oOoOo

The next morning, Syaoran and Kurogane told the others about their encounter with the Lost and Found Lady. They neglected to mention the fight they had gotten into on the way there. They didn't want to upset Sakura.

"We're supposed to meet her at the park this afternoon," explained Syaoran.

"That's excellent news! Perhaps we can pack up our things this morning and be able to continue on our journey today," Fai suggested. He was feeling a little too comfortable in this world, with all of them living together like a family. It was all too easy to forget that they were on a quest, and had a long way to go. Fai felt the longer they put off leaving, the harder it would be to move on. "Why don't I get some breakfast ready, and then we can get started?" As he stood up from the bed, his head spun, and he stumbled forward.

"Hey," grunted Kurogane as he caught Fai before he fell to the floor.

"I'm sorry," apologized Fai, as he tried to regain his balance. "I guess I must still be a bit sleepy."

Kurogane felt Fai's forehead. "Your fever's back up, you idiot. I knew you've been trying to do too much lately. Get back in bed before you fall over again."

Fai sat back down on the bed. "Maybe I just need a little more rest. I'm sure I will be fine by this afternoon."

"You're not going anywhere any time soon," objected Kurogane. "Now lie down and shut up."

"But I…," Fai began to argue.

"Why don't I make breakfast, and we can worry about all that later?" interrupted Sakura, trying to avoid a confrontation. "We have plenty of time. We don't need to leave right away. It's more important that you get healthy first, Fai."

Disappointed, Fai nodded in agreement. He certainly didn't want to argue with Sakura. He lay back down on the bed. Perhaps he could convince them that he was feeling better later.

Fai ate some breakfast, and then fell back asleep. While he was sleeping, the others discussed the plans for the afternoon.

"Well," began Syaoran, "obviously Sakura will need to go, as well as Mokona to make sure we have no language barrier. Though I think the park is close enough to the apartment, it's best to be certain. I would like to go myself, to ensure Sakura's safety. I know the old woman said she would be willing to give the feather back to Sakura, but I hope she doesn't change her mind. Those feathers are pretty powerful, and others have had trouble relinquishing them in the past."

"I think with the both of us there, it would be hard for her to refuse," commented Kurogane.

"What about Fai? Will he be okay alone?" asked Sakura.

Kurogane glanced over at the sleeping mage. "I think so," he said. "If we can convince the moron not to follow us or do anything else stupid. We shouldn't be gone very long. I'll talk to him before we go and make sure he promises to stay put."

Fai woke up just after lunch, as they were getting ready to leave. "That was such a refreshing nap," he announced, stretching his arms out. "I am feeling much better now. Let me just go freshen up in the bathroom, and I will be ready to go along with you." He stood up from the bed, grasping the headboard to steady himself.

"You're not fooling anyone, you know. You look like death warmed over. Now get back in bed before I put you there," Kurogane threatened.

"But I have to go," insisted Fai. "I have to the thank the Lost and Found Lady for saving me." He started to make his way to the bathroom.

"I said get back in bed," ordered Kurogane as he blocked Fai's path. "We won't be gone long, just stay here and rest. We'll be back before you know it."

"But I want to go. I want to be of help to you all," Fai persisted stubbornly.

"What help are you going to be if you can't even stand up straight?" commented Kurogane noticing the mage's shaky stance.

"I'm going with you!" Fai grasped the front of Kurogane's shirt and looked up at him, pleadingly. "I don't want to stay here!"

Kurogane looked down at the nearly hysterical mage and then glanced over at Sakura and Syaoran, who stood waiting by the door. "Could you two take Mokona and go wait in the hall? I'll be right there." The pair nodded and stepped out into the hallway, closing the door behind them.

Kurogane turned his attention back to Fai, who had started to babble again.

"I'm fine, I promise. I don't want to wait. I want to go with you. What if something happens? What if Sakura absorbs the feather, and Mokona transports you all? I don't want to be left behind! I want to stay with you!"

By now, Fai had worked himself into a panic. Kurogane wasn't sure how to make him calm down. He thought of slapping him, but it didn't seem right to slap a sick man. Before he realized what he was doing, he grabbed Fai by the shoulders, and pressed their lips together. This unforeseen act shocked the mage into silence and he stopped shaking.

When Kurogane finally released him, Fai stood wide eyed in a daze. "Are you calmed down now and ready to listen to me?" he asked.

"Uh huh," replied Fai, nodding slightly as he stared at Kurogane.

"I am not going to leave this world without you. Do you understand that?" he asked.

"Uh huh," Fai repeated, still stunned.

"So you are going to wait here patiently until we return, right?"

"Uh huh," was all he could say.

"And you're not going to do anything stupid like try to follow us?"

"Nuh uh," Fai managed to utter, allowing Kurogane to lie him back down in bed and cover him up.

"I promise I will return," said Kurogane. "So you promise you will wait for me, okay?" Fai nodded, still staring at the stern ninja. "Alright then. We'll be back soon. You get some rest." He turned and walked to the door. Fai touched his lips as he watched Kurogane leave. He closed his eyes, and a small smile appeared on his now peaceful face.

After stepping into the hall, Kurogane closed the door behind him, and leaned heavily against it. 'What the hell was that?!' he thought to himself. He looked up and saw Sakura and Syaoran staring at him.

"Is everything okay?" asked Syaoran. "You look a little unsettled."

"Oh…uh…yeah, everything's fine," Kurogane stammered. "He'll wait here for us. Let's get going." Syaoran and Sakura looked at each other, confused, and then quickly followed after Kurogane who had already headed down the hall.

oOoOo

They arrived at the park early. They wanted to be sure they didn't miss the Lost and Found Lady. She was not there, so they sat down on the grass near the bushes to wait for her. An hour later, she had still not shown.

"Damn woman! Where the hell is she?" spat Kurogane. He was worried that if they were gone too long, Fai would break his promise and come out looking for them.

"It's okay, I'm sure she will be here soon," soothed Sakura. "She'll keep her promise."

"She'd better!" Kurogane grumbled, crossing his arms in front of himself and scowling. Then he thought about what Fai had said earlier. He may have been frantic, but he did have a point. "When she gets here, and we get the feather back, Sakura should be careful not to touch it yet," he warned. "We don't need her passing out in the park or setting Mokona off, sending us to some other world. It wouldn't be the first time that pork bun has taken off before we're ready."

"I understand. I'll be cautious. But how am I supposed to take the feather back, if I can't touch it?" asked Sakura.

"I don't know. We'll work something out," said Kurogane. "Maybe the old woman will let Syaoran take it if you ask him to."

"Look!" Syaoran called out. "Here she comes now!" He pointed off down the path, where, sure enough, the old woman was shuffling toward them pushing her baby carriage.

"Well, it's about time!" said Kurogane, gruffly, when she finally reached them.

"Mind your manners young man," the old woman rebuked. "I am doing you a favor remember."

"Yes, of course you are!" said Syaoran, jumping in the smooth things over. "And we are very grateful to you. This is Sakura," he said, pulling the princess forward and introducing her to the old woman. "The feather you found belongs to her."

The Lost and Found Lady stepped forward and looked Sakura up and down. Sakura just stood there, speechless, not knowing what to make of this strange woman. The old lady walked around Sakura, as if to look at her from every angle. When she had finished her examination, she stood back and nodded. "Well, you are absolutely correct. This does indeed seem to be the owner of the feather," the old woman pronounced.

Sakura released the breath she had been holding and smiled with relief. "Thank you so much for finding it for me," she said, bowing in gratitude.

"I'm glad to see that some of you are courteous and respectful," said the old woman as she stared pointedly at Kurogane.

"Humph," grunted Kurogane, turning away from her accusing glare. "Can we just get on with this? We've left someone waiting for us."

"Would that be the precious thing you picked up the other day?" she asked knowingly. Kurogane became flustered, but before he could reply, she continued. "That reminds me, he left something behind." She went to her carriage and began rummaging through it. "I don't usually give things to people they don't belong to, but in this one case, I will make an exception. Since he seems to trust you with his life, I think he will trust you with this. Here." She held out something to Kurogane, and he took it.

Kurogane looked at the doorknob in is hand and said, "What the hell is this?"

"It's his precious thing of course! Now stop using crude language, and put that away somewhere safe. Make sure you give it to him," she ordered.

"Yeah, whatever," he said as he slipped it into his pocket. "Now can we have the feather?" he asked. "Please," he added to appease her.

"Since you asked so nicely," she said, turning back to her carriage, she pulled out a cigar box. She placed her hand on the lid and stared at the box for a moment. "It seems like I've had this forever. I almost hate to part with it." Both Syaoran and Kurogane tensed up upon hearing this comment. "But, however precious it is to me, it is infinitely more precious to you," she said, looking at Sakura with a wistful expression on her face. She lifted the latch and opened the box, holding it out to Sakura.

The feather glowed warmly in the shallow wooden box. Sakura was drawn to it, and reached out instinctively.

"Sakura!" both Syaoran and Kurogane cried in unison as they reached for the box to try and stop her. Between their shouts and Mokona's reaction coming from the bag she carried, Sakura snapped back to her senses and withdrew her hand.

"Is there a problem?" asked the old woman.

"No, no problem," assured Syaoran as he gently closed the box in the old woman's hands. "It's just that she shouldn't touch it yet. The timing's not right," he explained.

"Oh, I understand," she nodded, remembering her own reluctance to touch the powerful object. "Then in that case, I guess you can have the box as well. It used to be a regular old cigar box, but somehow it seems to have become something more. It has been keeping the feather safe for a long time." She looked down at the box, and then taking a deep breath, handed it toward Sakura.

Sakura reached out and took the box from the Lost and Found Lady. She clutched the box to her chest and bowed once again. "Thank you for returning my feather to me. It is indeed very precious."

"Glad I could be of service. Now, as for my payment…" the old woman inspected the three of them, looking for anything that might be of use to her. "Ah, that bag there would do nicely," she said pointing to the bag that hung over Sakura's shoulder. Inside it, Mokona had been doing its best to remain quiet all this time.

"What? This bag?" asked Sakura, suddenly alarmed, afraid that Mokona would be discovered. "It's really not worth very much. Are you sure you wouldn't rather have something else?" Sakura looked around frantically trying to think of something else to offer the old woman.

"No, I quite like that bag. It will come in handy I think," she responded, holding out her hand to receive her payment.

"It's just that.. I…well," Sakura hesitated, trying to think of what to do.

"Maybe you can carry your pet rabbit in your arms for awhile," Syaoran suggested. "I'm sure it would appreciate getting out of that stuffy bag for a bit."

"My pet rabbit?" Sakura repeated, looking at Syaoran, a bit confused. "Oh! My pet rabbit! Of course!" she cried, catching on. She set the bag down on the ground and gently lifted Mokona out of it. "I just hope it stays quiet and doesn't cause any trouble while we are out. If it is well behaved, I will give it a delicious treat when we get home." At this, Mokona perked up, but obediently remained silent.

"That is a very unusual rabbit you have there," noted the old woman.

"Oh yes," Sakura replied, doing her best to hide Mokona in her arms. "It's a rare breed. It's very shy."

Syaoran quickly picked up the now empty bag and handed it to the Lost and Found Lady, stepping in front of Sakura to block the view of Mokona. "Here is your reward. Thank you again for finding and returning the feather. We don't want to keep you any longer. We know how busy you are."

"That's right. I am busy," she said, as though she just remembered. "I have lots to get done today. No time to linger here any longer. Must be going now. Goodbye." She grabbed the handle of the carriage and started to push it away. She hadn't gotten very far when she turned and pointed a finger at Kurogane. "And you. Make sure you give him that precious item."

"I said I would, didn't I?" Kurogane replied, perturbed. Satisfied, the old woman continued on her way.

oOoOo

All the way back to the apartment, Kurogane seemed to be a few paces ahead of the others, as though he were in a hurry. He was the first to reach the door. After he had unlocked it and stepped inside, he quickly surveyed the room. Fai's bed stood empty and unmade. The room was vacant.

"That son of a bit…!" Before he could finish his expletive, Kurogane heard the toilet flush, and water running in the bathroom. He breathed a sigh of relief as Syaoran and Sakura rushed in behind him.

"What's the matter? Is something wrong?" asked Sakura worriedly.

"No, nothing. Everything's fine," said Kurogane as he slipped off his boots and hung up his cloak. He had to stop overreacting like that. He found it annoying.

"Welcome back," said Fai, stepping out of the bathroom. "Did everything go well?"

"Yes, we got the feather back," said Sakura cheerfully holding up the box.

"That's wonderful, we will be able to move on now," replied Fai.

"Not until you're healthy," insisted Sakura. "How are you feeling now? You look a little pale. Make sure you eat sometime today." She glanced over at Kurogane who looked away in discomfort.

"Don't worry, I will," Fai said with a smile. "I am feeling much better than this morning already. Maybe we can even leave tomorrow."

"No, that's too soon. You have to feel 100% better," Sakura persisted.

"She's right," agreed Syaoran. "What if we end up in the middle of a battle again, like we did in Shura? You could put us all at risk. All three of us need to protect Sakura if she is sleeping when we travel."

Fai frowned. "I suppose you have a point," he reluctantly admitted.

"Now come back to bed and I'll make you some tea." Sakura took him by the arm and led him back over to the bed.

"Mokona wants a delicious treat too," it squealed, bouncing around the room. "Sakura promised! Mokona was good!"

"Oh, that's right," she said, remembering her promise. "Do we have anything here?" she wondered aloud.

"How about I take care of the invalid, and you three go out to the bakery to get something to satisfy that fuzz ball?" offered Kurogane.

"That's a great idea," agreed Sakura knowing that it would give Fai a chance to feed. She knew they felt uncomfortable doing it while she was around. "Oh, but how are we going to carry Mokona? We don't have the bag any more?"

"Mokona can ride in Syaoran's hood," Kurogane suggested. "It had no trouble hiding in there last night."

"That sounds good. Okay, let's go before it gets too late," said Syaoran putting his cloak back on and allowing Mokona to jump into the hood. The three of them headed out the door together.

Once they had left, Kurogane turned to Fai. "And now for you," he said. "You need to eat."

"If you insist," said Fai with a smile, moving over on the bed to make room for Kurogane.

Kurogane rolled his eyes, but still joined him on the bed.

"Ow!" he said as he sat down.

"Are you okay? What's the matter?" asked Fai, placing a concerned hand on Kurogane's arm.

"It's nothing," he assured him. "Just something in my pocket." He stood back up, and reached in his pocket to pull it out. "Oh yeah, this thing," he said, holding it out to Fai. "The Lost and Found Lady gave it to me to give to you. She said it was your precious item or some such nonsense."

Fai took the doorknob in his hand and smiled. "She's right," he confirmed. "It is precious to me. It's what brought me back."

"Huh?" questioned Kurogane.

"Never mind," said Fai. "Come, sit down," he offered, patting the bed beside him.

"Fine, whatever," Kurogane said, and sat down to begin the feeding.

When Fai had finished, Kurogane remained lying on the bed next to him. He was too relaxed and didn't want to move. He had nearly drifted off to sleep when Fai spoke.

"Kurogane?"

"Hmmm," he mumbled in reply.

"About earlier…why did you do that?" Fai asked.

"Do what?"

"You know, that. What you did before you left for the park," Fai clarified.

"Oh, that!" said Kurogane, suddenly wide awake. "I was just…just trying to shut you up." he explained.

"Oh, I see," said Fai, a little disappointed. "Was that all?"

"Yeah, that was all. You were hysterical, and I didn't want to slap you. I couldn't think of anything else to do. It was the first thing that came to mind," said Kurogane, trying to rationalize his behavior.

"The first thing, huh?" Fai said with a sly grin. "In any case, whatever the reason, it made me happy," admitted Fai. "that you would go to such lengths for me." He rolled over, curling up next to Kurogane.

"Yeah, well, don't let it go to your head," Kurogane warned. As he slipped back into a relaxed, comfortable state, he hoped the kids would take a long time at the bakery.

oOoOo

It was another week before the others deemed Fai fit to travel. They thought the apartment would be a bit cramped for Mokona's magic circle, so they decided to leave from the park early in the morning before anyone would be around. They packed up the night before, and left the apartment just before sunrise.

"I'm going to miss this place a little," Fai admitted as they closed the door behind them for the last time. "It seems we've been here for so long, but I guess it's time we were on our way."

They got to the park just as the sun was peeking over the horizon. The air was chilly and the grass was wet with dew. There appeared to be no one around. Fai held the cigar box. He lifted the lid and revealed the feather. Mokona's eyes got wide, and Sakura reached out to take the feather. Before she could touch it, however, they heard someone calling out to them.

"Hey…Stop…Wait!"

They all looked in the direction of the voice and saw the Lost and Found Lady hobbling toward them, breathing heavily. They noticed that she was without her carriage. She only carried Mokona's bag, slung over her shoulder.

"I'm so glad I found you in time," panted the old woman, trying to catch her breath. "I have had a devil of a time finding anything this past week. I seem to have lost the knack. This bag has been useful though. I don't have nearly as much to cart around lately. Saves me the trouble of pushing that cumbersome carriage." Despite her words, she seemed a little saddened by the situation. "I see that you have recovered nicely," she said, addressing Fai.

"Yes, I have. Thank you so much for taking care of me." Fai bowed down, taking the old woman's hand and placing a gentle kiss upon it. "I will be forever grateful for all that you have done for me."

The old woman blushed at his graciousness and pulled her hand away, holding it to her chest, and protectively covering it with her other hand. "And did that lout return your precious item like I asked him to?"

"Yes, he did. Thank you," said Fai. "Despite his appearance, he is quite reliable."

"Hey!" protested Kurogane.

"I am pleased to see that you are feeling better," the old woman said, ignoring Kurogane, "but you are still missing something important to you."

"I am?" questioned Fai, glancing around at all of his companions. Everyone seemed to be there. He couldn't think of what might be missing.

The old woman reached up and touched his eye patch. "This, and the person who has it are important, aren't they?" She drew her hand away.

Fai reached up and touched the patch as well. He supposed she was right. They were important, and they were missing.

"I can help you find them," the old woman said. "I think I have just enough power left." She reached into the bag and pulled out her date book and the pencil stub. Flipping to the back of the book, she scribbled something down, tore out the page and handed it to Fai.

Fai looked at the paper in his hand, but it just seemed to be covered in incomprehensible squiggles. Nevertheless, he looked back to the old woman and smiled. "Thank you very much. What do I owe you?"

"Nothing, just think of it as an added service for a valued customer," she replied.

"Thank you. You have been very kind to us." Fai realized he was still holding the box with the feather in it. "We should probably continue on our journey now. Will you be alright?" Fai asked with concern. It seemed as though she had been using the power of the feather to get by. He wasn't sure what she would do without it.

"Oh, don't you worry about me," she said, dismissing his apprehension. "I got along quite well before I ever found that feather. I'm sure I can live on without it. I do have a favor to ask, however. I would like to see you off if I may. I suspect this will be quite a sight. I don't think I will be experiencing much magic in this world any more."

"Of course," Fai answered. "We would be honored."

With this, he once again held the box out to Sakura. The feather glowed brighter as she reached for it. The moment she touched it, it began to float toward her. As it sank into her chest, she fell into a deep sleep. Syaoran caught her collapsing body before she fell to the ground.

"Time to go!" announced Mokona, no longer bothering to hide from the old woman. As it floated upwards, wings sprang from its back and a magic circle formed beneath it. Mokona opened its mouth wide, and a strong breeze began to blow around them. The paper Fai held in his hand began to flutter wildly and then escaped from his grasp to be sucked into Mokona's gaping maw. Not wanting to lose anything else, Fai grabbed his companions and huddled them together so they would not be separated.

"Good bye!" he called above the roar of the wind. "And thank you again, for everything."

The Lost and Found Lady stepped backward, in awe of the magnificent spectacle before her. She watched in amazement as the travelers disappeared into the swirling whirlwind. A moment later they were gone, and everything was back to normal. The sun had risen high enough to cast an orange-yellow glow over the sky. The glorious sunrise warmed her heart. Perhaps there was still magic in this world after all. Glancing down, where the travelers had stood only moments before, the old woman noticed something on the ground. It was the cigar box. She bent down and picked it up. Though it was now empty, something about it still seemed special. The inside still emanated a soft glow, and it was warm to the touch.

"Perhaps my gift is not lost after all," she said with a smile. She slipped the box into her bag, and ambled off to begin her day.

oOoOo

A/N: There, it's finally done. I can stop feeling guilty about not finishing it. What a relief! I can't believe it took me almost a year. I never expected it to go on this long. I hope this chapter was worth the wait. It was the longest and even had a kiss. :) I apologize to anyone who may have been expecting more from them, but this was not that kind of story. (Is that a doorknob in your pocket, or are you just glad to see me?) Thank you all for bearing with me and reading this story through to the end. Reviews still make me happy, even though it's over.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Tsubasa characters. They're all Clamp's.