Author's note: This is it, the final part of 'Jealousy'...it's finally over! It's my longest fic so far...and now it's finished I feel like I've lost a friend! A great big thank you goes out to everyone who's been reading and reviewing this. Thank you for giving me the encouragement to go on with it! This part is all for you!
The first song here is 'Holy Light', Kari's 01 theme. It's a beautiful song, but ruined by her scratchy Japanese voice. Then 'Hitoribotchi no Seesaw' turns up again...I absolutely adore this song! You know, I think this fic should have its own soundtrack, there're so many songs in it ^_^. And I found a webpage where you can download all the songs featured here: digitalyume.com --It's even got 'Tobira Door' on it!
So...does anyone think I should write a sequel to this? It does end up slightly unresolved...sorta *scratches head sheepishly* But I had a lot of enjoyment in writing this fic. I hope you guys did in reading it! Thank you so much, once again!
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Epilogue: Echoes
The wind rustled its way through the city, dancing with the leaves and spinning outwards across the river, whipping up the waves that lapped at the shore.
He sat alone on the beach, his blue eyes staring impassively out across the beautiful sunset. The wind tossed and ruffled his wild blond hair, which contrasted almost painfully his black suit and shoes. He rested his arms on his knees and continued to stare across the distance. Not a thought crossed his mind; he didn't trust himself to think anymore. He just sat and stared...
Footsteps as someone walked down towards him. He didn't turn round. The footsteps stopped as the person stood behind him.
"TK?"
"Kari." He didn't bother to look up and acknowledge her.
Kari stood for a few seconds, then sat down on the sand next to him.
Silence reigned.
"TK?" she ventured at length.
"What is it?" his voice sounded tired, almost strained.
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be. I can do without your pity."
"I didn't mean it like that."
Silence again, but then TK spoke.
"I should be the one who's apologising."
She looked at him curiously "What do you mean?"
"It's my fault. I've caused you so much pain..."
"TK..."
"No, listen. It's all my fault, Tai and Matt..."
"Look, it's..."
"If I hadn't gone to the Digital World and asked Tai to come, then he'd still be alive. And as for Matt..." emotion twitched on his face "It was my fault!"
"TK!"
"It's my fault! I've brought about the deaths of everyone you've loved!"
"TK! Listen to me!"
He turned and looked at her.
"None of this is your fault. You have to stop taking the blame for everything! Davis was just at the wrong place at the wrong time, Tai was killed by Digimon and Matt...well, he took his own life. So don't blame yourself. You didn't do anything."
TK didn't answer or even look at her. His head was bowed and his bangs of hair obscured his face.
She lent forward and discovered why.
He was crying.
She wrapped an arm around his shoulder and he lent into her, sobbing. And, just as what had happened there so long ago, one held the other in silence.
She stroked his hair soothingly as she rested his head in her lap until his sobs quietened. Then, softly, she began to sing.
"Katachi no aru mono sore dake ga subete ja nai
Kokoro wo sumaseba ironna mono mieru kara
Naze kono yo ni umareta no ka...
Wakarazu nakitai yoru mo
Hitomi wo nee tojiru nante
Mada sukoshi hayai yo ne..."
Her voice rose, trembling slightly with unshed tears.
"Holy light sotto yami wo terasu yo
Asu no michi oshieru you ni
Holy light douzo yuuki wo kudasai mirai e no...
Toki ni wa kanashii yokan sae ataru keredeo
Shiawase sagashite doko mademo tabi wo shitai... "
TK's sobs fell silent as he listened to his angel sing, unable to break the spell of her song.
"Kotoba dake ja tarinakutte
Dareka to surechigau hi mo
Kokoro wa minna atatakai tte
Mada watashi shinjiteru...
Holy light sotto sekai terasu yo
Chikyuu wo daite mamoru you ni
Holy light douzo egao wo kudasai eien no..."
Her voice finally failed and there was silence, until TK began to sing, so softly it could barely be heard above the waves.
"Holy light, shine softly in the darkness
And show us tomorrow's path
Holy light, please give me courage to face the future
True courage, eternally... "
His voice died away and they sat there, silent and still, their only movement the sigh of the wind across their hair. There were no words to be spoken; all there was to be said was silent in the air between them.
The sun continued to slip beneath the horizon and the first stars flickered in the velvet sky. The golden waters began to lose their colour as the clouds above gained scarlet underbellies from the dying sunlight.
"TK...can I ask you something?"
"Anytime."
Kari paused, as if not sure whether to ask or not. "When...when you and Matt talked at the park before...well, what did he tell you?"
He looked up at her, puzzled "What do you mean?"
"You said that he said something to you, but you didn't want to say anything because it would cause more harm than good. What was it?"
TK hesitated, not entirely certain to say or not. Eventually, he sighed and looked away, back across the waters.
"He said...well...that he really wasn't in love with you."
Kari said nothing, then "I don't follow."
"He said that originally he did have feelings for you, it's just that then later on he realised that they weren't feelings of love, just friendship. He didn't want to break up with you because he knew that you adored him." A wry smile crossed his face "I suppose he was just looking for some affection to get him through his grief."
"I see."
Silence again. The sky flared with the final radiance before the evening as the seabirds circled and cried mournfully.
"Kari?"
"Mm?"
"Can...can I ask you a question?"
"Of course."
"Well...do you think that things...well...will go back to what they used to?"
"Meaning what?"
"Meaning...do you think that we...we'll ever be together again?"
She looked down at him.
"I never stopped loving you, Kari. Even when we split up and you went with Matt, I still loved you. And even if I have to wait until eternity, I'll keep waiting for your love. You'll always have mine. So do you think..." he paused, afraid "that I'll ever have yours again?"
Instead of the slap or the scream he was expecting, she smiled softly. "Maybe. Not today, not tomorrow...but someday. Yes, I think you will...someday."
He smiled.
"Thank you, Kari."
The two souls, the angels of Hope and Light, fell silent and turned their gaze back across the waters.
The sunlight slipped away into darkness.
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A cold wind blew silently across the darkened sky. It whipped around corners, gusting the leaves in its wake. The full moon bathed the world in gentle light, highlighting the city with silver.
Hikari Kamiya lay asleep in her bed, the covers pulled up to her chin. Gatomon lay beside her, her chest gently rising and falling. The only light was the faint glow her tail ring gave off, and a band of light on the floor from the streetlight beneath the window. Everything was peaceful, not with the emptiness of death, but the silence of life.
The curtains billowed as the wind blew through them, then fell still. Silence returned.
A silhouette appeared in the band of light.
Quietly, as if afraid to break the tranquillity, he stepped softly forward beside her bed and crouched down.
Kari continued to sleep, although a troubled look was beginning to creep over her face.
He looked at her with sad blue eyes, his heart breaking.
Kari...I'm sorry.
He brushed away a bang of his blond hair and, as if uncertain at first, spoke in an uneven voice.
"Kari...I failed you."
Nothing answered him, and he continued.
"I tried to protect you, but I failed...I lost to him. I was the only one who knew...yet I couldn't tell anyone. I didn't kill myself, Kari...I was murdered. Don't believe him. Why would I kill myself..." he smiled sadly "When I had you to love?"
He sighed "Don't believe what he's telling you. He killed Davis to get at you, then Tai to drive you into his arms. Then me, so that he'd have you to himself...he's dangerous, Kari. He's killed for you, and he'll do it time and time again. You have to break the chain. Don't let him get away with it. Or else...you'll lose far more than you already have."
He glanced over his shoulder, as if someone had called his name. He turned back, concern on his face as he watched her. Kari looked like she was having a nightmare, her face with a fearful, tortured expression and whimpering. His hand loving stroked the side of her face and he sang softly, his melodious voice echoing through the night.
"Hitoribotchi no shiisoo de
Sabishikunai furi shinagara matteta
Kimi ga suwatte kuretara
Kimochi ga tsuriau
Egao ni nareru to omou yo..."
He closed his eyes and once again poured all his soul into his song.
"On a lonely seesaw
Everyone waits for someone to come
This feeling of wanting to meet you
Like midwinter's blue sky
Opened my heart..."
The final note died away and he opened his eyes again. Kari now lay peaceful again, nightmare gone, with a faint smile on her face. He stood up and looked back to the window, before turning to the girl who lay asleep before him. He bent down and whispered into her ear.
"Aishiteru, Hikari-chan..."
His voice quavered and tears welled up in his eyes.
"I love you..."
He lent forward and gently kissed her forehead. The sorrow and regret in his eyes outshone the moonlight, outshone the stars, eclipsing even the sun...
I love you...
The wind blew once again, and the spirit of Yamato Ishida was gone.
The curtains billowed, then fell still.
The wind spiralled silently away into the night.