My second story has arrived!

The background of this fic needs to be explained. I am ignoring the storyline in GX seasons 3 and 4 (that means no Johan/Jesse, no Yubel, no Fujiwara, and subsequently no mature Judai). I'm assuming that Zane has returned to his old self and discarded his Hell Kaiser personality at the end of season 2, and returned to a promising career in the Pro League, together with a promising romance with Alexis. It couldn't be any better for our Kaiser…

Which is exactly when a disaster is about to strike.

I like to throw my characters into serious trouble in the height of their happiness, don't I? Anyways, I should stop talking; otherwise the story will be spoiled.

Sit back and enjoy!

Faithless

He hugged her. He hugged her so tightly she found it quite impossible to breathe, but she was fine with it. After all, he just had a major transformation, and it's okay if he's a bit over-expressive with his feelings.

His Duel Disk dug into her arm as he used his left hand to lift up her chin and stare into her hazel eyes. She stared back into his blue ones, dark and mysterious as they stood in the backstage of the Kaiba Dome in Domino. None of them spoke; words were not needed.

Lowering his head timidly, he kissed her. Warmth flew through her soul, and her heart wept with the joy of regaining something she thought she had forever lost. She freed her arms from between their torsos and hugged his neck, her hands stroking his hair. She felt his solid heartbeat, his shallow breath, so close to her skin it's almost as if the two of them have merged together into one being, with no beginning and no end.

A bell sounded in the distance.

Softly, he started to push her away. She understood. He's got to go now, to win this duel. He promised her and his friends that he's going to rebuild his career, and so far he's doing great. She has no doubt about that.

He also made another promise, a promise that he would be here for her for all eternity. He would never leave her alone, in doubt and darkness, with no one by her side. In that instant he was the very impersonation of happiness. She could ask for no more. It was her dream coming true.

And now he's going to fulfil his own dreams.

He began to walk towards the stage, but halfway there he turned back, looking at her with his deep, soulful eyes, as if he was unsure, hesitant about whether or not to leave her.

Don't worry, she mouthed. Just win the duel and come back.

He smiled at her, and walked away.

Away and away until she could no longer see him, until all his memories have faded from her mind, until she could no longer hear his voice, no longer recall his touch, no longer remember his face.

All that was left for her was his promise.

An empty, dead promise.

She gasped and opened her eyes. Tears were streaming down her face and falling onto the expansive silk pillowcase, making them wet and soggy. She swallowed hard and found her throat to be as dry as firewood. Stumbling up, she walked out of her bedroom and into the kitchen, searching for a drink.

A calendar was on the fridge. She squinted at it; of course, it's the anniversary of his disappearance. No wonder she dreamt of him. It's been so long and her life has changed so much, and now only on this fateful day can she even remember his existence.

Her thirst quenched, she walked back to her room, feeling her way with her fingertips. Gingerly she sat back down on the bed, afraid to wake the sleeper beside her. But he was already awake.

"Lexi? Are you okay?" He whispered in the darkness beside her head.

"I'm fine," she sighed.

"I know," the man beside her commented. "It's ten years. I'm having a hard time with it too."

"Has it really been so long?" She wondered absentmindedly.

"Time flies." He turned to face her. "It's alright, Lex. It's okay. I'm here with you."

"I know." She smiled.

"Go back to sleep. They'll probably call us very early tomorrow. Don't get too worked up with it." He patted her shoulders. Soon enough she was asleep again.

He did not. He stared up at the ceiling, his dark eyes unblinking as the night drifted on.

--

The Kaiba Dome, the height of glory for every duelist, the ultimate stage for the elite of the game. The arena was flooded with bright light and on the stands the crowds were gathering, like a restless wave on a dark and deep sea. No one raised their voice. Today's duel was special, almost sacred. It's held in the memory of a great duelist whom they lost, and never recovered.

She was not with the others as they made their preparations backstage. She sat up the top in the staff room overlooking the entire arena beneath her, her brown eyes unfocused. Every year, for ten years, they would return to Domino from wherever they are, and they would duel, in the name of a man they believed to be dead. It has become a ritual, a rope linking them together from their past. She never participated in all this time, though. They understood that, the audience too.

The duelists were walking in below her. She didn't bother to check who they were, it would become apparent in due time. Soon enough, she glimpsed E-Hero Tempest, and a few turns later Armed Dragon Level 7 made its appearance. She lowered her head. There's no point to watch anymore. The crowd was roaring. She turned her back to the window.

Jaden and Chazz took their time, which only made her more fidgety. Cursing the stuffiness of the room – or was it her heart? – she pulled open the door and descended the stairs. A few moments of absence won't matter.

She needed fresh air.

There was a vending machine beside the steps right outside the arena. She stopped there and fished for a coin inside her pockets, and jumped in alarm when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She stared defiantly at the intruder.

And was greeted by a pair of hollow, teal eyes.

"Alexis." He murmured in his deep, almost inaudible voice. "It's nice to see you again."

Her jaw dropped. I'm seeing a ghost! Her mind screamed. But no, he's right here in front of her after all these years, in flesh and blood. She thought she's dreaming. She pinched herself in the arm, hard.

He didn't disappear.

He reached out for her. Dazed, she didn't respond. The flood of time swept over her, bringing memories and happiness and guilt. She felt his strong arms – much stronger than she'd remembered – wrap around her and giving her a sense of security. She closed her eyes. How can this be happening? How can he just return like this, after everything that had happened?

How can she ever face him again after what she's done?

--

"Aster speaking." A sharp, ringing voice answered on the other side of the line.

"Hey, it's Alexis here." She said into the phone. "Is the duel finished yet? I'm not in the arena."

"No, but soon. Do you know that Chazz's actually winning? I think we're about to see a miracle."

"That's great news. But after you've seen the miracle, can you please tell everyone to cut the ceremonies short and head straight to my place?"

There was a pause. "Is there anything wrong?" Aster asked softly.

Alexis leaned against the wall. "It's a long story. Please, just come as soon as possible."

"You sound distressed, are you sure you're okay?"

"I will be okay when I see you lots at my house."

"Sure sure, I'll tell them."

"Thanks." Alexis hang up and took a deep breath. He was still standing beside her car and staring out into the horizon with an empty and detached expression, his back towards her.

"We need to go now," she said, in a voice that she didn't recognize to be her own. He turned around, his eyes flat and lightless. Silently she got into her car and started the engine, a moment later he got in too.

"I still can't believe that I did find you," he muttered.

"I can't believe it, either," she responded nonchalantly, turning the steering wheel.

She felt his eyes on her and she looked back. His face was different from moments before. He no longer wore that blank expression; instead, he was looking at her with something akin to poisonous jealousy. Instinctively she shrank away from him, alarmed at this sudden change in his mood.

"Yes, imagine my surprise when I heard that a duel is being held in my memory," his lips parted in a cynical smile. She shivered at his sardonic expression.

"We thought you were dead." Grasping the steering wheel tighter, she kept her eyes on the road as she commented.

He sighed beside her. "I don't blame you. It's been so long, too long." She heard clothes shuffling beside her as he moved, and she forced herself to concentrate and keep driving.

"But I'm back, Lexi. I'm finally back." His husky whisper was so close to her ear she jumped, her heart skipping a beat. "I'm sorry. The entire thing was out of my hands; you couldn't imagine, couldn't imagine what I've been through…" His voice dipped low.

You couldn't imagine what I've been through, either, she thought soundlessly.

"Lexi," he made a move to grab her hands, but decided against it when he looked into her face. "I didn't forget you. I'm back. I know it's probably too late, but you… you don't know how important you're to me. Please, Alexis, I've come back… to fulfil my promise."

They reached a red light. She slammed on the brakes and was glad for the stop. She turned to him; he was looking at her expectantly with glittering eyes.

"I'm married already."

The light in his eyes froze and he stared at her, his irises once again blank and empty. She never saw such despair and hatred on his face in all the time she's known him. He's changed; he's changed into a shadow of his former self.

"What did you say?" His voice was harsh, brittle. But she had to tell him.

"I'm married, Zane. I'm married to Chazz."

--

I know that I haven't finished Nightingale's Blood, and I know I'm already updating pretty slowly, but this idea's been bugging me for a long time and I've just got to get it out. Unfortunately, I'm afraid that I haven't got a very clear idea myself as to what actually did happen to Zane in his long absence, so this story will be updated irregularly. Please bear it with me. I'll do my best to fix my current plot holes.

I've also decided that the role of Alexis's husband in this story needs a complex personality, so Chazz it is. And expect some OOC along the way because, after all, it's been ten years for those duelists. I'm putting all the characters as 17 years old when Zane (19) disappeared, making them 27 at the time of this story (Zane, of course, is 29). The exception is Aster. Aster is 3 years younger than Zane, making him 26.