Oh my GOD! You all have my persmisson to kick me...

I am so, so, so, so sorry for taking this long to update. I didn't even realise it had been so long! I don't have an excuse, just pure laziness... It will NOT happen again!

So, with my deepest apologies, I give you...

eleven: Shock

The night outside was still raging as much as it was earlier, not looking as if it was getting any slower or letting up in anyway. The wind still screamed, wrapping around the trees that scattered the streets, and a constant drum of rain hit every window of every house, forming tiny rivers that streamed down the road and sidewalk.

I'm so weak... I've let myself stoop down to this level. Something I thought I'd never do, it seems the thief inside me still burns as strong as ever... Bakura thought to himself, hissing from the pain that was shooting through his sliced wrist. Why did it have to end this way? I never thought... My demise would be at my own hands...

Taking in a short breath, Bakura lifted his head and rested it back against the wall. Why had he done this? It hurt so much to know his life was slowly slipping away from him as if being violently, yet teasingly snatched away from his reaching grasp. And how he hated it. The fear still plagued him, the pain still haunted him and the sorrow still held him. To know he was slowly slipping away, and the thought that each breath could be his last, burned the Yami deeply.

His eyes saddened as he clutched the paper in his hand, the other free hand lying limp at his side as the crimson liquid spilled from within. Looking around the bathroom, he began to remember things he never thought he'd think of again, or that were long forgotten. The Yami saw memories, not like the ones that corrupted and stained his mind, the sort of memories he loved, the ones he cherished. A certain one that did make him smile slightly was when he thought about the night he and Ryou spent all night watching nothing but scary movies, wrapped up in a huge blanket on the couch and cuddled together. He could still feel the sensation of his other half pressed so tightly to him, and even though it was from the fear of the movie they were watching, he loved to know that Ryou had turned to him, and trusted him for protection. Bakura blinked, tears ever so slowly rolling from his deep, dull depths and streaking his cheeks with dampness as he kept the feeling of Ryou in his arm locked tight in his mind, to rid himself of the agonising pain that was racing through him. How much he wanted to be with his light at that moment was beyond words, he just wanted him... He needed him.

Ryou frowned slightly as he concentrated hard on his thoughts, as well as Bakura's. Why could he feel such pain, such hurt and sorrow? He'd never felt something this strong from his other half before so he was new to the feeling, but he knew it was there. He could tell. Bakura was in pain, whether or not it was physically or mentally he didn't know.

Still in the arms of Malik, the cotton-haired teen slowly blinked away the tears that lingered at his lashes, as his tears had finally come to a halt but the stinging pain from shedding so many tears still gripped him.

"Malik..." Ryou started in a muffled tone.

"Yes?" said Egyptian replied instantly.

"Have you ever felt... Confused about, well... When Marik was around, did you ever feel confused about his feelings?" the white-haired teen asked.

"Why? Are you feeling that way?" Malik asked, not really wishing to talk about his Yami at that moment.

"Yes..." Ryou muttered in reply, sighing at length.

"Want to tell me exactly how you feel?" the blonde asked.

"That's the thing... I don't, know. It's so strange..." Ryou said softly as he nuzzled further into Malik's shirt, very grateful for the comfort. "All I can sense is... Pain. But, it isn't like I've felt before. I think, well... It seems like it isn't physical..."

"After going through all of this, doing all he's done and getting no where, wouldn't you be hurting inside too Ryou?" Malik asked, his eyes looking down at the angel in his arms.

Ryou opened his mouth to reply, but not a sound came out. Malik was so true. He finally thought about it. How could he have doubted Bakura the way he did? All this time it was staring him straight in the face and only now had he noticed those glaring eyes.

His Yami did care.

The light had never stopped to think about it, but Malik's words instantly soaked in. Even if he just thought about tonight, all that's happened, all that Bakura has done, the things that have driven them further apart, he still came. Through out everything that had gone on, the pain, the hurt and the agony... Bakura was always there trying his very hardest to make it work in his own... Weird, way.

The hikari felt his eyes soften the more he thought about it, his grip on the blonde lightly loosening.

"Why didn't I see it before?" Ryou asked out loud.

"Excuse me?" Malik asked when he heard the hikari speak.

The platinum-haired teen got up out of Malik's comforting hold and sat up straight. "Malik..." he started, his eyes rising to meet said others, "Thank you..." the light stated in a whisper, and for the first time Malik could remember, Ryou smiled softly before getting up and heading down the hallway, followed by the sound of the raging weather outside as the front door opened and closed with a bang.

Excruciating pain still ran through the white-haired Albino as he sat back against the wall, the tears from his eyes still falling as he clutched the paper in his other hand.

Crimson liquid still ran from the clean slash in his wrist, seeping to the floor and forming a tiny river of red that stretched across the floor. The Yami's eyes began to get heavy as his head drooped down so his chin was at his chest. Despite the pain and darkness that was trying horribly to take him, Bakura managed to cling to consciousness as much as he could, keeping nothing but Ryou in his mind.

How glad he was that his other half wasn't there to see him in such a state. To see him looking utterly helpless and weak would kill him even if this didn't. And the fact he was crying only made it worse.

It still haunted the spirit that he was slowly slipping away from reality. And though he was thankful for getting away from everything, a huge, violent storm of regret held him. He didn't want to die; he didn't want to close his eyes never to open them again. He wanted to live. Live along side the one he loves so much, a smile always across his lips. Yet he knew, it would never happen.

Just a fantasy.

Just a dream.

Never real.

All the happy things that ever happened to the Yami were always in his head. Sure he did have memories with Ryou, but they never lasted long enough to be classed as pure happiness.

What the spirit would give to make just one of those so-called dreams come true. To spend a day, or maybe even two if he was lucky, with no one but Ryou. Just the two of them together with no interruptions from any of his friends or Malik. Nothing but Ryou, himself and the world. He'd give anything for that, he'd give his soul, his heart, his life... Anything. Just to have the one he loves with every ounce of his heart to himself.

But now, Bakura is giving his life. Whether it's for himself or for Ryou, he knew his light would be better off without him. Ryou can spend those days in the arms of someone who'll treat him right, and not put him through the pure hell he as. And even if he had to watch his light's heart being won by someone else from the sidelines, he'd be happy to just see the hikari smile. To see him without a care in the world would bring the happiness the Yami desired so much.

To see him the way he was.

"Ryou?! Where are you going?!" Malik called after the hikari, instantly getting up and going after the light.

Out on the streets, the rain bounced off his face and body, and though it was pouring so violently, it felt like nothing more than a tender touch.

Lavender eyes trailed round, eventually spotting a white-haired teen sprinting through the stormy road to his home. The Egyptian shut the door of his own home before setting off after Ryou.

Ryou sprinted as fast as he could through the screaming whether, utterly ignoring his fear with lightning as it sounded with a loud crack. Not even taking it to heart, the hikari turned the corner to his street, seeing his home at the other end he kept his eyes locked ahead as the wind blew the rain through his hair.

He couldn't explain it, he didn't know why and he didn't care but he had to get there quickly. Like a force pulling him, the light ran as fast as he could as if he knew Bakura needed him, though he couldn't explain the yearning feeling to be by Bakura's side.

Darkness slowly began to take Bakura as he slipped in and out of consciousness; he felt his body falling more and more limp as his will to keep going got smaller.

Chocolate depths began to get heavier by the second as the warm liquid seeped out from his body. And soon, within minutes of feeling so weak, his orbs shut, finally locking him in the shadows, the paper in his grip falling from his hold and lying in the puddle of red.

The sound of the front door suddenly echoed, the sound of the wood slamming against the wall.

"Kura?!" Ryou screamed out instantly, for some reason he was crying his eyes out once again, his heart feeling weaker, "Bakura?!" he yelled out again, eyes darting around the living room as he peeked round.

Panic began to engulf the teen as he searched the whole of the lower level of the house, constantly calling out his Yami's name.

"Bakura... Yami please! Where are you?!" Ryou shouted as he ran upstairs, seeing the bathroom door shut.

"Kura..." the light muttered as he turned the handle, only to find it locked, "Kura... Bakura open up," the hikari demanded.

No answer.

"BAKURA!" Ryou cried, hitting his fists on the door, he knew his other half was in there and he knew something was wrong.

"Ryou... What's going on?" a voice suddenly asked, caused the distressed teen to spin round in shock.

"Malik..." Ryou said, sighing in relief, "I duno... Bakura's in there, I know he is... But he won't even talk. Something's wrong, I know it is..."

Malik stared at the light for a moment, and he could tell instantly by the look in his eyes that he was right and how worried he was. Nodding straight away in response Malik went up to the door. "Ryou... Keep the hand twisted ok," he said.

Ryou nodded, gripping the knob and twisting it to the side as the blonde stepped back.

With a quick step forward, Malik raised his foot and kicked the bathroom door, very, very hard. Instantly it flung open, smashing back on its hinges before Ryou hurried in, his eyes widening in pure horror as he let out a scream of shock.

"KURA?!"

Um... Another cliffy... Sorry about that, couldn't resist. But, hoped you happy-chans liked it, and I promise the next one will be longer and be very... Well... I won't spoil it ::wink::

R&R!

S4K