Card Captor Sakura Fan Fiction ❯ Cherry Blossoms Bloom Every Spring ❯ Promise Me This ( Chapter 5 )

Cherry Blossoms Bloom Every Spring

Chapter Five

By: Sorano

A/N: Yes, the last chapter was short. Yes, it the paragraphs were screwed up, too. I tried to fix it but I couldn't. This chapter will be longer, okay? Also, does anyone know if more than the first 4 episodes of CCS subbed are available? And if so, where?

Disclaimer: CCS does not belong to me. It belongs to the wonderful CLAMP and Kodansha. I refuse to mention the 'N' word, but so they can't sue me it belongs to them too.

Syaoran bounced the little girl on his lap and smiled when she let out a high-pitched giggle. He had to admit- Meling was starting to grow on him. He hoped so much she was his, yet… He blushed at the thought.

Meling stared up at him, curiously, for he has stopped bouncing. Her chubby fingers wrapped around his shirt and tugged with strength uncommon for such a young girl. "Boc!" she cried, wanting her father's attention.

Syaoran was oblivious to the fact she had almost spoken. Was that just baby gurgle or 'bounce'? "I wonder what's taking your mother?" he mused, staring intently at the clock hanging over the brightly burning fire. "She said she'd be here to pick you up half an hour ago.

Just as he was saying this, the door burst in and his girlfriend stepped in. Depressed, cold, and wet, she sat on the sofa without even removing her jacket. She took a deep breath and patted the space next to her. "Come here, Syaoran-kun. We…we have to talk."

Syaoran quickly complied, handing Meling to her mother. What was wrong? What had the doctors told her? "Sakura-chan? Daijoubu? I am the father…right?"

Sakura looked down at her daughter, who was confused by the sudden change in atmosphere. Her thin, pale hand combed through the girl's chesnut locks. How my past is going to hurt you some day, Meling-chan! Once again Sakura cursed herself for her foolishness.

"Syaoran-kun…The test results were uncomplete. But every candidate was eliminated. You're…not the father." An unreluctent tear snaked out of her eye and rolled down her white face.

Syaoran felt as though he'd been punched. Meling? Not his? This had to be a mistake! He loved her so much! "Sa…Sakura." He wanted to scream, but he'd keep calm for the girls. "It's so unfair. I feel we've been robbed."

Sakura choked down more sobs. "I'm so sorry, Syaoran-kun. It's all my fault. I've screwed up everyone's lives." She glanced up at him. "But darling, we still have a beautiful baby. She is ours, not matter who made her. Please…"

Sakura was filled with fear that Syaoran might abandon her like, turn out to be like so many other guys. "I can't do it alone. I…I need you. Meling needs you. She needs a father." "Then go find that bastard who really owns her!" Syaoran snarled a little harsher than he intended, his confusion blinding him against her grief.

"No!" Sakura screamed, sobbing. "Syaoran!" On the verge of hysteria, she threw herself to the floor, not noticing when Meling tumbled away. Syaoran jumped next to her and wrapped his arms around her shaking body. "Hey, hey, it's okay. Gomen nasai, Sakura-chan. You know I'd never hurt you." He held her tight. "I love you. And I love Meling. The three of us will be a family. Forever…"

"Forever…" Sakura repeated, a smile forming. "Uh huh. You aren't angry?" "No," Syaoran sighed. "I'm a little disapointed, but you're right Sakura. Love is stronger than bloodlines. Sakura giggled. "Since when did you become so sentimental?" "Since I met you. Isn't that a good thing?" "Yeah…"

They slowly sat up, resting against the sofa. "Hey…" A shiver raced through Sakura. "Meling-chan?" It was too quiet…"Sweetheart?" She looked up but couldn't see any little pink boots dangling over the edge. She jumped up, maternal instincts taking over

Her eyes scanned the sofa, and with her heart racing, they searched the rest of the room. Syaoran stood up beside her, grabbing her hand. "What is it?" "Meling is gone! Shit! I am a horrible mother!" "Don't start, Sakura-chan. She's here somewhere."

"You search the kitchen and I'll start on the bedroom, okay?" Sakura nodded. "Hai," she whispered. Syaoran turned to leave the room, but Sakura stood rooted in spot, mouth agape. "Sakura-chan?" he tugged on her hand, which was still tightly clamped around his.

He looked in the direction she faced with horror and at first could see nothing out of the ordinairy. Then it hit him- the front door was wide open. Sakura must have forgotten to close it. "C'mon, Sakura-chan. Meling is too smart for that. You've taught her not to leave the house. I'm sure she's here in the apartment somewhere."

Sakura wasn't listening. Frantic for the safety of her child, she ran out the door in the rain which was quickly turning to hail. "Iie!" Syaoran grabbed his and Meling's coats as he quickly ran after his girlfriend.

Sakura was standing at the bottom of the stairs leading to his apartment door and looking up and down the street, hand over her face to block the chunks of ice raining down on them. "Where is she?" she ran in ridiculous circles, wanting to cry. She was responsible for another life here! She kept picturing her child lying in a ditch someone, covered in blo- "Sakura!" Syaoran shook her hard. "Hoe?"

"What if she was run over by a car? Or kidnapped? Or…" Syaoran tugged her arm. "Look down the street, by that green car. Isn't that Meling there? Who's that man? Do you know him, Sakura-chan?" "Iie…I don't!" she shrieked, taking off down the street.

An elderly man dressed completely in black had his back to them and was coddling a little baby that looked remarkably like Meling. Syaoran was worried about Meling, too, but he couldn't help but groan as he saw Sakura crash into the man. What if that wasn't Meling? The child was too big. Sakura would be awfully embarassed.

Sakura landed beside the couple on the saturated sidewalk. When she had her bearings straightened, she turned the man over. "Give me my daughter back!" she snarled. The man raised his eyebrows questionly. "What are you talking about?"

Sakura pointed the small bundle in his arms. "My daughter. Li Meling Murasaki." A brief moment of reconition flashed across his face, but all he said was," I'm afraid you're mistaken, miss. This is my grand-daughter, Amiko."

"I don't think so!" Sakura cried and reached for child wrapped in blue blankets. How dare this man steal my child! "This won't do…" The man muttered quietly. "You'll have to let go now." "Hoe? No way! I want Meling!!!!" "I had a feeling you'd say that."

Syaoran, still in front of his apartment, watched in horror as the man shoved Sakura away with amazing strength. She hit crashed agaisnt the parked green car and didn't rise. Rage filled him, burning away any logic. He didn't go nuts over Meling, but no one was allowed to hurt his sweet cherry blossom. And if that was his……daughter…

Firmilair adrendaline from his childhood raced through his viens and he speed towards the man who was still standing in the middle of the sidewalk, a strange smile plastered on his otherwise bland face. He grabbed the man and spun him around, amber eyes glaring with flame. "Who the hell are you? What are you doing with my wife and daughter?"

The man chuckled, amusment in his cloudy eyes. "Young, aren't you? I should've expected so much." Syaoran raised his hand above the man's face, though he was normally agaisnt hitting little old men-not that there was anything so little about this guys. "Don't give me any of that crap. You're gonna pay for hurting Sakura and you'd better give me my baby back!"

"Such empty threats. You want the child, take her!" A startled Syaoran only just managed to catch the bundle. "I'll have her in the end, though. She is not yours to protect, Li." He stepped off the curb and opened the door of the green car, slamming it agaisn't Sakura's head, letting out a raspy laugh. "Fuck you!" Syaoran swore as he drove away.

He knelt beside the girl, who was just coming to. "Daijobu, Sakura-chan? I wish I could've beat the shit outta him, but he got away." "It's okay, Syaoran-kun. As long as we have our daughter back, that's the important thing." She leaned against him and closed her eyes. "Mmm…you got any asprin in your apartment? I got a spilting headache now." Syaoran smiled. "Yeah, c'mon." He wrapped her drenched body in his coat, and Meling in hers, then led them into the building, wondering how all that drama could've taken place in five minutes.

* * *

They put the exhausted, but otherwise fine, baby to sleep in Syaoran's room, hoping it wouldn't suffocate under the heavy silk blankets. Sakura was forced to sing an endless lullaby with Syaoran snickering before they were able to sit near the fire and have a long talk into the night.

"Things will be fine, Sakura-chan. I promise." How many times had Sakura been told that over the past year? "I don't care who the father was. Honest. I love you. We'll get married and darling Meling needn't ever know the truth." "You want to keep that from her? It wouldn't be right! I can't live a lie any longer, Syaoran-kun. She'll have to know."

It was hard for Syaoran, but he had to agree with her. "I'm just afraid she won't love me if she knows I'm not her birth father." "Don't be silly. You are her real father." "Blood runs deep," Syaoran protested. "Yes, but love is stronger." "We must be strong, for her sake at least. We must believe that things will work out, that love will carry us through."

"Yes." Sakura rested her head against side, allowing him to wrap his arms around her. Sakura closed her eyes, feeling so safe in his arms. "We're going to make it." She suddenly giggled. "I feel so old, Syaoran-kun. So, so old."

His eyes peered at her quizically in a silent question. "I'm sixteen, Syoaran-kun. Sixteen! I'll be married soon, I'm out of high school, I have a baby. God, I'm going to have to get a job. Doesn't feel wrong to you? Has time passed so fast? Don't you remember? Who we used to be?"

He smiled gently down at her. "I remember. But we are young. We are still innocent, koishii." "I lost my innocence a long time ago, Syao-kun," she hissed bitterly. "I grew up when I was twelve years old."

Syaoran sighed, for he wasn't the shunketsu, there was nothing special about him. He didn't know all the answers, despite his long ago tales to the same girl he now held tightly in his arms.

"Oh, Sakura, Sakura, my koishii cherry bloosom, how can you see? Happiness is right in front of you, if only you weren't so blinded by the past. It's time to let go. It's over. Just let it go…"

Sakura turned tear-filled eyes up to him, struggling for words. "Do you remember picnics in the park? Capturing the cards together? Bright sunny days? Do you remember Tomoyo, with her camera, following us around everywhere? Do you remember Mizuko-sensei? She always made school fun…I wonder what she's doing now? Remember the carnival? Remember ice cream?" They were only words, with nothing particular attached to them, but each stung their hearts with memories. Scenes from their past flashed by like an old movie.

"Why is it I can only remember happy times? Was I never sad? Oh, do you remember those days?! Sweet innocence." "We are still innocent, we are filled with hope and love, bound together by the magic of Clow. It's a strong tie, koishii, nothing can ever break it."

Caught in the moment, the two heads were pulled together as if by a magnet and the soft lips pressed to each other. All worries and shames fled away in the instant that the two connected, became one. "Promise me you'll never leave me?" "Sakura…" "Promise!" "I love you, Sakura. Nothing can ever separate us. No power on Earth will ever take me away from you, and I'll allow nothing to prevent me from being with you. I wouldn't be able to bear it."

"I…I want…Syaoran…" Sakura was trying to put the words together. She knew how Syaoran felt about her, but was it the right time? Had so much happened so quickly they should put this off? Could she wait…"I want you to be with me forever. I want it promised." "I just did promise!" Syaoran was starting to look distressed. "What more do you want?" "I want us…I want us to marry, just like you said we would."

"Oh, Sakura-chan! Don't sound so afraid! You know I've wanted to be with you since I was eleven years old!" "Not when you were ten?" she asked slyly. He flushed. "No, I didn't understand you then."

"I don't want to wait." "Why are you in such a hurry?" Sakura bit her lip and looked down. "I can't explain it. I…" "It's okay. I understand. I feel it to. You do know though, what this will mean?" Sakura held up her hand in front of her face, admiring the glint of the diamond. You gave me this ring five months ago, and I made a promise to you. We must fulfill it, to fullfill our destiny." "Yes… when we are married, I must officially take over as the head Li and we must move to China."

So, what did you think? Is it still good? I'm sorry I took so log, but I've been away on vacation. School's starting in a couple days. *Cries* Isn't it sad? Please review and keep reading!