Goodnight Sweetheart

By Kawaii_Cherry_Blossom

Ok, now this story is written with the dub names. I don't like the dub, but it's all I've seen so I think it's best to use the names I know, so I can put them in character better. If you don't know the Nelvana names (and Kids WB I guess, but I've only seen the Nelvana dub), here is a translation. I'll probably add more names here as more characters are introduced into the story. Because the Japanese have their last names before their first, that's how I've put it. They're all about a year older than they are in the dub.

Sakura Avalon - Kinomoto Sakura

Li Showron (I think that's how the English version spells it) - Li Syaoran

Madison Taylor - Daidouji Tomoyo

Meilin Raye - Li Meiling

Tori Avalon - Kinomoto Touya

Julian - Yukito

Kero/Keroberos - Cero/Cerebus (I think)

Chelsea - Chiharu

Nikki - Naoko

Rita - Rika

Rating: PG-13

Genre: Drama/Romance

Summary: Sakura has a horrible secret, and one which will tear the hearts of everybody around her…especially Li.

This fic takes place after the series ends, and doesn't include the movies at all (pretend they never existed) as I've never seen them.

*Please note: Sakura's dad works, so that's why he isn't in the fic so far. It's not that he's not there or anything, he's just not in these particular parts. Thankz* Oh, and grab you tissues for this one!!! :( And don't read ahead and cheat to see what happens! Read it all in order!!! ^^

Chapter 2

Bending and Breaking

Just cry

You don't have to hide it from me

Rely on me

(Rely on me)

I know you can't smile those tears away

I know you can't smile those tears away…

Time passed quickly that afternoon, and 7 o'clock came around pretty fast. Sakura had dressed herself in a red skirt and white tank top. The weather was still warm out, and the night was as beautiful as the day.

"Sakura, are you sure you'll be alright?" both Kero and Tori asked her, concern overtaking their voices. Sakura smiled. "I'll be fine, guys. Li will be with me the whole time."

"That's what I'm worried about", Tori replied.

A knock sounded at the door, just as Sakura was about to answer back. She waved goodbye to the two worrywarts and walked towards the door. She had to admit, she did feel better. The doctor had said that would happen, though.

The first thing Li noticed when Sakura answered the door was how skinny and fragile she looked. He hadn't noticed it before because she'd been in her pyjamas. She had always been thin, but it had been nice-thin, not scrawny-thin.

"Hiya, Li!" she greeted him, and he smiled back.

"Hi."

The two walked out of the door and down the street, enjoying each other's company.

"So how long are you here for?" Sakura asked.

"About 5 days. Our school has a 3-day-holiday this week, plus the weekend."

"Oh. That's cool", she replied.

Silence took over once again, until Li spoke up.

"Sakura…you're not on a diet or anything, are you?"

Sakura looked up at him, shocked. "No, why?"

Li blushed. "Oh, you just look skinnier, that's all".

Sakura's face turned downcast. She hadn't even noticed that her weight was decreasing. 'I should have dressed in baggier clothes…' she thought. While she was on the topic, Sakura suddenly realised what she was meant to be doing tonight. She'd been so concerned about it that she'd put it out of her mind…and almost forgotten about it. 'I've got to get it over and done with…' she told herself. 'I can't keep it hidden any longer'. Sakura noticed they were nearing the park, and she stopped walking.

"Li…" she asked quietly.

He stopped and turned around. "Yeah…?" Concern struck through his eyes like a bolt of lightning, as he realised her eyes had transformed from a delightful, contented emerald, to a deep, sad dark green. "Hey, what's wrong?"

Sakura paused and closed her eyes. "I need to tell you something..."

Confusion overtook Li's face as he nodded slowly, and he walked up to Sakura. "Ok…"

Sakura pointed to the park and he nodded. The two walked there in silence, Li looking over to Sakura just about every 2 seconds to attempt to figure out what was going on, like he used to do so many times when he lived in Japan. Li's heart was full of worry. He could sense something was wrong before. 'Why does she always have to act like everything's fine?' he asked himself, frustrated by her actions. Sakura felt anything but well at that moment, and almost collapsed before she reached the park bench. Thankfully, Li caught her again, before she hit the ground. Closing her eyes, Sakura nodded a thank you to him as he guided her carefully to the bench.

"Sakura, what's wrong?!" Li asked her after they'd sat down.

Sakura was silent. Tears gathered in her eyes and she didn't even attempt to stop them from pouring down her face. The sight broke Li's heart.

"Umm… I…"

Li watched her in worry. "Has something happened? Did somebody hurt you?" he asked anxiously.

"I'm sick, Li", she stated simply.

Li's features softened. "I know. You have a fever. Maybe I shouldn't have brought you ou…"

"No!" she cried out, cutting him off. Sakura stood, shakily and walked a few steps, then walked back, out of nervousness.

Li followed suit, and rose from the seat, then snapped his head to look into her eyes. They were full of pure sorrow. "What…? What's going on?" he asked. His emotions were swirling hysterically - a mixture of confusion, fright and uncertainty.

"I…" she tried, but failed once again. Li looked on, his eyes wide in apprehension.

"I'm… I'm dying, Li… I have leukaemia", she said, her emotions pouring into her speech.

Li sat still, shocked beyond belief. He didn't believe it, not one bit. She couldn't…she couldn't be…dying… It was impossible! Absolutely outrageous! But as Li fixed his mystified, anxious eyes on hers, he saw the sincerity and truth in what she was saying. It was true. It was…true. Sakura quietly burst into tears, as if she had just heard the news herself.

"No…" Li trailed off. Sakura was quiet. Only the sound of her slight sobbing could be heard. She shook from sadness and fear, and looked so helpless and fragile. Before she knew it, Li had his arms around her, holding her tightly, protectively. She sobbed into his shirt and tears filled his eyes, for the first time in a while. The two stayed like that for a while, until Sakura pulled out of the embrace, and Li helped her sit down again.

"Thank you, Li", she said, trying to conceal her tears.

He didn't reply. Li was too shocked to even think, to even function properly. He wanted to pinch himself to check if the whole situation was real, but decided that if he did, he'd only disappoint himself. Li turned his head to look at Sakura. The once beautiful, lively and optimistic cherry blossom was now burdened with sorrow and fear. It was a complete transformation, like she was another person. Oh, sure, she was still beautiful, but she lacked that bubbly aura that used to surround her 24/7. Still, Li could not believe this was happening.

"But…there is some treatment…right? They can kill cancer these days…can't they?" Li asked her hopefully, desperately.

Sakura blinked out her remaining tears, leaving them to trail down her face unhurriedly. She shook her head, slowly, devastating Li. "I've had it too long. It's already too far ahead and in such a late stage that they can't do anything about it…"

Li stared ahead. He wanted to break down into tears but refused to look weak, especially in front of Sakura.

"Why didn't they pick it up sooner though? How didn't you know you had it? Aren't there symptoms?" he asked, almost frustrated and angry.

"Do you remember when I had to transform all the Clow Cards into Star Cards?"

Li nodded. "Of course."

"Well, I was really tired through most of that time, except at the end. Kero said it was because I was transforming the cards and it was using up the energy from my star, and part of it was, but… Now I see that the fainting and part of the tiredness was caused because of the cancer. The doctor told me that you go through days and days when you feel horrible, then go through a month of feeling great", Sakura explained, the sadness present in her voice very evident. Li looked down at his hands. Although it was making complete sense to him, the reality just wasn't there. There were a few moments of uncomfortable silence.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Li asked, having taken all of this in. "I would have come sooner. I could have helped in some way. Why didn't you tell me?!" he asked her angrily, standing up to face her. He was not angry with Sakura, but simply livid at the whole situation.

Sakura sat on the bench silently, the tears she was trying so hard to hold back refusing to stay. She looked so diminutive, so delicate.

"I… I didn't want to believe it… I wanted it to go away. I wanted to wake up and find it was all a horrible nightmare", she said, her voice becoming louder, angrier. Sakura closed her eyes calmly and sighed. "But that never happened, and it was really hard to accept it…" Li looked into her eyes, which held so many emotions at that particular moment that he couldn't tell what she was feeling. Silence prevailed once again, until Sakura spoke up, in a small voice… "I don't want to die, Li…" For a moment, the two stared into each other's eyes fearfully. A moment later, Sakura was crying quietly again, and Li, whose heart and soul had been taken from him and smashed into a million tiny, insignificant pieces, was staring at her brokenly, mouth still open in disbelief. He sat down next to Sakura again and put an arm around her, pulling her head gently against his shoulder. She wept for a bit more, Li keeping his arm around her tenderly.

'How in the world can this be happening…?' he thought to himself in broken awe.

"How long?" he asked painfully, not wanting to hear the answer but knowing he must.

"From now…they say weeks… maybe months", Sakura's now tiny, shaky voice said quietly, as she rested on his shoulder.

Li's eyes opened wide, and for a moment he almost lost control of himself and broke down into tears. He turned his face to face hers and they looked into each other's eyes - Sakura looking sadly and Li looking fearfully. Li lowered his gaze and contemplated his next move. However, instead of being logical and in complete control of himself, like he usually, no, always was and is, he put his arms around Sakura again and held her.

Li arrived back at Sakura's house with her not long after. He supported her as she walked and held her hand as he knocked at the door of her home. Tori answered, and looked straight at Li, accusingly, when he saw Sakura's tear-stained face. Sakura simply shook her head at him, and he lowered his defences. Sakura turned to Li. "Thank you so much, Li", she said.

He nodded. "It's no problem, Sakura. I'll be round tomorrow to see you, ok?"

"Ok", she acknowledged. "See you then." She smiled for encouragement and turned to walk inside, Li also turning away. Tori glared at him as he walked down the street, his head down all the way.

To be continued…

Told ya it would get sad. Heehee! I hope you're enjoying it so far.

The song @ the beginning is 'Payphone', by M2M.

Keep smilin!

Adios!

Luv THA Princess

~Sarah

"Dream as long as you know it's not impossible to make it a reality"