The title is named after both Shiuchon's and Takato's respective image song, Todokitai na(I want to reach you) and Across the Tears. The fandom is lacking in Takato x Shiuchon fic so I though why not and wrote it. It's a bit au since it post-tamer. Hope you'll like it.

It's funny how her life turns out.

At 1 she spoke her first word. It was nothing impressive, but she remembers clearly her mom telling her how she would keep gushing over her for saying "mama" instead of "papa". Her dad was disheartened but he cheered up once her mouth got the hang of saying harder words, one of them being "dad". If her parents haven't burned it yet, there should be a picture in her old room where her dad throws her up into the air, smiling as bright as the sun.

She has always been a bit of a dreamer so at 5 she decided what to do with her life and that was to be a bride. There was no special reason for it. She just happened to watch a marriage advertisement and the life of a married couple enticed her. It'd have been cute if it ended there but she proved to her family how stubborn she was by sticking to the dream to this day… or at least to this morning…

At 7 she met her best friends, a pair of Digimon named Lopmon and Terriermon. They were the Yin and Yang of each other, one too quiet the world wouldn't notice he existed, the other not so quiet the world just gave up telling him to shut up.

She met Terriermon first and played with him the most but he was her brother's Digimon. It wasn't until she met Lopmon that she got over her jealousy watching her brother with Terriermon and formed a bond so strong not even a human-proof firewall in the shed at Shinjuku Park could sever. Lopmon was her world, her everything. His outdated way of speaking grated at her ears but she'd have him no other way.

Now that she thinks about it, she did treat them like dolls more than real people(Digimon). How unfortunate their meeting would end just there, right after defeating the D-Reaper.

The cost of defeating the monstrosity that was D-Reaper, either the Digimon stay and cause more chaos, or the Digimon leave and the world would be at peace. Heh, should. Her world was never the same after they left. The fact her father caused all this? Worse.

At 13 she gathered enough gal to rebel against her parents. She kicked furniture, threw ceramics, pretty much wrecked the house and putting everything Ruki taught her to good use. She got grounded, yes, but it was satisfying.

At 18 after she collected enough money from working as a part-timer cashier and writer, she moved out of her house, the pleas of her mom left unanswered. How is she now Shiuchon wondered. She must be really disappointed how her youngest daughter, her most spoiled daughter, turned out. Jen-niichan, Jaarin-neechan, and Rinchei-niichan. They never did get to see her leave, didn't they? No goodbye at all. It's sad, but no turning back time now.

Leaving alone was tough. She realized just being a writer would only feed her and not the landlady who kept coming to collect rent so she took up more part-time jobs. By then she was proud to say she was a master of multitasking, heheh.

At 20, when her life couldn't get any better because it was so bad something surprisingly pleasant actually happened… and that was finding her true love. Natsuki Makoto, childhood friend, fellow Tamer, everything but welcome in her life hiding away from her past. He wanted to notify her family but she convinced him(with pens and lots of bottles of non-human-stomach-friendly-ink)to not reveal anything about her. She didn't know how it happened but they came to a compromise: she'd let him tell her family how she was doing and in return, he'd support her financially. He was 17. Shiuchon had no idea from what treasure vault that guy pulled out all the money from, but hey, free money. She wasn't complaining.

At 25, as a result of constant contact and their developing relationship from acquaintances to friends to Digimon card game rivals, they decided it was time to further their relationship. And thus, Shiuchon x Makoto ship sailed. It helped that both of them were closeted fanfic readers and writers.

After a long and fantastic two years of bliss, as she got closer to fulfilling her life-long dream, at last, at 27, she has not only her heart shattered by her Knight in Shining Armor but also her bones from the speeding up vehicle that sent her rolling into the hospital.

Funny, right?

And now, she's on her deathbed, her almost unrecognizable family around her, not unlike that one scene she's watched in a drama where the antagonist realized her mistakes and apologized.

...as if. She can't even speak.

But if she could, she'd say how wrong she was for leaving them, how she missed them so much, how she'd want to return to their happy times together. Heh, wishful thinking.

"Shiuchon," her now wrinkled dad holds her heavily bandaged right hand, the only part he can hold since her whole body is mummified. There's no mom to hold the other. She was dead after all, 2 years ago. To think her mom was still calling for her child's name even on her last breath. Meanwhile, said child was busy having a feast at a friend's party. Gosh, she really is an antagonist in this story, isn't she?

"Shiuchon, it's me, dad. You remember me, right?"

Yes, she does. After all, one doesn't simply forget the man who took everything away from them. But she feels no anger towards him. Not anymore. Long since she has discarded her irrational teenage mind in exchange for common sense. If only she could raise her head, look at him straight in the eyes, tell him she's sorry. Tears prickle at her eyes.

"It's okay, sweety. Daddy's here. There's nothing to be afraid of."

No, he's got it all wrong. She's not crying because she's afraid of dying. She deserves it for all the pain she's caused.

A loud but faint shout comes from a distant, something about heart rate but she can't hear clearly. Heart rate? Ah, she's dying. so that's why dad said that.

"Dad." That's a voice she doesn't recognize. A man standing at the edge of her limited vision moves closer to stand by dad. Is that, Jen-niichan? He looks so different. More mature. And is that a child at his leg? Does that mean Jaarin-neechan and Rinchei-neechan have kids too? Wha... what is this? Makoto didn't tell her this. How could she miss this? She has nieces and nephews she's never known until now. What else has she been missing? What else?!

"It'll all be okay, Shiuchon," Jen-niichan dabs at her collecting tears with a handkerchief, gently touching her cheeks. She's forgotten how good it feels. "There, there. No more crying. You're already a big girl, right, Shiuchon?"

She wants to nod! She wants to tell him she hears him, God! Why? Why?! Why does she have to die in this way. She wants to tell them to be happy, to not worry about her anymore. Is this karma, her punishment for all her wrong deeds? If so then... if so, she accepts it. She's caused so much misery for everyone. She deserves to suffer for all eternity.

"When you see mom, tell her we're all right here. Goodbye, Shiuchon," his voice breaks. Not a second after, her breath leaves her, and no more is coming in. So this is death. Well, then. She's not ready for whatever's waiting on the other side, but she'll face it.

'So this is goodbye…' she sheds one last silent tear.

I stretched up and looked far away.

Right now, I still only know a little bit but...

I want to reach you, I want to meet you.

I'll fall back many times but I'll see the me that I dreamed of...

...someday.

An alarm clock ringing on her right wakes her up. She tries reaching for it but can't reach it even though it sounds so near. Her hand also feels off or some reason.

"Shiuchon, c'mon. Wake up. You wanna be late for school? This is why you shouldn't stay up late."

Eh, that voice. She recognized once upon a time. Wait, isn't that-

"Shiuchon!"

"Now, now, Jenrya. Be gentle," a woman's voice says.

Shiuchon opens up her eyes and sees the face of the angel who gave birth to her. So she's really dead. But then, the other voice-

"Come on now, sweety. It's time for school. Here," the woman holds out a hand. Shiuchon stares at her. "What's wrong? Um… how many fingers do I have?" her mom shows her four fingers.

"Shiuchon, just get off the bed. Giving puppy eyes to mom won't work. Shiuchon?" the voice from earlier says but she mutes it out to focus on the woman before her.

"Mom," a high-pitched voice. Is that hers? No, that doesn't matter right now. What really matters is, "Is this weally you?" Her slur goes almost unnoticed as she tries to make sense of all this.

"Huh? What are you talking about? Of course I am."

Time stops as Shiuchon takes in all the features on the woman's face. The tiny, square glasses, the violet eyes behind it that Shiuchon always sees on her own reflection in the mirror, the warm smiles that used to greet her every morning without fail. Shiuchon choked.

"Shiucho-"

Shiuchon didn't know where the strength came from. She literally just died. She feels like dying again. Her limbs heavy, she pulls throws herself onto the woman. She hugs her, crying into her chest and getting snots all over her apron. It's her. It's mom.

"Oh, you had a nightmare. My poor baby. Mommy's here. Everything's alright now." Her soothing voice spread through her body. If the world ended now she wouldn't feel it.

How she misses this warmth nobody can give. How she misses this gentle caress that runs on her back and on her head. How she misses this woman she called mom.

In every tear and cry she let out, she tells her just how much she loves her.

Reviews are appreciated. Constructive criticism is welcome. Flames are allowed as long you don't make me wonder if you're a troll or simply a concerned reader. Anything is allowed basically. I'm that desperate XD.