"Shayla? Shayla?" asked Téa as she knocked on the door. There was no answer.
"Maybe she isn't in there," suggested Lara.
Téa tried the doorknob. "It's locked tight…"
"What do we do now?" asked Lara.
"Well, Shayla probably would have answered if she was here, so I guess she's somewhere else in this ship," said Téa, thoughtfully. "I guess we have to keep looking."
"I don't feel like roaming around when Marik could be anywhere," shivered Lara.
"Well, let's head back and talk with the others," said Téa. "Maybe they have an idea where Shayla went."
"I hope so, she shouldn't be alone, not now," said Lara as both girls retraced their steps through the many hallways of the airship.
They hurried back into the hospital wing, where everyone else was sitting, looking morbid. They were all still in shock over Mai's death and afraid that something equally bad might happen to one of their other unconscious friends. They looked up, an expression of hopelessness in all of their eyes.
"Find her?" asked Tristan.
Téa shook her head, "No one answered at her room, so we think she's somewhere else." She walked over and sat down in an empty chair between Joe and Yu-Gi's beds.
"Any ideas where she might be?" asked Lara. "Because we don't know where to begin searching."
"No idea," replied Drake. "What about the dining hall?"
"It's a possibility," said Téa, thoughtfully. "Come to think of it…Shayla hasn't been showing up for meals regularly since Mai got hurt…."
"I don't like any of this one bit," grumbled Duke, looking around the room.
"I know," said Kevin, sadly.
It went quite. During this time, Serenity's sobs could be heard. She was sitting opposite of Téa, beside her brother. Serenity had buried her face in her hands, resting her head on the edge of Joe's bed. She had been crying her eyes out since she had entered the room.
"Serenity, please, pull yourself together," said Tristan, though he didn't sound very convincing. He stood behind her, one hand placed firmly on her shoulder. "Joe would want you to be strong for him, just like he was strong for you."
"But…but," sobbed Serenity. "If anyth-th-thing happens…"
"Joe's got a strong will, he'll pull through," said Duke. Serenity didn't answer this time; she just continued to sob.
"If…If we can stop Marik," said Téa, in a broken tone. "Maybe….I think all of this will stop and everyone will wake up."
"How do you suggest we do that, Téa?" asked Duke. "Marik has two god cards now. And Yu-Gi lost to him…the odds aren't good at all for the rest of us."
"But, Téa does have a point," said Tristan. "There has to be a way to end all of this."
"It all seems so hopeless," sighed Duke, quiet enough that he wouldn't get a lecture.
"Something needs to be done," said Drake, giving Duke a hard look.
"Ugh…" Joe groaned.
"What?! No way!" exclaimed Kevin as everyone raced to his bedside.
"Joe! Brother! Say something!" cried Serenity, looking up and taking on of her brother's hands. Her face was wet from crying, and her eyes were red and puffy.
"Come on man! You can pull through this!" added Tristan.
Joe groaned again and his eyes fluttered a bit, "S-S-Ser-ren-nit-ty…"
"I'm here brother!"
"Serenity? Ugh…"
"Come on! Focus Joe!" urged Téa.
"My head…" moaned Joe.
His eyed opened, although they didn't seem to be focusing on anything in particular. He seemed to be a bit of a daze. Nonetheless, it was a definite improvement over his previous condition. Everyone present seemed to be holding their breath, hoping for the best but fearing for the worst.
"Joe, look at me!" begged Serenity.
"It's so dark in here…" he said, so softly it was practically a whisper.
"What are you talking about?" asked Tristan. "There's plenty of lights on."
"He lost a Shadow Game…" said Drake with a low tone. "And it's effecting him."
"Are you okay brother? Please!" begged Serenity.
"Serenity," said Joe. He sounded like he hadn't had a drink of water in days. "Don't…worry…I'm…ugh…"
"Is there anything I can do?" Tristan asked him. "Do you need anything Joe?"
"M-Mai…" he stammered. Everyone fell silent, as if all the oxygen had been sucked from the room. "Mai…I f-failed…her."
There was a dry sob from Serenity.
"We can't tell him what happened," Duke said quietly and quickly. "I don't think he could handle it."
"I have too…I must…" stammered Joe. "Mai…Yu-Gi…promised…have to help…beat Marik."
"Brother! I'm here!" exclaimed Serenity. "Please look at me!" But Joe's eyes remained glazed over, staring vacantly at a random spot on the ceiling.
"Come on Joe, we're here for you," said Téa. "We aren't going to leave you."
"It's dark," Joe said. "C-cold…I feel…alone."
"You're not alone!" exclaimed Kevin. "We're right beside you bro!"
Joe went quiet, and for a moment everyone thought he had blacked out again.
Serenity started crying again, "No! Don't go!"
"Serenity…I promised you…" said Joe. His head turned a bit towards her. "The beach…we're going to go…I promised…"
"I know," sobbed Serenity, picking up his pinky finger with her own. "I want to go to the beach with you. So you have to get better, promise me, brother."
"Promised to save Mai…Promised to help Y-Yu-Gi," he stammered. "Can't…give up."
"That's right, keep fighting it Joe," said Drake.
"Serenity," Joe said, clearer than anything he had muttered yet. "Be strong…I want…You have to…take care…"
"I will Joe, I will," Serenity said, quickly.
"I…I want you to know…I'm a-always here…with you," he said, his voice growing softer. "…no matter what…I'm with…you." His eyes slid closed again.
"Joe! No! Stay awake!" screamed Serenity. "Please! Talk to me!"
"So…dark…" he whispered, before he completely blacked out.
"JOE!" cried Serenity, once again crying.
"He…He just needs his rest," said Lara.
"Yeah, that's how he'll heal," added Tristan. "Joe will pull through this. He just needs some time to recover."
"Well, I'll say that was a good sign," said Duke.
"I agree," said Kevin. "Just watch, Joe will be on his feet in no time."
"Calm down Serenity," said Téa, handing her a tissue. "He's just sleeping."
"I wish it was that easy," thought Drake, grimly. "But we're talking about the results of a Shadow Game…"