TK

I probably should've waited to see if Patamon and Gatomon would manage to get through the portal, but I was too anxious to find Kari to wait for them. I just needed to know if she was safe.

Using my digivice, I tried to figure out where she was, but it was coming up nothing. I didn't know if it was the setting interfering or if Devimon had done something.

At least I was able to properly see most of my surroundings without too much walking. The cave was the only place that looked like somewhere Devimon might've been keeping Kari, unless . . . .

I tensed, staring at the ocean. He wouldn't, would he?

Dumb question, TK. Of course he would, but that didn't mean he did.

Using the light from my digivice, I headed inside the cave, hoping I guessed right.

Gatomon

After what felt like eternity but was, in reality, only seconds, Tai, Patamon, and I managed to break down Kari's bedroom door. There was a gray portal getting smaller by the second, and Patamon and I didn't think twice about going through.

"Be careful," Tai yelled after us.

Everything was as grey as I remembered it, but I didn't study my surroundings too much as I was trying to find TK, who had already disappeared.

"Over there!" Patamon said, looking in the direction of the cave.

Sure enough, he was running straight into the cave on the far side of the shore. Patamon started to go after him.

"Patamon, let's stay close but not too close," I said. "When he does find her, we should give them a minute of privacy."

He froze, turning to me. "But-"

I shook my head. "Unless you really want to see them kiss and make-up. Just trust me. We'll be close enough to protect them, but they don't need to know we're here just yet."

Patamon nodded, but the worry was clear on his face.

"I wasn't with you guys when you faced Devimon," I said. "But, he should be easier this time. You're stronger now, and I'm also here."

"Devimon isn't what I'm afraid of," he said, landing on the ground in front of me. "It's TK. He's not thinking clearly. I know how badly he wants to protect Kari. He feels like this is his fault. I'm just afraid he's going to do something reckless, and I won't be able to stop him."

I felt kind of guilty. I hadn't even thought about what TK's statement of dying for Kari would do to Patamon. I remembered how I felt the first time the dark ocean took Kari. It was too hard to think about at the time, but if I had really lost her I wasn't sure what I would've done. If she didn't survive this, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself. Patamon must've felt the same way about TK.

"No one is going to die," I said, glaring at the ground. "Except Devimon. Besides, I don't think Kari would let him die for her. She would do everything in her power to stop him."

He didn't meet my gaze. "I hope you're right."

Kari

Someone was coming, drawing closer and closer. I knew who it was, but rather than feel excited, I only felt more miserable.

I had done so well fighting back the urge to call for him. No matter how much I had wanted to, I had refused, thinking that, in the end, I was protecting him. But, I should've known he would find his way here one way or the other.

Did he even know who was waiting for him here? Once he found out, he would hate me.

I fell to the ground, my entire body shaking. None of this would've happened if I had just told him how I felt instead of continuing to hide it. If he had said he didn't feel that way about me that would've been a better fate than this. Whatever happened, we would've gotten through it.

A small light suddenly caught my attention, and the sound of footsteps echoed through the cave.

I gasped, but then quickly covered my mouth. The footsteps stopped.

"Kari, are you here?"

My voice shook, but I managed to answer. "H-Here, TK."

He stopped, turning the light toward me. I could just make out his face.

I couldn't speak as he approached me. I couldn't even look at him. Suddenly, I felt ashamed by my current state. Defenseless, chained to a wall . . . I couldn't remember a time when I had been so vulnerable.

He stopped in front of me, and I shivered under his stare. He touched my cheek. "It's really you."

My bottom lip quivered as I fought back tears. My legs seemed to be moving on their own as I stood up. "TK . . . you shouldn't be here. He wants to kill us. You need to save yourself."

He shook his head. " I knew what I was getting myself into. You don't need to tell me." He sighed. "Your clone was anything but subtle."

I frowned. "How long did she have you fooled?" I wasn't sure if I wanted to know, but the question was already out.

"Barely a second," he said. "The moment she hugged me, I knew."

Relief washed over me. "I'm glad, but why are you here? If she didn't trick you-"

"I made her take me to you." He looked away. "She wouldn't let Gatomon and Patamon in, but I pushed her through before she pulled me through. I hope they managed to get through."

I looked away. "TK, I'm sorry. He messed with my head. It was like being under mind control. I don't even remember half of the last week. But, I remember the look on your face when I was kissing Malik. I'm sorry."

His arms encircled my waist, and I put mine on his hips, which was as far as I could reach.

"It's okay. I know none of that was you," he said. "I'm just glad to have you back."

"I'm just sorry my first kiss wasn't with …." I looked away, face warm. I couldn't bring myself to finish that sentence.

He leaned in closer to me, his face inches from mine. "Let your next kiss be with the one who loves you, and who you love. You can't dwell on what's already happened."

I nodded. "Then . . . TK, will you kiss me?"

I hadn't even thought about what I was asking before I asked it, but when I did, heat rose to my cheeks. Now, he would know, and I wasn't sure if I was ready for his reaction.

He dropped his arms, and pain shot through my chest. He was rejecting me, but at this point I couldn't blame him.

"I'm not letting our first kiss be when you're chained to a wall," he said. "I'm not going to kiss you when you don't have the option to push me away. I'm not like that."

I looked down. "Oh. Okay." As strange as it was, I suddenly wanted to kiss him even more than usual.

He pressed his lips against my forehead. "Will that do for now?"

I nodded, leaning against his chest. His hands found my wrists, and I jerked away.

"They're raw," he said. "I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"It's okay," I said. "TK, I just want you to know . . . I love you."

He paused, and I noticed the cloudiness in his eyes, even in the dim lighting. "I love you, too, Kari. When this is over, I'll give you all the kisses you want, I promise."

I smiled. Despite everything, I felt just a little bit happy. Being near him did that to me. I might have been given the crest of light, but the reality was he was always my light in darkness.

My smile faded. "TK, my digivice . . . it's in my pocket. Can you get it?"

He fumbled in my pocket, pulling it out.

"He said it won't work. I have a bad feeling . . . something's wrong with it."

"Why do you think that?"

I looked away. "It was giving off black light, when he was using me. I'm afraid . . . it's messed up. I'm afraid to let Gatomon digivolve if they do find us."

Using the light of his own digivice, he held it up to my face, nearly blinding me as he studied my eyes. "Your eyes . . . they're a little black but much better than they were."

"What are you talking about?"

"When he was controlling you, your eyes were dark, and how black they were depended on your level of manipulation, I think."

"So . . . if they're still a little black . . . that means he's still manipulating me."

He shook his head. "I don't know, but I did notice, when you finally let me in a little bit, it receded."

I met his gaze. "I remember feeling better when I was in your apartment and you were holding me."

He wrapped his arms around me once again, holding me against his chest. "Then, I'm just going to have to hold you."

I closed my eyes, letting myself imagine for just one moment that it was just us and no one was out to kill us. If life would've allowed me to, I would've stayed in his arms forever, but, as usual, it had other plans.

Running steps and flapping ears approached us, and we turned to see Patamon and Gatomon.

"Kari!" Gatomon wrapped herself around my leg, probably unsure of where else to grab.

I wanted to hug her, but I was still chained.

TK held out his digivice. "Alright, Patamon, break the chains."

Bright light surrounded Patamon, and I had to close my eyes. When I reopened them, Angemon stood beside me.

Using hand of fate, he managed to break the chains. I rubbed my now freed wrists..

"Thank you, Angemon." I smiled at him as I bent down and embraced Gatomon. "I'm sorry, Gatomon. I should've listened to you."

She returned the hug. "It's okay. It wasn't your fault."

I released her and stood up. Immediately, TK's hands rested on my cheeks. "I said I wouldn't let our first kiss be when you were chained to a wall." He drew closer to me, and my head felt like it was spinning out of control. "You're not anymore."

His lips brushed against mine. The need I had for him burned inside me, threatening to consume me. His lips were soft and gentle, and while Malik's kiss left me feeling cold and empty, TK's sent warmth flooding through me. All I wanted to do was snuggle against him and let him kiss me until I couldn't breathe.

He pulled away far too soon for my liking, but his hands remained on my face. "In case something happens . . . I needed to do that."

"Get mushy later. Right now we should get out of here," Gatomon said.

TK's hands fell from my face and he took my hand in his. "She's right. Let's go."

It took me a moment to get my legs to work properly again. TK must've noticed my discomfort because he wasn't running quite as fast as I knew he could've been. Angemon flew ahead of us while Gatomon stayed behind us.

The rumbling chuckle sounded throughout the cave, sending a chill down my spine. TK didn't falter though, not until the cave started shaking.

He froze, pulling me against him. The roof of the cave started crumbling, falling around us.

Angemon dodged the falling rock. Gatomon got in front of me.

"Kari, I better digivolve," she said. "Better to be prepared for a fight sooner rather than later."

I looked away. "That might not be a good idea."

"Kari, what are you-"

Above me, a large piece of rock broke loose. Gatomon lunged for me, but TK had already shoved me out of the way. He winced, grabbing his shoulder where the rock had struck him instead.

"Let's just get out of here. We'll figure it out later," he said.

TK

Pain pierced my shoulder, but that didn't stop me from grabbing Kari's hand and taking off again. Angemon used himself as a shield to keep the falling rocks from hitting us, but every time his flight was interrupted a little bit of panic hit me. We couldn't get out of there fast enough.

We finally made it out, and the moment we did, the ground stopped shaking. Devimon must've been in a hurry for us to get out. My hand tightened around Kari's, though not enough to hurt her.

"TK, are you okay?" She asked, placing her hand on my shoulder.

I fought back a wince when her fingers made contact, but other than the initial pain, it strangely felt better under her touch. I smiled, nodding. "I'm fine. Let's keep moving."

"Not so fast."

AN: Yay cliffhangers, aren't they awesome? There's not much left. I'm trying to get the rest out as fast as I can. Anyway, thanks for reading!