Disclaimer: I do not OWN any of the characters mentioned in this story! Never will and I do not make any profit from this or any of my stories!

Summary: You have to loose something in order to find it, right? But what happens when it was in front of you the whole time, hidden just out of your grasp - would you have the strength to reach out and take it?

~*~*~ Chapter One ~*~*~

That was the nineteenth time, which Jou had looked up at the swinging cafeteria doors. He sighed loudly, and looked back to his friends. They all knew what he was looking for – he did this every lunchtime – hoping for that extra glimpse – of the person Jou had loved – secretly admired right from the start. Yet it seemed today he was going to be denied, his chance to stare, to contemplate walking up to him – to try to chat to him.

"Come on Jou, he ain't coming!"

"He must, he always does- "

Yugi, sighed as he let his friend, look up again, he knew of Jou's affections for the person he was looking for, yet he could not stand by and let his friend continue to be slammed into the ground.

The bell rang, and the cafeteria began to empty, it was unusual that Kaiba had not come for his lunch; his chair in the corner of the hall had remained empty. Jou had planned on talking to him, asking him … no talking to him … yes talking to him. Whether Kaiba would listen, he didn't know, but anything at this point was worth a try.

Jou headed off for his fifth lesson of the day, one of the few classes he didn't share with Kaiba, but hey it was gym next, and he did share gym with Kaiba.

His lesson was lost in thought, thinking of how he could approach Kaiba, what he could offer Kaiba, just to help him. He needed some help, and as much as he hated to admit it Kaiba, was the only person who could probably help him. His thoughts must have disturb the teaching process, because – SLAM – the teacher had just slammed the book down that he should have had open on his desk.

He looked up, the teacher scowled at him:

"Question 18 – answer?"

"Umm … Sorry!"

The teacher bent down and opened the book to page 179, and walked on, hoping that Jou would now pay attention. When he turned back, he was happy to see that he was indeed reading, the correct page.

The bell rang, the classroom filled with chairs scraping the old floors, and students beginning to leave the room.

"Jou, before you go, a word!"

"Yes,"

"I want to see you paying more attention in this class, I know you are more than capable, of succeeding – just stop daydreaming."

"Sure thing, I'll give it a go!" he winked

"Jou, in all seriousness please, no more warnings!"

The teacher left the room, Jou was now late for gym class, he would never manage to get changed in time, he broke into a run, maybe he could just do it. He rounded the corner in double quick time and –THUD – he'd landed on something nice and soft. Jou opened his eyes, to see Kaiba looking up at him.

"Hey watch it!"

"You ran into me! Mutt!" he pointed out, as Jou rolled off him, Kaiba stood to his feet. He gathered his things, and then realised the mutt, was stood watching him.

"What do you want?"

"I … I … .err … I … I wanted …"

"Wanted what? I have not got all day to stand here listening to you stammering-"

"I just wanted ta talk ta ya,"

"About what?"

"I need yer help …"

"And why would I help you?"

Jou, who had been planning this moment all day suddenly lost his nerve, he looked at the cold, emotionless face in front of him.

"Err … never … mind …" he mumbled, and walked off, Kaiba stood there for a moment, his ~puppy~ had been about to ask for his help, but had backed down. Hnn … his fault, thought Kaiba, he walked a couple of steps, stopped again, he thought about things for a few more seconds, then '…when he is ready to talk about it, puppy I'll come and find me'.

'DAMN it –' thought Jou – why did Kaiba have to be so … so … so … so hidden behind a brick wall.

He had heard his father talking about kicking him out, and he had nowhere to go, he didn't know whether it was the drink talking or not. Jou had hoped that he would have the guts to talk to Kaiba, to see if he could stay there, or even help him out with a loan, so he could get an apartment somewhere. But again he had looked into those cold, expressionless eyes, and realised there was no hope.

*** Later that evening

Jou, put his key in the door, he knew he would find his father passed out on the sofa, it was where he usually found him, at 4 o'clock in the afternoon – halfway between his drinking sessions. The door swung open, his father pulled him inside – Jou looked up in shock, his father was not only standing, but he was not drunk either. This was it the day that Jou had been dreading; he had overheard his father a couple of days before. But he didn't think his father would get rid of him, but then again his mother had.

"That the boy?" a man's voice came from the other side of the room, Jou looked up, his father never had company, he was a loner, the man was sat in partial darkness,

"Yea! That's 'im!"

Jou looked back at his father, he was about to question what was going on when …

"Fine we'll have him," the other man got up, and walked towards Jou

"What … what … what …"

"Jou, say 'goodbye' and come along!" said the man

"Father …"

"Goodbye Jou!" he said, there was no light in his eyes, nothing, what was his father doing …

"What … what … what … is … is … going on?" he stuttered

"Enough now, come along boy!" said the man, his father placed his hand on Jou's shoulders, and turned him around, and pushed him out of the door, closing it behind him. Jou turned to let himself back in, his key was in the house and he hammered the door. His father had gone back inside and straight to the bottle of whisky sitting on the side, he took a swig of it, ignoring the hammering at the door.

The man, took him by the shoulder

"Get yer hands off me …"

"Jounouchi come now …"

"I ain't going nowhere with ya! I am staying with my da'!"

"Jounouchi, this is your last chance come now … you belong to me!"

Jou stopped hammering the door, he looked at the other man, he looked around people were stood watching him. Watching the scene he was creating, he looked back at the man.

"Now please …"

Jou sighed, he looked back at the apartment, and maybe just maybe his father would open the door. Seeing no such thing, Jou followed the man down the cast iron steps, and back out of the apartments.