Chapter 23

Things to Remember

Anna sprung straight up in bed. The dream she had had jolted her awake. She couldn't remember what about it frightened her so, like most dreams it had faded from her mind very quickly. The room was dark but there were a few torches lit so she could see. She realized that she didn't know where she was. It was a massive room with columns and she was on a bed with a fabric-lined canopy. She clawed at her clothes, a white linen gown, trying to see if they were real or if she imagined them. A hand gently touched her arm.

"Another nightmare?" Said the voice that accompanied the hand.

Anna turned to find Yugi lying on the bed beside her. No, not Yugi, it was Pharaoh. It suddenly made sense to her. She wasn't in her time, she was in his. This was Ancient Egypt. She wasn't sure how she got there and she didn't know what to do.

"Come here." Pharaoh pulled on her arm to encourage her.

Anna laid back down and Pharaoh wrapped his arms around her. His embrace was so warm, so inviting. Anna nuzzled her face into his neck and chest as he kissed her forehead.

"I'll chase those bad dreams away." He whispered softly.

Anna didn't know it could be like this. That she could feel so comfortable and safe. But she still wondered how this all came to be. At least it would give her the opportunity to find some answers to what Anck-su-namun said.

"Do you..." She hesitated a moment. "Do you regret our marriage?"

That question took Pharaoh by surprise. "Is that what these nightmares are about?" He spoke softy to her. He used his hand to lift her face up so he could look into her eyes. "You're beautiful and intelligent, and the most compassionate person I have ever met. Although neither of us had a choice of who to marry; there is no one I would rather have by my side." He leaned in and kissed her. It was a deep and sensual kiss. It sent vibrations though Anna's body. She had been kissed before, but this was so intense and personal, it was like nothing she had ever experienced.

He broke the kiss and stared deeply into her eyes. "You should try to get some sleep; we have a busy day tomorrow." Anna nodded slightly. He held her tight. It was amazing how he could put her at such ease, make her feel so safe. Perhaps it was the fact that she knew he loved her, maybe that is what made her want so much to be there, at that moment, in that place, with him. Before she knew it her eyelids were getting heavy and she dozed off.

Her eyes fluttered as she came out of her slumber. She rubbed them to make them focus.

"So you're finally awake." Said the familiar voice.

Anna opened her eyes wide to see Seto sitting in the side chair. She was lying on the couch in the living room.

She stretched; "I had the weirdest dream."

"Is it one where you're standing on the top of pyramid in sun god robes and women are throwing pickles at you?"

Anna just shook her head.

"Why am I the only one that dream?"

He said it in such a deadpan voice that Anna couldn't help but bust out laughing. Seto was trying to be so cool, but her laughter was contagious and he was forced to join in. Anna was laughing so hard tears were trickling down her face. She picked up a pillow off the couch and hurled it at him in the chair. He successfully blocked it and retaliated with his own pillow. She deflected it from her main body, but it grazed her face.

She lifted a hand to cover the impact area. "Oww, you hit me!" She was still laughing when she said it.

"Well, that's what you get for snoring." Seto teased.

"I don't snore."

"Yes you do."

"You're making that up, because I know I don't snore."

"If you never sleep then how do you know you don't snore?"

"I just know, that's all."

"And who told you that? The Tooth Fairy? Santa Claus?"

"Technically it was the Easter Bunny, but that's not the point. I do not snore."

"Next time I'm going to record your sorry butt snoring and prove it to you."

"Who says I'm going to give you another chance?"

"You're going to force yourself to stay awake just so I won't be able to catch you snoring again?"

"What again? There was no first time."

"You just won't believe anything I say. If I told you that a giant meteor was going to crash into the Earth and destroy every living thing, would you still argue with me?"

"I don't know. How much proof do you have confirming this alleged meteor impact?"

"See, that's what I'm talking about. Why must you always fight me?"

"Because you're the only one I know that will fight back."

Neither of them expected such a profound statement, nor did they ever understand each other better than they did at that moment.

After a brief silence Seto shook his head. "We've been spending too much time together. We're beginning to bicker like an old married couple."

Anna laughed at that thought. "That's funny, I can't imagine you being old or married."

"You don't think a woman might find me appealing enough to marry?"

"On the contrary, once someone gets to know you, they will find you very appealing. I just think you'll have a hard time finding a woman that will satisfy your intellectual needs."

"Are you saying I'm too smart for my own good?"

"I'm saying that your highly intelligent and not every woman can match wits with you."

"You can."

"Ah, but I won't marry you."

"And why is that?"

"You're not my type."

"I'm not your type!" Seto scoffed at the idea. "What exactly is your type?"

"For starters...I prefer blondes."

Seto just laughed at her.

"With an accent." Anna pretended to have a far away dreamy moment. "I do love a man with an accent."

Seto just laughed harder.

"Okay then, what is your ideal woman like?" Anna retaliated.

Seto slowed then stopped his laughing. He thought for a second then answered. "You're right, she'd have to be intelligent. I wouldn't want someone dumb. I wouldn't even care what she looked like as long as she was smart." Seto thought that comment might win him brownie points with Anna, but it backfired on him.

"I've got a hideously ugly third cousin with a PhD. You want her number?"

"Does she like brunettes?" Seto joked back.

Anna laughed at him. "Oh hey, you could always go the way of other multi-millionaires and have a wife and numerous ex-wives."

"Oh no, ex-wives are too expensive. They'd take me to the cleaners."

"But dear, that's what a pre-nuptial agreement is for. You have to protect yourself and your assets. I'd never get married without one."

Seto paused for a moment. "No, I think if I ever marry it will be once or never. You either find the right person or you don't."

"I didn't know you were such a romantic."

"It's not romance, it's logic. Why marry someone you don't love? Without love you're dooming it to fail."

'What did he say?' Anna asked herself. Sometimes Anna thought he was the smartest person on the planet. He was so wise for his age. Something so complex like love and relationships to Seto was a simple equation. Love equals happiness. Why couldn't Yugi understand that? Why did he have to blame her for what happened? Why didn't he just say he was sorry and hold her hand? That's all he had to do. Anna knew then that she had to make up with Yugi. She couldn't stay mad at him forever. Things like this would put a huge strain on their marriage. She would go see him tomorrow, but she wanted him to apologize.

Seto could see she was getting distant. He knew her by now. It was his sign to change the subject. "What was your dream about?"

"Oh," Anna snapped out of her thoughts. "Ya know, it's funny. We started talking, and I've completely forgotten. Don't you hate when that happens?"

Anna was lying, she remembered every second of her dream. It was so real she couldn't even call it a dream. She wondered if it was her imagination at work or if Anck-su-namun was trying to reach her again? This time by letting Anna experience a moment from her own past. If so, then this new piece of information didn't help Anna solve the mystery. She still didn't know what mistake Anck-su-namun made. And if she was right, Seto had the answer. But how could Anna find the answer when she didn't even know the question?

"It's been two whole weeks since I've seen her! Two weeks!" Yugi complained to his friends. "She won't return my phone calls, and her neighbor says she hasn't been at her apartment either. Where did she go?"

"You've got to give her time to cool off, Yugi." Advised Honda. "She went through something traumatic and then you two get in a fight, I'm sure she just wants to be alone for a while."

"I'm not sure you could call it a 'fight', she was the one who was yelling, not me." Yugi defended himself.

"Yug," Joey said. "That was a fight. My parents used to argue all the time before they divorced. So trust me when I say, that was a fight."

"Divorced?" The revelation hit Yugi. "Gosh if we're fighting now, how much are we going to fight when we're married? Are we destined to get divorced?"

"Did you ever think that maybe the two of you just aren't compatible?" Honda felt he had to pose the question. "Not saying that you aren't a great guy," He tried to correct his statement. "But you and Anna have completely different personalities."

"I don't get it. As friends we're great, but everything else is so messed up." Yugi was making himself more depressed with every word.

"I don't think girls are meant to be understood, Yugi." Joey added. "It's one of those great mysteries that make us guys miserable."

"Anzu, you're a girl." Yugi asked. "What's the secret? How do I get her to like me?"

Anzu had stayed quiet on this subject for a reason. "You could start by apologizing."

"Apologize for what?"

"For being a jerk! That's what!" Anzu steamed. "Something terrible happened to her and all she wanted was a little compassion from you. Instead you practically accused her causing it. She had every right to kick you out. And If I were her, I would have done the same thing."

Yugi realized that Anzu knew a few details that he purposely left out of his version of the story. "Wait a minute! Have you been talking to Anna?"

"She called me a few days after you fought. She was worried about you; she wanted to know if you were okay. That's when she told me everything."

"She was worried about me?" That perked up his spirit. "What did she say?"

Nothing much, she just wanted to make sure you hadn't thrown yourself off a bridge or done something stupid like that."

"Why didn't you tell me she called?"

"Yugi," Anzu looked him straight in the eye. "I'm your friend, but I am not your counselor or your dating service. There are some things you are just going to have to learn for yourself."

Yugi took her advice, although he would have preferred a quick fix to his problem. Yugi waved good-bye to the others as he went inside the game shop. The bell on the door chimed signaling his entrance. Grandpa was behind the counter rearranging a display.

"Oh Yugi, how was school?"

"Fine I guess. I got top marks on my mathematics test."

"Looks like Anna's tutoring has paid off."

That comment depressed Yugi again, "yeah I guess so."

A sneaky smile crept across Grandpa's face. "Well, you better go upstairs. You shouldn't keep her waiting."

Yugi's eyes got really big. "She's here?"

Grandpa nodded.

Yugi flew up the stairs, almost tripping over his own feet. He was relieved but so nervous. He didn't know if she was still mad at him or what he was going to say. He opened the door to the apartment above the shop and when he turned the corner he spotted her sitting at the dining room table. She had her back to him, so she didn't spot him right away. He approached cautiously like he was sneaking up on her. The squeak of the floorboard gave away his position. Anna turned in the chair and looked at him.

"Hi Anna." Yugi said. She didn't say anything back; instead she forced a small smile onto her face. Yugi thought that to be a bad omen. "You look good. You're face has healed pretty well." As soon as the words came out of his mouth he regretted saying them. 'Stupid! Why did I say that?'

Anna understood that he was trying, even if he wasn't very eloquent about it. "Thank you." She touched the side of her face for demonstration purposes. "The swelling has gone down, and what's left of the bruise I can cover with make-up. It still hurts a little, though."

"I didn't know where you went. I was worried."

"I'm here now." Anna had a hard time looking at him. Was it because she was still angry at what he said or guilt that when times got tough she ran to Seto. "I thought we should talk."

"I'd like that." Yugi pulled up another chair from the dining room set to sit next to her.

There was an awkward silence.

Yugi knew she was waiting for him to start, and he knew he had to say it. "I am so sorry. I was a jerk and I shouldn't have said what I did. You needed me and...I guess I panicked. I didn't know what to do."

"It's not complicated Yugi. All you had to do was hold my hand and tell me everything was going to be all right."

"I've never been in a relationship before. This is all so new to me."

"I'll let you in on a secret. There are no secrets. Just do what your heart tells you to do. That's all there is to it."

"I don't want us to end up like Joey's parents, divorced and miserable. Please let's never fight again."

"I don't think either of us can guarantee that, but I'm willing to try if you are."

A smile lit up Yugi's face. She always knew exactly what to say to make him feel better.

"Come here." She tugged on his sleeve to persuade him to get closer. When he did she wrapped her arms around him in a hug. He didn't hesitate to reciprocate the embrace; he felt so at ease that he rested his head on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry Anna. I won't let you down again."

"It's okay, we all make mistakes. Let's just hope we learn from this one."

She planted a kiss on his cheek before she parted from the hug. Yugi was happy as a clam and Anna was a little disappointed it. She was hoping to find more in that embrace. She wanted what she had in her dream, but she didn't get it. She was beginning to wonder if Yugi could even give her that sense of safety and love. Perhaps it wasn't him that she needed to get it from.

Yugi tried to find something else to talk about, something that he couldn't possibly get in trouble with. "You got a new computer?" Yugi pointed to the laptop that Anna was working on when he entered.

"Actually, this is your new computer. I bought it for you and Grandpa."

"Really?"

"Call it a peace offering."

"Thanks, this is great! Everyone is going to be so jealous."

"Yugi, could I speak to the pharaoh?" Anna's request came abruptly.

Yugi was a little shocked and disturbed by this request. They had just spent a moment together and now she wanted him to disappear so she could be with his alter self? "The other me? Why do you want to speak to him?"

"I have something to tell him."

Yugi disapproved but he felt she was being sincere and Pharaoh was is friend, he couldn't deny him. So he switched places.

Pharaoh's deep violet eyes gazed at Anna. "You wanted to speak with me?"

"I had another vision."

"What did you see?"

"It wasn't a lot, but I can tell you it was at night and you and Anck-su-namun were alone. She had a nightmare and you comforted her. You loved her very much. And I think she wanted me to know that. I think she wanted you to know that."

"I wish I could remember her."

"Maybe if I get enough pieces to the puzzle, together we might be able to solve it."

"Thank you Anna, thank you for everything."