LOVE OF AGES
by: Daphne Li
Chapter 5.
~*~*~*~
"You are all dismissed. Bring your ideas back to me at the next meeting."
The room of twenty-two men dwindled quickly down to one, as that final man packed up his briefcase and looked around the room to make sure it was spotless. How he hated dirt! With quick, solid steps he exited out of the glass encased room and into the open of his office building. Several workers nodded to him or simply looked at him nervously as he passed, trying not to attract his attention.
Finally, he made it to his own huge office and shut the door with a sigh.
"Another long day?" Came a deep, humor-filled voice. The man opened his midnight-blue eyes and gazed at the intruder.
"Kinomoto, don't you have anything else to do besides bug me?" He asked, running a hand through his wavy locks of black hair. The tall brown-haired man in front of him grinned.
"Nope, not a one." He teased, sitting down on his cousin-in-law's desk. The first man groaned and walked over to the window, gazing out.
"Milly called. She said that she has something to talk to us about when we get home." The man known as Kinomoto Touya stated. At twenty-five years of age and six-foot-six height, Touya was quite an overpowering-looking person. He had mahogany colored hair and dark brown eyes that held mischief in them. However, his whole personality was quite the opposite of his physical appearance. He was fun-loving and humorous, but he was also fiercely loyal and protective when he wanted to be.
"She usually does. I just hope she isn't going to try to get me out on a date, again. I have sworn off women for life."
"Even Milly and Nakuru?" Touya asked jokingly. The younger man flinched.
"All right, all women besides them. You know what I went through, Touya. I refuse to allow some giggling woman to hang all over me, and try to flirt with me, and every other thing that all of those girls Milly and Nakuru set me up with did." The young man groaned, falling into his chair. Touya laughed.
"Oh, come on, Eriol! They weren't all that bad!" He chuckled. Twenty-one year old Hiiragizawa Eriol raised a dark eyebrow. At six-foot-two, he was quite muscular and well shaped, which caused many women to melt over his looks.
"Oh, they weren't?" Was all he said. Touya shook his head.
"I give up. You are a proverbial snowman, if I've ever seen one. You're hopeless." Touya sighed. Eriol managed a tight smile.
"That's me all right. Now, I have to file these papers, then I'll be done." He stated, getting down to business. Touya nodded and went to the door.
"Tyson Burnside is getting back in a few days. His negotiations with that office in Japan were successful, and they are already talking about a merge with 'Burnside and Hiiragizawa Corp.'." Touya stated, as he left the room.
Eriol smiled a bit. Tyson Burnside had been his best friend growing up, and when they had gotten old enough, they had formed a small company called 'Burnside and Hiiragizawa'. That company had boomed to what it was now, a world renowned, multi-billion dollar company. It delt with business on many different levels, but it mostly focused on computers, software and communications.
With a slight smile, Eriol continued on with his work. If Milly wanted something, she usually got it, no matter how much he resisted. Best not prolong this any more than was necessary!
~*~*~*~
"Touya, darling!" Nakuru cried, as her husband and cousin returned home that night. She was wearing a pretty red blouse and black slacks, with a big red apron over them. Her long hair was pulled back into a messy bun, but her eyes were sparkling with life.
"Supper's ready when you are." She murmured, as Touya gave her a sound kiss. Eriol rolled his eyes and quickly went up to change his clothes into something more comfortable.
"Bthhh-bthhhh-bthhhh." Came a soft girble through one of the doors he passed on his way back. He chuckled and opened to door, to reveal a large room, full of baby toys and rocking chairs. In the very back corner was a large white crib, and in that crib was a tiny baby boy, swinging his arms around every which way. He was no older than six months old, and he had a tiny puff of brown hair on his head. His eyes were a bright brown-red, and he was quite the chubby thing.
"Hello, Seamus. How are we today?" Eriol questioned, picking the baby up. He simply eyed Eriol with curiosity and then yawned. Eriol laughed and carried him out of the room and back downstairs.
"Oh! Thank you, Eriol. I was about to go get him." Nakuru said, pulling the baby out of his arms and cooing. Touya smiled at his wife and son, and quickly made his way over to them, kissing the little boy's forehead.
"I thought that you were hungry, Touya!" A voice laughed. Eriol turned to see Milly standing in the kitchen doorway, a pot of something in her hands. Her brown hair was graying, but her blue eyes still held the same sparkle that they had all those years ago, when she had first became his guardian. He was now too old for her to keep that title, but she had been a mother to him, so he had insisted that she stay and live with them.
"I am. I just have to stay hello to mini-me." Touya boomed, as he laid his son down on a blanket on the floor next to them. The baby yawned and went to sleep almost immediately. Milly handed out the food and they all sat down to eat.
"Now, I have some news for all of you." Milly said, as soon as Eriol's mouth was too full to argue. The young man glared at her, but she smiled back at him warmly.
"In seven day's time, we are going to have a guest staying with us." She announced. Eriol and Touya choked on their meals while Naoko gave a quiet squeal.
"WHAT?!" Eriol hissed, his dark eyes boring into hers. Milly smiled at him.
"I got a call from an...old friend today, asking me if I would be willing to keep her daughter here for about a month. I told her we would be honored. She is coming up to promote her fashion line, you know." Milly's eyes sparkled and Nakuru gasped, as she realized just who it was who was coming. Eriol, however glared and Touya looked confused.
"Who is she?" Touya asked, taking another bite of food. Milly's smile became mischievous.
"You'll see! Oh, don't look so angry, Eriol. Trust me, when you meet her, you'll thank me." Milly stated. Eriol groaned and rolled his eyes.
"Milly, the last time you said that, I nearly strangled you."
"Yeah, wasn't that the time she set you up with that senator's daughter..."
"Oh, don't remind me! I have never been able to look at chocolate in the same way since then." Eriol groaned, cutting off Touya's question. Nakuru giggled hysterically, as Milly hid a smirk.
"Trust me, Eriol. You *will* be thanking me. Now, how is work?" Milly asked quickly changing the subject. Eriol shrugged.
"Same as always. Tyson called me just before Touya and I left work. He says he's coming home in about seven days. The negotiations with Kajabou and co. were a success, and they are already signing the merging agreement." Eriol told her. She smiled.
"Yeah. Stocks are up, employee satisfaction and consumer satisfaction are both up, and that new idea for the workers is taking a strong foothold. Everything is doing great." Touya commented. When Eriol had been in college, he had met an older college student, Kinomoto Touya, a young man majoring in Business Management. When Eriol and Tyson had begun their business, Eriol had remembered him and immediately dragged him into the mix. Touya had been an invaluable part of the company, and he still held that respect with his fellow workers.
It had actually been because of their relationship that Touya and Nakuru had met, fallen in love, and then married soon after. Nakuru couldn't bear to be away from the only real family that she had known, so Touya had reluctantly agreed to stay in Eriol's large estate, on the agreement that he and Nakuru would (a: have their own floor, (b: pay rent, and (c: be considered part of the family, and have say in whatever Eriol and Milly chose to do.
Eriol had agreed to this, though he was hesitant on the 'rent' part of the deal. So now, Touya and Nakuru inhabited the third-floor with their son, Seamus. Milly had pretty much the whole ground floor to herself, and Eriol had taken the second floor. The fourth floor was kept for their butler, Philipe, his wife, Nancy, and some of the other servants.
"That is wonderful! I will have to come by one of these days and visit Tyson. I haven't seen him for so long. Isn't that strange? It seems like only yesterday that he used to almost *live* here!" Milly laughed. The others grinned and continued on with their supper in peace, ignoring the black cloud that was looming in the distance; the arrival of that strange woman.
~*~*~*~
"She's coming today! She's coming today!" Touya joked in a sing-song voice as Eriol walked into his office a week later. It was a sunny Friday afternoon, but Eriol was working to keep his face from becoming a thundercloud.
How could Milly do something like this?! Some giggly woman, living with them for a full month! And on top of it all, Milly had insisted that they prepare the mystery woman's room directly across from his own! Eriol growled and slapped the folders he was holding down on his desk. Touya grinned and collapsed on the leather couch near his desk.
"Nakuru has never been more excited...all right, that's a lie, but she is really excited. She went out to get some groceries this morning, but knowing her, she won't be home until seven tonight!" Touya laughed at the antics of his wife. Eriol forced a smile.
"Milly went out somewhere today, and she just called. She won't be home until late, because something has held her up. So guess who gets to greet the guest?" Eriol sighed. Touya laughed.
"I have to pick up something for Seamus on the way home, so you'll be alone, buddy! By the way, when you get home, can you take Seamus off Nanny's hands? She'll need a rest." Touya stated. Eriol nodded and bent over his papers, signing ones that needed to be, and putting them in the correct folders.
Suddenly, the door sprang open and a young man walked in. He was about twenty-one, with wavy blonde hair and sky-blue eyes that twinkled at them. He was quite tall, about six-six, and he had a muscular build. He was wearing a tan suit, but he wore it casually, unlike Eriol who preferred the stiff and formal look.
"THE FUN HAS ARRIVED!!! Bring on the party!" Tyson Burnside crowed, plopping himself down beside Touya and throwing his arm around the older man. Eriol looked up from his work and tried not to smile.
"For someone who should be a good example to our employees, you sure like to play around." He commented. Tyson grinned.
"I just met the most wonderful girl! She sat next to me on the airplane, and she was quite interesting to talk with. The only problem was, I forgot to get her last name! The only name I came away with was 'Naoko'." Tyson's face fell a bit, and Touya grinned.
"Japanese name. You know, my little sister used to have a friend named 'Naoko'. Kind of funny, huh?" Touya commented.
Eriol looked up, startled. He had known when he met Touya, that the boy was related to one of his old friends from Japan, Kinomoto Sakura. Touya, however, had never made that connection, and Eriol had never thought to bring it up. Eriol had moved away from his childhood days, and preferred not to remember them, but occasionally, a name would pop up, like Naoko, that would jog his memory once more and cause a jolt of pain to lash at his heart.
"Yeah, strange. So, what is going on with you?" Tyson asked. Touya grinned and then went into detail about their 'mystery guest'. Eriol quickly finished his paperwork and filed it away. By now, both Tyson and Touya were laughing over Touya's descriptions of Eriol's complaints, and Eriol growled.
"Touya, didn't you say you had to pick up something for Seamus? You had better hurry, because Nakuru will want you home soon." Eriol reminded them. Tyson looked at his watch and yelped.
"Oy! Is it that late? We had better get a move on. Can I get a ride with you, Eriol? I took a taxi here." Tyson explained. Eriol nodded. Tyson had also been his next-door neighbor as well, and lived on the estate next to Eriol's, so it would not be a problem.
"Sure. I have to hurry. Milly drilled it into my head that I was to make our guest as comfortable as possible...yeah, right." He snorted, as they all left the office.
~*~*~*~
"See you later, Eriol!" Tyson called, as he got out of the car. Eriol nodded and then continued down the road to the gates guarding his property. They opened, and Eriol quickly drove through, parking his car in the large garage behind the house. Philipe came out to meet him, a sly look in his eyes.
"The young lady is in the front sitting room, sir." Philipe announced. Eriol sighed and handed the older man his coat, walking in the back door and into the kitchen. Once there, a tiny ball of fluff attacked his ankles playfully.
"Hello, Spinel." The young man said, picking up the tiny ball of black fur. It gazed back at him with intelligent blue eyes, and then yawned. Eriol smiled and carried the kitten out of the kitchen and into the dinning room, where he set it down on one of the comfortable chairs.
"Best not delay it, sir." Philipe commented, peeking out of the kitchen doors. Eriol groaned but obediently walked towards the doors of the sitting room. Milly had said it was an old friend...but who on earth could that be?
As quietly as he could, Eriol stepped over to the french doors and opened the right one silently. He peeked in, trying the catch a glimpse of the young woman before she saw him; but when he did, he felt all the annoyance rush out of him and shock fill it's place. He caught his breath and stared.
For there, beside the mantel, stood a young woman with long, waist-length raven black hair with violet tints to it, and bright amethyst eyes that were presently filled with tears. She was only about five-foot-five, but her body was well developed and very curvy. It was even more defined in that light lavender suit that she wore. Her fingers rested against a picture that he treasured above all others, and he knew that he could not be wrong.
"Tomoyo?"
~*~*~*~
Tomoyo turned around, a startled look on her face, as though she had been caught doing something naughty. Her eyes fell on him, and a half-shocked, half-confused look filled them. Her head tilted to the side and her pretty lips parted a fraction of a centimeter, as she tried to figure out why he was so familiar. He was quite tall, with silky black hair and sapphire eyes that bore into her.
Eriol, on the other hand, was staring at her with a mixture of shock and dismay. Never, since he had first woken up in the hospital, had he ever expected to see her again. It was about this time when Tomoyo realized just who he resembled. Her eyes widened and she choked on her breath, her dainty hand fluttering to her white throat.
"Eriol." She breathed, lips trembling, unable to say anything else. He stood in the doorway one more minute, simply gazing at his childhood friend, grown into such a beautiful lady. She too, seemed stunned by his appearance, but for a different reason. A) He was walking, B) He was talking, and C) He still remembered her. They stood that way one more minute, before a tiny wail filled the air and brought Eriol to his senses.
"Seamus!" He murmured, looking up at the ceiling.
"Who?" Tomoyo choked, still unable to comprehend what was happening. Eriol silently motioned her to follow him, and he led her out of the room and up the flight of steps to the landing. From there, they walked up the right staircase, into a long hallway. At the third door on the right, Eriol stopped and opened it, revealing a lavishly furnished baby's room. He led her inside and with quick stride, walked over to the crib. Gently, as if holding a priceless thing, he lifted the baby boy out of the crib and cradled the little thing in his arms.
Tomoyo caught her breath. Could the baby be his? It had brown hair and brown-red eyes, so it seemed unlikely, but still...it made her wonder, and her heart pound painfully against her chest.
"This is Seamus, my cousin's son." He explained, as the baby stopped crying and cooed quietly. Tomoyo breathed a sigh of relief and gingerly made her way over to them, feeling like an intruder. Things were happening so fast! To her shock, Eriol gently handed the baby to her, smiling uncertainly. Seamus looked up at her with something close to wonder, and then turned his head towards the man who had picked him up first. Tomoyo smiled as Eriol indicated for her to sit down in one of the big, comfortable rocking chairs.
"He's beautiful." She whispered. Eriol smiled and couldn't help but notice just how at-home Tomoyo seemed with a baby in her arms. Her madonna-face was turned towards the baby, and her hair fell over her shoulder to gracefully. But soon, she looked up at him, her face distressed.
"How, Eriol?" She murmured in a pain-filled voice, her eyes pleading. Eriol sighed and sat down.
"It's a long story, but I will try to help you understand." He said, before launching into his memories.
*FLASHBACK*
Darkness surrounded him.
A steady beeping tore through his senses and confused him.
A slight shuffle of sound...of someone moving nearby.
Blue eyes opened and blinked in pain as a bright white light invaded the darkness. Eriol struggled to wake up fully, scrunching his eyes tightly closed in the process. Then a sharper pain, this time in his head, caused him to flinch again.
"Ow!" He tried to speak, as he always had despite his limp state. To his shock, however, the actual word emitted from his mouth, slightly slurred. He froze in bewilderment, blinking. Had he just spoken?! There was a gasp, and then a giggle from beside him.
"YOU'RE AWAKE!!! You speak! Oh, I told Milly you would!" A girl, no older than thirteen, came up beside him, her brown eyes sparkling. She had long brown hair that reached her waist, and her smile was wide and cheery.
"I'm Nakuru, by the way. Your cousin. You've never met me, but I sure know a lot about you. Well? Aren't you going to say anything, again?"
"Water?" Eriol finally managed, getting over his shock and trying to get used to the movement of his lips. Nakuru giggled and hurried to get some from the sink nearby. Eriol then took the time to look around. He was in a comfortable blue and white hospital room, with machines beside him, monitoring his heartbeat and blood levels.
Curious about his new ability to move his mouth and even talk, Eriol hesitantly tried to move his head. This was a harder task, but he finally managed to move it from right to left and back again.
"Here you go!" Nakuru was back, and Eriol worked his lips into a slight smile, and then eagerly drank the water from the cup she held to his lips.
"Thanks."
"No problem! Milly has gone to talk to the doctor. He told us that you are expected to make a full recovery, but I don't think that he counted on you talking...or moving on your own!" Nakuru laughed. Eriol smiled again. So she *had* seen his weak attempts.
"Shhh!!! Here she comes!" Nakuru squealed softly. Eriol's face returned to its neutral look and he watched Milly enter the room. She looked tired but happy.
"The doctor said that he should be awake soon. Isn't that wonderful?" She exclaimed, beaming. Nakuru opened her mouth to speak, but then she clamped it shut, glancing at Eriol.
"I am."
Milly looked at Nakuru with a funny look on her face, and then turned around and started to dig through her purse.
"You are what, dear?"
"I'm not anything. I didn't speak." Nakuru laughed. Milly frowned and looked around the room.
"Then who..."
"Me." Eriol spoke up, swallowing a smile. Milly stiffened and did a slow turn, meeting Eriol's wide-open eyes. He stared at her silently for a moment, and then broke into a huge smile.
"Hello, Milly." He spoke in his wavering, unused voice. Milly's eyes widened and she paled, her mouth falling open.
"Er...Eriol?! YOU SPOKE!" Milly shrieked, her purse falling from her limp fingers. Her own body quickly followed the purse's path to the floor. Nakuru grinned.
"That went well!"
*END FLASHBACK*
"You mean, you talked the day you woke up? How come Milly never wrote to us? We were so sure you were dead." Tomoyo's words ended with a sob, and Eriol frowned at making his old friend cry. He slid a comforting arm about her shoulders.
"I really don't know. I think that in all the excitement and the work of physical therapy for me, she just forgot to call. You see, after she gained guardianship of me, she was forbidden to move out of the country. So we just stayed here. Then I started my company...and I have never really had time to come back." Eriol finished. Tomoyo's eyes were trained on the baby, who was now shaking a rattle in his little fist (with her help, of course).
"You have no idea how much we all missed you, Eriol. And Sakura is going to have such a shock when she comes and finds out that her brother is not only married to your cousin, but he has a son as well." Tomoyo giggled. Eriol smiled.
"I am sure that during your stay, we can catch up. Now, why exactly, are you here?" Eriol questioned, sliding away from the chair, onto the floor in front of her and holding a toy bunny in the baby's face. Tomoyo smiled.
"I am a fashion designer. I have a company here, interested in my line, so I had to come down and visit with them. This is just an added bonus for me. For once, my mother actually did something practical." She laughed. Eriol smiled but yelped as tiny claws scratched at his leg. He looked down to see Spinel looking up at him innocently. He growled and picked up the kitten, holding it in front of the baby. Curious, Seamus reached up and pulled at the tiny tail that was waving in his face. With a yowl, Spinel wriggled out of Eriol's grip and fell onto Tomoyo's chair, quickly taking refuge beside her leg. The girl laughed again, a sweet, bell-like sound.
"What an adorable kitten! What do you call him?" She asked, petting the shaking animal with her spare hand. Eriol grinned.
"Spinel, aka: powder-puff, aka: fur-ball, aka: lots of other things that aren't so nice." Eriol stated. Tomoyo smiled. They stayed this way for a few more minutes, before a ringing voice called up the stairs.
"Eriol? Has our guest arrived yet? Eriol? Where are you?" Milly called. Tomoyo smiled as Eriol took the baby from her arms and motioned her to follow him out of the room. She quickly picked up the tiny kitten and followed him down the stairs, to see Milly looking anxiously into one of the side rooms.
"Eriol? Oh! There you are. Has our guest come yet?" She questioned, lowering her voice. Eriol smiled.
"No, Mil. Our guest hasn't come. *Daidouji Tomoyo*, my best friend, has." He joked, as he moved so the girl could be seen. Milly gasped and clasped her hands over her chest.
"Tomoyo, darling! My how you've grown! You are looking lovely, dear!" Milly exclaimed, hugging the girl close. Tomoyo had luckily thought to put Spinel down, before being crushed by these motherly arms.
"It is wonderful to see you as well, Milly-chan." She said, hugging back. Milly smiled and was about to say something more, when a squeal interrupted her.
"KAWAII! So you are Tomoyo-chan! I have heard so much about you!" Nakuru cried, rushing to pull the girl into a hug. Tomoyo blushed prettily.
"And you must be Nakuru, Touya's wife."
"OH! You know Touya?!" Nakuru asked, delighted. Tomoyo laughed.
"Of course! He's my cousin." She admitted. Nakuru gave a gasp.
"Touya never said that you were related! Nor did Milly. Oh, this is just wonderful!" Nakuru cried, rushing over and pulling her baby from Eriol's arms. Seamus squealed a happy baby sound, and laughed as his mother rubbed her nose against his.
"She is a bit...energetic." Eriol whispered. Tomoyo smiled and nodded.
"Nakuru? Milly? Eriol? Anybody home?" Came Touya's voice. Tomoyo held a finger to her lips and quickly made her way down the rest of the stairs to where her cousin stood, looking around eagerly for his family. Sneaking up behind him, she hit him upside the head, causing him to look at her, startled.
"Shame on you for not telling them I was related to you, Touya! Shame on you for not telling Sakura of your baby. Shame on you for not hugging me!" Tomoyo finished this with a laugh, as Touya's face lit up and he grabbed her into his arms, swinging her around.
"Tomoyo! How are you? What are you doing here? How is Sakura? What are you doing here?" Touya asked for a second time. Tomoyo laughed.
"I am fine. I am here to promote my fashion line. Sakura is wonderful. I am here to make your life miserable." She joked. Touya glared at her, then smiled.
"Oh, this is great! Mil's, you sure are the limit! I had no idea! Thank you!" Touya was beside himself, first hugging Tomoyo, then kissing Milly on the cheek, then kissing his wife, then the baby, and finally hitting Eriol on the back. They all laughed at this, except Seamus who had fallen asleep. After a few more minutes, Philipe interrupted their happy get-together, announcing dinner. The six of them walked into the dinning room, and after making sure the baby was safe on his blanket, they sat down for dinner.
"Now, your mother mentioned that some others were coming with you. Who are they, dear?" Milly asked. Tomoyo smiled.
"Well, there is mother, of course. Then there is Meiling and her husband, Omata. Yes, Eriol, she got married, and wait till you see how happy they are. Naoko's come to, and she is working on her latest horror story...oh! Have you heard of them? And finally, there's Robert Roderick." Tomoyo finished. At this final name, everyone frowned.
"Who?" Touya asked sharply. Tomoyo sighed and looked down at her meal.
"He is a man that my mother is trying to set me up with. She is absolutely sure that I need a male in my life, and she is positive that he is the 'one'. She insisted that he come, to keep me 'safe'." Tomoyo said these words like they were dirt in her mouth, and Touya growled, while Eriol felt surprisingly indignant.
"He'll stay away from you, unless he wants his eyes torn out." Touya hissed. Tomoyo laughed.
"You sound just like Meiling and Omata. They hate him too, and even Naoko dislikes him." She stated. They all sighed in relief. Their dear girl was safe...for the time being.
~*~*~*~
"Now. Why don't you show Tomoyo to her room, Eriol?" Milly suggested. Right after dinner, they had gone into the front sitting room and chatted like old friends. The baby had woken up, and was trying sit up on the floor, with his mother's help. Touya had taken a seat on the floor next to them, watching carefully and occasionally putting a word in on the conversation. Milly and Tomoyo sat on the comfortable couch while Eriol had chosen to sit on a chair nearby.
"That's a good idea. Touya and I have to put Seamus to bed." Nakuru yawned. Eriol smiled and stood up.
"May I escort you, my lady?" He asked. Tomoyo smiled and took his arm, allowing him to lead her from the room. They walked silently up the stairs, but so many thoughts were crossing Tomoyo's mind, and it showed on her face.
"What's wrong?" Eriol questioned, slowing their pace. Tomoyo looked up and smiled.
"I was just thinking how different this is from when we last saw each other."
"Well, for starters, I am not lying on a stretcher!" He chuckled. She smiled.
"That, and you are talking...and walking. Something we never imagined you would do, though we always hoped." She commented. Eriol looked thoughtful.
"I think that you and the rest of our friends were one of the reasons that I *did* do all of that. You see, physical therapy was quite painful for me, and sometimes I just wanted to give up. But then I would always remember how you all let me play with you, and even found ways for me to play, despite my condition. That pushed me to work harder. Within a month, I could walk and talk on my own without fault. The doctors called it a miracle. I call it hope." He stated. Tomoyo smiled.
"That's beautiful." She whispered, as they came to a set of lovely carved wooden doors. They had taken the left flight of stairs this time, which had led them here.
"This is your room. I hope you find it satisfactory." He murmured, opening the door and switching on a light. Tomoyo gasped. The room was huge, and one whole wall was made entirely of windows, covered in sheer white drapes and then heavier purple velvet ones. There was a large, raised platform off to the left side, on which stood a queen-sized four-poster bed, draped with lavender drapes and blankets. There was a large wardrobe of mahogany off to one side of the platform, and a small sitting room area over in the corner nearest to them, placed around a large fireplace. There was another set of doors, these ones painted a creamy white.
Eriol led her over there and opened the doors, revealing an enormous bathroom, complete with a hot-tub/bathtub combination and double sinks. The floor of the room was entirely white tiles, as were the walls. There were pretty lavender and rose bath mats placed tastefully around on the floor, and lavender towels hung on silver towel-rings.
"Oh, it's almost prettier than the room!" Tomoyo gasped, causing Eriol to chuckle.
"And it has almost never been used. I am told that my parents preferred our apartment in town, to this. But I found that place too noisy, so I am renting it out." He stated. Tomoyo looked at him in astonishment.
"Just how many houses do you have, Hiiragizawa Eriol?" She asked. His eyes rolled to the side as he thought about it, giving him a cute innocent look that made her smile.
"Well, they left me two apartments, one in London and one in Derbyshire. Then five mansions and two castles." He stated, as if it were quite common to own two castles and numerous other houses. Tomoyo gaped and swallowed hard.
"They really *did* expect you to die, didn't they." She joked; he smiled but said nothing. Slowly, the two walked around the room, Eriol occasionally pointing out things that he thought she would find interesting. It was more like a stroll, really; some time for them to get used to the fact that they were together once again, and that Eriol was alive and well.
"I am being selfish. You must be exhausted! You should go to bed now, Tomoyo." He finally said, leading her back over to the bed. She smiled up at him.
"All right. Goodnight Eriol." She whispered, as she walked towards the bathroom. He waited until the doors had shut behind her, before leaving the room.
"Goodnight, Tomoyo." He murmured.
~*~*~*~
by: Daphne Li
Chapter 5.
~*~*~*~
"You are all dismissed. Bring your ideas back to me at the next meeting."
The room of twenty-two men dwindled quickly down to one, as that final man packed up his briefcase and looked around the room to make sure it was spotless. How he hated dirt! With quick, solid steps he exited out of the glass encased room and into the open of his office building. Several workers nodded to him or simply looked at him nervously as he passed, trying not to attract his attention.
Finally, he made it to his own huge office and shut the door with a sigh.
"Another long day?" Came a deep, humor-filled voice. The man opened his midnight-blue eyes and gazed at the intruder.
"Kinomoto, don't you have anything else to do besides bug me?" He asked, running a hand through his wavy locks of black hair. The tall brown-haired man in front of him grinned.
"Nope, not a one." He teased, sitting down on his cousin-in-law's desk. The first man groaned and walked over to the window, gazing out.
"Milly called. She said that she has something to talk to us about when we get home." The man known as Kinomoto Touya stated. At twenty-five years of age and six-foot-six height, Touya was quite an overpowering-looking person. He had mahogany colored hair and dark brown eyes that held mischief in them. However, his whole personality was quite the opposite of his physical appearance. He was fun-loving and humorous, but he was also fiercely loyal and protective when he wanted to be.
"She usually does. I just hope she isn't going to try to get me out on a date, again. I have sworn off women for life."
"Even Milly and Nakuru?" Touya asked jokingly. The younger man flinched.
"All right, all women besides them. You know what I went through, Touya. I refuse to allow some giggling woman to hang all over me, and try to flirt with me, and every other thing that all of those girls Milly and Nakuru set me up with did." The young man groaned, falling into his chair. Touya laughed.
"Oh, come on, Eriol! They weren't all that bad!" He chuckled. Twenty-one year old Hiiragizawa Eriol raised a dark eyebrow. At six-foot-two, he was quite muscular and well shaped, which caused many women to melt over his looks.
"Oh, they weren't?" Was all he said. Touya shook his head.
"I give up. You are a proverbial snowman, if I've ever seen one. You're hopeless." Touya sighed. Eriol managed a tight smile.
"That's me all right. Now, I have to file these papers, then I'll be done." He stated, getting down to business. Touya nodded and went to the door.
"Tyson Burnside is getting back in a few days. His negotiations with that office in Japan were successful, and they are already talking about a merge with 'Burnside and Hiiragizawa Corp.'." Touya stated, as he left the room.
Eriol smiled a bit. Tyson Burnside had been his best friend growing up, and when they had gotten old enough, they had formed a small company called 'Burnside and Hiiragizawa'. That company had boomed to what it was now, a world renowned, multi-billion dollar company. It delt with business on many different levels, but it mostly focused on computers, software and communications.
With a slight smile, Eriol continued on with his work. If Milly wanted something, she usually got it, no matter how much he resisted. Best not prolong this any more than was necessary!
~*~*~*~
"Touya, darling!" Nakuru cried, as her husband and cousin returned home that night. She was wearing a pretty red blouse and black slacks, with a big red apron over them. Her long hair was pulled back into a messy bun, but her eyes were sparkling with life.
"Supper's ready when you are." She murmured, as Touya gave her a sound kiss. Eriol rolled his eyes and quickly went up to change his clothes into something more comfortable.
"Bthhh-bthhhh-bthhhh." Came a soft girble through one of the doors he passed on his way back. He chuckled and opened to door, to reveal a large room, full of baby toys and rocking chairs. In the very back corner was a large white crib, and in that crib was a tiny baby boy, swinging his arms around every which way. He was no older than six months old, and he had a tiny puff of brown hair on his head. His eyes were a bright brown-red, and he was quite the chubby thing.
"Hello, Seamus. How are we today?" Eriol questioned, picking the baby up. He simply eyed Eriol with curiosity and then yawned. Eriol laughed and carried him out of the room and back downstairs.
"Oh! Thank you, Eriol. I was about to go get him." Nakuru said, pulling the baby out of his arms and cooing. Touya smiled at his wife and son, and quickly made his way over to them, kissing the little boy's forehead.
"I thought that you were hungry, Touya!" A voice laughed. Eriol turned to see Milly standing in the kitchen doorway, a pot of something in her hands. Her brown hair was graying, but her blue eyes still held the same sparkle that they had all those years ago, when she had first became his guardian. He was now too old for her to keep that title, but she had been a mother to him, so he had insisted that she stay and live with them.
"I am. I just have to stay hello to mini-me." Touya boomed, as he laid his son down on a blanket on the floor next to them. The baby yawned and went to sleep almost immediately. Milly handed out the food and they all sat down to eat.
"Now, I have some news for all of you." Milly said, as soon as Eriol's mouth was too full to argue. The young man glared at her, but she smiled back at him warmly.
"In seven day's time, we are going to have a guest staying with us." She announced. Eriol and Touya choked on their meals while Naoko gave a quiet squeal.
"WHAT?!" Eriol hissed, his dark eyes boring into hers. Milly smiled at him.
"I got a call from an...old friend today, asking me if I would be willing to keep her daughter here for about a month. I told her we would be honored. She is coming up to promote her fashion line, you know." Milly's eyes sparkled and Nakuru gasped, as she realized just who it was who was coming. Eriol, however glared and Touya looked confused.
"Who is she?" Touya asked, taking another bite of food. Milly's smile became mischievous.
"You'll see! Oh, don't look so angry, Eriol. Trust me, when you meet her, you'll thank me." Milly stated. Eriol groaned and rolled his eyes.
"Milly, the last time you said that, I nearly strangled you."
"Yeah, wasn't that the time she set you up with that senator's daughter..."
"Oh, don't remind me! I have never been able to look at chocolate in the same way since then." Eriol groaned, cutting off Touya's question. Nakuru giggled hysterically, as Milly hid a smirk.
"Trust me, Eriol. You *will* be thanking me. Now, how is work?" Milly asked quickly changing the subject. Eriol shrugged.
"Same as always. Tyson called me just before Touya and I left work. He says he's coming home in about seven days. The negotiations with Kajabou and co. were a success, and they are already signing the merging agreement." Eriol told her. She smiled.
"Yeah. Stocks are up, employee satisfaction and consumer satisfaction are both up, and that new idea for the workers is taking a strong foothold. Everything is doing great." Touya commented. When Eriol had been in college, he had met an older college student, Kinomoto Touya, a young man majoring in Business Management. When Eriol and Tyson had begun their business, Eriol had remembered him and immediately dragged him into the mix. Touya had been an invaluable part of the company, and he still held that respect with his fellow workers.
It had actually been because of their relationship that Touya and Nakuru had met, fallen in love, and then married soon after. Nakuru couldn't bear to be away from the only real family that she had known, so Touya had reluctantly agreed to stay in Eriol's large estate, on the agreement that he and Nakuru would (a: have their own floor, (b: pay rent, and (c: be considered part of the family, and have say in whatever Eriol and Milly chose to do.
Eriol had agreed to this, though he was hesitant on the 'rent' part of the deal. So now, Touya and Nakuru inhabited the third-floor with their son, Seamus. Milly had pretty much the whole ground floor to herself, and Eriol had taken the second floor. The fourth floor was kept for their butler, Philipe, his wife, Nancy, and some of the other servants.
"That is wonderful! I will have to come by one of these days and visit Tyson. I haven't seen him for so long. Isn't that strange? It seems like only yesterday that he used to almost *live* here!" Milly laughed. The others grinned and continued on with their supper in peace, ignoring the black cloud that was looming in the distance; the arrival of that strange woman.
~*~*~*~
"She's coming today! She's coming today!" Touya joked in a sing-song voice as Eriol walked into his office a week later. It was a sunny Friday afternoon, but Eriol was working to keep his face from becoming a thundercloud.
How could Milly do something like this?! Some giggly woman, living with them for a full month! And on top of it all, Milly had insisted that they prepare the mystery woman's room directly across from his own! Eriol growled and slapped the folders he was holding down on his desk. Touya grinned and collapsed on the leather couch near his desk.
"Nakuru has never been more excited...all right, that's a lie, but she is really excited. She went out to get some groceries this morning, but knowing her, she won't be home until seven tonight!" Touya laughed at the antics of his wife. Eriol forced a smile.
"Milly went out somewhere today, and she just called. She won't be home until late, because something has held her up. So guess who gets to greet the guest?" Eriol sighed. Touya laughed.
"I have to pick up something for Seamus on the way home, so you'll be alone, buddy! By the way, when you get home, can you take Seamus off Nanny's hands? She'll need a rest." Touya stated. Eriol nodded and bent over his papers, signing ones that needed to be, and putting them in the correct folders.
Suddenly, the door sprang open and a young man walked in. He was about twenty-one, with wavy blonde hair and sky-blue eyes that twinkled at them. He was quite tall, about six-six, and he had a muscular build. He was wearing a tan suit, but he wore it casually, unlike Eriol who preferred the stiff and formal look.
"THE FUN HAS ARRIVED!!! Bring on the party!" Tyson Burnside crowed, plopping himself down beside Touya and throwing his arm around the older man. Eriol looked up from his work and tried not to smile.
"For someone who should be a good example to our employees, you sure like to play around." He commented. Tyson grinned.
"I just met the most wonderful girl! She sat next to me on the airplane, and she was quite interesting to talk with. The only problem was, I forgot to get her last name! The only name I came away with was 'Naoko'." Tyson's face fell a bit, and Touya grinned.
"Japanese name. You know, my little sister used to have a friend named 'Naoko'. Kind of funny, huh?" Touya commented.
Eriol looked up, startled. He had known when he met Touya, that the boy was related to one of his old friends from Japan, Kinomoto Sakura. Touya, however, had never made that connection, and Eriol had never thought to bring it up. Eriol had moved away from his childhood days, and preferred not to remember them, but occasionally, a name would pop up, like Naoko, that would jog his memory once more and cause a jolt of pain to lash at his heart.
"Yeah, strange. So, what is going on with you?" Tyson asked. Touya grinned and then went into detail about their 'mystery guest'. Eriol quickly finished his paperwork and filed it away. By now, both Tyson and Touya were laughing over Touya's descriptions of Eriol's complaints, and Eriol growled.
"Touya, didn't you say you had to pick up something for Seamus? You had better hurry, because Nakuru will want you home soon." Eriol reminded them. Tyson looked at his watch and yelped.
"Oy! Is it that late? We had better get a move on. Can I get a ride with you, Eriol? I took a taxi here." Tyson explained. Eriol nodded. Tyson had also been his next-door neighbor as well, and lived on the estate next to Eriol's, so it would not be a problem.
"Sure. I have to hurry. Milly drilled it into my head that I was to make our guest as comfortable as possible...yeah, right." He snorted, as they all left the office.
~*~*~*~
"See you later, Eriol!" Tyson called, as he got out of the car. Eriol nodded and then continued down the road to the gates guarding his property. They opened, and Eriol quickly drove through, parking his car in the large garage behind the house. Philipe came out to meet him, a sly look in his eyes.
"The young lady is in the front sitting room, sir." Philipe announced. Eriol sighed and handed the older man his coat, walking in the back door and into the kitchen. Once there, a tiny ball of fluff attacked his ankles playfully.
"Hello, Spinel." The young man said, picking up the tiny ball of black fur. It gazed back at him with intelligent blue eyes, and then yawned. Eriol smiled and carried the kitten out of the kitchen and into the dinning room, where he set it down on one of the comfortable chairs.
"Best not delay it, sir." Philipe commented, peeking out of the kitchen doors. Eriol groaned but obediently walked towards the doors of the sitting room. Milly had said it was an old friend...but who on earth could that be?
As quietly as he could, Eriol stepped over to the french doors and opened the right one silently. He peeked in, trying the catch a glimpse of the young woman before she saw him; but when he did, he felt all the annoyance rush out of him and shock fill it's place. He caught his breath and stared.
For there, beside the mantel, stood a young woman with long, waist-length raven black hair with violet tints to it, and bright amethyst eyes that were presently filled with tears. She was only about five-foot-five, but her body was well developed and very curvy. It was even more defined in that light lavender suit that she wore. Her fingers rested against a picture that he treasured above all others, and he knew that he could not be wrong.
"Tomoyo?"
~*~*~*~
Tomoyo turned around, a startled look on her face, as though she had been caught doing something naughty. Her eyes fell on him, and a half-shocked, half-confused look filled them. Her head tilted to the side and her pretty lips parted a fraction of a centimeter, as she tried to figure out why he was so familiar. He was quite tall, with silky black hair and sapphire eyes that bore into her.
Eriol, on the other hand, was staring at her with a mixture of shock and dismay. Never, since he had first woken up in the hospital, had he ever expected to see her again. It was about this time when Tomoyo realized just who he resembled. Her eyes widened and she choked on her breath, her dainty hand fluttering to her white throat.
"Eriol." She breathed, lips trembling, unable to say anything else. He stood in the doorway one more minute, simply gazing at his childhood friend, grown into such a beautiful lady. She too, seemed stunned by his appearance, but for a different reason. A) He was walking, B) He was talking, and C) He still remembered her. They stood that way one more minute, before a tiny wail filled the air and brought Eriol to his senses.
"Seamus!" He murmured, looking up at the ceiling.
"Who?" Tomoyo choked, still unable to comprehend what was happening. Eriol silently motioned her to follow him, and he led her out of the room and up the flight of steps to the landing. From there, they walked up the right staircase, into a long hallway. At the third door on the right, Eriol stopped and opened it, revealing a lavishly furnished baby's room. He led her inside and with quick stride, walked over to the crib. Gently, as if holding a priceless thing, he lifted the baby boy out of the crib and cradled the little thing in his arms.
Tomoyo caught her breath. Could the baby be his? It had brown hair and brown-red eyes, so it seemed unlikely, but still...it made her wonder, and her heart pound painfully against her chest.
"This is Seamus, my cousin's son." He explained, as the baby stopped crying and cooed quietly. Tomoyo breathed a sigh of relief and gingerly made her way over to them, feeling like an intruder. Things were happening so fast! To her shock, Eriol gently handed the baby to her, smiling uncertainly. Seamus looked up at her with something close to wonder, and then turned his head towards the man who had picked him up first. Tomoyo smiled as Eriol indicated for her to sit down in one of the big, comfortable rocking chairs.
"He's beautiful." She whispered. Eriol smiled and couldn't help but notice just how at-home Tomoyo seemed with a baby in her arms. Her madonna-face was turned towards the baby, and her hair fell over her shoulder to gracefully. But soon, she looked up at him, her face distressed.
"How, Eriol?" She murmured in a pain-filled voice, her eyes pleading. Eriol sighed and sat down.
"It's a long story, but I will try to help you understand." He said, before launching into his memories.
*FLASHBACK*
Darkness surrounded him.
A steady beeping tore through his senses and confused him.
A slight shuffle of sound...of someone moving nearby.
Blue eyes opened and blinked in pain as a bright white light invaded the darkness. Eriol struggled to wake up fully, scrunching his eyes tightly closed in the process. Then a sharper pain, this time in his head, caused him to flinch again.
"Ow!" He tried to speak, as he always had despite his limp state. To his shock, however, the actual word emitted from his mouth, slightly slurred. He froze in bewilderment, blinking. Had he just spoken?! There was a gasp, and then a giggle from beside him.
"YOU'RE AWAKE!!! You speak! Oh, I told Milly you would!" A girl, no older than thirteen, came up beside him, her brown eyes sparkling. She had long brown hair that reached her waist, and her smile was wide and cheery.
"I'm Nakuru, by the way. Your cousin. You've never met me, but I sure know a lot about you. Well? Aren't you going to say anything, again?"
"Water?" Eriol finally managed, getting over his shock and trying to get used to the movement of his lips. Nakuru giggled and hurried to get some from the sink nearby. Eriol then took the time to look around. He was in a comfortable blue and white hospital room, with machines beside him, monitoring his heartbeat and blood levels.
Curious about his new ability to move his mouth and even talk, Eriol hesitantly tried to move his head. This was a harder task, but he finally managed to move it from right to left and back again.
"Here you go!" Nakuru was back, and Eriol worked his lips into a slight smile, and then eagerly drank the water from the cup she held to his lips.
"Thanks."
"No problem! Milly has gone to talk to the doctor. He told us that you are expected to make a full recovery, but I don't think that he counted on you talking...or moving on your own!" Nakuru laughed. Eriol smiled again. So she *had* seen his weak attempts.
"Shhh!!! Here she comes!" Nakuru squealed softly. Eriol's face returned to its neutral look and he watched Milly enter the room. She looked tired but happy.
"The doctor said that he should be awake soon. Isn't that wonderful?" She exclaimed, beaming. Nakuru opened her mouth to speak, but then she clamped it shut, glancing at Eriol.
"I am."
Milly looked at Nakuru with a funny look on her face, and then turned around and started to dig through her purse.
"You are what, dear?"
"I'm not anything. I didn't speak." Nakuru laughed. Milly frowned and looked around the room.
"Then who..."
"Me." Eriol spoke up, swallowing a smile. Milly stiffened and did a slow turn, meeting Eriol's wide-open eyes. He stared at her silently for a moment, and then broke into a huge smile.
"Hello, Milly." He spoke in his wavering, unused voice. Milly's eyes widened and she paled, her mouth falling open.
"Er...Eriol?! YOU SPOKE!" Milly shrieked, her purse falling from her limp fingers. Her own body quickly followed the purse's path to the floor. Nakuru grinned.
"That went well!"
*END FLASHBACK*
"You mean, you talked the day you woke up? How come Milly never wrote to us? We were so sure you were dead." Tomoyo's words ended with a sob, and Eriol frowned at making his old friend cry. He slid a comforting arm about her shoulders.
"I really don't know. I think that in all the excitement and the work of physical therapy for me, she just forgot to call. You see, after she gained guardianship of me, she was forbidden to move out of the country. So we just stayed here. Then I started my company...and I have never really had time to come back." Eriol finished. Tomoyo's eyes were trained on the baby, who was now shaking a rattle in his little fist (with her help, of course).
"You have no idea how much we all missed you, Eriol. And Sakura is going to have such a shock when she comes and finds out that her brother is not only married to your cousin, but he has a son as well." Tomoyo giggled. Eriol smiled.
"I am sure that during your stay, we can catch up. Now, why exactly, are you here?" Eriol questioned, sliding away from the chair, onto the floor in front of her and holding a toy bunny in the baby's face. Tomoyo smiled.
"I am a fashion designer. I have a company here, interested in my line, so I had to come down and visit with them. This is just an added bonus for me. For once, my mother actually did something practical." She laughed. Eriol smiled but yelped as tiny claws scratched at his leg. He looked down to see Spinel looking up at him innocently. He growled and picked up the kitten, holding it in front of the baby. Curious, Seamus reached up and pulled at the tiny tail that was waving in his face. With a yowl, Spinel wriggled out of Eriol's grip and fell onto Tomoyo's chair, quickly taking refuge beside her leg. The girl laughed again, a sweet, bell-like sound.
"What an adorable kitten! What do you call him?" She asked, petting the shaking animal with her spare hand. Eriol grinned.
"Spinel, aka: powder-puff, aka: fur-ball, aka: lots of other things that aren't so nice." Eriol stated. Tomoyo smiled. They stayed this way for a few more minutes, before a ringing voice called up the stairs.
"Eriol? Has our guest arrived yet? Eriol? Where are you?" Milly called. Tomoyo smiled as Eriol took the baby from her arms and motioned her to follow him out of the room. She quickly picked up the tiny kitten and followed him down the stairs, to see Milly looking anxiously into one of the side rooms.
"Eriol? Oh! There you are. Has our guest come yet?" She questioned, lowering her voice. Eriol smiled.
"No, Mil. Our guest hasn't come. *Daidouji Tomoyo*, my best friend, has." He joked, as he moved so the girl could be seen. Milly gasped and clasped her hands over her chest.
"Tomoyo, darling! My how you've grown! You are looking lovely, dear!" Milly exclaimed, hugging the girl close. Tomoyo had luckily thought to put Spinel down, before being crushed by these motherly arms.
"It is wonderful to see you as well, Milly-chan." She said, hugging back. Milly smiled and was about to say something more, when a squeal interrupted her.
"KAWAII! So you are Tomoyo-chan! I have heard so much about you!" Nakuru cried, rushing to pull the girl into a hug. Tomoyo blushed prettily.
"And you must be Nakuru, Touya's wife."
"OH! You know Touya?!" Nakuru asked, delighted. Tomoyo laughed.
"Of course! He's my cousin." She admitted. Nakuru gave a gasp.
"Touya never said that you were related! Nor did Milly. Oh, this is just wonderful!" Nakuru cried, rushing over and pulling her baby from Eriol's arms. Seamus squealed a happy baby sound, and laughed as his mother rubbed her nose against his.
"She is a bit...energetic." Eriol whispered. Tomoyo smiled and nodded.
"Nakuru? Milly? Eriol? Anybody home?" Came Touya's voice. Tomoyo held a finger to her lips and quickly made her way down the rest of the stairs to where her cousin stood, looking around eagerly for his family. Sneaking up behind him, she hit him upside the head, causing him to look at her, startled.
"Shame on you for not telling them I was related to you, Touya! Shame on you for not telling Sakura of your baby. Shame on you for not hugging me!" Tomoyo finished this with a laugh, as Touya's face lit up and he grabbed her into his arms, swinging her around.
"Tomoyo! How are you? What are you doing here? How is Sakura? What are you doing here?" Touya asked for a second time. Tomoyo laughed.
"I am fine. I am here to promote my fashion line. Sakura is wonderful. I am here to make your life miserable." She joked. Touya glared at her, then smiled.
"Oh, this is great! Mil's, you sure are the limit! I had no idea! Thank you!" Touya was beside himself, first hugging Tomoyo, then kissing Milly on the cheek, then kissing his wife, then the baby, and finally hitting Eriol on the back. They all laughed at this, except Seamus who had fallen asleep. After a few more minutes, Philipe interrupted their happy get-together, announcing dinner. The six of them walked into the dinning room, and after making sure the baby was safe on his blanket, they sat down for dinner.
"Now, your mother mentioned that some others were coming with you. Who are they, dear?" Milly asked. Tomoyo smiled.
"Well, there is mother, of course. Then there is Meiling and her husband, Omata. Yes, Eriol, she got married, and wait till you see how happy they are. Naoko's come to, and she is working on her latest horror story...oh! Have you heard of them? And finally, there's Robert Roderick." Tomoyo finished. At this final name, everyone frowned.
"Who?" Touya asked sharply. Tomoyo sighed and looked down at her meal.
"He is a man that my mother is trying to set me up with. She is absolutely sure that I need a male in my life, and she is positive that he is the 'one'. She insisted that he come, to keep me 'safe'." Tomoyo said these words like they were dirt in her mouth, and Touya growled, while Eriol felt surprisingly indignant.
"He'll stay away from you, unless he wants his eyes torn out." Touya hissed. Tomoyo laughed.
"You sound just like Meiling and Omata. They hate him too, and even Naoko dislikes him." She stated. They all sighed in relief. Their dear girl was safe...for the time being.
~*~*~*~
"Now. Why don't you show Tomoyo to her room, Eriol?" Milly suggested. Right after dinner, they had gone into the front sitting room and chatted like old friends. The baby had woken up, and was trying sit up on the floor, with his mother's help. Touya had taken a seat on the floor next to them, watching carefully and occasionally putting a word in on the conversation. Milly and Tomoyo sat on the comfortable couch while Eriol had chosen to sit on a chair nearby.
"That's a good idea. Touya and I have to put Seamus to bed." Nakuru yawned. Eriol smiled and stood up.
"May I escort you, my lady?" He asked. Tomoyo smiled and took his arm, allowing him to lead her from the room. They walked silently up the stairs, but so many thoughts were crossing Tomoyo's mind, and it showed on her face.
"What's wrong?" Eriol questioned, slowing their pace. Tomoyo looked up and smiled.
"I was just thinking how different this is from when we last saw each other."
"Well, for starters, I am not lying on a stretcher!" He chuckled. She smiled.
"That, and you are talking...and walking. Something we never imagined you would do, though we always hoped." She commented. Eriol looked thoughtful.
"I think that you and the rest of our friends were one of the reasons that I *did* do all of that. You see, physical therapy was quite painful for me, and sometimes I just wanted to give up. But then I would always remember how you all let me play with you, and even found ways for me to play, despite my condition. That pushed me to work harder. Within a month, I could walk and talk on my own without fault. The doctors called it a miracle. I call it hope." He stated. Tomoyo smiled.
"That's beautiful." She whispered, as they came to a set of lovely carved wooden doors. They had taken the left flight of stairs this time, which had led them here.
"This is your room. I hope you find it satisfactory." He murmured, opening the door and switching on a light. Tomoyo gasped. The room was huge, and one whole wall was made entirely of windows, covered in sheer white drapes and then heavier purple velvet ones. There was a large, raised platform off to the left side, on which stood a queen-sized four-poster bed, draped with lavender drapes and blankets. There was a large wardrobe of mahogany off to one side of the platform, and a small sitting room area over in the corner nearest to them, placed around a large fireplace. There was another set of doors, these ones painted a creamy white.
Eriol led her over there and opened the doors, revealing an enormous bathroom, complete with a hot-tub/bathtub combination and double sinks. The floor of the room was entirely white tiles, as were the walls. There were pretty lavender and rose bath mats placed tastefully around on the floor, and lavender towels hung on silver towel-rings.
"Oh, it's almost prettier than the room!" Tomoyo gasped, causing Eriol to chuckle.
"And it has almost never been used. I am told that my parents preferred our apartment in town, to this. But I found that place too noisy, so I am renting it out." He stated. Tomoyo looked at him in astonishment.
"Just how many houses do you have, Hiiragizawa Eriol?" She asked. His eyes rolled to the side as he thought about it, giving him a cute innocent look that made her smile.
"Well, they left me two apartments, one in London and one in Derbyshire. Then five mansions and two castles." He stated, as if it were quite common to own two castles and numerous other houses. Tomoyo gaped and swallowed hard.
"They really *did* expect you to die, didn't they." She joked; he smiled but said nothing. Slowly, the two walked around the room, Eriol occasionally pointing out things that he thought she would find interesting. It was more like a stroll, really; some time for them to get used to the fact that they were together once again, and that Eriol was alive and well.
"I am being selfish. You must be exhausted! You should go to bed now, Tomoyo." He finally said, leading her back over to the bed. She smiled up at him.
"All right. Goodnight Eriol." She whispered, as she walked towards the bathroom. He waited until the doors had shut behind her, before leaving the room.
"Goodnight, Tomoyo." He murmured.
~*~*~*~
