DEPARTURE
An S+S fic by akane

Konichi wa minna-san! Yep, you guessed it, akane here **everyone groans** hey! If you're gonna groan do it quietly **muffled groans** that's better - anyway this is gonna be the last installment of my S&S fic. i know, i know, there hasn't much 'S&S sugar-coated delight' as i like to refer to it, but finally, without further ado, may i present a sappy ending? Hehehe

Syaoran-sama: arghh! I hate these parts!
akane-chan: **sniffle** i promise my liege that it'll be okay…no worries…there will be only moderate kissy face stuff
Syaoran-sama: well…
akane-chan: hey you like Sakura-chan, why are you complaining?
Syaoran-sama: **blushes an extremely kawaii shade of red** umm…
akane-chan: are you ready for your big scene Sakura-kogo? (kogo means empress-wow akane-chan you know how to use a dictionary hehe)
Sakura-kogo: as long as Li-kun brushes his teeth…
Syaoran-sama: **growl**

Wow that was a little long-but now that its outta the way i can start the fic…enjoy!
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DISCLAIMER: CARD CAPTOR SAKURA and all related characters are property of the good people of CLAMP. This humble fangirl does not claim ownership in anyway, shape or form.
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"…" speech
'…' thought
<…> memory sequence

DEPARTURE 3/3 --HER AURA--

FRIDAY MORNING……

Syaoran looked straight in front of him and saw nothing. Sakura wasn't there. 'I wonder if Tomoyo called Sakura and told her. Even though I told her not to I know that Tomoyo cares deeply for her friend…but I didn't get any unexpected phone calls from Sakura last night, but then again I disconnected my phone and packed it up at 8.' Syaoran thought and absentmindedly twirled his pencil. Tomoyo wasn't in this class with him so he couldn't pass a note and ask her if she had called. 'Gods, I really am in a predicament. I leave tomorrow at 11. I have just a little over 24 hours left in Japan. Hard to believe that I've been here for 7 years. I've known Sakura for 7 years…what is my best memory of her? I know. Two years ago for my birthday she showed up in my apartment with Tomoyo. Sakura had worn a light green dress…Tomoyo had brought her video camera….and they brought a cake that they had baked…

<"Li-kun, how dare you." Sakura said.

"How dare I what?" Syaoran answered, a little surprised when he saw who was at the door.

"How dare you not tell us it was your birthday!" Tomoyo smiled and stepped into the room. Sakura had then looked up at Syaoran and smiled the sweetest smile he had ever seen.

"Happy birthday Syaoran." She reached out and touched his hand for an instant. Then Syaoran had heard Tomoyo giggle. Syaoran turned around to see the blinking red light of the video camera on.>

'That was the first time that she had ever called me by my name…she had called me by my full name before that, but mostly when she was mad…but…she has never done it since…and now she never will…'

AT LUNCH…

Syaoran sat down at the same table with the same friends that he had sat with since 4th grade, but this time he sat amongst them, instead of at the far end of the table.

"Li-kun, I'm glad to see that you've decided to join us for once." Rika-chan said jokingly.

"Yeah Syaoran-kun, its been 7 years and only now on your last full day in Japan do you decide to grace us with your presence." Yamazaki prodded him in the arm with a chopstick.

"I guess I'm just feeling nostalgic today…and I…I guess I want to say good bye." Syaoran looked down at his lunch. A silence overtook the table as everyone looked down at their lunches. "Thank you for being my friends. You've all been great, even though I know that most of the time I don't show how much you guys mean to me, but I'll never forget you…how could I?" Chiharu sniffled and Yamazaki sniffled. A transfer student from Osaka that moved to Tomoeda two years ago named Kanta patted Syaoran on the back.

"As long as you write man." Kanta said and picked up his pair of chopsticks.

"Does Sakura-chan know that you're leaving?" Naoko piped up.

"Yes." Syaoran said quickly. 'I don't want everyone trying to call her…'

"Oh, then I guess she told you then, at least she should have…" Naoko said and took a bit of her apple.

"Told me what?" Syaoran suddenly got worried. 'Is there something wring with Sakura…what would she have to tell me?'

"That she…ouch Tomoyo-chan that hurt." Naoko started but stopped and began to massage her ankle. "That'll probably bruise Tomoyo…why did you…" Naoko was cut off when Tomoyo put her finger up to her mouth and made a silent "Shh" sound. "Oh." Naoko nodded and bit into her apple again. "Well then I just hope that you told her Li-kun."

"Told her what? She tell me what?" Syaoran looked back and forth from Tomoyo and Naoko.

"That you love her." Naoko said flatly.

"Nani?" Syaoran fell over and sweatdropped.

"Everyone knows Li-kun." Rika giggled. "Sometimes it's so obvious. You just sit there and stare. It's real cute sometimes." Syaoran couldn't believe what he was hearing. 'Everyone knows? Then does Sakura know? And she still ended up saying that she hates me? She still said that she hoped she would never see me again. Oh Gods, she really doesn't like me at all…' Syaoran got up from the table.

"If you excuse me all, I'm going to look around, for the last time." Syaoran said gruffly. Actually it was just an excuse to leave so he could go off and bury his head in shame in private.

"Sure Li-kun, but in case we don't see you again…" Naoko said and got up and hugged him. Others followed suit and the guys shook his hand and patted his back and tried to act manly, even though Syaoran had tears in his eyes. (akane-chan: why do guys have to be like that?) Syaoran said his final good-byes to those that weren't in his afternoon classes and got up and left. Syaoran slowly walked through the schoolyard shouting good-byes to people as he passed and high fived everyone on his soccer team. He shook the new team captain's hand. (Syaoran was the team captain and had gotten them to country finals last year where they placed 3rd [akane-chan: isn't Syaoran-sama grand?] but yesterday Tanaka was chosen as a new captain.) When Syaoran turned a corner behind a building he ran. Now with no one looking at him, he ran…to his favorite spot. A big cherry tree in the back of the school. He sat down and drew his knees up to his chin. He grasped his ankles and sat there and rocked for a while, until the bell rang.

THAT AFTERNOON AT THE KINOMOTO RESIDENCE…

"Sakura? Sakura?" Sakura turned and mumbled something. "Sakura…daijobu?"

"Hoe? Oh Kero-chan." Sakura sat up. "How long have I been asleep?" Sakura swung her legs over the side of her bed and yawned.

"Um, since about yesterday, this time." Kero said nonchalantly. He floated over to her nightstand and picked up a glass of water to offer her.

"Wow, I must really be sick, I still feel drowsy and light headed. Arigato." Sakura said and took the glass from Kero-chan's paws and took a sip.

"Well then, in that case you better go back to sleep. Touya is still here, his apartment isn't finished getting fumigated. Besides, you want to be nice and rested for Tomoyo's recital tomorrow." Kero-chan said as he covered Sakura up with her blanket.

"That's right, I almost forgot. Arigato Kero-chan." Sakura yawned. "Oyasumi nasai, even if it is only 3." Sakura smiled and drifted off.

"Oyasumi nasai."

THAT EVENING AT THE LI RESIDENCE…

"Well, I think that about wraps it up." Sou-ming turned to her son who was slouching in the couch. (it rhymes!) "Did you say goodbye to everyone in your class?"

"Yeah."

"I'm sorry that this was all so sudden…I know that you're going to miss them. And for a while when you try to get reinstated into the Li clan, you probably won't be able to write to them, but after a year or so, you will." Syaoran's mother tried in vain to cheer her son up. 'I thought that he would want to go home. When he was 10 he didn't want to leave, now he doesn't want to go back. What could have happened in seven years?'

"I'm going to bed now." Syaoran got up abruptly and headed for his room. The only thing that remained was his furniture, which the movers would come to pick up after he left on Saturday. Sou-ming's eyes followed her son into his room and she lowered them when he closed to door to his room. 'Soon Xiao-Lang, soon. Soon you will be the most powerful member of the Li clan and you will honor your mother, and all of this here in Japan won't matter.'

SATUTDAY MORNING, 9 O' CLOCK AT THE KINOMOTO RESIDENCE….

"Ohiyo gozaimasu Touya-san, is Sakura alright today?" Tomoyo asked pleasantly as the door opened.

"Yeah, I was just about to bring some tea up to her, but if you're heading up there anyway, I'll let you take it up."

"Oh, I'll be happy to." Tomoyo said and stepped into the kitchen. She took the tray that Touya was assembling and another teacup for herself and headed up to Sakura's room. She knocked lightly and let herself in.

"Oh Tomoyo-chan, what a pleasant surprise!" Sakura looked up form a book she was reading when her friend came in.

"Sakura-chan, how are you feeling today?" Tomoyo set the tray down and proceeded to pour a cup for Sakura, herself and got an extra cup from Sakura's old dollhouse for Kero-chan.

"I'm feeling much better, still a little out of it, but as soon as I wake up and I get a little medicine into me I'll be ready to go to your recital. When is it anyway?" Sakura nodded a thank you when her friend passed her a cup.

""It's at three…"

"Are you excited? Nervous?"

"Sakura, that's not what I came over here to talk about…" Tomoyo's voice sounded serious and Kero-chan looked up from gulping down his drink.

"What is it Tomoyo?" Sakura set her cup down and leaned over to her friend and put her hand over Tomoyo's.

"It's about Li-kun…" Tomoyo was cut off by Kero-chan.

"That Kid? Who cares?" Sakura thumped Kero-chan on the head.

"Li-kun is, he's….he's leaving today." Tomoyo said finally after about a minute of stuttering.

"Leaving?"

"Forever, back to Hong Kong…he didn't want to hurt your feelings that other day, he's just been so upset and I just found out Thursday, but you were sleeping so I couldn't call you…and" Tomoyo finally paused for a breath.

"Leaving?" Sakura's face was expressionless then she started to shake.

"Sakura? Oh Sakura he was afraid that you knowing would make it too hard for him to leave, Sakura………he loves you." Tomoyo had rushed over and hugged her shaking friend.

"When does he….he…"

"Leave? Tomoyo finished the sentence for Sakura. "His flight leaves at 11 I think."

"Onii-chan!" Sakura stood up quickly and ran out of the room. Tomoyo was shocked and just stood there for a while and she and Kero-chan exchanged quizzical looks with each other. "Onii-chan! Can you drive me to the airport?" they heard Sakura plead from all the way downstairs. Tomoyo then got up and ran out of the room and into the kitchen downstairs to see Sakura leaning over the kitchen table, glaring at her brother.

"The airport? Why the airport?"

"Umm, a friend of mine is leaving today…." Sakura began…

"What do I look like to you kaijuu? You personal chauffeur?" Tomoyo giggled as she pictured Touya with a little chauffeur hat and suit.

"Mouuu! Please? I'll come over and clean your apartment for a month!" Sakura waved her hands in the air to emphasize how much she meant it. "Please? I'll never see him again." Sakura's eyes dropped and she slid into the nearest chair.

"Who?" Touya shot his sister a look.

"Li-kun." Tomoyo said serenely.

"That KID?! No way! I ain't doin' nothin' for him!" Tomoyo put on her best innocent sad puppy dogface.

"You won't be doing anything for him, you'll be helping Sakura." Tomoyo said sweetly and smiled. Touya rolled his eyes.

"Where is he going and when?" Touya asked.

"Hong Kong…around 11." Tomoyo said, she hoped dearly that he would help out, at least for Sakura's sake.

'Why am I doing this?' he said to himself as he got up and went to the phone in the next room. Sakura looked up as she heard her brother talking on the phone, and in a minute he was off. "Lets go, I got all the flight information."

"Oh thank you Nii-chan!" Sakura jumped up with a huge grin on her face.

"Two months." Touya said flatly as he put his coat on. Sakura looked at him quizzically. "You're gonna clean my apartment for two months." He smiled and so did Sakura.

AT THE AIRPORT, GATE 35….

Syaoran pressed his face to the glass and looked outside at his plane that was busy refueling. The then focused on his own reflection. 'I look terrible.' He thought and sighed. 'This will be the last time that I will be able to feel her.' Syaoran remembered the first time he arrived in Japan…he had felt an aura…her aura. It was powerful, but not overwhelming. And it was warm, and it felt light pink…there was no visible color, that was just how it felt. (Syaoran-sama: it's hard to describe magic type things to you common folk.) After she had caught all of the cards, her aura was strong, but now, over the years it had faded back to its comforting light pink feeling. Syaoran usually could tell when she was in close proximity…but he always could detect her…but…'Hey, what's that?' Syaoran looked up from the window and looked around him. 'Did I just feel her? Is she close? No, can't be…I'm just thinking too much about her…and sometimes when I'm really jittery my senses aren't quite accurate.' Syaoran thought and looked back to the window.

Sakura had ran all the way out of the parking lot and through the terminal. Tomoyo followed close behind, video camera ready to shoot. 'I think I'll call it Love at Last.' Tomoyo thought as she ran behind her best friend and nearly bumped into her as she came to a dead halt. Sakura was breathing heavy from all of the running, and also because she saw him. She saw the tall, thin man with the ever-messy hair, who was her friend staring into space, his shoulders sagging. Sakura took one step forward and bit her lip as Syaoran turned around. His face lit up in a big smile. 'He's smiling at me!' Sakura thought as she ran the 30 or so paces to the window where Syaoran stood. Tomoyo sighed and put her video camera up to her eye. As Sakura neared Syaoran, his smile faded.

"Li-kun, why didn't you tell me?" Sakura heard herself say. At that point Sou-ming looked up from her magazine at the teary, green-eyed girl who was standing in front of her son. Sou-ming gasped. 'That is the Card Mistress…the enemy! Why is Xiao Lang just standing there? He looks…happy?' Sou-ming then saw the girl's light pink aura, surrounding her like a veil, and her son's own strong green aura…and where their auras met, small sparks flew…like new years fire works.

"I didn't want you to miss me…like I will…" Syaoran said quietly looking down into Sakura's watery eyes. 'Gods, I'm not going to be able to leave now…she's so beautiful.' Sou-ming looked surprised when she heard her son speak in Japanese…this was the first time she heard him speak like that, and it sounded so natural, and his voice seemed so different…

"I was so worried when Tomoyo told me, Li-kun, I would have been hurt more if I never knew."

"I'm sorry."

"Syaoran…" Syaoran looked deeply into Sakura's eyes. 'She said my name!' "Syaoran…" Sakura repeated and then jumped into his arms and rested her cheek against his chest. Syaoran's eyes flew opened in surprise, but he found himself wrapping his arms around her. "I don't want you to leave….I ….I… I love you Syaoran." Syaoran heard Sakura say between sniffles. He smiled and put his hand under her chin and moved it so she was looking at him. He then kissed her, a very sweet, but passionate kiss. Sakura was surprised, but didn't hold back. Sou-ming looked at her son in disbelief and Tomoyo jumped up in the air for joy and Touya, who was taking his time getting to the gate had just got there stood with his jaw on the floor. Slowly Syaoran broke the kiss and looked at Sakura and smiled.

"I love you." Syaoran then realized that he was happy. Happy for the first time in certainly a week, and maybe longer. No, it was the first time that he felt loved and wanted his whole life. Syaoran bent down and kissed Sakura again, lightly on the cheek, took her hand and walked with her out of the sitting area.

"Xiao Lang?! What are you doing? Where are you going? Our flight leaves in a few minutes!" Sou-ming stood up shouted at her son.

"Mother, this is Sakura." Syaoran said as he spun back around again to face his distressed mother, " I'm not going back to Hong Kong, I'm going home."

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how's about that!? My very first fan fic is complete! This installment took a little longer than I expected, but the ides just came to me, no da? (Chichiri is everywhere) how do you like that whole aura thing? I know that its kinda weird, and looking back at it, it seems kinda like an A.T. field from NGE (ya know its your soul- or don't you Lillum understand that yet? ^__^Kaoru-kun O.o) Any way thank you to all who have written to me, and I would really like to get some feed back…this was my first and if people like my writing style I will certainly make more….so……talk to me people!

Email me at amiboshi_ri@fushigiyugi.com
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this fic is owned by akane. If you would like to add it to your fanfic section on your page (I would like you to;) please just tell me about it. Thank you ever so much. -akane