1 Chapter 14
Syaoran felt as though he could not breathe. The pain in his arm and leg were forgotten as he stared at his mother in horror. What on Earth was she doing here?
She took a step toward Syaoran, who struggled to at least sit up properly. Her shoes echoed loudly in the smothering silence. The dim light from the street lamp casting mysterious shadows on her face made her look all the more oppressive. When she saw Syaoran's injuries, her face softened just slightly. "You need medical attention," she said matter-of- factly.
"Yes," Syaoran whispered, not knowing what else to say.
"It's getting late," she noted. "Card Mistress, you should return home. And take the dragon with you."
"But..." Sakura began, looking uncertain.
"I will take care of Syaoran now. You go."
Sakura looked worried and a bit hurt, but she walked over to the dragon, still in its icy cage. She seemed uncertain as to how to take it home, or what to do with it when she got there. Syaoran wanted to help but found himself unable to speak, unable to breathe. Finally Sakura pulled on a pair of gloves that she kept in her jacket pocket, managed to lift the cage containing the hissing dragon, and, struggling, began to walk away.
Once Syaoran could no longer see her, he turned back to his mother. He could not look her in the eye. She extended her hand to him stiffly. He took it and she helped him to his feet. He limped as his mother walked with merciless speed toward Syaoran's home.
When they arrived, after what seemed like an eternity of painful silence, Syaoran flopped onto the couch. He closed his eyes as all kinds of emotions swirled through him. Before he could even begin to identify what was going on in his mind now, his mother came into the room with medical supplies. She rolled up Syaoran's pant leg and began cleaning his wound. He winced but remained silent through the pain.
"Why, Syaoran?" she asked suddenly without looking at him.
Syaoran was taken aback. "Why what?" he asked dumbly.
"Why, after all that I have told you, have you fallen in love with the girl?"
Syaoran just stared for a moment. How had she known? It seemed as though she had known even before Syaoran really had, back when she had unexpectedly called. He shook his head slightly, trying to think clearly.
"You shame me," his mother continued. "You show your weakness to this girl who is the Card Mistress. I have certainly taught you better than that. You have gone so far as to forget your responsibility to Meiling! You made a promise to her that you would marry her. You are finished with your job here in Japan. The girl has only nine cards to transform. She does not need you. You will come home now, marry Meiling, and fulfill your duty as the future leader of the Li clan."
"No!" Syaoran shouted suddenly, surprising even himself. "Sakura may be strong, and maybe she doesn't really need my help, but I still want to be here for her! You're right! I do love her!" Syaoran, ignoring the pain from the partially cleaned wound in his leg, stood up. For the first time, he looked straight into his mother's eyes without fear. "I love her," he repeated, his voice quiet but strong. "The Li clan doesn't need me, not really. There are plenty of others who can take care of my 'duties'". The last word oozed with sarcasm. "I belong here." He put his hand on his chest, speaking passionately. "I don't belong with Meiling. I was five years old! I didn't know what I was doing! This is my destiny. Here. With Sakura. And if this is where I belong..." His eyes flashed dangerously. "...no one can make me leave. Not even you."
Breathing hard, Syaoran slumped back onto the couch. He regretted standing now. His leg was throbbing. He was afraid to look back at his mother now, waiting nervously for her to say something.
Finally, Syaoran gathered enough courage to look at his mother. To his complete shock, she was smiling. He felt his jaw drop.
"Syaoran," she said, "I'm proud of you. You have done what a real man should always do: follow your heart. And you're right. I cannot stop you. I cannot make you come home with me. So, if you refuse to come home, I will simply have to explain to the elders that you were unable to come home because of your responsibilities here."
Syaoran was aghast. Was this possible? Had she been testing him? She actually wanted him to stay?
She began to continue cleaning Syaoran's wounded leg. "So, if you're planning on staying, I'm sure you have something to take care of." She smiled mysteriously at him. "I suppose you don't need me to stay."
He shook his head dumbly. She wanted him to tell Sakura his feelings for her? Well, perhaps he would. He felt himself smile, thinking about it. Then another thought hit him, and his smile broadened. He had just thought of a solution to the dragon problem.
Syaoran, Sakura, and Kero stood in front of the cherry tree, lit only by the beautiful moon in the clear night sky. They gazed at it quietly for a moment.
"Are you sure this will work?" Sakura asked finally. "I mean, is it enough?"
Syaoran nodded. "I think so. Right, stuffed animal?"
Kero pointedly ignored the name. "That's right. This tree has powerful magic, which it generates completely on its own."
Syaoran smiled at Sakura, who smiled back. "Perfect," he said quietly, looking down at his feet where the icy cage sat. The dragon looked confused.
Sakura dropped to her knees next to the dragon's cage. Syaoran smiled. She just looked so pretty, kneeling there in her red sweater and black skirt, her auburn hair gently tossed by the breeze.
"Look," Sakura said to the dragon. "This place will be your home until you're old enough to generate your own magic. It's big, and has lots of nice comfy branches. And it makes more than enough magic to feed you, so you won't have to hurt anyone to get your food." She smiled warmly.
The dragon seemed to understand. Somehow, Syaoran thought, it looked happy.
Sakura quickly summoned the Firey to melt the cage, which it did. The dragon, now freed, stretched its wings for a moment before flying onto a branch.
"Just don't let anyone see you, okay?" Sakura called. The dragon, understanding, began to glow. Suddenly, a bird appeared where the dragon had been. Sakura laughed. "A perfect disguise. Good luck!"
As they walked away, Sakura ran up to Syaoran and hugged him. "Thank you," she said.
He stopped walking and turned to her. "For what?"
"For finding a way to save the dragon," she replied, her eyes sparkling. "And for taking care of me, no matter what. I couldn't ask for anyone better."
He blushed, then started walking again. Syaoran noticed that Kero had flown ahead a ways. Perfect. He turned to Sakura, a bit nervous. "Um, Sakura?"
She turned to look at him. "Yes?"
"Uh..." He looked down at his feet. "I was thinking. Do you want to do something on Christmas Eve? Like check out the new ice skating rink? Unless you've got plans with your family," he added hastily.
"No, my family plans are on Christmas Day," Sakura said, smiling brightly. "I'd love that."
"Great! Um, cool. Uh, I'll see you then. Later!"
Syaoran waved as he walked toward his house, planning the events of Christmas Eve, only three days away. He smiled to himself, stuffing his hands in his pockets. It would be perfect.
Syaoran glanced nervously at his watch. He ran his right hand through his hair as he rang the doorbell with his left hand, ice skates slung over his right shoulder. Sakura answered the door. Syaoran's breath caught in his throat when he saw her smile at him. She looked absolutely stunning in her black turtleneck sweater and snug white pants. "A-are you ready?" he stuttered, blushing.
She held up a pair of delicate white ice skates. "Ready."
"Then let's go."
As they began to walk through the twilight toward the skating rink, Syaoran felt extremely self-conscious. He realized that he kept running his hand through his hair and glancing nervously at Sakura, who seemed oblivious to his apprehension.
When they arrived at the skating rink, Syaoran pulled out his wallet from the back pocket of his black jeans and paid their admission. He fiddled with his green sweater as they walked to the benches to put on their skates. Within a couple of minutes, Syaoran and Sakura were skating together through the standard Christmas Eve crowd. The next few hours were a blur to Syaoran. Stars began to sparkle in the sky as time dragged on, but Syaoran and Sakura were too busy talking and laughing as they skated easily around the rink to notice. Suddenly Syaoran glanced at his watch. "Whoa, it's late," he said, surprised. "Sakura, it's after ten o'clock. Let me take you home." Sakura looked a big sad. "Okay," she replied.
As they removed their skates, Syaoran thought about the evening thus far. As much as he had enjoyed skating with Sakura, as much as they had talked and laughed and miraculously never fallen, things still were not progressing as Syaoran had planned. Would he still have time? Yes, he decided. If he did not do it tonight, he never would be able to convince himself to do it. "Um, Sakura?" he said nervously as they walked out of the skating rink with their skates slung over their shoulders.
"Yes?" she replied, curious.
"Can we, uh, stop by my house? I need to, uh, give you something."
Sakura looked surprised but intrigued. Her face reddened slightly. "Sure," she replied with a small smile. She began fiddling with her hair, still smiling as they began to walk toward Syaoran's house.
Syaoran grew increasingly nervous as they kept walking. He fidgeted with his sweater, ran his hands through his hair, stuffed his hands in his pockets, pulled them out again, played with a piece of fuzz he'd found in his pocket. He kept glancing at Sakura, who seemed aware of his obvious discomfort. She looked curious but said nothing.
Finally, after an eternity, they reached Syaoran's house. He attempted to unlock the door, fumbling awkwardly with the key. At one point, he dropped it. When he bent down to pick it up, he bumped into Sakura. Syaoran quickly grabbed the key and stood straight up, his back to her, his face completely red. "Um, sorry," he mumbled, embarrassed, as he was finally able to unlock the door. He opened the door and stepped aside. "Please, come in," he said to Sakura.
When they got inside and put down their skates next to the doormat, Wei walked into the room. "I'm sorry for not opening the door for you, sir, but I was on the other side of the house," he said, bowing slightly.
"That's okay," Syaoran replied. "Do you think you could make Sakura and I some tea? We'll be in the living room."
"Of course, Master Li," Wei replied, bowing again and backing into the kitchen.
Syaoran gently took Sakura's hand, flushing slightly, and brought her to the living room. "Have a seat," he told her. "I'll be right back."
He quickly walked to his room, where he grabbed a package off of his dresser. He held it for a moment, gazing at the red wrapping paper and green ribbon. He took a deep breath and looked at his reflection in the mirror. "This is it," he told himself. Slowly, then with increasing speed, he walked out of his room and back to the living room, where Sakura was sitting on the couch, sipping a cup of tea. Syaoran sat next to her, putting the package beside him, then began fiddling with his hands, waiting for the right moment.
Finally, Sakura finished her tea and set her cup down on the coffee table. "That was wonderful," she said, smiling. "The best tea I've ever had, I think."
Syaoran smiled. "It's imported from China," he told her. "It's pretty hard to come by."
"So," Sakura said, "what did you bring me here for?"
Syaoran's heart began to pound. This was it. It was now or never. Slowly, his hands shaking, he reached for the package, picked it up, and handed it to Sakura. "I- I want you t-to have this," he stuttered, blushing, more nervous than he had ever been before.
Sakura looked down inquisitively at the package in her hands. "Can I open it now?" When Syaoran nodded, she began to tear away the paper. She gasped at what she saw.
Sakura stood up, holding in her hands a beautiful silk Chinese dress. It was pink with golden outlines of cherry blossoms on it. "Syaoran, it's beautiful!" she exclaimed.
"There's a special reason I gave that to you," Syaoran began, standing up, looking into Sakura's eyes. He tried desperately to keep his voice steady. "You see, when I was very young, my mother gave me this dress. She told me to save it, and then, someday, when I met the woman I loved, I would give it to her." Syaoran blushed furiously. He could hardly speak. He was afraid he might cry in spite of himself, so strong were his emotions at that moment. "And that's why," he continued, his voice thick with emotion, "I want you to have this dress." He took Sakura's hands in his, looking intently into her eyes, which were filled with tears. "Sakura, I love you," he said softly.
Tears spilled over onto Sakura's face. She wrapped her arms around Syaoran and held him close, crying onto his shoulder, still holding the dress. "Oh, Syaoran," she said between sobs, "I-I love you too."
The couple stood there for a long time, just holding each other, lost in their emotions. Finally, Sakura pulled back a bit. Syaoran reached up and gently wiped away her tears. His hands lingered on her face. He could not stop gazing into her eyes. Slowly, without realizing it, he leaned toward her until their lips touched gently. They only kissed for a moment, but when they pulled apart, Syaoran felt forever changed. As he walked Sakura home that Christmas Eve, holding her hand, he felt that all was right in the world, and that, no matter what happened, he and Sakura could face it together.
Author's Notes: Well, boys and girls, that's it. I'm going to miss this story. It's been good. Sorry it took so long to get this chapter up. Last week I had finals, and I just recently got a boyfriend (^_^), so I've been a bit distracted. But here it is! I hope you liked it. Please review! I love reviews! Oh, and for more good stuff to read, read KayJuli's fic, "The Power of Two Hearts". If you haven't read it, oh my gosh, you are missing out on the best fic EVER! I might write another fic, I'm not sure. I have an idea... Well, we'll see. Thanks for all of you for reading my fic, especially those of you who have been reading it for some time. Ja ne!
Syaoran felt as though he could not breathe. The pain in his arm and leg were forgotten as he stared at his mother in horror. What on Earth was she doing here?
She took a step toward Syaoran, who struggled to at least sit up properly. Her shoes echoed loudly in the smothering silence. The dim light from the street lamp casting mysterious shadows on her face made her look all the more oppressive. When she saw Syaoran's injuries, her face softened just slightly. "You need medical attention," she said matter-of- factly.
"Yes," Syaoran whispered, not knowing what else to say.
"It's getting late," she noted. "Card Mistress, you should return home. And take the dragon with you."
"But..." Sakura began, looking uncertain.
"I will take care of Syaoran now. You go."
Sakura looked worried and a bit hurt, but she walked over to the dragon, still in its icy cage. She seemed uncertain as to how to take it home, or what to do with it when she got there. Syaoran wanted to help but found himself unable to speak, unable to breathe. Finally Sakura pulled on a pair of gloves that she kept in her jacket pocket, managed to lift the cage containing the hissing dragon, and, struggling, began to walk away.
Once Syaoran could no longer see her, he turned back to his mother. He could not look her in the eye. She extended her hand to him stiffly. He took it and she helped him to his feet. He limped as his mother walked with merciless speed toward Syaoran's home.
When they arrived, after what seemed like an eternity of painful silence, Syaoran flopped onto the couch. He closed his eyes as all kinds of emotions swirled through him. Before he could even begin to identify what was going on in his mind now, his mother came into the room with medical supplies. She rolled up Syaoran's pant leg and began cleaning his wound. He winced but remained silent through the pain.
"Why, Syaoran?" she asked suddenly without looking at him.
Syaoran was taken aback. "Why what?" he asked dumbly.
"Why, after all that I have told you, have you fallen in love with the girl?"
Syaoran just stared for a moment. How had she known? It seemed as though she had known even before Syaoran really had, back when she had unexpectedly called. He shook his head slightly, trying to think clearly.
"You shame me," his mother continued. "You show your weakness to this girl who is the Card Mistress. I have certainly taught you better than that. You have gone so far as to forget your responsibility to Meiling! You made a promise to her that you would marry her. You are finished with your job here in Japan. The girl has only nine cards to transform. She does not need you. You will come home now, marry Meiling, and fulfill your duty as the future leader of the Li clan."
"No!" Syaoran shouted suddenly, surprising even himself. "Sakura may be strong, and maybe she doesn't really need my help, but I still want to be here for her! You're right! I do love her!" Syaoran, ignoring the pain from the partially cleaned wound in his leg, stood up. For the first time, he looked straight into his mother's eyes without fear. "I love her," he repeated, his voice quiet but strong. "The Li clan doesn't need me, not really. There are plenty of others who can take care of my 'duties'". The last word oozed with sarcasm. "I belong here." He put his hand on his chest, speaking passionately. "I don't belong with Meiling. I was five years old! I didn't know what I was doing! This is my destiny. Here. With Sakura. And if this is where I belong..." His eyes flashed dangerously. "...no one can make me leave. Not even you."
Breathing hard, Syaoran slumped back onto the couch. He regretted standing now. His leg was throbbing. He was afraid to look back at his mother now, waiting nervously for her to say something.
Finally, Syaoran gathered enough courage to look at his mother. To his complete shock, she was smiling. He felt his jaw drop.
"Syaoran," she said, "I'm proud of you. You have done what a real man should always do: follow your heart. And you're right. I cannot stop you. I cannot make you come home with me. So, if you refuse to come home, I will simply have to explain to the elders that you were unable to come home because of your responsibilities here."
Syaoran was aghast. Was this possible? Had she been testing him? She actually wanted him to stay?
She began to continue cleaning Syaoran's wounded leg. "So, if you're planning on staying, I'm sure you have something to take care of." She smiled mysteriously at him. "I suppose you don't need me to stay."
He shook his head dumbly. She wanted him to tell Sakura his feelings for her? Well, perhaps he would. He felt himself smile, thinking about it. Then another thought hit him, and his smile broadened. He had just thought of a solution to the dragon problem.
Syaoran, Sakura, and Kero stood in front of the cherry tree, lit only by the beautiful moon in the clear night sky. They gazed at it quietly for a moment.
"Are you sure this will work?" Sakura asked finally. "I mean, is it enough?"
Syaoran nodded. "I think so. Right, stuffed animal?"
Kero pointedly ignored the name. "That's right. This tree has powerful magic, which it generates completely on its own."
Syaoran smiled at Sakura, who smiled back. "Perfect," he said quietly, looking down at his feet where the icy cage sat. The dragon looked confused.
Sakura dropped to her knees next to the dragon's cage. Syaoran smiled. She just looked so pretty, kneeling there in her red sweater and black skirt, her auburn hair gently tossed by the breeze.
"Look," Sakura said to the dragon. "This place will be your home until you're old enough to generate your own magic. It's big, and has lots of nice comfy branches. And it makes more than enough magic to feed you, so you won't have to hurt anyone to get your food." She smiled warmly.
The dragon seemed to understand. Somehow, Syaoran thought, it looked happy.
Sakura quickly summoned the Firey to melt the cage, which it did. The dragon, now freed, stretched its wings for a moment before flying onto a branch.
"Just don't let anyone see you, okay?" Sakura called. The dragon, understanding, began to glow. Suddenly, a bird appeared where the dragon had been. Sakura laughed. "A perfect disguise. Good luck!"
As they walked away, Sakura ran up to Syaoran and hugged him. "Thank you," she said.
He stopped walking and turned to her. "For what?"
"For finding a way to save the dragon," she replied, her eyes sparkling. "And for taking care of me, no matter what. I couldn't ask for anyone better."
He blushed, then started walking again. Syaoran noticed that Kero had flown ahead a ways. Perfect. He turned to Sakura, a bit nervous. "Um, Sakura?"
She turned to look at him. "Yes?"
"Uh..." He looked down at his feet. "I was thinking. Do you want to do something on Christmas Eve? Like check out the new ice skating rink? Unless you've got plans with your family," he added hastily.
"No, my family plans are on Christmas Day," Sakura said, smiling brightly. "I'd love that."
"Great! Um, cool. Uh, I'll see you then. Later!"
Syaoran waved as he walked toward his house, planning the events of Christmas Eve, only three days away. He smiled to himself, stuffing his hands in his pockets. It would be perfect.
Syaoran glanced nervously at his watch. He ran his right hand through his hair as he rang the doorbell with his left hand, ice skates slung over his right shoulder. Sakura answered the door. Syaoran's breath caught in his throat when he saw her smile at him. She looked absolutely stunning in her black turtleneck sweater and snug white pants. "A-are you ready?" he stuttered, blushing.
She held up a pair of delicate white ice skates. "Ready."
"Then let's go."
As they began to walk through the twilight toward the skating rink, Syaoran felt extremely self-conscious. He realized that he kept running his hand through his hair and glancing nervously at Sakura, who seemed oblivious to his apprehension.
When they arrived at the skating rink, Syaoran pulled out his wallet from the back pocket of his black jeans and paid their admission. He fiddled with his green sweater as they walked to the benches to put on their skates. Within a couple of minutes, Syaoran and Sakura were skating together through the standard Christmas Eve crowd. The next few hours were a blur to Syaoran. Stars began to sparkle in the sky as time dragged on, but Syaoran and Sakura were too busy talking and laughing as they skated easily around the rink to notice. Suddenly Syaoran glanced at his watch. "Whoa, it's late," he said, surprised. "Sakura, it's after ten o'clock. Let me take you home." Sakura looked a big sad. "Okay," she replied.
As they removed their skates, Syaoran thought about the evening thus far. As much as he had enjoyed skating with Sakura, as much as they had talked and laughed and miraculously never fallen, things still were not progressing as Syaoran had planned. Would he still have time? Yes, he decided. If he did not do it tonight, he never would be able to convince himself to do it. "Um, Sakura?" he said nervously as they walked out of the skating rink with their skates slung over their shoulders.
"Yes?" she replied, curious.
"Can we, uh, stop by my house? I need to, uh, give you something."
Sakura looked surprised but intrigued. Her face reddened slightly. "Sure," she replied with a small smile. She began fiddling with her hair, still smiling as they began to walk toward Syaoran's house.
Syaoran grew increasingly nervous as they kept walking. He fidgeted with his sweater, ran his hands through his hair, stuffed his hands in his pockets, pulled them out again, played with a piece of fuzz he'd found in his pocket. He kept glancing at Sakura, who seemed aware of his obvious discomfort. She looked curious but said nothing.
Finally, after an eternity, they reached Syaoran's house. He attempted to unlock the door, fumbling awkwardly with the key. At one point, he dropped it. When he bent down to pick it up, he bumped into Sakura. Syaoran quickly grabbed the key and stood straight up, his back to her, his face completely red. "Um, sorry," he mumbled, embarrassed, as he was finally able to unlock the door. He opened the door and stepped aside. "Please, come in," he said to Sakura.
When they got inside and put down their skates next to the doormat, Wei walked into the room. "I'm sorry for not opening the door for you, sir, but I was on the other side of the house," he said, bowing slightly.
"That's okay," Syaoran replied. "Do you think you could make Sakura and I some tea? We'll be in the living room."
"Of course, Master Li," Wei replied, bowing again and backing into the kitchen.
Syaoran gently took Sakura's hand, flushing slightly, and brought her to the living room. "Have a seat," he told her. "I'll be right back."
He quickly walked to his room, where he grabbed a package off of his dresser. He held it for a moment, gazing at the red wrapping paper and green ribbon. He took a deep breath and looked at his reflection in the mirror. "This is it," he told himself. Slowly, then with increasing speed, he walked out of his room and back to the living room, where Sakura was sitting on the couch, sipping a cup of tea. Syaoran sat next to her, putting the package beside him, then began fiddling with his hands, waiting for the right moment.
Finally, Sakura finished her tea and set her cup down on the coffee table. "That was wonderful," she said, smiling. "The best tea I've ever had, I think."
Syaoran smiled. "It's imported from China," he told her. "It's pretty hard to come by."
"So," Sakura said, "what did you bring me here for?"
Syaoran's heart began to pound. This was it. It was now or never. Slowly, his hands shaking, he reached for the package, picked it up, and handed it to Sakura. "I- I want you t-to have this," he stuttered, blushing, more nervous than he had ever been before.
Sakura looked down inquisitively at the package in her hands. "Can I open it now?" When Syaoran nodded, she began to tear away the paper. She gasped at what she saw.
Sakura stood up, holding in her hands a beautiful silk Chinese dress. It was pink with golden outlines of cherry blossoms on it. "Syaoran, it's beautiful!" she exclaimed.
"There's a special reason I gave that to you," Syaoran began, standing up, looking into Sakura's eyes. He tried desperately to keep his voice steady. "You see, when I was very young, my mother gave me this dress. She told me to save it, and then, someday, when I met the woman I loved, I would give it to her." Syaoran blushed furiously. He could hardly speak. He was afraid he might cry in spite of himself, so strong were his emotions at that moment. "And that's why," he continued, his voice thick with emotion, "I want you to have this dress." He took Sakura's hands in his, looking intently into her eyes, which were filled with tears. "Sakura, I love you," he said softly.
Tears spilled over onto Sakura's face. She wrapped her arms around Syaoran and held him close, crying onto his shoulder, still holding the dress. "Oh, Syaoran," she said between sobs, "I-I love you too."
The couple stood there for a long time, just holding each other, lost in their emotions. Finally, Sakura pulled back a bit. Syaoran reached up and gently wiped away her tears. His hands lingered on her face. He could not stop gazing into her eyes. Slowly, without realizing it, he leaned toward her until their lips touched gently. They only kissed for a moment, but when they pulled apart, Syaoran felt forever changed. As he walked Sakura home that Christmas Eve, holding her hand, he felt that all was right in the world, and that, no matter what happened, he and Sakura could face it together.
Author's Notes: Well, boys and girls, that's it. I'm going to miss this story. It's been good. Sorry it took so long to get this chapter up. Last week I had finals, and I just recently got a boyfriend (^_^), so I've been a bit distracted. But here it is! I hope you liked it. Please review! I love reviews! Oh, and for more good stuff to read, read KayJuli's fic, "The Power of Two Hearts". If you haven't read it, oh my gosh, you are missing out on the best fic EVER! I might write another fic, I'm not sure. I have an idea... Well, we'll see. Thanks for all of you for reading my fic, especially those of you who have been reading it for some time. Ja ne!
