Disclaimer: Sadly enough, I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, but it'd be nice if certain characters could come to life ^_-

Chapter Eleven – Nightmarish Dreams

"So what do we do?" Téa asked quietly. Fifteen agonizing minutes had passed as the three of them sat there in silence, each were thinking up their own stories of what could possibly make Kaiba come for Serena.

"I say we go look for her," Joey said, standing up swiftly.

"Joey, she could come back here any minute, we can't just leave," Téa replied, causing Joey to return to his seat.

"Then what do we do? Yug?" Joey turned and looked at Yugi who seemed to be lost in his own world.

Yami, this is the one time the millennium ring would come in handy.

I know Yugi…we're just going to have to trust Kaiba for now. Serena said in the note she'd return.

"I guess we'll just wait here for her," Yugi said, snapping back into reality. "Joey, call Tristan and have him be on the lookout for them." Wherever she is, I hope she is safe.

~*~*~*~*~

Two dark figures stood in the growing darkness, their cloaks and magic concealing them from the view of the untrained eye. They were watching, waiting like two lions for the right time to strike. As soon as the girl returned, they would capture her. They did not question their master's actions, only responded by obeying. He owned them, their minds, their bodies, their souls. He could command them to do as he wished and they would act according to his word, no questions asked.

Yugi glanced out the window, looking for any sign of Kaiba and Serena. Instead, he sensed a dark force and thought he saw two dark figures looming in the distance, their eyes focused on the apartment. Almost immediately, Yugi tapped into the power of the millennium puzzle.

"They have come," Yami said, his voice holding back his anger. "They have come," he said yet again, causing Téa and Joey to tilt their heads in question. They said nothing, only sat there, waiting for the inevitable to happen.

~*~*~*~*~

Kaiba glanced out the window of the limo as it drove on in the darkening evening. The sun was setting, but the sunset wasn't even noticed. He slowly wiped beads of sweat from his forehead. His dream felt so real. Taking a deep breath, he looked down and forced a small smile. Serena was safe, in his arms.

He sighed and looked out the window again. He didn't know why or how, but he could sense evil. If only I could take her away from here, but she insists on going back. I know I am bringing her to the center of danger, but she is stubborn and claims that if there really is danger, she will be able to face it; she refuses to run.

He looked back down at her as he felt her move restlessly in his arms. He noticed small beads of sweat forming on her forehead as well. He didn't understand what was happening, but he felt their minds connecting, and slowly, images appeared before him. They were clear and vivid; he knew them well. They were the same images he had seen only minutes before. They were the images of his dream.

~*~*~*~*~

"Kaiba!" Serena screamed as two men grabbed her. "Let me go!"

"Serena!" Kaiba yelled back. He tried to run to her, but a force was holding him from doing so.

"Let the girl go," a deep voice said calmly. 'It's alright Serena, everything will be alright.'

'Yugi?' Somehow, Serena was tapping their minds together and although her lips weren't moving, her mind was speaking to his.

'It's Yami,' the pharaoh responded to her mind, his amethyst eyes turning on the perpetrators. "Let her go."

The two men looked at each other and back to Yami. Instead of letting Serena go, they tightened their grip on her, causing her to cry out in pain.

"I listen only to my master," one of the men said blankly.

'My only chance of understanding what is going on is to tap into their minds. I have to be strong. I have to,' Serena told herself as she looked at Yami and then to Kaiba.

Time seemed to stand still as she broke into the stillness of their minds. She searched for their thoughts, but found none. It was as if their minds were controlled, as if they were thinking nothing. "It can't be," she whispered to herself, horror filling her eyes. "It's impossible!" she cried out.

"Serena?" Kaiba questioned, his eyes growing cold as he looked at the men holding her tightly. 'Why do they just stand there?'

"Everything is possible," a dark voice said as a man appeared before them. He was dressed in a black cloak. It was the same man Serena had seen when she saw Joey duel for the first time.

"What do you want with her?" Kaiba cried out, feeling the restraints tightening around him as he tried to break free.

"What I have longed to take for many, many years," he stated simply, approaching the men holding Serena.

"You cannot take it," Yami said confidently, raising his hand, causing a bright light to shine. This caused the men to fall back and release Serena.

"Impressive," the man said, his voice dark.

Wasting no time, Serena ran over to Yami, far from the man she was starting to recognize. Yami placed an arm tightly around Serena and she knew what he wanted her to do. 'I won't allow him to hurt you Serena. This is a test of your strength and endurance. Be strong and trust in yourself and those who care for you.'

Serena took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She focused her mind on the first thing that came to her: saving Kaiba. Slowly, she was lifted above the ground as a bright light seemed to emerge from her body. A small mark appeared on her forehead as the unnoticeable restraints on Kaiba weakened and were soon vanquished.

She turned her eyes upon the man, ready to do him in. But the moment she looked at him, she lost her focus and fell to the ground, landing in Kaiba's arms.

"Her past is too dark for her to face," the man said sardonically, removing the hood from his head, revealing his identity; it was Jared. "And now, you will come with me." He picked up a golden rod from his belt and pointed it towards Kaiba and Yami, sending them both to the ground while his two men rose and grabbed Serena, dragging her along with them. "Now, I will get what I want and you will get what you deserve. After seeing the power the necklace contains, it will make a great asset to my quest."

'He'll never get it Serena, you'll never willingly give it to him and he'll never be able to tap into its power because of that,' Yami's strong voice said to her.

"Oh, but first, I'll finish off your annoying, meddling friends." Jared said as an afterthought, turning around and pointing his rod towards them once more. A dark force seemed to emerge from the rod and headed straight for the small group of friends.

Serena did all she could to concentrate on destroying her father, but the images of her past kept coming back to haunt her; it was too dark for her to face, especially alone. She watched in horror as the beam headed straight for her friends and exploded upon impact, a bright light seeming to erupt from the darkness.

"NO!" Serena screamed, but they were gone.

~*~*~*~*~

"NO!" Serena screamed, sitting up quickly, her heart racing, beads of sweat pouring from her forehead. She felt two arms wrap tightly around her and struggled to break free, not noticing her surroundings.

"Shh, it's ok. I'm here," Kaiba said gently and felt her relax somewhat.

"That was your dream," she said quietly, fear written all over her face, her heart racing, and her breaths quick.

"Yes," Kaiba said softly, holding her closer. "I don't understand Serena."

"I told you I could read minds…and sometimes, I can even see other's dreams. I'm so confused Seto. I don't understand what is going on or what that dream meant," she said, burying her face in his shirt.

"It was just a dream, it doesn't mean anything," he said reassuringly, not quite sure he believed himself.

A/N: Just so as not to confuse anyone at all…"He picked up a golden rod from his belt and pointed it towards Kaiba and Yami, sending them both to the ground…"
The rod is not the millennium rod. You all will find out later, until then, please review ^_^