So, yeah it's been a while since i updated here, but i had a massive writers block and stress at school. The stress isn't over yet, but at least i can write again. So please, don't be mad at me.

SRMTHFG doesn't belong to me.

Neither does Yu-Gi-Oh.

R&R please.


Yami nervously pulled at his tie and glanced down at himself. He wore a dark-blue tuxedo, a same-coloured tie and a white shirt. Tea stood next to him, wearing a red cocktail-dress. They waited in front of the town-hall for Kaiba.

"I'm starting to have my doubts in that idea", stated the former spirit nervously. Tea gave him a reassuring smile and said: "Calm down Yami. I'm sure things will turn out right."

Yami took a deep breath of the cool night-air and nodded. "I guess you're right."

Tea smiled, then suddenly gaped. Yami turned around, to gasp. Behind them stood Joey, Tristan, Ryo, Bakura, Mokuba and a very annoyed Kaiba. "Hey you two", greeted Joey with a grin. Yami gave Kaiba a confused glance, who simply glared back. "Not one word", hissed the brown-haired teen. Fighting down an amused chuckle, Yami nodded, then followed Kaiba up to the towns-hall. The Porter led them into the ballroom and then walked back to his post. Yami gasped in surprise. The ballroom looked incredible. On one wall was a buffet, where Joey and Tristan immediately sped off to. Ryo ran after Bakura, who made his way to some very valuable looking items.

Yami rolled his eyes at that, then turned to Kaiba and asked: "So, why are the others here now too?"

Kaiba gave another glare, only this time it was directed at Bakura. "A certain someone stole my calendar and told everyone about it."

At this Yami had to use everything he had to not crack up. Then he shook his head and scanned the present people. He didn't see Yugi anywhere, and someone with their kind of hair was easy to spot. "Up for a dance while we wait?", asked Yami and extended his hand to Tea. She laughed and Yami simply send a thanks to the gods that Tea had managed to have him going to dance-lessons last year. Together the two made their way to the dance-floor and started to dance.

"You've gotten better", stated the girl after a while. This gained her a chuckled from Yami, who answered: "Well, I had the best trainer." Tea blushed and Yami chuckled once more. Then Joey caught his arm, effectively stopping him and Tea.

"What?", hissed Yami annoyed.

Joey simply gestured to the door, where a group of people just came in. A new wave of nervousness hit him when he saw Yugi. He exchanged a glance with Tea, who nodded and nudged him forward. Yami took a deep breath and walked up to Yugi and his family. Family, thought Yami. To use this word for someone like Yugi and not having his grandfather around feels wrong. Once again regret hit the former spirit. He stopped nearby and watched, hoping to be able to pass Yugi up alone.

Chiro and Jinmay excused themselves soon and the black-haired teen dragged his girlfriend to the dance-floor. Yami had to admit, they looked cute together. Chiro wore a black tuxedo, a white shirt and an orange tie and Jinmay wore a white dress with pink markings on the sleeves. He looked back to Yugi, who appeared to have started a conversation with the woman that had come with them. She wore a bright-yellow dress with silver and pink highlights and her blonde hair was in a bun.

Swiftly Yami scanned their surroundings. The man, Antauri he believed was his name, intimidated the tree-haired teen the most. But Yami spotted him on the other side of the room, talking to some people he didn't know.

Gathering himself, he walked forward once more. Yugi spotted him and narrowed his eyes shortly, obviously wondering what Yami was up to now. The woman turned around and narrowed her eyes at Yami as well, but walked off after Yugi had given her a nod. "Well, coincidence meeting here, uh?", began Yami. Yugi raised an eyebrow in a "Are you kidding me"-fashion and Yami bit back a frown. Deciding it was no good idea to answer that Kaiba had invited him and Tea to this party so they could talk to him, he gave the answer Kaiba had given him. "Bakura stole Kaiba's calendar. I'm sure you can guess the rest."

He chuckled and was relieved to see a small smirk on Yugi's face.

"Joey?"

"Pretty much, yeah."

Yugi shook his head, then asked: "And you saw me and decided to come over?" Yami gave a shrug. He didn't really have an answer to that. Yugi smirked once again and stated: "I gotta admit, at least you're trying."

"Huh?" This time, Yugi gave him a sad smile, having Yami frown. "What's wrong?"

"It's just…Yami, I think it's great you try to make everything up to me." Yugi locked eyes with him. "But what I need most is still time."

Yami nodded, then asked: "I understand that Yugi but…someday?"

"Someday maybe", answered Yugi, then walked off. Yami let out his breath and leaned back against the wall. At least Yugi had given him some answer. "And?" Yami yelped and jerked up, then spun around. The whole group, minus Kaiba, stood there. The question had come from Tristan.

"What did he say?", asked Tea. Yami closed his eyes and tried to slow his heart-beat, before he answered: "He thinks it's great I'm trying."

"And?", pushed Ryo.

"Someday maybe."

Ryo frowned at that, but Mokuba stated: "Well, it's better than nothing, right?" Yami nodded, then a voice suddenly stated: "Well, that is a surprise." They all looked up, to gasp.

In front of them stood Professor Hawkins. He had Rebecca and a boy around their age with him. "Professor Hawkins", greeted Yami with a smile. "Great to see you. You too Rebecca."

"Hi Yami", greeted Rebecca.

"So, how is America?", asked Tristan.

"Ah, quite silent lately, especially the countryside", answered Professor Hawkins.

"Guys", exclaimed Rebecca. Everyone looked at her and she pulled the boy with her forward. He laughed a bit at the force she used, but gave them a cheerful smile. "This is Jake Conners. He's my boyfriend." That caught everyone of guard.

"Y-your b-b-b-boyfriend", stuttered Joey out. Yami was as surprised. Sure, Rebecca had become really beautiful in the past few years. She'd grown quite a bit and wore contact-lenses, but he hadn't expected her to ever give up on Yugi. "Is it that hard to believe that I can have such a beauty as girlfriend?", asked Jake with a grin.

"Actually", cut suddenly Yugi's voice in. "They are surprised out of another reason." Yami stared at Yugi, wondering what the hell the teen was up to. Yugi simply gave Jake a grin, who studied him a moment and then grinned back. "Gosh Yugi, didn't even recognize you. You've grown the past year!" Now everyone, except Yugi gaped.

They knew each other!

"Guess I have", answered Yugi while he walked forward. "But you changed quite a bit too. Last time I saw you your hair was black, not brown, and way shorter." Jake grinned and the two hugged.

"So, what takes you here?", asked Jake. Then he suddenly frowned and glanced at the group. "I…thought you said you never wanted back to Japan." Yami's heart skipped a beat. He couldn't imagine that it very well could've happened that Yugi wouldn't have come back. Yugi gave another shrug as answer and stated: "I said that a year ago, but I promised dad I would try to face my past. That and we moved here because of his business."

Jake nodded in understanding, then Rebecca gasped: "Yugi is that really you?!"

Now Jake seemed surprised. "You know each other?"

"We do", answered Yugi and gave Rebecca a small smile. "How have you been Rebecca?"

"How have I been?", asked the girl. "I've been worried sick after you just disappeared like that!"

Yugi gave a sigh and said: "And I'm sorry for that Rebecca, but I had a lot on my mind when I left and…I didn't want to risk anyone finding out where I am with contacting you. Yet, had I known that you and Jake would come together, I would've told him a bit more about my adventures."

Jake laughed and said: "Thanks, I know enough already."

Yugi gave another grin and continued: "Though, when you wrote in your last letter that you got a girlfriend, I really didn't expect it to be Rebecca."

Jake grinned back, then Ryo stated: "Anyone else surprised at the sudden turn of events?"

"Me", chorused everyone.

Then Yugi suddenly turned around and chuckled. "Tonight is having it with the reunions, huh?"

"What d'ya mean", asked Joey.

Yugi simply shook his head and started walking to the entrance. Yami shared a glance with everyone, then moved to follow Yugi. The teen walked to three men. One had sea-blue hair, blue eyes and wore glasses, the second one had red hair and the third one green. "Unique hair-colours", stated Tristan with a silent laugh. "Not worse than the ones of those two", argued Jake and nodded to Ryo and Bakura. The tomb-robber growled at him, while Ryo just shook his head.


Yugi gave an amused grin when the green haired man pulled him into a bone-crushing hug. "Nice to see you again kid", stated the red-head.

"Nice…to see you…two again too…Sprx…O-Otto, let go…can't breathe", coughed Yugi out.

"Oh, sorry", said Otto and let go.

Yugi simply grinned, then turned to the last newcomer and greeted: "It's great to see you again too Gibson."

The blue-haired man, obviously the oldest of the three, nodded at him with a smile and answered: "I am glad too Yugi. Where are Antauri and Nova." "And Chiro and Jinmay?", added Otto.

Yugi looked around, then said: "Dad is over there with the mayor. Chiro and Jinmay there on the dance-floor and Nova…I don't know."

"How about behind you?" The four whipped around, to have Nova tackling Sprx in a hug. She gave an evil grin and asked: "Caught you of guard, didn't I?" Everyone laughed at that, then Yugi saw how Chiro spotted them and Jinmay and Chiro came over. He also saw Antauri excusing himself before making his way over. It was a happy reunion. Chiro and Jinmay got hugged to death by Otto and Sprx said he finally got chances to make a few jokes again. Gibson stuck more with Antauri than the younger ones of the group, not that anyone minded that. Suddenly he found Chiro gesturing him to come closer.

"Yeah?", asked Yugi silently.

Chiro glanced over at Yami and the others Yugi had just talked to and asked: "Why are they here?"

"Bakura", answered Yugi. "He stole Kaiba's calendar and told everyone about this. Rebecca and Jake came with her grandfather."

"Who is that?"

"It's…"

"Arthur!" That was the first time this evening, Yugi had gotten caught upright of guard. He couldn't help but stare when Antauri and Gibson walked over to Rebecca's grandfather, who seemed pretty surprised in meeting them here, but greeted them warmly.

"How small the world actually is", stated the tree-haired teen.

"Since when do you use Antauri's phrases?", asked Jinmay with a smirk. Yugi smirked back, then walked back to the group he'd come from, followed by everyone else. When he walked up to Jake, the brown-haired teen asked: "Uh…I'm seeing it right that your dad knows my girlfriend's granddad?"

"Yup", answered Yugi. "Surprised me too. I didn't know dad and Professor Hawkins knew each other. Neither Gibson and him."

"Who?", asked Rebecca, who'd overheard them talking. Suddenly someone grabbed Yugi's shoulder and he looked up. Professor Hawkins stood there.

"When were you planning on telling me who your father is young man?", asked the man. Yugi looked at him in bewilderment and with a laugh Antauri argued: "Calm Arthur. How was he supposed to know? The last time we talked face to face was three years ago." At this Professor Hawkins smiled and let go of Yugi's shoulder. "I was just teasing him a bit." Antauri gave a smirk at this, then Tea stated: "This is just awkward."

"Like Yugi already said before", said Chiro. "How small the world actually is."

He got agreeing nods from his family and their friends, while Yugi smirked at Yami and the others, who seemed terribly confused. After a while of talking, Antauri suddenly pulled Yugi aside.

"What is it?"

"I just thought you should know that Arthur is aware of us", stated the silver-haired man.

"Huh?", asked Yugi confused.

Antauri gave a good-natured eye-roll and gestured to himself: "You understand. Us."

With that he turned around, leaving Yugi gaping. Professor Hawkins knew what Yugi thought only he and his duel-monsters knew? It took a while for Yugi to accept this new piece of information, when suddenly someone gave him a punch on the shoulder. Self-defence kicked in and Yugi forced his attacker's arm behind his back.

"Ah! Alright, chill out Yugi! It's me!"

Immediately he let go and said: "Sorry Jake. You surprised me."

"It's okay Yugi", answered Jake and stretched his arm. "Uh, you still got it."

"I've gotten even better", argued Yugi grinning.

"How you made it through that hell of training those two put you through is a mystery to me anyhow", stated the other teen.

At this Yugi laughed. "It wasn't that bad."

"…wasn't that bad? Yugi they hit you out of bed five in the morning, had you running I don't know many miles and beat you up hundreds of times and you call that not that bad?", exclaimed Jake, against to Yugi unaware that Yami, Rebecca and Mokuba were listening in on their discussion.

Yugi smiled at his friend though and answered: "They knew when to stop Jake. Back here…before I left…I was bullied by this guy. Ushio. He beat me up almost every day. And not like dad and Nova did and still do. He beat me up till I bled, till I couldn't move. What dad and Nova did were feathery touches against the torture Ushio put me through." His smile had vanished at this, but he forced it back up and ended: "That's why I say it wasn't that bad."

Jake had stared during the explanation, then said: "Dammit Yugi. I didn't know you went through that much. I mean c'mon. I was your first friend over in LA, after Chiro I mean, and you didn't tell me that?"

"I barely tell anyone", argued Yugi. "I knew Chiro longer than you, but still, about what Ushio actually did to me…I didn't tell them till about three months after you and your mom moved away."

Jake looked at Yugi with sympathy. "Sorry if bringing up that topic hurt you."

"It's okay", answered Yugi with a shake of his head. "The past is the past. All we can do is learn from it."

"You definitely hang out around your dad too much."

Now Yugi burst out in laughter. He couldn't help it.


Yami stifled a yawn. It was one in the morning already and the party was still going. He wanted to go home and sleep, but this night he'd learned so much about Yugi's new life, that he wanted for it to continue. Blinking a few times, his sight cleared and he focused on Yugi and Jake. The two had spent quite much time together tonight, obviously catching up on what they'd missed. But every now and then Yugi had more the less sent him to Rebecca. "She is your girlfriend after all", was what the teen had said.

Yami had chuckled at this, but something had seemed off to him. It had sounded like there was deep sadness in Yugi while saying those words. Once again Mahad's warnings came back to him, having the former Spirit wonder what exactly happened. When Yami snapped out of his thoughts, he almost slapped himself. Through his musings, he'd lost sight of Yugi once again. Quickly he walked on and scanned the people, trying to find him.

"Eh Yami, where are you going?" He turned around and found Joey walking up to him.

"I'm looking for Yugi", answered Yami truthfully.

"Shouldn't ya' be spendin' time with ya' girlfriend?"

Yami stared at his friend. "Joey…are you drunk?"

"Huh, maybe a lille."

"Then I need to remember you, Tea, Tristan, Ryo and Bakura went home already. Now c'mon. I'm not letting you out of my sight again", stated the former Pharaoh and dragged Joey along. He ran through the entire hall, then finally spotted Yugi, leaving over the veranda. What is he up to, wondered Yami.

"Where do you think is he going?", asked a new voice. Yami glanced back and found Jake and Rebecca standing there.

"I don't know", answered Yami.

"Well, then let's follow him", said Rebecca. Everyone nodded and the four of them made their way out of the hall into the cool night-air. However, there was no sight of Yugi out there. "You think he's in the garden?", offered Rebecca.

"Only one way to find out", said Jake and grabbed his girlfriend's hand. He dragged her down the steps and Yami followed with Joey.

They ran through the garden till they reached a small pond. It was a beautiful sight in the night, yet wasn't what, or rather who, they looked for. Suddenly they heard a yelp and a thud. Yami turned around in alarm and froze in shock. Everyone did. In front of them, Yugi picked himself up from the ground and shook his head. Then he stood straight and looked around, only to have someone lunging at him. He got thrown back and crashed onto the ground in front of Yami and the others.

"Yugi!", exclaimed all of them.

Yugi coughed and a voice sneered: "Friends of yours?"

"You could say so", snarled Yugi back and leaped forward.

Whoever he fought, Yami couldn't see him, was good. Yugi got hit again and again, losing ground. "That's it he needs help", roared Joey and rushed forward. "Joey don't!", shouted Yugi and leaped in front of him when the attacker switched to Joey. Yami watched in shock how Yugi pushed Joey out of the way, to have the attacker getting him in a headlock. Now Yami caught sight of the attacker. It was a man in his early thirties. Orange hair, brown eyes, black pants and T-Shirt. Yet he seemed familiar to Yami. As if…

"Mandarin put him down this instant!"

Everyone jerked up at the sharp shout. Everyone glanced to a few trees and, to Yami's, Jake's, Joey's and Rebecca's surprise, Antauri stepped out. His fists were clenched and his blue eyes blazed angrily.

The man, Mandarin, grinned evilly and asked: "Worried about your dear little boy? Protecting him now instead of the hairless monkey?"

Antauri gave a short growl. It sounded far to animal-like for Yami. If he wouldn't have seen the facial expression of the silver-haired man, he wouldn't believe the sound was made by a human. "You do not pull Chiro into this as well Mandarin", snarled the man. "This has been between you and me ever since this started. That you pull those I care about into this is low, even for someone as you!"

"But dear brother", argued Mandarin.

"BROTHER!", exclaimed the four bystanders.

Antauri growled once more and hissed: "You lost the right to call yourself a part of our family a long time ago Mandarin. Now let go of Yugi or you'll regret it!"

Yami glanced at Yugi and found him staring at his adoptive father in surprise. That was all Yami needed to know that this really was not Antauri's usual behaviour. Suddenly the man was gone and then Yugi tumbled up to them before he regained his stand. They all stared in shock at the speed the two men moved around each other in battle. Suddenly Mandarin backed off, wiping blood from his nose.

"Yugi get the others", hissed Antauri back at him.

Yami saw how Yugi hesitated, clearly unwilling to leave him alone in such a situation. "I'll get them for you", whispered Yami to his light. Yugi glanced at him, then smiled and nodded.

"Look for Chiro, Jinmay or Nova and tell them that it's Mandarin and…that dad has one of his moods. They'll know what to do", whispered Yugi back.

Yami nodded and, covered by Yugi should Mandarin get the idea of attacking him, ran off.


Yugi watched the battle between Mandarin and Antauri nervously. Of course Antauri had every right to not just be mad, but upright pissed at the other, but he also knew, his father should not show it that much. The fact that he wasn't able to at least hold back a bit, was a fact that worried not just him, but the whole family. Suddenly Antauri screamed got thrown back.

Rebecca screamed as well and clung to Jake, who pressed her close to him. Joey watched everything in utter shock. That was when Yugi saw it. It was hard to spot on Antauri's black suit, but the dark liquid that covered his fingers was easily recognized as blood. Too fast its metallic scent reached him as well.

That did it.

Quickly he rushed forward. Of course Yugi knew he was no match for Mandarin. Even at his full concentration Antauri had a hard time battling him alone. But that didn't mean he would stand by and watch this monster killing his father. He managed to land two hit, before Mandarin grabbed his arm and threw him over his shoulder, knocking the air out of Yugi when he made impact with the ground. Mandarin raised what looked like a dagger, still stained with Antauri's blood, when said man kicked him away and disarmed him.

Yugi sat up when Antauri threw the dagger into the pond, then stumbled back. Immediately Yugi caught him and frowned when he felt the amount of blood that already soaked his father's suit. Antauri grunted when Yugi applied pressure to the wound, but didn't try to stop him.

"Antauri! Yugi!"

The teen looked up, to find Chiro and Nova running towards them, Yami following suit. Mandarin paled at the sight of two more of his enemies and snarled at Yugi and Antauri. Yugi looked back with what he hoped was a calm expression, but rage rushed through him. Surely not as strong as the rage Antauri still felt, but strong enough to have him struggle to not let go of his father and attack Mandarin again. However, it was easier to hold back now that help had arrived.

Nova lunged at Mandarin with a loud cry, making Yugi wonder if the music at the party was really that loud or if the people were just idiots enough to not make anything of the cries or the facts that a few well-known people suddenly left at once. The orange-haired man backed up, but ran directly into Chiro, who delivered a few hard blows against the man's chest. "Y-Yugi…" Yugi looked down at his father, who raised his free hand, since his other hand was still pressed hard against the wound with Yugi's. In it was a cell phone. "I…think…you should call in at the ambulance. G-Gibson won't have…the right equipment…in his hotel…to help me…" Yugi nodded and rested Antauri on his knee to grab the phone. He activated it and quickly punched in the number of the ambulance.

"Domino City Emergency Hospital. How can we help?", asked a bored sounding female voice.

"My name is Yugi Johnson. I'm in the garden of the Towns Hall at the Mayor's party. A strange man showed up and stabbed my father. Antauri Johnson. He's losing much blood."

"We'll send an emergency team over immediately." Live had returned to the woman's voice. "Can you give any details?"

"The dagger entered his body barely above his right hip and obviously went in till the hilt. The length…I believe it was about ten centimetres. He's losing blood fast. I'm having him lie on the ground right now and we both apply pressure to the wound."

"Alright, keep doing that. We'll be over immediately."

"Thank you!"

With that the call ended and Yugi pushed the phone into his own jacket. His father wouldn't have any need for it now. "Get back here you!" Yugi's head snapped up at Sprx' voice. The red-haired man and Nova chased after Mandarin, who'd made a run for it once he, Otto and Gibson had arrived. Now Gibson kneeled down on Antauri's other side, repeating the question the woman on the phone had asked. Yugi kept his gaze on his father's face while he answered, trying to imagine that the man's blue eyes were filled with warmth and life, not hazy and dull.

It was hard and Yugi prayed to all the gods out there that Antauri would be alright.