Chapter 23

Disclaimer: I wrote this while still in Disney World I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.

The next day, as everyone knows, was Christmas. Serenity woke up and looked out the window. Most of the snow that was on the tree had melted, and dark storm clouds threatened to pour down rain. She rolled her eyes and grudgingly got out of her warm bed.

"Mom," She said, going downstairs. "Mom, what's with the weather? It looks like it's going to storm." Her mother looked up from the magazine she was reading at the kitchen counter.

"Good morning, darling don't know. It's supposed to rain all week. The weather channel said that the clouds were brought with a warm front. Can you believe it? It's going to rain on Christmas!"

"I know!" Joey came through the kitchen door, toweling off his hair. "Mom, I'm going to go to Mai's house. I have a gift for her. Is that okay?" he put the towel around his neck. "I just took a shower and I want to get over there while I still smell springtime fresh." He said smiling.

"After we open our presents." Their mother said, walking into the living room. She turned and looked at Serenity. "Oh, Serenity, darling, where did you get this necklace?" Her mom touched the chain and pulled it out from under her nightgown. Her eyes widened when she saw the heart.

"Um...Serenity stuttered. "Um...a....friend gave it to me..." She said. She wanted to take the necklace from her mother, but then she'd get suspicious. So she just stood there, a feeling of dread coming over her as her mother looked the necklace over.

"Serenity, 'friends' don't give you something like this..." she turned it over and looked on the back. Serenity closed her eyes and waited for it. And it happened. Out loud, and right in front of Joey, she said what seemed to Serenity like the loudest she could "Who's got the initials S.K?"

Joey dropped the present he was in the middle of opening. "Serenity!" he stood up. "When did he give that to you?!"

Now, she could've lied, and saved her necklace, but she felt like she had lied to him enough. He was her brother, and she loved him. What was she supposed to do? "Yesterday. I snuck out yesterday with him and he gave me this necklace as a Christmas gift..."

"What am I missing? Who are we talking about here?" Their mother asked, confused.

"Mom! Serenity's been seeing Seto Kaiba, even though I told her she can't!"

"Joey, Serenity can date whoever she wants..."

"Not Kaiba! He's the guy that tried to kill me, Yugi an' Tristan in the Death-T!" Joey had to point out. Serenity knew if she didn't say something, her mother would immediately judge him wrongly. She knew she couldn't change Joey's mind, but maybe her mom would be more lenient. After all, she didn't even know Seto

"That was a long time ago, Joey! He's changed now!" She pleaded, although she knew trying to tell this to Joey was like talking to a brick wall..

"That psycho will never change!" He argued. "Mom, he's a crazy lunatic who's only using Serenity!"

"You don't know that Joey! You know him like I do. He's-"

"Serenity...it...doesn't seem like you should be seeing this man anymore..." Her mother said quietly. "I mean, you have to admit, Joey is a pretty good judge of character..." (Yeah, right.) Serenity's eyes filled with tears. Even her own mother was against her!

"And I'll take this!" Joey grabbed the necklace by the ruby heart and ripped it from around her neck. The chain shattered, and Joey stood there, holding the broken necklace in his hand.

"Uh...Serenity," he stuttered. " I...I didn't mean to break your-" But before he finished, she whirled around and ran upstairs.

Seto

Seto propped his feet up on the coffee table and smiled as he watched Mokuba gleefully open one of his many presents. The younger Kaiba was jumping up and down, clutching his new game boy advanced sp Seto had bought him to replace the one he had broken when he dropped it in the bathtub.

"Thank you, Seto!" he said happily. Seto shrugged.

"It's no problem, Mokuba-" The telephone rang. "Kaiba residence." Seto said after he picked the phone up. Over the phone, he heard Serenity's voice, but there was something wrong. Her voice was choked, as if she had been crying.

"S-Seto..." She said, resisting the urge to break down in tears again.

"Serenity, are you okay?!"

"Oh, Seto! I'm so sorry!" she sobbed. She started talking, but through her crying he couldn't understand her.

"Calm down, Serenity! Now, tell me again, slowly this time."

She took a deep, quivering breath. "I'm so sorry....Joey....found out that I snuck out last night and he won't let me leave the house. He says he's going to keep an eye on me...I won't be able to make it to your party. He'll know. Please forgive me, I'm sorry."

"Serenity, it's okay." He said, although his heart was broken. Mokuba looked at him questionably. "It's not your fault."

"There's...one more thing." She said, pausing to catch her breath. "Joey...broke the necklace you gave me..."

"Oh, Serenity, that's okay. It was just a necklace."

"I know...but..."

"Hey!" Joey interrupted them. "Okay, you've told him you won't make it. Now, get off of the phone!"

"I love you..." She said, loud enough for Joey to hear.

"I love you too, and I promise, I haven't given up...Goodbye..."

After hanging up, Mokuba immediately started probing him with questions. "Is Serenity okay? What happened to her? Why do you look so sad? What happened to the necklace?"

"Um...Mokuba...Serenity's not going to be able to make it to the New Year's Eve party..." Seto mumbled.

"Why?"

"...Joey." Was all he stated.

Okay, I think everyone's going to LOVE the next chapter. I won't tell you anything about it, except that there's a lot of love in it. Don't worry, I'll update soon. Sorry this chapter was so short, but I promise, the next one will be longer. I think....