Disclaimer: I don't own digimon.
Chapter Six: I've Been Here Before, Part 2
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"Sora, come on, let's go! Mimi urged Sora as she went down the stairs to the front door.
"Meems, are you absolutely sure you want to do this? I mean…I'd totally understand if you just wanted to stay home. We could rent a few movies and have a girls night in," Sora suggested. Mimi smiled appreciatively, but shook her head.
"No, I want to go." Sora nodded, and followed her down the stairs.
"Okay, if that's what you want." Mimi nodded, and slipped on her jacket. "We're going now, mom!"
"Bye! Not too late," her mom yelled back, just like she had done before.
"Okay. Bye!"
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Sora and Mimi walked into the house, and looked around. Mimi stopped, searching for Matt and Tai, but Sora just kept walking. She knew exactly where to go, since she had been through this before. Even though it had happened several years ago, Sora was impressed at how detailed her memory was. She could even remember what Mat and Tai were wearing…maybe when she went back in time, her memory improved, in order for her to do her job better.
"Where are you going?" Mimi yelled over the music.
"To talk to Matt and Tai. Aren't you coming?" Sora asked. Mimi nodded, and followed her. They weaved in and out, avoiding people. They walked through two rooms before Sora came to rest directly in front of the two boys.
"Sora? What's going on with you today?" Mimi asked, amazed. She couldn't figure out what was going on with her best friend. She seemed to know what was happening before it actually happened. While it sure came in handy, it was starting to creep her out.
"I…I just figured that Tai would be near the food," Sora lied. She didn't want to tell Mimi the truth. Not only would her friend not believe her, but it might inadvertently affect the future.
'Just remember: With happiness, comes sacrifice. With actions come consequences. With change, comes responsibility.'
The psychic's words had echoed in her head all day long, and Sora had definitely taken them to heart. She knew that the slightest mistake might change everything in her future life, and she didn't want that…right?
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Sora and Tai sat in the corner of the living room, on the couch. Matt and Mimi had wandered off, talking to various friends. They were laughing and joking about different things, all in all having a great time together. Sora smiled. She had forgotten how fun he was, and how much she loved to be around him. Although, technically, eighteen-year-old Sora had seen him the day before, it had actually been fifteen years since they talked. She had missed him so much it hurt. Sora began feeling a little strange. She scolded herself for drinking so much punch, remembering it had been spiked.
"Sora? I need to tell you something," Tai said. He sounded nervous. Maybe this is what he wanted to tell me at lunch this afternoon, Sora thought.
"Okay. What is it, Tai?" She looked into his chocolate eyes, and melted. What am I doing? I love Matt! I'm married to Matt, and we have a family. I'm happy. But that wasn't true. Eighteen year old Sora wasn't married, or in love with, anyone. Not yet, anyway.
"I…um…Lately, I've kind of had…" he trailed off. Sora raised an eyebrow, and urged him to keep going. Not once did they break eye contact. "I've had feelings for you," he whispered. She just stared at him, not knowing what to do. The way she saw it, she had two options:
Option one: She could shoot him down, and eventually have her family with Matt. Her life would be exactly the same, just the way she liked it. She was happy that way…wasn't she?
Option two: She could return his feelings, which she did, and they would be together. But, was she willing to give up her life just because she thought that she might, maybe, somehow, love Tai?
"Oh," she said finally. She hadn't meant to stay silent so long…she had probably hurt Tai's feelings now.
"It's okay that you don't feel the same way. I just…I just thought you should know." He got up from the couch, about to walk away, when she stopped him.
"Tai, wait. I…" she didn't know what to say. She was still going back and forth on her feelings. "I have feelings for you, too," she said silently. She did have feelings, and she couldn't ignore them. The next thing she knew, Tai was kissing her, and she found herself kissing him back. Every thought of her life with Matt was completely out of her mind. All she could think about was Tai, and the moment. She snapped out of it, remembering her husband and family, but didn't stop kissing him. Her vision was cloudy and she couldn't think straight…probably from the punch. It's okay; one little kiss won't change anything, will it? She thought.
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Sora went to bed that night incredibly tired and confused. She had kissed Tai…what did that mean? Probably nothing, she told herself. She felt a pang of sadness when she realized her life would be back to normal when she woke up.
She lay in bed, running all the different scenarios through her head. None of them were possible. She and Mimi wouldn't stay close because Mimi still had feelings for Matt, and that was eventually the reason they had drifted apart in the first place. She wouldn't stay in touch with Tai because things were definitely awkward between them, since she was going to wind up with Matt, not him.
She wouldn't be married to Tai, because…it just wouldn't work out that way, would it? No, it couldn't happen that way. One little kiss wouldn't change anything. Although, one little kiss with Matt sure had made an impact on her life.
She started to get worried, thinking that maybe when she woke up, her life would be gone. But would that be so bad? She asked herself. I mean, the reason I went to the psychic's in the first place was because I had questions about Tai. Maybe the reason I came back here was to fix what happened between the two of us… she shook her head, reminding herself the real reason she had come back: Mimi.
She took comfort in knowing that she had done one good thing that day: She saved Mimi. Since she never had an abusive relationship with Paul, there was no doubt in Sora's mind whether or not Mimi would be in another one. If she was, she knew Mimi would be strong enough to get out, just like she had done with Paul. She smiled, realizing her friend's life was all that mattered. So what if she never spoke to Mimi again? As long as her friend was alive, safe, and happy, what else mattered? Yeah, Mimi was safe, and her task was done.
Sora drifted off to sleep; praying when she woke up she'd be home. She didn't know what home she truly wanted, but she knew that wherever she would be, she'd be happy.
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"Sora…Sora…" she could hear a voice calling. This time, she knew whose it was.
"Mimi? Where are you, Mimi?" Mimi's figure appeared before her. The dream was exactly like it had been the night before.
"I'm right here. Thank you, Sora. You did it: You saved me." Sora smiled. She was relieved she had done a good job.
"I'm glad that I could help you, Mimi. But, if you don't mind me asking, where will I be when I wake up? I'll get my old life back, right?" Sora began to get very worried, as the expression on Mimi's face suddenly got very serious.
"I'm afraid I cannot answer that. Not enough has taken place for you to return home, Sora. You haven't completed your task yet. You haven't fulfilled your destiny."
"What are you talking about? I haven't completed my task? You're safe, aren't you? Why else am I here, Mimi? Why else am I here!" Sora screamed at Mimi's figure, getting more confused every second.
"You came back here for many reasons, Sora. Helping me one only one," Mimi explained.
"What are the other ones, then? Tell me, so I can go home! I just want to go home…" she said, tears running down her cheeks.
"I'm sorry, but you don't have a home." Sora's eyes widened, not sure what that meant. "You're choice hasn't been made, you're future is still undecided."
"What? Mimi, you aren't making any sense!" Mimi nodded understandingly, and began to explain.
"What happened before you returned to your childhood?" Mimi asked.
"I found out that you had died," Sora said. Mimi shook her head.
"No, before that. Where did you go?"
"I went to visit a psychic. What does any of this have to do with my future?" Sora asked, not getting the point.
"You went to the psychic because you wanted answers. More specifically, you wanted her to tell you whether or not you made the right choice," Mimi said. Sora nodded: That was why she was there. "You wanted to know if you had made a mistake, marrying Matt. Isn't that right, Sora?"
"Yeah, it is. I wanted to know if I would have been better off with Tai."
"Well, what do you think?"
"I…I don't know." That was the truth, Sora didn't know. "Sometimes, I think about my life and I think 'I'm happy, I'm fine the way things are', you know? But sometimes, I think about all the things that could have been…and I hate that. I want to know that I made the right choice; that I'm supposed to be with Matt. But, I don't think I am! It's like, you always have something that you think: 'what if…' but I don't have that. I know what my life would be like if I was with Tai. I think…I think I would be happier."
"Is that your wish?" Mimi asked. Sora froze. Wish? What does she mean 'wish'? Sora wondered. Does that mean if I say yes, I'll be with Tai when I wake up? I want that…right? But what about my life…do I really want to give it up?
"I…I don't know, Mimi. I just don't know."
"Very well. Sora, you have done me a great favour, and because of that, I will return it. Your soul was conflicted, undecided as to where your heart lies. Before you can return home, you need to be sure that place is truly your home. You will have one last chance to complete your task, and decide your future. Goodbye, Sora," Mimi said as her figure disappeared in to the distance.
"Wait! What do you mean 'one more chance'? One more chance at what! What's going to happen to me, Mimi?" Sora screamed. But it was no use: Just like the previous dream, Mimi was already gone.
"When you wake up…all will be clear, Sora," Mimi whispered. And just like that, Sora was woken up.
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Sorry if this was kind of hard to follow, but it was originally longer and I had to make it a bit shorter.