Sorry it's taken so long, I've been busy, busy, busy! Plus, my computer blew up! How does that even HAPPEN! Anyway! I've tried to write this so many times, then lost my written copies, so I have to keep re-writing it. Ohhh, how paper hates me. Then I realized the there is an extreme lack of Matt/Billy relationship And Billy is VERY important to getting Matt and Tai together! And to you, dear Teeder, I am a ma'am. My names Kitty. It's nice to meet you all. And I know how you feel about Baby. I was inspired to create her from my very own husky/German Shepard.

Yamato

Taichi freezes. I ignore him. I walk into the store I come to first. It is loud, and I almost instantly want to turn and run. Then I hear the yipping. A pet store. Maybe I don't want to run. I want Baby. I peek at some of the animals, and through the reflection of the glass, see Taichi come up behind me. He is very pale. Almost as pale as me.

"Are you gonna be sick?" I ask without looking at him. There's just a small squeak. I walk on, and Taichi follows in a daze. There is no more speaking. I 'shop' for almost an hour in silence. I'm waiting for the explosion of questions I've come to expect from the people surrounding me. Always curious. The question that comes first is not one I'm ready for, so I ignore it.

"Why didn't you tell anyone?" Although I know I should answer, I don't. I don't know the answer, and I don't want to come up with some lie I'll forget in ten minutes.

"Do Mr and Mrs. Ishida know?"

"Yes." Half a lie. He won't bring up the parts they don't know if he thinks they know everything. Questions come at me so fast I don't hear any of them clearly. I stop. Taichi stops too. He continues to ask questions. I roll my eyes, and he stops talking mid-sentence.

"Done now?" His mouth shuts and he nods.

"Good. Cause I'm not answering anything you just asked." His mouth opens. My hand hits his chin so his mouth is forced closed.

"One, because I didn't hear anything you just said. And two, it's none of your fucking business." Although it is snappy, and rude, my tone is light, and as desired, Taichi does not take offence.

"Okay, then. So what're we gonna do now?"

"I have homework, I guess."

"You're place, or mine?"

"Why would I go to your house? I want to see my dog." As we begin walking, Taichi begins talking about something. School. Soccer. Kari. He changes subjects so fast that I don't even think he knows what he's saying. He's trying not to talk about what I have let him in on. A block away from my house I notice his silence.

"What?" I ask him.

"I just have one question..about.."

"Okay."

"Remember that movie?"

"Yes."

"Is that why you don-"

"Yes."

"Okay. I'll remember." He is determined. I roll my eyes again. He just smiles. He goes back into his silence. As we approach my driveway, my cell phone rings. I drop what I'm carrying to look at the number. My eyebrow shoots up.

"Who is it?" Taichi asks.

"I don't know. Someone from Italy. Hello?" I answer my phone.

"Hey, Matt?"

"Uh-huh."

"It's Billy."

"Oh...Oh. Hi."

"Hi.." We are speaking English. Billy is my best friend, even if I've never met him in person. I turn away from my house, and pace back the way we've come. Billy's tone is off. Far away. Something has happened. Taichi calls me, but I ignore him.

"What's the matter?" I ask. I've only ever spoken to the boy on the other end once before. And I was higher then ever.

"Uhm...nothing..."

"Why else would you be calling? I'm not stupid."

"I just...Where excatly...are you?"

"Japan."

"Oh."

"Why? Tell me what happened?" Panic shoots through me. I can feel the hysterics coming. But then again, that's never been my style.

"Do you think your parents would let me stay with you guys for awhile?" Right to the point. He had heard it, too.

"Uhm. I don't see why not..Ju-" The line clicks. My heart pounds. I turn and Taichi is there.

"Yamato?" He can tell I'm distracted.

"Yamato, who was that? Are you okay?" Takeru is there, too.

"It was my best friend.."

"Oh?" Takeru is instantly interested.

"He's in trouble, I think.." His face falls, too. Taichi just looks confused. I watch from my place three houses away as Natsuko pulls into the drive way. I walk quickly back to our house, followed by Taichi and Takeru. I greet Natsuko. I know that if I am to get Billy here, I will have to be..me.

"Hi, momma." Natsuko's eyes go wide, Takeru's mouth drops open.

"What do you want? What did you do? Is everything okay?" She worried, the same way a parent would. I decide not to beat around it.

"A very important friend just called me.."

"Oh?" She is interested in the word, too. Friend.

"He asked if he could stay with us for awhile. I think he's in trouble." No lies. Straight to the point. She's unsure. Another person in the house? Instantly, everything I know she wants to hear comes out.

"He's old enough to take care of himself, and no doubt, if he's coming from Italy he's going to have money. He might not speak Japanese too well, but I can teach him. And he can stay in my room. An-"

"Okay. When's he coming?"

"What?" My voice goes up a notch in surprise.

"When's he comming? Do we have to pick him up?"

"I..I'm not sure.."

"Well, let me know, okay?" I nod my head in disbelief. Takeru is just as surprised. Taichi and Takeru help me gather myself from the lawn, and we go inside. Baby leaps on me, and I kiss her nose. She follows us up to my room. I don't even care that Taichi is here. Billy is coming. I'm actually going to meet him.

"So, this friend's from Italy?" Taichi asks as I start up my laptop.

"Yeh."

"How long have you known him?" Takeru.

"About 6 years."

"He's your best friend?" Taichi's voice is slightly jealous. My excitement is evident, even to him.

"Yes. I've never actually met him before, though."

"What?" Two voices in complete shock.

"We met online...on an abused children group." I watch Takeru's eyes shoot to Taichi, and Taichi's eyes fall. They feel awkward.

"I'm over it, you both should be to." I tell them.

"Do you even know what he looks like? How do you know he's not a rapist or something?" I move my laptop so Taichi and Takeru can both see the picture of the pale skinned boy, that will soon be with us. The camera is slightly above him, and his black hair covers most of his face. Both of his green eyes are looking at the camera, and he has a shy smile. Taichi's mouth drops, and Takeru breathes out. He is easily the most gorgeous person I've ever seen. The only person that's even ever come close would have to be..My eyes drift to Taichi. He's staring back at me.

"How do you know that's him?"

"Well, I'll show you, maybe." I put my laptop back on my desk, and log on to my e-mail. Billy is online. I message him quickly.

My parents said you can come. When're you going to be here? We'll pick you up. Are you sure you're okay?

Taichi and Takeru have moved forward, and are watching, neither of them being able to speak much English. I wait. And wait. And after a few minutes, he replies.

I'm alright...my dad and I got into a fight. My mom told me to get as far away as I could...I'll be there by tomorrow at like..10 my time.. I guess.

I do the math in my head. Dinner time.

That's 5 pm here. How do you know what's when you'll be here?

I'll wait for you, I guess. Don't worry about it. I'll be there. Just make sure you are..I don't speak Japanese.

I promise, I'll be there. Are you bruised up?

Not too bad, why?

My brother wants me to prove that the picture I have is actually you.

There's no response for over ten minutes.

"What did you say to him?" Takeru asks.

"I just asked him to go on webcam." The computer beeps, stating something's been sent. Webcam. I click accept, and both turn on. Almost instantly my hand jumps to cover it.

Do I get to see Takeru before, too?

The boy is on screen. His right eye is swollen. Everything else is covered. Taichi's mouth opens. I move my hand. I watch Billy examine each of us.

You look better. He looks like you.

Yea. He does, doesn't he?

I have to go, Matt..My dad's home. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?

The webcam's shut down and he logs off. I leave my computer running.

"Be right back, gotta go tell momma when we have to pick up Billy." Takeru nods and Taichi watches me get up. My cell phone rings as I reach my door. Billy again.

"Yes, love?" I ask him.

"Where do you live?"

"Obedia."

"Okay. I'll be at the closest airport." He hangs up. I wander through my house to find my mother. She's sitting in the living room, reading.

"Hi." I say. She looks up at me. Smiles. Smile, smile, smile. So real. Actual happiness.

"Hello. Did you talk to your friend?"

"He wants us to pick him up at the closest airport at five, tomorrow."

"Alright, I think I can do that." I fake smile at her. I'll admit, I'm overly excited, but I can't really smile. I'm not happy. More worried, then anything. The hours tick by. The night is almost impossible. Taichi leaves around nine. All we did was sit in my room, and talk about Billy coming, and the reason why. I did my best to explain he was having family issues, without out right saying he took a beating bad enough his mother wants him gone. I shower and get into bed. Takeru comes to ask if he can lay with me. He's excited, too. I tell him he can. He lays in my bed. Contact I haven't accepted in a long time, where sex wasn't involved.

"Was Billy beat up?" Takeru asks.

"...Yea. His mom doesn't feel he's safe at home right now."

"Oh..Was it ever that bad with you?"

"Mine were even worse." Takeru says nothing else, and within 15 minutes, he's breathing becomes more shallow. He's drifted off. I watch the younger blonde from the moon light. He is peaceful. I look at Baby as I turn from my stomach to my back. Her ears perk up.

"Do I look that peaceful when I sleep?" I ask her. Her tail wags, and she puts her head down. I sigh. I think about my past. The abuse. The moving. The rape. I'm finally home, and yet..I wake up and Takeru is gone. I can hear Baby barking outside. I sit up. My phone is ringing. The number in unknown.

"Hello?" I am groggy.

"...Matt?" I am suddenly wide awake.

"Billy?"

"Yea. I'm in town now, so, if you can..you know..come get me earlier..then..I'll be here, waiting. If not, don't worry about it. I'll see you later." He hangs up. I shoot out of bed, and rush around to get dressed. I race downstairs, and almost crash into Takeru.

"Wow. Are you alright? Did you have a nightmare?"

"No, no. Billy's in Japan already. Is mom home?" Takeru's eyes widen slightly at 'mom', but I feel she's deserved the right to the name now.

"Yea, she's in the outside." The weather is very slowly starting to improve, it is almost March. I slow down slightly, but move as fast as I can to find her. Takeru follows. She sees us before I can say anything.

"You have a talent with dogs, Yamato." She's playing fetch with Baby. When the dog sees me, she stops dead, then shoots towards me. She sits at my feet, her tail wagging. I pet her head.

"Hey Bubba. Mom, Billy called."

"Oh?" Baby yips at me, and I stroke her head again.

"He's here..now." She looks shocked.

"He said if we can't get him until later, not to worry, but, he doesn't speak Japanese, so.."

"Well, let's go then." Takeru goes inside to get ready. We're in the car and pulling away within fifteen minutes. The ride takes forever, and my mom has even agreed to let Baby come with us. She sits in the back, in the middle. I sit on her left. Takeru's in front. I'm impatient, and ignore all the questions I am asked, and the attempt at small talk. I play with Baby's fur.

"Are you worried, Yamato?" We're at the airport. It's just a matter of parking, and finding Billy. We find a spot soon enough, and Takeru and I are out of the car before my mom's even turned the car off.

"Baby, stay." I order as the car door shuts behind me. Takeru and I go straight for the waiting areas. The airport's huge. I sigh.

"We'll never find him."

"Well, we can check the terminals from Italy, first. That's probably where he'll be, because some of the people there will speak Italian, or at least English." We search, and search. We spend an hour looking. Then, I notice pale, pale white compared to the tans everywhere. I raise myself up ever so slightly. His head is bowed, and I grab Takeru's arm. He's still where the clothes from when he was on webcam with us, so I know that it is him. Takeru sees him too. We approach the boy. He doesn't even look up when I stop directly in front of him.

"Billy?" His head jerks up, then drops back down. Shock hits me. He is so much worse then what he let us see last night. My heart pretty much shatters as I drop into the seat next to him.

I'm sorry if some of it doesn't quite fit! I wrote most of it all in one day, because I felt bad for not posting! PLEASE TELL ME IF YOU"RE UNSURE OF SOMETHING OR NEED TO CORRECT SOMETHING. I'll do my best to explain/fix it. =D