Disclaimer: Characters belong to the lovely CLAMP; plot belongs to me.


Seventh Bell
Chapter One - The Fifteenth Year

The warmth of your light is pressing unto us.

But this warmth in my heart would be gone soon enough… just like you.

I need this time to be with you

I never would have known oblivion is falling down.

You've already taken me...

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

"Clow Card,

Abandon your old form…

And reincarnate…

Under the name

Of your new master --

Sakura!"

The burst of light and sparkle flowed around her as the girl in front of her disappeared. But from behind she felt his stare. Shocked at the very sight of him, Sakura raced back to the stairs but she couldn't quite reach; the gap in the staircase was too great to leap.

"I'm glad I made it in time," he panted, out of breath, his voice echoing oddly from within his prison. "Looks like I had more magical power left than you."

How could he speak so calmly? Didn't he understand what was about to be taken?

"Even if this feeling disappears," he wheezed, as if he could read the terror in her eyes, "I'm sure that once again, Sakura, I'll -" He disappeared completely and hot tears spurted forth.

Quiet sobs tore out of Sakura's chest, knowing that it was already over. The precious warmth of his gaze when he looked at her would never return.

Vision blurry with hot tears, Sakura looked up and blinked at the glowing Card wafting toward her. She reached to grasp it with one gloved hand. The Sealed Card had returned to Card form, Sakura recognized her long hair and dress as they'd been originally sketched, but in her arms she held a winged heart to her chest.

Sakura knew that winged heart.

She'd stared at it too many nights, though she'd never understood what the Card was exactly. It was her creation, a Card born with no name but now-

Now it read "The Hope".

Someone moved and Sakura looked up over the edge of the mysterious Card to see him, looking a little dazed, turn to face her.

"It's alright even if you think nothing of me… I love you; you're my number one!" She held the Card close to her chest and said the words she'd put off too long.

He only stared, and she felt the hot tightness pull at her throat again. Two more tears leaked out-

Silence…

Pierce my heart

Break my love…

But who are you anyway?

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

They say that the sound of bells help you remember. The soft and slight ring echoes in you mind, throughout the entire abyss to kiss the untouched memories... then afterwards you won't be able to forget.

But sometimes I'm not sure if today is worth remembering. Though I do look forward to it, I can't help but feel a bit upset that Okaa-san isn't here to celebrate. Otou-san says that I shouldn't worry because Okaa-san is always around. He's right, I believe him, I always have...

The bells are ringing again. I have such a strange feeling whenever I hear them. But, again, I try not to worry. Otou-san and Okaa-san would want me to worry, especially today...

Sakura lifted her pen off the pink paper and looked out her open bedroom window. In the distance she saw the bells. Her lips curled into a smile as she propped up her elbow on the windowsill and rested her chin in her hand. A light breeze came through; pale lavender curtains were swaying around her petite body as she continued to gaze at the bell tower and the quiet town of Tomoeda beneath it.

"Oh, how cute," a cheerful and oh too familiar voice chirped.

Sakura tilted her head down from her second story window where her eyes met the angelic porcelain face she had always been jealous of. "Hey, Tomoyo!" she answered. She reached into her school uniform shirt and pulled out the key that hung from her neck, as she did countless times before. Hanging next to the star key was her house key. Sakura pulled it off her head and tossed it down to her best friend, who had a bit of trouble catching due to the camcorder in her hands.

There was the sound of the squeaky front door being opened and light footsteps coming closer to her bedroom door. Her friend popped out from behind the door, her camera to her eye. "Sakura, you looked simply cute just then! Were you daydreaming? You looked so thoughtful and you had such a sweet smile, as always!" Tomoyo darted toward Sakura for a close up.

Sakura inched away and laughed nervously. "No, no. I was just thinking of what else to write in my dairy."

Tomoyo lowered the camera. "Since when did you have a dairy?" she questioned as she spied a little pink notebook on Sakura's lap.

"Onii-chan gave it to me before he left for the University this morning with Otou-san. It's his gift to me," Sakura explained as she quickly shut the book to keep it away from her friend's peering eye.

Here, kaijuu, She remembered him saying earlier that morning as he tossed her a poorly wrapped mess. Sakura opened it cautiously, thinking it was something unpleasant. (Her older brother wasn't known for giving the most enjoyable presents.) It's a dairy, he told her as if she was blind; write all your secrets in here and hopefully you won't blab it all out in your sleep while u stay over at my apartment again. Skaura blushed. Yes, I know about the bathroom incident, he said with a chuckle, Happy Birthday. Touya then quickly ducked and dodged the shoe that Saukra flung at him.

"At least he didn't give you another one of his old hairbrushes like last year," Tomoyo giggled. "I think this is his best gift. Oh, and don't you even think for a second that I forgot about your gift!" She pulled a neatly wrapped box from out of her back pack and handed it to Sakura. "Happy fifteenth birthday; open it now!"

Sakura smiled as she removed the cute ribbon. It looked so pretty just wrapped; she didn't want to mess it up, so she carefully tore the paper. Tomoyo grew impatient and ripped off the paper in a heartbeat. Sakura felt quite frightened. "Ta-da," her friend cheered as she pulled up a rather short black dress which would probably barely cover her bottom. Her eyes grew wide as she saw that the dress had very thin straps, which would surely show off her bare arms and shoulders. Her eyes then almost popped out of their sockets when she saw that the material was just a small step above translucent.

"Ah, Tomoyo," Sakura cried.

Her friend's eyes grew large, "What is it, Sakura?"

"It…It doesn't suit me at all!" She told her, surely breaking her heart. Never could she remember a time when she turned down one of Tomoyo's own designed clothes.

"Nonsense," she said. She pulled her friend of the chair she sat on and pushed her out into the hall and into the bathroom. She threw in the dress. "Try it on!" she hollered as she closed the door. Once the door opened again, Tomoyo got in and fixed her friend's hair. She pulled it back into a small ponytail with extra locks of her auburn hair left framing her face. "There! Gorgeous,"

Sakura frowned when she saw the reflection in the bathroom mirror. She didn't belong in a dress like this. She looked at her short hair, round face, childish body and compared it to Tomoyo's curves, slender ivory face and long dark wavy tendrils. Sakura always knew that her friend was far more mature than her but now it was beginning to show.

Tomoyo's maturity was always present, even when she was as young as five. At that age she asked her mother, Okaa-sama, where do babies come from? Knowing that her daughter truely was wise beyond her years,She didn't even bother to tell the lie of the stork and such. She explained it all in full detail, trying her best not to leave a thing out.

So when it was show and tell at the elementary school… Tomoyo, the teacher began, it's V-day. Did you bring something that starts with the letter V? Tomoyo grinned. I sure did, Sensei!

When Sakura mentioned the V-day incident at the dinner table a few years ago, she would received a wide eyed look from her father and an uncontrollable amusement from her older brother, which caused him to choke on his oden soup. To this day, Sakura was still wondering what was so hilarious.

Tomoyo pulled Sakura's hand out the front door and shoved her into her limo, camera in her other hand. Sakura snapped out of her daydream. "Tomoyo, where are we going," she asked as the limo started moving. "School is the other way." She pointed out the tinted windows.

"We're not going to school today, Sakura."

Sakura's jaw dropped. "That's not like you! Where are we going? I'm still in this dress!"

"Let's call it: part two of your birthday gift," Tomoyo said with a sly grin. Sakura sank into the black leather seats of Tomoyo's limo.

"He's back, Sakura," She told her. "We're going to see him; the one you haven't seen in three years… your number one." Suddenly, a smile appeared on Sakura's face and it played with her lips as the limo drove over the fallen pink cherry blossom petals on the road, sending them gliding in the spring air.


Authoress' Note: Wow, I finally found time to write this. That's simply amazing! Well, I just got back from the Philippines and recent events have inspired me to finally post this story. This story, by the way, is dedicated to my grandfather who passed away while I was visiting him in the Philippines and, in fact to all of my relatives back there. Much love to you all!

Well, anyway. Just tell me what you think about it and how I can improve.

Please Review…

( The 19th of Septebmer, 2oo5 ) : re-submitted after a few revisions.