I own nothing. NOTHING. Don't take my big empty hole covered by a piece of tarpaulin (hah! Monty Python) away!

Strangely enough, I've lost my grip of the English language today which I speak fluently, everyday. I don't really feel like writing authors notes, because of this fact. But I'll write one anyway cause I love doing it. Thanks SO much for all the encouragement, my little rays of sunshine. You all rock, did I mention that? I didn't? Well…you all rock. Keep on 'truckin!

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Chapter Seven: Grip on Reality

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There comes a time in every person's life where they will feel frightened of the future. When they know something awful is going to happen to them. Fear is felt also when you know something bad is going to happen to someone close to you. But the basic survival instinct you have is for yourself. You worry for your health and safety as much as you worry about others. But, not as much so, because let's face it. No one wants to die, it just . . . happens.

This basic survival instinct was making itself known as Sakura wandered back to her room. She had a beautiful dress tucked inside a brightly patterned box, just recently bought. She hurried along a dimly lit passage way with a glass roof, allowing the stars light to mark her way, making sharp turns every so often. She arrived in front of a painting and tapped on it sharply, twice, on knock back, and she knocked again, this time three times.

The painting slid across and she stepped inside a beautiful study, with a high wooden roof and rows and rows of bookshelves. The floor was wooden, but a carpet was thrown over the wood, depicting a court scene. The person waiting for her on the other side was outfitted in a black tux, and he directed her towards a bathroom. A smile, a warm hug, and worry over Sakura's shaking hands were Syaoran's primary reactions to seeing her.

She brushed it off and hurried inside the bathroom, taking twenty minutes to change. She stepped out, a vision in emerald green. The dress was high-necked and had long sleeves, all done in green but had black twisting designs on the front. The skirt was flowing and hugged her curves, before falling to the floor. She looked beautiful, and the two would have made a beautiful couple, had it not been for the fact they were forbidden.

She hugged him one final time, her eyes saying it all. Now was not the time for kisses on the lips and tender touches. Syaoran laid a single kiss on her forehead and pushed her out of the portrait hole, and she dashed back to her room. She was to be greeted by one of Syaoran's elder sisters, looking smug. "I won't tell" were the only three words Sakura needed to hear.

The talented sister twisted Sakura's hair up, attaching a black butterfly to the centre of the messy bun. Her face was framed by strands of hair, and her lips looked fuller, her eyes brighter and her cheeks rosy and glow-filled. The high neck of the dress really accentuated Sakura's own neck, making it appear sleeker.

After her make-up was applied, she stepped outside her room and Ichiro was there, a single cherry blossom in his hands. She smiled and placed it inside and took his arm, feeling like she was misleading Ichiro, the poor boy. They made small talk as they walked down to the ballroom, following a crowd of equally elegant couples. Much to Sakura's distaste, Karella was not alone, and even more of a blow, Syaoran was with her.

Karella pulled him closer, her lips smiling with victoriousness. Sakura just glared at Karella, but turned on the mega watt smile as Ichiro looked down from his height to see what was wrong. Sakura was secretly dreading the moment when Syaoran looked at Karella, and really saw her. This evening, Karella looked more elegant then ever before, her long raven hair was twisted in a bun, tight and not a strand out of place. Her dress was a beautiful red dress with a slit coming to her thigh, then a beautiful white silk skirt underneath. The neckline was low enough to entice, but high enough for dignity. Her make-up could be described in one word: smouldering.

Sakura knew if she wanted Syaoran's attention while he was on the arm of that, she was going to have to do something amazing. Sakura sighed glumly, feeling a little put out because the only amazing thing she could do was turn back into a tree.

The high-class group all swarmed into the ballroom, and there was a collective gasp. The ball room had been cleaned, the marble floor polished and all the doors along the south wall had been opened out into the garden. The ceiling was, by far, the most beautiful thing in the room. It was a Da Vinci style painting of heaven, with glittering silver added to every detail, like a line in the clouds and on an angel wing.

A small quartet had started up a waltz, and couples began drifting towards the slippery marble floor, just recently polished. It reflected the joy on the couple's faces and Sakura quietly observed them. She wanted to be like them, she'd seen too much, why, why of all people had the witch chosen her?! She guessed the final showdown would never come, and she'd just evaporate.

She smiled and excused herself from Ichiro and walked towards Syaoran, who, in turn excused himself from Karella and came towards her. The two stood in the middle of the dance floor, emerald meeting chocolate.

"Syaoran, please just dance with me."

These were the only words needed to be said between the couple. They were going to be forbidden no more, and if all they got was one dance, so be it. He took her into his arms and the two began a graceful waltz, twisting about the room, eyes never unlocking from the other. Nothing else in the world mattered, not to Sakura and not to Syaoran.

Karella looked on, her lips pursed, 'Good, at last the two have gotten together, now to distract Yelen.'

But nothing could distract Yelen from the young couple, 'How dare her! And in front of all these people . . . God Almighty, he's ruined!'

She could almost hear the aristocratic society whispering their disgust about her bad parenting, and his terrible decisions. She stood from her seated position behind a highly polished table. "Yelen, please, for the love of god, stop!!" Karella's voice came cutting through the infuriated thoughts of Yelen.

"And why should I, Miss Belcour? Look, she's corrupting my son! She'll ruin him, I have to stop this!" Yelen's reply was filled with crazed promises; her mind was jumbled beyond reasoning.

"You must understand something, I'm protecting Sakura. She needs to be with Syaoran!" Karella's frantic reply confused Yelen somewhat.

"What is going on here? Tell me now! I was going to make him propose to you . . ." Yelen was determined to find out the truth behind Karella's cryptic words.

"If you don't stop right now, you'll understand, but it will be in the worst possible way . . . propose to me?!" Karella's voice hardened.

Yelen stopped, heeding to Karella's words, "Please, is Xiao-Lang in any danger?"

Karella pondered for a moment, and turned to look at the couple, so engrossed with each other, before looking back, and quietly saying "Yes."

Yelen's mouth dropped open, her normally hard and cool exterior dropped, "Well then, Miss Belcour, why in God's name am I standing here? I should be helping him, protecting him!

Karella's head dropped to the floor, "You can't."

Yelen sank into the nearest chair, "What do you mean I can't?"

Karella never moved, "You'll see."

And so the two looked on to the couple, at how they were sweetly wrapped in each other's arms. The crowd's inner romantic sighed, 'They fit.'

Karella, however, was not at all pleased with the situation. Her eyes kept darting about; the cursed tree blew about in the balmy April wind, seemingly innocent and peaceful. She walked out onto the platform that led out into the garden, 'I know Sakura suspects me of being the witch. God, that girl is so easy to read, but if I know that bloody witch, she'll be here.'

Her eyes went back onto the couple, Sakura now talking animatedly and pointing at the ceiling and Syaoran nodding. Her face softened, 'I will do what I am sworn to do. I will protect Sakura.'

She turned and looked up at the moon, then at the beautiful grandfather clock decorating the wall, 'Almost ten.'

She walked back into the ballroom and was immediately asked to dance by a man calling himself Ichiro. "I was Sakura's partner, but she's taken. You're certainly attractive, may I dance with you?"

Karella raised an eyebrow but took his hand, as he led her out. She twirled him so she had a good view of the door, and began to sway back and fourth. After the fourth dance, everyone was called in to eat, but Yelen was called away. In she walked with a woman by her side, who promptly sat down next to Sakura. Karella dropped her fork, it clattered loudly and everyone turned to her.

Her eyes were wide with shock at the creature who had stepped in. The woman was pale, almost to pale, and had her loose hair was black and flowing. After she had taken off her travelling cloak, her dress was a scandalous thing with a neckline most women would blush at. It was an over throw of black satin, with a beautiful wine coloured dress underneath that. She was wearing little make-up, but a beautiful necklace. The necklace was a black, velvet choker with a large opal on it.

Karella quickly composed herself and muttered an apology, and the chattering erupted again. Sakura had seen the woman, that was a sure thing, but had she recognized her? Sakura had barely an hour to go, and she had not kissed Syaoran yet, and frankly, Karella was ready to stick their faces together if it came to that. She knew true love when she saw it, and it was there. The two hardly looked away from each other and were constantly talking to one another, sharing jokes others would never get. He offered her food and introduced her round to everyone who, in turn, adored her. Sakura had that effect on people, she was kind and just that little bit naive.

Sakura was thinking about her life, about how full it had been, 'If I died, Syaoran would never forgive me for not telling him who I truly was, or how old I really am. But I've lived a good life, and I will accept the consequences of the spell, because it truly was my own stupid fault. But I'll find a moment, we'll go stand by the Sakura tree and I'll explain everything. He's got to understand.'

She glanced over to the grandfather clock, and took in a sharp breath; she had little less then half an hour to go. Dinner ended with Sakura frantically looking over at the clock. For all her feelings of acceptance before, she realized something, 'I don't want to die.'

Syaoran grabbed her hand and squeezed it affectionately, "What's wrong?"

She smiled and squeezed back, "Actually darling, there is something, can we go to the Sakura tree please?"

He nodded, deciding he rather liked the comment 'darling', and began leading her through the crowd and out into the night air. The two sat down, and Sakura leaned her head against his shoulder, and began to tell him everything, "When I was seventeen, a witch came into my hometown looking for me."

Sakura looked up at the stars, the story fresh and a cruel imprint in her mind.

"She came because I was to powerful for her liking, and she'd read somewhere I was going to kill her. It was such a stupid thing, as I'd never heard of her, and she burned my entire town before I could do anything, and murdered my family. All that waste, just so she could find me. Anyway, she eventually found me . . . well, it was a mutual thing. We found each other in the forest surrounding my home, in a clearing and I called to her, but she didn't come. She taunted me, and asked me to join her, I refused."

Sakura took a deep shuddering breath, Syaoran looking at her as if she'd grown an extra head. She turned to him, tears filling her eyes, "So she did something amazing, original, and used a spell I'd never heard of before. She turned me into a tree Syaoran, not just any tree." Sakura paused and laid one hand against her prison affectionately,

"This tree, Syaoran, the Sakura Tree, the one you built your house around. But, she also put a spell on me, saying I had five hundred years in which to find my true love, kiss him, and the spell would be lifted. Its five hundred years tonight, and I have about ten minutes until I go back into the tree forever."

Syaoran looked at Sakura for a few seconds, his mouth wide open. A tear slipped down her cheek, and Syaoran twisted around, a small drop of water dripped down the tree. Sakura pleaded with him, "You've got to believe me. I'm telling you the truth!"

Syaoran's feature's hardened, "No, your not. How can I believe you? Hah! A tree?! You're a BLOODY TREE? I love a girl who's a tree? Mother's right, you were a stupid decision.

He laughed, and jumped up. Sakura choked back a sob and looked up to the now daunting figure of Syaoran. He laughed again and his face began to morph, his body changed. He grew curves, and his hair began to grow and turn black, his tanned skin turned a ghostly white as a familiar yell was heard. It was Karella, and Syaoran's voices intermingled. "KARELLA TOLD ME EVERYTHING. GET AWAY FROM HER, SAKURA!" Syaoran's frantic yelling did not make Sakura's numb body move.

"Get away from the big bad witch Sakura," Mocked the harsh, cruel voice of her enemy, "Run, run to your saviour's arms!"

Sakura managed to crawl away, still shocked to the core. "No. . . NO!"

"SAKURA . . . GET UP!" Strong arms pulled her to her feet as Syaoran jumped in front of her. Sakura pushed Syaoran aside, and yelled in his direction, "Syaoran, God knows I love you, but please stay out of this!"

Karella walked calmly to Sakura's side, "Sakura, I can help you. Please, let me help you . . . go to Syaoran, kiss him, and get the final blow."

Sakura nodded and ran towards him, but a huge black barrier stopped her and surrounded the two. She began to punch the walls, blasting it with water, screaming with frustration and rage beyond comprehension. She heard Syaoran's frantic shouting of her name, and ran to the side, and began pounding on the impenetrable wall with her fists, so hard as to draw blood, shouting his name back. Every noise in here seemed to echo, and the witches' insane laughter bounced off the walls, creating five witches. She heard thuds on the sides, Syaoran's sword no doubt.

Then, unexpectedly, she heard Yelen's voice, "MOVE XIAO LANG!"

Sakura heard Eriol's voice, "SYAORAN, YOU'RE NOT HELPING IT . . . JUST MOVE!"

A huge wave of magic blasted the walls, coating it, and then breaking through layers, turning the remaining barrier grey. Syaoran pulled out his sword and rushed towards it, thrashing it as hard as he could, and getting in. He ran towards Sakura, and grabbed her forearms and shaking her, "DON'T EVER DO THAT AGAIN!" His voice, filled with fear, shouted at her

He looked into her eyes, and put a stray hair behind Sakura's ears. He released his grip on her forearms and placed his arms around her waist, and she placed her arms around his neck. He whispered apologies into her ear as she nuzzled into his chest, she looked up, her eyes filled with tears, and "I was so worried that she'd kill you. She'd do-"

Syaoran placed one finger on her lips and smiled at her, "I was worried about you. And when she put that shield up, God, all I could hear was your muffled screams. I saw the shield shudder a bit, and then it was still. I'm just glad you're safe."

He leaned forward, closing his eyes, Sakura doing the same. Their lips connected lightly, before the pressure intensified, and their bodies melted into one another's. Sakura pulled away, for a much needed breath, and looked towards the clock and her face broke into a grin, 'Ten thirty-one.'

Sakura pushed Syaoran away and turned towards the witch and screamed, drawing up every bit of power she had, a light aura appearing around her before intensifying. She stopped, her eyes glowing and her body lifted off the ground, a woman in the crowd screamed as Sakura seemed to disappear into a huge explosion of light directed at the witch. Syaoran stood tall as he watched his love seemingly explode; calm and confident she would come back to him.

Small flickers of light seem to pull away and shoot towards the witch like a bullet. This happened until an arm appeared then a leg, then half of Sakura, then the entire thing. The witch, became completely encased in the glimmering, golden light, before it began to shrink, the witch screaming from being pushed to far. The light was a small pinprick before disappearing altogether.

Sakura fell from the sky, into Syaoran's waiting arms. She was unconscious, but victorious over the very woman who'd plagued her for five hundred years. Syaoran held her close, pushing through the crowds, with one goal in mind. He walked through the halls, coming to something he knew she'd never seen. He kicked down the door and placed her on his bed, and closed the curtains, hiding the chaos below.

Her eyes flickered open, as he looked over, and gave her a small smile, "Congratulations."

Her face broke into a wide grin as she jumped up, and then fell down, clutching her head, she smiled through the pain, "Headache."

She lay back, and closed her eyes, "Where am I, Syaoran?"

He came to the side of the bed, "My room."

Sakura's eyes flung open, a look of shock decorating her face, "Syaoran, it's to soon . . . I couldn't do that!"

He looked disgusted, "Sakura, you silly girl! We're not married."

He let his composed manner down and winked at her roguishly, "Maybe later."

She breathed a sigh of relief, "Good, because my head hurts far too much for that kind of celebrating."

Syaoran laughed as she stuck out an arm and pulled him down so he could lie next to her. She nuzzled into his shoulder and he put an arm round her.

And that is how Yelen found them the next day, sweetly wrapped in each other's arms, peacefully dreaming. Yelen chose not to wake them; her son had found the one he wanted to be with. How could she argue with that? You could twist true love, you couldn't toy with cupid and you couldn't separate these two. 'At least my grandchildren will be magical. And I suppose . . . pretty, in a very strange way.'

Yelen left the room, closing the door on one of the most beautiful sites in the Li mansion.

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Epilogue still to come!