Disclaimer: Unfortunately I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!, it's characters, or the story line----however I will tamper with it for my own amusement. Sue me if you desire but I'm not wearing shoes, and socks so you can't have those. You may also not have what is in my pockets for I have none. The last person who sued me got those in an out of court settlement. .

Italics are mental calls.

Now that I have had my fun being sarcastically witty onto the story. Don't know why but I like it when authors say that.

At the time I hadn't understood how I had ended up in my bed, let alone in my home. Having yet to open my eyes this is the place I assumed myself to be. I was lying on a firm mattress covered by a sole sheet, my head was placed on a long, encased pillow, and my hands placed on a comforter that was cool to the touch.

Squinting my eyes I looked around the sparsely decorated room and sure enough I was quick to confirm it as mine. Low, white, stainless carpeting. There was a dark blue bedroom sheet, pillowcase and comforter. Black painted walls encased me and looking across the room I saw my clock perched on the dark wood desk, which sat beside my dark blue closet door. The clock read three.

Focusing my eyes on the black ceiling I was having trouble recalling what day it was, and with the sole window in my room covered in thick, black curtains I couldn't figure out what part of day it was either. I tried recalling what I had been doing before I went to sleep. As it seemed I was having trouble remembering anything of importance at that moment.

I decided that I should get up and go to the bathroom; there I hoped to be able to gather my thoughts. I slowly rose to a sitting position and immediately regretted the action. Intense pain shot through my entire being. My body jerked and I felt as if a lightning bolt had hit me. I couldn't resist the cry that made it past my lips, and I squinted my eyes to try and help ease the tension in my body. My head, which had previously known nothing of what was going on, now was swimming with pain and nausea.

I felt really alone at that moment. I desperately wanted someone to be here and hold me and console me but there was no one. That is when my eyes snapped open and my brain was able to grasp something. Alone. I began to panic then. I remember this feeling. I had felt it before. When Atemu had sent Bakura away for the first time, I had felt it then.

Bakura, I called to him with my mind, almost desperately.

I was met with silence and a stronger dizzy feeling. Trying to push away the sickness invading my mind I reached out and tried once again to call my other. Dread enveloped me and I came to a realization that sickened me. There was no one else occupying my mind, no one answering my mental calls, and the one person that had promised to never leave me again was gone.

He would be back soon, I assured myself. Like the last time, he would return to me, and everything would return to normal. I would yell and scream at him for leaving and I know he would reassure me that he wouldn't leave again, that I shouldn't worry, but both of his leavings I knew weren't his choice. It made me fell better knowing he was the one that controlled the departures, I just couldn't accept that an outside force was determined to ruin the last shred of happiness I had. I would just have to overcome this sickness that consumed me and find a way to help him return, just in case he had trouble finding a way back to me.

I knew first hand how the Shadow Realm affected one's mind. How the Realm altered one's views of reality, and how the Realm found it humorous to play with others memories and emotions. Bakura wouldn't forget how to escape the Realm, he wouldn't forget how he had gotten there, he wouldn't forget where to find me, and he wouldn't forget me. I would make sure of it.

I, at the moment, could feel no emotions. The realization of Bakura's disappearance had hit me hard and fast. Until my mind was able to fully register what it had figured out I had a feeling that I would be empty for a while. I knew I would be a wreck when my emotions kicked in, so as sad as it seemed I would be trying to enjoy the emotionlessness I felt at the moment.

My body didn't hurt anymore but ached, and my head was still a little swimmy. I chalked up the reason for these symptoms as an effect of Bakura missing. Mainly due to the fact they appeared the last time my other was taken. I had no clue why they came, but I never really questioned it. I still didn't know where he was for certain; the Shadow Realm just seemed the likeliest of places. I didn't know why he was gone, how he was gone, or how any of this would end up affecting me, besides the current ailments I already had.

With my body and mind exhausted I ended up falling asleep with several questions still in mind. With my mind occupied I dreamed, and what I dreamed I prayed was not a memory but what it was supposed to be, a dream.

I was standing in darkness. I was the only physical thing in the whole plane. I tried desperately to call out for someone, anyone. A shadow appeared in front of me, seeming to answer my cries. As it approached I recognized it to be my Yami. He smiled at me and warmth spread through me in waves. I don't think I could have been happier.

Suddenly the Pharaoh and Yugi appeared to my right. They wore twin expressions of grimness. The frowns on their faces made Bakura and me frown too. Words were exchanged between my Yami and Yugi's, although I could not hear them. My Yami looked as furious as I looked helpless and confused. Suddenly all eyes turned to me. I had no idea what was wanted from me but I said nothing.

Blinding light sprayed from the Millennium Puzzle and I shielded my eyes from it. Peering around I noticed that where there were four of us only three stood. Bakura was gone. I sank to my knees as Yugi and his darkness turned and walked into the darkness, vanishing from sight. I peered around me and saw the face of Malik and his Yami, but I only glimpsed them long enough to watch them disappear. I hadn't even noticed them before.

Waking up from the dream I forced myself to sit up. I felt better than I had before, the nausea was completely gone, and for that I was thankful. Thinking back to the dream I am only able to assume what has happened. Yugi's Yami, Atemu, sent Bakura away, and Malik and his dark, Marik, did nothing to stop it. They were there, but I would not be angry with them, because I did nothing to stop it either. If what I thought were true about what happened I would hate myself. It would be as if I helped send away my soul companion.

Debating in my head I decided to call Malik and demand answers from him. I may have interpreted my dream all wrong, but I knew either way Malik knew something, and if I didn't get answers from him I had a feeling Atemu would only give me half truths and half answers.

I moved the covers off of my body, turned and placed my feet on the floor. I slowly stood and let my body adjust to the new position before I continued out of my room. After a minute of waiting I proceeded toward my bathroom. My toes squished in the carpet as my head felt really heavy. The bathroom was adjoined to my bedroom, and the door was already opened so it wasn't a long trip.

After groping the wall to my left I flipped on the light. With my eyes being in the dark for long periods of time it took a while for them to adjust to the blaring light bulb, which was all too happy to lighten the solid white bathroom. From its tile to its tub the bathroom was solid white, a feature Bakura hated and always threatened to change while I was away and couldn't stop him.

I looked in the mirror and wasn't shocked at how I appeared. Dark circles were displayed under my green eyes (1). My naturally pale skin looked paler from my earlier sickness. I found my hair was flat and looked dirty, that I would have to take care of soon, my vanity wouldn't allow that for very long. Looking at my clothes I was shocked to find myself in a school uniform. By now though the blue outfit was quiet wrinkled and hardly tucked in.

Deciding I wouldn't be able to do anything about my appearance until I took a shower and slept for forty years, I proceeded out of my bathroom, out of my bedroom and into the hall. No pictures were hung and the carpet that covered the floor was also white. The only thing that decorated the hall was a small, black, cordless phone that attached to the wall.

The phone, being the object I desired, was what I headed for. Picking it up I dialed Malik's number, I knew it by heart. He, Marik, Isis, Rishid, and the Kaiba brothers were the only ones I really kept in contact with, my true friends you could say. After Battle City Malik, Marik, Bakura, and I became friends. We came to an unspoken understanding with each other. All four of us could relate in a way that Atemu and Yugi could never understand, and in some ways I don't think we did either, but that isn't the point. We came to a truce and that blossomed to friendship. Isis and Rishid joined the circle being relatives of Malik, and by a technicality Marik. And they didn't throw peace and harmony speeches at me every time I breathed funny. Seto and I became friends at school. It was really Seto's and Bakura's mutual hate for Atemu and Yugi that started it, and eventually all of us clicked for different reasons, and of course with him came his brother, whom I didn't mind, mainly because he didn't annoy me.

As my thoughts weaved the phone rang. I then realized that I didn't even know what I was going to say. Than again, how many different ways were there to ask 'Why did Atemu send Bakura away?' It kept ringing and I figured I would try later when an out-of-breath woman answered the phone, "Hello?"

"Isis, it's Ryou. Can I please speak with Malik?" For some reason my heart was pounding in my chest and I became nervous.

"Of course Ryou. Hold on a second. MALIK PHONE!" I cringed away slightly at the shrillness of her yell before placing the phone back on my ear and waiting. After a few seconds of waiting a male voice picked up.

"Hello, Sex Cat speaking," normally I would have laughed at his childishness, but seeing as how my emotions still hadn't kicked in I didn't.

"Malik?"

"Hey Ryou! What's shakin'?"

"I'm not sure."

"What do you mean Ry', what's wrong?"

"Bakura, he…Bakura's….Did Atemu send Bakura away Malik?" Malik's side of the line went deadly silent. I wasn't deterred and waited patiently for an answer.

"I don't understand Ryou, what do you mean 'send away'?"

"Exactly that. Bakura's gone Malik. I woke up today and he was gone. I can't remember anything that happened yesterday, or how I ended up in bed at home. Then I had this dream with you, Marik, Yugi, Atemu, Bakura and I in it. I think Atemu sent Bakura away and I don't know what to do. I had hoped you'd know what was going on."

"Ryou stay at your house, Marik and I are coming over. We will get to the bottom of this." I nodded at the phone, knowing he couldn't see me. Then a question popped into my mind that I couldn't ignore, and before I realized it I had spoken it aloud.

"Malik, what if I'm wrong? What if Bakura abandoned me? I mean he wouldn't right? He promised."

"Don't you DARE think that Ryou Bakura. We will be over in ten minutes, don't budge."

"Ok Malik." I heard the phone click as he hung up, and I hung mine up as well.

While I believed Malik's words I still wasn't sure. Had Bakura just left me? Had he gotten tired of me and severed our link? I don't want to be alone anymore; he didn't want to be alone anymore, that's why he promised. Finally my mind let what had happened sink in and my emotions kicked into high gear.

I sank to the floor, my back against the wall, and began to cry. Sobs racked my body and I placed a hand over my mouth trying to quiet my helpless wails.

1-I think it is in the manga he has them, but he has them at one point, and it's not like I don't like him with brown, but he looks pimpin' with the green while Bakura has red.

Chapter 2: I don't know how long it will take me to get it written and posted. Keep in mind I write on the weekends because I work 5 graveyard shifts, all in a row, every week. I can tell you however that Malik and Marik will be in the next chapter more. I think Bakura will have a point of view thrown in the chapter, and by chapter 3 or 4 Ryou tells someone off in a, what I deem, funny way.