "They begged me to."
Sakura took a step back. "Why didn't you just blow them off and forget about it?" Sakura's anger wasn't quick to blaze, but it was beginning to bit by bit.
Li sighed. "I'd still like to be friends, Sakura. Just nothing more."
Sakura turned angrily. "Just leave me alone."
Li was glad Sakura had turned, for pain had somehow managed to pass through his barriers and fill his eyes. He silently complied, leaving the tearing Sakura alone in her darkened room.
~You calm the storms,
You give me rest,
You hold me in your hands,
You won't let me fall.
You still my heart,
And you take my breath away.
Would you take me in?
Would you take me deeper now?
'Cause you're all I want,
You are all I need.
You are everything.
Everything.~

"This is where you live?!?" Leo demanded unbelieving. This girl must be pulling his leg; she couldn't possibly live in such a large mansion!
"Yep!" Hope said cheerfully, hurrying up the stairs to the house. "Well, c'mon! I'm sure the others'll love to meet you!!"
Leo followed her slowly, staring open-mouthed at the looming, hulking building.
"Mammy, Pappy, I'm home!!" Hope called as she let herself and Leo in. They were taking their shoes off when Patience dashed into the anteroom.
"Hope, Sage is awake!!" Patience exclaimed breathless, sweeping her sister into a giant hug.
"Wonderful!!!" Hope said candidly. "C'mon, Leo!!"
Patience paused in her headlong flight out of the room at the sound of the unknown name. "Leo?"
"Hi." Leo said uncomfortably, waving slightly. "My name's Leo."
"I'm Patience, Hope's sister." Patience said absently. "Hurry up, Hope! He's awake and everyone's already up at his room talking with him!"
"What about Celos and Kero?" Hope whispered in an under-tone to her sister before she had a chance to rush out.
"I'll hurry up and make sure they're not buzzing around," Patience replied, speeding up the stairs to the second floor.
"Sorry about all that," Hope apologized as she and Leo followed Patience slowly. "Sage is a good friend of ours; he's been unconscious for a week or so now, and Patience was dearly worried about him."
"What happened to him?" Leo asked in alarm.
"He had an accident," Hope said vaguely, in a way that made Leo think she was lying. But Hope seemed like a usually straightforward girl; if she had a reason for keeping that bit of information a secret, Leo wouldn't pry any further.
Patience wasn't exaggerating when she said everyone was in Sage's room. Patience sat with a wide smile beside Sage's bed while Jade, Josuah, Sakura, Madison and Shawn were clustered around the bed. And to Hope's most extreme and happy surprise, Li was back! But Sakura and Li were divided by Josuah and Madison, and even though Sakura kept casting longing glances towards Li, he seemed coldly oblivious to them.
"LI!!!" Hope screamed, hugging him so tightly he had trouble breathing.
"Hi.... Hope...." Li wheezed out.
"Leo, this is Li, and Sakura, Madison and Shawn. And this is my Mammy, Jade, and my Pappy, Josuah." Hope said cheerfully as she released Li.
"What about me?" Sage's plaintive voice whispered.
"And this is Sage!" Hope amended just as cheerfully. "It's so good to see you awake, Sage! How are you feeling?"
"Awful," Sage admitted truthfully. "I can't see anything."
"You're blind?!?" Hope exclaimed hopelessly.
Sage nodded slightly with a sigh. "For at least a week or so. But I've been assured that I'll get my sight back soon."
"Your name's Leo, right?" Josuah asked amiably. "I'm Josuah, Hope and Patience's father. It's good to meet you!"
"The feeling's mutual, sir," Leo stuttered out as Josuah shook his arm warmly.
Patience was carefully handing Sage a large stuffed fox when Jade spoke up. "And just where did you meet Hope, Leo?"
"Um, well," Leo began.
"He saved me, Mammy." Hope interrupted bluntly. "I wasn't watching the road and he saved me from being run over by a truck."
"Oh!" Jade gasped. "Oh my!"
"We're okay, Mammy." Hope assured quickly.
Jade and Josuah immediately began thanking the dazed Leo profusely. Hope turned her eyes back to Sage, sighing.
Poor Sage. He was better, but he couldn't see, and wouldn't be able to for a week or more. And poor Patience! She was already wearing away, and she was sure to spend every moment she could with Sage now! But the knowledge that he was getting better must be a comfort for everybody.
Sakura patted Kero's head absently, staring at Li with sorrowful eyes. Kero had to restrain himself from leaping at Li and biting his nose for all the pain he'd caused Sakura in the past week, but he firmly reminded himself that he was supposed to seem as nothing more than a mere stuffed animal. Inwardly, Kero contented himself with the thought that as soon as this Leo was gone, he could give Li the thrashing and yelling he deserved.
Shawn was looking at Leo strangely, as if trying to place him. I know I've seen him before... Not in this life, but in another... Why can't I place him? I know he doesn't have magic, but I know he was connected to ~some~ magickers....
Hope finally managed to pull Leo from her thankful parents' grasp, and as soon as they were free, they hurried up to Hope's tower room where they could be alone to talk.
"So, how do you know all those people?" Leo asked curiously as he sat on the end of Hope's quicksand-like bed. "Are they all family?"
"Of course not!" Hope said. "Mammy, Pappy and Patience are the only family I've got. Sakura, Li, Shawn and Madison are from Japan. They came to visit us this summer. They're good friends of me and Patience." Well, that wasn't a real stretch of the truth... "Sage is a newcomer to town. He met up with us and we all became friends nearly a month ago."
"Is something wrong with Sakura? I think that's her name... The honey-brown haired girl?"
Hope nodded an afirmative. "That's Sakura."
"Well, is something wrong? She looked so sad and desolate," Leo said in sympathy.
Hope sighed gustily. "Well, let's see how I can explain this.... Sakura and Li are in love. They've known each other since they were little older than ten, and they became a close couple after their fourteenth birthdays. They've been inseparable until last week..."
"What happened?" Leo asked curiously.
"Li told Sakura he didn't love her, then just disappeared for a week. None of us really know why he said that, because everyone but Sakura can see he's still madly in love with her. Shawn and Madison may know what's happening, though," Hope mused thoughtfully. "Madison's best friends with Sakura, and Shawn's Li's best friend."
"That's strange," Leo reflected. "Why would he do that to someone he loves? Sakura looks very, very sad and lonely."
"Li has his reasons," Hope said mysteriously, cryptically. "And they must be good ones."

Nadissa was awakened a few hours after dawn by her mother's call. "Honey?"
"Yes, Mom?" Nadissa asked wearily, yawning as she trudged into Cecile's room.
"Oh, I'm sorry, dear," Cecile began apologetically. "Were you sleeping?"
Nadissa simply nodded, rubbing her bleary eyes. "What's the matter, Mom? Do you need your meds?"
Cecile shook her head. "I just wanted to tell you that I'm feeling better today, so you can go ahead and spend the day out if you want."
Nadissa managed to smile through a jaw-cracking yawn. "Thanks, Mom! I think I'll take you up on that offer."

Saby was lounging on the windowsill when Nadissa reentered her room, promptly beginning to hurriedly dress. "What's the hurry?"
"Mom feels better. She said I could spend the day out!" Nadissa explained as she tugged on a pair of shorts and a gold blouse. "Would you like to go and visit the Powers?"
"Do you know the way?" Saby asked, closing her eyes with a contented purr as the sun warmed her black-veined dragonfly wings.
"Leo does. All I have to do is convince him to show us the way," Nadissa said as she pulled on her pair of sandles. "Ready to act like a stuffed animal?"
Saby sighed and hovered over to her Mistress on incandescent wings. "Ready I am. Eager I'm not."
"Leo!" Nadissa called through her brother's closed door, knocking loudly as she did so. "Wake up, idiot!!"
"What is it?!!?" Leo groaned angrily, throwing the door open with a little too much gusto.
"I want you to show me where that Hope girl lives." Nadissa said in a stubborn tone that clearly said "I'm not asking".
Leo groaned and leaned agains the door, scratching his head with a yawn. "Why do you care?"
"I want to meet her properly!" Nadissa said impatiently. "I want to talk to her!"
Leo sighed and slammed the door in Nadissa's face. "Gimme a minute to get ready... You better start praying that they don't think us rude for coming over so early."
Nadissa smiled, pleased. "Oh, I'm sure they won't."

Sakura woke, as she often did these days, with the rising sun. Feeling a little too restless to stay in bed, Sakura dressed and crept downstairs.
Jade was already awake, but hard at work on a new manuscript in her tiny, cluttered little study. Little less than an earthquake would disturb her.
Unlocking the doors, Sakura hurried outside. Crisp, pine-flavored air billowed welcomingly around Sakura, dispelling the last wisp of sleep. Despite her saddened mood, the day was so beautiful it somehow cheered her up.
Sakura began climbing down the steps carved into the stone leading up to the mansion, her mind on the trees, rising sun and twittering birds. She quickly selected a shady tree to sit beneath once she reached the end of the steps, and sat to enjoy the sun rise.
Kero woke with a face-splitting yawn. He peered about blearily for a long moment. "Sakura? Now, where could she be?"
Just then, someone passed by the opened door, hurrying down the staircase to the first floor. Kero buzzed after the shadowy figure curiously.
Kero realized with a start.
Li sighed as he shut the front door quietly behind him. I need some time to think. Maybe Shawn and Madison are right. Maybe that dream was nothing...
Sakura had began to doze in the cool shadows, but started awake as someone walked past, oblivious of her.
Kero thought to himself in a smug way as he buzzed after the unknowing Li.
"Li!" Kero called angrily. Li paused and spun about.
"What do you want?" Li asked irritably.
"To talk!" Kero said just as angrily, hovering over until he was at eye level, a few inches away from Li's face. "How dare you hurt Sakura so?!?"
Li glared at Kero, remaining stolidly silent.
"Do you ~enjoy~ hurting people?!? Do you like breaking someone's heart?!?" Kero demanded, clearly going to remain a pest until Li answered him.
"Of course not, Kero!" Li shouted back angrily. "I didn't want to hurt Sakura at all!"
"Well, for something you didn't want to do, you accomplished it very well!" Kero retorted snidely, little arms crossed stubbornly over his narrow gold chest.
"I had to do it!!" Li said helplessly.
Kero snorted. "You didn't have to do anything!! You hurt my Mistress, Li. I have every right to hurt you in turn!"
Li's eyes hardened. "I'm sorry for what I did to Sakura, Kero. I really am. I didn't want to hurt her. And besides, Kero, Sakura may be your Mistress, but what goes on in her personal life is none of your business!"
"Are you implying I've stuck my nose where it doesn't belong?" Kero asked coldly, his eyes hardening.
"Gosh, it sort of sounds that way, doesn't it?" Li replied snidely.
Sakura gasped from her hidden watching vantage as Kero transformed in a heartbeat. With a snarl, Kero leaped at Li, knocking him to the ground.
Li glared up at the molten-fire eyes staring down at him. The most of Kero's massive weight resting on his chest made him ache and throb painfully, but Li managed to keep every outward sign of discomfort hidden.
Kero lowered his face until he was a bare inch away from Li's nose. "My Mistress ~IS~ my business, Li Showron," Kero growled low and menacingly, his lips drawn back, revealing his fearsome fangs. "And if you ever hurt her again, I'll make sure you regret it."
To Kero's surprise, a faint mist of tears appeared in Li's eyes. "Kero, you wouldn't have to do a thing to make me regret my actions if I ever hurt Sakura again. I'd rather kill myself than see the pain in her eyes that I saw last week."
"Then why," Kero whispered in surprise. "Did you hurt her in the first place?" These tears of emotional hurt were no fakery; even biased Kero could see that.
Sakura leaned forward slightly. I can't catch what they're saying....
"I had to," Li whispered out. "I had a dream showing me that everyone would die if I stayed too close to them."
Kero backed from Li, surprise clear on his features. "I had no idea..."
"That's life," Li groaned, wincing, as he sat and rubbed at his bruised ribs. "But you mustn't tell Sakura anything, Kero. It's better this way. At least she won't die now."
Kero nodded slightly before returning to his usual form. "I'm sorry, Li."
"So am I," Li said truthfully as he stood and left, slowly retaking the steps to the mansion.
Sakura watched him go with puzzled eyes. I missed something... What just happened?!?

Nadissa stared up at the mansion with wide eyes.
"Nice place, huh?" Leo said with a grin.
Nadissa closed her eyes for a brief moment. Sure enough, three very clear and visible Powers throbbed out to her.
"Nadissa, I really think it's too early," Leo protested as he followed the eager girl up the steps.
"Nonsense!" Nadissa brushed off as she continued upwards. "Don't you see the girl sitting on the front porch?"
"Sakura?" Leo called, hoping he had used the correct name, as he spotted the honey-brown haired girl.
Sakura looked up from her thoughts and speculations. "Leo, right?"
Leo nodded vigorously. "And this is my sister, Nadissa."
"Hi," Sakura said politely, looking over at the unobtrusive girl holding the cheetah stuffed animal as Leo and Nadissa reached the porch.
Sakura had only intended to smile welcomingly at the girl, but she suddenly and unexpectedly locked eyes with the pretty girl. A jolt ran through her as she unmistakeably felt the shiver of Power in the younger girl.
Even with her Power hidden, Sakura's magic was clear to Nadissa when their eyes met. And if the amount of magic in the Hope girl had surprised the young sorceress, Sakura's magic staggered her.
"Hello," Sakura said, warier than before. "I'm Sakura."
"Nadissa," Nadissa replied, squeezing Saby just a little too tightly, making the poor Guardian's eyes bulge for a moment. Even if this girl was a Pure sorceress, her magic could easily destroy poor Nadissa if her temper got out of control and she was not careful with her magic run-off. Strong, passionate emotions were dangerous when someone had that much power inside.
"Why don't you both come in?" Sakura offered graciously. This new sorceress was worth looking into. "I'll go get Hope and the others."

Shawn discreetly kept Leo busy by giving him the grand tour, leaving Hope, Li, Sakura, Madison and Nadissa alone to talk. Kero and Saby were also present, but both were still in their guises as stuffed animals. Nadissa didn't know about Kero; in turn, Sakura and the others had no clue about Saby. Patience had gently declined speaking with the new sorceress in the tower rooms, preferring to keep poor, lonely Sage and Celos company.
While everyone settled themselves comfortably around Patience's cool, dark room, Nadissa watched these strange magickers in silence.
The solemn girl named Madison, who seemed to have a video camera permanently attached to her right hand, was dressed in a blue and white dress, with her hair up in a bun with small strands dangling down. Only the faintest wisp of magic lingered about her, but Nadissa could see a possibility for potential, if awakened properly. She certainly had a good enough magical background, and her Figure was strong, despite the weak sense of her magic. Nadissa also possessed a small ability to see glimpses of the past lives associated with somone, and could see that this girl had been closely connected to magickers in her past life as well as this one. Kanthel Otion and Madison Taylor were more alike than Madison knew.
Nadissa had only seen a brief glimpse of the boy Shawn, but she had a careful mind for detail, as well as a photographic memory. Shawn was powerful in a strange magic, a magic unlike any she'd ever seen, older than some of the oldest known magic she knew of. His past lives of Antien and Nicolas Otion had been full of magic and magical happenings; Clow Reed's apprentice had lived a very varied few lives. And Shawn's pale red hued magic was so closely intertwined with Madison's faint sky-blue, Nadissa could easily see that the two were soulmates, made for one another in this life as well any other.
Nadissa hadn't seen Patience in person, but by looking at Hope and the girl's room, she had a good idea of what she was like. She was much calmer and more sedate than her energetic younger sister, and most probably graceful and stately, with refined artistic features, a contrast to Hope's robust, healthy beauty. She loved dark, calm colors; that much was certain in her choices for room colors. Patience Dalie would most probably have slightly stronger magic than her sister, from her older age and experience alone. Nadissa had already caught a brief wisp of her magic, a dark bluish-purple in color. And the magic thread was woven in with another, a fiery red in hue. The red thread most probably belonged to the third new Power, the one Nadissa now knew from snatched conversation bits she'd overhead was injured and temporarily blind. This Sage was around Patience's age, and not nearly so strong, in both nature and because of his sickness. Nadissa thought inwardly that it was quite hilarious how women and girls usually had stronger magic than most men or boys. And most of the men who had strong magic either obtained it by Dark means, or because they were very close to a magic woman, who's magic would naturally be closely intwined with his.
This fact seemed present in the cases of Li Showron and Sakura Avalon, but Nadissa thought it very strange and unnatural for them to be so cold, distant and formal with one another. Li was a very good looking boy about twenty or twenty-one, with unruly dark brown hair and liquid amber eyes. He was dressed in faded blue jeans and a green shirt that complemented the green of his magic. His power was very strong, though not as powerful as Sakura's. All Nadissa could see of his past lives were brief flashes and glimpses, most containing a girl that looked uncannily like Sakura.
Sakura was dressed in a pink short skirt and blouse, with her hair pulled back from her emerald green eyes in a complicated french braid. She sat restlessly in Patience's desk chair, a small psuedo bear toy laying across one knee. She kept sending sad, searching glances over at Li, who leaned against the wall stiffly, his eyes firmly focused on the blue-painted floor. Her magic, a pale pink in color, stretched yearningly towards Li, swirling with his magic before pulling back slightly.
Sakura moved slightly, a glitter of a chain catching Nadissa's eye. She looked curiously at the necklace Sakura wore, a long chain with a small star-shaped charm dangling from the bottom. A strong sense of magic, both ancient mid-night blue and Sakura's pink, hung about the strange charm.
"Well, Nadissa, why don't you start by telling us more about yourself?" Hope suggested when everyone was finally settled. Madison flicked the lenscap from her camera and began recording, looking over at the new girl.
Nadissa was fairly normal looking, with ramrod-straight brown hair that fell to her waist and curled in tiny wisps about her face. She was tall, and just slightly on the plump side, with dimples at each corner of her heart-shaped mouth. She was dressed in a simple gold blouse and a pair of khaki shorts, with half of her hair pulled back in a ponytail, the rest left hanging straight. She was nothing truly spectacular to look at... unless you caught a glimpse of her eyes. Those sometimes-gray-sometimes-green eyes seemed to hold your future and life in them, seemed able to weigh and measure emotions and feelings. An old power swam in those knowing eyes, almost as ancient as Clow Reed's magic. She had surely had several past lives, lives that now made her wise beyond her years. And although she did not have a huge amount of magic, the magic she did have was strong, a bronze-gold in color to Sakura's sensitive eyes now that Nadissa had dropped her Shields.
Nadissa thought for a moment, then shifted the small cheetah toy that sat in her lap with a pretty smile on its feline features.
"My name's Nadissa Davisk, I'm nearly sixteen years old, and I've had my magic since I was seven. My brother's Leo, he doesn't have any magic himself, and he's a complete idiot."
"No opinions or biased thoughts, please!" Hope warned with a finger wiggle.
Nadissa sighed. "Don't take my word on it. You'll find out for yourself."
"What about your dad and mom?" Madison asked.
Nadissa sighed. "My Mom's Cecile Davisk, and she's dying from lung cancer."
"I'm so sorry," Sakura whispered sympathetically, her voice barely audible, her eyes firmly on Li.
Nadissa nodded and sighed again. "She's usually bedridden, but she's never really depressed about the fact she's dying. In fact, after all of these years of suffering and pain, I think Mom's actually looking forward to Death." Nadissa sighed with a wry smile. "I'm a little too morbid for my own good."
"Where's your dad? Is he dead?" Li asked curiously.
Nadissa frowned. "You know, I really don't know what happened to Dad. He disappeared after I was born, so I really don't remember him at all. Leo doesn't even remember what he looks like, and he was three at the time." Nadissa didn't add that when she had first tried to do a scrying for her father's image, all she'd found was a blank blackness. He wasn't dead, but it was as if he was somehow blocking his image from any scrying attempts. Which made Nadissa wonder if she'd inherited her magic from her father....
"How long has your mother been ill?" Hope asked gently, her morbid curiosity driving her.
"She first fell ill right after I was born, even before I'd been released from the hospital. The doctors ran tests and found a dark lump in her lungs. They diagnosed it as cancer and Mom went through surgeries and chemo for the good part of five years, but the doctors finally told her there was nothing more they could do. Mom was pretty resigned by then, and decided to go back to her life at the house, wanting to spend her time raising Leo and I instead of fighting a losing battle."
"Your mother sounds very brave," Sakura murmured. Nadissa smiled in thanks.
Just then, Kero sneezed.

Aku Darkness looked down at his scrying crystal, an entirely too pleased, smug grin on his face.
"This should work nicely enough to my plan.... Oh, I almost feel sorry for poor Cecile. But then, there are always casualties in war... And she will be the perfect thing to use to draw the new Powers and their dratted teachers from their hiding place."
Aku was still furious over the fact that most of the events in the mansion were blocked to his Sight by the damned sorceress. Her power was far too strong for Aku to take on alone, but his sent-dream to her darling, devoted lover was working like a charm.
Divided from her precious Li, Sakura would easily fall under his control.
And Cecile and her pitiful family would be the last piece to the puzzle Aku had created.
"The new Powers WILL be mine!!"


Another school day come and gone.... *SIGH* I'm soooo tired!! I joined International Club today, and I'm really looking forward to the first Club meeting! We've got foreign exchange students from the Netherlands, France, and even a girl from Japan! I can't wait to meet them!!
How did you all like that chap? Any ideas or suggestions for improvement? You know what to do. Er, at least you SHOULD. REVIEW, FOR CHRIST'S SAKE!!!
Ahem. Pardon me. I need a refill on my meds for tomorrow.
Next chap's gonna have:
Sage and Patience getting even closer, Sabyina makes an appearance, Li gets some sense knocked into him {Literally!}, and more of the witchy-bitch Katalia!
Stay tuned folks!
You DEFINETLY WON'T WANT TO MISS the next chap!!
P.S.- Does anyone out there NOT know what aku means? In Japanese, it means evil. So Aku Darkness could also be called Evil Darkness. Just a quickie fun fact for y'all!
P.P.S.- The song mentioned is by Lifehouse, from No Name Face, and it's called Everything.