QoH: Wow! ^_^ I got 14 reviews 4 that last chappy! hehe Thats a record 4 me (yes, im aware thats pathetic -_-') So, I figure that it warrants a review alert, namely in order 2 clear some things up.

KaTyA: hehe I know *evil grin* Actually, this is my 1st 4 makin Tea like this. Mainly, I did it to be nice to Kirby X cuz he sounded so... eh, pathetic lol and to challenge myself with a different portrayal of the "controversial" character that is Tea hehe Btw, might I ask where the 3rd part of ur ficcy is? Me wanna KNOW! hehe

Kirby X: A warning, eh? *yawns* What of it? Ya gonna ban me again? *shrugs* That'd be ur own fault, then, wouldn't it? lol *sticks out tongue* meh...  Read it, or not... whatever. I consider it a request, no matter what u say lol

DJ: ^_^ I just hope this lives up 2 the hints I've been tossin around hehe Thanks again 4 ur continued support! Its really incredible.

Shadowblade: Dya think so? I was thinkin that Yugi, bein the nice kinda guy he is, would just wait til Serenity was ready to tell him what's goin on. Hm. To be honest, he is very curious, but he doesnt show it, cuz he doesnt wanna pressure her. I couldnt really say that when its in Serenitys POV (2nd person, or whatever u call it. I forget -_-')

bunny: lol Wow. I didnt figure my writin could kill people... o_O lol Should I tone it down? hehe JK! eh... btw. this seems a good time 2 mention that id love if u guys (who dont have ffn accounts, that is) would stick ur email, or some way of contactin u with updates, in ur reviews? ^_^ Thanks! I hope this finds u alive, bunny ^_~ lol

And 2 Luke and Kaila Sky Wolf (^_^ I'm new 2 the couple 2), rox, Diffinity, MDJ, Yami Jenny (TY 4 the link!), MaidenoftheMoon (^_~ I'll c what I can do hehe), Reflections (well, theyre gonna fight... shes gotta get hurt a lil, or its not realistic lol), HikariMew, Shizuka-chan, and CupCake (hehe #^_^# wow. thats always nice 2 hear. all caps 2... o_O).... A BIG, HUGE, GIGANTIC THANK YOU!!!! :D And a years supply of chocolate (or insert fave food here lol) 2 EVERYONE! hehe ^_^

Chapter 9: Confrontation

                Serenity tapped her foot impatiently as she waited for Tea to answer the door. She crossed her arms and looked around at the bedraggled state of the small motel the girl was staying in. Her current surroundings reminded her strongly of the alley she'd found herself in the other day, complete with the smell of rotting garbage and the sense that she was being watched intently. Her gaze drifted over the dark plaid material of a decrepit, ugly-as-muck couch that sat by the door at which she knocked. Really, you'd think her family could find a better place to stay in than this. I feel like I'm about to be mugged...

                Well, maybe they're just spending all their money to take care of Mrs. Gardener, she admitted to herself grudgingly, glancing sideways when she thought she saw the moldy curtain of the window next to her quiver slightly. Bracing herself for a conflict of which she knew not what to expect, her jaw was set when Tea opened the door with her usual feigned cheerfulness.

                "Hey, Serenity! What are you doing here?" she chirped brightly, wearing nothing but a guy's shirt (which barely reached her thighs, mind you) that she'd obviously just thrown on. The nerve of her! Serenity glared at her accusingly, knowing this could only mean one thing. It was something she'd suspected all along, but to have it so blatently shown...

                 Suddenly, she remembered that Tea had no idea she could see how she was dressed, so she replied seriously before Tea could think something was going on, "I need to talk to you about something extremely important." This has to be timed just right...

                Tea blinked at the firm tone in her voice, obviously surprised and not a little flustered, "Ok, um... can you wait here for just a minute?" She dashed to the bathroom at the back of the small room, leaving Serenity to find her way around. She picked her way slowly through the shambles that had once resembled a floor, making sure to seem blind by the way she felt around, her feet shuffling through the debris that littered the place. Besides, it gives me a chance to see if I can snag some evidence...

                After a few minutes, her ear tuned to the sound of Tea's voice, she straightened as she heard her move toward her again. As she listened, she could hear a low sound when she came out of the bathroom, and she could've sworn it was human. It was all Serenity could do to keep her namesake at this point, as she wanted to jump that... that... thing as soon as she came near enough.                When she came back, fully dressed, Serenity had to fold her arms and pinch herself so she didn't start cussing the girl out in five languages. No, that's not the way to do it. Better to hit her where it hurts, her so-called "pride." That shouldn't be too difficult. Heck, I've seen more dignity in Wormtail, that spineless flunky of Voldemort's in Harry Potter...

                Tea sat down on a twin of the eyesore-trying-to-pass-for-furniture outside, "So, what brings you here, Serenity?"

                "Well, I'm going to get straight to the point," she replied bluntly, "I wanted to know how a twit like you figured it out."

                "F-figured w-what out?" Tea stammered, completely caught off guard.

                Her lips twitched, amused at the sight of her enemy sputtering as she elaborated, "That I detested you so much."

                She regained some of her composure as she sat back against the couch, eyeing her warily, "What are you talking about?"

                "Oh, cut the 'nice' act, Tea," Serenity tossed back, irritated, "I know what's really going on. I heard you talking to that 'boyfriend' of yours in the alley next to the arcade the other day, among other things."

                "Oh, really, now?" she questioned icily, standing up slowly.

                "What do you think you're doing?" she rose to meet her, fists curled tightly at her sides in an attempt to restrain herself, "Why are you doing this to Yugi? Don't you care at all?"

                "Why should I, for a little runt like him?" Tea retorted, taking an agressive step toward her, "I want a real man, not some flaming ferry!" (A/N: 2 coin a term I heard online)

                Serenity scowled, momentarily distracted, "A what?"

                Tea sneered, laughing in that harsh, cynical tone she'd heard the other day, "You're as bad as he is. Poor, innocent Serenity.  I meant I don't want some boy that acts more like a girl than I do."

~But, she's a fool.

  She's a fool.

  She has his love,

  but treats him cruel...~

                She growled deep in her throat, about fed up, "You know what I think? You're a flaming baka! You have the heart of the best guy in the world in the palm of your hand, and you don't even give a friggin care that you're squeezing the life out of it!"

                Tea paused slightly as she realized the reason behind her protective anger, and her laughter increased, "Oho! Someone's got the hots for the little nancy-boy!"

                Serenity smiled sweetly, the sarcasm evident in her voice, "Oh, well spotted, Sherlock! But even if I wasn't rather 'fond' of him, so to speak, I'd still want to drop-kick your butt around the planet for what you're doing to him!"

                "You want to do something about it, then?" she taunted, her stance shifting to a ready position, "Come and get me, if you think you can, Helen Keller."

                "Shows you how much you know," she whipped off her glasses to expose her furious gaze, tossing them to the ground and crushing them beneath her shoe, "I can see perfectly well, even between the lines," she rolled her eyes when Tea just stared at her, shocked speechless, "I could tell from the very first second I met you that something was up. You didn't think you'd actually get away with it, did you?"

                "How?"

                "How did I know, even before I could really see what was going on?" Serenity grinned smugly, "I paid attention. After that first day, I already thought you were a little 'odd,' but I tried to dismiss it. When the clues kept mounting, all I had to do was put them together, like a kid's jigsaw puzzle. I think the only reason the others, besides Yami, that is, haven't gotten it is because they're holding onto an illusion of what used to be. They, especially Yugi, want so badly for it to be real, that it is real for them."

                "How very smart of you," a hard voice sounded behind her as she was jerked back roughly by the throat against a tall, broad chest, "Now, I'm going to make sure you don't reveal our secrets."

                "Release her. Now," spoke a firm voice from the doorway, someone she'd never expected....

QoH: Ok, Ok, I know I said there'd be a fight (and there really was gonna be, I swear!) but this chappy ended up bein 2 long (meanin I wasn't sure ffn would take it) so…. I'm just savin the big 1 4 later… ^_~ 'sides, I kinda like it better this way (makes it a bit more complicated, 2 tell ya the truth. u'll c y in the next chappy) hehe Any guesses as 2 who the mystery person is? *evil grin* 1 clue: It'll make 4 quite the nice, interestin plot twist....

PS: I'm soooo sorry about the late update! My computer went screwy on me and "write-protected" my entire disk! *shudders* I had 2 copy all my files from ffn…. o_O