(A/N: I realize I've forgotten disclaimers all along. Oh well. You guys know I don't own CCS anyway, right? Otherwise I wouldn't be writing fanfiction...

My sincere thanks to thEy CaLl Me BeAuTiFul, kpopisawesome, JessMess, SakuSyaoLvr, animebookfreak12, Aizawa Li Syaoran Vessalius, MapleDumplings, mochiusagi, Belle Melodie, Rampant Poultry, and a very kind Anonymous user. Reviews really do keep me going, as they do most authors. Thank you so very much for supporting my story!)

6

::-::

"What other conclusion can there be?" Sakura slapped a hand on the table before her. "Your Honor, the defense must be confusing himself. During investigation, we tested the blood splattered on this card. The DNA matched the defendant's."

"Objection!" Syaoran stood so quickly that his chair squealed against the linoleum floor. "Your Honor, who in their right mind would leave such incriminating evidence?"

"One card is simply overlooked," Sakura bit out.

"The card was left in plain sight—on the victim's chest. It was clearly meant to be seen!" Syaoran leaned over the table, glaring at Sakura.

"Objection!" Sakura glanced down at her script. "If I may direct your attention to the autopsy report. The victim was stabbed three times in the chest with a twelve-inch knife. This obviously..."

She suddenly trailed off, and a furrow came between her brow. Syaoran perused his script, wondering what she found.

"Director Tsukimoto... Nakahara-san, Mizushima-san, Sato-san..." Sakura gently gnawed on her lower lip, flipping the pages of her script back and forth. "I think that maybe, just possibly, this one line could... be a little weak."

Director Tsukimoto noted with some amusement that Sakura said this rather timidly; almost like she was prodding an active volcano, waiting for it to explode at any moment. The writers, on the other hand, seemed to welcome her critique.

"Didn't I tell you that this reasoning is way too flimsy?" muttered scriptwriter Mizushima, slapping her boyfriend Nakahara over the head with her copy of the script. "Our brilliant prosecutor Akane Wakahisa would never say something like this."

"You were the one who suggested it in the first place!" whined Nakahara. He was the best at whining, just as Mizushima was the best at abusing.

Sato, the executive producer, was currently assuming his best meditative stance, two fingers placed on his forehead for extra emphasis.

"What would you have to suggest, Kinomoto-san?" Director Tsukimoto asked calmly.

"Well..." Sakura brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. "I find it really strange that the defendant's fingerprints were found on the knife, but nobody is bringing it up."

"Ahh, that comes into place later," Nakahara said proudly. "In page 33, you see..."

"Nakahara-san... With all due respect, I believe that may come too late," Sakura said. "Akane Wakahisa is a talented prosecutor, right? Why is she withholding the most important evidence? Especially since in this fictional court system, all cases must be solved within five days. She knows that Mamoru Mizu is a very intelligent defense attorney. Why is she giving him a chance to get on his feet?"

"I agree." Syaoran sat back down. "I find the script very enjoyable, but... there are many holes within both Kinomoto-san's and my logic. A true lawyer would be able to pick apart our arguments within milliseconds."

Director Tsukimoto forced himself to stanch the grin creeping up the corners of his mouth. Not only did he totally ship Sakura and Syaoran—not only were they incredible actors—not only were they incredibly charismatic—but they completely involved themselves in all other processes. He'd heard countless stories from other directors how Sakura and Syaoran were able to take direction to the next level by injecting it with inspired creativity.

"Take, for example, these lines. 'What killer would leave such incriminating evidence?' and 'The card was clearly meant to be seen.' While it's a possibility that the card was meant to be seen, the far more likely option is that it was overlooked—as Wakahisa-san points out. After all..." Syaoran switched his gaze to the case files, also compiled by the scriptwriters. "Judging from the fact that the murder weapon was left on the scene, and hidden very crudely, the murderer is hardly a professional killer."

"Then again, she did have 24 hours to conceal all the evidence," Sakura pointed out. "She even bribed carpet cleaners to take away the traces of blood, since none was found around the body."

"Then why leave the body at all? With that much time and such little civilization, she could've just disposed of it."

"Perhaps she didn't, because she wasn't the murderer."

"No one but the defendant and a bunch of carpet cleaners were sighted around that time."

"Maybe the true murderer was one of the carpet cleaners."

The scriptwriters' heads turned to and fro as they watched Sakura, who acted as the prosecutor, turn into the defense attorney, and Syaoran, who acted as the defense attorney, turn into the prosecutor.

"Did they memorize the case files?" Nakahara murmured.

"Such dedication!" Sato mused.

Mizushima slapped both of them on the heads. "Listen up. We're going to have to change the script."

Sakura's eyes widened. "Oh! That isn't necessary. Just these few lines, perhaps..."

"No. You guys keep going." Mizushima's eyes narrowed. "I want to see where this case takes you."

::-::

"Did you tell her yet?"

Tomoyo Daidouji's eyes flickered above Natsumi's High Tea's menu. "Tell who what?" she asked primly.

"Did you tell Kinomoto-san about her scheduled... outing?" Eriol lowered his menu and leaned across the table, propping his chin on the back of his hand.

Tomoyo raised her menu up, feeling strangely uncomfortable beneath his intense gaze. "Not quite... I only told her that she was to go to the ice cream parlor straight after the script reading. You?"

"Well, my dear cousin had a few more questions... but I think he knows I'm not going to assassinate him, so all seems well." To Tomoyo's relief, Eriol raised his menu again.

"Sakura-chan was curious too. I think she may know what we're up to."

Eriol smiled. "We took away a chance for reunion. Why not give it back?"

::-::

Fifteen minutes. That was how long Sakura and Syaoran had to look over the case files, speculate, and plan—to an extent—their own adlibbed trial.

Director Tsukimoto had protested that they were to be left, alone, in a separate room. To let them discuss the facts of the case. Which, to his later disappointment, they were actually doing.

"You haven't read the whole script either?" Sakura asked.

"If I did, I would know the outcome of the case." Syaoran stooped over the single coffee table between them. "Let's just go over the evidence. The murder weapon: Twelve-inch knife, stabbed three times into the victim's chest. Traces of both the defendant and the victim's blood were found on the knife. Maybe the defendant cut herself. The autopsy report states..."

He cut himself off, realizing that Sakura was strangely silent. He raised his gaze from the case files.

Sakura was leaning over the coffee table, elbows and hands supporting a propped chin, her brilliant green eyes searching him with an indescribable gaze.

"Is... something wrong?" Syaoran prodded gently, curling his fingers in the papers before him.

Sakura was silent for a moment. Then she retracted to her seat. "It's really great to work with you."

Syaoran let out a stiff sigh. The intensity of her eyes had caught him off guard.

"You're really dedicated," she said. "It's an incredible experience to work with a team when everyone's this dedicated."

Stomach churning. Heart racing. This is not a good time. Personal life is personal. Professional life is professional. Syaoran forcefully cleared his throat and returned to the case files. "It's really fun. Working with you, that is. I'm looking forward to our trial."

Silence from Sakura.

Then after a moment: "Syaoran?"

Syaoran almost dropped the papers in his hands out of shock. Did she just call him... by his first name?

Sakura's hand flew up to her mouth. "I-I'm sorry! That just... that just kinda came out. I don't know where... I don't know how... I'm sorry!"

"What? No! No, it's fine!" Syaoran reached clumsily across the coffee table, gently lowering her hand from her mouth. "I mean, we're friends, right?"

Sakura nodded vigorously. "Right."

It was obvious to them both that using first names implied far more than just friendship, especially without honorifics... but neither wanted to bring that up.

"You were asking me something?" Syaoran prompted.

"I wonder if we should just wing it," Sakura said. "Let's re-memorize the case files and have a natural trial. I feel like talking about the possible outcome could ruin the effect."

Syaoran felt a smile pull at the corners of his mouth. "Can you handle it?"

Sakura grinned. "Is that a challenge?"

::-::

"You absolutely must try this sandwich. It is a delight." Tomoyo dabbed elegantly at her the corners of her mouth.

"I find it quite odd, Daidouji-san."

"Oh." Tomoyo shifted uncomfortably. "Well, I suppose it is to be expected. Not everyone shares the same taste in food, after all."

"I wasn't referring to the sandwich, Daidouji-san. Excuse me for the confusion." Eriol plucked a duplicate sandwich from the platter before them. "I meant your behavior."

"Pardon?"

"You are acting in a completely different manner than you do around Kinomoto-san. From what I have heard, at least." Eriol thoughtfully examined the sandwich before popping it into his mouth all at once. "Am I, perchance, making you uncomfortable?"

"Oh! Absolutely not! You are, in actuality, very pleasant company." Tomoyo raised her napkin higher to hide the blush on her cheeks. "I haven't been able to act like this in ages. Not since Sakura-chan's mother... well, anyway."

"What's the reason for your difference in behavior, if I may ask?"

Tomoyo delicately sipped at her tea. "Sakura-chan and I have been best friends since we were children. I was there when she was dealing with her mother's death."

Eriol nodded. "She must have been... subdued."

"That is one way to put it." A tiny smile crept up the corners of Tomoyo's mouth. "A whole year passed, and she showed no signs of improving. So I decided to take some... er... desperate measures."

"You changed yourself to cheer her up."

"I turned myself into a proper clown." Tomoyo cast her eyes downward in embarrassment, but she was still smiling. "An improvised musical here, a horrible pun there... They worked wonders for Sakura-chan. She stared acting again."

"But she is an adult. Surely you can change back by now?"

"I would rather not risk it." Tomoyo met Eriol's gaze. Her eyes were remarkably serious. "I know that Sakura can control her emotions... but if I were to reveal my true self, she would feel horrible."

Eriol raised a single eyebrow. "Why?"

"Because she would think I'd been forced to suppress myself all these years. And she would feel responsible." Tomoyo chuckled girlishly. "Besides, as silly as it seems, I've actually gotten quite fond of singing sporadically."

"I don't think it's silly," Eriol said.

"You don't have to say that just to make me feel better, you goose."

"I'm not. I think it's charming. That you care so much for Kinomoto-san to do this."

Tomoyo stopped in her tracks, silver spoon poised over a small bowl of strawberries and cream. "Pardon?"

"It's charming."

The spoon moved. "Oh. Well, thank you. No one has quite said that before."

"Because the world is full of idiots."

And Eriol and Tomoyo smiled for the rest of the tea, although they never said another word.

(A/N: I know the story is beginning to drag a tiny bit, but I have big plans for a bit of fluff in the next chapter. Please let me know what you think! :D)

Semi-Important Announcement!

I now have a writing tumblr at lcli dot tumblr dot com. At my tumblr will be previews, blurbs for upcoming stories, possibly eventually fiction, and most importantly, progress bars. The progress bars are located on the right side of the website and will show how far I am on each story, along with my priority on each story. I sincerely hope that this will help in some way.

Please be aware that between 0 - 10%, progress bars may randomly change priority or even disappear entirely. Stories that do not have progress bars I consider discontinued or on hiatus.

For each progress bar, I take into account inspiration (0 - 10%), 1st draft (11 - 70%), 2nd draft (71 - 90%), and final editing (91 - 100%). Unless what is listed is not a chapter, but an OUTLINE or OMAKE FILE or... well, basically, not a chapter.