Prologue: "I'm going to be late

Author's notes: I have heard a rumor that there might be a fourth season of Card Captor Sakura, in Japan. If that happens, this story will be of an alternate timeline from that and any other future seasons. I would like at least 20 reviews before I put out another chapter just to know that someone is reading.

"Fires of the Past"

"I'm going to be late!" Cried Natasha flying out of bed.

"She really is just like you." Li whispered to Sakura. Sakura elbowed him for the remark. Natasha roamed the house. Her long, brown hair flowed behind her. Her emerald eyes lit up her pale face and she had a warm smile that could cheer anyone up.

"Have you seen my rollerblades?" came a call from upstairs.

"Well that does sound familiar…" Sakura said, agreeing with Li.

"Good morning, Mother." Natasha said, coming down the stairs, her things, finally collected.

"You're breakfast has been ready." Li said to Natasha. Natasha couldn't help shoving it down her throat.

"Careful, you might chock." Sakura cautioned.

"I can't be late on the last day." Natasha replied. "Goodbye all!" Natasha added, closing the door behind her. Sakura reopened it and watched Natasha skate away.

"Last day of fifth grade already." Sakura said to Li, while watching Natasha from the door. "I remember Tori would have made some remark about me being a monster about now." Sakura remembered.

"Well that was a long time ago." Li said, kissing her on the cheek. There was a time he couldn't even say a complete sentence that he liked her. But now it just came easy. "We should go get Keroberos." Li said to her. "We did promise to get him up early this time."

"Alright." Sakura said, closing the door behind her.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Good morning, Sarah" Natasha said to her best friend. Sarah turned to her. Sarah had long black hair. Her mother kept it that way. She had brown eyes and one of those faces that looked like it could never be sad. Always cheerful, she and Natasha were a good match.

"My mom says she feels good enough to not cancel our trip." Sarah said to her as they entered the school building.

"My mom says that she cannot be sorry enough for what happened." Natasha said. "Although I cannot figure out what it was. My mom and dad keep avoiding the question."

"My mom just says she cannot remember." Sarah said. "She said that they're such good friends it doesn't matter." Everyone was sitting down, but know one could stop talking. The room was full of good-byes.

"I'm really going to miss you, Natasha." Ronnie said to her. Ronnie was shorter than most people in the class were, but he was just as energetic. He had really short blond hair and blue eyes. He had watched her since the middle of the year, making sure no one bothered her. Now they wouldn't see each other until the next school year.

"I can't wait to go to Readington." Natasha said to Sarah. "My mom says she grew up there."

"Really! That is so cool." Sarah said.

"Readington?" Ronnie came in. "I've been there. There's this really good restaurant at the top of the Radio Tower. I believe it's owned by a someone called… um… Tori. That's it, Tori."

"My Mom said that I have an Uncle Tori who owns a restaurant. I wander if that's him." Natasha said.

"Hey Ronnie!" Nick called. "Get over here!"

"I guess I'll see you… somewhere in the summer." Ronnie said leaving to see what had gotten Nick so excited.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"There it is." Li said. "Same place we left it."

"I know." Sakura said, looking down. She felt sorry that she left Kero, Yue, and the Sakura cards in the book for that one time. She still blamed herself for the accident.

"It wasn't your fault." Li said trying to comfort her. "You couldn't have known that it would happen."

"But they were under my control." Sakura said. "Did you get enough pudding for Kero?" Sakura asked, pulling the book from the self. "You know how he was last time when we told him Natasha had ate the last few."

"Oh he was angry." Li recalled. "But I got enough. How did you get him hooked on it anyway?" Li asked Sakura

"I don't know." Sakura said thinking about it. Sakura held the book in front of her.

"I Sakura, call upon Keroberos

Guardian beast of the book of Sakura.

Release him to me

Release!"

The ancient book glowed eagerly. Kero knew it was time once again. He began to pull himself from the book. His body emerged in its tiny form. Floating above the book, he slowly opened his eyes.

"Alright!" Kero said flying into Sakura's arms. He was in his little form "Wait, did you get pudding?" Kero said, looked up.

"Of course we did." Sakura told him. "We really missed you, right Li?" Sakura said starring at him.

"Yes." Li responded. He never was as fond of that "stuffed animal" as Sakura was. "Where's Yue?" Li asked, realizing someone was missing.

"Yue should be out shortly." Kero reassured them. "What new television shows do they on now?"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Well," Allison spoke to Natasha. Allison's brown hair came down to her shoulders. She was taller than Natasha by almost a head. "It was a fun year. I can't believe I won't be seeing you for most of the summer. I'm really going to miss you."

"Yah. But I'll be back in time for the last two weeks." Natasha said to her. Natasha could see Scott trying to get Allison's attention. Allison turned around.

"He and Chris can be so rude." Allison said, pointing out the obvious. Scott was cocky and mischievous. He had black hair and brown eyes. He was also almost Allison's size. Chris's personality was a hard one to determine. You never knew exactly where he stood on an issue. He had blond, short hair and was as tall as Allison.

"I'm sure he'll get over it." Natasha said. Sarah walked back into the room. Mr. Long decided to speak up.

"It was a great year." He began. "Despite the numerous out bursts from Ronnie and Nick." He joked. Ronnie and Nick cheered. "I wish you all a great and exciting summer and a wonderful next year." With that, the last dismissal bell of the school year rang. Kids rushed out of the building, loads at a time. After five minutes of confusion, everyone finally found their way to go. The doors were jammed in the open position. The floors were scuffed with shoe marks, but it all was over until the next year.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"We surveyed one hundred people who claimed they possessed powerful magic…" The television was on the Family Feud. There were laughs in the background of the show.

"Kero, would you at least talk to us." Sakura said.

"I hate when he uses those lines." Kero said.

"This Family Feud is pointless." Yue told Kero. "Cannot we do something else?"

"Remember the time you got Eli, Spinni, and Ruby over here?" Kero asked Sakura. "Yah, Li managed it." Sakura said. "He'd do anything for me." Li walked in with a bowl of chips. Li wasn't very fond of Eli either. Especially after the things he did to Sakura. "That Ruby sure knew how to get Yue to actually do something."

"She scared me into it." Yue said, not wanting to remember. "You should tell Sakura about the cards." Yue told him, waving his hand at the television. The joyful box of light and sound went off into silence and darkness.

"What did he mean, tell Sakura about the cards?" Li asked Kero. Kero looked up. He didn't want to bring any pain to Sakura's joyful face, but he had to now.

"I should have told you when trouble first began to show." Kero began. "Ever since the accident," Kero looked at Sakura. "The some of the cards have begun to feel abandoned because of your action to prevent another accident. They argue that they can be trusted to be used. I believe them, but not using them makes it bad. The cards have never actually done something like that since they were sealed by Clow." Sakura looked back at Kero. "They've began to take sides and fight each other. Lately, different groups have joined to make one group more powerful."

"Do you need my help?" Sakura said. "But Natasha will be home any minute and after what you've said, she cannot be allowed to see you."

"No, me and Yue can handle it."

"It wouldn't be right if the book was given to her." Yue spoke. "That would be unfair to any others." Sakura remembered back when she had opened the book. She didn't want to be a cardcaptor. All that changed now. Sakura couldn't imagine what her life would have been like without Kero. The front door opened. Everyone looked in the hallway's direction.

"I'm home!" Natasha announced.

"O, no." Kero said.

"Out the other way." Sakura told them. "I'll see you in the basement." Li went into the hallway and stalled Natasha.

"I've got to get ready to go." Natasha told him. "I leave tomorrow."

"Readington." Li thought. "Who'd guess that that little place would make a big difference."

"What was that?" Sakura said, jumping onto his back.

"You're still as cheerful as when you were ten." Li said to her.

"Did you expect something else?" Sakura giggled.

"You still wake up as late." Li joked. Sakura gave a sour look to him as she went into the basement.

"They're still fighting." Yue said, feeling the book. Kero sighed. "But I believe the Seal will hold."

"Well, I'll see you on the next anniversary." Sakura said to them.

"Tell Madison we said hi." Kero said.

"We did?" Yue spoke aloud. Kero elbowed him.

"We did." Kero repeated himself.

"I will." Sakura told them as they disappeared back into the covers of the book. Sakura held it. "It's not your fault." She said to it. "It's just with Natasha, I don't want to take another risk. She and Sarah were suspicious at first. I think they've gotten over it though and you can too." Her words were meant for the cards. Slowly, she put the book back into the shelf and walked back to the stairs.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

After Dinner, Sakura went to see Madison. Since the hospital was out of her way, Sakura rarely got to see Madison there. Li left Natasha to go by the store to pick up several items. Natasha packed lightly. She knew that chances were, she'd bring back more than she left with. While in the basement, Natasha looked for a blank book. She wanted one to use as a diary while she was in Readington. While looking over the bindings, she noticed a book she had never quite noticed before. Pulling it from the shelf she read the title to herself. "Sakura". "It must be my mom's" She said, and attempted to open the latch. But the latch wouldn't budge. Natasha began to get frustrated with the book. She placed it harshly back into its place and looked on. But before the book exited full view of her, she saw a glow from it. Natasha looked back at it. It started to shake. Natasha could feel the vibrations of the tremors moving through the other books beside it. Natasha pulled it out from the shelf again. It stopped shaking. "I'll deal with opening this thing later." She said, taking it back upstairs through the hallway, and up to her room. The book showed no sign of life along the travel. She set it on her desk above one of her bags and exited her room. The book glowed and shook violently. It inched its way off Natasha's desk and into the open bag on the floor.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The doorbell chimed it notes around the household. Nine A.M. had rolled its way to the present. "I cannot believe I slept in!" The cry from upstairs was unmistakable.

"Hello Madison." Sakura said greeting her. "Take lots of pictures. I would like to know what has changed in Readington."

"You know Sakura, it isn't like it's too far away." Madison told her.

"But it's just far enough." Sakura said. Sarah had managed to worm her way through the two of them and made it to the stairs. Natasha began to come down the steps.

"How did you wake up late this time? You've been looking forward to this." Sarah said, kind of shocked.

"I slept right through the alarm. I couldn't wake up on time if my life depended on it." Natasha said, hauling down a suitcase. "At least I packed all of my stuff last night."

"Kero and Yue said hi." Sakura continued in the kitchen. Madison followed in.

"I'm sorry I missed it. I had to save my energy." Madison said. "Did you ever find out why it happened?

"Nope. But my relationship with the cards has kind of changed because of it." Sakura said after Natasha and Sarah went out to the car. "It's almost as if I'm afraid of using them."

"Well Clow left them to you." Madison said. "I'm sure that you will be okay with them eventually." Sakura sighed. "Where is Li?" Madison asked looking around. Sarah and Natasha went back upstairs for the other bag.

"He left for work. The museum discovered these ancient potteries down by the coast where they were about to build an apartment complex." Sakura said.

"I heard about that." Madison said, nodding her head.

"Anyway, they're making him work for a little longer because of it." Sakura finished. Natasha and Sarah passed the room with the bags out to the car. One of the bags caught Sakura's eye. She got a weird feeling from it. Something else she hadn't felt for a long time. Sakura stood up, eyeing the doorway.

"Is something wrong?" Madison asked, looking in the direction.

"It's nothing probably." Sakura said, wondering.

"We're ready!" A call from outside rang.

"Tell Li, Kero, and Yue I said hi." Madison said, standing up and heading for the door.

"I will." Sakura told her. Madison shut the door. "Where have I felt that?" Sakura asked. It was such a long time ago. She'd nearly forgotten it. The car had rolled off from the driveway. Sakura looked at the basement door. Mindlessly, she walked slowly towards it. One foot after another, not knowing what she was doing. Staring down the steps, it seemed different. Sakura edged her foot down one step, and repeated the process until she was on the floor. Then, she sprinted across the floor to the bookshelf. She knew what the feeling was now. Sakura stared where the book of Sakura should have been, but it wasn't anywhere to be found.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Li!" Kim called from across the field. Kim was one of the people who classified the findings into categories. Her long red hair was tied back. Li looked up from the dirt and stared at her.

"What is it!" he called back.

"There's a phone call for you from Sakura. It sounds urgent." Kim called back.

"Mark, would you photograph this?" Li said handing the camera to him. Li walked up the hill, into the tent and picked up the receiver from the table. "Sakura, what is it?" Li said into the receiver.

"It's gone. Natasha took it when she left, I don't know why I didn't sense it but…" Sakura mumbled, crying.

"What is gone?" Li asked.

"The Sakura book." Sakura responded. Li dropped the receiver, and turned slowly around.

"Andrew," Li said slowly. "Will you tell Alex to fill in for me?"

"Sure," Andrew replied, leaving the tent out to the field. Li walked slowly to the parking lot. He wondered what would happen if the cards got released again. In this modern age, damage would be greater. There were more things in the sky to watch for news. Li picked up his pace to reach the car. Readington wasn't the small town that it used to be.

Those thoughts unlocked other thoughts. He wondered if the Li family still studied the magic of Clow back in China. When Li arrived at the house, he found Sakura sitting at the kitchen table, crying endlessly. She was thinking of what could happen to Natasha.

"Sakura," Li began. Sakura looked up. He dreaded seeing such a face like hers in pain. "You don't need to cry so much about this." He said slowly.

"But think of what could happen to her." Sakura said to him.

"You came out alright." Li pointed out. Sakura looked down. Maybe her thoughts were her not wanting to see anything bad happen to Natasha. Li put is arms around her and sat beside her.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Over at the hotel, Natasha and Sarah had almost finished unpacking their things. When Natasha opened the second bag, she was surprised to see the mysterious book that she couldn't open.

"What's that?" Sarah asked, since she'd never seen it before.

"Just some book I found. I didn't know I packed it." Natasha answered. "The odd thing is, I cannot get it open." Natasha told Sarah, handing the book to her. Sarah pulled at the latch. It seemed to be stuck. Sarah looked around for something to wedge it open.

"Let's ask my mom." Sarah asked. "She may know a way."

"Are you two hungry?" Madison said, knocking on the adjoining door.

"I guess so." Sarah responded.

"Yah, let's get some lunch." Natasha complied. Sarah handed the book back to Natasha and she put it on the desk near the window. Opening the room's door, they found Madison all ready to go, waiting for them. "I heard that there's a radio tower around here that has a restaurant. Could we go there?" Natasha asked Madison.

"I guess so." Madison said, trying to remember where it was as they went down the elevator. Back up in the room, the book of Sakura glowed and shook itself again. It managed to settle itself again though.

"I believe the restaurant is at the top." Madison said to them as they entered the building. Arriving at the floor, they walked to the restaurant, which they had found. A tall man walked up to the podium and pulled out three menus. Looking up again he noticed Madison standing there.

"Madison?" he asked with surprise.

"Hello Tori. You're still here?" Madison said to him.

"What do you mean by that?" Tori said.

"You never had the same job." Madison said with a smile.

"What are you doing here?" He asked.

"It's a summer trip." Madison responded.

"Then these two must be Sarah and Natasha." Tori said looking at them. Tori went over to Natasha. "Look at how big you've gotten." He said to her. Natasha had no memory of him because the last time he saw her, she was two.

"So, you're Tori." Natasha said to him. Tori took them to a booth by the window. "Is Li still with Sakura?" Tori asked Madison. It was obvious that he still didn't like him. "Yes he is, Tori." Madison responded. Tori went off to get water for them.

"Why did he ask that?" Natasha asked Madison.

"Tori hated your father." Madison told Natasha. "At the wedding, he opposed the marriage, saying Li was a brat. It was quite funny, although Sakura was rather embarrassed."

"Talking about me I see." Tori said, coming back with the water.

"How come you didn't like him?" Natasha asked Tori. Sarah just watched this family story.

"Well, the first time I met him, he and Sakura were in a fight." Tori said, remembering.

"Why were they fighting?" Natasha asked.

"I never figured that out." Tori told her. "You were there Madison." Tori said, turning to her. "Do you know?" Madison sat there with her jaw opened trying to think of an excuse. She then looked at the menu.

"I'll have the buckwheat noodles." Madison said, handing the menu to Tori, changing the subject. Tori just shrugged.

"I'll take the sushi." Sarah told him.

"And I'll have the rice omelets." Natasha said. Tori left with the orders.

"What do you mean he never had the same job?" Sarah asked Madison.

"You never saw him at the same job twice and he had worked nearly everywhere. Sometimes it felt like he was doing it just to watch Sakura."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Later that night, all three of them wanted to get to bed early, if they wanted to get up early enough to get to the amusement park. Sarah was over talking with Madison and Natasha was ready to settle into bed. She waited for Sarah to come back in so they could talk. But then she heard a rumble at the desk. The book she left there was rattling. Natasha left the bed to see it. Standing in front of the desk, the book still shook. Natasha picked up the pink book and it began to glow brightly. The latch broke suddenly. Cards flew out in all directions. Some took their visible forms and started to battle. Kero emerged from the cover of the book and tried to restore order amongst them. Natasha covered her face with her arms and ducked behind a chair, trying to avoid being caught in the crossfire. Most of the cards flew through the window, but a couple stayed behind, returning to their card forms and into the book. Kero descended onto the table, forced into his little form.

Author's notes: Well, this is a skip way into the future. Madison is Sarah's mother. I haven't quite figured out who Sarah's dad will be. The story is still in the thought process. Sakura and Li are Natasha's parents. Again before I put out another chapter, I would like at least 20 reviews to know that someone is reading.