In the Absence of Tomoyo, Part 7 and FINALE!!! by CLAMPraven

It looks like I'm getting more feedback than I thought...thanks to everyone who reviewed my fic! I appreciate all of the support, and this is helping me come up with better ideas!

The last POV's were Yue, Kero, Eriol, and Sakura. And it was a cliffhanger too, that last one! I didn't think anyone would be excited about it, but there is nothing more rewarding than when people are clinging to the edge of their seats waiting for your input. It's really a pleasure.

I'm pretty sure you've all been looking forward to this, the final chapter of my fic. And I'm also pretty sure you've all formed your conclusions about where Tomoyo was all of this time...but I've got to warn you, it's really not what you would expect. Sometimes I even thought I should've made it more exciting, so that no one would flame me afterwards.

So if you're looking for an exciting ending, it wouldn't be the best idea to expect too much.

In fact, if you think this is a life-and-death situation, please go away...

With that said, let's get down to business, shall we? Yes, down to business we go...

(Oh, and as a side note, prepare yourself for fluff as well. This is the chapter where Yue tells Sakura about some personal troubles, so you might want to have something handy for that...)

I couldn't stop thinking about what Eriol had said. What did he mean by "The truth is not what it seems?" What made him so sure that the blood I found was just a misunderstanding, anyway?

In any case, I don't think I will be able to sleep tonight. No matter how mysterious and forlorn Eriol can seem, he doesn't easily tell lies. He wouldn't have told me Tomoyo was coming back if he wasn't 100% sure. And he usually is. His words sink in and they're not easy to forget, either, so I can't shake off the effect of this revelation.

I've been waiting for so long to see Tomoyo-chan again...it seemed like forever since we've skipped down the same road home after school, talked about what it was like for me as Card Mistress...I missed her so much, and I couldn't control myself when I thought back to those times.

It's hard to believe that it's only been a few days...

Entering the quiet house, I quickly put on my slippers and skipped upstairs to my room, careful not to disturb anyone. I opened the door...

And gasped.

Yue was standing in the doorway, staring directly at me. His gaze was like a shimmering moonbeam, I thought. Our eyes were locked almost immediately; was he waiting for me?

"Sakura...where were you?"

"Nowhere, really...just took a walk, that's all." I slipped past him and slowly collapsed onto the bed. I was so tired...it must've been late already...I wonder why Yue would come at this hour...? I don't like his glaring presence...not when I'm sleepy like this...

"Sakura..."

"Yeah?" I turned to him.

"Are you still worried about Tomoyo? Because if you still are, you know you still could...talk about it..."

I sat up to face him, the joy of my new discovery returning to me. "Tomoyo's coming back home, Yue."

His eyes widened in surprise. "Really?"

"Yeah. Eriol stopped by in the neighborhood and told me that he found Tomoyo. She isn't hurt, and I'll be able to see her again by tomorrow! Isn't it great?" I had a feeling my smile was stretched from ear to ear when I spoke.

I guess I was so happy, Yue couldn't help but smile as well. It was a pretty smile, and considering I rarely ever see him even smirk, it was embedded in my memory almost automatically...as possibly the brightest thing I'd ever seen.

"It's wonderful news," he nodded, "and it's about time. I was afraid that you would be upset like this all the time, and you'd go do something horrible to yourself because of it..." He stared at me, his eyes glittering like stars with relief. "That's why I came in the first place, to talk to you about it. But now that Tomoyo's back, I guess I don't have to worry all that much..."

Spreading his milky white wings, he proceeded to go...

"WAIT!" I suddenly yelled.

He turned back to me with a confused expression...but it was strange. I could almost see a tint of hope, or gratitude, in the way he glanced.

My eyebrows furrowed. "Is there something you're not telling me, Yue? You've been acting very strange lately...it's not just because of Tomoyo, is it?"

-

I opened one eye in my sleep. Hehe...now Yue's really in it deep...I couldn't help thinking.

I wasn't really sleeping. Although I was lying on the desk, my body peaceful, I could hear the conversation between Sakura and Yue quite clearly. Who said Keroberos wasn't attentive?

I could feel Yue's presence waver just a little, but enough for me to tell that he was tense. That was all I needed to know.

Everyone feels tense sometimes. This was enough to tell me that Yue's feelings were humane despite himself. I had gotten used to feeling tense because of Sakura, especially when her life was in danger. However, Yue's feelings worked a little differently...

He couldn't always control them the way he wants. That was Yue's only real weakness. I just hope he could pull this off. In the darkness, I crossed my wings and prayed.

"Well, Yue? What's wrong?" Sakura asked again, in a commanding tone that nearly made me wince. VERY nearly.

The girl was growing into her role...she could even scare the night guardian now, so naturally the cards took her seriously enough as a card mistress. Sakura in the light of day was easily underestimated, but when she feels strongly enough, she could kick serious butt, and even Clow Reed got off her case. That was the way she was...even I can't predict her. Somehow, she always pulls through with her willpower...

And Yue doesn't stand a chance against willpower like that.

Finally, after another long pause, the night guardian spoke. "I came to talk to you because..."

"Because...?" Sakura's voice had an edge of desperation.

"Because we're growing distant...too distant. And I want to change that."

Neither of them spoke for a while. Even in the darkness of the night, Yue's eyes were alive and aglow. He sat down on the edge of Sakura's bed; it reminded me of when this whole crazy mess started...right when he first told Sakura that Tomoyo was gone...the only difference was that this time, the guardian was brave enough to say what he feels for real.

"This incident had made me think..." he continued quietly, "...we've now fully realized how valuable Tomoyo has been to us, and I love her too, even though some things do tend to go unsaid. And you would never know it, but despite that, in the depths of my heart...I will always envy her, just a little."

Sakura nodded, intensely interested in his words.

"I always wished I could be as close to you as Daidouji Tomoyo is. She understood all your pains. She had your trust and you can always confide in her. More than once had I wished I could be like that. When she first disappeared, my thoughts were to find her for you, no matter what. After all, you valued her so much, it would've hurt you so much if anything happened to her; in turn, it hurts me as well.

"But after a while, I could only think of my own emotions, and how I've always wanted to be closer to you. I started wondering if I could take advantage of the situation. They were selfish thoughts that I never liked, but they took over in the end the way I never thought they could.

"What you see in front of you, Sakura..." he paused, "...is only the defensive exterior.

"In truth, I had never felt very many emotions...they confuse me and I couldn't master them if my life depended on it. I've often tried to tell you that I wish to be more dependable, but there was still that tough shell of mine that holds me back. I was almost always at a loss for words, so I say very little. I'm sure you've noticed that.

"You're like a daughter to me, Sakura. Even though I know I'm probably the last person you'd turn to for emotional aid or confidence. To be honest, it scares me how silent and engulfed by darkness I had become. I don't really want to be like this, I really don't. But I can't help it. Tonight I felt a little more bold, so I'll say it while I still have the nerve:

"I love you, Sakura, as much as any other friend. Understand that no matter how silent or cold I can seem, there is never an end to how much I care for you. When you hurt, I hurt. I've always felt that, but recently I had been thinking about it more often, and it had taken over me. You might think I'm too proud and too icy to care, but that's not always true...I'll be there for you, Sakura, if you need me at all.

"I know you have Syaoran, Tomoyo, Keroberos, Yukito, even Touya...it always seems like I'm the antagonist, but do remember that I do hold feelings for you. My life is lived to serve you for as long as I can, Sakura, and that is my only real purpose. It is something I'm proud of. So when you need a helping hand, I can be there for you. I..." Here he stopped, unable to go on...

Come on, Sakura! I thought. Respond, or something!!!

In the shadows of the night, Sakura's lips widened into a sympathetic smile. "Why didn't you ever tell me before, Yue? We were never really drifting apart. I never doubted you. I know you feel for me, no matter what. And I appreciate the talk." She grasped his hand.

Yue could only smile back pitifully. "That was a first."

"But you did really well! You practically poured your heart out!" Sakura pointed out excitedly. "I wish you could've seen yourself! Better yet, I wish Tomoyo could've seen you just now! She would've given you a standing ovation!"

Yue blinked, then chuckled. "I suppose we'll have to tell her the next morning, won't we?"

In the darkness, I couldn't help but smirk, too. Yesssss....

"Hey! KERO!"

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!!" I screamed, blowing my cover.

"Keroberos, you were awake?!?" Yue was glaring at me full force.

"HOW MUCH DID YOU HEAR, KERO?!?"

"Uh oh..." I fumbled. Not good...!!

-

It was a bright and beautiful morning.

The night has passed, and it had been great. But now my place is in Tomoeda, and nowhere else needs me most.

"Tomoyo!" My mother shouted from up front. "You okay back there?"

"I'm fine, mother," I answered politely.

"We've been driving for hours, Tomoyo dear. I'm sorry. This limousine could be so stuffy sometimes. I know I'm tired. But we'll be home soon. Just hang on for about another half an hour." Finished with her check-up and apologies, Sonomi's attention was on the road again.

My bodyguards got the past few days off, while Mother and I traveled in our limousine. But I can't say I regretted it. Sometimes I hate the attention the four of them radiate on me. Although it was comforting to have them around sometimes, it could also be really embarrassing. So mother gave them a vacation...they have lives, too, after all.

It was somewhere in the middle of the drive that I realized I never told Sakura or the others about going. It was a split-second decision Sonomi made a few days ago, so I didn't have time. It was something my mother always dreamt of doing, to go to the coast docks, to see the ocean, not to mention go on a cruise in the great yacht that she had heard about on television.

I wasn't so excited. If she wanted a yacht, she could easily buy it. But Mom was determined to see it for real.

It was a round trip luxury yacht that went off the shores of Japan. So technically, for a little while, I wasn't in Japan. But it didn't feel any different. Home was still pretty close while I dined like royalty and talked with officials from the all-prestigious CLAMP school.

I regret not being able to tell Sakura about my going. But I figured she wouldn't worry much. After all, it was only a small road trip...no big deal. It was a lot of fun for me, and Sakura-chan doesn't have to fuss.

But I'll bet she'd love to hear what happened during this little vacation of mine. Considering it was only Mother and myself, it was quite exciting.

The second thing I forgot was to clean up that leaky mess I made on the windowsill. I wish I could've had time to clean that up, too. It looks so much like real blood that it was freaky; not all imitation blood paints were like that. I'd have to remind myself to buy more. It is just runny enough to make a ghastly painting, and plus it smelled like blood, too, so you couldn't even tell!

Ever since picking up a canvas, I had wanted to use it. But I guess I was never in the mood for a haunting masterpiece. But Sonomi's right. That's no reason to wander around the house with it and make a spill on the windowsill, of all things.

I hope Sakura and the others didn't see that and get worried, I mused, giggling to myself. She could worry and have an accident.

Sakura-chan and the others probably didn't worry about me, though. It's not like I'm THAT precious...I should stop faking myself. She may be my best friend, but she's also got Syaoran, who's growing into a fine young man now. And then there are Keroberos and Yue. I have a feeling Meilin's going to come back to our quiet little town. Eriol isn't so far away, either, and Clow Reed, as well as Kaho Mitsuki, are probably watching her from beyond...

She doesn't need me all that much. But I'll always be there for her and the others, because whether they can handle themselves or not, I'll stand by them forever. I'll mend them and heal them like a guardian angel, to the best of my ability. I'll dedicate my life to my friends. Seeing them smile alone is reward enough for me.

Cherry blossom trees are passing by us in pink flashes. Finally, I thought happily. Tomoeda.

I'm coming home, Sakura-chan. Hope you missed me.

~End~