Author's Notes: Boomshakalaka! I'm back with chapter eight! Talk about quick, eh? In case anyone was wondering there is a song that inspired this story. It's called, Thanks That Was Fun by Barenaked Ladies. Download, play, repeat, and enjoy. With that said, I give you the next chapter. Thanks to all that reviewed and/or have this story on favorites. All of the drinks listed in this chapter are real alcoholic beverages. Darn you ff.net for your inability to space correctly. (But I still love you.)

Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh, but I would like to own Joey's jacket.

An Exile's Stone Heart

Chapter Eight: One can teach the other what she doesn't know, and still the other feels a place inside he never knew had room to grow!

Joey watched transfixed as she took the phone from him, chatting with a soft voice to the little girl on the phone. He watched silently, listening to the one sided exchange between mother and daughter. How could she keep this kind of thing from him? How could he have a daughter? Even if they had a severe falling lout that ruined their friendship, they were picking up the pieces now. That girl spoke as if she were at least four or five. That meant for at least five years Mai had kept such a big secret from him. She seemed to have no qualms about it either. For five fucking years she had been someone's mother, denying him his right to enjoy parenthood. Despite everything they had done to each other to themselves, did she think so lowly of him that she couldn't even tell him that much? After chatting for a few moments, she hung up the phone, but not before saying a quick I love you.

"Tell me you did not just say what I think you did."

Joey asked the blonde woman, who had already began to put on her clothes. She avoided his eyes, but he could tell by the quiver in her voice, and the way she shook nervously, that he had heard correctly. She continued to ignore him, scrambling for her belongings. Realizing what she was trying to do, Joey grabbed her arm, whirling her around to face him. Her violet eyes, usually vibrant and shining were dulled and lifeless. The gravity of the situation hit him like a ton a bricks. Less than a minute ago, they had been making love, and now… Now, she was preparing to run off with little explanation save for telling him he had a daughter, and she was the girl's mother. She bent her head, looking anywhere but in his eyes. What right did she have to snub him? He wasn't the one that had lied, at least not about something as heart wrenching as this.

"You owe me that much. Look me in the eye."

He commanded, cupping her chin so that he could look into her violet eyes. Those shining eyes were once orbs he believed she could stare into forever, but now—now, he could barely stand to stare into them. She lifted her head to meet his intense stare, but cowered away when he held her tighter than what was necessary. His eyes, his eyes told her that he needed to hear the words. He needed to hear her say everything was a big joke, and that no—the child on the phone that wasn't his daughter. Biting her lip, Mai sat down on the bed, watching as he paced the room, running his hands through his hair. She couldn't be that person for him. She couldn't be the one that could go back in time, and erase what had just taken place between them. Although she would have rather he found out another way, or perhaps never. She wasn't ready to deal with the consequences yet.

"I didn't want things to be this way. Honestly, I wanted things to work out. You were finally turning around, and I began to realize that I didn't have to punish you. That Sarah would be hurt from my actions, and I was going to tell you soon—"

Joey suddenly grabbed her arms, shaking her gently. He could tell he was hurting her, and he enjoyed it. She would suffer just like she had made him. Yet, he was a gentleman above all else, and he released her. No, the games they played were on the psychological battlefield. He slumped to the floor, his sandy blonde hair hiding the tears that were pooling in his eyes.

"Sarah is a beautiful name. Was it maternal reverence to Rachel?"

He asked, fishing into the bottom drawers of his bureau. He found his Newport's rather quickly, and immediately began to light up. Hazy cigarette smoke filled the room, casting a melancholy fog in the elegant bedroom. Never did his eyes meet her as he inhaled. His mind was racing, and he simply wanted to process all that she had said. Taking a long drag, he finally looked at the woman before him.

"You're selfish Mai."

The statement caught her off guard. Why was he calling her selfish? What right did he have to say such things? Who in the hell did he think he was talking to? She was not one of his flighty whores that would stand to be talked to any kind of way. There was a stinging retort begging to break its way free from her tongue, but Joey beat her to it.

"You want to punish me, but in doing so you've committed an even worse sin. To keep a man from what is rightfully his, is a grave offense. I consider myself to be a patient, understanding man. I don't hit women; I call my mother, and shower her with gifts. I treat every woman I encounter with respect, save for you of course. Yet when you lie to me about my child, my own daughter you have crossed a line, Mai."

He said, squashing his cigarette against the soles of his slippers. Thankfully, he did this on the tile of his bathroom floor, taking heed to watch out for the beige carpet. Mai stared at him, her fists clenched at her side. She sprang from the bed, and with lightening speed she backhanded him. The audible crack of her hand connecting his cheek, and the sting she felt thereafter was more than enough to wake him from his rant. Backing away from him, she crossed her arms, ignoring his scowls.

"How dare you? You insensitive jerk! You had your chance to raise her. When Rachel came crying to you, begging for you to believe that the baby she carried was yours, you blew her off. You made her runaway! She was so distraught, she left Japan. You are the selfish bastard Joey! Did you ever stop to think about how I felt? My best friends were lying to me! Don't you try to pull your holier-than-thou attitude on me, Joseph Wheeler! When you didn't claim paternity on the girl, they called me as the next of kin. I raised her since she was six months old. Do not tell me about being selfish, when it's obvious that none of this would have ever happened if you had been a real man, and taken care of your responsibilities."

Mai screeched at him, standing on her tip toes so that she could yell at him properly. He batted her hand away, crossing his arms in exasperation. He didn't need a reminder to know that he had obviously failed as a father. He failed both Rachel and Sarah. If the measure of a man was determined by his actions, than thus far, he was a miserable failure. Mai was right in that aspect, but only in regards to that issue. He wished he could go back in time, but he couldn't. The three of them all had their problems back then, and he could only do right by the two of them now.

"That's bullshit! You were the one that disappeared for three years. How in the hell was I supposed to know that kid was mine when everyone told me that the baby died along with her mother? Who the hell do you think you are? You knew from the start that she is my daughter but you hid her from me, which by the way is illegal! You have got no right to chastise me."

Joey was really a self righteous pompous ass when Mai thought about it. Still, Mai couldn't expect the facts. Joey was her daughter's father. He had every right to be upset, but where was he when he was needed? Why couldn't he at least agree to the paternity test then? While it was true Rachel had been rather promiscuous during their younger years, the three of them were friends first. He should have given her the benefit of the doubt.

"Ha, that's rich! This is all coming from the man that ran away like a coward? You didn't deserve her then Joey, and it's obvious that you don't deserve her now!"

The acrimony of her words stung to the deep recesses of his soul. Yet, did she too deserve Sarah? What kind of parents had they shaped out to be? He was the nonexistent missing father, and she was the lying, manipulative mother. Perhaps Sarah deserved better than the both of them. He couldn't shake the reality of what she had done however. She was punishing him, but ended up punishing Sarah as well.

"How dare you? Who are you to decide what I do and do not deserve? Whatever little qualms we may have had with each other, should have nothing to do with Sarah! Who made you the determining factor in whether I should have my daughter? I know this may be a foreign concept for you, but try to get this through that cute little head of yours. Sarah is my daughter. Mine! If I had known she was still alive, then I would have raised her—the moment custody could be turned over to me. You overstepped your boundaries when you started lying, and committing a crime Mai! I never relinquished custody to you, and you had no right to keep her from me!"

Mai didn't make a comment about how, even if he is Sarah's father, Rachel still listed her as the next of kin. She suddenly felt a shiver down her spine. Technically, she had very little legal rights to Sarah. If Joey contested her custody, then a judge could order a paternity test, and her daughter would be taken from her. Then, if he admitted in court that she knew all along, but raised the girl as her own, then she could go to jail, and maybe never see her daughter again. No, she couldn't let that happen. There had to be a way, somehow things would have to work out. She watched as he dressed quickly, lacing up his shoes. She turned to face him, still wrapped in his green sheets.

"You would keep Sarah from the only mother she has ever known? The only family she has ever known?"

Mai asked softly, taking a chance and reaching out to him. Joey snatched his arm away, grabbing his car keys in one swift motion. He reached for the bedroom doorknob, risking a glance behind him as he left. An incredulous glare was etched upon his face.

"You would keep Sarah from her own father? Not allowing her to get to know family she didn't know she had? I'm going out for awhile, be out of the brownstone when I get back. Oh, and if you think about running away with her, I'll be sure to alert the authorities."

Not bothering to wait for an answer, he threw her clothes at her. She stared at the garments dumbfounded. Joey rolled his eyes at her shock. How dare she feel shock? Did she expect pity? After all those times she had admonished him for his treatment of her, of women in general, she had the nerve to be upset? He slammed the door to his house, and revved up the engine of his sleek new indigo Porsche. He needed time to think, faraway from that hellcat he had come to love. Damn women, damn them all he thought angrily as he zoomed throw the coastal streets.

He chose a middle class hole-in-the-wall in some no name port town. Here he could drink his sorrows away, if only momentarily. The mint flavored Schnapps made Joey's breath peppermint fresh, but did nothing to erase the memories of the day's events. He could still remember the sting of words, the truth behind them. His own words, callous and bitter had done nothing but add fuel to the fire. Joseph Wheeler had always considered him to be a reasonable man, above petty grudges and arguments that claimed weaker men. Yet what he had learned earlier this evening would give even the most patient of men anger. How could she? Why would she? What did she think she could possibly gain by keeping something so important from him? He had a daughter.

Mai knew he had a daughter, and she didn't tell him. She had raised his daughter since the girl had been less than a year old. Taking another swig from the clear nearly empty bottle, he wondered how long she would have kept up her façade before he found out. Finding out that he had a child, offspring born of his flesh and blood would have normally made him, like any other father-to-be extremely happy. Truth be told, he was feeling a myriad of emotions. Pride swelled in his heart to discover that there was a mini Josephina running around somewhere, but also anger, immense anger, which if not quelled quickly and properly could lead to hate.

The words he searched his mind for, were absent. He simply couldn't describe how betrayed and upset he felt at the moment. He felt embarrassed, ashamed of his inability to find more than primitive ways to express his anger. She fucking lied to him! He flung the bottle to the wall, watching as it crashed to the floor. His barkeep, a burly looking brunette frowned, taking out a broom sweeping the glass shards to the side. Joey could hear the woman mumbling about assholes customers that didn't know when they had enough. Joey glared at the offender. Didn't he know that the young man before him was a master of the universe—one of Japan's best and brightest young business talents? No, the man didn't care nor did he have any idea whom Joey was. He placed he ordered another round, this time a beverage he liked to drink when he was angry. The Fucking Shit was arguably his most favorite drink. The bittersweet taste seemed quite appropriate with his current situation.It was a personal favorite of his, and he liked to see it made. The drink reminded him of Mai, in a myriad of emotions.

She hurt him, and he had hurt her. The game they had played wasn't going so well. The bittersweet drink burned his throat, like hot ice. Two extremes work horribly together. He felt like fucking shit. He thought that they had finally moved past the lies, and the games but she was simply rearing him up for the big finish. He got played, big time.

He slammed the glass down, nearly shattering another. He had more than enough money to pay his tab anyway. The only reason he even came to this shit hole because none of his acquaintances would see him like this. He couldn't bear to see his face drunken and splotchy splashed on the society pages. Ordering his last drink for the night, he chose a Red Mosquito. The cinnamon, coupled with the Vodka burned his throat, and he knew he had enough. Standing on wobbly knees, he called for his bill, wanting to go anywhere but his home. Joey parked his car in a garage only forty five minutes from his home. He could always retrieve the car later. Instead, he chose to walk around the coast of his beach home. Lying back on the soft moist sand, he closed his eyes listening to the soft lull of the waves. He and Mai had issue that needed to be resolved, and soon.

Despite everything that had passed between them, he didn't want to lose her, or Sarah. He would never legally pursue the issue, but he wanted to be in his daughter's life, and vise versa. The wind howled in his ear, and did nothing to keep the woman out of his mind. He loved her, more than the way he once did. Truth be told, he never really hated her, but now the love they once shared had morphed into the way a man loves a woman. She had done this to him, whether intentionally or not, he somehow fell for the blonde vixen. The harsh events of the day, had also taken his mind away from an important fact. He heard the sound of his daughter voice. He imagined how she looked in his mind's eye. Did she possess any of his physical traits? Were her eyes warm and brown like his? Was her hair blonde? Was she tall for her age? Did his little girl have a shy or outgoing personality?

A devious plan suddenly crept into his mind. If Mai thought that things were steeled between them, she was in for a surprise. Joey had always been an indomitable young man. He was fighting for all of their lives now. Now the rules had suddenly changed, but the game had not. Initially, he was fighting to best Mai, in every possible way. Now, he had something noble to defend. He would fight for the two of them. They were his family, and he needed them. He would simply have to fight for both of their hearts. He couldn't lose them now that he had found them. There was a little girl out there that needed him and a broken hearted woman that also needed him, whether she knew it or not. If not, he would have to show her how to love, just like she had shown him what it was like to be loved.

By no means had he forgiven her for what she had done, but he had come to love her, and that meant his willingness forgiving her. He too had done wrong, and surmised that they both thought that they were doing what needed to be done. His heart was still hurting—with Rachel's anniversary only just passing, his newfound daughter, and Mai's subsequent admission he hadn't had time to simply relax. Stress was building, and he didn't alleviate it now, he'd suffer later. He stood shakily to his feet, exercising his sleeping muscles. He walked down the sandy shore towards his seaside home lost in contemplation.

Footnotes: That is it. What did you all think? Like it? Hate it? Wish that I would update more quickly to suit your fan-girl and fan-boy needs? Or do you not care at all? As always, reviews make me the happiest writer on ff.net! Ahem, and to the lurkers… (The people that have me on author alert, but are not reviewing…) I know where you live! Okay, I don't know where you live, but you could review. I know who you are! See you all next update. A quicker update and extra long chapter if anyone can correctly guess if this will end happily or not!

-Shanni