Hello Everyone! It has been years since I uploaded anything and I wanted to continue my other version of this story but upon rereading it I don't know that I can continue it in the way I had wanted. So this is my attempt at starting over. I like to believe I have improved as a writer in that time and though there will be similar elements as the last version but much of it will ultimately be different. I hope you enjoy this and let me know what you think.

Tai Kamiya leaned back comfortably in his favorite armchair, exhausted from finishing a particularly drudging article about the local high school's bowling team. They had made it to regionals and while that was quite an impressive feat no matter what sport it was in, Tai found it difficult to write a particularly gripping article about bowling.

Tai rolled his neck around trying to loosen up the muscles that had been angled toward a computer screen for the last several hours. Work would be calling to ask if he had finished the article and he was relieved he had finished it on time. The Odaiba Post did not like it's low-level journalists to be late, that was for sure.

The apartment was silent and empty. He had sent Agumon and Tentomon to get some ice cream awhile ago to try and get himself some quiet. It hadn't been a particularly good week and working from home on a Saturday was not making it any better. He thought about getting a beer from the fridge but it felt too early in the day for that to be appropriate.

Regardless he forced himself to stand up and continue his stretching, feeling a dull pain thudding in his leg as he did so. He grimaced at his shin as if feeling the break all over again. Tai had shattered his left leg in an exhibition match in his first season playing for the University of Odaiba. An errant slide tackle had forced a compound fracture and it had been so fast and so painful that Tai had barely been able to hear Kari scream from the stands over people's gasps. He had to go through insane rehab to get himself back on his feet but it had cost him his scholarship. Thankfully, the school had paid for all of his medical expenses. Even though his rehab was finished he still didn't feel as if he would ever be back to 100%, and excessive exercise still caused him intense pain. So that had taken away soccer from him, and with losing school he lost another distraction.

"At least I still get to be near the sport." Tai thought as he moved out to the balcony to do some yoga before the noisy Digimon returned. "Things could always be worse,"

Out on the balcony Tai set to work moving what little furniture they had sitting out there. He shook his head when he looked at the plant that Izzy kept stowed away in the corner. He would never admit it, but he had bought the plant because it reminded him of the foliage in the Digital World.

They could still come and go from the Digital World as they pleased, but with work and busy schedules, it was sometimes difficult to getaway. Izzy was swamped right now with exams. Tai hadn't even seen him in three days as he spent all his time at the library at the University of Tokyo. Izzy had asked Tai to keep an eye on Tentomon, this wasn't a difficult task other than keeping both he and Agumon fed. He knew Izzy wouldn't be too much longer, he had to come home and sleep at some point right?

"The Digimon.." Tai thought as he set about his routine. It had been seven years since they had their run-in with MaloMyotismon and from there, things had spiraled. All of the kids who met their partner Digimon that day had to live with the realization that they couldn't keep their new friends with them on Earth. The Original Digidestined were an exception because their partners had spent elongated time in the real world and their bodies were used to it. Now it seemed the Digital world had placed some restrictions.

Tai had thought that the adventure they had would keep everyone close for their entire lives, looking back however that notion seemed foolish to him. They were 11 for Christ's Sake! Not that they weren't close these days, but they were certainly more spread out.

Matt was currently on tour in South Korea. He was another Digidestined that had opted out of college (his was more of a choice, however). Things with the Teenage Wolves had really taken off in the last couple of years and it took up most of his time and attention. The band had been considering a name change recently. They had put out an internet poll just the other day asking fans to vote on a new name so that they didn't lose too much notoriety with their core fanbase. Tai personally had voted for Fangfur. He felt it still matched the same feel as Teenage Wolves while sticking with the Gabumon tribute the original name intended. He had just gotten a text this morning from Matt, asking if he had wanted to go golfing when he got back from tour. Tai had given a quick yes before giving his friend plenty of guff for being gone for so long. He hadn't seen him much since he and Sora had broken up.

Sora had been accepted into Kyoto University and for she and Matt the distance just hadn't worked. With Matt's traveling and her being a diligent student they simply didn't have the time for each other, and though neither of them would admit it, the spark between them had died quite a while ago. There was still some awkwardness between the two of them but they were slowly getting over it. Sora had been around a lot during Tai's rehab, even coming back to stay with he and Izzy for a while while he was still recovering.

Kari and TK were still going strong. The two of them had started dating right as they entered high school, much to the chagrin of Davis. And now that they were graduated they were out on vacation, visiting Mimi in New York to explore some of America before they each began university. Mimi was a rare sighting these days as she had become very ingrained in American life. They had all gone over to visit over the years but Mimi always made it a point to be in town on August 1st for their anniversary. They all made that a priority and it was something for which Tai was very grateful.

Finally, Joe had gone up to Hokkaido for medical school and from all accounts, he was doing very well! Again the distance meant they saw him very little but Joe was always reliable if he said he was going to be somewhere, and he made it to most celebrations.

Tai was jolted out of his trance by the sound of the door opening.

"Tai! Look who we found!" He smiled as his favorite orange dinosaur bound up to him, a speck of ice cream still on his mouth. Behind him, Tentomon flew in followed by a dreary eyed Izzy who looked as if he might keel over at any moment.

"Hey buddy!" Tai said as his friend entered and set his bag down just inside the door. "Have you been studying this entire time?"

Izzy slowly faced Tai, his eyes blinking the sleep away with all their might. "Abstract Algebra isn't going to pass it's own exam Tai."

"I thought algebra was abstract enough in its base form" Tai muttered and rolled his eyes. "C'mon let's get you some rest." He motioned to Izzy's room on the other side of the kitchen. Izzy didn't need to be told twice as he stumbled his way to the door.

"Tentomon you going in or out?" Tai asked the insect Digimon as he was about to shut Izzy in his room. Tentomon pondered it for a moment before deciding to leave Izzy to his well-deserved rest. "I'll have dinner ready when you wake up." Tai laughed as he shut the door.

Tai ran his hands through his bushy hair as he made his way into the kitchen to begin preparing something to throw in a crockpot. His hair had shortened a bit over the years but he had kept it in it's natural bushy state, even though his employers complained. It felt like a part of himself he wasn't willing to let go of yet.

"Well, Agumon did the Ice cream man run in fear again?" Tai asked his partner.

"Yea Tai! But we thought ahead and Tentomon was waiting for him! We made sure he got the money this time!" Agumon answered excitedly. Tai shook his head at the two Digimon.

"You cornered the poor guy?!" He laughed. Imagining the Digimon closing in on an Ice cream man to politely make sure he was paid for his services. A lot of businesses around them had gotten used to Agumon and Tentomon and knew they were harmless. The Ice cream man who made his way around Odaiba seemed to be a long term holdout, which was unfortunate because his truck was a favorite for them.

"Maybe I should go with you next time." Tai reasoned. He began placing a few short ribs in the crockpot and seasoning them. He had gotten a great deal more skilled with cooking while he was confined to the apartment, but ribs seemed to be the recipe Izzy kept requesting so he figured the least he could do for his friend was cook him something tasty.

He had gotten the recipe from Sora while she stayed with them. That had been an interesting time, Tai had barely seen her since they graduated high school and she moved to Kyoto. But she had put her studies on hold to help him. It was a thought he came back to often. At the crux of his life, it had been Sora there to help him pick up the pieces. She listened to him cry and helped him with his rehab when it seemed that everything else in his life was gone, And he would be forever grateful for her during those times.

But there was more to it than that.

Tai had grown up with a crush on Sora. In the Digital World he liked her a lot in a way that an 11-year-old can. When she had started dating Matt he let her be, even though it had been hard he had moved past his feelings. But after her stint as his Florence Nightingale, Tai had begun to feel something deeper for her.

Tai's cheeks grew pink thinking about her and he tried to push it from his mind. He had gone to Kyoto about a month ago to visit her, and they had a wonderful weekend. She had seemed genuinely excited to see him and show him around her world and Tai couldn't remember the last time he had so much fun with her or any girl for that matter.

"Whatcha thinkin' Tai?" Agumon asked. Tai had shared a few of his thoughts with his partner, but even Agumon didn't know exactly how he felt.

"Not a whole lot. You two want to watch a movie?" He knew that drawing the Digimon's attention was the best way for him to stay in thought for a few hours. Agumon nodded excitedly and Tai made his way over to his collection of Blu Rays and searched for a moment before selecting one. "Star Wars. You guys haven't seen this one have you?"

Both Digimon shook their heads and Tai inserted the film into his Playstation before joining them on the couch.

As the movie began Tai's thoughts drifted far from Odaiba. To the Digital World, to his friends, to Sora. Was it wrong for him to be interested in his old friend? Was it worse since she was Matt's ex? Had the world went on around him while he remained rooted in his childhood crush?

Tai bolted awake as the ending credits blared from his speakers. He hadn't even made it past Tatooine in the film, but the Digimon were engrossed. They were already discussing theories about what would happen next. Tai was surprised he had passed out, he hardly ever slept during movies. Before his mind could move to other things he thought about Sora again, and in his sleepy haze he picked up his phone and texted"

"Hey"

And waited as the dots showed up at the bottom as she formed a response.