This wasn't happening. No, it couldn't be. He didn't upload his mind just so he could eventually get deleted into the darkest caverns of Tea's brain. This just couldn't be happening; there was no way she wanted to stay here, none of this was even real! Hell, he'd throw her on the next flight to New York City if that's what it took to get them back to the real world.

I can't believe she ran away on me! Annoyance palpitated through him as he chased after Tea, who was quite fast, but not fast enough. He still caught up to her even though he was only wearing one shoe.

"Gardner!" He clasped onto her arm with both of his hands, stopping her from preceding her escape route.

"Let go of me, Kaiba!" She fussed, trying everything she could to break away from his hold on her.

"Just quit being irrational for five minutes and let me talk you through this!"

Tea broke free, "Fine!" She crossed her arms over her chest in an act of defiance.

Kaiba took a moment to catch his breath before he spoke, "You know this place isn't real, right?"

"Yeah, you've only told me about a hundred times."

Her sarcasm was going to be difficult to work with. "Listen, your life is in jeopardy if you don't find a way out soon."

She didn't speak this time, just looked away, as if she were chewing on his words. Maybe she was upset at the fact that he'd told her this 'only a hundred times' over.

He took a different approach, "Your family and friends have been waiting for you, and you've kept them waiting for two years."

A small, sympathetic frown formed at the corners of her mouth. Her eyebrows creased in concern. His words had struck a cord with her.

Bingo.

Tea's gaze carefully crawled up to him, and he noticed prickles of tears peaking out of the sides of her blue eyes. She was holding back her tears and he knew she missed her friends and family. They were his sway out of here.

The seriousness in his face intensified, "You may want to explore New York City, but the people you care about aren't here. They're waiting for you. Don't let them down."

She shook her head and a few stray teardrops were cast from her eyes. "I've always wanted to be in New York City…. It's my dream…."

He didn't want to do this, but desperate times called for desperate measures, "Gardner, I'll send you to New York City if it will motivate you to go home."

"You mean that?"

"Of course." He hoped this would help ease her mind into bringing them back. If not, he'd have to think of another way to persuade her, or else he could kiss his mind goodbye.

She took hold of her surroundings for a moment, breathing in the crisp autumn air. Kaiba could tell she didn't want to leave just yet, but why? Why was she so dead-set on staying here? Maybe her subconscious wasn't ready to leave? Maybe there was something unresolved in the depths of her subliminal mind that even she couldn't come to terms with?

Kaiba remembered where her mind had first led him. The little girl, who Kaiba had concluded to be Tea's subconscious mind taking shape in a younger version of Tea, had led him straight to her. She had wanted to be found all along, right from the start. Then why was she refusing to leave?

Kaiba considered where her mind had led him next, revealing how frightened Tea was of the floodwaters. He recalled how she stated she had no idea why she was so terrified. Then her mind brought them to a desert. No water.

Water…. Her subconscious has unresolved tensions with water? But what could be so bad about water? Why would she have issues with water, unless-

He gasped.

Tea cocked her head to the side, "What is it, Kaiba?"

Nobody had told him how she-

"How did you end up in a coma?"

"What?"

"You heard me."

She shrugged innocently, "I don't know?"

"Think."

"I-I don't remember, Kaiba…."

"What type of accident were you in, Tea?"

He said her first name, and the understanding that passed through them was clear. This was vital information.

"It was two years ago…. I can't think of it."

He gripped her shoulders and she was taken aback by it. "You need to remember. What were you doing the day of the accident?"

She closed her eyes. Her face scrunched and Kaiba could visibly see her trying to recall her memories from that fateful day. "I…. I'm pretty sure it wasn't during the day…. The accident happened at night."

"Where?"

"Domino City…. The bridge that goes over Domino Bay, near the pier…."

That would explain the water.

"What else can you remember?"

Her face contorted as her eyes wrinkled together even tighter. She appeared disturbed by her memories. A short time passed and her face began to smooth out, eyes still closed, but no longer scrunched tight. Unexpectedly, she opened her eyes, giving Kaiba one of the most nerve-wracking looks he'd ever seen.

"Yugi proposed to me that night…. And I said no…."

Kaiba's eyes grew wide. His grip tightened on her shoulders.

"I left the party and was completely distraught. I was sobbing, and driving, and I couldn't really see where I was going. All I can remember is a pair of headlights quickly coming at me, and jerking the steering wheel to swerve out of the way."

"You drove yourself off the bridge."

"I… must've…" She mumbled and her verification was barely audible.

The temperature drastically dropped. Kaiba was able to see his breath.

"What time of year was it?"

"January."

Kaiba pulled away from her and crossed his arms. "I can tell."

"Did I just make it frigid out here?"

"Your subconscious is recalling the incident. Domino Bay is freezing in January."

"And that's when I fell in…." She shivered and rubbed her arms to make her goose bumps disappear. "I don't remember anything after that."

"Your body must've gone into shock, I presume."

She nodded, still trying to keep her bare arms warm.

"Come on," Kaiba said as he took hold of one of her wrists and began walking out of Central Park, "let's head into a coffee shop. You need to warm up and I need more coffee."

Tea couldn't help but crack a tiny smile as she let him lead the way, only stopping to point to the coffee shop she was in before, which he unquestionably went into. The front door was unlocked and Kaiba walked right in like he'd been to the place a thousand times.

It was an adorable shop; small, but what it lacked in size it provided in atmosphere. The rustic look of the brick offered a much-needed warmth. Tiny, round, wooden tables with benches sticking out of the walls made for a unique sitting area. Deep gray cabinets decorated the back counter, and the bright teal tile behind the counter gave the shop a nice pop of color, adding a metropolitan feel to the mostly rural-styled shop.

Overall, Kaiba was impressed by the simple style of the coffee shop and was shocked that Tea had handpicked such a place. He would've anticipated something a little frillier from her, but maybe he had her pegged as the wrong type of girl? Maybe she was more down-to-earth than he had expected? Or, maybe she completely picked this place at random and he was just overthinking it? Either way, Kaiba felt relaxed here, almost as if he didn't need to hide anything. Was it because Tea had opened up to him about her rejection to Yugi's proposal?

"Kaiba?"

His name snapped him out of his thoughts and he turned to her.

"Everything okay? You seem a bit spacey?"

He nodded, "Just admiring the place."

She laughed, "Wow, the infamous Seto Kaiba compliments me twice in one day! First my dirty chai and now my choice of coffee shop. Geez Kaiba, don't get too soft on me."

"Shut up, Gardner."

She strolled towards the counter and disappeared behind it as she bent over to grab the coffee. "That's not a very polite thing to say, especially to the person whose about to make you another dirty chai."

Rolling his eyes and crossing his arms over his chest to accentuate his annoyance, he replied, "Shut up, Gardner, please."

She laughed and Kaiba could tell she had been teasing this whole time. "From you, I guess I'll take it."

"Yeah, it's probably the only please you'll ever get from me," he teased back.

She seemed a bit shocked by his playful approach, but quickly brushed it off and altered the subject as she began grinding the coffee grounds. "So? What do we do now?"

"What do you mean? We drink our beverages and find a way home." The statement was simple, yet Kaiba couldn't help but get the feeling that Tea still didn't want to leave this place. Maybe she was afraid to face Yugi?

Tea tilted her chin to the window, "Look."

Snow had begun to fall and was already piling up.

"What the hell, Gardner!?"

She placed the grounds leisurely into the coffee filter and started the brewing process, "Don't blame me! This was all you. You were the one who poked and pried into my memories and you somehow managed to pull this out of me."

"Snow?"

"You made me think of January."

"Well think of July! I'm not wearing the proper footwear for this, remember?"

"Oh, relax. We'll get out of here after our drinks. Take a seat." She was being too casual. Kaiba needed to try harder in order to get her out of this virtual world. A different approach was definitely necessary.

He made his way to the bench near the window, watching the snow steadily fall and rapidly pile up outside of the coffee shop. He could hear the loud hiss of the steamer and the gurgling sounds the coffee maker made as it dripped every last drop into the pot. The aroma of the coffee was fantastic, and probably the best coffee smell Kaiba had ever whiffed his whole life.

Before long, Tea strolled over and took a seat next to him on the bench, sitting closer than Kaiba had predicted. She placed the coffees on the table and scooted his mug closer to him. This time the drinks weren't in travel mugs but in thick, white cappuccino mugs. The froth of his beverage had a leaf-like design and Kaiba didn't want to take a drink, too afraid he'd ruin Tea's work of art.

"I don't know how you manage it Gardner, but this drink looks coffee shop worthy. Are you sure you aren't a barista?"

Tea laughed lightly, her happiness making the corners of Kaiba's lips rise, "Look at me! I'm three for three with compliments today!"

He smirked at her and narrowed his eyes, "Don't push it."

She gave him a genuine smile, "I'm not a barista. I just love making coffee recipes. My mom bought me an espresso machine for my eighteenth birthday and I kinda just taught myself."

"I see…."

"Well don't just stare at it. Take a sip. Let me know if you like it."

"Fishing for compliments now are we, Gardner?" His teasing tone crept in and Tea seemed to take note.

She raised her mug into the air and announced, "To you, Kaiba, for saving me."

He was confused by her declaration. He technically hadn't saved her yet. Maybe some of his words had struck a cord with her and she wanted to leave after all? He hoped he was right.

Lifting his mug into the air, they simultaneously said, "Cheers," and clinked their mugs together softly, taking small sips of their coffees. Kaiba couldn't deny it. This dirty chai latte was even better than the first one, and he didn't think that was even possible.

"So….?"

He took another sip, burning his mouth a bit. He didn't care. The drink was delicious. "It's perfect."

She giggled and pointed at his face, "Kaiba you have a foam mustache."

Like lightning, he moved to wipe it off, using the back of his hand. A flush of embarrassment washed over him and the feeling was incredibly new to him. Why was he feeling such a bizarre emotion around this girl?

Silence enveloped them as they casually sipped on their coffees. Not knowing what to say to each other. Kaiba looked up from his coffee to steal a glance at Tea. The falling snow preoccupied her crystal blue eyes and Kaiba wondered why her mind wasn't freaking out over the snow. It was water after all….

She shifted her gaze to him and smiled, taking another sip of her drink. She was in a good mood and Kaiba knew this was his chance to sway her into getting out of here as soon as possible.

"Why are you so hesitant to leave?"

She set her coffee down and stared at it, "I don't know how to answer that…."

"Is it because of Yugi?" He didn't care if his comment was blunt. He wanted out.

She shuffled uncomfortably in her seat. A moment passed between them that indicated this was about Yugi. "Can anyone see us?"

"What do you mean?"

"In the real world. Can they see us?"

He shook his head, "No, all they can see is our brain activity."

She let out a pent up sigh, "Good. I wouldn't want him to be watching…"

Kaiba knew she was referring to Yugi. He stayed quiet, waiting for her to speak.

"We'd only been dating for two months before he proposed to me."

"So?"

"So what?"

"You two have been best friends for years, and anyone with eyeballs can see he has always been in love with you. So, were you really that shocked when he asked you?"

She took another sip of her coffee, choosing her words carefully, "Well," she sighed, "no…. I wasn't."

"Then why did you turn him down if you knew he was going to ask?"

"Because…. Urghh, it's just not that easy to explain Kaiba…."

This time he was the one who took a long, drawn-out sip of his beverage. "I've got time."

She sighed once again, "Part of me was hoping he wouldn't ask, but then the party happened and I knew." She paused, but it wasn't to take another sip of her coffee. She needed a moment to collect herself. "I can't go back and face him, Kaiba. I embarrassed him in front of our friends and family. I know it's been two years, but for me it was yesterday."

It's no wonder she's so hesitant to leave. This incident is fresh in her mind.

"I made a promise to Yugi before I uploaded your mind to this virtual world."

"What was it?"

"To take care of you."

She didn't say a word. She almost looked surprised.

When she refused to speak, he spoke, "I don't care what feelings you may or may not have for Yugi, that's between you and him. But I don't break my promises, Tea. I'm doing what's best for you, and that's getting you out of here so you don't die."

Frustration flashed across her face, "I don't need you telling me how to live my life, Kaiba."

His irritation grew. "I'm not. I'm just looking after you and trying to keep the promise I made, but in this current situation it's a little difficult."

Her irritation grew. "And what if I don't want to leave, Kaiba? What're you going to do about it? Your mind is trapped in here with mine, and without me you can't get out."

She had a point, and that's what drove Kaiba absolutely nuts. He should've just let her rot.

He tried his old approach. "Your family is waiting for y-"

She stood up sharply, fury aflame in her sapphire eyes. "You think I can just go back to my family after this? You think I can just wake up and pretend like Yugi's proposal never happened? That the accident never happened? You think things will go back to normal after two years?"

He just sat there, letting her blow off steam.

"The only reason you're here is so you can quit having to deal with me, am I right Kaiba? Because knowing you, you aren't doing any of this for my benefit. You're here for yourself. Well guess what, I want to stay, for myself."

He glared at her, "You want to die?"

She sat down, calming herself a bit. "No."

"Like I've been saying all this time, that's what will happen if you stay."

She was still quiet. Still trying to cool off.

"You're right. I may be doing this for my benefit, but look at it this way, if you go back, you can start over, begin a new chapter of your life. There's no point in looking back. What's done is done." He ended with a curt of his mug and a long, indulging drink of his dirty chai. There was no point in arguing with her anymore. She knew the truth, and Kaiba felt like it was time for her to embrace what the future had in store for her and move on.

"How can I just move on, Kaiba? Everyone is waiting for me."

She brought up another good point. Her family and all of her friends were waiting for her. She couldn't just toss them aside after two years. Kaiba recalled how hopeful everyone was to have her mind uploaded to the virtual world. It brought on anticipation that she would finally wake up and that her mind hadn't been lost forever. They were eagerly waiting, especially Yugi. It didn't matter what she had done two years ago, all they wanted was for her to come home.

"They'll forgive you."

"What?" A mixture of confusion and subtle shock befitted her expression.

"It doesn't matter what you did two years ago, Gardner. All your family and friends want is for you to come home. That's what they've wanted from the moment you went into a coma."

Skepticism crossed her face, "How do you know?"

"I've been living in the real world for the past two years. I know what's been going on. You don't."

She inhaled sharply, as if she were breathing in his words. Kaiba could tell that she genuinely took in what he was saying this time. In fact, his words actually broke through to her. It was about time.

She sucked down the last few gulps of her coffee and set the mug down. She wiped her face with the back of her wrist and swallowed. "You're right, Kaiba. I need to leave. I need to face my problems. Two years is too long to keep them waiting."

Finally….

"Will you help me?"

The sentence surprised him. Did she mean in the virtual world? Of course, but in the real world too? That was a different story.

She answered his question, "When I get back, I mean. Will you help me move on?"

He didn't know how to respond. He couldn't necessarily say no. If he denied her request, she would probably not want to leave this place. He couldn't risk that right after she agreed to go back.

"Sure," he replied, knowing he could take back what he said once they crossed the threshold into the real world. He swallowed down the last of his dirty chai, trying to cover up his lie.


A/N: I'm pretty sure this is the most dialogue I've ever written in one chapter, haha. Thanks for sticking with me thus far. Please drop a review and let me know how I'm doing. Thanks everyone!