Never enough time

 By Radar

 simon_mcnestrie@hotmail.com

 

 -----------

 DISCLAIMER:

 These characters belong to CLAMP! This is a Yuri story so if it

 offends you please don't read!

 

 'Never enough time!'

 

 That one thought kept repeating in her mind as she sat in

 meditation. Her auburn hair now stretching down her back, her emerald

 eyes that had once held a unique sparkle now dull, almost lifeless.

 No one quiet knew how this seemingly young woman came to this

 particual Buddhist temple, despite the fact that the question had

 been asked many times since her arrival. She had arrived, seemingly

 lost, and simply asked if she could join their small community. She

 just sat there, or did menial chores, but there was always one thing

 that repeated in her mind: 'Never enough time!'

 

 It had all happened more then 30 or so years ago. The auburn haired

 woman cast herself backwards in her memories to that fateful day when

 her beloved wife had met her end. She sighed softly, reliving that

 night in great detail. The battle, her pale love arriving when she

 had promised to go somewhere safe, the way the woman had pushed her

 out of the way, taking the fatal attack for herself, the grief and

 sadness, the anger that followed and the lust for vengance, the look

 on the mysterious senshi's faces when her lust was satified. The

 looks of horror, sadness and grief on their children's and her pale

 wifes mother's face when she carried her loves body home.

 

 'Never enough time!' Slowly she stood up and slowly walked around

 the temple, her legs stiff from her hours of sitting in the same

 place. Once... may years ago she was know as Sakura, mistress of the

 cards. But those days were long ago and far behind her. Sakura looked

 up at the stars, focusing on one inparticular. 'Why'd you do it

 Tomoyo?' she thought. Casting her mind back she relived it again.

 

 Sakura looked on as the 10 figures dodged attack after attack. Each

 tried differnt attacks of their own, but to no affect. Tomoyo gasped

 as the building not too far away exploded. 'Get somewhere safe

 Tomoyo!' Sakura said, forming her staff. 'But...' Tomoyo started. She

 was silenced by a slow and gentle kiss from Sakura. 'I'll be ok Tomo-

 chan!' Sakura whispered, smiling at her pale wife. Tomoyo smiled

 herself and slowly retreated. Turning Sakura saw one of the figures

 on her knees, another with sea-green hair kneeling beside her. What

 ever they were fighting her turned its attention towards them, and at

 this moment they were very vunerable. Quickly she summond the Shield

 card to protect them. The others turned to face her, shocked that 2

 of their own had come so close to death. The monster also turn and

 saw her, realising what Sakura was, it changed tactics and focused on

 her and her alone, practically ignoring the others. In the end, she

 was too slow. So determind to protect everyone she was still to slow

 to protect herself. When the monsters final attack came and she was

 helpless to stop it. Then the ground and her view shifted. Time

 seemed to slow as she hit the ground, her horror at seeing Tomoyo

 push her out of the way, just in time to take the full force of the

 attack for herself, being propled through the air, and hitting the

 ground. She couldn't remember hitting the ground, all she could

 remember clearly is slowly crawling over to her fallen love,

 craddling her body as Tomoyo slowly slipped away. 'Why Tomoyo?'

 Sakura asked, tears falling down her cheeks. Tomoyo didn't answer.

 Instead she looked up with a pained smile. 'I'm happy to die in

 Sakura-chan's arms!' she whispered, her eyes closing for the last

 time. Sighing softly the pale woman breathing stopped, her hand

 falling from Sakura's cheek to the ground. 'Tomoyo?' Sakura

 whimpered, shaking Tomoyo's body gently. She shook Tomoyo again,

 almost screaming her name. Gently she set the pale woman's body down

 and picked up her discarded staff transforming it into a deadly

 sabre, and slowly walked towards the thing that had taken away her

 wife. The rest was a blur. She turn having killed the monster and

 took Tomoyo's body home, the senshi stood silent watching her leave.

 Kumiko and Nadeshiko were completely shock when Sakura tried to

 explain that their mother had gone to a better place. Nadeshiko

 perhaps, never quite recovered from that. Sonomi had demanded that

 Sakura tell her how her only daughter had ended up dead, only hear

 nothing but silence.

 

 A tear fell down her cheeck as she pulled herself back to the

 present. She knew now that is was time she left her exile and return

 to her family. Bidding farwell to the monks and nuns she slowly made

 her way back to Japan.

 

 'Never enough time!'

 

 Still in her robes, she stood outside the Daidouji mansion. She'd

 forgoten how large the house was. Slowly opening the gate she walked

 up to the house, stopping half way when someone had caught sight of

 her. Too her surprise, it was Nadeshiko. 'You?' Nadeshiko asked, when

 Sakura had lowered the rood of her robes. Sakura's nod was cut off

 when Nadeshiko slapped her. 'Why'd you leave?' The question cut into

 Sakura, who had not even tried to defend herself when she realised

 what her youngest daughter was about to do. 'Answer me!' That was

 followed by another slap. Nadeshiko's normally pale face was bright

 red with anger. 'I'm sorry!' was Sakura's answer. It looked like

 Nadeshiko was going to slap her again until the pale woman clentched

 her fist and punched the older woman. Staggering backwards Sakura

 managed to keep herself on her feet, standing up straight, she was

 met with another punch, and another. Sakura still made no attempt at

 defending herself under her daughters punches. Soon they became

 weaker and weaker until Nadeshiko collapsed against the person she'd

 known as her papa, crying heavily. Slowly she put her arms around her

 daughter, trying her best to comfort her. Then she saw the young

 girl, watching the older women. 'Nadeshiko-mama?' she asked, 'Are you

 ok?' Nadeshiko nodded slightly, 'Hai!' Sakura was shocked at the

 likeness. The girl couldn't have been more then 11 years old and yet

 she looked almost excactly like Tomoyo, except for her eyes. 'Go and

 get your oba-san Tomoyo-chan!' Nadeshiko whispered. The girl nodded

 and ran into the house, emerging less then 2 minutes later, her oba-

 san in tow. 'Sakura-papa?' the second woman asked. Sakura nodded.

 Kumiko smiled slightly. Then she realised she was indeed home.

 

 'Welcome home!'