By Stirling Twilight

 stirling_9@hotmail.com

 

 

 

 Reprise 

 

 Sakura flopped onto her back across the bed, clutching the Key around her neck.  Why was this so

 hard, she wondered again?  Tomoyo had told her that she loved her, had been as sincere and

 honest as a girl could be, and yet… 

 Rolling onto her side Sakura pulled the pillow over her head, hiding from the unknown.  In her

 head music played, over and over.  Sakura tried to listen; tried to draw meaning from the words,

 but it was a confusion of sound that had no logic.  She sighed, flipped the pillow off and sat

 up.  Across the room Kero-chan watched an old movie on the TV, occasionally calling her

 attention to something he had forgotten since the last time he had watched this movie.  Sakura

 smiled, stretched, and moved towards the door. 

 "I'm taking a walk," she announced, not waiting for an answer, and was gone before Kero-chan

 noticed. 

 She padded softly though the house, knowing she was alone but for the Seal Beast, but enjoying

 the stillness.  Outside the night air was pleasantly cool, the sort of air that made you breathe

 deeply because the temperature was so comfortable.  Smiling to herself Sakura buckled on her

 roller blades and headed for the park. 

 As she glided along the internal music resumed.  It had been gone for just a moment, but now

 that it was back Sakura realized why she had missed it, and she smiled.  Picking up her pace she

 hurried to the King Penguin, hoping she would be alone for what she wanted to do.  Luck was with

 her as she slowed to a stop just outside of the halo of streetlights.  Her hand was in the place

 she had become accustomed to finding it in…nearly clutching for the Key around her neck.  She

 reached into her shirt and with one fluid motion brought the Key into the night air. 

 "Release!" she yelled, feeling the warm evening air swirl around her.  With another equally as

 practiced motion a Clow Card was in her hand and then spinning before her face.  With unhidden

 joy she brought the Key wand down on the Song Card, and commanded the Card to sing Tomoyo's song

 for her. 

 Light and sound surged around her and at the first tentative strains of the song Sakura felt

 herself relax.  Here was Tomoyo, singing for her.  Singing for her, to please her, and no one

 else.  Sakura leaned back against a tree and let the sound carry her away.  She saw in her

 mind's eye the small group of friends on the rooftop that night, the Clow Card glowing before

 Tomoyo, and the two of them singing the sweet duet.  Almost it seemed she could hear the

 counter-part in the song, softly, very softly. 

 Closing her eyes she painted for herself an image of silky charcoal grey hair, soft grey eyes,

 and delicate, graceful hands clasped at her breast.  Tomoyo's hands suddenly arrested Sakura's

 attention.  Why hadn't she noticed them before? The recognition of that touch made her sit down

 heavily, as the song continued around her. The smallest whimper escaped her lips.  She suddenly

 felt a warm wave of the softest caresses wash over and in her. Her heart swelled in her chest as

 she breathed deeply, remembering. How many times had Tomoyo's hand slipped easily into her own?

 Had always been there when her own fears had caused her to unconsciously groped for something to

 hold onto?  There suddenly seemed to be no place Tomoyo hadn't touched.  She was an invisible

 lifeline in a chaotic world that Sakura could share with no one.  Almost she could feel those

 hands on her, softly, very softly. 

 The final notes of Tomoyo's song faded away like a splash of cold water on her face causing

 Sakura to scramble upright, grasping for the Key, desperate for the song to continue.  As if in

 response to her mad rush the Song Card began again, and Sakura sat back again with a sigh. 

 "Keep singing please, I'll tell you when I want you to stop," she whispered dreamily. 

 Lying back again, in a sleepy haze, she saw Tomoyo before her, wearing a long dress Sakura had

 never seen before.  The pure whiteness of it made it glow in the soft light thrown off by Song,

 surrounding Tomoyo in a soft halo.  A perfect angel Sakura thought smiling.  Tomoyo's hair was

 swept up onto the top of her head in a mass of curls, white ribbons, and cherry blossom

 flowers.  Tomoyo's hands came together at her chest and her eyes closed as she joined her voice

 to that of Song, singing the fairy duet once again.  Entranced Sakura found herself watching the

 apparition's mouth.  The lips, as pink as the cherry blossoms in her hair, looked moist and

 soft, with a promise of heavenly sweetness about them Sakura wanted to taste.  She longed to

 touch the Tomoyo before her but feared breaking the spell.  Her lungs suddenly ached in her

 chest from a lack of air and she drew in a deep breath.  Sakura realized her whole being was

 wound tight, almost to the point of panting.  The spectral Tomoyo glided closer as the song

 reaching its simple climax and slowly she bent over the straining Sakura.  The scent of Tomoyo

 embraced Sakura and she sucked in breath, her eyes growing wide in surprise.  Lowering herself

 to her knees Tomoyo leaned into Sakura, who, unnerved, locked her eyes on the petal like lips

 before her.  For a fleeting moment she was afraid she would speak, but desire won her over and

 closing her eyes Sakura lifted her face towards the angel who knelt over her.  Tomoyo's soft

 breath caressed Sakura's face with the final words to the song, their lips less than an inch

 apart, and then, as soft as snowflakes, Tomoyo's mouth came down on Sakura's.  For an eternity

 Sakura fought an urge to stiffen, but the warmth of the angel pressed against her turned her

 muscles to jelly and her whole body relaxed.  Encouraged, Tomoyo gently applied more pressure,

 and Sakura gave herself over to the sensation, her whole body ringing like the clearest chime. 

 Her arms, moving on their own, came up and wound around the tiny waist, encountering white silk

 and even softer escaped curls.  Sakura pulled her friend in closer, longing to drown in the

 feelings she was experiencing.  And the Song Card sang on.