Hi everyone! I hope you liked the 4th chapter of the Promise of Forever, Lasting memories! : )

(1) Originally, this chapter was combined with the last chapter, but it made a lot more sense to separate the two, so you weren't overwhelmed with all the plot information. (see I think about my readers -) (2) Yet again, I do not own Cardcaptor Sakura, (just the plot line, my fictional characters, and places). (3) I would like to thank all my great reviewers…

Kinomoto-thanks for the compliment, here is the next chapter for you! -

(4) I present to you bows with a flourish the 5th chapter of The Promise of Forever

-

Lonely Destiny

-

Setting: In a room just down the hall from Syaoran's room, through a slightly open door to the left. In comfortable sitting room with a lovely red rug on the wooden floor. On that rug were two chairs facing one another.

"Meiling, what have you found out?" stated the serious female tone of Yelan Li.

"I didn't come over to spy on Syaoran for you, I had hoped you remember that!" Meiling yelled, stomping her foot on the ground in anger. "I was worried for him myself since I haven't seen him in six months! AND, I would have come over anyway, even if you hadn't called to ask."

Yelan raised her thin eyebrows very high at this outburst, and answered, "I still would like to know what is wrong with my son, Meiling, if you please. And…I have tried to find out many ways, but each was unsuccessful, I did try, you were my last hope."

Meiling sighed, "I know that, it just seemed wrong to me at the time, you made it sound like I had to follow him around and keep watch on him…" She looked up at into Yelan Li's face and in turn her face softened. She continued quietly, "If you had just told me that you wanted me to talk to him, I would have come sooner."

Yelan sat stiffly up at this and looked offended, "I am sorry Meiling; I just thought that it would take you a long time, since I have tried for longer and failed. Please, accept my apology, and my thanks, if you would tell me what I wish to know."

Meiling looked pained at the last statement, and stood up from her chair and went to stand just in front of Yelan Li's chair. Suddenly, she was nervous.

"About that, ummmm," Meiling stammered.

"You did find out what it was, I presume, please, tell me."

"Well…" She looked up into Yelan Li's face, knowing that this would not be easy to convince her.

"I can tell what you meant about Syaoran being distracted all the time, he told me he knows he has been this way…" She took a deep breath and continued, still staring at Yelan Li's face. "He also seems lost, and confused; tired, and unhappy…" She looked down again, unable to continue.

Yelan Li was still staring at Meiling, her expression impossible to read. "Why is this Meiling?"

Meiling looked down at the floor and up again not daring to breathe. "Because…because…he feels…alone." She whispered, and looked into Yelan Li's eyes for the first time since she had entered the room, and felt she could see into Yelan's soul…she saw pain reflected in those dark eyes, and plenty of worry mixed in too. She also saw the questions, and could almost see her trying to think of how to react and what to do.

Meiling felt she shouldn't be allowed in here at this moment, so she turned to leave.

"Wait…Meiling" it was Yelan Li.

Slowly she turned to look, she was sitting a little more relaxed, and pain, edged in a softness she had never seen before graced her eyes. She looked lost, and so far away.

"Meiling…?" she whispered softly, a question yet also, a statement.

Meiling had just opened her mouth to answer when…

She saw the phone vibrate and heard it's small, bell-like tones echo around them.

Meiling stared at the phone in silence and didn't even make a move to answer it, and neither did Yelan Li it seems, she did the same as Meiling, but in shock.

Meiling watched the phone ring two times before coming out of her daze and dashing over to pick it up. "Hello…may I ask who's calling please?" Meiling squeaked, as she held the phone tightly.

"Meiling-chan, it is Eriol Hiiragizawa, I would like to talk to you also, but first, may I speak to Yelan Li please?" asked Eriol calmly.

"Ummmm…not now Eriol-kun…not now." Meiling said, getting her voice back to normal.

"Why?" Eriol asked suspiciously "Meiling, what's going on? Why can't I talk to Li-sama?" he asked urgently.

Meiling quivered, it was too much just then, and our from her lips burst the story of not seeing Syaoran for six months, Yelan's call, and how Yelan said Syaoran was acting strangely and wanted her to spy on him, and her talk with Syaoran, what she found out, and lastly her talk with Yelan Li.

Eriol listened calmly through the whole thing, absorbing what Meiling was saying, but saying nothing himself.

When Meiling had finished, Eriol ventured a question.

"Meiling, what's this part about Syaoran acting…strangely…I didn't understand that part."

"Well…when I was talking to him…he told me he was..."

"Alone?" He ventured his voice even. So…it is my dear descendant's aura I have felt changing.

Meiling gasped in surprise and awe, "How did you know, Eriol-kun? That is exactly what he told me!"

"I guessed." said Eriol offhandedly, as if this were obvious.

Meiling could almost see him shrug.

"I need to ask you something Meiling…please let me speak with Yelan Li…I know she is not herself right now…but you need to let me speak with her." He said seriously

Without a word, Meiling handed the phone over to Yelan Li.

-

Yelan Li looked wearily at the phone that Meiling held out for her. She stared at it, unmoving.

Meiling looked a little scared, "Yelan…" she said quietly, "Eriol Hiiragizawa wishes to speak with you…"

Yelan Li seemed to come out of her daze a little, to look into Meiling's eyes. She seemed to find what she sought in them, and slowly reached for the phone.

"Yelan…" stated Eriol seriously; "I presume you know everything that Meiling has told me now." It was more a statement then a question.

"Yes…" Yelan whispered, as if she did not believe it herself.

"Look…I know that you don't understand why your son is acting this way…but I do."

At this Yelan Li sat straight up and looked very serious.

"Please tell me…Hiiragizawa." She said softly, yet somehow also commandingly.

Eriol paused for a moment, then said, "Syaoran is acting this way because he feels…alone."

"I know this Hiiragizawa…please…tell me…why…he feels…alone." Yelan said even more seriously.

"He feels alone because, in his mind, he is alone, without…Sakura Kinomoto."

At this Yelan came directly out of her trance, shedding it like a heavy cloak. "You know this for sure…Hiiragizawa?"

Eriol didn't answer; he didn't need too, instead, he said, "Yelan…you know it is time."

Yelan Li was silent on the other end.

"Yelan…they need to see each other again…you know this is so…" "Do not pretend any longer…"

Yelan Li didn't even flinch in surprise; she didn't even react at all, that you could see.

Eriol waited patiently on the other side of the phone, as if he knew Yelan Li was thinking over what he had said. In fact I am not sure he didn't. -

So he continued steadily after the break of silence.

"Yelan…you need to know…" Eriol continued, "that this fact proves it is time."

"Tell me, Hiiragizawa." She stated.

"The fact is, Tomoyo Daidouji has contacted me yesterday and today, worried and upset about Sakura-chan. It seems that Sakura-chan has been looking very tired all the time, just as Syaoran-kun is being unresponsive and upset. Their aura's are changing, you know they reflect strong emotions and the future, I can feel this change even in England."

Yelan Li was silent again.

"Yelan…you know of what I speak. You also know why it is affecting your son more than Sakura-chan also, as I have observed."

Eriol sighed, "But we will not speak of that until it is time…" "For now…we just need to get them together so destiny may take its course."

Yelan tensed, then, as she decided, then looked worried at this, "Hiiragizawa, you know it will be hard to get smuggle my son out of China, without the elders and the clan knowing."

Eriol smiled his devilish smile in return to that comment, "I have thought about that, now that it is apparent Syaoran cannot stay in China, it would not be good environment for Syaoran to be in with Sakura-chan at this time…to many memories…and his way of dealing with them there…" Eriol shook his head, "No…We will have to find another option."

Yelan gave a grave nod of her head in agreement, but spoke out loud, "I already know you have one Hiiragizawa…"

"I have a plan…but I must work with Tomoyo Daidouji on her part of the plan, then I will call you back and we will discuss your part. In the meantime act normally, but be wary for the phone. Agreed?" said Eriol, deadly serious.

"Agreed."

"Alright then…goodnight…Yelan…Meiling."

-

Finally! throws up hands in joy and smiles Finally finished…that was the longest chapter I have written to date…I felt like I couldn't tear myself away…I had to get it all down…I'll call it, Inspiration overload! Well, once I was over my inspiration overload - and looked over this (long, to me, lol) chapter It turned out really well!

Please remember to review! -

Mikomii-chan