Does anyone like absolutely hate me right now? What if I promised that it gets better? Don't believe me? Well, just listen for the song Escape on a radio station that plays the eighties! I promise you'll know.

Chapter 3

After coming home from a meeting several days later, Sakura crashed on the couch. The dinner meeting started at seven and didn't end for four hours. The work they ere supposed to do never got done and Gerry, her co-worker from America, couldn't stop hitting on her.

But her exhaustion didn't bring a peaceful sleep. Sakura had a nightmare. In this dream she kept reaching out to grab something, a thing she desire greatly. But no matter how she tried to catch it or chased after it, the object continued to dance just out of reach. And worst of all, Sakura couldn't even see what she chased after.

Near three in the morning, she woke, sweaty and unable to fall back asleep. Spur of the moment she decided to follow on of Syaoran's favorite activities to go to sleep. Sakura opted to read the paper.

Syaoran marched into the office the next day a small skip in his step. The odd smile on his face alerted his co-workers that something very strange had happened. Something very strange did indeed happen. SYAORAN found an article in the paper, an article that made him feel brave and bored, stirred and restrained. And answering that ad had erased the bonds and filled the void. For the first time in a year, Syaoran felt alive.

So when his co-workers backed away, just a little frightened of the odd gleam in his eye, Syaoran smiled just a little wider.

For the last six months he had avoided every reason to encounter his boss. And today he marched right up to the door and slammed it open.

To the utter surprise and horror of the other employees a steady stream of words flew from Syaoran's mouth.

"The coffee sucks, the work is boring, you're over bearing. And I Quit!" He screamed and slammed the door shut.

Astounding everyone, Syaoran brushed his hands together, looked around, and took a deep breath. "Damn that felt good." And Syaoran left.

A sigh escaped Sakura as she gathered her papers together. Another pointless, non-productive, taxing meeting. She gathered together the endless pages of notes and prepared to go over them again in the privacy of her office. Trying to relieve the stress, Sakura exhaled, pushing the air out as hard as she could.

"Sakura, Sakura, look at this!" Tomoyo ran into the room and shoved another paper in her hand. "It just came."

With another deep breath, Sakura read the paper. "Dearest beloved, we have reservations at Café Anticallies tonight at seven. But let us make this a truly romantic and pretend we know nothing of it. Love Syaoran." She threw the papers down and looked at Tomoyo, slightly exasperated with her gall. "I can't go."

"What do you mean, you can't go. This is possibly the most romantic thing I've ever imagined."

"Exactly, the most romantic thing you've ever imagined. I really appreciate what you're trying to accomplish, but Syaoran and I have to sort out our own problems. And right now we don't need you to interfere."

"But Sakura—"

Sakura heard the hurt, she heard how much Tomoyo wanted them to remain together, and how much she cared. But Sakura just couldn't give it one more shot with Syaoran, not as their relationship was. "Sometimes, Tomoyo, people just fall out of love and you can't do anything to stop it."

"Have you talked to Syaoran?"

"He and I haven't discussed it, no."

That night, while Syaoran watched TV and Sakura went through her notes for the fifth time, the doorbell rang. It rang three times before Syaoran answered it. The couple that looked back at him did not exactly look encouraging.

"Hi?" The words left hesitantly.

"Hello." Tomoyo said in her business tone and pushed her way in. "We need to talk. Where's Sakura?" She dropped her coat on a chair. "Sakura! Sakura come out here. We have to talk."

Rubbing her forehead, Sakura fought off the migraine that had threatened all day. "Tomoyo didn't we finish this in the office?"

"No, it's just begun. You may be done fighting, but I'm not, now sit!"

Sakura sat on the love seat next to Syaoran, Eriol took the recliner, and Tomoyo stood before the love seat like a principal about to discipline two trouble makers. She observed the miserably group and smiled at Syaoran and Sakura together on the love seat. She might just resolve everything here, tonight.

"Now, the two of you are having problems and we are going to resolve them now. Sakura why don't you start by telling us how you feel."

"I've got a migraine." Sakura jumped up and made a dash for the kitchen.

"Oh no you don't, sit down Sakura Kinomoto." Tomoyo pushed her back on the couch. "We're not leaving until the two of you prove to me that you love each other. Now let us begin the discussion. Perhaps you could start Syaoran?"

The room remained silent for some time as Tomoyo smiled pointedly. Syaoran quickly realized that she wouldn't leave without someone speaking first. So he opened his mouth.

But Sakura beat him to the punch. "No, Tomoyo I'll go. Tonight I feel frustrated. You see someone dear to me keeps pushing me in a direction I don't want to go in. Could you tell me how best to deal with this situation?"

"Thank you Sakura, but I believe that you need to sit down and explain the whole situation before we can resolve this little problem." Tomoyo smiled, happy that her intervention was working.

"Alright, Tomoyo my love life is none of your business and I would appreciate it if you would just back off!"

Tomoyo blinked a few times before responding. "This is an intervention, Sakura. I can't do that. Syaoran perhaps you could enlighten us as to the problem you and Sakura seem to have." Syaoran tried to blink away his inability to believe that this was actually happening. "Come now, don't be shy. We all want to hear what you have to say."

Eriol reached up and grabbed his wife. "Tomoyo, may I speak with you, in the kitchen, now!" She glared at him for interrupting this successful session, but stomped unhappily into the afore mentioned room. "Please don't mind Tomoyo. Ever since she's gotten pregnant she's been looking for a project. And for some reason she's latched onto you guys." He ran into the kitchen.

The sounds of yelling startled Sakura from her seat. "I—I forgot something at work."

Syaoran also stood up. "Me too. Let's go while they're still busy."

"Tomoyo I need to go." Sakura said into the phone. "No, I'm going shopping this morning." She rolled her eyes. "No I didn't tell Syaoran. Why?"

Tomoyo said something that sounded distinctly like 'shouldn't she tell him?'

"Look, I have to go now. My boss is calling me. Yes, Tomoyo, I will talk to Syaoran. Tonight Tomoyo. Okay Tomoyo. See you later." She hung up and sighed loudly. "Finally. I love the girl dearly, but sometimes..."

Sakura strolled out of her office and down the hall. "I'm going on my lunch break now!" she yelled to her boss and left the building.

Just down the street was the cutest little shop called Bella's Boutique, really expensive clothes and accessories. Luckily though Sakura had her own banking account, one she took out a year ago for just this sort of thing.

Stepping into the store, Sakura glanced at the clock on the wall. 11:20, good, she had plenty of time to do this and still eat. Pulling out her debit card and holding it in the air, Sakura smiled. "Can someone help me here?"

Half an hour later she wandered out with a brand new dress, shoes, handbag, and earrings. Spending money always did soothe her anger.

At noon, Syaoran reserved a table by the door in O'Malley's. Today was the day to meet his mystery lady. Sipping from a beer, he inspected every woman who stepped through the door for the next fifteen minutes.

When she strolled through Syaoran knew. He knew her smile, the curve of her face. He loved the way she walked with a little half sash in her step. He just knew she was the one.

And this lovely lady knew him, too, and she giggled. "Why hello Syaoran. Of all people, I didn't expect you to answer my ad."

"And I never expected you to start something like this, Sakura." And Syaoran laughed. "I never knew."

Sakura put her finger to his lips. "Shush, it's our song. Listen."

"And I said 'I never knew.' That you liked Pina Coladas, Getting caught in the rain, And the feel of the ocean, And the taste of champagne, If you'd like making love at midnight, In the dunes of the Cape, You're the lady I've looked for, Come with me and escape."

Across the bar, Eriol and Tomoyo watched as Sakura giggled again and Syaoran held her hand.

"Did you see..."

"Yes Tomoyo."

"But I didn't..."

"No Tomoyo. They lost contact with each other, became complacent. Without Windex, the shiny bits don't come through. Do you understand?"

"No."

"When you stop paying attention to the person you love, you stop being able to see the good stuff." Eriol watched as the confusion on Tomoyo's face just became more intense. "They did it themselves."

"Remind me never to interfere with them again. It's too confusing."

"Yes dear."

The End.

Yea! A happy ending! Well, how many of you thought Syaoran was seeing another girl? Don't be afraid, raise your hands! Come on, who thought it was Meilin or someone else? How many of you wanted to kill me for messing with their relationship? Hehehehe, I'm so glad! Okay, this story is based on a song called Escape or otherwise known as the Pina Colada Song (I wonder why?) If you've never heard it, LISTEN TO THE EIGHTIES MORE!!!! I like the eighties. Anyway the song was written by Rupert Holmes (I think) so in the case of this story, I don't own the characters or the plot (boo hoo, oh well). The words written on the page though, they belong to me. Yes!

Oh, wait, I lied. I did not come up with the phrase Without Windex the shiny bits don't come through. My dear friend aeirol and I were walking through a museum and decided to make a list of themes for my ever so wonderful stories (or in the case of King of Poppies the best line...Oh Pretty...Don't touch that...Damn it!) and we decided that the most important line for this story ought to be humorous as well. Therefore aeirol promptly saw a preeeettttty glass sculpture and the saying was born. Thanks for reading and putting up with my horrible (or in my opinion wonderful) story line.

Please review!