"Um… Mai. Err... Hey there. What are you doing here, anyway?" Joey mumbled backing away in his embarrassment.

            "Serenity told Yugi, who told Teá, who was walking by my hotel, and told me about what happened!" She said rushing over to him and helping him to stand up, as his dash down the stairs had left him with no strength left. Joey sighed.

            "Well, um… as you can see… um… I wasn't really expecting anyone … and um it was great to see yah, but I should go now. So, bye!" He said, attempting to sidle back into his building, leaving her behind.

            "I'll help you up the stairs!" She said, cheerfully. Joey looked down at his boxer clad self again. God, He wouldn't even want Teá to see him like this… much less Mai. He blushed again. She started laughing as she supported him up the flights of stairs.

            "You look so cute when you're embarrassed!" She giggled. Joey glared at her.

            "I don't want to look cute." He said firmly, which caused to start laughing hysterically again. Once they finally got up to his apartment, Joey's wound was bleeding freely again. He tried to get rid of Mai again, protesting that he was perfectly fine, and had some sort of serious business to attend to. She ignored him, and helped him get inside; informing him that someone had to do something about his wound before he bled to death. Joey groaned… just what he needed. Another fussing female.

            He sat down at one of the chairs in the kitchen while she fluttered around getting bandages and such. He buried his head in his hands. He had tried to sneak off and put some more clothes on, but she had made him stop because he'd "get blood all over everything." Mai came over to him.

            "You're going to have to stand up." She said matter-of-factly. Joey eased himself to his feet and nearly collapsed. His legs were trembling and all his strength had drained away with his blood. Mai sighed, and pulled his arms around her shoulders. Joey was blushing even more now as their bodies were practically pressed together. "Is this enough support?" She asked, as she gently began unwinding the bandage around his chest. Joey was choked up and could barely mutter a jumbled response. He was very aware of her hands' gentle caresses as she cleaned his wound, the way her hair was tickling his nose as she treated him, the perfume she wore, and every place that their bodies touched. He coughed nervously, and was afraid of getting a sudden nosebleed. She looked up at him, and amethyst eyes met rich, hazel brown. Imperceptibly their heads moved towards each other. 'What am I doing? What is she doing?' Joey thought to himself. 'Oh, shit.' His trembling legs had failed him- he collapsed, sending both of them to the floor, their mouths locked together in a passionate kiss.

            Neither one wanted to pull away from that first kiss. A faint blush appeared on both of their cheeks. One moment of paradise. Then a maelstrom struck. Mai felt Joey being yanked away from her- someone was screaming something or other. Her vision was still a bit blurry- but everything quickly came into focus when she felt someone slap her across the cheek. She heard another slap and saw Joey rubbing a red abrasion on his face. A purple haired, livid demon was cursing and screaming at Joey as Mai watched, helplessly from the floor.

            "…. And after everything I've done for you!" She continued in such a high pitched shriek that Mai feared the windows would shatter.

            "Christy, baby, sweetheart… It's not like that! Honest! I just tripped, that's all!" Joey pleaded, clutching his chest where the bullet hole was. Mai glanced at her shirt and saw red blood where he had fallen on her. Joey continued with his appeal, "Mai was just helping me with my bandages! I didn't even want her to; you know… she just insisted! Then I tripped because I can't stand up too well after being shot and all and we just happened to land like that, yah know? It's a total misunderstanding." Mai felt as though a bullet had entered her chest. Was that really all it was? Had she kissed him when he had just tripped? But she was sure that he had been just as involved in the action as she had been… And it seemed Christy was sure as well…

            "If that's so, then why were you lying there for ten minutes!? And you're practically naked!" She yelled.

            "I am not! I have … boxers on…  But I had only them on before she came! It's not like I took my other clothes off! You know that I just hang out at home like this all the time! And we were just lying there because… well you know… um heat of the moment… I wasn't thinking clearly… I was shot last night! I shouldn't have to think! I was delirious! I thought she was you!" He was grasping at straws now, Mai saw. She felt horrible. Obviously, he hadn't really meant to kiss her, and there she had been kissing him- devoting every molecule to the action. What was he thinking about her? But she had been so sure that he had kissed her back. Well, she wouldn't put it past him to respond fiercely when a girl kissed him, without feeling a thing for her. Typical male behavior. She looked at his pained face, and felt a pang in her heart. He was still sweet, and no matter what she wanted to help him. Christy stormed out of the apartment with some cruel parting comment Mai did not hear. She was still so confused about all the jumbled feelings inside her.

            "Shit… CHRISTY! Waitaminute!" Joey called, trying to get up and run after her. He could still barely walk, however, and running was impossible. Mai stood up. "Mai! Go tell her what really happened! Please!" He begged. Mai raised an eyebrow.

            "What do you mean 'what really happened'?" She asked. "I don't know what really happened! Your excuses kept changing." She said, icily, though she felt only love for him at the moment.

            "I tripped, fell on you, and our heads just happened to land that way when she came in! That's all there is to it!" He said firmly.

            "You really think so?" She asked, feeling miserable.

            "Absolutely. I mean seriously… me and you? Together? Yeah, right. I barely even know you, and I totally don't feel like that about you. I mean, we're like complete opposites. You're just a friend, Mai, and I know you don't really like me that much." Mai felt rotten. She thought of all the times she had insulted and teased him. 'I really hurt him.' She thought to herself.

            "Joseph… it's not like I don't like you! You're a great friend! And umm… a great duelist! And I'm so sorry I've teased you all those times. … it's just…" She trailed off, and he smiled at her.

            "It's fine, Mai. And I'm glad you think of me as a friend. But could you please do me this favor and save my skin with Christy?" Mai looked indecisive for a minute, and then ran out the door. "I'll fix it, Joey! I promise!" She darted down the stairs and after Christy's rapidly retreating back. She finally caught up to her and panted, "Wait!" Christy whirled around and looked as though she was about to start having a screaming fit again. Mai cut in before she could start. "Look. I know what that looked like, but honestly it was all a misunderstanding and mostly my fault. I didn't understand his action, and reacted in an inappropriate way. But he really loves you, and you shouldn't be so hard on him." She said quickly. Christy gave her an appraising look.

            "What's your name?" She said suspiciously.

            "Mai Valentine. Yours?"

            "Christy Henderson. Now listen, Mai. We need to have a chat, okay? I want you to stay the hell away from my boyfriend, got it?" She threatened.

            "What are you going to do if I don't? Dye my hair pink?" Mai scoffed.

            "You probably don't know this because you're new around here, but my father owns three quarters of Domino City. Including all the cheap apartments, business rental lots, and can blackmail or coerce any business owner in the city to do whatever he wants." Mai raised an eyebrow.

            "And is that supposed to impress me?" She asked.

            "Not really, it's to let you know that if Joey breaks up with me because of you or anyone else, his father will lose his business, apartment, and never be able to work in this town again. And I'm sure you'd know what would happen to Joey then. If his father found out that it was all his fault? I wouldn't want to be there. Even if he survived, Joey wouldn't be able to work anywhere either, and he's much too poor to ever afford to move anywhere else. And if you think his pathetic friends would help, you're dead wrong. Even the closest of friends have their price, or at least their parents do…" She smiled sickeningly sweetly at Mai. "You have until next Saturday to stop all contact with him. And you're forbidden from seeing him ever again. And if you so much as mention what I've said to you, one Zachary Wheeler and son will be out on the street in twenty minutes flat." She stared up at Mai with wide, innocent eyes, smiling like a shark. Mai gaped at her. Christy laughed, and changed the subject.

            "I do so love projects! He's been mine for ages. Hasn't he improved in gentlemanly behavior? Soon he'll stop associating with the riffraff, and he might even rise in station. I somewhat doubt it though. The accent would have to go, but it's so cute!" She giggled like a twelve year old and walked back up to the apartment building. "Toodles!" She called over her shoulder at the seething Mai.

            Once she was out of sight, Mai quickly climbed up the fire escape to peer in at Joey's apartment window. The walls were thin and cheap, and she could hear every word said. Christy entered, and Joey stood up, amazed to see her. They hugged, she bandaged his wound (sloppily), then she proceeded to cook him dinner, after first calling her 'Daddy' to tell him to pay the Wheelers' water and power bill, despite Joey's protests that they could pay it. She served him a sickening casserole of some kind, and Joey stoically ate it, smiling painfully, and complimenting it whenever he could. Mai's stomach turned when he gently kissed her before she had to leave. Then she realized that her car was still in plain sight on the street below, and it would be obvious that she was spying on them. She darted down the many flights of stairs of the fire escape and leapt into her car, driving away at full speed, right before Christy walked smugly out to her BMW convertible.

            After Christy left, Joey slumped down into a chair. He was having the worst day of his life. First being shot, then Serenity and Kaiba, then Mai, then Christy… his eyes wandered around the small apartment, landing on a bottle of Jack Daniels on the counter…

############################################################################################

Serenity came home around ten o'clock laughing and happy. She had had a wonderful date, and was anxious to make sure Joey had been alright without her. She waltzed into the apartment calling "Hey, Joey! I'm home!," but there was no response. She tried turning on the lights, and was amazed to find out that the power had been turned back on. Then she saw a slumped shape sitting at the table. At first she thought it was her father, but once she went over and carefully examined him she realized it was her brother. She looked at the half empty bottle of whiskey next to him. Without a word she picked it up and dumped the remainder of it down the sink. She then filled it with water from the tap and dumped it over his head. Joey jumped out of his drunken stupor, spluttering.

            "Joey! I can't believe you! After you've grown up with an alcoholic and you always promised that you'd never touch the stuff, then you go and get completely drunk, just like Dad! You're susceptible to alcoholism, Joey! Addiction runs in the family! You know that mom was addicted to drugs when she was younger, and barely managed to quit! And every other day you get abused by an alcoholic! I thought you would have learned some sort of lesson by now! Do you want to become an abusive parent? Sleep with some girl some night and get stuck raising a kid who you beat up when you're feeling depressed? Do you really want to do that, Joey? This is ridiculous! I am completely disgusted with you! I can't believe you would put yourself at risk like that!" Joey glared up at her with red rimmed eyes.

            "Leave me alone." He muttered. Serenity was amazed to see that after half a bottle of whiskey his words were not slurred at all. He must have very high alcohol tolerance, just like their father. "This is all your fault anyway. If you hadn't run off with Seto Kaiba, Mai would never have seen me, I never would have kissed her, and Christy would never have walked in on us!" He yelled at Serenity, making her take a step away from him.

            "You kissed Mai? And Christy saw you?" She gasped.

            "Yeah, well that doesn't matter now. What matters is that you've been dating Kaiba behind my back!"

            "I'm so sorry, Joey, but I knew if I asked you you'd say 'No.'…"

            "Yeah I would. Because you don't know him Serenity! He's a complete, heartless bastard. He probably just wants something from you anyway. He'll end up treating you lousily, I guarantee."

            "I know him better than you do! He's a wonderful person, even though he acts kind of ruthless on the outside. He's been through a lot, and you two are really quite similar!"

            "Right. Me and Kaiba. Similar." He burst into laughter, then turned serious. "Well, Serenity, you can just break up with him right now. Cancel any dates you had because there is no way in Hell I'd let you continue to see him, got that?" Serenity tried not to burst into tears. She picked up the phone and took it into their room so Joey would not hear the painful conversation she must have with her boyfriend. Half an hour later she came into the kitchen, and Joey could see tear streaks down her face. He felt a moment of compassion.

            "Serenity- I- I'm really sorry, but it really is for the best, you know. He-He's not our type." She turned on him, and he could see fresh tears waiting to fall from her eyes.

            "Why do you have to be so spiteful?" She screamed at him. "Why can't you accept that yes, you two have had fights and duels and he's beaten you and insulted you and get over it? If he knew that you'd forgive him, he'd be nicer! I promise!" Joey stood up, glowering, his hand raised, almost as if he would strike her.

            "Shut up! He's never been anything but a jerk! He'll never change! He never does anything for anyone else! He's just a spoiled rich kid!" He shouted, and brought his hand down at her face. She gave a tiny scream, and Joey quickly regained control and stopped his arm an inch from her cheek. He stared at his hand which he was about to hit the person dearest to him with. Serenity burst into tears and ran from the room and into their bedroom, slamming the door. Joey sat back down at the table, still staring at his hand. What had he been thinking? He had just acted like his father. He had nearly hit his baby sister who trusted him so much. Tears began rolling down his cheeks. Why did it have to be this way? Why did he even try to drown his worries in alcohol? That was what his father did, and Joey had felt the results of it. He couldn't become a no-good drunk, who attacked innocent children. He laughed mirthlessly. Serenity wasn't a child anymore. She was fourteen and dating a seventeen year old. What was the world coming to? He lay with his head buried in his arms, silently sobbing. Once he had calmed down, he picked up the phone. There was an important call he needed to make.

**********************************************************************************************

            Serenity woke up late in the morning, wondering why she felt so horrible. Then it all came back to her. Her tearful conversation with Seto over the phone, Joey's drunken rage… She felt miserable, but, she imagined, not nearly as miserable as Joey. She timidly went into the kitchen and saw two boxes sitting on the kitchen table. She opened the first to see a dozen donuts, all her favorite kinds. She smiled, her brother was trying to make the previous night up to her. The second box had a note scrawled on the top in her brother's hand writing: "For Serenity, I'm sorry I was such a lousy brother last night. All my love, Joey" She opened the second box and gasped. Inside was a gorgeous sky blue dress. She pulled it out and admired it. It came down to a bit above her knees, with spaghetti straps that crossed in the back. It was somewhat tight, and had beautiful sheer, sparkly matching over-shirt. When she moved some of the tissue paper in the box away she saw a pair of beautiful matching high heel shoes. The entire ensemble must have cost Joey at least three months' paychecks. She heard the door open and saw her brother come in, covered in dirt and car oil from working all morning at the auto shop. Putting the dress down carefully so it wouldn't wrinkle she hugged tightly babbling her thanks. Joey smiled, then asked her to be a bit more quiet, as he had the worst headache ever. She apologized then ran off to try on the dress, and Joey had been in a panic about whether it would fit or not. She came out of their room wearing and Joey grinned.

            "You look gorgeous." He said smiling. Serenity admired herself in the small mirror in the kitchen.

            "It's so beautiful. Thank you, Joey!" She continued to admire the dress and Joey grabbed an ice pack for his head and went to watch TV. After a while a knock came on the door. She opened it and gasped.

            "Seto?! What are you doing here? I'm going to get in sooo much trouble! I told you our date was off!" He raised an eyebrow.

            "I know you did. But I got a phone call last night from your brother. He said… now what were his exact words?… I believe they were: '… and if you don't take my sister on the nicest date of her life, I'll come over there and knock your ass into the next century!' … or something like that." He said, laughing. Serenity stared at him.

            "You're kidding." She exclaimed. Kaiba sighed.

            "Not in the least. It was very surprising though. By the way, you look great in that dress." Serenity ran back into the apartment and hugged Joey so tightly that he protested that the injury in his chest would open up again.

            "Oh thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!" She cried, causing him to wince as his head exploded with pain again.

            "Yeah, yeah. Go have fun. And don't do anything stupid, okay?" He warned. She nodded, and ran back out to Kaiba who was waiting for her. Once Joey was sure they'd be downstairs he surreptitiously looked out the window at them. His little sister seemed so happy. Yes, he had done the right thing. He went into the kitchen to get some food, and saw a small post-it note on the counter. In very neat handwriting was written,

"Thanks, Wheeler."