Syaoran sat in his living room watching the sun come up through his window.
He hadn't slept well last night. Tomoyo and Eriol didn't stay that long,
he just couldn't get to sleep. Growing impatient of waiting, he decided
that he was going to go for a walk to clear his head.
He walked at a decent pace and ended up a block away from Sakura's house. 'It's still too early so I have some time to kill.' Rounding the corner he thought, 'I wonder how Sakura is doing'
Flashing lights and sirens hurried past him and he lifted his head to see where they were going. As the ambulance started to come to a stop Syaoran's heart skipped a beat. "NO!" He almost yelled out as he took of into a run. By the time he reached Sakura's house the paramedics were already entering the house. Syaoran's heart ached as he entered after them to find Sakura in the living room watching her mother being carried away on a stretcher.
Syaoran stepped out of the way to allow the paramedics passage to take Nadeshiko to the ambulance. Fujitaka came down the stairs a solemn expression on his face. Syaoran looked to him as he approached. Fujitaka placed a hand on Syaoran's shoulder. "Hello my boy. I'm sorry you had to be here when something like this happened, but I need to ask you a favor."
Syaoran nodded, "Anything sir. What do you need me to do?"
Fujitaka gave him a weak smile and glanced at Sakura who was a few feet away still watching as they loaded the stretcher in the ambulance. Looking back to Syaoran he spoke a bit quieter making Syaoran strain to hear all of what he was saying. "Touya has gone back home and I don't know when, or if he can make it back and I would like to accompany my wife to the hospital. What I need of you is to take care of Sakura for me. Can you please take her back to your house and protect her until we return back home?"
Syaoran was shocked at how straightforward he was being. "S-sure. Not a problem."
Fujitaka smiled. "I knew I could trust you Syaoran. You are a good boy. Please take care of my little girl." He left Syaoran standing there looking at the void where Fujitaka use to be, and he walked over to Sakura. "Take care sweetie, I will call you soon." He kissed her forehead and jogged out the doorway quickly getting into the ambulance before they sped off into the distance.
Syaoran turned to Sakura who was still staring out the front door and slowly approached her. "Sakura?"
A single tear slid down her cheek as she whispered to him, "It's starting."
Syaoran didn't know what to say so he did the only thing he could. He walked up to Sakura and wrapped his strong arms around her small frame and pulled her into a hug. It took her a minute to respond, but when she did it was with all her emotion. Sakura wrapped her hands around his back and tightly gripped the back of his shirt as her sadness overwhelmed her. Sobs racked her body as she pressed her face harder into his chest. Syaoran tightened his grip on her moving one hand up into her hair as he lowered his head to meet the top of her head. He closed his eyes to try to keep in the tears that threatened to run from his own eyes.
"It's gonna be okay Sakura. We'll get through this. I'll be here to help you."
Sakura's body started to give out from all the anxiety. Her knees buckled and Syaoran lowered them both gently to the floor, pulling Sakura into his lap still hugging her tightly. 'What has been going on Sakura? What is happening? Has it been this bad the whole time? Why didn't you tell me before?' The questions started to run through his head, but he pushed them back knowing fully well that when she was ready to talk she would come to him. He stoked her hair as she clung to his shirt and continued to sob. 'She's so helpless, but she is still so. beautiful.' His eyes stared blankly at the wall. 'What am I saying?' He shrugged slightly getting rid of the thought.
Sakura calmed at his movement quieting her sobs but still holding tightly to his shirt. She strained to speak as all of her energy had been spent. "Let's get out of here Syaoran."
Syaoran gently placed his hand in her hair. "Okay Sakura. Where would you like to go?"
Sakura lifted her head from his chest and looked at his brown eyes. "Anywhere but here... lets go far away. a trip. If only for a day, that would be enough." Her eyes were bloodshot and puffy. The pleading expression on her face was enough for him but he wasn't sure if that was a good idea.
Syaoran moved a piece of her hair that had fallen in her face behind her ear. "Sure."
Sakura smiled, "I'll be right back." She slowly stood up and headed for the stairs. Reaching for the banister, she turned. "Thank you Syaoran. You're a great friend." With that she turned and went up to her room.
"No problem kiddo." He responded as he watched her leave his sight. When she could no longer see him, he pulled out his cell phone and quickly dialed a number. "Hello Mr. Kinomoto. It's Syaoran."
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Eriol's eyes opened and he looked at his clock.
8:05 AM
He sighed and put the pillow over his head. A knock came to his hotel room door. He pulled the pillow from his face and sat up.
"Eriol? Are you awake?" It was Tomoyo.
Eriol got out of bed walking to the door in his flannel pajama bottoms and white shirt. He opened the door to an already dressed Tomoyo. He laughed, "Couldn't wait to get started with the day could you?"
She blushed and looked down. Eriol reached out his hand to her cheek and gazed softly at her. "Don't worry about it. I'll be ready in a few minutes." He gently pulled her into his room and lead her to sit on the bed where he gave her a gentle kiss and turned grabbing some clothes and entering the bathroom.
Tomoyo smiled and grabbed the remote control flipping on the TV while Eriol got a shower.
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Syaoran closed his cell phone and just looked at it. Mr. Kinomoto had been to understanding. Something was going on and no one would tell him. He opened his phone again and started to dial another number. Before he could complete it, he heard a loud thud come from upstairs. Dropping the phone he ran up the stairs two at a time almost falling over when he reached the top step. Stumbling a bit, he reached for Sakura's door and slowly pushed it open. She was sprawled on the floor with her eyes closed. "Sakura" He whispered. Gently picking up her head he placed it in his lap. She didn't have a temperature, but he was concerned nonetheless.
Sakura was in her dreamland once again. The wind blew past her hair and she turned around to look at the trees. Instead of the gorgeous flowers falling from the trees like before, there were ugly dried up leaves. She looked closer and noticed that the tree was dying. She turned slightly to look at another tree only to find the same thing. The wind slowed down and Sakura started walking away from the dreary scene only to find herself stuck in the middle of more lifeless trees. She started jogging. "Sakura" Her name was whispered in a way that it sounded as if the wind itself was calling to her. She ran a little faster. "Sakura" the voice repeated again. She kept running until something appeared in her way. She stopped dead in her tracks to see a woman dressed in white levitating slightly above the ground. "Sakura please."
Syaoran touched her forehead again and her eyes shot open. He pulled back slightly in surprise then looked into her eyes. "Are you okay?"
She looked up at his face and breathed out a quiet "yeah". Rolling to her side off of Syaoran's lap she sat up and placed her hand on the floor to steady herself. He back was to him and she closed her eyes. "Sorry to scare you. It's just been a stressful morning." She hoped he wouldn't try to pry a better answer out of her and was grateful when he remained quiet behind her.
Syaoran watched her quietly. She had remained in that position for a few minutes and he knew it wasn't helping her to remain in the house for the time being. He stood up and walked to her side. Extending a hand to her he waited for her to place her soft hand in his so he could help her up.
Sakura looked up at him with a smile and accepted his offer.
"Pack a few things. Your father wants me to take you away for a while. He also said we could borrow your mom's car." He watched as she smirked at the information.
She walked over to her closet and grabbed a bag off the floor. She started to pack a few things while Syaoran went and sat on her bed to wait.
He walked at a decent pace and ended up a block away from Sakura's house. 'It's still too early so I have some time to kill.' Rounding the corner he thought, 'I wonder how Sakura is doing'
Flashing lights and sirens hurried past him and he lifted his head to see where they were going. As the ambulance started to come to a stop Syaoran's heart skipped a beat. "NO!" He almost yelled out as he took of into a run. By the time he reached Sakura's house the paramedics were already entering the house. Syaoran's heart ached as he entered after them to find Sakura in the living room watching her mother being carried away on a stretcher.
Syaoran stepped out of the way to allow the paramedics passage to take Nadeshiko to the ambulance. Fujitaka came down the stairs a solemn expression on his face. Syaoran looked to him as he approached. Fujitaka placed a hand on Syaoran's shoulder. "Hello my boy. I'm sorry you had to be here when something like this happened, but I need to ask you a favor."
Syaoran nodded, "Anything sir. What do you need me to do?"
Fujitaka gave him a weak smile and glanced at Sakura who was a few feet away still watching as they loaded the stretcher in the ambulance. Looking back to Syaoran he spoke a bit quieter making Syaoran strain to hear all of what he was saying. "Touya has gone back home and I don't know when, or if he can make it back and I would like to accompany my wife to the hospital. What I need of you is to take care of Sakura for me. Can you please take her back to your house and protect her until we return back home?"
Syaoran was shocked at how straightforward he was being. "S-sure. Not a problem."
Fujitaka smiled. "I knew I could trust you Syaoran. You are a good boy. Please take care of my little girl." He left Syaoran standing there looking at the void where Fujitaka use to be, and he walked over to Sakura. "Take care sweetie, I will call you soon." He kissed her forehead and jogged out the doorway quickly getting into the ambulance before they sped off into the distance.
Syaoran turned to Sakura who was still staring out the front door and slowly approached her. "Sakura?"
A single tear slid down her cheek as she whispered to him, "It's starting."
Syaoran didn't know what to say so he did the only thing he could. He walked up to Sakura and wrapped his strong arms around her small frame and pulled her into a hug. It took her a minute to respond, but when she did it was with all her emotion. Sakura wrapped her hands around his back and tightly gripped the back of his shirt as her sadness overwhelmed her. Sobs racked her body as she pressed her face harder into his chest. Syaoran tightened his grip on her moving one hand up into her hair as he lowered his head to meet the top of her head. He closed his eyes to try to keep in the tears that threatened to run from his own eyes.
"It's gonna be okay Sakura. We'll get through this. I'll be here to help you."
Sakura's body started to give out from all the anxiety. Her knees buckled and Syaoran lowered them both gently to the floor, pulling Sakura into his lap still hugging her tightly. 'What has been going on Sakura? What is happening? Has it been this bad the whole time? Why didn't you tell me before?' The questions started to run through his head, but he pushed them back knowing fully well that when she was ready to talk she would come to him. He stoked her hair as she clung to his shirt and continued to sob. 'She's so helpless, but she is still so. beautiful.' His eyes stared blankly at the wall. 'What am I saying?' He shrugged slightly getting rid of the thought.
Sakura calmed at his movement quieting her sobs but still holding tightly to his shirt. She strained to speak as all of her energy had been spent. "Let's get out of here Syaoran."
Syaoran gently placed his hand in her hair. "Okay Sakura. Where would you like to go?"
Sakura lifted her head from his chest and looked at his brown eyes. "Anywhere but here... lets go far away. a trip. If only for a day, that would be enough." Her eyes were bloodshot and puffy. The pleading expression on her face was enough for him but he wasn't sure if that was a good idea.
Syaoran moved a piece of her hair that had fallen in her face behind her ear. "Sure."
Sakura smiled, "I'll be right back." She slowly stood up and headed for the stairs. Reaching for the banister, she turned. "Thank you Syaoran. You're a great friend." With that she turned and went up to her room.
"No problem kiddo." He responded as he watched her leave his sight. When she could no longer see him, he pulled out his cell phone and quickly dialed a number. "Hello Mr. Kinomoto. It's Syaoran."
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Eriol's eyes opened and he looked at his clock.
8:05 AM
He sighed and put the pillow over his head. A knock came to his hotel room door. He pulled the pillow from his face and sat up.
"Eriol? Are you awake?" It was Tomoyo.
Eriol got out of bed walking to the door in his flannel pajama bottoms and white shirt. He opened the door to an already dressed Tomoyo. He laughed, "Couldn't wait to get started with the day could you?"
She blushed and looked down. Eriol reached out his hand to her cheek and gazed softly at her. "Don't worry about it. I'll be ready in a few minutes." He gently pulled her into his room and lead her to sit on the bed where he gave her a gentle kiss and turned grabbing some clothes and entering the bathroom.
Tomoyo smiled and grabbed the remote control flipping on the TV while Eriol got a shower.
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Syaoran closed his cell phone and just looked at it. Mr. Kinomoto had been to understanding. Something was going on and no one would tell him. He opened his phone again and started to dial another number. Before he could complete it, he heard a loud thud come from upstairs. Dropping the phone he ran up the stairs two at a time almost falling over when he reached the top step. Stumbling a bit, he reached for Sakura's door and slowly pushed it open. She was sprawled on the floor with her eyes closed. "Sakura" He whispered. Gently picking up her head he placed it in his lap. She didn't have a temperature, but he was concerned nonetheless.
Sakura was in her dreamland once again. The wind blew past her hair and she turned around to look at the trees. Instead of the gorgeous flowers falling from the trees like before, there were ugly dried up leaves. She looked closer and noticed that the tree was dying. She turned slightly to look at another tree only to find the same thing. The wind slowed down and Sakura started walking away from the dreary scene only to find herself stuck in the middle of more lifeless trees. She started jogging. "Sakura" Her name was whispered in a way that it sounded as if the wind itself was calling to her. She ran a little faster. "Sakura" the voice repeated again. She kept running until something appeared in her way. She stopped dead in her tracks to see a woman dressed in white levitating slightly above the ground. "Sakura please."
Syaoran touched her forehead again and her eyes shot open. He pulled back slightly in surprise then looked into her eyes. "Are you okay?"
She looked up at his face and breathed out a quiet "yeah". Rolling to her side off of Syaoran's lap she sat up and placed her hand on the floor to steady herself. He back was to him and she closed her eyes. "Sorry to scare you. It's just been a stressful morning." She hoped he wouldn't try to pry a better answer out of her and was grateful when he remained quiet behind her.
Syaoran watched her quietly. She had remained in that position for a few minutes and he knew it wasn't helping her to remain in the house for the time being. He stood up and walked to her side. Extending a hand to her he waited for her to place her soft hand in his so he could help her up.
Sakura looked up at him with a smile and accepted his offer.
"Pack a few things. Your father wants me to take you away for a while. He also said we could borrow your mom's car." He watched as she smirked at the information.
She walked over to her closet and grabbed a bag off the floor. She started to pack a few things while Syaoran went and sat on her bed to wait.