Nutty Authoress Notifies that…: I am such a baka! I didn't even know I'd disabled anon reviewers! Actually, that's kind of arrogant of me to assume that anyone would have attempted to review – but I guess there must be one or two people who tried to review, maybe…well, it's a possibility and so I'm jumping for joy! Yay!
Also, I know it took ages for me to update, but college is killing me! Wah! I miss secondary school, where you could get maximum result with minimum effort! Okay, yeah, I'm lazy…but college is really hard. Oh well…at least I have Syaoran and Sakura to get me through it all - lol
S.
Disclaimer: CCS belongs to CLAMP…those lucky, lucky ladies…pouts…
Summary: It's been eight years since Syaoran left Tomoeda – and he promised he'd return. That promise was never fulfilled…now a dark force is causing trouble...will destiny right itself? And will love prevail? SS
Lost Goodbye
Chapter Five
Third Person P.O.V
In a mansion on the outskirts of Tomoeda, a tall figure paced the room erratically – he appeared to be waiting for someone or something. He looked worried.
There were three smart knocks on one of the gothic windows that lined the east wall and the figure went quickly to open it – sitting on the window sill, looking rather windswept, was a tiny woman with darker than dark eyes. When he opened the window she fell into his arms in a passionate embrace.
"Are you okay…?" He asked, dragging her through the window so he could look over her properly. She felt cold and weak in his arms.
"Yes – that boy can fight – much better than I expected," she whispered, whimpering as his fingers trailed across her scarred body.
"You're hurt…" he said dumbly – she let out a sob and let her head fall on his shoulder.
"Why do we have to keep doing this…?"
"I know, I know…sshh. It will be over soon – and then we'll be free – together."
"Yes…together." She murmured after him – they stayed like this for a few more precious moments…
"Come, we must go to the Master and tell him. I think he expected this," he frowned a little, looking over her wounds, "If I had known I would have volunteered…" She smiled tiredly.
"You would have been too lenient to the girl – you're too kind-hearted!" She pushed him playfully but regretted it – her arm was killing her.
They began walking through the maze that was this mansion…down darkened corridors and grand staircases. They reached huge oak doors and the boy placed his hand upon it – it creaked open.
The pair waited until they heard a low, "Enter." They did as ordered and stood in the room, shivering.
It was cold – strangely dark and chilling. Before the empty fireplace was a huge armchair, facing away from them. They waited to be acknowledged.
"You failed, Mia."
"I know Master – I tried." The girl said, shaking in the man's limp arms.
"You were bound to lose – weak," the voice scoffed, "And you, Naruto?"
"I have yet to complete my mission," he said quietly.
"Indeed…" the figure stood up, intimidating, tall – it wore thick voluminous robes and a hood – neither the boy nor the girl had ever seen its face.
It walked slowly to the centre of the room, leaning heavily on a pitch-black staff. It stopped and began chanting – the girl let out a sound of terror – she knew what was coming. They both did.
"Punishment!" The voice shouted, shaking the floor beneath them. Naruto held the girl tightly as she screamed and writhed and quaked. "Punishment for the failures that you are!" The girl screamed and screamed, louder and louder – and as suddenly as it started, it stopped.
The girl collapsed in the boy's arms, holding him so tightly it hurt.
"Take her away…continue with the mission as before," the figure said, bored. He walked back to his chair and sank into it. The boy, Naruto, clung to the girl and opened his mouth to say something brave, courageous…nothing came out. He retreated with the limp girl in his arms.
The figure waited a few minutes and then got up to walk to a floor-length mirror in the corner of the room – he waved his hand over it and then the picture became fuzzy – suddenly it cleared and it revealed a sleeping Sakura, murmuring in Syaoran's arms. He was lowering her into a bed.
"You have foiled my plans again, Sakura, Syaoran…" the figure said to the nothingness around him, "But with these cards…a forest and a fire…" A faint smile touched his lip-less mouth and he laughed a bone-chilling laugh…
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Sakura's P.O.V
I tossed and turned…my eyes fluttered open and I was in a foreign room, in a bed that was definitely not mine. I froze. Fear, adrenaline…pain – I sat up slowly and my muscles ached. I looked down at my arm, which was stinging, and saw white bandages and a dark green paste oozing out – I recognised it to be healing herbs.
I breathed in deeply trying to calm myself…the scent of sandalwood and autumn leaves…I looked around, my neck stiff, my body slow. It was quite a plain, neat room – too tidy, it barely looked lived in. Soft greens, spotless sheets, a vase of beautiful orchids and the faint scent of incense burning somewhere.
I held my head and tried to remember the dream I'd been having…I remember being scared (big change there, right?)…and that it was important…but that was it! I scowled. Baka Sakura…
"Oh, you're up," I looked up, startled. There was a pretty, slender Chinese girl with lovely red eyes and long, straight, black hair – Meilin. In her hands was a steaming bowl of something that smelled great.
"Meilin…" I smiled, relieved, "It's so good to see you. Are you okay? How was your trip here?"
"Well, it's good to see you're back to your usual sickeningly bright self," Her eyebrows rose and I laughed.
"I would give you a hug if it didn't hurt…" I grinned at her expression – infallible exasperation.
"Yep, same old Sakura. You haven't changed a bit."
"Mou, Meilin, what happened…where am I…?"
"You don't remember…? I was worried about that." She handed me the bowl and frowned a little. "But the memory should come back…"
"Soup! Yummy!" She sighed, shaking her head. "Hey, speaking of soup, where's Kero?"
"Tomoyo took him to her house – he was being too loud and you needed peace and quiet to heal…"
"Oh…What about Touya?"
"Mirror was keeping him company - then I phoned and spoke with Mirror and she convinced him to let her come here…" Meilin flicked the card over to me, "Then I phoned him and said you'd been in an accident, blah, blah…and, basically, he's fine with you staying here to rest up," I didn't feel convinced.
"Where am I again …?" I looked about me.
"At this very second?" She grinned evilly.
"Well…yeah." I was dreading the answer…
"Syaoron's bed!" I blushed to the roots of my hair.
"HOEEE! What - ? I…I…" I began untangling myself from the sheets, even though I felt weak and ill.
"What are you doing? Get back in there!"
"B-but…"
"No! You have to relax and be calm! You do want to get better, don't you?"
"Yes, but…"
"Look, the guest rooms need decorating and this is the best room to heal in," she smiled, as if sharing a private joke, "Don't worry. Eat your soup – I'll be back in a few hours to check up on you."
"Where are you going…?" I asked, she turned to look at me.
"Oh, shopping," she said a little too innocently, "But Syaoran's here if you need anything," She laughed evilly and left, still laughing. I scowled – I bet Tomoyo had something to do with this.
I started eating my soup, which was delicious…my cheeks were still burning. Syaoran's room…Syaoran's things…Syaoran's bed…
Okay, I'll admit it – a part of me was a bit too comfortable with the arrangements – another, bigger part of me, was very tempted to tiptoe out of here and never look back.
I waited for a few minutes – I heard a door slam and new that it was Meilin leaving – my chance to escape. I thought about searching for Syaoran's aura…but he would probably notice if I did. I scowled…and then I remembered something from last night…
He saved me. He saved me. I blushed…I'd fallen into his arms and…what embarrassment! I shook my head vigorously - baka Sakura! Couldn't you even look after yourself anymore? This strengthened my resolve to get out of there as fast as possible.
Quickly and quietly, I slipped out of tangled sheets – my foot got caught and I ended up falling onto the floor – a burst of pain through my arm. I winced at the pain, and at the loud sound of me falling on the floor…I waited. No one came running in – this was good. I carefully got up and my foot gave way – damn! I looked at it and saw it was swollen and red. This wasn't good.
Fine – I'd crawl out. My lips pressed in a line of resolution I was on my hands and knees, crawling. I got to the door and used my good arm to open it…I winced - it creaked. Carefully, slowly, I coaxed the door open until there was enough of a gap to slip out…man, this was stressful!
I was in the corridor and the front door was in sight! Yes! Exactly what I'd do after that I didn't know, but as long as I was out of here I didn't care. I crawled towards the door, feeling pretty chuffed when…
The door opened – light blinded me.
"S-sakura…?" A man's uncertain voice. The man stepped forward and, from my vantage point, he seemed tall enough to block the sky - with messy brown hair and amber eyes…Li Syaoran. He looked down at me with wide eyes. My mouth went dry.
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Third person P.O.V
"I…I…" it was official – Li Syaoran had lost all power over his speech. He blinked and hoped the tiny creature on the floor would suddenly disappear…bizarrely; she was on her hands and knees, so he could see the dip down her nightie…he blushed deeply and quickly looked at her face – big mistake. It was like the gods above had decided to punish him – what had happened to the cute little ten year old he used to know? With that flat, slender unwomanly figure? Why had she changed?
He gulped as his eyes took her in – that sweet heart-shaped face was still the same, her eyes seemed more beautiful, their colour still that amazing emerald – but somehow deeper, more complex…her hair was the same honey-brown, but much longer, flowing mid-back…it was her figure that got him! In that painfully revealing nightie (power-green, that came to her mid-thigh) he could see those prominent collar-bones, the roundedness of her thighs, the pertness of her more womanly assets (another gulp) and the slenderness of her waist…he felt himself become so red he could explode. She was gorgeous! What the hell had happened? Not that she wasn't beautiful before it was just…not in such a sexy way.
Sakura was also coming to terms with the man before her. He looks so… different. That was one way of putting it; he didn't…he didn't look like her Syaoran. The image she had so carefully kept, close to her heart, of that proud, scowling ten year old – those amber eyes, full of fire and passion and determination – that messy, untameable oak-brown hair…his hair was the same. Nothing else was, though. His cheekbones (currently redder than tomatoes) had sharpened; his eyes had become somehow…sadder, less connected. She looked down and her eyes widened at his athletic form, honed into perfection from years of training – jeans and a T-shirt. He looked heart-achingly handsome and she wasn't sure how to handle this fact - this was the first time Sakura had ever felt this kind of deep attraction to a guy before…
Suddenly, she looked away – those years of him not even trying to contact her…those years of despair and hurt – they came hurtling back to her with a vengeance. She tried to sit back down on her ankles but winced – her foot ached. She ignored it.
"If you don't mind, Li-san, it would be very kind of you to direct me to your phone," She sad coldly. He stared at her – those hurt eyes, that innocently confused expression – he had noticed her wince, could see she was physically unwell. The bandage on her arm, the swollen ankle, the bruising…
"Why?" He croaked and then looked away, scowling at how pathetic he sounded – she blinked and looked at him.
"I want to go home."
"No."
"What?"
"You'll get better quicker here," he said in a no-argument kind of voice. Their eyes met.
"Why…why would you care?" she said quietly, with narrowed, suspicious eyes. He looked away, his stomach knotting.
"Of course I…" he stopped himself. He had no right to say he cared about her…he'd let go of that right years ago…he shook his head, "just…come on. Let me take you back to your room."
Before she could protest he knelt beside her and lifted her bridal-style – she squeaked. He made her feel tiny and light…she felt the muscles through his shirt – hard, knotted…she blushed deeply…what was wrong with her? Why couldn't she have some strength? This was just some guy who felt he could walk right out of her life and then come back like nothing had happened…
Without realising it she let her head rest on his chest and he slowed down – he wanted to keep her this close until…until forever. He felt her aura straining…she was so tired – her eyes fluttered closed and she murmured a few nonsensical things…his heart tugged. Why…?
He softly padded into his room and placed her on the tangled sheets…her arm flew up to her head and she breathed in deeply…her eyes fluttered…he drew away from her and stared…stared…the hollow of her collarbones, the creaminess of her skin, satin-silk to the touch…
He knelt and drew the covers over her exposed skin, the backs of fingers caressing it illegally…he shuddered and stood, stepping back. This was wrong. He knelt again, a thousand thoughts flying around his head; he brought his face close to hers – he brushed away a few locks of hair from her face and she sighed…he could have kissed her – kissed those reddened lips…
Instead he controlled himself and sat quietly by her side. He watched her, feeling despair, want, confusion…she would never forgive him; of that he was sure…but maybe, the old Sakura was somewhere in there – and she would forgive the tortured soul he had become...she would forgive anyone. Even him.
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A/N: Aw! How sad…anyways, make sure you guys review! I'm really growing fond of all you – but it would be nice to have some other people too – love ya all!