Meaning of Forgiveness

by Apollomon x Stingmon

Being a Chosen was not something Kouji asked for, nor was it a responsibility he wanted. But after meeting Stingmon and the other Chosen Digimon, he began to truly understand his father's words. But when the lies of the past are brought into the light, with darkness attacking the people he loves, what will Kouji do? Will he fall to the darkness or will he rise?

3. On the Other Side

Chapter 3:

On the Other Side

"Did you really think mere children will stop me and my plans, Ophanimon?" Cherubimon leaned against the pure white wall as he studied his former comrade. Ophanimon was suspended within a prison of light, the same light she had always vowed to protect and uphold until the day she broke that vow.

"They may be children, but you, of all Digimon, should know not to underestimate the Chosen." He frowned. She wasn't wrong. After the reboot, many had only gotten fragments of their memories returned to them, while others never remembered their former lives.

He, Seraphimon, and Ophanimon had been one of the fortunate ones to retain their memories after the reboot. Rather that was a good thing or not was debatable. Cherubimon cherished his memories of his time fighting alongside the youngest of the Legendary Tamers. Those were truly exciting times. Training to get stronger, to get better, as everyone looked down on them, believing they would never be able to defeat Millenniumon and his army, even with two humans helping them… but they had proven them wrong. They had proven everyone wrong; light would always triumph over darkness.

At least until the Holy Beasts made decisions that were questionable. Decisions that caused one Tamer to run away to another reality by abandoning everything and everyone he'd loved, while the other was forced down a spiraling path of despair, pain, and darkness.

It was truly amusing how beings of light, beings who had always preached that they would protect their own from things that would destroy them, only to bring darkness in their wake instead. The Kaiser's rise was a result of the Holy Beasts causing the fatal car crash that killed the elder Ichijouji, knowing he was a threat to their plans, while slowly influencing the father to cause chaos within his own family in hopes it would force the young Tamer to want to stay in the Digital World, permanently. Cherubimon features soured a bit, knowing that they only did this because ENIAC had taken Ryo away from them; so, it was only natural that they latched onto the only Tamer they knew they could manipulate.

"Cherubimon, please, stop this madness! It's not too late to make things right." Cherubimon sharply turned his attention to her, his eyes narrowed his teeth bared in a snarl of disgust. Unknown to the Angel Beast Digimon, a pinkish aura briefly surrounded him, revealing his true form as words filled with hatred and hurt felt anger were thrown at the other.

"Make things right? What do you know about that?!" His voice dripped with sarcasm, hatred, and something else, something foreign.

The female angelic Digimon cringed. She knew exactly what he was referring to. "Cherubimon…I…" Ophanimon shook her head of whatever she was about to say and instead replied with the same old response she had been lying through her teeth for the last couple centuries. "There was nothing we could have done. Millenniumon's influence had been too strong. We would have just made it worse."

"Don't patronize me, Ophanimon!" His fist slammed against the wall, causing the room to shake violently, as his anger multiplied tenfold. "You and I both know you and Seraphimon could have pushed Millenniumon long enough for me to help him fight the Evil God, while we were his prisoners!" His voice rose with every word as the true reason for his supposed madness came into light. "You abandoned our Tamer! You had the chance to help him rid himself of Millenniumon and yet you did nothing!"

Ophanimon shook her head in denial, which only made him angrier. "He helped us when everyone thought we were nothing but a waste of space as everyone around us died. But," his voice took on a more vulnerable, almost a softer tone, one no one had heard in centuries, "he still saved us. He still believed in us and helped us to get stronger. It was because of him, we are the Digimon we are today. It was because of him that we were able to survive the war and the reboot." His voice returned to the cold, calculating tone it had been since his former allies betrayal.

"It is your fault he had been forced to suffer so much over the years." She shook her head again. "Don't deny it! By you siding with the Holy Beasts, you betrayed our Tamer! It is because of them he doesn't even remember us!" He took several deep breaths in an act to calm himself down a bit. "But that will be fixed."

Ophanimon finally spoke up. "You can't bring him to the Digital World now," she pleaded. "The barriers are far too unstable! Forcing him could potentially kill him!" Funny, it sounded like she actually cared for the Tamer. Though, Cherubimon knew that was a lie. She may have prevented him from sending a signal to the Tamer's D-Scanner to take the Trailmon to the Digital World, but he had other ways to get him here.

"How stupid do you think I am?" He snarled at her. "I knew you would intercept my signal with your message for those children." He laughed as he walked closer to her prison, making sure they were only inches apart from each other. "Did you really think I don't have allies on the other side, watching him and the other Chosen. Waiting for my command to bring him here at all costs."

Despite the helmet and armor covering her slim figure and face, he could still tell she had become completely ashen. "No," she shook her head, "you can't!"

He stepped away from her and made his way to the door. "Besides, I have one son, it is only a matter of time before I have the other." His smile caused her to shiver in — what was that… fear? "He will come to me, willing. A father will do anything for his sons, even if it means sacrificing his own freedom for theirs."

"Cherubimon, no! You can't do this! Cherubimon!" Ophanimon yelled just as he left the room of light and into the welcoming darkness. Her voice echoed throughout the hall but had disappeared the moment he left that part of the wing. He slowly made his way to the top level of the castle where his office was located, his mind swirling around the fear he heard in the angel's voice.

"She fears I will remove the Dark Seed." He shook his head. Cherubimon had no intentions of killing his Tamer. That would most certainly happen if he tried to remove the Dark Seed. Only a being of pure Darkness and Light could remove the Dark Seed without harming the vessel and that assuming the Evil God hadn't created a physical form or a bond with his vessel by now.

Cherubimon frowned as he opened the door. The room was dark with the only lighting being the moons' rays coming from the three huge open windows that reached up to his ceiling. In the middle of the room was a single table with two ball-like objects resting on it: one a crystal ball and the other a ball of Digicode.

The Digimon smiled that cruel smile of his as strips of Digicode entered the room through the right window, entering the ball of Digicode his servants had already gathered for him. Cherubimon sat on his comfy chair and watched as an image of his servants were seen within the crystal ball. They were currently complaining among each other about a certain Duskmon.

He smiled, knowing that the boy was currently spying on his twin brother, not that he knows this of course. The injury the boy had stained at the terminal in the Human World and as a result of him merging with the Spirit of Darkness, resulted in the boy getting some sort of amnesia. Cherubimon knew it was cruel for him to make the other believe that the boy's father had been taken hostage by the servants of the Holy Beasts (which included the other Chosen and any Digimon that aided them) and brainwashed by those dreadful gods.

The memories Cherubimon saw allowed him to understand the boy's situation. Thankfully, he only had to manipulate the few memories that weren't suppressed to get the boy to cooperate with him. Either way, what he saw wasn't good. As far as his Tamer knew, his son was dead, no thanks to that police officer that had orchestrated Kimura's supposed death in order to get Ken and his brother off their trail. But from what he saw, this man was truly a vile human. He was a drinker, a woman beater, and a drug addict. He was not surprised that the man died from an overdose.

From what little he saw, it made him scoff at the weak woman for cheating on his Tamer and then confessing her crimes years later to her son when the boy confronted her about it, only after being told by his grandmother that his father and younger brother were alive and not dead as he had been made to believe. That must have been what drove the child to look for his father and brother, despite his mother's pleas to leave them be, not wanting to reopen those old wounds. But the boy, no longer feeling he could trust his mother, went on a long search for his father and brother. Cherubimon assumed the child had found them, but those memories were locked for some reason. It made him wonder if something happened.

The Beast Digimon cleared his mind of those thoughts and opted to look through his crystal ball. He touched it and watched as it changed to the Forest of Televisions. Why are those Humans back there? The thought only lingered for a moment as he gazed at the image in puzzlement. As the image focused a bit more, he realized only one of the Chosen were there, the Warrior of Light, and two familiar Digimon he had not spoken to in quite some time.

"Stingmon. Phelesmon." Cherubimon gazed at the image for a moment, feeling thankful to know his friends were well. The last time he saw them was just before Lucemon went mad with power. Cherubimon turned his gaze to the single photograph he had on the wall behind him. It was taken during the war with Millenniumon. In the picture were Ryo, V-mon, Black Garurumon, Angemon, Ken, Wormman, himself, and Tailmon in the front, while the rest of the Rebellion Army were cheering or posing for the picture in the background.

He signed as he returned his attention back to his crystal ball. They had once been very close, so close that they had almost been a family. But Cherubimon had made the mistake of trusting Ophanimon and Seraphimon. The three of them had at one point been very close when they were younger, but they had grown apart over the centuries after the reboot.

"I should have listened to you, Stingmon." He hadn't realized it at the time that his former allies had been in favor of the Holy Beasts' policies and had wanted to implement them with certain modifications. They had wanted to separate the different species. Human and Beast Digimon would be together in certain areas, but overall, they would be separated either by type or by attribute.

He shook his head, scowling as he did so. There had been absolutely no compromise between the three of them. It had been one disagreement after another, with him arguing with the two Human Digimon for he knew this was not what the Chosen Digimon, nor the rest of his kind needed. They did not need those broken policies or the Digimon that had fallen to those misguided beliefs.

"Here we are." Stingmon's voice cut through the fog of rage that filled him. He returned his attention to the image in front of him. The trio had stopped in front of one of the many trees that allowed them to see the Human World. Cherubimon touched the ball, curious about who they were trying to see. On the small tree's portal was his Tamer.

The Beast Digimon was silent as he watched his Tamer, who was no longer the child he remembered, but a grown man, gently petting a small puppy as he talked to his friends at the table. The Beast Digimon found himself just staring at the image as he witnessed his Tamer safe and happy with his family. As the image shifted a bit, allowing him to see a pregnant woman with reddish-brownish hair and an older woman cooking on the stove, while the Yagami siblings, a woman he did not recognize, and an older man were sitting with Ken at the kitchen table looking through a green book, he began to wonder if he should really go on with his plans. Ken seemed to be at peace as he sat at the table with those closest to him. As he pondered this, Ken continued his back and fore conversation with Hikari and the other woman.

"Okay, how about Ahmya, Ken-kun?" The black hair woman asked as she pointed to something on the page.

Ken scrunched up his nose in disagreement, which was accompanied by the small Shiba Inu puppy giving out a small disagreeing bark. "I guess that's a no," Hikari laughed softly as she turned the page. "What about Amaterasu or Hana?"

"How about Hermione?" The pregnant woman imputed.

Ken was silent as he thought about the names, slowly turning his gaze to his puppy as she nosed the string of yarn that was hanging off the table. Blue eyes blinked at him as she tilted her heard adoringly. "It doesn't feel right," he said with a frown. "What you think, Akemi?"

"Woof-Woof. Woof," she said as she nosed his chest. It was obvious she agreed with her father. She did not like the name either, even though the name was quite beautiful. There was another bark then as another Shiba Inu puppy waltzed into the kitchen with what looked like a stuffed rabbit in its mouth.

"Looks like Daiki went into the nursery again," Hikari said as the adults gazed at the identical puppy.

This got the reddish-brown haired woman's attention as she immediately turned in the direction of the small puppy with a wooden spoon still clenched in her hand. "Daiki! How many times do I have to tell you not to go into the nursery! That isn't for you! It's for the baby!" Daiki simply gazed at the woman rather innocently before dropping the toy at her feet. The puppy barked, which only caused Ken to smile and the woman to frown in frustration.

"He wants you to play with him," Ken said with a chuckle of his own. "Or maybe he wants a certain baby to come out and play," Ken added softly.

"I don't have time to play with you," she said as she returned to her cooking. As the puppy began to whine, the Digimon's eyes began inspecting the rest of the home. Behind the Chosen a backyard door could be seen, revealing children chasing each other and adults either talking among themselves at a party table or dancing to the music that was currently blasting from somewhere outside.

"Daiki come here." Cherubimon returned his attention to his Tamer to see Ken gently petting the male puppy soothingly. The puppy returned to his previously happy self, happily enjoy himself as the petting turned into ear scratching. "Don't worry, the baby will be here soon. Just be patient."

"I did something wrong." The woman's sudden voice caused him to look at her. Cherubimon noticed the woman was grimacing as she removed the spoon from her lips.

Ken blinked, his scratch coming to a pause as he turned his attention to her. It was then as the other began getting up was when he noticed something. The first thing he noticed was the bandages wrapped around his forehead. The next thing he noticed was the way he would grimace slightly in pain as he got up and then there was the motion of him placing a hand on his right side, rubbing it gently as if trying to relieve the pain. He's injured. Cherubimon frowned at that, realizing that his Tamer was not safe in that world at all and his thoughts were only confirmed when the boy answered Stingmon and Phelsemon's concerns.

"That's Taichi-san fault," the boy said. "Yagami-san was being stupid and almost got himself killed. Papa jumped in front of some bullets to save him, just as an explosion went off in the building they were in." Any remaining doubts Cherubimon had of his plans all but disappeared. He would protect his Tamer, no matter the costs.

The image shifted again, showing Ken inspecting the pot of soup the woman had been doing. As he tasted the soup, with the woman watching him silently, Cherubimon noticed something he hadn't seen before. Ken had a silver ring band hanging on a golden chain around his neck, while the woman wore a beautiful golden engagement ring around her finger.

Before Cherubimon could even process what he was seeing, the image zoomed out to reveal what the two Digimon were doing. The two Digimon had opened a small portal and were pushing a small gift through it. "What are you two up too?

---

In all his years of going from one family to another, from one home to another, from one mission to another, Ken had never been so happy to be back home where he belonged. Ken knew he had been in very bad shape after the incident a month ago, resulting in him being hospitalized for over three weeks. He knew Dr. Hashimoto meant well; he had almost died after all, but Ken couldn't stand spending another day, another night, another agonizing second at the hospital, despite his instance that his ribs still needed time to heal and that he really shouldn't be moving so much. He had missed Daisuke and Miyako's silly bantering and the peacefulness and security that came with being with his friends and loved ones. It was a miracle that the others hadn't grounded him to his bedroom or the living room to rest.

Ken closed his eyes for a minute, enjoying the music blasting from outside as it changed from one station to another. Despite how annoyed everyone was getting from Daisuke and Miyako fighting over what station they should listen to on the radio next, in addition to the laughter of the children as they chased each other with Nerf guns that Daisuke had brought with him, Ken found it almost peaceful. For a moment his anxiety over his promotion, the wedding, the birth of his daughter (who should be coming any day now), and the nightmares that had been plaguing him for weeks had been put on the back burner for now.

Ken knew he was safe and that it was okay to be nervous. Ken had never gotten up to the point in his life in where he would actually be marrying the woman he loved. He hadn't even gotten as far as proposing when he was with Tsubasa. Instead, he had his heart broken and shattered. Not only had she left him, leaving a very cryptic message about leaving him for another man, but she had taken his son away from him. Her actions on that day left him with a hollow feeling in his chest. He had been deprived of the chance to see his son learn and grow and had deprived Kouji the chance to get to know his older twin brother. And now it was too late. They were both gone.

Ken opened his eyes to gaze at his fiancee. She was truly a beauty through and through. Julieanna had been born as a result of an affair between Daisuke's father and his Canadian mistress, a lesser-known model he believed she was. No one had known of said affair until after Julieanna came to Japan, searching for her father and siblings after the early passing of her mother. Despite her presence causing a terrible rift between Daisuke and Jun's parents, she had shown everyone that she was a very strong, courageous, and independent woman, as well as having the patiences (and heart) of a saint.

Over the years, she had shown him in her own way how to love and trust again and how to let go. Ken would always love Tsubasa, despite the pain she had left in her wake. She was the mother of his sons and he could never hate her for that. All Ken felt was deep, crushing sadness from both her betrayal and for forever taking his son away from him. He knew the pain would never go away; he had tried to suppress it, denying it for many years before accepting the truth that they were gone forever.

Letting go was far harder than he would have liked. It didn't exactly help that everyone, including his own son, wanted him to finally let go of the past and were giving him the space to do so. Eleven years was a very long time to hold on to old feelings of broken love, betrayal, and death. He should really move on from this, from everything that had been holding him back over the years and just get on with his life. But, would he be able to? Would Osamu want him to? Would Kouichi? Would his mother?

Just thinking about his mother just made him feel so guilty. Ken knew his father wasn't the nicest person or the greatest father, but he had never known his father to be a cold-blooded murder until his mother's remains were discovered. Ken had not expected two Tamachi Police Officers to be waiting for him within his home just as he was returning from getting his godson out of whatever trouble he had gotten himself into that day. It had truly been a shock to learn that she had been killed by his father between the time she had gotten home from work that day to the time he had returned home the next morning.

As much as he hated himself for it, he felt relieved knowing that she had not abandoned him as he had thought for so many years. It explained why he could never find her when he tried searching for her a few months after he landed a job at the Yokohama Police Department. But after thirteen years of searching, and with the knowledge that she died trying to protect him, the closure he had been hoping for never came. In fact, he felt even more sad, hurt, a tad lost, and somewhat guilty. According to the officers on the case and according to Kouji, who had admitted he had visited his grandfather at the jail a month earlier, his mother had been planning on leaving his father, which explained the half-full suitcase he saw when he got home that morning, and had been planning on taking Ken with her.

"You didn't kill her." Floating beside Julieanna was Millenniumon in his Kaiser form. Millenniumon, despite Ken's immense frustration and slight irritation, enjoyed this form over his Digimon form for the sole reason that it was easier to move around in. "That dreadful human did."

Ken gazed at the transparent fourteen-year-old version of himself, not all that happy to see the other. He and Millenniumon didn't have the best history, considering what the Digimon had made him do in the past. But a few months after the reboot, Millenniumon awoken from his forced slumber. Over the years the two of them fought day and night with Millenniumon attempting to take over his body a couple of times and with Ken desperately trying to regain his life. But as time went on, they began to talk to each other and begun to understand each other. And as the years went on they learned how to co-exist with each other, considering they would both perish if the Dark Seed were to ever be removed from his body now.

It was a truly an odd arrangement. They weren't exactly friends. They both hated each other and Millenniumon really enjoyed mocking him whenever he got the chance, but they weren't enemies either. Millenniumon had this quirk of healing his vessel and appearing whenever he was conducting interviews at the precinct or just wanting to mock the other for his own amusement. But in those rare times, Millenniumon would show up to warn him of incoming danger.

Do you always have to intrude on my thoughts? Ken questioned his former enemy as the other glanced at the soup Julieanna was trying to make, followed by his nose scrunching up in distaste and his body shuddering with a grimace.

"Yes," he replied rather smugly, turning away from the woman. "You don't seem happy to see me," he said feigning hurt. "I spent weeks healing you, protecting you from those bullets that should have killed you, by the way, and this is the thanks I get?!" Millenniumon threw his hands up in the air in mock exasperation.

Ken mentally groaned. Millenniumon was being an ass again, a smug one at that, but he did have a point. Ken hadn't thanked him yet for saving his life. But before he could do so, Julieanna cut through their unvocal conversation.

"You're thinking too hard again, darling." Ken blinked, unaware that his fingers had been tapping on the table as he stared in her general location with an absent gaze. Julieanna looked over her shoulder, her attention away from her cooking and her soon to be mother-in-law, to give him a comforting smile. "You'll come up with a name and it will be better than anything Jun and Daisuke could come up with."

This caused Hikari and Meiko to laugh softly as said siblings yelled their objections from outside, knowing full well that it was true. Jun and Daisuke hadn't decided on a name for their children until the day they were born. Ken ran his hand through his hair. "I guess you're right. I'm just not sure, though. I want it to be special, you know." The name for the baby wasn't the only thing that had been bothering him for a while now. He couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was about to happen.

At first, he had thought it was because of the mole that was in Taichi's own security detail that had wanted him and his allies dead for their part in finalizing the Digimon Accord several years ago, but it had only gotten stronger over the weeks. Ken couldn't pinpoint what the issue could be, but he feared that this foreboding feeling he had been feeling over the last few months was due to his fiancee, his son, or his unborn daughter being in potential danger. Ken didn't want any harm to come to them. That was one of the reasons why he insisted to stay in the kitchen where he could keep a close eye on his girls, instead of napping in the next room.

"I do." Julieanna handed a spoon to Sanya, who had been working on a different dish, before walking over to him. Julieanna gently rested her arms on his knees, mindful of their puppy resting in his lap, as she gazed up at him with her big brown eyes. "And I know whatever you ultimately come up with will be special just as she will be beautiful."

Ken smiled slowly, knowing that she was right. However… "You could always help me decide on a name, you know," he said sweetly, almost questioningly. "There's so many to choose from." Julieanna blinked. Her mouth opened slightly before clapping it shut.

Ken smile fell slightly, unsure of her reaction and the amused look on Millenniumon's face didn't exactly help that much. Had he said something wrong? Ken opened his mouth to ask just that before Julieanna pulled away slightly and laughed. Ken frowned at her, feeling slightly hurt. Was her helping him pick a name for their unborn child really that hilarious?

Julieanna, upon seeing his hurt expression, calmed down and kissed him softly before he could so much as question her burst of laughter. When she pulled away, she touched his bruised cheek, tenderly. "You're so silly, darling," she said before smiling at him. "Don't you remember? You disapproved every name I suggested."

Millenniumon snickered, making small kissy noises, followed by mocking bursts of laughter. "Oh, darling, why don't we name her Amy, or Beth, or Susie," he said in a rather poor imitation of Julieanna as a form of pure mockery. Ken managed to not roll his eyes as he ignored the other, opting to keep his focus solely on his beloved instead.

Her smile soon fell, however, as she began to inspect the bandages covering the gash on his forehead that was still in the process of healing. "The doctor said you may have some memory loss. Are you sure you're okay?"

Ken lifted his hand to gently remove the small delicate hand that was touching his forehead every so slightly. "I'm fine, Julieanna, really." Ken kissed her knucks. "Just a little tired, that's all." Ken was sure Julieanna could see through his lie, just as she could see that he had been suffering from nightmares. Every night for the past three months, he had been remembering the events of his past: his Kaiser days, the final battle against Vamdemon, the war against Millenniumon, Alphamon's attack, the reboot, the death of his elder brother, Kouji and Kouichi's birth... Those dreams weren't so bad. In those dreams, he would watch them from an outside perspective with his elder brother, Osamu, watching alongside him. It was comforting having him there; it was almost as if they were making up for lost time.

But then out of nowhere the memories would fade and Osamu would scream as Ken was engulfed by a cold, sicking darkness. Ken would always find himself lost and sick to his stomach as he floats in a space shrouded in darkness. Sometimes Ken would see a strange Dragon Digimon chained to something and nothing at all, and other times he would see a boy.

The first time this happened, Ken could barely make them out. But with each night that passed, the dream would become more vivid, more real, and more terrifying than the last. After the tenth night, Ken knew the two were not a figment of his imagination. The threat they imposed were all too real.

When he was in the presence of the dragon, Ken would feel a sense of urgency as well as safety. Despite the dragon's menacing size and appearance, he was not a threat. No, the threat was the boy. The boy may look innocent and lonely as he beckoned him to come to him, to free him from the prison his partner abandoned him to. Ken felt bad for the young Digimon, wanting to help in any way he could. At least that was before he was close enough to gaze into his eyes.

What he saw caused a cold, bone-crushing chill to travel down his spine. There was nothing in the Digimon's blue eyes. His eyes were as dead and empty as the darkness that surrounded him. The dark energy he sensed on the Angelic Digimon reminded him too much of Demon and Millenniumon when he had been causing havoc in the Digimon World. The Digimon terrified him and that fear was enough to cause Millenniumon to appear by his side in his Digimon form, practically shielding him from the other. As Millenniumon mentioned one too many times, he would always come to protect his host. Ken wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not.

"Then you should rest." Her eyes practically pleaded with him for him to rest, even if it was just for an hour or two. Ken almost felt guilty for disappointing her.

"I will, later." Preferably when Kouji returned with his cousin from the store and maybe once everyone left. And even then, he knew he would not rest until he was sure the woman he loved and his son were safe from harm. Besides, the nagging feeling was still there and the Dragon Digimon's warning was still fresh in his mind from the nightmare he had gotten while napping in the car.

"Hmm, what do we have here?" Millenniumon promptly left the kitchen and floated somewhere into the living room.

Where are you going?

"Your rat is up to no go." Ken didn't even respond to the comment about Daiki. With the exception of Hikari and himself, the pups seemed to always know where the Evil God was and when he was up to no good. There was a mutual hate-hate relationship between the three. Millenniumon was always scheming something against those he disliked, mainly Taichi and the others, the mailman, and his neighbors and, by some divine miracle, the pups were always ambushing Millenniumon or foaling his plans in some way or form. Even when he knew they were nearby, the pups would always get the drop on him. It was beyond hilarious how the once powerful, menacing, and fearsome Digimon in the Digital World could be outsmarted by two four-month-old Shiba Inu puppies every single time.

Don't destroy anything. Despite not being in the room, Ken knew the Digimon heard him quite clearly.

"Please, do you not know who you're talking to?" He scoffed before pausing. "Never mind. Forget I said that. Hey, come back here you little rat!"

Ken promptly turned off their mental link, to avoid getting a headache from all of Millenniumon's screaming. And it was just in time too, considering Julieanna sighed in defeat at that moment. "Fine." She placed a hand on her enlarged stomach; her obvious displease was clearly visible on her beautiful features. "I can't seem to win his argument, anyway. You two are both against me."

Ken's smile grew a little bit more. "She's on my side?"

"Obviously," she said with an amused smiled.

"That's my girl!" Whatever tiredness Ken had was temporary gone as excitement and fondness crept in. "Any suggestions?"

Julieanna posed her lips in thought. "We can always go with Amy. It's short, sweet, and to the point."

Ken scrunched up his nose in disagreement. "Absolutely not. That's a horrible name for her." And to further prove his point, their daughter kicked her mother in obvious agreement, which Julieanna yelped too.

"See, this is what I'm talking about," Julieanna pointed out as she rubbed the area her daughter had kicked her. "You dislike every name I suggest for the baby." Ken groaned.

"Looks like we're doing it the old fashion way then," Hikari spoke up. They looked at her.

"What you mean?" They asked, only to see Hikari pulling out a green book out of her purse.

Ken lifted a brow. "The Complete Book of Baby Names?"

"Why did you bring that with you?" Julieanna asked.

"We had a feeling Ken-kun would be too stubborn to agree to any names you would suggest."

"We always thought you would get bored sitting here all day due to your injuries, while the rest of us was outside having a good time in the sun." Hikari gave him a warm smile. Although, he doubted the others were having a good time. They were all too worried about him dropping over in exhaustion or reopening his injuries. It was too clear to see. "Maybe this will give you some ideas for some baby clothing." Ken looked at the little pink socks he had been kitting. He was having some trouble finishing it, mainly due to the fact that he wanted to incorporate some type of unique design into it, but didn't know what.

Meiko then gave the other woman an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, but I have to agree with Ken-kun. Amy is not that great of a name."

Julieanna shrugged, not offended at all. "How many names are in there?"

"100,001, I think," Hikari said, gazing at the back of the book.

The couple's mouth dropped. "Are you serious?" Julieanna screeched, snatching the book from Hikari's hands. "There's no way there's that many names for a baby girl." Julieanna skimmed through the pages, looking more and more stressed out as she got deeper into the book. "Ugh, I feel stressed out."

Ken gently took the book from her hands and handed it back to Hikari. "Why don't you go back to cooking before it burns?" This was probably a bad idea, consider Julieanna was a horrible cook. The only thing she could make without burning was tea, fried eggs, pies, and other pastries.

"Assuming it isn't burned already," Taichi mumbled under his breath. However, they all heard what he said.

The overwhelming tension that had been present the moment his parents brought him home from the hospital early this morning seemed to intensify as Julieanna glared in Taichi's direction. "I wasn't talking to you Yagmai," she spat before spinning on her heel and walking back to the stove to commence her cooking.

Ken sighed at the tension. So much for distracting her. Ken glanced at Hikari with a frown who was looking at her brother in concern. Meiko was silently talking to him as he sulked. "Don't worry, she'll forgive you. Just give her some time and try not to anger her more than she already is." Taichi nodded as he gazed out the glass backyard doors.

Meiko gazed at them with a frown of her own. "What do we do?" could be seen clearly in her eyes as she glanced at her husband. But he and Hikari doubted there was anything more they could do to amend the peace between the two. There was certainly a rift between his loved ones and Taichi, one Ken was trying very hard to ignore. Ken's memories were very vague after the bullets had penetrated the right side of his bulletproof vest, damaging several important organs. Ken knew he had been very close to death and would have died if Millenniumon had been actively healing his vessel. But this didn't change the fact that Taichi disregarded his warnings, in favor of going to the United Nations Summit. It was that choice to disregard his warnings that did not sit well with his family members.

His parents, ever since they had adopted him and Takumi, had always been rather protective of their youngest, considering the state he and the others had been in after their abduction by Yggdrasill. Takumi was the same way. Takumi had been protective of him since day one and that protectiveness had intensified over the years. But unlike his parents, even til this day, Takumi had this overwhelming guilt that he had failed his brother by allowing him to get taken and harmed, again. This was something Takumi had never gotten over, even after talking to Stingmon and Phelesmon when they slipped through a distortion to enter the Human World when the Digital World had become far too unstable for them to stay in. Ken understood why they were upset with Taichi, but the main problem was his fiery fiancee.

Julieanne was, well, to put it nicely, acting out of fear. Everyone had been terrified, from what Daisuke had told him, when they were told that the doctors were uncertain if he would pull through. In all honesty, it was a miracle that he survived, considering how hurt he had been from not just the bullets but from the debris caused by the explosion. The doctors of all people thought he would not survive the night.

While he had been fighting for his life, a huge fight between his fiancee and Taichi had occurred at the hospital. Daisuke didn't get into details about what was said between the two, not that he needed too. He could see that Julieanne was still furious with Taichi, even if it really wasn't his fault.

As of right now, the two were not on speaking terms, even when in the same room. As much as Ken hated it, he understood why Julieanne was so angry, so livid and hostile towards Taichi. Ken had been working with other law enforcement and Taichi's security detail for about three months, trying to hunt down the group of terrorists that had been threatening to kill the Ambassadors, Prime Ministers, and other diplomats the weeks before the United Nations Summit. However, no one had expected a mole within their own ranks. Despite his insistence for Taichi to remain in the hotel where it was safe, he along with the Chinese and Russian diplomats sneaked out of the hotel behind his back and went to the summit anyway, not knowing that one of the Special Agents that was tasked with protecting them was the mole this whole time. Not only had Taichi put his own life at risk but also his, the other diplomats, and so many others at the Summit.

But, Ken couldn't blame Taichi for that. If he were in Taichi's position, he probably would have done the same thing. Besides, Taichi, as one of the two leaders of their group, would do anything in his power to protect his friends, especially their Digimon friends. That was what the summit was about. Ever since the gate closed for the third time, leaving them with a hollow feeling in their chests as they were forced to part from their partners again, they knew something was wrong with the Digital World. When Meicoomon restored the memories of their Digimon friends that rested within her and when the others finally put a stop to her, the virus should have left the Digital World, restoring what the reboot failed to do. But it wasn't until ten years later did they realize what was happening between the two worlds.

Yggdrasill's main plan for the reboot, according to Millenniunmon, was to transfer the remaining Digimon that were not affected by the virus to its newly created Digital World and then to completely destroy the original Digital World and the Human World in order to stabilize it. It was a chilling thought to think about, one he had never really voiced out loud, but it made sense. The cryptic message Alphamon had said to him as he loomed over his injured body, pouring a portion of his own data into him, forcing the Evil God to sleep before Gennai made his way over to him.

"It is not my intention to harm you, Tamer," Alphamon said as his data traveled into his body, "but Yggdrasill can't see past its own corrupted will. My Lord is out of my reach now and Homeostasis is too blind to listen to reason. I must do what is necessary to make sure you and your friends are ready for the day the Digital World falls. I know you do not understand now and may feel that I attacked you for no reason," he paused upon seeing him starting to lose consciousness, "but you will and when that day comes, Ouryumon will be there to guide you to your destiny."

Ken hadn't mentioned the message to anyone, not even to Daisuke. But with the way things were going, could this be what Alphamon was talking about? Ken knew for a fact that the Knight Digimon had only been trying to protect them, to warn them of his Lord's plans. Yggdrasill had not cared about their lives, nor the lives of his Knights, apparently. The god would have sacrificed them if it meant preserving its objective. Having Gennai taking the Dark Seed from him had been its plan, knowing that it would have killed him. The Knight's sudden attack, he realized, was his way of protecting him from such a fate. In a way, Ken owed the Digimon his life.

But that wasn't the concerning part. Oh, no. The fact that two Digital World existed now was very concerning. Digimon from this other unstable Digital World was slipping through the barriers, making it difficult to control. The different governments from around the world had already created DATS, with the help of Wallace and other Chosen from around the world, and others like it to control this problem. Many governments wanted to destroy the Digital World to end this madness as they put it, but they were unmatched against Taichi. The government had no say against a Chosen and his allies who fought for the Digimon's rights.

Ken glanced at Taichi in concern. How long could he keep this up? They didn't exactly have their Digimon with them to take care of this current problem. What would happen if they did try to take action? They couldn't stop them. They were powerless, and that agitated him and the others the most.

"Woof?" Ken glanced down to see Akemi pawing at the yarn that was hanging off the table. He smiled.

"You're so silly." He gently scratched behind her right ear.

"Woof!"

"So," Ken said as he glanced at the book. "Are there any good names?"

Hikari nodded. "Yeah, several." She opened the book and Ken could tell right away that the book was Hikari's, judging by the little handwritten notes coating the side and bottom of the page. "We'll read a couple out and you tell us if you like it or not."

"Okay." The two women got to work looking through the green book, scouring for the perfect baby girl name Ken could possibly approve for his unborn daughter. Hikari and Meiko threw a few names at him. However, he declined each one. None of them felt right.

"Okay, how about Ahmya, Ken-kun?" Meiko lifted up her gaze from the page she read from.

Nope, not in a million years. Ken scrunched up his nose in disagreement, showing his dislike of the name. "I guess that's a no," Hikari laughed softly as she turned the page. "What about Amaterasu or Hana?"

"How about Hermione?" Julieanna piped in. Ken looked down at Akemi, unsure. All the names were nice and would be wonderful names for his daughter, but they weren't calling out to him like Kouji and Kouichi's names had when he and Tsubasa decided on them months before they were born. "It doesn't feel right." He frowned deeply in thought. Akemi, who had been trying to knock the small unfinished sock to the floor, gazed up at him in total adoration. "What you think, Akemi?"

"Woof-Woof. Woof." Ken smiled slightly as she nosed his chest gently. The twins were certainly doing a lot better now than they had been four months ago. Ken had found the two newborns abandoned in a cold damp box in one of the alleyways near the dojo he, Julieanna, and Iori co-ran together.

On that day, ten years ago, his former college roommate and dear friend went on an expedition to the unstable Digital World and never returned. He was presumed dead after being missing for ten years and his research had been taken over by the government. As upsetting as it was, Ken knew he was not dead. But without a way to get into this other Digital World, there was no way of rescuing his dear friend from whatever trouble he may have gotten himself into.

His disappearance had caused a great deal of strain and distress for his lovely wife and kids. As his godson got more and more rebellious over the years, his sister and mother grew depressed and doubtful of his return as the anniversary came around. Ken knew he could allow his friend's family to fall apart in his absence. He had made a promise after all. Ken had tried his best to help them out as best as he could.

On the day of the anniversary, Ken and Julieanna had decided to take them out on a family outing to distract them. The children greatly enjoyed themselves as they played through one of the many carnival booths and rides Ken had taken them to. For the rest of the day, they had spent some time at the dojo, considering Masaru had been itching for a fight all day and Kouji had been more than happy to accept the other's challenge. The two boys had sparred for several hours before it was time to go home.

As they were leaving, Ken heard small desperate cries for help. Ken didn't cast his loved ones a single thought as he ran into the cold and dark alleyway. In a small cramped box, completely soaked from the rain, were two newborn puppies. Ken couldn't be sure how long they had been out in the cold rain, toss aside like they were trash. But what Ken did know was that they had been abandoned and would have died if Ken had not decided to go to the dojo that day. Rather it was fate or not that drawn him to the puppies that night, Ken was so glad that he did. Not only had he saved their lives, but he now had new children to add to his ever-growing family.

"Arf-arf!"

"Get back here!" Ken looked up to see Daiki waltzing into the kitchen with a stuffed rabbit in his mouth and a very disheveled Kaiser hot on his tail. Ken blinked, confused, as he took in Millenniumon's appearance. Millenniumon's spiky hair was more untamed and wild than usual as if he had just lost a fight, his blue, gray and white jumpsuit was disheveled and slightly out of place, and his yellow sunglasses with purple lenses were nowhere in sight.

Ken raised a delicate brow at Millenniumon as he came to an abrupt halt. He had to keep a firm hand on Akemi to make sure she didn't attack Millenniumon. I'm not even going to ask.

"That might be for the best," he replied just as everyone took notice of the small puppy.

Hikari and Meiko smiled at each other, greatly amused. Ken couldn't figure out if it was because of Millenniumon appearance or because of Daiki getting into the nursery again. "Looks like Daiki went into the nursery again," Hikari said, laugher edging in her voice. However, not everyone was amused.

"Daiki!" Julieanna's eyes were blazing in disapproval as she turned on her heel to face their mischievous son. "How many times do I have to tell you not to go into the nursery!" The wooden spoon still clenched in her hand did not intimidate him at all. In fact, it just convinced him to up his puppy charm. "That isn't for you! It's for the baby!" Daiki gazed up at Julieanna with his big blue innocent eyes before dropping the toy at her feet. He barked playfully at her, wanting to be played with. This failed to get a smile from Julieanna.

"He wants you to play with him," Ken said with a chuckle of his own, still keeping a firm grip on Akemi, who began growl at a certain Digimon. "Or maybe he wants a certain baby to come out and play," Ken added softly. Although, Julieanna didn't hear that part.

"I don't have time to play with you," she said as she returned to her cooking. Daiki's tail faltered and his little ears pinched just a bit as he gazed at his mother mournfully. He had failed to get his mother to play with him or to give him any sort of positive attention.

Ken gazed at the puppy sympathetic as he began to whine. From what he observed over the last four months and from what Masaru and his best friend (who had been minding the house for him and silently watching over Julieanna while he had been gone) would inform him from time to time of how Julieanna would seem to favor Akemi over Daiki to the point of ignoring the small puppy and only acknowledging him when he resulted to bad behavior to get her attention.

"Daiki come here." Daiki made his way over to him, his ear still pinched and his tail still down. Ken gently ran his fingers through his soft fur, calming him down. Once the puppy was happy with the attention he was getting, he then began to scratch behind his ears. "Don't worry, the baby will be here soon. Just be patient." He barked happily. "I'll talk to mommy. Don't worry," he added very, very softly so that no one could hear him over the noise.

"I did something wrong." Ken's hand stilled for a moment as he lifted his gaze to his beloved. In all honest, Daisuke should have been the one to cook, but Julieanna had been very insistent. She believed that it was the wife's job to care for the husband and that meant taking care of the kids, doing all the housework, and all the cooking (which she wasn't too good at). Ken didn't want to discourage her; she just wanted to find her place in this world like everyone else.

But Ken wasn't one for tradition. His parents had been very traditional, with his mother doing all the housework, cooking, caring for him and Osamu, and working a very demanding job and his father working and then coming home, expecting the house to be clean, meals freshly made, and children that are obedient, behaved, and excelling at everything they did. It was no wonder the marriage was falling apart even before Osamu's death.

Ken didn't want that for his family. He didn't want them to feel they had to strive for these over barring, unrealistic expectations that he had felt when he was younger. The pressure was just too much. Hence, why Ken preferred working things out as a family. If Kouji had a problem or an issue, he was more than welcome to voice his opinion and Ken had made it clear to Julieanna that they were supposed to work together on caring for their family and their home. She was not supposed to put everything on her shoulders, no matter what her books said.

"What you mean?" He asked as he saw Sanya glancing away from one of his mother's cookbooks (that the social worker was able to save for him) to the pot of miso soup they were preparing. Julieanna had decided she wanted to cook something special, something that showed how much she loved him and appreciated him not dying on her. She knew making the old family recipe, passed down to him by his deceased mother, would relax him and ease his mind of the storm his father was brewing.

Ken mentally grimaced. Wallace had been too kind to answer the phone when he failed to pick it up quick enough. Ever since his mother's remains had been found and after Kouji had made the mistake to visit his grandfather several months ago, his father had been calling non-stop. His father had already confessed to his crimes, yet he thought it was a wonderful idea to torment and intimidate his son from testifying once again against him.

Ken had not spoken, nor seen him in years and had no intentions of doing so before the trail. His father had destroyed his life. He took his mother away from him and had even tried to kill him just because he reminded the elder man of her. The last time he'd spoken to him, Ken had made it clear he had not wanted to speak to him nor have anything to do with him and that had been several years ago. Hearing his voice just brought very bad memories, memories he had been trying so hard to keep at bay. It had only made his resolve to stand up to his father harder to keep intact when he learned that his father had murdered his mother.

But Ken knew he could do this. He was stronger. He was happier. He had a beautiful woman to spend the rest of his life with and a wonderful son and daughter to love and cherish for all time. He would be damned to allow his father to get in the way of his happiness. Ken might not be ready to face his father just yet, but, thankfully, he had wonderful friends willing to protect him and defend him on his behalf.

That reminded him, he would have to ask Wallace what his father wanted this time. Ken would have answered the call himself and gave the other a piece of his mind, but he had been seconds away from a panic attack when his father called, which was why Wallace snatched the phone and took it somewhere within the house. Ken had no idea where he went, nor when he was going to return to the party, but Ken was already dreading it. He wasn't sure if he wanted to know what his father wanted this time. But being the annoying psychologist that he was, Wallace was going to tell him rather he liked it or not.

"I took out all the right ingredients for you before you started."

His fiancee was frowning deeply into the broth that she had been trying to make. "I know, but it still tastes… off."

"Off?" Sanya said, her brows raised slightly, as she glanced over her shoulder. "Did you mis-measure one of the ingredients?" Julieanne's shoulders sagged, clearly unsure what she did wrong. She had seen him make the soup enough times to know the exact measurements of each ingredient.

"I'm not sure. I thought I did," she said as she placed the spoon on the counter.

"You should have just let Daisuke cook when he volunteered to help." As right as Taichi's comment was, given the only thing Julieanne could make was tea and some pastries and fried eggs, Julieanne still went rigged.

"I wasn't asking you, Yagami!" Her eyes seemed to blaze with unseen anger that she had yet to release.

"Guys, please don't fight." Taichi snapped his mouth shut, cutting off whatever snarky comment he was about to reply in retaliation. However, the two continued to stare heatedly at each other. Ken shook his head as he gazed tiredly at them. Despite what he had been telling everyone, he was beyond exhausted. The trip from the hospital to the safety of his home, combined with his already tired mind from all the nightmares from countless sleepless night, had completely drained him. He probably should have taken the others' advice to get some rest, but that was before he felt the tension in his own home.

Ken looked at his fiancee with a small frown. Ken may have risked his own life by taking the bullets that were meant for Taichi, but he would never blame him for that. Everyone had been upset that he had been so reckless, but no one yelled or blamed him for what happened. He was just doing what he thought was right at the time. Truth be told, they were bound to get hurt or attack in their line of work, but that was not enough for his fiancee. She was livid that no one was blaming Taichi for his actions, nor had anyone yelled or criticized him for it. And that, he knew, hurt his fiery fiancee worst of all. She had almost lost the man she loved with all her heart and she was determined to protect her love the best way she knew how.

But at what cost?

Julieanne was pissed at Taichi for putting the both of them in danger and very close to getting them killed. Taichi felt guilty for what happened, considering he had only been doing what he had thought was right at the time. However, the amount of blame and anger being directed towards him might be uncalled for.

The two were far too stubborn to simple talk and work things out with each other. Ken was sure, if given the chance to tell Taichi off, colorful words of anger, fear, and mistrust would fly between the two of them, eventually resulting into a heated fight that would certainly add to the stress he was currently under. Ken didn't really need that right now; besides, his painkillers were wearing off.

Silently, Ken turned his gaze to Millenniumon, who had given up tormenting the twins for now, and was now gazing at the two adults with a mixture of exasperation, disgust, and irritation. "Children. I am surrounded by idiotic children." Ken resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Although, Hikari didn't. In fact, she snorted softly at how her brother was reacting and the irony of her former enemy's reaction.

"I'm not sure who the child is: Niisan and Julieanne or the one who looks and acts like a child." Ken smiled at her, knowing she was referring to Millenniumon taking his appearance and acting like a mere child as he commences war against the twins. However, Millenniumon did not appreciate the comment.

"How dare you compare me to them, Insect? I am nothing like these idiots!" He all but screamed before stomping out of the kitchen. They blinked as they watched the Kaiser in all his sadistic glory leaving to conjure up his next scheme. Upon his departure, the twins blinked.

"Wolf-wolf-wolf," she spoke to her brother before jumping off Ken's lap.

"Arf-arf," Daiki replied before the two puppies scampered after the pissed off Digimon. But not before snatching the stuffed rabbit before Ken could stop them. Great, now he had to wrestle the toy away from them before they tore it to pieces, again. Just perfect.

"What's going on in there?" Ken smiled as his best friend yelled from outside. Daisuke sure had perfect timing.

"Nothing!" Julieanne snapped back as she continued to glare at Taichi. Daisuke snorted.

"Doesn't sound like nothing!" Daisuke yelled back, a chuckle leaving his voice as Jun chirped in.

"You two better not be fighting." Her tone was almost reprimanding. "You two promised to behave!"

"WE'RE NOT FIGHTING!" They bristled as they glared out the sliding door where the two siblings could be heard laughing.

Hikari shook her head. "It wouldn't be Daisuke-kun if he doesn't put his two sense in." Meiko nodded just as the doorbell rang.

Everyone looked in the direction of the living room. "Did Wallace lock himself out?" He asked, puzzled.

"Who knows?" Taichi said as he got up, turning his gaze away from the woman in front of him. Taichi made his way over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder just as he moved his foot from the chair he had it resting on. "You relax. I'll open the door for him." And then he, too, disappeared into the living.

Ken watched Taichi until he couldn't see him anymore, feeling a sense of uselessness crept in. He knew everyone was just looking out for him. Millenniumon may have managed to heal his extreme injuries and had cut his recovery time in half, but he was still sore and in a bit a pain. Due to his doctor's insistence, he was supposed to be taking it easy for the next couple of day, giving his body and feet the time it needed to heal.

Ken gazed at the black walking shoe on left foot with a sense of loathing. Ken hated having this thing on. The walking shoe was supposed to help him walk while also giving his ankle the support it needed. However, the injury was still very swollen and tender to the touch. Just the slightest movement caused a painful shock up and down his spine.

Ken grimaced as he rubbed the tender part of his leg. Ken was hopeful that the thing would come off before the wedding with the way Millenniumon was healing him. But his doctor was saying it was unlikely, which really bothered him and frustrated him to no end.

"We'll see about that," he growled, intruding in his thoughts again.

"Are you alright?" Hikari had noticed his small wince of pain. "Are you in pain?" Hikari stared into his eyes and slowly over his body, trying to decipher if the painkillers were wearing off or not. "Do you need me to grab your painkiller from the bathroom?"

"No." He shook his head. "I'm fine." Ken got up then, wincing slightly at the pain that it caused.

"KEN! What are doing? The doctor said you shouldn't be moving around!" Ken gazed at Julieanne with a tender smile that would put her at ease. "We are going to fix the soup," he said as he rubbed his injured side.

"We are?" Julieanne gazed at him in utter flabbergastment, until she realized Ken was pushing his discomfort and pain for her. "No, darling, you don't have to…," she paused and took a deep breath before continuing, "I mean, I can figure it out. It's sweet of you, but you really shouldn't be straining yourself for me. You really should be resting."

Ken stood in front of her and gently took her hands into his. "Julieanne, I appreciate what are doing for me, I really do, but…"

"I'm a complete mess," she said, surprising him. "I can't even make your Mama's personal recipe without messing it up." Julieanne removed her eyes from him to look at their hands. "We are getting married." There was a great deal of fondness in her voice as if she was still in disbelief that Ken wanted to marry her. "But," her voice went so very soft, desperate even in her want to please him, and her face turned grim and sad at the same time, "how am I supposed to be the perfect wife, like Hikari-chan and Meiko-chan, if I can't even get this right. I'm a hot mess at cooking. I'm clumsy and I can't even clean the house right." She sighed as she rested her head against his chest. "You deserve someone better than me."

"Oh, Julieanne." Ken took a small step back, using his hand to gently lift up her face so she could look into his. "You really need to stop reading those books and listening to those online friends of yours. If I wanted a perfect wife, don't you think I would have married someone like Miyako-chan." She blinked.

"I guess." Ken whipped away a few droplets of tears from her cheek. "You are perfect just the way you are."

"Even if I can't cook right or that I'm always ruining the laundry or that I keep breaking the china?"

He nodded in reassurance. "Of course. I love you, flaws and all."

Julieanne closed her eyes for a moment, taking in Ken soothing warmth before opening them again to smile up at him. "You always know what to say to make me feel better. How did I get so lucky to get the perfect man?"

"Practice," he said, kissing the top of her head. "I had plenty of that." She looked at him with a knowing sadness. It was pretty common knowledge by now that Osamu and Ryo practically raised him before they both left him behind to fend for himself. When they were younger, Osamu had to grow up fast in order to raise his younger brother when their parents were too busy arguing with each other or too busy ignoring each other. It especially got more stressful for his brother when their parents realized the attention that came with having a prodigy son. When he died, Ken had to fend for himself. Ryo had disappeared a few months later, leaving Ken utterly alone. When Millenniumon used Ken's own hidden talents against him, unknowing making his parents realized they had another son that was also a genius.

Ken silently forced the depressing memories of his past away. He couldn't change the past, just his future. "Come, let's see if we can fix this soup." With Julieanne by his side, they made their way over to the stove where the soup was silently simmering.

The first thing Ken took in was the ingredients he had pulled out earlier, along with three of his mother's cookbooks that could be saved before his father attempted to burn the apartment to the ground, were scattered across the marble countertop. Within a large bowl, set aside and temporarily forgotten, were a variety of meats, vegetables, and noodles for the soup along with the other dishes his mother was cooking up.

Ken gazed at the broth. The color and consistency were slightly off. It wasn't smooth as it could be. It was red and kinda clumpy, a sign that Julieanne may have not put enough of something or may have put too much of an ingredient or put one at the wrong time.

Ken hummed slightly, which Julieanne noticed and took as a sign of her failure. "I forgot something, didn't?"

Ken gave her a soft smile, one that showed that he too was unsure. "Hard to tell. Let me try it." Julieanne handed him the spoon, allowing Ken to scoop some of the broth to taste it. Julieanne watched him intently as he swirled the liquid in his mouth, going through all the ingredient in his mind and comparing it to the broth Julieanne had made. Ken could definitely see why Julieanne said it tasted off. "You put too much lemongrass and garlic cloves," he paused, "not enough miso paste and soy sauce. You also put the miso paste too soon, that's why it's so clumpy."

"I knew it," Julieanne sighed loudly, gaining the attention of a certain brother. "I don't know why I even try?"

"Are we having problems in here?" Daisuke poked his head through the open door and smiled teasingly at her. Ken lifted a brow, slightly amused and slight exasperated, fully for the main reason that the two siblings would get into a fight any minute now. The fights weren't as bad as the ones Daisuke had with Jun, but the arguing tended to last anywhere from ten minutes to several hours, which would certainly cause a headache for him since the painkillers were wearing off.

"No!" Julieanne straightened her slumped shoulders, pretending she had not just destroyed the base for the soup. "I just burned myself that all." That was a lie; they all knew that, but Ken was not going to call her out on it. He didn't want a fight today, especially since it's his nephew's birthday. If there was going to be a fight, then it was going to be over what presents Shinya should open up first. But that won't happen until Kouji and Takuya got back.

Daisuke rolled his eyes, disbelievingly at his sister. "You're a worse liar than Jun," he pointed out, just as Jun yelled "Hey!" from the party table outside. Daisuke didn't turn to Jun as he smiled smugly, yet teasingly at his sister. "You really should just stick to modeling and singing."

Julieanne's tone grew defensive. "Are you saying I can't cook for my family?"

Ken signed as the two began to argue and spat colorful words at each other. With a shake of his head, he looked at what ingredients were left on the counter, followed by what he had left in his cabinets. He frowned. I don't have enough to redo the soup. Ken instinctively pulled out his phone and began sending a text to his son, adding to the list he had asked the boys to get for him. However, something was not right.

Unable to send? He tried sending it again, but he got the same message after waiting a minute or two. What's going…? Before Ken could finish that thought the twins rushed into the kitchen with a ribbon, which was attached to a small present, was held in their mouths. Ken blinked as they stopped in front of him.

"What do you two have there?"

"Woof-woof!"

"Arf!"

Ken slowly bent down to pick up the small present. "Looks like you forget a present, Daisuke."

Daisuke laughed nervously, looking at his sister as if he had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "What you mean, Ken? I don't know what you're talking about." Ken gazed at his best friend with a disbelieving look as he got to his feet.

"Don't lie to me, Daisuke," his voice turned accusing, hurt even, as his narrowed gaze went from the siblings to his parents, to Hikari and Meiko, and back to Daisuke, "I know you and Oniisan were sneaking presents outside while my back was turned. All of you were in on it, weren't you?" Everyone froze, even Meiko and Hikari were looking at each other nervously. Ken could not understand what the big deal was. Why was everyone trying to hide Shinya's presents from him? Did they think he would not approve of it or something?

Ken glanced at present in his hand just as the twin scampered away again. It was small about the side of his palm, maybe slightly bigger. The wrapping was blue and the design on it looked… familiar. Actually, it almost looked like the one he had gotten on his birthday last year and all the years before that.

Ken froze immediately. "Ken?" Ken ignored Daisuke and Hikari as they tried to get his attention. He silently grabbed the tag that was attached to the present. Just like the previous presents he had gotten in the past, his name was written in black ink in Wormmon's handwriting.

Tears filled Ken's eyes. Wormmon… even when we are apart you are looking out for me… but why would send me this? It's not my…

Ken's head snapped up as he gazed at his friends, understanding creeping in, as the tears threatened to fall. "For me? They were for me?" He leaned against the counter heavily just as Miyako, Iori, and Takeru walked in, looking just as guilty and concern as Hikari and Daisuke must be feeling for their part in the deception. How can I forget my own birthday?

"We're sorry, Ken," Hikari said, looking guilty. "We didn't mean to make you feel that we were lying and hiding things from you."

Daisuke ran his hand through his hair, giving his half-sister a quick reassuring glance. "We just wanted to surprise you on your birthday. You didn't exactly celebrate it last year." He's right. He'd been in the hospital last year as a result of faulty wiring in their apartment complex.

"You were also away on an assignment the year before that," Iori added.

"And got food poisoning the year before," Miyako said with a sly glance toward Julieanne, who immediately grew defensive. "I'm surprised you're even allowing her to cook for you again, Ken."

"I said I was sorry!"

Miyako laughed. "Girl, relax, I'm just kidding. You really need to lighten up." Julieanne relaxed a bit but now looked a bit embarrassed.

"Right, sorry."

Miyako's laughter did not cease and seemed to only lighten the mood as Julieanne puffed up in defiance. "What we are trying to say is that," Takeru spoke up, "you've been under a lot of stress lately. The wedding is in a couple of months and your daughter is coming any day now…"

"Thank god," Daisuke interrupted, "maybe Masaru and Kouji would stop calling me every time Julieanne gets into one of her moods." This earned him an elbow in the ribs from Miyako and a disapproving side glance from Iori.

"That isn't very nice, Daisuke-kun."

"Do you always have to be so mean to your sister?" Miyako hissed at him. "I get she can be a bit much, but come on! She's pregnant! Of course, she's going to be screaming and ranting for Ken every time he's away from her."

Ken blinked and rubbed his eyes to clear them, raising a brow a second later, only to see Julieanne turning a bright crimson.

"I'm jealous actually," Miyako said to Julieanne, now a bit disappointed. "I wished Ken had shown me the same amount of love and attention he shows you. You're really lucky to earn his love." This really caught the two of them off guard. Ken didn't love Miyako the way she had loved him in the past. He merely saw her as a very good friend. It was probably his rejection that caused her to get involved with that abusive asshole. Ken couldn't even say his name without getting pissed off, again.

"You're a really good guy, Ken." Ken could feel the tears starting to fall, hearing the sincerity in his dear friend's voice. "You pretty much went through hell and back," she said referring his past and over the course of the last couple of months, "and it's only going to get harder from here." She walked over to him and place a hand on his wet cheek. "We will always support you any way we can, even if we can't make the pain go away." She gently rubbed the tears away from his cheek. "We wanted to make this year special, to remind you that you're not alone, that you're greatly loved." She then gave him one of her signature smiles. "Can you really blame us for trying?"

Ken closed his eyes for a moment, trying to stop his raging emotions. When he opened them, he smiled. "Thank you." After placing the present on the counter, he pulled her into a hug and she hugged him back. "I love you guys." It was not long before the other joined in on the hug.

"We love you too."

"Do I get to join in on the hug?" Miyako pulled away to see her man leaning against the archway. Judging by the look on his face, he had been standing there for a while.

"How long have you been standing there?" Miyako asked.

He shrugged. "A few seconds after Taichi-kun left to answer the door." He said with a grin as he placed the house phone on the receiver on the counter. "You don't have to worry about him. He won't be bothering you anymore if he doesn't want harassment added to his charges."

"What did you do?" Ken asked, relief threating to overcome him.

"I called in a few favors."

"Must be nice being an FBI Agent," the siblings snorted.

His grinned widened. "It does have its perks." Miyako beamed at her boyfriend before jumped into his open arms.

"You're the best!"

"I'm so glad you think so," he said getting a kiss from Miyako.

Both Julieanne and Daisuke rolled their eyes, giving each other wicked looks. It was pretty obvious that Julieanne didn't care for Wallace very much, much like how Daisuke hadn't liked him when they first met in America. Wallace was a really nice guy and treated Miyako wonderfully. He was also his unofficial therapist when his old one retired. However, there was just something about Wallace's personality that always sets the siblings off. Not even Jun gets as vocal and violet as Daisuke and Julieanne gets when Wallace gets into one of his teasing, flirtatious moods. Ken frowned at the siblings, who noticed his "don't start" stare. They both gazed at him sheepishly as if they had done nothing wrong. Liar.

"GODFATHER! GODFATHER!" Ken jumped, surprised, as Chicka came running down the hall with Taichi close behind. The nine-year-old was beyond pale, several strands of hair were coming out of her ponytails, and her clothes were slightly torn as she came to a complete stop in front of them. "Please come quick!"

"Oh my god, Chicka! What happened?" Ken rushed over to his goddaughter who was breathing heavily, favoring her right leg as the other was badly scrapped and blooding slightly.

"We were attacked by those guys that Oniisan got into a fight with a few months back!" She grabbed his hand, attempting to pull him down the hallway that led out the front door. "Please come! Masaru needs our help!" Ken didn't allow himself to hesitate or to question Chicka about what was going on as the two of them rushed down the hall. Ken's pain was almost nonexistent as adrenaline kicked in, allowing him to run as if he had not just gotten out of the hospital from fatal wounds several hours ago.

"Ken! Wait up!" Ken didn't spare Daisuke a glance as he made his way towards the living room and out the door. Ken only paused for a brief second to grab his firearm from the safe he kept hidden behind a picture in the living room. He had a feeling he was going to need it.

As he reached outside, Ken saw Millenniumon looking in the distance with a troubled look on his face.

"They're coming." Ken probably would have questioned what he was talking if he hadn't spotted Masaru running down the street with an Agumon (he had not seen since the war) and a DATS Agent and her Digimon from the other Digital World running close behind them.

---

Duskmon hid in the shadows, silently watching, silently spying, on the Chosen as he traveled through the forest with his two Digimon companions. He had no ill feelings towards the Humans and Digimon, personally, that the others complained about. They were simply servants of the loathsome Holy Beasts. The same monsters that brainwashed his father. Duskmon hated not knowing where those vile Digimon were. They were still breathing, still alive, still plotting there return to power. They were the reason his father did not remember him, nor his master, nor the other Digimon that once served under the great Tamer.

From what he had learned from Lord Cherubimon, his father had once been one of the great Legendary Tamers that saved the Digital World long ago before the Holy Beasts destroyed everything. The monsters had brainwashed his father, used him as their slave to reshape the Digital World in their image. But, oh, they didn't stop there. They made him forget everything he once stood for, made him believe he was a brainless Chosen. But what really hurt was that they brainwashed him into believing this boy, this Kouji, was his son and not him. And then there were these other feelings of pain and rage he could not identify, could not place.

Duskmon destroyed a passing Digimon as he watched with vengeful, hateful, calculating eyes. He wanted to hate his human for taking his place. He wanted to strangle him for taking his father away. But he couldn't, at least not yet. The mission came first. He must watch them. He must learn their strengths and weakness. And when the time was right, when the pieces were in place, he would crush them.

Duskmon followed his enemies, watching them as they looked into one of the many portals that allowed them to view the Human World. They watched as his father interacted with his captors. He was completely unaware of the injustice placed upon him. Duskmon felt horrible for not being able to help his father. He so desperately wanted to. Duskmon desperately wanted to help him remember the great Tamer he had once been and to be able to remember all the wonderful things he had done for the Digimon during that time. He wanted him to remember who his true enemies and friends were and...Duskmon wanted his father to remember him.

Duskmon felt sadness knowing his father was lost to him right now. Duskmon only had a few memories of his father. His first memory was of his father holding him, calling him Kouichi, loving him as a father should. His father was so very warm and so very kind. He was home and safety. Something happened between that time and now. His next memory was of him watching his father from a distance. His father was at a park with Kouji. The two of them were walking an elder looking dog, while a woman sat on a picnic table. For some reason, there was an intense amount of jealousy. Duskmon couldn't understand why though. He couldn't remember and then there was the woman. Duskmon knew he lived with a woman. He couldn't see her, but he knew she stirred a wave of deep anger within him. Why? He couldn't remember.

Duskmon placed a hand to his forehead, weaving the memories to go away. He remembered so very little and what he did remember brought nothing but sadness and anger. He hated this Kouji. He was keeping his father prisoner without him even knowing he had a son. But that was okay. With his new form, he would finally save his father from the Holy Beasts' servants. Cherubimon had a plan.

Despite being forced to collect the Digital World's Digicode, he dreamed of the day he would be reunited with his father and that day was coming very soon. That was why he continued to spy for his master and gaining the materials he needed to weaken the gates. When the time was right, their allies will bring his father here and then Cherubimon will be able to undo the damaged those vile Digimon and their allies had caused. Patience. He just had to be patient, no matter how hard it was.

"What are you doing?" Duskmon looked up to see Pico Devimon resting on one of the branches above him. The little Digimon had been following him since they ran into each other in one of the villages he had been sent to. Despite his cruel and unkind ways of trying to rid himself of this pest, the little Digimon continued to follow, continued to attempt to befriend him. There was something about this Digimon that felt off. But he couldn't place his finger on it.

"Watching." He didn't say anymore.

"The Chosen and your father's partners?"

"What?" Duskmon looked at him questioningly. "But I thought his partner was Wormmon."

"Well," the annoying Digimon spoke thoughtfully, "they both evolve from Wormmon. Stingmon is Ichijouji-san main partner, while Lord Phelesmon became his partner shortly before the reboot."

Duskmon narrowed his eyes at the Digimon. Why did it feel like the other knew his father personally? Was that even possible? Only a few Digimon regained their memories after the reboot from what he had been told. "You knew him, didn't you?"

He tilted his head to suggest his utter cluelessness. However, there was an unreadable glint in his eyes. "I don't know. Do I?"

He scoffed at the idiot. There was no way this fool knew his father. "I don't know why I even bother. You're useless." He returned his attention to his enemies only to see them walking this way.

"I'd hide if I were you," Pico Devimon warned him. There was something in his voice that he couldn't place, someone who was older, wiser. No, that couldn't be it. "You're pretty visible right now."

Duskmon, realizing the pest was right, reinforced his shadows to conceal him. You are so stupid, Duskmon. Get yourself together.

"Kouji-san, where are you going?" The human stopped right in front of him, looking around his surrounds. The boy's eyes trailed from tree to tree, branch to branch, darkness to endless darkness. Had he spotted him?

"I…," he said, slightly out of breath. "I thought I say something." The two Digimon stopped behind him, slightly on guard, slightly in concern.

"There's a lot of Digimon in this forest," Phelesmon said. "Could it have been one of them?"

The Human frowned, his arms crossed as his eyes, unknowingly, landed on him. "I'm not sure." The boy was so close. Duskmon could reach out and strangle him. He could kill him and no one would be the wiser. But he didn't. Instead, he stood frozen in place as he stared into the other's eyes.

Why? The childish voice of a very younger version of himself spoke up from the depths of his mind. Why do we have to live here? Doesn't Papa love us? The mean man is gone. As he stared into those eyes, Duskmon felt like he was looking into a mirror as the voice of a long-forgotten memory disappeared before he could grasp onto it.

"Maybe." The boy lifted up his hand. He was inches away from touching him, from finding him. He should attack; he should do something...

"Hi, there!" Duskmon stiffened as Pico Devimon called down to them. "Nice night, isn't it?" What is he doing?!

"Well, hello there, Pico Devimon," Stingmon said politely. The other two looked up, their attention no longer on him. "It is. Perfect night for a scroll." The Digimon nodded in agreement as he fluttered down onto a lower branch.

"I know, right?" Pico Devimon secretly moved his wing, gesturing him to hide somewhere else. He did exactly that, by moving behind a different tree, away from the three.

"Did you make that noise?" Kouji asked, questioningly.

"Oh, yeah, sorry. I was just having some dinner," he lied. "Didn't mean to scare you." He held his half-eaten pear and took another bite out of it.

The boy blinked as he lowered his arm. However, he was still on the defensive, still unsure of his Digimon. Duskmon held his breath, trying very hard not to make a sound. "Uh, you didn't scare us." He paused, his eyes narrowing slightly. "What are you doing here by yourself? It's dangerous with Cherubimon's allies running around."

"They don't come around here," he said in reassurance. "Besides, this is my home. I am not going to let other Digimon scare me and my friends away." He smiled as he took another bite out of his pear. "Yes, I am by myself right now, but that's okay. I can enjoy my dinner and movie all by myself," he said gesturing to the viewing portals. "I like watching the teacher girl, especially when its story time. I like stories."

Duskmon noticed the glint again. Duskmon wasn't sure what girl he was talking about, but he had a feeling it was one of the Chosen girls. When they first met, the little Digimon mentioned a girl once and a Tailmon he had once been friends with. Duskmon didn't believe him, of course, as it was a story being told by the Chosen Digimon. Duskmon did have his doubts though. He knew more then he was letting on. And his suspicions seemed to be confirmed by the look the Digimon shared. "We should be leaving now," Phelesmon said, his gaze unreadable.

"Oh, leaving so soon?"

"I'm afraid so. We must get back home." Stingmon nodded, apologetically. "Have a good night." The Digimon began walking away, but not before Kouji's gaze traveled along the trees and darkness one last time before following the two fleeting pair. Duskmon continued to watch the three until they stopped at the end of the path. Phelesmon lifted up a hand and with a flick of his wrist, a portal appeared. On the other side was a huge room within a beautiful castle. The three entered the portal and then they were gone.

It was several minutes before Pico Devimon spoke. "Coast is clear. You can come out now." Duskmon exited out of the shadows, still staring at where the fleeting pair went. That had been too close for comfort. Pico Devimon fluttered over to him. "You froze." He didn't form it as a question, but he still nodded anyway. "Why?"

"I don't know." Duskmon walked over to the portal that showed his father. His father looked so very happy as he interacted with his so-called friends. But he knew it was all a lie. It was a very good lie, considering he couldn't tell the untruthfulness in their voices as they spoke. Duskmon sighed as he rested his head on the tree. "Papa…I promise I will save you, even if I have to risk my own life to do it."