I actually encourage you to read the small intro-note to avoid some shipping backlash.

Before Anyone Reads: This fic is heavy on Kurofay and Syaosaku subtext without blatantly stating it – basically I tease as much as canon. Granted, this fic is not romance-based, so every pairing is subjective. A person could read this fic and very easily ignore the Kurofay and Syaosaku; however, I assure you that any other interpretation of romance is probably because you are reading this fic with your shipping goggles on. The main relationship in this fic a Father/daughter bond.

Update: I edited the summary, realizing that I appeared to be shipping Kurogane with Sakura using creepy Daddy/daughter incest subtext. I apologize for that. I creeped myself out when I reread the summary myself.

Warnings: Spoilers, angst, con artist, blatant cameo appearances, crossover (sort of), Sakura with a water-gun, mild language.

oOo

The sky burst with fire and color; fireworks, the likes of which Kurogane had not seen since he left home, bloomed like fiery flowers: red, blue, purple, pink, and green, a bright and cheerful garden in the sky. The sparks were fleeting and beautiful. The streets were just as cheery as the skies. Rainbow colors lined the boardwalk with ballooned lights and streamers. Even the music was colorful and playful. Laughter filled the air; voices blended with the music, a symphony of greetings: "Hello, how are you?" "Want to watch the fireworks with me?" "What a beautiful day to celebrate!"

What they were celebrating was the anniversary of the last war. It was a wondrous day to be alive; at least that was what Kurogane was told the first day he arrived in this place called the Sank Kingdom, whatever that meant. Well, the ninja understood why the people would celebrate after suffering a war. However, he could not share in their excitement. The colors did not reach him in the dark apartment. He stared out the window with a fixed expression, neither longing nor envious. He frowned slightly when the noise carried through the glass paneling, muted and distant. They were not a part of this world, and he saw very little to celebrate.

Syaoran, Fay, and Mokona left to search for the feather's presence, leaving him with the princess. The arrangement was awkward and quiet without the others, though he doubted Syaoran or Fay could fill the empty space. Of the five, Mokona was the only one still willing to spread some cheer in the small group. Kurogane expressed his gratitude to the pork bun by not squishing it as much as usual. After all, few things kept them going, anymore. They were quite the morose bunch…

Fay used to cheer with the pork bun, a teasing duet. Instead, he haunted the group, a ghost of a person who acted all the motions of being human, smiling, making small talk, with none of the life. He held everyone two arm-lengths away while maintaining the presence of normality. He carefully avoided Kurogane…, until he forced the mage to acknowledge his existence. Fay saved all his bitter resentment for him. Well, at least he gave him something; lately the ninja felt like he had been giving everything into an endless void and receiving nothing in return.

Feeding and caring for the mage was a never-ending masochist tango. Fay loathed surviving from the ninja's blood. He expressed that much every damn night, glaring whenever he offered dinner. He sliced his own flesh for the man damn it, letting the blood pool on the floor, waiting for the other man to accept his offering. Behind closed doors, the newly realized vampire fed, pressing his lips lightly to the fresh wound. The process sounded more intimate than it was. All those nights with no one but each other, it was worse than being alone. At least when Kurogane was alone, he understood why he felt empty. Even as he felt the heat from the other's body, he was alone, like they were on different continents. Overall, he would rather receive a punch in the head. Just thinking about the mage was masochistic. He tried to sort their relationship into a neat little box, but it never fit neatly. Like a sword without its sheath, he just did not know where to put Fay. Taking a deep ragged breath, he tried not to think about him. Worrying about Fay was a commitment, and when he was not concerned with the mage, the others plagued his thoughts.

Syaoran's sense of guilt from being the replacement, or somehow being a part of their troubles, resulted in him acting overly polite and helpful; although his polite demeanor was distant, nothing like the other kid's eager politeness. He remained cold, only offering himself as a tool of convenience, perhaps fearing rejection. Guilt prevented him from forming attachments, almost as if he would rather be used than replace the original Syaoran. Around Kurogane, he remained quiet and contemplative, lost in his own world, never a bother when Kurogane wanted nothing more than to be bothered.

A dejected sigh sounded in the room. Sakura had such a light voice; however, she was heard clearly in the silent room, which had little else to fill the empty space. He watched her small form in the window's reflection, wilted and still, sitting on the couch. A long time ago, her smile would warm the very room. She could still smile, as precious as any doll, but just as cold. Whenever around Syaoran, she smiled as if to fool the world into believing she did not think about him, that she had no worries. Nothing could break the girl's mask, and nothing was sadder than a girl who could not cry, especially when the chore of holding back tears broke her from the inside out. She never let herself forget, though there was no one to blame, her failure to save Syaoran and Fay, and she never removed that rod in her ankle, bearing the pain that was only a fraction of the pain of loss. Sometimes, Kurogane believed she was adapting too much of the mage's bad habits. Her mask was too perfect and her smile too practiced to be sincere. Thankfully, she dropped all pretenses whenever she was alone with Kurogane.

He thought about Sakura and Fay and how disturbing it was when they were near each other. Perhaps he was imagining it, or he could have been paranoid, but he always swore they were plotting something. He always had the urge to restrain them physically from going into a room together. Fay hovered near her constantly, like a damn shadow, ready to fend off the littlest threat. He did not treat her like a daughter but like an antique vase that he needed to guard from the elements. In return, she accepted the role, almost as if she understood her purpose when Kurogane did not understand anything! This constant cycle of self-deprivation, withdrawal, and seclusion was wearing him thin! Every day was another excuse for them to hurt themselves, to deny themselves the basic human need to be happy. Weren't they allowed to feel human anymore?

Sakura sighed again, not noticing him turning around and walking to her. She wrung her hands rhythmically while deep green eyes gazed at nothing in particular. Her eyes have grown darker, Kurogane realized, not even sure, when he even noticed the color of her eyes to begin with.

Before Fay left that day, he gave Kurogane a look that clearly said, "Don't put her in harm's way," as if he would throw her into a crocodile pit the minute the mage left. Pfft, what did he know about harm? The idiot was hurting himself and everyone else within a five-meter radius. When did he get the final say when it came to the kids? He could not just call Kurogane, Daddy, one day, and treat him like a stranger the next!

"Do you feel like walking?" he asked. She startled and peered up at him, her eyes wide and innocent.

"I-I can walk, but didn't Fay…"

"I know what he said, but there's a fair right outside the window," and girls should be allowed to enjoy the fair, he added to himself, knowing that coddling her would only make her resist, a sure way to make them both feel uncomfortable. She always did reject special treatment, determined to carry her own weight, or what little weight she had. Even after all this time, he still could not believe how such a small thing had so much determination.

"I really wouldn't want to be a bother, and I don't think you will enjoy the fair," she said in a soft voice.

"I can't stand staying in one place. If I don't get out of here soon, I'll go crazy. Either you can come with me and make it easier, or you can stay here, and I'll have to worry about you," he said in an even tone.

"Well, if it will help, I will go," she said. For the briefest moment, a spark lit in her eyes, a smile trying to escape.

oOo

Kurogane almost regretted his decision while he walked along the bright stalls. It was as if someone threw a bunch of candy wrappers on the street, enough to blind him. Different foods, many he did not have a name for, wafted in the air, most of them fried in grease; the smell was so heavy. Before, he never realized exactly how annoying other people's voices could be, especially when they were competing over the noise. Nasally, ear grating, demanding voices called for people to try their merchandise, though the merchandise was well worth the hassle.

Although determined to remain stoic, he could barely contain his child-like glee as he looked at the high-tech babbles. For a man who grew up in rural times, technology fascinated him. Both Sakura and he watched several gear automated ferrets roll in a bin before moving onto the next high-tech oddity. He also had to stop at a motorcycle showing, just to salivate and wonder how much Tomoyo would appreciate him riding one of those in her palace… Hey, a man could dream! They even found an orb that caused Sakura's hair to stand on end; it did nothing to Kurogane's spiky hair, much to the sales-clerk's amusement. He supposed the fair was not that bad, and it was distracting enough.

Navigating through the crowd was as difficult as trying to suck an ice cube through a straw. Kurogane's robust form towered over most, and Sakura walked at a snails' pace, desperately trying to hide that she was favoring one leg over the other. However, she could not disguise it from Kurogane, not when he had her arm looped in his, and not when he felt her awkward gate as she shifted. She did not show any immediate distress; in fact, the girl had not looked livelier, so he did not worry about her pace. Moreover, he was reassured that he made the right decision.

"What's that game?" she asked. He followed her gaze over to a booth that had a shallow pool filled with goldfish. He wondered how many a person had to kill to get a prize. Sakura hobbled by the tank and bent to her knees to look at the aquatic creatures.

"Twenty credits a try. Fifty for five," called the tender in a throaty voice. He was small and bony with balding hair… Kurogane could take him down in one strike if need be, no threat to the princess.

"What do you have to do?" asked Sakura, her finger trailing across the water, baiting the little fish to nibble.

"Just catch them using a net." He pulled the aforementioned instrument from a bag. "Keep whatever you catch."

"That's not a net," Kurogane argued. He scrutinized the stick in his hand as if it personally insulted him. How could he expect Sakura to catch anything with that? The netting was as thin as paper and looked like it would dissolve in water. Hell, he could break the handle between his fingers. "What kind of game are you playing at?" he said in a gruff, growly voice.

"Excuse me?"

"That scrawny little net is not fit for fishing. How do you expect your customers to succeed in this game? If you were any type of honorable salesman you wouldn't stack the odds so heavily against the players…"

"Umm…Kurogane?"

"We might as well just give our money to you for all the good that stupid little net will do…"

"Kurogane?" Sakura insisted. He paused and looked at her. Her cheeks flushed, but she continued, "I-I don't think this is the right game for me." She tickled the dorsal fin of a speckled fish as she spoke.

They left the old man and his game. Gaping like one of his fish, the vendor watched Kurogane leave. The ninja threw him one last disapproving look. Hopefully, he would change his ways, and stop taking advantage of unsuspecting customers.

Sakura smiled as if she just heard a joke. "What would we do with a goldfish anyway?" she asked Kurogane. Remembering his persistence at the fishing booth and his senseless motivation, as they could not reasonable keep the prize, he felt a little sheepish. Sakura just smiled and gave him an endearing sideways glance, as if to tell him not to worry about it.

He was so caught up in his thoughts that he accidentally knocked some blond guy over. He did not even see him in his path. One minute he was looking at the princess and the next he was staring into the stranger's wide eyes. Well, at least his companion caught him before he fell. Kurogane fumbled for the words to say in this situation. Wasn't he supposed to make some sort of apologetic statement? All he could think about was that the idiot should have seen him coming.

"Sorry," Sakura and the blond man spoke simultaneously. Having the princess around meant never having to be polite. Remorsefully, he thought of other similar situations when Sakura and Syaoran had to make excuses for Fay and his behavior, almost as if they were the parents. At least some things never changed.

He steered Sakura away from the blond when he noticed him staring at her. Just that little attention compelled Kurogane to castrate something. In several worlds, the princess had drawn a lot of attention from males. They did not even know her. None of knew what she went through, how dedicated she was, or that she would brave a desolate landscape for the ones she loved. Looking at her broken form, Kurogane felt like she deserved a lot more than what fate gave her; all of them deserved a little reprieve.

Another young girl, with the same innocent look, caught his attention. She held a huge stuffed bear in her arms, the fluff brushing against her ecstatic face. She told the older boy (a brother?), "You didn't have to." Despite her insistence, she hugged the bear close to her chest as if it was a treasure. Then it occurred to him, girls liked cute things. For some reason, fluffy, small, and soft things like Mokona attracted girls. Even for a little bit, he wanted to see Sakura find some comfort in a soft, cuddly companion. Of course, he would never say those words aloud, but it was the thought that counted.

"There has to be a better game than that fish thing," he said. The ninja acted as though the thought merely crossed his mind. She did not need to know how much thought he gave to winning her a prize.

"What about that one?" she pointed to a booth where kids were shooting water guns at a meter. The meter filled up with water until one reached the top, and lights and whistles sounded above the contestants. The lucky boy grabbed his prize, a fluffy cat like creature with a mane. It looked cuddly enough. The ninja shrugged and followed the princess.

"Thirty credits a game," the man announced.

He gave the man sixty. Sakura had already perched on the stool and eyed the targets with enthusiasm. He grabbed the stool next to her and tested the weight of the gun in his hand. This thing was not supposed to be handled by a warrior. Plastic, breakable, and awkward, the gun could not withstand the strain of battle.

"Okay contestants," said the man with a yawn, "On the count of three the game begins." An electronic screen displayed symbols Kurogane did not recognize. Their in-universe translator was useless when it came to written language. That was why Fay could not read Kanji and Kurogane could not understand the nonsense notes Fay used to write to him. He figured though, that the number system would have two symbols before reaching the third number.

Both he and Sakura shot the targets. The princess's eyes focused and narrowed at the target, her gun held steadily in both hands, while Kurogane glared at his target, though what he was doing could barely constitute as concentrating. He cursed as the awkward arc of water decided to miss the target. The stream was not as solid as his blade, and he knew which one he preferred. The princess's meter climbed higher, dwarfing his. He gritted his teeth and reminded himself that he was not in direct competition with Sakura. However, he wanted to be the one who won the prize for her, just for once to feel as if he contributed something that did not result in a bloody mess, even something as small as a toy.

Higher and higher her meter rose. Only centimeters from the top, the lights went off to Kurogane's left. He snapped his head to look at the winner. The same kid who had won that stuffed cat smiled smugly at him, holding a new stuffed animal. It was then that the ninja noticed the heavy bag at the boy's side.

"Damn brat! What the hell do you need so many stuffed animals for?" he said, chastising the boy as if he committed a moral felony. The boy just stuck out his tongue and scampered away, rather quickly for a kid with such a heavy bag.

"That was fun, wasn't it?" Sakura spoke. She reminded him of the reason they were there. Unfortunately, his purpose was not to chase after pint-sized jerks and teach them some manners. The whole purpose for the expedition was to bring a smile to the princess's face, to let her forget all the crap that had happened. He nodded. Karma would catch up to that brat anyway.

They navigated away from the shooting booth, as Sakura wanted to try other games. Her eyes lit up at all the possibilities. A myriad of games littered the streets, but none of them looked compatible with a ninja, unfortunately. Kurogane consented to follow her and watch her compete. At least she enjoyed the games. The thought of winning a prize still niggled in the back of his head.

At one booth he watched, arms crossed, while Sakura rolled a ball on a board, trying to get the thing into one of the holes. The vendor called the game, "ski-ball." Her tongue stuck out in what must have been a concentrated expression. Her last ball sunk into a no-pointer, and she sighed.

"Here you go miss." The vendor dropped a small object into her hands, a consolation prize.

The princess bit her lip, holding the tiny object in her hand as if it was a spider, ready to bite her. Worried and curious, he peered over her soldier. Red eyes narrowed at the object, a small cat, no bigger than a bug, holding its paw up as if it had not a care in the world.

"A little kitty," she said, showing the cat trinket to the ninja. He was reminded of the person who originally gave her that nickname and could no longer look at the thing. Unable to respond, he snapped his head away so she could not see the pained expression. Holding the prize to her chest, she told Kurogane solemnly, "I'm done with games now." A sea of happy faces swam past them. Sakura and he stood out amongst the carefree crowd. Sakura practically shrunk into his shadow. He could feel as her thoughts and emotions withdraw inward, and he gritted his teeth when he realized he was partially to blame for her reaction. No words came to him. Every consolation he could think of died in his throat, leaving a scratchy irritating feeling.

Divine intervention came in the form of inappropriate bodily functions. Kurogane hid behind his collar as his stomach growled like a pack of wolves. In a crowd of a dozen people, every head turned in his direction, slightly stunned of the loud noise.

"Mommy that man growled at me" cried a kid, pulling on a woman's blouse. Stiffly and deftly, he twisted away from the crowd and ushered an amused Sakura with him. The kitten was pushed from their thoughts entirely. Sakura giggled as she followed Kurogane, her mirth bubbling up like a fountain.

She asked him jovially, "Should we get something to eat?"

He grunted.

She still smiled as she hobbled next to him. He stopped when he remembered her injured leg. Not meaning to be so careless, he silently cursed himself. When he noticed her confused expression, he set his hand on her bony shoulder, though the gesture was rather foreign.

"How about you take a seat," he suggested in a low voice, "While I get us some of that crap over there." He nodded towards a stand that sold food on a stick. It was probably fried in grease.

"Oh okay," she agreed, ignoring the 'crap' comment.

They found a bench to sit on. As Kurogane walked away, Sakura waved to him, swinging her feet slightly; she looked so young and innocent on the bench. Bright fireworks burst in the sky behind her, highlighting her form in bright crayon-colored light. He tried to ignore the irrational feeling that he was somehow abandoning her.

The line for the generic food was long and laborious. Kurogane's free hand habitually moved to his hip, where his sword would have been, while he listened to the man in front of him debate about the amount of ice cubes in his drink. He did not come from an era of shallow commercialism, so listening to this privileged man make a case out of two ice cubes grated on the ninja's last nerve. How many times did he pray the next world would have sanitary water – that they did not land in the middle of the ocean? By the time the man had left with his preferred number of ice cubes, a vein in Kurogane's head was throbbing.

"Are you okay sir?" questioned the woman, bypassing the obligatory, "Can I help you?"

He returned to Sakura's bench with four of the "Corndogs," the stupidest name for food ever. The woman insisted they were not really dogs, but she was oblivious to the actual nutritional content. However, she hesitantly assured him they were not poisonous.

Kurogane almost dropped the corndogs when he saw the man sitting next to Sakura, the stupid blond and his friend. Where was his sword, damn it! As he stalked towards the bench, he noticed little details, like the way she nodded intently as she listened to him and how he kept his hands away. His taller companion stood next to him like a silent sentry. He gripped the bench behind the blond, looking very intimate somehow without any contact.

As he neared the bench, an aura of irritation swirling around him, the taller stranger watched him. His expression was fixed and serious; how he could be so serious with that weird haircut, Kurogane did not know. He had long chestnut bangs that obscured half his face, so only one analytical green eye was visible.

Alternatively, the blond watched Kurogane with an open expression, but the ninja did not mistake his friendly disposition for naïveté. Behind those open blue eyes was the mind of a soldier, sharp and tactical; he was sure of that. Though he smiled openly at Kurogane, he was still calculating him in the same way the ninja calculated them. A soldier could always spot another; he could almost smell the residue of battle on the two men.

Sakura greeted, "Oh, Kurogane. Umm…this is Quatre and Trowa. We were just talking about his home. He's from outer-space." She pointed at the moon as she spoke. Kurogane nodded, trying to hide his shock; he did think that living in space was impressive, but he did not want to tell them that. He swallowed a few questions like, "How do you get up there?" and "What is it like?" He was not a child damn it!

"Well," said Quatre, "A lot of people live in space. It's a good time for Earthlings to visit. We're very lucky to live in these peaceful times when we can enjoy both space and Earth. Just two years ago, where we are now, it used to be a battlefield." Kurogane frowned at the odd way he delivered this information, as if he guessed Kurogane's thoughts. Why should he assume they were outsiders who did not even know about the country? He searched the blonde's expression for an ulterior motive but found none. He was open, friendly, and annoyingly non-confrontational.

Trowa watched Kurogane, as if waiting for him to draw a weapon. A dense shield surrounded the stoic man, keeping others from glimpsing into his mind. He tried to glare through that shield, but the green-eyed man was too heavily guarded.

"Trowa," spoke the blond, "I think we've intruded enough." He smiled as he laid his hand on the bench next to his, another strangely intimate action with no real contact. The brunet's softened expression confirmed what Kurogane already guessed.

"You're no bother," Sakura said, "I really liked our talk, and well…thank you." She looked at the object she was holding in her lap, a stuffed animal. The weird looking bear-like toy was a gold color with beady little eyes, a long tufty tail, and a pair of tiny wings on its back. Whoever made it must have torn the parts of various other stuffed animals to construct this chimera.

Quatre smiled brightly, a sunny sincere look that Kurogane wished Sakura could return.

"I hope you find what you're looking for," he told her before standing. Turning to Kurogane, and ignoring the piercing judgmental look, he added, "You too." The man was too stunned to answer. All he could do was watch as the blond walked away, his companion following him.

The brunet paused when he passed Kurogane. He stood in silent contemplation before turning around. When he spoke, it was with the air of a man who carefully chose each word, "Wherever you go from here, be careful you do not lose sight of what's important. Sometimes the things you think you can afford to lose are those you shouldn't." Kurogane's flesh prickled. He had no idea if Trowa was talking to him, Sakura, or giving general advice. However, when he left, the ninja relaxed. He felt as if the mysterious man could expose every single one of his vulnerabilities if he let his own guard down.

He watched the two leave side by side, one smiling and talking with the other brooding and nodding. An atmosphere of understanding and comfortable companionship surrounded them, something Kurogane envied. He wondered if they could ever reach that level again, the mage and him. Fay intruded in his thoughts, smiling that cold distant smile, and he had to suppress his churning emotions. Did Trowa somehow know about the man who had plagued his thoughts for months, or did he speak from personal experience? Furthermore, was Fay someone he could afford to lose? One look at Sakura, and he knew the same questions played in her mind.

He frowned as he sat next to her. "What did he tell you?" he questioned, not even attempting to hide his displeasure.

Sakura pet her stuffed animal as if it was real. Her eyes were disturbingly focused on the task. "He said he is an Empath, someone who could feel the pain of others." This world had people that could sense emotions? What was more unsettling was the aura of trust around the blond. Was that natural, or did he inspire a sense of trust with his ability? How many Empaths lived in this world, and did they all know his secrets?

"He sensed my pain," she continued, "So he sat with me, and we talked." Her quiet voice was all Kurogane could hear. The fireworks, the people, the music were static. Nothing but the girl sitting next to him was real.

"So that's why he pestered you?"

She smiled dully. "Yes, he asked me a few questions, but he told me about himself too. He knew immediately that I was different," she said the last part with a hollow tone. Kurogane felt as if she was struggling with a secret.

"What did he say to you?" he asked between clenched teeth. If he said anything to upset the princess, he was going on a hunt. Absently, he took a bite from a corndog, tearing at the dough and meat with a little more hostility than necessary.

"He didn't say anything bad. I was the one who…," she paused again, holding the last thought back. "Quatre wanted to know why I felt so alone." Her voice hitched, sounding like a wounded animal. "But I did not tell him. I couldn't. So we talked about other things, like outer space and family. Then he gave me this bear." She paused, looking at Kurogane, silently asking him if he wanted to know the rest.

"How do you feel?" he asked her. The words slipped without his permission. Coming from someone like him, he thought it sounded insincere

"I don't know," Sakura admitted. "That is why I am confused. He told me that all I needed to do was follow my emotions, but I don't know what I feel."

"I take it, you haven't been feeling as well as you like to pretend," he said in a hoarse voice. She shook her head.

"I had nightmares," she said with a whimper, almost like she was five and he was her father. He felt a small bit of solemn pride that Sakura was comfortable enough to express this vulnerability to him, that she did not feel the need to protect him like with Fay.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No."

Kurogane dropped the food on the bench, his appetite lost. What a rollercoaster of a ride this evening was, too many up and downs for his liking. Now, he felt as if he was stuck, trapped on the precipice of something important, and he did not know how to tip the cart.

"I think," she said, the bear clutched securely to her chest, "I know what he meant; I'm just scared of the truth." This time, Kurogane wrapped his arm around her, and it felt natural to comfort her. As she leaned into him, her head resting in the crook of his arm, he felt her warmth and comfort as well. The stuffed bear squished between them. Perhaps he could not win her a stuffed animal that night or keep the nightmares away, but he could always give her this moment of security. They were both lonely; they could share that at least. Sometimes, even in a crowd, he felt alone, even when two people were in the same room together.

"Kurogane?"

"Hm?" he huffed a reply. He felt her feathery light hair glide against his chin as she lifted her face.

"Thank you for tonight and for this," she said, holding onto him as he held onto her. She ducked her head again, almost childishly so, as a pink blush spread against her cheeks. "You may be a little gruff, but on the inside you're as soft as a bear…. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone your secret." As she said that, Kurogane thought that he did not care so much about his manly pride as he used to.

The fair was as fleeting and opulent as the fireworks that burst in the sky. That night they returned to their dank apartment moments after the others. Fay immediately hustled Sakura to her room like an overworked nanny, disapproval swirling around him. Syaoran withdrew into his room, as if he was grounded, leaving Kurogane with Mokona. Even her cheery voice wilted under the dark depression. The cycle of self-deprivation continued as later that night Kurogane fed a reluctant Fay underneath a starless night. He was still alone, alone together with everyone else. The fireworks left, leaving a phantom-like afterimage in the sky.

oOo

Note:

I really tried to end this story on a happier note, but I think I might have been fighting a losing battle once I decided upon the timeline of this fic. So much depression! Well, the main point of the story was just for a small Father/Daughter reprieve. I did not plan to punch readers in the gut with the ending. Really.

I could not resist the cameo appearance of my longest lasting OTP, Trowa/Quatre. If anyone is familiar with Gundam Wing, they would probably have guessed this took place two years after the series and a year after Endless Waltz, making them 17-18. Anyway, the cameo was supposed to be smaller, but I could not resist expanding their parts. Although, Quatre's advice for Sakura to follow her emotions was good…this eventually leads to her sacrifice, so I was hesitant about their morbid/friendly conversation. Since it was originally Heero's advice that he received from Odin Lowe, we can blame Odin – since he is a dead minor character and not my favorite.