Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.

Warnings: Angst

Mindless Babble:

Grandpa Motou sat on the waiting room couch, lost in thought. Joey sat to his right and Tristan to his left. Both seemed to be acting as bodyguards, glaring at anyone unfamiliar to keep them from bothering the old man. Yugi's grandfather did appreciate this. The last thing he really wanted to do was talk.

His thoughts seemed to drift mostly back to a very special day in his grandson's life. It was the day that Yami had been granted the gift of a true life. Shadi had found a spell that would make the spirit flesh and blood for as long as Yugi lived. The spell had worked, giving Yami symbolic body, though it had left the bond, the ability for the two to mind talk and feel what the other felt. That was the day Soloman Motou had gained a second grandson and Yugi a fiercely protective older brother. About 5,000 years older in fact.

Grandpa Motou looked at the boy that had finally fallen asleep on the couch across from him. The doctors had taken Yami in to examine him when he had collapsed in the waiting room. They had been shocked when they removed the bloody gauze to find an almost healed wound. They had cleaned it and replaced the bandage. Yami had woken up while they were cleaning the injury and had it not been for the fact that Grandpa was there to calm him, the world would have lost a doctor and nurse to the Shadow Realm. Yami had asked to wait with his friends and seeing no reason to keep him (that and the fact that the Yami was scaring the medical staff), his request had been granted. He had sat down on the couch, fully intending to wait for news of his Aibou. But casting the spells on those who had taken Yugi, had tired him greatly. Tea noticed this. She had turned sideways on the couch and had taken off her jacket, folded it and laid it in her lap. She took Yami's shoulder and tried to get him to lie down. At first, he tried to resist, but then the exhaustion got the best of him. He fell asleep as soon as his head hit the makeshift pillow. A nurse had come by later to offer a blanket, which Tea had gratefully accepted for Yami.

It had been almost eight hours since they arrived. Yugi had been in surgery the whole time. His grandfather looked once again at the sleeping form across from him and wondered how his grandson could be doing well if his darker half looked so pale and sick.

He was brought out of his thoughts by a young voice calling his name. He looked up and saw Mokuba running up to him. Grandpa put a finger up to his lips and used his other hand to point at Yami and Tea, who had also fallen asleep. The child with the unruly hair skidded to a stop and when he saw them, he blushed. He walked up to Grandpa and put a hand on the old man's knee.

"How is Yugi?"

"They won't tell me anything."

"Then I'll find out." Everyone who was awake nearly got whiplash looking up at the speaker. Seto Kaiba shrugged off the shocked stares and handed Mokuba some money. "Get some sandwiches for everyone. They look as if they haven't eaten in a while." With that he walked to the nurses station.

"How did you find out about Yugi, Mokuba?" Tristan asked, being the first one to recover from the shock.

"And how did you talk Seto into bringing you here?" piped up Joey.

Mokuba smiled. "Big brother is really just a big softy. He was the one who suggested we come here. Anyway, the robbery is all over the news with a follow-up on how you guys found Yugi. The reporters are still stumped on how you guy did it, by the way. The police are also trying to figure out what's wrong with the three guys they found in that room." He glanced at the sleeping form and asked, "That was Yami's doing, wasn't it?"

Tristan nodded. "Be thankful that you didn't see what he did to the guy that beat up Yugi." He shuddered.

Seto waited until his little brother was out of sight before he rejoined the group. "Yugi is just coming out of surgery. They're getting the room he'll be in ready now." He dropped his eyes as if he didn't want to see the impact of his next words. "He'll be in an ICU. They don't think he'll make it through the night. A doctor will be out shortly to talk to you, Mr. Motou."

Seto closed his eyes. 'Why am I getting so upset about this?' he thought. The taller boy clenched his hands into fist. He felt so frustrated and helpless. 'I thought that I was only coming here for Mokuba, but now I find myself sadden at the thought of Yugi being gone.'

"I'm sorry," he whispered, a tear breaking free and running down his cheek.

A pair of rough hands wrapped around one of his clenched hands. Seto opened his eyes and was slightly surprised to find Yugi's grandfather looking up at him, eyes full of forgiveness, gratitude and sorrow.

"I'm sorry that Yugi couldn't see this. He'd be thrilled to see the two of us like this," Grandpa Motou said, tears streaming down his cheeks.

Seto could only nod as lump the size of Japan formed in his throat. 'Yugi's even managed to find a way into my stone heart.'

Meanwhile, Tristan sat on the couch lost in thought. A moan of sorrow brought him out of his own misery and forced him to focus on the blond next to him. Joey stared blankly at the sterile white floor, his face already wet with tears. Tristan scooted closer to his best friend and swung an arm over the trembling shoulders.

"Hey, Yugi's strong," he said softly, his own voice unsteady with emotions. "The doctors don't know that."

"Who are you trying to convince, Tristan?" replied Joey with a sob. "You or me?"

"Both, I guess."

The brown haired boy stood up and walked over to Tea. He touched the girl on the shoulder to wake her. Intense blue eyes snapped open, instantly alert. Tristan told her what Seto had said. The pain in her eyes was unbearable and he looked away only to find another set of grief-filled eyes. Yami had heard everything.

The pharaoh sat up, the blanket slipping from his shoulders to pool on the floor. His eyes were dead, holding no emotion. When he stood, his stance held none of the confidence that it usually held. He didn't look up from the floor as he addressed his two friends.

"Go be with Joey. He needs his friends support."

"What about you, Yami?" asked Tea, gently.

The spirit sighed. "I have been alone for a very long time. I am used to it. Joey is not."

Tea tried to stand, but her legs had gone to sleep from being in the same position for so long. Tristan helped her, letting her lean on his solid frame while the blood started flowing back into her extremities. She did reach out and take Yami's chin in her hand and forced him to look at her.

"No one can get used to being lonely."

Tea turned away and hobbled over to Joey with Tristan helping her.

Mokuba returned shortly thereafter. One look at the gathering, and he could tell that something was drastically wrong. The feeling was intensified when asking what had happened, his brother had enveloped the young boy in a fierce hug. Understanding crossed his face followed by fear and sorrow. He returned the hug with all the intensity that was given. Forgotten bagged sandwiches littered the ground around the brothers.

A doctor came from the OR wiping his hands on a towel. He approached the group and introduced himself as Dr. Gingetsu. He motioned everyone to sit down. As soon as everyone was settled, he started to list all the injuries Yugi had sustained.

"Both of his legs were broken in several places. His left arm was crushed and required several pins and plates to repair it. His right shoulder blade had also been shattered and needed a plate to keep it together. Several of his ribs were broken causing sever internal bleeding. He lost a lot of blood because of that. Unfortunately, those weren't the worst injuries."

The doctor looked down at his hands, still seeing the blood of an innocent victim covering them. "The blows he took to the head caused the most damage. Yugi's skull was fractured in three different places. He received several major and minor concussions." Dr. Gingetsu paused for a moment, trying, as he had with too many other family members, to come up with the right words to break the worst news. "If you have anything you want to tell him, now would be a good time to say it. He's unconscious, but I don't think he'll ever wake up."

"We…we can see him, then?" Grandpa Motou stammered, grief choking him.

"Yes," replied the doctor. "Although, I would prefer if you went one at a time. Two at the most," he said looking at Mokuba and Seto.

Dr. Gingetsu told them the room number and how to get there. Then he stood and with a heartfelt apology, he left the group.

After a short discussion, it was decided that The Kaibas would see Yugi first. Then Tristan and Joey followed by Tea and Grandpa Motou. Yami had volunteered to go last and by himself.

Seto took his brother's hand and led him to Yugi's room. Just before they entered, Seto knelt to look Mokuba in the eyes.

"Are you ready for this?"

The boy swallowed and nodded. "Yugi needs to hear us so he knows that he's not alone."

The elder Kaiba smiled and straightened. He opened the door and followed the younger Kaiba into the room.

It took them both a moment to get their eyes adjusted to the darkness. The only light came from the head of the bed. The light seemed to want only to surround the figure that lay motionless on the bed. Seto winced at all the wires and tubes that ran from various machines to disappear under the blankets.

Seto stood by the door to give Mokuba some privacy. The younger brother walked up to the bed and pulled up the chair that sat next it. He climbed onto it, taking his friends good hand into his own. He started to talk. Seto smiled as he heard bits and pieces of the one-way conversation. Mokuba was describing the latest Duel Disk system with great enthusiasm. He let his brother talk for a few minutes before crossing the room to get his brother. What he heard then, stopped him dead in his tracks.

"I wish you could see them, Yugi. You and I could have had so much fun with them. Maybe they have Duel Monsters in Heaven. I hope so. Then someday we can duel again."

Seto heard his brother's voice break and felt his own heart break at the sound. Mokuba spun around and wrapped his arms around his brother, sobbing. Seto looked down at the small form covered in white bandages and felt the tears sliding down his face. 'I thought we were nothing more then rivals, Yugi. Somehow, you made us friends. Thank you.' Though he kept the thought to himself he had the feeling that Yugi heard it anyway. He felt his brother pull away from him slightly and looked down at the redden eyes.

"Why do people we care about have to die, Seto?"

Joey looked down at his friend and couldn't help but to feel a bit horrified. "Jeeze, Yug. What have they done to you?"

What parts of his friend's body that weren't covered in thick gauze seemed to have tubes running into the small body or wires that attached to monitors sticking to the pale skin. Yugi's hair had been shaved from his head, making him seem all the smaller.

Joey took a deep breath. He knew what he had to say, but saying it would seem like he as giving up. He glanced behind him to see Tristan nodding his head in encouragement. Joey looked back at the bed.

"I've been meaning to tell you this for a long time, but I was kinda afraid that you wouldn't want to be friends with me if you knew. Anyway… I was the one who took that piece of the puzzle that you couldn't find the night you solved it. Please don't tell Yami. He'll kill me!" Joey smiled a sad little grin, trying to keep his tears under control. "Well, that night, me and my guilty conscious, retrieved the piece from the pool where I threw it. I hope that you can forgive me."

Joey watched the bandaged chest rise and fall a few times before he fell apart. He slammed his fist into the bed next to Yugi's shoulder. He was crying out loud now.

"You can't die, Yugi!" he screamed. "You can't!"

Joey felt a hand placed gently on his shoulder. He allowed his head to drop to the bed. "I just got to be your friend."

It was Tristan's turn. He had sat Joey down by the door and made sure he was going to be ok. Now he was standing by the bed not knowing what to really say. He said the first thing that came to his mind.

"I'm sorry, Yugi. I'm sorry for all those times I bullied you at school. I'm sorry I never really got the chance to get to know you as well as I would've liked. I'm sorry to see you like this. I feel really stupid that it took you dying to get me to realize that I had lost my chance to really become your friend. I can make you a promise though. I promise to make sure that your grandfather, Joey and Tea know that I am and always will be, their friend. Thanks, Yugi."

Tristan turn away and silently walked over to his best friend. He helped Joey to stand and walked out of the room knowing that Yugi would hold him to his promise.

Grandpa Motou looked down at his grandson. He held onto Yugi's good hand like a lifeline. Tea placed her hand on top of the old and weathered hands.

"How did you wind up being Yugi's guardian?" the young girl asked.

"Yugi and his parents were in a car accident shortly after he was born." Grandpa Motou sighed. "I lost both my son and daughter-in-law that day. I can't say that I was thrilled to find that I was the only surviving relative. But then as Yugi grew up, I found that he was a very unusual child. He did what I asked him to do and on those rare times that he didn't want to, I was able to convince him with a game. He always had a weakness for games. Much like his grandpa."

Tea smiled. "I know what you mean. He was always trying to get me to try some new game that he had. I thought it was sweet that he always asked me to play with him. Then I found out that I seemed to be his only friend."

"That you were, Tea." Grandpa Motou smiled at the memories that were surfacing. "He was such a shy kid. I was very happy when you befriended him."

Tea smiled shyly. "I was happy, too."

They stood there for a few more minutes basking in the warmth of memories.

Yami looked up when Tea and Grandpa walked into the waiting room. Both had sad, tired smiles. Yami stood up and surprisingly wrapped his adopted grandpa in a warm hug. When they broke apart Yami caught Tea's eye.

"Would you take grandpa home, Tea? I think he needs to get some sleep," he said. He looked on the couch and saw Joey passed out on Tristan's shoulder. "All of you should go home and get some sleep."

"What about you, Yami?" Tea asked.

"Do not worry about me."

"If you're sure you'll be okay," Tea said. She saw the spirit nod and wrapped her arm around the old man. She guided him out the door, gently kicking Joey awake as she passed him and Tristan. The two boys stood and silently followed her out. The emotional roller coaster they had been on for the past nine hours seemed to have finally ended, leaving them drained.

Yami watched them leave with a heavy heart. This would most likely be the last time he would see any of them. At least in this lifetime.

The spirit turned and walked into his Aibou's room.

The woman peeked out of the room she had been hiding in. The group had finally left. She pushed her light brown hair behind her ears and crossed the hallway. She checked the patient records on the clipboard to make sure it was the right room. Confirming that it was, Miaka entered Yugi's room.

She was halfway across the room before she realized that Yugi wasn't the only one occupying the bed. A taller boy that looked a lot the young boy that had tried to save her, lay on the bed beside the smaller one. He had been careful to avoid the wires and tubes that seemed to be keeping Yugi alive. Miaka was pleasantly surprised to see the upside-down pyramid that the boy had coveted, around both of their necks.

She was about to quietly back out of the room with an excuse for being there, when she heard the older boy singing. Curiosity brought her closer. Although she couldn't understand the words the melody was hauntingly beautiful. Miaka closed her eyes and let the music wash over her. She opened them in mild surprise when she felt fur under her hands. Looking down, she found a large black cat with strange golden colored markings curled up on the bed. For some reason, Miaka didn't question the creature's strange arrival and went back to listening to the song. This time however, she could understand the words.

~Yami's Song~

Little one,

Dream a little dream

Live a little lie

Wish for one who will

never say goodbye

Believe in a soul

that is always true

Trust in the darkness

created by light

And never forget

I will forever

Love you

This time, the song ended in a gasp of pain. Miaka's jaw dropped in shock as she took in Yugi's condition. There wasn't a mark on him. All signs of the trauma he had received from her brother were gone. In fact, a pair of violet eyes were now opening, blinking in an effort to focus.

"Yami?" the boy whispered.

Miaka tore her attention from Yugi and tried to focus on the older boy. The young woman's shock was deepened as she took in every bruise, cut and injury that now appeared on Yami's body. They matched, wound for wound, the injuries that had been on Yugi.

"How?" she whispered.

Yugi noticed Yami next to him and reached out to gently stroke his friend's face. "Why did you do this, Yami?"

"Because you are his Hikari."

Just when Miaka didn't think her mind could take it, she got another shock. The cat that had appeared on the bed, had just spoken. Both her and Yugi wore expressions of disbelief. The cat looked at both of them.

"What? Can't a goddess stop by to help one of her favorite Pharaohs?"