Card Captor Sakura Fan Fiction ❯ Disaster Brings Us Together ❯ Despicable events, new beginings ( Chapter 1 )

Sakura, what kind of mess did you get yourself into this time?

The tall, messy haired youth looked down on the figure lying limp in his arms, feeling bitter anger surge though him. He was disgusted: with himself for not being there to help and because he still cared.

Didn't the training do anything? To think that his years of hard work and sacrifices had been for nothing was more than painful. Images of his training assaulted him in rapid succession; he recalled the physical exhaustion from all the fighting and the endless mind-games the elders played. Yet from it all he had emerged, stronger for the trials and ready to take his position as leader. Or so he had thought.

A year and a half previous, Syaoran had left Japan, once again promising a certain emerald eyed girl he would return. He come back, true to his word, but did so completely changed.

The day of his return still burned in his mind. Syaoran remembered arriving at the airport, alone but for his suitcase. There had been a tugging sensation at the back of his head, but he had refused to give into the familiar surroundings and instead walked on. The principles of his training were still ground firmly into his memory; live for the clan and the clan only. However, barely hidden in his mind lay an image containing a brown haired girl and stuffed bear, but his conscious would not allow them to resurface.

He made his way to his apartment and let himself in, noting with approval that all his things were already there and unpacked. Scarcely five minuets had elapsed before he heard a knock on his door and went to answer it.

The person Syaoran saw standing there nearly shattered his composure and blew the entire mission.

Sakura Kinomoto, her green eyes wide and shimmering with tears of happiness, was standing outside in the crisp November morning. The biggest smile he had ever seen spread onto her face as she stood there for a few moments, staring at him in wonder. Then she blinked, a single tear falling down her cheek as she said his name and leaned forward as if to hug him…

Syaoran closed the door in her face, locked it, and walked away.

Later that day he received a phone call from Daidouji that he didn't feel like answering, so he let the answering machine take it.

It had taken a surprisingly small amount of time for Sakura to get his point- she attempted to talk to him the first few days at school, but after that his cold attitude discouraged her completely. Since then, he hadn't seen much of her save at school and even there he worked to avoid her. Her spirits had gone down a great deal since his arrival, but why should he care? It wasn't as if it were his fault she was too stupid to keep her emotions in check.

Syaoran shifted his burden fully to his right arm, opened the door, and kicked it shut with a slam that shook the entire building. This is all your fault, he told her silently. She was still unconscious and defenseless, the picture of innocence lying in his arms. If it wasn't for you, none of this would have happened. I would have the cards by now and be back in China as the leader of the Li clan; not here on some stupid mission to prove where my loyalties lie. Damn-it Sakura, what did you do to me?!

Syaoran had been walking home through Penguin Park when he found her. She seemed to be asleep on the park bench, but he there was obviously something wrong with her.

The picture she made still burned behind his eyes. Her face, ghostly pale and marred with bruises, held the frozen track of desperate tears. Sakura had curled herself into a fetal position, regardless of the snow or the cold and her clothing was ripped and torn in strategic places, tell-tale bruises winding beneath the thick wool sweater and skirt. She may have been dense and ditsy, but even she knew better than to fall asleep in random places like that. Syaoran had shaken her, calling out roughly, before he realized the girl was unconscious. The part of his mind that had been present during his training told him to leave her there, but he couldn't bring himself to complete the act.

Why is beyond me. Syaoran thought angrily. He glanced down at her again and felt a sudden rush of disgust. He wondered what would have happened to her if he had not been there all those times- she'd be dead, that was for sure…

He dropped her to the bed in a rough manner and glared down at her with contempt. Her limp form hit the mattress, rebounding slightly into the air before settling into an unnatural position with her arms splayed wide and her head tilted back. She looked just like a discarded doll and seeing her lying there, so obviously helpless, erased the resentment he had felt. Syaoran sighed and arranged her body into a more comfortable position before pulling the covers over her. His hand contacted with the flesh of her wrist, unbearably cold and bruised horribly, and a small, unbidden frown crossed his face. His head filled with thoughts of concern but he shook them away with determination. Syaoran left the room in order to escape and closed the door firmly behind.

When the same ideas came floating back to his mind, he transformed his sword and began a vigorous workout, desperate for something to take his mind off the girl lying unconscious in his room. Physical exertion was always a way out of reality, it always had been, and the young warrior looked forward to the release it would give him as he entered the living room

On the table beside the couch was a small, clear orb. This object was a gift from his oldest sister, a magical thing that produced an amazingly real opponent. Putting a hand on it, he let his magic flow inside and awaken the spell. Syaoran watched as a hologram of a man shot from the sphere with a sword clutched his first.

It didn't waste a minuet and produced a blow immediately. Syaoran ducked, then attacked. The sound of metal clashing against metal accomplishing the two as they battled back and forth. Five minutes had passed before both were disarmed by a powerful blow. His opponent's sword hit the floor, vanished, and Syaoran found his was too far away to retrieve. The match evolved into one based solely on hand to hand fighting.

By this time, the Chinese Warrior was becoming annoyed with his magical opponent. Never before had it taken him so long to defeat one of his sister's creations. He knew why, of course; despite how hard he tried to block her presence from his mind, he could still feel Sakura in the other room…

An well-aimed ax-kick to the area where the shoulder blades meet sent the man down. He disappeared as he hit the floor- the match was over.

Syaoran walked over and picked his sword from the carpet, changing it back into pendant form. Wiping the sweat from his forehead with the back of his sleeve, he went to the sink and got a tall glass of water. Syaoran stood drinking it until the sound of a door opening made him turn. He looked over and saw Sakura standing in the doorway.

"L…Li-san, what am I doing here… in your apartment?" she wondered, a dispirited look on her face. Her appearance nearly startled him; she looked so… lost. No, lost wasn't the word. Hundreds of emotions twisted across her face: horror, fear, pain, panic. But one reigned above all the rest, shame. She wouldn't look him in the eye as she stood there, clutching her hands to her chest.

Syaoran regained his composure and regarded her with a raised eyebrow. "I found you unconscious in the park, Kinomoto. Something happen?" He schooled his tone, making it seem like he could care less.

Sakura's face went pale and she started shaking. "N...o Li-san. I… I… ah… fell asleep… and…"

He wanted to press her for the truth but he decided not to. Since it would go against everything he learned during his training, he decided to listen to her explanation and let her believe what she would about his thought on her account of the events.

"Well thank-you for every thing Li-san, but I need to start heading home. Onii-chan will be worried…" Something was definitely wrong. Sakura wasn't her normal, cheery self; well, she hadn't been as cheery in the days since his return… Even now, she tried to force a happy front, but her expression was all to obviously fake. Syaoran wanted to question her, but again didn't. "I'll see you tomorrow at school, Li-san," she continued with a weak smile.

He nodded and happened to glance out the kitchen window, noticing that the street below was blocked with more than three feet of snow. "Sorry Kinomoto, but I don't think you can. We're snowed in."

"We're… what?" she wondered, her face paling more dramatically as she clutched onto the doorframe for support.

"Snowed. In." He repeated, sounding annoyed. "Probably until morning."

"Oh." Silence followed and then she asked hesitantly, "Would it be all right if I called Tomoyo-chan?"

He shrugged. "Go ahead, there's a phone in the bedroom."

"Thank-you Li-san, I'll only be a minute," she promised and disappeared into the room.

Sakura picked up the telephone and dialed her best friend's number.

"Moushi Moushi, this is Tomoyo. Who is this?"

She was so thankful to hear her best friend's voice that she nearly sighed in relief. "Tomoyo-chan! Its me, Sakura."

"Hi Sakura-chan!" she greeted. "Guess what? I just made the most kawaii dress that I want you to try on and… Sakura-chan, what's wrong, are you crying?"

She was and admitted it to her friend.

"Why? Sakura, are you okay? What happened? You're at home, right? Do you want me to…"

"No, I'm at Li-san's apartment."

Tomoyo was stunned. "What? Why are you over there. What happened?!"

"I… I'm not sure but Li-san said he found me unconscious in the park, so he brought me here."

"Sakura-chan, you're scaring me. Do you know what happened?"

"I'm not… I have an idea…" She let the sentence trail off. When her friend made no reply, she continued. "I… I remember this man… but I… I can't… I think that… he…"

Tomoyo gasped. "Sakura-chan, what are you saying?"

"I'm saying that I think he… he…" She couldn't finish the sentence. Her mind was working too slowly, but her worst fears were slowly coming true.

"Oh god… Sakura-chan are saying you think this guy… you think he raped you!?"

Tomoyo had said it. Sakura nodded, her mind was bombarded with memories of what had happened. Her hand went to a large bruise on her cheek and she gave a strangled sob, clutching her hands around herself in a fierce hug.

"Y… yes Tomoyo-chan. I … he…. I remember now… I remember and…" Sakura started sobbing with the sudden realization and her friend did her best to comfort her over the phone.

"Sakura, I'm going to call my driver right now. I'll be over there in a few minutes, okay, and then we'll take you to a doctor to make sure you're okay. Don't worry, Sakura, everything will be okay…"

"You can't. Look outside your window…" Sakura replied bleakly.

"I… Sakura-chan… does Li-kun know?"

"No… Tomoyo-chan, I don't want to tell him… h…he scares me now."

"Did he do something to you…"

"Oh no, not like that!" she exclaimed. "Just the way he acts… his attitude… just like when he was ten, only worse…"

"Sakura-chan, I don't know what to say…"

"I know Tomoyo-chan… I'm not… I'm just saying…"

For a few minutes more they talked, then Sakura decided she should hang up. Tomoyo agreed and left her with instructions to try to sleep.

Sakura laid down on the bed and attempted to follow her friends instructions, but slumber wouldn't come.

*****

The air in the apartment vibrated with energy, making Syaoran more on edge than he'd like to admit. On the mantle, each heavy click of the clock hung suspended unbearably in the air. For what was the hundredth time that night, the young warrior found his eyes drifting towards his bedroom door. He snapped them back to the television before him with practiced force. I do not care, damn it.

Something was wrong with Sakura. His mind seemed to remember, with vivid detail, the cuts and scrapes, bruises, torn clothing, and heart-breaking disposition surrounding her that evening. Yet it could not, or refused to, recall just how final his orders to stay away from this girl were.

Syaoran was disturbed, on edge, and he was sleeping on the couch.

The phone rang and he glared. "Who's insane enough to be calling at 10:45 PM?" he mumbled testily as he picked up the device. "This is Li Syaoran."

"Li-kun, this is Tomoyo," came the feminine voice on the other side of the line.

"Daidouji. It's almost eleven."

"I was just talking with Sakura-chan, I think there's something you need to know."

"Excuse me?"

"Do you know what happened to her?"

"Do you?"

"She told me."

"What? Is it bad?" he demanded, trying to force a devil-may-care tone. Still, he was unable to keep the concern from his voice.

"I think so," she replied in a dryly. "Li-kun, so told me she was raped."

He didn't comprehend her words immediately. It was impossible. Something like that could never happen to Sakura. She had her magic and… no, it was just impossible. Nobody would dare do anything like that to her. Sakura was so innocent and beautiful… why would… for exactly those reasons.

But still, things like that didn't happen to people you knew. It was a distant threat, one for the six o'clock news and horror stories. How could something like that possibly happen to someone, how could it possibly happen to sweet Sakura…

"WHAT!!" Syaoran demanded as his mind drifted towards panic and anger. Looking back on it, all the signs had pointed to… that… as the cause of her fear. He had noted just how convenient the rips in her clothing had seemed… Even thinking about that made a blinding anger rise in his chest; Syaoran fought it down with determination.

Guilt came next as he recalled his harsh treatment of her. How could he stand himself for how he treated her, especially after all that had happened? What hadn't she told him? The answer to that was obvious, he had been acted like a class A ass. Who the hell had done this to her? Whoever it was, he would hunt them down and personally make them pay. Death was too good from them… But what about Sakura? Was she hurt? Of course she was hurt, damn it, how could she not be hurt? Syaoran was concerned for her deeply, and no amount of training could change that fact.

"She didn't want to tell you," Tomoyo continued softly after a dragging pause. "She said she was afraid of you the way you acted towards her." He felt the guilt come back, stabbing at him full force. No, ass couldn't even begin to describe his behavior. Something startled him from his demeanor, the sound of stifled tears coming from the girl on the other line. "But I thought you should know, since she is stuck at your home. I'm so scared for her, I don't know what to do. But since I can't be with her… Li-kun, will you… will you please do one thing for me?"

"What is it?"

"I don't know what you're thinking, or why you've been acting the way towards her that you have been; that's your business. But please Li-kun, just for tonight… I'm not asking you to act the way you used to when you were together, but she really needs a friend. And since I can't be there could you…"

"What are you asking, Daidouji?"

"Just try to be nice to her tonight, Li-kun. Will you do that please?" Then in a voice almost too soft to hear, she added, "she'll need at least that much to get through this."

"I will."

Tomoyo sighed in relief; had she actually doubt he'd do that for the emerald eyed girl? "Thank-you."

"And Daidouji,"

"Hai, Li-kun?"

"Don't cry. She'll need you to be strong for her."

"Hai."

They exchanged brief adieus and Syaoran hung the phone back on the receiver. He stood still for a moment, staring aimlessly at the calendar hanging near the fridge. None of this seemed real, even after his conversation with Tomoyo. But it was, there was no way it could be otherwise. Sakura needed him now, and he wasn't about to let her down again.

Outside the bedroom door, he paused and called quietly, "Kin… Sakura-san, can I come in?"

"All right Li-san," came the weak reply.

He opened the door and walked in. "Sakura-san, I was just talking to Daidouji," he started uncertainly. Sakura was sitting on the bed, tears running silently down her face.

How could he have missed the hurt in her eyes when she first came out? Why hadn't he sensed something was wrong before- he certainly could feel it now, her aura was different. The biggest question still remained, why would someone want to do this Sakura? Who the hell would want to cause so much pain for someone so innocent?

"Did she t…tell you?"

He nodded and sat down awkwardly on the side of the bed. "Yes, she did."

What was he supposed to say to her? What could you say to someone in this position? He wanted so much to be able to everything better, but that was impossible. They weren't as close as they had been before he left. They hadn't really been friends due to Syaoran's attitude. Maybe if he hadn't acted the way he had…

"Sakura, I… I'm sorry this had to happen, t...to you," he said softly, not knowing what else to tell her.

She attempted a small smile, but it was twisted and shaking. "It's not your fault Li-san. You weren't there, you didn't do…" Her voice faded off and she didn't finish the sentence.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Syaoran wondered, although he already knew her answer.

Sakura shook her head. "No."

"Is that no in general or just no to me?" he wondered dryly, angry with himself and not her.

She looked down at the bedspread and didn't reply.

"Daidouji said you were scared of me."

Still she said nothing.

His heart ached as he looked at her. Syaoran hated seeing her sad and in pain, the worst thing was there was nothing he could do, or almost nothing.

"Sakura, I feel horrible… the way I've treated you in the weeks days that I've been back… and w…what happened. I can't do anything to help you and it makes me feels so helpless… I don't know what to do Sakura."

She looked at him earnestly. "Li-kun, I'm sorry. I don't know what to tell you."

He met her gaze. "Could I tell you something?" Syaoran wondered in a whisper. She nodded and he sighed, not really expecting her to forgive him. But maybe, maybe she would allow him to help her through this if she realized the story behind his attitude change.

"Sakura, my clan doesn't exactly like you, because you have the cards. They didn't approve of the relationship we had at all. When I went back, the elders demanded that I break off any contact with you and end our relationship. They threatened me with the my future position as leader; that was the most important thing to me at the time," he admitted sadly, "so I agreed. They put me through a vigorous session that enforced my future training. I thought… the entire time I thought of you, but I told myself I didn't care."

I was so stupid to do something like that, and now I've lost her. Maybe not as a friend.

"I couldn't figure out why I was feeling so empty. I remember lying awake at night and there was this pain just gnawing away inside of me, a constant pain that would never go away. When I told the clan elders, they said it was from stress. But they were wrong; it was because I wasn't with you and the rest of the people I care about." He stopped talking, leaving everything in silence save the humming of the lights. "I know it's no excuse for the way I've treated you, I'm not trying to make it into one. I'm sorry for the way I've acted; I don't deserve to be forgiven. But please, just know that I regret everything I've done."

"Li… Syaoran-kun…" He looked up, shocked at hearing his first name. Sakura was smiling at him, a little faintly, but it was a smile. "You're wrong. You do deserve to be forgiven, everyone does. So Syaoran-kun, I forgive you and I hope that we can be friends again."

"W…what?" he demanded, stunned.

Her small smile grew and she held out right hand, extending her pinkie. "Friends?"

Heisting, he linked his pinkie with hers in their childhood promise. Then he did something he hadn't done in the longest time; he smiled ever so slightly. "Friends."

"I'm so glad you told me, Syaoran-kun. I thought I had done something that made you hate me."

"I never hated you," he assured her.

"I'm so glad that's true." Caught up in the moment, Sakura gave him a quick hug. Until now Syaoran had never realized how much he had missed her; her smile, her touch, and her smell. His actions had hurt her far more than he had thought possible, but she had forgiven him. That just proved what an amazing person was. Amazing, sweet, and innocent, there just weren't enough words to describe her and her…

He returned her embrace gently before realizing…

Baka! Baka! Baka!! He was such an idiot! He had been troubling Sakura with his paltry problems when she was currently going through something much worse. How could he forget what had just happened? I just can't do anything right.

"Sakura, I'm so sorry."

"For what?" she wondered.

"For… I forgot about… I can't believe… I was troubling you with my story before even making sure you were okay…"

Her face fell. "It's okay Syaoran-kun. Thank-you for taking my mind off… it; and for giving me my friend back."

Syaoran took a seat on the bed. "Sakura, you need to tell me what happened." Again, he fought the anger rising inside him, but it was like trying to keep a top on a boiling pan of water. It would have upset her to see him like that, he knew, and that thought seemed to be the only one that kept his temper down. Once I find out who did this they'll wish they never set eyes on my Sakura.

Tears shimmered in her eyes and a terrified look passed over her face. "Syaoran-kun, I can't. Not yet. I don't want to think about it if I can help it…"

"At least tell me who, Sakura," he insisted gently. "I need to know, so we can let some authority know what..."

Her face went pale, like she had seen a ghost, and he was nearly sure she would break down crying. "No! No, we can't tell anyone, not yet. Just wait, alright? I need some time, that's all, just a little bit more time…"

"That won't make it go away," he pointed out quietly.

"I know. But understand please Syaoran-kun. I'm not ready to talk…"

He sighed in defeat. "Do you want anything?"

"No, thank-you," she replied, shaking her head.

"Then maybe you should try to get some sleep," he suggested, pushing her tenderly onto the bed. Sakura froze and Syaoran jumped back from her with an ashamed look on his face.

"Sorry," they both said simultaneously

"I'm really sorry," she said quietly, trying to hide the look of fear that inhabited her eyes.

"You shouldn't be," he replied, meaning to say more, but he cut short the rest of his little speech we he noticed how taxed she seemed. "Go to bed nor, Sakura."

Sakura nodded. "Hai. Goodnight Syaoran-kun."

"Goodnight Sakura." He gave her a pat on the head before walking to the bedroom door and shutting it behind him. For the first time in years, he felt complete again. He had Sakura back, if not at a horrible price, for both of them. Syaoran bit the inside of his mouth, worrying it between his teeth. True, it had taken something this horrible to make him realize how much he cared for the girl, but there was still the issue of his mission here in Japan…

Shaking his head, he headed for the kitchen. No, now wasn't the time to be worrying about something as trivial as the Li elders, not when something much worse was afoot. His current task was much more important, he had to find the person who had done this to Sakura and make them pay dearly…

***********

"No! Go away, don't touch me!"

But the man wasn't listening, he kept walking closer and closer, backing her into a wall. She felt so stupid, realizing her mistake too late, but there was no where for her to go. It had been a clumsy fall, and he'd helped her to her feet like a good civilian would. Only he was anything but a good civilian…

"Leave me alone, please!" She shrieked, but a hand covered her mouth and another pushed her down into the corner. Despite how she fought and slashed, the he refused to relinquish his hold on her and she employed her last defense, folding herself into a ball. The man only smirked at her actions as he forced her face upwards and ran a cool hand down her cheek…

"No! Leave me alone!" Sakura screamed, breathing hard. Jerking her entire body into action, she fought desperately against the sheet holding her captive. Wait, sheets? She sat in bed, covered in sweat, and looked around as the blood pounded furiously in her ears. It was such a relief, that the replay of those… events was only a dream. Such a relief…

Terror shot back into her veins when she made a startling revelation. This wasn't her room, or her bed. Did this mean… Sakura looked around desperately, seeking the quickest escape route. It would not happen again, she vowed. She'd die before she let that happen again.

A light switched on in the hall, she prepared to dart to the balcony door and throw herself over the edge. The door opened. All the muscles in her frame were tense; ready, set… She froze. The figure there was familiar, a lean masculine form with a messy head of hair portrayed against the hallway light. And the aura… she could feel the comforting magic presence as he gazed at her with evident concern.

"Sakura, is everything alright?" Syaoran turned on the bedroom light, making her blink owlishly. He didn't move from that spot, his hands held limp at his side. From the expression on his face, he was aware of the thoughts running through her mind and the reason she looked ready to run the 100- meter dash.

Sakura relaxed a small bit, letting her hands drop from the death grip she'd taken on the poor sheets. She wasn't in danger; she was at Syaoran's apartment, she was safe, for now, and he was her friend again. But her nightmare… the images were so real, like it was happening all over again. Her skin began tingling at that thought and she felt sick, unexplainably. Eyes huge, she stumbled from the bed and rushed past Syaoran, heading for the bathroom down the hall. The toilet loomed into view and she spent the next few minutes in a spell of horrible sickness.

A few seconds into her ordeal, she felt a firm hand on her shoulder. It was Syaoran, kneeling beside her despite her disgusting state, and rubbing her back in comforting little circles. He whispered words of comfort as he sat there, telling her that it was alright, she was safe, and to calm down and try not to worry.

Her fit complete, she rocked back onto her heals and rested her head against the cool plaster of the bathroom wall. The breaths coming from her chest were still harsh and faltering as she fought to try and calm them. Something else, much cooler than the wall, pressed against her flushed forehead, something damp and comforting.

Syaoran held the cloth to her head, watching as Sakura struggled to regain control of her body. His first instinct was to reach out to her, wrap her in his embrace like he would have done when they were dating, and push the damp strands of hair away from her face. That wouldn't be smart though, considering the situation, so he stayed put and settled to comfort her from a safe distance. "Did that make you feel better?" he questioned softly.

"Worse," she choked. To her horror, tears where welling in her eyes. She didn't know why she felt like crying so suddenly and was, quite plainly, disgusted by it. The last thing Sakura wanted was to seem weak and break down completely, but her misery was stinging her eyelids and she had no choice but to let the fall. "Sorry, Syaoran-kun, I…"

He shook his head, denying his urge to ask her a million questions. Cautiously, he put his arm lightly around her shoulder. When she didn't pull back in fear, the let his hand run through her hair in a soothing motion. "Sorry? Why are you sorry? If it's because you're crying, then you're being an idiot," he told her seriously. "It's okay to cry, you told me so yourself."

Her head bobbed under his hand as the tears began to fall more freely, sparkling in the light like thousands or crystal beads.

"Did you have a bad dream, is that what started all this?" Syaoran wondered. He didn't exactly expect an answer and was talking more for the sake of talking, that and filling the silence between her sobs.

Quite unexpectedly, her arms were around him. Sakura gripped the man before her like a life line, burying her face in his pajama top and letting her tears soak through. "It was so real, like it was happening all over again!" she said shakily, holding him a little tighter. "I could feel it again, such a horrible feeling, and I remembered…just how it felt… and how afraid I was… Syaoran, I was so afraid so…"

"Shh, it was a dream, Sakura," he told her, combing his finger gently through her locks. "It's okay now, things will get better nothing bad will ever happen again. I promise I won't let him come near you, I'll protect you…"

Like you protected her from this? A portion of his mind smirked, poking fun at his already guilty conscious. Syaoran pushed the thought away, he had no time for it now.

For a long time, Syaoran just held her. Somehow, she ended up in his lap, snuggled against his chest, as he rocked her back and forth like a child. He didn't think it was possible for a person to cry this long or this desperately, and holding Sakura as she poured out all her fears and anguish knotted his guilt into a nearly tangible lump in the pit of his stomach. Her shaking stoped, he had noticed the shivers until the were gone, and her tears began to subside.

Sakura finally pulled back with a last sniffle, shuffling almost hesitantly from his embrace. She kept her gaze downcast for a while, wiping the back of her hand against her eyes and trying to smooth her disheveled hair. When she looked up, it was with swollen red eyes and a drawn expression.

"Do you feel a little better?" he wondered tentatively.

She nodded. "Thank-you for staying with me, Syaoran-kun."

"Of course." Glancing around, he noticed their position. They were sitting in the bathroom on the cold tile floor, huddled against the shower. Syaoran got to his feet, extending a hand down to Sakura. She took it, watching him questionably as he walked out the door. "You look tired, Sakura. You should go back to sleep."

At those words, her eyes took on a panicked expression and she attempted to hide them beneath her bangs. "Ano… Syaoran-kun..." she squeaked, catching hold of his hand. He turned around and looked down at her expectantly.

Sakura blushed and let go of her hand. "I'm sorry, I just… After that I don't feel like sleeping. I just don't want to risk…I don't want any more dreams." He nodded understandingly. "Sorry Syaoran, for being a burden…"

"You're anything but that," Syaoran replied lightly. "You can't sleep now, but maybe watching something on TV might make you tired."

She agreed that it might work and followed him to the living room. The couch, serving the double function of Syaoran's temporary bed, was a tangle of blankets and sheets. He pulled them from the furniture and handed a light blanket to Sakura. Clicking on the television, he gave her the remote and headed for the other room.

"Wait, where…" she made as if to grab at him. He pushed her hand away with a gentle expression.

"Just to the kitchen for a few minutes. I promise, I'll be right back."

True to his word, he returned with a mug of warm tea in his hands. Presenting it to the blanket wrapped Sakura, he sat next to her as she took the cup with a smile of thanks.

An old American movie was playing, the usual line up for late night television, and it caught Syaoran's immediate attention. Although it was an ancient black and white film with cheesy acting, the plot was so intricate that he could concentrate on nothing else. In fact, he was so caught up in the car chases and bank robberies that he didn't notice when Sakura eye's began to droop.

The emerald eyed girl saw the scream before her go fuzzy, blinking to clear her eyes. It didn't work and after a few more minutes of fighting, she gave into the impending sleep. Her body fell limply against his, hand closing gently around Syaoran's arm as an anchor and as a deep, dreamless sleep enclosed her mind.

By the time the show ended, Syaoran was tired. He had every right to be, it was well past two o'clock in the morning. Stifling a yawn, he clicked off the TV and made to stretch, pausing only when he felt something clinging to his left arm. He glanced down, unable to fight the slight blush that crossed his face when he noticed Sakura clinging to the limb.

Her expression was serene, more peaceful and at ease than it had been in a long time. And she wasn't having those horrible dreams. He took a few seconds to admire her before giving himself a mental shake. The right thing, he knew, would be to wake her up. But then, she might not get back to sleep. I'll let her rest a little longer, then take her back to the bedroom, he decided, compromising between his two impulse.

However, Syaoran was more tired than he thought and he too soon drifted off to sleep.

*************

Tomoyo slept poorly that night and awoke early the next morning. Her state was disarrayed; eyes red from worry over her friend with huge bags underneath from lack of sleep. The girl shot from her bed as soon as sunlight touched her face, throwing on yesterday's clothes and running to her window without bothering to brush her hair.

In the street below, she saw a snowplow working desperately to clear the streets of last night's build-up. She breathed a sigh of relief, sinking momentarily to her love seat. Thank God, thank every god in all the heavens for making this happen. Sakura's voice had echoed through her mind all through the night; the forlorn tone she used and the tears all too obviously hiding behind her voice.

"Oh, don't worry Sakura-chan, I'm coming…"

She wondered how harsh her night had been. That was, unfortunately, up to Li-kun. Just thinking his name made her fume. What was wrong with that boy, after all? He'd been horrible to Sakura, especially after promising to come back to her. But now he was her best hope at getting through this.

"You better have been nice to her, Li-kun," Tomoyo muttered through gritted teeth as she instructed her driver and the limousine took off, tire slipping into the snow. "If you've hurt her again, especially after all this, I'll send you back to Hong Kong in pieces."

They pulled up beside Li's apartment complex ten minutes later. Rushing to the door, she tried to turn the handle but found it locked. When pounding and ringing the doorbell for minutes on end merited no answer, she ran around into the garden and peeped into one of the kitchen windows. Her heart had been beating mercilessly, thinking of all the things that could have been wrong. Be alright, Sakura. Please be alright…

A smile lit her face. Yes, she smiled and had to strangled an exclaimed of `kawaii' as she took another look inside. The view from this window was bad, partially obscured by the kitchen wall, but she was pretty sure of what she was seeing. Sakura was cuddled against Li-kun, the second of which was asleep sitting up with his head resting gently against hers.

Li-kun, you made up with her, didn't you? She wondered, admiring the situation. Thank-you so much. I'm sure it will be much easier for her to make it through this, now that she has you…

From her pocket the dark hair girl removed a cell phone and dialed a number.

*************

-Bring Bring-

Syaoran stirred from his sleep, hearing the ringing of the phone in the distance. Opening one eye, than the other, he groaned. His muscles were sore and cramped, why had he fallen asleep on the couch? Syaoran's gaze strayed to the pressure against his arm. And there was Sakura, still sleeping peacefully with his arm clutched her chest. A slight blush crept into his face but his eyes sparkled with a smile.

-Bring Bring!-

"I'm coming, hold on," he muttered, gently prying his arm from her grasp so he could stand. He positioned a pillow where he had been and watched as she snuggled into it with a gentle expression on his face. It contorted suddenly and she grimaced.

"Lock the door…" she muttered.

He frowned, smoothing her hair before moving away to the ringing object. The boy was feeling more annoyed than ever as he stalked to the phone. It was way too early for this, he was having incredibly bad luck when it came to phone call. Syaoran walked to the phone and picked it up. "Li Syaoran."

"Li-kun, hi. This is Tomoyo."

"Daidouji?"

"Hai. I was just calling to see how Sakura-chan was holding out."

Syaoran glanced at the girl lying sprawled on his couch. "She's doing okay, I guess."

The girl on the other end was thoughtfully silent. "I think you're right. If she's not okay yet, she will be. Thank you for that, although I'm sure you didn't make up with her because I asked. Would you unlock your door so I could come in, please?"

"Where are you?" he demanded, feeling a tingle at the thought of someone watching him.

"Look out the window to your right." He did and saw Tomoyo standing there with her cell phone to her ear.

The warrior started and glared to cover his surprise. "Damn it, Daidouji, don't ever…"

"Later Li-kun, please. I came to take Sakura to the doctor," she scolded. "Will you open the door now? It's cold out here."

"Fine." Syaoran hung up the phone and walked to the door. He debated whether or not he should open the door; that girl could be as evil as that Hiiragizawa when she wanted to be. Well, she was Sakura's best friend and he knew that she only had the best in mind for her.

He opened the door for Tomoyo and closed it behind her.

"Thank you again, for making up with her," she told him. "It'll make it much easier for her…"

Syaoran hadn't forgotten completely about the situation at hand, how could he, but it came rushing back to him very quickly. "You came to take her to the doctor, get at it."

The dark haired girl nodded somberly. "Yes, alright. I'll just wake her up."

"Tomoyo-chan, what are you doing here?" Sakura wondered drowsily, sitting up and stretching.

Tomoyo ran to her friend and hugged her. Her eyes did a quick scan of her figure, noting the bruises and scratches that still remained. "Oh, Sakura-chan, I'm sorry it took so long for me to come," she apologized sincerely. "God, how do you feel?"

The same dark look she had last night passed over her face at the mention of that. "I think I'll be okay, Tomoyo-chan."

She nodded. "We're going to the doctor. Come on, I made an appointment for you last night. We need to go if we don't want to be late."

"Alright," she responded, getting to her feet. "Bye Syaoran-kun, and thank-you." She gave him a quick huge and a small smile.

"Anytime Sakura." He watched her put on her hat and scarf. She was nervous, he was too. They hadn't even considered what the consequences of last night could have been in the long terms. She seemed alright, except for the obvious, but then there was so much more that could happen. And that was the last thing she needed…

"I'll call you after we get back," Tomoyo whispered as she walked by him, pushing Sakura out the door in front of her. "Hopefully…" She shook her head, not wanting to continue.

"Yeah, hopefully."

-end chpt.1-

-TBC-