-laughs- Thanks for the ideas everyone, I got the response I wanted. No I'm not bored of the plot line actually, I just wanted to use your brains. I have known what I wanted to do from the beginning, I know how this will end. Just curious to see what you all wanted while still influencing you with my idea that I purposely did not reveal to you. (hint: Has something to do with Yami still, but not in a good way.) If you want the long and the short of it, Ryou will help Bakura out eventually and there might even be a happy ending. If I can quote a reviewer: "Okay pound the crap outta Ryou, but make Yami stop Bakura and get Baka Bakura to get some feelings for Yami Gaki." Almost, but not quite. Heh, you will all just have to see.

December 11th, STILL Saturday - 9ish

Ryou cleaned up quickly and then began the long process that's known as 'hurry up and wait.' He paced the hallway and peaked into the living room. Bakura turned around on the couch and smirked, twirling the small pocket knife he'd stolen from a store about a year ago. His favorite, and still sharpest one.

He shuddered but not visibly. Bakura would not hurt him until his friends had come and gone. Ryou took this oppurtunity to come into the living room and sit down next to Bakura.

Puzzled, Bakura growled in a low tone, "What the fuck do you think you're doing, brat? If you really have nothing to do, you should go clear the sidewalk of snow, you're just going to have to do it later."

Ryou remained silent but leaned over and looked Bakura in the eyes.

"Get away from me with those eyes!!"

Sure enough, Ryou had the innocent, pleading eyes of a lamb just ready to be slaughtered. Risking everything but his very life, he reached over and put a hand on the fist that Bakura had clenched around the knife. Bakura's glare went from just a glare to a glint of pure evil.

"Bakura, I had a dream last night an-"

There was pounding on the front door and chatter amongst several people. Ryou winced and pulled away and ran off quickly to get the door.

"BRAT!" Bakura called after him, "You forgot to call me -SAMA!!"

Ryou opened the door and Yuugi smiled up at him.

"Can we come in?" Yuugi chirped.

"No I don't think that would be a good... idea..."

Yuugi looked down at his Millennium Puzzle, "But my yami wanted to talk to yours. He's been remembering his past and wanted to discuss it with him."

"Well, my yami is in the living room, but I don't think he'd want everyone in the house, and I don't think I would either, especially not if yours in there with him."

A form appeared next to Yuugi and materialized into his yami, slightly taller, and his hair slightly spiker, he had the usually smug game face on.

"Don't worry, Ryou, I won't be long, we won't destroy your house," Yami smiled.

"Okay..." Ryou opened the door behind him, and Yami walked in. Closing the door behind him, Ryou began to chatter with his friends. He cherished every moment with them.

Yami crossed the hall into the living room, Bakura, startled that his Ring detected the former pharaoh's presence before he did, whirled around on the couch and shot another trademark glare, "Yes, and what do YOU want, your highness?" He spat sarcastically.

Raising his eyebrows in superiority, Yami rested his hands on his hips, a look Bakura not seen from his rival since Egypt. He licked his lips and Bakura wheeled back in disgust, nearly falling off the couch.

"As if you weren't aware of the inevitability of it, I'm remembering my past. One day at a time."

Hips swaying, he leaned over the couch and smirked down at Bakura, who was seconds away from falling off the couch and landing on his butt, "Such delicious secrets you've been keeping from me, Bakura, I would never have guessed."

Feigning innocence Bakura managed to mumble, "What nonsense are you talking now, pharaoh baka?"

"Well, kitten," He slurred, partially in Egyptian while reaching out and caressing Bakura's chin, "Or should I say, slave..."

Bakura moved away from Yami's hand only to finally fall off the couch. He felt his hand land on his knife. He quickly pulled it up in his defense, "Get the fuck away from me or your hikari pays!"

"Quite the contrary. You'd better stop abusing your own host. You don't want me to bring Seth into this."

Bakura, if not scared at this point, but at least knocked totally off guard wondered aloud, "How long have you had these memories?"

"Only about a day, but I get more and more at every look at you, its hard to resist, tomb robber. You'll be mine again, I'll break you down so far you'll-"

"Shut the fuck up, pharaoh! And leave me the hell alone!"

Yami frowned, "Is this what you've been so touchy about this entire time? The reason for following us in Duelist Kingdom, were you curious if I remembered or not, when you saw I didn't, you took advantage of that. Bad Bakura.... And Battle City, if case you hadn't noticed, I wouldn't have attacked Ryou, yet you still thought I would. I was a nice guy back then, I didn't understand why you didn't go through with the plan. But now I understand, I understand so much more..."

Bakura eyes flared with hatred, loathing, and with that odd inhuman lack of compassion. His body vibrated with shadow magic, he never wanted Yami to remember these things. He stood up, knocking the small dinner table out his way, and if looks could kill... well yah.

"So you remember. Good, everything is at it should be. At least you'll be aware of what you've done while I'm murdering you!"

Bakura lunged at Yami, over the couch, pinning him down to the ground.

Yami just smiled up at Bakura, "Don't play games with me, thief, I always win. I don't want you hurting your hikari anymore, or else I will come after you. If you do anything bad and I get word of it, you will be punished."

A hand swept down Bakura's chest and pushed him away, "That's all I really had to say, kitten."

"Don't you dare start calling me that, or I swear I'll-"

"Heh."

Yami already took off out of the room and opened the front door and closed it loudly behind him.

Bakura sat still on the rug and felt his pounding heart slow down. That was sudden and highly unexpected. Why, for the love of Ra, had Malik given Yami the power to remember things? There were some things about Bakura's past even he didn't want to remember. He heard the front door open and close again, this time softly, and Ryou peaked around the corner.

"Bakura-sama, what are you doing on the floor?"

Bakura blinked up at his host. So pharaoh had his memory back. He said not to hurt the boy. Bakura hated following orders, but then again he wasn't excited about the conquences. Bakura's eyes narrowed and he looked away from the brat and to the space on the rug next to him, and patted it.

"Sit. Tell me about that dream you had last night," he mumbled.

Ryou, confused, sat down, "It was a bad dream."

"Did it have me in it?"

"Yes."

"Figures."

Bakura's teeth chattered, the living room was actually quite cold. Or maybe it was because the door was opened one too many times.

"No, it's not what you think. It was a dream about you. You were on a bed, and Yami was there, but everything was odd, you were both dressed different and the room looked Egyptian."

Bakura's eyes widened as he continued to stare at the rug.

"You were... tied to the bed and struggling to get away, and he was holding you down and-"

"Stop."

Ryou stopped abruptly, "I didn't really want to go much farther anyways."

Bakura, still staring at the rug, was deep in thought. He'd woken up last night and not known why? Is that when Ryou saw a flashback from his own past? Did the former pharaoh see exactly the same event? He didn't know how Ryou got to witness that memory, but he didn't want the brat to see anymore. He didn't need Ryou to see him in a weak state as pharaoh often used to degrade him to!

He leaned over and slapped Ryou hard across the face, "Don't you dare have anymore dreams like that! Ever!"

Ryou bit back tears but nodded, "I will try to make them go away, -sama."

Bakura pulled back the hand he slapped Ryou with and stared at it now. He smacked Ryou, not uncommon. But what if someone were to find out.... anything. Anything he did to Ryou. If someone found out, Yami would be on his tail.

"Last night, I woke up in the middle of the night, I went in to go see if you were awake. You were asleep, and you were smiling. Why were you smiling?!" He glared up at Ryou.

Ryou shrunk back against the back of the couch, "T..the dream went away. Things changed. You and him.... turned into the present day versions of you. But you got away and you came to me. You... you were hurt, so I took care of you and you... you thanked me..."

Bakura stared at the boy, musing to himself, "And why did you help me?"

"You... said you were sorry and you b..begged for my help."

"You're confusing fantasy and reality now," the dark growled, standing up. He looked down at Ryou and kicked him squarely in the ribs, "I don't want you around here, today, runt. Go run after your friends before they get too far away."

"Yes, -sama!" He squeaked, dodging way from another kick in the ribs and took off down the hall to get his coat, "Thank you..." he mumbled more to himself.

Bakura watched him go through the one small living room window. His fist was clenched and he let out a ragged breath and went to the staircase in the kitchen. He ascended the stairs and flopped down on his bed and closed his eyes. Much thought and a good mid morning nap was in order.

Thirteen days till Christmas. And by the way, this story won't be one chapter one day. So it may or may not end at Christmas. I really don't know. Hope you like the twists I've been adding. I'd better post this tonight, because there's a high wind warning in my state (Washington) hell, the winds blowing at 50 mph outside, I might be out of power soon, certainly without internet. Sorry if I can't get this or the next chapter(s) up on time.