Disclaimer:
Yami Kaosu: Chaos is busy keeping Yami Bakura away from here, so Ryou has volunteered to state the disclaimer!
Ryou: *blinks* I have?
Yami Kaosu: *nods emphatically*
Ryou: Um...all right. They don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!
Yami Kaosu: YES! We did it without interruption! Oh, and since I forgot to claim Rokashimo as my own last chapter (and let me assure you, I'm SO heartbroken over forgetting) I will do so this chapter. He is my very own original character.
Chaos: *stops blocking Yami Bakura from the disclaimer*
Yami Bakura: The only reason you claim him is because he makes me miserable.
Yami Kaosu: Do you realize how sad it makes me to have him do that stuff to you?
Ryou: *sighs* Look for more of this *points to Yami Kaosu and Yami Bakura quarreling* in the notes after the chapter.

A/N: MWA HA HA! I am back from the dead once again! ^_^() *dodges a random assortment of thrown objects* I know, I know, I'm allowing this story to progress at an EXTREMELY slow rate, and I apologize. I've just been busy a lot lately, and have also been working on other fics...I wrote a one-shot Generator Gawl fic (which no one has reviewed yet -_-) and I'm currently working on a Petshop of Horrors fic, which seems to taking precedence over all of my unfinished works.

I realized something while looking over the past two chapters: I'm not sure if I ever mentioned the fact that italics, at least in this story, mean that someone is dreaming. I'm sorry if that wasn't clear. Also...Yami Bakura might seem kind of OOC here...I'm trying to keep in character, but he doesn't seem to be cooperating with me, so...yeah. Also...this chapter...it's boring. I'm giving forewarning that not much actually happens. ~Yami

...I'm going to stop making the telepathy note now, okay?

---

"Ryou!"

Ryou could faintly hear the voice calling him, but he couldn't pull himself out of his sobbing state. He felt so helpless...Jounouchi's soul had been taken, and it was all his fault...and now, he knew that there was nothing he could do about it...but he had to find some way to help his friend, to bring his soul back!

"Ryou!!"

Ryou felt a sharp pain in the side of his face. Looking up, he saw his Yami glaring at him. "Ryou, that's enough," Yami Bakura said firmly. Ryou sniffled slightly, trying to do what he was told, but he couldn't stop the tears from falling. The uncontrolled waterfall broke loose, as the feelings of helplessness and worthlessness once again welled up inside of him.

Yami Bakura sighed as he saw Ryou's tear streaked face. His eyes softened slightly as he heard Ryou try to choke back a sob. As much as he hated to admit it, he didn't want to see him like this. His light just didn't deserve it. Sighing again, he kneeled beside Ryou's sitting figure. "Ssh, Ryou...don't worry..." he whispered quietly, too quietly for him to actually hear.

Ryou could more feel Yami's comfort than hear it, and he tried once again to calm down. Taking Yami Bakura completely by surprise, he suddenly jumped forward and wrapped his arms around him, clinging to him tightly. Yami Bakura was too shocked to think for a moment, and tensed up as Ryou's arms tightened around him. But slowly, he began to relax. His mind was screaming at him to push Ryou away, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. He knew that Ryou had suffered more than enough for one night.

Ryou was surprised as he felt Yami Bakura's tense form relax slightly. He was also surprised that his Yami hadn't pushed him off or anything of the like. He chose to enjoy that; after all, it was something that he would have never expected. He could already feel himself beginning to calm; having Yami there was all he needed.

Yami Bakura sensed that all Ryou wanted was to be held, and submitted to his wishes. Slowly, uncertainly, he wrapped his arms around his light. He heard Ryou gasp softly in surprise, and a ghost of a smile crossed his lips. Shaking his head ever so slightly, he realized that he was amused at Ryou's shock. After all, none of his previous actions would have ever let Ryou even remotely think that he was capable of this.

He hugged his light closely to him, trying to comfort him. "Ssh, ssh, Ryou, everything will be okay. We will save Jounouchi, and be rid of Rokashimo once and for all. That I promise you..." It was a promise that Yami Bakura was determined to keep at all expenses.

"B...but...Yami, it's my fault. It's my fault that Rokashimo got Jounouchi!" Ryou whispered, as the tears once again threatened to fall. "If I...if I..." He was starting to hyperventilate, sobbing and hiccupping uncontrollably once again.

"Ssh..." Yami Bakura whispered, "There was nothing that either of us could have done for him. If you would have tried to save him, you would have only been trapped in there as well. Then where would that have left us? Just let it be for now. I already told you that we will get him back. And even though I may be a thief and a murderer, I do have some honor. I give you my word that Rokashimo will fall."

Ryou said nothing more, and simply took comfort in Yami's embrace. It was something that he had never even dared to think about; something that seemed so impossible. And yet, here he was, locked in his Yami's arms. That, and the fact that Yami seemed so resolved to get Jounouchi back were a little beyond what Ryou ever would have guessed he would go. Sighing softly, Ryou leaned against him, letting his darker side support both of them.

******

Ryou was startled out of his sleep by the loud ringing of the phone. Yawning, he started to get out of bed, but stopped in surprise as his ring flashed and Yami Bakura came out. He watched in shock as Yami Bakura walked over to where the phone was ringing.

Suddenly, Ryou remembered what had happened in the previous night's dream. "Jounouchi...what if what Rokashimo said really is true? What if we have lost Jounouchi's soul forever?" Shaking his head, Ryou hoped that it had only been in a dream.

But then he remembered what had happened in the second portion of his dream. He could still feel Yami's strong arms wrapped around him, reassuring him that they would save Jounouchi, no matter what it took. Could that have really happened? Would Yami really have gone so far to comfort him?

He turned his attention back to Yami Bakura, who had just picked up the phone. "What do you want?" he snapped into the receiver. Ryou groaned. He should have known better than to let his Yami answer the phone. Sighing, he waited to find out who it was.

Yami Bakura walked back to where Ryou sat and handed him the phone. "It's Yugi," he said. Before Ryou could reply, Yami walked to the other side of the room, and leaned against the wall. Ryou stared for a moment, before turning his attention back to the phone.

"Hello, Yugi?" he said, shaking off the surprise of what his Yami had just done.

"Hi, Ryou. What was that all about?" Yugi asked, thoroughly confused after finding Ryou's Yami answering the phone. After all, it wasn't exactly something that happened too often.

Ryou sighed. "I'm not quite sure," he answered. "So, why are you calling? Is something wrong?" A short silence followed. "Yugi? What's wrong?" Ryou repeated, able to tell from Yugi's sudden silence that something wasn't right.

"Ryou, something's wrong with Jounouchi," Yugi finally replied. His voice cracked slightly as he spoke, giving away the fact that it was definitely something serious.

"Something wrong...with Jounouchi?" Ryou asked, shaken, "What...what happened?" he asked, as he silently pleaded that it couldn't be connected with his soul being thrown into another dimension.

Yugi didn't reply right away. "Yes," he finally answered. "We...we're not sure what's going on, but he's just not waking up. He still breathing and he has a pulse...but..." Yugi sighed, unable to finish his explanation; he was too shook up by all of it to continue.

Ryou gulped. "It sounds...almost like...he has no soul..."

Yugi gasped. "Yes," he said. "How did you know?" He knew there was no way that Ryou could have just guessed that, without knowing what had been going on. Yugi probably wouldn't have either, even though he had seen Jounouchi. Only after a talk with Yami did Yugi begin to understand what was going on.

Ryou said nothing. "It's...a long story..." he replied a few seconds later. He was slightly unsure about sharing all of what had been going on with Yugi, especially considering that he didn't know what his Yami's reaction would be.

"Why don't Yami and I come over, and you can tell us what's going on, okay?" Yugi asked. He could tell that Ryou had some idea of what was going on, and he wanted...no, needed to find out what it was.

"All right," Ryou replied, and hung up. He still wasn't sure about this, but had decided that Yugi and Yami had a right to know. They very well might be next on the list of Rokashimo's victims, and maybe could help plan something beforehand to stop him. Sighing, he rested his head on his knees. "How am I going to explain this to Yugi?"

"You don't," Yami Bakura said, leaving the wall to walk back over to where Ryou still sat.

Ryou looked up at his Yami. "But...I told him that I would. I can't just break a promise to them, Yami."

"Then tell him something else," Yami Bakura replied. He didn't see the need to tell them anything, because, as far as he was concerned, it didn't involve them. That, and the fact that they didn't need to go prying into business where he was involved.

Ryou shook his head. "I can't just lie to him!" he said. "Besides, why does it matter to you what I tell him?"

Yami Bakura growled. "It matters because it has to do with me. The pharaoh and his light have nothing to do with it."

"But they have a right to know! Because now our friends are mixed up in it!" Ryou yelled back. "Besides, they have to be prepared! What happens if Rokashimo goes after them next? And, maybe they could find some way to help us beat him."

"First of all, I do NOT need their help to defeat Rokashimo. I promised that I would do it, and I will. Secondly, they are not OUR friends! They're YOUR friends! I have NOTHING to do with them!" Yami Bakura shouted. He watched as Ryou looked away, hurt by his words. Fighting with himself on whether to give in or stand his ground, Yami Bakura cursed to himself, and finally compromised between the two. "Look, the only reason that I put up with those people is because of you," he said, "You should be grateful that I haven't slit their throats."

Although Yami Bakura's words would have sounded rather harsh to anyone else, Ryou smiled slightly as he heard them. It was just his Yami's way of sidestepping the fact that he really did care, hiding behind anger.

Suddenly, they heard a knocking at the door. "That's Yugi and Yami," Ryou said as he quickly got dressed, failing to notice that Yami Bakura went down to open the door for them. Running downstairs, he was greeted by Yugi and Yami, who had been let in. He looked at his Yami strangely, and Yami Bakura just glared back, waiting to find out what Ryou was going to do.

Yugi glanced over to Yami Bakura. Seeing that he didn't appear to be leaving, he turned his attention back to Ryou. "So, Ryou, are you going to tell us what's going on?" he asked. Yami stood at his side and nodded, also wanting to find out what was going on. He hadn't said anything to Yugi about it, but he had sensed an ancient force around Jounouchi when they had saw him. Someone had taken his soul, and right now, his bet was on Yami Bakura. It would have at least explained why Ryou seemed so reluctant to explain things.

Ryou sighed, glancing over to Yami Bakura one more time, before leading them all into the living room. "Why don't you sit down?" he asked, and as they did so, he took a seat in a chair. Yami Bakura moved to lean against the side of his chair. Ryou looked at Yugi and Yami's waiting faces. "Be ready..." he said, "this is going to take a while.

---
ACK! Yami Bakura was so completely OOC during the dream! Yes, believe me, I know this. But, I also hold the belief that he would comfort Ryou if it came down to it, so there! ^_^() And he sort of regained a little of his character back. But overall, he was way, way in OOC-land. As always, R & R! ~Yami

New note on all my fics:
When reviewing, please leave more than just a few words. As nice as "Good story write more" seems, it really doesn't help. The same with "This story sucks," it really doesn't tell me what I need to fix. Write about the good or bad points of the story or the writing style. Write what you liked or didn't like; what appealed or didn't appeal to you. Tell me I need to add more detail or had an adequate amount. These types of reviews can offer more help to me as a writer, so I can improve, and hopefully write better fanfictions in the future ^_^