I won't ask for nothing more

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The end of all things

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I don't own the characters of Yu-Gi-Oh! The plot is mine and I hope you'll like it.

(I believe the title is from the Lord of the rings but it somehow fit so I used it :) Hope you'll readit to the end and enjoy it )

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Yami sat in his favorite chair staring out the window with his fingers entwined before his face. His eyes looked far in the distance seeing nothing but darkness in his future. A silent knock on the doors and Sara walked in.

"Everyone left, sir. They are on their way to the caves of Kilimanjaro." She whispered. Yami hummed silently.

"Thank you. Is the chopper ready?" he asked.

"Yes." Sara said. Yami felt her hesitating. He slowly got up and looked at her. She was looking down with a sad expression on her face.

"Is there something wrong, Sara?" He asked. Sara looked at him with sadness in her eyes.

"What is wrong, sir? Why was everyone so grim and worried? Why did everyone leave in such a great hurry?" She asked. Yami managed to give the young girl a small smile. He looked away form her and looked at the sunny horizon. A commoner's eyes could not see it, but Yami's eyes saw a storm on the horizon.

"I believe... It is time for us to finally face our own mistakes... Decisions must be made..." He whispered.

"What kind of decisions, sir?" Yami sighed.

"To follow my heart... or my mind. For although both desire the same... one is selfish...and the other is not."

"Is there no other way?" Sara asked. Yami's face saddened for a moment but then his eyes hardened and his face got on a serious and a focused expression.

"No... There is not..."

2 hours earlier

"The hell it is a smart idea!!" Joey yelled.

"Yami, it is completely foolish and unnecessary to risk your life by following the orders of that sick minded bastard!" Tristen said.

"There is no other way! Either I go and give him both the key, and myself, or he will do something extremely stupid!"

"You can protect us Yami!" Jeremy said.

"Yeah! Your shadow magic is strong!" John added.

"The twins are right. You could kill him with a wave of your hand." Mokuba agreed.

"That is not what I want to do, especially after spending 5 000 years in a puzzle!" Yami shouted and everyone fell silent.

"Life for life... in both ways." Tea whispered walking to Yami's side and placing her hand on his shoulder.

"Give or take life... another one must be given to the shadows as a token." Isis said.

No one dared to speak. Tea sat on the armchair and passed with her fingers through Yami's hair. He looked up at her and she saw just how tired and exhausted he was.

"We should all go to the caves and find the right one. If we move now we should be there at the moment when Venus gets into the line. The right cave should appear by then." she said. Yami nodded.

"Tea is right. You should all go there and wait for me... and Kaiba. I am sure we will go directly to the caves once we meet. Stay hidden, do not attract attention and please... what ever you see or hear, don't come out until it is safe." Yami said squeezing Tea's hand on his shoulder. "I could never forgive myself if anything happened to any of you." He said.

"Like any of us could ever forget how many times you saved us." Joey spoke silently.

"Joey I..."

"He is right Yami." Jean interrupted him. "Your lack of selfishness could get you killed one day." She said shivering slightly. Yami felt Tea tense beside him but she didn't falter.

"I think this is the best plan we have right now. Let's get ready and make way." Everyone got up and soon Yami and Tea were left alone.

Tea left Yami's side and went to the window watching as the sun shined over the estate. She heard him approach her and soon his arms hugged her waist and she felt his warm breath on her neck.

(Now lately, I'm wondering

Who will be there to take your hand?

When I'm gone... you'll need love...

To light the shadows on your face...)

"I want you to stay where it is safe...I don't want you to go to the caves..." he said. Tea pushed herself away from him and looked at him with harsh eyes.

"Don't you dare say that... Don't you dare say that to me!"

"Tea..."

"I have to be there! What if something happened to you!! I can't stand..."

"And I do not want to worry if the woman I love is safe! God damn it, Tea!! It's Kaiba we're dealing with!! He could be planning our death right now and I want you and Annie to be safe. You, Rachel, Jean, Isis and Annie stay as far away as you can be from that place!" Yami said. Tea felt tears sting at her eyes.

"And what if something happens, Yami!!!! What if something happens to you and I am not there!!" Yami couldn't stand to see her cry and soon she was in his arms, crying in his chest, holding him for dear life...

(If I could... then I would...

I'd go wherever you will go...

Way up high, or down low...

I'll go wherever you will go)

"I can't... I can't promise you nothing will happen, but I can promise you... I will come back... No matter what it takes, no matter what I will be forced to do... I will fight the shadows if I'll need to, but I will come back to you." He whispered. With his heart he made a vow...

Nothing... not even death... will bring them apart...

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Yami sighed as the chopper flew away. He was early for the meeting with Kaiba and he was momentarily trying to meditate. His mind was a mass of unwanted worries and questions. He wanted to make sure Tea and Annie were as safe as they could be. His mind was clouded with fear when he sensed Kaiba approach him. He got up from his sitting position and walked out of the oasis and into the burning sun of the desert. He saw a caravan approach him. A Jeep stopped right before him. When the doors opened Kaiba walked out with a smirk on his face.

"Well, well... who would say you would actually listen to me, Pharaoh." Seto said smirking openly.

"Let's get this over with, Kaiba. I enjoy being in your company as much as I love my destiny so if you would be so kind to hurry up a bit I would very much appreciate it." Yami growled and walked to Kaiba. Kaiba moved from the doorway letting Yami sit inside. When the car started again Kaiba showed Yami his hand.

"The first half of the key. Now." He growled. Yami took the little half orb from his pocked and threw it at Kaiba. Kaiba looked at it with greed and hunger written all over his face.

"You changed a lot, Kaiba. To think you would believe in all that 'hocus-pocus' you hated so much..." Kaiba smirked.

"After seeing you miraculously receive a body I kind of started believing in all that. Tell me Yami? How was it to know you lost? How was it too feel like a complete looser?" Kaiba asked. An evil smirk was on his face. Yami returned the smirk.

"You should tell me, Seto. You have felt it one too many times. Yugi and I brought you down more times then I can remember." He said testing just how lucky he was. Not very... Kaiba just huffed and looked at the half orb.

"Not this time, Yami. I will crush you once and for all. You and your pathetic geek squad will pay for everything. Including my little brother and that brat."

"That 'brat' is your daughter!" Yami hissed. Kaiba looked at him with angry eyes.

"I don't care. She is Gardner's daughter. I have nothing with her." He growled back at Yami. Yami tried his best not to punch Kaiba senseless. He growled barely containing himself.

Seto laughed but before he could react he was slammed in the backseat with a furious Yami on him, holding his throat. He looked in the eyes of his rival and for the first time saw such hatred in them. Yami's eyes were not the mystical violet they usually were, but a deep shade of blood red. His irises thinned into slits as a deep growl came from Yami's throat.

"A human has 298 bones in its body. I swear to God... hurt them and I will find and break the 299th." Kaiba looked afraid for the first time in his life. "I cannot kill you Kaiba because I have a promise to keep, but if I find one good reason to end your life, even at the cost of my own... I will do it without hesitation." Yami said and in a flash of darkness Seto found him on the seat furthest to him. He glared at Yami who just closed his eyes and shot everything out.

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Tea watched as Annie ran around with some village kids. She was having so much fun while Tea felt as if she would fall on her knees every moment and cry. Isis, Rachel, Jean and herself were left here in this village while the guys went for the caves.

She couldn't stand to watch everyone act so carelessly so she went inside the small hut and closed the doors. Not long after, Jean went to look for her to find her pacing all around the room.

"I don't think these kind people will appreciate you digging a hole in their floor with your pacing."

"I can't help it, Jean! I am so worried! What if something happens to Yami! You know I wouldn't stand it!" Tea said falling on the bed bursting into tears. Jean was by her side right away holding the shivering woman in a suiting hug.

"I know you don't believe what you just said, Tea. Yami made a promise to you and Yami never brakes his promises." Tea looked at the pregnant woman.

"I know, it's just... the moment we took off I... I had this strange feeling I was saying good-bye... Like I won't see him ever again..." Tea left Jean's hug and walked to the window looking at Annie, who ran around with children from other villages while Isis and Rachel talked with the villagers.

"You know Yami keeps his promises, Tea. We both know him... He will fight the shadows if he'll need to just to come back to all of us." Tea let out an exasperated sight.

"I know, Jean... I just can't help the feeling..."

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Yami suddenly opened his eyes to see the doors of the car opening. Seto threw him a death glare. Yami felt the shadow magic tingling in him as he searched through his surroundings. He felt no immediate danger but never the less he kept his guard. He got out of the car and looked around. He saw horses waiting for the rest of the way, with three men holding them. Kaiba walked to them and spoke something Yami couldn't hear.

He looked at the sky and caught something he couldn't believe was there. Almost unnoticeable to the human eyes was a... Star... 'Venus? But... isn't it too early? Unless...' He looked at Kaiba desperately trying to come up with something. He knew the guys should have already been by the caves if not already in the right one. 'There has to be a way to warn them!'

"Oy, Pharaoh! We're moving!" Kaiba growled at him and Yami humphed and took the first horse he saw. Climbing up he looked once more at the sky. 'We're running out of time...'

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"Guys! I think I found something!!!!" Everyone turned to the place where they heard Ryuu call for them.

"What is it Bakura?" Joey was the first to find the other man.

"A symbol. I remember seeing it in the City of Prophets." Ryou said.

"So it should be here?" Yugi asked.

"Only it isn't." Duke said.

"I think Yami mentioned something about the last hours or so?" Tristen said. Yugi turned to look at the sky. In the moment something shined slightly and they found themselves watching a passage appear in the hard rock.

"Do you think this is it?" Joey asked. Everyone exchanged weary looks.

"Well, if it isn't we're just going to keep on looking." Alex said. "Leave a mark for Yami and let's head in. Time is running short..."

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Yami let out a frustrated growl. The star on the horizon seamed to shine even brighter and they were running out of time.

"Kaiba we have to hurry up."

"Don't you think I know that?!?!?!?"

"I don't care if you do or don't, but the moment Earth lines up the doors will open and if we are not there when it does everything goes to hell!" Yami yelled startling Kaiba. Today he saw more violent emotions coming from Yami then ever in his life. There was a deadly glimmer in the violet orbs as he glared at Seto.

"We're riding faster. We have to get up there as soon as possible." Kaiba said to the men behind him but before he had a chance to turn, he was watching the former pharaoh ride away in haste not even turning back to see if he was followed by the rest of the 'expedition'.

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"So this is it?" Joey asked looking at a round wooden door that appeared before them. The great eye was in the middle surrounded by hieroglyphs.

"Yes, it is." Yugi said.

"So the only option for us is to wait?" Marik asked silently.

"It seams it is..." Ryou said sitting in the shadow of the wall. Yugi sighed and sat beside him. Everyone took their places.

"This is the wildest thing we ever did, don't you think, Yugi?" Joey said.

"I wouldn't say so." Tristen said. "We had more dangerous adventures in our lives then I can count." Yugi chuckled looking sad.

"Yes... but never once did I feel... like I'm about to loose something valuable..."

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Yami stopped at the entrance to the caves. His eyes slightly widened at the mark he saw there. The millennium puzzle stood carved in the hard rock. An insane idea came to his mind about erasing the mark and living Seto to his own devices but something in him told him it wouldn't be the brightest idea. 'He still has the first part of the key...' He thought coming off the horse just about when Seto and his men caught up with him.

"Is this it?" Seto spat obviously not pleased with Yami's running off without them.

"It seams it is." Was all that Yami said as he walked in the caves. 'Please let them be hidden already...'

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"And that was how we made it in..."

"Shush!!" Yugi stopped Joey in the middle of the sentence when he heard footsteps. "They're here." He said signalizing to everyone to hide in the cave.

"You know what awaits you if you make a mistake, pharaoh." Seto's voice came from the entrance and the two walked in Seto walking right behind Yami who looked relieved for some unknown reason.

"You said youself, Seto. Without me you'll be lost. No one knows the legend, and no one knows the languages you need. You were a little too late with accepting your past to learn all what you have forgotten."

"I know that very well, Pharaoh, but I know a few people who would do anything with a few well placed threats." They stood now before the round door and Yami took in the picture of the Eye of Horus.

"I need the first part of the key to open the door. They won't open on their own." Yami said. Seto growled and gave Yami the key. Yami took in a deep breath and looked at the straight part of the half orb. He looked at the middle of the eye and slowly placed the orb in it. 'Now what did it say... One turn left, two turns right and the door will open when the stars shine bright...' He thought remembering the little poem on the inside of the half globe. An image flashed in his mind from the time he got the orb. Doors opening to a large hoard of men dressed in black priest robes with hooded faces. He was back in the present when light started to spread like little veins over the doors.

It made a straight line in the middle and spread to the sides and suddenly the door disappeared and there stood another hallway.

"We're running out of time, Pharaoh." Seto growled. Yami hn-ed and collected the key off the floor.

"Sir, we've found intruders!!" One of the soldiers said. Yugi and the others stood there with guns pointed at their throats and Yami's heart stopped beating.

"Yami!"

"Don't do anything rash, guys. It's almost over." Yami said turning to face Seto. "Let them go, Kaiba. This is between you and me." Seto chuckled.

"Oh no, Pharaoh, that is where you're wrong." He said pointing a gun straight in Yami's chest. "I'm just sorry the girls aren't here. It would be perfect. The perfect vendetta. I would love to see you crushed after watching all those you love so much die before you. I would love to have you watch how I destroy everything you worked so had to protect, distancing yourself from them, forsaking your own pathetic little feelings so they could be happy." Seto smirked his eyes shining coldly.

"I would just love to see you begging for me to end your life after I took control of the world you love so much." Yami's eyes were by now blazing with a fire no one ever saw. The guys shivered. They never saw such hatred and disgust in anyone.

"I promise to you, Seto Kaiba... Hell will look like heaven, once I'm done with you." Yami hissed and slowly turned to walk away. Everyone was threatened to follow and soon they were walking down to the center of the mountain.

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"There is no sense in going further, we might get lost." Yami said shortly.

"What do you suggest we do then, Pharaoh." Seto drawled. Yami sighed.

"It's better if we just stay here for a while. The last two planets won't come into the line at least for a few hours more and if the legend is correct then we'll just have to wait until Venus is in line. There should be light, lighting the way to the chamber counting down to the last moment when Mercury will fall into the line and there will be an eclipse. In that moment the two peaces should be put together and the Eye of Horus should come forth." Yami explained.

"They I guess we should listen to you." Seto said giving a sign to his men. Not long after, all of them were tided down in a small group while Seto and the soldiers sat on the other side drinking and discussing something on Arabic.

"Is there a specific reason why we're stopping here?" Alex asked Yami.

"I need time to think..." Yami said softly. There was a sadness in his eyes no one could grasp.

"You're worried..." Marik said shortly. Yami sighed and nodded.

"Is there a way for us to get out of here alive?" Yugi asked. Yami looked deep in Yugi's eyes. What Yugi saw in Yami's violet depths scared him. Such finality he never saw.

"There is no way for all of us to get out alive. We... I... initiated a circle that will require a sacrifice to the Shadows one way or another."

"How can you be so sure?" Duke asked.

"Because I... the time when we got the first part of the key I... I had a vision. I can't explain it but it's like I've been here before and... I know exactly what must happen for the world to be safe once again." Yami said looking away from them.

"A sacrifice? You mean someone must..." Ryou didn't finish the sentence... and he didn't need to. The darkness was clear in Yami's eyes and the answer was obvious.

"No." Yugi said strictly.

"Yugi..."

"No one must die, Yami. We'll find a way out of this, just like we always do."

"Yugi, listen!" Yami hissed sternly. "I will do my best to get everyone out of here but I can't do it if there is someone doubting me." Yami said.

"Yami, I know your way to save people and you'll get yourself killed!" John said.

"I don't see any other way but this."

"Maybe we could overpower them?!" Jeremy said.

"There is a slight chance they wouldn't be ready for an attack an then you could just... I don't know. Knock Kaiba out and take the blasted key so we can finish this once and for all." Mokuba said. Yami's eyes saddened and he bowed his head.

"No matter how hard we try... there will be someone who won't make it... and I am not talking about Seto Kaiba..." Yami said and closed his eyes leaning back on the wall and closing everyone off.

The guys exchanged weary looks and leaned back against the wall. There was a small sense of panic in the air between them but when they noticed Yami's deepened breathing, realizing he fell at least into a slight slumber they concluded that they wouldn't find out more until the time came. Soon they were all asleep, patiently waiting for the moment they will have to meet their faith...

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They were awoken roughly when bright light flashed from the hallway and their bonds were cut.

"We're moving." Was all that Kaiba said. Yami got up first and started to lead the way. There was silence between all of them. The old gang didn't speak. All were too consumed in their previous conversation. Yami was desperately trying to think of a different solution but it always came to the same place...

someone would have to be the sacrifice...

Just as they were about to reach the end of the tunnel light flashed bedside them and they found themselves standing in a huge room. Water surrounded something that resembled an island with a globe floating over the middle of it. It seamed it was made out of pure energy as small flashes of thunder danced around it. Yami took a step forward but was pulled back by Seto and he felt the gun pressed against his throat.

"Remember, pharaoh, one wrong move and I'll start killing people, starting with your former host." Yami nodded slowly and stumbled when Seto pushed him to the water. He took a careful look at the liquid. Yugi's faint 'Be careful!' reached his ears but didn't quite reach his conscience. Yami was yet again, lost in his thoughts calculating, analyzing, understanding and concluding... He pushed a small stone in and saw the water had no effect on it. He took off his jacket and let it fall on the ground, followed by the second trail. He wished he had his glasses with him but worked with what he had.

The water was freezing cold and Yami winced. He walked to the middle and got out. He scanned over the globe noticing the strange form in the middle of it. Taking a deep breath he decided to give it a try. Slowly, as if preparing to pull his hand back the moment danger showed its face his hand entered the huge orb. What happened next, Yami was sure he will never forget until he was alive. As his hand neared the center it aged becoming nothing more but a hand of an old man. He pulled back completely shocked.

"A time anomaly..." Seeing his hand was alright he let out the breath he was unconsciously holding and gave it another shot. This time he did it faster and in no time he felt something solid touch his fingertips. He pulled it out his breath hitching in his throat. He was holding the second part of the key, but it wasn't made out of gold like the first part. It was made out of onyx... the darkest onyx he has ever seen in his life.

"Light and dark..." he whispered.

"Pharaoh! Get over here!!!!" Seto's voice blew through the chamber and Yami almost fell into the water. He slowly got in shaking from the cold and got out almost loosing his footing. He showed the second part to Kaiba who grinned evilly.

"Mr. Kaiba! Mercury is getting into the line in 20 minutes!" Someone yelled and the smirk disappeared.

"Finally, the power to rule the world is mine..." He whispered.

"Think, Seto. This is not the only way to gain power." Yami whispered. Seto laughed a maniacal laughter.

"What would you know, Pharaoh! You were born into the power, you never had to prove yourself! They saw you as a god and bowed to you as if you were the mot powerful being in the world! What do you know about this!!"

"I know that the power will destroy you, Kaiba. One man was never destined to hold such power." Yami reasoned. Seto looked at him with hatred in his eyes.

"I don't care."

"It will kill you." Yami said. Seto laughed loudly his laughter echoing in every corner of the room.

"Only a coward runs for power, Pharaoh!! Only a coward would give up on this kind of opportunity! To hold the whole world in my grasp! To have the power of the gods themselves! I wish for nothing more, and nothing less!"

"Humans were never meant to be gods, Seto. That is the law of nature!"

"Screw the Nature! With this I will be the most powerful creature in the world, no one will be able to stop me, Pharaoh, not even you and your pitiful geek squad!" Yami kept silent after that comment.

"Each man chooses his own destiny, Kaiba, you have chosen your own..." Yami's thoughts were a mass of confused thoughts as he was lost in yet another vision...

People stood in the chamber forming a circle in the water. The lining will be over in a matter of seconds. One stood before a great altar holding the two parts over his head. Yami stood aside watching as the dark priests prepared to end the ritual.

"Light and Dark we shall unite,

So that the Light might fall to us.

Upon the throne of Death and fright,

All the gods shall bow to us."

The high priest spoke just as light came to shine down the dark hallway... and then everything turned white...

Seto stared at Yami wide eyes and with a loss of words. The moment Yami's eyes glazed over there seamed to be a complete stop in time. Then Yami blinked and something seamed to dawn on his mind.

"This is how it shall end, then." Yami said. Seto looked at him with suspicious eyes.

"What are you mumbling about!" Yami bowed his head before nodding to himself and looking up. His eyes met with Yugi's before passing over every single one of them. A sad smile was on his face when he turned back to Kaiba.

"You know very well what I'm talking about, Seto Kaiba." There was an almost regal tone to Yami's voice as he stood before Seto.

"5 minutes!!" The same man yelled.

"You still have a choice, Seto. Leave and you won't loose your life for something that is simply not worth it." Yami said as if talking to a small delusional child.

"You know what, pharaoh... you are wrong. I don't have a choice. I've lost my choice the day you first beat me in my own game. Remember this, pharaoh. All the suffering from the past 10 years will seam like nothing compared with what I'm about to do to you once I have all the power I need. Now tell me how I activate this!" Seto yelled. Yami closed his eyes shaking his head.

"Don't try, Seto. No violence can be done in this chamber once the counting started."

"60 seconds!!"

"What are you talking about..."

"I know what I have to do, Kaiba, and I am not afraid to do it. Now I ask you... Are you ready to die for what you believe in? Are you ready to face the consequences of your choices?" Seto growled and pulled out his gun pointing it straight at Yami's chest. The shouts of 'Yami!' and 'Watch out!' barely reached his ears as he started Kaiba down.

"You know nothing about me..." Seto hissed.

"10...9...8...7..."

"You know something, Kaiba..."

"5...4...3..."

"I told you once..."

"2...1..."

"I know your soul..." And darkness blinded them... Not a moment later light flashed through the chamber and Seto screamed as the two parts of the key flew straight into Yami's awaiting arms. Lifting them high above his head Yami started to chant in a language no one understood.

"Light and Dark we shall unite

So the Dark might fall.

I bid thee, great gods of old,

Answer to our call."

And the two peaces came together... The eclipse started...

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In the bottom of the mountain, a young woman woke up from a troubled dream, a dreadful scream coming from her lips. No later then in seconds 3 more women ran in to see her crying hysterically, hugging her knees as chocked sobs escaped her soul...

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"YAMI!!!!!!!!" Everyone shouted as they watched the soldiers run out of the chamber. The light was so blinding they couldn't determine where Yami was. Seto was on his knees screaming curses that would make the devil himself shy away.

The light disappeared and Yami appeared there, down on his knees, barely breathing with something similar to a scepter floating before him. Yami looked up at it and reached for it.

"Yami!" Jeremy, John and Alex wanted to run towards that older man but one look from those tired, violet eyes stopped them. Yami slowly got up standing tall and proud.

"You loose, Kaiba." He said silently. There was a moment of complete silence. Suddenly Kaiba started to laugh hysterically and the cave started to shake. Yami looked up at his friends. There was no smile on his face. There was no joy in his eyes as he spared each and every one of them a glance. It felt as if he was saying goodbye.

"You have to get away." Yami said. "These caves won't be standing much longer."

"Then let's go, Yami!" Jeremy shouted. Seeing the sad smile on Yami's face Jeremy felt his heart clench.

"No... NO!"

"Stop!" Odion caught the distraught young man before he managed to run forward.

"Yami, no!" Ryou held John back while Alex seamed to wish so much to run to Yami but something stopped him. The older man sighed and looked sadly down at Seto who had a maniacal smile on his face.

"There is one last duel to fight, Kaiba. Get up and face it like a man you once were." He spoke.

"Yami don't do this..." Yugi whispered. Yami closed his eyes and lifted his left arm. The dia-diang appeared on his wrist spreading like a fan, as the scepter shined flying to the center of the island. Kaiba got up and circled Yami until they were standing 7 meters from each other. His own dia-diang came to appear on his wrist as he gazed at Yami with an arrogant smirk on his face.

"Yami!"

"Go... I'll handle this..."

"You don't see it do you!!!" Kaiba yelled interrupting Yami. "I win, you are all going to die!" He said with an insane smile on his once handsome face.

"What the hell is wrong with you!!!" Duke shouted back at the lost man. The whole room shook again.

"He's right... you have to get out of here..." Yami whispered. They all saw Yami knew exactly what would happen. He was, once again, accepting his destiny without a fight.

"We're not going anywhere without you." Yugi said strongly. Yami looked at Yugi and smiled to his former host.

"The whole cave will go down in a matter of minutes... even if I wanted... I wouldn't be able to leave this place. That is the price of being a god..." Yami said. Yugi's eyes widened as everyone slowly realized what was going on.

"No... no, no, no this can't be!!!" Yugi said.

"Go... the cave will tumble down soon..."

"We're not leaving you here to die, Yami." Marik said.

"Yeah... don't think you're getting rid of us that easily." Tristen said trying to sound brave but one pained look from those violet eyes said it all. Maniacal laughter caught up with them and they turned to look at the hated man.

"What do you think, Pharaoh? Are you ready for the one, final duel?" He asked. Yami was lost for a second, he was reliving the day, all those years ago when that same sentence, left the mouth of the same man... only then... he was his friend...

"Yami no..."

"I will see you again, Yugi... one day... we will see each other again... all of us..." he said as he took a step forward. Alex, who had tears running down his face, held Yugi back. Joey and Tristen both held back tears. Duke held a friendly hand on Marik's shoulder as the younger man shivered with sorrow. Jeremy and John both had tears running down their faces while Odion and Ryou stood beside them watching the proud man stand tall, accepting his destiny.

Suddenly a huge earthquake shook the room and they woke up from their stupor.

"We have to get out of here!!!" Joey yelled.

"Yami!!!!" John yelled but Odion held him back. Jeremy wanted to run for the man but Ryou pulled him back pushing him out from the tunnel.

"LET THE SHADOWN GAME BEGIN!!!" Was the last thing they heard before darkness spread through the hallways and they felt the ground below their feet disappear.

"I love you... Tea..."

"YAMIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

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The sun set behind the mountain as the four women and one little girl sat before a small house. Tea looked as if she would cry any moment but Jean was holding her hand although she had tears in her eyes too. Annie looked somber and Rachel was leaning on Isis, searching for support.

Jean jumped on her feet when she saw riders nearing the village. 'Someone's missing... where is Yami...' Thoughts ran frantically through her mind as she counted the approaching men. All had sad faces and their eyes held deep sorrow. They stopped not too far away and got off their horses. Yugi walked toward them followed by everyone else. Tea stepped forward and came closer to him.

"Yugi?" It was so softly spoken you could have mistaken it for a breath but it triggered something painful in the young man and fresh tears tackled down his cheeks.

"He didn't make it..." He whispered. For Tea it seamed as if time itself stopped. She didn't know what happened, nor did she know anything else, for the moment Yugi's words reached her poor beaten heart... Tea saw nothing but darkness...

'I love you, Tea...'

'I love you too... Yami...'

"No..."

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I still hear your voice when you sleep next to me
I still feel your touch in my dreams
Forgive me, my weakness, but I don't know why
Without you it's hard to survive

'Cause everytime we touch, I get this feeling
And everytime we kiss, I swear I could fly
Can't you feel my heart beat fast, I want this to last
Need you by my side


'Cause everytime we touch, I feel the static
And everytime we kiss, I reach for the sky
Can't you hear my heart beat so,
I can't let you go
Want you in my life

Your arms are my castle, your heart is my sky
They wipe away tears that I cry
The good and the bad times, we've been through them all
You make me rise when I fall

'Cause everytime we touch, I get this feeling
And everytime we kiss, I swear I could fly
Can't you feel my heart beat fast, I want this to last
Need you by my side

'Cause everytime we touch, I feel the static
And everytime we kiss, I reach for the sky
Can't you hear my heart beat so,
I can't let you go
Want you in my life

[Everytime We Touch,Cascada

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Domino City...They should feel happy they're home... but they don't. They should be happy because the world was saved yet again... but they aren't... They should celebrate their victory... but they can't...

Because the one person... the one that is the reason that all of this came to pass... isn't with them...

"Are you sure you want to be alone, Tea?" Yugi asked worriedly. The saddened woman didn't say a word since they left Cairo.

"I am alright, Yugi... I have Annie with me..." Tea said silently. It seamed as if the loss lingered between them all because they couldn't find words to say. Jean left to Scotland, and Rachel, John, Jeremy, Alex and the Ishtars stayed in Egypt. Mokuba paid for their flight back to Domino and now they were preparing to leave, each in their own direction. Tea sat in the cab she ordered when they came to Yugi's, holding the sleeping Annie in her arms.

Everything seamed too surreal. She still felt as if Yami will pop out of somewhere with that knowing, gentle, serene smile of his on his face, and make the pain go away. But somewhere deep inside... she knew that won't happen. She came to her small apartment and left to put Annie in bed. Just as she turned off the light the small voice of her daughter called for her.

"Yes, love?" she returned and sat on the edge of the bed.

"What happened to new daddy?" Asked the small girl. Tea felt tears sting at her eyes again and she gently patted her small girl's head.

"Yami... he... Your new daddy is on a better place now. He suffered really much in his life and... and now he finally found peace." Her voice broke on the last words. Annie crawled in Tea's lap and hugged her waist.

"Don't cry, mommy! Annie is still here! Annie won't leave!" The small girl cried. Tea picked her in her arms and lied on the bed crying both herself and her little daughter to sleep...

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One would think things would get back to normal. They returned to living their lives, each silently agreeing it would be best if they didn't talk about what happened at all. Tea still talked regularly with Jean and Rachel, but... even after a year the pain still didn't lessen.

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It was Saturday and they were gathered at Yugi's again. It has been exactly one year since Yami's death and the realization hit them all hard. Annie was in the kitchen with Rebecca who was now Yugi's fiancée. There were to be wed in two months. There was silence in the living room between old friends as the sundown was nearing.

"I can't believe it has already been one year..." Joey said.

"It seams as if it was only yesterday." Ryou said. Silence fell between them again until Tea suddenly got up.

"I'm sorry, guys... I need to be alone for a while. Will you watch out for Annie until I come back?" She asked. Yugi nodded and she left. Slowly she walked down the street her thoughts returning back to that fateful day.

His touch still seamed so real to her, although she tried to convince herself it was all just a dream. A beautiful dream that had to end sometime. Unconsciously she walked to the same place Yami and she talked for real the first time. Here they saw the sunset together as he confined his fears to her. As she stood there she couldn't help that feeling he was standing right there, beside her... it felt as if when she would turn she would see him standing there, his arms wide spread for her to run into his warm embrace, hear him whisper that everything was alright... that everything was just a bad dream... that this whole year didn't even happen.

But he didn't... Yami was no longer there... Yami was no longer with her...

"You know... a friend of mine once said to me, that no matter how hopeless or... dark our future seamed, we should always walk with our head held up, facing whatever the world threw at us with pride." Tea sighed closing her eyes and sighed.

"Your friend must be a difficult optimist then..." She said. She felt the guy stand beside her, looking at the horizon probably.

"Not really... she was right actually." He said and Tea couldn't help but humph spitefully.

"Yes? Well maybe she was right about you..." The man sighed.

"You shouldn't be so depressed. It doesn't suit you." He said and Tea sighed again.

"I don't see a bright future for me anymore... I guess that is a good reason for me to be depressed." She didn't know why she was talking to this stranger but it felt somewhat comforting to share your sorrow with someone else.

"Maybe it is just hidden? Maybe if you looked up you would see the sun is rising for you too? Unless you already gave up hope." Tea had to fight the urge to laugh hysterically.

"Hope? I gave up hope years ago..." She said. She heard him sigh again.

"Sad... and what made you think that? What made you loose the one thing that keeps every living creature going?" Tea felt tears prick at her eyes. 'I won't cry again... I've had my share of tears...'

"I've lost someone that meant the world to me... to something no one could stop... or change..." She said.

"What goes around comes around. He'll be coming back." She made a sound somewhere in between a laugh and a chocked sob.

"I wanted to believe that...but one cannot return from the dead..."

"Is your fate in him so small? Do you not trust him?" Tea didn't feel the tears roll down her cheeks... The only thing she felt was the huge raft in heart that seamed to spread with every tear that rolled down her cheek.

"He promised he would be back... he promised nothing would keep us apart." This was the first time she let it go. The first time she said all of this out loud. "He said he loved me... he said he loved my daughter. He said nothing would keep him away from me. And yet... he's gone!" She felt the man take her shoulder and soon she was crying in a warm chest. Gentle arms encircled her as she cried her soul out. The man didn't say anything... he just let her throw everything out.

"I loved him so much... I wanted him to stay with me. He gave so much to me, to everyone... and I didn't have time to even say how grateful I was... I didn't even have time to say 'I'm sorry.'

"I want him back! I want to say I love him! I want to say how sorry I am! I want to say how much I miss him!" she sobbed into the stranger's chest. She felt his warm breath tickle the crown of her head and his arms tightened around her.

"Maybe... he was held back..." Tea's breath hitched in her throat. His voice sounded broken... sad...

Just then she started to notice the little things that missed her sorrow-clouded mind. The scent of deserts and rain filled her senses. The familiar feeling of safety, she didn't feel since a year ago entered her heart. Suddenly she was afraid. She didn't dare to look up. Her whole body tensed and she started to shiver.

"Look at me... Tea..." Her mind and heart seamed to have stopped working at the same time as she slowly looked up into those eyes that haunted her every night. She let go of the breath she was unconsciously holding. His eyes... they looked at her with the same, if not even bigger, amount of love they held the last time she gazed into them. Tears rolled down his tanned cheeks and one fell on her lips.

"I'm sorry, love... I am so sorry..." He whispered cupping her cheek as if afraid she would push him away. 'I am dreaming... I must be... this cannot be real...' As she thought that she reached up to touch the tear stained face. He felt solid enough to be real. The emotions that radiated from his eyes almost had a physical effect on her.

"Yami? Is it really you?" She whispered brokenly. He had nothing but a broken smile to offer but it was Yami. His scent, his warmth... his voice...

"It is me, love... I'm back..."

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"Do you think she is alright?" Tristen asked softly.

"I don't know... She seamed pretty upset." Yugi said. Rebecca walked down to the living room with a soft smile on her face.

"I put Annie in the spare bedroom. She's fast asleep." She said sitting into Yugi's lap, joining the circle of friends.

"It's been a while. Should we go and search for her?" Joey asked.

"Maybe we should..."

"Guys! Everyone still here?!" Tea's voice rang through the house. They noticed the slightly strangled sound to it and jumped on their feet.

"Tea? What happened?" Duke asked slightly panicked. There was a moment of silence between them as they heard something shuffle in the hallway.

"Tea?" Yugi called. Suddenly a shadow appeared on the wall and their breaths hitched in their throats.

"Good evening." No one could talk. No one could move. Everyone could just stare at the man they thought to be dead for a whole year. He stood there with Tea on his arm, which seamed to have cried only moments ago.

"Yami?" Yugi was first to wake up from the complete state of shock they were in. The smile on the older man's face was all it took for them to wake up. Soon those that were his family surrounded Yami. Tea stood aside watching him laugh with them, cherishing this moment more then any other in her life. Not long after they were all seated in the living room.

"What happened, Yami?" Joey asked.

"Yeah! Where were you!" Tristen added. Yami sighed and looked away.

"Well... I don't quite remember everything... Frankly I don't remember much at all... I remember dueling Kaiba in the Shadow Realm. Neither was winning as it was and I was slowly loosing hope." Yami stopped his face getting on a far away expression.

"I remember summoning the last bits of my shadow magic for the last attack when the scepter suddenly awoke. All I remember after that is darkness. At first I thought I thought I lost. I thought Kaiba somehow won the duel and that the scepter was his. But then I realized that the darkness wasn't... I remembered the darkness of the Shadow Realm. It was cold, suffocating. This one was warm... somehow healing. I remember waking up to watch all of you trying to get back to how you were before." At that moment his eyes turned grave. There seamed to be burden on his back and he looked as if he remembered the most painful days of his life.

"It was so hard... to watch you suffer... so difficult to know I was the one to be blamed for that. I don't know for how long it continued that way... I know I started to see it as my own person hell. Until one day... things started to get clear... It was as if a veil was removed that kept me away from the real world. I still didn't have my body back so I... I guess I just existed. Maybe a week ago I woke up in an apartment on the other side of Domino. I might say it is mine now as no one came to get it. I decided to come and look for you." He stopped again.

"For the past three days I've been watching all of you from a corner." He looked at every single one of them his eyes stopping on Tea. "I never thought my... departure, would hurt you so much." He said.

"I started thinking of a way to approach you. I just couldn't see myself knocking on your door and saying 'Hello guys, look here. I'm back from the dead and I kind of want to get back in your lives after the second time I left you all.'" He said chuckling at the image. Everyone couldn't keep the smiles off their faces.

"I planned on just coming, after all. I knew you'd all be here tonight so I don't know... I thought I'd just... pop in... But then I saw Tea walk out." He said looking at her. "You were crying and I decided to follow you." She smiled.

"And now you're here." She said. Yami smiled and nodded.

"And I'm here to stay..." He said and kissed Tea's forehead.

"Mommy?" Everyone was startled with the small voice. Tea and Yami were on their feet looking at the small 6 year old. The small girl looked at Yami with surprise, curiosity and shock before it all turned into one single expression.

"DADDY!!" She shouted and ran straight into Yami's awaiting arms. Yami had tears running down his face and Tea stood aside crying too. Annie pulled back looking at her mother.

"See, mommy!!! I was right!! Daddy did come back! You didn't like it at that place, did you!" Annie ranted joyfully. Yami looked at her a little confused.

"What place?" He asked the small girl in his arms. She rolled her eyes.

"When you left, mommy said that you suffered very much and that you left to a place where you would be happy!" She said with a big smile on her place. "You didn't like it there so you came back!" Yami laughed at the innocence this child still possessed.

"Yes, precious... I didn't like it there."

"Why?" She asked tilting her head to the side in a cute way. Yami smiled and patter her head.

"Because your mommy and you weren't there with me." Yami said lovingly and Annie smiled brightly. She hugged him tightly and hid her face in his chest.

"I am happy you're back, daddy. Mommy won't have to cry anymore." Yami smiled and nodded.

"Yes, love... mommy won't have to cry ever again..." He said and looked at Tea. She knew it was a promise; one promise Yami had every intention to keep, no matter how much it cost him...

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Dear readers,

I would like to thank all of you for your support. This story has reached its end and I hope you are pleased. There will be one more chapter, the epilog, for this story after which I will say good-bye. I have completed this story to the best of my abilities and I hope to hear from all of you soon. Your reviews were a great help and without you this story wouldn't be finished.

I must apologize for not posting it sooner but I had a huge blockade and then my computer broke down. I hope you liked this chapter.

Thank you all for reading this story and I hope I will hear from you again on my next project. Feel free to give ideas and leave comments, I will be happy to read them.

I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year. Let all your wishes come true. May you find love and friendship in places you least expect and may they be everlasting and true.

Always yours,

Izida