*waves* Hi

*waves* Hi!!!! Can you believe it? Last chapter!!!! Well, except for the epilogue. But that doesn't really count, cuz it's not even a quarter of a page. Thanks to everyone who reviewed; you're all awesome!! J Heck, thanks to anyone who didn't review, but at least bothered to read this. You're awesome, too!! Now, I'll stop boring you, and get on with the disclaimer.

Davis: S-she d-doesn't own D-d-d-digimon. *breaks down, sobbing*

Me: Don't cry!! You can't've liked doing the disclaimer that much! Besides, I killed you!

Davis: Oh. Hey, yeah!! You did, too!! This means I'm gonna be alive again, soon!!

Me: Key word there is "soon". You're not alive, yet, so calm down.

Davis: Oh.

Me: Anyway, you missed the extra part.

Davis: *scowls* Did not! You never let me finish!

Me: *rolls eyes* Finish it now, then!

Davis: Okay! She doesn't own the song, "Hands", by Jewel.

Me: Bravo!!! *claps hands*

Davis: *bows*

The Difference

Chapter 8

Clouds began to roll in, blocking the rest of the sunset from view. Waiting in the shadows were ten digidestined, just waiting for it to begin. The darkness of the alleyways was nothing, compared to the darkness they felt within themselves. It didn't look like they were up to anything special. True, occasional passersby with keen eyes kept their distance, probably thinking they were muggers. Other than that, it was doubtful if anyone noticed them, or cared that they were even there. Had anyone, other than themselves, known the reason for their being there, then perhaps… But, no. We're saving the world again, and they still don't even realize it, Cody thought with some irony.

Around 11pm they began to see flashes of lightning, and to hear the peal of thunder. By then, it had been raining for several hours, and they were all soaked through to the skin, but still they sat, watching, for it was possible to see by the light of street lamps. Just barely, though.

"What the hell?" Izzy murmured when he saw a figure near the tower. "How did he get so close without anyone seeing…?"

It was now or never. A quick e-mail sent all the D-terminals beeping – the signal everyone was waiting for. The others were out of their hiding places quick as a flash, and Tai was soon surrounded.

"Give up now, Tai!" Matt threatened. "We don't want to hurt you, but we will if we have to."

"Speak for yourself," Kari muttered, her voice venomous. "I do want to hurt him."

"Hikari," Tai spoke softly. "Long time, no see, imooto-chan."

(a/n: imooto-chan – to my limited knowledge of Japanese, it's an affectionate term for little sister.)

Her voice was emotionless as she answered, "You must have mistaken me for someone else. I'm an only child."

"Cut the small talk! We're here for reasons other than a reunion. Hand over the device, Tai, and we'll all just get on with our lives," Yolei cut in.

Tai looked around himself, at all their faces. "You all really think I'm going to do something horrible, don't you? You don't believe that I'm just going to make our lives, and the lives of all digidestined, so much better. No one deserves to be treated this way, and you all know it. I can see it in your eyes. You don't want to live this way. So why won't you just let me fix everything?"

"How can you call this fixing things, Tai? What about all the innocent people? Haven't you thought about what will happen to them?" TK was completely dumbfounded. How could anyone care so little about killing so many people?

"No," Tai shrugged his shoulders, "I haven't thought about them. Why should I have? They don't have anything to do with this."

"I think he's lost it. It's like he thinks he's not going to hurt anyone," Joe murmured.

"Or else he doesn't care if he does," Ken agreed.

"I've had enough talking. There really isn't anything you can do to stop me, so you might as well quit trying," Tai continued as he pulled out the grey, mechanical device, which actually looked quite similar to a digivice, only with a small, red button in the centre.

Bang! Tai staggered and fell, clutching his chest.

"Tai! No!" Sora screamed, running towards him.

Kari stood there, staring at the gun in her hand, still smoking in spite of the rain. "Oh my god," she whispered, falling to her knees in a puddle of water, her face pale. "What have I done…?"

"Tai! Oh my god, Tai! Answer me, please! Tell me you're okay!" Sora sobbed, kneeling at his side.

"Sora…" he said, trying to sit up. "Please… take this…" he pressed the device into her hand. "Push… the button."

"But, Tai…" she protested.

"Please…" he repeated, pressing it more firmly into her small palm. "Trust me."

She could never explain why, but for some reason, Sora did as he asked. Maybe she really did trust him. Maybe it was the unconditional trust that we instinctively give to the one we truly love that made her do it. Or, perhaps it was the need we all have, to grant the dying their last request.

"Sora! Noooo!" Mimi yelled when she realized what the older girl was about to do. But, she was too late.

A bright flash of light followed, temporarily blinding all those present. When their eyes cleared, there was a pillar of rainbow coloured light, much like the one that brought the original eight back to the Digital World after defeating VenomMyotismon, surrounding Tokyo Tower. But… not a digimon in sight.

"What if," Mimi wondered with a rare flash of true insight, "what if Tai never really was going to bring all the digimon to the real world? What if he actually meant to bring all of us to the Digital World?"

"But," Joe spoke up, pointing, "why is it growing?" That's when the others noticed that the light was, indeed, growing, and at a faster rate all the time.

"It's… going to cover… the whole earth… so that… all… digidestined… can escape…" Tai panted, trying to explain.

As the light began to engulf the digidestined, they started to rise up, up, into the sky. Except for Tai. He had grabbed on to a nearby lamp post, and wasn't about to let go.

Before she could float away, Sora grabbed his hand. "Why aren't you coming, Tai?"

"It's… too late for me… Sora."

"No! Joe's a doctor, he can help you, he'll know what to do, please, Tai…" she babbled, hardly daring to believe that be was choosing to stay there and die.

However, Tai silenced her. "I-it's better… this way."

"No, it's not!" she contradicted. "Tai, I don't want to lose you. I already made that mistake once."

"I'll always… be… with you," he struggled to assure her. "But… you have to… go… it won't… stay open… much longer…"

"I'll stay here, with you!"

"No." Using the last of his strength, he pried loose her fingers, and she began to float upwards.

"Tai!" she cried.

"Look after… Agumon… for me," his breathing was becoming more and more laboured, but still he kept on. "And… tell Kari… and Veemon… that I am… so… sorry. I… I love you… Sora." He waved to her as she drifted farther and farther away from him, and the real world, until his arm went slack, and his head drooped. He was gone.

"Taaaiiiiiiii!"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Hands

By Jewel

If I could tell the world

Just one thing it would be

We're all okay

And not to worry

'Cause worry is wasteful

And useless in times like these

I won't be made useless

I won't be idle with despair

I will gather myself around my faith

For light does the darkness most fear

My hands are small, I know

But they're not yours

They are my own

But they're not yours

They are my own and

I am never broken

Poverty stole your golden shoes

It didn't steal your laughter

And heartache came to visit me

But I knew it wasn't ever after

We'll fight, not out of spite

But someone must stand up for what's right

'Cause where there's a man who has no voice

There ours' shall go singing

My hands are small, I know

But they're not yours

They are my own

But they're not yours

They are my own and

I am never broken

In the end

Only kindness matters

In the end

Only kindness matters

I will get down on my knees

I will pray

I will get down on my knees

I will pray

My hands are small, I know

But they're not yours

They are my own

But they're not yours

They are my own and

I am never broken

We are never broken

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Well, there it is. What'd'ya think? I thought that "Hands" went quite nicely with the ending. Kinda makes you think, doesn't it? Questions? Comments? E-mail me at kitcat_46@hotmail.com. Toodles!