JustaFanGrell here-
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Until next chapter-
DEATH*!

One Dark and Stormy Night

Ch. 11

As they gathered around the fire to eat their meager meal, the mood was not a very cheery one. Rain continued to fall in sheets as the winds howled, but their shelter remained fairly dry and warm. They ate in silence, listening to the storm rage outside, each reflecting on the day in their own way.

Syaoran gave up first, after just picking halfheartedly at his portion of fish. He was just too worried to have any appetite. He picked up the small cup of broth that he and Mokona had made from Sakura's fish and carried it over to her. He hoped she would be able to sip some… he knew she definitely wasn't in shape to eat anything. He settled onto the floor by her head, and gently lifted her so she lay slightly propped up in his lap. He tenderly smoothed her bangs from her damp forehead and placed the back of his hand gently against her cheek. Her skin still blazed with fever, yet she stirred slightly at his touch.

"Sakura-chan..." he called to her. "Can you wake up for a moment for me? I fixed you some broth to sip, if you are hungry." A slight moan was all the response he got from her. "Please, Sakura-chan… you need to drink something. It will help you feel better." Despite his continued urging, the girl remained limp in his arms, her chest softly rising and falling with each shallow breath she took. He looked over to his friends still gathered around the fire finishing their meal. His eyes met Fai's, and he tried to convey all of his worry and concern in a single glance.

Although the matter of the 'something out there' had been settled for the time being, Fai knew Sakura's health was their main problem now. He had hoped that getting her warm and dry would have helped her to feel better. Instead, it seems that her condition had only worsened as the day wore on. After tossing his fish bones into the fire, he roused himself from the warm embrace of the flames and joined Syaoran at her side.

"I feel useless." The boy quietly admitted to his friend. "Nothing I have done for her has seemed to make an ounce of difference."

Fai tried to console Syaoran, telling him "You are here for her… even if what you can do doesn't seem like much now, she knows you are here. I know she hears your words, even if she may not react now or even remember them when she gets better." He reached out and smoothed a wrinkle in the blanket by her shoulder and slightly tucked the end under her arm. "Just talk to her. Let her know you are with her, that you are doing what you can to get her better. Continue to give her Hope."

He looked into Syaoran's saddened face and said "We will make sure she gets better, Syaoran-kun… I swear it. Hold her to you, she is a part of you, as we are all part of each other." Fai did his best to calm the boy's fears. "And try and get some rest yourself… it's been a long and stressful day. Tomorrow… things will be better, you'll see."

Syaoran couldn't help but yawn in spite of the situation. All too suddenly he felt the stress of the day descend on him, sucking out what little energy he had been able to hold onto. "Ok, Fai-san. Tomorrow… will…be…" but he nodded off before he could finish his thought. Fai gently took the cup from Syaoran's hand before it could spill, and adjusted Sakura's blanket again so that it covered the two of them better before rising and walking across the room to gaze out of the doorway.

"How are the kids doin'?" Kurogane inquired, as Fai passed by the fire. "He's hanging in there, but she's having a rough go of it still." he replied with a resigned sigh. "Maybe tomorrow her fever will break, at least we can hope it will…"

Fai stopped at the edge of the doorway and looked out across the small yard, watching the rain. Is it my imagination, or is the rain slacking off a bit? He reflected on the possible change to the weather and began to hum a sad tune to himself… one he had not thought of in a long time. The haunting melody wound its way around the small room, filling the small space and spilling out into the rainy night. His melody faltered for just a moment when he realized the strange presence from earlier had returned. Although surprised, he was not frightened by it. Skipping only a beat or two before continuing, he poured all of his sorrow and sadness into the song.

Behind the stone wall, It rested, continuing to observe the small group as the evening progressed, thinking on the events of the day, and trying to decide what to do about them. As Fai reached the door and began to hum his melody, the beast inched slowly back so as not to be discovered. Then it stopped, transfixed by the song as Fai's sorrow and sadness flowed out from the doorway, born along by the sweet yet somber notes of the melody. It couldn't help but be drawn into the music, and soon it began to thrum quietly along, softly mirroring Fai's melody with its own. It closed its eyes and felt itself reach out to the thoughts drifting across the yard contained within the notes.

Glimpses of other worlds began to fill its head with scenes of other beings and places, some bizarre and alluring while others were rather mundane, yet always seeming to include these particular strange creatures… all except one. It marveled at the realization that these images could only be memories from this one, being shared across the small expanse of grass between them.

How marvelous, these images I see… the experiences they have had and how many different places they have been in their lifetimes. It was truly enjoying the experience… one so very much like the way it had shared its thoughts with its mate so long ago. As the song concluded, the images ended as abruptly as they had begun leaving nothing but emptiness and a sad, endless longing in their wake.