Looking Back Chapter 7

We had been at Gennai's home for three days - spending time reacquainting ourselves with each other. I stayed away from Matt - but that remained easy due to the fact that he was going out of his way to stay away from me. I had spent the days with different members of our group.

Tk remained the same old Tk - but he was more positive than ever. I think it was because Kari was finally at his side. The first full day that I spent back in the Digital World I sat in the front den of Gennai's house with the two of them. They held that unusualness that they had always held together as kids - but it had developed into something even more over the years. They merely had to stay within touching distance of each other to share this bond they had. They told me of how they had finally gotten together - and how Davis had realized it wasn't love he held for Kari - but more of a friendship and a brotherly protectiveness.

"As if I didn't have enough older brothers. " Kari had said that laughingly.

Tk had looked at her with love and said, "Well you never can have too much protection."

I saw the flash in her eyes and it was if they were having a whole conversation in their minds. I looked at them oddly and raised an eyebrow.

It was Tk that spoke first, "Sora, you need to give Matt another chance."

Kari glared at Tk, "I thought we discussed this..."

Tk cut her off, "She needs to know and someone needs to interfere. Sora he was devastated when you left. No one has been able to replace you in his heart... If you'd just give him another chance..."

I cut him off - "Tk, Kari - I know you mean well -but this is something that he and I have to work through on our own - if we get back together then we do. But you can't keep hoping for light at the end of the tunnel - no pun intended. It's not something that some prophecy can predict. Its something that both of us have to want. So lets just see where it goes - okay?"

Kari smiled at me and Tk just sat there for awhile - silent. I could tell that Kari understood, but Tk, the ever-faithful one couldn't bring himself to give it up.

I stood up and left Kari to tend to him. I knew she would help him understand. They were no longer the little children that they had been so many years ago when we first had come to this place of dreams. They were fast becoming adults and as much as it was so wonderful to see ... it also scared me. It scared me because if they had changed so much then so had I.

We had all changed from the group of children that had defeated the dark masters so many years ago. Our innocence had been what had provided us with the strength to fight. Given the fact that we were so much older now and worldlier - it began to plague me that faced with the challenge again - would we be able to face it? After all - we were no longer those children.

So, I went to Gennai with my problem the next morning. He allowed me into his study and I sat down on a sofa. "What is troubling you, Sora?"

I sighed and began, "Gennai - can we do it again? The reason adults weren't the digidestined in the first place was because they couldn't believe like we could - because we had our innocence and vitality. But now..."

Gennai smiled at me and sat down beside me. "Sora - you always did worry about things too much. I'm glad that you came to me about this ... It is true you were chosen as children because you had no preconceived notions - nor were you jaded. Yet if you will remember - as children you had your own demons that you already battled. Tai had his sister's well being and his past mistakes with her. Izzy had the fact that he was adopted to deal with. Joe had his father's expectations weighing heavily on him. Matt had his duties as an older brother and his parents divorce. And you had your mother's love and your father's absence in your life to deal with. You are who you are. You were chosen because of that - not because of your innocence. I have come to think of you all, as my children and I love each individual trait - good and bad - that you possess. I think you feel the same way towards them all... That is why you hold the crests of love. I also think that you still hold love for a certain someone here - despite his shortcomings in the past."

I looked at Gennai and sighed. It seemed everyone was intent on matching us up. So I smiled and hugged him. Despite all the odd things that Gennai had done in our past - always springing something on us at the last minute - I felt an odd sense of family love for him. He had been more prominent in my life that my own father after all.

"Thanks Gennai, that helps relieve my doubts a lot." I kissed his cheek and walked out of the room to meet up with the others in the front den to hang out. I was finding out how much I missed being with just them.

It was the third day when I felt comfortable and at home with them again ... I was in the kitchen and I was sitting on a stool while Yolie and Mimi argued about a fashion thing and Kari cooked dinner.

The guys had been gone all day - doing the manly bonding thing. I knew it was a good idea when Tai suggested it. Izzy had been so wrapped up with Gennai - trying to decipher the prophecy. And Tk, Joe, and Ken had been wrapped up, well, elsewhere. So it had left the other guys out.

It had also made it seem more awkward for Matt and I. It took the pressure off of us if they were gone for awhile. Dinner was almost done so I got out plates and set the table.

"The sun is setting - I hope the guys get back soon." I saw that the girls were preoccupied with their own conversations about the guys again. I rolled my eyes and went out on the veranda, and into the gardens, to watch the sun set. It was nice and peaceful out here and I loved to watch the sky - be it day or night.

I was lost in my thoughts not paying attention to anything when I heard footsteps behind me. I turned to see Matt standing there - just smiling at me. I smiled back and he said, "You always did love the sky. You could gaze at the sky for hours at a time. And you never looked more beautiful than you do now."

I blushed and looked down, "Matt..." He walked up to me and put a finger to my lips.

"Sora, I was sent to bring you in for dinner. But I wanted to talk to you first." I tried to say something again, but he continued on. "I realize that all of this pressure is getting to you. But don't let it. If you don't want to be with me then you don't have to. But let's at least be friends. I miss you."

I was in shock. I knew what everyone else had been saying - but this was different. This was him. Something inside of me started to crack and I couldn't look him in the eyes. So I leaned in and hugged him. I could tell he was surprised by the contact because he didn't do anything for a few seconds, but then he hugged me back. After a few minutes of being in his arms, I pulled away. Things needed to progress slowly - because I didn't want him thinking I was too needy.

I backed up and smiled at him and sat down on the bench overlooking the valley. He sat down beside me and I said, "So how is life treating you? I heard you were thinking of quitting the band. Is it not going well?"

I had wanted to ask him if he had really been at the airport that day so many years ago. Not that it could change the past- but I knew it would give me some closure.

"Well I think its high time I grew up. The band has given me enough money to live off of for a good amount of time in the future - but I have come to realize that stability and close friendships mean more than fame and fortune. Besides that was a teenage dream - much like a lot of things in my life - and its time to grow up."

I looked at him and wondered if he meant that last comment to apply to more than just his band. I wondered if that teenager dream also applied to me. I suddenly lost all hope in us ever having a relationship.

Everyone was wrong; he no longer loved me. He had moved on. My heart ached for something I thought I had gotten over long ago. I felt tears spring to my eyes. The tears that I had cried all those years ago came back. But I couldn't cry in front of him. He had always been the best at keeping everything bottled up inside- but I came in a close second.

"Sora..." His voice cut through my thoughts and I looked up at him trying to control the dampness in my eyes. "What's wrong Sora?" The he walked over to me and enveloped me in his arms.

That was what did it - I snapped. I laid my head against his chest and just cried. I couldn't help it. It was the prospect of losing him because he didn't care that broke my heart. I guess that I had always held some small hope that he could come back someday, that I hadn't realized. I was sure he thought I was an idiot but I didn't' care. I was in the arms of my Matt.

The man of my dreams and this would probably be the last time he ever held me like this.

Matt held onto Sora, his heart aching to kiss away her tears. He guessed that she just couldn't contain her feelings about this whole prophecy thing anymore. He sighed and held her tighter as she sobbed into his chest. Moving his hand up and down her back he whispered comforting things into her hair. He kept smelling the faint scent of rasberry in her hair and had to resist the urge to kiss her.

Oh, how he missed her...seeing her again had only compounded his love for her. When he had seen her standing on the veranda earlier, his heart had beaten rapidly. All day he had enjoyed himself with the guys, but his thoughts kept returning to a certain red-head back at Gennai's home. He had watched her every move the last couple of days. How she made everyone happy and tried her best to always have a smile. This had not changed in the time they had been apart.

And yet, she seemed much more cautious - like she wasn't quite willing to trust any of them yet. Matt knew why that was. It was because of him. She had given him her complete trust - time and time again - and he had failed her. Now she had changed. He felt terrible because he had taken her trust for granted. Now she hated him so much that she could no longer stand the prospect of even being with him. His heart shattered and he realized how much she really meant to him. She was the love of his life. And she would probably never want to be his again.

I stepped out of his arms knowing that he didn't love me anymore and looked up at him.

"Thanks Matt, that really helped me out a lot. I guess all of this prophecy stuff has really gotten to me..."

"Yeah, I think it's gotten to all of us, Sora." He said to me.

I smiled but really I wanted to just start crying again. 'Suck it up Sora,' I told myself, 'No one likes a cry baby.' I could tell he was about to say something but I knew I needed to be away from him just then.

"Matt I think I'm going in now. Weren't they waiting for us to eat?"

He grinned, "Oh yeah, they were... We can just go in together." I started to walk towards the house, looking at the ground. He fell into step beside me and I could tell he too was looking at the ground.

There was complete silence between us and I felt compelled to break it, "Matt...." I sighed and looked up at the sky searching for something to say.

But something caught my eye. Something wasn't right. The sky had never been that color before. It was as if it had caught on fire. I looked up at the house and I saw for the first time that the house itself had caught on fire. "Matt! It's burning!" We automatically took off running towards he house. The others were in there; we had to get to them.

"TK!" Matt was yelling frantically. We got inside the doors and saw Tai.

"There you are!" Tai yelled "Where are Gabumon and Tk?" Matt asked amid the blaze "And Biyomon?" I screamed

Agumon was with Tai. "Tk is with Kari. He has to protect her." He turned to Agumon, "Agumon - go get Biyomon and Gabumon and meet us out back." Then he turned back to us, yelling, "They were looking for you two."

He looked at Matt specifically and said, "We have to get Sora out of here. This is the evil. They are here to get the girls. It's time to protect them. The others are already out."

I looked at Tai as the house started to fall around us. "Where is Gennai? We have to find him."

"I haven't seen him, Sora, I'm sure he's already out."

I had a bad feeling about this, and I yelled, "But we have to check."

Matt looked at me, "Tai is right, we have to get out of here. Who knows when this place will collapse!"

But I wasn't listening. I took off trying to find him. I heard Tai and Matt yelling for me to stop as I ran, but I didn't care. I had to make sure Gennai was out. I ran, searching frantically in each blazing room. But, I couldn't find him.

Finally, I came to the last room, and tried the door, but it was locked. I started to turn back, but then I heard evil laughter on the other side of the door. I began pounding on it, desperately trying to get in, but it was to no avail. "GENNAI!" My voice was cracking due to the heat and I was beating my fists raw on the door.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, I heard someone yell, "SORA, MOVE!" I complied and moved as an ax was hurled at the door.

I looked up to see Matt holding the ax. "Matt!" He looked up at me once and took the ax and swung it at the door again. It finally broke through and I rushed into the room before Matt could stop me.

What I saw gave me chill bumps. There was a giant flamed man, completely on fire, almost like a Miremon, but worse. He was terrible looking. In his hand he held Gennai. My heart stopped as I saw that Gennai was badly burned, all over his body.

The flamed figure saw me and smiled an evil smile, "I guess you fail after all - old one - the child of love is here - for me to take."

"Over my dead body." Matt yelled stepping in front of me with the ax. My eyes were on the charred Gennai - I could tell he was in so much pain and my heart ached for him.

Something inside me started to swell and I felt a power begin to grow. "LET HIM GO!" I yelled and when I did I felt something else leave my body. A spark hit the burning one, shocking him.

He dropped Gennai and backed away, glaring at me. "So you do have some power? Well my dear, I will be back and when I do come back - I will destroy you." With that said, he disappeared.

Matt grabbed Gennai and all of a sudden I focused on meeting Tai and we were suddenly transported there. We didn't question what had happened because Matt took that moment to lay Gennai down on the ground. Tai and our digimon stood there looking at him in awe.

It was not a happy reunion. Gennai was struggling to breathe. "Sora..."He managed to get out.

The tears blurred my vision, "Don't try to talk Gennai."

"No Sora, you do not yet know your importance. Matt, Tai ... you must protect her. Sora, you must remember the love in your heart. Reunite with the others ... only then can you defeat them..."

"Who are they, these evil beings?"

"Find Izzy ... we figured it out."

His breath lessened "Gennai! Don't go."

The tears from my eyes dropped onto his charred body. He lifted a hand to my face. "Remember the love, and believe in yourself. Don't let this be in vain." His hand dropped and his eyes closed, forever.

He was gone.

I collapsed into Matt's arms, not noticing the tears in both his and Tai's eyes as well. I sobbed uncontrollably and felt worse and worse. The loss of Gennai tore at my soul and I was hysterical until finally, the blessed darkness overtook me.

A/N I hate when someone dies like that. But it had to be done. It's for the greater good. I hope that you liked this chapter. Please review!!!!