Hello everyone. Hopefully by now you've read my Author's Note. If not then it's no big deal. I'm hoping this chapter will be out really soon. Things are a little hectic right now. My mid terms are coming soon and I've got to brush up. Hopefully after that things will cool down slightly and I'll find some time to finish up the epilogue. This is really the second last chapter of "The Sounds of Love". Thank you so much for all your support up until now. You guys are truly very special to me and I'm glad to have you here by my side.
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Review of Last Chapter
"Sakura, Li-san," Chiharu came running frantically into the room.
"Chiharu," Sakura said her eyes slightly red.
"Outside… they're here."
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Chapter 17: I Promise..
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Syaoran, Sakura, Eriol, and Tomoyo's eyes all widened at the brunette.
"What? That's not possible. Not this soon." Eriol said almost at once. "When they called me, I was positive they were still at the mansion."
"That's not all." Chiharu interrupted, "they're led by a young man… blond hair. Is he of any recognition to you?"
"Yes, he's my… ex boyfriend." A guilty voice said from the door behind them. Carina had been walking past when she had over heard the conversation. As soon as the brunette sister had said "they're led by a young man" she knew Calvin had betrayed them all. Sakura looked sympathetically at her eldest daughter,
"Carina…" she breathed silently, walking to her side.
"I'm so sorry Father, Mother. I never meant to. I thought that he; he would never do something like this. I thought I knew him!" Carina exclaimed angrily. Sakura drew the 18 year old into a hug.
"No, it's not your fault. You have a good heart, and you were willing to accept him, he is just too stupid for the fact of what a wonderful person you are." Sakura said truthfully, running her hands across her daughter's smooth, soft hair.
"Your mother is right, Carina." Syaoran joined in, "I understand how you feel. But as of now, the whole family is in danger. Carina, I need you to abandon all those feelings you have right now and get your siblings. Get them to the basement, hide them and wait for us. Do not speak a single sound, you are in charge, understood?" he spoke sternly. Carina nodded almost instantly, her amber eyes burning with intense determination. Without uttering a word, she swept out of the room, no doubt in search for her brothers and sisters.
"Chiharu, I need you to stall them as much as possible, do not let them enter the basement too soon." Sakura requested to her. Chiharu nodded, walking off too. "Tomoyo, Eriol, you two cannot be seen here. Eriol, you will risk your job and Tomoyo, I don't want you to get hurt."
"Sakura, you can't possibly think-" Tomoyo got cut off.
"Tomoyo, I will be fine. Xiao Lang is with me, and in any case, so is my elements." She spoke with all seriousness.
"Sakura you can't. If they see you use it, they'll god forbid who knows what they'll do." Tomoyo spoke frenzied. Syaoran nodded,
"We'll be fine Tomoyo. Go, this is an order if you still regard me as your master, Go with Eriol and leave here, Now." He ordered sternly, drawing himself to his full height. Tomoyo bit her bottom lip, her lip reduced to a thin, stressed line, her arms crossed across her chest.
"Oh all right but if you two don't get back alive I swear to god I'll hunt down your grave and have you suffer for all eternity, dead or not." She spoke waspishly as she was guided away. Tears were forming in her amethyst eyes, "Oh Sakura look out for the children, be careful." She said before she was gently swept out of sight by Eriol. Sakura watched as her friend disappeared before facing solemnly at her husband.
"Sakura, you know what you meant by using your elements?" he asked uncertainly. Sakura nodded, her own eyes rising to meet his.
"I meant every word I said. Should they come and harm my family, I will not hesitate to bring them to play." She said hardly, her eyes burning with a hardened fire, the elements of earth and fire swirling together in her emerald orbs.
"And I'll be with you every step of the way." He promised, lacing his fingers with hers, giving her a gentle squeeze. Sakura nodded, squeezing her eyes shut for a second, allowing a few stray tears to fall. Syaoran gently wiped it away.
"Promise me after this we'd move away from here, and we'd start a new life." Sakura whispered brokenly, leaning her forehead against his shoulder. "Xiao Lang, promise me we'll live together until we grow old. Please promise me." She spoke with tears of emotion. Syaoran drew her towards him, hugging her tightly,
"I promise Sakura. I promise." He repeated over and over, his own heart thundering.
"I love you Xiao Lang." she stated firmly. Syaoran stayed silent for a while, one, crystal clear drop of tear slid down his cheeks, his heart twisted in a painful knot.
"I love you."
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"Hurry you slow imbeciles! If they get away you will be to blame! Move those feet!" Calvin yelled through the sudden roaring of wind. Gusts after gusts of cold arctic wind bit his face and fought his straw coloured hair. His body shivered at the coldness that seemed to be carried by the wind, his face flushed. He and his men arrived at St. Mary's church and were immediately assembled to form a plan. Li Xiao Lang would not leave here today, not under his watch. He will bring them back, and the government will give him aid. Striding up furiously up the hill, he pulled the string the sent a deep ring throughout the rumbling sky. The wooden door creek opened and a pleasant looking brunette looked down at them with hard brown eyes.
"Hello, how may I be of service you all?" she spoke with serenity, her hand hidden behind the black robe. Her eyes were glancing nervously behind them at the cars that stayed park behind the group of men.
"I am Private Calvin, these are my men. We are under the government's order to come here." He spoke with authority. Chiharu nodded pleasantly, taking Sakura's request to heart.
"Ah, yes I see. And what is your reason to be here?" she spoke with patience. Calvin cursed the young woman for her feigned stupidity.
"We have reason to believe that your church is currently hiding criminals Li Xiao Lang and Kinomoto Sakura." Chiharu tried to slow down her heart rate and with all her strength not make her body take a sharp intake of breath. Kinomoto Sakura and Li Xiao Lang, that must be Syaoran's Chinese name, by the looks of it they don't know they've married… I can make use of that.
"I'm terribly sorry, but no Li Xiao Lang nor any Kinomoto Sakura is here." She lied. Calvin did all he could to stop himself from shoving the woman and barge into the church.
"You lie. We have proof that you have a nun here by the name of Kinomoto Sakura!" he stated harshly, his blazing blue eyes beating the truth out of her.
"Yes, you are not mistaken. We did have a Kinomoto Sakura, but she is working for another family now and no longer belongs to this church." Chiharu spoke hardly, her own brown eyes boring down at him. Calvin gritted his teeth,
"I demand to be let in to search the church. This is the government's order and you must obliged." He commanded, not taking anymore of this nonsense. He roughly pushed Chiharu aside, bringing in himself and his men uninvited. Chiharu looked at him revolted, yet hoped that the little charade she had just put on bought Sakura and Syaoran enough time to hide.
Please be safe Sakura, Syaoran.
Foot steps echoed throughout the shallow hall ways as Sakura and Syaoran rushed down the stairs. Syaoran held his hand tightly onto Sakura's, pulling her deeper and deeper downwards. They had heart Chiharu open the door and were all ready dashing away. Sakura's hair flowed behind her, her emerald gems holding fear and determination.
"Damn how long is this stairway?" Syaoran growled in annoyance. It felt as though they were running forever and they have yet to reach the bottom.
"Syaoran, Xiao Lang we're almost there. Relax." Sakura tried to clam him down. Finally they were free of stairs and had entered a large, stone room. There were statues and statues behind black, metal bars. Foot steps were heard thundering above them and their fear increased.
"Father! Mother!"" a hushed and whispered voice called to them from their right. Immediately, Carina's head popped up from behind a statue of baby Jesus in his crib. (I'm sorry if I offended any one who is Christian.) Swinging the door open, Syaoran help Sakura get in before rejoining their family. It was obvious that Carina and Xiao Chen were the ones in charge for they were the only one who was not cowering in the furthest corner. Hitomi and Ying were both sobbing softly, hugging each other for comfort. Alex and Sora were shivering in their thin wind breakers, their eyes holding fear. Kari, Tenchi and Yang were all holding hands, depending on each other as their life line. Besides the two eldest, Alana seemed to be the most calm, though her cool and calculation amber eyes fogged up with fear and anxiety.
"Dad, Mom, what's happening?" Xiao Chen voiced out everyone's wonders. Sakura took a deep breath.
"The government men, they've found us, they know we're here. Chiharu and the others are upstairs, stalling the best they can, but it is only a matter of time before they find us." Sakura spoke gravely. Immediately Hitomi and Ying had both ran into her arms, hugging her around her waist. She strokes their hair gently, calming their nerves.
"But why," Sora asked softly. Her raven hair was curly and her ruby eyes were watery with tears. She's so much like her mother.
"Is it because they want to take Daddy away?" Alex asked in a hushed, scared whisper. Sakura glanced uncertainly at Syaoran.
"Everything will be fine. Don't worry." Syaoran spoke with gentleness. "Sakura, is there a way besides the stairs that will lead us away? Sakura thought for a moment.
"There is an emergency exit near there," she pointed to the furthest left hand corner of the room, "There is always a car in case of emergency." Syaoran nodded.
"As soon as we have the chance, I'll give you a signal and you will run as fast as you can there, understood?" he said, "No, you will. I will be fine." He added, seeing Alana's face scrunch up with an interruption. They heard foot steps starting to get louder and louder and his face fell into a stony mask. "Hide, Now! Alex, Sora, Hitomi, Ying, Kari, go with your mother. Xiao Chen, Carina, Alana, Tenchi, Yang, you stay with me. Go!" he ordered. The group split up, Sakura and her group moved towards the statue of Mary holding a baby boy while Syaoran stayed behind the crib.
"Hurry, you go to the left, you, right! Search every inch of this place until we've found them!" a male voice ordered coldly. Carina stiffened. Beams of light created white outlines for the statue behind them. Sakura hugged the children tightly against her body. The lights were coming closer, and closer. She made eye contact with her husband.
Syaoran stared at the hard emerald eyes that bored into his own eyes. She had a plan, he knew it, only he didn't know what it was… nor did he want her to go with it. There was a hardening in her gems, before he heard something from the level above them fall, something that was hard and rocky. As expected most of the men immediately ran up, Calvin lagging behind. Sakura's heart pumped wildly, hoping this wild card would work. As soon as Calvin was the last one in the room and was almost at the door, she burnt one of the large stone hanging above the door and made it fall, blocking the entrance off totally. He was trapped.
He whirled around in fright, bringing out his gun.
"Come out Li! Don't make me shoot this! You wouldn't want me to accidentally shoot your children or your lovely wife now would you?" he called out wildly, turning around in circles, trying to locate the group. A loud bang came from the gun and a bullet embedded itself on the wall behind the group. Sakura's anger started to boil as did Syaoran's.
"Carina, Xiao Chen, when I give the signal, run for it." Syaoran spoke with a deep, angry growl, his amber eyes starting to glow unnaturally. In unison, Sakura and Syaoran stood up and walked out of the statue and into the room together.
"So that's where you are." Calvin said triumphantly, positioning the gun in front of Syaoran's heart. "Now where are you children?"
"Does it matter? You're after me aren't you?" Syaoran snarled.
"That's true." Calvin pondered amusedly, he shifted his faze towards Sakura, his blue eyes meeting Sakura's own hard emeralds. "You must be Sakura."
"It's Li to you bastard." Sakura breathed venomously. Calvin had a confused expression.
"So you've married? Congratulations." He said without a hint of sincerity.
"Save that for someone who cares, because we're not one of them." Sakura snapped angrily, taking all she had to hold back the temptation to burn him into crisp human bacon or squish him into a bloody pulp.
"Brave for someone who's about to get captured," Calvin said coolly. "Do my eyes deceive me or am I the one who is holding a weapon?" Syaoran narrowed his cold amber eyes at the straw haired teen, unable to control his urge anymore. He allowed his elemental powers to wash over him in a wash of fury and power. He sent a strong gust of wind, knocking the gun out of the boy's pale hands, the metal sliding against the hard stone floor. Sakura turned to look at Syaoran to see invisible gusts of wind swirl around him, making his chestnut hair fly. He's letting his anger take over.
"What, you, what are you?" Calvin yelled in a mixture of fear and anger.
"Xiao Lang? Syaoran you're letting your emotions get the better of you." Sakura whispered softly to him. At the corner of her eyes, she saw Calvin inching towards the fallen gun. With a flick of her hands, a rumble sent the boy falling and the guns slid further away from him. The rumble seemed to have brought Syaoran back to his senses-that or feeling Sakura's hand touched his- because the wind currents slowed down and his features relaxed.
"What are you two?" Calvin cried out, "You're monsters!" Sakura's eyes hardened and fell cold,
"Monsters?" she gave a cold, harsh laugh, "Monsters are we? You're one to be talking. We are not the one who betrayed everyone to gain a tiny status. We are not the one who gave up all the trust he had gained from so many people, and to throw it away only to get someone he knew was impossible to get." Taking advantage or Sakura's distraction, Syaoran motioned his hands towards his children, telling them to slowly inch their way to the exit. Catching their movement, a blast of hot fire melted the black iron lock that secured the door, as soon as it creaked open, the 9 children immediately rushed out, Carina lagging behind and reaching the end. Her eyes met with Calvin's and it seemed to have held her in a trance. For a moment, she thought she saw a glint of forgiveness, and a glint of love held in the ocean blue eyes. For a moment, she truly believed.
"Come with us, please? This is not where you belong." Carina begged and pleaded softly, she knew there was something left in him that would bring back the old him, the real him. Instead,
"And you think I belong with you?" he laughed harshly, "dream on Li. Once a Li, always a Li." Carina's heart shattered as she started to move forwards. However, Calvin thought otherwise. During their distraction, he had managed to take the gun that had been lost and aimed it directly at her.
"Being with you has no benefits. I will always be on the run. Maybe your parents need a little reminder of what's at stake." He said coldly, everything seemed to be going at a slow motion as they watched his finger go closer and closer, applying more and more pressure onto the trigger. They watched through Carina's fear widened eyes, Sakura's shock emeralds, and Syaoran's angered amber. Then everything seemed to fast forward and the bullet was tearing the wind towards her.
"No!" Sakura screamed, unleashing her full power. A funnel of red fire shot from her, instantly surrounding the metal bullet that was only inches away from its intended target, melting immediately. The ground trembled and dusts fell from the ceilings. Calvin couldn't get his balance, he needed help!
"They're downstairs!" He called into his walkie-talkie, holding onto the metal bars. "Hurry, hurry they're getting away!" that was all they needed. Grabbing Carina, the couple and the daughter dashed out, throwing Carina out the door as the bolder Sakura made to block was pushed down the stairs, the dull thumping getting louder.
"GO HURRY!" Syaoran roared through the stampeding group. Bullets whizzed passed them missing their intended targets. He heard molten metal dripping and earth rumbling and knew Sakura was using her powers. He pushed Carina out the door quickly, turning back to get hisanger ragingwife.
Sakura stayed her ground, her hairflying in a frenzy of power. Every bullet that dared released from the dark tunnel of the gun met her fury of fire and her angry quakes of earth. She saw the fear in their eyes and a grip of odd satisfaction swallowed her.
"Sakura, we have to go!" Syaoran called, his element of water starting to raise, angry cold water poured over the enemies in front of them, the arctic winds freezing the water, those hit by them stopped frozen literally. Sakura nodded, sending last few fire tunnels and shaking. Following his lead, she turned around, running for the door.
"Not so fast!" they heard. They heard a loud blast and Syaoran felt the wind being torn by a tremendous force. He turned around to have Sakura-who was beside him-flung himself against him, crushing his body against hers. Her arms went around her neck and he felt her stiffen, he looked down at her eyes, and saw the widen in pain. Sakura… Sakura… Sakura. Instead of telling him she was all right, she weakly sent her head to the other direction, her emerald eyes widened in a weak concentration and vines and earth erupted from every corner, fire at every step. Then her eyes started to fall, her head dropping to his chest. Syaoran felt something wet at his hand, a sickly wet, warm substance. He drew his hand in fear, watching the red liquid drop down his hand.
"Sakura, oh god, Sakura please don't do this." He cried helplessly, lifting her in bridal style. "No, not this soon, you made me promise, I'm keeping it, now you've got to keep yours." He growled. Sakura's eyes opened weakly, staring at his determined face,
"I promise." She whispered.
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Chiharu and Lily watched on the side as the car drove away from the basement and as men rushed up. They knew Sakura had started the fire but right now they could care less. Daisy arrived downstairs, looking out the window.
"Hurry before they get away!" Calvin called out, rushing to his car. He shoved his keys into the engine, preparing to chase high speed at them. They couldn't have gone too far, he knew he had shot the woman, he knew. There were voices that rang behind him when he started his car, but it won't.
"What in hell…" he whispered.
Daisy looked from the cars to her young girls. She raised an expected eye brow at them. Guiltily, Chiharu and Lily brought out their hands, tubes and gases and engines fell to the stone floor.
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They made a promise, a promise of togetherness, and a promise of forever. Can they keep it? It's up to you.
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A/N: Wow I finally got around to writing this chapter! I hope you liked it. The next chapter would be the Epilogue, so stay tuned!