"Crow-san, may I have a word with you? I'm afraid I have bad news," Hikari-sensei had said to him on the way to the hospital's inner garden. "The fracture was more severe that we once predicted. That is the main reason your pain has not yet stopped."

It had taken Crow more than a moment to grasp the news. "But I feel fine right now. As long as I don't touch my shoulder or the elbow, I don't feel any pain."

Hikari-sensei had only sighted; her long hair to one side. "You're currently on morphine, Crow-san; it's a drug that suppresses the pain. You were screaming during your dreams. You scared your friend Kiryu; he was the one who informed me. I thought it was a nightmare at first, but to be sure, I injected the drug on you, just in case. Your screams faded afterwards." She had sat in the same bench as he was. She looked sad. "X-Ray this morning showed me something different."

Crow hold his head tightly. He was still on the same spot since morning.

Hikari-sensei had told him that his fracture will heal with time; not his shoulder nerves. The muscles affected by the fracture had suffocated the nerves around the shoulder and had compromised the entire right arm. "When the shoulder heals, you will recover your arm's capacity and strength. The bad news is that the pain will not disappear," she had said before going. "An operation is impossible; it's a complicated area. There is a change you could loose all senses in your right arm. Not only pain flows through nerves, commands from your brain do as well. Worst case scenario, you could loose your entire arm."

A lifetime without his right arm. A lifetime without Riding Duel. A lifetime without the wind on his face.

"Damn!" Crow shouted, angry, desperate. His left hand hit the bench he was on. "That means I'll be in pain for the rest of my life." That was better than loosing an arm, right? He wondered. The morphine would fade away and he would feel the real pain really soon; that made him anxious. It was too early to choose. "Damn." His thoughts were like knives. Crow looked up, trying not to cry, dismissing the knives. "Man. What happened to the sky? It wasn't like this in the morning. The clouds are starting to gather. It will rain really soon."

Crow got up from the bench and walked to the hallway to shield from the cold. It was really cold, colder than any other day.

"What should I do?" Crow said to no one as he hit the wall with the left fist. How could he tell the news to his friends? How should he tell the kids about his injury? "The kids." That was what really hurt him, that sad look on the children's faces. "What a pathetic big brother I turned out to be. I don't deserve their support, or the flag they did with their hands, or they calling me onii-chan." He didn't want to cry. He tried to repress the tears, but he couldn't.

Across the white hallway Crow sat with his back against one of the wall, staring at the empty rooms, sobbing in silence. He wondered how Martha was doing, and Saiga and grandpa Tetsuzo back at Martha's place. Were they having fun? Maybe there were. After all that had happened to them, they should. Yeah, they should be happy… Crow wondered what they would say if they knew about his condition, about the missing member of Team 5D's, about the unpaid hospital's bill… the accident, the arm, the pain. It was all Yusei's fault! The arm, the pain, the hate, he wanted to cry. He wanted to blame him. But he couldn't, because it wasn't Yusei's fault.

"Damn, it is hard to imagine a hospital more silent than this one," Crow said, wiping the tears, forcing a smile. "So much for the entertainment I was expecting." Crow fell silent as he looked at his lifeless arm, wrapped in bands. "…Is hard to think about something else, eh? Maybe I can find a place to cry a little more…"

"Is something wrong, Crow?" a familiar voice asked.

Crow looked up. He got up from the floor, switching thoughts. "Bruno. What are you doing here?"

"I feel a little dizzy. I asked the guys if I could go for a walk. Usually, it calms me after a while." Bruno caressed his head. He seemed quite sleepy. "Sometimes when I had these headaches, I think more clearly."

That was indeed weird, Crow thought. "Maybe the walking is what helps you think and not the headache." Crow tried to sound cheerful with his smile and energy. Bruno bought it. "Who is in the room right now?"

"Eh… let me think." Bruno raised his hand and started to count. "Jack and Carly left while you were sleeping; so who are left are Aki, Ruka and Rua, Misty and Kiryu." Bruno looked at his fingers. "Five total. Well, there's also Nicko and West. Seven total then!"

That was no good. Crow wanted to return to his room, to close his eyes and cry in silence. He couldn't do it with so many people. "Bruno, did you find something about those missing videos from Security? You were investigating the case last night."

Bruno looked surprised at first, but then he seemed to remember. "Yes. I traced the command back to the source. Well, in a way. The order came from the same backdoor Yusei and I found and used to access Security's archive."

So much complicated, Crow said to himself. Bruno seemed to forget that he didn't really understand any of that. Wait… "You mean Yusei could have been the one who deleted the videos?"

Bruno lowered his head, thinking. "I started with that hypothesis, but somehow that didn't lead me to something specific. I mean, the steps this person used to access weren't what Yusei would use."

"So, you had been searching for this new person?"

"Yes. And to tell you the truth, Crow. I think I found the person who would use the exact same steps this new person used."

"So, who was it?"

"It was me."

"Eh?" Crow took more than a moment to grasp the meaning. "So, you were helping Yusei. That means you know where he is?"

Bruno put his hand in from of him, defending himself. "I don't know! It wasn't me, I swear! But I can't remember…! Wait, aren't you mad at me?"

Of course he was. He should be angry at him, Crow knew, but he couldn't. "I'm so pathetic." He could not be angry with the drug on his system, not with the depression he had. "Forget it," he said at Bruno's surprised face. He just wanted to die.

"Ok, if you said that you're not angry…" said Bruno, sighting in relief. "I didn't tell anyone about this, but I think all this that is happening has something to do with my memory," said Bruno. "Sometimes I feel I can explain everything. Mmm, is like having a dream; I know I had a wonderful dream, I sure am, but when I try to recall it… If only I could… ahhh." Bruno held his head with both hands, his eyes closed. "It's the headache again. It happens when I think too much. I'm sorry."

"Maybe you should see Hikari-sensei."

Crow met Bruno's gaze after a moment. Bruno looked erratic, his eyes filled with a strange glow. "I should go outside," Bruno said as he lowered his eyes. "I'll be back soon."

"Wait, Bruno. Your eyes!" Crow went and tried to reach him, but as soon as he opened his mouth, Bruno wasn't there anymore. "Bruno? Where did you go?" That was weird, Crow thought. Bruno was just there in the hallway a heartbeat before. Did Bruno just vanish when Crow blinked? Or did he disappear when the day turned to night? "Eh? Is night already?" Crow looked at the entrance door. It was pitch black outside. "What a hell is happening? And why is so dark in here?"

Then Crow felt it; a sharp pain, traveling through his right arm, killing all other thoughts.

"AHHH!" Crow went down to the floor holding his arm. "DAMN! MY ARM!" His arm was burning, bend in an unnatural position. "SOMEONE!" He heard his arms breaking like glass, and then his legs, and his head. "HELP ME!" Another pulse of unbearable pain crossed all his body, making him loose control of all movement. And as his body drew closer to the cold floor, his whole world grew darker. "HELP! YUSEI! DOCTOR! ANYONE!"

As soon as Crow's face hit the floor, all became quite. The coldness invaded him as he screamed in silence for air, desperately calling for someone, for something; feeling the heartbeat on his head, hammering his every thought.

"…Please… Help…" he managed to say with the last ounce of air.

And suddenly, Crow heard it: something approaching, a sound echoing in the distance, coming closer and closer, filling the air. "Are you sleeping? Eh? Can you hear me?" asked a faceless voice in the dark, a female's voice. "Hey! Are you okay? Oh my God! Hang in there, I'll take you with Hikari!" the voice said once again, closer to him.

Crow felt how his body rose from the floor. His left arm surrounded the neck of the faceless woman, a thin but strong neck, while her arms held his waist. She felt so strong Crow could hardly believe that it was a woman who was holding him. She said some little words that sounded so gorgeous on her lips, and after a moment, Crow's legs were moving against his will.

"Ahh…" Crow called to the voice. He must have looked so pathetic crawling in the floor like an animal, begging for mercy. Yet someone, somehow, had come to save him, to ease his pain. But who? And why? "...Help me… It hurts more if you… stay silent," Crow said, not sure why he had said it. His body wasn't obeying him anymore. He felt weak and dizzy, at the end of the line. "P-Please…" But the sound of her voice was the only thing that held his reality. Who was she? And why was she helping him? "Say something… before I pass out…"

"Eh? Don't talk. We're almost there," the voice said, more surprised than annoyed. "Hey, don't die on me, ok?"

Crow knew he was at the edge of the abyss, he couldn't hold his thoughts anymore. His head felt lighter as all the darkness kept spinning around him. He felt so dizzy he wanted to throw up and lie lifeless on the floor again, let all others things disappear… But that voice. That voice was the only thing helping him. It was so calm and peaceful and beautiful, so full of hope. "…Please… say something…" he said as he used his left hand to touch the face of his rescuer. Her face felt cold and shaky, like a statue,; and then he felt nothing. "…Please… before I pass out… Say… I like your voice…"

But before she could say something, Crow fell into a dream.

And when he woke up, he was somewhere else. Three white walls and a gray ceiling, bathed by artificial light.

"Crow-san, does your arm hurt?"

Crow saw the doctor, Hikari-sensei, sat next to his bed. She had a weak smile and worries under her eyes. After see Crow's expression, she sighed, looking relieve. She took Crow's arm and used a needle to draw blood from his left arm. She did it so fast Crow didn't have time to feel or say a thing.

"Hey! You could have done that when I was unconscious!"

"I'm sorry, you woke up faster than I expected. You were unconscious for five minutes only."

Five minutes? That meant 'she' was still around. "Where is the woman that took me here?"

Hikari smiled. "Right to the point, I see." She went to the door and unlocked it. She stood there before opening it. "I'm sorry, Crow-san, but I don't know her. By the way, your friends are waiting on the other room. Do you want to see them?"

"Wait! Don't go!" He had the energy to scream, he realized. His arm hurt but a little; he must be under morphine again. That wasn't important now. "She seemed that she know you, sensei. Please, I must find her."

Hikari chuckled, covering her face with her mouth. She clapped her hands slightly while her cheeks were colored by a shade of red. "I'm sorry, Crow-san, but I have a special request from 'her' not to tell you anything. I'm sorry. I truly am." She smiled again, showing a fang or two. "You were unconscious a moment ago and the first thing you do after waking is ask for a woman? I didn't know Crow-san was that kind of man."

Now Crow was the one blushing. She did have a point. "No way! I wanted to say thanks, that's all!"

"Oh, I see, I see. You're the kind of man who says thanks to someone even before knowing if he's able to use his arm again." She was right, Crow thought. He didn't know the reason he was so interested in this woman. "Don't worry, I'll tell her our whole conversation. Maybe she'll find it amusing. She is single, you know."

Crow looked to one side. Maybe talking to the doctor wasn't the best idea. She had several faces, this gorgeous doctor, and Crow wondered if he had seen them all. Somehow, he didn't want to know. "Do whatever you want."

"I'm afraid I already did." She locked the door again and sat at his side. Her smile turned into a little grin. "Look over there." She pointed to the other side of the bed. There, up on a table, was a weird machine, blue and white and silver. It looked like a box with a lot of buttons and lights. "I know you collapsed from the pain, and as a good doctor I should have injected with the morphine once again. But I'm afraid I didn't do it."

"Eh?" That was weird. His arm felt a little hot, but nothing more. "My arm doesn't hurt, that means I'm healed?"

"Not a chance. Your pain never left, not even when you were unconscious. But here is the part I found interesting, and all thanks to 'her', the woman who saved your life." She raised a finger. "When this woman brought you here, she told me you didn't like silence. She told me you asked her for her voice. And then I thought maybe I could use an experimental treatment while you were unconscious."

"Experimental? You mean this machine?"

"Yes, I mean that machine. Hey, don't look so surprised; I didn't steal it from a spaceship. It's a stereo, a music stereo. Kaiba Corporation's finest. Anyway, to make the story short, I been treating your pain with music. Well, not now since you are awake."

"Music?" That was the last thing Crow was expecting. Sure, he liked music a lot, but he didn't know about this Music's Healing Power.

"Yes, music. It seems it work pretty well. At least your face tells me so… Anyway, I'll explain the marvelous details later. But first, I have to tell you, Crow-san: I'm afraid the treatment is expensive."

"Eh? But I don't have any money! I still can't pay the things you guys did before this treatment!" There was not a change he could pay it, at least not with the money he made. "That means I can't be cured?"

Hikari-sensei smiled. It seems she was enjoying herself. "Do not worry. Some woman paid for this treatment. And no, I can't tell you the details about her. You'll want to thank her before even recovering." She made another mischievous smile while her long black hair danced through her shoulders. "Well, maybe we're talking about two different woman now. Did you tell another woman you liked her voice?"

"Tsch!" Crow felt the heat rushing through his face. This doctor did have a second personality, one really annoyed him. "You are enjoying this, don't you? You and your faceless friend, the woman who helped me."

"Not at all. Not at all." She made a face that could deny that whole statement. She paused a moment before getting serious. "But Crow-san, there's a condition before I begin the treatment."

That took Crow by surprise; that serious look on her eyes. "And that is?"

Hikari took a sheet of paper and a pen and give it to Crow. What was she planning? Did she want him to right with his left hand? Did she want money? "Crow-san, there's a thing you can do for me. Can you get me the signature of Jack Atlas, please? And a photo?" she said, smiling, both cheeks completely red.

AnimeKiwi369: Sorry if this wasn't the 'update' you were expecting... nor the speed... But anyway, thanks for the kind words. I'm glad you like the duel (It took me a while to make it thrilling)

FanficFemale: Thanks, is good to know I didn't screw up a good duel. Sorry if you were cheering for Yusei :S

Sherry Leblanc: Oh, someone new have joined, I'm so glad. To tell you the truth, I really liked Placido who, in the series, cursed the Crimson Dragon and Yusei and Yusei's father. But, in ths fic, Placido knew that Yusei's was not much for him, so he talked big. By the way, I really love Placido.

Deviltrigger Dante: I have only one thing to tell you: I'M SORRY! I REALLY AM! My inspiration usually falls behind when I'm not looking.

PsichoTeddyBear: I agree with you, man. Yusei is really invencible. I know he has a dragon and all, but I feel like the anime should have a little more of the "Yusei can lose" moments. I hope Team Ragnarok could show us how.

As for the horror, I still can't believe that I wrote "bounds" insted of "bonds", and so many times... Oh God.

Eh... I'm sorry. This chapter was supposed to be an easy intermission for the next important chapter... But it took me a lot of time, I don't know why. Almost a month, I can't believe it.

Well, moving on: I'm not really into this OC characters, so I ask for forgiveness if you didn't really like the screen-time the doctor had. Hikari-sensei will take her leave soon, so don't worry. She somehow got out of my control.

As for the the new woman who helped Crow, I'll not tell :) Well, I can tell you she'll appear sometime soon. Expect a pairing?

Guess this is all. Next chapter will feature Aki and maybe a duel, but definitely Aki... and some of the speed I was promising.

Also, thanks to everyone who added this fic to his Alert List and Favorite List. And a lot of thenks to you guys for reviewing. You're all awesome.