Chapter 17 - Confrontations

I looked into those lime green orbs and, suddenly, I was back in the edge of that lake, that damned lake where it all started. It was a party then… I ran to get away from the noise… then found the lake. I wrestled through the bushes and felt a bubble of joy at the thought of privacy… when I saw him.

OoOoOo Li OOoOoOO

"Sakura!" a sharp voice called out.

I turned to my right and saw Eggy. I was shocked to see something akin to concern in his gray eyes as he ran towards us. I kept on urging Sakura to come with me, to get away from here, but it was like trying to tell a statue to do cartwheels. I managed to block her view but it was as though she was seeing right through me.

Eggy reached us and shook her by the shoulders, finally managing to snap her back to reality. Glazed emerald orbs met his eyes. "You!" he snapped at her. "Come with me, now!"

Instead of an expected retort, she merely asked quietly, "why?"

A fleeting look crossed the older man's face. Suspicions immediately sprang to life within me. Did he know something? I never got the chance to make sure because it was gone a nanosecond later, replaced by the irritated expression I knew so well.

"You need to change your outfit, you silly girl! How can you be so clumsy as to spill grape wine on the back of your dress?"

I stared at him then scooted behind to look. My eyebrows rose and I shot a puzzled look at him. There was definitely no spill. None. Nada. Nil. Catching my silent question, he merely gave me a warning look. Before I can open my mouth, a new voice joined our conversation.

"She doesn't need it, Michael."

I turned around and 'lo and behold, cam face to face with none other than the certified devils of the 21st century. Both had the same wide mouth, the same straight nose and the greasy hair (although Jake's, older than mine by 7 years, was black). But while greed and disdain was what I saw in her father's eyes, Jake Chien has something that his father doesn't: green eyes in which I saw the unmistakable look of man filled with lust. My temper, already close to the surface, reached boiling point when I saw to whom it was directed to.

Sakura must've felt it, because she took an involuntary step backward and caused me to bite my tongue in surprise when she suddenly held my hand. I squeezed it reassuringly, trying to remind her that I was still there and won't let them do anything.

A muscle twitched on her instructor's jaw. "Yes, unfortunately, we can't hang around for a little chitchat," Eggy said coolly. "To the eyes of a trained man, there is a little spill on my client's dress, so if you don't mind, we'll be seeing you." It was crystal clear that he didn't have any intention of doing so.

"Oh, but we do mind, don't we, Jake?" Tomas replied in his chipped voice, smiling serenely. "It's good to catch up, especially with my daughter. How are you, Sakura?" he drawled.

She stiffened considerably. "I'm fine," she said tonelessly. The tension in the air was so palpable I can probably cut it with a knife… or even my finger. It was heavy and thick.

"Do be more specific when answering questions, dear." Her father sniffed with obvious contempt. "You were always a horrible public speaker, daughter. I was hoping you've improved both socially and… ah… physically while we were estranged, but," his eyes danced with malice, "I stand corrected."

Beside me, Eggy's eyes narrowed.

"Father, I think you're wrong on the latter," his son finally spoke up. It was a voice that I immediately disliked and made my fist itch. "She's… very alluring."

"Well, I suppose for you, son," Tomas amended, "but really," he wrinkled his nose, "she's…well…" he trailed off, eyebrow quirking.

"She's what, dear friend?" Eggy asked in a dangerous voice.

The two had a staring contest, each one deliberately holding his tongue because three people were within earshot. Obviously unable to hold it in much longer, Tomas said, so low but it felt as though he said it through 100 microphones attached to loudspeakers, "she is nothing but a tomb."

I understood the comparison. Sirens and gunshots wailed on my head and I took a step forward, my eyes turning a shade of almost black. Before I can pound the stupid bastard to pieces, Eggy's arm enclosed mine and dragged me backward. "Don't be stupid," he hissed warningly.

The talking and laughing around us were nothing, because even if they were 50 times louder than her whisper, all of us heard Sakura's voice. "I… I have to go," she choked out, stepping sideways and trying to pry her hand away from mine.

I tightened my hold. "Don't listen to them, Kinomoto," I told her, eyeing her pleadingly." She looked up and I let go, seeing the barely hidden turmoil behind her overbright jade eyes. She swept past me and disappeared through the crowd.

Knowing that I can't make a scene, I quelled part of my satisfaction by turning towards the two leeches and saying flatly, "you two are the shittiest, most abominably screwed up bastards of the whole century."

"Who are you, anyway?" Jake retaliated, stepping forward. Behind him, his father regarded me with cold black eyes.

7 or 500 years older or not, I crossed my arms and was about to reply when a pair of emerald eyes flashed in my head. I cursed. What the hell am I doing here, anyway? Abandoning the conversation, I turned my back and ran after my guest.

OoOoOo

"Son, why don't you roam around the mansion for a little while? Michael and I have to discuss old times and I'm pretty sure you'd much rather converse with the ladies," Tomas told Jake.

He shrugged and disappeared behind a crowd of ladies.

When he was out of earshot, Tomas asked, eyeing the direction of Li's head, "that boy is Yelan's son, am I right?"

"Yes," came Eggy's stiff voice.

"What is his relationship with my daughter?"

Eggy raised an eyebrow and snorted derisively. "YOUR daughter? She is no daughter of yours. You relinquished any hold you have on her the day you believed that evil son of yours and deserted her and her mother, including the right to intrude in her life."

The smiling façade disappeared, causing Eggy to remark, "I'm right, aren't I?"

"You don't know what you're talking about," the man told him coldly. "You don't know the first thing about parenting."

"That may be true, but I know I would never lock a 4 year old child out in the dark for crying when she was refused a hug. I would never pretend to be a loving father and a caring husband, when I know well that I am anything but. I would never deprive her of friends. I would never shut her up in a room to be homeschooled, which more than half of those 'lessons' were spent on spanking her for stupid reasons. It was a miracle she graduated junior high, let alone with top honors. You should be proud," Eggy replied icily.

Tomas shook his head. "She was nothing special. A curse. She was reckless and rebellious. I gave her everything, even consenting to her going to a private school by 14, but she spent too much time with her friends—some of them boys—and with her balls and bats and gloves. I gave her gifts, hoping that the toys and jewelry and clothes would disguise her flaws, but they shone out like a beacon." His lips curled. "And you want me to be proud?"

"You didn't give her anything," Eggy snapped. "For someone who dislikes imperfections, you seem to spend a lot of cash and effort hiding the ones your deceitful little son has. Why?"

Tomas glowered. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Eggy scoffed disbelievingly. "Oh, please give me a break. If the authorities managed to get hold of all the skeletons in both of your closets, you and your son will be locked up and would most certainly be ineligible for parole until both of you are ninety two." He then left without a word, leaving the furious father to steam in front of the roasted pig and the apple.

OooOoO 10 minutes before OoOO

I burst through the library, heart thudding. I searched the drawers and found the thing I was looking for: a .45 caliber gun. Slipping it quickly inside my bag, I turned around when the door creaked open and the person I was expecting entered. I clutched the bag tighter.

"I knew you'd follow me," I said, eyes narrowing.

He ignored me and surveyed the room with interest. "Nice place you got here," he said conversationally, as if I cared.

"Get out of here. You're making me sick," I spat, backing away.

"You didn't have that opinion when we were still living in the same house, Sakura," he chided, his lips turning into a malicious sneer.

I looked away, remembering the expression too well.

He walked towards me. "Oh, your opinion was exactly the opposite. In fact, one night when we were in your room aft—"

CRASH!

I threw a vase at him, missing his head by an inch. AN INCH. What happened to all my reflexes? "Don't you dare talk to me about that shit. I didn't know what I should've known then. I was stupid," I snarled, breathing heavily.

"15 years old? I think not," he snorted.

"I was locked up in that damned house. I didn't know what you did was wrong, you as—"

"Not 'what I did'. What we did," he corrected me, smiling. "What we did, Sakura. And it felt right, didn't it?"

"No, it did not," I answered him fiercely. "What do you want?" I demanded, eyeing him as he propped his right arm on the coffee table, on which a glass with grape wine stood. He twirled a finger around the rim and said, "You're still mine, you know. I still want you, Sakura." There was a hungry look in his eyes.

My heart started beating furiously. I moved, circling the room, keeping my eyes on him, looking for a weapon that I can possible stab him with. "Shut up," I snarled.

He took a step forward with arms opened wide. "Come back to me, little flower. I need you."

"Don't touch me," I said, nearly tripping over a pillow.

"You're the only one I've been dreaming about for the past year, Sakura," he said, following me, deliberately making me move. "I miss your heat. I long for your sweet supple flesh—"

A hand almost closed around my arm.

"Get away from me!" I nearly screamed, feeling the touch of his cold, pale hand and wrenching it away. He stopped. We were on each other's places before I started moving. I leaned on the coffee table, feeling his eyes on me.

"Nobody can compare to you. I need you," he repeated, a gleaming look in his eyes. "All of them can't excite me the way you did."

I suddenly felt thirsty and grabbed the champagne glass. Drinking it empty, I asked numbly. "Why me? you could've picked anyone. Anyone. Why your half sister?"

His face broke into a wide, insane smile. "You were different." Then he walked towards me, arms outstretched once again. My hand slipped in my handbag.

"Jake, you fu—"

He held me in an iron-clad grip. I whipped out the gun and held it against the fabric of his Armani suit. I watch as his lips, so disgustingly close to mine, stiffened. "Don't you dare," I said quietly.

I kept the gun pointed at him as he backed away. He sneered, "you can't do that."

"Watch me," I growled, tightening my hold. I made to pull the trigger, but I can't. Panic rose within me like a coiled snake. My hand… what's happening? I can't control my hand! It began to feel numb.

The gun fell to the carpet in one swoosh.

His sneer disappeared and was replaced by a more dangerous expression: smugness. A wave of drowsiness swept over me. I blinked, and noticed that my hand was shaking. Sweat beaded down every part of my body.

"I'm rather surprised you still managed to point that gun on me, considering he fact that you're probably dizzy by now," he remarked conversationally, as if he were telling me how nice the weather was.

There was no mistaking that look in his face. Bright spots started appearing as my vision slid in and out of focus. My eyes caught the champagne glass, the one I just drank from, standing innocently on the coffee table. Comprehension dawned.

"What did you do to me?" I asked him shakily, trying to steady my hand.

He smiled. "Now be careful, little flower. The drug can make you numb, you know…"

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME, DAMN YOU!" I weakly screamed at him. My knees gave away.

"… impair you vision…"

I felt weak. I felt so weak…

"… and finally, knock you out," he said cheerfully.

"Aw, shit," I whispered. The last thing I saw were dark green eyes dancing merrily with mirth.

Then everything went black.

- - - oooo OoOo - - - - -

Jake knelt down and surveyed his prize with barely hidden desire. His eyes greedily roved and drank every little detail that had retained, changed or enhanced in his little sister's body. She really was a piece of work, he thought. Fiery. Passionate. He was sure it was her fire that drew him to her in the first place. Of course, she never pointed a gun at him before. No, siree.

What happened, little flower? You've changed…

She never resisted back then. She was so eager… so damned innocent even at the ripe age of 15…

What happened?

Nevertheless, he will bring her back. Yes, I will, he though greedily. I'll lock you up, where I and only I can access and touch the sweet treasures and valleys you behold. You won't be that Li Xiao-Lang's guest no longer. We'll bring back the good times, my sweet.

He proceeded to place a hand on the unconscious girl's waist and drew tiny circles, excitement mounting as he felt the soft skin underneath the fabric. She did not stir, he thought triumphantly. He lowered a hand on her thighs—

"Get your slimy hands off her," a quiet and unexpected voice snarled.

Jake stood up and whirled around. Before he can so much as blink, a fist came out of nowhere and hit him hard on his cheek. He staggered backward and shrieked with pain when his attacker delivered another blow. This time it was a turning kick so hard it sent him reeling backward. He landed on his back with a sickening thud as blood gushed out of his broken nose.

"Be glad that I didn't aim for you neck," his attacker growled. "You filthy little git."

After the white lights subsided, he saw a man looming over him, his face twisted in a venomous snarl and cracking his knuckles threateningly. He couldn't see his face since it was shrouded in shadows, but he can make out the expression just the same.

"Who—who the hell are you?" Jake spat through the nosebleed.

The other man ignored him. "I've waited so long to do that, you know. It felt good."

"You have no right to barg—!" Jake started, shakily standing up.

"This is my house, you fool," his attacker told him with another kick that sent him down once again. "After what you've just done, I can charge you for sexual harassment. Heck, I can kill you right now, you know. Maybe I should, you know. It's so damned easy. A little twist of your slimy neck… and well-placed blow in the head… I could do it," he said venomously, eyeing the fallen man with a predatory gleam in his amber eyes.

Jake's eyes darted towards the door. It was just 5 feet away from him, having been kicked repeatedly. Like the coward that he was, he got up and cowered.

"Get the fuck outta my house," the man snarled at him.

And like the cowardly little piece of shit that he was, Jake followed.

OoOoOoO

Eriol, out of the corner of his eye, saw Li inwardly struggling as Jake flew out of the doorway. He was sure his friend could and would've—if not killed the visitor—inflicted serious physical injuries if he hadn't told him that it would be a very stupid thing to do.

"Maybe I was wrong to let him go, Eriol," he said thoughtfully, his gaze still on the door. "Maybe I shouldn't have listened to you and Tomoyo."

"You and I both know that's a stupid thing to do," Eriol said matter-of-factly. "At least try to do him in when you two are the only witnesses."

"How is she?" Li said abruptly, turning and heading towards his direction.

"Not good. Not good at all," he said grimly, pushing up his glasses. "Jake used rohypnol. Most of the victims of these drugs wind up unconscious for 8 to 10 hours with no memory of what happened during the time they were dead to the world. Of course, Sakura would have a major headache when she wakes up, which would definitely add to the pain."

Li swore. "Imagine what he could've done in that space of time," he said bitterly, picking up Sakura gently with one hand on her head and another behind her knees.

He knew his friend was blaming himself, but he dared not interrupt. Eriol knew that Li, when feeling that he had failed to do something to protect someone important, would be shut off from the world for the time being. So all he said was, "come on, we'd better lay her on her bed and safe on her bedroom. I don't think she'd cherish the thought of waking up and seeing a different ceiling."

Li nodded, and both of them went away. They didn't see the pair of gray eyes that watched them as they made their exit from the party.

OooOoo

He waited in the brightly lit hallway in front of her bedroom, leaning against the wall and looking up at the ceiling but seeing nothing at all. The party was long over, but Li Xiao-Lang was still in his tux. He'd been standing on that spot for 9 hours already, waiting for Sakura to wake up, taking a break only to reassure his mother. No, guys, I want to be the first one to see her when she wakes up, he adamantly told Tomoyo and Eriol when they asked him to rest.

If given his way, he'd have been sitting in a chair beside Sakura's bed instead of in the hallway, but he took Eriol's trying-to-lighten-up-the-mood joke of how 'she'd pretend to be asleep if his ugly face was the first thing she sees' seriously.

She'd been asleep for a long time now… just a little more…

10 minutes later, Tomoyo emerged and told him, "she's finally awake, though I won't exactly call it that…"

"What? Why?"

Tomoyo fidgeted and sighed, "she doesn't want to speak and refuses to look at me. The only time she did was when she demanded to know what happened, what she was doing there and how."

Li cursed.

She cocked her head. "Maybe you should go in while I get some water." He nodded and went in.

OoOoOo

Her eyes were overbright, he could see when he entered the room and sat on the chair. It was filled with unshed tears, anger, guilt and self-loathing. Before he could even speak, she turned to him and said, "you were there, weren't you. Am I correct in assuming that you know what happened to me?"

Even though half his brain was screaming at him that he'd be lower than dirt in her eyes if he told the truth, his rational side argued that she's had enough lies and secrets to know when she was being lied to (it would obviously do more damage). So Li told her the truth, "Yes."

A light went out in her eyes. His heart dropped and his throat became dry. "No, it's not what you think. I did it because—"

"Save it," she said, apparently exhausted mentally and physically, leaning her head on the headboard and closing her eyes.

No, don't be mad, Li thought desperately. "Sakura, I—"

"Did you know why he did it?" she asked him, eyes closed.

He was taken aback. "Sakura, plea—"

"If you knew what he did, then please tell me why he did it, because I don't know why," she continued in a flat voice. Her eyes were now open and they lifelessly stared up the ceiling.

His voice seemed to be in a temporary vacation to New Zealand. He couldn't speak. Instead, he tried to hold her head, but she pulled it away. All he could do was hear her out.

Her lower lip trembled as he watched and listened. "I was a stupid kid back then. He hated me when we were first introduced. I wanted him to love me, so when we had a fight at that lake," she closed her eyes again and tangled a hand on her hair, "I did something I thought was okay. I never knew it was wrong. It was so wrong. I didn't know what it means back then and he knew it. He knew perfectly well. He manipulated me, and I was so stupid to let him," she whispered in dismay.

"It's not your fault!" he said fiercely, regaining his voice. "He was the one that—"

"No!" she argued, looking at him in a defeated way. "It was my fault. I was the one who kissed him under that damn tree. Then—then after that I saw him for what he really was so I tried to stop…but he—if I had known…"

"Sakura—"

"And now he's back," she said hollowly, a frightened look in her eyes. "I worked so hard to forget. I thought I was okay…"

And to both of their dismay, a traitorous tear slipped from her eyes and trailed down her cheek… then another… then another…

It was the first time he saw her cry.

He never wanted to see it again.

She slumped and angrily brushed them away, but it persistently kept falling. Knowing a lost battle, she ended up burying her face in her hands. "What the hell did I do?" she whispered. "Why me?"

He knew she did not want be told how to feel. She did not want to be chastised for going alone, nor did she want any pity. So, Li Xiao-Lang did the only thing his heart was screaming for him to do at the moment. He wrapped both arms around her and hugged her tight. She stiffened considerably, half from surprise and half from disbelief, until he said,

"I'm here. I promise."

Then she surrendered, buried her head on his chest, and soaked his shirt with tears.

a/n: aw hell, she's as miserable as I am at the moment (bloodly hell, how I hate this summer vacation). No humor this time , ne? anyway, thank you for everyone who reviewed and who, by doing so, lightened my pissy let-me-die feeling. (R&R pls)

Later and Lotsa Love,

CalCarrie