A/N: Ah-hahahaa! I think.. I THINK, I have a plot now.. er.. I DO have a plot. I'm just too damn lazy to write anything. Oh gosh.. I have a lot of time to write, I just choose not to- dodges tomatoes. What will happen next year, when I enter highschool? I'll probably have even less time to write then. =.= oh the torture.

Pfft.. I doubt anyone even reads this anymore =.= Oh well. I'll finish this because I promised myself I would; and for the readers who actually continue to read this, despite my lack of updates.

I'm going to be killed... hides away...T-T

Disclaimer: points to big bold words That's exactly it. A disclaimer. I'm not claiming it... so I'm DISclaiming it. =) hah! I don't even think that made any sense.

Of Angels and Demons
Chapter 10: Child's Sanctuary
By: Nadako-Mika

So peaceful.

Hush little baby don't say a word...

Just like when he was a small child.

...Mama's gonna buy you a mocking bird...

The voice was so soothing.

...And if that mocking bird won't sing...
...Mama's gonna buy you a diamond ring...

He swung to the voice, like a baby in a cradle. He felt so much at peace, like nothing was going to go wrong. Everything was right. Nothing would go wrong. Nothing.

...And if that diamond ring turns brass...

He couldn't open his eyes, not that he was complaining. He didn't want to open his eyes. He could already see through his closed eyes. The calming pastel colors swirled around him, reflecting his ever feelings. His soul room? No.. it was dark in there. Dark and cold, and oh so lonely. This couldn't be. It was more like the mind of a baby. Unknowing, innocent, and peaceful.

...Mama's gonna buy you a looking glass...
...And if that looking glass gets broke...

It was sanctuary. HIS sanctuary. No one would be able to enter, only him.

'Is this Heaven? Have I already died?'

The singing stopped. Yet, chanting started. Soft voices, echoing voices.

Through the eyes of the innocent,
Their safe haven appears.
Their sanctum.

Through the eyes of the impure,
Nightmares start,
Minds at war.

Through the eyes of both,
When the end is to come,
Eternal black,
Infinite nothing.

It was nothing but a mere whisper to him. Only a whisper, hardly heard. Yet with each verse their voices grew louder... harsher... faster... and louder still. His heart started jumping, thumping, as each word was soon articulated with such intensity.

Through the eyes of the innocent...
Infinite nothing...

He spun, at least..he thought he was spinning. The smooth pastel colors swirled around him with anger, equal to the voices that spoke. The vision behind his closed eyes blurred. He could no longer see.

'Please! Make it stop!'

He felt like crying, bawling. His haven was ruined, turned rotten. He felt as if he would never be at peace again. The calm, happy feelings were replaced with despair, anxiety.

The loud chorus of words had reached it's peak, and all at once, it stopped competely. It left him feeling empty, lonely, unwanted. And as all activity ceased.. he was able to open his eyes.

Sanctuary..

The infinite nothing. The eternal black. His new sanctuary.

A single white feather drifted down towards him. It's purity seemed to penetrate the blackness of the unknown place. A single feather... Only one; yet that one seemed to hold such significance. Ryou's one feather, his last feather.

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'Oh Gods, let me make it in time!' Bakura thought has he dashed through the empty night street.

And through the streets he ran, the death-timing hour glass in hand. The night sky had darkened even more so than usual, almost pitch black. There wasn't a single star to be seen in the sky overhead, the usually brightly glowing moon did not appear. Street lamps had flickered out and died earlier that evening. Not a single household Bakura passed had a light on inside. He ran in pitched darkness, barely avoiding light poles and street signs ahead of him.

"Where does he think he's going?" Mariku asked, slightly behind the rest.

"Ten bucks says he's going to see Ryou." Malik answered, running his fullest.

Yami scowled, "He's a little bit late, don't you think?"

"STOP!" Malik cried to the others behind him. They all crashed into him, with the momentum from their harsh run. "He's spotted us," Malik said when he caught his breath again. He pointed to the dark figure of Bakura, who had also stopped ahead of him. He had turned around to give them a glare, warning them to stay back. "Let's give him some space..."

'Idiots! What do they think they're doing?' Bakura continued his death glare, sending a message to Malik. He only turned back to continue his way to the Hospital when Malik nodded and backed off. 'This is between me and my hikari. No one should interfere.'

Bakura came to a startling stop. He felt something he hadn't been able to feel in days. The connection between his hikari and himself was slowly openning. Slowly, yet painfully. He felt the gap in his mind, the gap where Ryou's soul would enter. He would be able to feel Ryou's thoughts again. Yet, something felt completely wrong. Where was the warmth and tenderness of his hikari? He only felt emptiness and void.

'Ryou? Hikari, can you hear me?' There was no answer.

Finally, the tall hospital building came into view. Bakura ran through the doors and to the reception breath, panting for breath. "I.. I need to see someone."

"I'm sorry sir, but visiting hours are over." the lady at the reception desk said.

Bakura growled, "But this is an emergency!"

"If it were a true emergency the doctor would have called you. If you wish to talk to the patient, you'll have to wait until tomorrow."

This was impossible. "Could you at least tell me what room Bakura, Ryou is in?" he asked, impatience lining his voice.

"Of course," the woman flipped through some pages of a binder before answering, "Bakura, Ryou? He's in room 204."

Bakura grumbled a "Thanks" before turning to the corridors, in search of room 204.

"Excuse me! I said visiting hours are over!" the lady shouted at Bakura.

'This is a matter between life and death. I swear I'll send her to the Shadow Realm if she gets in my way.' Bakura ignored the woman's shouts of protest and continued his way down the hall.

It hadn't been so hard to find room 204. Afterall, he HAD been there only the day before. Bakura turned the doorknob slowly, opening the door just a bit. The room inside was dark and silent. He could make out Ryou's light hair on the patient's bed. Silently, Bakura slipped in, whilst closing the door behind him. He made his way to his Hikari's side.

Ryou. There he was, lying deathly still. His gorgeous white hair seemed to have dulled, the white barely visible amongst the endless dark. Bakura ran his finger down Ryou's face. So cold. He felt like death, his skin was so very cold. Bakura took Ryou's cold hand and placed it on his cheek, caressing it as a single tear rolled down his face. It occured to him that he was acting strange, and almost laughed out at the thought of Malik or Yami seeing him like this. But he didn't care, only his Hikari mattered. Ryou was oh so still, and very cold. What could he do?

"I'm so sorry, Ryou."

He glanced at the hourglass he had placed on the bedside table. Time was running out. only a few grains of sand were left at the top segment, and they were quickly dropping.

"Can you ever forgive me?"

Five left... Four... Three grains.

"Please wake up, Ryou."

The very last grain dropped onto the heap of sand below, just as a single tear drop slid down Bakura's face. Bakura felt himself slipping. Slipping and falling through the never ending darkness. It was cold, but warm at the same time. His mind was numb and he couldn't think straight. His fingers wouldn't move, his legs wouldn't move; his eyes wouldn't blink. Was he paralyzed? He drew no breath; his lungs wouldn't work, they felt compressed by the darkness around him. His heart wouldn't pump; the blood in his viens had stopped their flow and felt frozen. Soon his freefalling ended and he was left standing-- no, suspended in the dark.

'Where am I?'

And in an instant, his body started up again. He felt the cold, death cold, against his skin. His mind was no longer numbed by thoughts. His body was no longer paralyzed. Both his lungs and heart began their rhythmic beating and convulsing; he took in air. His eyes. He still could no see. He saw only darkness, and darkness only. He turned his body awkwardly, having no solid ground to turn upon. He moved blindly through the dark, fear clutching him. He wasn't the type to become frightened, but there he stood, scared for his life. He couldn't see.

"Where am I?" he asked outloud. Panic filled him.

"Here..."

Bakura turned around, trying to find the source of the whisper. But where was it coming from? It came from overhead. No. It came from behind him. But where is 'behind' in this place? Below, beside. Where? Inside?

"W-where is Here?"

"The very spot where you are being."

The voice sounded more distinct. Bakura could make out the direction this time. It came from behind. "Where I am being? That doesn't make any sense!"

"What are you doing in my Sanctuary, Yami?"

Bakura snapped around. 'Yami'. Only one person would call him that. "Ryou? What are you doing here? Sanctuary?"

Ryou floated in front of him. He looked destroyed and..not all he could be. He looked like an empty doll. His usually bright eyes lost their shine, replaced by just a solid brown. His skin seemed paler than usual, and it seemed to blend in the darkness- if that was even possible. He moved closer to Bakura, close enough that their noses touched.

"You're disturbing my Sanctuary..."

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A/N: Um... He died? O.o If you could classify the whole 'enveloped into darkness' thingy dying. So... yeah.. The two are dead =D Isn't it GREAT?! is pelted by rotten tomatoes and apples x.x Am I going to leave them that way? BWUAHAHAHAHA- cough cough No. We all want a cute and fluffy ending, no?

BOO-YAH! I finished the chapter! Aren't you all glad???? Does it seem short? I can't really tell anymore. My new computer has a bigger screen resolution and I don't know how long it usually should be. O.o Does that even make sense? Anywhoo.. I FINISHED. YEAH! I bet you've all waited a long time . I bet some of the other readers have probably forgotten all about this story and moved on. uu oh well.

=D More updates to come! Rejoice, for my writing spirit has come back!

Mikalai: I'm BACK!

u.u No, not you Mika-san.

Mikalai: Drat!

Ooooh More reviews! Arigatou minna-san!! ::

koosei: How was Ryou's mother able to get into the living world? I dunno, she was probably allowed as a spirit? O-o

Mina-chan AMD: ;; AHHH! I'm so sorry! I haven't been on ff.net for A LONG TIME. xx I haven't read any stories for months... so.. no reviews for you. Gomen-nasai! T-T

sdrive: Ack, I'm so very sorry! I can't read those for a few months more. I'll have to catch up on a lot of reading over the summer holidays (excluding the first two weeks, since I have summer school .). Oops, sorry Shi, I think I killed Bakura XD

Windswift: Uh.. blink blink ;; Yes, guilt got the best of Bakura. XD All the better, neh? Bwuahahah.. he was too late! cackles. Yeah, ok.. walks away Thankoo for teh revoos.

fatlazikat: O.o did you really get your name changed? Seriously? Ok.. ;; You weren't on sugar again were you? XD I don't want to torture Ryou because everyone else would kill me, plus, I think he's had enough torture from others '. I DID kill him (sorta), but it wasn't bloody, sorry yami-lazikat XD XD. It was more on the deranged and mental side. shrugs

person6: Oops, I killed him XD. BUT NO WORRIES! THEY SHALL LIVE! BWUAHAHA! Fluffy little cute ending coming your way steals your sugar and runs xx I have to read your ficcy, I missed a lot of updates.

Other Rather Important Reviewers Who Didn't Ask Questions =D ::
duenna , Elli the Ghostie , Kerei Kitsune , Princess Krystal01, Tadashi , Mooncinder , AmenOsirius , ryou's kitty , vixinkitsune , fairycake513 , sailor-z-360