Heya happy-chans, I got this chapter up as fast as I could. And it would've been up sooner if it wasn't for my cruddy English teacher...

Anyway, enjoy!

twelve: Open

His heart stopped instantly, a million tons of emotions tumbling down on him with an unbelievable force as reality hit him, head on.

"K... Ku... Bakura! NO!" Ryou screamed out running over to his other half who was motionless on the floor, his wrist limp at his side as the warm liquid slowly spilled out.

"Bakura... Please... Wake- open you're eyes... Please!" the hikari begged, hugging the lifeless Yami tight in his arms. "Please! Malik! Make him wake up! I can't feel him... He isn't thinking!" he cried, tears once again pouring from his chocolate eyes, staining his cheeks with the up most sorrow he had ever felt.

Malik stood frozen, still in the doorway as he stared at the two on the floor, his legs going weak, forcing him to put one hand on the wall.

"Malik! PLEASE! Make him wake up for God's sake!" Ryou screamed out again, holding Bakura tighter, refusing to let go.

"Ryou..." Malik whispered, his lower lip quivering as tears started to slowly roll down his tanned cheeks, "...I, can't... He's go-"

"NO! No... No he isn't! He wouldn't do this he's too strong! He wouldn't leave me like this! I know he wouldn't!" the light cried out, his eyes slamming shut as he held his other half closer, simply not believing his Yami could be gone, and in such a way.

"R-Ryou..." the Egyptian muttered, his lip still trembling as tears rolled faster down his cheeks, his eyes refusing to look away from the lifeless Bakura no matter how much it hurt him to stare down at the inert Albino, "He's... He's... Gone..." he finally managed to say.

"HE ISN'T!" Ryou screamed back, his whole body shaking violently, eyes finally opening and he glanced at the paper on the floor, lying in a crimson river. "M... Malik... What's that?" he asked, barely nodding towards the stained sheet.

Looking down, the blonde knelt by Ryou and the empty Bakura, opening the folded paper, his eyes going from left to right as he read. It was obvious when he finished as he burst into more tears, his barriers braking instantly with a violent crash as he held the note so Ryou could read it.

This pain is too much for me, I tired to keep going, I tried to cope and hold on... For your sake...

Don't forget me Ryou... My love.

I'm sorry.

Ryou's eyes instantly widened before he clamped them back shut, burying his face in the crook of Bakura's cold neck, wailing in pure misery and heartbreak as he clung to the Yami.

"Bakura..." Malik whispered silently, reaching his hand over and placing it over the Yami's slit wrist as if trying to stop the blood, even if he thought it was too late. The Egyptian felt the warmth soak his fingers and seep through the tiny gaps, spilling out and adding to the already stained floor.

Lavender depths trailed down to the spirit's face, simply staring at Bakura's closed eyes. He swallowed painfully hard as he clutched his wrist tighter, Bakura... Why did you have to leave... Malik thought silently to himself, blinking ever so slowly as tears spilled from his eyes.

Ryou began to rock back and forth, cradling the spirit protectively in his arms. I'm sorry Bakura... I'm so sorry I treated you the way I did... I assumed all of those... Things about you and I made it worse... This is all my fault... You're gone because of me... the hikari thought silently to himself as he continued to rock back and forth in a constant pattern, lightly running his hand up and down Bakura's back in a ghost like touch.

The excruciating heartbreak began to ache more as Ryou thought about it. But what hurt him the most, what dug so deep, was the fact that the last words he had said to Bakura were said in hate towards the Yami. The light had said all of those things, not even a good bye or an apology, just bitterness and odium was the last thing the spirit had heard from his other half. And thinking about this caused the light to sob louder in the up most misery as he clutched the spirit in his arms.

"He isn't gone... I know he isn't..." Ryou whispered to himself.

Malik looked up at Ryou after hearing him. He had still been staring at Bakura occasionally glancing at the note, stained with blood and Bakura's hand writing perfect, as if he had actually thought about what he was writing. How could you leave like this Kura? How? Your final words on a... A... A shitty piece of paper! I never thought I'd have to see the day you... D... Die.

"I know he's alive Malik... Bakura's strong; he wouldn't let this take him so easily. He's a fighter! A thief for crying out loud! I know he's alive!" the light cried out, his eyes pleading for the Yami to move, speak, usher the slightest sound just to prove he was indeed still alive.

"He's gone Ryou..." Malik stated bluntly, his eyes red and puffy from the amount of tears that he was crying.

"He isn't! Malik! I kno-"

The cotton teen was cut off from two arms engulfing him and pulling him into a strong, loving embrace and he accepted it straight away.

Burying himself in the warmth and protection of Malik, Ryou wept harder and louder, clutching to the blonde for his sanity. Why hadn't he seen this coming? Why hadn't he noticed Bakura's moods? The Yami felt so terrible, suicidal. Yet, the light continued his dangerous dance with destiny, instead of seeing everything he was being told, shown. Now he's gone.

"He... Is..." Malik started, his eyes slowly shutting.

Malik felt the hikari in his arms tremble as if in fear, though he knew it was in pure shock and heartbreak. How could you do this to him? The blonde thought, and he felt anger rising inside of him. How... How could you... You... You, thief! I thought you loved him Bakura. I thought you'd do anything for him, I know you probably meant this for the best. Thinking everyone would be better of without you... But... No we're alone... He's alone.

Ryou sobbed into the Egyptian's shirt, feeling his chest fall and rise very slowly until he suddenly felt the blonde freeze, and the light looked up at Malik.

"Hm?" Ryou looked at the blonde, seeing his shocked, almost amazed expression the light instantly span round in his arms and stared at Bakura.

The Yami was lying still, not moving or making a sound, apart from his eyelids that were flickering, ever so slightly.

"He's... Kura!" Ryou cried out as he saw the very tips of a single finger twitch, "Wake up! Kura please I know you're alive!"

Once again, the tips of Bakura's finger twitched as his body suddenly jerked ever so slightly.

"Ryou... It's just his nervous system... He isn't alive..."

"HE IS!" Ryou's eyes shot round and stared at Malik the tears worsening, and the immense pain the light was feeling was glaringly clear. "You don't know him like I do Malik! I know he's strong, I know he's alive and I most certainly know he wouldn't let this beat him without even putting up a fight! I know he can do this! HE WOULDN'T LEAVE ME!" the hikari screamed out.

"RYOU! He's killed himself! He doesn't want to fight it!" Malik suddenly shouted, quickly regretting what he said when he saw the light break down into even more sorrow and grief.

"Ryou... I..." Malik ushered, putting a hand on Ryou's shoulder, but it was instantly and harshly shrugged off.

"Don't touch me! You can accept that Bakura's gone but I won't!" Ryou screamed at the blonde, his eyes burning with a violent storm of emotion.

It was then that an almost silent groan was heard, only just picked up by the two in the split second of silence that they were staring at one another.

The hikari span back round without hesitation, chocolate depths widening when he saw Bakura's expression cringe ever so slightly.

"KURA!"

Malik instantaneously took hold of Bakura's wrist, wrapping both his hands around the slash to stop as much blood as he could, even though the flow was already very slow as if coming to a stop.

"Kura... Please, I'm begging you to fight this. I know you can hear me... Please!" Ryou pleaded, his hands clasped together as he stared at said other, "And I need you with me..." he added with a whisper.

A minute hiss escaped Bakura as his whole body tensed, using the very last ounce of strength he had to fight off the inevitable plea of death that was screaming in his head.

R... Ry...

Bakura's weak, helpless voice whispered in Ryou's mind through their mind link.

"HE'S ALIVE!" Ryou screamed out, his lower lip trembling as he watched Bakura, Malik, holding tighter on the fiend's wrist.

Come on Kura... Open your eyes... the blonde silently pleaded, open them... Please...

"Open your eyes!" Malik randomly cried out, his own lilac orbs streaming with tears of so many emotions mixed together in a toxic concoction.

Bakura suddenly gagged, taking in a desperate breath though his eyes remained closed.

"Kura please, I know you can fight this... Please, come on..." Ryou whispered, taking the Albino's other hand in his, kissing it over and over again until he felt the cold grip of the spirit softly tighten.

Feeling this Ryou leaned down; resting on the fiend's chest, his head in the crook of his neck and gripping his stained shirt, "Please... Bakura I need you..." he whispered silently, still clinging to said others hand.

Malik stared on with wide eyes, never once blinking as he watched the face of Bakura. His hands still clasped round the sliced wrist as his lip still trembled in the horrific suspense.

"Bakura..." the light mused silently yet again freezing when he felt a short breath burn through him like hot ice. Biting his lip, wanting, needing to feel his other half take in a breath again crushed the light's heart, "Fight it..."

Another breath was taken, his chest rising further as the air soaked into him and took the fiend one step closer to life.

You can do this Bakura... Don't put Ryou through any more pain... Malik thought to himself as he swallowed hard.

Ryou slowly lifted his head when he felt a slight pattern of constant breaths, his eyes rose until finally settling on Bakura's, both he and Malik skipping a breath when dark chocolate orbs flickered open.

Heheh, I promise this will be the last cliffy for a while. I seriously need to stop doing this to you guys...

Sorry it wasn't as long as all the other chapters but I couldn't think of what else to write without leading into the next chapter too much.

R&R happy-chans!

::hugs::
S4K