Le Biker

Chapter Nine

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN CCS NOR DO I HAVE ANY RIGHT TO ANY OF THE RIGHTS/ PRIVILEGES THAT GO WITH SAID OWNERSHIP.

"Let me talk to my sister, brat." Touya's voice was sharp.

"Alright. Hold on just a second." Syaoran held out the phone to Sakura, and said, "It's him."

Sakura knew who he was talking about, and took the phone with a little grimace that made Syaoran grin. "Hello, Onii-chan."

"Sakura. Who is that brat?"

"Syaoran? Is he who you are talking about?"

"If he was the one just on the phone, then yes."

"He's my boyfriend."

"Where are you? I'm coming to pick you up."

"Onii-chan, what will you do if I say that I don't want to leave?" Sakura's voice held a combination of remorse and steely determination.

"I'll have to remind you of your promise."

"That's what I thought."

Touya didn't understand the hint of disappointment in her voice, so chose to ignore it. "Where are you?"

Sakura chose not to tell him. "Meet us at Penguin Park in an hour."

"Us?"

Sakura ignored him and said her goodbyes and hung up. She turned to Syaoran for comfort and support, which he gave freely. "So, what are you going to do for that hour, Sakura?"

She looked at him and scowled. "Shut up, Syaoran."

Touya frowned as he sat on a bench waiting for his sister. Something was different about her, and he didn't think he'd like the news. He was of half a mind to disregard Tomoyo's warning and just steal his little sister away like he'd been planning to do all along. If it wasn't for the fact that she was seventeen and knew what she was doing, he knew he couldn't have stopped himself. To make up for the lack of action, he promised himself that he would take her if the situation was too bad. If she'd found herself an abusive boyfriend, for example.

Imagining what he'd do to the mysterious Li Syaoran helped pass the time. Sooner than he thought, his little sister and the mysterious boy arrived.

Touya had to look twice at his sister to make sure that it truly was her. Seven years had done her good. She had grown up. When he left her, she was a scrawny little girl. Now, she was a woman. All curves and legs. The epitome of a man's desire. How cruel to him that she had grown up so much while he hadn't been looking.

"Hello, Touya," Sakura said. The greeting was polite and cool, not at all how either of them had pictured it to be.

"Sakura." His eyes went to the man standing next to her. "Li Syaoran, I presume?"

Syaoran inclined his head. "Correct. Hello, Kinomoto-san. It is a pleasure to meet the man who abandoned Sakura at such a tender age."

"SYAORAN!" Sakura cried, turning to him in outrage.

Touya felt good to see his little sister defending him.

"Well it's true, Sakura," Syaoran defended.

"He didn't abandon me," Sakura said, sulky.

"Really? How many times did he call you, did he come and visit, did he send a card or present on your birthday?"

She didn't have a truthful comeback for that, so chose just to glare at Syaoran.

Touya thought about the comment, and had to agree with the guy. Not that he would say any such thing, but he knew. That was enough. And he promised, silently and to himself, that he would never abandon her again.

Syaoran saw the revelation in Touya's eyes, and knew that his job was done. So he pulled Sakura close and said, "I'm sorry, love. I didn't mean to make you mad. I promise to watch my words from now on."

She raised her eyebrow at him but wrapped her arms around his waist. "I just don't want my first meeting with my brother to be a confrontation, if you understand."

"I do. Which is why I promised you what I promised you."

Touya cleared his throat, bringing the focus back to him. "Sorry to interrupt, but I have a few questions. For both of you."

"Ask away," Sakura said.

Touya sat back down on the bench, inviting the couple to do the same thing. Sakura sat, but Syaoran stood behind her, hands on her shoulders. Touya realized that if it had been any other couple, he would have thought of the gesture as possessive, and it would have impressed him. Now he only thought it irritating. "First off, why did you move away from home?"

"Father has begun to drink, and Mother has become more and more of a punching bag and scapegoat. I didn't want to be next."

Touya nodded, unsurprised. "I thought so. It's a shame that it had to happen to Mother. She was always so kind, too.

"Anyway, next question. How did you meet this guy?" Touya glanced over her shoulder where Syaoran stood.

Sakura and Syaoran glanced at each other and shared a soft smile. "Well, first he gave me a ride home in the rain. Then, he rescued me when I passed out in the rain, on that same day."

"What were you doing outside in the rain?"

"Running away from our parents. Taking a walk. Dreaming of the old days when everything was still a little peaceful."

Touya nodded in sympathy. He understood all too well. "How long ago was that?"

"About a month and a half."

"And you've been seeing him ever since?" there was an undertone of accusation in his voice.

Syaoran broke in here. "Depends on what you mean, seeing."

"Did you two start dating at that time?"

Sakura shook her head, and heard Touya sigh a little in relief.

"Well then, that clears up some things. But there are still many things to be answered. For instance, why didn't you move in with Aunt and Tomoyo?"

"You've been there, right?" At Touya's nod, Sakura continued, "then you must know that Sonomi is totally unaware of what happens in our house. I couldn't shatter her peace, because that would throw her into the conflict, as well has having her choose a side. She would have to choose between Mother and us, and that would rip her apart."

Her older brother frowned. "Tomoyo has chosen her side."

Sakura grimaced. "I know. But she's my best friend, and has been there for me for forever." She didn't think she needed to add 'since before you left us,' in, but it was in her thoughts.

Touya and Syaoran nodded, understanding and following her train of thought. Touya spent a moment of silence trying to ask his next question in a way that wouldn't make anyone mad. "So…"

"The promise?" she supplied.

"Yes."

"I don't want to stay here," Sakura said. It was the thing that Touya wanted to hear and Syaoran dreaded hearing. Before anyone could do anything, though, she followed it up with, "But I don't want to graduate high school from anywhere else. Touya, you have to understand. I have friends here, true friends that have been there for years. I can't imagine leaving now, when I'm almost done with my senior year. You can't honestly think I'd be ok with just up and leaving."

Since that was exactly what he thought, Touya stayed silent. It was all the answer she needed. "You… are… unbelievable. You seriously thought I'd just drop everything and rush into your arms to be swept away?"

Shaking her head, she got back to the other part of her response. "When I said I didn't want to stay here, I meant I don't want to live here the rest of my life. I couldn't stand it, as much as I love it here. I want to go somewhere, somewhere new, explore a bit before I decide where I'm staying. So, Onii-chan, I can't go with you. I'll come and visit, perhaps even decide that where you live is where I want to be. But not now."

Syaoran squeezed her shoulders in joy and pride, already thinking of the best way to pack and store everything in his house.

Touya just looked at her with guarded eyes, more aware now than he had been before that his little sister was no longer little. She was more mature than he had been at that age. Hell, she was more mature than he was now. He nodded as he thought over the idea. "Well, that makes sense. I only have to add one condition to that plan."

"What?"

"While you travel and search for your place in the world, leave your things in mine. There will always be room for you there," he thought a moment, and added, "both of you. Until something happens to ruin your little piece of heaven. And then it's only my sister."

"TOUYA!!" Sakura cried, in much the same tone as she had had when she yelled at Syaoran the first time.

"Sorry, sorry." But they all knew that he wasn't.

"Oi, brat, how far have you gone with my sister?"

Sorry for ending it there, but I couldn't help but not want to write the conversation that informs Touya that his innocent little sis isn't very innocent anymore. hint hint wink wink nudge nudge

I'm sorry it's been so long since I put up the last chappie... but I haven't been writing very much lately so the urge to update never came upon me. I hope to have the tenth chapter up soon tho!!

Meako