AN. After I'd added more to the end of the last chapter of 'Bound by Threads' I realized that while I may have shown how the yamis are doing I'd just left the hikaris in limbo. So this is my attempt to fix them up too. Hope you like it. Oh, and just let me reiterate my claim to owning nothing.

Malik

"I can't believe he's letting me go!" Malik exclaimed happily as he stared at the barrier which had closed behind them. A few moments later he glanced at the clock and saw that the train had left. "We're free!" He crowed, grabbing Isis around the waist and spinning her around.

His sister smiled at him. "We should be going now." She suggested calmly enough, but Malik could see the look in her eyes, and he knew that she was just as happy as he was.

They piled into the car, the mood almost the opposite of how it had been on the way to the station. All were laughing and chattering happily about all the inconsequential stuff they hadn't had a chance to say before. He could tell that, like him, none of them really believed that this would last; and they wanted to enjoy themselves as much as possible before it all ended. For his part he wanted to talk to his sister, and he was going to make sure he met her boyfriend. Anyone trying to take advantage of her would have him to deal with.

As if reading his mind – although that was Marik's right – Isis caught his eye in the mirror and grinned. He wasn't the only one looking forward to this. Maybe their family wasn't the best, but it was enough for him. Isis was really all that he needed now. He had loved Rishid though... Quickly he wrenched his mind away from that subject. He was supposed to be celebrating. He'd think about Rishid more later. Right now he had other things to think about, at least, until the thirty minute drive was over and he could talk to Isis, as he had not been allowed to when his yami was around.

Like Ryou. He glanced over at his fellow hikari, watching him joke around with Yugi. He might have been celebrating but the sadness still hadn't entirely left his eyes. The only one here who was purely happy without thoughts of what would happen later, once they came back again, hanging over his head was Yugi. Even Isis, who didn't have to deal with a yami personally, was worried for the others. The scars they had caused would take a long time to heal – if they ever did.

Malik glanced at his arm, silently contemplating the mass of scar tissue covering it. The wounds had been inflicted in his soul room and so were not visible unless he, instead of Marik, was given a separate body, but they felt like brands on his soul. Each one was a reminder of his failure to stand up for himself, another time when he let Marik win. Ryou had no such scars, and seemed not to mind that he was unable to stand up for himself but Malik knew that he had to feel it somehow. No one could come out of the kind of experience their yamis put them through unscarred. He certainly hadn't.

He glanced up in surprise as the engine stopped, belatedly realizing that they were home. Instantly his spirits lightened, and it was with a smile on his face that he stepped out of the car and towards what would be a wonderful vacation, a holiday from pain and bondage. How could he not be happy about this?

Yugi

"Yugi?" Anzu asked shyly.

The spiky-haired boy turned to her, eyes shining. "Yeah?" He replied hopefully. He had liked her for as long as he could remember, but she had always seemed to like his yami more. After the disastrous Battle City incident though, she seemed to have been frightened of him instead, which meant that Yugi didn't get any chance to see her.

"I've really missed you." She bent to hug him, although she didn't have to bend as much as she had previously. Yugi had grown up at Hogwarts. "Where were you? Why didn't you tell me you were going away?"

Yugi looked down. "I'm sorry Anzu. Isis decided that she had to get us away before our yamis did too much damage and Yami wouldn't let me take over to say goodbye to you." The face he turned up to her was so woebegone that Anzu melted.

"It's all right Yugi." Now she looked down, a blush starting to from on her cheeks. "I'm sorry for avoiding you." Yugi winced slightly at the memory. "But Yami was so scary. You didn't see how he was after Isis gave him his memories back. Can you forgive me?"

Yugi stared up at her. She was keeping her eyes on the ground, trying not to let him see her worry. "Of course I forgive you." He stammered. "How could I not? We're friends aren't we?" And he wished they were more.

"Yeah," she nodded. "Always." A blinding smile appeared on her face. "I was going to meet the guys at Burger World when I met you. Why don't you tag along? As long as you're sure Yami won't do anything that is."

"I'd love to come." Yugi yelled excitedly. "And Yami's still in England. He's got a girlfriend there." Now he glanced at Anzu nervously. She might not be over Yami yet.

"That's good." Anzu looked confused. "I hope she understands what he is, though, so he doesn't end up getting her in trouble. But come on! You can tell us all about it when we get there!" She grabbed his hand and dragged Yugi off to Burger World, ignoring his protests that he was perfectly capable of walking on his own. She didn't realize that the red in his face was due to the fact that the girl he loved was holding his hand, not embarrassment at being treated like a kid.

Right before they reached their goal Anzu skidded to a halt. "Hey, Yugi?" She asked.

"Yeah?" Yugi looked at her, thankful that he didn't have to crane his neck to look up at her anymore. "Do you want something?"

"Just..." Anzu cleared her throat. "I just wanted to ask you..." Yugi stared at her, noting the red in her cheeks, but deciding not to press her. She would probably tell him if he kept quiet but otherwise she might decide not to. "Would you like to... um, well, I've got a few days off work this week and I've got tickets for a show, so would you like to come with me? Like, on a date?"

It didn't take Yugi more than a moment to process what she had said. Instantly he flushed so red he looked like an overgrown tomato. "I'd love to." He replied happily, beaming, and twining his fingers through hers. "But first we have to tell our friends." He leaned up to plant a daring kiss on her lips. Anzu smiled at him and kissed him back.

"Definitely." She said firmly. "And we'd better get going or else they'll think something happened to me. Let's go!"

And the two headed inside towards a joyful reunion, and a happy new period of their lives. Together always.

Ryou

Ryou closed his eyes, letting his mind retreat into his soul room. He wanted to see Bakura again, even if it had only been a week since the yamis had left for Hogwarts. Yugi had Anzu and Malik had Isis, which left him all alone. He wasn't used to being so alone. He had always had Bakura there, even if the spirit hadn't exactly been good company. And he had enjoyed the sweets Bakura had given him.

/Bakura-sama/ He called hesitantly. He knew this was stupid but he was doing it anyway. He couldn't help wanting to have someone else with him. He hated being alone.

The other appeared in his soul room, leaning against the door nonchalantly. "Yeah? What is it?"

"I- I just wanted to be with you." Ryou confessed.

A pale brow arched mockingly. "And here I was thinking you had come to thank me for leaving you alone." Abruptly the mood passed and Bakura turned serious. "Left you all alone again have I?"

Ryou nodded miserably. At first he had enjoyed being on his own without having to worry about his yami's rules. Then he had gotten past his original elation and realized a few things. He didn't want to be all alone but he was. The gang was too busy with Yugi, and they'd never really liked him all that much anyway. Malik and Isis were too absorbed in each other and in catching up on everything they'd missed for him to even think of intruding on their time with each other, and that left him completely alone. Plus, even without his yami being there, he still obeyed his rules. It had become a habit by now. Ryou didn't really notice until Isis pointed out he hadn't eaten for several days, and he realized that it was because Bakura wasn't there to tell him to, and he wasn't used to eating otherwise.

"Heh. You'll be fine. The others will remember you soon enough. It's not like there's any reason for them to leave you alone anyway. You just have to start things yourself. Why do you think no one's tried to talk to you yet?" Ryou dared to look up at him, hoping that this wasn't just a joke, that Bakura really did know what was wrong with him.

"It's because you don't talk to them baka. You can't expect them to go out of their way for someone who never does the same for them. I don't think you're ever going to be fully accepted as one of the little circle of friends Yugi has built around himself; you're just too different for them to understand you. But if you don't at least get them to talk to you it's your own fault not theirs. Got it?"

Ryou nodded eagerly. "Arigato Bakura-sama." He couldn't wait to get back and see whether it would really work. Maybe it wasn't something about him that drove them away all the time. Maybe, just maybe, he could really have friends.

Bakura stared at him for a moment longer and then actually smiled. "You can do it baka. Now go. And don't bother me again until you've tried it for at least a week."

Ryou smiled back and vanished, letting his connection to his body pull him back to where he was supposed to be. He would come back, but hopefully by the time he did, he would have at least one friend of his own.