Story:My Damaged Lady

Needed Opening Notes:

Parts of this fiction will break pieces of 'canon' because of things I wanted to do with it - it is my fan fiction after all. This will be a Tea(Anzu)/Kaiba fan fiction - I originally pondered making this another person with Kaiba but I feel that Tea(Anzu) fit's the most.

This fiction is rated R for themes I consider deserving. I don't really like to write citrus so I wouldn't expect much in that area.

Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh. Original characters are mine but all sources from yugioh are their own.

Chapter One: No Good News

Mother nature has a tendency of being cruel when she so chooses, the fickle lady of the earth had chosen to pound the ground in London more harshly than the area normally received this dark evening. Those creatures unlucky enough to be caught outside in the late autumn downpour were trying to dash or cower under what shelter they could manage to find.

The lights of the streetlamps on Leicester Square seemed to dance in the falling precipitation and along the ripples created from the cobblestones beneath the tires of passing vehicles as they interrupted the gathering puddles. Outdoor seats at restaurants had been long abandoned for the warmth and dryness of the indoors and people settled at theater events went on watching shows completely unaware of the poor weather passing outside.

Seto Kaiba was frowning as he waited under one of the buildings canopy's for his limousine to arrive, ignoring the bits of splash if a gust of wind brought some of the falling water to hit his legs and feet. He would rather brave the cooler weather of the London rain than sit inside and deal with the various approaching snakes of women inside. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy an occasional show, in fact he did appreciate the beauty of the arts…in the rare moments that he actually got to take the time to enjoy it.

Most of the show. Andrew Lloyd Webber's 'The Beautiful Game' might have been all right, he got to see a rare flicker of actors in soccer uniforms between needing to reply to the various people that had come to visit him.

Not that the years sense the nonsense in Egypt had changed his poor attitude toward others, it was simply that people would grovel however they could to impress the great Seto Kaiba. As a teenager he had been one of the top twenty richest men in the world, his genius hadn't been wasted as he'd gotten older and he'd spent his years narrowing that list to put himself in the top seven instead. Even other rich of the rich individuals seemed content to put up with whatever insults or rudeness he tossed their way just for the chance to be seen and heard.

The lack of a girl on his arm after the last fiasco with the daughter of one of his board members had narrowed the usual vultures approaching him to almost exclusively scavengers of the female variety. Not that a colorful man or two hadn't also tried to put a word in. "Why is it so many people think I'm gay?"

He was still pondering the annoying experiences that had come with that idiotic assumption of his sexual preference when the limo rounded the corner. His thoughts were instead interrupted by the screeching of breaks on the slick rock.

The horn of the limo worked well enough, though it was joined by a high pitched scream a moment before he heard the yell cut off so suddenly it couldn't have been a good sign.

Ditching the shelter of the weak cloth entryway he dashed toward the now paused limousine, there was a girl that had been knocked off her feet in front of it.

She was dressed like a dancer from the end scene of 'A Chorus Line', a show currently playing a little further up the road. The thin fabric of the tights on her legs and the showy gold bathing suit like dress weren't going to offer her any protection. Though the shiny outfit was more plastic than fabric and it made her appear less soaked than she was, the light show jacket was just for that and also unlikely to do much for her as far as defending her body from the rain. The top hat that went with the whole outfit had rolled to the side of her and was gathering the water from it's upside down position.

The thick painful downpour made it difficult to see details, he could tell it was an average sized woman with short dark hair and long legs. That was about the extent of what he could make out however.

The driver came around then, gaping at the girl that was starting to stir and push herself up from the ground. He was stuttering something too softly to make out over the drumming around them, Kaiba meanwhile paused before moving for the phone in his limo as the girl pushed herself up, her hair and clothes dripping. His driver, soon to be replaced, was bending down talking to her and began to lead her over to the vehicle…making him frown more as he bent down and dumped out her top hat.

"Good help is impossible to find." He grumbled to himself in irritation. "Just when I thought I was finally free of other people for the night."

He would get the man fired from the company later, for now he had to make sure he didn't somehow end up at the poor end of a lawsuit. Kaiba headed over to get into the back on his own, completely soaked himself in the minute or so he'd been standing in the poor weather.

Though once he'd settled himself in the back he blinked in shock at the woman holding her head next to him. She may have looked like a drowned rat but he couldn't forget that heart shaped face - bruised or otherwise. Yet, it was definitely a shock for the rich young man, his brain couldn't quite catch up to seeing her here in London after the last time they'd passed each other during the school's graduation.

"Gardner?!" He couldn't completely keep the surprise from his voice, thinking it might just be someone that looked exceptionally similar.

Though she had been content to press the ice pack the driver had given her to her cheek that deep timbre was unmistakable. She stared in return at the richly dressed Kaiba sitting on the other side of the limo that had swept her from her feet.

Chocolate hair was slicked back from the wetness it gained outside, a few bangs clinging to his forehead and the sides of his face as pair oceanic sapphires met her own azure gaze. The years sense she'd seen him at the graduation hadn't changed him much, he was a little older but that had only seemed to give him an greater sense of dignity and pride - not that he needed more arrogance.

She'd never seen him in a full tuxedo, while it wasn't much different than the suits there was still something about him so dressed and slightly disheveled that was incredibly provocative.

"So it is you." He managed to get his voice back even as his expression returned to the schooled neutrality he was known for. "I didn't hear of any sort of tournaments happening here. Quite the getup you have for cheerleading. What are you doing in London?"

Tea opened her mouth as if to offer some sort of reply and then snapped it shut after a moment, hands balling into fists as she thought about what had left her in this position.

Earlier That Evening…

Tea was rushing, dressing as fast as she could to get into her uniform for the next scene of the play. She'd finally managed to get a gig as a dancer, though she had always hoped for something a little more grand her destiny didn't seem quite as great as Yugi's had been.

She'd always been a side member of the group running around and once the Pharaoh was gone and high school had ended the tried and true group of friends had turned into people she occasional spoke to on the phone.

After they had finished high school each had their own path they went after. Yugi stayed in Japan and was still making money playing in Duel Monsters tournaments with Joey often joining him. Tristan and Serenity were still dating but the two had transferred to go together to a college on the lower island. Duke had continued to run his business but wasn't speaking to the 'gang' sense Serenity had finally decided to date Tristan instead of him. Mai still dueled on occasion but instead had decided to take up a job modeling, her and Joey seemed as on and off as they ever were.

Tea had always known she would have to leave Japan to pursue her dream and put her years in English class to good use by pursuing her dancing career in the city of London. It hadn't been very easy however and she'd taken whatever jobs she could get for over a year before she landed a part in the Chorus Line.

Tonight though would be her last night in her part as one of the main actors…after tonight this gold shiny outfit would define her. She was just one of the people in the masses and with one of the new dancers sleeping with the director she had been pushed from her position for the women willing to do anything to push their career's forward.

She was getting ready to leave the dressing room when the director had arrived, asking her if she'd give him a little piece of her body in return for having her position back. Her temper had always gotten ahead of her…this time was no different…the slap she'd offered that prick would leave a mark for days. But he hadn't just taken it, he'd replied in kind by punching her right in the eye and sending her away from the theater. He'd promised that she'd never work in this town again.

So ready to escape that horrible experience she hadn't even stopped to pick up her purse or change, she ran out in full costume. She was cursing and crying, but the rain covered up her rage and washed the tears from her cheeks. Likely the only woman in all of London that was enjoying the storm, that was until a pair of headlights came around a corner and her body was bounced off the fender of the vehicle.

Back to present…

"Take us to the hospital." Kaiba snapped the order to the driver and the guy fumbled and fell over as he scrambled to comply to the younger man. The young CEO watching the man misstep with a frown and still glaring after him when Tea spoke again.

"No, no…I'm fine." Tea interrupted, raising her hands up as if to show that she was fully intact. "Just a little bruised…I don't want to go to the hospital."

"You got hit by a car." Kaiba commented as he leaned back and looked out the window as the car started to move smoothly again along the cobblestone. "My rented car, you are going to the hospital."

"No I'm not." She put her hands on her hips, which might have seemed serious if she didn't still looked like a drowned bad version of Hollywood. "You can't make me get medical attention."

"Not that I would normally care…but why don't you want to see a doctor?" He frowned some and didn't even look back at her as he looked bored in general with her injuries. "It only seems to make sense for pain medication if nothing else."

"I…just don't wanna go to the hospital." She said as she looked at her door, idly pondering jumping out…if it had been anyone but Kaiba she may have. "I'll see a doctor but I won't go to the hospital."

"Crazy as ever." Kaiba observed, leaning forward again to press a button for the intercom. "Change of plans, take us back to the hotel and tell Nathanial when we arrive to contact a doctor to visit the suite."

"Yes sir Mr Kaiba." the driver immediately replied, still sounding nervous though the ride remained smooth enough.

"I'm not crazy…" Tea muttered, annoyed but unsure what she should say to the conceited man sharing the trip with her. "I just don't want any injuries on my record…it could hurt my dancing career…"

"I don't think they care what injuries you've had as long as you can look good on the pole." Seto crossed his arms, but resisted the urge to smile when he noted her whole body ruffle out of the corner of his eye. The impromptu reunion might not be such a poor experience after all if he was able to torture the old cheerleader for a while.

"I'm not a stripper you jackass." She huffed and leaned back, tossing her head to look out her own window angrily. "Nice to know some things will never change. Once an intolerable jerk always an intolerable jerk…"

Kaiba just shrugged, there was something nostalgic about her yelling at him. It wasn't that he missed the nonsense of those days, but he did miss the youth Mokuba had then. The fact that the two of them seemed to have so much more time. Now his younger brother was so busy with school and company responsibilities they rarely even saw one another.

"That phrase works backwards Gardner, once a moron always a moron. Perhaps if you were paying any mind to where you were going in the rain you wouldn't have gotten hit." Kaiba couldn't help himself, it was too easy and sinfully enjoyable to tease the ex-classmate. "Why were you wandering about anyway, in costume no less? Isn't the show you are a part of still playing it's ending?"

He glanced back after she remained quiet, the lack of her rising to snap back at him signaled that something was off. He noted the mark on her eye and it didn't take more than an extra second to add up that the bruise was on the wrong side of her head from where she fell. At that he let himself consider her more fully, one of her lips still had a healing scar from where it had been broken and there were multiple spots of discoloration on her skin. They were hard to notice without looking for them, it left the C.E.O. even more irritated. As much as he didn't care for Yugi and his cheerleaders he would never agree with people abusing others, women in particular…no matter how annoying they could be.

"Who hit you Gardner?" While he didn't like it he also didn't have much empathy in his voice either.

"It's none of your business Kaiba." Tea sighed holding the ice pack up to her head again. "Probably not working there anymore anyway."

"If you are any good you should be able to get a job somewhere better than that nameless theater, but the question remains of who hit you." Kaiba replied coolly, watching her feathers ruffle again as he implied her lack of talent.

"I'm a lot better than half the people working in Leicester Square, if not more…I just don't sleep with my directors or the producers." She snapped back angrily. "What the hell do you know about hard honest work anyway? Your company was handed to you!"

"I think the head wound is starting to show it's effects." Kaiba snickered at her words, reaching over past her to open a compartment and pulling out two towels, one he tossed on her lap. "I had nothing just handed to me. It's not about opening your legs anyway Gardner, it's about knowing the right people and putting yourself in the right place."

He used the second one to dry his hair off and shook his head. "I never took you as being so pessimistic…what happened to friendship can defeat all adversary or whatever nonsense you used to preach."

"You are such an impossible son of a…"

Kaiba laughed at that, shaking his head. "Calm down Gardner, I'm not your friend but we keep this little accident our secret and I can put in a good word for you. You still need to let me know who hit you though."

She was watching Kaiba carefully as she pulled the towel around her for the extra warmth, shivering a bit as she watched him offer her up a recommendation most girls would kill for as if it were nothing more difficult than a phone call.

"It probably isn't…" she reminded herself quietly. "Never thought I'd see Seto Kaiba here…"

"Why would you wanna help me?" She was paranoid, years of dealing with him and the world had left her such. "You never liked me."

"That's true, but Mokuba still speaks fondly of you losers…he'd not speak to me for ages if he found out that I just left you in such a state." Kaiba replied with a careless shrug. "Besides, I don't like pathetic washouts that think it's okay to abuse women. If you don't want to tell me I can just get the whole theater black-listed."

"There are people there that are good people." Tea frowned at him. "You can't just fire all them cause you want to make Mokuba not be pissed at you later."

"Well, I think you should probably just tell me then." Kaiba replied. "What do you care anyway? Why protect someone like that?"

"It was my boss okay? The director. He punched me after I slapped him." Tea explained with agitation. "He came onto me telling me I'd only keep a set spot on the cast if I offered him sexual favors in return. Any other lovely points of my day you want to know about?"

"We're back." He commented to her before opening his door. Making her frown as she noted they'd entered a garage and at least the rain wouldn't be there. By the time she was out of the expensive car she noticed he was on his cell phone and she was limping a little so she hesitantly accepted help from the driver. The pair slowly followed the C.E.O. inside, a couple of nurses and a doctor had been waiting for her arrival. The wheelchair they insisted she ride in was a bit awkward but the room they brought her into to help her change was very nice.

It was the sort of room she'd imagine getting at a five star hotel, a king sized bed took up the majority of one wall with a stand table at either side. Some medical equipment had already been brought in and left nearby the bed. There was a dresser and a desk, a connecting bathroom, an electric chandelier lit the room, it was extravagant but somehow missing the various clutter and detail that made something a home as opposed to a place to sleep.

She sat on the edge of the bed as she looked around, feeling the fine felt of the blanket beneath her fingers, watching when the doctor came in and begun to look her over. Kaiba had apparently disappeared and left her to answer the various awkward questions.

After assuring them it wasn't a common thing for her to be abused, lie or not, she was moved off to the bathroom to change into a set of pajama's, they were a little big on her and obviously men's clothes but she wasn't about to complain. They were a lot warmer and more comfortable than the soaked costume from the theater.

By the time she managed to get rid of the doctor she learned she had a minor concussion and needed observation for 24 hours and also that she'd sprained her ankle but if she stayed off of it for a few months it would heal good as new.

None of the news was good.

She laid back on the bed she was given with a sigh. "What the hell am I suppose to do now? I can't make rent if I don't work…I can't work with a sprained ankle… Should I just accept Kaiba's help? It's different than selling myself for parts…we're old friends right? Even if he's a jerk how many times have we ended up helping each other?"

Whatever the words, they weren't in high school anymore…they weren't chasing fantasy creatures around the world, that time was behind them both. She wouldn't mind accepting help from Mokuba though, so that's what she would think of it as.

She blinked and sat back up as she heard someone approaching, pushing herself up to watch the door as a familiar shadow became visible in the hallway.

End Chapter

Well, just an idea at the moment. Next Chapter will involve some more fun Kaiba/Tea interaction. I think I like writing for jerk's too much. Feedback is the awesome!

-Nera

Reviews FTW!