~*~

That weekend, Kaiba took Joey and drove to the cabin. Joey hadn't said much since Kaiba said they would both go to the cabin.

Joey sat in the passenger's seat wearing a black turtleneck and it was 92 degrees outside. Kaiba glanced at him and turned back to the road. "Your scars aren't that bad Joey…Really…"

"Their bad enough… I'm not ready to tell them what happened ok? And if they see my scars, I know they'll ask." Kaiba sighed and pulled into the huge driveway of the cabin.

Once the two got out, they went to the porch and read the sign on the door. "Please come in." Kaiba shrugged and opened the door, letting the cool air from the air-conditioned room hit him. Joey followed and shut the door.

Upon hearing the door open Yugi, Yami, Tristan and Bakura came out of the kitchen and into the living room. They were all wearing tank tops and shorts. Even Kaiba had a tee shirt on. "Do you all want to go for a swim?" asked Bakura.

Everyone agreed and went to go change. While everyone else around him changed, Joey just sat there his arms crossed and resting on his legs.

When the group left the bedroom, Kaiba stayed behind. He closed the door and told the group he'd be right there. "Put on a sleeveless shirt, and your shorts, and just come and sit outside… Please?" Kaiba then left and went with the group to the back of the cabin where the lake was. Joey sat there, alone, for a good 10 minutes before he decided 'It's now or never I guess…'

Joey came up to the dock, and sat down, watching everyone splashing around. They were having a moss fight. Yugi saw him and hopped out of the water, sitting next to his friend. "Hiya Joey."

"Hey Yug." Joey cast his eyes downwards when Yugi leaned back and rested his weight on his hands behind him. He could feel the boy's big eyes on his scars.

Before Yugi realized it, his curiosity took over and he reached out and ran his wet fingers over a particular scar on his shoulder. The one that made Joey want to scream every time he looked in the mirror. It was Pegasus's fingernail marks from when the silver haired man got his release from the boy the very first time. Yugi finally took his hand away from Joey's now rigid body. Joey was trying to ignore Yugi and stay calm at the same time. When Yugi pulled away he thought he could relax. Nope, that obviously wasn't going to happen so easily, because Yugi then rested his wrist on Joey's shoulder and touched the bite mark on the side of his neck. The short boy then sat up, and he looked at Joey's face. His eyes were closed, and tears were under his eyelashes, ready to fall. His body was still stiff as a board and he didn't move an inch. "Joey? What's the matter?"

Joey was trying so hard not to start crying. He took a deep breath and whispered in a distressed tone "Yugi….Please, Don't touch me." Joey began to tremble. "Joey?" Yugi put a comforting hand on Joey's arm. "Yugi please…" Joey whispered again, letting the tears run down his cheeks. Yugi felt hurt that Joey didn't trust him anymore. He wanted more than anything to know what happened to him. He was about to say something else when he was interrupted. 'Leave him alone Aibou…He's scared.' Said Yami through the mind link. 'Why?' Yugi thought back, looking at Joey's face. 'He doesn't trust anyone. He thinks you're going to either hurt him, or laugh at him.'

'But why? What's happened to him?'

'I could tell you, but that would be wrong aibou. Now, leave him alone. He's about to start panicking. He knows you're staring at him.'

That night at dinner, Joey and the others were sitting around the TV, the box of KFC being passed around. Joey had noticed at the lake that Yami and Yugi seemed awfully touchy feely with each other today. Little did he know that that was the least of his worries. Once everyone was done with their dinners, they began to take turns in the shower. Yami and Yugi actually went at the same time. It made Joey more than a little uncomfortable. But nobody seemed to notice.

When Joey stepped out of HIS shower, he put his boxers on, and then reached for his shirt. But it wasn't there anymore. His heart flew into his throat. Joey looked everywhere and finally decided that one of his so called friends had taken it. Joey poked his head out the bathroom door. "Ok guys…very funny…Can I have my shirt now??" Kaiba got up, to go talk to Joey instead of yell it across the room after hearing the distress in the blonde's voice.

'Joey…I'm not giving you your shirt back. Have you forgotten who's in the living room? Friends…not enemies…They told me to tell you that they will NOT laugh at you, nor will the question your worth. Joey, their worried about you, its not good to keep hiding like this, it does nothing for your self-esteem. I saw what Yugi did today. Joey if you just show them then that'll be the end of it. No more drawn out stress…Ok?" Joey took a deep breath and nodded. Kaiba then led him by the arm to the living room. Tristan, Bakura, Yami, and Yugi looked up and smiled at Joey. Kaiba said Joey could use the shirt to hold up, but when it was time to show everyone he had to drop it on the floor. So that's what he did.

Out of nowhere, a sudden clap of thunder echoed and lightning flashed as it began to rain really, really hard. Kaiba had his arm around Joey, and he could feel his trembling as he gripped the shirt for dear life. Finally Kaiba pried it from his hands and threw it on the chair next to him. He moved Joey's hands and the group in front of them looked Joey over. His chest had scratch and bite and switch marks all over it. The line of his collarbone had been slashed also. Kaiba turned Joey around at that moment. His back was much the same, knife marks along his creamy skin, claw marks, lashings, bites….everything. Yugi who was sitting in between Yami's legs turned to him and buried his head in his shoulder.