Here's the third chapter. I like where I'm going with this by the way.

Enjoy!

Chapter Three: Disappeared

Ryou,

I want to protect you…I kept asking myself 'how am I supposed to protect him from myself?' And you know what, Ryou? I know now. As much as it hurts, I decided I'll disappear. It's for the best. It's the only way I know how to protect you from myself. Now, Ryou, you can live a happy life; without being afraid to come home after hanging out with Malik, afraid of being alone in your own house, afraid of me. You can now go to school without worrying about hiding your body behind you clothes. Well…after it heals. Just think Ryou, no more bruises, no more cuts, no more crying…because I'm gone from your life now. I can't touch you, I can't hurt you, and I can't make you cry.

Ryou…you need to know something; something I should have told you already…but Ryou, listen, I was afraid, I don't know of what exactly but I was…just afraid of something. Maybe I was afraid of what you would say, or rejection, or just afraid of that emotion. 'What emotion, Bakura?' your probably asking yourself right now. Love, Ryou. Yes, I love you Ryou Bakura. With all my heart, if it's possible for someone as cruel as I am to have one. You're probably rolling your eyes right now, but it's true. And it pains me to know what I've done to you in the past. But Ryou, it changed through the years. I didn't just beat you for pleasure anymore; no…I beat you because I was jealous. Yes, jealous, Ryou. I hated you hanging out with Malik and I didn't know what to do with that anger so I took it out on you. I felt so alone when you weren't there. But I deserve to be alone, Ryou. After what I did to you, I can't forgive myself and I don't expect you to forgive me…ever.

You have a happy future in head of you, and your happiness starts now; a life without pain that I caused you, a life without fear because of me. I just hope you can smile that heart warming smile that you used to have. I always loved that smile just as much as I love you Ryou, and never forget that. I will always have a special place in my heart for you, only you and that will never change.

Love,
Bakura.

"Noooo!!" I couldn't breathe, couldn't see, I just…no…Bakura's gone…Bakura's gone…The love of my life is gone and I can't do anything about it.

I look back at the letter to see if he said anything about where he's going. Nothing…it felt like my heart was stepped on. I don't know what I'm going to do. If only I told Bakura that I did love him with all my heart yesterday evening…maybe…just maybe he would have stayed.

I hid myself under my covers. I was so alone. So…alone…this had to be a bad dream or…

"How do I protect you…from me…?"

Ryou's eyes widened as he remembered the words he heard Bakura whisper last night. This wasn't a dream, this was real life and he was never going to see Bakura again.

*----*

"Please Bakura…come back…come back…" I didn't know any other words anymore. I thought that maybe if I kept whispering these words…maybe…maybe he would come back. I just wanted to see him more than anything.

I lay in bed under the covers all day. I don't even think I could stand. What's the point in getting up when you have nothing? My chest hurt and my eyes were swollen from all the crying but I didn't' care. All I cared about was Bakura.

I lifted my head up just a little and looked at my closed bedroom door when I heard the doorbell. It was probably Malik checking up on me. He was a good friend, Marik was lucky to have him. But I couldn't let Malik see me like this so I just plopped my head back down on the pillow, ignoring the ringing of the doorbell.

Night finally came and I couldn't sleep. I didn't sleep all day either. I just lied there, crying, begging Bakura to come back and take this sadness away. But he never came back and he never will.

*----*

It's been a week since I've been in school. The bruise was still on my face, but not as noticeable unless you were actually looking for it. I got stares from many of my classmates as I walked into my writing class; probably because of the dark bags under my eyes from my sleepless nights. Yugi and his gang actually looked worried. Ever since Bakura got his new body, none of us talked anymore, but I never cared. We were never close to begin with anyways.

"Oh, Ryou!" I felt someone hug me from behind. And there's no way I could mistake that voice.

"Hey…Malik…" I hid my face behind my snow white bangs. If he took one look in my eyes…he would know something was wrong. I took one step toward my desk but was held back when Malik pulled my arm.

"Ryou…you haven't been in school for a week, I've called and knocked on your door at least five times a day. Marik even came with me a few times, he was ready to knock down the front door but somehow I managed to convince him not to. Did you and Baku-"

"Don't say his name! Please, Malik! Don't ever say that name!" I broke down and cried right there, in front of all my classmates while I dug my nails into my best friend's back, hiding my face in his chest.

"…ou…Ryou…"

I woke up and was staring up at…Malik.

"Where am I…?" My voice was hoarse as I sat up and looked around the room. The nurses office.

"The nurses office." Malik answered after I already figured that out, "Ryou…you passed out…wha-what happened?"

I looked into lavender eyes and I could see tears ready to fall. I sighed and wiped the tears at the edges of his eyes. "Bakura…" I twitched as I said that beautiful name, "He…left…"

Malik's eyes widened and his jaw dropped. Before I knew it he flung his arms around me. "Oh Ra, Ryou…where…"

"I don't know…" I cut him off tears making there way out of my eyes. I didn't know it was even possible to cry this much.

"Well…you're staying with Marik and me." My eyes widened at this thought. Me? Living under the same roof with Marik? Malik wasn't paying attention to my face expressions though. "I just don't want you in a house by yourself. You can share my room." I was gonna ask him, 'how will Marik ever have sex with you?' and my eyes widened as I thought what would happen to me!

"He'll get over it." This was Malik's only reply as if he read my thoughts.

*----*

That night when Marik got home from wherever he was, he was not happy I was staying here.

"Oh come on Marik! Bakura left! Sorry…Ryou…" he apologized when I twitched at the name.

My brows furrowed when I took a look at Marik. His eyes were glued to the floor and he was shifting from one foot to the other and looked nervous as fuck. And before I could even process what I was doing, I pounced on him. "Where is he?! What do you know! Where is my…my…! Where is he?!"

Somehow Malik managed to pull me off Marik who didn't look happy at the moment.

"I…I don't know. He came to the house early one morning- about a week ago- and just said he was leaving..." he got up off the floor.

"Where did he go?!" I shouted trying to break free of Malik's grasp.

"I don't fucking know! He didn't tell me! Fucking Ra, how did I get stuck with a pair of shit hole kids?!" And with that said Marik went upstairs.

"Get the fuck back here!" I stopped cold when I felt cool air on my arms…when I looked down…I saw bear skin with cuts and bruises. "Malik…" I swung around to turn my best friend. His face was horrorstricken.

"Did…did he do this…do you?" His arms were shaking as if they had a mind of their own.

I sadly nodded my head not looking at the sad Egyptian.

He wasn't sad for to long considering he smacked my cheek, the one Ba…he punched.

"…And you said you loved him?! Ryou, are you stupid! He abused you! He fuckin' abused you…how could…" he flung his arms around my shoulders and hid his face, soaking my black short sleeve t-shirt in the process. I could just make out those mumbled words. "I'll…never…forgive…him…"

*----*

I couldn't sleep that night, just like every other night so I slipped into the slippers that Malik ever so kindly let me borrow, and quietly opened and closed the door to Malik's room, and headed downstairs and out the back door to sit on the swing. I just wanted to be alone outside for a while, someplace I could just…think. And the stinging of the cold air felt good on my now bare skin. I didn't even bother putting a shirt on. What was the point? Malik now knew about the beatings and he would be sure to tell Marik so I don't have to hide anything anymore.

This night was going even slower. I felt home sick…the place where I felt so familiar with…where I felt so safe when he wasn't beating me…is now just a house with haunting memories. An empty place where I don't think I could ever return with a smile.

I looked up at the night sky, thinking about the ancient tomb robber. The one I love and adore so much. A tear trickled down my cheek.

These tears are only for you. Every tear I shed will only be for you, my love.

"So please come home…Bakura."

Awww…I was crying when I was typing this. I think this is so sad. Poor poor Ryou.

I think this is actually getting better, but that's just my opinion. I'd like to know what everyone else thinks…so…you know what I'm gonna ask…

Review! Please...?