It had been a few months now, two to be exact, since the run in with the boys. Delyla had no visual marks left of the day, but Alex wasn't so lucky. She had a scar running down from her eye, in a double T shape. Alex and Delyla had gotten a lot closer with the group, and now hung out almost every day they could. Alex had her date with Marik, and they were boyfriend and girlfriend ever since. Alex had also learned the secret of Yami and Bakura. She was great friends with Bakura, and they sometimes went to clubs with Marik. It was great fun, looking after the two and making sure they didn't get drunk.
Alex had needed some time for herself. So she'd been spending a lot of her time at the beach. There she was always calm, and could think straight. It made her feel happy, and it was her one place to go where her father used to bring her, and they used to have these long conversations about everything, except what was bothering her.
Alex had walked all through town and soon found herself on the docks on the outskirts of town, watching the sunset. She looked down on the beach, not all too far away, with a happy couple eating ice-cream. They were watching their children, who were playing in the salt water having the time of their life. This made Alex cry again. It reminded her of those good times, which she had lost or ever. Her fingers made their way over her cheek, to her scar, to her eyes, whipping her fallen tears away. this made her think of something her father once said to her.
~Flashback~
"Daddy! Are you alright! You took a bad fall from the stairs!" said a five year old Alex running up to her father.
"I'm fine my dear." He said calmly.
The young girl started crying and held her father close.
"I was so scared that you would have to go to hospital, and that you would not come home, like the way grandpa did." She said with a now tear stained face.
"Save your tears my sweet princes, I'm not worth your fallen tears. They should be saved for someone special." Was what he said as he held the small girl close.
~end flashback~
"I'm sorry for crying over you father, but you are someone special to me." She said looking up at the sky.
"You are every bit worth my fallen tears." And with that she broke down.
The wind started dancing around her, as to tell her that he was listening. From the bar on the beach she could hear some music.
"Come stop your crying it will be alright.
Just take my hold it tight.
I will protect you from all around you.
I will be here, don't you cry."
She stood there, just watching the water wash up on the shore.
Delyla was running on the beach, in a pair of grey sweat-pants, a black t-shirt and a black sport jacket. She ran by the pier, like she always did when she needed time to think about things. It helped calm her down and helped her think straight. She was worried about Alex. What if something happened to her. In the state she was in, who knows what could happen to her. It hurt her when she saw her friends in such pain. As she looked around her, she saw a happy couple, and some children making a sand castle up by the waves. She took a moment to take in the scenery, and saw a girl with black hair, looking over the waves at the sunset. Even from where she stood, she could see the tears roll down her cheeks. she wanted to run over to her as fast as she could, she wanted to tell her friend everything would be alright, and she wanted to be there for her in times like this, but thought better of it and ran past her.
'she must need some time to herself. She'll come to me when she's ready.' she thought.
She ran for a few more minutes, and decided to go home.
Alex cried a lot in one day. It almost seemed that every time something good happened to her, something bad had to happen, so she wouldn't stay happy for too long. Was this a karma thing? Was this because she was mean to people? The last time she was mean, was when she hit Joey with her English book, to prove her point that hitting someone with your textbook wouldn't help them ace a test. She had seen a girl running by the docks a few hours ago, with a ponytail. She had to talk to someone and Delyla, who she was convinced was that girl, was the first person that came to mind, so she ran all the way over to Delyla's place, and reached the front door completely out of breath. It must be around ten in the evening now. She couldn't ring the doorbell at that time of night, so instead she climbed the tree next to Delyla's balcony and slipped into her room.
"Pst. Delyla? Are you up?" whispered Alex as she slid the door shut.
"Who's there?" said Delyla startled.
"Calm down, it's me. Alex." Came her reply.
"Oh. You scared me." Said Delyla.
"Dy, I'm sorry I ran off, but I'm scared. My brother, he's going away for a while so he can stop his drinking problem. He wants to do it for me, but I'm not all that sure. What if he comes back and he's not the brother I know and love?" said Alex tearing up.
"Everything will be alright. You know what we always say?" said Delyla.
"Everything will fall into place." Said Alex
"Exactly. Would you like to sleep here tonight? My parents won't mind.
Alex nodded.
"How about we go see if we have some chocolate cake left in the fridge? I know how much you like cake, especially when it's chocolate. "
At that Alex' eyes grew bigger, which made Delyla laugh. If there was one thing that would cheer Alex up it was cake, and beating up some poor guy. Delyla preferred the first of the above though.
Days past fast, and before she knew it, Alex was standing on the pier jet again. She had been staying at Delyla's house ever since her breakdown. She would climb into the tree next to her balcony and enter through the sliding glass doors. Alex had tried to contact her older brother, but he declined her calls and refused to talk to her. He didn't want any distractions. He wanted to make sure he did this right. What he didn't know, was that he broke Alex' heart, and she was too afraid to show it.
"Mom! That tickles! Dad, make it stop!" she heard a little girl scream and laugh down on the beach.
She liked hanging around here, for it was always quiet, jet there was always sound. She heard the waves roll onto the sand and the soft wind blowing past her ears. As the hours past, she never realized it had become dark and that the beach, as well as the surrounding shops, were deserted. She sighed. Delyla might get worried again, better head home.
'Since when did I start calling that home?' she thought to herself.
She was about to turn around and head 'home' when two strong arms grabbed her from behind.
"Miss me sunshine?" said a voice she'd recognize anywhere.
"You! You're that guy from that alley! You did this to my eye!" she screamed.
"The one and only my lovely." He said smirking.
"What do you want with me!" said Alex trying to get out of the hold.
"I need your brother to pay me back the money he borrowed from me. So that's why I need you to come with me, for ransom." Said the guy.
"My brother doesn't have any money, not even to pay ransom for me." Said Alex.
The guy looked disgusted.
"We figured that much out, so that's why we have a back-up plan. Your friend has rich parents, who will pay more than we need for you and her." Said the guy.
"You wouldn't." said Alex.
"My guys are over there right now, taking her with them." He said grinning at her lost expression.
"You know, I could help you get the money." She said now smirking herself.
"You mean it?" said the guy loosening his grip on her.
Mistake number two, one being crossing her path in the first place. She broke free and kicked him where the sun don't shine. As he doubled over in pain, she ran for it. She ran down a couple of streets, until she saw Bakura's apartment come into view. She just hoped Ryou wouldn't mind that one of Bakura's friends showed up at this time of night.
"Bakura! Ryou!" she screamed as she banged on the door.
"Open up! Fast! Please!" she screamed.
Finally the door opened. Alex found herself running past a surprised Ryou who was rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.
"Alex? You know it's almost midnight, right?" said Ryou looking at her.
"No time. Talk. Phone." She said as she ran into the kitchen, where she knew the phone was, and dialed Delyla's number. No one answered, which meant the goons had taken her.
"Oh…no" she said as she dropped the phone, which was left dangling by its cord, and slid down the wall, her head in her arms, sobbing quietly.
"Alex?" this time when she looked up, she found Bakura standing there, instead of Ryou, in cute bear pajamas.
"Nice PJ's" she commented softly.
He flushed red. At that moment Marik came bursting through the kitchen door.
"What is all this commotion about! Some people need their beauty-sleep you know." He said.
When he spotted Alex, who had gone back to sobbing in her arms, and Bakura hanging over her, he felt a wave of protection come over him.
"What did you do to my girlfriend!" he said angrily.
"I didn't do anything to her!" Bakura shot back.
Alex kept sobbing in her arms, ignoring the guys shouting at each other, until ten minutes passed and she couldn't take it anymore.
"You know, instead of fighting each other, you could come and actually care for this victim over here." She shot at them.
"What happened?" said Bakura.
"I was attacked again, by those guys from the alleyway. It was only their leader, but he caught me off guard and grabbed me from behind. I managed to get away, but he told me his goons were going after Delyla while we were fighting there. So when I got free, and kicked him in a rather unpleasant spot, I ran all the way here to phone Delyla, but no one answered the phone. I think they got her. She might be able to fight one, but she isn't the best fighter when it comes to no rules." Said Alex as she sobbed again.
Bakura sat beside her and pulled her into his lap, where he soon found her sleeping. She must have cried herself to sleep. He felt sorry for her. Marik had gone back to bed rather fast when he saw Bakura and Alex snuggle up to each other like that. He was jealous of Bakura. She was supposed to be his girlfriend.
At Delyla's place a whole different scenario had taken place. She had been asleep. Her parents were out, to the movies, for their wedding anniversary. She woke up, startled, by the sound of the balcony doors sliding open.
'That must be Alex.' She thought as she turned around to greet her friend.
Instead there were three guys there. She jumped and tried to stay calm.
"Who are you?" she said, slowly sitting up.
"You don't recognize me? I'm hurt." Said the guy in the middle.
Where had she heard that voice before? Suddenly it came to her. They were a few of the guys out of that alleyway two months ago. She subconsciously brought her hand up to her neck, the same place she'd been held that day.
"Now, you better come with us." Said the guy on the right.
"Yeah, you wouldn't want to wake up your mommy and daddy, now would you?" said the left guy snickering.
'I have to get out of here, but first I need a diversion.' She thought.
"Fine, I'll come with you. On one condition. You tell me why." She said.
"You're not the one to make demands. You just do what we say." Said the middle guy.
"But I only wanted…" she said before she ran out of her bedroom door.
She sped down the stairs as fast as she could. She could hear the guys behind her, but she was lucky, since it was so dark in the house, they couldn't see a thing. Neither could she of course, but she knew her way around the house. They kept running into things. She reached the door in record time, and ran for it. She didn't stop until she reached the first house she could think of. Yami, Yugi and their Grandpa would help her. They lived closest by to her. She could see the house come closer, and she could now only hear her bare feet on the asphalt. She didn't know how long the guys had stopped running, but she knew it had been a while back. She finally reached the house, and wouldn't let go of the doorbell.
"Please! Open the door! They could catch up with me any moment!" she said as she kept looking over her shoulder to the dark streets behind her.
She outran them, but who knows. They might just be round the corner. Yugi finally opened the door. He saw Delyla and wanted to say something, but before he got the chance, he was pushed inside. Delyla closed the door and switched of the lights as she gestured Yugi to be quiet. She sat on the floor against the door, and heard muffled footsteps running past them. Delyla held her breath and only after she was very sure they were gone, did she let it go and start to cry.
"Delyla, what happened?" said a voice she knew all too well.
It still made her jump though, since she didn't expect it. She cried even more and pulled Yami close to her. Seeing she needed some comfort, Yami put his arm around her shaking form. They sat there in silence, with only the soft moonlight falling through a small window in the hallway.
"Would you like something to drink?" asked Yami.
Delyla nodded her response, still a bit shaken from what had happened.
Yami let go of her and got her a glass of water. Upon his return, he handed Delyla the glass, and Delyla smiled her thanks though her not jet dried tears. She drunk it eagerly. She had been thirsty because of her long run. She then gave it back to Yami, who placed it on the small table they had in the hall.
"Better?" he asked her.
"Yes, thank you. I'm so sorry I barged in like this, but I didn't know anywhere else to go." Said Delyla.
"Could you tell me what happened?" he said looking her over for any kind of injury.
"Do you remember those guys from the alley incident two months ago?" she said.
Yami nodded his reply.
"They showed up in my room." She said.
"What?!"
Delyla told Yami everything that happened and how she ended up at his doorstep.
"I'm happy you came to me." Said Yami.
'He sounds concerned and also a little angry.' Delyla thought.
"What time will your parents be back?" asked Yami.
"At one." She said.
"Let me take you home, I'll just tell Grandpa." He said running up the stairs.
There was no saying no to it. He would get her home safely, end of story. Delyla slowly got up, and then saw her clothes.
'Great, here I am, I a guy's house, wearing nothing but my night-shirt and shorts, in the dark.' She thought to herself.
It took a while for Yami to get back, and Delyla got scared. She switched on the light on, and looked around her. What was she afraid of? She was safe there, Wasn't she? Yami came down the stairs, and the last step squeaked. Delyla jumped and pressed herself against the wall.
"Still a bit jumpy?" said Yami.
"Yes, I was almost kidnapped in my room, the one place I felt safe. So of course I feel a little vulnerable." Replied Delyla.
Yami made his way over to her.
"I'm with you now. They won't even get close enough to spit on you." He said.
Yami locked eyes with Delyla, and their faces crept closer to each other. Their lips where about to touch.
"I thought you were leaving?" said Grandpa from the stairs.
Yami and Delyla jumped.
"That you youngsters don't need sleep doesn't mean I don't need mine." He said rubbing his eyes.
"I'm sorry Grandpa, we're leaving." Was Yami's reply and they left.
Yami opened the door for Delyla. They both headed for her home, Yami keeping his eyes open for any suspicious figures while Delyla tried to calm herself down. A small breeze passed them and Delyla shuddered. She wasn't dressed for a walk in the park.
"I'm sorry Delyla, I forgot to bring you a jacket." Said Yami.
"That's alright Yami, I'll survive." She said with a small giggle.
Again, that chilling wind and Delyla grew colder.
Yami took of his leather jacket and put it around her shoulders as she silently thanked him by pulling it tighter around her freezing body. She could smell his scent on the jacket. Something that smelt faintly like a desert. They kept on walking until Delyla was home.
"Yami, would you mind staying for a while? Just until my parents get home." She asked him shyly.
"Of course Delyla." He replied.
Their hands locked together, they entered the house. The door was still open. When Delyla switched on the lights she could see were her kidnapped had knocked over tables and ran into walls.
"I will have to clean this up before my parents get back." Sighed Delyla.
"I'll help you." Said Yami as he started to put the upturned tables back.
They were done in no time, the only thing that broke, a glass vase which they had enough of anyway. Yami cleared it up, so Delyla wouldn't tread on the broken glass. She liked that about him.
"You should lock your bedroom doors from now on. Alex will have to figure out a different way to get in, one that those guys won't copy." Said Yami.
They then both went to her room, Delyla leading the way. When they entered, Yami was a bit taken aback. It looked like his room back in the palace. It was not an exact replica mind you, but the way the bed was positioned, and the shape of the room, even the balcony doors. It looked to all match.
'How… odd.' Thought Yami.
Delyla closed the huge French doors and locked them. When she turned to face Yami, she could see him looking at her room, almost like he knew the place. She felt a little self-conscious by this, waiting for Yami's opinion.
'Yami is the first boy to ever enter my room, besides my brother and father." she mused.
Finally Yami looked at her.
"Nice room." He said to her.
She smiled as her eyes fell on the clock behind him.
"My parents will be home in five minutes Yami. You should go. I'd rather not have to explain to them why there's a boy here with me." She said a little sad, though undetected for it was hidden behind a smile.
She took his hand and lead him back downstairs. Yami had a huge grin on his face all the way. They reached the door and Delyla gave Yami his leather jacket back, which she'd not taken of jet. He wanted to take it, but she flung it around his shoulders like he'd done by her, causing a small blush on his cheeks.
"Thanks for everything Yami."
She opened the door for him and Yami passed her.
"Yami, could you maybe pick me up tomorrow? I would feel much safer knowing your there." She asked him.
The Egyptian looked back at her.
"Of course Delyla. I'll be here for you at eight." He said.
"Thanks." She replied.
They were stood close now, their lips almost meeting, but Delyla hesitated and pulled back.
"Goodbye Delyla." said Yami when he felt her hesitate and he turned to walk away.
"Yami wait!" she said.
Yami turned back only to feel Delyla's lips on his own. Delyla kissed him.
'She is kissing me!' were the thoughts running through his mind.
Yami slowly closed his eyes, his hand going through her hair. She flung her arms around his neck and he had his other hand around her waist, deepening the kiss. They didn't want to stop, but the need for air was more important. They opened their eyes slowly. Violet eyes met with brown.
"I have to go." Said Yami as he tried to leave.
"Don't go." Said Delyla softly as she held onto his wrist.
"I promise I'll see you tomorrow." Said Yami, and he gave her a good night kiss and Delyla let go.
He left and Delyla saw her parents enter the driveway. She closed the front door and ran all the way to her room. She tried to breathe normally as she climbed into bed. Downstairs she heard her parents enter.
Her mom came upstairs like she normally would to check on her daughter. she pretended to sleep and her mom said goodnight.
As she starred at the sealing all that happened that night finally fell into place. Those boys were out to get her, and she had to try and go to sleep at night. She tried to think of happy thoughts. She almost fell asleep when she saw a blinking light on her phone. Someone had called her, and had left a voicemail As she pressed the button to listen to the message, she heard Alex sob and Bakura and Marik shout at each other. She deleted the message and called Bakura, but found that there was no answer, figured they'd fallen asleep, so she left a message telling them she was alright, and that she wanted to see Alex as soon as possible. They had to figure out what was going on.
She fell asleep moments after, dreaming of her kiss with Yami.