I don't own Digimon.

A/N: I have no idea why I've struggled so much with these last couple chapters, but I have a feeling it'll get better again once I get into the actual journey to find the Spirit Chip. Hope you enjoy!

Following the Footsteps of Destiny

Chapter 322: Words of Support

Sam Ichijouji

Odaiba, Japan, Earth

Sitting on the floor in the computer room with Glimmermon happily chewing on a snack in his arms, Sam Ichijouji was at a loss of what to think. Technically speaking, there wasn't really anything unusual going on, but something about the atmosphere between Mickey and Matty had definitely sent his brain into overdrive.

They obviously still have their issues, but the way Matty was acting so conscientious of Mickey's feelings all day...I dunno. It makes me wonder. Does Matty know something I don't? Is it because of our upcoming mission, or did Mickey finally confess why he's been acting so unlike himself ever since the incident in the waterway? Whatever it is, there's definitely something different about Matty's behaviour...

"What's wrong, Sam?" Glimmermon asked, glancing up at him with adorable curiosity. "Your face is all scrunched up."

Mercifully, school had finally ended for the day, and wanting a few moments to himself before heading to the Motomiya residence, Sam had left the others to battle it out with Mrs. Hanari before making his way to the computer room. Thankfully, he had managed to slip out of the classroom unnoticed, and since Dai and the others were likely to head to their lockers before joining him, he figured now was as good a time as any to argue with himself.

Takara said she would talk to Mickey, but only after 'somebody else' had a chance to do so before she did. Was Matty the person she was referring to? If so, does that mean Matty knows why Mickey's been acting so odd lately?

It was an excellent question, and since he doubted Kara would have had an opportunity to speak to Mickey privately since their conversation the night before, as the whole group had been together all day, that left only one person who could have possibly spent time alone with the older twin, if indeed Mickey had been approached at all.

There's really no other explanation that makes sense. Matty has to be the person Kara mentioned earlier, but that doesn't necessarily mean anything has happened yet. Then again, if you take into account the way Matty's been acting so kind and considerate towards Mickey all day, it wouldn't surprise me if some sort of discussion had taken place between them.

The thought made his heart skip a beat, and dwelling on the matter, he couldn't stop himself from wondering what the likelihood was of his own erratic behaviour coming up in conversation between the twins.

If Matty did manage to coax the truth out of Mickey, it would have happened during the previous evening while Kara was at my house. Not that there's anything wrong with the two of them sharing their thoughts. They never keep secrets from each other, and I wouldn't expect them to. It's just...if I was a topic of discussion, could they have possibly figured out the truth about my feelings?

Neither of the twins were acting as if they knew what was going on inside his heart, indicating it was probably safe for him to assume they were still unaware of his attraction to Mickey. On one hand, that was enough to make him breath a sigh of relief, but on the other hand, their behaviour made it difficult for him to determine why Matty was suddenly acting so calm and easygoing around him. On top of that, Mickey seem even more flustered than usual in his presence, indicating something must have changed in the last twenty-four hours.

I really don't mind, as long as they weren't thinking anything negative about me...

There was also a good chance he had absolutely nothing to worry about. Logically, the topic of conversation might not have had anything to do with him at all, and he wasn't so arrogant as to think the world revolved around him. Mickey had other worries, including the Spirit Chip and the rift that still existed between himself and his brother. That, more than anything, would have likely been the focus of any conversation that might have taken place between the twins, thus the knowing looks and the silent support Matty kept sending in Mickey's direction at every available opportunity.

Whatever's going on between them, I just hope it's a sign that Matty won't mind too much if I do somehow work up the nerve to confess my feelings to Mickey...

Because first and foremost, he absolutely could not lose his friendship with either of the twins.

And since it's obvious Matty can feel the tension between Mickey and I, I'm well aware of the fact that I'm walking a fine line with him...

"Sam?"

"Sorry, Glimmermon. I must have spaced out there for a minute."

"Is that really what happened?" his partner asked, looking suspicious.

Sam glanced quickly at the rest of the group, and upon determining the other digimon were all still occupied with their food, he cuddled his little partner in crime a bit closer and said quietly, "I know it probably wasn't easy to see for yourself, since you were stuck in my backpack the whole time until I dropped you off here, but...did you think Mickey was acting a bit odd around me this morning? I mean, moreso than usual, even compared to the last few weeks."

"He did seem kind of nervous," Glimmermon said slowly, the words sounding hesitant. "Then again, I know something's been going on between the two of you for a while now, which you're well aware of. I've said it before and I'll say it again. I really wish you would tell me what the problem is."

I know it feels like I can't tell anyone, but maybe that's not actually true. I can always confide in Glimmermon. No matter what I say to him, I know he'll always love me. He won't care if I have feelings for a boy...

It was a lovely thought, and sensing a sudden warmth building inside his chest, Sam said softly, "Hey, Glimmermon...Do you think Mickey's worried about our friendship?"

"Should he be?" the little digimon asked, sounding slightly alarmed.

"No, I just can't help thinking I might have done something to upset him, or if not that then..."

There's a pretty good chance my own weird behaviour is causing Mickey extra stress he doesn't need right now. I can't allow him to blame himself for my own stupidity. If he does and that causes him to lose his heart to the darkness...

"I'm pretty sure Mickey knows you would never hurt him," Glimmermon said firmly, his large eyes sparkling under the harsh lights. "There must be something else that's making him feel so unsure of himself."

"Maybe..."

But if that's true, then why is he acting even more bizarre around me?

"Do you think maybe he's just embarrassed because of the whole situation with Matty?" Glimmermon asked, frowning slightly. "I'm sure he probably feels terrible about how it's making all of us worry."

Sam wasn't too sure about that, but before he could come up with a response, the door flew open with a burst of energy. A moment later, the rest of the current Digidestined team piled into the computer room, and throwing up his hands in dramatic defeat, Dai said hotly, "That was way too close! If Mr. S hadn't come to our rescue, she would have followed us all the way here!"

"No kidding," Matty groaned, shaking his head. "If this keeps up, she's going to find out about the Digital World for sure!"

Wow, Mrs. Hanari sure is persistent.

Smiling to himself, Sam gave his partner a gentle pat on the head, and doing his best to keep his erratic emotions in check, he said dryly, "Better hope that doesn't happen. If she knew the kind of danger Dai gets himself into, we'd have another Noriko on our hands."

"What!?" Dai yelped, turning red in the face.

Ignoring the goggle-headed leader's obvious embarrassment, Sam took a moment to study the rowdy group, and what he observed only proceeded to confuse him further. Takara was shaking her head in amusement, and though she was standing between the twins, the female Digidestined didn't look particularly concerned by their behaviour. Ryoko also had his attention focused on Dai, and ducking his head, Mickey proceeded to stand shyly between his cousins, his amber eyes attempting to focus on anything other than the bodies currently occupying the room. Unlike his brother, Matty was acting pretty chill, and laughing, the younger twin said, "Can't argue with the truth. So, we ready to go?"

He doesn't seem to have a problem with me. Maybe I can relax a little around him...

Keeping that thought in mind, Sam held out his backpack for Glimmermon to hop inside, and nodding his head, he said mildly, "Ready as we'll ever be. Is the hall clear?"

"It should be," Ryoko confirmed, motioning for Iramon to join him. "Seta took Mrs. Hanari back to his office."

"Even then, best not to hang around here too long," Dai warned, glancing warily over his shoulder at the door.

Sam couldn't agree more, and leaping to his feet, he allowed himself to fall in step beside Mickey. The older twin kept his face averted as they headed out of the room, and pretending not to notice, Sam murmured, "Are you starting to feel nervous?"

Mickey immediately blushed at the unexpected question, and glancing quickly at his brother, the older twin said quietly, "A bit, but..."

"Not for your own sake, I assume?"

Mickey nodded, and as they exited through the main entrance of the school, the older twin suddenly leaned towards him and said softly in his ear, "Would you mind if I got something off my chest?"

Sam felt his heart speed up, and unable to ignore the warmth of Mickey's closeness, he swallowed the heavy lump in his throat and said gently, "Of course you can. That's what I'm here for."

You can tell me anything, Mickey. No matter how I feel, I just want to see you happy...

Mickey hesitated, and checking to make sure they wouldn't be overheard, the older twin said slowly, "I'm worried, Sam. It's no secret how I feel about my brother, and I know they're going to use him to hurt me."

I can't really argue with that. Mickey has to overcome the darkness in his heart in order to break the seal surrounding his Spirit Chip, and logically speaking, our enemies are somehow going to use that to their advantage. DarkAngelicmon in particular has some kind of hold over the twins, and knowing the way he usually operates, he won't hesitate to turn them against each other. He'll do it even if he doesn't want to because he won't have a choice in the matter. I'd bet my Digivice on that.

Which made him wonder. Was there a part of DarkAngelicmon that secretly wanted to defy the Ruler of Darkness?

I definitely hope so, but setting that aside for now, there's still one thing I don't understand. How exactly does Mickey think our enemies are going to use Matty against him?

Sam wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer to that, and keeping an eye on the rest of their group, who were strolling further ahead down the street, he nudged the older twin lightly in the side and said calmly, "Would you mind if I asked you a question?"

"What is it?" Mickey mumbled, immediately turning pink in the face.

Interesting reaction. What does he think I'm going to say?

Watching the older twin closely, Sam said, "If they really do intend to make use of Matty, how exactly is that a threat to you? Why would that have the potential to send your heart spiralling into the darkness? Is there something going on between the two of you that's making you doubt yourself?"

"I'd like to know the answer to that myself," Palelymon spoke up quietly from his partner's backpack.

The blush on Mickey's face turned an even deeper shade of red, and avoiding both his eyes and the bag holding his digimon, the older twin said softly, "Nothing in particular. I just...there's definitely some tension between us, especially since we can't agree on DarkAngelicmon's motives, and I...Well, you guys already know I promised Mom and Dad I'd look out for Matty. What if I can't keep that promise?"

Sam immediately felt a spark of sympathy for the golden-haired boy, and quickly wrapping his arm around Mickey's slender shoulders, he said quietly, "You're not alone, you know. If you feel that strongly about it, I'll do everything I can to help you keep Matty safe."

Just like I promised him I would keep you safe.

"Really?" Mickey gasped, his amber eyes sparkling with emotion.

"Like you even need to ask. I'm just as worried about him as you are. There's no way I'm going to let you suffer by yourself."

I love you too much to let you face your fears all on your own...

"Thank you," Mickey whispered, leaning into his side and wrapping an arm around his waist. "That means a lot to me."

You mean a lot to me.

It took all of his self control to keep the sappy thoughts floating around in his brain to himself, and leaning his head against the older twin's golden-hair, he said simply, "You know you can tell my anything. I might not be able to solve every problem, but Ill always do my best to support you and make you feel better. I'll help in any way I can. Just say the word."

"You've already done more than enough," Mickey said sweetly, pulling him closer. "Mostly, I'm just glad you're here with me. It feels...good having you close by."

That was definitely intentional, but...what does it mean?

Doing his best to ignore the sound of his own pulse pounding in his ears, Sam allowed himself a moment to indulge in the warmth of the arm sliding even more securely around his waist before saying as nonchalantly as he could, "You looked like you were getting along well enough with Matty this morning."

Mickey immediately ducked his head in embarrassment, and once again averting his gaze, the older twin stammered, "H-he's just...Y-you know Matty. Even when we disagree, he still understands me and respects my feelings. He has an amazing heart, and he'll...love me no matter how much I beat myself up about silly things that shouldn't stop me from being myself."

"He's right, you know," Sam said firmly, pausing on the sidewalk to pull his friend into a comforting embrace. "You should never stop fighting for what's most important to you."

"I won't," Mickey whispered, snuggling comfortably into his arms. "For you, I'll fight as long as I have to."

And I'll do the same for you.

"Don't worry, Mickey! I'll help protect Matty, too!" Palelymon announced, speaking once again from the backpack. "Goldmon would never let me slack off!"

"Don't forget about me!" Glimmermon joined in, his tone leaving no room for doubt. "We'll support you just as much as Sam!"

"Thank you, I won't forget," Mickey replied, beaming at the two backpacks.

Something definitely happened between Mickey and his brother last night, though judging from the way he's speaking so highly of Matty, I doubt the conversation involved anything I need to worry about. In fact, it might have actually been a good thing. Wait, when he said he would fight for me...does that mean...

Sam froze, and unable to resist the soft skin that was only inches away from his lips, he buried his face against the older twin's enticing neck and mumbled, "You're really making this hard for me, you know that?"

"Sorry, what was that?" Mickey asked innocently, turning just enough to make his heart pound even faster.

"It's nothing."

He's obviously concerned about Matty, but not to the extent I was expecting. Does that mean there's something else that might have the potential to make him lose his heart to the darkness? Is there something I'm missing?

"You guys coming?" a voice suddenly called out to them, sounding amused. "So much for being in a hurry."

Sam jumped, and immediately backing away from Mickey, he turned to glance uneasily at the boy who had spoken. Despite having witnessed such an intimate embrace, Matty didn't look the least bit concerned or offended. The younger twin didn't even seem surprised, which was interesting in itself.

He's not acting like someone who wouldn't want me close to Mickey...

"Sorry, I don't mean to keep holding everybody up," Mickey blurted out, sounding incredibly embarrassed.

A look of mutual understanding passed between the twins, and shaking his head, Matty teased, "Oh, it's no big deal to me. Take all the time you need, but if you do we're leaving you behind."

Why do I get the feeling those words mean something different than what he's saying?

Looking flustered, Mickey quickly shook his head before saying, "No, it's fine. We're coming."

Sam had no intention of leaving the older twin's side, and holding his head high, he gave Mickey's shoulder a quick squeeze before the two of them moved to join the rest of the group. Dai, Takara, and Ryoko looked more amused than suspicious, and smiling slightly, the goggle-headed leader said, "At least nobody can blame me this time if we're late."

Maybe I'm not as obvious as I think I am? Probably for the best. The last thing I need right now is somebody asking me questions I'm not ready to answer...

Letting out a deep sigh, Sam chose to remain silent for the rest of the journey, though he couldn't stop himself from sneaking curious looks at Mickey. Once again, he had no idea what to make of the older twin's behaviour, and it was driving him crazy.

You're just reading too much into every little thing he says and does. He wants me close by because we're best friends and he appreciates my support. I'm sure romance is the last thing on his mind, especially when it comes to me...

It was a depressing thought, and listening to the friendly chatter circling around him, he suddenly felt like he wanted to cry out in frustration.

Why does this whole falling in love thing have to be so...painful...

"Finally," Ryoko sighed as the Motomiya residence came into view. "I bet we're the last ones here."

"So nothing out of the ordinary then," Takara joked, following the golden-haired Digidestined up the steps.

Dai quickly slid past the other two to open the front door, and calling out from the goggle-headed leader's backpack, DemiEmbermon said hopefully, "Does this mean we can talk now?"

"You're in the clear," Matty confirmed, unzipping his own bag so Goldmon could get some air. "Let's hurry inside."

Bringing up the rear, Sam slowly followed the twins into the foyer, and sensing movement in his backpack, he heard Glimmermon murmur, "You seem conflicted. Everything okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just...annoyed at myself."

"How come?"

"I'll tell you later, once we're in the Digital World."

He is my digimon, after all. I should tell him about Mickey. If I do say something, it's not like it'll change anything between us. He'll never stop being my partner just because I have feelings for a boy. I mean, he's already made it pretty clear how much he likes Mickey. If anything, he'll be excited, which could also be an issue. I don't want to disappoint him if it turns out Mickey's not interested in a relationship with me...

"There you all are," Noriko called out, appearing suddenly in the doorway to the living room. "Everyone's ready to go. Did you get held up at school?"

"Almost," Takara replied, stepping forward to give the older female a quick hug in greeting. "Seta came to our rescue, so we were able to get away before Mrs. Hanari could ask too many questions."

"She certainly is persistent," Noriko commented, nodding her head in approval.

Trust Dai's mom to give Mrs. Hanari a compliment!

Sam couldn't help feeling amused, and looking offended, Dai shouted, "You're not supposed to sound happy about that!"

"Relax, sweetie," Noriko teased, reaching out to ruffle her son's dark hair. "I just admire the dedication she has to her students. Even you."

"She loves him best!" DemiEmbermon agreed, poking his head out of Dai's backpack to join the conversation.

The goggle-headed leader groaned in response, and resting a hand on Mickey's shoulder, who jumped at his sudden touch, Sam proceeded to ignore the chatter around him and said mildly, "Let's go find a seat. I'm sure Izzy wants to give us a pep talk before we head to the Digital World."

My touch never used to startle him like that...

"I don't know if it will help much," Mickey sighed, flushing as he attempted to cover his obvious embarrassment. "Then again, he does always make valid points."

The older twin's response wasn't exactly encouraging, and leaving the others to their own devices, Sam gently nudged the older twin forward. Together, they entered the living room, and pulling Mickey with him, Sam moved to sit with Nao, Rina, and his parents. Greeting them with a smile, his father said warmly, "I hope the two of you dressed warm enough."

"We did," Mickey said shyly, pointing to his winter coat and holding up his hat and gloves for emphasis. "I haven't forgotten how chilly it was in the Ice Caverns."

"I bet you'll come home with the sniffles," Rina giggled, wiggling her toes. "Come out, Palelymon! You too, Glimmermon!"

As the two digimon hopped out of their backpacks, Nao said happily, "You guys can play with us before you go."

"I'd rather do that than be stuck in a backpack!" Palelymon agreed, hopping into the young boy's lap.

Glimmermon was quick to join the trio, and turning to his parents, Sam said quietly, "I'm...glad you're both coming with me."

I'm going to need you, especially if things don't go well with Mickey.

In response to his confession, his parents exchanged a look of mutual understanding before his mother turned to him and said knowingly, "Just remember, we're here for you if you need to talk."

"I know."

Sam could feel Mickey watching him curiously, but instead of acknowledging the older twin, he proceeded to survey the rest of the occupants filling the space around him. Dai, Kara, Ryoko, and Matty had finally entered the living room with Noriko, and together the group quickly joined Davis, Ami, Taysuke, and Kenzo, who were seated on the sofa. Izzy, Mina, and Taniko were sitting on the loveseat, and Cody and Rosa were snuggled up together in the armchair. T.K., Kari, Tai, and Sora were sprawled out on the floor in front of the cozy couple while Matt and Mimi sat on nearby chairs. That left the group sitting to the right of the loveseat, which consisted of Miya, Noah, Makku, Shinji, and Taka.

I'm not surprised to see Shinji, since he spends most of his weekends with Makku, but it does make me wonder. Makku obviously knows how I feel about Mickey, and if that's the case, does Shinji also know? I don't think Makku would have come right out and told him, but he is pretty sharp. He might have figured it out all on his own.

Knowing there was a good chance the golden-haired teen already had him all figured out, Sam immediately felt flustered, and taking extra care to keep his eyes averted from Miya's group, he said lightly, "I take it this place will be packed tomorrow?"

"Definitely," Taniko laughed, winking at him. "I'll be holding down the fort, though, so it's all good."

"You're every bit as capable as I am," Izzy agreed, beaming at his daughter. "I hope nobody's forgotten anything and we're all ready to go?"

"Even if we did, too late now," Matty joked, though the smile on his face didn't quite reach his eyes. "So, what's the plan?"

"As previously arranged, we'll meet with Gennai first before we venture too far out in the snow," Izzy explained, pulling on a winter hat before reaching over his laptop to grab a pair of gloves. "From there we'll have a better picture of where we're going and we can start formulating a more solid plan to reach the Spirit Chip."

"Sounds good to me. Let's gather around the computer and get this over with," T.K. said wearily, the words ending in a soft sigh.

It was clear the novelist was worried about his sons, and biting his lip, Mickey quickly lowered his eyes so he wouldn't have to look at his parents. Matty, on the other hand, was watching his parents with a suspiciously guilty look on his face, and shaking his head, Sam had no choice but to assume the twins were causing Kari and T.K. a lot of unnecessary stress. Not that he had any right to judge, since he was kind of doing the same thing to his own parents.

As long as they don't think I'm reverting back to the way I was before. That won't happen, even if Mickey finds out about my feelings and wants nothing to do with me. As long as he's happy, I'll find a way to handle the pain, even if it's completely unbearable...

"Hats and gloves on, everyone," Mina instructed, hopping to her feet. "I don't want anybody freezing right out of the gate."

Sam quickly pulled on his dark purple hat and gloves, and scooping Glimmermon into his arms, he moved to join the others who were beginning to crowd around the computer that was sitting on a desk along the far wall. Before he could get very far, though, and hand caught his arm, and turning he found himself gazing at his older cousin, who looked far more serious than he could ever remember having witnessed before. "Makku, is something wrong?"

As the rest of the group rummaged for their Digivices, the red-haired teen said gently, "A word of advice. Whatever you do, don't let this opportunity go to waste."

Sam immediately felt his throat close up, and putting his arms around his cousin, he whispered softly into the older boy's ear, "Easier said than done."

"You won't know unless you try," Makku responded, hugging him tightly around the shoulders. "Regardless of how he feels, you need to trust him."

"Especially when he needs your support," another voice added, making him jump in surprise.

So I was right...

Glancing over Makku's shoulder, Sam found himself gazing into Shinji's deep green eyes, and taking extra care to keep his voice low, he said calmly, "You know?"

"Not because of Makku," the golden-haired teen assured him, smiling slightly. "You know he would never hurt you like that. I'm observant by nature."

"Great, so who else knows?"

Shinji glanced over at the two boys who were chatting with Miya, and shrugging his shoulders, the older teen said, "Taka and Noah are aware, though they've kept quiet about it. Your sister hasn't given any indication yet that she suspects anything, and I can't speak for anyone else."

Sam let out a soft sigh, and keeping his head lowered, he murmured, "And? What do they think?"

"They want to see you happy," Makku confirmed, pulling back to give him a smile. "You have their support just as much as you have ours."

"There was never any question of that," Shinji agreed, smiling at the red-haired actor.

Taka and Noah have always supported Makku and Shinji. I should have known they would feel the same about me.

Sensing a sudden warmth inside his chest, Sam reached out to put a hand on Shinji's arm and said softly, "Thank you."

"Nothing to thank me for," the older boy insisted, returning the gesture. "Don't give up so easily. There's just something about your family that's hard to ignore, and hopefully Mickey feels the same."

"The Inoues and the Ichijoujis are pretty amazing like that," Makku teased, leaning over him to kiss Shinji's cheek.

Sam rolled his eyes, but before he could respond, a soft voice said hesitantly, "Sam, are you coming?"

Shinji's right. I could never ignore that voice.

Turning slowly, Sam found himself gazing into Mickey's amber eyes, and realising everyone was waiting for him, he smiled and said, "Sorry about that. Let's go."

"Is something wrong?" Mickey asked hesitantly, holding Palelymon close as they moved to join the others.

It was obvious the older twin was curious about what Makku and Shinji had to say, though the shyness in his tone indicated he didn't want to come right out and ask.

It was kind of sweet, and as the light from the computer enveloped him, Sam cuddled Glimmermon close to his chest and said mildly, "Nothing major. Don't worry about it."

"I guess," Mickey mumbled, though he didn't sound all that convinced.

"You'll tell me, though...right?" the little digimon whispered just before they were swept through the gate.

Sam nodded, and closing his eyes against the harsh glow, he whispered back, "About what Makku and the others know? Yeah, once we're in the Digiworld."

Mickey...ask me again when you're ready to hear the answer...