Author's Note: See? Another interlude. Short, sweet, and to the point.

Thank you all my dear reviewers! Amalthea, L-chan, Lady Kazune Kikenshi, Pink Cherry Blossom, and Askani Blue, it means a lot to me that you guys take the time to let me know you like this.

Solace--Interlude 2

Frustration

"Well, did you get the story from Syaoran-kun yet?"

"Yes, and he's such an idiot! They were so happy with not being hated by the other one that they didn't get past it. Now he's mopey all over again because he wants to tell Eriol he loves him, but he never got up the courage. This is going to take forever!"

"They had a week to tell each other. I thought one of them would have the courage."

"Sure, Tomoyo-chan. Just like you had the courage to tell Sakura your feelings as soon as you realized them."

"Meilin, that was a totally different situation and you know it."

"Yes, and Syaoran is even more shy than you are, for all that you act like a demure and soft spoken lady."

"I know. He's shy, I'm just well behaved."

"So, do you want to help me come up with a plan?"

"What about a simple plan? You two just come to visit again soon!"

"It will be another six months before we can find an excuse to get Syaoran to Tomoeda again."

"Why? I would think that confessing his feelings for Eriol-kun would be reason enough to come back sooner than that!"

"Reason, yes. That's not an excuse though."

"I don't understand I guess."

"Tomoyo-chan...you met Syaoran's mom. Remember?"

"But he's an adult! He can make his own decisions."

"He's an adult with a lot of responsibilities to the Clan. His mother is still acting as head of the Li Clan, but she's giving him more and more responsibility all the time--and she's not a person to cross lightly."

"I don't know...when I met his mom she reminded me of my own mother."

"A little, I can see what you mean, but she has magic and isn't nearly as modern as your mother. That is a big difference."

"True."

"Also...I'm not sure how she would react if Syaoran brought home a guy. It's very important that he has a baby of his own blood to carry on the family line, and it's almost as important that we get a new infusion of magic in the family. It used to be very rare that any of us would be born without magic, but I wasn't the only one in this generation, and now there are others in the next. A lot of us are worried that we won't be any good at protecting the family against a real threat again, and since we're so well known in the magic community that could be a big problem."

"Oh, Meilin, I had no idea...."

"You weren't supposed to. We don't talk about it with outsiders usually, but I thought you should know that this could be a big problem. Syaoran can't just do what he pleases at any time."

"Okay, then I think I have a new plan. I'll have to talk things over with Sakura first, but that shouldn't be a problem. I need to know though, would it be okay if we visit you? All of us?"

"Oh! That's a wonderful idea! But it's so much trouble to go through."

"Not really. I have a business trip coming up and was planning on taking Sakura with me anyway. If we could persuade Eriol to come with us we could get things to work out."

"I don't know. Eriol-san just moved, so he might not want to pick up and go somewhere else so soon."

"It's next month. By that time he'll be climbing the walls and kicking himself for not saying anything to Syaoran while he had the chance."

"Maybe one of them will pick up a phone and call the other like we do."

"Don't be silly, Meilin. They're guys. They don't talk about their feelings on the phone."

~~~~~@~~~~~

one week later…

"Eriol? Is that you? Why are you calling?"

"Well hello, Syaoran, it's nice to hear from you too...."

"That's not the way I meant it. I just never expected you to call."

"Well, I don't usually. I thought I'd let you know that Tomoyo-chan, Sakura-chan, and I will be in Hong Kong in a few weeks. Tomoyo-chan and Sonomi-san have business there and thought it would be a good vacation too."

"Wait...let me get something to write this down with. Okay, what days?"

"We'll be arriving in the evening on August third and then leaving on the eighteenth. They were planning one week for business and one week for vacation, so Sakura and I will have a week with nothing better to do than visit. Sonomi-san said she wants us all to go sight seeing together, so we shouldn't do too much that first week. That is, if you don't mind. If you have other things to do than keep us company I'm sure I could dredge up some old memories of the area and show Sakura things that the tourists wouldn't know."

"Baka. You'd get lost probably. Hong Kong has changed a lot since Clow's time."

"Of course. What better way to waste time than to have an adventure while you're lost? I'd have Sakura more confused than ever as I tried to find landmarks that have changed over time or mistake one thing for another and get struck with trying to remember things that won't quite come."

"You really can be evil, you know that?"

"Thank you, I try so hard."

"So...was there something else?"

"Not really, but...."

"Yes?"

"I--have something I wanted to tell you."

"Go ahead."

"It's really tempting to say it now so that I'm not so nervous and scared, but I...I think I should say it in person. I guess I shouldn't have said anything at all, I'm sorry."

"No, it's okay."

"Are you smiling? It sounds like you're smiling over there!"

"I think it must be a bad connection because it sounds like you're smiling too."

"Does that mean you're not smiling?"

"I didn't say that. How about you?"

"Maybe."

"I've got to go...I'll see you in a few weeks."

"Yeah. See you then."

~~~~~@~~~~~