Journey Maker, Thank you so much for your wonderful reviews!! I really appreciate them.
Here's another chapter for you and whoever else might be reading this (and to anyone else who is reading this, please, PLEASE review!!) Here's chapter Three!!
And, no, I do NOT own Yugioh (as much as I wish I did). All I own is Jenna.
A few hours later, Jenna awoke in a hospital bed. For a moment it was like deja vu all over again and she shuddered, almost thinking at first that it was one of her less extreme flashbacks, before Yugi and Solomon appeared in her line of sight, their wide eyes looking at her in concern.
"Yugi? Solomon?" she asked, a little bewildered, before her fall came back to her. She sighed. "Terrific. Another trip to the hospital..."
Yugi smiled in relief. "Actually, you're just in the medical wing of Kaiba's Mansion. His doctors just had a look at you and fixed you up. You've only been here a couple of hours."
A man in the typical white medical jacket came up to her, smiling gently. "You're good to go at any time, Miss Shoka. Although, I must say, I was most appalled at the quality of stitches you received in your home country."
She strained a little, and managed to sit up on her own. "Well, medical care is free in Canada... so I guess you get what you pay for."
He smiled at her pleasantly. "It seems your sense of humor in intact." He handed her a bottle of pills. "This is a new prescription. They are more powerful than your old painkillers, but they will not make you drowsy."
She nodded silently.
Kaiba was walking into the room, Mokuba in tow, when the doctor turned to Solomon. "Her body was put under a fair amount of stress, and she is bound to be sore from the fall come morning time. I would recommend she stay home from school for a day or two..."
Jenna looked up. "No! I'm fine. Really. It was just a fall."
Yugi looked at her, his face worried again. "Jenna..."
She shook her head. "I'm going. But... I guess until I'm rid of my crutches... if it wouldn't be too much trouble, and you could wait outside my last class for me..."
Yugi smiled. "Of course!"
The doctor looked at her. "Are you sure, Jenna?"
She nodded, refusing to budge. "Yes."
Kaiba chose that moment to approach them. Jenna saw his cold blue eyes on her for an instant and she looked away, a chill racing down her spine.
The CEO looked at Yugi and his grandfather. "When the doctor says you can go, you can use the limo out front to get home."
Solomon nodded. "Thank you, Kaiba."
He snorted. "Don't look too much into it. I didn't do it for you." he said, giving Jenna a half glance before he turned and left, leaving Mokuba in the room.
Yugi looked at Kaiba's retreating form in a little shock. If I didn't know any better... I'd swear that Kaiba... well... LIKES Jenna...
The Pharaoh nodded, his own expression serious. It seems like that to me as well. He assisted her several times today. He has been treating her very kindly... which is downright unusual for him, although it is a nice change...
The doctor smiled at the three of them. "Well, you are definitely free to go. Your fall just irritated your previous injuries a little... it didn't intensify them so your recovery is not extended."
Jenna nodded silently.
Solomon handed her her crutches. "Come. Let's get you home, now."
Mokuba stepped forward, a smile on his face. "I'll walk you to the door."
The four of them made their way to the front of the building, where Mokuba gave them a smile and told them goodbye, indicating the limo that was waiting for them out front.
Jenna was quiet the whole way home, sitting between Yugi and Solomon. She refused to met their looks, keeping her head down, her hair hanging on either side of her face to keep it concealed.
Yugi helped her out of the limo, thanking the driver and led her into the house. The girl immediately made her way up the stairs and retreated into her room, not even giving Yugi or Solomon so much as a glance as she did so.
Only about a half hour later, the knock came at the door and Yugi's friends rushed in. "How is she?!" Joey asked immediately.
Yugi smiled. "She's okay. She got her wound closed again, and the doctor said her injuries weren't made any worse, just irritated a little. She went up to her room the second we got here. I think she just wants to be alone for now."
The five of them all breathed sighs of relief. "Dat's good. I was really worried when she went an' passed out like that."
"It was just the pain, not the injuries themselves," Yugi said. "When she woke up, she seemed more embarrassed than anything else."
Tea sighed. "The poor thing. Maybe someone should go up and check on her..."
Solomon shook his head. "Let's just leave her be for now. Yugi or I can go up and talk with her later, but for now, I think she would just appreciate having some privacy."
Tristan looked at them. "Well, we just figured we'd drop in to make sure she was okay. I'd stay and visit, but I've still got to do my homework."
The others nodded. "Yeah, an' if I don't clean out the garage, my dad's gonna pitch a fit," Joey said.
Yugi smiled at them. "Alright. Jenna and I will see you in school tomorrow."
Tea's eyes widened. "She's going back to school after what happened??"
He nodded. "We tried talking her out of it, but she insists."
Ryu grinned sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head. "She's a stubborn one."
Yugi shrugged, a smile coming to his own face. "I'm sure she'll be alright. She has all of us looking out for her. Even Kaiba seems to be worried about her."
Joey shuddered. "Yeah... an' that's actually kinda creepy." Then he smiled and gave Yugi a wave. "Well, I'll see ya."
After his friends headed back home, Yugi sat down at the table in the kitchen with a small sigh. His grandpa sat across from him.
"I think," Solomon said suddenly, making Yugi's head jerk up, "that Jenna really would appreciate having some to talk to now."
Yugi blinked. "What makes you say that?"
He smiled at his grandson. "I think she's been wanting to talk to someone ever since she got home, actually, but she is both embarrassed by what happened at school, and she's just afraid to be a burden. Why don't you go up and see her? Maybe bring her a little snack since she never ate today?"
Yugi smiled a little himself. "I'm not much good at talking to people like that. I'm not sure how to go about it. Maybe you should..."
Grandpa shook his head. "I'm just an old coot, Yugi. You're her age, and have been helping her from the moment she arrived here. I think she likes you quite a lot, actually."
Yugi's eyes immediately went enormous and he turned red. "Wh... what???"
He chuckled. "Maybe not in THAT way, but you have been comforting her and hanging out with her more than anyone. You've been protecting her however you can. Why don't you go up there and see how she's doing?"
Yugi fought back his blush and then nodded. He snatched an apple out of the fridge. It wasn't exactly a filling meal, but he didn't want to have her throw up again. And it was something to go in her stomach. He just wanted to see something go down and STAY down.
He went up the stairs and stopped outside her door, hesitant for a moment. Then he knocked.
"Come in," he heard her soft reply.
Yugi opened the door and saw her sitting on her bed, setting aside a novel she had been reading. He gave her a smile and came forward, holding out the apple. "I thought I'd come up and give you something to eat. I know it's not much, but it might stay down."
She gave him a small smile. "Thank you, Yugi," she said, accepting it.
Yugi rubbed the back of his head, not sure how to broach any subject at the moment. Then he just asked: "Are you sure you're okay? You've seemed a little... well... upset since we left Kaiba's."
"I've been thinking about a lot of things since we left there."
Yugi blinked. "About what?"
She smiled sadly. "I came to the realization that I can't be as independent as I was hoping. Whether I like it or not, until I'm recovered from my injuries, I'm going to need help." She looked down. "I guess it took that fall to make me realize that Craig was right... I am going to be a pain in the ass for awhile."
Yugi and the Pharaoh's eyes both went wide with shock. "You heard him say that?!" he asked in horror.
She nodded. "I had the window open a little, so I heard everything."
Yugi took a step forward. "He had no right to say that, and we don't consider you a burden of any sort!"
She smiled. "You may not consider me a burden, Yugi, but I am a burden nontheless. I was trying my best to be independent so you wouldn't have to spend so much of your time taking care of me, but... like I said, that fall made me realize that full independence is impossible for me for now."
Yugi smiled at her gently. "You shouldn't be so hard on yourself. It won't be long before you can do everything you were able to do before..." He stopped right there, biting his tongue before he could say 'before the accident.'
"I know that," she said with a nod. "And I greatly appreciate how you, your grandfather, and all your friends stand up for me. I know I must have seemed ungrateful and I'm sorry."
Yugi rubbed the back of his head. "You've really gotta stop apologizing. You didn't do anything to offend anyone. Nothing is your fault."
She looked at him. "I haven't asked for much since I've got here, but I was wondering if you would do something for me, Yugi."
He blinked and looked at her. "What is it?"
She reached into the top drawer of her nightstand and pulled out her duel monsters deck. "Could you teach me how to play?" she asked with a small smile.
He smiled broadly, as did the Pharaoh who was still at his side. "Of course! I'd love to! Just wait here and I'll get my deck!"
Yugi taught her how to play duel monsters for several hours, and then the two of them worked on their homework together. Jenna ate the apple he had brought up to her and, thankfully, it didn't seem to be making a comeback. Then, when eleven came rolling around, the two of them decided it would be best if they went to sleep.
During the night, she had another of her nightmares, waking screaming as she had before. Yugi was in her room in an instant and holding her for a few minutes, giving her a drink of water and handing her her medications. He then stayed with her until she fell asleep once more, the Pharaoh taking over him and using the power of his Millennium Puzzle to give her a deep and dreamless sleep.
Maybe you should just do that every night before she goes to bed... Yugi thought to Yami.
The Pharaoh shook his head. I cannot do that, Yugi, as much as I would like to. She must recover from the experience on her own. The nightmares will subside. I only do it after she has the nightmares to ensure she gets a healty amount of sleep. Taking the nightmares away every night would do more harm than good.
Yugi sighed as he climbed into bed once more and shut off his light. I guess you're right. But I hate seeing her suffer like this. It's not right that she has to relive the accident every night.
As I said before, Yugi. It will subside given a little time. For now, the best thing we can do is stay at her side and support her in any way that we can.
Yugi nodded silently to the Pharaoh, putting off any further discussion for another time as he layed his own head down and went to sleep.
----------------------------------------
Jenna stared at Duke the next morning, in shock at what she had just heard. "Those two students were expelled?" she asked in horror.
Duke nodded. "Yup. The principal did it the second Kaiba identified the two of them."
The girl shook her head. "But... expulsion... That's just not right!"
Joey leaned back in his desk. "Hey, if ya ask me, I think they deserve it. Those two idiots shoulda been watching where they were goin' in the first place. If they had been usin' their brains, ya never woulda fallen."
She shook her head again, stubborn. "It was an honest mistake, Joey. An accident! Maybe they shouldn't have been rushing the way they were, but expulsion is too extreme a punishment. I'm going to talk to the principal."
Tristan stared at her and the rest of her friends started, hearing this. "Even after what they did? I mean... you had to get medical attention because of those two idiots..."
Jenna frowned. "Even so... if it had happened to someone other than me, would they have been punished so severely? I don't want to be treated differently from other students just because I happen to have a few issues right now. It's not fair to the rest of the students. I know the punishment wouldn't have been as extreme if they had bowled someone else over, so why get expelled just because it was me?" she asked, grabbing her crutches. She got to her feet and started for the door, Yugi immediately following her.
"Are you sure about this?"
She nodded. "Yes. There is a difference between making an honest mistake and deliberately being cruel. Accidents happen, and I don't believe in such punishments for matters like this one. I feel like it makes me out to be the bad guy. I'm sure those two have learned their lesson as it is, so why make their lives all the worse by expelling them?"
The Pharaoh smiled a little in his spirit form. She wasn't placing herself above anyone else due to her accident and current state. She showed much concern about others, even when they had done her wrong. In some ways, she was not unlike Yugi himself.
Yugi accompanied her to the office where he stood off to the side and watched as Jenna conversed with the principal, voicing her concerns over the harsh punishment the boys had received. It took her several minutes, but she was stubborn and wouldn't back down, and the principal finally caved in.
"If it is that important to you, Miss Shoka, I will allow them back to school."
She smiled in relief. "Thank you very much, sir. I really appreciate it. And I'm sure they will appreciate it just as much."
He smiled. "I'm sure they will." He picked up a memo pad. "I will write your teacher a letter explaining that you and Yugi were with me so you don't get detention for being late." He quickly did so, handing the slip of paper to Yugi.
On the way back to class, the King of Games turned to her. "You didn't do that just because you were thinking you were being a burden to those two, did you?"
She shook her head. "That's only a small part of it. The fact of the matter is, I simply believed their punishment was too severe for the crime, so to speak. It was an accident. And I saw the expressions on their faces after the fact. I believe they learned from their mistake. Why make things worse for them?"
Yugi could think of nothing to say in response to this as they entered the class.
He handed the teacher the note from the principal and then led Jenna to her seat, then taking his own. The class proceeded quickly and without incident.
--------------------------------
The two students that had knocked her down the stairs were in school the next day, and they immediately both apologized profusely for what they had done, and then thank her very much for stepping in and talking the principal into letting them stay in school. Jenna had told them not to worry about it and just continued on her way.
School was going much better for her now. She went to the doctor after school and got the bandage on her head taken off, much to her relief. The bruises on her face were fading now, and were easy enough to conceal beneath a light layer of makeup. As for the crutches, the doctor said she would need them for probably another two weeks, and the stitches in her side for at least one more week.
Kaiba didn't speak to her very often, but when he did encounter her, he was unusually nice. Mokuba was always sweet and friendly whenever he came across her in the halls, offering her a smile and asking her about her home country whenever he had a chance.
Jenna's grades were doing well so far, and she proved to be an 'A' student, much to her teacher's delight. And since the bandages had been taken off her forehead, and her bruises were no longer there, she had no qualms about showing her face. Even though she was still rather antisocial, that didn't stop many of the boys from taking an interest in her.
She pretty well never left her friends sides, and was almost always with Yugi himself, except for when she was in her final class with Seto Kaiba, who seemed more than willing to help her, even though he tried to look indifferent about the whole situation.
Twelve days after her arrival in Domino City, it was revealed in their third block science class that the students were going to be randomly paired up to complete a science project in their spare time. It was a Friday, and the air ouside was hot and filled with humidity due to a hurricane that was passing by Japan. The weather report said that it wasn't expected to hit, however.
Jenna got paired up with Seto Kaiba for the science project. It was due on Monday, so they only had the weekend to work on it.
Kaiba immediately informed her after class that he would bring her to his mansion after school in his limo, something that made Joey angry.
"Hey, rich boy! Who do ya think you are, just orderin' her around like that?! Don't ya think she should get a say in where ya guys do yer project? Why does it have ta be at your place? Why not at Yugi's?!"
Jenna quickly placed a restraining hand on his arm. "It's all right, Joey. I don't mind. I can just go there after school, we can work on the project for a few hours, and then I can go home. If the project's not done, I can just go back to Kaiba's tomorrow."
The CEO nodded. "That's right. I don't plan on keeping her there all night. I have some business with my corporation to take care of as well. We'll just work for a few hours, and then I'll have Roland bring her back to Yugi's in the limo."
Yugi looked at her, a little concerned. Although Kaiba had been treating Jenna very well so far, he didn't know if that would continue and he didn't want Jenna to be placed in a situation that could hurt her in any way. "Are you sure about this, Jenna?"
She nodded with a smile. "I'm sure. You don't need to worry, Yugi. So after computers, I'll just go with Kaiba to his limo and I'll see you in the evening."
He smiled. "Well, alright then. I'll see you when you get back."
She started off for the computers class, keeping pace with Seto Kaiba. "I'll see you later, guys!"
Hehehe... Jenna's going home with KAIBA!! Read and Review!
