A/N: Here I am! Did you miss me?

I know it's been a while but I have been fighting with Writer's Block! The bane of all writers! Curse you!

Ahem. Anyway I managed to get this out so appologies for missing a week. Hopefully I should be able to get back on track now but you can never be certain.

A Life Without a Legacy

Chapter 7

Snow slipped asleep from the stress of his near abduction, still hugging Renamon tightly as they arrived home. The vixen deposited the albino into the bed before taking her place beside him. It was late but Renamon was too busy with her thoughts to care for food. She had wanted to give Snow a good day, show him things she felt he would enjoy. But instead they lost the morning to the operation on his arm, the afternoon was spent sleeping and the evening was filled with the rogue digimon and his abduction. She felt she had failed him already.

But at least he wasn't taken, she had that to keep her going. Tomorrow was another day, a day she vowed would be one for him to remember.

She pulled him close and wrapped her arms around him, smiling as he subconsciously tucked himself against her with a sigh of contentment. He was obviously asleep but she still picked up his quiet words, shortly before he yawned widely.

"Good night, mother."

Renamon's smile widened as she placed an affectionate kiss on his forehead. "Good night Snow."

Again though, as she predicted, Snow didn't remain restful for long. For the second night since she had brought him home with her he began thrashing against her. Instinctively she tried to shake him awake again, trying to break his nightmares before they concluded. She failed, his dreams were all consuming as the terrors of his mind claimed him. Only once they had finished did Snow find release, bolting awake to find Renamon staring into his eyes.

In the brief moment between him waking up and anything else that would follow, Renamon could read his emotions in those panic stricken eyes. Fear, pain, grief, all the things someone so young simply shouldn't feel. Despair, sorrow, worry. Worry of losing her just like his own parents.

Then the moment was obliterated. Snow latched onto her with a fierce grip, actually causing her some discomfort as he slightly crushed her. His fear laced voice cut through her as clear as day.

"Don't l-leave m-me!"

Inwardly Renamon sighed. As much as she cared for the young digimon she would likely grow tired of nights like this. But she had to endure, for his sake. Her own arms tightened around him.

"I will never leave you, son."

She hoped that adding the family title would soothe him more, make him believe her words so he wouldn't question her the next night. Only time would tell but Snow's reaction was immediate. He buried his head against her and wept, Renamon's paw finding the back of his head to rub it gently. She managed to coax him back to sleep, still holding him as she too drifted off.

Snow woke first in the warm, consuming embrace of his new motherly figure. He was under no delusions that Renamon was his mother, he knew what had become of his true parents since he saw it happen, but with the way she acted and cared for him he couldn't help but see her as his mother. And to his infant mind that was all that mattered.

His relatively short life had been very traumatic so far, the abduction yesterday only added to that. But he felt far safer with Renamon in her home than in the digital world, he was glad she had come back for him. It only cemented his opinion of her.

His mother was caring like most mothers are. She spent all her time with him while his father did what was needed. Snow still saw his father a lot but he was the one that left from time to time. His mother always stayed with him. As a result he felt he needed a motherly figure more than a father, Renamon fitted that role perfectly.

It helped when she was the same species as him and his former mother, but she was willingly becoming someone he could rely on and learn from. He trusted her like no one else, he knew that no matter what she would come for him. She would provide what he needed, help him with what he wanted. And despite his nightmares he knew she wouldn't leave him. If only his dreams would believe that too.

He cuddled against her further, savouring her warmth and comforting embrace. He lightly nuzzled her cheek, his tongue flicking out briefly to plant an affectionate lick on her as he closed his eyes again. Just her hold on him lulled him into a light doze again.

His actions though had woken Renamon up, the vixen dimly aware of Snow's little display towards her. She smiled at his dozing form as she woke up slowly, her mind thinking of what she could do to give Snow a happier time during the day ahead. She was so preoccupied with her thoughts that she didn't notice he had woken again.

Snow looked to his motherly figure, noticing she wasn't paying attention to her surroundings, and decided on a little revenge. Gently he eased out of her hold, unknown to her still, and extended his tiny claws. With a silly grin on his face, one that nearly broke into laughter as he thought about what he was going to do, he lunged at Renamon.

Said vixen was taken off guard by the manoeuvre, but worse still was the way Snow had begun to tickle her. She was sensitive in places and he seemed to know exactly where those areas were, his relentless assault robbing her of any form of counter action as she squirmed and wriggled to get free.

"S-Stop it Snow!" She forced the words out at a high pitch squeal, absolutely no dignity in her voice. She screamed as she tried to get free, only making him proceed further with his actions.

Rika, who slept next door to her partner, woke to the sounds of screaming. She placed the source as Renamon and quickly investigated the commotion, slightly fearing what she might find. However the sight she saw when she opened the door to her partner's room made her stop, shortly before breaking down in a fit of amusement.

Renamon was still thrashing under Snow's claws, the white digimon laughing as he assaulted the vixen. She tried to force him away from her so she could recover but he was surprisingly resourceful at evading her. But he was still only a child so it was only a matter of time before his own amusement brought a lull in his actions.

As soon as Renamon detected the tickling assault lessen, she sprang at Snow and pinned him to the bed. With him restrained she returned his gesture with a fervour seldom seen from her. With the tables turned all Snow could do was mimic Renamon's earlier actions and writhe under her claws.

"Tickle me would you, eh? Let's see how you like it!"

Snow just laughed in response, it was all he could do as he thrashed and squirmed from the barrage of tickles. Renamon didn't falter in her punishment towards him, intent on making him know not to try such actions on her again. Unknown to her though he had promised himself that he would do it again. Why should he always be the one to be tickled?

Eventually, when Renamon had decided he had learnt his lesson, she stopped her assault and allowed him to recover. Snow took the break to regain his breath, shortly before leaping back at her. The vixen was surprised by this sudden move but was even more so when he attacked her for a second time, his claws seeking her venerable areas and reducing her to a mass of screams and uncharacteristic giggles again.

Rika, who was still watching on, just stood completely flabbergasted by Snow's rather brave attitude, even further still by her partner's lack of control from a simple thing as being tickled. She never imagined anyone could best her no matter what happened, in a small insignificant way Renamon looked weak for once. A child was beating her with ease, almost in complete control of her.

Snow wasn't about to repeat his earlier mistake and let her get revenge on her, instead keeping up with his torturous actions and forcing her to remain as the screaming laughing pile of fur under his tiny claws. But he was a child all the same so his energy began to dwindle. He knew that once he became too tired to continue she would get him back, so he did the one thing he knew to prevent her vengeance. He leapt up and ran out of the room, right past Rika and down the hall.

Renamon was up instantly, eyes following the retreating albino and seemingly not noticing her tamer watching her. A playful snarl formed on her muzzle as she gave chase.

"Come back here! You can't get away with that so easily Snow!"

He barely heard the words as he raced away, turning a corner to hide himself from view and diving into a small gap out of her reach. His paw clamped over his mouth to contain his giggles as Renamon approached, pulling himself tighter to hide better from the vixen.

Renamon scanned about as she came to a stop. For some reason her senses couldn't pinpoint Snow's location. She had noticed this in the digital world before she brought him here, as if he could hide his own digital signal at will. That would require some looking into later, first she had to find him and tickle the young digimon until he passed out!

She unknowingly entered the room he was hiding in, her footpaws near silent on the floor as her eyes searched for him. Seeing as he wasn't there she turned around to walk out, but stopped suddenly. A faint noise drifted to her from a corner of the room, the sound of quiet breathing. Casting her eyes towards the source of the noise she could just make out a shape hiding under a cupboard, a shape she couldn't see before without the noise to guide her. Smirking in victory she advanced, crouching down and extending an arm towards the shape. Soft fur met her paw which she hooked her arm around, pulling the object out into view. Snow's sleeping form came into view, looking so peaceful that she dropped her ideas of revenge and fascinated herself with watching him from within her arms.

She returned to her room with the white bundle, feeling his tail curl around her arm as he slept. She always smiled when he did that and this time was no exception. Despite what he did to her earlier she couldn't bring herself to do anything wicked to him, instead leaving him on the bed and going to get herself something quick to eat. She spared him one last glance before leaving the room, seeing him curl up on the bed and yawn as his tail coiled around himself. He always looked quite cute as he slept, at least he wasn't experiencing any bad dreams.

Renamon returned from her brief meal, seeing Snow still sleeping on the bed. It wasn't until then that she thought it to be strange that he was sleeping so early in the day, maybe he was still tired from his earlier ordeals and hadn't fully recovered? His traumatic nights hadn't helped him recover either. That must be it.

She laid beside him, stroking his head as he sighed contentedly in his sleep. Instinctively he pushed himself against her, his tail seeking her arm once again as he murmured one sleepy word.

"Mother..."

No matter how many times she heard it, or how incorrect it was, Renamon loved when he said it. Each time brought a smile to her lips and a warmth to her heart, an overwhelming sense of pride and protection radiating from her. She promised to herself that she wouldn't share the same fate as his real parents, she would be with him until their dying days. Whenever that may be, data never gets old after all. She would happily spend the rest of time with Snow if it meant keeping her promise.

Once he woke she would try to give him a day to remember, one without fighting, danger or kidnapping. One with fun that could form fond memories to cherish for years to come, one where she showed him everything she felt he would enjoy to truly give him a fresh start free of the pain from his past. He looked to her as his mother, it was time she acted like one.

But not at the moment. Renamon allowed him to sleep, unwilling to disturb him while she thought of things to do with him. Her mind wandered as Snow nestled further against her, hiding his smile as he forced himself to remain 'asleep'. Sometimes the simplest forms of deception were the most effective...