Ch. 1

They all watched as the golden door to the spirit world sealed itself shut. A heavy tension filled the room, but nobody broke the silence for that would mean coming to terms with what had just happened.

The Pharaoh was gone.

Yugi stood closest to the door and all eyes were on him as he brought his hand out to touch the door as he back onto his knees. Yes, I am a champion. But my legs cannot bear the weight my soul is carrying right now, he thought to himself. A tear escaped his eye. Still, nobody else moved.

Everyone remained in their positions for what felt like ages, but only ten minutes had past when the room started shaking. Yugi stood up and shot a look back at his friends. This was it, it was time for them to leave. As he moved to step towards his friends, he couldn't help but notice they were all staring past him to the closed door that took Atem from this world. Yugi spun around, his round violet eyes widening even further as the door began to open. A bright shining light was all that could be seen from the other side until a human-shaped shadow began to emerge. Yugi's breath hitched. He couldn't get his hopes up, he just couldn't. Atem had been waiting 3,000 years and he had deserved his peace. Yugi couldn't be selfish, he had proven that he didn't need Atem anymore.

If they thought the ten minutes after Atem's departure felt like a long time, it was nothing compared to the eternity it took to make sense of the figure that stepped through the doorway.

"PHAROH!"

Yugi screamed and tackled the pharaoh to the ground. He was soon joined by Tea, Tristian, and Joey who were all going back and forth between sobbing and laughing. The others in the room were looking at the scene with amusement and confusion. Nobody noticed the door had shut itself once again.

Mokuba tugged on his older brother's sleeve, a huge smile on his face. "What does this mean big bro?" Seto looked down at his brother, trying to hide his relief upon seeing the pharaoh return. He wasn't accustomed to experiencing such a wide range of emotions in one day. He was surprised when Yugi defeated Atem in the duel and devastated as he stood in silencing trying to understand what that meant. His rival, his equal, was leaving this world and Seto was not at all ready for that. He wanted, no needed, more time with Atem and it looked like he might get just that. "I was wondering the same thing" was the best reply Seto Kaiba had. He wanted answers, and he wanted them now.

The friendship group finally quieted down, tears still running down most eyes. Ishizu decided it was time to get some answers. "My Pharaoh, you have returned." All eyes were on Atem, awaiting his response.

Atem took a breath and looked around him. He was extremely grateful he had more time here. He looked everyone in the eyes and gave them each a very warm smile, everyone smiled back at him except Kaiba. The CEO met his smile with a raised eyebrow, a smirk playing on his lips. Atem inhaled, looking down at his tan body and Egyptian gown making a mental note at how much more he liked the feeling of loose cotton than the tight leather his partner preferred. He couldn't believe he was here, alive, with his own body.

"I walked through the doors and all I could see was the bright light around me. Then a stone path appeared below my feet, I followed it for a minute but there was a fork in the road, so to speak. Then I started to hear a feminine voice. It basically told me the right path led to my afterlife, my friends, my family. The left path would lead me back here. She explained that although Yugi had proven that he didn't need my guidance anymore, I could still learn more from him and this world. She didn't think I was done yet." Atem slightly blushed, and Yugi instantly knew that Atem was leaving something out. "She told me that I would have my body if I returned, and once I have lived out this life, my afterlife would still be waiting for me. So I figured what's one more lifetime? I never actually have lived past the age of 17." Atem chuckled and looked back at Ishizu for a response.

Ishizu nodded warmly, "we are happy to have you with us my Pharaoh." Yugi and the gang all seconded this, hearts full of the thought of Atem living out the rest of his human life with them.