Disclaimer: I would like to own Yu-Gi-Oh! because that would be awesome, but as it is, it's too awesome for me to own. Damn...

Thoughts

"Speech"


Prologue

Yugi opened his eyes. The sunlight was barely visible as he got out of bed and walked to the kitchen. The dark, quiet house scared him a little. Solomon Mutou went on another expedition with his friend, Professor Arthur Hawkins and they allowed Rebecca to come along. Yugi sighed as he knew he had yet another day alone. Joey and Tristan took Yami on a trip to Duke's place. The Kaiba brothers took a few off to visit their parents' home and graves. Tèa was busy with her dance lessons. Ryou and Bakura went to Egypt to see the Mariks. Ishizu didn't like the idea but it made her brother happy. Everyone was busy doing something.

"Except me," Yugi said to the empty air around him. He sighed again. He and Yami had dating for only seven months but the way Yami clinged to him and acted around him made it seem longer. But Yugi didn't mind. He understood why his darker half always wanted to be with him. All the times they nearly lost each other forever. The worst had to be the Orichalcos. Yugi shuddered as he recalled those days. Dartz, Valon, Raphael, Alister, Yami giving in to his greed and lust for power, all the souls of Duel Monsters and humans that were lost…Usually when Yugi started getting depressed by these thoughts, Yami was would knock some sense into him. But, he wasn't there.

Yugi sighed as he flipped the 'Open' sign and unlocked the door. Sure, it was three hours before the actual open time but Yugi been awake just before dawn and couldn't ward off any depressing thoughts. And only the Gods knew how much Yugi needed something, anything, to preoccupy his mind. He sat behind the stool. Another weekend he wasn't looking forward to. He sat on the stool and rested his head in his hand and sighed.

"Why can't life be easy for me," he asked the deserted store. He began thinking about his life. His mother died in a car crash several years ago and his father was still in prison for domestic violence. Solomon was too busy to watch over his own shop anymore, so no one was around that he could talk to. Of late, Yami began spending less time with him. It made Yugi doubt himself. Maybe he doesn't want me anymore? Is there something wrong with me? Is he no longer attracted to me? Did I do something? Did he do something…or someone?

These thoughts ran through his head all day as he waited for the jingle of the bell. Seconds became minutes, minutes became hours, and the hours rushed through the day without a single customer. Well, almost without a single customer. Yugi was about to lock the door at the end of the day (he kept it open longer than usual) when a forbidden and shocking thought crossed his innocent mind.

What if Yami no longer loves me?

And he began to believe it. Then the door burst open and Yugi was sent flying back. He hit the counter and gingerly sat up, slowly opening his eyes as he did so. What he saw amazed him.

A female stood…no, floated in front of him. She glowed with a golden-white light; her blue hair flowed behind her, the lighter blue streaks nearly blending in with the light. Yugi stared at her with his adorable amethyst and she stared back with cold, hard, yet friendly ice-blue. Her skin had an olive-tone to it and she wore a blue and purple flamed dress, a rope of gold links around her waist. Connected to each link was a token, but Yugi couldn't make any of them…Except one. It was a heart starting to break with a question mark holding it together.

"You doubt Yami's love for you? Why?" The weird lady glared at him. Yugi couldn't speak. Her voice was both amazing and scary. It sounded like soft wind, but roared like thunder. It had that strange echo to it, like all powerful and mystical beings in cartoons have.

"Wh-who ar-are y-yo-you," Yugi stammered. He could barely speak, let alone answer her question. But his question made her eyebrow rise.

"Who I am is not important, but you could say I am the protector of all things, which is why you can only see the confused breaking heart, correct?" Yugi nodded. "Then you must realize Yami does love you, but I already know you won't take anyone's word for it so I'll show you why you shouldn't doubt the Pharaoh. You two have been destined to be together, or have you forgotten the numerous times this has been said to you, especially by Yami and yourself?"

She raised her arms and a ball of light formed between them. She smiled at Yugi. She began chanting in a language Yugi never heard before and an image took shape in the ball.

She opened her eyes and whispered, "You will return when you realize how strong his love is for you. Nothing can break it, and even when it seems gone, it isn't. Have faith in him and yourself. Good luck…" The room around Yugi began to fade until all he could see was darkness, then nothing…


Somewhere near a river, Joey, Tristan, Duke, and Yami were setting up camp when Yami shivered. "Hey, Yam. You okay," Joey asked his friend. Yami held himself as he knelt to the ground.

"Obviously not, Joey," Duke replied. Joey looked at him then knelt down beside Yami and put his hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, Yami. Talk to us. What's goin' on?" Joey watched as his friend shook and unexpected tears rolled down his face. Yami gritted his teeth as if in pain, and he drove his fists into the ground.

"Something bad is happening," he whispered.

"Quite right, my Pharaoh," a sweet, echoing voice giggled. Everyone looked up. Yami eyes widen.

"Why do I feel like I know you," he asked her. She remained silent and giggled. Then an image of Yugi passed through Yami's head. Our connection, he told himself. Then the image of Yugi was swallowed up by a bright light and he saw his loved one lying on the floor. Yami gasped. "What did you do to Yugi," he screamed.

"Something that needed to be done," she replied calmly. Yami clenched his fists. "Don't worry," she giggled, "Yugi will come back, as soon as he finds what he's looking for."

"What would that be," Yami asked, trying to keep himself in control. He knew she did something to Yugi and she admitted it, and now he was doing all he could not to kill her.

The lady laughed. "Confidence. Courage. Understanding. A reason not to doubt the one he loves anymore. He needs to know why you two were destined to be together so he can get over his fear you do not love him. He believes you don't love him anymore because you have been away from him more of late."

"That would be our fault," Joey spoke up, raising his hand. "We told Yami not to be around him too much or else Yugi will start feeling smothered."

"You'd smother him too if he was your boyfriend and you nearly lost him for good and need him like I do," Yami retorted.

"Whose fault it is no longer matters," she smiled. "Yugi is where he needs to be to find closure. He'll be back, I promise…" With that, she disappeared and left the four males stunned.

"Take me back to Domino Joey," Yami said still staring at where she disappeared. Joey nodded with an affirmative sound. Tristan and Duke looked at each other. The group broke out of their shock and packed up camp, and they raced back to Domino as fast as they could.


Yeah, I am reposting all chapters so, I apologize for the thousands of emails. But I'm updating so you know what that means. Please review. If you happen to find something wrong, I would appreciate it if you told me. Thanks...