A Perfect World

Summary: Sakura Kinomoto is 16. But there's one secret to her- at 15 she was told she had leukemia. To top it all off, her strong will to have a 'perfect' world creates a motal enemy- perfection itself. Can she realize in time, with Syaoran's help, that without pain nothing would be worth living for?

CARMEN: SAKURA KNEW SHE HAD CANCER...even before teh prologue!!! Those were flashbacks... have I answered your question?? Tell me in another review if I haven't!!

Chapter 5: True Perfection

{Tomoyo's World}

Tomoyo sighed. Life should always be this perfect! No longer was she the tag along without magic; no longer was Sakura the only one who got the attention in battle.

"Don't think, Tomoyo."

"This is like a dream, Eriol," she whispered.

"That's because it is, Tomoyo."

Tomoyo looked away from Eriol and towards her best friend, who was clutching her Star Staff. "Sakura?"

"Tomoyo... you've never been a tag along."

"Sakura, where did you come from?"

"Just because you don't have magic doesn't mean I never thought less of you."

Tomoyo's eyes widened; her world blackened. All that was left was her. And Sakura.

"All I wanted was magic. I wanted to be accepted more." Tears rolled down Tomoyo's cheek. She looked up, realizing that everything was gone. "Where did everything go? Eriol? What happened? Everything was so perfect...."

"Was it, Tomoyo?" Sakura asked gently. "Were you really happy?"

"Yes.. of course I was! So perfect...."

"You were happy being my rival? Weren't we happier being best friends?"

Tomoyo looked up in shock.

"I never knew you were jealous, Tomoyo. I'm truly sorry. But, is this the way everything would be made perfect? If you had it all? If you only felt happy?"

"Yes. I would never get hurt. Ever!" Tomoyo cried out in rage.

Sakura smiled. "If only you felt happy?"

Tomoyo eyes grew big again, considering what Sakura had just said.

"You once told me ' My happiness is when all the others around me are happy.' Do you remember, Tomoyo? Do you think I would be happy being your rival? Do you think you'd be happy?"

Tomoyo fell to her knees, crying. "I... I don't.. know!"

Sakura walked up to her best friend, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Life will never give you the best of everything. It's best this way. It helps us learn from our mistakes. It makes life worth living. Don't you agree?"

Tomoyo looked up. "Sakura.. I'm... sorry. You're right."

Sakura smiled. "Let's go get Eriol and Meiling, shall we?"

{Meiling's World}

Meiling was taken back. Wasn't this always what she wanted? To be loved? To belong to someone in a special way? Like Sakura belonged to Syaroan? Like Tomoyo belonged to Eriol? Was it possible that she, Meiling Li, could find love? Wasn't this all she wanted? What she told Sakura back in Japan all those years ago? What she was waiting for?

"Taylor..."

Taylor walked up to Meiling, wrapping his arms around her. Meiling sighed, letting all her worry escape her mind. She accepted the red rose her brought her.

This is all so perfect! Just like in all my dreams! I can't believe this is all true!

"Meiling."

Meiling looked up to see Sakura and Tomoyo standing in the ballroom. Tomoyo was standing farther back, as if waiting."Daidoji? Kinomoto? What are you two doing here?"

"Meiling, is this what you want?" Sakura asked. "Is this what you think is perfect?"

"Sakura? What are you talking about? I'm.. I'm.. in love! Love is perfect!"

"Nothing is perfect Meiling."

"Oh, Sakura, please leave. I have company."

"You're living out your dream, Meiling. It's just too soon."

"What are you talking about? My dream?"

"Isn't that what you've always wanted? To fall in love?"

"I am in love, Sakura!"

Sakura looked at her, tears in her eyes. "To wait until you find someone who loves you more than anything? Isn't that what you told me all those years ago in Japan?"

"But, I've found him! It's Taylor!"

"Meiling, this is all a dream. He is not real."

Meiling screamed as Taylor; the rose and the ballroom disappeared. Tears welled up in her eyes as she fell to her knees. "No.. no.. Taylor! Come back! I need you!"

"Why do you need him to complete you, Meiling?" Sakura asked softly.

"He loves me, Sakura. LOVES ME! I.. can't... lose that!"

Sakura gave her friend a smile. "Just the way you felt about Syaroan. Am I right?"

Meiling looked up, her cheeks red from crying.

"You deserve to find love, Meiling. Everyone does. But, even love isn't perfect. Not everyone finds total love the first time they look. Remember me and Yukito? Then I found Syaroan. You can be loved, Meiling."

"Perfect... everything was perfect!" Meiling spat out.

"It's perfect when there's only total happiness? When you get everything you've ever wanted? When there's nothing left to live for?"

"I.. just want to be... loved... Sakura..," Meiling trembled.

"You are loved, Meiling."

Meiling raised her head, looking towards Sakura. "I am? Who... loves me?"

"We do," Tomoyo answered walking up to her friend. "Nothing will ever be perfect, Meiling. You will find your special someone, though you may have to look longer. It will be that much more worth it, in the end though."

"Is this really a perfect world, Meiling?," Sakura asked again very calmly. "A world without the people who care about you most? Who want to be with you?"

Meiling stood up, Tomoyo helping support her. "It's not, Sakura. I'm sorry. I forgot who cares about me most."

"Meiling... Tomoyo... We have one more visit to make."
{Eriol's World}

Eriol looked around the magic free world. He closed his eyes. Memories of his past came into his head. Images of a mother and a father; regular schooling; winning a soccer tournament; failing a test; falling in love...

He was normal.

.....

Eriol smiled. He ran along with the girl he loved. No longer was he burdened with being a reincarnation or having magic. He had real memories. True memories.

Did life get anymore perfect?

"This is what you want Eriol? To be free of responsibility?"

Eriol turned towards a green eyed girl who stood in front of his and Tomoyo's way. "Sakura? What are you doing? No wait- talking about?"

"You want real memories?" Sakura inquired softly.

"I have real memories, Sakura! I-I- even failed a test! I'm, I'm-"

"Normal?"

"Yes. I'm normal. Leave me alone!"

"You think this is a perfect world? A world without magic?"

"Magic is the cause of my pain, Sakura!"

"Without it, you never would have meet Tomoyo."

Eriol's mouth dropped as Tomoyo faded from his side. "Tomoyo? TOMOYO?"

"You have memories with us, Eriol. The card captor days. The day you fell in love with Tomoyo. The real Tomoyo. Of all the years we spent in Japan together. Are those not memories?"

"It's not the same! You'd never understand, Sakura! Your not a reincarnation! Your memories aren't of someone else who died!"

"It doesn't matter to me, Eriol." Tomoyo said, walking from her hiding spot.

"Tomoyo.."

Tomoyo smiled at her boyfriend and turned to Sakura, who continued talking. "Perfect worlds are nothing without equal happiness and pain. Don't you agree, Eriol?" Sakura smiled.

"I.. guess..."

"Don't guess, Eriol!" A sharp voice from behind both girls came. Meiling smiled. "Know, Eriol. Know."

"Tomoyo.. I'm... sorry. This dream of mine.. is nothing... compared to you. Life is better without everyone's inner wants all the time."

Sakura smiled as Tomoyo and Eriol embraced. Meiling came to stand beside her, whispering in her ear. "Where is Syaoran?"

Sakura's face filled with shock. "I need to find him! I need to save him!" She raised her Star Staff up, a bright, white light consuming everyone.