Rika quickly walked into the classroom and sat in her seat at the back. Joey and Yugi walked in with Tristan and Tea. Rika quickly put her head down on the desk as Yugi and the gang walked up to her.

"Hey you ok Rika?" Yugi asked

"Fine just tired" she turned her head to them still hiding some of her face

"Kaiba's working you too hard then" Tristan frowned

"No, I just couldn't sleep" Rika defended Seto

"Your dad's trial is this weekend isn't it?" Tea asked

"Yea how you know?"

"It was in the paper" Tea explained "This Saturday"

Rika nodded and looked at Joey, he hadn't said a word it was unusual "What's the matter Joey?"

Joey forced her to sit up suddenly showing the bruise on her cheek and a cut on her forehead. "Kaiba did this to you!"

"He didn't"

"Well who else would!?"

"Seto had to send me home 'cause my dad's out on bail"

Joey clenched his fists "If it isn't one it's another!"

"What you gonna do about going home?" Yugi asked seriously concerned

"I'll be escorting her" a voice came from the front of the class

"Kaiba! Why should you take her home!?" Joey's blood boiled

"'Cause I still work for him" Rika looked up at Joey

"WHAT!!!"

"I think you should settle down before you pop a vein Wheeler" Seto looked at the raging blonde. He looked at his kitten "When did he do that?"

"This morning around 6"

Seto nodded "We'll do something about it after school"

Rika nodded, she was hoping she could go live with Seto again.

"Well, well, well Seto Kaiba slipped up" A familiar sent a shock up Rika's spine

"D-Duke Devlin..."

Duke looked at Seto's kitten, he had a thing for her as well since he saw her walk into school on her first day. That was another reason why he 'attacked' her, but why should Seto get her? He saw her first. "Maybe I should take care of her" Duke walked up to Rika and brushed a stran of hair from her face. She tried to bite his finger "Don't touch me"

"Now what would Seto do that I wouldn't?" Duke asked smugly

"Oh I dunno, maybe he wouldn't try to rape me!!" she stood up knocking the chair over

"Oh?" Duke sarcastically said "You sure about that?"

"Of course I am now shut up!!"

"Maybe he's just taking his time, waiting for the right moment" Duke teased "I have learnt my lesson and would never try that again"

"Let me teach you another!!" Rika launched her fist at him and hit him square in the nose. Seto blinked in shock, his kitten had more fire than he thought. Duke's nose bled, he clenched his and threw it at Rika. She stumbled back into the shelves. Seto immediately jumped in. He grabbed Duke's arm and twisted it behind his back making him fall onto one knee "Even I don't hit women!"

The gangs jaws dropped, they'd never seen Seto stick up for anyone before.

The teacher walked in and broke up the fight "Go to the nurse Duke, You as well Rika"

Rika growled and stood up, her lip bled.

Seto demanded taking Rika to the nurse but he took her to the boys toilets instead. Rika sat on the counter between the sinks as Seto cleaned her lip up. Rika was about half a foot shorter than Seto, sitting on the counter made it easy for him.

"You're not crying" Seto looked at her

"I see no point in it anymore..." She sighed

"You have a lot of fire kitten"

"Did you just call me kitten?" Rika blinked

Seto mentally slapped himself for saying that "Yes I suppose I did"

Rika laughed "You're thinking it's the wrong word to use now aren't ya?"

"No"

Rika smiled at Seto "Thanks"

"It's ok" Seto nodded

"Oh I know who bailed dad"

"You do? How?"

"Dad blabs things when he's drunk. Anyway it was Duke he tried cutting a deal with dad"

Seto's voice became cold "What kind of deal?"

"He gets me for a whole week to do anything he wants, he was gonna pick me up tonight"

Seto frowned "No he won't you're staying with me"

Rika wrapped her arms around Seto and hugged him tight "Thanks Seto!"

Seto slowly hugged back, it was pointless not to she really needed someone at the moment.

"Thank you detective" Seto put the receiver down. He explained to them that he had Rika in his care again because her father hit her again. This time they were going to arrest him and hold him until Saturday.

"Seto!!" an annoyed voice echoed in the hall. He turned to his kitten dressed in a new pink maids outfit "THIS IS CRUEL!!" Rika pouted and stamped her foot

Seto couldn't help but chuckle at his kitten's playful act "Get to work kitten" he smirked. He called her kitten now because...well for one he was in love with her and Rika demanded to be called it rather than stray, so it stuck.