AN: Hello again, you must be sick of my little notes, but you can choose to ignore them if you like. Anyway, here's chapter 8, read it, and then please review to tell me what you think. Thanks!

Disclaimer: I do not, I repeat, do NOT own CCS, CLAMP does. End of discussion.

Always & Forever

Syaoran's head snapped up as he heard someone coming and was shocked to find the emerald-eyed girl there. He immediately stood up, but neither one of them said anything to each other, both of them just turned a light pink, but their stare never wavered. "Sakura, what are you doing here?" He asked her, breaking the silence that surrounded them. At first she didn't reply, she seemed hesitant and right away he knew something was wrong.

"Um, am I bothering you? If I am, I'll just leave," she said as she started to turn back around.

"No, that's ok. I'm just a little surprised that's all. I thought I'd be the only one awake," he told her as he walked a bit closer to her. She had avoided his question, he knew that - but he brushed it aside. Something is wrong, something is definitely wrong, he thought. "Are you ok?" he asked cautiously. Sakura smiled and nodded, but he could tell it was a fake smile. He wanted to know what was wrong, but he wouldn't push her. He saw her shiver.

"Come by the fire and warm up," he told her as he walked back and sat down. She hesitated at first, but then followed him. She sat down next to him and felt the warmth of the fire wash over her. She felt something go around her and looked in surprise as Syaoran put a blanket around her.

"Arigatou, Syaoran," she told him softly. He gave her another one of his rare smiles and she swallowed hard. "I didn't expect anyone else to be up this late either, just to let you know. I just wanted to get some fresh air, clear my head a bit. I have been sleeping for a long time." She added in quietly. Syaoran just nodded.

"Do you want me to leave?" he asked this time. Sakura shook her head.

"No, that's alright. I don't mind, I - enjoy your company. I mean, you're a good friend." She said as Syaoran blushed and concentrated on the fire while Sakura's thoughts wandered back to the conversation she had with Tomoyo. Was it true? No, it couldn't be. but why else would I feel this way? Oh, I'm so confused! She looked over at Syaoran, who was still staring into the fire. The fire was somehow in his eyes, a soft glow showered his face and then something happened that Sakura couldn't explain. It was as if her heart missed a beat and she felt her eyes widen.

What just happened? Why am I feeling this way? I mean, I never enjoyed spending this much time with Agnes. When Syaoran smiles, it seems like he's smiling especially for me.Did Agnes ever make me feel special the way Syaoran does? Did Agnes ever get my cheeks to go red every time I saw him, like I do with Syaoran? Did Agnes ever rescue me, like Syaoran has? Did I really feel safe with Agnes every time I was around him, like the way I feel completely safe when I'm around Syaoran? Did I even feel this way when I'm around Agnes?

"No. I didn't." Sakura muttered softly to herself. Syaoran looked up at her.

"What?" He asked. Startled, Sakura looked at him, turning red.

"Uh, nothing! Just mumbling to myself!" she said very quickly, giggling nervously. Syaoran looked at her strangely for a moment, then looked away. Sakura sighed in relief and was once more in thought. Her thoughts, which were confused a few moments ago, were now extremely clear to her. She stared self-consciously at the stars and the moon in the sky. (AN: I realize this is a bit different. you know how Sakura's really dense, she's not suppose to know she likes him just yet.well, I know I changed it around, but oh well.J)

Syaoran looked over at Sakura; he could tell she had been crying, but he couldn't say anything right at that moment, even if he wanted to. He found it too hard to move or to tear his gaze away from the tenshi in front of him, so he didn't; he just started at her, the humble look on her face. The moon glowing softly on her silky hair and her skin, and it seemed the stars themselves were trapped in her bright green eyes. He saw a small smile appear on her lips and the whole picture was complete, absolutely perfect.

Sakura turned her head to take a quick glance at Syaoran but was surprised to find him staring at her. Once again both of them held each other's gaze until Syaoran looked away first, turning red. He was too busy blushing to notice that Sakura had also turned red. He coughed and scratched his head. "Uh, I noticed you don't know how to curtsey properly," he mentioned to her. "Not that you did it wrong or anything," he said quickly, turning more red. Sakura just giggled.

"It's ok Syaoran," she told him, a soft smile on her lips. "Did you want to teach me?" she teased him. She suddenly imagined Syaoran showing her how to curtsey and burst into giggles while Syaoran just stared at her. (AN: Would be kinda funny, don't you think? Syaoran curtseying.) He swallowed.

"Well.if you want me too." he muttered. Sakura stopped laughing and looked at him. "Ok then. First of all you can't curtsey if you're sitting down, so stand up." He instructed her. For a moment she just stared at him in disbelief, before a small smile appeared on her lips and she rose.

"Ok, what now?" She asked him. He told her what to do and what she shouldn't be doing, and after all the laughing and fooling around, and after the practice she did, she actually could do it perfectly. (AN: Hey, I bet I couldn't do a curtsey if my life depended on it)

"There, now you know how to curtsey," He said, tired of teaching her how to curtsey, although it was pretty funny. He sat back down while Sakura remained standing. He suddenly looked up at her curiously. She stared back just as curiously wondering what he was thinking about. "Please tell me you know how to dance." he said. Sakura felt her eyes widen.

"Hoe?" She said breathlessly. Syaoran groaned as he closed his eyes and titled his head back. This wasn't good; this wasn't good at all. How was he suppose to get over her when he was spending all this time with her? The thought of dancing with her crossed his mind and he felt the heat rise to his face.he didn't want to be that close to her.or did he? He shook his head and stared back at Sakura hoping she wasn't watching, but she seemed to be lost in her own thoughts. He sighed heavily.

"Ok," he mumbled and slowly got up. Sakura looked at him in surprise. What is he doing? She thought. He came and stood in front of her, and she felt her pulse quicken. What is he doing? She thought again for the second time. "Do you know how to slow dance?" he asked, and she blushed and shook her head and she heard him sigh again. She swallowed. "You're going to have to imagine music is playing." He told her.

She stared at him. Surely he wasn't serious about teaching her how to dance. She saw his face go red as he tried to say something. She looked closely at him, wondering if he was choking. "Syaoran, are you all right?" she asked him, getting a bit worried.

"No - no, I'm fine," he mumbled again. "Um." he mumbled a few more words, but Sakura didn't catch it because he was talking so quietly. She leaned in closer to try and hear him. He's saying something about hands.she thought. She saw him get frustrated and she leaned back this time; he seemed to be angry with himself. Then the surprising part came. He held her left hand and put her right hand on his shoulder and he put his right hand on her waist.

Sakura turned ten different shades of red. No wonder he turned red, he was probably as embarrassed as she was right now, and she couldn't even look at him. She didn't notice that he had also turned ten different shades of red as well. She heard him cough once again. "Uh Sakura, if you don't want to do this, you don't have to," he told her. She looked at him and saw this time how red his face was. She shook her head while giggling at how funny and cute he looked. Hoe? Cute? She thought in bewilderment. Syaoran looked at her, confused. "What's so funny?" he asked, his voice getting back its edge.

"It's nothing.it's just that you're so red," she told him still giggling. (AN: She likes to giggle, doesn't she?) He went redder, but seemed to get a bit upset at that and she stopped giggling and swallowed.

"I'm not the only one," he muttered, and it was her turn to go red. "Ok, now first you're going to take a step back and I'm going to take a step forward," he told her as she nodded. They started off ok, but then Sakura kept stepping on his feet and apologizing to him. After a while she got the hang of it and both of them kept dancing. Sakura looked up, her eyes as bright as her smile.

"Look! I'm doing it!" she told him excitedly. He smiled back at her, pleased knowing that she was happy. She suddenly frowned as they continued to dance. "Wait, why did you teach me to dance?" she asked him.

"You know how we're suppose to stay at Prince Yukito's palace? Well, I forgot to mention that he's always throwing balls.he has one every night. I have to wonder if he ever gets tired of them," Syaoran told her, "but then again.there is all that food and he wouldn't ever get tired of that."

"Oh," Sakura said, nodding slowly to herself. That made sense, she thought. Then why do I wish that Prince Yukito wasn't throwing a ball that Syaoran just wanted to teach me to dance.

"Is something wrong?" Syaoran asked as he looked down at her. She shook her head and gave him another smile. "Are you sure?" he asked again, knowing that she wasn't telling him something. She smiled yet again. She sure is stubborn, Syaoran thought and he sighed. Kinda like you.a little voice in the back of his mind told him. Shut up! He replied back to the voice when he almost stopped dancing. Was he arguing with himself? He had to get over Sakura, and soon, but how is that possible? He looked at Sakura again; she was looking at him, smiling softly. Breathe. He reminded himself once again.

AN: Alright, total mush… I am surprised! I didn't know I had it in me, I don't usually do the whole romance thing, so yay me! Next chapter up soon, remember to review, thank you!