It's been awhile since my last update, gomen for the long wait. I've just been so busy with school and friends and planning for Halloween, which by the way is only –checks calendar- six days away!!!...yay!

NE wayz, THANK YOU so much to all who reviewed!!! It means A LOT to me!

-glomps them all -

It's hard starting a fic in a new section 'cause nobody really knows you and rarely takes the time to give ur fic a chance but I'm holding strong.

Enough of my ramblings, now onto the next chapter.

My first attempt at a Yu-gi-oh angst fic so be nice.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters or the show...quit rubbing it in

" " Speaking

' ' Thinking

:::: Scene change

( ) Telepathic communication

CHAPTER 3: Apparitions of him

A few moments later, after Bakura got dressed that is, the gang headed off to 'Teenz World' one of the newest and currently most popular teen hangouts in the city.

Upon entering, loud dance music and cheerful young voices filled Ryou's ears, and he winced slightly as if startled. It had been so long since the hikari had left the dark sanctuary that was his bedroom and stepped out into the real world. The loud music and people, the bright lights, and vast crowds; the world felt brand new, and yet he wanted out...badly.

"C'mon you guys, let's grab a seat!" Honda suggested over the noise.

The group followed him to a large table and sat down. Ryou took one of the seats nearest the window next to Anzu. Once everyone was seated, an attractive and familiar blond-haired woman roller bladed over to their table.

"Mai Valentine?!" Yugi gasped, "since when do you work here?!"

"Actually, I just started last week," she said smiling down at him. "Normally I'd of wanted a more...glamorous job," she worded her sentence carefully, "rather than being a waitress, but once they told me I'd get to be in blades or on a skateboard all day...I was all for it!" Just as she said this, a young man came skateboarding by her with a tray of food balanced in his hand to serve to a customer.

"Cool," said Honda, watching him go by.

"Nice outfit Mai," Bakura said dryly, regarding her frilly black and white maid-like dress uniform. Mai turned to him, a light blush now on her face. "Most clothes I've ever seen you in," he added and Mai's blushed deepened.

"Hey watch it Bakura!" Joey warned him. "We've all stopped talking about your underwear incident." Joey's equally obnoxious remark earned enough laughs from the group to put the outspoken yami in his place, and he made no further comments.

After everyone decided on what they were going to order, Mai left with the promise of returning with their meals as soon as possible, as most of the people at that table were her friends. She came through on her promise returning only ten minutes later with everyone's orders.

"Da service 'ere is great, eh Yug?" Jono asked him, taking a bite of his bacon mushroom cheesemelt burger.

The hikari nodded, beaming. "We'll have to tip you big time for this," he said turning to Mai.

"Don't sweat it kid," she replied reassuringly. "You guys do what you can. I'll catch you later!" she said giving them the famous 'Mai-wink,' before rolling off to another table to take more orders. Joey let out a long sigh as he watched her leave.

"I saw that!" Anzu snapped at Joey, startling the blond.

"Uh...s-saw what?"

"How you stared after Mai! With this long loving gaze!" she continued.

"What? Jealous that no man will ever give you that kind of attention?" Bakura piped up, but was silenced by Anzu's death glare or perhaps just her aesthetically unappealing face.

"Have you even tried telling her how you feel?" Yami asked the blond.

"Erm..."

"You woss!" Honda said, swallowing taking a sip of his ice cappuccino.

"'Ey watch yourself Honda!" Joey barked. "I may be a woss, but d'ere ain't no way I'd ever let someone like you get away wit sayin' dat!"

"Whatcha gonna do?" the brunette dared him rising slightly from his chair, looking ready to fight.

"Don't test me, Honda," the blond warned him hotly.

"Guys cut it out," Yugi pleaded. "We're trying to show Ryou a good time, remember?"

Both teens immediately stopped bickering at this, and everyone was finally able to settle down and enjoy their lunches. They conversed about almost everything you could think of, from Yugi's new multicoloured fetus obsession, to Bakura's sex life, to school, to music, and back to Yugi and his love for rainbow coloured fetuses.

The only person who didn't seem to be enjoying himself was Ryou. Though the others tried to include him in their conversations, he virtually gave them the cold shoulder, opting instead for staring silently out the window and playing with the spring rolls on his plate with his fork. Shuddering slightly the silver-haired hikari abruptly stood up from the table and left.

Joey seemed to be the only to notice this happen, and excused himself from the table to go look for the other.

Ryou pushed open the large blue door to the men's washroom and entered. All was silent. Ryou was completely alone. 'Finally,' he sighed mentally. It did not bother him at all to be the only one in that washroom. In fact he often preferred it this way. Months of being virtually isolated and detached from the rest of the world had not made him desperate for human contact, but oddly enough indifferent for it. Walking over to the long counter, Ryou stared up into the mirror before him. He hated what he saw, and could barely face himself.

The white-haired boy turned on the faucet and stuck his hands underneath the water, allowing the water to beat down on his hands until it was ice cold. Cupping the cold water in his hands he splashed it up on his face, finding it refreshing. He glanced back at his reflection, but was still met by the person he had learned to hate so much.

'Why do I even try?' Ryou wondered sighing, before grabbing some paper towel and drying his face with it. He pulled the paper tower from his face and gazed up once again into the mirror...that's when he saw it. A transparent figure standing in the threshold of one of the stalls behind him. It was clad in a sleeveless white top and a pair of jeans. Its' hands were over the left side of its chest, as though it were trying to hide something. Staring at Ryou with a blank expression on its face. It stood there like that for a moment, then finally let its hands fall to its sides revealing a deep gash on its chest that was bleeding badly.

"M-Marik!" Ryou gasped in utter disbelief. He spun around only to find himself completely alone once again. Confused and terrified, Ryou dashed towards the washroom door, but before he could grip the door handle it began to open of its own accord. Ryou stumbled back, tripped over his feet and fell to the floor with a thud.

It was Joey who stood at the door, eyeing Ryou with interest. "You all right?" he enquired, raising an eyebrow at the boy, before extending a hand to him. Ryou nodded slowly, avoiding eye contact and took Joey's hand, allowing the other to help him to his feet.

However, Ryou was still shook up from what had just happened and he was shaking all over. His legs felt like they had been replaced with something much softer and he collapsed forward in front of Joey. The blond acted quickly, catching him before he hurt himself and helped him over to the countertops of the sinks so that he could lean against it. Ryou managed to push himself up on the counter, and sat there with his head down, his hair covering his eyes like a silvery-blond curtain.

"Ryou, man are you all right?" the blond tried again. "I mean you look really spooked!" When he didn't respond, Joey placed a hand under his chin and gently tilted it up so that their eyes met. "Hey," he whispered softly, "what's da matter?"

"I-I," Ryou began. "I saw him. He was standing r-right there...r-right there where t-that stall is," the hikari stammered pointing to a stall. "He was covered in blood...e-everywhere...just pouring- ..."

"Hold up, slow down, slow way down," Joey said putting a finger to Ryou's lips to quiet the rambling teen. "I'm...uh...kinda lost," he admitted sheepishly. "Who's 'he?'"

"Marik," was the single-worded response.

Silence followed, then "you mean that psychotic nutjob you use to date?! Isn't he dead?!" Mr. Compassionate questioned him candidly.

"Hai...at least...I thought he was. B-but I saw him today or not him exactly, more like...his ghost."

Joey gave the dark-eyed hikari an odd look. 'Poor guy's finally lost it,' he thought to himself. He placed his hands on the others' shoulders and stared him in the eyes. "Let me tell you a little somethin' 'bout love."

'Oh Kami, here goes...' Ryou thought but listened on anyway.

"Love," the blond began. "It does stuff to people...scary stuff. I mean, some people would kill for love, and some people have." Ryou screwed up his face in confusion at this statement. "What I'm tryin' to say is that love is something that once we have, we never want to let go of," Joey tried again. "But when you lose the one you love to another or even to death, you have to move on in order to be happy. Sometimes if you really miss someone ya t'ink about them so much that ya start to see them in places you know they ain't. It's not common but it happens. Marik's gone Ryou, you gotta let him go," he said embracing the teen before him.

Ryou froze at the contact. Finally he reached up to hug him back. A few tears slipped down his cheeks and he was glad Joey couldn't see them. But he figured the other knew because he added, "Besides Ryou, if Marik truly loved you, he wouldn't want you to be so sad. He'd want you to move on with your life and be happy."

Ryou stared up at him, a smile gracing his lips. He had no idea the big-mouthed blond of the group could be so deep and sensitive when he wanted to be. "Thanks for the advice, you're right."

"Hey no prob," Joey said unable to stop the blush the crossed his face when he said those words. "Anythin' for a friend. You know I'll always be 'ere to talk to, I t'ink I speak for the whole group when I say that," he grinned.

Ryou's eyes threatened more tears but he shut them tightly and tightened his hold on the other. Joey did the same. They remained like this until Ryou's tears ceased completely.

Moments later the two returned to their table. Joey went back to his seat next to Yugi and Honda, and Ryou seated himself next to Anzu. (A/N: POOR GUY)

"What did you do to him, Wheeler?" Bakura was quick to accuse the blond, after noting Ryou's slightly tear-stained face.

The blond smirked slyly at the yami across the table. "Wouldn't you like to know," he said coolly, highly aware that he was beginning to irritate the already hot-tempered tomb robber.

Bakura furrowed his brows and glanced over at Ryou, who was finally eating his lunch and was nearly finished. "What the hell's that suppose to mean," Bakura growled turning back to Joey.

"Say you guys," Joey purposely changed the subject. "Whatd'ya say we all head over to Yugi's grandpa's new arcade? Maybe he'll let us all in free like he did last time."

"That's a great idea!" Yugi chirped cheerfully. "Besides I kicked your butt in DBZ Budokai last time, and...heck! I can't wait to do it again!" he said grinning widely.

"'Ey the only reason you won was 'cause I let you!" Joey shot back. "Dis time though I don't plan to show you no mercy!"

"We'll see how you fair against me when I use SS Goku!" Yugi laughed.

"No fair! SS Goku's my fav character!!! 'Ey! Get back 'ere ya little creep!" the blond bellowed rising from his seat to chase the lavender-eyed boy who raced from the restaurant, giggling all the while.

"This I've gotta see," Honda laughed rising from the table with Anzu.

Yami rose as well. He turned to Bakura who remained seated, "this should cover lunch," he said handing him a few bills. "Tip Mai for me would you? Thanks," he said dashing out of the restaurant before Bakura had the chance to object.

"Somehow I'm always the one stuck paying the bill! Last time I ever eat out with them," he muttered angrily.

Ryou couldn't help but laugh at the pissed look on Bakura's face.

"Shut-up Ryou..." the yami grumbled.

TBC

Gomen if u didn't like this chapter all too much. I had to whip it up real fast 'cause I felt bad for not updating in a while. Anywho tell me what ya think. Questions, comments and constructive criticism are always welcomed. Oh and I'm getting hungry for reviews. They keep me goin and let me know people are reading so pleaz take the time to review or my updating habits may slow down...if you know what I mean. Kick it into high gear people!!!

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K, I'M DONE. Ciao till next time

Silverstorms