Anything For A Friend

By: The Smashfriends

Rika: …...I feel like killing someone, where's that rabbit!?!?!?

Logan: Uh....I thought you would be…well, glad to hear what goggles said….

Rika: ….Maybe I don't need the rabbit… (glares at Logan).

Logan: Cousin!!

Aerisakura: (still tied to a chair) sighs Fine, fine! Let's just begin already. Thanks to those who reviewed the last chapter. And thanks to Zero X Gundam for helping us out…

Logan: And being our beta-reader!! Oh, and we don't own Digimon.

Rika: This better be good or you two are dead!!

Chapter 9: Guilty Trip/Damn Guilt!!!

'I want to be loved

I just want to be loved by you'

            "I just want to be loved"—AM Radio.

It had been very difficult for Takato to say those words out loud and from all the reactions that Rika could have after hearing those words; he got the last one he had expected. He had almost feared that she was going to punch him, kick him and do many painful physical attacks, maybe even some verbal tirade that would wound him mentally and emotionally.

After rethinking the last minutes events he couldn't help but say "What the….what just happened here!?"

After he had said those very difficult words, all he got was silence; silence and a poker face. It was just after a few minutes that had felt like centuries to Takato, when Rika simply said "I gotta go" her voice now emotionless.

Takato blinked and mumbled a "W-W-Wait" and luckily, Rika stopped, she sighed deeply and turned to look at him, waiting for him to say something else but when he didn't say anything she decided to let him know what was on her mind.

"I think you have to make up your mind Takato. You went to me asking me to help you to get together with Jeri. Now she just told you how she feels and you say you think you love me. Takato, you have to know for sure what your feelings are, for me and for Jeri" with nothing else to say and Takato being too stunned to do or say anything, Rika left the room.

Takato was a little less confused about everything. 'Maybe I shouldn't have said the "I think" part' he thought, wondering what to do now.

Takato lied down on his bed, he decided that Rika believed he was confused and he was…but while he was talking to her and he had noticed her kind of sad attitude, his mind and heart cleared and he wasn't confused anymore, he knew what he felt…he was just scared of what her reaction could be. And now, he had to think about how to tell Jeri about this…and…he still didn't know if Rika felt the same way.

He turned around on his bed, he thought hard on what to say to Jeri. He sighed, he was so very tired. Today had been a very tiring day, and now all he wanted to do was to sleep and forget his worries even for just a couple of hours, tomorrow he would go back to those tiring thoughts and try to find a way to tell Jeri what he felt for Rika without hurting her. Trying hard to put his mind in blank, he closed his eyes trying to have some sleep, but sleep wouldn't come to him but guilt did, he had tried his best to win Jeri's heart and now that he got it, he realized he loved someone else. 'Henry was so right calling me slow and dense…though stronger words maybe needed….Hey!! Wait, that's it. I can talk to Henry and explain everything to him!! Yes that's it…no, on a second thought that's a very bad idea…he might get upset if he knows about Jeri….Aaaaaaarrrrrrrrrggggggghhhhhhh!!!!!' Takato screamed and scratched his head wildly. It was a so horrible day and it wasn't even over yet, poor Takato he had grown a terrible headache.

Rika left the bakery, her face was still blank, she walked briskly towards her house, once she got there she walked straight to her room closing the door behind her and just as she did that, she slide down to the floor and felt her face if not her whole body turn several shades of red and she cursed under her breath. She was just getting over the severe blush when her grandmother knocked at the door and said "Rika someone's here to see you"

'Now what' Rika sighed in annoyance and tried her best to go back to her stoic face 'Damn goggle-head making me go all soft!!' she stood up and opened the door just to see her grandmother and behind her was the last person Rika wanted/expected to see 'Damn!'

"Well, I let you two to chat!" Seiko said going back to the kitchen to finish dinner.

"Hi! I hope you don't mind too much that I came here" Jeri said while Rika let her inside the room, closing the door after Jeri.

While Rika turned around to face Jeri, she couldn't help but think 'Why would I mind, if you just confessed you feelings to a guy that just told me how he feels…or how he thinks he feels about me. No it doesn't upset me at all!! But that goggle-head is going to pay for it later!!'

"It's just that…well…I see you as my best friend, and I wanted to talk to you. You don't mind do you?" Jeri said as she sat next to the small table.

Rika almost winced at those words but she was able to stop herself from doing it, those words hit her hard after everything that had happened just minutes ago 'Yes, that goggle-head is going to pay for this!'

Rika sat across Jeri and tried her best to no give away her feelings and said "No, I don't…" she hesitated to continue since she could guess what Jeri wanted to tell her "So…about what do you want to talk to me?"

Jeri smiled while she said "I just told Takato how I feel about him!"

Rika was having a hard time controlling her emotions but she tried hard to act as if she didn't know and asked "And what did he say?" and at that Rika resisted the urge to roll her eyes, she really wasn't the kind of girl that had girly talks and such but what could she do?

"Well…he didn't say anything, he seemed kind of shocked and…I was very nervous and, well, I didn't really wait for him to say anything…now that I think about it, what if he doesn't feel the same?" Jeri said now her smile turning to a frown

Rika's feelings worsened 'Damned guilt!! What am I supposed to do now!? Damn goggle-head, you're so going to get it!!' she thought and almost clenched her fist at that, but she controlled herself, she really didn't know what to say, but luckily for her, her grandmother chose that moment to knock at the door to then open it.

"Dinner is ready. Would you like to stay with us Jeri?" Seiko said with a warm smile.

Rika almost sighed with relief; her grandmother was a life saver. Jeri gave a small smile at her but she politely rejected the offer, said her goodbyes and left very pensive. Rika just sighed after Jeri left and ignored the weird look her grandmother gave her and walked pass her towards the kitchen. Seiko just shook her head and followed her granddaughter.

              The Next Morning……

Takato groggily rubbed his eyes as the sunlight hit him in the face, he groaned in annoyance. He felt as if he had just closed his eyes to sleep; it had been a very long night in which he had very little sleep. And he got no conclusion on what to do next. He wasn't ready to go and see Jeri…and he doubted he could get the courage enough to do so, but Jeri deserved better, she deserved to know the truth so…he would have to find the guts to tell her. And as for Henry…that was another thing Takato couldn't solve.

Lifting his shirt to scratch his belly as he yawned, Takato decided to have breakfast, take a bath and then taking a walk, a very long walk towards Henry's home and tell him everything. And so, he stood up and went to do as he planned, hoping for this day to be less tiring than yesterday and scratched himself one more time.

Henry had a night as bad as the one Takato had. But when he got to sleep, he couldn't see anything else but what he had seen yesterday at the Matsuki's Bakery and the talk he had with Jeri afterwards….

Walking lost in thought, trying as hard as he could to forget what he had just seen at Takato's House, Henry slowed down his pace. He walked so very slow, trying hard to ignore the ache in his heart. He knew Takato had feelings for both, Rika and Jeri, and as much as he wanted to believe that Takato loved Rika and had just a crush on Jeri or mistook whatever he felt for Jeri for Love, he still wasn't certain that those where the real facts. Though he had told Takato what he believed, he wasn't certain that Takato would be sure of his feelings and knowing him, Takato would be unable to reject Jeri.

Sighing deeply as if tying to push away all those fears and unpleasant feelings, Henry closed his eyes and stopped his slow walk. He was like that a few minutes and his little exercise was not working at all and it was all worse when a hand resting on his shoulder startled him. He turned around to look at whoever had interrupted his thoughts and he couldn't believe his luck as Jeri stood right in front of him.

"Henry, are you alright?" Jeri asked with worry on her face.

"Ahhh…mmhmmmh…uhh…I…" Henry babbled and cursed on his mind 'Damn it Henry!! Get a hold of yourself; the one who babble is Takato, not you!'

Trying hard to control the full body blush that Henry felt was about to suffer, he limited himself to nod, and his task only got harder as Jeri smiled at him.

"So what are you doing here?" Jeri asked trying to start some sort of conversation with the very nervous boy standing before her.

"Taking a walk. You?" Henry said, failing to control his blush now. 'Great, this is just great Henry. Try to get a hold of yourself, this isn't like you!!'

Jeri smiled and then told Henry what had her so happy. Henry gave her a sad smile while he wondered why couldn't Jeri felt that way about him, but instead he just asked "And what did he said?"

"Well….he didn't say anything, it's just that I felt content with just telling him that I didn't wait for him to answer…and I didn't noticed until Rika asked me the very same question you did" Jeri said now feeling embarrassed.

Henry said nothing at that and remained silent for a long time wondering what happened at Rika's house, things only got more complicated for everyone he guessed. The uncomfortable silence they were in was broke when Jeri said "I have to go home. It's getting late, see you later Henry"

Henry just nodded to her and started his slow walk home, but not before asking what his heart yelled him to "Jeri, are you sure of what you feel? Because sometimes, deep feelings of friendship are mistaken by love"

He hadn't stopped walking. He didn't want to hear her reply. He feared what her reply could be. He just wanted to go home and lay down on his bed and rest, maybe try to forget the still present ache on his heart. Maybe...everything would be better in the morning.

'But things are not better now' Henry thought sadly, he hadn't noticed his faithful friend-Terriermon standing on the door, looking at him with worry, for the first time in ages, the little dog/rabbit Digimon didn't felt like annoying his tamer with some joke…but it didn't last long his period of seriousness.

The little pain in the…The small dog/bunny Digimon jumped on his tamer belly and yelled more than singed "Henry and Jeri, sitting under a three…"

And that's all he got to sing as his tamer woke from whatever trance he was in and all you could hear out of the apartment was a furious yell followed by a "TERRIERMON!!!" and giggles/guffaws that moved from one place to another. Henry finally had other more sinister and sadistic thought towards a specific Digimon instead of the troubled thoughts that had tormented him just moments ago.

'Mission Accomplished' Terriermon thought as he ran all around the apartment followed by his furious tamer.

Jeri was outside on the roof near her window, looking at nowhere in special. She was more like lost in though as the words that Henry had told her the night before bothered her yet again. She had spent most of the night thinking what Henry meant by that. Too many questions unanswered tormented her mind and heart.

She had decided to go and talk with Takato again, she was debating with herself if she should go and talk with Takato, waiting for an answer this time or…just stay where she was and think some more about what Henry had said. She sighed choosing the second option as the best thing to do for now.

Rika hadn't a good morning either, she had little sleep, feeling guilty was starting to be the feeling she hated the most. She was feeling like beating up someone and she had to get out of her house since her mom was making so many annoying questions and was worsening her bad mood.

She cracked her knuckles and got out of her room, hoping her walk could calm her down…and she may pay a visit at someone who she could beat up. She smirked already picturing herself smacking, punching and kicking the first person that annoys her and that be so unfortunate to cross her way.

Renamon just shook her head and decided to follow her tamer and find out what was going on, she had spend to much time with the dinosaur like Digimon…doing some sort of baby-sitting since she wanted to leave her tamer and Guilmon's tamer alone. She had the hope they would get together and with the little dinosaur there, it would be a very difficult task…since he was always asking things that could end in Rika just beating the living days out of Takato, and that would be no good, Rika would be left a widow before even getting married. Renamon smirked to herself and hide on the shadows and rooftops as she ran after a pissed off Rika.

Hours later, Takato had finally gotten out of his house and now had his mind set on talking to Henry first. He wasn't ready to deal with Jeri just yet, maybe after talking with Henry. He wasn't sure of what to do but he thought hard about what was the best thing to do. To wait or not to wait? That was his dilemma, if he waited Jeri might get the wrong idea, and Rika…he was even more confused about what to do with Rika.

He scratched his head wildly in exasperation and when he stopped to take deep breaths he decided to first go and talk to Henry and then he would see what to do from there. Nodding in approval to his plan, he set his way towards Henry's apartment.

It didn't take him long to get there and when he did a very tired Henry and a snickering Terriermon got him at the door. Takato smiled nervously and Henry just moved out of the way as an indication for Takato to get in, and he closed the door after Takato was inside the apartment.

"Ummm….uhh…Henry….I…umm…have to talk to you" Takato said resisting the urge to scratch the back of his head.

"Okay Takato. Let's go to my room" Henry said and lead Takato to his room but before Terriermon could get inside the room, Henry yelled "Suzie!! Terriermon wants to play Princess Pretty Pants!!!"

Terriermon's eyes widened and he was to shocked to said anything as a small hands took him away, he felt like screaming but it was to late, he was already in the most horrible place a Digimon like him could be…he was in Suzie's room, where poor Lopmon had already suffered the famous "Pwincess Pwetty Pants" treatment. It was just after Suzie closed the door that Terriermon let out a yell full of horror.

Just after hearing Terriermon's horror filled scream, did Henry closed the door to his room and turned to look at Takato. Takato just sweat dropped at the satisfied look on Henry's face.

"Well…what did you want to talk to me about?" Henry said and took a seat on his bed and motioned Takato to sit on the empty chair on his desk.

"Well….yesterday, a few hours after we talked…Jeri went to my house and…" Takato trailed down trying to pick his words wisely.

"I know…I saw her last night and she told me" Henry said with a serious tone, he didn't meant it but he couldn't help it.

"Well…the thing is…that…after that, I talked to Rika and…you're right…" Takato said gulping waiting to see Henry's reaction before continuing.

"Right about what?" Henry said; hope starting to fill his heart again.

"Well…you know…about me and Rika…I…I have stronger feelings for her than for Jeri. I…told Rika that, but…well…I kind of said: 'I think I love you' and she misunderstand, she thought I was still confused and…didn't told me how she feels and she won't until I tell her that I'm very sure of what I told her.." Takato finished scratching his head in confusion.

'It must have been difficult for Rika to do that…and then to have to talk to Jeri about her confession...maybe the only one that will be hurt by all this will be Jeri…unless…' Henry lost track of that thought as Takato waved his hand in front of his face and called his name.

"Sorry, I got lost in thought. So…what are you going to do now?" Henry said; giving his full attention to Takato.

"Well…I…don't really know…but I think…that maybe…I should talk to Jeri first" Takato said.

And at the moment Takato finished saying that, the door opened. Henry's eyes widened almost in fear, in Takato's opinion and he turned around just to see Rika cracking her knuckles, and he gulped.

"I knew you would be here. Goggles you have a lot to pay for!! And you too brainiac!!" Rika said walking inside the room and closing the door behind her…it was Takato's and Henry's turn to scream in horror.

End Chapter 9.

Rika: Finally, I get to kick someone's…

Logan: Glad is not me!

Rika: Could be.

Logan:……

Aerisakura: Alright…Logan, for your own good; stay quiet.

Rika: (smirks).

Logan: ….damn bunny…choosing to be "Pwincess Pwetty Pants" before being Rika's punching bag….

Aerisakura: If you could, you would do the same.

Logan: That's…true…but the D.I.Q. hold us here as hostages…SOMEONE HELP US!! SHE IS CRAZY!!!! AND SHE'S A SADISTIC….

Rika: SHUT UP!! (starts beating poor Logan)

Aerisakura: (winces as cousin is kicked in a very painful place…and as the beating continues after he falls to the floor) Well…hope you liked the chapter. Sorry for taking so long. My cousin convinced me to tell you a little about what I have...and well, here it goes.

Around 8 or 9 years ago I was told I had this disease (which affects bones especially vertebral column, heart and nerves by making small tumors like things appearing in them) and it doesn't have a cure. I hoped that with the time, they could find one and just a few moths ago I was told, that I should stop hoping. The only thing I should hope for is for this to not get worse and for them to find a better way of handling "the bothers and pains". I'm quoting my mother's exact words when I say, and forgive for the word, but "I'm fucked up for life". So all this is just sinking in, I was dealing with the other "bothers" they told me I will have and now, this is just sinking in...

Anyway….We're writing some more fics, but since it takes us years to post new chapters, we decided that from those new fics, we won't post them until we finish them, so you don't have to wait so long.

Right now we concentrating, as we said before, on finishing this fic. And I'm trying to finish a fic for Shaman King. I have already 2 chapters starting with the 3rd one, I don't know how long will it be. We started writing the following chapter of: "The Day That My Life Changed" and of course "Not a Simply Kind Of life" we don't have much of that one yet, but we are working on it, since for that one I'm in a kind of writer's block and my cousin keep saying: "Kill everyone!!", that wouldn't be good, don't you think?

Now, after a lot of my babblings, we go to give the special thanks to those who reviewed:

DigiDestined of Courage: Well, BlackTerriermon, Rika didn't told Takato what she feels, maybe she was just nervous whispers or scared to do so. And…it doesn't look like she is going to at the end of this chapter. DC is right; it won't be easy for Rika to say it back. Henry is sad but starting to get better seeing what little old Takato just told him. He still has hope. Glad you liked the chapter, thanks for the comments and we'll try to momentai.

AnT: You're right about that one. It's best to expect the unexpected…thought, as you say, you still get some surprises. And yeah, poor Takato, two girls like him, though he only knows of one. He confesses but doesn't get an answer and now is about to be beaten up, maybe? It is a Rukato and we know the end, but would you like to have a Ryuki fan or a Henry/Rika fan reading this and giving their thought about how much they despise this couple? We don't so…sorry if we ruin it for you. Thanks for reviewing, and you two are funny, XD.

Thalian: Thanks for your kind comments. Now, we are not sure if the next one will be the last one, we had planned to make this the last chapter, but at the end we decided to leave you all in suspense and finish in the next one(s). The next chapter for "Not A Simple Kind Of Life" will be out not soon enough but we'll try.

Trickster: XDD, well thanks for reviewing anyway. Keep reading.

ZeroXGundam: Thanks a lot for your help, we really appreciate it. We had to leave it there as a cliffhanger XDD but we finally finished this chapter. But, you already saw what us so occupied….that and that we got other things to worry about. Thanks a lot for your comments and hope you liked this chapter as well. And about that preview, yes, that is one creepy girl, is Rika's sister after all, if she doesn't have a creepy behavior at least will have a creepy look XDD.  Yes, it will be a Rukato. And thanks again for the help.

Hill kid:  Thanks a lot for your comments. Good to know it was a good cliffhanger. We try to leave them like that but not always is a good cliffhanger. And we'll try to finish those fics soon, but not so soon. Keep reading.

Newbi: XD Thanks, and we'll do what we can. Thanks for reviewing and we hope you liked this chapter too and that you don't forget to review. And congratulation, you (if the count is right) are the 50th reviewer of this fic (though…weird thing, the count of reviews says: 54 but we only have 50…)

Logan: (about to fall unconscious) 50!! Don't think we ever had so many reviews in one fic or that we would get so many on this one!! (fall unconscious).

Aerisakura: And he says the pessimistic is me. Anyway, that was all. Thanks to all of you who read this fic, but especially to those who bothered to review.

Rika: (still cracking her knuckles but a little more clam now). Don't forget to review. And let's hope that these two continue soon with this, or they will continue to pay the consequences.