Author's Note: The London hotels can be cruel. Last time, both Madison and Sakura were tossed on the street. While Sakura looks to go bail out Li, Madison wandered the streets alone…until Felix approached her and opened his place to her. What'll happen there that will end up impacting the whole search?


Dateline: Friday 11:00 PM (23:00)

Location: Felix's house

Madison walked into the dark house. At least it was dark until Felix turned on the lights. The first thing she noticed was how neat he managed to keep this place. The three-bedroom house was practically spotless.

"I…know it doesn't look too good," Felix stuttered, "but this was kind of short notice."

"No, it's ok," Madison said softly. "It's nice. I..."

"FELIX!"

That loud voice startled Madison and Felix seemed to know who it was from his deep sigh. Someone else came out of one of the bedrooms. It was a longhaired man about a few years older than Felix and Madison.

"Felix, who is this?" he demanded.

"Nick, please," Felix pleaded. "Let me just tell you over here." He glanced over at Madison. "Please…feel free to sit down. I'll be right with you."

Felix and the older Nick walked into one of the apartment's bedrooms. Madison took a seat on the couch, but couldn't help but hear the conversation.

"What's the idea, Felix? What're you doing bringing strangers in here?"

"Please, Nick. She was out on the street. She had nowhere to go. Can't she stay the night?"

"You don't know anything about her! I know you're my brother and everything, but I didn't think you were this stupid! What if she robs us blind?"

"She won't. She's not like that. She's just a poor girl who's down on her luck. Trust me. She'll only stay the night. All she wants is to find someone."

"Let her stay with that someone, then."

"She hasn't found him, yet. Come on, Nick. Let her stay here, please. Can't you find it in your heart to help this poor girl."

Nick hesitated. "Fine. But just for tonight. You'd better know what you're doing, Felix! Jeez, I swear you're too trusting sometimes."

"Thank you, Nick. You won't regret this."

"I'd better not."

Madison was feeling a little nervous. It was evident that she wouldn't be a very popular houseguest. She wasn't wanted…not by the older guy, anyway. After that conversation, Felix stuck his head out of the bedroom door.

"You must be tired, Madison. Bring your bags in here. I'll let you have my room for the night."

Madison smiled warmly and picked up her bags. As she walked up to Felix's bedroom, Madison reached up and kissed the kind boy on the cheek.

"Thank you."

Dateline: Friday 11:00 PM (23:00)

Location: London Precinct

It took Sakura a while to get to the precinct. For one thing, she had to find out where it was. Then she also realized that she didn't have cab fare, so she had to walk. Finally, she made it. Looking around, Sakura nervously approached the front desk.

"Um…hi…I need to bail someone out."

The officer nonchalantly drank his coffee. "Name?"

"Li Shoran."

The officer's cocky expression faded. "Oh, the Shoran kid. Yeah, I'll take you to him. Come this way."

The officer led Sakura into the nearby holding cells, where Sakura could see Li. He was sitting in solitude behind the cold prison bars. Then his expression brightened at the sight of Sakura. He ran up to the bars and Sakura did the same.

"Boy, am I glad to see you." Li sighed in relief.

"How did you even get in here, anyway?" Sakura asked.

"I'll tell you later…as soon as we get back to the hotel."

Sakura hung her head down. "We…don't exactly have a hotel to go back to."

"Are you serious?" Li asked. "What happened?"

"I couldn't pay for it," Sakura answered. "It was a choice between staying another night and bailing you out. I couldn't afford both."

"That's my fault," Li admitted. "I should have left you some money. This could have turned out bad."

"You don't know the half of it," Sakura frowned. She looked up at the officer. "Can we go?"

The officer opened the cell and let Li out. Sakura tried to walk out, but Li stood there for a moment. He walked over to another cell. Sakura walked to that cell and gasped. She recognized the men in that cell. One of them was that creep who stole Madison's purse. The other one was the guy who spilled soup on Madison. Somehow, Sakura could feel that he was in on this, too.

Li smirked. "I guess I'll see you guys later."

The big guy in the leather beret stomped over to the bars. "This ain't over, you little pepperoni!" He took an angry swipe through the bars. "I'll get out of here, you'll see! And then…you're mine!"

"Somehow, I doubt that," Li said nonchalantly. He turned to Sakura. "Let's go."

"Wait a minute, Li!" Sakura suddenly remembered. She ran over to the officer. "Was there a small coin purse lost?"

"Is it yours?" the officer asked.

"Not…exactly. It belongs to my best friend."

"Can you identify it?"

"It's a small, black coin purse with an ATM card under the name 'Madison Taylor'."

"Anything else?"

Sakura's face brightened. "I can identify the inscription! It says, 'Merry Christmas, Madison. From Sakura and Li.'"

The officer walked over to his desk and reached for the purse. He then looked at the inscription on the inside. "That's what it says. I guess I can let you leave with it."

Sakura smiled. She took the purse and walked up to Li. "I got it! I got the purse back!"

Li grinned and took the purse. He walked back to the thieves' cell. "Well, how 'bout that? I told you guys I'd get the purse back. See ya."

Li turned to walk away, while the irate Italian tried to take another angry swipe at Li. He was fuming and his friend couldn't calm him down.

"I'm gonna get you, kid! You haven't heard the last of me! When I get out of here, I'm making lasagna out of you, I swear!"

He sounded so angry and determined. It began to scare Sakura. "Li? Don't you…?"

Li cut her off. "Don't worry about him. How's he going to get out of jail, anyway? I don't think we'll be seeing him again."

Sakura had her doubts. In the back of her mind, this angry Italian scared her and she feared for Li's safety. But Li felt confident, so why shouldn't she?

"So are you going to tell me how you winded up in here in the first place?" Sakura asked.

Li sighed deeply. "If you say so."

Dateline: Saturday 4:30 AM (04:30)

Location: Felix's house

Madison was wide-awake. It wasn't that Felix's bed was uncomfortable. He was so kind to lend it to her while he slept on the couch. But it did her no good. She couldn't sleep. The rain had stopped. At least the next day of her search wouldn't be marred by rain. Yes…the next day…

Madison had no clue where to go next. She was out of ideas. And without any money whatsoever, Madison had just about hit rock bottom. It was all so much to bear. She almost felt like giving up on her search and going home. But she didn't have money for a ticket. She couldn't go home. Madison sighed. She didn't know what to do anymore.

My tea's gone cold I'm wondering why I…

Got out of bed at all

The morning rain clouds up my window…

And I can't see at all

And even if I could it'll all be gray,

But your picture on my wall

It reminds me, that it's not so bad,

It's not so bad…

Madison reached into her purse, sitting at the side of her bed, and took out Eriol's picture again. It still remained her one source of hope. But that hope was diminishing by the minute…

**CRASH**

That sound made Madison sit up and take notice. She looked outside of Felix's room to see a light on in another room. Madison got to her feet, put a robe over her nightgown, gathered her slippers, and slowly walked towards the light. She walked through the hallway, coming closer to the light until she could finally see why that light was on.

It was Felix. He was inside the room, which appeared to be a workstation. It was evident by the heating kiln, shears, paint cans, brushes, and all the other tools that would be seen in the workplace of a master craftsman. He looked to be putting the finishing touches on a few of his crafts. Quietly, Madison walked in, but not quietly enough for Felix not to notice her.

"I'm sorry, Madison," Felix apologized. He picked up the shards of a broken statuette. "This little one got away from me."

"It's ok, Felix," Madison assured him. "I…was already awake. It's no big deal. …So…do you always work this early?"

Felix chuckled. "Only when I can't get any sleep. It always helps me to relieve my stress."

Madison's curiosity was overtaking her. "Do…you need any help?"

Felix smiled warmly. "Sure. I'd like that."



Kero wasn't getting much sleep. But when he saw Madison walk out of the room, he knew this was his chance. He crawled out of Madison's bag and flew inconspicuously towards the nearest phone. He knocked the phone off the hook and dialed the number. The phone rang a few times, and then someone finally picked up. It was Sakura.

"Kero? Is that you?"

"Sakura? Where are you?"

"We're…at a Comfort Inn. It's the only other place around. Of course, I had to bail out Li first. The question is, where are you?"

Kero gave all the details information, including the address. And in exchange, Sakura told Kero every bit of her night, which included the sour exchange between Li and the Italian thieves. They had been through a lot that night, but it looked like a new day was about to dawn.

"So you guys will be here?" Kero asked.

"We'll be there in the morning. Just hang in there, Kero."

The phone hung up and Kero was left to think about what would happen next. In the meantime, though, Kero just crept behind the couch.

Dateline: Saturday 7:00 AM (07:00)

Location: Felix's house

"And…finished!"

Madison looked on in awe at the finished product. The two brooches looked so beautiful. They were of two white doves that looked like they could to life at any given moment.

"They're…so…so…" Madison paused. The beauty of these brooches was indescribable.

"I was hoping you'd like them," Felix smiled. "Because…they're for you."

Madison gasped at that sudden realization. "…For me?"

Felix nodded. "One's for you…and one's…for the guy you're looking for. These two brooches are symbols of love. They're symbols I wish for you to share with that special guy you're looking for."

Madison didn't know what to say. There was no reason for this boy to go out of his way for her, yet he had. He was so kind.

"Thank you…so much. I just love them. But…"

Silence.

"But what?" Felix asked.

"I don't know what I'll do with this other half," Madison sighed. "It seems so hopeless right now. I don't know if I'll be able to find Eriol. I don't even know where to try anymore."

There were no words exchanged after that, until Felix saw someone out in the seemingly distant hallway. "Hey, Nick!"

Felix's brother, Nick, was wandering the hallway. As soon as he heard Felix call him, he came into the workstation.

"What is it, Felix?" he asked sourly.

"I have a question for you," the craftsman stated. He looked at Madison and without exchanging words, she knew what he wanted. She handed him Eriol's picture. "Have you seen this guy around?"

Nick took the picture and examined it closely. "Actually…I have."

Those words nearly knocked Madison over. She felt like hugging that complete stranger. Somebody had finally seen her Eriol. She finally had a clue.

"Where'd you see him, Nick?" Felix asked.

"He was walking out by Hyde Park," the brother answered. "Of course, I don't know if he'll be back. Is there something I should know, Felix?"

"I-I'm looking for him," Madison said nervously. "You…didn't see which way he was heading?"

"I'm sorry," Nick shrugged. "Can't help you."

Madison sighed and looked out the window. The sun had risen and Madison knew what that meant.

"It's morning," she said. "I have to go."

"Won't you have breakfast before you leave?" Felix asked.

Madison beamed. "Thank you. I will."

Madison took that opportunity to walk out into the hallway. As she headed towards Felix's room, she looked at Eriol's picture again. She wasn't much closer to finding him, but at least one thing was clear.

Eriol was in London. And as long as he was there, Madison would keep on searching for him.


Any comments? Maybe it wasn't the impact I had in mind, but the story will begin to pick up in the next few parts. So review below and let me know how I'm doing.