Heya happy-chans... Like usual, I apologise for lateness of updating... I really should stop doing that... :sigh:

Anyway... Here's chapter 13! Enjoy!

thirteen: Angel

He coughed out mouthfuls of bottled up air as his chest lifted and fell in irregular patterns.

"Bakura!" Ryou chirped out throwing his arms round the Yami's neck, so thankful his other half was breathing.

The spirit cringed slightly, breathing in deeply, his head spinning rapidly and he could barely make sense of anything that was going on around him.

"I thought I was going to lose you..." Ryou whispered, biting back more tears as he buried himself in the crook of Bakura's neck.

Chocolate depths flickered slightly, rolling back as he struggled to keep them open and his hand twitching at his side.

"Ryou..." Malik muttered, his eyes locked on Bakura's face, and he knew he was only just clinging to the last ounce of life he had, "Ryou get off him now. Phone an ambulance!" he suddenly blurted out, pulling the hikari off of the white-haired Yami.

"But... But he..."

"Ryou! He's barely alive do it, now!" the blonde ordered, eyes glaring at the angel.

The light nodded and dragged himself to his feet, running off down the stairs to the telephone.

Malik shuffled closer to Bakura, pressing his hand firmly over his sliced wrist as he reached up onto the sink and took a face cloth, thankful it was already wet before he gently placed it on the Yami's forehead. "Hold on Kura..." he whispered to himself, cringing slightly when the only reply he got was the Yami struggling to take in a breath.

A few minutes later, footsteps where heard running back up the stairs and soon Ryou was coming into the bathroom, "They're on their way..." he said softly, eyes instantly saddening as he looked at Bakura.

He knew it was sad a sad thought, but Ryou suddenly wished Bakura's suffering would end. He preferred it when he thought the Yami was dead, not moving, not struggling for life. It was utterly obvious the spirit was in agonising pain, he could see it in his eyes, the desperate plea to let it all go, yet the lustful burn to survive battling against the beg for death.

The light stayed in the bathroom doorway, he couldn't take it anymore, it felt as if reality had just slapped him hard across the face. He never thought about what would happen if Bakura did wake up, why hadn't he called for help sooner? He was too hung up in wanting him back to be with him that the thought of saving him never once crossed his mind.

"I can't take this..." Ryou muttered and turned on his heels to leave.

"Ryou where are you going?" Malik asked, looking up at the light.

"I'll be downstairs... Waiting for the ambulance..." he replied in a soft tone, and left the room, obvious he was once again letting tears fall.

Malik sighed softly, biting his lip as he looked back down at Bakura to see his chocolate depths staring at the doorway, watching his other half leave him when he needed him the most. And it hurt. To see someone you cared so deeply for watching the one person they loved with every ounce of feeling they had simply walk away.

The blonde used his other hand to hold onto Bakura's, lightly squeezing it in a comforting way.

Tears fell from his eyes as he stared out of the window, his temple resting against the freezing glass and his knees tucked up close to his chest. The light began wondering, thinking, though it felt more like panic. What if Bakura didn't make it? He didn't want to think about it, but he couldn't stop himself. If his Yami didn't survive, he'd be left alone to fight for himself. And he knew it would hurt like nothing before. The hikari had felt it briefly before. When Bakura got sent to the Shadow Realm back when Battle City was taking place, he'd felt it then. It was only a few seconds but he could remember it like it had just happened. He could remember the pain that shot through his whole body, paralysing him with loneliness and fear as his other half was ripped from him; swallowed by the darkest darkness. But what scared Ryou the most was being alone. Sure, he was used to it by now. It hurt him so much to know he was never truly accepted in the group, to know he was just the outcast in their strong bond of friendship and care, and that he'd never experience the blissful feeling of love. To his so called 'friends' Ryou was just the shadow, the lost, cold shadow constantly following at their heals and constantly wishing to be one of them. And the light knew why he was never accepted. It was because of him. So tainted and corrupt, he's simply broken beyond repair, yet a passion still burns in those dark eyes. They all fear him, they don't know Bakura like Ryou does, only Malik had actually given him a chance to prove that he wasn't all evil. And he isn't. Malik knows it, Ryou knows it, but that's it. So if the fiend didn't make it, he would be even more alone.

Ryou was snapped from his thoughts at the sound of sirens howling from the end of the street. He instantly got to his feet, jumping down from the windowsill and running out the front door into the pouring rain and to the end of the driveway. His eyes shot round looking left, then right to see an ambulance speeding down the street, the light let out a soft sigh of relief as he watched the flashing van draw closer.

The rain beat against the light, utterly soaking him as the ambulance pulled up outside his house. Two paramedics climbed out, one going to the back of the van and taking out a red, long bag and the other went up to Ryou straight away.

"Where is he?" the paramedic asked.

"This way," Ryou said without hesitation, leading the two inside and upstairs to the bathroom.

"In here," the light said once they were outside the bathroom door.

The two nodded in thanks and went inside, kneeling down on either side of the Albino. The female paramedic zipped open the bag and started taking out all sorts of medical equipment, one of which was an oxygen mask that was instantly placed on Bakura's mouth, and it was obvious the Yami was grateful.

An hour had passed and the paramedics where sure that Bakura was now in a stable condition. The dark was on a small dose of morpheme so was utterly out cold for at least half an hour longer, the mask was still at his mouth, letting him breathe normally for the first time in a while and he was know lying in his bed, eyes lightly closed in a peaceful slumber.

"Are you sure you don't want the number for some counselling?" the paramedic they had learnt to be Kaoru said.

"No... We'll be fine thanks, I think everything's sorted," Ryou said with a soft smile.

"You sure Ryou? I mean, if he tried that, it doesn't look to me everything's all right," Kaoru said as he washed his hands in the sink, "The counselling is great you know. They sort out things like this all the time, I really think you both should go."

"We're fine, I promise," Ryou insisted.

"If anything happens I'll make sure they go," Malik said, trying to move the subject of conversation onto something else.

Kaoru sighed, "All right then..." he said as he dried his hands and picked up the bag once the other paramedic had packed everything away.

"You should get some rest sweetie," the female paramedic said as she walked past Ryou, lightly brushing a stray bang from the lights eyes, "You've been through a lot."

Ryou nodded, "I will, and... Thank you, so much," he said with a small half smile.

"You're more than welcome," Kaoru said, "And I hope everything goes all right from now on," he added as he and the other left the house. "Ryou..." Malik whispered as he stepped into the living room, seeing said light leaning against the wall, "You ok?" he asked walking over to him.

Ryou looked at the blonde, a small, tearing smile across his expression as he stepped into Malik's open arms.

"Everything's fine now," the Egyptian whispered, feeling Ryou's hands cling to his shirt, "He's fine now..." he added.

The hikari nodded slightly and stepped back, rubbing his eyes, "I think I'll get some sleep..." he said with a heavy sigh.

"Come on then," Malik said, taking Ryou's hand and leading him upstairs to the spare bedroom as Bakura was in the main room.

Once inside Ryou sat down on the end of the bed and Malik span a chair round, sitting on it with his legs around the back of it.

"Malik..." Ryou said softly, looking at the ground. "Yeah?" the blonde replied. "You ever been in love?" the light asked bluntly, as he looked up at the Egyptian. Malik smiled at the thought, "Yeah, I have." "Is it meant to be this hectic?" "Well, that depends on what you make it like now doesn't it?" Malik said with a smile. Ryou returned the smile slightly, "Yeah, I suppose so... But... Who'd you love?"

Malik grinned slightly, "Heh, he's too much for me. I don't think I'd be able to cope with his antics, he's too dark for me... he's more like... I duno, an angel to me, but... More of a dark angel, if you get me..."

The light smiled, "Yeah, I understand."

"Besides, he's got someone who'd give him everything, they're just meant for one another, so I'm happy he's happy," the Egyptian said, his smile slightly fading.

"I'm glad you think like that..."

"Same here... Anyway Ry, I'm going to have to be off, Isis will be having a fit wondering where I am. So I'll check on Kura then go all right?" Malik asked getting up.

"Yeah all right," Ryou said nodding.

"See you later yeah," Malik said with a small grin.

"Yeah, bye, and... Thanks Malik," Ryou said, his smile as real as it used to be.

Malik nodded, and with a quick embrace, the blonde left the room just as the light lay down in a deep slumber.
Malik walked down the landing with his hands in his pockets, eyes locked onto the floor as he came to Bakura's door. He sighed before twisting the handle and stepping inside.

Lavender eyes trailed over to the sleeping fiend on the bed in the middle of the room, settling on his sleeping form.

Taking in a short breath, Malik walked over to Bakura's bed and sat down at his side, staring down at him.

"I'm glad you're ok now Bakura..." he whispered silently, moving stray bangs from his eyes, "... My angel."

The blonde bit his lip slightly as tears started to form in his eyes, "Don't ever do that again you hear me... I won't be able to take it...But... Really, I should be thanking you. With all this going on, I had to hide it even more..."

His tanned fingers gently stroked down Bakura's cheek before standing up and walking over to the door, "It just hurts to know, you'll never realise that..." he stopped in the doorway and glanced over his shoulder, "... Koishete'ru..."

So you know... If you don't what Malik just said was :

"It just hurts to know, you'll never realise that... I'm in love with you..."

Anyway, hoped you all liked that chapter, the next one will most likely be the last, unless I decide to go with an idea I've just come up with... But, it'll most likely be the next chapter will be very, very long.

R&R!

S4K