Even In Death-- 3/4

[A/N: Once again, thanks to all the (probably few…) reviews I got!! I give you all bishonen plushies, and love love love! This is where the plot thickens… a little.. Like Ramen broth when you boil it for a few minutes longer than normal, and the noodles absorb the flavor and get all soft, and the broth is nice and flavorful and-- Mmmmm… my mouth is watering now… Anyway, here's the next chapter!]

[Disclaimer: I still don't own YGO, but I DO own a kitten named Aibou! She is my baby. -. I have an evanescence CD, too. I want the Origin CD!!! It has this song on it, I hope they re-release it!!]

"There. That is where I am. I can't move," I said, my voice cold and hard as ice. Anzu looked stunned, but said nothing. She gathered her things and left quietly, giving me one last glance before she was gone. I heard her car drive away and leaned back onto the tomb stone of my Hikari.

I would never leave this place.

I couldn't.

Not without you.

..

Some say I'm crazy for my love, Oh my love

But no bonds can hold me from your side, Oh my love

They don't know you can't leave me

They don't hear you singing to me

..

That night, as I lay my head against the cold stone, unable to shake the thought that somewhere, far below me, your once warm skin is now cold and lifeless as this marker, I whispered your name again. I still felt empty and alone, and I knew I always would. Yugi and some others came by again around dusk and brought me more food, and again asked if I would leave. I still refused.

I clutched my hands to my chest to keep warm, marveling still that I could feel my own heart beat, and not one that I shared. But I still shared it, and it felt like someone had ripped out a piece of it with something rusty.

Then, so softly at first I thought I was imagining it, I felt my heart skip extra times, but I didn't feel short of breath or in any pain. I pushed my hand hard onto my chest, worried, trying to feel the beats again, and they continued. There was not one pattern, but two! One, my own, suddenly sharp and nervous, and another, slower, and not as strong. Now I was worried. Did this usually happen to humans somehow? Or did I have two hearts?

Of course I have two hearts, I thought bitterly, relaxing against the stone again. "I'm probably just imagining it. I'll wake up in the morning and…" And? And what? What is there to look forward to now?

Just then, I heard a whisper. Somewhere, the wind was making a small noise, and the first thing I thought of was you, Ryou. I couldn't help it. I looked around, expecting to see you, but there was no one. The wind continued all night, and I swear it was saying my name. I eventually ending up letting it lull me to sleep, pretending I could hear you.

"Bakura?" I awoke to the sound of a small voice, but it wasn't yours. It was little Yugi, come with more food. Well, I could get used to this, if only they'd stop asking me to come home. They didn't understand. There was no more home for me. I could never go back to that house; your blood was still everywhere, and I could never erase you from the place where we spent so much time together. I knew I was sick, but I didn't care.

Yugi left after trying to get me to talk to him after I was done eating. I guess he felt a little guilty, after all, it was his Yami's idea to bring me here, and now I wouldn't leave.

"I'm fine here, you know," I interrupted him from what he was saying. I hadn't been listening anyway.

"Bakura, you'll get sick from the cold. Winter's not over, and February is usually very cold and wet," he reasoned, but I still shook my head.

"If I die here, Yugi, I'll be with him. Don't you see? There is nothing for me anymore. Just this spot. Sell the house if you want, I just can't go back."

I had surprised him, I had never spoken so openly before to him, and he hadn't been expecting it. Good. He slowly nodded. "We'll still bring food for you, we can't just let you starve," he said softly. I nodded an ok.

"If it makes you happy," I said with a sigh. He nodded again and stood up to go. He paused, as if waiting for me to say more, but I just stared at the ground, and he left, and I was again alone with your tomb stone, the wind, and my heartbeat.

I felt my chest again, it was still irregular. I wasn't worried, just curious. And the wind seemed to have picked up, too, but the leave weren't rustling all that much, and Yugi didn't seem to notice how windy it had become. I toyed with the Millennium Ring around it's rope on my neck. I couldn't leave it, I was far too attached to it after spending all those years trapped inside. And it was yours, too. I wanted to have it with me.

Holding it, I felt slightly dizzy, and the extra pulse in my chest seemed to transfer itself to the Ring. I wasn't sure how, but the ring began to beat by itself. I stared down at it in wonder. What on earth is happening?, I thought. The Ring began to glow as if it had been activated, and I felt it taking small amounts of energy from me as it tried to work. It continued like this until I fell asleep an hour later, too tired to stay awake to see what it was doing.

While I slept, I had a dream. I've had this dream before, earlier this week while I was sleeping against your tomb stone. You stood in front of me, but it wasn't really you. You were the Change of Heart again, and no matter how many times I asked you why, you wouldn't respond. You would only give me this sad, sweet smile, and fly away. You didn't even look back, no matter how many times I called out to you.

This time it was different.

After calling you for what seemed like forever, you turned. You were very far away, and I could just barely see you. You looked back at me with the sweetest look I had ever seen on your face, then you burst into a grin. You still wouldn't say anything, but as I started to wake up, you spun around and flapped your wings once in my direction. The wind that somehow came sweeping over me from your wings seemed to whisper my name…

I woke up to the same sound still swirling around me, but now I knew it couldn't have been the wind all this time. At the beginning, maybe, but not anymore. Not a leaf was stirring in the still trees along the distant road, but the sound was louder than ever. It was still gentle and soft, like a whisper, but now more defined. I looked around, searching for the source of it all, but there was no one in sight.

About a half an hour later, I remembered the Ring, and as I looked down at it, it's glow just started to fade. When the Ring stopped glowing, the voice stopped it's whisper, and I leaned back, now thoroughly confused. I could think of no other explanation, and I looked down at the settled earth. "What on Earth are you doing?" I wondered aloud, but I couldn't help a small smile from creeping its way to my face.

I don't have to be totally without hope, do I?

Days later. Anzu came every morning to say hello and bring me breakfast, and every night Yugi would come and bring my dinner. I had grown used to seeing them, and even looked forward to it some days. They stopped asking me to leave my spot, and I stopped snapping at them. Yugi, quick to forgive, even stayed and had conversations with me sometimes. There were still times when I wanted to be left alone, and they thankfully understood that, and gave me my space when I asked for it. They even brought me some blankets for when it got cold at night.

I'm sure at least Yugi noticed how different I was acting. He was more relaxed, and not as nervous as he had been at first. Its probably because I calmed down. I'd become a lot more accepting of my Hikari's fate, but not enough to leave the spot where he lay. I talked to him as if he could hear me through the ground and coffin, and I often wondered if he was listening somewhere.

Sometimes the Ring would start to glow again, and I'd hear that soft whispering voice. Once I was talking to Yugi when it happened, and asked him if he could hear anything, but he shook his head no. I never mentioned it to Anzu, because although I could see that she really did care, it was like she was able to detach herself from it when she left me and carry on with her life. I didn't hate her for it, but it irritated me for some reason, even if I knew that she had a life to carry on with by herself. Maybe I was envious that she could heal herself in such a way, I don't know. It confused me.

Tonight my dream was different. Instead of not say anything at all, you interrupted me in the middle of my questions.

"Bakura?" you said suddenly, surprising me because I didn't expect you to answer no matter how much I asked.

"H-Hai?" I said finally.

"Do you love me?" you asked. Your voice was the sweetest thing I'd heard in weeks, and I was quick to answer.

"Of course I do, koi," I responded. You nodded slowly, the kind smile never leaving your face.

"Then you will always have my soul," you said. I didn't understand, and started to ask what you meant, but you spread your mis-matched wings and flew off again.

This time before I woke up, I heard you say my name once more.

Something was changing, I could feel it happen. Where there was once a hollow, shattered feeling in my chest had started to rebuild itself some how. I didn't feel as sad as I used to, and I talked to you more often out loud. My dreams had stopped; now when I would sleep I would only drift until morning. The voice had stopped it's whispering too, but the Ring continued to glow, and I still had no idea what was going on. I hid the Ring when Yugi and Anzu came each day, I didn't want them to ask questions I could not answer.

February is over, and the world has begun to warm up just a little. The bitter sting in the air was gone, and some birds were coming back to the graveyard to look for good places to build their nests in spring. I'd even begun to grow a little restless, standing up and taking short strolls around the tombstones, never straying far from where you lay. Whenever I wasn't paying attention or thinking too deeply, I would hear someone talking. It was as if someone was out for a walk with a friend and was talking to them, but I could never see them or make out what they were saying until one morning I got up to go for a walk, and I heard someone call out as if from a distance, "Don't go too far!"

I looked around again, only half expecting to see anyone at all, but I was too far from the road to see if it anyone was actually there. Not really thinking, I muttered, "I won't," and continued my stroll. It was the first time I ever understood what I'd been hearing. I couldn't help but wonder if the place was haunted. It would make sense. It was a graveyard, after all, but I never saw anything to prove it. Only a voice every now and again. Maybe the ghosts were used to me, and didn't want the only living person around them to leave. Well, I thought, if that's the case, I won't be disappointing them.

That night, when I went to sleep, instead of just dark unconsciousness, I appeared in my soul room. I looked around, wondering why I was there, when I heard something. It started out soft, then began to grow. Someone was singing somewhere! My eyes widened as I looked around, then focused on the door leading out. It sounded like someone was out in the hallway, or… Like someone was in the room across the hall! That would mean that there was a room across the hall again!

I ran to the door and tried to pull it open, but it was stuck fast, as if there was nothing outside to get to. I pulled as hard as I could, then started to bang on the door. The song from the other room ended, and I could no longer hear anyone. I called out, trying to see if I could get a response, but there was no more sound from the other side of the door. Eventually I gave up, and decided to lay back down on the bed and go to sleep, getting some real rest before morning when Anzu would come with breakfast.

When I woke up, the Ring was glowing again.

Every morning when I woke up from then on, I felt something growing in the back of my mind. It was like how it had felt before, when you were still alive and present in the back of my mind when I took over our body. There was the feeling that something was there, but faint and sleeping. I felt myself growing more hopeful every day, and giving all of my energy to the Ring whenever it would activate, holding nothing back.

I wanted you back, and if the Ring could do it, I would do everything I could to help it.

Finally one morning after Anzu had left me to go to school, I felt it. I stirring, like someone tossing in their sleep, or restlessly shifting around. It stayed silent, but I knew what it was.

Somehow the Ring had brought you back to me. I don't know what it did, or how it did it. All I knew was that our bond had kept us together. I still wouldn't leave your grave site, not until I was sure and could hear you for myself, but I would be patient and wait. You were back!

You just had to be!

"Well, Bakura, you sure seem happy tonight," quipped little Yugi as I eagerly finished off my dinner. I looked over at him from my nest of blankets on the ground with a look that was almost a smirk. He smiled back and carefully asked, "Any thoughts on coming back with us?"

I paused, considering telling him my thought, but it would be my secret for now, until I could prove it to them. Instead of snapping at him or being angry, I simply looked back at him calmly. "Maybe soon, but not yet," I said, choosing my words carefully. He instantly brightened. I could've been telling him that there was going to be a party soon or something. Who knows, if I came back, they might have one.

"Alright Bakura," he said, nodding happily.

When he left a little while later, he gave me a hopeful grin before passing out of view. My lip twitched to the side in an almost-smile. Soon, I thought. Soon.

[Ta-Da!! A little longer than the others, so I'll make this shorter than the other notes! Review please! And, for your happiness, a final preview!]

Finally night came, and Yugi drove up in his little car with our dinner. I still didn't know how to tell him, but I would figure it out. "Hey Bakura," he called as he came into view, holding up a bag of take-out from some restaurant or another. I waved back, smiling slightly. If nothing else, this would be interesting. I would tell him after we ate; he had brought some for himself, so we don't choke or anything, and to give me more time to think.

When we did finish, I cleared my throat. "Yugi," I started, "I have something to tell you."

He looked at me, hoping that I would say I would go back to living like a normal person. I guess I was, really. "Yes, Bakura?"

I gave him a level stare, looking him in the eyes, and said, "Yugi, Ryou isn't dead anymore."