Alternative endings for A Lost Hope

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Digimon, only in my dreams.

A/N: This is the ending I originally wrote for A Lost Hope, but I wasn't happy with it so I never posted. But after several pleadings to let it end differently, I decided to post this.

After this chapter there will be a happier ending, as Jennamarie kept begging for.

For those who wonder what happens before this, this is the ENDING to A Lost Hope.

"We did it," Tai grinned as he reached Izzy's side, but Izzy saw something flash towards him.

"Tai!" he pushed Tai out of the way as he saw Eucaliptusmon' last desperate attack, not having time to call up a shield as the fireball hit him full force in the side, bright light covering him for a long moment before he was thrown off his feet.." – A Lost Hope chapter 20

Xxxxx

Tai gasped as he and Izzy hit the ground and the air was knocked out of him. But he immediately crawled to Izzy's side as he saw the boy was covered in blood.

"Izzy...Izzy, wake up!" he carefully shook him but got no response.

The others gathered around them as Joe knelt down beside him and felt Izzy's pulse.

"He needs medical attention as soon as possible."

Nodding Tai carefully lifted Izzy into his arms. "Where is the nearest gate?"

"About two minutes from here," Gabumon answered as he Digivolved again. "Get onto my back; I'll get you there faster."

With Matt's and Joe's help Tai climbed onto his back and he held Izzy firmly in his arms as Joe climbed on after him.

"Hang on, Iz," he looked down at the pale and bloody face of his best friend and lover as they hurried to the gate and went through.

As soon as Tai rolled through the gate, he noticed Izzy had disappeared from his arms and he froze for a moment before remembering his body had been in his living room all this time and hurried there.

Indeed Izzy's unconscious body was still laying inside Tai's bed, covered in new wounds, but no burns.

Irrelevantly Tai remembered that Izzy had warned him years ago that any injuries caught in the Digital World were also received to their real bodies and it seemed that like always, his friend had been right.

Joe brushed passed him to check him as the others slowly arrived through the gate as well.

"He doesn't seem to be burned and I can treat these wounds, but he is still unconscious," Joe eventually revealed.

Davis blinked at those words as he remembered what Leomon had said before. "He is burning from the inside. The same happened to Leomon."

"What do we do...Joe?" Tai looked up to the blue-haired man.

"I don't know. He was already injured in the fight. I ...I just don't know," Joe trailed off as Izzy stirred, slowly opening his eyes.

"Tai?" he coughed as his eyes found him and smiled.

"Shhh, don't talk."

"No, Tai. I need to say this. I couldn't revive you guys for long...but..." he fell back into a coughing fit while everyone else shifted uncomfortable and glanced at each other.

Would this mean they would all die again?

"Give me your hands," Izzy ordered once the fit subdued and the six of them offered up their hand, all but Tai.

"What happens when we give you our hand?" he asked worriedly.

"I'm going to give my life force to you."

"What? You can't do that! What about you?" Cody pulled back.

"I won't make it, the least I can do is bring the rest of you back while I can, please," Izzy closed his eyes for a moment as pain shot through him and Cody hesitated, but eventually placed his hand back.

"Tai?"

"I'm not leaving you."

"Tai..."

"Help them, but I'm not going to lose you again."

"You'll die," Kari softly spoke up, although her eyes were full of understanding.

"I don't want you to die for me, Tai," Izzy whispered as tears filled his eyes.

"I'm not just dying for you alone. You are my world, my everything. I can't bear the thought of being without you for another minute," tears appeared in his eyes. "Please don't make me live without you any minute longer."

He and Izzy stared into each other's eyes for a long moment before Izzy nodded.

The others closed their eyes when indicated and they felt a soft sparkle in their chest before Izzy's hand fell back to the blankets limb.

His breathing was raspy and slow and the realisation that he would soon pass away brought tears to their eyes.

"Iz," Matt whispered as the younger boy opened his eyes again and he was surprised by the emotion visible in them.

He'd always had trouble reading the boy before him but now he was like an open book and Matt realised he'd pulled his shields down.

As Matt looked into his eyes, he tried to find out what he saw; pain and fear were both present, but they were overshadowed by friendship, love and hope as he looked at them.

Matt moved forward to place a kiss on Izzy's forehead.

"Thank you for everything," he whispered into his ear before moving back to squeeze Tai's shoulder.

"Let them be together," he softly spoke up before making his way to the door and they all quietly said their goodbyes to both of them.

Kari hugged Tai tightly.

"Don't be mad at me for doing this, sis. I leave the apartment and everything I have to you."

"I am not mad, Tai. You are following your heart," Kari smiled through her tears as she placed a kiss on his cheek before carefully giving Izzy one too.

Once everyone had said their goodbyes they walked out of the bedroom and Matt closed the door behind him before they all stood there quietly for a long moment with tears running down their cheeks.

"Why does it have to end so badly?" Yolei whispered and Davis shook his head as his eyes fell onto the photo of Tai and Izzy on the table.

"It doesn't end badly; it couldn't have ended better with Izzy this badly hurt. They will finally be together and without pain."

Joe and Matt both looked at him with a little surprise, realising just how much he had grown in the last few days, how much they all had.

The thought brought a small smile onto their face as they made their way into the living room so that the two would not be entirely left by themselves.

Inside the bedroom Tai kicked off his shoes and lay down beside Izzy on the bed.

He entangled their fingers together and places light kisses onto them as he looked at Izzy.

"I love you."

"I love you too," Izzy smiled tiredly as he leaned in to give Tai a soft kiss, the first he'd truly given him since they'd found each other again.

The irony that it would also be their last did not go unnoticed to both of them and Tai smiled as he pulled Izzy into his arms.

"You look tired."

"So do you," Izzy countered softly as he curled up against Tai's side.

"Why don't we go to sleep then?"

Tears slipped down as Tai placed a kiss into Izzy's hair when the other's eyes closed and the heartbeat against Tai's side slowed down before stopping completely.

"I'm never losing you again," he whispered as he rested his head against Izzy's and smiled contently as his heart slowed down and sleep overtook him.