Lying in his hotel bed, Yugi thought he would nod off quickly. It was much more cozy than the flat, lumpy sleeping bag in his small tent. Since finding Kamaria earlier that day things had changed so drastically. One minute he had just been a college graduate on his first archaeological dig, the next he was going to risk his life once again for the sake of the ancient past and his heart. Now he was in a nice hotel courtesy of the Ishtar siblings to make his preparations. Yugi told Professors Hawkins bits and pieces of his mission and the elderly archaeologist, while also a bit disagreeable with the idea, knew he couldn't change Yugi's mind. He would tell the other students that Yugi had to head home early due to a family emergency, his grandfather hurt his back...again. But he also questioned Yugi's motives as well as wondered had he not had enough of these kinds of adventures? Yugi thought he would indeed be tired of all this, but not only did he feel prepared, he knew it was necessary. For Kamaria. For Atem.

For himself.

"One more time." He uttered finally nodding off.

The next day Yugi wasn't surprised to find messages on his phone and email. His friends Tea and Tristan too had been alerted to his escapade and pretty much all about threatened to come down there and drag him back to Domino themselves. He returned them and he too fought them off with the same determination he had with Joey and his grandfather. The only contact he got from Joey though was a simple email.

Dear Yug,

You're crazy.

I'll do it.

Joey.

Yugi smiled though he felt tears come to his eyes. He then contacted his grandfather who in turn supported the decisions and wished his grandson well.

"Please no matter what you happens Yugi." Solomon said. "You are still my grandson and I still love you. All I can hope is that you safely return. But if it is indeed impossible, know that I will be behind you..always."

Yugi sobbed a bit.

"As I will with you grandpa." He said. "I love you too."

Finally Yugi, and Kamaria along with Ishizu, Marik and their adopted older brother Odion traveled by plane to the site that had originally held the gates leading to the past. Yugi watched as the sands flew beneath them, his heart feeling as if he was getting closer and closer to his dear Pharaoh each passing mile. He felt for Kamaria Abdiel. How many centuries had she been this way? Why had she and Atem been separated? He knew neither one didn't deserve any of this.

His thoughts were interrupted when the plane suddenly jolted and Yugi realized they were landing.

"We are getting close Yugi." Ishizu said. "Are you certain about this my dear friend?"

Yugi nodded. No doubt in his mind whatsoever.

"Before you depart the plane then, I feel it necessary that you dress for the situation should we indeed find and open the gates. If you find yourself in Khemet, I think you be less likely to encounter trouble if you were dressed for the time."

She reached in a bag and pulled out a few items. It was just a simple tunic, moccasins, and a cloak. "Courtesy of the museum and a friend of mine." Ishizu said. "She is excellent at replicating clothes."

"We also packed a satchel of food, water, and aid should you need them." Marik answered.

"I hope you realize the danger you could face Yugi." Odion said.

"I am prepared as I ever will be." He said.

The plane landed and the Ishtar siblings departed with Kamaria in Odion's arms while Yugi dressed into his new attire. He had packed his own bag of clothes, but then realized it might have been a futile idea since he was going into the past. He decided to leave those items to Ishizu and Marik for safe keeping. He knew one thing he HAD to take with him no matter what. Reaching into his bag, he took out his Duel Monsters deck. His key to the past and own comfort. No matter where or what century he was in, he needed his deck. Putting it into the satchel Marik had packed for him, he adjusted his cloak and glanced in a small mirror. Everything fit well and thought he looked the part of an Egyptian citizen, if there was where he would indeed end up.

He hoped.

Back in the Past

Atem felt restless today. Even more than usual. It was probably because he was set to speak to his people about his prospects for the city. He should have felt prepared for it. Even excited that he was finally able to give his people prosperity instead of strife they had endured for so long since his absence, but instead he felt..anxious.

"What troubles you Atem?" Seth had asked as Atem was being dressed by his servants.

"Nothing, I feel fine cousin." Atem said lying through his teeth.

"That I do not believe." Seth said. "I can see it in your face, you are worrisome. Since when does speaking to your people bother you?"

Atem sighed and kindly excused his servants.

"I do not know." He said staring at himself in the mirror. He himself could see it, the tension in his eyes. "I just...I am sensing as if something is going to happen."

"Should I alert the guards?"

"They are already alerted as I am to speak publicly." Atem said. "They are all at their posts. Besides there has not been any reports of a plot against me. Perhaps it is just a bit of anxiety addressing the city. They rely on me to provide for them, maybe I just feel like I am not doing enough and I fear they will not react kindly."

"If you did anymore, you'd end up moving them all into the palace." Seth said. "You are giving this city more than it has imagined since the days of your father."

Seth sighed.

"You will never be satisfied will you Atem?"

Atem chuckled.

"Their satisfaction is what drives me." Atem said. "And I just want to make sure they never go through another war again. My satisfaction will be that I give my people all they need and live out my time doing just that until Ra summons me."

Seth knew it was hopeless.

"Time is of the essence then Atem." He said. "We should get going."

Atem nodded and walked with Seth, his nerves still clenching.

"Are we sure this is it?" Marik asked.

"It is." Yugi said. "I know it. I just wish we knew how to reveal them."

"Everyone look!"

Everyone turned to Odion to see the red jewel on Kamaria's necklace start to glow as she laid in his arms. Suddenly the ground began to shake and the winds blew as if a sandstorm was raging. Huddling together they watched through strained eyes as the sands began to separate and up arose a tall set of double doors, the sands washing from them as it reached towards the sky. Finally the earth settled and everything returned to normal, except for the massive doors now being there.

"It's the gates to the past!" Yugi yelled. "Kamaria's necklace must have summoned them!"

"But how?" Marik asked.

"Her necklace is not a millennium item." Ishizu said going over to Kamaria. "But it seems to contain the same power. Whoever did this to her wanted her to return."

She turned to Yugi.

"Just like with Atem." She said. "Yugi, you told me it was your grandfather who kept the millennium puzzle safe until he gave it to you, which you solved and then protected as well. You gave the Pharaoh back his memories and his life. Someone wanted to do the same for Kamaria and you were the one who found her."

"Quite a mysterious woman." Odion uttered. "Whoever had her knew of her importance to the Pharaoh. But if she was a prisoner why would they protect her?"

"Maybe that is something she can answer." Yugi said. "But we can't wait around forever."

He approached Odion.

"It is time for her to go home." He said. "Odion, may I?"

Odion nodded and handed the woman to Yugi. She was taller than he was, but she was light enough to hold. Yugi only hoped he wouldn't be carrying her for too long.

"I guess this is it." He said looking at the Ishtar siblings who stared at him worriedly. "Thank you everyone for all your help. I do hope to return soon, but if I don't, please know that I will keep you all in my heart always and I and I am sure Atem, should we get to him, are be grateful to bring her back. I know you all think of this as a foolish task, but we all know that there is no such thing anymore from what we experienced all these years."

"Yugi, please.." Ishizu said. "Be careful. And know we hold you and the pharaoh dear as well."

"Yes." Marik said. "Safe travels good friend."

"The same wishes from me as well Yugi." Odion said with a bow.

Yugi nodded and turned towards the gates. Taking a deep breath he approached them, but then without warning, the sand kicked up again and a loud buzz could be heard, but it wasn't coming from the gates, it was coming from...a plane?

Yugi turned to see a small jet carefully land onto the sands. He watched as it came to an abrupt stop and the door opened in seconds.

"YUGI YOU..YAAAAHHH!" Out of the doors and crashing into the sands was none other than...

"JOEY!?" Yugi cried.

"You're supposed to wait until the stairs come out ya dummy!" Another head appeared.

"TRISTAN!?"

"Joey are you okay!?" A female voice was heard.

"Tea too!?"

The stairs dropped and the two brunette's named Tea Gardner and Tristan Taylor raced down and over to Joey whose head was still stuck in the sand. They pulled and the young man was lifted out spitting sand from his mouth as he sat back up.

"Where is he!?" Joey yelled looking around. Then he saw Yugi with Kamaria in his arms and growled.

"Yugi, you dope, don't think I was going to let you get away that easily!" He raced over to him with Tristan and Tea at his heels.

"Guys, what are you doing here!?" Yugi yelled.

"Grrrr..if you weren't holding that gal I'd clobber ya!" Joey said. "You honestly thought we would let you go without giving you a proper goodbye!?"

"I..I..." Yugi stuttered.

"It's okay Yugi." Tea said, her aqua eyes sparkling with sadness and hope. "We knew there was going to be nothing that we could do to stop you, but we didn't want you to go without us seeing you again and not on a computer screen."

"Yeah dude." Tristan said. "I mean can't you give us a little credit after all this time?"

Yugi smiled.

"I should have known." He said. "But how did you guys get here so fast?"

Tristan winked and pointed his thumb at Joey.

"Thank his boyfriend." He said. "After you told us about your plan, Joey begged Kaiba to send us all over here. Kaiba got us all a flight to Cairo, then we all met at the airport and flew here just in time."

"Who would have thought the two biggest enemies in the world would become such a cute couple eh?" Tea said with a giggle.

"STOP WITH THE MUSHY TALK!" A blushing Joey yelled. "THIS ISN'T ABOUT RICH BOY..IT IS ABOUT YUGI!"

He calmed down and turned to Yugi.

"So this is the lady huh?" He said looking at Kamaria. "I hope you are worth it because if anything happens to my buddy, you're gonna be in big trouble even if it means in the afterlife sweetheart!"

"I don't think she can hear ya Joey." Tristan said.

"Are we sure this is the real woman?" Tea asked.

"She is indeed." Ishizu said. "And her necklace just awoken the same gates that Pharaoh Atem walked through."

"She's another part of his memories guys." Yugi said. "And even more so, she is his family. Atem lost so much and now here is a chance to give someone he cherishes back to him. You all would do the same in my position, am I right?"

The three couldn't disagree with Yugi on that.

"But at the cost of your life?" Tea asked with tears in her eyes. "What if you are gone forever?"

Yugi smiled.

"I don't see it that way." He said. "After all, look at all we have been through. Maybe it is a silly wish, but I do believe we all will be reunited again. Atem had hope and my grandpa came to him and then to me. I was alone, then I had you guys and Atem. I don't want to believe the worst, but hope for the best and that is what you guys have to do too."

Joey sighed.

"Okay buddy." He said. "We are with ya. But are you sure you don't want us to come along?"

"Not this time Joey." He said with a shake of his head. "And believe me I will not be defeated in this one. You all have dreams. Mine...well...I guess has been reuniting with Atem. Something is missing guys and I know it sounds selfish, but I want to see Atem again. I..I miss him."

"But you don't know if you will Yugi!?" Tristan yelled. "How do you know these gates will lead you to him! You sound like Vivian Wong back then when she was gushing over you! How do you even know he likes you..in..uhh...that way?"

Tea then smacked Tristan on the head.

"Can you be anymore insensitive?!" She yelled. "Yugi is following his heart, like he always has."

She then turned to Yugi.

"And woman's intuition tells me that while Atem was a clam at times, he thought fondly of you. After all when we were battling Dartz he was a wreck without you. He thought he lost the most beloved person in his life. If that is not love, then I don't know what is."

Yugi blushed.

"If it is true." He said. "And if not then this is still something I have to do. And if Kamaria's necklace can bring us there, then maybe it will bring me back! So let's just call this see ya later for now, okay guys?"

The three nodded as the Ishtar siblings looked on. The bond they had for each other was just as strong as Yugi and his friends had. They couldn't lose hope that Yugi would return.

"Are you dweebs done or not!?" A voice suddenly yelled as the group went into a hug.

"HEY WE ARE HAVING A MOMENT HERE SO SHUT YER TRAP AND GET YOUR BUTT BACK IN THE PLANE!" Joey yelled his voice shaking with emotion.

"Seto Kaiba!" Yugi exclaimed. "You're here too!?"

"And we are wasting fuel!" He yelled. "Yugi just go through those doors already before Wheeler drags you back to Domino! I have had enough of this sap!"

"Such a romantic guy." Tea said. "What do you see in him again, Joey?"

"NOT MUCH RIGHT NOW!" Joey yelled back at the glaring Kaiba. "KEEP IT UP AND I'LL TIE YOU TO THE WING!"

"Kaiba tagged along to keep an eye on Joey." Tristan said. "I think he knew Joey would be pretty upset about all this and came along for support."

"Though he has a funny way of showing it." Tea said as she watched Joey gesture and yell back to his boyfriend from the ground.

"I think it's time we got going." Yugi said. "My arms are starting to get a little tired and Kamaria and I might have a ways to go. Just..take care of yourselves all of you..and take care of grandpa..you know..if something does go wrong? And know that you all are my best friends who I will treasure all of my life."

The group nodded and went in for one more hug. Yugi, with a few tears in his eyes, turned towards the gates and walked. The light became more and more blinding and he couldn't see ahead. Slowly he turned to his friends, who too were fighting back tears, but smiled and waved. He nodded and with a deep breath walked through the gates. Where the next step lay, he had no idea.