She lay there as if dead. He knew she wasn't though. As soon as he touched her, he knew. Her heart was pounding and she was breathing, albeit shallowly.

::She's an albino. Rare. Very rare in humans. We need to do something,:: Ryou told him.

:What, hikari? What would you have me do?:

::She can't stay in the sun much longer,:: Ryou said sensibly. ::As I said, she's an albino. If we carried her, we could be home in fifteen minutes.::

'I hate when he does that,' Bakura sighed.

::Please, yami?::

'I really hate when he does that.' Gently, he removed the girl's glasses and pulled open an eyelid. He jerked away when he saw that she had no pupils or irises. Her eyes were snow white.

::She's really, really ill. She needs care. Please, yami?::

:ALL RIGHT!:

Bakura lifted the girl and was astonished by how slight her weight was. What had happened, what kind of abuse, had made her seem so pitiful?

Bakura sighed again. :Hikari, it's likely she won't make it through the night.:

::We have to try.::

Resigned, Bakura hefted the girl again and began the sprint home.

-------------------------------------------------

Ryou dipped the cloth back in the cool water. What his yami had discovered about the girl was disturbing, to say the least.

The girl had obviously been beaten. By the size and color of the bruises, he was willing to say often and very recently.

He rang out the cloth again and placed it on her forehead.

She was very, very ill. She had been exposed to the elements in a school uniform. Basically, with nothing to protect her. She was wearing a bell cuffed black turtleneck, a school uniform skirt, and heeled boots.

:What do you think, hikari?:

::I don't honestly know. There are a lot of contradictory things about her.::

:You're right. Something's wrong here.:

Ryou sighed. Before they had switched back, his yami had placed a jazz CD in the player on low volume. Slow, dreamy music that was heavy on the brass. It was relaxing and nearly sleep-inducing.

:Are you tired, hikari?:

::Very much so.::

:Give me a moment, then.: Gently, he reinserted himself as controller of their shared body.

Ryou was left in the dark until his yami returned. :There. We can rest for a little bit.:

::What did you do?:: he asked worriedly.

:Gave her some of my life energy.:

::Why?:: he queried, rather startled.

:Because, this seems important to you. Hikari, I've placed enough of my energy to keep her alive until morning.:

::Thank you, yami.::

:Now, can we please get some sleep?:

The pleading tone in his yami's voice made him chuckle. Ryou took control and went to bed.