Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.

A/N: Matt is too cute in this chapter. I just couldn't help myself! Enjoy and please review!

Following the Footsteps of Destiny

Chapter 65: Baby Number Two

Matt Ishida

Odaiba, Japan, Earth

Matt Ishida burst through the front door of his house later that afternoon and nearly fell over the shoes in the hallway in his haste to find Mimi. He put a hand against the wall to steady himself and took a moment to catch his breath.

Mimi must be around here somewhere. Her doctor's appointment took place almost an hour ago!

His heart was pounding so fast, he could barely think straight. He had made arrangements to get off work earlier than usual that day because he had wanted to be there for Mimi when she came home from her appointment. There was a good chance his wife had ended up receiving bad news from the doctor, and if that was the case, then she was going to need his support.

I wish I could have gone with her to the doctor's office, but I couldn't get away from work on time to make it home before she left for her appointment. I want to know what's going on, but I'm afraid to find out. What if we got our hopes up for nothing? No! She has to be pregnant. She just has to be! If she's not, how am I ever going to find a way to be happy again?

"It looks like Mimi's not the only one who's going to need a little support," he muttered to himself.

My wife's going to be devastated if it turns out she's not pregnant after all, and I know I'm going to feel the exact same way. How are either one of us going to be able to move on with our lives, and what about Ryoko? He's going to be so disappointed...

Matt slowly straightened up and put his hands over his face. He wanted to find Mimi right away and ask her what was going on, but he was afraid of what she might say.

Mimi and I have always wanted at least two children, if not more, but we're running out of chances to make our dream come true. I guess we could always adopt a child if things don't work out today. We've talked about it before, but I don't know if Mimi will be able to bring herself to go through the adoption process after suffering such a huge disappointment. There are so many kids out there who need loving parents, and if we can't have any more of our own children, we might as well adopt a child who deserves our love and affection. After all, adoption might be Mimi's last chance at happiness, and I'm sure there are a lot of kids out there who would benefit from being placed in a good home. I used to believe I was all alone in the world, and I thought nobody loved me, but I was wrong, and that's why I'm willing to do anything if it means I get a chance to be a dad again. I've learned so much growing up, and I want to be able to pass that on to Ryoko and to any other children I might have, whether they're my own biological children or not.

"Where's Tai when I need him?" he said softly. "I could use some of his courage right about now."

"Matt?"

Matt froze at the sound of his wife's voice and glanced anxiously towards the living room. Mimi, you're here...

"Matt, is that you?" Mimi called out.

Matt took a deep breath and slowly entered the living room. The tone of his wife's voice made him feel very uneasy because he could not tell if she was sad, happy, or somewhere in between.

Her voice sounds so calm. Maybe she's in shock, but if she is, then does that mean the doctor gave her bad news?

"Hey, Mimi," he said softly, giving his wife a nervous smile.

Mimi was sitting on the couch with her legs curled up underneath her, and there was a thoughtful expression on her face. It looked like she had walked into the living room immediately after coming home because her shoes were lying in a heap next to the couch.

"Mimi?" he whispered. "Are you alright?"

"Hey, Matt," his wife said quietly, ignoring his question. "I've been waiting for you to come home."

Matt slowly stepped forward, and after a brief hesitation, he sat down next to her on the couch. "How long have you been sitting here?"

"Not that long," she said softly.

"Mimi..."

Mimi finally turned to look at him, and he felt his heart sink. Her cinnamon eyes were sparkling with tears, and she looked like she was going to break down at any moment.

Please tell me this is a bad dream...

Matt felt his eyes start to sting, and he collapsed against the back of the couch. "Mimi, I'm so sorry," he choked out.

He felt like his heart was being torn into a million pieces. Mimi had seemed so sure of herself in the restaurant a few days ago, and for the first time in years, he had allowed himself to feel a small spark of excitement. Unfortunately, in less than a minute, all of his hopes had come crashing back down, and he knew there was no way he was going to be able to mend his broken heart, despite the fact that he had prepared himself for bad news as well as good news. The pain and sadness in his heart was stronger than anything he had ever felt before, and he had a horrible feeling the realization of what he had lost was going to haunt his memory forever...

"No," Mimi whispered. "Matt, look at me. Please, honey? Let me say something before you start to get all upset."

Matt looked up in surprise, and Mimi gently placed her hand against his cheek. He stared at her for a moment, and a loud gasp escaped his lips. There were tears running down her face, but she did not look at all upset. Her cinnamon eyes were sparkling with happiness, and he realized she was smiling.

"Mimi, what's going on?" he whispered, reaching out and taking her hand. "What did the doctor have to say?"

Mimi started to cry, and she hugged him tightly around the neck. "Matt, I was right," she sobbed into his shoulder. "We're going to have a baby! I can't believe it! I'm so happy, I don't even know what to say. Matt, I love you so much. I haven't felt this happy since Ryoko was born!"

Matt was speechless. He did not think he would have been able to say anything even if he had wanted to. This was the moment he had been waiting for all day, and it was more amazing than anything he could have ever imagined.

It took thirteen years, but I'm finally going to be a dad again...

"Can you believe we're going to be parents again?" Mimi mumbled in his ear. It was almost as if she had read his mind. He hugged her as hard as he could and realized there were tears running down his face. "I love you," he whispered over and over again into her rosy coloured hair.

Mimi started to laugh, and she kissed him on the lips. "I'm sorry I made you worry so much, but I've been in a daze ever since I left the doctor's office. Ryoko's going to be so happy. I know he has always wanted a sibling. I've heard him mention it to his friends a few times."

"Me, too," Matt said quietly, his voice trembling with emotion.

Mimi sighed softly and wrapped her arms around his waist. "The only reason he hasn't said anything to us is because he doesn't want to make us feel bad."

"I know." Matt stroked his wife's rosy hair and slowly shook his head. "Ryoko has quite a few friends, but I can tell there's something missing. I think he would really benefit from having a little brother or sister to spend time with."

Mimi nodded and rested her cheek against his shoulder. "Matt, do you want to have a boy or a girl this time?" she asked quietly.

Matt smiled softly at his wife and gently placed a hand against her stomache. "I don't care," he whispered, leaning forward to kiss the top of her head. "I just want our baby to be born healthy and happy."

"Me, too," Mimi replied, her cinnamon eyes sparkling with happiness. "Matt, I can't wait to tell everyone the news. Sora's going to freak when she finds out, and Tai and T.K. are going to be so happy for you. I bet Rina and the twins are going to be ecstatic. I'm sure they'd love to have another cousin!"

Matt rolled his eyes and started to laugh. "Let's concentrate on telling Ryoko first. We can let the others know when we meet up with them at Davis' house."

"Why does Davis want all of us to come over this evening anyway?" Mimi asked, looking uneasy.

Matt frowned and gently rubbed her stomache. "I'm not sure. Tai sounded really confused when I talked to him over the phone this morning, and I could tell he didn't have a clue what was going on. He just said he was passing on a message from T.K., and apparently Davis was the one who asked T.K. to call him in the first place."

"I guess we'll find out when we get to Davis' house," Mimi said quietly.

Matt hesitated and finally nodded. He was concerned about what was going on with Davis, but the thought of being a dad again was making it difficult for him to focus on anything else, including the importance of Tai's phone call.

"Mimi, I can't even tell you how happy I am," He whispered, tears of joy threatening to spill from his eyes again. "Our dream has finally come true, and I'm going to do everything I can to make sure both of our children realize how much we love them."

Mimi Ishida

Odaiba, Japan, Earth

Mimi snuggled against her husband's chest and squeezed her eyes shut. "Matt, Ryoko already knows how much we love him," she said softly. "You're a great father, and I know our baby's going to be so happy to have you for a dad."

A warm smile slipped across Matt's face, and he gently touched her cheek. "The same goes for you, Mimi. Ryoko thinks you're the best mother in the world, and our baby is going to feel the exact same way."

"Thank you," Mimi whispered. She smiled at the look of pure joy on Matt's face and hugged her husband tightly against her chest. There were tears running down her face, but she barely even noticed. All she could think about was the baby she knew she was having and the look of happiness that was going to be on Ryoko's face when he found out. She had started to cry immediately after the doctor had given her the news, and ever since then, she had been in a state of shock. In fact, the doctor had made her sit in the waiting room for fifteen minutes before he would let her drive home.

I've dreamed about this moment for so long, and now, after years of waiting for another child, I'm finally pregnant and more than ready to be a mom again. I'll never forget the look that had been on Matt's face when he thought I wasn't pregnant, and I don't even want to think about what the expression on my face would have been if I had been in his position.

Matt's left hand was still resting against her stomache, and she gently squeezed his fingers."We'd almost given up on having another baby, but I'm glad we didn't. If we had, we never would have created this beautiful infant lying inside of me. Miracles don't always happen right away, but when one does finally pop up out of nowhere, a part of you starts to realize it was definitely worth the wait."

"This is one miracle I know I'll never take for granted," Matt whispered, leaning over and placing a gentle kiss on her stomache.

Mimi buried her face in his golden hair and wrapped her arms around his neck. She loved her husband more than she could ever put into words, and she knew he felt the same way about her. They did everything they could to make each other happy, and that was why they had such a wonderful marriage. Matt's sapphire eyes were sparkling with excitement, and his face was glowing with pure happiness. He looked like he had forgotten how to be sad.

I love you, Matt. I love you so much.

Mimi stroked his golden hair and let out a soft sigh. Her husband had not looked this happy since the day Ryoko had first called him daddy, and she knew she would never forget the look that had been on his face when she had announced she was pregnant. That had been the best moment of all, and she knew she would never forget it, no matter how many more years passed by.

"Mom?"

Mimi jumped at the sound of her son's voice and glanced towards the living room door. "I'm in the living room, honey. Your father's here, too," she called back, her heart pounding with excitement.

Matt rested his cheek against the top of her head, and she gave him a nervous smile. She had missed the sound of the door opening because she had been lost in her own thoughts, but that was the least of her concerns. Ryoko was very worried about her, and she had to concentrate on making sure he understood what was going on.

"Mom, are you alright?" Ryoko gasped, racing into the room and throwing his arms around her neck.

Mimi hugged her son tightly and kissed him gently on the cheek. "I'm fine, Ryoko," she whispered. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. Your father and I didn't mean to make you worry so much."

"Mom, what's going on? Why were you and Dad acting so strange this morning?" Ryoko mumbled into her shoulder. He placed his hand against her tear stained cheek and stared at her in horror. He looked like he was going to be sick.

My poor baby. He probably thinks there's something wrong with me. I better tell him what's going on before he starts to think I'm dying from some horrible disease or something.

She could feel her son trembling in her arms , and she gently rubbed his back in a soothing gesture. "I love you," she whispered softly into his golden hair.

"Ryoko, your mom and I have something to tell you," Matt said quietly.

Ryoko gave his father a frightened look, and Matt started to laugh. "Don't worry, Ryoko, it's good news. Why don't you sit down on the couch and we'll tell you what's going on."

Ryoko slowly sat down between them and frowned. "You're not just trying to make me feel better are you?"

"No," Matt whispered, pulling his son into a warm hug. "Go ahead, Mimi. I think you should be the one to tell him."

Mimi nodded and placed her hand against her son's smooth cheek. "Honey, I wanted to tell you sooner, but I decided to wait until I knew for sure what the answer was going to be. I didn't want you to get your hopes up for nothing."

"Is that why you had to wait until this afternoon to explain to me why you've been acting so weird ever since I woke up this morning?" Ryoko asked, clinging tightly to his dad's arms. His sapphire eyes were filled with fear, and he looked like he was going to start panicking at any moment.

"Matt, what did you say to him this morning? The poor boy is scared out of his mind!" Mimi scolded.

Matt rested his chin against the top of Ryoko's head and sighed. "I'm sorry, Ryoko," he murmured, holding his son close. "I didn't mean to scare you."

Ryoko leaned back against his father's chest and shook his head. "It's okay," he said quietly. "Mom, Dad just said you wanted to tell me something, but you wouldn't know what to say until this afternoon. Please tell me what's going on."

Mimi gazed directly into her son's sapphire eyes and took a deep breath. "I went to the doctor's office this afternoon, and he gave me some really great news. He told me I'm going to have another baby, and that means you're going to have a new sibling," she whispered.

For a moment, Ryoko just stared at her, and then his eyes widened in shock. "Are you serious?" he gasped.

Mimi smiled and wrapped her arms around her son in a warm embrace. "I've never been more serious in my life," she murmured.

Ryoko's eyes filled with sudden tears, and he hugged her tightly. "I was afraid you were going to give me bad news," he choked out.

"No way," Matt said quietly, leaning forward to kiss the back of his son's head.

"I can't believe it," Ryoko whispered, his sapphire eyes beginning to sparkle with happiness. "I've always wanted a little brother or sister, but I didn't want to say anything because I didn't think it would ever happen. Besides, I didn't want you guys to feel bad..."

"We know," Mimi whispered. "It's okay, Ryoko. Your father and I have heard you mention it to your friends before, and we feel the exact same way. We've always wanted to give you a sibling, and now we finally have a chance to make your dream and our dream come true."

"I love you, Mom," Ryoko said softly.

"I love you, too, and I'm so glad you're happy about having a new sibling," she whispered back.

Matt smiled at her and gently ruffled his son's hair. "Hey, Ryoko? Which would you prefer, a brother or a sister?"

Ryoko laughed and wrapped his arms around his dad's neck. "I don't care," he said softly. "I just want a sibling."

"I'm glad," Matt whispered, resting his cheek against Ryoko's forehead. "You know what? When you were born, I cried like a baby."

"Yeah right," Ryoko replied, giving his dad a fond smile. "I bet you're just saying that."

"No, it's true," Matt insisted. "Just don't tell your Uncle Tai. Your mother was worse. She cried for two hours straight after you were born."

"I was so happy," Mimi whispered, hugging her son tightly.

Ryoko blushed and smiled at her. "Mom, can I tell Dai and the others?" he asked softly.

Mimi nodded and kissed his cheek. "You can tell the whole world if you want to," she whispered. "Actually, Davis wants us to come over to his house for dinner tonight, and since Tai and the others are going to be there, as well, we'll have a perfect chance to tell everyone at once."

"I know you're hanging out with your friends this afternoon, so make sure you come home with Dai, alright?" Matt said, bending forward and kissing Ryoko's forehead.

"I will," Ryoko said softly. "I better go before Takara and the others start to wonder where I am. I'll see you guys at Dai's house this evening."

"Alright," Mimi replied. "Have a good time, sweetheart."

Ryoko nodded and gently placed his hand against her belly. "I will," he said softly. "Goodbye, little brother or sister. I'll see you later."

Mimi kissed her son's cheek again and rested her head against his shoulder. "You're going to be a great brother, Ryoko."

Matt nodded in agreement and gently kissed her stomache again. "And you're going to be one lucky baby," he whispered to her growing belly.

Ryoko raised his eyebrows, and Mimi started to laugh. "Your dad used to do the same thing when I was pregnant with you," she said softly, giving her son a warm smile.

Ryoko's face turned pink, and he beamed at his father. "See you guys tonight," he murmured, kissing them both and racing out of the room.

Mimi blinked in surprise and turned to look at her husband. "What was that all about?"

Matt crossed his arms and gave her a look. "I think you've embarrassed him. Now he's never going to be able to look us in the eyes again!"

Mimi laughed and gave her husband a small smile. "Hey, Matt? How come you don't want Tai to know you cried when Ryoko was born?"

Matt blushed and quickly looked away from her. "No reason," he mumbled.

"You're being ridiculous, you know that?" Mimi replied, rolling her eyes. "Trust me, I know. Tai cried when Kara was born, and he cried again when Tay was born! What do you have to be embarrassed about?"

Matt's mouth dropped open, and he stared at her in surprise. "How do you know?"

"Sora told me! Tai probably didn't want you to find out, but Sora never said I was suppose to keep the news a secret!" she giggled.

"Really," Matt replied, a sly smile slipping across his face.

She nodded, and he gave her a suspicious look.

"Wait a minute. You didn't tell Sora I cried when Ryoko was born, did you?" he asked.

"Um...maybe..."

"Mimi! I bet you anything she told Tai! Thanks a lot!" Matt complained. "Come on. Let's hurry up and get to Davis' house. I know he said this evening, but I bet he wants to talk to us before all the kids start to show up!"

Mimi laughed and gently placed her hands against her stomache. "Ryoko, your dad, and I are really excited to meet you," she whispered softly to her belly. "We love you, baby. All three of us are going to protect you and keep you safe."

Matt gently squeezed her hand, and she smiled at him. Whatever Davis wanted to tell them tonight was going to have to wait until after she had a chance to tell everyone about the newest Ishida family member.