Disclaimer: Why do I have to do this every time I want to write a story? This is so annoying! I hate disclaimers very much, as you saw in Part 2. Well, you all know the drill, Digimon belongs to Toei Animation…(need I go on?)

I looked up at the heart monitor and heard the monotone of the flat-line. I shook my head. “No…No…”I said between sobs.

I felt like screaming at the top of my lungs so the whole world could feel my pain…but I didn’t.

“Taichi-chan!” I cried out, instead. Yamato gathered me into his arms and I cried like I had never cried before. I had lost my best friend in the whole wide world. He was gone… The nurses came in and began to remove the tubes and stuff off of him. I knew they weren’t going to try to revive him because the doctor told me before there was no way for him to make it. I looked at Taichi one last time, and whispered: “Suki da Taichi-chan…” Yamato took me outside and sat me down on a bench. I couldn’t stop crying. Yamato hugged me and kissed my head.

“Sora everything’s gonna be okay…”

I shook my head. “No…No it’s not going to be okay…” I looked up at him with tears in my eyes. “A half hour ago I found out I was pregnant. Pregnant, with Taichi’s baby! But now he’s gone…What the hell am I going to do? I don't know where to go…or what to do…” I buried my face in my hands.

“You need to call your mom and Mrs. Kamiya, and tell them what happened”

I looked up at him again. “How am I gonna tell Mrs. Kamiya and Hikari that your son and brother died? How am I going to tell his mother that her son got me pregnant? How am I going to tell my own mother that I’m pregnant? God!” I said furiously, again burying my face in my hands.

He put his arm around me. “I’ll come with you. I’m here to help you Sora. I’ll help you think up something to say”

I looked up at him and gave him the best smile I could muster up-which still wasn’t too great. I hugged him. “Domo arigato…for caring”

Shakily I picked up the phone, stuck in the phone card, and dialed the number.

“Hello?”

“Hikari? Is that you?”

“Oh hi Sora! What’s up?” she said in her cheery voice.

“Nothing much…”

“Did Taichi do it yet?”

“What? Propose?”

“Yeah. He did?!”

“Hai”

“Wow! Congratulations! We get to be sisters for real now!”

I was going to start to cry again. The tears welled up in my eyes. “Hikari can you put your mom on the phone”

“Sure…is something wrong Sora? You don’t sound good…hold on okay?”

I looked at Yamato. “I can’t do this…I can’t…”

“Hello? Sora are you there?”

“Mrs. Kamiya? I just like you to know that I’m okay and Taichi proposed…”

“Congratulations!”

“…but um…there’s been an accident…”

“An accident? What kind of accident?”

“Well Taichi…Taichi…is no longer alive…”

She screamed. “Oh my God!”

I tried to calm her down. “Please Mrs. Kamiya…calm down…please…”

“I’m coming straight down there…CLICK”

I hung up the phone. I began to sob again. Yamato hugged me again.

“Don’t cry Sora…”

“I can’t stop…I can’t…”

He took me over to a bench and sat me down. Mimi came over to me and hugged me. “Sora…come on Sora don’t cry…” she said.

“Why did he have to die? I was in the same subway car…why couldn’t of been me?” I said between sobs.

Mimi held me in her arms. “Yamato, call Sora’s mom”

“Why…why…why…?”

“Sora…” she began.

“If only I had gotten help sooner…”

“Sora no! Listen to me”

She looked me in the eyes. “This isn’t your fault. None of this was your fault, do you understand me?” I nodded slowly. She sat up straighter and I laid down on the benches with my head on her lap. She rubbed my head and slowly I slid into unconsciousness…

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
“Hey Sora!”

The little girl turned around.

“Hi Taichi!”

“Ready for soccer tonight?”

“Yeah. Can’t wait. See ya tonight!”

“Sora!”

“Yeah Taichi?” answered the pre-teen girl.

“um…nothing…nevermind!” the pre-teen boy said, quickly.

“If you follow that map, it’ll lead straight to a headache!”

“I can read it just fine and that’s what counts”

“Sora? Sora, speak to me!”

“Over here Taichi!”

“Alright we’re out!”

“I’d thought I’d never see you again”

“I realized I was acting just like my mom”

“And it was your love that helped me digivolve Sora”

“I’m glad”

“I felt something…I guess it was your love shining through”

“NOBODY LOVES ME! NOBODY CARES!”

“We care Sora!”

“I AM NEVER TO BE LOVED…NOBODY COULD EVER LOVE ME!”

“No Sora! I LOVE YOU!”

“I’ve been meaning to ask you something for a long time now…and…well…”

“What is it Taichi?”

“Um…Sora…would you wanna…um…do you wanna…um…”

“Are you asking me out?”

“Yeah…” “I’d thought you’d never ask”

“Sora do you want to live with me?”

“As in share an apartment?”

“Yeah”

“Sure…I’d love to”

“Sora…Sora…don’t go…I wanted to ask you something when we got to Odaiba and when we were with our friends…but…I don’t think…”

“Taichi…don’t talk like that…”

“I’m serious, Taichi-chan. You baka…”

“Jeez…no need for insults Sora-chan…”

“As I was saying, I think now would be as good as time as any to…”

“What is it Taichi?”

“Sora-chan…will you marry me?”

“Hai, Taichi-chan”

“I’m sorry, but Taichi’s in a coma…I don’t think there’s any chance for him to make it…”

“Sora, he’s gone…”

“BEEEEEEEEEEEEEP…”

“NOOOOOOOO! TAICHI-CHAN!”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*
I woke up with a start. Mimi put her arm around me. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah I think so”

“You looked so peaceful…have a good dream?”

“Sort of”

“Miss Takenouchi?”

“Yes?” I said standing up, and walking to him.

“We found this in his pocket”

“The ring…” The doctor handed me the small black box. He went away. I stood by myself staring at the box. I knew that as soon as I opened it, I would begin to cry…but I had to open it… Slowly I opened the box. There before me was the most beautiful ring I had ever seen in all my life. “Oh my God…It’s beautiful…Taichi-chan…It’s beautiful…” I fell to my knees crying.

“Sora!” I heard Hikari say my name.

“Hikari…” I sobbed. She kneeled next to me.

“Are you okay Sora-chan?” I managed to nod. I looked at her. Her eyes were red and puffy, and I am sure that she was crying very much before she got here.

“Did you see this?” I asked her with tears in my eyes.

“No…he…Taichi never—Oh my God!” She took the box from me.

“I knew he was going to buy you a ring, but jeez…I never expected something like this…it’s gorgeous!”

“I know…” I said softly.

“I’m going to see Taichi…I’ll be back…” she said, starting to cry. I put my arm around her and put my forehead against hers.

“We’re gonna make it through this…okay sis?”

She nodded, wiping her tears away.

“Okay sis…” And with that she left me. I stood up and held the ring close to my heart. I sat back down on the bench.

1“Look at this” I said, handing Mimi the small, velvet black box.

“Oh my God…” she breathed. “It’s beautiful”

I began to sob once more. Yamato came to my side and sat down next to me.

“Come here” he whispered.

I moved closer and he gathered me into his arms.

“Everything’s going to be okay…” I closed my eyes and soon my unconsciousness took over.

It was raining. A light drizzle. I stood there, staring out into the distance. A mother, a father, and a daughter stood there—huddled under an umbrella. The mother—crying uncontrollably, the father—trying to comfort her, and the daughter—beginning to silently weep over the loss. An unnoticeably pregnant woman stood, hair rustling in the wind, staring at the freshly dug earth before her, silently weeping as she stared through blurry eyes at 26 years of friendship and love that she was forced to give up due to untimely death. The brown haired woman stood weeping over the loss. The red-haired and blue-haired guys stood on either side of her trying their best to console her without showing their own emotions. I was also among them—the mourners. I too was mourning the loss, although I dared not show it. Just to spite me, a tear silently rolled down my cheek. Because of the rain falling on my cheeks, my face held no proof that I was indeed crying. I angrily wiped the tear away. The priest went on about life and death…and I listened furiously. “The Lord giveth and the lord taketh…From dust you came and as dust you shall return…” he continued. I couldn’t stand anymore of this. When was this torture going to end?! I wondered angrily. Why do I have to stand here and watch as my dearest friends suffer over the loss of our dearest friend? As if on cue, one by one the family and friends dropped flowers on the fresh grave. The reddish-haired woman fled from the graveyard. I watched as she ran away. I was about to go after her, when suddenly someone put their hand on my shoulder.

“Oniichan…this is the time when we need each other the most…please don’t go…”

“You’re right…” I mumbled, walking with him towards the others.

Everyone sat in silence sipping at their drinks. The others began talking about something…but I wasn’t listening. There was only one thing on my mind—Sora. What if she turned suicidal? No! Sora would never do that! I scolded myself. But lately Sora was getting worse…First with the accident, then the pregnancy, and now Taichi’s death…Pretty soon Sora was going to explode and who knows how she’ll deal with it. Suicide was definitely an option… No! Sora would never! Especially not since she’s carrying a child…

“Oniichan? Are you okay?”

I snapped back into reality. I didn’t notice that I was standing up.

“Uh…yeah…just thinking about Sora-chan. We should all be together…that includes Sora. She probably feels so alone…I’m gonna go look for her…”

“Oniichan…”

“Gomen…” I muttered and left the café.

*~~~~~~~~~~
There she was, right where I knew she would be, at the tree. That tree was very special to her. It was at that tree, which they sat under, that Taichi had enough guts to finally ask Sora out. It was under that same tree that Taichi and Sora shared their first real kiss. It was on that tree that Taichi and Sora carved their names. You’re probably wondering why I know so much about this tree. I would never hear the end of it from Taichi. Now I would miss him go on about his relationship with Sora…

I walked over to the sobbing red-haired girl dressed in black. She immediately knew it was me.

“Yamato-san…please leave me alone…” Ya…ma…to…san? She never calls me Yamato-san…

“Sora-chan are you okay?” Silence. She said nothing. “Sora-chan…this is a time where we need each other the most. Come on, come back with me to the others. We should all talk…” She turned around furiously.

“I don’t long to speak, I long to die!” She fell to her knees sobbing.

“Oh God…Sora…” I crouched down in front of her. “Sora…” She looked to the floor. “Sora come on…cheer up” I lifted her face. She threw herself on me (not in a perverted way…err hem!), and sobbed. I held her. Slowly, I stood up and took her to a bench and sat her down. “Sora-chan…we’re all worried about you. I just want you to know that we care about you. Don’t be afraid of us Sora, we want you to feel better about all of this”

“I know…Arigato…I just want to be alone for a little while…” She stood up and began to walk away. I stood up.

“Mante Sora-chan…” She turned around to face me.

“Hai?”

“Listen…if you ever need someone or you have no one else to turn to or no where else to go, you can always come to me. I’ll always be here for you Sora-chan…” She smiled a bit.

“Yama-chan…you’re so sweet”

She kissed me on the cheek and walked away. I watched as she disappeared from view. “Sora-chan please don’t do anything stupid…”

Taichi, I thought looking up at the heavens, You see, I’m keeping my promise…Baka, I told you not to have to make me keep it…

I put my hands in my pockets and walked away from the tree.

*~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Sora-chan, are you sure you’re gonna be okay?”

“Hai” I assured them for the millionth time. “Hikari is going to stay with me for a while” I saw the concerned look on their faces.

“Guys…don’t worry…I’m okay…I’m gonna be just fine, you’ll see…” I said my good-byes and got in Hikari’s car. We began to drive away.

“Hikari?”

“Hai?”

“Can you take me somewhere before we return to Highton?”

“Sure. Where?”

“The pier…you know…with the lighthouse and the cliff”

“Sure sis…anything”

In 10 minutes we were there. I got out of the car and walked to the cliff. I stood there staring at the slowly setting sun, and realized something. We’ve come a long way since our first visit to the Digiworld. We’ve all grown up and now we’re just trying to live our lives to the fullest. Poor Taichi never got to live his life through…It was cut short. No he didn’t die fighting Evil Digimon as Taichi-san the Digi-Destined bearing the Crest of Courage… Instead he died as Taichi-chan—the cute, fun-loving, big-haired, goggle-wearing friend we’ve all come to know and love… As I stood there watching the sun setting under the horizon, I sighed and inhaled deeply. Life is good… I thought exhaling. It feels so good to be alive…

Did you like it, did you like it?????? I hope so! This took me forever to write! I started on January 27, 2000. You know, I never actually thought of publishing it…hmm…I guess my fans are glad I did. Just for you…I decided to publish this part I cut out of “Life and Death”. So keep scrolling down! Happy reading!

Hmm…how can I explain this…I guess I was going to put it right after the funeral scene, but then I was like well…I dunno… So I just cut it out. I bring you…

The 6 of us walked into the bar. We found a table close enough to the bar that had a clear view of the stage. We ordered our drinks and a few minutes later, a waiter came and gave them to us. I started to sip at my drink when suddenly a girl began to sing.
“Ooh…he’s out of my life…he’s out of my life” I turned around to see who was singing. She had the most beautiful voice…

“I don’t know whether to laugh or cry…” I had to look twice to see if that was really Sora up there. And it was.

“I don’t know whether to live or die… And it cuts like a knife…he’s out of my life” She looked so sad. The tears were welling up in her beautiful hazel-red eyes. I felt like going up there to comfort her but I just stared at her sympathetically. “Ooh…he’s out of my hands…he’s out of my hands… To think for two years that he was here… And I took him for granted, I was so cavalier. Now the way that it stands… he’s out of my hands…” It was so upsetting that someone as loving and caring as Sora would sing such a sad song.

“So I’ve learned that love is no possession…And I’ve learned that love won’t wait… Now I’ve learned love needs expression… But I’ve learned much too late…”

Poor Sora… It hurt me deeply to see one so beautiful, mourn so much…If she only knew… “And he’s out of my life…out of my life… Damned indecision and cursed pride… Kept my love for him locked deep inside…” She looked up at the ceiling. “And it cuts like a knife…He’s out of my…life… ooh…he’s out of my…life…”

Everyone clapped. Sora gave a fake smile to the crowd—I could tell—and walked off. She was probably off to solitude again. I started to stand up when Hikari put her hand on mine.

“Let her be. She needs to be alone for a little while… Trust me she’ll be fine…”

I watched Sora leave the bar and enter the light of day.

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(The D-word for “Life and Death: The Cut Scene”: Okay…lets see…Digimon and the characters belong to Toei Animation, Co. The song—“She’s Out Of My Life”—which is obviously not mine, was written by Tom Bahler for 98 Degrees. I just changed the she’s to he’s.)

So…did you like it??? Questions, Comments? Email me here Okay everybody listen up! Guess what…there’s more! Yep…that’s right! I am currently in the process of writing the epilogue for “Life and Death” and I need your help! I need a name for Sora’s baby (or babies). Please submit two names: a boy and a girl name. If you can, try to make the boy name a little japanese-ish. If I pick the name (or names) that you submitted I’ll give you credit in the my web site. The email address is up there in the blue. Please put “Baby Names” in the subject area. So please give me a hand!