A/N: Buckle up, you're in for a bumpy ride. The action is building here, but the next chapter will be full of it. Trust me. It's coming. And then we'll get to the sappy romance bits, okay? This is as dark as I could stomach, and I think you'll see now why I gave it the rating I did. If you don't agree, let me know. That way I can avoid you in the future. LOL

Starquestor said my story is brilliant! Wai! ~does a happy dance~ Thank you for pointing out what I'm doing right. I hope this next chapter doesn't disappoint. I'm writing as fast as I can!

Silent Eyes

Yukito's Magic

As soon as Touya and Syaoran followed Yue into the kitchen, Yue created a subtle magic shield around the three of them. Touya's eyebrows rose questioningly while Syaoran's lowered in confusion. "Act naturally, help me fix lunch, we're being watched."

Touya immediately headed to the refrigerator and started pulling things out. He gave simple instructions, deciding what to fix in an instant. And then, in the same tone of voice, he added, "We can talk freely then?"

"We can, right now, because I am confident that Sakura's kidnapper can't concentrate on too many things at once. When he glances to see what we're doing he will see us at work, boring, and he will return his attention to his real targets again."

Syaoran nodded calmly. "The magic was to keep him from listening in, but that's it? Just enough to keep him from getting suspicious."

Yue looked down, not wanting to lie, but not wanting to admit his weakened state. Honesty won. "That's part of it, but mostly I don't want to be too much of a drain on Touya."

"On--? Sakura is even cut off from you? Dammit!" Syaoran was shaking with the effort it took to not let his anger show.

Yue waved a hand toward the window, glancing at where he knew the invisible moon hung in the sky. "I'm at less than half my usual strength. Yukito is half of my self and when he was taken half of my magic went with him. The new moon is tomorrow. I'm the weakest I've been since--" He broke off with a significant glance toward Touya.

Syaoran looked between the two for a moment, then went back to work chopping vegetables. "So, what's the plan?"

"We'll need to ask for magical help from people who aren't here but still know Sakura. Touya, if you could bring the phone in here?"

Touya nodded and complied.

"Syaoran, your mother and sisters have met Sakura? I have a vague memory of going to modern Hong Kong, but my memories of being Yuki are fading."

It was Touya who answered. "Yes, we went there a few years ago. The brat's sisters are rather hard to forget." The smirk on Touya's face started a glaring match between the two that threatened to degenerate into physical violence. Yue missed Sakura more than ever at that moment; she always managed to distract the two or be a buffer between them somehow. And...if Sakura didn't stop the two from coming to blows...Yukito always had.

Yue sighed and stepped between the two, breaking eye contact. He glared at Touya for a moment, then turned to Syaoran with a slight smile. "If I remember right, you had four beautiful sisters, but they were a bit too enthusiastic for my taste. Yuki thought they were fun and was amused that Touya was so uncomfortable. It's only a flash of an impression though. Now, can we put the rivalry aside and get back to what's important?" He wearily returned to making the pudding.

There was silence for a few moments, then Touya went back to cooking and Syaoran picked up the phone. "To-ya?"

"Yes?"

"When he's done, I need you to call Kaho Mitsuki. I thought about asking Eriol to call her, but I don't know how he's dealing with their breakup. I think her and her wife might be able to help though."

"What do you want me to tell her?"

"Don't worry, she'll know what to do."

Syaoran jumped and covered the mouthpiece of the phone. "How did--that's what my mother just said! She said she knows what to do. What's going on?"

Some things are best left unsaid, little wolf. Or, they're best left unsaid out loud at least. Yue projected the thought into Syaoran's mind, reminding the teenager that they had resources that couldn't be monitored even if they should be used sparingly.

"Oh yeah, I forgot."

~~~~~@~~~~~

Eriol was shocked, suffering in a way that he couldn't describe. He knew he could end Sakura's suffering with a few simple words. It would be easy, no real effort, he would simply have to give the madman who was torturing his friend (daughter) the secret he wanted.

But, he knew what would happen then. The stakes were too high. This was an old enemy of Clow's who had relied heavily on illusion and a few real tricks to get what he wanted. The madman had been easy to defeat then, but now? The situation was very different now. Clow's energy had been divided between himself and Fujitaka, so Sakura had been the most powerful of them all. Last time Yue had been captured alone and had been able to fight free on his own. It had been a frantic time for Clow, but the results had been almost laughable.

This plan had been so well executed that Eriol hadn't made the connection until Yue took Touya and Syaoran into the kitchen. There was something about the angelic being's attitude that spoke volumes, and the part of Eriol that would always be Clow was fluent in the language of Yue's body.

Eriol found himself blushing as he tried to forget the images that unfortunate phrase called to mind. Not only was it inappropriate for the circumstances, but it was best for him to not think about Yue at all. Clow was dead, and confusing the issue would be a huge disservice to both of them. Maybe all three of them...all four of them? Did Yukito figure into this as well? He would have to if Eriol did.

That was only half of the mess that would ensue. He did not want to think about the twists and turns something like that would invite.

Eriol leaned forward, shifting position in reflection of trying to shift his mental path. What had been the name of this upstart? It had been so long ago that the original incident had been put out of his mind. Only Yue's indignity had caused the memory to stick with him at all.

Do you remember his name? Eriol shared his thoughts for the first time along the bond he shared with Fujitaka. Desperate times called for desperate measures after all.

A slight widening of the eyes and a pause in petting the demanding Keroberus was the only outward sign of surprise Fujitaka showed. I remember what we called him...that annoying gnat buzzing around.

Eriol nodded slightly. It seems the gnat was reincarnated as a wasp.

Keroberus? Would he remember? He had always remembered anything he could use to taunt Yue with. Keroberus? Do you remember the idiot that tried to kidnap Yue?

Kero snickered. He almost replied out loud, but Fujitaka placed a warning finger against the sun guardian's lips. You think that this is the same person?

Yes.

Damn. That means it will never be funny to tease Yue about him again. Keroberus looked sulky, but then brightened slightly. If it's the same guy, he won't be hard to beat and Sakura will be safe soon!

Eriol gave a small shake of his head. He's obviously learned a few tricks since then, and none of us here are powerful enough to penetrate them.

Are you kidding? Kero suddenly flopped down in his full form in front of the couch, seeking petting from everyone in the room. He purred when Tomoyo and Sonomi immediately complied, eating up the attention with relish. That guy had the same tricks back then. Don't you remember how weak I was, and Clow was, after Yue was taken? Same crystal ball. Same flair for the dramatic. Yue told me time and time again that the only reason he escaped so easily was that Korvath hadn't realized how quickly Yue would recover from being drained.

Aaah, yes. That was his name. Korvath. Keroberus, does this mean you have an idea how to stop him?

Of course. Wait until he makes his big mistake, then follow the energy from this tape to his current hide-out and rescue the Mistress and the Snow Bunny.

Eriol quailed. When he looked at the screen and paid attention to what was happening next the last thing he wanted to do was wait. Korvath was holding out a knife and threatening Sakura with it.

Wait, no. It was worse.

Korvath was threatening Sakura's clothes with it. Ice was somehow pumping through Eriol's veins suddenly, and he didn't know how he could sit there and watch the screen anymore. As he surveyed the faces of the others in the room he knew he wasn't alone.

~~~~~@~~~~~

Sakura kept her eyes closed as long as she could, but the pain made her whimper and gave away the fact that she was awake. She kept trying to pull her hand to her chest, but the rope just dug deeper into her arm with her struggles. The whole of her existence seemed to be centered on that hand and the pain she was in.

"Sakura, doll..." the enemy drawled, his breath tickling her ear. Knowing he was that close made her cringe and feel violated. She pulled against her restraints futilely, trying to just get away from this person. "It seems your friends and family still don't take me seriously enough. It is time I did more I think."

"No. Please, no." Her voice was a hoarse whisper, full of horror.

"I'm afraid it's not up to me at this point. I'm just enjoying the ride."

He left for a few moments, and Sakura sent more magical energy to Yukito, hoping it would do some bit of good. She could see him stir slightly out of the corner of her eye, but it was a bad angle and she couldn't look at him directly to see what he was doing. Footfalls approached all too soon though, and Yuki stopped moving immediately.

Their captor came wielding a crystal ball and a knife. First he passed the crystal ball over Sakura, and she noticed that her hand had been healed. It still hurt terribly, but the flesh was whole. It gave her something to hold on to.

When the crystal ball had covered Sakura's entire body the man set it aside and Sakura felt diminished and weak. This, then, was the device her adversary used to drain her magic. Now that she knew what it was, she could destroy it if given a chance.

The thought was driven from her quickly though when the man brought out the knife. "My delicate little flower. It is time to taste your sweet, innocent nectar. You are such a pure little girl, so that will make the horror of what I am going to do that much worse. Fight me, please. I want to see you struggle. I get off on it."

The pain in her hand had blessedly diminished, but it left her with no distraction for this new horror. The knife was magically sharp, for it cut through her clothes as if the threads were smoke, and left a stinging trail across her skin where the knife had cut. She watched small dots of blood and red welts form in those areas. Watching the phenomena strangely centered her, letting her forget her emotions. Calm settled over her like a blanket, so it didn't matter that she was suddenly exposed.

This enraged the man. "I want you to squirm, little girl. Don't lay there like a corpse. When I have your body under mine I want you to already be howling in pain. This isn't a game that I'll stop playing just because you are frigid. And when I'm finished, I will use this knife to carve my name, Korvath, on your thigh. That way every man who has you after me will know who deflowered this little cherry blossom. Even that doesn't make you squirm? Then how about this?"

Suddenly, the pain in her hand hit a new height, ripping a shriek from her throat. She couldn't stop herself from writhing again with the pain, and wanted to throw up in disgust at the look of glee on the man's face. Tears clouded her vision, distorting the terrible form before her, and she missed what happened next. She just felt like there were more people in there, people she knew, and a sudden surge of magical energy blasted through the room. As consciousness left her she harnessed and channeled that energy to Yukito so he could somehow save them.

~~~~~@~~~~~

The hardest thing Yuki had ever done was lay still while he listened to Korvath gleefully talk about raping someone he loved so much. Sakura was the closest thing to a sister he would ever have, and he had come close to falling in love with her years ago. If Touya had rejected him--

He felt his hands clench and his nails dig into his palms. It didn't matter how he loved her. He couldn't just sit back and let this monster destroy someone he loved. He would die first. His whole reason for being was to protect her anyway, even if that was more the duty of his other form. Yue was his true form after all. He was fundamentally unable to let this man harm his Sakura.

He had just gathered his strength to stand and do something when a warm energy flowed into the room. He opened his eyes to see the ghostly forms of Mitsuki Kaho and Li Yelan grab Korvath's knife and crystal sphere. The knife was jerked into the sphere and energy exploded out from it. Both items disintegrated instantly and Korvath lunged for them. When he found he was grasping only empty air he turned upon Sakura's helpless and unconscious form, murderous intent clear on his features.

Yuki felt the power grow within him to extreme levels, and his will was already focused on stopping this man by any means necessary. He felt his body grow cold and his hands tingled. A glow formed around his hands, an icy blue color that illuminated the whole room in bright starkness like that of a landscape lit by the full moon. A split second before Korvath could strike Sakura the energy discharged and struck their enemy, throwing him with a sickening thud across the room.

A deathly silence descended upon them. It was obvious from the glassy stare that Korvath had died instantly. Yuki's eyes were saucers, staring back into those dead eyes. He had just killed someone. He had used magic, on his own, and used it to kill someone. He was in the same room as a corpse. A corpse he had just killed himself. With magic he shouldn't have had. Eventually he blinked, but then the staring started all over again. Another blink happened. This was soon followed by another blink. The next blink was to fight back the tears that were stinging the corners of his eyes. He didn't know why he should cry. He finally pulled his gaze away from the dead man, but that pulled him to Sakura's naked and bloodied body. He never wanted to see that. He felt like he had violated her just by glancing at her in that state. He forced his eyes to stare at his toes, then ambled like a zombie toward Sakura. He awkwardly undid the ropes, freeing her. The last rope was the one on her left arm. The hand still looked whole, but he saw a muscle twitch in her palm and wondered if the pain would ever leave her.

He finally sunk to the floor, pulling his glasses off and weeping into his arms.

~~~~~@~~~~~