Welcome to my first Digimon Christmas fic! It's based around Taichi (which makes a change from my other stories) so it might appeal to a few more people. I'm going to try and post one chapter a day, with the last chapter falling on Christmas day. Enjoy!

The 18-year-old blonde stood outside the Takaishi residence, one hand burdening a bag full of gifts, the other reaching for the wooden door. Before he could even knock, the door swung open and Matt Ishida was greeted by the jubilant face of his younger brother.

"Matt!" Takeru Takaishi, or TK for short, couldn't have looked happier as he greeted his brother with a loving embrace. "It's so good to see you!"

Matt, looking equally as happy replied warmly "You too TK, is Mom in?"

"Yeah she's in the kitchen. C'mon, she's been waiting months to see you!" With that the younger boy led his brother by the hand into his home, while Matt could only chuckle at his exuberance. This was going to be an easy peaceful Christmas.

All around the world the same events were transpiring. Brothers being reunited, gifts being shared, families coming together. Somewhere a turkey was burnt. However for one young man, this particular Christmas was going to be anything but peaceful.

The date was December 23rd and for Tai Kamiya, the unthinkable had happened.

Months ago Taichi had finished his Christmas shopping, and he was particularly proud of himself. Not only had he picked out the perfect gifts for most of his friends and family, (he wasn't doing anything last minute, not after what happened last year), he made sure he had time to go back and get something different in case he changed his mind. Every gift was pristinely wrapped; the wrapping paper suiting whomever the gift was for. On each gift was a short message, written in his best handwriting.

Dear [recipient],

Happy Holidays!

Tai

It was all done quickly and efficiently. By the end of it, Tai wouldn't have been surprised if he'd been told he was a direct descendent of Santa Claus. Which is why his telephone conversation with his good friend Izzy on the night of the 22nd of December, sent him into a state of extreme panic.

"So Tai, what did you get for Sora?" There was no reply. "Tai? Hello?"

He'd hung up of course. Well, dropped the phone and run out the front door would be a more accurate description. Somehow after months of meticulous planning, gift selection and wrapping, Tai had forgotten to buy a present for arguably the most important person. Sora Takenouchi was of course Tai's oldest and dearest friend, but to him she was more than that. To him, this was the girl he hoped to one day marry. Giving up an opportunity to make her smile on Christmas was not an option. Unfortunately, all the shops had been closed that night, both infuriating and worrying Tai further. His dilemma was not helped by the fact it was Christmas eve and not Christmas Day that the Digidestined got together and exchanged gifts, leaving Christmas day to be with their families. That left Tai just a day to find the perfect gift for the perfect girl.

And this brings us to the events of December 23rd, with a certain tall, bushy-haired boy running awkwardly through the chilly streets of Odaiba in search of a suitable present for his friend, making sure to bump into every man, woman and child that unfortunately found themselves in his path.

"Excuse me... Sorry... In a hurry!"

For the majority of the calendar year, Odaiba could be likened to a stern elderly man; hard working, traditional in his values and who would take one look outside on a rainy day, mutter his misgivings, and decide he was much better off staying inside. Around Christmas time however, the city became the jovial grandfather telling stories by the fire, bubbly and full of life. The streets were full with people of every age, all wanting a sample of the sights and sounds of the holiday season. Christmas lights hung from every tree and every lamp post, illuminating the city as day turned to night. Perhaps most noticeable was the fantastic array of smells that hung outside the cafés and restaurants, slyly tempting any passer-by to come in and try their holiday special.

Tai however didn't have time to enjoy any of this. Hours had passed and he was still no closer to finding anything Sora would remotely like. His previous Christmas spending meant that his allowance funds had all but dried up, so he'd spent the majority of his time sniffing around pop-up market stalls hoping he could find a bargain.

"I'll give you ¥3,400" Tai was virtually pleading with a short, bitter looking woman, but she refused to budge.

"¥5,100. No less" she stated bluntly. The item in question was a small pendant, amber in colour, that had an uncanny similarity to Sora's crest of love. It wasn't original by any stretch of the imagination, but the boy's patience was quickly running out.

"I already told you I don't have that much!" to his dismay, the woman swiftly turned her back on him and put the pendant back into its box. This wasn't the first time he'd left a market stall disappointed and as the evening drew closer he became more and more frustrated and upset. But then something caught his eye.

Tai Kamiya had all but admitted defeat when he came across the small but elaborate Victorian-themed market stall. It was set up under a gazebo, however it's 'roof' was so low he found himself ducking as to not hit his head on the steel bars that held it up. The place was filled with Victorian style items: plates, hats and toys, none of which caught Tai's attention. There wasn't even anybody in the stall that he could pay, not that he particularly wanted anything. In an instant all the days frustration hit him at once and he stormed out of the gazebo, forgetting about one thing.

"Ouch!" He held a hand to his forehead, dazed for a second. The steel bar he'd previously ducked under had smashed him right above his eyes. He was surprised he managed to stay on his feet, such was the force of the blow, but after a few seconds he managed to steady himself. A large sigh escaped his mouth. He was physically and mentally exhausted.

A despondent Tai trudged through the park on his way home, angry at the world and even angrier at himself. His eyes didn't leave the grassy floor as he pictured Sora's ever-present smile fade away as he broke the news. That was the worst thing, she wouldn't even make him feel bad about it. She was too kind. Breaking out of his trance, it crossed the boys mind that he had been walking for a lot longer than he should have. Moreover, his eyes were now looking at a concrete pathway, rather than the green grass of the park. Deciding to look up to see where he was going.

And then Tai's heart nearly stopped. He was no longer in Odaiba. He probably wasn't even in Japan.

"William, is that you?"

And thats the end of the first chapter. If there's any feedback, I'll respond to it at the start of the next chapter (hopefully tomorrow!)