Author's Note: Okay this chapter may seem a little confusing in the middle. Don't worry; all your reading is not all for naught; read to the end. I assure you it'll make sense. Gomen if you do end up confused. I just couldn't come right out and tell you what happened, then I'd not be a good storyteller, or so I like to think. =P Oh well, enjoy, all. If you really get confused, tell me, and I'll try to find some way to revise the chapter.
So here's my dilemma; I just can't come up with a good summary for this story, so if anyone has any ideas, tell me!! I could use the help, a lot.
I love everyone's reviews, they just lifted me right off my chair; I was almost afloat. Okay enough babbling. Minna-san, arigatou. Smabbi-chan, what and honor; if you want to post this, you're welcome to it. Read and review, onegai. =)
When Everything Else is GoneChapter 6: Endless Night
2:00 PM
"And then there was the one hundred meter; she thought she could actually out run me. Me! I showed her though. She came in fourth. Fourth!" Meiling paused long enough to pop another sushi roll into her mouth. Swallowing quickly, she threw herself back into her narrative. "I got four medals; she got one, in a relay and even her teammates knew she didn't do much." Her riotous laughter echoed through the restaurant, garnering a few hostile glances from the owners and odd looks from other patrons who watched the scene with curiosity. A loud Chinese girl with a screeching laugh, a dark haired girl with a video camera, a Chinese boy holding a laughing green-eyed girl, all amidst a mountain of bags at their feet.
"Sugoi, Meiling! No one can beat you." Kinomoto Sakura smiled and leaned deeper against Li sitting at her side.
Meiling gave the card mistress another once over, noting her easy smile and cheerfulness; everything was coming along. "Mochiron." She shoved the last sushi roll into her mouth, barely chewing before swallowing. A small smile touched her lips. "So tell me, Kinomoto, when did my coward of a cousin finally tell you?" She ignored her cousin's frown directed at her, and watched the card mistress pick at her food, a pink hue evident in her face.
"I told her this morning; what's it to you?" Syaoran snapped impatiently at his cousin; silently he questioned if he should have asked her to come. Looking at the delicate smile on Sakura's lips, however, he was absolutely convinced he did right. His eyes softened at her sight. "But you're right Meiling; I should've told her long ago."
"Damn straight. You two were always too shy for your own good."
Tomoyo raised an eyebrow. "But being too aggressive doesn't work that well either, ne Meiling? Remember the time you yelled at the drama coach because you didn't get the lead and got us all detention?"
Meiling remembered the incident in question with distaste. "Well, he had it coming." Slapping down her chopsticks, she abruptly stood up. "Okay, let's pay the bill, and hit the road. I've got a lot more shopping to do!" Three groans followed her exclamation; they had been to over twenty stores having more and more bags appear in their hands. Meiling ignored the complaints, yanking Sakura along. "We're going, and that's final. I'm taking Kinomoto here as hostage; you both have no choice but to follow me." She was right, neither Syaoran nor Tomoyo would leave Sakura, so they sighed and followed a bouncing Meiling out of the restaurant.
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8:00 PM
Four tired teenagers stumbled through the doorway, three bags in their arms, in Syaoran's case: seven boxes piled high up near the ceiling. Collapsing into the hallway, all four simultaneously breathed a sigh of relief. "Meiling, how are you even going to get all this back to Hong Kong?" Syaoran was annoyed; he had carried that heavy load for hours now.
"Come to think of it, I'm not quite sure. Demo…I'll find a way; I always do! Come on, let's get all these bags to the living room."
"Un." Sakura bent down to pick up the bags, ignoring the pain in her back and soreness of her arms. Today's shopping trip was exhausting to say the least. A low moan escaped her lips as she tried to lift four bags. She was ready to try again when she felt a restraining hand on her shoulder.
"Leave them there." She turned to face a concerned Syaoran; he rubbed her shoulders in affirmation. "Meiling, I think you'd agree we all deserve a rest. There's no way I'm moving another foot with these bags, much less allow Sakura to try and carry them. We're all getting some sleep now and that's final."
Sakura felt his hands massaging her shoulders again, a gentle warmth creeping up under her skin. "But Syaoran, it's only eight and we really should help Meiling with these bags." She stooped to lift the bags again when she felt her feet swept out from under her, her back pressed against a strong arm.
"No; you are getting some sleep, even if I have to lock you in my room." Syaoran carried the card mistress in his arms, heading for his bedroom. She shifted in his arms, resting herself deeper into his body. Letting her down before the door, he commanded, amber eyes kindly stern, "Go to bed, Sakura. The bags will still be there in the morning; you need your rest." She was about to complain when a yawn overtook her. "See? Go on." He gently nudged her into his room, stopping by her side long enough to brush his lips on her cheek. "Oyasumi, Sakura."
She turned her flushed face toward him, her features striking in the dim light. "Good night, my love" she whispered as she slowly plodded to the bed, falling gracefully into the sheets and blankets. Syaoran's eyes danced with her beautiful image, a warm feeling invading his chest. For once in his life, he felt completely satisfied, a feeling mirrored by the smile on his face. He closed the door softly taking one last look at the card mistress already nestled under the covers. Turning around, he found himself face to face with a smirking Meiling, arms crossed over her chest.
"So it seems, my cousin, the mighty Li Syaoran, has become soft." She pretended not to see the death glare focused at her. "I just wonder how the elders would react if they saw this." She turned to Tomoyo who had her camera rolling, general mischievousness in her eyes. "In fact, Tomoyo, I think I'll send a copy of that tape to some very interested parties."
Tomoyo was intrigued. "Oh? And who would these parties be?"
"Just four, no five, women in Hong Kong, namely Syaoran's sisters and mother. I bet they'd love to see how well he's doing in Tomoeda, don't you?"
"Hmm? I think I agree; I might just include some other videos from my collection. Maybe that one from the Autumn Carnival last year."
Li Syaoran's face contorted as horror passed through his features. He could almost hear what his family would say if they ever saw those tapes. 'Oh, how kawaii they are!' 'Isn't she just the most adorable little thing?' 'Let's go to Japan right now and surprise them!' He felt the sweat form on his palms; there was no way he'd endure a visit from them, an even slimmer chance of survival if they decided to reminisce with Sakura about his childhood. There was only so much humiliation one could take. "Oh no! You're not sending them a copy!" With that he lunged toward an unsuspecting Tomoyo. "Give me that tape, Daidouji!" Unfortunately, the violet-eyed teen was nimble in her own respect, dodging out of Syaoran's charge, and moving quickly behind Meiling, who burst into laughter.
"Okay, okay. I won't send them the tape. Just calm down. Besides, the elders would probably have fits, though I think that's rather tempting too."
Syaoran placed two fingers to his throbbing temples, sighing in exasperation. "Meiling. It's late, Sakura's asleep, let's give her some quiet ne?" He seriously regretted not weighing out the pros and cons of having Meiling return. "Daidouji, you're welcome to stay the night if you want; you can share Meiling's bedroom. I'm taking the couch."
"If that's the case, I'm definitely staying. I'm sure to get some kawaii shots of Sakura in the morning." Tomoyo walked calmly down the hall to Meiling's room, her mind filled with poses for Sakura, while her two friends with giant sweatdrops stared at her retreating figure.
Meiling slowly followed Tomoyo until halfway across the living room when she turned abruptly. "You know, Syaoran, despite all my teasing, I'm very glad you told her. She'll definitely be fine."
"Arigatou Meiling; good night. You ought to be exhausted, I know I am."
"Hmm…you really have gotten soft, haven't you? I'm going to get caught up with Tomoyo for a while, while you get your precious beauty sleep."
"Meiling!" The vein in his head swelled dangerously again, but thankfully she had just left the room. He sighed, and looked towards his room, feeling a light aura just beyond the door. "Sweet dreams, Sakura." Falling onto the couch, the heaviness of his eyelids overwhelmed his senses. Sleep quickly overtook him, his breathing becoming even, and the apartment left in silence.
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11:30 PM
Sakura laid awake on the bed staring out the balcony doors. It had been hours since she had heard the commotion from the living room. The quiet chatter from Meiling's room too had disappeared. They were all so happy to have her feel better, her smile coming back a little more easily. She didn't want to disappoint them, trying to push the sadness away, but in the dark of night, the blueness of grief seeped slowly back into her heart. It wasn't as powerful or devastating as before, but it still hurt, and probably always would to some degree. She tempered her sorrow with thoughts of her friends, laughing and enjoying themselves today, the way that nothing seemed to be wrong, as if all that happened before this day was magically erased. She felt an iron determination forming within her; she would do anything in her power to keep things like today, starting with sealing Sleep.
As she tried to devise plans on how to find Sleep, an intense feeling overtook her. She jerked upward, sitting upright on the bed; the feeling was unmistakable: Clow card. Hope flashed through her mind; maybe it was Sleep. Throwing off the covers, she quietly stood up. As she quickly dressed, she removed the Clow key from her necklace. Whispering softly yet firmly,
Key which hides the power of darkness,
Reveal thy true form,
I, Sakura, under contract command you,
Release!
Sealing wand in hand, she stole quietly across the floor, opening the balcony doors; the cold air hit her fiercely as it whipped around her. She closed her eyes willing her magical senses to pinpoint the card; the aura pointed northward. Stealing a look at the bedroom door, she thought of Syaoran's sleeping figure. 'Gomen, Syaoran, I can't let you get involved this time.' "Jump!" Wings appeared on her feet as she leapt off the balcony into the darkness that awaited her.
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Li Syaoran was uneasy, his mind caught half way between light slumber and semi-consciousness. Something floated on the edge of his mind, wanting to be recognized, but sleep fought it off as blackness tried to once again invade him. He was about to fall into the throes of rest when he heard a faint yet definite sound. A sound which snapped his eyes open and threw his insides churning. 'Jump!' Sakura! Flinging off the blankets he burst through his bedroom door, hoping to find a sleeping form on the bed. Instead, he was greeted by icy air blowing violently from open balcony door. Rushing to the balcony, he strained his eyes to catch sight of her, but found only darkness; his magical senses, however, spotted her somewhere to his right, an aura that was getting farther by the second. Something else hung in the air too, a threatening force he knew well, a Clow card.
Sakura had gone alone; panic gripped him. He grabbed his onyx pendant from his nightstand, jumping blindly from the balcony, calling on his training to land unharmed stories below. "Dash!" Striking the card, he felt the wind rush against his face, his feet barely touching the ground, yet he was still behind her. He silently cursed himself for leaving her alone; he slowed down spotting her ahead of him, her form in the middle of a road. As he moved forward, he felt a sudden magic flare up around him, restraining his body as he tried to approach Sakura. It felt like walking through cement, pushing his body to its limits forcing his limbs forward but never getting any closer. He willed with all his strength, horror wrenching his heart as he watched the scene unfold. All he could do was shout. "Sakura!"
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Sakura landed poised at the edge of the park; the magic seemed to emanate from something in the middle of the street. She looked intently at the object, but could only make out its general outline in the dimness, something rectangular. The street was eerily silent, the only sounds, leaves scraping across the pavement. She approached the magic source cautiously watching for something to happen, but nothing did. She stooped to pick it up staring at it questioningly; straightening she passed it under the glow of a faint streetlight. It was an hourglass, antique and sending off powerful magic; as she moved to return to the park, the object in her hand began to glow a furious blue, the grains of sand starting to fall upwards. She tried to drop the object and run, but found her body paralyzed, arms, chest, legs, all seemingly stone and unmoving.
Something else, however, panicked her more, the heat of danger in the air. A low rumbling echoed from down the street; out of the corner of her eye, she could make out the dark silhouette of an approaching car, it's headlights glaringly white, blinding her vision as it sped forward. The screech of brakes assaulted her ears as the car still lunged forward, as if propelled by something other than gas. 'Sakura!' Turning her eyes off of the oncoming car, she found Syaoran at the park entrance, struggling to free himself from an invisible force. She saw the fear in his eyes and almost laughed darkly at the irony; she would be the one to leave him. "Gomen, Syaoran!" The car neared the card mistress coming at an unnatural speed; she closed her eyes and awaited the oblivion she had sought for most of the past year. Faintly she heard the sound of bells; deep and resonant, twelve tones for midnight. Her world suddenly fell into chaos, magic surrounding her senses, the feel of everything spinning, everything ceasing when her vision fell finally to black.
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7:00 AM
A voice screamed within Syaoran; tormented and deafening. It beat against his consciousness, throwing him out of sleep. 'Sakura!' His eyes flew open, adjusting to the rays of sunlight. The voice again bored into his mind, urgent and pained. 'Sakura!' Terror struck him as his eyes desperately searched for her. Looking down, he found her peaceful figure entwined in his arms, her body rising and falling with deep breaths. His body sagged in relief; she was safe. Was it all a dream? The car, the aura, her…? He winced; it had seemed so real. A pressure at his sides stirred him out of his thoughts; Sakura was visibly struggling with something, her face flushed, body rigid, arms tightening around him. He gently shook her. "Sakura, wake up." Her eyelids moved slightly, her clouded eyes staring unseeingly at Syaoran's face. "What's wrong?"
Sakura's mind ran with images, bright lights, an hourglass, Syaoran's face. She blinked in the morning light, finally finding Syaoran before her, his arms at her shoulders. Was it all a dream? "Syaoran?" She looked around; she was in the same position as she was when she fell asleep after school. She shook her head, trying to forget the memories that flooded her mind; it had to be a dream.
"You were having a bad dream; daijobu?" He watcher her closely, fighting against the vision of her paralyzed in the headlights of a car. She looked confused, but unscathed. 'It wasn't real.'
"U-un. I'm fine." 'If that was all just a dream…maybe there's still a chance.' Her body trembled slightly as she prepared herself to say something she never wanted to utter. A deep sense of déjà vu wrapped its way around her words. "Syaoran?"
There was something familiar about the gravity of her voice; out of the depths of his mind, he felt as if he knew what she would ask. His face set in determination, his lips moving without conscious thought. "I'm not leaving."
His words cut off Sakura's purpose before she could even force out the words. "H-How did you know what I was going to ask?" Memories threw themselves at her consciousness, their confessions on the balcony, the coldness of the concrete terrace. They had felt so real.
"I-I don't know." He had a vague recollection of a conversation like this, but this was slightly different.
Sakura had tears welled at the corners of her eyes. "Onegai, Syaoran, if you're hurt, I couldn't live with myself. It's best if you…"
Syaoran silenced her appeal with a finger to her lips; he looked down tenderly, staring meaningfully into the depths of her green eyes. Something in the back of his mind propelled him to ask the question. "Do you love me Sakura?"
Sakura stared stunned, the question which she couldn't answer for his sake, was hanging before her. Unknown to her mind, her lips had already parted, a "Hai" fused with her exhaled breath.
His surprise wasn't as great as he thought it would be, almost as if he had inexplicably expected it. "And I you, Sakura. Then you already know my answer, and I'm not changing my mind."
She found his eyes, set with resolve; she sighed, disappointed yet relieved at the same time. She laid her hands flat against his chest, her head following suit. "Can we stay like this for awhile?"
He didn't answer, his arms already snaked around her lithe form, his head on her shoulder, breathing in sweet fragrances of flowers with every breath. The two cardcaptors fell back into sleep as the sun made its timid crawl into morning.
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9:00 AM
The doorbell buzzed; the two figures on the couch stirred somewhat. "Syaoran, what is…doorbell?"
"Doorbell? Matte, it is the doorbell." Both figures untangled themselves, standing on wobbly legs. Sakura leaned on Syaoran as they made their winding way to the door; as they opened it, they were flung back, a streak of dark hair blurring past their vision.
"Sakura? Sakura?" Tomoyo stood between the hall and living rooms, the card mistress nowhere in sight. "Sakura?"
"Hai?" Sakura faced a breathless Tomoyo, only to become breathless too, being smothered in her friend's hug. "T-Tomoyo?"
Tomoyo faced a flushed card mistress. "Gomen Sakura, daijobu?" Lowering her voice, she asked, "Are you alright?"
Sakura understood, "I…I will be. Arigatou for worrying about me, Tomoyo."
Tomoyo's eyes watered at her friend's words; digging into her bag, stars replaced the tears. "I'm going to tape your return to genki Sakura that everyone loves." She was fortunate to press record the moment Sakura sweatdropped with a 'Hoe?' "Suberashi! Sakura' first 'hoe' in a while, and I got it on tape. I feel so lucky."
Sakura quickly segued bringing her hands to Tomoyo's wrist and putting the camera down. "Come on, Tomoyo. I'm starved; help me make breakfast. Syaoran, are you coming?" She smiled lightly as she asked, her eyes practically twinkling.
He stared entranced for a while, a thought popping up in his mind. He returned the smile, "I'll be right with you; I have a phone call to make."
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10:30 AM
"What are we doing at the park, Syaoran?" The scene felt familiar, her, Tomoyo and Syaoran waiting for something at the penguin slide. Faint images of a determined raven-hair girl flashed through her head.
"What are we doing here, Li?" Tomoyo took her attention away from recording the card mistress long enough to look questioningly at the Chinese boy.
"A surprise." He watched Sakura's face twist endearingly in thought. She suddenly brightened as if struck by an idea.
"Is Meiling back?" Syaoran was stunned; how had she known? But before he could voice his question, a screech penetrated the morning stillness.
"Kinomoto!"
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2:00 PM
"And then there was the one hundred meter; she thought she could actually out run me. Me! I showed her though. She came in fourth. Fourth!" Sakura looked thoughtfully at Meiling; she felt as if she had heard this once before. Looking sideways she spotted Syaoran with a similar expression; did this happen before? Before she could consider any further, Syaoran stood up, with an apology and left the restaurant. She gave him a questioning glance, but he seemed not to notice; turning around, she threw her attention back to Meiling. "I got four medals; she got one, in a relay and even her teammates…" Wasn't this from the dream?
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Syaoran followed Meiling's conversation with a feeling of déjà vu; things today had been matching up with his dream, and yet he felt like he actually did them before. But some things were different: the restaurant they were in, this morning, this… He left the thought trail as he spotted someone walking by outside the window. For Sakura, this had to be done. He sharply inhaled, and stood up, ready to follow the fleeting figure. "Gomen nasai. I have to do something." He didn't see the inquiring look from the three girls as he walked briskly out of the restaurant.
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Syaoran looked up and down the street, catching sight of his objective. He ran quickly to him as he was about to turn a corner. "Tsukishiro, matte."
The gray haired man turned slowly, his worn features facing the running cardcaptor. He flinched in recognition, his tone glacial. "Hai?"
Syaoran stood uneasily before Yukito, he could feel the anger still inside him. "I…" This would not be an easy subject to broach. "I want to talk to you about…Sakura."
Yukito turned his head away, pain flitting across his face. Tears blinked away; his voice remained cold. "That person is no longer in my life." He began to walk away when he was restrained by Li's hand.
"Onegai, listen. I know you're angry; losing someone you love is never easy, but I can't bear to see Sakura like she is now, and deep down, I know you don't want to see her hurting too. I-I know your forgiveness will take time, but it will help her a lot."
Anger supplanted the grief in Yukito's face momentarily. "Forgiveness?" he spat. "I will never forgive her. You, at least I could be grateful for; you tried to save Touya, but his own sister? She just stood there watching him die. If it's forgiveness she needs, then she will have to find a way to live without it."
Syaoran sighed. "You have always been by her side, supporting her in trying times. She loves you for that; couldn't you support her through this?"
Overwrought golden eyes blinked back at Syaoran. "All that is in the past just as my memories with Touya are in the past. This is the present, a harsh reality. Do no ask me for what I cannot do." Emotions played at his face, shifting from pain to anger to sadness. "You can comfort her; I cannot face her."
Syaoran felt defeated; it was too soon to ask Yukito for something as hard as forgiveness. "I will try my best. Onegai, think about what I ask…for Sakura's sake."
Yukito turned to walk away, his shoulders sagging with exhaustion. "I…I will consider it." He strode quickly away, turning the bend and disappearing into the crowded street.
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11:15 PM
Sakura lay on the covers of Syaoran's bed; she fought the sense of déjà vu as it invaded her thoughts. Everything that happened today was so similar to that dream. Was it prophetic? The growing sense of dread remained within her; Meiling's arrival, Tomoyo's camera, the Clow… The Clow card? Something compelled her to get up; almost knowing that the aura would soon emerge. She summoned her wand, calling Jump to propel herself into the thick darkness of night. 'Gomen, Syaoran, I can't let you get involved this time.'
Sakura landed nimbly at the edge of the park, the cold winds scattering the dry leaves, a gently scraping in the unnaturally quiet night. She watched the middle of the street, her senses reporting a magical signature approached. Amid a dim glow of blue, a rectangular shape formed from the blackness of night, vaporous streams of magic radiating with masked fierceness. She knew what would happen next, but the magic screamed for her to approach. She was resolved to seal this card; there would not be tragedy because her cowardice. She stepped unwaveringly onto the asphalt, her heel a sharp click in the dead stillness.
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11:30 PM
Li Syaoran was laying on the couch, disjointed thoughts flowing through his mind. Why did he feel this day had already been lived? Things were almost identical to his dream; Meiling's arrival, shopping, the Clow card. Anxiety welled itself inside his mind, it couldn't be true. Sakura was on the other side of the door, sleeping peacefully. He lifted himself from couch, crossing the living room soundlessly; he carefully turned knob, a crack of moonlight falling across his face. He peered through the darkness at the bed, rumpled sheets, but no card mistress. "Sakura?" The dread seemed to explode into terror as a sudden aura awakened his magical senses. Clow card. 'This has happened before.' He snatched his pendant from the nightstand, and without hesitation hurdled deliberately out of the open balcony window. He didn't bother to find Sakura's aura; he knew where she was.
His eyes never left the aura of the card mistress as he raced down the park path, her form becoming more definite as he approached. Suddenly, the Clow magic surged, something fighting Dash's power. Unwillingly, he felt his feet losing pace, the form of Sakura approaching slower. "Sakura!" She turned her head to Syaoran, worried green trying to warn him off.
"Syaoran! Don't come any closer!" She ran towards him, the hourglass abruptly glowing, assaulted by magic halfway back to the sidewalk. She was paralyzed once again, her body stationary in the middle of the road. The inevitable rumbling sprang from silence, her destiny sealed. Everything seemed to make sense, the repeated day, the dream only it wasn't a dream. She had lived this day before; she would complete it now. White consumed her vision. "Gomen, Syaoran."
"Sakura!" Syaoran was losing the battle fighting off the unsealed Clow card's magic. He had slowed to barely a walk, his sword held in front of him defensively. He watched the light intensify from behind Sakura, his dream reliving itself; he felt completely powerless. Her soft voice drifted through the air, 'gomen Syaoran' seconds before the screech of brakes shattered the night. "Sakura!" The headlight engulfed her figure; a sickening thud pierced his heart, the car passing quickly down the street into the night. The faint streetlight shed little light onto the dim street, barely enough to silhouette the motionless card mistress' form. "Sakura!" From the darkness materialized the Clow card's spirit, a robed shape; it advanced on the prone card mistress. "Get away from her!" The card paid no attention to Syaoran's threat, bending to pick up its hourglass. Syaoran struggled with himself, trying desperately not to lose himself in his raging emotions. He resisted against his magical bindings, his left arm jerkily reaching into his robe and extracting an ofuda. With supreme effort he threw the spell into the air, sword meeting paper. "Raiden shorai!" Lighting erupted, racing mercilessly at the card's form; as it struck, the electrical currents wrapped the spirit in a deadly embrace. The card shook with pain, its form retreating back into back into night. The chains which had bound Syaoran dissolved, his body falling into a heap onto the pavement. Panic reigned in his mind, his body already up sword left without a second thought on the ground, his legs taking him closer to the still card mistress. "Sakura!" He flung himself down on his knees before her body.
Sakura's spring eyes opened as she felt her body taken up and warmth wrapping its way around her cooling senses. Syaoran was cradling her on his lap, his face contorted with unspeakable pain. Her heart wrenched at seeing his tears that seemed to river down his face. "S…Syaoran?" Amber looked down agonizingly at her face, tears diluting blood, a translucent red river flowing from the corner of the card mistress' mouth. Her crushed body lay uselessly on the ground, her breaths becoming more and more shallow, her skin getting colder and colder; he wept openly, unable to control the anguish that attacked his body. "Syaoran…catch Sleep."
He looked down at his love, her life slowly slipping away, and all she could think about was her father? "No, you will catch Sleep, as soon as you get better." His denial stood weakly in the face of reality; he knew she would not recover.
"Onegai, Syoaran. Seal it." Hot tears splashed on her cheek, sobbing wracking Syaoran's body. Sakura channeled her remaining energy, moving her hand weakly to his cheek. "It's okay Syaoran; soon I'll be with oni-chan and oka-san. I…I love you, remember that."
"Don't say it like that Sakura! You can't leave me; I need you. You can't!" His pleadings fell on deaf ears as Sakura's eyes had closed, her body giving in to its injuries. "Sakura!" He pulled her close to him, feeling her heart slowing itself. The tears wouldn't stop, his body convulsed as he whimpered, "Sakura, you can't die. Sakura!" He distractedly heard the bells strike midnight, a mournful quality lingering in the night. His mind clouded over, the form in the arms becoming less and less substantial; all sank into obscurity.
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Author's Note: Don't kill me, please! I hate cliffhangers too, but I'm just swamped with work and I really, really wanted to post something cause I'm going to be unable to write for a week or so, damn tests! Gomen nasai. Don't worry, though, I'm going to make the next chapter extra good. I promise. And don't worry, I'm not really into death-reincarnation-afterworld stuff, so you're guaranteed an alive card mistress in the next chapter. Sorry if I spoiled the surprise, but admit it, you all expected and wanted as much.