A/N: we are coming to the end of this fic. I'm not sure how many more chapters there will be, but I know it won't be more then three. Well more angst, and lots more S+S and E+T. oh and some people wanted me to hook Meiling up with someone, so I am going to try and do that, but it probably won't be until the last chapter.
Oh and I must warn you I have never done any fluffy romantic stuff before, so if you find mine to be awful then please don't flame (I already know that they are horrible) but instead please tell me how I might improve on them. Thanks.
Disclaimer: I do not own CCS and unless we fall into so alternate reality which I control then I will never own CCS.
"Wow, Meiling really seems traumatized, that dream she had must have really affected her." Tomoyo said thoughtfully as she walked with Eriol.
"A mother's love is something very extraordinary, and the thought of loosing one's child could case horror in even the strongest person." Eriol answered as he turned his gaze to the beautiful young lady next to him.
Tomoyo noticed Eriol staring, but when she turned to meet his gaze he looked away blushing. She couldn't help but giggled lightly at his response.
"What?" Eriol asked confused.
"I have never seen you blush before." At this Eriol's cheeks turned an even darker shade of red causing Tomoyo to giggle even more.
"I'm afraid you have that effect on my dear lady." Eriol answered. Tomoyo stopped giggling and looked at Eriol questionably.
"What do you mean?" she asked not understanding what his words meant.
Eriol was forced to summon all the courage he possessed. He had it all planed out, ever word he would say was practiced and memorized, so why couldn't he remember any of them. "Well you see Tomoyo there is something I have been meaning to tell you." His words came out shaky and uncertain.
Tomoyo turned to face him with a look of confusion on her face. Eriol took a deep breath; there was defiantly no turning back now. "Tomoyo, I love you." Eriol finally blurted out.
Tomoyo's eyes went wide with shock. 'When did this happen? Eriol and I are just good friends.' Tomoyo thought desperately to herself. The whole world seemed to be spinning, but she couldn't tell if it was from excitement or confusion. She finally forced her eyes to focus again, but when she did she wished she hadn't. Eriol was still standing there with eyes full of pain.
'I was foolish to think she could ever feel the same. What was I thinking? Now I won't even have the pleasure of her friendship.' Eriol thought desperately to himself.
Tomoyo's mind was still racing. 'When did this happen? We some how became closer over the past few months, but when did his feelings change, how could I have missed it? Do I feel the same for him?' Tomoyo's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Eriol's angst filled voice.
"Tomoyo I am sorry. I don't want my feelings to ruin our friendship." He spoke slowly then stopped waiting for Tomoyo to reply, but when no reply came he began to feel desperate. "Tomoyo please say something." He pleaded.
Suddenly Tomoyo leaned forward and placed a small kiss on Eriol's lips. She then pulled away again, with a broad smile. "I love you too, Eriol." She whispered and then turned around and continued her walk towards school.
Eriol was stunned, his heart was racing and he could feel heat rising in his body. He wasn't sure if it was from the kiss or her words, but whatever the reason he stared jumping in the air yelling at the top of his lungs with joy. Tomoyo the maiden of his dreams loved him. He felt so unworthy and so happy at the same time. He just felt like running through the streets screaming that Tomoyo Daidouji loved him.
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"Sakura maybe you should go get some rest, I'm sure the world won't come crumbling down if you take one little nap." Kero told his mistress with concern.
Sakura only shook her head no and continued to read her schoolbook. Kero sighed in defeat he knew it would be useless to continue arguing so he sat back down and continued to munch on the cooks Meiling had baked the other night.
Both Sakura and Li had stayed up all night watching over Meiling and Clow, and it was now four in the afternoon. Li and Meiling went to bed hours ago. Li didn't get much sleep as it was and this interruption of his rest really didn't help. It actually took Sakura threatening to use the sleep card to get him into bed.
The two still awake were brought out of their thoughts by the sound of a knock at the door. Sakura went to answer it and was greeted by the cheerful yet worried faces of Tomoyo and Eriol.
"Hey guys." Sakura greeted as they entered the house.
After they were all seated in the living room Tomoyo brought up the subject that was troubling all of them. "How is Meiling?"
"She cried herself to sleep last night, but that you already know. I'm not really sure what's going on, but I'm scared. I love Clow just as much as everyone else and I don't want to see him or Meiling get hurt." Sakura answered.
"Unfortunately I don't think that Clow is the Li Clan's only target. If I'm right then they will take Clow and give him back to the elder, but they will not be content with doing just that. More then likely they will try to kill Meiling, and Shoalan and they will try to take the Sakura cards to." Eriol announced his theories. He wasn't certain about all of this, but he did have a vague idea of what they will do.
"Well let them try whatever they want to, I'm going to make all of them pay for hurting my friends." Sakura proclaimed with malice radiating from her voice.
Eriol smiled slightly at this response. "Sakura, the members of the Li Clan are very powerful it will take all of us working together to defeat them." he answered trying to calm down the over excite girl. "And if you are going to defeat them then you will have to be at full strength. So why don't you go get some rest and Tomoyo and I will keep watch. After all you do want to be ready when the real fight comes."
Sakura stopped and thought for a moment before nodding. "You're right. I need to rest so when I do face those evil sorcerers I can beat them down." Sakura bid every one present good night before retiring to her room for rest.
Eriol had a triumphant smile on his face as Kero fluttered over to speak with him. "Okay spill. How on earth did you get her to go to bed, I've been trying for hours now." Kero demanded to know.
"Well my dear Ceroburous it is all on how you word it."
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They thought he was asleep and he really wished he was, but it didn't really matter if he was or not there was no way of forgetting the events that had transpired last night. He wanted to sleep, he wanted to just fall into an endless depth of darkness and rest, but his mind and his will gave him no such pleasures. He knew it wasn't over you can't escape something like this by simply running away. That was something he had learned along time ago.
They didn't know he was watching listening to ever word that was spoken. He was glad that Sakura finally went to rest and that Eriol was here. The reincarnated Clow was powerful and would help them in anyway possible, but that still didn't do much to ease his worries. He knew what they were going to be facing, and he knew what it will take to defeat it.
He was strong much stronger then he had been letting on. His training had improved his skills much, but it was by his own will that he had gained the power of control. The Clan wanted strong drones, young worriers and magicians to do their every bidding, but he had learned a long time ago that in order to do the right thing he had to be his own master, he had to be the one controlling his powers and he had to cut the strings that the Clan had held on him.
Now at last the final stand was drawing near. The Clan would come, some of them were already here, and this would be the greatest battle of them all the destruction of the dark followers of Clow magic.
He, Shaolan Li will bring and end to this dark Clan even if it is the last act he ever performs. It was time to stop hiding; soon he would show his power to the world once again.
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It was getting very late, the sun had already gone to light other lands, and the moon had now high in the sky raining it's sliver rays upon all of Japan. Sakura still slept as well as Meiling, but Li had woken long ago and was now sitting with Eriol and Kero. Tomoyo had to go home hours ago due to curfew, and for that Eriol was thankful. He didn't know what was going to happen or if anything was going to happen tonight, but if they were attacked he'd rather her not be here.
"If they do come we will be greatly out numbered." Eriol thought out loud.
Li was too deep in thought to respond so Kero decided to answer. "They may out number us, but don't we have more power. After all you are the reincarnated Clow Reed, and Sakura has grown so much in her powers plus with Shoalon's help I'm sure we could beat them right." Kero liked to consider himself a creature of confidence, but after seeing the looks of distress from Eriol and Li, his certainty in the abilities to win began to fade.
"It's true we have great power, but I am only have of the reincarnated Clow, which means I am only at half strength, and even my full strength doesn't come near to the power of Clow. I would feel a little more confident if Yue were here, but since he, Fujitaka, and Touya are gone for the week we will simply have to make do." Eriol's answer didn't exactly instill confidence in Kero or Li.
"Out number." Li said quietly to himself. "We will defiantly be out number, and over powered, we will more then likely be over powered." Li seemed to be talking more to himself as if he were trying to solve a great riddle that had plagued him for years. "Even the most powerful have a weakness, and the clan's weakness is their pride. They feel that without a shadow of a doubt that they will rise victorious in this battle, but even if they do out number and over power us there is still a way to win." Li now spoke openly address the other two in the room.
Kero and Eriol looked at Li expectantly waiting for him to continue. "Clow Reed appeared before Meiling in a dream and told her that the power of the child will give us the strength to defeat the darkness. We must keep Clow save no matter what." Li was now determined, he wasn't certain what was meant to happen but he knew that if they follow what Clow Reed had said, and they stand to gather then there was no way that the Clan will win.
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Meiling was trying to sleep but it wasn't easy. She couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched. She would pull the covers all around her and settle down, but then the feeling of a dark presence spread across her. She finally decided that rest would have to wait, perhaps the dream had made her paranoid, but whatever the reason she would not find rest any longer this night.
Pushing the covers off her in an almost defiant manner she stood from her bed and walked over to the crib were Clow, her child now rested peacefully.
Meiling stared down at her child smiling at the look of innocence of his face. He really was a beautiful baby with soft skin and deep brown eyes that sparkled whenever he was happy or content. Like most new borns he had very little hair, and what hair he did have was a soft light brown. Meiling loved her child, he was her world, a small ray of sunshine sent down to warm the hearts of all he meets.
Meiling left the side of her baby's crib and walked over to the window of the room. It was locked securely leaving the door as the only way in or out of the room. This fact gave Meiling a little comfort but not enough for her to shake the ominous thoughts running in her mind.
Suddenly the feeling began to grow and the room itself began to feel cold and fear. The cold only began to get worse and with it a fog began to feel the room. Meiling wanted to scream out but she still wasn't certain if all she was seeing was real. Instead she walked to the door. As she began to approach the door an overwhelming weariness filled her body. Just like her dream she began to feel weak she feel to the ground in exhaustion. Her eyelids began to feel heavier and heavier, she tried to scream out but all that came from her mouth was a small whimper, and with that she feel into unconcessness.
When Meiling awoke again her head was pounding. She opened her eyes for a moment then shut them tightly. Her vision was so blurry that it caused nausea in her stomach. She rolled off her stomach and onto her back. She tried forcing her eyes open once more. After a moment they seemed to adjust and her vision cleared. She then summoned all of her strength and forced herself off of the floor. Her mind was at a loss as she tried to remember what had happened and how she ended up on the floor. Then suddenly her eyes widened with shock and fear as she remembered what had happened before she clacked out.
With a speed unknown to man she jolted to her child's crib, a scream of horror and despair range from her vice as she collapsed on the floor once more in tears.
Her greatest nightmare had come to pass, Clow her child was gone.
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Yes that is all for this chapter. Hopefully I will have the next chapter out sometime this week. Anyway I hope you enjoyed this one, sorry for the corny love seen, and the bad ending, but I wanted to create some suspense. So this was my attempt at a cliffhanger. Well please review every review is greatly appreciated.