Disclaimer: I own nothing but my idea.

A/N: This is a Davis/Yolei friendship fic. I've seen stories of them as a couple, but rarely have I seen friendship fics about them. As far as where this story would fit in the show, I'm not sure. Sometime before Ken stopped being the Emperor would be my guess, but I'm open to suggestions. Let me know what you think of this chapter.

This "…." is some talking

This '….' is someone's thoughts

Bridging The Gap

She was being followed, that much Yolei knew. Why they were following her was the question she wished she had the answer too. She hadn't noticed them up until she started walking through the park on the way to the computer store. Taking a careful and discreet look behind her, she recognized her pursuers from her family's convenience store, for they had been lurking about only just before she herself had left. That thought sent a chill through the normally proud girl.

'Did they hear me going on about how I was going to buy a new computer today with all the money I've saved up, when I was talking to Kari? Oh, no, if they did I think I better get as far from them as I can.'

Walking faster, she began to look around for other people, but the park was fairly empty. Knowing it could be a mistake, Yolei began to head into the woods on the edge of the park, hoping that she could use the trees for cover. Taking a look behind her as she entered the woods to see where the men were, she unexpectedly tripped on some tangled roots and fell. Quickly she tried to untangle her foot when she heard a shout in the distance, "Hey! Watch out!"

Then she heard the unmistakable sound of a soccer ball hitting someone in the face. Giving a brief sigh of relief and hoping it was one of the men following her whom had got hit, she finally got her foot free. Right then a hand reached around her and covered her mouth.

"Calm down. I'm not going to hurt you. I'm here to help, so let's get out of here while those guys who were following you are busy tending to their fallen friend." A calm and faintly familiar voice said this and, taking a chance that this person is telling the truth, Yolei nodded her head to signal she wouldn't scream and allowed herself to be helped up.

"Thank you," Yolei whispered timidly.

"Don't thank me until we're further away from those guys," the mysterious stranger said to her as he softly, but firmly, grabbed her hand and led her through the woods away from the park.

~*~

Emerging from the other side of the forest, head slightly turned down, Yolei gave a sigh of partial relief.

'Well I'm away from those other guys, but I hope I didn't make a mistake by following this guy out.'

Yolei looked over at her "savior" and was still mystified by his attire. He, since she could discern from his strangely familiar voice that he was male, wore a long, black leather trench coat with a hood. The hood was turned up and hid his whole face. At the bottom she could just make out the soles of some tennis shoes beneath the coat. On one shoulder he carried a large sport bag. The attire mystified her because although it was a bit breezy, it wasn't cold enough to merit more than the coat being on, hanging open.

'I think it's time I got some answers,' she decided firmly.

"Not that I'm not grateful for your help back there, but who are you? Your voice sounds familiar. Do I know you?

"I'm surprised you didn't ask as soon as we were out of earshot of those goons, Yolei," the mysterious man chuckled next to her.

"So you do at least know me if you know my name?" Yolei asked, trying to keep the mild bit of surprise out of her voice.

"Why wouldn't I know you?" the stranger queried with another chuckle, as he pushed his hood back to let Yolei see who he was.

"Davis!" Yolei shouted in half surprise and half in anger.

"The one and only," Davis said in acknowledgement.

"I knew your voice sounded familiar, I should have known it was you. Only you could be so difficult, why didn't you tell me it was you in the beginning?" Yolei asked this last part crossing her arms over her chest.

"I'd didn't want to take the chance you would yell my name and give away our position," Davis replied with a shrug. "Oh, and by the way, those guys who helped you were a group of kids from a youth soccer league. I asked them to help after I ran into them when I came into the park following you. Their coach remembered me and decided to give me a distraction so I could help get you away from there. You know what those guys wanted? And sorry if you weren't headed in this way."

Yolei looked around taking in her surroundings and gave a smile, "Actually I was going to the computer store and we're heading the right way for it. As for what they wanted, I saw them in my family's store before I left. I had been talking a bit too adamantly about going to buy a new laptop to Kari, so I can only assume they wanted the money I was going to use. By the end when I sped up, and they did too, I was sure that it was me they were after. Oh, and Davis, thanks. I am an independent person and normally don't like the whole rescue the damsel-in-distress scenario, but I didn't like the idea of having to deal with that group of guys alone."

"Don't mention it. I know we don't have the close friendship that we had when we were younger, but you are still my friend. Besides, we made a promise to always be there to help the other before we drifted apart." This last part Davis said with a wistful sigh.

Yolei looked down as memories came back to her. She and Davis use to be as close as their older sisters still were, but they started drifting apart about a year and a half before they became digidestined. They had made the promise Davis just spoke of, but afterwards they drifted apart. She had not really realized how far, until now.

'We use to always argue but never as bad as we did when we were brought back together because of the digiworld. We use to argue more like siblings would. Why didn't I see how vicious our arguments had gotten before now? I guess the drifting affected us more than we both want to admit. I think it's time we resolved some of our differences.'

Yolei looked over at Davis and was about to open her mouth when he interrupted.

"Hey, Yolei we're here. I think I'll look around with you. It probably would be a good idea if more of us had laptops. It would make travel to the digiworld in emergencies easier. Just give me a sec. Where I was headed is three buildings down. I'll go drop my gym-bag off there and be right back." Davis said this already turning to go in the direction he told Yolei.

"Ummm…sure. I'll be inside looking around then," Yolei yelled to him as she pulled the door to the store open and entered.