***Author's Note***

***Author's Note***

Sorry again for taking a while to get this chapter out. I had standardized testing and all so anyway, thanks to those of you who reviewed last chapter! And please do it again!

Disclaimer: You all know it. It's always the same.

Dedication: You all know it. ~*Liz*~ who's also a great writer. Don't think I mentioned that before.

Lost and Found in New York

Chapter 3: Truths Revealed

By: ME jus1digigirl *Maura*

"Mimi?"

Startled by hearing someone call her by her real name after so many years, Mimi dropped the stick she held in her hand. The flame in the lantern flickered making shadows on the walls. Holding her breath, she waited and a face, half hidden in the dark, appeared in the doorway.

Seconds passed by. Then, "Mimi?" he said again. Stepping in, the young man walked over slowly and kneeled down before her, never once taking his eyes off her. His eyes she could see were slightly watery and she too felt the tears once again fall. "Is it really you?"

Not being able to speak for nothing in her life had ever prepared for such a reunion. Opening her mouth, she tried to lie to Izzy and say that she was someone else but her heart couldn't and wouldn't allow her to. However, she need not answer because the slient tears slipping down her rosy cheeks were answer enough for her dear friend.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Izzy made his way to the little room from which a faint glow of light emitted. Taking a deep breath, he stuck his head in. "Mimi?" He walked in and kneeled in front of his long-lost friend not quite sure if he was dreaming or not. "Is it really you?"

He saw her stuggle to talk but her emotions running high, she could not. However, the tears that fell from her beautiful brown eyes told him all he needed to know. He could feel his own eyes beginning to water and holding out his arms, she fell into them, sobbing. Wrapping his arms around her, he sat down and gently patted her back trying to murmer soothing words but he could taste his salt tears in his mouth. Deciding that the best thing would be to talk once they were done crying, he let out his own feelings and more tears fell atop the girl's head.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Falling into Izzy's arms, Mimi sobbed uncontrollably. She felt him embrace her and it felt so nice and warm, a friendly face, a friendly feeling, something she had not experienced for a while. After a few minutes, she lifted up her face and suddenly jerked away from Izzy, remembering all that had happened since she last saw him. She didn't notice the surprised look on his face, as she pulled away and stared at the dirty wooden floor.

"Mimi," he took her right hand in his hand. So warm and caring it felt. "What happened? I-I-the others and I, we've been so-so worried thinking you dead or lost--all these years never knowing--I don't understand--come into the club and...and..." he didn't finish and Mimi felt terrible as she heard him choke back sobs.

But she couldn't tell him. He wouldn't understand. No one else did so how was he any different? She tried to pull her hand away but felt she couldn't. And that's when a little voice in her head told her, Tell him. He will understand.

"No he won't," she whispered, not realizing she had spoken aloud.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

He wanted to hug her again, to make her warm and comfort her from whatever was hurting her inside. He felt her try and remove her hand from the grasp of his but then, she stopped. He hadn't even been holding it so very hard. Izzy continued to look at the back of her head, wanting to ask her again to tell him what happened all those long lost years when he suddenly heard her say something.

"No he won't."

Confused, he asked, "Who won't what?" Not getting an answer he took a deep breath and opened his mouth. "Mimi, please. Please tell me what happened and how all this came to be. I'm your friend and I always have been. I've kept your memory alive in my heart. I-I care for you Mimi. I always have since we first went to the Digital World and-and at first, I cared for you like a friend and then, well, I didn't and it just broke my heart when I got the news of your disappearance after-after...Mimi, even if you don't care for me anymore, please just tell me, I think I deserve to know what happened. It's been too long and I finally find you and..." again he trailed off, shocked that that long speech, his feeling for her had come rushing out of his mouth like a fast-flowing stream.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Mimi's eyes watered as she listened to Izzy speak. His words filled her heart and very slowly, she turned her tear-stained face to face him. His eyes were slightly glistening. "Izzy."

Izzy lifted a hand and touched her cheek briefly before lowering it. This touch of caring encouraged her to tell him all that had happened. He did deserve to know.

"Mimi, if you want to talk about it later, I understand. I can take you to my apartment I share with my friend and we can talk in the morning." Izzy offered in a soft voice. "I'm more than willing to have you over."

But no, she had to get this over with now. She shook her head at him, shifted around to sit in a more comfortable position to tell a story and began with a quivering voice, which later grew stronger:

"It began four years ago. It was summer and I was eighteen of course. All ready to go to a new collage and start a new life there. My parents had paid good money for it and threw me a wonderful party. All my fri-all the people I knew came. The entire school I suppose. Everything was great. Well, the night of the party, I was out in the backyard dancing, my parents had taken a cab to the movies for a little while to get away from the party noise and crazy teens.

Anyway, there I was dancing when someone came running up to me in panic. She told me to follow her inside and I did. It was the most terrible moment in my life when I walked into the living room. There on two separate sofas, were my parents, both minutes away from death. I ran to them crying. It was-oh Izzy! It was horrible! Seeing your only parents lying there almost dead while you stand there and wonder, how did it happen? Just one little night can change your life so drastically. Police and the paramedics were also in the room. They informed me that they were going to leave the room so I could be with them the last minutes of their life. I was, however, they could barely speak or move. The last words--the last words my parents told me were, 'We love you' and then...then, they simply passed away. I sat there too shocked to cry or even move. I just stared unblinking.

Five minutes later, the police came in and found me in the same position, shocked. It took a while to get me to recover from it but once I did, I couldn't stop crying for an entire day! Later, they told me that it had happened in a car crash. The cab driver that had been bringing my parents back home was drunk and he had crashed into an old building. That building though was falling apart and as soon as he made contact with it, huge bricks fell down on the back section of the car where my parents sat. The cabby was unharmed, may he go to hell, and was charged with drunk driving and being the cause of the death of my parents. He was sent to jail for a few years. Don't know where he is now. It's just not fair! Because of some drunk idiot, innocent people died while he didn't even get a scratch!" At this, Mimi wiped a few tears away.

"Well, the funeral took place a few days after. Many people came but it was mostly all these business people who said that my dad owed them money or these women who said that my mom had borrowed clothes from them and never returned. I found out that my parents had a few unpaid debts but even though there were a few, the sum of the money totaled a lot. Then there was the fact that I still had to be cared for and bank loans and everything. The government decided to sell the house and everything in it. I saved a few treasured things, pictures, my mom's favorite perfume. She always smelled like it. My dad's cologne, their wedding ring, Mom's favorite scarf and her cookbook of crazy recipes. She was always trying to cook up something new. My dad's gold club and his favorite tie. I also managed to grab some of my things before the sale. You wouldn't believe how horrible and torturous it was! All these strangers coming and buying things that once belonged to you and your parents and taking it all." Mimi had to stop again to take another very shaky breath.

Izzy used this pause to ask a question that had lingered in his mind. "What about your friends here?"

Looking back up at him, her eyes filled up once more, not only from sadness but from anger as well. "My friends indeed! As soon as everything had been sold, I was no longer a rich girl. The government and state took away all my rights and property. I never did understand politics and such very much and everything happened so fast I didn't know what to do. As soon as I had become poor, I went to my friends for comfort but they shunned me off as if I was a-a-street rat! It was then that I realized that they had only taken to me because of my beauty, my popularity, and my wealth."

"Why didn't you call us then?" Izzy asked. Mimi figured that 'us' was referring to him and the other DigiDestined.

Hanging her head, she continued, "I-I guess I was afraid. My friends here in New York shoved me away and it hurt. I didn't know if I could deal with it if you guys did that and I figured I wouldn't have to if you never knew. I'm sorry for all the pain I caused you all but I couldn't deal with it all. I know lots of eighteen year olds have probably lost their parents and they manage to deal with it somehow but I was always treated like a little girl and I enjoyed it. Mom and Dad always were there for me and then, right after I lost them, I lost the people whom I thought were my friends.

After that, I couldn't take it. I ran away using the little money that I had and went off to Rhode Island. It's not very far but no one ever recognized me and then I came back here and found a job as-as a showgirl. The pay was fair enough for me and I was desperate. I never imagined meeting you in the club Izzy. And please don't think I like doing all those shows. It's such an ugly feeling! All those nasty men and women aren't much better off. One night--one night, I was leaving through the back doors to go home, by the way, I managed to rent a small, low pay apartment. Anyway, I was leaving work when this huge man grabbed me and-and he tried to make me go home with him. I refused. I kicked him and screamed. He hit me over the head with a metal trashcan and I fell. Luckily, the police had decided to patrol the streets that night and saved me from the terror! I had never been so terrified in my life! And I had no friends.

Everyday and night, I went on with a lonely, empty feeling in my heart and then, tonight, when I came on stage, I saw your face, brighter than any, and every memory from my childhood came flooding back and it was just too much and without thinking, I came here and then you followed and then you know. And before you say anything Izzy, I really am sorry for making you and the rest worry. Please don't think I didn't care about you because I did. Oh I worried and dreamed about what was happening to you all every night. Wondering if you'd achieved your dreams, wondering if any of you got married, wondering how you had gotten on with your life. And I know that I should have-have called you or contacted you in someway to tell you not to worry but I couldn't. Even though I knew that I cared for you, I didn't know if you cared for me. My mind was so jumbled that I couldn't bring myself to let you know. But just know that everything I prayed for all your safety. Especially yours."

Once she had finished, Mimi sat there, still, not knowing what reaction Izzy might have to this. She knew that she had made a big mistake, not letting him and the others know what had happened to her but she just hoped with all her heart that he would forgive her.

After a few minutes' silence, Izzy spoke, "Mimi. I want you to know that I completely understand what you went through even though I didn't go through it myself. The last four years but have been so lonely for you. Being all alone and lost here on the streets of New York. Not letting any of us know. But I don't want you to be sorry alright? I'm the one who should be sorry. I'm sorry that I didn't look harder for you, that I didn't do everything in my power to find you. I cared for you but when you disappeared, I didn't know what to do. You've been through a terrible ordeal and had to deal with it yourself but listen to me. You're not alone anymore. You're not lost anymore. You've been found. By me. If you want to try and live out the rest of your life better than this, you can. I can and will help you Mimi. You never knew it, no one did really, but I cared for you so deeply that it hurt. I cried for weeks after you vanished and never gave up hope that you might show up one day. I prayed night and day for god to watch over you and to take me to you or bring you to me." He took a deep breath and Mimi finally looked up at him. He stared deep into her eyes. "Mimi, what I'm trying to say is what you want to hear. I forgive you Mimi. For what, I don't know but I do know that I love you even if you don't love me. I always have and always will love you Mimi Taichikawa."

And then, before her brain had time to register what had happened, he leaned over and pressed his lips against hers. Taken in by this sudden display of emotion by Izzy, she didn't pull away. This was the moment she had been waiting and hoping for day after day since she was a young teenager. Eyes closed, they shared the moment and time stopped. It seemed that after so many years of loneliness, she was finally experiencing true happiness. This kiss helped to melt away the bitterness she felt for her so-called friends, helped her to be able to take in the reality after so long. Izzy was the one who cared. It didn't matter about the people she knew before. Izzy was here. After about a minute or so, they pulled apart, and both blushed deep scarlet.

"Umm-I'm so-sorry Mi-Mimi. I uh-did-didn't...wasn't thinking. I'm s-sorry," Izzy stuttered. Mimi just now had been thinking that the sudden kiss was also a very un-Izzylike thing to do but now his old self returned. Reaching out a soft white hand, she touched Izzy's red cheek and for the first time in years, she gave him a slow, genuine smile.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Izzy again shocked himself as he pulled Mimi into a passionate, one-minute long kiss. When they had pulled apart, he became aware of what he had done and tried to apologize but instead, saw Mimi put a hand on his cheek and smile. She smiled! I made her happy! He cried joyfully.

"Izzy, you truly are a friend. Before now, I had been carrying the weight of all what I told you on my shoulders and in my heart. It wouldn't leave and everyday, the load got heavier and my heart sank lower. But this night, just now, with you listening and doing what you did made all that weight dissolve and I have a feeling that it will never come back again. You helped me, talked to me, listened to me and found me after I was lost four years. I forgot myself, forgot the kindness and caring ness of you and I love you too."

Izzy sat shocked never expecting to hear those three words uttered from the mouth of the girl, now a young woman, whom he had fallen for many years ago. He was more shocked about what he was hearing than Mimi had been when she received the kiss. But now, instead of receiving, Mimi leaped into the shocked Izzy's lap and gave him another kiss. Realizing what was happening, Izzy embraced her, finally happy, his worry about her gone because she was right here on his lap and now, he was going to help her make up for all the lost years and they would get through everything together.

***Author's Note***

Whew! I'm done! Hope it was good. I don't think I quite captured all the emotionalness (that's not a word is it? Oh well) but I tried. Please review. I'm debating on whether or not to write an epilogue or not. Tell me if you want one okay? Depends on how many people ask for one and then I'll decide. Lata!

*Maura*