After Demetrius had left, Joey pulled himself up out of the dumpster. No matter how hard Yugi had tried to stand up for them, all three of them had ended up in the dumpster.

Joey jumped down on to the ground and looked back to Tristan, who followed his lead.

As Tristan's feet touched the floor, he and Joey looked back at Yugi, who was bleeding in several places and looked in pain, even though his eyes were closed.

Tristan eyed him with concern. "The little guy's still out cold."

Joey examined Yugi closer for a minute, then he reached forward and lifted Yugi out of the dumpster. He placed him on the floor. "Yugi? Yugi, wake up, man!" Joey said, shaking Yugi gently. Joey silently willed Yugi to wake up. He felt guilty. Yugi would have never ended up like this if it wasn't for him and Tristan.

"D'you think he's okay?" Tristan asked Joey, sounding worried.

Just then, Yugi began to stir. His eyelids twitched and he opened them slowly. He was still shaking.

Joey smiled slightly as Yugi sat himself up, wincing as he felt his injuries.

"Hey, are you okay?" Tristan said. Both he and Joey seemed to have forgotten about their injuries and were concentrating on Yugi.

Yugi held his head, feeling it throbbing. "I'm fine..."

"Let's get out of here." Joey said, motioning to Tristan and they both started to help Yugi to his feet.

As they both half-carried Yugi out of the alleyway, Joey noticed how dark it was. He was supposed to have been home hours ago. His father was going to kill him.

"I'll be f-fine from here. Thanks, guys." Yugi said, as they walked out of the dark alleyway and into the dimly lit street. He pulled away from Joey and Tristan's support, stumbling a little as he stood up by himself.

"Are you sure?" Joey said, looking around him. He had to get moving soon. "You look a bit worse for wear."

"Yeah, are you sure you don't want us to walk you home?" Tristan said.

Yugi shook his head gently. "No, thanks. Besides you two need to get home yourselves and get something on those cuts and bruises." Yugi said, starting to limp away down the street.

Joey and Tristan stood and watched him go.

"Hey, Yugi!" Joey shouted to him, as he was halfway down the street. "Thanks for everything, pal!"

Yugi didn't turn around, but he smiled to himself as he limped away towards his house. Joey had called him 'pal'...

As Yugi disappeared into the darkness, Joey turned to walk away. Tristan followed, and the two friends walked along in silence. As they reached the street where they normally parted ways, Joey didn't take his usual turning, and carried on walking with Tristan.

"Hey, isn't your place that a way?" Tristan said, pointing the way to Joey's apartment.

"Yeah, but I got stuff to do first." Joey took the turning towards the school instead.

Tristan followed. "Where are you going?"

"You'll see."

They walked along in silence again for a couple of minutes, until Tristan saw the school up ahead of them. "Hey, are you going back to school?"

"You bet."

"Why?"

Joey didn't answer. They had reached the school gates. Joey stopped walking and put his foot on one of the iron bars on the gate. He started to pull himself up, climbing as fast as he could, up and over the gate.

As Joey jumped and landed cat-like on the other side, Tristan called to him. "What're you doing?" When he didn't get an answer, Tristan sighed, then pulled himself up over the gate and followed Joey.

He wasn't headed for the main school building; he was headed for the outdoor swimming pool.

Tristan suddenly understood and jogged to catch up with Joey. "I get it...you're here to get Yugi's Puzzle piece, aren't you?"

Joey just smiled, but stayed focused forward.

The pool came into view, and as Joey reached the edge, he stopped and peered through the deep, dark water and scoured the bottom for the last piece of Yugi's Puzzle. He hoped it was still there.

He grinned as he spotted a golden glint at the bottom of the pool.

Tristan looked at Joey. "How'd you plan on getting it out?"

Joey didn't answer, but he dived straight into the pool, swimming towards the Puzzle piece.

As he dived deeper into the freezing water, Joey realised he was running out of breath. He felt as if his lungs were going to explode as he clasped his hands around the piece, then looked up and swam towards the blurry outline of Tristan standing on the side of the pool.

The cold night air filled Joey's lungs as he broke the surface of the water.

"You got it?" Tristan asked, looking amazed at what Joey had just done.

Joey held up the Puzzle piece triumphantly.

Tristan grinned as he watched Joey pull himself up the steps. As soon as Joey stepped out of the water, he almost immediately started to shiver. It was even colder than the pool out in the cold night air.

Joey slipped the Puzzle piece into his pocket, and tried to pull his jacket around himself tighter, trying to shut out the cold. He could breathe properly again now, but he still didn't feel much like talking, because now, the thought of going home to his father was even closer.

Tristan clapped Joey on the back and urged him back towards the school gates. They both pulled themselves over and set off on the path towards home; Tristan still not noticing the sudden silence of his friend.

Joey stood outside the door to his apartment. He needed to pull himself together a little before he went inside.

He stood there, shivering, feeling just as he did on that day he stood on his front door step with Serenity after that day at the beach. Joey thought of Serenity and wished she were there with him, but he shook the thought of her away, realising that thinking about her at a time like this was not a good idea.

Joey took a deep breath and smelt the chlorine from the swimming pool on his clothes; it made him feel even more ill than he already did.

He breathed out and put his hand on the door handle. He pushed down on it and realised it was locked.

Joey's heart lifted a little as he dug into his coat pocket for his door key. As he put the key in the lock, he cheered up as he woke up to the fact that he might not have to explain to his father why he was four hours late, soaked to the bone, and covered in cuts and bruises.

Joey pushed open the front door and saw that no one was home.

He's probably out drinking, Joey thought to himself.

But nevertheless, Joey quickly got changed, just in case his father came back.

Joey put the Puzzle piece carefully on his bedside table as he began to think ahead to tomorrow.

He felt like he had a lot to say to Yugi...