You Made Me Find Myself

Author's notes:  Well I've finally gotten around to writing a third chapter.  Here's You Made Me Find Myself by LeAnn Rimes.  Malik has been looking after Ryou for the past few weeks.  How is Ryou handling Bakura's disappearance?

Disclaimer: I own neither the song, nor the series, so don't bother bugging me about it.

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Malik's POV:

Sometimes I hate this world.  It brings a bitter cold sensation, these memories.  Memories of darkness, of a pain I should never have allowed to control me.  I made a mistake then, when I created you from my pain and rage, you, my darker half, the one who almost destroyed me. 

Despite that I can't hate you.  I can't hate you, but I can never love you.  In your creation and the suffering you brought I found my dreams.  I know who I am now, I know what I want and I know what I care for.

*Bet you thought my world was over
Bet you though I'd crash and burn
You thought I'd never
Pick myself up off the floor
But baby you were wrong
Just like before*

Once I did love you, my other half.  How could I not?  You freed me from my gilded cage.  I was a bird, locked away yet always seeing the world around me, wanting nothing more but to fly away.  You gave me my wings and opened my cage. 

I loved you then, yami, but now I see that you have caused more pain then I can forgive.  I didn't see what you were doing through me until he came into my life.  My best friend and now my guide, Ryou Bakura.  He had the light and the patience to show me the truth and now… now he's fading.

*I used to breathe you
I used to need you
I used to hang on every word
that you say
It used to please you
To try to make me
someone else
And I thank you from
My heart for your help
Cause you made me find myself*

I found out from Yugi a week ago.  Funny, I've spent half of my young life trying to kill that boy and now I trust him with something so serious.  Bakura has left, and it's destroying him.  I can see him fading slowly.  There is nothing I can do but look out for him.  I don't think he's going to last much longer.  Does Bakura know what he has done?  I want to help Ryou, but what can I do?  How could I possibly find his dark angel?

I glance at the clock beside me and set down my pen.  It's almost seven o'clock, the time I go to check on Ryou.  I admit I'm more worried than usual today.  He missed school.  I stand and pull on my jacket and head for the door.  Within a few minutes I reach Ryou's house.  Having a motorcycle comes in handy for these situations.

*I used to think if I surrendered
I'd be the perfect one for you
But I swear I can't remember
A single day of happiness with you*

There's a light on in Ryou's bedroom, but the rest of the house is dark.  There is no answer when I knock on the door so I let myself in.  Bakura had given me a key months ago, something I'm very grateful for now.  There is no sound in the house, only faint trickling from the bathroom upstairs.

I stop.  Something inside of me twists, clamping around my heart and sending it racing.  I race up the stairs, not understanding why such a feeling of dread grips my soul.  When I enter the bathroom, I understand. 

*I used to breathe you
I used to need you
I used to hang on every word
that you say
It used to please you
To try to make me
someone else
And I thank you from
My heart for your help
Cause you made me find myself*

Ryou is lying unconscious in the bathtub, water tinted pink from the blood that seeps from his wrists.  I react immediately, pulling bandages from the medicine cabinet and lifting the boy from the still warm bloody water.  He's still breathing, barely, but I can feel his chest lift and fall with obvious effort.  I breathe a sigh of relief as I bandage his wrists and attempt to stop the bleeding.

*No I'm not going back in time
And there's a price for being
strong
But I can live with who I am*

I have to get him to the hospital.  Quickly I snatch a bathrobe from the hook on the door and wrap it around his unconscious, shivering form.  I lift him into my arms and hurry to my motorcycle. 

Later in the hospital they tell me he'll survive.  They say if I had been any later he wouldn't have made it.  I smile wryly.  It must have taken him all day to work up his courage, but I won't let him die.

*I used to breathe you
I used to need you
I used to hang on every word
that you say
It used to please you
To try to make me
someone else
And I thank you from
My heart for your help
Cause you made me find myself*

My mind shifts to the cause of this disaster.  My mind burns as I think of him, that sly thief.  Does he know what he has done?  A deep growl echoes from my throat.  Ryou has survived this brush with death, but how long until he tries again? 

I don't have time to waist.  Whether Bakura hates him or not, for Ryou's sake, I will drag him back here by force if I need too.  My hand fingers the Sennen Rod in my pocket.  I tell the nurse to look after Ryou, that I will be back in a few days.  Ryou helped me when I didn't have anywhere to go.  He is not going to die while I can still do something!


*You made me find my dreams
You made me find my love
You made me find myself
Thank you, thank you*

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Author's note:  Well, there's chapter three ^_^  A little longer than the first two also.  Please review!