-x-

Chapter 23: Here's to Things Gone Wrong

We won't appreciate these days,
Until they're all gone
We never recognize what's right
So here's to things gone wrong

-x-

Where'd it all go so wrong? How'd things become so screwed up? Why'd his life suddenly become so complicated? And where in the hell was God when he needed him most?

Because all Tai could say for sure was, he was confused. Nothing made sense anymore, nothing was like how it used to be. His life used to be simple, he knew who his friends were, knew who his best friend was, knew he loved his girlfriend and knew he'd one day marry her. Now? Well, now he didn't know anything. And it was positively killing him.

He needed to sort out his feelings, decide what that burning in his chest was when he thought of Matt and Mimi together. Figure out why his heart would beat just a tiny bit faster at the mention of her name. Where that sinking feeling in his stomach was coming from whenever he heard her say the words "I love you." And most of all, he needed to find his feelings for Sora, again. Because she was supposed to be the one for him.

It was decided a long time ago, really. He'd thought of her as the girl for him since he was thirteen and it might seem strange but it just was. When she finally admitted her feelings for him to, he remembered it as the one of the happiest days of his life…

He sat in his room, staring at his computer screen trying desperately to type up his damn English report. It was due the next day and assigned the month before, yet here he was, fingers poised over the keys and waiting for the words to write themselves.

"Who the hell cares about Hamlet anyway!?" He asks, slamming a hand on the computer table in frustration.

He'd endured several long months of literary torture whilst reading the damn book now his half crazy teacher expected him to write about it? Why would she inflict such meaningless torture, was it really necessary?

Head in his hands and thoughts on a certain redhead, the doorbell caught him by surprise. "Great." He mumbled, aggravated. He didn't need any visitors tonight.

He trudged out of his room and down the steps in a huff. He was almost positive that it was Kari coming home, after claiming she was going to "study" at Tk's. For some reason, Tai just didn't buy that one.

He flung open the door, ready to give her a stern lecture about coming home so late when he recognized who it was behind it. "Sora…" Tai trailed off, genuinely surprised. The redhead hardly ever showed up with out calling first. "Are you okay?" He wondered, last time she'd come here it was to announce that she and Matt were done for good because of how much of an ass he was.

She nodded, her hands slightly shaking. She looked nervous and slightly anxious, he couldn't be sure why. "Well, come in." He stepped aside, letting her through the door.

"Are you sure you're okay?" He asked again, starting to feel a little nervous himself.

She hesitated before nodding this time. "I…yeah." She seemed distracted tonight. "I just, this is something I need to do, is all." She responded vaguely enough.

He merely nodded, knowing she'd come here to say something important to him, he wouldn't push her. She'd say it when she was ready.

She followed him upstairs, she knew where his room was from visiting so often, and they'd been friends since kindergarten. "You seem tense, Sor." He noticed, sitting on his bed.

She contemplated sitting next to him, but ultimately decided against it. She wanted to be able to say this to his face. "Not tense, just…" She trailed off again.

"You're acting weird." He pointed out plainly.

She picked her gaze up off the floor. "I just need to say something but I don't know how." She was truly distressed.

He got up from his bed, taking two long strides to stand in front of her. He took her by the shoulders and gazed down at her. "You can say anything to me." He promised her, his eyes burning straight to her soul.

She stared into his eyes, his gaze had never seemed so intense. "Couldn't you just say it first?" She breathed out. He knew what she was talking about, obviously, he knew. He'd never made his feelings for her known, never voiced them, but he suspected she'd always known too. Still, for all these years, they'd remained friends and nothing more.

Tai didn't say anything but searched her face for any hint of what she was feeling. If it was real this time and not just mixed signals. Though, he'd seen this coming for a while, she'd been leaning towards this since before her and Matt even broke up. But still, he needed assurance. And reassurance. "Please?" She asked, her hand touching his cheek. "I, I need to hear you say it, Tai." She stroked it with her index finger, her eyes looking into his.

He couldn't deny her that. "I…Sora, I…" The words died on his lips, he had no idea what to say. He'd never felt this way, never done this before.

She waited for him, no matter how long it would take.

He took a deep breath, "Sora, you're the one for me." He said simply, touching her hair. "It's you, Sora. It's always been you." His voice was just above a whisper.

He'd sounded so incredible that night, Sora felt tears pricking at her eyes. She felt her lip tremble as she tried to reciprocate. "I…think I love you." She wrapped her arms around his neck as a tear fell from her eye.

He wiped it away softly, "I think I love you too." He smiled.

With out missing a beat, he dipped towards her lips and claimed them with his own. Kissing her fiercely and intensely, with everything he'd been feeling for the past few years. Everything he had in him and everything she meant to him. She met him head on, her side just as passionate, because somewhere deep down, she'd known that it was always him too. That he was the one for her, no questions asked.

He'd pulled her closer, his arms around her waist, deepening their embrace as much as he could.

Needless to say, that English report was never finished…

That had been a year ago today and Tai couldn't understand what went wrong, what went wrong with him? His heart hurt when he thought of how happy he'd been, of everything the two of them had gotten through, to know that he could be ruining it all. It all just had been too much.

And today, the day of their anniversary, he'd have to explain to her his doubts? Hurt her at the worst moment possible?

He held his head in his hands and prayed for some kind of revelation. A sign, a clue, some kind of clarity to make sense of this confusion. Some kind of tie breaker to end the war inside him.

Because the last thing he wanted, the last thing he could bare would be to hurt the one person who he thought was the most important.

Now he just couldn't tell and it was killing him.

-x-

"Did I tell you I'm happy?" She asked him as they sat under the old Oak in the park.

He pressed a kiss to the side of her forehead. "No. But now that you have, I'm happy too." He stared out in to the sunny afternoon, the park was particularly quiet for such a beautiful day. Not that he was complaining, this was more than perfect.

"You know, last week was so horrible and I won't forget it but I'm glad about one thing." She told him.

He looked down at her. "What?" He asked, knowing the answer.

"Us. This. I missed you, Matt." She admitted, and maybe she'd let him off too easy. And maybe she was setting herself up for heartbreak. Maybe she was vulnerable and confused. All she knew for sure was, she hadn't been this happy in a long, long, time.

He gave a short laugh. "You think I didn't?" He asked. "Mimi, I went through hell these last two months." He told her honestly.

She kissed his cheek. "I'm sorry for that." She murmured.

He held her close. "I'm not." He shrugged. "Since, I mean, it helped get us here, didn't it?" He said simply.

She nodded. "I guess you're right. But if I could do it differently, Matt. Save us both some trouble, I would." She said seriously.

He shrugged a shoulder. "Maybe, but whatever. It's over, right?" He didn't want to talk about this anymore.

Mimi nodded again. "Thank God." She said gratefully.

"Yeah. So, what do you want to do today?" He asked her as a change of subject. "Whatever you want." He added. "Even if it involves me watching Casablanca for the fifteenth time." He gave in.

She grinned. "I won't subject you to that just yet." She winked. "I wanna…I dunno. There's not much to do around here, is there?" She mused.

Matt shook his head. "Oh!" He snapped his fingers. "There's a race tonight, we could do that?" He suggested.

She hesitated, the last time ended in disaster and she wasn't looking forward to that. "Well, who's racing?" She asked him.

"Davis, against some guy named Ryo, one of Joe's friends." He explained.

Mimi could tell he wanted to go, so for his sake. "Sure, let's do it." She smiled. "Will Tai and Sora be there?" She asked.

"No, it's their anniversary, I'm pretty sure." He informed her.

"Oh…I had no idea." She said, slightly surprised that Sora didn't say anything to her. Or Tai, for that matter.

He kissed her cheek. "Yeah. But you're sure?" He asked cautiously.

He meant the race. "Yeah, as long as you'll be there." She said. "You're not racing, right?" She asked suspiciously.

He chuckled. "No, although I should probably get in there. They're probably wondering what the hell happened to me and Tai." He grinned.

Mimi made a face. "I don't think I like that." She pouted.

She was so cute. "Oh, really?" He teased.

"Yes, really." She answered.

He kissed her. "Whatever you want." He conceded for the time being. He wouldn't a thing to make her unhappy, not right now anyway. Later, when she was up to it, he'd negotiate and he was sure she'd give in. Because he knew she'd never ask him to give up something he really liked to do. But all he wanted, right now, was to be with her.

She wrapped her arms around his neck. "You're so agreeable, these days." She laughed, "I kinda miss fighting with you." She joked.

"No you don't." He disagreed.

-x-

"Think we'll be together forever?" Sora asked softly, playing with his fingers.

Tai nodded, "I think so, I hope so" He said a little nervously, "Because Sor, if there's one thing I know, it's this as long as I have you in my life in some way, I'll be happy" He was never the most eloquent speaker, but Sora knew that he meant every word he had just said.

Sora stared up at him, tears glistening in her auburn orbs "I needed to hear that" She whispered, "I really really did"

Tai wanted so badly to kiss her right then but he needed to know, "Why?"

A sad smile played on her beautiful face, "Because after the accident Tai, I thought I was going to lose you" Her voice was hoarse from holding back her tears, "I, I never wanna feel that way Tai, I realized I couldn't live my life with out you" She let her tears fall.

Tai felt his heart ache, "I'm sorry" He apologized; wiping away her tears, "I'm so so sorry" He said again, he was hurting because she was hurting.

She shook her head, "I know its not your fault, I know but baby I need you to know just how much you mean to me" She reached up and touched his face, "I love you so much, it hurts"

Tai didn't know what else to do except dip his head and capture her lips in a tender kiss. A single that held more meaning in it, then all the words in the world. And he just prayed she'd understand. "I love you too" He said, leaning his forehead against hers.

She remembered that conversation as if it had happened yesterday. Yet, it felt like a different place, a different time and a different life. The love he'd felt for her then, was almost too much for her to even imagine now. Because while she wasn't sure what it was, something had him distancing himself from her. And it was hurting her so bad because she realized he was slipping through her fingers.

And letting him go was something she wasn't sure she could bare. Not now, not ever. She'd meant it when she said he was it for her, she knew she'd live her life alone if he were to leave her. She'd never find anyone she'd love more than she loved him. Loves him, will always love him. It killed her that she couldn't talk to him anymore. Like the giant elephant in the room neither of them would mention.

And even she, wondered, where they'd gone so wrong.

Because she could feel that things weren't okay. That they hadn't been, in a while and all the happy memories she had of them, were from so long ago.

Sometimes, she figured it was her fault. That she let the Matt/Mimi drama come between her and Tai. She paid more attention to their broken relationship than to her whole one, taking advantage of her time with Tai. Taking advantage of her relationship. Thinking that it would always be there, that he'd always wait for her. That no matter what, they'd be together forever and they were meant to be. And maybe if she'd been more careful, they'd be in a better place now.

She blamed herself for spending so much time with Matt and basically shoving Tai towards her so called best friend. Because all this, seemed to be stemming from one person, as far as she could tell.

Mimi.

-x-

The rain had begun shortly after they'd left the shade of the tree and before they reached his car. Lovely timing.

It wasn't the downpour they'd gotten used to, just a gentle pitter patter of raindrops against her window. The sound, soothing, their position, comforting.

"Where's your sister?" She asked, staring down at him, his head in her lap as they lazily enjoyed the rain from his living room.

He shrugged a shoulder. "I dunno, she's hardly ever around. I think she has a boyfriend." He concluded.

"A secret one?" She raised an eye brow.

Matt shrugged again. "It's possible. I mean I'll walk by her room and she'll be whispering on the phone and giggling." He supplied. "And she gets this real stupid smile on her face sometimes as she's heading out the door." He explained.

Mimi frowned lightly. "You think?" She asked skeptically.

"Maybe. I just wanna know who it is." He said honestly.

She smiled. "So you can be all big brother like and threaten his life?" She asked.

Matt shook his head. "Not really. I mean, me and Zoe, we aren't really like that." He told her. "I just, wanna make sure she's safe." He resolved.

She bent her head to kiss him. "You're so cute." She whispered.

He reached his hand behind her head and pulled her in for another kiss.

"So what if it was someone you knew?" She asked.

"That would make things easier, I guess. I mean she doesn't know a lot of the guys here, most of them want one thing." He sighed.

"Cliché." She mentioned.

"I guess, but it doesn't make it any less true." He argued. "And it's not like she can defend herself." He really was worried about her, Mimi had never seen him as vulnerable as he was now.

She ran a careful hand through his unruly blonde hair. "You love her, don't you?" She smiled.

Another shrug. "I dunno her well enough for that." He said honestly. "But she's family and regardless of anything, she's my sister." He said firmly.

She nodded. "You're a good guy Matt Ishida. I'm sorry it took me so long to see it." She said softly.

-x-

He should do something special. He knew as much. As he put on one of his best collared shirts and pulled on a pair of dress pants, he couldn't help but wonder who it was he was getting dressed up for? And what exactly, because he didn't have any plans. Except maybe, to break her heart. And it killed him just thinking about it.

He found himself, inadvertently, thinking back to happier times. He thought that the reason he'd been reminiscing so much lately was because of how little time he has left. And how much he regretted the way things were turning out. As if, as soon as the universe repaired itself and everything was back on track, he had to go and ruin it. For everyone. Because she'd want an explanation, after all this, and he just didn't want to give it.

Because he had no idea what to say.

And as the sky began to darken overhead, the sure sign of rain, his mind wandered back again. To a place and time that seemed surreal.

"Do you like the rain?" He asked suddenly.

Sora made a distasteful face, "No, you know that" She answered him anyway.

A mischievous smile crossed his face. "You're sure?"

She looked at him. "Tai, you know I hate the rain" She said, giving him an odd look.

He grinned. "Then I'm sorry"

"Sorry for wh—" Sora didn't get to finish because of how suddenly he lifted her into his arms.

"Tai don't you dare! Tai I'm never going to talk to you! Tai, come on!" She screeched, smacking his chest repeatedly.

But he was off the shaded porch in a second. "Tai!" She yelled as the rain pelted her face.

He was soaking too but he didn't care. "Remember you love me" He yelled over the noise of the storm, kissing her lips.

As he glanced in the mirror, the person that stared back at him wasn't someone he recognized. With his hair lank and lifeless, his eyes dull and boring, his face pained and unsteady and his gaze wavered and trembling. This was not the Tai Kamiya he always thought he was, this was a guy with more emotions than he could handle and one decision too many. And the more he thought about it, the harder it got, because he knew what he had to do.

Say Goodbye.

-x-

"Mimi!" A feminine voice exclaimed behind her.

She whipped around to face a familiar pair of blue eyes. "Well, well. If it isn't the ghost of Zoe Ishida." She quipped.

The blonde shook her head, pulling the girl in for a hug. "I'm so so sorry, Mimi. Tk told me about that night and God, I just didn't know what to say—

"It's okay, Zoe. I'm fine." She assured.

Zoe pulled back, staring the brunette in the eyes. "Really?" She cocked an eye brow.

Mimi sighed. "Maybe fine is a relative term." She conceded. "But I will be." She answered.

She looked at her skeptically for a moment before nodding. "Whatever you need?" She let her offer hang in the air.

She nodded firmly. "Thanks." She said warmly. Mimi wasn't sure what it was, but something about seeing Zoe was comforting. "I think I've missed you." She admitted, she'd gotten along well with the girl, before all the Matt drama.

Zoe broke into a grin. "Same. I just didn't know if you wanted to talk me during the whole…" She trailed off, she didn't want to reopen old wounds.

Mimi waived a hand dismissively. "Over and done with." She leaned against the hood of her boyfriend's car. "Let's make an effort to hang out more regularly now." She amended.

"Done and done." She agreed.

"Now where's Matt, I'm sure he'll want to see you too. We were just talking about you." Mimi peered around the crowded lot for him.

"He's with Tk and Ken and them. He actually sent me here to keep you company." She winked. "He's so freakin' protective of you." She shook her head.

Mimi wanted to say the same to her but that would mean divulging the details of her Matt's earlier conversation. And that would just be awkward. Instead she smiled and nodded. "It's okay."

"He's pretty obsessed." She joked.

Mimi laughed. "Whatever." She played off. "But tell me, when'd you become an avid racing fan?" She asked, not bothering to hide her obvious distaste.

Zoe looked away sheepishly. "Oh you know…" She didn't finish her sentence, she'd always been a horrible liar.

Mimi raised a trademark eye brow. "What's going on?" She asked.

"Oh nothing." Zoe answered, she was an even worse actress.

Mimi gave her a knowing look. "Come on, I won't tell." She promised.

Zoe considered the brunette for a moment. She did wish she could tell someone this and she knew her brothers were out of the question. Maybe Mimi was the person. She was pretty sure that she could trust her.

Zoe chewed on her lip. "If I tell you, you won't say anything?" She asked hesitantly. "To anyone?"

Mimi thought about it for a second. "Is it something that's like bad for you or something? I mean, if it's like drugs or something then I don't think I can—

"No, no! It's nothing like that!" Zoe interrupted her.

Mimi let out a giggle. "Then yes, I mean, no I won't say anything to anyone." She vowed.

"You promise?"

"Pinky swear." Mimi held out a finger for the blonde to take.

She eyed it carefully. "Not even Tai or Matt or Sora?" She asked cautiously.

"I do believe they fall under the category of "anyone", right?" Mimi asked.

Zoe took her pinky. "Okay." She took a deep breath. "I'm seeing someone…" She revealed

So Matt had been right! "Oh…who?" Mimi tried to keep her voice neutral.

She diverted her gaze to the cluster of people gathering around Davis Motomiya's car. "Uhm, well. Ken?" She squeaked.

Mimi pulled her pinky away in surprise. "Come again?" She gawked.

Zoe ran a hand over her face. "That's why we've been keeping it a secret!" She moaned, she'd been afraid of reactions like that.

Mimi regained her composure. "Alright, fair enough, I'm sorry." She apologized. "But…how long?" She wondered.

Zoe shrugged a shoulder. "Not that long, maybe like three weeks." She said. "He's just a really great guy and we have so much fun together…" She said, and it felt oddly like she was justifying herself.

"Well he is hot." Mimi granted. "And from what I can see, a real nice guy." She continued.

"A perfect gentlemen." Zoe said with a smile.

Mimi smiled back. "So what's the problem?" She asked.

"I know the second it gets out, it'll like you're either Team Yolie or Team Zoe and I just, I don't wanna be…" She didn't know how to word it.

"The Peyton?" Mimi said wisely.

Zoe gave her a quizzical look.

Mimi shook her head. "Forget it. But I know what you mean." She told her. "You don't want people to have to choose and more than that, you're afraid they'll think of you as this whore who stole Yolie's guy, right?" Mimi asked.

Zoe stared at her. "Yeah…kinda." She acknowledged. "It was hard enough being the new girl, then even harder when people finally figured out I was Matt's sister and now…I just want things to be normal for a while." She said forlornly.

Mimi put a hand on the girl's shoulder. "And that's understandable." She assured her. "If it works for you and Ken, then I don't see why anyone else needs to be involved." She wished she was as careful with her relationship with Matt the first time. Then maybe they wouldn't have gone through so much.

-x-

He was outside her window tonight. On the day that marked a year together, during a dreary evening filled with clouds and light rain. It was the end of something, the beginning of something and it felt all wrong.

He was staring up into the sky, looking for some kind of answer to what was happening. Something to make sense of what they were going through and probably how he was feeling. But as usual, no answer came. No sign, nothing pivotal that would change the course of his decision. No rhyme or reason.

Finally with every ounce of strength he had, he forced himself to go inside. He needed to see her and it was now or never. He needed her today and he wasn't ashamed of it. Maybe they could figure all this out together. Maybe all he needed was her.

But once he got up to her room, his speech faltered.

And you stood in my doorway, with nothing to say

She stared up at him murmuring a brief "hello" before staring at her sketchpad. She'd taken up drawing when her mom had died. It helped her cope with things that didn't go her way. And usually it helped.

She waited for him to say something, anything.

"It's raining…" It was as anti-climatic and unromantic as anything could be.

Except some comment on the weather.

And that's when she lost it. The way he looked at her, it just wasn't the same. Nothing was. And she just couldn't take it anymore. It was too much. A lifetime piling up and tipping over. He was supposed to be there for her. Comfort her and today on the day of their one year anniversary, he was supposed to make her feel special. Yet everything he said and did came out all wrong. And all she wanted was for him to tell her the truth.

"Sora…" He murmured from the door frame.

She squeezed her eyes shut, holding back the tears. She swallowed hard, forcing back the lump of emotion that had built in the back of her throat. "Yes?" She got out.

He couldn't see her like this. "I'm sorry." He whispered, she knew it too. That things were bad between them, that they weren't going anywhere. That he had changed.

She shook her head tightly. "No, you don't have to be." She whispered.

The sight made him want to break down into tears as well. She looked so broken and he just wanted to hold her. She was after all his girlfriend, shouldn't he be able to make her feel better? Instead of worse. "I do." He argued, taking a few tentative steps into her room. "I want to make things better, I do. I just…I don't know how." He bowed his head in defeat.

She stood up, closing the gap between them with a few graceful strides. "Maybe, maybe." She swallowed thickly, she couldn't hold her tears in anymore. "Maybe it isn't meant to be fixed." She couldn't believe what she was saying.

He, too, looked surprised at her sudden utterance. "You…think that?" He asked, almost relieved it wasn't one sided.

Well in case you fail to notice
And in case you fail to see…

She tried to nod. "We got caught up, Tai. In someone else's world and we lost ourselves." The smallest of sobs left her lips. "I…don't know you anymore."

He brushed a finger against her cheek. "I don't know me anymore, Sora." He said helplessly. "I wish I could tell you I knew what I was doing. I wish I could say I had this all figured out. I wish I could tell you it'll be okay. But I…I can't." He pulled a frustrated hand through his hair.

She put a hand on his shoulder. "Where'd it go, Tai? Didn't we love each other once?" She begged.

He pulled her to his chest. "I will always love you, Sora." He hid his face in her hair.

His words broke her heart. Tore it to shreds and left it to bleed on the pavement.

This is my heart bleeding before you
This is me down on my knees.

She let herself cry against him, for once, not giving a shit that she was being weak. Because if there was one boy she would be vulnerable for, it would be him. Every time.

"But I need to sort things out, okay? I need to become the guy you loved again, not this douchebag version of myself." She let out a miserable laugh through her tears at his eloquence and his way with words.

He didn't say anything after that and she didn't say anything either. He held her in his arms, for maybe the last time and she listened to the steady thrum of his heartbeat. Reminding her that he was real and he was now. If this was the way things were supposed to end, then so be it. Because she was happy with all they had and she'd still wait for him. Because he waited his entire life for her. The least she could do was repay him back some.

And as they stood in her room, wrapped in a parting embrace, they each knew which memory was the most precious.

She hugged him tighter. "I really love you" She smiled into his chest. "I really, really, really love you" She repeated.

He laughed, squeezing her waist. "I know" He pulled her on top of him. "You're amazing Sor, I just never want you to forget that okay? And even if we don't end up together—

"We will" She said firmly, with out a single doubt in her mind, she knew he was it for her, "the one" and she was more than content with the feeling.

He brushed a gentle thumb across her cheek. "But if we don't" He continued, thinking about what had happened between Matt and Mimi, "Just know that I have never loved anything more than I love you" He finished, sincerity sparkling in his deep brown eyes.

She stared at him, her eyes locked with his, she could feel the tears welling up and she forced them back. She wouldn't cry because she was happy, it was too cliché.

Instead, she brought her mouth to hover over his. "You are so getting lucky…again" She whispered against his lips.

He laughed a deep, throaty laugh, "Come here" He pulled her even closer, hugging her to him for a minute before swiftly turning them around, lightly pinning her underneath him.

As her giggles reached his ears he knew there wasn't a single person in the world he could ever be with. She was the one for him like he was the one for her and he couldn't never doubt it again. "And for the record" He said softly. "I really, really, really love you too"

Finally, she pushed away from him. "Go." Her voice was hoarse.

"I'm sorry, Sora. I never once wanted to hurt you…" He said, honesty plaguing his voice.

Something Mimi had once said rang through her ears. "But in the end, it all hurts the same, doesn't it?" She questioned, her wet gaze reaching his.

He nodded resolutely. "I, I guess so." He sighed.

"Look. You told me you'd wait forever, right?" She asked, a new firmness in her voice that she didn't think she'd be able to muster.

He nodded.

"Then so will I, okay?" She said plainly. "You do what you need to do, Tai. I'll be here." She kept her eyes on his.

He lowered his glance to the floor. "I've never loved anything more than I loved you, Sora." He repeated.

"In that moment, I believed you." She tucked her hair behind her ear. "And maybe once day, it'll be true again." She hoped.

He touched her face. "Now please, Tai, just go?" She didn't sound bitter, she sounded hurt but more than that she sounded tired. "I don't wanna…" She couldn't finish her sentence, hot tears were pricking against her eyes again.

He tucked a hand beneath her chin, lifting her face to meet his. Swiftly, he put his lips on hers as a sort of goodbye kiss. She kissed him back, so he'd remember what she felt like and what he would come back to.

Tai pulled away and without another agonizing glance, left her room.

-x-

A/N: I'm a jerk who doesn't deserve you guys at all. I should be put in authoress jail for my lack of updating. It's horrible and I need to get it checked out/fixed ASAP. Anyway, I know this chapter was very happy/sad or bittersweet but it had to be done. We saw the cracks in the Taiora relationship long before this chapter and they only got worse. It was bound to happen sometime. However, I gave all you Taiora fans a strong sense of hope that they'll work things out. Why? Because I personally believe the two of them were made for each other. But who knows?

The flashbacks were all from previous chapters (except the first one) so sorry if they were repetitive, I just needed some way to end their relationship and this is what came to me. Yes, in case there's any confusion, Tai and Sora did break up in this chapter. Tai needs to get his priorities straight.

Some of these scenes between were kind of like fillers. Basically because this chapter was mainly about the Tai and Sora scenes but those were just a way to break them up. Because the whole chapter couldn't just be all about them, it would be too short and I think a little boring to read. You guys deserve diversity!

I'm writing this at five in the morning though,( I'm so tired I can't evensee straight) so sorry if my thoughts are a little scattered.

You've been forewarned! Drop a review when you read this chapter, otherwise, be prepared for another rant on my profile.

Speaking of Songs: There were two, since I did not like the name of the song that I used the lyrics from. Anyway, the chapter title and beginning lyrics come from a song called Here's to Things Gone Wrong by Crime in Stereo. And the lyrics for the end are from Foolish Games by Jewel.

Thanks for sticking with this story and thank you for supporting me! I hope you guys like this chapter. Don't forget to drop me a comment!

Read. Review. Enjoy.

Ciao!
-Chris