an: Look you guys! I'm still alive! Okay, so I broke my promise to give you a chapter in less than two months, but... okay you know my excuses. I didn't have writer's block this time–this is actually a pivotal part in the storyline. It's just that I didn't have enough time to just sit down and write it all out. For some reason I can't write it on paper–I must be sitting at the computer. (Must be the keyboard or something.) So I'm sorry that this took so long, but it's finally here. Going with the flow of this story, there should be an interlude next chapter, but I don't really feel like writing one... haha. So I'll just continue with the main story and maybe throw one in before the main story is done.


Hope you like this chapter. You guys–I'm thisclose to getting 100 reviews and if you do that for me, I swear I will love you all. I'm serious–this story has gotten me the most reviews I've ever had and I'm so happy. Thanks so much for all your kind words.


P.S.: Songs used in this chapter:

"If You're Not the One" - Daniel Beddingfield (I love that song, it's my boyfriend's and my song =D)

"True Love Waits" - Souljahz (my inspiration song... I need to hear it every day... it's a good song by a good Christian band)


Okay I'll stop talking, onto the story!


*


One Light, One Hope

Chapter Nine: Completion


(warning: this chapter is rated PG-13/R for suggestiveness/content…)


"This is a reminder: the white zone is for the loading and unloading of passengers and baggage only. Please do not park your cars."

The next day, the airport wasn't so crowded, but it was still hectic. Kari's parents had rented a van and Sora drove a few other people as well, so that we could all say goodbye to Kari.

As Kari's parents and Tai helped her check in, the rest of us stood off to one side and mingled. Fiona was also there—this was the end of her stay in Japan and she and her mother were flying back to Ireland as well.

After all the baggage had been checked in, we still had a bit of time before Kari had to be at her gate, so we hung around, ate—we treated Kari to her last authentic Japanese meal for quite a while—and basically just tried to keep spirits high, because we were all depressed that Kari was leaving. Davis was a bit sad also—he and Fiona had gone out, then broken up, and then became the best of friends, so he was depressed to see her go as well.

Finally, the time flying by way too fast for my liking, it was time for Kari to leave. Each of us said our individual goodbyes to her—Izzy, Cody, Sora, Yolei, Ken, Matt, Joe, Davis, Tai, her parents… and then finally me. She stood before me, tears glistening in her eyes, and before she could catch them, they started to fall. I wiped them away with the pad of my thumb, then kissed her on the forehead. "Kari, you're going off to live your dream. Don't cry."

My words made her smile—thankfully—and she whispered, "I can't help it."

"Just think, you'll be back here in no time. And you'll have fun while you're over there, too. Make sure you stop by and visit Meems for me, okay?"

She giggled. "Okay." Then, impulsively, I swept her into a big hug. I was trying to be strong, but somehow, I couldn't resist the need to have her near me. "Kari, I love you… don't ever forget that," I whispered in her ear.

Pulling away, she looked in my eyes and said, "I know." She kissed me softly and then said, "Remember… you have my trust, you have my heart, and you have my love." Then, slowly slipping from my embrace, she picked up her carry-ons and walked towards the gate, with Fiona. The last thing I saw before she disappeared into view was her blowing a kiss to me and mouthing "I love you," as she always did.


~*~


Soon after Kari's departure, school started up again. It just wasn't as fun as it used to without her there. I tried not to focus too much on her being gone, but it always bothered me, so instead I threw myself into my schoolwork. I guess it looked good for me because I was starting to consider universities to attend, plus I was in accelerated and AP classes anyway, so it was good. I did talk to her every other day—the time difference was a bit weird. My sleeping habits got a little tweaked out because of that; I usually took a nap in the afternoon and stayed up until maybe 3 or 4 in the morning… yeah, it was weird. But it was worth it just to talk to Kari.

During our talks (some on the phone, most on Instant Messenger or e-mail), we kept up; Kari was having an amazing time at the university, and was also enjoying the beginnings of a New England autumn. She was learning a lot and also meeting new people, as well as old friends—Mimi, apparently, had turned up in the acting program and was thrilled to see Kari. They had met so early into the program that Kari was able to stay with Mimi in her new apartment, and so it was good for both of them. I was glad that Kari was having such an awesome time—knowing that she was having fun made it a bit easier for me. I also filled her in—making captain of the varsity basketball team, doing well in all my classes, getting scholarships for writing… I was accomplishing so many things without her there, that it was sometimes bittersweet… I didn't have Kari to share it with.

And then there were those days when I'd be at school and see all those couples together, cuddling and being coupley like they usually do. Ken and Yolei, who had been together for about a year and a half now, didn't help too much, but they knew how much I missed Kari and so kept their coupley actions to a minimum—for that I was grateful. I also started talking frequently to Joe again. He and Mimi were going out, something I didn't know, and had been for quite a while as well. He told me that as soon as he finished up his grad work, which actually, was going to happen in a month or so, that he was going to fly out to New York and start interning there, so that he and Mimi could be together. I smiled. "I'm glad things finally worked out for you two."

Joe smiled as well. "Who would have thought, the nerdy med student and the fashionable actress…" He sighed in contentment. "But we're really happy. In fact, if things happen the way they continue to happen… I think I might take things further."

I raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean by further? Physically… or just the whole relationship?"

He shrugged. "Physically, if it gets to that… maybe. But I meant… maybe… asking her to marry me… I mean she'd probably say no, but I can see myself with her for the rest of my life…" Joe trailed off, apparently lost in his own thoughts.

"Joe, you don't know that she'll say no. I say go for it."

"T.K., you sound so sure… how do you know?"

I grinned. "Personal experience."

Joe furrowed his eyebrows, then shot them up. "What… you're not saying… you and Kari… you're… engaged?"

All I did was nod my head in a slightly triumphantly manner, trying to hold back my wide smile. Joe smiled for me, though. "Are you serious? That is awesome! Congrats!" He and I hugged (AN: in the stupid way guys do *rolls eyes*) and then Joe said, "I bet you've had all these people trying to dissuade you, huh, since you're so young and all?"

"Yeah." I sighed. "It gets annoying, like they don't understand that I love Kari, that she loves me, that we want to spend the rest of our lives together, and so what if we're just a bit young? It doesn't mean we're gonna get married in high school."

"Speaking of which… when are you gonna get married?"

I thought for a minute. "You know what, I don't know. I have to ask Kari about that."

Joe smiled. "It must be so exciting and amazing to know that you're going to be married to the girl of your dreams pretty soon."

"Oh, it is. It's like… all of my wildest dreams, my deepest wishes, have finally been reached."


Over our correspondence, Kari had told me about the party Mimi was throwing for Tai and Sora's wedding. Mimi figured that since she didn't get to see her friends enough, that she would throw a party for them so they had to come. She had booked it for a weekend in late October, and so all of us planned to go out there to help celebrate. When I told Kari this, she got quite excited.

Now, it was only a matter of time until I saw Kari again. It had been so long since I had held her in my arms, kissed her forehead, felt her touch… it was making me go crazy. People sometimes asked me if I was sure that Kari was the one I was meant to be with, since we weren't together at the moment… but if she wasn't, why did I feel this way about her?


(If I don't need you, then why am I crying on my bed?

If I don't need you, then why does your name resound in my head?

If you're not for me, then why does this distance maim my life?

If you're not for me, then why do I dream of you as my wife?

I don't know why you're so far away, but I know that this much is true:

We'll make it through, and I hope you are the one I share my life with,

and I wish that you could be the one I die with,

and I pray that you're the one I build my home with

I hope I love you all my life

I don't wanna run away, but I can't take it, I don't understand

If I'm not made for you, then why does my heart tell me that I am?

Is there any way that I can stay in your arms?


'Cause I miss you, body and soul, so strong that it takes my breath away

and I breathe you into my heart and pray for the strength to stand today

'cause I love you, whether it's wrong or right,

and though I can't be with you tonight,

you know my heart is by your side)


The days inched by until finally, it was the weekend for us to go out to New York. We had taken a few days off of school, because we knew it would take quite a while for us to get adjusted to the time change and to actually get there. As we—Tai, Sora, Joe, Izzy, Davis, Cody, Ken, Yolei, Matt, and myself—boarded the plane, along with Mr. and Mrs. Kamiya, and Sora's mom, there were many emotions running high. Yolei was freaking out, because not only did she get to go to New York, she got to see Mimi again. Tai and Sora were excited as well, because they weren't planning on having an engagement party; Izzy, Davis, Cody, and Matt were just planning on having a good time in the Big Apple, and I'm sure Joe was feeling the same way as I was—happy to see his beloved.

The flight was long. Very long. It took us almost a day to get there, and so a lot of us slept for most of the flight… except me, because my sleeping schedule was already tweaked to New York time. So I "borrowed" Izzy's laptop (actually, I kind of stole it from him while he was sleeping) and began writing part of a story that was in my head already. For one of my scholarship applications, I had to write a story to get money for the creative writing program, and I had a really good story in the works. It was about a teen who had magical abilities and how that changed the world around him. My fingers flew furiously over the keyboard as I put all my ideas and thoughts onto "paper." It kept my mind off not only the anxiety of seeing Kari again, but also the anxiety I also had of flying in planes. Somehow… they made me a bit nervous.

Finally (the understatement of the year), we were making our final descent to New York's La Guardia airport, and I could hear Yolei jabbering away already to anyone who would listen about how pretty the Statue of Liberty looked, how excited she was to see Mimi and Kari, while Davis and Tai were having a pillow fight with the minuscule things they called pillows until one of the flight attendants had to stop them. I guess Tai had thought she was attractive because he started flirting with her, right in front of his own fiancÉe, who proceeded to hit him with a pillow and another mock-pillow fight ensued. Cody, who was sitting with Matt and myself, had to laugh.

It took us quite a while to get through baggage claim and customs (we were freaking out because Davis forgot where he put his passport), but after managing all our small crises, we finally made it out to the terminal, where two girls were frantically waving to us. I could spot Kari's bright smile even from the other side of the terminal, and I rushed as fast as I could with all my baggage towards her. When I finally reached her (I was the first one there), I swept her up in a big hug and twirled her around. "Oh, I missed you, Light."

"So did I." Kari kissed me softly… the feel of it was incredible. It had been too long. Then, still holding on to Kari's waist, I said hi to Mimi right as Joe came and they had a similar reunion.

"Okay, okay, lovebirds, cut it out," Yolei called. I looked at her pointedly and she protested, "What?"

"I don't tell you to do that when you have Ken all the time," I told her.

Yolei smiled. "That's a good point. Hey, Kari."

As hugs and smiles and even small gifts were exchanged all around, Mimi and Kari—who had done something cool to her hair, but I couldn't exactly point it out—led us down to the cool shuttle they had rented for us, since there were so many of us. We were going to stay at a hotel not far from Mimi and Kari's apartment, and the engagement party was going to be in that hotel.

During the ride home, so many different conversations ensued, that as I was trying to talk to Kari, I kept getting interrupted by so many other people that wanted to talk to her. I didn't mind too much—I understood that they had missed her also—but it was starting to bug just a bit. Anyway, I finally was able to ask her what I was trying to. "What did you do to your hair, Kar? It looks good."

Kari smiled. "Mimi highlighted it for me, and she cut it just a bit so that I have some layers to frame my face. Do you like it?"

"I love it. You're as beautiful as ever."

Kari smiled shyly, tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, and then interlaced her fingers with mine, as we were both pulled in different directions conversationally—Kari was talking to her parents, while Joe and Mimi began talking to me.

"So, T.K., I hear that you and Kari are getting married soon," Mimi said, smiling. I could tell that she had become Kari's confidante considering that she was the closest girl friend that Kari had.

I nodded. "Yes… I'm really looking forward to it."

We talked for a little bit more, about a few, other, non-important things, until we finally got to the hotel. Once we were there, Mimi took charge and gave out room assignments. Sora, Yolei, and Sora's mom were in one room; the Kamiyas in another; Matt, Izzy, and me in the next; and Ken, Cody, and Davis in the last one. As we made our way up there and scrambled to get into our rooms, Mimi smiled. "So I'm guessing you guys like it, huh?"

"Yeah! Thanks, Princess Mimi!" Davis exclaimed, using the nickname for her from her Digi-world adventures a long time ago. She scowled and everyone laughed. As Matt, Izzy and I settled into rooms, Kari peeked her head in. "Hey, guys. Can I come in?"

"No," Matt said firmly. Kari and I looked at him strangely and he laughed. "Come on guys, I'm kidding. Of course you can come in, Kar. I'm only giving you a hard time because you're gonna be my little sister soon and it's my job to annoy little sisters."

"And you would know this because…" Kari asked, coming into the room and sitting on a bed.

"I learned it all from Tai," Matt said, grinning. Kari and I rolled our eyes. "Whatever. Hey, Izzy," she said, changing the subject.

"Hello, Kari. Are you having fun out here?"

Kari beamed. "Yes! I love it—the city has so much energy, and it's a great place to find subjects for pictures." As she was speaking, I could tell she was genuinely happy here, and that made my heart lift just a little—but at the same time, it made me a bit sad. Did she want to stay here?

Soon, after we were done unpacking, Matt said, "Well, I'm going to crash for a while. You guys mind?"

I shook my head. "Nah. I'll just go hang out somewhere else."

Matt looked curiously at me. "Why is it that you're not as jet-lagged as the rest of us? You barely slept on the plane."

"I talk to this girl all the time. My sleeping schedule back at home is not unlike the one you guys are cutting out for yourselves," I retorted.

"Oh. I see." Matt put his hands behind his head and closed his eyes, while Kari and I bid goodbye to Izzy and set off.


"Kar?"

"Hmm?" We were wandering aimlessly around the hotel, just really happy to be with each other again. I didn't want to cut this time short, but I wanted to spend some time with her to just catch up, and now really wasn't the time; an idea was formulating in my mind, but I needed help with it. To do this, I needed to get Kari away from me for just a bit.

"Um... you know what, your parents haven't seen you in nearly two months. Why don't you go catch up with them? I know they want to see you–they've probably been going through withdrawals since their little girl moved halfway around the world from them." Sure enough, we had wound up in the lobby, and Kari's parents were somehow there and had somehow managed to hear what I had said and smiled gratefully. Kari smiled as well. "You're right, T.K. How can you be so selfless? I know you've wanted to see me too, but you'll wait and let others see me first." She kissed me on the cheek. "That's why I love you so much."

"I love you too, Light," I whispered. "I'll see you later, okay? And don't worry, I'll find something to do."

"You read my mind, T.K." Kari smiled and blew me a kiss as she made her way over to her parents. As I watched them talk and Kari light up animatedly, making sure they were alright, I decided to wander a bit more. Mimi and Kari (well mostly Meems) had really splurged on us–there was an exercise room, a spa, a great pool, a fancy restaurant, and a less fancy, outdoor cafÉ towards the front of the hotel. I was about to go back to my room when I saw a flash of pink and called out, "Mimi!"

The blur stopped and began to resemble Mimi. "Yeah?"

"Hey... can I talk to you for a sec?"

"Sure!" she exclaimed. I laughed. "You're still the same old Mimi, aren't you?"

"I guess." She smiled. "So how have you been, T.K.? I heard about you and Kari. Congrats. You know, she's really excited about it... she's been wanting her senior year to fly by so that she can marry you."

"I've been wanting the same. It's so amazing, this feeling... knowing that it's only a matter of time until you can spend the rest of your life with the one you truly love."

Mimi sighed. "That's so sweet, T.K."

"Well, it's true. Anyway, what's up for tonight? Are we all gonna meet or something?"

"Nah... I figured a lot of people are gonna be tired, and personally, I wanted a bit of alone time with Joe... it's been forever since we've been able to see each other."

"Yeah, I know what you mean. So what are you gonna do?" I asked her.

"I'm gonna take Joe on a tour of NYC... hit all the hot spots, you know–Ground Zero, Empire State Building, Times Square... that whole deal."

"So like... no one's gonna be in your apartment?"

"No... why?"

"I just wanted to hang with Kari tonight, and see what her living arrangements were like. I actually wanted to surprise her with a little romantic evening, but since I've never been here, I wouldn't know where to get candles, flowers... you know all that fun stuff..."

Mimi grinned. "T.K., you're such a sweetie. And there's a little shop right on the corner near our apartment where you can buy all that "fun stuff" as you call it."

"Really?"

"Yeah. You and Kari have a good time tonight, okay?"

I nodded. "We will. You, too, Meems, okay? Thanks so much!" I hugged her gratefully and then proceeded to head to my room to get my stuff, when Mimi stopped me. "Um, T.K.? Just one thing... you don't know where my apartment is, do you?"

"Uh... no?"

Mimi laughed. "Get your stuff and I'll take you there. I need to stop by there anyway. Just let me tell Joe that I'll pick him up in a few."

"Okay."


After taking care of the stuff we needed to take care of, Mimi and I met at the front of the hotel. "Well, T.K... are you up for walking or for the train? Either way it's not that long... it's about three blocks from here or one stop over on the E train."

"Um..." I pondered. I really wanted to see what the subways were like, but after eighteen hours of sitting, I wanted to stretch my legs some. "How about walking? That way I can stretch my legs a little..." and then another thought crossed my mind. "And I can check out that store you were talking about, too."

"Okay. I need a little exercise myself, too." Mimi grinned and proceeded to lead the way to the apartment. Walking on New York City streets was very interesting–the city was so fast-paced that when I stopped to tie my shoe I nearly got knocked over, and if it wasn't for that fact that Mimi's hair is pink, I wouldn't have been able to find her again. I found myself rushing to keep up with them. "Sorry, T.K.," Mimi turned to me apologetically when she realized my struggle. "I forgot to tell you how fast New Yorkers walk."

"That's okay. I'll get used to it." Pretty soon we were on the corner where we needed to turn. I noticed a stairway that seemed to lead underground across the street as Mimi said, just as a tour guide would, "On your right, folks, is a little shop that sells flowers and candles to those who are interested." She winked at me and then we walked about a quarter of a block to a nice looking off-white apartment complex.

I followed Mimi into the elevator and marveled at how different the elevators were from others that I'd seen: instead of pressing a button and waiting for the doors to slide open, you simply opened the door like a normal door and the elevator was right there. Very interesting. We got off on the fifth floor and turned left; it was two doors on our right. "Here we are, T.K."

Looking around the room, I found it very cozy. It was a small space, but looked very homey, thanks to the feminine touches Mimi had put in it. There was a shelf of pictures, a TV and DVD player, a small dining room table, and two bedrooms. "Nice place, Meems."

"Thanks. It's not much, but I try to make it as comfortable as possible."

"It's nice." I sat on the comfy flowered couch, trying to decide whether what I wanted to ask my friend was proper or not. "Um... if I wanted to get back inside after passing by the shop... how would I do that?"

Mimi smiled. "Never fear. Kari anticipated that some people might want to stay here so she had extra keys made." She handed me a keyring with several keys on it. "One is for the door to the complex, one is to this apartment, and one is to the mailbox–just in case. I'm gonna go back and get Joe, and I'll hint to Kari that she needs to get home, so everyone is happy."

"Thanks, Mimi. I'll walk with you back to the store."

"Okay. Let me just freshen up so I don't have to come back."


As we walked, Mimi explained to me how wonderful it was to have a roommate and how excited she was that Kari–and now everyone else–was here. "It's so great to see Joe again. He's gonna graduate soon so hopefully by Christmas we'll be here together permanently." I could tell by the light in Mimi's eyes and her bright smile that she was truly excited. We chatted a little more until we got to the corner. "Well, I must leave you now. I'm taking the train, so I'm going over there. You kids have fun, okay?"

"Okay, Meems. Thanks so much." I hugged Mimi.

"No problem. You're one of my best friends. How could I not?"

I smiled brightly as Mimi began to descend the stairs. "You're so awesome." After I made sure she was down the stairs, I crossed the street again and entered the store. I was hit by the scent of wonderful flowers and candles, and I spent a good portion of the day buying everything I needed and also setting it back up in the apartment. Ordering take-out, I set the dining table nicely, set the mood with lighting and soft music, and waited for Kari to get in.

About half an hour after I finished getting ready, I heard the key turn in the lock and Kari walk in. She went about her routine until she turned to hang her bag on the stand by the door and noticed all the lit candles and rose petals scattered about. "What... what is al this?" she asked in surprise.

"Surprise," I said, walking out of the kitchen. Kari beamed. "Oh, T.K.... you didn't have to do this for me."

"But I wanted to," I replied, taking her into my arms. "It's been so long since we've been able to spend time together and I really missed you."

"I missed you too, T.K." I kissed her softly and then led her to the table. "Want some dinner?"

"Definitely. I'm starved." As we sat down to eat dinner, we talked about so many things that we had sort of gone over on the phone or IM... but it was so much better seeing Kari's face light up when she discussed a topic that interested her, or watch her excited hand gestures. We talked for hours, until we finally got up and cleared the dinner table. I went to put the dishes in the sink when Kari stopped me. "No. Let me do it. You did all this for me–I need to be able to do something too."

"Okay," I agreed, not objecting. While Kari was pre-occupied in the kitchen, I rushed around the apartment, lighting all the candles that I had bought and quickly brushing my teeth. By the time Kari was done, I had made my way back to the living room and we both sat on the couch. "Hey... I have a question."

"Shoot."

Kari's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "How did you get in here anyway? And... how did you do all of this?" She gestured to all the candles, which she just noticed.

"One word: Mimi."

Kari smiled. "I figured."

We sat there in silence for a few moments, just intently gazing into each other's eyes, when suddenly, by some magical force, we were drawn to each other in a kiss. It slowly intensified from an innocent gesture to a kiss of passion and desire, venting the pent-up energy of not seeing each other for two months. Kari's hands ran through my hair as I played with the hem of her shirt, kissed her neck, and as our embrace became more heated than it had ever been. I pulled away just as Kari managed to pull my shirt off and I looked at her. "Kari... are you sure you want to do this?" My mind recalled an earlier incident and a decision we had made.


*Flashback*

It was a warm day near the end of our junior year and we were sitting watching movies. We had finished watching Spiderman and Kari had just turned on the radio to listen to some music while putting away the movies. I stood and pulled her back into my embrace, sitting her down on the couch next to me. "Now that the movie's over," I began, "I can do this." I leaned in to kiss her and she returned my kiss hungrily, a side of Kari that I had never seen before. We kept pushing limits that we had already set when suddenly, Kari broke away abruptly. "I'm sorry... I can't do this."

"Kari... we're not going to do anything you don't want to. I promise."

"I know... it's just that... I've always been taught that I should save myself until marriage... and I don't want to tempt myself into anything I'll regret."

I nodded, and as I was about to reply, I noticed the song that was playing on the radio.


You've walked this road so many times

and you swore you knew your way

But now you're looking in persuasive eyes

and you don't know what to say

When he tells you he loves you

When he tells you he needs you,

when he says it feels so right it can't be wrong

When he says it's the right time,

everything is gonna be just fine

Still, you know where your heart belongs


So believe that true love waits

Don't let anyone change your ways

Look 'em all straight in the face, and tell 'em,

"No matter what, I'll remain the same

Don't want to be deceived

See I've found the key

Can't you see that I believe, that I believe

that true love waits for me, waits for me"


True love would say,

"I'll meet you there if you'll wait"

And true love would say, would say,

"If you wait for me, I'll wait for you, my love"



We both looked at each other in recognition. "I guess this is a sign," I said, kissing her forehead. "I promise, I won't do anything unless you're ready."

Kari smiled. "I love you."

"I love you, too, Light."

*Real time*


"Kari, you told me you didn't want to do anything until you were ready," I told her, looking into her deep ruby eyes. "Are you sure?"

Kari nodded. "I'm ready. Besides... we're getting married." She leaned in closer to me and we kissed with a passion that I didn't know existed in either of us. We managed to get her shirt off–it was a tricky kind of shirt–and hands and lips explored new areas as our desire became stronger. I swept Kari off the couch into my arms and carried her into her bedroom, laying her down gently on the soft mattress. Soon it was time and I asked her one more time, "Are you sure?"


(You've told yourself you've been here before

You see her face, and then you open the door

and now it's up to you

so what you gonna do?

You love her with a smile, then you love her with a kiss

and somehow you both knew that it would come to this

When she tells you she loves you,

when she tells you she needs you...)


Kari nodded, desire written all over her face. "I want you... I need you."

My lips descended upon hers as we began. "I love you, Kari," I whispered in her ear.

"I... love... you... too," she managed to get out, as she was distracted by other things.


~*~

(next morning)


I opened my eyes to find the sun streaming through the window and in my arms the most beautiful creature on this earth. I kissed her forehead softly as she stirred. "Good morning, Light," I whispered in her ear.

Kari blinked open her eyes and smiled. "Good morning."

"I wish I could wake up every day like this... you in my arms, the sun shining on us both..."

"You know, T.K.... last night was amazing... it made up for so many nights that I missed you," Kari confessed.

I blushed a little and held her closer to me. "Well I'm glad you are okay with it."

Kari nodded. "It'll be something to treasure when I'm lonely again, when you leave."

I pouted. "Did you have to remind me? Well... at least it'll only be two more months."

We lay there in pure bliss, hearing each other's hearts beat, feeling the rise and fall of our bodies, when suddenly Kari blurted out, "June twenty-first."

"What?" I asked, totally confused.

"June twenty-first. That's the day I want to get married."

"Okay. That means we have to get everything ready–we only have eight months to plan this wedding."

Kari grinned. "Don't worry about it. I mean, we've got Mimi here, and Sora there. We'll figure it all out, I promise."

I gazed at her intently. "Have I ever told you how beautiful you are? Like an angel... my angel... my angel of light." I kissed her forehead again. "I love you, Light."

"I love you, too," Kari replied. Then she leaned over at the clock. "Well... we better get up... we have things to do and a party to go to!"


The engagement party for Tai and Sora went well. It was a smaller party–just the Digidestined and a few parents–and so it was very close and you could feel the love in the room. We had a great time reminiscing about our adventures in the Digiworld and fantasizing about the future. After the party, we all went out for a night on the town, going to all the tourist places Joe and Mimi went to the day before. All in all, it was a great trip to New York–and I did get to ride the subways just as I wanted to.

The time for us to leave snuck up on us way too fast, and Mimi and Kari saw us off at the airport. I hugged Kari tightly. "Two more months to go... have fun here, okay?"

"I will. But I'll miss you."

"Just think about what you said you would," I reminded her. "And always remember that I love you." I hugged her again and I could feel a tear come from Kari's eye. "Oh... Light, don't cry."

"I'm sorry... it's just that I love you so much and I can't bear to watch you leave. I don't want to be apart from you."

I took Kari's hands into my own. "Listen to me. You came here to take the opportunity of a lifetime. You're only gonna be here two more months–then you can come back home to us, okay?"

Kari nodded tearfully. "I promise you'll see me in two more months," I told her. "Until then, have fun."

Even though Kari had tears in her eyes, that spark of determination that she inherited from her brother shone through. "Okay. Be safe, T.K."

"I will. And I'll start making arrangements as soon as I get home, okay?"

"Okay." Kari stood on her tiptoes to kiss me. "I love you, T.K."

"Love you too, Kari. Always and forever."


Those two months went by faster than I thought they would. I still missed Kari greatly and I still talked to her frequently, but lots of things kept me busy–college applications, homework, basketball practice, all that jazz, that I didn't miss Kari insanely. I was grateful for that–missing Kari made life painful. The day soon came that Kari would be coming back; Mimi was coming with her to attend Tai and Sora's wedding, then she and Joe would fly back to New York. When she arrived back on Japanese soil, she twirled around in happiness. "Oh, I missed Japan." We chattered excitedly on the way back–it was just she and I this time, since her parents were busy with Tai, I had offered to pick her up–and then before I pulled out of the parking lot, Kari suddenly grew serious. "Um... T.K.... I have something to tell you. I didn't tell you before because I just found out, and it's not something to tell over the phone or IM. This is gonna be something that will change our lives forever."

I nodded. "Okay. What is it?"

Kari took a deep breath and then began, "T.K., you remember that night when you came and visited us in New York, right?"

"Of course... how could I ever forget that?"

Kari half-smiled. "Well... there isn't any easy way to say this, but... I'm pregnant."



Well, well well... very interesting. Aaron and Hope had to come from somewhere, didn't they? Anyway, be happy, because next chapter is the wedding! (I think.) Please review by clicking that cool little button that says "Go" after highlighting "Submit Review". Please? I will be happy if you do....