This story is in the POV of Sakura and Tomoyo who are in quite some troubled times for a sixth grader. Sakura's dear, beloved mother dies, while Tomoyo hears the shocking news that her mother is broke. They are in need of help... in need of someone to turn to.

CHAPTER 1: My life before

It happened so fast. Everything was here, in place, settled down and perfectly fine. Life was well and everything was perfect, just perfect. But then this perfect life began to slip away. It happened all so fast. First I was happy, and then suddenly I was sad. My mother was alive; we were all so happy, cheerful, never thinking about what might happen. And then she slipped away from us. No, rather like she went POOF all of sudden and left us forever. It happened last summer before seventh grade. My mother was home and my dad was making pancakes. I was a happy sixth grader, normal, glad, and piped up for seventh grade. My brother was even a bit happy then. Even though he's got that grumpy edge on him that makes girls go floaty all around him. It was a perfect picture. My mom in her chair telling stories while my dad flipped the pancakes in the pan, listening and sometimes laughing. My brother and I were giggling and listening.

"And then she came in and screamed out loud, 'what are you two doing in here?"

We burst out with laughter again.

"So what happened next mom? Did she suspend Jodie for the rest of the week?" I asked out loud, full of questions.

Touya bonked my head, "No, dummy, she made her work in the yard for the rest of the week."

I reached up at his head to hit him too, but Touya just stood up and grinned as I jumped wildly.

Mother just laughed. She didn't get mad at us, she just laughed. That was a good thing about mother; it was something that made me love her even more. She never got mad, she never shouted, she never grounded us, but she'd just laugh. Father too, he'd do the same thing. But mother felt so close to me, she'd carry me to bed even though I was too big, and then plop me on the bed and kiss me smack on the forehead. Then chocking me to death with my blankets. Father was nice, calm and kind. Slow-tempered and a hard worker, but he could never do something silly like that. Too mature. Mother was like a kid. She would trip and climb trees. She liked to bounce around and laugh by swinging her head back, letting her hair trickle down to her knees. They seemed so different and yet so alike. I loved them. I loved them so very much. But most of all, I loved my mother. I loved her the most.

Father smiled, "Here, I'll help you." My father put down the pan and picked me up.

I gave Touya a nice bonk on his head. We all sat down and laughed.

"These are good." Mother kissed dad on the cheek and then asked me, "Pass the syrup please."

I handed the syrup over. She drowned the pancakes in the thick liquid.

Dad remarked, "Come on, they're not so plain."

My mother laughed again and then answered, "I know, but I like it sweet."

"A sweet tooth, a lot like Sakura." Touya slathered butter all over his pancakes.

"Hey!" I pouted.

The house was filled with laughter once more. I think it was the last time we had a family laugh.

I think it was too sudden; it was like a miracle, a bad miracle. So swift it was, how it managed to happen in a few hours. I was startled, I thought we would die, I thought my life would be over. We were fine a second ago… at least I think. We were still in the mansion a second ago, we were still rich, we were still living in luxury, and I still had my room. But then it happened. It happened too quick, too rapidly, too fast. It was like the wind breezing past us, taking with it our money. We were broke. I'm not sure how it happened. It just did, like God had swooped down and crushed my mother's business. All I remember was my mother busting into the house and then saying to me, "We're broke."

I fiddled around with my hair, thinking about what dress I should pick, when I heard the limo park so abruptly that I nearly jumped. I took a peek out the window, and then ran down the circular stairway, rather like flying down it. I was downstairs by the time I heard her come it.

The twin doors flung open and my mother stepped in. Her hair was a wreck, her lipstick looked worn out, her face was pale and lined with worries. Her tight outfit was loosened and her eyes looked weary. But what was most fearful right then, were her words. It is, it was, and it always has been my nightmare, thosethree words.

She looked straight at me, her eyes were weary but fierce, "We're broke."

I was stricken, like thunder had struck me down my spine harder than I could ever have imagined. We were broke. My mother didn't waste any more time. She bustled past me, I could smell faint perfume, but I didn't care. I was lost in my own world, my own thoughts. I tried to pinch myself, but I wasn't in a dream. I wasn't in a nightmare; it was for real. The next few moments were a blur. People rushing by and through, luggage being packed and stored, and my mother screaming orders and dashing around. And soon the mansion was empty. Just my mother and me. I heard a whimpering sound, I was afraid someone else had come in. I turned around. But then I realized it was my mother. I had hardly seen my mother cry. Only twice. But now I could feel her sadness this time, I could feel it. Like it was me who was really crying. And soon I felt my own sadness coming out of me. My own tears. I hugged my mother, she held me tight. We kept our embrace. How long it has been since my mother has hugged me… how lonely, how empty my world seems right now… and now, where will we go? What will we eat? Can I still go to school? Will we be in rags? Do we have to live in the streets? What are we going to do? Questions flooded into my head. But no matter how many questions I had, I knew that I didn't want to hear the answers, I didn't want to hear anything. Only my mother's crying and mine.

I hope you enjoyed my first fanfic here, please review! Thanx for reading!