After the Crash

Chapter 5: Rescued

Sakura sighed as she looked at her watch.  It had been 5 hours since they had begun walking that day, and there was still no sign that the forest would end anytime soon.

"Can we stop and rest for a while?" she asked Syaoran.

He looked at her.  She looked flushed.  "Yeah, sure."

She slowly sank down to the ground. "I'm so tired," she said.

He walked over to her and placed his hand on her forehead.  She looked up at him surprised.  "Syaoran-kun?"

He frowned.  She was seriously burning up.  "You have a fever," he told her.

"I'm okay," she said weakly.

He sighed.  What can I do? I don't have any way to help her.  Sakura…

***

It had been a few hours since Keroberos and Yue had arrived at the crash site.  Yue looked sadly down at the remains of the plane.  He sighed, closing his eyes.  They suddenly snapped open.  He could barely feel two powers far off to the left.  One of the powers felt like the descendent of Clow Reed.  And the other was very weak…

"Do you feel that?" he asked Keroberos who nodded.

They quickly took off in the direction of the two powers.

***

Sakura slowly opened her eyes to see Syaoran leaning over her.

"Did I fall asleep?" she asked.

"Yeah…" Syaoran replied.  She's getting worse.  I can't take this much longer.  She needs help.  I don't want to lose her…

Sakura yawned.  I feel so weak.  But it's nice to know Syaoran is here with me.  It makes me feel safe and like everything will be okay.  I'm so glad…

She began to doze off once again. 

"Sakura?"  Syaoran sighed as he realized she had fallen back to sleep.  He gently touched her cheek.  It was so hot.  He quickly decided to take off his shirt and dampened it using the cool water from the stream.  He carefully folded it and placed it over her forehead, then sat quietly beside her.

***

Touya and Fujitaka suddenly sat as a new update about the crash was about to be given on the news. 

"We have just received word from one of the search parties.  Remarkably, they have found a few survivors.  At this time they are being taken to a nearby hospital to be treated.  A further update will be given when they reach the hospital.  Please stay tuned."

Touya and Fujitaka could barely believe their ears.  Even though they had no idea if Sakura would be among them, their hope was strongly revived. 

They looked at each other and smiled for the first time since they first heard about the crash.  Kaho, who was sitting on the couch next to Touya sighed in relief.  Maybe things will start getting better for them…I just hope Sakura is among those survivors.

***

Syaoran suddenly snapped his head up as he sensed two powers coming quickly towards them.  It feels like Keroberos and Yue…

A few moments later, the two guardians landed before him.  They sighed in relief until they looked down and saw Sakura.

"Sakura!" Keroberos called out in surprise.

Yue turned worriedly back to Syaoran. "How long has she been like this?"

"A few hours."

"We have to get her out of here," Keroberos said.

"The forest ends a short distance from here.  We'll carry her out," Yue told Syaoran.

Yue quickly picked up the sick girl and began flying in the direction they had been walking toward.  Keroberos told Syaoran to get on his back and they quickly followed after them until they reached the edge of the woods where Yue stopped.

He looked at Syaoran. 

"There is a town very near here.  It would be better if you carried her the rest of the way," Yue told him.

"Yue?" Sakura mumbled, opening her eyes.

"Everything will be fine," he told her, gently handing her over to Syaoran. 

"That's right," Keroberos added, walking up to her.

"I'm…glad you're here," Sakura said, looking at him weakly.

Syaoran then began walking out of the forest, Keroberos and Yue flying high overhead. 

"Thank you Syaoran," Sakura mumbled.  She smiled at him.  It feels nice…him holding me.

Syaoran looked at her worriedly, but was happy to see her smile.  It will be okay.

***

"We have finally found out the names of the few survivors.  Please listen carefully.  They are Tetsudau Masato, Teizo Naosu, Yoshio Taguchi, Maiko Taguchi, Mei Chu, and a baby that we can not identify.  We will show you his picture after he is treated.  All of these people are being treated and held at Anzen (safe) Hospital.  The survivors have also reported two others who left the group to try and find help.  We have not been able to ask for their names as of yet, but we will do so once they have been treated.  The other two survivors have not yet been found.  We will update you as soon as possible.  Please stay tuned."

Touya and Fujitaka looked hopefully at one another.  Sakura's name had not been mentioned, but they strongly believed she was one of the two that had left the group. 

Kaho glanced at Eriol who had been staying there along with her the entire time. "I hope they find the other two soon," she said. 

***

Syaoran waited worriedly in the waiting room.  He had just been looked over and treated at a small clinic some townspeople had been kind enough to take them to.  The doctors were in with Sakura at the moment, and he was nervous.  I hope she's okay…she has to be okay.  It was just a fever so she has to be fine.  She better be fine.  I'm so worried…I've never been worried like this before.  I want to be with her…

"Uh…sir?"  Syaoran spun around quickly to face the doctor that had been with Sakura.

"Is she okay?" he asked.

"She'll be fine," the doctor replied.  "You two are from that crash right?  That's what the people that brought you in said."

"Yes, we are.  Are you sure she's okay?  Can I see her?" Syaoran asked impatiently.

The doctor smiled.  "I'm sure she'll be fine.  Right now she's sleeping.  She needs to rest.  She'll be fine if she can just rest.  And her arm was a little infected too, nothing serious, but it would have been very bad if you guys hadn't made it here this soon."

Syaoran sighed relieved.

"We're going to be transporting you to the hospital the other survivors are at," the doctor told him.  Syaoran looked around him as they suddenly wheeled a sleeping Sakura out on a stretcher.  "Is the ambulance ready?" the doctor asked one of the orderlies who nodded. "Please take this young man as well."  The doctor then turned toward Syaoran.  "Well, I'm glad to see that you two will be alright.  You certainly are quite lucky." 

With that, the doctor left to go see another patient and Syaoran followed the orderly out to the ambulance. 

Sakura suddenly opened her eyes as she was being transferred to the ambulance. 

"Syaoran…" she murmured as she saw him out of the corner of her eye. 

Syaoran climbed into the ambulance and sat beside her.  He took one of her hands, holding it gently. 

"I told you it would be okay, didn't I?" he said.  She just smiled and closed her eyes, falling happily to sleep.  Syaoran smiled weakly back at her.  In a few moments, he also fell asleep still holding her hand.

***

End of Chapter 5