Author's Notes: Last time, Joey saw how saddened Mai was, and her despair resonated in his heart. Now that he can visit her once more, how will Mai react to a young boy saying that he is her husband? Also to those that pointed it out, this is based on the film Birth slightly. (Only in the way that Joey's dies and returns as a child.) Once I get into the next few chapters, you will see how things change. I am trying to break my paragraphs into smaller groups, but it's kind of a hard habit to break. Thank you to the following for reviewing: Hope for love – I like your name, and there is a similarity, Lady Shinigami – You're too kind, Lady-Christian-Knight-88 – I appreciate the compliment, interested fan, Chibi-Pepsi13 – welcome back, major-rocket-fan – Mai always get the short end of the stick L, Yamachanis myman – Thanks, decent M/J fics are rare, Darkhope– Me too!, Jeili – Thank you sooo much, Ronald Kentwood – Like I tell all of my detractors, no one is forcing you to read OR review my stories. You read my story of your own volition, and because of this you can either continue to read or stop altogether, and Nall-chan – So I have.

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh.

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Zephyr Wings

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Chapter: My head won't leave my head alone, and I don't think it will—until I'm six feet underground!

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The wind chill factor was minus 22 degrees. The bone chilling cold gave his finger blisters and his normally rosy flesh was now an alabaster hue. His hair was matted and sweaty, and he wore nearly nothing. A thin cotton tunic mildly protected his upper body, but the white silk pants did nothing to keep his legs warm. He had no money, no identification of any kind, but he knew his way around the cold environment.

His feet were bare, and as he walked, he grimaced when he felt the broken glass bottles scratch at the soles of his feet. He had no home, no money and no place to sleep and eat. His mortal flesh needed sustenance. His current condition made him feel vulnerable and defenseless. He had forgotten how weak a human body could be.

The stench of urine and blood aroused Joey from his reverie. As he walked out of the decrepit alley he could feel eyes on him. He did look strange, but Joey was no stranger than the deviants that walked the streets this lonely night. He shivered slightly, blowing air into his chapped, frostbitten hands. Where was he exactly? Was Mai alright? Was she in any kind of pain?

He slapped his forehead in annoyed manner. Of course she was not alright, and she was far from painless. He would not be on Earth if she were doing fine. He sighed, grumbling to himself softly. Mai needed him, and he was busy fantasizing about unimportant nonsense.

"I didn't factor in this terrible weather. I need to figure what to do next. I haven't any money, no place to stay, and I am stuck in this puny body. I need somewhere to stay tonight but where?"

Joey thought aloud, grimacing as he narrowly dodged a scrawny cat a few feet away. Though he avoided a scuffle with a potentially rabid animal, he had stepped on more glass in the process. He cursed softly, frowning as his eyes began to tear. Though the jagged glass hurt like hell, his boyish body could not take the pain.

He was physically a child, and as such he was prone to being clumsier and less physically agile than what he had been used to. He hobbled painfully to the grimy gutter, looking like a dirty seraphim lost in the cold. The irony of that wandering thought made him smile. Though his grin was morose, it was one of the few that had graced his face in a long time.

Not knowing how long he would remain outside as his watery eyes froze, Joey managed to climb to his feet. When the gut wrenching pain traveled to his blood clotted foot, he cursed louder this time, attracting the attention of a few people who walked the dim sidewalks.

From across the street, Joey could see that there were only five people on this part of the block, and three of them were bums. Joey and another male were out this late, but Joey cared little for the other man's destination. The young man, who appeared to be no older than twenty, frowned at him. He jogged towards Joey, and instantly the younger male felt defensively.

Was he going to try to rob him or something? Now that Joey had a closer look, he saw that the man was dark skinned, the color of dark chocolate. He reminded him faintly of his friend Galen. His heart became wistful at the thought of never seeing his friend again.

"Hey kid, are you okay? It's too cold to be out here with nothing but a thin pajama suit on. Jesus, you're not even wearing shoes for goodness sake! Oh my god, you're bleeding. I've gotta get you to a doctor!"

The man hissed, with panic in his voice. Joey was amazed by the man's concern. However, he could not afford a doctor, and all he wanted at the moment was to sit down in the warmth. The man kneeled down to Joey's height looking into tired, sickly brown eyes.

The young man did not like what he saw. This boy looked as if he would keel over any moment. He was bleeding, walking around with no shoes on; outside on one of the coldest days Eastwick had ever seen.

"No doctors it is then. Something tells me that you've got quite a story to tell. You need medical attention immediately kid. I doubt that you'd make it to the hospital anyway. My apartment is two blocks over. You think you can stay conscious for a few more minutes?"

Joey let out a barely audible response, which the man took as a yes. He rapidly took off his coat, wrapping the young man in thick wool. Wearing nothing but his business suit blazer now in the cold, the man hitched the boy over his shoulders, gripping his legs so that they could not dangle in the wind.

The man frowned as he looked at feet that were quickly turning blue. His skin was pale, but the man doubted that the boy's features would normally look so sickly. He could hear the hoarse breathing of the young boy and he knew that if he did not get him properly warmed, with his wounds treated the boy could get even worse.

"Hey kid, we're almost there."

The dark toned man whispered, racing up his steps avoiding his noisy neighbor Mrs. Moratelli. The elderly Italian woman frowned as she watched the young man raced up the steps to his town home carrying a nearly blue, barely clothed bleeding boy. She sucked her teeth disapprovingly, before returning to her late night television shows.

"Okay kid, I've got you. What in the world were you doing out so late, especially in this kind of weather. Dressed the way you are is very dangerous young man. I'm Jonah by the way. And you are?"

"I'm J-Joey."

Jonah smirked slightly, gently placing the boy on his sofa. He left the room momentarily, returning with a first aid kit. The room was becoming warmer by the minute, and Joey could sit and do nothing. He was not used to being at the mercy of others, he also had no idea where he was, or when he'd get to see Mai.

"Well Joey, you've got about two dozen tiny little pieces of glass embedded in both feet. Since we're going to have to get them out, I'll have to stitch you up as well. Oh shit, I'm out of rubbing alcohol. I'll see if I have anything to substitute."

He left the room again, and this time Joey looked around the room absently. His apartment was tasteful from Joey saw. Everything seemed elegant and in place. Whoever this man was, he was definitely well off. The sofa was suede, and Joey knew his blood would definitely not be washed out of the sofa anytime soon. He did not muse for long however, for Jonah had returned.

"You're not cold are you? Oh man I'm so stupid. Of course you're cold! Here use this blanket. I can't let you get warm to quickly, or you'll get hypothermia. Once I treat your immediate wounds, I'll rub your legs."

Joey's cheeks were tinged with red at the man's comments. He didn't want to be felt up, no matter how kind this guy was! Apparently the awkward silence caused Jonah to stop whatever fumbling he was doing with the first aid kit.

"Relax, Joey. I'm not gay, but I know a little about medicine and survival. You need body heat to gradually warm you. Your upper body has been sufficiently warmed by blankets but since I have your legs exposed you are colder there. It's important that we wrap and disinfect your wounds immediately. I wouldn't want them to get gangrene or anything."

"O-Oh okay. S-sorry about that, I just don't like other guys touching me like that."

He said meekly as his apology appeased the young man before him. Jonah smiled, feeling as if Joey had done nothing wrong in the first place. He brought out a glass, pouring what smelled strongly like whiskey into a shot glass. Joey quirked a blonde eyebrow at this but said nothing. As Jonah pulled glass out of his feet, Joey flinched at the pain. He saw the tiny shards clink against a metallic tray filled with water.

"I do not have any disinfectant. I'm going to have to use the whiskey to clean your wounds. I also have no anesthetic. How old are you by the way?"

Jonah asked, pulling out a rather large piece that had was covered in dirt. Joey bit his lip at the pain, focusing on the man's questions. He couldn't possibly tell Jonah that he was eons old, nor could he give tell the Samaritan his age when he had died. No, he would have to lie. Looking at his childlike body, he guessed his age around thirteen or fourteen. Shrugging, he smiled at Jonah innocently.

"I'm fourteen why?"

"Close enough. Listen, you can't tell anyone that I'm going to give you alcohol, because it's best that you are sedated during this process. I won't lie to you; the stitches will hurt like hell. So will the whiskey against your open wounds. Drink up kid, because tomorrow we're going to see the doctor."

Joey frowned, feeling both impressed and suspicious by Jonah's actions. Had Joey become so jaded that he could not fathom the idea of kindness among strangers? Obviously such people existed because this man had gone to great lengths to ensure that he would be alright. Still, had watching Mai for so many years make him believe that everyone had an ulterior motive?

"Alright then, pass the booze."

He said cheerfully, trying to wipe such doubts from his mind. If this man had wanted to, he would have already killed, raped or even beaten him. This guy was just another one of those inherently good souls that roamed the earth. Placing his trust in the hands of a stranger was a foreign feeling, but having medical attention was something he welcomed. He downed a shot glass, already feeling the whiskey work its magic.

It was because he was smaller and in a thinner frame, he would get tipsy quicker, and the searing pain that would come could be ignored with a shot of liquor. Most people would naturally be appalled at the idea of giving alcohol to a minor, but in truth Joey was old, older than Jonah himself. Mentally, he could take the drink, but physically his body would succumb to the pleasant abyss.

"Why were you outside in the middle of the night in the cold, Joey?"

Jonah asked, finally getting most of the larger glass shards out of his feet. Joey stared at Jonah silently, and to the outside viewer it would appear as if the teen were staring into his soul, rummaging inside. Looking away, Joey opened his mouth but stopped himself as if he did not want to say anything at all. A frowned marred his features, and this time he spoke.

"I was looking for someone."

Jonah stared at him blankly, as if he did not believe a word. Joey couldn't be positive because the effects of the whiskey were finally working. His vision was becoming blurry, and he could feel himself getting sleepier. In the morning he'd have a hell of a hangover. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts and his vision, Joey fought to stay awake.

"You were looking for someone, in that weather. Kid who is worth risking life and limb for the way you have?"

Joey was suddenly more alert, and he remembered his task immediately. Once he was able to walk again, he would repay Jonah and continue his search for Mai. While it was nice to have his faith in humanity upheld, he was not on a watcher mission. His beloved needed him, and JKoey would be of no use to Mai if he came to her in a body bag once more.

"My wife."

He replied with cool brevity, while Jonah who was shocked by his response and the way in which gaped at the young blonde. Joey's voice had changed if not briefly to that of a grown man. For a moment, Jonah could swear that he had been talking to an adult. Before he could question his young patient, the boy's eyes rolled to the back of his head, and he passed out.

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Footnotes: That's it for now. What do you all think? I hope that you are enjoying my story so far. Mai makes her grand entrance in the next chapter! Please review, as it is the only way I know that anyone is reading this! Thanks for reading so far, see you next update. Oh yeah, I have yet another Mai/Joey story coming out, but watch out this one is rated R!