Geo

Geo: Hey! Tis I, Geo! Yeah!

Brooklyn: Boooo!

Geo: *death glare* Well, I've noticed that I take more time blabbing than actually writing the story. I wonder how you readers can take it...anyways, so we're going to do this quickly:

Brooklyn: Geo doesn't own CCS. She's poor so don't sue her. She has only one Canadian Dollar and she bet that to Phoenixangel...

Geo: That doesn't amount to much American, believe you me. Okay, well...answer to the Gargoyle thing:
Remember how I said I'd tell you the answer to "What line reflects what Detective Elisa Maza sort of says in the final episode"? Well, here it is:

When Syaoran thinks 'It's who she is'. That's right folks. Pretty easy to miss. You haven't watched the final episode of Gargoyles so you don't know what I'm talking about? Okay, Elisa is talking to one of the 'Hunters' (people who hunt down the Gargoyles...it's a family tradition run down through centuries as they were trying to hunt Demona) while Goliath is off fighting Demona. He risks his life and the life of his clan to save the human race (duh...he's the good guy...or gargoyle...). Jordan or John, I forget his name, goes something like, "He risked his life to save us..." and Elisa smiles warmly and says, "That's how he is...that's who he is." (Something along those lines *shrug*) So, who caught that? Not many...oh well.

So, on to the fic! Yipee! Chapter 9!

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chapter 9

new names, new lives

"Death." Tomoyo said quietly, not wanting to think any longer of a plan. She had almost lost her friend just a few short days ago. She didn't want to think about more death of people she had grown to love.

"We could always fake our own death." Yamazaki suggested. Syaoran glared at him.

"I think we've come across death too many times recently, Takashi." He said, his voice colder than ice that could make anyone cringe.

"I think he has a point there." Meilin said, thoughtfully.

"What?!" Sakura asked and dropped her pizza crust. "What do you mean?!"

"Easy, Sakura. You fake your own deaths. I can sign the reports."

"What about pictures? Evidence?" Syaoran asked skeptically.

"Easy. We have someone with the most high-tech computer systems on the planet." Meilin said, indicating Tomoyo, who nodded. "All we'd have to do is make some sort of graphics and I'm sure we can figure that out."

"How could've we gotten killed, pray tell me?" Eriol asked smugly. "We can't say in the bombing because that was a week away."

"We could say that you died trying to destroy each other. That's easy. The tricky part will actually be trying to smuggle you guys out of the country without anyone noticing." Meilin shrugged and smiled. "It's really easy, to tell you the truth."

"You know, that's actually a pretty good idea." Chiharu said, looking around to everyone sitting at the table. "How else are we actually going to get out?" It was silent for a while as the young agents racked their brains for new ideas.

"I guess it's worth a try." Sakura said quietly, looking over at Syaoran for his usually prompt support. However, he kept on frowning for sometime and looking off into space, as if debating something with himself. Finally, he nodded in agreement.

"All right! When do we get started?" Yamazaki said, obviously excited about this little project.

"Well, first we need to know what we're going to need. Passports, birth certificates, high school and college diplomas. That sort of thing. We'll have to think of that a bit later."

"Hm...yeah, that's cool." Yamazaki said, thinking about what his future career might be.

"We're going to need some time out of public so that people can forget who you guys are. Then, you arrive in another country and *poof* you're detectives or whatever you want to be." Meilin said, shrugging. "I'm sure we can make fake references. I know Eriol's the master at fake signatures." They all laughed as he stood up and bowed mockingly.

"Well, I don't think we have another choice, do we?" Sakura asked, looking around her at her companions.

At the lack of an alternative answer, Syaoran nodded and stood up, taking his plate to the sink. "Good. We'll start tomorrow."

~*~*~*~*~

Sakura walked into Tomoyo's mansion, which was already noisy with the comradely shouts of Yamazaki and Chiharu. Sakura had to smile when she thought of that pair. It was so absolutely obvious that they liked each other. However, whenever Yamazaki would joke around and not get to the point, Chiharu would start lecturing him.

'I guess it's just their way of showing emotion' Sakura thought happily.

"Do you have any food in this joint, Tomoyo?! Or do you just sit in front of your television screens all day without eating?" Yamazaki said as he whirled around on one of the computer chairs, taking a break from some graphics he was working on. Chiharu started yelling at him for minding his manners, causing Eriol to laugh his head off.

"Hey, Sakura. You can start on the college diplomas with your new names." Tomoyo said, motioning over to an empty computer beside Syaoran. "Oh, and here's the list of names and our new jobs." She said, handing her a sheet of paper.

"Hm...Sakura Avalon and I am a...hm...a high school literature teacher...sounds kinda nice, huh?" She asked Syaoran, smiling. He turned and nodded and smiled very slightly. To Sakura he looked kind of pained and hurt and she knew that something was pretty wrong for him to actually show emotion.

"Well, um, what else? Madison Taylor, owns a small boutique, Eriol Moon (A/n: I'm keeping it "Eriol" cuz I hate Eli) works for a big corporation in computer and web designs, Chelsea Anderson as a high school science teacher, Zachary Henderson, also a high school math teacher? Can't picture that but whatever...oh last but not least, Li Showron, a lawyer in a respected law firm." She looked back at Syaoran, but he was engrossed in their 'passports'.

'I wonder what's up with him.' Sakura thought sadly. 'This isn't the Syaoran I know. He's either mad or thoughtful...he's upset about something.'

"Hey, Tomoyo...I'm serious. I'm really hungry..."

~*~*~*~*~

"Hey, Meilin, does this look realistic?" Asked Eriol as he handed her a picture he had printed out of "Chiharu", pale and eyes closed. Meilin took it from him and held it under a desk lamp to see better. After a few moments of silence, she smiled and nodded.

"It's perfect, Eriol. It looks so realistic. You can even see the shadow and the color of the blood on the clothes looks very much like blood." She said, turning off the light.

"Here, can I see?" Asked Chiharu. Meilin handed her the picture and Chiharu observed it for a few seconds until handing it back.

"What? Can't stand the sight of blood?" Asked Yamazaki, grinning a bit. Chiharu frowned and shook her head.

"No, it's not that. It's just that it's kind of depressing looking at a picture of you when you're dead and you're really not..." She broke off and shook her head, turning back to her computer. "I think I'd rather just stick to fake driver's licenses."

"Well, are we almost done?" Tomoyo asked, printing up the last birth certificate. They had been working the whole day and, looking at her watch, Tomoyo saw that it was already 10:30 pm.

"Yeah, I think so. I just have to laminate this last license, then we're done." Chiharu said, turning back to the printer. Tomoyo smiled.

"Good work, guys. We can finally rest up for tomorrow. We start packing tonight and leave tomorrow evening."

Syaoran nodded and shut off his computer. Without saying a word, he walked out the door to the wide balcony out back.

"I wonder what's wrong with him. He hasn't said a word all day." Eriol wondered out loud.

"Yeah. Usually, I'm used to his silence. Today, it just seemed...weird." Yamazaki agreed, taking out the phone book to look for a good Italian place to eat.

'I've tried to remember everything we've talked about to see what's wrong,' Sakura thought to herself. 'I just can't think of anything that would make him so upset. Wait a second...wait, didn't he say something about faking his death once before?' She knew right then what Syaoran was upset about and why he was a bit edgy about faking their deaths.

"I'll go talk to him." Sakura said, walking off to where he went to. After she had left the room, Yamazaki laughed and plopped back down into a computer chair.

"It's as if she's known him forever. I mean, me and Eriol have known him for three years and she's known him, personally, for three weeks and she already knows what's up with him." Eriol shrugged and glanced at Tomoyo, smiling charmingly.

"Ah...l'amour."

~*~*~*~*~

Sakura walked to the door of the balcony where Syaoran was. He was standing there, leaning on the rail, looking up at the stars and she didn't want to disturb him.

"They're beautiful, huh?" He said quietly, knowing she was there. Sakura stopped abruptly, then smiled and walked up to him, leaning on his shoulder.

"Yeah..." She agreed softly.

"There's one thing that reminds me of myself in stars and let me tell you it's not the beauty." He said, chuckling a bit. "Nope, that's more you, Sakura. The characteristic that I have in common with stars is that even when I die, I'm still there. It's as if I actually never die." Sakura looked up at him and noticed, even in the dim light, the pain etched on his face, his wonderful amber eyes clouded with unshed tears.

"When am I ever going to die, Sakura? When? I just keep on living. I go through names and lives like Yamazaki goes through food. Why can't I die and just stay dead."

"Oh Syaoran...you know you don't mean that." She said softly, brushing away his bangs which had fallen over his face, like usual. He turned to face her, his face masked with anger, shame and pain.

"I do, Sakura. I really do mean it. I "killed" myself when I was eleven. I'm doing it now about 12 years later. Am I such a coward that I can't face one life, one reality? Am I such a coward that I have to keep on shedding this...this skin, if you will. Am I that low? As low as a snake?" He closed his eyes and looked away, hoping Sakura wouldn't see the tears that were threatening to escape. "Why can't I just die?"

"A name is a name, Syaoran. Do they really say who you are? Are they really that important?" She asked stubbornly, making him face her. "So what if you've gone through many names? You're still the man I love and I couldn't care less if your name was something like Fran because you'd still be your sweet, protective self that I love." She smiled and hoped that her words would mean something to him.

He looked down at her, letting her words sink in. She loved him. That's all that matters. She loved him and he loved her. She was right and Syaoran was grateful he had someone as understanding and caring as her to confide in. He chuckled and looked back up at the stars.

"Even if you wouldn't care if my name was Fran, I certainly would. God, I would kill myself...seriously." He said, delighting in the sound of her laughter.

"So..." She said after a few moments of silence. "What was your name before?"

"Well...mainly people called me Xiao Lang and my last name was Li. I changed my first name, but couldn't give up my last." Sakura nodded then frowned in a thought that just popped into her head.

"Is Meilin your cousin?" She asked. At his nod, she asked, "Was she the cousin you were betrothed to?" Syaoran looked down at her then laughed.

"No...heh heh...no, no, no, no..." He said, shaking his head and laughing. "If I was betrothed to Meilin, I wouldn't have bothered changing my name or faking death. I would have just killed myself." Sakura looked up at him in shock.

"Why?!" She asked.

"Why? Because, she is probably the most persistent person I know. She was actually searching for me because she said she knew I wasn't dead. Anyways, when she did find me, she was in med school and I was on a mission for the agency. She found me out and since she is quite forceful, I had to tell her everything. I had to turn her in and she promised to secrecy right there in the office. She's somewhat in my agency but then again, she not. Other people often come in and check on her at the hospital to make sure she's going along the contract. However, her contract isn't like yours or mine. It's just secrecy policy. They can't order her to do anything except keep silent and she can move wherever she wants, as long as there's someone of the agency with her. That's why she's probably not going to move with us." He shrugged and sighed. Sakura nodded, partly in amusement and partly in relief.

"I can't see you getting married to Meilin." She admitted. Syaoran laughed.

"Neither can I, Sakura. Neither can I."

~*~*~*~*~

"That is so absolutely rude! What does he mean persistent? Stubborn? Forceful? ARGH!" Meilin screamed as the rest laughed. They were watching the two on one of Tomoyo's video cameras before she unhooked them all and deleted all the images. (A/n: check note #1)

"I never knew Syaoran had already faked his death before." Eriol thought as Tomoyo started deleting files. "I mean..."

"I know what you mean, dude." Yamazaki agreed as he bit into his apple. "We thought we knew him. College graduate in law..."

"Law?!" Tomoyo asked. Yamazaki nodded.

"Yeah, law. I think it was a side thing. 4 point average or something like that." Yamazaki shrugged and threw his apple core into the garbage. Chiharu and Tomoyo stared at them.

"Did you all get 4 point averages in law school or something?" Yamazaki turned and shook his head.

"What? Oh no...my thing wasn't law. I have a bachelors in math. And Eriol in Computer Sciences." Yamazaki shrugged and walked back to the fridge. "How about you girls?"

"Tomoyo in Clothing Designs, me in sciences and Sakura in teaching. But...but definitely not 4 point averages." Chiharu said.

Right then, Syaoran and Sakura walked back into the room, hand in hand.

"Okay folks. We're going to have to wake up early tomorrow. Let's get as much rest as physically possible." He said confidently, as everyone had remembered the great Syaoran Li.

'That man, as you know, died this night.' He thought to himself.

"Well, I think we'd better go off on our separate ways. We died today and I guess that could do a toll on someone. Get packed. We leave tomorrow morning."

~*~*~*~*~

Sakura sat back in her first class seat beside Syaoran. They had all gotten through customs and whatnot with their new passports and were on their was to Vancouver.

"Do you think this will work, Syaoran?" She asked him quietly as glanced at the ever calm Tomoyo and Eriol and the ever goofing-off Yamazaki with Chiharu right beside him, scolding him.

"Don't worry, Sakura. Everything will be all right. Just try not to call me Syaoran in front of other people. Remember, my name's Li from now on." He whispered back. She blushed and shrugged.

"Sorry...Li..." He smiled, leaned over and kissed her to reassure her that no harm was done.

"Man, I really wish they would stop doing that." Yamazaki said as he peeped over at the two. Chiharu sighed.

"I think it's sweet, Yamazaki. I think you're better off learning some tips of charm and romance from either Eriol and Syaoran. It's a wonder that none of it rubbed off while you were working with them all those years." Chiharu said smugly as Yamazaki frowned.

"I am too charming and romantic." He said, pouting. Chiharu laughed.

"Oh yeah...I'd like to see you prove it." Yamazaki turned to her, as she laughed, trying to picture him 'romantic'. He raised his right eyebrow and then grinned mischievously.

"Later, babe." He whispered in her ear, making her abruptly stop laughing and turn to him, but he was already engrossed in a Batman comic book. (A/n: Sorry folks...I couldn't resist the whole 'comic part)

"I think they're all getting along nicely." Tomoyo said as she watched the two couples chat comfortably.

"Yes, I suppose they are." Eriol nodded, then flashed his charming smile at her. "And what about us? Do you suppose we're getting along nicely?" Tomoyo smiled sweetly as her dark eyes glittered in amusement.

"Yes, very nicely." She answered. "I hope Meilin will be joining us soon. Just as long as she can get a trustworthy person to 'keep an eye on her'."

"Do you suppose she'll actually need someone there, or do you think they'll just let her report in every once in a while?" He asked. She shrugged.

"I have absolutely no idea. However, I do hope she will be coming soon. It was really nice of her, doing all that stuff for us and risking her life as well." Tomoyo said, matter-of-factly. Eriol smiled and pulled out a nice hardcover by one of his favourite authors that he was planning to read for quite some time.

~*~*~*~*~

Sakura couldn't keep still. Even with her book, she couldn't stop this growing anxiety within her. She tried to look out the window, sleep, listen to music so that hopefully she'd be able to calm down. It was useless, though. She couldn't. There was something bothering her, she just didn't know what.

Syaoran looked up from his own book to glance at the fidgeting Sakura. He smiled and placed the bookmark back into the book.

"Are you all right, Sakura?" She looked up from the passenger guide from the plane she was reading.

"Wha--? Oh...um, yeah, I'm fine...just reading about...oxygen masks." She said, holding up the pamphlet. "They're very interesting. No one understands they're worth. I mean, if we just so happened to go down in an accident or we suddenly need oxygen masks, poof, they'd be there!" She said, trying to act normal. Syaoran obviously saw through it, raising an eyebrow.

"Riiiggghhht...Sakura, what did you have to drink?" He asked. Sakura started to answer, then stopped and glared at him.

"No alcohol nor caffeine, for your information." She said, crossing her arms and settling back with a pout on her face. Syaoran laughed and reached for her hand.

"Everything's going to be fine. I promise." He said, trying to comfort her. He knew that she was anxious. He was too, in a way. But, perhaps, not as anxious as she.

"I know, Syaor - I mean, Li." She said, smiling and shrugging at her forgetfulness. "It's just that...I don't know if I can handle this...always looking out to make sure they didn't find out we're here or whatever..." Syaoran shook his head. He wanted to be able to reassure her that everything was going to be all right, just like she had the night before.

"Don't worry, Sakura. You'll be fine. We'll be fine. Our plan is almost fool proof."

"Almost..." She muttered under her breath. Syaoran nodded.

"Okay, so it's almost like a 10 percent chance we could get caught. But, I KNOW we won't. And I'll always be there with you, if you ever need anything." She sighed and happily smiled. She leaned her head on his strong shoulder and nodded a bit.

"I know, Li. You'll always be there. Thank you." And with that, she finally dozed off.

Syaoran smiled at his beautiful angel and went back to his novel.

~*~*~*~*~

"What do you mean, dead?!?!" Touya Kinomoto asked. "How could Sakura, Chiharu AND Tomoyo be dead? Oh, I will KILL that stupid Li guy..." Fujitaka Kinomoto, the boss of the whole agency, shook his head.

"Sorry, Touya, you can't. You missed your chance. He's dead as well." Touya's eyes widened, then he sat back in his chair, shaking her head.

"I can't believe Sakura's dead. She was almost like...a sister to me. I mean, she took my last name and everything..." He said softly. Fujitaka nodded.

"I understand. You were her mentor and protector, as I had been to you when you just entered the agency. They were all special to us. But we have to let this go, all right? We're going to go on with our missions and forget about it, like we always do. All right, Touya?" He asked, softly. Touya sighed, wanting to rebel and fight, thinking how they could be wrong, how they should go check the bodies. But, at his boss's stern look, he sighed and nodded.

"All right. I'll let this pass." Touya said, nodding. Fujitaka smiled, then handed a folder to him.

"I have a new mission for you and Yukito, all right? I want you to investigate the bombing at the Twin Stars Charity balls and what happened and why we didn't get any tips, even though it seemed like someone was informed." Touya nodded, and headed out the door. Fujitaka sat there, silent, for a moment, until he stopped Touya.

"Wait..." He said. When Touya turned around, Fujitaka smiled, almost a bit sheepishly. "Be careful out there. I don't want to loose another one of my 'children'." Touya nodded, smiling.

"Always." He continued out the door and looked for Yukito, who was still mourning after his young friends.

~*~*~*~*~

"Dead, hm?" Kaho Mizuki asked one of her top agents, Nakuru. Nakuru nodded sadly.

"Yeah...it was probably that Kinomoto witch." She said, bitterly. Kaho sighed and turned to one of the top secret files that had all the agents names and IDs. Taking out Yamazaki's, Eriol's and Syaoran's, she placed them on her desk.

"Make sure to burn these and bury them." Kaho said to her. Nakuru sighed, a tear coming to her eyes.

"I guess...I guess this is really goodbye, huh?" She asked. Nakuru nodded, just as sad as she, but better at not letting her feelings show.

"Yes, it is. We will miss them, but we have to move on." Nakuru sighed and wiped away the tears, inside commanding herself to stay strong.

"Of course, Mizuki. Any other news?" Kaho smiled.

"Actually, yes, there is. Dr. Meilin Li has asked permission to move to another country. She says that here there are too many memories of Syaoran, and same as in Hong Kong." Nakuru nodded.

"I guess that would be expected. So which agent are you sending with her?" She asked, understanding Meilin's sadness and wish to escape the country.

"Actually, I'm not sending any along with her." Nakuru's eyes went wide.

"What?! What do you mean?! Not sending any agents with her...why, she could give us away or something!!" Kaho chuckled a bit. She could understand Nakuru's sudden disbelief.

"She's behaved very well, here in Japan. You know as well as I do that she didn't have any guards to look after her for the past several months."

"Yes, but that was before Syaoran died." Nakuru pointed out angrily. "If she gave away the agency, she would be killing her cousin." Kaho nodded.

"Exactly what I thought before. However, she promised me that she wouldn't give away any information or anything, since she really doesn't know any. She will be making reports every now and then, but I don't believe a regular agent is necessary. No point in sending a trained agent into something as simple as that, and we need all our agents, after Syaoran and his team's misfortune." Nakuru sighed, nodding.

"All right, I see your point. Permission to work on other responsibilities?" She asked, straightening up at the formal request. Kaho nodded and smiled again.

"Permission granted. Make sure to burn those files." Nakuru nodded and stepped out the room. Kaho sighed at the empty drawers that had once been filed with Syaoran, Eriol and Yamazaki's reports and other identifications.

"Well, this certainly is goodbye, fellas. I hope you find better luck in your next lives." She said, and turned back to her paper work.

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Geo: And that's the end of this chapter! Phew! I was stuck for a while, but I finally made it LONGER! Yeah!
Brooklyn: Whoopee...well, at least I can look forward to NEXT CHAPTER BEING THE LAST CHAPTER!! Yes! PARTY!
Geo: *sigh* Anyways, pretty bad ending of the chapter, but that's all right...so, what did you guys think? Do you think Kaho Mizuki really knows what's going on? Will the next chapter REALLY be the last chapter?! We'll just have to find out!!
Brooklyn: *praying* Please let it be the last chapter, please let it be the last chapter...
Geo: *evil smirk* Maybe I just will make it longer, huh? BWHAHAHAHA! Maybe the next chapter WON'T be the last...BWAHAHAHAHA! Well...we'll just have to find out next time!

Oh...by the way...before I forget again...*sigh* I know I didn't really make Touya in character or Yamazaki has been OUT of character for the whole story...but you know what? I like Yamazaki that way...he's cool. And there always has to be a joker/cool guy in the group, eh? Kind of like...Cosmo in US MARSHALS. He was funky...heh heh heh..."What do you mean amazing, he just broke my frickin' glasses!"