AN: KOOOOOOONNNICHIWA MINNA! ;;;; heh heh, gomen ne, I got a little carried away. ; Anywayz, I know its been a long time since I've updated and I'm really really sorry, but hey, it adds to the suspense right? Sakura ducks as Angel fans throw random objects oO Ok maybe not....Well, here it is the LAST chapter of The Love of Shadows! I can't believe I just said that! O.O I would like to thank all of you reviewers who have stayed entirely faithful to me throughout all of this! ARIGATO GOISE MASU!!!! I would've never made this far without you! And to show you how much I appreciate you, I have a surprise for you at the end of this chapter. Really though, thank you soooo much! I will miss you all! I was thinking about doing a sequel but I'm not quite sure. Tell me what you think. Ok ok, I know you're all eager to get to the story so, without a moment more enjoy Chapter 18....

Chapter 18- I Can't Live Without You.......Please Stay......

Yami knelt broken on the roof of his apartment building drenched to the bone his clothes torn in the places where he had been cut by the swords and deep red blood poured from his wounds mixing with the puddle he was now inbursed in. The rain stung his deep wounds but he ignored it, for the pain of his heart was greater than any physical wound. Iie! he thought Iie! She can't be gone! Although his heart denied it, his mind knew the bitter and painful truth. She was gone. Gods, in the beginning I just wanted her to disappear, to go back to her card and never be played again.....but...as time passed I may not have admitted it, I may have said I wanted her to leave, but underneath it all I just wanted her to stay with me! Crystalline tears flecked his majestic amethyst eyes as he remembered watching her dissipate away after sacrificing herself to Osiris; shattering like glass but still managing to reach out to him as she transformed into flecks of light and blown away.

"Kuso!" he choked out treas joining the raindrops and flacks of blood on his skin. "KUSO!" His low masculine voice dripped with anguish as it echoed through the clouded sky. The duelist group cold do nothing but stare at the shattered Pharaoh with wide eyes. No one seemed to know what to do. No words or gestures of comfort could soothe the broken Game King, not even his narrow victory over Yami no Bakura allowing him to keep his life and his title could in any way lighten his heart. The only thing he wanted no one could give him. It was now plainly and openly true, Yami, the son of Amon-Ra had fallen head over heels in love with a duel monster card. Anzu (after she and Yugi had for the first time realized that they were entangled in each other's arms and separated blushing furiously.) took a cautious step towards the Pharaoh her ocean blue eyes shining with concern.

"Yami...." she said barely above a whisper. But the older Egyptian didn't seem to hear her for he was now staring at hi God card. Matte! he thought. If Orsiris was returned to me on Bakura's word then maybe- Suddenly, ignoring the pain, he leapt to his feet and dragged himself as fast as he could to the other side of the roof where his flaxen haired opponent had been standing and began frantically searching the ground with desperate eyes. His heart pounded in his ears and then suddenly froze at the sight of a duel card laying face down on the cement. His heart surging with hope he reached down and picked it up......There she was, Devil's Dark Angel, poised in her menacing position on the card one hand holding a flicker of flame and the other a swirl of darkness. Oh Ra! Its her! Its really her! his mind cried.

"Minna!" he cried jovially running back over to where they stood his face alight like a small child who had just found his favorite toy. "It's her! It's her!" The group stared at him in shock as he stumbled back waving a card. Yugi was frozen as he watched his yami. Was it true? Was the card really that of Angel? hope arose in him and he could feel it radiate from the rest of the group as well. All held their breath as they watched Yami place the card on his duel disk.

"I play Devil's Dark Angel!" he ordered as sincerely as he could, but nothing happened. The Pharaoh tired to contain his desperation as he picked it up and replayed it. "I play Devil's Dark Angel!" Still there was nothing. more desperately this time he picked it up and replayed it and was greeted with the deafening, sorrowful silence. Yami's mind swam with confusion. No! Why isn't it working?! Why isn't she here?! he thought almost panicking. Frantically he banged the card on the disk over and over again with nor results like a mad man.

"RAAAAAAAARG!" he roared tearing the entire duel disk off his arm and threw it as hard as he could away from him. By miracle it didn't go over the edge, but instead clattered against the short wall. Yami sank to his knees in a large puddle feeling as if the world was crashing down around his ears and that his heart was being torn apart into a million pieces. Tears poured freely now as he stared at the drenched cement beneath him without really seeing it, drowning in his sorrow.

All his companions could do was stare at him with piteous shock. Yami never treated his duel disk that way! And no one had ever seen him cry. Yet here he was almost sobbing as he sat shattered in a pool of his own treas. Rain cascaded from the heavens as if the gods too were crying in pity for the Pharaoh. Without thinking Anzu took a slow cautious step towards him. The Game King seemed not to notice, so she continued carefully on.

"Yami." she said softly, reaching out and gingerly touching his shoulder. But he seemed not to feel it, as if he were entirely numb. She wanted nothing more than to take him up in her arms and rock him and tell him everything was going to be alright and she was there for him. Two reasons held her frozen with just her hand on his shoulder. the first was that she was afraid. Afraid of how he might respond in his current stare of anguish to her touch. For the second and most obvious reason was that he was in love with Angel; the strange female duel card who had come to life and captured his heart right out from under he nose. He truely loved her and was just now realizing it. No words of condolence could comfort him, for when one is denied love, one loses the will to even live.

"Yami I-" she whispered but she never got to finish. She and the others were held in the silence of awe.

Yami hurt all over, but nothing hurt worse than his heart. His soul had been slashed and that kind of pain was eternal. Why? What had he done to deserve this?! Why was he caused such sorrow? Hmmm....lets see. Because you lied to your friends, betrayed the girl you love and sacrificed her to save your own damn skin! a voice in his head seemed to answer. B-but I didn't...... he thought feebly. I didn't sacrifice her. She did it herself..... Suddenly something fluttered to the ground before him and he snapped himself out of his thoughts to focus on it. It was a duel card, but it was blank.....His eyes flew to the name: Devil's Dark Angel. Matte! If its blank then that means-! His tri-colored head shot up, first there was a tiny bare foot and then the rest of her. Angel stood before him. Her demon wings spread, her raven hair blowing in the wind and her mesmerizing emerald eyes staring down at him with the most sorrowful expression he had ever seen.

"Angel!" he gasped. "Angel!" He made a motion as if to jump up and take her in his arms and hold her in pure relief. But something about the solemn look on her face stopped him. All was plunged into silence as they waited for the demonic girl to speak She seemed to be fighting something inside her as she gazed down at Yami.

"Angel...." the Pharaoh said barely above a whisper.

"A-Angel go now." she choked out her voice nearly cracking.

"Nani?!" said Yami, cold panic rushing through him. "What?! Why?! No!" The female dual card gently chewed her lip and her piercing eyes watered.

"Angel go now." she said again.

"Iie! Doshite?!" Yami frantically demanded making another frantic movement with his arms but stopped trying to restrain himself. "Doshite?!" Angel took in a deep shuddering breath and calmly looked down at him making her kook more mature and majestic than he'd ever seen her.

"Angel no you." she said finally The Game King's tri-colored head swam with confusion. What does she mean, she's not me? he thought briefly.

"What? Angel what do you mean?" he asked desperately. The raven haired girl fought it, but she began to lose her carefully built up composure.

"Angel no you!" she said with more desperate emotion, pointing at him and then to all of the others focusing her sorrowful green eyes on each one of them for a moment. Yami's mind raced still not understanding her words.

"Angel-" he started.

"Angel no you!" she said again forcefully, on the brink of tears again motioning to all of his friends. Tears now clearly visible in her eyes she gazed at him with the utmost pain, willing him to understand.

"Yami say no." she said pointing at herself. She then reached gently forward. Yami's hand shot up to meat it, he wanted so desperately to touch her, to hold her. She gingerly took his hand in her fingers and placed them on his shoulder where he was surprised to feel another's wet fingers. "Angel no you." Yami whipped his tri-colored head around for the source of the fingers and found Anzu in silent shock with her hand rested on his shoulder staring at Angel in confusion.

"Anzu? Nani-" he began but never finished. She looked down at him her brunette locks dripping and her face twisted with confusion, but he did not seem to see her. 'Angel no you' the words rang in his head over and over. 'Angel no you'? What does that mean?!...... Suddenly, it hit him as he stared around at his friends who were all sopping wet and had the same confused, sympathetic look on their faces. 'Angel no you'! 'I'm not one of you'! That's what it means! she saying she doesn't belong! He paused for a moment. As much as he wished to deny it, she was right; she didn't belong. She was a duel card and they were humans, they're world's should never cross except for when dueling.....when the card served them..... No! They had defied those laws, he and Angel together..... He whipped his head around to find Angel standing before him. A single tear trickled won her cheek, and escaped rebel from the hundreds fighting to get out. She knew he understood now.

" Bye bye love." she said barely above a whisper before lowering her eyes and stepping one foot out atop her card. Instantly it turned to light and slowly began to shatter...

"No!" Yami cried lunging forward at her. Her green eyes widened in shock as he connected, knocking her off the card. He quickly slipped his arm around her slim waist catching her before both of them toppled to the ground. She stared at him in shock. He held her closely to him ignoring her fully spanned wings which spread to their full length in her shock.

"Angel." he said tears spilling freely down his already stained cheeks. "You....you can't leave! Because I-..... Because I-....." She stared at him confusion running across her face, her own tears beginning to tumble down her cheeks.

"Because I need you." he whispered. "I need you, Angel. More than anything....I.... I don't think I could possibly live without you....."

"Yami...." she whimpered staring at him in disbelief. He gave her a weak smile reaching up and brushing a lock of her raven hair out of her eyes and behind her pointed ear. He then placed his hand gently on the side of her face, leaned down and kissed her with all the passion and love he could muster. Warmth shot through his entire body filling his veins from his toes to his fingertips.

Anzu stared at the scene before her, her mind completely boggled. Angel had finally reappeared but instead of running to Yami in rejoice, she had declared she was leaving. The girl had almost given Yami to her! To she, Anzu! She had almost gotten Yami to herself! Why would Angel leave the man she loved? She had started to disappear but he had stopped her and how he was kissing her! She sighed deeply as she gazed at them. She loved him, that why she would've given him to her. Angel knew that Anzu loved him and would take care of him, so in search of giving him something better, she would've given him to her. She sighed deeply her heart torn in two different directions. she would always love Yami and desire him for herself. But in the deepest darkest corner of her heart she wanted Angel to stay.....

When Yami finally broke the kiss the expression on Angel's face was completely flabbergasted. She looked as if she didn't know how to feel.

"Onegai shimasu, Angel." begged softly. "Don't leave me." A small smile appeared on her ebony lips and she suddenly flung her arms around him neck.

"Yami! she sobbed into his shoulder. "Yami!" The Pharaoh wrapped his arms around her, avoiding her gargantuan demon wings, and buried his face briefly in her dark hair.

"In case you didn't hear." he said softly in her pointed ear. "I love you."

The End

Epilogue

The morning sun drifted up the pharaoh's bronze chest as he lay in bed still sound asleep. The golden light outlined every muscle on his trim body before dancing up to his face where it tip toed up his cheeks and tickled his eyelids. He gave a soft moan and turned his head the other way in attempt to stay in dreamland. But, he could not escape the persistent fingers prodding at his eyelids to awaken him. Finally he opened one eye halfway revealing a pool of deep majestic violet. The other soon followed greeted by a burst of morning sunshine. He turned his head to look at Angel to see if she was still asleep but to his surprise she wasn't there! He lay alone in his bed. His heart froze and ice seemed to run through his veins in the cold rush of panic. Iie! Please don't be gone! You said you would stay.... he though desperately. He quickly sat up and looked around the room where his clothes were strewn and when he lifted his luscious violet pools he found a very peculiar sight. The window was flung wide open. Long knee-high striped socks adorned tiny feet and skinny legs and all that was seen was that and the rear of Angel; she was hanging out the window! He immediately relaxed in relief that she had not left him but was yet perplexed at what she was doing.

"Angel?" he said. Her small body jumped and she nearly toppled out the window, but she caught herself and then dragged her body and something lack and leathery through the window.

"Yami!" she said brightly, smiling fully at him. He couldn't help but to smile back.

"What are you doing?" he asked. he paused suddenly recognizing the black leather that she was holding. "Hey! Are those my pants?!" Sure enough, clutched in her small hands were his ebony leather pants that he had been wearing the night before. She giggled confirming this.

"What are you doing with my pants?" he asked perplexed.

"Birdie!" she said giggling again.

"Nani?"

"Birdie!" she repeated tilting the cloth forward, he peered forward to see a ball of downy white fluff and a tiny ivory head peeked out. It was a bird nestled in the folds of his pants! It gave a tiny 'peep!' before wriggling out of Angel's grasp and taking flight! It soared around the room peeping loudly before darting out the window.

"Hey!" said Angel jumping to catch it but missing. She ran to the window and watched it fly away

"Angel." Yami said causing her to whip back around. "Can I have my pants, please?" She started forward holding them out to him then thought better of it drawing them back to her chest. Oh no. he thought recognizing that mischievous look on her face.

"Angel." he said this time a bit more firmly. "Give me my pants." A mischievous smile spread across her black lips and she giggled and shook her head 'no'.

"Angel, give me my pants." she giggled again shaking her head and skirting away from him.

"Angel-" he sighed throwing his legs over the side of the bed and pushing the covers off his body. And icy chill from the open window caressed his bare skin and he quickly covered himself back up.

"Angel, give me my pants!" Laughing and dancing away from him, she hopped towards the window where she dangled the shiny black leather garments out the window!

"Angel! Don't you dare!" he roared, but, with a last laugh of amusement she dropped his pants out the window!

"Aaangeell!" he moaned flopping back down on the bed. She laughed again and suddenly with a swoosh his pants were dropped on top of his head!

"Oof!" he mumbled. He reached up but before he pulled them off his head he checked hi pocket. Good, the card was still there. He then tugged the ebony material out of his tri-colored hair to find a pair of large piercing green eyes staring into his own. He sighed and smiled at Angel.

"You know, you really are a pain in the ass." he said. She pouted, her pointy ears twitching in a cute elfish way. "But I like it." She smiled at this and then he put both his hands on either side of her face and kissed her. She sighed her warn breath pouring out of her nose onto his face and she kissed him back. he felt a familiar warm sensation fill his body and he felt the emotion of true happiness, for he knew that this love of two shadows would last forever......

AN: Well, there you have it, the last chapter of The Love of Shadows. I hope you all enjoyed!!! - Did you like your surprise, with the Epilogue? Originally I wasn't going to put one in but after I finished this chapter I thought it would be a cute way to end the story. - I hope you enjoyed it! Again, thank you so SO much to all of my reviewers! I'm TOTALLY and COMPLETELY going to miss you all! Not to mention writing this story! I'm truly grateful to all of you. sniffs Thank you. Like I said before, I'm thinking about writing a sequel but I'm not sure yet. Please tell me if you would like one in your reviews or even an e-mail! I love e-mails! - Remember to R&R!!! Ja matta ne!