He couldn't believe his luck. Of all the places to find this intoxicating little jewel – here, in his hospital - was not where he was expecting. He thought this was what he had seen the other day when making his rounds. Such a pity.

Something had to have gone wrong, for everyone in his circle knew that the owner of that particular establishment wouldn't stand for his property to be abused like this. But no matter, he wasn't in the mood to let the man know that his prize possession was sitting in the hospital fighting for its life. It wasn't his job.

And besides, maybe now he would have a chance to taste that delectable flesh without the thousand dollar price tag that came along with it. Yep, he was of no mind to tell that pompous windbag that he had found what the other man had lost.

The lanky doctor hummed tunelessly to himself as he filled the syringe, tapping it gently to expel the air. He gave a lust filled leer towards the tiny, limp figure – showing a row of even, overly white teeth, as he ran a hand over the soft, bruise laden skin.

"Such a beautiful little gem as yourself deserves a man like me. I'll help you recover, but in return you're going to have to pay me back." He chuckled as he injected the liquid into a free vein. "Don't worry beautiful, you'll like it."

"What did you say…?"

A low snarl came from behind, causing the arrogant doctor to pause in the act of throwing the empty syringe in the biohazard bag. He didn't expect anyone in the room when he examined his newest patient. In fact, hadn't he expressly told that female that no one was to disturb him? Figures she would go against his wishes. Bitch!

"I didn't say anything…Who are you and what are you doing in here? No one's supposed to be in the room when I examine a patient!"

Johanssen tried to cover up his mistake behind a haughty frown, turning to face his accuser. The moment he turned around he saw what appeared to be an older, more exotic version of the small boy lying in the bed standing beside the door, a lethal glare on his face. For a minute he almost thought he was seeing double…

He glanced back at the bed, before looking once again to the furious teen by the door.

Holy hell, there were two of them? And the one standing by the door looked rather demonic with those glowing red eyes. Johanssen's hands began to shake as he fought with the urge to run and hide from those piercing, unholy eyes. Unconsciously he took a step back from the wild eyed teen as a bronze hand was casually lifted in his direction.

"I am your worst nightmare." The older version hissed as wisps of shadow curled out from around his form, darkening the room, drawing all light into their power. "You will be judged for…"

"What the Hell is goin' on in here?" Another voice broke the shadows hold on the room and they winked out of existence.

"Jou - get out of here." Atemu growled low in his throat, his feet moving rapidly in the direction of the terrified doctor.

He heard what the good doctor had said to his Aibou. Every last word. And he was going to punish him for it. That…that conceited bastard! That evil, no good son of a…Damn Jou for ruining his concentration! He would have…

"Atemu! What are you doing?" Alex's voice sounded concerned as she peeked into the room.

Atemu twitched in surprise, tightening his grip. The former Pharaoh didn't remember actually cornering the doctor, nor did he recall when he had managed to lift the man off the ground by his neck. A rather extraordinary feat on its own seeing as the man towered over him by almost a foot. With an evil smirk he pulled the rapidly-tuning-blue man to him, almost as if he were a lover murmuring endearments.

"I heard what you said." Atemu whispered softly – the tone belying the quiet words, ruby eyes blazing. "I heard it very clearly. You get only this one warning! If I see you in this room…if you…touch him again…you and I will be playing a little game!"

The former spirit set the doctor roughly back on the floor with a glare. The instant his feet touched solid ground the man practically flew from the room, his lab coat flapping against his thighs in his haste to flee. He brushed by Jou, Ryou and Bakura, the latter lifting a foot to help him on his way with a chuckle.

"What was that all about?" Alex demanded of Atemu, stepping into the room and closing the door behind her. "If you were anyone other than who you are, you'd be tossed out of here on your arse! You had better be thanking your lucky stars that the board overlooks that type of behavior from their benefactors!"

"That is between me and the good doctor, but he needs to stay far away from my Aibou!" Atemu bit out, arms folded over his chest. "He is not allowed anywhere near this room. If I find him in here again, there's no telling what shape he will be in when he comes out…if he does."

Alex slumped back against the door with a sigh, taking her glasses off and polishing them on her lab coat as she thought on how best to respond to this clear threat on her coworker's health.

"Look, whatever it is that he did to upset you…I'll be sure to report his behavior…and he will stay away from this room, I'll make sure of it." Alex replied, shifting her ever present clipboard as she perched the spectacles back on the tip of her nose. "…Anyways, I have good news. Yugi has a simple bacterial infection. It's not MSRA. With the vitamins and antibiotics he's on it should run its course and be gone within a day or two. I have rounds to make and now a report to file, but I'll be back in soon. You behave!"

The tiny lady left the boys to their own devices, closing the door softly with questions buzzing in her brain. Why had Atemu gone off like that? He was always well spoken and polite to her and the nurses. What had Johanssen said to piss him off? True her colleague was an arrogant ass of a doctor, but was he really that bad of a person as well? She was going to have to report the incident.

The group stared after the two doctors, before Atemu pulled the chair that had been pushed aside back up to the side of the bed. He didn't think that the doctor would come back around, but it didn't hurt to be extra vigilant, just in case. The nerve of that arrogant son of a bitch. Payback? What type of payback?

He sighed to himself, turning his mind towards other matters, totally ignoring the others. Finally, some good news. The ruby eyed teen didn't think he could take much more. His little one had been hovering somewhere between life and death for the past week or so. And he was feeling quite powerless to help the boy. Damn it this was his Aibou! He had to be able to do something! Right?

"Atemu…?" Jou questioned, unsure of whether he wanted the darker teen's attention focused on him after the earlier outburst.

"Yes Jou?" Atemu responded wearily.

"I thought you might need this…" The blonde held out the puzzle that he had snatched off the end of Yugi's bed when he came from his shift at the game shop. His friend had mentioned something about wanting to put it back around Yugi's neck, to see if it would bring their link back.

Atemu's eyes widened at the sight of the puzzle. He hadn't been home in the last ten days. And even though he had thought many times of retrieving it, it always seemed to slip his mind on the rare occasions that he slipped out of the boy's room.

"Thank you Jou…" He gave a tiny smile.

"Yeah, uh, no problem…I just want him to get better. I want my bud back…I miss him…He's here, but he's not…and" The blonde broke down into tears and walked away from the two startled former spirits.

Jou paced the length of the room, his arms wrapped around his chest, trying to calm the turbulent emotions racing around his head. Just like the two dark teens, he was uncomfortable with emotional outburst and didn't want to be comforted. He would willingly show his rage and anger, but to break down like he had.

He didn't want anyone to see him like this. Thank god the others seemed to realize this and they steered clear of him for the moment.

Jou watched from the corner of the room as Atemu placed the puzzle over his little one's still, vacant form. It was a heart wrenching scene, as the darker teen nuzzled his face into the little one's neck, searching for a sign, just something to let him know that his efforts weren't in vain.

Both Jou and Bakura both averted their eyes as Atemu came away from the contact shaken and teary eyed. It was breaking their hearts to witness his torment. Ryou wrapped a comforting arm around the former Pharaoh and led him away from Yugi's bedside.

"I can sense him…not his thoughts, but his feelings…he's scared…hurt…ashamed…oh gods what did they do to him." The rage burned in those piercing scarlet eyes, dark shadows winding up and around his form, pulling him into their embrace. "They will be paid back tenfold for whatever evil was done to him…That is a promise!"

"We'll get them back…we will. And Marik and I will help." Bakura promised his friend, shadows of his own extending out in the direction of his broken comrade. "And I think maybe we will start with our doctor friend. I want to know what he was talking about, just as much as you do."

Atemu nodded back at the tomb robber, his gaze almost eerie in its intensity. Even Ryou nodded in pledge to help, knowing about the return of their powers well before the current display.

Jou looked at the shadowy duo with fright in his eyes. The two of them were terrifying enough without their powers. When had they gotten those back? That question and others floated around his shocked mind as he quietly retreated back to the corner of the room instead of offering his help.

Maybe this was a good thing. If anyone could find out who did this to his small friend, they could.

A spike in terrified feelings brought Atemu's eyes back to the form on the bed. He gently reached out and took the small, trembling hand into his own, squeezing lightly.

"Shhh. Little one…I'm here now, it's okay…" He whispered, sending calming sensations through the nearly broken link.

His words seemed to still the cataleptic youth's trembling, restoring his breathing and heart rate back to peaceful rhythms. If only he could break into the boy's thoughts and get to him that way. But his little one was too far locked inside his mind for him to even entertain the idea.

He would have to sit and wait this one out - to let the boy fight his demons until he was strong enough to break free of his coma. And then, gods willing, Atemu could help him the rest of the way. It was the hardest thing he had ever had to do. To sit back and wait. Even the decision to sacrifice his life paled in comparison.

~ o ~ O ~ o ~

23 Days:

Atemu looked thoughtfully over at his little one as he squeezed the small, pale hand again. His heart soared with suppressed emotion. Yugi was beginning to squeeze his fingers on command, at times seeming to know left from right. And several times it looked as though he might have wanted to say something, his mouth opening and closing as if to form unheard words. Several times that day Atemu had leaned in closely to try and catch the silent murmurs.

The no longer needed breathing tube had been taken out, as well as several other tubes that had been put in place to help him heal and the boy seemed to be resting comfortably, a little more relaxed even, less tension in the way he laid on recently healed his back.

Most of the diminutive teen's visible injuries had healed to the point of being just simple white scar tissue, other than his ankle, which was still enclosed in a plaster cast. His angelic face was back to normal and his beautiful eyes were beginning to open just ever so slightly, the irises following every one of the former Pharaoh's movements.

But once again the high heart rate and the myriad of feelings dribbling down the barely existent link were giving Atemu cause for concern. The boy was just out of his reach, he could feel it and he was powerless to do anything other than sit there and hold his hand, whispering encouraging words as his little one fought his nightmares.

~ o ~ O ~ o ~

What had he done that was so bad? Why had he been taken away? Hadn't he been good? His new master was coming again; he could feel the vibrations in the floor from his heavy footsteps. A deep involuntary shudder overtook his small frame. Not again! He wouldn't survive.

"I knew you'd be awake…"The man chuckled evilly. "I think we've had enough fun for now. I'll just get me a quick piece before I head to work."

Yugi opened his swollen, black and blue eyes as he was rolled over onto his stomach. He didn't have enough strength to fight back and wouldn't even if he did. He knew his place. A burning pressure came from down below, but he was used to that by now. He was still bleeding profusely from the last time the man had done this. Another shudder rocked the small teen's broken form.

Even if he was used to it, and the blood did give a form of lubrication, it still hurt from where the man had thrust whatever he could find handy deep inside of him. A few moments after it began, it was finished, and with a grunt the man pulled out and zipped up his pants.

The man gave a last look at yet another one of his brother's toys that he had broken. This one would be dead by the time he came home. But maybe not. Maybe there was time for one final round later tonight. It didn't matter to him, maybe he wouldn't come back. He did have another life to return to. He'd had his fun - he thought with a smirk.

He would beg his brother's forgiveness when he went back to town. His brother would forgive him, he had the last time. And if anyone happened to find the body of this whore inside the house that he had procured just for this experience – well no one would ever be able to tie it to him. He had already made sure of that.

He stalked back down the stairs and out to the car. Jumping inside, he pushed the remote for the garage door and went about his morning routine. Oh shit… he forgot to tie up his prize. Oh well, no matter. He had no reason to think that the boy would be able to make it out of the house. Not after what he had put him through in the past week. Besides, the little slut had learned only too well what was expected of him. His prize would still be there when he got back, if he returned. It was still undecided…

Yugi fought hard against the numbing feeling of impending unconsciousness. He heard the garage door open and the sound of a car speeding away from the house. He moved his arms uncomfortably, waiting for the blast of pain that always followed. Wait…he could move his arms! That meant…

Groggily the small teen looked around his surroundings. He knew he should wait willingly for his newest master to come home. To not obey the command meant punishment. But…his new master's intent was to kill him – as slowly and painfully as possible. He could see it in those cold blue eyes. He really didn't want to die here. He didn't want to die and be disposed of like a piece of worthless trash. Even though that was technically what he was. Another worthless whore.

He inched his way over to the side of the hastily made, soiled pallet that he had called home for the past week, coughing up small droplets of blood as he moved. Slowly he put his shaking legs over the side of the mattress. Once his bare feet hit the floor an intense wave of pain hit him, making him cry out in agony. More blood made its way past his dry, cracked lips to drip down his naked, painfully bruised chest. He cast a longing glance at the barrier between him and his freedom.

Could he make it out the door? If he did he had better be long gone by the time his master got home. Or his punishment would be even worse than what it was before. It was at that moment that he decided it was now or never.

He was going to die, and he knew it. But he wanted someone to find him…someone needed to know. Someone very important in his past life – someone that they had tried to beat out of his head, but remained as only a dream, a wish. That person needed to know that Yugi was no longer missing, but instead free of his misery.

The image of the face was nonexistent; the name of this person just out of reach – only a pair of exotic scarlet eyes was left to haunt his dreams – but the small teen knew there was someone who needed to know.

It took him a few moments to attempt to stand; his entire body was nothing but a mass of painful bruises and agonizing welts that tore open with every single movement. His arm wrapped around his chest protectively at the piercing pain that invaded his mind with every action, but still he pressed on.

Yugi used his other arm to push off the bed and he promptly tumbled to the floor, with a surprised cry. Damn that hurt! One of his legs was wholly unusable, unable to take his weight. He thought it might well be broken after what had happened earlier in the week. Self-preservation and that fuzzy picture of someone very important to him seated firmly in his mind urged him on to his bruised knees and he began to crawl lethargically towards the door, towards freedom.

It took him a couple of tries to get the handle to turn but he eventually got it. An almost euphoric high greeted him at that victory. Now all he had to do was make it out of the house…

Yeah right.

He shook his head gingerly. He had to stop thinking so negatively or he wouldn't make it. Using his forearms to pull him along the tiles, he moved slowly into the hall. The stairs were another matter altogether. How the hell was he going to get down those stairs? He sat at the top, looking down the frightfully long stairwell.

Yugi took a deep, calming breath despite the pain. He had nothing left to lose now. With a jerk of his body, he threw himself over the edge of the stairs, half rolling half tumbling all the way to the bottom where he landed in a broken heap on his injured back. Sobbing quietly, he let the pain flow over his body, invading his brain and numbing it to the throbbing, painful sensations.

He laid there for quite a while, his mind fading in and out of consciousness. A creak somewhere in the house caught his attention and, frightened; he slowly rolled over and began to crawl towards the front door, leaving a tiny trail of blood in his wake. It would do him no good to be caught now.

He coughed up another, larger spot of blood as his breathing became further labored. It hurt so badly…he knew he was bleeding internally. He could feel the blood running down his thighs as well as a sharp pain in his spine that was nowhere near normal. And the excruciating twinge in his chest was making it nearly impossible to breathe.

Before he knew it, the small teen was out of the house and crawling down the cement driveway, tearing the skin on his knees and his hands as he pulled himself further away from the house of his tormentor. If he could just get away from the house…

Grass was a welcome feeling beneath his hands. And he collapsed to the ground…spent. This was it, his time had come. The darkness blurred the corners of his vision, before slowly taking over the rest of his sight. If only he could have seen the one who's dream like image had kept him going one last time.

"Ya-mi…" He murmured softly – finally remembering the name as he closed his tearstained eyes. His tormented brain barely registered the sound of a nearby woman screaming loudly.

~ o ~ O ~ o ~