HI GUYS. SORRY IT TOOK ME SO LONG TO UPDATE, BUT I DIDN'T FORGET ABOUT YOU. IT'S BEEN REALLY HECTIC, BUT NOW THAT VACATION HAS COME AROUND I SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET A FEW CHAPTERS OUT BEFORE IT'S OVER. THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO TAKES THE TIME OUT TO READ MY LITTLE STORY. I WISH YOU ALL THE HAPPIEST OF HOLIDAYS AND A MERRY NEW YEAR!

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A car door slammed and Touya lifted his head from the newspaper he was reading on the sofa. Yukito stood and walked past him towards the door. "It must be Sakura." Yuki spoke softly.

"She didn't call." Touya responded in a puzzled tone.

Yukito opened the door and looked at the two cars now parked in front of the house. "He probably brought her home early." Yuki whispered.

Touya heard him clearly and stood up quickly walking to the door to look over Yuki's shoulder. "Is that Eriol?" He asked looking at the young man helping a beautiful girl out of the passenger side of the car he drove. Looking up to the next car, he watched as Sakura closed the door and opened the trunk getting out her bag. "What did-" He stopped mid sentence as he watched Syaoran climb out of the drivers side of his mother's car. "He took the car?" A tinge of anger hung on his voice before Yuki turned around to face Touya.

"Now is not the time." Yukito simply stated as he brushed past Touya to sit back on the sofa.

Touya's gaze followed Yukito. When Yuki sat, Touya sighed. 'He's right. He's always right. Now is not the time.' Touya left the door open and went back to sit next to Yukito on the sofa. "Thanks Yuki."

Yukito smiled and looked to the door.

Eriol was the first to come through door followed closely behind Tomoyo. Looking straight to Yukito and Touya a bright smile burst onto his face. "It's been a long time my friends." Eriol spoke soothingly.

Touya stood just after Yukito got up from his seat. Yukito and Eriol meet halfway as they shook hands and briefly hugged. Touya repeating Yukito's actions just after Yuki pulled away.

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Sakura watched as Eriol and Tomoyo entered her house. Closing the trunk after collecting her things she looked to Syaoran. He was outside the car, but leaning against it. He was looking at the house as if it were a million miles away, and to top it off her was getting paler by the minute.

Throwing her bag over her shoulder she walked around the car to Syaoran, but before she got close enough he turned to look at her.

Putting on another fake smile, he backed away from the car and closed the door walking around the opposite end of the car away from Sakura.

She watched him walk up the path and turn to her.

"Let's go see your mother." Syaoran spoke reassuringly.

Sakura nodded and jogged a bit to catch up to him. "Okay." She sighed as she walked past him to the front door.

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Both men turned their attention to the girl standing behind Eriol. Yukito was the first to speak, "Who is this beauty Eriol?"

Eriol smiled and turned to Tomoyo grasping her hand and pulling her closer to the small group of men. "This is Tomoyo, and she is amazing."

Tomoyo blushed at Eriol's compliments and the gentle way Yukito took her hand and softly kissed it.

"I'm Yukito." He said politely as he released Tomoyo's hand. Turning to his side, he placed his hand on Touya's shoulder. "And this is Touya, Sakura's older brother."

Touya stepped forward and shook the girls hand just as Sakura walked through the door.

Tomoyo's gaze followed his and she smiled to the girl.

Touya walked to his sister who stood just inside the door. "Hey" he whispered to her.

She responded in an equally quite voice. "Hey."

Touya reached forward and pulled her into a tight embrace. "Glad your back."

Sakura pulled away from him and looked to the floor. "Me too."

Looking past Sakura, Touya glared at Syaoran. Any normal day he would be all over the kid, but today just wasn't one of the days. He was about to turn away but he noticed a difference in Syaoran. Sakura pushed past Touya but he continued to watch Syaoran as he approached the house. Syaoran nodded and waited for Touya to move so he could enter. Touya blinked his eyes as if trying to clear a haze from them. "Are you-" He started to ask but before he could finish Syaoran smiled, which he never does in front of Touya. Stepping back a bit Syaoran entered.

As he walked by Touya, Syaoran muttered in a scratchy voice "I'm fine."

Touya closed the door and hesitated a moment before turning back to the occupants of the house. 'Oh no. What are we going to do?' Yukito called his name and he turned around to a concerned look on his best friends face.
Touya gave a halfhearted smile as he joined the company in the living room.

Yukito, Eriol and Tomoyo were getting acquainted. It's funny how even with a heavy layer of sadness people can still go on. But Touya gave them credit for trying to pretend things were back to normal. Looking around the room, he saw Syaoran leaning against a wall and Sakura looking down the hall where her mother's room was.

Sakura glanced at Touya before going down the hall to see her mother.

Syaoran watched in silence to everything that was going on. He could still clearly see her on the stretcher as the paramedics took her away. Closing his eyes he took in a breath. It was getting quite tasking to even perform such a normal thing. His lungs were tight and the air felt cold. 'How nice it would be to go lie down in my own bed. . . but I can't leave Sakura. Not yet.' He watched as she disappeared into her mother's room and he leaned his head against the wall. 'But she doesn't want me. . .'

Tomoyo looked up from the conversation and watched as Syaoran seemed to be lost in his own thoughts. She sighed and turned back to smile for Yukito.

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Pushing the door open cautiously and stepped inside. Her father was in a chair sitting not too far from the bed on the opposite side of the room.

Fujitaka saw his daughter enter and his face brightened as a smile worked it's way up his face. "Hi sweetie."

Nadeshiko, who was looking at Fujitaka, turned her head to see Sakura as well. She smiled as if it had been the first time she had seen the sun. "Welcome home."

Sakura's eyes began to water and she ran to her mother, collapsing into bed as she hugged her mother tightly. "I'm sorry." She choked out. "I'm sorry I've been so horrible lately."

Nadeshiko held her daughter and closed her eyes. "It's okay sweetie."

Fujitaka moved to the bed as well and draped himself over his daughter and wife. "We are glad you came back to us."

Sakura cried for her selfishness and her weak spirit. 'How could I have done that? My mom means everything to me and I left her when she needed me most!' Sakura whispered into her mother's ear. "I'm sorry mom, but I'm here now and I promise not to leave again."

Nadeshiko stroked Sakura's hair lovingly as she Fujitaka sat up locking eyes with Nadeshiko.

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Touya looked over at Syaoran who was now slightly swaying. He began to walk over until Syaoran's head shot up. There was a tense moment of observation before Touya approached Syaoran. Confusion was written all over Syaoran's face as Touya sighed and spoke quietly. "Look, I know you want to be here for Sakura, but I think it's best if you go home right now."

Syaoran attempted to glare at Touya for telling him what to do, but gave in and looked towards the hall. "I know."

"Get some rest and I'm sure she will call you later." Touya spoke with more compassion than Syaoran had heard out of him before.

Syaoran pushed away from the wall and began to walk to the door.

"Hey, Syao. . ." Eriol called to him as he passed the couch.

Syaoran turned and waited. "Yeah?"

Eriol smiled. "Do you want us to come?"

Syaoran shook his head. "Nah, it's fine. I'll talk to you guys later." He made an attempt to smile as he opened the door and stepped out, quickly closing it behind him.

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Sakura sat up and looked at her mother. "I'll be right back."

Nadeshiko looked after her daughter and then lay back on the bed.

"I love you mom." Sakura said as she stepped out into the hallway. Continuing to the living room, Sakura caught sit of her brother. "What's happening?" She looked over the room and asked, "Where is Syaoran?"

Touya spoke first. "I sent him home. Why?"

A look of concern flooded her face as Sakura headed for the door. "He's sick Touya! And he doesn't have a car!"

Touya ran a hand through his hair remembering that they arrived in his mother's car.

Eriol stood, followed by Tomoyo, just as Sakura pulled the door open. "What are you going to do?"

Sakura turned on the porch and shouted into the house, "Bring him back!"

The door closed and Eriol looked to Touya. A silence fell over the room as the four that occupied it just looked at the door.