Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh and I make no money from these writings.

Author's Notes:

Story takes place after Duelist Kingdom and before Battle City.

I use mostly characters American names but a few characters have their Japanese names.

Story takes place in America.

Chapter 1- Too Much

RING!!!!

Joey Wheeler's head sprang up from his desk as the school bell rang, indicating the end of class. Very groggily, Joey's half-lidded eyes surveyed the rest of his classmate's breakout into conversation and laughter as they began to exit the classroom. Joey attempted to focus his blurry vision on the small figure, which appeared in front of him, bearing spiky hair.

"C'mon Joey, don't tell me you were napping again?" teased a smiling Yugi. Yugi took a closer look at his best friend and a look of shock replaced his once jubilant face. "Hey, you don't look so good, are you feeling alright? You seem kinda out of it." Yugi said.

"Haha, what?" said Tristan as he came over to Joey's desk. "It's not possible for Joey to be even more brain-dead than usual," joked Tristan, his smiling face also fading as he peered at Joey's ragged expression.

Joey gave a weak chuckle, "I'm fine guys, you jus' worry too much." He said weakly, attempting to lighten up their dreary faces.

The truth was Joey wasn't fine. He felt like shit and it was no wonder his friends were worried. His face was pale and dark luminous circles surrounded his hazel eyes. Moments ago he felt as if he had been peacefully submerged in water, not being able to feel or dream or think, until his body was roughly pulled from beneath the water into consciousness where everything seemed like it was a far away illusion. It didn't help he was very lightheaded, dizzy, and not to mention he had a strong urge to vomit.

Despite his condition, Joey knew he had no one to blame but himself. It was him who took the prescription painkillers that morning in hopes of lessening the physical pain he was suffering from. Through his impatience for relief; he also took a few swigs from the bottle of whisky he had hidden in his closet which he had confiscated a while back from his dad, not that it slowed his drinking down any. This combination made it difficult for Joey to even stay awake, let alone function. He wouldn't have needed so much sedation if it weren't for last night after he came home from school.

His father who was a known alcoholic and gambler was completely drunk and passed out on the couch by the time Joey walked through the door. Joey snuck past his incapacitated father and slid into his bedroom, trying his best to go undetected, knowing how volatile his father can be after having too much. As he slowly closed the door behind him he turned around and tripped over the laundry basket, sending his dirty clothes flying and causing him to cascade to the floor. Joey scrunched his face in pain, but did not dare make a sound, though he knew it was already too late. His father was more and more abusive the older he got and would snap so easily that he would beat Joey for practically nothing. He heard his father pull himself off the couch and the sound of thudding unsteady feet was becoming louder and louder. When his father reached the door he swung it open where his infuriated face met Joey's frightened one.

"You piece of shit! You woke me up. What the hell do you think you're doing!" his father yelled, anger etched into every word.

He grabbed Joey by the collar of his blue school uniform and whipped him into the hall. He dragged his son to the living room since Joey, who was having trouble supporting himself due to the impending doom he knew was coming, had trouble coordinating his feet. He tossed the limp boy to the floor and proceeded to pull his belt from his pant loops.

"Take your damn clothes off!" his dad yelled in his slurred drunken voice. Joey stripped down as quickly as he could with shaking hands to nothing but his boxer's. "Everything!" he screamed again. Joey complied, and stood completely humiliated and naked in front of his father. "All fours" his father commanded. Joey dropped down to his hands and knees immediately, facing away from his father.

A nasty smirk played across his fathers face before bringing the belt down with considerable force on the white flesh of Joey's back, instantly leaving angry red marks. The first strike caused Joey to yell out from the excruciating pain as tears threatened to fall from his eyes.

"Shut up, kid" His dad whispered angrily, much quieter than the yelling voice he displayed moments ago, as if the sound of his son's pain reminded him that beating his son should be kept a secret, quiet matter.

The beating continued on Joey's back and buttocks as Joey remained on all fours. Joey stifled his yells, making them come out as strangled moans knowing that if he was too loud the neighbors who lived on the other side of the paper thin walls of his apartment might suspect something. Finally his father's strength ran out so he gave a final kick to the slouched boy's stomach before collapsing onto the old couch and passing out, the screeching of springs audible throughout the apartment.

Joey quickly got up and lumbered his way to his bedroom as fast as his damaged body would take him. He went straight to the dresser and in one of his old socks he pulled out a pill bottle, which carried an assortment of meds just for moments like these. He popped a few selected pills back and slouched over to his bed where he curled into fetal position and waited for either sleep or the pills effects to overtake him and provide relief from the pain. Joey knew he was starting to turn out like his father, which disgusted him. He was drinking more than he would like all the time and also gambling, but unlike his father's poker games, Joey was gambling with his life through the narcotics and alcohol he knew was hurting him.

The professor's stern voice brought Joey back from the memory of last night. "Joseph, I would request to speak to you privately once the class is empty." He spoke in his stern voice, while his eyes were looking in the direction of Joey's pals, the same worried look painted on each of their faces.

"We'll see you later bud," Tristan said quietly, catching the hint and leading the rest of the gang out of the classroom.

As the teacher closed the door behind them Joey peered up, feeling very distant from the whole situation, causing the fear he should have been feeling to be absent.

"Is there something you would like to tell me?" the professor asked. The vague look on Joey's face and his lack of response urged the professor to continue. "I ask this because of your disturbing behaviour as of late. Some days you seem focused and can pass as a decent student while others…" the professor's voice trailed off.

This time, waiting for a reply, Joey managed a meager, "Sorry"

He didn't know what to say, his mind was having trouble grasping the conversation as it was and he knew it was costing him dearly. He knew he over did it that morning with his comforting meds and that was what was going to get him caught and that just couldn't happen. He needed to remain inconspicuous to protect his family and he was blowing it. The meds he took were there to keep him sane and enable him to deal with his problems at home while trying to help everyone else he cared about as well, or at least that is how Joey justified it. He also justified his drug use by taking only prescription narcotics, which made him feel better because at least they came from a doctor at one point. Joey knew he deserved all the punishment he received so he wasn't going to let it falter his efforts. Helping Yugi get his grandpa back and paying for Serenity's operation were just more important than Joey's troubles so he needed to find a way to deal with them.

At the thought of his family Joey's eyes welled up with tears, easily brought up by his drug-induced state. The professor's stern face turned to shock, then pity as he tentatively put a soothing hand on Joey's back. As soon as his hand touched Joey's back, he yelped in unexpected pain and jumped out of his desk, remembering the terrible state his back was in from the night before and realizing the pain relief must have been wearing off by that time. Joey stumbled into the desk in front of him, not completely steady on his feet. He proceeded to rip open the door and run out of the classroom, doing his best to stay upright, while leaving his chemistry teacher at the door, yelling something down the hall. Not caring that his fellow students were staring, or that a blue-eyed student was watching the scene play out with a confused look on his face, Joey exited the building.