OMG!! I can't believe I'm continuing this story after since…um..a very long time! . I'm really sorry I haven't uploaded…:P I was just so busy with college that I can't even think straight, let alone finish a story…Good thing my roommate was reading fanfics (instead of studying for an exam!!), I remembered I have an unfinished business here. anyway chapter 9 is dedicated to all those who stuck with this fic, and for those who still reviewed although I'm not active..:P ladies and gent, pls enjoy chap 9: WEDDING PLANS

DISCLAIMER: Still not mine; I'm not filthy rich to buy CCS from CLAMP aww…

WARNING: I haven't written in a long time, please be patient with this frustrated writer and her collection of "mindless doodles ":P

Some facts (as not to confuse anyone):

The setting is on SATURDAY MIDNIGHT, which basically makes it a SUNDAY morning, a week before Sakura's wedding, which is also on SUNDAY (did that made sense? Hope so :P )

o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O

Recap:

She was about to ring the doorbell but figured that everyone was asleep, she circled the house and let herself in by the backdoor.

"Funny, I thought everyone's asleep." She muttered, seeing the light under the kitchen door.

Tomoyo sighed, thinking it was just the servants. When she pushed open the door, she gasped and dropped everything she was holding.

"YOU!"

o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O

Tomoyo's eyes were wide as saucers, snapping out of her sleepy sturpor. Before she can stop herself, she exclaimed "What the hell are you doing??"

Arthur… his usually crisp long sleeved shirt crumpled, half the buttons are open, his tie lying on the floor, his hair messed up clearly by fingers, and his pants...

'Oh. My. God. Is that… his THING hanging out??'

Tomoyo tried to look away, but can't. It all seemed unreal. What the hell was her fiancé doing in her house, in the middle of the night, with his manhood out in the open?? She wasn't a stranger to a male's sexuality, in fact she have seen a man's sex that was way bigger than Arthur's, but how was she supposed to react to this?

Before she can stop herself, she exclaimed "What are you doing here??"

'Okay, calm down Tomoyo. That can't be real…you must be more drunk than you thought…but I only drank 2 glasses of wine!'

Absently, she tried smelling her breath if she was drunk. There were traces of wine in her breath, yet she knew that being drunk was impossible. If Daidouji Tomoyo was anything, she was a lady that drinks like a sailor, yet she never ever gets drunk. High society won't permit raucous behavior of drunken people.

She pinched herself in the arm, hoping that it was a dream

No such luck. The throbbing pain in her arm confirmed that.

She continued to stare disbelievingly as Arthur blushed up to the roots of his golden hair, and then struggled to close his pants. In his most composed and dignified voice, he said "My dear, you are early tonight. I thought you were at the Kinimoto residence? And you look so lovely."

Startled, Tomoyo pried her eyes from the scene in front of her and instead stared at the stenciled lily on the kitchen's tile. "I have decided to come home; otherwise mother will be worried I haven't done so. And thanks." She told him, in what she hoped was an unsurprised voice. She didn't add that it was already midnight.

As Arthur continues to struggle with his clothing, she said "Tomorrow we must meet with the wedding planner. Your mother and father had wanted for this marriage as soon as possible." In a voice that is more suited in announcing a business meeting.

"Oh, is my presence necessary? I have a meeting with the board of directors. Besides, girls are supposed to be the ones who are supposed to plan this kind of stuff. After all, I'm already the one who's gonna pay for it. You might as well do the planning. Can't you handle it by yourself?" Arthur straightened his hair and his tie, oblivious to the muscle twitching at Tomoyo's jaw. She hated him for such sexist comments.

"If your meeting is important, I'm sure I can handle it. You don't need to worry about it. If you may excuse me, I'm really tired and I must retire to my bed. I'm sure you know the way out." She replied stiffly. Reaching for her belongings she dropped in surprise, she spun on her heel and started to walk out of the kitchen.

Arthur was starting in a smile of relief when Tomoyo suddenly stopped.

"Oh, and Arthur?"

"Yes my dear?"

"Can you please tell Kiffy to stop hiding under the kitchen counter and to wake me up at 6:00 for my appointment?"

A gawk of surprise was heard from Arthur and an embarrassed squeal from underneath the counter as Tomoyo headed out for her bedroom, a smile spreading across her crimson lips.

o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O

The next morning, timely news was discovered: the week's worth of classes was cancelled due to repair to the school building. This mean more time for wedding preparations, especially for the two brides, as Sakura was happily gushing.

"Five more days to go…and I still have the whole lot of wedding to plan…"

Tomoyo stirred her vanilla frappucino and tried to listen to the babble of her friends while sorting out her thoughts. Having discovered that Sakura and Tomoyo don't have classes, Nakuru and Meilin have somewhat twisted the circumstances into what they call "Ultimate Girl bonding experience!" Translation: another shopping spree. They had taken a break at a chic coffee and bakeshop called Sweet Treats café and was sitting outside in one of their iron wrought tables and chairs, enjoying their cool drinks and cakes. She noticed that Sakura, Meilin, and Nakuru were all talking loudly, then she noticed that Kaho was staring at her in deep thought. Tomoyo smiled at her teacher uncomfortably, and when Kaho smiled back, she took her fone from her bag as an excuse not to look at her anymore.

She can't help it but be uncomfortable with Mizuki Kaho. After all, she was her ex teacher and Eriol's past, and probably present, love. There was a little ache around her heart whenever she think of Mizuki-Sensei that way.

'Wait, why am I thinking about Eriol again?'

She sighed and flipped her long hair over her shoulder, fixing at what she hoped was an appropriate expression on her face to whatever Meilin was gesturing wildly about. She nodded twice when Meilin looked at her, and when that satisfied her raven haired friend, she lost herself to her thoughts completely that were unrelated to a ceratin dark haired man and towards a blond haired one.

'That bastard. It was bad enough that I'm gonna be married to him, but to have an affair before our wedding? And with our helper, no less! Dammit, the press is gonna have a feast over this tidbit if they ever find out.'

It was awfully awkward between Tomoyo and Kiffy that morning. Her hand was trembling so much that nearly upset the teapot she was holding when she saw her mistress, a blush to rival the stop sign on the street, her "Ohayo" was so soft that Tomoyo nearly didn't catch it. Tomoyo couldn't help but pity the younger girl.

'It's a shame, Kiffy is such a nice girl to be falling for an asshole like Arthur.'

Tomoyo sighed once again and nearly didn't hear Meilin calling her name.

"Daidouji-san? Hello?? Earth to Daidouji-san!!" Meilin nearly shouted, waving a porcelain hand in front of Tomoyo's placid face.

Tomoyo blinked and focused her attention back to her friends. All four sets of eyes were looking at her. She racked her brains for whatever her ears picked up but drawn a blank. She replaced her phone back into her bag, thinking of an excuse why she was so absent minded. She just smiled sheepishly and asked "Uhm…what are we talking about?"

Meilin let out a tinkling laugh, causing two guys from the other table to look at her appreciatively. Tomoyo smiled as she noticed that almost everyone was staring at the selection of girls on their table. Sweet treats café was certainly lucky, for the set of girls sitting in front of their café was more decorative and appealing than anything they could have think of.

Their table was a mixture of different styles, all beautiful in their own way. Tomoyo, with her shiny straight black hair pulled back with a rhinestone headband, wearing a conservative yet classy indigo corporate suit, which was an essential dress code in her meeting with the stuffy wedding planner; Sakura in her usual pigtails, a simple pink sleeveless top and white Capri pants, her innocent smile lighting up her face; Meilin with her undeniable strong beauty, her short hair pulled up in two mini buns in perfect complement to her Chinese mini dress, an ensemble that no one can NOT mistake her for a model; Nakuru and her bubbly personality, wearing a school girl's uniform for she insisted she looked best in it than in any other outfit; and last but not the least Kaho, and her long black skirt and her wine colored Chinese collar blouse, whose age was not defect but rather enhanced her beauty altogether.

Meilin playfully poked her in the arm and said "Well, Absent-Minded-san, I was sharing my amazement, for straight 5 minutes, mind you, about how the hell are you gonna put up a whole wedding in less than 5 days?? Although I don't blame you for wanting to marry that Arthur guy immediately, he's too hot that other girls might seduce him if he didn't tie the knot quickly enough!" (Author's note: Tomoyo's wedding is on SATURDAY, the day before Sakura's wedding)

"Oh is he that hot that he passed Meilin-chan's standard??" Nakuru's eyes narrowed and smiled coyly. "Maybe you'd like to introduce me to him? Of course, for friendly purposes only." She then widened her eyes innocently and all of the girls laughed.

"Sorry, he's too busy that I had to squeeze our wedding through his schedule. In fact, if it wasn't for his so called 'hectic schedule' there's no doubt that his parents would have wed us immediately the next day he proposed!" Tomoyo smiled and sipped her coffe once more. "But you'll meet him all in the wedding, of course."

"Aww, why did you rush the wedding? Mommy and daddy in laws can't wait?" Nakuru asked, taking a sip from her cappuccino.

"That's right. It's hard enough to plan a wedding within several months, let alone several weeks! How did you do it?" Sakura asked longingly, as she envied her friend's stress-less preparation in comparison to her own.

"Well, we have a wedding planner. And Yep, My future in-laws said they wanted grandbabies as soon as possible."

Nakuru's drink came frizzing out of her mouth in surprise. This time, only Tomoyo laughed while the three other girls looked at her in shock. "WHAT?? That sounds like a baby maker, not a bride!!" Nakuru exclaimed while wiping her mouth with a pretty pink napkin Tomoyo handed to her. Sakura's eyes grew round and worried as she stared at her friend's unconcerned face.

"Oh it's not like that. Really. They wanted to have a daughter-in-law that is of high breeding, one that will be a pride for the O'Connell family. And I guess I fit the description." Tomoyo dipped her head a little at the side and watched two birds perched on the roof of the café. She realized that they were blue jays, the exact same birds that were perched the day Eriol caught Tomoyo painting.

'Eriol…that seems like a long time ago.' Tomoyo mused as she watched the birds playing and humming to themselves, their handsome blue color a standout at the café's red tiled roof.

'Okay girl, you need to stop obsessing about that jerk! Focus!'

"How exactly did you meet?" Nakuru asked curiously, also sipping from her cappuccino and taking a huge bite out of her tira misu.

"Both my mom and his dad are CEOs from Daidouji Enterprises. That's how we met."

"Meeting up at corporate rooms? Glad I wasn't rich, not exactly the most romantic place to meet your husband to be, eh?" Nakuru smiled and nudged Kaho at the ribs. Kaho simply smiled 

and said "Wherever love meets it does not matter. If the two people think that place is romantic, then it is romantic.

Tomoyo was suddenly hit by a curiosity on how Kaho and Eriol met, and how they learned their feelings for each other.

'Which is totally not my business, since Eriol is only my FRIEND.' Tomoyo thought to herself. Whne Kaho suddenly turned and smiled at her, she became alarmed that Kaho might have the ability to read minds and focused on whatever was Meilin declaiming.

"Wow, we belong to a high society clan in China, thank God I can choose whomever I want to be wedded to. Which means, more guys and more selections!" Meilin said, winking at a guy across the patio to prove her point. The guy toasted her his drink and she giggled.

"Well, it's not that bad as you think it is." Tomoyo said, starting to be uncomfortable with the discussion. She sipped more of her iced coffee, wishing she was alone in her room. She was never comfortable with opening up her emotions, not even to her best friend. Tomoyo remembered that she opened up to Eriol, and was shocked at that realization.

"Tomoyo-chan, do you actually liked Arthur-kun?" Sakura asked, her tone uncharacteristically serious brought Tomoyo's thoughts back to earth.

Tomoyo blinked and smiled uncertainly at her friend. "Hmm? Well, I'm fond of him-"

"No, I mean do you like LIKE him, the way I do with Syaoran?" Sakura cut her best friend off, her voice raising up a pitch. "I know you're fond of him, but is that enough reason to wed that guy?? Haven't you always told me that one must be with another only if they truly love each other?"

'Well, I wanted to be with you but that didn't work out, did it?' "Well, Sakura-chan, in case you haven't noticed, not everyone can find their fairy tale which comes with awesome powers and a handsome prince to boot. Not everyone can be perfect, if that's what you're saying." Tomoyo retorted, color rising up to her pale cheeks. As soon as the words left her lips she regretted them.



Sakura gasped while the three other women fell quiet, their wide eyes watching the scene in front of them. Never had there ever been an argument between these two girls; even the sensible Kaho cannot hide her surprise at the way her ex-students were behaving.

"Damn it, I haven't told her my feelings yet. Not yet, not like this."

"Sakura-chan I'm sorry," Tomoyo said, trying to smile. "I was way out of line, I – "

"Tomoyo-chan, I never said that I was perfect, I only meant that maybe you're making a mistake? Are you sure you can be happy with this guy?" She asked in a small voice.

"I can be happy with him if I want to."

'I was happy with you but you left me for another.'

"Yes, but do you WANT to?" Sakura asked, trying to hold back tears. Tomoyo's heart gripped as she saw her best friend's expression, but for some reason, hearing the same question Eriol asked from Sakura's lips triggered the emotions she was trying oh so hard to control.

Do you want to…? You don't have to keep all this stuff..What about your happiness??

Tomoyo snapped. Eriol's words seems to keep echoing in her head, and she hated it. She hated doubting practical decisions. She hated being affected by something as inconstant as emotions. Suddenly, she was so pent up of the whole affair. Her heart being broken by the person dearest to her, the whole messy predicament she was a part of, her guilt and sadness over her mother's sickness, and Eriol's sudden and unexplained disappearance…

"Kinimoto Sakura you don't have a clue on what I'm going through! While you are leading your perfect life, with your oh-so-perfect boyfriend who loves you eternally; I'm stuck with situations that I don't have choices in. I'm stuck with a bedridden mother whose fate and probably her life lies on my decision. I am being forced to be a high society woman who marries for many, not for love! Yes, I don't love him, but I am going to marry him, not for me, but for my mother!" Tomoyo sucked in her breath, glaring her azure eyes at Sakura, whose eyes were still teary, but now glaring back at her with such high intensity as her green orbs will permit.

"Well Tomoyo-chan, I can't believe I'm saying this to the girl who was the constant number one honorary student in our batch. You're a complete and total BAKA for marrying that two face un-loyal bastard for money. Funny, I don't take you as a kind of woman who can be bought." Sakura stated angrily, her expression the same as whenever she enters battle during her Card capturing days.

Tomoyo felt like Sakura had just slapped her, they were harsh words especially coming from the woman Tomoyo had loved nearly al her life, loved more than life itself. "Sakura-chan, for the sake of our friendship, I will not permit to continue this discussion any longer." Tomoyo blinked furiously and gathered her things. She perched her Dolce and Gabanna shades on her nose and as steadily as she could, said "Li-san, Mizuki-san, Akizuki-san, I regret but I must leave early. I have an appointment with my wedding planner." To Sakura, she cannot hold her voice steady anymore, but merely said "I will be present at your wedding as your maid-of-honor, but I cannot be with you before that for I have my own wedding to prepare. Excuse me."

After her cold speech she scooped up her shopping bags and hurried to her car. Tomoyo sat on the driver's seat and buckled her seatbelt. She turned the ignition on but instead of diving, she leaned her forehead on the steering wheel and cried.

'What's wrong with me?'

At the same time, Sakura burst into tears at the café and her companions comforted the not so happy bride-to-be.

o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O

Tomoyo fidgeted with her engagement ring as the wedding planner droned on and on. The ring felt alien on her finger, like something that doesn't belong. She resisted the urged to scratch an itchy spot on her arm, wishing she had on casual clothes instead of the prissy suit she was on. She already tuned out the woman's monologue about the importance of Feng Shui in her wedding when right on cue, Prim Chibi Tomoyo appeared.

'Oh, it's you.' Tomoyo thought, not daring to talk aloud in case the wedding planner might think her mad.

Prim Chibi Tomoyo said in her most prissy voice "You don't need friends who hinder your right decisions. They are merely obstacles to your destiny. It was not Sakura's place to talk to you like that."

Chic Chibi Tomoyo poofed on her other shoulder, where Tomoyo was surprised to see that she was crying.

'Why are you crying?'

"Because, dumbass, you don't want to cry so I'm crying for you!" Chic Chibi Tomoyo bawled and poofed again, clearly to upset to argue with her twin.

"Believe me, stick to your decisions and you'll be fine" Prim Chibi Tomoyo said before poofing away also.

"Daidouji-dono? Which flowers would you prefer? The red roses or the white lilies?" The wedding planner asked, cutting Tomoyo's thoughts.

Tomoyo eyed the flowers and said simply "Red roses. I hate white lilies."

o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O

Arthur O'Connell threw the two brown envelopes angrily and shouted at his secretary to burn the envelopes as soon as possible as he dashed outside his office.

One was filled with pictures, while the other was a report on the stock market.

o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O

Tomoyo and Madame Rossette (the wedding planner) was halfway through the designs of the bridal gown ("I will NOT wear a tasteless polka dot wedding gown at my wedding!") when Arthur barged in. The two women were surprised, especially when he said curtly to the wedding planner "Give me and my fiancé privacy."

Madame Rossette hastily gathered up her slides and left her own office. As soon as the door closed, Arthur locked the door and paced the room. Tomoyo felt an ill sense of foreboding. "Darling, did something happen at the office that upset you?" Tomoyo asked soothingly. The look at Arthur's face was scary, but she was in tighter fix than this before.

Arthur stopped pacing and placed his hands on the either armrest of Tomoyo's chair. "Are you having an affair?"

Tomoyo stared back at him coolly and said "No. But I know a certain someone who might."

"Dammit Tomoyo!" Arthur shouted and banged his fist on the table. "Why are you being so…so impossible about all of this??" Arthur's blue eyes blazed angrily. When he stared at Tomoyo's calm lavender eyes, his anger was incensed. "Don't you want to marry me?"

"I do want to marry you, that is why I am wasting my time in this office, finalizing the details of our wedding." Tomoyo arched a perfectly shaped eyebrow and smiled. "Now tell me, what is it that upset you?"

Arthur look taken aback by Tomoyo's smile, and his anger abated a little bit. "Paparazzi."

"Hmm? What about them?"

"They took pictures of you and Eriol. You two look certainly cozy at the music room." Arthur said testily, measuring up Tomoyo's reaction. Tomoyo gave nothing away, but inside she was in turmoil.

"What about the pictures? We weren't doing anything in that confounded music room."

"He was kissing you! You were supposed to be an engaged woman, damn you!" Arthur shouted, using every bit of self control he had not to hit Tomoyo. If it was possible, Tomoyo turned even paler at his words.

"For your information Arthur, I was not kissing him. He merely kissed my forehead, it was a friendly gesture. Number two," She held up two fingers in Arthur's face and used every amount of her self control not to use them to poke Arthur's eyes. "you haven't proposed to me yet during that time, so when that incident occurred, I was a free woman. Lastly," Tomoyo stood up and rearranged the frenzied tie of her fiancé "don't panic over pictures. They can be settled. Panic if the paparazzi took a photo of your little actions last night."

Arthur took a sharp intake of breath at that and blushed. Tomoyo smiled pleasantly and took her seat once more. She knew the battle was won. "Now my dear, if all that's settled, then I reckon you have to return to the office? Madame Rosette and I have many details to discuss.

"Arthur sighed and pecked Tomoyo on the cheeks. "I'm sorry for charging in like this sweetheart. God luck with Madame Rosette. I'll see you tonight at dinner.

Without another word, Arthur left the building and sent in a wide-eyed Madame Rosette who have been clearly listening at the door.

Tomoyo smiled her pleasant smile once more and said "Forgive Arthur, he was just having pre wedding jitters. Now back to the wedding gowns. Do you think they have them in black?"

o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O

Syaoran sighed and tapped his shoes impatiently all the while running his hands through his already messy hair, although the effect was quite flattering. He ignored the obvious stares of foreign high school girls that were passing by and glanced irritatedly at his wrist watch. It was a cartoon watch of Mickey Mouse from Sakura during their earlier relationship. He had never admitted to her how much he loved that watch, and that he always use this watch instead of the Tag Heur watch his mother gave him as a gift.

"Flight 1125 arrived from England on gate 2." The attendant announced over the speakers.

Syaoran rolled his hazel eyes and said exasperatedly "Finally!" as he noticed a familiar pale figure walking towards him. He called out "You're lucky you're my best man or else I wouldn't go here and act as you damned chauffeur." Syaoran smiled and crossed his arms. "You had a good flight shit-head?"

Hiirigizawa Eriol smiled at him ruefully and handed his bags to the now scowling Syaoran. "Yes my cute little decendant." He stared across the distant as Syaoran struggled with his suitcases.

"The best." He murmured softly.

o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O

Yay! I uploaded againg!! ) I'm sorry if it's such a short chapter, my creative juices are a little low right now. Wai! Oh no, Sakura and Tomoyo fought?! This is new..x.X And Eriol is back…Hahaha Arthur in your face! Anyway hope you guys like it still..I'm a bit rusty at writing, I've never actually written another story in an extremely long time…Anyway I'll try my best to upload soon, but that is only if you guys read and review!! I missed you all so much! Mwaah!!