So, soon lately, well I have the answer! Okay I really want to finish this story even...It's a deal of a time away before finishing. I need to finish this! I'm going crazy and it makes me sad because I cant have as much suspense as I want but every now and then I'll blank out and you wont get a chapter so soon but I am just going on chapter after chapter after chapter so...YAY for you...Again if you want my YIM or MSN go check out my profile! And again if you want to read your reviews then go check out my profile. I'll dedicate this chapter too...someone...let me think...
Please forgive my lack of spelling...cand gammar...and story line...and character deolopment...and confidence.
Lien Chows first impression on Sakura was horrible. Who was this girl? How long has she known him? She wanted answers.

Surprisingly, Syaoran hugged the girl back. "Hey Lien." with a soft blush.

Sakura was a bit taken aback by her own thoughts but she knew that this girl was not her favorite.

The girl hugged him for a long time until everyone had a great deal of feeling awkward. Then she ran over to Xiefa and hugged her. Xiefa returned the hug and soon they parted.

Lien looked at Meiling and her happy face looked as if it almost fell. "Hi, Miss Meiling." Lien managed a smile.

"Hi." Meiling spat.

Another awkward moment.

"So." Lien said. "Syaoran ...What brings you here, and who are you friends?" Lien looked at Sakura with a soft smile. Sakura smiled back not wanted the girl to know what Sakura's thoughts where.

"This is Hiragizawa, Eriol ...And this is Kinomoto, Sakura" Syaoran said quietly.

The three bowed.

"Kinomoto...That sounds familiar." Lien said.

Sakura blushed.

"Princess of Japan." Meiling bragged for Sakura.

Lien gasped. "That's right...you've been staying with the Li family haven't you, dear."

"Yeah." Sakura said on a quiet tone. Well, she had to admit that the girl was friendly.

"Well isn't that lovely, dear." Lien smiled. "So, what brings you here?" She asked again.

Everyone exchanged glances.

"Actually...we're..." Sakura started.

"Taking a trip to Japan." Eriol finished.

Lien got hit with a rush of sadness. She knew that wasn't just it. "I see." she forced a smile... "So...We're no at all busy tonight...and because your friends of the family...It'll be free."

"We couldn't–"

"You can!" Lien laughed. "So silly, Syaoran, so silly..." She sighed with a smile.

Meiling rolled her eyes.

"Um, Miss Chow?" Sakura asked.

"Lien."

"Could you give this to the post..." Sakura handed her letter to Tomoyo. "I don't know where it is."

"Of course." Lien smiled. Sakura handed her the letter and Lien smiled. "Be sure to it as soon as possible."

"So, I'll show you to your rooms and I'm sure your all quite tired so I'll leave you be. And um...I'll get the maids to wake up when we're serving dinner...Those maids dears are so kind...any way, fallow me."

Sakura let herself fall in to the bed with her bitter thoughts past her. "Aw, this feels good."

Kero smiled at the mistress why taking her cloak and her bag and placing them on the dresser.

Sakura cuddled her pillow and hope that she would soon be fast asleep.

Kero stared Sakura for a long time. He was worried about her. She should talk about all these things that happen to her...Each horrible thing that happens, she never discusses. Doesn't it tare her apart?

Knock, knock.

Kero flew under the bed and Sakura slowly opened her eyes wondering who it could be.

"Come in."

Lien walked.

Sakura looked surprised. "Hello." Uh, its you.

"Hello your highness."

"Call me Sakura." She smiled.

"Sakura, um...just thought you and me might get to know each other later. We could go shopping later..I know the best stores in town."

Sakura still startled. Oh please no... "That would be great."

"Wonderful!" Lien said and with that she left out the door.

"She seems nice..." Kero said.

"I guess." Sakura said calmly.

"Yeah...Well you need your rest...get back to sleep."

Sakura woke up with a shock. But what was wrong? Nothing seemed wrong...she felt fine...wait. She couldn't breath. Sakura tried to scream but she couldn't speak. She panicked and struggled to get around that room. She felt weak again but much more this time. She fell to her knees with hands at throat.

"Sakura..." Kero fluttered his eye open. "What's going...Sakura!" he flew over. "What's wrong... Sakura! Sakura! Speak to me! Sakura"

The door swung open "What's going...Sakura..." It was Syaoran.

Sakura looked like she was in desperate need for someone to stop it but what was there for anyone to do? How was she choking?

"What the hell is going on!" Syaoran shouted to Kero.

"How do you except me to know?"

Sakura closed her eyes tight she felt herself getting weaker and weaker. She couldn't hold on much longer.

"Sakura!" Xiefa and Eriol yelled from the door.

She couldn't do it...Something was holding pressure against her throat she couldn't...

She could breath. Sakura gasped for breath.

"Sakura, are you okay? What happened?" Syaoran was know on his knees by her side.

Sakura looked over at him with deep panting. She fell onto him, unconscious.

Sakura woke up fifteen minutes later but was took weak to open her eyes. She heard voices, and felt aura's...Lien's..and Syaoran's. She ignored what they were saying and let herself think of her own thoughts. What happens when this monster actually does kill someone, another...someone I love and hold dearly...How can I stop it...how can I know? I can't do this alone. But I can't have my friends one by one dieing...This is all my fault... all my fault. I can't have them dead...I can't.

"Just tell me." Lien asked. Sakura tuned in.

"There's nothing to tell."

Lien looked away filled with sadness. "You once could tell me everything Syaoran."

Syaoran winced. "Once."

"And why not now..." Lien whispered. "You are betrothed to me."

What! Sakura's eyes shot open.

"Oh, your awake." Lien smiled.

Sakura looked at the girl in horror then to Syaoran. "Wha...what..."

"You where choking...and...yeah" Syaoran said softly.

Sakura looked at him for a moment and then to the ceiling. She knew what was making her choke..everyone did.

"Your tired...you should sleep." Syaoran started.

"No!" Sakura said. "I don't...want to. I want to...go...on a walk."

"It's nearly twelve–"

"No Li, I need to go on a walk and you will come with me."

They both took a long stare at each other. They were both stubborn but Sakura won this time. "Fine."

"Syaoran..." Lien said in a sort of demanding way. "I thought we were going to talk..."

"Miss Chow." Meiling said who was know standing at the door way. "Sakura...needs to go on a walk...I think we should be thinking about her needs right now...and not your wants."

"She doesn't need to go with Syaoran."

"She's weak...what if she falls or something."

"Eriol can join her."

Meiling looked up at Eriol who was standing a foot away from her. Eriol knew what that look meant.

"I'm rather tired, I'm sorry Sakura but I would enjoy to get my rest.." and he was back in his room like that.

Meiling smiled bitterly.

"Well thank you." Sakura smiled weakl.

Syaoran smiled back. "Your welcome."

Sakura looked up at him as the walked for a very long time.

"What?" Syaoran asked, finally.

"You know...I think we should be friends, the whole hate thing just doesn't work for me."

"You think you should be friends with everyone."

"I do not!" Sakura laughed gently.

"Right." Syaoran teased.

Sakura still held a small smiled. "See...if we were only like that all the time. We could be great friends."

"Well you can be my friend, if you shut up about it."

Sakura made a face. "Well I certainly have had better agreements then that."

"Your pushing it." Syaoran smirked.

Sakura said nothing for a while for a while after that. "So why the sudden change of mood?"

Syaoran looked at her confused. "What do you mean?"

Sakura raised one eyebrow. "I mean where's that famous 'cant show emotion' Li. Who is this other guy that just showed up today."

Syaoran thought a moment...Then blushed not knowing why. "I dunno."

"Well I like it...you should be like this more often."

There was another period of silence.

"Where's the famous happy all the time Sakura?" Syaoran asked in a serious tone.

Sakura winced. "I dunno." Sakura whispered thinking about it which brought a frown to her face.

Syaoran understood. "Well if...you ever...wanna talk about it."

"Sure." Sakura smiled lightly.

Syaoran felt relieved he didn't have to finish his sentence.

"So tell me about this Lien... how do you know her?" Sakura said changing subjects.

"Friend of the family." Syaoran said.

"Does that mean I get to call you Syaoran, I'm your friend remember?"

Syaoran looked surprised.

"You havn't forgotten already have you?..." Sakura teased in a sad tone. "Ans besides... you call me Sakura now."

"Yeah..sure."

"Okay, Syaoran so tell me about Lien."

"Well...I don't know."

"Gee, it seems I know all more about her then you do and I just met her." Sakura teased but her mood fell when she thought about how Lien said Syaoran and her were betrothed.

"She's a nice girl...very respectful..I've known her for quite some time know."

"Really? So...your close to her?" Sakura asked. Why do I care?

"Uh... I guess."

"Like friends?"

"Yeah." Syaoran's voice began to question.

"Like more then friends?"

"What?"

Sakura sighed. "I heard you were betrothed to her..."

Syaoran looked shocked. "You heard that?"

"Yeah...I thought...You and Meiling."

"It's complected. I never really was with Meiling...you know...and... It was more of the elders..."

"Tell me the whole story." Sakura said.

They looked at each other for a long deep moment. Something was different about tonight and they both felt it. They didn't know where the sudden change of act came from. They didn't see how it could be possible that they actually could be friends. Had it been there this whole time? Syaoran never was open with anyone. He knew, Sakura knew, yet she still tried to reach him. Maybe...Sakura might be open with him too.

"Meiling and I have known each other for quite a deal of time." Syaoran said softly.

Sakura gave an encouraging smile.

"She and I trained in combat together and when we were young...She told me that she liked me...She said 'I will get married to you if you don't find your true lover.'" Syaoran hesitated. "I agreed, but now no one else really knew about it, I mean the elders that such."

"Aw, that explains a lot." Sakura said to no one in particular. "So what about Lien."

"Well, I have known her sense young as well, she was my first close friend. And her and I...really...communicated and because my mother was worried I'd never marry she told the elders that I'd be betrothed to her unless I found someone else by my 18th birthday."

"That's horrible." Sakura said in a whisper.

"Yeah...I guess."

"I think I am...or was...betrothed to someone."

"What?" Syaoran said surprised this news effected him.

"I really don't know...I never really knew the guy and because I moved in with your family I don't know if that changes things."

"No one can make it official, can they?"

"Touya can...at least when he becomes my guardian again." She bit her lip. "I wonder what that's going to be like."

Syaoran winced. "You would let him?"

Sakura sighed. "Of course, he's my brother."

"But he–"

"But nothing, I trust him. I know I can...If your mother could, then I can."

The walked in silence for a little moment.

"How do you do it?" Sakura asked.

"Do what?"

"Stay calm...do your mission without worry." Sakura looked up at the starry sky. "I'm just...so scared."

"You should be." Syaoran said seriously.

"Thanks for the sympathy" Sakura laughed softly thinking Syaoran was kidding.

"No really..." He get his gaze away from her. "Look...You just have no combat training, your weak, foolish and innocent, you should be scared.

Sakura looked back to him. "I have magic though, perhaps more than you."

"That's not enough."

"So what are you saying?"

"I wont let you enter that castle."

"What!" Sakura was suddenly on the verge of exploding. "That's not fair! This is my mission too."

"Your just suppose to help and you can help outside that castle."

"I'm the only person to defeat that...thing, you know that...I have what it wants, it can kill you in an instant."

"It can kill you in an instant."

"But it wont, or it would have done it by now."

"I'll find a way but you are not going in that castle. The Elder's assigned me to protect you and the rest of the group."

Sakura stood there glaring green eyes and mouth parted slightly. What a stubborn...fat headed...Jerk! Sakura stormed off with not another word. She was going back to the Inn and straight into her room. I can see why we weren't ever friends before!

"Sakura!" Syaoran called.

"Who does he think he is!" Sakura expressed loudly the moment she entered the Inn. All eyes went on her. It seemed the whole group besides Kero had been chanting to keep themselves awake to make sure Syaoran and Sakura got home safely.

Sakura didn't even look back at anyone she just ran up the stairs and slammed her door behind her.

The group looked confused.

Syaoran stormed in the room mumbling under his breath. He too went straight to his room, slamming the door behind him.

A short silence.

"I take it, it didn't go very well." Eriol said softly.

Xiefa's lips curled. "Aww! It's just so cute!"

They all agreed with out saying anything. At the moment it wasn't quite so cute but they all knew where this was going and that was just simple irresistibly cute.

Sorry no backstage chat tonight! can't think my minds mold...