Author's note:

This story is a figment of my (er dark) imagination. Similarities to any situation is absolutely coincidental. Please Follow and Review! Thank you.

Disclaimer: I do not own CCS, Clamp does. I do not own the song Ever After, Bonnie Bailey does. Oh, and if you noticed, I also borrowed some of my favorite characters from a few Chinese novels that I've fallen in love with. So yea, I own no characters here. Zilch.

Thank you everyone for the likes and follows!

Here's the second part!

/(T o T)/ Ganbaremasu!!! (๑T o T๑)/ Fighting!!!

Chapter 32: Their Strongest Ally (Part 2)

"I'll call you."

Shen Miao read Jing Xing's text message and hurriedly sent a reply.

"Do not."

Message sent.

"Why can I not?"

"Because I cannot talk to you about this right now. Mei Hua might come back in a few minutes."

"Are you sure we need to tell Xiao Lang about this?"

Shen Miao lowered her eyes and clenched her left fist. Is it the correct thing to do? Maybe. Maybe not. But it is the best thing to do to ensure her friend's safety.

She looked up and glanced at the balcony. Sakura is still talking to Syaoran in her mobile. Her gaze softened and she unclenched her fist.

"Must tell him everything."

"Alright. We will see you back home later. I love you."

"Alright."

Message sent.

Suddenly her phone rang. Shen Miao was caught off guard that she almost dropped her phone.

She quickly answered the call.

"Hey I told you not to call me!" she muttered angrily under her breath.

"You forgot something."

"What?"

"I said I love you."

Shen Miao' felt the tips of her ear heat up. She quickly scanned around if someone is looking at her. Thankfully, everyone is caught up with their own business.

"You bastard."

"Well I am your bastard." the male on the other line arrogantly answered back.

"Not going to say it? Hm?"

Shen Miao pinched the bridge of her nose and took a deep breath.

"Alright, my fault. I love you honey. I'll see you in a few hours."

"Maximum two hours. Tie Yi will pick you up after an hour. I will be riding back home with Syaoran."

Such an overbearing guy! What did I marry into! Of all the male population in ...

"You married me because you fell in love with me. And you cannot get enough of my exquisitely delicious body." Xie Jing Xing's lazy voice interrupted her thoughts.

Goodness! This guy always knew what she is thinking!

"Alright, alright! Mei Hua is here. I have to go. Tell Tie Yi to ring me up when he gets here."

"Hmmm. And?"

"I love you husband."

—XoxOxOXo—

"I love you husband."

Xie Jing Xing's usual cold, emotionless face did not change but one can see the warmth in his beautiful obsidian eyes. He leaned back in his chair and replied. "Good wife. Husband will reward you tonight." he could almost see Shen Miao's red face right now. "I love you."

Placing his mobile back on top of the table, Jing Xing turned to face Syaoran who finally returned from outside.

"Your wife is alright?"

Syaoran nodded as he pulled out a chair in front of Jing Xing. "Good thing she met up with this old friend of hers. I wonder who she is. I just realized I do not know much about her friends." Frowning, Syaoran signaled for a drink to a server.

Watching his good friend's face intently, Jing Xing placed his chin on his right hand. "Oh? Did she say the name?"

Syaoran took a swig of his drink and shook his head. "Forgot to ask."

Hmmmm… This Mei Hua must be in shock after seeing Jao Jao.

Jing Xing and Syaoran were silent as they continue to drink, both engrossed with their own thoughts. Sometimes, few words were exchanged. Half an hour later, Natsume arrived after accompanying one of his clients back to the lobby.

"Oi, Li. We can go now. The Russian delegate cancelled with us because he had to return back immediately to his country due to some sort of emergency. You going to meet with Sak or not?"

Then turning to Xie Jing Xing, Natsume slapped him at the back. "Are you going to stay here for a long time or will you go back to Beijing soon? Man, I am freaking exhausted today. Take a raincheck huh?"

Jing Xing is quite tall and standing up, he is taller than both Natsume and Syaoran by a few inches. Placing his arm over Natsume's wide shoulders, Jing Xing good-humoredly bent down and whispered in his ear, "Gotten weak, eh?"

Annoyed, Natsume shrugged his arm off and glared fiercely at him. "You gay or what? I thought you got married! Cut with the touchy-touchy, man!"

"Anyway, my wife and I will be staying here for maybe a year or more. No plans yet, really. Just tell me when you want to meet again."

Nodding, Natsume bid him goodbye. Man, his head is really killing him right now. He and Syaoran has been in consecutive meetings since the afternoon. Between the drinks and weaving through sly deals and reading conniving minds, he is totally done for the day.

Turning to Syaoran, he said

"Oi, pervert, if you're going to meet Sak and the morons in their private room, tell them I'll be going ahead and don't f* disturb me until I show up on my own to the company. Then I will tell them what happened today."

"Got it wuss. Go home and treat your weak ass. Take your hangover pill and don't forget to drink lots of water, babe!" Syaoran and Jing Xing both made kissing noise as Natsume stormed out of their room while holding up his finger to them.

The laughing Syaoran faced Jing Xing and immediately, his face turned solemn. "Shall we go? I know you have something private to discuss with me."

"We'll talk about it in our home. I'd like you to meet my wife."

The two men walked out and headed down to the hotel's valet parking.

As they wait for his car, Syaoran took out his mobile and quietly stared at his screensaver. Sakura's sleeping face calms his nerves down, ridding him of irrational thoughts. When she sleeps, it seemed as if the world is a peaceful place.Reality says it is not, but for her, he will do his damned best to make her world peaceful enough so she can sleep as much as she want without worrying of tomorrow.

Damn. What is Jing Xing's appearance here in Tokyo mean? What is the hidden meaning with him meeting his wife?

Gently touching her cherry pink lips on the screen, Syaoran pressed the sleep button of his phone.

Sakura, do you know?

I feel like it's going to be one of those nights.

—-XoXoXoxO—

"NO!!!!!!!! STOP IT!!!!! STOP!!!"

Sakura opened her eyes, mixed emotions of fear, pain, and vigilance reflecting in them. She abruptly sat up on her bed and groped around to turn on her bedside lamp.

Three fifteen. Hugging her knees to her chest, Sakura placed her forehead on top of her knees as she try to regulate her breathing and calm herself down.

It's just a nightmare.

It's not real.

Her body is damp from her sweat despite the cool air conditioning in the room. She wiped her face with the sleeve of her nightgown and was surprised to see that it is a lot more damp than she thought it was.

Touching her face, her heart skipped a beat. Sweat has mixed with tears and until this moment, warm tears kept flowing out of her eyes.

Yes it's just a nightmare.

It's not real right now.

But it happened.

It happened in the past.

Will it happen again?

Instead of calming down, Sakura broke into sobs and she fell back on the bed. Crying helplessly in a fetal position, memories from her dark past resurfaced in her mind.

She and Jiao Jiaolaughing.

The loud sound of metal crashing metal!

The sound of breaking glass.

A strong smell of medicine.

Jiao Jiao screaming in pain.

Her calling for help until darkness enveloped her.

Her forcing her eyes to open. Then seeing multiple bright white lights above her.

The feel of cold metal everywhere on her body. Her back, her arms, her legs, her abdomen.

Fainting.

Waking up for the nth time, but this time, she felt nothing. She thought she has died. The she turned her head towards the sound somewhere on her right.

She closed her eyes, then opened them once again.

Jiao Jiao! She tried to shout her name to awaken her.

What are they doing to her? What operation are they going to do on her?

Jiao Jiao! Wake up! Jiao Jiao!

Darkness again.

The next time she opened her eyes, she was lying in a real hospital with Jiao Jiao curled up beside her. Sakura tried to move but she couldn't. She noticed just then that she had tubes on her body that are connected to machines. She even has an oxygen mask on. She looked back at the small girl beside her, and she silently sighed in relief. She is not wearing a hospital gown but normal casual clothes.

Looks like they failed to operate on her and thankfully, help came and we got out of there safely.

She felt a river of tears flowing on her cheeks as she remembered what they went through. She looked up at the ceiling and cried helplessly.

—XoXoXoxo—

Sakura fell back asleep after crying for an hour. When Syaoran quietly opened the door to her room, he did not enter immediately.

Actually, he is not sure if it is okay for him to enter or not. After talking to Jing Xing and Jiao Jiao, he is not sure what to do.

Oh, he will kill them. That's for sure.

He unconsciously rubbed the gauze in his right hand which Shen Miao has insisted to treat and dress up.

But how should he approach Sakura? Now that he knows what happened to her?

Feeling the rage building again in his chest, Syaoran went back to the kitchen and took out a glass of water and filled it with ice cubes. He needed to rein in his emotions. If Sakura decides to tell him herself, she will most likely be in a broken state. He needs to be the one who can think clearly and calm her down to console her. Then they can plan their steps together without fail.

After talking to himself and assuring himself that this is the best first step to take, Syaoran went to the separate bathroom on the first floor to not disturb Sakura's sleep. He then took of his clothes and took a quick shower before putting on his night clothes and settling down beside Sakura on her soft bed.

Huh? Why does the blanket and covers feel a bit damp?

Turning on his phone to use as a soft light to look at Sakura, Syaoran saw faint tear stains on her delicate small face. Her nose was red, her eyes tightly shut as if she was bullied, and a bit of snot can be seen. She looked very pitiful and it felt like somebody punched Syaoran in his guts.

Gently, he placed Sakura in his arms and hugged her gently as he wiped her tears and snot with his wide, warm palm. He brushed back her hair away from her face and tucked some behind her ears. He massaged her frowning eyebrows until it relaxed. Syaoran's soft gaze fell on her lips and he kissed it gently before placing his chin on top her head.

Oh my little wife. Husband is here from now on. You do not have to face this alone anymore.

—xOxOXoxo—

Previously at 23:00

At the Xie unit, Platinum Palace Villa

"This is my beautiful wife, Xie Shen Miao." Jing Xing's voice is low but the pride in it made it appear as if he said it loudly, making Syaoran look up in surprise at the doorway of the study.

(Note: From here is the Author's POV, not Syaoran's. I's like to clarify that the following description is NOT what Syaoran is thinking of at this moment. I just wanted the readers to imagine what Shen Miao looks like, because I forgot to describe Sakura this detailed in the earlier chapters.)

A delicate-looking lady appeared beside Xie Jing Xing. She is probably 5'1", with long black silky hair that reaches down to her waist. Her small face looks delicate, especially with the the small mouth and small nose. Her high cheekbones made her look noble and she has beautiful smooth skin wherein one can not see even a single pore on it.

(End of Author's POV. Again, AUTHOR's. Not Syaoran's.)

She reminds me of Sakura. (A/N: The moment Syaoran saw Shen Miao, this is the ONLY thought he had. Not the detailed description stated above. I hope that clarifies some things.)

Syaoran walked over to where Shen Miao and Jing Xing are standing and he offered his hand to shake hers.

"Well. I now understand why my foolish friend finally settled down. A beauty worth more than all the riches he can acquire in his lifetime, I believe must have an equally beautiful mind to challenge that crafty brain of his."

Shen Miao laughed gracefully and lifted a beautiful eyebrow at her husband.

"This has to be your most eloquent friend. Good vision too."

Jing Xing snorted.

"Madame, I am Li Xiao Lang from Hong Kong. You can either call me that or my japanese name Syaoran, whichever you prefer." (A/N: Please be patient, I will explain why Syaoran is pleasant to Jiao Jiao at their "1st meeting")

"You can call me Jiao Jiao. It is exclusive for families." She smiled warmly at Syaoran.

"Alright. As the lady say."

"Why don't we sit down comfortably? Tonight is going to be a long one." Shen Miao said quietly as she walked towards small lounge area in the study where the butler has set a tray with a pot each of tea and coffee and some light snacks.

As they settled down. Shen Miao's mood became somber and Jing Xing held her small hand inside his. She was comforted by this so she lifted her chin and looked directly into Syaoran's eyes.

As he watch this tiny girl gather her courage, Syaoran was taken aback when she suddenly looked up and her big, grape-like black eyes which was previously clear and full of warmth, has now turned cloudy and dim.

What kind of bomb will she drop?

Trying to calm his heart that has started to beat fiercely in his chest, Syaoran stared back at Shen Miao and with no hesitation, he calmly urged her. "You can say whatever it is. I will handle myself."

In the deafening silence of the closed study, Shen Miao's soft voice is almost as loud as a gunfire being shot right beside Syaoran's ears.

"I met your wife, Kinomoto Sakura, in Beijing sometime on November 2013. Initially, I did not know who she was, she just told me her name was Ying Fa and she is currently on vacation. We randomly met in a cafe and immediately became friends. We then decided to meet everyday, most afternoons we cruise through the streets of the city using her relative's sports car." Shen Miao felt a lump in her throat and Jing Xing pressed her hand reassuringly. She took a deep breath and continued, "One week after our initial meeting, someone hijacked the car Sakura was driving and then we were knocked out by a sleeping drug."

Syaoran felt his vision is fading slowly, his ears malfunctioning. What is he hearing?

In a softer voice, as she tried to fight off the tears, she continued,

"When I woke up, I saw myself strapped in a hospital bed. I was wearing a hospital gown, as if I am going to be operated on. It was so dark and I couldn't tell where I was at that time. I panicked when I can't find my voice. I tried to look around in search for Sakura. I couldn't see, but I can hear. I can hear someone's heavy breathing somewhere near me, and chains hitting metal further from me."

"We were kidnapped and…"

Shen Miao couldn't continue as she cried in Jing Xing's arms. He whispered consoling her words in her ear as he rubbed her back gently.

Syaoran tilted his head like a child, asking silently for her to continue. He knew she hasn't reached the worst part yet. The worst is yet to come but he felt as if his soul has already left his body. Every single word from Shen Miao's mouth are like swords piercing through him, killing him softly. He felt pain, he felt numb, he felt like he is nearing the boundary of crazy.

Sakura? My lovely, little Sakura? What else happened to my treasure?

"And?"

Jing Xing knew that Shen Miao couldn't continue anymore. Hugging her in his arms, he looked at Syaoran and gravely said,

"When my people and I reached the cave they were imprisoned in, we were too late."

Clenching his fist, Syaoran's eyes burst with raging flames. "Meaning?"

"They were half done with Jiao Jiao, but Sakura has been completely operated on."

"BANG!"

Syaoran's fist pierced through the low wooden coffee table separating the two parties. Broken ceramics were on the floor mixed with different liquids and cookies.

Jing Xing knew this will happen so he has quickly protected his wife from any debris that might've flown towards them.

"What kind of operation?"

"I immediately sent them to Beijing's top hospital and asked their exclusive medical team to check on their vitals and verify what drugs were infused in their system. When we saw them, there were numerous injection marks on their bodies. Results showed those were heavy sedatives. Further study on both their bodies also confirmed the operation made on Sakura."

"TELL ME NOW!" Syaoran roared at Jing Xing.

Shen Miao hugged her husband's waist tightly, muttering to herself that Mei Hua is now fine, and it has all passed. Jing Xing's heart ached for his wife and his best friend. The pandora box has been opened and there is no turning back.

He continued to rub Shen Miao's back, warming her as he said the chilling news to Syaoran. Shen Miao shut her eyes tightly and covered her ears with her small hands.

Oh Mei Hua!

"She was drugged heavily to the point of being comatosed for two months. All that in order to forcefully take her eggs."

What?

Looking at the dumbfounded Syaoran, Jing Xing continued,

"Xiao Lang, this is not a simple kidnapping case. Someone has a much insidious plan against us by breaking our women. The doctors's report concluded that this is a preamble to creating children through in vitro fertilization."