DISCLAIMER: I do not own digimon.

** Thanks to everyone who's reviewed! I love the support this story's getting.

Arabella Skydancer: I have the whole story written out on paper already. I'm just typing it up. ^^

~*~

Chapter 6

When Ryo woke up he found a toasted coconut sitting next to him. For a moment he wondered if Cyberdramon had made it, until he realized that his digimon, despite all of his best efforts, could never manage to cook anything without burning down his surroundings.

Rika was sitting near the water watching the sunset when Ryo sat next to her. After a silence while he tried to gauge her mood, he hazarded talking.

"Thanks for dinner, it was really good."

Rika didn't look at him. "It was nothing."

Silence. Ryo was out of ideas. They watched quietly as the sun sank lower, shimmering on the sea.

"Ryo…"

Ryo was startled out of his reverie. He looked at Rika. "What is it?"

She blushed and ducked her head. "I…Ryo, I just wanted to say I'm sorry. For the way I've been treating you. It was cruel of me, I know you were just trying to be nice."

*

Rika was concentrating on her shoes as she spoke. She felt herself going redder by the minute and she was stumbling over her words. Apology was new to her, and she didn't think she liked the vulnerable feeling it gave her. All she was getting in response from Ryo was silence. She took a deep, shaky breath and looked up at him.

He was staring at her in astonishment, his mouth hanging open so that he looked rather like a fish. Rika bit her lip.

*

Ryo was stupefied, to say the least. "Did-did you just apologize to me? And you called me Ryo. That's the first time you've ever called me Ryo."

Look at her, he thought. She looks so unsure of herself. That is so unlike Rika. What's gotten into her?

Indeed, she looked scared. A warm, reassuring smile spread across Ryo's face, and he saw her relax visibly when she recognized it.

"Let's start over," he grinned. "I'm Ryo Akiyama, the Legendary Tamer!" He held out his hand, an impish gleam in his eyes.

Rika smiled ruefully as she shook it, her own lavender eyes reflecting his spunk. "And I'm Rika Nonaka, the Digimon Queen!"

Formalities done, the two of them sat on the beach talking until the dazzling pinpoints of hundreds of stars filled the sky.

***

The next morning Rika woke up refreshed and happy.

"Good morning Renamon!" She beamed at her partner.

Renamon blinked at her, but then she smiled. "Good morning Rika. You're feeling better."

Rika stretched onto her toes and yawned. "Yeah, I slept pretty good last night."

She and Ryo had toasted coconuts for breakfast and sat around talking while their friends did their daily check for data streams that might rescue them. Today Renamon had asked Rika to slash a card for her.

"I'm worried about Cyberdramon," Renamon murmured quietly. "The coconut diet isn't enough for him. He's wearing out, and carrying me through the air can't be helping."

Rika nodded and drew out a modify card. "Digi-modify! Hyper wing, activate!"

Ryo must have noticed this, but he didn't say anything. The two digimon flew off, and they were left alone.

"So what do your parents do?" Rika asked as they basked in the sun.

A moment passed before Ryo answered her. "They're both business executives." His voice sounded tight. "I don't see them much, they're always busy." Rika glanced at him with concern, but he changed the subject quickly. "So your mom's a fashion model, right?"

Rika sighed. "Yeah, she is."

"I remember seeing pictures of her before I came to the digital world. She's very pretty. I can see where you get your looks from…"

Rika looked at Ryo sharply, but he was suddenly intensely interested in a pod of dolphmon frolicking on the horizon.

A few minutes later, Renamon landed gracefully on the beach beside them, with Cyberdramon in tow. She was clearly excited.

"We saw a data stream! It's coming straight towards us. It should be here in about ten minutes!"

The tamers cheered.

"We're going home, we're going home!" Ryo hugged Rika excitedly. When they realized what he was doing they both blushed and he released her quickly.

They cleaned up after themselves and soon they could see the purple pillar of energy zigzagging over the horizon.

"Here it comes!" Ryo was tense with excitement.

"Beam me up, Scotty," Rika muttered as it cut through the shallows next to the beach.

"What was that?"

"Nothing." Rika felt her feet leave the ground as the four of them were swallowed by the data stream.