Authors Note: I hope I haven't lost most of my readers with my break in between chapters. I promise the rest of the story will be worth your while, as you've already guessed I've made a big effort to mount up to the ending. Don't worry I've still got a lot of questions to answer before I end the story so it'll be a while before you see the words THE END. I always planned on this story being a long one. Keep with me, you might like the ending. And of course since this is a M rated story you might see some uh... lemon like scenes later so if I offend anyone I apologize, but I'm giving you fair warning. As always, read on, enjoy, and review!

Thanks,

Kako

Anzu woke up the next morning feeling somehow more groggy than usual. She looked over at her alarm clock that read 6:34 AM. She groaned and tried to cover her head with her covers but found resistance at the end. Confused, she looked down to see a giant black mass cuddled up into a black ball. When Anzu moved a head lifted up and a tail started to wag.

"Lady?"

The dog thumped her tail even harder on the down comforter and yawned as she stared at Anzu with apprehension.

"What are you doing here girl?"

Then she remembered, Yugi had offered Lady to spend the night with her before they had separated last night. Anzu vaguely remembered mentioning to Yugi that she hadn't wanted to be alone. "I think you need some girl time," he said before excusing himself to leave. "I'll be right back," To her surprise he returned twenty minutes later with an eager and friendly dog.

"I think Lady gets tired of my company sometimes anyway," he said.

The three of them had a good time, Yugi and Anzu catching up and occasionally playing with Lady around her apartment. When Yugi left at midnight to go home he hadn't kissed goodbye, but he gave Anzu a hug promising to get Lady in the morning.

Anzu was grateful that Yugi had left Lady for the night. She didn't feel lonely after he had left and she genuinely missed having the dog around.

Anzu rose from her bed to look out the window. The rain from the day before had disappeared and a bright sun was struggling over the horizon with pink and yellow colored hues lighting up the skyscrapers that surrounded her building. She could see early morning runners moving around like ants in Central Park below her and people already fighting to get to work on time in the streets.

Lady had stepped off her bed to stand next to her as she looked out the window and Anzu petted her head. Lady started to lean against her, her eyes closed in bliss.

"I bet you're hungry," She said not expecting an answer.

Lady just stared at her as if to say Please feed me.

Anzu left her bedroom and went into the kitchen where Yugi had left Lady's bowl and dog food from the night before. She filled it and left Lady to eat as she looked through her fridge.

"Hmm, eggs and bacon sounds good…"

The phone rang, snapping Anzu out of her thoughts.

"Vinny," Anzu said recognizing her number. "What in the world are you doing up this early? You're never up on a Saturday," Anzu said friendlily.

"I just got so excited, I needed to call and tell you right away!" She said in her usual over reacted tone.

"What?" Anzu said keeping her usual calm.

"I got a call from Bruce, my go-to guy for Broadway shows,"

"And?" Anzu could practically see her bouncing up and down with excitement.

"I got you Phantom of the Opera! You're going to play Christine Daaè!"

"You…You did?" Anzu felt her heart swell with excitement. She had wanted to play Christine for years. Finally, she would get to play in a well known show like the Phantom of the Opera!

"How?"

"They saw your last show several weeks ago and apparently have been dying to have you ever since. When they heard you went on sabbatical they had tried auditions and a few other dancers but none came through for them. They want you honey!"

"I can't believe it," Anzu said sitting down staring ahead of her in awe.

"Believe it!" After a few seconds of silence from Anzu, Vinny spoke again. "Do you think you can do it honey?" Vinny said in a calmer more sympathetic voice. After all Anzu had lost her mother just a few weeks ago and her father had left the country to grieve on his own, jumping back into a job right away might not be the best thing for her.

"My mother would slap me silly if she knew I'd turned down Phantom. I want her to be proud of me, so of course I'll do it." Anzu said smiling despite herself. She knew her mother would have been happy for her.

"Great! I'll tell the producers right away. Practice begins next week so be there on time!" She said laughing as she hung up the phone.

Anzu felt happier than she had in a long time. It felt so good to smile again that her cheeks started to hurt from so much use.

"I'm going to play Christine…" She said as she watched the sun rise through her balcony window.

…

Honda had been up so long that when he looked out of his office window he was confused. Is it sunrise or sunset? He thought to himself before looking at his clock to find that it was nearly seven in the morning. He sighed in defeat. He had been up all night going through what Vinny had brought him the afternoon before. That also meant it was his shift to watch Yugi when his partner would return at eight. Honda was exhausted, he had never felt more tired in his life and he had more questions than answers than when he started. Being a cop was something he had always wanted to be after his father died while on duty when he was a kid, but dammit that didn't mean he had to like all parts of the job. Honda looked over his notes again and through the pictures and case file that Vinny had left him to try and see if he could find anything new. If the evidence this provided was true, then Darin Carmichael was kin to the most dangerous family in the city since the Corleones. So far there were pictures of Darin meeting with well known drug dealers, smugglers, and syndicate bosses in New York. This only proved that either he was a lackey, a low solider making errands in the family's name, or a true family member making business deals with future partners. Either was possible if what Vinny's brother collected was true.

The coffee maker pinged and Honda put down the case file to retreat to the only thing keeping him standing. He felt life welt through him as the wonderful sludge warmed his body.

Honda found it hard to accept what he was looking at completely. He had already proven that the pictures were genuine and hadn't been tampered with, but the fact that Vinny had sent in her brother into the snakes nest to get the pictures made him uneasy. She didn't seem like the type to throw someone under the bus for possible revenge, but he couldn't rule her motives out.

What her brother collected wasn't much. It might get him landed in jail of course, but it wasn't enough to keep him in prison should it be taken to court. Vinny must have known that by bringing it to him instead of the local police.

She said that Yugi and Anzu were in danger…could she have meant something other than what we have already?

A loud bang at his door made Honda groan.

"Yugi?" Honda said answering his office door.

"Whoa Honda, you look like hell," Yugi said letting himself in.

"That's why I have a couch in my office. So I can take power naps to keep from looking like hell,"

"I came to tell you that you are off 'Yugi' watch today,"

"Where's my partner?"

"No clue, but you're not going to be following me around today Honda,"

"Oh?"

"Yep, and if you do I might just have to get violent," Yugi joked punching Honda in the arm.

"How ya figure?"

"Shizuka's in town. You're spending the day with her,"

"Serenity?" Honda said reverting to Jounochi's sisters' nickname. "What's she doing here?"

Yugi shrugged. "I guess she's here to see you,"

"I don't want her here,"

"Geez, if you didn't like her…"

"That's not it. This is ground zero Yugi! Where everything bad has been happening! You got kidnapped, some strange signal has been keeping us from contact here, and Darin is…"

"What about Darin?" Yugi said making all friendly emotions disappear.

"He's…" Honda shrugged in defeat. "He's just a bad guy Yugi. Real bad news,"

"Anzu dated him; he can't be that terrible,"

Honda couldn't believe his ears. The guy that had threatened to take Anzu away from him and Yugi was defending him.

"Yes, Yugi he can be,"

"You're not going to tell me why are you?"

"I'm not sure of all the evidence yet, it'd be kinda pointless to tell you now anyway,"

Yugi huffed, nodded, and walked over to the coffee machine and poured himself a cup.

"Fine, but you are seeing Shizuka today and you are not going to have anyone follow me under any circumstance today. That would be pointless anyway."

"Why's that?"

"The duelist school is finally finished; I'm going to the grand opening and speaking. Kaiba's already got that whole part of my day loaded with snipers, gunmen, and guards watching me already. I don't need one of my best friends added into the bunch."

"Yugi, I know it makes you uncomfortable, but—

"You're changing the subject. Shizuka's plane arrives at three; she's expecting you to pick her up at JFK,"

"When was that set up?"

"When I was on the phone with her and Jounochi last night,"

"Why is she here Yugi?" Honda said somewhat angry.

"I suspect it's to see you," Yugi responded not being one once regretful or hurt from Honda's temper.

"She and I…. It's complicated,"

"I know it is," Yugi said smiling sympathetically. "I know how you feel about this man, and by know I mean I literally know," Honda smiled at that. Yugi's romantic relationship wasn't any better than his own. "But that's why you gotta fix it. I'm going to fix it today and so should you,"

"Ah, the real reason you don't want to be followed. You're going on a date with Anzu,"

"Not quite. I haven't asked her yet, but I doubt she'll say no today,"

"A little cocky are we?"

"No. Just confident," Yugi smiled and Honda couldn't help but feel better for it. He had seen Yugi when he was a small, frightened, pushover and had seen him change after Atem helped him grow. He was happy to see his friend so confident in himself, it was a good change.

"Alright I'll pick her up at three,"

"Good," Yugi said with a nod. "Now go home and go to bed. You look like hell chewed you up and spat you back out."

…

Shizuka was nervous during the cab ride to the Domino Airport. The last time she had seen Honda was during his and Jounochi's graduation party and that hadn't ended well.

"Why are you being so cold to me Honda?"

"I don't know what you're talking about Shizuka,"

The two of them had left the party quietly to talk on the patio in peace. She had confronted Honda about his nature towards her and he had pulled her outside. He had a beer in his hand that he had barely touched, but was now chugging religiously in her presence.

"Don't call me that,"

"Call you what?"

"Shizuka. You always call me Serenity,"

"Do I?" He said taking another drink.

"Stop it!" She said grabbing the bottle out of his hands. If she was going to talk to him, it was going to be while he was sober. He didn't let her take it so he held on to it as she pulled. The struggle resulted in the alcohol splashing all over Shizuka and the bottle breaking at her feet, cutting her toes. She knew then that there was no point in talking to him anymore. Honda tried to pull her back to him worried over her now bleeding feet.

"Serenity," he said reaching for her hand.

"Just let me go,"

He did exactly as she said and he regretted it. He should have ignored her request and picked her up and carried her to the kitchen where he would have taken care of her, but he hadn't.

He had let her go.

And he didn't follow her.

…

To this day Shizuka still didn't know what had fully happened that night. She had wanted to call after she went home the next day to Okinawa to look after her mother, but she didn't and Honda didn't call either. She wanted to apologize, but mostly she wanted to see Honda and tell him it was ok for what happened. She knew he hadn't meant to hurt her, it was an accident after all.

That didn't keep her from being nervous.

She wasn't sure why she had let her brother talk her into this.

"I don't know why you guys spilt up, but there is too much sadness with all of us already. You need to fix this Shizuka," Jounochi had said to her over the phone and had agreed to fly into Domino to see Jounochi before she left on a plane to Los Angeles.

I hope he'll pick me up like Yugi said he would…

…

The knock on Anzu's door could only be Yugi. She was glad she had managed to shower, get dressed, and put some makeup on before he had arrived. She opened the door with a smile and let Yugi in the door.

"Hi miss Lady," he said as Lady jumped all over him licking his face. He hugged his dog and eventually got her to calm down.

"Sorry I didn't say hello to you first," He said pulling Anzu into a hug.

"It's ok. She was happy to see you,"

"I'm happy to see you," Yugi said. Anzu should have been used to this forwardness from Yugi but she wasn't. She would still think back to that little high schooler that got beat up in class. Even the Yugi she had left behind all those years ago, even after Atem had changed him, wouldn't have been this forward with her.

"I'm happy to see you too Yugi," she said shyly.

"Am I making you nervous?" He said with a hint of smugness in his tone.

"Maybe. Does that make you feel better?" She said half serious-half playful.

"I think it makes me feel different. Not necessarily better. I was always the nervous one around you remember?"

She did remember. She remembered how she thought he was cute for it, but mostly remembering her annoyance over wishing he would stick up for himself.

"What made you change? You never were this way even after Atem,"

Probably because I died from stab wounds.

"Honestly, I don't know," Yugi lied. Over all of the things they talked about the night before he hadn't told her about his back being ripped open, or being kidnapped and put into a fish tank, or being targeted. He wasn't sure why he hadn't revealed all of this to her, he just couldn't bring himself to talk about it.

"Maybe I woke up after losing you once," Yugi thought about it as he said it and it was true. He had changed after she had left to live in New York.

"You found me again," She said stepped towards him and kissing him for a change. She caught him by surprise and a shot of victory ran through her. She was glad to surprise him for once.

Yugi didn't pull away after he got over the initial shock and closed his eyes. He pulled Anzu closer to him and brought his hand to the back of her neck deepening the kiss. They stayed there for several moments just wrapped up in each other ignoring the rest of the world. When Yugi broke the kiss he was glad to see in Anzu's eyes that she hadn't wanted to end it.

"I was hoping we could uncomplicate things between us," He said keeping the closeness between them. "Would you like to go on a date with me today?"

Anzu ran through her mental calendar and realized she was completely free until her first practice next week.

"Of course," She said smiling. Yugi smiled too before giving her one more quick kiss.

"Good cause there's one place I want to take you before we start,"

Of all the things Yugi hadn't wanted to share with Anzu, his financial situation was a rare one. He wanted to surprise her with his opening of the duelist school today and show her the part of him he had shared with the rest of his friends. Anzu hadn't been around to see him become the person he was today and this grand opening was something he had wanted to show her to have her see what she missed after all these years.

"Oh?" She said genuinely confused yet intrigued.

"Did I ever tell you what I did for a living?"

Anzu shook her head. "Honda mentioned to me you became a teacher…" She said thinking back trying to remember if Honda had said anything else.

"Something like that," He said smiling.

…

"So, you're a multi-billionaire that works for KaibaCorp by going around and running the duelist schools located around the world,"

"Uh huh," Yugi said as they rounded a corner in the limo. Anzu had been shocked at the limo that had been waiting for them downstairs, but Yugi had explained how he had come to afford it.

"You've uh," Anzu said choosing her words carefully. "You've come a long way from sweeping floors in your grandfathers gaming shop,"

Yugi laughed. "Yeah, I guess I have,"

"You work for Kaiba?"

"Yes, but don't tell him that. I like to make him think I make it difficult for him,"

"If someone had told me when we were in high school that you would work for Kaiba I would have laughed in their face,"

"After you punched them?"

"Yes, after that," Anzu said somewhat in a daze. She still hadn't gotten over the fact that Yugi and Kaiba were working together, much less that he was a billion, ah hem, multi-billionaire.

"Why haven't you partnered with Kaiba? Surely it would benefit you both then?" She asked out curiosity.

"Then I'd never get out," Yugi said and Anzu looked at him confused, but he didn't get the chance to explain because they had pulled up to the red carpet leading into the huge skyscraper above them. Anzu had only been by this neighborhood twice and it had been during early construction. She laughed at her pervious thought that it would turn into another luxury apartment building.

Yugi opened to door and Lady ran out onto the carpet knowing where to go.

"Ready?" He said offering his hand.

"As I'll ever be," she said taking his hand and drowning herself in the loud screams of fans and a sea flashing lights.

…

Yugi stopped to make sure that every single pad of paper, photo of him, and rare dueling card was signed by him as he made his way through the red carpet. The security guards on the floor and in the balconies knew his habits and knew how to watch out for him.

Then why do I have to be stuck here watching it all happen on a TV screen? The older man thought to himself as he watched enviously. He wasn't particularly a fan of Yugi's reputation as the King of Games, but he was a fan of his relationship with his admirers. Yugi was a kind celebrity that went out of his way to make a fan feel special no matter what and that was what the old man appreciated. His grandson had been in the crowd waiting by the red carpet and he had watched as Yugi shook his hand, signed the poster, and the card, and the autograph book. He was sure he'd hear all about how he had met the great Yugi Mouto when he picked him up later that evening.

He had wished he had been down there with his grandson to see the light in his eyes, but zooming in on the screen was the best he could get. He wasn't sure who the girl was, but Yugi's dog Lady had let is grandson pet her. His grandson loved dogs, now he was sure he would hear begging to get a puppy now.

A sudden flash across one of the screens made the old man look away from his grandson. One of the guards in the upper balcony lay there on the floor unconscious as whatever it was stayed just out of sight of the camera and pulled the guard into a supply closet.

"Dispatch, I have a possible 1-80 on the third floor, upper balcony. Send back up," The man radioed, and heard a reply a few seconds later.

"Will do Charlie,"

The old man didn't relax until he saw five men enter into the third floor and check every room and every inch of the upper balcony.

"Charlie there's no one here. Are you pulling our legs?" One of the guards radioed annoyed.

"No, dammit I saw someone take out that new guy and pull him into the supply closet!"

"There's no one in the supply closet Charlie, and I heard the new guy was fired yesterday for smoking on the job,"

Charlie didn't reply. He was sure he had seen it on the screen, but as he rewound the tape there was no evidence that it had occurred. That was impossible! He had just seen it and he was sure the tape was recording. The only thing that showed up on screen was one guard showing up to take the place of another during a shift change.

"Am I going insane?"

…

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