The Digidestined all thought that it was Yamato and Takeru with all the family problems. What they didn't know is that Taichi and Hikari were worse. Far worse than anybody thought. Will the rest of digidestined be able to help them before it's too late?

Disclaimer: I do not own anything pertaining to Digimon, its affiliates, parent corporation, etc. etc. etc. Basically: I just borrow the characters and give them back when I'm done, most times in one piece.

Scars of The Past Never Fade
Chapter 1
Realizations and Revelations

-Hikari's POV-

Now that I look at these old pictures, it's hard to imagine how mom and dad could have changed so much. They used to be mom and dad. Now they're mother and father. I have bruises. Taichi had scars because of them. Them. They took away our happiness. They took away our digimon. They destroyed them. Agumon and Tailmon put up a good fight.

But it wasn't enough.

It's never enough to satisfy them.

Never.

Taichi had it worse. He's had to deal with them longer than I have. I asked him to other day how many scars he has because of them. He said too many to count.

The basement has turned from a storage area to a torture chamber. Two sets of chains in cages are set down there. Only mother has the key. They're at work now, so we're safe. For now. Taichi is still trying to sleep after last night's beating. Tai says that mom and dad are just angry. But what are they angry about? Not us I hope. We've done everything we can and then some. We saved the world!

But why can't we save ourselves?

Because we're afraid. We fear them far more than they fear any evil digimon. Malomyotismon was a bunny rabbit compared to mom and dad now. I watch as Taichi emerges from the hallway and plops onto the couch next to me. His face is bruised, as are his arms legs and neck. He's still wearing his clothes from yesterday. Shorts and a muscle shirt. Now he's gonna have to wear a turtleneck and pants to hide this set of bruises.

The others are beginning to suspect. Matt came over not too long ago. He wanted to see Taichi. I had seen him angry before, but this was different. He knew. He knew about our secret. The secret that would tear our family apart. No. It won't tear it apart. It's already been torn.

Both Taichi and I jump as someone knocks on the door. Taichi goes to get up but I shove him into his room. I answer the door. "Hiya, Hikari."

"Oh, hi Daisuke. What do you want?" I'm used to asking him this, he comes over nearly everyday.

"I'm not here to ask you out again. I just wanted to know if you knew where T.K. is?"

I looked at Daisuke like he was crazy and he eyed me in a quizzical manner. He knows. I could sweat that he knows. Or at least; suspects.

"Well, he's not here I'll tell you that. Why don't you try Matt? He came over earlier maybe he knows."

"Oh, well ok thanks."

I closed the door as Taichi came back out of his room, wearing a pair of baggy blue pants and a deep red T-shirt over a black turtleneck. Apparently he's put on deodorant for once. He knows he's gonna die of heat in that during the middle of summer. There is a nasty bruise on his face. Taichi's just probably gonna lie as to how he got it. But I'm not worrying about that now.

"Taichi, they know."

:Chapter 1 End: