AUTHOR'S NOTES:

Happy Friday! How are you doing today? I hope you've had a great week, and I hope you're looking forward to a lovely weekend.

Thank you for all of the love on the last chapter, it really means the world to me. I'd say I was sorry about the cliffhanger but, well, I'm not. Welcome to everyone who has joined the story – it's great to have you here!

Stay safe, stay well, and I hope you enjoy today's update.

FRACTURED LIGHT

Daisuke was showered and dressed in record time, and was already leaving the changing rooms as many of the teams were still leaving the showers. He hurried to the computer lab where DemiVeemon was waiting with Taichi and the others. Miyako had taken Iori and Takeru to her parents' store to get more food, and Daisuke wanted to get up to the lab before they did so nobody could blame him for keeping everyone waiting.

Upon entering the lab, Daisuke had hoped for some kind of praise from Taichi; something to acknowledge his outstanding performance against Ken "The Rocket" Ichijouji (a nickname that Daisuke should, in hindsight, have taken a little more seriously). Instead he received the smallest of greetings before Taichi returned to his conversation with the others, reminiscing about old times.

So instead Daisuke found himself sulking in the corner in a silence that not even DemiVeemon could break, and after several attempts fell short of the mark his partner scrambled up on the desk to listen as Taichi laughed about 'that time Yamato punched Taichi in the face', which sounded an awful lot like 'that time Taichi punched Yamato'.

Finally, Miyako returned with Iori and Takeru in tow, each loaded with bulging bags of food. They set the bags on the counter and the digimon flocked towards them, nosing through the contents as Daisuke's D-Terminal let out a shrill chirp. He pulled it from his pocket and flipped over the screen, grinning wildly as he saw the message was from Hikari.

To: Daisuke
From: Hikari
I'm sending you co-ordinates. Meet me here.

"Hey, coach, look!" he exclaimed as Hikari's next message arrived with the promised co-ordinates. Taichi grinned and passed the D-Terminal to Koushiro who tapped the information in to his map.

"Ah! There she is. Although… that's strange…"

"What?" Taichi asked, peering over his shoulder.

"She's quite far away from Jou's camp," Koushiro answered. After a moment he pointed towards a blue dot several squares away from the pink one. "Although there is a terminal nearby. Maybe she got re-routed somehow."

"Nefertimon's a fast flyer," Takeru offered. "Maybe they wanted a change of scenery?"

"There really weren't that many scenic places around camp anyway," Jou added. "Are there any Dark Towers?"

"If there are, we'll knock 'em down!" Daisuke exclaimed. DemiVeemon leapt to his feet with an enthusiastic cheer as Koushiro zoomed out to reveal a large area of white. The closest tower was several squares away from Hikari, and even further from the gate.

"Just one," Koushiro answered, "Otherwise we're tower-free for miles. It must be an area the Kaiser isn't too concerned with." Upamon bounded on to the desk for a closer look, and his eyes widened.

"I know why! I know why!" he said brightly, bouncing up and down. "That's the Forbidden Valley of No Return!" Daisuke couldn't stop the laugh that rose in his throat.

"Seriously? Who even comes up with a name like that?" Taichi leant closer to the screen and peered at the map.

"Weird place to hang out…" he muttered, glancing to Koushiro. "Anything else you can tell us?" Koushiro's fingers flew across the keyboard as a series of boxes and walls of text and characters Daisuke didn't recognise began popping up all over the place. After a pause, Koushiro shrugged.

"Looks quiet."

"Good enough for me." He turned to Daisuke with a nod, and once the others had gathered the bags and crowded around the school's computer, Daisuke lifted his D-3 and the gate sucked them in.

The ground was hard underfoot; compacted sand speckled with grey and black and white. It spread for miles in hills and mounds, stretching to the horizon where it met a line of purple mountains no bigger than Daisuke's thumb. Daisuke shivered as he drank it all in; the place was pleasant enough, with fluffy white clouds that floated lazily through a pink-orange-yellow sky overhead, and the open plain meant there was little chance of an ambush or an attack, but there was something pooling in Daisuke's gut that left him feeling uneasy.

"It certainly feels forbidden, all right," Miyako muttered, rubbing at her arms despite the warm breeze. "Who'd want to come here to hang out?"

"Who'd want to come here at all?" Iori asked quietly, his face pale.

"Who knows? Maybe they found an oasis up ahead?" Patamon suggested, though his voice was small and timid. Daisuke shivered again and stared down at his D-3. Hikari's signal was coming from up ahead, though Daisuke could see nothing but grey sands. Still, he gripped the device tightly and set off. Taichi walked silently at his side, driving them forward, and Daisuke didn't argue at the pace. The sooner they were out of the creepy valley, the better.

Miyako's scream was sharp and short. Daisuke span on his heel, D-3 in hand and ready for action, but Miyako and Hawkmon were… gone.

"What happened?" Taichi demanded.

"I don't know!" Sora gasped, her wide eyes fixed on a small dimple in the sand. "One minute they were there and then the ground just – ah!" Then Sora was gone too, pulled beneath the sand before anyone could even reach for her. The sands shifted again as Iori, Armadimon and then Jou were pulled under. Veemon scrambled up Daisuke's arm in a panic as Takeru untucked his D-3 from his belt.

"Patamon, let's-"

Then Takeru was gone too, along with Patamon who had been clinging to his cap. Yamato surged forwards, but he'd barely taken a step when he too was pulled under.

"Koushiro, what can we – Koushiro!" Too late – Koushiro's surprised yell was smothered by sand. Taichi grabbed Daisuke's wrist as Daisuke lifted his D-3 in to the air.

"Digimenta-ah!" The world tilted sideways as Taichi was dragged under, his fingers still wrapped around Daisuke's arm, and Daisuke wondered if Taichi might pull him under too until the strong fingers released him and the sand quickly poured into the gap.

"No!" Daisuke cried. He fell to his knees and clawed at the sand as Veemon dropped down beside him, his small paws barely breaking the surface before it poured back in to the trenches. Daisuke grit his teeth and plunged his arms up to his elbows, throwing fistfuls of sand over his shoulder, but no matter how fast or how deep he dug the sand flourished beneath him.

A cruel, high laugh rang through the air and Daisuke sat up, throwing a fistful of sand in to the empty sky.

"Come out and show yourself, you coward!" he hollered. "Where are they?! What have you done to them?!" The Kaiser laughed again and the sound echoed around him in a menacing chorus of Kaisers.

"Your friends are here with me," the Kaiser answered. "Come and save them, if you can." Daisuke's D-3 erupted in a chorus of wailing signals as the other dots appeared beside Hikari's, each blinking rapidly in distress.

"Veemon, c'mon!" he barked, scrambling to his feet. He took off at a sprint, kicking up dust and sand in his wake. He barely heard Veemon scrambling behind him over the pounding in his ears. His heart was in his throat. If Hikari's signal was with the others', then she must have been with the Kaiser since before they arrived. Daisuke had to stop himself from imagining what kind of cruelty the Kaiser could have inflicted upon her whilst he waited for them; if bruises and black eyes were how Hikari came away from brief run-ins, he was terrified to think of how badly he could have hurt her if she was his prisoner.

Soon the valley began to narrow, and as the towering cliffs closed in around them the ground became uneven. Smooth sands gave away to jagged boulders that rose in mounds and piles until Daisuke found himself facing a wall of rock. He scrambled up, cursing every time the rocks gave way beneath his feet as Veemon scrambled beside him. Together they dragged themselves over the last boulder, and Daisuke felt his blood run cold at the sight before him.

The valley ended with a series of craggy mountains big enough to be volcanoes. Halfway between Daisuke and the dead end, the two sides of the valley were tethered to each other by a narrow stone bridge bearing eight silhouettes – four humans and four digimon – dangling hundreds of feet above the jagged rocks below. The Kaiser was standing at the edge of the cliff in the shadow of a menacing Dark Tower, close enough for Daisuke to see the smirk on his face. Beneath him, in manacles similar to ones Daisuke remembered all too well, were the others – Taichi, Yamato, Sora, Koushiro and Jou – hanging limp and defenceless against the bluff, heads bowed low against their chests.

"Let them go!" Daisuke demanded. The Kaiser laughed.

"I think not," he retorted. "Your friends are at my mercy – and so, it would seem, are you."

"Daisuke!" Hikari's cried, her voice distant and strained. "Go! Save yourself!" Daisuke balled his hands in to fists.

"Run!" Takeru shouted. "You can still escape!"

"Don't take your eyes off the Kaiser!" Iori advised sternly, his fierce determination shining in the eyes of Armadimon who was bound and gagged and dangling beside him while Miyako screamed:

"What are you waiting for?! Save me!" Daisuke swallowed thickly past the lump in his throat.

"Just – don't worry! I'll save you"

"You'd better!" Miyako screeched. "Because if I die here, Motomiya, I swear I'll haunt you for the rest of your life!"

"What are we gonna do, Daisuke?" Veemon asked. Daisuke grit his teeth.

"I'll figure something out."

"Well you'd best do it quickly," the Kaiser taunted, "because your time is almost up. Awaken, Deltamon!" He cracked his whip and the ground began to tremble. Suddenly Daisuke found himself wishing the mountains had been volcanoes, because the digimon that exploded out of them was more terrifying than any eruption. Its body was immense, covered in rippling purple muscles. Its neck split in to three heads; the centre was naked purple scales, the one on the left was made completely of bone, and the third was plated in dull silver armour that ran from its head all the way down to its tail. As it threw back its heads with a roar, Daisuke saw the black band wrapped tightly around its waist.

"What luck you all happened to drop by today!" the Kaiser continued, his tone bright and conversational as if they'd just called on him for tea. "You see, it's Deltamon's dinner time, and I have been somewhat lax in keeping to his feeding schedule. I'm sure your friends would be a delicious offering to make up for my oversight. And look," he added, gesturing to the limp bodies manacled to the cliffside below his feet, "I even brought dessert."

"I'll never let you get away with this!" Daisuke bellowed, but the Kaiser merely laughed.

"Let me? Who do you think you're talking to? You don't have a choice," he said. He smirked and lifted his chin. "Although… if it would make you feel better, you can beg for my mercy."

"What?" he asked. The Kaiser folded his arms and Daisuke glared. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Exactly what it sounds like, or are you too simple to comprehend?" he sneered. "If you want any hope of saving your friends, then bow before me and grovel like the worm you are."

"Daisuke, don't do it!" cried Iori.

"It must be some sort of trap!" Hikari shouted. Takeru was quick to voice his agreement, whilst Miyako made another threat on Daisuke's life if he didn't hurry up and do something fast. Daisuke gripped his D-3 and stared at Veemon who grinned and nodded and clenched his fists, ready to fight.

But what could they do? Fladramon was strong, but he wasn't fast enough to get to the bridge before Deltamon picked his first entrée. And even if he somehow did make it to the bridge in time, then what? The Kaiser truly had them at his mercy, and he clearly knew it. It was difficult to swallow his pride past the lump in his throat, but Daisuke choked it down and dropped to his knees, bowing low enough to press his forehead to the ground amidst a protest of cries.

"Please," he said. "Please let them go."

"Good," the Kaiser sneered, "but not good enough. Repeat after me: Please, master, spare my worthless friends." Daisuke grit his teeth and sucked in a sharp breath, clenching his fists in the dirt to keep his temper from exploding.

"Please… master," he growled, forcing the word through gritted teeth, "spare my… spare my worthless friends."

"Better," the Kaiser laughed. "Now, Veemon, restrain him."

"What?! Never! I'll-"

"Veemon, do as he says," Daisuke murmured. "If it'll save the others then we have to obey." He heard Veemon let out a low whine before shuffling closer and murmuring an apology as he gently placed his foot on the back of Daisuke's head, pressing it firmly into the ground. The Kaiser's cackle made Daisuke's blood boil.

"Oh, how I love to see you squirm," he snickered. "It's so satisfying that perhaps I'll take pity on you after all." Daisuke sat up sharply, throwing Veemon in to a sharp spin. The Kaiser smirked and gestured to the bridge. "As you can see, Deltamon only has three heads, and I imagine that one human and one digimon would be a big enough meal for each. I will let you spare one of your friends, along with their partner. The others will make a delicious meal, and these five will remain my prisoners."

"So I have to choose?" Dasuke exploded. Deltamon let out a roar and the fearful cries that reached his ears made his heart skip a painful beat. Daisuke looked at each of them in turn from gentle Hikari to whiny Miyako, who was now screeching profanities at him between screams of terror. Miyako might have been a pain in the ass, but he couldn't stand by and let her be hurt, or worse.

Daisuke grit his teeth and shook his head. "I can't do it! I can't pick one over the others!"

"Well I suggest you do, otherwise you'll lose them all." The Kaiser reached deep in to his pockets and withdrew something small and glistening; a tiny hourglass, no bigger than the palm of his hand. He flipped it over and smirked at Daisuke. "You have until the sand runs out to choose, or Deltamon eats them all."

"Daisuke!" Hikari shouted, her voice firm. "We'll be all right – he won't really hurt us!" She glanced to Tailmon who was tied up beside her with a strip of cloth around her mouth and Tailmon nodded.

"Choose one of the others!" Takeru called. Miyako huffed with a scowl.

"Make me look like the bad guy, why don't you?" she spat. "Fine! Don't save me! Save someone else!"

"Whatever you decide to do, you have our full support," Iori shouted, "but you'd better think fast before it's too late!"

Daisuke swallowed hard around the knot in his throat. He wanted to save Hikari, but that was selfish; he would have been saving her for all the wrong reasons. He needed a plan; some way to get them all out of this. He didn't need to save a friend – he needed to save an ally. Nefertimon was a good flyer, but he hadn't seen any attacks that would be able to really help. The same went for Pegasmon. So it came down to Holsmon or Digmon. The eagle was a good flyer, and his laser eyes could pick out tiny targets; good for cutting through ropes and then swooping to catch the others before they would hit the jagged rocks below, but Holsmon wouldn't be able to catch them all at once which still left the problem of Deltamon. Digmon could destroy the ground at Deltamon's feet long enough to cause a distraction, but then what of the others? Who was to say the Kaiser didn't have some other trick up his sleeve? Hikari was certain he wouldn't hurt them, but the scar on her cheek said otherwise.

"Tick-tock!" the Kaiser taunted. "Would you throw away all their lives?"

Miyako or Iori? Holsmon or Digmon? Rescue or distraction? Daisuke ground his teeth together, but it wasn't enough to stop the sob that rose in his throat.

"I can't do it! I can't choose!"

"And so you doom them all." The Kaiser grinned victorious as the final grains of sand trickled through the hourglass. Daisuke's knees buckled and he crashed in to the sand as hot tears seared his cheeks. The Kaiser tossed the hourglass aside and lifted his whip, sparing one last glance at Daisuke. "Is this what you call friendship?"

The whip cracked. Daisuke clenched his eyes shut. Deltamon roared. Terrified screams filled the air. Daisuke tasted vomit.

"Incoming!"

Taichi's voice made Daisuke's eyes fly open and he twisted, finding several figures scrambling up over the rocks behind him. Daisuke gaped Holsmon and Pegasmon swooped overhead, and when he glanced back to the narrow bridge it was in time to see Deltamon tilting sideways in to the sand as Digmon emerged from the fissure beneath his feet.

"What – but – how?!" Daisuke spluttered. Taichi reached him then, and he gripped Daisuke by the arm to haul him to his feet.

"It's an illusion," Koushiro said as he arrived with Sora, Yamato and Jou in tow. "The Kaiser's trap sent us right back to the gate – we're sorry we couldn't get here sooner." Daisuke wanted to be relieved, but something was niggling at the back of his mind. He glanced to Taichi who was staring ahead with a tense expression, his eyes darting this way and that. Daisuke turned, staring at the bridge in time to see his 'friends' shiver and morph into strange, tattered ghosts.

All except one.

"Hikari!" Taichi bellowed. She was still dangling perilously from the bridge with Tailmon at her side, and the tremors that ran through the rock had set her swaying dangerously.

"Run!" she cried. "He must have something else planned!"

"Not a chance!" Taichi shouted as Daisuke turned to his partner.

"Let's go!" Veemon nodded and bounded forwards, evolving to Fladramon without breaking his stride. Overhead the ghost-like digimon were swarming around Pegasmon and Holsmon. Miyako had flattened herself against her partner's back with Iori holding tightly to her, whilst Takeru was trying his best not to fall from Pegasmon's saddle. Fladramon leapt high towards Hikari who jerked her head over her shoulder.

"Save Deltamon first!" Fladramon quickly changed course, twisting in mid-air as he wrapped himself in a cloak of fire. The attack hit the ring around his waist with pinpoint precision, fracturing it with a loud CRACK, and two of Digmon's gleaming silver drills were all it took to make the ring crumble completely. Deltamon turned and bolted, but in the time it had taken to free him more of the ghosts had arrived, and they were surrounding Hikari and Tailmon like a barrier, swiping their claws at anyone who strayed too close.

"What are they?" Daisuke asked. Beside him, Yamato grunted.

"Bakemon."

"Take them out!" Taichi ordered. Fladramon leapt into the air, but three of the Bakemon surged forwards and drove him back to the ground. Pegasmon tried to slip in through the gap they left behind, but the other Bakemon closed in too quickly and he was forced to twist sharply away, nearly unseating Takeru who had to flatten himself against his partner's back. Holsmon tried to pierce through their defences, but the ghosts opened their mouths and released bellows of purple smoke that sent Holsmon to the ground where Miyako and Iori tumbled from his back, retching in to the sand. Daisuke's stomach twisted; they were losing.

By now Pegasmon had whirled around for another attack. He soared high in to the air and spread his wings wide, and the golden feathers turned black as night as stars rained down like meteors. The Bakemon screamed and howled and swarmedtowards Pegasmon, forcing him further from Hikari. Fladramon leapt towards Hikari again, but the Kaiser cracked his whip and one of the Bakemon doubled back to catch Fladramon in the gut and send him plummeting in to the rocks below.

"Persistent, aren't you?" the Kaiser sneered. "But I'm afraid I still hold the ace." He cracked his whip again and Hikari screamed.

Tailmon was falling, and fast. The ropes had given way, leaving her to drop like a stone until the last second when she twisted to land nimbly on her feet, her head bowed low. She shivered, fur rippling down her spine, and then she stood tall – revealing the terrible black spiral wrapped around her tiny arm.

"Tailmon, digivolve!"

"NO!"

Hikari and her scream were lost behind a wave of darkness as it swept in to smother Tailmon. It lifted her from the ground, twisting and contorting her shadow until she emerged as a woman shrouded in darkness, wrapped in tattered black clothing that clung to her like a second skin. Two shredded wings unfurled behind her as chains twisted their way around one of her arms. The other grew too long, and Tailmon's claws twisted in to gleaming crimson talons. A patchwork hood of tattered leather wrapped itself around her head as silver-grey hair billowed around her shoulders, and as the last of the darkness settled on to her skin she opened her glowing crimson eyes with a dangerous smirk.

"LadyDevimon!"

Hikari's voice was hoarse as she screamed for her partner, writhing dangerously against the ropes that kept her tied to the bridge. LadyDevimon set her cruel eyes upon Hikari and her thin lips twisted in to a sneer.

"No you don't!" Miyako snapped. "Holsmon!" Her partner was already in the air, but his sharp gust of wind barely ruffled LadyDevimon's hair. Digmon fired two silver drills towards her, which she backhanded with ease. Pegasmon swept towards her then, showering her with golden stars; she brushed them aside too, though it was done with a wince. Fladramon was looking to Daisuke, his expression uncertain, and Daisuke felt his heart hammering in his chest.

They were attacking Tailmon. Tailmon! Friendly, sharp, straight-talking Tailmon. Hikari's partner. Did it truly only take a dark spiral for them to all turn on her? No wonder Hikari was screaming. Just the thought of Fladramon getting hurt was enough make Daisuke's blood run cold.

"Daisuke!" Fladramon snapped. Daisuke jumped to attention, glancing around at the others. They were watching the battle unfold, though when Daisuke saw Taichi turning his head towards him he knew he had to do something.

And so he ran, sprinting up the cliff. He dragged himself onto the ledge, pushing his burning limbs to move as he threw himself at the Kaiser. He balled his fist in the boy's shirt and pushed, hard. Hard enough to send them both toppling back down in to the ravine. Daisuke tightened his grip, keeping the Kaiser in arm's reach as they fell. The Kaiser wrapped his fingers around Daisuke's, trying to pry them away, but Daisuke's iron grip was powered by adrenaline and fear and rage.

"I will not lose to a child like you!" the Kaiser spat. Something collided with Daisuke's shoulder and the Kaiser planted his feet in Daisuke's stomach. The kick sent him flying, ripping his fingers from the Kaiser's shirt as he sailed through the air, skidding to a halt several feet away. Daisuke rolled to his knees, coughing dust and grit.

"You're a kid too!" Daisuke spat. "Just like me-"

"I am nothing like you!" the Kaiser roared as he found his feet. He straightened and dusted himself down with a sneer. "Luckily, thanks to my trump card, I still get to settle one score today. Be warned, Motomia, you won't have another chance to make me look like a fool. LadyDevimon!" She swooped overhead, her crimson eyes flashing dangerously as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Darkness wave!" She spread her arms wide, creating a wave shadow that flew forwards as a surge of chittering bats. They sought their targets and swarmed around them, and the pained cries that came from within the swarm made Daisuke sick. Holsmon was the first to fall, reverting to Hawkmon as he plummeted towards the grouned. Next was Digmon who, as Armadimon, curled himself in to a tight ball and refused to move even as Iori wrapped him tightly in his arms. Veemon collapsed heavily in to the dirt with a pained cry, and Patamon crashed down beside him a moment later with Takeru landing heavily beside them. The Kaiser threw back his head and laughed, turning towards Hikari who was still hanging perilously from the bridge. "Let this be a lesson to you! Do not cross me, little girl. As for you-" He turned sharply back to Daisuke. "Consider this a final warning. Today you embarrassed me for the last time." Daisuke frowned.

"Embarrassed you… What do you…" He didn't mean to glance down, but once he did he found he couldn't look away as his eyes took in the growing patch of crimson on the boy's lower shin. Daisuke stood slowly, realising for the first time that he and the Kaiser were the same height. Same build, too. Probably the same age. Which meant…

"It's not possible…" Daisuke breathed. "You're not… you can't be…" The Kaiser's glare quickly turned in to a furious sneer.

"Not as stupid as you look, it would seem," he hissed. "Go ahead. Say it."

"I-Ichijouji Ken…" Daisuke breathed. Ichijouji lifted his hands to his face and ripped away his goggles, and suddenly Daisuke wondered how he hadn't seen it sooner.

"Well, Motomiya, you've got me all figured out." He lifted his hand and clicked his fingers and a shadow swooped overhead as an Airdramon slithered from the clouds. "Judging by the current state of affairs, I'd say my work here is done. For now, at least." He leapt high in to the air and the Airdramon appeared beneath him in time to sweep him far out of reach. The Aidramon hovered near the clouds as the Kaiser gave one last command. "LadyDevimon! Finish the job!" He clapped his hands before disappearing in to the clouds.

LadyDevimon turned towards Hikari with a hunger in her eyes. Voices were screaming her name, but none were loud enough to cover Hikari's terrified cries as her partner drew closer. Daisuke called to Veemon, but his partner was still curled in a tight ball and shivering furiously with Patamon's ear draped over his shoulders, and Daisuke was left to watch helplessly as LadyDevimon's crimson talons wrapped around Hikari.

They both screamed. The sound made Daisuke's heart stop. LadyDevimon's back arched in pain and then Hikari exploded with a brilliant white light. Daisuke dove behind his elbow with a yell, but even that wasn't enough to save him from the glare. He squinted towards Veemon and Patamon, surprised to find them staring straight into the light as it sank into their skin, erasing the bruises and scrapes of their fight.

The screams reached a peak and the light pulsed before disappearing. LadyDevimon snatched her hand away, staring at Hikari a mixture of fury and fear. She unleashed a furious scream before surging forwards, using her talons to slice the rope as she darted past Hikari and disappeared up in to the clouds as Hikari hurtled towards the ground, arms still bound tightly to her side. A flash of light and suddenly Takeru and Pegasmon were tearing towards her at lightning speed. Takeru snatched her from the air just in time, and she fell limp in the saddle as he pulled her to safety, tearing the ropes from around her arms and letting them fall to the ground as Pegasmon banked gently around. The others converged on Daisuke and Pegasmon made a beeline towards him, landing gently several paces away.

Hikari slid down from the saddle and landed on shaky legs, her eyes fixed on the ground. Takeru dropped down beside her, placing his hand on her shoulder as he murmured her name, but she didn't seem to hear him. Daisuke desperately wanted to run to her side – to hold her tight and tell her that everything would be all right – but his feet were rooted to the ground and his tongue was too big for his mouth. Taichi slowly stepped forwards, and Takeru stepped back.

"Hikari," Taichi said softly. She lifted her head, red-rimmed eyes spilling tears that raced down her cheek and fell on to her boots.

A slight tremble in her knees was all the warning they had before she crumpled. Taichi surged forwards, catching her in his arms as he fell to his knees and held her tight against his chest. The cracks in Hikari's voice were more prominent than ever as she clutched at Taichi and sobbed in to his chest. Daisuke couldn't bear to look and he quickly turned away, only to find himself looking at Veemon who was watching him with a dark expression that was almost accusing, as if it was his fault that things had turned out the way they had.

Perhaps it was.

Eventually Hikari stopped crying. Taichi almost wished she hadn't; the vacant silence that replaced the sobs was somehow worse. There was no question about her coming home now, and Taichi was grateful when Jou, Yamato and Takeru didn't try to stay either. Takeru had taken up silent vigil on Hikari's other side, with Patamon hovering silently between them, and Yamato followed a few paces behind. Jou was walking with Koushiro and Sora, who was doing her best to comfort Miyako who looked to be on the verge of tears herself as she held Hawkmon close. Iori and Armadimon were on Jou's other side, while a sullen Daisuke brought up the rear with Veemon at his heels. They crowded round the terminal and Takeru, being the closest, raised his D-3. Despite the dark clouds hanging over them, a glimmer of warmth flickered in Taichi's chest.

Finally, after four long years, everyone was going home.

After sneaking out of the empty school they had split apart at a nearby intersection. Despite their protests, Taichi had managed to convince Daisuke, Miyako and Iori that it would be best for them to go home. Eleven was a crowd, and fifteen (when they included the digimon) was practically a riot, especially given that it was so late. Taichi was grateful when they didn't argue too much, though there was something about Daisuke's expression that troubled him.

One thing at a time, he thought as he watched the trio disappear around the corner.

Jou's family came first. Koushiro had kept the most contact with the family, speaking with Jou's older brother, Shuu, occasionally over the years. He led the way to the Kido apartment, waving to the doorman who welcomed them with a familiar smile despite the late hour. They followed Koushiro in to a spacious elevator that was just big enough for seven people (and one digimon, who perched atop Takeru's head once the doors closed). Taichi glanced to Hikari as the elevator began to rise; a splash of colour had returned to her cheeks, and when Takeru muttered something quietly to her she managed to answer his grin with a faint half-smile. Taichi turned his attention to Jou then, noting how he was staring intensely up at the display, watching the numbers rise. Taichi tracked a bead of sweat as it trailed down Jou's temple.

"Relax," he said, nudging Jou with his elbow. Jou tried to smile, but Taichi thought he looked more like he was going to be sick. On his other side, Sora reached out and gave his arm an encouraging squeeze.

"I'm sure they'll be excited to have you back home again," she said with a smile. The corners of Jou's lips twitched a little, but then the doors opened and his face paled several shades as they stepped out in to the hall. They followed Koushiro until he came to the Kido apartment door, and he knocked gently. The silence that followed seemed to stretch for an eternity until the door finally swung open to reveal Shuu.

The family resemblance was undeniable, right down to the way Shuu plucked his glasses of his nose and cleaned them on his shirt as began a well-rehearsed speech about how his father, Dr Kido, was at work and if they would like to make an appointment he'd be happy to see them at his office during his clinic hours. He slid his glasses back on to his nose then, and his eyes bulged.

"It can't be…" he whispered, as much to himself as anyone else. "It's not… Jou? Is it really you?" Jou had nodded and Shuu had pulled him in to a fierce hug. He invited them all in for tea but Koushiro politely declined on their general behalf. It was late, and the brothers likely had some catching up to do whilst they had other stops to make. Shuu had gripped Koushiro's hands firmly, shaking them fervently and thanking him profusely before ushering Jou inside the apartment and bidding them all a quiet goodnight.

As they stepped back on to the street, Koushiro's phone buzzed with a call from his mother. He glanced apologetically to Taichi who waved him away with a smile, and Koushiro gave them a quiet goodnight (and good luck) before heading home with promises to his mother that he wouldn't be out much longer.

The next stop was Natsuko and Hiroaki, and Taichi was too exhausted to try and pretend he did not know them well. He knocked lightly on the door before fishing his keys out of his pocket and letting himself in, ignoring the confused looks from Yamato and Takeru. As a group they slipped off their shoes as Taichi called into the apartment, and there came a general murmuring and rustling before Natsuko appeared.

"Taichi, is everything all right? We weren't expecting-" She stopped abruptly as she took them in, and her hands flew to her face. Taichi was barely able to pull Hikari out of the way as Natsuko swept her sons in to a tight hug.

"Hiroaki!" she cried. "Hiroaki, come here! You have to see – Hurry!" Frantic footsteps approached and an exhausted Hiroaki skidded around the corner, straightening his hair and his rumpled shirt. He too froze in wordless shock, and it took Yamato's quite murmur of "Dad" to break him from his stupor. He pulled Yamato from his mother's arms, crushing his son against his chest, and Yamato held him tight. Then he was slipping an arm around Takeru's shoulders and Natsuko was squeezing Yamato. Taichi tried to slip away then, but Hiroaki and Natsuko quickly dragged him in to the hug too, taking a moment to thank him before turning their attention to his sister.

"You must be Hikari," Natsuko said gently, taking her hands. "Taichi's told us so much about you. I'm so glad we finally get to meet you properly." Hikari smiled softly and ducked her head.

"It's nice to meet you too," she said, and when she looked up a second time her smile was entirely too convincing. It made Taichi uncomfortable.

"It's been a long day," Takeru said, pulling his mother back a little. "We should let Hikari and Taichi go home, and we have a lot to catch up on." Taichi shot him a grateful look and Takeru gave him a smile.

"Of course, of course," Natsko murmured, wiping the tears from beneath her eyes. Hiroaki reached for his keys and Taichi waved the gesture away.

"You should stay here. It's not far, and it's warm and dry out," he said. Hiroaki fixed him with a knowing look.

"You'll be all right?" he asked, his eyes darting to Hikari, and Taichi knew he wasn't asking about the journey home but rather what awaited them at the other end. No, Taichi wanted to scream, but instead he forced a tight smile and nodded.

"We'll be fine."

Sora's apartment above her mother's flower shop was almost halfway between Natusko and Hiroaki's apartment and Taichi's, if you detoured a couple of blocks. They walked her home, a tense silence hanging between them until they reached the shop where Sora asked them to wait outside for her. Taichi glanced to Hikari who offered him a small smile as Sora ducked inside, emerging a moment later with a small bundle of flowers – lavender and irises. She passed them to Hikari and gave her a tight hug.

"I'm right here if you need me," she said softly, smoothing Hikari's hair and straightening her rumpled cardigan. Hikari smiled and Sora's face fell just a little before she turned to Taichi, giving him a chaste kiss on the cheek before bidding them goodnight.

All too soon they were climbing the stairs to their final destination: home. Hikari hadn't said a word since Sora had left them, and the brittle smile she'd worn as Sora had hugged her goodnight was all but gone now as she clutched the small bundle of flowers in a white-knuckle grip. Taichi wished he could say something to break the silence, but the closer he got to their apartment the more he realised that the night was not about to get better. He hadn't had time to prepare her for what was waiting within their small apartment, but after turning down Hiroaki's unspoken offer he'd left himself with no other choice.

They paused by the door and he watched as Hikari ran her fingers over their nameplate. It hadn't changed, and neither had the doormat, though the once-pink flowers in the corner were now a ruddy sort of grey. He heard Hikari take a shallow, shuddering breath.

"Hey," he murmured softly. "How are you holding up?" She turned towards him, and the redness of her glassy eyes made Taichi's stomach twist. She offered him a ghost of a smile.

"I'm ready to go home." The words were like a knife through his heart and he tried not to grimace. Judging by the way Hikari's face fell, he did a terrible job. "What is it?"

"I… I didn't really get a chance to tell you, but…" The words caught in his throat. He never had figured out exactly how to break the news to her. When he'd asked Sora for her advice over lunch (had that really only been a few hours ago?) she'd suggested avoiding the small details. He swallowed thickly, wracking his brain for the right words. "Mom is… she's been… she's not well right now. She's okay!" he added quickly at the fear that flashed across her face, only to hastily backpedal. "Well, I mean, she's not okay, but she's not… y'know… She's just… a little out of sorts at the moment." Fear melted to confused concern, and Taichi grimaced; he really had screwed this up. He opened the door with a heavy sigh and led the way inside.

The low hum of the television greeted them as they took off their shoes. Suddenly he was grateful that his father was out of town; perhaps handling their parents one at a time would be for the best. Hikari hovered nervously by his shoulder as they walked further in to the apartment, and Taichi didn't miss the way she sucked in a sharp breath as he turned on the lights. Their mother seemed more skeletal than ever as she sat staring at the television, the harsh light of some evening repeat casting over-saturated shadows across the hollows of her face. Taichi threw his soccer bag on to top of the washing machine before heading in to the kitchen, dropping his schoolbag on a chair.

"You hungry?" HIkari shook her head and he raised a disbelieving eyebrow.

"Really, Taichi, I'm not." Her eyes were fixed on their mother. "Does mom need to eat?" Taichi nodded, not quite ready to explain that she probably wouldn't touch anything they offered her, but the untouched noodle salad at her side seemed to speak for itself. Hikari slowly picked her way across the lounge to kneel before her, taking her papery hands gently in her own.

"Hi mom," she said softly. "I'm home."

She continued to stare at the television, and Taichi felt his eyes burning as he watched his sister's persistent smile. It didn't falter, not even for a second, and it was firmly in place when their mother finally blinked and slowly tilted her head away from the screen.

"Hikari?" Her voice was faint and raspy, and she blinked several times more before lifting a hand to run it over Hikari's cheek. Hikari cupped a hand around their mother's fingers, leaning in to the touch as her smile brightened.

"You didn't eat your dinner." (Taichi didn't have the heart to tell her that the food had been there since before he'd left for school that morning.) "Will you eat some now?" Their mother's eyes flicked from Hikari's face to the bowl and back again, and slowly she reached out to pick up her chopsticks. They trembled against each other as her mother attempted to scoop up a mouthful of noodles and they quickly fell from her grip, clattering against the bowl. The sound was deafening and Taichi flinched, but Hikari was undeterred. She picked up the chopsticks and cradled the bowl infront of her mother's face.

"Here, let me help," she said, picking up a piece of wilted lettuce. Taichi wasn't sure if it was just the fluorescent light from the TV behind her, but for a moment he could have sworn Hikari was shining as she fed their mother small, patient mouthfuls of salad and noodles. With each mouthful their mother seemed to regain just a fraction of colour, eating almost half the bowl before refusing any more, despite Hikari's gentle protests.

"Medicine," she croaked. "Water… medicine…" Hikari stared at Taichi with a lost look in her eyes and he jumped from his stupor, rushing to the cabinet where he kept his mother's medication. He took the daily pill pot from the shelf and filled a glass of water. His mother took them both with shaking hands and swallowed all of her pills in a single gulp.

Maybe things were going to get better.

Together they tucked their mother in to bed. With her sleeping pills, she was soon out like a light, and as Taichi followed Hikari back in to the lounge he spied the time on the kitchen clock. The whistle-stop tour of Odaiba followed by salad and the pills had taken them well in to the early hours of the morning. For a moment he simply watched as Hikari explored their apartment, running her fingers over the couch and staring at the pictures on the mantle until Taichi failed to stifle a loud yawn.

"You should get some sleep," she said softly, turning to him with a smile that made his heart ache. "You have school tomorrow-"

"I'm not going," he said firmly. Hikari shook her head.

"You can't miss it because of me," she said. When he tried to object, she added: "Didn't Sora say you had to keep pretending that nothing had changed?"

But everything had changed. Hikari was home now, and without her partner, and Taichi couldn't bear the thought of her spending her first day back on earth by herself. As if she had read his mind, she smiled and said: "I'll be fine for a day, and then it's the weekend, right?" He wanted to argue, but there was something in the stubborn lift of her chin that told him his efforts would be futile. So instead he conceded with a sigh and held open the door to the bedroom for her.

Her breath hitched as she entered, and for a moment she hovered in the doorway, staring at the spot where their bunkbeds used to be. Now there was just a small single bed. Her gaze moved to the sleeping bag in the middle of the floor before travelling to the bookshelf. It was split almost perfectly down the middle; Taichi had swept all of his clutter to the left, leaving the right side almost completely empty aside from Hikari's crest which sat on the top shelf which gave a gentle pulse of light.

"It's half-empty," she whispered.

"It's only half-mine," he answered. She ran her fingers over the empty shelves before reaching in to her pockets to withdraw her D-3 and D-Terminal which she placed beside her crest. "Been meaning to ask – how did you get your crest back after it was destroyed?"

"It's not real," she answered. "It's one of Myotismon's copies."

"Oh."

Hikari stifled a sniffle, and he didn't miss the way she rubbed at her eye.

"Tailmon thought I might be able to get back home if we went to Myotismon's castle, but the portal was closed and we couldn't figure out how to open it. We were looking around for clues when we found a couple of them lying around." She took the crest in hand and ran her thumb across it. The pulsing pink light made the tear on her cheek sparkle.

"Hikari-"

"You should sleep." She placed the crest back on the shelf and turned to him with a small smile. The tear was gone. "You don't want to be tired at school tomorrow."

"I don't have to-"

"Of course you do. You have to pretend like things are normal." As if there had ever been anything normal about her disappearance or the fact that they had grown up apart. He sighed and rubbed a tired hand over his face.

"You take the bed. I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to make it this morning, but everything's clean-"

"I'll take the sleeping bag," she said firmly. He blinked at her and she smiled back. "It looks comfy."

"Not as comfy as the bed," he countered. "We don't even have a futon."

"It's more than I had in the Digital World." He supposed she meant it as a comfort, but his stomach twisted painfully at the casual reminder. Before he could protest again she had shimmied inside, still in Miyako's sundress. Too tired to argue, Taichi fished out an oversized t-shirt from his drawers and threw it across to her before heading to the bathroom. By the time he returned, Miyako's sundress was folded neatly on the bottom shelf and Hikari had truly burrowed in to the sleeping bag. Her eyes peered out at him as he turned off the light, and as he slipped in to bed he heard her whisper a quiet, "Goodnight, big brother" that made his heart soar.

Sleep was difficult to come by. Had been for a while now. Ever since seeing SkullGreymon he'd been haunted by vivid dreams – memories of their last adventure that soon evolved in to nightmares. Now when he closed his eyes Taichi found himself facing LadyDevimon, and the sight of her cruel smile sent a shiver down his spine.

They'd fought a LadyDevimon before – one of Piemon's Nightmare Soldiers. In the end, it had been Angewomon's holy powers that had defeated her; powers that were now unavailable. He supposed HolyAngemon might stand a chance, but judging by their last fight with MetalGreymon the Kaiser's spires didn't just corrupt a digimon's data, they supercharged it. And that was if Patamon could even still evolve to his Perfect form. He certainly wouldn't be able to if any of the Kaiser's Dark Towers were around. The armoured digimon were their only hope, it seemed, and the Kaiser had managed to bring their number down to four.

At first he thought he'd imagined the sniffle. Perhaps it was a rustle of the sleeping bag, or the whisper of Hikari's hair against the pillow, but then he heard a whimper and he froze. He heard it again, muffled this time but there nonetheless, and he slowly sat up.

"Hikari?"

Silence. He wondered if she was even breathing. He slipped out of bed and tiptoed towards her, picking out the shadow of the sleeping bag against the slivers of city light that filtered through his curtains. Wordlessly he scooped her in to his arms and carried her back to his bed, still cocooned in the sleeping bag. When he lay down beside her she curled in to his chest and he placed his chin atop the hood of the sleeping bag.

"It hurts," she whispered, and Taichi knew she wasn't talking about the chafing from the ropes or the bruises on her side from where Takeru and Pegasmon had caught her. She was talking about the tight pain in her heart at the thought of her partner suffering with the Kaiser; a pain Taichi knew all too well.

"We'll get her back," he said, wrapping his arms around her and squeezing gently. She stifled another sniffle and nodded against her chest, and he clenched his eyes shut, holding her tightly. "It's okay to be scared and hurt. I know I am. Be as brave as you need to be around everyone else, but please don't pretend around me." Hikari's breath hitched several times before her walls finally crumbled, and all Taichi could do was hold her close until she cried herself to sleep.