~*Closer than Before*~

~*Closer than Before*~

~*Prologue*~

"Mmmmm…" Kari let her voice trial of contentedly. She and TK where sitting under a large, shady tree, fingers intertwined.

Leaning her head back against the rough bark, she closed her eyes.

"Hey!" TK suddenly exclaimed.

"What?"

"I just remembered! Before we left, I found a note on one of the tables on the ship! It's probably just a death threat from Tai!"

Pulling out the note, TK unfolded it, Kari reading over his shoulder.

TK was partly right. It was a death threat. In a way. But it wasn't from Tai. It read:

"Hello, friends. It is I, the beautiful, talented, charming young woman who has captured Matt's heart. I'm sure you know who I am since Matt talks about me all the time! Anyway…meet me on the other side of the island in 4 hours. Do not leave on the ship. If you sail away on it, you shall never see your precious friends again. Jun."

Her name was signed in blood.

~*Part 2*~

Mimi smiled in contentment, leaning slightly forward to get a view of the valley. After walking for several moments, they had finally reached a rocky part of the island. Almost completely covered in rocks, the setting gave a perfect view of most of the island. She almost instantly pulled back, a nervous expression on her face.

Matt laughed aloud. "Don't worry. I won't let you fall," he promised taking her hand. "I'll never let you fall."

She smiled at him, a smile that made his knees go weak, "I know, Matt."

"So what do you want to do next Mimi? Head for the beach? Take a walk in the forest?" Matt grinned, bringing Mimi closer to him.

"I was thinking," her smile turned sly and mischievous, "that we could stay here for a while."

"Sounds good to me," Matt said placing a gentle kiss on her lips. One that turned more passionate with each passing second.

A low growl could be heard from the bushes that gave way to the jagged rocks they now stood on. Breaking off from the kiss, Mimi snapped her head in the direction of that growl, her eyes widening with fear, and her heartbeat speeding up.

"What was that Matt?" Mimi asked, her voice quivering, even after the growling had stopped.

"I'm sure it's nothing Mimi. Just some native animal or something," Matt assured straining to hear.

"What kind of animal? Like bears, or wolves?" Mimi asked, now more curious then afraid.

"I don't think they have bears or wolves here Mimi, maybe some kind of monkey, or parrot?" Matt guessed turning back to face her.

"Do parrots eat people?" Matt burst out laughing, and after thinking about what she just asked Mimi also began to laugh.

"I-I sorry… I just… I'm just being… paranoid… aren't I?" Mimi gasped between giggles.

"I think so," Matt was finding it hard to breath.

Once calmed down, Matt took Mimi's hand in his own and began to lead her off of the rocky surface of the cliff they stood on.

"Matt? Do you get these feelings that someone's watching us?" Mimi said glancing behind her once again.

"Now that I think about it… kinda," Matt confessed.

"Well…I don't like it," Mimi announced. "I…I can't stop thinking about…" Mimi glanced around fearfully. "About Jun."

Matt shook his head. "She's locked, up, remember?"

"Yeah, but what about Joe and Izzy? What happened to them, then?" Mimi asked defiantly.

Matt shook his head. "I don't know. I really don't know."

* * *

Jun watched sinisterly from the shadows, anger flowing through her veins. Every time she saw them together, she wanted to scream. Scream in anger. Scream in agitation. Scream that Matt would soon be hers.

Because he would. She was certain. She would make him hers. She would!

By now, she was breathing angrily. Mimi made her so mad! God, I hate her! I'll kill her! I'll kill her! And she won't even know it's coming!

She closed her eyes, trying to calm her anger. Eventually, her breathing slowed down.

First, she had to come up with a plan to capture Mimi.

Wait. Why capture Mimi when she could capture Matt?

Yes. Yes! I'll capture Matt, and make him realize that he loves me! Me! ME and only ME!

She smiled. Her smile was full of hope and happiness. Finally he'll be mine!

And, for some reason, she couldn't stop smiling.

* * *

"Come on, Mimi. You're almost there!" Matt encouraged.

Mimi looked up at him, clinging to the rock as hard as she could. Why oh why did I come up with the brilliant idea to climb higher? I hate heights!

"Here," Matt offered, reaching a hand down to help her.

Mimi smiled and reached up one hand to accept his offer of help.

But something obviously went wrong. Because without the support of that second hand, her body slid slightly down the face of rock.

And then she slipped more. And more.

Until she finally lost her handhold completely and plummeted to the ledge of rock seven feet below.

"Mimi!" Matt cried. "Mimi! Are you okay?" Without delay, he dropped down beside her.

Mimi was moaning in pain, both of her hands clutching at her left ankle. "Oh, God, Matt, it hurts!"

"Mimi! Where does it hurt?"

"My ankle…"

Matt, worried about Mimi, didn't even see the shadow fall across him from above.

Jun, smiling down at them, quickly hurried away. Operation 'make Matt mine,' is in progress.

"I'm so sorry Mimi," Matt almost cried, "I should have caught you. I promised I'd catch you."

"It's all right Matt," Mimi smiled through the tears, "It wasn't you fault, it was mine. I shouldn't have suggested that we go higher."

"No Mimi, it's my fault, I should have saw the danger, I was careless," Matt still blamed himself.

Silently he bent down and took Mimi's ankle gently in both his hands. Mimi cringed with every movement of her ankle even though Matt was trying his best to be gentle.

"I'm going to take your shoe off now, kay Mimi?" Matt warned loosening her laces.

Mimi nodded, she closed her eyes as tight as she could and prepared herself for the pain that was to come.

Matt took a deep breath and gingerly began to remove her shoe. Mimi screamed out in pain as the pink shoe slid quickly off her foot.

"Are you all right Mimi?" Matt asked moving to her side.

Again, Mimi nodded but this time she opened her eyes. As soon as she did the tears she was holding back escaped, rolling down her cheeks as light, pained sobs escaped her body. "It hurts so much Matt."

"I know Mimi," Matt gave her a reassuring smile before kissing her forehead. "You're going to be fine though."

Moving back to her foot, Matt placed his fingers at the top of Mimi's pink socks. Looking at her, she nodded, giving him permission to remove her sock. Smiling once more, he gave her time to suck in a deep breath before freeing her foot of the pink sock. Once more she screamed, and once more he moved to her side and kissed away her tears.

"Did I break it Matt?" Mimi sobbed.

"I don't think so Mimi," Matt said, examining her swelling ankle, "but it's really swollen and bruised."

"Oh no! How are we ever going to make it to the ship? They'll leave without us!" Mimi cried harder and Matt wrapped his arms around her to try to calm her down.

"Don't worry, Mimi. I'm sure that the ship won't leave without us! And, even if it does, the others won't leave without us."

"But we'll still be stranded here!" Mimi sobbed.

"It'll be all right Mimi," Matt promised, "Come on, I'll help you down from here."

Matt wrapped his arm around Mimi's waist and gingerly pulled her up. Carefully they began to descend, Matt making sure Mimi's injured foot never touched the ground, and Mimi trying her hardest not to put too much of her weight on Matt.

When they reached the bottom, where the rocky terrain met with the lush forests of the island, Matt set Mimi and himself down to catch his breath.

"I'm sorry I'm such an inconvenience for you Matt," Mimi apologized, lowering her head in shame.

"You are not, Mimi!" Matt assured, pulling her close to him. "You never were and you never will be. Promise me you'll never think that again."

"I-I…" Mimi stuttered crying onto his shoulder.

"Promise me!" he demanded.

Rising her head from his shoulder, Mimi looked him in the eyes. "I promise."

"Good," Matt smiled, bringing her in for another hug. "We should get going, time's running out."

"All right," Mimi nodded, watching Matt get up off the ground. "Why did you make me promise that?"

Dusting himself off Matt looked at her, unsure of what to say, "Because… I-I… love you."

"NNNNNOOOOO!!!!!!!" a raging scream pierced the silence that overtook Mimi.

Jun came crashing out of the bushes, a club like stick in her hands. Before Matt could even fully turn around that stick came up in a fluid arch and with one final swing of Jun's arms came crashing down on the side of Matt's head.

"IT'S NOT TRUE! HE LOVES ME! NOT YOU!" she screamed, watching Matt crumple to the ground.

Mimi screamed in horror when Jun began to advance on her. There was no way she could protect herself, she was helpless. She couldn't run or even fight back. If Jun wanted to kill her it would be as easy as swatting an extremely large fly.

"S-stay away from me!" Mimi demanded. She wanted to back away from Jun, but her heart wouldn't let her, because Matt still lay twitching on the ground.

"I'm not going to kill you Mimi," Jun stopped, smiling innocently. "Not yet!"

Jun dropped the club with a thud and proceeded to wrap her arms around Matt and slowly but surly began to drag him from sight.

"No! Don't take him! Please don't take him!" Mimi begged trying to follow.

"He's mine now, bitch!" Jun cried, and with a swift kick to her face, sent Mimi sprawling back. "If you even try to follow, I'll kill you right now. And your friends. They won't even have a chance!"

Mimi sat clutching her face, dread consuming her every limb. What was she ever going to do? If she tried to save Matt the others would die. Who knows how many others Jun had other then Joe and Izzy? She could have Tai, or Sora, or TK, or Kari, maybe even all of them.

As Jun's cynical laughing faded into the background Mimi began to cry. There was nothing else she could do but cry. There was no one to save them now, no one that would stop Jun. No one that would help them.

To be continued…

Or will it? It all depends on you.

Gatomon_1 and Lady_Maggie