Title: A Fresh Start

Chapter Eleven: Caught Up

"Should I tell her?"

Yugi growled softly as he heard Yami breathe these words......for the fifteenth time. It wasn't like he was ignoring Yami's question, he just didn't have an answer. Love was a hard thing to explain. It wasn't like Yugi could just give him a simple solution to his problem, he really needed to know how Yami felt about Tea and what lengths he would go to win her heart. As he sat down next to Yami, he decided to answer his question.

"Yami," Yugi cleared his throat, "it's your decision."

Yami turned to him, obviously upset by Yugi's response. He knew that it was his decision to make, he just wanted Yugi to help him decide what option was best. It wasn't like this was an easy decision. His choice could not only hurt him, it could hurt Tea as well. That was the last thing he wanted to do.

"Yes, but it's your opinion I am asking for."

Yugi turned to him and said sarcastically, "I have no opinion."

"This is serious, Yugi...." Yami said as he lowered his eyes.

Yugi surrendered to Yami's sad face and said, "if you must know, I think it would be wise if you told her while you still have the chance. You never know what tomorrow may bring, Yami."

After Yami thought about what Yugi said he stated, "you should become a psychiatrist."

Yugi smiled and stood up from his seat. "I try..."

Yami smiled, happier that he got some of the weight of his shoulders. As he looked at the clock on the Game Shop wall, Yami turned to Yugi and said, "don't you think it's about time that we go to Joey's house?"

"Well, I'm not the one that has been sulking in the corner all morning." Yugi looked him up and down. "You didn't even take a shower yet. Do you know that we have to be there in fifteen minutes?"

Yami shrugged his shoulders. "Fashionably late, I always say..."

"Hmm....you know? Tea told me that she was going to join in a game of spin the bottle before we start setting up for Joey's 'Welcome Home' party. Oh well, I guess she will just wind up kissing.......Tristan"

"WHAT!?" Yami's eyes bolted out.

Yugi nodded innocently and watched as Yami rushed toward the upstairs bathroom, almost tripping over one of his dueling games as he did so. Once he heard the bathroom door shut, Yugi whispered, "sucker...." and continued to prepare things for the party.

~At Joey's house~

"Mai, what does 'EMOH EMOCLEW' mean? Is that German or something?" Tristan asked curiously.

"Huh?" Mai uttered as she looked at the banner she was pinning up. "Tristan, that's 'WELCOME HOME!'

"Oooooh......wait....I don't see it..." He said as he cranked his head sideways.

"......and I thought I was the blonde one..."

Mai turned the banner around and yelled angrily, "IT'S BACKWARDS!"

"Well, would you look at that!" Tristan exclaimed as Mai smacked her forehead. "That was a good one."

"Thanks Tristan," Mai said, trying to control her temper.

As he walked away to help Tea with the stereo system, she was thinking of throwing something hard at him, but then she realized that he might think that the sky was falling. After laughing silently to herself, she decided to continue setting up the decorations for Joey's "Welcome Home" party. It had only been four days since Joey checked into the hospital, she didn't see why he needed a party to welcome him back to his house, but knowing Joey, he probably forgot what his house looked like by now.

*RING*

Mai resided from her thoughts to hear Tea yell from the kitchen, "that's probably Yugi and Yami! Could you let them in, Mai?"

"Sure," Mai said as she walked toward the door and opened it. "What a surprise..."

"Sorry we're late." Yugi said as he walked in with a couple of bags. "This one over here couldn't find a pair of pants to match his shirt. I told him that his blue jacket would have matched, but he told me that it clashed with the silver chains on his neck."

"It did!" Yami exclaimed as Mai covered her mouth to suppress a laugh.

"Anyway," Yugi gave Yami a fixed stare, "I brought balloons, some chips, and a couple of cds."

"Cool," Mai said as she looked toward the kitchen. "TEA!"

"Yeah," Tea answered as she appeared in the kitchen doorway. "Oh, hey guys!"

Yami blushed as her gaze shifted upon him.

"Hey," Yugi said as he walked toward her. "Is everything almost ready?"

Tea nodded but then frowned once she heard Tristan ask, "How much sugar were we supposed to put in the cake mix?"

"Two cups, why?"

"Umm..."

Tea sighed and whispered, "I'll be back..."

Yugi chuckled and turned around to see Yami in a daze. "Yami...?"

Yami turned to Yugi and said, "I can't do it, Yugi."

"You can't do...wh-" He stopped when he realized that Yami was referring to Tea. "Ohh.."

Mai stared at Yugi and Yami awkwardly.

"Why does Yami look so upset? What can't he do? Could it have something to do with...Tea? Wait, for the past couple of days Tea has been acting as wierd as Yami has. Is there something.....going on? Maybe I should talk to Tea about it.."

"OH NO, JOEY'S HERE!"

Mai shook out of her train of thought to see Tea and Tristan pointing to the front door. Mai looked in the direction they were pointing to see two shadows at the front door. Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at each other.

"Quick, everyone behind the couch.." Tristan said quietly. "Yugi, turn off the lights."

"Remember, when Joey opens the door, we all jump up and yell 'welcome home'...." Tea whispered as everyone nodded.

As everyone ducked behind the couch, they started hearing the voices of Serenity and Joey Wheeler.

"Get ready..." Tristan whispered as they heard the sound of keys.

"....so I was like, 'girl, I'm like a Visa check card....everywhere you want to be!'..."

"My brother, the flirt..."

"Who can-"

"WELCOME HOME!"

Joey gasped and put a hand on his heart. "What's going on...?"

"What does it look like?" Mai asked sarcastically.

"It looks like you guys were trying to finish me off..." Joey frowned and added, "listen, I already told you guys that when I die, Serenity gets my stereo."

"You loser!" Mai yelled as everyone laughed and walked over to hug Joey.

Joey smiled and said, "you guys are the best!"

"Of course we are, or at least I am.." Tristan said sarcastically.

Joey smiled and high-fived his best friend. "Thanks for doing this guys."

"That's what friends are for." Tea said as Joey blushed.

"That's what friends are for! For good times and bad times, only you can always count on me!" Tristan sang in a high-pitched voice as everyone joined in (including Mai) and started swinging back and forth to the rhythm.

~Two hours later~

"Hey Tea, can I talk to you for a minute?"

Tea looked over to Mai, who was standing by the kitchen. "Sure..."

As she walked into the kitchen with Mai, Tea wondered what Mai wanted.

"Umm...what's wrong?"

Mai shook her head. "Nothing, I was just wondering when you were going to clue me in about Yami."

"Huh?"

"You know what I mean." Tea looked at her with a confused look. "Tea, you can't keep this a secret forever."

"You think Yami and I are...together?" Tea laughed nervously. "Where did you get that idea?"

"The way you two look each other usually gives it away."

Tea cocked an eyebrow up. "The way we look at each other?"

"Don't play dumb." Mai frowned. "I know when you are lying, Tea."

"I'm not lying, Mai." Tea said softly. "We're not together."

"So, you're just friends?"

"......"

"Tea?"

"I don't know..." Tea said as her gaze shifted upon Mai.

"Maybe you should talk to him." Mai said as Tea sighed.

"I can't," Tea added, "he wants to be friends."

Mai laughed, but stopped when she saw Tea's sad look. "Tea, you actually believe what he says? Guys are dumb, remember that! I've noticed a very drastic change in the way he acts and talks around you. Believe me, he wants you more than a friend."

Tea put a hand on the counter. "What if-"

"He wants you more than a friend." Mai reassured as she put a hand on hers.

"I need to talk to him." Tea said as she walked toward the doorway, but stopped and looked at Mai. "Thanks, Mai. You're one of the few that I can trust with my problems. I just hope that you can trust me with yours one day."

As Tea started walking out the door again, Mai grabbed her by the arm and said, "I do trust you."

"Do you?"

"Is this about Joey?"

"Could be..." Tea said as she folded her arms.

"Listen," Mai sighed as she whispered, "it would never work out between me and Joey."

"Why not?"

"I've been through too many relationships to know...."

Tea frowned. "Joey's different."

"Could have told you that," Mai laughed.

"Be serious," Tea said as Mai sighed again, "I think you should give it a try."

"Why?"

"Joey loves you as much as you love him."

"I..." Mai looked at Tea. "Fine."

Tea hugged Mai and said, "you'll thank me for this one day."

Mai only shrugged her shoulders and walked out of the room in search of Joey.

"I need some air," Tea said as her eyes wandered toward the porch. "Perfect."

As Tea walked out of the kitchen, Yami walked in yelling, "I'm just going to get a drink, Yugi!"

As he reached for the fridge handle, he saw a glint of blue coming from the porch. As his eyes adjusted to the vicinity, he realized that the glint of blue was Tea. He put his glass down and sighed deeply to himself. He really wanted to tell Tea about his feelings for her, but something kept holding him back. He couldn't tell if it was nerves or just rejection.

'This is my chance.....should I tell...her?'

Yami straightened his collar and looked at Tea. "It's now or never......"

He walked toward the porch feeling quite confident in himself, that is, until he put his hand on the door to open it. His hand started to shake and negative thoughts started to flood his mind.

'I can do this, it's just Tea..'

He nodded and slid the door open to see Tea leaning on the balcony. She looked so peaceful with her eyes closed and the wind blowing through her hair. As he stepped forward, she opened her eyes and turned toward him slightly.

"You know, I was just thinking about you." She said as he hid a blush.

"Really?" He asked, but then added, "wait, good thoughts or bad?"

She laughed. "They were good for the most part."

He leaned his arm on the balcony and said, "I feel special now."

She smiled.

'She has such a beautiful smile...'

"How long have we been friends Yami?"

He shook out of his thoughts and looked at her. "Umm....about five years."

I felt like I was in a movie the first time we met." She said with a sigh.

"Why do you say that?" He asked as she turned to him.

"I was the damsel in distress and you were my knight in shining armor that had come to save me from the evil villain."

"I never really thought of it that way," Yami said as she looked away from him.

"Me either," Tea chuckled. "Just an idea that popped into my head while I was out here."

Yami breathed in heavily.

"It's weird," Tea sighed, "I used to think that Duke was my knight in shining armor, but then I got a taste of reality."

'I wish she would think of me as her knight....'

"You'll find your knight one day." Yami said softly.

'....even though I'm/he's right in front of her/me...'

Tea and Yami both thought as a silence grew between them.

"Well, well, well...." Tea flinched at the voice of her old boyfriend. "How are you, Tea?"

"What are you doing here, Duke?"

He only laughed and gave his trademark smile.

"Let's go in, Tea....."

"Wait," Tea said as she looked at Duke, "I want to know why he is here..."

"I told you that we needed to talk," he smiled, "now is as good a time as any."

"Wrong," Yami said as he stepped forward.

"What? Are you her new protective boyfriend?"

Yami smiled. "Actually, I am...."

"Huh?" Duke and Tea uttered as they looked at Yami.

~To be continued........~

Well, I didn't end it yet! I hope you liked this chapter and I will have the next chappie up as soon as possible. Thanks to everyone who reviewed.