A/N: As expected, I'm bored again and my second research paper is glaring at me and daring me to work on it. But it won't win this time, haha. Maybe if it's good enough I'll work on it later. I was so tired for the past days so I wasn't able to finish the next chapter and I apologize for that. Here's the next chapter. Enjoy.

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Chapter 24: It All Falls Apart

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It was easy denying one's self the luxury of feeling. It was easy to lie and say one does not need emotions to live his life. It wasn't even a challenge to forget that one was a person capable of pain and feeling. A man of such philosophy would have lived such a successful life without even blinking.

And Yami was the best example.

Until Seto Kaiba came.

Everything seemed so perfect, he was trying to live on his life without thinking of his light, pretending as if what had happened was only a nightmare meant to be forgotten. It started out just fine, and he thought his life wouldn't have been better. Who would have thought that the very man he was so determined to encourage to change was the one who would pass through all his barriers, and break through those shields he put to protect himself from loving and getting hurt like everyone else?

Who would have thought that the very man he vowed to protect was the one who taught him about second chances, the one thing he once despised to have?

He could have turned back time if he had the power to do so, would have returned to that point in his life where nothing could go wrong, where all he could think about was his foolish mistake and his missions. To that point in his life where all that was important was his job and nothing else.

"Yami, are you alright?"

The former pharaoh would have said, 'Yes, I'm okay,' he would have lied and pretended everything in his cursed life was fine, was perfect but he kept his mouth shut and looked away. Mokuba would understand that he didn't want to talk, wouldn't he?

Mokuba frowned when the other avoided his gaze but all the more knowing and respecting the other's decision to avoid his question. His brother and the agent think alike at times after all.

Yami sipped at his cup of coffee.

"Here," Seto said, handing the cup of coffee to the agent.

"Thanks," answered Yami, taking the coffee and took a sip.

Seto smiled before sitting down beside the agent and stared intently at the other.

"Do you need something, Kaiba?"

"Nothing. What happened to you, Yami?"

"What do you mean?"

The former pharaoh sighed in defeat when the "flashback" ended, wondering if when he touches yet another object a memory of the CEO will come back to haunt him.

Mokuba glanced at the other in utmost concern before taking interest on his iced tea. God knows how long they have been sitting in this coffee shop but he was sure they didn't care. Besides, Yami needed to take his mind off his problems for once.

"Yami?"

"Yes Mokuba?"

"Do you want to leave now?"

"Do you want to leave? It's your call, Mokuba," answered the agent, finishing his cup of coffee. Those men on the other table were looking at them suspiciously and he couldn't help but finger his gun. Mokuba followed his gaze and stared back at the agent, nodding in agreement, "I think we should go, Yami, I have some homework to finish," he said.

"Okay, Mokuba," answered the former pharaoh and rose from his seat. Side by side the two exited and headed for the agent's car. Yami scowled sensing the two men were following them.

"Mokuba, if something happens, you have to run away, alright?" the former pharaoh whispered and readied his gun. The two felt like trouble to them. It spelt like it.

"But what about you, Yami?" the younger Kaiba asked.

"I'll be fine," answered Yami, "Go hide."

Mokuba hid the moment the other told him so and watched as the former pharaoh turned around and faced the two men, knowing they were Nightstalkers but he couldn't help but be worried for the other's safety.

"Surrender or you get hurt, Yami Motou," said the taller man. Yami arched an eyebrow, "Are you scaring me or are you daring me to fight you?" he asked back.

"It's your choice," said the other man.

Yami shrugged nonchalantly and watched as the rest of the hiding Nightstalkers appeared, and he cursed inwardly for not even bringing another set of magazines for his guns. Stealing a glance at Mokuba, who was hiding nearby and staring at him with concern, he hoped the other wouldn't get harmed and get away.

With a blink of an eye he found himself outnumbered and he took out his guns, suddenly—

"YAMI HELP!"

The agent turned to Mokuba, seeing three nightstalkers cornering the younger Kaiba.

"MOKUBA!"

The former pharaoh took out his guns and aimed at the men, "Leave him alone or you all die," he threatened, feeling the others point their guns at him but damn did he care. He would not allow something to happen to Mokuba, no way.

"Drop your gun and he doesn't get hurt," said the man who was pointing his gun at the agent.

Yami eyed the younger Kaiba, as if noiselessly ordering the other to run away as he frowned and dropped his gun. He hated getting caught in these situations. He hated it with a passion.

WHAM

"YAMI!"

Mokuba's voice rang through his head as his vision swirled in circles. Yami closed his eyes and sank to his knees. The last thing he saw was Mokuba running away and everything went black.

"You fool! You let the boy go!"

"Martin, it is fine. We have the agent, now let's go," said the acting leader as he picked the unconscious agent up and hoisted him up to his shoulder, "The boy's useless, he doesn't matter."

Or so he thought.

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"BROTHER! BAKURA! HELP!"

Mokuba raced to his brother's office, not minding the glances the employees were giving him.

"What is it, Mokuba?" Seto asked. Bakura placed his magazine down and waited for the younger Kaiba to continue whatever he was dying to say and wondered where Yami was.

"Yami… he was—"

"Mokuba, what about Yami?" Seto asked impatiently.

Bakura eyed the brothers. Why did he have this nagging feeling that something has happened to Yami?

Mokuba swallowed the lump in his throat and stared at his brother squarely in the eye.

"Mokuba?" Seto asked, picking up his mug and took a sip of his coffee.

"He was taken by the Nightstalkers, Seto."

"WHAT THE HELL!" Bakura cried.

They all but stopped as the mug of coffee fell to the floor and shattered into tiny pieces.