When We Were Friends

A Few Cuts and Scrapes

All right I will tell you this now. I have never been more scared than I was while searching for my brother that day. I mean, Mokuba meant the world to me. What would I be without my little brother?

I continued to call his name but I never got any answers. I also called for Joey but he never answered either. I just had to find both of them, for Mokuba's safety.

"Seto," I froze. I knew that voice. I supposed Mr. Kaiba didn't want to wait for me anymore. "Seto, where is your brother?" His voice was so cold and just the mere memory of sends chills down my spine.

"I. I don't know s..sir." I stuttered out.

"Well then. Maybe I will have to take you and leave him behind then." He started to chuckle. An evil sort of chuckle too.

"NO!!!" He glared at me for my sudden outburst but said nothing. "I'll find him. He's around here and I just need to find him and then we can come live with you and then the three of us with be a family and then I will be a Kaiba and everything will be fine, just fine." I just kept rambling trying to convince myself that everything would be fine more than anything.

Gozaburo glared at me. If looks could kill, there would have been a slaughter at the orphanage that day. "What are you hiding boy?"

"I'm not hiding anything." I had finally relaxed and talked as calmly and coolly as I could.

"Good. I'll be back in a week for you and your little brother. Find him and don't lose him again. I don't want to have to wait for to find him next week." With those final "encouraging words" he left me there to worry.

I stood there for a minute thinking about my last week at the orphanage. Then I remembered Mokuba. I mentally slapped myself for forgetting Mokuba. I soon resumed my search.

Before long, I found myself at the back fence of the yard. (a/n he met Joey at the front fence) I look out at the woods that were not all that far away.

"Mokuba! Joey! Are you two out there?" I didn't actually get a worded answer but I did hear a few moans. I could tell someone was out there, but I didn't know who.

I toke a few steps back and then ran forward and hopped the fence. There was no back gate because Ms. Lux didn't want some of the older kids going out there and messing around. I knew better than to go out the front gate. If I went out the front gate I might as well have walked up to Ms. Lux and told her I was going to the woods.

I ran out there at full force part of me hoping the was Mokuba so the I found him. The other part of me hoping it wasn't because I could tell whoever it was, that they were in pain.

I kept running as the moaning figure came into view. I could tell it wasn't Mokuba. When I got there I nearly fainted.

"Joey." I gasped. Joey had cuts and bruises all over his face and arms. "Oh my god. How could they do this to you?" For a brief moment I wasn't ever thinking about Mokuba but that didn't last long.

"Who?" was all that he said.

"Tom and his gang. Didn't they do this to you?" I was starting to get a little confused. If Tom didn't hurt Joey, than who did.

"Right. Tom and his gang did this to me." He was obviously lying but I wasn't going to question him now. I had to find Mokuba.

I crouched down to Joey's level and looked at him. "Joey, do you know where Mokuba is?"

"No. I thought he was inside with you and that suit." Great. Just great. "I went home while you were having a chess match. Who won anyways?"

"I did. I am moving in with Gozaburo Kaiba in a week. But right now we have to find Mokuba. Tom and his gang did something to him and they won't tell me what until after I tell you to stop coming to the orphanage." Joey listened to everything that I said and than took a minute to let all of the information set in.

"All right, we have to find Mokuba," he said after he finally broke the silence between us. "But wait. Just how big of an idiot is Tom? All you had to do is tell me to stop coming around here and he was going to give back you brother? What a dolt." He started laughing. I thought for a second and I started laughing too.

He was right. All I had to do was give Joey the message and Mokuba would be safe. Joey could always come back after Mokuba was free and I knew he was going to stay safe. Tom really was all bronze no brains.

"So what are you waiting for. Go get your brother." Joey then tried to get up but he fell right back down. He didn't try to get up again. I could tell he was sitting on the ground in pain.

"Joey, are you all right?" Like hell he was all right. Why do people always ask that question when that can tell that your not all right.

"Yeah. I'm fine. Just a little tired that's all." He was lying through his teeth and that worried me. What was Joey hiding?

"No you're not. Joey, what really happened to you?" I never got my answer. Joey had passed out. "Joey! Joey wake up." He didn't wake up.

A/N - No Joey isn't going to die. I don't think I could make him die. So don't worry. He'll be fine, eventually. Please review.