Alex burst into the hospital and ran to the front desk. "Where's Bakura Ryou? Is he okay?" she demanded.
"Wait a minute..." the woman behind the desk said, holding up a hand. "Who are you looking for?"
"Bakura Ryou!" Alex repeated, growing annoyed quickly.
"Are you a relative?" The woman asked calmly.
"I'm his best friend!" Alex replied.
"There hasn't been any information on his condition yet. He was just brought in by the ambulance..." she started, but Alex slammed her fist on the counter before turning away.
She walked over to a bench and sat down, putting her face in her hands. A few minutes later, she heard the hospital doors open. Alex lifted her head to see her sister and Rick come in. "No!" Alex exclaimed, standing and facing Jade. "Get out!"
"Alex...!" Jade started, but her sister grabbed her shirt.
"Hey!" Rick said, grabbing Alex's arm. The woman from behind the counter ran over and helped pull Alex away as well. She spun the teen around to face her and looked her dead in the eye.
"I understand you're upset about your friend, but we'll have no fighting here. If you don't calm down I'll have to ask you to leave," she said and Alex glared at her.
Alex ripped away from the woman and dropped down onto the bench with her arms folded. Alex read the woman's name tag to find her name to be Riayla. The two glared at each other for a few seconds before Riayla moved back behind the counter.
Before Alex could say anything to Jade, the doors once again burst open. Alex didn't recognize the man that entered. He was tall with brown hair and glasses * and looked slightly panicked. He ran to the counter and addressed Riayla.
"Is Bakura Ryou all right? I'm his father," he said and Alex stared at him.
- They look nothing alike, - Alex thought. - Maybe he looks like his mother instead. - She tuned back into the conversation to see Mr. Ryou take the insurance papers. He came over to the bench and sat beside Alex. He adjusted his glasses on his nose, then noticed Alex looking at him.
"Hello," he said, eyeing her.
"You're his father then?" Alex asked.
Mr. Ryou looked surprised at this. "Ah... yes, I am. I take it you're Alex?" he asked.
"Yeah."
"Bakura speaks highly of you. For the past few weeks yours has been the only name on his lips," Mr. Ryou said, scratching answers on the insurance papers with his pen.
Alex stared at him, trying to decipher what that meant exactly. She was about to ask what it was that Bakura said about her when his father stood to hand the papers back to Riayla. He sat back down as a doctor came down the hall. Alex, Jade, Rick and Mr. Ryou watched as the doctor handed a clipboard to Riayla, then headed their way.
Both Mr. Ryou and Alex stood in anticipation for what the doctor would have to say. Once again Alex's heart began to pound in nervousness, but she tried to ignore it. Her eyes scanned the name tag pinned to the man's white coat. - Chris, - she read to herself.
"Are you here because of Bakura Ryou?" Chris asked and Mr. Ryou nodded.
"Yes," he said.
"Is he all right or isn't he?" Alex demanded.
Chris chuckled. "Yes, he's fine. The car wasn't going at a high enough speed to seriously injure him, though he does have a broken leg."
Alex sighed in relief and sank back down onto the bench. Jade hugged Rick and Mr. Ryou closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
- Bakura, I swear to God you scared the crap out of me, - Alex thought, closing her eyes and leaning her head against the wall.
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"I've got to go to the hospital," Alex announced when she arrived home from school the next day.
"All right, but we have to leave at five because..." Jade said, taking the keys off the wall.
"Who's we? Give /me/ the keys. You're not coming," Alex said, trying to grab the keys out of her sister's hand.
"Yes I am. I'm driving you over, you can spend some time with Bakura, then I'm driving you back and I'm going out with Rick," Jade said, holding her hand above her head, making Alex unable to get the keys.
Alex fumed, but simply pointed to the car. "Go. Drive."
"All right, Tarzan," Jade said, dodging her sister's punch on her way to the car.
Alex got in the passenger side and slammed the door shut.
"The window didn't shatter, care to try again?" Jade asked dryly as she started the engine. She didn't notice the death glare her sister gave her.
The sisters rode in silence to the hospital. Alex couldn't wait to see Bakura. The doctor had said yesterday that it would be best if she waited a day before visiting him.
Jade pulled up at the hospital a few minutes later and Alex got out of the car almost before her sister shut it off. "Alex! Wait a minute!" Jade called, but Alex was already inside the hospital.
"Where's Bakura Ryou's room?" Alex asked breathlessly when she ran up the counter.
"You are?" When the woman lifted her head, Alex recognized her as Riayla from the day before.
"I've already told you, I'm his best friend," Alex said, annoyed.
"Your name please?" Riayla asked, looking the teen in the eye as Jade entered.
"Alex, happy?" she snapped.
"Miss., your full name," Riayla said, looking rather annoyed now herself.
"Alexandra Moore," Jade said, coming to the counter. "And I'm her sister and legal guardian, Jade."
"All right, thank you. Third floor, room 113," Riayla said, pointing down the hall.
"Thank you," Jade said as Alex took off down the hall.
Riayla stood and called after her, "Please! No running!" Turning her attention to Jade, she said, "Would you mind keeping your sister in check? If you can't I'll have to ask her to leave."
"Yes, of course. I'm sorry," Jade said, heading down the hall after Alex.
~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~
Alex skidded to a stop in front of the nearest elevator. She punched the 'up' button numerous times as she saw her sister coming down the hall.
"Come on... come on..." Alex muttered, not wanting Jade to be with her when she saw Bakura. "Yes..."
The elevator doors opened and Alex spun inside, shutting the doors before Jade even got close. She punched the button for level three and leaned back in the empty elevator, breathing in relief as it started to move.
Her heart pounded in anticipation as the elevator dinged for level two. She wanted to see Bakura with her own eyes to be sure he was all right. When the doors opened on level three, she made a hasty exit, heading down the hall. She looked on every door for 113 and when she found it, she quickly entered, shutting the door behind her.
"Bakura?" she asked, going around the curtain.
"Alex!" he exclaimed, his face lighting up. His leg was in a pulley being held up, so when he tried to sit up, it was difficult.
Instead of returning his smile, she ran over and grabbed his shoulders, shocking the grin off his face. "What's wrong with you?" she shrieked, shaking him slightly. "You nearly committed suicide you /moron/!"
"I... well..." he started, feeling his face start to flush with her being so close.
"You scared the /crap/ out of me!" Alex said, releasing him and turning away, folding her arms.
Bakura blushed a deeper red, but couldn't keep a grin off his face. "I... I did?" he asked.
"Yes you idiot!" Alex exclaimed, turning back to him. "You're the only friend I've got! And I kind of need someone to keep me in check."
Bakura beamed. "Ah, yes, well... you do have Jade for that," he said. He laughed when Alex's eyes grew wide.
"Are you kidding me? Anything she tells me not to do I do ten times over!" she said, making Bakura crack up. Alex couldn't help but grin as her friend laughed. She sat down on the bed next to him and Bakura's laughter melted into a scarlet blush.
"Um..." he said, avoiding her eyes. "Dad said you've met."
"Yeah, you look nothing like him," she said, making him laugh again.
"No, I suppose I don't. Everyone always said I looked like mom," he replied.
"Yeah, well maybe if you got a haircut that'd change," Alex said, tugging on his bangs.
Bakura blushed and brushed her hand away.
"Your old man did say one thing though," Alex said, remembering.
"Dad's not old," Bakura laughed.
Alex only shrugged. "He said that you've been talking about me. Exactly what have you been saying?" she asked, eyeing him.
Bakura felt color surge through his face. - Dad! - "Ah... I've mentioned you a few times I suppose."
"And when you've mentioned me what have you said?" she asked.
"I feel like I'm being interrogated by the police," he said, avoiding looking at her.
"Good, maybe you'll answer truthfully then," Alex replied.
"Um... I've told him about you... I told him your birthday was on Halloween... um..." he stammered, trying to make the color drain from his face but to no avail.
Alex tilted her head to the side. "And what'd he say to that?"
"Oh, uh... he thought it was cool," Bakura said, looking at her.
"All right. What else?" Alex pressed.
"Oh, um... I described you to him..." Bakura replied nervously.
Alex's face got slightly more serious. "How? What did you say?"
Feeling very uncomfortable, Bakura avoided looking at her. "Oh, well... you know, your hair and stuff," he said.
Alex relaxed a bit at this. When she noticed the way Bakura was deliberately looking away from her, she raised an eyebrow. She reached over and put her fingers on his chin, turning his head towards her. "Why are you blushing?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Oh... uh... I'm... I'm not... I'm just a little warm..." he stammered, growing more embarrassed by the minute.
Alex felt the blanket that was over him and when she realized how thin it was, she pressed a hand to his forehead. Blushing furiously, he pushed her away.
"No... I'm fine..." he said.
"Maybe I should get a nurse," she said, turning to go, but Bakura grabbed her wrist.
"No... really. I'm fine," he said, trying desperately to get his face to drain of color.
"Are you sure?" she asked, looking at him skeptically.
"Yeah," he said, releasing her wrist.
She sighed and sat down in the chair by his bed. She studied him a moment before turning her gaze downwards to her hands. "You know you really did scare the crap out of me," she said. "You're the only one I can trust and stuff and I don't know what I'd do if I lost you..."
Bakura's eyes widened in surprise and he felt his face start to flush again. Fighting against it, he reached over and took her hand. She looked up at him, slightly surprised. "You'll never loose me," he said, looking directly into her eyes. He soared as he felt her hand tighten around his. When she smiled at him, he felt as if it lit up the room and he returned the smile.
He pulled his hand out of hers as the door burst open. Alex and Bakura snapped their heads up to see Yugi and the gang come in.
"Bakura! What happened? The teacher said you were in the hospital! Are you okay?" Tea asked.
"Y-yes, I'm fine," Bakura replied, noting the scowl on Alex's face.
"Man, what happened? What did you do?" Tristan asked.
"Um... I was just hit by a car..." he replied nervously.
Alex stared in disgust as the gang swarmed around Bakura. - This is ridiculous. - She turned around and left through the open door.
"Alex! Wait! Oh... now look... She was in a good enough mood where I could have asked her out too!" Bakura said, putting a hand over his face.
"While you're in a hospital bed?" Joey asked incredulously.
"Well, maybe she wouldn't have hit me!" Bakura said, looking at him.
"Sorry Bakura, we didn't realize how well things were going. We were just worried about you," Tea said apologetically.
"Could you go get her before she completely leaves?" Bakura asked hurriedly.
"Oh! Yeah..." Tea said, running from the room. She passed a young woman with deep red hair on her way down the hall. - Oh, I hope no one catches me running through here, - Tea thought. She turned a corner and spotted Alex walking down the hallway slowly with her hands in her pockets. "Alex!" Tea called, running up to her.
Alex turned around to see the brunette stop a few feet away, gasping for breath. She sighed in annoyance and folded her arms. "What do you want?" she snapped.
"Bakura... needs to... talk to you..." Tea panted, trying to catch her breath.
"He /was/ talking to me before you barged in," Alex said.
"We're sorry, we didn't realize you were there," Tea said, but stopped quickly at a glare from Alex. "I mean, we were so worried about Bakura that we didn't realize that you, being his friend too, would be here. Actually, I think he wants to talk to you right now more than he wants to see us. He seemed... kind of upset that you left."
Alex raised an eyebrow. "And what does he want to talk to me about?"
"I don't know, I didn't ask him."
"Fine, but only if you freaks aren't in the room," Alex said finally.
"Okay, deal," Tea said, smiling. Alex glared back. "Um... right," Tea said, her smile fading in her nervousness. The two started back, though Alex walked a few paces behind the brunette.
When they got back to the room, Tea nodded for the rest of the gang to leave, leaving Alex and Bakura alone once more.
Alex glared at their backs, then turned her gaze to Bakura. "Why do you hang out with them?" she asked incredulously.
"Because they're nice," he said. "I don't know, we just get along."
Alex raised an eyebrow, but dropped it as she sat down. "You wanted to talk to me?"
"Um... not about anything specific... but you kind of left rather quickly," he said.
"I didn't want to hang around your friends as you probably could have figured out by now," she replied coldly.
"Yeah," he said. There was an awkward silence and he felt his face start to burn again. - The situation was perfect before! I would have been able to ask her out! -
"So?" Alex asked, looking at him.
"You have to give me a minute to think of something to say," he replied. He grinned as she gave a small laugh. He studied her face and found himself longing to kiss her once more.
She noticed the odd way he was watching her and furrowed her brow. "What?" she asked.
"Have you considered not wearing so much make up?" he asked without completely thinking.
Alex raised her eyebrow. "Why?"
"It hides your face," he said.
"No it doesn't. And why do you care anyway?" she asked.
"It's like you're wearing a mask. When you don't wear any make up you look..." he faltered a moment, unable to say what he really thought. - Prettier. - "Um..." - More attractive. -
"I look...?" she asked, waiting for him to continue.
"Er... I can't place it. But you look better," he said, blushing.
She raised her eyebrow and he had an urge to cover his face with his hand in embarrassment. "Better?" she asked.
"Yeah, um... better...." he said, trying desperately to keep his face a normal color.
"You know if I continued this way you'd be talking yourself into a hole," she said with and evil grin.
"Which is why I'm asking you to drop it," he said.
She grinned at him and he crossed his fingers under the blanket. But before she could say anything, the door opened and Jade stepped in.
"Alex, we have to go," she said, looking at her watch.
"What? No way!" Alex protested, standing.
"It's ten to five. I have a date with Rick at five. I'm going to be late as it is. You had your time with Bakura now let's go," Jade said impatiently.
"You go! I'll walk home," Alex said, folding her arms.
"No. Alex, go... now," Jade said, glaring at her sister.
Alex sent a death glare back, then turned to Bakura. "God forbid she should be late for a date. I'll bring your homework by tomorrow, all right?"
"Yeah, okay. Bye then," Bakura said, disappointed she was leaving. He wanted desperately to hold her in his arms before she left. He didn't think he had wanted anyone to hug him goodbye quite this much before and it figured he'd pick the least likely person to do it.
"See ya'," Alex said, heading out of the room behind her sister.
Bakura sighed and leaned back against the pillow, but he wasn't alone for too long. The gang came in as soon as they were sure Alex was gone. "Oh! I didn't know you were still here," Bakura said, looking at them.
"We were talking to Jade. That's Alex's mom," Yugi said.
"Yeah, I know. I've been over to her house a few times," Bakura replied.
"She told us a whole bunch of stuff about Alex," Tristan said.
"Yeah, like the fact that the only two people she's nice to is her brother and you," Joey said.
"And that she cried when you were hit by the car," Tea added.
Bakura looked at her, his eyes wide. "What?"
"Yeah, Jade said she seemed really scared," Yugi said.
Bakura couldn't keep a grin off his face. - I can't imagine Alex /crying/. Especially over me! Maybe I have a chance after all. -
"What's goin' on in that head of yours?" Joey asked, tapping Bakura in the head.
Bakura laughed and pushed Joey away. "Nothing," he said, though he was still grinning.
"Don't you know already Joey?" Tristan asked, earning himself a look from Bakura. "Well, it's pretty obvious," Tristan said.
"I can't believe /she/ still hasn't figured it out," Yugi said.
Tea rolled her eyes and pulled Yugi over to her. She cupped her hand over his ear and whispered something to him. He nodded, a look of understanding on his face.
"Hey!" Bakura said, laughing slightly. "That's rude! If you have to talk about me, at least don't do it while I'm in the /room/!"
The gang laughed and Bakura thought that just maybe... his luck would change with Alex.
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Alex got into the car and slammed the door shut. "Alex..." Jade warned as she started the engine.
Suddenly, an idea came to Alex. It was something that she wouldn't normally do at all and didn't necessarily want to do, however something was telling her she did. "Jade, drop me off at the mall," Alex stated.
"What? No, you have to be home so David won't be alone when he gets back from his friend's," Jade said.
"So, tell him he can stay longer! He won't care!" Alex said.
Jade sighed, knowing her sister would probably walk to the mall even if she did drop her off at home. "How'll you get home?"
"I have legs, Jade. I'll walk."
"Fine. But be home by eight, got it?" Jade said and Alex internally grinned.
"Whatever."
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a/n: I believe the next chapter will be the last. But I won't update unless I get at least ten reviews! So tell your friends! XD
"Wait a minute..." the woman behind the desk said, holding up a hand. "Who are you looking for?"
"Bakura Ryou!" Alex repeated, growing annoyed quickly.
"Are you a relative?" The woman asked calmly.
"I'm his best friend!" Alex replied.
"There hasn't been any information on his condition yet. He was just brought in by the ambulance..." she started, but Alex slammed her fist on the counter before turning away.
She walked over to a bench and sat down, putting her face in her hands. A few minutes later, she heard the hospital doors open. Alex lifted her head to see her sister and Rick come in. "No!" Alex exclaimed, standing and facing Jade. "Get out!"
"Alex...!" Jade started, but her sister grabbed her shirt.
"Hey!" Rick said, grabbing Alex's arm. The woman from behind the counter ran over and helped pull Alex away as well. She spun the teen around to face her and looked her dead in the eye.
"I understand you're upset about your friend, but we'll have no fighting here. If you don't calm down I'll have to ask you to leave," she said and Alex glared at her.
Alex ripped away from the woman and dropped down onto the bench with her arms folded. Alex read the woman's name tag to find her name to be Riayla. The two glared at each other for a few seconds before Riayla moved back behind the counter.
Before Alex could say anything to Jade, the doors once again burst open. Alex didn't recognize the man that entered. He was tall with brown hair and glasses * and looked slightly panicked. He ran to the counter and addressed Riayla.
"Is Bakura Ryou all right? I'm his father," he said and Alex stared at him.
- They look nothing alike, - Alex thought. - Maybe he looks like his mother instead. - She tuned back into the conversation to see Mr. Ryou take the insurance papers. He came over to the bench and sat beside Alex. He adjusted his glasses on his nose, then noticed Alex looking at him.
"Hello," he said, eyeing her.
"You're his father then?" Alex asked.
Mr. Ryou looked surprised at this. "Ah... yes, I am. I take it you're Alex?" he asked.
"Yeah."
"Bakura speaks highly of you. For the past few weeks yours has been the only name on his lips," Mr. Ryou said, scratching answers on the insurance papers with his pen.
Alex stared at him, trying to decipher what that meant exactly. She was about to ask what it was that Bakura said about her when his father stood to hand the papers back to Riayla. He sat back down as a doctor came down the hall. Alex, Jade, Rick and Mr. Ryou watched as the doctor handed a clipboard to Riayla, then headed their way.
Both Mr. Ryou and Alex stood in anticipation for what the doctor would have to say. Once again Alex's heart began to pound in nervousness, but she tried to ignore it. Her eyes scanned the name tag pinned to the man's white coat. - Chris, - she read to herself.
"Are you here because of Bakura Ryou?" Chris asked and Mr. Ryou nodded.
"Yes," he said.
"Is he all right or isn't he?" Alex demanded.
Chris chuckled. "Yes, he's fine. The car wasn't going at a high enough speed to seriously injure him, though he does have a broken leg."
Alex sighed in relief and sank back down onto the bench. Jade hugged Rick and Mr. Ryou closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
- Bakura, I swear to God you scared the crap out of me, - Alex thought, closing her eyes and leaning her head against the wall.
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"I've got to go to the hospital," Alex announced when she arrived home from school the next day.
"All right, but we have to leave at five because..." Jade said, taking the keys off the wall.
"Who's we? Give /me/ the keys. You're not coming," Alex said, trying to grab the keys out of her sister's hand.
"Yes I am. I'm driving you over, you can spend some time with Bakura, then I'm driving you back and I'm going out with Rick," Jade said, holding her hand above her head, making Alex unable to get the keys.
Alex fumed, but simply pointed to the car. "Go. Drive."
"All right, Tarzan," Jade said, dodging her sister's punch on her way to the car.
Alex got in the passenger side and slammed the door shut.
"The window didn't shatter, care to try again?" Jade asked dryly as she started the engine. She didn't notice the death glare her sister gave her.
The sisters rode in silence to the hospital. Alex couldn't wait to see Bakura. The doctor had said yesterday that it would be best if she waited a day before visiting him.
Jade pulled up at the hospital a few minutes later and Alex got out of the car almost before her sister shut it off. "Alex! Wait a minute!" Jade called, but Alex was already inside the hospital.
"Where's Bakura Ryou's room?" Alex asked breathlessly when she ran up the counter.
"You are?" When the woman lifted her head, Alex recognized her as Riayla from the day before.
"I've already told you, I'm his best friend," Alex said, annoyed.
"Your name please?" Riayla asked, looking the teen in the eye as Jade entered.
"Alex, happy?" she snapped.
"Miss., your full name," Riayla said, looking rather annoyed now herself.
"Alexandra Moore," Jade said, coming to the counter. "And I'm her sister and legal guardian, Jade."
"All right, thank you. Third floor, room 113," Riayla said, pointing down the hall.
"Thank you," Jade said as Alex took off down the hall.
Riayla stood and called after her, "Please! No running!" Turning her attention to Jade, she said, "Would you mind keeping your sister in check? If you can't I'll have to ask her to leave."
"Yes, of course. I'm sorry," Jade said, heading down the hall after Alex.
~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~
Alex skidded to a stop in front of the nearest elevator. She punched the 'up' button numerous times as she saw her sister coming down the hall.
"Come on... come on..." Alex muttered, not wanting Jade to be with her when she saw Bakura. "Yes..."
The elevator doors opened and Alex spun inside, shutting the doors before Jade even got close. She punched the button for level three and leaned back in the empty elevator, breathing in relief as it started to move.
Her heart pounded in anticipation as the elevator dinged for level two. She wanted to see Bakura with her own eyes to be sure he was all right. When the doors opened on level three, she made a hasty exit, heading down the hall. She looked on every door for 113 and when she found it, she quickly entered, shutting the door behind her.
"Bakura?" she asked, going around the curtain.
"Alex!" he exclaimed, his face lighting up. His leg was in a pulley being held up, so when he tried to sit up, it was difficult.
Instead of returning his smile, she ran over and grabbed his shoulders, shocking the grin off his face. "What's wrong with you?" she shrieked, shaking him slightly. "You nearly committed suicide you /moron/!"
"I... well..." he started, feeling his face start to flush with her being so close.
"You scared the /crap/ out of me!" Alex said, releasing him and turning away, folding her arms.
Bakura blushed a deeper red, but couldn't keep a grin off his face. "I... I did?" he asked.
"Yes you idiot!" Alex exclaimed, turning back to him. "You're the only friend I've got! And I kind of need someone to keep me in check."
Bakura beamed. "Ah, yes, well... you do have Jade for that," he said. He laughed when Alex's eyes grew wide.
"Are you kidding me? Anything she tells me not to do I do ten times over!" she said, making Bakura crack up. Alex couldn't help but grin as her friend laughed. She sat down on the bed next to him and Bakura's laughter melted into a scarlet blush.
"Um..." he said, avoiding her eyes. "Dad said you've met."
"Yeah, you look nothing like him," she said, making him laugh again.
"No, I suppose I don't. Everyone always said I looked like mom," he replied.
"Yeah, well maybe if you got a haircut that'd change," Alex said, tugging on his bangs.
Bakura blushed and brushed her hand away.
"Your old man did say one thing though," Alex said, remembering.
"Dad's not old," Bakura laughed.
Alex only shrugged. "He said that you've been talking about me. Exactly what have you been saying?" she asked, eyeing him.
Bakura felt color surge through his face. - Dad! - "Ah... I've mentioned you a few times I suppose."
"And when you've mentioned me what have you said?" she asked.
"I feel like I'm being interrogated by the police," he said, avoiding looking at her.
"Good, maybe you'll answer truthfully then," Alex replied.
"Um... I've told him about you... I told him your birthday was on Halloween... um..." he stammered, trying to make the color drain from his face but to no avail.
Alex tilted her head to the side. "And what'd he say to that?"
"Oh, uh... he thought it was cool," Bakura said, looking at her.
"All right. What else?" Alex pressed.
"Oh, um... I described you to him..." Bakura replied nervously.
Alex's face got slightly more serious. "How? What did you say?"
Feeling very uncomfortable, Bakura avoided looking at her. "Oh, well... you know, your hair and stuff," he said.
Alex relaxed a bit at this. When she noticed the way Bakura was deliberately looking away from her, she raised an eyebrow. She reached over and put her fingers on his chin, turning his head towards her. "Why are you blushing?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Oh... uh... I'm... I'm not... I'm just a little warm..." he stammered, growing more embarrassed by the minute.
Alex felt the blanket that was over him and when she realized how thin it was, she pressed a hand to his forehead. Blushing furiously, he pushed her away.
"No... I'm fine..." he said.
"Maybe I should get a nurse," she said, turning to go, but Bakura grabbed her wrist.
"No... really. I'm fine," he said, trying desperately to get his face to drain of color.
"Are you sure?" she asked, looking at him skeptically.
"Yeah," he said, releasing her wrist.
She sighed and sat down in the chair by his bed. She studied him a moment before turning her gaze downwards to her hands. "You know you really did scare the crap out of me," she said. "You're the only one I can trust and stuff and I don't know what I'd do if I lost you..."
Bakura's eyes widened in surprise and he felt his face start to flush again. Fighting against it, he reached over and took her hand. She looked up at him, slightly surprised. "You'll never loose me," he said, looking directly into her eyes. He soared as he felt her hand tighten around his. When she smiled at him, he felt as if it lit up the room and he returned the smile.
He pulled his hand out of hers as the door burst open. Alex and Bakura snapped their heads up to see Yugi and the gang come in.
"Bakura! What happened? The teacher said you were in the hospital! Are you okay?" Tea asked.
"Y-yes, I'm fine," Bakura replied, noting the scowl on Alex's face.
"Man, what happened? What did you do?" Tristan asked.
"Um... I was just hit by a car..." he replied nervously.
Alex stared in disgust as the gang swarmed around Bakura. - This is ridiculous. - She turned around and left through the open door.
"Alex! Wait! Oh... now look... She was in a good enough mood where I could have asked her out too!" Bakura said, putting a hand over his face.
"While you're in a hospital bed?" Joey asked incredulously.
"Well, maybe she wouldn't have hit me!" Bakura said, looking at him.
"Sorry Bakura, we didn't realize how well things were going. We were just worried about you," Tea said apologetically.
"Could you go get her before she completely leaves?" Bakura asked hurriedly.
"Oh! Yeah..." Tea said, running from the room. She passed a young woman with deep red hair on her way down the hall. - Oh, I hope no one catches me running through here, - Tea thought. She turned a corner and spotted Alex walking down the hallway slowly with her hands in her pockets. "Alex!" Tea called, running up to her.
Alex turned around to see the brunette stop a few feet away, gasping for breath. She sighed in annoyance and folded her arms. "What do you want?" she snapped.
"Bakura... needs to... talk to you..." Tea panted, trying to catch her breath.
"He /was/ talking to me before you barged in," Alex said.
"We're sorry, we didn't realize you were there," Tea said, but stopped quickly at a glare from Alex. "I mean, we were so worried about Bakura that we didn't realize that you, being his friend too, would be here. Actually, I think he wants to talk to you right now more than he wants to see us. He seemed... kind of upset that you left."
Alex raised an eyebrow. "And what does he want to talk to me about?"
"I don't know, I didn't ask him."
"Fine, but only if you freaks aren't in the room," Alex said finally.
"Okay, deal," Tea said, smiling. Alex glared back. "Um... right," Tea said, her smile fading in her nervousness. The two started back, though Alex walked a few paces behind the brunette.
When they got back to the room, Tea nodded for the rest of the gang to leave, leaving Alex and Bakura alone once more.
Alex glared at their backs, then turned her gaze to Bakura. "Why do you hang out with them?" she asked incredulously.
"Because they're nice," he said. "I don't know, we just get along."
Alex raised an eyebrow, but dropped it as she sat down. "You wanted to talk to me?"
"Um... not about anything specific... but you kind of left rather quickly," he said.
"I didn't want to hang around your friends as you probably could have figured out by now," she replied coldly.
"Yeah," he said. There was an awkward silence and he felt his face start to burn again. - The situation was perfect before! I would have been able to ask her out! -
"So?" Alex asked, looking at him.
"You have to give me a minute to think of something to say," he replied. He grinned as she gave a small laugh. He studied her face and found himself longing to kiss her once more.
She noticed the odd way he was watching her and furrowed her brow. "What?" she asked.
"Have you considered not wearing so much make up?" he asked without completely thinking.
Alex raised her eyebrow. "Why?"
"It hides your face," he said.
"No it doesn't. And why do you care anyway?" she asked.
"It's like you're wearing a mask. When you don't wear any make up you look..." he faltered a moment, unable to say what he really thought. - Prettier. - "Um..." - More attractive. -
"I look...?" she asked, waiting for him to continue.
"Er... I can't place it. But you look better," he said, blushing.
She raised her eyebrow and he had an urge to cover his face with his hand in embarrassment. "Better?" she asked.
"Yeah, um... better...." he said, trying desperately to keep his face a normal color.
"You know if I continued this way you'd be talking yourself into a hole," she said with and evil grin.
"Which is why I'm asking you to drop it," he said.
She grinned at him and he crossed his fingers under the blanket. But before she could say anything, the door opened and Jade stepped in.
"Alex, we have to go," she said, looking at her watch.
"What? No way!" Alex protested, standing.
"It's ten to five. I have a date with Rick at five. I'm going to be late as it is. You had your time with Bakura now let's go," Jade said impatiently.
"You go! I'll walk home," Alex said, folding her arms.
"No. Alex, go... now," Jade said, glaring at her sister.
Alex sent a death glare back, then turned to Bakura. "God forbid she should be late for a date. I'll bring your homework by tomorrow, all right?"
"Yeah, okay. Bye then," Bakura said, disappointed she was leaving. He wanted desperately to hold her in his arms before she left. He didn't think he had wanted anyone to hug him goodbye quite this much before and it figured he'd pick the least likely person to do it.
"See ya'," Alex said, heading out of the room behind her sister.
Bakura sighed and leaned back against the pillow, but he wasn't alone for too long. The gang came in as soon as they were sure Alex was gone. "Oh! I didn't know you were still here," Bakura said, looking at them.
"We were talking to Jade. That's Alex's mom," Yugi said.
"Yeah, I know. I've been over to her house a few times," Bakura replied.
"She told us a whole bunch of stuff about Alex," Tristan said.
"Yeah, like the fact that the only two people she's nice to is her brother and you," Joey said.
"And that she cried when you were hit by the car," Tea added.
Bakura looked at her, his eyes wide. "What?"
"Yeah, Jade said she seemed really scared," Yugi said.
Bakura couldn't keep a grin off his face. - I can't imagine Alex /crying/. Especially over me! Maybe I have a chance after all. -
"What's goin' on in that head of yours?" Joey asked, tapping Bakura in the head.
Bakura laughed and pushed Joey away. "Nothing," he said, though he was still grinning.
"Don't you know already Joey?" Tristan asked, earning himself a look from Bakura. "Well, it's pretty obvious," Tristan said.
"I can't believe /she/ still hasn't figured it out," Yugi said.
Tea rolled her eyes and pulled Yugi over to her. She cupped her hand over his ear and whispered something to him. He nodded, a look of understanding on his face.
"Hey!" Bakura said, laughing slightly. "That's rude! If you have to talk about me, at least don't do it while I'm in the /room/!"
The gang laughed and Bakura thought that just maybe... his luck would change with Alex.
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Alex got into the car and slammed the door shut. "Alex..." Jade warned as she started the engine.
Suddenly, an idea came to Alex. It was something that she wouldn't normally do at all and didn't necessarily want to do, however something was telling her she did. "Jade, drop me off at the mall," Alex stated.
"What? No, you have to be home so David won't be alone when he gets back from his friend's," Jade said.
"So, tell him he can stay longer! He won't care!" Alex said.
Jade sighed, knowing her sister would probably walk to the mall even if she did drop her off at home. "How'll you get home?"
"I have legs, Jade. I'll walk."
"Fine. But be home by eight, got it?" Jade said and Alex internally grinned.
"Whatever."
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a/n: I believe the next chapter will be the last. But I won't update unless I get at least ten reviews! So tell your friends! XD