Sigh.... didn't get enough reviews to feed upon (wow... that soooo made me sound like some review-eating monster...) but well, it's okay.....!

Hope you all like this next chapter, and please critic my newest chappy!! Thank you...

Now, then… I really need to warn you, I'll be updating chapters by the years, as I really cannot find the time to do so now…. I'm terribly sorry…

Some explanations: thoughts are in italics.

Some other action words or words stressed or sarcasm are also in italics.

Charming, aren't you?

Chapter 2: Subtle stabbings in the back…

"So, dear Miss Tomoyo, how wonderful to see you again."

Did she just imagine that masculine voice? If not…. who was that? That nickname! Who would dare…? It sounds… vaguely familiar…..

Just as alarm bells began to ring in her head, she heard a slight chuckle right behind her back. The voice continued. "Ah, my dear Miss Tomoyo, I see that you're recalling some old memories. With that quick wit, I suppose…" A smirk followed.

Shucks! My goodness…!! She clamped a hand over her mouth. ERIOL?? A gasp escaped her mouth before she could swallow it. Eriol Hiiragizawa…!! She took in a deep breath and regained her serene posture and in that time spent letting her mind click as fast as it could to get a worthy retort back…Yes. Her eyes silt and slight chin tilted up, she prepared to spare a verbal battle with her adversary. In a span of that second, Tomoyo Daidouji swept her regal head back to face the voice, allowing her long, dark mane to float as one with the wind.

Eriol smiled secretly. She was going to accept it.

Both of them stared at each other for the longest moment and tried to absorb what they saw in the other person. A breeze started up. The lilting music from the playground stilled for that instant. And then everything went back to normal….

Except that a battle was issued. And it was affirmed and challenged.

"Dear Hiiragizawa. How lovely to see you again, ever since your recent death." A slight flinch. Good. "Or was it a disappearance act? I apologize. Let me see… oh yes." A pause. "It was about a little more than ten years since you left, am I not wrong?" she verbally accosted him.

Eriol was in the meanwhile trying exceedingly hard to maintain his calm pose. He was still reeling from the shock of seeing his opponent's face, which had developed from mere prettiness (from the last time he saw her) to a stunning composition of perfection. And that was not all, he noted silently. As she slowly rose to her feet, he realized that her flawlessness extended to her whole person, from her matching make-up to her pink little toes, but most strikingly, that the dress was filled up with a slim, gracious figure that exuded elegance that was personally tagged with her own style.

Suddenly realizing he had taken too long to counter back, he saw one of her eyebrows raise in question. Feeling pressured for a way to wipe that victorious look in her eyes, he slanted his eyes…and at that precise moment, thought up of a better way to make her squirm.

Eriol's eyes smothered.

Tomoyo almost lunged back, with that possessive look staring directly at her. His gaze began at her wide-opened eyes, and swept down her length till her toes, and leisurely made its way back up to her luminous amethyst flicks in her eyes.

Tomoyo shivered involuntary with that intimate scrutiny, feeling as though he had touched her soul. She could not seem to break the eye contact… As though he holds possession of my will! her mind screamed.

Eriol's smile was one of distinct amusement and something more, which Tomoyo could not define.

And the silence went on, deafening and ominous until……

"What's going on here…?" Sakura whispered to no one in particular.

It sounded like a gunshot through both of the other two's minds.

Tomoyo was the first to recover. She turned towards an extremely bewildered looking Sakura and calmly stated, "A war." Then she flashed a winsome smile that could dazzle any guy to bring the sky, moon and stars for her.

And Eriol was totally inclined to do that. At least, for that spilt second. Then, as reality came crashing down… what on earth is wrong with me?! She's gaining the upper hand, for goodness' sake! And just because you can't stop gaping at her swan-like transformation…well?! Don't just keep silent! Talk!!his other small part of his mind nagged…and, as if by inclination…Man, I'm having split personalities now too, because of her!! Damn! What is wrong with me?!!

"Sakura, how nice to meet you. You remember me, I presume?" he injected smoothly, countering Tomoyo's abrupt declaration with deliberate deftness and refined manner by turning Sakura's attention away to him.

And she did so. To Sakura, there was something about his semi-casual yet partially formal stance that reminded Sakura of someone she knew long ago, someone that had the exact same firm jaw and rigid pose (though it was quite relaxed at the moment) and yet could instantly pierce anyone with his disarming smile. Someone… in the beginning…. someone who had warm midnight blue swirls running up and down, vibrant and intense at this point in time… like her father…….. my father?......... "ERIOL-KUN!!!" Sakura shouted. "Hoeeeeeeeeee…!!!"

Eriol saw Sakura's thought processes through a veil of magic and chuckled internally at how some things (or people, in this case) in the world never changed. Being unspoiled and quite, quite flustered left her bright-emerald eyed and surprised…. as usual. At that moment, his thought went back to the other girl, no…a lady, and took a long dress-down, trying to find any openings she may have left out. He did so enjoy sparing, and for the first time in his life, Eriol found that he had found a commendable challenger.

Tomoyo knew the exact moment Sakura discovered who the man was. Yes, man, Tomoyo. An arrestingly fine-looking man too… She shook her head. What on earth is wrong with you?! she chided herself sternly. The enemy, she reminded herself. The enemy….the handsome enemy… NO!....the bloody enemy…..!!!

Trying to cover up for her mindless thoughts, (as she scolded herself again) she turned to face Eriol, ready with her next sarcastic line in tow. She started first, with Sakura wondering what on earth was going on…

"Charming, aren't you?" playing the same game he did on her just moments ago.

"Definitely, Miss Tomoyo. I wouldn't want to disappoint you now, would I?"

"Right…I'm charmed, I guess."

"I'm over the moon. I would never want to leave a bad impression on my lovely contender."

"Wouldn't you?"

"Assuredly not. You do know you hurt my tender feelings, don't you?"

"My sincere sympathies to those 'tender feelings'. But you should know that you don't possess any...yet." She smirked.

"Terribly kind of you to suggest that I may have some, even at least in the near future." She bites…..!!

"It is in my nature to be sensitive. However on occasions, I do not extend them to some people as they have too much ego on their own part. "

"You would hurt a poor soul who may be in dire need of comforting?" he teased.

A slight pause.

Did he just tease me?! What was that for?.... she wondered. She frantically thought of another way to bait him.

"So, what brings you to Tomenda, a small city in your estimations, considering your appetites for big cities?"

A sudden pause.

Twinkling azure eyes met puzzled looking violet ones.

"A wife, Miss Tomoyo. My wife."

to be continued

Hehe… terribly sorry it's a cliffy!!! But read this and review, alright… and I do apologize to those who have been waiting for this chapter…. This is for you.