Greetings!
Sorry for the delay in posting this. As I explained in my other story, finals got in the way, and then life got in the way, and then Christmas shopping got in the way, so this chapter took a long time to write. I hope it'll be worth the wait.
Explanation for the plot hole is at the end of the chapter if you're interested.
By the way, I wrote a story for Chibizoo's contest that I just posted. It's a song fic that centers on Kaiba. It's slight Kaiba/Yugi, so if you don't have a problem with that, check it out. It's called Last Goodbye. I'm really nervous about it, but figured I'd have to post it eventually *crosses fingers that fic doesn't stink*
I've officially passed the 100,000 word mark on this story. Wow. . . who would have thought? Thank you all for sticking with the story. It means a lot to me!
Reviews:
GN: ^_^ Good to know my angst isn't getting to everyone. Thanks!
Fin-Phoenix: It's sometimes good to be evil, right? I'm glad that you're enjoying the Bakura scenes. Yes, he is going to be in the story a lot more now that Yugi is with him. I hope to have everyone as equally involved (as soon as I figure out what to do with Tea).
Lady Elfskye: Cliffies are good for the soul. That's my answer and I'm sticking to it (^__^)! Yeah, Yugi is going to get in touch with someone pretty soon. It'd be cruel to make them worry. Things get a bit better at the end of this chapter, though.
Oklina: Did you actually go back and read all of the chapters again? Wow. *bows in appreciation* YAY for Bakura! I'm actually having a grand time writing him. I hadn't realized he could be so much fun. The boat trip is going to be mighty interesting. Too many volatile people in too little a space.
Yami-Yugi3: Thank you very much!
Naomi Silverwolf: Glad you liked the chapter!
Hobbit13: Yay cookies! *takes cookie and jumps up and down* Nah, Yugi won't ever go to the extreme, unless he's threatened, or someone he loves is threatened. He's a kind hearted person beneath it all.
Matt Morwell: *waves to new reader* Welcome to my depressing tale. I'm happy that you gave the story a chance and stuck with it, even if it took you that long to get through it *offers Matt eye drops and Oreos as a reward* Thank you for your kind words as well. They mean a lot to me. I love writing, and it's made more rewarding when I can entertain others. Sorry about your nails. If it makes you feel any better, I don't have any either. I chew them off as I write. Well, more accurately, I chew them off as I think about what I'm going to write. I hope that you continue to enjoy the story.
Chibi Chibi Tenshi: Glad you enjoy all the twists! It keeps me in suspense as much as it does you, so I really enjoy doing it. It had been a while since Alex had been brought up, which is how I forgot about it too. I should reread my own stories once in a while to see what I've already done, I just don't have time to do it.
To answer your questions: The change in Yugi's character is because of what happened to him, which resulted in his Jomei personality. The experiences won't go away; they'll just stay in his mind. But because he acted differently during that time, he learned new behavior, and that's not something you can just get rid of. Bakura's spirit form was able to go away from Ryou and into the house to get the puzzle. His magic is strong enough to allow him to separate from Ryou for periods of time, and since he's handling another Millennium Item, he was able to transport the puzzle back to Yugi. Did any of that make sense? I'm not sure it does to me (^_^)
Aura Black Chan: Yugi is going to be with Bakura and Ryou for a while. You're right, he does need someone to watch his back, and who better than Bakura? I think that as Bakura learns more about what happened, he'll want to do more to help.
Vappa: Evil, me? *gives puppy dog eyes* The story is getting awfully long already and this particular plot twist is going to make it longer. I've been thinking about what to do with the story, and I'll probably bring it up to everyone next chapter (once I decide on a couple of options). America is going to offer an awful lot of possibilities!
Ryuujin Dragon King: Don't worry, Yugi's family is going to get some hope by the end of this chapter.
Mittens no Hikari: Your puppy dog eyes would have worked, if finals hadn't gotten in my way. Sorry about the delay! Thanks for putting me on your faves! Don't worry, Mr. Moto is going to get something to be hopeful about very soon.
Raiji Magiwind: The endings to both stories, while already planned, seem to be so far away. If only I could devote my time to writing *walks away, grumbling about school and work. Comes back, realizes the reviews aren't finished yet.* Thanks again for getting the word out on the stories. It really means a lot to me, and I'm very happy that the feedback is positive from the people who check them out
Sorceress Vanessa: Yugi will always be the kind hearted boy we know and love. I don't have the heart to ever change that. Well, except for that one fic, in which he went nutty for a little while. He's a little bit more self aware and defensive now, but he'll always been the Yugi we love. Yami is definitely back in this chapter! As for why the puzzle got left behind: well, Joey just forgot it. He was too upset about finding the car that he just left without it. Bad Joey!
Midnight Fairy: Yup, Joey and Kaiba are going around in circles for now. They'll get their act together pretty soon, though. Once they get a good lead, it won't be long until they manage to figure it all out. Besides, I need Yugi to get a head start!
Mimiheart: I know I've e-mailed you a reply already, but I wanted to reply here too. Thank you for your kind words! It's cool to be someone's favorite author, especially when that person writes some pretty good stories too. I hope that you can continue to enjoy the story.
SerafinaMoon: *takes cookie* Yummy, thank you! I'm glad that you enjoyed the way I write Bakura. He's pretty fun to play with.
Starheart: Thank you very much!
Amiasha Ruri: I'm cruel, but not cruel enough to have poor Yugi caught again. I think he's had enough incarceration for several lifetimes. As far as the rest of the crew goes, I think they'll be getting some hope pretty soon. I think I've tortured all of them enough.
Adrienne: Umm. . . yeah, I can see why your parents would not want you to be reading something like this. Then again, most parents tend to forget that their kids already know more than they think they do. That's the case with mine, at least. *takes wet and stinky Kano plushie and puts him outside to dry off* Thanks, now I'll finish my business with him and then give him back.
Malik's American voice is absolutely horrendous. I'd change it to Namu's voice. Yes, it's the same voice actor, but the way he does Namu sounds much better. I like Yugi's American voice. A lot of people say that it's whiney, but it's not that much different than Yugi's Japanese voice. He's young, hence the higher pitch. I think they also do it, since he's so short and is supposed to look younger. The same voice actor does Yugi and Yami, which makes me wonder what his real voice sounds like. And since we're taking about voices, my favorite is Kaiba's *swoon*. Eric Stewart has such a sexy voice.
Kairi-sama: ^__^ Don't worry, I totally understand losing it when it comes to Inuyasha. I'm up to episode 82 now, and the more I watch it, the more I love it. It's got a little bit of everything, and the dub is actually just like the Japanese version, so I can enjoy it in English too!
Saiyan Jedi: The plot hole was something different. The explanation of it is at the end of the chapter. I'll definitely check out your fics as soon as I get some time. As it is now, it's hard enough to sit in front of the computer to write a chapter. I've never been asked to be in a story before, but sure, why not. It should be interesting. And yes, Yami is definitely in the chapter, so enjoy!
MeantToLive: Thank you, I'm glad that you like the story. Don't worry, this is most definitely not the end. I've got lots more story to tell.
Lizzy9046: Solitaire idea is in this chapter, so thank you for the idea! I gave you credit for it at the end ^_^. Yugi the soap, huh? Hmm. . . something to ponder. Just kidding. I can't help it, it just flows naturally.
YumeTakato: Sorry it took so long to update!
Painful Life: Yes, a little light in all the gloominess is good every once in a while, and Yugi and Yami definitely need that. Thanks for reviewing!
Chromefox: The plot hole is explained at the end of the chapter. Thanks, I'm glad you liked the way I wrote Bakura. He was rather fun to play with, so I think I'm going to stick with it.
Amarielle: With the delay in posting, you ended up having to read the other two chapters anyway. Sorry! I'll do my best not to have another long break like this one. Yes, Yugi is definitely a long way from Kansas.
I'm glad you liked the review and thanks for the compliment! It's very sweet of you. Thanks for recommending the story, too. It is in good company with The Second Voice, since that was an awesome story. Very Yami centered, but very good. I wish the young authoress the best of luck. I hope that she does well. I don't think I've read anything by Rayemars. I'll try to check out some of those stories. Girlish and weepy? Yami? Are you sure? I don't even do girlish and weepy Yugi. Hmm. . . *goes back to scene to check for girlishness* I'm not sure. You'll have to tell me if it was okay when you read it.
*covers ears as Amarielle yells for an update* Sorry, sorry, sorry. It was finals. I had three kick ass finals that I'm happy to say I made excellent grades on. I'm free for a while, so I hope to go back to my schedule. What kind of dreams do you have about the story? I'm curious, since I dream about it too. Then again, I tend to fall asleep thinking of where the hell this is going to go, which translates into dreams. Okay, I forgive the yelling since you called the story a rare gem *beams with pride* Thank you so much!
Celtic Guardian 7: Yay, another Inuyasha fan. Isn't it awesome? They really kick ass in that anime and it's always so freaking funny. I laugh my head off any time Inuyasha and Kagome get into it. I haven't had time to watch all of the episodes, but so far, I'm enjoying it an awful lot.
Kiarah: Nah, not a fragment of anyone's imagination. Flames are good when they're actually constructive, so yeah, I appreciate the attention to detail and for noticing things I miss. Oh, thanks for using the Japanese word for little sister. I've been wondering what it was (and was too lazy to get my dictionary to look it up).
Jill: Thank you so much! I'm glad you like the story.
Blue September: Thanks again for your in-depth review. I really appreciated it. I owe you an e-mail reply. It's sitting in my inbox and I haven't had time to write it, but rest assured I'm not ignoring you. Sorry!
Kairi-sama: Sorry for the long time between updates. I hope you enjoy the chapter.
The Hunting Chicken: Thank you very much for your comments. I like to be original, do stuff that others don't do, because I get bored reading the same things over and over. I'm glad that you're enjoying it too. And I'll let you know if anyone flames ^__^
Wow, you guys rock! Thank you for all the reviews. Now on to the story:
**~~**
Part 25: Reunions
"Big brother?"
Kaiba turned to find Mokuba staring at him with wide, grey eyes.
"What are you doing here? What's going on?"
He didn't answer his brother's questions. Instead, he looked past his brother to the driver, who avoided looking at him.
"I told you to stay home, Mokuba," Kaiba said.
"I know, but since you didn't come back, I thought something had happened to you. Don't blame Takahashi, Seto. I made him bring me here."
Still glaring at the driver, Kaiba shook his head.
"He shouldn't have, Mokuba, this is no place for you."
Mokuba was no longer paying attention to him, however. His eyes were on the diving crew currently searching the water around the harbor. There were two teams of five divers searching different areas. They'd been hired specifically for the job and were not connected to the authorities. Kaiba didn't have much faith in the police department, not after their failure to find Yugi when he'd first been kidnapped.
"What are they doing, Seto?" Mokuba asked.
Kaiba debated whether to tell his brother the truth or not. Mokuba was smart for his age, so lying to him would only make him mad, since he'd eventually find out what was really going on.
"They're searching for Yugi's body."
Mokuba turned to him, his eyes wide. "Yugi's body? He's dead?"
"That's what the divers are trying to find out," Kaiba replied.
"You obviously think that there's a possibility, or you wouldn't have brought in the divers."
Kaiba sighed. He didn't want to explain to his little brother why he thought Yugi could be dead. He didn't want to have to remember what he saw in that room, nor did he want to give voice to what his overactive imagination was providing him with. Seeing the look on Joey's face as he'd told them what little he remembered had been bad enough.
"There is a possibility, Mokuba, but there's also a possibility that he's not."
Mokuba gave the divers one last look, before shuddering and turning away. "Where are Joey and Mr. Moto? Takahashi told me they were with you."
Kaiba led his brother back towards the car. "I sent them home. Joey was out of it and Mr. Moto was upset, so I had Harris take them back to the game shop. Why don't you have Takahashi take you to the game shop? You're better off there."
"What about you?"
"I'll stay here," Kaiba replied.
"For how long, big brother?"
Kaiba shrugged. "For as long as I need to."
**~~**
****
"Get away from me."
Joey's eyes snapped open and he found himself starting up at a towering man that reminded Joey of that bully that Yugi had tried to defend him and Tristan against all those years ago. Yugi had ended up getting just as beat up as he and Honda, but it had been enough to show Joey that Yugi meant to give his friendship feely, and he'd only been too happy to take it.
The guy he was staring at wasn't facing him. Instead, he was standing a few feet away, holding someone against the wall. From the cry he'd heard earlier, he knew that it was Jomei.
"Come on, Jomei, lighten up! We're old friends, remember?" the guy said. He seemed to be having some difficulty staying on his feet, which Joey took to mean that Jomei was struggling. "I promised you I'd finish what I started with you that night, and this is my chance."
Jomei's reply was muffled by something, and it turned Joey's stomach to imagine just what that something could be. As quickly as he could, Joey gathered his wits about him and stood up. His hands were tethered to a pole attached to the wall, but the chain holding the cuffs around his wrists was long enough to allow for some movement. Without thinking, he threw himself at Jomei's attacker. The chain went taut, jerking Joey back to where he'd come from, but not before throwing the guy a few feet away from Jomei. Joey landed painfully on the ground and turned to look at Jomei, who had slid down the wall and was now sitting on the floor. Jomei was looking down, his face almost completely covered by his bangs.
"What do you think you're doing?"
Joey looked up to see the bully heading for him, his face a mask of rage.
"Stay away from my friend," Joey managed to ground out, hissing as his wrists throbbed.
He managed to get to his knees, but before he could stand up again, the bully grabbed him by the shirt, picked him up, and slammed him against the wall. The guy's eyes were bright with anger, and his grip was strong. Joey tried to break it, but found that he was unable to. He was used to being on the other end of a situation like this, and it frightened him to think that he couldn't control this one. He did, however, manage to raise his leg and hit the bully right below the knee. The guy screamed in anger, before backhanding Joey. Joey landed, stunned, on the ground.
"You're in no position to argue here, blondie," the guy said.
He kneeled in front of Joey and looked at him. Joey's skin crawled at the way the guy's eyes darkened. He jerked Joey's head up so that he could see it, and licked his lips.
"Well, what do you know? Your friend here is pretty cute too, Jomei. Since you don't want to play with me, why don't I just play with him?"
Joey jerked his head out of the guy's grasp, feeling sick at the implication. No way in hell was he going to let this overgrown creep touch him. He slid back so that his back was to the wall, his legs in front of him.
"No!"
Joey turned to see that the younger teen had turned to look at the bully. His face was pale in the darkened room, but Joey could see the terror in his face.
"Leave him alone, Kano. He has nothing to do with this."
The bully, Kano, laughed. He looked at Joey once more, before he stood up and headed back to Jomei. He pulled Jomei roughly up to his feet and then leaned in to whisper something in his ear. Jomei's eyes went wide, and they glanced briefly at Joey, before they closed. Jomei sighed and slowly nodded, a single tear sliding down his cheek.
Kano released Jomei, who once again sank to the floor.
"That's better. Well, then, I'll be back for you shortly, Jomei."
**** "NO!"
Joey jerked out of bed, his heart pounding in his chest as if he'd just run a marathon. He untangled the covers from around his feet and stood up. He put a hand on the window, grounding himself to reality. The dream he'd woken up from was still fresh in his mind, and it took him a while to wrench himself away from it. His stomach heaved when his eyes landed on his bandaged wrists and he realized that it hadn't been a dream.
He ran to the bathroom and kneeled in front of the toilet, gagging. He could still smell the blood in that room, could still hear Yugi screaming for help. He put his hands over his ears, but the sound only intensified.
"Stop, please stop," he sobbed and leaned his forehead on the toilet bowl.
He had to talk to someone, had to get this off his chest, but he couldn't go to Mr. Moto. What he'd remembered would horrify the elder man and Joey hoped that he never found out the details of what had gone on in that room, what had been done to his grandson. There was someone he could talk to, though.
Joey got up and headed for Yugi's room. He'd realized on the way to the warehouse that he'd forgotten the Millennium Puzzle. He'd mentally kicked himself for his stupidity and was fairly certain that Yami would kick him too when he talked to the spirit. As Joey reached the desk, he realized that the puzzle was not where he'd left it. Frowning, he looked around the room, but didn't see the puzzle anywhere else.
"Strange," he said, his memories momentarily forgotten.
Had he taken the puzzle after all and just didn't remember doing it? Could he have laid it somewhere else? Joey searched his own room but found nothing. He went downstairs and didn't find the puzzle in the living room or the game shop. He was headed for the kitchen when he ran into Mr. Moto. The elder man was holding something in his hand. When he noticed Joey, he held the object out to him.
"A key?" Joey asked.
"It's the extra key to the back door," Mr. Moto explained. "The one we keep in that flower pot."
Joey frowned, confused. "Why do you need the extra key?"
Mr. Moto shook his head. "I went outside to see if anything had been disturbed out there. That broken lamp we found when we got back gave me a bad feeling, but I didn't find anything outside. As I was coming back in, I found the extra key in the lock."
"No one knows about that key except for you, me, and. . ."
"Yugi," Mr. Moto finished.
Joey stared at the key as if it held the answers to all of their questions. How had the key gotten into the lock? Someone had to have been trying to enter the house, but who?
"The Millennium Puzzle is missing," Joey said.
"What?"
"I went to Yugi's room to talk to Yami, but I didn't find the puzzle where I left it. I've searched the entire house except for the kitchen and the puzzle is not here."
"It's not in the kitchen," Mr. Moto said.
"Who took it? Who would know what the puzzle is except for us?" Joey asked.
"It looks like an expensive piece of jewelry, Joey."
Joey shook his head and took the key from Mr. Moto's hand.
"Why didn't whoever used this key come in? And if they did, why did they leave the key in the lock for us to know that someone had come inside?"
Mr. Moto shook his head.
Joey's heart sped up at the sudden surge of hope he felt. A key that only Yugi knew about, the missing Millennium Puzzle. . .
"Gramps, do you think it could have been Yugi?"
Mr. Moto considered the question for a moment. "Why didn't he come in? Or if he did, why did he just take the puzzle and leave? He'd have to know that we'd be worried about him," he said. "What about what the man at the docks said?"
Joey sighed, the memory he'd woken up from suddenly crashing down on him. He couldn't deny what he'd witnessed, couldn't dismiss what they'd found in that room. But what if Yugi had survived? What if he'd still been alive when they threw him into the water? Wouldn't he have wanted to come home? If that was the case, why hadn't he stayed?
"Isn't it better to hope that Yugi is alive, than to blindly believe he's dead?" Joey asked. "We've done it before, and it paid off."
Mr. Moto nodded. "If Yugi was here, he wasn't able to stay for some reason. We'll just have to wait until he comes back, or until we hear from him."
**~~**
Yami carefully examined the cards he'd laid out on the floor of his soul room. The white cards were barely visible in the dim light of the room, their black or red markings darkened by the shadows, but he didn't need the illumination to see them. He went over each of the four columns of cards, nodding in satisfaction that all were in order. With a triumphant grin, he placed the card he held in his hand, the Ace of Hearts, at the end of the last column.
"There, that should do it."
He nodded to himself again, satisfied at his mastery of the game Yugi and Joey called 'Solitaire'. They'd explained to him that it was a card game that required only one player, hence it's name. He'd been eager to learn the game, and had been pleased that he could play it by himself. After months of solitude in the puzzle, he'd become a master at it. It was wearing on him, though, and he'd begun to play it less and less. Looking at the cards now, they brought him a feeling of despair and hopelessness. How much longer would he be trapped in the puzzle? How much longer would he have to wonder about Yugi, longing for his friend and partner to return to the way he was? How much longer would he wait in hopes that Yugi would be found again? He wanted to help in the search, but in his spirit form was of little help. He hated having to depend on Kaiba of all people, but had no choice.
The sound of his soul room door opening drew Yami's attention. He frowned, since no one other than Yugi had ever come inside the room. Shadi had done it once, but he doubted that the Egyptian had come back. Yami got up off the floor, hope tingling in his chest. Could it be? Could they have found Jomei? As the door opened wider, a shaft of light cut through the shadows, gradually illuminating Yami's body.
Yami turned fully around and saw Jomei standing by the door, his eyes wide. He was still gripping the door, and Yami saw a hint of fear on the young face. He smiled reassuringly at Jomei, glad to see him. He wasn't aware that Jomei had been found, but would get angry at Joey for not telling him at a later time. All that mattered right now was that Jomei was safe and willing to talk to him. He took a step forward, and that was enough to break Jomei's paralysis. The teen ran to Yami and threw himself into the spirit's arms. Surprised, but not displeased, Yami tightly embraced his partner and friend.
"Yami, I missed you so much," Jomei said, his voice muffled by Yami's chest. "I thought I'd never see you again!"
Jomei began to sob, and clung tighter to Yami. Yami rubbed Jomei's back and soothed him until he stopped crying. He sat them both on the floor and examined his partner carefully.
"Are you okay? What happened? How did you know to come here?" Yami asked.
"What do you mean, how did I know to come here? I've known how to get here ever since you finally told me you were in the puzzle."
Yami frowned. He hadn't told Jomei how to get to his soul room because he hadn't seemed interested in doing so. Maybe he remembered how to do it on his own? The last thought intensified Yami's hope. Maybe things would turn out well after all.
"Yami, are you okay? You look confused."
"I don't remember telling you how to get to my soul room, Jomei. Could it be that you're remembering on your own?"
Jomei grinned suddenly, and hugged Yami once again.
"I remembered everything, Yami. It's me, Yugi, I'm back to myself again."
Yami's mouth opened in surprise, but then his mouth split into a rare grin. He held Yugi tightly again, before holding him at arm's length, examining his smiling and tear stained face.
"Yugi? I'm so happy to see you again. I was so worried, and then when you couldn't remember your past, I. . ." Yami trailed off as his voice broke.
"I'm sorry, Yami. It must have been hard for you and for everyone else. It's all going to be okay, now. I'm going to make sure that it is."
Yami carefully looked at Yugi, noting that he seemed different, but he couldn't really pinpoint how. Yami could only imagine what Yugi had gone through in the months that he'd been missing, and now that he remembered everything, Yami hoped that Yugi would be willing to talk to him, to let Yami help him.
"I bet your grandfather, Joey, and Kaiba were happy to see you. They were going crazy looking for you after you got taken again."
Yugi frowned, and his eyes clouded slightly. "What do you mean, Joey? He's missing, isn't he?"
Yami shook his head. "No. Kaiba found him wandering around an alley just a few days ago. When you weren't with him, we all panicked and thought something had happened." Yami paused, trying to sort everything out. "Who found you, Yugi?"
Yugi's face reflected Yami's confusion. "No one found me, Yami. Well, Mike found me in Tokyo and drove me back to Domino. When I got to the game shop, Jenkins and his men were inside. I ran into Ryou, and Bakura got the puzzle out of the house for me. I didn't see anyone else." Yugi paused. "How could Kaiba have found Joey? Shadow drugged him and placed him in a home to work, just like he did me."
Yami heard what Yugi had said, but didn't quite follow. "Joey is suffering from memory loss, but only a few weeks worth. I talked to him before they left to go to the docks to look for you."
Yugi closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he released it, Yami heard relief in the sigh. "Joey's okay. Shadow didn't take him," he said, smiling slightly. Yugi's eyes suddenly snapped open. "I guess we don't need to go to America after all," he added.
"America?" Yami asked. He'd heard of the country before from Yugi and understood that it was very far from where they were. "Why would we need to go there?"
Yugi shrugged. "I though Shadow had taken Joey to America and was going to find him. I already have some information about where to find Shadow. I guess we can track Shadow down anyway and stop him before he sets up another operation."
Yami frowned. "Yugi, where are we?"
Yugi looked around, momentarily confused, until he understood what Yami had asked.
"Oh, we're on a boat headed for the United States. Bakura snuck us onboard a few hours ago."
Yami's eyes widened at that information. Why would the tomb robber want to help them? Yugi had said that Bakura had gotten him the puzzle, and Yami was suspicious of the spirit's intentions.
"Yugi, I think there is a lot we need to talk about."
**~~**
Poor confused Yami. They sure have a lot to talk about, don't they?
Note1: Thanks to lizzy for the yami playing solitaire idea. She said it in jest, but I thought it'd be awesome to use *gives lizzy a whole bucket of buttered popcorn*.
Note2: Since I promised I'd tell you what the plot hole was, here it is:
Yugi was supposed to go to the game shop, take the puzzle, and then fly to America to find Joey. The mistake was that I forgot that when I had Yami see that Joey was okay. If Yugi took the puzzle, he'd talk to Yami and Yami would tell him that Joey was okay, which would negate the need to go to America. Then I thought I'd have Yugi go to America and leave the puzzle behind, but most of you were in favor of having Yami in the story more, so I couldn't do that. So I settled for what I wrote in this chapter. I hope it wasn't too confusing.
Next up: I have absolutely no clue. I think I've hit dreaded writer's block with this story. I was so focused on getting Yugi out of Japan that I didn't take the time to think of what he'd do when he got there, or on the way there. ARG *pulls out hair in frustration*.
Sorry for the delay in posting this. As I explained in my other story, finals got in the way, and then life got in the way, and then Christmas shopping got in the way, so this chapter took a long time to write. I hope it'll be worth the wait.
Explanation for the plot hole is at the end of the chapter if you're interested.
By the way, I wrote a story for Chibizoo's contest that I just posted. It's a song fic that centers on Kaiba. It's slight Kaiba/Yugi, so if you don't have a problem with that, check it out. It's called Last Goodbye. I'm really nervous about it, but figured I'd have to post it eventually *crosses fingers that fic doesn't stink*
I've officially passed the 100,000 word mark on this story. Wow. . . who would have thought? Thank you all for sticking with the story. It means a lot to me!
Reviews:
GN: ^_^ Good to know my angst isn't getting to everyone. Thanks!
Fin-Phoenix: It's sometimes good to be evil, right? I'm glad that you're enjoying the Bakura scenes. Yes, he is going to be in the story a lot more now that Yugi is with him. I hope to have everyone as equally involved (as soon as I figure out what to do with Tea).
Lady Elfskye: Cliffies are good for the soul. That's my answer and I'm sticking to it (^__^)! Yeah, Yugi is going to get in touch with someone pretty soon. It'd be cruel to make them worry. Things get a bit better at the end of this chapter, though.
Oklina: Did you actually go back and read all of the chapters again? Wow. *bows in appreciation* YAY for Bakura! I'm actually having a grand time writing him. I hadn't realized he could be so much fun. The boat trip is going to be mighty interesting. Too many volatile people in too little a space.
Yami-Yugi3: Thank you very much!
Naomi Silverwolf: Glad you liked the chapter!
Hobbit13: Yay cookies! *takes cookie and jumps up and down* Nah, Yugi won't ever go to the extreme, unless he's threatened, or someone he loves is threatened. He's a kind hearted person beneath it all.
Matt Morwell: *waves to new reader* Welcome to my depressing tale. I'm happy that you gave the story a chance and stuck with it, even if it took you that long to get through it *offers Matt eye drops and Oreos as a reward* Thank you for your kind words as well. They mean a lot to me. I love writing, and it's made more rewarding when I can entertain others. Sorry about your nails. If it makes you feel any better, I don't have any either. I chew them off as I write. Well, more accurately, I chew them off as I think about what I'm going to write. I hope that you continue to enjoy the story.
Chibi Chibi Tenshi: Glad you enjoy all the twists! It keeps me in suspense as much as it does you, so I really enjoy doing it. It had been a while since Alex had been brought up, which is how I forgot about it too. I should reread my own stories once in a while to see what I've already done, I just don't have time to do it.
To answer your questions: The change in Yugi's character is because of what happened to him, which resulted in his Jomei personality. The experiences won't go away; they'll just stay in his mind. But because he acted differently during that time, he learned new behavior, and that's not something you can just get rid of. Bakura's spirit form was able to go away from Ryou and into the house to get the puzzle. His magic is strong enough to allow him to separate from Ryou for periods of time, and since he's handling another Millennium Item, he was able to transport the puzzle back to Yugi. Did any of that make sense? I'm not sure it does to me (^_^)
Aura Black Chan: Yugi is going to be with Bakura and Ryou for a while. You're right, he does need someone to watch his back, and who better than Bakura? I think that as Bakura learns more about what happened, he'll want to do more to help.
Vappa: Evil, me? *gives puppy dog eyes* The story is getting awfully long already and this particular plot twist is going to make it longer. I've been thinking about what to do with the story, and I'll probably bring it up to everyone next chapter (once I decide on a couple of options). America is going to offer an awful lot of possibilities!
Ryuujin Dragon King: Don't worry, Yugi's family is going to get some hope by the end of this chapter.
Mittens no Hikari: Your puppy dog eyes would have worked, if finals hadn't gotten in my way. Sorry about the delay! Thanks for putting me on your faves! Don't worry, Mr. Moto is going to get something to be hopeful about very soon.
Raiji Magiwind: The endings to both stories, while already planned, seem to be so far away. If only I could devote my time to writing *walks away, grumbling about school and work. Comes back, realizes the reviews aren't finished yet.* Thanks again for getting the word out on the stories. It really means a lot to me, and I'm very happy that the feedback is positive from the people who check them out
Sorceress Vanessa: Yugi will always be the kind hearted boy we know and love. I don't have the heart to ever change that. Well, except for that one fic, in which he went nutty for a little while. He's a little bit more self aware and defensive now, but he'll always been the Yugi we love. Yami is definitely back in this chapter! As for why the puzzle got left behind: well, Joey just forgot it. He was too upset about finding the car that he just left without it. Bad Joey!
Midnight Fairy: Yup, Joey and Kaiba are going around in circles for now. They'll get their act together pretty soon, though. Once they get a good lead, it won't be long until they manage to figure it all out. Besides, I need Yugi to get a head start!
Mimiheart: I know I've e-mailed you a reply already, but I wanted to reply here too. Thank you for your kind words! It's cool to be someone's favorite author, especially when that person writes some pretty good stories too. I hope that you can continue to enjoy the story.
SerafinaMoon: *takes cookie* Yummy, thank you! I'm glad that you enjoyed the way I write Bakura. He's pretty fun to play with.
Starheart: Thank you very much!
Amiasha Ruri: I'm cruel, but not cruel enough to have poor Yugi caught again. I think he's had enough incarceration for several lifetimes. As far as the rest of the crew goes, I think they'll be getting some hope pretty soon. I think I've tortured all of them enough.
Adrienne: Umm. . . yeah, I can see why your parents would not want you to be reading something like this. Then again, most parents tend to forget that their kids already know more than they think they do. That's the case with mine, at least. *takes wet and stinky Kano plushie and puts him outside to dry off* Thanks, now I'll finish my business with him and then give him back.
Malik's American voice is absolutely horrendous. I'd change it to Namu's voice. Yes, it's the same voice actor, but the way he does Namu sounds much better. I like Yugi's American voice. A lot of people say that it's whiney, but it's not that much different than Yugi's Japanese voice. He's young, hence the higher pitch. I think they also do it, since he's so short and is supposed to look younger. The same voice actor does Yugi and Yami, which makes me wonder what his real voice sounds like. And since we're taking about voices, my favorite is Kaiba's *swoon*. Eric Stewart has such a sexy voice.
Kairi-sama: ^__^ Don't worry, I totally understand losing it when it comes to Inuyasha. I'm up to episode 82 now, and the more I watch it, the more I love it. It's got a little bit of everything, and the dub is actually just like the Japanese version, so I can enjoy it in English too!
Saiyan Jedi: The plot hole was something different. The explanation of it is at the end of the chapter. I'll definitely check out your fics as soon as I get some time. As it is now, it's hard enough to sit in front of the computer to write a chapter. I've never been asked to be in a story before, but sure, why not. It should be interesting. And yes, Yami is definitely in the chapter, so enjoy!
MeantToLive: Thank you, I'm glad that you like the story. Don't worry, this is most definitely not the end. I've got lots more story to tell.
Lizzy9046: Solitaire idea is in this chapter, so thank you for the idea! I gave you credit for it at the end ^_^. Yugi the soap, huh? Hmm. . . something to ponder. Just kidding. I can't help it, it just flows naturally.
YumeTakato: Sorry it took so long to update!
Painful Life: Yes, a little light in all the gloominess is good every once in a while, and Yugi and Yami definitely need that. Thanks for reviewing!
Chromefox: The plot hole is explained at the end of the chapter. Thanks, I'm glad you liked the way I wrote Bakura. He was rather fun to play with, so I think I'm going to stick with it.
Amarielle: With the delay in posting, you ended up having to read the other two chapters anyway. Sorry! I'll do my best not to have another long break like this one. Yes, Yugi is definitely a long way from Kansas.
I'm glad you liked the review and thanks for the compliment! It's very sweet of you. Thanks for recommending the story, too. It is in good company with The Second Voice, since that was an awesome story. Very Yami centered, but very good. I wish the young authoress the best of luck. I hope that she does well. I don't think I've read anything by Rayemars. I'll try to check out some of those stories. Girlish and weepy? Yami? Are you sure? I don't even do girlish and weepy Yugi. Hmm. . . *goes back to scene to check for girlishness* I'm not sure. You'll have to tell me if it was okay when you read it.
*covers ears as Amarielle yells for an update* Sorry, sorry, sorry. It was finals. I had three kick ass finals that I'm happy to say I made excellent grades on. I'm free for a while, so I hope to go back to my schedule. What kind of dreams do you have about the story? I'm curious, since I dream about it too. Then again, I tend to fall asleep thinking of where the hell this is going to go, which translates into dreams. Okay, I forgive the yelling since you called the story a rare gem *beams with pride* Thank you so much!
Celtic Guardian 7: Yay, another Inuyasha fan. Isn't it awesome? They really kick ass in that anime and it's always so freaking funny. I laugh my head off any time Inuyasha and Kagome get into it. I haven't had time to watch all of the episodes, but so far, I'm enjoying it an awful lot.
Kiarah: Nah, not a fragment of anyone's imagination. Flames are good when they're actually constructive, so yeah, I appreciate the attention to detail and for noticing things I miss. Oh, thanks for using the Japanese word for little sister. I've been wondering what it was (and was too lazy to get my dictionary to look it up).
Jill: Thank you so much! I'm glad you like the story.
Blue September: Thanks again for your in-depth review. I really appreciated it. I owe you an e-mail reply. It's sitting in my inbox and I haven't had time to write it, but rest assured I'm not ignoring you. Sorry!
Kairi-sama: Sorry for the long time between updates. I hope you enjoy the chapter.
The Hunting Chicken: Thank you very much for your comments. I like to be original, do stuff that others don't do, because I get bored reading the same things over and over. I'm glad that you're enjoying it too. And I'll let you know if anyone flames ^__^
Wow, you guys rock! Thank you for all the reviews. Now on to the story:
**~~**
Part 25: Reunions
"Big brother?"
Kaiba turned to find Mokuba staring at him with wide, grey eyes.
"What are you doing here? What's going on?"
He didn't answer his brother's questions. Instead, he looked past his brother to the driver, who avoided looking at him.
"I told you to stay home, Mokuba," Kaiba said.
"I know, but since you didn't come back, I thought something had happened to you. Don't blame Takahashi, Seto. I made him bring me here."
Still glaring at the driver, Kaiba shook his head.
"He shouldn't have, Mokuba, this is no place for you."
Mokuba was no longer paying attention to him, however. His eyes were on the diving crew currently searching the water around the harbor. There were two teams of five divers searching different areas. They'd been hired specifically for the job and were not connected to the authorities. Kaiba didn't have much faith in the police department, not after their failure to find Yugi when he'd first been kidnapped.
"What are they doing, Seto?" Mokuba asked.
Kaiba debated whether to tell his brother the truth or not. Mokuba was smart for his age, so lying to him would only make him mad, since he'd eventually find out what was really going on.
"They're searching for Yugi's body."
Mokuba turned to him, his eyes wide. "Yugi's body? He's dead?"
"That's what the divers are trying to find out," Kaiba replied.
"You obviously think that there's a possibility, or you wouldn't have brought in the divers."
Kaiba sighed. He didn't want to explain to his little brother why he thought Yugi could be dead. He didn't want to have to remember what he saw in that room, nor did he want to give voice to what his overactive imagination was providing him with. Seeing the look on Joey's face as he'd told them what little he remembered had been bad enough.
"There is a possibility, Mokuba, but there's also a possibility that he's not."
Mokuba gave the divers one last look, before shuddering and turning away. "Where are Joey and Mr. Moto? Takahashi told me they were with you."
Kaiba led his brother back towards the car. "I sent them home. Joey was out of it and Mr. Moto was upset, so I had Harris take them back to the game shop. Why don't you have Takahashi take you to the game shop? You're better off there."
"What about you?"
"I'll stay here," Kaiba replied.
"For how long, big brother?"
Kaiba shrugged. "For as long as I need to."
**~~**
****
"Get away from me."
Joey's eyes snapped open and he found himself starting up at a towering man that reminded Joey of that bully that Yugi had tried to defend him and Tristan against all those years ago. Yugi had ended up getting just as beat up as he and Honda, but it had been enough to show Joey that Yugi meant to give his friendship feely, and he'd only been too happy to take it.
The guy he was staring at wasn't facing him. Instead, he was standing a few feet away, holding someone against the wall. From the cry he'd heard earlier, he knew that it was Jomei.
"Come on, Jomei, lighten up! We're old friends, remember?" the guy said. He seemed to be having some difficulty staying on his feet, which Joey took to mean that Jomei was struggling. "I promised you I'd finish what I started with you that night, and this is my chance."
Jomei's reply was muffled by something, and it turned Joey's stomach to imagine just what that something could be. As quickly as he could, Joey gathered his wits about him and stood up. His hands were tethered to a pole attached to the wall, but the chain holding the cuffs around his wrists was long enough to allow for some movement. Without thinking, he threw himself at Jomei's attacker. The chain went taut, jerking Joey back to where he'd come from, but not before throwing the guy a few feet away from Jomei. Joey landed painfully on the ground and turned to look at Jomei, who had slid down the wall and was now sitting on the floor. Jomei was looking down, his face almost completely covered by his bangs.
"What do you think you're doing?"
Joey looked up to see the bully heading for him, his face a mask of rage.
"Stay away from my friend," Joey managed to ground out, hissing as his wrists throbbed.
He managed to get to his knees, but before he could stand up again, the bully grabbed him by the shirt, picked him up, and slammed him against the wall. The guy's eyes were bright with anger, and his grip was strong. Joey tried to break it, but found that he was unable to. He was used to being on the other end of a situation like this, and it frightened him to think that he couldn't control this one. He did, however, manage to raise his leg and hit the bully right below the knee. The guy screamed in anger, before backhanding Joey. Joey landed, stunned, on the ground.
"You're in no position to argue here, blondie," the guy said.
He kneeled in front of Joey and looked at him. Joey's skin crawled at the way the guy's eyes darkened. He jerked Joey's head up so that he could see it, and licked his lips.
"Well, what do you know? Your friend here is pretty cute too, Jomei. Since you don't want to play with me, why don't I just play with him?"
Joey jerked his head out of the guy's grasp, feeling sick at the implication. No way in hell was he going to let this overgrown creep touch him. He slid back so that his back was to the wall, his legs in front of him.
"No!"
Joey turned to see that the younger teen had turned to look at the bully. His face was pale in the darkened room, but Joey could see the terror in his face.
"Leave him alone, Kano. He has nothing to do with this."
The bully, Kano, laughed. He looked at Joey once more, before he stood up and headed back to Jomei. He pulled Jomei roughly up to his feet and then leaned in to whisper something in his ear. Jomei's eyes went wide, and they glanced briefly at Joey, before they closed. Jomei sighed and slowly nodded, a single tear sliding down his cheek.
Kano released Jomei, who once again sank to the floor.
"That's better. Well, then, I'll be back for you shortly, Jomei."
**** "NO!"
Joey jerked out of bed, his heart pounding in his chest as if he'd just run a marathon. He untangled the covers from around his feet and stood up. He put a hand on the window, grounding himself to reality. The dream he'd woken up from was still fresh in his mind, and it took him a while to wrench himself away from it. His stomach heaved when his eyes landed on his bandaged wrists and he realized that it hadn't been a dream.
He ran to the bathroom and kneeled in front of the toilet, gagging. He could still smell the blood in that room, could still hear Yugi screaming for help. He put his hands over his ears, but the sound only intensified.
"Stop, please stop," he sobbed and leaned his forehead on the toilet bowl.
He had to talk to someone, had to get this off his chest, but he couldn't go to Mr. Moto. What he'd remembered would horrify the elder man and Joey hoped that he never found out the details of what had gone on in that room, what had been done to his grandson. There was someone he could talk to, though.
Joey got up and headed for Yugi's room. He'd realized on the way to the warehouse that he'd forgotten the Millennium Puzzle. He'd mentally kicked himself for his stupidity and was fairly certain that Yami would kick him too when he talked to the spirit. As Joey reached the desk, he realized that the puzzle was not where he'd left it. Frowning, he looked around the room, but didn't see the puzzle anywhere else.
"Strange," he said, his memories momentarily forgotten.
Had he taken the puzzle after all and just didn't remember doing it? Could he have laid it somewhere else? Joey searched his own room but found nothing. He went downstairs and didn't find the puzzle in the living room or the game shop. He was headed for the kitchen when he ran into Mr. Moto. The elder man was holding something in his hand. When he noticed Joey, he held the object out to him.
"A key?" Joey asked.
"It's the extra key to the back door," Mr. Moto explained. "The one we keep in that flower pot."
Joey frowned, confused. "Why do you need the extra key?"
Mr. Moto shook his head. "I went outside to see if anything had been disturbed out there. That broken lamp we found when we got back gave me a bad feeling, but I didn't find anything outside. As I was coming back in, I found the extra key in the lock."
"No one knows about that key except for you, me, and. . ."
"Yugi," Mr. Moto finished.
Joey stared at the key as if it held the answers to all of their questions. How had the key gotten into the lock? Someone had to have been trying to enter the house, but who?
"The Millennium Puzzle is missing," Joey said.
"What?"
"I went to Yugi's room to talk to Yami, but I didn't find the puzzle where I left it. I've searched the entire house except for the kitchen and the puzzle is not here."
"It's not in the kitchen," Mr. Moto said.
"Who took it? Who would know what the puzzle is except for us?" Joey asked.
"It looks like an expensive piece of jewelry, Joey."
Joey shook his head and took the key from Mr. Moto's hand.
"Why didn't whoever used this key come in? And if they did, why did they leave the key in the lock for us to know that someone had come inside?"
Mr. Moto shook his head.
Joey's heart sped up at the sudden surge of hope he felt. A key that only Yugi knew about, the missing Millennium Puzzle. . .
"Gramps, do you think it could have been Yugi?"
Mr. Moto considered the question for a moment. "Why didn't he come in? Or if he did, why did he just take the puzzle and leave? He'd have to know that we'd be worried about him," he said. "What about what the man at the docks said?"
Joey sighed, the memory he'd woken up from suddenly crashing down on him. He couldn't deny what he'd witnessed, couldn't dismiss what they'd found in that room. But what if Yugi had survived? What if he'd still been alive when they threw him into the water? Wouldn't he have wanted to come home? If that was the case, why hadn't he stayed?
"Isn't it better to hope that Yugi is alive, than to blindly believe he's dead?" Joey asked. "We've done it before, and it paid off."
Mr. Moto nodded. "If Yugi was here, he wasn't able to stay for some reason. We'll just have to wait until he comes back, or until we hear from him."
**~~**
Yami carefully examined the cards he'd laid out on the floor of his soul room. The white cards were barely visible in the dim light of the room, their black or red markings darkened by the shadows, but he didn't need the illumination to see them. He went over each of the four columns of cards, nodding in satisfaction that all were in order. With a triumphant grin, he placed the card he held in his hand, the Ace of Hearts, at the end of the last column.
"There, that should do it."
He nodded to himself again, satisfied at his mastery of the game Yugi and Joey called 'Solitaire'. They'd explained to him that it was a card game that required only one player, hence it's name. He'd been eager to learn the game, and had been pleased that he could play it by himself. After months of solitude in the puzzle, he'd become a master at it. It was wearing on him, though, and he'd begun to play it less and less. Looking at the cards now, they brought him a feeling of despair and hopelessness. How much longer would he be trapped in the puzzle? How much longer would he have to wonder about Yugi, longing for his friend and partner to return to the way he was? How much longer would he wait in hopes that Yugi would be found again? He wanted to help in the search, but in his spirit form was of little help. He hated having to depend on Kaiba of all people, but had no choice.
The sound of his soul room door opening drew Yami's attention. He frowned, since no one other than Yugi had ever come inside the room. Shadi had done it once, but he doubted that the Egyptian had come back. Yami got up off the floor, hope tingling in his chest. Could it be? Could they have found Jomei? As the door opened wider, a shaft of light cut through the shadows, gradually illuminating Yami's body.
Yami turned fully around and saw Jomei standing by the door, his eyes wide. He was still gripping the door, and Yami saw a hint of fear on the young face. He smiled reassuringly at Jomei, glad to see him. He wasn't aware that Jomei had been found, but would get angry at Joey for not telling him at a later time. All that mattered right now was that Jomei was safe and willing to talk to him. He took a step forward, and that was enough to break Jomei's paralysis. The teen ran to Yami and threw himself into the spirit's arms. Surprised, but not displeased, Yami tightly embraced his partner and friend.
"Yami, I missed you so much," Jomei said, his voice muffled by Yami's chest. "I thought I'd never see you again!"
Jomei began to sob, and clung tighter to Yami. Yami rubbed Jomei's back and soothed him until he stopped crying. He sat them both on the floor and examined his partner carefully.
"Are you okay? What happened? How did you know to come here?" Yami asked.
"What do you mean, how did I know to come here? I've known how to get here ever since you finally told me you were in the puzzle."
Yami frowned. He hadn't told Jomei how to get to his soul room because he hadn't seemed interested in doing so. Maybe he remembered how to do it on his own? The last thought intensified Yami's hope. Maybe things would turn out well after all.
"Yami, are you okay? You look confused."
"I don't remember telling you how to get to my soul room, Jomei. Could it be that you're remembering on your own?"
Jomei grinned suddenly, and hugged Yami once again.
"I remembered everything, Yami. It's me, Yugi, I'm back to myself again."
Yami's mouth opened in surprise, but then his mouth split into a rare grin. He held Yugi tightly again, before holding him at arm's length, examining his smiling and tear stained face.
"Yugi? I'm so happy to see you again. I was so worried, and then when you couldn't remember your past, I. . ." Yami trailed off as his voice broke.
"I'm sorry, Yami. It must have been hard for you and for everyone else. It's all going to be okay, now. I'm going to make sure that it is."
Yami carefully looked at Yugi, noting that he seemed different, but he couldn't really pinpoint how. Yami could only imagine what Yugi had gone through in the months that he'd been missing, and now that he remembered everything, Yami hoped that Yugi would be willing to talk to him, to let Yami help him.
"I bet your grandfather, Joey, and Kaiba were happy to see you. They were going crazy looking for you after you got taken again."
Yugi frowned, and his eyes clouded slightly. "What do you mean, Joey? He's missing, isn't he?"
Yami shook his head. "No. Kaiba found him wandering around an alley just a few days ago. When you weren't with him, we all panicked and thought something had happened." Yami paused, trying to sort everything out. "Who found you, Yugi?"
Yugi's face reflected Yami's confusion. "No one found me, Yami. Well, Mike found me in Tokyo and drove me back to Domino. When I got to the game shop, Jenkins and his men were inside. I ran into Ryou, and Bakura got the puzzle out of the house for me. I didn't see anyone else." Yugi paused. "How could Kaiba have found Joey? Shadow drugged him and placed him in a home to work, just like he did me."
Yami heard what Yugi had said, but didn't quite follow. "Joey is suffering from memory loss, but only a few weeks worth. I talked to him before they left to go to the docks to look for you."
Yugi closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he released it, Yami heard relief in the sigh. "Joey's okay. Shadow didn't take him," he said, smiling slightly. Yugi's eyes suddenly snapped open. "I guess we don't need to go to America after all," he added.
"America?" Yami asked. He'd heard of the country before from Yugi and understood that it was very far from where they were. "Why would we need to go there?"
Yugi shrugged. "I though Shadow had taken Joey to America and was going to find him. I already have some information about where to find Shadow. I guess we can track Shadow down anyway and stop him before he sets up another operation."
Yami frowned. "Yugi, where are we?"
Yugi looked around, momentarily confused, until he understood what Yami had asked.
"Oh, we're on a boat headed for the United States. Bakura snuck us onboard a few hours ago."
Yami's eyes widened at that information. Why would the tomb robber want to help them? Yugi had said that Bakura had gotten him the puzzle, and Yami was suspicious of the spirit's intentions.
"Yugi, I think there is a lot we need to talk about."
**~~**
Poor confused Yami. They sure have a lot to talk about, don't they?
Note1: Thanks to lizzy for the yami playing solitaire idea. She said it in jest, but I thought it'd be awesome to use *gives lizzy a whole bucket of buttered popcorn*.
Note2: Since I promised I'd tell you what the plot hole was, here it is:
Yugi was supposed to go to the game shop, take the puzzle, and then fly to America to find Joey. The mistake was that I forgot that when I had Yami see that Joey was okay. If Yugi took the puzzle, he'd talk to Yami and Yami would tell him that Joey was okay, which would negate the need to go to America. Then I thought I'd have Yugi go to America and leave the puzzle behind, but most of you were in favor of having Yami in the story more, so I couldn't do that. So I settled for what I wrote in this chapter. I hope it wasn't too confusing.
Next up: I have absolutely no clue. I think I've hit dreaded writer's block with this story. I was so focused on getting Yugi out of Japan that I didn't take the time to think of what he'd do when he got there, or on the way there. ARG *pulls out hair in frustration*.