A/N: I apologize to anyone who is reading this for writing such a short, unexciting ending.  I just wanted to give some closure to this story so I could move on to the other stories I want to tell.  I hope they will be a lot better than this one.

Yamato and Takeru's escapades with the Digimon lasted only ten more days after Renamon and Terriermon arrived.  Late one night, Lopmon came into the brothers' room and woke everyone up.

"What's going on?" Yamato asked sleepily.

"Someone is trying to talk to us over the computer," said Lopmon.  "He says he wants you two, and all the Digimon, to come and listen."

"Okay, everyone," said Yamato, "let's go.  Be as quiet as you can."

The seven Digimon and two humans crept out of the room and went to the computer, which lit the darkened apartment with an eerie bluish light.  Squinting at the screen, the brothers saw an old man who seemed to be looking at them through closed eyes.

"Konbanwa, kodomotachi," said the man.

"Konbanwa, ojisan," said the brothers.

"My name is Gennai.  I'm sorry if this means of communication frightens you, but I have something very important to tell you about your Digimon."

"Who are you?" said Terriermon.

"I'm part of a group of people who watch over the Digital World.  Do you know what that is?"

"Is it where Digimon come from?" said Yamato.

"Yes," said Gennai, "but it's much more than that.  It's where Digimon live their entire lives.  No Digimon were meant to get out into the Real World, at least not yet.  I'm afraid I have to call you all back."

"What?!" said Gabumon.

"Listen," said Gennai.  "Gabumon, Patamon, Hawkmon and Wormmon are all specially chosen Digimon.  They will someday possess a power few other Digimon have.  But not yet, and they can't wait it out there, because it's really better for them to grow up in their own home world."

"What about the rest of us?" said Renamon.

"The rest of you, we're not sure about," Gennai answered.  "We don't know if you're ever going to get that power or not.  What we do know is this: The proper time for Digimon to meet humans has not yet come.  Your presence in the Real World tells us that something has gone wrong with the timeline of events we were expecting.  I'm not saying it's your fault, but I do need all the Digimon to return home now before it gets any worse."

"Will we ever see them again?" asked Takeru tearfully.

"Yes, you will," said Gennai, "when you're a little bit older.  You are involved in their destiny, too . . . but that would be telling, wouldn't it?  Now, I'm going to open the digital gate, just for five minutes.  After that, I have to go, because there are other Digimon out there that I still have to collect.  Please come home, and to our human friends, I hope to see you again later."

The old man disappeared from the screen to be replaced by a glowing white square.  Renamon looked sadly at her companions, then approached the monitor and was drawn into the light, with Terriermon still hanging on to her tail.

The remaining five Digimon exchanged long and drawn-out goodbyes with Yamato and Takeru.  One by one, they entered the digital gate.  Gabumon was the last to leave, and after he was gone, Yamato thought, I'm not going to forget.  No matter how long it takes, I'll remember all the fun I had with Gabumon, until we see each other again.

Years later, when they did meet again, the little boy who had caught Renamon giving Patamon a bath was only a memory – a vague, distant memory, but a memory all the same.  He hadn't quite forgotten.

Disclaimer: All things Digimon belong to Akiyoshi Hongo, Toei Animation, Bandai, and Sensation Animation, a division of The Walt Disney Company.  No money is being made off this; I write because it's fun.  :-)