Chapter 8 of And After That.
Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon

Three years ago, many horrible things happened to the Tamers. The loss of a teammate was about the worst thing they could of ever imagined. They found out about the abusive life said teammate lived and tried to help him get out of it, but it only resulted in his death. The Tamers found it hard to cope. They had lost him twice and were on the verge of losing another one.

Alice sat quietly in the hospital room, waiting for the doctor to arrive. Rika had gone to the waiting room as did her parents and her grandmother. They couldn't watch what was about to happen, but Alice was determined to be there with him...every step of the way. The doctors and nurses had taken very good care of Henry for the three years he had been there. They kept his hair cut and clean, took care of his hygiene, made sure he was healthy. The poor kid was still on life support though and the doctors planned on flipping the switch today. Janyu was finally ready to let his son go and had told the doctors this earlier that morning. Alice didn't have a choice, but to accept the fact that Henry was going to die today.

The doctor walked in and noticed Alice. "Do you need a moment?" He asked. Alice met his gaze from where she was perched in the very uncomfortable plastic chair.

"Please?" The doctor nodded and turned to leave. "Can I do it?" He stopped at her question with his hand on the door nob.

"It's not procedure. The parents are usually the ones to do it, but since they refuse...I'll let is slide."

"Thank you!" She whispered gratefully. The doctor never said anything, he just left. Alice stood up and came to rest next to Henry's bedside. She stared at his coma induced face. He looked as if he were sleeping. He had a peaceful look about him that made her smile. Alice took Henry's hand in hers and squeezed it. "It'll be okay, Henry." She whispered, leaning down and kissing his forehead. She then rested her forehead against his and sighed as he drew in a breath and let it out. It tickled against her lips. She brushed her fingers against his cheek. Alice remembered where every cut and bruise had been. Henry had only one scar from that night: the gash that had gone down his chest and stomach. She remembered him smiling at her before the doctors had taken him and she remembered a nurse coming back, not even three minuets later, to inform them that he had fallen into a coma. She remembered the few tears that fell, but she had been confident that he would wake up, now...she wasn't so sure he would and now...she was never going to find out. Alice kissed him on the cheek and stood up straight, her eyes landing on the switch that would end his life. She flipped it and looked up at the heart monitor, but his heart never stopped. It continued beating strongly. Alice stared at the monitor in shock. How was his heart still beating if his life depended on that switch? She felt pressure in her hand. She looked down to see his hand gripping hers. Alice looked up at his face and watched as his eyes slowly opened.

"A-Alice?" He croaked, his eyes meeting hers. She nodded as the tears made their way down her cheeks. Henry sat up straight, noticing that he was fully clothed in a black T-shirt and jeans. He looked back at Alice in confusion as he pulled off everything he was hooked up to except the heart monitor. He leaned down and let his hand followed the wire until he found the plug and unplugged it, then he unhooked himself from that also.

"You don't remember." She stated and fell against him. He hugged her.

"Bits and pieces, a lot of it is just black."

"It's probably for the best."

"What happened after Ryo saved us?" Henry whispered. He noticed her grip tighten around him.

"You fell into a coma."

"For how long?" Alice didn't answer. Henry pushed her away from him. "How long?" He repeated.

"Three years." Henry's eyes widened.

"THREE YEARS!" She nodded as he looked away from her in shock.

"I was here everyday...just in case you were to wake up..." She admitted. She felt kind of stupid for saying so. What did he care if she was there or not.

"I heard you talking to me." He murmured. Alice's eyebrows furrowed.

"Really?" He nodded. "What did I say?" He didn't answer and when Henry didn't look at her, she new exactly what she had said and regretted it.

Flashback :D

Alice pulled herself up onto Henry's bed and moved her fingers through his hair. The cuts on his cheeks were almost completely healed and the bruises almost completely faded. She smiled at him.

"Ya know, Henry, I'm kind of upset that now I have guts enough to tell you my true feelings and you're in a coma. The doctor says there's a chance you can hear me, but I seriously doubt it." Alice sighed and looked away from his gorgeous face. "I had planned on admitting that I like you more than a friend when we were at the park together, but everything went really wrong. I was going to tell you while we were trapped in that room, but Ryo showed up and then you went into a coma. I keep wondering if you ever felt the same,but I doubt...I mean you're so smart and I know the only reason you agreed to hang out with me was to be nice. You didn't want to hurt me and I love you for that." She looked back at his face and couldn't say anymore.

End Flashback D:

Alice turned away from him and went over to stand by the window, looking out at the pond. The sun reflected off of it, blinding her, but she didn't look away because it kept her from looking at him.

Henry stood up and noticed his wallet on the bedside table. He picked it up and shoved it in his back pocket. He stared at Alice's back in wonder. She had been there in that room everyday for three years waiting for him to wake up. What had he put her through? It had to of been hard...really hard on her. Henry needed to tell her the truth, he owed her that.

"You were wrong." He began, coming to stand behind her. "I didn't hang out with you that night just to be nice. I did it because I wanted to, not because I felt like I had to. I liked you, I liked you a lot." His voice trailed off as Alice turned around. "You've been here for me these past three years and I'm thankful for that. You don't know how happy I was when I woke up and it was you that I saw standing there...but I'm sorry you had to go through that though. You shouldn't have. You're the amazing one, Alice. You truly are an amazing person." Alice was teary-eyed as Henry gave her a small half smile. "I'm here now." He whispered. "If you'll take me." Alice put her hand on his cheek.

"Don't even think like that!" She whispered. Henry took hold of her hand and pressed his lips against the inside of her wrist, causing more tears to fall down her pink tinted cheeks. Alice then let her lips brush against his. She pulled away almost immediately, embarrassed at what she'd just done. Henry took her face in his hands and gently kissed her lips, just as the door opened. They heard a gasp and both looked towards the door. Rika stood there, frozen in shock at the sight of her older brother standing there...awake and alive.

"Rika." Henry whispered. Rika responded by running and throwing her arms around him. He caught her automatically and hugged her close.

"You're supposed to be dead!"

"Sorry to disappoint." He heard her laugh.

"You didn't." Henry pulled away. Rika was in tears, just like Alice had been.

"Look what I've done to you!" He mumbled. "On top of everything else you were going through!" Rika shook her head.

"I'm just happy your awake. I love you, Henry." She said hugging him again.

"I love you too." Henry pulled Alice against him too, hugging her and his sister close to him. He'd put both of them through so much pain and there was nothing he could do to take it back. The door opened again to reveal Janyu, Rumoko and their grandmother. Their eyes were wide and they seemed pretty surprised themselves. "Come to say your final goodbyes?" Henry asked. "If so, bye." He waved. Henry kissed Rika on the forehead and gave Alice a peck on the lips. "There's one more mission I have yet to complete." He said, looking from Alice to Rika. "I'll be back soon."

"Be careful." Alice whispered. He smiled at her.

"I will."

"We'll be at home." Rika added. Henry nodded at her and walked past the shocked family and made his way down the hallway. When he got to the waiting room heard his name.

"HENRY!" He looked back to meet the gaze of his father. Henry raised an eyebrow. "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"Suzie." Henry shook his head.

"I've forgiven you for a lot of things, dad. I forgave you when you sent the digimon away, because you had a probable reason for it. None of your excuses have been probable. You haven't provided me with a good enough reason to forgive you for taking my little sister away from me." Henry replied and walked out of the double doors of the hospital. He looked around. The Old Wicker Mansion wasn't to far away from here. All Henry had to do was cross the street, go into the heart of the woods and find a clearing with a creepy old house on it. I took him a few hours to actually find the mansion, but once he did there was no turning back.

Henry walked into the creepy house, jumping at every sound that was made. The last time he was in this place was still fresh in his mind as if it had been yesterday. Since he had been in a coma, it really had been yesterday for him because that was the last time he was awake.

Henry came to a stop in front of the staircase. This was where it was supposed to be. Henry drew in a deep breath and lifted up the first stair. Under the stair was a hidden freezer. Henry lifted the lid and did what he had come here to do. Fulfill a promise to Azulongmon.

Rika sat in the living room with Takato, Jeri, Kazu, Kenta and Alice. She had invited the other four so they could see Henry. She had also decided to get a little pay back and told Terriermon why Henry had almost died.

Henry walked in just as Terriermon started screaming: "YOU WERE PLANNING ON KILLING HENRY WITHOUT TELLING ME! THAT'S MY PARTNER!" Alice grabbed hold of Terriermon just as he tried to dive at Janyu.

"Knock it off Terriermon. It's not like I'm dead." Alice let go of Terriermon so he could be with Henry. Terriermon flew to his partner and grabbed hold of him rubbing his cheek against Henry's.

"I missed you so much, Henry! I was good while you were gone. I wasn't rude once...okay maybe once, twice tops!" Henry laughed and hugged his little digimon.

"I missed you too, Terriermon." Henry's eyes landed on Rika. "Ya know, revenge is never the answer little sister." Rika came up to him and grinned.

"I disagree big brother." She murmured innocently. He smiled at her.

"I've I got a present for you." Rika's eyebrows raised.

"What?" Henry shrugged.

"Well, It's really from Azulongmon. It's pretty old. I was supposed to give it to you three years ago for your birthday, but...uh...I was a little preoccupied in my very uncomfortable coma." Rika smiled and hugged him.

"You guys didn't have to do that." Henry smirked.

"You won't be say that when you see what it is. What you'll say is: 'Why the hell didn't you wake your lazy ass up and give this to me sooner!'." Rika's eyes narrowed in response. Henry pushed the front door open. There were gasps shared around the room.

"Dude, I am sooooo not old!" Henry laughed as Rika's jaw dropped and her narrowed eyes widened.

"Ryo?" She whispered. Ryo gave her one of his precious smiles that she had learned to love. Her shock faded quickly. "How long are you here this time?"

"What, no hug? No punch in the face?" Rika didn't answer and wasn't amused. Ryo's smile faded as he became serious. "Hopefully, I will," He glanced at Henry, who grinned. "be old when I die for the third time."

"You're staying this time?" He nodded.

"My heart beats and everything. The whole nine yards." Ryo got quiet for a moment. "And hey, being that it has been three years, I'll understand if you've-"

"Are you doubting you ability to make the girls fall for you?" Rika asked. Now she was amused. Ryo shrugged.

"Nah, I just...don't exactly doubt your ability to get over me." Rika came over to the doorway and hugged him. Ryo held her tightly, until he saw what she was wearing and pulled away. "Is that my hoodie?" Ryo asked staring at the black and green hoodie she was wearing.

"No..." Rika murmured.

"It is!"

"Well, its not like you needed it!"

"Oh real sensitive, Rika!" They could hear the other Tamers and digimon cracking up.

"What do you expect? You were dead, I was cold! It's plain and simple, Ryo. You didn't need it, I did."

"Why couldn't you have worn one of yours?"

"Because you left me at your house!"

"But that's my favorite hoodie!"

"So? You were dead!" Ryo sighed in defeat and gave her grin.

"I love you, Pumpkin." Rika leaned up and kissed him. She kissed him long and hard. She put everything she had into it. Every emotion she had felt for the last three years about him and all the hell she had gone through because of it. There was just no way he couldn't have felt them and when she pulled away, the guilty look in his eyes led her to believe that he had. Rika smiled at him.

"I love you too, Twerp." Ryo didn't smile back.

"Are you positive this time?" She nodded.

"Yeah, but you're not getting my hoodie back." That brought his beautiful smile back to his lips. As Rika leaned up to kiss him again her mother started screaming at her.

"RIKA NONAKA! I TOLD YOU TO STAY AWAY FROM THAT BOY!" Rika rolled her eyes. Ryo was watching Rumoko's face turn purple. Rika put her hand on his cheek and pulled his mouth back to hers, kissing him tenderly and passionately...for the first time.

Okay, you guys. This was the end
of And After That. I'm going to miss
this story sooooo much!
Thanks soooo much of your reviews
and your support!

R&R

Bee lya