Noa was so on edge, a pencil could have fallen to the floor and he would have jumped as if struck. In fact, the green haired boy was barely paying attention to anything externally going on in his life. He felt as if he was on autopilot with having to avoid seeing or speaking to Rebecca for a solid two weeks if the plan was to be successful. His correspondence with Clarissa was highly limited as well. And, it was only Wednesday.

The boy was sitting in class, already prepared not to listen to the professor and to daydream and think of the plan when something struck him oddly.

"Kaiba Noa." The man's bored monotonous voice droned as Noa distractedly replied in the affirmative.

"Kaiba Seto." Noa probably would not have noticed his adopted brother wasn't present except for the loudmouth blonde across from him whispering loudly to both Yugi and Anzu. "Ain't that something? Richboy never skips. Wonder if he died or something." The boy snickered playfully.

Yugi scolded his friend, Anzu stifled a giggle, while Honda punched the boy in the arm.

The professor sighed. "Well, seems he's not the only student skipping today. Bakura Ryou and Aisheter Miho are also absent. When will students learn to come to class?"

Noa was tempted to dismiss Seto's absence but he thought of the blonde, Jounouchi, he recalled,'s words. 'never skips.'

'I haven't been paying any attention to what's going on back at the mansion because I've been so absorbed in thoughts of Rebecca and the plan to escape that hellish man.' He tried to recall the last time he had seen both Kaiba brothers.

He recalled seeing Seto at a distance across from him during dinner. He hadn't been able to make much out in the boy's demeanor from that far away, other than his angry smirk and the presence of slight bags under his eyes.

Noa frowned openly as he tried to remember the last time he had seen Mokuba. 'Mokuba tries to be the peacemaker and always checked on me after Father's-Gozaburo's he mentally corrected- visits and I can't even remember the last time I saw him.'

A thought hit Noa with a near physical force. 'Mokuba has been conspicuously absent! From meals, from school, from everything. Where is he and why has he been so absent lately?'

"Is there a problem Noa?" The professor singled him out, already annoyed that three students were missing from his class. "If you don't want to be here that badly, then leave. I don't care that you're too young to drive. I don't waste my time for students to daydream."

"Gomen." Noa said automatically and opened his textbook to feign his attention.

Mokuba tapped the pen at a fast tempo beside the notebooks spread in front of him. He knew what he was doing was wrong to a degree and the result may not be what he was aiming for. 'But I have to try. For Seto's sake and for Noa's.'

Mokuba thought of earlier in the week. Gozaburo had come to Mokuba after one of both Seto and Noa's bad days of lessons, telling him in a saccharinely sweet tone that his brother was close to the breaking point.

Mokuba had shook his head, determinedly denying it. That is, until he had seen Seto the next day. His older brother had noticeable bags under his eyes, a red mark on his face that had clearly been covered by makeup and then later smudged off, and was holding his arm very gingerly.

But beyond all of the physical damage, Mokuba noted the blank look in his beloved brother's expression. 'That monster was right. He is close to giving up. His eyes look so, dead. I have to do something.'

Mokuba's resolved hardened as he continued to thumb through the notebooks. Evil as he was, Gozaburo had offered Mokuba a last ditch effort to help his brother.

"All you have to do is acquire the support of 80% of the individuals in positions of power in this corporation and convince Seto to relinquish any hopes of taking Kaiba Corporation away from me."

Mokuba had glared at the man, not trusting a word of his showy speech.

"Mokuba, understand, I do many things but I'm not lying, not about this. It really is that simple, unless you don't wish to save your brother."

Gozaburo never addressed Mokuba by name. In fact, this was the first time the man had ever done so. "I'll do it."

"But a person of your age is probably not up to the task. An easy one it will prove not to be."

Mokuba steeled himself with resolve borrowed from his older brother. "I said, I'll do it. Whatever it takes. You promise in writing not to hurt Seto anymore. And Noa as well."

Gozaburo smirked in a way that would have made the devil himself uncomfortable. "You wish to help my failed son? That will cost extra on your part."

"What do I have to do?" Mokuba was shaking and Gozaburo was loving every second of it.

"In addition to support, you must agree to do as I say in all ways. Take the burden both of them are carrying right now so to speak. And acquire 2 million dollars by the date we agreed upon."

Some of Mokuba's childishness shone thorough. "How am I supposed to get 2 million in two weeks?!"

Gozaburo smirked. "I don't care. Ever how you can. If you can't, you relinquish your share in my company given upon your adoption back to me."

Mokuba bit his lip. "I still accept. I'll find a way."

Mokuba shuddered at the memory. 'For you I'll do it. You spend so much time protecting me, it's my turn to do the same for you.'

Seto wanted to scream as he tried his brother's door for what was the third time that day. He was growing impatient. He didn't care if he was caught near his brother's room this time. A beating was worth knowing what was going on with Mokuba.

'All I need is five minutes with my brother. I just need to know what's going on so I can take steps to fix things.'

Seto had made his way back to Mokuba's door once more and was preparing to knock when a warm but far from comforting hand placed itself upon his shoulder. He turned his head slowly so as to hide any fear from anything but his expression.

"Master Mokuba is incapacitated at the moment. And you are forbidden from these quarters unless summoned."

Seto nodded. Forcing his eyes to be as cold as his other mannerisms.

"The punishment will be dire."

"Do whatever the hell you want with me." Seto spat. "I'm not afraid of you or any of you goons."

He smirked. "Unfortunately, I will not be the one meting on the punishment. That will be the pleasure of Gozaburo-sama. Who will be with you at his convenience. You will not leave this room."

The guard bodily picked Seto up and tossed him into his room unceremoniously. He slammed the door locking it from the outside.

Seto swallowed hard as he picked himself up from the floor. 'Sorry, Mokuba. Wait for me. I can't help you right now, but I won't give up on you. Or myself.'

A/N: Stuff happened! Yay, character and plot stuff. R & R.