iHi everybody. This is my first fanfic at FF.net, and so I hope it is up to your liking. Please read and review it, I think constructive criticism is good for everyone, and so I doubt that I will get offended by anything you have to say. Well that's all I needed to say...so on with the story. ~IC-chan/i

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And Everything Will Be Perfect....
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"It's so nice to hear from you..." a soft female voice echoed over the phone into Tai's ear. He sat in the affluent luxury of his hotel room. The exotic, bright lights of the city twinkled through the patio window. "Really?" he questioned, "Why...did you miss me?" Sora could hear a bit of mischievousness and amusement in his voice. She could almost hear the smile on his face. Sora just sighed and laughed a little at the boy's haughty attitude. "Admit it...you love me?" Tai had always enjoyed Sora's reactions whenever he said things like that. Sora's eyes widen, he had caught her off guard for brief moment. Mentally, Sora had decided to not set herself up for one of his little pranks. "What is there to admit?" she asked sweetly. "You are my best friend, why wouldn't I?" "But I thought Mimi was your best friend?" Tai grinned, entertained by his own words and curious to hear his friend's answer. "What we've got is more and older than Mimi…or Matt for that matter." She answered in a matter of fact sort of way. Sora had surprised herself and giggled at her own words. Tai's face began to glow ad turn red from blushing. He hadn't expected that for an answer. Shaking it off, he chuckled. "You love me don't you?" he asked playfully and flirtatiously. Sora had caught his interest now, and he was intrigued to see what her answer would be. "Don't flatter yourself Taichi, I'm not like those silly little French girls. Don't forget I know the real Taichi Kamiya." She responded flatly. "Why do they have to be silly?" Tai had taken the "silly, little French girls" as somewhat of an insult.

He looked out on to the magnificent view of the Eiffel Tower. The black-purple night sky held a sliver moon, and was speckled with diamond stars. It was an almost perfect night.

"Tai…" Sora had brought his attention back to the Phone. "Can I ask for your advice?" she had a hint of doubt and uneasiness to her voice. "Yeah, you know that." Though she wouldn't admit it, Tai's voice was such a relief and satisfaction for her to hear. She had missed having her friend to talk to for the past few weeks. "Well, um, how do I put this? You see, there's this guy…" "Guy? Shouldn't you be talking to Mimi about this?" "Yeah, but I would like a guy's point of view on this." Just then the sound of a door bursting open and loud voices could be heard on Tai's end of the phone. "Maybe I shouldn't tell you this." Replied Sora in response to the rush of noise. "No, no, it's cool…" Tai said reassuringly. Sora smiled, pleased that he hadn't agreed. She could hear Tai's teammates laughing loudly as they playfully teased each other. "Tech, man, shut up!" Tai yelled with annoyance in his voice. "Sora? Sorry about this, it's just that we won our soccer game today and now the guys are a little hyped." The sound of him being distracted was easily identified. "Sora, listen, if your wondering if you should talk to this guy or something, than all I have to say is…do what ever feels right." His advice had made Sora's face light up. 'I knew he wasn't my best friend for nothing.' She thought to herself. "Thanks Tai. I know exactly what to do." She said contently. "Sure, no problem…Oh, Sora." "Yeah." "I meant to tell you that I'll be home in two days. The championship game is in Odiaba." He smiled; he could almost picture her face in his mind when he said that. "Really Tai? That's great!" Sora replied excitedly to the good news. "Yeah, will I see you at the game on Friday?" "How could you even ask?" Tai grinned, "Of course." Sora finished. "C'mon Tai, let's go." A guy complained. "Well Tai, I think I'll let you go, take care of yourself, and don't get into any trouble…" Sora playfully scowled. "I promise I won't. Tai answered slightly embarrassed that almost the whole team was hearing this. "Okay, Good night Tai." "Good night Sora." Tai whispered, hoping his team hadn't heard him, because if they did he could never live it down.

Tai turned away from his cell phone, just to look into the stunned faces of his team gawking at him, all with blank stares. "What?" he laughed out nervously. "Good night Sora, I miss you, I love you…" a chestnut haired boy blurted out in a fit of laughter. The lighter streaks of his hair danced in his face as he continued teasing Tai. "Whatever Tech, let's go." And with that Tai grabbed his coat and left the Paris hotel room.

The phone echoed in the silent, dark hallway. Sora, sleepily, stumbled over to it. A slight annoyance buzzed around her. "Hello?" she moaned out, still rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She immediately recognized the voice, and her eyes shot wide open. "Oh good. I'm happy you called me back. I have something to tell you." She announced quietly as she took the phone into her room.

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"Tai! Tai" Sora shouted as she ran towards him waving. Tai smiled joyfully as he took her into an embracing hug. "You came." "Of course I did." Sora replied as she stepped away from him. Tai took a good look at his friend. Sora seemed so cheerful, which wasn't out of the usual, and more radiant. She was beautiful in his eyes. "Um, what are you doing down here? Shouldn't you be in the stands?" he asked. "Well I wanted to see you before the game." She answered with a bright smile on her face. That night was a perfect night for a game. It was warm, but not too much, and the sky was clear. A few purple clouds in the distance, but mostly stars adorned the velvet canvas. "Besides I have something to tell you." She added. She became bit bashful, and looked down as her face began turn pink. "Yeah, okay, I have something to tell you, too." Tai added. He could see that whatever she had to say was important. But what he had to say was just as important too.

'Give it to her now.' A voice told him. With sudden realization, Tai reached over to his bag that lain on a chair. "Before you say anything Sora. I have something for you." He said happily as he searched his bag. Sora watched as Tai impatiently looked through his unorganized mess of a bag, and laughed under her breathe at his frustration. A little white box fell out of the blue bag and landed by his foot. Tai hadn't noticed the box, but Sora did. She reached down and picked up the little box. It had a single red bow, with a tag that read "To: Sora From: Tai. It reminded me of you as soon as I saw it." Smiling she opened the box without a word. Tai searched his bag still not noticing her or the gift in her hand. "Oh, Tai it's beautiful." She exclaimed happily. Tai looked up almost immediately. He smiled pleased that he made Sora happy.

Sora ran her fingers over a small heart-shaped silver locket. The symbol of her crest was engraved over the surface that shined in her scarlet eyes. "You really like it?" Tai asked blushing. Sora looked up at Tai's red face. "Of course I do. It's beautiful. Thank You so much Tai!!" She threw her arms around his neck taking him by surprise. He hadn't expected that as a reaction, but expected or not, he enjoyed her hug. "Well I'm happy you do. It reminded me of you as soon as I saw it, and I had your crest symbol engraved on the front." He added.

'It was made for her.' He thought as she placed the locket around her neck. She smiled gently in the reflection of her face as she stared at the locket. "Uh, Sora there's one more thing I wanted to tell you?" Sora looked back up at Tai with her familiar sweet smile. "Oh really what?" Before Tai could start he was interrupted by the sound of footsteps. "Tai!!" Both Tai and Sora turned their attention to a girl. Sora immediately noticed the long, inky, black braid that draped down the girl's back. She had a haunting loveliness to her. The girl's bangs were somewhat messy and they hung sporadically over her pale white face. But the girl's true eye catching features were her eyes. They were a pale blue and were a direct contrast to her deep black hair. Tai looked somewhat annoyed that he was interrupted and turned to see what the young woman had wanted. "Coach said to hurry up, we haven't got all night." The girl said with assertiveness. It was painfully obvious that she was a tomboy in every sense of the word, and Sora had seen much of what she was in her. "Yeah, in a minute." Tai answered slightly irritated. The girl stepped back for a minute, and then looked over at Sora. She glanced back at Tai with a questioning look. Sora could see how the girl looked at Tai. It was a longing look, the way girls looked at Matt at his concerts, or the way a girl would look at her crush. Sora felt herself become slightly happy for the girl, that she had noticed Tai. But she also felt an unexpected sense of jealousy. "Uh, Sora this is Kasumi, Kas this is my friend Sora." Tai added noticing that the girls had noticed each other. The two girls gave each other a hackneyed wave without much of a look. Kas gave Sora a final glance before turning to leave the room.

"Okay…" Tai let out a sigh of relief. "Now like I was going to say…" he began once again "There's something I meant to tell you before I left, but didn't get the chance. I…" Tai was once again cut off by footsteps. This time coming the sound came from behind Sora; Tai almost immediately recognized whom it was. Matt stepped out from the shadows of the hallway he had came down glad to see his friend. "Hey man!!" Tai greeted his friend happily. "What's up?" Matt responded. "Nothing much, what are you doing down here?" Tai asked. Matt looked down at Sora; she had a sign of relief on her face. He smiled at her and then looked back up at Tai. "To help Sora tell you." He answered calmly. Tai looked puzzled at Matt, clueless as to what he was talking about. "Oh, tell me what?" Tai asked focusing his gaze at Sora now. She stared down at the floor for a moment, and then looked back up at Tai. "Yeah, that's why I came down here…" she put on a weak smile, "remember when I told you about that guy…you gave me a little advice…" Tai listened to the final words carefully, "Well, I took it and now Matt and I are dating." Matt took her hand in his and patted Tai on the back. "Yeah man, we thought we should tell you first." He added.

Tai stared blankly at Sora. He couldn't believe what he had heard. He questioned his hearing and the authenticity of what she had just said. 'I should have known…' he scolded himself mentally. For weeks something had told him to tell Sora exactly how he felt. But his pride wouldn't let him. He was enjoying the attention from other girls too much. He figured he would be able to tell Sora anytime. But he was wrong; he had taken her for granted like always. He knew it was his own fault that she ended up with Matt. He knew it was his own fault that he didn't tell her that she was perfect in everyway, and that he had fallen for his best friend. He had a million chances to tell her that she was the most angelic girl he had ever met, and that he was filled with so much love for her that he could feel it coursing through his very being. 'This is my fault…I had a hundred million chances.' He thought to his self. But no matter what he told himself, he still could not believe what he had heard.

"Tai." Sora barely whispered his name out, but he could still hear her. He took his self out the mental trance that he was once trapped in. "I'm happy for you, the both of you." He plastered a smile that was all too familiar to Sora. It was the smile she used whenever she tried to hide something. It was a façade that she had mastered and could see from a mile away, or in this case, a few feet. Though physically he said he was happy, Sora could feel the wrongness that radiated from his very essence. But no matter how she tried she couldn't place why it was there. "Thanks man." Matt added, oblivious to what was really there. Tai looked down into the eyes he dubbed to be perfect and exact in everyway. The eyes the he fell in love with, still with the fake smile on his face. He watched helplessly as Matt led Sora out of the room and down the hallway

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Betrayed…. out right betrayal. That was what he felt as he ran fiercely on the field. He focused all the anger into the soccer ball, now hating it just as much as he hated himself and everybody around him.

Maybe the flaming anger that he held inside was a good thing, because he slaughtered the opposing team with no remorse. Goals came with such skill and ease. His team watched overjoyed at the score, but devastated at the fierce intensity of Tai's playing. He had led the team like an army, like he was back in the digital world. Before Davis, Yolei, and the rest, before they had access between the two worlds. Back when they struggled everyday and hadn't seen their homes or families for days on end. Every member of the team had a part, and if anybody was hurt, they were just casualties, not out of the ordinary when it came to war.

But through his rage, anger, betrayal, hatred of himself, and regret, he had forgotten that this wasn't a war. This wasn't a win and live or lose and die situation. This was a game, a simple soccer game. True soccer was one of his passions, but he had let his emotions get the better of him, he had let them take over him. His team respected him for his playing, but this was just too much.

Kas watched Tai play as she sat on the bench from injury. Smudges of dirt and grass masked her pale white face. Her messy black hair trimmed her sapphire eyes, and she had a look of exhaustion on her face. But, still, she watched Tai. He had run the opposing team raged, and the coach loved every bit of it. He had refused to take Tai out of the game this night, and if he hadn't Kasumi was sure that Tai would have refused to go anyway. Though she didn't know Tai very well, she knew enough. And she could see that something was upsetting him.

Tai charged at the soccer ball, and the poor boy that stood in his way never had a chance. "Go Tai! Go!" Kas looked behind her to the cheering crowd in the stands. Sora stood out among them all. Kas could feel some spite for this girl. This Sora character wasn't just another one of Tai's airhead fan girls. There was something to her, something she held over him, that she controlled about him. Kas wasn't able to point out exactly what it was, but she knew that the conversation that Tai and this girl had earlier was the cause to his playing.

Once again Tai focused his rage back into the soccer ball he now hated so much. It felt good to kick that pathetic ball around; it almost felt like he was kicking his self for his stupidity and arrogance. "This is your fault." He said to himself as he sped past Tech, who watched Tai's remarkable playing, with a bewildered expression. Harder and harder Tai pushed himself, one more goal that's all he wanted, though it wasn't really needed to win because they had blown the team away. But he still played like they were in a tie that they just couldn't break out of.

He strived for that goal, he longed for it, it was the last thing he had. So he fought for it. Tai looked up at the waiting goalie, and smirked at how nervous the boy obviously was. With a timed reaction, Tai kicked the ball intensely, and it flew past the goalies fingertips and into the net. Tai walked away from the scene, triumphantly. Another battle was won, but the war was not over.

The other team's coached had a called a timeout. Tai looked cold-heartedly at them, he didn't understand why they would retreat and regroup. They had lost and all odds were against them. But he let their hopeless effort slip from his mind and continued walking back to where the rest of the team was.

Tai glanced up at the calming crowd. He could see his friends all-cheering for him and his team. Matt sat calm and collected, and Sora sat beside him. She was obviously into the game, Tai could tell by the look in her eyes. When she played she held a radiance in them, a fire that only someone with the love for competition and the game could see and understand.

He had fallen in love with her for that. Though Sora was good-natured, calm, wise, and loving, she had a secret desire for competition, maybe not as much as he had, but it was still there. He was the only one to notice it, and he loved her for it.

He and Sora had learned to read each other, to be able to tell each other's thoughts without almost a single word. Only one other person understood him like that, and that was Kari. But Sora was able to read just a bit more than Kari could. She could almost feel his emotions, and he could feel hers.

Tai trudged slowly back to the team, the coach had already begun talking. He didn't really care though; he didn't care about too much at the moment.

Tai felt so disconnected with the rest of the world. Like he was in a museum exhibit. He watched but couldn't touch or interact with anybody. The weight of Sora and Matt's news still hung heavily on Tai. He could feel his body being pressured by it. His legs moved slowly and unsteadily and he felt like his body and head were two entirely different beings. He thought that this sudden physical reaction was because of how hard he had played, and tried ignoring it.

All at once the feelings of being weighed down and light headed increased, and Tai found the simple act of walking to become increasingly hard. He forced his self to focus and tried to keep his balance. But it was useless. His legs felt heavier and heavier, and before he knew it he had fallen to the ground. The crowd gasped as they watched the boy fall like a raged doll. The sounds around him became muffled and indistinct. Tai began to shake and panic, he didn't know what was happening to him. He began gasping for air, but it proved to no avail. He clutched his hand over his chest and crouched in pain. He felt nothing under his sweaty palm, not even the beat of his heart. And then all at once it came to him; his heart had stopped.

Tai rolled onto his back and looked up at the dark sky. So this is what it feels like to die? He felt himself grow colder and colder, and his sight began to fade slowly. The faces of his team and coach began to appear as everything began to grow darker. Tai could feel himself grow terrified of the darkness that was enveloping him. And before that final flicker of darkness cast it's shadow over his eyes, Sora appeared tearfully hovering over him. He couldn't hear a word she said, but he could sense that she felt this pain and fear that he was experiencing. And then as if purposely to spite him, Matt appeared. And just as the final bit of vision fled from his eyes, Tai understood what was happening. 'So this is what a broken heart feels like?'

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The room held a depressing, horrible feel to it, hospitals are known for their eeriness. Tai lay still and silent in his hospital bed. While his team stood over him with heavy hearts. Kasumi sat in the only chair in the whole room, by Tai's bedside.

She had cleaned herself up, while on the way to hospital, and now her hair hung loose and unbraided, but brushed. Like the rest of the team she held a solemn look of hopelessness and lost. How the mightiest have fallen. Tai's team had seen their mightiest fall and it was tragic. The heart of the team lay before them. Nobody could feel anything but pathetic sadness. Kasumi sat by him, near to tears, but wouldn't allow herself to cry in front of the guys. Tech didn't show his usual face full of mischief and laughter, it too held the sadness that enveloped the room.

It was amazing how they had just won, the championship game, and looked so hurt stricken. Tai had no clue just how important he was to them.

The silence of the room was broken by the sound of the hospital room door. Sora stood before them all. She held nothing back; her eyes were evident of crying. But though it was obvious she had cried, she still remained with a sense of composure. She stood before them with her head held high. Kasumi blamed her for all of this. She was more than positive that this red haired girl was the problem, and in Kasumi's eyes Sora had done enough damage, she had no place here.

Quietly and as if no one else was in the room, Sora approached the end of the bed. Everybody could see that this girl was of some true significance to Tai, and almost as a tribute to him they all respected her. "Can I be alone with him? Please?" Sora asked without moving her eyes from Tai's face. Kasumi stood up immediately in rejection to Sora's request. But Tech placed his hand on her shoulder, and gave her a soft look. Kas knew that no matter what she felt, she couldn't blame anybody for what had happened, not even Sora.

Tech took Kasumi's hand, and hesitantly led Kasumi and the rest of the team out in respect to Sora's wishes.

Sora sat in the seat that the ebony haired girl had sat earlier. Though Tai wasn't dead physically, in another sense he was dead to the world. He had lain there, in a deep sleep, that he obviously had no intention on waking up from.

Sora couldn't help feeling guilty. Though the doctors had told her, the team, and the Kamiyas why Tai's heart had stop, she knew the truth. "Who knew that a broken heart would stop you?" The irony of it all was too much. Tai was the strongest person she knew, and Tai would have called her the strongest person he knew. But yet there he laid, taken out by a broken heart, he had endured much more than this.

She took his hand and hers and just watched him. His breathing was low and relaxed. The doctors said he was unconscious, but to Sora he seemed more like in a peaceful sleep. At least that's what she hoped, that he be in no pain and that he was only asleep. That way she could keep the hope that he would wake up soon.

"I know what happened…"she said to his sleeping figure, "and I'm sorry. I should have known from the beginning, but I just played dumb." Sora paused. Maybe it was the lighting, but at that moment, Tai had left her awe stricken. He was always so wonderful in her eyes, and no matter what, he could never do any wrong. But right then, he was perfect, she was almost scared. It was like looking at him for the first time. And with unexpected realization, she understood what Tai had seen in her. It was so much to take in all at once, and she cried into his chest.

"Oh, Tai I'm so sorry. This is all wrong. This isn't the way things are supposed to be. I see that now, but you knew it before I did." She looked up at his face. Tears that flowed down freely streamed her face. She pushed herself up to meet Tai face to face. She now understood, the locket, his calls from Paris, his loyalty to her and their friendship. He had been by her side like a knight would protect his queen. She was his queen.

Sora sat back in the chair, still holding his hand. The world had pulled an awful trick on the both of them. Reality was a horrid prankster. But it wasn't to late to get reality back for this game. She had abandoned her loyal knight, but it wasn't too late to show that she could be just as loyal to him as he was to her. This time it would be a knight serving her king.

Sora looked Tai face to face once more. Everything was in perspective. Gently and lovingly Sora kissed Tai on his forehead. "You'll see, things will be right" She whispered, and then she left the room.

Tai laid, still in his deep peaceful sleep. Like Sora had wished he was in no pain. The room was empty of any other people and was silent except for the usual sound of monitors and other things. Everything was the way it should be, nothing out of place or different. Except for the faint but distinct smile that was on Tai's face. 'Sora I love you." he now knew that everything was perfect.

Matt sat in the waiting room with the team and the Kamiya's. He stood as he saw Sora appear from around a corner. He held his arms out for her to come to, but she didn't. She stood before him with angry eyes. She wasn't mad at him; she was more disgusted with herself than anything. But he wouldn't pick up on that.

This time no plastered smiles masked Sora's face. She held nothing back not like she usually did. This needed to be done in all seriousness. "Sora what is it?" Matt tried to hug her, but she wouldn't allow him to.

Sora looked up at Matt, right into the azure eyes that she thought she loved. Her intense expression had softened slightly. "Matt…it's over." She whispered low enough for only he and her to hear. Matt's face filled with shock and confusion. What had just happened? Sora stepped away from Matt, and turned her attention to Mrs. Kamiya who sat with the crying Kari in her arms. Sora hugged them both, as a way of consolation. And then with finality, she left the hospital building.

Everything was clearer now, even the sky was clearer than before, Sora had noticed. She looked down at the locket that hung around her neck. Holding it up she examined the engraving on the front. She smiled lightly, "I love you too."

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