WARNING: Some pretty big changes to this chapter.
Disclaimer: I own nothing in this marvelous universe; it all belongs to Toei Animation, I believe.
Dedication: Cherry Blossom Haiku. For the continuous support and great reviews. Thank you so much! =]
Reviewers: N/A
Author's Note: See chapter one or two, please.
Rating: T
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xXxXxXxXxXx
"Tai . . . honey, don't freak out," the woman said, standing up. She reached out her hand in an effort to calm the shaking teenager.
He pushed her hand away gruffly. "Are you kidding me? You're pregnant. Why can't you two ever think things through? It's not that hard really. I mean, putting on a condom isn't that difficult."
Mr. Kamiya got up quickly and narrowed his eyes at his son. "Don't speak to your mother like that, Taichi."
Tai's shaking increased and he looked on the brink of breaking down. "How could you? Don't you two every think about anyone other than yourselves?!"
In the other room, Kari slowly turned down her music at the sounds of yelling. Her eyes narrowed in confusion. Of course, her family wasn't perfect, but it been such a long time since they had actually yelled at each other . . .
Kari got up quietly and pushed her door open. She followed the sounds of the yelling until she was standing in their living room with an angry Tai and her two scared looking parents.
"Mom, Dad . . . what's going on?" Kari said timidly, looking innocently between the three.
Before her parents could answer, Tai spoke with ice dripping from his words. "Oh, Kar, didn't you hear? Mom's pregnant. Isn't that great?" Tai's shaking had stopped and was replaced by a cool, emotionless exterior.
Kari looked at her parent's with wide eyes before jumping up. "Oh! That's so great! I'M SO HAPPY FOR YOU!" She ran to her parent's side and hugged them both around one shoulder. After a few seconds, she turned around to Tai. Her eyebrows furrowed. "Tai . . . why aren't you excited? We're going to big siblings!"
Tai's exterior faltered and raw pain showed through, but he quickly put up his wall. He ignored Kari's question and turned to face his parents. "Oh, I forgot. You guys made me promise not to tell her. Not really fair to her, is it?" 'Or me,' he added on silently to himself.
His father looked deeply pained and as if he wanted to reach out to his son. "Please, Tai . . . no."
Tai looked down at the beige carpet. "No, Dad. It's not fair."
Kari looked confused and she quickly went to her brother's side and grabbed his hand. "Tai . . . what are you talking about?"
He shook his head quietly and Kari visibly stepped back as she saw a drip of liquid hit the carpet.
"Mom? Dad?" She asked timidly. Her mom was crying now and her dad was consoling her. Kari narrowed her eyes slightly.
"I'm going to take Tai in my room," she said to her parents, though neither was really listening. She gently guided her brother to her bed and moved him into a sitting position carefully, making sure he didn't' hit his head.
She took a seat in her computer chair and pulled herself so that her hands were resting on his knees. "Tai . . . please talk to me."
Tai shook his head, but his voice timidly broke the strained silence. "It all happened a long, long time ago . . ."
XxFlashbackxX
A six-year old Taichi Kamiya looked at his parent's with wide eyes. "Y-You mean it?"
His parents smiled and nodded. Tai jumped up and down excitedly. "Yes!
He slid slowly to his sleeping sister and put his chubby hand carefully on the top of her head. "So," he whispered, "I'm going to have another little sister? Just like my Kari?"
Her mom was smiling and quietly ushered him out of his sister's room.
"Not exactly," his dad responded. "You're going to have a little brother."
Tai's eyes widened. "A-another me?"
Mrs. Kamiya laughed happily and pulled her eldest child in for a hug. "Not exactly, honey."
He pouted up at her. "But he'll still like what I do, right? And he'll still, you know, do what I tell him to?"
Mr. Kamiya laughed gruffly. He ruffled the hair on Tai's head and smiled down at him. "Don't be getting any ideas, boy." Mr. Kamiya leaned down and whispered in his ear. "Just between you and me, though; I had a brother and he did anything I said."
"Cool!" Tai exclaimed happily.
Mrs. Kamiya put her hands on her hips jokingly. "Hey, I heard that! I'm pregnant, not deaf, you two!"
Tai laughed and grinned so widely that his dimples showed. "I'm going to be the best big brother to him!"
"You've had lots of practice," his dad said kindly, glancing at his daughter's closed door.
"Yep!"
Mrs. Kamiya smiled at the two important men in her life, but suddenly crossed her arms. "I know you're excited, but it's bedtime."
"Buts, Mom!"
"Nope. Let's get you washed up."
Tai stuck his bottom lip out. "Fine . . ."
-o-
"I can't believe it! It's really happening. Right now! And Kari's gots to stay home with Grandma 'cause she isn't mature enough to handle this, right? Only I get to go 'cause I'm so great," Tai babbled in the backseat of the car. His father shot him an amused seat from the front seat.
"If you say so, Tai . . ."
Tai nodded vigorously, ignoring the slight amusement in his father's voice. "I do! I'm going to be the best big brother ever to . . . to . . ." Tai looked up at his father with wide eyes. "My little brother doesn't have a name!" He exclaimed incredulously.
Mr. Kamiya laughed nervously and switched lanes so he could speed a little more. "We've been debating over a few, you know."
Tai crossed his arms. "And why didn't you tell me, Daddy?"
His father looked at his son through the rearview mirror. "I'm so sorry, Tai. How could we ever forget such an important decision maker like you?"
Tai threw his hands up in the air. "I don't know!"
His father laughed as he pulled hazardously into the hospital parking lot. "We've been going over a few. Lately, though, your mother has been favoring the name Jim."
"Jim," Tai said, testing the foreign word on his lips. "Jim," he repeated with more gusto.
"I-I like it!" He finally exclaimed.
His father smiled at him. "Good to hear, little boy."
"Hey, I am not little!"
"Let's just get going."
"Fine."
-o-
Tai swung his legs impatiently over the side of the large chair, waiting for his father to come back and bring him news. His father wasn't supposed to leave his side, but apparently something had happened so Tai was stuck under the watchful eye of an old, cranky nurse.
"This is so boring!" He heard a voice exclaim.
He straightened up and looked around for the voice. Anything was better than just sitting here.
"Why do we have to be here, anyway?"
"I told you," a deeper voice rang out, "your mother needs some blood work done. It's nothing serious, but I thought you would like a day out."
The younger boy's voice held a note of slight bewilderment. "Yeah . . . I guess."
The older man sighed and Tai strained his ears to listen. "Listen, Matt, can you just wait in there for a little while? I really need to . . . get something," Matt's father finished lamely.
"You're going out for a smoke, aren't you?"
The older man let out a sigh of defeat. "Yeah. Sorry, Matt. I'm trying. I really am . . . it's just - "
" - these things take time," Matt finished robotically.
"Yes. Now, you can just sit in that waiting room. I'm sure the nurse will look after you. Just tell her I'll be back in a minute, okay?"
"Yeah, yeah."
Tai shifted his head to the side as a small, blonde boy came in. His bright, blue eyes were filled with exasperation. He glanced at Tai, but turned towards the nurse quickly. "My daddy said you should take care of me when he's running an errand . . . he'll be right back," Matt added on.
The nurse rolled her eyes and put down her magazine. "What do I look like? A nanny."
Tai shook his head to himself at the same time the other boy exclaimed, "No way!"
The nurse glared at him, but gestured at a seat. Matt smiled at her as he made his way to the seat.
"What do they think? I'm not busy at all," the nurse murmured sarcastically as she picked up her magazine again.
They sat there in silence for a few minutes, with Tai sneaking shy glances at the blonde boy. Finally, Tai grew so tired of waiting he dropped out of his seat and walked over to Matt.
"Hiya. I'm Tai." Tai smiled toothily and extended his hand.
Matt looked at him strangely and responded bluntly, "Why are you sticking your hand out at me?"
Tai looked uncomfortable and gradually pulled his hand back. "Uhh, my dad does that when he meets new people."
"Well, you're not your dad," the boy stated, looking at Tai distastefully.
Tai rolled his eyes. "Well, duh."
Matt looked at him skeptically. "Why'd you come over here anyway?"
"I'm bored."
Matt seemed to think about it, before nodding. "Me too. Why are you here?"
Tai's eyes lit up excitedly and he clapped his hands together. "My mommy's having a baby!"
Matt finally started to look interested and Tai smiled to himself. "Really? I have a baby brother."
"I have a baby sister. And now I'm going to have a baby brother too."
"I love being a big brother."
Tai laughed loudly. "Me too!" He scrunched his face up as he thought. "Hey," he started.
"What?" Matt asked.
"Can we be friends?" Tai stated bluntly.
Matt looked at him with a shocked expression before nodding. "Yeah, I guess so."
Tai nodded his head. "Cool!"
"So, now what do you want to do?"
"Play, silly!"
Matt let himself be pulled by the larger boy and he laughed loudly.
-o-
"Okay. One . . . two . . . three," Tai began counting as Matt found a place to hide (while staying in the waiting room), but he stopped suddenly when a large hand gripped his shoulder.
He opened his eyes quickly and whirled around. "Ahh! Who is it? Dad . . . ?"
Tai looked at his father with wide eyes. It wasn't as if he wasn't expecting to see his father, but he definitely wasn't expecting to see his father like this. His father was wearing a expression that was a mix between sadness, relief, and tiredness.
"D-daddy," Tai began timidly, glancing quickly at Matt (who was observing from the other end of the room), "w-what's wrong?"
His father chin trembled as he leaned down and brought his son in for a tight hug. Tai blinked in confusion, but carefully placed his hands around his father's shoulders and hugged him back.
"Dad? Dad, what is it? Is my brother here, yet?" Tai pulled away and smiled excitedly at his father.
Mr. Kamiya shut his eyes tightly and he looked at his son with a mixture of pain and pity. "I don't . . ." He took a moment to compose himself. "I don't know how to tell you this, but . . . your brother didn't make it."
Tai scrunched his face up in confusion. "Whaddya mean?"
"See, Tai, your brother was something they call a stillborn."
Tai blinked at his father. "Well . . . what does that mean?"
Tai's father closed his eyes and placed a hand on his son's shoulder. "You're brother . . . he was, well he . . . his umbilical cord got wrapped around his neck when he was being born."
The little boy shook his head in bewilderment, "I still don't get - "
"You're little brother died when Mommy was having him," Mr. Kamiya stated bluntly.
Tai stepped back from his father as his eyes filled with tears. "This isn't f-funny, Daddy. Where is he?"
Mr. Kamiya's shoulder shook and he clenched his fist before it relaxed. "I'm so sorry, Tai. I have to go back with your mommy now, but I'll come get you in a few minutes."
Tai nodded bravely as his father turned to see his mother. Once his dad's back was out of sight, Tai collapsed into tears with sobs wracking his body.
He sat there for a few minutes before he sensed someone by him and opened his eyes blearily. He took in the blurred image of a small, blonde-haired boy and he sat up, rubbing his eyes. "Oh. Oh, Matt! Umm . . . sorry, but I can't play no more."
Matt nodded understandingly. "I'm sorry 'bout your brother."
Tai wiped his nose with his sleeve. "'Tis okay. I'm just sad."
Matt nodded, twisting his face up in thought. "You can share my little brother, if you want."
Tai looked up at him, "I don't think it really works that way."
Matt shrugged. "Well, I don't care. I have a wife, too. Her name's Mimi. She's cool."
Tai nodded. "She sounds cool! I guess I'll share your baby brother . . ."
"Good! Want to play a game?"
"No, not right now."
Matt nodded. "Okay."
XxEndFlashbackxX
"Oh my god," Kari exclaimed with wide eyes. She stared at her brother incredulously. "You're s-serious?"
Tai narrowed her eyes, annoyed that he had to share that much and not his parents. "No, I'm kidding. What do you think?!"
Kari flinched back slightly. "Sorry Tai."
Tai's eyes softened and he shook his head. "Nah, don't be. It's my fault. That's just a . . . sore spot with me."
Kari nodded, taking his hand in her own. "I can see why! Why didn't Mom and Dad want to tell me?!"
"They wanted to protect you. You never really remembered anything. They had decided if you had ever asked, they would tell you the truth. But they really hoped you would just forget about it . . . and you did."
Kari looked horrified. "How could I? Oh, I'm so horrible!"
Tai rolled his eyes. "Yeah, Kar'. Blame yourself for something you can't even remember. You were five, Kari. It's no ones fault."
"Not even Mom and Dad's?"
Tai sighed. "No . . . not even them. I understand why they did it, even if I don't agree."
"Thanks for telling me this, Tai," Kari said softly.
Tai yawned. "No problem. It actually helped me, too."
Kari nodded at him understandingly.
"I think I'm just going to take a nap," Tai said, rolling to his side.
"That's a good idea. But, hey! Tai, that's my bed. Tai . . ." Kari stared at her brother fondly who was either ignoring her or already asleep.
"Oh fine. Sleep in my bed," Kari said as she got up and turned off the light.
"Good night, Tai," she whispered softly.
xXxXxXxXxXx
"So . . . what do you think?" Mimi asked Beth, as she walked out of the changing room in a little black dress.
Beth looked up from her cell phone and smiled dryly. "Yeah, yeah. It looks good. Now, can we please go? It's so hot in this store," Beth complained, fanning herself dramatically.
Mimi nodded slightly, but turned around so she could examine her other side in the mirror. "You sure? It seems a little plain to me," Mimi said.
Beth groaned. "No, it isn't. It looks good on you. Really brings out your figure or something."
Mimi laughed at her friend. "For some reason, I prefer your thoughtless commentary than my other friend's endless compliments. Maybe I should bring you along more enough . . ."
Beth's head snapped up and her mouth slacked. "No. No way. I am not shopping with you more than once a month. Ever. You have your mindless cronies for that," Beth added on, smiling innocently at Mimi.
Mimi rolled her eyes, but a smiled tugged at her lips. "They are not mindless, Beth. They're just . . . different."
"Cool, cool," Beth replied absently again. "Go get changed and then let's leave, seriously."
Mimi smiled and waved her hand. "I'm going, I'm going." She turned and went in the changing room. Her muffled voice broke Beth out of her stupor.
"Uh, what'd you say, Meems?"
Mimi's glaring eyes could just be made out above the dressing room. "I need my belt."
Beth glanced around the room until she saw a small, white belt. She sighed and grabbed it, before handing it to Mimi.
Mimi grabbed it gratefully before pushing Beth's head back with her free hand. "Thanks. Now go away, please. Changing here."
"Yeah, yeah," Beth said. A sudden, slow clapping sound filled the room. Beth whirled around with a glare already set on her features.
"Who the he," Beth began, but trialed off.
A fiery red-headed girl was leaning casually against the wall while clapping her hands.
Beth opened her mouth angrily, "Get out of here, Veronica! I know you want to see us change, but this isn't a very appropriate time, now is it?" Beth said, a cold smirk directed at the girl.
The girl's cool exterior faltered and she exploded. "Are you kidding me?! Everyone at school knows you're just a lesbian freak, Beth!"
Beth's eyes flashed angrily and she clenched her fist as if she was about to hit someone. Mimi suddenly came out of the dressing room, now dressed in her regular clothes, and looked calmly at Veronica.
"Would you excuse us, Veronica? We were just leaving," she added on, pulling impatiently on Beth's hand.
Veronica narrowed her eyes. "No, you're not," she said, blocking the entrance way. "I don't know what your problem is, Mimi. Why do you hang out with people like her?" She said snidely, looking at Beth distastefully.
"You little bi - oomph," Beth started, but Mimi clapped a hand over her friend's mouth. She turned to glare coolly at Veronica.
"Listen, V. I don't know what your problem is with me, but you have a lot of nerve insulting my friend. If you do it again, you will be sorry."
Veronica rolled her eyes. "I'm so scared. A threat coming from the biggest attention whore in school." She put her finger to her chin. "Or, on second thought, just the biggest whore."
Mimi apparently forgot her plan of 'playing it cool' because she whirled around with a livid expression on her face. "What did you call me?!"
Veronica looked at Mimi condescendingly. "Are you stupid, too? I said: You. Are. A. Whore."
Mimi looked on the verge of tears, but she kept up her guard. "How would you know, Veronica?"
"You think he wouldn't talk, huh? Does Matt Ishida ring a bell?"
Mimi felt her tears gather at the bottom of her lids. "Shut up," she whispered.
Veronica smiled cruelly. "Oh. Matt still a sore spot with you, huh? He always was too good for you."
Beth finally intervened, pushing Mimi behind her slightly larger frame. "Shut up, Veronica. No one gives a crap what you or your little clones think. Mimi has class," Beth looked Veronica's revealing outfit up and down, "something you clearly lack."
Veronica began to look a little apprehensive. "Hey, don't talk to me like - !"
Beth continued on as if she didn't say anything, "So, I would suggest that you get out of here before something really bad happens."
The red-heads defense crumbling, she took one last stand at the fight. "Oh, like you could do anything - ouch!"
Beth rolled her eyes at her retort and casually pushed Veronica over. Mimi's eyes widened and she looked disbelieving at her friend and the red-head. "B-beth, what did you just . . . You're going to get in so much - !"
Beth glared down at Veronica before grabbing Mimi's hand. "Let's go, Meems. Have fun," she added cruelly at the red-head. Mimi dropped the black dress as Beth tugged her out and into a small, classical music store. Beth immediately collapsed against a CD rack with laughter shaking her body.
Mimi looked at her friend with a strange look in her eyes. "Are you crazy, Beth?! What's gotten into you?!"
Beth finally stopped laughing and she looked at Mimi (with only a hint of shame reaching her eyes). "Sorry. The opportunity was just too good to resist."
Mimi crossed her arms, though her lips were slowly turning into a smile. "Oh, like you wouldn't have done it anyway."
"Mimi?!" Beth gasped theatrically, placing a hand to her mouth, "Is that what you think of me?!"
Mimi's resolve finally crumbled and she joined her friend in her laughter. "W-we're going to get in so much trouble if anyone f-finds out," Mimi gasped, in between giggles.
Beth sobered up. "I doubt she'll tell. Kind of embarrassing, isn't it?"
Mimi laughed, nodding. "Yeah, it really is."
Beth puckered her lips. "So . . . can we go to the food court, now?"
Mimi laughed, pushing her lightly. "Fine, fine!"
xXxXxXxXxXx
Matt sighed unhappily as he strummed his guitar, absently playing with the buttons on his amplifier.
"You've got a boy, you've got a girl," he began to sing, but broke off suddenly. He had originally written this song for Mimi, back in their Sophomore year. He glared at the sheet music angrily, before grabbing it roughly and tearing into pieces. Even though Matt knew it didn't matter (he had it memorized for years), it helped ease some of his frustrations.
Matt sighed to himself, "I am so friggen' messed up." If only he could turn back time. Go back to Sophomore year and do things right. 'Now I sound like some old geezer, thinking about the good old days,' Matt thought wryly.
Matt grinned slightly, but his smile quickly faltered. He felt his jaw tighten. 'Just say it,' he thought to himself. 'Maybe if I admit it to myself, I can admit it to them one day.'
"I-I miss them," he admitted to the cold, empty room. Despite his melancholy mood, Matt managed a faint smile of relief. 'There. I said it.'
He repositioned his guitar on his lap and strummed out a soft, depressing tune. 'If only that made a difference,' he thought to himself sadly.
xXxXxXxXxXx
Davis slammed his foot into the black and white ball, sending it spiraling into the net. He gave a weak grin, before collapsing onto the grass.
"Jeez," he muttered weakly to himself. So maybe it wasn't such a good idea to push himself this hard, but he had been feeling awfully confused. 'What's wrong with me? Why do I care so much about what they do? It shouldn't matter,' he told himself as he watched the stars slowly come out.
He groaned aloud, half for his aching muscles and half for the drama that was suddenly filling his life. "Mom's going to be mad if I don't come home soon," he told himself, but made no effort to move.
'I really need to talk to them, sometime. I probably could, too, if I wasn't such a chicken,' he thought bitterly to himself. He smiled slightly in the darkness. How ironic. Just few days ago, Tai had told him he was the bravest person he knew.
"He wouldn't say that now," Davis whispered into the dark. He was met with silence.
xXxXxXxXxXx
Ugh. Ever time I get done rewriting a chapter . . . I hate it!
At least it's better than before. Please review! It takes a long time to write, but only a few seconds to review!