-sigh- Another drama. But what can you do? They're easy to write. Also, I'll try to have the second chapter of "Longer, Wronger and Unadulterated" up by Monday.
For those who want to know ages, perhaps around the 16/17 area.
You know the basics: I don't own nothin'.

Misunderstandings
Chapter 1: How it Began

It was a terrible misunderstanding. Tai and Sora would never do anything to harm one another or any of their friends. Sora blamed him for being bull-headed and dangerously impulsive. Tai complained that Sora was worrying way too much. The last time they had a fight on as large of a scale as this one was when they wandered through the pyramid, Tai wrongfully confusing immortality for stupidity and Sora trying desperately to bring him back to his senses. Tai only realized his mistake when he almost lost her. No one had ever seen him cry as much as he did at that moment. They were at Tai's apartment, discussing how to approach the new threat. Tai was confident of their abilities and pressed that they would have it taken care of in a matter of days. However, having already seen the threat at its greatest possible potential, the others preferred to be wary. Sora's nature would not allow them to plunge into a deadly situation if she did not have the control over their safety and their lives. Sora's love for Tai increased the urge to protect, and like a son who rebels his mother, Tai was doing just that; and Sora didn't like it one bit. The others had some pleasure in watching the two quarrel, as some of their bickers were quite entertaining. But Sora had no control over Tai and Tai had no concern for Sora's concern. When neither had the same outlook, their disagreements extended far into the realms of total separation. What started as a series of opinionated disagreements evolved into a series of cheap shots at one another. Tai hoped to get her to quiet down if he could just hit her in the right spot, but every word he said to her caused her more and more anger. He got her so upset and embittered that she finally had enough and stormed out, but not before slapping him in the face while screaming a swear. Tai tried not to look shocked, but the others knew how deeply he was buried in his own hole. It was decided that the meeting should adjourn. They left Tai standing alone in the living room still feeling the sting.

"That son of a bitch!" Sora huffed as she walked out of the building. "Ah hell!" she muttered to herself.

She had no ride home, and she sure as hell wasn't going to go back inside. She then noticed Tai's motorcycle parked in its space, the helmet sitting on the seat. She didn't care at that point. She climbed on and secured the helmet on her head. She had ridden his motorcycle hundreds of times before. She knew well how to work it and ride it. With a screech, she quickly sped off. Tai stood on the balcony and watched her leave. He didn't seem to care that she stole it. He looked hard down at her. He had a feeling of anger and a feeling of foreboding, that he had just caused something. But it was clouded over.

Sora hoped that the ride home would refresh her. But she could not get out of her mind the mean, stupid things Tai had said to her, and the mean, stupid things she said in her anger. Thinking these terrible things, she began to go faster and faster, switching from third gear to fourth, riding faster and faster down the street, not realizing how dangerous she had become. Thoughts darted through her head. Suddenly, a car appeared in the four-way intersection.

Shit! her mind screamed. She could not avoid the car, but she could not stop. She turned sharply, the wheels screeching fiercely on the street. It wasn't enough to slow her. The rear wheel hit the front wheel of the car. The front of the bike continued forward. Sora was thrown from the bike, clearing the hood of the car. She hit the asphalt and tumbled and finally slid to a halt. The driver was in shock and could do nothing. Sora laid still for a moment, then slowly turned over on her side, groaning. She could barely feel her body. Suddenly, a bright light appeared in front of her. It was not Heaven, but the headlights of a delivery truck heading blindly toward her.

-

Sirens were screaming all around. The entire block had shut down. People gathered along the edges. The police warned them not to cross the yellow tape. Sora's lifeless body lay in the middle of the street, surrounded by a puddle of blood. The truck had already backed away to give the paramedics room to work. The car remained where it was last; the motorcycle was wrapped around the front end.

"Clear," a paramedic ordered. Sora's body jumped at the shock. The hand-held monitor still read a flat. It seemed hopeless that she would live. But there was still that possibility.

"Again," he said. Her body again jumped. The monitor began to beep slowly. She moved suddenly. Blood spurted out of her mouth as she coughed.

"She has a pulse."

"Good. Let's load her up."

They carefully placed the board under her and lifted her onto the stretcher. The ride to the hospital was hectic. Each paramedic called out to each other.

"She's hemorrhaging in the chest!"

"Severe head trama!"

"Limbs are either broken or fractured!"

Suddenly, the monitor screamed again.

"She's flat lining!"

The paramedics went into a huge scramble. One held an oxygen mask over her mouth and nose. Another pushed on her chest. One held a package of fluid that was connected to her arm. Another prepared the paddles to give her a shock. Each repeated their responsibilities, only to retire to wait for the destination that was not reached.

-

"Hello," Mrs. Kamiya said into the phone. "Oh hello," she answered. "Are you all right?" she asked at the tone ofthe voice. There was a brief pause as she listened. "Oh dear," she muttered in surprise, a sudden chill ran through her body. "I…I'm so sorry. Yes, I'll tell him," she said before she hung up. She stared down at the phone that she had just replaced, unsure of how to feel or what to even say. She knew that someone had to tell him, even though it was going to be the hardest thing to do. She finally gathered up enough courage and slowly made her way to the bedroom. She gently tapped the door a few times.

"Tai, dear," she quietly called, peeking inside.

"What?" Tai grumbled, not looking away from his video game.

Good. He's sitting down she thought to herself. She would have included Kari, if she had been at the apartment at the time. "Tai, I have some news, some terrible news," she said softly as she stepped inside. Tai still didn't look up at her. "You see… there's been… an accident."

Tai looked up at her in question. "Is it… Kari?" Tai asked.

"No. It's not Kari," she said quickly. She took a deep breath. "Sora took your bike and was riding too fast. She hit a car and was then hit by a truck." Tai's heart suddenly dropped. "Sora died on the way to the hospital," she finished solemnly. Tai's heart dropped down to his feet and crashed through the floor. The video game slipped out of his hands. He had a look of sheer terror in his eyes.

"No…" he choked. "No! Y…you're bull shittin' me!"

"Tai, I know it's hard to grasp…" she answered.

"No! It's all part of a plan!" he stuttered. He quickly stood to his feet. "It's a plan to make me feel bad for saying those things to her! She's just trying to get back at me!" Tears were choking his eyes, no matter how much he tried to deny it.

"I wish it was that way," she said sadly.

"Then I want to see her," Tai demanded.

-

They walked down the long hallway. Tai tried so hard not to believe everything around him. He looked into the rooms at the mangled and maimed patients, at the patients on respirators and on life support. The halls were sterile, but still had the stains and odors of death in the walls. If this was a prank, then it was a god awful one. Mrs. Takenouchi stood outside one of the rooms. She had a blank stare. She looked tired and worn; her face was red and stained with tears. Tai's heart pounded harder at the sight of her.

"I don't think you should see her," she mumbled. "I wish that I had never seen her."

She looked up into his eyes. He too made eye contact and maintained it for a moment, then turned and stepped into the room. She gave a sigh. He took heavy steps, one by one, toward the concealed object on the stretcher. Each breath grew heavier and heavier. Tears glazed his eyes. He reached a shaky hand out. His arm was extremely heavy. His fingers numbly latched onto the white and red-spotted sheet. He prayed to God, with all of his might, that there was nothing under that sheet. His entire body shook. With a grunt, he threw the sheet away.

"No!" he whimpered and collapsed to his knees. He held his head in his hands, sobbing heavily. "No! This can't be!" he cried. "You can't die yet! I haven't even apologized to you! You can't die!"

His sobs could be heard from the hallway. His mother looked away, a look of regret in her face. He slowly climbed to his feet again. He was sick to his stomach at the sight of Sora. Dried blood stained her pale cheeks. Her chest was still red in the area where she bled internally. Deep gashes were in her arms; some of the blood had not yet dried. Blood was crusted at the corners of her mouth. And yet, through all of this mess, she still seemed peaceful. She was lost in a dream, while Tai was lost in a nightmare. Neither would be able to wake up. Tai's legs began to give out again. He leaned on the stretcher to support himself.

"This is… this is all my fault," Tai sobbed. His tears dripped from his nose, splashing on Sora's reddened skin. "I should have never said those things to her. I should have never… I killed her. I killed her!" The mothers silently watched from the door. Tai held his head in his hand, trying to control himself. "You stupid bitch," he muttered. "If only you knew how sorry I am."

-

Tai sat in his room. Soft light poured through the window. It was an absolutely beautiful day outside. He would have gone out to play soccer with all his friends. But he couldn't go out to play today. Besides, Sora wouldn't be there, so there was no point. He had someplace important to go anyway. He took his time getting ready; he still wasn't completely dressed. He was lost in thought as he sat on the bed. That time he rescued Sora from the pyramid was a very happy reunion. He had felt so released once he was able to hold her hand. That first time he said "I love you" to her was the greatest feeling he ever had. It was even better when she answered in the same fashion. And then there was the first night they spent together: connected in body and soul. Tears choked his eyes and flowed over. He remembered how beautiful she always was and then remembered how messed up he made her.

"Sora. Why did you die?" he asked. "Were you trying to make a point or something?"

"I would have never done it that way," she answered.

"This is all my fault," Tai confessed. "If I hadn't said those things to you, then you would have never gotten so mad and left. And if you had never left, then you'd still be alive."

"I know," she added, "this is partly my fault too. I was stupid to steal your bike."

Tai stood up and stood in front of her. "What will we do now?" he asked.

"We'll just have to keep going," she answered.

"Will I ever see you again?"

"Of course you will," she answered with a smile. She tenderly stroked his cheek. "I'll be around. Don't you worry."

"Okay," he said, taking her hand in his then tenderly kissed it.

"You should hurry," she said softly. "I expect to see you there on time. And if you miss it, you may regret it for the rest of your life."

"I'm already regretting a lot of things."

"Then don't make this one of them."

They looked deeply into each other's eyes for a moment, then slowly parted. Tai swung the black jacket over his shoulder and left the room, closing the door behind him. She stood in the middle of the sunlit room and watched him leave.

"I'll never leave you like that again," she whispered. "I'll never leave you again."

Well, there's the beginning. For those of you who may be confused, Tai's taking ahead trip. His insanity begins next chapter. And don't worry. There'll be a happy ending...perhaps.(so evil)Enjoy.