A/N: First off, just a few things: 1) VENURSIA: I am so sorry. Me, the bad author, spelled your name wrong in my thanks. I think it's because I had been reading a story that centered around Venus before I typed. Sorry, Sorry, Sorry! Also, I tried to make this chapter longer, I really did! 2) AngryMew2: Please don't think too deeply into it. It's extreme unpleasentness (heehee, that's not a word ^_^;;) and even I don't wanna think about it. That's why I'm keeping details to a minimum. It just goes with the plot. But never fear, I have a PG-13 mind. This fic isn't going anywhere near NC-17 land! Besides, I'm only 16 ^_~ and 3) Chichamunkyhead: You know my position on the whole taking my Yama thing… ^_^;; And don't worry, if there's one thing a person should know about me, it's that I never quit in the middle. ^_~ Thanks to everyone else who reviewed! OK, on with the fic.
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~Her Injured Heart~ Chapter 9
By: Valentine Taylor
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Last Time:
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She felt a hand on her arm and gasped, startled.
"Sorry," Matt said. "You wanted to talk to me." Sora looked into his sapphire eyes.
'It's now or never,' she thought. 'Well, here goes.'
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"Matt, I want to know why you asked me out," Sora demanded as the two walked out of the school.
"Why?" Matt repeated. "That's easy. You're a great person, you're fun to be around, and I can help you. What else do you want to know?" Matt smiled.
Despite his smile, to Sora, Matt's words sounded like a challenge. She got defensive. "Help me with what? What could I possibly need you to help me with?"
"Come on Sora, you're hurting over your break up with Troy. I understand how you feel," Matt replied simply. The two had stopped in front of his silver BMW.
Sora, head full of horrible memories of the past week, started to lose her battle over her emotions. Too much had happened to her, and her head felt like it would explode. "How could you possibly know what I've been through?" Sora asked through clenched teeth. "You don't understand what I'm feeling, so don't say that you do!" 'Why am I flipping out on him like this? He's just trying to help,' Sora thought to herself.
"Whoa, Sora, chill out!" Matt said in an attempt to calm his friend down. Seeing the familiar fire lighting in Sora's eyes, Matt continued quickly, "Maybe you're right. Maybe I don't understand, but I want to." Matt stepped closer to the girl and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Will you tell me?"
Sora shrugged the hand off. "Why bother? You wouldn't be able to handle it. You would just leave me all alone," Sora snapped, looking at the ground. She felt the anger rise in her, and for some reason, she wanted Matt to feel as horrible as she did. "I would be worse off then I am now. No, I won't tell you."
Matt was taken back. He hadn't thought Sora would say anything like that. He gathered himself as best he could. "Sora, how can you say that? You know I would never desert you because I couldn't handle 'it'. How long have you known me?! You have no right to even THINK that!" Matt raised his voice slightly, accusingly.
"Don't you yell at me Yamato Ishida!" Sora replied hotly.
"I didn't!" Matt ran a hand through his blonde hair, exasperated. "I just want to know why you won't tell me what's going on!"
"It's none of your damn business, that's why not!"
"Sora! You're one of my best friends! Therefore, if you have a problem of any kind, it is my 'damn business'!"
Sora stepped back. "You want to know what happened Yamato? Do you?" Sora glared at the boy in front of her. "He raped me, that's what happened," she whispered. "Are you happy now?" With that, she turned and ran in the opposite direction, away from the car.
Matt just stood, shocked, and watched his friend run away from him. 'Oh, Sora…'
***
'Ding'
The doorbell rang through the Takenouchi apartment. Matt heard footsteps from inside. The door opened, and Mrs. Takenouchi smiled at the boy.
"Yamato, hello! I didn't expect to see you here," she said cheerfully.
"Hi Mrs. Takenouchi. Is Sora here, by any chance?" The smile disappeared from the woman's face. She opened the door wider, allowing Matt to step in.
"She got home from school and locked herself in her room. She didn't say a word to me. I don't know what's wrong."
Matt sighed. "She'll tell you eventually, I'm sure. However, right now, I really need to talk to her. I'm afraid I might be part of the problem."
Mrs. Takenouchi looked at the blonde, deciding what to do. Finally, she motioned for him to follow her to Sora's room. "Sora, someone is here to see you," she called softly through the door.
"Go away Matt!" came the sharp reply. Mrs. Takenouchi glanced at Matt.
"Keep trying," she whispered softly to him. He nodded, and she walked away towards the kitchen.
"Sora, please, I need to talk to you. I really want to apologize." Matt placed his hands on the wooden door.
"I'm listening…sort of," Sora said in a clipped tone.
"Sora, this isn't something I want to do through a door. I would rather say it face to face. Please, let me in," Matt tried again.
To his surprise, there was a shuffling inside the room, and he heard the door unlock. Slowly, he turned the handle and pushed the door in. Sora was back on her bed with her face buried in her pillow. "You have five minutes."
"Sor, how can I talk to you face to face if yours is in a pillow?" Matt asked, a trace of humor in his voice. Sighing, Sora looked up at the boy standing in the doorway. "That's better." He closed the door and walked over to the desk chair. Turning to face Sora, he wheeled himself over so he was next to her bed.
"Whatever Matt, just say what you have to say and get out." Sora's eyes wandered the room, looking at anything but Matt's eyes.
"Sora, will you please look at me?" When she didn't, he sighed and continued. "Sora, what you told me today wasn't what I expected at all. I didn't have time to react because you ran away so fast. But judging by my presence here, I didn't abandon you because of it. Sora, I…even now, when I know what happened to you, I still can't believe you thought I would ever leave you alone. I know my track record isn't great, but you're one of my best friends and I would never leave you alone to deal with something like this. None of us would," he finished with a reference to the other Digidestined.
Finally, Sora moved her eyes to Matt's face. Matt felt his heart skip a beat. Sora's eyes were filled with tears. "Matt, I-I'm sorry, I'm sorry I accused you like that, I just didn't want to be hurt anymore." The tears overflowed, cascading down Sora's tanned cheeks. She moved quickly into Matt's arms and buried her head in his chest, crying softly against him. He wrapped his arms around the crying girl, rocking her back and forth soothingly.
'She's mine…forever.'
Matt's head shot up in realization. "Son of a bitch," Matt muttered. He wanted nothing more than to leave the Takenouchi apartment and find Troy. Knowing he couldn't leave Sora, but wanting Troy's blood, Matt was stuck with the realization that Troy had hinted to him what his plan was. Deciding staying with his broken friend was more important, there he remained.
***
At 11:30 PM, Matt opened the door to the Ishida apartment. He had been at Sora's longer then he thought he would be. However, when he walked into the living room, he saw that his father was still awake, watching TV. "You're home late Son."
Matt ran his fingers through his hair. "Yeah, I was helping a friend."
Mr. Ishida looked at his son. "Is everything taken care of?"
Matt sighed. "Sort of, I guess. But now there's a whole new problem." Matt headed for his room. "G'night Dad."
"Good night Matt." Mr. Ishida didn't know what to do with his oldest son. For the past couple of months, the boy had been coming home exhausted. When he asked him why, Matt always told him it had to do with someone else's problem. Either that, or Mr. Ishida was the one who came home later and found the boy playing sad tunes on his old harmonica or his acoustic guitar. It worried the man to see his son acting this way. But there wasn't really anything he could do for him.
He turned off the TV and went to his room. He had to be up early in the morning for work, and he didn't want to stress himself out worrying about Matt. Matt was a big boy, and he could take care of himself.
TBC…
A/N: OK, so I don't think it's that much longer, but I tried. I'll try to post faster next time. I've just been really busy. But as I said, I'm not going to give up ! ^_~
-Val
