June 6, 2005

Ebacusta: Hey all. What's up? Not quite a month, but close. I've been on this site as you who have been reading Try, Try, Try, Again know.

Anyway, thanks again to all 25 people who reviewed the last chapter. I really love you all. You're the best. Here's the next chapter, and you all probably want to shoot me for taking so long, but please, don't. Cuz I love you with all my heart. I really do.

Here is the next installment. Please enjoy. And don't forget to review at the end!

That Day Was The Last Day I Saw Your Smile

By ebacusta

Chapter 2

There's Never A Bad Time For A Vacation

"Let's go!" TK said. Kari nodded and the couple ran through the office, ignoring the surprised man seated behind his desk. As they burst out of the room, gun shots rang out. Ducking their heads, they ran forward and dived into the elevator. Pressing the down button, Kari prayed they would get to the first floor before the killer.

She caught sight of TK"s hand. "Oh my gosh! TK, we have to get you medical attention right away."

"I can deal with this. But, right now, we need to go get Tina and Kei and get out of this place. We have to get out of the city. It's not safe here anymore," TK said.

"You're right," Kari replied. The elevator doors opened and the couple ran out. They were almost to the door when they heard the man yell and the shot ring out. Kari gasped in pain as the bullet touched her skin.

"KARI!" TK yelled.

Kari stumbled a minute as she clutched her stomach. She could feel the warm liquid seeping out of the wound.

"We have to get that wrapped up," TK said.

"Later," Kari said. "We've got to get to the kids." She ran on with TK, both of them were glad they had taken track all through out their school career, even doing college. They reached the school in record time, and ran down the hall. Throwing open the door, Kari and TK ran in. Kari smiled at the teacher as she reached out and grabbed Kei from his chair. She dragged him out of the room. TK pulled out his school bag and he too left the room, shutting the door behind him.

"Mom, what's going on?" Kei asked. "Why are you bleeding?"

"We'll talk about it later, Kei," Kari told him. "Don't worry about it right now. I'm fine." As they burst into Tina's room, the teacher whirled around.

"MRS. TAKAISHI! WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS? AND WHY DID YOU LEAVE YOU'RE CLASS UNATTENDED?" the teacher yelled. Kari ignored her as she and TK grabbed Tina and began dragging her from the room. Suddenly, the windows shattered revealing the killer in all his glory. He fired at the family. The kids screamed and dived beneath their desks for protection. Ducking down, TK and Kari pushed their children out into the hall, slamming the sliding door shut behind them.

"Mom… Dad… what's wrong? What's happening?" Tina asked as the screams from her class echoed down the hall.

"We'll explain it later," Kari said as she ran into her office. She began to grab things off of and from within her desk. "Tina, and Kei, help us. Get all the stuff out of the bottom drawer." Tina and Kei obeyed as they began stuffing their school bags full of the stuff at the bottom of Kari's desk.

"That's all, let's go," Kari said. They left.

-

Takaishi Residence

"Go upstairs and pack some clothes," Kari told them as she walked into the house and up the stairs. As soon as they were gone, she sagged into her husband.

"Kari you look pale," TK said. "We should get your wound wrapped up. "You've been losing a lot of blood." TK left her in their bedroom and returned a minute later with bandages and gauze. She took off her shirt and allowed TK to clean the wound and wrap it.

"Thanks TK," she said as she put on a different shirt and pants. TK began to pack their clothes in duffel bags. When he was done, Kari slipped a laptop in to one of them between all the clothes. "It'll be protected like that."

Kari went down stairs, and began putting some food in a backpack. By the time she was done, her family had assembled in front.

"Mom, where are we going? What's wrong? Why were you bleeding?" Tina and Kei asked.

"Out!" Kari exclaimed pointing towards the door. Her children turned and headed outside with their stuff. TK picked up their bags and Kari followed.

"Is there a car still up at the house?" Kari whispered to TK as they locked the house. TK thought about it a minute.

"Yeah, I think so," he said as they all headed for the subway station. "But I can't quite remember."

-

Takaishi Vacation House

TK entered the house, behind him, Tina, Kei, and Kari. Tina goes into her room.

"Tina, don't bother unpacking, we won't be here very long," TK said. Tina poked her head out of her room.

"What? Then why are we here?" Tina asked her mother, as Kari walked passed her, heading for the study. "And what's going on?"

She stepped fully out of her room and walked toward her father. "Dad, I'm waiting for an explanation. Tell me!" she demanded. Kei walked beside her.

"Go ahead TK, it's good that they know," Kari said. "It might be dangerous for them not to know. Now's a good chance anyway. I've got to go take care of some stuff." Her voice resonated down the hall from the study door. TK waited a minute until her heard the click of the Study door.

"Tina, Kei, sit down," TK said. Tina and Kei joined their father on the couch. "Hmm, how shall I put this?"

"Just tell us the truth," 12 year old Tina said.

"Yeah," Kei, two years younger than her, agreed.

TK looked up, seriousness swimming around his ocean blue eyes. "Somebody is trying to kill us." Tina and Kei gasped.

"Why?"

"Why?"

"Who's trying to kills us?"

"Why?"

"I don't know," TK said. "But until we can figure it out we're going to have to keep a low profile. Kari is probably contacting the other DigiDestined right now. We'll see where that takes us, all right? But, no matter what happens, don't worry. Your mother and I will protect you. It's going to be all right." Tina and Kei nodded, and TK pulled them in for a hug.

"Anyway," TK said, "it's late. You two go and get some sleep. We'll probably be leaving in the morning." Tina and Kei nodded, and they got up and went into their rooms. TK sat on the couch for a few minutes before he got up, and peeked into his children's room. They were both like a light, obviously exhausted from the day's activities. He closed the door softly behind him, and then went to the study. He opened the door and joined Kari in the darkened room.

"What's the verdict so far?" he asked.

"Nobody's responded yet. I've emailed Tai and Sora, Joe, Matt, Yolei and Ken, and Izzy and Mimi. I have yet to email Davis and Cody," Kari told him as her slender fingers flew across the keyboard typing out her message.

"What are we going to do?" TK walked across the room and rested his hands on Kari's shoulders. "What are we going to do?" Kari turned and smiled at him, the glow from the computer screen only illuminating half of her face.

"TK, we'll be all right. We don't know who the killer is because of that mask, or what not, but, we'll find out. I've asked Mimi and Izzy about letting us stay at the vacation house. I'm sure the killer will probably be coming her in search of us soon," Kari said.

"So, by that, I'm guessing you mean, you want to stay up in the kids' rooms all night?" TK guessed.

Kari nodded, "I want to make sure they stay safe."

"I do as well," TK nodded, "but, if they wake up and see us standing guard over their beds, then they'll be really scared. We should probably sit out in the hallway outside their doors."

"Yeah, you're probably right," Kari agreed. "I can't help but wonder why the killer wants you dead. I can't exactly remember what he said when we met three years ago in the future. Something about me being his and what not. This makes me wonder if he was an old classmate who had a crush on me or something."

"Maybe," TK said. "But, I'm sure we will find out who he is soon." Kari finished typing her letters, and sent them. She stood and stretched before touching her side.

"Do you think that this thing will ever heal?" Kari asked.

TK looked at her. "Kari, it's a gunshot wound. It will heal. And if anything is going to remain to remind you of its existence, it's just going to be a scar. Don't worry about it." Kari smiled.

"Of course." Kari pressed a button and the holographic computer screen disappeared. The two of them walked out of the room, and sat by the doors of Tina and Kei's room. Since they were on opposite sides, Kari could sit and look into the face of her husband, even though the doors were slightly off set from each other by about ten feet.

"I love you, TK," Kari whispered after a long space of silence.

"I love you too, Kari," TK said.

-

Next Morning

As Tina stretched after she came out of the bathroom, Kari leaned her head out of the study and called for her husband.

"Mom, did you sleep in there or something?" Tina asked.

Kari smiled. "Of course not, baby. I slept in my room." Though, in truth, she hadn't gotten any sleep at all. She just hoped that Tina was not yet good enough at reading faces to be able to tell that. TK came, and the two of them disappeared into the study, closing the dor behind them.

"Weird," Tina said as she went to go eat some breakfast.

TK and Kari

"We've gotten a reply. From Mimi," Kari told him as he approached the computer screen. He read it aloud:

"Hi Kari.

Of course you can use our Vacation home. What's going on? Why so sudden? I hope you, TK, Tina, and Kei are all right. Izzy and I (along with our kids) will meet you there.

Sending our love (and concern),

Mimi"

"We should get going soon, then," TK said.

Kari nodded. "Let the kids finish eating breakfast and then we'll hit the road."

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

Hey everyone! I hope you liked this chapter. Kinda short, but, then, I think all the chapters in this part of the trilogy are going to be fairly short. Anyway, next chapter we'll find out who the killer is, so review, review, review!

The more reviews I get, the harder I will work to get out the next chapter.

ebacusta