A/N: OK guys, here it is! The last chapter! I hope all of you have enjoyed this, I certainly have.
Akuro-yeah, the blackout did suck at first, but luckily, my lights came back on at 11:38 ^_^ Thanks for the info! Akira and Yamato are so much fun to write out; them together are the most enjoyable scenes to write. Oh, and you're NOT an annoying reviewer as you said ^_^ I appreciate your reviews. I may be the annoying one, since I say practically the same thing in all of them, hehe.
Thank you to anyone who's reviewed this story-you do not know how happy you made me with your reviews, hehe ^_^
Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon, but I do own my song.
You're Gone: Part Six
By BlackSpark
"Now, wasn't a little fresh air good for you?"
Sora smiled to herself, as her brown haired companion grinned. "I guess you were right, Taichi. I just needed to get out and enjoy life again…" Sora's eyes dulled a little at her comment; it was true, ever since the day Hideaki had come over, she had stayed cooped up in her house. Taichi had let her have her space at first, but eventually insisted on her enjoying some sunlight. He was right, the hurt does fade after a while…but Yamato…she sighed softly at her thought, as Taichi glanced over, concerned. What am I supposed to do about him? I still don't know exactly where my feelings lie… I'm the one with the Crest of Love!
"Are you all right?"
The redhead blinked, as Taichi pulled her out of her thoughts. "What? Oh yeah, I'm fine."
The brown haired boy didn't look convinced. "You don't look fine to me." He replied, brown eyes sparkling with care. "Come on, I'm your best friend; you can tell me anything."
"Well…" Sora trailed off, biting her lip. Taichi watched her for a moment, trying to think of what the problem was, when a look of understanding dawned upon his face.
"I see…it's about Yamato, isn't it? You're still confused over him."
Sora felt her face flush a little. "Yeah…" She answered, softly, as Taichi put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I mean…I don't know, whenever I think of him I just feel…so confused." She looked down, voice replying even softer this time. "I miss him."
"Of course you would. Yamato's a great guy. He just screws up sometimes, that's all." Sora cracked a smile, as Taichi's eyes started sparkling happily again. "But he feels bad when he does, which has to prove something to you. It shows he has a heart, deep down, behind his 'cool' exterior. He cares about you, Sora. He still loves you." Taichi's friend stayed quiet, a thoughtful look reflecting from her eyes. "And dammit, he'd be a fool not to chase after you! If he doesn't see your worth, he's not worth your time. Or I can just knock some sense into him, if you prefer."
Sora laughed, her expression brightening. "Literally speaking?"
Taichi looked downright bewildered, eyes blinking in a mockery of confusion. "Of course. What other way is there? It's the only fun solution." He smiled mischievously, as Sora shook her head, grinning from ear to ear. "Speaking of Yamato…he has a concert in two days, at 8. Maybe we should go; it's not like I have anything better to do, and you'd have time to talk to him."
Sora remained silent for a few moments, thinking it over, while the brown eyed boy watched her carefully. "All right," She replied, breaking the silence, sounding a little nervous. "We'll go."
Taichi gave her a reassuring smile. "Great! Don't worry, everything will be A-OK." It better be. Yamato better not screw this up, this might be his last chance to make things right.
* * *
Yamato sighed, rubbing his forehead, eyes dull and tired. Only two more days…what if Taichi can't convince her to come? What if someone screws up during the song? What if the others are right about her reaction? He groaned, catching the attention of his previously chatting band mates. If this turns out to be disaster, I will never forgive myself.
"You all right?" Akira asked, as the other two gave the blond questioning glances. Yamato nodded, though the expression on his face told otherwise. "Dude, don't worry. Everything's gonna be fine."
Yamato glared over at him. "Funny, I remember you guys saying something quite different."
"Oh yeah? Like what?"
Yamato rolled his eyes, replying in a sarcastic tone. "Gee, I don't know, maybe that Sora may absolutely have some sort of emotional breakdown to the song?"
The band members winced, shooting each other guilty looks. "We were just trying to be….cautious." Akira replied, carefully, trying not to set the blue eyed musician off.
Yamato's gaze dropped at his reply. "I know, it's just…I'm so stressed out over it…I'm sorry I snapped at you guys, I shouldn't have taken it out on you."
The other three exchanged looks of relief, as Akira sat down beside the blonde. "Don't worry about it; you have more important things to think of. I'm sure everything will be fine."
"I hope so." Yamato replied, quietly. An awkward silence passed through the room, as the other two, Takashi and Yutaka, shifted their weight, uncomfortably. Finally, Yutaka spoke up.
"So, let's practice the song, shall we?"
Takashi nodded, as Yamato sighed. "All right, let's do it." Akira and Yamato got up, going to their respected positions.
"Sure you're gonna be all right?" Akira whispered, as he passed his friend by.
Yamato shrugged, looking downwards. "For now."
* * *
Sora took a deep breath, looking over her reflection in the bathroom mirror. She played with her hands, nervously, brushing back some of her hair. I'm so nervous…what if he's moved on?
Don't be silly. He couldn't move on only a few days after he kissed you.
Sora sighed, as she heard a knock on the door.
"Sora? Taichi's here." Her mother's voice leaked through the door, as Sora closed her eyes for a moment.
Well, it's now or never.
Opening her eyes again, she opened the bathroom door; Taichi was waiting in the hall. She walked up to him, giving him a nervous smile, as he put a reassuring arm around her shoulders.
"Aw, don't be nervous. Everything's gonna work out just fine." He smiled, and Sora felt herself relax a little. "Just speak from your heart, that's the important thing."
She nodded, as the two friends walked out into the cool night together. Taichi kept her in a good mood, keeping her laughing along the way. People were already crowding around the entrance when they arrived, as Sora bit her lip, nervously.
"We probably won't have time to see him before the show, but we probably could afterwards." Taichi said, catching Sora's disappointed look. "I'm sure he'll make room to see you."
Sora smiled a little at this comment. "I hope so." She said, softly.
Meanwhile…
Yamato watched Akira and the others get everything ready, his blue eyes cloudy and nervous. Akira, who was watching him carefully, walked to his position alongside him, patting him on the back. "Don't be so stressed out," He said to the blond boy, giving him an encouraging smile. "It'll only throw you off."
Yamato smiled gratefully, eyes softening. "Thanks, you're right. Screwing up is the last thing I want to happen tonight…"
He was cut off, as they heard the announcer on the other side of the curtain start talking. The band hurriedly finished whatever they were doing, as the cheers from the other audience grew in volume.
"Well, this is it." Akira muttered, quietly, as Yamato's expression hardened somewhat. "Good luck."
"You too, 'Aki." Yamato felt himself smirk, as Akira glared playfully glared at him at the use of the nickname.
"I told you I didn't like that name!" The brown haired boy hissed, jokingly.
Yamato laughed, as the curtain began to rise. "Not now, 'Aki, the fangirls may hear."
"You are so dead when this is over."
Yamato grinned. "Not unless you want to deal with a pissed off redhead."
"So NOW you think she loves you." Akira raised an eyebrow.
Yamato shrugged, looking a bit thoughtful. "Only one way to find out, and killing me certainly won't help, me or you."
"Would you two shut up?" Yutaka hissed, glaring at them from his spot behind the keyboard. "They're gonna hear you!" Yamato and Akira both smirked, as Takashi rolled his eyes.
"If you insist." Akira smiled, glancing out into the audience, knowing something big (at least, for his friend) would happen tonight.
The question of whether it would be good or bad, though, still had yet to be answered.
* * *
Sora and Taichi watched as the curtain raised, the cheers intensifying. Sora felt her heart thump inside her chest, wondering if Taichi could possibly hear it. She glanced over at him, only to see a smirk cross over his face. Probably from the fangirls' screaming, She thought silently, feeling a smile creep up on her own face. Yamato will never live it down.
The two sat through every song, Sora remembering every word to all of them. Having heard Yamato sing so many times, she had subconsciously memorized everything he sang. She surprised herself, almost near the end of the concert, when she realized how relaxed she felt; she didn't feel worried or concerned, like she thought she would, but rather calm and at peace.
Until the band began a new song.
"The next song we have for you was written just recently." Yamato said into the mike, trying to be heard over the screams. "It's dedicated to a special girl; she knows who she is. All I have to say is, pay close attention to the words." His voice dropped in volume, and Sora just barely caught the end. "I mean every word."
Sora felt her heart race, her eyes widening. Oh my God… She looked over at Taichi, only to see him staring at her, and a realization registered in her head. He knew…that's why he asked me to come to the concert… She looked back to the stage, where Yamato stood, as he gazed back out into the crowd. His eyes seemed to scan over every section, until they landed on her. She and Taichi weren't sitting that far back, but it surprised her that he still could see her. The redhead felt herself inhale, sharply, as Yamato kept his gaze steady. Finally, he looked away, as he opened his mouth to start singing…
"Something about you was different, set you apart from the rest
Nothing dealing with your exterior, it was something I couldn't sense
You were tangled up in my thoughts, an image I could barely take
You'd shine brighter than any star, a memory of you keeping me awake
The burning flame inside of you melt through my cold, icy heart
You shined the light back upon me and chased away all of the dark
Your whisper brushing my ear, the taste of your lips on mine
Promised the sweet beginnings would last till the end of time…"
Sora sat in shock, breathing heavily at every word the blond musician sang. He wrote this…for me…She blinked in surprise, as Taichi looked back over at her, eyes shining with concern.
"It was too good to be true…"
Yamato winced inwardly, knowing what was coming in the next verses. The expression of his regret, guilt…and the pain Sora had to deal with because of it.
"I broke you apart, cut you open, and the pieces are on the ground
They're trying too hard to blend in, but are just begging to be found
Let me fix you, put you back together, I'll make up for my mistake
I won't be careless, I'll tiptoe around the edges, closing the wound I made
And your emotions flare so much it burns, as you choke on the air
You're falling from forever, wondering why I was never there
The sun only leaves you burned, bringing no sparkle to your eyes
You're torn apart and broken but have a façade for your disguise."
Sora felt her eyes water up at the lyrics, as her brown haired friend gripped her hand, in comfort. She took another deep breath, trying to keep her emotions under control.
Yamato looked down from his spot onstage, afraid to look for Sora for her reaction. Please let this be a good idea…
"The stars are calling out for you
Your scent carried by the air
Let's disappear into the night, you can borrow some of their light
Even when you're down and out
No one else can compare
Please trust me with your heart, I won't let you fall apart…
Not this time."
Sora felt her heart ache with emotion, feeling both nervous and at peace with his devotion. Sora knew Yamato well enough to know each word was sincere, not just an act, like he had said. "He really does care for me…" She said, softly, unaware that she had said it aloud.
"Of course he does. Why else would he go through with all of this?" Taichi felt himself sigh with relief as Sora smiled, her eyes sparkling a little brighter than before.
Akira grinned from his spot next to the blue eyed boy, as his eyes briefly scanned over Taichi and Sora. Yamato looked over at him from the corner of his eye, wondering what had made him so happy all of a sudden. The blonde looked out to where Akira's gaze was…only to see Sora smiling slightly from her seat. His heart jumped a little in his chest, but not enough for his hopes to be too high. Calm down…it could've been Taichi just cracking some joke, he thought, cautiously. Don't jump to any conclusions.
"It's so hard for you to fly, to soar up and try to escape from it all
Your wings need time to heal, but I'll be there to break your fall
You're delicate and fragile, and should only be handled with care
But I dropped you without notice, leaving you with only scars to bear
I know that I'm the only one to blame for your damaged sanity
You're hurting with what should be my punishment, my penalty
So the bad guy gets off easy, while the good girl's ripped apart
And I'm holding the dagger that went straight through your heart."
Sora blinked, surprised at some of the lyrics. He feels that bad? As strange as it was, part of her felt guilty, as if she should never had made him feel that way over it, even if it was without realization. Don't be silly, she thought, shaking head to clear her thoughts. Taichi glanced over yet again, but she shook her head once more, signaling that nothing was wrong.
"But there's something called redemption and you easily forgive
So watch and let me apologize with hopes our love might live
I'll return some of the light you gave to put the sparkle in your eyes
And I'll mend the pieces of your heart to silence out its cries
I'll kiss the life back into you, let you use some of my breath
I'll hold you closer than before and not walk away instead
I'll chase away the rain clouds, I'll let you bathe again in light
And I'll help you fly up to the sky, disappear into the night."
Yamato quickly remembered how long it had taken him to write the song; he wanted it to come across as genuine, and wanted every emotion he felt about the incident expressed. He had rewritten so many lines, he wanted it to be as special and good as he could make it. After a lot of frustration, rewriting, and repeating lines over and over again (to make sure they sounded right together), he had finally come to the version he was singing now; he could only hope that it did just the thing.
"The stars are calling out for you
Your scent carried by the air
Let's disappear into the night, you can borrow some of their light
Even when you're down and out
No one else can compare
Please trust me with your heart, I won't let you fall apart…
Not this time."
Yutaka looked over at Yamato, still not sure about what the whole 'situation' with Sora was about. He glanced over at Takashi, who also looked a bit confused over it. He decided to brush it off; the important thing was that, A), they had gotten a great song out of the deal, and B), that whatever the problem was, it worked out all right. He smiled to himself at that thought. Though, dealing with importance, not necessarily in that order…I think.
"So we sit in front of the fire
It reminds me a bit of you
It looks a little tired
From all the burning it has to do
But it's still you I admire
You haven't burned out yet
And it's glowing a little brighter
And you smile, I won't forget…
I can hear my heart beating
Something speeds it up this time
And as it's repeating
I know it's your heart with mine
And as the past starts receding
I feel your hand slip into mine
And I feel the pain fleeting
We're gonna be just fine."
I hope so, anyway, Yamato thought to himself, as he played the notes on his guitar. Akira kept his head down, but knew what Yamato was thinking without having to look. This was probably one of Yamato's most emotional songs yet; he could only imagine what was going through his head.
Sora watched, her gaze steady on the blond, barely moving at all. Everything else seemed to have been blocked out; the cheers of the fangirls, Taichi, the other band members…the only thing she concentrated on was Yamato, and the words flowing out of his mouth.
"The stars are calling out for you
Your scent carried by the air
Let's disappear into the night, you can borrow some of their light
Even when you're down and out
No one else can compare
Please trust me with your heart, I won't let you fall apart…
The sunlight's looking for you
To light your soul on fire
I'll walk hundreds of miles just to see you not fake another smile
Even when you crash and burn
It's you I'll always admire
I've learned from my mistake, I'm not gonna let you break…
Not this time…"
Sora felt herself come back to reality, at realization that the song was almost over. Some of the band members onstage relaxed, their part now being done. Only one thing was steady, and that, of all things, was the cheers still coming from the audience.
"Finally you lift your face
Up into the sunny sky
I feel blinded by your grace
As memories flash by
I lose myself in your embrace
And we leave the past behind
And even if it's not erased
We know we have nothing to hide…
Not this time."
Yamato leaned back from the microphone, as the cheers erupted into a mass of screaming fans. He smiled in amusement, saying the last words of the concert, attempting to be heard. "That's all for tonight, thanks for coming and watching. Have a great night, everybody!"
The fans filed out, little by little, conversation full of squeals and exclamations. "Isn't Yamato so hot?" and "Nah, Akira's way cuter!" being a variation of most of the comments.
Sora and Taichi shared a smile, as they walked out into the cool night. Sora exhaled deeply, as Taichi squeezed her hand, reassuringly. "Don't worry, it'll be fine."
The redhead smiled in reply. "Thanks, Taichi."
The brown eyed boy grinned, beginning to walk off. "No problem, good luck!"
"Thanks!" Sora watched him retreat into the darkness, sighing when he was out of sight. I'm gonna need it.
* * *
Sora waited outside, playing with her hands nervously. She kept sneaking glances at the door where Yamato and his band were eventually going to exit from. I didn't miss him, did I? She bit her lip, her nerves heightening, until she heard a sound. She listened closer, realizing that Yamato's band was about to come through that door at any moment.
"And we have to work on-" Yamato walked outside, cutting himself off as he spotted Sora. "Sora," He said, awkwardly, as the other band members watched in stony silence. "I wanted to talk to you."
She nodded. "Me too…" She trailed off, as an awkward silence took over, as both she and Yamato stared down at the floor.
Takashi's eyes darted back and forth between the two, finally speaking up. "We'll just leave you two alone." Akira and Yutaka nodded, as they began to walk off. "See you later!"
"See you." Yamato gave the three one last wave, before his intense eyes landed back on Sora. "So…"
Sora smiled gently, taking a step forward. "That song you sang was beautiful."
Yamato blushed a little, smiling back, as he felt his heart warm up. "Yeah…thanks. It was hard to write, it took a lot of time to finish it the way I wanted it to go."
"I could imagine." Sora took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. "Yamato, things between us lately have been kind of…"
"Confusing." He finished for her, as she nodded at his response.
"And I've been thinking a lot lately about where my feelings lie for you…if I'm willing to try it again with you. Even if I've known all this time that I'm…" She paused for a moment, continuing softly. "Still in love with you, I still had to decide whether I was ready to go back to you."
Yamato nodded, his expression revealing all the nerves inside of him. "I can understand why…Sora, I'm so sorry I neglected you, never called you, never remembered anything…if I could take it back, I would, and I promise to do it differently this time, if you give me the chance. I just hope that you can find it in your heart to forgive me."
Sora watched him silently for a moment, as Yamato's hopeful expression dropped. I guess this is the end…He thought, quietly, feeling his heart drop and shatter on the-
"Of course I can forgive you." Sora said face breaking out into a smile. Yamato's jaw almost dropped, causing Sora to burst out in laughter. He blinked in astonishment, trying to utter some words out.
"You…you can?"
"Of course!" She laughed even more, eyes sparkling. Yamato began laughing with her, as the two enveloped each other in a hug. "I love you, never forget that!"
Yamato pulled back, eyes glittering, reflecting the contentment shining in her own. "I love you, too." The two leaned in, faces ready to meet, when-
"Aw, isn't it cute?"
The two pulled away, seeing Taichi and the rest of Yamato's band standing in front of them. "I thought you guys left." Yamato said to them, looking a tad bit confused. The others laughed.
"Nah, we were too caught up in the suspense." Yutaka replied, grinning along with the others. "But really, though, I'm happy for you guys."
"Me too." Sora turned back to her boyfriend, giving him a wicked smile. "It's a good thing you never gave up on me, Yama, or Taichi was gonna hit you where it hurts."
Yamato raised an eyebrow, turning to face Taichi. "Oh really?"
The others glanced at Taichi, who kept a look of innocence plastered on his face. "What? You can't say it hasn't worked before!"
The others laughed, as Sora shook her head. "You will never learn."
"No, and thank God for that."
Akira gave Yamato a look, raising his eyebrows. "Now where have I heard that before?"
Yamato smiled contently, as Sora leaned on his shoulder. "You know, I don't know how, but I just know everything's gonna be all right." He muttered quietly, tilting her face upwards. Sora smiled.
"You know what? Me too." The couple grinned at each other, knowing that nothing could tear them apart this time.
"See, everything's all good. And we got a great song out of it!"
Yamato playfully glared at Akira, as he chased after him, both of their laughter lost in the night.
That's my Yamato, Sora thought, smiling, as Yamato turned to give her one last wink. And I wouldn't want it any other way.
THE END
A/N: Well, that's it! "Not This time" is copyrighted under fictionpress for me, so don't even bother trying to take it ^_^
Oh, and Akira's nickname-Aki, I read, is a girl's name, so I figured he wouldn't like it ^_^
I have ideas for some other fics-will be posted on my profile soon.
I hope you all enjoyed it, please review!
PEACE OUT!