Again, thanks to all who hath reviewed. Thanks for the support and the patience and for actually taking the time to read it. I've been real busy and extra insane now that college graduation is coming up, but I'm trying with all my might to update as soon as possible. The way I like to write my stories is to have a developing plot where answers are revealed as the story progresses. This chapter will reveal more of what's going on in Tai's head and how it effects the others. And also a note of good news: don't worry about Katie anymore. She was just a one scene character.
All right then. Let's continue. I own nothing but my imagination.

Misunderstandings
Chapter 3: Seeking Advice

Ken sat on the couch in front of the coffee table, his notebook and textbook cluttered the surface. His concentration was broken from frantic knocking on the front door.

"Hang on a second!" he shouted in annoyance as the knocking continued. "Tai? What are you doing here?" he asked when he finally opened the door.

"I need to talk to you about something," Tai explained. "You're the only one who can help me."

They went into Ken's room so that no one could hear the conversation. Tai sat on the edge of the bed while Ken reclined in the computer chair.

"When your brother died," Tai began, "how did that affect you?"

"I was corrupted by darkness and tried to conquer the Digital World," Ken answered in an obvious tone of voice.

"Yeah, but did he ever haunt you? Did his memory follow you everywhere?"

"Only in my dreams… and my nightmares. Why are you asking me these things?"

"I know that Sora's gone," Tai quickly began his story, "but I still see her everyday. I hate going home because she's always there. She never leaves. And no one else notices her. She's just… there. At first, I thought that what happened didn't really happen. I've visited her grave to tell myself that she's dead, but she's still there. I don't know what's real anymore: Sora, or Sora's grave."

"That's spooky," Ken said. "Her death was an accident, wasn't it?"

"It wasn't an accident," Tai said. "It was my fault. Her dying was my punishment."

"That must be it!" Ken sat up. "You must have put so much of the guilt and blame on yourself that your mind projects her into your environment: a figment of your imagination. The reason no one can notice her is because she is in your mind, like an imaginary friend."

Tai buried his face in his hands to hide his tears. "You heard the horrible, hurtful things I said to her that night!" he cried. "Things I didn't even mean! Things that she took to heart! Things I can't ever take back! I hurt her! I killed her!"

"What do you want me to do about it?" Ken asked calmly.

"Nothing," Tai sobbed, wiping the tears from his eyes. "There's nothing you can do. I only came to you… because I figured that you would understand exactly how I feel."

"Doesn't exactly bring up pleasant memories," Ken grumbled. "But there's something I don't understand. You and Sora were in love. If you love her so much, why would you want her to go away so badly?"

Tai gave a slight smile. "I want her to go to Heaven… where she belongs."

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Ken and Tai stood at the front door.

"Listen, Ken," Tai said. "I'm sorry I barged in here and dumped all this baggage on you."

"Hey, it's no problem," Ken assured him. "Friends are always there for each other."

Tai gave a chuckle. "You know, after all that's happened, you've turned out to be a really great guy. Thanks for being a friend."

"Hey," Ken forced a laugh. "I should thank you guys. You brought me back to my family and gave me friends." There was a slight silence. "If it's any help, you should try to talk to her, try to come to some kind of end."

"I'll try it. Thanks," Tai said. He turned to walk away. "Good night."

"Good night," Ken replied and closed the door. He leaned against it and silently stared at his feet.

That night hadn't gotten any better for Tai either. He lay awake in his bed with the sheets pulled up to his head. He thought about the conversation with Ken over and over. As he thought about it more, he wondered if it was really what he wanted: for Sora to leave him. He peered out from the sheets to the foot of his bed. Sora sat there at his feet and watched him. He squeezed his eyes shut, his chest tingled and spread through his body. That uncomfortable feeling was becoming too much to bear anymore. He had to talk to her. He sat up and faced her, his chest heavy.

"Sora… I…" he whispered as not to disturb Kari below him.

"Yeah?" Sora asked. She leaned forward intently. Tai stared at her for a moment. He just couldn't do it. She seemed so excited to be with him and she seemed so happy.

"Nothing," he finally muttered, looking away.

Sora gave a disappointed sigh. She was so close to having a conversation with him. He seemed so sad and distant all the time. She then got an idea: something that always brought them close together. She crawled in front of him and put her lips on his. Tai felt no surprise from this. She always used to play games like this. She pushed forward, still kissing him, and pushed him down onto his back. She straddled him and ran her fingers over his chest. She could feel his breathing quicken and she sensed his body heat rise. She lifted her lips away and they gazed into each other's eyes.

"Just relax," she whispered softly. She gently took his hand and held it to her hip. She began to kiss him again and she guided his hand higher over her belly, under her shirt and up. Tai's head was feather light. Everything felt so good: his tingling body, her silky skin, but then it hit him. He remembered what this game would become. He broke the kiss and pulled his hand away from her.

"Sora, stop it. Please," he gasped as he sat up.

Sora looked at him with regret. "I'm sorry if I distressed you," she said regretfully. "I'll leave you alone for the rest of the night." Her body began to fade, becoming transparent.

"Sora, wait…" Tai called in remorse, but she had disappeared. He sat alone in the dark. He missed his chance, in more ways than one.

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Kari finally arrived to class. Ken had been waiting outside of her classroom since early morning. She greeted him with a bright cheery smile.

"Could I talk to you in private?" he asked her.

"Sure," she began as he led her around the corner. "So what's going on?" she asked. "Are you trying to ask Yolei to go out with you, but you need advice?"

"No! It's not that!" Ken asserted. "At least not yet," he then muttered under his breath. "Has anything strange occurred at your house?"

"Besides Tai talking in his sleep, no," she said.

"Nothing?"

"Nothing."

"And Sora's father, Mr. Takenouchi: he makes myths and the paranormala hobby, right?"

"Yeah. Why?"

Ken then showed a stern expression. "Sora's still in your home."

"What?" Kari gasped softly.

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After school, Ken and Kari led Mr. Takenouchi to the apartment.

"Really," Kari said, putting on a convincing show. "We really think that there are ghosts here."

They couldn't let him know that it could have been his own daughter that they were looking for. They couldn't upset him in that way, so they decided to play innocent.

"We'll just test the magnetic field," he said as he pulled a strange hand held box out of his bag. The moment he turned it on, the needle in the viewing window began to jump around madly. "Wow," he said, amazed. "There's some major activity here."

Sora stood in the middle of the bedroom alone and thought about that last night. Tai was obviously uncomfortable from her presence. It was easy to see that he was slowly disintegrating. She was failing in her duty.

"Let's try in here," she heard from the hall. The door handle clicked and turned and opened up. "The disturbance is strongest in here."

"Daddy?" she choked sadly. He walked around the room, aiming the front of the box at different areas. She watched him. This was not how she wanted to meet with him again. She couldn't understand what he was searching for and why he was searching in the first place. She knew that he knew she was dead, but she knew that he couldn't know that she was there. No one knew about her. He began to walk toward her. She didn't move, too uneasy to move. He stepped in her and passed through her. A chill ran through her, feeling her form break apart to accommodate his form. A chill ran up his spine and to the back of his neck: the telltale-chill that the dead is present.

"I felt it!" he announced. "The spirit is in this room now!"

"Tai was right," Ken muttered.

"She is here," Kari added.

Sora had an uneasy feeling.

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"Are you sure you don't want me to investigate more?" Mr. Takenouchi asked as he finished packing.

"Thank you," Kari bowed respectfully, "but we'll be fine."

"All right then, good day."

"Good day."

Sora sat on the arm of the couch and watched them.

"I should go, too," Ken said. "Listen, Kari. Tai cannot know that we did this. He came to me and entrusted me with this."

Sora shivered.

"It's just really creepy to know that Sora's still here," Kari said sadly.

"I know," Ken said, looking around. "No wonder Tai wants her to go."

Sora gasped in shock. Something odd began to happen. She began to cry.

"That jerk," she sobbed.

I'm so tired right now.