Chapter 34

Fall Out

Anzu waited in line at the grocery store. As usual the cashier was taking an extra long time ringing the people in front of her. She sometimes wondered if people like that did it on purpose. When you get paid by the hour you don't care if you help five people or fifty. So Anzu looked around trying to find something to distract her during the wait. She read the signs over the counter and the names of all the candy bars on the rack. That was a mistake because it only made her crave chocolate and she couldn't eat that stuff and keep her figure. Then her eyes wandered to the tabloid pages. 'Let's see,' she thought. 'Who's getting a face-lift or cheating on their spouse this week?' Amongst all the trashy stories about Bat Boy joining the army and Michael Jackson's latest scandal, one paper caught her eye. She couldn't believe it. She picked the tabloid off the rack and flipped through it looking for more pictures and details. She was so absorbed that she didn't even notice that the line had moved and the cashier was impatiently waiting on her.

"Miss?" The cashier called. Anzu didn't move so she called again, louder this time. "MISS!"

Anzu snapped out of it and put her basket of groceries on the counter. "And I'll take this too." She said as she tossed the tabloid on the pile.

The boys had already assembled in the designated coordinates and awaited Anzu's arrival. Joey stretched and yawned to express his sleepiness. When Anzu appeared he had to ask, "okay, what's so important that you call us out here so early on a Saturday morning?"

"You're not going to believe this. I was in the check out line at the grocery store yesterday and guess what I saw?" Anzu began to tell her story.

"Snickers, Chap Stick, Pre-paid phone cards..." Honda was so tired he just rattled off anything that came to mind.

"Better than that!" Anzu pulled out the paper she bought. "Guess who the trash papers are talking trash about?" She flipped open the paper and flashed the cover at them. "Kaiba!"

"No way!" Joey was fully awake now. He grabbed the paper and checked out the cover while Honda looked over his shoulder. "Ha! That guy's finally getting his just deserts."

"It's amazing they haven't picked on him before." Honda commented as he watched Joey flip through the pages. "But wait, it's not really saying anything bad about him. I think they're more in shock that he has a girlfriend."

"He has a girlfriend?" Yugi couldn't believe it. This was one of the cases where Yugi's height was a huge detriment to him. As they passed the paper around and pointed out pictures he couldn't get a clear look at them. He was just too short.

"Hey, listen to this," Honda said. "It says here that the guy who took these photos thought that he was taking pictures of Aston Kutcher. He didn't know it was Kaiba until a couple of weeks later."

"Well, he does look a like Aston Kutcher." Anzu commented.

"It's funny, but I don't think the tabloid was that interested in him, I think they were more concerned with his girlfriend. They're pretty certain she's that model, the one no one knows her real name." Joey suddenly drew a blank.

"Kaiba would be dating super models." Honda showed a bit of jealousy.

Joey pounded on his head trying to dislodge the early morning cobwebs. "The I.T. Girl! Yeah, that's the one. They say she's the I.T. Girl."

"What!" Yugi leapt forward and snatched the paper out of Joey and Honda's hands. In a panic he tore through the pages looking at the pictures.

"Gee, I didn't know you were so interested in Kaiba's girlfriend." Honda commented about Yugi's sudden and rude behavior.

"That's not Kaiba's girlfriend, that's my girlfriend!" Yugi nearly shouted.

"Wha?" Joey exclaimed in confusion.

"Anna's the I.T. Girl. She does the advertisements for her Uncle's company." Yugi's fists crushed the sides of the paper. "And this is her in Italy with Kaiba!"

"She wouldn't do that." Honda asked. "Would she?"

"She was gone for two weeks." Joey pointed out.

"And I saw her talking to him at the tournament." Suddenly everything made sense to Anzu. Why she was talking to him. Why Anna knew so much about him. Why Kaiba hesitated when she asked him out? He already had a girlfriend. The more she thought about it the bigger the pit in her stomach got, and the angrier she got. She poured her heart out to Anna, and she stomped on it.

"You didn't tell us that." Honda inquired to Anzu.

"I didn't think much of it at the time. She said she happened to run into him. I didn't think she knew him."

Joey put his hand on Yugi's shoulder to console him. "I'm sorry man."

"Now, wait." Honda added. "Yugi, you should listen to what Anna has to say. You can't jump to conclusions. You know how these trash papers like to lie. Maybe they manipulated the photos; some of them are kinda blurry. Maybe it's not even her."

"It's her." Yugi said in a low angry tone.

Yugi camped out on Anna's doorstep all day. He went there straight from his meeting with the others, but she wasn't there. She had either gone out early, or as Yugi feared, she spent the night somewhere else. It didn't matter; he wasn't going anywhere until he got some answers. He couldn't keep his eyes off the photos in the paper. The more he looked the more certain he was it was her. He even thought he recognized the dress she was wearing. 'She looks so happy.' The photos spilled over in his mind. 'How can she be so happy with him and not me? I bet she dressed like that just for him. And her hair...she never wears her hair down for me. I can't believe she did this to me.'

The ghostly figure of Pharaoh appeared on the step next to him. "Perhaps I should be the one to confront her." Pharaoh skipped the pleasantries and got to his point.

Yugi looked over at him. It was obvious that Pharaoh was angry, even more so than Yugi was. "It's my responsibility; I'll do it."

Pharaoh wasn't sure Yugi was up to this task, but he saw the determination and anger in his eyes. "Then promise me you won't take any of her excuses. She has a habit of talking you into doing things. She can be manipulative and she'll try to twist this to her benefit. You can't let her. Whatever you do, don't back down."

"There is no way in hell she can talk her way out of this one."

Yugi sat there a while longer, all the time flipping the paper over and over again in his hands. He eventually had to fold it up and set it to the side before he tore it to shreds. Why wasn't she home yet? Where could she be? Or more appropriately, who was she with? He wondered why she never gave him her cell phone number? She had told him once that only her Uncle had the number, but there were times when someone called her. She would always provide some distance from him to talk, but by the way she smiled it couldn't have been her uncle. The facts were piling up now. Every time she couldn't see him because she had some appointment. And all those 'errands' her Uncle sends her on. And why she sometimes doesn't come home at night. She had been playing him for a fool.

He was so lost in thought that he didn't even see her approach. "Hey Yugi!" She said in her normal cheerful manner.

Yugi glared up at her, "We have to talk."

Anna had never seen Yugi so mad before. Sometimes she wondered if he even could get mad, he had always been so sweet. But today... "Okay, come up stairs." She led him up to her apartment. He practically stomped each step as he walked up. This did not bode well. She figured he must have found out about her and Pharaoh's little rendezvous. So as to not disturb the neighbors, she made sure they were completely in the apartment and the door shut before she spoke again. "I know you're upset about what Pharaoh and I did."

"This isn't about Pharaoh." He snapped at her.

His tone frightened her. "Then what's going on?" She said cautiously.

"What's going on?" Yugi took the paper and threw it on her coffee table. "This is what's going on!"

Anna looked down at the paper and it's caption title 'High Tech Guy and the I.T. Girl'. And there was a picture of her and Seto on their picnic in the Roman Forum. The picture wasn't of the greatest quality, but it caught them in a very compromising position. She just stared, she was in shock. Finally she found some words to explain. "This isn't how I wanted to tell you."

"So it's true! You're not denying it?"

"It's not what it looks like." Anna couldn't stop looking at the picture.

"Then what about this!" Yugi flipped to the article and pointed consecutively at the pictures. "And this! And this!"

Anna couldn't believe it. Each photo was worse then the next. She didn't realize that they looked like that to observers.

"It looks like his hands are all over you!"

"Please let me explain."

"What's there to explain, you've been cheating on me!"

"No!" Anna finally looked up from the paper and at Yugi. Her eyes pleading to be heard. "I would never do that to you."

"Then what do you call spending two weeks in Italy with another man?"

"We're not having an affair. We're just friends."

"How can I believe that?" Even though Yugi didn't want to listen, he still wanted to know. To know why she did it, what she did, and for how long. He wasn't like Pharaoh, he believed he had to show mercy to find mercy.

"How long have you been seeing him?" Yugi had calmed down now.

Anna sat down in a chair. She looked at the ground, she couldn't face him. "I met him a couple of weeks after I got here. That day at the duel center."

Yugi couldn't believe it. He took her there, so he was partially responsible for their meeting.

"He challenged me to a duel." Anna continued submissively. "I was impressed and so was he, so we met again. And eventually we became friends."

"Kaiba doesn't have any friends."

"I'm his only one."

"Then you don't know him very well."

"But I do!" Anna met Yugi's gaze again. "I know him better than anyone. I know what kind of music he likes, his favorite foods, and how he takes his coffee. He's so devoted to Mokuba that he can't deny him anything. And he's funny. People don't realize how funny he is. He just puts up that rough facade to protect himself. Inside he's generous and brave. He's someone I can talk to about business, and stock reports, and stupid old movies. I feel like I've known him all my life."

The passion in which Anna spoke about him made Yugi even angrier. She had to know the truth; "can't you see he's using you?"

"How can you say that?"

"Because he uses everyone. That's just the way he is."

"It's not true. He's just misunderstood. People are just intimidated by him because he's so intelligent."

"Believe me Anna, he's after something."

"What could he possibly gain from befriending me? Sun Oil? I'm not going to give it to him and I won't let him take it."

"Isn't it obvious? He's after you. It's all some sick game to him; he's trying to tempt you to his bed."

"He's been a complete gentleman. He's never done anything..." Anna hesitated for a second as she remembered their last night in Italy. "I've never even kissed him. He knows his limits and he respects them."

"And what were his limits this day?" Yugi picked up the paper and flashed it at her.

"It looks bad, but nothing was going on. Those pictures are taken completely out of context. We were just playing around."

"It starts like this, but then it gets more serious. Then after he gets what he wants he'll throw you away like garbage."

"You make him sound like a monster."

"He is a monster! I've seen the horrible things he's done to get what he wants."

"I can't believe that."

"If you don't believe me then ask Grandpa. Ask him what Kaiba did to him. Why he ended up in the hospital."

"He hurt Grandpa?" Anna said softly. She didn't know that. She shook her head. "No, he might have been unscrupulous in the past, but he's different now, he's changed."

"People like him don't change."

"Yes, yes they do. He risked his life to save mine. He wouldn't have done that if he were only trying to use me."

"When did he do that?"

"When that man attacked me in the parking garage." Anna trailed off again; she had been suppressing her memories of that day. It hurt too much to think about it. "If he hadn't been there...that man would have...he would have raped and killed me."

Yugi had little sympathy anymore. "How do you know Kaiba didn't set the whole thing up so he could be a hero?"

Anna hadn't thought of that, but she quickly dismissed it. "You didn't see the beating he took for me. He has scars with my name on them."

Yugi dipped his head, "I'm afraid for you Anna. I'm afraid of what he's going to do to you."

"He's not going to do anything to me."

"That's because I'm not going to give him the chance." Yugi glared at her with determination in his eyes. "I don't want you to see him anymore."

"What?"

"I want you to call him and tell him that you're never going to see him again."

"I can't do that. I won't."

"I'm doing this for you."

"No, you're doing this for yourself! Because you can't handle it."

"I have never asked you for anything! But I'm asking now. Stay away from him!"

"How can you ask me to give up my friend? I've never asked you give up your friends."

"My friends aren't trying to steal my girlfriend!"

"What about Anzu?" Anna said bluntly.

"What does she...?"

"You don't think I see the way you look at her?" Anna's eyes were beginning to pool with tears. "You don't think it hurts me to know how you feel about her? You never look at me that way." The tears flowed freely now. "So don't you dare tell me to give up my friend unless you're also willing to give up Anzu. That's only fair!"

Yugi was ashamed. He hadn't thought she knew about his crush on Anzu, but he guessed it had to have been obvious. He shook his head. He realized that Pharaoh was right. She had found a way of twisting this back onto him, making him feel like the bad guy. He had to stand his ground. "It's not the same thing, and you know it."

"You don't understand what you're asking. You want me to give up to not only a valuable business connection, but my sanity as well. I need someone I can talk to, someone who understands me when I ramble on about stock quotes and industrial mergers. I'm sorry Yugi, but that's not you. Seto and I are cut from the same cloth; we're kindred spirits. He's my best friend!"

Yugi closed his eyes and hung his head. He knew she meant what she said, but he also knew Kaiba. He wanted to protect Anna, but perhaps she would just have to learn for herself how evil he could be. "Why do things between us have to be so hard?"

"I don't want them to be." Anna said between sniffles.

"I've made my decision." Yugi said with determination. "I hope you can respect it." With that he stood up and left.

Anna sat in that chair and cried for a long time. The room grew dark around her as the sun set. She had a lot of time to think about what he said. She knew why he did what he did, but that didn't make it any easier for her. How could she tell Seto that she couldn't see him anymore? And if she could, he wouldn't listen. He'd want to know why, and she would have to tell him. Then the fighting would start. Seto wouldn't be willing to give her up, no matter what she or Yugi said. He would do anything he could to defeat and disgrace Yugi, trying to win her back. Anna didn't want them to fight for her. She didn't want it to end like that.

She dried her eyes long enough to find some food. She hoped that it might clear her head, help her think. But she found she couldn't eat, she didn't have the strength or the will. She felt broken. Pieces of her were tossed and scattered like unwanted toys. She wondered if she could ever be whole again. And the conclusion she came to was that she couldn't be whole because on piece would always be missing, Seto. He was part of her soul now. The piece that made her laugh and smile, the one that made her fight to excel. He was her inspiration, and she couldn't give him up.

Anna put down her plate and decided to face her fears. She picked up the paper Yugi had left and read the article. She read it repeatedly. She tried to play out the entire scene in her head. Trying to figure out what she was thinking, why she did want she did. The result, she wasn't thinking. She went on instinct, and instinct was wrong. Her flirtatious nature finally backfired on her.

The knock at the door surprised her; she didn't expect anyone this late. She opened the door to find Yugi, or more precisely Pharaoh. Normally she would have been excited to see him, but not tonight. She was certain he had some choice words for her also, and his weren't going to be as nice as Yugi's.

"Yugi I..."

The backhand across her face came as a complete shock. The force from the blow sent her to the floor where she palmed her face in pain.

"I don't underst..."

"Silence!" Pharaoh demanded and Anna obeyed. He walked in the door and loomed over her. "I don't want to hurt you Anna. But you have to learn your place. And it is by my side, not in front of me, and not in the arms of another man. Do you understand?"

Anna nodded her head shakily as she scanned the floor, trying not to make eye contact with him.

He bent down and grabbed her face, directing it toward him. "You're going to do what you're told. You're going to walk Yugi to and from school everyday. Then you're going to spend all evening with him doing whatever he wants. And if he asks you to do something, you'll do it with a smile. And..." He put great emphasis on this point. "You're never going to see Kaiba again!" He forcefully released her face from his grasp and stood up. "Unlike Yugi, I'm not asking, I'm telling you." He walked out slamming the door behind him.

Anna lay there sobbing on the hard floor. She couldn't believe what just happened. How did her life come to this?

Author's Notes to the reader: Okay I took a little liberty with Pharaoh. But you have to remember that the anime glorifies him as this really nice guy, but in the manga he has a very dark side to him. So please don't stone me. Also I thought I would address some issues. First, welcome back Spirit Seer. I was worried. Second, I've gotten a complaint that Anna's too perfect. Well, she kinda is, at least on the outside. She puts up a good front. She wants people to think she's perfect with this perfect life, but she and it aren't. You'll see this more as time goes on. So please stick around. Also Anna kinda has to be perfect. Do you really think Kaiba would fall in love with someone who wasn't perfect? He's got some pretty high standards. It wouldn't work otherwise. Oh, and wanted to drop a hint. Everything that happened to Anck-su-namun 3,000 years ago will also happen to Anna in a similar manner, ei Pharaoh punished her for going into the city unguarded and he similarly punished Anna for betraying him. So pay careful attention to the flashbacks. I hope this wets your taste buds and doesn't spoil too much of the plot. And thank you everyone for your reviews, I'm glad to know someone out there is reading.