Lchan: Um. I know. Weird chapter title. You'll figure it out while reading. Um, I'm putting in Eriol, okay, people? The cards aren't Sakura Cards yet, though. Uhm...okay. Anyway, please know that I put in characters I want to put in. If I don't feel like putting in Yukito, he's out...you know...like that.

Anyway...hora. Here's the 6th chapter.

VI-The Call, The Girl

Tomoyo felt something cold wash over her.

It was a sudden feeling, not brought about by any emotion she felt. Sakura's inconsideration couldn't possibly have this effect on her. It wasn't pain. Nor was it fear. It was just cold, filling her with unease.

It was as if everything suddenly blurred and then came back to normal again. Like a wave of...something...came over her for just a few fleeting moments.

She blinked. 'What was that?' she wondered. 'What's going on?' Her mind became a whirlwind of fear, suspicions, hurt, anger and unbearable curiosity as she brought back the uncomfortable sensation.

RRRRIIINNGGG!!

The sound of the phone's ringing jolted her back to reality.

She picked up the cordless phone and held it to her ear. "Moshi, moshi. Tomoyo here."

A voice that had a familiar mysterious hint to it greeted her. "Ohayo, Daidouji!"

"Ah, Hiiragizawa-kun...ohayo."

"I heard about what happened to my cute little descendant. How's he doing?"

Tomoyo's eyebrows furrowed. "Before I answer that...um...may I ask you something?"

"Are you expecting a straight answer?"

"I'm hoping for one."

"I'll try."

"Ah, Hiiragizawa-kun...why do you call Li-kun cute?"

"Because it makes him blush and then he gets really mad...and that's so hilarious--side-splitting really."

"Oh..."

"So how's he?"

Tomoyo's eyes narrowed playfully as his voice brought back memories. "Hmm...no one else in Tomoeda knows about it yet...and you're in England. You didn't HEAR anything about anyone...did you?" she asked, smiling.

"Ah, Daidouji's endless questions..." Eriol chuckled.

Tomoyo laughed.

"No," Eriol admitted, and then a moment of silence passed, which he used to back up his answer. "Intuition, I guess."

Tomoyo giggled. "Intuition!?"

"I actually care about my cute little descendant, you know. And also my cute little descendant's beloved. And especially my cute little descendant's beloved's best friend..."

Tomoyo laughed, although the 'best friend' thing stung her a little. But Eriol's voice was so calming she couldn't help but express her amusement. Besides, she liked the 'especially'...

"Hey, it never hurts to care," Eriol defended.

"Oh, so you CARE about us, hmm? Ohohoho..."

"Hey, no asking Clow-Reed-reincarnations questions!!"

"Oh...gomen ne, Clow-Reed-HALF-reincarnation-sama," Tomoyo said, her smile widening.

She could hear the laughter in Eriol's voice as he once again popped up his first question. "So how's Syaoran?" he asked.

"Cold."

"Out cold or ice cold?"

"Both cold."

"Oh. But he'll live?"

"Sure."

"And Sakura?"

"She's okay."

There was a pause in conversation.

"So...how's Nakuru and Spinel?" Tomoyo asked.

"They're fine..." and after a while, added, "I'm fine, too."

"I don't remember asking," Tomoyo teased, her amethyst eyes glinting with happiness.

"No, but you WANTED to," Eriol replied.

"Oh I did?" Tomoyo retorted, frowning.

Eriol cleverly replied, "No asking questions."

Tomoyo laughed. "So, Hiiragizawa-kun, what's up there in England..."

Sakura 'n' Syaoran

Syaoran stirred a little.

Sakura snapped to attention. "Syaoran-kun?"

Syaoran's breathing became rapid, sweat dripped off his forehead as his hands clenched underneath the blankets.

"Syaoran-kun!? Daijobu!?!?" Sakura yelped.

Syaoran, of course, didn't respond, but he calmed down a little, though his breathing was still heavy, his eyebrows furrowed, his messy chestnut hair dampened with beads of perspiration.

"Syaoran..."

Syaoran

Cold. Intense Cold. That's what I feel. Icy fire.

Blurry pictures flash across my mind, tearing through that irritating black nothingness that's all around me. I can hear Sakura's voice a little, but never as clearly as I want it to be.

I don't know how exactly I gave in to this stupid condition. No, wait. I didn't give in to it. I lost to it.

I could've dealt with the fever alone, but that Freeze Card's sub-zero ice cube cage was too much to take. I was burning up, for crying out loud!! The coldness that caused our victory contrasted too much with it...

It was my fault anyway. Why couldn't I have asked her to use the Freeze Card sooner? Yeah. I was stubborn. I have always been. I know that. I guess I'm just too much of a coward to ask for her help. I mean...it just looks too...weak.

A sudden, magical aura hits me. The same familiar aura... What the heck...? Even HERE!? Clow Cards exist?!?

I don't believe this...

No. Wait. It's out there.

Oh no.

Sakura!

Normal POV

Tomoyo entered the room, amethyst eyes cast down once more. "Eriol called," she said, softly.

Sakura raised her worried eyes from Syaoran's struggling figure and managed a smile. "Hoe? Honto ni? What did he say?" she asked.

"He just wanted to check on Syaoran," Tomoyo answered, shortly.

"Sou...and what did you say?"

"That he's okay," Tomoyo replied.

"That's good," Sakura said, nodding, maintaining her half-smile.

Silence reigned over the room as both girls avoided each other's gazes. Tomoyo's eyes were cast down, her teeth digging into her lower lip. Sakura's stare was locked onto the purple-flecked bed sheet, the guilt of taking her best friend for granted coming back to her once more. She was trapped, sandwiched between the two people she had endangered and hurt.

"Tomoyo-chan?" she said, her emerald green eyes shifting to look at Tomoyo.

"Hai?"

"I really am so sorry. I mean..."

Tomoyo only shook her head. "Sakura...I don't want your apology," she said.

"So you forgive me for yelling at you?" Sakura asked, hopefully.

"I yelled back too, Sakura," Tomoyo replied. And then both girls were silent again, neither of them knowing what to say.

Minutes passed, and still the room was quiet. Only Syaoran's soft but rapid breathing broke the stifling tranquility.

Suddenly, there was a soft groan as Syaoran pushed himself up from the bed, his unruly chestnut hair once again overshadowing his serious amber eyes as he breathed in and breathed out, chest heaving.

His hand came up to push his damp auburn locks from his face as pain shot through his head and coursed through every sore muscle. He winced, but refrained from crying out.

His teeth felt like chattering, it cost all his stored strength to keep from shivering. Despite the mound of blankets covering him, the iciness of the Freeze Card seemed to have stayed locked inside his body, it was hard not to curl into a ball and cry.

"Syaoran!!" Sakura yelled, alarmed. Tomoyo, too, stood up.

Syaoran turned his brown eyes towards Sakura, taking a few moments to catch his breath before saying: "You feel it...don't you?" he gasped out. "You can sense it..."

Sakura's emerald eyes were wide as she shook her head no. "Sy- Syaoran...kun..." she stammered.

Tomoyo placed a gentle hand on his shoulder and locked her eyes into his. "Li-kun...you need rest. Lie back, okay? Just relax."

Syaoran's eyebrows furrowed stubbornly, his eyes defiantly telling her no.

Sakura placed a warm hand on his forehead and bit her lip. "Now he's too cold!!" she wailed. "Just yesterday he was too hot and now he's too cold!!!"

Syaoran cursed silently. "Ah, forget the temperature," he lashed out, involuntarily exposing a slight shiver, which cut off his protests. He cast his amber eyes back to the sheets in alarm, determined to stay strong even though he wasn't.

"Syaoran-kun? Syaoran, daijobu desu na?" Sakura asked.

He flashed her a quick, hesitant half-glare, and then shut his eyes to escape the unbearable cold. He clenched his teeth and silently cursed.

'K'so...'

"You need rest, Syaoran-kun..." Tomoyo said, softly, as she pushed him backwards as gently as she could, easing his head back into the pillow. "Stay still."

Syaoran struggled a little before finally giving in, and even then, his eyes still held that defiant, reproachful tinge...clear, held in anger. "Dammit," he murmured, as Sakura arranged the layers of blankets over him again.

"Hoe? Did you say something, Syaoran-kun?" Sakura asked.

Syaoran gazed at her for a few seconds before hardening and shifting his gaze towards the bedside table, his defiance and solitary atmosphere enveloping him again. "Iie..."

Sakura, as if carefully thinking of what to reply but just couldn't decide, sat back down on her chair in defeat. Then she opened her mouth to say something. "I--" Then she stopped, as though re-thinking whether or not she should tell him that she didn't believe him. "Okay..." she relented at last, deciding not to torment him further. "I...uh--yeah...okay..." She gave up.

And the room was silent again.

Tomoyo relaxed too, watching for once without her camera as Sakura rested her head on the frame of the bed and as Syaoran gave in to easy sleep.

Downstairs

"No problems there? Spinel and Nakuru are driving me crazy."

"Really? Well then, are you okay? No, wait. No questions, right?"

"Actually, I was going to say I'm fine."

"You seem to like answering all the easy questions."

"And that's bad?"

Tomoyo giggled. "Not really. Well...except for Syaoran and Sakura, we're absolutely a-ok."

"Does 'we' include you?"

Tomoyo considered telling him about her conflict with Sakura, and then decided not to. She wanted this problem to be HER problem and HER problem only. "Yes. That includes me."

"I see...so I guess everything's okay there?" Eriol of course, knew something was up, but he didn't press her about it.

"Oh, we manage."

"Are you okay with managing?"

"Still healthy."

"Good. Keep it up," Eriol said, hints of ironically half-true sarcasm reaching Tomoyo over the line.

"Well...you're always welcome to call, Hiiragizawa-kun...or should I call you?" Tomoyo's sweet voice replied. She smiled. His voice sounded so soothing.

"No questions, Daidouji." Pause. "Well...later, then...Tomoyo," Eriol said, his mysterious air never failing to captivate her.

"Sou...ja ne, Eriol-kun," she replied.

"Yeah. Bye."

Click.

tbc

Lchan: Okay, that was pretty short, ne? Oh well. That was a sort of introductory chapter to what's comin' up next. Okay, well...I'll give all y' people 'nother chappie tomorrow, 'kay? And I STILL hate flames. ;

Okay, this dictionary is for you, people!!

doshiyo - something like 'what should I do'

sou - right

gomennasai/gomen ne - I'm sorry

ja ne - something like 'catch you later'