A/N: sorry for interupting the flow of reading for all new readers and for all exsiting readers I'm sorry for the lack of updates. I'm "tweak"ing the ending a little as I have already finished the story and just need feed back from my friend on certain aspects which tend to lead to more messing around changing stuff.

**bows down to all readers*** Gomen. (aka sorry in Japanese.)

oh well heres chapter 8. Some rather interesting things happen in this chapter and I'm not too sure where I was leading to be honest. Gomen again and enjoy!

* * * * *

Chloe sat alone in the darkness like she had done so for the previous hour. She wondered how Sakura was, she'd been hurt so badly, so quickly, and he'd barely even touched her.

Eriol and Syaoran had been running in and out of the room since they had got back to the house. She couldn't stand the tension. She felt it was all her fault and those malicious words from before echoed round her mind once more.

"Children suffer for their ancestors mistakes Chloe Don't you know that?"

What had Sakura done? Nothing. What had kitty and Marcus, her best friend and best friends' fiancée done? Nothing. It all revolved around Chloe, and she wished it didn't. Better me than someone else though, she thought. Although all the attacks tended to happen to the ones she loved, so it wasn't really her, was it?

She flipped the lid to yet another box. She had found nothing yet but useless letters and booklets. Why had her parents kept this junk? She thought as she rummaged through the contents of this box.

She had left for Elgin manor after an hour of waiting for anything on Sakuras State, and had been greeted quite politely for a change. The Elgins must feel ill, she considered as she had walked up the stairs that led to the attic, it certainly made a change from being shoved up them.

"Useless" she said as she threw the box away from her in frustration. She buried her head in her palms and breathed trying to stop herself from becoming overly frustrated. She looked up at the mess in the secret room in the attic, which only she could access. It was her new refuge.

She heard a knock on the attic door outside the room, so she stood and walked to the door to the main attic and out into the main attic. As she walked over to the door she felt a pair of eyes fix their gaze on her. So he's back she thought and opened the door.

"Yes?" she asked as she saw Mrs Elgin standing in the doorway.

"Thought you might be hungry dear" Mrs Elgin told her holding a plate full of sandwiches in her hands.

"Why are you being nice all of a sudden?" Chloe asked and looked at the sandwiches as though they were loaded with poison.

"You might want to read this." Mrs Elgin said holding a piece of paper out and smiled "seams it came ten years too late.

"Thank you" Chloe said taking the letter and plate from her hands with a small smile. She closed the door after she watched Mrs Elgin walk down the first flight of stair then turned round and sat on the nearest box.

"You hungry?" she called through the attic "I've got." she stopped and looked inside the sandwiches "tuna sandwiches"

A boy appeared from the shadows, the same dark haired, amber-eyed beauty that had shown her the entrance to the secret room. He seamed sombre like he always did but showed a small smile when held a sandwich out for him.

They must have talked for hours. It was the first time they had spoken over five minutes. She told him about what had happened, about Sakura, about this crimson-eyed boy.

"It all revolves around me somehow I know it, I just don't know it, you know?"

The amber-eyed boy raised an eyebrow clearly not understanding.

"You're looking at it all wrong. It does but then it doesn't."

"Huh?" Chloe ran everything through her mind and still couldn't think of a way it did but didn't. They sat in silence for a few minutes.

"And what about Syaoran?" the boy asked looking at her from the corner of one eye.

"What about him?"

"Don't play dumb" he told her "I know what you think, you think you've been thinking of this Rhys guy all those years but mistook him for Syaoran."

"How did you-?"

"Well you're wrong on the second thing, it doesn't change your feelings for him one bit. You love him"

Chloe smiled and thought of what Sakura had said in the café. And then said to the boy, in a voice that was almost a whisper,

"Like a brother"

* * * * *

She spent the next few hours continuing to search the attic of Elgin manor for anything. If my friends are suffering for my or my ancestors' mistakes, there's got to be something here that will tell me about the attacker, she thought. Unfortunately she had found nothing and was on her way back to Syaorans family home.

She had thought about everything so carefully, making sure there wouldn't be any mistakes, because she didn't want to phrase something wrong and upset someone. Talking about these sorts of things was hard, so hard it made her head hurt.

"You're looking at it all wrong. It does but then it doesn't."

What had the boy meant about it? Did guardian angels really exist? And if so why was hers so damn confusing.

She arrived at the house later than she had thought she would but it was no matter, everyone would still be awake. As she entered the lounge area, she saw Eriol sitting down on a chair. His glasses were on the table beside him. His eyes were closed but he wasn't asleep.

"You're back now are you?" he said, "how do you feel now?"

"I little calmer thanks." Chloe replied. "How is she?"

"She's become more stable. Its helpful that she has magic or she'd be dead by now." Eriol told her.

Chloe left the room without saying another word. She looked into Syaorans room where Sakura lay sleeping, but Syaoran wasn't there. Chloe searched the house but couldn't find him anywhere. Just as she was about to give up, she saw him standing under a tree in the back garden.

"How are you?" she asked gently when she reached him.

"Okay." He replied but didn't face her.

"Syaoran."

"What?" he snapped his voice was cold.

"What's wrong with you? You're not yourself"

"Who am I then?" he snapped turning to her finally. "Hmm? Are you going to tell me? Get your cards out do that useless talent of yours, tell me my future."

"What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing, why don't you just leave me alone, you're all the same, whiny, moaning, just go away will you."

Chloe just stood there staring at his now turned back.

"Why do you always do that, your like an annoying child, you think you have magic but you don't, your just a wannabe, and that's the reason you have no friends or family, they all deserted you because we all hate you."

Chloes eyes welled with tears, she took a step back and stared at him for a further second and when he decided he wasn't really finished with his cruel and insulting words, she ran through the house and out into the street and didn't stop running.

Back in the garden Syaoran stood staring with a satisfied smile on his face. His eyes glowed red then his form changed. They turned into someone else someone no one would recognise but the power that plagued every one in the Li households' minds.

"It begins" they whispered and then evaporated into thin air.

* * * * *

Syaoran sat on the bench on waterway road. How could Sakura have let herself get hurt? Why did Chloe seam so light-hearted about this attacker who was attacking everyone but her at the moment. She seamed so distracted, not her usual self.

He stared out at the water; it seamed to run away, taking all his emotions with it, and just when he was beginning to express himself. He loved Sakura more than anything in the world, but for now all he could do was sit and wait.

There weren't many people around at this time of night, which was good because he was hoping Sakuras attacker would decide to reappear. He had been back into the allies' Chloe and the stuffed animal had chased him. He had also searched every other alleyway that he could find in Hong Kong.

Sooner or later, the attacker would come across Syaoran, and then, who knows what he might do.

* * * * *

Chloe didn't know how far she'd gone now. She'd caught the first bus into the city and ran wherever her feet had decided to carry her. Which was why she was very lost. She looked around her, eyes sore from tears, she didn't recognise the area and there were no street signs or anything.

She still couldn't believe Syaoran had said those things. He'd never said one hurtful word to her before in his life. Maybe he had bottled up his opinions about her, until now because he was so fed up with her, she thought. She carried on walking, wiping tears from her eyes. I cry far too much, she thought, new years resolution is not to cry.

She kept looking around her occasionally pausing to try to see if she could tell where she was. But each time she did she considered herself more lost than before. And now, she had a horrible feeling that she was being followed. She looked behind her into the darkness.

"You lost kiddie?" a gruff voice came from behind her. She turned quickly and saw a group of stocky men. One or too looked a little drunk.

"No I'm fine thank you." She said trying not to show fear but they could hear it in her voice and see it in her emerald eyes.

"OK then." The leader said and began walking toward her "just hand over all the money you got and well be on our way.

"I haven't got any money on me" she told them and began to back away. But when she looked behind her another group of the same type of men stood behind her. There was only the alleyway to her left to escape down.

"Oh dear." He said "well I guess you just have to pay us in a different way." He told her smiling evilly. Chloe dodged just as one of the men behind her made a grab for her and kicked him over with a powerful round house to the back of the head. "Ooo. we's gots ourselves a toughie" the man said and then both groups ran in.

Chloe only just managed to dash into the left-hand street. She ran so fast and felt her lungs begin to burn from the strain. She was tired from crying and running, but had sufficient adrenaline to get herself out as quickly as possible. Unfortunately it looked as though the men knew their way around these back streets because all that faced her now was a very tall wall and a group of ten men behind her. They caught up quickly for drunks.

"I hate it when they make me run" the leader said. And stepped forward grabbing her round the throat. Her hands grasped his pulling at his fingers trying to loosen his grip. He was too strong. Then he pushed her backward into the stone wall. Her head contacted with the wall with such force it made her head spin, and she fell to her knees.

There was nothing she could do now. She couldn't beat all these men to get free. They were probably going to kill her. She could hear them leering, getting closer. Ready to do. whatever it was they planned, personally she really didn't want to think about it.

"Leave her alone" a voice came from behind the men. "Leave now and you won't get hurt."

The men laughed at the boy; Chloe couldn't be sure who it was she didn't recognise the voice. He couldn't look up because it amplified the pain in her head, but she had a feeling it was someone she knew.

"Look at the small fry" the leader said laughing "well come on then boy, if you insist"

She heard the sound of a fight but was having her own fight to stay conscious. Half a minute later she saw a pair of trainers in front of her field of view, which was slowly turning black. The figure knelt down beside her.

"Are you okay?" he asked. She brought her head up to try to see the figure but the back of her head stung from pain. She heard the boy gasp and then felt a strong-arm wrap round her back and the other under her legs. The boy lifted her off the floor and her head lolled onto his chest. "Lets get you inside" he said and carried her off, while the darkness of unconsciousness claimed her.

* * * * *

When Chloe began to wake up again she found she was in a bed with covers over her. The back of her head felt painful. She remembered being chased by a group of drunken men and being thrown against the wall and then. a boy had come. She wondered whether it had been Syaoran. Maybe he followed her to apologise, but if it had been him why didn't she recognise this room?

She looked around her. Dusty volumes lay on shelves, the room itself was immaculate, and it was so tidy it was unbelievable. One of the wardrobe doors was open revealing clothes hung up, the occasional one or two falling off the hanger, but then again, no one was perfect.

The door to the room opened and a boy entered, the brown eyes and dark hair suddenly all too familiar. He carried a tray holding a few items on it across to the bedside table and sat on the edge of the bed looking at her with clear concern.

"How are you feeling?" Rhys asked her looking deeply into her eyes.

"A bit dizzy" she told him as she began to sit up. Rhys lent forward and helped her.

"Here" he said passing her a small glass of a golden brown liquid. "Drink this and let me have a look at you head." He told her and picked up a cloth and a few bandages. Chloe accepted the glass and turned so he could see the back of her head. She could feel the cool cloth and winced occasionally as it touched the wound.

Chloe put the small glass to her lips and took a tiny sip of the liquid only to end up coughing as it reached her throat warming it as it went to her stomach. She could almost see Rhys smiling at her from behind.

"What is this?" she asked putting the glass down, her hand shaking from weakness as she did so. It tasted so disgusting and strong, it had a aftertaste too that wasn't all that pleasant.

"Brandy. It's a little stronger than what I would have liked to give you but that's all they had." He told her "it will help with the shock and work as a light anaesthetic for the wounds."

"Wounds? You mean wound don't you? Just my head" she asked as he sat back down in front of her. He just smiled and threw back the covers that were over her right leg. He gently picked it up and Chloe winced again. He began to bandage it up.

"You've only sprained you ankle. You head wound is quite a bit more serious though so I'll need you to try to stay awake so we know you don't have concussion." He told her "What were you doing down the back streets at this time of night anyway?"

"I ran away from where I was staying. Someone upset me so much, I just couldn't stand to look at them any more."

"Who said these things and what did they say?" Rhys asked looking concerned again. He looked so. well she couldn't actually put a word to it.

"It was just someone I considered a friend" she said "and I don't want to think of what he said."

"Well I'm sure they were wrong if they insulted you that much. You such a kind and gentle person, they must have been a idiot to treat you like they did."

Chloe stared at him. He really had hardly changed he was still so caring and thoughtful and in a way mature. He reminded her of Eriol. She could feel herself blush slightly at his last words.

"The thing is he's been so. normal recently, nice. And he likes this girl but she's ill and it was all my fault."

"How could it be your fault. No one plans things like illness Chloe, and this boy who treated you cruelly was probably only cranky because the girl; he likes is ill. I know I'd be upset and cranky if the girl I liked got injured."

"Who's that?" Chloe asked but only got a smile in return. Maybe he didn't want to tell her just yet. She closed her eyes as the back of her head began throbbing slightly, but felt Rhyss' hand on he cheek and when she re- opened her eyes he was looking very worried. "I'm fine" she told him and swung her legs out of bed.

She attempted to stand but felt too weak and was guided back down onto the bed by Rhys.

"I should be going home really. Someone might be worrying." Chloe told him.

"Not just yet." He told her "I just want to bandage you head up. I'm not letting you leave until I'm satisfied you're well enough to go home. As for where you stay, give me the number and I'll let them know you are safe." He looked at her with the authority of a doctor, not wanting a patient to leave.

"Okay." She said to him and smiled. She wrote Syaorans home number down on a piece of paper and gave it to Rhys. "Ask for Hiiragizawa Eriol." She told him, thinking if Syaoran was still in a mood then he wouldn't really care. Rhys got to the door before Chloe stopped him. He turned around looking concerned again but smiled at her when he saw she was OK. "Thank you" she told him before he left the room.

* * * * *

Syaoran had sat on the waterfront since dusk, staring out at the rippling waters. It was time he headed back he decided it was nearly dawn now after all, he'd been sitting there for nearly nine hours. He wondered whether Chloe was home yet. She had left for the Elgin household before he had left the house. She was the only one he could talk to about Sakura and not be accused of going soft.

Syaoran turned and walked off down the street toward the bus station. He got his mobile phone out and turned it off silent and double-checked for messages and then put the phone back in his pocket. He wondered how Sakura was. Was she any better? He had been more of a nuisance to Eriol than help, so he had gone to the waterfront.

Suddenly his phone began to ring from his pocket. He got it out and checked who was calling before he answered but all the phone said was "home". He flipped the receiver up and placed the phone to his ear.

"Hello?" Syaoran said to the mouthpiece

"Li-Kun? It's Eriol."

"Hiiragizawa? What are you calling for?"

"We've been trying to call you for hours."

In the background Syaoran heard Meiling shout,

"What's the point of having a phone Syaoran if you don't answer it when it rings!"

"Anyway," Eriol continued "Chloes' been missing"

"What!" Syaoran said and stopped walking. "For how long?"

"She came home from Elgin manor at nine, but we haven't seen her since then. She's not in the grounds and when we asked the neighbours they said they had seen someone run away from the house that looked like her"

"Why would she run away? Do we know where she's gone?"

"Well I got a phone call from a gentleman a few minutes ago saying she was safe and he would bring her back"

"Well that's good then"

"Sort of"

"What do you mean?" Syaoran asked his voice beginning to betray him and show panic. "Hiiragizawa tell me!"

"She had an accident."

"Do we know where this 'gentleman's' house is?"

"I'm afraid not. Li-Kun you need to find her"

Syaoran turned around and was about to say something when he noticed two figures walking toward him

"I'll call you back" he said down the phone then snapped the receiver shut and ran toward them.

A tall brown haired boy was carrying a golden chestnut haired girl down the street. She had a bandage round her right foot and round her head but Syaoran still recognised her.

"Nonaka!" Syaoran said when he reached them "what the hell happened to you?"

"She was attacked" the boy said.

"Who are you?" Syaoran asked glaring at the boy

"My name is Rhys" he told Syaoran "and who might you be?"

"Her friend and that all you need to know" Syaoran said and turned to Chloe who was trying to keep her eyes open.

"Are you okay?" Syaoran asked.

"Fine" she said coolly to him, which made Syaoran wonder whether he had done anything wrong.

"Come on lets get you home" he said to her as Rhys lowered her legs to the floor.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Rhys asked before he let her injured leg touch the ground.

"I'm fine Rhys it's only a sprain" she told him and smiled at him. Rhys then put both her feet onto the ground but most of her weight was still on him. Syaoran stepped forward and slipped his arm round her waist and she transferred her weigh onto him, although it didn't affect him in any way.

"We'll see each other soon." Rhys told her "when you feel a bit better. Here's a number when you can get in touch with me" he told her passing a piece of paper to her and then he touched the side of her face and looked into her eyes once more "take it easy"

Rhys smiled at Syaoran who expression didn't change and the he walked away. Syaoran looked at Chloe she looked so tired. A bruise was starting to form on one side of her face and throat.

"What happened to you? Syaoran asked "Why the hell are you walking round Hong Kong at night?"

"What do you think?" she told him icily and pushed herself away from him landing in a heap on the floor. "Ow" she said holding her wrist.

"What do you mean?" Syaoran said and tried to take her wrist but she pulled away from him again.

"What do I mean? Have you forgotten what you said to me back at the house?"

"What? Come back soon?"

"No that I was a wannabe and everyone hated me"

"What! I never said that? Why on earth would I say that? Its not even true! And when was I supposed to have said that?"

"When I came home. You were in the back garden and you said all these nasty things to me!"

"What? That can't have been me! I've been standing here for the last nine hours"

"If it wasn't you then-" she stopped herself and realise that she'd been tricked. She rubbed her eyes with her hands and winced again whether wrist gave a sharp pain. Syaoran reached out for it again, but this time Chloe didn't pull away. Syaoran healed it for her and looked in her eyes.

"You look so tired. Come on lets go home and we'll solve this in the. well later." He told her, Chloe smiled and tried to stand in her own but couldn't so Syaoran scooped her into his arms and carried her off toward the bus station. She rested her head against his shoulder and drifted off to sleep.

Syaoran turned his head to look at her face while she slept in his arms. She really was like a little sister to him, or at least a little sister he had always wanted. Granted he had four older sisters but that was different. I'll never let anyone hurt her again if I can help it. Her or Sakura, he thought.

He wandered off and caught a taxi back from the bus stop, since there was always taxis there. And rested her in a bed when they got home, covering her up and then leaving the room. Chloe slept peacefully, and like everyone in the Li household was unaware for the figure with red eyes outside scowling and looking furious.

* * * * *
The end