What I Wouldn't Give.

By: Trulie Hope

Lo siento muy, muy, muy!!! I'm sooooo sorry its taken such a long time!! Just for the record, I wasn't serious about the review thing (and sorry for everyone for keeping you waiting), it was just some weird desire that popped up during 'that time of the month' if ya know what I mean. Freaking PMS \!!! That and I've been busy working on another story from someone else who will remain unnamed since it is supposed to be an X-mas surprise. Well, anyway, after much time, here it is, chapter seven!!! Comments, flames, everything is welcome; and they next chapter will be out soon!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

***DISCLAIMER***

Well, since it is Christmas, I think CLAMP should be cool and give me part of the rights of CCS. No? Not even a piece? I'll share with all my reviewers, I promise!!! No!!? Fine then =,(. I don't own CCS (sob sob) and never will, not even on Christmas. But hey, who knows what Santa Claus will bring!! {If I get my X-mas wish, you'll be able to tell cause I'll change the names in the American version to the Japanese one and change various other things like. ha like that will ever happen

What I Wouldn't Give.

By: Trulie Hope

Chapter Seven: Fate, Danger, and Loyalty

Emotions emerged from the card, looked at each other and then to Sakura, sadness written across their faces. They returned to card form and Cham-si chuckled.

"Thank-you for that Card Mistress, you are mine." He held out his hand and Sakura disappeared.

Syaroan blinked, then drew his sword.

"Put it away, young warrior, you can do nothing."

"But I can try." He growled through gritted teeth.

Cham-si smirked, waved his hand, and Syaroan hit the ground, out could.

**********

"Sakura. no!" Syaoran screamed and sat upright in bed. His breath came in jagged gasps and his mind was a swirl of thoughts. Where was Sakura? Cham-si had here, and he had to get her back. Cham-si? Who was Cham-si? Wasn't he.

Syaoran hit his head in frustration. Why couldn't he remember? Images were draining from his mind at such a rapid pace that his head began to throb. Why can't I remember?!! He demanded of himself,

Because it was a dream, baka, and dreams go away. Argued his 'sensible' side.

That made sense. After all, he certainly would have known if there were any other threat to Sakura and the cards, wouldn't he? Plus, Clow-sama didn't have any apprentices and there were no more cards.

"A dream, just a dream." He sighed in relief. It was horrible, the thought of losing Sakura made his heart shatter. With a quick glance at the clock, he decided it was time to wake up and start school. But before he could move from his place on the bed, the door flew open with amazing speed and a loud, annoying voice called out, "Xio Lang, time to wake u- up!!"

Syaoran blinked and stared at his cousin, "Meylin (AN: spelled correct??), what are you doing here?"

She smiled sweetly at him and skipped over to his bed, "I live here, Xio Lang, or did you forget?"

"What? Since when do you live with me, in Japan, I thought you went back."

Her exsprestion turned to one of puzzlement, "Japan? You're in Hong Kong, Xio Lang. When have you ever been to Japan?"

"To capture the Clow Cards. Don't you remember?" He demanded, "The Clan Elders sent us to capture them, but Sakura had them already, and we."

"You must be dreaming again." Meylin replied, smiling nervously, "The Clow Cards are a legend, and as for the elders." She shook her head sadly, "The entire Clan was destroyed, we barley got away. Remember now, Xio Lang?"

He looked at her, unbelieving and confused. What was going on here? Was he just dreaming up Sakura and the cards? That was impossible, the experiences were far to real to be anything but real. "Then where are we, Meylin?"

"Our home by the factory. You really need to work less, Xio Lang. You're becoming to delusional from lack of sleep. But come on, we need to get to work."

"Work? We work?"

She snorted at walked towards the door, "You act like we were rich or something." She smirked. "Of course we work, how else would we be able to live? You'd better hurry, Xio Lang; you know how Clow-sama gets when you're late. Or maybe you don't." She added as an after thought before leaving the room and closing the door behind.

"Clow-sama?!" Syaoran demanded of no one in particular. While his bewildered mind spun round and round, he took a chance to examine his surroundings. He noticed, with a slight shock, that the room he was sleep in looked about ready to collapse in on him. The ceiling was sagging, the windows were broken and taped, and his bed wasn't really a bed but a pallet of old, dirty blankets.

What does this mean? Is this really my life? How could I forget? But if it was, what about Sakura and the Cards and everyone else? I couldn't have dreamed all that up in one night, could I? And if this was really my. wouldn't I remember what. but I don't so. it can't be. it can't. its impossible.

"Xio Lang, hurry!" Meylin demanded, bursting into the room again. When she found him still on the bed, she gave an exasperated sigh and pulled him to his feet. "Put this on." She instructed, tossing a battered jacket at him. "Really, Xio Lang, I know you got hit by that bar yesterday, but I thought that you were tuffer than that. Oh well, we need to go." Meylin pulled him out the door and down a rickety stairwell at an alarming pace.

Through the street the pair raced at break-neck speed, dodging groups of well dressed people who shouted at them. A large, dirty building that belched smoke into the air became increasingly closer. Meylin drug Syaoran up the steps of the building, through the doors, and into a long, narrow room occupied by thousands of people and a long conveyer belt. Once inside, she shoved him into a position next to her and stood panting, trying to catch her breath.

A loud bell rang through the complex and the conveyer belt jerked to life. Small items began to appear on it. Syaoran looked to Meylin questionably.

She rolled her eyes and whispered, "Its easy, Xio Lang, snap the red ones on to the blue ones."

He nodded and began his trials, confused as every but unable to do anything about it.

*** Many hours and many blue & red things later.

Syaoran slumped out of the factory, Meylin at his side. Outside, the sky was just beginning to turn dark. Never, in all his life had he worked so hard. His hands were bleeding and his legs stiff from the hours of standing. And the worst part, all there labor hadn't even earned them a single meal, not yet anyway.

"Is it always like this?" He demanded wearily of his cousin.

"You still don't remember?" Meylin demanded, a worried expression crossing her face, "Xio Lang, maybe you need to go to the doctor."

"No, I'm fine Meylin." He assured her, although he knew it was a lie.

There were passing along side a ground of rich people, probably on their way to the theater or some other type of amusement. Syaoran didn't pay them any attention, he was too tired. Instead, he kept his eyes set on the ground, concentrating on one thing and one thing along, getting home and getting some rest. That was, until he caught a glimpse of auburn hair that looked strangely familiar.

Sakura? Sure enough, when he turned his head, he found himself looking into a pair of dazzling emerald eyes that he knew he could never imagin. Sakura was standing before him, clothed in a dress with an unbelievably large skirt. She recognized him, but his expression was pained.

"Its a card, Syaoran." She whispered, "Name the." Suddenly, she slumped foreword, unconscious. He took a step foreword, but froze when he saw who it was that had caught her. He recognized the man immediately, "Cham-si."

He smirked and lifted the unconscious Sakura into his arms, "She is mine." He sneered, "Enjoy your life, little wolf."

"Xio Lang, what's wrong?" wondered Meylin in a concerned tone, tugging gently in his arm.

He pulled it away, mind whirling to name the card that held him prisoner, "Switch!!" He screamed, causing people everywhere to look in his direction with odd looks lining their faces. "Dream!"

Meylin grabbed his shoulders, "Be quite. Xio Lang, what are you doing?"

He ignored her and continued his proceedings, "History! I don't know!!! Chance!! Luck!!! FATE!!"

Suddenly, the scene before him froze. Only one man was moving; he looked to be merchant, judging from the way he was dressed. He walked towards Syaoran, holding a blanket imprinted with stars in one hand and a set of dice (AN: I know dice plural is 'die' but I didn't want to use it cause it sounded weird.) in the other. With a bow, the man smile, whispered, 'Fate' and changed back into his card form.

As soon as the card touched his hand, the world in front of him vanished, only to be replaced with the living room of his apartment back in Japan. Syaoran blinked and looked down at the card in his hands.

It was real, it hadn't been a dream, just a card. just a card. but he had to make sure. Rushing to the phone, he dialed the number and waited impatiently as the phone ran.

"This is Meylin." Answer the voice on the other line.

Syaoran breathed a sigh of relief. "Sorry Meylin, wrong number." He muttered into the receiver and hung up the phone.

So now what? He wondered to himself, feeling quite numb. I have another card, but I don't think its the right one and I don't want to try it until I have too. But I have to help Sakura. if I don't then. I won't think about that. I need to find the rest of the cards before I can do anything.

And with that revelation, he set out in search of the remanding two cards.

Syaoran walked to his door, flung it open, and jumped back in surprise. A boy with dark hair and glasses was standing there, finger poised to ring his door bell. He grinned when he saw Syaoran. "Hello my cute little descendant, surprise to see me?"

"H. Hiiragizawa, what are you doing here!" Syaoran demanded, glaring at Eriol.

"I came to help, of course." He replied as if the answer should have been obvious. "Where's Sakura-chan? You both should hear what I have to say about Cham."

"She's not here." Came his solemn return. "Your apprentice tricked her into a using the wrong card and captured her."

Eriol frowned, "He isn't actually my apprentice, more like Clow Reed's apprentice. But since I am half Clow Reed's reincarnation, I guess that makes him half my previous self's."

"Hiiragizawa, it doesn't mater. What do you have to tell me about Cham- si?"

"Right. Well, I came to tell you that you had to be careful which of the new cards you used on him, because using the wrong card could have bad effects."

"A little late." Syaoran growled.

"Don't get angry yet, my cute little descendant, I still have something that may help you."

He was getting impatient, "Hurry up, I don't have all day. There's still two cards left to capture."

"Wrong, all the cards have been captured."

"But what."

With a mysertious grin Eriol pulled two red cards from his pocket and presented them to Syaoran. He examined them carefully. The first was named, 'danger'. It showed a nothing but a black shadow silhouetted against the blood red fire. The second was 'loyalty', which showed what looked to be a lady knight with sword crossed over her chest and her head bowed solemnly. "Hiiragizawa, how."

"Being half Clow Reed's incarnation has its advantages." The other boy replied with a smile. "Now, I still know some stuff that could be useful. Firstly, you and Sakura both need to be together to use these cards; meaning you can't defeat Cham-si alone. Second, you still have a chance, obviously, but that chance only lasts as long as Cham-si doesn't get a hold of the cards."

"Sakura had the cards, so its already too late." Syaoran replied sadly.

Eriol had knowing look in his eyes, "Does she?"

"Where else would he be?" He demanded angrily.

He shrugged, "with the book and guardian perhaps?"

Syaoran's eyes widened, "You mean. they're still in her room?"

"They might be." Came the reply, followed by, "You'll just have to go look, won't you."

He didn't like the suggestive tone that went with the last statement, and he fixed him with a glare to be sure the other boy knew it.

Eriol, instead, laughed. "Come on, don't tell me you've never thought of.

"Shut up Hiiragizawa." Syaoran demanded, fighting down a blush at the idea of what he was suggesting.

"You'd better hurry." He pushed, laughing when Syaoran sent another glare his way.

"Fine, I'm going." He muttered, following Eriol out the door of his apartment down the street.

*** Sakura ***

"Stupid girl, why can't you just keep quite?!" Demanded a raging Cham-si.

Sakura did her best to imitate one of Syaoran's glares, "Why can't you accept the fact that you lost to Saren-jin years ago, then none of this would be happening!"

He directed his intense gaze to her and smirked, "I lost, did I? Yes, Mistress, I lost. Which it why he is DEAD and I am ALIVE!!"

"You're not alive, you're a card." She pointed out, "In fact, you're not even a card."

"Now I am, but as soon as I have the cards, I will be the most powerful sorcerer ever!!" A sly grin spread over his face. "While we're on the topic of the cards, hand them over."

"I don't have them, and even if I did, I wouldn't give them to you." Sakura spat.

"Where are they?" He inquired.

"I'm not telling."

Cham-si was quite, considering the possibilities. "With your little wolf maybe? Perhaps I should. 'ask' him about them." He suggested craftily.

"leave Syaoran alone, he doesn't have them."

He chuckled, "It seems I've hit a nerve." He mused, an evil grin on his face. "How about this for a proposal; tell me where you are hiding the cards and your Syaoran won't be hurt. But if you don't corporate. Well, I can't guarantee his safety."

"You can't hurt Syaoran." Sakura said stubbornly, but she was worried.

"I can't, can I?" Cham-si wondered. An image flashed before her mind; Syaoran was laying on the ground, unmoving. Around him was a thick, dark puddle; blood. Suddenly he moaned and rolled onto this back, a sword, his sword, protruding from his stomach. "Wouldn't want this to become reality, would you Card Mistress?" He wondered sweetly.

Sakura blinked, the scene was gone, but the picture of Syaoran lying in his own blood was engraved into her mind. He wouldn't do that. She tried to convince herself. Or would he? He was cold blooded enough to kill Saren-jin, who was his partner and probably friend to some extent. Sakura took a deep breath, her mind made up, Forgive me, Syaoran, but I don't want to see you hurt. She pleaded silently. "At my home, on my dresser." She said quietly, not meeting his gaze.

He grinned, "Thank-you, cherry blossom. I'm glad you saw it my way. Now, just relax and I will return momentarily." Cham-si walked away, quickly disappearing into the darkness.

Sakura watched him leave. Seconds later, the full impact of what she had done hit her. She had just given Cham-si the one thing he needed to essentially rule the world. Now, when the world was in chaos and millions were dying, it would be all her fault. Sakura bit her lip to keep from crying, but the tears still came. One by one the slipped down her cheek and joined their brothers on the ground in front of her.

*****

So, what'd ya think? Lemme know, k? Was I OOC w/ Eriol? If I was, don't blame me, its not my fault!! That card was weird, huh? Well that's what happens when teachers assign essays on the Industrial Revolution of Christmas Break! Ha Ha! Oh yea, I'm kinda stuck as to what to do next, so plz. Send me your suggestions (I'm sure you have some!!) Okays, MERRY CHRISTMAS + HAPPY HOLIDAYS!! Laters ~ Trulie H. (Samie, I'll call ya day after Xmas, k? Keep your schedule clear!!)