A/N: Here is the final chapter of EtR. Prepare for some major OOC-ness on Seto's part; as I mentioned before, it was done on purpose.

Um…I don't think there's much else to say, other than thanks so much for supporting my story! Your feedback really makes my day.

I'll be posting a VaronxAmelda one-shot sometime later this week, so hopefully I'll see y'all at the debut! -MeeLee

EASIER TO RUN: FINALE

Alister was unprepared for the impact. He was flung back, crying out as he crashed against the wall and sank down. Far away he heard someone wailing, and opening his eyes he realized two things at once: first, that Mokuba was curled up on the floor, screaming incoherent words; and second, that he was staring down the muzzle of a handgun, behind which stood Seto Kaiba.

Seto's hand was trembling; indeed, his entire body was shaking as he glared down at Alister. His breaths came out in ragged gasps, and his eyes were laced with tears. Alister realized what was wrong: he had seen all that they had seen, but since he had been sleeping the images would have taken on a nightmarish quality.

Seto was dressed in a simple white tank and a pair of sweats, and in the moonlight Alister could easily see the scars that decorated his arms and his torso, and the dark slash marks on his wrist. Seto took another deep, ragged breath. "What…What the hell d-did you do?" he demanded, his voice shaking so badly he could barely form the words.

Alister's response was almost reflexive. "I'm sorry," he whispered, and was surprised at how emotional he sounded. "I…didn't know…"

"No one was ever s-supposed to find out about that!" Seto yelled.

"Why not?" It was not Alister who answered, and both the tall brunette and the lean redhead turned as Mokuba faced his brother, fists clenched, tears streaming down his face. "Why didn't you tell me? Why?"

Seto did not reply. His eyes were hardening, and Alister suddenly realized that he was giving Mokuba the same look he had given Ms. Sasaki.

"Why?" Mokuba repeated, his voice a high-pitched wail. "Why did you hide everything? Why didn't you tell me?"

Seto glared, and his voice when he spoke was dangerously soft. "Get out, Mokuba," he hissed.

The small boy shook his head feverishly. "No! Not until you tell me why!"

Seto's eyes glinted. "I said get out!" Alister reacted immediately as the other man's hand—the one holding the gun—swung around toward the little boy. The redhead leaped forward and seized Seto's wrist—

Long window bright sunlight glass very tall what if you fall ? gozaburo turn very disappointed seto youre not worthy yes i am I HATE YOU run push crash splinter scream echoechoecho fall laugh HAHAHA

Seto's bullet blew a hole in the ceiling as they both fell back. Alister landed hard on the floor but he hardly felt the impact, overwhelmed by shock at what he had just seen. Seto had killed…

Somehow he finally managed to get back to his feet, but he saw that Mokuba was gone; far away, he heard a door slam. Quickly he turned, ready to face Seto Kaiba again. That was when he heard an odd sound. It sounded almost like a sob.

"Oh, God…oh, God…" Alister looked down and froze. The great Seto Kaiba, ruthless CEO of one of the most powerful organizations in the world, now lay curled up on the floor, and he was crying.

"I—I didn't mean to," Seto was saying in between wracking sobs, almost to himself. "P-Please don't be mad at me…"

Alister looked at him, and realized that he was seeing not a man, but a young child that had been locked away in a dark mind for many years and had now finally broken out. Mokuba had been right. Seto Kaiba really was dying.

Suddenly he became angry, not at Seto, but at himself. All his life he had blamed his troubles on this man—this child—who had suffered far more than he ever had. Every misfortune that had come across his path he had blamed on Seto Kaiba, every downturn, every failure. He had always thought Seto privileged, blessed with endless opportunity and power, but now he saw that Seto had neither. He had been wrong the whole time, wrong about everything, about everyone. He should have blamed Gozaburo for his troubles, but like a hunter with his mind set on only one goal he had gone for the cub instead of the lion.

He straightened. "I…" He shook his head. "I'm sorry." Sorry for intruding, sorry for seeing what I shouldn't have seen, sorry for causing you and your brother so much misery, sorry for not realizing the truth, sorry for everything.

He refused to look at Seto as he turned and headed for the door. Seto's voice stopped him. "Alister."

He turned and saw that the young brunette's sobs had apparently ceased. Seto had risen to a sitting position and was now staring blankly, almost listlessly at the floor. His voice was toneless. "Please," he whispered, "Don't tell anyone about this."

For a brief moment Alister wanted to say something, anything, to comfort him and to tell him that everything was going to be fine, that it was okay to cry. Somehow, though, such words did not seem to fit the situation, and so he merely straightened and said in a low voice, "You have my word."

If Seto replied he did not hear it, for already he was making his way down the long winding steps of the staircase. Within moments he was back at the door from which he had entered, and stepping back out into the night he allowed the wind to cool himself down as he shut the door quietly behind him. The moon was bright and the sky was clear, just as on so many other nights, but something had changed. Something was different, and strangely, for once in his life, he knew what it was.

He turned then from the forlorn house and its tragic inhabitants, and walked away. He did not look back, and he never returned.

FINI