She was crazy- that's all there was too it. There was no way any sane person would do what she did... at least Pegasus thought there wasn't. He hadn't been able to get inside Torina's mind for the longest time and when he was finally able to, the first thing he did was look at her memories for the past few days. He couldn't believe what he saw- what would make his niece risk her life like that? There was no logic to it.

"She could have been killed," he thought. "I could have lost her forever because of that stupidity..." A look of remorse covered his face, suddenly followed by his hand slapping himself across the face. "What am I thinking?! I don't need her! I don't need anyone... except Cecilia. And once I've finished with my niece and her new comrades, I will have what I want... and as for losing Torina..." The remorseful look returned again. "I've already done that." There was a moment of silence before Pegasus summoned Kemo and Croquet.

"Yes, Master Pegasus?" they asked, obediently. "What do you need?" Pegasus smiled.

"Croquet," he said. "I would like you to have the Millennium Ring cleaned up by tomorrow evening." Croquet nodded as Pegasus shifted his gaze towards Kemo. "And Kemo- I have a very special job in store for you."

"Hey, Bakura!" Tori called, happily. "You're back!" As she and the group of friends rushed towards him, Bakura turned around and gave them a warm smile. He had been let out the hospital over the weekend, not long after Tori.

"Yes," he said. "It has been awhile- some of my injuries took longer to heal than was expected." Joey playfully punched him on the shoulder.

"Well," he said. "Either way, it's good to have you back, Bakura." Bakura chuckled.

"If it is not too much trouble," he continued. "I would like for you to please call me Ryou- my first name. Bakura reminds me too much of the part of me I have left behind." Tori said the name to herself.

"I like it," she decided. "It means companion, right?" Ryou nodded, approvingly.

"That's right, Torina."

"Call me Tori- like with you and Bakura, Torina is a part of me I have left behind."

Suddenly, the bell signaling the beginning of the next period rang, cuing everyone that it was time to rush to class. But before the friends spilt up, they all promised to meet at Yugi and Tori's place after school to do something.

"See ya then, Ryou!" Tori called.

"You can count on it, Tori!" Ryou called back, the warm smile still expressed on his face. It was good to be back.

Ryou walked the familiar street towards Yugi Moto's home at the card shop. He was rather surprised when he heard that Tori now lived there- he had missed a lot while he was gone. It wasn't that his friends never came to see him, gracious no- they just never told him the minor stuff. When Tori and Joey got together, on the other hand, he was one of the first to know- his hospital room had been right down the hall. He laughed at the thought those two together- a perfect match if he ever saw one. He was so caught up in his thinking, he didn't notice the black limousine coming up behind him...

"This is nuts!" cried Tori. "Ryou should have been here over an hour ago! I'm going out to look for him." She headed towards the door as Joey put a hand on her arm.

"Not without me, ya ain't!" he said. Since she left the hospital, he hadn't let her out of his sight unless he really had too- even then, he made sure someone he trusted was with her. Tori merely nodded and the two of them continued towards the door... just as Ryou walked in.

"Ryou!" said Teá. "Where have you been? We've been worried sick about you!" Ryou walked past Joey and Tori and over to Teá.

"I'm sorry to have worried you," he said apologetically. "Something came up at home that needed attending to."

"Everything all right?" asked Tristen. Ryou nodded.

"Oh yes, everything is fine." As Ryou talked to Tristen and Teá, a strange feeling crept over Tori- something just wasn't right.

//Are you all right, aibou?// asked Hikaru.

/Do you feel that?/ came the reply.

//Feel what?//

/Something is wrong- very wrong./

"Hey, Tori," Joey said. It was the Friday after the Ryou incident when Joey came over to talk to Tori. She'd been reading on the couch in the living room when she looked up at him and smiled.

"Hmm?" Joey shifted his weight from one foot to the other. He wasn't quite sure why he was so nervous all of a sudden.

"You know that gift certificate we won at the dance competition?" She nodded. "Well, we haven't used it yet. So, I was wondering... would you like to go to dinner with me tonight?"

Tori raised her eyebrows.

"Like a date?" she asked.

"Well... yeah, I guess so," Joey replied, scratching the back of his head. Tori gave a chuckle.

"Then of course!" she said with a grin, causing Joey to grin too.

"I'll pick you up around seven?" he asked. Tori nodded.

"Seven would be lovely. See ya then!" With that, Joey stumbled out the door and Tori went back to her reading, chuckling the entire time. About twenty minutes later she looked up at a clock- ten to six. It wouldn't take her an entire hour to get ready, but it might be a good idea if she got started anyway. She hopped up from the couch and was about to head to her room, when she had an idea- she had to find Yami and Yugi. Hikaru wasn't going to like this idea, but oh well!

Joey came to pick Tori up right at seven. He knocked on the door just as Tori walked down that stairs. She had debated on what to wear before settling on a pair of nice black jeans and a pastel blue blouse. She saw Joey standing in the doorway- he looked great in his black jeans and green long sleeve shirt.

"Hey, Tori," he said, pulling a bouquet of bright yellow roses out from behind his back. "For you." She smiled as she took the bouquet.

"They're beautiful, Joey!" she said. "Thank you so much." She planted a kiss on his cheek before taking the roses into the kitchen. Joey put a hand to his cheek as he watched her walk away. She had kissed him many times, but it never felt as special as this. Moments later, she reappeared and they walked out to Joey's car, a 1986 Dodge Charger, and drove to the restaurant.

"What the devil is going on here?" cried Hikaru. She had come out of the Millennia Diamond to ask Tori why she had been being so quiet. But when she came out, she was alone in Tori's room... well, not quite alone- Yami was there, with a single purple iris. "Yami?" He smiled and gave a nod.

"You're Hikari went out on a date with Joey," he said. He was about to say more, when Hikaru cut in, sounding rather angry.

"SHE WHAT?!" she cried. "She went without me! Why? How am I supposed to protect her if I'm not there?!"

"Love, calm down!" said Yami. "Tori is with Joey- she couldn't be any safer even if she was at home in her own bed!" His smiled widened. "She left the Diamond here so you and I could have a night alone- something she thought you might need." Hikaru dropped her defensiveness and smiled.

"It scares me sometimes to think of how well she knows me- better than even I do."

The restaurant was a nice one. Known as the "Seraph," it was beautiful, but wasn't as stuffy as the one's Pegasus had dragged Tori to- she was thankful for that as Joey helped her out of his car.

"Shall we?" Joey asked, offering her his arm as they entered. Tori smiled.

"We shall," she replied, looping her arm in his. They walked into the restaurant and found a table. Joey pulled her chair out for Tori, then sat down himself. Seconds later, a waiter came over.

"Hello," he said. "My name is Michael, I'll be your waiter this evening. What can I get you to drink?"

"I'll have a Coke," Torina said. Joey nodded his agreement and Michael departed to get their drinks.

"You look great, Tori," Joey said. Tori began to blush.

"Thanks," she replied. "You don't look so bad yourself." They both grinned like there was no tomorrow.

"It's kinda strange, ya know?" Joey commented. "We've been goin' out for a while, but this is our first real date." Tori thought about this for a second and nodded.

"You're right, it is..." She paused. "I guess it just feels so..."

"Right?"

"Yeah. Feels so right that we haven't really needed to." Another pause. "Not that I'm complaining, mind you. This is nice, having some time one-on-one." Joey nodded as

Michael came back with their drinks.

"Are you ready to order, or do you want a few more minutes. Tori and Joey looked at each other.

"Are you ready?" they asked at the same time, then laughed. "Yeah, I'm ready," they replied at the same time once again, then laughed. Michael chuckled a bit and took out his notepad.

"You go first," Joey said, before Tori had a chance to say the same. She nodded.

"All right..." she said. "I think I will have the honey glazed chicken with the baked potato." Michael scribbled on his pad.

"Sour cream or butter?"

"Both. " Tori replied, without hesitation. Michael nodded.

"All right, for you, sir?"

"I'll have the same," Joey said, handing him their menus. Michael nodded, took the menus and went back to the kitchens. As they waited for their food, Joey and Tori talked about... what else? Duel Monsters.

"I've never faced a Blue-Eyes," Tori admitted. "But I'm confidant that once equipped with the right magic cards, my Wingweaver can do the job, no sweat." Joey began to laugh.

"What, and my Red Eyes couldn't?" he asked. "It could whip the skirt off your Wingweaver any day." It was Tori's turn to laugh.

"Oh really? I think the attack points of my Wingweaver would prove you wrong- 2750 to 2400." Joey was about to argue that his Metal Morph would change that when Michael brought there food. After thanking Michael, Tori's attention turned to her plate. "Mmm, Honey Glazed Chicken- one of the main things I dream about at night..." She looked at Joey and smiled. "Along with you and giant doughnuts."

The pair finished their meal with in minutes- it seemed like they were racing to see who would finish first, but in reality they were just really hungry. Tori figured that it was now probably time to go home... but Joey had other ideas.

"Come on," he said, after paying for the meal with the certificate. "There's one more place I want us to go." Tori gave him a puzzled look but agreed- she'd told Grandpa that she might be a little late anyway. A short time later, Tori found herself standing on a rooftop over looking Domino.

"Joey," she whispered. "It's so beautiful." Joey smiled and gave a nod. On the street below, a small street corner band began to play a soft tune. He took her hand.

"You wanna dance, Tori-girl?" he asked. Tori nodded eagerly and Joey took her in his arms. For the longest time the two of them simply danced their way across the roof top... until Joey couldn't feel his feet on the ground. He looked down at them, then cautiously tapped Tori on the shoulder. She looked at him, wondering what made him stop.

"What's wrong?" she asked. He pointed below them- they were at least fifteen feet above the rooftop. She looked as amazed as Joey, but then closed her eyes. They slowly drifted back to the rooftop. Once they were on solid ground, Joey shot Tori a confused look.

"I thought you said Pegasus took your powers!" he said. Tori shook her head. Then after a moment, she began to smile.

"Well," she said. "Hate took them away and it would seem that love might bring them back." He smile widened. "You always seem to bring out the best in me, Joey Wheeler."