Disclaimer: I don't own CCS. :)

Eriol walked up to the doors of his house when he saw Sakura's shadow appear on the glass.

"E-exc-cuse me!"

Eriol smiled as he opened the doors, seeing Sakura in such a state yet he knew this side of her. It was her distressed state.

"Sakura, it's nice to see you again. Come in"

Sakura looked up and shook her head. "No, I'm not going to bother-"

Eriol reached out and took Sakura by her hand, making the younger magician blink. "Hoeh?"

"You never bother me Sakura. You look like you NEED someone to talk too. Please, I insist"

Sakura blushed and nodded slowly. "Okay..."

As Sakura crossed the threshold into Eriol's house, she felt magic everywhere, well... This WAS the house of the former most powerful magician on Earth here!

Eriol looked back as he closed the door. "Suppie and Ruby are inside. They were being lazy when you arrived-"

"Not true!"

Eriol chuckled as he noticed both of his guardians standing not far away, both in disguise form, and both looking at Sakura with gentle looks on thier faces.

"Eriol..." Sakura whispered as tears formed in her eyes.

Eriol didn't move but smiled as he continued to lead Sakura through the house. "Sakura, I know you're upset. I assume it's happened then?"

Ruby's eyes widened slightly as Sakura, being lead by Eriol, walked past her and Spinel. "Master, you knew about this?"

Eriol nodded as Sakura's eyes lowered to the floor. "I'm sorry Eriol. I feel a little bit silly being here"

Eriol stopped walking and turned around. "Sakura" He said, his gaze locking with Sakura's. "Is it fair, do you think, for your friends to abandon you like that? Do you think it is fair for someone, like Syaoran, to try to take advantage of your sadness?"

Sakura shook her head. "No..."

Eriol nodded. "Precisely. Now, I want you to be here for awhile, I'll call your father and tell him. Think of it like a little holiday"

Sakura blinked even though she was still in tears. "But Eriol, I couldn't!"

Eriol smiled. "Of course you can. I've got something to show you anyway, and it won't be ready until this evening"

Sakura looked down as Spinel nudged her with his paw. She looked up at him. "Master Eriol really does care about you. Only just the other day we heard him singing about-"

Eriol clicked his fingers which for some reason made Spinel fly into the kitchen followed VERY closely by Ruby. Something regarding sweets.

"That's enough of that." Eriol stated as he smiled yet again. "Stay Sakura. I won't do anything abnormal. I just want to help"

Sakura took all of this information in and eventually sighed. "Alright, I'll stay. I don't want singing sugar cubes in any drink though..."

Eriol chuckled. "Don't worry, there won't be"

RUSSIA

Tomoyo stepped off of the plane in Russia and looked around. "It's cold..." She wrapped her arms around herself and thought about going back, then when she remembered Sakura she shook her head. 'NO! I can't...Not until I think things through first!'

"You know, it's colder in Hong Kong this time of year"

Tomoyo spun herself to the left and her stormy blue eyes felt locked when she saw blood red eyes looking into her own.

"Meiling..."

Meiling nodded. "Tomoyo, what are you doing here?"

Tomoyo sighed. "It's a long story..."

Meiling leant closer. "Is it about my cousin and-" She whispered.

Tomoyo nodded. "Sakura yeah..." She whispered back.

Meiling sighed. "Alright, follow me. I've got somewhere you can stay for awhile for nothing"

Tomoyo smiled for the first time in awhile. "Really?"

Meiling nodded. "Really, really"

Meiling grabbed Tomoyo's hand and started to walk her to her residence. "I'll go into details later, but for right now, I think you could tell me why you're here...As in what happened"

Tomoyo nodded as her other hand grabbed her luggage before she moved with Meiling. "Alright, well...It goes like this..."

Tomoeda, Kinomoto Residence

"I just thought she'd be here!"

Touya growled. "I wouldn't tell you, even if she was"

Yep, Syaoran had decided to go to the family home to try and see if Sakura was home - Which she probably wasn't...Which could only mean one thing.

Syaoran turned on his heel and began to run, "I'll go see her!"

This was short-lived, as he was tackled to the ground by Touya. "No chance!"

"H-Hey! Get off!"

With Sakura and Eriol

Sakura sat in a chair in Eriol's living room which felt HUGE, drinking her drink of honey tea. So much like her, yet not as familiar.

"Calm down Sakura. I'm not going to bite you"

Sakura looked to Eriol who was sat in a chair across from her. "You'd better not..."

Eriol sighed. "What kind of a reputation do I have to you youngsters anyway?"

Sakura blinked. "Youngster? How old are you then Eriol? You don't look any older then me! and I'm 16!"

"You're 15, Sakura, you can fake alcohol buying, but not in front of me you can't"

Sakura frowned but then started to feel tears in her eyes. "I..."

Eriol motioned for her to put her cup down, which she did. "Sakura, listen, I'm not going to do anything weird to you. That's reserved for the special people in your life. I'm just an old Wizard. I deliberately made my age go slow in this re-incarnated body so that I could help you do, what you have done over the years. Are you following?"

Sakura nodded slowly.

"Good, now, if you want to cry then just cry. I'll be here. I'll listen to you Sakura, I'll do whatever you wish, within reason. I'll even...Hug you if I have too" Eriol looked un-nerved by that.

Sakura blinked. 'Eriol...Being un-nerved by people hugging him? That's new...' She thought.

Eriol leant back in his chair and sighed. "Why don't you tell me what happened recently? I know Tomoyo's not in a good place, but neither are you. So, I want to hear it from you - What is troubling you?"

Sakura took in a deep breath. "Alright, it goes like this-"

To be Continued...