Chapter Two: How You Remind Me

DISCLAIMER: Digimon is owned by Toei and Bandai, and whoever else owns it at this point. Silver Side Up and all song titles are property of Nickelback. Nickelback is property of Roadrunner Records. Raineer Ale is a property of...the Raineer brewing company or whoever makes it.

Taichi "Tai" Kamiya was spread out on his bed, lost in thought. His apartment was dark and cool. Clothes littered the ground, pizza boxes sat on the coffee table, and dirty dishes where still waiting to be washed in the sink. It was a mess, because he just didn't care anymore.

It had been 5 years since it happened. He had been rooming with Sora, which kept things clean. He had kept things clean for about a month after it happened, but then simply stopped caring.

After it happened, he quit his job (I still hate the Toei jobs) and now worked as a PE teacher for the high school. It suited his style more. So did his hair. He had grown it out, but it was no longer bushy and wild. Instead, his chocolate locks were tied back in a loose ponytail. Hikari said it made him look cooler. And, being his little sister, she probably wasn't lying.

"Five years," he muttered.

His voice had lost its life and enthusiasm. It was dull and cool, like the air and like his life.

"Why did I have to be so fucking stupid?" Tai wondered aloud. "Why did I have to say it? Shit, I need a beer."

He swung his tanned legs over the edge of the bed and walked across the dusty floor into the kitchen. Inside it was a sink, an oven, a microwave, some silverware, and a refrigerator. Inside the fridge, was beer. Tai pulled out the can of Raineer Ale.

"Green Death," Tai chuckled, as the tab popped loudly.

The sound resonated in the otherwise empty apartment. The alcohol tasted good on Tai's tongue, if a little harsh, and it rapidly began to dull the pain brought on by his thoughts.

"We having fun yet, Tai me boy?" Tai said in his best Irish accent, which was slightly better than abysmal. "I suppose, laddy, that it's been a lot less fun since that foine, foine lass left, eh? Luck o' the Irish t'ain't with ye, eh Sonny Jim?"

Tai's voice had taken on a decidedly bitter edge. He had been a very happy drinker until it happened, and had since become a mean drunk.

"Guess I shouldn't've offered you my heart," Tai grumbled. "Seems it was worth more than your butterfingers. Dropped and smashed, shattered on the floor. Broken into tiny pieces. Broken heart, gigantic mouth. Empty apartment, empty shell. Look ma, I'm a teenage poet. Angst, angst, angst. That's all I got going for me these days. I should do open-fucking-mike!"

With a fierce grunt, Tai hurled the beer can at the wall. It struck loudly, and fell to the ground with the clank of metal on linoleum. Ale spilled out onto the floor, fizzing a little.

"Must a' killed ya, living here, eh, Sora?" Tai yelled. "Must a' been killing ya putting up with me, eh? That why ya left? Or was it dear sweet Matty-chan? I hope he fucking flies into the fucking sun!"

Now he was ranting, raving, and rolling. His anger was rising, at a rate not seen since the adventures in the Digital World.

"And why would you fucking invite me to the goddamn wedding?" Tai snarled. "Are you that fucking sadistic Yamato? Do you hate me that goddamn much? Or was it you, Sora? Where you the one who wanted to invite me? Why? FUCKING WHY!?"

The former leader of the Chosen Children fell to his knees. Tears leaked from his dark brown eyes.

"Why would you do that?" he sobbed. "Why would you hurt me like that? I...told you. I told you...I love you. And you invite me to your wedding to my best friend? I loved you...I still love you...and it still hurts..."

Tai's tears flowed freely as he reached into the breast pocket of his t-shirt. He pulled out a crumpled picture of a much younger Sora. They were both in their soccer uniforms, and she was hanging on him from behind. Almost a piggy-back ride.

"Every day you remind me of what I was once," he murmured. "I want to be strong, I want to be brave, I want to feel loved and wanted. But...with you gone...I'm not. I'm weak and afraid and alone..."

A loud knocking suddenly rang out. It was urgent, but Tai was done caring about anything.

"Go away!" he croaked.

"Tai...it's me," said a choked voice.

And it struck Tai immediately who it was. Though it had been five long years, and though her voice was dull and sad, it was still Sora. Sora was knocking at his door.

Funny, he thought. Isn't the song, "knock, knock, knocking on heaven's door?" Not "heaven's knock, knock, knocking on my door."

He laughed a little, and it wasn't too bitter, so he figured he might as well see what she wanted. He unlatched the door, and swung it wide open. As soon as he did, a sobbing, huddled mass struck him in the chest. Hot tears leaked out against his shirt, and weak hands gripped at his back.

"So...Sora?" Tai stammered.

"H-Help me..." Sora sobbed. "I d-don't d-d-deserve it, b-but p-please, help m-me."

Without even seeing her face, Tai could sense that she had been broken. And without asking why or how, he knew it was Yamato.

And though he never wanted to let her stop hugging him, and wanted nothing more than to comfort her, he pushed her away a little. With one calloused finger, he titled up her head to look at her face.

Bruised. Shit, the bastard beats her.

"Sora...I..."

"P-Please, we don't n-need to talk," she said softly. "I just need...need to get away...to be with someone who doesn't hurt me..."

At least she can admit it. Unlike so many others, she can admit that he's scum who hurts her.

"Sora, I...I don't know what to..."

"I'm s-so s-sorry Taichi!" she sobbed. Again, she buried her face in his chest. "I'm so s-sorry I h-hurt you-u. I d-don't d-des-serve s- someone l-l-like y-you. You l-l-loved m-me and I c-cast-t you a-a-away b- because I t-t-t-thought I l-loved Y-Yamato, and that he loved me."

"And you don't?" Tai asked, not daring to let himself sound hopeful.

"H-How can I l-love him when he b-beats me?" she choked. "How can I l-love him when he h-hurts me and...and m-makes m-me...makes me...l-love h-h- him."

No, not love. Fuck. He rapes you. Dear sweat Christ the fucker rapes you.

"I w-was wrong...s-s-so wr-wrong. I-I-I'm s-so sorry."

"No, no," Tai soothed. "You...you just made a mistake. Yamato was wrong for you, but he made himself seem right. And I didn't seem right."

"N-n-no, n-n-no you did-didn't," Sora sobbed. "T-t-that's what's s-s- so bad about it. Y-You seemed right, and I still p-picked h-hi-him."

She did love me? No. I just didn't seem wrong. I was a possibility, but she still chose that bastard.

"Just hold me, Tai," Sora pleaded. "I want to be with someone strong and warm. Someone to keep me safe."

"You trust me?"

"How could I not? Y-You're the o-one I r-r-really love..."

Without warning, her lips reached up and touched his. She was tentative, gentle, and submissive. It was like a soft breeze, and then it was gone, a brush. Not even a kiss.

"You love me?" Tai asked, stunned more by the words than the kiss.

"I...I think so. I mean...I'm not certain of anything anymore...but I think so."

"You trust me?"

"With my life."

And again they kissed. But this time, Tai didn't let her get away. She was stronger, and he was there with her. Their lips pushed against one another.

The former leader, holder of Courage, the one who all looked to for strength, was himself again. Fear and weakness, gone. All was the all- consuming love that gave him the courage to do what he did.

He picked her up in his arms. She was light, and he was strong. He carried her to his bed, and stripped off her raincoat. She was wearing just a light, faded blue dress. It was damp, and clung to her lithe form.

Beauty...

Without thinking, the two joined together as one. A being of love and courage.

And Tai at last knew who he was. And so did Sora. They remembered their true selves. And it was found in love, and the courage to do what was truly right.

A/N: There, do Sora fans hate me less now? Yes, it's a Taiora. What the hell do you expect from me?

And that's the closest thing to a lemon you're getting, too. I will ignore any and all requests for sex. Besides, I'm 14, so I don't know how well I could right a lemon. Anyway, it was kind of sweet at the end.

This is still going to be dark, and more characters will emerge. I know Mimi's popping up, probably Jyou (Joe) and Koushiro (Izzy) too. Maybe even Hikari (Kari) and Takeru (TK). Though, don't count on Daisuke (Davis), Ken, Miyako (Yolei), or Iori (Cody).

Oh, for those that don't know, Sora means Heaven or Sky in Japanese

See you next time for, "Woke Up This Morning."