Disclaimer: Digimon is not mine. It belongs to Fox Kids and the clever
person who created it.
Author: Kitai
Age restriction: PG 13. A rude word of three. Plus some gory bits. Kinda.
A/N: I don't know what's with me and Takari. I love it so much. As much as I like Taito. By the way, I think I was on a sugar high when I wrote this. Please R&R!
Ages:
TK-18
Kari-18
Davis-18
Yolei-18
Ken-19
Cody-16
Matt-21
Tai-21
Sora-21
Basically all the 01 d-destined are 21. 'Cept for Joe who's 22. Duh.
Brief Synopsis:
TK and Kari have been openly dating for about 3 years and have been sexually active the last 6 months.
Talk about brief. Ahem, now on with the story.
*****
TK strolled down the street, whistling happily to himself. The air was cool and there was the smell of rain in the air. He shoved his hands into his pockets as he walked across the street to the café where Kari was waiting. As he approached, he immediately knew something was up. He went and sat next to her, glancing at her drawn face and red-rimmed eyes. "Kari?" He said tentatively. She looked blankly, unseeingly at him. "Kari, what's wrong? Is someone sick? Tai?" She shook her head. "What then?" She met his eyes. "I was late." TK felt his throat tighten. "What.What do you mean." "You know very well what I mean!" Kari snapped, angrily.
"Look, that doesn't mean anything." TK said, refusing to believe what was written in big flashing neon letters in his mind. Kari Laughed grimly. "Yeah, by itself it means nothing." TK looked puzzled. Kari continued, "I wanted to be sure, so I went to a clinic. I took a test." There was silence for about a minute. "And?" TK hesitantly asked. "It was positive." With those three words, TK's world crumbled around him. "But.they can be wrong, can't they?" Kari shook her head. "No. It was true. I can feel it." "But it can't be true. I don't believe it." TK stammered. Kari angrily rose to her feet. "TK, listen to me. The test was positive. There is no doubt. We both have to face it Takeru. I'm pregnant. We're going to be parents."
*****
Kari lay on her bed that night, unable to sleep. Too many questions danced through her mind. What would her parents think? How did TK feel? Did she even want this baby? I don't know! I can't have an abortion. That's murder! But.But. That was it. That was the one word that danced up every time she answered a question. But.
She heard the window open and close and turned over in the dark, pretending to sleep. "Kari?" Gatomon's voice called worriedly to her. "Are you awake?" Kari lay still. She wanted to talk to her friend but what could she say? "Gee, Gatomon, guess what. I had sex with TK and now I'm pregnant." Right. The word still didn't seem real and once more, a tear trickled down the bridge of her nose. She heard the window open, and then close again. She was alone.
*****
TK sat at the kitchen table long into the night. He hadn't spoken to anyone. Not even to Matt who shared his apartment. He had even eaten Matt's cooking without much regard to that stale sour taste. Matt knew better than to pressure his brother into talking. He had once gone through the same 'don't want to talk to anyone' phase a long time ago.
He looked up as he heard something step through the cat door that they hadn't bothered to remove when they bought this place. "Oh. Hi Gatomon." He said.
Gatomon jumped lightly onto the table and sat staring at TK. "Ok. Spill." TK looked blankly at her. "Spill what?" Gatomon rolled her eyes. "What's wrong with Kari? She won't eat and she won't talk to me. She just pretends to be asleep. So what did you say o her when you saw her today?"
"It's not what I said to her. It's what she told me. What she found out and what I did to her."
"Why do humans always talk in riddles?" Gatomon asked. TK shook his head.
"Look, Gatomon. Kari will tell you when she feels ready. I don't have the right to say anything to you." Gatomon sighed.
"I'm just so worried about her, TK. She's never acted like this before. And I've known her for ten years." Gatomon pleaded.
"I'm sorry." TK answered. And then put his head on his arms, sinking back into his own thoughts.
*****
Patamon met up with Gatomon the next morning in the tree outside the school. "I overheard your conversation with TK last night." Patamon said. "So Kari's also been acing weird?" Gatomon nodded. "I don't know what's wrong with her. Something must have happened that's really bad to make both of them act like this. But Agumon says Tai hasn't been acting strange at all. So it must be between the two of them." Patamon sighed in agreement. "That much is certain."
Suddenly, Patamon noticed the two walking down the street. "Hey look. There they are." He whispered. Gatomon peered over his shoulder and dropped down onto a lower branch. "Gatomon, what're you doing?" Patamon asked. "I know eavesdropping is wrong, but I've got to find out what's wrong with Kari. They're bound to be talking about it." Patamon nodded and stepped down to listen.
*****
TK and Kari leaned against the fence of their old primary school, jackets done up against the strong wind that had picked up over night. "Have you decided what you want to do?" TK asked. Kari shook her head. "It's a decision for both of us to make."
"Kari, it's your body. Whatever you decide to do, I'll go along with it. But I'll say one thing: I don't want you to get an abortion. We can give the baby up for adoption can't we? If we can't keep it?"
Kari smiled sadly. "That's what I've been thinking."
Up in the tree, Gatomon and Patamon were even more confused. "What are they talking about?" Patamon asked. "I'm not sure. But I have a theory. And I don't like it." Gatomon replied.
"What's your theory?"
"Shhh. Just listen."
TK spoke again after a couple minutes silence. "One thing's for sure. We have to tell our families."
"And our digimon. Gatomon's really worried about me."
"I know. She came to see me last night. She wanted to know why you were acting so strangely. I told her that you would tell her when you were ready."
"Thanks TK." Kari looked at her watch. "I have to go. We'll tell our digimon first. Then we can tell our families. Together." TK smiled at her, taking her hand in his and kissing her gently.
*****
"Gatomon? Gatomon!" Kari called once she got home. "Great. When you don't want to talk to her, she's there. When you want to talk to her, she's no where in sight. Gatomon!" Gatomon crawled out from under the sofa, grumbling."
"You just woke me up from a very deep catnap. Oh Kari, it's you!"
"Gatomon, I need to talk to you."
"What's up?" Gatomon asked. Kari looked over at the door. Tai had just walked in.
"Let's go somewhere private."
"So Kari, you gonna tell me what's been going on?" They were in Kari's room. Kari locked the door and sat on the bed next to her digimon. "I don't know where to begin."
"Well, it's always better to just get to the point, rather than beat around the bush." Gatomon suggested.
"Yeah. I guess you're right."
"Well?"
Kari sighed. "Um, I." She swallowed. "I'm pregnant."
"Oh boy."
"Uh huh." Kari put her head in her hands. "TK should be telling Patamon right about now. We decided to tell you guys first. We're gonna wait until we've got both our families together before we tell them."
"Good idea. They're gonna flip."
"We know."
Gatomon put her paw on Kari's arm. "Hey, it'll be ok. Your parents dealt with Myotismon destroying half the city and you guys having to save the world. This should be easy for them to cope with."
"Right."
*****
'We called this uh.meeting because we have something to tell you all." TK said, looking around at their families sitting together in Mr Ishida's small apartment. He was almost hoping for someone to interrupt but they just looked at him and Kari expectantly.
It was two weeks after Kari had given TK the news and in that time they had seen a doctor and found out that Kari was already three months along. They had planned this meeting ahead and anticipated all possible reactions from their parents and brothers. Even so, it was still hard to tell them.
Kari cleared her throat. "I'm pregnant." Ok, so they hadn't anticipated total silence. Tai spoke first. "Wh.what?"
"You heard me. I'm going to have a baby."
Matt stood up shakily. "And TK, you're." TK nodded. Kari's mother fainted and her father and Tai immediately laid her on the sofa. "Someone get some smelling salts!" Mr Kamiya said. Mr Ishida chuckled. "No need. Just use Matt's cooking."
"Hey!" Matt protested.
"People this is no time to be joking." TK said. Everyone was immediately silent.
Kari spoke. "We've decided to keep the baby. We can't give it up now."
"We went to the doctor and saw it on foetal monitor. It's alive and we just can't kill it." TK added.
Ms Takashi stammered, "How.how far."
Kari smiled, "Three months. We had to tell you all because you're our families. You don't influence our decisions about this. We welcome all support from you, though." Mrs Kamiya finally came to and looked around. "So it wasn't a dream." She said shakily.
Kari shook her head. "No mom. Sorry."
"Well, congratulations you two." Mr Kamiya said, getting to his feet. "I think we all respect your choice." He glared around at Tai who looked like he was about to protest. "Well, then. I think we'd better be off." He turned towards the door and stopped. "So, who's your doctor?"
TK and Kari laughed. "An old friend of ours who's just finished med school. Joe Kido."
*****
"We still have to tell the others." Kari said as soon as they got outside. TK laughed. "I wonder what they're gonna think." Kari contemplated for a minute.
"Well, we know Davis is gonna be pissed." They both laughed.
"Yeah, tell me about it. He's been fighting with me for you since I met him in fifth grade."
Patamon and Gatomon walked quietly side by side, keeping their companions out of trouble. "Well, that went rather well." Gatomon said.
"Kari's mom fainted." Patamon replied.
"Slight drawback. The others took it well."
"Except for Tai."
"Tai's overprotective. He's just worried about her. He can't believe that she's so grown up. To the point where she's having a baby. " Gatomon explained.
"I still find it hard to believe. What do you think it makes us?"
"How do you mean?"
"I mean, Tai and Matt'll be the baby's uncles. And if we're practically family, what does it make us?"
"Auntmon and Unclemon? I don't know."
TK and Kari were far ahead of them when TK turned around. "Hey, you two! Will you stop dawdling so we can get home?" The two digimon immediately picked up the pace.
*****
TK and Kari were the last to arrive at the park where they had all decided to meet. Matt and Tai had both made excuses not to be there. They probably couldn't stand the shock of hearing the news again.
"Hey guys!" Kari called, waving.
"Hi!" Mimi jumped up and gave them both a hug. She had flown in from America for summer vacation and hadn't seen everyone yet. "Where's Tai and Matt?"
"They couldn't come. But we have something quite important to tell you. They've already heard it. Joe too." She looked at Joe who smiled exasperatedly.
"Well?" Yolei prompted.
After telling the story twice, Kari found it easy saying it again. She was becoming used to the idea. "I'm pregnant!" There was a collective silence, then..."WHAT?!?!?!" came all at once from the 14 voices of Mimi, Izzy, Sora, Yolei, Davis, Ken, Cody and their Digimon.
Suddenly, Davis was on his feet, lunging for TK with cries of "YOU KNOCKED UP KARI?!?!"
Ken, Izzy and Joe were on there feet in a moment with efforts to remove Davis from TK. It was only when Cody calmly stood up and whacked Davis on the head with his Kendo stick did they finally succeed.
"I don't believe it!" Sora exclaimed.
"Believe it." TK said, climbing to his feet and placing his arm around Kari's shoulders, enjoying the dark scowl on Davis's face that grew deeper with each passing second.
"When's it due?" Ken asked.
Joe replied for them, "November."
"I still don't believe it." Mimi said, noting the way DemiVeemon had placed himself between Davis and TK in an attempt to stop any more conflict and smiling slightly.
TK glanced at his watch. "Well, We have to get going. We have another appointment at the doctors'. Joe?" Joe chuckled slightly as he and the others climbed to their feet and started off across the park, most of them muttering to themselves "I don't believe it."
Davis was last. He too was muttering under his breath "I don't believe TB knocked up my girl." DemiVeemon glanced at him and shook his head in exasperation.
*****
Five months later.
"There he is." Joe said as the computer image of the baby appeared on foetal monitor. Kari grinned. "You know, I've seen him about a hundred times and I never get tired of it."
"Me too." TK replied. "And every time he's a little bigger."
"You're telling me!" Kari laughed.
"Well, I've given Gatomon orders to keep you quiet for the next month. Especially because I'm a little concerned about the position of the placenta." Joe cautioned.
"Something's wrong?" Kari demanded.
"There's probably nothing to worry about. Just take it easy until he's born, OK?"
"Thanks Joe."
******
"I feel like the side of a house." Kari complained as she fixed herself a salad."
"Ok, come on. You're not that big." Gatomon said as she spread peanut butter on some bread, then winced as she saw her companion glare at her. "Ooh, wrong choice of words." The two companions munched in silence. Gatomon swallowed and looked up. "Have you and TK thought of any names?"
Kari groaned. "Are you kidding? We've thought of hundreds of names ever since we found out we were expecting a boy. Unfortunately we can't decide which one to choose."
"Why not pin the list to a dart board, throw a dart and which ever name it hits, choose it." Gatomon suggested.
Kari thought for a moment. "Hey, that's actually a good idea." They both laughed.
*****
TK and Patamon stood outside Matt's apartment in the cool autumn wind. TK rang the doorbell. There was the sound of a few major crashes and a lot of swearing on Matt's behalf before the door finally opened revealing Matt nursing a bruised elbow.
"You know, Matt, ever since I moved out this place has really deteriorated." TK said as he stepped inside and almost gagged on the smell of old socks and two-month-old sushi stuck behind and under various pieces of furniture.
"Oh shut up." Matt replied. "So how are things going in your new apartment?"
"OK. We've got a nursery set up for the baby."
"You nervous?"
"About the baby? You bet!"
"How's Kari"
"Besides the fact that every other word that comes out of her mouth is a complaint that she's getting fat, which she's not."
Matt shook his head. "Women."
"Yeah. Can't live with 'em. Can't live without 'em."
*****
Kari looked up as she heard the front door open and grinned as she saw her fiancé step walk into the living room. He sat down on the couch next to her and gave her a quick kiss. "Hi TK." Kari said, reaching up to stroke his golden hair. TK pushed a stray lock of her long hair out of her eyes. "I've been thinking," he said, "How would you like to have a baby shower?" Kari's eyes lit up.
"Oh TK, I'd love that! We could get everything else that our baby needs."
TK grinned shyly. "I figured since we don't need anything for the apartment and we don't have to bother with a house-warming party, why not have a baby shower instead."
"You're the best, Takeru." Kari said.
*****
Two weeks later. The day of the baby shower.
"TK, will you put those crisps in a bowl and take them out to the living room for me please?" Kari asked as she put the ingredients for salsa in a blender. "They'll be here any second." TK grabbed a large glass bowl, emptied the packet of cheese-and-onion chips into it and sauntered into the room where Gatomon and Patamon were putting up decorations.
Patamon, it seems, had developed a very interesting way of blowing up balloons. The little digimon put a balloon to his mouth. "Boom Bubble Ptah!" he shouted and sent a blast of air into the limp rubber bag and blew it up to enormous size. He handed it to Gatomon who tied it to the ceiling.
"Hey guys, almost finished?" TK asked, setting down the crisps next to the peanuts and dried fruit.
Patamon gave one more "Boom Bubble Ptah!" and handed the inflated balloon to Gatomon. "Yup. That was the last one!" He said.
"Great!"
Suddenly, the doorbell rang. "I'll get it!" Gatomon called and she and Patamon raced for the door.
Kari walked heavily out of the kitchen. "Great, they're here!" She and TK went to the door.
"Hi Joe! Hi Mimi!" Kari called. "I'm so glad you were able to come!" She added to Mimi.
"Yeah, I was able to get a few days off to come for the shower." Mimi replied. "Look at you!" She added, holding Kari at arm's length to get a better look at her. "You look great!"
"So do you!" Kari said, giving Mimi another hug. Then she hugged Joe. "Don't worry, I didn't forget about you." She laughed.
"Hey, Kari, take it easy." Joe chided.
*****
Soon the party was in full swing. Everyone had arrived. Even Davis (Actually, Davis had come because Jun dragged him there so she'd have an excuse to be near Matt).
Kari began opening presents. First she unwrapped a large parcel from Izzy to reveal a brightly coloured box with "My 1st Computer" printed on it. "Oh, Izzy, this is great. When he's old enough, I'm sure the baby will love it!" Kari said gleefully.
She proceeded to open a pair of goggles from Davis and Jun, a soccer ball from Tai, a child's harmonica from Matt, teddy bears from Sora; Mimi and Yolei, a "Take Care of your Baby" kit from Joe, Kendo baby clothes from Cody and a "Fun With Numbers For Under 1's" kit from Ken.
Suddenly Kari cried out and clutched at her stomach. She fell to the floor on her knees. Joe and TK were on their feet in an instant. "What is it? Is it the baby?" Joe demanded.
"I.I think so." Kari said.
TK ran a shaking hand through his hair. "Ohhh shit."
*****
"Ahhhh! Shit, it hurts!" Kari screamed in the delivery room. TK shakily dabbed her forehead with the damp cloth with one hand and held her sweaty palm in his other, wincing every so often as another contraction made her clutch his hand in a vice like grip.
"Let's have ten CC's of epidural over here!" Joe called through his mask. He took the needle and serum from a nurse and carefully measured out the correct amount. "Here you go, Kari. This will stop the pain." He said soothingly.
"Wait a sec," TK said, "You're gonna stick that thing in my fiancée?" In answer, Joe rolled Kari over on her side and jabbed the needle into her back. TK groaned and slid to the floor in a faint.
"There goes another one!" A midwife laughed. Then she glanced at the baby's heart monitor and her happy expression changed to one of alarm. "Doctor Kido!" She called sharply.
Joe hurried over. "What is it?" He asked. In answer the midwife pointed to the monitor. "The baby's heartbeat is irregular." She said, "Too irregular to be just the usual stress of birth." Joe's eyes widened in momentary fear. Then he started acting quickly. "Let's have an ultrasound over here! There's something I need to check." He called to no one in particular.
"What's wrong?" Kari demanded.
"Look, until we know for sure that there's something to worry about, we won't worry." He replied.
"What happened to the Joe I knew ten years ago?" Kari joked.
Joe didn't laugh.
A nurse smeared the cold ultrasound jelly on Kari's protruding belly and ran the scanner over. She stopped at a certain point. "Doctor Kido?" She called. Joe made his way over and looked at the screen. "Shit." He swore. Kari hoisted herself up on her elbows but fatigue caused her to slump back down again. "Joe? What's wrong? I want the truth." Joe looked at her and sighed. "There's a problem." He watched her eyes widen in fear. "The placenta is around the baby's neck. We have to do a caesarean now. Or the both of you could die. "
"But." Kari started to protest, but another needle in her arm filled with general anaesthetic stopped her. She was asleep.
*****
The digidestined, their digimon, Mr and Mrs Kamiya, Mr Ishida and Ms Takashi all waited outside in silence. Davis, Tai, Gatomon, Agumon, Matt, Mr Ishida and Gabumon paced the room, every so often bumping into each other. Patamon just flew around in aimless circles. Gomamon, relieved of is duties as a clown in the children's ward sat and watched them, his eyes moving from side to side as if he was watching a tennis match.
Mrs Kamiya had got up for the umpteenth time to make everyone some more coffee when the delivery room door opened. Everyone jumped to their feet. TK walked out, his face pale and drawn. "TK, what's the matter, son?" His father asked. TK weakly slid to the floor and started shaking. "Th.there's a p...problem wi.with the b.baby." He stammered. "The.c...cord is tan.tangled around his neck. They.have to o.operate to g.get the b.baby out t...to save them both." Davis grabbed him by the shoulders. "They're gonna operate on Kari?! Man this is all your fault!" He shouted. Tai grabbed him by the back of his shirt and pulled him off. Davis yanked himself out of Tai's grasp and barged into the delivery room.
*****
Joe had just made the incision when the door burst open. Davis took one look at the operating table and passed out. Jun appeared. "Sorry, he can be a little stupid sometimes." She grabbed his arms and dragged him out, shutting the door behind him.
Joe shook his head. That kid.
He pulled himself back to the task at hand.
Joe carefully cut away through skin and muscle, fighting back waves of nausea every time he remembered that this was the girl he'd known since she was eight. The girl the Numemon called the Queen of the Light. The girl who'd cried over Wizardmon when he'd died. The girl who was holder of the Crest of Light. Tai's little sister.
This time he mentally shook himself. No. She was his patient. She was someone who needed his help. He couldn't let personal ties get in the way of what he was doing. He finally reached the wall of the uterus and saw the feeble movement of tiny arms, the little head, starting to go purple from the pressure of the cord around his neck. "Hey little fella." Joe whispered as he gently slipped his gloved fingers between the placenta and the baby's fragile neck and unwrapped it. The baby's face resumed its normal colour.
*****
The sound of baby crying cut through the general gloom of the waiting room. TK leaped to his feet and dropped the coffee he was drinking. He burst into the room. There, Joe was holding the small, bawling baby. TK once again felt weak in the knees but this time from sheer joy. "Congratulations, TK," Joe said, grinning through his surgical mask, "You have a son."
Suddenly TK was swamped by everyone hugging him.
Even Davis.
*****
Kari sat in her small private ward, nursing her day old son. She looked up as she heard the door open and TK walked in. "Uh hi." He said, lovingly taking in his family. He grabbed the chair from the window and sat down. "May I?" He asked. Kari smiled and held out the little baby. TK gingerly took him, afraid that even the slightest pressure could break the tiny body. He smiled goofily as he gently rocked his new-born son.
Kari glanced down at the baby and then into TK's blue eyes. "What do we call him?" She asked.
"Oh, I think I have a few ideas." TK replied.
*****
One year later.
"Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday dear Joe! Happy birthday to you!" Everyone sang at the little brown hared boy's first birthday.
As Doctor Joe Kido carried the cake over to his small godson, he felt a tugging at his leg. He glanced down and saw DemiVeemon looking up at him with stars in his eyes. "Oh, no little guy. This is for the baby. You'll get your share." DemiVeemon responded by leaping up and down, trying to get at the cake. A small burp from somewhere above his head made Joe look up. Poromon was sitting immersed in the cake and wolfing it down as fast as he could. "Poromon!" Joe shouted in dismay, dropping the cake on DemiVeemon's head. Everyone laughed.
THE END
Author: Kitai
Age restriction: PG 13. A rude word of three. Plus some gory bits. Kinda.
A/N: I don't know what's with me and Takari. I love it so much. As much as I like Taito. By the way, I think I was on a sugar high when I wrote this. Please R&R!
Ages:
TK-18
Kari-18
Davis-18
Yolei-18
Ken-19
Cody-16
Matt-21
Tai-21
Sora-21
Basically all the 01 d-destined are 21. 'Cept for Joe who's 22. Duh.
Brief Synopsis:
TK and Kari have been openly dating for about 3 years and have been sexually active the last 6 months.
Talk about brief. Ahem, now on with the story.
*****
TK strolled down the street, whistling happily to himself. The air was cool and there was the smell of rain in the air. He shoved his hands into his pockets as he walked across the street to the café where Kari was waiting. As he approached, he immediately knew something was up. He went and sat next to her, glancing at her drawn face and red-rimmed eyes. "Kari?" He said tentatively. She looked blankly, unseeingly at him. "Kari, what's wrong? Is someone sick? Tai?" She shook her head. "What then?" She met his eyes. "I was late." TK felt his throat tighten. "What.What do you mean." "You know very well what I mean!" Kari snapped, angrily.
"Look, that doesn't mean anything." TK said, refusing to believe what was written in big flashing neon letters in his mind. Kari Laughed grimly. "Yeah, by itself it means nothing." TK looked puzzled. Kari continued, "I wanted to be sure, so I went to a clinic. I took a test." There was silence for about a minute. "And?" TK hesitantly asked. "It was positive." With those three words, TK's world crumbled around him. "But.they can be wrong, can't they?" Kari shook her head. "No. It was true. I can feel it." "But it can't be true. I don't believe it." TK stammered. Kari angrily rose to her feet. "TK, listen to me. The test was positive. There is no doubt. We both have to face it Takeru. I'm pregnant. We're going to be parents."
*****
Kari lay on her bed that night, unable to sleep. Too many questions danced through her mind. What would her parents think? How did TK feel? Did she even want this baby? I don't know! I can't have an abortion. That's murder! But.But. That was it. That was the one word that danced up every time she answered a question. But.
She heard the window open and close and turned over in the dark, pretending to sleep. "Kari?" Gatomon's voice called worriedly to her. "Are you awake?" Kari lay still. She wanted to talk to her friend but what could she say? "Gee, Gatomon, guess what. I had sex with TK and now I'm pregnant." Right. The word still didn't seem real and once more, a tear trickled down the bridge of her nose. She heard the window open, and then close again. She was alone.
*****
TK sat at the kitchen table long into the night. He hadn't spoken to anyone. Not even to Matt who shared his apartment. He had even eaten Matt's cooking without much regard to that stale sour taste. Matt knew better than to pressure his brother into talking. He had once gone through the same 'don't want to talk to anyone' phase a long time ago.
He looked up as he heard something step through the cat door that they hadn't bothered to remove when they bought this place. "Oh. Hi Gatomon." He said.
Gatomon jumped lightly onto the table and sat staring at TK. "Ok. Spill." TK looked blankly at her. "Spill what?" Gatomon rolled her eyes. "What's wrong with Kari? She won't eat and she won't talk to me. She just pretends to be asleep. So what did you say o her when you saw her today?"
"It's not what I said to her. It's what she told me. What she found out and what I did to her."
"Why do humans always talk in riddles?" Gatomon asked. TK shook his head.
"Look, Gatomon. Kari will tell you when she feels ready. I don't have the right to say anything to you." Gatomon sighed.
"I'm just so worried about her, TK. She's never acted like this before. And I've known her for ten years." Gatomon pleaded.
"I'm sorry." TK answered. And then put his head on his arms, sinking back into his own thoughts.
*****
Patamon met up with Gatomon the next morning in the tree outside the school. "I overheard your conversation with TK last night." Patamon said. "So Kari's also been acing weird?" Gatomon nodded. "I don't know what's wrong with her. Something must have happened that's really bad to make both of them act like this. But Agumon says Tai hasn't been acting strange at all. So it must be between the two of them." Patamon sighed in agreement. "That much is certain."
Suddenly, Patamon noticed the two walking down the street. "Hey look. There they are." He whispered. Gatomon peered over his shoulder and dropped down onto a lower branch. "Gatomon, what're you doing?" Patamon asked. "I know eavesdropping is wrong, but I've got to find out what's wrong with Kari. They're bound to be talking about it." Patamon nodded and stepped down to listen.
*****
TK and Kari leaned against the fence of their old primary school, jackets done up against the strong wind that had picked up over night. "Have you decided what you want to do?" TK asked. Kari shook her head. "It's a decision for both of us to make."
"Kari, it's your body. Whatever you decide to do, I'll go along with it. But I'll say one thing: I don't want you to get an abortion. We can give the baby up for adoption can't we? If we can't keep it?"
Kari smiled sadly. "That's what I've been thinking."
Up in the tree, Gatomon and Patamon were even more confused. "What are they talking about?" Patamon asked. "I'm not sure. But I have a theory. And I don't like it." Gatomon replied.
"What's your theory?"
"Shhh. Just listen."
TK spoke again after a couple minutes silence. "One thing's for sure. We have to tell our families."
"And our digimon. Gatomon's really worried about me."
"I know. She came to see me last night. She wanted to know why you were acting so strangely. I told her that you would tell her when you were ready."
"Thanks TK." Kari looked at her watch. "I have to go. We'll tell our digimon first. Then we can tell our families. Together." TK smiled at her, taking her hand in his and kissing her gently.
*****
"Gatomon? Gatomon!" Kari called once she got home. "Great. When you don't want to talk to her, she's there. When you want to talk to her, she's no where in sight. Gatomon!" Gatomon crawled out from under the sofa, grumbling."
"You just woke me up from a very deep catnap. Oh Kari, it's you!"
"Gatomon, I need to talk to you."
"What's up?" Gatomon asked. Kari looked over at the door. Tai had just walked in.
"Let's go somewhere private."
"So Kari, you gonna tell me what's been going on?" They were in Kari's room. Kari locked the door and sat on the bed next to her digimon. "I don't know where to begin."
"Well, it's always better to just get to the point, rather than beat around the bush." Gatomon suggested.
"Yeah. I guess you're right."
"Well?"
Kari sighed. "Um, I." She swallowed. "I'm pregnant."
"Oh boy."
"Uh huh." Kari put her head in her hands. "TK should be telling Patamon right about now. We decided to tell you guys first. We're gonna wait until we've got both our families together before we tell them."
"Good idea. They're gonna flip."
"We know."
Gatomon put her paw on Kari's arm. "Hey, it'll be ok. Your parents dealt with Myotismon destroying half the city and you guys having to save the world. This should be easy for them to cope with."
"Right."
*****
'We called this uh.meeting because we have something to tell you all." TK said, looking around at their families sitting together in Mr Ishida's small apartment. He was almost hoping for someone to interrupt but they just looked at him and Kari expectantly.
It was two weeks after Kari had given TK the news and in that time they had seen a doctor and found out that Kari was already three months along. They had planned this meeting ahead and anticipated all possible reactions from their parents and brothers. Even so, it was still hard to tell them.
Kari cleared her throat. "I'm pregnant." Ok, so they hadn't anticipated total silence. Tai spoke first. "Wh.what?"
"You heard me. I'm going to have a baby."
Matt stood up shakily. "And TK, you're." TK nodded. Kari's mother fainted and her father and Tai immediately laid her on the sofa. "Someone get some smelling salts!" Mr Kamiya said. Mr Ishida chuckled. "No need. Just use Matt's cooking."
"Hey!" Matt protested.
"People this is no time to be joking." TK said. Everyone was immediately silent.
Kari spoke. "We've decided to keep the baby. We can't give it up now."
"We went to the doctor and saw it on foetal monitor. It's alive and we just can't kill it." TK added.
Ms Takashi stammered, "How.how far."
Kari smiled, "Three months. We had to tell you all because you're our families. You don't influence our decisions about this. We welcome all support from you, though." Mrs Kamiya finally came to and looked around. "So it wasn't a dream." She said shakily.
Kari shook her head. "No mom. Sorry."
"Well, congratulations you two." Mr Kamiya said, getting to his feet. "I think we all respect your choice." He glared around at Tai who looked like he was about to protest. "Well, then. I think we'd better be off." He turned towards the door and stopped. "So, who's your doctor?"
TK and Kari laughed. "An old friend of ours who's just finished med school. Joe Kido."
*****
"We still have to tell the others." Kari said as soon as they got outside. TK laughed. "I wonder what they're gonna think." Kari contemplated for a minute.
"Well, we know Davis is gonna be pissed." They both laughed.
"Yeah, tell me about it. He's been fighting with me for you since I met him in fifth grade."
Patamon and Gatomon walked quietly side by side, keeping their companions out of trouble. "Well, that went rather well." Gatomon said.
"Kari's mom fainted." Patamon replied.
"Slight drawback. The others took it well."
"Except for Tai."
"Tai's overprotective. He's just worried about her. He can't believe that she's so grown up. To the point where she's having a baby. " Gatomon explained.
"I still find it hard to believe. What do you think it makes us?"
"How do you mean?"
"I mean, Tai and Matt'll be the baby's uncles. And if we're practically family, what does it make us?"
"Auntmon and Unclemon? I don't know."
TK and Kari were far ahead of them when TK turned around. "Hey, you two! Will you stop dawdling so we can get home?" The two digimon immediately picked up the pace.
*****
TK and Kari were the last to arrive at the park where they had all decided to meet. Matt and Tai had both made excuses not to be there. They probably couldn't stand the shock of hearing the news again.
"Hey guys!" Kari called, waving.
"Hi!" Mimi jumped up and gave them both a hug. She had flown in from America for summer vacation and hadn't seen everyone yet. "Where's Tai and Matt?"
"They couldn't come. But we have something quite important to tell you. They've already heard it. Joe too." She looked at Joe who smiled exasperatedly.
"Well?" Yolei prompted.
After telling the story twice, Kari found it easy saying it again. She was becoming used to the idea. "I'm pregnant!" There was a collective silence, then..."WHAT?!?!?!" came all at once from the 14 voices of Mimi, Izzy, Sora, Yolei, Davis, Ken, Cody and their Digimon.
Suddenly, Davis was on his feet, lunging for TK with cries of "YOU KNOCKED UP KARI?!?!"
Ken, Izzy and Joe were on there feet in a moment with efforts to remove Davis from TK. It was only when Cody calmly stood up and whacked Davis on the head with his Kendo stick did they finally succeed.
"I don't believe it!" Sora exclaimed.
"Believe it." TK said, climbing to his feet and placing his arm around Kari's shoulders, enjoying the dark scowl on Davis's face that grew deeper with each passing second.
"When's it due?" Ken asked.
Joe replied for them, "November."
"I still don't believe it." Mimi said, noting the way DemiVeemon had placed himself between Davis and TK in an attempt to stop any more conflict and smiling slightly.
TK glanced at his watch. "Well, We have to get going. We have another appointment at the doctors'. Joe?" Joe chuckled slightly as he and the others climbed to their feet and started off across the park, most of them muttering to themselves "I don't believe it."
Davis was last. He too was muttering under his breath "I don't believe TB knocked up my girl." DemiVeemon glanced at him and shook his head in exasperation.
*****
Five months later.
"There he is." Joe said as the computer image of the baby appeared on foetal monitor. Kari grinned. "You know, I've seen him about a hundred times and I never get tired of it."
"Me too." TK replied. "And every time he's a little bigger."
"You're telling me!" Kari laughed.
"Well, I've given Gatomon orders to keep you quiet for the next month. Especially because I'm a little concerned about the position of the placenta." Joe cautioned.
"Something's wrong?" Kari demanded.
"There's probably nothing to worry about. Just take it easy until he's born, OK?"
"Thanks Joe."
******
"I feel like the side of a house." Kari complained as she fixed herself a salad."
"Ok, come on. You're not that big." Gatomon said as she spread peanut butter on some bread, then winced as she saw her companion glare at her. "Ooh, wrong choice of words." The two companions munched in silence. Gatomon swallowed and looked up. "Have you and TK thought of any names?"
Kari groaned. "Are you kidding? We've thought of hundreds of names ever since we found out we were expecting a boy. Unfortunately we can't decide which one to choose."
"Why not pin the list to a dart board, throw a dart and which ever name it hits, choose it." Gatomon suggested.
Kari thought for a moment. "Hey, that's actually a good idea." They both laughed.
*****
TK and Patamon stood outside Matt's apartment in the cool autumn wind. TK rang the doorbell. There was the sound of a few major crashes and a lot of swearing on Matt's behalf before the door finally opened revealing Matt nursing a bruised elbow.
"You know, Matt, ever since I moved out this place has really deteriorated." TK said as he stepped inside and almost gagged on the smell of old socks and two-month-old sushi stuck behind and under various pieces of furniture.
"Oh shut up." Matt replied. "So how are things going in your new apartment?"
"OK. We've got a nursery set up for the baby."
"You nervous?"
"About the baby? You bet!"
"How's Kari"
"Besides the fact that every other word that comes out of her mouth is a complaint that she's getting fat, which she's not."
Matt shook his head. "Women."
"Yeah. Can't live with 'em. Can't live without 'em."
*****
Kari looked up as she heard the front door open and grinned as she saw her fiancé step walk into the living room. He sat down on the couch next to her and gave her a quick kiss. "Hi TK." Kari said, reaching up to stroke his golden hair. TK pushed a stray lock of her long hair out of her eyes. "I've been thinking," he said, "How would you like to have a baby shower?" Kari's eyes lit up.
"Oh TK, I'd love that! We could get everything else that our baby needs."
TK grinned shyly. "I figured since we don't need anything for the apartment and we don't have to bother with a house-warming party, why not have a baby shower instead."
"You're the best, Takeru." Kari said.
*****
Two weeks later. The day of the baby shower.
"TK, will you put those crisps in a bowl and take them out to the living room for me please?" Kari asked as she put the ingredients for salsa in a blender. "They'll be here any second." TK grabbed a large glass bowl, emptied the packet of cheese-and-onion chips into it and sauntered into the room where Gatomon and Patamon were putting up decorations.
Patamon, it seems, had developed a very interesting way of blowing up balloons. The little digimon put a balloon to his mouth. "Boom Bubble Ptah!" he shouted and sent a blast of air into the limp rubber bag and blew it up to enormous size. He handed it to Gatomon who tied it to the ceiling.
"Hey guys, almost finished?" TK asked, setting down the crisps next to the peanuts and dried fruit.
Patamon gave one more "Boom Bubble Ptah!" and handed the inflated balloon to Gatomon. "Yup. That was the last one!" He said.
"Great!"
Suddenly, the doorbell rang. "I'll get it!" Gatomon called and she and Patamon raced for the door.
Kari walked heavily out of the kitchen. "Great, they're here!" She and TK went to the door.
"Hi Joe! Hi Mimi!" Kari called. "I'm so glad you were able to come!" She added to Mimi.
"Yeah, I was able to get a few days off to come for the shower." Mimi replied. "Look at you!" She added, holding Kari at arm's length to get a better look at her. "You look great!"
"So do you!" Kari said, giving Mimi another hug. Then she hugged Joe. "Don't worry, I didn't forget about you." She laughed.
"Hey, Kari, take it easy." Joe chided.
*****
Soon the party was in full swing. Everyone had arrived. Even Davis (Actually, Davis had come because Jun dragged him there so she'd have an excuse to be near Matt).
Kari began opening presents. First she unwrapped a large parcel from Izzy to reveal a brightly coloured box with "My 1st Computer" printed on it. "Oh, Izzy, this is great. When he's old enough, I'm sure the baby will love it!" Kari said gleefully.
She proceeded to open a pair of goggles from Davis and Jun, a soccer ball from Tai, a child's harmonica from Matt, teddy bears from Sora; Mimi and Yolei, a "Take Care of your Baby" kit from Joe, Kendo baby clothes from Cody and a "Fun With Numbers For Under 1's" kit from Ken.
Suddenly Kari cried out and clutched at her stomach. She fell to the floor on her knees. Joe and TK were on their feet in an instant. "What is it? Is it the baby?" Joe demanded.
"I.I think so." Kari said.
TK ran a shaking hand through his hair. "Ohhh shit."
*****
"Ahhhh! Shit, it hurts!" Kari screamed in the delivery room. TK shakily dabbed her forehead with the damp cloth with one hand and held her sweaty palm in his other, wincing every so often as another contraction made her clutch his hand in a vice like grip.
"Let's have ten CC's of epidural over here!" Joe called through his mask. He took the needle and serum from a nurse and carefully measured out the correct amount. "Here you go, Kari. This will stop the pain." He said soothingly.
"Wait a sec," TK said, "You're gonna stick that thing in my fiancée?" In answer, Joe rolled Kari over on her side and jabbed the needle into her back. TK groaned and slid to the floor in a faint.
"There goes another one!" A midwife laughed. Then she glanced at the baby's heart monitor and her happy expression changed to one of alarm. "Doctor Kido!" She called sharply.
Joe hurried over. "What is it?" He asked. In answer the midwife pointed to the monitor. "The baby's heartbeat is irregular." She said, "Too irregular to be just the usual stress of birth." Joe's eyes widened in momentary fear. Then he started acting quickly. "Let's have an ultrasound over here! There's something I need to check." He called to no one in particular.
"What's wrong?" Kari demanded.
"Look, until we know for sure that there's something to worry about, we won't worry." He replied.
"What happened to the Joe I knew ten years ago?" Kari joked.
Joe didn't laugh.
A nurse smeared the cold ultrasound jelly on Kari's protruding belly and ran the scanner over. She stopped at a certain point. "Doctor Kido?" She called. Joe made his way over and looked at the screen. "Shit." He swore. Kari hoisted herself up on her elbows but fatigue caused her to slump back down again. "Joe? What's wrong? I want the truth." Joe looked at her and sighed. "There's a problem." He watched her eyes widen in fear. "The placenta is around the baby's neck. We have to do a caesarean now. Or the both of you could die. "
"But." Kari started to protest, but another needle in her arm filled with general anaesthetic stopped her. She was asleep.
*****
The digidestined, their digimon, Mr and Mrs Kamiya, Mr Ishida and Ms Takashi all waited outside in silence. Davis, Tai, Gatomon, Agumon, Matt, Mr Ishida and Gabumon paced the room, every so often bumping into each other. Patamon just flew around in aimless circles. Gomamon, relieved of is duties as a clown in the children's ward sat and watched them, his eyes moving from side to side as if he was watching a tennis match.
Mrs Kamiya had got up for the umpteenth time to make everyone some more coffee when the delivery room door opened. Everyone jumped to their feet. TK walked out, his face pale and drawn. "TK, what's the matter, son?" His father asked. TK weakly slid to the floor and started shaking. "Th.there's a p...problem wi.with the b.baby." He stammered. "The.c...cord is tan.tangled around his neck. They.have to o.operate to g.get the b.baby out t...to save them both." Davis grabbed him by the shoulders. "They're gonna operate on Kari?! Man this is all your fault!" He shouted. Tai grabbed him by the back of his shirt and pulled him off. Davis yanked himself out of Tai's grasp and barged into the delivery room.
*****
Joe had just made the incision when the door burst open. Davis took one look at the operating table and passed out. Jun appeared. "Sorry, he can be a little stupid sometimes." She grabbed his arms and dragged him out, shutting the door behind him.
Joe shook his head. That kid.
He pulled himself back to the task at hand.
Joe carefully cut away through skin and muscle, fighting back waves of nausea every time he remembered that this was the girl he'd known since she was eight. The girl the Numemon called the Queen of the Light. The girl who'd cried over Wizardmon when he'd died. The girl who was holder of the Crest of Light. Tai's little sister.
This time he mentally shook himself. No. She was his patient. She was someone who needed his help. He couldn't let personal ties get in the way of what he was doing. He finally reached the wall of the uterus and saw the feeble movement of tiny arms, the little head, starting to go purple from the pressure of the cord around his neck. "Hey little fella." Joe whispered as he gently slipped his gloved fingers between the placenta and the baby's fragile neck and unwrapped it. The baby's face resumed its normal colour.
*****
The sound of baby crying cut through the general gloom of the waiting room. TK leaped to his feet and dropped the coffee he was drinking. He burst into the room. There, Joe was holding the small, bawling baby. TK once again felt weak in the knees but this time from sheer joy. "Congratulations, TK," Joe said, grinning through his surgical mask, "You have a son."
Suddenly TK was swamped by everyone hugging him.
Even Davis.
*****
Kari sat in her small private ward, nursing her day old son. She looked up as she heard the door open and TK walked in. "Uh hi." He said, lovingly taking in his family. He grabbed the chair from the window and sat down. "May I?" He asked. Kari smiled and held out the little baby. TK gingerly took him, afraid that even the slightest pressure could break the tiny body. He smiled goofily as he gently rocked his new-born son.
Kari glanced down at the baby and then into TK's blue eyes. "What do we call him?" She asked.
"Oh, I think I have a few ideas." TK replied.
*****
One year later.
"Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday dear Joe! Happy birthday to you!" Everyone sang at the little brown hared boy's first birthday.
As Doctor Joe Kido carried the cake over to his small godson, he felt a tugging at his leg. He glanced down and saw DemiVeemon looking up at him with stars in his eyes. "Oh, no little guy. This is for the baby. You'll get your share." DemiVeemon responded by leaping up and down, trying to get at the cake. A small burp from somewhere above his head made Joe look up. Poromon was sitting immersed in the cake and wolfing it down as fast as he could. "Poromon!" Joe shouted in dismay, dropping the cake on DemiVeemon's head. Everyone laughed.
THE END
