"Awwww……!!!"

Joey and Mai had gone up to check on Yugi and Tea, and they were met with the cute scene of them sleeping side by side. They beamed like proud parents. I am so going to have fun tormenting her with this story! Thought mai, taking a camera out of her purse. Not able to resist, she snapped a few shots. Click.! Whirr….click!

"I hope your not dinking 'bout using dat as blackmail," Joey warned. It was a little after midnight. "Who, me?" Mai asked innocently, wrapping the shawl she'd taken around her slender shoulders. "Now, why would I want to do that? that would be cruel…though I could blackmail Tea to go out with him….finally!"

"Ms. Matchmaker." he said, teasing.

"I can't help it. it's so obvious he got a crush on her. I mean, really! She ought to give him a break." they went back downstairs, neither of them wanting this night to come to an end. "Aren't I right?"

"I suppose…." Joey said, doubtfully scratching his head. Then stopping.

"What do you mean 'you suppose?' Aren't you his best friend?" Of course, she was talking about Yugi. "Yeah……but we don't really talk about girls, or nothin'. I talk 'bout that stuff wit Tris," he said. "Oh, shoot, dat reminds me, I gotta call him to say how we're doin'….." Fishing a couple of coins out he went to a pay phone and dialed.

"Yo?" a sleepy voice answered.

"Hey, man. Guess who?"

"???? Dude it's 6 am!" Long yawn. "Anyway, bro, how're y'all doing over there? How's the tournament going?"

"Sorry, fergot 'bout da time difference." The phone crackled over the long distance. "But jest wanta let ya know everything's----FINE!" Mai had just tickled him in the side. "Stop dat!"

"Eh? I think you've been partying too hard, man. So who won? Is it over yet?"

"Yeah. Some guy won it; I ferget his name."

"Aw. That's too bad. Didja at least get the runner's up cash prize?"

"Naw, somethin' happened…….. But Yuge did, and Mokuba entered and won, too. Ya know?"

"Whoa. Kaiba's little brother? Not kaiba himself."

"Nah. I dun think so…….."

"Listen, man, I gotta tell you something." The words were in an urgent whisper. "Your sister's missing!"

"Huh? Oh, no, she's not. She's here. With me."

"She is?! Oh, phew. Don't scare me like that! you should've told me she was coming with you to Spain."

"Well….actually she didn't' come with me…."

"Eh? What…..? Then with who, man?"

joey told him. "Er, with Kaiba. She's been sorta seein' 'im…….."

KLUNK!

"Tristan…? Yo, Tristan?" He hung up the phone, shaking his head. "The line went dead!"

Mai frowned. "Interesting….."

Joey shook his head again. "Yes, very……."

lol tristan's always wanted serenity for himself lol well, ya snooze, ya lose!

As they went back downstairs, a few people were still dancing the night away. Mai explained that parties in Spanish cultures don't have a 'finish time' in the invitations, so people literally danced the night away. "Tired?" she asked him, toying with the lapels of his coat.

He grinned down at her, eyes crinkling at the corners. "Nah."

"Then you want some more…….lessons on tango?" she smiled, already pulling him to the floor. "Here," she said, turning his head to watch the other couple already on it. "Watch them."

The couple were very good partners, the man, dressed in black, and the woman, with a flirty, short skirt as well as good dancers. The music, rose and swelled, only to drop down to a low pulsing tempo.

"Aw….I c'n do dat….."

"Think it's easy, eh?" Another young man, with a heavy Spanish accent, came over. "Mind if I ……" he looked leeringly at Mai over, "……cut in, gringo?"

"Yes, I mind! An' what did ya call me?!" Joey didn't like the look on his smirking face. Beside him, Mai pulled gently on his coat.

"Come on, let's ignore him," she said, pulling them over to the table. The two continued to scowl at each other. "Let's pretend to drink, until he goes away."

So they did, and because they were thirsty anyway. Still the young man, with his friends, continued to watch them, laughing. "Awright. Dat's it!" Joey came barreling over the smirking quartet.

"No! stop, it!" She told him, but left her there.

"Do ya got some sort of problem, pal?! Why'd dontcha go ta bed. 's past your bedtimes." He didn't like the fact that he had hit on Mai right in front of him. Not at all. That sort of arrogance killed him.

The young man smiled and nudged his buddies. "Where are you from? Your accent……" he tapped his chin in a mock thinking pose. "Very strange, you don't look like your from Brooklyn. . ." a/n: get it?get it?! ahem. His buddies laughed and sniggered, holding their sides as if he'd made a great joke.

"Eh? where da hell's dat?! I never heard of it!" This made them laugh even harder. "I'm from Japan, so what's it ta ya?" a/n: in my fic, YGO people are Japanese but speak English bow I think there are some….. "Stop LAUGHIN'!!"

Abruptly they stopped.

"Good. Now leave us alone. Or, as a matter of fact, we're leaving, right Mai? .......Mai?" he looked back around. She was gone. The men howled with sharp laughter.

"Ha ha ha, look like 'yo girl' " the young man said, mimicking him, "...went away, eh, muchacho?" they all laughed at the expression on his face. a/n: poor joey….TT;;;

For a long time he was silent, staring at their sneers and them pounding each other's backs, as they choked with laughter. No, she wouldn't do that! She wouldn't leave me! A heartbeat, then two passed, as the seconds ticked as what she'd said returned to him……. "I want to be with you." "I know. And it's not unreturned……..not unreturned…….not unreturned……."

"No!!!" The word came ripping through him, making the men pause and stop in their tracks. "She wouldn't do dat! You took her. Give her back!!!" He jabbed a dangerous finger at the young man, making him reel over backwards in temporary surprise. "Where is she?!"

"Oye, calmate!" The young man said in a soothing tone, as the others gathered dangerously around him. They paused to see what he would do. Joey braced himself. If he had to he would fight for her. Still, four against one isn't good odds……He glared at the leader, the young man, while listening for the others in case they attack. The leader said finally, "Don't worry, my friend. Your enamorada is fine with us." His image swam.

Joey shook his head to clear it. tried to. "Drrrrrugsh….." His voice sounded slurred, even to him. "Ya…….druggeda…..usssssh……" no, I can't black out! If I do, it's hopeless! He took a swing, but his punch went wild…..and..then he knew no more.

later

When he came to, it was a pretty rude awakening. His head was held under a couple of seconds in a barrel of water in the streets. Gasping for air, he pushed at the hand holding him under violently, strength coming back. Joey shook his head, spraying water everywhere. Night. ……..

"You awake, muchacho?" the leader's face loomed over him. Uttering a curse, Joey threw himself at him pinning him to the nearby wall with one fist at his face. Instantly, he heard the thugs gathered up around and behind him. but the leader simply smiled and held up a finger to stop them. "Don't worry, my friends. Este is smart. He knows he will never see his girlie if he kills me, no?"

Joey threw him aside, panting. "So, whaddya want?! A duel or somethin?!"

The man laughed. "In your state? Look at you, gringo, you can barely stand up! A duel! You so estupido!" they laughed loudly.

"I can take ya on!" Suddenly the man held up a single card. One that glittered so brightly, he almost sheilded his eyes. "S-so . . . .your da grand prize winner….!"

"Yes." The man nodded. "I won the tournament. And you know what I designed, muchacho?" he nodded to his friends, who pinned Joey's arms back, but left his head free so he could read it.

"Whoever holds this is da winner." Joey sneered. "That's what you thought up?! That's so lame! You're da stupid one!"

The man's smile left his face. "You think so?" he said calmly. "You think you are such a big hombre? Well, dueling is just a hobby for me." He brought his face up close as Joey struggled underneath the pinning arms. "You want to know my real passion? Look over there." He nodded to the men, who released him abruptly.

Over there was a short fence, holding back big black shapes with gleaming red eyes. They snorted and pawed the ground and grunted madly.

"Bullfighting. You ever hear of the running of the bulls, ese?"

"'O course, I have!" Joey got to his feet, a little unsteadily. The drug was still affecting him. It must've the punch…..they spiked it! Dammit…..he could guess what was coming next.

The leader nodded. "And these bulls are special bulls. You see, they haven't been fed. And they especially like gringo meat." The men cackled at him. "So. The trick is, to avoid being their meal----"

"Obviously," Joey spat. "First---"

"For thirty minutes, eh? No, since you are beginner, let's make it fifteen." The leader glanced at another, who set his watch. "And I guess I will participate, too, " the leader said generously.

"Gee, thanks." Joey said sarcastically, looking over at the hulking animals. They did look hungry….."And Mai? Where's she?!"

"Oh, you want her to participate too?" More sniggering. Joey just glared. "Eh? okay, if you say so…." The leader signaled, and she was brought over.

"Joey….." she whispered weakly, being held up the men for support. It was obvious, she had been drugged, too, by the punch. "You……can't! you'll. ……get killed!" Trying to push the men off but miserably failing…….

"Mai! Let her go! Ya hear me, dammit!" The men shrugged at each other and abruptly she fell forward, before he caught her.

His image swam before her fuzzily. "Don't do it……! I can't stand to….to see anything bad happen to you….."

He hugged her close. "Mai, I knew..it….i knew you …wouldn't have left me…!" It seemed silly to say that, considering their present predicament, but he didn't care. It was important to him….

. "Never……" she whispered hoarsely, brushing back his hair with a featherlight touch. She seemed so weak, and so pale, that he suddenly felt a wave of possessiveness right then. To care for her more than anybody else...... "You know it, bub….." she attempted a smile. "Help me up…..we'll do this together."

He kissed her quickly and did as she said. The leader scratched his nose with a loud sniff. "You have touched me so," he said. The other men were mock wiping their eyes between laughs and blowing their noses loudly. "For that….I will tell you what. If you can stay alive for fifteen minutes after they are released, I will throw in my very special card that I had just won. As a sign of good sportsmanship. Eh?" he smiled, pleased with himself. "Now, let's begin, shall we?" he rasped, concluding with a sinister smile in the pale streetlight as the others rubbed their hand in anticipation.