Authors Note: Thanks all for reading and those for reviewing! Everyone please keep reading and reviewing!

Thanks so much to Watch2muchtv, digi-gal-rox, LVHamlet, silverm00nangel, stephinfection, Tsvetkova, and PrincessNevermore for their recent reviews! Much much appreciated!

*Warning: This chapter may contain material that may be offending to readers. It's rated M for a reason. Reader discretion is strongly advised.*

Summary: We were just friends, friends not allowed to love one another. "How long will this be?" she breathed. "Until we lose interest, or we find someone to be with, or we become emotionally attached," he replied simply. We promised not to fall in love... I broke that promise, just to stay by his side.

Disclaimer: I do not own Card Captor Sakura, but the story is mine.

Chapter 16

You Can't Hide Something Forever

Recap…

A few days later Sakura had flipped on the TV in the room she was staying in. Rumor had it the Li's were going to hold a press conference and make some big announcement. If it was regards to something business related then she had to watch.

"Here come the Li's" one of the reporters stated. "They organized this press conference but no one knows why!"

Syaoran stood. "Thank you for coming today. We're here to address a matter that has been going on for far too long. Rumors have gone flying everywhere so it was about time we cleared up the truth."

Elsewhere…

"Yelan! What on earth is your son doing!" someone hollered though her closed door.

Yelan also had a small television turned on. She smiled, "He's doing something he should have done long ago."

"Eliza is an amazing woman, and together we've faced a lot of things. But the truth is we don't love each other. We married out of convenience, and we both can now openly say it was a mistake due to some bad choices. And saying this now I'd like to address that whoever thinks they can blackmail a Li then they're wrong!"

The audience was silent and quite surprised. Then someone yelled out. "So you married because Eliza-san was pregnant?"

The two grimly nodded.

"He's an honest man, and did the right thing. There were several other important things in his life but he gave them up for responsibility," she spoke.

You could see heads nodding approvingly among the crowds.

"So your daughter is your child?" someone broke the silence.

They had been prepared that one of the people behind the blackmailing would be present and would try to cause a scene. However he didn't think he'd be so unemotionally prepared.

"Of course she's my daughter!" he exclaimed.

"We know she's yours Li-san, but is she Mrs. Li's?"

The crowded media room stirred. Eliza bit her lip. Syaoran was upset. In the event that this should happen Syaoran was supposed to say something and end the press conference, but he was raging, a hand curled into a fist shaking at his side.

She gulped. The truth had to come out sometime. She took his hand in hers 'maybe I can finally do something right for him,' she thought as she shot him a look that said 'trust me.'

And she stood up.

"I-I " she stammered at first.

"I miscarried our child," she didn't realize how much it still haunted her; she could feel her eyes watering. "To cope with is we adopted."

Syaoran looked at her amazed.

"Where did you adopt her?"

"Didn't Li-san just say she's his daughter?"

"Which is the truth?"

"Is this all true?" voices all shouted at once.

"Enough!" someone finally shouted. Everyone turned to stare at the woman. "Can you not understand? Going through a miscarriage is not a happy experience. Just thinking about it is like reliving it. So is saying it out loud. Yes you just made a woman admit it live to the world. Are you no ashamed?"

Other female reporters pushed their way through to join her. Many were well known and all had something to say about this cruelty.

"Unless the Li's had more they wished to say then I think we should end this."

Syaoran nodded, "That will be all for today." And they left.

Some people tried to follow calling and shouting out questions still. Others had turned to find out who the brave woman was who spoke out, but she was no where to be found.

"I want the name of that woman who helped us out back there. I want it ASAP." Syaoran was still frustrated.

"Eliza, are you alright?" He gave her a light hug.

"Yes I'll be fine. Especially thanks to her. But now we have to be prepared. We messed up."

"No, I messed up. But we'll think of something."

"Ah… Li-san?" someone approached.

"We couldn't get a hold of the people who called out those particular questions. We found that some were on pre-recorded tapes."

He cursed.

"And that woman vanished too."

"Someone has to have caught her on camera!"

"We'll get right on it."

The Li's were splashed all over the tabloids the next day. Some good praising the two for having the courage to face and tell the truth, the responsibility taken, the mystery woman, who was thought to be a reporter. But there was also the no good. Who is Suki Li? The daughter of another lover? Just an adopted child? Who will carry on the Li name?

Sakura went home the next day.

"Moomy! You're home!"

"Hi sweetie, sorry I was away for so long," she looked up, saw Tomoyo and smiled.

"Thank you Tomoyo."

"No need for that," she spoke. "But you have an extra person staying with you. The Hiwatari's requested that Risa-chan stay here with us until further notice. Some troubles at home I believe."

She gave Sakura a look.

"Sachiko dear, do you and Rise mind going outside to the backyard to play? Mommy and auntie Tomoyo need to have a grown up talk."

"Okay!" Sachiko grinned.

"Did Eriol tell you?" Sakura said as soon as the girls were outside.

"How long have you known Sakura?"

"Since the moment I saw her. After that everything started to piece into place. I was just never 100% sure."

Tomoyo let out a sigh. "I'm not certain either but I had a suspicion because of how coincidental all of this is with timing. And you talked to Eriol about this and not me?"

"No, Eriol never said anything about knowing or not knowing about this. I figure of all people, he knows truly."

"So then after all thus time, why didn't you say anything?"

"Could I have? And it's better this way."

"And you still haven't explained your disappearance. You own me an explanation and I know it has to do with Syaoran. Eriol said he followed you right after dinner, and the next day you were gone."

"Yes, I left because of Syaoran."

"Wait, did he do something? I know when it comes to you he's reckless and stupid."

"Well, no, well yes," she shook her head.

"It was my own foolishness, I had to leave."

Tomoyo's expression saddened.

I thought he may have taken advantage and kissed you, with that kind of response surely there was more to it.

Tomoyo looked at her cousin, who was already now lost deep in thought.

~Flashback~

She sat still quietly sobbing into his chest.

"It's okay," he uttered.

She glanced up at him. Only then had she realized how close they were. They gazed into each others eyes as if it had been an eternity since the last time they had.

No one would be able to recall who initiated it but their lips met, and they were swept into a whirlwind of emotions, needing, lusting, wanting, desire.

Each time his finger brushed against her skin it was like he was setting her on fire.

She hadn't felt this way in years.

Yet they were only kissing and his fingers were tracing her body.

The wanted each other, needed each other, they'd been longing for it. He pushed the straps of her dress off her shoulders as she unbuttoned his shirt. Their mouths still intertwined.

He gave up waiting for her to finish, and literally ripped his shirt off. He kissed her neck and bare shoulders, she made soft sounds when he licked and sucked. She slowly fell back, pulling him with her.

He pushed the dress further down exposing her chest. His hands grabbed her breasts and began a rhythmic kneading and caress. He'd pinch on her tips every now and then.

She struggled to undo his belt which because difficult as he succeeding at pleasuring her with his ministrations. He groaned when she unzipped his pants and her hands brushed his hardened self.

Quickly capturing her harms he held them with one hand over her head.

He took one breast into his mouth and began tasting and sucking. His free hand slid up the skirt of her dress. Fingers danced high between her thighs.

She gasped as he reached that spot.

He growled when he felt she was already wet for him.

A finger wormed its way past the silky thing cloth and twisted, twirled and teased. A second one entered with a long thrust and she cried out.

Oh Kami, she was almost ready to burst. He stopped and released her arms and lowered himself. She felt his tongue enter her now, it made her squirm and squeal. Licking in circles, thrashing and sucking.

She thrust into hum, soon she was going to be off the edge. He pulled away for seconds, that seemed like years. He freed himself from his undergarments, and positioned himself. Not a single word had been spoken but they both knew, knew that this was what they desired.

He entered her with on swift thrust.

She cried out loud in slight pain, it really had been a while.

He groaned entering her. Kami she was tight and boy did it ever feel good.

Clinging to each other, suffocating in long kisses, they thrust into another in a dire burning passion.

They climbed and together they soared. Both cried out as they reached a climax.

He collapsed onto her both breathing heavily. No one said a word.

Words were unnecessary. They could still read each others thoughts.

After what seemed like hours he slid out of her earning a long alluring moan from her.

'Now what?' the thoughts filled their minds.

So close, so aware, his body loomed over hers.

Flames grew once again. The fire of passion was not ready to die out yet. They found themselves lost in another round of hot kisses.

Her legs circled his waist and lifted her and took her to the bed. Setting her down gently he lost his lower clothing and tugged her out of the rest of hers.

Fully exposed to each other neither could help but look.

Back then they realized that they still had only had the bodies of children. Since then they had both stayed lean and fit, but now were adults.

His shoulders had broadened and his muscles had grown bigger to match with his body and height.

She was still on the petit side, but curvy hips and a flattering chest size, and this full on view would send any man wild. She could be ms. March on a whole calendar.

He needed her again, to see her longing for him and only him. He positioned himself, spreading her wide as she lay ready and waiting.

He entered her and pulled her up so she sat up on his thighs straddling him, thrusting into each other once again. Burying his face into her chest as he was rubbing them and her hands clawed his back. She rode him to the edge.

They did it many many times that night. Finally she awoke to him fast asleep and not wanting more. She embarrassingly recalled he events of their night. Then reality set in. Once the sun rose and they had to leave this place this would just be another memory.

The pain was growing in her chest again. She couldn't do this, hadn't they suffered enough? Why had she caved again. She swore not to. She decided long ago to stay away from this man, she needed to think straight again.

With that she quickly packed her things. Wrote a tiny note and booked it out of there.

With a heavy chest and watering eyes, she flagged a cab and escaped to the airport. She knew she still loved him.

She sighed, lost in thought.

"Sakura?" Tomoyo's voice brought her back to reality.

Sakura blinked and blushed.

"Really now? I was very against all of it, but I'm starting to question it. You're acting like a carefree person again. Not a bad thing and I see it makes you happy. He makes you happy. You abandoned you lecture, took a week escapes and don't think I didn't know that was you at the press conference!"

A wide eyed Sakura exclaimed, "What are you talking about!"

"Shh, let me finish!" she said quickly. "You should do something and not sit here quietly. Things won't change if you let it be, you're living life again! Don't waste more time."

" Moyo, honestly its fine. It's been like this for a long time, it's simple the way things are. Life will become very complicated otherwise. Think about it? How drastically everyone's likes would change."

" Kura," Tomoyo too one of Sakura's hands in hers. "This is complicated, and can't you ever think about your own happiness for once?"

"I am happy! If anything this whole mess is making everything more miserable."

"I can see that it upsets you. But you wouldn't be so upset if you didn't care-nee? Your eyes still light up when you mention his name, despite any frowns or anything, your eyes refuse to lie. You've been happy. Happier than you have been in a long time. You may not have noticed it, but others have. There's more of a bounce in your steps, you look refreshed like the world isn't weighing you down. You look like you've been getting more sleep. You normally dress well, but lately its been even more eye catching. It's 15 years ago all over again!"

At this Sakura had to laugh. She didn't know who saw what in her bit she had bought quite the few new pairs of shoes this year and was still breaking them in. And refreshed? Ha she felt like the world and all the other planets in the solar system had jumped on her back. Not more sleep. She felt like she'd been getting less. Her job was time consuming and kept her up late too, as did her mind thinking about everything else.

And clothes, the only difference was she felt like wearing things for comfort. And really the past week she just took it for herself. In spite of everything she did feel more rested. What thought haunted her at night disappeared when she fell into deep long sleeps from pure exhaustion. The warmth of the sun helped her sleep. The darkness of night would come again and her nights would be cold and lonely.

She knew that Tomoyo mean well, but it's just something she couldn't go through with, not again.

"Things have kept us apart for so long, so if he hasn't learned the truth yet, then things weren't meant to workout that way."

Tomoyo sighed. Sakura was being as stubborn as ever. She gave up.

'We'll just have to see what fate has in store.'

Everyone was still gossiping about the Li news. The more mysterious things was that no one could still identify the woman who had helped things from going worse. Turns out she wasn't a reporter, at least not one that anyone knew of. Aside from media a few company representatives had been invited and accounted for.

The newest rumor flying was she was the Amamiya great-granddaughter, which would explain how she had gotten in. Especially since no one knew who she was or what she looked like.

Syaoran sat and pondered. This mystery frustrated him. He hated not knowing. He also hated feeling like he owed someone. First the mother of his daughters best friend and now this absolute stranger!

His eyes glanced at the newest tabloid heading. "Mystery woman—Amamiya great-graddaughter? - helps the Li's, motive?"

Intriguing. He'd dealt with the woman before. Quite the extraordinary business woman, but yet again she was another mystery. He had only met her once in person to sign a contract. Off the bat she impressed him. Not that he hadn't discussed matters with her though phone conferences, emails and documents. But in person he was blown away. She'd been rumored to have not have and any experience until recently. She carried herself as if she had been doing it all her life.

He guessed that she was about his age, but it was hard to tell, her hair pulled up and hidden beneath a large hat and large tinted sun glasses covering her face.

She was one smoking lady thought. She had the figure of a model, though a bit petite, she definitely still would be in on of those magazines of billboards.

Petite… her body size had made him think of Sakura.

According to Tomoyo, she was safe at home now. But he really wanted to talk to her. He felt that they needed to talk about their last night at the conference.

It haunted him. Send shivers down his spine that that all happened. Or had it been a dream? Memories of her feathered touch on his skin caused him to shiver again. He didn't blame her for leaving. He had been the one to wake first, he might have left too.

He wondered how his girls were doing. He didn't think he knew what Sachiko looked like… and because of all this stupid media he had Suki staying with Ms. Amamiya. Thankfully his mother was helping with everything with the council back home. Wait a minute… Amamiya… !

Could she be the Ms. Amamyia? Could this be why she was refusing to meet with him? He was now determined to test his theory. A plan formed in his mind.

The Amamiya home was a lot smaller than he had imagined or had been told. Quaint and normal, maybe he had been mistaken. There were a lot of families with the name Amamiya.

He must've looked like a stalker… he was standing across the street from the house. He sat back down on a bus stop bench. Shouldn't they be home by now? He began to worry that something may have happened. He shouldn't have because minutes later in the distance three figures appeared. One of a slim woman and at each side two shorter figures. They walked hand in hand laughing about something it seemed.

Then the woman started softly singing a song and the two girls joined in.

I want to call your name, forever.

And you will always answer, forever.

And both of us will be

Forever you and me

Forever and ever

I want to stay like this, forever

If only I could promise, forever

Then we could just be we

Forever you and me

Forever and ever

I wanna be with you, forever

I want you right here beside me, forever

One thing you should know

No matter where I go

We'll always be together

Forever and ever

(Portions of the song Forever and Ever –Winnie the Pooh's Most Grand Adventure)

The sight touched him. When he wasn't the crude cold business man he could be quite the softie, Suki had brought that out in him more as the years passed.

He wondered if there would be a day when he could see both girls happy like that with their mother. Real mother.

He wasn't planning on causing a scene or even approaching her. He just wanted to see for himself, the truth.

As they got closer the figure of the woman became clearer and clearer, almost familiar. So he had met this woman before. But where and who-

His eyes widened. This couldn't be possible.

"Daddy!" Suki cried and let go of the woman's hand.

Panic. Alarm bells cried as soon as Risa had let go of her hand. "Risa! Be careful!"

Risa ran dashing across the street, her eyes followed her running into her father's arms as he picked her up.

Their eyes met. Amber and Emerald.

His eyes were wide with surprise, and puzzled.

"Sakura…" it fell from his mouth like a ghostly whisper.

It sent chills up her spine, but it wouldn't unmask the expressionless face she put on.

This was too soon. He can't be here now what once was steady and stable began to shift and deform. Someone tipped the scale.

So many things wandered through his mind. So many questions, he didn't know where he wanted to begin. He had seen the panic and flash of surprise on her face, before her poker face appeared. Now he couldn't tell her thoughts,

She didn't look as surprised as he felt, and he knew he was showing it. Had she known?

He noticed how she tried to keep Kiri behind her as if protecting her, and then it struck him. Kiri? No… Sachiko was- oh this was becoming too much for him…

This whole time! They did look so much a like… all the pieces started to fit together.

She wasn't looking at him anymore.

"Were you ever going to tell me?" he said it with a partly accusing tone.

She said something to Kiri no, Sachiko, who hesitated then ran inside.

"There was never anything to tell," her voice as cool as ice.

He had long put Suki down.

"Suki," he started why don't you go join Kiri inside."

She listened and quickly ran in to find her friend.

"Did you think I'd never find out?" she winced, he was getting quite angry.

'Things were find the way they were."

"How could that have been fine! How could knowing that both your daughters were right in front of you the whole time bit thought they were only friends who even looked a like! How could I not notice," he finished quietly.

She could see him mulling over it. She didn't know what to do, part of her wanted to run to him the other part of her told her to run again, run to protect their children from the cruelness of reality all over again.

He was angry. Angry for being so blind and upset she never tried to tell him the many times that they had been in contact. He also felt saddened, and worried about her. She'd probably kept thus to herself for a long long time. He couldn't imagine dealing with it like that, and for so long. Heck he was having a hard time dealing with it now. He felt compelled to go over and hold her. He wanted to tell her everything would be okay, he couldn't imagine how she was feeling, but at the same time he knew now that they both knew the future was only foggy and full of uncertainty. He began to understand why she had kept it to herself.

"Sakura… I."

She finally looked at him again. Eyes watering, but shot him a look of hate and resent. It was the same look she had the day Eliza hat taken Suki away, however there was one small difference. Her eyes couldn't hide the tiny spark of hope they held.

She turned her head away again. "Today's not a good day Li. If you want to discuss this it'll have to wait. It takes a while for reality to set in."

She turned on her heel and quickly ran into her home.

"Mommy, I called Aunty Tomoyo."

Sakura looked up and saw the two girls standing together.

"Thank you," she smiled at them.

"Did you and Risa's Daddy have a fight?"

"No, we just had some things we needed to talk about."

"Where's my Daddy now?"

"He'll probably go home. He just wanted to check up on you." It wasn't a lie, she knew him enough to know a large percent of his reason for showing up here, risking everything just to see if she was fine.

Tomoyo suddenly came barging in.

"Eriol's with him," she stated.

She saw Sakura stiff as a board, looking like she'd pass out in a minute. She saw extremely worried and confused looks on the young innocent faces.

"Girls have you eaten yet?" Tomoyo asked. The shook their heads as a 'no'. Sakura seemed to snap out of her daze at this.

"I was going to make short bread cookies for snack time today wasn't I?" The girls noticed the change as if everything went back to normal and they grinned.

"Aunty Tomoyo will help. Why don't you girls go play upstairs until then."

"Okay!" they raced up the stairs giggling.

Tomoyo followed Sakura into the kitchen and watched her pull out the ingredients and start preparing.

She was worried. Very worried indeed. Especially when Sakura would do this particularly. Focus so hard on everything else and acted like everything was fine.

It scared everyone around her.

The worst probably would have been when Syaoran left.

Tomoyo watched in silence as Sakura mechanically mixed the ingredients.

Sakura finally paused as she took out the cookie cutters.

She sighed and pushed some of the cookie cutters towards Tomoyo.

Tomoyo knew what Sakura meant. She carefully picked out a butterfly as Sakura picked out a boat and the two started using them on the rolled out dough.

'Goodness, when was the last time they had done this together? Had they grown up so fast?' Tomoyo thought. 'We did this so often as kids. Weren't we 10 when I moved away?'

She glanced at Sakura's still emotionless expression. Her eyes expressed a dull green shade.

Sakura finally pulled out the last unused shape. A heart.

She pressed it into the flat dough and pulled it out but the dough was very sticky at this point so part of it stuck to the cutter and the dough shape ripped. Using a bit more flour she tried again. It also wouldn't work.

The more she tried to worse it got. Tomoyo could only watch wordlessly until she heard what sounded like a sob and a whimper.

She looked to her best friend, whose eyes were brimming with tears. A deeply heart broken expression on her face.

"Why won't it…?" she indicated to the cutter and the tears flowed.

Tomoyo took the cutter away and hugged her tightly.

"He knows…" Sakura uttered.

"I don't want to lose them. I can't lose them again." She was sobbing.

"So close, I don't want them to be torn apart. Why? Why did her have to find out?"

Tomoyo just say with Sakura in her arms, gently stroking her hair.

"Eriol, did you know?" Syaoran exclaimed as he saw both Eriol and Tomoyo jump out of a car, and Eriol approached him.

"Eriol nodded slightly."

"She told you? But she didn't try to let me know? And you didn't tell me?"

"She didn't tell me anything. Take it easy. I wasn't certain about my assumptions until now. I suspected it, but now this confirms it."

"All this time… How could I not see it?"

"Blind love?" Eriol commented. "You cared for both as if they were your own, which was probably also parental instinct as well. It won't change how much you stop loving the girls not that this has been revealed right?"

Syaoran nodded. Eriol was right, he still needed time to absorb it all. He thought back for a bit, there were so many hints, so many clues.

"Dammit" he cursed out loud 'Now what? Now what would they do?'

"Take some time to think," Eriol responded as if reading his mind. "Think about how this can work, think about what might or won't work, but don't forget to consider what you want too."

Syaoran grew still. Then he gazed up at his friend.

Eriol couldn't read his expression.

"Thing more? There's been nothing but thinking for the past 10 years! All the options all the possibilities, all thoughts on how to keep her – them safe. I don't want to do anymore thinking. I already know what I want. Who I need."

"Then can you consider that she may want to think more? That she has wants as well? They may not be the same as yours."

Syaoran nodded. Eriol could see something spark in his eyes. "I need her to know what I want. I need her to know the options. All I know is now that things have progressed in this direction and can't be left this way."

"Not now Syaoran," Eriol looked ready to tackle Syaoran if he tried to do anything. "Not today."

"Then when Eriol? In another 10 years?" he was ready to charge into her house. "Leave that to Tomoyo."

They were quiet.

"Let's go for now, Tomoyo will meet us later and we'll figure it out."

"Do the girls know?"

"Maybe, between themselves that is. They are best friends and twins afterall. After all these years they've known to call each other by their middle names when in front of you and Sakura, a little scary isn't it? Their poor teachers at school." He tried to joke.

Nothing seemed to be able to lighten the mood much.

"She's afraid to lose them," her voice spoke softly through the phone.

"And he's afraid to lose her again," he responded.

"She won't see him, not anytime too soon anyway. They seemed to have had quite a brief encounter before all this."

Eriol didn't feel too surprised.

"What do we do now Eriol?"

"For now, make sure the media doesn't get wind of anything. It would be disasterous."

"And about the Li family?" she added.

"Both he and his mother have more power and authority now. Especially now that he's done a lot for the company. Matters hopefully won't be so drastic. Sakura need not worry about both girls being taken from her.

He heard Tomoyo sigh in relief.

"And about-"

"They both have been working on the divorce papers."

Tomoyo sighed again in relief.

"It's just up to them now isn't it?"

It was Eriols turn to sigh.

Authors Note: Thanks for reading! PLEASE Read and Review! Well and that ends the entire drafted version that I had originally started writing summer 2007 then on and off until the end of summer 2009. Starting from this point on it's going to be fresh new material hopefully with the same vibe and direction from when I first started writing ASKoL

Thanks guys!

~Hime Kimiko~