A/n: hello! I saw that episode where Jonouchi shields Mai from Merick's god card and it gave me the idea for 'One Halloween Knight' and I just saw it again today so I have another idea for a sequel! Wai! (Waves Japanese fans around) hope you like! (smiles) SakuraNightStar, thank you so much for reading and giving me your honest opinion so I reread it and I've tried my best to give a little more description, please tell me if you think this is better. Well Ja!
Key/note: (---) is a pause in dialog and the roses divide my paragraphs. I've just recently learned Mai's Japanese last name so the first one has the English names. In keeping with tradition, so will this one.
If I Lost You
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Mai stood in the kitchen one morning as she cooked breakfast for Joey.
It was seven and Joey had to be at a duel at ten.
The sun was shining brightly in the windows of their house in Domino and she smiled to herself as she waited for the burners to heat up.
She glanced out the window and saw a blue bird land on one of the bushes outside.
'Well Joey, I hope you like this. It's not much but I remembered your favorite breakfast, a medium well cooked steak and meiso soup.'
They'd been married for two months and she was more in love with him everyday.
She smiled as he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her ear.
"You're up early."
He only turned her head to kiss her again.
"If you sit down I'll finish cooking and we can have breakfast together before it's off to the big game for you."
He shook his head and whispered.
"I think I'd rather hold you until it's time to go. Cards are cards, but my wife is the most important thing in my life."
She gave a contented sigh and turned to face him.
"I think you're the best man a woman could have---but I'm hungry."
He grinned and picked her up, carrying her to the table.
"Fine then. I'll finish cooking and you sit here. You can't cook for me every morning, that's just too one sided."
She laughed as he set her in one of the chairs.
"Oh please! I hate you! You cook dinner every night and---"
He stopped her in mid sentence with a kiss.
"You talk too much in the morning."
He walked back to the stove and looked at what she was cooking and smiled.
Two steaks were in a pan while she had meiso soup on the back burner.
"So you did remember."
Mai rolled her eyes.
"Isn't it usually the husband who forgets? Come on Joey, give me some credit."
He turned and winked.
"I know I know, but I've got something special for you today."
She smiled.
"Oh really---and what would that be?"
He grinned to himself as he looked back at the steak he was putting on a plate.
"You'll see when we get to the duel."
He kissed her as he set her plate in front of her, and then sat across from her.
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Joey had taken two weeks off of work to attend a duel in Domino.
He owned one house on the beach in Nagasaki and another in Domino so they had moved into it for a few weeks.
That was technically his winter house to spend time with his friends when they were off work for the holidays.
It was also where he went when he had a big duel like today.
The prize money was reasonable and both Yugi and Kaiba would be competing so it was going to be fun, a reunion of the group, and a fireworks show all in one.
The only thing about this three level duel that bothered him was the fact that the building had no security and card theft was frequent.
He smiled as he looked over at Mai sitting beside him as he drove.
The breakfast was very sweet of Mai, and she had no idea her old friends would be there.
But what Joey had planned for the day outranked the steak breakfast and seeing all her friends again by a mile.
It had been a while since she'd dueled and had told him that she missed it.
So, Joey found her old deck and bought an entire box of cards to boost it around her beloved Harpy Lady, and snagged a spot for her in the competition.
They arrived at the three-story building that had literally been taken over by duelists and she sighed.
There were kids and adults a like, playing on the steps with their duel disks.
She smiled as they walked by a girl that had just attacked with a Harpy Lady Sisters, and turned to Joey.
"Remind me to sign up for the next one okay. I really miss the feel of the cards and the strategy."
He smiled and handed her a small box.
"Come with me to sign in okay?"
She looked at him oddly as he smirked and she nodded.
As they walked up to the table in the front of the building before they got to the doors, she opened the box and stopped dead in her tracks.
"But Joey, this is your card---are you signing me up today?"
He smiled and turned back.
"I thought long and hard about it---and then I fond a copy, now we both have a Red-Eyes. But yes---happy anniversary sweetie."
She threw her arms around him and kissed him.
"I love you."
He laughed and kissed her back.
" Oh but we hated me this morning."
She laughed.
"Oh you know I was just teasing!"
He wrapped his arm around her waist and walked up to the table with her.
"Today will be just like old times, the five best duelists in the world and who knows, it may come down to us dueling each other."
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"I summon the Red Eyes Black Dragon in attack mode! Red Eyes attack!"
The red eyes attacked and reduced Mai's opponent's life points to zero.
He was the last in a group of three men who had dressed as some of the monsters.
This one was dressed in a poor imitation Dark Magician costume.
But then the last one had been in a witty phantom costume that looked worse
The first had looked ridiculous as a Kuriboh.
Like the quality of their costumes, they were poor duelists and annoying with their insults.
She blushed as she heard Joey in the crowed of spectators.
"Go Mai! Show that creep who's got game!"
She winked and blew a kiss at him as the arena went back into standby mode.
He wrapped his arm around her waist as they walked away.
"So was that duel number five?"
She nodded with a smile.
"They were easy---and really annoying, dumb blond has a card to match, please! It's hard to believe those creeps are actually grown men."
He nodded silently as he thought.
"Mrs. Wheeler---"
She turned with a smile as she heard a familiarly shy voice.
"Yugi!"
He smiled as she hugged him.
"Hi Mai. It's been such a long time, I'm sorry I couldn't make it to your wedding."
She stepped back into Joey's arms with a smile.
"It's okay, it's good to see you again."
Yugi started walking with them.
"So Mai, I hear you're dueling again. That's great, you're a really good duelist."
She laughed.
"My reputation precedes me. I'm a little rusty but I still think I can beat most everyone in here. Except for you of course."
Yugi blushed and laughed.
"Well if you really tried I think you could. Joey's beaten me a couple of times in casual games, he's getting really good too."
Joey grinned.
"Yug, don't make me look so good in front of Mai, she might challenge me!"
Yugi laughed as Mai flashed her prized Harpy Lady card with a smile.
"Too late, I was going to duel you for dinner tonight."
He gave a nervous smile.
"That's cooking right, not eating?"
She laughed and wrapped her arm around him.
" Joey, I wouldn't starve you---unless you lost."
He cringed.
"Yee Mai! Don't even joke like that!"
Yugi laughed.
"You two really make a great couple. Well I better be off, I've advanced to level two already so I need to be on the second floor."
He waved and started to walk to the elevator when Mai stopped him.
"Yugi---I'll see you on level three!"
Joey nodded and waved.
"And you can bet I'll be there too!"
Yugi smiled and nodded.
"Bye guys!"
Mai turned back to Joey and kissed his cheek.
" What was that for?"
She shook her head.
"No reason, I just love you."
He looked into her eyes and kissed her sweetly.
"I love you too. But I'm afraid this is where we split up. I'm behind you so I've gotta catch up."
She nodded.
"I've got to find my next opponent too."
He kissed her hand with a slight bow.
"I'll come find you when I'm done."
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Mai noticed the creepy trio she'd beaten before and wondered what they were still doing there.
She'd already advanced to level two and was keeping an eye out for Yugi when she'd spotted them.
It was rule number one on the rule board that every player beaten in a duel had to leave the building immediately.
Not only were they not supposed to be in the building but they were on the second floor, reserved only for level two players.
They were watching her as she dueled a very sharp eight year old.
They'd come up at two draws and it looked as though it would be a third.
Once again they tied so they'd each have to play again on level three later on.
She was worried when she didn't see Joey and for some reason felt very threatened by these three men.
They started following her as she went to look for him or Yugi.
Anyone not to be alone with them.
She'd decided to go back down to level one and find Joey and was looking for an elevator.
There were less people on this floor and she quickly realized she'd gone the wrong way when she found herself alone.
There was no one in eyeshot or earshot for that matter and she was really nervous.
She turned but they were right there.
"Hello Mai. It's been a while."
She stepped back.
She recognized that voice.
Flashes of the dark Halloween night almost two years before flooded her mind and she began to shake.
'I'm sure my other guests would like it if you danced for us.
'I love you Mai! I want to kill you!'
'I should have killed him for hurting you like that!'
"Alexander?!"
"Yes, now you remember. Except, I'm not here for you this time. It's your husband I'm after---I'm just going to use you as bait. I really didn't expect you to be dueling."
She looked around and realized she'd backed herself into a corner.
He snapped his fingers and the one dressed as the witty phantom tried to grab her but she kicked him away.
Alexander's two henchmen ran at her and pinned each arm to the wall behind her.
He walked towards her with a grin and took a few strands of her hair into his fingers.
She attempted to kick him but he stepped back.
"What do you want with Joey?! You stay away from him!"
He laughed.
"In your position you have no right to order me."
She struggled against the other two men but they forced her to her knees.
This gave her the opportunity she needed and was able to pull away.
She kicked Alexander in the stomach and started to punch him but he caught her hand and twisted her around, forcing her to her knees again.
He took her other arm as he knelt behind her and untwisted the arm he held.
She started to struggle but he put a cloth over her face.
Her vision doubled and then darkness consumed her.
The man dressed as Witty Phantom took off his tie and tied her hands behind her.
Alexander picked her up and turned to them.
"Take off the costumes and meet me on the roof in an hour. Make sure he's worried about her before you give him any clues."
He looked down at Mai and smiled.
"As for you my dear, you might not want to wake up---because if you do, you'll see your fate."
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Joey searched all over for her.
He started calling for her but never saw her.
He saw a familiar man standing to one side of the room.
'Why's that guy look so familiar?'
He started to walk up to the man, but he walked away so Joey decided to follow.
He followed him up four flights of stairs and to the roof.
What he saw made his blood run cold.
Mai was unconscious and tied to a chair in what appeared to be a glass tank.
"Mai!"
He started to climb it but cut his hand on the raiser sharp glass.
He looked down at his hand trying to determine how deep the cut was.
Alexander stepped out behind him.
"She looks very peaceful doesn't she? So beautiful and full of life, wouldn't you agree?"
His eyes glinted and he looked like a wild animal as he dove on Alexander, wrapping his hands around his throat.
"I should've killed you when I had the chance! You did this to her! What's wrong with her?! Answer me!"
Alexander looked over at the two now normally dressed men
"Don't just---stand there you idiots---help me!"
They pulled Joey to his feet and Alexander punched him in the stomach.
He struggled against them but was at a disadvantage with them holding each arm.
"Let go of me! What do you want?! You let her go right now!"
He laughed as he put his hand on the glass, giving a sigh.
"What do I want? I want what to you have, but she doesn't want me so---I'll kill both of you. It's such a shame though, you really do fit nicely together, so you can have her in your next life."
Joey nearly went ballistic and thrashed wildly trying to get free but couldn't.
"If you hurt her I swear I'll kill you!"
He laughed again and walked back over to Joey.
" If you really think you love her, than duel me. The power of your love should enable you to win the duel and if you win I'll turn myself in."
Joey glared at him.
"And if you win?"
He smiled and pulled a small handgun from his belt.
"She drowns and I shoot you. Is it a deal Mr. Wheeler?"
Joey looked down and then to Mai.
What other choice did he have?
He wasn't sure how she'd gotten in the tank and he knew he'd never get in himself.
"Alright! Let's go!"
Alexander nodded.
"Let him go and follow me."
He put the gun back in his belt and opened the door.
Joey reluctantly followed, leaving Mai behind.
He stopped for a moment and looked back at her.
"I swear my valentine, I'll win this for you. Just hang in there."
He swallowed the lump of tears in his throat as the door closed in front of him and he whispered.
"I love you."
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It was the last round and this was important.
He'd won round one, but lost round two and if he lost round three both he and Mai would be killed.
The giant TV screen behind Alexander suddenly switched on and everyone saw Mai.
There were marks on the side of the tank indicating inches and two hoses slowly being lowered in from either side.
"This is where it gets interesting Mr. Wheeler. Those hoses are hooked up to a large truck that's filled with water. Every time you loose one hundred life points, the water rises an inch. When you have lost all your life points, the tank will be overflowing and Mai will eventually drown. While you watch her struggle helplessly."
He slammed his fist down onto the card field and clenched his teeth.
"You're not gonna get away with this you hear me! 'Cause when I'm done beating you in this game I'm gonna give you a real beating for hurting my wife!"
He laughed as he drew his five cards.
"Make all the threats you want because I am going to win. Oh but don't worry, you'll die right after her."
Joey was starting to loose his confidence.
Looking at his hand didn't help either.
It was Alexander's turn first.
"I play Peacock in attack mode, and equip it with Black Pendant, raising its attack power from seventeen hundred to twenty-two hundred. Peacock attack his life points!"
Joey watched in horror as the tank was filled with twenty inches of water.
It was almost to her knees.
He looked at his hand and started to feel tears in his eyes.
"I play a magic card Different Dimension Capsule. This allows me to pick any card from my deck and remove it from play for my next two turns. I then may summon it to my hand. I also play prevent rat in defense mode and end my turn."
'There, at least for the moment he can't attack my life points. I can't let that happen again.'
Alexander glanced at his cards after Joey picked a card and shuffled his deck.
"I play another magic card, Graceful Charity in order to draw three cards and discard two from my hand. I sacrifice my Peacock, and a card from my hand to summon Twin-Headed Fire Dragon. When my equip card is sent to the graveyard it inflicts five hundred points of damage to your life points! Raise the water by five inches. And I'm not done, I now destroy your prevent rat and end my turn."
Joey took a deep breath as he drew a card.
'Nothing. I can't let Mai down, this is killing me---no; it's killing her. I've got to find a way to beat this creep'
He looked down at his hand and cringed.
"I play another magic card, Offerings to the Doomed. This destroys one face up card and it looks like the only one you have is your dragon. Now that I've gotten rid of it, I play Dark Blade in attack mode. Dark Blade attack his life points! And it's in this standby phase that I get to add my monster to my hand."
'I just hope he doesn't draw something more powerful than Dark Blade. Because of that magic card I played I have to skip this draw phase.'
Alexander laughed.
"I sacrifice two monsters from my hand to summon Summoned Skull in attack mode! Summoned Skull, destroy his Dark Blade!"
Joey's heart began to pound as the water was raised seven inches.
"I play a magic card, Monster Reborn and call back my Dark Blade in Defense mode and end my turn."
Alexander drew a card and smiled.
"I play battle steer in attack mode and equip it with Malevolent Nuzzler, raising it's attack from eighteen hundred, to twenty five hundred and once again destroy your Dark blade and then I attack your life points directly with Summoned Skull---but only fill the tank to her neck."
Joey looked down at his cards and started to cry.
There was nothing he could put down, leaving his life points wide open, and just one more attack would reduce his life points to zero.
"I play a magic card---Red Medicine and raise my life points by five hundred, and end my turn."
Alexander laughed.
"Well that brought you up to thirty three hundred, but I'm afraid once I make my next move it won't mater. Summoned Skull, attack his life points! Well, now that you're down to eight hundred life points, I think I'll give you a chance to come back from the dead. I end my turn."
Joey's eyes gleamed for just a moment as he saw his next card.
" I play Lord of D in defense mode and I play a magic card, Monster Recovery. This allows me to take my Lord of D and combine it with my deck. At the same time I can combine my hand with my deck and shuffle, then draw four more cards."
Alexander glanced at Mai on the screen behind him.
"I really did love her, but the only way I can get over her is if she's dead and as long as you're alive you'll hunt me down so I thought I should kill you both. It's sort of an act of mercy because you'll be together, while I must wander the face of this earth without her."
Joey slammed his fist down again and hissed at Alexander.
"You don't know what love is you twisted piece of trash! I play a magic card! Oozaki and inflict eight hundred points of direct damage to your life points, and play Witch of the Black Forest in defense mode, ending my turn."
Alexander smiled.
"I play Girochin Kuwagata to kill your witch. Now I use my Summoned Skull to finish off your life points---take him to the roof then fill the tank!"
Joey screamed and fought as he was dragged away. Seto narrowed his eyes as he saw Alexander.
'So you're back. When you tried to steal my Blue Eyes eight years ago, I warned you never to come back. Now I'll take my revenge so you better hope you leave here alive!'
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Mai started to wake as the water covered her.
Through her blurred vision she could make out the image of Joey being held on his knees by the men with Alexander.
She screamed and struggled to get free of the chair as the water began to rise.
"Mai! Come on you gotta fight! Don't let him win! Mai—I love you!"
She took a deep breath as the water covered her head and began to pour over the sides.
"Mai!"
He struggled against the men but stopped as he heard Alexander.
"I have a gun to your head. Stop struggling or I'll make sure she watches you die."
He felt hot tears running down his face as Mai suddenly stopped moving.
"Now it's your turn!"
He heard the click of the trigger but someone knocked it away and the bullet shattered the glass.
He broke away from the two men and ran through the water and glass to get to Mai.
He glanced up to see the three men knocked out on the ground and Kaiba standing there.
He untied her and pulled her out of the chair, holding her close.
"Come on Mai! Breath! You can't leave me now! Come on!"
She took a deep breath and turned over, coughing out the water in her lungs.
She was shaking and he wrapped his arms around her.
"Joey?"
He let the tears come and looked up as Kaiba walked to them.
"Kaiba---"
He shook his head.
" Don't---just take her home, I'll keep the police off of you."
Joey looked confused as he stood with Mai.
She laid her head on his shoulder as he picked her up.
He glanced down at her then back at Kaiba.
"Why did you save us?"
He glared at Alexander.
"Call it a personal vendetta. Now let's go before the police show up, I'm sure you don't want to be harassed by them."
Joey nodded and followed him.
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Mai had fallen asleep in the car on the way home and Joey carried her into their room.
He set her on the bed and covered her with the comforter.
He sat next to her for a moment and brushed away a loose strand of hair that had fallen in her face.
He smiled softly as he watched her sleep, happy she was safe again and kissed her.
" Keep safe my love---don't ever scare me like that again. I can't lose you or I'd lose my mind."
He glanced at a small box on the dresser and picked it up.
He looked back over at her and smiled.
'She'll sleep all day and night if I have anything to say about it so I'll do something extra special. She loves flowers so I'll go buy her enough to last a lifetime. If she doesn't already know how much I love her, she will tomorrow.'
He looked worried for a moment as her face took on a pained look.
She opened her eyes and sat up with a start.
"Joey!"
He walked back over to her and sat next to her again.
He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her forehead.
"It's okay, I'm here."
He gently smoothed his fingers over her back as he held her closely.
" I had a horrible nightmare Joey---"
He stopped her with a kiss and stared down into her eyes.
"Don't think about it. You should go back to sleep, at least for a while. I'm going out for a little bit anyway but I'll be back soon. Close your eyes and I'll stay until you fall asleep again."
She nodded and laid back.
"Mai."
She looked up at him.
"Yes?"
He smiled and took her hand.
"I love you."
She smiled back and closed her eyes.
"I love you too Joey---probably too much."
He gave a soft laugh and brushed her cheek.
"Not possible because I love you more. Now go to sleep. I promise not to let anything else happen to you."
She nodded and turned to her side, still holding his hand tightly.
He waited until she fell asleep and left with a big idea and a contented feeling in his heart.
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The next morning Mai woke to a rose on her pillow.
She sat up and took the rose, looking around.
She smiled as she saw Joey sitting in a chair across the room holding two-dozen red roses.
He stood and walked over to her, setting them next to her.
It was then that she noticed his hand.
"Joey, what happened?!"
He looked down at his wrapped hand.
"I cut it yesterday on the glass."
She smiled softly and kissed it.
"What are the roses for?"
He smiled.
"Nothing, I just love you is all. For every petal on these roses is how many years I will love you."
She gave a contented sigh as he sat next to her.
"But Joey, that's over a thousand."
He nodded.
"That's ten lifetimes worth or more. I will love you forever."
She laughed as he picked her up and carried her to the living room.
Setting her to her feet he kissed her sweetly.
He wrapped his arms around her from behind as she caught sight of the entire living room filled with roses and flowers.
"Those aren't for anything, but these---these are just an entrance for this. I was going to give this too you yesterday but I decided to add the flowers yesterday afternoon while you slept."
She sighed as he released her and turned her to face him.
He reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a small box.
Opening it revealed a diamond solitaire pendant.
She smiled but then looked sad.
"I didn't get you anything. I didn't realize you'd get me something so nice."
She looked into his eyes as he placed his hands on either side of her face.
" Mai, you being here with me right now is all I need. I was so afraid that I'd lost you yesterday that I wanted to die. Your life is the best thing I can get. I just love you so much."
He put the necklace on her and wrapped his arms around her as he kissed her.
She closed her eyes as she rested her head on his shoulder and whispered.
"I love you too Joey."
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The end! What do you think?! Please tell me! Is it a little better at least? Ja!