Time Frame: The next morning.

hhhhh

The bright rays of early morning wafted through the flowing curtains to cast the large bedroom in a comforting ambient glow. The light powder pink walls giving the chamber a feeling of warmth.

The diluted rays of light cast themselves upon the softly slumbering figure on the large bed in the center of the room and the slumped body of the one who had kept a lone vigil over the sleeping angel.

Slowly the figure began to stir as she awoke from a dreamless restful sleep.

'Where am I?' she thought as she felt the silk slip and soft satin sheets under her, with a warm downy comforter on top. The plush pillows around her and the bed made her feel as she was sleeping on clouds.

'What happened?' she asked herself silently as she tried to figure out how she had gotten from the cold hard floor of the warehouse to the soft warmth of this amazing bed.

Then she remembered what happened, the gun, Syaoron bursting in the room, the shot, and the immense pain that she felt as it hit her, tearing flesh and shattering bone. Suddenly a wild panic seized her as she thought that she had died and was now in heaven.

Tears welled in her eyes and threatened to spill over as she contemplated the possibility of being separated from her beloved by a barrier as insurmountable as that, which separated the living from the dead.

Yet, there was something in the air that seemed almost familiar, a scent that felt warm and comfortable. It was then that she felt the fingers entwined with her own. She slowly raised her head and saw something she never thought she would again, her little wolf.

Syaoron's body was slumped over the side of her bed and his right hand was entwined in her left one. He had his head resting next to her and his ever-present scowl had contorted his handsome features with tension lines and a pale complexion.

All Sakura could do was lie there and look at him. It pained her to see him like this, but she didn't know what to do. She turned her body slowly so as not to disturb him and moved her right hand to softly stroke his amber locks. They felt so soft under her fingers and as she brushed a few stray strands away from his face, she was reminded of why she loved this young man so much. She loved him because no matter how he could be stern and cold he still had an innocence about him that simply took her breath away. He looked so tired and yet he was still here next to her, and as she glanced at the rest of him, she could see that he was kneeling on the plush carpeting of the room with nothing to cushion him. He looked to have spent the night like this and she was again amazed at his love. He loved her so much that he was willing to kneel a whole night just so that he would be able to hold her hand.

It was about this time that Syaoron began to stir. The soft ministrations of Sakura as she stroked his hair had brought him from his uneasy dream filled slumber. He had dreamt that Sakura was hurt and that there was nothing he could do to save her. What scared him was seeing Sakura hurt and his helplessness only made it all the more unbearable.

Yet, as he climbed out of the anxiety induced nightmare he awoke to the soft, steady, stroking of his hair by delicate fingers. He opened his eyes to see the glowing emerald orbs of his cherry blossom. Slowly he raised his head and reached with his other hand to cup her cheek. He needed to know that she was really there, needed to know that she was all right.

Sakura leaned into his hand as it reached up to stroke her. She let out a sigh as she remembered to familiar sensations of love that such a simple act could cause.

"Gomen," was the only word that Syaoron said as he held her hand tighter.

"Why?" was the simple response from Sakura.

"Gomen for not being there to protect you when you needed me and for letting you suffer so much when I should have been able to prevent it. I'm sorry for letting you get hurt and I'm sorry for being so stupid," said Syaoron, and as the last words left his lips, a single tear rolled down his cheek.

"Oh, Syaoron you can't always be there to protect me, and I'm not mad at you for anything. You are always there when I need you and don't you think differently. I would gladly go though hell and back if it would mean that we could be together, and as for being stupid, I don't think that that is something you could change," said Sakura as she reached down and brushed the tear away.

The last comment was able to get a slight chuckle from Syaoron as he pushed himself form the ground on which he had been kneeling for the past ten hours. He crawled into bed with Sakura and enveloped her in his arms.

Sakura sighed happily as she rested her head on his chest and listened to the steady beating of his heart, a sound she thought she would never hear again.

Syaoron held her tightly to him as he inhaled her sweet scent and stroked her hair as he reveled in the utter joy of having the one he loved in his arms.

They just stayed like that for a few moments until Sakura finally realized that she felt no pain. Logically she should feel pain, after all she did get shot with a real gun and a real bullet did pierce her body, so why didn't she feel any pain.

"Syaoron?"

"Yes?"

"What happened after you burst in?"

"Well Liz waved the gun around and ended up about to shoot you," said Syaoron. "But one of my men shot her gun from her hand just as she tried to shoot you. Her bullet ended up going through your left shoulder and I had you air lifted home, to the clan mansion. The clan physician used some healing spells to heal your wound and you were as good as new, but he still gave you some sedatives so you could rest properly."

"Oh," said Sakura as she absorbed all of it. "What happened to Liz?" she inquired after a moment.

"I don't really know," said Syaoron as he once again held her tight to him. "My guards sedated her and took her away. And with you being the way that you were, I just didn't have the time to stop and think about her."

"Oh."

"Don't worry she'll be fine," said Syaoron as he allayed her fears. "My guards probably just sent her home."

"Okay," purred Sakura as Syaoron began to rub her back.

"Sleep Sakura, I'll be here when you wake up," he whispered as he pulled to comforter tighter around the two.

"Good," said Sakura as a contented smile came across her face.

Slowly the soothing motion and presence of Syaoron was able to lull Sakura to a fitful slumber.

He stayed awake just holding her and smiling happily. He had his Ying Fa back and he wasn't going to let anyone take her away again. However, eventually he too joined his beloved in the realm of dreams.

Meanwhile Ming and the others stared at the two lovebirds in each others arms sleeping, the girls couldn't help getting all star eyed at the totally kawaii scene that had just taken place, while the guys just groaned.

hhhhh

Author's Notes: This will probably be the last real chapter.

The next one will be an epilogue.

Thank you all for reading my story.