^_^ My sisters pointed out a factual error to me. I forgot that Eriol and Charles attended an all-boys school. So, I made a few minor changes to Chapter 3. Nothing much. Let's just say that St Catherine's is a sister school of St. Basil's and they are located conveniently beside each other, as my old school was (right, sis?). Nakuru's college would be a little farther of, but not more than a thirty-minute drive from St. Basil's.

Hi, everyone! Yey!!! I'm so happy to be able to finish this chapter! I've been smiling like an idiot everywhere I go, just because I was thinking about what should happen next. People at the train station must think I'm laughing at them or something. I certainly got a few wary looks.

Well, here's one more chapter. Hope you like it…

~ ~ ~

Chapter Four : Can't Wait to Fall in Love

Suppi-chan,

It's been more than a week since you've gone, and I've missed you terribly. We have never been apart for this long and it has been a trying week for me. I've been going to our old haunts again, visiting old friends (remember Luna?) and making new ones.

But it is never the same. Suppi-chan… I am afraid. I can feel a change in the air, a change of fate. I am not sure I want to accept it yet, but it is inevitable.

Do not misunderstand, I am happy for Eriol-sama, that he has found someone he wants to be with for the rest of his life… but what is to become of us? I fear we shall not be needed in the days to come. My dreams are filled with emptiness. I dream of falling into a void where there is no escape, and no one to hold on to…

Suppi-chan, hurry up and have Tomoyo-chan come back already. I need you.

Nakuru

~ ~ ~

*She isn't coming today.*

*Sending out psychic feelers, Timber?*

*No… at least, not consciously. She feels sad… and confused.* Timber/Charles let out a whine.

*Uh huh. It's just as I had suspected.*

*What, grandma?*

*You've gotten so emotionally attached to the girl, you have formed a psychic link. I got that way when I was with your granddad, you know, so you must have gotten it from me.*

The silence ensued for a few moments while Timber sat thinking.

*Grandma, how did you know?*

*How did I know what, child?*

*How did you know that you and granddad were meant to be together?*

Luna looked thoughtfully at the younger wolf before her and took her time to answer his question. *To be honest, I didn't... at least not until that time when he saved my hide a lifetime ago,* she laughed a wolf's laugh, *he almost lost his life in the process. I was so very mad at him. I screamed at him, beat him with my fists, and called him names… THEN I kissed him silly.*

Timber laughed, *What did he do during all this?*

Luna smiled mischievously. *At first, he was confused. He thought I'd be falling into his arms thanking him profusely, not beating him and calling him names (he can be such a self-centered, aristocratic brat sometimes). Then he got indignant… that was before the kiss. Ohohohohoho, after that he went pretty much downhill from there. You know the rest.*

*You mean I have to save somebody's life to know if we're meant to be together?*

*No, silly. I swear, you males can be so dense at times.* Luna rolled her eyes, *it means that the mere thought of losing someone, not being able to see them again… well, it makes your heart get along with your head a little bit faster than usual.*

Timber stood on his front paws and gazed at the moon. He thought of Nakuru, of not being able to see her ever again, not to see her smile or laugh or cry, not to be able to comfort her, or feel her arms around him, comforting him, loving him. Unconsciously, he let out a low painful howl that came from deep within him. Eons of sorrow, that's what it feels like. I cannot live without her.

He glanced at Luna who was looking at him, taken aback by the sorrow in his howl.

*Well… ahem, I suppose you found the answer you were looking for?*

He realized what he had done and noticed that his eyes were wet.

*Yes. I have. Thank you, grandma.* Timber touched Luna's snout with his.

*Glad to be of help, Charlie-boy.* Luna sniffled. *Now let's go do something else, all this discussion about love makes me miss your granddad terribly…*

*You know, grandma, I can summon him for you…*

~ ~ ~

Eriol looked at Nakuru's quiet form.  The silence was unnerving. It wasn't like Nakuru at all.

"So Nakuru, you have a big date with James tomorrow night, huh?"

"What?" Nakuru was startled out of her reverie, "Oh, yes. I think I'll be wearing that gown you gave me two Christmases ago."

"The dark blue one?" he smiled, "yes, I believe that would suit the occasion. You look like a water nymph in that. James would be sure to like it."

Nakuru frowned so suddenly.

"What is it Nakuru? Don't you like James?" Might as well know where her feelings lie…

"Are you giving me away, Eriol-sama?"

"Whhhaaaat? Where did you get that idea....?" Eriol thought of his conversation with Charles. Probably… sometime in the future… but it won't do to alarm Nakuru now. She's so innocent… "Of course… not."

Tears spilled from Nakuru's eyes. She wiped them off with her sleeve. "I'm sorry, Eriol-sama. I'm just feeling confused, that's all. With Suppi-chan gone, I… You'll be gone, too, eventually, anyway, when you and Mistress Tomoyo get married. You probably won't need us anymore… and it just makes me so sad."

Eriol reached around his crying guardian and hugged her to him. "Nakuru-chan," he said fondly, "if ever I get married (I hope so, anyway) that doesn't mean I would not need you. You and Spinel Sun are my friends, as well as my children (I did create them, didn't I?). But yes, everything will be different… better. You will have my love, as well as those from others…(dare I mention?). Look at Yue-san. Is he not happier now?"

Nakuru's sobbing suddenly ceased and she looked up into Eriol' blue eyes slyly. "You're right, Eriol-sama." She disentangled herself from Eriol's embrace and stood up quickly, with fire burning in her eyes. "I cannot let Yue-san get one up on me! If he gets somebody to love so could I!"

I think I created a monster…

"Ah, Nakuru…"

"But who? James?" Nakuru's brow furrowed in concentration, "I suppose he will do…"

"Nakuru, it's not that easy…"

Nakuru's sighed and hung her head. "You're right Eriol-sama. I don't want just anyone. I want somebody to love me, just like you love Mistress Tomoyo. And I want to love him back the same way."

Eriol blushed. He still wasn't used to his guardian calling his dearest Tomoyo their mistress.

Nakuru sighed, "Will there ever be anyone for me, Eriol-sama?"

Eriol smiled. "Oh, I'm sure there's someone out there. Maybe, he's even closer than we think possible." He took Nakuru into a big brotherly hug.

Nakuru looked hopefully up at Eriol. "Really, master?" Her puppy dog eyes looked at his expectantly.

"Yes, really, Nakuru-chan."

Nakuru's joy bubbled up in her and made her laugh and hug Eriol tightly. "I can't wait to fall in love!"

~ ~ ~

Nakuru's dream sequence:

Nakuru was climbing up a hill. On top, there was an oak tree, its arms spreading wide, embracing the beautiful blue sky. There was someone waiting for her there… Eriol-sama… she ran, rushing into his arms.

"Master…"

She looked up to his blue eyes, feeling wonderfully safe. But it was not Eriol-sama, it was somebody else. She stepped back, startled. The tall handsome stranger smiled at her. He looked familiar, felt familiar…

"Clow…"

"Hello, Ruby Moon. It's been a long time…"

Suddenly, she was no longer Nakuru, only Ruby Moon, with long red hair and butterfly wings.

"Clow Reed," she knelt in respect.

Two strong hands helped her stand up. "Now, now, there's no need for that," he chuckled, "we're friends aren't we?"

Ruby Moon stood up and stared at her master's face. Her heart was pounding and the fear that had been gnawing at her for days came to the fore.

Clow Reed stared back sadly at her, still holding her shoulders.

"Is it true master, will I lose you?"

Clow pushed back his horn-rimmed glasses and smiled. "In a way, but you should not be afraid." He walked toward the edge of the cliff which magically appeared some distance to the right. Ruby Moon followed.

"Change is coming, yes, but that does not mean the end of everything."

Ruby Moon looked at the void that filled the bottom of the cliff. "It looks empty…" she said sadly.

"Ah… it is merely because you are not seeing it in the right light," Clow sighed, then smiled. He cupped Ruby Moon's chin and forced her to look up.

"Do not make your fear paralyze you. You are meant to be greater than that," he dropped his hand.

Clow began to walk to the very edge of the cliff. Looking over his shoulder, he threw Ruby Moon a smile. "The light you seek need not be far away. Sometimes we have to look within ourselves to get our answers."

Facing the void, Clow put his right foot inside the darkness. "And remember… love, by itself, is the greatest magic of all…" then he disappeared into the void.

Somehow Clow's last words seemed vaguely familiar…

~ ~ ~

Eriol slipped quietly into his study. He didn't want any noise to disturb his sleeping guardian.

This has certainly been an interesting day. I wonder if I should tell Tomoyo now, or wait till I'm sure those two are settled on what they want. I don't want to meddle… too much.

"Ah, my dearest Tomoyo," his hands strayed to the picture on his desk, Nakuru and Charles forgotten. It was a picture of a smiling Tomoyo, the one he took when they went out shopping. She looked so happy. I wonder if she's thinking of me right now… (On another continent, Tomoyo sneezed daintily into her perfumed kerchief. "My, I wonder where that came from?")

Giving the photo one last caress, Eriol opened his desk drawer and took out his stationery and pen. Using his fine penmanship, he wrote down the beginnings of a letter.

My dearest Tomoyo,

I love you.

How are things doing in Japan? …

~*~*~

June6, ^_^ that last one was for you.