Author's note: I'm so happy how quickly this story got reviews!! And as promised to one reader, this chapter IS longer than the last one... I sorta broke my own rule and rushed the events in this one, because as I've said before, I'm prone to forgetting about stories if I drag them out too long (i.e. Cracked). Anyways, I know it's a bit morbid and depressing. But it's allowed its typical silver-lining attribute too. Just not yet! - Anyways, yea, so my geographical knowledge of Japan isn't terrific (surprising to you, maybe, but I can't even give directions in my hometown. Never mind a foreign country.) So sorry if the locations just don't make any sense. They are real places. I just think the way I set them up relative to each other is beyond wrong. But as I'm no good at maps, I'll just have to trust my loyal readers to correct me!

Anyways, as always, read and review please!

Sora arrived maybe 15 minutes later, carrying two bags of stew ingredients. She knew it was one thing she could make before Taichi's mother arrived that he'd eat happily. Of course, she thought he might eat anything if he was hungry, but anything too close to mother nature and he'd start complaining that she was turning into his mother. But of course, to a teenage boy with cooking orders and a time limit, she looked like a copper haired goddess come down from the heavens to save his sorry hide from being burnt to a crisp by an annoyed demi-goddess, also known as Susumo Yagami.

"Thanks a million, Sora," Taichi grinned as she dumped her load on the kitchen counter, which also acted as the divider between the living room and kitchen. Taichi sat at the table, leaning the chair back on its hind legs as he sighed. "Your life is in my hands."

"Almost literally," she said with mock seriousness. She was now roaming around in the fridge, digging around among its contents for carrots and potatoes. "You realize how easy it would be to poison your food? You'd inhale it without a second thought."

"Not now," he mumbled, and the red-head laughed cheerfully. Taichi, however, failed to see the humor in her words. After all, he'd done plenty during their friendship to convince her to kill him if she was prompted... especially that hat incident. She never did get over finding out he had thrown up in it– too late, of course.

"I'm only teasing. Have you invited Takeru," Sora inquired curiously. She had found his mother's wooden cutting board and her knife, which made Taichi slightly weary. He made a mental note to be especially nice to her and not make her angry till dinner was made. Even though it had mellowed out somewhat, he was still uncomfortably aware of how suddenly Sora's temper could flare. And with sharp throw-able objects in the room, he wasn't gonna take chances.

"Why," he asked, blinking twice. Sora sighed and rolled her eyes, and Taichi blinked again. He was missing something, something he assumed was very obvious. Why else would she be looking at him with such a bemused expression?

"Well.. Won't he want to congratulate her," she asked, her impatient air ruined faintly by a small giggle as she began filling a large stainless steel pot with water from the sink. "I mean, they're best friends."

"She'll probably wanna call him and tell him herself. If she hasn't already," Taichi shrugged. He was seriously not understanding what Sora was trying to get at. Hikari had a cell. If she wanted to tell Takeru, that was her job. She had bragging rights, after all. It was her victory.

"You told me," Sora pointed out. But she grinned after a pause. "Then again, you needed me for the victory dinner."

"Exactly," the brunette smirked, lacing his fingers behind his head. After that, the two lapsed into a comfortable silence. They'd been best friends far too long to expect to fill every silence with meaningful conversation. Many of Sora's visits had been long hours spent watching either a soccer match or tennis match on the television set, which was currently making meaningless sound in the background as neither paid any attention to it. They weren't the sort of friends who talked all the time. Though they did get into very heated debates.

Taichi supposed he must have dozed off, because the next thing he knew, the rhythmic sound of chopping had stopped as the phone chirped from its pedestal. Sora was already reaching for it, so Taichi allowed his chair to thunk! into place as she picked it up. He wished he could see her expression, but of course they had a cordless phone and she couldn't exactly move to face him. Her hand was cupped around her elbow, and her other held the phone to her ear. He waited impatiently for her to tell him to get his butt over there as she said into the receiver in a confused tone–

"No...I don't live here. Hold on, please. I'll get Taichi." She half turned, holding the phone away from her as she sought Taichi's chocolate brown eyes. She was biting her lip, looking completely at a loss for words. Taichi half rose before she even told him that someone wished to speak with him.

"Who is it," he asked, curiosity eating away at him as he crossed the few yards that separated them. She merely shrugged, handing him the phone.

"I don't know. But... they sound really serious," she whispered so that her voice wouldn't carry to whoever was on the other line.

"You didn't ask?"

"They just asked for someone from the Yagami residence. I didn't know how to get the question in," Sora mumbled in reply. Sighing, Taichi took the phone from her, balancing it between his ear and shoulder as he leaned his athletic frame against the wall.

"Moshi-moshi, Yagami Taichi speaking," he said seriously. He supposed it wasn't one of his friends, the way Sora had described her short, 30 second bit of conversation. But knowing that still didn't prepare him for the response he received from a stern-sounding male voice on the other end.

"This is Officer Mitsudai Yuki. I'm with the Accident Patrol Unit." He allowed Taichi a shocked moment to let the information sink in before pressing onward, like a bulldozer. "I'm calling on behalf of your family... The driver's ID had the name 'Yagami Susumo', and your name was the first number on her cell phone. Are you a relative?"

"That's my mother," Taichi replied shortly, unable to stop the bubble of panic from rising in his throat. He felt like it had settled there, a rock in the region of his Adam's apple. Sora caught the strangled tone of his voice and took a step towards him, frowning.

What is it, she mouthed, but he only shook his head. The voice was speaking again.

"Were you aware that she was with two others?" He sounded like he was about to add more, but Taichi jumped in with "My dad and sister. Did something happen? Are they okay?" The questions rattled off his tongue before he could control himself, and Sora's mouth fell open slightly in alarm. She had less pieces to put together than Taichi, but she could still tell something had happened.

Somehow a quiet, happy night had gone horribly wrong between his mother's phone call and Sora's arrival.

"I'm currently with your.. Sister, you said, at a hospital in Hiroshima. You know where I'm speaking of?"

"Yea. My... my friend works there," Taichi said, trying to keep his voice steady. "Jyou Kido. He's a doctor there."

"Oh, I see." The officer obviously didn't understand why Taichi brought up such an intimate fact.

"Can you do me a favor?" Taichi's voice shook, and Sora put a hand on his arm as though she were afraid she'd have to support him. Not entirely a slim possibility, he thought weakly. His free hand was gripping the small table that carried the phone and a notepad for taking messages.

He wondered if his distress was really as transparent on the line as it was to Sora, because the officer's voice was a tone softer when he replied. "Sure. What is it?"

"Can you please request Dr. Kido be the one to look over my family," he asked quietly. Sora was biting her lip now, and he could see she was burning to ask him what had happened. "Tell him I'll be there as soon as I can, but he has to... He knows he has to..." Taichi didn't know how to explain it, but he needed Jyou to be the one. Jyou, who wouldn't treat his family like strangers. Jyou would take care of Hikari and his mother and father as though they were his own family.

"Of course. When you reach the hospital, just check in with the secretary. She'll direct you." And then the line clicked and went dead.

"Tai, what happened? What's wrong? Why were you passing a message to Jyou? Who was that man?" Sora's questions rained down upon him like bombs on a battleground. His voice was emotionless, flat as he recounted the conversation. He saw nothing around him– at least, he had no recollection of the horror on Sora's face growing as he told her what the officer had said when he thought back on that night months later.

"We have to get to the hospital," he murmured, more to himself than to Sora. He'd all but forgotten she was there with him, holding on to his arm when she thought she saw him wobble precariously. "We have to get to Hiroshima. We have to–"

"Hold on, Tai," Sora said quietly. Firmly, but quietly. She knew Taichi. He was a wonderful leader– brave, intelligent, strategic, and aware... unless Hikari was involved. She knew that was when he became thoughtless and reckless, without thinking of the outcome. That was why she took charge, where she normally would have merely offered advice and carried out whatever orders she was given. He looked at her strangely when she stopped him, for he had ignored her and made to walk towards the door, where his keys and shoes were stashed.

"What?" He didn't look like he particularly cared what her answer was, which was why she tightened her supportive hold under his elbow.

"We need to call some people first," she said simply. When he sighed, she took that as a sign of defeat and released his elbow. He remained standing, though he looked out-of-place, lost like a little kid in an unfamiliar place. She felt a pang of sympathy for him. Hold on Tai.

She cast a forlorn look at the dinner that she presumed she'd never finish making. Even if she did, she doubted it'd be eaten. Taichi was worrying himself sick, and it sounded like he had very good reason. She had to swallow twice before she could drum up the nerve to dial Yamato's cell phone number, knowing he was practicing. She knew he'd be annoyed to be distracted, and sure enough–

"Taichi, I told you not to call me at this hour," he said sourly, his voice slightly staticy across the telephone line. Curse Caller IDs. Sora was silent for a second, in which a disgruntled Yamato snapped "What did you call me for, Tai?"

"Moshi-moshi, Yamato-kun," she said quietly. A pause on the line, one she took advantage of. He could apologize for snapping off later, though she'd admit to being a bit annoyed if he did. Why should he react any differently to her calling than Taichi, when she knew just as well when his hours were and was twice more likely to remember? "I need a favor from you. And Takeru too. Can you pick him up?"

"No need, he's here..." Yamato said slowly. His confusion was obvious, she didn't need to see his expression. "Sor, what's going on? Is everything okay?" Another pause. "Why're you at Tai's?"

"I was helping him with dinner," she explained with an indifferent shrug. She didn't really see why it mattered, but she didn't linger on the thought. Taichi was shooting longing glances at the door, and she could see him drumming his fingers restlessly against his thumping leg. He wouldn't put his faith in her judgement much longer. "I need you and Takeru to come here. Meet me and Taichi in front of the lobby, okay?"

"Why? Sora, what's going on," Yamato said again. He sounded slightly frantic, and could hear Takeru in the background.

What's going on? Is something wrong, Matt? Is that Sora? Say hi for me. And tell me what's going on already! Is everything okay?

Sora smiled. Good old Takeru. She knew she'd be able to rely on those two. And Takeru deserved to be the first to know something was wrong, anyway. Unfortunately, she didn't have much time. Taichi had already stood up, hunting around the apartment for his jacket that he knew Sora would flat-out refuse to let him leave without on such a chilly autumn night. She'd have to explain in the car.

"I'll explain to you when you get here. But please, just get here," she said, pleadingly. A pause.

"I'll be there in five minutes Sora," Yamato promised. "Both of us will." She could hear Takeru's enthusiastic agreement in the background, and could not help but smile despite the fear and anxiety welling up in her throat and chest like a bad cold.

"Arigatou-desu," she murmured gratefully. "Really, Yamato. You don't understand..."

"I know I don't. That's what the car ride is for," he cut across her bluntly. Still, she knew he was smiling, even though he was growing worried with his ignorance as well. "I'll see you soon." The line clicked and went dead before she could open her mouth, and she sighed as she lowered the phone to the receiver.

I know I will. Thank goodness I will.

"Taichi, we need to get down to the lobby," Sora called after him as hurried into his room. He came back not even a minute later, stuffing his arms carelessly into the sweater sleeves. She grabbed his keys from the table for him, and slid her own sneakers on while he struggled with his own.

"Why did you call Yamato," he asked, and she detected a sour note in his voice. She blinked, confused. Should she not have?

"He and Takeru are coming to bring us to the hospital," she replied, still blinking. She hurried to shut off the stove, which she had forgotten about in the excitement, while Taichi struggled with his second shoe. Really, the boy was a wreck when he was worried. She couldn't leave him alone even if she had to.

"Why can't we take the train?" He looked up at her with confused eyes, and she smiled a sad smile for him, ruffling his messy hair with her hand before helping him get to his feet.

"C'mon Tai, you know how crowded they are. We might not even fit. It's a little slower, but this way we'll be sure to get there with fewer delays." She kept a gentle hold of his hand, even after he had regained his balance. Sora wasn't really sure he understood her reasoning. He'd adopted an uncharacteristic scowl as he pulled open the door. There was obviously no more time to discuss the issue.

"Five minutes. And it takes ten to get down those stupid stairs. Escalator's always broken," Taichi grumbled. He yanked on Sora's arm, causing her to almost fall over as he began running down the hall. Nope. No time at al.

"Kyaa! Taichi," she exclaimed, her voice taking on a slightly whining tone as she struggled not to tumble over and send them both flying across the carpeted hallway. "Slow it down!"

"You're the one who told him five minutes," he reminded her, not bothering to look over his shoulder. Sora mumbled something inaudible, but didn't repeat when he asked her what she said. Sometimes she really hated when Taichi got on his overprotective surge. She knew he'd been this way about her a time or two, too... and wasn't very proud of it, either. Not if it made him like this.

"I'm sure he'd wait a second, Tai," she reminded him, panting lightly as they reached the second landing. Taichi was taking two stairs at a time, causing Sora to let go of his hand at the third landing out of frustration. He did wait for her as she raced down the stairs, but she could hear him clicking his tongue impatiently.

"I don't want him to," was his simple answer, and that was that. It was off and running again, with no spare breath to speak till they reached the lobby. The lighting felt unusually bright– the stairs were dimly lit in comparison, and made Sora blink a few times to get rid of the spots before her eyes.

"Oiii." She sighed in aggravation. Apparently deciding she was taking too long, Taichi had already started across the lobby at a sprint, totally upsetting the manager behind the desk and causing a few people coming in to step hurriedly to the side as he flew past. She shook her head and ran after him, murmuring apologies and excuses as she hurried past the confused people. "Taiiichi," she yelled, "wait up!!"

"He's here," Taichi yelled over his shoulder. "Hurry up, or I'll leave you behind."

He wasn't even this bad when she was sick in the digital world, she thought angrily. But the anger didn't last long. It was merely a fleeting emotion, because she'd seen the look in his eyes. There was something more, she thought, that he knew... or had thought of.

"Like hell you will," Yamato's smooth, relaxed voice came from a car not five feet from them, slightly to the left. In the settling darkness, Sora could just make out Takeru in the passenger seat, unsmiling. He looked as anxious as his brother, and they didn't even know the story yet, she thought with a sad pang. This would not be a very pleasant drive. "C'mon, get in, will you? It's starting to rain."

And he was right. She hadn't realized it, but water was falling from the dark, clouded sky in slow, thick drops. The speed of the downpour was already picking up at an alarming rate as Taichi, who didn't need telling twice, got in the car and slid across the back seat so Sora wouldn't have to walk around. For some reason, although that had always been Taichi's 'way' with her, it surprised her. That such an insignificant thought had crossed his mind when his baby sister was in trouble.

Maybe it was because Takeru, who was like a surrogate baby brother to him, was looking at him with wide cerulean blue eyes with concern. His mouth was stretched in a tight line, and now that she was sitting in the car with them (Matt revved the engine and pulled into the line of traffic as soon as Sora's door slammed shut.), Sora could see his hand was gripped around his cell phone. That, she thought, was strange. Takeru usually was the one to forget to turn his phone on, in contrast to his brother who couldn't remember to shut it off before a show. She cocked her head at him curiously, but he only shook his head. He sighed and sat properly in his seat, for his brother mumbled something about trying to get him in huge trouble with their mother. Relations between Yamato and Natsuko had definitely improved, but... Sora knew there was still tension. Maybe there always would be, just like between her and her own mother.

"So," he said, eyes flickering to the review mirror to better look at his passengers while his fingers drummed on the wheel. "Are you going to explain? I can't exactly get you to where you're going if I don't have a destination." The corner of his mouth twitched, although he didn't find what he said particularly funny.

"We need to get to the hospital," Taichi said tersely. Sora shot him a quick glance, and saw his left hand was gripping the door handle so tightly his knuckles were white in the semi-darkness. He was biting his cheek, she could tell. And his other fist was clamped tight on his lap. "In Hiroshima."

"Hiroshima," Yamato exclaimed questioningly. But he didn't wait, nor seem to expect, an answer as he suddenly switched lanes. He mumbled a curse under his breath as some impatient driver demonstrated a very rude signal with his hand. Thus was Tokyo in rush hour...or rather, that was driving in Tokyo. "Who's there?"

"..." Taichi was silent. But when Sora opened her mouth to answer for him, he shook his head and covered her hand lightly with his. If it weren't for the amount of space between them, it could have been an accident. She was glad Yamato's vision was impaired both by the darkness and by his own choice not to see anything. Ever since their break-up two months ago, inspired largely by Sora's dislike of the crowds of girls always surrounding him and a growing gap in interests. She was glad he was at least trying to be friends like they always had been. Unfortunately, she feared another rift had developed between he and Taichi, who still wasn't entirely sure she was over him.

"Do you want me to—," she began, but he only shook his head again. This was his demon, she realized. It was something he needed to come to terms with, and her helping... really wasn't helping him at all, but rather made it worse.

"No. It's okay. It's..." His hand over hers was trembling, almost as though he were cold. But the night was muggy despite the rain, so Sora knew it was really fear and anguish that made him shake. "...Hikari," he finally said in a low voice. "And my mom and dad."

"What?" Yamato's hands, Sora noticed, had tightened on the wheel and his reflection in the mirror was pale and tight with stress. Takeru had swivelled around despite the strain of his seat belt and Yamato's earlier threat and was staring at first Taichi, then Sora with a horrified expression. "Tai, how? What happened?"

"Accident," he mumbled, just loud enough for Yamato to hear him over the sound of the rain hammering on the roof and windows. "Coming home from the competition in Okinawa."

"I thought the phone went dead," Takeru whispered, looking horrified. He was staring at the phone in his hand, which Sora was faintly surprised hadn't snapped from the pressure with which he had been clinging to it. "I heard arguing, and Hikari sighed, and then... she gasped, and..." He seemed to shudder. "I thought she was about to say something, but the line went dead. I thought her service died, or... or she got told off for distracting her mom from driving." Sora realized that he wasn't talking to them. He was talking to himself, trying to place blame on himself in a situation he could have done nothing in. Yamato, almost casually, reached out one hand to tousle his younger brother's hair.

"How are they," Yamato asked, as though Takeru hadn't spoken. All of them were lost in thought, it seemed. Takeru, terrified he had heard his best friend's final breath... Taichi, terrified that this time he might lose his sister to the bright hospital lights for good. And Sora and Yamato, wondering how they could hold them together till they got to the hospital. It was a long drive, after all... and it seemed it was going to drag on into the late hours of the night, with the rain and the heavy traffic. They exchanged glances in the mirror, and Sora knew that he had, at least for the moment, forgiven her for being weak and walking away.

"Dunno," Taichi sighed. He suddenly sounded old, exhausted. Trapped in a car, unable to run or curse public transportation for delaying his reunion with his family, his body seemed to be sapped of energy. He slumped where he sat, and his tense fist had relaxed tiredly around the door handle. She gave a soft squeeze to the hand on hers, happy when he at least attempted to return the pressure, however half-hearted.

"I'm sure they're fine," Sora said quietly. Yamato nodded, and repeated the words for Takeru's benefit.

"Didn't sound like it," Taichi grumbled, but his words slurred, and Sora frowned at him.

"Have they been arguing a lot lately," Sora asked, her voice still low. She could sense Yamato's eyes on them, although she kept her amber eyes focused on her best friend. Taichi merely shrugged. "You look so tired," she commented, and he sighed again. He seemed like a stranger to her, rather than her lighthearted friend who always managed to make her smile when she cried.

"Dad's been drinking a bit, that's all," he admitted reluctantly. "Mom's not to happy about it. But all parents bicker, some times." Sora went to say something, but bit her lip instead. It didn't need to be spelled out. Yamato and Takeru's parents had bickered a lot before the divorce, all the Chosen knew that. The old Chosen, anyway. Taichi obviously was making a strong effort to avoid staring that fact of the life in the face

"Try get some sleep," Sora suggested. Yamato's attention had been diverted away from them by a low rumble of thunder and a brilliant flash of lightning. Normally she loved storms, but on this night it seemed ominous. Foreboding. An involuntary shiver went down her spine as she watched Taichi relent to the drowsiness about to overwhelm him. We'll be there soon enough. I hope.