Sorry, this is a serious chapter, but it had to come sooner or later. The bad jokes and puns you all seem to enjoy will be back next chapter. I apologize for the inconvience.

It was a typical night at the Kamiya household. Tai Kamiya was finishing up the dinner dishes, and Sora Kamiya was getting her baby ready for bed. Little Rini Kamiya was enjoying her mother's milk and warmth, allowing herself to doze.

Tai glanced out the window at the car pulling into his driveway. He recognized that car.

He opened the front door to find Matt posed on the doorstep, finger hovering an inch from the doorbell. The first thing Tai noticed about his longtime friend were his red and puffy eyes. For one reason or another, Matt had been crying. Probably about the divorce. He concluded.

"Hey," said Matt.

"Hey."

"Can you spare a couch?"

"Of course." Tai let Matt in without another word.

Sora looked up at them when they walked in, took one look at Matt's face, then got up and left. Tai was grateful that she knew Matt well enough to know that his pride would be hurt if she saw him like this.

Tai set up the couch for mat to sleep on, then looked his friend straight in the eyes.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asked.

Matt shook his head. "Not now," he breathed.

Tai left him alone.

"I called TK," Sora said in bed, "He said to call if anything happened to Matt."

"Okay." They turned off the light.

"Raaaaaaaaaaa!" Tai rolled over in bed and squinted at the clock. Couldn't his daughter wait until morning to stop crying? Careful not to wake Sora, he got up to see what Rini wanted. Suddenly, the crying ceased. Tai strained to listen to the baby monitor. He heard Matt cooing to Rini, heard him pick her up and softly sing to her for a few minutes. He listened as Matt put her back down, but didn't hear him leave the room.

"Couldn't sleep?" Tai asked the dark figure over his baby's crib.

"My goddaughter was crying," Matt said sheepishly.

"You ready to talk?"

"Yeah. I guess." They left the sleeping baby in the dark and went to the living room.

"Sorry about barging in like this. I just started driving to clear my head, but I got overwhelmed and-"

"It's okay. No problem."

Pause.

"Is this about the divorce?" Tai broke the silence.

"Yeah," Matt sighed, "I guess I'll start at the beginning…

"When I first met Ashi, our relationship seemed perfect. She taught music at an elementary school, and I taught lessons on the side. We had a lot in common. The first months were smooth and passionate. Nothing changed when we got married. Everything was great.

"Then she got pregnant. I thought it was wonderful, and our baby was a blessing, but she saw it as a weight, dragging her down. She was never very enthusiastic about our baby, but I was optimistic, and nothing changed. But when Kaichou was born, it was always me taking care of her. Sure Ashi helped, but I got up in the middle of the night, I picked Kai up from daycare, I fed her, bathed her, got her dressed. I devoted most of my time to our daughter, and I think Ashi was jealous.

"Then, a couple of months ago, I came home early. The house was dark, and I thought that was strange because it wasn't too late." Matt paused to sniffle. It's hard telling people something this private, even if that person is your best friend. "I heard noises from our room, and when I got there, Ashi was with another man. I left right away and slept in a hotel for the next week or so before I could buy an apartment. I can never sleep in that bed again. Needless to say, I proposed a divorce and Ashi agreed. Except, she knows I want Kai.

"My lawyer and our judge understand that she cheated on me, and that I'd be a better parent to the baby, but typically babies stay with their mothers, and I just bought an apartment and have all these lawyer fees and stuff; I can barely support myself, let alone Kai! The judge says I can have her every other weekend, but I just can't stand not having my baby, Tai! I can't let Ashi raise her!" Tears of frustration ran down Matt's cheeks.

"But then, this afternoon, I was offered a job at a local middle school. They need a music teacher and some of my students' parents recommended me! It will pay much better than my job now. All my problems were solved!

"But I don't have enough money to put Kai in daycare. I have bills to pay. I need at least a couple months to get back on my feet until I can even think about taking her in. The final court trial is in four days, and I have to be able to prove that I will be able to support Kai if I want to be her legal guardian. I'm not going to be able to do it, Tai!" Matt put his head in his hands and groaned.

Tai embraced his friend and felt Matt's dry sobs shake his body. Poor Matt! He hadn't told anybody any of this! He had been carrying it around for months! Tai felt helpless. There was nothing he could do to ease Matt's pain. Or was there? Tai thought for a minute, then said, "Matt, let me watch Kai."

Matt pulled back. "What?"

"I'm home during the day. I set up a home office so that I could watch Rini. I'd be happy to watch Kai too."

"I can't ask you to do that, Tai. Not without paying you."

"But you already have paid me, remember? You helped me out a few years back. Let me repay my debt." Tai knew that putting it this way wouldn't hurt Matt's pride.

"Tai… I don't know what to say…"

"Say yes."

Matt smiled with relief. "Okay. Thanks, man."

"You're welcome. But if you really wanted to repay me you'll convince your brother to name his kid Tai Jr."

"Nice try."

"A man can hope, right? Good night."