Sakura, Li, Madison, and Kero were all up in Sakura’s room. It had only been a few weeks ago that Li had finally decided to fight with them. He told them that it was only so the Clow Cards could be captured. Even he didn’t know the real reason. All he knew was that something inside him told him that he had to protect Sakura, and he always followed his intuition.

The kids had come together to discuss strategies for capturing Clow Cards, but the girls always ended up talking about Sakura’s next battle outfit. Kero didn’t like it too much and was yelling at them to stop, but was ignored. Li didn’t say anything. He was just glad that Meilin wasn’t here to baby him like she usually did.

Meilin had gone back to Hong Kong for a visit. She would be coming back at the end of the month, but it was a nice reprieve for now.

"Li. Hey, earth to Li! WAKE UP!!" Kero screamed knocking Li out of his daze. He had been thinking and hadn’t heard a word anyone had said.

"Huh?" Li looked at Kero and blinked. "What do you want, furball?!"

"FURBALL! Why you little punk!" Kero and Li proceeded to have another glaring contest. Kero had hated the boy when he first met him, but now he liked him although he would never admit it. Kero knew the real reason that Li was fighting with them instead of against them was because he wanted to protect Sakura.

"Guys!" Madison scolded them. "Try to get along." They ignored her and continued glaring.

"Li, why can’t you two just get along?" Li broke off the stare at Sakura’s voice.

"Whatever." He crossed his arms in defiance.

Madison blinked. She was surprised that he’d actually stopped. She was about to push the issue further when Touya called from downstairs.

"Hey, brat!" Touya’s affectionate term for Li. "Phone!"

Li ignored the ‘brat’ comment for the moment and ran downstairs with the others trailing behind. ‘Who would know to call me here?’ he wondered.

Li snatched the phone from Touya’s hand and spoke.

"Hello?"

Silence. Then finally.

"L-Li?"

It was Meilin and it sounded like she had been crying.

"Meilin, what is it?" Li was concerned. He had never wanted to marry the girl, but he did love her just like a sister.

"Li…it…I-I…" Her voice trailed off.

"What is it Meilin? What happened!?" The others were now quite interested in their conversation and listening intently to Li’s side of it.

"Li…" Meilin composed herself. "I-It’s your mother Li…"

Li paled. His eyes were wide as fear struck him.

"What?!" he demanded, panicked now. "What happened to her!"

Sakura was almost as concerned as Li was now. Never had she seen the boy like this. He was usually so sure of himself. He always seemed to be in control…but now…

Sakura saw Li’s hands tighten on the receiver for a moment. Then he let it drop to the floor. He immediately turned towards the door and ran through it.

"Li!" Sakura cried after him as he bolted out into the night. But he was gone.

She turned back to see Madison and Kero just as surprised as she was. She picked up the phone and put it to her ear. On the other end, Meilin was crying and calling to Li to see if he was still there.

"Meilin." Sakura asked gently. "What happened? Li just flew out of here."

"S-Sakura?" Meilin calmed herself. "I-It’s Li’s mother. She died tonight in an accident…"

Sakura gasped.

"Sakura, please. Go after Li. I don’t want anything to happen to him." Meilin pleaded Sakura did so almost before Meilin told her to. She handed the phone to Madison so she could comfort Meilin and dashed out the door grabbing her coat and an umbrella on the way…it looked like rain.

"Sakura!" Kero flew after her. "Where are you going!?"

"To find Li!" she yelled without looking behind her. Kero tried to keep up, but Sakura was too fast for him. He lagged behind and finally gave up. He returned to the house to get the full story from Madison.

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

‘No, it’s not true!’ Li screamed in his head. ‘It can’t be…’

Li had run a good distance from Sakura’s house when it had started to rain. He didn’t mind when it did. At least now no one could tell that tears were streaming down his face. He found himself near the park and ran in. He went far out to a place that not many people even knew about. There was no path leading there and trees surrounded the area.

Li stopped running for a moment, totally out of breath. He sat down with his back against the hard tree bark. He pulled his knees to his chest and cried silently.

‘She can’t be gone…’

It was almost to the freezing point outside, but Li didn’t seem to notice. He had been running for almost an hour and was drenched. The rain started to come down even harder as he sat there in sorrow.

‘She was the only one who ever believed in me, who ever…loved me…’

It was then that Li noticed how cold and tired he was. He lifted his head from his knees and looked up. The night sky was pure black and the rain showed no signs of relenting, in fact it got harder by the second.

‘S-She’s dead.’ Li finally realized. ‘I’ll never see her again. Even when I go home…Home…I should’ve been there…’

"I should have been there!" Li cried out to no one in particular.

As the truth seeped into his mind Li wanted nothing more than for the pain in his heart and body to end. ‘I don’t want to live with this.’

Li reached to his side and pulled out the knife that he always carried with him for protection. ‘Please…’ he begged. ‘Please…just let me die…’ Li raised the razor sharp knife to his left wrist and cut deeply, severing his veins.

Almost immediately, dark red blood began to cascade down his arm. The rain hit the blood and washed some of it away, but as quickly as the rain was falling from the sky, Li’s blood was falling faster.

Li dropped the knife to his side. He would’ve cut his other wrist too, but he was just too weak from exhaustion and pain. ‘It doesn’t matter…’ he thought ‘either way, the pain will stop soon.’

Li laid his head back against the tree and closed his eyes. The coldness in the night air chilled him to his bones. He could feel his life draining from him as his pulse and breathing slowed. Reflexively, Li struggled to inhale so air could reach his lungs. He could still feel blood draining from the wound in his wrist, which was laying on the ground next to him, it hurt like hell, but he didn’t care. Suddenly, Li felt something he had never experienced before. It felt like darkness was wrapping around him. Normally, he would have been scared, but this darkness was more comforting than anything. Then Li realized what this was. He was dying… ‘This is what it feels like when you die.’ Li thought. ‘Mom, I’ll see you soon.’

Li was about to let the darkness consume him completely when he heard a voice, a feminine voice. It was calling his name…

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

"Li!"

Sakura had traced the power Li’s aura gave off to the park. She was in the early stages of panic. His power was getting harder and harder to detect, and auras only weakened when the person was about to…

"No…" Sakura wouldn’t let herself think like that.

She had run as fast as she could from her house. It was a good thing she had grabbed her coat and umbrella. They were the only things preventing her from being completely frozen.

She ran closer and closer to the point where she sensed Li. She was expecting to find him sitting on a bench, probably crying. That was the worst that Sakura was prepared for. What she saw made her blood run cold….

There, slumped against a tree trunk was Li. His eyes were closed and she didn’t see him breathing. A red liquid was escaping from his arm and running down with the rain under his limp hand.

Sakura ran to him.

"Li!" She screamed.

She kneeled down and looked at him. His face was paper white. Gently, Sakura reached out and moved him, taking him into her arms. She gasped. ‘He’s so cold…’ Li’s skin was like ice to the touch. Sakura cradled him against her body trying to warm him. She noticed his wrist and wrapped her hand around it tightly. Her other arm was supporting the unconscious boy’s head.

"Li…" her voice was more like a sob. "Open your eyes…please. Li, please…wake up."

No response.

Rage was now building inside Sakura. ‘Why would he do this!?’

"Wake up Li!" She yelled at him. "Wake up!!" She shook him lightly.

To Sakura’s surprise and delight. Li moaned a little bit.

"Li?" Sakura smiled a little as Li struggled to open his eyes.

"…S…Sa-Sakura…" Li’s voice was so weak…

"It’s me. "Sakura nodded. "I’m here, Li. don’t worry. I won’t let you go…"

"N-No…" Li managed. "Sakura…don’t…"

Sakura was puzzled.

"Don’t what?" she asked.

"Don’t." he repeated. "Please…j-just le-let me go…"

Sakura was shocked. He was asking her to just let him die?!

"No." Sakura told him forcefully.

Li tried to protest, but Sakura stopped him.

"No." She repeated. "Do you know how selfish you’re being?! Did you even think about how I would feel?" She was crying, but Li couldn’t see because of the rain. "I­I couldn’t live without you, Li. You’re the reason I live right now. If you were to die, I would die." She looked down at him. "I love you too much to let you go…"

Li looked up at her for a moment. Then, slowly, he closed his eyes.

Sakura was shocked. ‘No…not now…’

"Li! Li, open your eyes! Please…please don’t leave me…" Sakura looked at him. Those beautiful amber eyes that she would never see again.

"Don’t leave me…" she whispered again before laying her head on his.

Sakura thought about all that had happened to them, how Li had saved her so many times. And how she had waited until he was literally dying in her arms to tell him how much she cared for him. Sakura jerked her head up.

"Wake up!!" she screamed. She thought she saw him move a little…

She looked harder. Li’s mouth began to move just a little bit. He was speaking, but Sakura couldn’t hear him. His words were too soft.

She bent down and put her ear close to his lips. She could feel the cold radiating from him.

"What?" she asked.

Li opened his mouth and the softest sound Sakura had ever heard came from him.

"I love you too…"

Sakura’s heart leapt with joy. He was alive! And he loved her! She was so happy that she almost forgot about the position he was in. Li was conscious, but just barely and Sakura could hardly feel any breathing. She then checked his pulse. Faint, thready, and very weak…

"Hold on, Li…" she soothed him as she pulled his body closer against hers. Judging by how cold he was, he should’ve been shaking at least a little, but he wasn’t. That could only mean that he was suffering from hypothermia and he had to be warmed up soon or he wouldn’t make it.

"Hold on…"she repeated. "I’ll get you to a hospital."

Li’s eyes widened.

"No." He tried to yell, but was too drained.

"Li…" Sakura said sadly. She thought he still wanted to kill himself.

"No, Sakura…Please…n-not a hospital…"

"But why?" Sakura questioned.

"My mom…she…that’s…" Li was crying. Even through the rain Sakura could see it.

"Oh, Li." She said in understanding. ‘His mother died in a hospital. Of course he wouldn’t want to go there, but if he wants to survive…’"Li, you have to…it won’t be like before." Li cut her off.

"No. Please. Promise me you won’t take me there…" his plea was almost panicked. "…Please…"

Sakura thought about it and sighed in defeat.

"Alright, I promise…"Even in this condition, Li could probably still fight her off and she knew that was just what he would do if she tried to take him to the emergency room. ‘But how am I gonna get you back to your house?’ she thought.

Just then Sakura saw two figures coming towards them. It was Kero and Madison! They could help. With all three of them working together, they would be able to get Li back home. Madison was really good with medicines and knew how to fix injuries…Sakura just prayed that they weren’t too late…

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

"How is he?" Sakura asked Madison as she walked out of Li’s room.

Madison looked at her friend sadly. She knew how much Li meant to Sakura. She hadn’t been sure before, but now she knew she loved him. She only wished they would’ve known of their love sooner…

~~~~Flashback~~~~

Kero and Madison looked in horror at the scene before them. Sakura was holding Li tightly in her arms, sobbing.

"What happened?!" Kero yelled at the sight.

Sakura looked up at him and then at her best friend.

"Madison…help…" Madison immediately kneeled down next to Li, opposite Sakura. As Kero watched from his vantagepoint, hovering in the air.

Madison held back a gasp so she wouldn’t alarm Sakura, but she already knew Li was hurt badly. His left wrist was laid on top of his chest, Sakura holding it tightly. Almost his entire left side was covered in blood; she didn’t have to ask what had happened. Li had tried to kill himself. Madison looked up to his face. His eyes were barely opened and she could tell that it was very hard for him to breathe. She put two fingers to his neck to check his pulse. She winced.

Madison spoke softly.

"Li, Can you hear me?"

"…y-yeah…" Li whispered.

"We have to get him out of here, Sakura, now." Sakura nodded.

Gently, the two girls lifted Li to his feet while Kero hovered nervously behind them.

Sakura had explained to Madison about not taking him to a hospital, so they headed for his house. It wasn’t too far, but Li was so weak that they had to practically drag him. As soon as they got there they took Li to his room and laid him in bed. At once, they got extra blankets for him and wrapped them around his cold body. Madison bandaged his wrist and tended to him as best as she could, but it was pretty bad. Sakura and Kero reluctantly went to change into dry clothes while she watched over Li. Then Sakura stayed with him for a minute while Madison changed. As soon as she got back, Li started shaking uncontrollably. No matter what they did to warm him up, they couldn’t make him stop shaking…It was going to be a long night…

~~~~End Flashback~~~~

Madison had been right. It was a terribly long, hard night.

Especially for Li.

His body was in such severe shock that even after they got his temperature back up he still shook.

"How is he?" Sakura repeated, Kero now flying up next to her.

Madison sighed. How could she tell her? Li had lost the battle for consciousness long ago and his condition was steadily deteriorating. His body was still freezing, but his fever was sky rocketing. In the few hours they had been there, Li’s temperature had reached a terrible 106.4 and it still hadn’t peaked.

"Not too good Sakura." She decided to tell her the truth. "He just keeps getting worse and I don’t know what to do. I think he’s got pneumonia…"

"No." Sakura whispered. Kero frowned and turned away so the girls wouldn’t see the tears coming from his eyes.

Sakura suddenly blew past Madison and into Li’s room. Kero followed her, as did Madison.

Sakura knelt beside his still form. She watched his chest rise and fall irregularly; he was just barely breathing. She slowly placed a hand on his forehead and gasped.

Madison had been right. His temperature was way too high. Quickly, she took the cloth that Madison had laid on his bedside table and soaked it in a bowl of water that was there also. She gently put it to Li’s forehead. He was still very pale from all the blood he had lost.

Sakura took his hand in hers and stared at his tightly closed eyes. Madison stood behind her friend. She had done all she could for him. ‘I just hope it was enough.’ Then she left to call Sakura’s brother and tell him that Sakura would be staying at her house for a week or so for a long sleep over. She would call her mother and tell her the same thing about her at Sakura’s place. As she left, Kero landed on Li’s bed. He looked closely at the boy, half expecting another glaring contest, but none came. Then he dropped his guard. He didn’t care what Sakura and Madison thought anymore, he didn’t care if he lost his ‘superior creature’ image. He just wanted Li to be all right.

"You’ve gotta hang in there kid…I know you’re strong enough to beat this, just try."

Li suddenly broke into a very violent coughing fit and Sakura tried to soothe him. She ran her fingers through his hair and stroked his face.

Seeing the kid suffer like this made Kero wince. He’d never seen him so weak and helpless before.

"It’s okay Li." Sakura called to him. "Just calm down, you’ll be alright…I won’t let anything happen to you."

Li’s coughing subsided.

Kero knew this was his cue to leave the two alone. He flew towards the door and thought to himself ‘Well, if Sakura has to like someone I guess it’s good that she chose someone who can protect and love her…just don’t make her a widow before the fact Li.’

Kero exited the room, but Sakura didn’t even notice. She had her mind and heart set on Li. Every inch of her was praying that he could survive this. She knew she should’ve made him go to the hospital, but she couldn’t break her promise. No, she wouldn’t. Li had trusted her on her word and she wouldn’t let him down."

Li." Sakura squeezed his hand tighter in hers. "Li, don’t…don’t die, Li." Sakura held her tears at bay. "Please…keep living for me, don’t die…"Sakura laid her head down slowly next to the deathly still boy and kissed his cold hand.

"I love you, Li." She whispered.

Then before she knew what was happening, Her eyes closed and she fell asleep.

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

"What’s going on?"

Li was floating in a seemingly endless sea of blackness. "Where am I?" he asked, bewildered.

"You’re here." Said a voice. Li recognized the voice immediately. He spun around and came face to face with…

"Mom?!" Li was happy, but skeptical. "No, you can’t be. She…she’s dead…"

"I know, honey. I really am, but I had to see you one more time." Her voice was soft and feathery, just like Li remembered, but he still wasn’t sure.

"How do I know it’s really you?"

Aika Showron smiled. "You used to always carry around a stuffed cat when you were little. Its name was Aro."

Li’s eyes grew wide in shock.

"You loved that thing so much." The woman’s smile grew larger. "One day you lost it and never could find it again. That night you were crying so hard you couldn’t sleep and…"

"And you sang to me to help me sleep…" Li’s eyes teared. He tried to stop it, but couldn’t. "Mom." He ran into her open arms and cried.

"It’s alright. I’m here…" she comforted him as she placed a hand on his head and held her son close. She never wanted to let go of him, but she knew she had to.

"Li. You have to go back."

Li looked up.

"Go back where?" he asked. Then he realized that he didn’t even know where he was. "Where are we?" he stepped back a little. Then remembered what he’d done in the park.

"Am I dead?" he asked.

"No, not yet."

Li looked confused once again.

"This is where you have to decide if you want to go back. Right now you’re lying in your bed at home. Your friends are there with you…You’re trapped between the world of the living and the land of the dead."

"I…I didn’t…want to live…" Li stumbled.

Aika looked pained. She had seen her son cut his wrist. She knew it was because of his sorrow over her.

"Yes…but if you really hadn’t wanted to live you’d already be dead right now. There’s something holding you back…something that you subconsciously want to live for."

Li thought about Sakura. He had been only seconds from death when she had shown up. It was her that was keeping him tied to the living and he knew it.

"Sakura." He told his mother. "It’s Sakura."

"The Card Captor?" she asked.

"Yes, she…I want to protect her."

Aika smiled.

"You love her."

"No!" Li yelled. Aika laughed, her little boy was growing up. Then she grew serious.

"Li. It won’t be easy to get back." She told him. You’ll have to overcome a test of some kind. Not even I know what it consists of. I’m really not supposed to be here, but I had to see you again to tell you…don’t be sad, honey. I’m safe and I’m happy. Everyone who’s still alive will soon get over this and be happy too. All pain eventually dies, this will also."

"Mother…"

"I have to go." She said.

"No! I don’t want you to leave me again!" Li ran to her, but as he reached out, his hand went right through her.

"I will never leave you, my angel." She said. "You will discover someone who loves you as much as I did, just in a different way."

"Don’t go, please." Li knew this would be the last time he would ever see his mother.

"You will find…" her voice began to fade.

"…Mom…"

"Another angel…"

Then she was gone.

Li lowered his head, but before even one tear could fall. A voice spoke ominously from behind him.

"That’s it…"

Li turned around only to see a shapeless mass of black fog.

"Just give in to your despair."

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

Sakura awoke on the ground next to Li’s bed. Someone had covered her up.

‘Probably Madison.’ She thought. Sakura sat up and looked at Li. He didn’t look any better. In fact he looked worse. Under the bandage that Madison had placed on his arm, Li’s skin was black and blue. The bruise extended halfway up his forearm. His cheeks were flushed from the fever. Sakura placed a hand on his head. His fever was definitely higher. His breathing came in short shallow gasps and he was still pale.

Sakura wanted to cry. If things kept up like this Li wouldn’t have much longer to live.

She watched him for a minute before he started to cough. Sakura tried to soothe him, but nothing she did was working.

Hearing the noise, Madison and Kero rushed in. Sakura moved to the side to let Madison next to Li.

"How long has he been like this?" Madison asked.

"Just about a minute." Sakura said. She looked to the ground as Madison placed one hand on Li’s chest and another on his head.

"It’ll be alright, Sakura." Kero flew over and tried to cheer her up. "Don’t worry about him. In a few days he’ll be just fine."

Sakura wanted to believe him, but knew that even Kero thought it was a lie.

Li stopped coughing and Madison moved so Sakura could return to his side. She took a newly soaked cloth and placed it on Li’s forehead.

"His fever still hasn’t peaked." Madison told her. "I took his temperature about an hour ago…"

"How bad is it?" Sakura asked without turning around.

"…112.6…"

Sakura’s heart clenched.

"Can’t we do anything to help him?" She asked.

Madison looked down.

"All we can do is try to keep his head cool and his body warm. He’s just lost so much blood and he was out there for so long that….it may not be enough…"

Sakura took Li’s hand in hers and squeezed tightly.

"It has to be…"

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

"Who are you?!" Li demanded.

The black fog came closer to him and began to take shape.

"Me?" it asked innocently.

It formed itself into a monster. Li gasped.

The monster was twice the size of a full-grown man, but looked exactly like one with a few differences. His eyes glowed a deep red and he was dressed all in black.

"I’m your worst nightmare," the creature grinned. "I have no name, but you can call me Marr."

Li stood his ground as Marr approached him.

"What do you want!?" he asked firmly.

"I want your soul." Came the simple reply.

"What?!" Li didn’t understand what he was talking about.

"You should already know." Marr explained. "This, Li Showron, is where the battle for your soul begins."

With that a giant hole of blackness opened under Li. He fell for what seemed like an eternity before finally landing hard on the ground.

‘That fall should’ve killed me…’ then he remembered what state he was in. ‘if I wasn’t already half dead…’ he thought grimly.

He was again engulfed in blackness, but this time things approached him out of the dark. Miniature demons surrounded him and pounced. Quickly, Li drew his sword and began fighting them. He managed to destroy 7 of them, but for every one he took down another one appeared.

‘This is insane!’ he thought. ‘I can’t beat them.’

"So give in child…" Marr’s voice boomed from somewhere around him. Losing his concentration, Li was thrown down hard. One of the demons knocked his sword from his hand and they all moved in to attack the defenseless boy. Li had no time to react or retaliate. Both fists and knives were used as the creatures attacked him. Finally, Li gave up and stopped struggling as blow after blow was landed.

"Yes…give up…" Li could barely hear Marr through the blinding pain. "Give up…"

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

It was night again as Sakura and the others watched over Li. Before, one, usually Sakura, had stayed with him while the others rested. Now, though he had gotten to the point that all of them were afraid to leave his side.

Sakura laid her hand on Li’s forehead once again. She sighed. His fever had peaked about an hour ago, but it had yet to go down.

The last time Madison checked, his temperature was 118.6. He was extremely dehydrated. They hadn’t been able to get him to drink or eat anything. When Madison and Kero had tried to force water down his throat, he had almost choked to death and Sakura wouldn’t let them try again.

It had now been two full days since they’d found Li in the park.

‘Li, why are you trying to leave me?’ Sakura asked him silently.

She took another cloth and soaked it in ice water, laying it on Li’s forehead.

Sakura moved her ear to his mouth to listen for his breaths. They were still shallow and strained, but now they sounded raspy, too. Sakura pulled back and looked at Li’s lips. They were dry and cracked from fever and lack of water. Sakura couldn’t see him like this; she had to try something to help him.

"Kero, go get me some water." She told him.

Kero looked at her quizzically, but did as he was told. He flew to the kitchen to get a glass of water.

"Sakura, what are you doing?" Madison asked, concerned.

"I can’t sit here and do nothing." She replied. "I have to try and do something, anything to help him." Sakura looked at his livid body. ‘Come back to me, Li…my love…’

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

‘Come back to me, Li…my love…’

Li thought he heard a voice.

It was Sakura’s!

Li was bleeding badly and was barely able to open his eyes. The creatures were still attacking and stabbing him, but he couldn’t let them win. He had to get his sword…he had to get back to Sakura…

He pushed himself up on his elbows and got to his feet. The attacks only came harder.

"What do you think you can do?" Marr was heard. "You’re too weak to fight back, just accept your destiny. This is where your life ends!"

"No!" Li yelled as pure and complete agony spread to every inch of his body. He advanced towards his sword.

"How can my life end when it has not even begun yet! I will fight till my dying breath to return to the one I love!"

"…So be it…" Something that was almost fear was evident in Marr’s voice. He was afraid. And Li knew why. His mother’s words had helped him to understand. If his resolve to return was strong enough, then there was nothing that could keep Li in this world. And Marr couldn’t drag him into his.

Kero flew back in with a glass of water and handed it to Sakura.

"Thanks." She said.

Kero nodded and landed on Li’s bed to see what she was going to do.

Sakura put her fingers in the water and then placed them on Li’s lips. At least that would help him a little bit. Then she poured a small amount of water in the palm of her right hand and sat the glass down. Sakura hooked her left arm under the back of Li’s head, sitting him up a little. She raised her right hand to his mouth and tried to get him to drink some of the water.

"Please, Li…" she pleaded with him.

To everyone’s surprise. Li actually allowed a few drops to go down his dry throat. Sakura smiled.

Li coughed a little, but not very much.

"Sakura." Madison said happily. "You did it."

"Good going, Sakura." Kero said.

Sakura was over-joyed.

‘Maybe this means he’s getting better.’ She thought.

The group’s happiness was short lived. Madison gasped.

Sakura looked down at Li. Large cuts and gashes were appearing all over his body. In mere seconds he was literally bathed in his own blood…

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

"Ugh!" Li doubled over in pain.

Marr sneered.

"Let’s see you go back if there’s no where to go back to." He said.

"N…n-no…" Li moaned.

Marr was making the wounds that he received here in this world appear on his actual body in the real world. Marr was right, if he didn’t do something; he would have no chance to return. Just then, a brilliant white light descended on half of the demons, knocking them into oblivion.

‘You can do it! I know you can…’

Li knew who the voice was.

‘Mother…thank you…’Although the remainder of the demons were still brutally attacking him, Li stumbled to his feet and once again tried to reach his sword.

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

"Li!"

Sakura, Madison, and Kero were all trying to hold Li down as a seizure tore through him. Madison hadn’t even had time to wrap his wounds before he started convulsing. She figured that it was from the massive trauma that those gashes had caused, but she didn’t even know where they came from.

‘What’s happening to you Li?’ she wondered as she held his left arm and legs.

"Snap out of it kid!" Kero yelled as he tried to help Madison. He was so small, though that it didn’t do much good.

Sakura had silent tears streaming down her face as she held Li’s right arm and head. Li was losing a massive amount of blood from the injuries that were still appearing on his body. He cried out in pain at each new wound. Sakura watched him struggle in her grasp.

Normally, Li would’ve easily been able to break away from her and Madison, but he was just too weak. Sakura felt her very soul breaking. She knew now that if the seizure didn’t kill him, his injuries would.

Li slowly stopped struggling as the seizure subsided. Then he coughed a little, blood coming from his mouth.

Madison checked his pulse as Sakura gently wiped the blood away. She looked to Madison. Her friend frowned as she looked at Sakura. Li wasn’t dead, but it wouldn’t be long is what Madison’s look told her.

Madison and Kero set to work trying to wrap up Li’s wounds. Sakura simply kneeled by him and laid her head on his chest. She gripped his hand in hers and spoke softly through tears.

"Come back to me, Li…live…I love you…"

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

Li heard Sakura’s desperate plea. She was crying, crying for him.

"You cannot win, boy!" Marr laughed.

"I’ve already won!" A sudden burst of energy ran through Li as he ran and lunged for his sword.

"Nooooo!!"

Li heard Marr’s anguished scream as he reached out and grabbed his weapon. Then a white light enveloped him and he passed out.

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

"Li…"Sakura’s head was still placed on his chest. She, along with Madison and even Kero, were crying. Madison and Sakura’s tears were full of pain and sorrow, but Kero’s were hot and angry.

"Wake up, brat!" he screamed at Li. "You can’t let go, not like this!" Madison grabbed him and silenced the sad and angry guardian. They cried together.

.Sakura stroked Li’s face and whispered in his ear.

"If you can hear me, even a little bit, Li. Please…please tell me…"

Silence answered her.

Sakura looked down, but then she thought she felt something. She glanced up and saw her hand still wrapped around Li’s, but something was different now…Li was squeezing her hand back! He was awake!

"Madison! Kero!" Sakura called "He’s awake!"

The two rushed over, thinking she was hallucinating. Then their eyes went wide in happiness. They saw it too.

Sakura whispered to him.

"Li, try and open your eyes okay? Just try…"

They all watched, hopeful. Li’s eyelids shook a little and slowly opened. He squinted against the blinding light so that only a fragment of his eyes showed.

Sakura was elated. Those beautiful amber eyes that she thought she would never see again…she never wanted to stop this moment, but then something even better happened.

"…S…Sa…Saku-ra…" Li spoke up.

"Li! You’re okay, you’re really okay…" Sakura was getting teary eyed again.

"Y-yeah…"She noticed the sound of his voice and suddenly snapped back into reality. He wasn’t okay. His body was covered with cuts and bruises, still bleeding badly. She turned around.

"Madison!"

Madison too came out of her trance.

"Right!" she nodded and she and Sakura began to bandage Li’s wounds.

Li tried to sit up, but Sakura gave him a gentle push back down to the bed, silently warning him not to move.

Kero flew up next to Li’s head.

"You had us scared for a minute, kid…" Kero said with a grin.

Li turned his head to the right, looking at Kero, and offered him a weak smile. He tried to talk, but only a small moan escaped his lips.

"Don’t try to talk." Kero softly commanded him. "Just stay still for a little while."

Li nodded slightly. It hurt him immensely to move and breathing wasn’t that much easier. He closed his eyes as a barrier against the pain. Then he felt a soft hand on the side of his face. He opened his eyes again to see Sakura standing over him. Madison was wrapping up the last injury on his forearm and Kero was still next to his head.

"Hey." Sakura smiled.

Li started to open his mouth in reply, but Sakura quickly placed a finger on his lips telling him not to speak.

"You need to save your strength, Li." She said.

She was right. Li still had an extremely high fever and was severely dehydrated and sick.

Sakura took a glass of water and poured some into her hand as she’d done before. She lifted Li’s head and raised her hand to his lips. He drank a little, but couldn’t swallow much. Sakura frowned at how little he drank. She gently laid him back down.

Madison was done wrapping his wounds and was checking his pulse. It wasn’t good, but it was better than before.

"Welcome back, Li." She said to him, smiling.

Li smiled back. He looked exhausted and probably wouldn’t be able to keep his eyes open much longer. Madison knew Sakura wanted to speak to him alone so she motioned for Kero to get out as she headed for the door.

He refused.

She stomped over to him and had to practically pry his claws out of the covers before she got him contained in her arms.

"We’ll be back later." She said as she exited the room, Kero still struggling to get loose. She closed the door behind her.

Li laughed a little as they left.

Sakura smiled. She liked to see him happy. At this point she liked to see him at all.

"Li." She said, catching his attention. "Don’t you ever do that to me again, understand?!" she mocked being angry.

Li smiled at her.

"I’ll t-try not t-to…" he squeezed out.

Li looked into Sakura’s beautiful emerald green eyes and decided to tell her again. Just to make sure she had heard him before

"Sakura…"

"You shouldn’t try to talk, you’re still sick Li and…" this time it was Li who silenced her.

"Just let me say this…Sakura…" he had to tell her before he passed out again. "I love you…I…I know I told you in the park, but I just had to make s-sure you knew…"

Sakura was happy.

"Li…I-I love you too. I thought that maybe the park was just a dream, just what I wanted to hear you say… I tried to hide the fact that I loved you before because I thought you’d reject me and I…I couldn’t take that…" she closed her eyes and looked to the floor.

Li raised a shaky hand to her face and gently wiped away her tears. She looked up and smiled at him. Then she thought of something…a question she had wanted to ask him for a couple days now.

"Why?"

"Why what?" Li asked.

"Why would you do that to yourself?" Sakura’s question was filled with pain and it caught Li a little off guard.

Li didn’t respond. He couldn’t think of an appropriate answer.

"Li…" Sakura probed. She turned his head towards hers, forcing him to look at her. "Why did you try to kill yourself?"

Li sighed.

"I don’t know…" he almost whispered. "When I left your house, I didn’t know what I was doing. All I knew was that I had to get away from the pain…I finally found myself in the park and just decided to sit there until it stopped hurting. It…it didn’t stop fast enough."

"Oh, Li…" It pained her to see him like this.

"I just…I just wanted it to end…"

Li let out a soft sob and Sakura embraced him. They just sat there for a little while, crying in each other’s arms until Sakura broke the silence.

"No matter what Li…I’ll always be here for you." She whispered to him. "I’ll always be here to take the pain away and I’ll never let you fall." She stopped and pulled away from him to look into his eyes. "Don’t do this to me again Li…or I swear I’ll come right after you…"

"Sakura…" Li knew she wasn’t kidding. "I won’t."

"Do you promise me?"

"I promise you, Sakura. Thank you…" with that he kissed her lightly on the lips. She returned his kiss.

Sakura liked the feeling of his lips against hers. Then she felt him slump a little. She opened her eyes and gasped.

Li’s eyes were fluttering, almost closed and his face was very pale. Sakura had to hold him to keep him from falling back to the bed.

Almost frantically, she checked his pulse.

"I-I’m o…okay…" Li told her. "I’m just…tired…" he coughed a little. It hurt his chest to do so.

Sakura smiled that worried smile of hers. She knew he was right. His pulse was normal, for his condition anyway…

She gently laid him back on the bed. She could tell he was in pain, but he was strong, he would live through this…Sakura just knew it. Ever mindful of his fever, Sakura put a cool cloth on his head once more, kneeling beside him again.

"Try and get some sleep, Li." She cooed.

Li nodded slightly as his eyes began to close. Sakura ran her fingers through his hair and began to sing, trying to comfort him.

Li smiled as his eyes closed all the way. Unconsciousness was beckoning to him, but it wasn’t the terrifying blackness that it had been before. No, now it was a comforting blue haze that Li fell into as Sakura’s voice wrapped around him.

Aika had been right. He had found another angel…his angel, and he would never leave her again.

"I love you Sakura…my angel…" he murmured.

Sakura smiled "I love you too Li…"

Then Li allowed himself to be lulled into sleep by her voice. By his angel’s song…

The End

…….I was like 9 when I wrote this okay. I saw Card Captors before it came on over here, well, only one episode but I still wrote a fic about it. Please R+R. No flamers.