It had been a long day. Between the multiple visitors and seeing Yugi, it was overwhelming. Tea felt exhaustion weigh upon her body, but for some reason her mind remained fresh. She couldn't slow down the endless swarm of thoughts that buzzed around head.

Despite her physical fatigue, she wheeled herself to the window. The hospital overlooked downtown Domino City, a sight she had not seen in quite some time. It was a clear night and the stars glimmered over the city, adding to the dazzling brightness of the night sky.

Although the scenery was beautiful, Tea couldn't get her mind to shut up about Yugi. After her apology and Yugi's unyielding forgiveness, they had only briefly talked. It was awkward, but Tea didn't care, she had missed her best friend. Even though they took time to catch up, neither one of them chose to speak about their relationship status. Yugi promised Tea he'd take her out to dinner once she was released from the hospital so they could have a proper conversation. Unfortunately, her mind was unyielding and her attention shifted to another thought… Kaiba.

Tea grit her teeth. Where had that bastard been? It was almost a week since they left the virtual world and they were recovering on the same floor! What the hell was taking him so long to speak with her? If she went to him first, her friends might wonder, and she couldn't risk that. Maybe now that they had left for the evening she could try and visit Kaiba…

She glanced at the clock on the wall next to her. Ten to eight. Kaiba would more than likely still be awake. Should she go see him? Would he want to see her?

Tea closed her eyes and swallowed back her fears. Memories of their time together flashed through her mind. This time, she saw him sitting in that quaint coffee shop in New York City, his blue irises reflecting off hers. He held up his coffee mug, clinking it with hers. She recalled the beaming look on his face after he took a sip, and the flush of embarrassment that washed over him when she pointed to his foam mustache.

She opened her eyes, realizing she was the luckiest girl in the world. Few had ever witness the more carefree side of Seto Kaiba, and she was fortunate enough to have been given that opportunity. But even still, he wasn't here now, when she needed him most.

Someone had cleared their throat, and the unwelcoming sound propelled a wave of chills that travelled throughout Tea's body. She didn't hear anyone come in. Maybe it was the nurse? She began to turn her wheelchair around to face the unknown visitor.


The muscles in his esophagus twitched and the back of his throat dried up the moment he laid his eyes on her. She was gazing out the window, her back to him. Kaiba's heart sank the moment he saw her in that wheelchair. Her long-term coma had taken away her mobility, and Kaiba couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt, like he should've helped her sooner.

He involuntarily cleared his throat. When the sound echoed throughout the room, he saw her body stiffen. He realized his cover had been blown. It was time to face her.

Kaiba could've sworn he saw every bone in in her body through her delicate hospital clothing. She was so frail, and she was doing everything she could to adjust her wheelchair to properly face him. It was so bizarre. He had just seen her strength as they escaped the virtual world, but now he was witnessing her regrettable reality.

The wheelchair stopped moving. There she was, staring at him with wide eyes and an open mouth. Kaiba clutched his IV pole tightly as her eyes locked with his. It was as if he couldn't bare the weight of her piercing gaze. She tore into his soul with a look of astonishment and scrutiny.

"Tea…" His voice was now raspier than ever.

"Seto…" She responded to him instantly, but hearing her say his name gave him shivers that reverberated throughout his entire being. How he'd missed the sound of her voice. He had missed everything about her.

Her eyes scanned him and he felt their judgement. "You look terrible," she said.

"I feel terrible." He wanted to tell her that she looked just as bad, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. Even though her face was pale, dark circles surrounded her eyes, her cheeks were sunken in, and her hair was discolored, overgrown and matted, she was still beautiful to him.

The usual bouts of silence shrouded their conversation as they took time to observe one another, shocked by each other's appearances. The last time Kaiba had seen Tea she looked healthy, but that was in the virtual world. She looked skeletal now, but he assumed he looked just the same. He hadn't been able to eat anything since his mind plummeted back to reality, hence his constant attachment to his IV.

The biggest shocker to Kaiba was that Tea was in a wheelchair. He felt guilt sneak up on him once again, like it was somehow his fault she had ended up that way. "I'm sorry you're in a wheelchair." The sentence came out awkwardly, and he could see the hurt look on Tea's face. It was almost as if she were embarrassed about it.

"It's not your fault…" She looked away from him, her eyes darting toward the floor.

"I didn't realize this side effect could happen due to long-term use of the virtual reality system."

"It's fine, Kaiba. You didn't know," her voice was shallow and strained, "you had to get me out of my comatose state no matter what it took."

And it cost you your legs! Kaiba seethed. His self-reproach was overwhelming, but he didn't know what else to say. Tea had suffered more than he did and he didn't know how to make it better.

"Besides," she continued, "my doctor is convinced I'll be able to walk again once I get my strength back and go through rehab."

Kaiba was relieved to hear that. "I went through this same thing, you know."

"Yeah," her eyes shot back to him, "I was there."

He shook his head, "No, before the virtual world. I was in a coma and ended up in a wheelchair."

"The first time Yugi defeated you. When he used Exodia."

Kaiba was stunned, "You remember that?"

"Yeah, we were all hoping you would get better, especially Yugi."

He just looked at her, surprised she recalled all of this.

She sighed, "Look Kaiba, there's no need to come here and tell me you understand. I get it. You feel bad, but it doesn't make my situation any better."

"I-" He cut himself off by biting on his lower lip. His regret took over, "Look, you're right. You don't need my empathy. I was the one who put you in that virtual reality. It was my responsibility to take care of you, and right now," he clenched his fist and scrunched his eyebrows together, "I can't do a damn thing to help you!"

She simply stared at him. Kaiba could see she was thinking about something but couldn't assess what. After a few long moments, she spoke.

"Why did you come here, Kaiba?"

"I wanted to see how you were doing." He knew that answer would be too simple for her. There was more meaning behind her words than she led on, and he knew that.

"Why now?"

He opened his mouth to speak but she quickly shot him down. Her eyes flaring with fury.

"Why not right away? You knew I was here! I told Mokuba! You could've visited me sooner."

"I didn't want to disrupt your time with your family and friends." His defense was weak.

"I thought you cared more than that."

Kaiba fumed right back at her, "I thought you did too!? That wheelchair of yours works, right? So why didn't you come visit me?"

"It's a bit more complicated than that, Kaiba!"

"Really? How?"

She visibly shuttered. With shaking hands, she began to turn her wheelchair away from him.

"Don't turn your back on me, Tea!" She stopped moving, but her eyes faced the opposite direction. "I told you I wouldn't be able to give you up. I'm sorry it took me so long to find the courage to face you. I wasn't sure if you wanted me too…" His declaration was heartfelt and honest, probably one of the most honest confessions he'd ever had toward a person other than Mokuba.

Her unruly hair hid much of her face from him, but Kaiba was still able to see the pained expression that was painted into her azure eyes. She was struggling, but with what? What was so difficult about admitting her feelings? If he could do it, then so could she, unless…

"You're right." The air in the room became heavy and stale, it's weight pressing down on Kaiba, slowly and uncomfortably.

He almost didn't want to ask the question, "What do you mean by that?"

She turned to him, tears welling up in the corners of her eyes. She tried so hard to hold them back, but she let a few of them fall. "You're right… I don't want you."

The world paused for a moment as Kaiba felt his blood run cold. This girl had just ripped his heart out right in front of him and left it on the ground to rot. The worst part about it was that he just let her.

His defensive walls began to rise. There had to be another explanation for this. "You can't be serious? After everything you still don't—"

"—want you," she finished his sentence, "that is correct."

Her eyes bore into him. Even though she had been crying, her look stayed stern. It was an emotion Kaiba couldn't quite pin down. There had to be a reason she was doing this. He needed to find that reason. "But why? You told me you didn't want our time together to be limited to just the virtual world! So, why this act?"

"I lied, Kaiba."

No, he couldn't accept that. He kept digging for the right answer. "No, you're lying now!"

She glared at him, "I'm not."

"Yes, you are!"

She sighed, "We could argue like this all day."

"Then just tell me the truth. What's your real reason?"

She swallowed hard, almost as if she were suppressing her pain. "It's over between us, Kaiba. I'm with Yugi. I always have been, and I always will be."

"What?" Disbelief struck him. This couldn't be real.

"I'm with Yugi."

Her words pulled at his heartstrings. He refused to let his walls crash down, so he placed himself into a state of denial. "You're lying!" He scraped his teeth together as he let his eyes signal to her his hurt and his rage. The worst part was her complete composure. It threw him off. Why was she so damn clam about this? Couldn't she see he was hurting? Couldn't she see all the damage she caused?

"Believe what you wish, but it's true."

"It can't be! You turned him down! Your lack of love for him put you into a coma!" He shouted. Wrath pooled in his eyes and he felt its wet presence as it scorched down the sides of his flushed cheeks. "I did everything I could to save you and this is how you repay me!?"

"Leave, Kaiba, before I call the nurse to escort you out." Her sternness didn't falter. Not once.

"Escort me? Do you even know who you're talking to?"

"An arrogant asshole who thinks all of society should cater to his will."

"What!?" He screamed, "That's not what this is about at all!"

"Just get out, Kaiba," and for a moment he saw the regret in her eyes, the deep hurt she had been trying to disguise this entire time, "you're too late." The last word simmering out of her as resentment flashed across her face.

Kaiba closed his eyes, trying to regain his composure. He was so worked up. "If this is about me being late to see you, I apologize. Like I said, I didn't want to interrupt your time with your friends and fam—"

"— bullshit, Kaiba," She glared at him, "Yugi came to see me first. Not you."

"Yugi came to see me too, and I was the one that told him to go see you. I didn't realize this would be the result." He felt defeated.

"Goodbye, Kaiba." Her words were hollow, and Kaiba believed it to be a resemblance of her heart.

Kaiba's anger flared once again, "No! This isn't goodbye! I won't have that!"

"You can't control everything, Kaiba. You're too late. Now get out!"

"No! You're wrong!"

There was a knock on the door and a male nurse entered. "Is everything okay in here, Ms. Gardner?"

"Everything's fine. Mr. Kaiba was just leaving, weren't you?" She spoke so curtly, so properly, as if they were mere acquaintances.

The look she bore into him was threatening, but Kaiba hated losing, and he wasn't about to lose her. "I told you wouldn't be able to give you up," his blood boiled, "so this isn't goodbye."

"Goodbye, Kaiba." She said it so promptly, as if she didn't even have to think about it.

"No!" He shouted. His IV pole shook as his body tugged toward her. He was so enraged by her actions he almost lost his footing.

"Mr. Kaiba," the male nurse spoke up, "It's time for you to go." The nurse clasped a hand around his shoulder, "let me help you back to your room."

Kaiba shrugged him off, waving a hand in front of the nurse's face before reaching for his IV pole. "I'm fine, I was just leaving." He glared at Tea with eyes like fire. Her stone-cold expression never changed, it was as if he were witnessing an alternate version of himself. After a few moments, Kaiba whipped his body around so his back was facing her. "I hope you're happy."

With venom, she responded, "I am."

He felt the earth break beneath his feet. He was quickly losing his composure and all sanity he had left, just from two simple words. As fast as his injured body would carry him, he stomped out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

Instantaneously, Tea broke down crying, burying her head in her hands.

"Oh Ms. Gardner!" The male nurse dashed to her side. "I'm so sorry, is there anything I can get for you?" He reached for the nearby box of tissues and handed them to her.

Taking a tissue and dabbing her eyes with it, she shook her head, "No, I'm fine thank you. I-I'm s-so sorry," she hiccuped between sobs, struggling to regain her poise she had been emitting just moments before, "w-we just h-had an argument, and I didn't mean for it to get so o-out of hand."

He patted her back, "It's okay, Ms. Gardner, you don't have to explain anything to me. Besides, I think you made the right choice."

She hoped she did too.


A/N: It's so typical of me to write when I have a million other things to do instead. I hope you all enjoyed the result of my procrastination. I just wanted to thank all of you for the well-wishes. I am doing better. I have a few more hospital visits left (booooooo) but hopefully I'll be back to normal soon. I apologize for not responding to the wonderful comments you guys have given me. I'm still sick and it just plain sucks, but I promise I'll get back to you this time around. Please let me know how I'm doing, I greatly appreciate your input! Thanks for sticking with me everyone!