Disclaimer: I don't own anything. So don't sue, 'kay?

How Come?
By AnimeAngel
Chapter One: Erasing the Past

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The darkness....

That was all she could remember.

And all she could see.

She felt like the warmth was slipping away, the light was fading and the darkness was consuming her into an icy river.

And just before the darkness claimed her,

She saw his face.

And that was all.

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*Beep* *Beep*

"Will she be okay?" Takato asked the doctor, worried. Beside him were Henry, Juri, Kenta, Kazu, and Ryo.

"I don't know son. I hope."

Jeri stared at the bed, in which the motionless figure laid. The moment kept replaying in her head, that made her numb with horror and shock.

~Flashback~

It was a beautiful Saturday morning and the gang decided to meet up at the park. They were all there, except for Rika. They assumed she was running late.

As she leaned against the tree, Jeri glanced around. Then, she gasped and started screaming. "NO!"

She immediately jumped up and ran towards the street. "Jeri, what the heck are you-geez!" Kazu shouted as he and the others noticed what Jeri was screaming about.

In the middle of the road laid an unmoving figure that almost wasn't visible due to the large crowd around it.

But it indeed was who they thought it was, fulfilling their nightmares.

There was Rika, on the ground.

~End Flashback~

Jeri started shaking as she stared at the girl. What..what if she doesn't... She felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up and saw Takato, a sad smile on his face. "Don't worry Jeri," he said, with fake optimism. "She'll be okay...Rika's tough." But even the toughest people can't beat death...no, stop thinking that way Takato! She'll be fine..she has to...

"Rika...you can't die." Ryo touched her hand and suddenly drew back. I can't...stay here when she's like this. Ryo then turned around and walked out of the room.

Henry watched him as he left and he understood exactly how the other boy felt. For he felt the same way. "Maybe we should leave," he said, after glancing around. Jeri was practically shaking, Takato was as pale as could be, and Kazu and Kenta seemed to be in a somewhat state of shock. Who wouldn't...I mean, Rika's never...looked this way. She looked so weak, so fragile, like a small porcelain doll that was about to fall off a shelf.

"Maybe." Takato took one last glance at Rika and with his head bowed down, walked out the door. Henry followed suit and Kazu and Kenta helped the shaking Jeri out. A while later, doctors entered, none noticing the silent figure in the corner. Or rather, silent Digimon.

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"I failed you Rika. I failed you as a Digimon, a partner, and as a protecter." Renamon stood at Rika's side in the dark room. The moon shown done upon them, shining Rika's pale face with silvery light.

Renamon suddenly felt another prescence in the room and spun around. She relaxed slightly as she saw who it was. "You."

"Renamon? Are you okay?" He asked. She didn't respond. "You know, you didn't fail her."

"I'm fine." She turned back to Rika. "She's the one you should be worrying about." She smirked slightly. "You love my tamer, don't you?"

He blushed, his face red. "No!" he exclaimed, trying to deny it. As though his face didn't reveal it.

Renamon's smirk increased and then, she walked towards the window. "I'll be watching over her." Then, she left.

Then, it was just him in the room, along with Rika of course. As he turned to leave as well, he said, "I love you...but I'm not the only one Rika. Please wake up." Then, he left the room.

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A week later, the gang (minus Rika) went down to visit her in the hospital again. They had been doing that every day since the accident. They went as soon as school was over and stayed for 2 hours. Their parents didn't mind-she was a friend. But not only a friend but a comrade. During their visits, they would talk to her and all talk about the stuff they did in the Digital World. The mood had lightened slightly since Rika was improving little by little. The doctors said she might wake up soon.

"I wonder what-huh?" Takato stopped in his tracks, causing everyone behind him to too.

"What's up Takato? Why'd you stop?" Kazu asked.


"Rika's...not in her room," he said the millions reasons why that could be racing in his head. She can't be...she can't be!

"She's gone kids," a nurse said to the group, as she came out of the room. She smiled at them.

"How can you smile at us when our friend just died!?" Ryo stared at the nurse like she was crazy.

The nurse looked confused. "Oh, I'm sorry about your friend...but if you want, maybe if you visit Rika in room 202 you'll feel better. It might make you feel better."

"Our friend just died! We don't want to visit R-Did you just say RIKA!?" Kenta exclaimed.

"Yeah."

"But you said-"

"That she gone since she went into another room. Duh!" The young nurse said. (AN: Yeah, that sure wasn't original. Ah well. I wanna make this a long chapter).

"Room 202, let's go gang!" Then, they all raced to room 202, crashing into a lot of people and getting yelled at along the way.

*Slam* "Rika?" Henry's eyes widened at what he saw. "You guys...she's awake!"

"Hey Rika, you had us worried!"

"You know, we almost got kicked out of the hospital for nearly killing everyone while coming to see you?"

"HAHA, that was so funny when-"

"Umm...excuse me?" Rika asked.

"Yeah Rika?" Jeri asked, a bright smile on her face.

"Not meaning to be rude or anything but...who are you?" Rika asked, confused.

And that's when their happiness came crashing down.

-----End Chapter 1-----

AnimeAngel: So, what do you think? I know the nurse thing wasn't very original but like I said, I wanted to make this chapter a little bit more interesting.

Takato: By the way, who was "he" anyway?

AnimeAngel: *shrug* I don't know...I'll have to think about that.

Henry: You don't even know who he was and this your fic??

AnimeAngel: It relates to the romance in the story. Here are the possible couples:
Takato / Rika
Henry / Rika
Ryo / Rika
Takato / Jeri *
Other *
* This depends on how the first 3 couplings end up.