Disclaimer: The only thing I do own is the idea for this story, which is not intended for profit.
Notes: Konnichiwa! ^.^ I usually don't split my fics into chapters, but decided to for this one for now. Though it may seem like it, I did not make up a new Clow Card or "bad guy" for this story. Fall Out of Darkness takes place around the beginning-middle of the third series when Eriol arrived. I'm trying my best to keep everyone in character, but it is hard since I have never actually watched the original anime, so please forgive any mistakes. It wasn't originally going to be S+S, but how could I resist? I will hopefully finish and put up the other parts soon, but I am busy with schoolwork, etc.
Fall Out of Darkness – Chapter Four
Sakura was floating silently through nothing. She could see swirls of colours flashing by her, sometimes forming shapes of familiar objects. She had no idea of where she was, but that fact barely registered into her mind. All she could think of was how nothing hurt anymore. Her head no longer exploded with pain; her body was no longer exhausted and useless. Everything was eerily calm and peaceful in this place, Sakura almost felt like letting her body float away like this forever.
She could faintly recall a place where she used to live. It had been a place with trees and animals, a place where there was life. Most important there had been people… people she had used to know. Blurry faces appeared in front of her – faces of friends and family – What had happened to them? Sakura felt a pang of loneliness; here everything was silent and dead. Where was she?
Another face formed into shape; wild brown locks and warm amber eyes stared back at her. Syaoran. Images of what had happened danced around in her head, images of her slipping away from his grasp. Sakura could hear his anguished cry in her mind when she had fallen into the darkness she was now trapped in. A mix of emotions went through her. Syaoran… Tomoyo… Kero… Onii-chan… Oto-san… Yukito-san… everybody… she needed to fight to return to them.
Sakura sadly extended her arm grasping at the thick black air. "Please… take me back home…"
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"Let me inside!"
"I'm sorry sir, you'll have to stay in the waiting room until – "
"If Sakura is in there, I don't care what you say!" Furious, Syaoran pushed the doctor inside. The man was thrown off balance, surprised at the young boy's strength. Two nurses quickly restrained him, too emotional and tired to fight them off, he allowed them to bring him to a chair.
Tomoyo sat beside him, her face very pale and worried. She hadn't moved or said a single thing since they had arrived here. Tears silently fell down her face as she clasped her hands tightly together. Syaoran realised he must look identical to her, his eyes wild, his face full of fear. He punched the table beside him in frustration, no one would tell them if Sakura was going to be all right.
"Where is she?!" Touya burst into the hospital, Fujitaka following closely behind. He grabbed Syaoran's shirt, his eyes flashing with anger. "What did you do to her?"
His expression turned hard and emotionless, "I would never do anything to harm Sakura."
"Liar! I know this is your fault! If you hadn't dragged her to the park none of this would have happened!"
Syaoran recoiled, Touya's words stung hard as if he had been slapped across the face. Fujitaka quickly put a hand on his shoulder and attempted to calm his son down, Touya stepped back. "Look, I'm sorry kid, I just… I'm just so scared for Sakura's life."
Syaoran said nothing, unable to shake away what Touya had said. He had known that Sakura was in danger but he had allowed her to fight with him anyway. He had been the one who was unable to hold onto her, it really was all his fault."
Tomoyo seemed to read his mind; she reached up and took a hold of his hand. "It's okay Li-kun, you didn't do anything to cause this." He closed his eyes and gratefully squeezed back.
"Excuse me, are you Fujitaka Kinomoto?"
"Yes." He straightened, "Please doctor, is my daughter going to be okay?"
The man looked at him grimly, "Please follow me sir. The rest of you may come as well."
The four exchanged solemn looks and followed the doctor into a small room without a word.
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Kero sat on the ground, his eyes red and full of worry. How he wished he could be inside the hospital, but it would be too suspicious. He was too upset to act like a stuffed animal, as was Tomoyo to cover for him. Kero strained to feel Sakura's aura, it was very weak but at least it was still there.
He cursed to himself, why hadn't he done something to help her? Kero had sensed something was going to happen, why didn't he prevent it? Tears came to his eyes as he saw Sakura being thrown over the cliff again and again in his mind.
"Don't worry about her Cerberus, our mistress will be okay."
Kero looked up to his companion who had been mostly silent the whole time. Yue had been hiding his emotions, but Kero had known that he was also very concerned about Sakura's well being. He had caught quick glances of Yue's worried face when he had been careless enough to let it show through.
"I can only hope so…" He stopped for and watched him for a moment. "Yue, why don't you just go back to your false form so you can go inside the hospital?"
He turned to Kero, what seemed like a very brief smile came to his face. "If I were to leave, you would be left like this alone."
Kero gave a small grin as Yue turned his back to him once again. It did anger him when he was not as supportive of Sakura as he should be, but Yue sometimes showed glimpses of the kind heart he hid behind his cold expressions. Kero knew he also cared for Sakura, and did his best to protect her.
His stomach turned uneasily, Sakura's power had suddenly dropped. That could only mean one thing…
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Tomoyo could barely keep herself from crying out when she first saw Sakura lying on the hospital bed. She was deathly pale, making the large gashes and bruises stand out on her skin. Her head was covered in a large bandage; Tomoyo could see where the blood had leaked through the cloth. Sakura's chest moved in and out as if she was having trouble breathing. Fear came to her in waves; Sakura was having trouble breathing.
With a deep breath, Tomoyo moved towards the bed. She hesitated before touching her, afraid to hurt her in any way. She gently touched one of Sakura's hands, taking it in her own. An hour or so ago, Dr. Kalamajii had brought them into a private room to break the news. Sakura was alive but in very critical condition. She had received a harsh blow to the head, which had rendered her into a coma and caused a lot of blood loss. The doctors were unsure if they could save her, the possibility of her living wasn't very high.
Tomoyo bit her lip; she couldn't imagine life without Sakura. She was her best friend, such a pretty, kind, cheerful, and caring girl. She had always been brimming with energy, so full of life. As Tomoyo gazed at her now, she looked the complete opposite and it tore her heart apart. Sakura had so many opportunities ahead of her, so much more to live for. She just couldn't die now like this at such a young age.
Tomoyo was interrupted from her thoughts when a sudden noise emitted from the respirator Sakura was hooked up to. Her breath caught in her throat as she realised what was going on. Sakura was dying. Tomoyo held Sakura's lifeless hand, not wanting to believe what she saw. She could barely hear the loud piercing machine as it continued to show a flat line.
Doctors quickly rushed in, a nurse gently pulled Tomoyo away who was too numb with shock to resist. She was brought outside into the waiting room where she collapsed onto Syaoran, tears streaming down her face. He hugged her fiercely, unable to stop his own tears from falling. "It'll be alright," Syaoran whispered, but his voice cracked and offered no comfort to either of them.
Tomoyo was still shaking badly, only two words were able to pass through her lips. "Oh god…"
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Syaoran had never felt like this before. The moment the machine had gone off saying Sakura had stopped breathing; his heart and mind had felt like it had been ripped into two. He had never felt such a strong emotion or pain before, it had been overwhelming. He had found himself crying as he used Tomoyo as a support almost as much as she had been using him. He could not remember crying like that since the day his father had died. So many things had gone on, everyone had been rushing by them without a mere word to assure them. Sakura's father and brother had joined them, also crying and scared.
Now he stood once again in the waiting room, unable to relax. Syaoran tried to prepare himself for the worst, but the thought of Sakura never waking up made him crumble. He had never realised just how important she was to him, and now he might never know if she felt the same way. Tomoyo had constantly urged him to tell her his feelings, but whenever he had found the nerve, something interrupted or he ended up running away. He wished he had said something, not for his own sake but for her to know what a wonderful person she was.
Dr. Kalamajii walked out of Sakura's room and over to where the four were waiting. They all got to their feet, looking at him with the same questions in their eyes.
"I'm very pleased to tell you all that Sakura is okay and is beginning to breathe normally now. We almost lost her in there, but our men pulled through and I think the chances of her waking up are a little bit better."
Fujitaka sighed heavily in relief. He shook the doctors hand and thanked him warmly. Everyone else did the same; it was the first good news they had heard all day. Maybe there was hope for Sakura after all…
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Sakura tried to scream as the blackness surrounded her. It seemed to grow darker and thicker, pulsating all around her. She kicked her legs trying to get free but it was much stronger. It began to cover her, each part of her body it touched instantly losing all feeling. Sakura desperately tried to escape, but soon found it was helpless. As it covered her head, stopping her airflow, she realised this had been the part of her dream that she had never finished. It was the part where the blackness took her life away.
A somewhat familiar bright light began to take shape as warmth and love began to pour from it. Sakura felt some strength return, the dark was losing its power, she was being given a chance to get away. Keeping her mind focused on her loved ones she wished to see again, Sakura managed to pull her body free. She knew she must hurry before it was too late. Using all of her remaining energy, Sakura clawed her way up towards the light, towards the opening that would bring her back to her own world.
A faint smell of Nadeshiko flowers passed by her nostrils as she reached the light. A large shock seemed to go through her entire body as she felt like she was being lifted. Sakura tingled, she was almost there, and she was almost back. Before she could comprehend that it was not possible, Sakura began to fall upwards… she was falling out of darkness.
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Preview of Chapter Five:
"Oh Sakura, you're alive!" Tomoyo hugged the girl tightly, momentarily forgetting she might be accidentally hurting her.
Sakura's eyes widened with fear. She pulled away from Tomoyo's arms and backed away looking lost. Startled, Tomoyo reached out for her gently. "It's okay Sakura, the doctors think you're going to be just fine."
She backed into the wall looking confused and frightened. "Who are you? Stay away from me!"
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