It's me again! I know I know I have a lot of unfinished fics. I just don't know where to go with them now, but I won't have that problem with this fic, because I have this all planned out! This was inspired by the Rob Thomas album "Cradlesong", but it's NOT a songfic. I just took the title of the songs to make a story, and I think I came up with a good one. Here it is, hope you enjoy it!

P.S. Thanks to my beta, you're so great for helping me! Everyone, when your done with this, go read Boys will be boys, Lover Boys, and Love and Laptops. They are the best fics around lately!

Disclaimer: Do not own Digimon.

Chapter 1: Her Diamonds

It was Christmas time. The most wonderful time of the year. Tai had a wonderful loving family, great friends, Izzy, Matt, and Joe, and a wonderful girlfriend, Sora. She was a great person. He had alot to be happy about, yet there was just something in him that just didn't feel right. Sometimes he felt like the only time he was really happy was when he was hanging out with his best friend, Izzy. It was weird. Tai and Izzy were different as night and day. Tai was a soccer star, popular, with a beautiful girlfriend. Izzy on the other hand, didn't have a lot of friends, other than those in the computer club, because that was about all he did, and he was single, too. Tai didn't think he'd ever shown any interest in any girl. He was just content to type away on his laptop.

He got to Izzy's door after a very short travel there. He knew already what he was getting Izzy. He was easy to shop for. Or... maybe it was just because Izzy meant so much to him. He was happy to have a friend that wasn't his friend because his soccer talent, which many of his apparent friends idealized him for, but just because of his personality. After a few minutes of Tai's incessant knocking, Izzy finally came to the door. The door opened, and Tai could see his face light up, even though it was only a tiny change in his expression. "Tai! What's up?"

Tai smiled at his friend. "Hey Izzy, I'm going Christmas shopping for Sora. Would you like to go with me?"

Izzy's face darkened a little at the mention of Sora. "I wish I could, but I need to clean my room."

Tai raised an eyebrow. "You, with a messy room? Right, when hell freezes over. Why don't you want to come?"

Izzy scrambled to find a good response for that. "Okay it's not messy. I just... I don't know anything about what a girl would want for Christmas, and I think it would be better if I didn't help with this."

"You don't have any idea?"

"Well... You could get her diamonds?" Izzy asked more than said, sounding incredibly unsure of himself.

Tai laughed a little. "Yeah, like I can afford that. Besides being a school student and on the soccer team, I also run a large company where I can get money for diamonds."

Izzy laughed as well. Tai's laugh was contagious. "Okay, sorry. I really don't know what to get her, but you should know, you're the one who loves her. Why don't you get something to tell her how much you do?"

Tai formed a weak smile. "Thanks Izzy, you're right."

Izzy nodded. "Anytime."

x x x x x x x

Tai walked slowly to the store, thinking about things. He cared about Sora, but love? He thought love felt stronger than this. He felt more strongly about that short conversation he had with Izzy. Tai stopped and thought a second. "Could I be... no, that can't be it. I don't act like a woman, or know anything about fashion, and hey, I'm a sports star. Theres no way that's the issue. I guess I just... don't fit with Sora."

Tai's expression immedietly reflected sadness at that revelation. He really didn't want to hurt Sora, but he knew that not telling her how he felt wasn't right either. He had to be honest. He veered off his path to the store. He soon instead reached the apartment building where Sora lived. He walked slowly, trying to decide what to say. It wasn't an easy situation. Finally he knocked on the door. Of course she answered the door quickly with a huge smile on her face, making this so much harder. "Hey Tai! What's up?"

Tai frowned. 'Damn, why does she have to be so cheery,' he thought. "Sora, we need to talk."

It was Sora's turn to frown. "What's wrong Tai?"

Tai swallowed. "I think... we need to break up."

Sora looked like someone had died. "What? Why?" she asked frantically.

"I can't explain it, and it's not you, it's just..." He looked at Sora, who was trying not to cry. "I don't think I'm right for you."

"But shouldn't that be for me to decide?"

"Yeah... But... That's not what I mean..."

"Is there someone else?"

"What?" Tai blinked, not believeing she asked that.

"Is there someone else?" For some reson Tai's mind drifted to Izzy. He couldn't understand why.

"I can see it in your eyes Tai, you love someone else."

"No! It's not...!"

"Yes it is! I can't believe you would do this to me! You jerk!"

"Sora, I never meant to hurt you..."

"Yeah right! Just get out Tai!"

"B-but-!" Tai was genuinely hurt. Her tears were falling on the floor, and he wished that he could help her, after all, she tried her best to be a good girlfriend. It just wasn't what she needed.

"Just go, Tai!" Tai finally just turned around and left. He knew that there was nothing he could do to help her, and he knew it was all for the best.

x x x x x

Over the next few days, Tai kept thinking about what he had been feeling. Feeling for Izzy. Everyone asked him what was wrong. He refused to tell anyone the truth, just that he and Sora weren't compatable. But one day, at lunch, as Tai was picking over the questionable meat loaf, Izzy sat beside him. "Tai, are you okay?"

Tai had been avoiding everyone, but being around Izzy made him feel better. He was just trying to figure out if that was a good thing or a bad thing. "Yeah. I've just... had alot on my mind."

Izzy nodded. Then it happened. Izzy put his arm around Tai. Something about it just... "I know you're hurting Tai, but if you ever want to talk about it, or anything, you can talk to me, anytime."

Tai smiled, looking at him. He couldn't help thinking about it, how it would be to have that touch everyday. That smile, that knowledge, that kindness... "You know Izzy, I do want to talk to you about this. Will you meet me after school?"

Izzy smiled and nodded. "Sure, Tai. Where and when?"

"How about the park, on the bench in front of the trees at four o'clock?"

"That works for me." Izzy hugged Tai with that one arm, and then left him alone again. Tai wondered if he was really going to tell him, or if his nerves would crumble and he'd lie his way out of it. Meanwhile, someone else was listening to where they planned to meet.