I posted the original Angels Reborn way before it was ready. After much revision, here it is again.

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon, etc. Usual disclaimer stuff here.

-----

Angels Reborn

By Time Lady

Digidestined and Digimon old and new gathered in a sorrowful circle. The battle against Mega Apocolymon had taken its toll. This one was more than any of their other battles had demanded.

"Kari! Speak to me!" pleaded Tai as he cradled his sister in his arms.

"Come on little bro. . . Open your eyes. . . . " begged Matt as he rested TK's head in his lap.

"If only we had come a little sooner," said Michael as he watched the scene before him. Both he and Willis had arrived at the end of the battle, giving the Digidestined the added power they needed to turn the tide of battle. Joe frantically tried to stop the bleeding of various wounds.

"They've lost a lot of blood as is," said Joe as he checked Kari's pulse. "Her pulse is weak. . . . I'm afraid there may be internal injuries.

"This can't be happening. . . . " cried Yolei as she buried her face in Ken's shoulder. Ken felt numb inside and appeared unsure of what to do. He glanced over where Mimi was crying torrents of tears against Michael's chest. Sora had her arms wrapped tightly around herself, her own tears flowing freely. Izzy furiously typed at his computer, hoping to find some sort of way to save TK and Kari.

"What. . . what happened?" asked Willis.

Begin Flashback

Cody Voice Over: "It was just before you and Michael arrived."

The newer digidestined waited. This was the lull before the storm. They were about to face the ultimate evil power in the Digiverse, Mega Apocolymon. Davis was self-assured. Yolei and Cody were nervous. Ken was unsure. TK and Kari. . . That was another story. Of this group, only they had faced this powerful an evil before. Both were extremely worried. TK sat under a tree while they waited for the older kids to arrive. Patamon sat next to him dejectedly. Kari and Gatomon walked over to them. TK patted the grass beside him. Nodding, Kari sat down. She didn't trust herself to speak. Instead she buried her face in TK's shoulder. Likewise TK buried his face in Kari's hair. Gatomon sat down next to Patamon and lay her head on his back.

"What does he think he's doing with Kari?" asked Davis, his eyes clenched.

"Davis, stop that. This is not the time," said Ken.

"But he's making a move on my girl," protested Davis.

"TK and Kari have faced this before," said Cody. "I'm sure there are a lot of bad memories that they need to sort out together. Just leave them alone."

"But. . . ."

"You can take this up with him after the battle," said Ken. "There are more important things to be concerned with."

Only Patamon and Gatomon could hear what transpired between Kari and TK.

"TK. . . . do you remember when we battled Piedmon?" asked Kari in a small voice.

"I remember all the battles," he returned in a somber tone.

"You promised. . . ."

"I know. I won't let anything happen to you," he said, tightening his grip on her.

"Thanks TK." She paused for a few long moments. "TK. . . I. . . ."

"Shhhh. . . . don't say anything you may regret later."

"I may regret it if I don't say it."

Before TK could reply, the older digidestined appeared. They had been trying to find their own Digimon, who were spread across the island. "Everyone present and accounted for?" asked Tai.

"Everyone except Michael and Willis," said Davis with a sideways glance at TK and Kari.

"I don't think we'll be able to wait," said Izzy as the sky grew black as night.

Cody's VO: "We weren't ready. We had planned to catch Mega Apocolymon unawares, but he knew we were coming and attacked before we were at full strength. The DNA Digivolutions weren't working. . . . Our Digimon split and were battling at their highest Digivolutions they could manage."

"Our DigiEggs!" exclaimed Yolei. "They're not working!"

"Those DigiEggs are as pathetic as the crests and tags," sneered Mega Apocolymon. "With or without them, you'll never destroy me."

"Wait, the golden digimental still works!" said Davis. Veemon digivolved to Magnamon to prove his point.

"Nooooo. . . ." protested Gatomon. Since the digidestined had sealed the firewall the last time, they had given up the power of the tags and crests. She was unable to digivolve further.

"GATOMON!" shrieked Kari as the Digimon narrowly avoided one of Mega Apocolymon's blasts. Kari began to feel very strange. . . she could only remember feeling this way twice before. Once when freeing the Numamon, and once when freeing the Scubamon. Energy flowed through her, suffusing her with a pink glow. "This has gone far enough."

"Kari, I feel it. . . Gatomon, Digivolve to Angewomon!"

Cody's VO: "Mega Apocolymon saw that Kari was responsible for Angewomon's Digivolution. She was his first victim. . . . " Cody paused in his narration. It was difficult to continue.

Davis' VO picking up the story: "TK saw the blast hit her. I guess something in him snapped, 'cause suddenly he shouts her name. . . ."

"AAAAIIIIIEEEEE!!!!!!" screamed Kari. Pain shot through her body. Incredible, searing pain. She crumpled to the ground.

"KARI" shouted TK. He ran to her side. "Kari, speak to me. . . ." he begged as he knelt beside her.

"TK. . . ." she managed with a weak smile. "I. . . lo. . ." before she could continue farther, she passed out.

"KARI NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!" Tears streamed down TK's face. Anger and sadness brought forth energy from deep within him.

Davis' VO: "There was some kind of glow around TK, then Angemon digivolved again to MagnaAngemon."

"How did you. . . ." began Mega Apocolymon. "Never mind. You'll join her."

Davis' VO: "Mega Apocolymon blasted him too. . . . " Davis choked back a sob.

Cody's VO: "TK could have run. Instead he tried to shield Kari from any further injury. . . ."

End Flashback

Davis forced back another sob as he looked at the battered bodies of Kari and TK being held by their brothers. It wasn't fair. . . . It should have been him lying there instead of Kari. If he hadn't been so absorbed with watching Magnamon. . . .

"When we arrived, we saw Matt and Tai's Digimon warp digivolving," said Michael. "I guess that was when they saw. . . . "

"Yeah. . . . if you hadn't arrived when you did, Matt and Tai might be joining them. . . . ," said Sora through her tears.

The Digimon stood around the humans, not daring to venture closer. Most had reverted to rookie or in training forms and sustained some form of injury. Only Magnamon, MangaAngemon, and Angewomon remained digivolved. Magnamon looked at the two angels. He could see there was a pain that went deeper than was obvious. Wormmon limped over to them, one of his legs injured in the battle.

"They're slipping away," whispered Angewomon. "Their bodies. . . the damage is too severe to be healed. I can feel Kari's life energy weakening with each moment." She crumpled to the ground, tears flowing from under her helmet.

"TK is dying as well," added MagnaAngemon in a low, controlled voice. "I was supposed to protect him, and I let him down."

Wormmon thought for a moment. "There may be one way. . . . " he said. Magnamon, MagnaAngemon, and Angewomon looked at him.

"How?" asked the angels in unison.

"It's not safe. It's not a guaranteed method. And none of you will ever be the same after it," said Wormmon.

"You mean. . . . " began Magnamon. Wormmon just nodded. "LIFE DNA DIGIVOLVE?!? It has never been done before!"

MagnaAngmeon closed his eyes. He would give his life to save TK. He remembered his loneliness as Patamon when TK had left. This way they would never be apart. But neither of them would ever be the same. And what about Angewomon?

"I was separated from Kari for too long," said Angewomon resolutely as she stood, echoing MagnaAngemon's thoughts. She and MagnaAngemon strode forward.

"We have to talk them out of this," protested Magnamon.

"If it were Davis, wouldn't you do the same?" said Wormmon. "I would for Ken." Magnamon's shoulders slumped as he slowly nodded. "They'll need your help."

Izzy typed furiously. Matt and Tai looked like they were on the verge of emotional breakdown. Joe tried to make Kari and TK as comfortable as possible. His hopes of their survival were dying with TK.

The two angels looked at each other and nodded. This was the only way. Without a word, Angewomon walked over, lifted Kari and held her close. MagnaAngemon did likewise. Startled, Matt and Tai fell backwards.

"Wait a minute," protested Joe. "You could cause further injuries!"

"NO!" shouted Matt.

"WHAT ARE THEY DOING!" yelled Tai.

Magnamon stepped forward and put his hands on their shoulders. "This is the only way to save TK and Kari. "

Golden glows suffused both angels, but the glows faltered. "Magnamon. . . . please. . . . " said MagnaAngemon, pain evident in his voice. With a reluctant nod, Magnamon relinquished the energy of the Golden Digimental. The glows brightened. The other Digidestined shielded their eyes. Those still watching could barely make out the forms of Kari and Angewoman. . . . and TK and MagnaAngemon. . . . merging. . .

"KARI!" shouted Tai.

"TK!" shouted Matt.

The two jumped forward to find themselves held back by Izzy and Davis. "They know what they're doing," said Izzy.

Slowly the glow subsided. The two angels rose to their feet. The only signs of TK and Kari were TK's hat and Kari's camera, both discarded on the ground. All of the Digidestined stared in surprise.

"Where. . . . where are they. . . ?" stammered Matt.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO THEM!?!" shouted Tai. Davis tightened his grip on the older boy.

"Tai, please do not be angry. This was the only way," said Angewomon. Tai's eyes widened. The angel Digimon's voice had changed. . . . sounding more like a mature version of Kari. On second glance, he realized that Angewomon's hair was now the same chestnut shade as his sister.

"K-K-Kari. . . ????"

"Kari and Angewomon are one being now," interjected MagnaAngemon. "As are TK and I. "

Matt went limp. Izzy released his grip on him. Weakly Matt dropped to his knees. "No. . . no. . . . "

Izzy studied the two Digimon more closely. MagnaAngemon's hair was now a similar shade to TK's. Both angels smiled the smiles of the two youths. Though the smiles were forced, to try and put the others at ease. "Is this. . . . was this. . . . a DNA Digivolution?"

"In a way," confirmed Angewomon. "But we are permanently one being. Kari and I will never exist as individual beings again. " Tai slumped in Davis' grasp. The other Digidestined were in varying states of shock.

"Kari and TK were too weak," explained MagnaAngemon. His voice also resembled that of TK's. "They would not have survived long enough to receive medical attention."

"But they're gone. . . " said Matt weakly.

"We're still alive bro. . . . " it sounded strange coming from MagnaAngemon. "We're just part of someone else. I have the memories of both TK and MagnaAngemon. . . . "

"We're not gone. We're just not," Angewomon grasped for the right words. "Not an individual entity. I have the memories of Angewomon _and _ Kari," added Angewomon.

"There has to be another way. . . . " protested Tai.

"It was the only way," said Wormmon as he limped forward. "Both Angewomon and MagnaAngemon have technically sacrificed part of themselves so that TK and Kari would live."

"This is a nightmare," said Matt.

"Perhaps this is meant to be," said Sora as she fought further tears. "Had they died, they would have become angels. This way they're still alive. . . . to a degree. "

"TK and Kari always seemed to have an unusual connection to the Digital world," said Cody thoughtfully. "Very different from any of us."

"Don't be angry Tai," said Angewoman in a gentle tone. "I will still be here. "

"I will too, Matt" said MagnaAngemon. "We've. . . just grown up a lot faster, and in an unusual way."

Ken watched silently. The crying. . . . the shock. . . . he, Michael, and Wills, while surprised, appeared the most in control of their senses. Wormmon limped over to him. "The digiport is opening," said the Digimon in a low voice.

Ken knew he had to say something. "I. . . . think it's time. . . . we returned to the real world," he said. The other Digidestined looked at him in surprise. "Look at yourselves. Everyone is cut, bruised, and exhausted. Angewomon and MagnaAngemon. . . . TK and Kari will oversee things here."

"Perhaps. . . ," began Willis, "We should now call them KarAngewomon and TakAngemon. Since they are now neither one or the other."

"Ken's right," said Davis, forcing back his own feelings and ignoring Willis' attempt at humor. Now that Kari and Angewomon were one, he knew he would never have her.

"I am not leaving," stated Tai as the tears rolled down his face.

"Me neither," added Matt.

The other male Digidestined exchanged glances. Tai and Matt didn't know what hit them. Davis looked up at MagnaAngemon. "T -take care of Kari. . . . "

"You know I will Davis," returned MagnaAngemon.

"We should go before they wake up," said Izzy. He and Davis lifted Tai while Joe and Willis carried Matt. Michael kept his arm around Mimi. Yolei refused to let go of Ken.

"The digiport won't stay open long," said Angewomon. Sora and Cody lingered behind as the others returned to the real world. "Please, take care of them. "

"We'll come back soon," said Cody. He looked around at the rookie and in-training Digimon, most of whom sustained various injuries. Upamon was cut and bruised, but was in good hands.

"Don't worry, we'll take care of them," said MagnaAngemon.

"Sora, please. . . try to explain everything to our parents," added Angewoman. Demiveemon picked up TK's hat and Kari's camera and handed them to Cody.

"I will," said Sora as she embraced Angewomon, then MagnaAngemon.

"Come on. . . . ," said Cody. With a final wave, the two humans disappeared through the digiport. The two angels remained.

MagnaAngemon and Angewomon turned and looked at each other. There was much to talk about, but much to do first. Angewomon fought back her own tears. There would be time for that later. Hand in hand, they went to see to their fellow Digimon.