Disclaimer: yeah yeah, I don't owe Kouichi and I don't own Izumi....quite yet...I'm working on it.

Can't stop loving you

It was an early morning the day she left, the day Izumi left. I was broken hearted watching her pack and wait for the taxi to come and take her away from me. She had a smile on her face, her leaving smile, a fake smile. The sun had yet to come up and I said I would watch her get on the train today. She was shocked by the offer. Maybe I should start from the beginning.

I met Izumi back when we were digidestined. She helped me along with the other concur the darkness that felt me heart so much. Izumi had a special touch to her though. She was an amazing person and a great companion. When we got back to the real world we kept in contact for years. After I got out of high school I finally said I wanted to be with her so badly it was painful. I can always remember the faint blush on her lovely cheeks that very sweet day of our graduation.

We had dated for three years, she moved in with me and everything. She emotionally supported me when I told her how badly I wanted to be a pediatrician, she encouraged me to keep at my studies. She also was able to encourage Takuya to open up his meat shop when he decided he loved meat so much he wanted to share it with the world, the logo for his store is called 'Bring on the beef, baby!'. Yes Izumi is a very special person to me and many other people.

Days were hard for me at school doing my best to cram information into my brain and Izumi was so helpful. It would help so much just to come home from work or school and just hold her tight and be held by her. Sometimes, we were even comfortable enough to fall asleep peacefully into each other embrace. I loved having her golden locks mixing with my black-bluish locks. I felt like we were a match made in heaven.

Me and Izumi had also taken our relationship to the next step. One spontaneous night we both felt a extreme need to be as close to each other as we possible could. That was the first time we made love. It was one of the most gentle encounters I had ever had. It was an intimate and beautiful experience. Even if the room was cold from the winter cold outside we were so warm by the feeling of having each other in our arms. I was so lucky just to hold her in my arms that night. Even after that sex was rare for us, we had both decided we shouldn't get so carried away as to make love every night due to the fact that it may turn into an addiction or the only thing that holds us together. Therefore, sex was a something that was valued and practised with the finest care. Many men would find that burden in such cases but in my case it always made her more wantonly to me.

Sadly, good things don't last forever. Somewhere last year our relationship seemed to fall apart sadly. Six months ago we had a pregnancy scare and we argue whether to keep the child or not, it seem to tear us apart and when the results came back negative she went through some depression as if she was sad that she wasn't going to have a baby to give up like she wanted. This made me even more upset with her. She wanted to give up the child and now she was upset about not having a child. She was very much confusing me.

A few weeks ago I came home to our rather big apartment to find Izumi laying on our bed. I thought she might not be feeling good, she had been sick before so I had bought a dozen long stemmed roses.

" Are you feeling any better, love?" I asked her pulling her blonde locks away from her beautiful face to get a glimpse at those sweet green eyes. She slapped my hand away. I was shocked but I only tightened my grip on the roses.

"Kouichi, I think. Well I think this relationship isn't working out anymore" She said plainly. I was speechless. I didn't know what to say to such a phase.

"What do you mean Izumi? I know we have had a hard time with the pregnancy scare but we've been working things out, darling. That's the only way relationships get stronger, by going through tough times".

"It's not just that Kouichi." She sighed turning over. "I don't think there's anymore love in this relationship anymore. I love you and you love me and that's it. We have lost all feeling except numbed love that soon won't be love but more like a ball and chain we both will feel bound too, I want to free you before that happens. Kouichi. I have a train ticket for this Wednesday. I will be going back to live with my parents" She said turning back over.

My blue eyes blinked once and again with streams of tears running through both of them. My grip on the roses loosened as I heard them fall to the floor. I left the room as soon as I realized I was crying. I didn't want Izumi to see me weak. I went into the bathroom and ran the shower. I undressed myself and jumped in. I could cry there, no one would tell I was crying unless they could hear the choked sounds on me sobering. I could no longer stand, I curled up in a corner in the bathtub and let the water patter on my body.

And that would bring me to today. I had sat with her for a long time while we waited for the taxi. Not a word was said between us. We both then heard honking from a taxi. We left the lobby of our apartment and entered the taxi. Izumi gave the taxi driver directions to the station. Not a word said. I only snuck a glance of Izumi every now and then.

When we arrived to the station I paid the taxi and Izumi got her bags. I watched her walk across the road to chance her train. I was still in so much shock. My thoughts were flowing.

'I never wanted to say good-bye Izumi. I'll always be by your side. I want to hold you again my dear love. Please don't forget me wherever you go my love. I can't stop loving you at all. I won't stop loving you, why should I even try to stop loving you.'

"Izumi!" I cried. I got a lot of stares from the people around me but I didn't care. I had a love to declare.

I ran across the road not caring if a car was coming and pushed passed people not caring who it was. I was running so fast I forgot about the place where you need a ticket to get in. I was stopped by a guard.

"Don't be so fast, son. Where do you think you're going without a ticket?" He asked grabbing my jacket collar.

"Please you have to let me through. The woman I love is about to get on that train and leave me and I can't have her go. I love her! I can't stop loving her!" I begged the guard.

"Let him go get his girl!" I heard a voice call along with a few other commentaries about the situation. The man let me through in the end.

I continued to run and scream Izumi's name. I could care less what the people around me thought. I then came to halt when I heard the sound a whistle blow. That must be Izumi's train. I ran up towards the train and screamed. The engineer stopped the train and looked at me. I called for Izumi until I saw my blonde angel appear behind the engineer.

"Kouichi!" She was shocked to see me here.

"Izumi. Don't go. I love you, your not a ball and change. I don't want to say goodbye, I want to be by your side. I want to be with you til the day I die. Izumi I can't stop loving you!" I proclaimed to the whole train station. I saw the impression on Izumi's face. She was more in love with me then she ever was.

"Oh, Kouichi. I love you too!" She said pushing the engineer out of her way and jumping off the train and into my arms. I squeezed her tightly as if I was trying to melt her into my own body.

"Oh please love, never leave me" I begged holding her cheek close to my own.

"Never" She kissed my head. "Never, I won't go I promise" She kissed me over and over again.

I held my beloved again. My first love. Even if I was to move on and try to find another I know one thing well. The first loves are never over, they only take a break. I know we would be brought back together some way if she was to stay on that train and go that day. But that the good lord she is still in my arms today.

"Come on, love, let's go home" I said wrapping one arm around and leading the way to take a taxi home with my love like I was ready to take home a new baby girl. "I can't stop loving you" I repeated into the rising sun

The End