Second to last chapter here.

Thanks lightbird, Broadway Belle, youkaigirl64, CelestialMoussy, sunflower-power24, .Aurorablu., Cherryblossom93, jeweljade, DKWolves, sakura-kinomoto-li-syaoron, BabyPenguin, AnimeFreak-TrunksPan-Lover4va, windlight, star saphire, Kuro-Ippikiookami21, Kurai-Mizuki, Alchemy-chan, Frosted Blossom Z, Kokari, Lynne102, and cherrysango.

To answer your questions, no Syaoran is not gay, and heaven forbid that to happen. Hopefully this chapter will answer all of your questions, and it will wrap up in the Epilogue.

Enjoy!

Chapter IX: An Unexpected Surprise

Sakura found out a week after her return that her worries about the aftermath of replacing her brother were irrelevant. The honor was mainly given to her father for raising such a talented "son," and that he and Touya would never have to serve again.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Sakura had done what she had set out to do: save both her father and brother, but then why did her heart ache so?

Her father had sensed her troubles and one morning, he took her outside to their family garden. Facing their lake, he begged his daughter to confide in him. She did, telling him of all her moral dilemmas and the wrongs that she had seen during battle. She told him everything but the one thing that was troubling her: a certain amber-eyed warrior.

Fujitaka had guessed that she was not telling her everything, but told her what he had faced when he served in battle, and the problems and after effects he encountered. Seeing his situation and knowing that he recovered enough to live his life without forgetting the lessons learned in battle made Sakura feel relieved. She could still live with herself despite her actions, the nightmares, and images from battle. It was possible to continue on without forgetting.

Hearing Touya calling that someone was at the gate, Fujitaka urged her to come to him anytime she wished to talk. Sakura felt reassured that her father had left her, but saddened that she had hid Syaoran from him. It was times like these that she wished her mother was still around to confide in. She was left to her own thoughts as her father left her.

"What was Syaoran doing now?" she thought to herself. Was he betrothed to a beautiful girl from his hometown? Someone that could pour tea and rule his household? Was he brooding just as she was?

She secretly hoped for the latter, but knew that the former was more likely. Sighing she gazed upon the serene lake waters, hoping that they would hold the answer for her troubled heart.

Touya was in the house when he heard a knock at the front door. Answering, he found himself addressing a very well dressed Lieutenant.

"Is Kinomoto Touya in?" the Lieutenant asked briskly.

Touya froze. Of course, he knew that he was Touya, but obviously this man didn't. Putting two and two together, Touya assumed that this was someone from the war, and that it meant that the officer was looking for Sakura. Calling his father he quickly explained the situation in the back room.

Fujitaka greeted the Lieutenant warily but suddenly clapped him on the back. It seems that the two were stationed in the same regiment when they first were called to battle many years ago. Greeting him fondly, Fujitaka asked what his old friend was here for.

Laughing the Lieutenant replied that he wished to propose marriage between his daughter to the brave soldier who had served in the war. He feared that she was a couple of years too old for the boy and had hoped that it would cause no problems. He was willing to pay a large dowry price for her. Fujitaka waved his hands dismissing anything about money or dowries. He did, however, ask his friend to forgive him for deceiving him.

The Lieutenant could only look on in confusion as Fujitaka called out, "Sakura!" Now why would he call out a girl's name when the Lieutenant only wanted to address Touya? And why did the strong, perfectly fit man, who answered the door, call Fujitaka "Father?" The stranger looked much older than Touya, still had a familial resemblance, and seemed just as able bodied to serve in the war. Imperial law stated that the eldest must serve in war, so why did Touya serve when he seemed to be the younger?

Sakura straightened her dress out as she ran to find her father. "Yes, Father?" she answered him but paled as she met the bewildered eyes of her commanding officer.

"You probably have already met my daughter, Kinimoto Sakura," Fujitaka introduced slowly. He quickly explained the situation to the Lieutenant, saying that Sakura had rightfully challenged her brother to take his place, subtly adding in that the real Touya would have just as willingly served if not for Sakura's persistence.

Blinking several times, the Lieutenant could only stare in wonder at the emerald- eyed girl staring steadily at the ground. A woman? One of the best fighters he had ever seen in his life was a woman?

Grinning broadly, he laughed and continued laughing until he doubled over. Slapping Fujitaka on the shoulder he said that only he would have dared to pull this off. He bowed low to Sakura, congratulating her on fooling them and how her sword play was even superior to his. He always hoped that his daughter would have the mindset to act just like her.

Blushing Sakura could only bow in return.

"However," he continued on. "I don't see why an arrangement between my daughter and the real Kinomoto Touya could not still be arranged."

Sakura smiled. She knew that no one would know of her endeavors, and by marrying the real Touya, the Lieutenant could retain the title of having the great warrior Kinomoto as their son-in-law.

The Lieutenant continued to address her.

"I think," he paused, suddenly unsure of his actions, "that there is someone who might be very interested in you, Sakura."

From out of the shadows of the doorway, stepped a very bewildered Li Syaoran.

I could stop here but I won't be that cruel.

Sakura could only stand there, frozen in shock. She had never expected in her entire life to see those amber eyes again, and now they were staring at her with such shock and also, she feared, with anger.

Fujitaka cleared his throat subtly inviting the Lieutenant to meet with him and Touya in the other room to discuss the future plans. Touya was about to let out a loud protest about leaving his sister alone with a gaki, when he was pulled forcibly out of the room by his father.

Remembering her place as a woman and not as a soldier anymore, Sakura invited him in, led him to the garden and poured him a cup of tea.

She could feel Syaoran's eyes constantly staring at her, scrutinizing her every movement. Nervously, she managed to give him his teacup without spilling a drop.

Staring amusedly at her, Syaoran accepted the hot green tea and could only comment, "You pour the tea much better than Yukina."

Sakura could only laugh, remembering an instance of Yukina's over enthusiasm to show off her skills to Syaoran. Her adeptness had only succeeded in clumsily spilling a cup of scalding hot tea into Syaoran's lap, and then was all too happy to help him clean it off.

Syaoran sighed. Her laughter had brought back his friend, the one who had fought alongside him in the war. He feared her when he first saw her in the doorway. She was meek and timid Sakura, not his friend Touya. He stared at her, amazed that someone who looked as delicate as Sakura could transform into a hardened warrior.

Her eyes met his. "I'm sorry," she whispered. She gracefully sat down beside him on the bench overlooking the lake.

"I know. You did it to save your father. I heard," Syaoran replied. He laughed suddenly and exclaimed, "You do not know how much this news really means to me right now."

Awed, Sakura listened to him as he explained his ordeal. He had fully intended to say his goodbyes to her on the side of the road, but before he knew it, he was kissing her. Embarrassed, he had leaped onto his horse and rode away as fast as he could and had spent the next couple of days recuperating in his garden.

He found solace in his cousin Li Shang, also returning from the northern wars singing the praises of a girl pretend that Mulan was never honored in front of all of China, because you know that would never happen in real life . Seeing his cousin so in love, Syaoran wistfully thought about his feelings for a certain friend. He knew he didn't love men, he certainly admired women, but it's just that he cared deeply for the lithe warrior that had served alongside him.

It wasn't until he was approached by his mother that he made a decision. She had come to him with some tea, when he was at his most melancholy state, explaining that both she and his four sisters had the same dream about a few months ago. He sipped at his tea and stared at her incredulously, believing her to be exaggerating.

5 women having the same dream? He interjected saying that it must have been the hormones due to their time of the month. Well this, of course, ended up with a slap upside the head for not believing her.

She continued in her tale, saying that she dreamed that she and the girls were having their traditional afternoon tea, when they were approached by a very beautiful girl. They had spent a delightful time chatting with her and the entire family adored her, when she suddenly disappeared from them.

Syaoran nodded wondering where this story was going, when Yelan mentioned that she had such a strange eye coloring: a most expressive emerald hue, which shimmered with the most emotion whenever Syaoran was mentioned.

Syaoran promptly choked on his tea and after a few whacks on the back, he sputtered out for her to explain what the girl looked like. She carefully explained the girl to him again and Syaoran spent the rest of the night pacing in his room.

Yelan, of course, had no idea why the dream had such an affect on her only son. His dismal mood had bothered her, but his father had acted the same when he returned from war. Syaoran, like his father, had not spoken to her about his actions in war, but she felt he needed to speak to someone, anyone who would understand. Maybe this mysterious girl was the key to this.

Meanwhile, after Sakura heard of the dream, she stared at him in amazement. She said that when she was unconscious from the poisoning she had dreamed of meeting his family.

He smiled gently at her, and explained that it was from that dream he believed that he should marry the Kinomoto sister that "Touya" had always spoke of and just love his best friend from afar, as a brother-in-law.

Sakura, ignoring propriety, closed the distance between them and entwined her fingers with his.

"That must have been a very hard decision to make," she whispered. "I'm sorry that I didn't tell you who I really was. I feared how you would react." She turned away fearing to meet his eyes.

Syaoran reached out a hand and turned her head gently back to face him. He rubbed her cheek gently with his thumb, and Sakura could only see tenderness in his eyes.

"It's okay now," he murmured tenderly.

He suddenly flushed with embarrassment.

"I…" He paused again. "To tell you the truth, I didn't know what would I have done if I found you to be a woman before the battle ended. I…may not have done what was best for you." He left the thought hanging in the air as he stared at their clasped hands.

Sakura smiled gently. She could care less about the past.

"We found each other, that's what counts and…" she paused choosing her words carefully. "I believe it would have been okay, but what's done is done. I knew the consequences, and… I would have wanted you the most of all to find out my true identity."

Sighing with relief after his confession, and overcome with joy that she had not rejected his presence in anger, Syaoran pulled a box from behind him. Inside an ornate box rested two mother-of-pearl combs. Sakura could only gasp at their beauty.

Clearing his throat nervously, Syaoran explained that they were a wedding dowry originally meant for his comrade's sister, who obviously turned out to be Sakura. He clutched her hand tightly, "Will you join me and be my wife, Kinomoto Sakura?"

Sakura could only stare at the combs. She looked up and met his eyes. "You don't mind a wife who can swordfight or who will argue with you? Even undermine you?"

Grinning, he learned forward and whispered in her ear, "I'd love it."

She returned his grin and wrapped her arms around him. With tear filled eyes, she whispered an ecstatic, "I do," and was suddenly whisked off her feet and twirled in the air by a very happy Li Syaoran. He promptly gave her a very firm kiss on the mouth, which she returned with equal passion.

They would have continued exploring their newfound love but both received hearty congratulations by the Lieutenant and a glare by Touya. Fujitaka wished them both happiness with an old saying: "May the marriage knot last a thousand years." Odd translation, I probably remembered it wrong from the book

The week before the wedding, Syaoran escorted Sakura and her family to the Li household. When Sakura entered the Li estate, in her first meeting as a future daughter-in-law, she was greeted joyously by all four of the Li sisters, and nearly lost her head from them glomping her. She turned to the Li matriarch who was smiling at her son's happiness.

"I greet you with great joy, mother-in-law," she replied formally.

She gasped as she was caught in a swift hug by Yelan, with Syaoran gawking at such an unorthodox action by his proper mother, and was immediately welcomed. He had given her a tour of his garden, which was exactly what she had remembered in her dream, with the exception of his kisses along with tea.

Soon both were married in a small ceremony carried out by a local magistrate.

After the wedding, when the traditional bride and groom present of money contained in red envelopes by each invited family had been formally given, the families relaxed after an eventful day.

Sitting at the bride and groom's table, Sakura recalled on how lucky she was. After receiving the news that Touya had been called off to battle, she never would have dreamed that she would be sitting here nearly a year later.

To survive the war, win honor for her family, and find Syaoran? It all seemed to be too much. She made sure to be in the temple to thank the gods first thing in the morning. A large hand engulfed her smaller one. Seeing his wife lost in thought, Syaoran gently rubbed the back of her hand with his under the table. Sakura smirked as Syaoran led her away after he whispered, "They'll never miss us."

Touya was currently talking to his wife, the lieutenant's daughter, and was exchanging news with Yukito and his future wife, a local girl from the village. Fujitaka was currently very red faced from the rich wine, and exchanging humorous stories with the lieutenant. Yelan was with her daughters offering more refreshment to Shang and his new wife Mulan, laughing with amusement also. None saw Syaoran and Sakura slip out of the main banquet hall into his room on the east wing of the Li house.

The two had entered his room quietly. The room was lit with soft candle light and covered in green and pink, their favorite colors. As the two sat on his bed, Syaoran looked at his wife.

His wife… He grinned stupidly for a moment. Ever since he had become of age for marriage, women had been throwing themselves at him. Sure they were beautiful, and most very well to do, but they had all similar to Yukina: no personality and spirit. Sakura embodied all that he had cherished in life. Her passion, kind heart, and witty mind made his soul seem to fly with every moment around her.

When he had first encountered the shy soldier, he had dismissed him quickly as one who would fall first and early in battle. She had proved him wrong though, and even won a major campaign, and all under a guise most foreign to her.

Syaoran was sure if the roles were reversed, if he was a woman pretending to be a man… well, things would definitely not have turned out for the best. He felt a gentle squeeze against his arm. Oh yeah, he was trying to pull Sakura away from her thoughts when he became lost in his.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked him coyly.

He smiled at her. "Oh, just what I'm going to do with my many mistresses now that I have a ball-and-chain."

She slugged him across the shoulder for his comment. Syaoran winced, suddenly remembering that Sakura did possess army training in self-defense.

"Ball and chain!" she muttered while laughing. "I'll show you…" and pressed several kisses against his lips. She gasped as Syaoran scooped her up in his arms and laid her gently onto the silk-covered bed.

Feeling a sudden urgency, she breathed out, "Syaoran…" in a low, sultry voice and the two lost themselves in their passion for the rest of the night.

Don't leave without a review! There will be an epilogue, too.

Grignard