Take Me Away to Paradise.

A/N: Chapter four! Woo! Grr, it keeps getting rid of my page breaks for some reason, so if you notice that there seems to be no space in between sections, ignore it!

Disclaimer: Do I have to? Sigh. Okay, I own absolutely nothing but a lot of fanart and a tiny little Seto and Jou made of plasticine that I created. They're very frightening, and are just blobs, really. They don't even have features! Or hair! Okay, I'm gonna shut up now.

Reviewer Responses: Thank you all so, so much for reviewing! You make my day!

stellaluve: I am so sorry! I didn't get your review until after I posted that! Which is weird…yeah, it's easy to feel bad for poor, poor Jou. I hope you like this chapter!

Raelyn-Mage: (notices the tears and feels monumentally awful) I'm sorry! I do feel bad! I will save him! Or a certain blue-eyed brunette will!

Jibby: Thanks for comforting me! It is for the story, but I feel so mean! Aw, thank you! You're so sweet! I hope you like this chapter!

Nanashi: Do you know, I think that's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me! You're so kind! This chapter is for you, 'k? Hope you like it!

KatrinaKaiba: Mwa ha ha! I have the power! Yeah, I am mean! Don't worry though, it will get better! Not yet, but…soon!

astalder27: Aw! That's such a sweet thing to say! Thanks for your sweet review! I hope you like this chapter!

okami wind: What a pretty name! Yeah, sorry about that! The next in the series is mostly romance, with a little humor and minimal angst! Thanks for your review!

maggiemay: Aw! Thanks! It's great to get positive feedback! I hope you like this chapter!

o.o: Lol, I'm so sorry! It's about to get worse too! Thank you so much for your review!

mooopower: Lol gotta love that name! Aw, thank you! I'm so glad you like it! Hope you enjoy this chapter!

Flame Swordswoman: Hooray! I love your fanart! Yeah, I have your 'Rage of the Phoenix' picture in a frame on my wall. And people say I'm weird! Lol!

Aw, thank you, I'm so glad you like it! Yes, I have read your story! It's brilliant! Unfortunately, I can't review (damn this computer!), so I will now! So…good…love how you did Seto's death! It was so haunting! I loved it!

Thank you so much for your great review! I hope you like this chapter!

Phew! On with chapter four! MAJOR Seto OOC-ness, but I don't care! Woo! Let's just say a radioactive compassion spider bit him! Permanently!

Chapter 4.

Seto looked morosely out of the window. He just kept thinking about his poor abused puppy, and what may be happening to him right now……

Eventually, he could stand it no longer. He pulled on his white trench coat, and ran down the stairs. He left a note for Mokuba, who was spending the evening at a friend's house, and walked out of the door.

It was extremely cold outside. Seto shivered, and pulled his coat closer around him. He knew vaguely where Jounouchi's apartment was, having secretly followed him home on many occasions, so he headed in that direction.

He was worried. Worried about what Jou's father was doing to him. Jounouchi had never mentioned anything about his father to anyone, but he often came to school with new bruises, and new excuses as to how they got there. He didn't fool anyone anymore. Seto sighed. Jou was either extremely brave, or just plain stupid to not tell anyone. He settled on the thought that Jou was very brave; it took a great deal of courage to live with an abusive parent.

"I should know," he muttered to himself.

His dark thoughts were interrupted as he caught sight of a figure staggering in his direction. A very familiar figure.

His heart lurched as he recognized his puppy in a terrible state. Jou was clutching his stomach, and limping.

Seto's eyes widened as Jounouchi stopped, and started to fall to the ground. He ran forward and caught the blonde before he hit the cold concrete. Jou looked awful close up. His face was covered in cuts and bruises, and he looked like he had extreme difficulty breathing. His mouth was leaking a little blood, which was a really bad sign. Tears were gently falling from tired honey eyes.

"Oh my God…Jounouchi…" Seto felt tears spring to his own eyes. "Jou, puppy…can you hear me? What happened to you?"

Jou looked up, seeming to only just notice that he had stopped walking. His eyes widened slightly as he saw who held him so gently. "Se…to? Help…it hurts, Seto…"

Seto closed his eyes to stop the tears escaping. "Its okay, Jou. I'll help you."

"Didn't…know…you cared…"

Seto smirked at Jou's response. "Quiet, mutt, or I'll leave you here."

Jou laughed. It quickly turned into a harsh cough, and blood spattered from his lips. Seto quickly wiped it away. "Oh, puppy……don't worry, I……I'll get you help, I swear."

Jou smiled, and gave way to the irresistible darkness flickering at the edge of his vision. The last thing he saw before everything turned black was Seto's anxious face.

Seto realized that Jou had fallen unconscious, and breathed a soft sigh of relief. Now he could help his puppy without the worry of causing him pain. He lifted the blonde duelist into his arms, and wondered what to do.

'I can't take him to hospital. It's too far away. As is my mansion……' he thought to himself. 'Where would Jou feel safe……I know! Yugi's game shop!'

Seto started to run, noticing that Jounouchi was far too light for his age. He realized angrily that his puppy's father probably spent what little money they had on alcohol instead of food. He soon reached the Kame Game Shop, and banged on the door with his elbow. The door opened, and there stood Sugoroku Motou, Yugi's grandfather and the owner of the game shop. Sugoroku, always polite, smiled at Seto, then noticed the still figure in his arms.

"Oh, dear Lord, Jounouchi…" he gasped. "What happened to him!"

"I have reason to believe that his father did this to him." Seto said softly. Sugoroku nodded sadly.

"Please bring him inside, Seto."

The brunette nodded, and brought the shivering boy into the warmth and calm of the Motou house. Yugi's grandfather helped Seto to lay the injured blonde down on the couch.

"I'll get Yugi and Yami." He said softly, and left Seto to watch over Jou. He gently brushed the golden hair from his puppy's sweating forehead. He laced his long fingers through the shining locks, a tender, desperate gesture that would have brought tears to the eyes of anyone watching. He sighed. How he had dreamed of running his hands through this hair…but in a very different situation.

'Jou……' he thought to himself. 'Please be okay…'

He moved his warm hand to Jou's pale, cold one, trying to warm him up a little. Jounouchi was so cold…who knew how long he had been out in the freezing weather?

He heard the door open behind him, and spun around. Yugi stood in the doorway, an expression of complete and total horror on his face.

"Jounouchi…"

Seto stood back as Yugi ran to his best friend, starting to sob, and frantically calling his name.

"Jounouchi? Jounouchi-kun? Jou! Can you hear me? JOUNOUCHI!" he sobbed desperately, kneeling down next to the still form.

Seto could clearly understand why Yugi was so frightened. Jou looked like he was about to give up and die any second. He was deathly pale, covered in cuts and bruises, and icy cold. His breathing was harsh, and choked, and blood fell from the corner of his mouth.

Seto bit his lip, holding back more tears. In an unusual (but not impossible) show of compassion, he put his hand gently on Yugi's trembling shoulder. To his surprise, his long time rival (well…sort of) spun around and hugged him, burying his head in Seto's chest. The brunette boy wasn't sure how to react, but his own misery drew him to place his arms gently around the sobbing form. He tried his best to comfort Yugi, until he felt a strong hand on his shoulder. He turned around, and handed the sobbing teen over to his grandfather. Seto heard the door open, and saw Yami stride in, and catch sight of Jou. The spirit's eyes widened and he ran to the couch where his best friend lay.

"Oh no, Jounouchi!" he cried. He knelt beside Jou and closed his eyes. A brief glow surrounded them both, and he gasped. He stood, and turned to everyone in the room.

"Jounouchi is in a very bad way…if he doesn't get help, he will die…"

There was complete silence in the small room, broken only by the harrowing sound of Jounouchi struggling to breathe. Then, Yugi broke away from his grandfather's embrace and ran to Jou, wailing in despair. Yami caught him, and held the grief-stricken boy against his chest. Yugi struggled for a moment, then let himself be hugged.

Seto turned to Yugi's grandfather, shock dulling his eyes. "Please…call an ambulance…"

Sugoroku nodded and ran out of the room. Seto looked at Jounouchi, who had shifted, and was beginning to wake up. He moved quickly over to the couch as Jou's eyes opened slowly. The blonde boy looked around, and his exhausted amber gaze rested on Seto. He smiled a little, and Seto ran to him.

"Puppy…are you okay!"

Yami and Yugi knelt beside their best friend. Yami felt the blonde's pulse, and Yugi held Jou's trembling hand.

Jounouchi sounded like he was trying to speak, but started to cough up blood instead, which Seto gently wiped away. Jou looked at each of the people surrounding him, and started to speak quietly.

"Yugi……Yami…Seto…thank you……good………bye…………"

His eyes slid closed, and his rasping breath slowed…then……

Stopped.

Wah! JOU! Erm…don't kill me for the cliffhanger…heh heh……all I can say is that this is not the end! Please review!