The Smoke That Covers My Life

To Hell and Back

A/n: Well, here's the sequel to Smoke. I can't believe that so many people liked that! Thank you to all of the reviewers, who have reviewed my work, I really appreciate it!

^_^

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A year has passed since we threw his a*s into a furnace, and threw his ashes into the depths of the ocean. His days on this world have left a forever scar upon my life…literally. I haven't told anyone of my brush with Hell, nor have I shown its mark. Mama and Mimi only know because Mimi was there and Mama's family…

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"…What?! The beach!…Mimi, you know that I won't go swimming…Yeah, yeah, I know…Fine, fine, I'll come." *click* I hung up the phone and went to my room. I opened my closet and got out my bikini and some wind pants. I remembered what I had done the day that I was released from the hospital. I put all of my shorts in a box and burned them all, burned all the memories of him, and burned my future of ever showing my leg ever again. I got dressed, put on my sandals, and headed to the beach.

"Sora! Over here!"

"Huh? Taichi!" I ran over to Taichi, who was with the others.

"I missed you." He whispered in my ear as we embraced.

"Its only been a day."

"I know, but still…"

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"You should enjoy your life while you still have one. My brother failed at killing you, and now it's my turn to pick up where he left off…as always."

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I walked along the beach shore as the cool surf of the ocean ran over my feet. I came across a rock and decided to stay and enjoy the scenery. The sun's rays of heat felt good as they bathed my skin. From my vantage point, I could see my friends out in the water and felt a longing to do what they could and thought of the thing that held me back from joining them; the scar on my leg. I was scared and angered to look or think about it and the story that it carried. I tried to take my mind off it as I scanned the horizon, and out of the corner of my eye I saw two figures, a small girl and a man…

"Sora, I told you not to say anything. You know what the consequence is, now you and your mother will pay for your stupidity!" his words circled within my head, tearing at my attempts to block out the bad memories.

"Get out! You're dead!" I screamed as I jumped off the rock I was sitting on and ran down the shoreline.

"You'll never get rid of me, I'm your father…" his voice disappeared with that last statement. I continued to walk down the beach aimlessly when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I came back to reality and turned around, hitting whoever, or whatever, was behind me.

"Go away, you've already ruined my life!" I said as I completely turned around, facing what was behind me. "Oh my God. Taichi, I'm so sorry, I thought that you were something else."

"Something? Like what?"

"It's my father."

"Your father? But isn't he dead?"

"Yes, but…" Now as I remembered him, I started to break down, sobbing. "…he haunts me every time I see…" I realized what I was saying and I quickly stopped myself.

"See what?"

"Umm…"

"Sora, see what?"

"Never mind, it's not important. I have to leave now. Good-bye Taichi." I replied as I ran off.

"Hey Taichi. Where'd Sora go?" Mimi asked as she came over with the others.

"I have no idea why, but we were talking and all of a sudden she said that she had to leave and then she ran off."

"What were you talking about?"

"Well if it's any of your business, Yamato, we I heard her yelling out loud. I think it was something about ruining her life. I came up behind her and she hit me as she turned around. She apologized and said that she thought that I was someone else."

"Like who?"

"Her father. After she told me that, she started crying and said that he haunts her every time she sees something."

"Something? She didn't tell you?"

"No, she didn't tell me. Do any of you have any idea what she's talking about?"

"Actually…I do." Mimi mumbled under her breath. Everyone looked at her with puzzlement. "Well, here goes. Do you all remember the news report last year about the escaped convict who died and that his daughter was in the hospital with a knife wound and smoke inhalation?"

"Yeah so what? How does that have to do with Sora?"

"That was Sora."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, Taichi. I'm sure. I was there when it happened. I saw everything."

"So what did her father do to her?"

"I'm not sure of all the details, but I do know that he cut a large gash in her leg from here to here." Mimi replied as she motioned from the cuff of her shorts to her ankle, as Sora's gash was.

*Later that night*

*ring*

"Hello? Oh hi Taichi."

"How come you never told us?"

"Tell who, what?"

"Us. The Digidestined. You know, the team."

"What didn't I tell you?"

"C'mon, Sora. You know exactly what I'm talking about."

"No I don't, Taichi. What?! What is it that you need to know?!"

"Why don't you ever wear shorts anymore, Sora? Could it be that you had a little mishap with your father last year?"

"…H-how do you know about that?"

"Mimi told all of us today, after you left. Why didn't you tell us?

"Do you have any idea the pain he caused me? Do you know hard it is for me to even think of those days?"

"I would if you would just tell me!"

"You don't understand…I'm hardly able to think about it without breaking down. It's eating away at me, Taichi."

"Just try to tell me, help me to understand so I can help you, Sora."

"It's too late for help…" *click*

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"It's not too late for help now, Sora. If you reach for help now, you might be able to save yourself. Although, when I'm through with my job, you'll need all the help you can get."

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After I hung up with Taichi, there was something that I needed to say to Mimi, the one I thought I could trust.

"Hello? Oh hi Sora. Is there something wrong?"

"As a matter a fact, there is. You."

"Me? What did I do?"

"You don't know?! I trusted you not to say anything, but you had to go and open your big mouth and tell them. How COULD you do that?! I trusted you just like a sister and you betrayed me. I know now that I'll never be able to trust you ever again!"

"Sora, please, you don't understand. They all were worried and they wanted to know, I felt that I had to tell them."
"Sure, that's it, I don't understand. The only thing I can't understand is why I even thought that I could trust you in the first place, good-bye!" I concluded as I slammed the phone down. 'How could she do that to me? The only thing that I couldn't share with the others, why did she betray me like that? Was I too hard on her? Maybe I don't understand…' I thought as I went and laid down on my bed. As I peered into the darkness of my room, I began to wonder about the day's events; did I do a wrong thing by not telling them in the first place? Is Mimi right? Do I not understand? Is it really too late for help? My eyelids slowly shut as I fell into the realm of dreams…

*Dream Sequence*

I found myself in the apartment. I saw a dark figure with a gun pointed at something near the door, and it felt as if I already knew who the dark figure was. There was a shadow by the door, so I couldn't see what the gun was pointed at. Flashing lights from the police illuminated the apartment. A low snicker came from the figure, and that's when it happened… The figure then turned and fired the gun at me. I tried to shut my eyes, but they refused to close. As the bullet whizzed its way though the air toward me, the unexpected happened. The figure near the door ran in front of me and took the bullet that was meant to strike me. They fell to the ground in a small pool of blood that had fallen from the wound; my eyes slowly fell to look upon the one who was willing to give their life…for me. I looked at their face and what I saw was horrible…it was…Taichi

*End Dream*

I woke up, half-screaming and half-sobbing. Someone was trying to kill me, but Taichi would give his life so that I could live. I lay awake in my bed, wondering if that dream was some sort of vision, or sign of the future. Whatever it was, I knew I had to stop it…

*ring*

"Hello? Is that you, Sora?"

"Yeah, it's me. Listen, I need to talk to you about something."

"What?"

"Well, I've been having this dream, and something horrible happens."

"Like what?"

"…I…you…I mean…I'm sorry, Taichi…I can't tell you what happens, but something horrible happens and I think that it's just better if both of us go our separate ways, so that no one gets hurt." By now, warm tears were streaming down my face.

"…Why? Sora, whatever happens, you know I'd do anything to protect you, even give my life for you."

*click*

"I already know…" I whispered into the air as I hung up on him. I didn't want to…it's just that there was nothing else I could do…

Later that night, after dinner, I went to my room and found that my radio was on…

"…I know, deep within my heart, it doesn't matter if it's wrong or right. All I know is baby…I really need you…tonight. And that was the Backstreet Boys with 'I need you tonight'. Requested from Courage to Love, whatever that means."

I stared at the radio for about 5 minutes as the words circled through my head, ripping at what was left of my broken heart. The phone rang, and knocked me back to reality.

"Hello?"

"Hi! It's me, what's up?"

"Hey Mimi. Nothings' up. Hey, I'm sorry I yelled at you the last time we talked."

"That's okay, you were just stressed out. Why so gloomy?"

"No reason."

"Well there has to be a reason, you aren't usually like this."

"There is NO reason!"

"OK, you don't have to bite my head off again. I just called to see if you were coming to Yamato's concert tonight. So are you?"
"Yeah, I guess."

"You commin' with Taichi?"

"No."

"Oh. Is there something wrong?"

"No, I'm just not going with him tonight, is there a problem with me going alone?"

"I guess now. Well, I'll see you tonight."

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*2 hours before the concert*

"Sora, I leaving now!"

"Bye Mama! Have a nice trip!" Mama was leaving for a business trip in America, so I got the apartment all to myself.

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"Yes…this works out perfectly. You did a mistake by letting her live, sister. Take a good look at that little slut, it's the last time you'll see her…of coarse, they might need you to identify what's left of her…

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"Before we pack up, there's a very good friend of mine who'd like to sing a song. This song represents a love that was shared, and a love that was lost, but not completely gone…" The lights faded down as Yamato finished talking and the music started. When the spotlight went up, I was shocked at who was there. It was Taichi. He was wearing a white suit; he looked at me and started to sing…

"It's not that I can't live without you. It's just that I don't even want to try. Every night I dream about you, ever since the day we said good-bye. If I wasn't such a fool, right now I'd be holdin' you. There's nothin' that I wouldn't do. Baby if I only knew. The words to say, the road to take, to find a way back to your heart. What can I do to get to you, and find a way back to your heart. I don't know how it got so crazy, but I'll do anything to set things right. 'Cause your love is so amazing, baby you're the best thing in my life. Let me prove my love is real, and make you feel the way I feel. I promise I would give the world. If only you would tell me girl. The words to say, the road to take, and find a way back to your heart. What can I do to get to you, and find a way back to your heart. Give me one more chance, to give my love to you. 'Cause no one on this earth loves like I do, tell me. The words to say, the road to take, to find a way to your heart. What can I do to get to you, and find a way back to your heart. I turn back time, to make you mine and find a way back to your heart, I beg and plead, fall to my knees to find a way back to your heart…"

I couldn't take it anymore. Although my heat begged me to stay, my mind told me otherwise. I quietly got up and started to leave.

"Sora, where are you going?" Mimi whispered to me as I was walking away. I turned my head to the side and replied:

"I'm leaving. Tell Taichi that I'm sorry. I didn't mean to break his heart. I didn't want to…"

"…The words to say, the road to take, to find a way back to your heart. What can I do to get to you and find a way back to your heart." *applause*

I heard the applause and I started to walk faster back to the apartment. I eventually broke into a run as small rivers of tears flowed freely down my face. I went into the apartment, shut the door, and went to my room and cried.

Meanwhile…

"Hey Taichi, you were great out there!"

"Thanks, Mimi. Where's Sora?"

"Oh. She…left."

"Left? Why?"

"I don't have any idea. She just got up and left while you were singing."

"Did she say anything?"

"Yeah. She said that she was sorry, she didn't mean to break your heart and that she didn't want to."

"Oh. Well, I've gotta go now, see you later."

"Okay, bye."

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I was sitting on the couch, watching TV when all of a sudden the power went out, and I heard footsteps in the hall…

"Who's there?" I asked into the darkness.

"You sound nervous Sora…is there something to be afraid of?"

"What? Who are you?"

"Sora, Sora. How rude. Don't you even recognize your own uncle?" He said as he emerged from the shadows.

As Taichi walked home, he stopped at Sora's and was about to go in when he heard people talking inside…

"What are you doing here?"

"My, my. You poor, poor child. You must live a very sheltered life. The reason I'm here, if you must know, is to finish what my brother started…to kill you." He replied as he pulled out a gun, the barrel pointed at my heart.

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"Snooping, Mr. Yagami?"

"Wha? Kari, keep it down. Sora's in trouble, go call the police."

"What's wrong, and why do I have to?"

"Kari, now is not the time, Sora could be killed. Just do what I say!" Taichi said, amazingly able to keep his voice to a whisper.

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"Did you hear that, Sora? We have guests for our party." He whispered.

"Go to hell, you bastard. You're just as much as a sicko as my father was."

"Oooooo, strong words…now you'll pay. Time to end this."

"Noooooo!" Taichi yelled as he burst through the door, and was about to run in front of me when a click stopped him dead in his tracks.

"Tsk, tsk. Didn't your mother teach you not to barge into peoples business?" my uncle said as his aim changed to Taichi. After standing there for awhile, I tried to sneak up on him to take the gun from him, but he saw me before I could make two steps. "Don't you even think of moving, or your little hero here gets to eat lead."

"You wouldn't…"

"Would you like me to prove you wrong, Sora?"

"…"

"That's what I thought. Now be a good little girl and keep your mouth shut! Or else…" he was cut off by lights from the police as they lit up the apartment.

"Put the weapon down and put your hands behind your back!" a policeman said as he and his squad came in the door, their guns pointed at my uncle.

"Look Sora, more guests."

"Sir, no one will get hurt if you just put the gun down and come with us quietly."

"Oh, but that's where you're wrong, someone will get hurt." He snickered as he pivoted and shot the gun at me…

"No…this is just like my dream…" I whispered under my breath as I looked toward the door. The police also shot their guns and the bullets sailed through the air like silent owls. They found their target as they struck my uncle in the chest and between the eyes…just like my father…

He fell to the ground as a bloody mass of flesh…

I then looked to the left and I saw Taichi. He was coming at me as fast as he could, going to intercept the blow…I couldn't let that happen again…

"Taichi no!" I yelled as I pushed him out of the way, putting myself back into the bullets' path. Time seemed to slowdown as the bullet came closer and closer to me. All I could hear was the pounding of my heart growing louder and louder as each second passed, crawling like years. The bullet burned its way though my flesh as a falcon would dive for its prey. It tore though the muscle between my ribs and the vacuum that was created collapsed my ribs, cracking and breaking many in the process. The sound of my ribs surrendering to the bullets' power was enormous, just like lighting striking a tree, and the pain was so excruciating, words cannot explain it. The solitary bullet came to rest as it embedded itself into the top of my heart. I screamed in agony as was knocked to the floor, acknowledging that the falcon had succeeded…

Taichi was at my side in an instant, tears in his eyes.

"Why Sora? Why?"

"You…would've died…I couldn't have b-…bared to see that…again."

"Again? What do you mean again?"

"My d-…dream. You d-…died in my arms…"

"*gasp* So that's why you dumped me."

"I…don't have…tha-that much time, Taichi." I said through my tears and short breaths as they held onto life by a thread. I could hear my heartbeat becoming slower and slower…I struggled to lift my hand to his face to wipe away the tears that fell from his chocolate-brown eyes over his tanned face. "Don't worry…w-we'll…be…together again…someday…"

"Sora…please don't leave me now, I need you…"

"I'm…sorry…Tai-Taichi…I wish I could stay longer…but I-…I can't…"

"Promise me, please…promise you'll wait for me."

"…Hai, Taichi…forever…"

*Taichi's POV*

Those were her last words to me as her hand slowly fell from my face on to the freshly bloodstained carpet. Her eyes turned up into her head slowly and I knew for sure that she was gone. I stroked her cheek with the back of my hand for one last time, wiping away her tears and gently shut her eyes. I then got up and walked out of the apartment's door, my suit no longer white as freshly fallen snow, but stained in places with red. It looked like something that you would see in war pictures, snow that was red from the soldiers' blood. It was her blood. Blood that symbolized a girl lost in the war of…life…"

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"Tonight, tragedy struck Odaiba when 19 year old Sora Takenouchi was shot to death in her apartment by her uncle, who was also shot and killed by police. A similar incident happened exactly one year ago when Sora's father tried to kill her. That poor young woman saw and experienced things in one year than one person would be unfortunate enough to experience in their whole lifetime. Some would say that Sora went to Hell and back. But did she ever really come back from the living Hell? I'm Jun Motimiya reporting for channel 62 news."

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Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon or any of the BSB songs.

A/n: Well, there you go. Did you like it? Sorry for all of you people who didn't want Sora to die, but hey, it makes it more dramatizing. ^_^ I want to thank Silver for helping me with the title. Thanks! Do you all want a continuing chapter to make this trilogy complete? Please review.

~Biyo~