Hey guys! What's up? I know it's been a bit, and you guys are anxious to see what's next. Why keep you waiting? Here it is!
Something of Yours
Chapter Fourteen
It's a…
Sakura rubbed her tummy a little as she walked, trying to sooth the baby in her womb. She and Meiling were out window-shopping for baby things, the morning of the day she was booked in for her ultrasound. She was to be in there at one that afternoon; it was currently eleven thirty in the morning, and Sakura was making the most of her time, buying some small things, and looking around at cradles and bassinets. Meiling had spoken to her cousins several times throughout the week, and was slightly put off that they intended to use her to get back into Sakura's good books. It wasn't that she didn't want to help them. She just didn't want to jeopardize her friendship with Sakura or any possible relationship with her baby cousin. When she'd asked Sakura why she didn't hate her like her cousins, her answer was relatively simple:
"You didn't abandon me for one of them. You may be his cousin, but you still supported me. The only reason I have a problem with Eriol is that he chose to abandon me for Tomoyo."
Meiling barely noticed when Sakura stopped in her tracks, staring ahead of them. It was only when Sakura's hand shot out and pulled Meiling to a stop that she realised that Syaoran, Eriol, and Tomoyo were walking out of the ice cream parlour across the street. Syaoran, to Sakura's estimation, was deep in thought, as Meiling told her was often the case these days. Tomoyo and Eriol were whispering things to each other, with Eriol's arm slung around Tomoyo's shoulder. Sakura's eyes narrowed. "Do they know about my appointment this afternoon?"
"Huh?" Meiling's gaze snapped around the rather crowded street before landing on the party of three across the road. She bit her lip. "Oh… I mighta mentioned that I was going along to my Aunt… I don't know if she told them or not."
"I see…" Sakura's voice was cold as steel.
"Sakura…" Meiling whimpered, chasing after her as she began stalking off. "I'm sorry!"
"I don't mind." Sakura's voice was still hard, but had lost some of its edge. "It's all right. You can tell them the gender afterwards if you want."
Meiling was gobsmacked. "I… I thought you wanted nothing to do with them anymore? Wont telling them…?"
"Give me another tie to them?" Sakura glanced back over at Meiling's face with an arched eyebrow. Meiling gave a sheepish nod. "I guess so… but y'know, blood is the strongest bond there can be between two people. Whether I like it or not, they're still biologically my family. Even if I have nothing to do with them. Even the Li's. I've been talking to my grandfather… he's really old-fashioned. He's going as far as thinking of arranging a marriage for me. I told him I wont do it," she quickly assuaged Meiling's fears, "but he was talking about marrying me off to Li."
"Is he insane?" Meiling almost screeched.
"Most likely." Sakura checked her watch. "Hey, there's an hour til my appointment. I have to get home and changed. I'll meet you there."
OoOoOoOoOoOSyaoran was effectively ignoring his cousin and cousin's girlfriend behind him. He didn't even know why on God's green earth he'd even considered coming out with them, let alone actually doing it. What was he thinking?!
He rounded the corner out of the crowded street. He'd seen Sakura in the other street with Meiling, and didn't particularly care to be in the same vicinity as his elder cousin. She'd flat-out refused to bring up the subject of reconciliation between himself and Sakura in the other girl's presence, leaving Syaoran with no way in. Also, since she and Sakura had gotten really chummy, it was 'Sakura this', or 'Sakura that'. It was really starting to tick him off. Although he took what he could get when it came to news about the baby.
He knew about her appointment that afternoon and had half a mind to gatecrash. Meiling had assured him that, if he even stepped foot in the building, that she would pummel him to within an inch of his life; and he believed her. Meiling was always fiercely loyal to her friends. Which was why he was so mad. She'd never abandoned her family for a friend before – this was the first time. Although, Syaoran reasoned, Sakura was both a friend and family now, in a sort of round about, twisted way.
Giving the other two the slip, he took a deep breath as he reached the park. He was so close to giving up and going home. There was just no way to get into Sakura's life again. He knew she hated him, knew she considered him the worst thing that had ever happened to her. But he still wanted to protect her from his father. God only knew what that horrible man had in store for her. Syaoran had seen some of the horrid things that his father had done to people; namely women who refused to abort any illegitimate children that he had sired. There was nothing stopping him from doing the same thing to Sakura.
There was nothing for it. He had to set Sakura bodyguards, someone loyal to him and him alone, and hope for the best. That didn't necessarily mean that he would leave. He was just… watching from a distance. Keeping an eye out on both sides, as it were. He wanted to ensure that his father didn't try anything fishy, as his mother was sure would happen, and ensure that nothing else happened to Sakura and, by default, the baby.
Sitting down on an abandoned park bench, he tried to collect his thoughts. The person that had sat down next to him made this impossible, however. He turned his head to start telling them to leave, but all thoughts left him at the sight of the young woman. He had to blink several times to ascertain that, no, he was not dreaming. "K-K-Kinomoto?"
"I don't know what I'm doing here." She admitted softly, clutching the shopping bag in her hand and staring down at her lap. Her face was hard, and cold, hiding any emotion. He tried to say something, but his words were caught in his throat. "Look, don't get any ideas. I haven't forgiven you. I don't think I ever will." She managed a small smile as she looked out toward the children's playground. "Things are changing. I'm changing. I… I don't know why, but my gut feeling is telling me that I'm in trouble… something beyond you and what you can do. Tell me if I'm right."
"Probably." Syaoran managed to push out. "My father…"
"I thought so." She sighed, becoming deadly serious again, and looking him in the face for the first time since she sat down. "What should I be looking out for?"
"Poisons… rapists… thugs…" Syaoran heard himself whispering before he could stop himself. "My father… isn't above things like that to get rid of things that he doesn't want."
Sakura didn't say anything for a moment, instead choosing to look out at the children again. "What are you going to do?"
"What?"
"About me." Sakura clarified. "It's too late to abort – not that I would – and I'm not planning on giving over custody. What are you going to do?"
"Nothing." Syaoran finally admitted, both to himself and her. "There's nothing I can do, except try to make sure that whatever Father is planning doesn't work. But I can't even do that if… well…"
"If I don't let you in." Sakura nodded. "L-" she paused, "Syaoran," he gave a start at the use of his first name, "I'm not going to say that it will be easy. There are things that I'm afraid will happen." She looked in the opposite direction. "But I think the thing I'm scared of most is… you."
"Me?"
"I'm afraid that, if I let you in again…" she took a deep breath, steeling herself, "…I'm afraid I'll lose myself again."
"What?"
"I think I loved you." Sakura blurted out, feeling mighty low with herself. Syaoran could only stare at her in shock. "I don't know how, since we barely knew each other, but I think I did. Maybe I loved the idea of you… I don't know. The point is that I'm afraid it will happen again. And I can't afford that. It's not safe for me."
"I agree."
"What?" Now it was Sakura's turn to stare.
"Right now, anywhere around me is unsafe." He sighed, raking a hand through his hair. "I can't make any promises, but I can try my best."
"I know I said I hated you," Sakura bit her lip, steeling herself for something that she knew had to be done, even if she didn't like it, "and I know I said I wanted nothing to do with you… but I'd like to try to be at least on speaking terms. On a superficial level only. For the baby."
Syaoran was speechless. Here he was, trying to find a way into her life again, with all these elaborate and shameless schemes, and the chance was being presented to him! He didn't know what Gods were smiling upon him that day, but he wasn't about to turn it down. He was wary though. "What do you… what do you mean?" He frowned.
"I'll give you news." She shrugged. "Pictures, when the baby's born. Things like that. A remedial kind of involvement. Maybe visitation if you're in the country."
"I… I'd like that."
Sakura handed him an address. "Be there in about half an hour." She said, before getting up and walking away. He watched her go with an awestruck look on his face.
"Was that Sakura?"
Tomoyo and Eriol had finally found him. Syaoran didn't hear them as he stared at the small card in his hand. It was… a doctor's surgery? Why on Earth…?
A light went on inside his head. She… she couldn't have been…!
OoOoOoOoOoO"What?!" Mr Li sat forward in his chair.
"They spoke sir." Mr Li's 'spy' in Japan told him over the phone. "The Kinomoto girl approached Master Syaoran and spoke to him. She spoke of her fears. He, when asked, warned her about every method you've considered thus far."
"All right…" Mr L rubbed his temples. "Not what I wanted to hear, but good work. I'll get back to you. Keep an eye on them."
"Yessir."
Mr Li hung up the phone. If they were speaking again, then that posed a problem. His entire plan revolved around her not trusting his son. Why couldn't the boy leave well enough alone?! Couldn't the ungrateful child see that he was doing this for his own good?! For the good of their entire family?!
He eyed the folders left on his table. There was really only one option left, now.
OoOoOoOoOoOSakura sat in the waiting room with Meiling, fanning herself. She was so nervous. Meiling had been told shortly after the invite that Syaoran was coming, and was ecstatic that Sakura was giving him a chance to be involved, however minimal it was, and was excited beyond belief. Sakura wasn't feeling so great. She really, really, really needed to pee, but the doctor had said that she couldn't. It was, to put it frankly, very uncomfortable.
Syaoran was on the other side of the room, his head in his hands. It was still spinning from earlier. He was just about to stand up and go outside when the receptionist came out. "The doctor will see you now."
All three jumped to their feet and marched stiffly into the room. The next few minutes were a blur to Sakura, as she changed and answered questions that the doctor asked. She soon found herself lying on a hard bed-type thing with cold gel on her belly and some kind of medical instrument pressed into it. She barely registered as the doctor made some notes on the clipboard and muttered to himself. She was snapped out of her thoughts as the doctor addressed her.
"Would you like to know the gender?" He asked kindly, helping her to readjust herself to be a little more comfortable. Sakura nodded enthusiastically. "All right, Miss Kinomoto, if you'll only watch the screen…" He pressed a little harder on her stomach. "See here, this little thing here is your baby." He indicated a dark space on the screen.
Sakura had tears in her eyes as she nodded. Syaoran and Meiling were just as transfixed to the screen as she was, hanging onto the doctor's every word. "Here is the head," he pointed it out, "and the genital area is here." He pointed that out too. Blindly, Sakura reached out for a hand, finding Syaoran's and squeezing it. Surprised, he gave a short squeeze back. The doctor looked at it a moment longer, before turning and smiling.
"Congratulations. You're having a little girl."
Yay! Here it is; Saku-chan and Syao-kun are having a little girl! I know a lot of people wanted it to be a son, but I think the idea of a daughter is cuter. Not everyone had sons first up (or at all).
So, I hope you enjoyed, and stay tuned!
Feedback is appreciated.