Hey everyone! This is my first fan fic. I've always loved the story of Digimon and I've always wanted a story of them when they are older. So here it is! I'd love it if you guys would review this, too. I'll be back soon with chapter 2. Enjoy!

Decisions and Disagreements

The world rushed by in a blur of colors and shapes. She couldn't focus on them. Not now. She pushed herself to run harder, feeling the adrenaline course through her veins like liquid fire. Her lungs screamed from air but she kept going. Renamon needed her. She ran, praying it wasn't too late. Suddenly, she collapsed on the floor as pain coursed through her body, ripping through every nerve. Her head pounded and images flashed before her eyes. Somewhere, a beautiful fox Digimon lay on the ground, as bits of her data slowly dispersed into the air. She was dying.

"Renamon!" Rika woke up with the scream escaping from her mouth. She sat bolt upright. Her legs were tangled in her cotton sheets and beads of sweat dripped slowly off her forehead. She closed her eyes and shook away the last residing images of the dream. Yet, she couldn't shake off the fear. It felt so real.

More disturbing still was the fact that it been years since she had this dream. She'd experienced it nearly every night after Renamon and the other Digimon had been forced back to the Digital World after the defeat of the D-Reaper. It had been five years since then. Rika was seventeen now, not twelve. Nightmares shouldn't scare her anymore.

Suddenly, her phone rang, snapping Rika from her thoughts. She reached across the bed, looked at the screen, and placed the phone to her ear.

"Takato, it's the middle of the night! This better be good," she growled. He didn't need to know she was already awake.

"Yeah, yeah, I know, Rika. But listen, you got to come to the park right away."

"The park? Why? We haven't been there in years. We're not twelve anymore, Goggle Head," she told him, using her much preferred nickname.

"Can you just humor me, please? Everyone else is already on their way."

"Ugg, fine. This better not be dumb," she warned and hung up before giving him the change to answer.

The night air was crisp around her as she rode her bike to the park. It was funny; she used to ride this route all the time. Now, she hardly remembered it. Yet, she somehow found her way, as if riding my instinct. The cold air stabbed into her skin, but she didn't mind. She never minded pain or discomfort. At least they reminded her she actually could still feel something. She sometimes doubted this after Renamon left.

She turned into the park and hopped off her bike as she saw a blue haired boy shuffling toward her down the sidewalk. His traditional orange vest shone like a beacon in the darkness and she couldn't help but smile at his presence. Sure, she saw him at school, but here, it was like old times again.

"Henry," she regarded him with a cool smirk.

"Still think you have to act cool and collected around me, Rika?" he asked, falling in stride with her. Briefly, an impulse to reach out and hug her passed through his mind, but he pushed it away with the thought of what she would do to him if he did. He grinned at the thought.

"What?" Rika asked, noticing the silly grin on his face.

"What what?"

"What are you grinning about?"

"Nothing," he shrugged.

"Well, you look like an idiot."

"Gee thanks."

"Anytime," she said coyly. They continued to walk in silence until they reached the oh so familiar stone building in the trees. Rika leaned her bike up against a nearby tree and walked up the path. Inside, Takato looked up from his conversation with Kenta and greeted them with a big smile.

"Hey guys! Long time, no see." Takato had decided to go to public high school while Rika and Henry went to a private school. Not to Rika's disappointment, they didn't see each other much anymore.

In the corner, Ryo sat leaning up against the wall like he was so cool. "Hey Rika," he said with a cool smile. Rika's eyes rolled skyward as she passed by him and leaned against the opposite wall, crossing her arms over her chest.

"We're still waiting on Kazu," Takato stated as he noticed the impatient looks on everyone's faces.

"Why am I not surprised?" Rika asked aloud, meriting a smile from both Ryo and Henry. "What about Jeri?" An uncomfortable silence descended on the Tamers. "What? Why are you guys all looking at me like that?" she demanded.

"I guess you wouldn't know since you switched schools but Jeri… isn't doing well," Kenta struggled to find the appropriate words.
Ryo laughed dryly. "By that, Kenta means that she's gone cuckoo. She's been in and out of the mental hospital for years."

"Ryo, shut up," Henry said quietly, a note of harsh severity lacing his voice. He nodded his head to Takato, who stood with his hands balled into fists, almost imperceptibly trembling at his sides. Henry turned to Rika. "She's been doing better lately, but it's probably not a good idea to bring her here. That just might hinder her recovery, which we know is going to happen soon, right, Takato?"

Takato glanced up and nodded, grateful for Henry's optimism.

After a few more minutes of awkward waiting, Kazu burst in the room. "Sorry I'm late, guys! It's actually a funny story. You see-"

"We don't care," Rika said, cutting him off. She directed her attention at Takato. "Alright, Goggle HHHead, why are we are?" Rika asked pushing away from the wall. She moved her hands to her hips in a threatening, demanding manner.

"Okay. So you all remember when we went to the Digital World, right?"

"As if we could forget," Henry said impatiently.

"Well, yeah, but do you guys remember how we got there?" Everyone in the room exchanged nervous glances before looking at the hole in wall caused by a certain Digimon. A bunch of rocks had fallen in the hole from the crumbling stone above it, but from the cracks, small beams of iridescent light caught the eyes of the tamers.

"You've got to be kidding me," Henry said, breaking the momentary silence.

"I'm not," Takato said, as he began to move rocks away to reveal the glimmering portal they had all seem before.

"No, I mean you've got to be kidding if you think we're actually going to go back."

"Aw, come on, Henry! I thought you'd be happy. You can see Terriormon again."

"Have you lost your mind, Takato?! We can't go back to the Digital World!"

"Why not? Give me one good reason."

"I can give you more than one," Henry said standing up. "First, we may never be able to get back. Second, we can't just leave our lives here. Plus we may not even find them."

"As Terriormon would say: momentai, Henry. You've got to have faith that we will."

"And what if we don't?" Henry snapped. "Then we'll be stuck in a world filled with dangerous creatures with absolutely no way to protect ourselves."

"But can you live with yourself knowing you never tried? You can't tell me you don't miss him," Takato said.

"I didn't say that. I miss Terriormon every day, but I've also accepted that I won't see him again. I've moved on. You should do the same. We can't live our lives in the past, Takato!" By this time the two were face to face, steaming in anger.

An uncomfortable silence descended upon them. The tension between the two tamers filled the air with a nervous electricity. Finally, Kazu broke the silence. "Well, I'm in!"

"Me, too!" Kenta said enthusiastically.

Takato stepped back from Henry with a smug grin on his face. He turned his gaze to Ryo who shrugged and said, "Sure, why not?"

"Oooh! I want to go, too!" a high pitched voice came from outside. Suzie rushed in the room, a bright smile on her face.

"Suzie! Why are you here?"

"I listened in on your phone call and followed you here. I'm a tamer, too! I have just as much right to be here as you do!" Five years had really changed Suzie as well. She wasn't the timid little girl she had once been. Her feelings of respect and obedience for her brother had been replaced with defiance and rebellion.

Henry rolled his eyes, realizing arguing with her with be futile. He turned to Rika. "Rika?"

She jumped a little. "Me?"

"Yeah. Do you think it's a good idea to go?"

"I…" She shifted her gaze nervously between the two testosterone fueled guys. "Well, I agree with Henry that it's dangerous and pretty much downright idiotic to go there, completely unprotected."

"Ha!" Henry yelled in Takato's face.

"But… I do miss Renamon. Besides, when have we taken the safe route?" she said with a smile, attempting to lighten his mood. Henry simply cast her cold glare. She dropped her gaze. He didn't get it. Without Renamon, Rika had no reason to live. The past five years had been miserable. She had no friends outside the tamers and as they drifted farther and farther apart, Rika felt more alone than ever. She needed Renamon.

"Well, that settles it. We're going to the Digital World!" Takato shouted triumphantly. "Are you coming, Henry?"

"I don't agree with this, but I'm not going to let you guys go in alone," he turned and stormed out.

"Perfect, we'll leave at dawn. It should give everyone just enough time to go home and pack."

As the tamers got up to leave, Rika ran after Henry. "Henry!"

"What Rika!?" He turned to face her, a rare glint of anger in his eyes that Rika was unaccustomed to seeing.

"Henry, I'm sorry."

"For what, Rika? Completely betraying me?" he spat vehemently. "You know it's asinine to go in there."

"Yeah," she said meekly. "But asinine or not, I have to go."

"You don't have to do anything. I thought that was like your motto to live by or something."

"Henry, you don't get it. I have to find Renamon. I can't live without her. I miss her."

"You think I don't miss Terriormon?"

"But the difference is, you have other friends!" Rika burst. "I don't have anyone else."

"You have-"

"Who? The tamers? I barely see anyone but you anymore and you still have other friends. It's not like we hang out all the time. I'm alone 90% of the time, Henry. She's my best friend. Without her, it's like, I have no one." Rika was surprised by the tears that formed in her eyes.

"Oh, Rika… I'm sorry. I guess I didn't really think of it that way." He reached out to her, gently touching her arm. His touch sent shivers down Rika's spine. He had never really touched her before. No one ever did.

It was then she realized she was still crying. She pulled away and angrily wiped the tears away, frustrated that she had let herself show weakness in front of Henry.

"God, I'm stupid," she scolded herself.

"No, you're not. I'm stupid. It's okay to miss her, Rika. You don't have to be so strong all the time."

"Yeah, well hopefully I won't need to be anymore. I'll find her, even if it kills me," she said determinedly.

Henry laughed. "I have no doubt you will, and I'll be there to help you every step of the way."

"Yeah, you better be. If not, I may have to pummel you," she laughed.

"There's the Rika I know. Well, I've got to get home and pack. See you in a few hours."

"Yeah. See you," she said, mounting her bike. As she rode home, she could still feel the small spot on her arm where his arm had touched. She shook her head and pushed the memory away with thoughts of their upcoming journey. This was it. This was her second chance. Don't worry Renamon. I'm coming.