Chapter Thirteen: Tomorrow
~~Bakura's POV~~
**And I wanna believe you
When you tell me that it'll be okay
Yeah, I try to believe you
But I don't
When you say that it's gonna be
It always turns out to be a different way
I try to believe you
Not today**
I woke up with my head throbbing, and visions dancing in my mind.
"Oh, /ow/," I cried, sitting up and clutching my head, as if that would dispel the images.
"Take it easy," someone said kindly. It took me a moment to recognize Ryou's voice.
"Fire," I croaked. "Blood...and sand...and water from the sky..." I forced my eyes open, and was relieved to see, not fire, but a simple bedroom. Ryou and Mai sat at the end of the bed, and the others stood off to one side.
"You fainted," Joey said helpfully.
I shook my head, which only made the pain worse. "I don't faint."
"Nevertheless," the pharaoh said, "that's what happened."
I groaned. I wanted to close my eyes, but that might bring the visions back. "Can everyone leave? Except Ryou, Yugi, and the pharaoh?"
Mai gave me a Look, as if I should let her stay simply because she was my girlfriend, but she left. Tristan, the last one out, closed the door.
"Where are we?" I asked.
"One of Kaiba's guest rooms," Yugi told me. "It's not midnight just yet. You weren't out too long."
"Water from the sky?" Ryou asked. "But...that's what Yami Yugi was talking about, months ago. And I /know/ you've both seen rain."
I stared at the pharaoh, who stared right back. So, we were having the same visions. What did that mean?
**I don't know how I'll feel
Tomorrow, tomorrow
I don't know what to say
Tomorrow, tomorrow
Is a different day**
"What did you see?" the pharaoh finally asked.
I closed my eyes, recalled the images, and immediately realized that I didn't /want/ to remember. I didn't want the fire, the blood, the memories...
"I saw...everything..." I opened my eyes. "And I think that what happened five thousand years ago was much worse than we all thought."
Yugi joined Ryou at the end of the bed. "It doesn't matter. That's over now. We saved the world."
"I know. But there's something..." I closed my eyes again, fought to look past the fire, and couldn't. "Something I can't remember. Not quite. Something that changes everything..."
Yugi shook his head. "No. It's over. It has to be."
I didn't think it was. Something wasn't right. "But if it's over.really over.then why are we remembering?"
"Residual memories?" the pharaoh suggested. "It's possible that something was blocking them."
"Oh, yeah? Like what? Just.shut up, pharaoh." I massaged my temples. "We're not getting anywhere. Can I talk to Ryou alone, now?"
The other two complied, and in a moment, I was alone with my hikari.
**Tomorrow
It's always been up to you
It's turning around, it's up to me
I'm gonna do what I have to do
Just don't
Give me a little time
Leave me alone a little while
Maybe it's not too late
Not today**
Ryou didn't speak, and didn't look at me. I gazed at the ceiling, and the memory, the vision, whatever it was, came unbidden back.
"Er, Ryou?"
He looked up, pale hair falling in his eyes. He brushed it away irritably. "What?"
"Do you still have that wristwatch with the ankh on it?"
"Yes, why?"
I pondered for a moment how to put it, and decided to go for blunt. "It must be destroyed. It is an Object of Evil."
Ryou jumped off the bed. "Yami, that watch was a present from my father! I'm not getting rid of it!"
"Yes, well, the Ring was a present, too, and we all know how /that/ turned out!"
"Yeah, it turned out fine!"
"Only after a great deal of pain!"
"Yami..." Ryou sighed. "Obviously, you need rest. You'll feel better tomorrow. And not quite so crazed."
"I'm not crazed!" I yelled, realizing too late that I /did/ sound rather insane. I spoke softer. "I mean it. I /saw/ it."
He grinned. "An Evil Wristwatch of Doom? I doubt it, Yami. Do you think you can walk?"
"Of course. I feel fine." Actually, my head still hurt, but the pain was fading...or maybe I was getting used to it. Anyway, my legs still worked, of that I was certain.
**Oh, I don't know how I'll feel
Tomorrow, tomorrow
I don't know what to say
Tomorrow, tomorrow
Is a different day**
We didn't leave the room, though. Ryou didn't seem that anxious to return to the party, and I was trying to work out how to say what I wanted to say. Eventually, I gave up on subtlety.
"I'm not mad at you anymore..."
He looked up quickly, eyes shining. "Really?"
I grinned. "Really. In fact, I don't think I'm mad at /anyone/ right now."
"Even Yami Yugi?"
I rolled my eyes. "We've been plotting together. We're...how do you say it?...we're 'tight.'"
Ryou snickered. "That's good, 'dude.'"
Someone knocked on the door. Determined not to be seen weakened, I stood up - and immediately fell back onto the bed as blood rushed to my head. "Ow, ow, ow!" I yelped.
Ryou opened the door and then half-turned to look at me. "All right?"
"Stood up too fast." I tried again - slowly - and this time managed it, though my head continued to ache.
Mokuba stepped in. "Hi. Feeling better?"
"Perfect," I told him, and winced at the visions that returned.
Fire. And blood. And...
I sat down again, stared at the wall to avoid closing my eyes. "Absolutely perfect..."
**Hey yeah yeah, hey yeah yeah
And I know I'm not ready
Hey yeah yeah, hey yeah yeah
Maybe tomorrow
Hey yeah yeah, hey yeah yeah
I'm not ready
Hey yeah yeah, hey yeah yeah
Maybe tomorrow**
After reassuring them that I was, in fact, in rather good condition, the three of us went downstairs. Apparently, whatever disruption had been caused when I...all right, I'll say it, /fainted/...was long forgotten by most of the partygoers.
"It's ten to midnight," Mokuba said. "I have to go find Seto. Have fun! Oh, and the punch is fine now," he added, before running off.
We sought out our friends in the corner. They stopped talking as we approached.
"Hey, Bakura," Tea said. "Are you - "
"If you're trying to ask if I'm okay," I told her, "then yes, I am. I am fine. And we must never speak of this again, because however it may have looked, I did /not/ faint."
They all relaxed. This was the me that they knew.
But /I/ didn't know who I was anymore. Part of me was saying, "You're Mai's boyfriend! Ryou's yami! Atenna's master!"
And the other part, the part that brought the images to my mind whenever I shut my eyes, said, "You're a tomb robber, you're corrupt and a murderer, and whatever they might want to believe, you /know/. It's not over. There's something there that changes everything you held as truth."
I /wanted/ to believe the first voice. I so much wanted to believe that everything was fine, that we were all just normal - as normal as we /could/ be, that is.
But I knew that, no matter what we wanted, it wasn't over. There was fire ahead, and blood, and sand, and the Evil Wristwatch of Doom...
"You're going to get rid of the watch, right?" I asked Ryou while the others weren't listening.
"As soon as I find it," he replied. "I know it's in the house somewhere, I just can't remember where."
I let it go. After all, it was nearly midnight and I had other things to think about - like kissing my girlfriend.
Mai hugged me. "You're sure you're okay?"
I smiled. "How could I not be? I'm with you, remember?"
When midnight came, we kissed. Young, foolish, and in love. And, unfortunately, she chased the visions away. I forgot the watch, and the things I had seen, forgot Egypt altogether.
We were happy. So happy. For today, and tomorrow, and it seemed, for all the tomorrows to come.
Except that tomorrow never comes.
**And I wanna believe you
When you tell me that it'll be okay
Yeah, I try to believe you
Not today
Tomorrow it may change
Tomorrow it may change
Tomorrow it may change
Tomorrow it may change**
~~
A/N: And thus Let Go ends, and Fallen begins. Yes, the sequel is to be called Fallen, another songfic, hopefully longer, with the songs by Evanescence. Anyone picking up on the hints (which were horribly blatant, I'm afraid) and familiar with the songs might have some idea what the plot of Fallen is. However, that's in the future, and here and now, I'm delighted that this story is /finally/ done. I am thoroughly appalled that it took so long. A whole year. *shudder* I apologize for the terrible waits at the beginning, and the rush toward the end. But I also thank you all. I appreciated every review, and I hope you all liked this enough to return for Fallen.
Mai/Bakura forever!
~~Bakura's POV~~
**And I wanna believe you
When you tell me that it'll be okay
Yeah, I try to believe you
But I don't
When you say that it's gonna be
It always turns out to be a different way
I try to believe you
Not today**
I woke up with my head throbbing, and visions dancing in my mind.
"Oh, /ow/," I cried, sitting up and clutching my head, as if that would dispel the images.
"Take it easy," someone said kindly. It took me a moment to recognize Ryou's voice.
"Fire," I croaked. "Blood...and sand...and water from the sky..." I forced my eyes open, and was relieved to see, not fire, but a simple bedroom. Ryou and Mai sat at the end of the bed, and the others stood off to one side.
"You fainted," Joey said helpfully.
I shook my head, which only made the pain worse. "I don't faint."
"Nevertheless," the pharaoh said, "that's what happened."
I groaned. I wanted to close my eyes, but that might bring the visions back. "Can everyone leave? Except Ryou, Yugi, and the pharaoh?"
Mai gave me a Look, as if I should let her stay simply because she was my girlfriend, but she left. Tristan, the last one out, closed the door.
"Where are we?" I asked.
"One of Kaiba's guest rooms," Yugi told me. "It's not midnight just yet. You weren't out too long."
"Water from the sky?" Ryou asked. "But...that's what Yami Yugi was talking about, months ago. And I /know/ you've both seen rain."
I stared at the pharaoh, who stared right back. So, we were having the same visions. What did that mean?
**I don't know how I'll feel
Tomorrow, tomorrow
I don't know what to say
Tomorrow, tomorrow
Is a different day**
"What did you see?" the pharaoh finally asked.
I closed my eyes, recalled the images, and immediately realized that I didn't /want/ to remember. I didn't want the fire, the blood, the memories...
"I saw...everything..." I opened my eyes. "And I think that what happened five thousand years ago was much worse than we all thought."
Yugi joined Ryou at the end of the bed. "It doesn't matter. That's over now. We saved the world."
"I know. But there's something..." I closed my eyes again, fought to look past the fire, and couldn't. "Something I can't remember. Not quite. Something that changes everything..."
Yugi shook his head. "No. It's over. It has to be."
I didn't think it was. Something wasn't right. "But if it's over.really over.then why are we remembering?"
"Residual memories?" the pharaoh suggested. "It's possible that something was blocking them."
"Oh, yeah? Like what? Just.shut up, pharaoh." I massaged my temples. "We're not getting anywhere. Can I talk to Ryou alone, now?"
The other two complied, and in a moment, I was alone with my hikari.
**Tomorrow
It's always been up to you
It's turning around, it's up to me
I'm gonna do what I have to do
Just don't
Give me a little time
Leave me alone a little while
Maybe it's not too late
Not today**
Ryou didn't speak, and didn't look at me. I gazed at the ceiling, and the memory, the vision, whatever it was, came unbidden back.
"Er, Ryou?"
He looked up, pale hair falling in his eyes. He brushed it away irritably. "What?"
"Do you still have that wristwatch with the ankh on it?"
"Yes, why?"
I pondered for a moment how to put it, and decided to go for blunt. "It must be destroyed. It is an Object of Evil."
Ryou jumped off the bed. "Yami, that watch was a present from my father! I'm not getting rid of it!"
"Yes, well, the Ring was a present, too, and we all know how /that/ turned out!"
"Yeah, it turned out fine!"
"Only after a great deal of pain!"
"Yami..." Ryou sighed. "Obviously, you need rest. You'll feel better tomorrow. And not quite so crazed."
"I'm not crazed!" I yelled, realizing too late that I /did/ sound rather insane. I spoke softer. "I mean it. I /saw/ it."
He grinned. "An Evil Wristwatch of Doom? I doubt it, Yami. Do you think you can walk?"
"Of course. I feel fine." Actually, my head still hurt, but the pain was fading...or maybe I was getting used to it. Anyway, my legs still worked, of that I was certain.
**Oh, I don't know how I'll feel
Tomorrow, tomorrow
I don't know what to say
Tomorrow, tomorrow
Is a different day**
We didn't leave the room, though. Ryou didn't seem that anxious to return to the party, and I was trying to work out how to say what I wanted to say. Eventually, I gave up on subtlety.
"I'm not mad at you anymore..."
He looked up quickly, eyes shining. "Really?"
I grinned. "Really. In fact, I don't think I'm mad at /anyone/ right now."
"Even Yami Yugi?"
I rolled my eyes. "We've been plotting together. We're...how do you say it?...we're 'tight.'"
Ryou snickered. "That's good, 'dude.'"
Someone knocked on the door. Determined not to be seen weakened, I stood up - and immediately fell back onto the bed as blood rushed to my head. "Ow, ow, ow!" I yelped.
Ryou opened the door and then half-turned to look at me. "All right?"
"Stood up too fast." I tried again - slowly - and this time managed it, though my head continued to ache.
Mokuba stepped in. "Hi. Feeling better?"
"Perfect," I told him, and winced at the visions that returned.
Fire. And blood. And...
I sat down again, stared at the wall to avoid closing my eyes. "Absolutely perfect..."
**Hey yeah yeah, hey yeah yeah
And I know I'm not ready
Hey yeah yeah, hey yeah yeah
Maybe tomorrow
Hey yeah yeah, hey yeah yeah
I'm not ready
Hey yeah yeah, hey yeah yeah
Maybe tomorrow**
After reassuring them that I was, in fact, in rather good condition, the three of us went downstairs. Apparently, whatever disruption had been caused when I...all right, I'll say it, /fainted/...was long forgotten by most of the partygoers.
"It's ten to midnight," Mokuba said. "I have to go find Seto. Have fun! Oh, and the punch is fine now," he added, before running off.
We sought out our friends in the corner. They stopped talking as we approached.
"Hey, Bakura," Tea said. "Are you - "
"If you're trying to ask if I'm okay," I told her, "then yes, I am. I am fine. And we must never speak of this again, because however it may have looked, I did /not/ faint."
They all relaxed. This was the me that they knew.
But /I/ didn't know who I was anymore. Part of me was saying, "You're Mai's boyfriend! Ryou's yami! Atenna's master!"
And the other part, the part that brought the images to my mind whenever I shut my eyes, said, "You're a tomb robber, you're corrupt and a murderer, and whatever they might want to believe, you /know/. It's not over. There's something there that changes everything you held as truth."
I /wanted/ to believe the first voice. I so much wanted to believe that everything was fine, that we were all just normal - as normal as we /could/ be, that is.
But I knew that, no matter what we wanted, it wasn't over. There was fire ahead, and blood, and sand, and the Evil Wristwatch of Doom...
"You're going to get rid of the watch, right?" I asked Ryou while the others weren't listening.
"As soon as I find it," he replied. "I know it's in the house somewhere, I just can't remember where."
I let it go. After all, it was nearly midnight and I had other things to think about - like kissing my girlfriend.
Mai hugged me. "You're sure you're okay?"
I smiled. "How could I not be? I'm with you, remember?"
When midnight came, we kissed. Young, foolish, and in love. And, unfortunately, she chased the visions away. I forgot the watch, and the things I had seen, forgot Egypt altogether.
We were happy. So happy. For today, and tomorrow, and it seemed, for all the tomorrows to come.
Except that tomorrow never comes.
**And I wanna believe you
When you tell me that it'll be okay
Yeah, I try to believe you
Not today
Tomorrow it may change
Tomorrow it may change
Tomorrow it may change
Tomorrow it may change**
~~
A/N: And thus Let Go ends, and Fallen begins. Yes, the sequel is to be called Fallen, another songfic, hopefully longer, with the songs by Evanescence. Anyone picking up on the hints (which were horribly blatant, I'm afraid) and familiar with the songs might have some idea what the plot of Fallen is. However, that's in the future, and here and now, I'm delighted that this story is /finally/ done. I am thoroughly appalled that it took so long. A whole year. *shudder* I apologize for the terrible waits at the beginning, and the rush toward the end. But I also thank you all. I appreciated every review, and I hope you all liked this enough to return for Fallen.
Mai/Bakura forever!