Wow 2008… that's the year that this was last updated. I'm shocked. By a show of hands how many of your are pissed off at me? I'll throw this chapter out there and hope I don't get devoured by the masses. I'll just lie down on the floor here and beg. 'Please! Don't kill me!!!'

Now without futher ado…

Last Time…

"Have you seen this doll before Yue?" Yue barely heard Tomoyos voice. He nodded. He opened his mouth to speak but no words came out. Swallowing hard he tried again.

"Yes. His- his name is Ceroberos." Unseen by the girls or the shocked Yue that stared right at him, Creoberos smiled.

What was Meant To Be

Tifa Strifeheart

Chapter Seven

Walking into the into house, Toya had enough time to realise a sigh of relief before his other, less physical, senses kicked in. This was not how he had intended to spend his night after a long day of work. Sighing again but this time not in relief, Toya took a detour into the kitchen in a sad attempt to delay the inevitable confrontation that he knew was going to happen whether he liked it or not. What he was feeling on the second level of his home blocked all his senses from anything else and for this reason the sight of his mother 'standing' in the kitchen surprised him for the first time in years.

"Mom!" Realizing what he had said as he said it, Toya glanced around no longer sure he would be able to tell if anyone was around or not. He hadn't been able to sense his mother's spirit after all. Quieter this time he continued. "Mom, what are you doing here what's up?" Nadeshiko Kinomoto was smiling at him in that way that reminded him of his childhood. Slowly she approached him, feet floating over the floorboards. Watching her, Toya reminisced on how he walk in like had been so similar. The dancer in his mother always had her gliding over any surface.

"Since when has it been a crime for me to visit my family? Hmmm?" Unable to help himself, Toya smiled at her. Lord, he loved his mother so much.

"If you say so." He frowned as the thing upstairs moved. "What is that anyways?" he looked over at his mother. "I know that you know. Does it have to do with Yue?" She nodded he smile not fading by a degree.

"Well since your too nosy to just leave it alone and since we both know you'll find out anyways , I doubt it will hurt the great scheme if I just tell you." She brushed at the invisible dust on the front of her gown. " Yues elder brother has arrived and even though Yue doesn't consciously remember him, a part of him does. He's dealing with that at the moment." Toya crossed his arms across his chest.

"Yues elder brother huh? Then no wonder I can feel him… but he seems…" Toya uncrossed one arm and made a waving motion with it. "Stronger?" Beside him Nadeshiko just nodded.

"That he would. Unlike Yue he knows his power and how to use it. A part of strength in knowing how to use it." Toya jut nodded again before sighing.

"As great as all of this is, I don't know if we can have another person living in the house with us. I mean I know Dad would be all for helping, but I just don't think we have space for the elder Yue." He turned to his mom as she laughed.

"His name is Ceroberos and I doubt that he will take up much 'space.' Just keep an eye on the food alright." He frowned at her now.

"How do you know all of this anyways?" Her smile had changed. Even though it was still warm mischief hung around the edges. She began to fade out in that way of hers. "Hey you can't leave like that!" Her laughter seemed to echo to his ears.

"Looks can be deceiving , you should know that better than most." With that she was gone. Shaking his head with a smile Toya picked up his abandoned school bag. Now time to face Yues brother

&&&

To say that she was concerned would have been an understatement. Yue had gone to his room with that doll and hadn't come out in hours. Glancing at the clock she decided that the 5 plus hours that she had been trying to get her homework done were a waste. She really should have given up when Tomoyo had gone almost an hour ago. Sighing she stood up. She would never have peace of mind till she settled things with Yue and that doll. Walking out of her room and down the hall, Sakura stopped at Yues door. The sound of low voices from within the room did nothing to alleviate the worry that weighed heavily on her. Hesitantly, Sakura knocked onto the door and listened as the voice fell silent. After a long moment she twisted the knob and walked in.

Yue was sitting on the edge of the bed, his long legs neatly crossed at the ankle. He was looking at Sakura but his body was seated facing the desk in the room or rather the stuffed animal that was sitting on the desk. If it wasn't so absurd to even think about Sakura would have thought that Yue had been having a conversation with it before she had knocked. As she stepped into the room that pulling sensation that she remembered from class came back in full force. Again she was being pulled in two different directions. Towards Yue and the doll that was positioned opposite him. She frowned, stopping mid-step. This was the first time that she had ever felt that with Yue. Now she was feeling a pull towards a doll, something must be wrong with her.

"Yue? How are you doing?" There was a moment of hesitation before Yue slowly nodded.

"I am fine. Is something the matter?"

"No- err… yes." She had begun shaking her head and stopped mid gesture. "I'm sorry Yue but I'm worried. What is it about that doll?" Staring at her, Yue opened his mouth to speak but stopped and closed his mouth as his eyes rose to something behind her. Before she had a chance to turn around a very large, very familiar and very annoying hand came to rest on the top of her head. She moaned silently, when will Toya relize that she wasn't a little kid anymore.

"Hey. Hi there Yue. Guys mind if I join?" Without bothering to wait for an answer Toya strolled into the room looking about as if he was smelling something and trying to figure out where it came from.

"Hello, Toya." Sakura just crossed her arms.

"And what do you want?" In the room, still looking around, her elder brother didn't even seem to hear her. She was about to repeat herself when he finally decided to speak up.

"Hey I'm just looking around. So where is he- ha!" Toya crossed his arms over his chest and smirked. After a moment Sakura realized that he was Smirking at the doll that was still sitting on the desk table. What was it with everyone and that doll! "So there he is." Toya snickered and turned to look at Yue. "Ceroberos I take it." Yue was staring up at her brother in what Sakura decided was mild shock before silently nodding. There was a bark of laughter. "Now I get what she meant." At the door Sakura was getting angrier. She had no idea what was going on and didn't much like the feeling.

"What is going on? Toya, how do you know the dolls name?" Toya turned to her, that infernal grin still on his face.

"Oh dear Sakura. You remember that time when we were real young that I told that ghosts were real and that I could see them?" Even though she knew she was too old to be scared of ghost stories she felt her face pale. She gave him a short nod. His smile grew. "By your expression you must obviously remember." Yue stood up staring at her intently while glancing at Toya now and then. She couldn't look that bad. "Yes well like ghosts, Ceroberos over there is special too." Her eyes unconsciously drew to the doll that was still just sitting there.

"It-it's a g-ghost?" Toya shook his head.

"Oh no." His face gained a puzzled look while he put a finger to his chin. "I have no idea what he is, but he is special." Toya turned to the doll. "How's about saying hi to my kid sister." Emerald gree eyes shot to the doll just as it stood and turned to face her.

"He he. Umm… hi?" Not knowing what to think Sakura didn't bother to waste effort trying. She just passed out.

& & &

Toya laughed quietly as he shoved his hands in his jacket pocket. Sakuras reaction had been priceless. Even worth the scolding their mother gave him afterwards. He admitted to himself that it was kind of mean but that he couldn't help himself but then again, if all this magic stuff was in her future then she had to get used to it. 'Too bad she still has that deadly fear of ghosts.' It was his fault and he felt bad about it. He had left her at home now with Yue and the stuffed animal to get accustomed to it. He had decided to keep the fact that it was Yues brother to himself. If Yue knew he wasn't saying not to mention the stuffed toy itself then he would wait. Besides Sakura could only take so many things at a time. Her reaction when she found out would also be worth watching.

Releasing a breath, Toya stepped into the penguin park. It had been such a long time since he had been here last. Memories of playing in the park with his sister flooded him as he walked through it. Their father would be right on their tail and they would happily drag him everywhere until he was too tired then they would shout for him to watch them when they were on playground and he took a breath on one bench or another. He smiled warmly at the memoires as he turned a familiar corner. Now that he was here, his feet took him to his favourite spot. As a kid he had always loved the swings. In one he felt that he could almost fly and touch the sky. He'd always want to go higher and higher but he knew that it wasn't safe. When he got a bit older the swing became a way to escape. Not that there was really anything in his life that he wanted to escape from more as a way to be free. He'd be like a bird and fly everywhere. He would search for that one thing that was his and would find it because he was free. Like a birds nest but, unlike a nest he wouldn't abandon it. He would keep it and treasure it forever.

He loved his family more than anything but there were times when he felt that something was… missing. Like something should be there but wasn't. As great as his life was he kept getting the sense that it had taken a turn in the wrong direction at some point and was off course. What scared him was the fact that the feeling lessened, if only slightly, the day he had found Yue. He shook his head at his thoughts. Well whatever it meant, the fact that Yue may have something to do with his life dimmed beside the fact that he may find that which was missing now that he had entered it. It was strange. How could you miss something that you never really had? Finally his feet took him to where he had intended to be and he looked up from his feet that he had been staring at while he thought and up at the swing set and froze.

"Why hello there. Funny seeing you again." Toya just stared. It was the guy from earlier, he was sitting in one of the two swings. The light of the setting sun made his skin and hair glow. Slowly, afraid that any sudden movement would cause this vision to disappear, Toya approached.

"Yukito wasn't it?" The other nodded while Toya took the other swing beside him.

"Yep. And it's Toya, right?" Toya nodded. 'Well nice to see you again Toya. What, if I may ask, brings you out at dinner time?" Toya shrugged.

"Had something's on my mind." Normally he wouldn't talk so freely with a guy he had just met but this situation wasn't normal. The presence of the other brought down his guard. That fact alone should have had his guard up higher but he couldn't find the energy to care about it when faced with this person. "What about you?" Yukito sighed, a sad smile on his face as he rocked the swing a bit.

"Well a bit lonely I guess." Hi laughed. "A friend of mine when to see his little brother and so I was left alone. Not that I feel bad or anything, I'm glad he gets to see his family, it's been a while from what I'm told, I'm just a tad lonely." He laughed. "Am I making any sense at all?" Toya couldn't help smiling back.

"Don't worry about it." Youkito nodded and reached up to adjust his glasses, Toya followed the movement with his eyes.

"It wouldn't be such a big deal if I wasn't new to Tomeda and everything." He grinned and shrugged. "Ah well." Before he had a chance to think about it Toya stood up and turned to it.

"Well come on then." Yukito gave him a look that said that he was obviously confused. "You're new to the town, the least you deserve is a guided tour." He found it slightly entertaining to watch Yukito's expression change from one of confusion to happy surprise to mild work. He felt his eyes widen a bit as Yukito bit his lower lip. The way his throat dried up had him pondering on how interesting the situation he suddenly found himself in was.

"Are you sure?" he nodded. "But it's so late." He shrugged.

"Look you said your friend is gone so you have nothing to lose right. Besides if it gets too late you could always have dinner at my place and my dad will take you home." He knew this was all too forward but he couldn't help it, something he couldn't explain wanted to stay with this person.

"I don't know. I don't want to be a bother, the gestures nice and all though." As a last ditch attempt, Toya extended his hand to the still sitting male.

"Trust me." He felt a small smile come to his lips. "It's my pleasure." After a long moment, Yukito returned the smile with a bright grin and took his hand. Toya had to smother his surprise at what he suddenly felt at their touch. Even after Yukito had let go and the two of them had begun to walk side by side that feeling of something missing had disappeared.

& & & &

So how do you like?

I can't promise new and more chapters to come what with school on the horizon and my laptop in for repairs but I promise to try to try. Sorry for any spelling and grammar mistakes, this isn't my computer so I had to rush it.

Reviews make me work faster!