I somehow finished this chapter. I just couldn't get into it. Usually I have an extra day to relax and check over errors, but I guess I lost my motivation. IDK why! Anyways, it is a little shorter than the others, except the prologue, but I do have a little humor in it.

Maybe it's because I was typing this while watching Titanic. Maybe... lol

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. If I did-let's not get into those details. ;)


Chapter 10

Slowly did afternoon arrive that day. Joey was anticipating the arrival of his mom and his friends, well, some of them. Serenity and Mokuba were to be back before noon with food. Veronica, Joey's mom, got there before anyone else could.

"Joey, are you okay dear?"

"Yes, Mom." Joey assured as she sat next to him.

"Good..."

"Did Serenity tell ya everythin'?" Veronica nodded as he sighed.

"Mrs. Wheeler-"

"Veronica, please."

Seto got up from his own chair as she turned to him. "Veronica, ma'am, don't you worry about everything. I-"

"You're Seto Kaiba, right?" He nodded. "Sorry, go ahead with what you were going to say."

"Yes. I am paying for everything. Your son will be receiving the best care in the world, and he'll also be in my care at my home."

Veronica gasped. "Oh, I can't let you do all that!"

Seto shook his head. "It's my privilege, ma'am."

Since when does DA Seto Kaiba talk like dat ta women? Especially my mother!

Joey thought as he shook his head. "Are you okay?" Veronica asked as he nodded.

"Yeah, just worried 'bout how da gang is gonna take dis..."

"I'm sure that they will be very supportive and helpful. They are your friends."

Within that instant, there was a knock on the door. "Well, speak of the devil." Seto murmured under his breath as the door swung open.

"Is this the right room?" Yugi asked as Joey smiled.

"Why? Did ya get lost?"

"No!"

"Yes." Yami pointed out as Yugi crossed his arms. "We didn't know where ICU was, so we did get lost."

"Of course." Joey shoved his elbow in Seto's side as he sat up. "There were renovations, to the rooms and add-ons to the hospital completely."

"Besides dat, I'm glad dat ya both made it." Joey said as Yugi nodded and held out flowers in front of Joey.

"We got you these. I thought that hospital rooms would be dull, so I thought something with a lot of color would liven up the place." Yugi pointed out as he put the flowers by the window.

"Thanks, Yugi, Yami."

Yami nodded and looked around the room. Feeling the awkwardness in the room, Veronica decided to make a move.

"Yugi, would you help me? Serenity said that she was going to call when she and her boyfriend had food to bring up."

Yugi looked towards Yami, as if he needed his consent.

"Go on, aibou. I'll be here until you come back."

"Oh, okay then."

After they left, the atmosphere in the room got intense and serious.

"What happened to you?" Yami turned to Joey as he looked at Yami.

"I got shot."

"You got shot? How? Why? Where?"

Seto got up and stared Yami down.

"How? Someone shot him. Obviously. Why? He was protecting his sister, my brother, and myself. Where? My house." Yami glared up at Seto. "Any more questions?"

"Seto, Yami, stop it." They both stopped their glaring contest to look at Joey who was glaring at them both. "Grow up, please." He turned back to Yami. "Listen, Serenity and Mokuba are datin'. I came over ta watch 'em, some guy was out ta get Mokuba, and I killed da bad guy. Nothin' ta it."

"Except you got hurt. Last time I checked, ICU means Intensive Care Unit."

"Yami-"

"And, when have you both become so... so open to each other?"

Joey put his head down and tried to cover his blush.

"Yami, if you have something to say, just say it. Joey's not in the mood to deal with a snotty pharaoh who only cares for his aibou."

Yami crossed his arms, turning around from the both of them, trying to keep his cool.

Man... Da tension in dis room is killin' me.

"...Yami, if ya need ta know," He turned around to listen to Joey's calming voice, "I did get seriously injured..."

"How serious are you talking about?"

Seto looked over at Joey, moving closer to him unconsciously, as Joey sighed.

"I'm...I am... I'm...paralyzed...from the waist down."

Yami's eyes grew as he had to sit down. He looked to his sides, and looked back up at Joey. "That's... Why?" He whispered softly.

"Seto's gonna be helping me. He's gonna help me every step of da way so dat I can walk again. It might not be fun, but...I like havin' challenges." Joey smiled as Yami nodded. Seto grinned, but disappeared the moment Joey looked up at him.

"If you ever need anything, just say. Yugi and I will help you, and so will everyone else."

"I know."

"And...sorry for being a stubborn person. I just wanted to know what happened after you talked to us over a week ago. I guess I wanted to make sure that we-Yugi and I-weren't just a mercy call." Yami admitted as Joey put his hands down on his side.

"Why do ya think dat? I know dat I haven't been in your lives for five years, but I willin' ta make up dose lost years."

"After you start to walk." Seto announced as the others looked at him. "Since you're with me, you won't be out of my sights until you can support yourself."

"What? If I wanna see my friends, den I should be able ta, handicap or not!" Joey blurted out as Seto turned to face him.

"We don't need the whole world know that you are injured."

"Only my friends will know, Seto-" Joey put his hand down and accidentally pressed the remote that controlled the TV. Unfortunately, it was turned onto a local TV station.

"In other news, Paul Kidman, convicted murdered and rapist, was finally caught after two years on the run. He was murdered by an officer of the Domino City Police Department. In a heated shoot-out at the Kaiba Mansion, Officer Joey Wheeler was injured."

Joey put his head down the moment he heard his name. Seto did notice, Yami didn't.

"Officer Wheeler is at Domino Hospital in ICU. His condition, last we heard, was stable. Captain Greg Jackson has given us a statement, quote, 'We hope that Officer Wheeler will heal up fast. Everyone at the station here is waiting everyday he comes back. Please respect his wishes and give him and his family peace and quiet,' end quote. We here at the station wish him a full recovery."

Seto moved over Joey's body and turned the TV off in one swoop. The tension in the room was back.

"Well..." Yami got up and pulled his shirt down. "I better go find Yugi... He might need help with the food. He's a little bit on the weak side..." He left the room, leaving Seto and Joey alone in the room.

"Geez... It's already noon and it seems like da day can't get worse..." Joey murmured and stretched his arms as Seto sighed and sat down next to him on the bed.

"Joey."

"I am so hungry! Where is everyone with da food?"

"Joey."

"And I hope dey got some chicken. Or perhaps somethin' Chinese-"

"JOEY!"

Joey jumped when Seto yelled his name. They looked at each other, Seto rubbing his head. "Listen, I know that you might be mad, but everything will be fine. You can't blame the media for not trying to get involved."

"Well, when everyone finds out I was at your place da day I got shot, yeah, everyone's gonna get curious and bug da shit outta me!" Joey sat up, glancing at Seto every second. "And, ya know, Yami makes a good point. Since when have we been so open ta each other? You're only usin' me! Ya know dat I'm da only one who ya know so well dat if ya need a security guard or body guard, I could work for free, and save ya money!"

What the heck is he talking about? He's rambling like a babbling baboon.

"Ya know, it might be because I saved your life! That's right! Remember when ya save me at Battle City? Now, I think we are e-"

Seto leaned down to the blond and passionately kissed him on the lips, just to shut him up. Joey's eyes grew as Seto opened his eyes and glanced at the blond softly.

"Why the hell would I use you? If I wanted to, I would have so five years ago, dummy." Joey put his head down as Seto messed up Joey's hair. "I think that medicine is getting to you."

"No, it isn't! I'm just...drowsy..." Joey murmured as Seto got up from his bed and walked over to the window.

"Just take a nap. I'll cover for you." Seto said as Joey nodded and slowly closed his eyes. Seto turned around to face his crush, wondering what Joey's thinking.

I love my puppy, but does he even love me? Is this an...unrequited love?

Seto shook his head, knowing that Joey must feel the same way. Right?


After everyone left, seeing Joey was asleep, Seto was munching on some Chinese food that the others brought for him and Joey. Mokuba and Serenity left to go home since they have school in the morning, so Veronica took them back home. Yugi and Yami left minutes after they did, and now Seto was alone.

I should have gotten my laptop, but that wouldn't work since it's at home...

Seto remembered Mokuba saying what happened to the security guards at the mansion. There were only a couple that were injured severely, three more that got pistol whipped, and one that was knocked out by just a simple punch. Seto was just thankful that no one got killed. Ever since Joey saved him, Seto is giving everything a second look. He got up and looked around the room, ever so small, as his eyes always would wander back to Joey.

It was a little after six when Joey decided to awake.

"You hungry?" Seto asked as Joey turned his head to the CEO.

"Umm... Yeah, but I gotta tell ya somethin'."

Seto's heart, for some reason, started to skip a beat.

"What is it?" But Seto didn't show it.

"I have ta go..."

"Go where?" Seto got up and put the Chinese food aside as Joey pointed to the room to his right.

"I have ta go pee."

Seto blinked several times before he realized what he said.

"Seriously?"

Joey nodded. "Badly."

Seto didn't know what to do! He was never told what would happen if Joey had to go to the bathroom! He gulped as panic showed in his eyes.

"What should I do?" He asked Joey as he sighed.

"It's obvious! Ya should-"

"Get help! Of course!" Seto ran out of the room before Joey called him back.

"Just carry me ta da bathroom."

Seto turned around as he nodded. "But, what about the IV?"

"I'll just carry it in with me. Just carry me and we'll figure out what ta do."

Seto nodded and leaned over Joey, picking him up bridal style and walking over to the bathroom, IV bag in Joey's lap. Shutting the door to the bathroom, Joey and Seto gulped as they looked at the toilet. Is it going to be as hard as they thought it was going to be?

"Should you be sitting down?"

"Like a woman? I don't know!" Joey responded as Seto's eyes started to dart around the small bathroom. Ah ha! Seto pressed a button that had that cross sign as a nurse responded.

"Yes? What is it?"

"Uh, Joey needs to go to the bathroom. I have him in the bathroom; he has to go."

"I'll be in there in a second. Hold on."

Seto let out a breath as Joey grabbed tightly on Seto's neck.

"...rry..."

"I didn't hear you. What did you say?" Seto said as Joey had his head in the crook of Seto's neck.

"I'm sorry..."

"What for?"

"I should have called for help and not bothered you."

Seto closed his eyes. "Joey, dammit, I'm going to be babying you for the next six months or so. This is just a start of what's to come." He stared Joey in the eyes and kissed his cheek. "I'm not quitting. Are you?"

Joey opened his mouth, but the nurse came in as she smiled.

"Well, it seems that someone couldn't wait, could they?"

Joey shrugged as another nurse, a male one, came in. Seto handed him to the male nurse as the female nurse held the IV bag.

"This is going to be easy. Just listen to what we have to say and we'll get you back into your bed." The female nurse told as Joey nodded. Seto left the room, leaving Joey with people who knew how to take care of him.

Seto didn't know what to do. He wanted to be in there, knowing what he should do if Joey needs to go... But, it was something inside him that told him to wait. That there would be a time that Joey would absolutely need him, and that, unfortunately wasn't now.


BLAH! That scene with Yami was a little weird, right? I was going to do something totally different for that scene, but guess I chickened out. I've read the manga. I KNOW Seto would have jumped in and saved Joey, IF he wasn't an ass. But, the key thing still worked, I guess,

But, there WAS a little kissing scene with Joey and Seto! :)

Well, make sure to review and vote my friends! I really want fourth place taken by someone outta the blue!