Card Captor Sakura Fan Fiction ❯ Cherry Blossoms Bloom Every Spring ❯ Carol of the Bells Three ( Chapter 9 )

Cherry Blossoms Bloom Every Spring

Chapter Nine

Carol of the Bells Part Three

By: Sorano

Disclaimer: Standard Disclaimers apply.

"Let me not to the marriage of true minds

Admit impediments. Love is not love

Which alters when alteration finds

Or bends with the remover to remove

Oh no! It is an ever fixed mark

That looks on tempests and is never shaken

It is the star to every wandering bark

Whose worth's unknown, although his height be

taken

Love's not time's fool,

Though rosy lips and cheeks

Within his bending sickle's compass come:

Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,

But bears it out even to the edge of doom.

If this be error and upon me proved,

I never writ, nor man ever loved."

_0-0-dsgfffffffffffffff ------

I have to get out of here! I have to get out of here! Syaoran backed away from the consuming darkness and felt for the door behind him. His heart thumped painfully against his chest so that he thought he would die. His sweaty palm clasped around the doorknob and he yanked it open. He had found what he came for and now he wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. Even once he had slammed the door shut behind him he still could feel a million hungry eyes upon him.

He peered down the long stretch of dark hallway. Which way should he go? Time was running out, he needed to get home and find Sakura, but which way was the exit? What was waiting down there for him? And the shoppers…I have to get back to them! Get them out of here. It was his responsibility, to make sure everyone was safe. They still didn't understand.

Syaoran ran down the direction he had come, pumping his legs in the rhythm of his own heart. Faster, faster! The wide, high-ceilinged atrium came into view. This area in the middle of the mall was where most shoppers had taken refugee until the storm let up. Syaoran craned his neck up to the glass ceiling where a tiny stream of light came through and he saw only pounding white snow, sliding in tons down the sloped roof.

"Hello?" he called into the darkness. The room was silent. There was no shrieks and whines from little children, no grumbles from the parents, not a sound. Syaoran slowly moved forward, his arm protectively out in front of him. "Minna?" his voice shook and carried higher than he intended. There was no shadows from the above moonlight, no bags littering the floor. The room was empty.

Had they all left then? He had told them to run if he was more than twenty minutes. They must have gotten worried and left like he told them. A small ray of hope began to light inside him. They must have found a way out. I can leave then. The front entrance was only a minute's walk and Syaoran was more than happy to see a glimpse of the outside world. The mall felt too much like a trap or rather, like a twisted game of hide and seek. Any minute now 'it' would jump out and find them all. 'I found you.'

The desire to get out only increased tenfold when he pressed his hand against the wonderfully cold glass. He reached for the knob and froze. Thick, sturdy chains held the door prisoner to the holder. The PA wasn't kidding. They hadn't been locked in for their safety, they had been sealed in. Someone did not want them to leave. He threw himself at the door, pushing against it with all his strength. Even with all his years of training, no amount of force would break the locks on the doors. If he couldn't get through there, the other shoppers certainly couldn't.

He wouldn't give up yet. There were other doors they couldn't gone through. Xin-tou Shou, if it was it, surely must've missed something. A window, anything! The direction to another door led him straight down the hall the staff room was on. Syaoran didn't want to go in there again. He didn't even want to go near there. He would not walk straight into the demon's hands.

Fear prickled at the back of his mind and that little warning started to go off. Where did the people go? I would have seen them if they had come this way! They can't just disappear and there's no way they could've gotten by me. There had to be a way out. Every maze, every puzzle had a solution, not matter how clever the master was. Syaoran ran back into the atrium where the horrid presence was the weakest.

"Hai, that's it," he whispered to himself, calculating his surroundings. There was something Xin-tou-Shou hadn't considered. He slowly drew out his long, majestic sword. The sharp edge gleamed in the pale moonlight. He had little but practiced with the magical weapon since his card capturing days and he prayed the old sword still had it. "Wind elemental spirit!" he shouted as silently as he could while flinging the magic paper in front of his sword. A great gust of wind was released, stronger and colder than ever before, and it bundled him up. He was flown up threw a tower of white swirling wind, higher and higher until he could almost touch the glass roof.

I'm almost free! He was preparing to summon another spirit to break through the roof when the force of wind suddenly dropped. He felt himself falling violently. "What the hell?" He peered below him but he couldn't make out anything through the inky blackness. The wind condensed around him, so tight he had the impression he was being squeezed by a giant hand.

It was hard to breathe. Syaoran thrust his sword out but he wasn't sure what spell to cast. He couldn't fight what he couldn't see, could he? He was quickly being dragged down, wind was losing the fight. I have to try. Only a few feet from the floor, he called out, "Thunder elemental spirit!" The white light flashed from his sword and cackled beneath him for a second before dissolving into the air.

At first it seemed like nothing had been accomplished, but then the resistance slowed enough to allow Syaoran to float up again. Gathering speed, Syaoran didn't have time to call upon another spirit. Glass was shattering around him, slicing through his delicate flash, but he didn't notice. The ceiling was frozen and thick, it wasn't meant to be broken. Syaoran covered his head with his hands and pushed forcefully up until he was through and floating in the cold night air.

He sighed and allowed his breathing to return to a steady pace. He would be all right now. Once his eyes adjusted to the city light he gave a look around. The city was blanketed in powdery white while more and more flakes continued to fall. The cold felt good against his flushed skin and he licked the substance from his hand.

"I wish I could fly like Sakura," he sighed. His wind magic couldn't carry him across the whole city and it would take too long to walk. He could only hope his car was still working.

* * *

"It really is amazing that you found me," Sakura shivered from the backseat of her older brother's car. Despite the high internal temperature and the heavy blankets wrapped tightly around her she was blue-lipped and chilled to the bone. She felt like she would never be warm again.

"What's so amazing about it?" Touya asked, peering at her through the front mirror. "You know I would find you anywhere, anyway. You can't hide so easy from me, kaijuu. I have many eyes."

Sakura's protest of the old nickname came out as a giggle. "I'm not a monster," she huffed, but she couldn't help but grin. "'niichan, Hong Kong is so, so, so big and crowded and eeto, snowy." She made a face. "I must've been half a snowman by the time you found me."

"I was a little worried," Touya said. "Why were you just lying there? You looked like you were dead." Sakura sneezed and he added, "You'll probably come down with pneumonia now or something. I was supposed to take care of you."

"It has nothing to do with you. I was trying to get home and…I don't know exactly what happened. The snow just sort of took over. I think I feel asleep. I'm gonna be okay now because you're here, but it's everyone else I'm worried about."

Touya had to smile. Her faith in him was endearing but naïve. She really didn't know what had been happening while she was stuck downtown. She thought a simple storm was preventing her normal life was carrying. Not that Touya was too informed himself, but the look in the reincarnated mage's eyes told him all he needed to know.

"I think something really bad is happening, 'niichan," she carried on and her face drooped slightly. "I can't feel Mei-ling anymore and something really bad is happening at home. Yue is there, that's why he isn't with you. Hiirigizawa-san and them are in trouble. Somebody is hurt. Is…somebody hurt, 'niichan?"

So he had underestimated her. His sister's powers were growing quite strong. "Hai."

"Who?" She sprung forward in her seat, clasping his arm tightly. "Tell me who."

"Naku…Ruby Moon. There was… an accident at your place, Sakura. It is a bit of a mess now."

"That isn't important." Sakura's eyes widened. "'niichan, are you going to cry? Ara, poor Nakuru. Will she be okay? What did Hiirigizawa-san say? Am I right? Is something really bad happening? Has he heard from Syaoran-kun? 'niichan, 'niichan, daijoubu? I'm sure she will be alright."

Touya gave a short, hollow laugh after wiping his eyes on his jacket sleeve. "Of course. I didn't know I really cared so much. I really don't like her, you know. I can't stand her. But… you didn't see her, Sakura. I'm going to hurt whoever is causing all this."

"How do you know it is a person? It's only snow."

"You aren't a child anymore, Sakura. Don't act like one. I know you've seen things I can only imagine so try to think. How often does it snow in Hong Kong?"

"Um, never."

"That's right." Their voices fell short and their was silence for a while as the tiny car tried to manuver it's way up the buried streets. Buildings began to shrink in size and appeared further apart until they were replaced by houses and mini-malls. The city faded behind them and Sakura breathed a sigh of relief. Her suburban district was comforting. Surely nothing bad could happen there.

"I can't see, 'niichan. Are we almost home."

"Hai, you're house is just up there."

"Up where?"

"Up the street, kaijuu."

"You might want to keep a lookout for me here. I'm afraid I'm gonna crash into a tree or something."

Touya managed to pull up into the driveway safe and sound. He jumped from his seat and raced over to Sakura's door. He picked her up carefully, wrapping the woolly blanket tightly around and insisted on carrying her into the house. "You might disappear into the snow," he smirked.

Touya didn't want to go inside that house. From the outside it looked perfectly ordinary but the inside would be a disaster zone. If he looked up high he could see the chunks of roof missing. He was afraid of seeing Nakuru suffering in there, or what else he might find. What if all three of them were gone or dead or… But Yukito would be in there. And Touya would go wherever Yukito was. "Come on, Sakura," he said more to himself than to her. He pulled open the door. "Don't panic, okay? Don't faint or anything girlish like that."

Sakura glared wearily at him. "I think I can take a little mess, 'niichan."

Touya looked around in surprise. "This is your house, ne? I hope I didn't get the address wrong or something."

"Iie, this is it. Ne, 'niichan, it's looks exactly like when I left it. I don't understand why you were so anxious."

Touya put her down on her feet and motioned for her to follow him. "Hiirigizawa-san? Yukito-san?"

"We're in here," Eriol whispered from the kitchen.

Sakura and Touya cautiously made their way into the kitchen where they found a disturbing sight. Seated at the once-mangled table was Eriol, head rested in his hands. Spinel Sun stood attentively and yet mournfully beside him. Behind Eriol's chair Yue stood as a sombre angel, head bowed. The kitchen was all cleaned up. Furniture was righted and there was no trace of blood on the floor.

"What happened?" Touya demanded. Sakura stood stiffly at his side, her big eyes filling up with tears. She already knew.

"I had to let her go," Eriol said simply, his voice slow and muffled by his arms. "She was in so much pain. She's gone."

Was the great Eriol crying? Was Oniichan crying? Because of Nakuru? Sakura moved forward, no wanting to disturb them, yet having no choice. "Hiirigizawa…Eriol-kun," the words sounded foreign and bitter on her tongue. "I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I couldn't help. I should've been here. I should never have gone to work. I might've-"

"You might've have been able to work a miracle where I failed?" Though Eriol's voice was gentle, Sakura shuddered as it quite through her. He was right. Eriol was still so much stronger than her. If he couldn't even save his own creation, what could she possibly do?

Eriol lifted his head up so that he could make eye contact Sakura. His face was red and stained with tears. I didn't know he could cry. But Eriol's human, he feels pain just like the rest of us. Sakura bent over and enveloped him into an awkward hug. "I promise I will… I will do whatever I can to make things alright."

"They can't be alright."

"You really loved her, didn't you? Ara, of course you did. I just meant-"

"I know exactly what you meant. Hai, I loved Ruby Moon. She made me smile."

Sakura looked up at Yue. His silver-blue eyes bored down on her, she couldn't read what he was thinking. "I… I love Yue and Cerberus," she said. "I would feel so awful if anything ever happened to them." Sakura moved closer to the moon guardian so that she could wrap an arm around him. "Daijoubu, Yue?"

"Hai." His voice was emotionless but Sakura could feel his sadness. Yue wasn't sad for Ruby Moon, he never loved Ruby Moon. He was only sad because a part of Clow was sad. No, sad wasn't even the right word. Maybe distressed. "I did what I could," his voice quavered slightly. "I gave Clow my power."

"I know. Eriol will be alright." Sakura concentrate on Eriol's loss at the moment, grief would have to pushed aside until later. "Now, tell me the truth minna, is Mei-ling upstairs asleep where she should be?"

"Iie," Eriol answered bitterly. "Somebody took her. She is probably dead too."

"Nani? I come home after one hell of a day and you tell me my daughter is dead?"

"I can't say for sure."

"What is going on, Eriol-san? No more of these games. You stopped lying to me years ago now tell me what the hell is going on!"

"I can't tell you."

"I can," a rough voice said behind them. "I also know where Mei-ling is."

Sakura turned around slowly, hoping, hoping. A tall shadow moved into her light and she could see the face. "Syaoran!" Her face lit up and she threw herself in his arms, sobbing and laughing and kissing him. Just to be in his arms again would make everything all right.

"Shh," Syaoran whispered and cupped her face in his hand. "Are you okay, Sakura-chan?"

"Hai, hai, I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be? Am I the only one that doesn't know what's going on? Where have you been, Syaoran-kun? Look at you! You're all wet and dripping snow over my floor!"

"Shh," he repeated and led her over to the table, sitting down with her.

"Li-san!" Eriol looked shocked and relieved at the same time. "What happened down there? Did you see it? We tried to call you but we weren't sure if you understood. What took so long? What was going on down there?"

Syaoran sighed and ran a hand through his tangled hair. "I'm not quite sure. I think you know what it is, Hiirigizawa-san. I have never known you to be without answers. We were locked in the mall, if you really want to know."

"Locked in?" Sakura cried. "Why would they lock you in?"

"I'm not quite sure. I think I am the only person that survived that mall though."

"Syaoran-kun, what are you talking about? And what happened to Nakuru? Somebody fill me in please!"

Eriol put a hand up to silence her. "In a moment, Sakura-chan. You will be told when we know some answers ourselves." He turned his steady gaze on his young descendent. "Li-san, how did you get out?" His voice was tight and hard as steel.

"The doors were locked so…"

"So you used magic?" Eriol pressed, his face contorting in sudden anger.

"So?"

"So?" Eriol slammed his fist down on the table. "So? Did the elders teach you nothing?"

"What's going on?" Sakura begged. "Eriol-san, why are you so angry? What did he do wrong?" Her husband sat silent in his seat, staring down at the floor. "Syaoran-kun?" He looked up and gave her a questioning glance.

"I cast a simple elemental spell to help me escape," Syaoran said softly. He kept his voice calm and assured but Sakura could see his face slowly draining of colour. "You saw those spells all the time when we were kids, Sakura-chan," his voice held a note of desperation. He had made a mistake and he knew it.

Eriol leapt from his perch on the table and grasped Syaoran by the shoulders, shaking him hard until he had his full attention. Sakura backed away subconsciously. Eriol was very imdimdating when he was angry. His form seemed to morph into something dark and frightening, something so much different than the sweet Eriol. Sakura couldn't help but think how much he look like Clow Reed at the moment. Tall, elegant and powerful. Something to be feared.

"You fool," he snarled, yanking Syaoran forward. "You damn, arrogant Chinese fool!" The words struck Syaoran hard and flinched like he had been hit. "Don't look like that! You know exactly what you've done! Xin-tou Shou can trace your magic. Do you know what that means? He can find us now. He will hunt us down and kill each one of us. Is that what you wanted?" Eriol's angry demeanour suddenly faded and he was nothing but a mere boy as his eyes swelled up fresh, hot tears.

Syaoran's face softened and he didn't look ready to hit Eriol anymore. "I'm sorry," he really did sound regretful. Had he been selfish then, trying to save himself? But no, he had needed to free himself so he could protect Sakura and his friends. "He would have found us anyway. He is drawn to Sakura and me."

Eriol wasn't listening. He had reccceded into himself and was no seated on the floor, tears running freely down in his face. "Xin-tou Shou got my Nakuru, my Ruby Moon. I was powerless to stop it. I wanted to protect Sakura-chan. She's mine too, you know? I made her. She's my creation, just like my Ruby Moon. I have to take care of her, because it is my fault that she is involved in any of this. I don't want to lose you, too, Sakura. Neither of you."

"Ara, Eriol-san," Sakura sniffed and sat down beside him. "I am strong now. I'm as strong as you are! You said it yourself. I can take care of myself. None of this is your fault. Zettai daijoubu. Everything will be okay. I promise."

Eriol gave her a weak smile. "So naïve. I suppose we owe you an explanation?"

"That would be nice. I can't fight what I don't know exists."

"Who says you will be fighting anything? These aren't simply capturing cards, Sakura-chan. You really don't have any idea of what the real world of magic is like. Xin-tou Shou is born of the deepest, oldest most dark magic that exits. He has been around since the beginning of time. He was created from evil and he is fuelled by evil. Xin-tou Shou just is. Living, coursing, destructive hate that is controlled by man."

"I don't understand."

"Sakura-chan," Syaoran joined them on the floor. "There is some things I didn't tell you about my family, about my people. We created Xin-tou Shou and now he owns us. His spirit has threaded it's way through the country, destroying it and the hearts of all those in it. Or, at least he tries. It is a constant battle, not to fall to him. Not to fall to wicked ways. He has manifested into a more… solid form because we are here."

"Syaoran-kun, this doesn't make any sense. Are you saying this Xin-tou Shou is just another name for bad people?"

"I'll tell you the whole story from the beginning," Eriol said. He glanced down at his watch nervously. "I need to make it short though. There is a lot you need to know and you don't have much time to learn it. Thousands and thousands of years ago China was a very different country then it is now. The Chinese people were divided into many tribes, but could be categorized into two main groups- Southern Chinese and Northern Chinese. The Northern Chinese is mostly what China is today. The Southern Chinese people were considered 'savages' by the Northern Chinese but most of them weren't. The largest group of Southern Chinese was the Hsien, known as the Li clan today. The Hsien lived their own way, in the forests and little is really known about them. They weren't controlled by the Chinese government and they were free to do whatever they choose. Wars would often break out among the tribes in Southern China, mainly with a group called the Dogheads. It was messy, and bloody, and brutal because there were no laws, no boundries.

"Hate grew fierce and long feuds began. An ancient sort of magic was formed, a sort of occult, the first foundation to the very same magic you wield, Sakura-chan. The hearts of those magicians soon turned black and they used their magic only for evil. Before one big battle a powerful sorcerer summoned a creature to aid them in battle. With raw magic he created evil itself, a demon that can destroy any man's soul. And that was the downfall of the Hsien. The Li clan has learned their lesson, Xin-tou Shou has repaid the Clan a thousand times for bringing it into being. The Clan began to experiment with new magics, 'good' magics and they put forth much of their energy into making sure Xin-tou Shou was never unleashed upon China. He lives in all of us, tempting us, but it was your family that brought him into full manifestation. You three are good and powerful and he feeds off that. Somebody, a fairly powerful somebody, has summoned him. He managed to conquer and soul completely, a soul that was so empty and greedy that it couldn't resist, and the two joined to become one."

"Are you saying a person is behind all this?" Sakura's voice was shaky and her face was very pale. It was hard to act brave.

"Sort of. I mean, it was once a person, now it is only a vessel for the demon's use." Sakura shivered and drew closer to her husband. She didn't like the idea of demons.

"I imagine you've met him a few times, Sakura-chan," Eriol said with a thoughtful expression on his face. "Has anyone ever approached you and Mei-ling when you were alone, someone who scared you? Or, someone who maybe had the opposite affect?"

"Someone has tried to take Mei-ling a few times," Sakura admitted, painfully aware her child was gone. "But it was always someone different."

"A hah," Eriol nodded wisely. "Sorcerer's have that ability. After the first time, would you let someone come near you again?"

"Eeto, you have a point. But why didn't he kill us straight out? He's had so many opportunities."

"He is playing with us," Syaoran grumbled, obviously not liking the idea of being someone's helpless pawn.

"Do you understand now, Sakura-chan?"

"A little. But something still doesn't make sense. Why us in particular? What did we do?"

"Aren't you aware you two are the most powerful mages in the world?"

Sakura flushed humbly. She hadn't realized that and she hadn't taken it into account in her daily life. She didn't feel very powerful.

"Evil needs fuel, everything does. It isn't specifically after you. You just triggered it. Just by being here Xin-tou Shou came back into being. It thrives off of terrorizing others. And it was searching for something."

"What?" Sakura already knew the answer but she had to hear from Eriol. She was glad she was sitting down because she suddenly felt very weak.

"Mei-ling. Not because she is special. But because Mei-ling belongs to it."

"I don't understand! Mei-ling is mine! She has nothing to do with that monster. She's only a baby."

"She's his baby."

"Sakura froze. "Nani?" She felt so sick. No, not after all this time. Not to find out now, not to find out this way.

"Mei-ling's real father is the vessel. Maybe he wasn't corrupted yet when you met him," Eriol looked a bit embarrassed. " But I imagine so. He tricked you into having his child and now he wants her back."

"Why?"

"I don't know. Don't we all want what is ours?"

"Mei-ling is mine and I want her back."

"She's with the vessel," Syaoran said, pulling Sakura in close to him, holding her tight so that he wouldn't lose her. "I can't say if she's alive or… still herself or what. Demo… the vessel could be anyone."

"Iie," Sakura said quietly, not wanting to believe it. "I know who the vessel is."

"You have to tell us who. Sakura-chan, what happened last year is in the past. I won't get angry. It's over now. Just tell us."

"Remember when I ran away?" Sakura whispered and received a nod. "I met a boy on the bus. He was so different. He was sexy, and charming and he understood me, you know? I'm so sorry, Syaoran-kun! I didn't think. I was stupid. "I thought I was in love with him." She looked disgusted with herself but she carried on. "His name was Hakki. How ironic, ne? We made love in a dirty old hotel and he took off early the next morning. That's when you came and picked me up." She looked away, unable to bare the hurt in her husband's eyes.

"What did he say to you? Did he hurt you?"

"He was so gentle. He told me he loved me and that he would make me somebody special. He said we were alike. In the morning he told me we were bonded, I guess he meant Mei-ling."

"Dirty…" Syaoran carried on into Cantonese, stringing off a hundred colourful courses to describe Sakura's one-night lover.

Touya also had some choice words in mind. He had been listening quietly all the time, finally being allowed in on the secrets that had haunted him for years, absorbing everything. He raved on for a few minutes about Sakura's lack of chastity then relaxed to hear more of the story.

"He didn't mean Mei-ling, Sakura-chan. I was mistaken. You belong to him too now. And he won't stop until he has you."

"What are you saying?" Touya interrupted. "Nobody is going to hurt Sakura. I won't let them."

"I thought you gave that job to me," Yue said softly in his ear. "Sakura can't rely on you alone anymore."

Sakura burst into tears and buried her face in Syaoran's shirt. "I'm scared. Ara, God, I'm so scared. I think I've screwed up big time."

"Hush, it'll be alright, ne, Hiirigizawa-san?" Syaoran shot a pointed glance at Eriol.

"Hai, Sakura-chan. Listen, Xin-tou Shou is still weak and he can only use his magic for short periods of time, then he has to rest and gather energy. If we keep our energy and hopes up he won't be able to find us and he will disappear in the morning. We can get Mei-ling then. It will be a long time before he returns, but he will return.

Sakura lifted her head up, pulling sticky hair out of her eyes. "Honto? He'll go away on his own?"

"Iie, Sakura-chan, listen to us. His power will weaken for a while. That will only buy us a little time. When he comes back we must be prepared. When he finds you he will kill you."

Sakura whimpered. "I… I can fight it, ne, Eriol-san?"

"I'm sure you can, Sakura-chan. I will show you how. Both Li-san and I will teach a new form of magic, perhaps it will help you conquer the night."

Yue soon returned to Yukito and Yukito wanted to know what was going so they had to explain the whole thing again, then the three young magicians put wards around the house and in the kitchen to keep out the evil. Sakura brought some blankets and pillows down into the kitchen where the five young people curled up together on the floor and tried to get a little bit of sleep. For some, however, rest would not come easy.

* * *

The snow slowed gradually throughout the night and melted into daybreak. The sun seemed to absolve the night and make it seem only to be a bad memory. The city was brought back to life and started to shovel it's way out of the mess. Snowplows moved along every street, pushing away the white substance if it was not the same thing that had everyone so worried the night before. Indeed, people were laughing and joking again, things didn't seem so frightening during the day.

Weathermen couldn't explain it. A freak storm they were calling it. Maybe a strong wind was being pushed down from Russia, a new wavepattern might have been created. They were certain it was over and that the next few days would result in 'more seasonal temperatures'. The snow would melt away and everyone would relax. The casualties count was alarmingly high. It snowed one day and half a thousand people must have died. It just didn't make sense. Those cars lying on the streets were frozen solid, anyone who had been in them was dead, that was guaranteed. Many people had been buried alive by sudden avalanches of snow and others had become lost in the blurry whiteness, running into some accident or another.

There was something else, however. Something that wiped the smile off of everyone's faces and brought back the night's chill. A shopping mall in downtown Hong Kong was being investigated, there were rumours a mass murder had taken place there. Apparently, early the previous night the manager of the mall had phoned the police, letting them know they were locking up the mall because it was too dangerous for patrons to leave. They said they would make the people comfortable for the night and let them go the next morning. If anybody called the police about missing people at the mall, tell them they are safe, the manager said. In the morning the police arrived to check the situation out and were startled to find the doors sealed shut. Eventually they had to burn their way through a door. The mall was still dark, the police reported, and much too cold for all those people. They searched the mall top to bottom and didn't find a single living person. They did however find the manager, his body seated rigidly in his chair in the staff room, glassy eyes observing everything around him, his neck hanging at a disturbing angle. The staff room was clean and tidy but it reeked of decay. All the stores in the mall were locked up and it certainly didn't look as though as few thousand people had spent the night there. The parking lot was still filled with snow-covered vehicles. Nobody had left. The police couldn't figure it out. The mall wouldn't have just let all those people leave without their cars, and so early in the morning, would they? The missing persons files began to be called in larger numbers than ever before.

While this was going on, a different situation was occurring at the Li residence. Sakura was just beginning to wake up, yawning and mumbling about whatever it was she dreamt about. The house was now flooded with light and looked cozy and normal. Sakura blinked sleepily while looking around. Why was she on the floor? And why was Yukito, Spinel Sun and her Oniichan snoring next to her? The memories were slow in coming back and she yelped out in delayed shock when she remembered.

Syaoran bounded down the stairs, hearing her cry. His hair was ruffled from sleep and his face was pale, Sakura wondered if she looked as bad as he did. He obviously had gotten little sleep, but who could after what they had been through and talked about? His sword was at his side, he was prepared to fight. "Sakura-chan, daijoubu?" He gathered her up in his arms, while watching the room warily.

She nodded. "Hai. I woke up… and…" tears filled her big eyes. "I was going to go and wake Mei-ling up. I was thinking of how I promised to take her to see Santa today." Her voice began to shake and tremble with her body as she untangled herself from the blankets and stood up. "I have to go get her! With have to find her! I have to get her back! Syaoran-kun, let me go!"

Syaoran held onto Sakura tight as she tried to move to the door. "Sakura-chan, it's okay. Daijoubu. Everything is alright now, just as you said. The storm is over, see?" He turned her face towards the patio door, where patches of the lawn where now becoming visible and the sky was a bright sunny blue.

"But Mei-ling-"

He put a finger to her lips to silence her. "Mei-ling is here. She is sleeping upstairs. I went up this morning and found her there. She looks all right. She'll need a bath but she isn't hurt. I can only imagine what she went through last night. Or where that monster was keeping her."

"She's here?" Sakura asked weakly, leaning against Syaoran for support.

"'kaasan?" A little voice whispered. "'kaasan?"

Sakura gently moved Syaoran to the side and gasped. "Oh my god." For a while she had been afraid she wouldn't hear that word ever again. She stepped forward slightly, then stopped. It was like seeing a ghost. Her daughter had crept down the stairs and now stood on the last step, big violet eyes widening. She was wearing the thin white nightdress Nakuru had put her in the night before but it was dirty and torn in places. Her chestnut hair was sticking up in places and she was barefoot. Her face looked small and pale but a smile was on her face.

"'kaasan!" the little girl cried and jumped off the last stair, running over to her shocked mother as fast as her little legs would carry her. Sakura fell to her knees and the little girl approached her. Mei-ling wrapped her small arms around her mother's waist and squeezed, peering up at her mothering innocently. She grinned. "Ohayo, 'kaasan."

Touya and Yukito had woken up and Eriol had come in from wherever he had been. Everyone had similar expressions as they watched the happy reunion. Sakura was crying and hugging her daughter like she would never let go. The small girl looked puzzled but happy at all the attention she was getting. Everyone was able to forget their own pain and the horror of the night before. Children really were amazing; their love was so simple and perfect. Even Xin-tou Shou couldn't conquer over it. So there was hope. And it was Christmas.

"Why is 'kaasan crying?" Mei-ling asked, touching a tiny hand up to her mother's cheek. She smiled. "Don't cry, 'kaasan."

Sakura laughed and swung her daughter up into her lap. Yes, why cry? Now was a time for joy. "I'm just so happy to see you, Mei-ling-chan."

"'kaasan was scared, wasn't she?"

Sakura nodded. "Hai. I was scared for you, Mei-ling-chan."

"Why? Mei-ling-chan was okay."

Sakura cast a helpless glance to her husband. Didn't the child understand anything? How could she have gotten through her capture without any emotional damage? Syaoran knelt down next to them and a pressed a hand to his daughter's head. Mei-ling gave him a hug to rival her mother's and he smiled back at her.

"Mei-ling-chan," Syaoran said. "Do you remember anything that happened last night?"

Mei-ling scrunched up her face in concentration. Remembering things was hard for her. Her mind was one-tracked and worked only on a here and now presence. "Eriol-ojisan and Nakuru-chan made a snowman with Mei-ling-chan," she said at last, giving a wave to Eriol who was watching her silently. He flinched at the mention of Ruby Moon. "Then we played Mo-no-op-poly. I won," she added smugly.

"You're losing your touch, Hiirigizawa," Touya said to the man next to him but was unable to get any response.

"That's great. Good for you, Mei-ling-chan," Syaoran tried not to get impatient. "But after that? What happened after Aki- Nakuru put you to bed?"

Mei-ling giggled as if that was the silliest question she had ever been asked. "Mei-ling-chan was sleeping. Mei-ling-chan slept all night."

Syaoran sighed. Perhaps it was for the best that Mei-ling didn't remember anything.

"Mei-ling-chan had another nigh-mare," Mei-ling added, her expression changing. She leaned against her mother and closed her eyes. "It was not the same. The same man was laughing but 'kaasan wasn't there. Mei-ling-chan was scared," she added, bottom lip trembling as if she was going to cry.

Sakura kissed her cheek. "It's all right now, Mei-ling-chan. You're okay. It was just a bad dream and I'm here. Bad dreams aren't real." She cast a worried glance to her husband who only shrugged. 'What can we do?' he mouthed. 'She's okay now. That's what matters.'

"'kaasan?"

"Nani?"

"Mei-ling-chan is hungry."

Eriol laughed then, a real, warm laugh. The sad expression that had followed him since Mei-ling disspered and he seemed like his old self. It was good to see everyone happy again. "How about pancakes?" he suggested. "You two seemed to like them enough yesterday."

Sakura and Mei-ling clapped their hands together in anticipation. "Hai, hai! Oishii! Eriol-ojiisan makes the best pancakes!" they said together. Sakura stood up, setting Mei-ling on her feet. She suddenly felt the desire to hold on tight fade away. She could relax at last.

"Ara, Kero-chan! I bet he would like some pancakes, too. Even if it is you making them, Eriol-san. Demo, where is Kero-chan?" Sakura looked at little bewildered. She just realized it had been a while since she had seen her guardian friend. "Why didn't we seem him last night?" Wouldn't he have come up to protect her? He couldn't have slept through the whole thing.

"Stay up here with your ojiisans," Sakura told Mei-ling and made her way downstairs. Her basement was in tatters, with furniture strewn all over the place and the ground all broken up. "So this is what Oniichan meant when he was talking about the house and a mess. I guess Eriol missed this part when he was tiding up."

She reached up and pulled on a thin string cord, lighting up the dark basement. It was quite relieving to have the power back on. She hadn't realized until then just how dependent they were on modern technology. She carefully made her way over to the back of the basement where Cerberus slept. There was an old wood stove back there and he liked to curl up in front of hit during long winter nights. "Kero-chan?" she called, absintmidely moving tidying the debris into little piles and righting the furniture.

"Sakura!" the familiar Osaka accent wailed. "Help!"

Sakura peered around the dimly-lit room, where was his voice coming from. "Kero-chan, where are you?" He gave a yelp and Sakura moved towards the sound. There! Yellow fur. She giggled when she saw the problem. Cereberus was hanging by his tail from a jagged edge made in the wall. He looked pretty silly, stretched along the wall lengthwise, twisting all around but unable to free himself. "Kero-chan, daijoubu?" she asked with a grin. "How did you get up there?"

Cerberus scowled. "I was rock climbing, what's it look like? Where were you? Do you know I was stuck like this all night? I yelled and yelled but no one came. The house kept shaking. What were all of your doing up there? I could feel some pretty strong magic."

Sakura smiled sheepishly as she worked on the knot that his tail had become. "Gomen, Kero-chan. There was a pretty bad storm last night and it shook the house up a little. I wasn't home most of the night, at least not when it happened." She didn't want to upset Cerberus at the moment so she would leave the real explanation for her husband later. Right now she didn't want to think about Xin-tou Shou and Cereberus did have a tendency to get carried away.

The course hairs unwound themselves and Cerberus came crashing down into Sakura's arms. Sakura wrapped herself tight around them and they both fell to the floor with a thud, Sakura cradling her friend like a little baby, or rather, a very large cat. "Daijoubu now, Kero-chan?"

"My poor tail!" Cerberus fingered his severed tail mournfully. "I don't think it will ever be the same again. Neither will my pride," he added with a blush."

Sakura patted his head, clucking sympathetically. "Poor Kero-chan. I know something that will make you feel better. How do a nice hot plate of pancakes sound?" She looked down to see his response but he was already upstairs, mouth wide open.

* * *

Calls came in later that afternoon. Even in Japan they had heard the news, only of the storm of course, but Tomoyo and Fujitaka are both very perceptive. Fujitaka had to make sure his children were all right, especially with Touya and Yukito driving those roads. He said it was a miracle they had made it. Tomoyo was also worried and it took a lot of reassurance on Sakura's part to calm her down. "I'm glad now that you caught that cold and couldn't come," Sakura told her friend.

"Nani? Why?" Tomoyo coughed and sniffled as if to exaggerate her confusion.

"Hong Kong is the last place anyone wants to be right now. I would be so afraid you would've gotten hurt. And… things are going to get a little dangerous here I think. It was bad enough worrying about Oniichan and Yukito-san and Eriol-san and Spinel Sun and…" her voice suddenly broke off. "And Nakuru-chan."

"What's wrong, Sakura-chan? Did something happen? What aren't you telling me?"

"It's nothing, Tomoyo-chan. Everything is all right."

"After all the adventures with the cards you still don't trust me?" Her voice was hurt.

"Tomoyo-chan, something awful happened last night. Nakuru is dead."

* * *

Snow was falling again but this time Sakura wasn't afraid. It was so beautiful- white flakes against an inky black background. It was Christmas Eve and they would be safe for at least that night. She sighed in contentment and snuggled in closer to Syaoran. The whole group was sitting around in the living room, just enjoying themselves. Yukito and Touya sat together on one end of the couch and Sakura and Syaoran sat on the other end. Mei-ling lay sleeping across their laps, one thumb hanging out of her mouth. Spinel Sun and Cerberus were curled up in front of the blazing fire, always with one sleepy eye on their humans. Eriol sat alone in a chair by the window, ever fixed upon the night. Though cheery during the day he had withdrawn into himself once the snow began to fall. His presence would not allow them to forget.

Christmas carols played softly from Sakura's boom box, like they had only days before. It was playing Silent Night, a gentle lullaby for those listening. The plate of brightly decorated Christmas cookies on the table lay untouched except by Mei-ling, who was too young to realize. She kept asking all day, "Where did Nakuru-chan go away? I wan' her to come back!" Sakura had lied and told her daughter Nakuru had to leave but somehow it never worked. Mei-ling had thrown a temper tantrum and searched the whole house for where Nakuru could be hiding. They couldn't tell her. Mei-ling had cried. And now those cookies made Sakura choke up and cry because Nakuru had made them.

"I made coo-kies!" Nakuru waltzed into the crowded living room, balancing a plate of sugar cookies on Sakura's new Santa plate.

"Are they supposed to be green?" Syaoran asked, peering carefully at the object of interest. Sakura had to kick him before he would put it in his mouth.

"They look delicious," Eriol told his creation and gingerly took one. "And you even iced them, too." Though he smiled for Nakuru, his face displayed a grimace as he swallowed.

Nakuru beamed. "Mei-ling helped me." She reached behind herself to produce the toddler, who was quickly stuffing cookies in her mouth. Sakura gasped while her husband only snickered. Mei-ling was covered from head to toe in flour, had red icing smeared all around her lips and eyes and she had clumps of chocolate in her hair. Not to mention the cookie crumbs.

"The chocolate isn't finished yet," Nakuru said as if that were explanation enough. She bent down and kissed the little girl's head. "Ara, Sakura-chan, your daughter is such a darling. She's so cute like her mother."

"Eeto, arigato, Nakuru-chan, but what happened to her?"

Nakuru looked down at the kid who was happily licking the frosting off, as if she didn't understand. Her eyes widened and she giggled. "Gomen, Sakura-chan. We were just having a little fun." Nakuru took the girl's hand and began to pull her up. "I'll take care of her, okay?"

Mei-ling began to whine, because she did not want to leave. Sakura was becoming quite annoyed and stood up. "I'll take her, Nakuru. I want to see the state of my kitchen." Nakuru protested but Sakura picked her daughter up and marched out of the room.

"I don't think she's very happy," Nakuru said and flounced down beside Spinel Sun on the couch. "People should be happy, happy, happy all the time, ne, Suppi-chan?"

"Who is Suppi-chan? Were you into the icing sugar again, Ruby Moon?"

"I won't cry," Sakura said determinedly.

"What's that, koishii?"

"Nothing. You did a good job on the tree," Sakura said, the lights catching her eye.

"I guess." The tree was very lovely, for an artifical one. Tall, green and proud it would carry through. Mei-ling had placed the golden star on top and it's rays shimmered throughout the room. Red and gold lights wound around the tree in succession with the flimsy garland. The tree itself was decorated with little ornament and some precious Chinese bulbs Li Yelan had given the young family as a gift as well as some Japanese ones Sakura had brought from home. There was some garland hanging from the branches but Mei-ling had that job so most of the silvery strings ended up on the floor in heaps. Fujitaka had given Sakura a box containing all the little trinkets she had made during her school years except for the few he treasure most. Sakura was a little saddened by this. Her Otousan was alone on Christmas Eve. She had invited him as well but he just couldn't get time off work. She should've insisted. He must be so lonely.

"Next Christmas won't be like this, koishii." Syaoran whispered. "I promise. I will take you out to a fancy ball and we can dance, eeto, you can, and…"

"I'm happy just the way we are," Sakura said. "Look up, Syaoran-kun. Why are we all so sad. We are all here together. And it is Christmas." She stood up suddenly, almost causing Mei-ling to tumble to the floor and went into the kitchen. She came back with eggnog for everyone (A/N- yuck!) and switched her Christmas CD to a more upbeat track. "Let's play a game," she suggested.
"Monopoly!" shouted Mei-ling, waking up.

"Oh no," Eriol commented from his place by the window. "It's suicide to get in a game of Monopoly with that child of yours, Sakura-chan."

"Hey, let's go play outside," Yukito said suddenly, surprising everyone. He had been so quiet and lethargic the whole day but now a childish smile lined his face and he jumped up, pulling Touya with him. "Doesn't the snow look so inviting?"

"Hai!" Sakura and Mei-ling said.

"I don't 'play' in 'snow'," Syaoran said tartly but Sakura managed to win him over in the end.

Sakura brought the boom ox outside and she danced with Syaoran in the snow. Everyone thought they looked very beautiful, king and queen of Winter Wonderland. Syaoran twirled her round and round until they both were laughing and shrieking and so dizzy that they fell into the snow and let the white wash over them.

Mei-ling jumped ontop of her father. "Me! Me! Mei-ling dance now!" And Yue, who had taken a liking to snow and transformed into himself, picked her up ever so gently. Mei-ling could feel the same magical radience Nakuru had and hugged the guardian tight. Soon she was flying through the air, much like she had the night before.

"Angels now!" she called and spread her legs out the way she was shown. The adults stared at her curiously. "Nakuru-chan showed Mei-ling-chan how," she explained. "Nakuru-chan made very pretty angels, but they have all dispaered now."

Sakura laid down beside her in the white bed and stared up at the sky, where stars gleamed like diamonds and smiled like the sun. "Mei-ling-chan, Nakuru-chan is making snow angels all the time now. Wherever she is, she is playing with you."

So, did you all like? I am so glad to be done with that chapter. The next chapters will be lighter and probably step away from the deeper side of the plot for a while. I know it seems like something is missing between Carol of the Bells and the chapter before it. I did skip I chapter. I'm actually still writing the chapter where S+S gets married and moves to Hong Kong and all so you can look out for that because it should be out soon. I just wanted to have Carol of the Bells out for X-Mas (laughs). Anyway, please leave me a review and tell me what you think. Even if you hated it let me know. -Sorano