Misconceptions

Author's Notes: Oh, shoot. Okay, here's my explanation of absence.

I got sick last week, no big surprise. I had to stay in bed for a matter of days, and I couldn't get to the laptop lest it heat me up further! After I slightly recovered there was an art project to greet me and that left me not enough time to update.

So now, with my apologies, I give you Chapter Seven, dedicated especially to reviewers cookie and liling. I feed on your feedback…

Summary: Sakura sets to put things back on track, and pull Syaoran back into her world.

Chapter Seven: Running from Reality

Sakura's Point of View

I mean to reassure him that I am fine, but my words come out as no more than a hoarse whisper. I attempt to tell him, but instead he dashes hurriedly away.

I certainly don't feel alright. I'm aching all over, and I can't see straight. All I can do is follow his dimming silhouette as he disappears.

I sit there breathing heavily for what seems like an hour, but is probably a small matter of minutes. I then stand up with some effort, and try to walk back home, but limp instead.

I want to just collapse unto the grass and lie there for eternity…or at least until someone finds me, but I force myself on until -

"Sakura! Wait!"

That voice…could it be…?

That's impossible, I thought that…

"Sakura!"

No. It really is --

"Tomoyo!"

It's her! I can't believe it! She runs towards me, happy as a flea on a dog yet genuinely clueless as anything. Obviously she asks me if I am alright, and I nod my head in return. Just seeing her ( not to mention a dumbfounded but smiling Eriol ) makes me feel much better, like a chance miracle.

The next thing I know is getting into her limousine and going towards her very grand home. It's like old times, before all of this happened, when the Clow Cards were floating around unsealed and…well, before. Before Meilin actually got serious…

Her mansion is warm, a big difference from the excessive cool of outside. But I'm certain she'll question me about everything. Which she does.

"So…Sakura," she tries to casually inquire in the living room, "what happened to you?" Her timid question compels me to answer, as I haven't kept something from her in so long. Her video camera is set to one side for once and forgotten.

Eriol looks absolutely interested, more so than that normal inquisitive expression. "Were you struck by lightning?" He also seems concerned.

At this I laugh. "Well, actually I did get struck by lightning!" I said almost cheerfully, my voice glad but stilted.

"What!" they shout in unison, unbelieving. Tomoyo's mother squeaked suddenly, betraying her presence from the back and went away with a blush on her face.

Eavesdropper. Gee, am I really that interesting?

Of course I have to explain this little thing. Ah, if it was someone else's story, I have to admit that this'll be good enough to gossip.

Normal Point of View

He ran as fast as he possibly could, fleeing from the truth he didn't want to face.

Sakura is dead.

'Sakura is dead.' he thought miserably, 'And I killed her. No one would have survived that…'

Unfortunately, Syaoran of the Li Clan was overestimating himself too much.

"…then he ran away!" Sakura said in another part of the city, telling Tomoyo and Eriol all about the happenings. "I wonder why…I tried to talk to him.."

Tomoyo was still surprised. "Maybe he couldn't understand it. Or didn't want to admit anything."

Eriol was as well. "It is possible he thought you were dead. You look half-so right now…" he part-muttered, earning a glare-smile from Sakura. For this, Tomoyo knew that her good, dependable friend was beginning to heal already.

"What happened to you, Syaoran?" said Meilin in a high-pitched voice, seeming more interested than concerned. His clothes were tattered and an olive green, water dripping onto everything within radius (very expensive everythings) from them and his mussed hair.

It was kind of hard to tell whether he was laughing or crying, but either way he appeared to be at least twenty years different in age. Twenty years younger.

San Yu and Meilin were annoyed as he uttered a specific name with a whiny tone. The former spoke up first. "Her again. Did she make you like this Syaoran?" San Yu demanded from him, and by this she meant a three-year-old-red-in-the-face-and-wet-as-well-as-tantrum-throwing-kid.

The aforementioned kid-like shook his head incomprehensibly before running up the stairs to his room like he once did very long ago.

"So it turns out that Meilin…" she forced out, knowing Tomoyo would understand. Eriol, despite all his politeness and wisdom, had no idea what Sakura was hinting towards.

"...that Meilin what?" he persisted.

Yet Sakura remained calm, as far as resembling a spoiled brat went. Before any one knew what happened she disappeared, footsteps echoing in the Daidoujis' living room.

The two remaining people on the sofa kept silent as they heard the sound of a telephone dial tone, then the staccato of beeps for dialing. "Come on, answer…" was the hopeful whisper.

Over at the Lis', the disrupting sound of a ring disturbed the entire place.