Syaoran sat on a hill near a park watching the sunset. The wind blew peacefully as the loose leaves and flowers danced in the air. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath to enjoy the fresh crisp air. He was so subdued that he didn't turn around when he heard footsteps approach from behind.

"Syaoran?" A female voice asked questionably as she sat down next to him.

"Isn't it beautiful Sakura?" He asked.

There was no response from her, so he turned lightly and caught a smile upon her lips. Looking back to the beautiful entanglement of colors, he noticed that they were fading slowly as a quick gust of wind brought huge black clouds covering up the once peaceful sky. Syaoran turned to Sakura, but she wasn't there. Jumping up form the ground he turned and took off running back to the road. When he reached the street he could finally see Sakura's figure running away. "Sakura!" He shouted to her as he chased after her. "Sakura wait!" She didn't even acknowledge that she heard him and kept running. Syaoran was beginning to catch up with her when he saw a car speeding towards her. Sakura continued running not changing her path and the car screeched its tires as it headed right to her. "SAKURA!! NO!!"

Syaoran's eyes snapped open and he was drenched in a cold sweat. Realizing where he was, he turned to the bed but saw no lump. Sitting up abruptly, he started to panic as he turned to look right in front of him. There she sat in the chair in front of the window, calmly and collectively looking out to the abyss of night. Sighing, Syaoran ran a hand through his hair.

Catching her attention, Sakura turned to look at him. "Are you okay?" She asked with a hint on concern in her voice. The moonlight from the window illuminated her face as she tilted her head slightly.

'She looks like a goddess in the light' Syaoran thought to himself as he tried to smile and gruffly replied, "Yeah." Leaning back on the sofa he glanced at his watch. 1:48 am. Looking back to Sakura, she had already returned her gaze to the window. "Did you sleep at all?" he questioned.

"A little." She replied without looking at him.

"Sakura" he started as he leaned forward to get up from the sofa. He walked over to her, placing his hands on either armrest of her chair and then crouched down. "You're going to make yourself sick. Your body needs rest."

She finally turned and looked down to him. "I know," she said barely audible. She looked to his face, now visible in the moonlight and saw the worry written all over it. She smiled lightly as she placed a hand on his cheek. He leaned into it slightly as she spoke gently, "You worry to much. I'm fine."

"I wouldn't worry so much if I actually believed that." He looked intensely into her eyes and she dropped her smile and her hand.

"Syao-" She started, but was interrupted by his protest.

"Sakura, you have to stop. Your body can't take much more of this. That was very apparent yesterday morning when you passed out in your room. Please. . . I don't want to lose you." His eyes were moist on the brink of tears. The nightmare was still so vividly clear in his mind. He had a really bad feeling that he just couldn't shake. She was too important to him to lose just yet.

Her face grew pale as a tear rolled escaped her eyes. "I," she took in a sharp breath. "I can't do this anymore" she chocked out as tears started flowing freely and she covered the site with her hands. She quietly sobbed.

Syaoran quickly took action and sat up on his knees taking her into a warm embrace. "Sakura, it's going to be okay." He tightened his grip on her and gently pushed her head to his shoulder. Accepting his comfort, Sakura wrapped her arms around his back tightly letting out all of her hidden emotions. Her sobs rocked both their bodies as Syaoran tried to absorb all of her pain. He couldn't stand seeing her like this. He too let tears silently fall from his already damp eyes.

Sakura felt a drop hit her shoulder and subsided from her sobbing. As a few more tears left her eyes she pulled back slightly to look at Syaoran's face, which he tilted down to hide from her. "Syao." She whispered. He looked up at her, tears still flowing helplessly down his cheeks. "I'm sorry." She whispered again as she tried to wipe away his tears even though they still came. Another tear escaped her own eye as she laced her hands through his hair and pulled him to her.

Syaoran closed his eyes trying to regain control over his own emotions. "I can't lose you. I just can't. These past weeks without you being around all the time, being happy, they have been hell for me. I need you Sakura." He whispered.

"I'm sorry," She whispered back to him as she pulled his head back to look into his eyes. "I'm here now." Laughing lightly, she added, "You know it doesn't do us any good when we both fall apart." She smiled tenderly as Syaoran chuckled a bit, and she saw something in his eyes. 'What could that be? That's not his normal concern, distress, sadness, or happiness. It's something different. Could it be. . . love? No! What am I thinking? My emotions are running away with me. He is my best friend! How could he love me? But still. . . it's so much more gentle then before' She was lost in his eyes distracted from everything else.

'I need her. I know I need her. But it feels like more then what a friend should be. Her eyes. . Her gentle eyes. They are so inviting. I feel safe here with her. Everything will be okay, no matter what. Everything will be okay as long as she is here with me.' He let his hand gently run down her back to rest on the chair. Even with the movement, her gaze never left his. 'But, what was the dream? A vision? Is something going to happen to Sakura? What has she had to endure while she was not around? Am I going to lose her? Is that what the dream meant?' Syaoran tried to contemplate everything in his head. There were too many thoughts that he did not understand. Even still, he could feel something lurking on the horizon. What ever it was, it wasn't over yet.

Sakura watched as his eyes turned from soft and gentle to full of fear and worry. "Syaoran, are you okay?" She ran a hand through his messy chocolate brown hair.

He let his mind push the thoughts to the back of his head as he smiled lightly. "Yeah, sorry. Are you okay?" He asked with equal concern.

She left her hand in his hair and paused before responding. "Yeah. Thank you Syaoran, for everything." He nodded ever so slightly and she looked back out the window.

"Sakura" He pulled her back into conversation. "I called your father while you were in the shower."

Sakura lowered her hand from his head to his shoulder. "You did?"

Syaoran nodded and continued. "He said that they were back home and that everything was going to be fine, but he wants us to enjoy the rest of our vacation."

Sakura froze for a moment before looking out the window again. "Syao, can you do me a favor?"

He lost his smile at her reaction. Something was wrong. He could feel it. "Anything." He said with determination.

"Stay by me tonight." She spoke still looking out the window as if entranced by the moon.

"I'm right here." He told her slightly confused of what she was asking.

She looked to him as she stood up making him do the same. Staring into his confused eyes she took his hand and stepped over to the bed. She beckoned him to sit and then lay down. He did as she directed while she lay down next to him. Her back was to him and she whispered out, "Please hold me, just for tonight."

Syaoran turned towards her and wrapped one hand around her stomach, pulling her back up against his chest. Lying on his other arm, he brought his hand down to her hair and stroked it gently. "I'm right here." He whispered into her hair as he closed his eyes taking in her sweet scent.

Sakura closed her eyes and placed a hand over his gently entwining her fingers with his. A tear slid out from under her eyelid. "My mother is sick." She stopped and took in the silence. Syaoran knew better then to interrupt Sakura when she finally decided to reveal information. "She's not better Syaoran. She never will be." Syaoran opened his eyes but continued stroking her hair to offer comfort. "She has been sick for a while, a little over a year now. They only told me when it became noticeable." She took in a deep breath opening her eyes and Syaoran gently squeezed her hand to prompt her to continue. "She never lost her job, she had to leave it. When I came home from school that day to find her there, I knew something was wrong. She was sitting in the living room with a cup of tea in her hands." Sakura closed her eyes again to remember the detailed picture in her mind. "My dad walked out of the kitchen and asked me to sit with them on the sofa. I sat in between them as my mother held my hand. I looked to my dad for answers but he only regretfully smiled. I asked my mom what was going on and then she told me. "Sweetheart, I have cancer" I was so upset that I jumped up from the sofa and turned around to face them. I was angry when I asked how long they had known, but when my dad said that it had been a year, I lost it. I ran to my room and slammed the door. I couldn't believe they waited so long to tell me. They probably thought I couldn't handle it, and they were right." Sakura shuddered slightly and clung to Syaoran's hand a little tighter. "I remember you tried to call me and I told you I wasn't feeling well. I just couldn't deal with everything. I couldn't let you see me fall apart." Sakura laughed a little and took her other hand to wipe a tear from her eye, "A little late now isn't it?" Syaoran still didn't speak; he only pressed his forehead against the back of her head. Sakura sighed and continued quieter. "After that, I was mean. I wouldn't even talk to them. I would come straight home and to my room. I didn't want to face them. I didn't want to believe them. I just wanted things to go back to the way they were, but that would never be again." She paused for a while and they laid in silence. A few minutes passed and Syaoran wondered if she had actually fallen asleep, but then she continued. "I don't know what to do." She whispered.

Syaoran hugged her tightly and spoke into her hair. "Whatever you need, I will do for you. I'm sorry you had to endure this pain alone, but now I know. Let me help you through this. I'm here now."

Sakura cried more in relief then in sadness, "Thank you Syao. You don't know what this means to me." Sakura remembered something that Syaoran had told her a long time ago when they were kids. He had lost his father. He passed away due to injuries he received from a car accident. His mother had been so devastated that she went into isolation. He was raised by his house attendants and when he was 16, moved out on his own. His mother sent him money to live, but would never speak to him. He reminded her too much of the one she lost. Sakura whispered, "I don't want to be alone."

Syaoran lifted up slightly to whisper in her ear, "You won't ever be alone while I'm around." He kissed her cheek as if it was a natural reaction. 'What am I doing? She is never going to talk to me again if I keep acting like this!'

Sakura's eyes opened wide with surprise at his actions. 'Why is he so comforting to me? Why do I feel like this is somehow right?' Sakura softened her expression as turned to lay on her back looking up at him as he propped his head on his hand, elbow supporting his weight. She still held his hand keeping it over her stomach. Her eyes saddened as she tried to read his face in the darkness. "You were left alone, I will be too."

Syaoran was starting to understand what she was getting at. "Sakura, your father loves you. He will never leave you alone."

Sakura's eyes started to get moist as she choked out, "but your mother left you."

Syaoran frowned as memories from his childhood entered his head. "Sakura, my situation was different. My mother had no time to adjust or heal. I'm sure your father has prepared himself for-" he stopped as he looked at her face, tears starting up again. "Your father loves you so much. He as been there for you before, right now, and he will always be there to help you. He cared enough to know you were hurting. He cared enough to get you away from it for a while so you could heal." He took the hand that she still held and wiped away a tear with his thumb, placing his arm back on her stomach after the simple act. "Your mother loves you too, you know that, right?"

With that said Sakura broke down once again. She leaned into Syaoran as he lay on his back and let her cry into his chest. She clung tightly to his shirt as his arms encircled her back. 'My sweet Sakura.' Syaoran thought to himself. Running his hand up and down her back he closed his eyes. 'I just want you to be happy. That's all I've ever wanted.'

Syaoran looked to the clock beside the bed. 3:54 am. Thirty minutes had passed since her breathing had fallen into a steady rhythm and her movements had ceased. 'Good. She's finally asleep.' He closed his eyes and finally let sleep overtake him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fujitaka opened his eyes as he felt the bed slightly move. Looking to Nadeshiko as she tossed and turned he wondering if she was suffering. Sitting up, he put a hand on her hot forehead stroking it gently. "Everything is okay." He whispered to her lovingly as he bent down and kissed her forehead where his hand used to be. She stopped moving and he watched her for a few moments. 'She looks peaceful now. I wonder what it was.' He laid his head back down still watching her intently and took the back of his fingers stroking her cheek. She stirred and he pulled away.

Nadeshiko groggily opened her eyes. "Everything okay?" She asked quietly.

He placed his hand on her cheek. "I was going to ask you the same. Were you having a nightmare?"

She raised her own hand to his face. "It was nothing love."

Fujitaka tilted his mouth to her hand, kissing it tenderly. "Sorry I woke you. Go back to sleep."

Nadeshiko scooted closer her husband and melted into his arms as he wrapped them around her. Both of them drifted back to sleep with the comfort of the others warmth.