HA! Told you I'd update around the middle of September! It's what you've been waiting for folks! Things really get interesting now. Sit down, strap in, and keep your hands in side the car at all times. You're in for a wild ride. (grins).

I've been doing nothing but listen to Queen, Enya, and Peter Gabriel the whole time I was writing this. Pathetic, no?

Thanks goes to my many reviewers who are: Namonaki Pharaoh, Dakura Deoman, DJ Shortstop Clue, Divine Crimson Rose, I LOVE SORA AND DANNY, Valinor's Twilight, Mystic Dragon 1691, flamescythe, Angel's Nocturne, Hedwig the MillenniumOwl, WildEm, animeluver911, MysticChaos, feariefighting101, Thomas Drovin, White Dragon Girl, Golden Lily Dew, and last but not least, 16forever. Thank you sooooo, sooooo, much for getting me to the 50 reviews mark. I'm happy for that. (glomps all reviewers, then gets punched away by the ones who don't like physical contact) I would like to double that number before I end this sucker of a fic. (hint hint)

Look, I'm sorry that I keep changing the signs for yami speak(lol), but ffdotnet keeps deleting my formating!

Thankyou soooo much to my best betas: WildEm, Hedwig the MilleniumOwl, and a new recruit beta, feariefighting101.

Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh. Why the heck do you think I do?

And now, what you all have been waiting for...

Chapter 10

Loving Memories

Rhia to Rehkyt

Rehkyt to Rhia

Yugi to Atem))

Atem to Yugi)

"Harada!" barked Shiei-sensei.

"Yes ma'am?" Rhia jumped as she began to put her stuff back in her pencilcase. One minute to go and she could be outta here...

"It's your turn to clean up after class!"

"Yes ma'am..." She said with a distinct loss of enthusiasm apparent in her voice. Damn that woman...

BBBRRRRIIINNNNGGGGGG!

The classroom emptied out until it was just Rhia left, who was already tidying up. Yugi peeked in from the hallway.

"Rhia, are you almost done?"

A sigh escaped the girl. "No, sorry Yugi. Go on ahead. I'll see you later."

"Okay, bye Rhia."

Yugi reluctantly left and Rhia continued to clean up after her more than somewhat messy classmates.

Finally, Rhia gladly opened the door to the game shop. She took a deep breath.

'Finally, I can relax.' She thought. Rehkyt smirked from her soul room. The brunette pulled out her reading book and sat down on the stairs. She settled down to enjoy two full hours of reading.

Meanwhile, Atem noticed the clock.

Yugi, there's something downstairs I want to ask you about.)

What?))

I think you called it the washing machine. I swear to Ra it's evil. It keeps growling.)

Atem, how many times do I have to tell you? It's harmless!))

As Yugi walked, Atem kept a few feet behind him. He couldn't get rid of the feeling that Atem was hiding something. But that thought was pushed aside as he had to once again explain what the washing machine was so Atem wouldn't send it to the Shadow Realm. He had already lost $100 allowance because it happened once before...

Rhia was sitting on the stairs reading when she heard Yugi coming. Marking her book, she got up so Yugi wouldn't have to step over her.
As Yugi got to the top of the stairs, Atem manipulated some of the Shadows and pushed Yugi down the stairs at Rhia. But guided him down the stairs off his feet was more like it. It was as if he was hovering down the stairs. Rhia saw it all in slow motion, yet it happened all so fast it was as if she acted on instinct. She heard his yelp, more of surprise than fear. She turned and held out her arms, as to catch him. He landed right on top of her. Yugi didn't land on Rhia with much force, but it was enough to knock her over. Yugi's body was on top of Rhia's in a way that would have been more than comfortable in a bed. At first, there was this moment of shock where the body does a subconscious check to see if anything is broken. Then, when the shock subsides, their eyes met. Surprise and embarrassment are reflected in Yugi's eyes. Longing and self-possession in Rhia's.

Yugi looked into her sweet, chocolate brown eyes, so covered in mental pain. He didn't know what had come over him. Their lips were so close. He dropped his head slightly and pressed his lips on hers. Rhia's eyebrows rose from surprise, but she didn't flinch. This is what she had been wanting, after all. She quickly melted into the kiss. It was sweet, as a first kiss would be. All too soon though, they broke apart. Yugi's cheeks much resembled tomatoes and he was getting up as fast as possible.

"I-I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me. I don't know what I was thinking." Yugi stammered out.

"Oh…" Bright red, Rhia turned and ran up the stairs. The next thing you heard was the loud thud of a slammed door.

'Oh Ra…oh Ra, oh Ra, oh Ra… He KISSED me! He actually kissed me…But, was it real? Did he mean it? Or was that just another guy taking advantage of me, but with him going to a new level?

He meant it.

Does he really love me?

Of course he does. What did you think? That he hated you?

No… Y'know, I'd just... die for him, that's all! But I thought he didn't feel the same way about me as I feel about him.

Just as friends, right?

Yeah…hey, what are you hiding? I'm getting these serious guilt waves from you.

Rehkyt panicked. Uh…nothing...

Rhia saw Rehkyt's face. I'll tell you when I'll believe 'nothing'; the day the Great Sphinx takes off from Giza and lands in the back garden delivering mail wearing a satchel that says 'FedEx' on it! Did you plan that fall?

Uh… Course not!

Rehkyt!

Fine, I give. Yes, I did. With Atem's help.

Oh, so you had a partner in crime? Well then...

Rhia opened the door and called to Yugi, the whole time ignoring Rehkyt's frantic pleas to not say anything.

"Yeah?" Yugi asked, not meeting Rhia's eyes.

"I think our yami's had something to do with your little trip down the stairs."

"Really?"

"Rehkyt, Atem, SPILL!" Rhia demanded. Both yamis appeared in spirit form looking somewhat abashed.

"Well, uh, you see… I can assure you that there is a perfectly adequate explanation for this..." Atem stuttered. All it took was one menacing glare from Rhia for them to tell.

"We planned it a couple weeks ago." Atem began.

"You two just kept thinking about the other." Rehkyt said next.

"The best thing that we could think of was Yugi falling down the stairs on top of you, Rhia." Atem finished.

"But how did you know we would kiss?" Yugi asked nervously.

"We're your yamis. We know these things." Rehkyt said absently.

"So…Yugi…you…" Rhia faltered.

"Yup!"(1) Yugi nodded. Rhia grinned. The yamis looked at each other and nodded. Their work here was done.

Lamia was walking towards the Kame Game Shop with all the energy she could muster. Fate had not been kind. She had had an impossible time getting food. Lamia had reached her limit. She didn't want to ask for help, it always backfired. But Lamia had encountered difficulty with getting up this morning. She knew if she didn't get food soon, she wouldn't live to see the sunrise tomorrow.

These last few days Lamia had caught herself remembering what had happened in the mall.

'Whenever you get so hungry that you have to steal, go by there first.'

Lamia hoped this "Rhia" would be true to her word. It wouldn't be the first time some one had set her up for the fun of it.

Lamia heard something crash to the ground behind her. She wasn't phased by it. Rats often lived in the allies she frequently used. Something moved again, but no noise accompanied it this time. Abruptly, pain seared across her cheek, a small breeze flashed through her hair. She lifted her right hand to touch her cheek, and it came away bloody. Ok, now that was no rat!

"Who's- who's there?" Lamia called out into the darkness.

"The darkness my dear, the darkness."

Fear leapt into Lamia's heart when she heard that voice. It was as if the shadows of the alley were truly speaking. Another slash of pain flared on her right arm, the breeze ever so slightly stronger. Lamia didn't need to look to know it was bleeding. She didn't take anymore chances, and ran from the shadows that seemed to be alive.

As Lamia's footsteps faded away, Bakura stepped out of the darkness, his eyes following the direction she took. He licked the blood off his dagger, savoring every drop.

'History repeats itself. Soon, I shall attack. Darkness will rule.' Bakura walked off, cackling madly.

Lamia continued to run, fear still latched in her heart. Adrenalin gave her body energy where it lacked. Soon, the shop came into view. She slowed into a walk and looked around. There was no darkness here, only light. The sun shone brightly everywhere, leaving nothing in shadow. But Lamia had no time to dally. Her stomach gave another sharp pang. Was it eating itself to keep her alive? She walked to the door of the shop and went in. The person at the counter had tri-color hair that spiked everywhere like a porcupine. She vaguely remembered that mass of hair at the mall. And his eyes were the same color of violet that she hid under her hair.

"Hello, welcome to the" He stopped short. "Are you okay?" He asked.

"Rhia. I need to speak to Rhia." Lamia demanded, leaning against the counter and letting her hair fall over her face.

"But, you're bleeding!" Yugi exclaimed.

"Rhia!" Lamia yelled, almost commanding. Lamia did not want this stranger anywhere near her. Yugi sighed, and turned around to yell up the stairs,

"Rhia!"

"Yeah?" The call came back down the stairs.

"Can you come down to the shop please. I need you."

"Okay." Steps were heard coming down the stairs. "What is it, Yugi? Can't reach something?" Rhia's eyes landed on Lamia. "Oh sweet Isis." She rushed to Lamia. "What happened?"

"Wait a minute, you're Rhia?" Lamia stuttered.

"Yeah, I am. Now, what happened to you?" She said, keeping on topic.

"I-I don't know."

"Maybe some food first?" Lamia nodded. "Ok, the kitchen is past that door at the end of the hallway. Get cleaned up and sit down. I'll be there in a minute." Yugi waited until he was sure Lamia was out of hearing distance before he dared to open his mouth.

"Rhia, who was that?" Rhia sighed, turned around, and walked toward the bathroom. Yugi followed.

"That, was our food thief from the mall."

"Really?"

"Yeah." Rhia reached up and retrieved the first aid kit from it's place on the shelf.

While the hikaris went in the kitchen, Rehkyt and Atem were talking in the hall.

"Atem, there's something you need to know." Atem only quirked an eyebrow. "You know that we were married six years before Zork attacked. What you don't know is that soon after we married we had a child." Shock registered everywhere on Atem's face. "We had a daughter. Her name was Lamia. By some strange twist of fate, that girl in the kitchen is the physical reincarnation of our daughter." Atem was speechless. He was a father! And his daughter was on the other side of the wall! He couldn't believe his ears.

"I have to see her." That's all he said before he phased through the wall.

Yugi!)

What?))

She's my daughter! My daughter!)

Who?))

Lamia!)

He appeared behind Lamia, but only Yugi and Rhia could see him. Rehkyt soon followed. He raced around the table to see Lamia's face. When he got there, it was as if Lamia could also see Atem. Memories he didn't know he had raced through his mind, their reflection in his eyes. The sudden reminders were too much, the floor came up to meet him, and all went black.

Yugi grabbed his ear, Atem's blackout was like a sharp headache. He saw Atem out like a light on the floor, and his eyes went wide(wider than usual) for a split second. He turned to Rhia and Lamia.

"I have to get something, be right back." As Yugi almost ran out of the kitchen, Rhia knew something was wrong, but didn't follow. She had to find out what happened to Lamia.

"Lamia," she began, eyebrows scrunching together. "What happened?"

"Well," Lamia trailed, before taking another bite of the food in front of her. "I was walking…"

Yugi all but ran to his room as soon as he saw Atem faint. He returned to his soul room immediately after falling. Yugi sat on his bed. He didn't want to fall over while exploring his other self's soul room. He had done that before, and it had hurt. Concentrating inward, his eyes glazed over as he landed in the shared soul corridor of his mind. Opening the door to his yami's soul room, he walked in and instantly spotted Atem on the floor not far from him. Yugi walked over and picked Atem up. Even though they both had bodies in their soul rooms, the ancient Pharaoh was surprisingly light. The violet-eyed hikari imagined a bed and one appeared at the closest wall. He placed Atem in the bed and tucked him in. Now to figure out what exactly was going on.

Yugi placed two fingers on Atem's forehead, right where the Third eye would be. Atem did it with Yugi when he needed to remember dreams that might be important. As soon as contact was made, images flashed by Yugi's eyes almost too fast to be comprehended.

Flash!

Playing in the garden with his father.

Flash!

Beating Shimon at Senet.

Flash!

Having a light practice duel with Priest Seto.

Flash!

Marrying Rehkyt.

Flash!

Raging emotions, a woman in bed, most likely Rehkyt.

Flash!

A child with black hair playing with her mother.

Flash!

Sending Rehkyt and Lamia away to safety. Screaming to the heavens and gods soon after.

Yugi lifted his fingers. He understood that Atem was gaining the rest of his memories. Sure, he didn't go through the World of Memory for nothing, but he didn't get everything. He was now receiving it. All at once. No wonder he blacked out. It was all too much for his mind to handle. Yugi left Atem to his literal trip down memory lane. He would feel like a real person again once he woke up... Poor old Atem. If that wasn't a shock and a half, he didn't know what was.

Yugi smiled.

(1) I had to put Yugi's traditional "Yup!" in this fic somewhere…
Well, everyone, that's the end of chapter 10! I don't believe it. CHAPTER 10! I wouldn't have made it here without you guys. Thank you so much. I luv you all! (Not that way!) Now, do me a favor, and hit the review button.

Review!