Rose Petals

By Ruki Minamoto

Disclaimer: I. DO. NOT. OWN. DIGIMON.

Chapter 4: Heroes in Disguise

Things weren't so great for Yamato.

Dr Kido had admitted Yamato after he had complained of stomach-aches, headaches, feeling sick and being far too tired than normal. A blood test had been ordered and the results showed small amounts of toxins entering Yamato's bloodstream. His kidneys were beginning to shut down.

Takeru was also in pretty bad shape. His kidneys were doing almost nothing and he was on dialysis almost all the time. The only people who were left to be tested were Mimi and

Jyo and Taichi needed to be tested for Yamato.

"I got the kids in all of your classes to sign this." Sora beamed as she handed Yamato a card with many signatures on it. Yamato read through it carefully. He was on dialysis at that moment. Everyone's worst fears had been realised.

"Thanks Sora." Yamato trailed off. He put the card on his blanket. "I feel like I'm going to die, you guys."

"No! Never say that!" Taichi yelled. If it weren't a hospital, he would've slapped Yamato across the face. "You won't die."

Yamato sighed. He wanted to believe Taichi, but something was nagging at him.

Something that told him that this was the end. Maybe he was just feeling sorry for himself.

Dr Kido came in, a grin spreading from ear to ear. It was unusual for him to be smiling these days.

"Good news."

Taichi froze. He had been tested yesterday so Sora would get off his back. He had an awful feeling that his escape door had just vanished.

"Good news? That's unusual for my life these days." Yamato mumbled. "What is it?"

"Taichi came in to be tested yesterday and he's compatible with you, Yamato." Dr Kido smiled.

"If only your personalities were!" Sora sighed with false dismay. "But I'm kidding. That's great! Yamato! It's gonna be OK!"

Matt looked to Taichi. He could see the boy tense up. He was scared to death. That was unusual for Taichi.

"Taichi…You don't have to commit yourself just yet. If Mimi or Jyo isn't compatible, then I'll bug you to donate for me. But if one of them is compatible then you won't have to worry about it."

Yamato's words made Taichi realise that the boy wasn't as cruel as he had seemed. These last few months had changed the way Taichi thought about Yamato. Suddenly - Yamato was a real person who was just very worried.

"Actually - you can tell Jyo and Mimi not to worry about testing for Yamato. I think I will go through with it." Taichi forced a smile that soon became genuine. "It's the least I can do for my best male friend."

Yamato smiled genuinely too.

"Thanks man."

The Kamiya's were called and before long, a date had been arranged for Yamato's

transplant. The boy suddenly seemed positive. If this could happen for him, then why not Takeru?

He wandered into Takeru's room. The poor kid was exhausted all the time and was suddenly only just clinging to life with desperation. Yamato had to keep a stupid IV with him, but he didn't care. Yamato sat down on Takeru's bed and ran his fingers through Takeru's hair.

"Please keep going, Otouto-san. I've got a donor and I'm almost completely certain about Mimi or Jyo being your hero in disguise. After all…I never thought Taichi would be my donor."

Takeru didn't move.

"If you keep going - I'll take you to Digiworld when we're both better. Patamon'll be glad to see you. He'd be glad to see you back to normal again."

Yamato gave up on waking his brother and headed to the door.

"Don't give up yet, Otouto-san. Not just yet."

Jyo was tested for Takeru and when the results came back, Dr Kido had only one word for the Digidestined.

"Negative."

Mimi stood up reluctantly and looked to Dr Kido. It was Christmas Eve. Tomorrow, Yamato's transplant would happen. But Takeru still didn't have a donor and they were losing the fight against time.

"Dr Kido…You can test me now."

Dr Kido nodded and led Mimi away. The others sat in Takeru's room. Minus Taichi who was resting up for his operation tomorrow. And of course minus Yamato.

Early that morning, Taichi and Yamato were wheeled away. Sora ran along as much as she could.

"Taichi! Yamato! Remember - never give up!" Sora cried she watched two big doors come racing up on the group. "Hang on!"

"Don't worry about me, Sora!" Taichi smiled. "I'll be fine!"

"Stay with Takeru!" Yamato yelled. "Try to make this a merry Christmas for him!"

Sora nodded and drew to a stop. She watched as her best friend and crush were wheeled away. She began to wonder whether or not she should have told Yamato that she loved him. Hopefully - she would get her chance later.

And with that, Sora turned and left, leaving them in fate's hands.

Meanwhile, Sora had been missing a party. Dr Kido had sent Jim Kido to tell the Digidestined that Takeru had a donor. When Sora arrived, she was surprised to see the party

"Hey! What's going on in here? What did I miss?"

"Mimi's compatible with Takeru!" Koushiro cried, waving a bright red flag around. It was pretty crazy for a hospital room. Seeing Koushiro running around like this was unusual for Sora. He normally wasn't so hyperactive. Then again, the last three months had defied normal completely.

"Mimi…are you OK with that?" Sora asked, looking to the 10-year-old. She was dancing cheering about she' was saving TK's life.

"I think she's fine with that." Jyo laughed. "You know - we're heroes in disguise whether we're in Digiworld or the real one."

"Yeah." Sora agreed. "We're true heroes in disguise."

After about an hour, Taichi was resting in bed.

Sora decided to leave the party to see him. He opened his eyes to see Sora standing there.

"Sora…I'm OK." Taichi seemed shocked by that fact. "Yamato's in God's hands now as JJ would have said."

Sora nodded and suddenly realised how much she missed JJ. She realised that when this was all over, Yamato and Takeru would have to get over Yuya and JJ. They had just been so knocked about that they hadn't been given a proper chance to grieve.

"You know…Mimi's donating a kidney to Takeru."

"She's compatible with him?" Tai asked. "I didn't see that one coming."

"Well, I didn't see an 8-year-old or a 11-year-old with kidney problems coming either but hey." Sora shrugged. She then smiled and left. "I'm gonna tell them that you're fine."

Taichi nodded and closed his eyes again. But he didn't know what would happen when he did.

As soon as Sora was about to enter Takeru's room, an alarm went off.

"CODE BLUE IN ROOM 505! CODE BLUE IN ROOM 505!"

Sora covered her mouth. Nah, couldn't be…or could it…

She raced to Taichi's room where she saw doctors crowded around his bed, shaking their

heads. Sora burst into tears and left - wondering why this had to be so hard.

"Sora…Calm down and repeat yourself…" Koushiro comforted, in contrast to his recent odd behaviour. Sora took a few deep breaths and began again for the 10th time.

"I was just returning from Taichi's room when I heard this announcement saying code

blue in room 505'."

"I heard that too." Mimi whispered. "Was that Taichi's room?"

Sora nodded.

"I saw all these doctors just shaking their heads and whispering things like he's gone'. Taichi's dead." The girl began sobbing heavily. This was impossible to comprehend for her. Taichi was dead - another innocent life taken in the last few months.

"What about Yamato?" asked Jyo. "Is he OK?"

Sora shrugged, no longer able to even string together words. She couldn't even get syllables together. Not now. Not when another friend of hers was dead. Not when her best friend since she was only a toddler was gone.

Now, all they could hope for was Yamato's survival.

The doctors were fighting Father Time in the operating room. The kidney would only be of any good for another ten minutes and there were complications. Yamato's blood pressure was rising and they needed to get it down.

"If you don't hurry up I'm going to have to release these clamps or the kidney won't be of any use to anyone."

"What use will a kidney be if we lose the patient?"

Dr Kido tried to be optimistic.

"Hang in there, Yamato!"

The bickering continued until there was only 2 minutes left for the kidney.

"I'm releasing the first clamp!"

"Hey! I'm not done yet!"

"Come on Yamato! Hang in there!"

"I'm releasing the second clamp!"

"No! We've got to get his blood pressure down or that kidney won't be of any good."

Dr Kido began praying that Yamato could hang on to life.

Many hours later, Yamato awoke to see faces looking up at him.

"What happened?" he asked, before remembering. "Taichi!"

"Is dead." Koushiro finished. "How are you feeling?"

Yamato managed to shrug.

"I feel OK. I suppose."

Dr Kido smiled.

"You'll feel better later I promise. For now though, I want Sora to stay with you. Mimi, we need to prepare you for surgery at midnight."

Mimi nodded and followed with fear highlighting her normally bright features. If Taichi

couldn't survive - what made her think that she could? But she had agreed to this and if she didn't go through with it - then Takeru would die for sure. As it was, he was almost dead right now.

Come midnight, Mimi's operation went ahead and was a complete success. When she got out of surgery, they sent Jyo in to keep and eye on her. Then - it was Takeru's operation.

But unlike Yamato's, the whole thing went to plan. Hours later, Takeru awoke in his room.

"Mummy…Daddy…Nii-san…"

"We're here." Mr Ishida and Ms Takaishi whispered lovingly as they hugged Takeru gently.

"Nii-san…Is he OK? How about Taichi-nii and Mimi-chan?" Takeru asked. The people in the room searched for a suitable answer.

"Taichi died, but Mimi is recovering well." Koushiro piped up. "Sora is with Yamato and Jyo's with Mimi. You know, just making sure all heals well." Takeru smiled. If Koushiro had paid any attention to the boy's eyes when he was sick, he would have noticed that Takeru's eyes were no longer that awful pale colour that had frightened Yamato and Jyo in Digiworld. Now - they were their normal clear child-like blue.