Edited 10/9/18

A/N: Hello everyone! I'm back and so much sooner this time so I hope that makes up for my many long absences.

Disclaimer – I don't own Digimon. I don't own "Walking the Wire," by Imagine Dragons.

Spotify – Playlist FF

"Do you know the line that I'd walk for you?
We could turn around, or we could give it up
But we'll take what comes, take what comes
Oh, the storm is raging against us now
If you're afraid of falling, then don't look down
But we took the step, and we took the leap
And we'll take what comes, take what comes"

The park bench felt cold under my legs, I stretched myself out long and leaned back into it, letting my head fall back, as the sun danced on my face. Little, crystal, splinters of light cracked through the nearby trees and fell onto the ground. I'd missed the city, the organized chaos, and the calm in Central Park. It wasn't always there, but early enough in the day, if you went to the right places you'd find it.

I was desperate for a true calm, because right now it felt like we existed inside of the eye of a hurricane.

We'd started to fall back into our lives here. Sora was back to work on her clothing line. She had a part time job assisting of one of her old college professors, and in exchange, was able to use the professor's workspace for her own design work.

Matt, John, and Colin were planning our, 'welcome back,' show. They were working on a set list while trying to find a replacement, bassist, for Trevor. Trevor, was going back to rehab, and Matt was on his way there with him now.

T.K., and I, had been spending most of our time with Davis, and Tai. We only had so much time before they would need to get back and didn't want to waste any of it.

So, even though we all started to settle a bit, it still felt like there was static in the air. We'd be having dinner, laughing about something foolish, when April would call and I'd have to step away.

I knew it would be over soon. I just had to keep reminding myself.

The sound of T.K., and Davis's, voices wafted through the air in my direction.

"Why didn't you get a truck?"

"It's a very nice cart."

"Dude," I glanced towards them and saw T.K., stop walking for a moment, and widen his eyes at Davis.

It was nice to see them as they were now. Sure, they had become closer towards the end of high school, while I was still around, but there was a different connection now. They had their own inside jokes, and shared looks of almost telepathic information dumping. Davis had taken my place in T.K.'s life as a best friend while I was gone. That twinge of regret would flood me every once in a while, the years we lost together, the things I'd missed out on. I tried to bury those thoughts, taking a deep breath, I knew I needed to move forward and not focus on the past. I couldn't get back what we'd lost, but we could start making new memories together.

"Earth to Karrrrrri." I jumped a bit, too lost in my thoughts to notice they had started talking to me.

"Sorry, what?" I replied. T.K. sent me a look of concern over Davis's shoulder, but I waved him off.

"What's your plan once we put out the dumpster fire." Davis plopped himself down on the park bench, powdered sugar flew in my direction from the half eaten donut in his hand, which resulted in a snort from T.K.'s direction. I appreciated Davis's, unapologetic, lack of a filter, it was nice to have someone around who wasn't constantly hovering over me. I know everyone meant well, and I was grateful for the support, but sometimes it was nice to be treated as if nothing bad was happening around us and this was all perfectly normal.

"Honestly who knows," I leaned back again, letting my gaze venture back into the trees. My view was obstructed when T.K. handed me my own, large confectionery, breakfast treat. "Thank you." I sent him a smile before turning back to Davis. "I don't know that I'll ever get hired with everything hanging over me. Lots of directors avoid controversy regardless of who was right, or wrong. I know I can go back to the night club and waitress there for now. I'll go on auditions and give it about a year before I start rethinking things."

"Man, that seems insane, he's a psycho, and you'd suffer for it. That's bullshit." Davis kicked at a stick on the ground and more sugar fluffed around him as he, fiercely, finished his donut.

"The industry is full of it, they've been making some progress over the past few years, but I don't want to get my hopes up."

He crumpled up the paper, that had been wrapped around his food, and looked thoughtful for a moment before that trademark grin crossed his features. "You'll get something! I'm sure of it." He beamed towards me, and I almost believed I would. I envied that confidence.

"What about you?" Davis leaned back on the beach and tilted his head to look at T.K.

"I still have plenty of savings left, and don't have to pay rent with Matt, so I have some time to figure it out. I have some stuff written I'm just not sure about it yet." He looked uneasy. He'd been, ferociously, writing since we'd been back but wouldn't let me anywhere near his computer. "I should probably find a part time job though so I can help out with utilities and such."

"Wait." Davis interrupted him, his eyes wide. "You aren't coming home? You're leaving me too?" He looked between the two of us.

Neither one of us spoke, we hadn't had that particular discussion yet. He said, he wasn't going to leave me, but geographic location wasn't explicitly discussed. We were together and that was settled, but we painfully avoided most talk of the future, there was too much happening for us to be making any real plans or decisions.

"I mean, well, not..." He trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck, and avoiding my eye contact.

"You guys haven't talked about it have you?" He looked between us a few more times before he started to laugh, just softly at first, but it built to him doubled over.

"Really?" T.K. kicked the back of Davis's side of the bench.

"You two are still impossible," He stood up, shaking his head. "I'm gonna head back. It seems like you need some time to talk." He strutted away, chuckling as he went.

T.K. walked around and replaced him on the bench, "Think he even knows how to get back?" He put his hands behind his head and leaned back.

I finished the last bite of my food, "Not a chance." I smiled, crumpling up the paper in my hands. "He's right though."

"Don't ever let him know that," He leaned forward, his elbows set on his knees while he rested his head in his hands, still avoiding my gaze.

I reached over and laced my fingers between his, forcing him to look towards me, " I haven't, even for a second, asked you what you'd want to do, except for hope you'd be here for me. Do you want to go back to Japan?"

"There hasn't been time to think about any of that so don't feel like you did anything wrong." He leaned back, and turned a bit so he was facing me, tucking one of his feet under his leg on the bench. "Honestly, I don't know. I mean, I do love home but I also wanted to travel. I'm more than happy to spend time here with Matt, and Sora, and figure things out with you." He looked up at me, through strands of hair that fell in his face, he'd left it down to dry before we left the apartment earlier.

"I just want to make sure I'm not taking you away from anything." I looked down at his hand in my own, constantly afraid of what I might find in his eyes.

"I came here to write my book, spend time with my brother, and go somewhere new. That's what I'm doing. And this," he squeezed my hand. I looked back up at him, his ocean colored eyes glistened from the sun. He gestured between the two of us. "This, I wouldn't trade."

He leaned towards me until our foreheads were touching. His hands tangled in my hair, as he kissed the top of my head, before standing up and holding his hand out for me. I took it, as I had so many times over the past few weeks, but this time felt different. We both needed these constant reminders that we would be here for each other, for our own separate reasons. I felt like, even though things were ramping up, they were also settling down. We felt stable, there were no questions at the moment, no fear in our relationship. Going forward it felt good to have something on solid ground. I was going to need it.

I stood there, holding his backpack, while watching people come and go through the sliding doors. I remembered the last time we were here, the hope that it would be the last time, and the fear that I'd be standing here again as I am now. I tried to shove my disappointment down, at least he was here, at least he had a second chance, or third, or whatever number of chances we were on at this point. Trevor stood at the counter filling out paperwork, his empty hand fiddling with his pants, his shirt hem, then the edge of his pocket. He was scared and it made it harder to be pissed at him.

They found evidence that the drugs were transported with Lexi, and couldn't have been Trevor's. There was no residue on any of his things, and it was all over her bag, so he wasn't charged. The lawyers we were working with contacted Lexi's parents and were keeping them posted about our plans. They wanted to go after Michael right away, but they knew how bad it looked for their daughter, who had been a known drug user to the public, so they were taking our lead.

Trevor had been the one to say he was going back to rehab, so we didn't even have to convince him this time, which was a relief. I think part of him was happy to get away from the drama surrounding us, at least now, he'd stay out of even more trouble. Now that he really knew the truth about his sister, there was a part of him out for blood, but another that seemed petrified. He'd been talking about Kari like she was glass the last few days but it was him who was ready to break.

"Alright," he turned around and held out his hand for his backpack. I handed it to him and shoved my hands into my pockets. Silence hung between the two of us, neither that adept at communicating during a heavy situation.

"I'd like to say, it will be better next time, but I feel like I'd just be making empty promises." He shrugged his backpack over his shoulder.

"At least what you just said was honest," I twitched at my need to poke at everything.

"I deserve that."

"Just get your shit together so we can go back to making music. If you leave me with Colin we'll end up a synth pop band, and I just can't go there." He looked up at me surprised. He probably figured I was dumping him off here and that would be it, but we'd been through too much shit at this point. I saw what walking away accomplished for people, I wasn't going to throw him away after everything.

"Okay," the straight line his mouth had been in tugged a bit to one side. He hitched his backpack up again and turned to walk through the siding doors to meet the nurse that was waiting for him.

I didn't know if he'd be okay. I didn't know he wouldn't get out, and fuck up again. I didn't know that I'd never find him face down in his own vomit half dead, or worse. I just had to do my best to believe he could get through it without being unrealistic, he had a long road ahead, and he'd need support once he got out.

"What on earth?" I stood, wide eyed, in the doorway of Matt's apartment taking in the scene before me. Several people stood around the table, cheering as cups were flipped, and people chugged the drinks in their hands.

"Join the party!" John shouted, waving his hands, from behind a small group of guys I didn't recognize.

"When did we decide to have a party?" Kari mumbled next to me, her voice full of nervous amusement.

"Clear this off lets do pong, everyone is going to be finished if we play this much longer," Colin said, as he started moving cups to the end of the table in a pyramid formation.

Matt walked over to us and handed me a beer, "Some of the guys from the bar stopped over to welcome us back, and it quickly turned from there, but maybe we could all use a party." He shrugged, and tried to look annoyed but there was relief on his face, maybe he was the one who really needed it.

"Wanna play?" He gestured towards the table. I was about to pass when Davis shoved through the group.

"Oh man he suuuucks. You'll want a different partner." He grinned, egging me on in a way he knew would absolutely work.

"Whatever, sorry I actually studied back at school and didn't just party my way to a 2.5." I grumbled, taking the beer from my brother's hand and following him over towards the table.

"I studied too, I just also happened to have a good time." He sent me a toothier, more obnoxious, grin.

T.K. turned back to me, his eyes begging me to join, but I shooed him off. Drinking games weren't for me, I liked to be in charge of my alcohol consumption, and didn't need someone encouraging me to drink anymore than I often did.

I headed over to a cabinet in the corner and took a short glass off the shelf. I pushed around a few bottles until I found the one I was looking for, as I poured amber liquid into the glass I turned around to take in the party. Colin, Matt, Davis, and T.K. were around the table that was being set for beer pong. John was with four guys, from the bar, hanging out in the kitchen. I knew them casually, but not enough to feel up to a conversation at the moment. Sora, and Tai, had been sitting at the kitchen counter chatting, but now Sora was headed over towards the table, and Tai was making his way to me.

"What on earth is that?"

"Scotch." I held it out towards him but he put his hands up, shaking his head no, like I was offering him poison.

"How do you drink that stuff?"

"Acquired taste?" I shrugged, taking a sip.

He made a gagging gesture, and I sent him an eye roll I'd perfected after years of him attempting to tease me.

"You feeling a bit better being back?" He asked, regaining his composure.

I felt the corners of my mouth turn up as I took in the group at the table, as they laughed, and cheered each other on."Yea, it's good to be home."

"Is this home now?" He was trying to keep a smile on his face, trying to stay light, but his eyes were sad. I knew he wanted me to come back, and it would be easy to run from everything, easy to go back to Japan and start over. Everyone would eventually forget who I was and I'd probably fade into obscurity, getting to lead a quiet life back home, as if nothing ever happened.

But, this was my home now. I felt like the city streets ran through my veins. The guys had become my closest friends. Matt, and Sora, were like family, and now with T.K. staying it felt even more solid.

"Right now it is." I said, firmly. "I do miss you, mom, dad, and all our friends, but you know the rest of them are scattered too. I need to see this through, maybe I don't make it and I end up back home trying something there, but I have to at least try."

The forced smile he'd been sporting turned more genuine, and his eyes softened, "It's true, I wish you'd come home but it's for selfish reasons. I'm proud of you for sticking it out, don't let that bastard win, he doesn't deserve the satisfaction." He nudged into me a bit before heading over to the table. I started to follow him but changed my mind. I wanted some time to myself so I headed out onto the balcony. I took a sip from my glass, and leaned out over the railing, watching the city come to life below us.

I started looking at auditions that were coming up, there were a few I thought I might be okay for, but who knows what was going to happen over the next few days. Maybe I would just end up running back to Japan.

I heard the glass door slip open, turned to see Davis, and was surprised by the dejected look on his face.

"Okay he was always terrible when we played together, suddenly he's a champ, what gives!" He leaned his back against the railing and took a long drink from his bottle.

"A better partner?" I smirked towards him as he continued ranting to himself. "So how is everything with you? We haven't, actually, had any time alone to catch up?"

He stopped his rambling and squinted for a moment, like he was thinking really hard.

"Great! I finished school with decent enough grades that my parents didn't disown me, while saving enough to start my cart. They think it's pretty dumb, but when has that really ever stopped me from doing something."

"Never," I chuckled, I'd missed his enthusiasm for just about everything. He turned his face down, thinking again, an uneasy look covered his features.

"Can I ask you why?" His voice was, uncharacteristically, unsure.

His focus was below us at the street. "I haven't wanted to ask, but I think I'll kick myself after all this if I never do."

I seriously considered not telling him and just giving the standard, I needed to get away, bullshit answer I'd been living off of for so long. I thought about it though, and after everything that happened, the people who cared about me deserved the truth.

So I did, I took a seat on the ground of the balcony, and he slid down next to me. When I finished telling him he sat quiet for a few minutes, eventually he finished the drink in his hands and placed it onto the ground next to us.

"Jun just had her first ya know, a little girl, Mayuri." A warm smile crossed his face. He pulled up a picture on his phone, of a little girl, held in the arms of his sister.

"She's sweet." I said, unsure, if not a little uncomfortable, about why he was sharing this now.

"She lost the first three." He said abruptly, and I felt my chest get tight. "The first two were early, she was maybe two months along, but for the third she was about five months in. She went to fertility clinics, and tried all sorts of things, scared she'd never be able to have a kid. It devastated her. They finally stopped trying, and then that's when it happened, sometimes it's just not the right time. You should know you didn't do anything wrong."

I was so shocked I wasn't sure what to say at first. I didn't mention the pain I felt after, and how I always thought if I'd taken better care of myself, that I'd never have lost the baby. My body relaxed.

"I never knew anyone who, I mean, I'm sure some of our parents ... maybe, and we just don't know, but I," I stopped stumbling, and tried to gather my thoughts. I appreciated his words so much, especially after I spent so much time feeling guilty about leaving, but even more time guilty that my body had betrayed me, that it couldn't do something it was built for. "Thank you for sharing that with me.'' I finally said, truly grateful for his words.

"Think of what your life would be, you'd have put school on hold, and maybe just be going back now. T.K. would work at his moms paper, long hours for sure, so you'd almost never see him and he'd probably hate it, but always do what he had to, to take care of you. The world gives you what you can manage, maybe it would have been too much back then. You guys will have more chances."

"You really think we will be okay after all of this?" I leaned my head on his shoulder. He'd become more brotherly with me as we aged into high school, I started helping him plan dates with other girls, and trying to talk him up to the ones who weren't sure. There were so many vacancies in my life after I left, so many friendships I'd never been able to replicate, his was a big one.

"If me at twelve couldn't keep you apart, nothing can."

I almost choked on my drink, because it was hysterical, and probably true. He'd been relentless.

Suddenly, T.K. slid open the screen door a bit too hard, singing the song playing through the speakers slightly off key.

"You joining the band dude?" Davis looked pleased with T.K. who, clearly, had a few too many.

"Yea, I'm gonna play the tambourine." He shook his hand, in what was an attempt at an air tambourine, but he almost made himself fall over instead.

"How much have you had the drink." I tried to sound more concerned than amused, but was having trouble keeping myself composed.

"How much have you had to drink." He stumbled pointing towards me.

"Oh honey." Davis and I said together. I covered my mouth, to hide my laughter, as Davis continued to poke at him.

"I haven't seen you this loaded in like three years."

"Was I really that boring?"

"Yes."

He grumbled, sitting down on the other side of me, and nuzzling his face into the crook of my neck.

"We finally lost." He said.

"Oh listen to him all, finally, you were never that good playing with me," Davis refocused his annoyance on the game.

"You were never that good, you were always too busy trying to impress Sakuuuura," He slurred out her name.

"Who's that," I smirked, as Davis's face lit up like a stop light.

I watched the two of them get into a spirited conversation about the girl Davis had his eye on for the past few years. We fell into various stories from college, falling over into fits of laughter until I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer. I drifted off, listening to the two of them continue to talk until their voices faded and all that was left was the comfort, and warmth, from T.K. holding onto me.

"She's totally out," Davis pointed to Kari.

I looked down at the sleeping girl in my arms, brushing some stray hairs from her face.

"She told me everything."

I took that in, a little shocked, I was happy she was finally talking to people but still surprised.

"Oh." I replied, lamely.

"Oh?"

"Sorry, I haven't actually gone into it with anyone except my mom, and brother."

"How you doing with that?"

"I mean, we never fucking thought that was it, right?" I sighed, rubbing my eyes with a free hand, I was getting tired, and I could feel the hangover already. "That was never even one of the options on the table. So hearing it was, just," I looked down at her sadly, reminded again of what we lost, and that it wasn't just time.

"Sorry man, I didn't mean,"

"No it's fine. I'm glad she's finally talking to people instead of keeping secrets."

Davis's face was downcast, looking apologetic. "You okay?"

I held onto her a bit tighter. "It's just another loss right? Is that crazy? I didn't even know it was possible and still somehow it feels like I lost something."

"You've lost a lot man, we all have, so I get that. You guys just need to keep looking forward. It will be what, like six years before you guys are married with two kids? Everything will work out."

"Two?"

"The two of you being as close as you are to your brothers, there is no way you don't have at least two kids."

"I find it strange, yet reassuring, that you're over there planning our future."

"One of us has to."

"Yea, yea, we had a good talk today so I don't wanna hear it." I laughed, waving him off. I held back a yawn and we decided we should probably get some sleep.

I picked Kari up, she moved a bit, but her eyes never opened. I took her into our room, placed her into bed and curled up next to her. I fell asleep surrounded by the scent of her, vanilla, sandalwood, and hints of the whiskey or scotch she'd had earlier. My head dizzy from my lack of any sort of tolerance towards alcohol. Even though I knew I'd have a headache in the morning I was grateful for the night, for the time we had to relax, outside of the chaotic world we'd been living in.

It would be over soon. I just wish I could have said it was going to be easy, I wish I could have said what was coming wasn't as horrifying as it would turn out to be. That night though, I fell asleep fast and slept hard, until the morning light crept through the blinds, and woke us to another long day of calls with April and finalizing of plans.

It would be over soon.

What would be left when it was?

A/N: I want to thank those who reviewed the last few chapters ...

Undesirable13, I am alive! I appreciate your feedback about the media and such, everything with "Me Too" started hitting the news after I'd already started and it absolutely had an effect on the story I was trying to craft.

SweetDevil01, I'm so happy you found my story and are enjoying it! I did a lighter chapter before shit hits the fan again so hopefully it's a nice break from crazy Michael.

Blaire, I am so incredibly flattered that you've reread the story and enjoy it so much, I LOVE the four of them together and had been dying to write them together for a few chapters now so I'm glad you liked it as well.

BDC, thank you for being a constant reviewer throughout the story, I also wish I didn't have a life and could literally sit and do this all day. Like seriously, it's all I want.

Ai Star, just wait for it. Next chapter we finally see it all go down.

Thank you to all the guest reviewers as well. It always makes my day to open my e-mail to a comment from this community and is always the biggest reminder to get back to the story if I feel myself distracted with other things.

Next time we see the dramatic press release. I'm going to work my hardest to get that chapter out within a month. Thanks for sticking with me!