Learning to Fly Chapter Five

 by 

 The Amazoness Duo 

 and

 G.P. 

 amazonessduo@hotmail.com

 pearsong1954@yahoo.com

 

 

 "Just go with him, Meiling. He's the heir. We need someone to keep

 an eye on him so he doesn't do something completely stupid while he's

 in Japan. You're the only one he trusts."Walking down the crowded

 street, gazing at the merchandise for sale on all sides, Meiling's

 amber eyes narrowed. "Why the hell should I? If he wants to go across

 the sea to screw his girlfriend, that's his business. I don't see how

 that has anything to do with me." 

 

 A moment of silence came from Fanren. Syaoran's older sister was

 trying to approach the subject as diplomatically as possible.

 Unfortunately, Meiling was not always a logical being. It didn't help

 that the subject of Syaoran was rapidly becoming a minefield for her.

 Fanren couldn't remember the last time she'd pissed someone off

 simply by kissing them. In fact, her results were generally quite the

 opposite. She would have to give Syaoran some pointers. Her little

 brother must be doing something wrong. "Because he's about to become

 the head of the Li Clan and he's not always... as tactful as he could

 be."Meiling snorted. "That's for sure.""Anyway," Fanren continued,

 "Syaoran is a stubborn young man and if he's off in Japan visiting

 his girlfriend, he might do something stupid. Like if Sakura

 convinces him to stay in Japan so they can live together there.

 Mother doesn't mind if he marries the Cardmistress, but Syaoran is

 the next heir and we need him back home in Hong Kong to lead the

 family."Shrugging, Meiling feigned interest in some caged birds in

 the marketplace, brushing a pigtail over her shoulder. "Then send

 someone else to play your watchdog. I've spent enough time keeping an

 eye on him."An exasperated sigh escaped Fanren. "But you're the only

 one he'll listen to. If Sakura manages to convince him to stay, do

 you really think he'd listen to me? Or Shiefa? Maybe mother, but

 she's far too busy to go with him to Japan. But he listens to you,

 Meiling. He trusts you. You're the only one outside of mother who can

 actually make him do anything. You can make sure he comes back home

 when his little trip is over."

 

 Fists clenched as Meiling stood up, her back to Fanren. "We all make

 our choices. And we all have to live with him. I can't make up

 Syaoran's mind for him. He'll make his choices whether or not I'm

 there."Fanren was quiet for a long moment as she watched her younger

 cousin. Was Meiling crying? She couldn't quite tell. "Meiling..." Her

 hand rested lightly on Meiling's shoulder, but the raven haired girl

 quickly pulled away."Syaoran's already made his choices. You give me

 way too much credit. In the end, he's already made his choices. We

 just need to wait and see what they are. I can't change them. I spent

 way too much of my life hoping I could." Syaoran's one time fiancee

 straighted as she began to walk again. "I'll go with him if it will

 make your mother feel better. But Syaoran's not as weak as you think

 he is. In the end, he'll decide his own destiny." "Thanks, Meiling.

 I'm sorry that..."Meiling cut her off, shaking her head. "Don't be.

 We all make choices. Maybe I made the wrong ones. But we all have to

 live with them." A few steps pulled her away from Fanren. "I'm going

 to pack for the trip. Tell Syaoran I'll see him then." And with that,

 the raven haired girl left.

 

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 	Naked and confused, Sakura decided to fix the only one of her two

 problems she currently had any control over. Slipping out of bed, the

 brunette padded over to her closet and hurriedly got dressed. Her

 head still ached, but the tea Tomoyo had sent with Kero had helped.

 The earthquake between her ears had settled into a dull throb.

 Finding this an acceptable if annoying state to start the day in,

 Sakura exited her room. After all, there were potentially much more

 important afteraffects of the last night than a hangover. 

 	Dressed in yet another beautiful dress, hair in pigtails, and in

 the middle of constructing a delicious smelling breakfast, Tomoyo

 seemed like the perfect wife. Is that what Sakura's father had woken

 up to for so many years? Was this what it felt like for him every

 morning, breath catching at the gorgeous sight before him? Mind

 rolling through those questions, Sakura stood in the doorway to the

 kitchen, her own breath catching as she watched her fair skinned

 roommate move gracefully about the kitchen. If she'd been a boy,

 would she have had any reservations at all of being with Tomoyo?

 Would there be anything stopping her from sweeping Tomoyo up in her

 strong, boyish arms and holding her forever?

 	"Good morning, Sakura," Tomoyo greeted brightly without looking up

 from her current task of pouring batter onto a pan. "How did you

 sleep?" 

 	As usual, being able to tell what had happened the night before

 from Tomoyo's behavior was impossibe. The dark haired girl betrayed

 no clue of exactly what may have happened between them the night

 before. Puzzling this over, the Cardmistress dropped into a chair and

 watched her friend putting the finishing touches on breakfast. Had

 they slept together? The feeling of Tomoyo's lips pressing against

 her own brought a dark blush to her cheeks. Whatever had happened,

 that memory was still vividly clear. Brief images and feelings of

 hands sliding underneath clothing flittered through Sakura's mind,

 but they fled when she tried to grasp at them. 

 	It seemed like the only thing Sakura really knew at this point was

 that Tomoyo was a very different kisser than Syaoran. Much softer,

 much more receptive. Fists balled up and pressed against her thighs

 through her shorts in frustration and emarrassment. Why was the last

 night such a blur? Why wasn't Tomoyo saying anything? If Tomoyo had

 been naked in the kitchen, then that would've been a big enough clue

 that Sakura could appreciate. Sakura sat in silence for a long

 moment, listening to her friend sing softly as she prodded herself to

 ask Tomoyo what had happened. What if they had? What would happen

 after that? Infinity seemed to stretch out in front of the

 Cardmistress, boggling her mind. 	Pressing her knuckles into her

 thighs painfully, Sakura forced herself to speak. Unfortunately, her

 mind still wasn't responding entirely. She was still hesitant to ask.

 "Tomoyo, did... Umm... Last night, after.... Well, did you... I mean,

 we... Tomoyo, if I were a boy, I'd marry you," Sakura finished

 dumbly, her cheeks reddened. It wasn't exactly what she'd meant to

 say, but she'd wanted to say it anyway.	"Would you?" Tomoyo countered

 softly, travelling to the table with their plates. "If you were a

 boy, lets say that Syaoran was a girl. Or he could still be a boy.

 Touya doesn't seem to mind that about Yukito. Then you two would

 still have ended up together because I would have noticed how much he

 or she liked you and helped you two end up together."	"But you'd make

 a perfect girlfriend. If I were a boy, I'd notice that and we'd..."

 Sakura put her hands together, motioning, "be a couple. Or something

 like that." She looked down embarrassedly at the smile that brought

 to Tomoyo's lips. Those soft lips... Sakura tried to force the

 thought out of her head. 	"You're so sweet, Sakura. But I don't think

 you didn't notice me because you're a girl. When I was younger, I

 thought that was it, but I think it's more than that now. I've been

 your best friend since we were ten years old. I've been in love with

 you from the moment I saw you, and it's gotten stronger for me ever

 since. But to you, I've always been your best friend. That's how you

 see me. It's hard for you to see me as anything else. If you were a

 boy, we still would have been best friends. And you'd still think of

 me as that while other girls got your attention. Even if you think I

 would make a perfect girlfriend and even if you were a boy, I think

 you wouldn't see me as a possible lover because you'd still see me as

 your best friend. I love filling that role for you, but it would make

 it hard for you to see me as anything more than that."	"But... But

 what if I could see through that? What if I could push past that and

 see that you could be more than my best friend?" Sakura argued.

 Tomoyo made sense, but Sakura didn't want to give up yet. It didn't

 seem fair that she could totally miss Tomoyo even if she were a boy.

 	A smile spread over Tomoyo's pink lips. "Then it wouldn't matter if

 you were a boy or a girl."	Blushing, Sakura's chestnut hair hid her

 face as she looked down, studying her hands intently. Were her

 feelings for Tomoyo really so unaffected by what body she had? If

 that was the case, what did she feel? Because she thought she'd want

 to be with Tomoyo if she were a boy. Did that mean she'd want to be

 with her now, as a girl?

 	Looking up suddenly, an intense fire lit Sakura's eyes.

 Determination had finally overtaken her. She didn't want to squirm

 away from this again. Tomoyo was too important to her to just leave

 everything to the winds. "Did we sleep together?" Though the thought

 thoroughly embarrassed her, she wasn't afraid of it. The thought of

 sleeping with Tomoyo wasn't at all disturbing, which Sakura found a

 bit odd. It had been embarrassing the first time she'd slept with

 Syaoran as well. Despite the fact that she had previously slept with

 a boy, the thought of sleeping with a girl really didn't bother

 Sakura. She was much more concerned with what exactly it meant if she

 had. 	"Do you want us to have slept together?" Tomoyo asked, tilting

 her head to the side. One pigtail slid past her shoulder as her

 lavender eyes held onto Sakura's emerald gaze. She'd been curious

 about whether or not Sakura would ask about the night before. Sakura

 was curious, but she didn't always push things to their conclusion

 when she was embarrassed about them. She was surprised to see Sakura

 trying so hard to rationalize the events of the night before. If she

 weren't so intimately involved, it would be easier for her to help

 Sakura get things into perpective. But maybe Sakura wouldn't need her

 for this after all. It thrilled Tomoyo to see Sakura so determined

 about figuring things out. When Sakura was determined, nothing could

 stop her. Though she understood Sakura's feelings better than anyone,

 she couldn't untangle the web in Sakura's heart. Only Sakura could do

 that. 	Tomoyo's question hung in the air, stopping Sakura cold. Her

 own question had been about fishing for facts. It was a simple yes or

 no. But Tomoyo's question complicated things exponentially. The

 brunette's feelings didn't factor into whether or not they had slept

 together so she hadn't really thought about it. That seemed like a

 minor problem anyway. But the way Tomoyo spoke made her feelings

 sound like the single most important aspect of if they did or not.

 "I..." Sakura began. 

 	'Rrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiinnnnnnngggg....' the phone trilled. 	Watching

 Sakura for a long second, the dark haired girl slipped gently from

 the table to answer the phone. Sakura sat in confused silence until

 Tomoyo returned.	"It's Syaoran. He said he'll be arriving in Tomoeda

 late tonight," Tomoyo explained, holding the phone out to

 Sakura.	"Hoe..." Sakura's head fell to the table with a thump loud

 enough to make Tomoyo wonder if she should get the first aid kit.

 Sakura sighed despite the pain. Great. As if things weren't

 complicated enough. Now she'd have her boyfriend and her best friend

 that she may or may not have slept with all in the same place.

 Sometimes she wasn't so sure that Clow was done testing

 her.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 	Bags passed round and round, a carousel of black, of handles and

 wheels, of bags backed to the brim with necessary and worthless

 supplies for countless trips. Lifeless ponies, endlessly cirlcling in

 the hopes that someone would eventually take an interest and bring

 them home. Tired eyes from wary travellers dully watched the cycle as

 if in a trance. Now and then someone would yank one of the bags away

 and a new one would slide down the chute to replace it. People's eyes

 would briefly light up in hope that their bag had arrived, but they

 quickly became disenchanted.	Hefting her bags up, Meiling pulled

 ahead of her cousin and one-time fiancee as he struggled to find a

 proper way to balance the weight of his own supplies. Ignoring his

 efforts to carry something for her, Meiling impatiently began making

 her way through the airport, Syaoran hurrying to keep up with her. "I

 don't know why you brought so much stuff. Sakura will probably have

 everything you need at her place."	A moment of silence followed

 Meiling as Syaoran took a moment to interpret this. Feelings were not

 his strong point. And the feelings of overemotional girls had the

 same affect on him as a complex mathematical formula he couldn't hope

 to follow. On the one hand, at least Meiling was talking to him

 again. This was a relief in and of itself because she had been

 avoiding him since he had kissed her at the party some time before.

 But he still wasn't entirely sure how she felt about things. And this

 concerned him. Because if he had learned anything over the years, it

 was that Meiling could be frightfully scary when she was angry. His

 cousin must have gotten that from his mother's side of the family.

 How Meiling felt about being back in Japan with him, about to meet

 Sakura again, was a mystery to him. For the most part, Meiling seemed

 to be her normal self. Stubborn, irrational, and incredibly vocal

 about things. He decided that she must be fine and that he'd leave it

 at that. Trying to delve into Meiling's emotional state otherwise

 would be about as frustrating and problematic as figuring out

 Sakura's. He had enough of a headache from the plane ride that he

 figured it would be best to avoid aggravating it if at all possible.

 If Meiling's sudden mood swings had any predictible pattern, it was

 so complex that Syaoran was certain only mathematical theoreticians

 could understand it.

 	"Sakura doesn't have everything I need. If I'm staying a while, I

 need to make sure I have everything with me," Syaoran replied matter-

 of-factly. 

 	"Like what? You want a manlier shampoo than whatever she uses?

 You'd be fine just borrowing her stuff." Arching an eyebrow, Meiling

 glanced over at her stoic cousin. "You probably didn't even need to

 bring clothes. She wears boyish enough outfits half the time that you

 could just borrow some of those." Smiling inwardly, she added, "You'd

 get used to the panties before too long." The flustered look that

 crossed Syaoran's face was worth it. He failed to respond and she

 continued forward. 

 	"Syaoran! Meiling-chan!" a familiar voice called out. 

 	Pulling to a halt, Syaoran began to scan the crowd for the voice's

 source. His amber eyes finally settled on his brightly smiling

 girlfriend and her seemingly everpresent friend. For a moment, the

 concern drained from Syaoran. Everything was fine now that he was

 with Sakura again. He was far away from family politics and back with

 the girl he loved.  

 	Sighing inwardly, Meiling readjusted her bags and continued in step

 with Syaoran to their welcoming party. It wasn't that she didn't like

 Sakura as a person. Someone as compassionate and goofy as Sakura was

 hard to hate. But Sakura as Syaoran's girlfriend was a different

 story. Meiling tried to adopt a resigned disposition to the whole

 thing. After all, she'd lost Syaoran to Sakura when they were only

 eleven. Logically, it made sense to just drop it. Unfortunately,

 Meiling was not a logical person. She hated knowing that Sakura was

 with Syaoran in the way she had wanted to be ever since she was a

 child. Since she wasn't the type to spend a lot of time lying about

 polite niceities, she simply waited alongside Syaoran rather than say

 something she might regret if she were going to be staying with

 Sakura for their stay in Japan.

 	Before Syaoran could think of what to say to his girlfriend now

 that he was finally face to face with her once again, the brunette

 practically pounced on him. Her arms wrapped tightly around him,

 pulling him close. Holding onto her boyfriend warmly, Syaoran was

 surprised at how strong Sakura had become over the years. She had

 always been athletic, but it showed even more now. It took him a

 moment to disengage himself enough to return the hug. Holding Sakura

 felt nice. She was like an anchor to the way things were supposed to

 be. Safe and warm. "It's good to see you again, Sakura," he said at

 last. He felt like he should say more, but he was too stunned to be

 with the Cardmistress once more to think clearly. Memories from a

 lifetime ago exploded through his mind, of magic and school and

 romance. 

 	Moving to pick up one of the bags Syaoran had set down, Tomoyo

 smiled and motioned for them to follow. "My mother let me take the

 limo to pick you up. It'll be much easier to get you home that way." 

 	The pale girl looked small and fragile holding the bag in front of

 her, prompting Sakura to quickly take it from her, falling in step

 alongside the heiress. Turning to face Syaoran, Sakura smiled

 sheepishly. "I would have picked you up myself, but I don't think

 we'd all fit on my bicycle."

 	For a moment, Sakura almost came out of focus in Syaoran's mind.

 This goofy, energetic Japanese girl seemed so normal at first glance.

 And yet she was the most powerful magic user on the planet. The

 dissonance was astounding. Sakura had the power to rebuild the world

 in her image, and yet she got from place to place on a plain bicycle.

 It was hard to imagine that she was the correct successor to the

 great Clow Reed. Syaoran was head of the powerful Li Clan and yet he

 had been passed up for such a simple girl. He slowly managed to place

 Sakura's twin identities of ordinary girl and extraordinary magician

 back together. It could be a bit jarring at times. He hoped Clow

 found the irony amusing. His eyes narrowed as he changed his mind.

 Clow seemed to find everything immensely amusing. 

 	Women dressed smartly in black opened the doors to the limo as the

 group approached. One took the bags and began to place them in back.

 Climbing into the vehicle, Tomoyo moved to one side to give Sakura

 and Syaoran room together in the middle. Sitting quietly for a long

 moment, Syaoran stared straight ahead. He wasn't a little boy

 anymore, so why was he feeling so nervous? He hated feeling shy and

 nervous about things. Hadn't he gotten over that by now? Wrestling

 his nervous mind back under control, he reached out and took Sakura's

 hand. A small gesture, but he was happy for the victory. He didn't

 want to let his nervousness control him. Sakura squeezed his hand and

 smiled at him. Her offered a small, shy smile in return. It

 disappeared as she rested her head on his shoulder for the car ride.

 Good. Things hadn't changed after all. Everything was just fine. He

 wrapped an arm around the athletic girl and let his chaotic mind come

 to a rest. 	Gazing out the window, Meiling wished she had fought with

 Fanren more strenuously about coming to Japan. Who was she kidding?

 She wasn't strong enough to handle this. She still loved Syaoran. How

 was she supposed to sit and watch him love someone else? She should

 have stayed home, far away from this pain. Closing her amber eyes,

 she tried to pretend that the warm, wet drops sliding down her cheeks

 were the cleansing rain. 

 

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

 

 	As Tomoyo led the way up to the appartment they shared, Sakura

 helped Syaoran carry the bags. Meiling refused to let anyone help her

 with her own, instead following closely behind the heiress. In many

 ways, it was worse when Sakura was so kind and helpful to her. That

 always robbed Meiling of a target for her anger, leaving all those

 terrible feelings with nowhere to escape. They boiled away inside,

 eating her alive. She felt sick to her stomach as Sakura's bubbly

 voice mingled with Syaoran's behind her about all the things they

 could do. God, did they really have to spend so long in Tomoeda? Her

 mind idly wondered if she could get on a plane back to Hong Kong

 first thing in the morning. It might even be worth looking weak and

 shameful in front of Fanren just to get away from the pain that

 surrounded her in Japan.

 	Entering the cutely decorated appartment, the Chinese cousins were

 suitably impressed. Sonomi had made sure that the two girls were well

 taken care of. Their eyes wandered over the appartment as they

 entered, exhanging their shoes with the assortment of slippers by the

 door. The surroundings were an interesting mix of Sakura's taste in

 cute stuffed animals and decorations along with Tomoyo's more

 eccentric tastes in clothing and design and electronics. Suffice it

 to say, milky pink seemed the predominant color in the appartment.

 	"Hey, it's the brat! How ya doin'?" 

 	Wincing at the thickly accented voice, Syaoran was unsurprised to

 find that he hadn't missed the Seal Beast in the slightest.	"Better

 than you, I'd suppose. Syaoran's been growing over the past few

 years. You're still bite sized, as always," Meiling remarked. Old

 habits died hard. Kero had always supported Sakura and she had always

 supported Syaoran, quite exuberantly so. The Chinese girl and the

 Guardian of the Cards bickered like children over their chosen

 champions. The fact that Kero had never liked Syaoran didn't really

 help, either. 

 	Kero's mind went abuzz with Meiling's coment. They certainly

 sounded like fighting words and he was more than up for the

 challenge. Lifting up into the air, he smirked as a slurry of

 remarks, each more stinging than the last, began to take shape.

 Meiling shouldn't have opened the floodgate. She would regret

 challanging him, the great and all powerful Seal Beast. He would

 destroy her in this exchange. His mouth moved to launch his opening

 salvo. "MMmmmhmmhhmmghhhh..." he mumbled around Sakura's

 hand.	Laughing nervously, Sakura dragged Kero back towards her room.

 "Go ahead and have a seat. Make yourselves comfortable," she offered.

 Pushing her door open, she tossed Syaoran's bags on her bed and

 pushed Kero in. "Not tonight, Kero-chan," Sakura pleaded. Before Kero

 could answer, the door shut quickly behind him. The Seal Beast

 harumphed indignantly.

 	Clapping her hands together in completion, Sakura smiled at the

 small group already sitting on her couch. At least that was out of

 the way. If Syaoran and Meiling were staying with them, the last

 thing she needed was Kero and Meiling arguing the whole time. At

 least Tomoyo had handled things swiftly. The dark haired girl always

 made a great hostess. Tomoyo already had Meiling and Syaoran well

 taken care of and entertained. Syaoran's eyes were glued to the

 screen. Curiosity nagged at Sakura as she approached the couch. What

 were they watching? The sound hit her before she could see the

 screen. That sounded suspiciously like her own voice. Plopping down

 on the couch next to Syaoran, she was rewarded with images of herself

 streaming on the television. "Tomoyo-chan..." she whimpered

 embarrassedly. 

 	Tomoyo merely smiled sweetly at her and went back to watching the

 video she'd made of Sakura. "I compiled this earlier today. Since you

 haven't seen Sakura in so long, I thought you'd want to see what

 types of things she's been up to," Tomoyo explained. A nod came as

 the only reply from Syaoran as images of Sakura riding her bike and

 wearing costumes and running track all played for them. The brunette

 had gotten exceptionally fast since Syaoran had last seen her. She

 moved like a blur across the screen. For all the magic she had, her

 running was purely Sakura, her determination burning within her as

 she threw herself forward like a shot.

 	Sighing to herself, Meiling busied herself with being bored. Bored

 was better than lonely and bitter and hateful. Resting her chin in

 her hands, she wondered what the big deal was with watching Sakura do

 anything.

 	The screen switched to Sakura wearing a fairy costume in an

 elevator. She shifted back and forth on her feet as she waited for

 her stop. The camera swept over Sakura's body, highlighting all the

 beautiful curves and lines that composed the Cardmistress. "Sakura-

 chan has a great figure doesn't she, Li-kun?" Tomoyo asked playfully.

 Sakura blushed hotly, followed shortly thereafter by Syaoran as he

 mumbled an affirmative. Sakura was gorgeous. Her body had developed

 nicely over the years. Her athletic frame was sleek and strong. Her

 small breasts curved gently under her dress. Her hair was somewhat

 longer than it had been as a child, hanging lower and framing her

 beautiful face with it's shining emerald eyes. 

 	Tomoyo sighed dreamily as she watched the part of Sakura she would

 always have. Her images would always be hers, even if Sakura couldn't

 be. They were only a small fraction of Sakura, but they were pieces

 that were hers and hers alone. It was okay if Syaoran had the real

 Sakura. She would always have those glittering shards of her one and

 only. So she collected as many as she could. Disc after disc of

 Sakura. Every single moment she could capture went on those discs. So

 even after Sakura was gone and married, even when everything had

 changed, she would still have those moments forever cast in video. 

 	"Tomoyo-chan... Do you really need to show all this?" Sakura asked

 hesitantly. She was still blushing in embarrassment. Her blush grew

 deeper when she saw how intently Syaoran was watching the screen.

 "Hoe..."	"Of course! You're the prettiest thing we could be watching.

 And there's so much to see. It's been a busy year. I need to make

 sure I catalogue all the important things in your life. Speaking of

 which..." The darked haired girl fished around in her bag, pulling

 out her camcorder. "Now that Li-kun is here, I should be catching all

 of the exciting moments the two of you have. Just pretend I'm not

 even here." The pale girl grinned as she got the two of them in the

 picture. "I don't have many images of Sakura-chan's passionate

 romance. I don't think I even have any good scenes of you two

 kissing." 

 	The couple lit up red as the heiress filmed them. Tomoyo always had

 been quirky, but she seemed even more so than she had been as a

 child. Syaoran had once told Sakura that Tomoyo would videotape them

 sleeping together if she had the chance. Sakura had been unable to

 argue against that. It wouldn't surprise her at all. There didn't

 seem to be anything that the dark haired girl didn't like recording

 about her. And sometimes Tomoyo seemed more excited about Sakura's

 relationship than Sakura was. 	"We were... umm... gonna talk. So...

 We'll see you later." Syaoran knew his excuse was lame, but it was

 the best he could do. Despite the fact that Sakura was obviously

 embarrassed, he knew from experience that Sakura would never send

 Tomoyo away from videotaping them. The heiress had videotaped most of

 their date the last time he was in Japan. He had been halfway through

 unbuttoning Sakura's shirt when he realized Tomoyo was still there

 videotaping them. He had been shocked that Sakura hadn't sent Tomoyo

 away after that, merely blushing and waiting. Sakura might not mind

 for whatever reason, but Syaoran wasn't about to make out with Sakura

 on videotape. So it looked like it was up to him to get Sakura and

 leave so they could get some time to themselves. He wished Sakura

 would want more privacy for the two of them, but she never seemed to

 mind the Daidouji girl's presence.

 	"We were?" Sakura asked, blinking, turning to Syaoran. A

 disappointed look crossed her face. She was glad Syaoran was here,

 but she didn't want to leave yet. Tomoyo could be a bit embarrassing,

 but in a sweet way. It made her feel more important. She was happy to

 have Tomoyo there, even when she was with Syaoran. It made her feel

 stronger and more confident, like she could handle anything. She was

 shy about everything going on video, but if Tomoyo really wanted to

 catch it all, she didn't mind. In a way, it made it something she and

 Tomoyo could share. She couldn't really talk to Syaoran about

 everything, but she could with Tomoyo. And when Tomoyo was an eye in

 Sakura's life, videotaping it, it was like they shared the

 experience. She could talk to Tomoyo about any of it and Tomoyo would

 understand it all. 

 	"Yes," Syaoran nodded, leading Sakura to the door. "Have a nice

 night." He bowed quickly. "Don't wait up for us." He hoped they'd

 listen and he could come home with Sakura to a quiet appartment that

 they could be semi-alone in. But he knew Tomoyo would be there,

 waiting for them as always. Sighing, he slid his slippers off. His

 eyes caught on Meiling, who was making a concentrated effort not to

 look his way. For a moment, he balked about leaving the house and

 leaving her alone. Guilt crept up from the pit of his stomach. Gazing

 over, he wished she would look up so he could meet her eyes, to show

 her he was sorry about this, but she refused to look in his

 direction. It was too late now. Sakura already had her shoes and was

 unlocking the door. Syaoran looked apologetically at Meiling, but she

 never saw it. 	The door closed behind them, leaving the room in

 silence. The television turned off a moment later. 	"You knew they'd

 leave if you started videotaping them getting frisky," Meiling

 stated, finally turning to look at the heiress who was heading to the

 small kitchen seperated from the living room by a half-wall. 

 	Nodding thoughtfully, Tomoyo stood on her tiptoes, pulling down

 some wine glasses. "I knew it was a distinct possibility." Turning in

 place, she wandered to the back of the kitchen.	Resting her arms on

 the back of the couch, Meiling watched the heiress hurrying about the

 kitchen. "Thanks," she said simply. Life was miserable enough without

 having to sit next to the lovestruck couple. Being close enough to

 get elbowed by the one you love while he makes out with another

 wouldn't have done any favors for her state of mind. 

 	Reentering the room, Tomoyo offered her a soft smile. Her graceful

 form moved swiftly to the table, setting down the two wine glasses

 and the bottle of wine she had retrieved from the kitchen. "My mother

 left this for me. I think she was hoping it would help facilitate

 some romantic moments with Sakura," she explained, filling up the two

 glasses.

 	A bitter smile crossed Meiling's face. "Instead it gets to wash

 away the lonely night while she's galavanting around with her

 boyfriend. Not exactly the same thing." Reaching out, she took a long

 gulp of the wine. It burned as it went down, but she didn't care. Her

 eyes watered, but she blinked away the tears quickly. "How do you

 deal with it? You love her, don't you? So how can you just sit there

 and smile while she loves someone else?"	"Of course I love her."

 Tomoyo sat next to Meiling, sipping at her wine. "But if she loves

 someone else, then what else can I do? I want her to be happy. If

 Sakura would be happier with someone else, then that's what I want

 for her. I want to see her happy and loved and cared for. I want to

 be able to watch Sakura's wonderful life as it unfolds her

 her."	Meiling shook her head. "You hide behind that damn camcorder

 too much. You figure as long as you're behind the camera, you're not

 here. You're not a part of Sakura's life, so you can try to

 orchestrate it so the girl you love will have a happy ending. Then

 your movie will be perfect. You can just watch it all end happily and

 not actually have to be part of it. But you aren't the director. This

 isn't a movie. You -are- here. You are part of her life. You do love

 her. And she's running off playing grab ass with my goddamn fiancee."

 Slumping back against the couch, the raven haired woman pulled her

 legs up like a sullen child. 

 	Gazing at the large television that filled the front of the room,

 Tomoyo sat in silence for a moment. "It's simpler that way, isn't it?

 Sakura is my best friend. I love her. I want things to work out for

 her. If I can make her life turn out happily, then that makes me

 happy. I can watch my videos and I'll see her smile and it lights up

 my heart. Because I know she'll be fine. I know her story will have

 turned out perfectly. I can be her guardian angel. I can be a helping

 hand. I can try to be the director to make sure that her life is

 happy. She'll be happy the way my mother never was. Sakura deserves

 her own fairytale and I want to watch it happen. I want to make it

 happen," Tomoyo answered wistfully. Looking into her drink, she took

 another sip. 	"But what's wrong with you being the one to make her

 happy? You think Syaoran can make her happier, right? But what's

 wrong if you can't make her as happy as he can? You'd try your

 hardest to make her happy. And I know you'd do a good job. Then not

 only would she be happy, but so would you." Meiling sighed. "Maybe

 Sakura can make Syaoran happier than I could. But I love him, damn

 it. And I know I'd do everything I could to make him happy. So maybe

 I wouldn't be as good. But not as good does not mean not good enough.

 I wouldn't just give up because he has a thing for Japanese tomboys."

 Amber eyes followed the slender heiress in the dimly lit living room.

 She could tell that Tomoyo was hesitant, as if she were unsure of

 herself. This was an awkward sight for Meiling. Tomoyo had always

 seemed so calm and controlled, no matter what the situation. She only

 ever seemed out of sorts if Sakura was in danger.

 	Taking a longer drink of her wine, Tomoyo paused before answering.

 "I want Sakura to be happy. And I would love to make her happy if I

 could. But I've given up my chance with her. I gave it up years ago.

 I was the one who tried to get Syaoran to tell her how he felt. I

 tried to convince Sakura that she loved him. I was the one who pushed

 them together. So I forfeited my chance with her a long time ago. I

 can't interfere now. They're happy together. I can't threaten that."

 	"You were a little girl when you did that! You can't blame yourself

 for something stupid you did years ago. Things have changed. Sakura

 knows you love her now. She wouldn't have understood that back then."

 Meiling waved her hands emphatically nearly spilling her half empty

 drink. "Just because you played a hand in them getting together

 doesn't mean you owe it to them to stay out of it. Life is not a

 movie. It doesn't work out perfectly. You can't just sit back and

 watch things play out for them. You need to live your own life."

 	Tomoyo laughed softly. "Sakura's life is much more interesting to

 me. I'd rather just watch how it works out. But yes, I do need to

 live my own life, too. And I do. My life is just very centered around

 Sakura."

 	Sighing, Meiling finished off her glass, staring forward and

 hugging her legs with one arm. "I never really did get why everyone's

 so obsessed with her. I'm just as athletic. I'm outgoing, too. I'm

 sure as hell prettier. And I'm a better singer," she finished

 counting down. "So why always her? Why does everyone like her instead

 of me?"

 	"Sometimes we're too close to things to see them clearly. Maybe

 Syaoran was always too close to you to tell what he had right in

 front of him." Tomoyo said gently, rubbing Meiling's shoulder.

 	Amber eyes suddenly looked up, locking Tomoyo's stormy blue orbs in

 place. "And what about you?" Her voice had lost it's earlier

 conviction. The Chinese martial artist sounded weak and desolate.

 	Sipping at her wine, Tomoyo swallowed slowly, tasting the tart

 grapes washing over her tastebuds. For a long moment, she was unsure

 of how to reply. Meiling's eyes shined wetly at her in the dim room.

 "I fell in love with Sakura the first day I met her. And those

 feelings have grown everyday since. It's hard for me to see anyone

 else like that because my heart has belonged to her for so long,"

 Tomoyo explained. 	Meiling nodded weakly, fat, hot tears rolling

 slowly down her cheeks. The room disappeared in front of her,

 replaced with a wet blur. "Yeah... I've loved Syaoran since I was a

 little girl... I always..." She sniffled before continuing.

 "...always just wanted to be with him... I just... just wanted to be

 good enough...." Her chest heaved as she tried in vain to catch her

 breath. She angrily held her legs tighter, angry at herself for being

 so weak, for breaking down so completely. She bit the inside of her

 cheek to keep her lips from trembling, the blood warm and coppery in

 her mouth.

 	Tomoyo's soft arms wrapped around the shuddering girl, holding

 Meiling close as she began to cry softly. Her nimble hands ran up and

 down the raven haired girl's back comfortingly. They were the

 casualties of love, those who were left on the wayside in the

 process, forgotten and alone. It seemed a terrible price to pay.

 Whereas Tomoyo had always been ready to sacrifice herself for

 Sakura's happiness and love with another, Meiling had never consented

 to that. Life had made that decision for her. Now both of their loves

 were in the arms of each other while they sat in a dark appartment

 drinking wine and reminiscing about their lost loves.

 	Shaking lightly as sobs tried to break free of her chest, Meiling's

 chin rested on Tomoyo's shoulder. Her warm, wet tears slid down her

 cheeks, soaking through the dress to Tomoyo's pale skin underneath.

 "Sakura's an idiot for not being able to see what she could have had

 in you," Meiling whispered softly, her voice weighed down by tears.

 The arms that encircled Meiling were warm and sympathetic, cradling

 her close. They held a pained understanding of the wounds in

 Meiling's heart and just how deep they went. The heiress was soft and

 comfortable, her gentle caresses soothing the Chinese girl's weary

 spirits. Tomoyo understood her in ways that no one else could. They

 were the same, after all. Always loving, but never loved. Always

 supporting, but left with nothing to lean on when they were in need.

 Maybe Meiling couldn't just wait to be loved. Maybe she had to find

 it.

 	Hands resting on Tomoyo's shoulder to support herself, Meiling

 slowly managed to sit up to look back at Tomoyo. Tear streaked amber

 eyes pleaded with their stormy blue counterparts. Tomoyo's gaze

 remained fixed on Meiling, compassionate and understanding and...

 unsure. That was enough for Meiling. Leaning forward, her trembling

 lips brushed Tomoyo's inexpertly, her fingers holding Tomoyo's

 slender shoulders sharply as if she were afraid the heiress would

 disappear if she let go. She'd never kissed a girl before. It felt

 strange, but exhilerating. Freeing. All this time she had chased

 after Syaoran and he had resisted. Tomoyo's petal soft lips felt

 receptive, accepting of the quick, hesitant kisses she placed on

 them. She grew more adventurous, her pain and loneliness eased by the

 understanding inside of the heiress, the flames eating away inside of

 her cooled by Tomoyo's gentle presence. Her kisses met Tomoyo's lips

 for longer and longer, loving the way they gave against hers, how

 they melded to her own lips. Her hands pulled the lavender haired

 girl closer desperately, their dark hair mingling as the kisses

 continued. 

 	Meiling kissed her more hungrily as Tomoyo's fingers continued to

 caress up and down her strong back. The Chinese girl's body was so

 similar to Sakura's. So strong and lean and athletic. The way

 Meiling's muscles felt under her hands reminded her of Sakura's. Even

 Meiling's small breasts felt similar to Sakura's when they would hug.

 If she couldn't have Sakura, then wasn't this the next best thing?

 Tomoyo's mind wavered at the thought. It was so very tempting. She

 wouldn't have to worry about ruining Sakura's relationship. And

 Meiling felt so insistent. She felt a connection to the other girl

 that could only be born of the flames of their shared suffering.

 Meiling's tongue was playing inside of her mouth. It took Tomoyo a

 moment to realize that her own tongue was responding. Her fingers

 played through Meiling's silky pigtails, feeling herself held tightly

 to Meiling's body. Meiling's tongue playing across her own, their

 bodies pressed together, Tomoyo understood just how far the raven

 haired girl was willing to go. Meiling never did like to do anything

 halfway. But would that be so bad? To forget about Sakura for one

 night... To lose herself in Meiling... Meiling obviously wanted that.

 And she wanted to give that to her. But....

 	But she still loved Sakura. And Meiling still loved Syaoran. Tomoyo

 slowly pulled away, Meiling's breath hot against her lips.

 "Meiling..." the heiress whispered softly. 

 	It felt as if Meiling had awoken from a trance as Tomoyo put an end

 to the moment. Shame crashed down across Meiling. Here she was in

 Sakura's appartment, making out with the girl's best friend. Her

 weakness had been so open, so obvious. She had succumbed to it, right

 in front of Tomoyo. She'd been so desperate for companionship, for

 understanding, that she had been willing, no, eager, to kiss another

 girl. No, even more than that. She would have gladly given her body

 to Tomoyo, she knew. Her face burned and her anger with herself

 returned. What the hell was wrong with her?  Just how weak was she? 

 	Sliding off the couch, Meiling bowed slightly as she excused

 herself. "I need to get to sleep," she said curtly and turned to

 leave. Her bags were in Tomoyo's room, she remembered with a pang.

 She hoped she could fall asleep before she had to face the other girl

 again. 	"Meiling, please..." Tomoyo pleaded. But if the Chinese girl

 heard her, she made no sign, simply retreating to the back room.

 Sighing heavily, the heiress hugged a pillow and curled up on the

 couch. Couldn't she help anyone?

 	

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 	Sakura slipped quietly out of bed, careful not to awaken Syaoran's

 sleeping form. Her pajama pants lay somewhere on the floor, a

 testament to the time the two lovers had spent fooling around

 earleir. It had felt so nice, but it had brought too many thoughts

 unbidden to Sakura's mind, so she had stopped it short. It had indeed

 felt wonderful, but so had her time with Tomoyo. What she could

 remember of it, at any rate. As Syaoran's hands had traced patterns

 over her bare skin, memories of Tomoyo's hands traveling similar

 paths had grown stronger. Now she couldn't even sleep. 

 	Leaving her pants somewhere in the darkness after a moment's

 fruitless search, Sakura padded silently out to the living room. She

 needed to clear her head. Why was an intimate moment with her

 boyfriend competing with memories of being drunk and in the arms of

 her best friend? Why was her heart so torn? She liked being with

 Syaoran. But those half-remembered moments with Tomoyo refused to

 leave her alone. 

 	"You couldn't sleep either?" a soft voice asked through the

 darkness. Tomoyo smiled at her startled friend. The heiress took a

 moment to appreciate the gorgeous pair of legs she could see in

 Sakura's current state of undress. "Would you like some tea? I made

 it just a little while ago, so it should still be warm." 

 	Taking a moment to regain her composure, Saura took a seat next to

 her pale wraith of a friend. "Thanks, Tomoyo." Accepting the cup, her

 thoughts continued their jumbled rounds through her head. Hot tea

 washed away her sleepiness, leaving her thoughts crisp and clear in

 the night. The tea cup nearly burned her hands, but she held it

 tightly. The pain was real and present, not some memory of the past.

 	Tomoyo's love for her had been no secret for years now, but

 Sakura's complex feelings for the heiress had always been explained

 away as mere friendship. She had been intimate with Syaoran on

 several occasions. He was her boyfriend, so that made perfect sense.

 But now, she had also been intimate with her best friend. And had

 loved it. Was it simply the alcohal mixed with her incredibly close

 friendship to Tomoyo? Or was there more to it than that? Did she

 honestly like being with Tomoyo in that way? Touya had told her of

 plenty of stupid things he had seen people do while drunk. Where her

 actions just another stupid, alcohal induced event? Another long sip

 of the hot liquid helped burn away her reluctance like sunlight

 through the morning fog. She was left with a strong sense of

 determination where the confusion had been moments before. A need to

 know, to understand if it had just been a mistake or not. Like Tomoyo

 had said, did she want them to have slept together? 

 	"What are you doing up?" Sakura asked at last. 

 	Tomoyo's hands moved methodically through the darkness, dancing in

 the shadows. The fact that she was sewing had, up till now, entirely

 escaped Sakura. " I let Meiling use my room, so I've been out here

 all night. I thought I'd get some sewing done while I was at it. I

 was in the kitchen when you and Syaoran came in, but you seemed..."

 she paused, searching for the right words, "like you would rather not

 be disturbed, so I let you go back to your room without any

 interruptions."	A blush played across Sakura's cheeks. They had been

 somewhat... frisky when they had gotten home. She'd thought no one

 was awake when they'd entered the appartment. Her blush disappeared,

 replaced with a frown. Tomoyo's tone was perfectly cheerful, but

 Sakura had learned over the years that just because Tomoyo sounded

 fine didn't always mean that the dark haired girl was. "You shouldn't

 be up so late. Between classes, studying and working for your mother,

 you need your sleep, Tomoyo. You're so..." The brunette trailed off.

 Watching the pale girl in the darkness, she wanted to say frail,

 fragile. Tomoyo was a delicate China doll and sometimes Sakura was

 frightened that the slightest thing would shatter her best friend. "I

 worry about you," she said instead. 

 	A warm smile met Sakura's emerald eyes as Tomoyo placed a slender

 hand atop Sakura's. Sakura's hand turned under Tomoyo's to take it

 and hold it, to keep it safe and protected in her own. "I'm glad you

 would worry about me. I'm happy you'd care so much. But I'll be fine,

 Sakura." It always made her ecstatic to know she could be so

 important to Sakura, but she didn't want to concern the other girl

 too much. Her mother had spent too many sleepless nights worrying

 about her, especially whenever she would get sick, and she didn't

 want to do the same to Sakura. She would be fine no matter what

 happened. She just wanted Sakura and her mother to be happy. Worrying

 about her all the time wouldn't help that. 

 	Once again, Sakura was reminded of how what Tomoyo said and how she

 felt were not always one and the same. Reaching out tentatively, the

 Cardmistress's fingertips began to stroke Tomoyo's soft, dark hair.

 It felt so nice and silken against her fingers, sliding under her

 touch. Tomoyo rested her head on Sakura's shoulder in response, her

 long, lavender hair cascading down Sakura's back. The brunette's

 breath caught for a moment, but her fingers continued stroking her

 friend's long, curly hair. Tomoyo felt so soft and warm against her

 side. It was as if Tomoyo was melting into her. Soft curves met

 Sakura's own, the two merging into one.

 	Tomoyo breathed softly, her lavender eyes slipping shut. The night

 had been a long, confusing one. She was glad to be with Sakura now,

 away from the loneliness and confusion that had played out earlier.

 Even if her love was an unrequited one, she was still happiest when

 she was close to the girl she loved. She could lie there with

 Sakura's fingers gently stroking her hair forever. Something that

 felt like Sakura's nose pressed against her hair and her lips curved

 in a soft smile. Sakura's warm breath tickled her through her hair.

 Snuggling closer against Sakura's side, Tomoyo wished the night

 wouldn't end. When the morning light spilt through the windows, this

 dream would be forgotten without so much as a video to remember it

 by. Syaoran would wake up and Sakura would remember that she loved

 him and this would be nothing more than a moment that had slipped

 away like a grain of sand. Why was it that the moments she loved most

 with Sakura were always the ones she couldn't videotape? Fate was

 cruel. Now if only... 

 	Tomoyo's thoughts were quickly forgotten. A soft squeak escaped her

 lips, a brief intake of air and a gasp of surpirse from her musical

 voice. Sakura's strong, free hand had slid up over her stomach,

 cupping one of the heiress's breasts through her nightgown. Sakura's

 lips replaced her nose in Tomoyo's hair, kissing her head softly.

 Confusion spun a web through the dark haired girl's mind, slowing her

 thoughts down to a crawl. She usually understood Sakura better than

 anyone, so the Mistress of the Cards' current behavior took her

 completely by surprise. She was torn between her instincts to protect

 Sakura's relationship with Syaoran and her own need for Sakura. Her

 usual calm, collected nature in shambles, Tomoyo remained silent for

 the moment, squirming slightly under her friend's questing hands. 

 	Force of will pushed Sakura's embarrassment far away from her mind.

 Tomoyo felt so wonderfu, so perfect, both against her and under her

 fingertips. She squeezed Tomoyo's breast experimentally, marvelling

 at how soft Tomoyo felt and how the skin melded to her palm. She

 delighted in the gasp it ellicited from Tomoyo. Tomoyo's excited

 gasps were so different from Syaoran's restrained groans. She loved

 the way it sounded, how it let her know how much Tomoyo enjoyed what

 she was doing to her. Sometimes so was so unsure of whether or not

 she was doing the right thing with Syaoran. It was great to know how

 Tomoyo felt about her ministrations. Her hand left Tomoyo's somewhat

 larger chest and travelled back to the heiress's bare legs. Tomoyo

 spread her legs invitingly making room for Sakura's hand. It caressed

 up and down Tomoyo's right thigh, feeling the warmth under pale,

 silky skin. 

 	It hadn't been the alcohal, Sakura decided. Her heart sang at the

 way Tomoyo shuddered when she suckled on her earlobe. She felt so...

 alive. Like her body crackled with electricity. Tomoyo always made

 her happy and being with her like this was no different. It was still

 Tomoyo, but so much closer. So much warmer. So much more... hers. Her

 kisses along Tomoyo's jawline caught the other girl's attention and

 her best friend's lips quickly met her own. They were warm and wet

 and delicious. They licked and kissed at her own passionately and

 Sakura could do nothing but give into them. 

 

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 	Yawning sleepily, Syaoran wandered through his girlfriend's

 apparment half awake. It had been strange to wake up in a place that

 was so... cute. He'd been disoriented to wake up to such a heavy dose

 of pink around the appartment. He hoped Sakura could refrain from

 decking out their home like that when they got married. He couldn't

 imagine waking up to milky pink every morning. 

 	The shower was going, but he couldn't figure out who it was.

 Probably Sakura, since she hadn't been in bed when he'd woken up. He

 considered going in to join her. It had been a long day the day

 before and the flight had been exhausting. And a shower with Sakura

 would certainly wake him up this morning. A small smile crossed his

 lips as he made up his mind. It was nice not to be a country away

 from Sakura for the moment. He certainly couldn't be with her like

 that from and ocean away. 

 	The bathroom door opened quietly under Syaoran's hand. Beautiful

 humming came from the shower, a syren's song drawing him ever closer.

 His amber eyes went to the shower as he filled up the doorway.

 "Sakura..." His voice trailed off as Tomoyo turned to look at him.

 Her pale body was wet and entirely naked. His mind vaguely made note

 that her breasts were a bit larger than Sakura's. Her body was soft

 and curvy and slender, not like Sakura's athlete's body. Stormy blue

 eyes met his and the humming stopped immediately. "I.. uhh..."

 Syaoran stammered, his face going a deep shade of crimson. 

 	Oddly enough, Tomoyo seemed hardly embarrassed, simply covering

 herself with her hands and offering a sympathetic smile. "Sakura's

 not here," she explained helpfully. "She was in the living room when

 I came in here." For a moment, she wondered if Syaoran had understood

 her. He finally nodded and gave her a mumbled thanks. Wondering idly

 what Syaoran would have done if it had been Sakura in the shower,

 Tomoyo resumed her humming.

 	Slamming the door quickly, Syaoran took a long moment to compose

 himself. It took a while for the blood to drain from his face. Tomoyo

 was certainly beautiful... He shook his head quickly to force the

 idea out of his mind. Daidouji was the last person he wanted to be

 thinking about. She'd always been that crazy friend of Sakura's.

 Though she had always been helpful to him. If it hadn't been for her,

 he never would have told Sakura how he felt about her. 

 	Deciding it was best to pretend that hadn't happened, Syaoran

 continued his search for Sakura. He made his way to the living room,

 but Sakura was curiously missing. In her place sat Meiling, sitting

 on the couch in front of the large television Tomoyo seemed so fond

 of watching her videos on. "Meiling, have you seen Sakura?" he asked.

 The murderous look Meiling gave him chilled his blood. He wondered if

 perhaps he had said the wrong thing. 

 	"She's in the kitchen. I think she's making breakfast or something.

 I would've made something, but I don't know my way around the

 kitchen." Her gaze went back to the television. Nothing was on, but

 she seemed to be content to focus on it. Her thoughts were busy

 elsewhere anyway. She was still ashamed of her actions the night

 before. Crossing one leg on top of the other, she rested back on the

 couch, trying to appear perfectly content. The affect on Syaoran was

 more that he was afraid to bother her again. That worked just as well.

 	Entering the kitchen, Syaoran finally found his girlfriend. She,

 too, was humming to herself. Her apron hugged her body cutely. Flour

 and batter left her looking like she walked through a small cooking

 warzone, but the smell coming from the oven was delicious. Sakura

 could be flighty, but when she put her mind to something, she could

 do an incredible job. "Good morning, Syaoran," Sakura said happily,

 kissing his cheek as he entered the kitchen. She went back to

 whisking something in a bowl, keeping an eye on a timer near the

 oven. 

 	Deciding that dark haired girls were merely crazy this early in the

 morning, Syaoran was glad to see that Sakura was her usual energetic

 self. It was good to be away from all the Li Clan business and back

 with the girl he loved. He wrapped his arms around her from behind,

 holding her body close to his. Kissing the back of her neck under her

 short hair, he was glad to feel her snuggling back against him. 

 	Sakura was happy. The confusion that had seemed to consume her life

 lately had, for now, abated. She knew how she felt now. She loved

 Syaoran. She loved Tomoyo. The night before had helped her to

 understand that. She had stayed up with Tomoyo late into the night.

 They had held each other and talked until they had finally fallen

 asleep in each others arms. Syaoran and Tomoyo both made her happy.

 Her feelings were no longer such a mystery to her, making even her

 own actions indecipherable. At some time, it would be necessary for

 her to figure out what to do about this revelation. But for now, she

 was simply happy. And very, very much in love.