Tangled Web
Gone
By the Empress of the Eclipse
Disclaimer - I don't own Digimon.
I've tried to put Sora across quite well in this chapter without vilifying her but I don't know how well that's gone.
Rats. I just discovered that actually, Matt and Sora have a girl and a boy rather than two boys. Curses! Oh well, never mind. It's all A Girl Named Goo's fault, she was the one who said two boys!
"Matt?"
Matt looked round. He was cooking stir-fry in the kitchen. Ken had gone to stay with a friend from his work and Matt was making food for himself and Tai. Tai was standing at the doorway, watching him, his face pale and nervous.
"Yes?"
Tai swallowed.
"Matt I...."
Matt waited.
"I'm sorry," Tai blurted suddenly "About what I said. About everything. What I said was wrong. What's happened between us...it is my fault really. Not you. I'm so sorry. I know I'm a terrible person."
Matt abandoned his cooking to hug Tai close to him. Tai hugged him back.
"Matt, I never meant to hurt anybody," he said "You know that right? I never wanted to hurt anybody ever."
"I know," Matt said "I do know that Tai. You're the best person I know. You've never tried to hurt anybody deliberately. You just...you've been silly. But I know you don't want to hurt anybody."
"What am I going to do?" Tai asked "I'm losing everyone Matt! I'm losing my son, my friends....the only person I'm not losing is you. And I keep doing my best to shove you away!"
Matt didn't know what to say. Everything was far too confusing.
"I understand," he said.
Tai sighed.
"I'm so sorry," he whispered "I saw what happened to Ken and I...I just felt so awful." "What's happened with Ken and Yolei is not your fault," Matt said firmly "That is between them."
"I know," Tai said "But...oh I don't know. What if Ken has to battle for his kids?"
"I don't think so," Matt said slowly "I think that Ken and Yolei will see what's happened here and come to a more civilised arrangement."
Tai smiled slightly, looking hopeful.
"You think?"
"I think."
Tai smiled and rested his head safely on Matt's chest.
"Thank you Matt."
"It's all right Tai."
Tai sighed. Then he sniffed.
"Um Matt?"
"Yeah?"
"The stir-fry is burning."
"SHIT!" Matt screamed, leaping at the frying pan. Tai couldn't help cracking up as he watched Matt try to rescue his stir-fry, cursing loudly and dancing around. For the first time in a while, he felt the cheerful bubbly feeling that he'd used to have a lot.
* * * *
Kari was busy brushing Shinseru's hair when the phone rang.
"Davis, get it!" she yelled.
She heard Davis answer the phone. Then he suddenly called "Kari!"
"Davis, I'm busy!"
"Kari, I think this is very important."
Frowning, Kari went to the phone.
* * * *
"Burnt stir-fry," Tai said.
"If you hadn't distracted me," Matt said "It wouldn't have got burned."
Tai snickered wickedly. Matt crossed his eyes.
"You're so childish," Tai said.
Matt grinned and tried to separate burned inedible stir-fry from the slightly more edible stir-fry. Tai watched him. Then the phone rang.
"You answer," both chorused. Tai shrugged and answered. Since it was his house after all....
"All right Taichi, where are they?"
"Huh? What? Ritsuko?" Tai said.
"Of course it's me, now where are the boys?"
Tai blinked.
"Ritsuko, what are you talking about?" he demanded.
"Sento! Your son! And Tanoshii and Shinji, your 'lover's' sons! Where have you taken them?"
"I haven't taken them anywhere!" Tai said confusedly.
"You mean...it isn't you? You swear it isn't you?"
"Ritsuko, what's going on?" Tai demanded confusedly, a sudden cold feeling growing in his stomach.
He heard a slightly muffled sob.
"Taichi, they're gone! The boys have vanished!"
Tai felt the world spin.
"All three them?" he whispered.
"They didn't come home! I thought....thought maybe you..."
Tai noticed that Matt was staring anxiously at him, his eyes big.
"Oh God," Tai whispered softly "Oh my God."
"Tai?" Matt whispered "Tai, what's going on?"
Tai flapped a hand at him.
"Ritsuko, where are you?"
"At Kari's. We phoned her first to see if they were with her. TK and his wife are here too. We tried them as well."
It hurt that Ritsuko had tried other people before him but Tai brushed it off. Nothing matter at that moment as much as finding his son and Matt's sons.
"We're coming over," he said "Phone the police."
He put the phone down before Ritsuko could say anything. Matt was staring at him, his eyes big.
"Tai, what's....?"
"The boys have vanished," Tai cut him off quickly "We're going to Kari's."
"Vanished?" Matt croaked.
Tai nodded.
"Come on," he ordered.
The two of them raced out of the flat.
* * * *
Mujaki and Shinseru peered cautiously out from Shinseru's room. Sayo was asleep in a travel cot by the bed. Kari, Sora, Davis, TK, Shinoko and Ritsuko were all talking at once. It was pretty chaotic. The doorbell rang, cutting them off. Kari went to answer it.
A few seconds later, Tai and Matt had hurtled into the room.
"What happened?" Tai demanded sharply.
"When I got home from work, the door was unlocked," Ritsuko said "I didn't think anything of it. Nothing was disturbed as far as I could see and I often forget to lock my door. I waited for Sento to come back from school but he was late. I figured that he'd gone to Sora's. But then Sora phoned me and said that she needed Tanoshii and Shinji back! They've all gone!"
She started to cry again. Shinoko hugged her soothingly.
"Did you try the school?" Matt asked.
"Of course!" Sora snapped at him "We aren't stupid!"
"And what did they say?" Matt asked with exaggerated patience.
"That all three boys had left school early," Sora whispered.
"They've run away," Tai said softly "Oh God, where the hell can they be?"
"Have you phoned the police?" Matt asked.
"Yes. They'll be coming over," Sora said.
"Why would they run away?" Ritsuko asked.
"Aside from the fact that they're all miserable? Gee, let me think!" Matt snapped.
"Excuse me?" Sora said coldly "My sons are not miserable."
"I beg to differ!" Matt snapped back "The boys have been upset since we split up!"
"And who's fault is that?" Sora shouted "You started this!"
"Me! Actually Sora, YOU slept with Tai first!"
"But you were the one who left!"
"Because you got pregnant with another man's child! AND you didn't even see fit to tell me!"
"Guys," TK began gently "Maybe now isn't the best time for this...."
He was completely ignored. Matt and Sora were glaring at each other. Sora's fists were clenched.
"Are you blaming me because my sons have run away?"
"Stop calling them your sons! They're our sons!"
"You gave up rights when you walked out!"
"I didn't give up rights to my children! YOU'RE the one who's tried to cut me out!"
"Don't you dare blame this on me Yamato! Okay, I've done some bad things but at least I married you because I loved you, NOT because I wanted to prove that I wasn't gay!"
Matt flushed. This was something he couldn't deny.
"At least Matt never tried to get revenge by trying to hurt someone else," Tai spoke up, his voice icy "At least Matt never tried to prove anyone an unfit parent!"
"You ARE an unfit parent!" Ritsuko shouted, jerking to her feet "I've heard what Sento's said! You've been leaving him alone since he was seven years old!"
"That's not true!" Tai yelled "I did that ONCE and that was for ten seconds while a bought a bottle of milk! He was sick at the time and couldn't come with me! Okay?"
"How about you've been endorsing promiscuousness to him?" Ritsuko demanded "He asks all sorts of questions about things that he shouldn't know anything about at that age!"
"I have not been endorsing promiscuousness!"
"You've been kissed millions of other people in front of him! You know what he said once? That they were 'only boyfriends and girlfriends' so why should they ever come back!"
Tai swallowed slightly.
"He'll grow out of that," he said "He'll understand."
"Things that happen when we're young affect us later in life!" Ritsuko snapped "It might affect him forever and you don't even care!"
"Of course I care!"
"How about when you just dumped him while you were mooning over your precious Ishida?"
Tai flushed.
"That was wrong," he said "I know that! But it doesn't make me an unfit parent!"
"What's your definition then?" Ritsuko demanded.
"At least I never let my son get hurt!" Tai yelled "At least he never wanted to run away from me!"
"How dare you? He's only run away because he's upset!"
"And who's fault is that?"
"I'm only doing what's best for my son!"
"Well he doesn't seem to agree does he?"
Kari looked at TK who had his head in his hands. Davis was looking between his once close friends, his eyes filling with tears. Over his shoulder, Kari spotted Mujaki and Shinseru staring at them. Mujaki was crying.
Kari scowled. She got up and walked into her room, rummaging through her drawers until she found her keepsakes box.
With her old whistle in.
Taking it out, she walked back into the room. Putting it to her lips, she blew with all her might.
It worked. Everyone shut up instantly.
"Good," Kari said "Now STAY that way!"
She hadn't felt this angry for ages. Even when Tai had first told her about this, she hadn't got this mad.
"What the HELL is WRONG with you people?" she yelled "Your children are gone! They could be anywhere! They could be under some bridge freezing to death and all you can do it lay blame? Well let me tell you! You are ALL to blame! And I'm SICK of you all blaming each other and not taking your own share!"
She glowered round at them.
"Now," she said "Some of us are going to go and look. Some of us will stay for when the police arrive. We're going to arrange it WITHOUT any of you fighting. UNDERSTAND?"
There was a very nervous pause.
"Okay," Tai said meekly.
"Good," Kari said "I shall stay to handle the rest of you. Tai, Sora, Davis, TK. Would you four go and start looking? The rest of us will stay here."
Everyone nodded and left. In the apartment, there was a bitter silence that lasted until the police arrived.
* * * *
"Sento?" Tai yelled "Tanoshii? Shinji?"
His voice echoed but there was no answer. Tai hadn't expected there to be. He'd been wandering for what felt like hours but was in reality less than an hour and calling for the boys.
Sinking down against a building, Tai wiped his face. Tears were running down it again.
"Sento," he whispered "Come on Sento. If I find you, I promise that I'll never let anything happen to you again. I promise you won't ever be hurt by anyone. I promise!"
Wiping his face again, he scrambled up and continued searching.
"Sento? Tanoshii? Shinji?"
* * * *
"That's Sayo crying," Ritsuko said, preparing to stand up.
"I'll go," Matt said. A half-smile twisted his face "She's my daughter after all."
His daughter. His mouth quirked slightly at the joke. His name was on the birth certificate. And he'd believed she was his for several happy months. But now...now he knew the truth.
Banishing the thoughts, he went into the room where Shinseru and Mujaki were looking at the crying girl uncertainly. Matt lifted her up and rocked her, feeding her with an already preparing bottle, soothing her.
'If only she was really my daughter...'
Matt swallowed, banishing his thoughts. If he kept thinking, he'd cry and he didn't want to...
A tear ran down his face. Then another. Tanoshii and Shinji. Where were they? What was happening to them? They'd been gone for hours now. It was dark outside. What if...? What if...?
"Uncle Matt?"
Matt swallowed at looked round at the boys.
"Sorry," he said "I'm okay."
He could feel another tear running down his face and struggled to stop any more.
"Everyone's really worried about Sento and Tanoshii and Shinji aren't they?" Mujaki said softly.
Matt nodded. "Yes. But it'll be okay. We'll find them. We will," he said firmly.
Shinseru and Mujaki looked at each other.
"Auntie Sora was crying," Mujaki said.
"Yes," Matt said. "So are you."
Matt nodded, blushing.
"Can't help it," he said "I miss my boys. But we're all being silly because they will be fine. They have to be."
"What will you do then?" Shinseru asked.
"What?" Matt said.
"When you find them," Shinseru said "What will you do?"
"Hug them," Matt said with a small smile "I'll hug them tighter than ever before."
"Will they be in trouble?"
Matt thought about it.
"Maybe a very little," he said.
"And if they come back, will everyone stop fighting?"
"Maybe," Matt said "I hope so. Maybe we can stop fighting now."
Shinseru and Mujaki exchanged looks again. Matt carefully laid Sayo down in her carry basket and wiped his eyes.
"Don't worry boys," he said "It'll all..."
"Uncle Matt?"
"Yes?"
"We know where they are."
Matt stared at them.
"What?"
"We know where they are," Shinseru repeated "Sento told us. He said that we're insurance."
Matt's mouth was open. Then he knelt down and gripped Shinseru's shoulders tight enough to make Shinseru yelp.
"Shinseru," Matt said very softly "Where are they?"
* * * *
Tai was heading despairingly back to the house when he saw Matt coming towards him, Shinseru running with him.
"Matt?"
"Shin knows where they are!" Matt panted "Come on!"
Tai promptly did an about-turn.
"Where?"
"Just come on."
They followed Shinseru who led them all the way through town to an apartment block.
"I used to live here," Matt said slowly "When I was young."
"Tanoshii remembered," Shinseru said quietly "That's why they choose it. Come on."
He led them all the way up to the roof and pointed to the water tank. Matt could see three small figures huddled underneath it.
"Tanoshii! Shinji!"
"Sento!" Tai yelled.
The figures wriggled.
"Traitor!" Matt heard someone - probably Sento - shout at Shinseru. Tai didn't seem to care. Moving forward, he grabbed one of the emerging figures and swept him into a hug. Matt rushed over to the other two.
"Boys!"
He grabbed them himself. Shinji started to cry but Tanoshii remained stiff. Matt felt a pang, remembering himself at that age and his reactions to his parents. He felt a horrible pang of guilt and wanted to scream with rage and misery. He'd repeated his parents mistakes. He was a terrible person.
"Why did you run away?" he croaked at them, still hugging them "Idiots! You could have tried talking."
Tanoshii snorted. Sento gave a scornful laugh from Tai's arms. Matt and Tai exchanged looks.
"Come on," Matt said "Lets get you lot to Auntie Kari's. Everyone's going spare over you three."
"Are we in big trouble?" Shinji asked nervously.
Matt didn't answer, just scooped his son up and grabbed Tanoshii's hand before he could move away.
"Got all your stuff?"
"Yes."
"Then let's go," Tai said. He hadn't put Sento down despite Sento's cross struggles "We need to get back quick! Everyone's going crazy!"
Matt nodded and together, they all hurried out of the building, heading for Kari's house.
* * * *
"You mean Matt just rushed out?" Sora said "Taking Shinseru with him?"
Kari nodded.
"He said something about knowing where they are," she said "I'd ask Mujaki but he's not talking."
"You mean maybe we've found them?" Sora said hopefully.
"No maybe about it," Matt said. "Tanoshii! Shinji!"
"Sento!"
Sora and Ritsuko sprang over, seizing the boys and pulling them into hugs. Kari went over to Shinseru. He was looking unhappy. "Sento said I was a traitor," he muttered.
"You aren't," Kari said firmly "You've been a very good, very sensible little boy and I'm proud of you."
She hugged him.
"Now, run along to Mujaki and tell him everything's all right," she ordered "Go on."
Shinseru scampered off and Kari looked at the boys. They looked dirty and unhappy. Tanoshii and Sento were both wearing looks of stone-hardness on their faces. Kari winced. This was going to be very difficult indeed.
"I think," she said, using her 'teacher-voice' "That you three boys need a bath, something to eat and bed. We can talk about this in the morning."
Shinji looked like he liked the idea. Sento snorted.
"Bed where?"
Kari could see his point.
"Here," she said, very quickly and very firmly "You're all spending the night here. Ritsuko - phone the police and tell them we've found them. Tai - go and put Shinseru to bed. Matt - go and find Davis and TK. Shinoko - would you mind much getting out some spare bedding from my closet? Thank you. Now come on you three. Baths."
She threw the others a look and pulled the boy into her bathroom.
"Are we in trouble?" Shinji asked her timidly "Daddy wouldn't say."
"You're in some trouble, yes," Kari said gently, helping him off with his clothes "You shouldn't have run away. Running away never solves anything."
She ignored the small sound that Sento made and calmly ran a bath for them all. Despite their stubbornness, Sento and Tanoshii were quite clearly worn out and they nearly fell asleep in their bath. Kari practically had to carry them into Shinseru's room and they were asleep before she'd tucked them into sleeping bags that Shinoko had kindly found for her. Kari left the room and looked at the adults, all around the table.
"Shinoko and Mujaki have gone," TK said quietly "I said I'd stay and make sure everything was finished up here."
Kari smiled at him.
"Thanks TK."
She suddenly felt worn out. Davis came over and wrapped an arm round her shoulders. Kari took a deep breath and exhaled, then looked at the others.
"I figured you might want to stay," she said "You can go home if you want."
"I'll stay," Ritsuko said immediately.
"I'd better," Sora said "Sayo's still asleep."
"Then perhaps we'd better go," Tai said quietly "What time should we come back in the morning?"
"Never," Ritsuko mumbled.
Tai flinched but ignored the remark.
"No earlier than 9:00," Kari said "We won't do anything without you, don't worry."
She hugged her brother. Tai hugged her back.
"Kar," he muttered "Thanks."
"It's all right," Kari said.
Matt hugged her too before they left. TK left too. Kari set Ritsuko and Sora up with beds, then went into her room and dropped onto the bed, closing her eyes.
"Kari?"
Davis sat next to her and gave her a hug. Kari let all her exhaustion catch up with her and cried.
End of Part 7.
YAY! Only one, possibly two more parts to go and then this fic is DONE! YAYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Gone
By the Empress of the Eclipse
Disclaimer - I don't own Digimon.
I've tried to put Sora across quite well in this chapter without vilifying her but I don't know how well that's gone.
Rats. I just discovered that actually, Matt and Sora have a girl and a boy rather than two boys. Curses! Oh well, never mind. It's all A Girl Named Goo's fault, she was the one who said two boys!
"Matt?"
Matt looked round. He was cooking stir-fry in the kitchen. Ken had gone to stay with a friend from his work and Matt was making food for himself and Tai. Tai was standing at the doorway, watching him, his face pale and nervous.
"Yes?"
Tai swallowed.
"Matt I...."
Matt waited.
"I'm sorry," Tai blurted suddenly "About what I said. About everything. What I said was wrong. What's happened between us...it is my fault really. Not you. I'm so sorry. I know I'm a terrible person."
Matt abandoned his cooking to hug Tai close to him. Tai hugged him back.
"Matt, I never meant to hurt anybody," he said "You know that right? I never wanted to hurt anybody ever."
"I know," Matt said "I do know that Tai. You're the best person I know. You've never tried to hurt anybody deliberately. You just...you've been silly. But I know you don't want to hurt anybody."
"What am I going to do?" Tai asked "I'm losing everyone Matt! I'm losing my son, my friends....the only person I'm not losing is you. And I keep doing my best to shove you away!"
Matt didn't know what to say. Everything was far too confusing.
"I understand," he said.
Tai sighed.
"I'm so sorry," he whispered "I saw what happened to Ken and I...I just felt so awful." "What's happened with Ken and Yolei is not your fault," Matt said firmly "That is between them."
"I know," Tai said "But...oh I don't know. What if Ken has to battle for his kids?"
"I don't think so," Matt said slowly "I think that Ken and Yolei will see what's happened here and come to a more civilised arrangement."
Tai smiled slightly, looking hopeful.
"You think?"
"I think."
Tai smiled and rested his head safely on Matt's chest.
"Thank you Matt."
"It's all right Tai."
Tai sighed. Then he sniffed.
"Um Matt?"
"Yeah?"
"The stir-fry is burning."
"SHIT!" Matt screamed, leaping at the frying pan. Tai couldn't help cracking up as he watched Matt try to rescue his stir-fry, cursing loudly and dancing around. For the first time in a while, he felt the cheerful bubbly feeling that he'd used to have a lot.
* * * *
Kari was busy brushing Shinseru's hair when the phone rang.
"Davis, get it!" she yelled.
She heard Davis answer the phone. Then he suddenly called "Kari!"
"Davis, I'm busy!"
"Kari, I think this is very important."
Frowning, Kari went to the phone.
* * * *
"Burnt stir-fry," Tai said.
"If you hadn't distracted me," Matt said "It wouldn't have got burned."
Tai snickered wickedly. Matt crossed his eyes.
"You're so childish," Tai said.
Matt grinned and tried to separate burned inedible stir-fry from the slightly more edible stir-fry. Tai watched him. Then the phone rang.
"You answer," both chorused. Tai shrugged and answered. Since it was his house after all....
"All right Taichi, where are they?"
"Huh? What? Ritsuko?" Tai said.
"Of course it's me, now where are the boys?"
Tai blinked.
"Ritsuko, what are you talking about?" he demanded.
"Sento! Your son! And Tanoshii and Shinji, your 'lover's' sons! Where have you taken them?"
"I haven't taken them anywhere!" Tai said confusedly.
"You mean...it isn't you? You swear it isn't you?"
"Ritsuko, what's going on?" Tai demanded confusedly, a sudden cold feeling growing in his stomach.
He heard a slightly muffled sob.
"Taichi, they're gone! The boys have vanished!"
Tai felt the world spin.
"All three them?" he whispered.
"They didn't come home! I thought....thought maybe you..."
Tai noticed that Matt was staring anxiously at him, his eyes big.
"Oh God," Tai whispered softly "Oh my God."
"Tai?" Matt whispered "Tai, what's going on?"
Tai flapped a hand at him.
"Ritsuko, where are you?"
"At Kari's. We phoned her first to see if they were with her. TK and his wife are here too. We tried them as well."
It hurt that Ritsuko had tried other people before him but Tai brushed it off. Nothing matter at that moment as much as finding his son and Matt's sons.
"We're coming over," he said "Phone the police."
He put the phone down before Ritsuko could say anything. Matt was staring at him, his eyes big.
"Tai, what's....?"
"The boys have vanished," Tai cut him off quickly "We're going to Kari's."
"Vanished?" Matt croaked.
Tai nodded.
"Come on," he ordered.
The two of them raced out of the flat.
* * * *
Mujaki and Shinseru peered cautiously out from Shinseru's room. Sayo was asleep in a travel cot by the bed. Kari, Sora, Davis, TK, Shinoko and Ritsuko were all talking at once. It was pretty chaotic. The doorbell rang, cutting them off. Kari went to answer it.
A few seconds later, Tai and Matt had hurtled into the room.
"What happened?" Tai demanded sharply.
"When I got home from work, the door was unlocked," Ritsuko said "I didn't think anything of it. Nothing was disturbed as far as I could see and I often forget to lock my door. I waited for Sento to come back from school but he was late. I figured that he'd gone to Sora's. But then Sora phoned me and said that she needed Tanoshii and Shinji back! They've all gone!"
She started to cry again. Shinoko hugged her soothingly.
"Did you try the school?" Matt asked.
"Of course!" Sora snapped at him "We aren't stupid!"
"And what did they say?" Matt asked with exaggerated patience.
"That all three boys had left school early," Sora whispered.
"They've run away," Tai said softly "Oh God, where the hell can they be?"
"Have you phoned the police?" Matt asked.
"Yes. They'll be coming over," Sora said.
"Why would they run away?" Ritsuko asked.
"Aside from the fact that they're all miserable? Gee, let me think!" Matt snapped.
"Excuse me?" Sora said coldly "My sons are not miserable."
"I beg to differ!" Matt snapped back "The boys have been upset since we split up!"
"And who's fault is that?" Sora shouted "You started this!"
"Me! Actually Sora, YOU slept with Tai first!"
"But you were the one who left!"
"Because you got pregnant with another man's child! AND you didn't even see fit to tell me!"
"Guys," TK began gently "Maybe now isn't the best time for this...."
He was completely ignored. Matt and Sora were glaring at each other. Sora's fists were clenched.
"Are you blaming me because my sons have run away?"
"Stop calling them your sons! They're our sons!"
"You gave up rights when you walked out!"
"I didn't give up rights to my children! YOU'RE the one who's tried to cut me out!"
"Don't you dare blame this on me Yamato! Okay, I've done some bad things but at least I married you because I loved you, NOT because I wanted to prove that I wasn't gay!"
Matt flushed. This was something he couldn't deny.
"At least Matt never tried to get revenge by trying to hurt someone else," Tai spoke up, his voice icy "At least Matt never tried to prove anyone an unfit parent!"
"You ARE an unfit parent!" Ritsuko shouted, jerking to her feet "I've heard what Sento's said! You've been leaving him alone since he was seven years old!"
"That's not true!" Tai yelled "I did that ONCE and that was for ten seconds while a bought a bottle of milk! He was sick at the time and couldn't come with me! Okay?"
"How about you've been endorsing promiscuousness to him?" Ritsuko demanded "He asks all sorts of questions about things that he shouldn't know anything about at that age!"
"I have not been endorsing promiscuousness!"
"You've been kissed millions of other people in front of him! You know what he said once? That they were 'only boyfriends and girlfriends' so why should they ever come back!"
Tai swallowed slightly.
"He'll grow out of that," he said "He'll understand."
"Things that happen when we're young affect us later in life!" Ritsuko snapped "It might affect him forever and you don't even care!"
"Of course I care!"
"How about when you just dumped him while you were mooning over your precious Ishida?"
Tai flushed.
"That was wrong," he said "I know that! But it doesn't make me an unfit parent!"
"What's your definition then?" Ritsuko demanded.
"At least I never let my son get hurt!" Tai yelled "At least he never wanted to run away from me!"
"How dare you? He's only run away because he's upset!"
"And who's fault is that?"
"I'm only doing what's best for my son!"
"Well he doesn't seem to agree does he?"
Kari looked at TK who had his head in his hands. Davis was looking between his once close friends, his eyes filling with tears. Over his shoulder, Kari spotted Mujaki and Shinseru staring at them. Mujaki was crying.
Kari scowled. She got up and walked into her room, rummaging through her drawers until she found her keepsakes box.
With her old whistle in.
Taking it out, she walked back into the room. Putting it to her lips, she blew with all her might.
It worked. Everyone shut up instantly.
"Good," Kari said "Now STAY that way!"
She hadn't felt this angry for ages. Even when Tai had first told her about this, she hadn't got this mad.
"What the HELL is WRONG with you people?" she yelled "Your children are gone! They could be anywhere! They could be under some bridge freezing to death and all you can do it lay blame? Well let me tell you! You are ALL to blame! And I'm SICK of you all blaming each other and not taking your own share!"
She glowered round at them.
"Now," she said "Some of us are going to go and look. Some of us will stay for when the police arrive. We're going to arrange it WITHOUT any of you fighting. UNDERSTAND?"
There was a very nervous pause.
"Okay," Tai said meekly.
"Good," Kari said "I shall stay to handle the rest of you. Tai, Sora, Davis, TK. Would you four go and start looking? The rest of us will stay here."
Everyone nodded and left. In the apartment, there was a bitter silence that lasted until the police arrived.
* * * *
"Sento?" Tai yelled "Tanoshii? Shinji?"
His voice echoed but there was no answer. Tai hadn't expected there to be. He'd been wandering for what felt like hours but was in reality less than an hour and calling for the boys.
Sinking down against a building, Tai wiped his face. Tears were running down it again.
"Sento," he whispered "Come on Sento. If I find you, I promise that I'll never let anything happen to you again. I promise you won't ever be hurt by anyone. I promise!"
Wiping his face again, he scrambled up and continued searching.
"Sento? Tanoshii? Shinji?"
* * * *
"That's Sayo crying," Ritsuko said, preparing to stand up.
"I'll go," Matt said. A half-smile twisted his face "She's my daughter after all."
His daughter. His mouth quirked slightly at the joke. His name was on the birth certificate. And he'd believed she was his for several happy months. But now...now he knew the truth.
Banishing the thoughts, he went into the room where Shinseru and Mujaki were looking at the crying girl uncertainly. Matt lifted her up and rocked her, feeding her with an already preparing bottle, soothing her.
'If only she was really my daughter...'
Matt swallowed, banishing his thoughts. If he kept thinking, he'd cry and he didn't want to...
A tear ran down his face. Then another. Tanoshii and Shinji. Where were they? What was happening to them? They'd been gone for hours now. It was dark outside. What if...? What if...?
"Uncle Matt?"
Matt swallowed at looked round at the boys.
"Sorry," he said "I'm okay."
He could feel another tear running down his face and struggled to stop any more.
"Everyone's really worried about Sento and Tanoshii and Shinji aren't they?" Mujaki said softly.
Matt nodded. "Yes. But it'll be okay. We'll find them. We will," he said firmly.
Shinseru and Mujaki looked at each other.
"Auntie Sora was crying," Mujaki said.
"Yes," Matt said. "So are you."
Matt nodded, blushing.
"Can't help it," he said "I miss my boys. But we're all being silly because they will be fine. They have to be."
"What will you do then?" Shinseru asked.
"What?" Matt said.
"When you find them," Shinseru said "What will you do?"
"Hug them," Matt said with a small smile "I'll hug them tighter than ever before."
"Will they be in trouble?"
Matt thought about it.
"Maybe a very little," he said.
"And if they come back, will everyone stop fighting?"
"Maybe," Matt said "I hope so. Maybe we can stop fighting now."
Shinseru and Mujaki exchanged looks again. Matt carefully laid Sayo down in her carry basket and wiped his eyes.
"Don't worry boys," he said "It'll all..."
"Uncle Matt?"
"Yes?"
"We know where they are."
Matt stared at them.
"What?"
"We know where they are," Shinseru repeated "Sento told us. He said that we're insurance."
Matt's mouth was open. Then he knelt down and gripped Shinseru's shoulders tight enough to make Shinseru yelp.
"Shinseru," Matt said very softly "Where are they?"
* * * *
Tai was heading despairingly back to the house when he saw Matt coming towards him, Shinseru running with him.
"Matt?"
"Shin knows where they are!" Matt panted "Come on!"
Tai promptly did an about-turn.
"Where?"
"Just come on."
They followed Shinseru who led them all the way through town to an apartment block.
"I used to live here," Matt said slowly "When I was young."
"Tanoshii remembered," Shinseru said quietly "That's why they choose it. Come on."
He led them all the way up to the roof and pointed to the water tank. Matt could see three small figures huddled underneath it.
"Tanoshii! Shinji!"
"Sento!" Tai yelled.
The figures wriggled.
"Traitor!" Matt heard someone - probably Sento - shout at Shinseru. Tai didn't seem to care. Moving forward, he grabbed one of the emerging figures and swept him into a hug. Matt rushed over to the other two.
"Boys!"
He grabbed them himself. Shinji started to cry but Tanoshii remained stiff. Matt felt a pang, remembering himself at that age and his reactions to his parents. He felt a horrible pang of guilt and wanted to scream with rage and misery. He'd repeated his parents mistakes. He was a terrible person.
"Why did you run away?" he croaked at them, still hugging them "Idiots! You could have tried talking."
Tanoshii snorted. Sento gave a scornful laugh from Tai's arms. Matt and Tai exchanged looks.
"Come on," Matt said "Lets get you lot to Auntie Kari's. Everyone's going spare over you three."
"Are we in big trouble?" Shinji asked nervously.
Matt didn't answer, just scooped his son up and grabbed Tanoshii's hand before he could move away.
"Got all your stuff?"
"Yes."
"Then let's go," Tai said. He hadn't put Sento down despite Sento's cross struggles "We need to get back quick! Everyone's going crazy!"
Matt nodded and together, they all hurried out of the building, heading for Kari's house.
* * * *
"You mean Matt just rushed out?" Sora said "Taking Shinseru with him?"
Kari nodded.
"He said something about knowing where they are," she said "I'd ask Mujaki but he's not talking."
"You mean maybe we've found them?" Sora said hopefully.
"No maybe about it," Matt said. "Tanoshii! Shinji!"
"Sento!"
Sora and Ritsuko sprang over, seizing the boys and pulling them into hugs. Kari went over to Shinseru. He was looking unhappy. "Sento said I was a traitor," he muttered.
"You aren't," Kari said firmly "You've been a very good, very sensible little boy and I'm proud of you."
She hugged him.
"Now, run along to Mujaki and tell him everything's all right," she ordered "Go on."
Shinseru scampered off and Kari looked at the boys. They looked dirty and unhappy. Tanoshii and Sento were both wearing looks of stone-hardness on their faces. Kari winced. This was going to be very difficult indeed.
"I think," she said, using her 'teacher-voice' "That you three boys need a bath, something to eat and bed. We can talk about this in the morning."
Shinji looked like he liked the idea. Sento snorted.
"Bed where?"
Kari could see his point.
"Here," she said, very quickly and very firmly "You're all spending the night here. Ritsuko - phone the police and tell them we've found them. Tai - go and put Shinseru to bed. Matt - go and find Davis and TK. Shinoko - would you mind much getting out some spare bedding from my closet? Thank you. Now come on you three. Baths."
She threw the others a look and pulled the boy into her bathroom.
"Are we in trouble?" Shinji asked her timidly "Daddy wouldn't say."
"You're in some trouble, yes," Kari said gently, helping him off with his clothes "You shouldn't have run away. Running away never solves anything."
She ignored the small sound that Sento made and calmly ran a bath for them all. Despite their stubbornness, Sento and Tanoshii were quite clearly worn out and they nearly fell asleep in their bath. Kari practically had to carry them into Shinseru's room and they were asleep before she'd tucked them into sleeping bags that Shinoko had kindly found for her. Kari left the room and looked at the adults, all around the table.
"Shinoko and Mujaki have gone," TK said quietly "I said I'd stay and make sure everything was finished up here."
Kari smiled at him.
"Thanks TK."
She suddenly felt worn out. Davis came over and wrapped an arm round her shoulders. Kari took a deep breath and exhaled, then looked at the others.
"I figured you might want to stay," she said "You can go home if you want."
"I'll stay," Ritsuko said immediately.
"I'd better," Sora said "Sayo's still asleep."
"Then perhaps we'd better go," Tai said quietly "What time should we come back in the morning?"
"Never," Ritsuko mumbled.
Tai flinched but ignored the remark.
"No earlier than 9:00," Kari said "We won't do anything without you, don't worry."
She hugged her brother. Tai hugged her back.
"Kar," he muttered "Thanks."
"It's all right," Kari said.
Matt hugged her too before they left. TK left too. Kari set Ritsuko and Sora up with beds, then went into her room and dropped onto the bed, closing her eyes.
"Kari?"
Davis sat next to her and gave her a hug. Kari let all her exhaustion catch up with her and cried.
End of Part 7.
YAY! Only one, possibly two more parts to go and then this fic is DONE! YAYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!