December 25, 2006

Disclaimer: I don't own YGO GX and that's all you need to know.

Title: Flower of the Phoenix

Author: PurificationArrow

Rated: Kids

Genre: Romance/Drama

Summary: Placed in the middle of Baby Come Back to Me. Upon reaching New York City, Alexis and Aster decide to sit sit back and relax. The New Year is coming, and New York's New Year's Eve celebration will be just the thing to help bring them together.

Notes: Happy New Year's people!! Oh yeah, this story is based in the same time period as Baby Come Back to Me. Alright? This is sort of a side trip while traveling for Alexis' dueling tournaments. I think you need to read BCBM (Baby Come Back to Me) before you read this. Just cause it might be a little confusing.

Italics - Thoughts

Bold - Emphasis on a word

Bold and Underline - author's note

Chapter 1: The Countdown

Alexis tried not to cough as she and Aster stepped out from the airport they had arrived in.

Smoke filled the air, and some really suspicious characters were roaming around in the dark corners sending her creepy looks that make shivers go up and down her spine. So she shuddered.

Aster, his hands in his pockets, walked up, "What's wrong? Cold?" He asked.

Alexis quickly shook her head, "N-no!" She said. Then, she couldn't hold it in, she coughed. "Man, this place is terrible!" She mumbled only to Aster.

The boy just smiled pityingly.

She sent him a look, "Why aren't you bothered by the clearly unhealthy amount of smoke there is in here?" She asked, somewhat jealous. Aster laughed, "Well, for one thing, I'm used to this. Since I've been in the Pro Leagues for a while, traveling and... being exposed to this stuff is just normal now."

"Oh."

She put her hands on her hips and attempted to draw her attention from the smoke, "New York City... not really the cleanest of placest I'll say." She mumbled quietly noting the sizeable amount of gum sticking to the grime covered walls.

"Yes well, welcome to the NYC." A new voice said.

Alexis and Aster blinked and turned. A man who looked just like a hobo was standing there. Dirty matts of hair clung everywhere, and Alexis swore she saw a fly or two. The stench was horrible.

Alexis looked at Aster, clearly confused.

"Hey, you're a pretty one, ain't ya? Hey, tell ya what, about we--" His sentence died in his throat when he saw the fierce blue gaze Aster was giving him. Anger seemed to radiate off of the silver-haired boy in tidal waves.

He laughed nervously, "Second thought, nice to meet you but I have stuff to take care of... bye!" He scuttled away as quickly as his legs would allow.

Aster continued to glare after the creepy hobo man, and Alexis stared at her manager. Gently, she touched his shoulder, "Um... Aster, are you alright?" She asked. He blinked, then seemed to realize what he'd been doing, "Yes. I'm fine."

He fixed his suit, and turned his face away coughing professionally.

Grey eyes surveyed him. For an instant, Alexis thought she saw his cheeks red. "Ast--" She was cut off by a honk. Both of them turned and blinked. A white limo was speeding towards them, and came to a screeching halt at the curb.

A young man, in his early 30's, stepped out from the driver's side.

"Please excuse me for being late Mister Phoenix, Miss Rhodes, I am Jeremy O'Brien. You can call me Brien. I am your driver here for New York City."

Alexis surveyed him.

Chocolate hair combed back underneath a chauffer looking hat, clad in a suit, with white Mickey Mouse looking gloves on, while not in his (or others) company, she decided to name him: Mickey. But all in all, a typical rich person limousene driver.

She smiled, "I'm Alexis Rhodes, um... you can call me Alexis please."

Mickey smiled and took her hand to shake it, "My pleasure Miss Alexis." He said, still not dropping the extremely awkward 'Miss' in her name.

Aster crossed his arms and rolled his eyes, "O' Brien, can you just take us to the hotel?" He asked.

Mickey nodded, "Yes sir!" He said, and opened the door for Aster and Alexis. As soon as Alexis had gotten in the limo after Aster, he closed the door. After walking to his side, and starting the ignition, they were off.

About a half hour later, they arrived at the hotel.

Not anything seriously fancy, just a hotel, called the Holiday Inn. Alexis smiled, looked like it was going to be a nice change of pace for a bit. Not a huge hotel with 35239482398 floors.

Just a hotel.

A man in green walked out, "Welcome to Holiday Inn, I will take your bags, thank you!" He said when they handed him the heavy luggage. Alexis convinced herself not to feel bad. But since Aster wasn't making a big deal, she decided it was alright.

After all, if he had needed help, Aster would've helped.

She nearly stopped.

When was my opinion of Aster so... high?

She asked herself. She sighed.

Well, whatever.

She decided.

---

The bellhop boy opened the door, "This is your room first Miss Rhodes." He said. She looked around, even though this might not be an extremely fancy hotel, it still had some pretty impressive rooms.

She smiled, "Thank you Alex." She said, addressing him by his name politely.

The bellhop blushed, "T-thank you Miss Rhodes."

He scurried off, and Alexis blinked. "Is he alright?" She asked Aster who had that scary look on his face again. As soon as she had asked the question, he snapped back to attention, the look gone.

Aster shrugged, "I dunno."

Just seconds later, a door opened, in the middle of the wall in Alexis' room.

She jumped, then walked with Aster to see Alex standing there with a grin on his face. "This is the bathroom, and on the other side is your room Mister Phoenix." He told the both of them.

Alexis had a bright blush on her face, "Just one?" She asked.

Alex nodded, "Yes. This is the room that had been reserved for you in advance Miss Rhodes. Is there something wrong?" He asked, concerned. Alexis sat there rubbing her temples, "Just that I need new family." She muttered.

She was about to smack her head against the wall, when she felt a buzzing in her butt pocket.

Her hand reached back and opened her cell, "Lexi!" Said her brother.

Alexis felt a vein pop in her head, "Atticus..." She began dangerously, "Remember when I asked you to reserve rooms?" She asked sweetly. Clearly Atticus didn't hear the apparent warning in her voice, "Yes I did Alexis. There are two rooms. Just that a bathroom is connecting them."

It took all of Alexis' willpower not to crush her phone in her hand.

"Well, gotta go! Helping Jaden and Syrus paint Bastion's room again! Bye, and remember Lexi, a group of geese is called a gaggle!" Then he hung up. Alexis sighed, tapped her foot and shut her phone.

Aster smirked, "Must be nice to have siblings."

She smiled sweetly back at him, "Oh, you have no idea."

Alexis fidgted for a second, "Well, if there's anything that you need, room service is number 1 on the phone. Have a nice stay!" He said, then left.

There was an awkward silence between them, when Aster coughed and produced something from his pocket.

It was a map of the large city.

"Well now that he's gone, I'd like to discuss something with you. Alright, this is where we are, Manhatten. The center of New York. We're going to stay here for the next two days until New Years." He explained.

Alexis filed through the list of things in her mind that she wanted to do.

When nothing came up, she nodded and agreed, "Okay."

Aster rolled the map back up, and slid it back into his pocket, "Alright then. We'll think up things to do to pass the time." He said. He was about to leave through the bathroom that combined their rooms, an obvious push from Atticus, before Alexis stopped him.

"Um..." She began. Alexis sighed, this was embaressing. "D'you... mind if I do some shopping?" She asked quietly.

If she wasn't so strangely embaressed, she would've laughed at the blank stare on her manager's face. "Uh, sure." He mumbled with a blush on his face. Alexis laced her hands in her lap.

This is just like a date... She froze up. A date...

She repeated in her head.

Alexis bit back a groan, if Atticus got wind of this he would NEVER let her live it down. She cried inwardly.

---

(A/N:) This is just going to be a mini-story thing. After they get to America. If it's confusing I don't blame you. But yeah... Merry Christmas!!

-PurificationArrow