It's snowing!!! (smiles happily)

Disclaimer: I don't own YuGiOh

Chapter Nine: Skating Dream


(December 20)

"Big brother can I use a limo?" Seto was in his home office when Mokuba asked this question.

"Where are you going?"

Mokuba didn't answer right away so Seto asked the question again.

"If I told you it would ruin the surprise."

Seto looked at him. "I suppose you can. Who's going with you?"

"Bergitta volunteered. She said she needed stuff for the kitchen anyway." Mokuba smiled. "And could you check on Claire too?"

Seto nodded. Mokuba's smile grew even more. Running to the kitchen he thanked his older brother.

--

Seto offered to take Claire's lunch to her. Getting closer to her room he could hear music, preferably a piano and a violin.

The tv was on when he entered, a video was playing. It was of a ice rink. Many people were there, as two people were on a small stage playing. A little girl dressed in light blue and white stepped onto the ice. A caption came at the bottom of the screen, it stated: Last contested, Walters, Claire A. She moved around the ice with grace as Seto was amazed. The finishing move was when the little girl spun as white rose pedels fell from the ceiling.

"C-Claire?" Seto sputtered.

She turned. "Mr. Kaiba?"

He looked at her. "Is that you?"

Blushing she nodded. "When I was six."

The two music players stood and bowed. Seto reconized one as Claire's mother, Samantha.

Placing the tray down he pulled out a chair and sat. "Who's the violin player?"

A light in her eyes grew. "That's my big brother, Bobby. He was always there no matter what." She longed to talk to him again. "He was always the encourager. Bobby helped me that night ten years ago." She indicated the video. "When I was about four or five we were skating on a pond. Apparently I had went to far out and the ice was pretty thin. But instead of me falling in, Bobby took the hit. I was extremely afraid he wouldn't make the night however he did." Claire laughed softly, brushing a stray tear away. "The first thing he asked was if I was still doing the thing I loved to do." Stopping she watched the video for the moment. "I didn't touch my skates until that night, when Bobby entered me into a contest." The tears fell slowly. "With his encouragement and their playing I won second. Which is good for a child who didn't skated for a year and a half."

"It was my dream as a child to skate and Bobby helped all the way. A year later a break came and a company was looking for a child with good experience. We never went though because mother was having twins and our night was spent at the hospital. Bobby was so mad, he didn't even go in to see his new family members. I was too young then to know it but later I found that he had spent his whole month allowence to get them to see me. Years of hard work, dedication, and training finally payed off and four years later that same company was looking for a skater." Claire's voice became quiet, remembering like. "My father always worked, always too busy to come and watch us skate and play. The reason why Bobby didn't care for him much, I guess. But he realized that that night was important and took the day off." Dropping her eyes she continued. "The company had been losing money all that year, but on that night it lost a termendious bunch of money, 2.5 million or more. The head security called and told my dad that he should come in because something was wrong."

There was silence as she searched for the right words. Her voice cracked. "I'm sorry Mr. Kaiba. I've never told anyone that before." She covered her face with her hands as the tears streamed down.

Seto, feeling strange, got up and wrapped his arms around her. "It's ok now Claire. It's all over."

"I-I promised him....that I would...follow my dream...and always skate until I got my big break...but now..."

Seto hugged her tighter. If anything, he was like his younger brother, where sibling stories tore at the heart. He let Claire cry until she fell asleep. Trying to get up though he found that his arm was under her head. Not wanting to wake her, he moved to a more comfortable position and laid along side her. He felt that feeling again, the feeling he feels towards his brother. But this was a different feeling of the same type. "Claire.." He whispered falling asleep.

Unknowing to him, his heart was beginning to change. He began to love her. But was he ready and what would Mokuba think? So much was changing and one obsticle stood in the way...