Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or the abridged series.
Please note: This Chapter involves Drug abuse/death and brief a mention of STI (Sexually Transmitted Infections). If these will affect you please don't read on.
Bitten by the Bug.
Chapter 4 - A goodbye like no other.
Joey and Tristan woke up the next morning and realised that the hotel suite was completely destroyed. They put a note on the door:
"No need for the maids today. Thank you."
And then they set to work. It took them almost a week as they procrastinated greatly, but they finally got the Suite 'spick and span'. And just in time as Téa was released from hospital a week later. They met her at the hospital and escorted her to a hired Stretch Limousine, shiny and black with comfy sofa's, relaxing music and a small drinks bar.
They reached the Hotel and went to the suite.
"It's Immaculate!" Téa gasped, walking in. "You did all this?"
"Yep." Joey and Tristan chorused proudly.
"You two!?" Téa sounded disbelieving.
"Yes!" Joey replied smiling.
"Well...see you later." And Téa strode back out of the room.
"Where are you going!?" Joey demanded.
"Out." Téa innocently replied.
"You've only just been discharged from hospital!" Joey argued.
"And i have been bed bound! Give me some time by myself to wander around for a bit!"
"Fine." Joey said irritated. Téa kissed his cheek and left the room, leaving Joey red in the face.
"Joey likes Téa." Tristan sang.
No i don't." Joey replied wiping his cheek.
"Yes-you do." Tristan replied pinching Joey's cheeks and then walking to the toilet. Joey sat uncomfortably perched on the edge of the sofa, his right leg bouncing as he nrevously watched the clocked, one hour went by, then two hours. Nearly three hours had passed when Téa finally returned.
"I'm so glad you're back because i have something i need to tell you." Joey jumped up.
"Where's Tristan?"
"He's in the bathroom."
"You wanted to say something?"
"Oh yeh. Would you, er...like to go on a date with me at some point?" Joey's face turned red again.
"Sure." Téa smiled. She made her way to the sofa, but fell onto Joey as she fell unconcious.
"Tristan! Call an Ambulance!" Tristan ran to the phone as fast as he could and dialed.
"Wake up!" Joey said to himself lighlty slapping Téa's cheek. He checked her breathing. It was shallow and she had a slow heartbeat. Téa opened her eyes a fraction.
"I'm so sorry, Joey. I took some more Heroine." She whispered gasping for air.
"You idiot!" Joey started to cry.
"Never forget me, Joey." Téa replied rasping.
"NO! You are NOT going to die!" Joey pinched her nose and closed his mouth over hers. Then he donated breath to her.
"There's nothing you can do, Joey."
"YES THERE IS!"
"Let me go. If you don't...I'm gonna stay in pain."
Joey looked at her, tears running down his face and dropping from his jaw onto Téa's coat. "OK." He said closing his eyes. Tristan was staring between them.
Téa stopped breathing as her heart stopped beating, her mouth still open as well as her eyes. Joey closed them and layed her on the couch. Then he sat on the floor next to the sofa, his head in his hands crying. Just crying, issuing out a wail every now and then. Tristan still staring with wide eyes.
Téa's body got taken to the Mortuary at the hospital she had only left hours earlier and five days later, she had a funeral. Joey got up to speak to the full house of close family and friends in the Crematorium.
"Thank you for coming today." He choked back his tears. "I wanted to read a poem i wrote..."
"You're no longer with us in flesh and blood, but in our hearts you will stay,
You made a real affect on us all, But we wouldn't want it any other way.
I knew you well, you were my pal, i longed to be more,
You seemed keen, but time wasn't with us anymore.
I wish i had had longer to tell you how i really feel,
But here i stand next to your coffin, and it still doesn't seem real.
We'll miss you lots, never forget it
That i loved you, Téa Gardener. And that's about it."
Some women dabbed at their eyes with handkerchiefs, the men trying to be brave broke down like demolished buildings.
The employee in the Crematorium then pressed a button, which activated some rollers that moved the coffin into the incinerator behind. Everyone left as it was too much to handle. They did not go to a party afterwards, instead they all thanked Joey for a beautiful cermony, then went their seperate ways. Joey and Tristan went back to the hotel, meeting some fangirls situated at the bottom of the ground floor staircase.
"Come on then." Joey ushered them up the stairs and let them into the suite. They ran in giggling and admired the room.
"I'm going to bed." Joey said sadly, then he walked slowly to his bedroom and closed the door behind him.
"Can i go and comfort him?" One of the girls asked Tristan.
"Sure." Tristan replied tiredly.
"Can i as well?"
"Yeah, but no one else."
The two girls entered Joey's bedroom and didn't come out. They only resurfaced with Joey the next morning. He was smiling and had his arms around them, they were laughing too. The collection of the three were only in their underwear.
"He really was comforted." Tristan thought to himself.
"You'd better get your clothes girls. Thanks for last night." The girls ran off to get dressed and emerged moments later, leaving the suite.
Over the next three weeks, Joey became romantically involved with many different girls. Each night he invited someone new to enjoy the decor of his bedroom.
"Why are you doing this!?" Tristan confronted Joey.
"Because if i do this, i don't have to grieve!" Joey replied hot-headedly.
"Grieving helps you get over it though!" Tristan raised his voice a little.
"MAYBE I CAN'T!" Joey roared back, then he stalked to his bedroom. This was Tristan's cue to leave the suite. He didn't want to stick around to hear it.
The following week passed oddly. Joey noticed a rapid decrease in his weight and his glands were larger. He was ignoring Tristan for his remarks and so he went to see his GP alone. When he got there, he descirbed his symptoms and had to have a blood test.
"We'll know the results in a couple of weeks."
So Joey went back to the hotel, and waited. He put a halt to his nightly activity. And eventually, the results came through.
The Doctor opened the envelope slowly, his tongue sticking out from concentration. He read the letter quickly and his face fell. He tried to regain himself before addressing Joey.
"What's up?" Joey asked concerned.
"I don't know how to tell you this but...your blood test came back positive for HIV."
"Can you do anything?"
"No. It will form into AID's and you're going to die." The doctor replied bluntly.
Joey wandered numbly back to the hotel and burst through the door to see Tristan watching the television. Tristan looked at Joey but said nothing.
"I've got AID's." Joey said surprised.
"I know you've fallen out with me, but you can't joke about something like that." Tristan objected a look of utter disgust on his face.
"I'm not kidding! I have AID's and i'm going to die!"
"Oh my Goodness." Tristan's eyes shined more as tears filled the brims.He tried to blink them away but only blurred his vision. He saw a blob move towards him and Joey put his arms around Tristan, hugging him.