Hey guys! Sorry it took me sooo long to update…lol…too many projects going on. But here's a new chapter…Arigatoo to all who reviewed and all who made it to this chapter…hope this chapter is worth while. , but then again, I still need lots of work. Sooo…any changes or tips you have are welcomed…yup yup, can't wait to hear your opinions. OOO, and I don't own cardcaptors in any way…and in this story, I only made up the bad guy. Everything else goes to CLAMP….oh, but go on, read onegaishimasu.

Recovery

Tomoyo's POV

I watched as he paced back and forth in front me. It was amusing, and at the same time exasperating, to watch as he muttered incessantly.

"You know if you keep doing that, your lovely floor will surely become dented." I tell him. Yet he continued to travel back and forth, like he couldn't hear me. "I think I better get the repairman on the line, because I think we will be in need of his services soon." I chuckled as he paced by me. He stopped after my laughter had begun to take hold on me, and turned to look my way.

"How can you joke like this?! How?!" He asked. I gasped. Tears. They fell continuously down his face. His aura was heavy, the black stood out brighter than the blue, his desperation rolled off in waves, and his guilt poured out even faster. That piercing gaze locked me in place and all I could do was watch as he fell to the ground.

"E-Eriol? Daijoubu ka? (A/N: Are you okay?)" I managed to ask.

"Okay? Okay?! No! I'm not okay Tomoyo. How can I be okay, when you almost died?! That bastard was ready to do it…ready to take you away from me. What if I couldn't stop him, Tomoyo?! What if…?" His voice died in his throat to be covered by his just as silent tears. His violent outburst scared me, shocked me. My hand reached to touch his shoulder in comfort.

Eriol's POV

Tomoyo woke up. Her powers had truly grown since we first began training… but, they were still not strong enough against Kuroikumo. My attack only slighted him, and he was still out there waiting for more. How would I be able to defeat him? I couldn't think anymore. I knew dwelling on past events would only increase the pain, but it was all I could seem to think about. That is…until her voice broke through at least part of my walls…God above it was nice to still be able to hear it. At the moment I just listened…I didn't really hear her words.

How much would I miss it if she weren't there, how much would I miss her? The amount was uncountable, too much to even consider bearing through. And that had almost become a reality today. I neared her slowly. If she were gone I'd never have gotten to see that smiling face ever again. I'd never have been graced with her gentle touch. I'd never have ever heard that carefree laughter…and I'd never have been happy again, of this much I am sure. The last thoughts hit me, weighing me to the spot next to her. I turned, not realizing how much emotion I had walled up until I saw her face so close to mine.

"How can you joke now Tomoyo?! How?!" I heard myself shout out. Tears I didn't know I had been holding back streamed down my cheeks as I fell to the ground. Her smile turned into an epitome of worry and sadness. My heart twisted to know that I had caused it, but I was in too much pain to stop.

"E-Eriol? Daijoubu ka?" I could barely hear her whisper. Her softness alarmed me, and my need to know that she was still here caused me to burst.

" Okay? Okay?! No! I'm not okay Tomoyo. How can I be okay, when you almost died?! That bastard was ready to do it…ready to take you away from me. What if I couldn't stop him, Tomoyo?! What if…?" I couldn't continue…this was going nowhere. But I was scared to touch her. I was scared, because what if she wasn't…there. I fell to my knees. Yet it was her, once again, that quelled all my fears. Her hand slowly came to rest on my shoulder. Weight! The tears poured still. I took her hand and pulled her off the bed and onto the floor, and crushed her to my chest.

"Never do that to me again Tomoyo. I don't want to ever see you hurt again." I murmured into her hair. She looked up at me, and a tender smile dawned upon her face. The hand that I held captured in my own moved to my chest.

"We are connected. We are strong. And we survive." My eyes were wide with shock, before realization allowed them to close as the tears flow. She was not afraid to die, because she did not believe she would. She was willing to risk it all on her own belief. My hug turned fierce, and my hand in hers released its hold to capture her face. I tilted her face toward mine before drawing her to me. Sweet with the taste of relief, I allowed myself to take in all I can. She ran her tongue on my bottom lip, as I fell to the bed with a groan. With reluctance I broke our kiss to place her in front of me. My lips descended on her neck to place a yearning kiss at her pulse. Her head tilted in admission, as I placed chaste kisses to its surface before meeting back with her mouth. I pulled her closer to me as my lips ravished her own. Her soft body fueled my fire onward as our kiss deepened. She leaned into me, and my stomach twitched at the trust she held for me. I slowly pulled away from her mouth to stare at her face so full of contentment. It was here that I vowed to myself that if I survived, she would know how much I loved her smile, her smell, her taste…her.

Regular POV

Eriol stared as Tomoyo moved in closer to him. Settling right in front of him she buried her face into his neck. Her mouth moved along its surface soothing the once hysterical man. Her hands glided over his chest, soothing his once strickened heart. She smiled softly when she heard the muffled sounds of pleasure from Eriol. Her hands massaged the muscles beneath her fingers, as her head moved up to caress his cheek. His groan rang through the room. Her only response was to bring her hands up to his hair and place a chaste kiss to his parted lips, before pulling away. It was soon found that he would have none of this, as he crushed her to him again, and engaged them in another fiery kiss, pressed forward by one's need for reassurance, and the other's need to reassure. Tomoyo kneaded his head with her nimble fingers, causing him to moan into her mouth.

"Koishii." Eriol groaned. Tomoyo nodded in understanding.

"Daijoubu desu, Eriol-kun. I will always be there, you helped me, and it is my turn to return the favor, my friend." Tomoyo soothed. But Eriol, cringed at her words. Pressing his lips harder to her own, as if trying to erase the word friend from their depths and replace it with a different one. But Tomoyo pulled away. Before Eriol could pull her back in, she placed her fingertips on his craving lips, and shook her head.

"You need sleep. It would seem as if you haven't had any in the time that I have been out, so now that you know I'm okay, you can rest. Close your eye's Eriol-kun, I will still be here when you wake." She said while stroking his cheek with her soft hands. Eriol consented, and his eyes closed completely. And she watched, watched until she too could stay awake no longer.

(A/N) See ya next time...