Last Time: Eriol isn't ready to give up on Madison just yet. There's a reunion today, but how will everyone react?


Making A Choice: Part 5


It was midnight. Kero was just approaching Sakura's window. She had to be asleep by now. And she wouldn't ask about the guardian beast's whereabouts, would she? That's what Kero hoped for. So he just tried to sneak in through the open window and quietly fly over to his desk. Unfortunately, as Kero got inside, the lights came on.

Sakura was standing by the door with a concerned look on her face. This made Kero's head spin. It's as if a father had been waiting for his daughter to come home. That's what this felt like.

"Where were you?" Sakura asked calmly.

Kero wasn't as calm. "Um…just…going home…with Suppi. Uh…yeah…nothing else."

Sakura pointed at her bed. "Sit down, Kero."

Feeling like a scolded dog, Kero flew over to Sakura's bed and just sat there. Sakura came over and sat right beside him and it looked like there was something she wanted to know. That made Kero nervous. It appeared that she had been kept in the dark for too long and she wanted answers.

"These last few weeks have been strange," Sakura began. "With Eriol coming back, that just made things a little weirder. But then I think about everything that's been going on. Madison's been out a lot more than she usually is, but I thought tonight she'd find Eriol at her front gate. And then I was expecting that wonderful reunion between two people in love…like the reunion between Li and myself. But I don't think that was the case.

"And then there's the way you've been acting. It's as if you're hiding something from me…something concerning my best friend. Kero…is there something I should know?"

Kero was almost sweating. He didn't know what to tell her. He could never lie to Sakura's face like this. She was making a plea to him.

"Please, Kero. Be honest with me. What do you know?"

That was it. Kero couldn't take it anymore. As much as Madison didn't want it, he had to say something. "Promise not to tell?"

Sakura hesitated at first, but then nodded. "I promise. You can tell me anything, Kero."

Kero wasn't so sure about that, but he went on anyway. "Well…you know how Madison's been going out a lot without us lately? I…sort of know where she's been going."

"Where?" Sakura asked. "Why wouldn't she tell me?"

"She doesn't want you to know that she's been going out…with a guy."

Sakura sat shocked. "What? But…that can't be right! She promised she'd wait for Eriol! I was there in England when she made that promise. WE were there! How could she be seeing someone else?"

"Madison didn't expect it," Kero explained. "She wasn't expecting the guy to suddenly kiss her and she didn't expect to like it. She definitely wasn't expecting Eriol to see them kissing a few hours ago. But she's been torn for a while. For the last few weeks, she's been so confused. She doesn't whether she loves him or Eriol."

"But how can that be?" Sakura demanded. "She probably doesn't even know this guy!"

Kero gulped nervously. "Oh…she might know him a lot better than you think. The guy she's been seeing…this guy…it's…Tori."

Silence.

There was a few seconds to let this all sink into Sakura's head. The expression on her face was indescribable. It was like her whole world was turned upside-down. Sakura took a few minutes to find the right words, but they just weren't there.

"Tori? Madison's been going out…with my brother? I…I…I…don't know what to say."

"Madison thought you'd react that way," Kero sighed. "That's why she didn't want me to tell you. But now that I did…you won't tell Madison…will you?"

Another awkward silence. Kero nervously waited for her to respond.

"I thought she'd love Eriol forever. I never thought she'd leave him for…Tori."

"No one said she didn't love him," Kero said. "And no one's said she's left him! She's really confused right now. That's what I told Eriol, anyway."

"You told Eriol? What'd he say?"

Kero thought about that. "It's weird. It's like it seemed to give him…confidence. He seems to be so sure that Madison loves him…and he's going to meet her tomorrow morning." Then a sudden thought hit him. "Wait! Sakura…you aren't going there tomorrow, are you?"

"I…I don't know," Sakura replied. "Eriol and Madison are my friends. I'd do anything to help them be happy together. But…I don't know what to do. Tori's my brother. I don't think there's anything I CAN do. I think…I'll leave this between them. But Kero…does Tori even know that Eriol's back yet?"

Kero's eyes dotted (more than they already were). He didn't realize that detail. "I doubt it. And if he does…"

Kero shuddered to think of what might happen. If Tori found out that Eriol was back and seeking Madison's love, then this could become a very brutal war.


~--------------------~


The next morning, Sakura woke up on her own. Unlike most days since the summer arrived, Sakura was up before noon. In fact, it was about ten in the morning. So she went down for breakfast, nearly tripping over a mess of clothes on the way.

Her father was in the kitchen preparing breakfast, as if he knew Sakura would be waking up. Sakura was happy for that. She felt exhausted for some reason. So she just took her place at the table…the noticeably empty table. Tori wasn't there…and he wasn't in his room, either.

"Dad?" Sakura began. "Where's Tori? I thought he lost his job a few days ago."

"He did," Aiden Avalon answered. "But he said he wanted to surprise his girlfriend, so he got up and left about twenty minutes ago."

It took a few seconds for the repercussions of what Aiden said to set into Sakura's head. A few seconds later, Sakura remembered exactly what Kero said.

'He seems to be so sure that Madison loves him…and he's going to meet her tomorrow morning.'

Sakura's eyes widened and she left out a soft, yet loud, yelp. "HOE?!"

Aiden blinked. "Is…something wrong, Sakura?"

Sakura gulped. "I…suddenly lost my appetite."


~--------------------~


Eriol waited by Madison's front gate. It couldn't have been too hard to evade the security, but he knew that it wouldn't be necessary. All Eriol had to do was just press the button on the door. With a press of the button, the bell rang, but Eriol left no message over the intercom. Surely, someone would have to come out. And when that person came out, Eriol would sneak in.

Eriol waited patiently. It was all he could do. He knew that this was the biggest day of his life. He had to help Madison see that she loved him…the way she told him when they were in England together. And he would do it without Suppi or Nakuru. He would do it without Kero. He would do it without Sakura or Li. This was something Eriol had to do ALONE.

Eriol expected to see one of the security guards come out and answer, but that's not what he got. Unexpectedly, Eriol saw…Madison. In a beautiful blue dress and her hair in pigtails, Madison looked around to see who rang. So Eriol decided to come out from behind his bush.

"Hi, beautiful. Did you miss me?"

Madison turned around and looked right into the face of Eriol. From behind that confident exterior, Eriol knew his heart longed for this moment. And from the look on Madison's face, hers did as well.

Madison smiled that super sweet smile that she was known for. "Yes…"

She ran over and threw her arms around Eriol. It was just like when they reunited in England. There was no less emotion in this hug than the last one they shared. In fact…there may have been even more.

"I missed you so much," Madison said softly.

Eriol let out a chuckle. "I promised you I'd come back, didn't I?"

Madison was breathing deeply and couldn't contain her joy. "You're staying?"

Eriol nodded. "I'm staying."

Suddenly, the hug was released. Madison's smile and tears of joy were fading. There was just a frown and tears of sadness that remained. Eriol could see in Madison's eyes that she was feeling guilty.

"You know…there were moments…that I thought you wouldn't come back. I'm sorry I didn't believe you…"

Eriol hushed her by putting two fingers to her gentle lips. "It doesn't matter now. What matters…is that I'm here now…and I'll never leave you again."

Then…they locked in a long and passionate kiss.


~--------------------~


Ever since Eriol first left Japan, Madison longed for moments like this. And now…her lost Eriol had come back to her. This moment felt so perfect. She wished they could stay locked in that kiss forever. There was nothing that could ruin this moment.

"Madison?!"

The kiss broke instantly. Madison turned white. She felt extremely cold inside. That voice…of all the times to hear that wonderful voice…why did it have to be now? Madison turned her head to find…

…Tori.

There seemed to be so much Tori wanted to say, but there was only one. "What's going on?!"

"What does it look like?!" Eriol snapped.

Tori was still shell-shocked, yet angry. "Since when did YOU come back?! And what are you doing with my girl?!"

"She's NOT your girl!"

"How dare you just come up here and kiss her like that!" Tori shouted.

"I kiss her like that because I love her!" Eriol shot back. "And she loves me!"

"She does not!" Tori spat. "Tell him, Madison!"

Madison just stuttered. "I…I…I…I…"

"Yes she does!" Eriol growled. "She's been waiting for this day for years. I promised her I'd be back and I am! I'm sorry she's been teasing you for these last few weeks, but she loves me and not you! Tell him, Madison!"

"I…I…I…I…"

"She obviously hasn't even thought about you," Tori retorted. "She got tired of waiting, so she came to ME! She loves ME! Tell him, Madison!"

"I…I…I…I…"

"She didn't come to you! YOU kissed HER! All you did was confuse her! But now I'm back and she doesn't have to be confused anymore, because she knows she loves ME! Tell him, Madison!"

"I…I…I…I…"

"WELL?!" both Eriol and Tori demanded. "TELL HIM!"

She should have said something. Madison really wanted to face this. But she was far too fragile at that moment to confront both Eriol and Tori. She couldn't stand to hurt any of them. And she knew that deep down in her heart, they were asking her to make a choice…a choice she just couldn't make.

So all she did…was turn and run.

"Madison, WAIT!!" they both shouted.

She couldn't wait. This was all too much for Madison. She just kept running and didn't look back. It was her worst nightmare…being forced to choose between two men she loved very much.


~--------------------~


Eriol tried chasing after Madison, but when she went through the gate, the gate shut. Eriol was stuck outside. As much as both Eriol and Tori tried, it was a futile effort. The gate was locked and there was no getting through.

Eriol and Tori both faced each other angrily and both shouted, "Look what you did!!"

"ME?!" Eriol demanded.

"It wasn't me!" Tori shot back.

"Of course it was!" Eriol snapped. "This wouldn't have happened if you just knew to STAY HOME!"

"Why should I stay home? She's my girl!"

Eriol growled. "No, she's not!!"

"Yes, she is!!"

"No, she isn't!!"

Then they both shouted, "If she was your girl, then she would have never kissed me!!"

Silence. They both made a valid point.

Eriol just glared at Tori. "You know…it's obvious that my Madison's confused."

"Yeah…" Tori replied. "MY Madison's confused."

"There's only one sensible solution to this, you know."

"Yeah…and what's that?"

Eriol cleared his throat…before smiling evilly. "A competition…to clear Madison's head. First one to get Madison to ultimately declare her love for one of us gets her heart and the other one has to accept it! Anything goes!"

"Anything?"

"Anything!"

Reluctantly, Eriol and Tori both reached out and shook each other's hand.

"I'm not going to lose," Tori scowled. "Because I love her."

"Yeah…well I love her, too," Eriol shot back. "And I won't let you win." Eriol ripped the handshake apart and turned to leave.

This was it. It had to come to this. It was clear that both Eriol and Tori couldn't have Madison. One of them had to be taken out of the equation. And this was one competition that Eriol couldn't afford to lose. He couldn't live without Madison…without her flowing black hair, her warm and caring smile, or her compassionate and loving soul. No! Eriol would have her. He couldn't lose her.

He only muttered under his breath, "Let the games begin."


Next Time: The fight for Madison's love gets heated. And can Sakura really stand back and just watch this go on? Come back next time, because the story's just begun!


Any comments in the meantime? If you have any, then go ahead and mail me at AmericanCaptor@hotmail.com and don't forget to review below, because I just love your feedback!