Should have said this in last chapter, but spoilers for the end of Tri.

Samsara

Chapter 2

Hikari was tired of repeating herself, tired of telling the same story over and over, tired of trying to convince everyone what she knew to be true.

She stared at her friends seated around her in Yamato and Sora's living room like a trial. "Last night," she said, stressing every word, "Taichi came to me in my dream. He said that he was going to come back as my child."

They glanced at each other, silent statements passing between them. "Um, that's…great," Mimi said.

Her forced smile betrayed that statement. "You don't believe me, do you?" Hikari asked.

"No!" Sora gasped, "No, we…um…"

Jyou cleared his throat. "Hikari, why would Taichi choose to reincarnate as your child? That's going to completely change your relationship…"

"Maybe he didn't have a choice. Maybe he was told that was going to happen, I don't know." She looked at her stomach. "All I know is I'm going to be the best mother to Taichi I can be."

Takeru rested his hand on her shoulder. "Hikari, I want to believe too, but…"

She stared at him. "You need to believe, you're going to be his father."

He nodded, a strange smile on his face. He did not believe, none of them believed!

She frowned. "I thought you all would be happy."

"We are!" Sora exclaimed, "We just…"

Yamato sighed, "Hikari, we all wish Taichi was still here, but…"

"But what?" she asked, "Why is it so hard to believe? Digimon reconfigure in Primary Village, don't they? Why not us too?"

Their eyes locked with each other again, their faces a different expression this time. They turned to Koushiro. "Um," he paled, "I don't know. Maybe if Taichi's body turned to data then…"

"But we just buried him," Mimi said, a tear escaping down her face.

"Should we check?" Daisuke asked. All eyes glared at him and Miyako opened her mouth. "Just to make sure that it didn't turn into data!" he protested.

"I'm not digging him up," Yamato snapped, "Let him rest in peace."

"He's not there anyway," Hikari said, "The most important part of him is here…" She placed a hand on her stomach, "…with me."

Daisuke threw his hand into the air. "That's it! This is too weird for me."

"Daisuke!" Miyako snapped.

They were uncomfortable; let them be. She wanted them to celebrate with her, but if ridicule was what they would give her, she would do it by herself. She turned to Takeru and took hold of his hand. "Please," she whispered, "He will be your child too."

Takeru looked away. The pain, the sadness, the darkness, which had lessened that night with him, which had vanished early that morning, was creeping back.

He turned back. "Okay," he said, "You've always been…I don't know, in tune with this kind of stuff. If you believe that strongly, then I maybe I need to trust you."

"Thank you, Takeru!" she cried, wrapping her arms around him, "Thank you."

"What about Agumon?" Ken asked, "Would he reconfigure if Taichi was dead?"

"He's a Digimon, that's what they do," Daisuke said.

Ken shook his head. "No, when Wormmon was deleted and reconfigured, I was still here, but if a Chosen Digimon's partner was dead, would he or she come back?"

Takeru nodded in agreement, "And if Agumon did come back, maybe he could tell us if Taichi was…" He glanced at Hikari.

"I don't need Agumon to tell me," she said, "I know that Taichi's inside me right now." Her cheeks turned crimson, a slight giggle escaping her lips. "Okay, that sounded weird."

"Perverted, more like it," Daisuke mumbled, which only resulted in another glare from Miyako.

"The Digimon have been keeping an eye out in the Primary Villages," Koushiro said, "But so far, none of the digieggs have hatched into a Botamon with past memories."

Yamato cleared his throat. "Well, um, since we're all together now, we need to talk about Phelesmon."

"What's there to talk about?" Daisuke grumbled, "The coward's hiding."

"But he's still out there, and we have every reason to believe that he'll go after Hikari again."

She shivered, hands wrapped around herself.

"So I think that it would be a good idea if Hikari didn't go into the Digital World until he's taken care of."

"Isn't that a little strict?" Takeru asked.

"Maybe it's not such a bad idea," Hikari said, "I don't want to risk any injury now."

"And one of us should be with her at all times."

Now the protests emerged. "Yamato, I'll be fine if I stay on Earth," she said.

"Digimon have crossed over before. It's to keep you safe. We need to keep our eye on you. Especially now."

Takeru shook his head. "Yamato, I don't think the Yagamis are going to like suddenly having houseguests."

Daisuke snickered. "Yeah, didn't Mr. Yagami threaten to kill you if you showed up at the apartment?"

A crimson red filled the blonde's face; was it embarrassment or rage?

Sora placed a hand on his arm. "Yamato, I want to keep Hikari safe as much as any of us, but don't you think that's a little extreme? And Takeru's right, we can't move into the Yagami's apartment, even if we take turns."

"Yes, I know," he replied, blue eyes focused with ice-hard resolve, "She should move in here."

Hikari smiled. "Yamato, thank you for thinking about me so much, but I can't leave my parent's place, especially since Taichi's not here right now."

"This isn't up for discussion," Yamato said, "You can move in here when…"

Sora glared at him. "Yamato!" She turned to Hikari, "Please forgive him. You are, of course, welcome to stay here whenever you like."

Hikari glanced at the clock. "I should probably get back. I have some more homework to finish." A smile came to her face, "At least I should be able to finish year 1 of high school before I leave for good."

"Let me walk you home," Takeru offered.

Once Hikari and Takeru had left, the Chosen sat in silence for a long while until Daisuke cleared his throat. "So, we're gonna talk about this, right?"

Mimi sighed. "Poor girl."

Sora sighed, memories of Taichi and Hikari filling her mind. "We all knew how…attached she was to her brother. We should have seen something like this coming."

"Not just that," Mimi said, "She always had that persecution complex…"

Jyou shook his head. "No, that's not entirely right. She definitely had self-esteem issues, especially in regards to Taichi, but this might be full-blown psychosis."

"I didn't know you were a psychiatrist now," Daisuke smirked.

He shrugged. "Psych 101's required."

"My point is," Mimi said, "Who knew it would get this bad? We need to do something before she completely loses her mind." She turned to Jyou, "Can you remind me what happens if a mother is unfit to raise a child?"

"I would imagine the father would be given precedence."

Koushiro flashed a slight smile. "Maybe Ken is on to something. If Agumon has reconfigured, and if we can find him, then maybe we'll know for sure."

Yamato nodded. "So, until then, I guess we need to keep an open mind. Koushiro, do you have a better way to find Agumon besides just checking out all the different Primary Villages in the Digital World?"

He shook his head. "Sorry."

The blond was silent for a time. "What about a special signal or something?"

"No, nothing like that. If we had Taichi's digivice then…"

Yamato rose from the couch and entered his bedroom. He returned a moment later with a charred and cracked object, one that everyone recognized.

Mimi gasped, "Yamato, is that…?"

He nodded. "Yes."

"You've had Taichi's digivice all along?" Sora shouted.

Daisuke glared, eyes narrowed. "And what you were planning on doing with that? Nailing it to the wall with the rest of your music trophies?"

"They're awards!" he snapped, "And I was going to give this to Hikari when she started feeling like herself again." He sighed, "Obviously that never happened."

Koushiro took the device from Yamato, but held it in his hands like an ancient treasure unearthed after centuries. "I think Hikari still needs to have…"

"This is to help her," Yamato said, "We can either confirm what she's saying, or help her realize that she needs help, now more than ever. Maybe we can convince her parents to let us stay there for…"

Sora rose from the couch. "Thank you all," she bowed, "I'm sorry, but Yamato and I need to discuss some things, in private."

"Someone's in trouble," Daisuke snickered as the Chosen exited the apartment. Sora shut the door and turned on her boyfriend.

"What is wrong with you?"

He blinked. "Nothing is wrong with me. We need to protect Hikari…"

"You're getting just as bad as she is!" Sora snapped, "Yamato, I understand you feel that you need to watch out for her since Taichi's no longer here, but it's not your fault that Taichi died, and it's not Hikari's either. "

She marched over and wrapped his hands in hers, "Please, Yamato, please understand that. I can't worry about you and Hikari at the same time."

His gaze into her eyes remained for a long time. He finally sighed. "Okay."

Sora placed her head on his lap. "Thank you."

One Month Earlier

"I will never forgive you for this."

Once it was said, it could not be unsaid, once the words were spoken, they could not be taken back like someone erasing them from existence. A desperate plea to save her friend's digimon, but Taichi said Meicoomon was too far gone. She did not believe that, did not want to believe that there was no way to save her, wanted to argue with him, make him see how wrong he was. Instead, she stood with him; he was her brother and she would not let him fight alone.

But the words still hung in the air.

When she woke that morning it was exactly two years to that day. She knew how she would feel, she had felt the same the previous year, but did nothing to try and alleviate her prophesized mood. She dressed in her high school uniform, did her hair, made up her face, and presented herself to the world as the cheerful, happy teenager. Most days it was not an act, but today it would be.

She ate her breakfast at the table, presenting the smiling, cheerful face to her mother, while her mind churned with the memory of Meicoomon, burned with the words said to her brother.

She would not forgive him today, as she had not forgiven him on this day a year ago. It was okay the day before, and would be okay the day after.

But not today.

"Hikari," Mrs Yagami called from the laundry room, "Your brother's going to be late for his University class. Can you go wake him?"

She pretended not to hear. He was nineteen, she was sixteen; neither one needed to depend on the other anymore.

She had woken him the day before, and would wake him the day after.

But not today.

She was not needed anyway. A moment later Taichi ran from his room, pulling on his shirt while simultaneously yanking up his pants. He slipped on his shoes, grabbed his books from the table and was out the door.

His mother, accustomed to his late mornings, had prepared breakfast in a small box for him to eat on the train.

And he had forgotten it again.

He was probably not even at the elevator yet. She could take it to him, shout to him down the building hall.

She had done that the morning before, and would do the same the morning after.

But not today.

It was her turn for patrol. She told her school friends that she had to head home early that afternoon. She had already damaged too many school uniforms, and was going to change before heading into Digital World.

Taichi was at the table, shoveling noodles into his mouth from a takeout box. "Didn't you get my texts?"

She blinked and pulled her phone from her pocket. She had not notice, had not wanted to notice. "Sorry."

He frowned. He knew how she would be, knew how she was last year. "I just wanted to know if maybe you wanted to get some ice cream."

She blinked. "Ice cream?"

He smiled. "Yeah, grab Plotmon and I'll treat you to a strawberry vanilla sundae from the corner store?"

That had not been her favorite flavor, or ice cream shop, in quite some time.

"Sorry, but it's my turn for patrol."

"Why don't I go with you then?"

She blinked. "Why?"

"I…" He turned away, "I don't know. I just have this feeling that something bad's going to happen."

She smiled. "I'll be fine. I've done this hundreds of times before."

"Yeah, but…"

She walked to her room. She had not needed him to protect her for two years now.

"I'm fine, Taichi."

She had not called him 'Oniichan,' in two years either.

Present Time

Hikari fought back the tears as she sat on the bus. Why did she ignore him? Why did she act so stubborn? Once in the Digital World, Phelesmon attacked as if he had been waiting for her. He took her, brought her back to his lair. He wanted to snuff out the light once and for all.

And then her brother arrived. He had followed her into the Digital World, but arrived too late to stop the abduction. So he instead followed them, he and Wargreymon stopped the devil before his knife would have sliced her neck.

By the time she had broken free of her bonds and was ready to evolve Plotmon, the battle was over.

Wargreymon was gone, and Taichi was dead.

She smiled as she placed her hand on her stomach. But his soul was there, inside her, waiting to come into the world again.

She was ecstatic when she had the dream, overjoyed when her brother appeared before her.

"I've got another chance, Hikari, I couldn't really take it until now, but since you're pregnant, I'm coming back as your child."

It was because of her that he had died, and it will be because of her that he would live again.

Her mother greeted her when she returned home. "Hi, honey. How do it go?"

"They didn't believe me," Hikari said as she sat on the couch, "But I think they will. They'll certainly be happy when Taichi comes back."

Mrs. Yagami joined her on the couch. "You believe me, right?" Hikari asked.

"Sure!" she blurted, "Of course…"

The teenager grinned. "You'll be able to help me take care of him, of course." Her face lit up, "You'll be able to raise him again! Grandma wasn't around so much, so I'm sure he'll love having his new grandmother around."

Her mother sighed. "Hikari, when I opened the blinds in your room, I saw that book on your desk, the one about Hinduism?"

"Yes?"

"They believe in reincarnation, right?"

She nodded.

"How long have you had that?"

"I borrowed it from the library after Taichi died."

"And aren't some of your friends Buddhists?"

Hikari frowned. "What are you asking?"

Her mother hesitated. "Um, don't you think that maybe you just had that dream because the idea might have already been in your head?"

The darkness crept at her heart. "No! It was Taichi, I know it was Taichi!"

Mrs. Yagami held up her hands. "Okay, okay."

Hikari swallowed. "You do believe me, right, Mom?"

Mrs. Yamagi rose to her feet. "I'm going through Taichi's stuff right now. I want to donate a lot of it."

"Maybe we should keep it," Hikari said, "When he gets older again."

Mrs. Yagami struggled for words, "Um, w-why don't we just donate them? Who knows how fashion will change in twenty years?"

She considered this. "Yeah, you're probably right. I'll have to buy him baby stuff anyway. What about his sports trophies?"

"I'm going to put those into storage," she said, "Maybe find a place to display some of them."

"What about his journals?"

Mrs. Yagami blinked. "His what?"

"His journals. He was writing in them for a while now."

She sighed. "He didn't tell me he had journals." She walked into his room, muttering, "Surprised he even told me about the Digital World."

Hikari followed her mother into Taichi's room. Everything was the same as that day. Before that morning, she would not, could not, step into the room; the darkness was too strong, clawed at her heart, her soul.

Now she marched to the corner and pulled up a loose, square section of floorboard. A stack of spiral notebooks rested between two I-beams. "When was he going to tell us about that?" Mrs. Yagami sighed, rubbing her eyes, "He drove me crazy some…" She stared at her daughter. "When did he tell you about that?"

Hikari searched her memories. "I…I don't know."

Mrs. Yagami sighed and returned the floorboard. Hikari smiled and looked at her torso.

They had convinced Hikari to allow Plotmon to return to her. "Just promise me that if you feel like you did the last time, you'll run as far as you can. Maybe not being so close to me won't make you Dark Evolve again."

The small digimon grinned. "Oh, come on Hikari, that won't happen again."

Hikari could see from the expressions on the faces of Takeru and Sora that they were not so sure. "A partner's mood can affect a digimon's evolution," Takeru said, "We've seen it before."

She frowned. "Yeah, with me and Taichi." She sighed and brought her feet onto the couch, hugging her knees to her chest. "Remember how terrifying SkullGreymon was? How scared we were about what happened? Taichi was so afraid that he had damaged Agumon."

Sora and Takeru stared at one another. "But Hikari, you weren't there, remember?"

She blinked. "O-oh, right."

Sora smiled. "Taichi really confided in you, huh? He never told me that."

"Besides," Plotmon grinned, "Ophanimon Falldown Mode was just a fluke. You evolved me to Holydramon, right?"

Hikari frowned as she stared at her feet. "I couldn't even make a proper angel, just a dragon." She sighed, "A beast that destroys everything, just like me." Her smile returned, "But I'm making up for it now. It'll be so great to have Taichi here again."

Sora gave an uncomfortable laugh. "Um, I think I need to get going."

"Yeah, me too," Takeru said, "Um, when's your next doctor's appointment?"

"In a week," she said, "They want to do some more blood tests."

"Let me know and I'll go with you. That's my child too."

Hikari grinned. "Oh, Takeru, thank you."

Once they had exited, Plotmon studied her partner and then stared at her stomach. "I'm guessing from their reaction that this isn't a typical thing for humans."

"It depends on what you believe."

"And you're sure?" Plotmon asked.

Hikari grinned. "I'm sure."

One Month Later-One Month Pregnant

Her father had told her he had made her a doctor's appointment. "Another one?" she asked. She did not realize how many doctors pregnant women had.

"This isn't your regular doctor," he said. She waited for more, but there was no further explanation. She wanted to repair their damaged relationship, or at least maintain the cordial one they now had, so she returned to her room to get ready.

What would she wear? Was this going to be an examination, or another consulting meeting? Her father was in suit and tie, even though he was not going to work, so probably just a quick discussion in the doctor's office; something semi-formal would do.

Her blouse seemed a little tight, and she did not require a belt with her blue skirt. Was she starting to show already? Hopefully not, only one more month for the school term, and she would at least finish freshmen year before leaving.

The ride to the doctors was made in silence. Hikari did ask where her mother was, and her father replied curtly, "She had some errands to run."

Was it because of their argument last night? Hikari knew it was about her. Why were they so stressed? Why couldn't they be happy that Taichi was coming back?

The car pulled into the parking garage of a building Hikari had not visited before. Her father exited without words, and Hikari did the same. She followed him through the halls until he stopped in front of a door with a bronze name plate: Koji Ikuto, Mental Health.

Her heart froze. They…they really thought she was crazy. "Dad…"

"Inside," he barked, "We're late."

She remained in the waiting room while her father spoke to the doctor first. What was he telling him? Her father was just wrong about this, wrong, wrong, wrong!

The door opened and her father appeared. "Go on in," he commanded.

A few minutes later, she was speaking to Dr. Ikuto; an elderly gentlemen with a kind face. "So, tell me what brings you here today, Miss Yagami."

What would she say? Her father was the one with the problem, not her!

Dr. Ikuto smiled. "Well, your father tells me that you're pregnant?"

She nodded. "Yes."

"And you're keeping the child?"

"I have to."

"Why is that?"

She hesitated. What to tell him? Maybe if she could convince him, make him believe, then her father would as well. But could she tell him about the Digital World? Digimon were well known at this point, but if she told him she was a Chosen, would he believe her or report her to the authorities?

"Miss Yagami," he said, smiling once again, "You can tell me anything."

"My older brother was killed."

"And the child is his?"

"No, he is my child. I mean, my child is his reincarnation."

The doctor nodded. "And why do you feel that way?"

"Because he told me in a dream."

"But why come back as your child? Wouldn't that be a strain on your relationship?"

She sighed. "It's because of me that he died, so this is how I can make things right."

The doctor raised an eyebrow. "Oh? You're responsible for his death."

"I was taken by a…um, by some gang members. Taichi came to save me, but he was killed."

"I am sorry to hear that, but how is it your fault? You seem to be just as much a victim."

Victim, yes, that was it, she was always the victim. "Because I'm too weak and powerless to save myself, because I always put everyone's lives in danger. People always get hurt because of me. I took Taichi's life, but now I'm giving it back to him." She smiled. "Please doctor, that's why you have to help me convince my father that it's true, that Taichi's coming back. Please?"

Dr. Ikuto was quiet for a long while. "I'm going to bring your father in."

She waited while he summoned her father over the phone system. He stepped inside and sat next to her.

Dr. Ikuto looked over his notepad. "Miss Yagami," he finally said, "You feel so much guilt, undeserved guilt, mind you, over your brother's death that you feel like you need to fix things. You believe that you caused your brother's death, and once you found out you were pregnant, you convinced yourself that this was how you would give his life back."

Her heart raced again. "No! No, that's not true! Taichi came to me, he told me!"

"Miss Yagami," he said, "If you want to start getting better, you need to understand this."

She understood, finally understood. Her father thought she had lost her mind; what if they took the child away from her once he was born? She had promised Taichi she would be a great mother to him; how could she do that locked in an asylum?

"Yes doctor," she said, voice almost monotone, "I understand."

Dr. Ikuto smiled. "We'll scheduled another session. Together, we can help you through this."

"Of course," she answer, "Of course."

The ride from the doctors was worse than the ride to the doctors. She refused to even look at her father, and when her mother asked how things went, Hikari's response was to slam the door to her room. She did, however, press her ear against the wall.

"The doctor said she has a guilt complex and a delusional disorder," her father said.

Her mother cried. "My poor baby. Can he help her?"

"We're supposed to go back for another session next week."

Hikari crawled into her bed, tears flowing freely into her pillow.

"Hikari?"

Plotmon was curled near the far corner. She dried her eyes, "Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."

A yawn escaped her mouth. "What's wrong?"

"My parents think I'm crazy."

She frowned. "But you're not, right?"

Hikari giggled; it was easy to forget how naïve their partners became in their Child forms. She squeezed her partner. "Oh Plotmon, thank you."

Plotmon gasped. "Hikari, something's wrong!"

Ophanimon Falldown Mode! She jumped back and flung her arms to her open computer. "Go back to the Digital World! Hurry! Maybe you won't…"

"It's not that," she said, "Something else!" She hopped over the bed and slammed into the door with enough force to render it into splinters. Hikari's partners were pressed against the corner of the living room, a digimon standing in front of them.

Hikari's mind flashed; Phelesmon taunting her, two digimon at his side: one a bipedal rabbit, the other a pot-bellied red humanoid.

"Boogiemon!" she gasped.

The devil digimon turned to her. "The Light Child," he sneered, tongue licking lips, "Master has been looking for you."

She skidded back as Plotmon charged. "You're not taking her! Plotmon evolve to Tailmon!"

Before the demon could react, Tailmon's fist connected with his nose. "Neko Punch!" He flew backwards, crashing into the wall. Pictures fell to the floor, glass figures fell from tops of shelves. He grabbed her by the tail and slammed her into the floor. She recovered and gave him a quick uppercut to the jaw. "Take that!"

He laughed as twin beams exploded from his eyes. "Ruby Eye!"

Tailmon rolled to safety, but the beams continued on their path. The couch was struck, flames bursting forth with no resistance.

"Get him out of here!" Hikari ordered.

Tailmon unleashed another Neko Punch, but twisted her arm at the last second. Her gloved fist struck the side of his face, and he sailed through the glass window and into the night sky.

"Demon Scream!" he shouted. Waves of ear-piercing, window-shattering, sound blasted into the night sky. The Yagami's pressed hands to their ears.

"Make it stop!" Mrs. Yagami cried.

In a leap that would be envied by gymnasts, Tailmon propelled herself off the balcony, twisted in the air and landed on Boogiemon's head. "Mega Kick!"

The demon fell from the sky, twisting himself for a counterattack, when Tailmon's eyes fired their own blasts of light. "Cat's Laser!"

The pure, white light ripped through Boogiemon's back. An unholy scream emerged from his mouth as his data scattered like the wind.

Tailmon caught herself from plummeting down the building by snagging her paw on the balcony. She propelled herself back into the apartment and regressed to Plotmon before landing in Hikari's arm. "Oh, Plotmon! Thank you."

Her father's scream brought her attention back to the living room. Broken glass and chunks of ceramic lay sprawled across the floor; wallpaper had been torn from Boogiemon's hard skin, and the couch, while still standing, had its leather facade reduced to ashes.

"Look what your damn monster did!" Mr. Yagami screamed.

Mrs. Yagami placed her hands on his shoulder, "Susumu, she saved us…"

"That thing wouldn't have been here in the first place if it wasn't for that…that creature!" he roared, pointing a gnarled finger at Plotmon.

"Dad," Hikari said, "Boogiemon was here because of me, not…"

Her father continued, rage pouring from his mouth at Plotmon. "That thing just cost us millions of yen in damages!" He twirled to his daughter, "You've cost us millions of yen, paying for the doctors, paying for the psychiatrist! Bad enough you got pregnant, bad enough you'll ruin your future by getting kicked out of school, but you're crazy too!"

He stormed into the bedroom. "Susumu?" Mrs. Yagami asked.

"I'm calling the insurance guy!" he shouted, door slamming shut.

Mrs. Yagami turned to Hikari. The teenager prepared for another assault, but her mother's eyes were soft, her voice quivering. "He's only stressed. He doesn't know how to handle that you're pregnant so young and…"

"That I'm crazy, right?" Hikari sniffled, "You all think I've lost my mind. You don't believe me at all."

"Honey," her mother said.

She moved to hug her, but Hikari wiggled from her grasp. "I told you and Dad because I wanted you to be happy that Taichi was coming back, but it just made things worse." She held back her tears, "I always make things worse, don't I?"

She moved to the door. "Hikari?" Mrs. Yagami called.

"I won't stress you and Dad out any longer." She stepped out of the apartment.

"Hikari!" Plotmon cried, "Wait up."

"I'm sorry, the Professor wanted to speak to me after class today," Sora explained as she placed a takeout box in front of Yamato, "I'll cook something tomorrow, I promise."

He smiled. "Just sitting here with you is enough."

She blushed as she plopped next to him at the table. Even in her baggy sweat pants and oversized shirt, even with her hair disheveled, she still radiated such beauty that he was tempted to pinch himself to make certain it was not a dream.

The doorbell chimed. "Coming!" Sora cried.

Yamato leaned back in his chair to see around the short wall separating their kitchen from the 'hallway.' Hikari was on the other side of the front door with Plotmon in her arms, black streaks running from her eyelids to her cheeks.

"Hikari," Sora said, "Have you been crying? Are you okay?"

"Sora, Yamato," she said, "I-I'm sorry, but, I think I'm going to have to accept your offer after all."

End of Chapter 2