There's Always Hope - Part 4 - What Happened
Originally

"Dar n I can't see a thing!" Tai- chi Kamiya squinted and peered out from
behind the driver's seat of his Chrysler 300M. A gray autumn rain poured
relentlessly from the sky and Tai could hardly see the road in front of him.
A cell phone to the right of him somewhere rang. He picked it up and pulled
the antennae using his teeth and pressed ANSWER.
"Hello? Tai- chi Kamiya."
"Hey, Tai! It's Sora- chan, where are you?"
"Um, I should be at your house in ten minutes or so, I just left mine," he
explained.
"Okay, just be careful it's awfully hard to negotiate those wet roads, and
you just started driving."
"Okay, okay!"
"As long as you promise," Sora said, "Bye, Tai."
"Bye, Sora."
Sora hung up the phone; she couldn't wait for Tai to get to her house. It was
their one-year anniversary and it would be very special. One year ago Tai had
asked her on their first official date, and she, of course, hadn't been able
to refuse; he was so compassionate, kind, athletic, HOT, and courageous, but
no matter what, he always thought with his heart.

"Greenlight, yes!" Tai said aloud to no one in particular. He sped a little
so that he'd go through the light without being caught by a red light.

Yamato Ishida sat on a park bench in the pouring rain; he had to admit THIS
was nice weather! He liked the rain on his face, the sound of the little
drops, and the fresh taste it left on his lips. He watched the traffic at the
intersection. He saw a blue car, a 300M. That must be Tai, he thought.
Matt stood up to wave to Tai as he would pass through the intersection. He
never did.
Matt watched as what seemed like slow motion happened still so fast.
Tai's car was hit by a yellow pick up whose driver must have thought there
were no more cars coming and decided to run the red light. Matt quickly ran
to the car accident. "Tai!"
Sora put the last candle on the table and straightened the tablecloth.
The phone rang.
Sora frowned, "Hello?" she asked.
"Sora?"
"Yamato?" she questioned.
There was silence on the other end of the line, she asked again.
"What Matt?" her voice was firm and demanding.
"Tai-, Tai was-" Sora could here muffled sobs at the end of the line.
Sora hung up the phone quickly and grabbed the keys to her mom's car.
Ten minutes after the accident Sora arrived. She wore blue jeans, a white
tank top, and a brown suede jacket. She walked straight to the blue 300M, or
what was left of it, ignoring the police.
"Ma'am? Excuse me but you can't-, ma'am?"
"Where did you take the man that was in that car?" she asked the policeman
forcefully, pointing to Tai's car.
"Odaiba General Hospital," the officer answered.
"Thank you," she hardly had time to tell him before she hopped back into her
mom's minivan.

At the hospital she quickly found Tai's room but wasn't allowed in. Instead,
she was treated to some chairs in the hall opposite his room. Shakily she
paced up and down the hall. Waiting.
    It wasn't long until Matt, Takeru, Kari, Mimi, Izzy, and Joe showed up.
    After a hour a nurse came out of his room. "Sora Takenouchi?" she asked.
Sora stood up. "Yes?"
"Tai- chi is doing very well. We'll let you visit as soon as can be aloud."
The nurse left. Sora gave out a choke and tried to hide her tears from the
rest of the group. Matt heard her mumble something about the last words Tai
said to her, and he got up and hugged her from behind, the whole time telling
her that everything would be alright.
TK and Mimi comforted Kari. Joe and Izzy sat in silence. Each wanted to help
but didn't know how.

An hour later Sora still sat in shock. Matt tried the best he could to
comfort her. The Sora he had known and loved; strong, independent, tough, and
responsible, was now like a little baby alone and needing help. It would have
killed Tai to see her this way.
The nurse's voice indicated that they could visit him when she said, "You can
go see him now."
Sora was about to walk in the room when she turned around into Matt's arms.
"Oh, God, Matt," she said, her only cry for help.
Matt tried to reassure her and held her hand. Sora went to the bed where Tai
was peacefully sleeping. Matt left alone. Sora sat down on the floor and took
Tai's hand. "Tai?" she asked.
There was no response. The nurse, who was about to leave, looked at her with
kind eyes. "He's in a coma and his right leg is crushed," she said. Sora
broke down in tears, Matt wanted to run to her but felt she needed to be
alone.
Sora laid her head on the edge of Tai's bed and gently stroked his hand each
time repeating, "I love you, Tai- chi," over and over.

Kinda like Star Wars, huh? The end before the beginning :-)