No, I'm not dead. I'm still alive. Plz. forgive me for taking such a long time!!! I don't feel like chattering, so on with the chapter. Thanks to all the reviewers and sorry, I didn't mean to put you into cardiac arrest with my last chpt.

***DISCLAIMER***

Hey, guess what? I don't down CCS

What I wouldn't Give

By Trulie Hope.

Chapter Eight: Clow Cards

.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.

************

"Hiiragizawa, how are we going to pull this off?" Syaoran wondered in a hushed tone. The two teenagers were standing in the shadows near Sakura's house, waiting and working out their plan. It was pitch dark, the only light coming from the distant street lamps and even more distant moon.

"Easy, go in through her window."

"WHAT! You want me to break into her house? What if her brother's home or."

Eriol silenced him with a small shove and pointed to Sakura's bedroom window. "No one's home; do it now."

"Hiiragizawa, this is considered breaking and entering! If we get caught."

"If you get caught, I'm not the one doing it." Eriol reminded him smugly, "Don't worry cute little descendent; I'll watch your back."

"That's a big relief." Syaoran grumbled sarcastically, heading very reluctantly for the house. In a whispered voice, he summoned a spell, used it, and walked through Sakura's bedroom window. (AN: Sorry about the lack of details. If someone could enlighten me as to how he does that.)

He'd been in her room a few times before for school projects, but he wasn't sure where she kept the cards. How to find them.He wondered nervously, Probably in one of the drawers. But then, he didn't want to go rummaging through Sakura's drawers. What if he was to stumble onto something. embarrassing. Baka, sense for them You have magic, use it!

With that plan, Syaoran closed his eyes in search for the aura of the Clow Cards. He felt what he was looking for and followed it to a drawer in her desk, which he pulled open. It was nearly pitch black in the room and only a small strand of moon light saved him from the mistake he nearly made.

The light provided him with a view of not the Cards but of Kero.

"That was close." He muttered under his breath. Just imagining what would have happened if Kero had waken up was enough to make him want to run out of the room.

He shut the drawer softly and opened the one below it. This time, he saw the book of cards. Without wasting a second, he grabbed the book, closed the drawer and made a dash for the window.

I feel like a criminal. He thought bitterly as he joined Eriol in the shadows once again and pulled the book out from under his jacket.

Eriol smiled and took the book from him.

"What?!" Syaoran demand in a harsh whisper.

"You made it out here just in time." Was the comment.

He spun around, expecting to see a light on and Sakura's brother in the room. What he did see was a shape inside; moving around and looking through things.

"Lets get closer." Eriol whispered, slinking towards the house and motioning for Syaoran to follow. He did, mimicking the other boy's movement until they were both standing on the roof, next to the window.

Syaoran peered into the room again. It was dark and he could barley distinguish the figure from the shadows of the furniture. That's not Touya- san. (AN: I know they're probably not on first name basis, but Kinomoto-san might've been confused with her dad.) He thought. He's too short; at least I think its not him. And Sakura's brother wouldn't be sneaking around in her room looking through her stuff. The man crept closer to the window and Syaoran froze, relaxing only when he went to the dresser instead of the window. Bad idea. He thought, knowing exactly what was contained inside. The draw slide open and a sound followed the stranger had not been expecting.

"SAKURA! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE." An enraged Kero lifted from the drawer, freezing when he realized the person who had disrupted his rest wasn't his mistress. "Hey, you're not Sakura!"

"For a guardian beast, you look a lot like a child's toy." Commented a smirking voice that Syaoran knew all too well. Kero apparently recognized the figure as well, because he transformed.

"Still look like a child's toy?" He wondered in a growl.

Cham-si laughed, which seemed to enrage Kero further. "Hand over the cards."

"Yeah right."

He doesn't realize they're not here?

He replied with another laugh, looking even more amused than before. It looked as thought Kero had been pushed to his limit, "That's it, you asked for it."

Just as he was about to pounce, Syaoran stepped into the room, his sword drawn and ready. Kero and Cham-si looked over.

"So the little wolf has returned." He smirked, "The card mistress certainly was concerned for you. And who is it that you have with you?"

Eriol stepped foreword, a solemn look on his face.

Cham-si examined him, his face unbelieving, "Clow Reed?"

"In a sense." Eriol replied calmly. He looked for a more detailed explanation, but Eriol said no more.

"What are you doing here, Cham-si?!" Syaoran demanded angrily.

He smirked, "I think the question is what are you doing here, little wolf?"

"Don't turn my questions around." He said vehemently, "Answer it; what are you doing here?"

"Retrieving the Clow Cards, as the Mistress Requested."

"She didn't ask you to get them." Syaoran said knowingly, "Where is she?"

A twisted smile crossed his face, "I have her; All I need now is the cards." He was silent for a moment as if considering whether or not to revile some sort of information. "I don't really need The Card Mistress, now that I think of it. Your little Sakura was only a way to get to the cards. Now if I had them, I'd be able to release her, now wouldn't I?"

"Yes, but you probably wouldn't." He spat, knowing exactly what he was hinting at. It was extremely tempting to do as Cham-si request; after all, he'd have Sakura back. But on the other hand, the world would. who knew what would happen to the world if the cards were in the hands of Cham- si. Plus Sakura would probably hate him forever if he did that.

"I would, little wolf. I would. Find the cards, help me get them and you will have you're precious Sakura back."

He doesn't know I have them? That's good, maybe. "I wouldn't help you."

"Not even if it meant the difference between life and death for the Card Mistress?" He wondered slyly.

Syaoran froze. Was Cham-si. would he.

"She told me the cards would be in her room, the drawer in her desk." Cham-si continued sinisterly, "Apparently she was mistaken. Apparently, they are no longer here. I can't feel them anymore."

Good thing Eriol did something with them. What he did I don't know, but it was a good idea.

"Or maybe she was lying." He pondered that option. "Yes, that truly does make perfect sense. Why would she just give up the location of such a precious treasure? For the safety of something, or someone, worth more to her than the first maybe."

Syaoran felt anger boil up inside him. So that was how Cham-si got the location of the cards out of Sakura. He threatened her with me. I bet he said he'd kill me or something. Little does he know how hard that would be to accomplish.

Noticing the glare he was receive from Syaoran, Cham-si chuckled, "Perhaps it is time I prove my words to the Card Mistress."

His entire body tensed, ready for an attack, "Fight me, if you dare." He growled.

Again, the man in front of them laughed, "Despite how tempting it is to have the opportunity to knock some humbleness into you, I must decline. How will little Sakura believe me if she can't see my work first hand?" An evil grin passed over his features, "I don't understand you, either of you. If you were to just hand over the cards, you both could go back to living you pitiful lives. But you insist on fighting." He sighed heavily, "How violent the youth of today has gotten. I suppose it can't be helped." He sighed a second time. "Come young warrior, we're going to pay a visit to your cherry blossom."

Cham-si grinned one of his trademark grins and they disappeared, leaving a stunned Kero and Eriol behind.

******************

How could I? How could I do that? He probably has them by now, and who knows what he's doing with them, or plans to do. Sakura thought sadly, And Syaoran. once he finds out what I did, he'll hate me. He was right when he told me I was weak all those years ago. I just hope he's okay. If Cham-si hurt him I wouldn't.

"I have returned, Cherry Blossom." Announced a gallant voice. Cham- si materialized in front of her, a contented look on his face.

She looked away. He was the last person she wanted to see, now or ever. His presence just reminded her what she had done.

"You're very clever, Sakura." He declared, strolling back an forth in front of her. "I nearly fell for your trick."

Trick?

"So I'd like to ask you again, where are the cards?"

"I already told you." She exclaimed angrily, "In the desk in my room."

"Then why weren't they there when I went to retrieve them?"

Sakura froze. She didn't know if she should be happy or sad. Cham- si didn't have the cards, which meant the world was safe, for now. But on the other hand, they weren't where they were supposed to be. Plus. Syaoran. He'll hurt Syaoran if he doesn't get them.

If he can get Syaoran. Put in another part of her mind.

"I. I don't know."

A smirk passed over his face, "It would be wise to tell me, cherry blossom, if you want to keep your dear Syaoran safe."

"I told you, I don't know." She shouted.

"We shall see." He snapped his fingers in a business like manner and something dropped near his side. It was a person, she realized, with messy brown hair and.

"Syaoran!!" Sakura yelled, jumping to her feet and rushing towards him. He stirred, looked up at her, and smiled. He was alive, he was okay. "Syaoran!" But she stopped, feet away. Not by purpose, her feet just wouldn't move any further.

"Syaoran, are you okay?!!"

He opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out.

Cham-si was watching the sense with amusement. "As you can see, I have him in my possession. It would be a very smart thing for you to hand over the Clow Cards now."

Syaoran shook his head fiercely.

She gazed sadly and shook her head as well, "No."

With a shrug of his shoulders and a yawn, Cham-si paced towards Syaoran. "Is that your final answer?"

Sakura nodded.

"We'll see if you don't change your mind."

***********

Ah!!! Cliff Hanger!! SOOOO Sorry! I wanted to get this out before you people mistake me for dead or something. Two more chapter till the end, I think. Ten is a nice number =)! Well, I'm working on the next chapter right now! Yea, yea I know. Stop talking, get to writing. R+R plz- I need comments!!! pikogio@yahoo.com Laters~ Trulie H.