Erin: No reviews for the last chapter.

Me: It wasn't too great anyway.

Erin: Hope this one's better.

Me: It should be.

Erin: And we don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.

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Chapter 3 - Kaiba's and Feelings.

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Noah and Mokuba Kaiba sat at their desks in the Kaiba Corporation headquarters. Their desks were part of a large crescent moon formation, the centre space was empty, as it was normally occupied by Seto Kaiba. Mokuba sighed as he gazed at the empty chair.

"Don't worry Mokuba." Noah didn't look up from the paper before him. "I'm sure Seto is okay."

"But the police are after him Noah! What if they've caught him! I know he didn't kill that man and attack Yugi! He would never!"

Noah looked up and smiled at his black haired brother, who had begun to wind his long braided hair around his hand. He had tied his hair into a braid when he had begun to work with his brother, as when loose, it got in his face whenever he looked down.

"Seto would never get caught. He's probably tracking down the real murderer right now!"

Mokuba still looked worried.

"You sure?"

"I'm positive." In truth, Noah didn't know what he was sure of.

All the way to Joey's house, Mai remained silent and gazed ahead into the rainy streets. Joey noticed, that despite having the raincoat wrapped around her, and the heating on full, her normally silk smooth skin was covered with goose bumps. When they arrived at Joey's house, he let Mai stay in the car until he had gotten the door open and he then rushed her inside. The living room was white with a black leather sofa in the middle of the room, and a fake white shag carpet on the ground. Joey took the rain coat from around Mai's shoulders and placed it on the radiator to dry; he then turned on the gas fire while Mai took a seat on the black leather sofa. The room, like his office, had pictures and articles of, about and related to his friends on the walls and mantle piece. Here though, there were also pictures of the people from the police station. One on the mantle piece showed Joey in his uniform days, and the previous DI holding a giant fish between them after a successful fishing trip, next to it, laid an old wooden pipe. Joey never smoked it of course, he had received it as a gift when the previous DI had retired, and he in turn had received it from his predecessor who had never smoked it and so on. In short the pipe still looked brand new, save for the light chew marks on the end. No DI had ever smoked that pipe, but all would chew it when in deep thought. Mai however paid no heed to the mementos and pictures. She simply stared into the flames, the sight of her friends head all bloody and pale still resonated in her mind. She bit her lip to hold back the new tears that threatened to fall from her violet eyes. Joey came through with a towel around his shoulders, and placed one around Mai's.

"Hey Mai! Do you want some tea?" Joey called as he entered the kitchen, sticking his wet head around the corner, causing his clumpy fringe to fall into his eyes.

Mai shook her head, beads of water fell as she did so.

"N. . .No thank you Joey. . ." Her voice very small. "Could you. . .Could you just sit here. . .With me?"

Joey's face softened and he silently agreed, moving over to sit by Mai. As he did so, Mai lay her head on his lap and let the tears flow, no longer able to suppress them. Joey wrapped his arms around his friend and gently stroked her hair. It scared him a little to see Mai so weak and frightened like this. It was so out of character.

"Don't worry Mai-Mai. . ." He spoke softly. "Don't cry. . .Your safe here. . .Don't cry Mai - Mai." He began to rock her gently, lulling her into a soft sleep.

"YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO DO THAT!" Mokuba yelled at the board members, as he did, he stood up, knocking back his swivel chair and causing his long purple coat, that once belonged to Seto, and braid to fall out behind him.

Noah sat smugly in his chair. He had seen the report that the board had created and the plan based on it they intended to vote on. It was to approve the closer of several of their Middle Europe facilities that had been low on production recently. This would have cost many jobs and the knock on effect could crush smaller communities. Noah was far more willing than the other two Kaiba brothers to use dirty tactics to monitor the board. Mokuba had too much honesty for spying, but Noah didn't have enough for much else. Having found this report he had given it too Mokuba. Mokuba was very passionate about protecting the jobs of Kaiba Corp employees. So much in fact, that he often cut his own wages and sold his own shares to avoid laying off workers. As such, Seto Kaiba had allowed his black haired brother to handle all personnel affairs. The workers appreciated Mokuba's work on their behalf, and as a result, his desk often vanished under cards and gifts at Christmas time.

"The Middle-European facilities are too far behind on their production!" A portly and bald board member retorted.

"They're dragging our overall profits down!" Another cried, her blond hair, tainted grey with one too many cigarettes, shaking in it's tight bun.

"IS THAT ALL YOU HAVE TO JUSTIFY RENDERING OVER 50,000 PEOPLE UNEMPLOYED!"

"Better them than us." The portly board member uttered.

"If I was my brother Seto, I could take that action and render you unemployed. But neither I, nor Noah has the power to do so. However! My brother's temporary absence does not mean that you can destroy people's lives. Did you honestly think that I would let this pass!?"

"The idea, it seems, brother. Was that you were not to know that it had been, until it was too late." Noah smirked, tossing a stress ball from hand to hand. "They seemed to think that without Seto hovering over them, they could get away with anything." He slammed the stress ball on his desk and glared at the board, all cheeriness left his voice, and he sounded much like his elder brother. "But they forget that as long as one Kaiba lives, they do NOT OWN THIS COMPANY! NO GET OUT!" He pointed violently at the door, and the board began to leave.

Noah did not remove his glare from them, or alter his position, and Mokuba stood straight, his own look of mixed disappointment and anger on his eyes.

"He's right you know." The portly board member uttered once they were out of the hearing range of the Kaiba's. "As long as those two brats are around we still have to play by Kaiba rules."

"And what did Mokuba mean by 'temporary'? Surely he doesn't believe his brother is innocent?" The smoky blond board member growled.

"That boy believes his brother is beyond doing any wrong. He'd go to the ends of the Earth for either Seto or Noah!"

"We'll just have to make sure they can no longer interfere with our plans!"

"That. . .Can be arranged."

Mai awoke the next morning to find herself lying in Joey's bed. She felt very thirsty, and noticed that she was not wearing her clothes from the night before, rather a large old tee-shirt of Joeys. She flopped back on the cushion and ran a hand across her forehead. 'Why was she in Joey's house? Why was she in his bed!?' She then remembered details from the night before. Coming home, going to get some coffee. . .The head. . .Calling Joey. . . Mai closed her eyes and let out a sigh. So that wasn't a nightmare. This, however, still didn't explain why she was in Joey's tee shirt, and his bed. A knock on the bedroom door broke her train of thought.

"You awake Mai?" Joey called softly.

"Y. . .Yeah." She croaked. God her throat was so dry.

Joey entered the room. He was wearing a clean shirt and trousers but looked very stiff and bedraggled.

"Thought you might want some breakfast." Joey beamed, placing the tray/stand across the bed.

Mai instantly went for the glass of orange juice, enjoying the feel as the cool liquid ran down her dry throat. She then started on the cereal, and looked up when Joey sneezed.

"Are you okay?" Mai asked worried.

Joey wiped his nose with a handkerchief.

"Mah. . .Yeah. It's just a cold. After you fell asleep, I dried you off, got you changed and off into bed I fell asleep on the coach in my wet clothes." He sneezed again, but caught this one with his handkerchief. "I'll be okay though. How are you though?" He sat on the edge of the bed and held onto Mai's hand.

Mai smiled and returned the grasp, something she normally would never do, but she was too tired out to hide her feelings just now.

"I. . .I'm okay. Emily. . .She really is dead though isn't she?"

Joey hung his head. Emily was the name of the owner of the body in one apartment, and the head in Mai's.

"Yeah. I'm going to go down to forensics today and see what they have to say. Will you be okay on your own for awhile?"

Mai looked at his face. It was so full of concern and worry that she wanted to reach out and hug him, but was able to restrain herself from doing so.

"Yeah. I'm not some little girl or 'damsel-in-distress' y'know." She gave off a little smirk.

"Now there's Mai-Mai." Joey smiled. "I'll be back in during lunch to see how you are Mai-Mai." He said as he walked back out of the door.

"Okay. And Joey!" Mai called after him.

"Yeah?" Joey put his head back in through the door.

"Don't call me Mai-Mai." She smirked.

Joey simply smiled and closed the door. Mai placed the tray on the ground and lay back on the bed. In truth, she liked it when Joey called her Mai- Mai. . .Quite a lot. Not that she would ever let him know that. Not yet anyway. She let herself drop back off to sleep, and the toast become cold. Her sleep, this time, was not plagued with events of the night before, but rather with pleasant dreams.

"Hmmm. . .Joey. . ." She murmured.

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Me: This chapter really just introduced Mokuba and Noah to the story.

Erin: Did you do that because you planned it, or because one reader wanted to see Mokuba?

Me: I assure you it was part of my plan for the story.

Erin: I bet that the reviewer was a girl and you have a crush on her!

Me: That wasn't why! I don't even remember if it was a girl! And I don't have a crush on anyone!

Erin: Oh really! *looks pouty*

Me: What I mean is. . .uhhh. . .

Erin: He he. . .You're cute when you worry.