Disclaimer: Same old, same old. (Too lazy to write a real disclaimer.)

Author's Note: I figured it was in my best health to get this chapter out asap, lol. Once again, thanks for all the wonderful reviews, it means so much to me.
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The puzzle around Yugi's neck glowed, and Yami appeared. Feverishly he looked around for any sign of Yugi. Finally he looked down. "Aibou!"

Yami knelt down next to his light and instantly felt the warm, sticky liquid on his hand. Blood, Yugi's blood. "Yugi. YUGI! Wake up. Please, open your eyes." It was then Yami noticed that Yugi's chest wasn't rising like it should have been. //Hold on aibou, I'll get help.//

Gathering his 'little brother' into his arms, Yami sprinted down the road to the Turtle Game shop. "Grandpa, Yugi's been hurt badly."

Sugoroku ran into the room. Yami laid Yugi down on the ground. "Yami, call the rescue squad. I'll start doing CPR. GO!"

Yami grabbed the phone, tears running down his face. Yugi had to pull through.

"Rescue Services, what is your emergency?"

"My little brother, he's been hurt. I don't think he is breathing. My grandfather is doing CPR on him."

"Okay son, first take a deep breathe, you need to stay calm for your brother."

Yami did.

"Very good, the rescue squad is tracing your address now and is on their way. Now, can you tell me what is wrong with your brother?"

"I think someone tried to stab him, there is a slash mark across his chest."

"Okay, you need to stop the bleeding. Can you find a towel or something to place on the cut?"

"I think so, will a coat work?"

"Perfect. You're doing fine."

Just as Yami increased the pressure to the cuts, the ambulance arrived.

"The rescue squad arrived."

"Don't worry, with them there, I am sure your brother will be fine, don't lose hope."

"I won't, thank you."

"Yami, let's go. We're heading to the hospital."

Yami didn't even bother hanging up the phone, rather left unhooked on the counter and followed grandpa out the door, praying to Ra not to take Yugi from him.

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Yami hated waiting, especially when it had to do with Yugi. They had been in the hospital for two hours now, and they hadn't heard a word on his condition. Finally he got up and headed for the pay phones. Joey and the others had the right to know that something was wrong with their friend.

"Hello? Joey speaking."

"Joey? It's Yami, you need to get to the hospital right now."

"What's wrong? What happened man?"

"It's Yugi, someone tried to kill him." He heard the phone drop to the ground. "Joey?"

"Sorry, that news was a bit surprising. Is he okay, I mean I know he will be, but…"

"He's in surgery right now. Been there for two hours."

"Shit, okay, I am on my way down. I'll call Tea and the others for you. Stay with your Grandpa Yami, don't go anywhere alone."

"Alright Joey, thank you."

"Anytime."

Yami hung up the phone and walked back to where Sugoroku was seated, staring off into space.

Yami looked down at his feet. "I'm sorry Grandpa, that I couldn't protect him. I tried calling out to him, but he wouldn't respond. I tried taking over his body and leaving the Soul Room but nothing worked. I failed him, I failed my light."

"It's not your misdoings Yami, don't even begin to blame yourself. I know you did everything in your ability to save my grandson. It never crossed my mind that you were to blame and never will. The people that did this to my Yugi are to blame and no one else."

Despite his words, Yami didn't feel any better about the situation. He was to protect Yugi, at all costs, and this time he couldn't. 'Why couldn't I leave my soul room? Why couldn't I take over Yugi's body? It doesn't make any sense why I couldn't. We always could before, why not this time? It was like a spell or something was preventing me from doing so. Could Yugi's attacker posses magic as well? It is the only possibility that makes sense. But why go after Yugi and not me? It doesn't add up.'

"Yami?"

Yami looked up to see that Tea and the others had arrived.

"Has there been any word yet?"

"None, this is really starting to get frustrating."

"What happened Yami?"

"I'm not sure Bakura. I had a funny feeling that something was wrong, but when I tried to separate myself from Yugi, nothing happened. I couldn't take over him either. Something was preventing me from doing so. I fail him. I failed Yugi."

"You did no such thing Yami. And I know Yugi knows that too. When he wakes up, he'll tell you all this too."

"Thank you Tea."

"Sugoroku Motou? Yami Motou?"

"That is us."

"I'm Doctor Tai. Yugi's surgery was successful. He will make a full recovery."

A collective sigh of relief echoed through the room.

"Is he awake? Can I see my little brother?"

"At this time, Yugi is still sleeping, but as soon as he wakes, I'll let you see him, but only for a couple minutes. He really does need to rest that way he can recover faster. Now, if one of you would just follow me, I would like to discuss in privately the treatment that Yugi will have to receive once he is recovered enough to go home."

"I'll go Yami, stay here with the others okay?"

"Yes Grandpa."

"I knew Yug would pull through." Joey said with a huge grin on his face.

"I just want to find the creeps who jumped him and teach them that picking on random people will have consequences."

"I don't think it was random Tristan, because if it was, then I should have been able to leave my Soul Room. No this whole thing was planned."

Tea gasped. "You mean someone is after Yugi?"

"Or quite possibly me. But yes. All of us will have to be on our guards now. Someone is out there with a vendetta against us."

"But who? Pegasus is gone and so is Yami Bakura. And I really can't see Seto doing something like this. I mean we hate each other but is all in good fun."

"Joey's right, but if eliminate all them, who is left?"

"Raya. She's left."

"Come on Yami, Raya wouldn't hurt us. She barely knows any of us, let alone you."

"Then again, remember at her house, when she held the millennium puzzle, a weird look crossed her face? Maybe she was sensing Yami inside the puzzle." Tea pointed out.

"She held the puzzle? Well that puts an interesting spin on everything. Maybe she did sense me and the power that it has."

"I thought only you and Yugi could tap into that power Yami."

"We are Tristan, but Raya wouldn't know that."

"I don't think Raya is our enemy. I can't explain it though. When I met her this afternoon, it was like I had known her forever."

"Yugi had a similar feeling around her too."

"I don't think that is a coincidence."

"Nor do I Bakura. There is definitely something more to Raya than she is letting on. I suggest that we all be on guard when we are around her, until we know her true intentions"

"Don't you think that is a little extreme Yami, I mean she just moved her."

"Tea, this new enemy has already put Yug in the hospital, do you really want to take the chance and lay back?"

"I guess not, but we can't totally blow off Raya, that would tip her off."

"I think all we can do is to stay sharp and watch out for one another."

"And tomorrow in school, when Raya asks where Yugi is. What do we say?"

"I say will tell her the truth and watch for her reaction. It may point to her true purposes as well."

"Okay then, tomorrow we act like nothing is wrong, except that we have some psycho after us."

"Comforting Joey, real comforting."

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Raya walked up the hill where everyone had met yesterday for lunch. She was quite proud of herself, managing to make it to all her class on her own and on time. She sat down under the tree and waited for the others to arrive. Gently, she massaged her temples. The sudden headache she got last night had yet to subsided. At time the pain was so excruciating, that she felt weak in the knees.

"Hey Raya, I see you found this place all on your own today."

"Hello Tristan, Joey. I'm getting somewhat adjusted. Where are the others?"

"Tea is finishing up a test, Bakura is in class, and Yugi isn't in school today."

"That explains why I haven't seen him yet today. Is he sick?"

Tristan shot a quick glance at Joey, who nodded. "I don't know how to tell you this Raya, but Yugi is in the hospital."

The pop can Raya was holding, dropped into her lap, spilling the contents on her new uniform. She didn't even notice. "He's where? What happened? Is he okay? Is he still there?"

"He was attacked last night, returning home from your place. Someone tried to kill him. There was a huge gash across his chest. Luckily, his brother Yami found him and got him to the hospital. He was in surgery for awhile, but is expected to make a full recovery."

"Oh my god. That is horrible. Who would want to do that to such a sweet kid like Yugi? Do they know who did it to him?"

"No one was around to witness the attack and when we left last night, Yugi hadn't woken up to identify his attacker."

"If I saw his attacker, I would kill them myself. Yugi is such a pure and innocent person, god that makes me sick to think someone would do that to him. Can he have visitors? I would like to see him."

"Yeah, I think he can, he is in room 305."

Raya pulled out a notebook and wrote the number down. Only then did she notice the pop had spilled. "Well this is great, I'll be right back, I need to try to get this pop out before it stains."

As soon as she was out of ear shot, Joey turned to Tristan. "I don't think she attacked Yugi. Her expression, it was pure shock, you can't fake that."

"Not to mention the pop, she didn't even notice it spilled on her. I think Yami is wrong, Raya is on our side. Either that or she is a great actress."

"Do you think it was smart of us to give her Yugi's room number?"

"Yami or someone will be in there too. If and I stress if she is evil, she wouldn't try anything with another presence in the room."

"I guess your right. Besides, Raya doesn't seem the type to try to murder someone."

"That's true, but remember what she said earlier about her favorite card. Quiet, but deadly."

"You don't really think she was talking about herself there do you?"

"Yeah I do Joey, think about our favorite cards. Yugi's being the Dark Magician. It takes after his darker side. Your Flame Swordsman, courageous and powerful. Bakura's Change of Heart. He and his double are like that card, one minute good, the next, hellish. Our favorite cards represent ourselves."

"So what your saying is that, Raya is evil?"

"I'm not sure Joey. Not yet at least."

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Raya walked into Domino Hospital with a slight smile on her face. As much as she hated hospitals, she knew her gift would make Yugi feel better. Entering the elevator she rose to the third floor. Walking down to room 305, she noticed that no one was in the room. 'I'll make this a quick visit, just in case he isn't allowed to have visitors.' Raya slipped quietly into the room. She shuddered when she saw how many machines were hooked up to him. The puzzle that he was wearing earlier was resting on the dresser next to him.

Sitting down on the chair next to Yugi's bed, she picked up his hand and rubbed in softly. Tears formed in the corner of her eyes, rolling down her porcelain face. "I don't know if you can hear me Yugi, but I am so sorry about all this. I can't shake the feeling that I was the reason that you were hurt like this. I am so sorry. This should have never happened, I should have just stayed away and not tried to learn the truth about whether…forget it, that is not important now. But Yugi, you need to open your eyes and let your friends and brother know that you are okay. They are really worried about you. Tea was almost in tears all day today and Joey, well he wasn't his usual self. Tristan and Bakura were the same way.. Oh, while I am thinking about, I brought you something. I remembered how much you liked my painting at my house, so I made you a copy of it today it art class. I hope you like it. Well I better get going, I am not quite sure if I am allowed to be in here, but I wanted to make sure you were okay. Please get better soon Yugi."

Raya stood up, placing the drawing on the chair she just occupied. Pushing back the bangs on Yugi's forehead, she placed a gentle kiss. 'Rest well my little angel.'

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Yami appeared a mere second after Raya had left. He had heard everything Raya had said to Yugi. 'She can't be evil, in fact, the way she made it sound was like she was being stalked by some evil and Yugi was caught in the crossfire. But why was he?' It didn't make sense.

"Hello what is this? This must be the sketch that Raya did." Yami looked at the painting in shock. It was the same one he had hidden in his Soul Room. "Ruia?"

Yami ran out the door and down the flights of steps. He had no time to wait for the elevator. He had to know the truth, once in for all about Raya. 'Why I am going after her, I have no idea what she looks like. Heart, don't fail me now, lead me to Raya.'

Once outside, he had three options, straight, left, or right. Closing his eyes, he chose left. Running faster than he thought possible, he spotted a brown hair girl up ahead. She was easily a block and a half ahead of him. 'That's her, I know it. Can't lose her, for Yugi's sake'

The girl veered off the road up ahead, heading towards Seto's mansion. 'Oh great my day just keeps getting better and better. First Yugi is hurt, then Ruia appears, and now I may run into Seto. Wonderful.'

Finally, Yami's luck changed. The girl slowed down at an apartment. She stopped at the gate as she looked in her bag for something, most likely her key.

Not even hesitating, Yami called out to her. "RUIA!"

The bag crashed to the ground as she turned, white in the face. One of her hands covered her mouth in shock.

Yami strolled right up next to her, eyes locking on one another. Finally she spoke.

"Hello Yugioh, my King. It has been awhile since we last saw another has it not?"

'Been awhile is an understatement, more like a millennia.' Still, it couldn't be her. "Raya?"

"That is correct Yami, but…" she took a deep breathe. "You know me better as Ruia, your wife."

Blackness claimed Yami as he crumpled to the floor.