A/N: Greetings! This is my third Digimon fic, and the first one that is relatively serious. =) This may be a many-parter (I'm thinking four or five parts?), but at least I know where I'm going with it. (That's a first for me!) I'll probably post once a week or so, since I'm so busy with school. If you want to get a notice each time I post, either put me on AuthorAlert *hinthint* =) or send me an e-mail. Then, I can e-mail you each time I post! Please read and review, I'd really appreciate it! Signing out, this is Bumblebee. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: None of the characters used in the following story belong to me. They belong to their creator. I am not making any money off of this story; it was written purely for enjoyment.

But what did it mean?

Was it some kind of premonition for the future? No, of course not. But…

Kari shoved her worrisome thoughts to the back of her head and went back to sleep.

ab

Tai knew something was wrong the moment he saw his younger sister come down to breakfast. Her face was pale and she had circles under her eyes.

"Hey Kari," he said. "What's wrong?"

Kari looked up from her bowl of cereal. "Nothing, Tai. Don't worry about it." She tried to smile, but the act came off unconvincing to her sibling.

"Come on, Kari. I know something's wrong. Spit it out."

Kari sighed. "I just had a bad dream, that's all."

"Would it help to talk about it?"

"Probably not. Don't worry Tai. I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself."

Tai and Kari heard their mother call from the front room. "Kari! TK's here!"

"See ya, Tai. I'm off to school."

Kari Kamiya was eighteen years old and in her final year of high school. She had a loving family and a sometimes not so wonderful brother. She loved her parents dearly (didn't everyone?) as well has her brother (most of the time). But sometimes Kari felt she needed to be on her own.

Ever since she was very little, she had always had someone watching over her. Her parents at first, and when she went to the digital world, Tai looked after her. But then, when Tai had gotten too old to go, TK and Davis had both looked out for her well being.

The point was, Kari had never gotten to experience anything by herself. Someone was always with her. Tai, TK, Davis, Yolei, Cody, Sora. No matter who, someone had always been there.

She appreciated them all, of course. But she wanted to be able to make mistakes. To do things on her own. Not to have to feel that she had to be perfect or to know that people were worrying about her being all right.

Kari knew her parents were expecting her to apply for college at the same school Tai went to, the one in town. Tai had a soccer scholarship and was sort of a "big man on campus". But Kari didn't want to.

That's why Kari had sent in applications all over Japan. She didn't want to go too far, but she realized that sometimes, drastic measures were necessary. Plus, TK had a choice of scholarships for basketball and couldn't make up his mind, so he promised that he'd go with her. Kari thought that was good. You couldn't just leave everything behind, could you? Well, she wouldn't be leaving anything behind, really. She'd just be trying something new.

It would be totally different, of course. But Tai and Sora could drive up together a few times, and she could call her parents. And Davis would come up to visit, and Yolei, and Izzy, and Cody, and everyone else too…

Plus, Kari had another ulterior motive. If Tai and Sora had to come visit, it would bring them even closer together than they already were. Kari had decided that she didn't just want Sora to be Tai's girlfriend, she wanted Sora as a sister. And since it was obvious that Tai wouldn't do anything on his own, so it didn't matter if Kari helped them out a little bit, right?

Kari was sitting in math class, bored out of her mind, when she saw TK motioning to her from the next row over.

"Are you okay, Kari?" he said. "You seemed a little preoccupied on the walk over. Davis had to ask you three times if you were coming to his soccer game today."

"Don't worry about me, TK. I was just thinking."

"'Bout what?"

"All kinds of stuff. College, the possibility of Tai ever getting married, all kinds of stuff." She grinned at him. "Now shut up so I can catch the rest of he lesson."

The teacher's voice sounded out. "Miss Kamiya? Mr. Takaishi? Do you have anything to share with the class?"

TK spoke up quickly. "No Mrs. Sakumi. Kari was just helping me with this math problem." He held up his paper and flashed the teacher a winning grin.

"All right, Mr. Takaishi, but next time you need to ask me, not a friend."

"Yes ma'am!" TK pretended to salute the teacher, who gave him a stern look and proceeded with her lesson to Davis, who needed help on a problem.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes, TK, I am perfectly fine. I'll see you after class, at Davis's soccer game."

Kari walked home alone after the soccer game, in which Davis's team won by a score of two to zero. Davis was quite proud after his goal and offered to take Kari out to celebrate. But Kari said no, she had a headache (which she really did) and walked home.

TK had a basketball tournament, Yolei had computer club, and Cody had Kendo lessons. Izzy was most likely on his computer and Tai was taking Sora out to dinner.

So Kari had the evening all to herself.

Kari's mother had left her a note. Kari- whatever you want for dinner, Dad and I went out. We'll be back about ten. Letters for you, on the table. Tai home??? Who knows??? TK called, tournament cancelled, you know his number. Have fun. Love Mom.

Kari grinned at the message. Letters? For her?

Then it came to her- College letters! Kari ran to the table and looked at the three envelopes.

But she couldn't open them by herself! What if they all said no? Or if they said that she'd never be able to get into any college? What if?

It looked to her that there was only one thing to do.

Call TK.

Plus, he had called anyway…

TK did just as he promised- he was over within the hour.

Kari met him at the door. She saw that he looked just as excited as she was, even though she hadn't said what to be excited about, just that she had big news..

"Hey, Kari," he said.

Kari grabbed his arm and led him into the kitchen. He chose a chair, and she sat across from him. She picked up the three letters and slid them across the table to him.

"Look," she said, excitedly. "Three college letters. Out of five."

He grinned. "I'll bet you five bucks that there's at least one acceptance there."

"But you never know," she said, becoming serious. "Anyway, have you eaten?"

"Yeah. Matt cooked."

"Scary?"

"Yeah. But I'm not hungry, if that's what you're asking."

"All right, than help me open these."

TK looked at her. "Are you nervous?"

"Yes. Open this one, and tell me if it's good or bad."

TK slit the flap and unfolded the piece of white paper. His eyes quickly skimmed the letter. He kept his eyes perfectly calm as he read, causing Kari to feel like she would burst with anxiety.

He finished and folded the letter. "Good."

Kari screamed with happiness. She got out of her chair and danced in a circle around the table.

TK grinned and joined her.

Kari coughed and put on her serious face again. TK sat down. She handed him the second letter. He repeated the same routine as before, keeping his eyes perfectly calm.

"Bad."

Kari shrugged. "Good. I didn't like that one anyway. And anyway, now I know that I'm not stupid."

TK smiled as he took the third letter. "May I?"

She nodded.

This time he couldn't help but grin.

"Good?" Kari asked.

"Good."

Kari grinned. "You better be hungry, TK, because we're going to celebrate!"

She grabbed two cans of pop out of the fridge and tossed one to him. She grabbed a bag of chips and sat down at the table.

"So where are you going to go, Kari?"

"I don't know, it depends. Where are you going?"

"Where are you going?"

Kari dissolved into giggles. "I feel like I've lost about five pounds from stress."

"You won't be able to sleep tonight," grinned TK, motioning to her can of pop. "Caffeine, you know."

"You're drinking it too."

"Good point, but I'm used to it."

"Oh, you are?"

TK tried to keep a straight face. "Mr. Big-Shot-Basketball-Man drinks five cans of Coca-Cola a night to stay buff to beat Mr. Big-Hair-Goggle-Boy-Named-Davis."

"No one has bigger hair than Tai," said a giggling Kari.

"And he had goggles first…"

"Is it a conspiracy? Two of Tai equals double trouble?"

"You never know…"

Kari thought she heard a car pull up. "Hang on TK, shhh!"

"What?"

"Tai's home, I say we make him mad."

"How?"

"Watch and learn."

Kari crept up behind the door, and braced her hand on the knob. She motioned for TK to go to the light switch.

"Now!"

TK flipped on the light switch as Kari swung the door open. Tai pulled away from Sora and shielded his eyes from the light. "You," he whispered to Kari, pretending to be menacing. "I'll get you."

Kari grinned. "Nuh-uh."

"Uh-huh."

"No, 'cause TK will get you!"

"TK won't get me, because TK knows that I could take him, right TK?"

TK shrugged. "I don't know, I could probably beat you." He grinned. "But I don't think I'd care to find out."

"Smart kid, Kari. You could learn from him."

Kari grinned. "Sora, how are you?"

"I'm fine."

"Yeah. She is. See? Now Kari, let us in the dang house!"

Have a nice day!