Disclaimer: I don't own digimon


Searching



"This cannot be the place," Tai gaped, disgusted. "You've got to be kidding me!"

Matt read over the scrap of paper with the address scribbled on it. "This is the place," he confirmed as he looked up at the front sign.

The four set foot on the gravel parking lot and entered the park. The neon sign above them read, 'Happy Oaks Trailer Park'. "Does anyone get the feeling this it the type of place where you marry your cousin?" Tai asked.

"Tai, that's gross!" Sora snapped. "But oddly true."

"So, what's the trailer number, Iz?" Matt asked, stuffing his hands in his pocket. He glanced around at the broken down trailers in distaste. "How anyone could live here," he muttered as he stepped over a puddle of greenish brown water. "Is beyond me."

"Thirty two," Izzy replied reading off from the paper he took from Matt.

"Well, there twenty eight," Sora said pointing to a chipping white painted beat up looking trailer.

"Four away," Matt replied.

"There," Tai interrupted, pointing at another chipping white painted beat up looking trailer. The gravel crunched under their feet as they walked toward the trailer. They stood at the foot of the steps. "Go ahead, Izzy."

Izzy bounded up the short steps. He opened the cheap, nearly falling off screen door and knocked on the front door. He stepped back and waited.

No answer.

He looked at his friends, who just shrugged. Matt motioned to knock again. He did.

"Hey!" A crotchety old voice yelled at them. They all jumped at the sound and looked up to see an old woman standing in the stairs of her trailer. "What are you kids doing there?"

"Uh." Izzy searched for his voice as the gray haired woman stared at him. "We're uh looking for someone who lives here-"

"No one lives there!" The woman interrupted. "They moved out a couple weeks ago."

"Damn it!" Izzy cried.

"Do you know where?" Sora asked.

"Mr. and Mrs. Samson went to…uh…hell if I know," she laughed a wicked laugh.

"Did they have a girl?" Matt asked.

"A girl?"

"Yeah, a seventeen year old girl," Izzy explained. "Her name is Cassandra. She's got red hair and-"

"Cassandra?" She shrieked. "She's gone. Been gone. Almost about three years now."

"Damn it!" Izzy barked again, softer this time. He looked up at the woman again. "Do you know how I could find her?"

"No, but she had a teacher in town who could probably tell you. Follow me, I'll get you the address," she turned and walked into her trailer. Izzy shrugged to his friends and walked into the woman's apartment.

He held his breath as he walked in. The room smelled like rotten, steamed broccoli. It was only dimly lighted and decorated with knick-knacks and other useless junk. The woman, dressed in a flower nightgown and purple slippers, flipped through a bulky phone book in her lap. She scrawled out an address on a scrape of paper and handed it to him.

"Here you go." She took his hand in her shaky one. "What are you, related to her? You look like her."

"Yeah. She's my sister."

"Well," she grinned with yellowed flat teeth. "You tell her that Mrs. Nash says hi." She laughed.

"I-I will," he replied slightly freaked.

"Good boy." She ushered him out the door. "Goodbye."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Hey, do you think we'll see any famous country singers while we're here?" Tai asked as he stepped out of the car and up to the storefront.

"I hope not," Matt muttered under his breath.

Izzy looked up and laughed. "Just because they have twice the talent you do is no reason to be jealous!"

"Shut up Izumi!" Matt snapped. "Don't make me kick your-"

Sora stepped between them. "Boys, boys. Let's just calm down and go inside."

Matt looked up and saw 'The Music Box' written in bold purple letters on the beige building. He followed the others inside. By the door sat a white sign that read, 'Lessons, Rentals, and Show.' They continued inside to a large room with shelves of instruments, dusty and old looking. By the front window sat a low stage with a set of drums in the center. A chime went off as they stepped into the room.

"Sorry, we're closed right now," a low male voice called from behind a blanket covered door way.

"We're sorry to bother you, but we were hoping to find out some information about a former student. Cassandra Izumi," Izzy called to the voice.

There was a pause. "Cassandra? Just a second." A second later a man stepped out from behind the blanket. He was dressed in black jeans and a black muscle tee shirt with a white button up shirt over it. His blue hair was cut in spikes and a brown triangle of a goatee sat on his chin. He looked at Izzy with a lopsided grin on his face. "And you must be here brother." He walked up to him and stuck out his hand. "Dave Sparlen."

"Izzy Izumi. And this is my girlfriend, Sora. And my friends Matt and Tai." They each shook hands with Dave. "And your right, Mr. Sparlen. I'm her brother."

"Its Dave," he corrected. "What can I do for you?"

"We're looking for my sister. We were told you could give us an address."

"Reno," he responded quickly. "Reno, Nevada. She's been there. I'll get the address." He walked to the back.

"So Dave, what kind of music do you teach?" Matt called.

"Just about anything," he called. "Guitar, drums, violin. Why? You interested?"

"No, I know how to play drums and guitar. And bass too." Matt hopped up on the stage and sat down at the drums. He began to play a loud beat.

Dave walked out from the back room and snapping his fingers. "Nice." He pressed a manila folder into Izzy's hands and jumped up on stage with Matt. He began to play an electric guitar that was laid on the stage.

Sora read over Izzy's shoulder. "She sang," Sora commented.

"Yeah, she was a magnificent singer," Dave called from the stage. "She came to me for voice lessons, not that she needed them. She said she wanted to be a singer."

"My type of girl," Matt yelled over the drums.

"Go ahead and take the paper with the address. I've got it on some letters."

"You've corresponded with her?" Izzy asked.

"Yeah. She was my best student so I had her keep in touch when she moved. But it's been about a year since her last letter."

"A year?" Tai asked as he played with a guitar that sat on display "Haven't you given up on her?"

Dave stopped playing and a thin line of sweat appeared on his forehead. "Don't touch that." Tai quickly set the guitar down. "No I haven't given up on her. Her letters are erratic. Listen I really gotta close up."

"Thank you, Dave," Izzy replied. "We'll leave." They walked to the door and waved goodbye.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Now in Reno…)

Izzy walked up the sidewalk to the small house with his friends following behind him. The neighbor hood was remote and modest. Down the street some kids played baseball and a bunch of guys played basketball in a driveway.

The house that Dave had given the address for looked nice enough. It was a white painted one-story house with big windows on the front. Blue shutters lay open at the window sides.

He knocked on the front door and waited. A gray/brown haired woman in a pair of clam digger pants and a white shirt opened it. She greeted them with a bright red-lipped smile. "How can I help you?"

"We're looking for Cassandra Mizuhara. Does she live here?" Izzy asked.

The woman got a look of distress on her face as footsteps echoed behind her. An unshaven man, looking to be in his late forties pushed in front of the woman. "Hell no! That ungrateful little whore moved out almost a year ago. What are you? Her friends? Get it through your head; she's not coming back! Get off my property!" He turned and slammed the door.

"What the hell just happened?" Izzy asked as he looked at his friends.

"I don't know, but maybe we should do as he says and get off his property. He didn't sound happy." Sora tugged at his hand as she spoke. Izzy nodded. They were half way back to their car when the door opened again.

"Wait!" The woman appeared again. "Sorry about my husband," she apologized. "He never liked Cassandra. They were both too hard headed to get along. Cassandra ran away about a year ago, right after she turned sixteen. If you want to find out where she is go three houses down to ninety two fifteen. Her best friend Riana lives there. She'll tell you were Cassandra lives."

"Thanks," Izzy nodded. The woman nodded and disappeared back into her house.

"Oooo, your sister's a run away," Matt taunted. "A juvenile delinquent."

"And a whore, apparently," Tai added.

"Okay, no ones a juvenile delinquent," Izzy protested. "Being a run away does not make you one!"

"Yeah Matt, look how many times you ran away after your folks got divorced," Tai replied. "But wait…you are a juvenile delinquent."

"Shut up Tai!" Matt snapped.

"Both of you shut up!" Izzy snapped as he turned and walked up to the house with ninety two fifteen written on the door. A dark skinned girl opened it.

Her eyes widened and she threw her arms around Izzy. "Cass! Your back, oh my god! Why didn't you tell me you were coming back." Behind him Tai and Matt snickered. She stepped back and looked at his friends. "Who are the hotties? And what in the hell did you do to your hair?"

"I'm not Cassandra," Izzy told her, feeling bad for the mix up. "I'm her brother."

The girl stepped back again. "Oh, dude, sorry. Wow, you really do look like each other. Cass always said so, but I thought she was BS'in' me." She laughed and held out her hand. "I'm Riana."

Izzy shook her hand. "I'm Izzy. These are my friends, Matt and Tai."

"The hotties," Matt grinned.

"And my girlfriend Sora."

She waved to Sora. "What can I do for you?"

"Well, I'm trying to find my sister, but her address where she's living right now. The people at her house down the street said you might be able to give it to us. Can you?"

"Yeah, hold on." She turned and walked back into the house. She came back with a slip of paper in her coco colored hand. "Here. This is the address to where she works. She just moved so I haven't gotten her new address. It's a night club."

"Thanks," Izzy thanked her.

Sora looked over his shoulder. "SF, what's that?"

"San Fransisco. She's living there."

"Oh, okay."

"Good luck. It was nice meeting you."

"Thanks." With that she closed the door.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(San Fransisco, California…)

The music pounded and rocked in their ears. The singer up on stage dressed in tight blue jeans and a red halter-top shook the room and had every couple, straight and not, on the floor dancing. Atmosphere was foggy from fog machines by the stage floor and strobe lights blinked along with the beat of the music. The black lights made shirts and faces glow all around.

"Damn, this place rocks!" Matt screamed over the music.

"What?" Sora, Tai and Izzy screamed back at him. He just laughed and shook his head.

Izzy leaned over to Sora. "Do you see anyone who looks like me?" He shouted to her.

"Nope, can't say I have," she replied, shaking her head.

"How can she work here?" Tai yelled. "She's not twenty one. She's not even eighteen."

"Maybe she lied," Matt yelled. "Like us."

"Shut up Matt!" Tai yelled.

"Guys, its almost twelve thirty. Maybe she's not working tonight," Sora suggested.

"I dunno, maybe you should ask the bartender," Tai offered.

"Yeah, I'll do that," Izzy nodded.

"Hey everyone, its getting late," the singer on stage announced through the microphone. "I gotta shove off, they're kicking me off stage. Let's give a round of applause for the band. They have to stay the rest of the night." The statement got a roar from the crowd. "I'll be back Monday, come back then! Take care, be safe and tip your waitresses." The crowd laughed as she jumped off the stage.

Izzy pulled his attention from the singer, who Matt and Tai were both eyeing and stood up. He motioned to the bartender when Sora gave him a questioning look. He waded through the crowd; cringe when a couple of people grabbed his ass. He couldn't be completely sure if they were female or not. Finally he reached the bar.

A tall, blond man wearing a long sleeve blue shirt and black pants stood behind the bar, serving drinks to a pair of girls. He was flirting with them. Izzy walked up once the girls left and the bartender was free. "How can I help you?" He yelled.

"I'm looking for-" The bartender gave a look that he couldn't hear him. "I'm looking for-"

The singer ran up and jumped up on an open barstool beside Izzy. "I'm leaving Mac!" She announced. Izzy gave her a look of annoyance and she looked back at him with a smile.

"All right, Seeya," the guy replied.

"No, no, no! You owe me money! Where's my pay check?" She asked.

"Pay? What pay? I don't know what you're talking about," the blond man joked.

"Mac!" She whined. "You know that none of these people would be here if not for me." She grinned and held out her hand. "Money! I gotta get home." He placed a wad of bills in her hand. "Thank you." She leaned over the bar and kissed him on the cheek before turning to leave.

"Do you want a ride? Eric can give you one." She shook her head. "Okay, night C."

Izzy looked at the bartender and then at the singer. "Cassandra?" He called. The girl froze in mind step. "Cassandra Mizuhara?"

She whipped around and glared at him. "Listen, I don't know who the hell…" she trailed off when she locked eyes with him. She shook her head. "Who the hell you are, but don't ever call me that name again!"

Mac leaned over the bar. "Is there a problem here?"

She waved him off. "Who the hell are you?"

"Are you Cassandra Mizuhara?" Izzy asked.

"Yeah." She grabbed the front of his shirt. "But call me that and I'll kick your ass!" She stared into his black eyes. "Who are you?"

"I'm your brother!" He replied, ignoring her grip on his shirt.

She gritted her teeth. "I don't have a brother, you're screwed up!" She pulled away. "I'm going home."

He followed her. "You can't lie about it! You know its true!" He yelled at her as he followed her into a back room of the club. Mac trailed after them. Izzy looked over at him then at the girl, going through a locker with Kass written on it. "I didn't come to start a fight with you. I-"

She paused and stared at the floor. "Koushiro, how'd you find me?" He opened his mouth then snapped it closed again. She still didn't look at him. "Yeah, I know who you are."

"Why pretend you don't then?" He asked.

"I dunno. What are you doing here?" Her voice was soft.

"I came to find you. I wanted to meet you." He stared at her, but she still refused to look at him. "What am I supposed to call you if not-"

"Don't say it. I don't go by Mizuhara or Cassandra anymore." She looked up at him and pulled her purse onto her shoulder. "Kacey Akitora."

"Koushiro Izumi," he said. "Its nice to meet you."

"We've met." She smiled softly. "I guess you don't remember." She glanced at her watch. "I have to go. I'm sorry you came all this way from where ever, but it was nice seeing you." She tried to rush past him and he grabbed her arm. Mac in turned grabbed the front of his shirt. "Mac, its okay." The man didn't move. "He's my brother."

"You got a brother?" Mac asked stunned.

"Yeah, I got a brother." Mac let go of Izzy's shirt and he let go of her arm.

"Please don't go. Can't we talk or something? I came here from Japan to find you," Izzy pleaded.

"Yeah, I guess. Tomorrow," she replied. "I really have to get home right now." She pulled a pen from her purse and grabbed his hand. She scribbled an address on his palm. "That's my apartment. Come by tomorrow, we'll talk then."

"I'll be there around noon," he replied.

"Fine. I'll seeya." She glanced up at Mac. "Where's Eric? I think I may take him up on that ride."

"He's manning the bar." She walked out. "Night C." Izzy watched her go. Mac glared at him before giving him a hard shove and walking back into the club.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

She pushed into the apartment and stumbled in the dark. She dumped her keys carelessly on the end table by the couch and waded through the dark. She tripped only once on a miniature dump truck. With an aggravated sigh she continued down a dark hallway. Two thirds down the hall she came to a white door with a picture of a train on it. She opened the door and her eyes froze on the empty bed with its messed up sheets. Her breath caught in her throat and she ran to the door at the very end of the hallway. She pushed inside.

"Your home late," a voice said in the darkness. "I have Connor, if that's what your wondering." She let go of her breath and waited for her heart to return to its normal speed.

"I know I'm late, I'm sorry. I ran into…some trouble at work." She lay down on her bed, overjoyed to rest her exhausted body. A smaller body roll over onto her and she stroked the soft hair on the body's head. "When did Connor come in?"

"An hour ago, he was freaked out about something." A hand touched her shoulders.

"Sorry," she mumbled. 'So was I…'




Okay, sorry if the end was not to your liking. I have no idea why the original upload cut off. Sorry Lemme know what you think. Oh, I need some advice. I've been having people tell me to avoid making this a Mary-Sue fic. I only found out what that was about a week ago, so I don't really know if I'm writing one or not. Tell me how I can avoid it. And please review.

Oh, and to Ralph Wiggim, thank you for review Run away. I never thought that it was tackling the topic of abortion, but I guess it was. And no, I don't think abortion is morally wrong. I'm pro choice. I just wanted to say that because I wouldn't want someone to think otherwise of me. Anyway, thank you again.