One-in-Two Secrets
Sub-Division

… Nine Months After Event …

"I'm afraid they may have a case." Ryoichi watched as the woman in front of him suddenly flinched prior to turning her head to look at the man. "Don't look at me like that Nami."

"The last time I checked judges are more likely to favor the mother in a custody suit. They'll award custody of the baby to you and my sister." The woman crossed her legs before looking over to where her sister sat on the other side of the couch. "Besides... that man is not Yagami Sasumu."

"Right there is our first problem." The dark haired man paced the room back and forth. "What are we going to say in a court of law? We can't out right say that particular Yagami Sasumu is from another world. I've already told you my companies research is top secret, and we'd be laughed out of court if we even bring that up and we'll instantly lose the case. If our Yagami Sasumu does ever manage to return he won't get to see either of his children."

"We can argue though that Yagami Yuuko isn't..."

"Really?" Ryochi sat down at the kitchen table. "The way a person would go about proving that someone is or isn't someone is by using DNA testing. I've already had a test run, and there is no difference between your sister and that Yuuko's DNA. This would yet again bring up the companies research."

"Wouldn't the DNA prove our case without having to bring up your companies research."

"It's not just that." Yuuko's hands folded together as the corners of her mouth twisted down. "We also have the problem of whose the real Yuuko." The woman watched as her sister gave her a look of utter shock. "You know I'm the real Yuuko, Ryoichi knows, and I know. But..."

"She feels she to is the real Yuuko."

"The real Yuuko is married to you, and not that fake Yagami Sasumu."

"About that..." Ryouchi stood up and started to pace like he had before. "Would our marriage actually hold up in a court of law."

"Nii-san was declared legally dead because of the explosion."

"Was is the operative word here. The company's gone and changed his status so that the other Yagami Sasumu can step into his place." Ryouchi looked up in time to see Nami opening her mouth to protest. "They did it because they want him working for them."

"Is what your company doing even legal?"

"The research is completely legal."

"But getting his legal status changed? Making it so that other woman takes sisters place?"

"They're not the ones who decided to declare him dead in the first place. The companies status in regards to Yagami Sasumu has been that he's very much alive, but the explosion was something nobody could have survived so the government declared him dead. It wasn't as if we could disclose the fact we were working with alternate realities – this place called the Digital World. They wouldn't have believed us, and have asked for proof."

Nami let out a deep sigh as Ryouchi continued to pace. "Akiyama-san... the problem is that woman is taking my sister's place."

"She still has a job at the company."

"She really can't get a job anywhere other then the company now that this has happened."

"They've created a background story for her."

"How is any of this fair?" Nami stood up from the couch.

"It's not."

"I just want to be able to keep my baby." Yuuko's hands clenched the seat of her pants, and her knuckles turned white.

"Babies. If the other Yuuko is correct you're going to have twins."

"And if she's right they're already named Ryo and Taichi."

Nami flopped down onto the couch. "I think the only reason you're saying what you're saying is because they insist the babies were named after you. Can't..."

"Be reasonable Nami. Yagami Sasumu is going to be listed as the father of the baby or babies."

"Why? Why can't we just list you as the father."

Ryoichi's eyes widened, and the tone of his voice strained. "Why? I honestly don't mind raising my best friends children, but I will not insult him by claiming them as mine. I will not lie to the children either."

"Really? You're going to tell them about what really happened to their father as well?"

The man took a deep sigh. "Nami... I'm talking about not lying to them about who their father is. Don't twist my words around to mean something they don't."

"My sister could..."

"Divorce me and make her own decision? Yes. She can do that. You know full well though how our society treats a single woman raising children."

"So they're just going to take the baby and we'll never see him or her again?"

Yuuko's lips pressed together. "No. We may not be able to take this to court, but we do have the upper hand when it comes to bargaining. Don't we?"

"Yes. We have the upper hand I believe."

"That means I can place certain conditions on them? Like making the child believe we're divorced, Sasumu and I? Or making sure the child knows she's not their real mother?"

"That..." Ryoichi folded his arms. "Yes. We'd have to put on such a stipulation if the child is to know you're their mother. We can't really explain to them until possibly their older. Even then things may not be possible."

… Two Years, Nine Months After the Event ~ In Parallel World …

The apartment of Asaji Nami was smaller then the apartment of Yagami Sasumu and Yuuko. This thought crossed Ryoichi's mind as he stood outside the front door with his hand waiting to knock on the door. A sigh finally escaped his lips and his hand came down to knock on the door. No answer came, but then he heard the sound of a chair scrapping the floor. The sound of two young children speaking with each other told him who was answering the door.

A clicking sound was heard, and the chair moved again. Ryoichi watched as the door opened up slightly. "Who is it?"

"Tai... who is it?"

"Stinky man."

Ryoichi felt the corner of his mouth twitch. "Let me guess. Your aunt likes calling me that." He watched as Tai nodded his head. "Has she told you not to open the door to strangers?"

"You're not a stranger." Ryo suddenly leaned over to look around his brother before toppling over.

"You two didn't know that before you opened the door though."

"Oh..."

"Can I come in?"

"I don't know. We're not supposed to open the door to strangers."

Ryoichi blinked a couple of times as he looked at Tai. "I'm not a stranger though."

The door swung open at that point, and Ryoichi stepped into the hall of the small apartment and took off his shoes. The shoes of the children and Nami were missing. "So... where are your shoes?"

"Hide and seek."

The man reached up to ruffle his hair. "I guess this is something the two of you get from your father.

"Tai hid them. I'm finding them. Then he hides them, and I find them."

"I think you mean then I hide them, and he finds them."

"You want to play to?"

"No. I want you two to put the shoes back." He watched as the two boy's hurried off to grab the shoes. "Are all toddlers like this." He headed into the main room with it's small couch that folded out to be a bed. Nami was asleep on the couch, and a few bottles were scattered around the room. He leaned over and nudged her shoulder.

The woman startled awake. "What? What ever is the ma... Ryoichi-chan? What are you doing in my home?"

"Why are you drunk?"

The woman sat up and rubbed her forehead. "First tell me why you're in my apartment."

"I'm in your apartment because you were to drunk to hear me knock on the door, so Ryo and Taichi let me in. And did you just call me Ryoichi-chan?"

The man watched as the woman's cheeks turned read. "Of course not! Akiyama-san is Akiyama-san." Ryoichi turned his head to look at the two children who were returning the shoes to the front. Nami blinked a couple of times. "Ryo! Taichi! What the hell are you two doing with my shoes?"

The two children suddenly flinched, and the shoes dropped down where they were. They hurried over to the window that led to the balcony and hid behind the curtains. "That wasn't called for."

Nami pinched the bridge of her nose. "Not called for? I can't have them dressing in my clothes. They're both boys."

"They weren't dressing in your clothes. They were taking turns hiding the shoes, and finding them. Seriously... you're worrying me. You can't be drinking like this. You've got two children to take care of."

"Take care of. I wasn't supposed to take care of them. You know as well as I they meant for you to be their Godfather."

"Yes... but it was never put into their will."

"I don't understand why." Nami leaned back and covered her eyes. "They know I hate children."

Ryoichi felt the corner of his mouth twitch. "Perhaps because they thought the two of us would be married. And do you really hate children that much." He took a deep breath. "Marry me."

"No. I'm not a replacement for Yuuko."

"Then would you be willing to let me adopt the boys?"

The woman then sat up. "Ryo and Taichi are my family."

"Yes. I got that. You're living on your teacher's salary. You don't like children. Things aren't going well. If you're worried about not seeing them anymore, that wouldn't happen." The man stood up. "And I'd be able to see you more."

"Yes... but..." Nami glanced over at the curtains where the two toddlers were still hiding.

"Are you worried that they'll be upset about this?"

"I..." The woman turned away. "Of course not."

"Taichi, Ryo, come here." The man watched as the boys came out from the curtains. "How would you two like to come and live with me?" He watched as the boy's brown eyes blinked a couple of times, and smiles spread across their faces. "How about taking on my family name?" He watched the boys frown. "Something the matter?"

"Ka-chan, tou-chan no longer ka-chan, tou-chan?" Ryo narrowed his eyes at the man while Tai looked away in a distracted manner.

"No. I'm just stepping into their role for them because they can't be with you two."

"What about Aunt Nami?" Ryo looked at the ground.

"Aunt Nami's scary!"

"Don't worry. She will still see you guys."

"As if." Nami muttered while her arms crossed her chest.

"Of course it does depend on her," Ryoichi glared at the woman.

"Go ahead. Ryoichi's place is nice."

The two boys hurried off to grab their things while the man leaned back letting out a sigh. He turned his head to look at Nami. "Are you sure this is what you want Nami?"

"Why not? I don't like kids." The woman crossed her arms. "And I'm not going to marry you just because you think I'm a replacement for Yuuko either."

"That's not..." The man sighed. "I know you're grieving, but..."

"I know. I should have taken better care of them." The woman turned to look at them. "This is simply best for them."

"I'm not exactly sure if it is what Sasumu and Yuuko would have wanted."

… In the Present …

Agumon blinked a couple of times as he took in the place he and Tai stopped at. The Digimon tugged at Tai's uniform jacket. "Taichi... isn't this where Ryo lived?"

"Yeah. It is." Tai opened the gate, and proceeded up the walkway. The Digimon followed after his partner only to dive to the side when the young Digidestioned reached up and rang the doorbell. A dark haired man who answered stared at the teen. "Mr. Akiyama."

"Taichi, what..." the man stopped speaking before letting out a deep breath. "You're soaking wet, and your uniform is a mess. After you take a bath and change into dry clothes I'll drive you home."

Tai swallowed as he jammed his hands into his pockets. "No thank you."

Out of the corner of his eye Tai could see Agumon began to fidget as well as given him a worried look. The adult glared at the youth as his body stiffened up. "Excuse me?"

"I don't want to go home."

"I got that much from what you said. Do you really think you have an option in the matter? Your parents..."

"They aren't my parents."

The man's hands suddenly gripped the door tightly. "Taichi..."

"What exactly happened to my real father."

The color of the man's face suddenly drained away before he looked away. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Tai titled his head to look at his Digimon. "Agumon... could you come here."

Two green eyes blinked a couple of times before the Digimon came out from the shadows. "Taichi... I don't think this is a good idea."

The man's voice quickly strained. "Yagami Taichi? What the is that?"

"This is my Digimon. He's from a place called the Digital World."