Friday July 28 10:21am Hong Kong time
Waiting in the airport for their flight, Tomoyo again thought about her new life as Sakura's bodyguard. "I remember how hard and painful it was in ninth grade when I saw Sakura at school every day and I longed to confess to her. But now when I think about the fact that I will be living with her all the time, I can feel nothing but joy. I don't understand why everything is SO different now... But what about my plan to have her marry a suitable boy? How can she date when I have to stay close to her? I wonder... Maybe Sakura will let me use Illusion to make myself invisible like she did that one time. Yes! That might actually work. Then she should be able to find a boy she is likes. But will she agree to such a plan? Of course! Once she finds a boy she is really interested in, she won't want me to interfere with her dating him, so she should agree with no trouble." This thought satisfied Tomoyo for the moment.
Kero was riding on Sakura's lap as a stuffed animal and as usual he wouldn't hold still and keep quiet. The lady on the aisle side of Sakura commented several times on what a wonderful little robot bear Sakura had.
They were less than half way to Tokyo and Tomoyo was wondering if she should let Sakura keep holding her hand when she remembered that she had flown this same trip with her own wings. "Now this is the way to fly! In an airplane! Warm, comfortable and so much faster!" This brought a grin and a chuckle which she then had to explain to Sakura. And she forgot about the fact that Sakura was still holding her hand for the rest of the trip.
"My mom and Sakura's dad are going to have to be informed and understand the situation so they will allow us to stay together at all times. Of course mom wouldn't complain a bit if I told her I wanted to live with Sakura. Oh I forgot, school! She isn't going to want me to transfer to Sakura's school. So she is going to have to know."
While her bodyguards were picking up her baggage, Tomoyo called and left a message on her mom's private voice mail, that she had arrived safely and would be going directly to Sakura's house.
xxxx
When they arrived at Sakura's, Tomoyo had her body guards carry her bags in and put them in Sakura's room. "But what if my dad says you can't stay over?" Sakura wanted to know.
"We will stay together no matter what. And I doubt that your dad will mind. He seems quite fond of me."
Fujitaka was delighted to see his daughter of course but he did indeed seem very pleased to see Tomoyo with her. Touya was there as well, to welcome "the monster" home, but he seemed so honestly pleased to see his little sister that Sakura didn't even yell at him. And it seemed that neither of them had remembered their little agreement.
There was one thing Sakura wanted to make sure of before she forgot. "Would it be all right if Tomoyo-chan stayed here tonight?"
"Of course, she is always welcome in our house. But Tomoyo-san, won't your mother want you see you tonight?"
"I'm sure she will, but she always works very late on Fridays and I really want to spend time with Sakura."
"All true." Tomoyo thought to herself.
As Sakura was telling her dad and brother about what she had done in Hong Kong, minus all the Magical stuff, including some of what she had already told her dad on the phone, she remembered something. "Syaoran took me out to a real expensive restaurant Saturday night. And he asked me to marry him."
"NO! Don't you dare!" Touya said angrily.
"You are rather young to be thinking about getting married, Sakura-san." Her dad quietly added with a worried look.
"Well anyway, I turned him down. I decided I like him, but I don't really love him, and I don't want to spend my life with him." Sakura finished as she glanced at Tomoyo, who was just sitting there with her usual little smile.
"Well! That's a relief!" Touya said as he relaxed back on the sofa.
Shortly after a wonderful dinner that everyone helped cook, Tomoyo's cell rang. "Yes mom, everything is fine. I know you are busy so I will tell you all about it tomorrow, however I want to stay here with Sakura tonight, if that would be okay?" Sonomi was obviously delighted at this news and was happy to let Tomoyo go without further explanation.
xxxx
Tomoyo had assumed without thinking that they would sleep in Sakura's bed as they always had. But when they went in to go to bed, she realized it was a single bed. This hadn't been a problem when they were little kids but they had gown some since they were eleven. "I could sleep on the floor." Tomoyo offered.
"No!" Sakura answered with surprising firmness. "I will lay back against the wall which will leave plenty of room for you."
As Tomoyo got in under the covers she again remembered that she needed to keep more space between Sakura and herself. "But I suppose that won't be practical tonight." she relented with a warm happy feeling. Then, right after Sakura set Shield she snuggled up to Tomoyo's back and put her arm around her. "I should tell her not to do that, but I really don't feel like bothering. And it feels so very warm and good."
Too good perhaps, as Tomoyo couldn't seem to get to sleep. After a half hour or so she rolled over which forced Sakura to let go of her and backup against the wall. But then when she got tired of laying on that side and rolled back away from Sakura the Cardmistress went right back against her back and held her again. "This is too much. She is driving me crazy!"
"Sakura? I know you are awake. You really shouldn't be holding me like this."
"Just a moment... There is something I need to say... And I need to say it now. Remember last Sunday when I called, I said there was something I wanted to talk to you about? Well, I'm finally ready. Once I've said it, I'll let you go." Tomoyo was surprised and worried at the intensity in her Sakura-chan's voice.
"So what is it that you have to say?"
"I have been thinking a lot since that Evil Card attacked me. There really are things out there that want to kill me."
"Finally, it dawns on her that she is really in danger!" Tomoyo nods to herself.
"And one of these days they may do it. So anyway, there is something you need to know. Before I'm gone." Sakura now had Tomoyo's undivided attention and she was just about to assure the Cardmistress that she would protect her, when Sakura continued. "I am in love with you!"