The Snowman and The Swallow

Hey! Here's the 25th chappie of eSnowman&eSwallow and I hope you'll enjoy it like I do writing! Thanks! And erm, I did warn you about a twist coming up. Well, it's gonna start on this chapter and perhaps twist rather PAINFULLY *grimaces* in the next chapter and beyond! It's gonna get exciting but I'm not gonna spoil the twist for you. Just one reminder. Remember Skrichey, the one who killed Eriol's parents? And remember the story Once Upon a Time that Eriol and Tomoyo just luv a lot? Yup, you'll need to refresh your memory in order to understand what will be going in the future chapters.

Thanks

As always,

Mysterio000

p.s. the almighty one!

*

He woke up, startled, sweat drops trickling down the side of his forehead. He had dreamt of something horrible. Something he had not dreamt in years.

In his dream, his father was once again dying before his eyes and there was nothing he could do but to watch by helplessly. This dream had haunted him terribly in the past and it took him all of his willpower to overcome it somehow.

It never haunted him again.

Until now.

He wiped away his sweat as he stared out of the window. Something was not right. He knew it. But he didn't know what was going on. His instincts were powerful and something was whirling in his head, telling him of something he couldn't decipher.

"Oi Hiiragizawa." Syaoran chirped as he grinned, folding his arms. Eriol looked up expressionlessly, "What is it?" The amber-eyed boy smiled, "Heard you didn't sleep well last night. Thinking of her again?"

Stains covered his face again as he looked away, standing up, "No. It's about other things." Syaoran jogged after him, "Yeah right. I believe." He said with a note of sarcasm in his voice.

Eriol stopped next to the misty windows, looking out, a frown playing on his lips. Syaoran frowned, too, "Something's up, Snowman?" Eriol stood motionlessly when he turned around, eyes giving an expression hard to uncover. He turned the knob and exited out of the dorm.

"Hey come on! What's up with you today, Snowman?" Syaoran asked as he watched Eriol with curious eyes.

"You don't need to care." To which he replied coldly and disappeared from sight. Syaoran folded his arms. Something was definitely wrong with him. But somehow, he couldn't figure out what.

Neither could Eriol himself.

*

There's something I know…Yet I can't tell what…There's something whirling in my head…Telling me something…B-But I can't decipher what is that… Eriol mumbled as he sat on the garden of Shades School, looking up to the misty skies. It was ready to rain anytime but he didn't care. His brain was almost wrecked apart trying to discover what it was trying to tell him.

I remember yesterday Dad had gave me his advices on Tomoyo…And then…I slept well after that…But somehow, that dream came back to me and haunt me again.

Eriol wore a look of confusion when his train of thoughts were interrupted by the same familiar voice that always made his heart twitched.

"Eriol-kun?"

Tomoyo settled beside him, smiling, "Hi there." Eriol nodded, acknowledging her presence but said no more. She looked at him for a long time when his eyes met hers.

"What is it?" He asked. She felt for his forehead which immediately made the pink stains returned to his face. She dropped her hand back to her sides and frowned, "You're troubling over something, aren't you, Eriol-kun?"

He nodded, knowing that there was nothing he could hide from this girl.

"What is it?" She asked gently, not willing to probe into it further if he sounded reluctant.

"I don't know…But I remembered dreaming of something horrible…" He muttered. She could sense that he didn't want to talk about it anymore. So she didn't.

"Alright…" She said before breaking into a smile, "I think you haven't had your breakfast, have you? Come on, let's go get something to eat, shall we?" Her smiling eyes met his still-confused ones.

He finally sighed, "I guess…" He stood up as she walked by him to the cafeteria.

Then it hit him.

He suddenly stopped in his tracks, eyes suddenly icy and cold. Tomoyo turned towards him, "What is it, Eriol-kun?"

He spoke no words. For he knew what was bothering him all morning.

It was his Father's death anniversary.

*

His eyes remained cold and silent as he kneeled down before his father's grave. Tomoyo stood beside him, eyes filled with concern and sympathy. He laid the bouquet of white chrysanthemums down before his father's grave and stood up.

Dad….it's this day again…

He touched the corner of the ageing grave, eyes filled with a sudden flow of hatred and indescribable emotions.

Dad…Are you trying to tell me something? Why did I suddenly dream of you dying once again? There's something you want to warn me about, don't you?

"Eriol-kun?" Tomoyo asked as she laid a hand down on his shoulder, eyes concerned, "Are you alright?"

Eriol nodded as he stood up.

Dad…thank you for your advice yesterday…Take care of yourself…I'll be seeing you sometime again…

He took one final glance at his dad's grave before turning around and walking out of the cemetery with Tomoyo by his side.

Something wrenched at his heart all of a sudden and he grimaced, falling to the ground.

"Eriol-kun!" Tomoyo cried out as she kneeled down before him, "Daijoubu desu!?"

Eriol winced before nodding.

He knew this pain.

He had experienced it 5 years ago.

It could only be…

His eyes shot to the end of the cemetery and his predicament was right.

It was Skrichey, with his normal smirk, dark trench coat and a pair of sunglasses fitted on his nose. He broke into a grin before turning around and walking away. Eriol immediately got back his balance and ran after him.

No it can't be….

It couldn't be…

After 5 years…he's finally back…

I always thought he was dead…

B-But…

Why is he back?

"Eriol-kun! Eriol-kun! Where are you going!?" Tomoyo shouted as she raced after him. He ran on, never stopping.

"DAMN YOU, SKRICHEY!" He yelled before he lost sight of him. He fell to the ground in anger, punching his fist onto the ground.

Tomoyo froze.

Skrichey…

He was back.

*

"He's been locked in our dorm for hours. I don't know what's wrong with him!" Syaoran said seriously as he, Sakura and Tomoyo spoke outside the boys' shared dorm.

Tomoyo nodded slowly, "Leave him alone…I think he needs sometime to cool down…"

Syaoran arched an eyebrow, "You know what's wrong with him, don't you, Tomoyo? You're the only one closest to him and you've been with him the whole of this morning…Tell me what happened."

Tomoyo glanced at Syaoran, "It's about…Skrichey…"

Syaoran's eyes suddenly softened into understanding.

"Skrichey…Eriol had once told me about him…But not much. But I could see he hated him a lot. His eyes was full of hatred and vengeance when he told me about this guy Skrichey, who destroyed his life. I wanted him to talk more, but he always refused to."

Syaoran looked at Tomoyo, "I'm sure he told you everything about Skrichey, didn't he?" Tomoyo nodded, "He did…But I think it would be better if he tells you himself."

Sakura nodded, "I agree. But what's most important now is to get Eriol out of his thoughts. He can't go on like this…"

Tomoyo pondered, "I don't know…" Her eyes lit up, "Syaoran! Don't you have the key?" Syaoran despairingly shook his head, "I left it in the dorm." Sakura sighed, "Oh, how careless can you be, Syaoran-kun." Syaoran shook his head sorrowfully, "Sorry."

Tomoyo looked at Syaoran, "There's a combination to this lock, too, right?" Syaoran nodded, "But unfortunately, only Eriol knows the combination. He never wants to tell me. It's a kind of strategy to use when he's angry at me or something and wanna lock me out."

Sakura let out a small giggle but calmed down immediately.

Tomoyo looked at the combination lock when she stepped forward, "I think I can handle this." Syaoran widened his eyes, "No way! You mean Eriol trusts you so much, he even tell you about his combination for this dorm?"

Tomoyo shook her head, "No. But don't forget I can think in his way as well as he himself can. I know him better than he knows himself." She fondled with the combination and it was less than a minute before the door clicked open.

Syaoran gaped, "…It's…It's a m-miracle!" He whispered excitedly. Sakura immediately silenced him as Tomoyo faced the two, "I'll speak to him. You two wait at Sakura's dorm once I return."

Her face turned serious, "I don't think I can get him out of his trance but I just have to try, don't I?" Sakura nodded, "Ganbatte!"

She nodded before allowing herself into the dorm.

*

She spoke no words as her eyes landed on the form of Eriol hiding in a corner, head buried in his hands, legs curled up into a ball. A small smile touched her face. It was always cute in the sense that he would always do the strangest thing.

Tomoyo settled down quietly beside him and silence floated in, no words exchanged between the two of them.

"Daijoubu dayo…" She finally murmured, "….Eriol-kun…"

She tilted her head to meet the form of Eriol still locked in a ball, "Ne, Eriol, I'm not here to force anything out of you but I'm just here to tell you something…"

Silence.

"Remember about a week ago you told me the story about Skrichey?" She started and saw him winced visibly.

"You were strong about it all…Your eyes were full of hatred and vengeance but you got over it immediately…" She faced him, "Why can't you do the same right now?"

"…….Because it isn't the same situation now…." He muttered, "…He's back…and…and I'm afraid…."

"Afraid of?" She prompt gently.

"….Doing something to me…Taking something away from me…Just like 5 years ago…I couldn't handle that…I just can't…" He trailed off.

"I know…" She softly whispered but it was a kind of voice that persuaded him to go on.

"Now he's back…And I'm afraid…that he would take something away from me in my life again…I think I know what he wants…He wants revenge…" He said.

"How come? You didn't do anything to him, did you?" She asked curiously.

"No…I was so young at that time…I couldn't do anything…B-But after my dad's death, something unexpected happened. Before he died, he bought all the properties of Skrichey's family and Skrichey didn't know. So when Skrichey found out, he was furious and wanted to get them back…"

"And?"

"And because at that time he was declared bankrupt, there was nothing he could do to get them back. His shares invested was going downhill and he was at his wit's end. He said he would be back 5 years later. To get back the properties…and…and to get back to me." He finished shakily.

"B-But why would he want to get back at you?" Tomoyo asked, taken aback.

"Because…with me standing in his way, he knows that there is no way he can get to our properties that he once owned. So he wants to get rid of me, that's for sure." Eriol finally answered after a moment's silence.

"He wants to see me dead."

**

END OF CHAPPIE!

Not much ExT but here's where the twist comes in. It will be twisted more in the later chapters! Ack…didn't do well for my exams…VERY BADLY, to say the least. And my dad isn't one bit happy.

Aw shucks.

Niway, r n r, okie?

As always,

Mysterio000

p.s. the almighty one!