One Life For Another, a yu-gi-oh fanfic

Yugi's POV:

I lay down in my bed looking at me ceiling

"Why? Why did they abandon me? They hurt me when they left, so, why hurt me even more?" I asked out loud. I would have asked my cards, but, they too had left me. Tears fell down my face, I looked out the window.

Does anyone care that I am becoming emotionally scarred? NO! It's ALL about Atem now! "Why would they even care about me anyway?

"Dad." I said as a tear fell down my face. "Dad, please, please don't leave for Atem like everyone else did. Please." The tears fell faster down my face and I felt my stomach give a lurch. I went to my garbage can and puked. After I was done, I walked over to my bed and picked up a book that my father used to read to me. I slowly looked through the book and let my finger trace the pictures. I closed my eyes and cried in my sleep.

I woke up to hear my mom screaming in happiness. I didn't care who was there, as long as they didn't bug me. Out of the corner of my eye to see a pair of eyes coming to my room. I nearly screamed until I saw my light turn on, it was my father. He walked over to me and looked into my eyes. His face was stone hard.

"They are more empty then when I left you." He said coldly, referring to my eyes.

"S- So? Nobody cared. Mom didn't, neither did Grandpa." I said to him as I coughed. His face was still stone cold. I turned away from him and let the tears that were welling up fall. No, he hates me like everyone else does. Why?

"Humph." He said leaving, and turning off my light, once he left I cried for hours until I finally fell asleep.

I woke up and felt my stomach lurch again. My room was weakly illuminated by the moon, but, I could still see my garbage can. I ran over to it and puked again. Tears fell down my face as I puked, I continued puking for three minutes and once I stopped, I'd had enough. My insides hurt as I coughed.

I felt like someone stuffed Rat Poison down my throat. The puking continued then, once I was done, I walked back to my bed. Sometime that night, something hard hit the side of my head, I rolled over and smacked my head on something else before I hit the ground knocking something over. I groaned in pain as I got back up onto my bed.

What's going on? Why do I feel so much pain? My insides hurt and so did my head. They all hurt so bad. I couldn't take anymore, I walked into the kitchen, which was easy, because everyone else was asleep. I was about to pick a knife out of the butcher block and yelped. I didn't stab myself, I just yelped.

"Why? Why are you doing this big brother?" An eerie voice said. She appeared right in front of me.

"Y...Yumi? How-" I saw blood coming from her wrists and threw up in the sink. "Yumi, how did you get here?" I asked her once I stopped. She hadn't changed in age since she was pulled into the water at lake Koza. She was still six years old.

"You owe me." She said. "I gave my life for your's at lake Koza."

"You think you've had it tough? Mom and dad hate me! Grandpa does too. They really do hate me!" Tears were falling down my face again and the pain in my insides came back.

"Why? I thought they loved us."

"They still love you. But, they finally got sick of taking care of me." I fell down to my knees crying.

"I love you." Yumi said putting a hand on my shoulder. I knew she was a spirit, but, it felt good to have some comfort.

"Thanks." I said sniffing "I'm really sorry for what happened at lake Koza. I'll go to the lake now."

"But, it's dark out. What if you get hurt?"

"It doesn't matter, all that matters is you get your life back." I said smiling. I went up stairs and got changed into my Domino High uniform. Once I was down stairs, I cleaned the sink and left a note. It read:

If you ever want to see your daughter again, go to lake Koza at noon tomorrow. If you do not arrive at the designated time, I will watch your son commit suicide and laugh at his pale body as his final words will most likely be 'Why didn't they love me when they had the chance?'

"Big brother! Come on! I thought you hated it here!" I heard Yumi say as I taped the note to the fridge. I'm surprised mom and dad didn't hear her.

"Coming." I said. I dashed to the stairwell to see Yumi waiting for me. I jumped down the stairs, trying not to make as much noise as need be. Once we got outside, Yumi guided me to the lake. I was running.

"Why are you running big brother?" She asked as she was gliding beside me.

"I don't know, I guess I just want to get there quick." I replied as we ventured into the dark. After a couple of hours, we had to stop in a part of the woods close to the lake because I was so tired. I started a camp fire and sat down on a fallen log. Yumi sat next to me. She put her hands out towards the fire.

"I thought that you didn't need to feel warmth." I said, not thinking straight.

"I don't. I just want to be next to my brother." She said as she put her spirit head on my shoulder.

"I'm sorry about the lake incident." I said crying again.

"It's okay big brother." She said to me. She wiped my tears away. "We're brother and sister, we have to forgive each other. And we have to love each other too."

"Right. Thanks." I said to her.

"Anytime brother." She yawned and her spirit head fell through my shoulder and onto my lap. I felt it, I touched her cheek, she was solid. I picked her up and lie down on the ground next to the log as the fire went out.

Normal P.O.V:

Mrs. Muto had a feeling as though something bad was about to happen. She had one of the worst dreams of her life.

The sky was dark, with no sun. "Mom..." She knew that voice was Yugi's and it sounded weak. He was lying on his back on the ground. There was dark red grass around him. Above him was a white light. The light was beginning to take shape. Once the shape was formed, she was surprised to see her daughter. Yumi lied down next to her brother, she was shaking.

"Yumi!" She said happily, Yumi turned to her, she had tears running down her face.

"Why Mommy? Why?"

"What do you mean honey?"

"He's dying." Yumi said as she cried.

Yugi put a hand on Yumi's face and smiled a weak smile.

"Be a good girl okay?" He said to his sister. Amy watched as her son drew a staggering breath and his hand that was on his sisters face fall to the ground. He was dead, his eyes were still open and were wide with pain, his skin was really pale, almost gray. Upon taking a second look, his stomach was bleeding. He'd lost so much blood.

"Yumi, come on, we have to go."

"No, not with out big brother."

"There's nothing we can do to help him!"

"We can take him away from The Lake Lady."

"What are you...?"

"SHE KILLED HIM!" Yumi shrieked as she cried.

"But... That... Isn't..."

She stopped because she heard yelling coming from the lake, then, a white hand came out a grabbed Yugi's ankle. A woman with pale skin, pitch black hair and dark green eyes came up. She was wearing a black dress. She pulled Yugi under the water.

"NO!" She screamed as she watched her son go under the dark water, never to be seen again. She fell to her knees crying.

"Amy! Amy!" She heard someone calling her. "AMY!" She woke up and saw her husband's shining eyes. His eyes never, ever, shined like that.

"You had a nightmare too?"

"Yeah. It was about Yugi."

"You saw Yumi too?"

"Yeah."

"Come on. Maybe we just need to eat." She said to her husband. They both got up and walked into the kitchen. They heard foot steps.

" (Yawn) Morning." Atem said as he entered the room. Amy figured they'd want eggs so she went to the fridge, took them out and saw the note.

"B... Balto... Look." She said in a weird voice, she sounded afraid. Balto's eyes scanned the note... He was shocked, but, that was all.

"We have to go to the lake. We have to go, now." Balto said as he looked at the time, the clock said 11:32.

"Right." Amy said. They walked out the front door wearing the appropriate attire.

"Come on. We have to go." They took off running into the woods.

~~~~~Meanwhile,

"Brother, brother, wake up." Yumi said to Yugi, she was a in her spirit form again. Yugi woke up and yawned. He felt so cold, staying in one place didn't help. He shook it off and walked to the lake, with his sister gliding beside him. "Do you remember where it happened?" She asked him as he took off his jacket.

"Yeah." He reached into the snow and pulled out a fish hook, that wasn't covered in rust, but it looked new. He put it next to him and slammed both of his fists on the cold, icy, surface of the lake, breaking it. He put the hook in the water, and felt it attach to something. He pulled it up to reveal it was a mirror. A hand grabbed his wrists, and a yell echoed through the surrounding area.

~~~~~In the woods

"Did you hear that?" Amy asked as a chill went up her spine.

"Yeah." Atem said. He pulled his coat closer to him.

"Let's go." Balto said rushing ahead of them.

~~~~Back at the lake

A woman with pale skin, pitch black hair and dark green eyes came up.

"Okay, but, before I go, give my sister her life back." Yugi said.

"Fine!" She said crushing his wrist with one hand, but, she slammed her hand into his stomach, her fingers piercing his skin, just barely touching his organs as blood was coming out. Yugi screamed in pain while blood came from the place where he'd been stabbed as he was dropped on the ground. The woman went back into the water smiling a sick smile as the screaming echoed throughout the surrounding areas.

"Brother, please don't go." Yumi said as she ran to her older brother. She was human now. But, she didn't care. "I never wanted you to die. Please, stay."

"It's okay. I don't mind dieing for you." He took his jacket from where it was lying on the ground, and placed it on her shoulders. He shut his eyes in pain. Yumi clutched onto his arm crying.

"Yumi!" She turned around when she heard her name.

"Mommy! Daddy!" She said as she felt them pull her into a tight hug. She then felt her mother try to pull her away from Yugi. "No!" She said breaking out of her grip and clutching onto Yugi's arm.

"Yumi, why are you-" She stopped talking at the sight of the blood. Her eyes filled with tears. As did Balto's and Atem's. "That isn't possible that... He can't die. That just isn't possible. He can't die. H-...He can't die." Balto pulled her into a tight embrace. Atem just dropped to his knees.

A yell of rage broke everything up. They all looked at the water, and saw a hand grab Yugi's ankle.

"NO!" Amy yelled, she was deciding to run towards her son and get that witch to release him. Or just grab Yumi and run. But, they all saw Yugi's hand move to the mirror just as the woman was moving to the surface. Yumi let go off his arm and ran towards her parents.

"You will not escape me this time." She said to him, Yugi took a breath and looked at the witch.

"You can't take me." He said to her as he kicked her hand off of his ankle. He got up and tried to run, but, the blood was rushing faster down his shirt. He screamed in pain as he fell into a semi-fettle position in front of his family.

"Haha. You shouldn't have tried to run." The lake lady said walking up to Yugi.

"I know that... That you think that you're all powerful, but, you're not." He said as a small amount of blood trickled out of his mouth. "You're just a weak old bat, and today, your kidnapping spree is over." He said slowly getting to his feet. He had the mirror in one hand, and the hook was now in his teeth.

"You dare mock ME? Well then, I guess I'll have to teach you some manners!" She gripped his neck and squeezed. Yugi felt his air way constrict. He tightened his grip on the mirror and the hook.

"P... Please... Stop..." He said as he dropped the items into the snow. His body went limp.

"No..." Amy said as she saw the woman throw Yugi to the ground.

"Haha. He was so weak. You didn't feel a thing when he died, did you?" The witch asked smirking "Yes. He is dead." She said as she saw their faces.

"No... No..." Amy dropped to her knees again. She thought of when Yumi was first taken away, but, this it was more then she could take. Why did this have to happen? She looked at Yugi. Yugi, I'm so sorry... Please, don't be dead... Please.. Balto pulled her into a tight embrace again, this time, Yumi pushed her way into the middle.

Atem yelled in rage and ran at the witch, who made a water barrier around herself, protecting her from the assault. All Atem's moves were absorbed into the barrier.

"Ha ha." She said smirking "Your just as weak as the boy."

Atem shook in rage as he stared at her

"Like he said you're not all powerful. You're just a weak old bat." He said. The woman glided towards Atem and smacked him so hard he hit a tree that snapped in half like it was a twig.

"Leave... Them ... Alone..." They all turned to where Yugi was on the ground, he slowly got to his feet and picked up the items.

"So, I didn't completely kill you?" The Witch said snickering "I guess when you go down this time, you'll stay down." She said looking around him. There was a huge pool of blood around him and there was blood going down his front from his mouth and from his stomach.

"I'll show you that I can beat you." Yugi said taking a staggering breath.

~~~Yumi's P.O.V

I can't stand seeing big brother like this. He's doing this so I wouldn't have to go away again. I felt mommy grip onto my shoulders. I looked at her and saw tears lines on her face.

"Mommy?" I said. She looked at me and more tears fell.

"I can't stand this." She said as she gripped me closer to her.

We heard big brother yell. The witch was pulling him into the water. It was like seeing a horse, that didn't want to move, being pulled by someone who's trying to make it move.

"Brother!" I yelled, I moved out of mommy's grip, and ran out to him.

"Stay back!" He yelled. "You guys, run. Just RUN!" He yelled louder slamming the mirror on the witch's hand and walking to her.

"She's getting sucked in!" A teen who looked like big brother said as he walked up to us holding his arm.

"NO!" She yelled. She slammed her hand into his stomach again before disappearing into the mirror. Big brother threw the mirror far into the lake. He then collapsed from exhaustion, cold and blood loss. Daddy ran to him and put his coat over him before picking him up.

~~~Balto's P.O.V

"We have to get him to a hospital. Now." I said racing into the woods. Everyone else followed "You're going to be okay Yugi. You're going to be alright."

"Dad?" He asked. I hardly heard him.

"It's okay pal. We're taking you to the hospital. Just stay awake. Don't fall asleep." I said to him gently.

"Yeah... I'll try... " He was getting weaker with every minute we were in the cold. He was hardly breathing and that made the adrenaline in my body go into overdrive.

I ran into the hospital and they looked at him immediately. After 20 agonizing minutes they let us in to see him. I walked in first and almost immediately my legs wanted to give way, but I stayed strong. I wanted to break down and cry as I neared him, but I didn't. I sat down in a chair next to the bed and stroked his hair gently.

"Yugi..." I whispered really quietly to him. He just groaned softly as he turned his head a bit. A tear fell down my face as I felt his hand. It was cold, like ice. I rubbed my hands together and put them on Yugi's hand. I got up and turned to leave, I glanced back and thought he blinked. After me, it was Amy's turn.

~~~Amy's P.O.V

I walked into the room and shook my tears away. As I neared the bed, I saw Yugi's eyes start to open.

"Mom...?" He asked softly as I sat down next to him. He wasn't afraid.

"Hey sweetie, how are you feeling?"

"My stomach hurts... Bad." He replied trying to sit up. I pushed him back down.

"Don't sit up. You'll make it worse." I told him. My fingers traced his face, he flinched in pain a little, but shook fast when my finger touched a patch of burned skin. "I'm sorry. When I hit you, I just felt angry. I don't know why I was mad."

"It's fine. I'm okay now." He said as he gave me a look of innocence.

"I'm sorry." I told him as I pulled him onto my lap. "I'm so sorry." There were tears falling down my face. I saw him crying too. He was coughing and shaking. No... Please... No... Don't go... You have to stay...

"I'm sorry I've been so worthless. I've been no help... I've been the worst son you've ever had... I'm sorry." He put his head on my chest and cried.

"Yugi... You aren't worthless. We never should have said those things about you... Never..." I let go of him and walked out of the room..

~~~~Yumi's P.O.V:

I was tired and about to fall asleep. I saw mommy walking to the door. She came out to the room and grabbed my hand.

"Come on." She whispered. She picked me up and carried me into big brothers room.

"Bro... " I whispered and moved out of mommy's grip onto the bed. I pushed my way under big brother's arm and fell asleep.

~~~~Atem's P.O.V:

Finally. Finally this happens. He is reunited with the one he thought he lost and would never get back.

"I'll go call our friends." I said. They nodded. I called Joey, Tristan, Tea and the others and said Yugi was okay now. I told them that he was in the hospital.

"'Kay, we'll see him in the morning..." Tristan said.

"Oh my, what happened to him so he could end up in a hospital?" Bakura asked

"I'll tell you guys later... He's tired and I don't think he'd want to help fill in the details." I said.

"'Kay. See you tomorrow." Tea said.

"Alright. Bye guys." I said and we all hung up.

"Hm... They look so cute." I hear Mrs. Muto say. I looked through the window to see Yumi curled up against Yugi. They were both smiling. I smiled as well.

~~~~~2 1/2 years later:

Yugi's P.O.V:

I felt my wet hair become plastered to my face, my stomach lurched like it did a few years ago, it lurched back then for the same reason it is now, I'm really upset. My purple suite, much like the one my grandfather wore about forty some years ago, was getting soaked. I felt my sister grab my hand and cry into the back of it. Tears were falling down my face as well while we all looked at the four graves.

The first one belonged to mine and Yumi's grandfather. He died because he was shot in a robbery. The next two belonged to our parents. The final one belonged to Atem. He died with our parents, it was in a car crash on a rainy night.

"Bye guys." I said lying a purple flower at grandpa's. A blue one at dad's. A red one at mom's and a yellow one at Atem's.

"Brother." I heard Yumi say. I knelt down next to her. Her blue dress was wet as well.

"Yes Mi?" I asked her.

"Why'd they die?" She asked

"I don't know..."

"Well you die too?" She asked.. I could tell she was afraid and crying even more.

"I will never leave you." I said pulling her into a hug and put my face in her hair, crying even harder... "I promise Yumi. I won't leave you.. And I won't let anything hurt you..." She put her head in my shoulder and cried as thunder rumbled over head in the distance... I will always protect you, no matter what.

That's it. The shortest and saddest story I ever wrote... The next one I will write will be like this, but longer and with an ending that is as happy as I can get it.