a/n:

So this is chapter 14… My how this fic is getting long. The reason for the super quick update is due to me leaving for China. I doubt I will have email access then… so incase, enjoy this chapter when you are able to escape the family overload or whatever you find yourself doing over the holidays!

Not much going on at the moment. Gearing up for China, random craziness and the like keep me on my toes. Anyway, thanks for the reviews to the last chapter. I had hoped a few more would come in, oh well… Story!

The scream that erupted from the girl's lips caused everything to stop. The power ball in Akki's hand fizzled and died as he stood there looking down upon the cunning creature. Matt was frozen in place, as were the rest of the digimon and digidestined. The world seemed to pause as Sora cried out in agony and then went limp.

Seeing their chance, Ken shouted out for a retreat. Even with Nephilimon there, who knew how the battle would turn out? They needed to plan how to best use their newest and what looked to be their last chance at winning. The other digidestined woke from their stupor and nodded. Matt ran and scooped up Sora and made a dash for the cover of trees.

Digimon and partners ran from the battle field leaving the only fighters left the evil digimon, the one who once was known as Tai and Nephilimon.

"Spirit light!" The large digimon said in a voice that was both Phoenixmon and Wargreymon while sending another bright shock wave around to keep the digidestioned from being followed.

Akki was barely able to shield himself with his cloak when the wave came and hit. He was sent flying backwards, hitting a large tree with his back. Crying out in pain Akki was in no condition to follow the large digimon after the attack was over. Looking around he saw his troops were also in no condition to continue.

"You may have won this round humans… but the war is not over. And I will not lose!" He said wiping a bit of blood from his lips and slowly walking away from the site.

"Matt, how far are we going to run?" His exhausted partner asked as they fled far into the woods. Sora was still tucked protectively into his embrace while the two rode in the large and strong hands of the wolfman digimon.

"Are we being followed?" Matt looked back and saw nothing but trees and a few of his friends.

"I think we are safe." Kari called as she held tighter to her flying digimon.

"Man, I wanted to see that fight. I think we could have won!" Davis said stretching his arm, while still holding tightly to his digimon as they leapt from tree to tree.

"How is she?" TK asked ignoring Davis at the moment.

"OK, but let's find a safe spot and then stop there." Matt shouted up to the two flying above him.

A few meters away the tired digimon stopped and set down their exhausted partners. The moment they hit the ground each returned to their rookie levels, utterly drained.

"Is she breathing?" Kari asked as they all gathered around their friend.

"Looks like she is just sleeping." Matt said checking her all over for wounds or something wrong with her. Finding none, he sighed. "But I doubt she will be back to normal after all that for some time."

"Which means we lay low till she gets better." Tk said looking behind them as Sora's two partners in training form came bouncing towards them.

"Is Sora ok?" The pink bulb asked. Yokomon looked worried as she hopped closer to her long time friend and partner.

"She's strong." Koromon said stopping near Sora's feet and looking on to the girl that had meant so much to his partner at one time… but now Tai seemed no longer there…

"How was she able to digivole the two of you together?" Davis asked looking at the two tiny creatures.

"We're not sure." Yokomon said looking at Koromon.

"All I know is that my digivice reacted and a rush a power sent me flying in the air." The large mouthed digimon said as his ears wrapped around to rub his chin as if in thought.

"Well, as long as you guys think you can do it again, I guess it doesn't really matter." Davis said remembering it really didn't matter how it happened.

"We'll rest here for the night, and then we will begin to look for the others." Matt said finally standing up. Looking down at Sora's resting figure, he knew there was nothing more he could do for her at the moment.

"Let's get a shelter going then." TK suggested and went with Davis to scout for some wood.

While the two did this, Kari went off to find a river nearby and get some water. The group had prepared a good shelter just in time as the sun set.

"We probably shouldn't start a fire." Matt said feeling a little cold as the temperature went down along with the setting sun.

"It would give away our position." TK nodded as he moved a little closer to Kari, who shivered a bit. "Are you cold?"

"Now I'm fine." She smiled letting him wrap an arm around her shoulder.

"No fair TS! I want to hug Kari too!" Davis complained trying to move closer to the couple, but the looks on TK and Kari's faces stopped him.

"Don't even think about it." Matt said as he looked at the goggle headed boy. Davis was trying to see who he could cuddle up to for warmth, and Matt and Sora were his only other options. He didn't care who it was at this point.

"Don't worry Davis, I'll keep you warm!" Shouted Veemon as he gave his partner a big hug.

"Thanks…" Davis said a little less thrilled.

The night went on, and Matt stayed awake, keeping guard. He didn't know what Myotismon and Tai would be up to… he knew they would not just leave the group alone. Especially with a new powerful digimon combination.

"Sora… why do you have to be so damn special?" He asked the sleeping girl as he brushed a bit of hair behind her ear. "Myotismon will surely attack us harder now, and target you again… I don't want to lose two friends in this battle…"

"Sora will pull through." Kari said from across the shelter. The thin wooden frame covered with forest vegetation next to the side of a hill provided a good cover for them, and with everyone in there and their partners as well, it was also proving to be rather warm. "And so will Tai."

"I wish I had your optimism Kari." Matt smiled weakly.

"You love her too, don't you?" Kari asked. She had always wondered just how strong Matt's feeling were for Sora. She knew that Matt had wanted to date Sora, and how Sora had confided in Kari with her mixed feelings for the blond boy. Kari had always known that her brother and Sora belonged together… she never really knew why Tai took so long to tell her he loved her. But older brothers were a strange thing.

Then again, she had been the one to tell TK how she felt about him… who knows how long they would have waited before they actually began to date or show affection. TK needed to be convinced Tai would not beat him up... Kari had nothing much to lose, she had a good feeling that TK felt the same. He was just holding back. But Sora was a bit more cautious. And had fewer clues on how Tai felt about her.

"I have for a long time." Was his response as he looked up for Sora's face. "But she loves him."

"I'm sorry Matt." Kari said not knowing why she needed to apologize, but something in her felt really bad for the boy.

"It's ok. I keep telling myself as long as she is happy…" He touched her face and smiled. "But with all this… I don't know if we can save Tai… and if we do… will I want him to even step near her after all that has happened?" He sighed.

"That will have to be up to Sora… but I know we will save him."

"I hope so Kari. It would break her heart if we didn't…"

"You let them get away?" A stunned and angry voice roared throughout the castle. Akki stood before his partner and told him the events that took place.

"Calm down." Akki snarled back. He was not in the mood to deal with this at the moment. It was not like he had wanted to let them get away. It was also a sore issue because he had lost the battle. A battle that had been going so well..

"And this new power... it came from the girl?"

"Yes. The red head was the one who started the reaction." Akki said remembering the events of the battle. It was a strange thing to see the dinosaur looking digimon. He could not help but think that they had crossed paths before.

"No matter." the evil mastermind said turning and walking away from Akki.

"You are letting them go then?" Akki asked not sure on what his partner was thinking.

"On no... we don't let them get off... we just change tactics now..." A laugh came from the creatures lips.

"So what do we do? Should we go find them?"

"On no... we won't go after them... no.. I have something better planned."

"And that would be?" Akki asked a little curious as to what the plan was, and if he would get that battle he wanted.

"Don't worry my friend, you will get the fight you want... we shall just let them come to us... and they will come and find their own destruction."

A/n:

And with that, I am off to China! Review! I will have plenty of long train rides and bus rides to write while on vacation, so expect the next update to come in early January!

Happy Holidays! Stay safe!