Carmella hasn't admitted it to anyone since he'd left, had tried to act proud of her part in James' getting fired, but she's not. She misses him so much that it aches somewhere deep down inside of her, leaving her feeling like she's walking around in quick sand, head foggy and thoughts barely there. The only person aware is her partner, SunFlowmon, and she thinks that's ok. Why weigh James- or anyone else- down with all of this when she barely can make sense of it herself?

The Smackdown digidestined are traveling from one blip on the map to the next, trying to help where they can, Carmella bored because with SunFlowmon unable to digivolve past her rookie form, they're really just there to observe, unless the digimon they find themselves facing off against are low levels of power as well, and... She sighs. She's bored. And again, lonely.

The others are ahead of her, examining Shinsuke's digivice, when things grow cold. Dark around her. She blinks, looks down. SunFlowmon is staring up at her in fear, seeing the same things as her. She leans down and picks her up, holding her close, as color and light reintroduces itself to this ... whatever it is, surrounding them. Carmella blinks again, her breath catching in her throat.

James is sprawled out before her, bleeding from numerous cuts over his body, and a dirty looking rabbit is in his arms, James' tears dripping down the creature's fur. "Hang on, Gazimon," he begs his partner and Carmella is about to go up to him when things shift and... she's looking at herself. This version of herself walks up to James, kicking him away from Gazimon and planting the sole of her sneakers against his chest, pressing him down into the dirt. There's an evil sneer on her face and Carmella can do nothing but gape at this bastardization of their relationship, James pleaing for her to stop when she presses her shoe against his throat, ridding him of both speech and oxygen.

He scrabbles at her shoes, fresh tears trailing down his cheeks, but all he can do is stare up at her, eyes deep grey and desperate as the life is rid from him.

She screams and this world disappears as quickly as it appeared, Carmella finding herself back with the others, who are staring at her in mixes of concern and aggravation. She swipes at her eyes and swallows hard, biting her lip. "Sorry," she breathes, realizing they're ok. James isn't even here. Hasn't been back to the digiworld since he was fired.

It's shaken them all up, though, and they give up on further missions for the day. Carmella blinks up at the sky for a few moments before finding her cell phone and dialing a number she's been ignoring for the last few weeks. It rings and rings until finally clicking in and his voice, strong but gentle, calm and patient, sends a relieved shiver up her spine. "Hello?"

"Hey, Jimmy," she says softly. "I know it's been awhile... how are you doing?"

He doesn't hang up, which to her is the best possible sign, and they settle into comfortable conversations as she settles down against the wall and smiles, some weight leaving her shoulders.

Back in the digiworld, Shakamon watches her the best he can from this distance. Ancient Garurumon seems unimpressed. "What of The Miz?" he asks, speaking of the other digidestined Shakamon keeps an eye on.

Shakamon shrugs. "I can observe two," he says quietly, golden balls of energy cycling faster around his body. "These humans... some of them intrigue me..."