Yuuko watched them leave, and then held The Hope out, looking at it. She stroked it lovingly as Watanuki came up behind her. "I agree with Keroberos," he pointed out. "You took quite a bit of payment for that."

"You're wrong, Watanuki. I not only granted Sakura's wish, but the wish of a very dear friend of mine. Both required much payment. And besides, the only payment that came to me was this Card. Syaoran's went to Yue; Toya's to Yukito."

"Who is this friend?"

Yuuko smiled softly as she looked at the card. "Someone very old, and very dear. He asked that I look after this Card for him, because this single card has enough negative magic to balance all the other Cards. Sakura no longer needs it. She needed its power and its support in her darkest hour, when her position as Mistress of the Cards was challenged. Keeping it here will allow it to never be lost or released. He had already paid for his wish."

Yuuko sighed. "His wish was that I take this Card and keep it safe, his payment was he could no longer guide young Sakura through her trials. Sakura's wish was to have Yukito and Yue both, her payment was her reliance on this person, as well as the Card."

"You did that on purpose! So that both wishes could be granted with the exchange of payment." Watanuki was surprised and impressed.

"What? Did you think I was heartless? I am bound by many laws and many magics and I cannot grant a wish without equal payment, but I'm certainly not heartless. Besides, the payment was enough; Sakura needs to learn to stand on her own, Syaoran needs to learn that he cannot be there to protect her wherever she is and whatever happens."

"But you did it in a way so that everyone got what they wanted, and in reality, did not actually give payment."

Yuuko closed her eyes and walked into the store. "Payment was received and wishes were granted. It leveled out, and that is all that matters." she said as she placed the Card inside her tunic. "Besides, Sakura needed to finally realize she is not Clow Reed, but she is the Master. Because Sakura did not know about Clow's wish, that Star Card was just as important to her as anything, and so, it was proper payment."

Watanuki sighed as he followed her into the shop. "Do you want me or Mokona to put the Card in storage?"

Yuuko looked at him. "That won't be necessary," she said. Yuuko was staring at the card, almost lovingly. Suddenly, the card glowed, and while its name and image never changed, the colors reverted back to Clow's colors, red, white, and gold. Yuuko smiled and placed it gently inside her sleeve. "This is something I wish to hang on to myself," she said.

A wind picked up, and Yuuko looked up at the darkening sky. An image of Clow Reed seemed to appear in front of her, and she looked at it, her gaze softened. "We will meet again.. in another lifetime.."

"Kero, Yue," Sakura said as she stood in front of the large, open window of the mansion. The two came up to her and bowed slightly. "I've decided… what I'm going to do."

Keroberos and Yue exchanged glances. "I've decided… The cards are too dangerous to have any chance of being released each time the Master dies."

"You don't mean…" Keroberos started, a low growl sounding in his throat. Yue merely looked at Sakura, whose back was to them. When she turned around, she was smiling.

"I can't believe you would destroy the cards," Yue said. "I won't believe it!"

Sakura blinked a few times, her eyes wide. Then she burst into laughter, the sound ringing out like bells. Yue and Keroberos looked at her, then at each other. Finally, when she was able to stop, she smiled at them. "No my friends. I could never do that. I don't want to lose you."

Sakura smiled. "I'm going to make it so the Cards are never released again. I can't keep them from doing so after my own death, but when the person with the right heart comes along, the cards will remain sealed, and only ever answer to that person." Sakura walked over to Yue and Keroberos, and crouched down to look Keroberos in the eyes.

"When that person is born, you will awaken again, Kero-chan. Yue," she said, standing up. "You'll awaken as well. So that you two will always be by that person's side. I do not know when the cards will once more be released, but I'm afraid that person will have to go through the same trials I did as Card Captor. Kero-chan, please promise me you'll guide him. He won't want to do it at first, and there will be someone else equally capable of capturing the cards."

Keroberos stared at her. Then, finally, he nodded. Sakura smiled. "Thank you."

"What will happen if he fails?" Yue asked.

"He won't. He's the one who will have the heart to seal the cards forever."

"But, if they're sealed forever-"

"I told you, when the person with the right heart is born, he will transform the cards in such a way that they will be dormant until someone new is born. You two will awaken a few years before each new Master is born, but the cards won't. They will only be able to be used by that person, and they will be born with complete control over the cards."

Keroberos still looked skeptical. "I still don't understand."

Sakura smiled gently. "You will."

A/N: THE END!

I absolutely love YuukoxClow... I just couldn't not leave this little bit out!

There's a possibility of this being continued in a story I'm planning called "Key of the Heart"... mayhaps, mayhaps not! Tell me what you think, should you like a continuation? It will be an OC/Next gen sort of thing if I do!

Thank you very much for all your kind reviews! I hope you enjoyed my first ever CCS fanfic, and I hope you'll continue to watch me for new stories and new updates! Good bye now, and thank you all so very much for taking care of me and bearing with me during my writing!