Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the plot ideas I come up with. Everything else belongs to someone else and that's just the way it's going to stay so you'll just have to deal with it lol. Thanks for reading and have a great day!

How Do I Say This ?

Sakura waved at Joe from the limo then with a sigh settled back into the comfortable leather chair. Talking to him about her friends had taken her mind off worrying but now that everything was quiet she was starting to feel the butterflies going into flight again. Taking a deep breath Sakura again wondered what the heck she was going to say to him when she saw him. She'd spent most of the ride of the airport trying to find the perfect words and hours later they still completely alluded her. "This is worse then when I was trying to tell him that I loved him." Sakura groaned out loud as she watched the scenery rapidly pass her by. What would he think of her gift, Sakura wondered silently as she wished absently that she wasn't in a limo so that she could have at least been able to pace. Pacing at least would have maybe made her feel a bit better about all this.

"We'll be there in fifteen minutes, Miss Kinomoto." The driver said through the intercom.

"Thank you." Sakura said with a weak smile, trying to put on a brave face. Fingering her collar on her new dress Sakura wished she sounded a bit more composed then what she was. I mean it's not such a big deal, Sakura told herself with what little confidence she had. It's just a Christmas present, no big deal she reminded herself for what seemed like the millionth time. But it was a big deal, Sakura thought miserably, sinking low in her seat. Eriol had said it was the perfect gift but Eriol wasn't by any stretch of the word normal and just because he thought it was great didn't mean that Syaoran would think so too. Her gift was so much a part of her that if he didn't like it..."It would hurt like hell." Sakura said before turning bright red at her language. "I knew that all those violent video games Kero plays would have a negative influence. And now I'm talking to myself. This is just great." Sakura huffed, throwing her arms in the air in exasperation.

)

Leaning over Sakura grabbed her bag from her side and opened it up with slightly shaking hands. Inside was a small rectangular box wrapped in bright green paper. Running a hand along its sides Sakura thought of all the love and time she'd put into making this for him. At first she'd thought it was a foolish idea but Eriol had disagreed, declaring it a great idea. With his help she'd made her idea into reality and now the reality was she was in China, on her way to see the love of her life. That and now all I can think about is what he'll think of my gift, Sakura thought with another sigh. Pushing those thoughts out of her head Sakura forced herself to slide the package back into her bag and closed it with a decisive thud. Staring straight ahead Sakura mentally went through all the new spells Eriol and Spinner had been teaching her lately, hoping for a good distraction. Though most of her power came from the cards she did have magic of her own and Eriol had taken to working on cultivating it whenever he was in town which was a lot since he'd started dating Tomoyo, Sakura thought with a smirk. They made a good couple, Sakura mentally added with a chuckle. Eriol would never find anyone else as use to the paranormal as Tomoyo and Tomoyo would never find someone who adored her as much as Eriol.

"Ms Kinomoto would you prefer stopping at the hotel to freshen up?" The driver asked breaking into her thoughts once again. He'd been instructed to take her directly to the Li residence but she did look a little frazzled and worn around the edges.

"No just take me straight to the Li residence please." Sakura said with a brave smile, hoping that she didn't look like she needed to freshen up. She was too nervous to wait that much longer to give Syaoran her present.

"As you wish ma'am." The driver said as he signed out, turning left at the lights.

"Thank you." Sakura muttered as she fiddled with her hair again. She'd been doing that a lot recently Sakura thought with a small smirk. Well Syaoran always said that you'd be the worst poker player in the world, Sakura thought with a small chuckle. Her emotions were always on her face and right now her face probably looked like she was going to a place that was haunted by a million ghosts, Sakura thought with a touch of self pity. Just then the sound of her cell phone going off interrupted her thoughts. Pulling her phone from her purse Sakura pressed the talk button.

"Hello?"

)

"Have you arrived yet Sakura?" Tomoyo asked with a smile in her voice, trying not to sound overly eager. She knew how nervous Sakura had been when she'd left after all. No need to put any more pressure on the girl then Sakura had already put on herself.

"I'm in China. We're on the way to Syaoran's house right now." Sakura said happy to hear from her friend. To be honest she was happy just because it was a new distraction to take her mind off things. "The flight was good though, I slept through most of it and the pilot was really, really nice."

"You're nervous, aren't you?" Tomoyo asked sympathetically, easily reading into her best friend's voice. Maybe, just maybe Sakura could actually occasionally fool some people but never, ever her. She knew how much this gift meant to Sakura, especially Syaoran's reaction to it. No matter what anyone said it was coming in loud and clear that Sakura wasn't at all sure that Syaoran was going to like her little surprise. Which was stupid but sort of understandable. It was a pretty emotional gift after all.

"A little, Tomoyo." Sakura admitted, since it was Tomoyo she was talking to. "I know it's silly but I just can't help it. I feel like Spinner on sugar is in my stomach."

"Well that's an interesting imagine to put in my head." Madison said with a laugh before getting to the heart of the matter. "Does this have something to do with the Christmas present for Li? The one Eriol and I have been telling you for months now that he'll love but you're convinced he won't?"

"Yea. I hope he likes it but..." Sakura said with a slight panic in her words.

"Don't worry, Sakura. Li would like a pair of ratty old used sneakers if you gave them to him. Relax. Your dad's doing great by the way so don't even think about playing the old guilt trip there. Mom and I stopped by today and he's looking really good, definitely on his road to recovery even without you here to take care of him. Anyway you would have gotten a real kick out of what a certain someone did today. We brought over a cake and Kero ate half of it before we even had the plates out."

)

"Oh Kero." Sakura said shaking her head at the antics of her guardian beast. Sometimes it was like she had a five year old child to deal with rather then one of the powerful guardians of the former Clow Cards. "He is such a pig!"

"You said it." Tomoyo said with a chuckle and a shake of her own head though Sakura couldn't see it. "Thankfully I foresaw that possibility and brought two cakes. He's sulking somewhere because we wouldn't let him near the second one."

"So is he behaving himself otherwise?" Sakura said almost afraid to ask. With Kero you just never knew what he was going to do next, especially where his stomach was concerned.

"Don't worry, Sakura." Tomoyo reminded her friend in exasperation. "Other then being convinced that something terrible is going to happen to you while you're away from him he's fine. Yukito went to find him with some pudding so I'm sure they're happily bonding over sugar as we speak while Toya rants at both of them. Oh and I'm suppose to say hi from everyone and according to Toya I'm suppose to inform you that if the Brat asks you to marry him you're suppose to tell him no or else he's coming to China and finishing what he started eleven years ago." Tomoyo added with a laugh. "I had to swear practically in blood before he'd let up on it. I of course say that if he does ask you should say yes so loud I can hear it all the way over here."

)

"Stupid big brother." Sakura said with a groan though she had to admit it was kind of funny. Toya had been saying that since she'd told him that Syaoran was her boyfriend after the Sealed Card incident even though she'd only been eleven. He was so weird that way.

"Well from me to you I say you'd better say yes or else." Tomoyo said in an exaggerated stern voice, amusement twinkling in her eyes as she pictured her friend going bright red on the other end. It was Sakura after all.

"Tomoyooooo.." Sakura said with a huge blush on either cheeks.

"Well he might." Tomoyo pointed out, this being another familiar argument. Personally she couldn't figure out what was taking Li so long to ask the question. Then again it had taken him a long time to admit to Sakura that he loved her too so maybe she really shouldn't be surprised. "After all you've been together as a couple since grade six and you're twenty one now. He can only talk himself into giving into his nerves so many times."

"Miss Kinomoto, We're almost there." The driver said, interrupting whatever Sakura was going to say in response.

"We're almost there, Tomoyo. I'll have to call you back later." Sakura said as she turned to see Syaoran's house in the distance. She hadn't been back here in a few years but she'd recognize it anywhere. It wasn't exactly the sort of place you could easily forget after all, especially since weird things always seemed to happen when she visited.

"Okay. Good luck then, Sakura." Tomoyo said in what she hoped was a soothing and encouraging voice since she'd bet her mom's factories that Sakura was still on pins and needles. "And by the way, I'm giving you a thumbs up and I can't wait to hear what happens and what he thought of the present."

"I'll call and let you know." Sakura promised, thinking weakly that she might need to if only to have someone comfort her after this whole thing blew up in her face. "I'll call you as soon as I have the chance."

"You bet. Bye-bye." Tomoyo said and with a smile hung up the phone.

)

Closing her own phone Sakura watched as they drew into the long drive way. Thanks, Tomoyo Sakura silently told her friend, I'll need all the luck I can get.

"We're here, Ms. Kinomoto. Would you like me to stay or leave and come back at another time?" The driver said with a reassuring voice as though he knew she needed a mental boost.

"You can just drop me off here. I have your number and I'll call you when I need to leave or I'll get a ride from a cab. Thank you very much for taking me and have a Merry Christmas." Sakura added as they pulled to a stop. Sakura heard a car door slam and the sound of feet beside her

"My pleasure and a Merry Christmas to you as well. I hope you have a nice visit, Miss. Kinomoto. I'll drop your bags off at the hotel and tell them to put it into your suite from you." The driver added as he opened the door for her.

"Good bye sir and thank you again." Sakura said bowing at the driver as he bowed back at her. Clutching the packages she needed Sakura smiled again then squaring her shoulders walked briskly up the steps and turned to wave at the driver as he pulled away. Watching him go till he was out of sight. Taking another deep breath Sakura turned and made her way to the front door and rang the bell before she could think better of it.