∞ Disclaimer: We so do not own CCS, though I would love to own it... tries to plot a plan to steal the ownership of CCS from CLAMP I shouldn't bother. throws the paper into the waste bin

Chapter 2: Angel from the Rubbles

She straightened her velvet skirt, carefully treading her hands over the frilly edges to tidy it up. She looked up to the wooden ceiling, smiling, as if there was something painted on it that made her smile.

"Touya, dear," She said, her tone still as warm, as if her emotions had never changed. Yukimura Kyoko knew better than to make him worry and lose control.

"You know, your mother..." He nodded, listening intently when she brought up the subject of his mother.

'Mother', He thought, his eyes narrowing as the sad expression once again became his features' companion, remembering, trying to get through the fact that she will never be his guiding light again.

His mother, the angel that brought him his very existence, his life, his sister, his everything, was gone.

"Her mother left her at a very young age, you're older now, stronger, and she coped," Yukimura's buoyant smile fading a little, "Don't you think, as a boy, you can too? You are stronger, you have a sister to protect"

"Touya," she whispered in her tired voice, her eyes, looking at him, boring the sadness inside it to his own, "Don't be someone who runs away from sadness, be someone strong enough to face it. Be stronger than you mother would have been when her mother disappeared, and I would assure you she will be smiling with pride from heaven."

He froze hearing it. 'Mother said, grandmother died, she disappeared?' Touya knew his mother, she had a very strong heart and a stubborn mind, and no one could ever see that she was sad. She never complains, but she always seemed so broken, so fragile, and yet she's been through so much. How would he be better than his mother, knowing her all these years, there might be a side of her he never knew, the melancholy deep inside her, the side that was another than her usual vivacious side.

His eyes turned to disbelieving eyes, choking on every word he had heard and all he had believed, all he had experienced. He knew it, and yet it was as if he was afloat in a dream, not accepting the reality he knew

"So, Touya," She said, her tone suddenly degraded of the willingness to be her cheerful self with every word, "Will you now promise me again, that you will protect them both and any of your companions as family, and you will survive?

"Your feelings for each other will hold you like wings that help birds to fly freely without falling," She said, "Support each other, and you will find away, together, you can fight every obstacle and break every walls on the way."

Touya kept his stillness. But his eyes seemed to notice the small hints of tears, ready to fall from her eyes.

"Your will to live," She said, her tone now completely flat, but he words shook him as her lips moved in accordance to her words, "is theirs, and you will be a part of them, as they will be yours"

"Enough," He said unexpectedly, his voice was bitter, but it was undeniably hurt, "Nothing's going to happen! Do you hear me? NOTHING!"

Yukimura sighed at the child's anger. He was worried, she could tell, but she had to tell him that he had to move on, he has a life, and letting himself down will pull the others down.

"Do you care about Sakura?" She asked, ignoring his last words, fazed deep inside her heart, glazed by everything, his spirit that longs to protect but denies the reality he knew.

Touya clamped his mouth shut, he felt that question burned its way down to his heart. The thought of his sister, miserably trying to survive, alone and hurt pierced its way. He was her shield, the one responsible of her every action, he was her brother.

"Yes."

"Xiao Lang?"

"If I was to be taken by an untimely demise, well then yes, for he will be the one to take care of my sister." Touya said swiftly, now that his parents are gone, his kingdom destroyed and his home taken, his sister had become his world.

She nodded in reply, her smile creeping back into her face, "Then will you take care of them no matter what happens?"

Touya stopped to think, his senses weren't just barely confusing him, he's received all the things in a few days, and he could only ponder at his strange fate. He tried to contemplate a reason for all this mess, and tried to avoid answering the questions, but he could feel her waiting gaze.

"Yes," He decided to answer, longing to say no just this once, but his feelings, his heart, his pride went against his thoughts, "I would sacrifice my own life for them."

'At least for Sakura,' he thought.

Yukimura smiled, knowing that Touya did mean every word, even if he didn't know it. She looked at the child, meerly a child at the age of 10.

"I believe you," she said, as if she was leaving them, her tone sad and willing to go, "I leave them in your care, Touya."

Touya gritted his teeth. "Stop it," He said, "I hate it when you repeat the things you said, you're not going anywhere, and we will survive."

His tone was filled with anger, but it glowed with hints of worries. The tinted emotion that now swirled inside his confused heart was never broken, its circles continue to ground him, cage him and torture him with his damned emotions.

She held her hands up, palm facing to him as if telling him to stop and listen to her next words. Her gaze rested on him, as if declaring bravely that she won't stop until you understand. Touya wasn't sure if he really did, so he waited. But it never came.

And when it did it came too late.

Touya sighed, recalling the words she had made evoke to his mind all these times, the words she had bellowed at him right before he lost his hearing of her, before the borders of the dark edge of the forest were crossed by their small hurried steps.

'An obligation will always be one for you.' He said to himself in his mind, 'So hold on to each other until the time to let go.'

He never really understood her, that woman, but when he did just a little more, she had left. Just as she had stated involuntarily in each ones of her sentences, pointing out that they have to rest their needs on each others' shoulders to survive their days.

"Touya-kun", he heard a girl call him, her long straight hair waved around as she skipped to him, carrying the bundles of fabric in her hands.

'Tomoyo', he smiled, remembering when they met her, she hadn't changed at all, even after how much she's been through, and you can see she was more fragile than the carefree Sakura now that she was 6, but yet her expression shows that shy smile and those eager eyes.

Yet Again one of those annoying but explaining flashbacks

Touya and the others curled at their own corners, their head resting either on a rock or something else, their backs leaning against the hard walls of the cave. On Sakura's case, she was fast asleep in Touya's protective hold.

Silence surrounded their little peace as the fire cackled occasionally, breaking the silence inside the cavern, but not among the inhabitants. They soon fell asleep, accompanied by the silent peaceful aura that devoured their atmosphere, but the raging hearts and confused minds beneath their skin.

Sleep has engulfed them, lost and in pain, as their hostile memories re-enact in their dreams. They each knew the feud hasn't ended, but yet, all they want is to forget and move on. Their hearts resist.

Morning came, slowly awakening the 3 children as they tried to remember what was going on, try to find their way, but even their calm façade could have never lied to anyone, they were broken souls.

"Don't go anywhere, don't go far from the fire." Touya said as he excused himself to find food for them, trying to perhaps make use of his sword. "Lastly, don't leave my sister unattended or get killed, if you let my sister and yourself get killed, I would gladly raise you from the dead and kill you myself, understood?"

Xiao Lang nodded, he knew Touya meant every single word he had said, and Xiao Lang would not go against his words. He will take care of Sakura while Touya is gone.

Touya perfectly remembered how Tomoyo's mother had found them huddled in that little cave with no protection or comfort.

Sonomi Daidouji entered the cave alone, she were apparently looking for a place to spend the night, for their house was too far and they were in the middle of a hunt. She had heard fire crackling, and hoped that someone would be there, after all, the more the merrier. After the death of her husband, she had always hunted down their food, returning to home with food for her daughter, in the care of her grandfather.

Instead, she found 3 kids, a baby girl and 2 boys, cuddled up and scared.

She smiled and approached the 3 sleeping forms, and then the eldest one, the one with black hair immediately shot up in defense, sensing their presence. He took out his sword and stood in a fighting stance, his serene face turned into a serious face.

He was determined, dead or alive, to protect his sister and her fiancée, no matter what, he had promised his mother, he had promised Yukimura, he had promised himself. He would keep it with his life, like how Nadeshiko and Yukimura had died for them, protecting them, he will do too.

"Why", Sonomi said, as friendly as she could, as she herself feel intimidated, but still a little scared, these children, weren't as ordinary as she thought, neither were they weak, but the lost glint in his eyes made her smile. "Hello there, what's your name?"

Touya didn't answer, he moved defensively, desperately trying to protect Sakura from whatever this stranger might do to her.

"We won't hurt you", she reached out her hands, "I'm Sonomi Amamiya", she said, using her maiden name, she was, after all, a widow.

"Amamiya?" Touya asked, putting down his sword, "That's my mother's maiden name..."

This time, Sonomi was the surprised one, she knew there weren't many families with the name Amamiya, at least, in the Kinomoto and Li lands, there was only her family, her bloodline.

"What's your mother's name?" Sonomi asked.

Touya raised his sword again, not answering Sonomi's questions. He will not risk their lives.

Sonomi sighed in exasperation, she knew he wasn't going to tell her anything, his eyes were so ambitious, so hard, cold and confused. She looked at him, examining him head to toe, then his sword, that glinted with the reflection of the fire crackling in front of them.

'That crest', Sonomi thought as she noticed the symbol on his sword, 'the Kinomoto crest'

'Could he be… a royal?'

"Are you..." She suddenly started to speak again, "From the Kinomoto clan?"

Touya darted his deadly serious face at her, narrowing his eyes at the comment. His stance didn't change, he kept his ground.

"Nadeshiko's son? Touya?"

At this comment, Touya nearly dropped his sword.

'This woman,' He stared in shock, 'She knows my mother?'

Touya gripped his sword tightly, 'this woman, no one ever knew the name of the royal family, not a single person, they know us as Kinomoto Clan, the crown prince, the princess, the queen and the king. Not our real names, only the high council, sworn to their death, our family and the Li Clan know our real names. She even knows MY name'

Seeing the look on his face, Sonomi knew immediately, he MUST be Nadeshiko and Fujitaka's son.

"I'm your mom's second cousin," She spoke, "Remember me?"

"Of course not," She laughed heartily, "the last time I've seen you was when Sakura was born"

'Shit, who is this woman?'he thought, his mind wandering around, 'She even knows Sakura.'

"And he must be the Li boy." She spoke again.

"Li…" She stopped to think, "Xiao Lang."

"Sonomi Daidouji." She smiled, "You remember me now?"

Sonomi stopped talking and walked closer in front of the fire, now Touya could see her clearly. Her face was smiling, her short hair falling as bangs that covered her right ears. Her dark brown hair matched her red lips that quirked around, forming the smile that was on her face. Her eyes glinted with joy and curiosity.

Touya gasped, "Auntie Samantha?"

Sonomi nodded. "So you do remember me."

"Yes, but your name… Your hair…" Touya stuttered, he knew this woman, she was her mother's cousin, and she had lived in Maravilla before the war, but what is she doing here out of all places, in Cyclamen Forest, the deep forest rumored to be deadly. The border between the Maravilla and Kinomoto Kingdom.

"They exiled me", she said, her eyes losing their shine of happiness as she told her story, "They killed your uncle, and left me to die here with Tomoyo…"

'Tomoyo-chan', Touya thought.

"Isn't grandfather with you?" Touya suddenly realized that their grandfather from their mother's side was with Sonomi.

"Yes", she frowned, "he's with Tomoyo in the hut"

"Hut? They gave you a HUT?", Touya asked.

"Not exactly", she smiled, "But I've been here long enough to find an abandoned one, fix it up and make it my home"

"But…" Touya replied, "Why didn't you just come to us, I mean, the palace is practically colossal."

"Iie", Sonomi sighed with aggravation in her tone, "The palace and the country is being attacked constantly, the palace is busy, I didn't want to be a bother."

"How long have you stayed here?" Touya asked, wanting to inquire the fact that at least his family, his relatives were living a better life, a life they all deserve.

Sonomi only smiled, looking down, "Since the war started."

Touya remembered waking his sister, and her, supposedly fiancée up, telling them they've found a place to stay, a trusted one, as they've found a family.

They live together, for two peaceful years, hiding and hoping, twisting their fingers together in fear of being found. They were in panic, in tears, then the serene atmosphere inside the woods hid them, washing over their experiences, forcing them to remember the light of the sun, barely reaching down to the ground instead of the blood, the death and the fear of fighting.

Their worry was gone, but constantly, fear would be closer and closer into consuming them and the feeling of guilt, of betraying their own beliefs would stab their minds, erasing the innocence once scarred deep inside their soul.

"Tomoyo, what are those fabrics for?"

"Clothes, all of us are growing, you know"

Like her mother, and her grandfather, no, their grandfather, she had refused to be part of their playful and lively childhood, replacing the fear that came again and again, they had to make use of this situation of being ordinary children, to be able to play without being watched, without the perpetual fear of being chased down, or murdered. They were wanted.

Tomoyo had been the one in charge of their clothes, insisting that their unceasing playfulness will have to go away as they grow, and she will accompany them, and help them grow, caring for them as she was protected and taken care of by them.

They were, and weren't, a family. They were only couples of children trying to crawl their way out of their dark past, declining the truth and trying to live out their life the best they could. All they wanted was the peace others got, they were ruled, they were uncared for and unwanted, they were supposedly of inferior birth. But in any other way, they have to flip this page of their country over, so that they, as royals in every rightful way could once again rule, in peace.

They were a waste of the old rule, where the current population still wishes for their peace to return, to repudiate this slavery. But for the enemy, they were pieces of old newspapers, shredded and discarded into oblivion.

That fateful day, where their full dreams of finding their hidden sanctuary, eventually forgetting the bitter past, came and went.

He smiled at the long haired girl in front of him, holding the bundle of fabrics in her arms.

"Tomoyo."

She looked at him questioningly as he took the bundles she carried into his own hold, smiling and ushering her to relax. She was glad, thankful, but yet the feeling of being useless had stuck to her, taunting her.

Tomoyo's amethyst eyes looked down at her feet, as if giving a slight bow to Touya, "thank you."

"Ne, Touya-san, I'll bring Tomoyo to the lake alright, she said she wanted to see the swans"

"Be back before supper"

Xiao Lang bowed as he opened the door to depart.

He remembered how Syaoran took Tomoyo to the lake.

He remembered how they were all oblivious to what was about to happen, it had been so peaceful, and they were drenched in the situation that seemed normal.

They had forgotten about the war outside the leafy forests they hid in.

They had forgotten about the incident days earlier.

They had forgotten about how Yukimura Kyoko sacrificed her life for them.

They had forgotten about how their parents died in front of their eyes.

And so Syaoran took his leave, holding Tomoyo Daidouji by the hand, and closed the door gently.

He remembered watching Sakura stirring in her sleep as he watched the windows, for any signs of dangers, and how the night passed in grave silence. There was a sense of peace inside the haven they were taken to, a sense of trust and protection, though fragile, it was still there.

What mischief was rousing deep inside his heart he chose to ignore, he chose to forbid his own self from any worries, to focus on today instead of any other.

"Nii…" Sakura mumbled as he approached, smiling slightly. Her arms flapped around excitedly. "Nii!!"

Her eyes gleamed with excitement, pointing outside the window at Xiao Lang and Tomoyo, who was sucking her thumb.

"I go! I go..." she grinned, followed by Touya's sigh.

"Sorry Saku, no can do, we have to guard the house today, okay?"

Sakura wailed, "I go!!"

Touya shook his head, looking at his sister, who was in tears by now.

Touya scoffed at their foolishness, he should have seen it coming all along, and yet he was engulfed by the sanctuary's peace, the one they virtually created as a barrier from their dark despairs.

"Touya," Sonomi scuttled through the door, slamming it as splinters of wood began to float around them. "Hide!"

Touya raised an eyebrow, 'What?'

"Hide." she pressed her back against the thick wooden door, "They're coming!"

"But… Tomo-"

"Just GO!!!" she shrieked hysterically. Touya rushed away with Sakura, stomping quickly to the safe haven they created.

The basement was dark, humid, and it reeked with the smell of tobacco. "Nii… Go…"

But Touya clamped Sakura's mouth with his hand, daintily backing away from the locked door.

Touya did not remember anything from that moment forth, just screams and an explosion, then it was dark.

He remembered opening his eyes to nothing but pain.

Touya felt heavy weight atop him. It was quiet, a few ruffles here and there. He could feel tremendous pain shooting up.

He tasted blood in his mouth.

"Ukh..."

He wanted to die; to give it all up and die. Touya was ready to leave, he closed his eyes.

One second. Two seconds.

A cry rang through the air; the cry of a young one.

His eyes darted open. "Sakura," He whispered hoarsely. Touya lifted himself up with every ounce of strength he has left; and approached the voice.

There she was. His angel. His very reason to remain alive. So that she can live another day.

Even if it's only for another day; he'd give up his life to save her.

His angel from the rubbles.

To be continued…

A/N: God. Haven't updated in years. Just saying, I'll probably abandon this story. Too much pressure. Sorry.