Sweet Dreams

A TK and Kari Fan-fiction

When TK falls into a coma after getting injured in an accident, Kari begins to wonder about her and TK's future.

The hospital was quiet, utterly silent. Nurses clicked their heels on the shiny floor, but it seemed barely more than an echo. In one room, a tall boy with blonde hair was lying in a bed, his eyes closed as if he was simply in a nap. The people inside of the room, though, knew that it was something different and something much, much worse.

How could this have happened? A girl with pretty light brown hair to her shoulders thought. She sat at the boy's feet, having to keep herself from leaping up and running away. The thought that this boy, her best friend, might never wake up, was almost too much to bear. She shut her eyes tightly, trying to keep the tears from falling. She had already cried, and she wasn't going to accept defeat.

A pair of strong arms wrapped her, embracing her in a hug. She sniffed, meeting her brother's gaze. "Thanks, Tai," she whispered.

He looked at her straight in the eye then, and he said to her, "He's going to be okay, Kari. Don't worry."

"But Tai, how can I not worry?!" She stood up, pulling him with her. The others in the room glanced at the scene, but they thankfully decided not to speak. Matt sat on a chair near TK's head, clasping his brother's hand tightly in his own; Kari saw him exchange a glance with Tai, but she didn't know what it meant. If it was something bad, she didn't want to know.

Tai continued to hold onto her, but she no longer wanted to feel his warmth. She wanted TK. She wanted TK to tell her everything would be okay; she wanted TK to make her feel better and joke around until she would smile. But TK was the one who was on the hospital bed, and he wasn't there to cheer her up. At the same moment, she fiercely missed Gatomon and the Digital World, but they hadn't been there in a while. Izzy was trying to open it up so Patamon could come through and be with his partner, but nothing was working.

It's not fair, she thought desperately. Everything was going great, and then this.

She distinctly remembered the moment where things seemed to stand still. They had just gotten their drivers licenses, and Davis convinced them all that they should have a race. Cody refused to participate—the only smart one—but none of the others seemed to realize what would happen. Davis and Yolei rushed ahead of TK and Kari, passing dozens of cars. It was so much fun; they didn't understand what was going to happen, and they were so preoccupied they didn't see a car that had run a red-light . . . David and Yolei were safe. TK was not. Kari escaped with only a broken wrist. And now TK was in a coma.

And the worst part was, Kari realized, I never said anything to him before we crashed. She had been laughing with him as they joked about Davis, but not actually talking.

"Hey, let's step outside for a moment," Tai said to her. He stared into her amber eyes, as if challenging her to refuse. She gave a sigh but followed him out of the room, and she could feel his tense hand on her arm.

"Tai, you're cutting off the circulation in my arm," she complained sullenly, moving her arm that was indeed beginning to turn a different color. Tai was staring at the ground now, and it looked like he didn't exactly know what to say. The Kamiya siblings stood together yet far apart in silence, all because of the boy in the other room.

Finally, Tai found his voice, taking a deep breath before speaking. "Listen Kari, I know you're upset, and we are too, but I think you need to take a break from being in there."

Confusion swirled in Kari's already confused thoughts. "What? Why shouldn't I be there for TK?"

"I . . . Kari, don't you see how hard it for TK's family anyway? Matt is a mess, and their parents aren't any better! Having you there . . . it just makes it worse, because they have to see someone else who reminds them of their son, someone else who cared about him, and it's just . . . I can't explain it, Kari, I just can't!"

Now Tai was crying as he collapsed onto a bench, putting his face into his hands. Kari was trying to make sense of what he was saying, but meanwhile she numbly made her way over to him. This was all too much; how was it that she had been perfectly happy a week ago?

"Tai," she said softly, "I love you so much."

"I keep imagining you lying there, Kari," he said through muffled sobs, "instead of TK. And I'm trying to stay strong for him, but I have to stay strong for you, too, and sometimes I just miss when we were kids."

Kari was comforting her older brother now, and together brother and sister sat. In the other room, two brothers were together as well, but the ominous feeling had not been lifted. TK's unknown fate lay in the air, and it would not leave Kari's mind even temporarily.

Eventually, Tai and Kari's parents called and asked them if they would head home, and Kari vehemently refused to go with her brother. She may have yelled out, but she didn't even remember. She was back at TK's feet, letting his mom rub her back while Tai stood at the door. Their mom murmured something to Tai, who visibly seemed to relax before beginning to head out. Tai gave Matt a huge hug and kissed Kari on the cheek with a knowing look on his face, and then he was gone, head down and hands in his pockets. Kari only hoped he wouldn't blame himself that he couldn't take care of her; it wasn't about him at all.

I wonder what TK will remember, she mused. For a split second, she thought she saw his hand twitch, but it was her imagination, because he did not wake.

Will he remember what I told him before we raced? That I wanted to tell him something? She touched his leg softly, watching the machine that had a steady beeping, symbolizing TK's heart. The noise calmed her somehow, that beep that never stopped. Because if it stopped, that was the end, nothing more.

"Kari," Matt said after more silence, "It's okay, really . . . you don't, you don't have to stay because you're guilty, or anything. Nobody blames you."

What? Her confused thoughts must have echoed her expression, because Matt seemed confused, like he was thinking, Well, if that's not why you're here, then what?

Could he really not see? All at once, everything was becoming a revelation in Kari's eyes, and things were becoming clearer. Did no one see her feelings for TK, were they not always written across her face? She had even been hiding these feelings from herself, and just now did she see what her heart was saying.

Did TK not always support her? She had dated a few guys in the past years, never finding one that lasted, and TK was always there for her. She never saw jealousy in him, only kindness; but then she remembered their adventures in the Digital World, and she remembered how much he protected her and cared for her, even when she was fine. Had his feelings been written out on his face, all this time, and she was only now seeing?

Stupid, I'm so stupid! She gave a soft moan, putting her forehead into her hands.

"I don't feel guilty, Matt—well, I do, but that's not why I'm here." Kari wished again that Gatomon was there; she would've helped Kari stay strong. Meanwhile, Matt stared at her, waiting for her to continue.

"I- I- I just care for him too much . . . more than a friend should . . . I think, I don't know."

Matt's blue eyes looked into hers, at last grasping when she was trying to say. He looked from TK to Kari, and then back to TK. "You don't know how glad he'll be to here that," Matt whispered, with an almost-invisible smile on his face. "You know he's . . . felt that way for a very long time."

Kari nodded, blinking back the salty liquid that was forming in her eyes. "I think I've felt the same way for a very long time, too . . . I just never admitted it to myself. I'm in love with my best friend."

"I understand," Matt added. "His awakening will sure make it all worth it when I see him smile because you're here . . ."

At this, Kari was struck by Matt's words. "How do you do it? Stay so . . . positive."

Shrugging, Matt replied, "He's my brother, Kari. If I gave up on him . . . well, what kind of brother would I be?"

"H- hello?"

If Kari had not been stretching her senses to include TK, she would not have the heard the words that barely left the boy's mouth. Matt gasped, gripping his brother's hand tightly, and Kari could only suck in a sharp breath. They didn't movie, waiting to hear something else.

"TK? TK!" Matt yelled. "Did you say something!?"

TK's green eyes fluttered open, and at first they seemed vague and unfocused before finally landing on Kari. She waited, watching him to speak, not able to breathe.

"K-Kari . . . you're all right." TK's voice was weak, but the relief in it was evident. Before she knew, tears were flowing down Kari's cheeks, and she flung her arms over his body. Her lips planted themselves on his, and they stayed in this embrace until Matt coughed, still holding his brother's hand.

"Sorry," Kari said, blushing wildly.

TK didn't seem embarrassed in front of his brother; instead, he looked fairly pleased, and very confused. "Did . . . did something happen? How long have I been sleeping?"

Matt shook his head in shock and joy, chuckling under his breath. "None of that matters now, TK, but you're okay! I have to go get Mom and Dad!" The older brother burst out of the room, calling down the hospital hallways.

Kari gulped, wondering if she had done the right thing. What if she was wrong all along, and Matt was wrong? What if he didn't really like her? What if she just ruined his awakening? What if—

"Kari," TK's voice interrupted her thoughts, "Is something going on? Did that . . . did that just happen?"

"Yeah, that just happened . . . but if you don't want to remember it, that's okay. I mean, I didn't know what I was thinking, and, and . . ."

"Kari?"

"Yeah, TK?"

"I- I think I love you."

"Oh." The word was said as a sigh of relief, and she brought herself down to the height of the bed, her head facing his. "I think I love you, too, Takeru Takaishi."

But then TK's eyebrows knit together, and he formed a new resolute look on his face. "No, from what I remember . . . I know I love you."

And Kari pressed her forehead onto his, closing her eyes, and their lips met in a soft, tender kiss. I know I love you, too.

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