Author's Note: Thanks to Silver Moon Phoenix, seers-of-a-lost-paradise, anime-ruthless v.1, Depressed Pixie, donthaveaname, Dragon2900 and Ashiki for reviewing.

Chapter 7 – the Moon Covered in Shadow's, the Death of Yugi Motou

Location: Motou Games Shop, Domino Japan Date: 10 May 2005 Time: 3:47pm

"I really appreciate your help; my grandson needs some peace after this experience." Solomon Motou said quietly walking towards the front of the games shop quickly followed by Nick Carlstrom and Sara Ryan.

"We'll do whatever we have to, to find this bastard and make him pay." Carlstrom vowed massaging the area around his bullet wound still in a sling.

"What my partner…" Sara started but her voice trailed off as the three heard a scream emitted from the second level of the Games Shop.

Both Sara and Nick went rigid, on instinct they reached for their guns pulling Solomon Motou behind them. Silent communication was the key between them, with one look they decided who would take point, this time it would be Sara with Nick backing her.

Sara moved forward, behind her Carlstrom aimed his weapon at the door ready to pull the trigger on the first person out the door. Ryan grabbed the handle solidly looking behind her to Carlstrom who gave a nod of readiness.

Sara pushed her full weight into the door throwing it wide open in front of the three people. Carlstrom turned to Solomon looking him straight in the eyes as Ryan quickly swept the room to make sure it was not an ambush.

"Sir I urge you to stay where you are while we secure the house." Carlstrom said his voice heavy with concern.

"Mr. Carlstrom this is my home, my grandson could be hurt I refuse to wait for you to search the house, if you want to stop me you will have to fire your weapon." Solomon said staring resolute into Carlstrom's eyes.

Carlstrom reluctantly turned away, "Stay close Mr. Motou."

Sara entered followed by Carlstrom and Solomon; she approached the stairs her gun raised towards the hole leading into the second level of the house, once again Sara looked back at Carlstrom before ascending the steps to the second level. Carlstrom followed on her heels as did Solomon Motou.

Sara held up her hand, both Carlstrom and Solomon stopped short, listening carefully they could hear the most desperate and despondent sounds coming from Yugi's bedroom. It was someone sobbing. Cautiously Detective Sara Ryan moved forward her gun still raised in case this was a trap.

She slipped slowly into the room she stopped again letting the door drift open; suddenly all feeling left her seeing the almost surreal scene before her.

"Sara, Sara what's?" Carlstrom began to ask before stopping his eyes drifting over the floor towards two beings on the floor, a pair of crimson stains had enveloped the floor around them as Téa Gardener her white stocking's drenched in Yugi Motou's crimson coloured blood. Carlstrom looked up into his eyes, and while he would have to check Nick knew that look it was a dead emptiness that was only possessed by someone that had passed on.

"Yu, Yugi." Solomon Motou whispered his body in an almost catatonic state staring at his grandson.

Gingerly Carlstrom walked toward Téa and Yugi's almost lifeless forms, but in that moment Téa Gardener awoke from her trance like state staring directly into Carlstrom's eyes.

Time: 4:20pm

The purpled coloured Alfa Romeo Spider blurred towards the Motou Games Shop, the occupants were deathly silent. None of the three had said a word since the Detective had called them, it was too much for them to grasp right away.

Mai Valentine glanced slightly at her boyfriend; he just stared into the distance his hand clenched into fists in his lap. Honestly Mai would have spoken but she had no clue what to say, she refused to say that everything would be ok.

Mai seamlessly spun the Alfa into a parking space in front of the games shop, awaiting them was a distraught looking Sara Ryan, silently Joey stepped out of the Alfa and faced her.

"Detective Carlstrom's waiting for you Mr. Wheeler." Sara said pointing inside.

Joey nodded and walked in, Mai was still in the car her arms around Serenity who wasn't crying, she wasn't even sobbing, Serenity simply stared into space her face a complete blank.

"It's going to be ok Serenity." Mai whispered holding her close trying to bring some comfort.

"No Mai, it's not, nothing will be." Serenity responded quietly.

Mai looked at Sara who was leaning on the edge of the car, "I know."

Upstairs Joey was speaking quietly to Carlstrom on the precipice to Yugi's room; Joey nodded several times the empty lonely look in his eyes not escaping him for a moment. Carlstrom patted Joey on the shoulder and quickly and silently walked away.

Joey entered the room to look upon his two best friends, one dead in the arms of the other, "Téa?"

"I SAID GO AWAY!" Téa screamed throwing a plastic cup at Joey; she started sobbing pulling Yugi's body closer to her.

Joey silently walked over and sat near the head of the bed, he wasn't going to say anything, he was simply going to wait, "Damn it Joey, why did he do it?" Téa sobbed.

"I guess da world just got too much for him, all dat pain tryin ta deal with everything dat happened." Joey tried to rationalise.

"I tried to stop the bleeding Joey, I really tried." Téa said looking down at the rags tied around Yugi's wrists blood soaked and dripping.

"I know Téa, but by da time you got ta him it was to late, dere's nothing you could a done ta stop Yugi from." Joey said stopping short as Téa continued as if she hadn't heard him.

"And then I heard his voice, I told him, I told him I loved him Joey, I don't know what he said but I told him." Téa said still sobbing.

"You, you may have noticed I have a problem with relationships." Téa said giving Joey an ironic smile.

"Yeah I kinda noticed Téa." Joey agreed letting Téa continue.

"All the ones I really loved ended up hurting me, or leaving me, and the ones who stayed had nothing inside." Téa explained looking down at Yugi, "But then there was Yugi, I knew he'd never hurt me, I knew he'd never leave me, and I knew, I knew he loved me Joey. For years I gave him nothing but grief, he gave us so much, and he wanted so little in return, just a kind word or a pat on the shoulder, just something for all the kindness he gave us. I think the reason I was so close to him but kept him so far away, was that I saw exactly what I wanted, but I was afraid, and I just didn't want to risk getting hurt again." Téa said her cheeks getting tear soaked in the process.

"And you know what the real kicker is in the end Joey?"

"What Téa?"

"I knew he understood, and he still loved me."

"Come on Téa, ya gotta let go now." Joey said gently grabbing Téa's hands and lifting them away from Yugi's body, Detective Carlstrom watching this motioned for two people to enter from the Medical Examiner's office and take the body away. Joey put his arms around Téa letting her cry as Yugi's body was covered and taken away.

Carlstrom walked down stairs with the body stopping just short of the front door as the body was taken to a waiting van. Suddenly the phone rung, Carlstrom looked down to the caller ID that showed the number being with held.

Carlstrom picked up, "Hello?"

Carlstrom didn't hear someone speaking, he just heard laughter, cold, malicious, hateful laughter then a voice, "That's another you failed to protect Carlstrom, you're getting sloppy."

"MORETI!" Carlstrom screamed Tobias Moreti didn't respond, he simply laughed before hanging up.

Carlstrom drew his weapon and rushed outside making even his own partner jump as he burst through the door into the daylight.

Everyone's attention was drawn to the screeching tires of a white van several houses away, "MORETI!" Carlstrom screamed running towards it his partner in close pursuit, but the van was speeding very quickly towards the end of the street, before either detective had reached the corner the van was gone.

Next: In the Nightmare's Wake, Dream's End

Author's Note: I did have some help with the scene between Joey and Téa from a Sci-Fi show I watch. Until Next Story, Cya.