No, you're not dreaming. Pinch yourself and prove it. I have actually updated, after what must have been the longest pause in history, I am back!! And no, this is not the end. I've decided to take this story a little farther that I originally planned. You've been waiting for this, haven't you? So go on, read it!! Oh, and leave me a review, please, so I know people are reading this!! Thank-you much!!

Skys Fall Down

Chapter Five: Safe Haven

The buildings of the Li-clan manor loomed ahead of them and Syaoran allowed a sigh of relief to escape his throat. Although his concern for Sakura's well-being had blocked the majority of the pain from his wound on the flight over, it was coming back to him in sharp throbs as the bullet brushed against bone. He held Sakura closer to him, the girl made no move to acknowledge the touch, and cast a nervous glance over the military personnel accompanying them. The soldiers knew who he was and wouldn't dare harm him for fear of the consequences. Still, he wouldn't feel completely safe until he was behind the locked doors of his home.

"We're almost there, Sakura," he mummered to her, pulling her closer still and resting his chin atop his head. Syaoran sighed and listened to her breathing, counting each ragged breath. Somehow, concentrating on her pain helped him forget his. The girl was a mess of burns, bruises, and dried blood. He touched her cheek, gently tracing a deep cut up to her eyebrow. Her hands were tattered as well with broken, dirt-clogged nails and small lacerations lining her skin. Those same hands had grabbed at his to pull him along, comforted friends, captured cards, and, most recently, sent a room full of men to their final rest.

The bastards deserved it, there was no doubt in Syaoran's mind about that. They had pushed her to it by destroying everything she held dear: her home, family, and friends. Besides, they would have killed him and done unspeakable things to her before she met the same fate. He owned her his life, but it came at a horrible price.

Sakura's innocence fled the second her finger pulled that trigger. The hands he held so tightly in his were stained with blood; literally with her own and figuratively with the lives she'd taken. It was shockingly amazing what a person was capable of when circumstances pushed them too hard. He'd never image Sakura would be able to take the life of another, yet those men had attempted to rob her of the only thing she'd had left and she'd reacted accordingly. Regardless, the girl in his arms would never be the same.

The black vehicle pulled to a stop near the front of the manor and the people surrounding the pair burst into action. A man sitting to Li's right opened the door and got out, standing attentively as he left the vehicle. The same man then reached inside with a hand, meaning to help Sakura out. Syaoran brushed him aside rudely, taking her cold hands himself and helping her out. He'd be damned if he allowed these accursed people to touch her again. Lastly came a second man, closing the door behind himself before taking his place to Sakura's left.

It was with a slight limp that Syaoran walked towards the grand front door, clutching the mute Japanese refuge to his side. Before he could reach the huge entrance, it flung open and Yelan Li walked out.

The matriarch looked immaculately perfect as usual. Her face was ageless and lacked any emotion save calm composure. She looked down her noble nose at the army officials with half lidded eyes and uninterested expression. The men bowed deeply, a honor Syaoran's mother dismissed with a nod and wave of her fan.

"My thanks, gentlemen, that you have returned my son to me." Her voice was emotionless and smooth, a rich syrupy tone that matched her expression.

Syaoran held this woman in high respects that were a step below fear. He caught the glint in her eyes and stiffened. It was something only he, her son, would have noticed; a slight spark in her normally tepid face. Horror rushed through his veins when he noted she focused her disapproving gaze on Sakura. The young Card Mistress was still in shock and failed to notice the look coming her way, but Syaoran clutched her hand all the tighter. No, she would not dare…

Yelan, with a final nod to the men, gestured the children inside. Four women stood in the entry, all having chocolate colored hair very similar to Syaoran's and the same lofty structure. They made as if to step forward, but were gestured back. Retreating a few steps, the four sisters huddled with pale faces and whispered among themselves.

"Is that Sakura-san with little brother? It hardly looks like her…"

"He wouldn't bring another girl here. So much blood on them both…"

"Yes, look at little brother's leg, what a horrible wound. But he acts like it's nothing."

"Because all his attention is focused on Sakura-san. What horrible things must have happened to make her beautiful eyes look so empty."

"Girls!" Yelan snapped and the four fell silent. "Please take Kinomoto-san to the physician so her wounds can be tended to. Then…"

Syaoran put his hands on Sakura's shoulders, moving her body so she stood behind him. "I will take her, mother."

"You will let our guest go with your sisters and you will come with me." Her tone was hard, laced with stern insistence and the arrogance of one used to being followed.

"No." He met his mother's cold stare with one of his own. "I will take…"

"Xiao Lang, you will come with me. Testing my patients could result in a less than charitable decision in the near future." She looked pointedly to Sakura and her son gave in. It was be with Sakura now and have her sent back to war-torn Japan or hand her to his sisters and keep her safely in China. The choice was obvious.

Sighing, he looked to the youngest sister in defeat. Fanren stepped forward, gently detaching their hands and taking the girls arm. Syaoran fixed her with a beseeching expression. "You couldn't even begin to imagine what she's gone through. Please be good to her."

"Nothing less for Ying-Fa, little brother," she replied, smiling sadly at his concern.

He turned towards the girl, gently cupping her marred face with a hand. "I'll come was soon as I can, Sakura. Until then my sisters will take care of you, okay?"

She didn't reply, just blinked as Fanren led her away gently. "Don't worry about her, little brother. She'll be fine."

He watched the herd of girls disappear down the hall, then turned to his mother. Her eyes were their normal cold color and still not without that angry tint. Mentally, Syaoran flinched. His earlier defiance probably hadn't helped matters any, but he wanted to make it very clear where he stood on this issue.

"If you send her back to Japan, I'm going with her and I swear I'll never return here."

Yelan meet his glare evenly, letting her eyes drop to his wounded leg. The injury was bleeding again, trickling red liquid onto the hard stones before. It certainly wasn't the first time blood had been spilled on this floor, and it wouldn't be the last… "You need medical attention, come." She started down a hall, but Syaoran stubbornly refused to follow.

"Not until you swear Sakura will be allowed to stay."

The matriarch turned, suddenly, and fixed him with an unreadable gaze. It softened and a bewildered Syaoran found himself held within her arms. The embrace was awkward, but the raw emotion and genuinely of it made up for that. His mother never touched him or displayed any affection towards him, so why now?

"It is at times like these that you remind me of your father," she whispered, causing a wave of shock to rush through his body. Today was a day for nevers; they never spoke of his father either… "The love and determination you show when protecting the things you care for… he too was like that. It is at times like these that I can't be strict with you. Xiao Lang, you obviously care deeply for the Card Mistress, but this is a time of war. By harboring her, the enemy, we may seem disloyal too. Our clan is powerful, my son, but not powerful enough to win against the government of China. And even if we could, the circumstances would be too tragic to do so if only to ensure the safety of a single girl."

She sighed and released Syaoran, noticing his frown of protest. "You obviously see it differently. For you, no risk is too great if it means Sakura-san is safe. That is why she can stay, at least until you find it safe for her to leave."

He actually smiled, a slight quirk of his mouth that showed just how grateful he was. Yelan returned the gesture.

"Now, my son, we will see to your wounds."

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No matter what she thought about, Fanren couldn't erase the look on her little brother's face as he deposited the Japanese girl into her care. It was heartbreaking in it's sincerity and love, and to think it had come from Xiao Lang… She shook her head. The boy hadn't cried since he was five, not even at his own father's funeral, and never in his life had he all but begged for something to be done. It was because of these circumstances that the youngest Li daughter decided to take the Card Mistress into her exclusive care.

It wasn't easy dismissing her sisters, but after a brief quarrel they agreed to let her take care of 'Ying Fa' alone. Fanren had argued that too many people might distress the poor girl farther. And after all she'd been through, unimaginable things according to little brother, more cause to worry was the last things she needed. So she had been left alone with her charge.

Ying Fa hadn't said a word since entering the house and Fanren began to wonder if she'd ever speak again. There had been no recognition in her eyes arrived, not even when Xiao Lang had spoken to her, and now she seemed a puppet of her former self. The bright and bouncy ten year old of years past came to mind and she considered just how much this poor child had gone through to cause so a horrible transformation.

You're stronger than this, Ying Fa. Little brother won't allow you to be beaten, you know he won't, and the last thing you want to do is fight against his stubborn will...

The stone tub in the corner of the room was filled to the brim with warm water; Ying Fa would need a bath before she they were able to tell where the dirt ended and the injuries started. "Ying Fa, here. You can clean up a bit. Ying Fa? Ying Fa?" She wasn't paying attention, not in the least, as her eyes stared straight forward. It was so unnerving to see the girl like this. Fanren shuddered, how could little brother stand having her like this? "Ying Fa? Sakura-san… Sakura…"

Suddenly, emotionless green eyes blinked and reopened, turning to look at Fanren instead of through her. There was so much turmoil in those eyes, she had obviously been through so much, and it was deplorable how they stared up at her with such a childish expression. Then Sakura was leaning forward, dropping to her knees on the hard stone floor and clasping her hands before her as she dropped her head.

"I'm sorry." Her voice was cracked, strained with the emotions she felt, yet so soft it was almost inaudible. Fanren had to lean in slightly to make sure she had heard right. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

"Sakura… why are you sorry?" she wondered gently, dropping to her knees so she was eyes level with the girl.

It was like she didn't hear her question, for the words continued to pour from her mouth. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. For what I've done… I'm sorry."

"Sakura. Sakura, look at me!" Fanren tried to pitch her voice in an imitation of her mother's authoritative tone. It worked, to some extend, and she found herself looking into empty emerald eyes. The Japanese girl blinked, once, and closed her eyes, dropping her head again. This time, though, she let her entire frame slouch forward until her forehead was resting right above Fanren's heart.

Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around the younger girl's slight form. Sakura didn't return the embrace, but she didn't try to pull away. Her eyes just stared forward in the same emotionless stare.

Fanren gathered the girl into her lap, fighting a valiant battle against her own tears as she gently rocked her from side to side like a child. It helped her to know that she was of some use in the situation, if only minisculy. The gentle movements and creasing of cloth took on a steady pattern, melting into a sort of ghastly lullaby when combined with Sakura's whispered chant; "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry…"

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Syaoran twitched as the family physician attempted to pull the bullet from his flesh. In his opinion, this was all taking too long. He felt no pain now, thanks to the pills he'd taken before, and the only thing on his mind was rushing to Sakura's aid. Leaving her side, even is she was with his sisters, felt wrong after everything she'd been through, the most recent incident especially. How she would get through that was still a mystery, but he was confident that she would, somehow…

"Xiao Lang, stop," Yelan snapped at him. "I told you before that you may not leave this room until that wound has been tended. Tapping your foot is doing nothing but slowing down the process."

Grudgingly, he obeyed and still the frantic rhythm, watching the man remove the bullet and proceed to clean the area with agonizing slowness. Sakura… I hope she's alright… Now he was being stupid, and over-possessive. There was no reason why she would be anything but okay, this manor was perfectly safe.

His mother was watching him again, this time with a calculating expression. "There are some things I've been wondering about," she started after a minute or two. "Like the circumstance leading up to the army escorting you home and why you had a bullet lodged in your leg."

Sakura. Gun. Bang. He cringed. "Mother, I'd rather not…"

"I insist." Her reply was instantaneous and final.

Syaoran gave a mental curse, looking with feigned interest at the blood coming off his skin. In order to tell the story properly he'd have to relate quite a bit. "Sakura's brother was killed in the attack," he started slowly. "We found him in the rubble of her home. So we buried him and she wanted a few minutes alone. I left her to scout around the area, but when I bumped into her she was being pursued by a solider. We ran but the man got out the gun, shot me in the leg so I was unable to go any further. Sakura refused to run without me, that's how the man found us."

She nodded, gesturing for him to continue.

"He was more interested in Sakura than me." Syaoran clenched his fist, letting the nails bit into the palm of his hand as he recalled the lust lining the other man's eyes. "And he was talking to her in Chinese, even though she couldn't understand a word. We couldn't run any more, our only option was to negotiate. I told him who I was and at first he didn't believe me. Finally, thought…"

"And Sakura-san, how did you explain her?" Yelan wondered automatically.

Damn. Trust his mother to be so perceptive. He'd wanted to keep that little detail a secret, if at all possible. "My… fiancée. Mother, it was the only way and she didn't understand a word of it!"

Her eyes were burning, he'd been right to assume that scrap of information would upset her. "It's not her I'm worried about, Xiao Lang." Her tone was cold and smooth, meaning her anger was only building. "What will you do now? No doubt the army will inquire into this matter and when they find out you lied…"

"They won't. Look into it, that is. Because the man never gave his report."

"What do you mean?"

He bowed his head. "He's dead." It was obvious she wanted more answer, so he complied with a sigh. "The man tricked us, saying we could speak to his commander when in reality he led us into a death trap. They were about to kill me, the would have, but Sakura…"

She raised and eyebrow. "Sakura what?"

"Shot… them…"

Yelan could fight her swift gasp as a hand flew to her mouth. The expression she wore was complete surprise, the most expressive Syaoran had ever seen her. "Sakura-san shot these men… dead?"

"Yes." He clasped his hands in his lap. God, Sakura, when would this end?

She didn't say anything for a while, but stayed motionless in her chair. His mother shot to her feet, very suddenly, so she could look down on her son with a pinched expression. "You should have told me this before, Xiao Lang. This information changes everything."

"You said she could stay!" Syaoran nearly jumped from his chair, heart beating rapidly. That doctor had long since cleaned and bandaged his wound, slipping from this room without the two Lis noticing.

With a nod, confirmed his accusation. "I did and I will stay true to that promise. Just know this won't be easy and you'll have to find her family, or what's left of it, as soon as possible."

-end chpt.5-

-TBC-