Disclaimer: No I don't own Yuugiou or Yuugiou: Duel Monsters or Yuugiou: Duel Monsters GX or anything related except for a few stories I wrote and so cards I made up. Glad we're clear on that.

Epilogue

Dr. Heisi sat in her office, a cup of coffee slowing become ice cold on her desk, going over hundreds of papers. The police report she'd filled out, the autopsy report copy she'd gotten, the notes from that day. It was one month ago that a young boy by the name of Katsuya Jounouchi had passed on to the next world on the floor of her very office. She read through her notes over again. She didn't know why, but reading them made her feel a bit better.

'Therapists Notes 7/23/03 Subject: Katsuya Jounouchi (16)

He prefers to be called Jou, although his girlfriend called him Joey due to his American appearance and accent. His girlfriend passed away. Those are the dreams that he's been having. The night she died has been replayed in his mind many nights.

His girlfriend was killed by her abusive, alcoholic father. His intent was to kill Jou, but she saved his life at her own cost.

Right now he's asleep. He passed out in the doorway on the way out. I was able to move him onto the couch, but he's out like a light, apparently from lack of sleep.

I cancelled all other appointments for the rest of the day so that I might explore further into the matter, once Jounouchi-san wakes up…

…After awakening, Jou-san began telling me of Julie-san, his deceased girlfriend, and their relationship. They met when Julie-san transferred to their class…

…Julie-san went with Jou-san to help him move some things, he's moving in with his mother and sister while his father moves to America…

…They became a couple that night…

…The relationship was kept a secret. Jou-san and Julie-san went on their first date, but stopped when Julie-san confessed what her father was doing to her to Jou…

…They spent the night in the apartment Jou-san and his father had shared. He decided to create a happy memory in that place, just one to shine through all the miserable ones…'

She shifted through the papers on her desk until she found her personal diary and began to write.

'8/21/03, Rainy

No matter how many times I go through the papers, I can't bring myself to calm down about poor Jounouchi-kun. Dying right in my own office, it's too much to bear.

I've read the autopsy report over hundreds of times. Something in them still shocks me. Something Jounouchi-san never told me about.

During the weeks between the death of Julie-san and Jounouchi-san's visit to me, the weeks in which he had the recurring dreams of Julie-san's death, Jounouchi-san tried different kinds of sleeping medication that were found in his body. It was assumed that he'd taken these in order to put himself into a state of dreamless sleep.

Trace amounts of alcohol were also found in his body, which has led the medics to believe that he was drinking while using these sleeping aids, causing a reaction within his body. They believe he should have died long ago, but his will to live kept him going.

That's why I cry when think of it. To think that someone who seemed so strong could just give up like that.'

A single tear ran down her face and dropped onto her diary. She collapsed into her arms, sobbing violently. In the few hours she'd known the boy, he'd touched her heart in such a way. And then he'd given up and left right before her. That's why she cried. For the boy who's will was shattered by the lose of his love

(An excerpt from the diary of Shizuka Jounouchi: )

It's been a whole month since onii-chan died. I can't believe he's gone. I can't believe someone as sweet and kind as Jounouchi is gone. He paid for my eye operation, and I never got to pay him back. I feel so cheap.

Otou-san wasn't at the funeral. I didn't expect him to show up, although I guess I hoped he would. But he's never cared about anyone but himself. I can't believe okaa-san would leave Jounouchi with him. That she would split us up.

After being apart from onii-san for so long, I was finally brought back together with him, only to have him taken away from me again.

I loved onii-chan. I loved him more than anyone in the world. I wanted to be with him forever. Sometimes I want to die. So that I can go join him. So I can be with him forever. But I was so sad, I don't know if I can bare it. I could never make onii-chan happy, not in the ways Julie-san could, not in the ways I would have wanted too.

But I still love him. Someday I hope to be reunited with him. But I guess that me living would make him happy. So if it will make onii-chan happy, I will live on. And I will miss him.

Aishiteru, onii-chan.'

(At the Kame Game Shop)

Yugi Mutou sat in his room, shuffling through his deck, not actually seeing the cards before his very eyes. He didn't notice the flash of golden light that came from the Sennen Puzzle at his neck. He didn't notice the ethereal form of the nameless pharaoh until he felt a ghostly hand touch his shoulder, causing him to jump.

"Mo hitori no boku," he gasped out, "You startled me."

"Is something wrong aibou?" the spirit asked.

Yugi closed his eyes, a small smile on his face as he shook his head. Yami quirked an eyebrow, obviously not convinced.

"Really," Yugi said, "It's nothing."

"You were thinking about Jounouchi-kun," the pharaoh stated rather than asked.

Yugi let out a heavy sigh. "I can't keep anything from you, can I?" he said, causing the pharaoh to shake his head.

"Aibou, I loved Jounouchi-kun as much as you," Yami assured him, "But he is gone and as much as I don't like it we have to move on."

"I know, but it's not easy," Yugi said exasperated.

"Of course I know," Yami said solemnly, "I lost everything. For 3000 years, I've had nothing. Now I have you. And Anzu-chan and Honda-kun and everyone. I had Jounouchi-kun too, and I think I still may, but we can't dwindle on him."

"How can you be so cold!" Yugi shouted, surprising himself and the spirit as he shot from his chair, letting his deck fall to the floor.

Yami put his arms around Yugi's shoulders, drawing him into a warming embrace. "Gomen, gomen nasai, aibou. Being trapped for 3000 years can be so awful. It can make you so cold." He kissed the top of the little light's head. "But you must believe me, I did love Jounouchi-kun and I always will. But dwelling on the past won't bring him back."

Yugi sniffled once as he looked up at his yami. "You're right, we have to move on. For own sake, and for Jou's."

"That's right, aibou." Yami pulled his light back into his embrace, letting the little teen snuggle into the leather of his shirt.

They weren't aware that just outside the window, the spirit of a once blonde-haired boy floated, watching the form of his best friend from life embrace the spirit that resided within the boy. He longed to be there, to be anywhere, anywhere he could embrace the ones he loved. But alas, he knew that he could never feel human warmth again. You can't feel anything as just a soul. So why did he feel so sad.

He shivered as his macabre body longed for tears, knowing they would never come. All Katsuya Jounouchi wanted was to cry, but he couldn't even do that. So he sat in the air, shivering. He didn't notice the second spiritual being approaching him. He did, though, feel the hand on his shoulder. He felt it. Shocked, Jou turned his head to meet a pair of eyes that had once been a deep indigo-blue, and one single tear leaked out of his death's eyes and down his cheek, only to be licked away by the spirit of the love he'd followed into death.

Ryu: And there you have it, the end of 'Run, Joey, Run'.

Kioku: We finall got it back up. Yay!

Ryu: My light and I want to thank the few new readers we aquired. We hoped you enjoyed it. Well, that's it for this fic. Ja.

Ryu and Kioku Jonesu
January 19, 2005