Sorry for the minor delay you guys! I had to go on a short family trip and then I was busy for a while. (Like seeing Spiderman 2 yesterday and getting a new haircut.) Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

Chapter Nine: Apology

"Hey, doctor guy! I think he's waking up!"

"Jonouchi! Don't call him that!"

"Who cares? At least Ryou's waking up!"

Bakura watched the doctor hurried into the room. He was leaning against the wall outside, trying to look nonchalant. During the past week he had been spending his time at the hospital and had even slept there at night. Whenever Ryou's friends came over everyday after school Bakura made sure not to be in the room when they came to stop by and would only come back in after they had all left. He thought Yami had seen him once, but it might have been a false alarm.

Listening in to the conversation Bakura heard the doctor say, "It's about time you woke up, young man. Your friends here were worried to death about you."

"What happened?" came Ryou's soft, weary voice.

"You were hit by a car. Apparently witnesses said you were pushing someone out of the way and the driver had no time to stop."

Bakura's fists clenched in his coat pockets. It made him feel so bitter and angry to hear that again, especially when the doctor told Ryou's friends about it.

The next few noises were from the five telling him on how thankful they were he wasn't killed and it was good to have him back. The doctor walked out of the room to give them some private time. He gave a quick glance at Bakura but then walked on.

With a straight face and cold eyes Bakura walked to the waiting room. He stayed there most of the time Ryou's friends were over and would munch on Fritos from the snack machine. Today he knew the chips would only taste like dust in his mouth so he didn't bother.

What was Ryou going to say when he saw him again?

Bakura's hand stopped short at the door handle. What was he doing? Ryou wouldn't want to see him. Especially since he had just seen his friends and that would mean he was in a good mood. As soon as he saw his Yami's face he would cower in fear.

That might just be a chance he had to take. In Bakura's mind he knew all of this was his fault and he had to say sorry, but it just seemed way to hard. In all his life he couldn't remember giving a sincere apology.

Taking a deep breath Bakura shook off the feeling and entered the room.

Ryou was leaning against his pillows and reading a book that his friends had given him for when he got bored. When he looked up his eyes widened slightly and he put the book down on his lap. His eyes looked away from Bakura's, the way they normally did when his Yami entered the same room.

"Um, hello Ryou," he said softly, still looking away.

Nodding slightly Bakura sat down in a chair beside the bed and said, "So, how'd you sleep?"

"Good," he answered and gave him a quick glance. He had no idea what Bakura was going to say next. Nor did Bakura for that matter.

"How you feeling?"

What in the world was he saying? Bakura knew Ryou didn't want to see him.

Shifting a bit Ryou said, "It hurts a little, but I'm feeling okay."

"It's your own fault you know," Bakura was surprised to hear himself say. Great, try to be nice but he was still a jerk.

"I know," Ryou said softly. Bakura could see his cast free hand clench his bed sheet tightly.

Crossing his arms in front of him he said coldly, "You didn't have to do that, you moron. I would have gotten out of the way just in time."

"It was, um, reflex."

"Reflex?" Bakura almost snorted. What kind of person had a reflex to jump in front of cars like an idiot? "Why would you do a crazy thing like that?"

"You're my Yami."

Furrowing his eyebrows in confusion Bakura uncrossed his arms and asked, "What do you mean by that?"

Now turning his face to face him Ryou said softly, "Well, like I said, you are my Yami and I feel like I have to protect you when the time comes."

Bakura blinked at him for a few seconds until saying, "I don't need to be protected."

"I know," Ryou replied in a whisper and turned away again. "But you would have died."

Now glaring at his hikari he said crossly, "I believe you were the one who wished me dead not even a minute before the car hit."

"I didn't mean it," the sad hikari said. "I'm sorry."

Trying his hardest to keep glaring the Yami said, "What do you have to be sorry for?"

"Well, I can't wish my Yami dead."

"And why not?"

"Because I am you and you are me."

Bakura couldn't fight back his widening eyes. This was the second time someone said that they were the same person...

Standing up and walking away from the bed Bakura said, "I've wasted enough time here. Later."

Ryou didn't say a word as Bakura left the hospital room. He just leaned back into his pillow and sighed.

For the millionth time since the Yami entered his life, stinging tears formed in his eyes but they didn't fall.