Chapter 4

-With Friends Like These-

"I am sorry, when Jou told me that he found you I was in a bit of a situation. What brings you to Domino?" Yami asked in a soft tone, Yugi closed his eyes trying to memorize the voice, the velvety sound, a sound that, if used harshly could stop a storm in its tracks.

"I don't know. All I remember was waking up in the hospital. Then Jou said I could stay here for a bit." Yugi turned to Honda, "I would be willing to do odd jobs around the house for my stay."

"That would be fine." Honda smiled. "We are the last small town left in the U.S. I still believe in helping others."

"We all do." Yami added and took the last seat at the table.

"I am so glad you are feeling better." Anzu said softly. The tone of her voice let Yugi know that she was in love with the man. But it didn't seem as if Yami was interested. He smiled politely and began to eat his food. Yugi pushed his peas around with his fork and let out a sigh. Yami looked at him.

"Don't worry kid; you'll get your memory back. And if you don't then you can make new ones. This town will welcome you with open arms." Yugi smiled at that but he didn't want to lose his old memories, there was something important he was missing. His old life was a huge puzzle to be solved.

The bell on the front door rang announcing the presence of a new person. Honda excused himself and headed to the front. "Can I help you miss?"

"Yami Atemu, is he here?" she was frantic and twitching. "I need his help." She said. "Please…"

"Ma'am, calm down. Yami Atemu is unavailable; his family is in a bit of a crisis." Honda said softly.

"Yes, I heard and I am sorry but I need him." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a stack of cash and thrust it into Honda's hands. "Please. I will pay any price."

Honda let out a sigh and nodded finally. "Wait here." He said and walked back into the dining room. All eyes were on him, questioning glances. "There is a woman out there. She has a job for you Yami… if you are not up to it then the rest of us can handle it."

Yami pulled the fork from his mouth slowly; he had just finished his last bite of mashed potatoes. "What do you mean? Not up to it?" Yugi swallowed hard at the new tone, there it was, menacing, daring.

"Calm down, Yami." Anzu said softly. "Honda is just worried about you. We all are." Yugi was confused but it wasn't any of his business.

"I didn't ask you to worry about me." Yami snapped.

"You don't have to tell us that. We are your friends; we will worry and care about you, always." Anzu said. "No strings attached. You don't get that yet, do you? How long will it take for you to finally trust in our friendship?"

"Don't you ever shut up?" Shizuka spoke this time and Yugi found himself surprised at her voice. "Yami needs to get through this his own way, and you pressuring him isn't helping, Anzu-chan."

"Tell her I will take the job." Yami said finally. "You guys don't have to worry about me. When I find the one responsible I will make that person pay."

Yugi was scared; all the tension swirling around in the room was making him dizzy. Something people weren't talking about; the invisible elephant in the room. Yugi held his head and groaned. "Yug'" Jou cocked his head to the side to get a better look at his new friend. "I think you should get some rest." Yugi nodded

"I-I think you're right." Yugi said and slowly got up from his seat, still holding his head. It throbbed just above his right eye. "Damn." Jou helped Yugi up the stairs and back to his room. Yugi sat on the bed as Jou went into the bathroom to find aspirin. "Jou?"

"Hmm? Ah here it is." Jou emerged from the bathroom with a paper cup of water and the miracle drug. He crossed the room and gave it to him. "You have been through a lot. After you get out of the hospital you should rest."

"I should be able to sit at a dinner table." Yugi grimaced as he dry swallowed the pill. Jou pushed the water toward him and Yugi took it. "I'm not that weak."

Jou smiled a bit, "Ya sound like Yami." He paused. "I neva said you were."

"Yami. I want to ask you about him. And I know it isn't my business… but what happened to him?" there was a long pause and a sigh. "You don't have to tell me."

"We'll it's no secret. If ya go out inta the town you'll find out. See a couple nights ago Yami's house was burned to da ground. His parents were still inside and his brother's body was found just outside the door."

"That's horrible." Yugi shook his head. "He doesn't seem that sad though. If that happened to me… well I would…"

"Yami is different. He won't show his feelings, I t'ink he is just keepin' it lock inside. He wanted to be a part of the investigation but the police told him that it was dere job and he should stay back."

"He should let the cops do their job."

"Cops." Jou scoffed. "What do dey know about anyt'in? Remember when I told ya we help people?"

"Yes."

"Well we are part of a sting operation. Yami started it. We do jobs all aroun' da city, sometimes da state. When people aren't ready to go to da cops or when da cops don't care enough to take care of it den de do it. For a price, of course."

"So Yami wanted ta solve the mystery of his parents on his own. The cops don't like us too much and so I t'ink dat's why det wouldn't let Yami help."

"He's going to try anyway, right?" Yugi asked.

"If I know him as well as I t'ink I do den yes." Jou sighed.

"I hope he can do it."

"Well we all t'ink he needs time ta grieve, we keep waiting for it but he just keeps actin' normal."

"Everyone grieves in their own way. But what kind of people would be after his family anyway?"

"None, but I think my brother may have made unwanted friends." Jou and Yugi turned around to face Yami as he walked into the room. Jou swallowed hard, hoping Yami hadn't heard too much. "Don't worry Jou." He turned to Yugi, "I am sorry to come into your room without permission but I need to speak with Jou."

"That's okay." Yugi said.

"We have a problem." He said as he looked back at Jou. "The woman down stairs is looking for her missing husband. She thinks that he has been selling drugs. She wants us to tail him and see what we can find out."

"That sounds like a classic case."

"I thought that too. But her husband is Maximilian Pegasus."

"Pegasus." Jou's eyes were hard then, filled with a fire that Yugi had ever thought possible from the polite blonde.

"Are you in?"

"Yes. You don't even have to ask."

"Good." Yami said and turned to Yugi, "and as for you I don't appreciate it when people check up on me." Yugi swallowed hard and shied away inwardly. "If you want to know more about me then ask me to my face." With that Yami crossed the room, pulled open the door and left.

"Damn, what's his problem?" Yugi shook his head.

"He has a hard time trusting people."

"Yeah, I could tell over dinner." Yugi sighed. "Well I guess you guys are going to be working this whole time." Jou grabbed up a note pat that was placed on the bedside table, (Honda thought would be nice if guests could write about how nice their stay was) and wrote his number down on it.

"If ya need me, just call my cell." Jou ripped the page free and handed it to Yugi. "This city isn't too big you shouldn't get lost." He smiled. "Now get some sleep."

"Thanks Jou." Yugi smiled and yawned.

The next morning, Yugi was left to fend for himself. He was showered and dressed by morning and eagerly awaiting breakfast.

He couldn't take his mind off of Yami and the story of his family. It seemed to Yugi, that Yami was a kindhearted man. Yami didn't deserve something like that.

"Morning Yugi." Honda said as he brought out a huge stack of pancakes, Everest be damned. "You ever milk a cow before?" Yugi suddenly felt sick there was only one reason someone asked that question. Honda laughed, "I will take that look on your face as a no." He placed the plate of golden, honey drenched saucers in front of him. "Well you learn something new every day."

"You trying to butter me up with these pancakes?"

"Ha, sort of. You have a long day ahead of you." Honda smiled. "See, this house is more than just an Inn, behind us is the largest dairy farm in the county. This city provides for itself. Anzu's family provides the oranges and other fruits, and we provide the dairy. I can always use a hand."

Yugi nodded and ate his breakfast slowly. "These are fantastic. Who is the cook?"

"Shizuka." Honda's eyes glossed over with love.

"She's very talented."

"Yes she is." Honda shook his head. "Alright finish up with that and meet me in the back."

Orientation of a dairy farm left Yugi wanting to work in a coal mine. When he tried to milk the cow he only ended up covered in milk, and resulted in him getting kicked in the gut. The chickens were a bit easier, until Yugi plucked a feather by accident and then I was like a scene from the Birds.

"You know, in the modern world there are machines to do this sort of thing." Yugi said when it was all over.

"Nah, the animals are happier this way and produce better food this way."

"I guess."

"You did a good job though, Yugi. You'll do better tomorrow." Honda smiled, a slight tease undertoning his voice. "Take a shower and dinner should be ready soon."

"Thanks…" Yugi walked into the house and watched as Jou, Yami and the others gathered around a small box akin to a 2 by 4 block of wood. It was old and rusted and decorated with an Egyptian eye, Yugi cocked his head to the side.

"Let's just smash it." Jou said.

"No, there is a way to open it." Yami said.

"Press the Eye." Yugi blurted out quickly, he didn't know why he said that or how he knew. Yami pressed the center of eye and the box popped open. Yami turned to him, amazed.

"How did he know that?" Yami muttered under his breath but Yugi heard it anyway.

"If you want to know more about me then ask me to my face." Yugi smiled and exited the room to take a shower.

Yami watched him leave; a slight smirk grazed his lips but was gone before anyone could see.