Chapter 7 The Case
Detective Onagi and Detective Shinori both drove off from the hospital. Both were silent as they made their way back to the station.

"What are we going to do now? Our victim and only witness, Ms. Ying Sai Li is suffering from amnesia?" Detective Onagi said, breaking the silence.

Detective Shinori just took in a deep breath. He didn't exactly know how to answer his partner. He himself didn't know what they should do. "I don't know, Shinori. The evidences are few and could tell a little."

"This is the most challenging case we've ever handled." Detective Shinori commented.

"You said it. If nothing turns up soon, this case might die out." Detective Onagi replied. "We must analyze what we have so far. There may be a few things that we've missed out and could explain a few things." He added.

"Yeah. I'll call the lab to see if they've turned up something." Detective Shinori said as they pulled up on the police station.

"Why don't you check that out and I'll be heading to the crime scene. I'd like to check it out again and maybe the brothers are already home. They may have noticed something when they found her." Detective Onagi said as Detective Shinori got off the car. He then drove away to the apartment building a few blocks away.

It was already 8:30 pm and a lot of people were on the streets. It was still early so people were either heading home from work or heading somewhere for a date, a meeting or just some recreational activities they had planned.

The roads were a little congested but the traffic was moving. Everywhere, the streets were lit by the lamp posts that filled the side of the roads. The lights that came from buildings and homes cast their own light.

Detective Onagi had a lot of things in him mind. It was another day for him. He was still fresh out from the academy about a year before but it seemed to him that it had been longer. He may have the job that he enjoyed but sometimes the things he encounters just makes his stomach turn.

For the past year, he had handled a variety of cases, most of which involved a great deal of violence. The first time he had actually saw a fresh corpse made him sick. It was different when they were still studying it in books. No matter what the academy did to prepare them, it still wasn't enough when he entered the field.

Detective Onagi finally grew tired of the silence inside his car so he placed a CD in his player. He didn't read the label of the CD as he pushed it in. As the music began, that was when he realized that it was his girl friend's CD. His girl friend was an accomplished pianist and she had made that CD just a few days ago. She gave it to him to keep him company as she was on tour.

Somehow her CD had made him calmer than he was. It had helped clear his mind a little. He smiled at the music. He never really used to listen to classical music, much less the piano, but ever since he met his girl friend, she had shown him another world that he never really thought existed. The music she would play for him was usually of her own composition. He had always admired her talent for music as well as her extraordinary beauty. That was when he realized how much he missed her. He wished that she was with him at that very moment, just so he could relax and enjoy her company. He knew that once he arrived at the apartment, his work was to start again.

It had been a month since he had last been there. He knew that the brothers had already given their statements to the police but he just wanted to make sure that there were things that weren't missed out.

Detective Onagi then parked his car in front of the building and made his way up the stairs. He slowly made his way to the crime scene.

'The apartment still wasn't re-rented but the girl's stuff was already taken by her family.' He noted.

With the apartment building's owner's permission, he entered the room. Everything was what it was like a month before. After a few minutes of nothing, he finally decided that he would not get anything so he decided to leave.

But before he had the chance to step foot outside the door, he noticed something. 'The owner said that no one had been in this apartment since last month. The last people that were here were her family and the police last month. No real physical evidences were collected to indicate who the suspect is. Everything is so clean. This is done by no ordinary assailant. This was done by a professional. We would need a profiler.' Detective Onagi said.

He then got out his mobile phone and dialed Detective Shinori's number. After a few seconds, Detective Shinori was already on the other line.

"Arrange a meeting with a profiler as soon as possible." Detective Onagi quickly said.

"What?" He heard from the other line. "Just get us that appointment. I'm off to see the brothers." Detective Onagi just said and he closed his phone.

He then went a few doors down the corridor and knocked. After a few minutes, a young man opened the door.

"I'm Detective Onagi from the police department. I would like to ask you and your brother what you know about the incident that happened a month ago."

"We had already told the police everything that we know."

"Yes but I would just ask a few questions about the girl, Ying Sai Li."

"Ying Sai Li? Oh you mean Sakura. She's such a sweet girl pretty too. It's a shame what happened to her. My brother and I were really shocked that something like that could happen to her."

"Sakura? Is that her real name?"

"I'm not so sure. She never did tell us what her name is but I just read the name out of a notebook she dropped one time. I didn't really bother asking her because if she didn't want to tell us then she has her reasons."

"I see. What else could you tell me about her?"

"Well, nothing much. She moved here about two months back. We never really got to know her that well. She would just smile at us when we bump into each other and then we would get into small talks."

"What did you usually talked about?"

"About small things like how the weather was or how much life was hard, stuff like that."

"She never mentioned that she had enemies or anything? She never had friends over?"

"Some people would usually come but I'm sure they were either her friends or family. She's the kind of person who wouldn't have enemies because of her pleasing personality, quiet but pleasing."

"Thank you. You've been a great help."

"If there's more we could help with, just call us and we'll be glad to help."

"We will keep in touch." Detective Onagi said as he turned to leave.

"Sakura. Whose name is it? Is it her?" He asked himself. "Well, there's no use answering that now. I better call it a night." He added as he slowly descended the stairs and drove off to his house, about a mile away.

For the days that followed, Sakura was finally brought out of the hospital. They headed home.

It could be seen that fear was with Sakura. No matter what people told her, it was still there. The fact that after that night, no flashes of memory came, she still couldn't remember anything made her more uneasy.

Even though she had met Shaoran's sisters and everyone in the family when she was still at the hospital, it was still different. Even though they acted much like her family would, something inside her told her that it wasn't the same. She just couldn't understand why she was feeling so uneasy.

From the first moment she stepped from the car, she knew that it was the start of something. . .something big. Sakura had the feeling that there was something in the air and things weren't going to be easy.

She was right. That was when she first Meiling.

Meiling came running down and leaped towards Shaoran.

Shaoran was really annoyed with her. He tried to shove her off but she just had a firm grip around his neck. Sakura watched in amusement. She didn't know her but she just couldn't help giggle at the sight.

"You'll see a lot of that from now on, Sai." Came the voice of Liang, Shaoran's elder sister. She was the second youngest in the family.

Sakura turned to her. She smiled at her and greeted her. Liang then got Sakura's hand and started to lead her inside. Sakura just allowed herself to be dragged.

"Who's that Xiao Lang?" Meiling suddenly asked as her gaze followed Sakura and Liang.

Shaoran rolled his eyes in annoyance. "That's none of your business. Let me go. I have things to do unlike you." He replied as he freed himself from her embrace.

Meiling just pouted and crossed her arms. "I know that. I know who she is. She's Sakura Kinomoto." She said.

Shaoran stopped dead in his tracts and turned to her. He approached her and said in a low voice so only Meiling could hear, "You are not to call her that understand. You are not to harm her in any way. She's family now whether we like it or not. If anything happens to her because of you, I promise that I will never forgive you. I am not about to stick my neck for someone just to have you sabotage my mission."

"Family? She'll never be family because-" Meiling started. "No. She's family whether we like it or not. Not only did the elders declare it but also mother. I know what you are thinking. You are not to harm her Meiling or it would be me you'll have to face." He said before she could finish.

"Why do you talk as if you are so attached to her? Do you have feelings for her?" Meiling said.

"No. She's is my mission and I have no choice but to protect her. If anything happens to her, not only will I will be held responsible but this whole country will suffer. I cannot let that happen. My father worked hard and gave up his life for this country and I'm about to make his sacrifice in vain. You should know that by now." Shaoran replied immediately and then made his way towards the house.

'Watch your back, Sakura Kinomoto. You may be a part of this family but it is because of a lie. I will not let you fully enter it.' Meiling said silently.

Inside. . .

"Welcome home, Ying Sai. How are you feeling?" Ming said as she came from the kitchen, carrying a fresh batch of cookies.

Ming was the eldest among all of Yelan's children. She had a young son, Lein, who was playing about. He then ran towards Sakura.

Sakura smiled and carried him. "Thank you, Ming-chan. I'm ok." She said and smiled. She then turned to Lein and said, "How are you doing, Lein- chan?"

The young child smiled back and hugged her. He then said, "Ok, Auntie Sai. Welcome home. Would you like a cookie? Mommy and I made them."

Sakura then put him down and smiled at him. "Sure." She replied as she allowed Lein to lead her towards the table. He then gave her a piece before eating one himself.

Sakura took a bite and said," It's really good. You made these, Lein?"

Lein nodded proudly and sat at Sakura's lap. "Mom helped me. But I could teach you Auntie Sai." "Sure. I would like that very much." Sakura replied and smiled.

Ming then sat next to Sakura. "We're about to go out and pick some herbs for lunch. Would you like to come?" She said. "Come with us Auntie Sai. Please, please. . ." Lein then said.

"Sure." Sakura replied as she followed both mother and son to the garden outside.

Yelan then sat as Shaoran came in. "Xiao Lang, Ying Fa is staying in your room." She said in Chinese.

Shaoran stopped dead in his tracts as he looked at his mother. He wished that he had heard wrong.

"My room?" He answered back in Chinese. "Yes, your room. Even if we are at home, we are not going to take any chances. Besides, it would be easier for you to watch over her if you have the same room." She replied.

"But mother-" Shaoran started. "No buts Shaoran. It is final. Both Liang and Ye are putting her things there and fixing the room." Yelan said.

Ye was the one whom followed Ming. Her twin Mei was at Hong Kong for an exchange student program in their school.

Shaoran knew that he could no longer argue with his mother. He knew that once she said it, it was final, there was no longer changing it.

Liang and Ye then entered the kitchen. They both sat opposite Shaoran.

"Don't worry, Xiao Lang, we didn't move your stuff that much. You can still find them if you're wondering." Liang said as she took a bite at a cookie.

"Be nice to her little brother." Ye said.

Shaoran just ignored them.

"Speaking of Sai, where is she?" Ye said, noticing that Sakura was not there with them.

"She's with Ming and Lein outside at the garden picking herbs." Yelan replied.

"Oh. Ok. I think I'll join them." Ye said as she made her way to wards the garden.

"Mother, are you sure this is the best way to go? I'm not saying that this is wrong, but how are we to help her recover her memory when we're really not her. . ." Liang said.

"My child, there are a lot of ways around that obstacle. Touya and Fugitaka would be helping us as well as her closest friends. We have no other choice than this. All we could do now is to lessen the threat that is around her." Yelan replied.

Liang just nodded.

Shaoran said nothing as Meiling came in.

"Xiao Lang, we must prepare ourselves because it won't be long before the police comes." Yelan said in Chinese.

"I know mother. They already know that she has amnesia." Shaoran replied also in Chinese.

"That is not what I was talking about." She replied.

"Yes. They will find out sooner or later that she is not Ying Sai Li and that it is all a lie. But it still will take a long time. Whoever did this is a professional." He replied.

"Yes. Indeed it is a professional without a doubt. We must beat them to it. We must find out whoever wants her killed before they realize who she really is because if that happens, she is no longer safe here." Yelan said as she stood.

(To be continued. . .)

Well, what do you guys think? I know that it took a while but hey at least I was able to finish it at last. There may be some twists or surprises but it's all I could think of. I know that I may have really moved away from the original anime but I'm trying to put in essential elements that make them CCS. Please tell me what you think about it so far. I would really like to read what you have to say. Please, please send in your reviews.

As for the people whom had sent in their reviews for the last chapter, I thank you very much for your support. It actually made me think. This chapter may not really live up to the last chapters but please bear with me. Thanks again for the support and reviews. It is very much appreciated. Hope to hear from you soon again.

Michiko