Author's Note:  Sorry for the late update…I do my fics in a pattern and well I was stuck on 'Slipping…' so I couldn't start this until a few days ago; hope it turns out okay…  This definitely isn't the end… I think I'll add a couple of chapters, retrofitting my whole plot line (not really, but I like using the word 'retrofitting' *sweatdrop*)  This chapter wasn't originally in my mind, but I thought that people should have a little light humour for a change…a little tiny bit anyway, some sappiness too.  I promise…no big bawling ahead, maybe a little sniffling…=)

A big thank you to Light Blossom (I really write depressing fics don't I?), Ami*Thest (I think I put around 10 hours on each long chapter…is that a lot?), WaterSunFire, Ccslilazngirly (there's still a few chapters left…), Li Sakura/Helen (thanks a lot, but I'm sure there's better fics…), Eagle_33 (arigato), Caoilfhionn, Rhea-chan (where's 'skittles'?), ardicana (I don't think I'm doing a sequel…), garmibear (I randomly think of cards for each chapter, so there's no list…I'm too indecisive), Final Fantasy Princess/Brenda (obsession is sometimes good…maybe not if you're a psychopath, no offense, I didn't mean you, just in general…*face fault*), Misty Showron, FloralMoon (enjoy the vacation?), Crystal Delphina (very touching review), Delita Mukara Bl'Ferno (thanks, Fujitaka's reaction took me a while to do), Jurei (how's 'tournament' coming?), Sakura Blossomz (sorry about the tears…I tend to write sadder things…), Nate0130 (you're welcome, thanks for all your reviews)

To a special person, Evil Karyta:  arigato for all your reviews…they're so long and wonderful.  I can't help but be smiling when I read them.  I definitely have to say that your story is just as good or better than mine.  There's a touch of dramatic undercurrent there that makes it very complex and entertaining.  I hope you're working on it right now…and definitely a happy new year to you.  And if anyone hasn't read 'Taste of Your Life' please do!

And now this chapter is dedicated to Urania*Niecy.  Thanks for reviewing every chapter…I thought my eyes were playing tricks when the counter went up 10 in a few hours…  I also appreciate all your input in my other fics too.  It means a whole lot to me.  *bowing in gratitude*  Arigato for the shovels…they really seem to brighten my dorm room…happy new year!

Disclaimer:  I had a wonderful dream I owned CCS, but then I woke up and found I was still a poor college student.  So very sad…

When Everything Else is Gone

Chapter 11:  Thawing

Syaoran landed with a thud, the ice hard against his back.  He groaned in frustration, never being able to keep a solid foothold on the ground for long.  "Tell me why I'm here again?"

Tomoyo had a glint in her eye, a glint frighteningly similar to her camera lens.  "Because Sakura is here."  She smiled slyly following his gaze across the expanse of ice to the card mistress gripped against an instructor's arm.

Meiling skated by, smiling triumphantly at being the fastest skater around.  "Syaoran, what are you doing sitting on the ice?"

"Enjoying the scenery I think."  Tomoyo shifted her eyes to Meiling and follow her gaze to the faltering Sakura.

"Oh.  Yes that scenery must be quite interesting."  Meiling bent down to Syaoran's eye level blocking his view of Sakura.  "Why don't you go and give her a big kiss?"  Syaoran flushed a deep scarlet trying to find some kind of reply.  "Don't think we didn't see you all those weeks ago."  If possible, he reddened even more, blood staining his face nearly purple.

"I-I…wait a minute.  How did you find out about that?"  He hoped Meiling would falter under his glare and stop pestering him for a second so he could regain his composure.  No such luck.

Meiling looked to Tomoyo with a conspiratorial grin.  "Let's just say, you should keep your bedroom door locked."

Tomoyo laughed in amusement, something inexplicably bothering her.  "I should have had my camera…"

Syaoran's frustrated groan was interrupted with a 'Hoe' from somewhere across the frozen pond.  Sakura was splayed out on the ice, rubbing her ankle as the skating instructor looked embarrassed and scornful at the same time.  Syaoran made his way to her fallen figure, not without a few wobbles and slips of his own.  "Daijoubu desu ka?"

Sakura's answer was muffled by her coat, as she tried to get up.  The instructor found himself by her side.  "Are you okay?"

This time, Sakura had managed to straighten herself to a standing position leaning half on a low tree branch and half on Syoaran's unsteady form.  "Hai.  I'm fine; just a little dizzy.  I guess falling a lot could do that."

The instructor remained by her side, frowning.  "I guess you're improving a little.  It may be sometime until you're able to fully control all your movements, but anything's possible."  The sneer in his voice didn't seem to improve Sakura's disposition, her face falling in discouragement.

Syaoran had had enough of this man, seeing Sakura's shoulder slump ever lower under the man's patronizing words.  "Of course she'll be able to skate.  I'll teach her myself."  He knew it was a unreasonable thing to say; he couldn't even manage to stand properly yet.  But he was determined, seeing the disbelief in the trainer's face.  He gripped Sakura's hand tight, tentatively making his way towards the rest area with her in tow.  "First lesson is how to warm up."

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The aroma of cocoa rose with the steam, the warm cup inviting in the wintry openness.  Sakura laid her head against a solid shoulder, taking a cautious sip of the scalding liquid.  "And you're going to help me skate?"  She laughed, the memories of Syaoran's less shining moments this morning replaying themselves through her mind.

"What so funny about that?"

"Nothing."  She leaned a bit father against him, into his chest, the hot chocolate burning its warmth somewhere deep inside. 

He let his hands fall from her shoulders to nestle securely around her waist.  "Do you still want to learn?"  For the sake of his back, he hoped not.

Sakura's eyes seemed to twinkle in her decision whether to torture him or not.  In the end, she shook her head, noting his obvious relief.  "I think I should like to rest."

"My thoughts exactly."  Syaoran's mouth approached hers, oblivious to all others around them.  She leaned forward in anticipation.  The kiss was chocolate, a sweet bitterness flitting across the tongue, skimming the taste buds.  The moment, if not ruined, dimmed greatly as a loud shout broke their kiss, startling their concentration.

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"Woohoo!"  The yell grated harshly in the simple quietness, all eyes turned toward the young Chinese girl who was cheering.  They followed her gaze to a struck couple snuggled together on a park bench, heads still bent in a compromising position.

Whether by instinct for self-preservation or a conscious effort, both cardcaptors turned their heads away to hide behind scarves or gloved hands before the crimson admission of their guilt appeared for all to see.  Various people passed with a chuckle, some children snickered, elderly strollers looked on with indulgent smiles.  Syaoran cursed in his head, dropping his voice so that only Sakura could hear him.  "Remind me why Meiling's still here?"

"Because I asked her to stay an extra week."  She lost herself in thought for a while amending her last statement.  "I'm rethinking if that was the right move now."

Meiling's face appeared before the couple with an obvious smile of self-satisfaction.  "And I thought you wanted to learn how to skate."  She yanked Sakura to her feet, nearly dragging the card mistress to the center of the pond where Tomoyo stood waiting, camcorder in hand.  Meiling called back to Syaoran with a teasing wink.  "I'll be Sakura's teacher since you can't step on the ice without ending up on your back."  Syaoran floundered toward them indignantly as Sakura giggled in response.

"Oh; I'm so glad I charged my batteries this morning.  Ohohoho."  The other three sweatdropped, watching Tomoyo fiddle with her camera.

All four glided across the ice, two pairs of arms flailing to keep balance, a light voice demanding poses, and a raucous laugh jarring everyone's senses.  Unbeknownst to all four was a contemplative eye cast upon them.

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Fujitaka stirred from his thoughts registering a mass taking a seat next to him on the bench.  The man addressed himself politely, hesitantly.  "Konnichiwa."

The older man smiled taking his eyes from the four teenage children to the gray haired youth sitting to his right.  "Yukito.  I see you've decided to join us today."

Yukito stirred uneasily, not knowing where he stood with Fujitaka anymore, now that their only bond had been severed.  "I was worried; you didn't seem too well last week."

Fujitaka nodded in understanding.  "Yes, I was very upset.  I'm getting along though.  Who wouldn't feel happier if you watch Sakura enjoying her life?"

Yukito assented with slightly inclined head, picking up on another subject that wasn't still as raw as Sakura.  "How have you been adjusting?"

The response was a light laugh, a disbelieving chuckle.  "I feel asleep in winter and I woke up in winter.  Some days like today, it feels like nothing's happened at all.  And other days…I can't believe that I missed so much time, Touya's last year…so much."  He resorted back to his defense mechanism, plastering a smile on his lips, hiding the swirling emotions deep inside.

Yukito noted all this in silence, the strain in Fujitaka's face well masked but still exposed.  It was only a matter of time before he a breakdown if he kept repressing his anguish.  "And work?"  The question hung droopily in the air, abrupt and aloof, Yukito trying to keep from probing too deeply.

Fujitaka's plastic smile remained arched, replying in his quiet, reserved tone.  "Since the whole department was struck down last year, they shut down the archaeology program."  He lowered his voice in solemn respect, not able to conceal a slight cracking in his speech.  "We've…lost quite a few professors…I start work on Monday, but I don't know if they're going to continue with the archaeology program now, if they can't find…replacements."  In his mind's eye flashed so many faces, jumbled and blurred, but still distinguishable:  men he's been on digs with, women he's researched with, students he's tutored.  And in a prolonged blink of an eye, they had all disappeared, their place in his heart irreplaceable.

Yukito knew he had touched a nerve, feeling regret at his choice of topics.  He didn't know how to reassure the man, as if tell him that life would find a way to make up for so much death and loss.  Even he didn't believe that; Touya's death was proof enough.  "I…"  There seemed like no words could be uttered in the face of this profound sadness.

Fortunately Fujitaka understood Yukito's sympathy, giving the gray haired man a reassuring tap on the shoulder.  "I know, I know.  It's not fair, but we can't do anything about it.  We just have to bear it all, and hope for the best."  His eyes fell back to the four teenagers laughing and enjoying themselves on the ice.  If only life could be remain like this for them forever.  As much as he would have like to deny it, his daughter possessed magic, fighting for something impossibly vital, an insurmountable destiny for a teenager.  His thoughts were interrupted by a light 'ahem' from behind him.  Twisting his body around, he found himself staring at a young woman, pale and thin but smiling.  It took a bit for the recognition to set in, but within that expanse, much of his sadness had evaporated.  "Yuomo?"

The girl smiled, a little awkwardly but still joyfully.  "Kinomoto-sensei."

Fujitaka stood up immediately peering into her eyes to assure himself of her realness.  "How are you?"

She laughed a little.  "Considering I've been asleep for a year…I think I'm okay."  She gave him a comforting hug before taking a seat between him and Yukito.  "I came down here from Kyoto to visit the university and they told me about everything else."

Fujitaka sighed in remembrance.  "Yes, it's a horrible tragedy.  All the teachers and students lost…"

Yuomo nodded.  "I know; is it true that the archaeology program won't be continued for a while?"

"That's what I heard.  They haven't decided yet, but it seems like the board's leaning that way."

"Then that's even more of a shame.  I wanted to continue my work and graduate this year."

Fujitaka smiled in reassurance.  "I'm sure everything will work out for the best."

"I suppose it will.  Are you teaching again?"

"Apparently; I have a lecture Monday."

"Then I will see you there."  Yuomo looked determined, smiling in the face of what would have been defeat. 

Fujitaka nodded.  "Yes, I will see you there."

Yuomo turned to leave but was arrested by her name being frantically called from behind her. She turned around to catch a glimpse of a girl falling against the ice.  The girl jumped up quickly, running as best she could with skates on, toward Yuomo.  "Yuomo!"

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Sakura was trying to keep her balance as she counted her steps.  She felt better, the ice no longer being so slippery under her feet.  'One, two, one, two…'  "Look Syaoran, I think I'm getting it."  No sooner had the words exited her mouth than the metal blade seemed to stop touching solid ground and she collapsed into a heap onto the pond.  "Or maybe not."

Syaoran watched in slight amusement, intermingled with some frustration that he was unable to bend down and help her up lest he join her on the ice.  "I don't think I can help you up without slipping."

Tomoyo's camera moved up and down as she talked.  "Try anyway; it'll be the highlight shot of today."  She sighed happily, her imagination dancing with the different ways to edit this tape.

Syaoran looked doubtful as he tried to gain a foothold on the ice, determination in his face as Sakura pleaded with her eyes.  Slowly he reached for her hand, pulling delicately trying to maintain balance long enough for her to stand.  After a tense moment, both made it vertical with matching triumphant grins.  "Well this is a good start.  We can stand on ice now."

Tomoyo gasped happily, the possible poses endless in her vision.  "This is perfect, almost.  Could you both move a few feet to my right; that tree will make the best background."  Both cardcaptors were about to argue with Tomoyo, but her intense stare seemed an impassable barrier.  They acquiesced reluctantly, reaching tentative feet out, firmly grasping each other's hands for support.  By what seemed like eternity, they had found their way to the designated spot, being subjected to Tomoyo's commands to straighten up, leaning closer, smile.

Finally satisfying Tomoyo's photomania they exhaled sharply, stretching limbs that had been cramped for too long.  The soreness didn't stop there as Meiling coasted by, taking both their hands and towing them for some distance.  "Come on, you'll never learn if you don't even move!"  She slowed down enough to let her two students find their balance before once again setting off across the ice.  "Right foot first, dig in a little and push off.  Good, now left.  Good, you're getting the hang of it…glide for a while before switching feet." 

Sakura looked down at her feet, one foot after the other, right then left.  Looking up she spied someone far in the distance, next to her father, a very close friend she hadn't seen in a while.  It was only just a glance as the next thing in her vision was swirling white and Syaoran's face looming over her.  "Syaoran?"  Her hand was cold suddenly, the realization that she was touching the ice, having tripped again barely caught in time by Syaoran.

"Daijoubu desu ka?"  Syoaran looked concernedly at Sakura, whose eyes seemed to be staring dazed in some other direction.  He traced her eye's path landing on her father, Yukito and a young woman.  "Who…"  He stopped mid question as Sakura had already left his grasp and was stumbling her way anxiously toward the bench.

Sakura's heart quickened, the woman's figure becoming clearer and more definite.  "Yuomo!"  Instead of a magical reunion, Sakura once again ended up on the ground staring at a dusting of snow; getting up, she tried to collect herself taking slow glides toward Yuomo.

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Sakura looked Yuomo up and down hesitantly, the woman thin and pale, not too different from her father, sickly but recovering.  But she seemed very much alive, the eyes sparkling and a smile on her face.  "Sakura?  Well, how are you?"

Sakura was happy beyond words, Yuomo being alive before her.  "I should ask how you are."

Yuomo returned her question with a bright smile, something which Sakura always seemed to inspire.  "I'm very well.  In fact, I'm going back to university Monday."

"Really?  I'm helping Otou-san straighten out his office Monday.  Are you going to be there?"

"Of course.  I'm still his assistant you know."

Sakura eagerly continued the conversation, dragging Yuomo toward the pond despite her lack of skates, only proven important when she slipped and fell bringing Sakura to the ice with her.  Their collective laughter drifted pleasantly to Fujitaka's ears.  He smiled softly, things starting to fall into place, the chaos of existence settling.

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The languid sun dipped low, swooping to the hills, brushing the afternoon snowscape with its fading rays.  Sakura was immersed in catching Yuomo up with current events, interesting happenings, anything she could think of.  Tomoyo chatted about fashion trends, new innovations in recording, music.  This left both Meiling and Syaoran distanced from the conversation, Meiling for her ignorance of Japan matters having been in Hong Kong for the past few years, and Syoaran preoccupied with something in her periphery.  A group of skaters had gathered at the far side of the pond, looking down at the ice in some kind of rapt fascination.  Too far to know what had captured their interest, he merely looked on curiosity, unaware of Sakura's questions.  "What?"

Sakura looked interested, having turned to Syaoran as Yuomo headed back to talk to her father about unfinished research.  "What were you thinking about Syoaran?"

He remained uncertain of where his mind had drifted, not exactly consciously fixating on the far edge of the ice, but rather beneath it.  "I'm not sure.  I was wondering what those people over there were watching."

"They look excited."

"Well why don't we go?"  As usual Meiling had jumped impulsively to the lead, sprinting towards the crowd.  She waved urgently when she reached them, apparently fascinated by what lay underneath the ice.

The sense of danger built steeply as the cardcaptors slowly approached Meiling.  Standing at the edge of the crowd, the sense of warning materialized into a Clow card's signature, a great power nearly overwhelming their senses.  Just as their eyes met in mutual recognition, the crowd let out an appreciative gasp, fanning out of their circle, staring along a path at the ice underneath Sakura and Syaoran.   Both joined the group at staring at their feet, something passing underneath them, emanating a fantastic amount of power.  "Freeze."  Syaoran was scrutinizing the massive spirit as it swam placidly under the ice, its large fins spread apart in a display of majestic splendor.  For the moment it appeared without intentions, moving freely undisturbed and without showing hostility. 

Sakura stood fastened to the ice, watching the form with increasing anxiety approaching panic as the card's movement became steadily quicker and more abrupt.  The magic flared forth just as it crashed through the ice, breeching into air and diving back through the ice.  A flood of amazed gasps echoed from behind her, witnesses who she could not risk.  She tentatively pulled out a card, watching with dread as it captured the setting light. 

Syaoran nodded as she fixed her questioning eyes with his.  "You're its mistress; it can't hurt people now."  His words seemed to make little effect on Sakura's indecision, the card half raised to stomach level. 

The unsealed card thrashed even more violently, breaking surface again, before disappearing into the depths of the pond.  Sakura shook her head violently in a gesture of finality calling upon her wand and striking the card.  "Sleep."  The onlookers' gaze had transfixed upon her as Clow's summoning circle appeared beneath her feet, the unnatural light refracting into the ice, spilling into each crease so that they lay like shards of a shattered mirror.  Their disbelief curtailed as Sleep danced lightly in the winter breezes, scattering its indigo powder over their heads.  Tomoyo's camera hit the ice with a distinctly sharp click before the whole pond area fell silent, people laying on the ice, slumped down on benches, leaning asleep on railings.  Sakura discarded her worries as Sleep resealed with a momentary smile before returning to its confines. 

The whale-like spirit responded to her magical summoning with a furious crash against the ice, shaking the ground so that both cardcaptors fell to the frosted plane.  A threatening creak echoed into the still air, as Freeze continued to thrash under the ice.  Gathering its speed, it hurtled again at the frozen barrier, its force rippling through the pond.  Small fissures enlarged to complete cracks as parts of the vast, undisturbed surface of the pond destabilized, becoming brittle and fragile.  The mass of the skaters upon each floe drove the ice down into the water, a silent struggle between its buoyancy and the extra weight, only resolved when the pane broke apart and dropped the human forms into the freezing waters.  Sakura watching in horror as each person disappeared from view into the murky depths, a trail of bubbles marking their descent.  Tomoyo's blue frozen face flashed before her eyes, Meiling's body encased in eternal sleep.  If they didn't suffocate, they'd surely freeze to death, so would everyone else.  All the innocent people, their last words lost to the bubbling water.  A ray of hope gripped Sakura, extracting a card.  "Bubble.  Surround everyone." 

She dropped to her hands and knees peering through the translucent ice watching as bubble wounds its way through the bodies, creating an air pocket around them.  She sighed in relief, but found her breath locking in her throat as Freeze swam dangerously close to the encased people.  She pounded hard on the cracking ice, trying to draw the card's attention; it seemed to work as Freeze lost interest in the floating bubbles, opting to dash toward Sakura.  Before she could utter a startled shout, the spirit had burst through the ice underneath her, its strength throwing her down harshly against the pond.  It breeched over her, intensifying its magical output, an oppressive energy seeming to bind Sakura down to the pond.  Struggling to move, she found ice starting to creep along her skates, up to her ankles, encasing her body, winding its way up to her stomach, fastening her arms and the sealing wand to her chest.  Syaoran was looming closer to her when there was a sickening creak, the ice under her straining under the new weight, giving way and dumping her suddenly into the water.  There was the sharp pang of sensation assaulting her skin, a cold so intense that she felt she was burning, every exposed nerve being torn and singed.  Her eyes closed instinctually, seeing a cloud of bubbles floating away from her before it was all black.

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Syaoran blinked as he was thrown off his feet as Freeze impacted the ice.  Sakura had summoned a card and collapsed to her knees.   As he awkwardly rushed towards her, the frost at her feet exploded, the massive spirit breeching over her.  "Sakura!" It was no use, his voice lost amidst the sound of cracking ice, Sakura's figure magically engulfed by branching ice fingers.  He raised a fist to strike the ice just when the ground below her gave way and she disappeared into a bubbling hole.  Quickly, he thrust his arm into the gap, ignoring the intense cold arching through his body.  Grasping the hood of Sakura's jacket, he desperately pulled her body up fearing the worst. 

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She gasped in shock as the numbing water removed itself from her face.  Her hair matted to her pale skin, a bluish twinge veining her normally soft hue.  She coughed out "Bubble" an instant sphere surrounding her exposed flesh, fortunately just in time as the ice continued to crawl up her body, coating the bubble and encasing the card mistress in a shell of ice.  She watched helplessly in her air pocket, her clear view distorted by the ice all around her.  Syaoran was no longer distinguishable, a dark blur moving back and forth.  Her mind fogged, the air getting heavy, feeling her control of the bubbles fading.  For everyone's sake, she hoped Syaoran escaped without injury.

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"Sakura!"  Syaoran punched at the ice, the hardness digging deep into his knuckles, sending off spasms of pain.  He gritted his teeth in aggravation as whatever he succeeded in cracking mended itself immediately.  He considered his options:  his sword or summoning fire.  All would endanger her, something he was unwilling to do.  And yet, he could barely see her face through the thick ice crystal, panic reigning in her blurred features, knowing that the air was running out quickly.  His only option would be to defeat the card, but looking down at his feet, the monster swimming freely, he doubted his chances.  But he had to try.  Striking an ofuda he summoned water, a strong stream penetrating the lake's depths, churning the stillness, the waters becoming agitated and treacherous.  Freeze tried to avoid the disturbance, swimming away from the point of impact, but found it could not hope to outrace a speeding riptide.  Instead, it breeched into the air, flinging itself backward, landing in the wave's wake as it continued on to the farther reaches of the pond. 

Syaoran jumped back as a shower of ice shards from Freeze's surfacing flew towards him.  He had formed a plan, taking a last look at Sakura's flickering eyes.  "Water descend."  Another burst of water dived into the pond, Freeze following the same tactics, crashing through the ice.  As it rose into the air, Syaoran deftly summoned another spell, "Raiden shorai."  A bolt of lightning struck down mercilessly on the unsealed card with devastating force.  Its wounded body landed with a heavy thud against a section of undisturbed ice, sliding from the momentum of impact.  Syaoran turned quickly to Sakura, placing his hands on her ice prison, the solidity suddenly soft and then finally dissolving into water, raining to the ground.  "Sakura."  She collapsed against his arms, taking in large gulps air to satiate her burning lungs.

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Sakura breathed in deeply, her consciousness divided into two tasks; keeping the bubbles around everyone stable and preserving her strength.  She stretched out on the ice, laying flat on her stomach, sliding the sealing wand in Freeze's direction.  "Return to the guise you were meant to be in, Clow card."  Gently tapping the staff's head on the ice, Freeze collapsed into a gaseous layer, skimming the snow to form a card and drift its way to Syaoran.  "Float."  Many bubbles arose from the water, its inhabitants still soundly asleep.  Float settled them neatly on the lake's banks, before Bubble and itself returned to card form.  Sakura shivered, the feel of the wind raw against her face.  Then all was dark.

Sakura stirred feeling warm; moving her arms, she heard the many layers over her rustle.  Opening one eye, she was assaulted by the rushing snow, its flakes hurtling toward her vision and then suddenly veering upward.  It was a while before her muddled mind realized that she was in a moving car, many coats laying over her, resting on Syoaran's lap.  He was asleep, magically and physically drained, his head leaned against the window.  'Just another day.'

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Author's Note:  Whew! Finally done!  Please review; tell me what I need to improve on.