The Ward
Disclaimer: I only own CCS in my dreams and delusions. In reality, it belongs to Clamp, those marvelous, brilliant ladies.
A/N: Sorry, Fylleth, things are never that easy in this story! ^.- (Which is why the chapter has been named accordingly.)
Chapter Eight: Out of the Frying Pan, Into the Fire; Part 2
Niyara sighed softly as she walked down the streets, the cool air brushing against her cheeks. Three days – only three days had she been on her own, and yet it felt like an eternity. She had used the money Syaoran gave her to rent a small apartment in Tomoeda. She didn't plan on going back to Hong Kong until she was independent enough.
With her head down, and hopeless tears falling from her eyes, she brushed past the crowds of people going to and fro. She shook her head in defiance. "What are you doing, Niyara? Get yourself together, and stop being a baby!" she heard herself whisper. 'You can do this..." she thought to herself.
'I need to do something, I need to do something,' she thought frantically. There was no way she would be able to move on – not without closure. She knew what she had to do – for one last time, she had to talk to Sakura and Syaoran.
***
Meilin sat in the ambulance moodily, ignoring the pain that shot up from her ankle. Kieren watched her warily, and got up from his spot to sit next to her. He placed a hand on her knee, making her look up in surprise.
"So, Meilin. A penny for your thoughts?" he asked.
She stared into his eyes, unable to say anything, unable to even bring herself to make an excuse. How could she tell him that she might have possibly ruined her cousin's plan to get her friend out of the ward? How could she tell him that she truly didn't belong there?
"I-I don't know," she stuttered breathlessly.
He smiled. "Come now, Meilin, you don't think I'd fall for that, do you?"
She pouted slightly, nearly bursting into tears. "I could've ruined everything!" she said, turning away.
"Ruined... what, exactly?" he asked, staring at her in concern.
"My cousin... he had this plan, for his love, the one girl he's ever cared for... and I just had to be the one to ruin it..." she said sadly.
Kieren took one look at her sad face and got out of his seat. He kneeled down in front of her, gingerly touching her ankle. "This, Meiling Li, is in no way your fault. Understand? I believe that... there are no coincidences. Everything happens for a reason. Sometimes you can't quite understand what that reason is – not until much later. But I think I see a reason... and I hope that you will too, with time," he said, staring into her eyes boldly.
"O-oh? And what might that reason be, Kieren Riu?" she asked nervously.
He chuckled. "Never you mind. Let's just concentrate on getting better, shall we?"
***
Tomoyo, Touya, Syaoran, and Yue waited expectantly on the roof. It was all up to Sakura and Kero now. In her room, Sakura paced back and forth, trying to mentally prepare herself for what she was about to do. She hadn't used the cards, or any magic for that matter, in quite some time. Would she able to do it?
She shook her head; this was no time for doubts. "Ok, Kero, what first?"
"The Erase. Use it to erase the memories of everyone who's ever worked with you in here, as well as anything else they have of you, including files and such," he said. "Its effect should linger until you've left."
Sakura nodded. This was a big job, but she was the only one who could do it. (Sorry, I don't remember the chant she uses ^.^;;) She brought out her wand and summoned the erase card, telling it what to do.
Suddenly, a blinding flash went through the building, hitting everyone who had ever known her in there. Sakura cried out in pain and fell to the floor on her knees, clutching her wand tightly.
Kero flew to her side. "Sakura! Sakura, what's wrong?!"
She whimpered softly. "I'll be fine, Kero... that flash... I felt a stab of pain when it was released... it just took a lot out of me, I'll be fine," she said, trying to smile.
Kero nodded, still looking concerned. "Do you think you can finish up?" he asked.
She nodded, slowly standing up. "What's next?"
"Now all you have to do is use the little card to make us both small, so we can fly out of here unnoticed."
She took a deep breath. "I can do that..." She summoned little and told it what to do, and in a matter of seconds, she was no bigger than an inch. Kero transformed into true form, and ordered her to get on his back.
"I think we can fly out the window," he said, heading towards it.
Sakura clutched his fur and lay her head down on him, falling asleep. She was so tired, so very tired. "Thank you, Kero..." she whispered softly, barely audible.
***
"That flash! Sakura must've used Erase!" Syaoran said, looking for signs of Kero or Sakura.
"What's taking them so long?" Tomoyo asked worriedly.
"I'd advise everyone to be on the lookout. They'll only be an inch high when they come, we don't want to step on them," Yue said.
Touya rolled his eyes. "You say that in such a serious manner, Yue-san."
"It IS a serious matter."
Touya stifled a chuckle. "I'm sure you're right, Yue."
A few minutes later, they saw a small, yellow fly-like figure heading towards them. "I – I think that's Keroberos," Tomoyo said, squinting at it.
Kero nudged Sakura. "Sakura! You have to use big," he said.
Sakura moaned and got up groggily. "What's that you said, Keroberos?"
"I said, you have to use big. We're tiny right now, remember?"
Sakura looked around her and nearly fell off of his back. "It's Tomoyo! And she's so... big!" she said, staring ahead at Tomoyo.
"That's why you have to use the big card," Keroberos added.
Sakura nodded groggily once more and summoned the big card. "Big Card! Return us to our normal size!" she shouted.
Tomoyo gasped as Sakura and Kero suddenly materialized in front of her, their normal size once more. She rushed over to Sakura and hugged her tightly. "Sakura-chan, I was so worried!"
Syaoran walked over to her, brimming with happiness. "Sakura..."
She looked up, struggling to keep her eyes open. "Syaoran, we did it..." she said, giving him a tired smile.
Tomoyo moved back and turned on her camera, taping them. "Sakura's out!" she shouted happily.
Yue and Touya walked over to her. Yue bent down on one knee before her, taking her hand. "It's good to have you back, Sakura," he said softly.
She smiled and nodded. "It's good to be back!" She glanced at Touya, who was staring at her intently. She got off of Kero's back slowly and hugged him.
"Touya-kun... I missed you," she said softly, clinging to him.
He didn't hide the few tears that escaped from his eyes, and ruffled her hair. "I missed you too, Kaiju. I'm sorry I couldn't save you all those years back..." he said softly.
She let go. "It wasn't your fault, Touya-kun. Let's just be happy it's all over, ok?" she said, smiling at everyone.
She walked over to Syaoran and hugged him, collapsing in his arms. "I love you, Syaoran," she said softly, closing her eyes.
He kissed her forehead and picked her up, ignoring Touya's deathly glares. She was already fast asleep. "I love you too, Sakura," he murmured happily.
No one was aware of the small truck that parked down the street from the ward. Inside, a man sat deathly quietly, taping everything that had occurred so far. His face remained expressionless, his body stiff. "Sakura Kinimoto... we've been waiting for you," he whispered into the darkness.
---Short chapter, but then, it was really supposed to be a part of chapter 7. *shrugs* I know, the plan wasn't THAT great after all, but if it had been too great, it would've worked... *hint, hint* Poor S+S! All they want is to be together! ^.^ I'm not evil, I mean the end has to be worthwhile, right?! Review, please!
Disclaimer: I only own CCS in my dreams and delusions. In reality, it belongs to Clamp, those marvelous, brilliant ladies.
A/N: Sorry, Fylleth, things are never that easy in this story! ^.- (Which is why the chapter has been named accordingly.)
Chapter Eight: Out of the Frying Pan, Into the Fire; Part 2
Niyara sighed softly as she walked down the streets, the cool air brushing against her cheeks. Three days – only three days had she been on her own, and yet it felt like an eternity. She had used the money Syaoran gave her to rent a small apartment in Tomoeda. She didn't plan on going back to Hong Kong until she was independent enough.
With her head down, and hopeless tears falling from her eyes, she brushed past the crowds of people going to and fro. She shook her head in defiance. "What are you doing, Niyara? Get yourself together, and stop being a baby!" she heard herself whisper. 'You can do this..." she thought to herself.
'I need to do something, I need to do something,' she thought frantically. There was no way she would be able to move on – not without closure. She knew what she had to do – for one last time, she had to talk to Sakura and Syaoran.
***
Meilin sat in the ambulance moodily, ignoring the pain that shot up from her ankle. Kieren watched her warily, and got up from his spot to sit next to her. He placed a hand on her knee, making her look up in surprise.
"So, Meilin. A penny for your thoughts?" he asked.
She stared into his eyes, unable to say anything, unable to even bring herself to make an excuse. How could she tell him that she might have possibly ruined her cousin's plan to get her friend out of the ward? How could she tell him that she truly didn't belong there?
"I-I don't know," she stuttered breathlessly.
He smiled. "Come now, Meilin, you don't think I'd fall for that, do you?"
She pouted slightly, nearly bursting into tears. "I could've ruined everything!" she said, turning away.
"Ruined... what, exactly?" he asked, staring at her in concern.
"My cousin... he had this plan, for his love, the one girl he's ever cared for... and I just had to be the one to ruin it..." she said sadly.
Kieren took one look at her sad face and got out of his seat. He kneeled down in front of her, gingerly touching her ankle. "This, Meiling Li, is in no way your fault. Understand? I believe that... there are no coincidences. Everything happens for a reason. Sometimes you can't quite understand what that reason is – not until much later. But I think I see a reason... and I hope that you will too, with time," he said, staring into her eyes boldly.
"O-oh? And what might that reason be, Kieren Riu?" she asked nervously.
He chuckled. "Never you mind. Let's just concentrate on getting better, shall we?"
***
Tomoyo, Touya, Syaoran, and Yue waited expectantly on the roof. It was all up to Sakura and Kero now. In her room, Sakura paced back and forth, trying to mentally prepare herself for what she was about to do. She hadn't used the cards, or any magic for that matter, in quite some time. Would she able to do it?
She shook her head; this was no time for doubts. "Ok, Kero, what first?"
"The Erase. Use it to erase the memories of everyone who's ever worked with you in here, as well as anything else they have of you, including files and such," he said. "Its effect should linger until you've left."
Sakura nodded. This was a big job, but she was the only one who could do it. (Sorry, I don't remember the chant she uses ^.^;;) She brought out her wand and summoned the erase card, telling it what to do.
Suddenly, a blinding flash went through the building, hitting everyone who had ever known her in there. Sakura cried out in pain and fell to the floor on her knees, clutching her wand tightly.
Kero flew to her side. "Sakura! Sakura, what's wrong?!"
She whimpered softly. "I'll be fine, Kero... that flash... I felt a stab of pain when it was released... it just took a lot out of me, I'll be fine," she said, trying to smile.
Kero nodded, still looking concerned. "Do you think you can finish up?" he asked.
She nodded, slowly standing up. "What's next?"
"Now all you have to do is use the little card to make us both small, so we can fly out of here unnoticed."
She took a deep breath. "I can do that..." She summoned little and told it what to do, and in a matter of seconds, she was no bigger than an inch. Kero transformed into true form, and ordered her to get on his back.
"I think we can fly out the window," he said, heading towards it.
Sakura clutched his fur and lay her head down on him, falling asleep. She was so tired, so very tired. "Thank you, Kero..." she whispered softly, barely audible.
***
"That flash! Sakura must've used Erase!" Syaoran said, looking for signs of Kero or Sakura.
"What's taking them so long?" Tomoyo asked worriedly.
"I'd advise everyone to be on the lookout. They'll only be an inch high when they come, we don't want to step on them," Yue said.
Touya rolled his eyes. "You say that in such a serious manner, Yue-san."
"It IS a serious matter."
Touya stifled a chuckle. "I'm sure you're right, Yue."
A few minutes later, they saw a small, yellow fly-like figure heading towards them. "I – I think that's Keroberos," Tomoyo said, squinting at it.
Kero nudged Sakura. "Sakura! You have to use big," he said.
Sakura moaned and got up groggily. "What's that you said, Keroberos?"
"I said, you have to use big. We're tiny right now, remember?"
Sakura looked around her and nearly fell off of his back. "It's Tomoyo! And she's so... big!" she said, staring ahead at Tomoyo.
"That's why you have to use the big card," Keroberos added.
Sakura nodded groggily once more and summoned the big card. "Big Card! Return us to our normal size!" she shouted.
Tomoyo gasped as Sakura and Kero suddenly materialized in front of her, their normal size once more. She rushed over to Sakura and hugged her tightly. "Sakura-chan, I was so worried!"
Syaoran walked over to her, brimming with happiness. "Sakura..."
She looked up, struggling to keep her eyes open. "Syaoran, we did it..." she said, giving him a tired smile.
Tomoyo moved back and turned on her camera, taping them. "Sakura's out!" she shouted happily.
Yue and Touya walked over to her. Yue bent down on one knee before her, taking her hand. "It's good to have you back, Sakura," he said softly.
She smiled and nodded. "It's good to be back!" She glanced at Touya, who was staring at her intently. She got off of Kero's back slowly and hugged him.
"Touya-kun... I missed you," she said softly, clinging to him.
He didn't hide the few tears that escaped from his eyes, and ruffled her hair. "I missed you too, Kaiju. I'm sorry I couldn't save you all those years back..." he said softly.
She let go. "It wasn't your fault, Touya-kun. Let's just be happy it's all over, ok?" she said, smiling at everyone.
She walked over to Syaoran and hugged him, collapsing in his arms. "I love you, Syaoran," she said softly, closing her eyes.
He kissed her forehead and picked her up, ignoring Touya's deathly glares. She was already fast asleep. "I love you too, Sakura," he murmured happily.
No one was aware of the small truck that parked down the street from the ward. Inside, a man sat deathly quietly, taping everything that had occurred so far. His face remained expressionless, his body stiff. "Sakura Kinimoto... we've been waiting for you," he whispered into the darkness.
---Short chapter, but then, it was really supposed to be a part of chapter 7. *shrugs* I know, the plan wasn't THAT great after all, but if it had been too great, it would've worked... *hint, hint* Poor S+S! All they want is to be together! ^.^ I'm not evil, I mean the end has to be worthwhile, right?! Review, please!