AU PAIR

*RATED M FOR MATURITY*

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Card Captor Sakura. However, this story is all mines down to its very last idea.

Chapter Thirty Six: Realizing Truth

All he could think about was the darkness that shrouded him inside and out. The strange sensation that he couldn't wake up was strong as his body was dragged, rocked, and tossed against a cold floor reeking of gasoline and stone. An unwelcoming awakening jerked him awake faster than his mind could, heart beat hammering against a tight chest. Coughing, his body automatically slid backwards as he struggled to a standing position, boots slipping once in a puddle of something. Steadying his body as he pressed against a cold structure, he wheezed out a breath of air and froze. The chill of damp earth sent the hairs on his arm up. The bones in his body ached from the very definition of icy atmosphere. It took a moment for his eyes to register the darkness, vision clouding over for a brief moment until he could properly see. His fingers curled into a tight fist as he pushed at the wall holding him upright, feeling a minor fracture in his knuckles that hurt worse in the cold than it would otherwise. He blinked a couple times to make sure he was seeing things correctly, his eye sight slightly hazy. Wall-to-wall of cold slabs of cement encased him in a foreign place.

The smell of gasoline was strong where he was and he sneezed, feeling the ache in his bones of being manhandled. He suddenly felt something else in his bones and a wave of pain encircled his left leg as he stood straight. Placing a hand to his thigh, he felt the damp sensation of fresh blood and pulled away, staring unblinking at the mess that was his thigh. Swallowing another bout of pain, he slid back down to the ground and pushed upright until his back was straight. How he didn't notice the bullet in his leg the first time was beyond him, but now that he knew he was furious. His ankle was swollen, the pressure of a bullet in his skin making the blood flow worse. Taking a deep breath, he straightened his leg until his knee locked and felt the pinpoint of the bullet. Slowly he began to pat down his body, checking scorched fabric for a knife. It was wishful thinking that the enemy would allow him one weapon, any weapon. Coming up empty, he closed his eyes tight and breathed out. A couple times he had to remind himself he was alive. Opening his eyes again, the pain of his injured leg subsiding to a dull ache as his body got used to the foreign object, he glanced around his surroundings to really take it all in.

He let his eyes take in the cold cement of his confinement, staring at the puddles of water. He caught a glimpse of gasoline puddles, the strange texture glistening off of the only light flooding a hole in the cement ceiling. Haku and Lea were a good distance away from him, still passed out and haphazardly tangled up together. He couldn't help but squint at their bodies, giving his mind a slight ease as he caught the rise and fall of both their chests. Whatever happened had knocked them out good. They both looked worse for wear, scorched clothing and burnt skin. Haku had enough caked blood marking his face to match the second degree burns he suffered. Sitting across from them was the man from the truck, head bowed as he pretended to sleep. Syaoran knew from the way his chest rose and fell he was giving him the respectful privacy he needed in order to get over the initial shock of being taken. For the first time since seeing the man tied up with thick ropes, Syaoran realized he was covered in layers of dirt and grim, some of it blood and some of it a substance he didn't think was safe. He couldn't think of why the enemy would want them all and he didn't want to think about it as his attention went to the last hostage soldier in the cellar.

Once again he squinted, making sure the soldier was alive and not dead. He barely recognized Corporal Brendon Cox with the darkness of a second degree burn and caked blood marking his face. He was the only volunteer to join the SRT unit on their trek through the desert. Syaoran could still remember the eagerness behind Brendon's dark gaze as he asked permission to be the fifth wheel, to follow behind as their maneuver strategist. Syaoran pitied the kid, knowing he would be scarred for life after what just transpired. He wouldn't wish any kind of battle like that for anyone. Slowly his eyes closed, exhaustion claiming his subconscious with a quickness. Not wanting to pass out again, he pressed into his wound until the pain brought about an electric wave through his spine. Breathing harshly, he coughed and winced. The stranger finally looked up and watched him with a curious gaze, dark eyes wide as Syaoran struggled to remain as still as possible. The pain was unbearable, but so was knowing that he would be sleeping into unconsciousness. He feared the dark, feared what would happen if he fell asleep. He had no idea where they ended up or how they got there. The last thing Syaoran recalled was a faceless individual opening the back of the truck and a small can being tossed into the middle of the hostages.

Just that memory was enough to keep him awake. A subtle sound came from above, echoing off the cement walls in a wave that hurt his ears. It was enough to wake the others from their unconsciousness. Private Lea woke up in a scream, her voice echoing off the cold walls with a piercing shrill. Syaoran's heartbeat rattled faster in sync with her agony. He closed his eyes just as Haku came to, trying to comfort her. Her shrill cry became louder and Syaoran knew then she wasn't fully awake, that her pain was unbearable to withstand. He could visibly see her broken as she struggled to a sitting position, the limb hanging uselessly at her side in an odd angle. From the look of it the break it was from her shoulder, which meant her collar bone was shattered. Tears ran down her dirt-covered face as she hyperventilated, shoving Haku away from her as she struggled to breathe properly. It was a rude awakening to be woken up from pain, from a strange sound in an even stranger place. There was nothing they could do though. Keeping his eyes closed, he let her cries settled on him like a second skin. He felt for her, knowing she was scared and confused. He'd woken up in the truck feeling the same emotions flooding him when he realized they'd been captured.

Finally after a good couple minutes, her cries became a hiccup mess. Cracking open an eye, Syaoran watched as Brendon shifted away from them, hiding amongst the mess of his uniform. Haku was staring at him with wide blue eyes that glowed in the dim lighting, finally taking in their confinement with horror. His legs were crossed as his back rested against the cold cement, Lea breathing uncontrollably next to him as she tried to regain control over herself and her injury. Finally her wide-dilated green eyes met Syaoran's and he saw her swallow a couple times, tongue running along her cracked lips greedily.

"I-I need…I need to re-break it a-and…" her voice waivered, sending a chill down Syaoran's back as he watched her struggling. "Help me, please?" her eyes were on Syaoran. Ignoring his own pain, he nodded and got back to his feet. Her eyes went to his leg, his own hand covering the wound as best he could as he used the wall to scale over to them.

"What do you want me to do?" he asked in a huff of breath, coming to her side and dropping down to the floor.

"Is there water?" she asked instead. The stranger in the corner nodded, scrambling to crawl across and hand her a bucket. Syaoran watched him move, taking note of his stiff movements and the way his body hunched over. Lea peered at the dirty mess of water and grimaced, head shaking. It took her a moment to catch her breath again, eyeing both Syaoran and Haku as she took three careful huffs. "Which way…" she swallowed a lump in her throat. "Which way is my arm going?"

"Left, it looks like." Haku answered. His voice was soft as Lea nodded, her red hair falling into her eyes. Tears slipped down her face, disappearing in her uniform.

"D-do we have something to use as a tourniquet? I need you to re-break my arm up and then to the right really fast…" she was breathing faster as she spoke, knowing the extremities of what she was asking him to do. Syaoran nodded, scooting closer to her. It was going to be difficult re-breaking her arm when his leg seared with every movement he made. As he adjusted his weight on his good leg, other one out straight, Haku stripped out of his shirt uniform jacket and undershirt, revealing a red scar running from his right shoulder to his ribcage. Shredding his shirt, he handed Lea the fabric.

"Here,"

"Thank you," her voice was softer now, taking on a hint of hysteria as she struggled to remain calm. "Sergeant Major…if I…if I pass out, force me awake. I need to stay awake for a couple hours to make sure I don't…" she couldn't finish it and Syaoran nodded, holding her arm delicately.

"Ready…?" he asked lifting her arm and gripping her elbow tightly. She shook her head, taking in deep breaths. The moment she let out her third breath Haku came around to sit behind her, holding onto her body as Syaoran lifted and yanked the right. In a sickening crack of bones she screamed, louder than the first time. Her voice scratched in a blood-curdling cry of agony, her leg shooting out to kick Syaoran away and stopping mid-kick as he quickly tied the shirt around her bleeding shoulder.

"You are brave…young soldier," the stranger commented from his corner, watching with wide eyes. She ignored him as the tears flowed down her face uncontrollably, her body weak against Haku as they brought her arm to her chest. Syaoran stripped off his shirt as well, ripping it and placing it underneath her arm as a sling. Lea was staring at his tattoo, strangely finding a point of calm from the wolf's head.

"You're going to get an infection if we don't clean that." It was a random statement, one that made Lea laugh in her hysteria. Haku still held her from behind, allowing her to rest against him comfortably as she came to a quiet tranquility.

Syaoran slowly found a comfortable position next to them, leg stretched out in a painful move. His hand went to hold it, putting pressure on it as he seethed. "It seems you will attract an infection as well, young soldier." Syaoran stiffened.

"He's right, Sergeant Major." Lea whispered, hissing out when Haku moved an inch. Apologizing, he shifted some more until they were comfortable. Syaoran ignored them, his eyes on the man sitting across from them in a cross-legged position. The man's clothes looked worse for wear, matching the way his features were.

"Who are you?"

That took the stranger by surprise and he faked cough, rubbing his dirty hand across his soiled shirt. "Terada Yoshiyuki," he bowed his head and stopped, seeing them all staring at him. A shuddering breath escaped his lips as he straightened his legs out and leaned against the cold wall. "I and my partner are journalists for the Peru Environmental Committee. These rebels ambushed us when we entered the city of Sybil, I was not certain where they were taking us." His eyes went to Haku and back to Syaoran, taking in their slightly confused looks. "My comrade…they shot him when he tried to escape during the last full moon. We were on the move again and that's when they saw you and your troops."

"A journalist huh," Haku commented dryly and Syaoran shot him a look.

"The last full moon was two weeks ago," Brendon got out stiffly.

"True, I've been in their grasps for what seemed like years." Terada commented, never leaving his gaze from Syaoran. He may have been taken, but Syaoran could still see a harsh spirit in his dark gaze.

"What were you looking for exactly, Yoshiyuki?"

"The city of Sybil holds many secrets, young soldier. When those gates went up, it was an opportunity to uncover. Sybil was a city of wonders for many years, trading with Peru and Brazeen Island for centuries. I had heard rumors that Sybil refused to join this pathetic war and took the opportunity to investigate a story to preserve their wondrous city." Syaoran made a face as he listened to him speak. It reminded him of Sakura's beliefs and the way she saw the world around her. His chest tightened and he quickly shut off his emotions, not wanting the others to sense his weakening.

"Brazeen is in war as well as the rest of the Atlantic. I'm assuming Peru is also part of this war." Brendon commented from his place across the room. Syaoran glanced at the young Corporal, wondering just how much he knew about the war and how much he wasn't supposed to know. He had his head resting against the wall at an angle, eyes closed as he rested.

"That's correct," Terada answered. "I was part of the faction that joined Peru's military—in spite of what I believe in—wanting to take the defense and save our city from invaders. We came to the desert lands just a month ago when the snow melted off the mountains. Peru's military army headed for Fort Michaels while my team of five went towards Sybil."

"Fort Michaels was ambushed in December." Syaoran said bluntly.

"So we have heard," Terada bowed his head. "The rebels ambushed us and the army of forty soldiers, as if they knew we were going to be there at that specific time. I have never seen so much anguish and blood until that night. It reminds me daily why I chose to follow a peaceful path and not that of bloodshed." His shook with distress, eyes closing as he silently remembered the ones that fell. "General Harold was the survivor of his troops and died by a wound similar to your young soldier there."

"Private Lea is not going to die." Haku yelled defensively and she shushed him. Syaoran glanced at her, watching as her head slowly lulled to the side. She was exhausted, struggling to remain awake as she laid against Haku's body in a comfortable position. Turning back to the stranger, Syaoran studied him darkly.

"If what you are saying is true, then there's a rat or a handful of rats. This war has been going on for too long to be comfortable." He turned his gaze to Haku, seeing the blonde's dark look in his eyes. "Sudder sent us out here for a reason and I have a feeling it was too find those rats. Sybil may have the answer to that as well."

"How are we going to find rats down here?" Haku said gloomily, tapping Lea against the cheek to keep her awake.

"I don't know,"

"You are headstrong," Terada commented and Syaoran just stared, unsure about the journalist from Peru. He did know he held a fighting spirit still and that was good.

…

…

…

Holding her hands clasped around a steaming cup of tea, Sakura organized the mail on Syaoran's island counter. The strong scent of her peach tea wafted up, warming her face as she took in the warmth with delight. It was another chilly day and she was dying to be warm by any means possible. Winter was ending and yet the weather disagreed whole-heartedly. Staring at an envelope and deciphering if it was important or not, she placed it in the pile of Syaoran's unknown stack with a sigh. She knew which ones she was supposed to be reading, keeping track of bills and trashing the spam mail. At the moment, she wasn't interested in reading anything that would stress her out further than she already was. She'd managed to forward her mail to Syaoran's address as well. Her life was one step further in his and soon will become his altogether. A strong sense of belonging enveloped her as she took a cautionary sip of her tea and grimaced. Her taste buds were acting up, making everything taste wrong and making the wrong things taste right. She knew it was the pregnancy, knew it was only the beginning of a long run, and she wasn't up for changing her diet to suit her taste buds. In a clatter of boots, Lyri went running from the backyard to the stairs, trying to take them two at a time.

"It's almost time to go love!" Sakura called up to her, listening intently as she squeaked and grunted.

"One theck…" she called back, her lisp making Sakura shake her head. A second later she heard the thump of the bedroom door and her smile widened. Lyri had grown up immensely since she met the three-year-old. It almost seemed like she was older than she really was in all of her three-foot stature.

Taking her warm tea, she headed for the living room shutting off the light as she went. Syaoran's house was becoming a familiar place for her. Everything about it reminded her of him and his personality, which was both good and bad. The bad only coming when she was alone with her thoughts. The narrow hallway was covered in photographs, some old and some new. Chiharu had printed out pictures of Lyri from the time she spent the October storm with her and he had added them to his collection. Passing one photo, Sakura shook her head. She still couldn't believe he bought the photo of Lyri sleeping in her arms against Chiharu's bay window. The whole group had that photo. Coming up to the stairs, she listened intently to the sound of boots as Lyri did whatever she was doing before going to sit on his cushion infused couch. Once upon a time he had a leather sofa that got ruined when his windows blew in from a storm. She would always feel guilty for that, knowing how much he loved his leather furniture. Syaoran had replaced too much after the storm, from furniture to flooring, racking up his insurance.

Getting comfortable, Sakura flipped the television on and stared at the news. It was most likely a bad idea to be watching the news before going to see Tomoyo for their lunch date, knowing her best friend would see right through a false façade if something made her upset. Something in her wanted to see the update on the war though, almost like her mind needed to see what was going on from the sidelines. She needed hope, needed to know that everything was going to be okay. The SRT brigade had sent out a third team just last week. Syaoran's team was still out there and she needed to know if he was okay even if it was by watching the news on the military's actions. Between the riots and the bombings, Sakura was itching to know what was going on. Taking a harsh breath and sipping her tea, Sakura blinked and stared at the screen with a fluttering ache in her chest. She recognized Brazeen Island as a helicopter revealed the large city. The date stamped in the corner was today's and she breathed out a sharp gasp as the helicopter circled, showing the disaster that was the ocean and what used to be Marine ships.

Her hands tightened around the mug, fingers white as she watched the cameraman zoom in the scene. She could easily tell it was old by the way the smoke was billowing up from the large ships, the fire being put out by air flights. A newscaster was in debate with another as they recalled what was happening, her mind elsewhere as she ignored the voices speaking. The pressure of her still healing hand began to ache as she tightened unconsciously around the mug, eyes wide as they showed the rest of the large island. Brazeen was a sister city to Middleton, their Atlantic border patrol that helped regulate trade and protect the ocean from sea invaders. From a certain vantage point in Middleton, anyone would be able to see the shadow of the island at horizon point. She'd only been there a couple times with the Environmental Committee and had loved the city with its stone buildings and seashell creations. Brazeen was one of the oldest cities that had a decree to protect its old buildings unless a storm hit and ruined its preservations. To stare at the disaster now, she knew they could never rebuild to make it look like it used to.

The newscaster returned to the Marine ships, showing more of the disaster from eagle eye point. A fire larger than life had engulfed them at one point, helicopters circling as divers went in search of survivors. The harsh reality that Syaoran and the others were on land and not the ships wasn't making her feel any better. She felt her chest tighten as another blast took the large ship in surprise, the engine taking out a good amount of the sea-craft. A chill ran down Sakura's spine as tears welled up. The war was becoming too much for the world to handle and if the old scene the news was showing them was any indication, she knew they were going to deploy more soldiers. For the last month everything on the news was about the war taking place. Turning the volume up, she tried to listen as an older man talked about the scene playing.

"Full report regarding the initial attack has been silenced due to the extremities of the situation, however separate reports have confound that the bomb that took out three of the Marine's battleship were just off the coast of Brazeen just last week, along the border of Middleton and Costas Island. There is no word whether the attacks were initially targeting Middleton or if they were simply an attack to take witness upon the war…"

Sakura turned the television off, sighing. She couldn't take it anymore; the news, the reports—nothing. Just yesterday she learned more than a dozen soldiers were killed in the line of fire, none of them Syaoran or her friends, thankfully. News reports were always late which made the emotions harder. For all she knew they all could be dead and she wouldn't know until a week or a month later. "I'm leaving…!" Sakura called, head to the ceiling as if she could see through cement and wood to where Lyri was.

A hyper, "Hold on," came back and Sakura made a face. She needed a distraction and fast. A stray tear slipped down her face as her eyes went to a picture of Syaoran and Lyri together on the mantel. She didn't know what it was, but she still had a nagging feeling that something was wrong. Watching the news hadn't helped her at all. A hard rapture struck through her nerves and she flinched, staring at the door in shock. They weren't expecting anyone. Not moving, her mind running a mile a minute with the recent, yet delayed news report, she flinched a second time when they knocked even harder.

Getting up slowly she placed her tea down, wiped her face of any stray tears, and went to the door. The peephole revealed nothing making her sigh as she opened the door. Sakura held in a breath as she stared at the two soldiers standing on the porch, dressed down in black suits and medals. Her eyes went to the large SUV on the street and back again. "Yes…?"

"First Officer Meilin Li…?" a soldier with shaved blond hair asked, his dark brown eyes examining her over his nose. He was tall for a soldier and broad shouldered.

"No, she's currently deployed right now. The military faction should know that." Sakura glanced at the large SUV again, black tinted windows too dark to see inside. "What's this about?"

"I'm sorry ma'am, that's classified." The second soldier commented. He was shorter than his comrade with dark brown hair slicked back away from his eyes. As one, the two soldiers bowed their heads and turned on a heel preparing to leave.

"Wait…!" Sakura bit her lip, thinking fast. She couldn't recall what the black SUV meant, but somehow she knew it wasn't good. A chill ran down her spine as she looked between the two informants, staring at their hard features and dark gazes. "I'm Sergeant Major Syaoran Li's…wife, what's this about?" it was half a lie and she knew they caught onto it as one of the soldiers glanced skeptically at his companion. "I'm also General Kinomoto's daughter." She added in hopes that helped.

"I apologize ma'am, but—."

"It's not about Syaoran is it?" her chest clenched at the look they shared, her head swiveling around when she felt Lyri coming down the staircase. Lyri's black hair was up in a messy ponytail, created by the three-year-old herself. The child also changed into her Princess Jasmine costume, the turquoise gown backwards on her small body.

"No ma'am." They started to turn again, walking back down the drive. Sakura thought quickly, trying to place where she'd seen soldiers dressed like that before. Then it hit her, stomach churning as she stared at the black SUV. A flash of the news she'd just been watching played a horrifying scene in her mind's eye. The Marines were stationed along Brazeen Bay. "Kyle…it's about Kyle isn't it? Meilin Li is currently deployed, the military should be aware of her current—."

"Ma'am…" the shorter of the soldiers pleaded with her, sadness in his hard eyes.

"You came here for a reason. Obviously I'm not Meilin, but I am family and I think I deserve to know what's going on. Someone deserves to know and I'm pretty sure Kyle doesn't have family other than us." Her hand fell to Lyri's head as the youngster peeked from behind the half-closed door to stare at the soldiers.

Sakura watched as the tall soldier had a silent battle in his head, his comrade becoming impatient as he stood an inch closer to the vehicle. "Staff Sergeant Kyle Nygeun was pronounced deceased in the line of duty, along with his unit off of Brazeen Bay." A cord struck deep within her, stinging her insides as the truth came to light. Somehow she knew that.

"Oh my…" her hand went to her mouth, silencing her own words as tears welled up. Lyri looked up at her with confusion, teal orbs penetrating right through Sakura's heart, forcing the tears to come out. Closing her eyes, she sucked in a breath.

"I apologize for the news…"

"Douglas that's enough, you know the rules."

Douglas ignored his comrade as he took a couple steps back up the porch. Meeting Sakura's gaze, he bowed his head slightly. "Ma'am…Lieutenant Touya Kinomoto had saved my life." Sakura stared at him with blurry eyes, confused by his statement. "First Officer Meilin Li is unresponsive on her mission overseas. Air Bourne Division has not shared with the military faction whether she's returned from deployment or not. I'm regretful that you were to hear the news of her husband." His gaze lingered on Lyri then at Sakura's stomach. "Good day, ma'am." He inclined his head, leaving with his companion who wasn't happy he just shared classified news.

She didn't know what to say, her heart raced as she stared at the place the soldier just stood. A neighbor across the street stared through the window watching Sakura's reaction as they snooped. Ignoring them she turned to Lyri before going inside, all but racing for the car keys even as she slipped into her jacket. Lyri remained at the door with a confused look on her angelic face, watching Sakura snatch items before going back to the kitchen and coming back again in her jacket. Her mind was throwing out obstacles, clouding her judgment as she played a scene over and over in her head. She entered the garage without a second thought, turning the light on and opening the mustang's door before remembering Lyri wasn't following her. Placing the keys on top of the hood she went back into the main house and met the child's gaze. All she could think about as she met those soft orbs was Syaoran. If Kyle was dead, what does that mean for the rest of them? She needed answers.

"I'm sorry honey, there's been a change in plans." As the words left her lips and Lyri started forward, Sakura sent a quick text to Tomoyo to cancel.

"Where are going?" Lyri's soft voice asked, confusion on her angelic face as she entered the cold garage and climbed in.

"Umm…Fort…" she stopped, trying to find the right words. Where was she going? She needed answers and only so many people could give her those answers. The recent news finally settled, the infant within her stomach giving her a false kick from a bubble of stress. Placing a hand against her stomach to ease the aching pain, she climbed into the car and shut the door. "We're going to speak with someone at Fort Sudder across the bridge. I'll stop and get food if you're hungry."

"Okay," it was that easy and Sakura couldn't help but feel the pang of regret as she started up the car and turned the heater on. Lyri had no idea what just happened.

…

…

…

It felt like forever since they'd been place down below. He didn't even know where "down below" was and it was becoming a nagging-gut feeling of anguish. Something bad was going to happen. It had only been a few hours since they'd all woken up, but who's to say they hadn't been unconscious for days before that. Private Lea had finally fallen asleep, giving them the order to wake her up when they think a few hours had passed. Syaoran couldn't figure out the need to wake her, but she was the medic and in distress. He watched her now, chest rising and falling as she leaned against Haku, who was also napping. There wasn't much to do. Sleep was the only thing anyone could come up with, at least for now. Syaoran couldn't move, let alone come up with a plan of action to escape. No one knew what was above their heads, not without losing their lives to a fight they couldn't afford. They were all looking to him for answers too. He didn't know what to tell them, only knew what not to tell them.

Syaoran shifted his weight and sucked in a breath, feeling his chest rise with a cold sensation. The base of his skull ached with a headache forming, but it was nothing compared to the pain from his new injury. It was becoming harder and harder for him to withstand the pain in his leg. The bullet was worse than the captivity, blood seeping out of the wound like a sponge. The tourniquet he made out of scraps of cloth wasn't working, the fabric already soaked through. There was no way to dig out the bullet fragments without anesthetics or clean scalpels. Syaoran wasn't chancing his life for a mere bullet floating in his flesh. Even if he managed to get the bullet out, he would most likely contract an infection worse than the actual wound. It wasn't like Lea's broken arm were he could fix it and hope for the best. He didn't know if the bullet hit a vein or if it was residing next to one. In truth he didn't want to know. The last bullet he recalled going through him had done just that—went right through. He was at a loss on what to do with the current one.

As the pain began to subside into a dull ache, he shifted once more and found a comfortable position that didn't compromise his back. Moving was exhausting and slowly his eyes began to close. In a feral pinch, he forced himself awake and sucked in another breath. He couldn't fall asleep, he didn't want to fall asleep. Sleeping meant dreaming and that was one thing he did not want to do. It also meant seeing Sakura's face, but it was all fantasy. It wasn't real. He wanted to see the real person and not a figment of his imagination. Slowly his mind began to wonder as he tried not to doze off. Falling asleep meant reliving the crash and the ambush also. It meant reliving Meilin's words over and over again as she yelled for Eriol, yelled for her lieutenant to answer his intercom and tell them all that he was okay. He could still feel the heat of her jet crashing, exploding in midair as a torpedo whistled to make contact with her hunk of metal. Syaoran could still remember Lieutenant Rose's order to fall back and how her words were faintly close to horrified tears. Dozing off meant he would face the nightmare that was reality.

Sakura would be devastated when she found out what happened, he could only imagine the horror that would cross her angelic face if soldiers walked up the walkway to tell her the bad news. Everyone single one of the girls were going to be devastated. He could only imagine what Rika would do if she knew Haku was in danger, had almost lost his life at the hands of a landmine. He knew exactly what Sakura would say if he survived the current dilemma and let slip the dangers they were all in. the only one who was safe was Takashi, but in truth Syaoran didn't know if the tech soldier was safe. He hadn't spoken to the Major since departing from Fort Michaels. A short pain shot up his spine and he groaned, taking the pain as it enveloped around his bone. He was stressing out over nothing, he had to remember he was alive right now—they all were. A part of him was glad he was alive, yet another part hated what became of his team. All the jokes and laughs shared were coming to a halt because of one single mistake. They were in the arms of rebels belonging to the enemy. If in fact there was a rat in the military, they were most likely laughing at the accomplishment of the death tolls rising. It was war and they were losing. His fist went flying before he consciously knew what he was doing, knuckles cracking as he hit the cold wall of cement.

"Do you think they're okay?" Syaoran jerked at the sudden question. Bringing his hand to rest against his lap, he slowly turned to Haku and watched as he watched the soldier rested his head backwards. In slow movements he adjusted Lea's position against him. "Lieutenant Rose was yards away from us. Her team didn't get hit by the land mine, but those jets…" he trailed as he met Syaoran's gaze. "Eriol and Meilin got hit."

"They're fine," Syaoran grumbled.

"Face the truth Li, we both saw Eriol's jet go down and Mei—,"

"Think before you speak Tsukino. We both saw them go down. It does not mean they're dead. They're both fighters. They both have something to live for and I sure as hell am not going to think the latter got to them." Syaoran snapped and winced as his head ached to the point where he was seeing stars. His pain went unnoticed by his comrade as Haku turned away, blue orbs shadowed by the faint light coming from the ceiling.

"That's highly skeptical of you Sergeant Major." Brendon spoke up, his voice slightly muffled as he rubbed his face with his dirt-clad hands. "This is war. People die. No offense, but I'm sure those two died alongside the Lieutenant and her team."

"Where's the faith Cox?" Haku asked with a drip of hatred in his voice. "Haven't you seen the worse happen in this bloody war of ours yet?"

"Of course I have." Brendon defended blithely.

"No I don't think you have." Haku lifted his hand and winced as his arm came up an inch. Finger pointing, he eyed Syaoran before facing Brendon again. "This MF sailed fifty feet from a bomb and look at him now. That was three months ago, four if anything. We just survived a landmine. A bloody fucking landmine. Do you know the survival rates from those are? None. No one survives after stepping on a goddamn landmine—no one!" Lea stirred as he began to yell. "We don't even have our bomb technician with us because that idiot decided to hop off the plane at the last minute, jeopardizing everything! Yet I will always remember the bullet narrowly missing my head because of Private Farce."

"Tsukino…" Syaoran started, getting Haku's attention. He was putting his own stress into the current situation, snapping by the explosion of his anger.

"No. This little twerp needs to realize something."

"You're babbling." Lea coughed, coming to as she blinked awake to stare up at him.

"I'm making a point!" he yelled and flinched as his voice came back to him in an echo of anguish. "Look, I'm with you Corporal Cox in thinking our comrades didn't make it. We're sitting ducks in some damn cellar without them. I believe they got their life made during that ambush. You're young. I don't think you understand the integrity of it all."

"You realize none of what you just said makes sense right?" Lea slurred and sat up with a wince. "Leave the poor kid alone."

"I don't need you to—." Brendon started and froze as Lea gave him an icy stare. Her olive green orbs were sharper than usual, pupil's mere dots in her eyes.

"You're stuck with us. This is my first tour Corporal, but I know exactly what Sergeant Major Li and Sergeant Tsukino have gone through. Nothing you say can change that. We've all been through too much." She closed her eyes, chest heaving as she struggled with the pain of her broken bones. "I think they survived."

"Well-spoken young soldier." Terada spoke, surprising Syaoran. The man had a way of sneaking up on them. "Faith is what keeps everyone alive just one more day." He added calmly.

"Apologies, I didn't mean…that is you…" Lea went cross-eyed as her words left her. "Thank you,"

"You've been a captive of these rebels for a long time. Do you have any clue as to what they're planning?" Syaoran asked after a long pause.

"I don't, no."

"We don't need to know what they want, just to get out of here." Haku stated as he helped Lea stretch out her legs. Syaoran glanced at them, taking note of the closeness they were starting to show.

"How do you expect us to get out?" Syaoran asked icily, waiting for Haku to respond.

"You're specialists. Can't you just make a plan and act?" Brendon commented dryly. Haku started and froze as a rattling noise echoed down to them. "What—?"

"Shh," Terada waved his hand silencing him before placing his dark finger to his lips. Eyes narrowing, the environmentalist stared at the barred hole that was giving them light. In seconds the light disappeared, startling them.

They came in quickly after that, shouting and spewing out words no one understood. Haku shifted and knelt on one knee, wincing from the lack of use of his joints as he reached for a weapon that wasn't there. Swearing as the white-clad men came down into the cellar by using a ladder, he backed up until his back was against the wall. Large guns were drawn on them as they shouted in their faces, the five men coming down the ladder finally coming to a halt. Syaoran held his arms up as he sat still. Haku made a move to protect Lea only to receive the blunt of a gun to his face. Blood splattered the wall next to him, his hand going up in response and froze. Lea tugged on him to stop, eyes wide as she stared down the barrel of an AK. The rebels continued to speak, spit flying as their unrecognizable words echoed the cellar. One of the rebels forced Brendon to a standing position as they checked him roughly, pulling random items from his pocket and letting it clatter to the ground. Not finding anything, they let him drop as one of the men came to stand with his weapon aimed at his head. Not moving, Brendon sucked in a breath and watched as the rebels did the same to everyone else.

Syaoran bit down on his tongue as they pulled him to his feet, searching his person and coming up empty. When they came to his badge on his sleeve, he saw the look on the man's covered face, recognition crossing behind his dark eyes. He began shouting in his language quickly, spit finding its way on Syaoran's face as he shoved him back. AK47 came up, jamming him in the shoulder as the rebel turned his head to the left, still talking. Syaoran blinked, recognizing the military's weapons in the hands of the enemy.

"What are they saying?" Haku whispered, his voice drowning in the sea of white.

"They want to know…" Terada started and stopped, eyes going to Syaoran. "They want you to go with them."

"Me…? Why me?" Syaoran asked, heart racing as he stared at the weapons swinging around. The bullet in his leg pinched a nerve and he seethed, getting a reaction from one of the rebels. He jammed the butt end of the AK against him and he hissed, eyes wide.

"You are the highest ranking soldier. I'm afraid," Terada whispered.

"Highest ranking my ass. They are not taking—." A warning shot echoed through the cellar when Haku made a move, Lea's eyes closing tightly as tears fell.

"Tsukino its fine." Syaoran struggled to stand straight and froze as the point of the weapon dug into his leg, bringing him back down. Pain he had never felt before seared through to the bone, the cry that left his lips sent chills down his own spine. Dots filled his vision as the fresh liquid of blood slipped down his nose. Seething, he blinked until his vision came back. They were all staring at him, Haku and Lea with concern, Brendon with confusion, and Terada with a lack of emotion as he held his arms over his head. "Do you speak their language?" Syaoran slowly got out through clenched teeth.

"No, I only understand bits and pieces." Terada spoke softly. One of the rebels jabbed him with the butt of his weapon and Terada winced. "Are you alright?"

"No, but like you said. Faith keeps us living just one more day." With that he eyed the tallest rebel, jamming his thump into his chest as he nodded absently. Struggling to stand still, he waited until they understood and seethed as they dragged him forward into a low crouch. Blood soaked his leg, the pain unbearable as they forced him forward. A harsh material went over his face a moment later, shutting out all vision. Lea shouted as they dragged him forward and a gunshot made his ears ring. The last thing Syaoran heard was Haku's calm voice trying to ease Lea's hysterical one and the click of a lock as they dragged him out of the cellar roughly.

…

…..

…

A thin fog had covered the atmosphere as the temperature dropped a couple degrees. Pulling into Fort Sudder was easier than pulling into Fort Middleton, the riots having been slowly put to a stop. She had a nagging feeling Middleton was simply the source of everyone's problems. Cars lined the parking lot in a faint glistening of paint. Slowly Sakura pulled into a space and turned the car off, the hum of the engine disagreeing with her motive. The warmth of the heather shut off, leaving the car in a warm breeze. A knot had formed in her stomach from the moment she made her decision to go to Fort Sudder, gaining strength as they crossed the bridge and into the city border. Taking a deep breath, Sakura unbuckled and glanced at Lyri. She was still eating her happy meal, delving into the apple slices that looked far from fresh. She still hadn't fixed her ponytail, the child's long black hair knotted up in a ball at the top at an angle as her hair came through the bright green hair tie. Sakura winced inward in thought, knowing it was going to be torture trying to get her hair out of the tie. Turning back around, she stared at the thin fog covering the parking lot and debated what to do next. They were there and now…what?

Sakura still hadn't digested that Kyle died. She knew it was going to slam against her and all emotions known to man were going to attack her when it finally does settle in. she didn't even know what she was supposed to do with the information given to her. Kyle was Meilin's husband, he was man she never got to know, only talked with a handful of times and that's it. She didn't know anything about Kyle, let alone be able to set up a funeral for him. The last person she recalled passing away was her mother and that was in her childhood years, not adulthood. Sakura glanced back at Lyri, wondering how best to explain to the three-year-old that her uncle wouldn't be making her laugh again, wouldn't be around to pick her up and play games. She never had to deal with something as horrific and depressing as a death before. The responsible thing would explain as little and best she could, while keeping a clear mind. She couldn't let Lyri think her father would be next, couldn't cry in front of her, and couldn't let the child fall into a despair so young. She couldn't do it. Sakura stared at her shaking hands as a harsh chill ran down her spine and wrapped around her middle, making her nauseas. She couldn't do it.

A fog light searched the perimeter of Fort Sudder, brushing over the windshield of the mustang in a faint light before disappearing. Sakura watched the globe spin, taking a good ten seconds before it came back around completely. The weather, for some reason, fit her mood perfectly. The fog came in recently giving her a slight ease of heart as she stared at the layer of mist. It was like her mind—confusing and unprepared—that just came out of nowhere to confuse the world. It was too cold and it wasn't too hot, but the fog was just there. Somehow she needed to tell the others, as well as Lyri, what she found out. First though she needed to figure out what exactly it was. The only person that could tell her was her father. Fort Sudder sent the entire brigade out on early deployment, including the SRT units. They had to know something. Fort Middleton was already in turmoil with the recent incident at Brazeen Island and the constant riots wreaking havoc. She was still absorbed in the fog when Lyri hopped into the front seat, large smile on her face as she buckled up the passenger belt and got settled. Shutting off all emotions, Sakura gave her a weak smile and tweaked her nose before unbuckling her own belt to get out.

She needed to get this whole thing sorted out and now. It didn't even don on her that she went to Fort Sudder to talk to the one man she vowed to never ask favors from, all she knew was that she wanted answers and now. Climbing out of the car into the cold rush of fog, she helped Lyri into her pink jacket and both of them headed to the main building. Once inside she felt the rush of what she was doing in one blow. Heart racing she let the door swing shut behind her, the warmth of the building settling around her like a cloak. Two heads lifted at the shift in temperature, only one meeting eye contact with her as she led Lyri to the front desk. They were most likely a sight to see, neither matched, neither looked alike, nor neither belong. Taking a deep breath, she cracked a weak smile at the soldier behind the desk, glad it wasn't the two female officers that had witnessed her outrage last time. Sliding her identification across the counter she met one of the soldiers' gaze squarely.

"I would like an audience with General Fujitaka Kinomoto." No courtesy, just straight to the point. He eyed her skeptically, unsure how to respond to her quick demand.

"I'm sorry Miss…" he glanced at her ID and raised a brow. "…Kinomoto, but the General is in a meeting with the military board."

"For how long…?"

"That depends, the meeting just started five minutes ago with Fort Middleton's committees." Sakura fidgeted, hand still clasped with Lyri's. The soldier glanced at something on the desk before looking up again. "I can leave a message for you." As if that would solve everything.

"No it's fine," Sakura sighed heavily and snatched her card back. "If you want just tell him his daughter wanted a—,"

"Sakura," a cold voice settled around her, coming from behind her. Sakura turned with a grim face, memories flooding her as Nakuru's eyes widened in surprise.

"Nakuru," Sakura bit her lip, eyeing the soldier in her casual uniform. The last time she saw Nakuru she had lost Lyri in the mall. It was one of the most embarrassing moments possible, especially since she had also given Nakuru a show only a few days prior to that incident.

"What are you doing here?" it was a simple question, a normal question. Sakura only stared in her absent mind before she remembered, her hand still in Lyri's.

"Can I ask you something…?" she turned and eyed the soldier at the reception desk, suddenly feeling conscious of being at Fort Sudder. "Privately,"

Glancing down at Lyri in her costume then back at Sakura she slowly nodded. "Oh uh…yes. Yes, of course." Nakuru sensed her pain almost immediately and turned her attention to the soldier. "I'll take it from here," to Sakura she waved her to the elevator.

"What can I do for you?" she asked once the elevator doors were shut. Sakura shifted on her feet, rubbing her sweaty hand over her jeans before taking Lyri's hand again. She didn't know how to start or where to start. The silence that fell over them as the elevator silently hummed to life, giving them a free-fall sensation as it went up, was beyond awkward. Sakura glanced at the gold trimming of the elevator doors before glancing at Nakuru.

"I…" she glanced down at Lyri realizing her mistake. Covering her ears to Lyri's amusement she looked at Nakuru and whispered. "Kyle Nygeun was pronounced dead and Meilin Rae is missing," taking her hands off Lyri she let out a shuddering breath. Her heart was racing a mile a minute, hands trembling.

Nakuru's eyes were large as she took in that news before frowning. "What can—?"

Sakura cut her off with a wave of her hand, emerald orbs sharp. "Soldiers came to Syaoran's house looking for her, thinking I was her when I answered the door. Why doesn't the military know where their own is stationed?"

"We do," Sakura gave her a pointed look and Nakuru crossed her arms, fingers playing with the crease in her frown. She was feeling more confident now that she was speaking, now that she was going somewhere with her desire to find out the truth, but Nakuru's long pause made her uneasy. "General Kinomoto and General Lauder are in a meeting discussing matters with Fort Middleton as we speak."

"Nakuru, did something happen?" Sakura asked the one question that she didn't dare ask. The response was silent and her heart clenched, emotions running high as she tried to catch the older woman's expression. Nakuru shook her head a moment later, face completely void of emotions.

"I'm not at liberty to speak about this, I'm sorry Sakura."

"If nothing happened then there shouldn't be a problem." Sakura let her eyes drop down, feeling the nausea float up. The elevator began to come to a rocking halt, slowly floating up to the last floor. Lyri was moving her head from side to side, watching her reflection in the gold glow of the doors. "I just had a conversation with Yukito yesterday, the military is already putting Syaoran's extended leave on the offhand that he's—still over there." She said the last part carefully, eyes going back to the older woman. "Receiving bad news today just tipped the iceberg. I just want to know if I need to be concerned for my family."

"I can't give out Intel—," Nakuru stopped as her eyes followed the elevators doors. The cold air of the eighth floor chilled Sakura to the bone. The warmth flowing after it sending tendrils of goose bumps rising on her skin. Across the floor was a handful of soldiers speaking to one another, each holding envelopes and bags. It was the man standing closer to the elevator that sent a further chill to cover her like a blanket. Touya blinked, obvious surprise on his face.

Sucking in her pride Sakura turned to Nakuru. "Please Nakuru, I need to know."

"We'll talk in my office."

"Sakura what are you doing here? Who is that?" Touya asked automatically without pausing for breath. Sakura ignored him, walking forward until she realized Nakuru wasn't moving. It was obvious Nakuru was expecting him at Fort Sudder as well, her own wide eyes taking in the soldier that was her husband. She shared a whispered conversation with him before turning to Sakura, meeting her eyes squarely. Sakura's heart sank as she took in her brother and Nakuru both.

"I'm not leaving until someone gives me an answer…a straight answer."

"Come," Nakuru lurched forward, leading the way to her office. To Sakura's dismay Touya followed, his tall frame looming over her like a shadow as she followed Nakuru down a small corridor and into her oak room.

The room was warming then the rest of the building, the heat instantly bothering Sakura forcing her to take off her jacket. Lyri remained at the door as her eyes rounded into large saucers. Something crossed her face as she stared at the desk and the two soldiers, unfamiliar and tall. Confused, Sakura bent down to her level and whispered to her. She hadn't truly thought her actions through, wishing she'd dropped Lyri off at the preschool after all instead of skipping the day. As she spoke softly to Lyri, Nakuru and Touya took a seat at the large oak desk, moving things aside and turning important documents over. Finally after a moment, Lyri went over and sat down on the larger chair disappearing into the cushions like the princess she was dressed as. Sakura couldn't help but take a deep breath, arms slumped as she took in the quiet office. She came this far. The answers she wanted would hurt, but she needed to hear it. Placing her good hand over the slight rise of her stomach while the other held tightly onto her jacket, Sakura turned to face the two soldiers with a hard gaze.

"I'm not asking for you to jeopardize military secrets, I just want to know if I need to be concerned. Kyle…" she paused, glancing at the top of Lyri's head as the small child began fiddling with her shoes. "He was family and call me a hypocrite, but I have more family out there." Her eyes sharpened as they turned to Touya, waiting for him to wallow in his own guilt.

"Whoever came to the house had already jeopardize—."

"No," Sakura held up her hand, cutting Touya off. Lump in her throat, she crossed her arms and shifted on her feet. It was a lot harder to speak now that she was there, but she pushed through her emotions anyway. "That soldier was right to tell me, especially since the military can't keep track of their own soldiers. First Officer Meilin Rae Li is…was Kyle's wife. Both were deployed in December…both are…were…" she shook her head, unable to finish.

Nakuru grimaced as she glanced at Touya. He shook his head, having a silent conversation with her. Sighing the older woman crossed her arms and gave Sakura a soft look. "All I can tell you without putting my job on the line, is that Sergeant Meilin Rae Li is on mission outside of her position. She's Air force's special response team, there's no way to track her position when she's out on mission." She glanced at Lyri, debating something before opening a drawer and pulling out paper.

"Sakura you should know we can't give out information to anyone, including family. What made you decide to come here?" Touya asked as Nakuru handed Lyri paper and a marker to draw on. Happily, the child moved to sit on the floor already uncapping the marker to draw.

"I need to know!" Sakura sucked in a breath, feeling a pinch in her side. Hiding her anguish, she swallowed a lump and continued hastily. "It's been two months and no word, nothing. Do you understand how much it hurt to open the door and see…they thought I was Meilin! If she's on mission then the military should know that, not taking second guesses and showing up at Syaoran's house."

"Again, that was a mistake on their part." Touya held up his hand when she opened her mouth to argue. "I'm sorry to say this, but there's really nothing we can do to find out just what's going on. First Officer Mei—."

"Is on mission." Sakura cut him off, eyes closed as she breathed unevenly. His eyes went to her stomach as she rubbed a certain spot. When she opened her eyes again, she met his squarely, ignoring the shock on his face. "I understand that part." Sakura looked between the two soldiers. "But to have military come by the house thinking she's here means something happened. I know enough about the military to come to proper conclusions. Mission or not, they shouldn't have come to Syaoran's." Nakuru exchanged a look with Touya that Sakura caught instantly. "What aren't you telling me!?"

"Sakura relax," Touya said breezily. "You have my word that they are fine."

"Your word? What makes you think—?"

"I'm deploying tomorrow," Touya cut her off and Sakura blinked. Nakuru gave him a horrorstruck glance and he sighed heavily, tired. "I received assignment to assist in the faction that…both Li's are currently at." His eyes went to Nakuru's, apology written across his expression as she shook her head slowly.

"Assisting something that happened." Sakura stubbornly stated. Something crossed her brother's face, quickly disappearing as he watched her solemnly. He knew something, she understood that, she was just angry he couldn't tell her just what exactly he knew. "If Kyle's…and Meilin's…then…" she was at a loss for words, trying to stay neutral as Lyri colored silently at her feet. Breathing slowly she shook her head. "This is too surreal,"

"I'm sorry Sakura," Nakuru frowned. "I'm sorry for the loss of a friend as well."

"Me too," Sakura closed her eyes, tears slipping down her face. Me too, she thought absently. How was she going to tell the others about this? It was too much. Her hand continued to rub at her pelvic bone, easing the ache that started in her abdomen as her stress levels skyrocketed. This is too much, she found herself thinking as the tears continued to fall.

To be continued…

And there you have it. Thank you for all the support. It's much appreciated.