A/N: Chapter Sixteen!!!!!!!!! Yeah!!!!!!!!!!! I UPDATED!!!!!!! I'm so proud of myself! I know it took me very very long to update, but high school was very overwhelming! Anyways, thank you for those wonderful reviews and threats, very pleasing to hear. I took a nice clean bath and got rid of the rotten tomato essence! =) Well, as I said, this is the last chapter! Hope you'll all enjoy the conclusion of 'Because of You'!!!!!!!
Chapter Sixteen:
Sakura found herself crumpled in a shadow of darkness. She could feel the hands of reality trying to reach out for her… and slowly, she could feel herself being drawn away from her subconscious state….. and back to her world….
Her eyes fluttered open immediately, and bolted up from her sleeping position. "LI!"
That was the first thing that came up in her mind. She felt her heart pounding with fear; she turned frantically at the clouds entrapping her, and realized where she was….
"Awake I see…."
Sakura recognized the voice instantly, and stared into the air with panic protruding every inch of her face. "Is he ok?"
"O, don't worry, Kero's fine!"
"God!"
She heard him chuckle…. "Not a great time to laugh. Is Li ok?"
"Yes…. I hope so…"
Sakura frowned. "I hope so?????!!!!!"
She heard him giggle. "He should be…. After all…. You wished he hadn't loved you…….right? And with that, he should have let you go, and then he would have stepped out of the bubble all confused, then you would have floated up in your little bubble with my best friend Kero next to you, and then he would have been walking home thinking…. Why the hell did I stop her anyways….. opps, excuse my language…. And then you would have come back here, reincarnate successfully, and everyone's happy!..... Now what's the flaw…..?"
Sakura cocked an eyebrow. "What…. I…. uh….."
"Why are you still here?"
Sakura looked up from pondering. "I….. why am I still here?"
God chuckled. "Well, tell me. What happened after you made your wish?"
Sakura could feel her forehead crease with wrinkles and she though hard. "There was a….. explosion…."
"Good, I see your memory hasn't been damaged. Now, think… would I be the kind of God to make a wish ball explode after making a wish?" he asked incredulously.
Sakura narrowed her eyes. "You really don't want me to answer that."
God laughed, and then regained normal composure. "Anyways….. do you want to see what happened to your wish ball?"
Sakura frowned. "I….."
*POOF*
Appearing in front of her was the ball…..except it was now black……and it was split into two uneven halves…. She slowly reached out, and grasped tightly at the pieces.
"What does this mean?" Sakura asked suspiciously. Her eyes widened….. "Nothing severe right?"
"It was an explosion! What do you expect? A parade?"
Sakura felt a leap of intimidation pound against her soul. "YOU SAID HE WAS OK!"
"Kero is ok."
"I'm SERIOUS!"
"*Sigh* I didn't really lie. Li is kind of ok…. I think….!" God replied cheerfully.
Sakura felt frustration rush through her.
God sensed it and smirked. "Here….. make a simple wish."
Sakura felt confusion replace the frustration as another wish ball flew into her hands.
Holding the used one in one hand, and the new one in another one, she thought carefully about a simple wish…..yet an important one….
"I wish Li Syaoran will live happily ever after for the rest of his life…."
God grunted. "That's your idea of a simple wish?! Besides, life is about experiencing happiness when it comes gradually…living happily forever is boring…. You need disappointment to cherish and understand how special happiness really is. Ok, I'll stop blabbering. Anyways….. watch the ball…..
Sakura did as she was told. The ball slowly soared three feet into the air….. spun….. and dissolved into a group of stars that wistfully dispersed into a glimmering pile of sand….. they floated around her figure peacefully….. and finally… they slowly…faded……
……."Now that….was the effect the ball should have made…."
Sakura stood…. stun. She looked at the dark pieces of glass she had clasped in her hands.
"But… this didn't." she whispered. She felt her knees tremble, and surrendered herself onto the surface beneath her. "So what happened to him?"
God sighed.
Sakura looked up again, with expectance swelling through her teary eyes.
"Sakura….. your wish didn't come true….."
Sakura's eyes widened in fear.
"The ball couldn't do it…… I mean, sure the wish is legal….. but…I guess his love for you was a bit too strong…… And soon…. The ball felt overwhelmed and….. died out…and this was my latest edition too!"
Sakura felt tears stream down her eyes. "So…… Li must be hurt…" she mumbled to herself. Her voice was soft……. And pain intercepted each word as they came out.
God sighed heavily. "You know what though… you proved something very important to me tonight…."
Sakura lifted her head slowly….
"You proved to me that there are certain things that are beyond my control…." God softly explained.
Sakura nodded and soon found her eyes finally releasing all the pain that she'd been holding back since she'd woke up. "I miss him…." She admitted honestly.
God exhaled heavily in reaction to her sadness. "Don't cry…."
"You never gave me a straight answer!!! What happened to him?" Sakura burst through the tears….
"Miss me that much eh?"
Sakura froze. Even her tears stopped falling…. She cautiously lifted herself off the ground…stood still for a few seconds with her back facing the figure which spoke, and then quickly turned around…….
"Li….." she breathed.
Standing behind her, with a smug look of arrogance, was none other than Li Syaoran. Vigilantly, she walked up to him….gradually coming face to face with him…..
Li smiled once she was only a feet away from him. He was about to make a smug comment when….
*Slap*
"Ouch! What was that for!"
Sakura's eyes widen…. With joy. "I'm not hallucinating!" She flung her arms around his neck and grabbed him into a hug.
Li smiled warmly, and through abrupt instincts, evolved his own set of arms around her while ignoring the sting her hit was developed… "Hey Sakura, do you usually hallucinate about me?"
Sakura smiled at his words. "I missed you….." she whispered, so only he could hear.
Li smiled. "Really? And it's not even a full day yet…" he whispered back.
Sakura pulled back. "Ok, that's it, you're really pushing it." She replied indignantly, and began to walk away.
Li swiftly grabbed her hands and gently swung her back into his arms with ease. He smirked, staring into her captivating eyes, and mumbled, "Hey Sakura…. Do you remember those certain words you said before- -"
Before he could utter the rest of his sentence, Sakura forgot about resistance, and pulled him into a kiss. Emotions rapidly poured out, and intimacy piled through each of their touch. Warmth engulfed their previous hollow souls, and affection touched at every breath.
Once they pulled away, Li had the familiar silly grin on his face…. "I see you've learned well…"
Sakura stared tenderly into his eyes, "I love you, Li."
He smiled. "What's not to love?"
Sakura growled in frustration. "WE MUST WORK ON YOUR EGO!"
"Being egoistic is a very important element in my life." Li whined.
"Forget what I just said before." Sakura exclaimed.
Li smiled. "I forgot. What did you say?"
Sakura glared at him…… "Guess my words aren't important to you."
Li grinned, and they were quickly engrossed in a typical argument….
~Meanwhile…..
"Hey…… you think we're invisible?" Kero asked, watching the couple argue.
"I am, but you're not." The voice next to him mocked.
Kero narrowed his eyes at the area where the voice originated. "What are you trying to say?"
God smiled. "We should stop them."
Kero nodded. "We should….. I bet you five cupcakes Sakura wins the argument!"
God chuckled.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
"Sakura don't be mad….." Li pleaded. He took hold of her hands, and gently guided her into a hug.
Sakura forced herself to resist. "Just when I thought you cha—"
"I love you, too."
Sakura could feel the same surge of warmth he'd always managed to lock within her, swell….. "You know I hate it when you say that to me?"
*cough* *cough*
"Why?" he murmured, leaning closer to her…..
*cough* *cough*
Sakura smiled, knowing very well he knew the answer, but felt herself leaning towards him anyways….
*COUGH* *COUGH*
Before they could close the gap between them…..
*AHCHOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!*
Sakura and Li looked at where the sound came from.
"You people are very disgusting."
Li burst into fits of laughter. "Only because you'll never have what we have, Kero."
Kero glared at him. "Sakura, tell this ignorant brat you love me more than him."
Sakura sweat dropped, and watched as the fellow nemesis engaged in their dutiful altercations.
"Sakura……"
She looked up at where God's voice came from. "Remember….. reincarnation…"
The happiness in her immediately disappeared. Instead….. she was swallowed in trepidation now…"I……"
God chuckled. "Don't worry, Sakura. I've decided to give you a certain chance… instead of reincarnation, you are allowed to live down on earth…. With Li, that is, until he dies and you both have to come back here… however you must repay me later on…." He beckoned in a serious tone.
Sakura frowned. "And what exactly is that?" she asked suspiciously.
"You help me build an amusement park for me afterwards!" He beamed.
Sakura was stunned. "What…?"
"It's the thing with slides and zooming long cars. Need a picture?" He asked in amusement.
Sakura shook her head. "No, I'm serious."
"So I wasn't?" He countered.
Sakura frowned. "I don't know. Is today riddle day?"
God laughed. "I was serious. Besides, I need more helpers. I must warn you however, it's an extremely boring job, so people usually choose to reincarnate if they have the chance instead of staying here with me." He replied with a sense of disappointment. "I wonder why though, I mean, Kero and I have so much fun together…."
Kero looked up from his argument with a radically incredulous look. "What!!!! I would give you millions if I could leave you!!!" He exclaimed.
God chuckled. "Dear dear Kero. Don't enter the stage of denial; it's bad for your health." He teased.
Li smiled as he walked over to Sakura and revolved his arms around her waist. Sakura grinned as the same surprising warmth filled her.
As he cradled her in his arms, Kero stuck out his tongue. He stared into the air. "So you're really letting them be together?"
"Yep." God cheerfully replied.
"When do they go back down?" Kero asked, sadness edging from his words, though he tried to hide it.
"O….. right about….. now…" he informed.
*Creak*
"What the, ahhhhhhhhhh!!!!!"
Kero stared at the new hole that Sakura and Li disappeared into. "I'm going to miss her…. And even him…." He mumbled.
God sensed his sadness….
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
*BOOM* *PLOP*
"Ouch! You think he could have landed us a bit more gently?" Li moaned.
Sakura winced as she pulled herself up. She smiled at him. "That's God." She simply beckoned.
Li frowned in confusion, as he pulled himself up as well. He looked over at Sakura, who was staring longingly at the home that had disappeared previously.
She was glad that she was living here again. She thanked God secretly, then cautiously looked up at Li. "…..Sorry…"
Li looked mildly confused. "What?"
"I'm sorry… for all the pain I put you through….that is." She quietly replied.
Li smiled feebly and moved closer to her. "You are seriously the weirdest person I'll ever meet in life. If anything, I should be sorry… sorry about before…." He mumbled.
Sakura shook her head and smiled. "It's ok. It was understandable."
Li stared at her and honestly replied. "Thank you."
Sakura smiled. There was no need for explanations in this part of there conversation, and through instincts she pulled him into a hug.
Li held her tighter and whispered into her ears. "I really do love you." He motioned tenderly.
Sakura grinned with content.
*DING* *DONG*
"I'll murder whoever that is for disrupting our moment!" Li exclaimed as they pulled apart. Sakura giggled.
Li jerked open the door and the small figure quickly revealed himself, "HELLO Y—"
*BAM!*
Sakura stared curiously at the door. "Is that how you usually treat your guests? Slam the door at their faces?" She asked curiously, trying to see who it was at the door.
Li frowned. "No….but—"
"If you're going to lock me out, at least keep the windows closed, I eat a lot but my metabolism is really strong, I can fit through the smallest of cracks." The voice explained nonchalantly.
Li grunted. "Really? I would like to stuff you in a crack and see what happens." He mumbled.
"Kero!!!!" Sakura exclaimed. She watched as the yellow teddy bear flung into her arms. "What are you doing here?" She asked happily.
"Yeah, what are you doing here?" Li grumbled.
Kero beamed. "I'm going to be Sakura's parent. Like on school meetings and stuff, I can represent Sakura's dad." He informed animatedly.
"You meant mom." Li corrected casually.
Kero narrowed his eyes at him. "Ok, do you really want to start with me?"
Li sighed, and allowed maturity to take over him.
Kero smiled, and continued. "Anyways, now I can stay with you guys forever!" he added cheerfully.
"Hooray!" Li muttered, but if you looked closely, you could see a slight tug at the edge of his lips. He looked at the jubilant expression on Sakura's face and knew she needed Kero in her life.
Sakura smirked when she caught Li daydreaming. Her smile revealed all of her overwhelming elation, and she hugged him by surprise and snuggled into his shoulders. Li grinned as he captured her in his arms as well. Silently, he knew, he was happy as well… Because of Her.
A/N: …… Yeah….. ok……. I know….. bad ending? I know it's very lame, but it's hard writing a happy ending. I know….. I should have left it at a sad ending…… but I couldn't let my reader's tears be in vain…. So I had to fit in a happy ending….. somehow….. am I really that bad? *Sigh* O well, at least I finished….. and yes, I know it's been sooooooo long, but I tired to shift my times so I could complete this! My new story will come sometime…… I dunno……. Maybe when Christmas vacation comes! I know, so long!, but High School is mean, I should burn it down one day =) Well, see you soon, hopefully…. (^.^)
