Edited 4/9/2021

As always I don't own Digimon. I also don't own the song Safe and Sound, that would be Taylor Swift and The Civil Wars.

"Just close your eyes

The sun is going down

You'll be alright

No one can hurt you now

Come morning light

You and I'll be safe and sound"

Kari had gently shrugged out of my arms and immediately gone into her room after we got back. I slumped onto the love seat in the living room, feeling frustrated and exhausted. It seemed so unbelievable to come after her in public like that. Even after I saw everything I really believed it was over and she was safe with us. I wanted to ask her to come with us, go home, or just get out of New York. When we got back though I couldn't make the words come out, and she left so fast, I knew it probably wasn't the right time.

Time wasn't something we had though.

Everyone made it back about a half-hour later with some of the equipment that had been left behind. John and Colin perched themselves on the stools by the counter, while Matt and Sora took the sofa opposite me, and Trevor paced the room staring at her door.

I put my head in my hands and sighed. I wasn't sure if I should try to get her out here to talk or give her the space I knew she wanted right now. Years ago, I would have known exactly what to do in a situation like this. I would be in there right now with her, talking it through, or just holding her. Now, I didn't know what she needed from me, and everything I would have normally done felt like it would be an intrusion of her space. I didn't know my new place yet in her life and this situation was just making it that much more confusing.

Trevor's frantic voice echoed through the apartment, "Did anyone know?" He stopped pacing and stared directly at me. Everyone shook their heads, and murmured, "No." But he kept his eyes glued on me.

I wasn't going to lie now. "I only found out the other night. She-" He bolted across the room and grabbed my shirt lifting me slightly. It surprised me, more than scared me, considering how much bigger I was than him. He got right into my face.

"You didn't think we needed to know? Who do you think you are!" I didn't try to fight him.

Matt was up in an instant. "Get off of him!" He yelled as Trevor stared at him with a dangerous look in his eyes.

John started getting up to break the two of them apart, but it was Kari's soft voice that separated them.

"Everyone stop... please." She was standing in the hallway in a pair of sweatpants, and one of Matt's old band t-shirts. Her bruises stood out against her pale skin, and the crisp white color of the shirt. She couldn't hide anymore. At least not from us. Looking at her body pained me so much, but as I made my way up to her eyes I saw a look of determination I wasn't expecting.

"Leave TK alone. I know you just met him but I've known him since I was a child. He knows me. He knows what breaking my trust would have done. I never would have forgiven him. It was … an accident that he even found out. I wasn't ready to tell anyone ..." She got quiet and drifted off.

Her jaw was set and there were dark circles under her eyes that were obvious without her makeup. I wanted so badly to reach out and comfort her, but I stopped when Trevor stepped in her direction. He reached out, but she flinched away from him, he immediately took a step back and brought his hand down.

"We could have helped you," Trevor said desperately.

"How? By doing to him what he did to me?" Trevor flinched at what her words meant. "He has money and access to lawyers that we can't even imagine. Why do you think I never pressed charges? I could have a building full of witnesses and I could still lose!" Her voice was starting to get shaky.

"I'm sorry we didn't see it," Trevor leaned against the wall and stared down at the floor.

"What now?" Colin spoke up from across the room.

"What do you mean?" Kari asked, confused. "I left. It's over"

"You should come with us," Matt stated more than asked her, but she was shaking her head no before he even finished.

"He has a point Kar. You shouldn't be here alone, and while this isn't exactly important right now, you give the band something we've been missing. It's better with you. We could use that," John said, genuinely.

"Yea, plus Matt sucks. We need you to cover him up," Colin said, with a smirk.

"Really?" Matt rolled his eyes. He let out a long sigh before looking at her, "But really Kari you make us better. You make me better. We were already going to ask you, that's why we had you with us on stage tonight."

"I'm not going to come and be a burden to everyone," she said quietly, looking down and away from him.

"Did you even just hear me?" Matt was getting frustrated. Sora stood and made her way over to him. She took his hand, and he leaned into her a bit, relaxing some.

"We already wanted you there," Matt said, a bit calmer.

"He isn't lying. We literally talked about it last night, look at me, you know I can't lie for shit," John said.

"My whole life is here," Kari responded pathetically. "How can I just pack up and leave?"

"What do you even mean? What's here? Your whole family is in Japan. We're leaving. You're just doing random shows at the club. You have every reason to leave." Everything Matt said was right, but the way he said it was not helping. I could tell we were losing her. She was on the verge of tears again. I mean, he made it sound like she really had nothing going for her.

"What if I stay?" Sora jumped in, sensing the way the conversation was headed.

"No! Matt has been looking forward to having you on this tour," Kari was firm on this.

"Kar, just come with us." Trevor cut everyone off, frustrated.

"I don't. I just," She shook her head, "I need to get some sleep. I need to think." She backed up quickly, as she said this, and made a beeline for her door.

"Kari," Matt and Trevor both called to her but she shut the door, and shut all of us out.

I followed her lead and got out of that room and out to the balcony. The air was cool but I felt like I was on fire. My adrenaline was running high, my heart still beating fast, and it felt like my whole body was buzzing. I grabbed onto the railing and counted to ten in my head while breathing deep. The railing felt cold in my hands but soon warmed from them.

Opening my eyes, I looked out into the city, glowing with life and promise. I thought I would come here, have an awkward week in Matt's apartment with limited, to zero, contact with Kari, and leave. Now I was trying to come up with ways to get her to come with us so she wouldn't be left alone here with someone who was clearly unhinged.

A slew of emotions flooded my body. Anger? Fear? Sadness? Helpless, yes, that was the one. We couldn't leave her. Michael came after her, in a public place, while she was with friends. If he was willing to do that then there is no way he wouldn't come for her here.

I had to try to talk to her, alone. No one thought that conversation through, they just didn't have time, and it was a disaster. She couldn't stay here, and it had nothing to do with me not thinking she could take care of herself. This was beyond that and he had proven it tonight. I was scared for her after seeing him, what he did so easily, and the look in his eyes as he did it. If she didn't feel like she could go to the police, and get any sort of protection in a formal way, then she shouldn't stay.

I turned and made my way back into the apartment, more determined now. I slid the glass door open and saw it was just Matt and Sora left in the room. Matt had his head in his hands, and Sora was rubbing small circles on his back, trying to calm him. She looked at me and tried to muster a smile as she motioned me to take the seat across from them. Looking at the two of them stole what little thunder I had mustered up. It was rare for me to see Matt in such a state. I fell into the love seat and stared at the ceiling.

"I can't leave her here," Matt broke the silence. He sounded so wrecked. "That was a disaster. We totally ambushed her."

I signed, "I obviously feel the same way about her coming, but we can't force her, she has to want it. We just have to convince her somehow."

"What about her family? Are we really not going to call Tai?" Sora, always the voice of reason brought up the one thing we all seemed to be avoiding.

I felt so guilty about not telling him. The two of us were like family. He came to me as soon as he figured out she was gone. We went to the airport together to try and catch her, but we were too late. He had been so angry with her for leaving everyone behind the way she did. I always wondered who's heart she broke more that day, mine or his. Even so, I had promised her I wouldn't tell them, she wanted it to come from her when she was ready, and who I was to take that away from her.

"I feel like if we do anything behind her back, we lose her forever. She won't trust us again." She already walked away from me once. I couldn't risk it happening again.

"I don't think she will be safe here, so if we want to protect her we might not have a choice," Matt said. "Either she comes or we call Tai. She might hate us but at least she would be safe. He would protect her."

"Matt, by doing what? Going after Michael? You know Tai, he would absolutely lose it, and that does her no good." Now, I was getting frustrated. I was not going to be a part of giving her an ultimatum.

"I might have an idea," Sora perked up a bit as she said this. "TK needs new clothes for the tour," she almost sounded bored.

I cut her off. "What's wrong with my clothes," I said, looking at myself defensively. "And shouldn't we be focusing on Kari right now?"

She was so calm, "You still wear cargo shorts." I stared at her blankly. "And, is that shirt from summer camp, like what, 9 years ago?" This shirt was actually from 10 years ago, I thought to myself.

I am too busy to take you, so maybe Kari can," She said the last part slowly to get her point across.

"So I'm some sort of distraction, and you will be doing what here?" I asked a little weary. With the way, Matt was just talking there would be a full-fledged intervention here with her family.

"I'll handle that," he said, sounding determined.

We discussed our plan a little longer before they headed to bed. There would be no family. It had to do with the band. We all agreed that if she saw this as an opportunity, and not just as a way to get her further from him, then she would be more into the idea of coming. I honestly didn't know if it would work, but we had very few options at this point.

Later, as I laid awake on the couch, I couldn't get the image of her in that alley out of my mind. I closed my eyes and tried to fill my head with happier memories, it was a long battle to get any sleep that night.

I tossed and turned in bed after I left them in the living room. Deep down I knew everyone was right, and in all honesty I did actually want to go with them. It's not like I didn't think I was good enough. I just didn't want anyone to feel like they had to babysit me. I couldn't stand the pity. I brought so much drama in just one night and I didn't want this huge weight over their tour.

There was a sudden knock at my door. I looked at my phone, 9:03 a.m. I knew I should probably answer. I couldn't just lay in bed all day but I also didn't need to get up just yet.

Another tentative knock came and I relented, "Come in." I sat up and pushed my hair down a little.

TK opened the door while balancing two plates in his other hand. "Hungry?"

I moved over and patted the side of my bed. He sat down and handed me a plate with waffles. Each square was perfectly filled with syrup, without flowing out onto the plate, exactly how I did it as a kid. He always did have a good memory.

I smiled in spite of everything else that was happening. When I left Japan I did everything I could to push him from my mind. I forgot how at ease I felt around him, even now, with everything weighing on us. The room just felt lighter with him in it.

We ate in comfortable silence while I waited for him to talk. I knew this would be about more than breakfast. I could tell he was trying to think of a way to start as he moved his food around without actually eating it.

I put my fork down on my plate and looked at him. "Did you want to ask me something?"

He chuckled a bit and scratched the back of his head. "You always could see right through me."

I smiled and nodded waiting for him to continue.

"So, Sora said I need new clothes." He paused, his face scrunched up looking annoyed, and I couldn't help but laugh at him. He glared at me but, quickly, cracked a smile. "But, she's busy and I was wondering, since I don't really know where anything is in the city, if you might come with me." He looked down when he was finished, twisting his napkin in his hand. There was more he wasn't saying. I figured he would spend the day trying to convince me to come on tour. I didn't want to spend a whole day like that but I also thought a day out of this apartment would probably do me some good.

"If we don't talk about me leaving, yes," I said firmly. I expected him to argue.

He perked up. "Great!"

I was confused. He started happily eating his food but stopped suddenly. "Hey! Wait, what is wrong with my clothes? You think something is wrong too?" I tried to hold in my laughter but failed. He crossed his arms in mock offense.

Through my giggling, I said, "Well besides the cargo shorts-"

He cut me off, "What is wrong with cargo shorts?!"

"Everything," I said seriously.

"Okay fair enough," He put his hands up as a sign of mock surrender. "I clearly know nothing of such things. I'll go get ready. You can fix me." He grabbed his plate and shoveled the last bit of food in his mouth before he made his way out of my room.

I don't know how, but I think I was just tricked.