A/N: Hey there all! Thank you for your concern. I am feeling much better now! I hope you like the chappie! *huggles*

Yugi placed the key into a lock he had not unlocked in years. He smiled up at Atem as he turned the key and opened the door to his grandfather's game shop called Kame Game Shop. It was early morning, not even six am yet. A thick fog blanketed Domino silencing the world around them. The tri-colored couple tip-toed through the door trying not to wake anyone.

Yugi closed the door behind them and locked it before turning to Atem and whispered, "These stairs creak loudly, so step where I step." Atem nodded as he watched Yugi's small form ascend the flight of wooden stairs; each footstep strategically placed to not make any noise. He guided Atem down the hall to his old bedroom. He cracked the door open and peered inside to see an empty queen sized bed.

He placed his bags near the bed, "Grandpa must have Layla sleeping in the guest room."

Atem gently set the luggage down next to Yugi's before hugging his petite lover looking around the room, "So this is where you grew up?" Yugi nodded. "I like it. It is very comfortable and very you."

Yugi blushed, "Do you want to come with me to wake up Layla?" Atem grinned and nodded. The two crept halfway down the hall; Yugi paused in front of a door. He breathed in quietly as he slowly cracked the door open. Laying in the center of the bed with her limbs sprawled out all over the place was Layla. Her tri-colored hair partially covered her face the rest flowed down to silken pile on the pillow. Yugi sat on the edge of the bed and brushed her hair out of her face and behind her ear. A soft groan escaped her lips as she shifted in the bed. Atem came to kneel next to the bed.

"I told you she is more beautiful than the Northern Lights." Atem whispered to Yugi. The violet eyed man nodded in agreement.

Yugi leaned over Layla placing a kiss on her cheek, he whispered in her ear, "Good morning my love."

Crimson tinted violet snapped open, "Daddy!" She sat up hugging her father before seeing Atem. Tears danced in her large eyes as she climbed out of bed and encircled her arms around Atem's shoulders. In a way she was use to being away from Yugi; Atem however, she had not been away from since the day she was born. Atem stood lifting his daughter and placing her on the bed between Yugi and himself.

"We missed you, Layla." Atem commented kissing her on the forehead.

"I missed you both too. Did you have fun in Iceland?" She asked wiping the tears away.

"We did. Have you had fun here?" Atem asked.

"Mhm! Great Grandpa Muto is amazing! I've been helping him some in the shop. He even payed me!" She said excitedly.

"Good for you!" Yugi patted her back.

"I met your friends, Daddy." She smirked looking at Yugi.

"Oh Ra…" Yugi rolled his violet eyes, "Did they behaved themselves?"

Layla giggled, "Yes. They have been great. Are you going to see them soon?"

Yugi nodded, "Hopefully!"

"I thought I recognized that voice!" Solomon entered into the room with a large grin on his face as he approached the doppelgangers.

"Grandpa!" Yugi stood crossing the room in only a few strides. He hugged his grandfather with a little more enthusiasm than he had planned.

Solomon groaned, "Not so rough my boy. You've gotten much stronger over the years; and I have become somewhat frail."

"I'm sorry grandpa." Yugi apologized hugging him more softly this time.

"Atem, how are you?" Solomon bowed before the pharaoh before hugging him.

"That is not necessary Solomon." Atem smiled at the elderly man.

"I am just showing my respect and please, Atem, call me grandpa." The silver haired Muto responded.

"I will call you grandpa if you stop bowing to me." Atem grinned.

"Deal." Solomon commented. "You two look exhausted, why don't you go into Yugi's room and get some sleep?"

"That sounds like a very good idea," Yugi said with a large yawn, "Let's go." Atem stood and followed Yugi out of the guest room and down the hall back to Yugi's room. They decided to sleep for a few hours before catching up with grandpa and telling Layla more about their trip.

\/\/\/

Atem, Yugi, and Layla stood before the large heavy double doors leading to the Kaiba mansion. Atem rang the doorbell. Yugi swayed back and forth from his heels to the balls of his feet and back to his heels. Apparently the Kaiba brothers had become fairly close with Yugi's friends and they all decided to throw a party at the Kaiba mansion.

A tall muscular raven haired man answered the door. His long thick black hair flowed down his back.

"Hello, Mokuba. You sure have grown up," Atem smiled at the youngest Kaiba shaking his hand.

Mokuba smiled, "Come on in. Everyone else is already here." Mokuba stepped to the side allowing the three to enter.

"Thank you. Also, Mokuba, I would like to introduce you to my husband, Yugi, and our daughter, Layla."

"It's nice to finally meet the infamous Yugi." Mokuba extended his had to which Yugi accepted in a firm handshake. "I already know Layla! We go way back!" Mokuba and Layla did a secret handshake.

"Is that right?" Yugi chuckled.

Layla nodded, "Oh yea! We go all the way back to three weeks ago." She giggled. "Is Akefia here too?" she asked looking up at the youngest Kaiba.

Mokuba nodded, "He's in the living room with the others. Follow me." Mokuba motioned for the three to come with him. He guided them into a large room with wooden floors and a large expensive looking rug that rested in the middle of the room. Three large couches circled a marble coffee table. Silence fell over the room as the three entered. Yugi's friends taking in his change in appearance.

"Wow, Yug, you look fantastic!" Joey exclaimed as he gave Yugi a nuggie. Something the petite man had not missed. He squirmed out of Joey's grip giving him a mock glare before smiling at the tall blonde.

"Layla!" Akefia ran over to Layla hugging her. He pulled her away and dragged her over to one of the couches. The two jumped immediately into an animated conversation.

All of Yugi's friends greeted Yugi and Atem with a hug or a hand shake. Ryou, Bakura, Malik, Marik, Duke, Tristen, Joey, and the Kaiba brothers stood around Yugi and Atem catching up on eachother's lives. Bakura and Marik became board of the conversation and snuck off on their own.

Yugi had just finished telling the group about his trip to the Amazon when his violet eyes landed on Bakura talking with Layla and Akefia, "Uh….is it such a good idea to have the Thief King conversing with the 7 and 8 year old?"

"He hasn't been too bad around them these past few weeks," Ryou commented smiling at Bakura. Said Theif King had just taken his large pocket knife from his rear pocket. It opened with a simple flick of the albino's wrist. Ryou facepalmed, "Until now. I'll be right back." The group watched as Ryou approached Bakura taking the pocket knife away from him and scolding him.

"What babe? I was just showing it to them and telling them about its many uses." Bakura smirked.

Ryou's chocolate brown eyes rolled, "No. Put it away." Ryou folded the knife back into its case before tossing it to Bakura who caught it easily. Layla and Akefia giggled at the confrontation. Bakura turned towards them and gave them a sneaky wink.

"Lunch is served." One of the servants came to inform the group.

"Allright! I'm starven!" Joey punched the air excitedly.

"Joey, you are always starving. I think someone replaced your stomach with a black hole," Malik smiled at the blonde.

"Shush." Joey commented as they all followed the man outside to where a large table was set out for them to use on the lovely spring day. Each took a chair around the table and breathed in the delicious smelling food. The table was laden with BBQ chicken, ribs, corn, mashed potatoes, a fruit platter, a vegetable platter, and a salad. Everyone chattered merrily as they ate and continued with the catch up stories.

Layla took a bite of chicken at the same moment Akefia made a silly face during his story. She burst out laughing as he started ripping the meat away from the bone of a rib. Layla gasped for breath as she laughed. Her crimson-tinted violet orbs grew wide as she began to panic. Her small frame shaking violently as she tried to make a noise. Everyone around her was either eating or laughing at the others. Tears formed in her bright eyes as she reached out for Akefia's hand and clutched his wrist with such force he dropped the rib.

"Ow, Layla what was that for?" he asked looking up at her and seeing her panic. She clutched at her throat, "LAYLA!" Akefia jumped out of his seat and pulled Layla to her feet. The shout drew the attention of each pair of adult eyes at the table. Akefia was behind Layla with his arms wrapped around her torso pulling her close to him as hard as he could repeatedly. By the time Yugi and Atem had run to the end of the long table where the children where, the chicken went flying out of her mouth and landed on the grass as she collapsed in Akefia's arms; her shaking legs unable to hold her up. Both Yugi and Atem wrapped Layla in their strong arms hugging her trembling form.

"Thank you, Akefia." Yugi whispered as he rocked Layla back and forth.

"Where did you learn the Heimlich Maneuver, Akefia?" Atem asked; one hand resting on his daughter the other holding the young Egyptian.

"I don't know. I just reacted when I saw she was choking."

Atem brought the small tan form of Akefia into a bone crushing hug, "I don't know how I will ever repay you for saving her. Thank you."

"I am just happy whatever I did worked." Akefia whispered. Atem felt the boy's small body shaking in his arms. All of the group surrounded the four sitting on the grass watching in startled amazement. They all patted the young Egyptian's back commenting on his fast action and thanking him for saving the young Egyptian princess.

"Do you want to go back to Great Grandpa Muto?" Yugi asked Layla.

"No. I want to stay here." She whimpered.

"Okay. If you change your mind let us know and we will go." The violet eyed man gave her one more hug before Akefia helped her to her feet and Atem helped Yugi to his feet. Everyone went back to their seats to finish eating. The rest of the meal was eaten in silence no one wanting to break it. No one knowing what to say.

After everyone was done, Layla and Akefia asked Seto if they could go swimming in the heated pool. He nodded and told them where to find towels. The two children ran out of the house after changing, Akefia in red trunks and Layla in an orange one-piece. Their giggles filled the air as they ran towards the pool. They both dropped their towels on the side and continued running. Akefia captured Layla around the waist and pulled her into the deep end of the pool. The both resurfaced laughing. Layla placed her hands on Akefia's shoulders as she pushed him down into the water for a few seconds before releasing him and winking. He splashed her eliciting a squeak.

Bakura chuckled quietly to himself.

"What so funny?" Ryou asked leaning closer to his taller look-a-like.

"Ah. Young love," he whispered.

"What are you talking about?" Ryou asked tilting his head to the side, his silver locks falling over his shoulders.

"Layla and Akefia. Those two are made for eachother. It is a different kind of love right now, but if you watch them, you just know that when they are older, they will end up together." Bakura smirked.

Ryou's chocolate brown eyes widened as watched the two children. His hand raising to his lips, "Ra, Bakura, I think your right."

"I know I am," the thief king smirked.

"BONZAI!" Joey and Marik dove into the pool, both trying to make the largest splash possible. Marik won by a longshot. The tense mood at the party lightened up as each of them went to change into their trunks and either lay out or go swimming.