Disclaimer: Digimon is not mine…if it was, I wouldn't be sitting here writing fanfics and "Time After Time" is by Cindy Lauper.

A/N: This fic was originally meant to only have one chapter but because people wanted to know what happens next, here's Part 2.

"Hello?" she heard a strange but at the same time familiar voice ask.

"Takeru?" Kari whispered.

~*~*~

I'm lying in my bedroom
Hear the clock ticking, I think of you
Caught up in circles,

Confusion, there's nothing new

            TK was sprawled on his back on his bed, staring at the blank white ceiling of his bedroom as a cacophony of emotions swirled inside of him. His mind was a chaos of half-forgotten memories and feelings, all brought to mind by her voice. He was confused, but that was nothing new. Kari had always been able to make his thoughts chase themselves around in circles and after all these years, she still had the ability to do so.

            As he played back the conversation in his head over and over again, he tried to sort out his feelings. He was happy to hear from her again, to hear that lilting voice which caressed his soul like soft waves lapping at a sandy beach but at the same time, that same voice dredged up feelings of frustration; anger at being dumped so cruelly years ago. He had been cold and distant on the phone: feelings of devastation, after being pent up for years, finally revealing themselves.

            Although they had hung up hours ago, her voice still echoed in his mind, haunting his every waking moment. He tried to escape through sleep, but her face, her voice haunted his dreams as well. This phone call would have been like a dream come true if it had happened right after their break-up, but now it was years too late and he had finally moved on, only to find the sound of her voice pulling him back in. 

~*~*~

Flashback, warm nights

Almost left behind

Suitcase of memories
Time after…

TK lied there in the dark, unable to sleep because of the tumult of feelings inside of him. He sighed, restlessly tossing and turning in his bed. Damnit…and I have an early meeting tomorrow morning. Finally, he gave up trying to sleep and decided to go out for a walk. He put on a pair of pants and pulled on a shirt, not bothering to button it. It was a warm night and the light showers of rain had passed, leaving the sky luminously clear without even the wispiest cloud for the moon to hide behind. He headed towards the nearby beach, hoping the tranquil waters would calm his wandering mind.

He reached the little stretch of sand as the clock was striking midnight. The tolling of the bell seemed to travel forever, echoing off the skies. The sounds of traffic and glaring city lights were distant, seeming worlds away from there. The full moon bathed everything in a glow of molten silver, reflecting in the calm, dark waters. The gentle surf lulled him like a hushed lullaby, quieting his thoughts.

A tender breeze stirred the still air, ruffling TK's hair gently as he sat on the sand with the water lapping at his toes and remembered all the times he and Kari used to come here. They had shared countless moonlit walks, summer swims, sunsets and sunrises here. The very air was saturated with memories of her. He heard her voice in hiss of the sands as the water rolled over it. He smelled her scent in the slightly salty breeze and saw her face in the dark waters.

He sadly shook his head…it was pointless to try to delude himself. I've told myself for so long that I've moved on, that she means nothing to me anymore. I've dated other girls, but I never go out with the same person more than twice. Every time, I measure them up to Kari without realizing it…and every time, they never even begin to compare…

~*~*~

Sometimes you'll picture me
I'm walking too far ahead
You're calling to me
I can't hear what you say
And you say, go slow
I fall behind
The second hand unwinds

            TK rubbed his temples as he opened the refrigerator and searched for a beer. After returning home with his feelings finally sorted out, he had been able to steal a few hours of restful sleep before the irritable ringing of the alarm had woken him. The meeting had gone badly because he had been barely able to stay awake due to his lack of sleep that night and the rest of the day hadn't gone any better. Any coherent thoughts he might have had were pierced by images of a chocolate-eyed, smiling brunette.

            He thought about the post-it where he had written the number Kari had given before they had awkwardly said their good-byes and hung up. At least I remembered to get her number…but what if she doesn't want me to call her?

            His mind argued that she was the one that called him and gave him her number so she must want him to call while his heart argued caution…after all; she was the one that dumped him. Patamon was of no help whatsoever. After hearing about TK's dilemma, he had flown out of the room, telling his partner that this was something he needed to figure out by himself. TK stared at that little yellow slip of paper that he held in his hand and finally decided to put it away, slipping it under the phone. I'll call her…someday…

~*~*~

After my picture fades
And darkness has turned to gray
Watching through windows
You're wondering if I'm okay

"Come on TK, you need to get out of the house. Go to that bar downtown or go to the movies or something," suggested Patamon, as he stared at his downtrodden partner.

He gave TK a soft nudge with his head, "There's no use in brooding. Either call her and see her again or don't and move on." 

            With a half-smile, TK grudgingly followed Patamon's advice and grabbed his wallet before going out. He decided to go downtown to a popular bar where some of his friends where probably hanging out. He's right, there's no point in brooding. Might as well go and enjoy myself.

            After one look at the Friday night traffic, TK decided to walk there instead of hailing a cab or taking the bus. It was too much of a hassle to get on a bus and the traffic was so bad, walking would probably be faster anyway. As he strolled down the brightly lit sidewalks of downtown Tokyo, TK found himself devoting all his attention to not getting hit by a crazy driver and had no moment to spare to dwell on Kari. After almost getting run over by a motorcycle, he wondered whether walking to the bar was such a good idea after all. It's not worth the effort…besides I already had a beer and I make a lousy drunk. Maybe I'll just pop into one of these coffee shops and get a cappuccino or something…

            Finally deciding against continuing to the bar, TK stepped into one of the many little shops that lined the side streets, Coffee from Heaven. His friends had often pointed out the place, recommending it, but he never actually set foot inside. He sat down at one of the tables by the glass windows and ordered his coffee, engrossing himself in the conversations that were taking place at the tables around him. There were debates about everything from which cheerleader had the biggest butt to whether it was better for the US President to be an adulterer like Clinton or just plain stupid like Bush to who was the better artist, Da Vinci or Raphael. Time passed with out him even noticing as he sat their, sipping the sweet coffee and listening, occasional chuckling to the Bush-basher's comments, which were growing in terms of their graphicness.

            TK was suddenly aware of a feeling that he was being watched. Frowning slightly, he turned to the window and caught sight of someone standing on the sidewalk staring at him. "Kari?" he whispered to himself.

Their eyes met through the glass and TK realized that he was right. She flushed a deep crimson as she realized she was caught and hurried away, not turning around or looking back. TK slapped a couple of bills on the table to pay for his drink, telling the startled waitress to keep the change and hurried after Kari's retreating back.

"Kari, wait!" he shouted, but it was in vain, as the loudness of the bustling city streets masked his voice.

Muttering curses under his breath, TK pushed through the crowd, apologizing to those he was pushing without pausing. Damn! How am I ever going to find her in the street? Then he remembered her words the day before. "No, I haven't moved. Still in the same old apartment…"

He recalled that her apartment had been in one of the more remote Tokyo districts with only one bus line running through it. His best guess was that Kari would go home. What was that route again? 80? He scoured his memory for the route number that he had taken everyday years before. Suddenly, he remembered and with a determined smile, headed for the nearest stop.

~*~*~

Secret stolen all from deep inside
The 808's on time

TK was a block away when he saw Kari stepping onto the bus. He ran faster but was thwarted as the light changed just before he reached the end of the block. He shouted for the driver to wait but the doors closed and it left, leaving him behind. Impulsively, TK dashed into the street and headed for the nearest taxi. Yanking the door open and jumping inside, he ordered the driver to follow the bus.

~*~*~

If you're lost, you can look
And you will find me
Time after time
If you fall, I will catch you
I will be waiting
Time after time

            Lights flashed by as the taxi weaved in and out of the congested streets, keeping pace with the bus. Now that TK had the time to think things through, he regretted deciding to chase the bus on a whim. But now, it was too late to turn back as the vehicle plunged on, the driver motivated by the $20 bonus that TK had offered. Finally, TK spotted Kari getting off and the ride came to a halting stop with tires screeching. He quickly paid the driver and got out of the cab, determined to talk to Kari.

            "Kari!" he called as he watched her walk down the street, but she didn't respond.

            TK ran after her again, silently thanking all those years of basketball for giving him enough endurance to keep running. "Kari!" he called again as she crossed the street and this time, she turned.

            He saw a startled look of recognition on her face as she froze, looking too shocked to move. He was almost there when suddenly a truck turned the corner and skidded on the still wet road, speeding towards her still figure. The driver of the truck panicked as he saw a girl blocking the middle of the street, honking his horn loudly and slamming his brakes.

            "No! Kari!" TK screamed as the sparks flew from the truck's brakes, barely diminishing its speed. 

He ran, faster than he ever thought possible and knocked Kari out of the way of the approaching truck, sending both of them rolling into the pavement. He heard a crash as the truck skid to a stop as it collided with the sidewalk but paid no attention as all his focus was on the trembling girl he held in his arms.

"…TK?" she asked, almost hesitantly as she looked up at him with those large, amber eyes that were now filling with tears.

He smoothed her ruffled hair with a hand, rocking her in his arms, "Don't worry, Kari. I'm here now…and I'm not going anywhere."

~*~*~