**Hey there. I don't think I'm going to get feedback on this story, so I'm going to post this chapter and see how it goes. So if you want this story to go on, tell all your friends to read it and review it.**
Still Standing
Chapter One: I Don't Know Him Anymore
TK stood alone in the icy winter weather, a black trenchcoat covering his body as he shivered nonetheless. At his feet, a small stone had been placed. TK kneeled down and read the inscription on the smooth grey rock.
Yamato Ishida
Born September 17, 1990
Died September 30, 2003
TK choked back a sob and got down on his hands and knees, weeping onto the cold stone bitterly. A gentle snow began to fall onto the blonde, sticking in his hair and eyelashes. TK looked up at the clouds, his blue eyes standing out against the bleak day.
"I'm here again, Matt. I miss you, brother. Life isn't the same without you. I got my license today, so there'll be no more walking to visit you. Kari and I still aren't talking, I don't think we ever will. I wish you were around so I could ask for advice, especially on ex-girlfriends. Mom was going to come, but she couldn't. I know she never comes, but I think it hurts too much still. I'm sorry Matt." TK said solidly. He had changed in the years since Matt was killed. His hair was longer, almost resembling Matt's when he was living. His big blue eyes weren't as happy-go-lucky as they had been. He was taller, and more muscular than when he was eleven.
"I have to go now. I just wanted to tell you I missed you. I'll be back tomorrow." TK stated as he got up and walked away from the grave solemnly. He got into his car and started the engine, pulling slowly out through the cemetary gates.
"Mom, I'm home." TK called as he walked into his home, shrugging off his coat and hanging it up. Ms. Takaishi walked out of her room and smiled at her son.
"Hello, Takeru. How was your day?" Ms. Takaishi asked sweetly. TK grinned slightly and sat in a chair.
"It was okay. I passed my math test, and scored a three pointer to win my scrimmage at practice today. And I visited-" TK said. Ms. Takaishi interrupted TK before he could tell her he visited Matt's grave.
"That's wonderful! I'm so proud of you, Takeru!" Ms. Takaishi exclaimed as she walked into the kitchen, arriving later with a small cake with sixteen candles. TK smiled as his mother sang to him, prompting him to blow out his candles. TK took a huge breath and extinguished the candles quickly. Ms. Takaishi cut the cake and served one for her, and then one for her son.
"These cam in the mail for you. It looks like a bunch of cards." Ms. Takaishi said, pulling six envelopes out from her desk.
"They must be from Tai and everyone else." TK sighed as he tore open the cards and read each one individually. He noticed that Tai had signed his from both him and Kari.
'If Tai and Kari shared a card, what's the sixth one for?' TK thought as he tore open the light blue envelope. TK began to shake as he read the card to himself.
"Takeru, what's wrong?" Ms. Takaishi asked worriedly. TK handed the card to his mother, who gasped in shock. TK stared at the card, reading the words inside it carefully.
'Dear TK, Happy birthday, have a good one. It WILL be your last.' TK read silently.
Tai walked down the street, Sora clinging to his arm carefully so not to fall on the icy sidewalk. Sora glanced up at Tai, noticing him looking down on her lovingly.
"I can't believe you can't walk on ice, Sora." Tai quipped, letting his girlfriend go as he skidded along the icy walkway effortlessly. Sora grabbed onto a pole and glared at Tai.
"Maybe I don't want to fall! Remember last winter when I broke my ankle? I don't want to do that again!" Sora argued. Tai slid back to Sora and wrapped his arms around her as he kissed her lightly on the lips. Sora smiled in mid-kiss and backed away ever so slightly, leaving a tiny space between Tai's lips and her own.
"We should take this elsewhere. . . ." Sora sighed into Tai's ears. Tai looked at Sora in shock, his brown eyes gleaming with energy.
"We should??" Tai gulped, looking into Sora's reddish eyes for some sort of sign. Sora smirked and giggled as she whispered something into Tai's ear gently. Tai gasped and grinned boyishly. Sora took Tai's hand and led the star-struck boy on down the walk to her house, where they entered and locked the door behind them.
Kari sat in her room, writing into her journal quietly. She paused, looking out her window at the starry sky above. Sighing, Kari returned to her journal, writing about her day.
'Today was a pretty good day. I had a good mark on my math exam, and did well on my science exam. The only thing that bothered me today was TK. He asked me to visit Matt's grave again. Of course I said no, I can't go there with him. I haven't been near the cemetary for five years. TK goes every day. I think that might have lead to our breaking up, but I don't know. He's obsessed with his brother, and who can blame him? I mean, if Tai was dead, I'd be just as obsessed. But he really needs to let go and move on with life. He's so distant, so cold sometimes. It seems like TK is also dead, but not quite. He doesn't do anything, just stays home with his mother. He quit basketball, he seemed to lose interest in anything at all. And then I broke up with him, making things worse for him. He needed someone to be there for him, and I couldn't do it. I can't go on seeing in my mind what I saw that day, and I never want to again. I mean, the only reason I even have this journal is because my shrink says it will help. I'm just so confused about all this, even after five years. I wish I could break through TK's mentality and help him live again. But I don't think I can.' Kari wrote. Instantly, images of the day Matt died flooded her head.
**FLASHBACK**
"Matt! NO!" Tai, TK, Sora and Kari screamed as the gun went off. Mr. Ishida backed away, running out the door. Matt looked down at his stomach, at the red blood that was spreading over the green material. He looked up at his friends, his eyes glazed over with shock. Convulsing, Matt fell to the ground.
**END FLASHBACK**
Kari sobbed angrilly as she shook her head violently, trying desperately to get the memories to leave her mind. She closed her journal and threw it under her bed, then flopped onto the mattress and cried herself to sleep.
TK shivered in his bed and pulled the blankets closer to him. Since he had recieved the mysterious card in the mail, TK and his mother had been on edge. Now, as he tried to sleep, his mother sat in the living room, a small gun in her hand. He thought about how nervous his mother had been after Matt died, how she was convinced that her husband was coming after them too. TK shook as he thought about how the card was probably from his father.
'Why would he want to kill me though?' TK thought as he turned over, looking toward the window of his room. He cried out in shock as he saw a shadow of a man outside the glass.
"Mom!" TK yelled. Ms. Takaishi burst into the room, her gun ready to fire. TK leapt out of bed and ran to his mother.
"What is it?" Ms. Takaishi asked nervously, not putting the gun down for a second. TK shook with fear, then gazed back at the window. No one was there.
"I thought I saw someone outside my window." TK whispered. Ms. Takaishi frowned, narrowing her eyes angrilly.
"It must have been Richard. I won't let him get you like he got Mattie. Not a chance. Come on, I have a call to make." Ms. Takaishi stated as she pulled TK into the living room and picked up the cordless phone, dialing a number.
"Hello Mrs. Takenouchi, this is Nancy Takaishi. I was wondering if TK could spend a couple days with you and Sora. . . .oh they are? Okay, it's fine. . . .no, I couldn't do that to you. . . .alright, if you're sure it's not a bother. . . .thank you. I'll have him there in a few minutes." Ms. Takaishi said, hanging up the phone after she finished speaking.
"You're going to spend some time at Sora's house, but Tai and Kari are there while their mom and dad are gone." Ms. Takaishi said, going into TK's room and packing him a bag. TK helped his mother, then walked with her to his car.
"I'll drive there, then you take the car, okay mom?" TK said, jumping into the driver's seat. Ms. Takaishi got into the car and drove down the road toward the Takenouchi's house.
**So, it seems that Mr. Ishida has returned. Why does he want TK? Why has he waited so long to make a move? Will Kari and TK work things out, after almost four years of separation? Find out in later chapters. . . .wait, no, review to get future chapters. That's the only way I'm going to continue this one.**
Still Standing
Chapter One: I Don't Know Him Anymore
TK stood alone in the icy winter weather, a black trenchcoat covering his body as he shivered nonetheless. At his feet, a small stone had been placed. TK kneeled down and read the inscription on the smooth grey rock.
Yamato Ishida
Born September 17, 1990
Died September 30, 2003
TK choked back a sob and got down on his hands and knees, weeping onto the cold stone bitterly. A gentle snow began to fall onto the blonde, sticking in his hair and eyelashes. TK looked up at the clouds, his blue eyes standing out against the bleak day.
"I'm here again, Matt. I miss you, brother. Life isn't the same without you. I got my license today, so there'll be no more walking to visit you. Kari and I still aren't talking, I don't think we ever will. I wish you were around so I could ask for advice, especially on ex-girlfriends. Mom was going to come, but she couldn't. I know she never comes, but I think it hurts too much still. I'm sorry Matt." TK said solidly. He had changed in the years since Matt was killed. His hair was longer, almost resembling Matt's when he was living. His big blue eyes weren't as happy-go-lucky as they had been. He was taller, and more muscular than when he was eleven.
"I have to go now. I just wanted to tell you I missed you. I'll be back tomorrow." TK stated as he got up and walked away from the grave solemnly. He got into his car and started the engine, pulling slowly out through the cemetary gates.
"Mom, I'm home." TK called as he walked into his home, shrugging off his coat and hanging it up. Ms. Takaishi walked out of her room and smiled at her son.
"Hello, Takeru. How was your day?" Ms. Takaishi asked sweetly. TK grinned slightly and sat in a chair.
"It was okay. I passed my math test, and scored a three pointer to win my scrimmage at practice today. And I visited-" TK said. Ms. Takaishi interrupted TK before he could tell her he visited Matt's grave.
"That's wonderful! I'm so proud of you, Takeru!" Ms. Takaishi exclaimed as she walked into the kitchen, arriving later with a small cake with sixteen candles. TK smiled as his mother sang to him, prompting him to blow out his candles. TK took a huge breath and extinguished the candles quickly. Ms. Takaishi cut the cake and served one for her, and then one for her son.
"These cam in the mail for you. It looks like a bunch of cards." Ms. Takaishi said, pulling six envelopes out from her desk.
"They must be from Tai and everyone else." TK sighed as he tore open the cards and read each one individually. He noticed that Tai had signed his from both him and Kari.
'If Tai and Kari shared a card, what's the sixth one for?' TK thought as he tore open the light blue envelope. TK began to shake as he read the card to himself.
"Takeru, what's wrong?" Ms. Takaishi asked worriedly. TK handed the card to his mother, who gasped in shock. TK stared at the card, reading the words inside it carefully.
'Dear TK, Happy birthday, have a good one. It WILL be your last.' TK read silently.
Tai walked down the street, Sora clinging to his arm carefully so not to fall on the icy sidewalk. Sora glanced up at Tai, noticing him looking down on her lovingly.
"I can't believe you can't walk on ice, Sora." Tai quipped, letting his girlfriend go as he skidded along the icy walkway effortlessly. Sora grabbed onto a pole and glared at Tai.
"Maybe I don't want to fall! Remember last winter when I broke my ankle? I don't want to do that again!" Sora argued. Tai slid back to Sora and wrapped his arms around her as he kissed her lightly on the lips. Sora smiled in mid-kiss and backed away ever so slightly, leaving a tiny space between Tai's lips and her own.
"We should take this elsewhere. . . ." Sora sighed into Tai's ears. Tai looked at Sora in shock, his brown eyes gleaming with energy.
"We should??" Tai gulped, looking into Sora's reddish eyes for some sort of sign. Sora smirked and giggled as she whispered something into Tai's ear gently. Tai gasped and grinned boyishly. Sora took Tai's hand and led the star-struck boy on down the walk to her house, where they entered and locked the door behind them.
Kari sat in her room, writing into her journal quietly. She paused, looking out her window at the starry sky above. Sighing, Kari returned to her journal, writing about her day.
'Today was a pretty good day. I had a good mark on my math exam, and did well on my science exam. The only thing that bothered me today was TK. He asked me to visit Matt's grave again. Of course I said no, I can't go there with him. I haven't been near the cemetary for five years. TK goes every day. I think that might have lead to our breaking up, but I don't know. He's obsessed with his brother, and who can blame him? I mean, if Tai was dead, I'd be just as obsessed. But he really needs to let go and move on with life. He's so distant, so cold sometimes. It seems like TK is also dead, but not quite. He doesn't do anything, just stays home with his mother. He quit basketball, he seemed to lose interest in anything at all. And then I broke up with him, making things worse for him. He needed someone to be there for him, and I couldn't do it. I can't go on seeing in my mind what I saw that day, and I never want to again. I mean, the only reason I even have this journal is because my shrink says it will help. I'm just so confused about all this, even after five years. I wish I could break through TK's mentality and help him live again. But I don't think I can.' Kari wrote. Instantly, images of the day Matt died flooded her head.
**FLASHBACK**
"Matt! NO!" Tai, TK, Sora and Kari screamed as the gun went off. Mr. Ishida backed away, running out the door. Matt looked down at his stomach, at the red blood that was spreading over the green material. He looked up at his friends, his eyes glazed over with shock. Convulsing, Matt fell to the ground.
**END FLASHBACK**
Kari sobbed angrilly as she shook her head violently, trying desperately to get the memories to leave her mind. She closed her journal and threw it under her bed, then flopped onto the mattress and cried herself to sleep.
TK shivered in his bed and pulled the blankets closer to him. Since he had recieved the mysterious card in the mail, TK and his mother had been on edge. Now, as he tried to sleep, his mother sat in the living room, a small gun in her hand. He thought about how nervous his mother had been after Matt died, how she was convinced that her husband was coming after them too. TK shook as he thought about how the card was probably from his father.
'Why would he want to kill me though?' TK thought as he turned over, looking toward the window of his room. He cried out in shock as he saw a shadow of a man outside the glass.
"Mom!" TK yelled. Ms. Takaishi burst into the room, her gun ready to fire. TK leapt out of bed and ran to his mother.
"What is it?" Ms. Takaishi asked nervously, not putting the gun down for a second. TK shook with fear, then gazed back at the window. No one was there.
"I thought I saw someone outside my window." TK whispered. Ms. Takaishi frowned, narrowing her eyes angrilly.
"It must have been Richard. I won't let him get you like he got Mattie. Not a chance. Come on, I have a call to make." Ms. Takaishi stated as she pulled TK into the living room and picked up the cordless phone, dialing a number.
"Hello Mrs. Takenouchi, this is Nancy Takaishi. I was wondering if TK could spend a couple days with you and Sora. . . .oh they are? Okay, it's fine. . . .no, I couldn't do that to you. . . .alright, if you're sure it's not a bother. . . .thank you. I'll have him there in a few minutes." Ms. Takaishi said, hanging up the phone after she finished speaking.
"You're going to spend some time at Sora's house, but Tai and Kari are there while their mom and dad are gone." Ms. Takaishi said, going into TK's room and packing him a bag. TK helped his mother, then walked with her to his car.
"I'll drive there, then you take the car, okay mom?" TK said, jumping into the driver's seat. Ms. Takaishi got into the car and drove down the road toward the Takenouchi's house.
**So, it seems that Mr. Ishida has returned. Why does he want TK? Why has he waited so long to make a move? Will Kari and TK work things out, after almost four years of separation? Find out in later chapters. . . .wait, no, review to get future chapters. That's the only way I'm going to continue this one.**