"Waaaaaghh!" My voice filled the room as I fell face first onto the floor.

"Ow..."

I stood up rubbing my forehead and looked around. The room was dark, and only the ghostly moon illuminated the place. I sat down on the bed and tried to calm down my breathing. Getting terrified over a nightmare was one thing, but fall out of bed was kinda new for me...

After a while my heartbeat returned to normal, but I was still shaking. I could pretty well guess that I won't be able to continue my sleep again.

I groaned - this was so embarrassing! I was eleven, for crying out loud! I should be strong enough as to not let some stupid thing like made up stories from my brain to scare me breathless. Yet, this was ridiculous – after each nightmare, not depending whether it was in 11PM or 3 AM, I was never able to get back asleep again. Every time it ended with me squirming in bed, and later – falling asleep in the middle of a class.

Why was this even happening? I bet my classmates know how to-

"Mokuba? Are you alright?"

I fell silent when I heard the muffled voice behind my door. What should I say? With all those earlier nights I could no doubt guess that everyone in the mansion knew about my night-time adventures. But I had no desire to let Seto know I was this wimpy enough as to not control my fears like he does...

"Yeah, I'm fine." I managed to call out. Of course, my voice wasn't fooling anyone.

"Really? I heard your scream. What happened?" He opened the door and before I could protest Seto came to my bed and sat down next to me.

Even though his presence did have a positive effect on me, I couldn't admit to him my problem.

"Uhh... I saw a spider."

"Mokuba, you're not afraid of spiders." He said it dryly.

"Yeah, but this one was gigantic! With huge fangs and hairy legs..." I stopped my fairytale right then when I saw the sceptical look in his eyes. Of course, being Seto, he had the inhuman ability to know whether someone was lying or not...

"You had a nightmare again, didn't you?"

At this I looked down and nodded in agreement. I felt his fatherly gaze full of love and wisdom and then his hand stroking my shoulder.

"You shouldn't be afraid of dreams, you know..."

"I know." I sighed – when was my brother ever wrong? "It's just that I'm never able to fall back asleep again. I'm already tired, but I know just know that I'll be forced to stay awake now..."

At this Seto looked deep in thought.

"Want me to tell you a story?" I looked in his eyes trying to find some sort of mockery – surely he wasn't serious?

"Uh, I'm way too old for fairy-tales." I stated like it was obvious.

"I was talking about REAL stories."

"Like what, for instance?" Now my eyes sparkled with curiosity as Seto smiled at me.

"How about I'd tell you a story about how we first met?"

For a second there I had no idea what was my brother talking about, but when I understood what he meant I had to restrain my excitement as to not fell of the bed once more.

"Yeah!" I shouted with amazement as I scooted closer to Seto wanting to hear him more clearly.

"Very well." He nodded and began telling the story." It was a warm summer day of fifteen of July..."