It was silent as Fai made his way through the house, towards Kurogane's room. As he passed Syaoran's room, he quitely peeked in, just to make sure the brunette was okay. He was, sleeping silently, Mokona curled up next to him.

Syaoran was shifting in his sleep, whispering in his sleep. Part of Fai was curious to know what about, but he knew it was none of his business. If this had been a different Syaoran, in a different time, he might have listened. But things were different now.

Even though it had been a year, the house still felt so empty as he made his way through it. No bumbling, sweet, naive Sakura. No brave, determined, and strong Syaoran. Not the Syaoran he meant anyway.

He found Kurogane where he knew he'd be, sitting on his bed, waiting for him. Kurogane knew he'd come, and their eyes met.

Fai walked up to his bed, and stopped inches from it. They stared at each other, silent. The same pain was mirrored in each of their eyes. Finally, Fai couldn't hold it anymore, and he looked at the ground below his feet.

"It's been a year..." he said softly, and Kurogane nodded once, closing his eyes as he leaned against the wall. He exhaled loudly, then opened them again, looking at Fai, searching his face for the suffering he knew was there.

When he found it, he spoke. His voice was low and soft, and like Fai's, there was sadness. "We couldn't have done anything to stop them."

Fai nodded, but didn't respond to it. Instead, he gulped as he felt tiny tears trying to make their way past his eyes. His body shuddered as he tried to hold them back. The moonlight came through the window, catching his blond hair and making it shine.

"I miss them." he said, speaking abit louder now. "Sakura-chan...and Syaoran-kun."

Kurogane nodded. "Yeah." he responded, his voice honest, tinged with pain. "I miss them too."

Kurogane's addmission allowed Fai to stop holding back, and he began to cry, falling down onto the ninja's bed, sobbing into his hands, his knees curled up to his chest. Kurogane gently pulled him to his chest, hugging him tightly, trying to be strong. But the more Fai cryed, the harder it was for him not to join him.

Memories of their companions flashed through their eyes.

The day they met Syaoran in the rain, holding his princess. The sight of him in the rain, possibly crying. His determanation as he learned to fight with a sword. His smile as he slowly let himself open up. His innocent and open view of the world. The strength he possessed, physically and mentally. Behind the wheel of his hovercraft in piffle, beside his princess as long as he could. His worry and honest love of his friends. The years of life reflected in his eyes as he watched things happen around him. The day he went mad.

Sakura's naive and innocent attitude. Her cluelessness as they tried to explain things to her. Her determenation as she cooked and cleaned, and did all she could to be of any help. They way she understood everything, yet knew nothing. Her pain as she saw Syaoran alone in his own mind. Her hidden strength as she drove behind her hovercar, and her outer strenth as she drove through a monster infested Tokyo, all in the name of finding her one true love.

Kurogane and Fai had gone through many changes during their journey for the feathers, but their biggest change was not a physical one.

They had become parents.

And then, they had lost their children. In a sudden flash, quick and without warning. A tornado of blood, tears, anger, love, and friendship. And when the storm finally past, their children were gone, stolen by the wind, maybe never to return.

That's why they had to keep searching. They had to find away to bring their family back together. They still had the real Syaoran to worry about, of course, and he had become another of their children, but their family would not be complete until Sakura and Syaoran returned to them.

Returned to their father and mother.