A/N: Let's pretend it didn't take until Season 4 for Zane to be washed up ashore. I think it's obvious though, that I altered scenes and events to suit the Rareshipping plot we got going on. Exhibit A was part 1, where Alexis didn't disappear along with Chazz, Atticus, Hassleberry, and the others in Jaden's duel with the denizens of Bronn's court. This is Exhibit B.

Review replies:

presea221: As always, thank you for the review :D It's funny that you thought about that and what a coincidence the previous chapter was. And you know what's even more of a coincidence? You suggested a one-shot where Aster would get jealous. And I actually happen to have a one-shot story in the works where our favorite silver-haired boy does get jealous of Zane. It's actually kind'a connected to this one lol xD I think you can expect that third fic request coming up sooner than the first two, (since I'm still in the process of editing them, not gonna lie).

AnimeMyWorld: Thank you for reviewing. :D I really appreciate it :)

And thank you to you too, Reader. :)

Part 2: The Aftermath

It's been two weeks since Jaden had returned and Zane had washed up ashore…

Three since they'd all come back from the different dimension.

Two had returned out of the five that had failed to come back. Adrian had disappeared. Bastion had chosen to stay behind in favor of being with Tania. And Aster was still missing… Still didn't present a sign that he would be coming back.

The rest of their group had reassured her time and time again ever since Jaden and Zane turned up that it was only a matter of time before Aster would appear as well. But their presumptions and their hopeful wishing had done her worrying little favors. The thought of Aster winding up like Adrian always managed to make her skin crawl and her gut turn inside out. It was too much to even consider — not to mention the fact that Aster did nothing wrong.

She still had hope. But she was barely holding on…

Ever since they had returned to their world, there hadn't been a single day where she hadn't woken up to a brand new morning wishing that she would find Aster waiting outside her door, or perhaps lounging in his boat again. Even the thought of him wandering the Academy forest was better than losing him in an alternate dimension altogether.

For the most part, school and daily life at the Academy had returned to normal. And Alexis could barely stand it.

How could they go on knowing that students were still missing? They weren't just pieces of paper shoved into the archives for future studies and scrutiny! What was the school even doing?! Hell, what steps were Kaiba Corp making to solve the problem? As far as the pro circuit and the rest of the world was aware of, Aster was on hiatus as he was focusing on school for the past few weeks. But everyone in Duel Academy knew the truth, and were apparently in favor of brushing the matter under the rug like it was just another trivial concern.

Were they treating him like this because he had no biological family and his legal guardians were busy doing who knows what?

It was so frustrating that more than once, Alexis had found herself zoning out during class lectures (a very rare thing to happen) in favor of trying to come up with ways to convince authorities to bring in scientists or whoever was skilled enough to crack dimensions. But how would she even do that in the first place? The best she could probably do was talk to Sheppard, and she already did.

To feel like she was doing something, she took to distracting herself with visits to the medical facility where Zane and his slowly healing heart condition were being monitored. It was either her or Syrus. Zane had been doing well, and had even started talking to her like he always did back when she was a freshman. He'd asked about Aster one day (after she had tried so hard to not bring up her ex-boyfriend's absence), and she'd ended up telling Zane a sob story. Not every detail, but enough to give him an idea. It was the same tale she'd told Atticus when her brother had shown concern for her after he noticed how withdrawn she was from the rest.

But the weeks of coping and distractions by friends and daily classes could only hold up for so long. At night, she was unprotected from the foreboding thoughts and the anxiety, and only comforting herself with memories and the weight of her necklace in her hand.

He simply couldn't stay gone forever. He had to come back… Or… Or she would really spiral out of control and retreat even more into a shell she'd subconsciously made ever since his anguished voice faded into nothing when they left that cave.

She got her good news after two more long days of waiting and hoping. Word had reached her through Syrus — who was living in Obelisk now, that Aster was found in the outskirts of the school's medical facility at the break of dawn. Since then, they'd brought him into a private room in the same place they were keeping Zane for treatment.

They'd found him in the wee hours of the morning and it was currently late afternoon. Leaving only rushed words of thanks for Syrus and his efforts to speak to her privately about this, she rushed out with only one destination in mind…

vVvVv

On her way to the medical wards, she had been wrought with urgency. But now that she was actually standing before the door (the only thing keeping her from seeing Aster in the flesh), she felt the trepidation return.

What would she say to him? What would he even say to her? Was she supposed to greet him, ask him if he was okay? Every scenario painted in her head all involved her and Aster talking with awkwardness heavy in the air. Did he even know she was coming?

Taking a deep and steadying breath, she steeled herself for a confrontation and pushed the door open, completely missing the winking red light of the camera perched above the door frame. The first thing she noticed was the furniture, and then the medical supplies, and after inwardly cursing at herself for avoiding the boy she wanted to see, her faltering gaze finally settled on him.

It was hard to believe that he was actually real. He was sitting up in the middle of the hospital bed, wearing a long-sleeved cream t-shirt, with a blanket over his crossed legs, and scrolling through his phone. She took in the sight of him in that brief moment, silently took note of his familiar profile and his pale complexion.

He was here. Actually here.

As if in slow motion, she watched as he finally looked up from his phone and those mesmerizing blue eyes zeroed in on her again after weeks of dreading and pleading with the universe to bring him back. And now that he was here (and looking at her), she didn't know what to do or say.

"I was wondering when you were going to finally come inside. Didn't look comfortable standing out there." He flashed her that dastardly smile she knew all too well, and it suddenly felt like the rifts between them had closed — as if they hadn't been apart after all.

And to see him looking at her like that only brought tears to her eyes — relief, happiness, and bits of leftover sorrow all converged within her and left her in a mess, at a complete loss over what to do next. Suppressing a sob, she only managed to utter his name before she rushed over to him, and without thinking, embraced him so tightly.

Her voice muffled against his shirt, she sobbed his name over and over again, and only cried harder when she realized that his arms were around her as well, squeezing her reassuringly as he pressed his lips to the side of her head.

"Aster, I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

"What are you sorry for?" He asked quietly, murmuring into her ear.

He smoothed her hair fondly and buried his fingers into her golden brown tresses, silently relishing her scent. Because it felt so good to have her in his arms again. Waking up to the world he knew had felt like a dream — until now, where he could touch her like this and reassure himself that he was indeed home. He didn't want her to leave his arms just yet.

His time in Dark World had been hellish. Zane had been a tolerable companion, but in everything they went through, he couldn't get her out of his mind. For countless nights, he had stayed up replaying their breakup over and over again, trying to figure out where he went wrong, or why she didn't want him anymore. And in the outcome of his battle with Adrian, all he could think about then was buying them time to escape.

"I'm sorry for leaving you, for letting them take you. For— For…"

The ugly sobs at the back of her throat kept her from finishing her words properly. She surrendered to the tears carving their way down her cheeks as she pulled back slightly. Biting her lip to stop her lips from trembling, she avoided his gaze even as his hands settled comfortably on her shoulders.

"Well, I'm sorry too." Cupping her chin, he tilted her head up so he could look into her eyes. "I'm sorry that I drove you away from me." Whatever it was he did that put Alexis off.

"Aster—" She whimpered, but it was at that moment that his eyes briefly wandered away from her face to focus on the necklace hanging around her neck. The one he'd given to her for their first anniversary, and the same one he'd pressed into her hand just before he yelled at Zane to get her and everyone else out of death's way.

"You don't have to wear it just because of this, you know." He commented sadly, eyeing her necklace and finally releasing her from his hold only to fold his hands on top of his lap and stare at them as if they were suddenly very interesting.

At the mention of the necklace, Alexis subconsciously wrapped a hand around the familiar trinkets, and caught sight of the corresponding thin silver chain and the locket attached to it around his neck. He was wearing his locket too, kept it hidden underneath his shirt, resting above skin.

"No, Aster." She shook her head, passively wiping away a stray tear as she gently took his hands in hers, cradling their joined hands between them. "I wear it because it's what kept me going. It helped me keep hope alive, wishing every day that you would come back. And- And I'm so happy that you're here."

Words failed him. Slowly (so as not to startle her), he framed her face in his hands, and leaned closer and closer. Overcome with similar emotions, Alexis let her eyelids close as she pushed forward the tiniest bit. His forehead on hers, he nuzzled her nose, and slowly kissed her waiting lips — taking his time and doing it slow, just like their first kiss.

It was invigorating — exhilarating. It was like coming up for air after drowning. This kiss… It held so much emotion. All the worrying and the pining; the heart-wrenching sorrow was worth it for just this one moment. Because it was reduced to nothing in the face of such a beautiful expression of love.

He wrapped his arms around her waist securely, pulling her into his body as she cupped his cheeks and took silent note of his own tears. Parting for air, she tenderly peppered his face with delicate kisses, quietly apologizing and reassuring him, silently dispelling his doubts. Telling him—

"I love you, Aster. I love you. I love you."

She uttered those three words again and again like it was a prayer. He didn't think too much on it before, but words failed to express how relieved he was to hear her say it, to reassure him that his own feelings weren't going to waste — that she loved him just as much as he loved her.

Still overrun with emotion, he held her closer with no intention of letting her leave just yet. Comfortable silence blanketed them both as she settled into his lap while he buried his face into the crook of her neck, smoothing his palms over her bare arms, relishing the feel of her skin.

It was quiet and peaceful… And it was all they could ever want right now. All they could ever need.