Disclaimer: I wish I might, I wish I did, own that great anime called Yu-Gi-Oh.

Author's note: Hiya! I updated again! I love all the reviews!!! They motivated me to continue. -____-  Actually, both the reviews and Jade helped. She's such a persistant person (sigh). I need a loooooooooooooooong nap after this chapter. I've been cracking my brain open over some stupid geography questions. No offence to those who love the subject, but I hate it. X_X  I can't seem to memorize all the maps, directions and stuff. This chapter is dedicated to Jade, because she forced me to make the chapter extra long. XD  Don't expect a fast update after this chappie!

P.S. Expect Mai/Joey romance in Chapter Four!

Title: Téa's Angel

Author: Deena

Rated: PG13

Genre: Romance

Main Pairing: Ryou/Téa

Summary: After the last disastrous breakup, Téa never wants to fall in love again. But her guardian angel Mai doesn't agree. She thinks love is the only way Téa will heal from the past…and the new boy next door Ryou Bakura was the perfect solution…     (A/U)

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Chapter Three: Stuck With Bakura

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Ding-dong. Ding-dong.

" Oh, they're fifteen minutes early. Téa, go stall them won't you?" Mrs. Gardner asked as she continued to prepare dinner. Her daughter nodded and headed for the door. Remember Téa, act natural; She coached herself as she reached for the doorknob. " Hello, welcome to – "

" Hi!" The light-haired teenager she had seen earlier smiled charmingly, tilting his head to one side. " My name is Ryou Bakura, your new neighbor."

It's him… She opened her mouth then shut it again. Say something, Téa! C'mon, he won't bite! Unfortunately, while her mind was willing her mouth refused to work. What is it about him that made her so nervous?

" Err…my name is…umm…Téa Gardner and…err…welcome…he-he." Smooth talking, Téa. You'd probably win the award for Best Sounding Like An Idiot. She gestured for him to enter, forcing herself to look down at her feet, and not at his gorgeous eyes. Damn, but he did have the most beautiful brown eyes…

Stop thinking, idiot! Is this how you're going to prove to Mai that you don't feel attracted to him? She took a deep breath to compose herself. As soon as you shut this door, make small talk, have dinner, then he'll be out of your life. Don't blow this. " So…where's the rest of your family?" she asked. There, a perfectly good question.

The light in Ryou's eyes dimmed a little. " My father's busy doing his job right now."

" What about your mother?" Téa asked.

" She's dead."

And Téa felt like an absolute dork. " I-I'm sorry."

" It's okay, you didn't know…"

Thankfully, her mother suddenly yelled, " Dinner time!"

Téa led Ryou to the hall where they would be eating. She left for the kitchen to take the food out.

Unbeknown to her, Mai had been watching the two interact the whole time from a hidden corner. " This is not good. If I don't do something soon, they'll probably never meet again. And I know Téa is interested with Ryou. Hmm…" Her eyes zeroed in on the big bowl of hot soup Téa was carrying over to the table, and she smirked.

" Here let me help you." Ryou stood up and walked over to Téa.

" No thanks. I think I can manage – AHHHH!!!" Téa tripped on something and the bowl fell. The contents splashed all over Ryou's clothing. " Oh, Ryou, I am so sorry! I'm such a klutz!" she cried, mortified.

" It's all right," Ryou said as he pulled out his jacket.

 " Give it to me. I'll dry it." Téa took the wet jacket from him and pulled him into the bathroom. After disappearing into the bathroom, Mai appeared and quickly put a chair under the knob.

" Can you open the door, Ryou. It's kinda hot…" Téa said as the blow dryer dried the wet jacket.

Ryou turned the knob. Surprised, he turned it again. " I can't! We're locked in!" he gasped.

" No way! Let me try." Téa twisted and tugged the knob in vain. " Maybe if we screamed loud enough, Mrs. Gardner will hear us?" Ryou suggested.

" Good idea." Téa knocked the door as loudly as she could and yelled, " MOM!!!!! WE'RE STUCK IN THE BATHROOM!!!!!!!! HELP!!!!!!!!!"

Meanwhile, Mai had taken care of the problem. " What? My husband needs my help?" Mrs. Gardner gasped as she gripped the phone.

" Yes. It seems the kitchen blew up and everything's a mess," said the 'police'.

" All right. I'll head on over right away!" Mrs. Gardner hung up and ran as fast as she could to the car. " Good thing I know how to throw my voice," Mai said as she watched the Honda drive out. " Now to check up on lover-girl."

Téa kept banging the door, but finally she gave up. " I guess we'll have to wait for someone to open from the other side. Till then…we're stuck here. Oh, great!" She started to bang her head against the wall.

" Hey, stop that! You'll injure yourself!" Ryou exclaimed.

" I know. But it's my way of relieving stress," Téa replied as she continued banging her brains out. She was surprised when Ryou's arms held her back. " Hey, I don't think stress is worth having blood lost," he said softly.

Téa nodded, blushing slightly. " You can let me go now."

Ryou blinked, then smiled sheepishly and tried to pull his hands away. " What the – "

" What's wrong now?" Téa was almost afraid to ask.

" My hands are stuck!" Ryou cried.

" WHAT!?" Téa tried to push Ryou away but he wasn't budging. " Ryou, is this some kind of sick joke?"

" I swear it isn't!" he said as he urged his hands to release Téa waist.

" This is so not good. Ugh!" Téa groaned. She had a small sneaking suspicion that her so-called 'guardian angel' had something to do with this whole night's fiasco.

Mai smirked, hiding the superglue behind her back. She stood outside the bathroom window, watching them with a very satisfied expression.

Awkward silence ensued. Téa and Ryou stood there, blushing and staring at some distant point away from each other's faces. Finally, she couldn't take the silence and she asked, " Ryou, talk to me. If we don't make conversation soon, I think I'm going to pull out my hair."

Ryou smiled. " Pull out your hair? That's rather drastic, isn't it?"

" Not in this circumstances," she said.

" Okay then…what do we talk about?"

" Anything. What about your hobbies?" she suggested.

" Hmm…well, I like to play the guitar."

 Téa smiled. " Play the guitar? What sort of music do you play?"

" Any kind."

Téa laughed. " Ryou, if we have to pass the time, you'll have to explain."

" Oh, but it's rather boring…"

" Ryou, we have all the time in the world. We're stuck here, remember?"

Ryou blushed sweetly. " You're right. Umm…I write my own songs and I play them with my guitar. I'm an amateur really. I only play it for fun while I travel around with my dad. He's an archeologist, but he prefers to think of himself as a traveler. This time, Dad decided not to take me along to his excavation in Egypt. So…here I am."

" It must be lonely…" Téa whispered. She couldn't imagine living without her father.

" I'm used to it…"

They grew silent again, staring at some distant point beyond them. Téa tried hard to cling to the bitter memory of Duke Devlin, but here was Ryou, the sweetest boy she had ever come across. He was so lonely. He probably had no friends because he constantly moved about. He had a father who was almost never at home. He had no other living relation… And it was almost Christmas too! There and then, Téa vowed that she would visit her new neighbor as often as she could. Mr. Tanaka would have done that for Ryou too…

Five minutes…ten minutes must have ticked by. Téa's legs were growing tired and almost gave way. But Ryou held her steadily. " Are you okay?" he asked worriedly.

" I'm fine. A little tired, that's all…" she sighed. " Maybe we should continue talking. Err…my turn I guess. I like to dance. Well, dancing isn't exactly a hobby. It's more like a dream. My goal is to study in New York and become a dancer. Do you know how to dance?"

" Me? No…" Ryou blushed.

"I bet you're a natural at lots of things," Téa teased. " Come on. I'll teach you a few moves." Her hands rested lightly on his shoulders.

" But I've never – "

" Follow my lead," Téa said firmly. Humming a small tune, she pulled him into a slow dance. It was the easiest form of dancing she had learned…and Ryou seemed be getting the hang of it. " Hey, I'm dancing!" he exclaimed, smiling.

" Ryou, you're a natural-born dancer!" Téa laughed. 

Ryou blushed. " Thank you. I guess I don't have two left feet after all."

Unfortunately, as he said it, he tripped over his feet and fell forward. The two uttered a surprised cry and fell to the ground, with Téa under him.

" Téa, I'm home. Sorry I had to leave you, dear. Someone pulled a prank phone call one me… Téa?" Mrs. Gardner stopped and looked around. Where was her daughter? She caught sight of a stool under a doorknob and walked over. "Téa, are you in there?"

The brunette's eyes widened. " Oh no! Ryou, please get off!"

Ryou tried to. He really did. " I-I can't! My hands are stuck, remember?"

So what did you think Mrs. Gardner felt like when she saw Téa under Ryou with their arms around each other, lying on the bathroom floor?

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End of Chapter Three

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Author's note: Remember, Mai is a guardian angel, so she can appear visible or invisible depending on her wish. Just wanted to clear any confusion. (Cough) Do you want me to update? If you do, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!