Never enough time By Radar simon_mcnestrie@hotmail.com ----------- DISCLAIMER: These characters belong to CLAMP! This is a Yuri story so if it offends you please don't read! 'Never enough time!' That one thought kept repeating in her mind as she sat in meditation. Her auburn hair now stretching down her back, her emerald eyes that had once held a unique sparkle now dull, almost lifeless. No one quiet knew how this seemingly young woman came to this particual Buddhist temple, despite the fact that the question had been asked many times since her arrival. She had arrived, seemingly lost, and simply asked if she could join their small community. She just sat there, or did menial chores, but there was always one thing that repeated in her mind: 'Never enough time!' It had all happened more then 30 or so years ago. The auburn haired woman cast herself backwards in her memories to that fateful day when her beloved wife had met her end. She sighed softly, reliving that night in great detail. The battle, her pale love arriving when she had promised to go somewhere safe, the way the woman had pushed her out of the way, taking the fatal attack for herself, the grief and sadness, the anger that followed and the lust for vengance, the look on the mysterious senshi's faces when her lust was satified. The looks of horror, sadness and grief on their children's and her pale wifes mother's face when she carried her loves body home. 'Never enough time!' Slowly she stood up and slowly walked around the temple, her legs stiff from her hours of sitting in the same place. Once... may years ago she was know as Sakura, mistress of the cards. But those days were long ago and far behind her. Sakura looked up at the stars, focusing on one inparticular. 'Why'd you do it Tomoyo?' she thought. Casting her mind back she relived it again. Sakura looked on as the 10 figures dodged attack after attack. Each tried differnt attacks of their own, but to no affect. Tomoyo gasped as the building not too far away exploded. 'Get somewhere safe Tomoyo!' Sakura said, forming her staff. 'But...' Tomoyo started. She was silenced by a slow and gentle kiss from Sakura. 'I'll be ok Tomo- chan!' Sakura whispered, smiling at her pale wife. Tomoyo smiled herself and slowly retreated. Turning Sakura saw one of the figures on her knees, another with sea-green hair kneeling beside her. What ever they were fighting her turned its attention towards them, and at this moment they were very vunerable. Quickly she summond the Shield card to protect them. The others turned to face her, shocked that 2 of their own had come so close to death. The monster also turn and saw her, realising what Sakura was, it changed tactics and focused on her and her alone, practically ignoring the others. In the end, she was too slow. So determind to protect everyone she was still to slow to protect herself. When the monsters final attack came and she was helpless to stop it. Then the ground and her view shifted. Time seemed to slow as she hit the ground, her horror at seeing Tomoyo push her out of the way, just in time to take the full force of the attack for herself, being propled through the air, and hitting the ground. She couldn't remember hitting the ground, all she could remember clearly is slowly crawling over to her fallen love, craddling her body as Tomoyo slowly slipped away. 'Why Tomoyo?' Sakura asked, tears falling down her cheeks. Tomoyo didn't answer. Instead she looked up with a pained smile. 'I'm happy to die in Sakura-chan's arms!' she whispered, her eyes closing for the last time. Sighing softly the pale woman breathing stopped, her hand falling from Sakura's cheek to the ground. 'Tomoyo?' Sakura whimpered, shaking Tomoyo's body gently. She shook Tomoyo again, almost screaming her name. Gently she set the pale woman's body down and picked up her discarded staff transforming it into a deadly sabre, and slowly walked towards the thing that had taken away her wife. The rest was a blur. She turn having killed the monster and took Tomoyo's body home, the senshi stood silent watching her leave. Kumiko and Nadeshiko were completely shock when Sakura tried to explain that their mother had gone to a better place. Nadeshiko perhaps, never quite recovered from that. Sonomi had demanded that Sakura tell her how her only daughter had ended up dead, only hear nothing but silence. A tear fell down her cheeck as she pulled herself back to the present. She knew now that is was time she left her exile and return to her family. Bidding farwell to the monks and nuns she slowly made her way back to Japan. 'Never enough time!' Still in her robes, she stood outside the Daidouji mansion. She'd forgoten how large the house was. Slowly opening the gate she walked up to the house, stopping half way when someone had caught sight of her. Too her surprise, it was Nadeshiko. 'You?' Nadeshiko asked, when Sakura had lowered the rood of her robes. Sakura's nod was cut off when Nadeshiko slapped her. 'Why'd you leave?' The question cut into Sakura, who had not even tried to defend herself when she realised what her youngest daughter was about to do. 'Answer me!' That was followed by another slap. Nadeshiko's normally pale face was bright red with anger. 'I'm sorry!' was Sakura's answer. It looked like Nadeshiko was going to slap her again until the pale woman clentched her fist and punched the older woman. Staggering backwards Sakura managed to keep herself on her feet, standing up straight, she was met with another punch, and another. Sakura still made no attempt at defending herself under her daughters punches. Soon they became weaker and weaker until Nadeshiko collapsed against the person she'd known as her papa, crying heavily. Slowly she put her arms around her daughter, trying her best to comfort her. Then she saw the young girl, watching the older women. 'Nadeshiko-mama?' she asked, 'Are you ok?' Nadeshiko nodded slightly, 'Hai!' Sakura was shocked at the likeness. The girl couldn't have been more then 11 years old and yet she looked almost excactly like Tomoyo, except for her eyes. 'Go and get your oba-san Tomoyo-chan!' Nadeshiko whispered. The girl nodded and ran into the house, emerging less then 2 minutes later, her oba- san in tow. 'Sakura-papa?' the second woman asked. Sakura nodded. Kumiko smiled slightly. Then she realised she was indeed home. 'Welcome home!'