Chapter 7

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Caleeya finished putting some dishes away and turned to her sink. She smiled as she put the soap and sponge away. The last few weeks had been so nice. She had Steph and Ryan, the two people she loved most in the world, and now had Kaiba as well. A challenging sharp mind and a great friend. She loved the battles they had and enjoyed the credit card roulette they played when they all went out. Ryan had figured out her methods when playing rock paper scissors and won most of the time now, so it was refreshing to actually win.

Kaiba was finally able to pay a few times, after winning credit card roulette twice and paying in advanced the other time. He was something else. He caught on to their type of humor and chatter quickly, but he was Seto Kaiba. He was smart. More than that. Caleeya was actually a bit jealous. She was smart as well, and successful, but he had so much more. He could be so charming and confident, and he was... she could admit, beautiful. She had never been much for looks. Never cared enough about herself to try.

She did get dressed up every once in a while, and when she did, she was not bad, but on a normal day she was nothing. She didn't think it was possible for him to look bad, even if he tried. He was perfection and it was intimidating. He was smarter, stronger and prettier than her, no matter how they joked. She honestly didn't know why he wasted his time with them.

Caleeya stopped and glanced down at herself. She sighed heavily. It was going to be one of those days. All her life she'd had such a negative view of herself, but most of the time she didn't dwell on it. It was going to be a horrible week. Her depression crept up on her slowly and was a sly damned thing, but once it was there, there was little that could be done to stop it. It would just have to run it's course.

A knock on the door shook her from her thoughts and she finally noticed she had been standing in front of the sink, doing nothing for the last few minutes. She chuckled at herself, but it was more in disgust than humor. She opened the door and froze. Those beautiful blue eyes that made her so insecure pierced through her.

"Kaiba... I was just thinking about you. What's up?"

"Isn't this how kidnapping works?" He asked, smirking as he moved into the place. It was tiny. The couch was pulled out into a bed and there seemed to be only one other room, Kaiba assumed was the bathroom.

"Yeah... but... I just have some things going on and well, today's not a great day." She lied. He glanced back at her with an eyebrow raised. He didn't buy it, but the apathetic part of her depression didn't let her care.

"I run a billion dollar company that you kidnap me from a few times a week and you cant spare a damned second for me. I see how it is." He said turning and folding his arms in front of him. He was goading her on, she knew it and on any other day she would have taken the bait, but today she just couldn't do it.

"Listen Kaiba, I'm just not really into it all today." His brow furrowed and she looked off to the side.

"What happened?" He asked, moving closer to her. He leaned down, trying to catch some eye contact, but she avoided it.

"Nothing happened. I'm just not feeling well." She backed away from him and moved to go around, but his arm jutted out in front of her and stopped her. Her eyes finally met his and he moved in front of her again. She was stuck. She hated being stuck, but at least her apathy granted her the ability to not really care this time. It wasn't enough, however, to settle the self loathing that his presence had re-kindled. She was angry now, and he was the only one she could aim it at.

"Caleeya..." His eyes softened on her and she snapped. It was the last straw.

"Why the hell are you so perfect?" She cried out. He looked at her confusedly as she glared back up at him. "I don't get it. You cant possibly be everything you seem to be. Smart, successful, young and attractive? And now nice? It's not fair." She seemed rather deflated towards the end of it. Kaiba glanced down at her sadly. Is this really how she felt about him? "I'm sorry. It's... It's a really bad day. I didn't mean … well I did mean that, It's just it usually doesn't bother me like this. I'm a little moody." She looked down again, taking back her apathy now that the anger had subsided. She really didn't mean to go off on him, but today was just one of those days.

"Caleeya, Why-"

"No Kaiba, don't. Don't take it so personally. I was pissed. Today's a bad day and I tend to stay away from people I care about on days like this." So that was it. She not only needed him, she cared about him. He had spent the last few weeks enjoying her company and getting close to her in a way no girl had ever gotten with him. She was special. She was different and he had been constantly confused with his feelings for her. He had come alone this day to see if he had some real connection to her. He hadn't had many one on one days with her, and constantly going out with the other couple just made it feel like more of a 'double date' atmosphere. He needed to know if it was real or just him not being used to an actual friendship.

"I was going to say, why do you think so poorly of yourself? You're all of the things you've mentioned. Why are you so jealous of what you already have?" She looked up at him in disbelief.

"Kaiba, I'm a bitch. I'm not pretty, and I'm not nice. All I've really got going for me is my business and my brain. Talking to you and hanging with you is great, but sometimes I just need some space. You know I don't like to lose and... I just... cant win with you as my opponent." He smiled and watched as a flash of fury crossed her eyes again. She was angry because she thought he would always win. He liked the idea, but didn't like the way it made her feel.

"You're obviously not as smart as you think if you cant really see what you are." He chuckled down at her. She looked at him questioningly, but the second those blue eyes were on her, she couldn't keep his stare. He guided her face back to his, but their eyes never met.

She didn't know where the floor went, but where ever it was, it wasn't under her feet. He was warm against her, holding her against the wall as a tingling in her chest rose up. He smelled sweet and raw, an unusual scent that intoxicated her as his lips met hers. He was soft, but fiery, and it completely took over her. Her fingers tangled in his coat and she started to kiss him back. He was so strong and rough, but soft and gentle at the same time. He dragged her against him as he deepened the kiss and she could do little but use him to hold herself up. They were entwined and completely oblivious to everything around them. All the problems, the depression, the stress, the apathy... the door being unlocked.

Kaiba's head pulled back suddenly and Caleeya's eyes snapped wide as the door swung open. Ryan paused in the doorway and Steph glanced in behind him.

"Oh... Um, we'll... We'll come back later..." Ryan said with a smirk and Steph giggled behind him as they closed the door.

Kaiba looked back down at Caleeya and smiled. He leaned in again, but she pulled away.

"I... I shouldn't... I cant... I cant do this." Pushed him back, enough to move him, but not in a violent way, and made way to the door. Kaiba followed her but by the time he got to the hall, she had already taken off down it. Ryan and Steph were still there, looking off in the direction she had run. Kaiba started off for her, but a hand grabbed his arm and stopped him. He looked back at Ryan as Steph moved to where Caleeya went.

"Sorry man." Ryan said with an empty smile.

"For what?" Kaiba asked, staying put but not wanting to.

"That was my fault. We were going to kidnap her today. Steph... She has a, well she calls it a 'Caly sense'. She feels that Caleeya needs something and she usually does, so we go to her. I didn't mean to, well, cock block you."

"What makes you think you impacted her like that?" Kaiba was frustrated. He didn't mean it to sound mean or cruel but it came out that way. He needed to know why it wasn't his fault. He needed to know that it wasn't his fault.

"Because... I guess I remind her of him. She was going to be my sister." Ryan paused for a second and smiled again. It was a distant smile. Something like a reminiscence of a bittersweet memory. "Danny... He wasn't just her friend. Daniel... My brother... He was her fiance." Kaiba stepped back in shock. Daniel, the man she watched stabbed to death a few weeks ago... She watched her fiance's murder, right in front of him. Not to mention, Ryan was still there for her for all these years, acting as the older brother he never got to become.

"They were engaged for four years. Together for six. She saw him through boot camp, and his advanced training. Almost their entire relationship he was in the military. Then the day came where he was called out to war. They were going to get married before he left, but... they called him to a routine equipment check and just shipped them out a month early. No one was told. It wasn't until they were halfway out there that anyone was contacted. It didn't break her though. She knew it would have happened eventually. She knew he would leave for war and that they might not get the chance to say goodbye. But... when he died..."

"She left." Ryan nodded.

"My mother got the money from his life insurance, but Caleeya didn't need it. Didn't want it. It wasn't half as important as he was to her. She's never really cared about money after that. She took care of herself before him, while he was there and after he was gone. What did she need more for? It's been three years. She's never even looked at another guy like that. It's why I was so shocked. I really didn't see it coming. She probably didn't either. She's really flighty. Always has been actually. Almost everyone she's ever trusted has-"

"Yeah, Steph told me about her friends." Ryan glanced over at Kaiba and raised an eyebrow.

"Friends? Try everyone. Friends, family, boyfriends... Really, everyone except me and Steph... and you now, I guess. Her little brother Joe's alright too... but the others... her brother Vince, her father..." Ryan nearly spat the last word and Kaiba's gut swirled. "But that's not my story to tell. If she want's you to know, she'll tell you." Ryan started down the hall towards the girls and Kaiba finally forced himself to move, even though his mind was racing in a thousand different directions.

He got to the end of the hall, where it intersected another and saw that Steph was crouched in front of Caleeya, who sat slumped against the wall. The boys ducked back into the hallway, Ryan leading Kaiba as he tried not to interrupt any progress Steph made helping Caleeya.

"You don't get it... He... they... they have the same damned eyes." Ryan and Kaiba could see Steph's face turn sorrowful, but Caleeya was unseen from that angle. "Every time I look at him... Dan..." Ryan turned away, guilty that he had caused such a thing.

"Isn't that a good thing though? You loved Dan. Maybe... Maybe you can love Kaiba?" Suddenly Ryan became confused. Kaiba felt the same way.

"I don't know. I just don't know anymore. He makes me feel weird. Comfortable even. He... He touched my face... and I didn't even flinch. I think I trust him. But... I don't know if I'm ready to." Kaiba didn't like the flinching comment. It didn't sit right with him at all, but at least now they knew she wasn't talking about Ryan. So it was his fault.

"Well, maybe the fact that you do is proof that you're ready. He doesn't seem that bad. I mean, he's mean like you."

"I'm not mean, I'm a bitch... and no he's not. He's actually really nice."

"You can be really nice." Stephs voice was a little more playful now.

"No, not really." They could see Steph rise and hear Caleeya getting up as well. "And it's rude to eavesdrop." She called for them to hear. Ryan stepped out first and offered a bashful grin.

"Just making sure you're alright." He said as Kaiba moved out of the hall. She glanced in his direction as he moved, but didn't make eye contact. She was embarrassed. Kaiba glanced at both Steph and Ryan, nodding them off and they backed away, waving and leaving the two alone. Caleeya shifted uneasily, but allowed Kaiba to lead her back to her apartment.

He sat her on her pull out bed and knelt in front of her. He didn't want to pressure her into something she wasn't ready for, but he wanted her to trust him.

"Caleeya, tell me about your father."

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Second chapter of the day Wooo! I've been writing like crazy. Hope I can keep up the pace. Alright guys! Let me know what you think.

R+R+E~L!