Yami watched as Bakura ran into the small classroom.

"Hi," he panted, passing him to get to his own desk. Yami nodded his good morning.

"Hey, Bakura?" Jounouchi said. "This is the third time this week that you've almost been late for school."

"Plus, you did it a lot last week, too," Honda pointed out.

"You used to be here so much earlier than we did," Anzu said. "What's going on?"

Bakura seemed as he was about to answer, but the bell echoed throughout the area, signaling the session was about to start. The teacher came in, as students shuffled to their seats, and began to teach the class.

Yami's eyes would glance over at the snow-haired boy every once in a while, before continuing to take notes in Yugi's notebook. It was kind of strange, looking at how different his handwriting was compared to that of the child's. His light.

"Mutou Yugi?" the teacher said. "Mutou Yugi?"

He felt someone poke him in the back, looking at Honda, who was sitting behind him. The auburn haired teen pointed to the front of the room, where the teacher was "patiently" waiting for an answer.

Yami looked up, finally remembering that HE was supposed to be Mutou Yugi.

"He's here, sir!" Jounouchi said. "But Yugi's feeling a little under the weather this morning."

The instructor's facial expression changed to that of concern. "Are you feeling all right? Should you go to the nurse?"

Yami shook his head. "It's not that serious, really," he said. "I'm just feeling a little ill, but it will pass later."

"If you say so," the teacher said, then continued on with roll call. Yami sighed slightly. He found it rather ironic that no one noticed that "Yugi's" voice was slightly deeper then a few weeks ago, and that he was a little taller as well.

Not even the others noticed, back when they didn't know about Yami. Yugi himself hardly noticed the change. It was amazing how they couldn't tell.

He found himself sigh again, slightly relieved that Jounouchi covered for him. This was the fifth time something like that has happened, because he wasn't used for filling in for Yugi full time such as this. What he was used to was taking over for Yugi when he needed help, being there for Yugi when Yami was needed most.

But he even failed at that. His light was taken before him, and he wasn't able to do a thing about it. The guilt wrapped around his heart, squeezing it, as a snake coiling around its prey. He wanted to help Yugi, but was helpless to do such. What was he going to do?

If only Yugi would allow him to give himself up. He didn't need to go through any of this. He didn't deserve it. But no, Yugi wouldn't let him. He wouldn't tolerate it.

But the one he felt especially sorry for had to be Bakura. Glancing at the said teen, he watched as Bakura copied the information on the chalk board. He also felt guilt for placing such pressure on the young boy's shoulders as he did. The dark spirit of the puzzle also felt that he had given Bakura the impression that he had said they would take care of him because Yugi was within him. He hadn't intended it that way at all.

As he thought about it, Yami realized that he didn't know Bakura as well as he knew Yugi's other friends. But he began to wonder if anyone really did. The snow-headed teen was, more often than not, seen by himself, keeping his distance from others. Even Seto Kaiba had somewhat of a social life. But Bakura liked to keep to himself.

However, Yami couldn't help but worry about his safety. Something seemed to be looming over Bakura, a strange, negative feeling. He was worried, not only for Yugi's sake, but for Bakura's as well. This 'thing' felt a serious threat to the spirit, and frightful thoughts shadowed his mind. Certain fears lingered in the back of his head, fear that nobody, particularly a certain snow-haired boy, was safe anymore. The dark specter of worry that was created in Yami's mind seemed to loom over HIM especially.

And he knew he had to protect Bakura, the way he couldn't protect Yugi. He owed Bakura. . . . At least that much. . . . .

The window suddenly burst open, pressed by the gust of wind. Finally released, the airstreams and rain poured into the house, the shutters flapping and clattering along with them.

Bakura went to the window, pushing against the wind and rain to close it. After much struggling and getting soaked, the teen's efforts were rewarded. Refastening the lock, he went back his bed, wiping his damp locks away from his face.

'So much for a relaxing evening,' he thought, seeing flashes of light from the cracks of the shutters, hearing the roar that followed behind.

/It seems like the storm just suddenly appeared/ Yugi said.

It DID just suddenly appear, Yami Bakura reminded him.

/Oh. . . . . . . right. . . . . . . . . ./

Bakura heard the dark spirit sigh. Do you see what you give me to put up with? he snapped.

The teen was about to say something, hopefully something that would prevent another argument, when suddenly, the lights flickered above his head. Looking up, he watched as they sputtered a little, before completely blacking out.

Bakura groaned. 'The power's out,' he thought.

No kidding? his Yami replied sarcastically.

He blinked a few times, trying to adjust to the sudden darkness. He didn't have to, he realized, as a sudden flash came from the Millennium Ring, and Yami Bakura appeared. Even after his arrival, the ring still glowed.

"I can't keep that up forever," the spirit said gruffly.

Bakura nodded, understanding what his Yami was telling him to do. Getting up, he left the confines of his room, feeling that Yami Bakura was right behind him. Heading into the kitchen, he started searching for something in the cupboards. Finally, he found a candle, a candle holder, and some matches.

Yami Bakura cocked an eyebrow. "A candle?"

"It's all there is around," the teen said, sticking the candle in the receptacle.

/Don't you have flashlights/ he heard Yugi ask.

Knowing well enough that Yami Bakura had already heard that question as well, Bakura replied, "Well, Father brings all the flashlights in the house on expeditions."

"So go buy some," Yami Bakura replied, extinguishing the light from the ring when Bakura lit the candle.

"I can't. Father only leaves me enough many when he goes away for food. He doesn't give me money for anything else."

"I can see why. He probably knows that you're a bully magnet."

/That's not nice/ Yugi commented.

"Do you want to ask me if I care?"

"Can we go for ONE evening without you two arguing?" Bakura asked, picking up the candle and going into the living room. Yami Bakura just shrugged, following his young light.

Placing the candle on the coffee table, the teen began throwing pieces of wood into the hearth. When he thought there was enough, he lit a match and threw it in. Slowly, the fire crept along, lightly grazing over every piece of lumber. Finally, the flames grew, lighting up the room, casting away the shadows.

Sighing, Bakura sat on the couch, feeling it sink slightly under his weight. It sank more as Yami Bakura sat next to him, watching the fire.

After seemingly hours in the dark silence, as the light from the fire danced upon them, Yami Bakura was pulled back into that world with the sound of someone snoring lightly. As he looked, he saw that his light was curled up on his side of the couch. His sleep, and probably Yugi's as well, was haunted once again by one of their disturbing fantasies.

Slightly agitated, Yami Bakura closed his eyes to concentrate. A bluish light began to come forth from the Millennium Ring, and suddenly, the sleeping teen seemed to quiet down, as both souls' nightmares seem to disappear.

With the task done, the dark spirit relaxed on the couch. He knew that both boys wondered why he didn't get the nightmares they had. He didn't get the dreams they did, and was able to recharge his energy with sleep more than they could. He didn't receive Bakura's dream because of the link they had. He could close it, blocking out the horrific vision.

He didn't see Yugi's dream because Yugi was sharing Bakura's body and mind, not his own. Since Yami Bakura had the power to generate his own body, his mind was free from Yugi's, and he could only see the young boy's nightmare if he opened the link with Bakura, who usually had the same one.

He couldn't say that he was mad at his light, taking on a burden such as this. In fact, if it had been anyone else, Yami Bakura would have been proud of him. But. . . . . the Pharaoh's light? Of all people. Had the gods decided to be so cruel to him in such a manner?

Getting up, he went over to the closet and grabbed a blanket. Bringing it back with him to the couch, he placed it over Bakura's body. He knew that his light didn't have many chances to sleep very well. What with his and Yugi's dreams haunting him during his sleeping and waking hours.

Though he would never admit it, Yami Bakura truly cared for his light, and he didn't want to see the poor boy hurt. If he could, he would have done something to prevent the suffering from ever being undertaken. But Bakura was slightly stubborn in his own way, in some weird way, almost like himself. However, he knew he could never tell the boy that he cared, for he would never get what he wanted from him.

There was something, though, that made him fear for Bakura's safety. Lately, the dreams Yami Bakura was having seemed to point down a dark road for his light. When he tried to read the future from the cards, he would always receive the same message. Something was going to happen to Bakura. What, though, he had no idea.

Thinking about all these ideas, Yami Bakura found himself nodding off to sleep. He accepted it gratefully, allowing the touch of slumber to give him a temporary sense of relief.

On the coffee table, the flame on the candle suddenly blew out.

TBC