Ryou looked at Bakura. Bakura stared at Ryou. Neither said anything. Sad chocolate eyes hid behind white hair. Bakura hadn't spoken directly to Ryou since The Slap. Sighing, Ryou blew his bangs out of his face. "'Kura, I'm sorry." There was more on the tip of his tongue he wanted to say, but he didn't. It wasn't about being right or wrong. Ryou could see the deep hurt in Bakura's eyes. That was what Ryou was sorry about.

Bakura looked at Ryou. Quietly, Bakura studied Ryou. "I forgive you..."

Silence sat in the room. Finally, Ryou looked at Bakura. "But..."

"We're done." Bakura turned and walked out.

Ryou stared after him, mouth open, eyes blinking. Tears slipped from his eyes as he crumpled into a pile on the floor.

()()()()()()()()()()()()

Joey walked into the room, looking around. It was dark. His eyes adjusted rather quickly. Seto was lying in the bed, head in the pillow. Joey walked up, sitting down beside him. "Hey, ya okay?"

"Yea." Seto mumbled into the pillow.

"Aright, lemme rephrase. Wha's wrong?" Joey frowned.

Seto rolled over, looking at Joey. Studying his face, Seto sighed. "They found where the Puzzle is, and who has it, and who she is with. This doesn't worry you? Koschei is probably the worst monster there is."

Joey shrugged. "Yea, but he ain't on our list yet."

Seto frowned. "But he probably will be soon."

Joey pulled Seto into a hug. "We'll worry about it when we get ta it."

Seto pulled Joey into a tighter hug. Nodding, he just held Joey tight, vowing to protect him from whatever came their way. As Joey's breathing calmed into sleep, Seto stayed awake, worrying.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Yami rolled over, pulling Yugi into his embrace. Yawning, Yugi looked up at Yami. "How did you know we weren't in the Puzzle?" Yugi asked quietly.

Yami chuckled. "I do my research. Your the Builder, Yugi. Do you know what that means?"

Yugi scrunched his nose up. "I'm the one to build it and hold it?"

Yami grinned, nodding. "Yep...and you can't go in it."

Yugi looked up at Yami. "How do you know that?"

Yami smirked. "I told you, I did my research. After we became Guardians, I investigated all aspects of this. I ran across that tidbit during my research."

Yugi looked up. "Why didn't Bakura or Malik or Marik know that."

Yami shrugged. "I don't know...maybe Bakura wasn't thinking rationally?"

Yugi nodded thoughtfully. "Let's get some rest, then we can get everyone together and figure out how to defeat Anzu. Sound like a plan?" Yami nodded. Grinning, Yugi yawned once more and then snuggled up to Yami, drifting off to sleep.

()()()()()()()()()

Ryou moved through the night, an empty shell. He couldn't believe that Bakura had left him. He didn't realize...he hadn't thought...well, it didn't matter now. Meandering down to the kitchen, he brewed a new pot of tea. Pouring a cup, he sat down at the kitchen table, staring out sightlessly at the night beyond the kitchen window. The cup burned his fingers, but he didn't notice. All he could see were those angry eyes leaving.

()()()()()()()()()

Yami stretched, reaching out for Yugi...

...wait...where was Yugi?

Yami jumped up, looking around. The last thing he remembered was Yugi went to bed with Yami. They were going to rest and then, refreshed, plan on how to defeat Anzu. Fear prickled up Yami's spine. Yugi was headstrong enough to go about it alone. Rushing out, Yami rushed downstairs, checking the rooms. He found Ryou sitting in the kitchen, eyes red and puffy, drinking hot tea. "Ryou, have you seen Yugi?"

Ryou looked up, blinking sadly. "No, I'm sorry I have not." He looked back down into his teacup.

Yami frowned, nodding. Running upstairs, he banged on Seto's door. Seto opened it, shirt off, hair mussed, pants unbuttoned. "What?" He whispered icily.

"Have you seen Yugi?" Yami asked, worried creases in his forehead.

"Not since the kitchen last night." Seto shut the door in Yami's face.

Yami grunted in frustration. Worriedly, he went into his room and sat on the bed, closing his eyes. He tried to slow his breathing and focus. He had the Itupa Bond...he hoped it would help him find his Yugi.

()()()()()()()()

Yugi walked with a purpose. He knew he could find the Puzzle. He just had to concentrate on it. As he did so, he tried to think back upon his plan. He hoped it would work. He wasn't sure it would...but he couldn't think of anything else. It had come to him while he was resting. Letting out a deep breath, he was only semi conscious of what was going on around him. He was focusing more on trying to figure out where the puzzle was. Suddenly, he just felt this ... tug ... and he turned, knowing where the Puzzle was.

()()()()()()()()()()()

Anzu smirked upon seeing the petite vampire walking towards her. "Give in to the inevitable?" She asked, eyes dancing evilly. Yugi stopped, gnawing on his lip.

"Look, if I promise to help you with the Puzzle, do you promise to leave Yami and my friends alone?" Worried amethyst looked up at her.

Smiling slyly, she nodded. "Of course, I do."

Yugi gnawed on his lip more, drawing a bit of blood.

()()()()()()()()()()

Yami's eyes flew open. He knew where Yugi was. Leaping out the window, he flew into the night.

()()()()()()()()()()()

"Do you promise?" Yugi looked up, innocence in his gaze.

"Of course." Anzu lied smoothly, reaching out for the cherubic hand.

"Where's the Puzzle?" Yugi asked with worried eyes.

"Right here." Anzu held up the Puzzle, and Yugi could feel drawn to it. He knew it was his.

Yami landed then, and was held to the wall by unseen bonds too strong for him to struggle out of.

"Tsk, tsk, Yami...this is a deal between myself and Yugi. It seems that Yugi is very worried about your safety. So much so that he is willing to make a deal with me to secure it." False worry dripped from her tongue like poisoned honey.

Yami's eyes widened as he shook his head no. Yugi looked back at him, tears in his eyes. "I...I'm sorry Yami. I just can't have you hurt because of me." Walking up, he took Anzu's hand. Looking guiltily at Anzu, he sighed. "What do I need to do?" He whispered miserably.

Anzu smirked. "Let's start by having you call Bakura here, so he can go into and out of the Puzzle. Can you do that?"

Yugi blinked back the tears. "Y...yea. I can try." Closing his eyes, he concentrated. Yami saw Bakura sulk up, materializing.

"What the fuck you want you cockwhore?" Bakura snarled, eyes angry, hair unkempt.

"Ah, now, you should really be nicer." Anzu smiled patronizingly at Bakura.

Yami was struggling against his bindings. His muscles strained, but somehow, these ... bonds... were too strong for him. He screamed, his voice hoarse. He screamed through his link until he had a pounding headache. Yugi ignored him, lip quivering.

"Tell him what I want, Yugi." Anzu demanded, a sickeningly sweet smile on her face.

Yugi looked at Bakura, eyes sorrowful. "I have to have you imprison someone for her. It's the only way that I can ensure that you all are safe." Tears slipped over his cheeks.

"What the fuck I care if you all are safe or not? You bastards sold me out." Bakura crossed his arms, looking very much like a petulant child.

Yugi's mouth opened. "I didn't Bakura! None of us did! Anzu is the one that did all this! But I'm trying to protect us all." Yugi whined pitifully. "Please, Bakura, please...just do this for her and then we will all be safe."

Bakura frowned. "Fine. I don't fuck over my friends. Who the fuck do I have to get?"

Anzu smirked. "First, I need Ziggy."

"Fuck off you smug crab infested sperm collector. I'll be back." Bakura snarled before dissipating. Yami watched in horror, eyes filling with tears as Yugi sat there, shoulders slumped.

"Now we wait." Yugi whispered, sitting down, avoiding Yami's eyes.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

About an hour later, Bakura came back with Ziegfreid entangled in his mist. Yami was slumped, exhausted, watching in horror. Ziegfried's eyes widened upon seeing where he was going and what he was doing. Yugi looked sadly at Anzu. "I need the Puzzle to be able to open it. You don't even have to give it to me all the way, but I need to be able to touch it."

Anzu stood, pulling the Puzzle out of a box. Holding it by the chain, she held it just out of reach to where Yugi could touch it with the tips of his fingers. As Yugi touched it, Bakura slid into the puzzle with Ziegfried entangled in the mist...dragging Anzu in on the way.