Angel of Light: I AM SO SORRY! I just have so many things saved on this computer! I really didn't mean to do that. PLEASE EXCEPT MY APOLOGY! Here's the real chapter nine….

Kari was walking down the hall, flipping the papers on her clipboard, and scanning the pages. That morning had not been really all that good. They had lost one of the men, due to cardiac arrest. No one got to him in time. He wasn't the first to go, but he was the latest. It just frustrated the nurses and doctors.

"Kari?" Kari stopped walking, and looked up with a questioning look. She wasn't really sure who had called her.

"Over here."

"Oh, hi doctor."

"Please, for the last time, call me Joe."

She smiled and nodded. "Do you need something?"

"Well, it's just that a woman came to the desk today. She asked me if I knew a Takeru Takaishi…."

She thought for a moment, "Oh, yes. It must be his mother. What did you tell her?"

"I told her to wait in the waiting room until I found someone to bring her to him. I was hoping to run into you."

"I can't, I have more pa-"

He cut her off, "it's alright, really. You've been working hard lately. Take the rest of the day off, and tomorrow for that matter. Besides, the number of patients is decreasing anyways."

"Are you referring to our little incident this morning?" she asked, slightly nervous.

He stared at her puzzled for a moment, and then a look of recolition crossed his face. "I had almost forgotten about that. No, I was referring to the fact that a lot of them are getting better."

"Oh……"

"You'd better get going. She's probably thinking that I forgot or something."

"Okay. I'll see you later." She began to walk off, but stopped.

"Joe?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

Joe just smiled, and resumed his work.

~*~

Kari walked down to the waiting room, the clicking of her shoes announcing to the world that she was coming.

She had no problem spotting the woman. She wasn't too old, or at least, didn't look it. She could tell it was her because she recognized some of T.K.'s traits in her. Her hair was a dirty blonde, and hung just passed her shoulders. She had the same blue eyes as her son, and the same nose. She was very different from him in many ways too. She was very petite, and stood at an average height. The woman looked up at Kari when she approached.

"Hello, you must be Ms. Takaishi." Kari greeted.

The woman smiled, "Why yes, I am. You know my son?"

"Actually, I do. He's a…..personal friend."

"That's good."

"Would you like to see him?" she asked.

"Yes, if it was no trouble……."

"It's not. Come, he's down this hall."

~*~

Kari led the woman through a maze of corridors. It would be easy for one to get lost, if they didn't know the way around. She stopped at a door, and turned to her fiancé's mother.

"Just wait a moment, I'll tell him you're here."

She nodded her head.

Kari turned the knob slowly, in case he was sleeping, thought that was unlikely. He never slept.

Just as she suspected, he was sitting bolt upright. He seemed to be scribbling something down on some paper, but she couldn't tell just what it was. As soon as he heard the door open, he looked up. When he saw her, a bright smile crossed his face, and he closed the small book he was writing in.

"Hey lo-"

She cut him off with a finger to his lips. She had a warning look in her eyes, but that soon changed.

"Your mother's here."

His expression was blank. He hadn't expected her so soon. He knew it was coming, but not now.

"I can tell her that you're busy, or not in any condition for visiting……" she whispered.

He sighed, "No, no, it's fine. Tell her to come in."

Kari nodded, and went back to the door.

"He's right in here."

The woman entered slowly. Kari wasn't sure what to do, so she started to slip out, but T.K. stopped her.

"No, it's alright, don't go."

She nodded meekly, and sat down in the corner.

T.K. turned and looked at his mother. "Hi Mom…"

*~*~*~*

When Sora woke up and headed downstairs, the others were already awake and had eaten. She had slept in longer than she ever had.

"Good morning," the woman greeted.

"Hi…" she said quietly.

Sora sat down at the table. There was an empty plate set, along with a glass of fresh milk. Nina came in and served her some fried eggs, sausages, and toast. It was the best meal Sora had eaten in a long while.

"If you're wondering where the other two are, their out in the barns doing the chores. They should be in for their break soon."

Sora smiled lightly, and began to eat.

Just as she was finishing, the old man and his grandson came through the backdoor of the farmhouse.

"I see you're awake. We were wondering if you'd run away during the night." he said jokingly.

"I'd have no where to go." Sora smiled.

He smiled back. "I was talking to one of the farmers from down the lane. He said that the slaves are coming into town today. You'd better hurry. They arrive pretty early. Bring all the money you own. I know it sounds harsh, but you'll probably have to buy him back. If you need any extra, I'll be happy to help."

"No, I couldn't ask that of you. You've already done more than enough for me."

"It's no big deal. Besides, you've been searching a long time for him. It wouldn't be right to be so close, just to lose him again."

Sora smiled again, and stood up. "Would it be alright if we went now? I have nothing else to do."

"I think we could do that. Cody, will you be coming along?"

Cody looked up. "Yeah, I guess I'll come. Is that alright, Mom?"

She smiled, "Yes, it's fine. You need to get out anyways."

"Then we'll se you later, and if all goes well, we'll have one more with us."

~*~

The old man went to the stables, and brought out three horses. Sora couldn't keep still. She was overjoyed at the fact that she could see him again. Though, there were also some doubts and dreads in her mind, that he wouldn't be there. She shook those thoughts from her head as she mounted.

The town was about a half hour to forty minute on horseback, depending on how fast you went.

When they got there, there were already a flock of men that had gathered. She noticed some soldiers guarding some men that were bound by chains. Her heart went out to them, as they looked food and sleep deprived. Her eyes wandered down the line, and she noticed that there were more being kept out of her range of seeing. She just had to get a better angle. The slaves were all lined up, so that the prospective buyers could look them over.

"Um, I'm just going to go over there, is that alright?" Sora asked.

"By all means. Just be back before it starts. They have a policy that anyone found behind those lines after the auction starts, is property of theirs. It's sick, but we can't argue. Each of them is armed to the teeth, and could kill any of us without lifting a finger."

She nodded. "Alright."

Sora headed off toward the group of men. She had to force herself to keep from running.

*~*~*~*

((A/N: We're going back in time here slightly))

The small group of men sat on the cold, hard concrete ground, talking about whatever came to mind. They hadn't been forced to work that day, which surprised all of them. This raised the suspicion that something was going to happen. This was confirmed when they were all called back into the big room. They were afraid that more of them were going to be killed.

Once again, they were lined up against the wall. The soldiers paced back and forth, eyeing each and every one of them.

Tai tensed up every time one looked at him. He wasn't sure what was going on, and he really didn't want to know. He wished that he was back at home, when life was fine and simple. You never know how much you need something, no matter how boring it may seem, until the things that you hold most have been ripped from your very grasp.

Just as he was starting to relax, one of the guards grabbed him, and pulled him out violently. He was afraid that this would be the last time he ever saw the light of day again. The man just placed him to the side, and left him. Tai was very confused at this.

More and more men were pulled out of the groups. Matt, Tai and Ken ended up in the same section. Izzy wasn't too far away.

When all of the slaves had been placed into one of the six groups, they were herded outside. They hadn't been out in a while, and the sun was blinding to them. They were forced to endure it.

Each guard mounted a horse, and they drove the men down the path.

All day and into the night, the slaves were forced to walk. Those that couldn't endure it were left behind. To ensure that they weren't faking, if one stumbled and didn't get up, and the group passed them, they were shot.

The ground was soaked red with the blood from the fallen warriors' feet, and from the wounds that were forbidden to close.

Tai badly wanted to lie down and die. What life lay ahead of him? Things were just going to get worse. He was going to get trucked off to some cruel master who drove him all day and all night to work. Still, there was something in him that told him to go on. Something told him that things could only get better from here.

Just as he thought he was going to collapse, he saw the evidence of a small city. The sun was just peering over the horizon, and the silhouette of some buildings could be seen. He figured that that was to be the destination. A few more hours, and they were there.

The men were driven into the town square. There, some tents were set up, and a long series of wooden poles were there. Tai assumed that those were for them.

Just before departure, each man had been bound by the hands.

Like he had predicted, they were tied to the poles like dogs.

Tai and Matt ended up on the same pole. Only their hands were tied, so they were able to sit. It was uncomfortable though, but they needed to rest their feet. Somehow, the two of them managed to lower their hands, so that things would be more comfortable.

Ken was tied to the next pole, with another young man. Tai recognized him as the one whose life had just barely been spared. Izzy was a little further down.

"So what do you think'll come of us now?" Matt asked.

"I'm not sure." He replied sadly.

"I was seriously thinking of pretending to fall down dead. Things can only get worse…" Ken stated.

"I know how you feel", Matt replied.

"I felt that way too, but there was something that stopped me…I don't know why or what, just that I should hold on. I still don't know what'll happen though. I'd do anything just to be back home again…" Tai said.

"We all know how you feel." It was the young man who had replied.

The four of them fell silent, awaiting their fate.

*~*~*~*

Sora walked through the line of men tied to posts. She was almost sick at the sight. A part of her hoped that her husband wasn't here, that he had managed to escape. Another part of her, though, hoped that she would find him, and feel his embrace once more.

She was beginning to feel hopeless, as she was nearing the end of the line. There were two last posts, but there seemed to be no one on them. She decided that she may as well check them out.

Sora swallowed hard, and approached. She stopped dead. There were four men, one of them strikingly resembling Takeru. Was it possible that this was his brother? This was the least of her concerns right now, for there, sitting in front of her, was her beloved Tai.