AN: Hey everyone! Thanks so much for your reviews, smiles and wipes single tear away you have no idea how much it means to me... how many times have I said that? But it's true, it only encourages me to go on... needless to say, this is the second last chapter of this story, and well, I hope some of you aren't too disappointed but yes, it is true. So the next time I post up a chapter it shall be the last chapter of the story, and I'll think about a making a sequel although I doubt it. I mean, who knew writing two stories at once would be so difficult? I certainly didn't... I'm pretty stupid like that, anyway, on with the chapter, let me know what you think ok?
Always & Forever
Meeting Mom and Going Home - Unfortunately
"Hello Agnes," she said, her eyes still closed. She heard him laugh and she opened her eyes and found him looking at her with interest.
"Nice to see you survived, my sweet Sakura," he said reaching out to touch her face, but she moved her head away. She didn't want to feel his slimy hands on her. "Sadly your attitude still hasn't changed towards me. That really is too bad." He said moving away from her. She glared from him with hatred, although she knew hating was wrong, she couldn't control her bitter feelings towards the monster standing in front of her. "Well, I didn't know you could glare." He said, slightly amused.
"Yeah? My boyfriend taught me how, and it comes in very useful," she said coldly and watched anger pass through Agnes' face at the mention of her having a boyfriend. She wanted to smile or at least smirk knowing she had caused him to get upset, but resisted the urge, and instead asked an important question which scared her. "Where are my friends? What have you done with them?" He smiled and she felt herself shiver.
"Your friends? What friends?" He laughed and she winced at the sound. "Your friends, as you call them my dear, are right in front of you." He replied and she saw Syaoran and Meilin standing side-by-side. Seeing them she sighed in relief and felt her shoulders relax despite her hands being held by chains. But when she looked more closely, she noticed that they were both glaring coldly at her, sending icicles straight through her.
"Look at her, she just pops out of nowhere, assumes she's our friend and acts like she runs the place," Meilin said coldly, her piercing eyes glaring at Sakura as if she were the devil. Sakura stared at Meilin in shock and she saw something else that shocked her even more. Syaoran had his arm around her and Meilin, who saw her watching grinned an incredibly evil grin. "What? Did you really think he would fall for you?" she said laughing. Sakura just watched in disbelief.
"You're pathetic Kinomoto," Syaoran's harsh voice cut through the air and it hurt Sakura much more than any physical cut could. Not only was his voice freezing cold, he had used her last name. "You fell right into our trap and it was so easy. I was expecting something more from you - the cardcaptor, the mistress of the cards - ha! Some mistress you are. all I had to do was be kind and you were eating out of my hand." Sakura felt tears come to her eyes. Her lips trembled at his words, her mouth opened but no words came out. She saw Ceroberus come out from the dark as well.
"You call yourself a cardcaptor?" He told her. "You were never any good at being my master - in fact you were horrible. You don't deserve to be anywhere near the cards. How dare you think you are better than us, admit it, you only wanted the power." His words were stinging her. Then Eriol stepped out, a dark and angry look on his face.
"What are you even doing here, Kinomoto? We didn't want you here, why did you just stick yourself in our lives? Is that what you came to do? Ruin our lives, try and break up Meilin's and Syaoran's engagement?" he spat and he gave a little laugh. "Go back to where you came from; you were never wanted her in the first place." Next came Tomoyo, her usually friendly eyes now showed ice, anger and hatred.
"I left Tomeoda to get away from you. You were always miss poplar, all the guys wanted you; all the girls wanted to be you. I left hoping I'd never see you again and then you end up here! What are you trying to do, ruin my life?" Tears were threatening to spill over. She looked at all of the people in front of her.
"Get out of here, Kinomoto," Syaoran's voice rang. "You were never wanted. I wish I had never met you. It was the biggest mistake of my life and all I can say is thank goodness you're going to be gone from our lives." Sakura hung her head and tears spilled freely down her face, her breaths coming in shallow and quick. No, no, it can't be... it just - it can't... she thought, shaking her head trying to figure out what was going on. They'd never betray me like this. Or maybe - they are right, maybe I don't belong here and I don't deserve to be the cardcaptor. Agnes walked casually over to her again, shaking his head with a smile on his face.
"And you call them friends?" he asked doubtingly. Sakura remembered what each one of her friends had said before they split up.
"I love you, Sakura. Remember that, ok?" they told her. "I'll never forget," she promised them back.
She raised her head, tears still glistening on her face - but her face held a smile that shone so bright, which confused him.
"They're not my friends," she told him simply and he stared at her angrily. "They aren't my friends, I know my friends. They were always there for me and kept me going when I was down; they would never hurt me, they care too much. So no matter how real you try to make these people in front of me seem, I know my real friends. They love me and I love them, and you can never take that away from me." He glared at her, she could feel the heat fuming off of him.
"Oh, you think you're smart, huh?" he asked. She smiled once again at him.
"That's the thing Agnes, I am smart," she told him and without blinking, she muttered something and the chains that were holding her hands up dissolved into the air and she looked at him, his face full of surprise.
"How - where did you learn to do that?" He asked, his voice in disbelief. Then he quickly regained his composure. He straightened up and looked at her. "Well then, you chose the hard way. Now, Sakura - if you think you're so smart, you have to make a very important decision." He told her as she stared at him wondering what was going to happen next. He walked over to one side of the room, which was darker than other areas. "Let's see, behind curtain number one is..." the darkness cleared up and Sakura gasped. All of her friends were tied up and were hanging from ropes, and she couldn't even get to them because they were surrounded by something that seemed to be made up of glass and plastic. "If they fall - they die. I don't think you want to know what's at the bottom of that." Agnes said smugly.
Sakura glared angrily at him. "Let them go Agnes, you know it's me you want. You've always wanted me, since the beginning. You sensed my powers and that's why you dated me. When you pushed me off your balcony, you knew I would end up here. This is between you and me, leave them out of it." She told him, trying to control her anger.
"You amaze me," he sounded amused, "I mean, I always knew you were smart Sakura, but you've blown me away." He took a step forward, a crazy look in his eyes. "Listen to me Sakura, say you'll be mine. We'll be the most powerful people in all of the kingdoms, we'll rule over all these people. We'll be happy together, you'll get everything you want."
Sakura meanwhile had run over to her friends and searched for a way to get them out, but couldn't find one. She pressed her fingers hard against the plastic/glass substance that surrounded her friends. They were looking at her, but her eyes were locked with Syaoran's. His eyes didn't show anything, they were just plain wanting to see if she would accept his offer. She saw the sadness in his eyes and she smiled. "I love you," she mouthed silently to him and she saw a flicker of emotion run across his face. With her eyes never leaving Syaoran's, she spoke to Agnes."I will if you can grant me these three things. Can you give me my brother and my father?" she asked him, not turning around. Agnes looked at her.
"Of course, that's no problem." He answered.
"Will you make sure that my friends are safe and are living well?" she asked him again. Yet again he answered that it wouldn't be a problem and he waited for what her third request would be. But she remained silent for a while.
"Can you give me my mother?" she asked him quietly, this time turning around to face him. His face went blank.
"You know that there's now possible way to bring a person back from the dead, Sakura," he told her and she nodded at him in agreement.
"Then you know that there's no way I'll ever accept your offer." She replied to him and knew he was about to go over the top.
"That's it! I gave you a chance, but you refused! Now hand over your Sakura cards or your friends will die." He told her, his voice poisonous. Sakura looked over at her friends, and they were clearly trying to tell her to keep the cards. She looked down; confused she didn't know what to do. Then she looked up; determination filled her in her eyes.
"Both," she said, leaving him confused. "If you kill my friends, then the cards and myself will follow them which means you have no power at all. All this time you've spent will have gone to waste." He stared at her, his eyes going wide.
"No! You little -" He yelled and he attacked her with his magic. She managed to defend herself for the first few times and attacked him but he defended against her as well. Then he saw an opening and he shot a power ball at her and she flew and crashed against the wall. She struggled to sit up and he cowered over her. He picked up the cards, which was in her case. He put a spell on her so that she wouldn't move to try and get the cards. He laughed evilly as he held the cards in his hand. "Finally! I finally have all the power!"
Suddenly all the cards shot out of the case and around him, just as they had done before when Sakura made them her new master. Tears came to her eyes and she wondered if they would just so easily accept a new master. But instead, each card began shining brightly and their light seemed to go directly above Agnes. Sakura covered her eyes and then when she looked again, she gasped.
Standing in front of her was Nadeshiko Kinomoto, light flowing off of her making her seem like an angel. "Mom?" Sakura asked in a weak voice as millions of emotions rushed through her. Her mother smiled at her and reached out and put her hand to her daughter's face.
"My, look at how much you've grown," Nadeshiko said. Sakura felt tears come to her eyes again. "You have done a good thing, Sakura. Never once did I doubt you, I always knew you would make the right decision. Instead of choosing greed, you chose your friends. And instead of having to choose between your Sakura cards and your friends - you chose both. I'm so proud of you."
"Mom, what - how?" Sakura tried to make sense out of what was going on. "My cards, my friends." She finally managed out. Nadeshiko smiled.
"Your friends are right here," she said and her friends were suddenly beside her, lying unconscious on the ground except for Syaoran who rubbed his head. Syaoran saw Sakura and immediately got up and grabbed her in a hug and she hugged him back, then he realized Nadeshiko. He bowed and opened his mouth but she cut him off. "That is all right, I know who you are. I know that you care greatly for my daughter and that she cares greatly for you. The time will come when you have to choose Sakura, choose wisely." Sakura and Syaoran exchanged confused looks and wondered what she was talking about, and Nadeshiko just laughed. "Do not worry now, the time will come."
"My cards?" Sakura asked uncertainly, more afraid than anything, and once again Nadeshiko smiled.
"Your cards will never betray you, Sakura. They have chosen you as their master, nothing is going to change that. When Agnes took hold of them, they knew he wanted to use them for bad and that he wasn't their rightful owner. That's why they went against him and called on me for help." She explained. Sakura nodded and was about to ask about Agnes but didn't need to. "Not to worry about him. I will take care of him." She turned around and Agnes stood there in fear. She whispered words that neither Syaoran or Sakura could understand, then Agnes let out a deafening scream and he disappeared into thin air.
Nadeshiko returned to her daughter. "I must go back now," she told her and Sakura hugged her mother tightly. "I know you don't want me to, but I must. Tell your father and your brother that I love them and I am always with them - just as I will always love you and always be with you." Nadeshiko kissed Sakura's forehead and moved away. Another blinding light spread throughout the entire place and when Sakura was able to open her eyes again, her mother was not there, but her cards were in their case floating in front of her.
She took hold of it and hugged it. She turned around to find Syaoran looking at her. She walked up to him and they embraced when they felt the ground shake. She looked at him in fear. "It's going to collapse!" she yelled and looked over at Tomoyo, Eriol, Ceroberus and Meilin who were now only starting to get up. She rushed over to them. "Come on, we gotta get out of here!" she yelled and Syaoran and herself managed to help the others up.
They all ran towards the front of the castle where they had entered, and only when they were out did they realize that Eriol wasn't with them. Tomoyo started to get hysterical on them. "Eriol! Where's Eriol?" she screamed and tried to make a mad dash towards the castle, but Sakura and Meilin held onto her, struggling to keep her in one place. Tomoyo sank to her knees, tears cascading down her pretty face. "I can't live without him Sakura, I can't!" she sobbed onto her friend's shoulder. Sakura felt tears run down her face when the castle fell to the ground, a wave of dust and dark cloud flowing over them. Tomoyo's sobs were the only sound heard afterwards, clinging to her best friend. Sakura looked up at Syaoran and then looked away, she knew exactly what it felt like.
Meilin stood there, anger rushing through her veins. "It's not fair, it's just not fair!" She whispered furiously to herself, feeling tears press on but tried to make them go away. She thought she had lost Syaoran at one point, and now - she had lost Eriol, one of her best friends? She ran up closer to the castle and heard Syaoran calling after her but she ignored him. She stopped just before getting there and yelled at the top of her lungs, "I hate you Eriol! I hate you, I hate you, I hate you!"
"Really? That'd be quite a shame, may I ask why?" A voice said hoarsely. Meilin's eyes widened afraid that the dust had gotten into her head and made her insane. She saw a figure walk up out of the dust, coughing. To her surprise and relief, Eriol came walking out of the shadows covered in dust making him look grey and was holding onto something rather large. "Do you think I'd honestly leave that horrible place without getting what we came for?" He asked. Meilin understood, he had gone back to get the mirror that Sakura needed to get home.
He reached Meilin and she still stood frozen, and Eriol chuckled before waving a hand in front of her face. She caught his hand, a fierce look on her face and fire in her eyes. "If you so much as ever think about doing something like that again, I will personally kill you despite the fact that my best friend loves you," she told him firmly. Eriol's eyes raised in surprise and then Meilin put her arms around his neck in a hug which surprised him even more. Tears fell from her eyes. "Tomoyo's a mess, you should go and let everyone know you're ok." She moved away and Eriol smiled at her and she returned it before taking the mirror from him.
They walked back and Eriol's heart broke at what he saw. Syaoran stood in the other direction away from him, and Tomoyo was on the ground crying on Sakura. Sakura as well had her back towards him, so when they got close enough, Tomoyo looked up. "Eriol?" she whispered questioningly. She moved away from Sakura in a state of shock, then ran straight to him only to jump on him, wrapping her legs around him, still crying. Eriol wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly. "Why? Why'd you scare me like that?" She whispered to him, hot tears falling.
"I'm sorry love, it won't happen again, I promise you," he murmured to her, taking in the smell of her hair. "Uh Tomoyo, you're going to be all covered in dust," he mentioned to her but the thought never occurred to her. She moved away so she could see his face, she stared into his eyes and kissed him. "I guess you don't care," Eriol managed to get in between kisses, making her laugh.
Sakura and Syaoran saw the happy couple and this time it was tears of joy that fell from Sakura's face. She suddenly felt two strong arms wrap around her waist and closed her eyes, letting herself relax on the body behind her. "Is it over?" she asked, too scared to hope.
"Yes, it's all over," Syaoran told her, turning her around. "You were brave in there," he told her and she blushed, trying to shrug it off. "No I'm serious, and your mother is extremely beautiful... not more beautiful than you of course, but she's there right next to you on my rank." Sakura smiled, still blushing.
"Flattery won't get you anywhere Syaoran," she told him and he arched an eyebrow.
"Oh really?" He said before kissing her. "I love you," he whispered kissing her again. "How about now?" He asked when he moved away and she laughed, nodding. Tomoyo and Eriol, Meilin and Kero joined them and Syaoran looked away sensing the evil look in Eriol's eye, and Sakura just smiled at everyone, relieved that all her friends were safe.
"Let's go home now ok?" she said, exhausted and tired. Her friends nodded in agreement and started on their long journey home.
They were now at the Li castle staying in their original rooms. They had returned back to the castle to have an incredibly long lecture from Syaoran's mother, but in the end she let them go with no punishment. Sakura of course was finally able to relax. She went touring the castle, because the last time she was here she didn't really get a chance to look around.
She spent almost all her time with Syaoran who took her to the market place, buying her little things. One night he had bought her a necklace with a single cherry blossom pendant. "Oh Syaoran," she whispered, completely taken back by the entire thing. She had no idea he was going to get her anything; it wasn't even a special occasion. "It's absolutely beautiful."
"Only the best for my cherry blossom," he told her, making her smile. "I love you." He told her then kissed her. She had never felt more at peace or possibly happier.
"Sakura?" Tomoyo and Meilin knocked on her door and she looked up from where she was making up her bed. "Do you mind if we come in?" Sakura shook her head and smiled at her friends. Tomoyo and Meilin looked worried so Sakura stopped moving and stood still, looking at her friends.
"Is something wrong?" she asked them as they exchanged worried looks. "Come on you guys, you can tell me."
"Well, now that you have the Mirror of Malorn, does that mean you're going to go back?" Meilin asked and Sakura stood frozen for a moment. She had forgotten about that, the real main reason for them going on their journey. She sat down on her bed, her thoughts mixed into one.
"This is what mother meant by choosing," she whispered to herself.
"What?" Tomoyo asked, wondering if Sakura was ok. Sakura shook her head and smiled. "Are you ok?" Sakura nodded.
"I don't know what to do," she told them. "I love it here.this is where I was born and where I was suppose to live, plus I have you guys here."
"You also have Syaoran here," Meilin added in and Sakura felt her decision was made even harder.
"But I also have my dad and my brother at home. I could never live without them." She said as well. All three girls thought about it for a minute.
"You've managed to live this far without your dad and your brother," Tomoyo stated but Sakura shook her head.
"I don't see why you can't just go back and bring them here with you like what Tomoyo did," Meilin suggested. Sakura thought about it for a minute, then sighed and shrugged at the same time.
"I don't know, maybe they wouldn't want to," Sakura said. "I'll give it till the end of the week," she concluded, hoping that she would have enough time to make the right decision.
Syaoran walked towards the garden and saw his angel sitting on the swing by a tree. She always looks more beautiful each day, he thought smiling. He walked up to her and she smiled almost immediately seeing him; she moved over on the large swing so he could sit with her. He sat next to her and put his arms around her, and she let her head rest on his shoulder.
"What's wrong Sakura?" He asked her calmly and he heard her sigh.
"I don't know what to do Syaoran," she told him, her voice cracking. He lifted her chin up so he could see her face properly only to see tears in her emerald eyes. "It's just that, now that we have the Mirror back, I don't know if I want to go back or not." She explained to him and he nodded in understanding.
"I see," he told her. "Listen to me Sakura, do what your heart tells you to do. I know you need to live with your father and your brother so if you feel you need to go, then go ahead." There, he had finally said it. He knew he had to, although he wanted her to stay with him, he knew he would do whatever it takes to make her happy. "I love you Sakura, I always will, nothing will ever change that. But if you need to go back, you don't have to worry about us, we'll be ok. We'll miss you, I'm not going to lie about it, but once you're happy that's all that matters."
Sakura looked down, she didn't expect to hear that from him. Part of her was relieved to know that he understood and that he cared so much... but another part of her ached. She had wanted him to tell her, to beg her to stay, that he couldn't live without her. She wasn't sure she could live without him... but if he thinks it might be best for her to go back to her family, then perhaps she should. She looked back at him, smiling. "I love you Syaoran," she whispered before resting her head on his shoulder like before. He kissed her forehead and she closed her eyes, falling into a peaceful sleep.
Sakura stood in front of the mirror of Malorn with her friends behind her. She had made up her mind, she would be going back. She doubted her family would even believe her if she told them that. Everyone's faces showed sad expressions and all of them made Sakura want to cry. She walked up to Meilin first.
"Don't forget me!" Meilin stated and hugged Sakura. Sakura hugged her back and smiled sadly at her.
"Oh Meilin, I wouldn't dare! I know you'd kill me if I ever did," Sakura told her, making Meilin smile. Next Sakura turned to Kero, then grabbed him and almost choked him to death. Syaoran, who was watching, smiled and decided it was too precious of a moment to make faces at the little flurry fluff ball.
"Sakura.air." he tried to say, then she let go, turning crimson.
"Gomen ne," she apologized. "I love you Kero, I don't know what I would have done without you." Kero smiled at her, tears threatening to spill.
"Love you too kid," was all he said before moving aside.
Then was Eriol with his blue sapphire eyes sad. They hugged one another.
"Take care of yourself, my little green-eyed cherry blossom," he told her and she smiled.
"I will, and take good care of Tomoyo for me, ok?" He nodded and then came Tomoyo, whose face looked absolutely tormented. Both girls hugged each other tightly, tears silently falling for both of them, neither one of them wanting to let go. Finally they did and Tomoyo quickly wiped her tears away but Sakura didn't even bother, she knew more were going to fall - the worst was yet to come.
"You'll always be my best friend," Sakura told her and Tomoyo tried to smile.
"And you'll always be mine," she whispered. "Don't forget me."
"Not ever," Sakura replied then leaned in close. "Take care of him for me, please." Sakura begged her, and Tomoyo nodded, knowing whom she was talking about. Then the toughest part came when she stood in front of Syaoran, his face bearing the most pain imaginable. He wiped away her tears and she flung on him, more tears escaping her face. She finally pulled back and wiped her tears away. He played with her hair, avoiding her eyes.
"Syaoran?" she whispered, her voice incredibly soft and full of pain. He looked at her and cursed her emerald eyes. "Please don't forget me," she said looking down. He smiled just for her.
"That would be impossible for me to do," he told her and he kissed her. This time there wasn't any Tomoyo yelling "kawaii" or Kero threatening Syaoran. She pulled away knowing she had to leave now or she'd never make it out. She stood in front of the mirror and looked back one more time. "I'm going to miss all of you so very much; I love you each and every one of you," she told them as they replied the same. She waved and walked through the mirror with her eyes closed, tears silently falling and her heart aching. She opened her eyes to find herself back in her house and she smiled when she felt the familiarity of it.
As if in on cue, two very tired adults walked through the door and stopped in their tracks when they saw Sakura. "Hi daddy, hi Touya," she said as tears streamed down her face... she didn't know if they were tears of happiness or tears of sadness, perhaps they were both.
AN: So... what'd you think? Come on, you gotta review and tell me what you think about this chapter. I know everything was all rushed and stuff, but I wanted to get a lot done cause I don't have that much time to write nowadays... darn school... but anyhow, please review... thanks!