Title: Always Follow the Rabbit

Author: Mrpointyhorns aka Blemery

Beta: Takato The Dreamer

Rating: R

Status: In Progress

Part: 18

Pairings: Taichi/Koushiro

Warnings: Slash

Spoilers: Season 1 and 2, plus some of the movies (nothing blatantly but there)

Summary: Taichi's has started to settle in his life, and while that can be quite nice, he and Koushiro have never been better, it can also be a bit disappointing, especially his dead-end job. The only thing interesting that ever happens is when he has to babysit his nephew. Until Koushiro detects a disturbance that is about to give Taichi the adventure he craves.

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by someone else. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Koushiro purses his lips, as he looks at his computer screen. He rubs his eyes, the screen blurs. He looks up from the computer. He is sitting on a plush rug leaning back against a double bed. The room is bathed in afternoon light that spills in from the open windows. They are open in hopes of a breeze, but the heat is sweltering. It smells like grease and trash. The room is about the size of the bedroom he grew up in with just a small bathroom to one side. Other than the bed there is no other furniture.

"Uh…" Koushiro shoulders stiffen. He turns. On the bed is a young boy. His cheeks are sunken in, and the shadows under his eyes are deep black. He reaches for Koushiro. "Uh, da-daddy."

"Oh baby, I'm not…" Koushiro trails off looking at the child reaching to him. Starving. Can he deny?

.

.

.

This all started after Koushiro had sent a message to telling his friends to finish examining the first floor. The image on his laptop flickered

"Izzy! It's Cherubimon," Tentomon said. Cherubimon's image was on the security screens.

Koushiro placed his hands on either side of his laptop. "What do you want?" It wasn't one of the questions that had been plaguing him since the journey began, but it was the one that came to him in that moment.

Cherubimon from all the screens turned to look at him. Koushiro held the digimon's gaze. He wasn't afraid. He drew courage from his source: Taichi.

You're needed.

"For what?" Koushiro's tone was even and steady.

Cherubimon didn't reply. He reached out from all of the screens, a single giant shadowy claw emerged from them. Koushiro snapped his laptop closed and stepped forward. The shadows shot forward, grab him. Koushiro didn't feel anything touching him, but he did feel the tug of his shirt, he felt his feet leave the ground and he was propelled towards the screens. Tentomon called out to him and grabbed him around the hips.

The shadows grew around them. He heard it. Again. The screams. He swallowed. He closed his eyes just as he would touch the screens. The last thing he felt was the vibrations from the control rooms as it exploded. Koushiro could see nothing after that. Only the screams.

The darkness shimmered and the screams fell away, like a doppler effect on a siren it strung out until it was nothing, but a high pitch ringing. The shimmering started to take shapes: sky, trees, grass. A new world formed and Koushiro knew he wasn't in the digital world anymore. Koushiro looked for Cherubimon, but could not find him. After he confirmed that Cherubimon wasn't in sight. He looked down at his waist.

Tentomon still hung on. He looked up at Koushiro with his bug eyes and blinked several times. Koushiro reached down to rub his head. Tentomon released Koushiro and flew up to eye level. He looked around. "What happened?"

"I'm not sure. But I guess Cherubimon brought us here for some reason." Koushiro looked around them. They were standing on a gravel path, on both sides were green grass lawns and a few feet on one sides were beautiful trees. They look like maple though some were oak. On the other, side the grass stretched out until it ran to a large lake. The lake was crystal blue and there was a bridge that crossed over it: white and wooden. There was a path that led to it, but their path didn't or if it did Koushiro couldn't see how. He was still puzzling their location when a pink balloon flew by and a young girl ran after it laughing, several more kids followed her. Koushiro turned about. "Oh, it's a park."

Tentomon nodded. "Right."

Koushiro started moving down the path and Tentomon followed. "Let's see if we can find the rest of the city." They walked in the park for about twenty minutes.

"Um, Izzy," Tentomon called. Koushiro looked up at him, but didn't stop walking. "People are watching."

"What?" Koushiro turned more towards him, not really stopping, but slowing down significantly.

"I saw some people looking at me. They pointed." Tentomon shifted in flight looking around. "Remember what Rika told us?"

Koushiro recalled what Rika had told them. Humans and digimon didn't like each other and they didn't allow partners. Koushiro's eyes grew large. He looked around. People were in sight and they were looking at Tentomon. He couldn't hear them or see their expressions, but he knew that Tentomon's presence was causing a scene, maybe even more so since Koushiro was with him alone, like a partner. Koushiro chewed his lip. He knew he couldn't continue with Tentomon at his side, there were only a few people around now, but with how big the park was the city was probably large too, and if more people saw them that would just cause problems for him and Tentomon. He didn't want to separate though, because he had no idea why they were here. He may need Tentomon. He also didn't want to lose the only familiar thing to him. It was the only option. He couldn't go on with Tentomon around and he knew he needed to figure out what they were doing here.

Tentomon nodded at him. "I think I can hide up in the trees easily. I can even watch the people and listen to them and collect what information I can. You go on."

Koushiro swallowed and agreed with a nod. "Okay. I'll be back tonight and you meet me here. Don't come out until I call, alright?" Tentomon agreed. Koushiro reached out to him to give him a hug, but he stopped because people were still watching. "Stay safe. See you then."

"See you." Tentomon fluttered away and Koushiro watched until he was sure that he could no longer see Tentomon. If he couldn't then he doubted anyone else could, especially if they didn't know what to look for.

Koushiro started down the path again, but moved faster wanting to get out of the park and find out why he was here as quickly as possible.

It only took Koushiro two hours to realize that Cherubimon had brought him to this place and he had no direction. He has explored some of the city, but didn't see anything significant about it. It was like any city he had ever been too, the district that they were in was a suburb of a greater business area, but nonetheless it was the same. His feet fell heavier and he decided to stop for lunch, and get something for Tentomon while he was at it. Then, he could talk to Tentomon about what they should do from there.

He found a bakery that was a block and a half from the park and the smells drew him inside. The bakery was darker inside and there was a man at the register and a few people in line. Koushiro got in line behind them, and looked up at the menu board, and found a sandwich that he favored. He would get some sweet bread loaves for Tentomon to-go.

Looking away from the menu. The shop was small, but nice. There were a few high tops in front of the counter that someone could eat at without sitting down and a few smaller tables with chairs. The floor was linoleum, a sea-foam color that looked a bit yellowish. Against the wall, was a little boy that was about three or four? His cheeks were caved in and his eyes were bleary and unfocused. He wore tore shorts and a thin shirt that didn't hide the malnourished stomach or the thin bony wrists and calves. Kouhsiro stared for a moment not recognizing what he was seeing, and then he looked at the people in the bakery with concern wondering who the child belonged to. No one seemed to be aware of the child. They continued eating their rolls and sandwiches, or reading their papers without concern.

Koushiro frowned stepping out of line and going over to the child. He was lying on the floor with his head against the wall. Koushiro crouched down to get closer to him pushing aside one of the chairs that was in the way. The boy looked up at him. He had soft brown eyes that swam around, but he didn't cry or make a noise. His light hair fell limp around his head. It looked unwashed and matted. "Hey, are you alright?"

The boy just stared at him; not speaking, not moving. Koushiro felt a little nervous after a bit, but he wasn't sure why since the child was so unassuming. "I'm going to help you, okay?"

When there was still no answer. Koushiro stood up and went back to the counter, the line had disappeared and there was just one person left ordering. The guy at the counter gave him a hard look before returning to the girl in front of Koushiro. When she was finished Koushiro stepped forward. "Do you know anything about that kid?"

"Leave it," The man stated.

"Huh?" Koushiro tilted his head unsure if he had understood. "If you just tell me where his parents are, I'll handle it."

"He is my kid," the man said. Koushiro looked at him he had beady eyes and his face didn't really match the kids, but maybe he looked more like his mother. "So leave it."

"He's starving! Why would I leave him?" Koushiro gripped his fist at his sides.

"Look. He was tested a month ago, and they said he had to have a partner. But they couldn't find the fucking thing. So they gave us that kid back. I've heard from other people if a kid tests positive like he was they'll take him one day for sure, so what's the point," the man explained with bitterness and disgust.

"He's just a child!" Koushiro scolded he didn't yell, but it was a near thing. "How can you do that?"

The guy looked at him funny. "Where did you say you were from?"

"What?" Koushiro asked the question didn't seem to be related.

"You're not from here. I can tell. If you have a kid that tests they take them, right? So, that means he's as good as dead. You won't see him again. He's just gone. So what's the point of keeping him alive?" The baker explained.

Koushiro's brain lurched. The idea of what the man said had some reason to it, but it still wasn't right. If he had a child that only had a year or two to live he would still take care of the child. It was his child, his baby! He wouldn't just let him suffer. He would never starve him. Maybe if the man was struggling to make ends meet, or had other mouths to feed it would be more reasonable, though still wrong, but the man was a baker! He was starving the kid inside a bakery! "Fine, I'll feed him."

"No," The man said.

"No?"

"Look, it's been over a month and you know he's big enough, so he got leftovers on the table and scraps in the garbage, otherwise he'd be done already, but I'm not having you feed him. It'll just take longer," The man explained his expression hard. "My wife and I want to try to have another child. A clean child, but we want to make sure he doesn't get any of his disease on him."

"What disease?"

"The test!"

Koushiro frowned. He was reminded what Rika said about partners, they were forbidden. They hated them. Hated people in his world were often thought of as diseased. "Sorry. Um…I would still like to feed him."

"No," The man snapped and pointed at the door. "Out."

Koushiro wanted to hold his ground, but he was starting to think that if the man was so open about what he was doing, that he could really be the one in trouble if he started a scene or tried to call the authorities. Yet, he knew he couldn't leave without that little boy. He just couldn't step out of the bakery with a good conscious knowing that the child might die in the few days. He glanced over to the child. When he looked back he saw the man had turned his back. If he was determined to get Koushiro out why would he turn his back on him? Wouldn't he want to see that Koushiro left? That meant that the man turned his back, because he had seen Koushiro look over at the kid and was purposely looking the other way? Koushiro wasn't sure if he should be concerned that a parent would just let their child be saved by a complete stranger, or if he should be grateful that the man wasn't so cruel as to let his son die when someone offered to save him. He would puzzle that later, or maybe ask Taichi.

He stepped away from the counter and back over to the boy. He noticed a few eyes on him from customers, but they didn't try to help or hinder him. So he picked up the child and put his head against his shoulder. The boy left it there without flinching or looking at him. His arms hung against Koushiro's side limp. Koushiro put his arms around him holding him tight. When he turned around he saw a brown bag on the counter and the baker was looking at it. When he saw Koushiro looking he turned and went into the back room. Koushiro hurried over grabbed the bag and hustled out of the bakery. He took the bag with him and half jogged for several blocks before stopping. Then he looped around and went back to the park. He needed to find Tentomon and fast.

He ran into the park following the path he arrived on. He nearly ran passed Tentomon, but the digimon poked his head out from between the branches of a tree. He stumbled to a halt. Tentomon glanced around before coming out farther. "Izzy, are you alright? What's going on? Hey who is that?"

Koushiro took little while to catch his breath, before sitting down at the base of the tree. He positioned the child so that his head, shoulders and chest were cradled in his left arm and he sat across Kouhsiro's lap and his legs dangled over Koushiro's folded ones. Tentomon landed by Koushiro's knee and looked closely at the child, but didn't say anything. Koushiro opened the bag that the baker had left him. Inside were hot rolls and cartons of juice. Koushiro handed one of each to Tentomon. Then, taking small pieces of a second roll he fed the little kid. The boy looked up at him at first his eyes distrusting. Koushiro felt like his heart break a little to see something like that on a child this young. He waited patiently and eventually the boy took the piece of bread, but the look didn't cease for a while. When it did the boy looked away from him, but continued to take the bread. Koushiro fed him methodically until the roll was gone, and then the juice. There were a few more rolls, and juice cartons, but he left them.

He finally turned to tell his partner what he witness. Tentomon seemed as confused as he did about the situation. "We have to help him," Tentomon agreed in the end.

"I know. I think I'm going to find a place for us to stay for a few nights until he gets a little better. Whatever Cherubimon brought us here for will have to wait," Koushiro explained. He chewed on his lip. "You need to keep safe until I get back."

"Right," Tentomon agreed.

Koushiro look down at the kid in his arms, but he wasn't looking at Koushiro, and from that angle he couldn't tell if the boy was awake or not. Koushiro was careful standing up and adjusting the kid back on his shoulder. He lifted his head for a moment and looked at Koushiro, but when Koushiro's eyes flickered towards him, the boy put his head down, his eyes pointed away.

Koushiro looked up at Tentomon, "Don't eat all the rolls okay?" Tentomon agreed not to, but picked up the bag and went back into the trees.

That's how he ended up in this room, his credit cards in his wallet work in this world. He was able to get a room in a motel. He had spent that past two days taking care of the little kid.

The first night in that world, he had spent it cleaning the boy, and feeding him. He left Tentomon in charge the next morning to get breakfast. Afterwards, Tentomon went back out to the park to try to gather information again. He came back once it was dark and entered through the window.

Koushiro used that day taking care of the child. The little boy as malnourished as he was spent most of the time sleeping, and Koushiro spent that time unproductively puzzling over the situation in the bakery and wondering how a parent could leave a child like that. How every other person ignored it and let it happen. When the boy was awake Koushiro helped him eat, took care of him, and tried to make him feel safe.

The next day, yesterday, Koushiro used the time when the kid rested to work on his computer. But he was completely thrown off when he couldn't find a network to get onto. If this world was connected to the digital world that he just left, then there had to be a network, but he couldn't find it. He spent that day and this morning trying to figure it out.

.

.

.

"What is it sweetheart?" Koushiro asks. He is not going to stop taking care of the boy now.

"Daddy," the boy sighs softly. Koushiro stands to sit on the bed with him. He takes his hand, uses the other to brush his fingers over his forehead. The boy's eyes flutter close.

"Hush, baby," Koushiro continues to brush his forehead. He is trying to feed the boy at regular intervals, every four hours to break up the calories. He has about two hours or before the next meal, but if the boy asks, Koushiro will not say no. He will assume it is a sign of recovery. The boy's breathe starts to even out as Koushiro soothes him. He puts the boy's hand down.

The boy's eyes fly open and he reaches for Koushiro. "No, please," He says, but it sounds like peas.

Koushiro spares one look for his computer, but turns back to the kid. He moves them around a bit so that he is lying with him, their heads on the same pillow. The boy watches him. His lip twitches up in a smile, which Koushiro returns. The boy's smile wavers slightly unsure, but disappears in the end. The boy moves closer burying his head against Koushiro's chest. Koushiro shushes him again and rubs his little back until he fell asleep.