Una: I'm done screwing around! Its been way too long since the last update, and I've only been waiting because Keiko is writing the first half of the chapter. I worked this out - wrote around it, and her section will be added at a later date. Yes, this does mean I want reveiws for one chapter twice, done anonymously (i.e. no login to account but put your name), and yes, I may have to re-rewrite the chapter to accomadate the missing first section. (please don't tell on me!)

But I will update with a complete chapter 5 at the end of the week!

Yami: Last time on YGO:ANA, Nazo has been acting sick, and Keiko thinks she may know why. Yugi also continued with his struggles of getting adjusted to daily life in America. I wish someone would tell me something was wrong so I can try to help!
Chapter 4: Haruka Kanata (Far-Off Distance)

September 24th, present day New York City, USA

Dear Yami;
I am happy to hear everyone is OK. 4
I am writing this out, and Terri is helping me. I need her help to explain everything what happened today at the library. You see, I was helping Ms. Price as usual…

"MOTO!"

Yugi jumped slightly and turned around. "Yes, ma'am!"

"Quit flirting with the students and finish settiup those books! I need you to take care of something for me!"

"Y-Yes ma'am!" Yugi bowed politely to the three people he had spoken to. "Sorry, ladies and sir. I must continue my job. But thank you for listening."

"'Salright, man," the boy said as he led his girlfriend away.

"Good luck to you, Mr. Moto," the girl with aqua hair said. "I really hope you'll find her."

"Thank you."

The girl bowed and walked away.

"You certainly got the gift o' gab!" Terri had introduced her crew friends from her Stagecraft class to Yugi, who in turn talked to them about Anzu. Terri hoped this would widen the search. "Good actahs can tell when deys bein' lied to, whedda you can speak da language or not! You really had deir attention! We ah gonna find yah lady love!"

Yugi lifted the huge pile of books to move them closer to the correct bookshelf. "I thank you very much for the help, Terri-san, but all of this may probably get me a lost job!"

" 'It is not so much our friends' help that helps us as the confident knowledge that they will help us.' Epicurus or Hipocrates said dat, an' I think its true!"

'I just wish I really understood all of what you say,' Yugi thought glumly. "Hey, Terri-san, can you give me that book there?"

"An' spoil ya trainin'? No way!"

"My what?" Terri grabbed Yugi's arm and pulled him down a bit. "Itei tei tei! Terri, that hurts!"

Terri squeezed Yugi's bicep. "Helpin' ya'll ruin da potatos growin' heah! Face it, string bean, ya need da meat in ordah to sahvive!"

Yugi blinked. "Po-te-to-zu?"

"Ya muscles, man! Oy, don' tell me ya haven't noticed! All o' dis liftin' books, runnin' around, polishin' stuff, plus me feedin' ya all dem carbs, yah bulkin' up!"

"MOTO!"

Yugi grabbed the book and zipped back up the ladder. Working in an American library had many other advantages than physical exercise. Yugi had mastered the English alphabet and number system, as well as the word order and a little bit of slang. He received a sense of pride knowing that, no thanks to Ms. Price, he kept everything in order.

Terri checked out a book on Baroque Art and waited for Yugi by the checkout line. Finishing the stack, Yugi hurried over to his boss. The stern woman shouted at students for "studying too loudly," which Yugi knew he'd never understand.

"Moto, I want you to take these to Ms. Johansen at the Courant Institute Mathematical Sciences Library down the street." She handed him two hardback books.

Yugi looked at them. "Wicked and Son of a Witch?"

"I didn't say you should try to read them! Just take them to her! And for Heaven's sake, straighten up! The last thing I need that snooty geek to say is that my employees are sweaty slobs!"

"Excuse me, ma'am," said Yugi, "but why these books to be given to a science librarian?"

"She happens to be my best friend. Now move it! I need you to sort out the reference encyclopedias before you leave today."

"If dat's how she talks about her friends," commented Terri once they'd left, "I'd hate ta think what she says about da students!"

"Or me," added Yugi. He looked at his uniform. "I cannot help it if I sweat! I am given so much to do! What does she expect!"

"You wearin' anything else?"

"Yes."

"Den take off ya shirt! Bound ta be bettah den dat hideous gray thing!"

Yugi took off his uniform shirt to reveal a tight, black, sleeveless top. The chilly October air stroked him, and he sighed with relief. "That is much, much better!"

"Enjoy it while ya can, buddy, 'cus I'm makin' sure we take da stairs!"

New York University has a total of seventeen libraries affiliated directly to the needs of students in every department. Yugi worked in the largest: The Elmer Holmes Bobst Library. The target library he and Terri were heading to, The Mathematical Sciences Library, was located down the street on the twelfth floor of the Courant Institute. Yugi had never gone to this area of the campus, so Terri helped him find the correct building. "Why are we going to climb up that thing," he asked.

"More trainin'! You ain't da only one what needs at stay in shape!"

The two friends began jogging up the flights of stairs. Terri began loudly humming the song "Largo al factotum" from The Barber of Seville. 1 By the seventh floor, she took one step backwards for every two steps forward in order for Yugi to keep up with the rigorous pace.

"Back when I was in high school," Yugi muttered as they passed the ninth floor, "I used to avoid gym class and sports. 2 I even ate lunch in the classroom! Now, here I am, climbing stairs, following a crazy friend - by my choice!"

"Just don't make sense, do it," chuckled Terri, now jogging backwards.

"I play cards! I solve puzzles! I do not train for sports!"

"Dis ain't fah sports! I told ya, ya gotta bulk up a little, buddy!" Terri reached the top step and jumped up and down, punching the air like Rocky. 3 "Wahoo! I win!"

Yugi braced himself against the wall several steps below, catching his breath. His body seriously ached! "I… don't want… to do this… again… Terri-san…" He stopped the moment he saw a hand stretched out to him.

"Look, Yuge, you wanna make sure ya othah friends back in Japan don't gotta worry about ya, right? Den give 'em a reason to trust ya to protect yahself!"

Yugi stared at Terri's hand. He suddenly realized why Terri was pushing him so hard to get stronger. Terri knew Yugi's friends were worried, and Terri was helping him prove them wrong. Terri just grinned. " 'Best friends bring out the best in you,' Henry Ford."

"Thank you for being my best friend here, Terri-san!" She helped him up the rest of the flights of stairs and opened the door into the library.

The medical library was much shorter than the Bobst Library, but held just as many books. Almost everything on the shelves were science journals and math studies of all kinds. Instead of portraits of famous authors or landscapes, the walls were lines with charts of measurements, chemicals, and other number-related notations.

"Makes my head hurt," commented Terri.

Before Yugi had a chance to search for the librarian, he heard a female squeal of delight. Something small and fast bolted from the corner desk and tackled him to the ground.

"Darling!"

Yugi ignored the pain in his muscles resulting from the girl's embrace. "R-Rebecca!"

Rebecca Hawkins's blue eyes sparkled through her glasses. "Oh Darling," she exclaimed in Japanese, "I can't believe its you! What are you doing here in America?"

"Rebecca… I - uh - I live here now."

"What? Why didn't you call me or something? Does Grandpa know? Have you talked to him?" She pinched his exposed arms. "Have yoou been working out? You look great!"

A few people turned their heads. Yugi blushed at the awkward position they were in. "Um, Rebecca, could you please get off of me, please?"

"'Kay!" She pulled Yugi up with her. Rebecca now had short hair clipped back behind her ears, wore a pink vest with a teddy bear patch, a white polo shirt, and pink pants. "I'm so happy you're here! I'm graduating this year with my MS degree in Physics! You can be my date for the ceremony!"

"Sorry, Rebecca. I'm still dating Anzu."

"Oh, pooh on her!" She crinkled her nose. "She left you alone in Japan, last I heard! I'd never leave you!"

"A-hem!" A large woman with spectacles and curly hair cleared her throat. "Excuse me, Rebecca," she said in a very soft voice, "but could you be a bit more ladylike?"

Rebecca covered her mouth, suddenly aware of herself. "Sorry, Aunt Pricilla," she said in English.

The woman looked closely at Yugi. "Are you Muriel's new assistant?"

"Um, do you mean Ms. Price?"

Rebecca smiled affectionately. "You have very nice English, Darling!"

The woman nodded to Yugi. "She was going to send me books she thought I would enjoy."

Yugi handed them to her. "I am sorry I could not get here quicker."

"That is all right, young man. Any friend of Rebecca's is a friend of mine."

"You work for a university library," asked Rebecca excitedly.

"Yeah," said Yugi, suddenly finding the green tile very interesting. "I clean and stuff. Not very good pay, but I do my best."

"How much?"

"About five dollars an hour."

"That's ridiculous!"

"Rebecca," warned Ms. Johansen.

"Auntie, Ms. Price has Yugi working below minimum wage! And he's way too smart to be working there anyway, much less custodial duties! Can you do something for him? Ple-ease?"

Ms. Johansen nodded again. "Of course I will, Rebecca."

Rebecca cheered. "Yeah! See, I'll bet Anzu couldn't do that!"

Yugi edged towards the door. He appreciated Rebecca's help, but did not want Rebecca to force him on a date or anything, especially since he had not yet made contact with Anzu! "Um… I need to get back to work. Ms. Price needed me to help her with something."

"Rebecca," said Ms. Johansen, "you need to finish your English homework."

Rebecca pouted. "Darn! I hate poetry!" She leaned over and gave Yugi a kiss on his cheek before walking off. "Ja ne, Darling!"

Yugi quickly ducked out of the library, face burning with embarrassment. "I can't believe her sometimes," Yugi muttered in Japanese.

"Liar."

Yugi looked up at Terri, whom had been uncharacteristically quiet the entire time. Terri's face was almost as red as his, but the fire in those lavender eyes foretold a different reason. "You fucking liar," Terri growled. "I trusted you! Now you backstab me!"

"Huh?" Yugi blinked in genuine confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Rebecca Hawkins! You said yah'd nevah dated her!"

"I did no date her!"

"Then how come she calls ya Darling and wants ta go out and compares hahself to Ann-zu and expects ya ta be with hah and kisses ya and-"

Yugi waved his arms defensively. "We are friends for years! Our grandfathers are friends! We fought against the other in the Kaiba Grand Prix! I have never dated her, or said any feelings of love for her!"

Terri was suddenly nose-to-nose with Yugi, height exaggerated slightly thanks to Terri's platform shoes. "You swear?"

"Swear?"

"Do I have your word you ain't interested in Becky?"

"I promise! I promise!"

"Good." Terri stepped away. "I believe ya."

Yugi exhaled. For a moment, Terri looked murderous. "Why did you get angry with me? Are you… Do you love Rebecca!"

Terri's cheeks turned a little pink. "I… Yeah. She may be outta my league now, but yeah, one day I'll ask her out." Terri stared at the door. "You'll see. Everyone'll see! I'll make hah notice me! Even if I gotta stop actin' like myself! Even if I gotta dress like da man of hah dreams! Even if I gotta totally change!" Terri pointed at Yugi. "That's why I'm gonna be the best damn duelist da world's evah seen! I'm gonna prove to Becky that I am worth her time!"

"But… why?"

Terri smirked. "Yug, ya moved her to be with Ann-zu, right? Wouldn't ya do anything to make the woman ya love happy?"

September 25th, present day Domino City, Japan

Positive.

The word echoed several times in Nazo's mind. Dr. Goldman had said that the results of her pregnancy test proved positive. She was pregnant! Keiko's cheers beside her went almost unnoticed as she thought of all the times she'd passed strollers or stared at the twins or-

"Mrs. Moto?"

Nazo blinked, snapped out of her thoughts. "Yes? I'm sorry."

"That's fine," said Dr. Goldman. "I understand this must be a bit of a shock. Judging from your medical history, I assume you were told you may never conceive."

'Conceive, yes. Carry, no.' "Right. So…"

Keiko glomped onto her friend in excitement. "Ooh, Oneechan, I told you! I knew you were pregnant! I knew it!"

Nazo hugged her back, still trying to take in the news. "How… How far along," she asked.

"We won't know for certain until we have an ultrasound, but judging solely by your symptoms, I'd say three weeks." He set down the folder and turned over some pages. "Mrs. Moto, if I may, I would like to discuss some practical options with you."

"Options?"

"Well, yes." The doctor seemed to shift positions uncomfortably.

Keiko caught this. "Aaron-san, what's wrong?"

Dr. Goldman sighed. "Mrs. Moto, the results of the tests are the same as they were two years ago, when they were conducted by Dr. Yamashita. Due to the excessive damage to your uterus walls, you may be unable to carry the fetus to term. This pregnancy may result in either a miscarriage or a very premature birth. There is a very strong chance you may not keep it."

Nazo's eyes were shadowed by her bangs. "How strong?"

"You want numbers, don't you," he asked. "Alright. Considering the condition of the skin tissue, plus your general good health, I'd say maybe a 20 percent chance you will make it through the first trimester. Over that hump, I'd say perhaps a 30 percent chance for the second. But only a 2 percent chance for the third."

Keiko could not hide her shock. "So little? What's wrong?"

"Keiko-san, your friend had several terrible infections in her youth." Dr. Goldman closed the folder and folded his hands. "These made her uterine walls very thin. Carrying to term may even result in a hemorrhage, that is breaking and bleeding into her system. The risk of having a child is higher than I feel comfortably handling. We may have to consider an abor-"

Nazo stood up. "Thank you doctor. I'll come back in a couple of months."

"Mrs. Moto, I meant no offense."

"Well I took plenty! Good day!" She did not bother to close the door behind her on her way out.

Keiko thanked her friend then hurried out to catch up with Nazo. She found her give up on waiting for the elevator and open the door for the stairs. "Oneechan! Wait! Please!" She touched Nazo's arm. "Oneechan…"

Nazo looked away. "Can we please leave this place?"

Keiko smiled sadly. "Sure."

The two women walked down the stairs together, through the parking lot, and to the limo in silence. Keiko opened the door for Nazo, and asked the driver to drive around for a while. He nodded, suggesting the park as a pleasant setting. "You're awesome, Sado."

Keiko sat down beside Nazo, who was already zoning out, staring at the dark screen separating the passengers and the driver. "We've got privacy," said Keiko. "Whenever you're ready, let it loose!"

Nazo waited until they'd been on the road for a few minutes. She finally gave a half-hearted smile. "I want this so badly, Keiko-imouto."

"And you're going to have it," said Keiko, putting a comforting hand on Nazo's. "Forget what Hiro said! Everything's going to be fine!" Nazo did not seem to cheer up. "Those infections… That's why you thought you couldn't get pregnant."

Nazo paused again. "It was my father, you know."

"What was?"

"My insides. When I was younger, he used to… to stick things in me." Nazo leaned back and squeezed her eyes shut. "He told me that I needed to be taught… that it hurts. That I when a man takes me, I'd do anything he said. He… he got angry when I cried about it. Sometimes it was this candlestick grandmother gave us. Other times it was some artifact he'd bought." Nazo swallowed hard. "Once… he used an old broom handle. It splintered, and it hurt so much, but I knew I couldn't complain. Even when it hurt over a week later, I didn't cry. I… I started bleeding more often. Then it came out painful and brown…"

Nazo was sobbing by now. Keiko handed her some Kleenex and held her, wishing that Yami hadn't killed that bastard already so that she could! She'd make it more painful! No man like that deserved so simple a fate as death when Nazo continued to suffer from his evil!

"It sort of healed," Nazo continued at last. "But I was… It was all a bunch of scar tissue and thin lining. My first doctor – can't even remember her name now – wanted to take everything out. Father wouldn't pay for the surgery.

"Keiko, you can't imagine what its like! I see mothers with their children all the time! On the street, in the market, in the park, on TV… I've always wanted a baby of my own! I wanted to create something – to create a life inside of me! To have something from me to prove that I was something! That I am better than Father told me! That… That I am a woman! I wanted to be a complete woman! I wanted to feel it move! To carry it! To hear it coo! To hear it call me Mom!"

"And now you will," insisted Keiko gently.

"I don't know if I can!" Nazo's tears stopped, but her bleeding heart refused to. Keiko was a mother. She'd understand. "I… I couldn't… before…"

Keiko gasped softly in realization. "You had a miscarriage?"

Nazo closed her eyes and nodded. "I didn't even know I was pregnant until I felt it. My body… My goddamn, fucked up body, burned a baby out of me already! It rejected my heart's desire!"

"God, Nazo, I'm so sorry!" A silence descended over the two women. So many things rushed through their minds so quickly that everything went in a blur. Keiko tried hard to think of something to tell Nazo to make her feel better, but what could comfort a grieving mother who never really became one?

Then she thought of someone who always made Nazo feel better. "What about Yami," she offered. "Where was he?"

Nazo ran her fingers through her long hair. "He was in Hong Kong. I… never told him about the miscarriage."

"What?"

"You know him! He senses something is wrong and worries, but when nothing is said, he just concentrates on something else to forget." Nazo held her head in her hand. "A week before we got married, Yami said that he really wanted children. It made me feel… inadequate. I felt like he'd hate me if he knew I couldn't. So I told him I hated kids. I guess I went a little far in the argument. It almost broke us up." She touched her Bracelet, remembering her conversation with her husband. "I yelled at him that if he wanted kids, he ought to find a wife who could give him some."

"Nazo!"

"That's when I explained what happened to me." She smiled a little. "He said that was no excuse to stop the wedding, and that he'd always love me no matter what. Ra, I love that man!"

Keiko made a mental note to do something nice for Yami next time she saw him.

"We didn't talk about it anymore," continued Nazo. "Once, when we moved into our apartment, Yami suggested we consider adoption. But that's when he started traveling more often, and we just never found the right time to discuss it further."

"Wow," said Keiko softly. "I figured Yami didn't like kids."

"Why? Because he avoids the twins?" Nazo shook her head. "He's jealous, Keiko! He's jealous of you and Seto having two children when he believes we can have none!" She held her left hand as she cried, "I couldn't tell him how close we got! I don't know if I can tell him now! What if I kill this one too? How can I disappoint him like that!"

Keiko held up her hands to calm her. "Shh… Nazo, I can't believe you want to go through with this alone! You married the man, didn't you?"

"Yeah…"

"Do you remember your vows?"

"Of course! Love, honor, obey, cherish-"

"How about 'for better or for worse'?"

"I don't want to hurt him."

"Nazo!" Keiko was getting frustrated with her friend's inferiority complex. 'Its her father's fault for beating it into her, but she can at least try to come back from it!' "Neechan, you have got to talk to Yami about all of this! He's your husband! If he loves you, he'll understand you and support you!"

"What am I going to say to him?"

"Well, you're keeping this baby, right?"

"Yes."

"Then ask for his support." Keiko's fist hit her opposite palm. "Yoshi! I've got it! You can tell him on Saturday over dinner. My treat!"

Nazo blushed. "I'm not sure I'd want many people to know about this, Imouto."

Keiko pouted. "Fine. You can have your privacy. And I'll ask Seto to give Yami a lighter load. I mean most of our resources are concentrating on Kaibaland Tokyo right now. Yami can be involved in that, and stationed here in Japan!"

Nazo stared at her, excitement clearly growing. "Do you think you can pull it off?"

Black cat ears sprang from Keiko's blonde locks. "Heehee. Have you met me?"

-0-

Yugi: Yami? Mou hitori no boku? Aniki not trying to have the weight of the world on his shoulders? I'll believe it when I see it! Too bad you won't see Yami next chapter; its starring Terri-san! Terri is the stage manager of the musical theatre department's production of "Footloose," and has had to deal with snobby actors for months now. Terri hates one of them in particular named Brandon. But another girl catches Terri's eye because she looks familliar...

1 (The Barber of Seville is an Italian comedic opera by Gioacchino Rosinni)
2 (see original YGO mangas, particularly vol. 1)
3 (Rocky is a 1970s movie starring Sylvester Stallone)
4 Yugi's letter - censored so as not to give away Keiko's section.

Haruka Kanata, Far-Off Distance - sung by Asian Kung-Fu Generation; Naruto second opening (gotta love that show!)

PLEASE REVIEW!