Hey everyone! Sorry about not updating in so long. I finally got everything done today so I thought I would post up the next chapter. I hope that everyone is enjoying their summer so far! I also hope that you enjoy my next chapter!

I would also like to put out another SOS. I now only have three chapter left and I need ideas on what to do! I have been in a writer's block for a few months now! Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!!

Kara: Hey Kara! Sorry about the link thing. I have found a lot of that on FF.n and on a lot of my favorite fics too! I have found that if you come back the next day, you're able to read it! Hope it wasn't too inconvenient! Hope you enjoy my fic!

lexi: YAY!! I didn't disappoint you!! I hope I don't disappoint you in the future!

Silver Angel: I don't know what to say. I'm touched that you like my fic! I'm glad that you liked the chapter and I hope that I don't disappoint you! Please enjoy chapter 9!

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Chapter 9:

'5x equal 4 times 5 in parentheses plus 7 divided by 2 in parentheses. Let's see, 4 times 5 equals 20, 7 divided by 2 equals 3.5. 3.5 plus 20 equals 23.5. 23.5 divided by 5 equals, equals…'

"Equals 4.7 to be exact."

'Um, thanks Hope.'

"No problem."

Takeru was doing some math homework after school the next day. Ken was supposed to be over soon. His mom was gone already gone after she regained consciousness and had gotten over her shock. Let's say that wasn't a pleasant process. Yolie had stopped crying, Patamon became conscious again, Cody stopped shaking, and Ken regained his voice while Miss Takaishi was out. Mrs. Ichijoji came over to pick Ken up and nearly fainted too when she heard the story.

School had gone all right, but to Takeru, it was like he was stepping on eggshells. Or was it the other way around and his friends were the ones watching their steps? The weird thing was that when Takeru woke up that morning, all his scraps were scabs and his bruises were yellow. Ken's, however, still looked fresh. 'I wonder why,' thought Takeru as he went over the past few days in his mind.

He was brought back to reality with the ringing of the doorbell. Takeru looked at the clock before answering the door. "4:59, you're early," he teased with a smile.

The indigo haired genius just laughed as he put Wormon on the floor to join Patamon. "Sorry. Mom wouldn't let me go until she changed my Band-Aids. How you feeling?"

"A little sore, but fine other wise. You?" he asked as they walked into Takeru's bedroom.

"Sore, but fine other wise," Ken replied using his friend's words, "but I wasn't talking about yesterday. I'm talking about tonight," he said as he straddled Takeru's desk chair. He noticed that his friend had gone a ghostly white at the mention of it.

Takeru flopped down on his bed so that his head hung over one edge and his legs hung over the opposite side. "I don't know. Scared, confused, frustrated, excited. I really don't know," he replied in a quiet, hushed voice. "What's happening to me? Am I what I think I am? If I'm not, who am I? Am I 'Hope' as Genni called me, or am I 'Takeru'? What are we going to find out? Is it good or bad?" Takeru voiced in the same hushed tone.

"I…I can't say for sure Takeru. I wish I could do more to help," Ken said. 'I never knew Takeru could be so deep. This is really eating him up. Of course, it would eat me up too.'

They remained in a state of silence until Takeru looked once again at the aqua digit numbers on his bedside table. "5:47. I say we start up dinner," he stated as he stretched. "What would you like? Stir fry or burgers with Root Beer floats for desert?"

"Do the floats come with the stir fry?"

"Nope."

"Burgers then, and I think you better make it eight, two each."

"Right. Care to come with? I'm sure the Digimon wouldn't mind staying home alone."

"Sounds good to me," Ken replied as he followed the blond out the door.

They found their partners snoozing on the couch when they came out. Takeru gently shook Patamon up. "Hey, Patamon. Ken and I are going to go get dinner. You and Wormon need to watch the house while we're gone, alright?"

"Ya. Whatever, TK," the orange Mon said as he turned over and went back to sleep. Takeru gave a discussed look that Ken couldn't help but smile at.

Once out on the street, the duo had become quiet. Ken was thinking about their previous encounter with a new enemy, '…and they're after Takeru. Why?' he thought as he looked over into Takeru's eyes. 'Why is Takeru so important? What is he hiding? I guess we'll find out tonight.' Ken saw Takeru's sad eyes droop to the ground and decided to cheer his friend up by draping an arm over his shoulder.

Takeru was more or less surprised so to speak when he felt an arm over his shoulders. He looked at Ken in surprise to find comforting eyes staring back. Takeru smiled a relaxed smile as he too draped his arm around Ken's shoulders.

Unknown to them, Hikari and Yolie were on the opposite side of the street when Yolie saw them. "Hey! There's Ken and TK!"

"Oh?" Hikari asked looking around the point where Yolie had started pointing. She caught sight of them, walking side by side. Ken had his hands behind his head and Takeru had his in his pockets. Hikari frowned at the forlorn look Takeru had on.

"Man, those two could pose for a magazine and tie for first place in the hottest hunk section," Yolie said with stars in her eyes.

Hikari just blushed when she thought about it and shook her head to get rid of any pictures coming to mind. "Yolie! You're not supposed to think about your friends like that," she chided as she continued to watch the Keepers of Hope and Kindness.

"Oh, come on. You know you like to think about TK like that. I'm just simply stating a fact. You know that all the girls swoon over them at school and in the female population, they tie and rate one to none! All the girl are jealous of us for just knowing them!" Yolie exclaimed.

"I know, but I still think it wrong," she remarked.

"Suit yourself girl friend. Hey, look!"

Hikari looked over in time to see Ken lay a hand on Takeru's opposite shoulder and Takeru look up in surprise, smile, and lay his hand on Ken's shoulder in turn. "Awww. How cute, they really are the best of friends."

"Hmm. They must be. Ken doesn't show a lot of concern through physical contact," Yolie said in amusement.

The girls continued walking as the boys left their eyesight. The boys had still been the way they were when they turned the bin. They only parted whey they got to the restaurant.

The way back had been quiet as well as Ken carried the drinks and Takeru carried the food. They only paused every now and then to shift their luggage.

When they got back, they found their partners still asleep on the couch. Takeru smiled and signaled Ken to be quiet. He led the way to the kitchen table and set the food out. Once done he faintly whispered, "Food!" as he pulled Ken away from the table as a green and orange blur ran past to the awaiting food. The humans just fell down laughing so hard that tears almost started streaming out of their eyes.

After eating, Takeru suggested the floats. Everyone agreed to them as he went back into the kitchen. He came back fifteen minuets later with four, two scoop, tumblers filled with ice cream and Root Beer.

"I thought you said that the stir fry didn't come with the flouts," Ken remarked.

"I lied. We would have had them either way."

"Very sly, Takeru."

"Well, put two and two together and figure out why."

After a minuet of thinking, ken said, "You either didn't want to cook or you didn't want stir fry."

"Both," Takeru said as he popped in a video.

"I see," Ken said exasperated as he held the bridge of his nose. "By the way, what movie are we watching tonight?"

"Well, say hello to 'Evolution.' Or in our case, Digivolution."

"Very funny," the Digimon exclaimed.

The humans just chuckled as the movie began. They spent the next hour and a half comparing the monsters to the Digimon. They all groaned at more unpleasant scenes and laughed at the hysterical ones.

Afterwards, they compared the movie to their adventures in the Digital World while laughing.

It was around 8 o'clock when they stopped laughing. Ken then got serious when something crossed his mind. "Hey…Takeru?"

"Ya?"

"Something that Yolie told me doesn't fit."

"What might that be?"

"She said that 'after' you dashed toward me, the car came. By any chance, did you have another vision?"

Takeru looked down at Patamon in his lap, who had fallen asleep, and nodded. "Ya, I did."

"I see," Ken said as he prepared to ask his next question. "In your vision, did something…happen that wasn't good so to speak?"

Takeru's eyes snapped ahead as they widened in fear and surprise. His eyes returned to normal with a sad look in them as he answered in a stoic voice, "You were killed."

Ken's eyes just widened in surprise then dangerously narrowed. "Terrific. It would have been a most befitting ending."

"What are you talking about?!" Takeru exclaimed.

Ken just sighed and said, "Nothing. Forget about it," as he lowered his eyes to the floor.

Takeru frowned, set Patamon next to Wormon, who was asleep too, got up, and sat back down next to his friend. Ken just avoided eye contact as he continued looking at the floor. Takeru then pulled Ken into a hug as he laid his head on Ken's shoulder. What Takeru said next came barely over a whisper, but enough that Ken could hear. "You shouldn't think like that. There are so many people who would be devastated if you did. Please don't think like that."

Ken just looked down at the blond with surprise and smiled. He returned the hug and gave a quiet thanks, "…and I'm sorry. You're going through enough as it is and you don't need a depressed friend to add to it," he added as he laid his head on Takeru's.

"No need to apologize. Besides, it reminds me that I'm not the only one with problems," Takeru stated sleepily. Ken chuckled in the back of his throat as they both fell asleep.

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Well, I hope that everyone enjoyed this chapter. I've got only 3 more written up, so please help me with ideas!! I desperately need them!! Anyway, please R&R!!! That would make me sooooo happy!!