Ave Maria!
Maiden mild!
Oh, listen to a maiden's prayer
For thou can't hear amid the wild
This thou, this thou can't save amid, despair
We slumbers safely tear the Mother
Though we be man outcast relived
Oh, Mainden, hear a maiden's sorrow
Oh, Mother, hear a suppliant child!
Ave Maria
Ave Maria, gracia plena
Maria, gratia plena
Maria, gratia plena
Ave, ave dominus
Dominus tecum
The murky cavern's air so heavy
Shall breath of balm if thou hast smiled
Oh, Maiden, hear a maiden pleadin'
Oh, Mother, hear a suppliant child
Ave Maria
Ave Maria
Tea walked down the snowy sidewalk. It was snowing softly and she was at Christmas peace. She felt sadness tugging on her heart, it was her first Christmas with Seto, but she won't have another with her grandmother.
It's so pretty at Christmas
She has gone in countless stores in a matter of hours. Nothing either looked good, nor fit her, or was way too expensive (she didn't want to blow out Seto's card).
One more store. It was getting a bit late anyway.
Tea browsed around the shop. She was getting a bit frustrated at not finding a dress. She yelled out load, getting looks from other customers.
"Can I help you?"
Tea jumped, also scaring the sales lady. She sighed and started rummaging through the dresses.
"I need a dress-"
"For the Christmas Fest?" the lady finished for her. Tea smiled and nodded.
"I thought so. I think I know what to do," the sales lady said before disappearing behind the check-out counter. Tea waited patiently.
The lady re-appeared with a dress in her hand. Tea stared at it.
"What you think?"
"It...its...beautiful! Perfect!" Tea jumped happily "I'll take it!"
The sales lady smiled and put the dress down on the counter. Beeping the bare code, she looked at Tea.
"Someone special taking you?" she asked. Tea blushed at the thought of Yami.
"Uh-hu. A...really special guy...,"
Back at home, Tea tiptoed inside the house, and then sprinted up the stairs to her room. She quickly hid the dress in her closet.
"That's quite the dress," Seto said from behind. Tea smiled and turned to face him.
"Do you have something to wear?" she said, hoping he wasn't going to ask the price.
"Hope so, with the price on that dress, I hope I have some money buy rags." He responded playfully. Tea frowned.
The next week crept slowly. Then she was ready to go. Grabbing her coat, she called for Seto.
"Seto? I'm ready!"
No response. She called his name again.
"Seto?"
She walked into the kitchen and saw a note on the table.
See you there
-Kaiba
Confused, she put the note down. Feeling left out, she took the phone and dialed for a cab.
Kaiba?
"Oh my god!" she said as she paid the cab driver and looked up at Tokyo Tower. The whole tower was draped in decorations for Christmas, and standing in front of it was a tall, beautifully decorated, Christmas tree. Tea had never seen anything so beautiful.
"Welcome madam! May I take your coat?" a man dressed in a tuxedo asked her politely. Tea shrugged of her coat and handed it him. She walked to the dance floor, looking around for Yami.
She watched other people dancing on the floor. She wanted to dance...with Yami
I feel like a princess at a beautiful ball, waiting for her prince charming to arrive.
Not long after Tea's arrival when Yami arrived at the ball in his white tux. He spotted Tea, who was looking for him, and smiled gently.
"Hmm," Tea looked around for a familiar face of a friend. Any friend or someone she's seen in school. Just someone to talk to.
Tea decided to get a drink, until something took her hand and spun her. She stopped with one foot in front of the other, very professional. She smiled as she saw it was Yami.
"Yami. You always turn up in the right moment!" Tea said happily.
"Did I keep you waiting?" he asked as he took her hand again.
"I'd wait forever...," she responded. Yami pulled her close. He dipped her.
As he pulled her pack up, he purred.
"You look beautiful," he said.
"Thank you," she said blushing. He purred! Her cheeks felt like fire.
"Shall we have this dance?" he asked with a smile. Tea's heart felt so light. She took his hand he offered and he led her out to the middle of the floor. Manheim Steamroller began to play a song called "We Three Kings". A Christmas song.
1,2,3,4...1,2,3,4...Tea counted in her head. Yami was a strong dance leader. They danced in a circle, Tea's dress flowing elegantly behind her. Fast, then slow, him leading her. People were in aw as they watched the young couple, their eyes glued to each other.
As the song died, Yami spun her gently and brought her back to him, their faces mere inches away.
"Thank you Yami."
"For what?" he said gently.
"For everything. For just being you," She said, looking into his amethyst eyes. He smiled and nodded his head once gently. They were both silent.
"My pleasure," he finally said in her ear. Tea smiled and looked him in the eyes. Yami closed in on the remaining space and kissed her passionately. She closed her eyes and felt Yami finally kissing her.
They stopped kissing when they heard a cheer of people behind them. The whole crowd was watching. Tea and Yami both blushed red. Both walked off he dance floor with embarrassed smiles.
"Didn't Seto come along?" Yami asked as he got some drinks for them. Chianti white wine.
"Oh! I forgot about him! I don't know if he's here yet." She said a bit embarrassed. Yami handed her the glass and she took a sip. The drink burned her throat pleasantly.
"Drinking without us? Dude! Especially without me! How could you Yam?!" a voice yelled from behind Yami. It was Joey. Serenity, Ryou, and Tristan were with him too.
"Milady," Ryou said as we walked up and kissed Tea's hand. He was wearing a white tuxedo with a red rose in his outer breast pocket. Tristan a navy blue tuxedo, and Serenity had a green short dress with red roses in her hair. Very festive.
"Tea, you look great in that beautiful dress!" Serenity said, looking at her with a smile. Tea's dress was a long navy blue dress with a huge rose on the front of her dress. The middle looked as if it was wrapped around her tummy. She also had a gold necklace that had a ruby on it. It was her Nonna's necklace.
"Must have maxed out the credit card! Seto must have been pissed." Tristan added.
"No, actually he doesn't know the price!" Tea said with a giggle. Or did he? She said as an afterthought.
After dancing to Christmas songs Chiming of the Bells, Rudolph, God rest ye Marry Gentlemen, and Felicenavida. The gang was tired. They all sat at a table and ordered some appetizers.
"We'll take the calamari and he mozzarella sticks" Ryou said to the waiter.
"Calamari? What's that?" Joey asked.
"Its my favorite, its fried squid. Very good!" Ryou answered with a wink.
"Fried squid? Yuck! You only like it because you're friggn European!" Joey said in playful disgust. Ryou smiled weakly.
"He's just joking Ryou." Serenity said looking at him. Tea looked at Yami and smiled, weakly.
"What's wrong?" he asked, putting and arm around her back. "It's Seto right?" Yami said coolly. Tea looked into his all knowing eyes.
"Ya, he said he would come." She said to him. Silence.
"Ladies and Gentlemen. Our last song for the fest." An announcement came.
"Seto didn't come." Tea said, trying to hold back tears. Yami held her tightly.
Yami took Tea's hand and looked at her. "Lets go home?"
"All right," She said sweetly. They headed out the door. The new couple said their good-byes and left.
Unknown to Tea, eyes followed her every movement.
Outside it was snowing lightly. The snow tickled Tea's face gently as she looked back at the beautiful tower.
Yami held his arm out for a cab until Tea put her arm on his and pushed it down gently.
"No. Lets just walk home. It's so peaceful...in the snow." She said as if in lala land.
"All right then." He said. They started to walk in silence. Tea broke the silence as she looked into the dark sky.
"Hey, would you live in space?" she said as she looked skyward. Into nothingness.
He was silent. "It's a cold, endless, lonely place. It's beautiful yes. Yet I would never want to live up in space." He said quietly, yet seriously. Tea looked down at her feet, then took his hand in hers. She was happy when he gripped hers in return.
They didn't speak until they reached the house. Two police cars were parked outside their home.
"What's going on?" Yami said with confusion. Tea looked closer.
"The house door is wide open too!" Tea said running inside.
"Hello? Is anybody here?" she called into the house. Yami put a hand on Tea's mouth and hushed her. She nodded and Yami let go of her. They then herd footsteps coming toward them. Yami stepped in front of Tea to protect her. A cop walked out of the living room.
"I'm so sorry. The door was opened and I came in. I have some important information for Miss Tea Gardener and Mr. Seto Kaiba." He said seriously. Yami let his guard down and closed the front door.
"Next time please wait until we are home!" Tea said disapprovingly.
"Like I said, I'm very sorry ma'm. Please, sit, we have a lot to talk about." He said pointing to a chair. Yami leaned against the wall as he glared at the cop. The cop didn't notice.
"First, my name is Detective Tetsuya Yukishiro. Second, your cousin Kaiba..." he said looking at Tea
"...cannot be your true guardian," He finished.
"Why not?"
"Your mother and father's will only left Sofia Gardener as your legal guardian until you are eighteen. Kaiba was not listed," He added as he handed her a huge box.
"When Sofia died, she wanted you to have this. It's your mother and father's belongings."
Yami stood up straight and folded his arms with a glare on his face.
"So what are you going to do with Tea?" he said as he moved toward her.
"Well, were going to take her to the U.S. and find her a home." Tetsuya said.
The blood in Tea's face drained to her feet.
"NO! I can't go! I have family and friends here!" she said, running to Yami's side. Yami put an arm around her and held her tight.
"I'm sorry but you must have someone over eighteen years to take care of you Tea, and Seto is too young. It's the law." He said getting up.
"Why you..."
Tea and Yami looked behind at the door. Seto stood in the doorway.
"Ah, Mr. Kaiba,"
"Stop calling him 'Kaiba'!" Tea yelled. Yami hushed her as Seto walked forward.
"It's a good thing I stopped bye," an old voice said. It was Yami's grandfather, who stood behind Seto.
"Who the hell is this?" Tetsuya asked seriously.
"Excuse me, you are trespassing in this home and this conversation!" the cop yelled to Seto and Sugoroku.
Yami glared as he said "And you are not? I believe that we saw you enter this household with no one home."
Tetsuya glared back.
"Good officer, you will not take this young lady to America. They have family and friends here. A good education and a beautiful home." Sugoroku said politely.
"I'm sorry but I can't do that. These she has no parent or guardian who is eighteen or older to watch over them." Tetsuya said coldly.
"Fool," Seto said with a smirk.
The cop looked surprised.
"I Sugoroku Mouto am to become Tea Gardener's permanent guardian until Seto has come of age," He said proudly. "Then he will become her guardian,"
Tea put her hands over her mouth in shock.
"But why? How?" she asked him.
Sugoroku cleared his throat. "Well you see. When Sofia died, she left her will in my possession, knowing this would happen. She saw that my grandson and her granddaughter were such good friends that she appointed me as Tea's guardian when she died." The cop looked like he just went bankrupt.
"Personally, I think they're in love," Sugoroku winked. He failed to see the shock on Seto's face.
Tea and Yami blushed blood red.
"I-I must see this will, in order to let Miss Gardener go with you." The cop said.
"The will is at the police station right now, so lets go there." Sugoroku said.
"Fine, we leave now." Tetsuya said angrily.
"I'll see to it that you are fired." Seto hissed
"I'm coming too," He said
"Me too Seto!" Tea added. She took his arm but he shrugged it off gently.
"No."
Tea looked at Sugoroku sadly.
"Why not? I have a right to go."
"Tea no. We'll explain this whole thing when we get back." Seto said.
Sugoroku and the cop left the house. Seto quickly gave Tea a reassuring look before following Sugoroku.
"All this on Christmas Eve. How horrible." Tea said with a sad sigh. Yami looked at her.
"Maybe not all that bad. Please...will you join me for Christmas?"
Tea turned to see Yami smiling gently at her. She couldn't smile so she just shook her head and went up stairs.
"Good night, Yami," She said quietly. Yami then herd a door shut.
A/N
Gah...did I make Seto a little more like...Seto? Hope so. Hope you enjoyed this chappie, took me a while thou.
THIS STORY IS FOR SHIRO!!!
