My version of what could have happened after episode 45, in Digimon Adventure 02. I have maybe 3-5 chapters for this planned, going any further would depend on the feedback from my readers and if you want me to redo the entire end of 02 or if I tie it back into what actually happens. Kind of up to you guys :) Let me know in the reviews.

The deep gash on his forehead and the ache in his shoulder was the least of his worries. Where was he and how did he get there? His mind felt slightly detached and foggy. He was having a difficult time remember where he had been last.

It came back slowly but it wasn't comforting, to say the least. He had been walking home, it was dark and cold and Patamon had been perched on his head as per usual. The day had been long and trying. They'd rescued Ken from Oikawa and somehow managed to stop Daemon.

Daemon… the first digimon that had given him that absolute feeling of despair, only rivaled by one other digimon. Devimon. He couldn't shake it. It was a feeling he never wanted to feel again and had only felt it two other times since returning to the digital world, albeit, brief—the dark whirlpool and the right then, when Daemon appeared before them. Devimon was the only digimon who could make him feel that hopeless.

Blinking hard, he tried to adjust his vision to the dark, cold room he was in. It wasn't really a room though, maybe a shed? He couldn't be sure. The walls and floor were made of metal, he knew that much.

He coughed lightly; his throat hurt from breathing in the bitter cold air for too long. How long had he been here? Did the others know yet? Where was Patamon?

His wrists were bound tightly behind his back and his legs felt restrained too. Why couldn't be remember what happened?

He offered Ken a seat in the car at his own expense, lied about living close, grateful that Cody and Yolei were both too worn out to point out the obvious—he lived in the same building as them, all the way across town.

He did catch a look from Kari, but he smiled her way, silently asking her not to mention anything. She complied. Davis maybe noticed but was too worried about Ken to object either. They all knew Ken had just been subjected to far too much already. However, walking home all alone was a bad idea. Clearly.

T.K. tried his luck with his bounds, finding they'd been tied well and tight. Nothing much for wiggle room to squirm his way out. The obvious answer was Oikawa since Daemon was gone. But why him?

Pieces started to come back to him now. He remembered.

#

Arukenimon shouted at him from behind, out in the open on the sidewalk. It was dark, only streetlights and empty roads around them. She was in her human form too, less conspicuous.

T.K. turned on his heels at her easily recognizable voice. "What do you want?" He snapped.

Patamon bravely leapt from T.K.'s head and put himself between his partner and the ultimate level digimon. "Haven't you done enough for one night?" He squeaked.

She ignored Patamon altogether and looked past him to T.K. "You're that Takaishi kid, right?"

T.K. shifted uncomfortably. "What of it?" He asked wearily.

All too closely, Mummymon walked out of the alley to their left. "We would have preferred Ichijouji, but you'll do just fine."

Arukenimon nodded. "Not the worst option."

T.K. swallowed down the lump that was forming in his throat. The feeling building in his chest making it hard not to panic. "Patamon." He reached into his pocket and pulled out his D3, but as he did, he felt someone grab him from behind, one hand gripping his wrist, knocking his digivice from his hand. It clacked onto the concrete and a cloth was put over his mouth and nose before he could even shout. A muffed yell made Patamon turn and that's when Mummymon struck, sending Patamon to the ground in a heap.

T.K. grabbed his attacker's arm with his free hand, trying desperately to pry the hand from his face, but it was only a few seconds before his vision blurred and he lost all his strength. His attacker allowing him to fall rather roughly to the ground, Patamon lying next to his digivice on the sidewalk the last thing he could make out before it went black.

#

T.K. understood better why his shoulder hurt so badly and where he'd probably gotten the gash on his forehead.

Likely they had his digivice and Patamon somewhere else. He shifted and tried to feel—nope, they look his D-Terminal as well. Not that he could have used it. His fingers tingled from the lack of good circulation.

It was hard to keep his eyes open and not drift off, whether because the chloroform hadn't fully worn off or because of his head injury, he wasn't sure. Plus, there wasn't anything to do or see. It was too dark to tell anything for sure, and he couldn't hear anything either.

He must have involuntary drifted back to sleep because the next thing he knew he was being jolted awake by the sound of protesting metal as a wide door opened at the far end. The light that poured in made T.K. regret opening his eyes and he closed them, inhaling sharply from the pain. He tried to open them again to see whatever he could before the door shut again, squinting he was able to make out two things. He wasn't in a shed or a room. He was in cargo container. The other thing was that it wasn't completely empty. There was a desk and file cabinets and boxes scattered about. Nothing well kept, but useable.

"Oh good, you're awake." Oikawa smiled eerily. "I was afraid I used too much chloroform."

T.K. only glared up at the man.

Mummymon closed the door behind them, shrouding them in darkness again. A second later the container was illuminated by a couple of dim red lights, allowing them to see, but keeping T.K. from being able to really discern what was around him.

"Now then," Oikawa walked past him to the desk and set a laptop on it, along with some other digital devices. None of which looked like his Digivice or D-Terminal.

"What do you want with me? Where's Patamon?" T.K. managed to ask without letting on that he was cold, and honestly, afraid of what they might have planned. He was good at hoping, but he wasn't stupid. He was alone with a man and an ultimate level digimon, neither of which had good intentions, and he was tied up and defenseless.

"Don't worry." Oikawa chuckled lightly. "You're more a means and an end." He paused. "But that doesn't mean I can't make some assurances for the future while I have you here."

T.K. shifted uncomfortably, wishing he could sit up and face this man. This person who had been pulling the strings behind all the darkness that had found Ken.

"Just sit tight." Mummymon said gleefully. "I'm sure that your friends will be getting our message soon enough."

T.K. felt sick. He was a pawn in their plan now. A means to and end? He meant bait and maybe even a negotiation piece. His friends wouldn't let them hurt him, but he didn't want to be used like this. It made him angry, just thinking about them giving into Oikawa's demands for his sake.

"You know, your mother was a great help to me recently."

T.K. stiffened at that. His jaw clenching even tighter.

"She's very resourceful, you know. I guess being interested in the digital phenomenon wouldn't be a stretch, considering her own son's involvement."

"Shut up." T.K. found his voice. "Don't—"

"But even so, I suspect she's particularly good at her job. Don't you think? Her articles alone were insightful but talking to her face to face was extremely helpful."

"Leave her out of this." T.K. coughed roughly. His head throbbed. "Damn it."

"Oh, I don't think she has any more valuable information left for me. But it is always a good idea to keep work relations open, just in case there's need for them again in the future. Like I said, I take advantage of future assurances, where I can get them."

"What are you after?" T.K. closed his eyes and relaxed his muscles a little, sore from the cold. A shuffle of feet made T.K. glance up again.

"There." Oikawa stood up and walked out of T.K.'s range of sight. Not that it was that easy to see anyway. It made T.K. tense when he heard Oikawa again, right behind him. His hand gripped T.K.'s shoulder and pushed him over onto his stomach. A knee digging into his back to keep him from moving.

He fought hard not to make a sound, despite the pain, he didn't want to give him the satisfaction, but a gasp escaped his lips as he shoved his head into the hard floor and something cold and metal was pressed against the back of his neck. "What…gah!" T.K. winced at the pain that surged through him.

"It seems I left too many eggs in one basket." Oikawa released T.K. who was gasping in pain on the floor. "I decided I'd like to see how a more mature host presents itself."

A phone rang and Oikawa stopped to answer.

T.K. couldn't focus on what he was saying through the pain, it burned, and it felt black, like oil running through his mind. He thought his head hurt before, but this was another level of pain. One he'd never experienced before.

He was moaning and gasping, fighting not to scream. Tears slid down his face and he felt feverish.

Mummymon's muffled voice came through in broken pieces. "Did they…then the Patamon is…the dark spiral worked…we don't have much time…"

T.K. felt nauseated. From what? Maybe all of it. One more jolt of pain, originating from the back of his skull, spread through his body and he screamed—the pain overcoming him, and he passed out.