Hah-HA! Bet you weren't expecting me to update so soon, were you? A big thanks to Vigatus, who gave me the idea for this chapter.

"Are you sure you'll be okay?"

"Tai, I'm on maternity leave. It's not like I have a fever or anything. I'm only eight months pregnant." Kari did not think this was a big deal.

Tai did. "Only eight months pregnant?"

"Tai relax. I can take care of myself."

"Yeah, I know. Well, nice talking to you." Tai hung up the phone. Kari had called almost an hour ago. Tai felt like a teenager, talking that long, but it was his sister. His eight-month pregnant sister. The sister who, in less than two months, would also be a mother.

Whoa. Tai thought. Less than two months. There, at that moment, Tai was blown away. It was as if it took all of eight months to finally sink in. My little sister can't have a baby! She's just a baby herself! But she wasn't, and Tai knew it. She could take care of herself. Right? But… what if something went wrong? Who would be there to take care of her? TK was at work, and Gatomon and Patamon had their own responsibilities with that egg. Tai's mind wandered to stories he had heard about mothers who had given birth early. Oh my god! Tai panicked. What if she goes into labor right this minute? He grabbed the cordless phone and rushed into his room so as not to disturb Matt, who had drifted off on the couch. He dialed the number from memory and waited impatiently as it rang.

"Hello?"

"Kari? It's Tai."

"Tai? I just got off the phone with you."

"I know, but I was just wondering if you've felt any labor pains yet?"

"Only a Braxton-Hicks contraction last night. Why? My due date isn't for another month and a half."

"People can go into labor early!"

"Tai, I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure."

"Okay. Call me." Tai hung up and went back into the living room. He glanced at the TV, which had been turned on mute after Kari called the first time, but there were subtitles at the bottom so Matt could read them while Tai was talking. Tai kept the sound down and let Matt sleep. General Hospital was on, and apparently the doctors and nurses had just delivered a baby with Down's Syndrome.

Oh my god! Tai thought again and leapt off the couch and rushed into his room.

"Hello?"

"Hi Kari. It's me again."

"What's up?"

"I was just thinking. What if your baby has Down's Syndrome?"

"Tai, I had a test for that way back in July. It was negative, remember?"

"Oh yeah. But what if it was wrong?"

"Tai, you've seen Nori for yourself. He's perfectly healthy."

"Yeah, you're right. No labor pains yet?"

"No Tai. Bye."

"Bye." The phone beeped as Tai turned it off.

"Tai?" Augumon was standing in the doorway. "Have you seen our soccer ball? Gabumon and I want to play in the backyard."

"Uh, hang on." Tai flopped onto the floor and looked under the bed. "Here you go, buddy." He handed the miniature soccer ball to his friend. That's when he noticed a book that had been shoved under his bed a few months ago. He wiped the dust off and realized that it was a book about aliens, from when he was in his 'paranormal kick.'

Oh my god! Tai thought, and scrambled back onto his bed.

"Hello?"

"Kari!"

"What is it now, Tai?"

"Are you sure the baby's TK's?"

"WHAT? I can't believe you're accusing me of cheating!"

"I'm not! Did you know that aliens abduct women, and then fertilize one of their eggs? You don't have any periods of time where you don't know where you were or what you were doing, do you?"

"Okay, now you're getting a little paranoid, Tai."

"Maybe you're right."

"I am right."

"Okay. Any contractions?"

"No. Goodbye, Tai."

"See ya." Hang up. Redial.

"Kari, if a crazy madman broke into your house right this minute and demanded three potholders and a glass of milk, you'd call me, right?"

"TAI!"

"Okay, okay. I am going a little overboard. Sorry."

"It's all right."

"Any pains?"

"Besides the one calling me every three minutes?"

"Ha ha." They hung up again.

Tai sighed. Kari had grown up, no matter how hard it was to accept. She had a husband, a house, a career, and now, a baby on the way. And what did he have? A girlfriend, a bachelor pad, and a roommate. And he was older, for crying out loud! He should have gone through this birth thing already. That way, at least Kari wouldn't have to go through it alone.

But she's not alone! Tai realized. She's got TK. And she would always have TK. She couldn't have chosen anyone better. Tai smiled at the wonderful decision his sister had made. She was so…responsible. Tai looked around the room. Matt's bed, as well as his side of the room, were spotless. Tai's side looked like a hurricane had hit it. He wandered out into the family room again. Tai's clothes…Tai's magazines…Tai's junk…but nothing of Matt's. Tai looked at him, conked out on the couch. Poor Matt. Finishing up college and a part time job were really taking their toll on him. He looked exhausted.

Why the heck was he sticking around here? With all the extra hours he put in at his job, Tai guessed that Matt probably had enough money for a down payment on a house by now. Then Tai realized, It's because of me. Tai could never manage on his own with how much money he was making now. Suddenly something clicked. Tai rummaged through Matt's desk, searching. He took out last month's bill for the rent. Whoa, hang on! That's more than I'm paying! That's more than I can afford! Matt's paying much more than half! We agreed on a 50/50 deal! So Matt had been carrying more than his weight, but for how long? A month? A year? It was too much to take. Thoughts and worries swirled around him. Kari…Sora…Matt…the bills…Nori…why?

Tai ran over to his friend and shook him awake. "Matt!" he cried, "What's this?!" Matt's eyes widened when saw the bills. "Why did you do this?!" Demanded Tai, breathing hard.

Matt looked deep into Tai's eyes and said truthfully, "It's what you needed."

Tears welled up in Tai's eyes as he stood there for a moment. Then he let it all go and embraced his best friend in the entire world.

It was time to grow up.

Ahem. Thanks again to Vigatus for this idea, and thanks to Rick Kirkman and Jerry Scott, the illustrators of the Baby Blues comic strip, for the 'any pains?' pun.

And while I admit that the last couple chapters took a long time to write, get ready for more because this is where it gets fun…