Please enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon, only Mya.


Tai couldn't remember a time he had felt so refreshed. He was woken with the sunlight hitting his eyes through the curtain, he groaned and turned over hoping to escape the sun and catch a few more minutes sleep. However, as he turned he realised he wasn't alone.

Soft brown hair fanned around her face like a halo, she was laying on her back breathing steadily making Tai aware she was still asleep. Memories from last night came back to him, he looked around to see clothes laying scattered all over the floor; he lifted the sheets to see that he was only in his boxers. Looking over at her the sheets were bunched round her stomach exposing her white lace bra. Feeling his face heat up he pulled up the sheets slightly to cover her modesty.

He laid back down and took everything in. How much his life had changed in the past couple of months was astounding. He couldn't help but look at Mimi's peaceful face, she looked so beautiful and innocent.

'She wasn't so innocent last night.' Said a wicked voice in his head. He couldn't help but smirk, just as he was replaying last night's events a stir from his side interrupted him. He watched as her eyes fluttered open and blearily looked around.

"Morning sleepyhead." Tai grinned, she looked at him confused.

"Tai? Where am I?" She looked around and realisation hit her. It was almost comical Tai nearly laughed as her faced glowed a light pink. She pulled the sheets up and turned on her side to look at him.

God she was beautiful.

"Remember?" He joked. She swatted him playfully on the arm before wincing painfully.

"Are you okay?" He asked. She pressed her hand on her stomach and he pulled the sheet away. He gasped horrified at how big and painful that ugly purple bruise looked on her ribs, he gently glided his fingertips over it which cause her to wince.

"He did this, didn't he?" He muttered darkly, the sad look in her eyes told him everything.

"He punched me when I spat in his face."

"You spat in his face?!" Tai was shocked but also impressed. The grin that came to his face was instinctive. "Atta girl!"

She laughed. "Well I wasn't about to go down without a fight."

Tai felt proud that she could stand her ground and fight back but he was still pissed she had to fight at all.

"If I ever see him I'll kill him."

"Tai…" Mimi said placing a hand on his face forcing him to look at her. "Let's just forget about him, please?"

"But-" before Tai could argue her lips were back on his and he melted into the kiss, leaning into it he pushed her back into the bed and the kiss deepened. His hands wandered and just as things were getting heated his bedroom door opened.

"Mummy! Daddy!"

Instantly Tai jumped off Mimi as if he had been caught by his parents. Mya ran over to the bed and struggled to climb up.

"Here." Mimi said helping the little girl onto the bed. She scrambled between her parents and settled between them.

"Is everything okay?" Mimi asked.

"Huh-uh! Look!" She grinned at her parents exposing her baby teeth and the gap where one of them had fallen out.

"Oh! Mya! You've lost your tooth!" Mimi cried looking at Tai who was grinning. Mya opened her little hand where she was holding her tooth.

"Hey, you know what you have to do now?" He said, Mya shook her head. "You have to put it under your pillow tonight and when you're asleep the tooth fairy will come and take it and leave you some money."

"Really?!" Mya's eyes lit up. "A fairy's going to come to my room!" She cried in utter glee, Mimi couldn't help but laugh.

"Sure thing kiddo."

"Mummy did you hear that!"

"I did baby, now why don't you go play and I'll make some breakfast." Mimi said, Mya giggled and rolled over to the side of the bed jumping down and running out of the room.

"Be careful!" Mimi called, Tai chuckled.

They sat in a contented silence for a brief moment when something was building inside Tai that he knew he need to talk to Mimi about. "So… what happens now?"

At atmosphere turned awkward and Mimi started playing with the hem of the bed sheet. "I don't know." She answered. Tai suddenly felt like he was 17 again and the fear of rejection started filtering into his stomach. He swallowed hard and tried to build some courage.

"I want you to know Meems, that… I don't want last night to be a one-time thing." Tai told her honestly. Mimi looked at him her eyes big.

"After all we've been through? Don't you think that's a little scary?" Her voice was small and Tai had to restrain himself from visibly wincing. These conversations were never going to be easy no matter how old you were.

"I mean sure, but do you want it to be a one-time thing?"

Another silence. Tai clenched his fist in frustration. Gods this was awful! No wonder he stuck to the non-committed relationships back in high school and college. You know the ones… were you spent the night with the girl… only text her when you were bored… minimal communication and then when you wanted it to be over you found someone else!

Okay, okay so he was a player! But least it meant no awkward, stomach churning conversations…

"Tai… I-I was going to tell you a few days ago…"

Gods here it was… the rejection speech! He'd ruined everything! Why oh why did he let his three idiotic friends talk him into thinking this was a good idea!? He's ruined their good relationship all over one night together! Stupid Taichi! Stupid!

"… you see, I found an apartment not too far from here for me and Mya… and, well, we would be moving out soon seen as this was only temporary?"

He remembered the agreement. This was only temporary until Mimi found a place for her and Mya so he could get to know his daughter and be closer to her. Tai had a bitter taste in his mouth at the push back from Mimi. He slouched into the bed.

"Oh. Okay." He replied clipped. Mimi tilted her head to get a better look at him, her eyes innocent and big.

"That was our agreement?" She clarified.

"Well yeah it was…" Tai started sitting a little straighter. "But I didn't think this…" He gestured to the both of them. "Would happen, I mean I don't know about you but haven't you been feeling… anything?" He questioned looking into her eyes, he noticed how they widened slightly and she sucked in a quick breath. Ah-Ha! He hit something.

She blinked rapidly a few times before chewing her bottom lip. Tai suppressed a groan, lip biting was a massive turn on for him. He lent forward and pulled her lip from her teeth, their eyes connected, and his fingers lingered a little longer on her lips. It was as if time slowed down and they could only see each other. Tai felt his heart start beating harder and his palms started sweating.

"T-Tai… I-I… I'm scared." She whispered.

"Me too." He gave a half grin. "But…"

He couldn't say it. It could destroy everything, he wasn't brave enough to let the words come out. He was a coward, he didn't deserve his crest. He looked up to the ceiling before back down at the sheets.

"Nothing. It doesn't matter."

Mimi's shoulders slumped as if she was expecting something. She blinked a few more times, her eyes looking watery but Tai quickly dismissed the thought. She nodded her head before sighing and looking at the door.

"Okay… so this was just a one-time thing?" She asked almost as if she was hoping he would disagree. Tai looked away and nodded.

She gave a final nod and turned away, swinging her legs over the side of the bed.

"I'll go make breakfast."

She picked up her clothes and threw them on before walking out of the bedroom. Tai was still in the bed staring at the sheets cursing himself to hell for being so weak and not admitting his feelings.

Mimi stopped at the door and turned back to him. "Tai?"

He looked up and his stomach knotted painfully, with the sun behind her she looked like an angel.

"Just so you know, we'll be moving in 1 week."

Mimi didn't wait for a response and walked away.

Something stirred in him. She was leaving.

She was leaving again, and this time he was aware of it! He could do something. He couldn't stand the thought of seeing her leave again. In that same instant Tai jumped from his bed and threw on his own joggers before racing out of the room. He ran over to the stairs and looked over to the floor below where Mya was playing with her toys and Mimi was starting cooking. His heart swelled. This was his family. He couldn't lose it again.

He was about to take his first step down the stairs when he froze.

No. He couldn't do it.

He would rather have Mimi in his life as his friend than not at all if she rejects him. As a lawyer it was Tai's job to assess risks and evaluate if the gain would out way the loss. In his situation the gain was everything he could ever want… but the loss would be something he wouldn't be able to handle. (1)

The risk was too big to take.

With one last look at the two girls, Tai took a step back before turning around and heading back to his room.

Everything to gain but too much to lose.

No matter how much Tai's heart was breaking.


The next few days passed by in a blur. Mimi was swamped with documents to sign and agreements to organise. Tai had been wonderful in supporting her with the paperwork and reading over the legal agreements to make sure she was getting a good deal for herself and their daughter.

It had been agreed that they would co-parent Mya and she would stay at Tai's on the weekends, but they would arrange for time together aside from then, if and when required.

Tai and Mimi awkwardly stumbled around each other and felt most at ease when Mya was around to act as a buffer between the two. But Mya had to go to bed at some point and this was the hardest part of the day for the two young adults. Tai had taken to doing some work on his laptop to occupy himself, while Mimi would busy herself in the kitchen testing new recipes.

Any conversation between them was short and clipped as a constant heavy atmosphere lingered around that would not disappear.

Mimi had started packing some of her things in small boxes and putting some of her clothes she knew she wouldn't need for a few months into cases. Tai sat in silence as she busied herself around him, offering to help only for her to tell him not to worry and that she would be able to manage.

Mimi's heart ached every time they made eye contact and he quickly looked elsewhere.

While Tai's stomach twisted when he caught a smell of her vanilla shampoo.

They were both too consumed in their own personal anguish to see the other was hurting just as much. Their friends were aware something had happened but smartly didn't press the two hot headed parents. Neither one would be willing to break first, they wanted to be strong and admitting defeat was weakness.

But in their case admitting they were in love would ultimately end all this torture.

If they only weren't too blind to see that.

Mimi was currently in her room packing her things from the back of the wardrobe. She was carefully placing her cook books in a neat order in the box below. She reached up to grab the last few when her fingers skimmed across another book; furrowing her brow she reached up on her tip toes to grab the book. It was pushed further back, Mimi sigh in frustration with her lack of height.

She did a little jump and was able to knock the book over moving it closer to her fingers. Pulling the book down she was covered in dust causing her to cough and sneeze. Once the dust had cleared she focused on the annoying book when her eyes widened.

It was her book. However it was not one of her cook books. It was her old photo album- correction, it was their old photo album. It was a faded white cover with a soft pink heart in the centre with 'T & M' written on the inside. Sliding down the wall she sat on the bedroom floor and flipped over the cover. A small smile came of her face. The first picture was of her and Tai in high school, he was wearing his soccer uniform while she was in her cheerleading outfit. He had put an arm around her and his face was glittering with sweat as he beamed at the camera, she on the other hand had her mouth open laughing while her arm was wrapped round his waist.

She turned a few more pages and stopped at a few to remember the happy memories. One photo was of an angry Tai who was in the kitchen, mixing bowl and spoon in his arm and flour all over his hair and face. Mimi grinned remembering how annoyed he was that she refused to help, leaving him to bake Kari's birthday cake all by himself. She also remembered shortly after this picture was taken she felt bad that he was struggling (and also worried he might poison his sister) that she finished the cake.

She turned the page and her face flamed crimson. It was a picture of her taken while she was sleeping in their bed. It was an image that spoke a thousand words, she was in her black lingerie (his favourite), her hair was tousled, and her cheeks were flushed. Her face was calm and peaceful and the blankets were ruffled around her. She remembered Tai had taken the cheeky snap and demanded it be added to the album while she quietly protested (she secretly was please with how toned her abs looked in the picture).

Turning the page again she let out a big sigh. She remembered the memory well, mainly because it was the day before she found out she was pregnant which would inadvertently change their lives forever. They were stood near a railing that overlooked the lake, it was dark so the streets lights were on. It was a cold night so they were both wrapped up in their winter coats and fluffy hats. Tai's arms were around her and they were both beaming at the camera which a kind elderly couple had agreed to take for them.

She remembered afterwards how they walked down the lake side hand in hand talking mindless about anything that came to mind. They were so wrapped up in the others company, blissful looks adorned their faces making them look sickeningly sweet. Mimi remembers she started feeling unwell so Tai took her home and they got take-out and snuggled under the blanket on their couch. She fell asleep there that night wrapped in his arms wishing that moment would last forever.

A painful lump formed in her throat as she choked it back. She closed the album all the memories hitting her sending her head into a spin. He had kept it, after all she put him through he still kept their memories. Smiling she held the album close to her and dazed in and out of happy flashbacks of the life they had.

He had been amazing these past few weeks and she knew she would never be able to thank him enough. Suddenly, her eyes widened and as if a light blub flicked on above her head, she started smiling. While she knew she could never re-pay him she could offer the same kindness back to him.

Jumping to her feet she dashed over to her belongings that were boxed up, hastily ripping them open and tearing through the contents inside.

"Where is it? Where is it?" She muttered.

Pulling out a medium sized book Mimi examined her own photo album. Smiling softly she tucked it under her arm and placed her belongings back in the boxes. Leaving the room she placed the book in her bag and grabbed her jacket before leaving the apartment.

She still cared, she always cared.

And she was going to put her past right, in anyway that she can.


Tai was in a meeting room lounging back in his chair. Papers were spread around the table as men and woman were listening and taking notes on the latest case. Tai and his colleague (Aka) were heading the case -an assault and battery charge- and right now he was bored to tears.

They were working with some law students which Tai found tedious but knew they had to have the experience. He went through the same thing when he was student, however, now that he's a professional he found the way Aka was spoon feeding them mind numbing.

He roamed his eyes over the case file and scribbled a few notes down if someone provided a good or useful point. He added his own comments here and there but mainly let Aka take the lead on this meeting. His stomach was groaning and he realised they had run 20 minuets into the lunch hour. If there is one thing that Tai hated it was being late for some form of food.

He started tapping his pen irritably and had to use all his restraint not to groan in frustration when a student asked a particularly complex question. Aka was one of Tai's good friends, they went through law school together and both got jobs in the same firm which was one of the reasons he was pleased to be working with him on this case; another reason he was happy to be working with him was because he knew Tai. Aka glanced over to his friend and looked at his watch.

"That's a good question, take a note of it and we'll re-group after lunch." He smirked in Tai's direction. Tai looked at the ceiling and gave a thankful prayer before jumping up and gathering his papers.

"Hey."

Tai looked up to see Aka walking over with a smirk on his face.

"I know you find this boring but at least try and look interested?"

Tai rolled his eyes. "Yeah well, easier said than done. I don't remember us being this docile."

Aka laughed. "Who knows maybe our mentors thought we were slack?"

"Don't be so stupid, Dyna loved me." Tai scoffed, remembering his school boy crush on his mentor.

"More like you loved her." Aka teased.

"Oh ha ha."

Tai had put all his papers away started walking out of the room with Aka. They joked a bit before Aka turned off to his office and Tai continued on to his, He nodded to his assistant, a lovely elderly woman called Maria who reminded Tai of his grandmother.

He opened his door and placed down his case files and walked over to his desk to pull out the BLT sandwich he'd picked up for himself earlier. Taking a hearty bite of his sandwich he noticed a square package on his desk. Looking round his office it was empty except for himself.

He picked up the package which was wrapped in brown paper and looked it over to see if there was a name on it. Putting it back down he took another bite of his sandwich before walking over to his door and poking his head out.

"Maria, who put that package on my desk?"

The older woman smiled. "Why Taichi, I have no idea what you're talking about."

She was the only person except his mother and occasionally Mimi that it didn't bother him when they full named him. "Yes you do, I can tell by that smirk!"

She chuckled. "Why don't you open it and find out?"

Tai narrowed his eyes. "You're no help."

She laughed and he closed his door walking back over to his desk and sitting down in his chair. Taking another bite of his sandwich he flipped over the package a few times before taking the brown wrapping off it.

Tai knitted his eyebrows in confusion at the white book with a big 'M' on the front, he flipped over the first page and a shocked gasp escaped his lips.

On the first page in the centre was an ultra-scan picture. He read the neat handwriting underneath.

'Mya 24 weeks'

He ran his fingers across the picture, his face in awe. That's his baby. His baby.

He turned the page and his eyes widened. It was Mimi, no- correction, it was a pregnant Mimi. She was smiling at the camera in her apartment with a maternity dress covering her swollen stomach. Tai let his mind wander to what it would have been like to have been with her during that time but he had learnt it was best not to dwell.

With shaking fingers he turned the page and a smile lit up his face. It was a picture of a much younger Mya, she was wearing a nappy and a small vest and was running towards the camera with her little cubby hands outstretched.

He flicked the page to anther photo and he couldn't help but laugh. Mya was grinning at the camera showing her baby teeth with some form of spaghetti sauce covering her face and the high chair. He thought of how Mimi would have handled that one, she was always a neat freak.

He passed each page with growing happiness going through the years of his daughter's life that he missed. He laughed, he sighed, he chuckled, he imagined. He imagined being there and the photos felt like they had gifted him with his missing years.

Reaching the last page a piece of paper fell out. He put the album down and picked it up.

'Taichi,

I know this will never make up for not being there but I hope it allows you some insight into her life. I'd like you to keep this album as a Thank You for letting us stay with you.

Love,

Meems. Xoxo'

Tai's heart swelled at the thoughtful gesture. The back of his mind was fighting with him to repay the kind gesture. He realised what a thoughtful, beautiful, talented, kind and amazing woman Mimi really was and how foolish he had been not telling her how he feels. He felt like he had failed his crest but if Tai was one thing, it wasn't a quitter.

She had to know how he felt before she moved, he needed to tell her he loved her.

Standing up he closed the album and started packing his things. In his sudden determination he almost missed his phone ringing in his pocket. Not looking at the caller ID he answered the phone.

"Hello?"

"Tai?"

Tai recognised Mimi's voice instantly and from the sound of it he knew something was wrong. Horribly wrong.

"Mimi? Is that you?"

"You need to come home."

Tai's mind started racing. What was going on? Was she hurt? Gods what if Marcus had got back in?!

"What? What's going on?"

"Get home. Now."

"Mimi! Mimi?!" Tai looked at his phone which was showing his home screen.

"Son-of-a-bitch!" He snarled.

Grabbing his jacket, he placed the album in his desk drawer locking it and pocketing the key. His heart thudded painfully against his chest as he rushed round.

He slammed his door open causing Maria to jump.

"Taichi?! What on earth?!"

"I need to go. Tell Aka something came up." He barked as he headed for the elevator, he turned back to push the button for the car park and caught Maria's worried and shocked face as is disappeared when the doors closed.

Tai remained perfectly poker faced but on the inside his mind was running on overtime. All the worst possible scenarios were flashing through him as his chest tightened in fear. The doors slid open on the ground floor as he ran over to his car and jumped in before flooring it out of the car park letting the tyres screech.

Something was wrong.

Something was horribly wrong.


Eekk! I was in two minds about continuing or leaving this here for you guys to mull over. Haha!

(1) Right! So I was totally prepared for this to be the big moment I get Tai and Mimi together. It was in all of my planning and I was like 'yep this is it!' But... I was listening to the 'Titanic' Soundtrack at the time of writing... in particular 'Hym to the sea'. Well you all know how Titanic ended... I was so close but I was like... nope, not gonna do it! SORRY! So I had to do a 're-jig' of the layout but it works so much better this way! I promise!

Reviews:

j8919 - Thank you! :D

Autistic-Grizzly - Eeee thank you! The 'guy scene' at Matt's was so much fun to write, i'm glad you like that. Ah yes... Marcus. He's a real scum bag! I'm quite glad that so many people hate him though, means we've got a good villain on our hands!

genbo - Thank you for your kind review :) I 100% agree with what you're saying so i' pleased you like this work. I'm so glad you liked the Michi Scene. I was very conscious going into it that it might be a bit much s I'm pleased it's gone down well. I hope you liked this chapter, but as i'm sure you're aware it's the next one we're all waiting for!

angelxchild - Oh wow thank you! I always felt this couple needs more fics so I'm so glad it's been well received! I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

dbzfan the first - thank you :) I hope this chapter was good! But the next one is where sh*t hits the fan!

Vigatus - No problem! I used to have this MASSIVE problem with timely updates which is why this is the first fic I fully completed before publish :) Thank you for your review!

Chobits3 - Thank you! :)

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Wheyhew!

Next Time: A catastrophic turn of events leads to a race against time.

You guys don't want to miss the next chap! I promise to try and get it up next weekend!

Loves

Cornelia.x