Jou coughed. He couldn't help it. His throat felt dry and heavy, coppery. He groaned as his eyes opened and a cold wind breezed over him. As his vision came into focus, he saw the tall figure of Kaiba looking down on him. He pulled his knees to his chest and shuddered slightly, he was cold, so very cold. He could feel the ghostly hand on his face, brushing crimson stained bangs from his honey eyes. This couldn't be happening. Kaiba was there, Kaiba had seen…everything. And now, there were no excuses, no denying, it was over.

'You going to lay there all day, or are you getting up?' the velvet voice surrounded him, cushioning him in an icy warmth. Jou furrowed his brows as he looked up to the phantom, confused. Had he not just seen what happened? Or did he simply not care? Either way, he wasn't talking about it, and the longer it could be avoided, the better. Shakily, Jou nodded and rolled onto his knees, picking himself up slowly. He coughed again, raising a hand to his head. He felt dizzy, but it didn't matter. He had plans for today. Today they would find Seto's body. The blond could feel the ice prick at his skin, covering him in bumps. A dead body. He was going to see a dead body. And not just any body…Seto Kaiba's body. It was a sickening thought that chilled him more than he cared to express.

Mustering all of the strength he could gather, he gripped the wall and pulled himself up, his eyes locking onto Kaiba's, who was casually leant against said wall, in a fashion that he always used to.

'So, I'm gonna getta wash…then we'll go, right?' Seto nodded, his blue eyes hollow and emotionless. Jou stumbled down the corridor, guiding himself with his arms until he reached the bathroom where he locked the door. He gripped the sink, and shakily reached for the tap. He twisted it slowly and let the water fill the sink, before dipping bloody cupped hands in, splashing his face. As he met his own eyes in the mirror he could see the spectre leaning against the door. He jumped, turning around to face him. As he did so, pain shot through his body, burning at the tip of every nerve. He shrieked with pain and began to gasp rapidly.

'What the fuck are you doin in here? Can't a guy get some privacy?' Seto smiled wickedly and simply shrugged,

'It would appear I'm haunting you. If I'm a ghost, I may as well have fun with it, stupid mutt.'

'Fuck off!'

'I don't think I will.'

'Then I won't find your damned body.' Jou's eyes turned dark as he straightened his back and folded his arms. Seto narrows his own eyes before stepping backward through the door, leaving Jou alone. He smiled, he'd won that one. Though, he had to admit, it was a pretty cool trick to walk through a wall. He turned back to the sink, soaking his hair and body, before drying off. He took the towel and ran it gently over his skin. He shuddered as it hit the bruises, still fresh from his father's outburst. He paused as he looked in the mirror, dapping at the blood around his mouth.

Seto had just seen that. Everything. Every kick. Every slam. Every tear and drop of blood. He saw it all. Everything.

Taking a deep breath, Jou closed his eyes, tearing himself away from the mirror before struggling onward to his bedroom. He turned his back to Seto as he pulled on a fresh pair of jeans and a shirt, before picking up his backpack and heading to the door.

As he opened the front door, his eyes narrowed with the pain from the sunlight. Was his apartment really that dark? He shielded his eyes as he stepped out, closing the door firmly behind him.

'It looks warm, I guess today's a good day.' He swallowed, before heading to the iron stairs. Seto simply nodded. He was oddly quiet. Jou knew why. He was afraid. Just like anyone else would be. He took a deep breath and the pair silently headed onwards to the woods.

Once reaching there, the atmosphere turned cold, and the fear became more and more evident in Seto's eyes as the got deeper into the trees. The leaves crunched under Jou's feet and the mud from the rain squelched on his trainers.

'It…it'll be ok.' Jou turned to Seto who was walking a few steps behind, looking down at the floor.

'You don't know that.'

'Well, how bad can it be, you're already dead.'

'I dunno. I just…I don't want it to be…'

'It's ok. You're allowed to be afraid.' Jou paused, stopping in his tracks. He turned to Kaiba. 'I hate to say it, but I'm here for ya, ya know.' Seto snorted a thanks. He smiled lightly.

'Let's just get this over with.' Jou nodded.

'So where about is it?'

'I don't know. Your guess is as good as mine.'

'Then how do we find it?' Jou was becoming unnerved. Dead bodies. Ghosts. Woods. Alone. Not good. His heart was slowly pounding, and his eyes fell again on Seto. At least his heart could still pound. Looking at the ghost he began to walk again, and the next thing he knew, he was face down in a pile of leaves and laughter echoed in his ears.

'That was not funny.' He growled, spitting out the mud.

'I have to differ.' Seto smiled. 'Only a dumb mutt like you could trip over…nothing.' Seto paused. His face turning white.

'What?' Jou paused, his head turning slowly. He knew what Seto was staring at. He couldn't fight it. No matter how hard he tried, he knew what he had tripped over. He cranked his neck to his feet to see the lump behind him, and the black pants sticking out from under the leaves.

There it was.

The boys looked at each other, not knowing what to do. There was a long pause as they stared, frightened at the leg.

Was it attached? Was it even his?

Suddenly, Jou began tearing at the leaves, ripping them furiously away from the leg. His heart was pounding, he could feel it pulsing in his mouth. There it was. It was attached. Kaiba…was there. It was Kaiba…right?

Jou looked at the corpse, unable to move.

There, laid a mangled corpse, laid unevenly in the dirt. The clothes were torn and burnt. Charred at the tips and in the centre. The blackened marks led to destroyed flesh, sticky and green, lingering to burnt bones. Resisting, Jou drew his eyes up to the face. If it could be called that. The strong smell of petrol lingered in the air as Jou's heart finally stopped. The eyes were burnt and crisped over and the skin surrounding the eyes was no existent. The bone was blackened and crumbling. The skin around it was flapping in the breeze, only joined by the smallest ligaments. The limbs were broken and dismantled, which was evident through the missing skin, the clothes were blood stained and destroyed. He looked up to the ghost whose eyes glistened with glitter that fell into nothingness.

'Are…are you ok?' Jou moved his mouth slowly, looking up into the glassy blue yes,

'I…I don't know.'

'What…happened?' Jou looked over to the body again, musing the dead hair between his fingertips.

'I was burned.'

'Is that what the petrol smell is?'

'I guess so. But petrol explodes. It must have gotten out of control, so they doused it early and left the job half done and then covered it up.' Jou simply nodded. He didn't know how to react. The CEO was almost unrecognisable. The black clothing fell lightly over the bones. There was nothing else. After a while, the smell of rotting flesh began to push through the immediate smell of petrol. It was fowl, and Jou pulled his shirt over his mouth to mask the smell. It was sickening and lingered in his mouth. Looking down, Seto could see how affected Jou was by the repulsive smell, and felt almost relieved he couldn't experience it. His thoughts froze for a moment. That was him giving off that smell. That was his body. The charred skull with few resembling features, the skinless left cheek, the melted flesh across his forehead and nose, clinging desperately to the bone. The twisted fingers and torn nails. That was him. The once pristine and perfect Seto Kaiba…that was him. He felt sick. He didn't even know it was possible, but he did. All of the feelings, all of the emotions swept over him at once, and tears flowed from empty eyes. It was uncontrollable. There he was. On the floor. In the dirt. Alone. Unrecognisable. No one there to hold him in his last hours, no one to comfort him. No smiling faces or gentle hand hold. No children. No partner. No high school diploma or happy memories. No wedding. No engagement. No first child or romantic song. No Mokuba. No…nothing. It was over. He had died. There was nothing to live for, not even life. It wasn't there. He didn't exist. The tears flowed faster and fell into nothingness, leaving no trace on the drying leaves that once covered his mangled corpse. He was hollow and empty. He had died how he lived, and he couldn't handle it. There was nothing left. Nothing.

Hearing the sobs, Jou turned around, and his brown eyes softened at the sight. Even the hard core blond had to admit he was stirred by the body. It was nothing like the boy he remembered. It was so lifeless, so…revolting. It was everything that Seto Kaiba never was. It was ugly. It wasn't graceful or clean. It was just…disgusting. Slowly, Jou stood up and walked over to the spirit. Without looking, he moved his hand to where the blue eyed boys palm would be, and took the imaginary hand in his own. He felt the cold chill pass through his fingers, and he knew they were touching. He could feel his blood turn cold under his flesh, and he knew Seto was clenching back.

'It's gonna be ok, ya know.' Jou said softly, tightening his grip. They didn't move, and they never shared a glance, they just continued to look forward over the body. 'We'll find out who did this…I promise.' His face remained stoic and forward, and the brunet simply nodded. Yes. Whoever did this…would pay dearly. With their lives.

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GREETINGS FROM ORLANDO!

Hey everyone I'm on vacation in sunny Florida and having a fantastic time. Been loving Disney world and we've been to Oktoberfest in Celebration today, (though I think I need to visit the German one next year where I can drink…and have some nice euro beer…hehe. Yes…I'll be driving around Europe soon..haha)

Anyway, it's gorgeous but I had to find time to update. Thanks for all of your kind reviews so far, it's really nice of you all. I'm glad you liking it.

I'm not best pleased with this chapter. I spent days plotting his death and people kept giving me different ideas. Originally I wanted to kill him in the way the Romanov family we're killed, but then decided against it. My sister (archaeology and biology student) was going on about arsenic and how it dies the skin and ricin and alsorts. Dad went on about a shot gun and a swamp and alsorts and in the end I was like 'SCREW IT I'LL JUST BURN HIM WITH PETROL!' then my sister was like 'oh it burns' and dad (who works at an oil refinery) was like...'No it explodes' and then a huge debate started and I was like 'you know what, I'll fucking douse the explosion…ok?' seriously. I gave in. but it's not as graphic and descriptive as I would have liked, so if anyone has feedback on how it made them feel it's very much appreciated.

Anyway, it's like late…again haha, and I have Kingdom Hearts to play (we're going shopping tomorrow and I'd rather go to Epcot…I like 'the world')

So, please

R&R

Much love

AB

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