Author's Note: This is my take on the duel against Joey when he is being controlled by Marik (episodes 75-78) and I'm kind of surprised no one has tried to make this puzzleshippy. Anyway, the title is from Jsoh Groban's song, Remember When it Rained.

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh. If I did, it would involve more Puzzleshipping.

Tears for You That Will Not Dry

"Hey, Joey, snap out of it! We're your friends, remember?"

Yugi stopped his worried pacing in the Puzzle at those words, his eyes widening. He reached out to Yami, wincing as he felt how battered Yami was. The spirit had withstood two direct attacks by that fire ball magic card, Yugi could still hear Yami's screaming as he attack hit. Tears came to his eyes at the sound, shaking his head before reaching out to contact Yami again. 'Tea's right. I have an idea!'

"What is it?" Yami retreated into the hallway, Yugi gasping at the state of the spirit. He rushed over, slinging one of Yami's arms over his shoulder and helping him over to the wall, staying close as Yami hissed and leaned back against the wall. Yugi whimpered and pressed himself close, wrinkling his nose at the scent of smoke and burnt skin that came from Yami. "Aibou…"

"You're hurt." He wiped the tears that appeared on his face with his sleeve, trying not to cry. He had promised himself that he would be strong.

A hand gently turned his cheek so Yugi was looking at Yami, the spirit smiling at him. "I'm alright, aibou, I promise. Now," Yami shifted with a wince, "about this idea."

Yugi nodded, quickly returning to the topic on hand so he wouldn't worry too much about Yami. Still, he held the spirit close. "I may have come up with a way to save Joey and get us out of this mess!"

"What's that?"

"Well, it just came to me when Tea reminded us of our friendship. There's a chance that we can break through to the real Joey." He bit his lip, considering his plan again before taking a deep breath and plunging ahead. "I think you should let me duel in your place."

He expected anything, anything from a right out refusal to a stunned silence before Yami stuttered out his answer. Yugi didn't expect the quick reply from the spirit. "But why?"

Yugi blinked in confusion before recovering and continuing to speak. "Because, through thick and thin, Joey and I have shared a really strong bond; a bond I think might break through to him now. We've been through so much together, like the time he rescued me from that fire." He felt Yami wince at the reminder of the fire, rubbing the spirit's side as reassurance. "Joey and Tristan risked their lives for me. And now it's my turn."

He yelped as he was pulled close to Yami, thinking that he felt the spirit tremble before Yami spoke in a whisper. "This is a very dangerous match, Yugi."

"I know it is," Yugi reached out to stroke one of Yami's arms, "but I can't let that stop me. I feel in my heart that, if there is anyone who can get through to Joey in the whole world right now, it's me."

"But Yugi…" Yami's hold tightened for a moment before he trailed of, curling himself closer to the teenager. Yugi gently returned the hug, afraid that he would hurt Yami.

"I'm ready to go in there and do whatever I have to do. Joey is my best friend and I know he would do the exact same thing for me." Yami shook his head, his hands fisting in Yugi's shirt. The teenager frowned and stroked Yami's back. "Please understand, Yami, this isn't something I want to do, it's something that I feel have to do."

"Well, Yugi, if you feel that strongly, then go. Go and rescue your best friend, and know that I will be right here, should you need me." Yugi nodded, Yami allowing him to step out of the embrace.

The two stared at each other for a while before Yami stepped forward, tilting Yugi's chin up so he could kiss him, Yugi leaning into the motion and whimpering as Yami stepped away. The spirit stared at him for a while, brushing the bangs out of Yugi's face. "Please, aibou, be careful."

"I will Yami."

Yami nodded slowly, taking a step back, the motion seeming to take a lot of effort. "Go and win that duel then, my little Pharaoh."

Yugi blushed at the nickname before nodding, taking control of their body and looking up at Joey, shifting at the odd feeling of the shackle around his ankle. "Okay, Joey, it's just us now."

'Yugi, this is getting too dangerous. I'm taking over.' Yugi balked at the mental voice, reacting before he really thought about his action. He pulled the Millennium Puzzle from around his neck, still keeping it close to his body. Without it on, Yami couldn't take control but, with it still so close, he could still keep up the mind link, although it was significantly weaker.

"No, I can't let you, Yami. I need to do this myself. And I have one last idea."

He felt Yami's panic, trying to soothe the spirit. Yami calmed a bit, still reaching out to him. 'But, Yugi…'

"You have to trust me on this one because I know I can save him. Since the day I put together the Millennium Puzzle, you've given me hope, courage and confidence. You've even helped me to make new friends." Yugi took a deep breath, realizing what he was trying to tell Yami. He swallowed nervously before continuing on. "But I can't go through my life depending on you. I need to know that, even without the Millennium Puzzle hanging around my neck I can still be brave and help out my buddies. I guess what I'm saying is, sometimes I need to prove to myself that I can be like you without you."

There was a horrible silence after he had finished speaking, worried that Yami had taken offense. He didn't want to live without Yami. He just wanted to know that he could. Ever since he had solved the Puzzle, Yami had done everything for him, and he wanted to see if he could take care of himself, to see if he was worth all this fuss.

Yugi shivered a bit before glancing over towards Yami's transparent form. "You know?"

Yami stared at him, licking his lips before slowly nodding. 'Yes, I do.'

"Then you understand that I need to finish this myself?"

Yami nodded miserably, Yugi wanting to reach out to comfort him. The spirit was staring at the planks of the dock, the mental link shaking for a moment before Yami finally spoke, Yugi wanting to pull him close at the words. 'You are aware of what will happen if you lose this duel, aren't you?'

"I sure am. That's why I need to do this because I can't let that happen." Yugi gave a small smile. 'I promise that I won't leave you Yami. I promise.'

He saw Yami relax at his words, nodding slowly. 'Alright. If you believe in yourself then I believe in you too, Yugi. Good luck. You have the power to win, the fate of the world rests with you.'

They both winced at his choice of words at the end of the sentence, Yugi shaking it off. "And I won't disappoint you, Yami." The spirit smiled back before disappearing back into the Puzzle. 'Alright, it's time to save the world, and my best friend, on my own.'

"Say good-bye to your Puzzle, little Yugi."

Yugi's heart dropped as he saw Joey take a piece out of the Puzzle, realizing that Yami barely knew what was going on right now. He felt Yami scramble at the link before it terminated, Yugi reaching out for him as well, their minds slipping over each other. 'Aibou!'

He bit his lip, trembling when he couldn't feel Yami's mind against his own, fighting it urge to break down. It didn't feel right, this kind of existence, but he had to focus. The only way to get Yami and his Puzzle back was to finish the duel. He clenched his hands into fists. "Fight it, Joey!"

"The only thing I'm fighting is you." His eyes widened at that, at a loss for words for a moment. He could only watch as Joey turned. Had he really been such a bad friend? Had he really driven Joey to this? Yugi shook his head.

No, he knew that none of this was his fault. It was all Marik's fault. And it was his job to help Joey out because it was what friends did.

Yugi opened his mouth to speak, the words dying on his tongue as he stared at Joey, watching the blonde wind up, ready to throw the one piece of the Puzzle into the ocean. "Farewell."

"Wait, Joey, don't do it! Please stop!" He couldn't lose Yami like this! Without the completed Puzzle, Yami couldn't reach him, couldn't manifest in the world. He would lose his most precious person. Yugi felt his knees go weak, but forced himself to keep standing. He trusted that is friend was still in there. He hoped with all his heart that Joey was still in there.

If not, then he had gambled with Yami's life instead of his own.

He held his breath, staring at Joey seemed to struggle, a smile breaking out on his face at that. So he was making progress! Joey was in there and fighting back, fighting strong enough to act against Marik's orders. He was winning against Marik and Yami was safe.

Yami was safe.

Yugi breathed a sigh of relief as he watched Joey relax, placing the piece back into the Puzzle and feeling the weak bond snap back into place. He brushed against the bond, smiling as he felt Yami frantically clawing at their link before the spirit settled, pressing up against Yugi as much as he could. 'Aibou…lost…'

'I know. Safe. Safe now.' He felt Yami relax a bit more before he turned his attention back to Joey, steeling himself for the conclusion of the duel, rapidly realizing that he didn't have much of a plan if Joey didn't break out of Marik's control in time. But he hid the thought from Yami, it wouldn't help if he worried the spirit more.

He could do this. He just needed more time.

Yami snarled and shifted again, smiling as he finally tapped into Joey's conscious, doing nothing more that listening to the conversation. He couldn't connect to Joey like he could to Yugi, but he could just listen in on the conversation and, if he stretched himself, he could look through Joey's eyes. But he would never be able to control the blonde. Besides, he trusted Yugi. Despite one slip up with the Puzzle earlier, everything seemed alright. But, then again, he hadn't figured out how to listen in. But it was Yugi, he was sure that the teenager was alright.

"There's not much time left." His victorious mood disappeared as he heard Yugi's voice, quickly sharing Joey's eyes. He gasped as he looked at Yugi, his aibou looking so beaten. He tried to reach out across their weak link, surprised to find it closed. Yami frowned and tried to open it, he hadn't noticed this before. Yugi must have taken advantage of his distraction to do this. Yami growled and shoved himself against the closed link, trying to open it again. He went completely still as Yugi spoke again. "If one of us doesn't win, we'll both be pulled under and there's no way I'm going to let that happen, Joey."

"What are you saying, Yug'?"

'No. No!' He pushed harder against the link, feeling it give for a single moment before it closed again, Yami stranded. He moved closer to Joey's consciousness, as close as he dared without causing discomfort.

"I'm saying that I've decided to save you, Joey. There's no point in both of us going down. And, if I lose, you're safe." Yami felt himself go into shock, unable to respond, just watching as Yugi began to cry, shivering.

"But…I can't let you do this, Yug'."

'Aibou! Aibou, please open the link.'

"It's my decision…"

'No! You promised me, Yugi! You promised that you would come back! You promised me that you would be safe!' Yami slumped, pushing against their mental link.

"So now, take care of my Puzzle...uh…" Yami focused back on the duel as he heard Yugi hesitate, wondering if his partner had changed his mind. He watched Yugi come to a decision, pressing forward. "Joey…I know that this is going to sound weird, but the spirit of the Puzzle can hear me. So what I say is for him, alright?"

Joey nodded, Yami waiting eagerly for what Yugi would say. "Yami…"

'Aibou.'

"I just want to say that I…I don't regret anything and that I…I love you Yami."

"Uh, Yug'?"

Yugi ignored Joey, nodding to himself as he took a better stance, Yami suddenly realizing that he was sobbing. "I'm sorry, Yami. " Yugi looked up. "Now, it's time. Rift panel, direct your attack towards me!"

"Yugi!"

'Aibou!' Yami screamed as Yugi was hit by the attack, watching as his partner was obscured by the attack before Yugi suddenly fell forward, Yami screaming himself hoarse as he called for Yugi. 'Aibou! Aibou!'

Yugi lay against the planks, face down for a moment before laboriously lifting his head, Yami stopping his calls for a moment, hoping that Yugi had heard him. Instead, his partner spoke to Joey. "Joey, free yourself now. You've only got thirty seconds to make it out, then the anchor falls. You have to unlock your chains now. Come on Joey, hurry. Before the anchor falls and pulls you under."

"Forget it! No way am I letting my best friend become shark bait! We're in this together Yug' and there's no way I'm letting you take the fall. We're going to get out of this!" Now Joey was shouting, Yami too distraught to notice much, just clinging to what he had left of Yugi and cradling it close. He watched with wide eyes as Yugi deactivated the duel disk and pushed it away from him, trembling.

"Don't give up, Yugi. I'll think of something!"

'Don't die, aibou! I need you! Please, please don't die! I lo-' He choked on the accursed word, letting out a scream of frustration. Why couldn't he get the damn word out? It mattered now, he could use all of his strength and send it through to Yugi. Maybe that would be enough for Yugi to decide to live. And he would do it, even if it killed him in the process.

Anything for his Yugi.

'Aibou!'

"Red Eyes Black Dragon attack! Wipe out my life points so that Yugi's key will be revealed." Yami perked up at that, silently cheering Joey on. He was useless like this, but Joey could get to Yugi. Joey could save his aibou.

'Please, Joey, hurry. I can't lose him. I can't.'

"Yugi, you've saved my but more times than I can count. This time, Joey is going to be the one doing the rescuing. You taught me about courage and never giving up. Hang in there Yug'" Yami yelped as the Puzzle was taken off, suddenly deprived of his way to watch the world. He found himself trapped in his own mind, leaning back against one of the walls, slowly sliding down it. All he could hear was the silence around him, Yami staring at the wall and trying to count of the seconds.

He dropped his head into his hands, his shoulders shaking as tears ran down his face. It had been too long, too long for them to have both survived. Which meant that Yugi was dead. He had killed his partner, the one person who had managed to loved him.

If only he had been stronger…

If only he had been able to convince Yugi to let him duel...

Then Yugi would have been safe.

Then Yugi would have been here with him.

Yami drew a shaky breath, looking up at the stone walls and wishing that they would fall inward on him; wishing that someone would kick the Puzzle into the ocean. Then, at least, he would be with Yugi or that much closer to him.

He wrapped his arms around himself, shuddering as the tears continued to fall. "Why, aibou? Why?"

He coughed, clearing the last bit of water out of his throat, looking up as Joey approached him. He smiled brightly at the sight of the Millennium Puzzle, already itching to put it on. "Hey, Yugi, I believe this is yours. Thanks for everything pal."

"Thank you for saving my life, Joey." Yugi gave a short nod before gently caressing the Puzzle and frowning when Yami didn't respond, the link dead on Yami's side. Yugi gasped, his heart beating faster as he cradled the Puzzle, glancing up when Joey spoke again, too focused on the silence from the Puzzle to really comprehend was Joey was saying.

"Hey, Yug', I'm glad that Millennium Puzzle is back where it belongs."

"Y-yeah, me too." 'Yami?' His eyes widened as there was no answer, trembling visibly as he tried to figure out what had happened to the spirit. He touched the Puzzle again, watching it spin with worried purple eyes. He heard someone walk up behind him, turning to look at Tèa. "He's not answering me."

"The Pharaoh?" Yugi nodded, cradling the Puzzle close.

"He always answers me. Wh-what happened to him while I was underwater?"

"Yug'?" He turned to look at Joey, praying that the blonde would have answers. Instead, Joey shifted nervously. "Did…what did ya mean what you said on the docks?"

"What is sounded like." Yugi looked back down at the Puzzle. "Y-The Pharaoh and I...we...and means so much to me and…and I can't sense him right now. I-I have to go to him."

Tèa nodded, and rested a hand on his shoulder. "I'll be here."

"Thanks." Yugi smiled. "I'm going to lose consciousness really quickly."

"You're light enough to carry."

Yugi rolled his eyes. "Thanks guys."

He slipped on the Puzzle, heading right for Yami's mind as soon as it had settled around his neck. When he appeared in the hallway between their minds, he still felt nothing, he began to approach the door, cautiously sending his thoughts ahead of him. 'That reminds me, I owe a big thanks to you too, Yami. You trusted me enough to let me handle this on my own. I could have never broken through to Joey if you didn't believe in me. We make a great team. But it's also nice to know that I have the strength to hold my own if I have to. You helped me find that strength, inside myself.'

Yugi bit his lip, trying to figure out what else he needed to say, all thoughts of that flying out of his head as Yami yanked open the door. Yugi only had a moment to take in the tearstains on the spirit's face before he was pulled into a tight hung, clinging to Yami as he felt the spirit sob. "I thought-I thought you were..."

"I promised." Yugi leaned back against the doorframe, Yami curling in his lab. Carefully, Yugi brushed some of the bangs out of Yami's face, cradling him close. "Why would I ever leave you?"

"I thought you were dead, aibou. I thought that you had left me."

"I wouldn't. I wouldn't." Yugi held him close, the two of them falling to the floor as Yugi topped over. Yami immediately moved closer, their limbs tangling. Yugi sighed in contentment, moving until they were resting chest to chest on the stone floor, not caring that the stone bit into his skin. "I won't because I know that you will never leave me."

Yami sniffled, resting his head in the crook of Yugi's neck. "Aibou."

"Yami." Yugi turned his head to kiss Yami's temple. "Always and forever. Until the end of time, Yami, and for eternity, I will be your aibou."

Please read and review. Criticism is always welcome.