Ah. There's some swearing in this one. The song is Medication by Garbage, and is only very slightly inspired by it. This is more inspired by the previous few chapters :)

Disclaimer:All belongs to the mighty CLAMP.

Forsaken - part three
sugahcat

Since I got home, I've got on with doing my job - a little too well it seems, for once more Tomoyo is berating me for killing people who are trying to hurt her.

"Kurogane, didn't you learn anything on your travels?" She sounds exasperated, and when I don't answer, she sighs. "It seems I might have to send you travelling again."

"WHAT?" I stare at her and inside I'm not sure whether or not to get mad. I'm finally home but it's not the same; I'm not the same. Without Fai I'm incomplete. I growl inwardly at myself - when the hell did I become so co-dependant?

"Well, it seems that, ah, your point of violence is still somewhat askew. You haven't learned what I sent you away for."

I remain silent. I did, it's just that I'm so pissed off that I need to kill something to feel better. Tomoyo's pissing me off right now, too. She doesn't give a damn about me, just like he didn't. They've got their own best interests at heart.

I don't say any of this and it's just as well; I don't mean it and I know I'd come to regret it later.

Tomoyo is still regarding me and then something else seems to attract her attention. She frowns and tilts her head as though listening to something I can't hear. Her face breaks into a pretty smile and she clasps her hands together.

"Or perhaps," she says, "Perhaps this will remind you of your lessons."

"The hell?" I ask, in no mood for games. She doesn't answer: she doesn't need to, for a familiar shiver runs down my spine. "The manjuu...?" I say, hope and disbelief colouring my voice. Sure enough, the pattern of the Dimension Witch's magic flickers into life and reality shifts; when the stomach-lurching feeling subsides, Tomoyo and I are joined by the white manjuu bun, sitting atop a very familiar blond head.

Fai grins at me and I notice, startled, that he has gained a long scar across his right cheek. He turns his attention to Tomoyo.

"The Princess of Clow requests your attendance at her wedding," he says, handing her a card with a flouish. The manjuu jumps onto her shoulder as she reads it and the messanger turns to me. "You're invited, too, of course." I raise a hand to touch the scar on his face and am pleased when it doesn't shake. He leans his face into my touch and smiles. "I faced my demon, Kuro-tan," he whispers. "I defeated him." I nod; he looks more confident than I ever remember seeing him. "I couldn't have done it without you," he adds with a smile.

"What did I do?"

"You made me believe in myself."

I can't help but smile at that. I'm glad he finally realised that he was strong enough to break free from his past.

"So, have you made room for my things?"

"What!"

"Well, after Sakura-chan and Syaoran-kun's wedding I'm moving in with you, of course!"

I glare at him for being so presumptuous but I can't be too angry at him, nor at Tomoyo who's grinning at us from behind her wedding invitation. After all, I did ask him to stay with me; he's just taking me up on the offer a little belatedly.

"Hmph," I manage to reply but I say it with a smile. He smiles warmly back at me and for the first time in weeks I feel happy.

"Isn't love wonderful?" The manjuu says happily and I glare at it but I can't even do that with too much vehmence; it brought Fai back to me, after all.

Tomoyo laughs and regards us. "Hopefully this means I won't have to send you away again, Kurogane. Now, we'll just have to get you something nice to wear to the wedding..."

A/N:Meh heh D