Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ The Missing ❯ Courage ( Chapter 7 )

The Missing

Chapter 7 - Courage

By: eternalsailorsolarwind

Disclaimer: Nope, still don't own `em.

A/N: All previous warnings are still in effect. Could this possibly be a glimmer of hope?

"I'm bored," I whined to Jun and Chibimon. We were the only ones still here. All the other kids had gone some place else. School, probably. We were stuck here until our father was found and put in jail.

Jun was doing her homework, and scratching Chibimon on the head. "Why don't you do your homework, then?"

"Because I don't know what my homework is. I skipped school yesterday, remember?" I told her. I'd get my work tonight. We'd be `home-schooling' it for awhile.

"Then go read the paper or something. Watch some anime. Play with Chibimon. Take a nap," she said.

"I can't play with Chibimon because I don't know how to explain it if someone sees us, there's no TV, and I'm not tired enough for nap," I replied, ticking those options off one by one. I slept really well once Ken came, though I hadn't told her about that yet. And I doubted that I would. Having Ken come see me was something special to me.

"Then go read the paper! I'm trying to understand this chemistry!" Jun said, annoyed. She looked up from her work. "I know you're bored, Daisuke, but I can't help you right now. When I'm finished, we'll play a board game or something."

"Yeah, since that's all they've got here," I agreed. It was still hard to believe that there were no video games. I relented, "Okay, I'll read the paper. Maybe it'll put me to sleep or something, make time go faster."

Jun chuckled, "Maybe."

So I sat down with the paper and started to read. All the business junk bored me, so I just read about all the crime and exciting stuff. Murders and scandals are much more interesting than how the Japanese stock market is doing. But on page three, I found something that startled me. An article about Jun and me.

I read it three times. How did they know? Who told them about what Dad did to me? "Jun? Have you read the paper yet?"

"No," she replied distractedly. "Not yet. Why?"

"Because we're in it," I looked at my sister, who was now giving me her full, wide-eyed attention. "And they said what Dad did to me."

"Oh, Daisuke," she whispered softly, reaching out and taking my hand. I could feel the tears start to well up in my eyes. =Again=. I was so sick of crying.

I scrubbed at my eyes with the back of a hand. "Everyone knows now. People are going to hate and pity me!"

"No one's going to hate you, Dais," Jun said, getting up and coming around the table. She knelt next to me and hugged me.

"Fine. But I don't want to be pitied, either!" I said, beginning to get upset all over again. "I don't want Ken to pity me."

"He knew, and he didn't pity you, did he?" Jun asked.

"No, he wanted to help me," I agreed slowly.

"I bet your other friends will want to help you too, Daisuke."

It scared me that the others would know. We were all friends, yeah, but this was really deep stuff. None of the others had ever been hurt like this before, let alone by their own parents. Would I still be their friend? Or would I just be hanging on out of pity?

I didn't want that. I wanted to be their friend just like I had been two days ago, before all of this. And thinking like that made me angry. Angry with my father, though, not at the Digidestined. This shouldn't have happened!

"I know it shouldn't have happened," Jun said, startling me. I must have spoken out loud.

I wiggled free of her. "It wasn't =right= that he raped me. I didn't =deserve= it," I said, spitting the words out angrily. I was almost blind with rage right now, and it actually felt good. Like I was being cleansed. The anger was burning everything up.

I stood up. "I'm not going to let him win, Jun."

She looked up at me, "What are you talking about?"

"I'm not going to let him beat me. Damn it, I've saved two worlds. Twice!" I almost shouted. "What makes him think that he can beat us, rape me, and get away with all of this?"

"Daisuke, calm down! I agree with you," Jun soothed. I could feel the burning inside me fading slightly.

I tried to grin at her but it didn't quite make it. I wasn't done being angry yet, "That's a first."

We chuckled, though I could still feel the anger stoked inside me. "You know, I heard somewhere that the best revenge is living well."

Jun nodded, "I've heard that, too. But I've also heard that `revenge is a dish best served cold'. You have Chibimon. Why don't you take a different type of revenge?"

I shook my head, "I can't do that. That isn't right either. Though I'm tempted, believe me. I doubt I'd have to try hard to persuade Chibimon."

Chibimon shook his head fiercely. No, it wouldn't take much. I smiled at him, reaching out and picking him up. I hugged him, looking at the bump on his head. It was looking a lot better today, and he seemed to be almost back to his old self. "I'll do it, Daisuke! Let me at your parents!"

"No, Chibimon. I can't use you against my parents. It would almost feel like cheating. Besides, I've learned that fighting isn't always going to make things better," I said. "And I don't want you taken away from me either."

"Wow, that's awfully deep, Daisuke," Jun said.

"I know, scary, isn't it?" I smirked. My anger was fading, changing into something else. Something more solid and reliable than anger. "I guess Ken has kinda rubbed off on me. It's still true though."

She just nodded.

"Though, if they ever attack me," I said, thoughtfully, "Chibimon can do what he wants. I'll be damned if I ever go through something like that again."

"You're being awfully grown up about this Daisuke," Jun remarked. "It's not like you."

"I'm not the same Daisuke I was two days ago, Jun," I agreed, wearily. I felt fifty years older than I should. "I guess something like this makes you think."

"Probably," she agreed, looking sad. "You look tired. Why don't you go take a nap?"

I felt tired. Getting so angry and then having it just melt away into tired determination took what little stamina I had. So I went back to my cold, impersonal room.

I was serious, though. I'm going to get past this, get on with my life, and get my revenge on my parents that way. I have Chibimon, I have Ken, and I have my friends. I even have my sister. That's pretty much the way my life has been for the last year anyway. I am NOT going to give into all of this pain, sadness, and guilt. I will not. Even if I have to see him in court, face to face, I won't back down. He's not going to beat me. I won't let him; I'm stronger than that. I don't hold the Digimental of Courage for nothing.

I laid down in my Ken-scented bed, and fell asleep, hoping that my sleep would be dreamless.

To be continued….