Disclaimer: I own nothing in this universe; it all belongs to Toei.

Author's Note: Hey, all! I've had this in my fanfiction archives for a while and decided I'd like to get it out. If you haven't seen the sixth Digimon movie, The Runaway Locomon, be advised that this fanfic contains spoilers. I've used the Japanese names of people and Digimon (as I find I often like these much better), but this is about Takato, Rika, and Henry (with side appearances by Ryo, Kazu, and Kenta).

Rating: PG

Pairings: A slight hint of Rukato (Ruki/Takato) if you don't blink ::winks::.

Summary: After the events of Runaway Locomon, Ruki and Jenrya find themselves waiting anxiously for the third member of their trio to wake up…A one-shot drabble/glimpse into the Tamers' friendship. (NO Slash)

"Speech"

/Personal Thoughts/

Aftermath

By Sentimental Star

There was an explosion of bright red light as Dukemon Crimson Mode's Quo Vadis attack spread itself out and deleted the Parasaimon within seconds, simultaneously sewing up the tear in time and space that the Digital Zone had created.

Just seconds before it completely closed, Grand Locomon devolved back to Locomon, and still muttering about running forever, quickly steamed out through the remaining portal.

As the last traces of the Digital Zone vanished, the four Tamers that had Matrix Evolved de-digivolved. Takato remained in the air a little longer than the others as he and Guilmon separated out of their Crimson Mode, the boy laying in a prone position, struggling to keep his eyes open.

But at last, far too wiped out, his eyelids slid shut and he remained immobile, held up by some unseen force. Luckily, that force had enough sense to settle both he and Guilmon gently on the ground.

As the other three devolved and separated from their own partners, they hit the ground at a run.

"Takato!" Jenrya yelled as he, Ruki, Ryou, and their Digimon hurried to where the other two were.

As they came up to them, Guilmon, who had fared little better than his human partner, stumbled forward. "Guilmon…tired," he muttered, and collapsed on a rather unfortunate Terriermon and Moondramon.

"Jen!" Terriermon complained, being squished.

Ryou gave a startled exclamation and set about hurriedly freeing his Digimon and Terriermon from underneath the sleeping Guilmon.

Jenrya, however, with Ruki on his heels, had by now reached the still form of their leader. Immediately falling to his knees beside the goggle-wearing boy, he gathered his best friend into his arms and held him close. "Takato?" he breathed as the brown-haired head fell lightly against his shoulder and Ruki's hand settled on the other. She knelt and reached out, hesitating just short of Takato's own shoulder.

"Is he…?" she began, voice thick and praying that he wasn't.

Jenrya looked up at her with a relieved smile from where he had been checking their friend's pulse. "Dai jobu. He's just sleeping."

Ruki relaxed and actually gave a warm half-smile. "Yokatta."

Ryou had finally succeeded in freeing Terriermon and Moondramon, and now ran over to his two other human companions with those two and Renamon on his heels. In the crook of his arm he cradled an exhausted Pyromon (Guilmon had devolved as soon as he'd touched him). "Is he…all right?"

"Aa. He's fine," Jenrya replied, adjusting his hold on the second thirteen-year-old as a concerned Ruki gently brushed several errant strands of brown hair out of Takato's face.

Ryou breathed a sigh of relief, relaxing. "Good." When Ruki and Jenrya gave him strange looks he held up his hand defensively, "What? He's my friend, too."

Jenrya glanced back down at the sleeping face against his shoulder, a small, fond grin tugging at his lips. Shaking his head, he murmured, "You're something else, Takato. To have all of us worrying over you like this…"

No one else could add anything as the sound of Guardromon motoring over with Hirokazu and Kenta could be heard. "Aw, jeez, he fell asleep?" Hirokazu spoke up, exasperated.

While Ruki leveled him with her infamous 'death glare,' Jenrya gave him a very wry look, "All right, then, why don't you evolve to your highest mode and infiltrate a Digital Zone? Then we'll see if you're still standing by the end of it."

"Fine, fine, point taken," Hirokazu grumped good-naturedly.

Ryou chuckled faintly, then stiffened. And he wasn't the only one. "Aren't those sirens?" Kenta wanted to know, somewhat peevish.

Several sweat-drops formed on the back of the teenagers' heads (those that were awake, anyway) and they exchanged nervous, slightly embarrassed glances.

"Um, you guys, maybe we should…" Jenrya started.

"…Get out of here?" Ruki completed. "Well, that's a brilliant plan, Einstein!"

Another lightning-quick exchange of glances. "Come on!" Ryou exclaimed, helping Ruki situate a still soundly sleeping Takato on Jenrya's back before they and the Digimon rushed to get out of sight.

IOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOI

Sunset had fallen, and though Ruki's not-quite-surprise-birthday party was still on, she and Jenrya, at least, didn't feel quite up to celebrating just yet.

Everyone else, including Shuichon and the Digimon, were in the main room of the house. But she and Jenrya had made their excuses, and gone to wait in her room.

"Why is he taking so long to wake up, Jenrya?" she demanded, gazing anxiously at the closed door of the guest room.

Jenrya bit his lip, gazing with an equal amount of anxiety at that same door. "I wish I knew. Believe me, I'd tell you if I could, Ruki. I know entering a Digital Zone is hardly beneficial, but to completely transform on his own…" He shook his head, letting her fill-in the rest for herself.

The girl gave a low growl. "This is so stupid! If I didn't think he would be in enough pain already, I would have slapped him awake by now!"

Jenrya winced. He knew she wasn't kidding.

A soft chuckle from the entrance of the guest room they had been looking at just moments prior effectively re-directed their attention. "Please don't. I already ache enough as it is."

"Takato!" came the two's simultaneous cries, as both Ruki and Jenrya started to their feet from where they had been kneeling at the girl's desk.

Said goggle-head grinned tiredly at his two closest human friends and held out his arms to them as they practically attacked him. "I'm fine, you guys," he murmured, hugging them tightly. "How's Guilmon?"

"Pyromon's fine, too, Goggle-head," Ruki answered, stepping back and regaining some of her dignity, crossing her arms over her chest with a warm smirk.

"Tired, like you. Stubborn, like you. But fine," Jenrya finished, pulling back with a relieved smile of his own.

Owari (The End)!

Japanese Translations:

Dai jobu: It's okay.

Yokatta: I'm glad/I'm so glad.

Aa: Yes (informal; boys)

Please let me know if any of these are wrong!—SS