Hey everybody! This is my first posted fanfic, I'm not new to writing by far. I will say that I usually don't write much Digimon fanfiction though. I more so write Star Wars, but enjoy reading Digimon so I figured why not! Feel free to tell me any errors, even if it's simply that I forgot a comma or if Tai is way out of character. I encourage constructive criticism, and if you feel the need to flame then feel free.

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon or any of its characters etc. The story is inspired by this mixed proverb:

Silence can be a great healer.

Silence is Golden

I sit hugging my knees close to me, my head buried in my arms. I can feel the hot moisture streaming down my cheeks. My throat constricts as I let out a sob, and I reach up and loosen my tie, as if it were the cause of my lost breath. The tears fall from my chin and moisten my white dress shirt. My heart burns with the loss and there's nothing that I can do to fix it, not this time.

I run my hand through my spiky brown hair and sigh heavily. I get to my feet and walk slowly towards the opposite side of the room. I stare mindlessly out the window at the snowy streets below. It is hard to believe that I won't see them again, not for a long while at least. What makes it worse is the fact that it is my fault they're gone.

Images flash, unheeded through my mind, and my head throbs at the onslaught. I grab my head in agony and my eyes snap shut, which only furthers the clarity of the images. I can see Kari hanging out of the back window, waving at me. Dad's driving our small, blue car, with Mom in the passenger seat beside him. I'm waving back, watching as they drive up to the intersection. I had a soccer game, and they had to go visit my grandmother. My team was meeting on the indoor field at the school gym. I see the light turn red and the brake lights come on our car. The tires squall loudly, before they strike a patch of black ice. Everything else happens in slow motion, I can see myself, detached, breaking into a run, and the car entering the intersection. One car crashes into the left front side, while another coming from the opposite direction, strikes the back where my sister was sitting. I see myself stop, with my mouth hanging open, as her cries reach my ears, before being forever silenced. Without thinking, I run out into the intersection, with some fleeting hope that they'll be alive. The horns blare at me as I run, but I'm deaf to them. When I reach the car the odor of carbon and iron reaches my nostrils and all I see is red, after that everything else is a blur: the white hospital rooms, the medics, and the sympathetic looks shot in my direction.

The images finally stop, and I am forced to fall to my knees, knowing that my legs can no longer be trusted. The tears haven't stopped falling. I just got back from the funeral. I couldn't cry there, not in front of everyone. I was given the crest of courage for a reason, why should I break now?

If I hadn't chosen to go to that soccer game, than maybe they would still be with me now, or at least I wouldn't be stuck here alone. The coach would have understood if I had decided to go with my family to my grandmother's, with the holidays coming up and all. But no I had decided that my team needed me, so I told my parents that I had to go to the game, and I would spend the weekend hanging out at Matt's. I had been so stupid!

Pain runs through my arm as my fist connects with the ground. Wincing, I pull my arm closer to my chest and hold it there, waiting for the pain to subside. A knock comes at the door, but I don't feel like opening it. I can't. I just stare at the back of the couch dully. I feel so empty inside, like nothing matters anymore.

I apparently left the door unlocked, and I hear whoever it was enter, and quietly close the door behind them. I barely even glance up to see who it is. Sora walks to my side, with Matt following behind her, his hands in his pockets.

Sora kneels beside me, and whispers quietly, "I'm so sorry, Tai." When I don't respond she comfortingly wraps her arms around my shoulders, and rests her head on her arm. Matt sits down beside me – a silent presence when I need one the most.

I'm grateful that they are here, it's just so hard to deal with my situation alone. I don't know what will happen to me next and it scares me, but I don't want them to know that. I have the Crest of Courage, I should just face it, head on, like an airborne soccer ball in a championship match, but I can't seem to. My family just died, leaving me behind. I can't move in with my grandmother, because she's stuck in a nursing home on the other side of Odaiba. I'll be sent to an orphanage; I have nowhere else to go now. I've heard the tales about those places. I don't want to leave my friends, my home, for a bunch of strangers that don't care about anyone but themselves. What hurts the most, though, is knowing that I won't see my family again until after I die. If necessary, I can handle being alone, but they wouldn't even be dead if it weren't for me.

My friends remain soundlessly beside me. I appreciate their silence more than anything that they could have said. No words could have comforted me, but their presence help; allowing me to know that they are right by my side if I need them. Maybe this is what I needed all along.

My thoughts float back to my family, and my head droops lower, if that is even possible. I see Matt out of the corner of my eye. He looks at me carefully, as if gaging my every thought.

I see him nod slightly to himself, and he opens his mouth to speak, "Tai, my dad . . . my dad said you could stay with us for awhile, if you want. He said he would even be willing to adopt you."

I stare back at my friend with my mouth hanging open. Thousands of thoughts race through my mind as the full meaning of those words strike me. I'll have a home again. It would be missing people, but I would no longer be alone. I wouldn't have to go into foster care or anything. I would be with one of my best friends . . . and my rival. Why didn't he tell me about this sooner? Then I realize that he knew I needed some time, not much but some. The reality of the situation is slow to come, but it does.

"I–I would like that," I reply, my voice shaking, "Thank you, Matt."

He shrugs off my thanks, preferring to deal with the current situation. "I'm going to invite everyone over tonight to hang out, if you don't mind."

I look at him, my brow furrowed. "I would like that."

He nods in response, and the three of us sit in silence. Sora hasn't moved from her position, and I get the feeling Matt already told everyone else, but that's all right.

The silence makes me think again. Everything happens for a reason, or so I've always thought. Maybe, just maybe, there's a reason I survived. Perhaps there's something I still need to protect, or something that only I can do. Whatever it is, I'll find it.

Sora sits up and looks out the window. The snow is starting to fall again, and the light is beginning to fade. "We probably should head over to Matt's soon."

I nod and slowly rise to my feet. "Let's go."

I follow Sora and Matt across the room towards the door. My steps slow as both of my friends enter the hallway of the apartment building. As I reach the doorway, I turn and look back at my home. Everything remains just as my parents left it. Sadly, I exit my old home, for what may be the last time. A lot has changed since I last entered it. Despite everything though, I'm alive and I still have a purpose. I just have to find it, no matter how long it takes.

My friends and I walk through the fresh winter snow in silence. Seeing the clean white snow, makes me think that I am being given a fresh start. I'm healing, I'll never be the same as I was before, but I can make it work.

Perhaps silence really is the best healer after all.

So what did you think? I know the plot is overdone, but I had to give the scenario my two cents worth. Once again feel free to flame or criticize. I'm a perfectionist so I'm not entirely happy with it, especially the ending, any suggestions would be welcome. Thanks for reading! Please read and review!

Take Care All!

C1-J2