What was that?

Anzu awoke with a start, Really that had to be a dream.

She sat up with a groan, rubbing her mussed hair. Her tank top was almost completely off, "Fuuuckkk." She flopped back down.

That had to be a dream. His lips. His hair and those eyes; like fire and blood. His smell.

"Coffee," she moaned to no one in the room, "medicine, water...water...need water."

She took a deep breath and rolled off her mattress. The sun streamed in through the window. She cursed.

I've got a pocket, got a pocket full of sunshine.

She groaned.

His body lay unfurled on the drabby couch in the apartment, running his fingers through his silver locks. He stared at the cards. The Lady of Faith.

Ryou.

He ran his fingers over the phone's keys. Was his cell phone number the same since...

Ryou probably already had an inkling that his other half was back. Were they still technically connected? Bakura could no longer hear his thoughts. It was eerie to be left alone with his own nothingness. Ryou had been so positive and so...happy. Too happy. Had he once been like his little host? That was so long ago. Egypt. Kemet. Ryou must know where the boy-king was. He must know something and he had a feeling that though his little half would be utterly shocked, Ryou would never completely reject him.

The thief stared down at his arms with the half-moon scratches. Last night. He smirked before slowly dialing the number.

Yugi logged onto his computer; the screen saver popping up. It was his past life. The smiling faces- Tristian with his arm slung around a grinning Joey who had his hand on an indignant Anzu's head. Yugi smiled sadly. Where was she?

"Good morning, Yugi." The young man whipped around to see the former pharaoh leaning against the doorway, "Can I come in?"

"Sure Yam- Atem," he corrected himself with a smile. Atem smiled affectionately at his former host, "What's up?"

"I just wanted to discuss something with you," he began. "What happened to Anzu?"

The question was innocent enough but it made Yugi draw in an audible breath, "London, I think. She never really wanted to go to the U.S. to study, like the rest of us. We went to university, but she needed money...I'm not sure. Her cell phone is disconnected and she never responded to anything online...I...don't know."

Atem watched Yugi carefully as he squirmed under his gaze. Atem reached out and put a hand on the man's shoulder, "It's okay Yugi. After I died, I know I left you and your friends alone."

Yugi looked away and then back at the Pharaoh, "You loved her."

Atem withdrew his hand and was quiet for several minutes before he spoke again; his voice was heavy with emotion, "I think she is in trouble."

Yugi's eyebrows crinkled in confusion and he leaned forward, "Why?"

Atem stared into Yugi's eyes, "Yugi, if I'm back, then how do we know I'm the only one?"

Yugi's eyes widened as Atem nodded gravely.

"Ryou."

Ryou picked up the phone on the fourth ring. It was 1:13 pm. He was in the parking lot, juggling an armful of groceries on a street in Madrid.

"Hola," he said picking up his phone.

It was silent for a minute. Wankers. I hate advertisements. But it wasn't an advertisement, and Ryou knew instantly who was on the other end of the line.

"Hello Ryou," the voice said.

Ryou nearly dropped the phone, "N-no, it can't be."

"I think that you will find that it is," the other voice rasped.

"Bakura." Ryou placed the groceries on the boot of the car.

"Not Bakura, but close. I had a different name before you, boy."

"What do you want?"

"I have a favor to ask you. It's been such a long time Ryou. I'm sure you thought you would never see me again. How silly. A reunion is in order."

Ryou's eyes narrowed as the former spirit of the ring explained what he needed. He kept silent, weighing his options. A part of him felt compete with his darkness back but mostly he was frightened.

Ryou was speechless, "What should I call you?"

Bakura smirked, "My name- Akefia."

Anzu's head was clearing as she sifted through the documents that she had taken pictures of (illegally) in the Egyptian Museum when she had been there when...

we were all together.

Yami had been there. He had been impressed with her ability to read the more basic heiroglyphics. She never told him that she had tried her hand at the ancient language because of him.

She normally thought of him now. Visions of Yami/Atem would fill her mind. Not this time.

It was then that she stumbled across that curious document. Atem had been peering at it when she came up to him. What is it, she had asked. He didn't really remember how to read the ancient tongue, but he was drawn to this block with the symobls carved into it. A man with spiky hair was featured on the front with a horrible serpentine beast.

Anzu leaned closely. The man-animal will return with...the King of heaven, earth and hell will return...battle.

That's all she had ever translated. It didn't matter now. She shrugged her shoulders. Bakura had made her read all she could from stone tablets that lined the museum walls. In the past two weeks, they had deciphered very little.

Where was Bakura?

Bakura knocked on her door.

It was then that she stumbled across that curious document. Atem had been peering at it when she came up to him. What is it, she had asked. He didn't really remember how to read the ancient tongue, but he was drawn to this block with the symobls carved into it. A man with spiky hair was featured on the front with a horrible serpentine beast.

Anzu leaned closely. The man-animal will return with...the King of heaven, earth and hell will return...battle.

That's all she had ever translated. It didn't matter now. She shrugged her shoulders. Bakura had made her read all she could from stone tablets that lined the museum walls. Yet, in the past two weeks, they had deciphered very little.

The knock on the door stirred Anzu from her thoughts. She groaned as she went to open it.

"What do you want Bakura?"

"Well that's not a way to welcome a guest."

"You aren't a guest."

Bakura rolled his eyes and pushed past her but not before she took his form in. His black v-neck clung tightly to his muscles. A silver chain with the eye of Horus hung from his neck. His fingers were decked in silver rings. She closed the door, quickly fixing her hair.

"Yes, Bakura?"

He looked over his shoulder at her and caught sight of the computer screen, "What do we have here?"

"Don't touch that," Anzu flew to her computer, but not before the white-haired thief planted himself in front of the monitor, "Can you read this?"

Anzu huffed, "Not enough to tell you anything. Something about a king- Atem presumably and another fight between him and an animal-man. I assume it was the Memory Arc."

Bakura was silent as he leaned over her. His scent filled her nostrils and instinctively she leaned back against him. He either did not notice or he chose not to.

"Stupid girl. You are of no help to me at all."

She turned to look at him, coming face to face with him. She expected him to recoil but he held his ground, even coming closer so that their noses were almost touching.

"I'm not stupid. I've gotten you this far, you fucking creep," she whispered.

"Is that all you have for me, dear Anzu?"

He was coming closer. Pull away. Pull away. She could almost taste his lips. Could almost...just a bit more. He wanted her to come the rest of the way. She wouldn't.

"I don't have anything for you, you monster."

With a growl, he brought his lips to hers hungrily. Her eyes opened in surprise and then closed as his lips moved harshly against hers. She felt her body go limp as his hand moved up her torso, grabbing her waist and bringing her closer. She gasped as he bit her lip . Instantly her lips parted, inviting his tongue into her mouth...

No! ANZU! This isn't a dream!

She opened her eyes and squealed before biting down on his lip, hard. He broke away from her with a smirk, "Feisty Anzu."

"Why?" she asked blankly, "WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?"

"You kissed back, whore." His eyes were wild and his hair was disheveled.

"Don't fucking call me that! Get the FUCK out of MY apartment!"

Bakura took her wrist in his hand and twisted until she gasped in pain, "I was just going." He laughed and made his way to the door.