A/N: This is a very belated goodbye/thank you gift for kale, a Takari and I did put some religious undertones in honor of his work with it in his own series. You gave all us readers so much and your talent has humbled us all. I wish you nothing but the best of luck in the future and be sure to let me know as soon as something gets published.
Disclaimer: I don't own them.
He ran through the sterile white halls as fast as he could, tears leaking from his ice blue eyes and sobs racking his chest. 'This can't be happening' he though over and over coming to the red sign that read Emergency. With a sharp turn he skidded into the waiting area, coming face to face with Tai.
Matt felt his heart seize up at the look on his friends face "What happened?" he asked his voice cracking with pressure. Tai just looked at him for a few agonizing seconds as if trying to find words. He finally did his voice barely above a whisper "It was the dark ocean, it came after Kari again…" the bearer of courage couldn't say anymore as his emotions got the better of him.
Sora appeared seemingly out of nowhere wrapping her arms around him and rubbing his back like she did with TK when he was young. "The dark ocean took Kari" she continued quietly "I guess they were visiting the digimon when the Scubamon showed up and took her, Takeru went after her. Davis said they weren't able to follow, so they waited. TK and Kari came through about a half and hour later, beaten and battered".
Matt felt more tears welling "How bad?" he pleaded praying to God that she would say there were fine and just needed a ride home, however judging from Tai's state of mind that wasn't the case. Her amber eyes softened and her hold on Tai grew tighter "TK's bad but Kari's worse, he had been protecting her when some sort of demon appeared and she took the attack that was meant for him".
"Where are they?" he squeaked unable to take any more. "Room 332, but the nurse just threw us…" Matt didn't care if the nurse had thrown them out, his baby brother needed him and needed him now and no force on heaven or earth could stop him from getting there.
He ignored the calls of his friends and ran down the hall throwing the door open startling the poor nurse. She let out a small cry of surprise before settling down "I told all of you to stay out while I did some tests". Matt again ignored the command moving to his brother's bedside.
Now he was the one who wanted to scream, TK's bright blue eyes were closed and burns covered his face, neck, and arms. Purple bruises were evident on his chest and legs while his breathing was slow. 'Kari' he thought dreading what he would see, after all Sora said TK was in better shape. As he turned he could see why; no less that four IV tubes ran from her arms while a tube was in her nose to supply oxygen. Burns, bruises, and scrapes covered nearly every inch of visible skin while every breath she took seemed to drain her of what little energy she had left.
"Sir I must insist that you leave so I can do my job, I swear that I will come get all of you at the first sign of any activity but after what they've been through I doubt it will happen tonight". With that she herded Matt out the door, nearly tossing him into the hall and closing the door behind her.
The blonde sat stunned vaguely aware of Joe leading him away "The staff has let us have this empty room across the hall". Matt nodded dumbly taking a last lingering look at the door before heading into their own. After he had settled in a chair he looked at the newer generation of chosen square in their teary eyes "I want you to tell me every detail starting from the beginning".
TK didn't know where he was or how he had got there, the last thing he remembered was the demon shooting a fireball at them. He had pushed Kari behind him as soon as the arrived on the beach, shielding her from the rain of attacks. He had been trying to protect her when she turned the tables and stepped in front of him. It was that memory that triggered a torrent of emotions, panic leading the pack.
"Kari" he moaned sitting up with a start, instantly regretting his actions as waves of pure agony ripped through his body. 'Kari' he thought again, this mere thought pushing the pain away as a vision of her angelic face made its way to his head. He had loved that face since they were eight facing Piedmon by themselves, and over the past few years he had come to realize that she was his very soul, his reason for living, and he had planned to propose to her while in the digiworld, on the very mountain he had fallen in love in fact.
His happy thoughts flittered away like a fading dream when the faint beeping of their heart monitors truly brought him to reality. Rubbing his eyes he looked over at his roommate, feeling his heart stop when he saw her, his angel, clinging to life next to him.
"Kari" he whimpered crawling out of his bed, feeling the cold linoleum on his bare feet as he flung himself at her bedside. He managed to catch the rail and pull himself to her side after a few failed attempts.
His trembling hands brushed a few stray hairs away from her bandages "Kari" he tried again, praying for her lovely eyes to open and a playful smile to cross her lips. His prayers weren't answered as the beeping of her monitor filled the silence. "Come on wake up" he begged. She still didn't respond to his calls and desperate tears made their way to his eyes.
Not knowing what else to do he kissed her tenderly and began to stumble out of the room only getting two feet before he fell to the floor in tears, "Why us?" he cried looking out at the starry sky "why us?" TK lowered his eyes from the sky to find his backpack had been laid next to his bed, still scorched from the attacks. With shaking hands he pulled it to him, knowing he didn't have the energy or the will to stand up. He rummaged until he found the soft velvet box he had been looking for. It was as black as night with Hikari My Angel of Light embossed in gold letters across the cover. As he opened the cover the moon came out from behind a cloud, letting its rays illuminate the necklace inside. It was a simple gold chain with a heart shaped locket on the end. The cover of the heart had been engraved with the symbols of their crests united so it looked as if her flower was rising over his mountain. Inside he had lovingly placed two pictures; one of them when they were eight and one that had been taken at Christmas only a few months ago.
TK closed the locket after letting his tears bath the glittering gold in his sorrow before snapping the box closed and placing it on the ground next to him. He returned to his bag, this time seeking comfort and finding it in the form of a small, tattered, leather bound book. His bible.
Matt had given it to him when he'd started high school "This helped me through some tough times" was all he had said. Over the years TK had found that to be true, and it anchored his faith to the church he grew up in, giving him a link to his father above. With a shaky sigh he opened the book, just letting the pages fall open, the book of Esther, Kari's favorite. She had always loved the woman's courage in the face of such danger.
TK mustered his feeble strength and pulled himself up onto the bed careful not to disturb the wires and IV's attached to her. He let her head rest on his shoulder "Take me" he pleaded looking into the sky once more "I don't care about myself as long as she is happy". With that he began to read all the while praying that she would be spared and her pain relieved.
It didn't take long for the drugs and the emotional toll to were the bearer of hope down and with every sacred word that passed through his lips his eyes dropped a little more. Just as he began chapter 4 the comforting embrace of sleep took over, taking away his pain for some precious minutes.
Yet no sooner had the blonde's eyes closed than a single speck of white light appeared in above the bed. The light was gentle and didn't disturb the sleeping pair, even as it grew bigger taking on a human shape. Pure white wings sprouted from his back and the armor of God shielded his body. The angel slowly flew over the bed a small smile playing on his lips and he placed his hands on TK and Kari's heads.
"He has heard your prayers and will not let his children suffer" it said in a soft fatherly voice. His hands began to glow making the wounds covering their bodies fade away. Kari's breathing was no longer labored and her eyes slowly began to open, taking in her surroundings until they came to rest on the angel "Am I dead?" she asked a slight touch of awe in her voice.
The savior merely smiled and ran his hand along her cheek fondly "No child, our father has so much more for you before it is your time". Kari could only nod dumbly when another thought hit her "Takeru, is he…"
She was cut off by the angel "Our father has much more in store for both of you, it was his faith and love that brought me here tonight" he said picking up the velvet box forgotten on the floor and handing it to the bearer of light before helping her lay back down "now sleep child all will be well come morning" he whispered touching TK's forehead as well. Kari couldn't stay awake if she wanted to as a blanket of warm unconditional love wrapped itself around her, lulling her to sleep. The angel glided back looking at the pair fondly "Never forget God's love for you".
Matt was pacing the room like a caged animal; adding Tai moving opposite of him reminded Izzy of two lions ready to pounce on their prey. He truly pitied the first nurse or doctor who came through that door for they would be attacked before they had time to look at the charts. "That's it" Tai yelled breaking his pattern and bounding for the door "Nurse or no nurse I'm going in there" Matt grunted his agreement following the leader. None of the digidestined dared to try to stop them and got out of the way watching with baited breath as the crossed the hall.
Tai carefully turned the doorknob, looking both ways before they slipped in. As soon as the cleared the threshold a warm fuzzy feeling began to fill them starting in their stomachs chasing away the fear they had been harboring throughout the night.
As the entered the main area an amazing site greeted them causing both to rush to the bed their siblings were now sharing. "Matt they're healed" Tai said in amazement holding Kari's hand, pulling away the un-needed dressings. The bearer of friendship did the same finding the small book still clutched in TK's hand. He smiled fondly "I knew it would come in handy" he said before gently shaking his shoulders "Takeru".
Unlike the night before TK's eyes did open this time searching around until they found his brother "Onisan?" he questioned. "I'm here Squirt," he said happily pulling TK into a hug whispering a silent prayer of thanks.
Kari awoke to her brother's tears stained face "Now there's not need for that" she said gently wiping away the tears just as he had done for her so many times when they were little. Tai laughed and pulled her into a hug "Never ever scare me like that again" he warned ruffling her hair.
She nodded pulling up her other arm finding the black velvet box resting in her fingers. She read the gold lettering and looked at TK in shock, after all he was the only one who called her Angel of Light.
TK pulled away from his brother's embrace to see Kari's eyes looking at him lovingly his box opened in her lap. "This isn't exactly how I wanted to do this" he said quickly a blush reddening his face as he took taking the necklace out and placing it around her neck "but I won't risk loosing you again…Hikari will you marry me".
There were two thuds on the floor as Matt and Tai fell off the beds, muffled "about time" coming up from the floor. Kari giggled making TK's heart soar as the single all-important phrase passed through her lips "Yes, with all my love yes".
TK gathered her into his arms, kissing her joyously. As they embraced, the world around them melted away, leaving them and only them in their own private paradise. The frazzled nurse came in a huff, intent upon dragging the brothers out by their ears for disobeying. But upon seeing her charges sitting up and sharing a sweet kiss she let out a cry that alerted the whole hospital to the miracle that had taken place within its walls.
Matt stepped back to let the rest of their friends and families surround them to see for themselves that they were indeed okay. He looked out the window at the pristine morning sky; doing a double take when he saw an angelic figure flying away, up into the heavens. He could only stare for a few moments before what had happened hit home "Thank you" he whispered looking back to TK cuddling his new fiancée, a seemingly angelic aura surrounding them.
The End
Good bye, good luck, and thank you kale. This pales to your work but it's my humble little way of saying good-bye.