(A/N: I'm back. I haven't been doing nothing all this time. I've been working on something like six stories and two novels. Three of which are fanfics for Digimon, this one included. This is long, I'm warning you now but hopefully you'll stick with it. Hey to all my faithful readers!)

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon or anything to do with it, but I do own Catrina Harris.

"Cruel Kindness"

1. 'Sunny days'

"I wanna know, have you ever seen the rain

Falling down on a sunny day?"

When a person comes back from the other side, the other side being the darker side, they change. For the rest of their life they are a different person. They are being someone against their true nature. As you all might know, when all bets are off, when there is no conscience, when there is no little voice in your ear saying, 'no', that is when a person shows their true face. When they release all their deepest and darkest desires. And for a certain boy Emperor, it was no different. Now for the rest of his life he will be changed. He will carry the burden of his actions. He will try to hide that ugly face behind an innocent face. And it doesn't matter how many years have past, he will never forget. Because the moment he does forget, that's when he's failed and that's when he falls back on old habits.

It's sad isn't it? How one bad choice can change everything? How one bad choice can make everyone look at you differently? How for the rest of your life you become a prisoner in your own mind.

And just when you think to yourself that it could get no worse. That you could never let yourself do anything like that again, you find that you've slipped after it's too late. And why not? Why shouldn't we? Who says what is right and what is wrong? Surely being free makes a person happy, and so what if when a person is happy they are causing pain? I guess not. Because making other people unhappy at the expense of your happiness is not right, it's wrong.

Ken sat at his desk staring at a screen full of text. His partner, Wormmon was fast asleep on top of his bed. He glanced up at the little creature before rubbing his temples and looking back at the bright screen. He needed to get a good grade on this project in order to pass with an impressive grade. If he really wanted, he could have just done it in two days and gotten an average grade. But he wasn't average. Nothing about him was average and no one let him forget that. Not even himself.

He ran his hand over his cheek and down to his chin in a gesture of deep thought. He felt the rough texture of his skin, telling him that he should have shaved this morning. He was seventeen now, years after his mistakes, but other than his appearance and voice he hadn't changed much at all.

He took a deep breath and was about to get up and fetch himself a glass of water, when he did a double take at the sliding door leading onto the balcony. He frowned and walked a bit closer to the door. At seeing nothing out of the ordinary, he shook his head and mumbled something about working too long. But as he turned again, he saw a young woman standing in front of his door. She was leaning against the bars of the balcony, dressed in black boots, tight black jeans, a chain hanging from her pocket, and a crimson top that had black straps. As his eyes roamed to her face, he noticed that her hair was rather striking but stunning at the same time. The tips, dyed from underneath and halfway down, was a deep rich red while the rest of her hair was a lighter brown, reaching her shoulder blades. She had three earrings in her ears, wicked, brown eyes, lined with black eyeliner and glossed lips.

She gave him a half grin and placed her hands on her hips, which he noticed had rings on every other finger.

He walked up to the door and opened it. "Can I help you?" he asked politely.

Now she gave him a full smile, "I was going to knock on your door here. I've been walking along this balcony checking out my new neighbors and you seemed like the only one worth getting to know."

Not knowing what to say to this, Ken glanced at the balcony and saw that there were bars blocking the way where each apartment ended and a new one began.

Reading his mind, she added, "I climbed over them."

Turning his attention back to her, he asked, "You just moved in?"

She nodded and looked into his room, "Uhuh, just yesterday. You gonna invite me in?"

Ken blinked and apologized, signaling for her to go into his room. He followed her in and watched as she looked around. "Sweet crib." She commented.

"You're not from Japan are you?" he asked folding his arms.

Without looking at him she replied, "Nope. I'm from LA. My parents got transferred here and I had to tag along."

"Do you have a name?" he asked with a wry grin.

This time she did turn to look at him, with a grin to match, "Yeah, I do. It's Catrina Harris, but most people call me Cat. Do you have a name?"

He nodded, "Ken Ichijouji."

"Last name's a mouthful."

"People seem to manage."

She shrugged, "I'll stick to Ken."

As she turned again, he noticed her top was back less and that she had a tribal tattoo on the small of her back. "When did you get that?"

She looked confused and then registered what he was referring to, "In my innocent youth." She gave a small empty laugh, "I was fourteen when I got it, much to the objection of my parents. But that's the point right?"

"To go against your parents wishes?"

"To do what makes you happy."

A small uncomfortable silence settled between them and she decided to sit down on his desk, "But that was a long time ago." She added with a sigh.

"Yeah." He said softly.

She looked up at him again, "So what's your story? How'd you become a victim of your own actions?"

He cocked an eyebrow, "What makes you think that I-"

"Oh please it's written all over you eyes. Part of the reason I wanted to get to know you."

He swiveled his chair away from her, "Lets just say I wasn't what you would call a nice guy."

"Nice guys finish last." She scoffed.

"Not always."

"If you say so."

He looked darkly at her, "Okay, so what's your story?"

She hopped off his desk and shrugged, "I was, what you'd call a problem child. I ran with a rough crowd, got myself into a lot of trouble. Ended up in Juvenile court and then prison for about six months."

Ken opened his mouth to say something in response to that, but couldn't think of anything, so he shut it again and looked her up and down again. "You're what? Sixteen?"

"Seventeen. Eighteen in a few months." She trailed her finger along his books stacked on his wooden bookshelf. "Lota books here on the mind. You interested in psychology?"

Ken nodded slightly and she turned back to the books, "'My Buddy, My Brain?'" She raised her eyebrow at him and again looked back at the books before she turned about face all together and leaned against the shelf, "So, there any clubs in Japan?"

"There are. But we're under age."

She rolled her eyes, "By a year. What's a year? Besides, a bouncer has never asked me for my ID. Someone once told me that I have the maturity of a twenty-one year old and the face to match."

Ken studied her face and nodded, "They were right."

"So you up for it?" she asked walking to the sliding door.

"What? Sneaking into a club? Now?"

She glanced down at her watch, "Well, it's nine thirty, if we go now, we'll get to a decent club by about ten and that's when everything starts heating up."

"I can't, I'm sorry. But if you still want to go, my friend Matt told me that a really nice place to go is 'Moonbeams'."

She folded her arms; "You'd let me go to a club all on my lonesome? A stranger in this town? What if something happened to me? What if someone attacked me?"

Ken gave a small chuckle, "I have a feeling you could handle yourself."

"Among other things." She added softly.

A soft thud was heard out side Ken's door. He whipped his head in that direction and looked worriedly at Cat, "You really shouldn't be here, I'm not really supposed to have girls in my room."

Ignoring his urges, she stood against the door, "So how about it? You gonna come or not?"

"I'd really like to," Ken rushed through his sentence and never took his eye off the door now, "but I can't. Sorry."

"Oh come on! It'll be fun!" she pleaded and before he could understand what she was doing, she opened his bedroom door and walked into the hall, towards his front door. His eyes widened and he sprinted out his room only to find her standing at the wall between the kitchen and the front door. Amazed that his parents hadn't spotted her, he quietly, with a very angry look on his face moved to the door, slipped on his shoes, opened the door and yelled behind him, "I'm just going over to Davis' house Mama! He needs my help with something!" and he shoved her out the door, not waiting for a reply from either of his parents.

Mrs. Ichijouji glanced down at her watch and muttered something about the time, but shrugged it off.

"What the hell are you playing at?" Ken burst at her, while chasing her to the elevator.

She giggled, "I'm making you take me out."

He sighed and looked around, "All right, fine, you win. So where are we going?"

Her face broke into a wide smile; "I liked the sound of that one you mentioned. Moonlight?"

"Moonbeams."

After catching a taxi, the two ended up outside 'Moonbeams' where it was packed with young trendy people. Ken paid the taxi driver and went to open the door for Cat, but she had already let herself out, "You always such a gentleman?"

He turned to the door and noticed two Bouncers that looked rather intimidating, but she grabbed his hand and led him over to the entrance. She confidently walked past them, giving them a quick smile and they paid the person at the counter.

As they walked into the main area of the club, they couldn't help but stare all around themselves.

There was what looked like three dance floors, all at different levels. Scaffolding like constructions were on either side of the club, with platforms to dance on. There were bars on either side of the club and an area with chairs and tables where people sat with drinks.

Ken took one look at the area and felt a buzz in his stomach. He wasn't sure if it was the impending doom of getting kicked out of the club or getting arrested, or if it was excitement of both the vibes coming from the club and doing something wrong.

He looked at Cat, "Won't your parents wonder where you are?" he yelled.

She shook her head; "No!" she replied loudly over the music, "They are doing something for work!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes!" she grabbed his hand and yanked him to the bar, "Now come on!" She leaned over the bar counter and shouted her order to the barman.

The tall dark man nodded and placed four shot glasses on the bar counter. Then he proceeded to fill them with a golden liquid. She paid him and handed one of the glasses to Ken.

He squinted down at it and then at her, "Is this tequila?"

She nodded with a sly grin and chinked her glass with his; "Cheers!" then she knocked it back and swallowed the warm liquid. When she pulled her head back she noticed he hadn't drunk his, "Well? What are you waiting for?"

"I've never drunk this before. I've never had alcohol before." He confessed.

"So there's a first time for everything!" she smiled at him with her wicked eyes, "Come on!"

He sighed, shrugged and tossed it back just as she had done. He grimaced as the liquid burned all the way down his throat. "You enjoy drinking that?" he spluttered.

She laughed, "It's wonderful stuff!" she picked up the other glass and handed it to him, "Here."

"I don't think I should have another one." He tried to push it away, but she forced it into his hand.

"Take it. What's two shots?"

He rolled his eyes and tossed it back, this time with more ease than the first time.

She then turned to the dance floor and he backed up a pace, "I don't dance."

"Okay, fine. You can sit there then and watch me dance." And she sauntered off towards one of the platforms on the scaffolding.

He sat down on one of the soft stools at a table and watched her dance. He noticed her moves were far more graceful than her personality. Her hips swayed to the rhythm of the music and they popped with each strong beat, as her arms moved elegantly up and down her body and over her head. He found himself transfixed on her body and try as he might, he could not tear his eyes away from her. He rested his elbows on the table in front of him and placed his chin on his hands looking up slightly to watch her.

A pretty waitress dressed in a white shirt and a short black skirt with a white apron walked up to Ken and asked him if he would like a drink.

He was about to shake his head and say 'thanks but no thanks', when he glanced back at Cat dancing seductively, then gave a small smile and said, "Yeah, could you bring four tequilas?"

She gave a broad smile and nodded. She shortly returned with the glasses on a tray and set them on the table. He paid her and then thought of something when she was about to go. He called her back with a request, "Could you bring some salt and lemon?"

"Sure." And after a few minutes, she returned with a salt shaker and a saucer of lemon wedges.

When he looked up again, he noticed Cat wasn't there anymore, but when he looked ahead of him, he saw that she was walking towards the table. She looked at the glasses, lemon and the salt and asked with a laugh, "What's this?"

"This is drinking tequila the right way, with the lemon and the salt." He said with a hint of a challenge in his voice. He licked his hand, and picked up the salt shaker ready to put it on his hand, when she stopped him.

"I have a better idea." She took the shaker from him and pulled the black straps of her top away from her collarbone, then she looked at him invitingly, "Lick me."

He raised his eyebrows, "What?"

She giggled, "It's called a body shot, now lick me."

Ken stood up a little bit apprehensively and then moved forward and something happened to him. He felt the music pulsing in his ears and his body, he felt the effects of the tequila running through his blood and something else took over him. He grinned and bent forward, licking her soft, smooth skin slowly. He lifted his head again and looked at her.

She sprinkled some salt on that damp area of her body and he bent down to lick it again. Then she handed him his shot of tequila and when he brought his head back up, he noticed she had the wedge of lemon in her mouth. Without thinking, he leaned forward, tilted his head and sucked on the lemon wedge.

Suddenly very aware of everything he had just done, he pulled away and wiped his mouth.

She took the lemon out her mouth and smiled at him, "My turn."

She stepped forward and pulled open his electric blue shirt, revealing his toned torso. Grinning, she licked upwards from his collarbone to his neck and after sprinkling the salt on, she licked him again. Then she tossed back the drink and bit into the lemon in his mouth.

He stood there with his eyes closed, feeling her close to him, almost kissing him, and teasing him. Something inside him sparked and he suddenly felt extremely alive. Admitting it to himself was incredibly hard, but he hadn't felt this aware of himself and of life since his days as the Emperor. Out of pure instinct he pulled way and wiped his mouth.

She blinked and cocked her head to the side, "What's wrong?"

"We just met Cat. Don't you think your being a bit forward?"

She placed a hand on her jutting hip, "From my experience, men like woman who take charge."

He stepped back, "Well, I'm different." And he turned and marched to the door.

"Apparently." She mumbled and ran after him. When she had caught up to him, she seized his wrist, "Ken! Wait, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you."

He turned and sighed; "It's okay." He looked around, "I think we should go now."

She nodded and they left the club, called a taxi and sat in the car in silence.

Ken pulled off his shirt and walked over to his desk to shut down his computer. Wormmon yawned and looked down at his friend. "It's late Ken. Have you been working on the computer all this time?"

Ken glanced up, "No, I went out for a while."

The little worm looked a little happier, it was rare that Ken went out, even if it was with the Digidestined. He was more of a loner and preferred to keep his own company. Wormmon always noticed that Ken looked drained after spending time with his friends but he never asked why. This time though, Ken looked so much more vibrant. "Where did you go?"

"To a club with a new girl in the building. Her name is Cat." Ken looked down at his chair and then lifted his head to look at the sliding door as if he thought she was standing there.

He quickly shook his head, his indigo locks falling in his face and slipped on a pair of boxers to sleep in. He climbed up the ladder to his bed and got under the covers. "Night Wormmon." He said quietly and shut his eyes, seeing an image of Cat burnt onto his eyelids.

He opened them again and sat up quickly. He ran his hand through his hair and huffed.

Wormmon looked up at him with concern, "What is it Ken?"

"I don't get it Wormmon." He confessed, "I've only known her for a few hours and she's already getting under my skin."

"But isn't that a good thing? Didn't you need someone to help you get over Yolei?"

"Maybe," he mumbled, "but I think she's bad news and I should stay away from her."

"Then you should do that."

Ken sighed, "I don't think she'll let me stay away."

*

The sun shone in his room while he sat at his desk again, trying to focus on his project. The afternoon was warm, so he had the sliding door open to let in some fresh air. Or possibly there was another reason for it being open. He shook his head and looked back down at his notes. He stared at the page, not really seeing it at all, but letting his mind wander to the night before.

A part of him was hoping that every time he looked at the door, he would see her, but to his chagrin, she wasn't there.

He sighed and pressed his head on his hands as he scrutinized his notes again. Eventually after five minutes of reading the same sentence over and over again, he gave up and pushed his chair away, "Oh this is pointless!" he yelled out in frustration.

"What is?"

He whipped his head around to see Cat standing in the doorframe.

"Cat!" he breathed.

A sly grin spread over her up-turned mouth, "I see you're happier to see me today."

"I'm sorry about last night, it's just that, I'm not used to someone coming on so strong."

"I should have guessed that about you." She said stepping into his room and setting herself down on his desk. "So where are your parents today?"

"It's okay for you to be here. It's Saturday so they are out shopping and won't be back for a long while."

"Good." She slid off the desk and sauntered over to Ken on his chair. She stopped in front of him and grinned, "That means that they won't hear us."

Ken frowned; "Hear us? What do you-?"

But before he could finish, she had sat on his lap and began showering him with warm, passionate kisses.

He closed his eyes and gave into her tenderness, but a part of him was telling him this was wrong, that he had only just met her, but the other part was saying to him that this was amazing!

She nibbled on his lips and teased him occasionally while running her hands through his hair or down his back. He felt his skin prickle and his heartbeat in his neck. And just when he began to kiss back, he felt something in him spark again like last night. He jolted and pulled away from her quickly.

She stood up and looked down at him with confusion, "What's wrong?"

He looked at the floor, "I don't know. I just feel, like something isn't right."

At that moment, Ken's slightly ajar door was pushed open and in crawled a small green worm. He looked up at Cat and then at Ken, "I'm sorry Ken, am I interrupting something?" he asked innocently.

"No Wormmon, you're not." He said kindly and invited him to come inside. He turned to Cat who was staring at the little Digimon. "That's Wormmon, he's my digimon partner."

"Digimon? As in those monsters that attacked all around the world a few years back?" she asked with interest.

"Yes, though Wormmon is one of the good guys. So you don't have to worry."

"I wasn't worried." She said coolly and bent down to look closer at Wormmon. She looked back at Ken, "So you're one of those Chosen Children, or something like that?"

"Digidestined, yes."

She snorted, suppressing a laugh.

"What?"

"I'm sorry," she said through giggles, "but that's a wicked dorky name to call yourselves. I'd rather go with Chosen Children."

Ken didn't look offended, but instead shrugged; "I didn't choose it. And either way, I don't really care what I'm called."

"Yeah, just like you don't care what people think of you right?" she scoffed.

He crossed his arms, "So I care what people think of me, so what? Doesn't everyone? Deep down, doesn't everyone care what people are thinking of them?"

She spun round and studied his books again, "I don't. I don't care what people think of me and haven't done for a long while. Kinda the reason I am like this today."

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

She grinned and looked back at him, "Sometimes I'm not sure. I guess it's a 'My own worst enemy' thing."

"I get that."

She bent down so she was at Wormmon's level, "So," she said to him, glancing back at Ken, "who is Ichijouji when no one else is around?"

Ken went to pick up Wormmon and hold him in his arms, "I see you got your tongue around my last name."

"I did, and don't change the subject." She stood up again and placed her hand on her hip.

Ken moved to the door and placed Wormmon down, "Do you mind leaving us alone buddy?"

"No, Ken not at all." He said sweetly and scuttled off, letting Ken close the door behind him.

"I don't like to talk about things like that in front of him." Ken added when he turned back to her.

"You hurt him?"

"In the worst way." He said solemnly and sat down at his desk while she leaned against his bookshelf. "I treated him like he was a piece of dirt. He was my personal cat toy and the digital world was my punching bag. I abused him everyday both physically and mentally and after all that he still wanted to save me. He still wanted to be my friend and in the end, it killed him."

He paused at the confused look on her face, then added, "Digimon are reconfigured in the Digital world, they never really die, though I didn't know that at the time. That changed me back to who I used to be before I became that person."

"That simple huh?" it was her turn to fold her arms.

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing's that cut and dry. He dies and you automatically become this saint? I don't buy it."

He rolled his eyes, "Of course not. It took me a long time to finally fix all the mess I made in both worlds as well as earn people's forgiveness. And it took me a while to come to terms with who I was."

"And who you still are." She said raising her eyebrow.

"You don't know me, so don't assume-"

"I'm not assuming. I know for a fact that that person is still there inside you, in your head."

He narrowed his eyes at her and she threw her hands in the air, "Oh come on! You've got a library of psyche 101 here and you're telling me that that other side of yourself is gone? Think about it Ken, every time you think a little nasty thought, every time you have a naughty little desire, every time you want to beat the living daylights out of someone when they piss you off, THAT'S that other side of you. It's always there and it will always be there."

"I think you should go now." He said quietly but she ignored him.

"It's what makes you human and so what if you're a little darker than everyone else? You shouldn't reject it, you should just go with it, but know when to draw the line when it comes to thinking bad things and doing them."

"I said I think you should go now!" Ken raised his voice but the effect was as if he had screamed it.

She stopped and looked at him for a long time and suddenly the corner of her mouth lifted and she sauntered out the sliding door adding softly behind her, "That anger you're feeling there, that would be him. Feels good doesn't it?"

He rushed forward, closed and locked the door behind him, panting as he did so. He tightened his hands into fists and felt an uncontrollable rage boil inside his veins. Seeing the bookshelf where she had been standing moments before, he ran forward and with an angered cry, he threw all the books off the shelf in one powerful swipe. Then he fell to his knees and let himself breath heavily until it became soft and quiet.

He hated to admit it to himself but she was doing something to him. He was feeling again. For years he hadn't really allowed himself to feel, for fear of becoming attached and getting hurt when that something or someone was taken from him. Not only that but for years he hadn't allowed himself to become angry, or when he did, he did not show it. He knew that he had to control his tempter because it would frighten or worry his friends the Digidestined. But hiding your emotions all the time becomes draining on a person's body and soul.

He had gone out with Yolei a year after the defeat of Malomyotismon but he never really was himself with her. He was just who she thought he was, a quiet kind boy. He never got mad with her and he never fought with her. He cared about her more than anything, but in many ways he never did show her or tell her that, just like he never shared those things with Davis, his best friend. And he knew deep down that he was holding back in order to protect himself when the inevitable did come. When they left him. Breaking up with Yolei had hurt, but he had never really gotten attached in the first place so it wasn't so bad. And it wasn't really a break up; it was more a case of them just drifting apart. They are still friends, and there is a mutual understanding between them but occasionally things can become a bit awkward.

This girl though, she was different. She seemed to understand even things about him that he didn't understand. She had been there, he didn't know her full story, but he knew somehow that she had been down a dark path. The thing was though, she was so alive. He liked this feeling that she was bringing about in him and he wanted to feel it again. He got up with a determined force and opened the sliding door again. He hopped over the railing and continued to do so until he got to the forth apartment from his room, he peered into the room and saw her sitting on a crimson beanbag, strumming her metallic black guitar. Her back was to him so he looked around her room before knocking. She too had a bookshelf though hers was full of gothic vampire stories and other things like candles and incense. She had a computer and piles of paper spread on her desk. Her walls were covered in posters of various bands such as, 'Linkin Park', 'Crazy Town' and 'Papa Roach'.

He looked down at the handle on the sliding door and noticed that her door was slightly open, so he pulled it back quietly and stood in the frame, listening to her sing a sad song. He didn't recognize the lyrics, so he didn't know if they were her words or one of the bands' from her wall.

He felt the hairs on his arms stand on end when he heard her voice full of emotion, "It's easier to run, replacing this pain with something numb. It's so much easier to go, than face all this pain here all alone." She stopped and put down her guitar. She stood up and turned to him, "I heard you come in.," she added.

"I was going to knock but I didn't want to interrupt your singing. You have a beautiful voice." He put his hands in his jean pockets.

"Thanks. I just kinda mess around on my piece-of-shit-guitar, but I love it."

"I'm sorry for yelling at you." He blurted out.

"You didn't. Yell, I mean."

"I raised my voice and that was close enough."

She picked up her guitar again and placed it in its case, "You didn't come here to apologize."

"Yes I-"

"No you didn't." she argued, and walked towards him, "You came here for this." Before he could register, she was kissing him again, slowly and intensely. And he knew she was right. The moment he felt that spark in him again, he knew that she was right, he hadn't come here to apologize, he had come here for that feeling and this time he would not pull away from it.

He began to kiss her back, running his hands up and down her back, through her hair or up her neck. Then she pulled away for a brief second to whisper something into his ear that would forever change him, "Do me."

He pulled back to look into her eyes to see if she was serious and from the way that she was looking at him, she was. Without thinking, he began to kiss her again, all over her neck and chest and mouth. He reached behind him and closed the door and she then led him over to her bed. She ripped open his shirt and began kissing his chest and then she pushed him back onto the bed. She pulled off her purple top and threw it on the floor, revealing her black bra.

For a brief second Ken sat up and said, "What are we doing?"

"It's called sex Ken, and it's fun." She smirked and began kissing him again.

Ken jerked awake and turned his head to look at the pillow next to him, expecting to see Cat sleeping there, but instead all he found was a dent in it where she had been. He rubbed his eyes and sat up, finding that she was sitting at the end of her bed with her back to him, the sheets wrapped around her legs. He stared at her smooth skin and how her back dipped along her spine. Then he came to her tattoo and tried to figure it out. It looked slightly familiar to him, but he could not place it.

"You're beautiful when you sleep."

He lifted his head when he heard her voice and took little time to absorb what she had just said.

"You didn't fall asleep?" he asked her quietly.

She shook her head, letting her long hair sweep her shoulder blades. Very abruptly she threw her legs over the side of the bed and got up to walk over to her dresser next to her bookshelf. She opened it and pulled out a small tin box which she placed on her bed side table and then grabbed her crimson silk dressing gown and wrapped it around herself.

Ken vacillated, but the question was burning the tip of his tongue and so he decided to ask it, "Was I bad?"

To his surprise she looked up with a kind smile and gently told him, "It was your first time. No, you weren't bad, but you'll get better."

Ken sat back against the headboard and frowned, "What makes you think this will happen again? No offence Cat, but this should not have happened, we just met and we certainly aren't in love-"

"What makes you think this has anything to do with love? Sex is a way of release and baby, I felt you release something you have been holding in for years, something dark. You feel better don't you?"

Ken paused and felt the tension in his shoulders melt away. She was right, he did feel better. He felt slightly more relaxed and more comfortable in his own skin.

"As for it happening again, don't speak so soon." She gave him a knowing grin and began scratching around in her bedside draw.

He squinted at her, as if trying to see into her mind, "How many have you had?"

She looked up sharply at him and frowned, "That's a personal question Ken."

He folded his arms; "We just got completely naked and-and-"

"Fucked each other?" she finished for him.

"Yes, I'm sure a personal question is not such a tall order after that." He looked into her chestnut eyes.

She sighed and dropped them to look into the draw. She pulled out a box of cigarettes and a silver lighter. She put one of the white sticks to her lips and lit it up. She took a deep drag and blew the smoke from her mouth while sitting on the edge of the bed. "Men have come and gone in my life Ken. I will admit it to you, there have been a fair number of them."

"Aren't you afraid of getting pregnant or sick?"

Again she shook her head; "I can't fall pregnant."

Ken frowned and was about to ask why when she continued after taking another drag of her cigarette. "Did you notice the faint scars bellow my belly button?"

"I don't think I did notice them." He confessed.

She turned around to face him and went on, "I've had cosmetic surgery to try and get rid of them. They are very faint now and can hardly be seen, but they are there. Years ago I was-" she paused and looked meaningfully into his eyes, "A teacher took a liking to me and one day he tired to act on that feeling he had towards me."

Ken's mouth dropped open and he felt an incredible urge to hurt the person who had hurt her, but there was still more to come.

"When I screamed, he pulled a knife out and began stabbing me in the gut. I don't know what happened to him but when I woke up I was in a hospital and the doctor told me that because of the all the surgery there would be a lot of scar tissue in my-" she blushed slightly and Ken finished for her.

"Uterus."

"Yes, which he told me would make it impossible for me to have children because the egg cell wouldn't be able to attach to the wall of the uterus. That and the fact that one of my ovaries is completely non functional."

He was silent for a long while before croaking out, "I'm so sorry."

She shrugged, "It's not like I really wanted kids anyway. Now, the only reason I use condoms is to protect me against STDs. I go for regular check ups, so don't worry."

"Did the teacher go to jail?" Ken blurted out, which he postulated was a mistake.

She stood up and bundled his clothes in her hands and threw them at him.

"I think you should go now. My parents might be home soon and I'd like to take a shower."

Ken began dressing and as he buttoned up his shirt he said, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry, I just wanted to know if he got what he deserved."

"It's okay." And she pushed him out the door, closing and locking it after him. Under her breath she added, "He got more than what he deserved."

She moved back to her bedside table and opened the small silver tin.

Ken blinked a couple of times to check that all that had just happened was real. He shook his head and when he was back in his room he sat down and ran his hands through his hair.

Remembering that tomorrow was Monday, he sat back down at his desk and began finishing his project with much more ease.

*

Ken wandered down the corridor and stopped at his locker. He began turning his combination lock till the catch sprang out and the door swung open.

"Hey Ken!"

He paused and turned to meet his best friend Davis. He smiled kindly, "Morning Davis."

"You finish that project for computer class?"

Ken narrowed his eyes at him and gave him a slight grin, "Did you?" he asked.

Davis laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his head, "I'm sure she'll give me an extension, don't you?"

Ken shrugged and rolled his eyes, "She might." He turned back to his locker and began pulling out the textbooks he would need for the first two periods. He paused again when he felt Davis' gaze burning a hole in him. He pulled his head out the locker and looked at his friend, "What is it?"

"There's something different about you, but I can't put my finger on it." Davis put his hand to his chin in a gesture of deep thought.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Ken said smoothly and put his head back in his locker, the corner of his mouth upturned.

"If I think about it long enough, it'll come to me." He said and turned when he heard a girl laugh behind him. He turned to see Yolei standing there, along with Cody, Kari and TK.

"Don't think too hard Davis, or your brain might catch fire." The lavender haired teen sniggered.

"Shut up Yolei." he retorted.

"Nice come back." She shot, folding her arms. She leaned over to say hello to Ken, who replied politely and then she turned back to Davis, "So what were you trying to figure out?"

"There's something different about our friend here but I can't put my finger on what." The auburn haired soccer player answered.

Ken closed his locker door and leaned against it, "Give it up Davis, there's nothing different about me."

Yolei leant forward and comically examined him, "I think I see what it is." She drawled.

Ken frowned sharply at her and stood up straight, "Don't be stupid guys-"

"You didn't shave this morning." She giggled fingering his chin.

Ken stepped back and swiped his hand over his cheek, "Yeah," he mumbled, "I must have forgotten."

"Yeah," Davis added, not quite as convinced, "that must be it."

Suddenly something caught Ken's eye and he looked over his friends' heads. They all turned to see what he was looking at but couldn't make it out. "I'll be right back." He muttered and took off in that direction.

He stopped in front of a locker where a girl was busy gathering her books. She leaned back and closed her door and started when she saw Ken. She recovered and put her books in her bag and smiled at him.

"Hey Cat." Ken said warmly, "I didn't know you were going to this school."

The girl looked down at herself in her green sailor uniform and shrugged, "Well, I've tried the Catholic school girl look, I thought I'd give this a try too." She smirked, "Truth is I didn't get into that gifted school at Tamachi."

Ken nodded and added, "I chose not to go there. I used to go there, but my parents gave me the choice of a normal high school experience or that place and I opted for this."

"You're a genius?"

"Technically not anymore, but I was."

"How does that work?"

"It's a long story."

She swung her bag over her shoulder, "Maybe you could tell me over lunch."

"It's a date then." He nodded and then remembered to ask her something, "I was going to ask you yesterday but after all that…"

She grinned and signaled for him to go on.

"I was going to ask when you learnt Japanese."

"My parents are in the computer business, they travel a lot and they know a lot of languages, so I learnt them growing up. Japanese was just one of the everyday languages that I used. As you can see, it came in handy."

The bell chimed and they began to separate, until Ken looked behind himself and added to her, "By the way, you look good in your uniform."

She chuckled and waved, "I'll see you at lunch, or even one of my classes."

Ken nodded and ran back to his friends.

"What was that all about?" Davis asked.

Ken began walking to his first class; "She's a new girl in my apartment. Her name is Cat, she moved in over the weekend."

Yolei scowled at the retreating Cat and turned back to Ken, "You two seem awfully close."

"We just met Yolei," Ken snapped irritably, then added more smoothly, "but we get on well, like we've known each other for years."

"That's great Ken." Kari added, trying to ignore Yolei's deep glares. "I mean it's good that you are meeting new people and stuff. TK was starting to worry that you weren't making friends with anyone but us."

TK looked sharply at Kari and then to Ken, where he shook his head, indicating that it was actually Kari's concern, not his.

Ken smiled, "That's kind of you to worry Kari, but you don't have to worry about me all the time."

They entered the classroom and took their seats, signaling the end of their conversation.

*

Ken walked over to the lunch table and set his tray down. Cat looked up from her food and smiled at Ken.

"So, tell me about being a genius." She said, popping a Rosa tomato in her mouth.

"It wasn't as great as I thought it would be. And technically it wasn't even real. I had help you see, by this thing that was implanted in me. Made me great at sports too."

"Now you're just regular Joe?"

"Not quite. Some after effects are there, like I still have the ability to learn really fast but I'm not a complete genius anymore."

She leaned on her hand, "So this 'help', was it a drug?"

Ken shook his head, "It wasn't, but it was as effective. It's still in me, just now it's dormant."

"I see." She turned to look at the table across the room. "Your friends are staring at us." She commented.

Ken looked in that direction and rolled his eyes, "Yeah, I think Yolei is jealous of you."

"Who's Yolei?"

"The girl with the lavender hair."

Cat grinned and waved at her, then turned back to Ken, "So what happened between you two?"

"How did you know?"

"I'm experienced at all this." She signaled for him to answer.

He sighed and looked down at his untouched food. "We dated for a while. A few years actually, but I wasn't ready for a relationship at that point in my life. I was so used to pushing people away that I didn't know how to react to someone wanting to be close to me. She was a wonderful girlfriend, but she was always so nervous around me."

"What do you mean?"

"It's like she was constantly watching me, waiting to see when I would turn."

"Turn?"

"Into the horrible person I once was. If I lost my temper or got angry or frustrated, she would almost flinch and cower and it drove me nuts. Eventually I just stopped expressing my anger or my irritation because I thought it might concern her and my friends."

"God, that must drive you nuts."

"I understand why they are concerned though."

"But to be under a microscope all the time? No thank you. No wonder why you are so tense."

"I'm not tense."

She raised her eyebrow, "Yesterday tells me different."

"Yesterday was just…you don't know me Cat." He shook his head and looked down at his rice.

She leaned forward, "I think I know more about you than you think."

He looked up again and she grinned. "Would you like to come over to my apartment this afternoon?"

He opened his mouth to protest but she cut him off, "Just to hang out. Nothing more."

He gave her a wry smile and shrugged, "Sure, okay."

*

Ken sat on the floor, leaning against Cat's bed, his eyes directed at her television set, while she flipped through a music magazine. A Linkin Park music video ended on MTV and a new one by J.Lo started.

"That's a crime." Cat mumbled from behind her magazine.

Ken turned to her, "What is?"

"Having a J.Lo song follow a Linkin Park song." When he stared blankly at her she chortled and added, "I don't like Jennifer Lopez much."

He smiled and nodded, "I see." He turned back to the TV and watched the music video for a while. "She has a-um, a…is it normal for a woman to have a backside like that?"

Cat dropped her magazine when she fell backwards with gales of laughter. Ken couldn't help but chuckle slightly at himself. "Yeah, well, apparently her fat ass is supposed to be sexy or something."

Ken glanced at the screen again; "I don't see it. It moves, it's actually kind of gross."

"Thank you! That's what I always say."

Ken bowed his head in shame and fell quiet. Cat frowned and moved closer to him, "What's wrong Ken?"

"That was a nasty thing to say."

"It was a true thing to say."

"Yes, but still it was mean and I don't like myself very much when I'm mean."

She narrowed her eyes at him, "Even when you think mean things?"

He nodded silently.

"That's crazy. You can't tell me that no one thinks horrible things about people, even the most saintly. It's impossible. The key is just to not say it, that way you don't hurt anyone." She paused and put a hand on his shoulder, "Ken, you can't be afraid of what you think. You can't expect yourself to be perfect and pure and always kind. It'll kill you."

He looked up at her and nodded sadly.

"You can be yourself around me Ken."

"I just hope that being myself doesn't hurt you."

She smiled sadly at him and stroked his face, letting her hand rest on his chin. She ran her thumb over his lips and leant forward to kiss them. He gave himself willingly to her without a moment of hesitation.

*

Several weeks passed in much the same way as the first few days of knowing Cat had done. They would meet at break and eat lunch together, while Ken spent some time in the Digital world with his friends now and then, but mostly he would spend his afternoons with Cat and usually end up sleeping with her, or just kissing her for hours. It would be the same routine with her. She would never fall asleep and when he awoke, if he had fallen asleep, they would talk, while she puffed on a cigarette and scratch around for her small silver box. However now she felt comfortable to walk around sky-clad in front of him and he found himself staring at her tattoo. It frustrated him when he could not remember where he had seen it before.

When she picked up the box, which had been sitting on her bedside table, he began to collect his clothes because this is where she would usually kick him out of her room. But she stopped him this time.
"You can stay for a while longer if you want."

He looked up blankly at her but she had already gone into her bathroom, which stepped off her bedroom and closed the door. He began to dress anyway and wandered what it was that was in that silver box.

A few minutes later, she immerged from the bathroom in her gown and sat down next to him. She eyed his clothes and looked a little malcontented; "You're going?"

"If you want me to stay I will." He said kindly, knowing that she would be alone again until her parents got home, which would be God only knows what time.

To his surprise she turned cold and stated, "No, you can go."

Groaning, he took his intimation and left.

*

"Ken! Hey Ken!" Davis ran up to his best friend who was ahead of him in the corridor. He had been heading to the cafeteria but Davis' calls had stopped him and he turned with a bite of impatience.

"What?"

"Dude," Davis frowned, "What's up with you lately?"

"What do you mean?" Ken asked smoothly.

"I mean, you never spend time with us, your friends anymore. Every waking minute you're with Cat. You don't talk to us anymore; you seem distracted and really distant lately. It's making us worried Ken."

"Why?" he barked, "You're afraid I might turn on you? Go all Digimon Emperor on you, enslave you or something? Afraid I might go off the deep end and go insane on you?"

Davis stepped back, "Ken, what's up with you lately? Why are you acting like this? It's scaring me. Not just me but Yolei too."

Ken rolled his eyes, "Are you scared for me or for you?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I'm sick and tired of pussyfooting around you guys and never speaking my mind when something bothers me or angers me. All because I'm afraid of what you guys might think. That you think I would go all, evil on you again just because I was acting human and not being perfect! Perfect, kind, gentle Ken Ichijouji!" He let out a growl of frustration and sat down on the steps. "I can be myself around Cat! Besides, I thought you guys wanted me to make friends with other people."

Davis paused and sat down next to his best friend. "Ken." He breathed, "Is that really how you feel?"

"Yes." He stated inertly.

"Dude, I'm sorry if that's how we made you feel. Ken, of course you're allowed to get angry and stuff. No one expects you to be perfect."

Ken stood up forcefully and hissed sarcastically, "Thanks for the permission." And stalked off.

Davis watched him walk away and stood up. The rest of the Digidestined met up with him and Yolei asked, "What was that about?"

"I think Cat is having a very bad influence on Ken."

"Why do you think that?" Kari queried.

"It's just a feeling I have."

Ken changed direction and found him self stalking towards the lockers. He stopped when he saw Cat unloading some books into her locker. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail today, and her lips matched the same vivid red of the tips of her hair. He marched towards her and spun her round to face him. She dropped the book she was holding and looked slightly aghast. Without a word, he pulled her into a passionate kiss. When they broke apart he looked significantly into her eyes; "I want you."

She grinned and looked around them; "There's a closet around here that we can use."

He frowned, almost insulted by the idea; "I'm not going to fuck you in a closet like a cheap whore. I want to take you somewhere special."

She nodded and he took her wrist to lead her down the corridor and to the computer room.

"Uh, Ken. We can't use a classroom."

"Just wait." When they arrived he closed the door behind them and showed his D-3 to the computer in the front of the class. In seconds they were sucked into the Digital world. Cat picked her self up and looked around at the forest. "This way." He took her wrist again and half dragged her.

"Is this the digital world?"

He nodded his head.

"It's beautiful."

Suddenly, the forest ended and a desert began. It seemed they had walked for miles when they finally came to a sight of wreckage. He stopped before it and stared at it. After a while, he began to speak, but never faced her. "This is where I used to do all my evil. I was known as the Digimon Emperor here and feared by all. I was a horrible person and when I had turned away from the darkness, my friends and I destroyed this Base. But after a few years I returned to it, just to look through it. Sometimes I come here to think or to vent my feelings and frustrations. I guess you could say it's still my base, only I have a new use for it now. None of the Digidestined know this, they would be horrified if they did." Finally he turned to her, "Come with me."

He began to walk into the wreckage to an opening. The path was relatively clear because Ken had moved any obstacles in the way years before. Finally they came to a room that seemed undamaged by the explosions. It was the Emperor's old bedroom. A four-poster bed was in the middle, with black silk sheets draped over it. The windows were void of glass so the dark curtains blew gently.

Taking her cue, Cat walked forward and began to undress.

"Wait!"

She stopped and turned to him.

"I want to do it."

She dropped her hands to her sides and he walked up to her. He brushed his hand up her cheek and ran it along her hair, where he pulled out the ponytail, letting her long hair fall to her shoulders. Then benevolently he began to unbutton her shirt, kissing her now and then.

He felt that spark inside again and new this was something special. He wanted to show her how he felt for her, to let him self go with her.

After they had made-love everything was different. Ken watched her sleep for a change and found she was so beautiful and vulnerable. He stroked her cheek and her hair. He smiled and kissed her head, "I love you Catrina."

She stirred and turned to look at him. "I fell asleep." She said surprised.

He nodded and she grinned, "You watched me sleep."

He nodded again, "You're beautiful when you sleep."

Abruptly, she threw the covers off herself and went in search of her clothes. "We should go. We've probably missed the rest of our classes." She picked up her bag, which had been dumped in the corner and rummaged through it. "Shit, no cigarettes." However, she pulled out her small silver box and looked around. "Where's the bathroom?"

"Just through there." Ken pointed to a room off the bedroom.

After she had been in there for a minute, his curiosity got the better of him and he walked quietly to the bathroom to see what it was she did with that box. He stopped dead when he saw her bent over a broken piece of mirror, which had three vertical white stripes on it. He watched her roll a note up into a tube and put a hand over his mouth when she snorted the white powered up her nose. Shaking with disbelief, he staggered back to the bed and began to dress as if in a trance.

Finally she came from the bathroom and smiled at him, "Are you ready to go back?"

He nodded quietly and led the way back home.

*

The next few days passed slowly for Ken. In every class he had with Cat, he found himself watching her closely. To find some sign of the fact that she was snorting cocaine every few hours, but there was no real sign at all. She was lively and energetic, but did not act or even look high. She was confident and seemed calm. He decided that he would do some research on the matter during his break and hadn't realized that he had been staring at her from across the room. When his math teacher called him for the third time, he started and apologized for not paying attention.

Cat turned and looked at Ken, knowing that she was his distraction. A flicker of a smile came to her face and her eyes twinkled in a way they had never done before. She felt a strange flutter in her throat and stomach. This feeling caused the smile to evaporate from her features and turn to a frown. She looked to the front of the class again.

'No,' she thought sternly, 'don't do this Cat. You know better than to get attached, that that only leads to betrayal.'

She glanced back at him and couldn't help but smile again, 'But there's something there. He's different; he's not like the others. Maybe this time it could work.'

When the tune signaling the end of class chimed, Cat packed her things into her sling-over bag and glanced at Ken who was making his way towards her.

"Cat," he said seriously, "Meet me near the computer class during break."

She grinned and nodded while he rushed off to his next class. She exited the class and noticed how he almost ran towards the library. 'He must have his next class off.' She mused to herself.

When break rolled around, Ken printed out all the information he could find on cocaine addiction and ran to the computer class. She was standing outside it waiting for him and when she spotted him, she began to walk towards him.

"What's gotten into you these days?" she asked playfully.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean you wanting to do me during the day now, at school."

He stepped back and frowned, "You think that's why I called you here?"

She nodded and shrugged, "Why else?"

He tilted his head at her and stared imploringly at her face, "Cat," he began, "I like you, I like you a lot, hell, I think I'm in love with you and there's so much about you that I don't know yet and can't wait to find out. But right now I found out something about you that has been driving me crazy with worry. That's why I wanted to meet you here. It's private here, no one can over-hear us because they have all gone to break."

Her eyes dropped to the floor, "I, um-" she looked up and quickly blurted out, "I have to go." She spun to leave but he grabbed her arm and turned her around again.

"I know Cat."

Her brows knitted together, "You know what?"

"That you're taking cocaine."

"Bully for you." She yanked her arm from his grip and turned to stalk off.

"I want to help you!"

She stopped and asked in a defeated tone, "Why would anyone want to help me?"

"Because I love you Catrina."

"Love is a myth. Guys say it to girls so they can get into their pants." She didn't look back when she walked away from him and out the doors at the end of the hall.

He watched her and shook his head, "Who hurt you so badly Cat? Who made you think that no one could love you?"

That evening while Ken sat at his computer, trying to do his homework, Cat found herself wishing that Ken would come to her sliding door so she could apologize to him. 'He cares.' She exclaimed to her self, 'He actually cares about me and I went and screwed it up. Again, just like always.'

While she lay back on her beanbag, listening to Linkin Park playing in the background, she felt a gaze on her. When she turned to the door she saw Ken standing there and stood up. A still moment passed before she indicated for him to come in.

"I'm sorry about this afternoon." She stated in a voice that didn't sound like her own.

Instead of saying anything, he wrapped his arms around her and ran his fingers through her hair. When she pulled away from him, her eyes were swollen with tears, but she did not let them fall. "Hold me." She choked out quietly and they lay down next to each other on her bed. He stroked her hair and held her close to his body where it felt right.

An hour later, Ken woke to find Cat gone, her small silver box out on her dresser and a mirror next to it. One stripe was left there and Ken found himself staring at it as he made his way closer to the dresser. He looked at the rolled up note next to it and watched him self pick it up. As if he had meant to do it all along, he sniffed the power up and closed his eyes. A strange lasting feeling of euphoria filled his senses and he felt a familiar feeling until Cat stepped out the bathroom, a look of trepidation on her face.

"Ken!"

He turned to her surprised and shocked. He jumped away from the dresser, and looked guiltily at her.

"Why the hell would you do that?" she demanded.

"I-I don't know." He confessed. "It's like it wasn't even me doing it. I-I-"

"Promise me you will never do it again!" she ran forward and grabbed his shoulders, "Promise me Ken!"

Frightened by the terrified look in her eyes, he nodded, "I promise Cat."

She sighed and let go of him. "I think you should go now Ken."

He nodded and an odd smile spread over his lips as he left, "But now I know why you take this stuff."

She looked at him sharply but he had already left.

*

A few weeks later Cat had noticed a big change in Ken. He had been doing incredibly well in his studies, in soccer and in most everything he did. He seemed to have this air of confidence about him but with it came a nasty mean streak. He seemed to be slightly cruel now. When they were together she felt herself become afraid of him sometimes. And when they were sleeping with each other, it was not how she remembered it. Instead of his kind gentle touch, he was hard and demanding. She tried to refuse him once, but he became very convincing and she gave in. This new side of him excited and scared her at the same time and she didn't know what to do about it.

However, she knew what the change in him was and it sickened her because it was her fault. No matter how long she tried to push it aside and deny it, it was her fault and it was time to take responsibility for it.

After soccer practice, she confronted him after seeing him have a fight with Davis on the field.

"Ken," she began harshly, "You promised you would never take it again. You lied to me."

"It's okay Cat. I understand now why you take it. Look what it's given me! I'm a genius again, I'm soccer captain, and nothing really seems to bother me anymore, I can be myself around everyone and I don't care."

"I can see that. You losing your friends means nothing to you now because of a little bit of white powder? What about me Ken? Do you still care about me?"

"Of course I do."

"Then why did you go against your word to me?"

"What is up with you? I'm happy for once and everyone is trying to take it away from me. How come it's okay for you to be using it but not me?"

"You think I want to be using this stuff? Sure, in the beginning it was great, but then you realize it's taken you over, it's controlling you and you can't stop. And believe me Ken, I've tried, but it's too hard, I've been doing it for too many years. You don't have to do this. It's early, you can quit. Don't let it take over your life, don't let it control you."

"I'm in control!"

She stepped back, "Just like you were in control when that Dark Spore took you over?"

"That was different." He said quietly.

"How? How was that different?"

"That was evil and I was being manipulated and used by it, by someone who was controlling it."

"I don't see a big difference Ken."

"God, for once in my life I feel free of all my guilt and everyone just wants to take it away from me." He looked hard at her and turned around, "I don't want to talk about this now." He yelled and marched off to the locker room.

She tried to follow, but Davis called out her name and she fell back so he could catch up.

"Look Cat," he started coldly, "I don't know you very well, but so far I don't like what you're doing to Ken. He's not who he used to be. He's changed and for the worse. I think you were the influence for that."

She felt a deep animosity for him and barked, "Why is it not okay for your friend to express himself? You like it when he bottles things up?"

"You haven't seen Ken's dark side, but if he carries on like this, you will. He needs to find a happy medium, but right now you're making things bad for him."

She raised her eyebrow, "So what are you saying?"

He sighed, "I want you to stop seeing him. Break off whatever it is you have with him."

Suddenly she felt the bottom of her stomach fall out. An instant feeling of loss engulfed her and she stated selfishly, "I can't."

"Why not?"

"Because Davis."

"That's not an answer." He retorted.

"Because I-" She exhaled loudly and finally gave into the truth, " Because I love him." Her voice was just above a whisper and her eyes were focused on her feet.

"I believe you do. I've seen the way you look at him, but if you really love him, you'll do this."

She looked up into Davis' face and knew instantly what she had to do. She had taken this young man's best friend away from him and she felt horrible about it. She wasn't used to feeling empathy for anyone around her and she had never lost a best friend but she was sure it must feel awful. She sighed, "You're right. I'm not the girl for him. Davis, he's hooked on cocaine and it's my fault. Please, you have to help him."

Davis' mouth dropped open but he quickly recovered and nodded. "You understand why I feel this way now don't you?"

Her eyes filled with tears but again, she didn't let them fall. She nodded slightly, "I'm unhealthy to him."

That afternoon, when Ken went to her room, she opened her door but did not let him in. "I have something I need to tell you Ken." She paused and pulled herself together. Her heart hammered in her chest and her thoughts were wild. "I don't think we should see each other anymore." Her tone was emotionless due to the fact that she was petrified she would break down.

"What?" he stammerd in disbelief, "Why?"

"I'm a bad influence on you. I'm one of those bad things that happen to good people. If I don't do this, I will ruin your life Ken; you'll see and understand why I'm doing this. And then you will forget all about me. Look at what me being in your life has done. I got you hooked on cocaine and look what it's done to your life so far. You've chased away your friends, you've become this cruel monster, and you're not the man I-" she cut herself short and stepped away from him

"You can't do this to me Cat. I love you! What am I supposed to do now? I need you. Please, don't do this to me. Don't leave me! I love you!"

"I'm sorry Ken," She said quietly, "but I don't love you." She slowly shut and locked her door.

----~~~~----

Nic: To be continued.

Ken: That was a really long first chapter. It's a record for you.

Nic: It was going to be longer, but I decided to put the rest of this chapter in the second chapter.

Kaiser: Which will be done when?

Nic: When I write on it, which may take months. So my dear loyal readers don't expect anything soon. I'll post a new chapter as soon as it is finished.

Osamu: This is a different kind of story for you.

Nic: Yeah, I know. I just felt I needed to write this, not to sure why.

Ken: Where is it going?

Nic: Well if you stick with it, you'll find out won't you? There are a lot of loose ends from this first chapter that have to be sorted out.

Ken: We don't have much choice but to stick with it, we're the muses remember.

Nic: *Smiling* This is true. Okay, to any of you who stuck till the end of this long chapter please review and tell me what you think.