A/N: I apologize, like seriously. It's been almost six months since I last updated-trust me when I say there has been a hell lot of troubles on the personal front. This is the final chappie to the fic I had started almost two years ago. To all the followers who have given up on me and cursed me a painful death...*bows down* I apologise.


CHAPTER 11: CRAZY STUPID LOVE

Sakura was fiddling with the TV remote when Syaoran emerged from the bath. But the pale face made Sakura look at him with worry.

"What is it, Syaoran?" she asked gently.

"They have Yamazaki," said Syaoran in a hollow voice, eliciting a terrified gasp from Sakura

N.A.Z.R.A.T.H.

Eriol was digging into his fifth cinnamon doughnut when Ruby called again.

"Fifth Fenstine Avenue. Kernstine Boutique. That shop's got a shady side, it's worth investigating," said Ruby quickly.

"Thanks Ruby. Keep tracking," said Eriol, jumping onto his feet and hurrying towards the car with Tomoyo following close behind.

"Fifth Fenstine Avenue is just next to one of our flagship stores. I know where it is," said Tomoyo quickly. Eriol handed her the car keys.

"You drive."

N.A.Z.R.A.T.H

"WHAT?" Meilin shrieked.

Syaoran had just told her about Yamazaki. Xi too looked grim at the news.

"You and Sakura stay put in the hospital. Eriol and Tomoyo are onto something—will tell you later. Touya and Yukito are coming back. Man...I am gonna kill that Kruger craphead!" Meilin yelled.

"Okay, you and Xi hold on tight. Don't take stupid risks, okay?" Syaoran said.

"Will do, Syao. But that Kruger is after you two. Stay close, stay safe," Meilin added, lowering her voice.

After disconnecting, she watched Xi take a turn to another part of the town.

"Wazzup?" Meilin asked curiously.

"I have a hunch. Just pray that I am right," Xi muttered as he parked the car under a worn out tarpaulin and waited.

N.A.Z.R.A.T.H

Eriol looked exasperated to the utmost extreme. Kernstine Boutique was shady, looked shady and felt shady. But the owner, an obnoxious, pasty looking man kept up that toothy leer while he played innocent.

Tomoyo had tried talking, convincing, seducing and even yelling but all her efforts came to nought. Eriol stood a little way away, cringing at the way the man leered at Tomoyo's chest. He wished he could land his fist in his pudgy face—but God wasn't feeling benevolent that moment. For they liked it or not, they needed his assistance.

Just when he was about to give up all hope, Tomoyo's phone rang. She looked surprised at the number that flashed on the screen but nevertheless picked it up.

And the complete volte-face of her expression was priceless. Her eyes sparkled and her lips curved up in that scheming grin she often wore when she thought of ways to get Sakura involved in her various shenanigans.

She disconnected the call, replaced the phone in her purse and looked at the owner challengingly. To his surprise and glee, the man looked a tad uncomfortable.

"I think you might want to spill. Misaki Kagemune is in custody. So if you don't want to follow her to jail, you might as well tell us what you know and become the State witness," said Tomoyo triumphantly. She gave Eriol a discreet wink.

Tell you later, she mouthed.

N.A.Z.R.A.T.H

Meilin and Xi had to wait just for a little more than an hour for the action to begin. Meilin had dozed off until Xi prodded her awake.

"Hmm...mmm..." she mumbled unintelligently.

"Wake up sleepyhead," Xi muttered, his eyes following a group of men now standing on the opposite side of the dingy street. Apparently, they hadn't noticed the car and it's occupants. Xi had chosen his hiding place well.

Meilin peered out of her window with a bleary eye.

"What's with spying all of a sudden?" she inquired as her mental gears slowly fell in place.

"Remember how we discussed yesterday about Sakura being a soft target? Then this morning, Yamazaki gets kidnapped? And how Mr. Kinomoto gets called out to University all of a sudden? Don't you think it's a bit too convenient to be coincidental?" he said, his eyes following the group's actions.

"Hmm...now that you put it, seems legit," Meilin concurred, frowning slightly.

"I met Kruger yesterday to give that chip embedded skates. And funnily enough, it has stayed put in this general location since yesterday. So I think Yamazaki and the skates are room-mates somewhere around here," he added.

"And those men," Meilin pointed at the group which was talking amongst themselves. "They are the ones responsible?"

"They work for Kruger at any rate. But small fish—crooks, back alley guys, that sort. We need Kruger to wrap this up," he said grimly.

Meilin and Xi's phones vibrated simultaneously.

Got skate-mystery solved. Have enough proof to put Kruger away in Jail for eternity. Touya and Yukito in hospital. Come soon—Tomoyo.

"That's one mystery solved," Meilin sighed, the tension leaving her shoulders slightly.

"But Yamazaki is still in danger...our work is not over," said Xi, leaning towards the backseat and bringing out his laptop.

Meilin looked puzzled.

Xi gave her an uncharacteristic grin.

"Maybe it's time I gathered some limelight," he smirked. Meilin looked confused but slowly perked up.

"My friends are getting to you, huh?" she grinned.

N.A.Z.R.A.T.H

Dark...damp...a sliver of sunlight...rotting floors...chaffing wrists...a sprained ankle...

Yamazaki groaned. He was supposed to be on a date with Chiharu that evening and maybe join the gang for some investigation.

Getting kidnapped was certainly not on his "To-Do" list.

He was sitting with his back to a pole, his wrists handcuffed across it. The floorboards were wooden and rotting and a steady dripping explained the dampness of the location.

He sighed. He was just a regular University fresher, all set to try for the football team next week. Certainly not as high-up the social ladder like the other three. He wondered whether the others were alright.

He jiggled his wrists experimentally. Nope, the handcuffs were pretty strong.

He hated feeling like the clichéd damsel-in-distress.

He looked around himself. He had no idea how long he was out but the fading sliver of sunlight said it was almost early evening.

If he had to do something, he had to do it before the night fell for good.

He stretched his neck to look up the pillar he was imprisoned to. To his minuscule relief, the pillar seemed of rusting iron and as he struggled against it, the pillar seemed to wobble.

The handcuffs might be new but the pillar sure was freaking old.

A dangerous smile spread across his face.

Hehe, it was not always Syaoran who should hog the limelight.

N.A.Z.R.A.T.H

Meilin pouted angrily.

She was furious.

Why?

Because Xi suddenly decided to be a complete gentleman and let her enjoy the show as an audience while he stepped into the lion's den.

Alone and unarmed.

She slammed her fist on the armrest of the car's door.

What does that idiot think he is doing?

She saw Xi walking towards that group, exchange a few words. They looked a little uneasy but Xi appeared confident.

That damned idiot! Meilin raged mentally.

But before he could do what he had perhaps thought of doing, Meilin saw a portion of the building across the street fall down.

What the—?

Before she could gather her wits, she saw a dusty, grimy figure running blindly towards her car.

The fate be damned...it was Yamazaki!

She quickly unlocked the doors and opened the passenger door for Yamazaki while slipping into the driver's seat in one fluid motion. Thankfully, Xi had left the keys in the ignition.

She started up the car, swung a turn, slowed enough in front of Xi so that he could scramble into the shotgun seat and rammed the accelerator.

"Quick! Ram it up Meilin! Those goons are after us!" Yamazaki yelled.

If Xi was surprised, he didn't show it.

He did the only sensible thing he could do—he called the police.

N.A.Z.R.A.T.H

"Tell me...everything..." Syaoran said.

It was nearing midnight, well past the visiting hours but the hospital staff gave up. The "Kinomoto" group was no way leaving the premises so they gave up before even trying to get them out.

Sakura was sitting up on her bed with Syaoran next to her. Tomoyo was leaning on the couch, cradling Eriol's head as sat on the floor resting against the couch. Mr. Kinomoto and Touya were sitting on the plastic chairs they had sneaked in from the waiting lounge on the ground floor while Yukito and Meilin were sitting on cushions next to Eriol, all looking expectantly at Xi as he began to speak. Yamazaki was currently in the midst of getting his wounds dressed by a nurse while his girlfriend Chiharu fluttered over him in worry.

"Shizune Yagami was Kruger's PA before he got tangled up in attempting to fix the Ashes tournament. He had lost a lot of money, almost edging to bankruptcy when she came up with this plan. Injure Sakura, get Syaoran, get fixed for life. Daidouji and Hiiragizawa were bonus points. And Xiangling, a later but agreeable addition."

"That monster..." Touya muttered. Mr. Kinomoto patted him gently on his shoulders, motioning Xi to continue.

"Kimaya Shiro was a red herring—she thought we could get sidetracked by her. She even tried to sabotage our relationship with Meilin. But apparently, she underestimated a lot. My love for Meilin, Syaoran's belief in his cousin, your belief in your friend, Yamazaki's tenacity, Tomoyo's wild ideas, Eriol's calculations, Syaoran's feelings, Meilin's toughness, my resourcefulness. Not to mention Touya and Mr. Kinomoto's fierce protectiveness for Sakura..."

"Oh Xi..." said Meilin softly, her eyes shining.

"You are cool, man," Eriol smiled, his fingers interlocking with Tomoyo's as she too nodded in agreement.

Xi gave the group a small smile before continuing.

"I made Aaron Kruger think that I was that cliched calculative villain-type businessman while subtly slipping in a tracking chip along with the skates. That way, I could keep a track on his movements. But still, it would have been all for nought if not for another unaccounted player, Nikki Evanova."

Sakura gasped out loud while Syaoran looked puzzled.

"Nikki?" he asked, confused.

Xi nodded.

"She wanted to do something," he said, looking straight into those amber eyes. "She didn't like Sakura but she loved you. And thus couldn't bear that devastated look on your face. She was the one who managed to get the owner of Kernstine Boutique Misaki Kagemune arrested—on a completely different charge but arrested all the same. She was involved in various dealings—smuggling, extortion, kidnapping...take a pick. But that drove the acting owner, the guy Tomoyo and Eriol were interrogating, into a corner and spilled the secrets. Nailing Yagami proper."

Tomoyo winked at him before he took in another breath to continue.

"Kimaya Shiro got close to Kruger on the pretext that she wanted Sakura killed. He was more than happy to welcome her—man, that guy is more stupid than he looks. It was dangerous, but Kimaya got hold of sensitive documents that can send him behind the bars for a long, long time. And then, when Yamazaki broke through the building, Meilin drove like a maniac to the hospital, breaking at least fifty speed regulations on the way."

"Wow," Sakura whispered softly. Syaoran gave her a one-armed squeeze, his eyes also surprised yet humbled at the revelation.

"Thank you, guys. Without you, I dunno..." Syaoran began.

Just then Yamazaki burst into the room, Chiharu close on his heels.

"Can't let you hog all the limelight now, can we?" Yamazaki smirked, hitting Xi with a high-five.

N.A.Z.R.A.T.H

A week passed by.

Kruger and Yagami got arrested, and so did a couple of members of the hospital staff who were revealed to be in cahoots with him. Syaoran smiled savagely as the police van took them away.

Mr. Kinomoto returned to his University as the "Sakura incident" had slowed down his research. Touya was still against Syaoran dating his sister but Yukito managed, in his own gentle yet persuasive manner, to make the brother see sense. Xi and Meilin went back to Hong Kong since exams were near but promised to visit them as soon as they were over. Eriol went to London in order to help the Scotland Yard in putting up the case—almost all countries had something or the other with Kruger. That man was not walking free in the near future.

Tomoyo attended her classes while spending the evenings with Sakura, talking about homework and other gossip. Since Sakura couldn't walk, she had taken special permission to let her be permitted to pursue her subjects from the hospital.

And Syaoran?

His mother had been initially worried, but was glad when everything turned out fine. She too was helping Eriol in digging up more info.

It was Saturday.

Syaoran was standing outside Sakura's cabin, a bouquet of flowers in his hands.

It was the day.

The day he had asked her to become his girlfriend all those years back. He looked at his attire—dark green blazer, black silk shirt opened at the collar and trousers.

Tomoyo said he looked good.

His heart was beating fast.

He was going to propose to Sakura, ask her hand in marriage.

Would she say yes? What if she rejects me?

He shook his head.

This was his Sakura. His lovely, beautiful, gentle but strong Sakura.

The woman he loved.

A smile spread on his face.

Love was crazy. Love was stupid.

That's what made it so beautiful.

After exhaling, he pushed the door open, his eyes only for that one pair of beautiful, ethereal orbs, now widened in surprise.

Crazy, stupid love.

But it was worth it.


A/N: There it is...the end. No sequels planned, though. But yeah, this story needs a lot of updating.

Thanks for sticking with CSL!

Check out my other CCS Sakura/Syaoran fic "TILL THE END OF THE WORLD"...it is just one chappie long as of yet but I want your reviews.

See ya around, folks!