A/N: This is one of my other stories inspired by a dance on the last season of 'So You Think You Can Dance'. If you don't like that idea, you might as well leave this story, but I've already had other people read this and they like it, so you'll all be missing something really interesting if you go now…
For those who decided to stay, thank you and enjoy!
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Alyssa threw another picture into the box, fighting back tears. She had to get over him. He had been gone for weeks now and there would be no getting him back this time. How she wanted to have him back.
He had been her best friend since that horrible experiment that took her back five years in life and unable to connect with Kaiba anymore.
She missed Zane and would give anything to have him back with her for just a minute.
No Alyssa, she thought, angrily swiping away a stray tear. You're being selfish and silly…Zane wouldn't want you to be like this. He'd want you to be happy and move on with your…life…
The word sounded so cold now. Somehow she felt like she had cheated death and added five more years to her life while everyone else was getting older. Zane wouldn't have to worry about that…Now that he was gone…
Alyssa stared down at a picture of the two of them at the park, on one of the bench style swings…
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"Alyssa, can I ask you something?" Zane asked while his foot nudged the swing back and forth slowly.
Alyssa nodded and brushed some rain soaked strands of hair off her face. "Ask me anything."
"When we were looking for Jessie with Jaden in that other world, you had the opportunity to leave," Zane said, staring out at the rain instead of at her. "You could have left before things got too bad and before…"
"Before I saw you die," Alyssa finished for him.
Zane nodded. "Why didn't you leave when you had the chance?"
Alyssa smiled. "Well, that's simple really. I wanted to stay there with you because you were starting to become one of my best friends and what you were going to go through, I was going to go through." She blushed slightly. "And I also was developing a crush."
The hint of smirk appeared on Zane's lips. "You were?"
"Yes. And I know it was silly to do so at the time, but it just happened." She crossed her arms and looked away. "It only got worse when we all came back in one piece."
They sat in silence for a moment, listening to the rain and cars pass on the street. Then Zane finally glanced at her.
"Who were you crushing on?"
"Obviously the most mature person there." She smiled uncertainly at him. "You."
"Oh."
"What? Did you think I would crush on your brother or Jaden or any of the other younger guys?" Alyssa demanded. "Okay, maybe you could have thought that there was something going on between me and Jim, but that was a brother-sister thing. I mean, c'mon Zane. You've been the only one I've hung out with since then…Haven't you realized anything?"
An obvious smirk on his face surprised her. She was used to Zane keeping his facial expression neutral.
"Yeah. I've noticed a lot of things about you since we've been hanging out," he admitted, looking at her. "And I have a secret I think you should know as long as you tell no one else."
Alyssa leaned closer. "I promise not a word of it shall pass these lips unless it's seriously life threatening," she swore quietly.
Zane kissed her gently. Alyssa stared at him in shock when he pulled back.
"That's my secret."
"Your secret is…that you like me?" Alyssa guessed.
"Yeah."
Alyssa laughed lightly. "It's so like you to not say it, but that's just how I like you." She kissed him on the forehead before running off. "Come on. Let's get out of this rain before we really get soaked!"
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Alyssa put the picture in the box with the others as more tears welled up in her eyes. After that day, the two of them had officially started dating and she had been happier than when she had been with Kaiba. She didn't care if this was not how her past self had written her future because she had been in complete bliss with Zane. It didn't matter anymore anyway.
Her other friends, both the friends of her past - now older than her - and the newer ones, still had an active role in her life, but they couldn't fill the hole Zane left behind. They knew that, but they sure tried like hell to make her smile and move on for just a few minutes. Even Syrus, Zane's little brother, would try to make her crack a smile, which she would, just for him. The smile and good feelings would quickly fade as soon as they left and she would feel the tears start welling up again.
She had already given her position in Kaiba Corporations up to her cousin and was slowly pulling further out of Pegasus' Empire except in name, her uncle unwilling to let her slip out of power. It felt like everything was coming undone in her life without Zane and Alyssa was scared of that. She hated the weak feeling that gave her and did everything she could to feel in control and strong again. She even went as far as doing something she promised Zane she'd never do.
She participated in underground Hell's duels.
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Alyssa groaned as she felt an electric charge course through her body after the dueling was over with for the night. If Zane was still around, he'd have her head. She knew that and didn't care.
'Alyssa, what the hell do you think you're doing?'
Alyssa smiled to herself as she slipped her cards into her pocket and pulled Zane's old duster on for comfort. There goes my mind playing tricks on me, she thought.
'Are you trying to get yourself killed?'
"Does it really matter anymore Zane?" Alyssa asked, playing along with the games her mind was playing with her.
'Only someone stupid would ask that.'
"That makes me stupid then." Alyssa said with a smirk, kicking a can aside as she walked down the street.
'Aly, you are not stupid. I know that. You know that.'
"…"
'This isn't how I wanted you to be Aly. I didn't want you to end up like this…Not over some sap like me…I don't deserve this…this show of grief…You're suffering, Aly…'
"So? What else is new?" Alyssa demanded, glaring at the can as she stuffed her hands in the pockets of his duster.
'Aly, you were so happy before we met and before we were together. Why can't you be like that again? I can understand why you would be upset for a little while, but that time has passed…Why won't you be happy?'
"Because you stole that from me when you died Zane!" Alyssa exclaimed, tears rolling down her face. "I loved you and you made me look forward to the next day, even if it was going to rain! You were the one that made me happy when everything started going to downhill and then you had to die on me! You died Zane! You died and stole my love and happiness!"
'Aly…'
"I would give anything, you know…Just to see you for a moment…" Alyssa admitted, standing with her head bowed now. "Maybe that's why I'm doing this Zane. Maybe that's why I'm risking my neck and my heart every other night in these damned duels, because I want to see you again."
'Alyssa, don't get yourself killed.'
Alyssa smiled wetly at the warning tone in Zane's voice. Now she was convinced that either she was going crazy or Zane was actually there.
"I don't think you can stop me. You're dead after all."
Cold air passed over her and something cold pressed on her chest. The air in her lungs turned cold and she gasped. It was like she couldn't breathe. Alyssa's eyes opened in terror and her head snapped up. She couldn't see anything in front of her, but she knew there was something standing in front of her.
'Don't you die on me, Alyssa,' Zane's voice whispered in her ear. 'I love you and if you die, that'll kill me all over again…'
Alyssa held her breath as she felt something cold touch her forehead and then her eyes closed against a fresh wave of tears.
"Zane…"
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Alyssa stared at the last picture of Zane she had left to put away. This was one of the rare ones that had him with a smile on his face. She couldn't help but smile at the sight of it, despite the tears that slid down her cheeks.
"It's time to move on," she whispered, putting the picture on top of the others.
She was doing this for Zane. She hadn't heard his voice in awhile, but she'd felt his presence in her house several times, so she knew that he was still checking in on her progress. This was just step one and she wasn't sure if she could make it through this step.
She glanced at the bottle of clear liquid that she had left out just in case things got too tough for her. One sip and she wouldn't have to worry about any of this anymore. One sip and she wouldn't be without Zane anymore.
"No."
She picked up the bottle and threw it in the fireplace where a fire roared quietly. Without thinking, Alyssa picked up tape and sealed the box of photos with the entire roll before collapsing next to it in a fit of tears.
She slowly stopped when she felt the room grow colder and a cold pressure on her shoulder. She put a hand on her shoulder.
"Zane…Why…Why did you have to go?" she asked.
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A/N: O-kay! This - as you may have well noticed – is one of my angst stories. I am really starting to hate all these happy ending stories that everyone seems to write including me, so I decided why not bring out my inner angst and kill one of my favorite-ist characters in the whole Yu-Gi-Oh GX series.
You can love it, you can hate it. All you have to do is tell me what you think even if it's that you think that I've gone and lost my marbles. I've heard almost everything, but bad reviews and I wouldn't mind getting some, so don't hold back. I LOVE flames!!!! So please review or I will sick Summoned Skull on your lazy behinds!
