Hi~~ I know i haven't upload in so long and I'm really sorry. But this year we have three major exams and I was really busy ~~ I hope everyone will enjoy this chap ^^ Ja...


The Beginning

I locked the door behind me as I made my way to the supermarket. We were running way too low in groceries so I had to stock up. I took the sub and walked the last few blocks. Sighing, I grabbed a trolley and started from the aisle for spices. I was still a bit sore from my fever the last few days but luckily the medicine helped very much.

I would never have gone to the doctor if I had had a choice. Maybe I would have downed a couple of Penadols and be done with it.

When I was done with the spices, I headed for the pastry and got some bread then I went for the frozen section and helped myself to some cheap meat. As I was reaching for the bag of patties, my hand clashed with a other.

" Sorry."

"Sorry." a familiar voice sounded.

I quickly withdrew and gazed up to-who?

Well if course it was Mr. Lee! How could I not bump into him at the supermarket?

Damn my luck.

His look of surprise was quickly replaced with concern. As he opened his mouth to speak I held up my hand to stop him.

" I'm fine thank you very much."

I took the patty, put it in my trolley and started rolling away. I really was hoping the he would leave me like that but I guess it was too much to ask for.

" Wait, Sakura!" he called out but I quickened my pace. His trolley rolled beside mine and I felt his gaze on me.

"What? So now I have something on e my face?" I asked sarcastically as we made our way to the vegetable section.

" No..." he answered hesitantly

"I just... Wanted to talk to you... How are u really doing? How's your mother?"

" We are fine."

I quickened my pace and made sure he got the awful vibe that I was letting off. I didn't want to talk.

Both of us took the sub home. As the door opened at the Ichikoku station, I stumbled at the onslaught of the large crowd and pressed up against Li . Suddenly, I was hyper aware of him beside me. His body heat washing over me giving me goose bumps. His strong arm around my waist to keep me from falling. His hard chest and his heart beat. How could you describe a heart beat like his.? Somehow it was hallow but deep. Strong and painful to hear. It was beautiful music. And it was causing me to blush like a fan girl!

I pulled myself away from him and tried to keep some distance and he let me go. I tried to hide my blush by lowering my head, but it was no use, my face only got redder and my heart only jump faster. Help me….! The rest of the trip was spent in awkward silence. Awk-ward silence.

That night I spent in Peach and Punks was uneventful and the new band was horrible. Terrifically horrible and awesomely terrible. I was destined to lose my ears it seemed.

That night I dreamt of something horrible.

It was summer and the air was hot and dry. It was like being baked alive. The leaves were dry and people everywhere were in tanks and shorts. Then there was a fire. A huge fire. A terrible scream.

I woke up sweating heavily and panting.

The next morning, I shuffled past the small courtyard of Tokyo U. It was a nice day. Almost spring now. The snow was melting and the leaves were coming out. Green and lush.

Suddenly my hair was grabbed from behind and my wrist shackled by stranger hands. I was shocked and grunted in pain, struggling to get away but to no avail.

"You little fucking bitch!" someone hissed beside my ear. The hand pulling my hair twisted harder and I cried out.

"That's right. Scream. You should know how, you dirty little slut." a sadistic laugh sounded and I was starting to panic

. It wasn't a secluded area but there was rarely any traffic this early in the morning. And I didn't know who I was facing. Slowly a bead of sweat trickled past my temple, adrenaline was rushing through me but it was no use.

I felt a piece of jagged and cold metal on my cheeks and I started trembling. "What in the world did I do?" I asked hoarsely, eyes trying to keep track of the piece of metal. My hands still trying to get away.

" Tiffany said she saw you with Syaoran-sama. You, a little nobody. A worthless whore with Syaoran -sama! Acting all cuddly and sickly sweet! Tch. You'll pay dearly." she slowly pressed the metal deeper into my cheek until it was enough to draw a thin line of blood.

I gritted my teeth and was still struggling in vain.

" It wasn't like that!"

" Shut up! You piece of shit! I don't care" a heavy blow came at me and I felt my head snapped to the left.

It hurt! Shit! Damn it, it hurt!

I sucked in a huge mouthful of air trying to control the tears that was welling. I could feel her rage and her intent to hurt me growing, and I trembled harder.

Dear whoever-that's-up-there, what was it that I had done wrong?

I mused in pain as I tried one last time to explain." It really wasn't like that... I..." a scream of fury tore through the morning air as the I felt my cheek being slashed open and blood pouring down my neck. I cried in pain as I tried to kick out at whoever there was to defend myself but I could not. The girl continued her attacks and I saw that she could not be stopped by the frenzy of hate in her eyes. It was as if she was possessed.

A mad man.

I slid my eyes shut and waited, the tears leaving me although I was willing them not to.

Would this be the end of me? How about my mother? Father... Would I come to you now?

Another gash appeared at my forearm and I screamed harder. They didn't bother to muffle me. Repeatedly they slashed and cut, hit and raged and I was sobbing. Unable to do anything but let them rule me. Continuously sobbing. Letting the pain wash over me. I coughed up blood and thought that I had heard something crack.

Help... Someone, anyone... Help...

The feeling was growing more and more intense that even with my high tolerance for pain, it was coming to my limit. My struggles were getting weaker and I was starting to slump. There wasn't much energy left for me to stand and I fell to my knees and would have lain on the ground if they weren't holding onto me.

I could feel the darkness nearing and the pain slowly fading. I didn't want to go yet.

Not yet.

Not before my mother. I could hear sadistic laughter down the long dark tunnel and my heart was sinking.

No...

Suddenly I heard a cry of utmost rage and a sickening crunch from my left and felt my hair and hands being released as I crumbled to the floor. My consciousness returning a little along with the extreme pain as I tried to see from under my swollen and blurry eyelids. There was a maze of noises that I was too tired to register and a myriad if colours. I tried to call out but then it went dark.

The last thing I felt was being lifted into the air in an embrace of warmth and the sense that I was safe at last.

X X X X

My eyes watered as I slowly blink them open. The bright lights hurt like hell. In fact my whole body hurts like hell. I tried to sit up but found that I had not the strength. My throat was burning like a marshmallow on fire.

" Oh you're awake!" I slowly turned my head and found myself facing Daidouji, the girl from the cemetery.

" W...why are you h...ere?" I croaked out and then proceeded to cough like a person with lung cancer as a sharp pain course through me.

" Careful now. Here." she said as she helped me get into an upright position and slowly fed me water from a straw. The water that went down my throat was like ambrosia. So so sweet.

" How are you feeling?" she asked then waved her hand at me. " Nevermind that. You must feel awful."

I chuckled and tried to get more words out.

" I...m f...ine."

I sounded like a hundred-year-old crone. She looked at me incredulously and I looked away. We both knew that I was not fine.

" What are you doing here anyway?". Her expression darkened

"We found you when they were beating the hell out of you and took you here. Those bitches! They are probably going to serve a few years".

I felt nothing for them when she told me that just a slight pity.

"So, " I said looking at my body that was covered in huge mountains of bandages, " What have I got?"

She looked at me sympathetically and said, " Three broken ribs, a hairline fracture in the
skull, a mild concussion and some major bruises and scrapes."

" That's all?"

" That's all?" she lifted her eyebrows and cried out, "Those are very serious injuries you've got!"

I merely smiled. These were nothing actually. She shook her head and clucked at me to not exert myself and lie down.

" Syaoran will be here soon. He went to the canteen to get some food". She was tucking me in like a child and it felt nice. She was so motherly…

" Li ? Why is he here?" She turned those beautiful eyes at me and
replied.

" He was the one that saw you first and got you here. When we saw you like that we really thought that you weren't going to make it. There was so much blood and I've never seen him so angry before. He even punched that girl right in the face and Syaoran never lays a hand on girls you know."

I was silent as she told me that. A sudden warmth had flooded my heart. It was a wonderful feeling as if you were ubmerged in a warm bath after a cold night but it was scary as hell too. I pushed it to the back of my mind and swore to never think of it.

Just then the door opened to revealed a dishevelled Li in sweats and jeans with a five o'clock shadow. He looked as if he had not slept in days. His eyes widened as he took in Miss Daidouji talking to me and he was visibly relieved. Slowly he smiled. His face softening.

" I'm glad you're up. Feeling good?"

" Never better" I gave him a small smile. After all I really did felt a deep gratitude towards him.

" I think I should go. See you later Kinomoto- san." Miss Daidouji got up with her bag and
was just about to turn the knob when she faced me again and asked " By the way, what's your favuorite food?"

I was preplexed and didn't answer until she called again.

" Kinomoto san?" I shook my head slightly- which I immediately stop doing since it was like
having your head run over by a truck.-

" I .. I like spaghetti." I replied a bit hesitantly. This girl that barely knows me is asking me
of my favourite food. Wow.

" Spaghetti it is then." she said and left the room gracefully. I watched her going with a tiny smile. She's cool alright and really kind.

" Is she going to bring me spaghetti?" I wondered at Li who just grinned and set down his lunch judging by the day. Suddenly a thought struck me. Oh my god and panic crashed down unto me like a tidal wave. I quickly tried to get down from the bed but was failing terribly. Li saw what I was doing and held out a hand stopping me.

" It's ok. I've been to see her just this morning." My mouth fell a slight bit open.

" You did what?" I half yell, half croaked. Great I sound like a sick frog.

" She's dangerous when she isn't in a good mood! How could you? You need to watch out!"

I bit out worry now added to the panic which was slowly turning into anger. How could he endanger himself like that? He lifted his eyebrows at me then fixed his stare at his lunch, his hands reaching for it when I grabbed it with effort. He had decide to ignore me and I was getting furious.

" Hey! You listening to me? You know how she can be and you're not even someone she's familiar with! What if she does something to you?"

" I should be asking you that shouldn't ?" he turned towards me eyeing me with those amber eyes. I backtracked suddenly.

" I...I ... I'm someone she knows. She's my mom."

" It' doesn't make a difference when half the time she doesn't recognize you." I flinched at his word and promptly let the sandwich fall. Yeah. It doesn't make a difference doesn't it? She's my Mom and she doesn't t even know me! Gosh the irony.

Li looked uncomfortable and frustrated all of a sudden.

" I'm sorry. It's... It's just... Those bitches! How could they do this to you?" he burst in rage.

I spared him a glance and decided to sleep some more.

" Don't you give me that!" he shook me. I felt as if a train had run over me and a sense of
nausea hit me.

" S...st...op..."

" Sorry." he let go of me and I laid back to calm myself.

" I'm really sorry you know."

" 'Bout what?" I asked nonchalantly. His head snapped up to read my expression and his turned into one of disbelieve.

" Those awful...ugh... Those things that did this to you! It was all because of me! Wasn't it?"

I half-smiled and half-smirked.

" Who do you think you are?"

He smirked back.

" Only the most desirable, honey."

I blanched and he laughed out loud. His laugh was pleasant to hear. A deep but smooth rumble. And I smiled. Slowly I registered the pain that I was feeling growing more intense as I winced. Li noticed and pushed the button for the nurse.

" They'll give you some morphine." I nodded as the nurse walked in and injected something into the IV. Slowly I closed my eyes and fell into dreams.

The last thing I saw was his soft and endearing smile. Lighting up everything and I was safe again.


So~~~~~ Review? Please~~~~~ I'll give you a Naruto pillow! Nah~ I've been hooked up in Naruto( yes, even when I have exams. Its a form of relaxation) and I'm supporting NaruHina SasuSaku and other various pairings. Though I prefer ShikaIno to ShikaTem. Anyway...

! XD

JenAr.