Disclaimer: Wait! I don't own Yu-gi-oh?! Hmm, I'd have never guessed…

A/N: Just another short drabble I refused to lose to college. I hope you enjoy it!

Excluded, Included

The deafening crash from behind me makes me turn around and stop, staring at the collapsed entrance to the shrine we've just escaped from. None of us were expecting it to come crumbling down after the duel between Yugi and the spirit of the Millennium Puzzle. There's a strange chill to the air, even though we're standing in the middle of a desert. Yugi and the others are full of despair and sadness, happy for Yami, while at the same time, mourning his loss. It's a strange combination of emotions.

Yugi is saying something now, but I'm not really paying attention. Instead, I look around the desert. It's empty. Devoid of life. Just like my soul feels now. I had long since given up to my yami, and I can't believe they never noticed. And while I still feel empty, exactly like I'm missing half of my soul, it's a good kind of empty, like I may finally be done with this nightmare. I can't imagine how Yugi must be feeling right now. He seems on the verge of tears…

Now, everyone is gathering around him, trying to comfort him, I guess. I shy away a little. No one even spared me a second glance. All those times they said they were trying to help me, they defeated the spirit and then abandoned me again. As much as I'd like to deny everything the spirit of the Ring said to me, I can't. His words were the truth. The friendship speeches that Téa always gave…even though everyone else was tired of hearing them, I always listened closely. I wanted to see if I was ever included in them. I never was.

Do I even have a place here anymore? Now that they have finally defeated my yami, will they even want to be around me? I'm not sure.

We make it back to the airport, and the only words spoken to me were small talk. Nobody asks how I'm feeling. I suppose to them, it would be obvious. Of course I would be happy, right? The evil presence within me is gone, and I shouldn't have to worry about him anymore. But, what if it wasn't him I was worried about? What if I was more worried about my future than the part of my life that just passed? What if I'm afraid I'm going to be abandoned…again…?

It is hard for them to see and understand how I feel. It's harder for me to tell them. That isn't who I am. But, in the aftermath of all that's happened, in the uncertainty of what will happen, maybe I can grow strong again. Maybe I can stand on my own two feet again. I've got to keep trying.

As the plane lands and we're about to go our separate ways, Yugi approaches me with a watery smile.

"You know, Bakura…we…never got the chance to get very close to you, and…we never thanked you…for what you did. Well, half the time, we didn't even know you were doing it...But, what I'm trying to say is…can we start over? Can we try to become friends again? Close friends?"

I stand there for a moment, his words running through my mind. He's acknowledging me? I actually meant more to them than just a way to keep tabs on their enemy?

Yugi's emotions seem very fragile and I think it best not to keep him waiting. I hold out my hand to him.

"I would like that very much."

And as he accepts my handshake, I can't help but think, maybe I wasn't as alone as I thought…

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A/N: I really wanted to get inside of Bakura's head with this, and I'm not sure I succeeded entirely, but it was fun to write. I'm hoping Yugi and the gang wouldn't just abandon him. I could be wrong, but…Bakura needs a happy ending. Thanks for reading!