Every Rose Has It's Thorns
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Disclaimer: As usual, Digimon does not belong to me, it belongs to the people at Toei and Bandai and all of them. You know what I mean. Also, the first set of lyrics are from Savage Garden's "The Lover After Me" they belong to Columbia records, not to me. The second set of lyrics belongs to, well is copyrighted by Nintendo. It is from the Pokemon Movie Album. *Dodges flying things* Aah! Hey, well, it fit perfectly, I just felt that either I use that, or I write my own song, and this option seemed the easiest. K? Oh, also, for that PKMN song, I had to improvise a little on the lyrics ( Gomen *_*;;;), cause I couldn't really get them. I tried, I searched the Internet, but I couldn't find them, so I had to get them from off the CD cause the little booklet thing didn't have the lyrics. K? Also, the third set of lyrics are from the Celine Dion CD, Let's Talk About Love. It's the song, "Love Is on the Way." That's not mine either.Well, any mention of Celeste and Natalie, belongs to me. The plot idea also belongs to me. Well, that's all for the disclaimer. Onto the Author's Note!
Author's Note: Well, as promised, Matt will play a major part in this part! ( But I have to bash him a little.) It's almost completely from his P.O.V. except for like a few tiny parts that have to do with Mimi all right? Also, in this part, Matt's in Florida. K? Oh, BTW, this story begins about a day or so after Mimi left the hospital. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, I suggest you read part one. Also, the Soldier of Sincerity and the Knight of Fiendship are partly from Sailor Moon, but I still created the idea . K? The time frame is sorta messed up I think, but bear with it. Please. Be forewarned, this gets a bit scary in parts!Well onto the story!
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Part Two: Reunion
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His foot, in an unconcious action, slammed on the brakes bringing the car to a screeching halt in the middle of the freeway. He couldn't believe what had just been said. Part of him realized that he had stopped in the middle of the Turnpike, so he pulled off into the serivce lane, shut off the car and sat behind the wheel for a long while as there was a moment of silence.
The outside world span and swirled around him, as his mind tried to grasp what it had just heard, twisting and turning, scrutinzing every word, trying to make sense, but right now, that concept seemed vague, as though it was something he could not understand. Or maybe, something he didn't want to understand.
His fist came down hard upon the streering wheel, sending bolts of pain screaming through his hand, but it was nothing compared to the intense pain that ravaged his heart. He put his sore hand to his chest and grabbed hold of his shirt, hoping that maybe this was just a dream. He pinched himself hard, to confirm that this was indeed not a dream. He leaned back in his seat and stared up blankly at the gray ceiling of his car, his mind spinning and his heart breaking.
No! his mind screamed. It can't be! It can't!
But it is. The realization brought him crashing down to earth. She was gone. She was gone. She was gone forever, never able to return. He would never get to tell her the truth.
He was aware, that the announcer was now speaking again, and he listened, to try and get some information as to the whereabouts of this, 'fianceé'. When he found him, he would crush him with his bear hands! He could just imagine what he would do, but his thoughts were cut short, when the announcer said, " Ms. Tachikawa's fianceé who, up until a few days before she died, was being held on attempted murder and assault, was released on bail and since she died, he has vanished from sight. His wereabouts are unknown. The police have been searching for him, but so far, have not found any trace. His name is Frank Wirani, and he is, at this time…"
His mind trailed of, lost in thought, his heart, buried under pure anger and rage.
Frank… his mind seethed. Who would've thought?! She was going to marry my friend and he killed her!? I should've known that something like this would've happened! I never trusted him and I never should've let my guard down! Now she's gone and it's all his fault!
It is my fault too,he realized. It is my fault. If I hadn't treated her in the awful way that I did, she never would've agreed to marry him and she would still be here today! If she knew I did love her, she would still be here today! It's all my fault!
He felt himself sink into depression again, but this time, there was no one to help him get out of it. No one could get him out of it. No one except her, but she was gone and it was all his fault!
You can still help… a familiar voice whispered. He gasped, that voice was familiar! It was the same one from the DigiWorld! The one who told him that he must protect the Princess.
I can? He asked the voice.
Yes, it replied, but you must keep going in more ways than one! I can tell you no more. You must find out the rest for yourself… The voice trailed off into nothingness.
Wait! His mind called out. I don't understand! But it was too late, the voice was gone and he knew it probably wasn't going to come back.
He sat forward and rested his arms on the steering wheel, deep in thought.
What does it mean, keep going in more ways than one? What could it mean? It might mean, just keep driving and see where I end up, that's a possibility, but then again, maybe it means move on with my life, I don't know. He mulled over this information, contemplating the various meanings of the phrase, when a voice broke his thoughts. This voice, was human, and it, answered his question.
" Are you all right, son?" asked a gruff voice.
He looked out the open window and found that a police officer, a traffic cop, was standing by his car..
" Um, yes sir, I'm fine, I was just thinking."
" Sure you were," said the cop, " well, you'd better finish thinking and get a move on. You can't stay here. Keep on going."
A smile broke out on his face when the cop said that. He resisted the urge to shout joyously and turned to the now puzzled cop and said ecstatically, " Thank you so much! You just solved my problem!"
With that, he turned the key in the ignition and drove off, leaving behind a very puzzled cop.
" Weird kid," the cop muttered as he stared off into the distance and watched the car vanish over the horizon.
***
He kept his eyes glued to the road in front of him as he drove, but his mind wandered great distances. How strange that that cop came up and just gave me the answer like that! It was so weird! He just told me to move on and that was the simple answer I was looking for! How strange!
Some of the joy had vanished from his heart, along with some sorrow, but the anger was still there. He was extremely angry at Frank, but he was probably more angry with himself for not telling the truth when he had the chance. He narrowed his eyes as he stared off into the distance. He was a fool for believing that lying to her would be the best thing. Ha! Look where it had gotten her. She was dead now, and the long term cause was because he lied. It was all because of that one lie! Now, on the other hand, if he hadn't lied, she might still be alive. She still would've moved and all that, but she would never have agreed to marry Frank and she would more than likely be alive today!
He blinked away a tear that threatened to fall and stared ahead at the road. If only she was still alive! If only he could tell her the truth!
He was indeed aware that he hadn't turned off the radio, but something unkown jerked him out of his thoughts. He heard the soft beginning of what he would expect to be a sad song, and he was right. it was sad because of the way it applied to him. This is what he heard:
How will I start
Tomorrow without you here
Whose heart will guide me
When all the answers disappear?
Is it too late?
Are you too far gone to stay
Best friends forever
Should never have to go away
What will I do?
You know I'm only half without you
How will I make it through?
If only tears could bring you back to me
If only love could find a way
What I would do, what I would give if you
Returned to me some day, some how, some way
If my tears could bring you back to me
I've cried you an ocean
If you'd say I'm home again
Waves of emotion
Will carry you and all they can
Just let love guide you
And your heart will chart the course
Soon you'll be drifting
Into the arms of your true north
Look in my eyes
You'll see a million tears have gone by
And still they're not dry
If only tears could bring you back to me
If only love could find a way
What I would do, what I would give if you
Returned to me some day, some how, some way
If my tears could bring you back to me
I'd hold you close
And shout the words I only wished for before
For one more chance, for one last dance
There's another thing that I would love more than all.
If only tears could bring you back to me
If only love could find a way
What I would do what I would give if you
Returned to me some day, some how, some way
If my tears could bring you back to me…
By the time the song was over, he realized that he again had tears in his eyes, but this time, he made no effort to try and hide them. There was no reason to, and also, he felt that if he did, he would just go insane. He knew it wasn't good to hide his emotions and he wasn't going to try.
As the salty tears coursed down his face, he thought of how often this was all he wanted to do. All he wanted to do was cry, and now, that's exactly what he was doing. The tears felt strange and alien to him, but at the same time, he felt worlds better, but he still felt awful. When he cried, he not only cried for himself, but for her death, her family, the rest of the Digidestined, and for everyone who knew her. He also cried for everything that he had wanted to cry for before but never did. Now it was all coming out and he was glad it was. He wanted to pull over again, but he remembered what the voice had said. Keep going…
He did keep driving.
***
A few hours later, he pulled off the Turnpike and headed in to a small city just south of Orlando. As he drove through the deserted city streets, he knew that the city had indeed seen better days, just like him. It looked like it had once been a major area, but now was all but deserted. Still, he was glad for the sense of peace he was getting. He knew people here and he knew it was a good area.
It didn't take him long to find the apartment building where he had rented the apartment. When he did, he parked his car and walked into the building which he knew had once been a fancy hotel. With him, he carried a large suitcase with some belongings in it. The rest were in his car. (A/N: Sometime between the time he left his fianceé's apartment and the time he got to that really long traffic light, he stopped by his apartment and got his stuff since he knew he'd be leaving. K?)
He walked up to a small reception desk and found a woman of about fifty behind it. She was reading a thick novel by the title of Love: Lost and Found. He thought that was strange, but he dismissed it and rang a small bell.
"Excuse me," he said, almost leaning over the desk. " I need to rent an apartment."
" Sorry," said the woman without looking up. " I only have one apartment left and it's taken."
" There must be some misunderstanding," he said, " I called in and…"
She looked up at him, realization dawning on her face. " Oh!" she exclaimed, " I'm sorry! I take it that you are Yamato Ishida?"
He nodded.
" Oh!" she exclaimed again, " here's your keys." She handed him the last set of keys that hung on the rack.
" Here," he said holding out some money, " here's the payment for the apartment. I'll only be staying one night, so I'll pay now."
"No," she said pushing his hand away, "pay me when you turn the key in, all right?"
" Sure," he said as he put the money away. " What's my apartment number?"
" 435," she said. " You take the stairs," she pointed to a set of double doors, " you take them up to the fourth floor, then at the landing, turn left and head all the way down the corridor, your apartment is the one on the right."
" Thank you," he said as he turned and walked back out to his car to get his other bag. He did so and re entered the building. On his way to the stairs, he passed the woman again and he called out, " I'm sorry, but I didn't get your name."
" Oh," she smiled, " my name's Laura, Laura Richen."
***
In the All Night Diner…
Mimi sighed as she fell back into a booth. " I'm glad the crowd's gone," she called out to Suzie.
" Yeah," Suzie replied, " me too."
" Me too," said Rachel as she too sat down.
Rachel turned to Hilary, " What about you," she asked.
" It really doesn't matter to me," Hilary replied stoicly. Mimi, Suzie and Rachel sweatdropped at that.
" Hilary!" Suzie scolded, " doesn't any thing matter to you?"
" No," Hilary repiled evenly.
Suzie fumed at that simple reply and asked angrily, " Why?!"
" Because it doesn't," came the reply.
" Why you…!" Suzie fumed. " Show some emotion for heaven's sake!"
Mimi watched them and remembered how a similar argument had played out earlier. Rachel had to come and stop them before they tore each other to shreds, but right now, both she and Rachel were too tired to intervene and Mimi hoped that this argument would die down soon.
She smiled to herself and thought, Geez, I only met them a few hours ago, but they're already like my best friends! How strange!
" Hey," she called interrupting Suzie and Hilary, " how about some music? It might help us relax."
" That's a great idea, Lin!" Suzie replied ecstatically as she turned on a radio.
Music flooded into the room and they lost themselves in it. The music, had a calming influence on them and even Hilary seemed to be enjoying herself, although she wouldn't show it. For a while, they just sat and thought, day dreamed and such. The music was interrupted only once for the current time and announcements of what songs were coming up next.
Mimi made note that the time was now 10:00 PM. By the time she realized it, the music had started again and she set off to relax, but something stopped her. She found that the song that was playing, was sang of more than a simple daydream, but rather, a true, sincere wish. This is what she heard:
Waking up alone
In a room that still reminds me
My heart has got to learn to forget
Starting on my own
With every breath I'm getting stronger
This is not the time for regret
'Cause I don't need to hang on to
heartbreak
When there's so much of life left to live.
Love is on the way
On wings of angels
I know it's true
I fell it coming through
Love is on the way
Time is turning the pages
I don't know when
But love will find me again
I am not afraid
Of the mystery of tomorrow
I have found the faith deep within
There's a promise I have made
There's a dream I'm gonna follow
There's another chance to begin
And it's coming as sure as the heavens
I can feel it right here in my heart
Love is on the way
On wings of angels
I know it's true, I feel it coming through
Love is on the way
Time is turning the pages
I don't know when
But love will find me again.
( Oh I know, I know deep down in my heart I know that…)
Love is on the way
On wings of angels
I know it's true, I feel it coming through
Love is on the way
Time is turning the pages
I don't know when
But love will find me again
I don't know when,
But love will find me again.
" Lin, Lin…"
A voice broke into Mimi's thoughts and jolted her back to reality. She looked around and found herself staring into Rachel's face.
" Uh…um…what?" Mimi stuttered.
" Are you all right?" Rachel asked. " You like, zoned out on us or something like that. We were worried."
" Oh," Mimi said shrugging it off with a smile. "No need to. I'm as spacy as they come."
" Oh, all right," Rachel said brokenly, " but you might want to dry your eyes or people will think otherwise."
Mimi reached up and rubbed the back of her hand across her eyes and realized that she had been crying. There was no use denying it, they all had seen it, but she was grateful that they weren't asking any questions as to why.
She looked around and met each of their eyes, finding comfort and solace in each one. They all sat, not talking, for a while, but the radio was still playing in the background.
" Oh," sighed Suzie, breaking the silence, " it must be nice to be in love. I've never been completely in love before."
" And I bet you won't be any time soon," said Rachel teasingly.
" What's that supposed to mean?!" Suzie fumed.
Mimi got up and walked over to Suzie, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder. " She didn't mean anything, Suzie."
" Oh," said Suzie. " I knew that, but I can't help but want to fall in love."
' I know," Mimi said sadly, " I know."
Suzie looked out of the window and into the distance, her face, expressionless. Mimi turned away and leaned against another counter. Suddenly, Suzie's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open.
" Speaking of love," she said, " I think I just fell in love."
" With who?" Rachel asked.
Suzie pointed out the window. " With him."
Mimi looked over her shoulder to see who she was pointing at. The person stood at the door of the diner. After a moment's hesitation, he pushed it open, causing the small bell to ring. When Mimi saw who it was, she gasped.
***
Back inside the apartment building…
After having gotten the rest of his stuff and hiking up four flights of stairs, Matt found himself in front of his temporary residence. He knew that this was indeed the apartment he had rented because it proclaimed in big brass numbers, 435.
" Well," he said, " this is it." He turned the key in the lock and swung the door open. He walked in and quickly surveyed the apartment. Satisfied with the layout, he laid his suitcase on top of the bed, and walked back outside to get his duffel bag. In the hallway, as he stood facing apartment number 436 across the hall, he had the unsettling sensation of a gust of chilly air blowing through the hallway. He towed the bag across the threshold of the door and stood staring out into the hallway. A second gust blew through, chilling him to the bone through his blue shirt. He wrapped his arms around himself in an effort to warm himself. It worked to an extent, but he could still feel the chill.
He wanted to turn and walk back into the apartment, but something was stopping him, something was holding him to the spot. He felt an uneasy feeling creep up his spine, but he was unable to turn away from the apartment number 436.
That was Lisa's apartment number he thought, that's what it is. It's just déjà vu . That's all.
Again, he tried to turn away, but again, he found he couldn't. Eyes riveted on the door, he saw a ghostly vision take form. A woman with long hair of an unknown color turned towards him and beckoned him to come forward.
He felt himself move forward unwillingly. It was as though his body was being controlled by some unknown force. It was almost like the time when he was the Knight and he saved the Soldier. A realization dawned on him. He knew that whatever he was being led towards could be something he didn't want to know, but part of him knew that he should proceed. Ignoring the part that wanted to know, he resisted with all his strength, but that was useless. He found himself being carried towards the door of apartment 436. He felt himself being carried forward and for a brief moment, was afraid that he would hit the door as physics demanded. But much to his surprise, what was about to happen, would deny the laws of physics.
He found that he passed through the seemingly solid door with the greatest of ease and he found himself in an apartment similar to the one he was in. In a small niche near the door, was a large duffel bag. He felt himself being herded past that and he was sat on the bed by a force stronger than him. The ghost woman appeared again and moved over to the duffel bag and put her hands through the material, her hands vanishing into the fabric.
Hey! He thought, you can't go through some one else's stuff! Why'd you bring me in here anyway? What if the tenant catches me in here? What're you going to do then? Hmm?
Oh be quiet! Demanded the ghost as she continued rummaging through the bag. He opened his mouth to reply, when the ghost suddenly straigtened up and stared at something in her hands. Curious, he craned his neck to see, but he found out when she turned and walked towards him. In her vaporous hands, she held a small wooden box, which obviously she had procured from the bag.
Open it, she said to him.
No! I won't invade someone else's privacy! His mind screamed at the ghost. Ignoring his protests, she slowly opened the box. As the lid tilted upwards, he caught a glimpse of a small, almost circular piece of metal and a flash of green. That was enough for him. Stop it! His mind screamed. Let me go!
So be it,said the ghost acquiesing her power. Before his eyes she disappated into bits and pieces of energy. In a few seconds, she was gone and he just sat on the bed, wondering what to do.
Then, before he knew it, he felt a sharp jolt and he was thrust through the door and for an incredible instant, he thought he was staring at himself. But, before he had a chance to think any further, he had the unsettling sensation of soaring back into his body and before he knew it, he found himself back in his original position, facing the other apartment.
Shaking his head dubiously, he turned and walked back into his apartment, taking care to lock the door behind him. He fell back onto his bed next to his case, and stared up at the popcorn ceiling. Was that a dream or was it real? He asked himself. He had the uncanny feeling that what he had just experienced was indeed real, but then again, part of him doubted it. His mind, though clouded, was focused on that box. That piece of metal, it looked like a…no, it couldn't be. After all, what are the odds of that happening? Probably a million to one. Maybe even more for all he knew. He laughed at the thought, but was immediately sobered by a heart wrenching thought.
That ghost, she looked like Princess Sincerity. No, it couldn't be, but then, what if it was? Could that mean? No, she was dead and that's all there was to it. He couldn't change the past. He could only change the future. Maybe, that ghost…maybe it could've been Mimi. Maybe she had come back to warn me about something, or help me find a long lost friend. Maybe, it could be. But if her ghost was here, it meant that she was more than likely dead.
The tears began to fall again and once again he didn't stop them, he just let them fall, wanting the pain to stop. He wished that he could just eliminate the pain, but he knew that he had to move on with his life. His head was spinning again. Things were moving too fast for his taste, and he didn't like it one little bit! Time for a time out! He thought. He looked over at a small clock on the dresser. It read 10:00 PM.
Oh, he thought, I haven't eaten anything for hours! As if on cue, his stomach rumbled loudly. It was late, where would he get food now? Then he remembered, on his way to this building, he had spotted a 12 hour diner. He could probably get some food there. Resolute, he grabbed his keys and left the apartment.
***
A few minutes later, after talking briefly with Laura, he headed out into the dark street. Still, he wasn't worried, he knew this area relatively well, so he was confident that he'd be safe. He turned left, crossed a small street and found himself standing in front of a building that had All Night Diner written in big red letters across the glass. Here we go, he thought, I can probably get some food here. Even through the blinds, he could see that there were lights on inside. He stood in front of the door and pushed it open. A small bell jingled to announce his arrival and his arrival was indeed noticed.
The diner was all but empty except for four women whom he assumed worked here since they were all wearing aprons and name tags. There were three women behind a small counter. One was putting away dishes. She was tall and had black hair, and from what he could see, brown eyes. Her name tag read Hilary. The second one behind the counter had her back to him, but when he had entered, he had caught a glimpse of brown eyes. She had brownish/blackish hair. He couldn't see her name tag. The third one behind the counter had short brown hair and green eyes and she wore a name tag that read Suzie. She was pointing to him as he walked in. The last woman was sitting in a booth, her head turned in his direction. She had brown eyes and brown hair. Her name tag read Rachel.
Three of the four women were staring at him, and that made him a little more than uncomfortable.
" Um," he began nervously, " is the diner open?"
" Sure thing," said the one whose name tag read Suzie, " it isn't called the All Night Diner for nothing."
" Yeah," said the one whose name tag read Rachel as she stood up, " come on in and have a seat. We'll serve you in a minute." She gestured to an empty booth and he walked over and sat down and waited. Rachel picked up a menu from off of a nearby table and handed it to him. " Here's what we have, take your pick." With that she walked away to the other three women behind the counter.
He looked back at them. Rachel had told the one, whose name he didn't know, something and she shook her head and said something to the one whose tag read Hilary who shook her head in return and pointed back at the stranger. Suzie volunteered, but Rachel shook her head and said something to no-name and after a long period of silence, no-name nodded and walked over.
***
From the minute he walked in, Mimi knew what was coming and she didn't want to do it. It was bad enough seeing him again, but it would be worse if she had to talk to him. So, from the moment he had entered, she kept her back towards him and tried her hardest to be invisible. But now, Rachel was coming over to her and she knew what was coming.
" Well, Lin," said Rachel, " you should wait the tables. I'm the manager, you're the waitress. Why don't you go and…"
" No," Mimi said shaking her head, " I can't, I…I know him. I don't want to talk to him." She turned to Hilary. " Hilary?"
" Sorry, Lin," said Hilary, " I'm the cook, you're the waitress." She pointed at Mimi. " You do it."
" I'll do it," chirped Suzie, " I'd love to talk to such a hunk!"
" No, Suzie," said Rachel as she shook her head. " I suggest that Lin does her own job. After all, Suzie, you're the cashier."
Mimi stood in silence, knowing that all three were staring at her, and to make it worse, she saw that he was looking over too, but he didn't seem to recognize her, thankfully. She looked from face to face to face and found that they were all saying the exact same thing, she said half-heartedly, " All right."
" Well then," said Rachel giving her a playful slap on the back. " Go knock your friend dead!" With that, Rachel walked away and Mimi walked over to confront her long lost 'friend'.
***
Her name tag read Lin, he could see it clearly now. No-name was named Lin. As she walked over, she pulled a small spiral notebook and a pen from her apron pocket and with them in hand, she walked over to his table.
" What'll it be, sir?" she asked, her voice full of fake cheerfulness. Inside, she loathed having to do this, having to talk to him politely after what he did to her. A small thought cheered her though, she had hopefully made his wish come true. She hoped he was suffering just like she suffered when he had shot her down like that. He had crushed her and now she hoped that her 'death' did the same to him. She smiled to herself, and was so caught up in her own thoughts, she didn't realize that he was giving his order.
" Uh, what was that again sir?" she asked, embarassed.
" I'll have a hamburger and fries with a soda," he answered.
" Anything else?" she asked.
" No thank you," he replied before handing her back the menu.
***
A little while later
" Here you go," Mimi announced cheerfully as she handed him his food.
" Thanks," he replied as he bit into his hamburger, hungrily. She turned to walk away, but he called her back.
" What's wrong with the food?" she asked emotionlessly.
" Oh, nothing," he replied. " It's just, that why don't …um, why don't you…" his voice trailed off.
" Sit down?" she offered. " Why yes," she said, her voice holding a hint of sarcasm. " I would love to." She sat down opposite him, trying to hide her dislike of this situation behind a happy smile. As much as she hated the thought, she would have to make small talk with him. But before she said a word, she cast a quick glance over to Suzie, who was at the register and was blushing fiercely. She turned back to face him.
" Well," she asked, " what's your name?"
" Matt," he said simply.
Already knew that one, she thought. " Where are you from?" she asked.
He seemed to consider that one a moment, before saying, " Japan."
She pretended to act surprised and asked, " Well then, what brings you to America?"
" I really don't know," he replied, " many things I guess. I just came here and didn't go back."
" Oh," she replied. " Then, why did you come to this part of town?" she pried. " You look like you could afford better. So, why are you here?"
He gave her a sad look and immediately caught the well known cue and shut up.
" I just got some sad news," he said softly. " I was on the Turnpike, heading north and I caught an announcement over the radio. I was too distraught to continue driving, so I came here and I'm staying at the apartment building down the street.
Oh, just peachy! She thought, not only did we have to meet here, he's staying in the same building I am. Just great.
She pretended to give him an, 'I'm sorry that whatever happened did happen,' look before asking. " Well, what happened?"
He paused and looked away for a long second. " I just found out that the woman I loved was killed by a good friend of mine a week ago. I just feel so bad, she died a week ago and I didn't even know it!" He pounded the table with his fist. " I just keep thinking that maybe, just maybe, there was something I could've done. Maybe if I had been there, I could've saved her or something like that! There are so many maybe's and what if's!"
She let him silently mourn for a minute before putting a comfortig hand on his shoulder and saying, " Maybe it was the best thing for her," she said with a little too much confidence. He gave her a puzzled look and she looked away so as not to meet the pair of azure eyes. The two sat in silence for a while, before she broke the silence again.
" Geez, it sounds like you loved her very much. What was her name?" she asked, afraid of what his answer might be.
He looked away again, and she could tell that his heart was breaking as he said softly, " Her name was, Mimi Tachikawa."
She gasped softly and involuntarily at that. Her head was spinning with this new information, and she looked out a nearby window at the quiet street. He loved her! It seemed like he truly did, and for a brief moment, she was wondering if she should tell him who she really was, but one line got all thoughts of a positive relationship with him out of her mind. Anyway, truthfully, I would have cared less if you had died today…
Remembering what he had said, the words out of his own mouth, immediately sobered her and she turned back to face him, her heart filled with anger and despair. Why? She thought, why me?
He turned back to face her and for a brief moment, their eyes met, and beneath the seemingly calm, but still hurt exterior, she caught a glimpse of the true hurt and pain that laid deep inside his soul, but that still wasn't enough for her to forgive him. What he had done was unforgivable, wasn't it?
" Hey," he said changing the subject, " could you pass me some ketchup?"
" Oh, sure," she said as she got up to go get a bottle from a nearby table. She walked over to the table where there were two unmarked, almost identical bottles sitting. Hmm, what are two ketchup bottles doing here? Then she remembered, a gentleman had wanted some hot sauce earlier. That's what the second bottle was. Without another thought, she reached for the one she knew was the ketchup bottle, but she hesistated when a thought entered her mind. He hates hot sauce! She smiled to herself and reached over and picked up the hot sauce bottle and handed it to him before sitting across from him again.
" Thanks," he said as he took the bottle from her and put a little on his fries.
He picked one up and bit into it as she watched, barely able to contain her laughter. For a moment, there was no reaction from him, but sure enough, moments later, his face began to contort into an expression of true unsatisfaction and he swallowed the fry almost unwillingly. His face turned red and he reached for his soda and downed the entire glass in one gulp. He looked back at her for an explanation.
" Oh, my mistake," she said snidely, " I guess I handed you the hot sauce bottle instead."
No kidding, he thought glaring at her.
" You know," she said, " come to think of it, I've been mixing up those two bottles all day. After all, it is my first day on the job." From across the table, he sent her an, 'I think you do know what you did' glare and she countered it with a smirk before getting up and walking away, coming back only long enough to bring him another soda.
Mimi walked over to Suzie who was behind the counter. " What did you do to him?" she asked curiously.
" Oh, nothing," Mimi lied, " just getting a little bit of revenge."
***
About half an hour later…
"Here's the payment," he said as he handed Suzie the money he owed.
" Thank you, sir," she said politely as she took the money from him and handed him his change. " Please do come again."
" Oh, I'm only in town for tonight," he said.
" Then come in for breakfast," she persisted.
" Oh, all right," he acquiesed. He looked at his watch. It read 11:05.
" I'd better get going," he said, " it's getting late."
" Yeah," said Rachel looking at the time. " Our shift ends in about an hour." She turned to Mimi. " Lin, why don't you go home. We can cover for you for the hour."
" Yeah," said Hilary, speaking for the first time in ages, " think of it as a little first-day-on-the-job gift. You get to go home on hour early and it doesn't get taken out of your pay."
" Go ahead," said Suzie approvingly.
" I'll walk you home, Ms. Lin," Matt said. " After all, no one should be alone outside after dark. It is a nice neighborhood and all, but no one should take any chances."
She grimaced at that. He was right, but inwardly, she was protesting with all her strength. After an interminable time, she agreed and removed her apron and hung it on a hook before grabbing her purse and walking out to meet him.
" Bye Lin!" Suzie called as they walked out the door.
When they were gone, Rachel fell back in to a chair and sighed, " Well, one night down, one more to go."
" Yes," said Hilary.
Suzie just sighed.
" Well," said Rachel, " we've got an hour with nothing to do, but let's just relax, okay?"
" Sure thing boss," said Hilary and Suzie unanimously. Rachel reached into her apron and procured an small round object, which appeared to be a stone. She held the green rock in her hand for a moment before dropping it back into the apron pocket. She noticed that the other two did the same too, except Hilary had a dark, maroon colored rock and Suzie had a pink one.
Rachel looked over at them and all three said in unison, " Phase one, complete."
***
Outside the diner…
She was more than uncomfortable with his walking her home when she lived only across a small street, but she wouldn't let it show. Inwardly, she worried if he suspected who she was, because if Izzy who hadn't seen her in oh-so-many years could recognize her immediately, she would think that he would be able to see through this disguise, but it didn't appear so. She let out a soft sigh and hoped that her secret would stay that way. A secret.
***
He heard her sigh softly and resisted the urge to ask what was wrong. After all, he had no business meddling in the affairs of a complete stranger, or was she? Inwardly, he had this uncanny feeling that they had met before, but he couldn't figure out where. Maybe there was a clue in the way she had acted. The part about the hot sauce stuck in his mind because only about 5 or 6 people knew that he hated hot sauce, but then again, maybe it just had been an honest mistake, and he was making a mountain out of a mole hill.
Still, something didn't sit right. He just hoped it wasn't something bad.
Up until the time they got to the front of the apartment building, they had walked the short distance in silence, but now, Mimi spoke.
" I live in here," she said simply.
" I do to," he said.
"Wow, what a coincidence," she said unenthusiastically.
" What floor do you live on?" he asked.
" The 4th."
" Me too."
" Come on," she said impatiently, " I need to get some rest. You can stand out here chit-chatting all night if you want, but I'm leaving."
" No, " he said, " I'll walk you up since I have to go up anyway."
***
Four flights of stairs later…
Much to his surprise and amazement, Matt found out that not only did they live in the same building, on the same floor, he also found the they lived in the part of the fourth floor and that she took almost the exact same path that he took to his apartment.
How weird, he thought.
Just great, she thought, he lives almost exactly where I do. Just my luck. Knowing my rotten luck, he probably lives across the hall from me too.
They walked to the end of the hall and stood in front of their respective apartments. Curious, he looked over his shoulder to see which apartment she was going into. He stood at his door, key in hand, but didn't unlock the door. She was going into apartment 436! The same apartment where he had seen the ghost! He wanted to stop her, but instead, he just stood and waited, pretending to be searching for his keys. He knew what she would find. She walked in, leaving her door open and sure enough, her voice drifted out into the hall. " Excuse me, sir," she called, " could you answer a question for me?"
" Sure," he called as he walked in. He saw her standing and pointing at the same box the ghost had shown him. It was open on the floor, some of the contents spilling out, but some were still hidden. He didn't see the ones the spirit had shown him out in the open.
" Did you happen to see anyone enter the apartment through that door?" she asked,
Yeah, he thought, some ghost brought me in. But he answered, " No, no one."
"Oh thanks," she answered as she bent down to pick out the box contents. " I guess I must've left it outside when I came in."
***
" Oh thanks, I must've left it outside when I came in," she lied knowing full well that she hadn't unpacked anything. " That's all I wanted to ask you," she said when he didn't leave immediately. He didn't move, but she went about picking up her jewelry, taking special care to conceal the crest and digivice. When she had picked up all her jewelry, she set the box on her dresser and said to him, " Well, if you aren't going to leave, then you might as well sit down." She gestured to the empty chair by the window.
" Okay then," he said as he sat down. He watched as she walked over to the table where he was sitting and sat on the other chair, holding the small box on her lap.
" So," he said, breaking the uncomfortable silence, " what's with the box?"
"Oh, nothing," she said as she ran her fingers over the wooden lid, " it's just my jewelry, that's all. I have some pieces with a lot of sentimental value that I don't want getting lost or stolen. That's all."
"Oh," he said, falling into silence again. He thought about this stranger for a moment. He had just met her a short while ago, but here he was talking to her like she was a childhood friend. Something still didn't sit right with him. She seemed…familiar in a strange way. Something about her…. Maybe it was her hairstyle, it did look a lot like Mimi's, maybe that's what made him trust her, but then again, he could just be seeing things, seeing as how, Mimi had been dead for the past week.
Yeah, he thought, that's all it is. I'm just seeing things. That's all. That's all. Still thought, he had the nagging feeling that they had met before. Perhaps the secret to her identity lay in the box that the ghost had shown him. Maybe if he had been receptive to what the ghost had to say, maybe he would've found out who she really was. He knew that he couldn't go back and change the past. He hadn't paid attention then, but he needed to know now. He knew the key to solving this mystery lay in that small wooden jewelry box that she was protecting. He knew he had to get it.
In the next few minutes, he came up with a plan. It was a simple one, but he prayed that it would work. " Um, I really don't know, but do you have any water to drink. I can still taste the hot sauce in my mouth."
" Oh, sure," she said, coloring slightly. She got up and set the box down on the chair she had been sitting on and walked over to the small kitchen area.
Okay, he thought, I'd better get the box now while her back is turned. It's now or never, I guess.
He decided not to make things too complicated, lest they take up time,so, he just got up, pretending to look about, and walked over to the chair where she was sitting. He simply picked up the box, opened it, and was amazed at what he saw.
***
Okay, she thought, he just wants some water. That's a simple enough request After all, I really do feel bad about the hot sauce. She got up and walked over to a small cupboard and sure enough, she found some small plastic cups. She took one out of the cupboard, and after rinsing it out, filled it with water from the faucet. She turned around to go back and hand him the water, when she saw that he had the jewellry box.
Oh no! she thought, now he'll know! No! For a brief instant, she felt her body go limp and her mind was aware that she had let go of the cup and that it was now falling to the floor, but she felt as though she couldn't move. As if in slow motion, she saw the cup falling, tumbling end over end, the water droplets flying in any multitude of directions, and finally hitting the floor with a soft, empty sounding crash that sent whatever water remaining in the glass splattering to the floor. Then, with an almost terrifying instant, she felt herself falling backwards, but it was only a sensation, nothing more. A few seconds later, she was aware that she was standing upright.
"No," she choked out. " No, please no…"
She saw that he had now closed the box lid and was walking over to her, azure eyes filled with even more pain and many questions. As he neared where she was standing, he reached out to place a comforting hand on her shoulder, but she jerked away and stated coldly, " I think you should leave now, Matt. Get out of my apartment and for heaven's sake! Stay out of my life!" She turned to walk away, but, still confused and wanting answers to his questions, he reached out and grabbed hold of her wrist.
" Let go of me!" she practically screamed. " Leave me alone Matt! I MEAN IT!"
" I'm afraid I can't do that," he said softly. He looked away for a short moment. " Please, I need to know."
" Know what?" she hissed.
" I need…no, I want to know," he looked back towards her, fresh tears sparkling in his sapphire eyes, " please, I want to know why this faking your death? Why?"
She turned to face him, her face and eyes belaying all the anger and pain that she had felt for oh so long. For a couple minutes, they stood in silence, face to face, all manners of emotions being acted out and played upon. Finally, after a long time, she said, " Fine, I'll tell you, but I don't want anyone else hearing, so go and close the door."
" Sure," he said as he walked over and pushed the door closed, taking care to lock it so that there would be no sudden interruptions.
(A/N: All right, for those of you who you think you know what's going to happen, if you think it's hentai, you're dead wrong. The day I was writing this, or any day I write for that matter, I didn't feel like writing that stuff. Just an FYI, I AM ANTI-HENTAI! All right, now that I got that out of my system, I'll get back to the story.)
She sat down on the bed and patted the space next to her, indicating for him to sit down.
" All right," he said as he sat down next to her, " please explain."
" Okay," she said as she looked away. " After I left Japan the last time, after the party, I returned to America and my modeling career. At the party, as you know, I met Frank. I mean," she turned to him and looked him directly in the eyes, " I loved you and after what you did, I didn't think I would ever love again, seeing as how much pain it caused me."
" Please..let me.." he started to say, but she cut him off and said, " Please, let me continue." He nodded and she proceeded.
" Well, a couple years later, I ran in to Frank again, and because of the way he reminded me of you, I started going out with him."
How can you see anything of me in him? he thought.
" Well, everything seemed to be going well at first. We seemed to be a happy couple and everything was going great, so of course, when he asked me to marry him, I agreed and a wedding date was set. Well, soon after that, I noticed a change in him. He started showcasing me, putting me on display like a statue whenever we would go out. He was so posessive that he started getting angry if I spent too much time at my job or with my friends. At first, I tried to ignore it, trying to dismiss it as stress, but things soon escalated." Her voice took on a somber tone, and she seemed to struggle with the memories, but she continued anyway. " One day, I came home and found that my bedroom, no, the whole house for that matter, had been totally wrecked. I asked my guard who had been in here and he said that no one except for Frank had been here. Thinking that some one else had probably snuck past the guard, I dismissed the fact that he had been here and started exploring the house to see the extent of the damage. At first, I found that nothing was missing,things were just over turned and a few things broken, but when I got to my bedroom, I was in for the surprise of my life." She closed her eyes, and from her long buried memories, she pulled the memory of the trashed bedroom and described exactly what she saw.
When I walked in, I found that they entire room was in disarray. The bed linens had been torn off as had the curtains, I then found that the bed had been over turned and the matress had been sliced in various places, leaving the insides showing out. The bed frame and header and footer, which were all made of wood, were broken and splintered, lying in various places all over the floor. I looked to , my left and found that my stand up armoire, which too was wooden, had been destroyed as well. The doors had been hacked at repeatedly, with an axe, I guessed, and one was hanging crookedly and the other had fallen off to the floor, revealing the torn and slashed clothes inside. I turned around and looked at the door frame, noticing that the wood hand been splintered and there were many large holes in the wall near it. Having seen enough of this, I walked into the small bathroom adjacent to my room. There I found something that horrified me. The glass shower doors had been kicked in and had shattered all over the inside of the shower stall and some had fallen into the large tub too. I looked to my right and found that the towel rings had been ripped out of the walls and were now lying on the tile floor, a few tiles of which were cracked, making it a bit difficult to walk without being cut. Nonetheless I continued forward towards a large sink and mirror at the other end of the bathroom. The mirror was cracked, from a hammer blow it looked like and the sink looked like it had been dispatched in the same way. I found no clues here, so I turned around to walk out, but a glimpse of red caught my eye. In a small niche that I used for storing various things, there was a dagger pinning a note to the wall. The dagger had a red liquid on it and at first, I was afraid it was blood, but upon closer inspection, I found it was paint. Being as careful as I could, I removed the note from its place at the wall and read it. It said, and I would remember the words for as long as I would live. Written in blood red paint was: Mimi Tachikawa, you'd better rethink your priorities, or something very hideous will befall you. I promise you that. And if you should not change, I will hunt you to the ends of the earth. You have one week before I come back. If I do not see a change in you, you will be sorry.-The Silent Stalker.
" From that moment on," she continued, " I knew that my life was in danger, so I did what I thought was best. I ran. I didn't bother to alert the police because I didn't want him to know that I knew, so I didn't say anything. I just grabbed what was salvageble, one of those things being my jewelry box and the jewelry, and I just ran. I moved out from my mansion and into a small apartment a good distance away. For a few days, I thought I was safe. The week came and gone, and the stalker showed no signs of knowing where I was, so I guess I let my guard down." She began to sob softly as she looked away.
Again, he put a comforting hand on her shoulder and this time she didn't shrug it off. He gained a little more courage from this, and slowly wrapped her in a warm embrace. Surprisingly, she welcomed it and leaned against his chest. He was somewhat surprised, but encouraged her to continue and continue she did.
" That's when he came, storming into my apartment, not caring who saw him entering. He just walked in, slamming the door behind him. He stalked up to me and pinned me against the wall. At first I was scared of what he might do. At first, I was afraid that he was going to rape me, but that fear was put aside, only to be replaced by another one. He started ranting about how I was cheating on him and he accused various people," she looked up into his eyes which were now filled with concern and caring, " one of them was even you. He said that no one cheats on him and gets away with it. That's when he started beating me and I eventually lost all my strength and lapsed into a coma. About four months after I went into the coma, I awoke, courtesy of Celeste. I persuaded the doctors and nurses to help me by saying I died, which they obviously did. Then, I went back to my apartment and grabbed my stuff. With the help of a woman named Teresa Foster, who turned out to be Celeste, I managed to escape to the airport when Frank ambushed me at the apartment building. I had no idea how he found me, but I ran for my life while Celeste held him off. A while later, at the airport, I met up with Joe who was on the same flight here. We were lining up to board, when I noticed Frank was in the terminal and he was after me. Joe got me to the gate, but a stranger, whom I presume was working for Frank, tried to kidnap me, but Izzy managed to rescue me. Then we got on the flight and headed here. Now, once here, I find out that in about a week, he's heading here. He ambushed one of Izzy and Joe's friends and stole his ticket, which was to Florida. So, now, in a week, he's going to be here, and after me, but I refuse to run. I've run far too often and look where it's gotten me."
" Well, look at it this way," he joked, " if he hadn't chased you, you never would've met up with me again."
She gave him a look of pure disgust, and as though just realizing he was holding her, she pushed him away and stood up in front of him. " Why would I ever want to see you again after what you did to me?!" she spluttered angrily.
He looked away, hurt and ashamed before looking back up at her. He stood up and again put his hand on her shoulder. She flinched, but didn't move away. " Please," he began, " please listen to what I have to say."
" Okay," she said. " I'll listen I promise."
" What, I said back in Digiworld…I truly…I sincerely…"
" Meant!" she interjected angrily.
" Hey!" he exclaimed, " you said you'd listen!"
" Sorry," she said coldly. " Continue."
" I really didn't mean that. You must believe me when I say that, back then, what I said, I said for your own good!"
" How so?" she asked emotionlessly.
He looked away, having a hard time finding the right words. " Back then, I was a loser, a jerk, but I was madly in love with you. I felt you deserved some one better than me, so I pretended to not share those feelings even though it was killing me inside. When your confession came, I really felt low and rotten…"
" Don't forget like a jerk, an loser, and idiot…"
" Okay! I get the point! Can I continue?"
She nodded.
" Well, anyway, when you confessed, I felt stronger than ever that you deserved some one better like Joe or Tai for example. So, I said I hated you so that you would stop loving me and love some one who was worthy of you. That's why I said it and that was the only reason." He paused again before continuing. "For the past years, ever since that day, I kept thinking about you. I tried to form relationships, but they failed everytime, leaving me heartbroken. Just today, I broke up with some one who almost became my fianceé."
" Geez," she said snidely, " you're just leaving a trail of broken hearts aren't you?"
" Yeah, well, she was cheating on me! Whaddya want me to do?"
She was silent and he calmed down enough to continue. " I thought of seeking you out, and I was going to search for you, when I got the horrible news that you were dead. After that, I didn't know what to do, but I soon found out that I must continue driving, so here I am, with you."
For a long time, both were silent, both staring at nothing in particular. Sometimes they stared away from each other, sometimes at each other, but they couldn't find any words to describe what they were feeling. Eventually, she broke down and wrapped him in a hug which he returned gratefully.
"Oh, Matt, she sighed as she began to cry tears of joy mixed with tears of agony. " I'm so so sorry for what I did to you."
" I'm sorry too, Mimi," he said solemly.
" Can you ever forgive me?" they asked in unison.
"Yes," they replied in unsion as they embraced again. She looked up into his eyes and said from the bottom of her heart, " I truly do love you. I never stopped and I never will."
" I never could stop loving you, and I never would," he replied."
No more words were needed as their lips met in a passionate, but soft kiss.
***
A few days later…
" Oh you mean it!?" Mimi squealed delightedly.
" Of course," he said as he handed her a plane ticket. " We're going back to Japan to meet with the others. From what you said, by this time, Izzy and Joe are probably back there, and you'll be out of town a few days before Frank arrives."
" Oh thank you!" she said excitedly as she hugged him for the millionth time since he had told her.
" Come on," he said as he extended his hand. " The plane leaves in two hours. We've got to get going. We'll go by the apartments and pick up our stuff before time runs out. All right?"
" Sure," she said.
"Excuse me, Miss," said a janitor as he swept up the floor of the airport terminal they were standing in.
" Oh, sure," she replied as she stepped out of his way, thinking nothing of it.
" Come on, Lin," he said, remembering her code name. " We've got to get going, or we're not going to have enough time."
She took his hand and they walked out of the terminal together.
***
From over his shoulder, the janitor watched as they walked away and a smile of sinister satisfaction crossed his face. His boss would be pleased and he would get rewarded for the good information. That girl was so easy to track. His boss said she'd be difficult to track, but he'd had harder before and this was nothing to him. Setting aside his broom, he walked over to a row of nearby pay phones and made a collect call. A male voice on the other end accepted the call and said, " Yes, what info have you got for me?"
" They're on their way to Japan," said the janitor.
" When?" asked the voice.
" Today, in two hours," he replied.
" Good," said the voice. " Oh, and thank you very much Steve. I should reward you. Do you remember the package that I gave you when we first met?"
" Sure boss," said Steve.
" Open it and in it you will find your reward." With that, the man hung up.
Steve reached in to his pocket and found a small box that his boss had given him. Curious as to what his reward was, he opened it and found a gold and diamong Rolex in the box.
Wow! He thought, the boss really outdid himself! He removed the watch from the box and secured it around his wrist. At first, everything seemed normal, but the second he closed the clasp that held the watch in place, he felt a sharp burning, stinging sensation in his wrist. Curious as to what it might be, he removed the watch, only to find a small, almost invisible wound in his wrist. Since it was nothing serious, he thought little of it, but by the time he began to suspect, it was too late. A few seconds later, the world around him grew fuzzy and he felt himself grow dizzy. Unable to keep his balance, he collapsed to the floor writhing in agony.
Crap, he thought, that rat poisoned me! Before he could think any further, he was dead.
***
Two Hours later, at the terminal…
" Lin," he soothed, " there's no need to be worried. He's nowhere near here."
" That's what I thought last time," Mimi said as she continued scanning the airport for any sign of Frank.
" Well, this is not last time," he said. " Besides, if anyone tries to kidnap you, I'll protect you. I promise," he said as he gently pushed aside her hair from her eyes. She gave him an adoring look before looking around again.
Trying to get her mind off of that subject, he asked, " So, what was with the hot sauce?"
" What?" she asked somewhat confused.
" You know, the hot sauce back at the restaurant. Why'd you do that? You knew I hated hot sauce."
" That was the point," she said. " I knew you hated hot sauce, and since I was angry at you. I gave you hot sauce instead of ketchup. That's all. Why? Haven't you forgiven me?"
" Yes, I did, I was just…curious, that's all." With that, he settled back into silence, leaving her to look around the terminal to her heart's content.
A few minutes later, boarding began, and they walked up to the gate together. This time, even though they were at the back of the line, the few minutes they were in the line, was living torture for her. She felt even more nervous because of what happened last time, so he drew her closer, and it comforted her sopmewhat, but she was still nervous. The line moved swiftly and soon they were one the plane, no problems. They had been lucky enough to get seats together, and they were both grateful for that. She felt safer with him around and he was able to keep a close eye on her. Memories of the hurried hours prior were packed away, gone from concious thought as Mimi slipped into a deep sleep.
***
(A/N: All right, this part was supposed to be longer, but I decided to cut it into 2 pieces, so now Every Rose….is going to be four parts instead of three. Just thought I'd let you know.-Celestial Angel)
