Disclaimer: I do not own Cardcaptor Sakura, its canon characters or any of its rights. Laurel Seer belongs to Furuto, who, as one of her formal teachers put it, "graciously consented" to lend me her character.

A/N: After Kaho and Laurel split, it causes me to change the scene so I can fit them both in, without having one dash to the other's current location.

Stolen or Taken?

By: Meaningless Colors

Chapter 4: Relationships

The gatekeeper scrambled to opened the gate when he saw Kaho's unusual impatient person standing outside.

"Ms. Mizuki, I apologize—" Kaho held up a hand to silence him and continued to walk up to the door. Her steps continued to be taut as she passed the fountain and the bustling gardeners, making the doormen scramble to get out of her angry path. Slamming the door, causing a vase to nearly topple over, she thrust her jacket at the closest maid. All the servants looked up to see her fifteen minutes early. Ms. Mizuki was always on time. Always on the second did she arrive and never in a black mood. Maids continued to polish the floor, doing their best to keep of Kaho's way.

"EKK!" She shrieked falling forward and into a male. "Who in the world left this poker here?!" She then straightened her suit and reclaimed her posture before looking at the face of her savior from the black knights of polished, slippery floors. "Eriol."

"What's wrong sweet?" This so-called knight on the white charger asked. He saw the flash of fury in her amber eyes and led her away from the army of muttering and gossiping servants. Opening the wooden doors of his smaller study, he followed her in.

"Eriol! HOW CAN YOU ASK ME WHAT IS WRONG AFTER YOU SEND ME TO THAT WOMAN?!"

"Calm down—"

"DO YOU WANT ME TO BE HUMILATED?!"

"Kaho. Calm down. You're using me as an emotional outlet," he said, his voice calm and full of sympathy.

"I— I—" she let it all out and broke down. Eriol held her closer and stroked her light claret hair with his free hand. Kaho felt lighter. Like part of her burden was lifted. Eriol always made her feel better.

"Here," he said holding out a tissue. "Everything will be alright. Just like you told Sakura." Sakura. The name lingered in the air, reminding Kaho of everything she left. "Laurel is an intelligent woman, no doubt. She can help you with your feelings and make everything clearer for you. If she makes you upset though, you should stop seeing her. It's easier to stop now, since you have not really started anything." Kaho shook her head.

"I'll be fine. She's just a little intimidating and blunt."

"A little?" Eriol said his left eyebrow raising, his voice teasing her.

"Okay, a lot."

"I think that is her true talent, making people feel small."

"Yes." It came like a whisper, full of mystery and fear. Kaho hugged him around the waist, (the only place she could reach because she was sitting and he was standing.) in attempt to comfort him. "It was not a experience I care to repeat." With the age spell wearing off, he was twenty-four now and a head taller than Kaho.

"You make me feel like a damsel-in-distress, and I don't like that!" She said with a mocking pout.

"Trying to make me feel bad, madam," his English accent strong.

"Nope!" He smiled at her, his eyes not hiding his feelings about her change of mood.

"Are you sure you'll be alright?"

"Give me some mascara and eye shadow and I'll show you who's more bright eyed."

"Okay then. I'm going to change." He pointed to a wet spot by his right shoulder, causing Kaho to blush. He gave her a fleeting kiss before she threw a paperweight at him. "You're cute when you blush."

Later that afternoon, Laurel clapped her hand, creating a specific noise causing all her lights to turn on. Violet went through the room, shutting shutters and drawing curtains. Her white robes fluttered as she glided from the coat stand to the nearest futon, lounging in her familiar pose. She made her own schedule and when it suited her, she went back to her apartment. The doorbell chimed a familiar tune for several seconds. The person was persistent, because they kept ringing. Laurel did not bother wondering why she had a doorbell installed. Sometimes she did things just for the sake of doing them.

"Laurel open up! I know you're in there," called a masculine voice. "Laurel!"

"You can open it, Violet. It's just Frederick." Violet, with her skirts and frills, went and unlocked the door, inserting a finger into the system. The door slammed open, triggering a wince from Violet. A man, his dark hair neat, stormed into the room where Laurel lounged. Laurel sat up to receive her visitor.

"Laurel! Do you still have your persocom think that I am just another one of your adoring fans?" his baritone voice completing his perfect accent.

"Of course not Fred. Not at all."

"Then, why did she not open the door for me?" he growled. (Doesn't he seem like an overprotective boyfriend? Maybe he is.)

"She had orders not to allow anyone to disturb me," her voice calm and sweet as Frederick Alister remembered.

"You had a rough day?" his voice calming down and filled with sympathy.

"Tough client." She waved her hand as though to dismiss the subject as a queen would dismiss a servant. "You wanted to see me?"

"Not a crime is it?"

"No, of course not. You just never know these days who will show up on your doorstep." He took a seat next to her, placing her spilling robe in her lap so it did not cover the entire futon. She got up, looking him in the eye. Turning her head, she took the teacup Violet handed her. Setting it in front of him, she took the teapot, with the grace of a swan. Frederick found that he was staring at her as she poured freshly brewed tea. She put one teaspoon of sugar in his tea. It was just like her to remember how he preferred his tea. "Fred, will care to explain why you have come barging into the apartment of an unmarried woman."

"You would have been Princess of the United Kingdoms if you married."

"How are you so sure I was going to marry Richard?"

"You have high standards, Laurel. Every man knows that. Richard is the Crown Prince of the United Kingdoms."

"I can have a king if I wanted. I do not have to wait to be queen."

"Is that what you want?"

"No." She paused enjoying the tension. "Enlighten me, Frederick James Alister, what would you have done if I married Richard?"

"I—"

"Tell me, what you would have done if I married your best friend?" she said looking at his face, centering on the sea green eyes that had betrayed him so many times. "Tell me," her voice soft; probing. Frederick cleared his voice.

"Laurel, I'm here to inform you that your father wants you to return for a few days to Newcastle." Laurel was not surprised when she heard this sentence come out of her childhood friend's mouth. She knew this was coming. Frederick was playing his last card. Yet, this card was of great value. To him. It would buy him time because he knew that Laurel knew that her father had not summon her since she left.

"Fine. Shall we go in your car?"

"No. A limousine is waiting for you downstairs." Laurel gave Violet a look that meant she was supposed to take care of Kaho Mizuki while she got things straightened out in Newcastle.

"After you," Frederick said, holding his hand out to help her into the limousine.

"Frederick." Frederick tensed. It was not usual that Laurel would use his entire name or his full name as she did in her apartment. "You changed the subject."

A/N: I'm not sure if you see the many hints of what relationships the characters have. (Hence the chapter title "Relationships.") Does anyone understand the relationship between Kaho and Eriol? It was shown in the last Master of the Clow book. I'm going to try to keep Tomoyo away from Eriol. Don't throw any paperweights at me. I know how much everyone loves ET, however for this they are not too close. Remember how Kaho reacted with Violet? Why? Because Violet reminded her of Tomoyo, so it is almost like she is feeling pity for Tomoyo because Kaho is with Eriol. (This scene also is a symbolic apology to those ET devotees.) There is something between Laurel and Eriol as well as the newly introduced Frederick and Laurel. You have to be blind not to see that relationship. Laurel is our marble maiden so she will not be falling for anyone... Yet. I shifted the time frame. This story takes place in 2061 where technology has just been revolutionized, hence persocoms. I want to narrow the age gap between Kaho and Toya, so Kaho is twenty-four. The cards have swapped owners a little more than a year ago. If you have any suggestions about how I could put Sakura, Syaoran, Kero, Yukito, Toya, Chiharu, Naoko, Rika, Takashi, and the rest of the group, not including Tomoyo because I already spun her part, I likely will try to incorporate it into the story. Not every idea though. I has to suit me. So since none of you really know me, just shoot suggestions my way.

Thank you everyone who helped me with this chapter, especially Alucard's Familiar who took time to correct some small mistakes. For the dialogue, where Alucard's Familiar said was confusing (the one between Kaho and Eriol right before the paperweight sprouted wings), you can guess who is speaking through the words choosing and the narration that follows it.

Until the next chapter. Sleepily yours, Meaningless Colors.