Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon

The Dreamer

Chapter: 5

"Masahiko! Calumon! Settle down!" Demanded Shizue Katou as the pair of children-well, one child and one child-like digimon- giggled, the young stepbrother of Jeri Katou reaching out to try and grab the small, white creampuff as he leapt up into the air, his ears expanding and allowing him to stay just out of reach of the small child.

"But Mommmm…"whined Masahiko, his face transforming into a small pout as he hesitated in his spot on the seat. From nearby, his older sister Jeri giggled at the scene. The two of them had been caught up in some kind of game that was apparently spur of the moment, both having agreed upon it without any communication between them beyond laughter and her little brother making an attempt to grab Calumon. Of course, as all things of this nature go, especially in a place as public as a train, it didn't last long, especially when one was in such close proximity to their mother.

"No. We're on a train! You can't just go acting rambunctious here whenever you want. The conductor won't allow it! Can't you two just wait until we get home? We're almost there?"

Calumon settled down on top of the train seat and his ears shrunk into his head, nodding without any argument from his part. After being accepted as a regular part of the Katou household and family, Calumon had quickly picked up that there were certain things that one did and didn't do, and going along with them without any complaint (well, there was the occasional but he never overstepped his bounds). A strange thing, Jeri felt given his reputation among the other Tamers, and even stranger that Calumon was actually counted on to be Masahiko's occasional baby-sitter (and a fine one at that in an odd twist of irony) but there you had it. Even Jeri's father could attest that the little creampuff of a digimon was surprisingly obedient despite his child-like personality and past tendency to go and get into trouble (however unintentional on his part).

Masahiko, as young as he was though and inexperienced, still had to fully learn such concepts.

Jeri felt her father stir and fix the young boy with a firm stare, but the boy wasn't paying any attention to him, focused as he was on trying to get his mother to ease up on her strictness in the regards of rules. In about a second the man would involve himself and tell Masahiko to behave himself and listen to his mother.

Suddenly Calumon leapt over onto Masahiko's head, snatching his attention. Looking up in surprise the boy giggled, as if at some private joke or conversation that had passed silently between him and Calumon in that way that only children seemed capable of communicating, and then looked back at his mother once before settling back down in his seat.

"Okay…" the boy mumbled, conceding defeat to his parents for the time being and willing to endure the silence of the train ride just a little bit longer, though how long that was going to be remained to be seen. He was after all, a child. And with the amount of cake that he had at his grandmother's house, having to sit still with all that pent up energy had to be torturous. Jeri's eyes softened for a moment before turning her head away and contenting herself with looking out the window, letting her mind drift with the trees and mountains as they passed by. Night had now fallen over the land, and it would be late by the time they got in. Jeri didn't mind. She actually looked forward to going straight to bed after the fun and exhilarating day that she had just had at her grandparent's home, mostly because Calumon was just so full of energy, even without the benefit of sugar to power his batteries. It made Calumon something of a handful to deal with at times, but as always he was more than worth the trouble. No matter what, he always had a way of bringing light into the darkest of places with nothing more than smiles and laughter, from the dangers of the digital world to the depths of D-Reaper, and he was always willing to share that light and happiness.

Of course, what do you expect from the former light of digivolution? Thought Jeri as a small smile crossed her face.

"Have fun today, Jeri?" Spoke up Jeri's father, a small smile growing on his face as he watched Calumon and Masahiko continue to have fun, only toned down so that they wouldn't get into trouble again. At present, Masahiko was making airplane noises, holding Calumon in the air and (as calmly and as minutely as possible) flying him through the air. Calumon responded with a series of high pitched laughs that were characteristic of the diminutive, cream-colored digimon. Jeri turned away from the window and beamed up at her father, though something about the way he had phrased his question made her wonder why he had asked. After all, he had seen her having fun today…

"Of course I did, Dad. It was good to see grandma and grandfather again. We don't get to see them all that often since they live so far away from Shinjuku…"

And because our family business needs a lot of attention, thought Jeri but she wasn't going to say that. She had no hard feelings about the amount of time that her father spent with the restaurant (they had to make a living after all, and she enjoyed the patrons that regularly frequented it as well), but she didn't want to give the idea that she held any resentment. She loved her father too much to want him to think that.

"I know," said Tadashi Katou. "We don't always have the time that we'd like to have to visit them, do we? I'm glad that you had fun today Jeri."

Jeri's smile widened.

"I'm glad that I got to spend time with all of you."

Tadashi chuckled.

"It was the least I could do to make it up to you for not being able to attend the Hanami celebration. I've always felt inadequate after…" Tadashi paused for a moment, as if debating whether or not to continue with what he was trying to say. "I've always felt inadequate raising you alone, and I felt bad after you came home that one day last week…"

Jeri suddenly felt the need to avert her eyes as her cheeks began to warm up from the memory that her father had recalled to her, and with it a feeling of sadness and confusion as she recalled some of the events that had transpired during that one week of Hanami. But she held firm and placed a hand on her father's arm, squeezing it comfortably as she tried to set her father's mind at ease.

"Dad…" Jeri began; swallowing nervously and hoping that her emotions wouldn't dim the comfort that she tried to give her father. "You don't need to feel bad about missing Hanami. You had business to take care of, and it's always busy during Cherry Blossom week…"

Tadashi turned to look at his daughter and he took Jeri's hand into his own. He smiled warmly.

"I know. It's just…" Tadashi turned away and scowled to himself. "It's just sometimes I feel that I don't do enough for you. Ever since you ran away that one time…and that monster that took you…"

Tadashi paused, not entirely wanting to think about that painful time, and not wanting at all to remind his daughter about it either.

"I just don't want you to be unhappy. When you came home that day last week during the Hanami celebration…and knowing how much you wanted to go even though I had decided not to take time off…"

"Dad," interrupted Jeri, her cheeks now becoming absolutely red now, though she still smiled beautifully; clutching at the edges of her green dress tightly, Jeri spoke, hoping that she didn't stutter or anything as she did so. "It's okay. Really…it is. It's no big deal. As for…last week…I just had some things on my mind when I came home, that's all."

"Hmmm…" Tadashi's expression softened, though whether or not he was truly put at ease by Jeri's attempt to ease his mind, she couldn't be sure. Jeri glanced over at her stepmother and stepbrother. Shizue was trying once more to get Masahiko to calm down. Even Calumon was making an effort to calm the boy's overly energetic nerves. So far it seemed to be working.

"Nothing bad happened last week, did it? You seemed to have been rather down during that holiday…even when that Takato boy came around."

"Oh Dad," said Jeri, laughing a little uneasily. "Nothing bad happened last week. I had a good time with all my friends. I told you about how Takato and I met up with Rika and Henry's family and how the others showed up afterwards. I was just thinking about stuff…some things that Leomon told me about before he…"

Jeri halted, saddened at the memory of the proud, lion warrior that had given his life away in defense of her friends. Tadashi tightened his hold on her hand, offering comfort to the former Tamer.

"You know…" Tadashi began after a second. "Before I went out to find you when you were captured by D-Reaper…your friend Takato asked me to not be mad at you. That what had happened…wasn't your fault. The way he looked at me…it was as if his eyes told me things about you and myself that I had never thought about before. Something that I never would have thought to come from a child his age…" Tadashi chuckled wryly at that before continuing. "I know that I'm not the best father out there. I've always tried to do right by you, and sometimes I feel that I don't. I try though…"

"Dad…" began Jeri, only to be interrupted by Tadashi.

"I love you very much Jeri. Never forget that. I'll always try to do right by you. Just remember, that if you ever need to talk about something…anything at all, I'm here for you."

Jeri looked up at her father, and smiled warmly.

"I know. And…thanks."

Tadashi pulled the girl closer to him and kissed her gently on top of her head, smiling softly as he held her in a hug.

"Your friend," Tadashi said quietly. "Takato…he's a good person at heart, Jeri. I'm glad that you're friends with him. I'm glad that you're friends with all of your friends."

"Me too, Dad," said Jeri calmly. "Me too…"

That night, Jeri lay in her bed looking up at the ceiling, thinking over the memories that had resurfaced from her conversation with her father. Of course, it wasn't as though they were that deeply buried. They had been in the back of her mind during most of the time that she had been with Takato, and though she wasn't particularly bothered by them they were something that made her wonder from time to time. Memories from that day with all the others, watching the Cherry Blossoms and playing Frisbee and games of Digimon…overhearing Rika telling Renamon about Takato's dream about her (that one especially had left her rather stunned and filled with doubt) and Takato's proposal to her on her birthday from about a month ago, her own conversation with Guilmon and Renamon regarding the goggle-wearing Tamer. She wasn't entirely sure what to make of it, although she had to admit that her conversation with Renamon had certainly made the knowledge far more bearable than it otherwise would have been.

Still…there were some things about what she had learned that bothered her, and she couldn't quite name why that was. Jealousy? No. That wasn't it.

Destiny? A quiet voice whispered in her mind.

Maybe…maybe…thought Jeri, though her conversation with Renamon had lessened the importance of that thought to her. But it wasn't something that would let go easily.

Maybe tomorrow… I should talk to Takato…when I see him…

Jeri drifted off to sleep with that thought echoing through her mind.

A/N-First time that I've tried my hand at writing Jeri interacting with her family so it's certainly a new experience for me. Something about it feels off to me but I can't quite figure it out. Hopefully it's nothing too important. Jeri's thoughts I felt were especially important in this story, and will play an important role in the next chapter so I hope that I did okay. 'Till next time then. Later.

-Crazyeight

5