Disclaimer: Don't own Yu-Gi-Oh

The room was silent as the small panel gathered for the long anticipated meeting. They had watched for years as the Millennium items were in play. They monitored the use of these items by the individuals they chose and the actions of the spirts that inhabited the three inhabited items, the millennium ring, millennium puzzle and millennium rod. They were taking notes of the choices those spirits made and the way they interacted with the modern world with the idea that one might get to return in their own body to live out a new life.

"I am sure you all know why this meeting was called." The host said as the panel of six men and women took their seats around the table.

"We are here to decide which of the spirits, if any, earned the right to return to earth and live out the lives they were denied millennia ago."

"The Spirits of the Millennium Ring and Rod have shown nothing but a desire to destroy and concur." One of the women stated.

"Could we really say any earned that privilege?" a male asked.

"The puzzle spirit showed a lot of promise compared to the other two; he didn't seem interested in that, he was more interested in his own mission and understanding himself and the humans that he was surrounded with." Another female stated.

"She's right, if any of them fought for the world, fought for those they were to protect, both the assigned person and any they assigned themselves to keep safe, as the puzzle spirt did with the chosen one's friends. It was the puzzle spirit, Atem." A third individual, a man, stated.

The other panel members agreed with her at least one seemed to agree despite the fact that he didn't appear to want to. It looked like he wanted to disagree with her and say that none of the spirits earned what they were proposing, but he seemed unable to find a viable argument against what she was saying. She was right; the pharaoh had showed an integrity and respect for life that the other two spirits didn't possess. They had to credit the chosen puzzle wearer and his friends for much of what happened with that spirit, the fact that he was pushed into social situations where he could hold onto his own humanity. During this time he discovered that caring was important and that the end never justified the means used to get there when innocent people were hurt or killed in the process.

There was also the fact that his host had the courage to fight through the initial fears he felt for the spirit and his presence in his body and mind. He had to be more human and approach the youth with care. He, unlike the others, seemed to realize it was the teen's choice to continue to wear the puzzle and give his body for the spirit's control and that if he approached with a kind word and proved trustable the teenager would allow him to remain. Though there was the fact that reaction was not difficult to bring forth in that particular spirit, he had been a rather selfless individual in life before his sacrifice to save the world from the shadow realmdarkness.

The Puzzle spirit also seemed to begin to bond with the youth that was chosen to hold the puzzle, looking at him almost like a son or younger brother longing to protect him and teach him whatever he could. In response the teen who wore the puzzle really began to look up to the spirit as a teen his age (or younger) might do his father or older brother. Given the fact that the teen had barely any relationship with his father and no older siblings to speak of it wasn't a surprise that this kind of spirit formed between the spirit of the puzzle and the owner of the body that wore it.

"So have we reached a verdict?" the host asked.

"I believe we have," the second woman to speak said standing "We vote unanimously to give the privilege of continuing to live to Atem, also known as Yami Yugi. He will be returned to Japan with his own vessel, and records created to allow him to live a normal life alongside his friends Katsuya Jonouchi, Mazaki Anzu, Muto Yugi and Hiroto Honda."

Meanwhile Atem stood looking out off a balcony over the world he had found himself in after taking the step into the afterlife. He knew he should be happy here with those he had known in his life but he just couldn't forget the looks on his friends' faces as he left them. The feelings never expressed the words he knew were left unspoken between all of them.

The world he had ended up in looked a lot like the ancient Egypt he remembered from so long ago, but for some reason he found this world unfulfilling. He missed his friends and the many technological advances that made life in their world so easy.

Honda and Jonouchi were like brothers standing by his side supporting him through thick and thin and forcing him to be honest about his motivations to himself and to them. They weren't afraid to speak their minds no matter what he wanted to hear. Jonouchi had even had the guts to punch him in the face when it was thought necessary.

Yugi was an even stronger force that to keep him honest on his motives as to maintain the boy's trust. Not only that, Yugi was like the child he was, in life, denied by his early death at not even 19 years of age and having never taken a wife though he'd had his eyes on a woman he would have taken as a bride. He found from the beginning that he longed to keep Yugi safe from harm as his innocent spirit reminded him of all that was good in the world.

Then there was Anzu, she was spirited and beautiful both inside and out and that drew him so much more than he wanted to admit. That was where more the most unspoken words lay, at least from his prospective, but he could never have done that to her. He always had a feeling he was not meant to remain among his friends so he couldn't bear to hurt her by expressing that he loved her more than she would ever comprehend. That he longed to hold her in his arms; that his life meant little without her and their friends in it then leaving them, especially her, to deal with the emotional aftermath.

"Atem…" a female voice ripped him from his thoughts.

He looked at her over his shoulder, barely acknowledging her presence.

"You miss them, don't you, the friends you made back on earth, Yugi, Jonouchi, Honda…" she paused briefly for effect "…Anzu"

Atem's demeanor changed rapidly when her name came from the woman's lips. He went tense, what did she know about his relationship with Anzu relative to the others? Did she mean Anzu harm?

"Who are you?" Atem demanded turning rapidly to face the woman who spoke to him.

"That is not important" she replied "what is important is what you would do if you were given a chance to return to earth, no strings, no mission, just you in your own body, living with your friends and the woman you obviously love."

Atem looked baffled by what she was stating.

"Don't look so shocked, you did so much that would better the world, protecting your friends and giving Yugi the kind of courage he would never have without your influence. You did so much for others why would you think no one would do anything for you?" she smiled as she walked over to the balcony and leaned on the railing.

"Just think of it for a moment, going back down to earth seeing the people you care about again. Getting to tell them you're there to stay. Getting to tell her that you love her…" Her tone was casual "I know Yugi was always important to you, you'd get to see him reach the goals he has, achieve the dreams he has and the desires you had for him. Then there is Anzu… I saw that look when I mentioned her, you love her; with this gift you'd be free to tell her how you felt, be by her side as she finds her path to her dreams. You can hold her in your arms, and… maybe do more, I get the feeling that crush wasn't one-sided."

"That would… that would be amazing." He admitted leaning back against the banister. "But how would I explain my own presence. To that world I haven't existed in over 3 millennia."

"We have all of that handled. All you need to worry about is living your new life." She replied simply. "It's time, are you ready?" she asked.

"Yes, I am, but where will I end up?"

"You'll see, and you will see your friends quickly after you arrive." She replied cryptically "Be sure to say happy birthday to Anzu when you see her."

A blinding flash of light surrounded Atem…

To Be Continued…