Truth and Twilight

Truth and Twilight

"Otou-san!" Sakura cried happily, sitting up onto her knees and looking toward her father. Syaoran glanced around quickly, surveying the situation. With Clow here it would be a lot easier to escape. Take down the guards, fry the executioner with a quick spell.

And try to hold off Yue and Keroberos while his double took on Clow.

Or maybe not as easily as it looked…

"I came for my daughter," Clow said simply, Hikaru hanging on his arm. He looked toward his double, face cold.

"Your daughter…" his double questioned faintly. And he looked down at Sakura slowly, realization only then washing over him. "Of course. Now I understand where she gets her magic from." And he moved forward a step, standing straight before Clow. Proud. "But I know the truth, Clow. You may have come for your daughter but you also come for me."

Sakura stared from her father to Syaoran, eyes widening.

"And you came for the Cards. You came to take them back," his double said softly. "But if I won them from you once I can do it again-"

"Enough," Clow said squarely. "I've listened to you spew your garbage for long enough. I will not stop with the Cards. I will have Yue and Keroberos again. And this time, my daughter will not interfere. This battle concerns only us."

Syaoran nonchalantly pulled a small slip of paper from his sleeve, holding it up behind his back and murmuring a few words. A small fire ignited from it, burning his flesh, but he tired to control it, intent on burning his way out of his confinement.

"When did this battle ever concern your daughter?" His double asked with a shrug. "Her magic failed against me, old man. She never amounted to anything more than a concubine."

Clow didn't flinch in the least.

With a small sigh though, he set Hikaru aside, allowing her to slump against the wall. When he rose to his full height once more, his gaze came to rest on Syaoran, who struggled to conceal his attempts to free himself.

"You are the one from the other world," he stated knowingly. "The one my daughter loves?"

Syaoran looked at him straight, not paying his double any attention as he whirled to face him. "I am the one who loves your daughter," he corrected.

Sakura looked at him over her shoulder, a small smile curling the edges of her lips.

"But you are the one my daughter came back for," Clow said to his double, turning his attention back to him.

His double's expression was one of bewilderment. He looked from Clow to Sakura close beside him and then at his own double, brown eyes narrowing angrily.

"Enough of these mind games, Clow," he hissed after a moment. And he motioned to Yue who was closest to Clow.

The white-winged angel instantly rose into the air elegantly, turning and diving at Clow.

In one fluid movement Clow had his hand up, something in his grasp. And Yue rammed into an invisible wall, bouncing off with a cry. He recoiled, eyes studying the wall as it grew misty.

"Shield Card…" Yue murmured in confusion.

Clow held a Red Card in his hand and he turned it outward for Yue to see the Card's face, a solemn look upon his own.

Shield Card, indeed.

Keroberos stiffened, coming closer the slightest bit.

"I've come for you, Yue," Clow said, a gentle smile curling his mouth. "Both you and Keroberos."

"Yue!" his double shouted angrily.

The angel jumped at the rage in his Master's voice, turning to look at him over his shoulder.

"I feel magic surrounding you," Clow said, forcing all the attention back on himself. "An old magic, one that should have worn off a long time ago."

"The only thing you'll feel is my blade," Syaoran growled, pulling forth a small object. He held it up before him and white light brought forth a long, powerful blade. He brandished it before him and glared coldly.

Clow looked from him to his blade. "The blade…" he murmured in wonder.

Syaoran pulled forth a card of his own, slapping it against the blade of his sword. "Sword Card, come forth!" he shouted and he tightened his grip on his weapon as brilliant light swirled like smoke around him. His sword gleamed for a moment, the card vanishing into its face and he lunged forth then, stabbing downward into the shield Clow had erected.

"No!" Sakura shrieked and she dove forth also, hands taking hold bunchfuls of Syaoran's cloak.

His double loosened one hand from his sword, which was stabbing through the Shield to the hilt, and he back-fisted her easily, tossing her aside. She fell with a small cry, landing across her stomach, a grimace crossing her face.

Syaoran whirled as well, sensing the guards surrounding him start to move. He dove at one, catching him around the waist and tossing him to the floor. Hearing another one close behind him he whirled instinctively, his spinning hook kick catching the second guard in the face and flinging him sideways.

Clow grimaced, his enemy's blade inches from his face. With his other hand he raised his staff and murmured something faintly, eyes flashing.

The tip of his staff suddenly ignited, a strange black light breaking forth in two opposite directions, streaking as beautifully as lightning. Syaoran's double ignored it, teeth glinting through his parted lips as he tried to force his blade.

The black light shimmered, expanding outward and two figures formed, one feminine looking shadow, another a silhouette of a giant feline.

Yue and Keroberos froze in their place, uncertain as to what new enemy stood before them.

Gossamer wings unwrapped from the form of the female, long ruby red hair floating about her delicate face. Her eyes came open, glinting in the light of Clow's magic, and she faced off against Yue, expression firm.

The feline was black with the same wings as the girl but he was majestic, head held high, a cold look upon his face. A blue gem shone in the black light, embedded in the skin of his forehead between his cat ears. He growled deep inside, the sound reverberating throughout the room.

Syaoran took out the last guard, looking up into the light streaming from the newcomers. "Ruby Moon and Spinel Sun," he said almost in relief. "Now the odds are even."

A moment later he heard, more than saw, something flying at him out of the corner of his eye and he automatically dodged away, head ducking. A second later a large axe stabbed into the wall behind him, where his head had just been. He whirled to face the Executioner as the large man came toward him, intent on hurting him.

"Tell me you're kidding…"

His double let go of his sword with one hand, a long slip of paper suddenly appearing in his grip. Sakura scrambled to her feet, lunging at him once more as he whispered something under his breath. Brilliant light summoned from above streaked downward, striking the blade and forking outward. The light bounced toward the shield, penetrating the tear he made with his blade and Clow sprang backward, his face shining in the glow of the lightning.

Sakura wrapped both her arms around Syaoran's blade arm, yanking fiercely. He stumbled back a bit, anger clouding his face, his sword coming loose from the shield.

"Get…off me!" he ordered, shoving her away.

"Stop!" she cried. And facing Clow, "Otou-san! Don't do this again-"

Clow wasn't listening either, another card in his hand. "Windy!"

From the face of the card shot forth mist, billowing outward in green-tinted fumes. And from the smoke rose a woman, eerily beautiful, eyes blank but purposeful. She hesitated only for a moment before flying forth at Syaoran, arms stretched out for him.

Syaoran pulled out his own card, blade at his side. "Windy!"

From his own card came an exact copy of the same woman, rising out of smoke. At his command she also dove forth, rearing up before her counterpart.

"This is useless," Syaoran growled under his breath. And he pulled forth one more card, its face hidden from Clow. "Time!"

All around him everything and everyone froze, the strange yellow hue of stopped time washing over them. For a moment it felt as if all air was cut off from him and he wavered, hunching over and gritting his teeth. Curse this weakness with Time. He glanced behind himself to see his Guardians and Clow's Guardians frozen in place. His double as well was in the middle of pulling out a slip of paper before the Executioner. With a strained smile he faced forward again noticing vaguely that Hikaru had come to and was halfway rising to her feet.

Before him stood Clow, waiting patiently, staff glowing faintly.

Syaoran pulled up short. "You're…unaffected?" he questioned in short breath confusion.

Clow merely stared at him for a moment. And then, very slowly, he closed his eyes and shook his head at the young man, a sigh issuing from his mouth. "You don't understand your own cards. I should never have surrendered them to you."

Syaoran's eyes narrowed.

"Inside this Shield I am unaffected by your magic. Most of your magic will not affect me. For I am Creator of the Cards. The only danger I face from you would be your own magic, and without the Cards you are nothing."

Syaoran bristled in cold fury, amber eyes glinting in the frozen light of magic. "I'm not a threat, you're saying," he stated serenely, and he took a step sideways, arm reaching out to wind around the stiff waist of Sakura's unmoving form. "Perhaps your should rethink that…"

Clow merely stared at him. "You wouldn't hurt her again. No matter how much the Cards mean to you, no matter how much you want to win this fight, you won't hurt her. You don't have it in you."

Syaoran smiled at him, a cold calculating smile. "How little you know me, Clow. Even after all this time-" And he tossed the Card in the air, Time suddenly moving forward again.

Sakura gasped as Syaoran pulled her close, shoving her in front of himself.

"Come for me now, Clow. Tell me that I would not hurt her and let me prove you wrong. Once and for all," Syaoran ordered.

"Syaoran, no. No more-" Sakura managed to make out.

And Hikaru was suddenly streaking toward them, a wild shriek spilling out as she lunged at Sakura. In her fist was a small blade, glinting ominously.

"Sakura-" Clow called out in panic, reaching out with one hand from behind his shield.

"Hikaru, iie!" Syaoran cried, yanking Sakura back and throwing himself before Hikaru's rushing figure.

The dagger went in to the hilt, piercing him in the soft flesh beneath his collarbone. For a moment he was caught by complete surprise, lips parted in confusion. Pain assaulted him from the one spot, washing over him completely and he stumbled backward a step, looking down slowly. Hikaru's eyes widened, the insane fury falling away to reveal disbelief as he took in the sight of the blade rammed to the hilt in his chest.

"Syaoran!"

Two arms were there for him as his legs gave way and he let the two arms grasp him under his arms, felt them wind around his chest protectively and lower him to the floor. The blood ran, streaming in a crimson river, and he realized for a small moment that it was almost beautiful. And twistingly sickening as well, to see the blood run and understand that it was his.

"Syaoran-sama!" came Hikaru's cry, her hands lifting to press against her mouth.

Clow lowered his Shield, the card dropping into his waiting hand. He stared at the card and then he shifted his fingers, suddenly displaying more cards in a fan. Holding the rest in his remaining fingers he clutched two of them between his index and middle, and flung them up into the air.

"Windy. Erase."

Syaoran gasped erratically as Windy came out once more, flying forth at Clow's hushed command. She came to hover directly over them and he stared at her from Sakura's lap, anger flooding over him at his weakness. He tried to move, tried to reach for one of his own cards knowing inside that even if he pulled it out and summoned forth the Card he would not sustain it.

Sakura's hand took hold of his from behind, forcing it to stop. It was a comfort for her to hold him, he realized, something he had noticed before but hadn't wanted to accept.

Before him Hikaru fell to her knees, tears shimmering in her blue eyes.

Windy floated down toward him and he stiffened, turning his face away and closing his eyes from whatever attack she might bring but instead the woman twisted, circling above his fallen blade. She spun once, a whirlpool of air forming as she moved, and the blade jumped, slowly hovering into the air. Windy bucked, resembling a mermaid swimming through water, and the blade suddenly flew at Clow.

The magic user held up one hand and the blade froze in mid-air directly before him.

In his exact spot, another woman came into being, strongly resembling a harlequin. She seemed to phase through Clow, her figure filmy. She paused in his place, lifting a small piece of material and gently fluttering it, waving it at the sword.

Sakura frowned, arms clasping Syaoran against her. Behind her, the other Syaoran stood unhurt, the Executioner face down at his side, black clothes smoking from an extinguished fire. The Guardians hesitated as well, looking on.

Hikaru slowly turned to face Clow, her skin paling. "No, don't-" she whispered, half-sobbing, tears flowing down her cheeks as Erase worked her magic.

Smoke suddenly lifted from the blade with a hiss, trailing upward and vanishing into the air.

And his eyes opened at last, focusing off to the side, lips parting as strange images swarmed his mind almost angrily. He saw her, Sakura, as a young girl, smiling as brilliantly as the sun. His mother, her beautiful face stern yet tender as she spoke to him of his destiny and his power. He felt pain at remembering then that Clow had the Cards his mother desperately wanted but that Clow also had the girl that he had desperately needed.

Hikaru lifted her hands to her face, shoulders trembling, and her features shifted, eyes flashing from a cold blue to a deep red. Her black hair was suddenly tied up into two pigtails, long locks of silky strands falling down her back, the illusion falling away almost dreamily.

"Meilin…" Syaoran said in muted shock, standing beside the Executioner.

His weakened double stared at his cousin as well, not as surprised anymore. He inhaled painfully, expression closed off. "I know," he said quietly, glaring at her.

Meilin looked up at him slowly.

He continued to gaze at her stonily, the look on his face not softening as her eyes filled with tears once more. "You should have told me," he whispered. "You should have said something when they were putting that…spell on me."

Because he remembered now, coming home that fateful day with the Cards as his ill-fated trophy.

"I killed her…I killed her…"

"You should have steered me right. You should have helped me stay the same way," he said.

"You were weak!" she screamed at him. "You came home that day and you mourned her! As if I had never meant anything! As if I had never been there for you! I did this for you-"

"You ruined me," he whispered and tears suddenly shimmered in his eyes, almost surprising even him. "I died that day-"

"You owe me!" Meilin shouted and she pointed an accusing finger at Sakura. "You were going to destroy our entire family over her! She was insignificant! And your mother agreed with me! She knew as well as I did that if you didn't remember her you wouldn't care for her. Her magic was strong enough to cloud you!"

"She placed the magic on your blade," Clow mused almost to himself. "Terribly clever. She knew you would never be without your blade. You carry it with you everywhere."

"We needed you," Meilin said in a pleading tone. "With your magic and the Cards at your command you would be the Clan Leader. You would rule over everyone. And you do! You are the Leader we waited for-"

"Did you know I'm dying?" he asked faintly.

Sakura looked down at him, his weary frame cradled in her arms, staring at his face from above blindly.

"Nani?" Meilin asked, nearly inaudibly.

Syaoran stared at her, eyes narrowing tiredly. "I'm dying," he said again. And he sounded defeated. "I've been weakening for the passed months and now I'm dying. I can't support the Cards anymore." And his eyes flew to Clow momentarily, expression blank. "I was never meant to."

Meilin returned his gaze for a small second, eyes lifting toward Sakura. "You're lying," she said, as if in accusation.

"No, he isn't," Yue said from where he floated beside Keroberos. His piercing blue eyes came to hover over his Master. "I sense your weakness in me. You can't support me anymore. Nor the Cards."

Syaoran didn't look toward the angel and didn't flinch at the coldness in his tone, the coldness he himself had placed there. "I won't ask for your forgiveness, Yue," he said quietly after a silent moment, head bowed. "I won't ask you to pardon my deeds because I know you will never grant me that forgiveness."

Yue didn't respond.

"But I release you," he said then. "I release you from your covenant with me. You and Keroberos. I return you to your rightful Master."

And in his hands a faint glow came to life, shimmering as gently as the morning rays of sunlight. He exhaled weakly as the glow took on the rectangular shape of the Cards, half the pile in each palm.

"Return."

The two piles vibrated steadily in each hand before shooting into the air and vanishing. And from his place at the head of the room Clow lifted one hand and accepted the light, accepted the Cards as they formed and slid into his waiting grasp.

Meilin watched them go, turning her head to stare at Clow as he accepted them, her face dark. Syaoran shifted painfully, bringing her eyes back to him and she hunched forward, embracing herself.

"Is it over then?" she questioned.

Sakura was already nodding but Syaoran shook his head. "It'll never be over, Meilin," he said softly. "Even in death I'll pay for all I've done wrong. We both will."

"It wasn't wrong-" Meilin argued.

"It was wrong," Syaoran cut her off. "It was wrong of me to take the Cards. It was wrong of my Mother to manipulate me. And it was wrong of you to allow it to happen. It was wrong of you to watch me do everything that I would never have done otherwise, and never once try to make things right."

Meilin glared at him, eyes glinting. "How quickly you blame me, Syaoran, when it is you who has done all the wrong. You began from a clean slate and you became what you are now-"

"And what am I now, Meilin? A miserable, failing creature twisted in your hands." His amber eyes flared, body weak but spirit strong. "Yes, I blame myself for many things. I blame myself for the death of Touya-"

Yue hunched a bit at the name, face turning away.

"I blame myself for wanting the Cards, for wanting to control them. And I blame myself for succumbing to all of my mother's wishes, for allowing myself to be manipulated by both you and her. But I blame you as well. I blame you for turning your eyes away when you knew what I had once been."

His cousin cocked her head at him, Asian slanted eyes narrowing into near slits. "And yet you don't blame me for giving myself to you whenever you wanted me. Whenever you wanted her." She smirked at Sakura, continuing smugly. "Yes, I knew all about your infatuation with her. From the beginning I recognized her but you did not. And I wanted her to tell you everything so that I could convince you she was nothing but a lie made flesh. I wanted you to believe in your false memories, believe in me-"

"How well you did your task," Syaoran murmured stonily. His eyes closed briefly, falling heavily but then he came awake again. "And how well you did yours," he said and this time he spoke to Sakura, who was embracing him from behind.

His double straightened nearly imperceptibly beside Keroberos.

Sakura sat, uncertain as to what to say.

He inhaled, leaning his head back and resting it against her breast. "I smell you, I sense you with everything I am. And it's almost like coming home again. I remember everything that I have done to this day and yet…" he hesitated, gazing up at the ceiling, "I suddenly have the urge to go to school. Just to sit behind you and smell your hair. Have you smile at me and say good morning. A part of me feels as if I'm…terribly late for something. Like I'm late for…"

"A date," Sakura murmured and she bowed her head, resting it against his temple.

He smiled faintly and the hard lines of his face seemed to melt away. He smiled as if he saw something wonderfully beautiful and as if that beautiful thing were accepting him, even for all his wrongdoings. "Yes, perhaps that's it…"

Beside Keroberos Syaoran stared at them both, suddenly feeling deep inside as if he stood outside something that only they shared. A strange bond between them that he didn't feel, didn't understand. And it left him cold inside. So very much alone.

What did it feel like for him? Was it like a dream? Waking up from one, to see sunlight filtering in through the curtains and realizing perhaps that in his absence years had flown by. And to find out someone else had lived his life, destroyed everything he had known and everything he had believed in.

He would have died on the spot.

"You know, that day…" Sakura whispered softly, speaking only to him in her arms, "I was scared. I was scared that someone was going to die. And yet, it was all so beautiful, the light and magic, and I couldn't understand how something so beautiful could hurt so much…"

Syaoran watched his double gingerly lift a hand and clasp her hand, watched as she grasped it so tightly it seemed as if she'd break him.

"I realized then that it was like love. To want to be in love because everyone always thinks that once you're in love nothing can go wrong. Nothing can ever be wrong. But love hurts and I wanted it to be me that hurt. I never wanted you to hurt. Nor otou-san."

Yue turned away at that point, cold expression shifting a bit, turning thoughtful. He looked toward Syaoran, gray eyes straying toward Keroberos and the feline Guardian seemed to feel it as well.

"He's passing…" the small golden creature whispered to Syaoran.

Syaoran looked toward his double quickly, realized that Sakura was rocking faintly, as if rocking him to sleep in her arms.

"What's strange," his double murmured, sounding sleepy, "is that it feels as if I haven't had the sun on my skin in so long. I can't remember…one sunny day since that day."

Sakura shifted a bit, lips pressing against his temple. "Why is that strange? I've felt the same way…"

His double hesitated, exhaling faintly. And he said dreamily, "It's strange because…I feel the sun. Now. I feel it now and it's you. You're this…warmth. It feels as if you're penetrating every piece of me, making me feel…so warm…"

Syaoran understood him. He had felt the same, especially when his own Sakura had died and the sun had set on his heart.

"I haven't felt this warm since…since…"

"Since the day you held me after Yukito-san told me he loved someone else," Sakura murmured as if she understood only too well.

Yue bowed his head and slowly wandered away from them, wings quivering faintly.

"Yes. That's exactly it," he replied, breathing wearily. He paused, fingers caressing hers seemingly absentmindedly. "And even though it will never make up for everything I became, my end will be a beginning."

Sakura forced a gentle laugh. "Your end, Syaoran? Don't talk like that. It's not over-"

His double squeezed her hand tenderly.

"It's not over," she stated, sounding firm then. "It's not over. I won't let it be over. If I can fight for you Syaoran, then you can do the same for me. You can-"

"Do you remember," he said softly, cutting her off with a sweet tenderness, "the day we met? How much I detested the sight of you?"

Sakura hesitated. "Yes..."

"And do you remember the day I told you that I loved you?" he questioned her almost innocently.

"Yes."

His double sighed, eyes closing slowly. "Can you hold onto that? Always? Can you just think about it now? Without saying anything? Just…think about it. Close your eyes and think about it."

Sakura opened her mouth to argue.

"Please? Just for a little while. Think about it with me? Remember with me?" he asked of her, eyes still closed wearily.

Syaoran looked at Sakura, watched her as she closed her mouth, light shimmering in suddenly tear-filled eyes.

"Ok."

And Sakura closed her eyes and leaned against him, each of them supporting the other. She continued to rock gently, the swaying almost soothing; as if he were her child and she were his adoring mother. The true mother that hadn't betrayed him. That hadn't died cursing him and herself on her deathbed.

He stared at them both for what felt like hours. Hours in which he could do nothing but watch the love of his life embrace another. Weep over another, crystal tears rolling down her pale, pale cheeks. He hated his twin then, more than before. But he couldn't make himself move to part them. Their embrace was bittersweet, a wonderfully painful ache. He felt deep inside, the ever-silent watcher, that they should have been together. Just as he had been made for his Sakura, she had been made for this Syaoran. They complimented the other, completed the whole, and their union had been written from the beginning as had his with his own Sakura. Everyone had always said that he had belonged with Sakura. It had been destined and even if she had been taken early, it was better, it truly was, to love and lose than never to have loved at all.

Thank you…

Syaoran's hand loosened slowly, leaving Sakura grasping it with such a tight grip he was sure it would have been painful. Had his double still been able to feel.

Meilin sat forward on her knees, reaching toward her cousin. "Syaoran?"

Sakura continued to rock, face pressed against his temple.

"Syaoran!" Meilin shrieked, red eyes filling with tears.

Clow stood silently, eyes averted in silent respect. He held the Cards in his hand, his staff gleaming faintly.

And to the side Yue and Keroberos slowly floated toward their new Master, the angel seeming to crumble against Clow as he was embraced tenderly. Keroberos perched on his cloaked shoulder, leaning against Clow wearily.

"Welcome home," Clow said softly, a wise smile turning up the corners of his mouth.

Syaoran looked from their reunion toward Sakura who sat as if nothing had transpired. And to his double, the person who had treated her so cruelly, who had tried to have them all executed. This needed to happen. This had to be his punishment for everything he had done, every sin he had committed. And yet Sakura wept for him, trembling with her sobs.

Silently he came forth, pausing before her and he looked down at her.

She lifted a pained face, tear-streaked and wounded.

He gazed at her and then slowly held out a hand to her, lips parting.

Sakura stared at the hand being offered as if she didn't understand. As if she didn't want to understand.

"Come with me," Syaoran whispered, feeling himself tremble.

She blinked slowly, clutching his twin tightly. And she bowed her head, turning her gaze away. "I can't anymore…" she uttered as faint as the breath blowing across his stinging heart. Her wide green eyes closed as she leaned once more against his lifeless twin.

And Syaoran felt as if it were himself lying in her arms. So cold. Just as lifeless. He hesitated, heart swelling with such unimaginable pain it felt as if she had suddenly died in his arms once more. He could almost see the sun setting into the bloody depths of the sky, the same as that fateful day only a few months before. He trembled, hand still held out.

"Please," he pleaded. "Please come with me."

Clow looked from his daughter to Syaoran, lips parting.

"No, Syaoran. I can't go anymore. I can't leave anymore…"

"Sakura-" Syaoran uttered sorrowfully.

"Iie!" Sakura cried, burying her face into his double's neck, hiding herself from his wounded expression. "I can't anymore! Just go!"

Syaoran felt his hand drop away although he was sure he hadn't commanded it to do so. It was as if nothing were responding correctly. His mind, his heart, his body. And her, worst of all. He gazed at her, feeling tears rise in his own eyes.

He saw it now, the end. He saw what his life was going to be like now because she was going to live the same thing here, in this wretched reality. And it was something he had never wanted. He had never wanted to see her mourn over anyone, especially not him. He would always know her life was mirroring his here.

"I love you…" he said at last, mournfully. And he turned away, coming to a sudden stop before Clow as the older man stared at him, his Guardians surrounding him on all sides and blocking the way out.

"I'm leaving," Syaoran whispered. "I did what I needed to do."

Wordlessly, Clow moved out of the way, long black robes trailing as he did so.

Bowing his head Syaoran left the room silently.

Clow watched him leave, color fading from his face. His eyes shifted toward his daughter kneeling on the floor, her arms wrapped around the corpse of his rival. How small he was now, how weak.

And how innocent, now that the evil had left him. How young he was. How promising his life had been had he only trained under him instead of challenging him.

"Sakura."

His daughter shook her head at him, burying her face further into Syaoran's collar. She clutched at him again, reaching for more of him with trembling arms.

"Sakura," he said again and he came forth a bit, letting go of Yue. "You have to go, Sakura-chan."

The girl slowed to a stop, body exhaling. Reluctantly she lifted her head, green eyes peering at him. "You don't call me that much anymore," she whispered.

Clow took another step and paused before her, reaching down and lovingly brushing aside soft locks of auburn hair. His auburn hair but her mother's beautiful face underneath. "You know you have to go, Sakura-chan," he said gently. "You know you'll never be happy here, not without him."

"I can be happy," she argued, gazing up at her father. "You're here and Yue and Kero-chan have been returned. It'll be like it was before, like I wanted it to be again…" And she broke off, wanting him to believe her.

"It can never be like it was before," he said to her. "Touya-kun won't be coming back. Neither will Syaoran. And I know that deep inside, no matter how much you love me and everyone else here…" he shook his head, "We'll never make you as happy as you can be."

Sakura looked away, focusing on Yue, on Kero who floated beside him looking sympathetic, understanding. "I'm happy. I'm happy we're together again. That's all that matters-"

"What matters is you going after that boy that just left," Kero cut in. "There's still a chance, Sakura-chan. In that other world, who knows what things are like. But he loves everything from that world. And the one thing he needed was you. He came for you-"

"He was unchanged. Undamaged," Yue added faintly. And the cold gray eyes settled on her. "He is the way he was meant to be, the way he should have grown had this battle never happened."

Sakura turned away from them all, hiding behind her hair. "It doesn't matter. It's not meant to be." She gestured at the lifeless boy on her lap. "This is proof of that."

Meilin raised her head, face tear-streaked, strands of hair sticking to her wet skin. "You never deserved him," she spat at her, eyes alive with fury. "Everything he ever did for you, everything he felt. It was all I ever heard about, all I lived." Her expression became smug, a cruel smile twisting her lips. "It's a good thing he's dead. And it's good that the other one is gone. It just proves to me, if no one else, that you never cared anyway. You never cared for him at all." And she threw her head back and laughed, laughed so hard that the peals of laughter made her heave for a single breath.

Sakura stared at her, stared as she shrieked with her laughter, as she hiccupped and laughed even more, red eyes shimmering maniacally. And wanting to stop her, stop her by any means, Sakura scrambled across Syaoran's still form and raised her hand, slapping the girl across her cheek so hard it stung her palm.

Meilin instantly stopped, hand flying to her cheek as it welled up a burning crimson.

"You miserable, horrible…" Sakura uttered, eyes wide. She inhaled, realizing she had stopped breathing for a moment. "I loved him! I loved them both! I loved the person that Syaoran had been, the person that just walked out. I loved him so much!"

Meilin remained silent, eyes so flat they were almost distant.

"You don't understand!" Sakura cried at her, reaching out once more and taking hold of Meilin's shoulders, shaking her so hard she made her head roll. "You don't understand and now you'll never understand! Never!"

Meilin continued to stare blankly, tear streaks drying on her face.

Sakura let go of her, unwrapping fingers that had cramped from the force she had used. "You'll never understand now…"

And Meilin suddenly dove forward, shoving her out of the way.

Sakura crashed to the floor on her hip, a cry breaking from her. From above she heard a sudden confusion, voices shouting, and she was aware of Meilin's arm snaking out and then the girl sitting back again, as if she had never moved at all. Sakura scrambled away from her, eyes widening as she saw the small blade Meilin had in her hand once more. It was wet with dark blood and she looked at Syaoran's figure, eyes catching to the naked wound that had finally killed him.

Meilin inhaled deeply, shakily, and flung her hair from her face, straightening proudly. "This is for you, Sakura," she said, composing herself. "This is so that you always remember that I died because of you. That Syaoran died because of you. Because no matter how much you wanted to be happy…" she shook her head, and lifted the blade, "All you ever did was make everyone miserable."

And she drove the blade into her chest, eyes widening as blood flew, as if she had not understood what she was sacrificing until right then and there.

"Meilin!" Sakura shrieked and she reached out, grabbing hold of the girl's shoulders as she swayed.

With blank red eyes Meilin looked at her, lips moving faintly. "I hope…with this…that you blame yourself," she whispered, a drop of stark red fluid rolling down from her mouth, "for everything that happened…I hope you blame yourself…for my death. And Syaoran's as well…"

Sakura stared at her, horror flashing across her face and she released the girl; could only stare as she fell limply to the floor, eyes focusing on something only she could see. The drop of blood dripped down her cheek now, rolling toward her jaw and into her hairline underneath her ear. Sakura swallowed, choking on the sudden bile rising in her throat, and she lifted a hand to her mouth, chest heaving.

"Sakura-" Clow said, reaching out.

With a muffled sob Sakura rose and ran from the room, green robe clothing her frame floating behind her.

Clow stared after her for a moment, turning back to stare from one corpse to another. And he also grimaced, backing away.

"She can't stay here," Kero said in his childishly feminine voice, turning to face Clow as he floated. "Not with this."

Clow looked at him, his face pale. "I know," he murmured and he motioned toward Nakuru and Spinel Sun. "Find her. I'm going after the boy."