Disclaimer: Digimon no is belonging to me.

Part 3

Police came rushing in. A policewoman rolled Mama's body over. Sora saw that her head was bleeding. A trickle of dark red blood rolled down from the wound. The woman took a pulse, there was none. Sora didn't believe it. She wouldn't. They had to carry the lifeless body into an ambulance and bring her to the hospital anyway. Sora just sat in the middle of the store next to a puddle of the man's blood and her own mother's. Roses were scattered everywhere. Some were even covered in blood. The man's or Mama's? Sora didn't know. A lot of the vases were on the floor. Broken. All broken. Maybe they were knocked down when Mama was shot. Broken.

Mimi ran in speechless. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying. Crying! Crying for a woman who wasn't even her own mother, while Sora couldn't shed a single tear. Mimi slowly led Sora outside and into a car. It was Mr. Saito's car. His restaurant was right across from Mama's. They were driving to the hospital. Everyone was silent except for Mimi, she was whimpering and sobbing. Sora sat completely silent. She was lost in her own thoughts.

"Why couldn't that bastard tried to rob Mr. Saito's restaurant instead? Why did Mama have to get hurt? Why did that man make such a mess at the shop? Poor Mama. She's going to have to clean the shop now. But, I'll help her. I love her." All these thought swirled in her brain, along with other thoughts that were far away from the truth. Far, far away from the truth that Mama was.

When they reached the hospital, Sora and Mimi sat in the waiting room. Mimi wasn't crying anymore, but all her makeup was ruined. She didn't wear her waterproof mascara. She never thought this would happen. No one did. Mr. Saito was making phone calls and talking to the doctors and police. Mimi had called the entire team and ten minutes later Matt showed up. Then Koushiro. Then one by one everyone came. Tai was last. He hugged his broken girl. Sora still didn't say a word. Mr. Saito came back when he saw that everyone was here.

"Hello, children. I am Mr. Saito. I own the restaurant across from." he couldn't say the name. "I'll explain everything when Sora's father comes."

"He's not coming. He's somewhere far away, doing something. Maybe he's picking up hos or getting drunk. " Sora said. Everyone was shocked that she had finally said something. "Tell me what happened, so I can take Mama home already. She's probably hungry. I have to make dinner. She hates hospital food." She added. Sora was still staring at the ground.

"Ok, the man was just a homeless, and hungry person. He needed some money. He wasn't very experienced. He wasn't a real thief. He didn't want to deal with security cameras or alarms. So he chose the flower shop. Your mother was very brave, Sora. She tried to reason with him. It didn't work.and she had a bullet wound in her head." He took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. He had to walk off. He was so sad. He felt guilty that he couldn't have done anything.

Sora never thought that her dear mother had died. Maybe she really did deep down, but she didn't want to think the worst. Who would? She didn't want to hear the word. But, stupid Mr. Saito the ass had to say it. He had to say it.dead. Dead. Dead. Dead. Gone.forever.

"It's going to be ok, Sora." Tai said holding her.

Suddenly, all the tears that were held back burst through Sora's eyes. She bawled and cried.

"It's my fault! My fault! Mama is gone because of me! She's gone! My fault." Sora yelled.

"Sora! Don't think that!" Tai said.

"Only if I didn't go to the airport! Only if I stayed in the shop! To protect her!" Sora yelled.

"If you didn't go to the airport, no one would have picked up Mimi! Matt couldn't have. He forgot. She would've been there all night. And you might have gotten hurt as well! I love you too much for just to leave me." Tai held Sora by the shoulders, trying to shake sense into her. Everyone stood around the two in silence.

"Damn it, Tai! Shut up! It was my fault! MY FAULT!" Sora screamed. Everyone in the room turned their heads to see what was happening.

"NO! Stop thinking that or you'll drive yourself crazy! Listen, I know your mama's dead, but-" Tai was interrupted by a sharp slap across the face from Sora. Tai was in shock.

"My mama's not dead! Not dead.not." Sora's eyes were swollen. She was clearly trying to hold back her tears again. Trying to be strong. Pretending to be strong.

Tai slowly turned his head to face Sora. He was so hurt. You could see it in his deep brown eyes.

"That's right," Tai whispered softly. He then held Sora in his big, loving arms while she shed tears. "Your mom's not dead.she's alive. She's not gone yet. She loves you.she'll always be there. So will I."

END

Sora cringed at the memory. But, she suddenly remembered the warmth of Taichi's body, how good he felt. How his voice was so tender and loving. How her own arms seemed to be perfectly molded to fit Tai's arms. "We were made for each other." Sora thought.

Back to the flashback.

The funeral was a week later. What a perfect day for a funeral. Every cloud was in sight. Cold winds were blowing at the city. Even the trees looked sad. Everyone looked sad. But, no one looked as bad as Sora. She was a wreck. She hadn't slept for days, she never ate, and she never even came out of the apartment. But, Tai was there. And Mimi, and Matt. Everyone. When Tai came over, he would always bring a bunch of beautiful lavender lilacs that he had picked from his own little garden. Then, Tai would make a small meal for Sora. Even if it was only a cup of noodles. Mimi would bring along Hikari and Yolie and they would just talk with Sora. Sometimes even do some girly things like painting nails to get they're mind off things. Daisuke and Takeru would cheer up Sora with their dirty jokes and stupid quarrels. Sora never saw much of Cody, Joe, Koushiro, or Ken. They were always busy. But, they kept in touch through emails and phone calls. But oddly, when Matt came, he was silent and kept mostly to himself. Sora would often catch him staring at her. He came over a lot too. Once in a while he would play his harmonica or guitar. Never spoke much. Very mysterious. Very.distant.

The priest was saying a few things. Sora didn't pay attention. She was again trapped in her own thoughts, her own guilt. Every single person had said, "It wasn't your fault, Sora." Or "Stop beating yourself up." Or even a simple "It's going to be ok." Except for one very important person.herself. Sora still hadn't forgiven herself. She still hadn't realized that it wasn't her fault that her own dear mother was dead. Sora was beating herself up inside. She kept on telling herself it wasn't going to be ok. The only one that could take her out her own depression was herself. But, Sora was stuck in a crappy world of misery that she had created herself.

Now Mr. Saito was saying a few things. Thoughts about the Terrible Night flashed in Sora's mind. The police. The man. The gun. The.bang. All the roses all scattered about, dipped in red blood: the man's blood.or Mama's.

"How are you feeling?" Tai said. All the warmth and tenderness was lost from his voice. He was almost as broken up inside as his girl. Whatever happens to Sora happens to him. They laugh together, they cry together. That's what made their love so special.

"I feel all torn up. I feel like I'm about to.die." Sora replied. Her eyes looked directly at the coffin. Flowers were all piled on top. Lilacs, (Tai) carnations, and tulips covered the lid. Much to Sora's relief: no red roses.

"I love you too much for you to just leave me." Tai held Sora close to him.

"Sora?" a voice said from behind. Sora's eyes opened and widen.

"Dad." Sora didn't sound excited. Tai looked shocked.

"Sora, I heard what happened," the irresponsible father began, "I'm just so sorry I couldn't be here earlier. I'm very sorry, you have to forgive me." On and on he went. Spewing out "apologies" and excuses, even a couple of lies. Sora wasn't paying attention. Her eyes fell upon the flowers that her wonderful father had brought. Roses. Red Roses.

"Stop." Sora whispered.

"What, Sora?" Sora's father stopped blabbing.

"Just stop. Why are you here?" Sora responded.

"I'm here for you."

"I don't need you. I spent my entire childhood without you. I think I could spend the rest of my life the same way." Sora said, looking him straight in the eye. He was shocked. He was speechless.

"Sora!" Tai said astonished. Sora walked away and Tai followed her calling out her name. Sora ignored it and ran to a nearby park. A light drizzle fell down to the streets. Dampening the ground and making the entire day more like a living hell than ever. Very odd.drizzle? In the summer?

Tai found Sora sitting on an old bench under a large tree.

"Sora, what are you doing? All he's asking for is just one more chance." Tai said, sitting himself beside Sora.

"I already know that, Tai."

"Why don't you give it to him?"

"I have given a chance, and two chances, then, too many chances. It's funny. I remember staying up late at night waiting for my daddy when I was younger. I'd fall asleep and in the morning Mama would say, 'You just missed him.' Years later I realized that he never came. I would write him so many letters hoping that he would come back. He never did. He would call me, but it was only for a few brief moments. Now, he drops in out of nowhere during the worst possible time. I don't need him now."

"Yes, you do. You need him now! You are going to college soon. You need the money. You need someone to support you. You need a parent, and he needs you." Tai said.

"Do you think I need help? Do you think that I can't handle this? I'm a grown woman! I can take care of myself! And I'll make my own decisions! And that means I don't want that bastard to come anywhere me!" Sora shouted. She was furious.

"What about college? You-" Tai started.

"I'll make my own decisions! If I don't come up with enough money, I don't go to college! That's it! There's no way I'm just going to let that bastard waltz into my life, thinking 'Hmm.I think I'm just going to crash in the middle of my daughter's life and make it into a freakin' hell just for the fun of it!' No way!" Sora yelled loudly.

"Do you think that he really he's trying to do that? Do you think that I would allow that to happen to my girl?" Tai said. He showed no sign of being angry. In fact, he looked even sadder. Tai could only imagine what Sora was going through.

Sora ignored that.

"I just hate him so much. With all those years he was away, how could I ever forgive him?"

"By giving him a another chance!"

"ANOTHER ONE?" Sora screamed.

"Why are you being so stubborn?" Tai asked.

"Stubborn? I have every right to be! You know, out of all the people, I thought you would help me." Sora said more calmly.

"Help you do something stupid?" Tai stood up. Sora stopped for a moment. The two just stood in silence for a full minute. Pit, pat. The rain was drizzling down again, a little slower than before though. Pit, pat. Pit, pat.

"Thank you so much for your support, Tai." Sora whispered, then she walked away. She walked back into the cold, vicious world. She walked away from her only true love. What a mistake that was.

END