Fresh starts help in more ways than one. I didn't realise how much because I am so excited for the stories I am starting this month and have so many ideas for them. For both whumptober and flufftober, I used the alternate prompts today though 'Hot chocolate' and 'Betrayal' so please enjoy!

2. Old Wounds

T.K. put the down the tray of hot chocolate mugs down on the table. The Queen had been quite shaken at what happened and after the Paladins explained everything, it made a lot of sense. He had only been eight years old when he had been tricked by DemiDevimon, but betrayal was not a new feeling to him.

Being tricked – being taken advantage of in vulnerable moments when you were so desperate for them to be right. Like the illusion house because they were exhausted from fighting all the time had been a welcome change at the time.

"Man, what a creep, that Lotor," Davis said, wrapping an arm around his girlfriend Kari. "I'm glad he didn't do anything weird to you."

Kari smiled. "I feel like Angewomon would have killed him before I even opened my mouth."

Gatomon curled up beside her partner and smiled. "You know I would. He was still a freak though, either way."

"He wasn't ever this bad, not towards me at least," Allura said, having calmed down a bit with Keith by her side and her daughter sleeping soundly in her cot. "He's done horrible things, but he was always very calculated, planning each and every one of his moves. But back there, Lotor seemed wild, almost chaotic. Like all he wanted…was me." She shivered. "The hunger in his eyes…I can't explain but it looked uncontrolled. There's something more to this. More than just Lotor. I can't quite put it into words but there's a stronger darkness beneath the surface."

A stronger darkness beneath the surface? They had not had trouble with it for years as their combined forces had kept the darkness at bay, but maybe there was a possibility that it could be the Dark Ocean or the Cave of Darkness. T.K. would need to call Matt and Sora here to ask more about the Cave of Darkness although they were already going through so much losing their partners with no guarantee that this time, they would be reunited. But at the same time, their smaller team may not be able to figure this one out themselves.

"I wonder if my digivice could help," Ken spoke up quietly. "It's been years since I've attempted to tap into that dark place but if it's a darkness related to the void or the Dark Ocean, the digivice may be able to pick up on it, especially if Yolei and I can add some kind of magnetic touch to it."

Yolei frowned. "Ken, I don't mind but that could be really dangerous for you. Since we don't even know what it could be."

"Yolei's right, man," Davis said, sitting up and looking at his best friend. "Unless our digivices could help you somehow? Like light cancelling out darkness and all that jazz, kinda like what happened with MaloMyotismon."

Ken blinked. "Is that possible?" He glanced over at T.K. and Kari.

T.K. smiled. "Hasn't Davis taught you, Ken? Anything is possible when you have hope. I'm not sure of the science behind it but I feel most of the time when it comes to the digital world, we can't rely on the logical explanation. Izzy learnt that but the connection between us and the digital world is something he still doesn't have the answer to."

Ken smiled back at him and nodded. "That is true." He turned back to Keith and Allura. "Would that be possible?"

"I'm not sure, maybe," Allura said softly but Lance intervened before she could continue that sentence.

"Allura, I know you're nervous because of everything and I totally get that and all, but I know we can do this," Lance said confidently. "Come on, Mullet, you agree with me, right? This is why I keep telling you to get a haircut since all that hair is clogging your brain cells. Pidge and Hunk can help out with the science stuff and the other stuff, we have the awesomeness with the lions. That probably pushes away all that creepy darkness these guys are talking about."

T.K. smiled, rolling his eyes a little – in some ways Keith and Lance reminded him a lot of how he and Davis used to be and still were. Close friends who knew how to push each other's buttons.

Keith scowled, rolling his eyes. "I do not need a haircut. But I think Lance makes some sense about the other stuff." He took Allura's hand and she squeezed it back. "We can do this." He turned back to Davis. "We'll do our best to repel against the darkness too."

"Do you need the Atlas for back-up?" Shiro asked softly. "If there's that much darkness, I'm not sure how well it'll hold up or if it would be better to take the Castle of Lions."

Keith was quiet for a moment before he smiled. "We don't need the Atlas as a whole, but we'll always need you for back-up, Shiro."

T.K. lost sight of what Shiro replied then, thinking of the consequences of it being the Dark Ocean. Were any other old enemies coming back? Dagomon? Daemon? Possibly even Devimon in a stronger form. The thought made him shiver, Patamon flying to sit on his head, grounding him enough to pull his partner into his arms, the memories flashing in his mind.

Angemon had promised him then that he would come back to him, and he had but in the nightmares, his friend would fade away and never return. Just like Dad had faded away and he had to grow up, not knowing him. It had been his fault – because he was such a cry baby and because Mom didn't believe him about seeing the digimon back then.

"T.K.?" Patamon's voice brought him out of his thoughts, and he blinked, trying to smile because smiling kept everyone else from worrying about him because that was the last thing he wanted.

"Yeah?" T.K. said, keeping his tone casual, trying to focus on his partner and not on his parents fighting in the back of his mind.

Patamon nuzzled him gently. "Your eyes look sad. You're remembering it again and don't say you're not. You can fool the others, but you can't fool me."

T.K. frowned and pulled Patamon even closer but turned away from the others. "I didn't mean to. I was thinking of the darkness and then Devimon." He closed his eyes, as if trying to will the images to go away.

"I'm here, T.K. and I'll always come back to you," Patamon promised quietly and T.K. smiled albeit his body was still tense even if his expression had eased slightly.

"I know." And he did. He knew Patamon would never leave him, but he also knew his Digital Partner would jump in front of him without a second thought if his life was in danger, just as he would for Patamon. That was the one thing though that neither of them could control.