Author's Note: Thanks once again for all these lovely comments. Another sweet little nonactiony chapter but there is some imprtant hints in here if you can spot them.

"That is a hell of a lot of ice cream," Kiryu muttered. It was an easy duel for the favourites that day, both Kiryu and Jack had stormed through their duels. But it was Chiyo that they were worried about. "Is she ok?"

"She'll be ok when she gets through the bucket," Sammy laughed.

"But want some," Kiryu grumbled.

"Then go ask, she'll share."

They both walked over to where Chiyo was sitting on the sofa, curled up with a cushion and a large bucket of ice cream. Their parents were all out having a party since it was Jonathon and Charlene's anniversary. They sat either side of her, smiling gently. Chiyo forced a weak smile and lay her head against Sammy's shoulder.

"What happened while I was duelling, Chi?" Kiryu whispered, stroking her hair gently.

"Yusei…" she sobbed.

"That… I told him to stay away from you," Sammy growled.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Kiryu said quietly. "It's not your fault if that idiot won't take the hint, right?" Chiyo smiled and closed her eyes. "We'll find you a new guy."

"Don't start talking like that. I don't mean to be a pain to you two," she laughed. "You're spending all you time looking after me."

"Don't you be sorry," Sammy laughed. "Me and Kiryu will do what we want whether you're here or not."

"And we don't care about looking after you," Kiryu said smiling. "We just want to make sure you're ok. You're the most important thing right now."

"After his D-Wheel," Sammy muttered.

"Don't start that again, Blackbird," he laughed. "Here, gimme that."

He took the spoon from Chiyo and smeared the ice cream down Sammy's nose. Chiyo laughed weakly as Sammy looked very confused.

"That's a waste of perfectly good chocolate, Kiryu," Chiyo laughed.

Sammy went to wipe off the ice cream, but Kiryu caught his wrist, stopping him. He leant across Chiyo and licked it from his nose. Chiyo laughed and pushed them apart, going bright red.

"Knock it off you two," she cried. "If Mum and Dad were here-"

"You know Mum and Dad have been waiting for me to have a decent relationship for ages. My guess is they'd be encouraging me and you know it. You know, I kind of miss Yusei. He was great to have around."

"He was always really caring," Chiyo whispered. "You know what, I might leave you two to it."

"No!"

They both held her down as she went to leave. They knew exactly where she'd go if she was allowed to be alone and neither wanted that.

"Hey come on, let's not think about him," Sammy laughed. "What can we do to get your mind off things? Anything at all?"

"I'm not sure… I don't want to be a pain."

"You're not a pain. We keep telling you that," Kiryu said gently. "Com on. We will do anything to make you happy and distract you from your pain."

"Just stay with me…"

"Of course."

The door opened well gone midnight and a few of the adults stumbled in, laughing and joking loudly. Rudger was the first to notice they weren't alone in the apartment.

"Quietly everyone," he called. "The kids."

There was a quiet murmur and Madeline shut the door, quietly and they gathered round the sofa. Kiryu, Sammy and Chiyo were all sound asleep. Chiyo was in the middle of the boys, curled up against Sammy's chest. Sammy held her gently, while Kiryu was across them, using Sammy's lap as a pillow.

"Who's got a camera?" Charlene called. "We won't get many pictures this cute for a long while."

As the woman took a few photos of the teens, Rudger noticed Chiyo's phone light up and buzz. He flipped it open without thinking, she shouldn't have left it lying around if she didn't want him to look. And he was her father, it was his right to know who she was talking to. She had a message but who it was from was surprising. Yusei. When would that girl learn? He glared down at the name and frowned. Why would she even give that boy her number? Well, she'd never know if he read it, would she? It might explain a few things. But he what he read made his blood boil.

HEY CHI I'M SORRY ABOUT EARLIER YOU WERE RIGHT TO DO WHAT YOU DID I'D HURT YOU TOO MANY TIMES I HOPE YOU CAN FORGIVE ME PLEASE CALL ME WHEN YOU GET THIS WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT US

He frowned. Yusei had hurt his daughter? He knew that she was broken up about Yusei's illness- his ability- but that didn't sound like what he meant. He sighed. Chiyo and Sammy were his pride and joy. His children, blood related or not, and too think that Yusei had physically hurt Chiyo… he'd never seemed like the type. But then, his abilities could have hurt her in so many ways, and when he thought about it, there were a lot of injuries that had seemed strange. A dark anger swelled inside him. Chiyo was not going to get hurt again. He quickly deleted the message and lay it back on the table.

Jack heard the door open slowly but didn't bother to open his eyes. Yusei was awake, he could hear him moving. The door closed again quietly.

"Can I help you, Divine?" Yusei said quietly.

"No need to be so quiet about it, Yusei," Divine replied. "Jack sleeps like a log, you know that. The building could collapse and he wouldn't wake up."

"Do you want something?" he snapped.

"You really aren't happy about what happened with your girlfriend are you? Come now, Yusei, a girl like her isn't good for you, is she?"

"Get off me, it's not working this time."

"Who are you texting?" There was a moment where a shuffling could be heard and Jack opened his eyes enough to peek out from under his sheet. Yusei was struggling under Divine, who had his knees keeping his arms down while he looked through his phone. "Chiyo? You should leave her to me."

"Get off me."

"Do you know what I'm going to do with you, Yusei?" Divine laughed, gripping Yusei chin, his weight on his stomach and arms stopping any movement from the waist up. "Do you know why I took in you, Jack and Aki so willingly? Did you think I liked looking after you little brats?"

"Our marks…"

"Yes." Jack closed his eyes as Divine glanced over. "He was the first one. The first time I saw him I thought he was just another child with developing power, but then, when I saw his power… and his mark, I realised that this boy was special. He was unbelievable. I'd never seen something who was so unique. His abilities with Red Demon's Dragon was unparalleled. I can barely control that beast, yet even as a child, he could.

"Then came Aki. She was wild and powerful. But she too had a mark. I saw the link, she could help Jack and Jack could help her. I tried to push them together and make them understand each. I looked for every link between them, every single link but there was nothing but that mark, even their powers were different."

Jack opened his eyes once again. Divine was still on top of Yusei, his eyes dark and angry. And he was just smiling as Yusei stared up at him. It would do no good to allow Divine to know he was awake if he was talking. Besides, it he felt insulted that Divine thought so little of him as to assume he was safe to talk.

"And you… you little brat, after everything I've done for you and you continue to disobey me," Divine hissed. "I'll see to that, don't worry. Do you realise the power I have with all these cards at my disposal? If you honestly believe I'll let you interfere you're very wrong Yusei, I will do anything necessary to get what I want and you're not irreplaceable."

"So, what, you're going to brainwash me and get me to do your bidding?"

"I could make you do anything Yusei. But it's easier if you just behave."

"Is this the part where you tell me your evil plan?" Yusei snapped.

"If you were Jack or Aki, maybe," Divine sneered. "But you're too smart. I can see you figuring out something to stop us. I know you far too well. The best thing I can do with you, is keep you completely in the dark until there is no time left for you to figure anything out. Behave." He leant down and kissed his forehead, just as he always did after a telling off. "Good night, Yusei."

He put the phone on the side table and let him up, walking out in silence. It took a few moments before Yusei moved, shaking slightly. He sighed and closed his eyes.

"You ok?" Jack asked quietly, sitting up as well. Yusei jumped and turned to him with a smile. "I saw what happened. Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I think so," he whispered. "Why didn't you-"

"Would it have done any good? Besides, now we know, don't we, he's after something and he needs us. That gives us an advantage, right?"

"I don't know," he said quietly. Yusei ran his hand through his hair, just like he always did when he thinking hard. "Aki isn't on our side, she's on Divine's. As long as we remain with him, she remains with us."

"So what do we have?"

"We have us. That's about it right now."

Jack frowned and lowered his gaze. Then it hit him. "We do have something else." Yusei looked up. "You're old friends."

"I can't ask them for help."

"Why not? Why don't you ask Chiyo for her help? She'll talk the others into it. I know you still care about her, so what's the big deal about asking her?"

"She's the one who told the people about me," he whispered. Jack turned. So that was why he was so upset after his talk with her. "Because she was afraid of me."

"Oh…" What else could he say? Yusei never hurt people on purpose, but growing up with his powers as they grew stronger and his control weakened must have been terrifying. "Did you hurt her? Other than that time when, well, you know-"

"The attack when I killed this world's version of her? Yeah. So many times. And she always covered for me. Concussion aged five from a fall off the platform we blamed on her tripping. Fractured hip, broken collar bone and severe bruising to her upper body from getting hit by Junk Warrior full on and getting slammed into the ground. We blamed that one of a fight in the school yard. Eleven, she said she fell down the stairs, ended in several snapped ribs, a dislocated shoulder and fractures to her legs. Thirteen, I killed her, Stardust attacked and she was sent flying across the roof into the wall, hit her head. Fourteen, she took Junk Warrior's attack to her arm, snapped into three pieces. Do I really have to continue?"

"No. I get it. But through all that she stayed at your side. She must love you. Why does Divine want me to get her angry?"

"She's psychic too."

"I gathered that. I mean why does he want to expose her?"

"I guess he thinks she'll be useful. I don't know." Yusei sighed and shook his head. "Will you do what he wants?"

"I'm not sure. I don't want to hurt someone you care about so much-"

"But if you don't and she's as powerful as Divine thinks, you don't stand a chance."

Jack frowned. Why was Yusei so concerned? He'd seen how she played. He could throw a strong enough attack at her to get her out in one turn.

"Zombies are weak," Jack said. "They have barely any defence so their easy pickings if she plays that way."

"She doesn't play in defence, Zombies aren't good at that and she knows it. She plays to her strengths," Yusei replied.

"So she'll swarm and play offensively, overwhelming numbers," he argued. "And using her traps to inflict damage quickly. Numbers are nothing if they're all weak, I'll just bring out my Dragons."

"It's an anti-Dragon deck, Jack," he said.

"That's not so good. But I can do it. You know that right?"

"I know you can. Just be careful. We've only got each other right now. What am I supposed to do if I lose you as well?"

"Don't get all soppy on me now," Jack laughed. "What do you think of that Carly girl?"

"She seems like a good duellist-"

"No I mean…"

"She's not your usual type."

"I know but… Chiyo's not exactly your type."

"I always know I've hit something when you suddenly turn the subject to me," Yusei laughed, laying back against his pillow. "She's ok. Doesn't seem to know when to keep her mouth shut though. Kind of opposites attract huh?"

"Shut up," Jack grumbled, following Yusei's lead and lying back.

"You asked."

"Go to sleep."

Yusei smiled and checked his phone one last time before switching off the bedside lamp. People always underestimated Jack as a big slow idiot who only duelled with power and brutality but sometimes Jack wondered if Yusei was the only person who didn't see him like that. It seemed that way most the time.