Digimon: Conquering Middle Ground
Episode 3
"The Plight of Davis"
By: Shmeilia Rockie
A/N: I tink this episode is a bit choppy, but that's because writing it was like pulling teeth for me. That's how bad my writer's block is! *cries a river, anime style* This is where I start really abusing Davis, but I tried to make him a bit happy in this one. Honest, I did. Oh, well, enough self-defense. On with the show! Oh, and whoever last reviewed my story (who wasn't Ken's luver, 'cause she's a given *wink*), this episode is for you. I'll say it now, as well as later, that the song at the end is by Vertical Horizon and I don't EVEN claim to own it.
The moonlight streamed in through a gap in the curtains, illuminating Davis's tired face. He stared up at full moon, but didn't see it. He didn't see anything, really. He might have been there physically, but mentally, he was in the Digital World wintnessing the end of time. Again.
The ground shook, and broke apart.
"Daddy!" Davis reached out to his future daughter, but not soon enough. She fell, in slow motion, into the darkness. The hole closed back up before he could dive in after her.
"NO!" His world crumbled around him. In a rush of tears he began beatting the ground with his bare fists. "Take me instead! Just bring her back! Bring her BACK!"
"This is all your fault. Isn't it always your fault?" Davis turned to see Keesma standing behind him...In Kari's body. The Demon Queen smiled evilly. "How sick are you, Davis? Do you even know what reality is anymore?"
In less time than it takes to blink he'd pulled a dagger out of nowhere and and tackled her with all intentions of killing her.
But she wasn't there when he landed. Her laughing filled the clearing, "You really don't think it would be that easy, do you? It will take more than a little knife to kill me."
"I will rid the universe of you if it's the last thing I do!" He plunged the dagger into a tree. "I PROMISE I WILL DESTROY YOU, KEESMA! EVEN IF I DIE TRYING!"
"Interesting. You CAN still dream, can't you, Dai?" With a jerk, Davis landed in reality.
Davis sucked in a deep breath and turned away from the soft light. "Leave me alone, demon. I don't need you."
"Don't you?"
He hugged his knees tightly. "You're not real. Just stop manipulating me."
"If I'm not real, then why are you talking to me?"
Davis burried his face in his hands and cried. He didn't know what else to do. His total hoplessness was eatting him alive.
From a crack in the door, Davis's mother sat listening. She couldn't ignore his condition any longer. There was immaturity, and then there was this. She quietly got up and found the phone book.
* * * *
Davis could barely even breathe. He fidgetted with the edge of his shirt.
"Your mother tells me you've been a bit depressed lately," the pyscologist remarked. He waited for Davis to respond, but he couldn't. His brain had gone numb. The man looked at his notes. "You've had no energy and have been crying at night for several days in a row. Any particular reason?"
Davis opened his mouth, but no sound came out. His throat tightened even more. "I-I...I hear things."
"What kind of things?"
"Go ahead and tell him." The voice laughed. They all did. "He might be able to help you."
Davis squeezed his eyes shut, knowing he would regret the decision. "Demons. In my head. They say horrible things to me and..." He looked up at the doctor, who didn't seem surprised at all by the boy's confession. "And they make me have weird visions."
"How long has this been going on?"
"About a month now."
"And you're fifteen?"
"Yes. What does that matter?"
The doctor scribbled something in his notes, the looked thoughtfully at the pen for a moment. "I'll be honest with you, Davis. I think you might be sick."
A chill ran down his spine. "Sick? With what?"
"I'm not entirely sure. We'll need to do some tests before I can make a proper diagnosis. Why don't you tell me what happened a month ago, before the demons started talking to you?"
"Go on! Tell him!"
Davis exhaled loudly and laced his fingers together in his lap. "You mean, what triggered whatever I have?"
"Yes."
"How much time do you have, doc? 'Cause it might take a while."
"Don't worry about time. Just go ahead."
So Davis started from the VERY beginning, from his first trip into the Digital World. It took him almost two hours to tell the whole story, but the psycologist was a good listener. He felt he could trust the man.
When he finished, the doctor cleared his throat. "Well, Davis, I don't want to alarm you. But after hearing that, I'm almost positive that you have a case of schizophrenia."
"Schizophrenia?" He'd heard that word somewhere before, but he couldn't quite remember where. "Isn't that where you have multiple personalities?"
"No, that's Multiple Personality Disorder. Some symptoms of schizophrenia include hallusinations, hearing voices, sensitivity to light and sound, depression, and paranoia. I'm afraid you have all of those things."
Now he remembered. Schizophrenia was a terrible, thought-consuming disease. He remembered people he'd seen walking down the street, having an animated conversation with someone who wasn't there, or yelling at the sky. He couldn't have that. He just couldn't. A roaring sound filled his ears, almost completely blocking out what the doctor said next.
"...But I think we need to get you a CAT scan to rule out brain tumors as the cause..."
At those words, the whole world spun away from him.
He fainted.
* * * *
June reread the list of medications Davis would need to take and shook her head. "I just can't believe he's THAT sick."
"How long did you know?" Her father asked in a dangerously quiet voice.
She decided it would be best to lie. "Not long. About a week, really. I'm sorry I didn't say anything. I thought he would just snap out of it like he always does."
Silence. There wasn't really any more to say. She turned to the window, to watch her little brother get his first CAT scan. She turned her new ring over thoughtfully, fighting a battle in her mind. Finally, she announced, "Matt asked me to visit him in America."
"And?"
She looked at her father, who was pretending to be engrossed in a fishing magazine. "After this, I don't think I want to. I can't just abandon Davis. He needs all of us right now."
"How long would you stay?"
Again, she twisted the engagement ring. It had become a part of her recently. "As long as you let me? But not now. Maybe sometime in the future, you know, after he's adjusted to...All of this. Matt will understand."
"Well, it's your decision, Sweetheart. Just don't stay indifintely."
She smiled half-heartedly. "I won't. Not until AFTER the wedding, anyway."
* * * *
A few weeks later, Davis thought he was feeling better. He couldn't really tell. His soul still hurt, as it always did, but his body felt different. They had him on so many anti-depressents and weird medications that he couldn't even pronounce, he did feel phyisically better. More like high, really. He felt high. Not that it really bothered him, but he knew it wasn't natural. He also knew it wouldn't really slove his problem, just stall it for a while.
For the first time in a month, he felt good enough to go for a walk. He'd forgotten how wonderful morning sunshine felt, how deliciously warm it was. Sure, he felt a little fuzzy and disconnected, but at least he wasn't suicidal. He could actually enjoy life again.
The park was absolutely beautiful in summer. How could he have forgotten? He was enjoying the roses by the fountain (this is the author drawing from personal experience, in the closest park to her home) when he heard a discomforting sound. Someone close cried softly to herself, not meaning or wanting to be overheard. But Davis felt so good, he wanted to share that feeling with the world. He crawled out of the rosebush and scanned the fountain area. "Kari?"
Kari's head snapped up, startled. "Oh, Davis!" She tackled him and began crying in his shirt. "I'm so glad you're here!"
Not knowing what to do, Davis patted her back. "What's wrong?"
She answered in a wail, "TK was cheating on meeeeeeeeeeee!"
"What?" He held her at arm's length. "That's impossible! He wouldn't do that!"
She sniffled. "But I saw him hugging another girl!"
"I'm sure he had a good reason. Maybe someone in her family died, or something. Don't you think you're jumping to conclusions?"
"No, I don't." She kicked some dust. "We're through, now. I don't even really remember why I liked him so much anyway."
Davis didn't believe that for a minute. He almost told her so, but the tears welled back up in her eyes and she again burried her face in his shirt. "Why-I thought you hated me."
She looked up at him. "I never really hated you, Davis. You-You were possessed. It's not your fault."
Not even his medicine-high could stop the memory from clouding his eyes, "But I wanted to be possessed."
"I don't believe that. Didn't you say she would have killed you if you did't let her in?"
"But," he squeezed his eyes shut to block the tears. "I should have let her kill me. At least then I would have died honorably. You wouldn't have had to go through all that pain."
"I don't hate you. I know you're not a bad person. If you were, you wouldn't be here right now."
They didn't say anything else for a while. Davis brushed the hair behind her ear, remembering how much he loved her, how much he longed for her love in return. Surprisingly, she rested her head on his chest. "Thank you for...Being here."
He wrapped his arms around her. "You know, I still think you jumped to conclusions."
She sighed, "I know you do."
Then the truth slapped him across the forehead. "You want me to go out with you so you can make TK jealous, don't you?"
She stepped back. "What are you saying?"
"You don't like me. You never did. Why now?"
She narrowed her eyes, then burst into tears again. "You're right! I'm sorry! I shouldn't be using you like this! It's just...I'm so frustrated, and hurt, and confused..."
He hugged her again. She started to pull away, but then gave up and let him hold her. "No, it's okay. I understand. If you want to...You know...I wouldn't object."
"I don't know. I just don't know anymore." She sobbed loudly and a lot of time passed before she could speak again. "I-I could try to love you. I could try really hard, Davis."
He smiled sadly, knowing she never would truely love him. "Whatever makes you happy, Kari. I just want you to be happy. That's always been my goal."
She swallowed hard and took a deep breath. He'd changed so much, maybe she could fall in love with him. "What about your own happiness? Doesn't that matter to you?"
"No, not really." He laughed bitterly. "It stopped being one of my priorities about a month ago."
Without warning, and coming as a total surprise to both of them, she kissed him. "I'll make you happy, Davis. I promise."
He opened his mouth to say something, anything, but couldn't. He was too stunned. Finally, he grinned. "Would you like to go with me to a movie, or something? I've heard 'Attack of the Clones' is good."
"I'd love to, Davis. I really would."
She took his arm, and the two walked down the concrete path. Davis picked a rose and, after checking for thorns, placed it in her hair. It was all an illusion, an act, but neither cared at the moment. They just enjoyed each other's company. They had no idea they were being watched by evil eyes.
* * * *
Ah, a nice domestic breakfast scene. Garz and Zarg are staring at a toaster with forks held high. They have little bibs on. Keesma walks along, puts an ego in the toaster and turns it on.
Garz: Hey, we were gonna eat that!
Zarg: Yeah, why'd you hafta do that for?
Keesma: I want an eggo, and I'm gonna get an eggo! *sticks out her tounge*
Time passes. Finally, the ego pops into the air, and Keesma stabs it with her fork. Then she looks down and the toaster isn't there anymore.
Keesma: Hey! Le'go my egg- toaster, Zarg!
The cord is still sticking out of his mouth.
Garz *gets scary cat eyes*: Yeah, leave some for me! *He pulls on the cord. The two get into a tug-of-war with it*
Keesma *rolls her eyes*: I think I'll go somewhere else so I can have some peace and quiet to enjoy my eggo! *She grabs the plate and storms off.*
* * * *
Where did the time go? They'd enjoyed the movie and lunch, then went back to park... Suddenly it was time for dinner. Davis was late, and he knew it wouldn't go unpunished. He turned away from cloud-gazing with his new girlfriend. "I need to go, Kari."
"Aw, do you have to?" He nodded glumly. "Well, okay. But how about tomorrow? Are you doing anything?"
"It depends on my punishment for being late. If my dad grounds me... I won't even be able to call you to let you know."
She nodded her understanding. "Take care, Davis."
He hadn't had any good exercise in a long time, or so his muscles told him as he sprinted home. He reached the apartment door and leaned on his knees to catch his breath, dreading what would happen to him inside. But slowly, reluctantly, he opened the door and stepped inside.
His father was waiting for him. "Where have you been? We ate without you."
Davis winced and looked up at him with little less than total fear. "I went for a walk and lost track of the time. T-the medication makes my head really fuzzy and I can't think straight."
His father slapped him. Hard. How long had it been since he had actually hit the boy? "It wasn't the medication. Was it?"
Davis rubbed his face, still shocked. "No, it was me. I just forgot to watch the time."
"Well, go eat. Your food is cold."
He sighed, thanking the Powers that that confrontation didn't turn into something worse. When the man got angry, he got angry. It could have been a lot worse than just a slap across the face. As a child he'd endured full-blown beattings. Lately, however, his father had laid off. It seemed all that would change, now. Davis knew part of the reason was his sickness, how much stress it caused his parents. And he didn't blame them.
* * * *
Sleep didn't come that night. Or the next. He couldn't rest with Kari's unhappiness sitting in the top of his mind. He picked up the phone and dialed a number he hadn't dialed in a while. "Hello, TK? I need to talk to you."
"What do YOU want, Davis. I am trying to sleep, here." That wasn't a pleasant way to start off a conversation.
"Trying? You having trouble sleeping because of Kari?"
Pause. "How do you know about that?"
"I found Kari crying in the park two days ago. She told me her version of what happened, and now I want to hear your side of things. You know, before I make any big mistakes of falling back in love with her or anything."
TK sighed. "Well a girl I know from school came to me because one of her pets had died, and I gave her a hug. You know, a friendly kind of hug. Then all of a sudden Kari was there yelling and throwing a hissy fit in a very un-Kari-like way. It was weird. I've never seen her act like that before."
"That's what I thought. I just couldn't believe you would cheat on her. You love her too much, don't you?"
"More than life itself."
Davis took a shaky breath. "Well, I'll try to get her to talk to you, okay?"
"Why are you doing this, Davis? You've always wanted this to happen, and now that she's flung herself at your feet, you're giving her away? Why?"
Davis picked up his goggles from atop the night table and fidgeted with them. He hadn't actually worn them since returning from the Digital World, but he kept them by his bed anyway. "She doesn't love me, TK. She never will. And...I don't want her to be miserable. The only way she will be happy again is if you two are back together."
"Wow, I'm impressed." An uncomfortable silence, then, "What you're doing takes a lot of heart. I know how you feel about her. I-I'm sorry I've been so cold lately, Davis. You're not evil. Given the cirumstances, I probably would have been the same way."
"No, I don't think you would. But thank you. Your forgiveness means a lot. Can we go back to being friends again? I REALLY don't like having you as an enemy."
"Sure. But what are we going to do about Kari?"
"I don't know. Why don't you go to the park tomorrow around noon and I'll have her meet you there? By the fountain, maybe?"
"Yeah, okay."
"I'll let you go, then."
"Thank you, Davis. I'll never forget this."
He hung up. A shaky hand brushed the tears from his eyes. "Neither will I."
* * * *
There couldn't have been a more perfect morning. Ever. The air smelled sweet, the breeze felt refreshing, and Kari had never looked more beautiful. Davis felt his heart break a thousand times over at the sight of her. She flung her arms around him and kissed him before he could even say hello. But when she looked into his eyes, she saw his pain. "What's wrong?"
He smiled fakely. "Let's go for a walk, okay?"
"Alright."
There wasn't a point in dancing around the subject. "We can't be together, Kari. You don't love me, and we both know it."
"I'm trying. Really, I am."
"I know. But I want you to be happy, even if it isn't with me. And let's face it, you won't be happy with me. Not when your heart still belongs to TK."
She stopped, sensing where this was going. "But I told you, TK and I are through. He loves someone else."
Davis shook his head, fighting back tears. "No, Kari, he doesn't. I-I talked to him last night, and I was right. He wants to work this out, if you'll let him."
"But...I don't want to be wrong, you know? I know he'll forgive me, and everything, but I'm so embarrassed! I said some pretty nasty things. And I don't deserve to be forgiven so easily."
Davis gently touched her face. "Yes, you do. Everyone needs forgiveness. Even me, and you know the horrible things I've done."
"You're wonderful, Davis. Can we still be friends?"
"Of course. Now, go to him, Kari."
She hugged him. "Thank you, so much. You're a beautiful person. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."
She turned to see TK standing at the top of the hill, with his back turned to them. She kissed Davis one last time. "I'll never forget this! Ever!"
Then she ran off, and Davis fell to his knees. He didn't try to hide the tears now. "Be happy, Kari. Please be happy for me. You know I'll always love you."
A shadow fell over him and he turned to see, of all people, the only surviving Dark Digidestined. Lust. She stared down at him with softened eyes. "That took a lot of guts, Davis. I wouldn't have done it. Kudos, I admire you. And that's really saying something."
She didn't feel like a threat, so Davis went ahead and talked to her. "I wanted her to be happy."
Lust sat beside him on the grass and asked sincerely, "But what about you? Don't you deserve to be happy too?"
He looked at her for a long time, taking in her beauty for the first time. Was that smile real? He couldn't tell. "I don't deserve to be happy."
"That's a bunch of crap if I ever heard it," she laughed. The sound seemed like music, sending a chill down his spine. "Everyone deserves happiness. It's like a right, or something."
He frowned. "And I bet you could make me happy, couldn't you, Lust?"
She grimaced. "Please don't call me that. I have a real name, you know."
He subconsiously edged closer to her, so he could gaze into her sky-reflecting eyes. "And what is that name?"
She distractedly pulled at the grass around her feet, growing slightly uncomfortable. "Lara. Duval."
"Well, Lara. It's nice to not be battling with you." Their eyes met. He felt suddenly warmer.
A minute in silence passed between them.
"I want you," she confessed, squinting at him. The directness of that statement took him by complete surpise. "Go out with me, Davis. I promise to make you VERY happy."
He looked away. "But I don't even know you."
"But that's why I'm not saying 'marry me, Davis', I'm just asking you to go out with me. We will get to know each other soon enough."
Something inside him told him to head for the hills, but he didn't listen. "But last time we saw each other, you were evil."
"You were evil once, too. I know you were. But you're not now."
He sighed, too emotionally drained to argue. "Fine, Lara. I'll go out with you. What more have I to loose, anyway?"
She smiled with satisfaction and thought to herself, 'A lot more than you would think, Friend. A lot more.' She told him, "You've never REALLY had a girlfriend until you've gone out with me, I assure you."
* * * *
When Kari came home that evening, she checked the answering machine. Davis's soft, emotion-filled voice quietly sang her a good-bye song.
"'Open the window, let the sun set in.
If only for a last time, let me see you smile again.
I'll take my records, you can have your books.
I'm sorry I never read them, but it says so much about us.
Always trying to make love out of care,
But the perfect recipe simply wasn't there.'
"'You'll write me letters, I'll call you on the phone.
While you're away from touching, you're never quite alone.
We'll get to know ourselves again, we'll heal our hearts.
It's not that we're bad together, we're just better off apart.
Always trying to have one and one day too,
And even though it never worked, I still feel love for you.'
"'And I wish you sunrays and Saturdays,
perfect starry nights,
sweet dreams and moonbeams and a love that's warm and bright.
Sunrays and Saturdays,
a friendship strong and true,
oceans of blue and a room with a view to live the life you choose.'"
"Oh, Davis," she cried, covering her mouth with both hands. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
A/N: It almost sounds like he's gonna go kill himself, don' it? Well, he's not. This song, 'Sunrays and Saturdays' is by Vertical Horizon. (I dun't own it, nor do I claim to. I can't write songs/poetry for beans!) *drools* So much of their stuff reminds me of Davis, it's eerie. It just fit the episode so perfectly I had to include it. I'm not sure I got all the words right, but you get the idea. Another song by them that fits him is 'Shackled', but that's for a later episode.
Episode 3
"The Plight of Davis"
By: Shmeilia Rockie
A/N: I tink this episode is a bit choppy, but that's because writing it was like pulling teeth for me. That's how bad my writer's block is! *cries a river, anime style* This is where I start really abusing Davis, but I tried to make him a bit happy in this one. Honest, I did. Oh, well, enough self-defense. On with the show! Oh, and whoever last reviewed my story (who wasn't Ken's luver, 'cause she's a given *wink*), this episode is for you. I'll say it now, as well as later, that the song at the end is by Vertical Horizon and I don't EVEN claim to own it.
The moonlight streamed in through a gap in the curtains, illuminating Davis's tired face. He stared up at full moon, but didn't see it. He didn't see anything, really. He might have been there physically, but mentally, he was in the Digital World wintnessing the end of time. Again.
The ground shook, and broke apart.
"Daddy!" Davis reached out to his future daughter, but not soon enough. She fell, in slow motion, into the darkness. The hole closed back up before he could dive in after her.
"NO!" His world crumbled around him. In a rush of tears he began beatting the ground with his bare fists. "Take me instead! Just bring her back! Bring her BACK!"
"This is all your fault. Isn't it always your fault?" Davis turned to see Keesma standing behind him...In Kari's body. The Demon Queen smiled evilly. "How sick are you, Davis? Do you even know what reality is anymore?"
In less time than it takes to blink he'd pulled a dagger out of nowhere and and tackled her with all intentions of killing her.
But she wasn't there when he landed. Her laughing filled the clearing, "You really don't think it would be that easy, do you? It will take more than a little knife to kill me."
"I will rid the universe of you if it's the last thing I do!" He plunged the dagger into a tree. "I PROMISE I WILL DESTROY YOU, KEESMA! EVEN IF I DIE TRYING!"
"Interesting. You CAN still dream, can't you, Dai?" With a jerk, Davis landed in reality.
Davis sucked in a deep breath and turned away from the soft light. "Leave me alone, demon. I don't need you."
"Don't you?"
He hugged his knees tightly. "You're not real. Just stop manipulating me."
"If I'm not real, then why are you talking to me?"
Davis burried his face in his hands and cried. He didn't know what else to do. His total hoplessness was eatting him alive.
From a crack in the door, Davis's mother sat listening. She couldn't ignore his condition any longer. There was immaturity, and then there was this. She quietly got up and found the phone book.
* * * *
Davis could barely even breathe. He fidgetted with the edge of his shirt.
"Your mother tells me you've been a bit depressed lately," the pyscologist remarked. He waited for Davis to respond, but he couldn't. His brain had gone numb. The man looked at his notes. "You've had no energy and have been crying at night for several days in a row. Any particular reason?"
Davis opened his mouth, but no sound came out. His throat tightened even more. "I-I...I hear things."
"What kind of things?"
"Go ahead and tell him." The voice laughed. They all did. "He might be able to help you."
Davis squeezed his eyes shut, knowing he would regret the decision. "Demons. In my head. They say horrible things to me and..." He looked up at the doctor, who didn't seem surprised at all by the boy's confession. "And they make me have weird visions."
"How long has this been going on?"
"About a month now."
"And you're fifteen?"
"Yes. What does that matter?"
The doctor scribbled something in his notes, the looked thoughtfully at the pen for a moment. "I'll be honest with you, Davis. I think you might be sick."
A chill ran down his spine. "Sick? With what?"
"I'm not entirely sure. We'll need to do some tests before I can make a proper diagnosis. Why don't you tell me what happened a month ago, before the demons started talking to you?"
"Go on! Tell him!"
Davis exhaled loudly and laced his fingers together in his lap. "You mean, what triggered whatever I have?"
"Yes."
"How much time do you have, doc? 'Cause it might take a while."
"Don't worry about time. Just go ahead."
So Davis started from the VERY beginning, from his first trip into the Digital World. It took him almost two hours to tell the whole story, but the psycologist was a good listener. He felt he could trust the man.
When he finished, the doctor cleared his throat. "Well, Davis, I don't want to alarm you. But after hearing that, I'm almost positive that you have a case of schizophrenia."
"Schizophrenia?" He'd heard that word somewhere before, but he couldn't quite remember where. "Isn't that where you have multiple personalities?"
"No, that's Multiple Personality Disorder. Some symptoms of schizophrenia include hallusinations, hearing voices, sensitivity to light and sound, depression, and paranoia. I'm afraid you have all of those things."
Now he remembered. Schizophrenia was a terrible, thought-consuming disease. He remembered people he'd seen walking down the street, having an animated conversation with someone who wasn't there, or yelling at the sky. He couldn't have that. He just couldn't. A roaring sound filled his ears, almost completely blocking out what the doctor said next.
"...But I think we need to get you a CAT scan to rule out brain tumors as the cause..."
At those words, the whole world spun away from him.
He fainted.
* * * *
June reread the list of medications Davis would need to take and shook her head. "I just can't believe he's THAT sick."
"How long did you know?" Her father asked in a dangerously quiet voice.
She decided it would be best to lie. "Not long. About a week, really. I'm sorry I didn't say anything. I thought he would just snap out of it like he always does."
Silence. There wasn't really any more to say. She turned to the window, to watch her little brother get his first CAT scan. She turned her new ring over thoughtfully, fighting a battle in her mind. Finally, she announced, "Matt asked me to visit him in America."
"And?"
She looked at her father, who was pretending to be engrossed in a fishing magazine. "After this, I don't think I want to. I can't just abandon Davis. He needs all of us right now."
"How long would you stay?"
Again, she twisted the engagement ring. It had become a part of her recently. "As long as you let me? But not now. Maybe sometime in the future, you know, after he's adjusted to...All of this. Matt will understand."
"Well, it's your decision, Sweetheart. Just don't stay indifintely."
She smiled half-heartedly. "I won't. Not until AFTER the wedding, anyway."
* * * *
A few weeks later, Davis thought he was feeling better. He couldn't really tell. His soul still hurt, as it always did, but his body felt different. They had him on so many anti-depressents and weird medications that he couldn't even pronounce, he did feel phyisically better. More like high, really. He felt high. Not that it really bothered him, but he knew it wasn't natural. He also knew it wouldn't really slove his problem, just stall it for a while.
For the first time in a month, he felt good enough to go for a walk. He'd forgotten how wonderful morning sunshine felt, how deliciously warm it was. Sure, he felt a little fuzzy and disconnected, but at least he wasn't suicidal. He could actually enjoy life again.
The park was absolutely beautiful in summer. How could he have forgotten? He was enjoying the roses by the fountain (this is the author drawing from personal experience, in the closest park to her home) when he heard a discomforting sound. Someone close cried softly to herself, not meaning or wanting to be overheard. But Davis felt so good, he wanted to share that feeling with the world. He crawled out of the rosebush and scanned the fountain area. "Kari?"
Kari's head snapped up, startled. "Oh, Davis!" She tackled him and began crying in his shirt. "I'm so glad you're here!"
Not knowing what to do, Davis patted her back. "What's wrong?"
She answered in a wail, "TK was cheating on meeeeeeeeeeee!"
"What?" He held her at arm's length. "That's impossible! He wouldn't do that!"
She sniffled. "But I saw him hugging another girl!"
"I'm sure he had a good reason. Maybe someone in her family died, or something. Don't you think you're jumping to conclusions?"
"No, I don't." She kicked some dust. "We're through, now. I don't even really remember why I liked him so much anyway."
Davis didn't believe that for a minute. He almost told her so, but the tears welled back up in her eyes and she again burried her face in his shirt. "Why-I thought you hated me."
She looked up at him. "I never really hated you, Davis. You-You were possessed. It's not your fault."
Not even his medicine-high could stop the memory from clouding his eyes, "But I wanted to be possessed."
"I don't believe that. Didn't you say she would have killed you if you did't let her in?"
"But," he squeezed his eyes shut to block the tears. "I should have let her kill me. At least then I would have died honorably. You wouldn't have had to go through all that pain."
"I don't hate you. I know you're not a bad person. If you were, you wouldn't be here right now."
They didn't say anything else for a while. Davis brushed the hair behind her ear, remembering how much he loved her, how much he longed for her love in return. Surprisingly, she rested her head on his chest. "Thank you for...Being here."
He wrapped his arms around her. "You know, I still think you jumped to conclusions."
She sighed, "I know you do."
Then the truth slapped him across the forehead. "You want me to go out with you so you can make TK jealous, don't you?"
She stepped back. "What are you saying?"
"You don't like me. You never did. Why now?"
She narrowed her eyes, then burst into tears again. "You're right! I'm sorry! I shouldn't be using you like this! It's just...I'm so frustrated, and hurt, and confused..."
He hugged her again. She started to pull away, but then gave up and let him hold her. "No, it's okay. I understand. If you want to...You know...I wouldn't object."
"I don't know. I just don't know anymore." She sobbed loudly and a lot of time passed before she could speak again. "I-I could try to love you. I could try really hard, Davis."
He smiled sadly, knowing she never would truely love him. "Whatever makes you happy, Kari. I just want you to be happy. That's always been my goal."
She swallowed hard and took a deep breath. He'd changed so much, maybe she could fall in love with him. "What about your own happiness? Doesn't that matter to you?"
"No, not really." He laughed bitterly. "It stopped being one of my priorities about a month ago."
Without warning, and coming as a total surprise to both of them, she kissed him. "I'll make you happy, Davis. I promise."
He opened his mouth to say something, anything, but couldn't. He was too stunned. Finally, he grinned. "Would you like to go with me to a movie, or something? I've heard 'Attack of the Clones' is good."
"I'd love to, Davis. I really would."
She took his arm, and the two walked down the concrete path. Davis picked a rose and, after checking for thorns, placed it in her hair. It was all an illusion, an act, but neither cared at the moment. They just enjoyed each other's company. They had no idea they were being watched by evil eyes.
* * * *
Ah, a nice domestic breakfast scene. Garz and Zarg are staring at a toaster with forks held high. They have little bibs on. Keesma walks along, puts an ego in the toaster and turns it on.
Garz: Hey, we were gonna eat that!
Zarg: Yeah, why'd you hafta do that for?
Keesma: I want an eggo, and I'm gonna get an eggo! *sticks out her tounge*
Time passes. Finally, the ego pops into the air, and Keesma stabs it with her fork. Then she looks down and the toaster isn't there anymore.
Keesma: Hey! Le'go my egg- toaster, Zarg!
The cord is still sticking out of his mouth.
Garz *gets scary cat eyes*: Yeah, leave some for me! *He pulls on the cord. The two get into a tug-of-war with it*
Keesma *rolls her eyes*: I think I'll go somewhere else so I can have some peace and quiet to enjoy my eggo! *She grabs the plate and storms off.*
* * * *
Where did the time go? They'd enjoyed the movie and lunch, then went back to park... Suddenly it was time for dinner. Davis was late, and he knew it wouldn't go unpunished. He turned away from cloud-gazing with his new girlfriend. "I need to go, Kari."
"Aw, do you have to?" He nodded glumly. "Well, okay. But how about tomorrow? Are you doing anything?"
"It depends on my punishment for being late. If my dad grounds me... I won't even be able to call you to let you know."
She nodded her understanding. "Take care, Davis."
He hadn't had any good exercise in a long time, or so his muscles told him as he sprinted home. He reached the apartment door and leaned on his knees to catch his breath, dreading what would happen to him inside. But slowly, reluctantly, he opened the door and stepped inside.
His father was waiting for him. "Where have you been? We ate without you."
Davis winced and looked up at him with little less than total fear. "I went for a walk and lost track of the time. T-the medication makes my head really fuzzy and I can't think straight."
His father slapped him. Hard. How long had it been since he had actually hit the boy? "It wasn't the medication. Was it?"
Davis rubbed his face, still shocked. "No, it was me. I just forgot to watch the time."
"Well, go eat. Your food is cold."
He sighed, thanking the Powers that that confrontation didn't turn into something worse. When the man got angry, he got angry. It could have been a lot worse than just a slap across the face. As a child he'd endured full-blown beattings. Lately, however, his father had laid off. It seemed all that would change, now. Davis knew part of the reason was his sickness, how much stress it caused his parents. And he didn't blame them.
* * * *
Sleep didn't come that night. Or the next. He couldn't rest with Kari's unhappiness sitting in the top of his mind. He picked up the phone and dialed a number he hadn't dialed in a while. "Hello, TK? I need to talk to you."
"What do YOU want, Davis. I am trying to sleep, here." That wasn't a pleasant way to start off a conversation.
"Trying? You having trouble sleeping because of Kari?"
Pause. "How do you know about that?"
"I found Kari crying in the park two days ago. She told me her version of what happened, and now I want to hear your side of things. You know, before I make any big mistakes of falling back in love with her or anything."
TK sighed. "Well a girl I know from school came to me because one of her pets had died, and I gave her a hug. You know, a friendly kind of hug. Then all of a sudden Kari was there yelling and throwing a hissy fit in a very un-Kari-like way. It was weird. I've never seen her act like that before."
"That's what I thought. I just couldn't believe you would cheat on her. You love her too much, don't you?"
"More than life itself."
Davis took a shaky breath. "Well, I'll try to get her to talk to you, okay?"
"Why are you doing this, Davis? You've always wanted this to happen, and now that she's flung herself at your feet, you're giving her away? Why?"
Davis picked up his goggles from atop the night table and fidgeted with them. He hadn't actually worn them since returning from the Digital World, but he kept them by his bed anyway. "She doesn't love me, TK. She never will. And...I don't want her to be miserable. The only way she will be happy again is if you two are back together."
"Wow, I'm impressed." An uncomfortable silence, then, "What you're doing takes a lot of heart. I know how you feel about her. I-I'm sorry I've been so cold lately, Davis. You're not evil. Given the cirumstances, I probably would have been the same way."
"No, I don't think you would. But thank you. Your forgiveness means a lot. Can we go back to being friends again? I REALLY don't like having you as an enemy."
"Sure. But what are we going to do about Kari?"
"I don't know. Why don't you go to the park tomorrow around noon and I'll have her meet you there? By the fountain, maybe?"
"Yeah, okay."
"I'll let you go, then."
"Thank you, Davis. I'll never forget this."
He hung up. A shaky hand brushed the tears from his eyes. "Neither will I."
* * * *
There couldn't have been a more perfect morning. Ever. The air smelled sweet, the breeze felt refreshing, and Kari had never looked more beautiful. Davis felt his heart break a thousand times over at the sight of her. She flung her arms around him and kissed him before he could even say hello. But when she looked into his eyes, she saw his pain. "What's wrong?"
He smiled fakely. "Let's go for a walk, okay?"
"Alright."
There wasn't a point in dancing around the subject. "We can't be together, Kari. You don't love me, and we both know it."
"I'm trying. Really, I am."
"I know. But I want you to be happy, even if it isn't with me. And let's face it, you won't be happy with me. Not when your heart still belongs to TK."
She stopped, sensing where this was going. "But I told you, TK and I are through. He loves someone else."
Davis shook his head, fighting back tears. "No, Kari, he doesn't. I-I talked to him last night, and I was right. He wants to work this out, if you'll let him."
"But...I don't want to be wrong, you know? I know he'll forgive me, and everything, but I'm so embarrassed! I said some pretty nasty things. And I don't deserve to be forgiven so easily."
Davis gently touched her face. "Yes, you do. Everyone needs forgiveness. Even me, and you know the horrible things I've done."
"You're wonderful, Davis. Can we still be friends?"
"Of course. Now, go to him, Kari."
She hugged him. "Thank you, so much. You're a beautiful person. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."
She turned to see TK standing at the top of the hill, with his back turned to them. She kissed Davis one last time. "I'll never forget this! Ever!"
Then she ran off, and Davis fell to his knees. He didn't try to hide the tears now. "Be happy, Kari. Please be happy for me. You know I'll always love you."
A shadow fell over him and he turned to see, of all people, the only surviving Dark Digidestined. Lust. She stared down at him with softened eyes. "That took a lot of guts, Davis. I wouldn't have done it. Kudos, I admire you. And that's really saying something."
She didn't feel like a threat, so Davis went ahead and talked to her. "I wanted her to be happy."
Lust sat beside him on the grass and asked sincerely, "But what about you? Don't you deserve to be happy too?"
He looked at her for a long time, taking in her beauty for the first time. Was that smile real? He couldn't tell. "I don't deserve to be happy."
"That's a bunch of crap if I ever heard it," she laughed. The sound seemed like music, sending a chill down his spine. "Everyone deserves happiness. It's like a right, or something."
He frowned. "And I bet you could make me happy, couldn't you, Lust?"
She grimaced. "Please don't call me that. I have a real name, you know."
He subconsiously edged closer to her, so he could gaze into her sky-reflecting eyes. "And what is that name?"
She distractedly pulled at the grass around her feet, growing slightly uncomfortable. "Lara. Duval."
"Well, Lara. It's nice to not be battling with you." Their eyes met. He felt suddenly warmer.
A minute in silence passed between them.
"I want you," she confessed, squinting at him. The directness of that statement took him by complete surpise. "Go out with me, Davis. I promise to make you VERY happy."
He looked away. "But I don't even know you."
"But that's why I'm not saying 'marry me, Davis', I'm just asking you to go out with me. We will get to know each other soon enough."
Something inside him told him to head for the hills, but he didn't listen. "But last time we saw each other, you were evil."
"You were evil once, too. I know you were. But you're not now."
He sighed, too emotionally drained to argue. "Fine, Lara. I'll go out with you. What more have I to loose, anyway?"
She smiled with satisfaction and thought to herself, 'A lot more than you would think, Friend. A lot more.' She told him, "You've never REALLY had a girlfriend until you've gone out with me, I assure you."
* * * *
When Kari came home that evening, she checked the answering machine. Davis's soft, emotion-filled voice quietly sang her a good-bye song.
"'Open the window, let the sun set in.
If only for a last time, let me see you smile again.
I'll take my records, you can have your books.
I'm sorry I never read them, but it says so much about us.
Always trying to make love out of care,
But the perfect recipe simply wasn't there.'
"'You'll write me letters, I'll call you on the phone.
While you're away from touching, you're never quite alone.
We'll get to know ourselves again, we'll heal our hearts.
It's not that we're bad together, we're just better off apart.
Always trying to have one and one day too,
And even though it never worked, I still feel love for you.'
"'And I wish you sunrays and Saturdays,
perfect starry nights,
sweet dreams and moonbeams and a love that's warm and bright.
Sunrays and Saturdays,
a friendship strong and true,
oceans of blue and a room with a view to live the life you choose.'"
"Oh, Davis," she cried, covering her mouth with both hands. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
A/N: It almost sounds like he's gonna go kill himself, don' it? Well, he's not. This song, 'Sunrays and Saturdays' is by Vertical Horizon. (I dun't own it, nor do I claim to. I can't write songs/poetry for beans!) *drools* So much of their stuff reminds me of Davis, it's eerie. It just fit the episode so perfectly I had to include it. I'm not sure I got all the words right, but you get the idea. Another song by them that fits him is 'Shackled', but that's for a later episode.