Well here's the third chapter. I'm losing a lot of readers already…am I that bad? I have quite a busy schedule even though it is summer vacation already and I thank all my faithful readers. Also, I am sorry that I cannot make Seiko not die because I already planned out the whole thing and it just fits with the story. Real sorry. I don't have much time to update also since a lot of people are here (mainly cousins) and we each have our own times in the computer. I also have websites to attend to and I can't believe I just made a new fic out of boredom. Anyway, I'll start now…

Disclaimer: I said it once and I'll say it again…I do not own Digimon

What are friends for? : Chapter three: A deeper state of depression

Ryo decided to keep silent, afraid to worsen the situation. Then, just when things were getting normal, a car stopped in front of them…Ryo's car. His [Ryo] dad shouted from the window. "I've been looking for you two all afternoon! Hurry and get inside the car! Rumiko just called and said that Ruki's grandmother is about to die! The two of you have been given permission to go to the hospital!"

Ruki was shocked and she froze. Ryo sensed her action and just shoved her into the car, making sure not to hurt her. He climbed in the back with her and they sped off to the direction of the hospital.

Ruki was already at the other end of the car, staring blindly into space. Through the mirror Ryo could see horror in her eyes. She was nervous and she needed comfort. He wished to put his arms around her, protect her and comfort her but of course that was dangerous even in her present state. He dared not say anything to. To Ruki, he didn't always say the right things at the right time. They just stayed silent the whole trip, neither of the three had any energy to speak, let alone move (Ryo's dad still drove, of course).

The trip seemed to take eternity. Everything was a blur in Ruki's eyes. It seemed to happen so fast. First she was in school. Then Ryo comes and picks her up. They go on insulting each other then they get home. Then Ruki finds her grandma sprawled on the floor, vomiting off blood. Now she's about to die. That was how life goes on…sometimes it goes up, mostly it goes down…

She snapped out of her thoughts as she felt Ryo gently shaking her. She had fallen asleep, head leaning on the car window and Ryo was waking her up. They had reached the place of doom. The hospital. The place that held many deathbeds. The place that had her beloved grandma held captive…

"Let's go, Ruki…" Ryo was now trying, again, to gently push her out the door. She was unconscious and they both knew it. They quietly followed Ryo's dad into the hospital, into the elevator and to the 7th floor, room no. 358. Ruki stared at the number for a long period of time, sorrow and horror steadily seeping into her body. She felt the chill of death and sickness. Her hair at her back stood up. She shivered, not with coldness but with fear.

Mr. Akiyama now opened the door. He looked like the grim reaper to Ruki, opening the door into the world of the dead, but was really only the hospital door with the number 358. The trio slowly walked into the room. Rumiko was kneeling by the bedside and crying. Seiko had a face mask on and was breathing steadily. Her clothes were covered with thick blood and the smell of medicine drowned them. A sense of fear overcame the girl as she approached her grandma. Ryo and his dad remained at the back, respecting the family's privacy but also offering sympathy.

"Grandma…I'm sorry I'm late. Please…don't leave me…"

"Ruki dear…granddaughter…let me tell you something. Life on earth is limited, but life in eternity is eternal. There are only two places to go, only two choices…heaven, or hell…"

"Grandma…I'm sure you'll go to Heaven!"

"Ruki, you must be 100% pure and good to go to Heaven. Even if your 99.9% good, you may still not enter Heaven." Ruki was filled with doubt and fear. Butterflies suddenly played tag in her stomach.

"But…grandma, how do you go to Heaven?"

"You must believe, Ruki, believe…" Seiko started choking.

"GRANDMA!"

"MOTHER!"

"Daughter, granddaughter…My tie has come…I love you both very much…"

"Grandma…I love you too…I always have"

"Mother I…Love you…I will fulfill as you told me…" With that Seiko's lifeline went blank. Her last breath was breathed and her last words said. She died in peace, leaving her daughter and granddaughter shedding all the tears they had. Ryo and his dad bowed down to pay respects and stayed to give comfort to the two. It was a horrible sight. Ruki had her head buried by Seiko's side. Rumiko had her head in her arms. Soon doctors arrived, paid their respects and helped carry Seiko's lifeless body to the nearest funeral parlor. Ruki didn't talk to anyone else that day except to Ryo and his dad. She and Rumiko had just thanked them.

That night Ryo signed in to chat with the others. He found everyone, except Ruki there.

LeGeNdArY has just signed in.

LeGeNdArY: Hey guys…who's on?

GoggleHead: Me! Takato!

Mr. Arf Arf: Juri here…ARF!

Hero! Kazu: DA MAN! Hirokazu

Four-eyed freak: Kenta

MA master: you forgot me, Jenrya!

LeGeNdArY: What does MA stand for?

MA master: Martial Arts…Hey where's Ruki?

LeGeNdArY: I don't think I should tell you.

Hero! Kazu: aw c'mon Ryo.

LeGeNdArY: Fine…her grandma passed away just awhile ago but DON'T MENTION A THING TO HER!

Mr. Arf Arf: WHAT?! That is sooooo sad!! Poor Ruki…

MA master: Wait, you were with her?

LeGeNdArY: Yeah…My schools near so I decided to walk her home since…never mind I said too much already.

Four-eyed freak: C'mon Ryo…

Mr. Arf Arf: Ryo don't say anything. I know exactly how Ruki feels. Don't tell anyone about it.

LeGeNdArY: I know. Hey I gotta go.

LeGeNdArY has signed out.

GoggleHead: Poor Ruki…wonder if we're invited to the funeral.

Mr Arf Arf: That is so rude Takato!

GoggleHead: Sorry!

MA master: Whoops Suzie flushed her toy in the toilet again… gotta go get it…bye

MA master has signed out.

Hero! Kazu: I gotta go to.

Hero! Kazu has signet out.

Four-eyed freak has signed out.

GoggleHead has signed out.

Mr. Arf Arf has singed out.

~Makino Residence~

Ruki lay awake in her bed, unable to sleep, staring at the ceiling. The day's events repeated in her mind like a tidal wave. The pain…the horror…the sorrow…Once again she felt a loss…a loss of another great person in her life. This was the third time she felt it. Once when she was very young…Dad…Another just a few months ago…Renamon…and now…She dared not think about it. Unconsciously, tears started streaming down her cheeks. These tears made it even harder to sleep. She only managed by burrowing her head under her pillow and sobbing. The day after tomorrow was the burial. Tomorrow Ryo and his dad would come visit and offer their sympathy. Seiko was in the room. She was laid in her coffin. Her face, filled with love and concern, played over and over in Ruki's mind, piercing hr heart with that all-too familiar sense of loss.

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Hey sorry if it was short. If I added parts of the plot it wouldn't be a cliffhanger much. Their will be 3 main events in the fourth chapter that will be important. Read and review please! I think people are losing interest…should I give up? Nah…