A/N:

Damn! You people really want the Taiora now don't you? Are we addicted much? Wait… this is a good thing. For me and my attention whore-ness that is…

Have no fear my withdrawal suffering addicts, your supplier is here! And are you ready for the aftermath of the shit hitting the fan? Well, you better be! Because here is Chapter 16 coming at ya!

Sora hardly came out of her room for two days. She had even missed her first practice because she was so emotionally distraught she had made herself sick.

Her roommates had suggested that she go see a doctor, but Sora would not even go out to do that.

While they were worried about her, they knew Sora could get through this. It would just take her time.

On the second day of missed practice, Yui stopped by to see Sora. The tabloids had been rather unkind with three days of no new pictures of the famous couple.

After some talking to, Sora was finally coaxed out of her room and back into the world that had to go on.

"Sora, just take things one day at a time." Yui said full of support.

"Are you sure you are not mistaken on all of this? Joe said Tai…" Mimi stopped when Kari and the others shook their heads. Now was not the time to bring him up, or the hundreds of phone calls he had tried.

"I told the coach you had the flu, so you have tomorrow off and then if you don't get you butt back, you might get taken out of next weeks game. And Sora, it's the game where the FIFA Japan Women's League officials will attend. You have to be there."

"I will. I think I will go to practice tomorrow was well." Sora said trying to slap herself out of her self pity cycle. She could not shut down now. She had worked to hard for this.

"Ok, I will see you there."

"Tai, I'm going to order out for Chinese, what do you want?" Matt yelled from the kitchen looking at the pots, pans, and over all area that had not been touched for the last few days.

Matt was really worried about his friend. The coach had taken Tai out of practice yesterday because he had been too distracted. Tai didn't even seem to care and that is what scared Matt. Really scared him.

For Tai to not care about soccer… it was like the end of the world or something. It literally meant that he was nearly dead inside. And Matt knew why Tai was acting this way.

Matt didn't know how to go about helping his friend. Sora had been practically off the radar for the last three days, and had only just now returned to practice according to Joe.

Looking at the clock, and noting that the ladies practice was about to end, Matt threw on his jacket and went to the field.

Getting to the field for the last ten minutes of practice, he noticed that Sora too was not at the top of her game. She didn't seem to be in any less skillful, but Matt could tell the difference between having your whole heart into something. And there was also something else off about Sora…

He couldn't place what was wrong, and that bothered him. He was, after all an expert on appearances; especially when it came to beautiful women, and yet he was not totally sure.

Something told him she was a little heavier than usual, maybe she gained a little weight due to the break up. He had heard that anything chocolate was a good remedy for a little heart ache, but Sora did not seem like the kind to give into that… whatever the change was, it bothered Matt.

Getting closer to the field he noticed another blond there already. He had not expected Tk to be there, but the two must have thought the same thing.

"I tried talking with her at break." TK said looking depressed. "I also tried to pump Kari for information. But they all seem to be distancing Sora from Tai and us…" Much to the young man's dismay, he hated it because Kari was now his girlfriend.

"Tai is dying practically. We have to do something… and it looks like Sora isn't too much better either."

"I know. But if she won't talk to us or him, and he's going to be like that… well," Tk stopped noticing that that team was coming their way.

"Sora!" He called out. "Please, can we talk Sora?" Both blonds looked at the auburn haired girl. She stopped for a second, and they saw hesitation in her eyes.

"Sora, we gotta go." Yui said as she saw Sora and the two men's team players. "Coach wants to talk to you."

The two men were left to stand there wondering if they would ever get a chance to talk to Sora.

Sticking around for a little longer, the boy hoped to accomplish something. Before they were about to turn and leave, Yui came out and called for them to wait up.

"Look, I know you probably don't know what all happened, and neither do I… but I pieced together that Tai was kissing another girl. Sora seems to be very, very closed off now. Something to do with a bad experience in the past. All I can tell you is that if Tai wants her back, he is going to have to get his ass over here and win her back. I can tell she still loves the guy… and if something isn't done soon, she stands to lose more than Tai. Tai has a solid career… Sora is still a rookie. If she messes up now- there might not be second chances."

"We know. So you think that it will have to be all Tai then? Will she talk to him?" Tk asked trying to think of what would happen if they got Tai to act.

"I think we can convince her to give him another try. Or at least get them in the same room and accidentally lock them in." Yui smiled devilishly. Matt smiled liking how this girl did business. Sure she wasn't anything special in the looks category, but there was something fun about her.

"Thanks. We will get Tai up off his ass." Matt assured her, handing him her number. "Give me a call if you need anything, or get Sora to talk." Matt smiled. She gave him a skeptical look after knowing that there was another meaning behind the phone number. With a sigh, Yuii gave him hers telling herself that it was only because she loved her friend enough to talk to Matt.

"Sora, I am sure you are wondering why we called you in here." The coach said as she motioned for Sora to take a seat. Soon a few other people came into the room, and Sora was officially freaked out. These kinds of meetings often meant bad things… she gulped and tried to regulate her breathing. But she was getting rather panicked.

Was this the end of her career? She had missed a practice, and even she knew that the last few days practice had been not her best days. She had hoped that they would chalk it up to the fact she was human, but it appeared things were not so cheery.

"Coach, if this is about the past few days… I can explain. I want to let you know it won't happen again."

"Well, that is reassuring, but that is not why we called you in here." The coach said picking up a folder off the desk. "Since you are a first year player, very new to the team and L.League in general, it is mandatory for the coach to do this… but we want to nominate you to the Japan team for the upcoming FIFA tournament."

Sora waited for the words, "we have to let you go" but then never came. Instead she sat there and the words jumbled around in her head for a moment.

"Sora? Sora, did you hear what I just said?" The coach asked holding out the folder for Sora to take.

Sora blinked a couple of times and then broke out of her stupor. "Can you say that again?" She asked looking at the folder with the FIFA women's logo on it.

"We want you on the team that will represent the women of Japan in the FIFA tournament."

"Me?"

"There is no one else in the room with the name Sora, is there?" Her coach smiled.

Sora got excited and stood up very quickly. Fighting the nauseous feeling, she hugged her coach and cried for happy reasons for the first time in a few days.

"Thank you!" She said taking the folder and looking at the information inside.

"Now, wait a minute. We still have to discuss a few more issues." One of the other trainers who was in the room said. "The issue of your performance the last few days… seems to be stemmed from personal issues."

Sora was a little thankful that they didn't come out and say the much publicized break up or mysterious absence of soccer's first couple…

"We cannot have you slip with your performances. At practice is one thing, but since we are taking a great risk sending you, a rookie, to Soccer's biggest game, we need to know your personal issues will not manifest on the pitch."

"Yes, sir. I will get things together and things will be back to normal. I promise." Sora said, her excitement dying a little being verbally reprimanded for her actions or lack of actions as of late.

"That is all. You will continue with practice with the team, but in the evenings, there will be practice for the Japan team. In a few weeks you will practice with the full Japan team at our stadium, so you don't have to worry about travel. After the FIFA World Cup, you will go back to regular team practices and the FIFA break will be over."

"I understand. Thank you all! I won't let you down."

"What do you think she will do?" Joe asked as he sat on the couch at Tai's apartment. Mimi, Matt, Joe and finally a now not as moody Tai were discussing the situation.

"Well, she will do one of possibly four things." Mimi said thinking about her roommate.

"And three of those would be something bad?" Matt guessed.

"Well, one she would be startled, but listen. Or walk away, or hit someone, or possibly listen but do nothing about it… and added to all those hate me for the rest of her life." Mimi said not liking the possible outcomes at all. She knew Sora all to well.

"So… where does that leave us and this plan?" Tai asked looking like he had nothing else to lose.

"Since she has done so much for me, I am willing to risk our friendship so she can get back the one thing that she really needs… She needs you Taichi. But you have to understand, no matter how much you explain things to her, she has been hurt. Really badly… She will need time to forgive both you, and herself for jumping to conclusions."

"I understand that." Tai said holding into the necklace Matt had given back to him. He wanted nothing more than to make this bad memory go away for the both of them.

Things were getting out of hand, especially as the tabloids had a hay day with the break up, and then Tai's ex somehow was named as the reason for the break up. Tai could tell that his fans were a little torn on what to believe, since he had never made a public acknowledgement or denouncement.

"Ok then, tomorrow at five. Be there early." Mimi said as she got up. Joe followed her and they couple left the condo.

"Do you think this will work?" Joe asked her as they waited in the elevator.

"They both are very stubborn, but at least Tai is willing to make the first step. All we can hope is that Sora can see past the hurt. She has been different since she got the news of her playing in that one game thing…" Mimi said trying to think of the tournament thing her roommates were so excited over.

"FIFA World Cup." Joe said kissing her on the lips. He loved the woman at his side. Once all this mess was over he was going to tell her he had a surprise for her… one that she would love.

"Yeah…" She sighed dreamily. Every time he kissed her is was so sweet and it took her breath away. "You said I could come too, right? I would so love a vacation… and when the teams aren't playing… maybe we could…"

"Anything you want."

A/N:

So there is a plan in the works… I wonder how well that one will go…

I enjoy being evil!

Thanks for the reviews. Keep it up!