Darkness in the Midst

Hey you guys new update, and one of the better chapters I think, going away from the action adventure and more into the romance for this chapter and get to know a little about our strange man Bill.

Chapter 5: Fedoras and Chance Meetings

"So Syaoran has been training for this Darkness thing," asked Tomoyo as she walked with Sakura back from school. Sakura nodded with a smile, but then looked down with a serious look on her face, "But…" She trailed off as she brought her hands to her chest.

"…Kero-Chan warned me about Cary-Chan. He said that she was one of those angels and that she has probably been watching me since before I scattered the Clow Cards."

Tomoyo looked concerned and asked "Cary-Chan is the English research assistant of your father's right?" Sakura nodded. "She doesn't seem dangerous, maybe Kero-Chan is just feeling wrong, maybe those whacks to his head did more then just give him a bump." Sakura giggled, "He did have a big bump on his little head." They laughed and smiled together as they walked towards Sakura's house.

They were cut off soon though by 3 men who stood in their way. Tomoyo and Sakura stopped and stared blankly at the men blocking their path. "Ex-Excuse me, could you move, we are trying to get by." One of the men smiled devilishly, "Your Professor Kinomoto's Daughter right?" Sakura was a little taken back by the question but awkwardly replied, "Ye-Yes."

"That bastard flunked me out of his dumb class." Sakura's eyes opened wide at the response she got.

"I came by to show him who he's dealing with, no one fails me!" He grabbed a hold of Sakura's right arm with an evil look in his eye, Sakura started to scream but before the man could do anything else another voice came out from behind the girls.

"Hey punk, back off the women." They all looked back to see a tall man dressed casually, jeans shirt and a wide brimmed brown fedora.

"Fedora?" asked Tomoyo confused at this strange mans appearance, the student let go of Sakura's arm and walked up to the man with an angry look on his face.

"Who the hell do you think you are?"

"The names Bill and I think I'm stopping you from doing something ugly to these ladies."

"Well, 'Bill' this is none of your business so get lost or you'll have to answer to me and my friends here!" The student balled a fist. Bill calmly looked at the student's fist and then back at his face, "That would be a mistake my friend, now leave these women alone and go back to the hole you crawled out of. Maybe you can take that class over again and this time not cheat, perhaps then you won't fail." The student was taken aback by Bills comments and stuttered, "How did…" The student then gritted his teeth lifting his fist back behind his head and exclaimed, "…You son of a bitch!" He swung his fist towards Bills head with all the force he had, but Bill simply, and calmly, moved his head to the side the fist breezing past his head.

The student looked shocked as his blow was dodged so easily by this stranger. Bill smiled arrogantly as he stared directly into the students eyes. The student felt as if this strange man could look directly into his soul with his powerful stare, he was in shock all he could do was hold his fist out and gasp. "Big mistake kid." Bill Murmured as he grabbed the students arm with his and with a turn tossed the unsuspecting youth into a street pole, the student impacting it with his side. His two friends growled at this sight and charged Bill fists at the ready. Bill simply inched his right foot out in front of him and took a defensive stance waiting for their attacks.

The first one swung at Bill's head, he easily dodged this swing impacting his knee into the student's stomach knocking him to the ground. The second student stopped suddenly stopped seeing his friends both on the ground and rustled through his pockets pulling out a small black case which he flicked producing a blade. Sakura and Tomoyo, stunned this entire time both yelled at their sudden protector, "He's got a knife!" Bill smiled but shook his head, "Really? I didn't notice, I thought it was his wallet!" He sarcastically spat as he slipped back into his defensive stance, hands at the ready near the trunk of his body. Sakura brought her hands to her mouth in embarrassment, "sorry…" she muttered. Bill shook his head again as the last student rushed him attempting to stab at his chest, Bill leaped over the student as he thrust into the air that used to house Bills chest. Bill then threw his knee into the back of the students head with tremendous force. As Bill's feet hit the ground in a crouch the last student tumbled to the ground unconscious.

Bill stood up with a smug smile and whipped his hands together, "told you guys it was a mistake to mess with me." The two girls ran up to Bill as he turned to face them, "are you two ladies ok?" Bill asked as his smile changed from one of smugness to joyful concern. Sakura nodded and proceeded to ramble off, "you're amazing! Thank you so much, thank you, thank you, thank you!" Bill chuckled, "no, no it was nothing some one else wouldn't do for people in need." The girls both bowed to Bill and said their thanks before starting to walk off. "Wait, these ugly SOB's have a few more friends waiting down the road just incase you managed to get away from them, it would be better if I accompanied you in a different route." The girls both stopped in mid walk and turned around to face Bill, "How do you know this?" The girls asked accusingly as Bill raised his hands to his chest with a smile, "I saw them planning as I came back from a café…hehe." They both looked at each other and nodded before Sakura said, "fine we'll go but…" Sakura looked down for a second before throwing her head back up confidently, "You have to stay ahead of us the entire time!" Bill smirked and rolled his eyes, "Fine, I just don't want you girls getting hurt alright, so anything jump out at you scream." They nodded and walked off behind Bill.

"Good idea Sakura, just incase he leads us into trouble you can use your magic to get away," Congratulated Tomoyo who whispered near Sakura's ear. Sakura smiled and blushed slightly eyes closed. They continued to walk down side streets and alleys, taking a long way around, all the time an unsettling silence around the entire crew. Eventually the uncomfortable silence was broken by Sakura, still a little unsure about her strange savior. "So, Bill was it, where in America are you from." Bill stopped suddenly and looked back his cool composure broken, "Oh god my accent is that noticeable! Damn I mean I learned Japanese back in high school fluently to pick up on those fine…" He stopped talking and looked down at the two girls uncomfortably laughing, "heh, but that's not important, how did you guess I was an American?"

"You look like an American, and that name," Came Tomoyo's answer her face in its typical smile. Bill shook his head, "I guess I am a little different from most the people around here." His expression turned distant as he slipped into thought, "This is different from where I grew up…" Sakura looked up at his expression getting a strange feeling as his eyes seemed to wander to a place far away. Then suddenly his attention shot back to the present and smiled at the two girls, "I'm from San Francisco. But I had to learn Japanese when I was young working in my family store. You see we had 2 girls a lot like your selves who only spoke Japanese that came in every day to buy things for their families." Sakura smiled back feeling warmth from his kind and deep voice. Tomoyo smiled as well asking her own question, "What brings you to Japan then Bill…say what is your last name?"

"O'Sail…"

"Bill O'Sail, that sounds funny for some reason," Thought Sakura, a little oblivious to the correlation, but Tomoyo's expression changed as she looked at Bill, she smiled but the expression on her face went from that of happy to one of concern as she stared at her savior, 'if he is here then there is a problem.' Sakura looked back at her friend and asked worried, "Are you ok Tomoyo-Chan?" Tomoyo looked at Sakura with a characteristic smile, "Of course Sakura-Chan, just thinking about that name."

"I'm a bodyguard for some one of great power," Both the girls turned back to face Bill who was now in the direct line of the setting sun, "In fact one of you may know him very well…wait, what time is it?" Sakura looked down at her watch and said absentmindedly "6 pm, why?" Bills demeanor changed yet again as he began to panic.

"Oh shit, oh shit! I promised the kid I'd be back by 5, damn it, oh I gotta go," As he was about to run off he turned back towards the two girls and smiled, "Say mind if we take a detour, I promise I'll take you home, I just have to check in with the brat I'm baby…err guarding." The two girls smiled and nodded as he smiled back and bolted off down the street. The two girls stood and blinked for a moment before Tomoyo said, "H-He's fast!" In the distance the girls heard Bills voice say, "Hurry up, I'm late!" They both closed their eyes embarrassed, "Hoe!"

Bill reached the apartment complex, where he was staying, rather quickly followed by the two girls he saved from a group of thugs. "Sorry about the running, I'm just really late; it seems to be a tradition for me." Sakura smiled through pants and said, "I know how you feel, I'm the same way." They both chuckled a bit Bill remarking "Birds of a feather I guess," Sakura looked confused as she repeated "feather?" Bill shook his head explaining, "An old English saying, 'birds of a feather flock together' means people of similar personalities tend to stay together." Sakura turned back to Bill and smiled, "Oh yeah sounds familiar now, hehe." Tomoyo smiled but then looked up at the complex they had run so quickly too, "Sakura, this is the place where…" Sakura looked up and noticed the Building as well, remembering her distant lover, blushing as her memories came flooding back, "Syaoran…" She said tears forming in her eyes. She was soon knocked out of her daze by Bill as he tapped her on the shoulder, "You want to come in and sit down while I check in, maybe some tea and some sweets if you want. Again sorry for the inconvenience…wait Japanese drink tea right?" Sakura whipped her eyes and nodded with a cheerful smile. "Yeah, sorry about the tears it's just my…" Bill silenced her with his hand, "no need to explain I understand, maybe you can tell me over some tea?" Sakura smiled as this kind stranger smiled back at her and placed his hands in his pockets heading into the building. Sakura motioned for Tomoyo to follow as she followed him into the large apartment complex. They all headed in through the front door, Bill holding the door for both ladies, again confusing Sakura that Bill had to explain in detail for her to understand.

Bill inserted his key into the door of the apartment turning it and pushing it open, Sakura noticed the door immediately as her lover's old apartment and felt something a miss in the whole situation, like she was missing a part of the puzzle. "Come in, make yourself at home, I'll check in with the kid and bring out some tea and such after, he smiled as he quickly walked into another room through the kitchen as the girls looked around, "This is too weird, I mean he said he's a bodyguard for a powerful person, in this city and is not only In the same building but the same room as Syaoran was in." They both eventually made their way to the couches in the exact position as they were when Syaoran was last in the room; Sakura inhaled deeply and could swear she could smell Syaoran's hair. She slumped into the couch and sighed, "Syaoran, this is torture, feeling so close to you but you being so far away." Tomoyo sighed as well slinking back into the couch, "I'm sorry Sakura, I know this is torture for you, maybe it wasn't a good idea following that guy to…wait a second, how did he know where we were going?"

"I know Cary," came Bills voice as he came out of the kitchen tea in hand.

"Wow you're quick, I didn't even notice you pouring the tea let alone brewing it," Bill smiled, "Actually I brewed it for my Chinese friend, the kid I gotta play bodyguard too for the next few months, oh that reminds me," Bill turned his head and yelled out, "Kid we got guests, so you better come out before all the tea's gone." Bill turned back and smiled at the two girls as he placed the try on the small coffee table in front of them.

"He was taking a nap so I got off free, oh yes I forgot to mention I knew Cary."

"Really, how do you know her?" Asked an eager Sakura.

"We're dating." Sakura looked up at Bill as he walked back into the kitchen.

"But isn't this you're first time in Japan?"

"Yep."

"But she's been here for 5 years studying with my father."

"She visited me in London during the summer, that's where I met Cary actually."

"How cute, your resident is dating the man who saved our lives." Mentioned Tomoyo as she took a sip of her tea, "that's good, where did you learn to make tea?"

"Cary taught me, I'm not much of a tea drinker myself but she always enjoys an afternoon tea time so I got good at making what she liked." Bill said as he took another mug out of the cupboard and filled it with a thick black substance from a small machine and placed some sugar and cream in it, stirring it before beginning to drink it.

"Hurry it up kid!" Bill said as he walked past the door walking back towards the two girls, "such a lazy ass." Bill said out loud as he took a seat on the couch.

"So what's the name of the person you're body guarding?" asked a curious Tomoyo with a smile.

"Some Lin guy…" with that mention the door to the small master bedroom swung open and there stood an angry Syaoran, "You wake me up, insult me and then mess up my name! You are possibly the worst body…" He stopped suddenly as he and Sakura made eye contact both speechless. Bill and Tomoyo smiled knowingly as the two estranged lovers looked at each other in shock.

"S-Syaoran…"

"S-Sakura…"

"Oh so you know each other?" with that snide comment Tomoyo whacked Bill in the back of the head.