TCG: I am so sorry that that took so long! I am very busy with school and all, but I've been trying my best to do this as quickly as I can.

Yugi: That's what you want us to think, isn't it?

TCG: Um…no?

Yugi: Oh…

TCG: Anyway, we are happy to announce that the fishy from last chapter has recovered from the incident.

Yugi: smiles broadly

TCG: Anyways, I have a great chapter for you guys today. Although I must say, it's the most tragic. But, it's the climax! And incase anyone wants to know, this story will be much longer then my last, probably at least 20 chapters, and with only 2 more reviews, it will have as many reviews as my last story. Come on people; let's see how far above thirty we can go! Are you with me?

Yugi: I'm with you!

TCG: Yeah! Okay, and anyway, before I forget, can you say the disclaimer please?

Yugi: Ok! TCGgirl124 does not own YuGiOh but she does own Alexa. She also doesn't own Kit Kat bites, or Lincoln Park's lyrics to "Easier to Run"

TCG: Yugi, that's "Linkin" Park, not "Lincoln.

Yugi: Well, what's the difference?

TCG: Never mind, so, do you have an amazing Kit Kat bites trick for us?

Yugi: Yes, the Kit Kat bites shall do my homework for me!

TCG: Okay, now this I have got to see!

Yugi: puts a half melted Kit Kat bites on top of his homework, which is in a small box…thing. He closes and shakes the box, and when it comes out, all the answers are answered.

TCG: O.o;;; Okay…let me see! reads homework Yugi…

Yugi: Yeah?

TCG: You're Kit Kats…

Yugi: Kit Kat bites.

TCG: Kit Kat bites, according to them, 22 fish!

Yugi: looks at paper Oh man…I don't know how to do these problems!

TCG: That's what you get for letting chocolate do your homework…

Yugi: anime falls

LATER ON…

Teacher: Yugi…

Yugi: Yes?

Teacher: You are a mathematical genius!

Yugi: Yeah I know, but really…wait, I am?

Teacher: Yes! No one at your grade level has ever been able to solve what the space time continuum plus the amount of exact minutes it takes for the earth to rotate, and then subtract by the miles in a light year before!

Yugi: tries to think it through in his head Um…yep, I can do it. sweat drop

BACK TO TCG…

TCG: -.-;;; He is just lucky…

Yugi: Well, I'll see you guys later!

TCG: Yeah, and now, may I present to you chapter 8 of my story?

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They had gotten up and moved on. Yami and Yugi walked into the blackness that was now the night. Yugi and Yami had worked out a way to not get tired from holding Alexa. They simply switched every time the one got tired. Right now, it was Yugi's turn. Yugi was deep in thought. Was Alexa ok, he wondered? Yami had yet to tell him about the slight movement that she'd made. It gave him much needed confidence that they weren't too late. But what was with that feeling…that he had felt when Yugi asked him about Alexa. What was it that made him act so unsure? He knew he couldn't let it happen again. He had to stay strong, especially for when Yugi couldn't.

The moon was high and bright, and the stars twinkled. Yugi admired the stars. There were so many here…you couldn't see them by the light of battle city's nights. They in combination with the moon gave a peaceful aura to the sand they trudged on. It was late, but Yugi couldn't get himself to get tired. Every time he thought of stopping, he thought of not being able to get Alexa safe in time. The same image played in his mind repeatedly when he thought of stopping, each time it became harder to fight off the tears. Just thinking of it…it made him so unsure. The unpleasant day dream once again ran through his head:

"Yes! We finally got the millennium puzzle! We can finally save Alexa!" Yugi shouted in his made up event.

"Mm. Now, I should be able to activate it now and save Alexa from the shadow realm." Yami replied, putting the pendant around his neck, the millennium symbol glowing with the activation of its ancient powers.

Yugi pulled the limp girl to her feet. Soon, she'd be able to have her carefree spirit again. That is, of course, unless it had been broken by Yami's doubt in her. But he knew she'd be ok…at least she wouldn't be helpless…especially when she had been so strong.

Yami felt much better, relieved even, now that the puzzle was back with one of its two owners. He felt its power filling his spirit again, but he knew, contrary to what the other two thought, he wouldn't be fully satisfied until Alexa was safe. "Alexa," he began in a whisper, getting stronger with every word he spoke. "You've been hurt too long…come back from the darkness of the shadow realm, now!"

The power was strong, and it obviously had hit its mark. Alexa would be good at any moment…

But…

"Alexa?" Yugi whimpered, "What's wrong…The shadows are gone! You should be back now!" Yugi cried, as Alexa failed to move.

Yami gaped. Why wasn't she better? He had done it…he knew he was capable of it.

"Alexa…" Yugi sniffed. "NOOOO!"

Yugi was shoved violently back into reality. He found himself crying back in actuality as well. He quickly shook his head to knock off the tears before Yami saw…

Yami noticed, but didn't say anything. All he'd get from the smaller boy was more tears. He didn't want to cause more of what there was already too much off. But…what could they do? Even he, in his own world…he knew nothing. He had no more knowledge now then he had back in the future.

Or did he?

He tried to rack his brain for any knowledge he hadn't known before. But with his heart so sunken deeply he couldn't concentrate for very long. And even if he did, if he did find something he hadn't known that he knew now, how would he know? It would just seem natural. But it made no difference. He couldn't try to find his own answers without first having everyone safe. That would be selfish…helping himself before everyone else.

Yugi started to go into a state of deep thought…which was both good and bad. It was good because he could think of important things…like how much of a chance did he really have to find Bokura? To free Alexa? To get back to the future? It all seemed so foreign now. Well, the future did anyway. It seemed natural…even the jerky tasted good. It was bad, though, because now he wasn't paying enough attention to where he was walking…he kept tripping over his own feet.

Yami knew it was late. Now was the time when Yugi was probably the most awake…in his mind, anyway. Physically, he was half asleep. And since he was carrying Alexa, that only worsened the conditions that they were in. He figured that it would be wise to stop for the night, that way they could sleep when it was cool.

Yugi tripped again. Yami knew that they had to call it a night.

"Yugi…let's stop for now. We'll continue in the morning." Yami said.

Yugi nodded, and eagerly propped Alexa against a convenient nearby tree so he could rest. He wasn't glad to be stopping, since that meant it would take longer for them to rescue the innocent girl they had in tow. But, his feet were killing him, and he was happy not to be the one to ask if they could stop.

Yami sat down on the one side of the tree, next to Alexa. Yugi sat on the other, gazing again into the night. Yami did know that one thing about Yugi: this is when he thought the best.

Yami ate a piece of the jerky. The flavor was sort of spicy, nothing drastic. But that was the first time he had eaten it-or anything, really- since he had been Pharaoh. What had he done, though, to imprison himself within the now lost millennium puzzle? Did he know? He couldn't be bothered to search his mind.

Yugi stared into the constant flow of the river. It was the only sound that he heard besides Alexa's gentle breathing and the rustling Yami made getting the jerky from the bag. Did Yami learn anything from returning here? Did he remember anything at all? Would he be able to resurrect someone from the shadow realm? It seemed almost impossible. He couldn't imagine it, anyway. But Yami, the Pharaoh…he had many secrets that he himself hardly knew. His mind was a maze of questions and false answers. Was it possible that what they knew, or thought they knew, was false? It couldn't be, he was the Pharaoh after all…

"Yami?"

"Yes, Yugi?" Yami asked, wondering if he would be able to answer his other half's question.

"How…how is it that you can only use some of the powers of the millennium puzzle? Why can't you use the rest? Do you even know what you're capable of doing?"

Yami thought for a moment. It was one of the many questions that had been asked by both Yugi and himself many times, and yet was never addressed directly. He knew he had once been capable of great power…he just wished he knew what it was. "I am not sure, Yugi. I guess I really don't know what it is I can do."

"Do you think you can rescue Alexa from the shadow realm?"

"I hope so Yugi. I really do." Yami said quietly.

Yugi's mind was scattering, just from being so tired. He thought of a random, but quite possibly accurate, idea. "Why do you think Alexa's powers aren't ancient? Why do you think she got them just now, them supposedly being so powerful, why can she only use them when she gets reminded?"

Yami sighed. He was tired, too. But unlike Yugi, who got more talkative, he just wanted to fall asleep. "I don't know, Yugi. It's as big a question as why you and I can't use the millennium puzzles power to the maximum." Yami leaned back and closed his eyes. He was too tired to realize he could have possibly solved both the questions at once.

Yugi, however, caught on. "Wait, Yami what if…" Yugi stopped in thought.

Yami grabbed another piece of jerky. He might as well try and keep himself awake if Yugi was thinking so much. Hmm…was this piece teriyaki? (If you ever have eaten beef jerky, you know it comes in various spices. Teriyaki is really spicy. Just in case you didn't get that.)

"Yami!" Yugi said, piecing together a new possible puzzle. "What if both Alexa and our powers are linked?"

Yami swallowed the jerky. "What do you mean, Yugi?"

"You said it yourself! It's as big a question as why we can't use our power to the maximum."

"What…Yugi, explain yourself. What does that have to do with anything?"

"Well…if we can't use our powers, even when we call on them, and Alexa has all the powers, but is unable to call them…" Yugi stopped, seeing if Yami got it yet.

It took the exhausted Pharaoh a second to think, but suddenly Yugi made sense. "You mean, you think that…Alexa's powers…" He said this pointing to Alexa. The beef- or as we learned, sheep- jerky was making him hyper. "And our puzzle?" He said, pointing to the both of them, a confused look about his face, as if he still didn't get it.

"Yes! Yami, I think that the Millennium puzzle…I think Alexa has its powers!" Yugi finally stated what he had been trying to say all along.

Everything grew silent. Even the river seemed to get gentler for the occasion. If what Yugi said was true, then that would explain all and everything. It would explain there lack of power, Alexa's lack of control…everything.

Alexa cried a silent tear. The pain…it was growing. Every second the shadows seemed harder to fend off. She couldn't stand it much longer, she knew she couldn't. She closed her eyes. It couldn't get any worse then this. She felt a cold substance land and melt on her face, and then multiple times the sensation occurred all over her. Her eyes shot open. It was…of all things…as if it couldn't get any worse or colder….snowing in the shadow realm. Of all the strange phenomenon's she had ever seen happen, snow won the award for the cruelest side of a normally kind weather event. Alexa began to shiver. She couldn't remember a time she was this cold. On the contrary, she never became that cold ever…well, usually anyway. Alexa suddenly shook with cold that caused her teeth to rattle with uncontrollable force. This time it actually hurt. She opened her eyes once more to find that even more of her was lost to the shadows. She dropped to her knees into the newly fallen snow. The pain…it was beginning to grow unbearable. She tried to stand, but it hurt too much. She couldn't stop…it all couldn't end now. No, she had to go on. Alexa tried to stand once more, but with each attempt more of her energy was spent. Yugi… The one who had helped her… Yami… the one to whom she had so much to prove… Would all there trouble be in vain? They wouldn't be able to escape without her half of the powers. Alexa found that with every word she thought, every move she made, she lost more energy. No…it wasn't when she did something. The shadows had grown strong enough to engulf her… Not yet…Alexa tried to clear her mind, not think of anything…It was the last idea she had to save herself. One more chance…One more…

Yami thought silently for a moment. But why would Alexa have there powers of the Millennium puzzle? Although it would explain a lot, it made little sense. "But, Yug…" He stopped. Yugi was leaning against the tree sleeping. He sighed happily. Finally, the boy was in a state of peacefulness for the moment. He figured that he had better rest, too. Who knew what the next day might bring?

He stared up at the stars. There were so many…much more then you could see back in the future, in the city. The future…Yami gently shifted into sleep. Even he couldn't stay awake, after the long day he had.

The next morning, Yugi awoke first. When he realized that Yami was still sleeping, he thought it was kind of weird. It was the first time he ever saw Yami in a state where he wasn't on guard. But, as soon as he thought those words, Yami blinked and awoke as well, and in no time at all it was as if he had never been sleeping in the first place.

It was quiet. The river seemed to be making a louder noise then last night, as if now that it was daylight and it was ok to be louder. Yugi, still drowsy, knew that they'd have to get an early start if they were to catch up with the enemy. He almost laughed when he saw Yami once again eating the jerky, it seemed to be the most innocent thing his other half ever did, and since he normally didn't eat back home, well, you couldn't help but to grin a little, especially when he had to tear a piece off with his teeth. Yugi grabbed a piece to eat as well. He hoped maybe if he ate now, they could save time later.

Up to this point, neither of them had said a word to each other. Yugi had thought twice to be impatient and ask to travel, and Yami appeared deep in thought. But the both of them knew that time was running out, and they'd have to hurry. Yugi was eager to go, but afraid of maybe interrupting something important.

Yami looked up at Yugi. Although his stance held the same "unbeatable" aura as always, his eyes looked troubled. Was it possible he finally did care about Alexa after all? Or was it the idea Yugi had had the night before? Whatever it was, it obviously had much value to the Pharaoh to have him as he was.

"Are you ready, Yugi?"

"Yeah…"

"Are you sure?"

Yugi hesitated. Why was he asking him if he was sure, after all they had done yesterday? Did he get the impression Yugi didn't want to go on anymore? Whatever it was, the confusion of the morning wasn't helping.

"Yes. Let's go. We can't waste any time." Yugi said, gently picking up the paralyzed girl.

Yami nodded, and picked up the bags. They once again headed off in a direction that was completely chance. They still didn't know if they were heading in the right direction or not. Yugi hadn't said anything about it, still not knowing for certain if this would lead them to Bokura and the thieves who had stole Alexa's soul.

Alexa hadn't traveled far before she fell to the floor. That burst of drained energy it took way more then the others. Suddenly, she couldn't hold on any longer. Her eyes closed, her breath was slow. Her heart beat quickly, as she breathed a little slower. Then it was slower, both her heart beat and her breathing. She drew in her last breath before she blacked out. She was gone.

Both Yami and Yugi felt the sudden emptiness of Alexa's soul.

"No! Alexa…" Yami said quietly, not sure of what to do.

"Alexa…is she…she can't be…gone…" Yugi managed under his tears. "It can't be!"

Yami felt a strange feeling of guilt inside him, something he had never expected to feel from Alexa. He knew that know he had to avenge her: for her help, for his grudge he had against her, and for her ultimate loss. "Yugi…" He said, trying to comfort his other half. "This means more then ever we must continue."

Yugi managed a nod, and began to walk ahead. Yami felt the sorrow grip at his heart, but right now, at the least, there was nothing he could do.

It's easier to run…replacing this pain with something numb… it's so much easier to go, then face all this failure all alone…

Alrighty, time for the best part of any author's story writing: Answering reviews! And no, I'm not being sarcastic. Anyways, Please keep up the reviews! I want to beat Chicary's number of reviews- I mean go against her in a friendly competition! laughs nervously So, please keep up the reviews! I love to reply to them all, and I hope you love to review my story. It makes me happy. smiles

LoneWolfPrincess: Yes, it was interesting, wasn't it? Somehow, I think that the "love triangle" you are thinking about, may just become a reality. Wow, bishies fighting over you? That's cool. thinks Now, what exactly is a Bishie? out loud Ok…I'll keep the squirrel warning in mind. I always did think they were up to something…thanks again for the review! And peace to the coconuts!

DevilDo1169: First year of high school? That must be a little fun, right? Good luck with it! I'm sure you'll do well. Yes, I also missed the SOS's, but now there back! Thanks a ton for the review!

lime333: Yeah, they did get over the sand dune. I just didn't know how you would describe doing so, so I just kind phased over that part. It's all part of author license! Yeah…the pie again…I kind of got that. Anyway, thanks for the whole thing about me beating 70 reviews! I'm glad to know you'll help, at least! Thanks for the review, "my number 1 fan"!

Yugis Lover Girl: I'm glad you liked this chapter! You are lucky to have a teacher who lets you check your emails! Mine wouldn't even think of letting us do that. Thanks a bunch for the review!

Thank you also to No one, who reviewed my 4th and 5th chapters. Figured I should thank him/her. So please, people, review! Because when you review, everyone wins!