I would like to thank everyone who has reviewed this series so far, I went back and read all the parts and the reviews for all of them and it amazes me there are so many nice people out there, thanks.

In particular I would like to thank potted_palm, who gives the most outstanding reviews, and is one of only two people to have me on author alert. Thanks palm, your reviews are truly inspirational and I'm honoured to be on your author alert list. ^_^

Suffer so alone part 7

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon.

******
Ms Takenouchi cringed as the phones receiver crashed onto the cradle for the 15th time that evening, and looked up at her daughter, who was pacing round nervously, her face fraught with frustration and more than a hint of worry.

"Still no answer?" She motioned carefully.

"No, mom, what should I do? There's been no answer at either of their houses since last night, and I'm really worried about Izzy.."

"Well normally I'd recommend that we go to his apartment, but I have to be at this dinner in half an hour and there's no way you're going out in this weather" Ms Takenouchi gestured to the window and Sora saw that the night was very dark, a strong wind was blowing and the rain was hammering down. She nodded reluctantly, as much as she felt concern for her friends, she knew in that weather it would quite literally be dangerous for her to go out.

Sora's mother stood up and walked over to her daughter.

"I'm sure everything will be fine sweetie, its probably just bad luck that every time you've called they've been out or unable to answer, I'm sure they're OK"

"I guess you're right mom" Sora replied, accepting that just because they weren't answering the phone didn't mean it was time to call out the national guard.

"They're lucky to have a friend like you cares enough to worry though, we're all very lucky to have you" Mrs Takenouchi said, hugging her daughter tighter. She felt proud that her daughter was always looking out for others, and that she cared so much about peoples well being.

She held her daughter for several moments, enjoying the closeness. When Sora had returned from the digital world she noticed she had possessed a new love for her, and she felt likewise. The two of them were closer than ever before and despite the fact that she still was not actively open about her social life she noticed that Sora was much closer to her group of friends, which was small, but very close.

"Well I suppose I should be going, you know how traffic behaves in weather like this"

"OK mom, have a good time"

"Thankyou, I will, and don't worry about Izzy or Tai, they're fine, I know it" she added a reassuring smile

Sora nodded and they hugged again, then her mother gathered her coat and with a wave left for her evening out. She sighed and turned to the window to watch her drive away, then closed the curtain and shivered at the weather. It was not a nice night to be out.

******

Izzy sighed and turned back to the window, glad that his parents and the counsellor had finally left and he was by himself again. The past three hours had been as enjoyable as he had anticipated, his mother had sobbed away like a wretched maiden, his father had been silent but successful in making him feel bad, and the counsellor had patronised him with every word he spoke, until he just ignored them all and said he didn't feel like talking about it just now. Eventually the counsellor had suggested they give him some time and come back to it later, and they had left, although his mother required some rather stern persuading from her husband until she finally exited.

It was such a relief to see them go. He did not feel comfortable talking to anyone about it, the problems he had were his own and it made him feel nervous sharing them. He stared out into the raging night, although there was little to see through the plate glass except black and the only indication the weather was bad was the way in which the rain drops were being slaughtered against the glass by the wind.

He turned back over and sighed again. He didn't feel quite so angry anymore that the attempt had failed. The minute the blade had fallen to the floor he knew he'd made a mistake, but it was a scary situation in which he suddenly realised it wasn't worth it but it was too late to do anything. Seeing all that blood gushing out was scary as well, it had literally plastered the fittments and the floor, then when he slipped over and found himself unable to get up the earlier feelings had had a renaissance, so when Tai had walked in he didn't want to be saved or be with anyone, he had wanted his last moments to be with himself. But no, his arms had been bound with towels, and Tai had knelt in the blood holding him until he fell unconscious, then had been by his bedside when he woke up. Then he had driven him away, hitting him with a barrage of feelings he didn't really feel, obviously hurting him to try and make his anger at Tai for saving him reasonable. So much for being the emotionless geek behind the computer.

******
"Why won't you pick up??" Sora muttered in frustration under her breath, there was still no answer at either of her friends apartments.

She put the phone down, gently this time, and stood for a second, thinking. It was 9.30, should she call Matt and ask if he knew where they were?

"Hi Matt, it's Sora here"

"Oh, hey Sora, hows it going?"

"Fine thanks, hey do you know if Tai was going away at all today?"

"Tai? I don't think so"

"What about Izzy?"

"I dunno, I haven't talked to him since that lunchtime...."

"Oh..."

"Why, is something up?"

"Probably not, but did you hear he was beaten up?"

"What? Is he OK??"

"I don't know, that's what I called you for, I've been calling all day but there's no answer at his or Tai's apartment, do you think something might have happened?"

"I don't know..what happened with Izzy?"

"I don't know exactly, but Matt, it was horrible, there were a group of seniors and he looked at me desperately but Tai just pulled me away.." She retched out a sob at the image of his scared eyes staring at her, asking for help, but being unable to do anything and leaving him there..

"Whoa, whoa. Sora, it's OK, slow down and tell me what happened again"

She took a deep breath and held it for a moment, trying to regain her composure.

"Well, Tai and I were walking home, and then all of a sudden I saw this groups of seniors kicking something on the ground, I thought it was nothing until I looked again and saw Izzy staring back at me...Matt he was beaten up by a group of seniors three times his size.." She broke down again, leaving Matt speechless.

Matt was stunned at what she said, and unsure of what to say. Her words had come as a dramatic shock since he had not been paying much attention to his friends recently, lost instead in his own personal problems.
"Umm,...so you don't know if he's all right?"

"Matt...I just realised his parents are out of town again..theres no way he could be OK..." Sora replied, her heart freezing with the revelation, the seniors had been laying into him with great force, and with no one to take care of him she was sure he was in trouble.

"Well do you want me to go and check on him?" Matt asked without hesitating, he may have been experiencing difficulties in his life, but that didn't mean he wouldn't put himself out to help his friends.

"Matt you...you can't, just look outside"

He glanced out the window and saw the night raging, but wasn't phased.

"I'll go and see if he's home, then call you back" He replied with conviction, then said goodbye and hung up.

Sora put the phone back with an unsure expression, pleased someone was checking on Izzy, but doubtful at whether Matt should be going out in the ill weather. She wiped her lip and looked around the apartment, unsure of what to do.


******

Matt pulled on his jacket and gave the weather an equivocal look, not looking forward to getting soaked, but at the same time never entertaining the possibility of staying home and hoping Izzy was fine.
He stepped out of the door into the biting wind, pleased that his Dad was working late, he was positive he wouldn't be to ecstatic to have his son sneaking out at night into this weather. Doing his best to walk quickly through the screaming night he put his head down, dug his hands into his jacket pockets and made the short journey to his friends apartment.
Although the journey only took about 5 minutes, when he stood on the Izumi's doorstep he was soaked and shivering despite his jacket and long pants. He knocked on the door forcefully, huddling close to the entrance and shifting from one foot to the other impatiently, muttering for someone to answer. There was no reply, so he knocked several more times. Still no reply. He tried again. The house stayed silent.

"Where is he.." Matt muttered with a frown. He was getting ever more soaked, so he turned and entered the elevator. He paused and brushed his wet hair out of his eyes, contemplating what his next step should be.

******
Izzy flicked the Tv off and deposited the remote on his bedside table with a clatter. He took several fast, deep breaths and rubbed his hand over his forehead. He felt awful, all hot and sick and tired. Very, very tired. He had been feeling fine when the nurse came by an hour ago to give him another dose of painkillers, but soon after she left a heavy feeling of nausea had crept over him quietly, forcing him to push aside the bedding and breath heavily. Then the fatigue had hit him. His eyes could barely stay open and he had lost all interest in the program he was watching. He let out the breath he was holding slowly, his arm draped across his forehead, his eyes closed and his face red. He remained in this position for several minutes, slowly drifting off to sleep, then his arm relaxed and slid down to lay across his chest, and he lay sleeping. His mind was quiet now, but his last thought had sleepily questioned the bandaging of his arms, they were loose and he wondered..., then he had fallen into his current state, asleep.