"Come on Alice! I dare you to try it on."

"What is there to try on! It's nothing but strings and a bit of fabric!"

A week and a half later after school was out and Anzu and Alice were having their shopping date. Everyone managed to pass their exams, so no one was headed to summer school. One more week and the gang will finally be off to paradise. Anzu was busy working two jobs to have some extra money on the trip. Today was one of the few days she had off, so she begged Alice to go out with her to the mall to look for some new outfits. And of course, a new swimsuit.

"Fine, if I have to try it on then I dare you to wear this one!" Alice pointed to a bikini that was a nude color. Anzu blushed at the skimpiness of the bottom half of the bikini. And there was no way the top could support her large breasts.

"No thank you." She said laughing. They moved through the racks of bikinis and one pieces laughing and wondering if they were in the lingerie department instead. Eventually they found some less eye stimulating options. Alice giggled to herself making Anzu glance at her curiously. "What are you laughing about?"

"Oh, just thinking about how Yugi would react if he saw you in one of those bikinis." Anzu blushed then laughed lightly as she said, "I don't think he would survive. I mean he has seen me in a bikini before, but he could hardly speak to me." She smiled at the memory of the time they went to a theme park together. She then remembered that there was an underlying reason she went with him. To see if she could get his other side to come out.

"Hey Anzu!" The brunette looked up to Alice holding up a two-piece that was perfect. The purple was the same shade as Yugi's eyes. "Pretty right! You should totally try it on!" "Okay." Anzu replied, she then looked down and smiled, "Hey Alice!" she then held up a one piece that she knew the redhead would look good in. It was a deep red that reminded Alice of Yami's eyes. The style was sure to show off her curves nicely without making her feel so exposed. "What do you think?"

"I think…you found a winner!"

Xxxx

The girls were sitting in the large food court later enjoying some refreshments and happily talking about their plans for the trip. Anzu was happy to finally have some girl time. She used to have a bunch of girlfriends but the moment she started to hang out more with Yugi and the others they just disappeared. They were polite to her at school, but they never went out of their way to hang out with her. Jerks! She thought as she sipped on her iced tea. The only girl who stuck around ended up moving away, then Alice came along. She smiled at the girl then asked, "So, Alice,"

"Hm?"

"Is there a guy you like?" Alice blinked then swallowed down a piece of her sandwich. "What! Why do you ask?"

"Well it's just that I noticed that you and Jonouchi were really getting along when we were in school. And you always laugh at his silly jokes."

"Oh, well, I mean he feels like a brother to me. I may not know him for long, but he is just so goofy and dependable at the same time that I just like spending time with him."

Anzu laughed saying, "I know what you mean. He actually does have a younger sister so it's not too surprising you feel that way. So, if not him what about Bakura?"

Alice was so glad that she wasn't eating or drinking when she asked that, or she might have died from the choking. "There is no way I'm dating him." She replied harshly. She then noticed Anzu's gaped mouth and chided herself for being too straight forward. "Nothing against the guy but there is something…off about him. I mean really off."

"Alice," Anzu didn't know what to say. As far as she knew, Bakura didn't have the ring so there was no way she could know about his darker side. Right?

"Sorry, I didn't mean to put him down like that. He is nice, and I like talking to him. I just see him as a friend." The real one anyway. "But what about you Anzu?"

"Me, well," The girl played with the straw in her drink as she tried to think of a way to explain her situation. "You remember how you said that my heart was split when you read my fortune." Alice nodded her head and waited for her to continue, "I…I have feelings for both Yugis." The redhead's breath hitched as her mouth formed an o. So that is what Yugi meant by her liking someone he wished he could be more like. Anzu could feel her face getting hot by the embarrassing confession, but Alice seem like the only person she could talk about this with. "I feel horrible about it. I mean when I first met the 'other' Yugi I thought he was just a repress version of the original. Like a multiple personality kind of thing. But now, I'm not so sure that's right."

Alice want to tell her that she was definitely not right about that theory. Yami was his own person. He was just bonded with Yugi, so they share the same body and Yugi's memories. She wanted to tell her that, but then worried how she would feel. Alice also didn't want to tell her if the info was coming from a place of jealously and she was feeling pretty jealous. She took a sip of her drink to focus her emotions and asked, "But haven't you been spending more time with Yugi?"

"Yes, I mean I like it. The time we spend together is always fun. It's just…"

"Just?" Anzu took a deep breath. What she was going to say next made her feel even more like a horrible person. "It's just, I sometimes hope to get a glimpse of 'him'." The two sat in silent judgment as the noise of the food court grew around the heavy air hanging over their table. Anzu looked down at her hands as she waited for Alice to tell her what an awful person she was. But she never did. All she said was, "Explain."

"What?"

"Explain this thought process to me. You obviously need to talk this one out. I won't say a thing, nor will I share anything you have to say. Just talk it out and I will listen."

"Okay?" Anzu suddenly felt like she was in therapy, but then wasn't that what girl talk is sometimes? "I guess I've always like Yugi, as a friend. We've known each other since we were little. I've always been bossy, but Yugi never seemed to mind so I got used to him always being there. Then when we enter high school we kind of went our separate ways. I mean, I got more involved with school activities and working that I didn't have time to spend with Yugi. Even though we are in the same class."

She then took a sip of her drink and set her cup down but didn't let go. "Then one day I caught him being bullied by Jonouchi and we started talking again. I didn't realize how much I missed hanging out with him so, I slowly started spending more time with him. Then, one day, the 'other' Yugi showed up. I didn't see him, but I heard his voice as he saved me from a criminal holding me at gun point." Alice's mouth fell open as her eyes widen at the story. First a cult at the school and now a dangerous criminal! What unlucky star were they all born under!

The redhead shook her head and motion for Anzu to go on. Anzu sighed as she sat back in her seat, "I know how stupid and corny this sounds but I sort of fell for the person with the mysterious voice. And then he saved me again and again and I still had no idea who he was, till one day I figured it out that it had been Yugi who was protecting me this whole time." Anzu looked up at Alice to see if she was still listening.

The girl nodded her head for her to go on with the rest. Her face gave away nothing of what she was thinking. "I then wanted to see more of this 'other' Yugi, I even put my own life in danger just, so I could. Yugi went from someone I could be friends with to someone I believed I could have…stronger feelings for. And I really thought it was all him. Then I found out that there might be two separate Yugis and that's where I got lost." The girl blinked and felt tears running down her cheeks. Embarrassed by the action she quickly wiped her tears a way and breathed. Again, there was silence between them. Alice thought long and hard about what she had told her and finally asked, "If Yam- the 'other' Yugi didn't show up would you be feeling differently about him?"

"I…think so. Yugi is so childlike that I thought of him as a brother for the longest time. But even that has change. He has changed a lot with everything we've been through so now, I not sure." Now it made sense to Alice why Yugi was so relucted to ask Anzu out. Everything she was telling her was something Yugi already knew, yet he just smiled and went with the flow. Alice felt horrible for the little guy. And for Anzu as well, since she had no idea that almost every night Alice had been spending time with the spirit. It's not like she didn't have any other motives when she offered to share the space with him. Goodness, they both were smitten with a dead guy.

"Alice," the redhead met the brunette's blue eyes and waited for her to speak, "Please don't tell Yugi anything. I don't want to lose him."

"I already said that I wouldn't share whatever you tell me." Alice bit her lip and thought really, really hard before she asked this next question, "Anzu, what if, and I mean if, the original Yugi has romantic feelings for you? How would you feel then?"

"What?" the girl blushed at the idea. She certainly knew that Yugi cared for her and maybe even loved her, but she felt that it was more of a sibling love. Alice's brow quirked at the interesting reaction she got out of the girl. "Yugi has a crush on me?"

"I said 'if'. I'm just shaking the bottle here." Anzu put her hands on her cheeks to cool them down. How would she feel? The very idea lit a light in her. A spark in the windstorm of her emotions that blazed forward. "I…I..." A smiled grew on her face as she felt giddy at the idea that her long-time friend might have a crush on her. Alice put her elbows on the table bringing her fisted hands to her mouth to cover the smile she made on her lips. This girl was in love with both Yugi and Yami and she didn't even know it!

"Oh Alice! Please tell me that this is not happening! I can't be…can I?" Alice just shrugged as she kept on smiling. So Yugi does have a chance. A small one. Anzu then remembered a part of her fortune that Alice read. Her smile dropped saying, "Alice, you said that one will stay and the other will go." Alice stared at her and waited for her question. "The 'other' Yugi. He's another person, isn't he?" Alice swallowed and gave a small nod. Anzu sighed and sat back in her chair as she looked away and out at nothing. "So, I'm in love with two people and one of them is…is…"

"Deceased." Alice finished for her. Anzu let out another sigh and all Alice thought as she stared at her was, I'm right there with you sister. "I just cannot believe this. Just when I thought things couldn't get any crazier. With what I've been through with Yugi and the others I should have known better."

"Well, if it helps, I can't blame you. I met the spirit when he wasn't trying to break someone's mind and I got to say, wow."

Anzu laughed a good hearty laugh. Alice joined too. She was sort of glad they had this talk. The only thing was where did it leave her and her current relationship with Yami? She was falling for Yami herself the more she spent time with him, but now that she knew Anzu's feelings it somehow didn't feel right. What if Yami had feelings for Anzu too but was stepping aside because of Yugi. Maybe it would be better not to meddle any further so not to make things more complicated than it already was.

"Hey Alice?"

"Yes." The girl blinked as she brushed away her thoughts.

"Thank you, for letting me spill my heart out about this. It kind of gave me prospective." Alice sat up in her seat and leaned in asking, "What do you mean prospective? I was happy to listen by the way, but…"

"Don't worry, I got what you were trying to say about Yugi." Alice gasped and was asking what she meant and that it was an assumption about Yugi's feelings for her. The girl across from her merely smiled cheekily and finished off her tea as she thought about the next time she was going to be alone with the little gamer.

xxxx

The two girls parted ways on the street with the promise to hangout again before the trip. Alice was on her way home when she saw the last person she wanted to see waiting for her two blocks from her house.

"Hello Alice!" Bakura waved cheerfully as he walked up to her. The redhead could see that it was the spirit that was really in control and decide to play along. If she was lucky maybe she could get away unharmed. "I wanted to stop by and see how you were doing but you were out."

"Was there something you wanted?" Alice asked curtly as she slipped a hand in her purse. The boy was unfazed by her tone and blushed. "Well, um, actually there is something I wanted to ask you, but I don't want to do it out here. Could we step in here for a bit?" Alice glance at the direction he was pointing in and scoffed. "You want me to go into the alley?" He stepped closer towards Alice and grabbed her wrist. "It'll be just for a moment, I promise." Alice jumped at the skin contact and tried to pull away, but his grip was too strong. She was pushed against the wall and was about to say something when Bakura looked her in the eye and asked softly, "Will you go out with me?"

"No."

The boy looked at her for a moment then laughed a crazed laugh. The grip on her wrist grew stronger making her fear that he was going to break it. "Wow! And I fought I was brutal. You didn't even bother to let my host down easy."

"That's because he was never even here to start with! You were just toying with me." Bakura frowned at Alice then yanked her closer to him. He grabbed onto her chin to force her to look at him. "You know this whole defiant thing was cute at first but now I'm tired of it. I think I'll just kill you now and risk losing what ever usefulness you might have been." Alice eyes grew at his words. "But first, I think I will like a taste."

"What?" Bakura sneered then pulled the girl even closer to him, and before she could stop him, kissed her. Alice bit down hard on his bottom lip making him release her. She stumbled to the side to get away, but he grabbed her by the hair and pulled her back to him. He wrapped an arm around her waist and spat out some of the blood in his mouth. "Never mind! I like the way you play, but who knows how long it will be before I get bored again." Alice shriek as his tongue slowly licked the side of her face as the blood smeared onto her from his lower lips.

"BAKURA! Let her go NOW!" Alice tried to look at the owner of the deep voice but Bakura yanked on her hair making her cry out. "Stop! You're hurting her!"

"Now, now, Yugi, what makes you think you can order me around? The way I see it I have the upper hand here." He chuckled darkly as he nuzzled Alice's slender neck. Yami growled at the action but felt helpless to do anything. "Just let Alice go Bakura, there is no reason for you to harm her."

"On the contrary, I think there are plenty of good reasons. One being the little stunt she pulled at the café. The other being is that she has a power that may be a nuisance to me." Yami flinched wondering how much Bakura knew. "And my favorite reason, it will cause you grief." The evil spirit enjoyed the torment he was causing to both Yami and Alice. Wanting to see if he could use the girl to some advantage he said smoothly as he rested his head on the frighten girls' shoulder, "Tell you what, give me the secrets to your puzzle and I will give her back to you."

"I can't! I don't know what they are!" Yami shouted as his fist tighten. His puzzled glowed and the eye of Horus appeared on his forehead. Alice could feel the darkness spilling out from him. "Yami! Don't-", Bakura yanked her head again painfully and shushed in her ear, then stuck his tongue in it. Yami was about to lash at him when Yugi appeared at his side begging him to calm down. Bakura wasn't someone he could just mind-crush, there was an innocent person trapped in that body. Yugi couldn't let the real Bakura get hurt, but he knew that if they didn't do anything Alice would be the one hurting.

"Well, isn't that too bad." The evil spirit snickered as he watched with glee at the way Yami glared at him. It was no coincidence that he just happened to show up when Alice was in trouble. She must have contacted him when she saw him waiting for her. If she was with him than she was a liability. Too bad for her. "You know, this is not how I hope this will go. I wanted to keep her around for myself, but I guess that's not happening. So, I guess I'll just have to kill her!"

Alice closed her eyes as a searing pain filled her body. She didn't know what was happening or what she could do to stop the pain. She tried calling up her power, but the pain made it hard to think. She wanted to open her eyes to see what was happening to her, but her body's instinct kept them closed. All she could do was listen to the sounds of her screams and Bakura's laughter. This was it, this was how she was going to die. In darkness with the sound of his manic laughter echoing in her mind as her body felt itself being ripped apart.

Soon, all there was in her world was silence and darkness. The pain had stopped.

XXX

Yami had had enough, a choice had to be made. The puzzled glowed brighter as the dark power that rested within it leaked out into a dark aura that surrounded his being. Yugi stepped back and fell to his knees. There would be no stopping him now, but he cried out for Yami to stop. He didn't want to choose. He didn't want to see either of his friends hurt. And he didn't want to see the other soul in his heart becoming a monster. "Please! Stop! DON'T DO THIS!"

Bakura stopped his assault on the girl's body and quirk a brow at him. This is new. How is he doing that? He frowned as he debated whether he should finish the job or flee. If he kills the girl, then there would be no holding the spirit of the millennium puzzle back from going after him with that power. If he let her live, he would letting a power source fall right into to his enemy's hands. He was going to have to find away to take her with him. Suddenly, dark power came at him and he moved out of the way, taking Alice with him. "She is still alive! If you're not careful you will be the one to kill her!"

The dark being hesitated for a moment giving Bakura a chance to fight back with his own dark power. Yami moved out of the way in time. His red eyes glowed and reached out with one hand. Bakura gasped out and dropped Alice to the ground. Bakura's eyes bulged in his head as he struggled to breathe.

"Yami, please. He let her go! She's still breathing." Yugi cried as tears streamed down his face. Yami's blood red eyes glanced down at Alice and saw that she was indeed alive. But if he stopped, would Bakura go after her again? He thought very hard about what he should do till he decided that there was no way he could let go of him just yet. Bakura struggled to move or summon up his power to attack as Yami slowly moved closer. Alice let out a small sound making Yami loosen his hold on Bakura.

The white demon blasted his energy forward sending Yami flying back into a wall. He formed a dagger in his hand and dropped down to Alice pushing her onto back. Just as he raised his weapon over his head Alice opened her eyes. Bakura was taken back by her glowing green eyes then let his arm fall to pierce her heart. Alice gasped and crossed her arms over her chest making an energy shield. Bakura growled as he pressed the tip of the blade down to break her shield. He was then sent flying off Alice by a power blast. Alice dropped her shield and when she looked up her mouth hung open. Floating over her head was the Dark Magician.

"Alice!" The girl sat up and saw Yami running up to her with Yugi floating beside him. "Alice! I'm so sorry we took so long to get here!" Yugi cried. The Dark Magician whirled his staff and floated down in front of the group. His eyes focus on the enemy that was slowly sitting up.

"Alright!" Bakura glowered at the Magician and his master as he stood up. "I'll go! But you better not let her out of your sight Yugi or you will regret it!" Black fogged surrounded his body till they couldn't see him. When the fog lifted he was gone.

XXXX

After the ordeal with Bakura Yami and Yugi walked/floated with Alice back to their home. Alice wanted to clean up before her mother saw her. Yugi's grandpa had gone out so they had the house to themselves.

"Here." Yugi handed a towel to the girl and open the bathroom door. "I'll be in my room. Take your time."

"Thanks, Yugi." She then looked him over and asked, "Where's Yami?"

Yugi looked down at his feet saying, "I think he's in the space. He doesn't seem to be in his soul room." He then sniffed and looked at the girl. His purple eyes had tears in them. Yami was being hard on himself over what had happen to Alice and Yugi hated seeing him like that. And for the first time, he was shutting him out. "He blames himself for what happen to you. After you clean up can you go talk to him?" Alice nodded and gave Yugi a hug. "I will." "Thank you Alice."

When she turned she saw her reflection in the mirror over the sink. She cleaned most of his blood outside on the street, but she still had some of it on her shirt, hair, and neck. Her skin looked pale and her eyes tired. She was glad she had just went shopping so she had something to change into. She just wished her body didn't feel so sore.

Walking up to the sink she pulled off her shirt and let it drop to the ground. When she looked back at the mirror she gasped at the number of bruises on her torso. She checked her body to see of they were anywhere else, but the rest of her skin was clear. Swallowing a lump in her throat she turned on the water and began cleaning the red smears off of her skin.

Xxxx

Yami looked out at the setting sun as he sat on the edge of a hill. The wind blew through the grass sending dandelion seeds into the air. The river below him shimmered in the setting sun's light. So much had change in the space in the past week. They would spend hours together planning and creating this world that they would lose track of time.

Time always seem to go too fast when he was with her and today he almost lost her. Alice had told him about what Bakura said to her about making her his girlfriend. Yami's fist tighten at the thought as he let out an audible growl. Thankfully they came up with a plan. A small one, but it worked for today. Alice and Yami made a panic button with a locater for her to keep on her at all times. The idea being that if she was in trouble a third stone added to Yami's bracelet would light up. It took a lot of tries and test before they could get it to work. But was that going to be enough now?

"Better not let her out of your sight…or you will regret it!"

What was he going to do? She needed more protection. Yugi wouldn't mind escorting her to places but he was spending more time with Anzu and he didn't want to get in the way of that. He could ask Jonouchi and Honda to do it but there was no way they could take him on if they were cornered. If only he had his own body, like in here, then he could make sure she was safe.

"Yami?" The boy looked up and was about to stand when the redhead sat down next to him. "Thank you for coming to get me. I really wasn't prepared for him to show up like that."

"How are you feeling?" He asked gently, his low voice bringing a comforting warmth to her chest. "Achy but glad to be alive." She said smiling then looking out at the scenery. "I'm going to have to up my skill if I want a chance of surviving next time."

"There is not going to be a next time. I'm not going to let him get near you again."

"Yami, you and I both know that you can't always be there to protect me. I have to be better prepare to at least be ready to fight if I can't run." The boy sighed knowing that she was right. "By the way, how did you summon the Dark Magician like that?"

Yami blinked, then scratched his head saying, "I don't know. I just knew that I wasn't going to make it in time and I needed help. And he showed up. I don't know how but the Millennium puzzle are tide with the monsters from the card game." He then thought of something and turn to Alice asking, "Alice, I noticed that there was some blood on you, but you look like you don't have any cuts."

"Oh! Well, it wasn't my blood. He kissed me, so I bit him." She laughed awkwardly and turn to look at Yami. She stopped when she saw the raged in his eyes. "He kissed you." She didn't say a thing as his body shook. Finally, she asked, "Yami are you okay?" He looked away, trying to calm himself down. It was ridiculous to get jealous over the kiss Bakura had stolen. There was no desire or affection behind it. It was just to frighten and torment her. And now he was out for her blood. "Alice," His shoulders slumped as he remembered how he felt completely powerless to help her, "I'm so sorry you had to go through that. To have him violate you like that, it must have been frightening." He stared down at the ground and said lowly, "I'm not going to let him do that again." He was pulled out of his thoughts when he felt her lean against him and put her head on his shoulder. He blushed as his body became rigid .

"Thank you, Yami, for worrying so much about me. I was really happy that you came." She said as she closed her eyes. Yami's blushed deepened as he carefully lifted his arm, so she wouldn't move away. "Of course, I would worry." Alice felt his arm wrapping around her and pulled her closer to him. "I care a lot about you." The girl's face heated up as she side glanced at him. His face was so red that it made her heart skip a beat. She leaned in and pecked his cheek making him look at her.

"Alice." The girl merely gazed at him making his heart beat faster as he debated whether he should confess to her now. Yugi said that it would be okay to have a relationship with her, and Yami was tired of people trying to take her away from him. But would she feel the same? The kiss could have just been a friendly gesture. "Alice," his mouth suddenly felt really dry, but he had to get out what he wanted to say. "Yes, Yami." The girl stared into his eyes as she waited for him to speak. "I really enjoy the time we spend together here in the space." he said, his voice wavering a bit. "Me too." She replied with a smile on her lips, hiding the fact that she was mentally screaming. She had just gone over in her head why she shouldn't get more involve with him. And now, here she was, in his arms with him looking at her with those beautiful eyes and stealing her heart as he leaned in closer to her. It was so hard to breathe, and her lips ached so much that she had to lick them to cool the sensation. Yami didn't even realize how close he was getting to her. He was too busy trying to get his heart under control, so he could finish what he wanted to say! "Alice," he said as his lips hovered over hers. It took every bit of self-control he had left not to dive in and claim them. He swallowed saying "I really like you."

"I like you too." The girl breathed as their lips touched. The wind blew through but neither of them felt its chill.

Alice was the first to pull away, she wanted to see the look on his face. She giggled at the daze look in his eyes and redness in his cheeks and ears. She went in to give him a loving peck on his bottom lip. Yami caught her before she could pull away and kissed her on her neck making her gasp. He smiled into her skin as he did it again in the same spot then move to kiss her cheek. He then rested his head on her forehead and sighed contently. "Alice, will you be mine?"

It was silly, so silly, the girl felt like she could cry out of happiness. Imagine, something that could make you so joyful that tears would form in the corner of your eyes as your mouth forced itself into a smile you never knew it could make. She never thought it could happen to her. She wanted to answer but was afraid if she did the tears would really spill out. It frightened Yami that she didn't answer him, did I act to soon? She kissed me back, did I do something wrong? He pulled back to look at her better and panicked when he saw her eyes shining with tears. "Alice! What's wrong?" Alice bit her lip and shook her head. "Nothings-"

"I'll fix it! Whatever it is, I'll fix it, please don't cry." His hands cupped her face as he kissed her again on her cheek. "If you don't want me-"

"Yami!" He stopped talking and stared into her green eyes. His heart sunk at the idea of being rejected. This was what Yugi was talking about, this fear, only now he was living it. Alice smiled gently at the boy who was ready to have his heart broken. "I want to be with you."

"But, your tears-"

"It's because I'm so happy that you asked." Her voice shook with laughter as the tears fell. Yami sighed so deeply that Alice laughed. "Did you really think I would kiss you if I didn't want to be with you."

"I thought, maybe, it was not to your liking." He said sheepishly. Alice wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his soft lips gently. Yami closed his eyes and held her gently as he moved his lips slowly against hers making the girl tremble in his arms. His chest felt so warm and his arms felt like they could hold her forever. Alice pulled away and kiss the tip of his nose making him smile. "Tell me, what was there not to like."

Yami grinned at her then fell back pulling her down with him. The girl giggled at the action and moved so she could snuggle against him with her face to his neck and a hand on his chest. Yami rested a hand over her and placed a kiss on her forehead. The two stared up at the sky as the stars they made sparkled joyfully down at them. The spirit never thought that he would be given a second chance to have someone to call his own. As he held the girl in his arms he thanked the gods again for Yugi being the one to set him free from the darkness and pressuring him to make a new memory of his own. I don't know what I did to deserve this. To deserve the two of you, he thought as his eyes closed, but I will treasure the both of you with all my heart.