Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.

A/N: Finally back! I know it's been a while. I've had a crazy year, but here we are. If there's one piece of advice I can give to all my fellow writers out there, it's take advantage of the time you have in your twenties to write as much as you can. It's a lot harder to find the time at forty, but I'm doing my best! I've got a pretty clear idea of where the next four chapters are going, so hopefully that helps a bit. Trust me, I really don't want to leave Sam and Mickey hanging like this! While this chapter is shorter, the next three are packed with a lot going on. Next up will be Mickey again!

Following the Footsteps of Destiny

Chapter 345: A Brief Respite

Masato 'Matty' Takaishi

Net, Northern Hemisphere, Digital World

"Well, we're here," Izzy announced, his words ending in a tired sigh. "And right on time, judging from the look of the sky."

"If I had to guess, I'd say we're getting pretty close to sunset," Mina agreed. "We should probably make our way inside the caves. It'll be nice to get out of the cold, and we can start setting up our camp for the night."

"Does that mean I can start gathering some firewood?" Embermon asked hopefully.

In response, Daichi glared at the little rookie and said firmly, "If that's your plan, you're on your own. I am so not going through that experience again."

"Hey! Some partner you are. We're supposed to be a team!"

"No way, not happening! This is where I draw the line!"

Ignoring the arguing duo, Masato Takaishi turned to gaze at the northern horizon, and though his body was still physically with the group, his mind was in a world of its own. After leaving the tower where Persiamon had confronted them earlier, they had spent the rest of the afternoon heading towards the destination that Izzy had insisted would make a good camping spot for the rest of the evening. The trip had been largely silent, since Matty had spent most of the time attempting to process everything that had happened since confronting the feline digimon. Thankfully, the rest of the group had chosen to give him some space by following his lead, but now that they were ready to settle in for the night, he sensed the others were eager to chat.

It's not that I don't want to talk to them. I'm just so exhausted. Plus, I can't stop thinking about Mickey and Sam. I wondering what's going on between them right now...

A quick glance at Mickey's D-Coder did nothing to answer the many questions floating around in his head, but it did tell him one thing. The two glowing dots that represented Mickey and Sam were stationary, which meant they had also likely stopped somewhere to sleep for the night.

I hope they're getting along, or better yet that Mickey has managed to open up about his feelings. If Sam would just give him something to work with, I'd feel a lot less worried.

"Mickey, are you coming?" Takara asked gently, her soft words interrupting his musings.

Sighing over the fact that she felt the need to call him by his brother's name, he said wearily, "You really think they're still watching us?"

"It can't hurt to remain cautious," the female Digidestined scolded, taking his hand. "Come on, let's get you inside. It'll be dark before we know it. We should get some rest while we can."

She's right, as always. It just...I can't stand the thought of sitting here doing nothing while DarkAngelicmon messes with my brother's heart...

The thought alone was enough to make his brow furrow, and focusing on the sound of the river bubbling just metres away from where the caves were sprawled along the edge of the icy bank, he mumbled, "Yeah, I know. I just...nah, forget it."

"Trust me, I understand," Takara said softly, tugging lightly on his arm. "But having said that, you can worry just as easily by the fire as you can standing out here in the cold. Matty won't forgive us if we let you neglect your own safety and wellbeing."

There was some truth to that statement, and allowing himself to be pulled along by the hand, he followed the female Digidestined into the largest cave that Izzy had deemed most suitable for spending the night. At some point a debate had broken out over who was to gather firewood for the evening, largely due to the shouting match that had taken place between Dai and Embermon. From what Matty could tell, it was decided that Ken, Yolei, Wormmon, Hawkmon, and Embermon would go hunt for wood, the latter only being allowed under Yolei's strict supervision.

If Embermon thought Rosa was scary, he's going to find out the hard way that she's got nothing on Yolei...

It was an amusing thought, but unfortunately due to the ongoing issues with his brother, Matty was unable to crack even the barest hint of a smile. Instead, he moved to sit against the cold stone wall located at the far end of the cave, and watching as Ryoko and Dai proceeded to roll out all the sleeping bags, he said dully, "Are we even going to be warm enough here for the night?"

"Once we have the fire burning, you're going to feel all nice and toasty," Rosa assured him while at the same time motioning for Gotsumon to help her pull out the cooking supplies. "Thankfully the opening is sheltered somewhat from the elements, and the wind isn't blowing in this direction."

"Plus, you'll have me to keep you warm," Halomon offered, snuggling under his arm.

The little rookie had been hovering faithfully by his side since the moment Kara had taken his hand, forcing him to lose his hold on the small digimon, and frowning, he said, "I hope that's enough."

What about Mickey and Sam? They only have each other, and if they're not getting along...I mean I know they also have Celestimon and Glowmon, but if they're drifting away from each other, that's not going to keep them very warm for the night...

"Something on your mind?" Alopemon suddenly asked, startling him out of his thoughts.

Matty blinked, and realising Dai and Ryoko had finished with the sleeping bags and were now making their way over to join him, he mumbled, "Just the usual."

"You mean Sam and Mickey?" Dovemon asked, also joining them with Takara in tow.

Yeah, and if you knew what I know about Mickey's feelings, you'd be even more terrified than you are now...

As they huddled together in a circle at the back of the cave, Matty said slowly, "Pretty much. You see...there's a lot more to this than just my brother doubting himself, and now that he can see the shadows...I don't know how else to say it, but this is bad. I'm really worried, and without someone there to keep those two grounded, I don't know what's going to happen anymore. Physically, I'm the one in more danger, but mentally..."

"That's the one part where you couldn't swap places with Mickey in order to take the brunt of the trauma for him," his mother finished, coming over with his father and their partners to join them. "The very thing you wanted to help him with most of all, even if you haven't realised that for yourself yet."

Is that why I feel so lost? Is it because all this time I've been trying so hard to keep Mickey out of physical danger to compensate for the fact that I can't help him where it matters most?

"You can help him," his father insisted, having immediately read the look on his face. "I know it might not seem like it now, but sooner or later the two of you will be reunited. That has to happen in order for Mickey to get his Spirit Chip. In the meantime, you must trust that Sam will take up the mantle for you."

Moving over to give his parents room to sit next to him, he said softly, "Sam's not the one I'm second guessing. I know he'll do what needs to be done. It's Mickey I'm worried about. I just don't know if he's going to have it in him to say what needs to be said before it's too late..."

He has to tell Sam about his feelings. I really don't think he'll be able to overcome the darkness in his heart until he does, especially if Sam refuses to share his own feelings on the matter...

Matty didn't miss the way his three friends exchanged looks, and raising his eyebrows, Dai said lightly, "Is there something we're missing here?"

"Not if you think about it hard enough," Gatomon snorted, earning herself an admonishing nudge from her partner.

Looking just as confused as the goggle-headed leader, Ryoko said slowly, "So there is something, and you're not telling us what it is."

"We're hoping Mickey will tell you," Patamon replied, his tone sounding wistful. "At the moment though, that doesn't seem very likely."

"Shouldn't we still be calling them by opposite names?" Dovemon inquired. "What if Persiamon and the others are still close by?"

"I doubt it," Halomon responded. "There definitely aren't any angel digimon close by, and after forcing us to fight her, Persiamon has no reason to stick around."

True, what would be the point until the next time they try to test me?

A few feet away, Izzy was typing away on his computer near the spot where Rosa, Cody, Mina, and their partners were clearing a space for the fire. Tentomon was sitting on the cold stone floor next to his human counterpart, which left Frigimon, who was standing on guard by the entrance. The snowy digimon had volunteered to keep an eye out for both the group that was still out gathering wood for the fire and for any sign of their enemies. It was Izzy who had suggested they keep up a watch for the remainder of the evening, and having heard Halomon's words, the computer expert said, "I'm inclined to agree. I suspect they'll give us at least some time to rest before the next test, but even so I still think it's a good idea to have somebody watching the cave entrance just to be on the safe side. Based off of previous experience, I wouldn't put it past them to try something in the middle of the night, and I'd like to be prepared in case such an event does occur."

Great, that's the last thing I need right now when my brother is suffering and we're being stalked by shadows we can't even see...

While there was still no sign of any violet eyes lurking in the gloomy corners of the cave, Matty couldn't suppress the uneasy feeling that he was being watched. It was just like when they were at the tower. Though he couldn't see them, he somehow just knew there were shadows out there, and he was certain they were gathering around the entrance to the cave.

They were waiting. Waiting for the moment when they could finally be seen and heard.

How am I supposed to relax when I know they're out there? Especially when I'm fully aware of who's responsible for them being there in the first place...

"Hey, Matty?" Ryoko asked, sounding a bit hesitant. "Listen, I know you've got some idea of what's going on with Mickey, at least when it comes to why he's been acting so odd around Sam lately, and based off of what you just said a moment ago, I'm going to take a wild guess and say Kari and T.K. are also aware of the situation, but...well...how should I put this?"

"While we respect Mickey's right to privacy, if things take a turn for the worst, it might not be a good idea for the rest of us to be in the dark about what's going on," Takara finished, sensing the golden-haired boy's reluctance to put his thoughts into words. "Does that make sense?"

She's not wrong, but...I just can't betray Mickey's trust like that...

Glancing at his parents, Matty wasn't sure how to respond, and placing an arm around his shoulders, his father turned to the rest of the younger Digidestined and said calmly, "You're not wrong, Kara. The same thought has crossed my mind a few times now. I really do believe it would be best for Mickey to tell you what's going on between himself and Sam in his own words, but if the situation becomes so dire that it becomes necessary for us to say something, we will."

"And we don't expect you to be the one to shoulder that responsibility," his mother said softly, reaching around his father to give him a reassuring squeeze. "That's not a burden your father and I would ever put on your shoulders, Matty. We will address the issue of Mickey's behaviour if it becomes necessary. Hopefully, it doesn't come to that, but if it does, we will talk it through with Ken and Yolei, and the four of us will handle whatever needs to be said to the rest of the group."

"You know you're only making us even more curious by saying stuff like that, right?" Dai replied, raising his eyebrows.

At the mention of Ken and Yolei, even Matty found himself growing curious, despite how much he had already gotten himself involved in the situation. Did the Ichijouji couple know about Mickey's feelings for Sam? Could they have somehow discovered the truth? Or maybe Sam had mentioned something about his strained relationship with Mickey to Ken and Yolei, which in turn prompted the couple to say something to his own parents?

I know Ken and Yolei wouldn't do anything to betray Sam's trust, just like my parents have done their best to respect Mickey's privacy, but they might have made some general statements about the situation to my parents. That would definitely explain Mom's comments about talking things through with Ken and Yolei. Now that I think about it, Sam was getting pretty cozy with his parents yesterday when we stopped for a break. Whether good or bad, could Sam have mentioned something about Mickey to them? Is he aware of how Mickey feels about him, and he doesn't know what to do because he can't bring himself to feel the same, or...maybe he does feel the same and doesn't know what to do about it? Either way, I could see him mentioning both of those possible scenarios to his parents in the hopes of getting some advice...

"I'm sure you all have a lot of questions, but right now they're going to have to wait," his mother said gently, her dark eyes straying towards the door. "I think Yolei and the others have returned, and I'm sure Rosa wants to get dinner started."

"Izzy also has something he wants to mention, which I think needs to be addressed before the next test," his father added. "There's not a whole lot we can do about Mickey and Sam right now, so until we have more information about what's happening on their end, we might as well focus on what we can do. The sooner we can get through these tests, the sooner we can reunite with Mickey and Sam. How does that sound?"

"Not like you're giving us much of a choice," Ryoko grumbled. "Fine, let's eat dinner and get this over with."

"I suppose," Takara sighed, getting to her feet. "It's just...I know what I said before, but...things have changed since then."

Matty also climbed to his feet, and gazing directly into his cousin's eyes, he said quietly, "I know, and I'll keep what you said in mind. As much as I respect Mickey's privacy, I also don't want him to end up losing his heart to the darkness or putting his own life in danger because of it."

"As long as you don't forget what's most important," the female Digidestined responded, hugging him tightly around the shoulders. "Trust me, I still believe in you and Sam. We'll try all other avenues first before we let it come to that."

"I know," Matty whispered, returning the hug. "And thank you."

She really wants to help make things right again, which means Sam and I have to step up and make sure Mickey reveals the truth before we have to give up his secrets in order to save him...

A few feet away, Ken and Stingmon had managed to get the fire going, and joining the rest of the group who had all gathered around Izzy, Matty proceeded to settle himself between Dai and Ryoko. Embermon was sitting on the goggle-headed leader's other side, and judging from the way the little rookie was glaring at Yolei, the trip had not gone the way he was hoping it would. Not that the lavender-haired Digidestined was paying any attention whatsoever to Embermon's obvious air of resentment. Instead, Yolei was helping Rosa, Gotsumon, and Hawkmon with dinner, and having reverted back to his rookie form, Wormmon sent Embermon a sympathetic look before joining his partner, who was sitting next to Izzy.

Holding Halomon tightly in his arms, Matty turned to Embermon and said dryly, "Let me guess, not the right kind of wood?"

"I don't want to talk about it," the little rookie replied before curling up against his partner's side and burying his face in the goggle-headed leader's lap.

Dai's response was to simply shake his head in amusement, and turning to the computer expert, he said, "Hey, Izzy...do you think Persiamon really believed us? I mean, do you think she actually fell for the whole Matty not being able to digivolve thing?"

Setting his laptop aside for the moment, Izzy quickly rubbed his hands together to keep his fingers warm and said calmly, "I suspect she was satisfied with our explanation. Remember, she thinks he's Mickey, which makes our reasoning behind Halomon's inability to digivolve a lot more believable."

"Maybe, but did she believe Matty about the shadows?" Alopemon asked.

"That's actually the very thing I wanted to discuss," Izzy replied, looking thoughtful.

Huh? How come?

"What about them?" Wormmon asked curiously, as if sensing his thoughts.

The computer expert was silent for a moment, and then turning slightly to look at him, Izzy said slowly, "With regards to the shadows, your performance was very convincing. If I hadn't known any better, I would have been fooled. It was almost as if you could see them."

Now that the food was simmering, Yolei and the rest of the group had come over to join them, and feeling everyone's eyes on him, Matty hesitated before saying, "You think so?"

"Well, yes. So...uh...can you see them?" Tentomon asked, glancing uncertainly at his partner.

Matty could sense the atmosphere around the cave had changed, and not wanting to make the same mistake as his brother, he let out a deep sigh and said, "I can't see them exactly, but it's almost like I can...feel them, I guess?"

There was a moment of silence, and then reaching across to place a gentle hand on his knee, Ken said softly, "Would you mind telling us more?"

I guess it can't hurt to tell them what happened, especially if we can use that information to help Mickey in some way.

Taking a moment to collect his thoughts, Matty took a deep breath before saying, "At first, I didn't notice anything. The trees, the snow, the surrounding area...everything was the same as always. I'm not exactly sure what happened, but during our battle with Persiamon all of a sudden I just...knew they were there. I can't see or hear them, but I can feel where they are."

"So when you were talking about the shadows and describing their positions, you were actually being truthful to Persiamon," Yolei finished. "They were standing exactly where you said they were standing."

"That's right. I...even now, I can feel them. I'm pretty sure they're gathered around the entrance to the cave, watching us but not doing anything..."

Immediately, everybody's eyes shifted towards the snow covered entrance, and shivering slightly, Takara murmured, "Talk about creepy."

"Does that mean Mickey might be starting to lose control over his emotions?" Gotsumon asked nervously.

"If his heart is starting to falter in the darkness then that would explain why Matty can sense the shadows more easily now," Rosa said quietly. "And if Mickey continues to doubt himself, then eventually we'll all be able to see them."

Matty had been trying very hard not to let his mind follow that line of thinking, but there was no denying the dark-haired female's words. Mickey had already allowed himself to succumb to the numerous insecurities plaguing his heart well before they even came to the Digital World, and even the strongest heart could only hold the shadows back for so long, especially if the person that heart belonged to was still continuously keeping all of their feelings bottled up inside.

If I can sense the shadows now when I couldn't do so before, that's definitely not a good sign. It means the cracks are showing in Mickey's heart, and sooner or later they're going to split wide open. Is it because of Sam? Did something else happen between them since getting separated from the rest of us, or does it have something to do with me? Maybe it's both?

Matty had no way of knowing what was the cause, and seeing the look on his face, Hawkmon said kindly, "Forgive us, Matty. We're not trying to scare you or upset you further. All is not lost yet. None of us, including you, can see the shadows yet, which means Mickey is still hanging in there. We just have to make it to the Spirit Chip. I'm sure at that point we will all be reunited, since there are people in both groups who need to be there in order to not only help Mickey activate the Spirit Chip, but also to break the seal surrounding it."

"Izzy and I agree," Mina spoke up, smiling at him. "And remember, your father essentially said the same thing to your earlier. Don't look like that, Matty. We haven't given up yet, and you know Sam won't either no matter how bad it is."

"Neither will I," Halomon said firmly. "I know Mickey's heart is really strong, and no matter what he'll find a way to overcome this. We just have to keep believing in him until we're all back together again."

"And we're all going to do just that," Candlemon agreed. "But in the meantime, we have to trust in Sam."

They're right. I can't give up so easily. I know Sam and Halomon won't. It's the one thing I can believe in, and I have to follow their example.

Once again hugging Halomon tightly to his chest, Matty lowered his head and said quietly, "Can we talk about something else now? I don't want to think about what's happening to Mickey while I'm not there."

Despite their efforts to be discreet, he didn't fail to notice the way his parents exchanged looks with the Ichijouji couple, and quickly changing the subject, Armadillomon said, "Anyone else wondering what the next test is going to be?"

"Ugh, I'd rather not talk about that either," Dai grumbled. "Or think about it."

Ignoring the goggle-headed leader, Cody said slowly, "I can't say for sure, but I believe we were definitely given a hint."

"Let's see if you still feel the same way when the past comes back to haunt you."

The feline digimon's words had sounded like a threat, and still unable to figure out what she had meant by that statement, Matty said, "You mean that thing she said about the past, right?"

"Any ideas, Izzy?" Ryoko asked.

The computer expert was frowning into the flames, and shaking his head, he said, "I suppose it depends on what she's referring to in relation to the past. A place or person perhaps? Or maybe a certain event they're trying to recreate? There are endless possibilities. I don't think we can really say for sure until we have more information."

"As long as it's not something like the Black Gears again!" Frigimon called out, shuddering at the very thought. "I never want to go through that again."

Whatever Persiamon was referring to, it definitely has something to do with the not so distant past. Otherwise it wouldn't have much of an effect on us, the new Digidestined, or our parents. Is she talking about something bad that happened in the past or maybe someone we know...or both?

As much as he wanted to know the answer, there just simply wasn't enough information to go off of, and voicing his thoughts out loud, he groaned, "Thinking about all this is making my head hurt."

"The best we can do right now is stay on the lookout for anything...familiar," his father sighed, sounding strangely tired all of a sudden. "In the meantime, we should probably eat. The food should be ready by now."

"And after that, it's time for bed," Yolei insisted. "I think all of us could do with an early night."

"Pretty sure DarkAngelicmon had the same idea," Takara announced, holding up her D-Coder. "Mickey and Sam still haven't moved from their stationary positions. I think it's a safe bet to assume they've also stopped for the night to get some rest."

Which means they'll have time to interact with each other and time to think, and both of those things together are a recipe for disaster...

Matty couldn't explain why, but for some reason he could feel a sense of dread building in his chest, and he was pretty certain it had everything to do with his brother. As a result, he felt especially on edge about the shadows, and purposely turning his back on the entrance to the cave he reluctantly began to eat his food despite not having much of an appetite.

I know I'm part of Mickey's problem, but I'm also not right there to have an immediate effect on his heart. But Sam is, and if those two unintentionally do something stupid to hurt each other, we're in big trouble. If only Sam could find it in himself to love my brother. Then Mickey's heart might stand a chance against the shadows. I wish he would say something. Anything to ease Mickey's suffering before it's too late...