A/N: Sheng long, you once gave me a challenge, to write a takari where TK was seventh and Kari was eighth. I give you What if: Guardian.

And to Robster80: Happy birthday. It's a shame you can't attach Bicardi bottles to fanfics.

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"Miss Kamiya?"

Kari sprang to her feet. "Yes."

"Your boyfriend is asking to see you."

"TK are you crazy? That guy had a gun!"

"I'm sorry I worried you, but I made a promise to keep you safe."

"What if I had made that promise to you?"

What if 05: Guardian

I stroll over to the table looking at my various tools before Yolie grabbed me and dragged me back to the mirror.

"No Kari!" Sora said "You are going to make through one day without killing anyone."

"I've never killed anyone. Now putting Davis in the ICU for a month and half..."

"Kari why are you so defensive when it comes to TK?" Mimi asked.

"You wouldn't remember because you were running solo at the time, but I made a promise."

***

"Kari, take TK and get out of here." Sora said turning to face Piedmon.

"But Sora."

"No but's!" Sora snapped pressing our small hands together. "Go and watch over him."

I looked at the small hand I held in my own. "I promise I'll do whatever it takes to protect TK."

***

"Even so, this is a long way to go for a promise." Mimi said.

"Why did you put us together, anyway?" I ask drifting towards the table.

"Because you two were the last." Sora said steering me back to the mirror. "Now stay."

I fix Sora with an evil glare as I gaze at the mirror. "I guess I've come to support TK after all this time."

"Like the time you took him to the prom?"

My expression softened as I remembered that day.

***

"So who are you taking to the prom, VD?" Davis asked.

"That's TK." Cody corrected absently gazing across the cafeteria at the young dark haired girl.

"Her name is Hotaru and no one's asked her to the prom yet." I said from behind Davis as my shadow fell across the table. "She says she's looking for someone quiet, mature and responsible."

"Really?" Cody mused silently.

"Kari my love, will you be my date for the prom? Bind yourself to me with your kiss." Davis puckered up and strained towards me.

"As if." I said sweeping the chair to spill the over amorous Davis to the floor before spinning it on one leg so the back faced the table. As he lay on the ground stunned, I straddled the chair and looked at TK. "I'll pick you up at 7:30 sharp." I said crisply sliding TK an envelope. "Be ready." Without waiting for a response I spun the chair around properly and left.

"Are you just going to let her run your life for you?" Ken asked.

I smiled at TK's reply. "There's nothing I want more."

***

"Hey space case." Mimi said. "You're all ready."

"Good." I said moving towards the table.

"No!" The other three girls shouted in unison. As they lunged for me I whipped a leg out to kick the table, shattering the leg and spilling the various weapons to the floor.

"Let her have her toys." Tai said from the door. "She's just nervous. They'll help calm her down."

"I'm not nervous." I said gathering my weapons and carefully placing them into a black duffle bag. "I'm absolutely terrified. I've always been in control until now. I don't what to do."

"Look Kari." Mimi said crouching beside me and rubbing my shoulders. "I know how you feel. I never thought I'd be making this kind of commitment but..." She sighed blissfully as she handed me a silver dagger with a black hilt that flowed up to form an exquisitely crafted ruby rose. I sighed myself as a memory washed over me.

***

It was my thirteenth birthday and the house was filled with more Chosen Children than you could shake a stick at. Even Mimi and Michael had made it from America. After cake and ice cream came the part I was looking forward to.

Presents.

I had asked for practical gifts and I got them in spades. Mimi got me a leather coat which I grew into, Joe got me a case of first aid kits and my brother got me a motorcycle. Lastly came TK shuffling his feet and suddenly looking like he'd rather be anywhere but here. "Here Kari." He said thrusting the box into my hands.

"What did you get me kid, a trained viper?" I smiled as he hung his head to hide his blush. I opened the box to reveal the most beautiful dagger I had ever seen with a brilliantly carved ruby rose with an oversized stem that twined into a black hilt, ebony or perhaps onyx, I couldn't quite tell which at the time. I thought it was a display piece but a closer examination showed it to be the real thing. "Takeru." I gasped. "This is..."

"I saw the dagger and I thought of you." He mumbled. I could see this was uncomfortable for him but I had to know. I grabbed him by the hand and dragged him into my room where I shut and locked the door before leading him out to my balcony where we sat in two chairs.

"Why?" I asked gently holding his hand. I hated seeing him like this weak and vulnerable.

"It reminds me of you, because you can be dangerous and beautiful too." He replied caressing my face absently.

There was something more but wasn't telling and I wasn't about to push him. I moved my chair closer to his and for a moment I stopped being his guardian and he stopped being my ward. Instead we were two friends enjoying a brilliant sunset. "Arigato Takeru."

***

"When he left that night I realized that with one simple gesture he had stolen my heart." I said turning the dagger over in in my hands before placing it in my bag. "Or maybe he finished what was started when Sora put his life in my hands."

"You never did tell us how he uh..." Yolie said.

"No, I don't suppose I did."

***

I was 20 and had unknowingly moved into an apartment below TK. I was unpacking my things when a gift basket was lowered onto my balcony.

"What in the blazes?" I grabbed my katana and stepped outside as the basket touched down and a fishing hook wound its way back out of sight. I unsheathed my sword and used the blade as a mirror to scan above me. Moments later a note came down.

"'Good to see you haven't lost your edge, my black rose. Why don't we catch up on old times? I'm right over your head.' Takeru."

I was right of course, and many more things came down our makeshift dumbwaiter. But nothing prepared me for the note.

"' Kari chan, I know I ought to do this in person but If I actually look at you I'll lose my nerve again, so here goes nothing. Will you marry me?' Cute." I assumed it was a joke and replied as such. I didn't realize he was serious until the ring came down with the reply that it wasn't a joke.

I did the only thing I could think of.

***

"I said yes." I said pulling my veil over my face. "And now it's time."

***

"Dearly beloved we are gathered her to today in the sight of God to witness the unions of Takichawa Mimi and Ishida Yamato and Kamiya Hikari and Takashi Takeru." This is it. Four words and one kiss and then onto happily every after. "Ladies do you take these men to be your lawfully wedded husbands?"

Mimi and I looked at our respective blond knights before giving the only answer we could. "I do."

"And do you gentlemen take these women to be your lawfully wedded wives?"

"I do." TK said before whispering, "Always and forever."

"If anyone can show just cause why either of these two should not be married, speak now or forever hold your peace." Oh damn, I'd forgotten about this part.

"How about the death of a groom, huh KY?"

"And a bride."

We turned in unison to see...

"Davis and Jun." Mimi hissed.

"Don't move!" Davis barked swinging the gun on TK as Jun leveled hers at Mimi. "One shot and then we can have this wedding with the proper participants."

Time slowed as it always did when TK was in danger. Any other time I would have shoved him away but for some inexplicable reason, I pulled him towards and behind me as I ripped open the cuff of one sleeve and spin a shiruken across Jun's hand forcing her to drop her gun as Davis tracked TK and fired blasting a hole through my left shoulder. As Mimi tackled Jun into the floor, I lashed out with a hard kick that disarmed Davis and knocked him to the floor. As time resumed its normal flow I pounced on Davis ripping a knife from my other sleeve.

"I should kill you now and do the world a favor." I hiss raising the knife to plunge into his heart. Suddenly my arm is caught in a firm grip. I look up to see TK gripping his shoulder with one hand and my arm with the other.

"There has been enough blood spilled in this holy place Hikari. No more, for my sake."

I glance from TK to Davis before slamming my knife into the floor next to his head, literally scaring the piss out of him. As he jerked his head up I grabbed his forehead and smashed his head back into the floor relieving him of consciousness. "So much for a peaceful wedding." I mumbled as Mimi finished Jun with a quick but brutal headbut.

"I thought we agreed no weapons." Tai said.

"I agreed not to bring any and I didn't. They were sewed into the dress when I got it."

"Got any other toys hidden in there?"

"Just one." I said ripping out the hem of the dress to produce a long coil of wire.

"We'll take care of this." Cody said as he and Hotaru grabbed Davis and Ken and Yolie grabbed Jun. "Carry on."

"Very well, where were we?" The priest said wiping the sweat from his brow.

"Then by the power..." TK prompted.

"Quite right. Then by the power vested in me by the city of Odiba, I now pronounce you husbands and wives. You may kiss the brides."

As TK drew back my veil and gazed into my eyes, I realized with a start that we had each become guardians of something irreplaceable.

Someone else's heart.