Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

"Well, sometimes the end of one adventure is just the beginning of another…"

And, that's how we left it.

Isis and Odion decided to stay in Egypt, but Malik wanted to come back to Domino with us. He said he wanted to enroll in Domino High and have a normal life. Considering I live in an apartment by myself, I volunteered to house him.

I kept looking at Yugi to see how he was doing without the Pharaoh. He was silent the whole boat ride back to Egypt. He kept going through all the cards in his deck, like he was looking for something. Joey, Duke, and Tristan were playing Duel Monsters. Tea was quiet, too. Just absent mindedly thumbing through the pages of a magazine. Mokuba and Kaiba were talking Kiaba Corp business. Then, there was me. Malik kept trying to get me to talk a bit, but eventually he gave up. I was just staring out the window at the waves, lost in my own thoughts.

I don't even know what I'm trying to say. I miss Bakura? He was horrible to me, to my friends. He tried numerous times to hurt them. But, I had lived with him for years! Dad wasn't around. I was pretty much over Mom and Amane's death by now. Yet, I still didn't feel comfortable being in Yugi's group. And, I'm pretty sure they felt the same way. Bakura had taken over me one too many times. They accepted Malik so easily after his Darkness was gone. Malik even seemed better for it. He felt free to be him. But…what if I don't know who I am, now that my Darkness is gone?

I mean it's only natural to be missing a part of you that was with you for years. It'll go away. Right?

Well it hasn't. It's been years and this still consumes me.

We all graduated high school. Yes, even Joey with my tutoring. And, Malik, too! He is a great student. He worked hard to be able to graduate with all of us. Most of us have even graduated from Domino University, too. After high school, Tea went to The Juilliard School in New York. She's doing pretty well there, I hear. Yugi went on to manage his grandpa's shop and got a degree in Game Design and Development. He sometimes works with Duke and Kiaba on special projects. Joey got a degree in Marketing and is starting a consulting business with Tristan, who received a degree in Business Administration. Malik, unsurprisingly, graduated with a degree in Psychology and is looking at Graduate schools. And me? Well, I've graduated in Pre-Med. My goal is to be a Pediatrician. I'm currently looking at Medical Schools.

Although we took all the Pharaoh's lessons to heart, we started to fall apart as a group. Yes, there are the reunions for holidays and such but without the constant threat of the end of the world…we were free to concentrate on other things.

I was excited after college. I really was. Life was beginning! But, somehow applying to internships and Medical Schools have just beaten me down a bit. I've gained weight. It's not very pretty…about 30 pounds. I just can't stop eating sometimes. That's probably because of my routine. For some reason I can't go to bed before 4 am. Then I sleep all day until 4 p.m. I no longer really care about personal hygiene. I rarely comb my hair or wash my face. I'm pretty sure I brush my teeth only before going to bed. I haven't done laundry in god knows how long. I haven't changed my sheets. My room is starting to smell and I keep saying I'll do something about it tomorrow. But, I never do. And, now the groceries in the refrigerator are dwindling. I'm not going out or meeting anyone. I like the idea of having a relationship, of having someone to come home to and hold at night. But, actually going out and finding that person? No, thanks. After all, that's what I have Netflix for. And for the deeper, sexual needs. Well, I do have hands.

Sometimes, I think I should see a therapist but the thought of that, in itself, is just exhausting. Then I'd have appointments I'd have to keep.

BUZZZ.

Ugh, my head. I drank too much last night. My last drop of alcohol. I'll have to go out to get some more today.

BUZZZ…

That horrid buzzer. Who is it, now? Well I have been doing a lot of online shopping lately…yep. I know, it's super smart to do online shopping when I'm in debt from school and such but I just can't help myself. Since I've gained the weight, I need sweats. Oh, I've joined a gym…I need work out gear. Oh. I don't have anything nice to wear to holiday parties I'm not invited to…well that jacket is on sale.

BUZZZZZZ!

"Hello?"

"Ryou! It's Malik!"

Oh shit. I totally forgot! I have to clean…or something! He can't see me like this!

"Heeeeyyy….hold on. I was in the shower. Just give me a second!"

"Ry…did you forget I was coming?"

"No, I just…hold on a minute!"

I frantically stuff all my clothes in my hamper, spray some Febreeze, jump in the shower, clean myself, and towel off. I throw on some gray sweats and a white T-shirt. I don't have time for the dishes…he'll understand.

I've opened the door but I'm inside my apartment…waiting. Please say he can't tell something is wrong with me. I used to hide it so well.

"Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii," says Malik as he opens the door. There's a smile on his face, and he is trying to kick his suitcase through the door."…Ry… um…you've gained weight," says Malik, his tan midriff taunting me. He is no longer smiling.

"Yea…but I've joined a gym, so…" I say. Oh, don't notice the empty liquor bottles scattered all over the apartment.

"Oh. Well, good for you…"

"Thanks."

Silence. Yeah, ok…he knows there's something wrong.

"Well, what have you been up to?" Malik asks as he walks into my apartment and sets up on the pull out sofa.

"Just…the same old. Applications galore. You?" I ask, praying he doesn't notice the smell.

"Oh, yea pretty much the same. I just came back from visiting Isis and Odion…" he continues but I just can't seem to pay attention. I see a gold glimmer coming from his belt loops. I inwardly gasp. No. No way.

"Malik…is that the millennium rod?" I ask, apprehensively. It can't be…

"Well," Malik grins. "That's what I wanted to talk to you about."