DISCLAIMER: I do not own Card Captor Sakura, CLAMP does.

********************

Fanny chan: okay, sorry that they didn't kissed…

chibi fanny: *evil glares* …yet.

Fanny chan: *sweatdrops*

Tomoyo: *blushes*

Fanny chan: And also for the long wait… Sorry… *downcast*

********************

Summary of this story: Haha… I couldn't stand not writing angst… hehe. Must be something in my blood. So here is a short-story ExT fic… *smiles* R&R please. I don't know why… *ponders* But I find angst fic more touching, more beautiful… *turns to readers and smiles* Right?


********************

Crying without tears

By Fanny chan

She has returned: so near yet so far

A loud tinkling sound echoed through the entire manor.

Tomoyo and Eriol sprang apart, cheeks tinted with hints of pink.

In the distance, a muffled voice cried out. "ERIOL-SAMA!!! SAKURA-CHAN AND SYAORAN-KUN HAS COME TO VISIT!!!"

"Nakura…" Tomoyo heard Spinel hiss as he landed on her shoulder once again.

Coughing and standing up, Eriol held out an arm for Tomoyo. "Tomoyo-chan?"

Tomoyo had not heard him. Instead, a name echoed in her mind over and over again. And it was not Eriol's.

Sakura… Sakura… Sakura… Sakura… is here? Now?

Eriol stared at her, confused, his arm sliding back to his side. "Tomoyo-chan?"

Suddenly, she reached and grabbed the collar of his shirt pulling him close. "Sakura-chan? Here? Now? Wh… why?"

Eriol gently pried the fingers around his collar and eyed the distraught girl. Then it came to him. Smiling sadly, he hugged her while the insistent ringing nagged annoyingly in the background. They ignored it, Spinel smiling slightly as Tomoyo and Eriol lay in an embrace.

Finally, when the tinkling of the bell became too much, they separated.

"Don't worry, I'll be here." Eriol gave her a light peck on the cheek and gently lifted her off the chair. Slowly he led her towards the door.

"ERIOL-SAMA!!!" Nakuru shrieked again, and Spinel winced.

Eriol allowed Tomoyo to collapse on the couch as he left the living room to the narrow passage and he opened the door.

"This is a surprise," Eriol spoke, allowing his guests and Nakuru to enter. He deliberately ignored the glare Syaoran sent over as per usual.

"Sakura-san, I thought you still should be in Hong Kong." It was a statement, lightly posed as a question.

Sakura smiled at him. "Nakuru-san convinced me to come for a visit. Syaoran-kun companied me."

"Of course he should." Eriol replied instantly as dark red spots appeared on both Sakura's and Syaoran's cheeks. "He's your fiancé."

Nakuru wandered into the living room and once again, her piercing cry radiated through the mansion.

"TOMOYO-CHAN!"

Sakura's emerald eyes widened. "Tomoyo-chan is here? Oh I can't wait to see her!" With that, she dragged Syaoran towards the opening where Nakuru had previously disappeared to.

Eriol sighed, wondering how Tomoyo was fairing as he himself walked back into the living room.

***

Tomoyo was being hugged and snuggled by both Sakura and Nakuru, an indignant grin plastered on her lips.

"Ne…"  A gasp "Ne Nakuru-san, Sakura-chan, I can't breathe."

Immediately they both scrambled off.

"Ne Tomoyo-chan, what is Suppi-chan doing on your shoulder?" Nakuru asked despite the note of diaspprovement from Spinel about his name.

"None of your business." Suppi muttered as he curled into a ball.

Tomoyo smiled and turned to Syaoran.

"Syaoran-kun. Nice to meet you again."

Syaoran nodded, smiling back.

Eriol clapped his hands. "Now that everyone's introduced once again, Nakuru, why don't you show Syaoran and Sakura to the guest room. I'm sorry if it's not really made for your visit. I had no idea."

"Daijoubu Eriol-kun," Sakura smiled dismissively as she left.

The seconds ticked by, surrounded by the comfortable silence surrounding the room. Finally, a quiet question broke through it, concern evident in its tone.

"Tomoyo-chan?" Eriol inquired as he settled down beside Tomoyo.

Tomoyo sniffed and buried her head into Eriol's shirt, silent tears streaming down her cheeks.

"I missed her so much. She's here, so near…"

"… yet so far…" Eriol finished softly, stroking her hair soothingly. "Don't worry, I know…"

Neither of them noticed a tiny figure listening to the exchange, contemplating silently to itself before allowing a small smile.

So I was right all along… it thought silently.

*******************

GOMEN NASAI!!! *bows* To all those who had wanted for them to kiss. *sighs* No, not yet, but at least they've become closer o^_^o

And I'm sorry if Spinel is OOC and if I made Nakuru sound like a total stuck-up or something like that… *sweatdrops* Well, I had always preferred Suppi-chan to Nakuru =^-^=

Thankies:

[REMOVED]

~Completed on: 14th November 2002~

~Amended on: 20th December 2002~