A/N: The second chapter! Some mysterious things are going on with Sakura's magic, and Tomoyo is up to her usual costume designing. And Syaoran is just…there. To be a nice guy. Read and review!

PS: There is no Wei. I don't like Wei. I like Syaoran living alone. Heehee.

Disclaimer: Things relating to CardCaptor Sakura like characters, cards, location, etc. belong to the five wonderful ladies at CLAMP. Plot belongs to me, obviously, and…yea. Hope you enjoy!

Two Years After

"Ooooh Sakura! You look BEAUTIFUL in that outfit!" Tomoyo nearly twirled her way towards Sakura, trusty video camera in hand. "Just wait until Syaoran sees you like this!" she cried with shining eyes. Sakura gave her a scared look.

"Tomoyo! I can't possibly just walk down the street in—in this!" she gestured to the large and frilly dress Tomoyo had forced her to adorn. It was a light pink with darker pink gauze draping overtop. She had on elbow length gloves of the same kind, and even little boots to match. "I feel like I'm supposed to be going to a ball or something, not the store!"

"THAT'S IT!" Tomoyo nearly shrieked, her face shining with delight. "THIS can be you outfit to the dance!"

"No," Sakura told her flatly. "Sorry Tomoyo, but I'd like to wear something a little less—er—loud."

Tomoyo heaved a huge sigh, shaking her head sadly. "Well, if it must be done…" She nodded and smiled. "Don't worry, Sakura, I'll think up the perfect outfit!"

Sakura was glad to escape her best friend as she ran to the washroom. Sometimes Tomoyo suffocated her a bit with her huge and flamboyant costumes. She preferred dressing normally then to the way Tomoyo insisted on. Too bad that whenever she was at Tomoyo's, she was in costume.

She walked back out to Tomoyo's bedroom, where she was sketching away heartily at her drawing board. "I just got inspired!" she gushed, grinning up at Sakura. "So while I draw, go get yourself some food. You must be starving from all my measuring!"

Sakura gave her a shocked expression. "You mean down in your house? In this?"

"Sakura, you make it sound like it's a bad thing! Go, go, go!"

"B-B-But…"

"Don't worry, we're home alone!"

Sakura sighed heavily. "All right, all right, I'll get food."

"Then go!" Tomoyo insisted, pushing her out the door. "You need food and I need silence. It's perfect!" With that she closed the door behind Sakura, leaving her alone in Tomoyo's huge and spacious hallway, which led down to the even larger house area.

She was treading carefully throughout the house, ready to leap behind objects and walls if someone walked by. Oddly enough, the whole house was completely empty. It sent shivers down Sakura's spine, but that didn't mean she was cold. The dress was large and puffy, causing Sakura to swelter underneath its many heavy layers. Deciding that the quickest way to the kitchens was past the front door, she started to run.

But just as she was passing the front door, the doorbell rang. She froze. Sakura felt herself begin to sweat even more at the thought of answering the door. Someone else would answer it, right?

The doorbell rang again. Sakura looked at it nervously. It was polite to open the door. She had been raised to always be polite. She could always hide her dress and just peek her head out too. But what if it was someone REALLY important for Tomoyo's mom? She'd have to let them in, and then they'd see her ridiculous costume.

Just take a step, coaxed her mind. Ignore it. So Sakura took one more step, which fell in side with the doorbell ringing again. With an inward groan she shuffled over to it, thinking about how she would bother Tomoyo to get a more reliable staff someday soon.

"Hello?" she asked, opening the door a crack and peeking out, making sure to keep her dress hidden behind the sturdy door.

"Um—is Tomoyo home?" asked an unsteady voice. Sakura thought she might drop to the floor right there and then.

"S-S-SYAORAN?" she nearly shrieked. He looked up from his shoes, startled.

"SAKURA?" he asked equally as loud. "What're you doing here? Why did you answer the door? Where're her staff? Why're you hiding?"

Sakura felt herself blush at all of his questions. "I'm here because Tomoyo had some—um—business. I answered the door because I was on the way to the kitchen, and I don't know where her staff are, and I'm hiding because I feel like it," she said lamely. "What're YOU doing here?"

It was his turn to blush deeply. "Uh—um—Kero said—he said that you were…er…over here, so I decided…"

"You went to see me?" Sakura asked, fading from embarrassed to pleasantly surprised. "That's so sweet of you!"

Syaoran scuffled his shoes on the cement. "Yea, well…"

"OH!" Sakura cried without thinking. "Come in, I'll get us food or something."

Syaoran stepped in and Sakura clicked the door shut, turning around to see Syaoran staring at her with his mouth agape. When he noticed her face him, he looking hastily back at the ground. Sakura remembered why he was staring and felt herself blush.

"Oh, mean old Tomoyo! She was making me wear this and she wouldn't let me change out of it! Augh, now I remember why I didn't want to answer the door!" Sakura huffed and puffed, trying to flatten out the flaring dress, grunting to make it smaller. Syaoran had been staring at her! Did she really look so ugly in it? Tomoyo had a completely different opinion—but then again, Tomoyo wasn't always to be trusted.

"I think you look…you look nice," Syaoran whispered. Sakura stopped her flattening and beamed.

"Really?"

"Well, it's a little frilly…"

Sakura laughed nervously. "Yea, well, Tomoyo's all about frills. Want me to change, and then we can get something to eat?"

Syaoran gave her a smile. "Well, it'd probably be easier on you. You look like you're dying in that thing."

"Really?" Sakura asked self consciously, touching her face. "I didn't…didn't notice…" She felt just how hot and clammy her face was. Come to think of it, she hadn't had breakfast that day either and she was terribly hungry.

"Sakura?" an echoing voice asked. "Sakura, are you okay?"

She tried to say yes, but nothing came out. Instead, she took several large gasps of air, as if she were drowning. And then she felt herself collapse, completely out of the blue, onto the ground.

"Tomoyo, just get her some ice…"

"But I can't leave Sakura!"

"I just carried her up three flights of stairs! I don't want to move again! Get some ice!"

"Okay, okay…"

Shuffled steps. A door closing. Someone was heaving a big sigh, then the scraping of a chair against floor. Sakura felt movement from right beside her head.

"W-Who?" she asked feebly. She wasn't even sure if the word had come out as a word.

"Sakura?" asked a nervous voice. A familiar voice.

"Syaoran?"

"You're okay!" Sakura couldn't even open her eyes yet, but she felt him leaning down and hugging her around the shoulders. She began to blush, even though she was barely conscious. He seemed to realize his sudden movement and backed off quickly, leaving in a breath of air.

"I mean…that's good," he said. Sakura smiled, managing to bat her eyes open.

"What…?"

"You fainted down by the door. I'm guessing it's because of that dress," he said, pointing to the crumpled remains of the dress on the floor. Sakura's face grew red.

"W-W-What?" She felt her body and realized she was wearing different clothes. They felt like silk pajamas. Her face grew even redder, and she weakly pulled the quilt closer up to her chin. Syaoran saw the horrified expression on her face and began to blush as well.

"I went outside," he said simply. Sakura sighed heavily.

"Tomoyo?"

"Yea, she helped you get into bed. Then she called me in." Syaoran shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"I GOT THE ICE!" called a breathless voice from Tomoyo's door. Sakura looked over to see her friend running over with a bag of ice wrapped in a towel. "OH MY GOD, SAKURA!" She dropped the ice with a clatter and raced to her friend, giving her a huge hug. "Oh Sakura, I was so terribly worried! I honestly didn't know my dresses would cause you to fall unconscious!" She looked near tears, and Sakura tried to tell her it was okay with what little ability she had left to speak.

"Tomoyo…it's…okay." She shook her head, smiling a little.

Syaoran appeared beside Tomoyo with the dropped bag of ice in his hand. "Hold this to your forehead," he instructed to Sakura. "You were overheated and dehydrated." He also handed her a cup of water that had mysteriously appeared. "Drink this as well."

Sakura obeyed his instructions, sipping gently on the water and holding the ice up to her throbbing head. It was good to have Syaoran there, who kept a steady head. Unlike Tomoyo, who seemed devastated her costumes could bring such pain to her best friend.

"Sorry," she said meekly to Syaoran. "Not…much…of a visit."

Syaoran only smiled gently at her, making Sakura glow inside. "It's all right. Just get some rest. I'll see you later, okay?"

Sakura nodded at him. He nodded over at Tomoyo, who smiled nervously. Sakura waited until she heard the click of the door. He was gone. After helping her. She'd have to thank him so much later. But for now…

"I'll call your father, Sakura."

"He's…away."

"Oh." Tomoyo looked nervously at the wall. "Is Toya home?"

Sakura nodded.

"I'll call him then."

As Tomoyo rushed off, Sakura didn't even bother to ask why her friend kept tabs on how to reach her brother. All she cared about at the moment was sleep.

Sakura woke up later to find herself safely snuggled deep into her own bed quilts, with Kero sitting beside her head.

"Kiddo! You're awake!" he cried with relief. Sakura smiled, rubbing her eyes.

"Hey Kero."

"Are you feeling better?"

Sakura nodded. He smiled. "How'd I get home?"

"I saw your brother leave and then come back with you. Obviously, I couldn't ask any questions."

Sakura nodded, sitting up unsteadily. "I don't understand why I fainted. I mean, just because I didn't eat breakfast, and just because I was wearing a costume of Tomoyo's…"

"That's not it," Kero said sharply and suddenly Sakura cocked her head.

"Huh?"

"There's something…else," he said slowly, as if he were choosing his words carefully. "Something else that's making you tired. It has to do with your magic."

"My…magic? But I've changed all the cards, so I have no reason to be tired! I can keep them all cards! I'm all right!"

"It's not what your magic is doing. It's seems--"

"Sakura?" Kero froze immediately, falling over on her quilts. Toya looked down at him with an expression that read 'stop being stupid.' Then he looked up at Sakura with a worried face.

"Are you better now?"

Sakura nodded, still trying to puzzle over Kero's statement about her magic. "Yea."

"Good," he said stiffly. "You shouldn't be passing out on summer holidays."

"Well it's not my fault Tomoyo makes me wear stuff like that!"

"But it's your fault for skipping breakfast."

Sakura glared at him. He glared right back. She finally sighed, falling onto her back with a soft plop. "I'm tired," she hinted bluntly. He took it and closed the door behind him.

Without even pausing for a breath, Sakura reached for her cell phone, dialing Syaoran's cell number as well.

"Hello?" asked a voice on the other end.

"Syaoran! Hi!"

"Sakura!" he cried, surprised.

"Are you surprised?" she asked, teasing.

"Well, yea. I didn't think you'd be better so fast…"

Sakura smiled. "I just called to say thanks a whole bunch."

"I—I didn't do that much," he began to mutter.

"But you did! If you hadn't come by, I would have fainted on my way to the kitchen, and no one would have found me until way later! If it wasn't for you, I'd probably still by lying there." The thought sent a shiver down Sakura's spine.

"Well, I don't know…"

"So thanks," Sakura butted in. "Want to do something later? We can walk down to the school or something!"

"Sakura, you need rest," he told her sternly.

"But I'm fine, really…"

"He's right, Kiddo," Kero said knowingly from beside her. "And it's best not to go out too much, what with your magic."

"What's wrong with her magic?" Syaoran asked nervously. Sakura glared at Kero.

"Nothing is wrong," she said, putting emphasis on the word nothing.

"Something's draining her magic!" Kero suddenly cried, shocking both Sakura and Syaoran.

"What?" Sakura cried, startled.

"Your magic. It's going. And you haven't used any cards today, have you?"

Sakura shook her head, with Syaoran saying through the phone, "what? What's going on? Sakura! What's he saying?"

"Kero! Couldn't you have at least waited? Now I'll never be able to do anything, with both of you around!"

"Sakura," Syaoran called through the phone, "get rest! Listen to the stuffed animal!"

"HEY!" Kero cried, racing over to the phone that Sakura was holding limply. "WHO'S a stuffed animal?"

"Kero," Sakura said warningly.

"No, I'm serious, that brat thinks--"

"Look Syaoran, I gotta go," she said into the phone. "Can we do something tomorrow then?"

"Yes. As long as you rest today."

"I will, Dad."

Syaoran mumbled through the phone, and Sakura giggled. "Thanks again. For worrying." She could almost see Syaoran blush as he stammered something like a 'you're welcome.' "Bye Syaoran!" she said, then clicked the off button her phone. With a big sigh she fell down, back first, onto her bed once more.

"Why aren't things as fun as they should have been? I thought everything to do with my magic was over," Sakura sighed, rolling over and feeling her eyes grow heavy. "I thought…things…could…normal…" she was out faster than you could say Sleep Card.

"Things are just beginning, Sakura," Kero whispered threateningly to the air. "And I don't understand any more than you do."

"Syaoran! Hurry up!" Sakura cried, laughing from ahead. Syaoran was holding all the bags, his face growing red with the effort.

"Why don't—you—try carrying—something?" he asked, panting heavily. Sakura winked at him.

"I could always help you…"

"You can't use cards!" Syaoran barked viciously, causing Sakura to pause in her dance-like walk. "You know how hard that would be on your magic?"

Sakura rolled her eyes. "You and Kero are both worrying too much. I'm sure that it's just if I'm tired, my magic is too." Sakura decided to drop the subject right there and then. "So, I hope you like the picnic lunch I made!"

Syaoran could only nod as he carried the bags. Finally, after much tittering, the two made it to the large, grassy park, where Syaoran unloaded the luggage with a huge, relieved sigh. Sakura unfolded the large blanket, making sure it was flat and neat on the grass. Then she took the bags from Syaoran and began to set out its contents, grinning at the feast in front of her. "It's ready!" she cried.

Syaoran wobbled over to the blanket, gasping at all the food. "You made this?"

Sakura gave him a pouty face. "You make it sound like I can't."

"That's not what I meant," he said in a rush, sitting neatly in front of the food. "I just…didn't know. I could have cooked some," he muttered, blushing. Sakura laughed.

"Next time, okay?"

The two joked around and ate for the next little while. Sakura was so glad to finally be able to spend time with Syaoran again, without anything strange, magical, or awkward being in the way.

"Excuse me," said a girl's hesitant voice. The two looked over at the voice, startled.

A few feet away from their blanket stood a girl who looked a year or so younger than them. Her hair was long and a striking red, done up in a messy braid. She wore dirty clothes and she was frightfully pale. She looked at the two as if she were about to cry.

"What's wrong?" Sakura asked immediately, standing up suddenly. She looked over at Sakura, knees knocking. "Do you need help with anything?" Sakura asked nervously. She heard Syaoran stand up beside her defensively, almost protectively. She felt warm inside again.

"I just…I just…" she sounded weak and it alarmed Sakura greatly. You normally didn't see people like this at the park. You just didn't.

"Be careful," Syaoran muttered as Sakura took a step nearer. She looked at him.

"What?"
"There's something strange about her. I can…I can sense something," Syaoran hissed sharply. "It's not normal."

"Nothing can ever be normal, can it?"

"That's not what I mean--"

Sakura ignored his protests and walked closer to the girl, who took an alarmed step back. "I can help you," she said gently. "Don't worry. Just tell us what you need."

"I-I don't need anything," the girl whispered, mortified. Sakura looked at her strangely. "But you'll—you'll need some…"

Sakura grasped for her key instinctively. Syaoran had been right. Now that she focused, something was definitely off.

"Run!" the girl suddenly shrieked, and Sakura took a step back. "RUN! IF YOU DON'T, SHE'LL--"

Something happened to the girl that cut her off. Her body grew still, and it began to glow a deep, dark purple. Her eyes were open, wide, and vacant. Her hair began to stand on end, as if she were surrounded by static. After this eerie calm she began to convulse, twitching and screaming and rolling her eyes. Sakura shrieked. Syaoran came running. Something black escaped out of the girl's shrieking mouth, rising to the sky. With a sigh, the body of the girl slumped forward onto the grass.

"Oh no!" Sakura cried, running for the girl.

"STOP!" Syaoran commanded, pointing at the black blob in the sky that began to take form. "Be ready!"

A deep, booming voice spoke. "Sakura Kinomoto. I've heard much about you."

Sakura was too stunned to speak. The black thing was taking the shape of the redheaded girl below, but it was like a shadow—wispy and black, but with glowing, red eyes. The voice definitely did not suit the spirit.

"G-Give that back to the girl!" Sakura cried shrilly, pointing up at it. "You stole her spirit!" she didn't know how she knew this, but she just did. She understood that the black shadow was vital for the body below it.

"Stole? No, no, no. I merely—borrowed," the voice hissed. "Unless, of course, you fail."

"F-F-Fail?"

But the thing didn't answer. Syaoran gave a yelp of surprise as the black shadow of the girl dove down at them, moving so fast she became a black blur, speeding for the ground.

Sakura couldn't think. She couldn't react. All that took over her mind was the replay of the girl's body, twitching and shrieking before her, and then crumpling to the ground in defeat…

TO BE CONTINUED…

A/N: Oohoohoo, a to be continued? I never write those, but I decided to leave you on the edge of your seat. Er, if you are. Which I hope you are. Please review, and thanks for reading!