Summary: Takeru and Hikari have their whole lives ahead of them, but when an unexpected blessing pops up, they are forced to grow up quickly. How do these teens handle becoming thrust headfirst into life? And WHAT is up with the pickles?

Disclaimer: Digimon is not mine unfortunately, other wise the end of Season two would not have happened they way it did and Kari and TK would be riding off into the sunset living happily ever after...

A/N: This is my first digimon fanfic, so feedback would be greatly appreciated! Italics means it is a flashback. This story majors in Takari and minors in Taiora, Mimato, Kenlei, and OC's for some other characters. Also, the ages are as follows:

Jyou (Joe) Kido – 21, College Senior

Koushiro (Izzy) Izumi – 19, College Sophomore

Yamato (Matt) Ishida - 19, College Sophomore

Taichi (Tai) Kamiya - 19, College Sophomore

Sora Takenouchi – 19, College Sophomore

Mimi Tachikawa – 19, College Sophomore

Ken Ichijouji – 18, High School Senior

Miyako (Yolie) Inoue – 17, High School Senior

Daisuke (Davis) Motomiya – 17, High School Junior

Takeru (TK) Takaishi – 16, High School Junior

Hikari (Kari) Kamiya – 16, High School Junior

Iori (Cody) Hida - 14, High School Freshman

I want Pickles and Pineapples

by

Harryholic

Chapter 1: Irrational fears, I think (gulp)

"How could you do this to me?" A tall figure accused coldly.

"You ruined my life." Another shadowed figure moved toward the terrified girl.

"You disgust me." A third man spat.

The three figures surrounded the girl. "I hate you. I hate you. I hate you," they chanted. Their number multiplied. Six men, twenty men, one hundred men clustered around the sobbing girl, azure eyes boring into her skull. "I hate you, I hate you, I hate you…"

A young girl of about 16 years sat up with a start. Her body was shaking with horrified tremors. Her sweat-soaked bed sheets clung to her diminutive form as she stumbled clumsily out of bed. 3:02 blinked the clock by her bedside. "Not again," Hikari Kamiya sighed in defeat before attempting to once again fall into a fitful sleep.

&

The next morning, dark circles ringed the eyes of a normally beautiful Kari. Her vibrant energy was missing and a dull tiredness could be seen in her deep crimson-brown eyes. As soon as she entered they kitchen, a putrid smell reached her nostrils.

Kari, being the daughter of Yuuko Kamiya, had developed a strong stomach at a young age. She was used to the wild concoctions her mother would whip up, so it was a surprise when her digestive system suddenly decided that even the smell of slightly burnt eggs was intolerable.

"Whayagongig?" Tai asked his sister, his mouth full of what might have been toast. Kari ignored his incomprehensible blabber in favor of rushing to the bathroom, bile climbing up the back of her throat.

"Kari! My cooking isn't that bad, is it?" Tai, who had considerably more culinary skill than his mother, called out in alarm.

"I – I'm fine Tai." Kari choked out between dry heaves.

"Sure you are." Her brother rolled his eyes. "Good thing mom's not here – she'd make you drink her special-illness-be-gone-soup." Tai joked. Kari managed to laugh weakly before heaving herself off the floor.

"You sure you're OK?" Tai examined his little sister.

"Yes Tai." Kari said in exasperation. "I'm sure my stomach was just rebelling against being left alone with you and your atrocious cooking for the next week." Kari teased. In reality, her brother was a surprisingly good cook, but she'd never tell him that.

"Maybe I'll just eat some cereal." Kari said, hoping her brother wouldn't be able to figure out the real reason for her sickness this morning.

"Do you think you can go to school today?" Tai asked concernedly.

"It's fine." Kari waved away his concerns. The sound of the front door's squeaking hinges sent her scurrying into the bathroom in order to hide her fatigued look. She knew it would be TK who had come and she did not want him seeing her like this. Her observant best friend and boyfriend knew her so well that he would be sure to wrangle the truth out of her in a matter of minutes, and that was something she could not risk happening.

When Kari emerged, she looked completely different. Copious amounts of make-up had been sacrificed in order to hide the signs of weariness and her normal positive attitude was firmly back in place. "See you later." She chirped to her brother before rushing out of the house.

"What's up with her?" TK asked Tai, looking after his girlfriend cluelessly.

"I don't know. I really don't." Tai responded, surprised that even the blond boy who knew Kari better then she knew herself was at a loss.

&

School dragged by at a snail's pace as Kari's mind lingered on the small box that had remained stashed under her bed for the past week. She had been too terrified to open the contents, afraid that they would have the power to alter life as she knew it.

When the bell rang, Kari made a mad dash to the door, but was stopped by the tall figure of her boyfriend. "Kari, are you OK?" TK asked gently, concern and a bit of hurt evident in his caring azure eyes. "You've been avoiding me all day."

"Have I?" Kari half-laughed, half-squeaked. She abruptly turned away towards her locker, leaving TK to wallow in his own bewilderment. What had he done to warrant such a cold dismissal, and not even a kiss?

"Come by my place at five." Kari whispered, pecking him distractedly on the cheek and hastening away.

"Kari! You're going the wrong way…" TK called after her, but she paid him no mind. "I wonder why the captain is ditching cheerleading practice?" He mumbled, confusion marring his handsome face as he walked slowly to the gym.

"TK!! What've you done to Kari?!" Yolei yelled, running up behind the blond athlete.

"Nothing! At least, I think I did nothing," TK said, perplexed.

"Yeah right," Yolie snorted.

"In TK's defense, she is a mysterious one," Davis said, popping out of nowhere.

"Not mysterious exactly, she just keeps her emotions to herself," TK stuck up for his best friend and girlfriend.

"Man, I don't get that. What's she afraid of? You're not doing your job as a boyfriend TA! Before you know it, I'll be stealing her from you!" Davis laughed.

"Yeah right," TK did a perfect imitation of Yolei. Yolei's eyes flashed dangerously behind her glasses.

"Betcha can't catch me, TJ!" Davis mocked playfully, running out the school doors to the soccer field. TK ran after him, cheerfully tackling him to the ground.

"Boys." Yolie shook her head fondly as the school soccer and basketball captains wrestled good-naturedly.

She recalled a time back in middle school when those two were bitter enemies, fighting over Kari's affection – although TK had always been much more subtle in his advances. Over the years, as Davis had realized that his feelings were simply an infatuation and TK and Kari had discovered their love for one another, the boys' rivalry had become friendly competition. They still argued constantly, but now they counted each other as close friends rather than arch nemesis.'

&

"Tai? Mom? Dad? Anybody home?" Kari called out cautiously upon reaching home. She knew that Tai was still at University, and would probably stay the night with Sora and that her parents were visiting a sick aunt in for the week, but she had to make sure that she was alone.

Kari ambled slowly towards her room, changing out of her baggy white uniform shirt and short green uniform skirt at the rate of a sloth. She warmed up a microwave dinner, trying desperately to delay the inevitable.

Finally, Kari ran out of delaying tactics. It was four-thirty, and TK would be there expecting answers in half and hour. Kari reached hesitantly under her bed and pulled out the accusing little box.

"If it's blue, I'm screwed. If it's not, Kami, I promise I will never be this stupid ever again." Kari prayed with all her heart. Five minutes later, Kari reluctantly entered the bathroom. What she saw, sitting innocently on the countertop turned her world upside-down.

"Not possible. I'll try again. It must have been false!" Kari muttered unintelligibly, but five minutes later, the same crossed blue lines showed up and Kari knew her fears had been confirmed.

A/N: So, what did you think? Please review and let me know your thoughts! Thanks for reading,

Harryholic