Chapter Twenty Three

Card Captor Sakura

Jagged Amber

-starjade-

Propositions

" Xiao-Lang?" Yelan gasped, her eyes widening in shock. They were back at the Li mansion, discussing their next move, when the very person that was the object of everyone's conversation, stormed through the door. The bandages around his head were still there, but his eyes seemed to be lit with a new fire, something she hadn't seen...in a very long time.

Something she had thought he would never gain back...

" Where are they? Where's that bitch, Yen? Where are the elders?" Syaoran roared, his voice echoing throughout the room. His sightless eyes were bright and furious but Yelan felt a relieved feeling spread through her heart and body.

He was safe. He wasn't hurt, or strewn across the road in a horrid accident...he was safe.

Her baby was safe.

Without another thought, Yelan ran up to him and grabbed his arms, searching his face urgently.

" Xiao-Lang! Where were you? Do you have any idea how worried I was about you?" Yelan cried, her voice laden with emotion.

He turned his sightless amber eyes on her and he nodded, shortly, acknowledging her emotions. Yelan could hardly conceal her surprise. Usually, he would wrench away from any of her touches. But then again, ever since that tutor came...these sorts of changes kept happening every day.

" I just want to know where those fuckers are," Syaoran swore, his voice low and angry.

Well, so much for him changing, Yelan thought, a bit wryly. He was still the same, crude teenager with a chip on his shoulder. But things about him were changing, the way he took people and life...Yelan wondered, not for the first time, what had happened between him and Sakura.

Did...anything happen? But she warned herself not to be hopeful and instead, concentrated on Syaoran.

" I'm not sure where they are right now, but tomorrow I know they'll be at the temple, praying. Syaoran, there are things you should know before you do go off, but...right now, isn't the time to speak of such things. You need sleep and rest."

Yelan watched as his jaw clenched and he nodded, slowly. " Fine."

Another surprise. Agreeing to her suggestions without argument. The world has come to an end. Yelan concealed her amusement as she looked around and beside Syaoran. Confused, she asked, " Where's Sakura?"

And then Yelan had to hold back a smile at the bright flush that appeared on his cheeks. Ha! He did change. She was right!

Trying to hide the happiness on her face, she watched as Syaoran mumbled, " She's outside, calling her father." His voice was toneless but the cold, hard edge to it had disappeared.

Something had happened between them...

" Why is she calling her father, Syaoran?" Yelan asked, her voice a bit goading in tone.

Syoaran shot her an evil look before muttering, " To talk to him! I dunno, stop with the third degree."

I could get used to this, Yelan thought with happiness. Her only son was talking, being embarrassed, showing emotion! She never thought this could happen...what was so special about Sakura that made him finally...feel?

Syaoran broke away from Yelan's hold and walked towards the doorway. " I'm going after those Elders. And I'm gonna demand they break up this damned marriage. I won't marry that slut if my life depended on it," Syaoran vowed, his eyes burning with fury.

" Will you at least stay here tonight?" Yelan asked quickly, before he could walk out the door.

Syaoran let out a frustrated breath. " Yeah. But first thing tomorrow, this engagement is done for!" With that, he stalked out of the doorway, muttering unintelligible curses under his breath.

Silence was left in the Li mansion and Yelan felt a grin spread across her features. She felt like doing a wild dance of happiness but constrained herself. She had an image to uphold, anyways.

Wei, who had been watching the whole interlude, walked up slowly beside Yelan. " Wow," He said shortly, his eyes wide.

Yelan smirked back at Wei and folded her arms. " I know."

Wei turned and looked at Yelan, in mock surprise. " Who took over Xiao-Lang's body?"

--------

His breath had caught, his eyes wide with shock as he moved away from her. Her words were still echoing in his head but the kiss was still in his mind, still there.

She loved him..

She loves me..

Syaoran breathed hard, moving farther away from Sakura, trying to gather hold of his senses. He had always promised himself he would never let this happen, never let his emotions get the better of him. Never fall for someone, never grow weak..

But he had thrown it all away, for her.

For her.

" Syaoran?" Her voice whispered.

" Shit," Was all he could say. " Shit."

There was a silence and Syaoran wished he could see her face, see her emotions, see what she was feeling...see her. But that kiss...the feeling of it, the feeling of her body beneath his, the hot, warm sensations that had spread through his body...his heart inflated, his chest constricted and now every breath was a battle to be fought for.

" Syaoran, I know...I know, I said some things, I know, it's hard to take in, but I couldn't...I just.."

She was stumbling. Her nervousness was as clear as a beam of sunlight but Syaoran could not make it any easier for her. He stayed silent as she shifted, uncomfortably.

" I know," He finally said, his voice clear and soft. The world is bullshit. I don't give a fuck anymore, he thought to himself. He was happy. He was fucking happy and he wouldn't let anyone take this away from him.

Sure, he may have grown weak hearted. Sure, he may have given away something that made him open to pain. But it was more painful to keep Sakura away then to keep her close.

And he'd much rather keep kissing her then to keep thinking.

So he did. He raised his hands to her cheeks and he pressed his lips against hers, gently, softly. And then he whispered, " I know."

He felt her smile underneath his lips and the warmest feeling tingled through his body. " I know you know," She whispered. She kissed his cheek and then her lips trailed to his jaw, pressing a light kiss to the hard planes. " What now?" She said, softly.

" Kick some elder butt."

Sakura laughed, her voice echoing in the bus station alleyway. He felt amusement tug the corners of his lips as she laughed. Sakura Kinomoto, he thought to himself. The stupidest, most stubborn tutor I've ever met. He wondered dimly, if all the Japanese people were like that. Then he winced.

That must be a very happy country.

------------

Sakura smiled as Syaoran walked out of the doorway, his eyes still burning with anger. She felt her cheeks flush at the sight of him and she felt like holding his hand, kissing him and doing all the googly things couples usually do.

Except for the fact, Syaoran would probably throw her off a cliff if she ever attempted to do any of those things. Sakura giggled at the thought. Besides, the two of them were hardly a couple. Sakura couldn't really place a definition to what they were and didn't know if she wanted to.

She was just happy the way they were. She was just happy that he hadn't kicked her ass after the whole confession thing. Not like...she was expecting that...or anything.

Syaoran walked up to her, hissing out a long breath. " This is so crappy," He said, angrily, slamming his hands against the brick wall next to them. " My mother doesn't know where they are and the only location she knows of, they'll only be there tomorrow. We have to wait 'till tomorrow."

Sakura grinned. " Syaoran, they won't run away! Besides, I'm allowed to stay here for a bit longer, but not for too much. I do have two months left of schooling, you know," Sakura said pointedly.

" Why can't you just go to school here?" Syaoran grumbled as they walked back into the mansion.

Sakura pretended to think. " Oh, I don't know...maybe it's because Yen might sic her friends on me again?"

Syaoran's eyes narrowed at the mention of Yen. " Stupid bitch..." He swore as he let out a long string of curses.

" Syaoran!" Sakura cried, angrily.

" What?"

" Stop swearing!"

" I can swear if I want to!"

" Well, I don't like it!"

" Does it look like I give a shit?"

" SYAORAN!"

Meiling looked up from a sprawl of papers, as she was trying to finish an essay for school. Sakura and Syaoran walked into the kitchen, still bickering as Meiling stared at them. " So...you guys didn't get together then," She said, slowly.

Syoaran and Sakura looked at Meiling and then each other and then they both flushed.

" Or you did. Never mind," Meiling said, smirking as she went back to her homework. Sakura didn't miss the sadness in her eyes, and felt a pang of something towards the girl. She knew that Meiling still loved Syaoran. But she was just happy that Meiling, instead of shunning her, had accepted her.

Syoaran shoved open the doorway to the backyard, heatedly as Sakura followed.

" Why does everyone keep DOING that?" Syoaran said, irately as he stomped across the backyard so he could pick up his training gear.Sakura groaned. He better not be thinking about training, especially in his condition.

" Doing what?" Sakura asked, glaring at him a bit as he began to strap on the training gloves.

After that moment in the bus station, Syaoran had looked more embarrassed then Sakura had ever seen in her lifetime. She had thought he had been regretting what they had done...but when he had given her that soft kiss, she knew that he didn't regret it. They had called Wei and had gotten picked up. Sakura knew Syaoran wasn't comfortable with relationships and probably didn't even think that this was one.

" Everyone keeps... thinking that me and you are some- I dunno-some-" Syaoran stumbled over his words and Sakura could hardly keep back a smile. She wondered why she was so content. Maybe it was because Syaoran reciprocated her feelings? Probably not as strongly as she did, however, but he did feel the same way, and that was enough to make her heart swell and her body want to jump cartwheels.

And man, was that one HELL of a kiss.

Sakura walked up to Syaoran, leisurely and she watched, interestedly as his body tensed up, sensing her movements.

" So..." She said, quietly as she walked as close as she possibly could without coming into contact with him. "What do you call this?"

Sakura watched as his jaw hardened and clenched, and his eyes grow a little panicked. " How the hell am I supposed to know! You're the one who knows so much about this," Syaoran finally said, the expression on his face irritated.

Sakura beamed. " So, let's just not call this anything. We don't have to, do we?"

Syaoran turned to her direction and Sakura felt her heart melt as the corner's of his mouth lifted into an almost smile and his eyes softened. Her knees turned to jelly, all because of one expression. Yet it was so rare an expression that she wanted to take a picture or engrave it somewhere, deep inside her soul and carry it with her always.

Then he shook his head and his hand reached out, nervously, and paused over her cheek, as if asking permission. Sakura leaned into his touch and he whispered, " Hell, I can't stop," as his lips touched hers, so gently that it was feather light. Sakura smiled under the kiss and pressed back harder, stepping closer so their body's touched. Sighing as he wrapped his arms around her, instinctively, she heard a loud, " AWWWW!" come from the doorway.

They flew apart and Sakura looked up at the doorway. Yelan, Meiling and Wei stood there with hearts in their eyes.

" That was so adorable!"

" I am so, so, so JEALOUS!"

Syaoran screamed, " ARGH! LEAVE ME ALONE!" As he stalked off into the household, leaving Sakura rather breathless behind. Then she giggled.

Syaoran was still the same. Except now she knew what it was that made those cold, amber eyes soften.

-----

" You sure you want to do this?" Yelan asked Syaoran, as he shrugged into his jacket.

" Dead sure," Syaoran said, grimly as he walked into the kitchen. He walked around the kitchen table, where Sakura was sitting and his arms reached out and felt for Sakura's shoulder.

" Sakura, let's go!" He commanded, as Sakura looked up from her breakfast. Standing up, she stared at Yelan questioningly as Syaoran said shortly, " Follow me," Before walking down the hallway, towards the mansion's doorway. With a confused look at Yelan, she followed him down the long roadway to one of the waiting limos outside the household.

Climbing into the car, Sakura griped, " You know, it'd be nice if you told me where we're going."

" Uh huh."

" Well then...tell me!"

" You didn't ask."

Sakura let out a groan of frustration. Then she said, slowly, " Where are we going?"

" The elders," Syaoran said, severely. " I'm gonna get this engagement broken. I have no idea what the hell they think their doing, but their not gonna do this to the future heir of the Li clan. No way."

Sakura grinned and nodded. " Alright."

Syaoran stayed quiet for a while before grumbling, " If you don't wanna come, it's okay. I mean, it may get a bit dangerous-"

Sakura laughed. " I'll do anything, if its important to you."

He flushed hard and snapped, " Shut up."

Her jaw dropped open in surprise. " What did I say?"

" Argh, I dunno! You're just making me embarrassed."

" Awww, I got little Syaoran embarrassed."

" SHUT UP!"

---------

Fujitaka sat in his chair, contemplating his daughter's words from the night before. Grabbing his crutches, he limped towards the doorway, walking towards the kitchen. Touya looked up from the cup of coffee he had clutched in his hand and said, shortly, " Good morning."

Fujitaka raised a hand in greeting and began to rummage through the refrigerator. Conversationally, he spoke, " I got a call yesterday."

Touya, engrossed in his paper, mumbled, " Mhm? From who?"

Fujitaka's smiled, softly. " Sakura."

Touya's eyebrows rose as he put down his paper and turned to look at Fujitaka. " Isn't she coming home now?"

Fujitaka shook his head as he pulled out a coffeepot and the jar of coffee beans. He set about looking for a spoon as he responded, " Not for a few more days."

Touya's cup of coffee went slamming towards the table. Turning fully about, with his eyes popped open, he said, loudly, " What! Why not?"

Fujitaka grinned and started on making his own cup of coffee. " It seems Sakura's found a little bit of a boyfriend over there in Hong Kong."

" WHAT!"

-------

The temple was huge and breathtaking. Red cloths hung from the ceilings and candles burned with incense down the stairway. Holy plants stood on either side of the entrances and Sakura could see that this temple was one that was regularly visited by the richer of people.

Syaoran didn't seem to hesitate and admire the building as Sakura did and instead, stalked up the stairs, vehemence in every step. Sakura mumbled, " Fine, don't wait for me," As she followed him swiftly up the stairs.

The scent of incense filled her nostrils as Syaoran stormed into the temple, his eyes ablaze with rebelliousness. He stomped down the corridor towards the room he knew the elder's would be in. Sakura hurried to keep up behind his livid strides.

He slammed the doors open and Sakura thought fleetingly that he really should stop with his dramatic entrances.

" Elders!" He yelled, his voice echoing in the room. " I will not, I repeat, I WILL NOT MARRY YEN!"

Sakura stared. The room was nearly empty except for the few gold statues in the corners and the mat on the floor. The elders sat in a circle on the mat, and seemed to be praying. Sakura winced. They had interrupted a praying session! Ooh, now that was penitent.

She watched as the elder's looked up. Different emotions flitted across their faces, most of them ranging from angry surprise and shock, before conforming into that stony expression Sakura had gotten used to in her last days of "captivity" with the elder's for company.

" Xiao-Lang," Said one of the oldest elder's, getting to his feet. " I would rather appreciate it if you did not come into our holy abode just to scream like a wild animal. Please come in and discuss your problems, however, we cannot assure you the answer you please, due to recent defiance of our orders."

Sakura stared at him, appalled. They still thought what they did was right? Sakura then looked, urgently at Syaoran. Did he think, with all his demanding and commotion, that he could get them to change their minds? From what she saw, the elder's had a lot of control and influence over the Li clan. What could Syaoran do to alter...anything?

Syaoran glowered. " I won't marry Yen. I don't know where the hell you got that crazy idea, but I won't marry her. She was the one who faked those photos and she made up ludicrous ideas-"

" So you are denying the fact that you and your tutor here are in a relationship?" The elder cut in, coldly. His eyes flashed with annoyance and anger and Sakura felt fear beginning to form in her heart. The elder's knew what they were doing. They had plans and they were a few steps ahead of Syaoran and Sakura. Sakura groaned, inwardly. Really, next thing she has gotta teach Syaoran is halting impulsive behaviour.

Syaoran flushed at the elder's words and insolence sparked in his eyes. " I didn't say that-"

" So then, you accept that Yen's allegations are correct-"

" I didn't say that either-"

" We are well aware, Xiao-Lang, that maybe you've gotten to that age where females will deduce your sense of right and wrong, and therefore we are not blaming you. We are blaming that seductress next to you which is why we took the necessary steps-"

" She's NOT a seductress or ANYTHING of that sort!"

Sakura shook her head, slowly. She had a deep feeling that this would not work at all. No matter what Syaoran did, he could not prove anything. What could he say? That I'm pretty sure she doesn't want my money? He couldn't do much, without jeopardizing his position as the heir to the clan.

" Xiao-Lang, if you understand all of this, why are you arguing?" The elder finally thundered, his voice imposing and authoritative and the room quietened, instantly. " Do you not value your family, your clan? Or do you hold this Japanese lower-class woman above your clan?"

Sakura winced at his wording and Syaoran fumed. " I-" He started and then choked. Then he looked up again, his eyes burning with barely controlled fury. " I. Will. Not. Marry. Yen," He enunciated, a growl underlying his words.

" Fine."

Syaoran looked up, in shock. The elder shrugged his shoulders. " We will compromise then," The elder said, quietly. He walked up to Syaoran, his hands folded in the sleeve of the opposite arm, his eyes trained solely on Syaoran. " If you are willing to never come in contact with that lower class tutor of yours ever again, then we agree to cancel your engagement to Yen."

" WHAT?" Syaoran roared, and the Elder gave him a look that shut the chestnut haired boy instantly. The elder continued, " However it will not be that easy. If you do choose to see your class tutor, we will still have your engagement to Yen, however, we will renounce your position as heir to the Li clan. Right now, we have no leader for the Li clan...and we are fully able to demand these terms."

With those ominous words ringing in the air, he unfolded his arms and sat back within the circle of the elders once more. They all looked up at him, their expressions one of utmost attentiveness, identical in appearance.

" It's all up to you."

Syaoran gaped, his jaw open in shock. Sakura felt her heart clench tight and her breath catch in her throat.

Why did this all have to happen NOW? Why did it matter so much, whether or not they were together? Sakura looked at Syaoran's pained expression and her heart sank, considerably. She was causing Syaoran pain. Like she always did.

Her fists clenched tightly. But even she, was anxious for Syaoran's decision. What would he choose?

Syaoran shook his head, " This is bullshit."

" Choose, Xiao-Lang. Or we will choose for you."

Syaoran clenched his fists, his head lowered. Sakura felt tears burn her eyes. Why did this have to happen now?

a/n: wut wut...this story was almost dun too! i know, you guys are probably angry that syaoran isn't quite the cuddly bear after that whole momentous moment at the bus station. but it juss didn't seem RIGHT to change his character, so he's still the same personality but now, he's just not the asshole he used to be. right right? LOL anyways i hope you guys like this chapter and yen is STILL getting in the way. and why do you think the elders are being so insistent on this anyway?

yea anyways my birthday is in a MONTH. damn friggin straight. LOL. I'm already countin down the days...

see ya guys latez, and tell me wut u thot of my chapterrrrr...

--starjade