A/N:

*FANFARE* A new chapter!

A lovely pm from coolgirl92 inspired me to write a new plan for the rest of Mutual Passion. Everything is planned out, and now just needs to be written.

I haven't started on the other chapters yet, but I thought that I would post this one for those who have graciously stuck with M.P. whilst I sorted out some of my real-life issues.

It is not as long as some of the upcoming chapters will be, but it concludes the day upon which I left off. Future chapters will also be quite…jumpy, in that many days will be missed out, to keep it from being slow and monotonous.

I can't guarantee regular posting, but now that I have some time to write they shouldn't be too far apart. I currently have to used someone else's computer, which doesn't help matters.

I can tell you now that there will be 25 chapters, and at some point I will be changing the narration to specific points of view, rather than looking over the action.

As always, I love to hear what you think of my chapters, and each review makes me smile. Special high-fives for everyone who has reviewed any of the chapters. They all mean a lot to me.

I hope that you are not disappointed with this chapter, and enjoy reading the rest of Mutual Passion.

Thanks a lot,

Jemma (Only By The Night…yeah, I changed my name a while ago)

CHAPTER IV-PANCAKE PANACEA

Seconds passed, each one feeling longer than the previous. Yamato tried to shield Sora's unconscious body from the rain using his own, but the downpour was too heavy for it to do much difference. As seconds turned to minutes, Yamato grew increasingly worried.

"Sora. Sora, come on, Sora…", Yamato whispered, his cold lips brushing Sora's forehead. 'Please, Sora. Come back to me…'', his subconscious added.

A soft murmur caught his attention and Yamato raised his head. Sora's eyes fluttered open to reveal her darkened eyes: more blood red than dazzling rubies.

"Sora!", sighed Yamato.

"Ooops…"

"Ooops…Ooops? Sora, you fainted! I'm taking you to the hospit-"

"No, no!", Sora panted, now more alert, "I'm fine. I haven't eaten anything today. I didn't hit my head. I'm fine, Yamato."

"No…Sora, I really think-"

"I just want to go home.", Sora said, her voice low and harsh.

Yamato slowly rose from the floor with a defeated sigh and brought Sora up with him. Still carrying her bags, the singer lead his red-haired friend to his car, his free arm wrapped tightly around her waist.

Sora stared out of the passenger window as Yamato carefully drove to the Takenouchi residence. Her eyelids drooped as she tried to fight the tiredness. The silence in the car was deafening.

The car came to a halt, and then the quiet engine cut out.

"Sor?", Yamato asked, "Sor, were back."

"Hmm? Oh, thank you for the ride, Yamato.", Sora all but whispered as her hand made for the door handle.

"Let me get that…" and Yamato got out of the car and paced round to open Sora's door.

The rain had started to die down, and after the two Digidestined had gathered Sora's belongings, they made their way to the apartment.

Sora opened the door with a shaky hand and waved Yamato inside. He quietly placed the bags on the floor and stood staring at Sora.

"I think I'm going to go lie down…but you're welcome to stay a while, if you want to."

"Yeah, okay. I will. Sora, you need to eat something first. Come." Yamato replied as he took Sora's hand and lead her to the kitchen.

Yamato walked Sora to a seat and sat her before turning his attention to the refrigerator. He gathered the ingredients for pancakes, and a can of cola.

"Pancakes?", Sora quizzed.

"Um…yeah. Along with the cola, the sugar should make you feel better. Why, surprised I can cook?", he joked.

"Ishida, you never fail to surprise me.", came her reply with a chuckle, but her face fell slightly afterwards.

'I shouldn't have said that!' Sora thought as she caught Yamato's eyebrows furrow.

"I need to change my clothes…I'll be right back."

Not long after, Sora returned wearing a large grey hodded sweater that was at least two sizes too big, a pair of flannel pyjama bottoms, and her hair tried back roughly. She was carrying a towel which she handed to Yamato.

"You're food, Miss.", Yamato said with a crooked smile.

'Looks good!' "Looks good." Sora both thought and said, but with different meanings.

After having eaten several pancakes under the watchful eye of Yamato, Sora sighed and said:

"Okay. Now what?"

"You rest."

"Your wish, my command.", and the two walked through to the living area, laughing quietly for no reason whatsoever.

They sat next to one another on a small couch, and Sora wrapped herself into a foetal-like ball. Yamato turned his body as to face his companion.

After having spoke for a short while about mundane things, the conversation took a turn towards their shared friends' new found relationship.

"I'm happy for Mimi and Koushiro. I'm glad they have sorted things out. They make a great couple. Polar opposites, but a great couple nonetheless."

"Well, you know what they say about opposites attract." Yamato added.

'Opposites attract. Yes, and you and I are not that different, are we? We both keep to ourselves, and have had issues with our families. It would have been too good to be; for Yamato Ishida, famous rock star to actually find me attractive.'

Sora sighed.

"Are you alright, Sor?"

"Me? Positively peachy…"

However, Yamato was unconvinced by Sora's blatant lie, and moved over to embrace her in a friendly hug. He leaned back, and looked into Sora's eyes.

'Whoa…' Sora thought quickly.

Yamato winked at Sora, and leaned away but did not move back to where he was previously. He straightened out and slung an arm around the back of Sora's head, resting it on the couch.

At some point Sora fell asleep. When she stirred, it took her a moment to gather her bearings. When she looked to her side she was shocked to see the boy next to her. Yamato, too, had fallen asleep.

Looking at the time, Sora gathered that she should wake him, so he could go home.

'But look at him! He's so peaceful, and…handsome-Snap out of it, Sora!'

"Yama.", Sora spoke, gently shaking her friend awake.

"Huh? Oh, hi." Yamato looked around, uncoordinated.

After having thoroughly confirming that Sora would be fine by herself, Yamato agreed to go back to his own home. Sora walked him to the door and said goodbye. When she walked back through the apartment, it was extremely quiet. Each footstep Sora took made a loud noise. She locked up the apartment and made her way to her room to sleep more comfortably.

Sora knew deep down she was dreaming but the image was so vivid doubted herself slightly. She saw herself running down a empty and pitch black hallway. She sensed that she was being watched or followed. It felt to her as if she had been running for ages, but Sora had yet to find who she was looking for. She was definitely looking for someone. The silhouette of the person she was looking for appeared in front of her, the colour turned black by a blinding light ahead. Sora outstretched her arm, was about to reach the person in front of her…and then she woke up.

"Ugh…", Sora mumbled.

The red-haired digidestined rolled over and tried to push the dream away from her thoughts. Sora desperately tried to get back to sleep, but her efforts were to no avail. All she could do there and lie to herself.

Lie that that she was not running to find Yamato.

Yamato watched as Sora slowly drifted of to sleep. He watched as she lay curled up, the epitome of serenity. Sora's hair had shifted slightly so it was now resting over one of Yamato's hands. Carefully, he turned his hand and let the silken hair fall through his fingers. Yamato picked up a few strands of the girl's copper hair and watched as they shone from the lights. He sighed.

'Oh, Yama Yama Yama…' his subconscious mind said, almost disapprovingly, 'You really like her…I think you've felt that way for a long time, but were too scared to come to terms with it.'

"Stupid voices in my head…", Yamato muttered. He let go of Sora's hair and closed his eyes. With a quick open-close of his eyes, Yamato became suddenly overcome by tiredness.

With another sigh he spoke: "You're right." and fell into a light slumber.

Once Yamato had left Sora's apartment he quickly made his way back to his car. The rain had ceased, but a sharp wind had taken its place. Whilst driving home, Yamato tried to ignore the voice in his head that kept repeating 'I told you so'.

When he walked into he and his father's apartment, Yamato was greeted with the scent of takeout food. His father had never been a good cook. Yamato got it from early years of cooking with his mother, who lived with Takeru.

Yamato said hello to his father, and excused himself to his bedroom. Once he was in the confines of his own space, Yamato paced the floor, repeatedly running his hands through his already dishevelled hair.

The singer abruptly stopped, one hand still amongst his hair. He sighed and walked over to his bed, sat on the edge and grabbed the notepad which was on the bedside: his song book.

Yamato flipped over the pages until he found his newest works. He read them over. And over. And over.

'They're about Sora' Yamato's internal voice mocked.

"I know they are! I wrote them!" he shouted in response.

"Matt, did you say something?", Yamato's father asked from the other side of the door.

"Um…I was just talking to myself, Dad."

"Alright…", his father trailed off. Yamato heard reducing footsteps, and the volume of the television being turned up.

'How can I have written these songs-the feelings in them-without even knowing I had them? Talent? Or am I just kidding myself?'

'Yes.'

"Shut…up!", Yamato muttered aloud.

The laughter inside his head faded away until it was gone. Suddenly feeling exhausted, Yamato decided to go to bed. However, as hard as he tried, every time he closed his eyes to sleep he saw Sora's eyes, dull like they were earlier in the day. Defeated.