Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon!

Well… here we are! We're finally here at chapter 17! Haha, it's been a long journey! But thanks so much everyone for supporting me all the way through! I know emichii has always been a Digimon taiora fanfiction writer, but I won't be starting a new fic for a while. I'll be busy working on my first book! ^_^ so… thanks so much for encouraging me! Anyway, here's the last chapter of Outta Control! I hope I can make it good! Read, enjoy and review!!

Chapter 17- I wanted a Happy Ending!!

"TAAIII!!" Sora screamed after him.

The weather was horrific. The sky overhead was a very deep, dark blue. And the wind roared in answer with the thunder and the lightning that flashed across the sky. The rain kept plummeting down, and Sora stood there, in the midst of it all.

She watched him wide-eyed, his back to her, running away.

And she stood there, still in the rain. Her red hair was wet and limp, her skin cold from the rain. Her clothes were soaked through, but all her eyes could see was the figure running through the rain.

And her heart was breaking.

---

Mimi didn't understand.

Matt sat across from her, his icy blue eyes staring at her critically, his hands clenched together on the table in front of him.

She felt her heart rate speed up, even though she didn't know why. "What?" She asked slowly, softly. She raised her voice loudly and stared at Matt as she repeated it again, suddenly more urgently and more confused. "What? What are you talking about? What are you sorry for?"

"Everything." Matt said quietly.

Mimi opened her mouth to ask what he meant, but said nothing.

Matt seemed to gather up all his courage at that instance and looked at Mimi straight in the eyes. "I'm sorry, okay, Mimi? I'm sorry for everything!"

The pink-haired girl sat there, still. Her brown eyes were wide as she stared right back at Matt.

His heart was pumping so loud, he couldn't understand why nobody else could hear it. It was so loud; it was so irregular, just beating out of his chest. Dammit, he was scared. But Matt bit his lip and swallowed, because he had to continue. All of this… everything was way overdue.

"Why?" she asked, her voice disappearing as she looked at him in bewilderment.

"Because," Matt said, his voice suddenly breaking through louder that he'd intended. He felt the hysteria burst through his lungs as he watched her desperately, damn, he wanted to hold her so much. He couldn't just sit here across from the girl he'd secretly loved all this time, because he needed- he needed to tell her, that all this time- all this time, he'd…!

"Because, back then…" Matt struggled to slow down, or else he feared Mimi wouldn't hear what he was trying to say. "Back then, when you told me to ask Sora out…"

Mimi felt her chest tighten up as she pulled her gaze away from his.

"Maybe… you're just not looking in the right places,"

"Because back then, you were the one who told me… I was not looking in the right places." Matt said. "You… said I needed someone who really cared for me and really knew. Someone who I could talk to properly and someone who was willing to listen…"

Mimi tried to stop her jaw from dropping as she flushed bright red. Matt… remembered everything she had said!

"For crying out loud, Matt! You know what you should do? You should open your eyes and see the people standing right in front of you!!"

"And… and you said that I should look at the people right in front of me!" Matt said, his blue eyes bright. "But… but all this time I was so ignorant and stupid… I never saw- I didn't realize… even though I started dating Sora, she wasn't who I wanted. You told me… you told me all the qualities of the girl I want, but I never realized that all along you were right there!"

Mimi felt the embarrassment and sadness wash over her. She hung her head in shame.

"Because, all along, even though you were right there, in front of me, I never saw! And I never realized and I kept denying it! I… I know now, Mimi, and I'm so sorry for being this stupid and not opening my eyes to see… that all this time, you have been standing there in front of me."

Mimi's shoulders began to shake as she buried her face in her hands, suddenly aware of the tears trickling down her cheeks.

"And all this time," Matt went on strongly, "you were the only one who I wanted. Because you're beautiful, you're sincere and caring; you are always there for me." His eyes wavered uncertainly for just a moment as he looked at her, a slight blush over his face. "Mimi, all this time I've been struggling to find the girl I want and you were always there. And I'm sorry that it took me this long to get here, but I…"

Mimi raised her head and looked at him over the tips of her fingers, her hands still clutched over her tear streaked face.

"I love you, Mimi." he said softly, honestly.

And with that, her heart gave out and she cried, the tears flowing down her cheeks freely.

And he sat there, staring at her tears for a moment, before he smiled softly to himself.

And Mimi smiled as best as she could, tried to open her mouth to reply, but was crying too hard.

And Matt leaned over the table to kiss her.

---

"Tai!! TAI!" She ran down the streets, her soaked shoes making squelching sounds against the cold cement as she raced after him. Her vision was blurred; it was hard to see through all this rain.

But she ran. She ran so fast, her heart felt like it was on fire, it was burning, and it hurt. Damn, it hurt so much.

"TAI!" she yelled out, as loud as she could. Lifting it up as hard as she could, pushing it to get to his ears, begging that it might reach him.

She shivered as she pounded down the streets after him. The rain seemed to fall harder and harder, merciless against her.

She practically tripped as she ran. She slowed, her steps splashing into puddles, sending a cold spray over her legs. She was exhausted. Her chest heaved up and down, she breathed hard, desperately trying to recover her breath as she coughed from the cold and the effort.

She walked slow now, Tai's figure already disappearing into the darkness up ahead. Every step was an effort in this miserable weather, and her teeth were chattering as she walked.

Man… he ran so fast.

She breathed heavily as she paused there. She shivered and tried to pull herself together. But she… she was stunned.

Before, she had been crying because of Matt. Because she was confused and because she was so sick of all this pretending, of trying so hard to find somebody who could be there for her, because her feelings and everything were so complicated.

But now… she felt a strangled sob rise up in her throat as she swiped away new tears that mingled with the rain on her face.

But now, she was crying for something else. For someone else.

She was tired. But… this time, she couldn't let Tai run away. She had to find him.

Up above, the night sky was still heavy with rain and the rain continued to fall. It was cold and Sora bit her lip as she shivered. But… no matter how cold or how hard it might be, she had to find him.

---

"Wow, it's raining really hard." Mimi said.

"Yeah," Matt said. "Good thing I have an umbrella." The blonde boy pulled out his umbrella, and smiled cheerfully at her as he reached out with his other hand to grab her hers.

Mimi blushed as she looked down at her feet. Man… it was so embarrassing. It was weird as to suddenly just be holding his hand like this. But she… she didn't want to let go.

The two stood there, outside the coffee shop, under the shelter of the roof as they looked out at the thundering rain.

That's when they suddenly heard the urgent splashing of rainwater on the ground, and someone's frantic and heavy footsteps. Someone was running out there, in the rain. They stared with wide eyes as the figure came closer and ran towards them.

"Sora??" They cried out in unison.

She was panting hard, barely able to answer. And when she did look up at them to speak, they could hardly hear her through the rain. Her face was very pale from the cold, but her cheeks were flushed from exhaustion. Droplets of rain ran down her face and off her chin, and she was soaked, her red hair limp and wet over her eyes.

Mimi stared at her best friend critically, her brown eyes wide. She let go of Matt's hand and reached out for Sora's shoulders. Sora was staring down at the floor, her chest heaving up and down as she gasped for breath.

"Sora, what…?" Mimi demanded, stunned at how violently Sora's shoulders were shaking under her grip.

Sora took a deep breath and began sniffling.

"Sora!" Mimi urged. "What happened?"

Sora finally lifted her head to look desperately up at her best friend, strained sobs rising up from her throat. And Mimi saw that the wetness on her face was not just from the rain, but from the tears spilling out from Sora's red eyes.

"…Tai!" Sora gasped out, looking at Mimi desperately. "It's Tai…!" she choked out, her red eyes wide and troubled. "He… he went- Tai said- He… He ran this way! Tai…! Ohh…" Sora pulled away from Mimi and stood there in the rain, clutching her arms around herself, visibly in pain as she squeezed her eyes tight. "Tai…"

Mimi stood there, still under the shelter from the building, staring at her best friend in the rain.

Matt understood. Tai… he's…

"Sora." he said all of a sudden, serious. The worry flashed across his face for a second as he told her. "Tai… He lov-"

"I know!!" Sora suddenly cried.

It shocked all three of them. Mimi and Matt standing there, under the shelter, and Sora standing out there in the downpour.

"I know!" She exclaimed again, and her voice broke painfully as she said it. "I know! Dammit, I do know...!"

Sora sniffed back tears as she turned slowly away from her friends.

She began running, at first slowly and then gradually built up her speed so that she was practically flying, creating huge splashes of water in the puddles as she raced down the streets. Her wet hair was plastered to her face with the water as she ran, and she refused to look back as she went, leaving Matt and Mimi to stare at her vanishing form.

I do know… I know…

And she gritted her teeth as she ran harder, a few more tears falling from her eyes.

I know… I know that Tai loves me…!!

---

Because Tai had suddenly started distancing himself from her. And she wouldn't have noticed at first, but it had been right after she started dating Matt.

She was a little hurt and confused by it, but was sick by it. Because she'd been sick of spending so much time yearning for the boy that never seemed to se her. Because she'd spent so much of her childhood admiring her friend, secretly liking him, but he'd just never feel the same.

But he was still there. Maybe… maybe he tried to avoid her, especially when she was with Matt, but she'd known he was always around.

And whenever she asked, he'd answer her request. And she couldn't possibly understand what had been going through Tai's head back then when he so willingly helped her out, time after time. Like when he ran up to give Matt the food that she'd prepared for him.

She'd tried so hard to be happy with Matt. Because she'd been so tired of not being seen with Tai. But no matter how hard she tried, she had never… never stopped liking Tai.

The thoughts burdened Sora as she ran. The streetlights seemed to flicker as they slowly turned themselves on, lighting her path as she ran through the darkness. How was she even meant to know where he was? All she knew, all she had seen was just his back disappearing into the rain.

But she didn't want to see him running away from her. And Sora bit her lip, because she knew that it hadn't been the first time he'd run like this.

During White Day, how much courage had Tai needed to pluck up to give her his gift? And even though Matt had bought her those white roses, roses that symbolized love, the present that Sora secretly liked the most had been the giant white bear from Tai.

---

She slowed down, and stared up ahead of her. The light from the streetlights flickered and reflected off the droplets of rain in the evening. Up ahead, she could make out the playground equipment and trees of a park. If she looked straight ahead, she could see no-one, not for a long way. She paused.

Maybe… up ahead. If she were to walk further and turn left towards the children's park, then…

I know… Her eyes were suddenly dry from the tears before, maybe because now… she… kinda understood it. I know he loves me…! I just…!

Tai standing there, outside the flower shop. His brown eyes looking inside searching, and the only person he'd been trying to see had been her. And then, how she'd looked up and seen him, immediately rushed towards him, ran to the outside of the shop, just to see him run away from her.

And it had only been for a split second, but she'd caught the expression in his eyes. That flicker of hurt and sorrow, and that fear.

She knew why he'd tried so hard to avoid her. She knew why he'd distanced himself.

Because… honestly… Sora felt her heart breaking for him. Tai was too caring for his own good.

Tai… was someone who never put his own wants first. No… he must've tried so hard to be happy for his two closest friends, and he had to smile and hold it all in for the sake of his best friend Matt. Because Tai would never take something that belonged to Matt. He wouldn't… because Tai was so caring.

And Tai had gone through so much and he must've been through so much pain. That fear in his eyes then, he'd been bloody scared. Because he couldn't let anyone see, he couldn't let anyone know. If it meant his feelings would hurt others, then… then he'd just hide his feelings and hurt himself instead.

But Tai…! I…

Even through the cold, and even though she shivered as she walked slowly towards the playground equipment, Sora smiled tearfully to herself. From the sky, the rain seemed to be slowing. It was still there, but it was slower now, softer somehow.

She'd wondered if she was being too selfish from wanting someone to be there for her always. She wondered why she was having such a bad day, wondered if she was being horrible for wanting Matt to care and spend some time with her, to somehow know the magic words to say to make everything okay.

And that day… when she'd been feeling so down and needing comfort from someone who cared so badly, the person who stood there, awkwardly maybe, was Tai.

And he knew he didn't have to do it, but he did.

Because Tai had always been there for her. She'd been crying that day, bitter and sad. And he was the one who stood there beside her, not quite knowing what to say but trying anyway. And then he'd held her while she cried her heart out.

And Sora gritted her teeth as she headed towards him. Because… all this time, she couldn't know how long exactly it had been. Even though he must've tried so hard to hide it, tried so hard to deny it, because he didn't want to hurt others… he was the one who loved her the most.

'cause all along, nobody else loved her more than he did.

---

There was a shadow hidden there in the darkness. It was huddled there, seated on a swing, moving back and forth minimally. The shape was of a fifteen-year old boy, cold and lonely, swinging himself just a little back and forth in the rainy night.

Tai sat there, his eyes dark and blank as they stared out into the darkness. He could see nothing, and it was freezing cold, his body was numb. He could barely feel anything either. He smiled grimly to himself. That could be good. It would… be nice to feel nothing. Nothing at all. No love, no pain.

He bowed his head, his wet hair falling over his eyes, the drops of rain dripping from the strands and down his chin.

Huh. Strange… He looked up above him at the sky. The rain seemed to be slowing a little. The cold and the breeze still remained, but the rain seemed to be lightening somehow.

I wonder why… He thought to himself absentmindedly as he looked out ahead of him again. And froze.

She stood there, staring at him.

Immediately, he jumped to his feet, but felt cornered at every side. He stood there and suddenly, his heart began pumping out of his chest again and the sobs came up out of his throat, he could hardly breathe, dammit!

He… he should go! He… had to get away!!

"Tai!" Her voice pierced through the rain.

Damn, he couldn't ignore that voice. Not Sora's voice...

He didn't want to look at her, could hardly find the strength to look her in the eyes. But even in the rain and the dark, he could see her fine. She was there, pale and shivering in her wet clothes, wet hair, tear-stained face, red eyes.

Why? Why was she even here?

Why had she come here? What for?

She wouldn't have… run this far… in the pouring rain… tried so hard just to find him, she wouldn't!! She couldn't…!

She didn't even know what to say now. And here he was, soaked through, miserable and alone here in front of her. And all her thoughts had been of him but now she had absolutely no idea what to say.

"Tai…" she started as she looked at him desperately, struggling to reach him. He stayed there, where he was, watching her now, with the fear obvious in his eyes.

"I… I came here, Tai…" she breathed, tired from her run. "I ran here all this way to find you," Sora said. "Because there are so many things I have to tell you…!"

He didn't understand and was shocked at the way her voice suddenly brightened and she seemed to smile.

"…thankyou!" she found herself crying out and smiling, smiling so hard through the rain and with tears in her eyes, smiling so hard that her cheeks hurt. "Thankyou, Tai, for caring about me. For being my friend, for always being there, for continually putting yourself last after everybody else! Thankyou, because you were the only one who could cheer me up after a bad day, thankyou because you were always there, because you… you are the one who I know… loves me most of all!"

"…thanks, Tai…!" she murmured as the tears came again.

He watched her, still, the rain running down his face.

"I know… I know that you did it all for me. I know… how hard you tried to avoid me because you couldn't bear to hurt me or Matt. Because you are caring, Tai, because you are compassionate! And I… I'm so sorry that you've been suffering all this time, hiding so many things to yourself… I… I actually… I just…!"

Sora was silent for a moment, and there was nothing but the sound of the rain between them.

"…ever since… a long time ago, even when we were just kids, I had… I have always liked you!!" she cried out.

Tai gaped at her.

She glared at him, her cheeks red against her pale face as she stared at him meaningfully. "I don't know… I don't know if you remember, but in Year 6, that Valentine's present that you got in your mailbox was from me! I know, I mean… I know that was a long time ago, but my feelings never changed!"

Her heart was pumping so loud in her chest. And her hands were clenched so tightly, her nails were digging into her palms.

"I… I always spent so much time watching you, during your soccer matches and stuff, but you never noticed me! You always said that we were just friends… and I… I figured that you could never like me! So I… I tried to hide it as much as I could, even though it hurt! And it was hard to handle it because I… I really, really liked you! I wanted to forget it, I tried to get over you, so I… so I started going out with Matt!"

Tai stared at her, his brown eyes wide.

"…but I… I never… I never ever stopped loving you!" she cried out.

Sora stood there, scared, embarrassed. But her red eyes stared Tai straight in the eye, honest.

"I love you, Tai!" she declared, suddenly smiling. "I really love you!"

Tai stood there, and suddenly he felt the tears in his eyes. And he was embarrassed by them. "…it was…" he finally spoke, his voice croaking and hoarse. "It was the goalpost… when I ran into it…" Those were the random words that came out of his mouth but he bowed his head and let the happy tears fall, still not understanding how his heart could be so happy.

Sora blinked at him. And then her beautiful smile broke across her face once again and she ran into his arms.

---

It was raining still, even though it had lightened a bit. Even the evening sky was a blue, but not the deep haunting blue from before, now it was a little lighter, more friendly some how. It was cold, but…

Tai rested his head over Sora's shoulder as he held her. It was warm here, in her arms.

They walked now, hand in hand, through the rain. He still… wasn't quite sure what to say. He still didn't know how he was meant to act with her.

But it was okay. It really was.

They were both soaked. It was cold. It was still raining. But inside, he couldn't really explain it. He was happy… he felt really… really light inside, like he'd finally let go of those weights he'd been carrying all this time.

It was nice… all this time; he'd been stressed, been scared, but worried. He'd been running and hiding, struggling, trying so hard not to let anyone see the truth.

But now it was peaceful. Just like this, him and Sora walking through the rain together.

It… It would be nice if this could last forever. He thought to himself.

Sora suddenly looked up at him and smiled. And his heart leapt with joy. Sure, she was wet and teary, her hand was cold in his but that smile… that smile had always made everything better. And that smile was just for him.

"Hey!" she said suddenly, pointing out in front of them. "There's Matt and Mimi!"

Tai looked up at where she was pointing.

In the distance, he could see two figures standing up ahead in the rain, waiting for them, standing under an umbrella.

I know… that this 'love' thing is really stupid. I still reckon so right now, but…

She grinned up at him, the tears shining in her eyes and he smiled so hard back at her.

I know… that it's been the cause of all my pain and suffering, but I think I might just be starting to realize why everyone else is always making such a big deal about it…

Tai smiled to himself, just a little. He tightened his grip on Sora's hand as they both ran together, in the falling rain.

'Love'?

Maybe…

It's really not so bad after all.

The End!!

Hey!! That was an incredibly long chapter, and I am thoroughly exhausted now. It was really, really hard to write. I just hope that you all liked it, and I hope it lived up to your expectations! If it didn't, I am really, really sorry. So… please review! And by the way, there won't be many new fanfics coming out for a while- I'm busy working on my book. So… thankyou once again so, so much for all your reviews, for reading, for always encouraging and getting me this far!! Thankyou! ^_^ emichii! Please continue to support me!