Ok people, this is my first ever attempt at a fan-fic. If you think it sux, please tell me! Drop me a line at Takari2002@aol.com. I did the best I could.. BTW, this fic is rated between PG and PG-13 for the language and certain situations. This fic is not intended for people who can’t handle depressing situations.
In this fan fic, TK and Kari are in separate colleges, and all the rest have graduated already. Tai and Sora got married, and have a huge house in Boston, MA. I think that’s all you need to know to understand some things.
Also, please visit my website, Anime Park!
Friends Til the End
I wonder what Kari’s doing right now. Thought TK. He was packing up, reading to go home after finishing his first year at college at UCLA. He had finished with top grades for the year, but his mind kept focusing on Kari for some odd reason. He hoped nothing had happened to her. He hadn’t seen her since Christmas, when all the digi-destined had come together for a few days to celebrate the holiday season. They had sent e-mails to each other now and then, enough to keep their friendship just barely alive. It was odd how they had drifted so far apart so quickly. It had seemed like yesterday they had started going steady. But that was two years ago, and now they were 3,000 miles away, TK in LA, and Kari studying at Harvard.
TK’s mind drifted back to Kari. I shouldn’t be too worried, he thought, At least I’ll see her later this week. Then I can prove to myself that she’s okay. He had started worrying about her for more than a week, ever since he had a vision that something horrible had happened to her. This vision had ended just when he was going to find out what that horrible thing was.
"Forget this," TK said out loud, "I’m going to call her right now and make sure she's okay." TK began to dial Kari’s number, hoping that she had already arrived home. Tai answered the phone.
"Hey Tai! It’s TK!!" TK shouted over the phone.
"TK? That really you?" Tai replied, "Man, I haven’t talked to you in ages!!"
"Yeah, I know what you mean. Say Tai, this may sound weird, but has Kari come home yet?"
"Nope, not yet, but hopefully she will be later today…oh crap, she’s pulling in the driveway right now!! Can you hold on a sec TK? I’ll welcome her home and tell her you want to talk to her."
"Ok Tai, take your time."
After about 5 minutes of waiting, Kari’s voice came over the phone.
"Hello?" She asked.
"Kari? Is that really you?"
"TK?!?! I don’t believe it!! I haven’t heard your voice in a long time!! So how come you called? Can't I walk in the door without the sweetest guy ever calling me up?" Kari laughed.
TK laughed with her. "Sorry about that," he replied, "I just couldn’t stand it anymore, I just had to talk to you. I swore I would've gone bezerk if you hadn’t pulled in just now."
Kari giggled. "You’re still coming to visit, aren’t you? Everyone else is dying to see you. Matt misses you tons!!"
TK was now rolling with laughter. "Oh, and you’re not going to be happy to see me Kari?"
"Of course I’m going to be happy to see you!! Oh wait, I take that back. I’m going to be thrilled to see you!"
TK suddenly became serious. "Hey Kari?" he asked.
"What is it TK?"
"Do you think maybe umm…we can go steady again when I get back?"
"I dunno, TK, maybe we should discuss that when you get here. Meanwhile, I really have to let you go, Tai’s yelling at me to get my crap out of my car, claiming he's not my butler!"
"Ok Kari, I understand. I’ll see you in a few days! Bye!"
"Bye TK! Can’t wait to see you!!"
Well, it didn’t sound like anything bad was going on,TK thought. I’ll just wait until I see her, maybe that will help calm my nerves.
***4 Days Later***
All the digi-destined were staying at Tai and Sora’s huge house. They were all sitting in the living room, talking about the good old days. Suddenly they heard a car door slam.
"It’s TK!!" shouted Kari.
She ran out the door, up to TK and gave him a huge hug, while he was still struggling to get out of his car.
"Geez Kari, can I at least get in the driveway?" he teased.
"Sorry TK, I’m just so happy to see you!!" She placed a quick kiss on his lips. "Come on, let’s go inside."
As soon as TK walked in the door with Kari, Matt jumped up and hugged him.
"How ya doing little bro? I missed you!"
"I missed you too Matt, but can I walk in the door first please?"
Everyone was hungry, so they ordered some pizza. Except Mimi. She wanted a salad instead (she doesn’t like pizza grease). Instead of having it delivered, TK offered to go pick it up.
As he was walking out the door, he heard a voice behind her. "Wait up TK, I’ll go with you! You can’t carry all the stuff by yourself!" It was Kari.
"Ok, sure."
So Kari and TK went to pick up the pizza. On the way home, Kari was driving, and TK noticed she looked so serious and almost well, sad for some reason.
"What’s wrong Kari?" asked TK, "You looked depressed about something."
"It’s nothing, TK, don’t worry about it"
They drove in silence for a few minutes until Kari spoke up.
"TK?" she said.
"What is it Kari?"
"Do you want to go out this Saturday?"
"With the whole group? Sure!"
"No, not with the group. Just…me. But if you don’t want to, that’s okay, I understand."
"No, I’d loved to go out with you Saturday Kari. Now the only problem is keeping everyone else from coming or spying or something!!"
Kari laughed in response; "We’ll think of something!"
They finally reached Tai's and Sora’s place. Everyone inhaled their dinner because they were so hungry. While they ate, they talked more about the good old times and what had been going on while TK and Kari were away. After a while, TK stopped listening and looked over at Kari, who was sitting across from him. She still looks so depressed he thought, I know something is wrong, and I won’t rest until I find out what’s bothering her!
The next thing he knew, TK woke up in Kari’s lap.
"What the heck happened?" He asked
"You fell asleep, silly!" she replied
"How’d I get in your lap?"
"Well, would you rather have your head on the hard dirty floor?"
"I just vacuumed it today!!" screamed Sora from the kitchen.
"Whatever!" Kari shouted back. She looked back at TK. "You look really tired. Maybe you should go to bed for the night."
"Yeah, that sound good. I feel exhausted."
TK started to get up, but Kari stopped him. "Here, let me carry you."
"Why?" he asked.
"Just cause."
"Ok, whatever."
Kari put TK in bed, and gave him a nice kiss good-night.
"Good-Night TK!!"
TK kissed her back. "Night Kari…" Then he fell asleep on his bed.
A minute later, Kari fell asleep on the floor.
***Saturday***
TK and Kari decided to go for a moonlight walk in the woods. It was very romantic. They walked mostly in silence, holding hands, except for some comments on the weather now and then. Finally, Kari spoke up.
"TK? I think we should go steady again, while we have the chance."
"Sure Kari, I was about to ask you the same thing!" More silence. "Gee, I haven’t been in these woods in ages! I wonder if your old tree house is still here.."
"I dunno, let’s go look!" Kari pulled TK to the tree that they had built their tree house in all those years ago. Surprisingly, it was still there, and in the same condition they had left it.
"Let’s go inside." Said TK
"OK"
TK and Kari went up into the tree house, and talked about all the fun times they had in it. Suddenly, and without warning, Kari kissed TK. He finally realized what was going on, and kissed her back. When it finally ended, Kari looked at TK seriously Uh-oh he thought.
"TK? There’s something very important I have to tell you, but before I tell you, you have to promise not to tell another soul."
"Cross my heart, hope do die, stick a fish hook in my eye."
"TK, its needle, not fish hook!" she giggled then put back on her serious face. "TK," she started, "I have cancer."
TK’s mouth was hanging open, eyes wide. He couldn’t bring himself to say anything, but inside he was screaming. I knew something was wrong! Poor Kari! I wish there was something I could do!! I wish I had the cancer instead of her, but there’s nothing I can do about that now…
"What kind of cancer is it Kari?"
"I don’t remember the name, but I know it’s in my right leg. I have to go in for more tests on Monday, but they are thinking about amputating it so I can hopefully rid myself of it."
"So you’re not gonna die? Anytime soon"
"I don’t think so. If they do the operation and it works, hopefully I’ll be rid of it."
"Do the others know yet?"
"No, not yet. I decided it would be right if I told you first, cause I know you’ll help me break it to the others."
"How long have you known?"
"About a week or two I guess."
"Oh,"
They sat in the tree house in silence for a long time, until finally they decided to go home and tell the others. They figured the sooner the better, so they wouldn’t get mad for not knowing.
When they reached Tai and Sora’s place, everyone was partying. TK and Kari decided to tell them the next day, so they wouldn’t be ruining everyone’s fun.
They next day, right after breakfast, Kari and TK spilled everything to the rest of the group. Everyone was too shocked to say anything. Suddenly Mimi began to cry, and jumped up to give Kari a huge hug. Soon nearly everyone followed suit. Ironically, Izzy was crying the most or everyone, and when he hugged Kari, he wouldn’t let her go. Then he admitted having a crush on Kari a long time ago, which surprised everyone
Kari gave a good laugh at that. "Sorry Izzy!! I’m TK’s woman now!"
Everyone began to laugh as well. They were happy to see Kari not looking so glum, and not letting the disease take over her life before she could enjoy it.
Before too long, after having a little bit of chemotherapy, Kari went to have the operation to remove the tumor from her leg. Luckily, they had found a surgeon who could save her leg, replacing the bone marrow that was to be removed with titanium metal. The operation was very long, but successful! After that, she had to go in for more chemotherapy.
Kari had to take a year or so off from college while this was going on. TK also decided to take a year off, so he could stay with Kari. She wanted him to go back and not worry about her, but he told her that their friendship and her life were much more important than school.
Kari was handling her cancer quite well. She wasn’t in denial, but she never let the disease get her down. She always tried to be cheerful, but she did break down and cry every once in a while when everyone else did.
After her second round of chemo, she went to have tests done to make sure the cancer was really gone. The day she was supposed to get the results, she got very sick. A few days later, when she was feeling better, she was asked to come to the doctors office as soon as she could. She went down later that day with TK, Tai and Sora. Tai and Sora went into the doctor’s private office, while TK waited outside with Kari. Finally they were asked in as well.
They were told that the cancer wasn’t really gone, it was back, and there were tumors in Kari’s lungs. Right then and there, everyone broke down and cried. TK held Kari tight, saying he would be with her every moment he could.
Kari was scheduled to have another operation to remove the tumors. It was yet again a success; then she had to go in for more chemo. By the time she was released, school was about to start again.
Kari had begged TK to go back to school and not to worry about her. He was reluctant at first, but decided to agree to her wishes. He promised to call every weekend and e-mail at least every other day.
Around Christmas, everyone was yet again staying with Tai and Sora. They day after Christmas, they were rewarded with some bad news.
The cancer was back yet again and spreading, to Kari’s pelvis, spine, and some other organs. This time, there was nothing to doctors could do except prescribe drugs to ease the pain. Kari refused to let it get to her, and chose to fight.
TK wanted to stay with her, but Kari refused to let him throw away his education. Before he went back, they made a pact, Kari would do 50% of the fighting, and TK would do the other 50%.
TK and Kari kept in close touch from there, becoming even closer than they ever were. A year passed. Kari was surviving better than any doctor figured she would. TK returned during breaks to visit her and check up on her health. Though her health was obviously going downhill, her spirits were higher than ever. She was actually surviving two months longer than anyone thought she would.
TK was still fighting for her, hoping that the tumors would show some sign of disappearance. No luck. Still, TK refused to let Kari down.
One day, when he was telling his room mate Mark about the latest talk he had with Kari, Mark brought up and interesting point.
"TK, did you ever think that the only reason she may be still fighting is because she’s thinking that you’re thinking that’s what she wants you to do? Of course, that’s only my opinion, she’s your friend and you know her a lot better than I do. I hope I didn’t insult you or anything."
"No, it’s okay, I know you didn’t mean any harm."
Mark, who had a cousin who lived not to far from the college, went over there to spend the night, since they were going to a family party the next day.
That night, just before 10:00, TK was dog tired. Before he went to bed though, he looked up at the beautiful stars and made a prayer to Kari.
"I hope you can hear me Kari. You know I will always be at your side and will help you fight for as long as you want me too. But if you want to leave us and go to a better place, I understand." He thought he heard Kari whisper something to him, but thought that he was just so hopeful that she heard his prayer that he imagined it. After that, he went to bed and immediately fell asleep.
The next morning at noon, TK woke up with the phone ringing. Tai was calling and asked if TK could make arrangements to come to back for a while. TK suddenly became all panicky and asked what was wrong.
Tai told him that Kari had died the night before just before 10:00 with a smile on her face, just after she spoke her last words.
"I love you TK."