A/n: This will be the only chapter for the weekend but I'll post two more on Monday.

Nightfall2525: You're very close actually, There's a twist I have plotted out.

Forever in Darkness: The Trial part two, Anzu testifies

'.'...'.'...'.'...'.'

Anzu was the next to be called and Seto watched her intently as she walked up.

''

"Let's start with Friday night. What happened leading up to your 'encounter' with my client?"

"I got off of work at three PM as I usually do. I work with Yugi part time on Fridays at the high school as a study assistant for the juniors. I walked Yugi to his home..."

"The game shop correct?"

"Yes, he lives in the apartment above it. His grandfather owns the building."

"And where is Mr. Mutou's grandfather?"

"He's over seas in America visiting a close friend, Arthur Hopkins."

"Now, you didn't actually see Mr. Kaiba until around eight when you arrived, am I correct? Why were you so late getting home?"

"Yugi is still quite in love with me even though we've broken up. We frequently get into arguments about it and I was there arguing with him...he tried to kiss me and I pushed him away."

"Were you and Mr. Muto ever sleeping together?"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Just answer the question."

"I don't care to."

"Well you have to."

"No I don't, it's not relevant."

"I'm the one who says if it's relevant or not and as long as you are under oath you must answer all questions asked you honestly."

She jumped, a startled cry escaping her lips as Seto slammed his hand on the table and stood.

"It does not matter whether or not she and Yugi had that kind of relationship, it's pretty clear that they were, they were living together. Stop dragging this out."

"Mr. Kaiba sit down!"

Seto sat quietly and Anzu stared at him.

"Very well. Describe in detail what happened when you returned home."

"I walked up to my door roughly at eight thirty and reached into my purse to get my key when..."

"So you didn't have your key out when you got to the door? Do you think you might have been able to get away from Mr. Kaiba if you had your key ready?"

"I suppose so, but it's a quiet neighbor hood, some of the people that live on that street don't have locks on their doors...I by no means expected to be assaulted at my doorstep by Mr. Kaiba, a man whom I haven't seen in over four years and have never known personally."

"What did Mr. Kaiba say to you when he walked up?"

"He was standing in the shadows and..."

"Please Miss Mazaki spare the dramatics and tell us what he said."

"Good evening Anzu. I've been waiting for you. Usually you arrive home at a quarter of six after walking Mutou home. I'd say you went to the store but you have no bags with you."

"Then what happened?"

"I politely asked him what he wanted and he..."

"Why were you polite?"

"Because I'm a nice person and up until just two weeks ago I never had any reason to be impolite."

"Continue."

"He pinned me against my door and took the key out of my hand, throwing it into my front yard before I could unlock it."

" And that's when he replied simply 'You'?"

"Yes."

"And then what?"

" He slid his hands under my shirt and ran them up my back and..."

"Did he ever touch your breasts or any other places that would hint a desire to you?"

"No but he..."

"Than this is not when the first attempted assault occurred?"

"No it was when..."

"What happened after you..."

Seto once again slammed his hand down and stood.

"If you interrupt her one more time I'm firing you! You are clearly intimidating her, now back off!"

Anzu stared at him in total shock.

He obviously thought he'd win this without attempting to confuse or frighten her, but why did he care?

His next words scared her.

"Actually, I don't like how you're handling any of this and there's nothing I can't stand more than an inept servant...especially when I'm wasting my hard earned money on one. You are fired and I further request permission from the judge to defend myself."

Bakura stood.

"Absolutely not! He's put her through enough, you can't possibly expect her to be able to sit through being interrogated by him!"

The judge slammed his gravel.

"I'm calling the court adjourned for the day. Who ever you are, I don't want to see you in my courtroom for the duration of this trial! And as for Mr. Kaiba, I instruct that you find another lawyer as quickly as you can. Until then you may proceed defending yourself."

As soon as she got the okay Anzu flew back to Bakura who was waiting for her at the door.

They sat on a bench just outside the door for a few moments until Anzu could calm down enough to have to put up with the reporters again. They stopped on the stairs, listening as Seto was interviewed.

"When were you released from jail?"

"Two days after I was put there."

"What about the allegations that you stalked her before this?"

"I did not stalk her, it was easy enough to determine her pattern."

"Are you admitting that you actually did kidnap her?"

"No, as I said before, I did not believe I was really hurting her. I was lied to and I allowed my greed to bring me down. But I also had no reason to believe that this stranger intended to hurt her either. I have nothing personal against or for Miss Mazaki and I'd like to keep it that way."

"Why were you defending her in the courtroom?"

"I want a fair trial and if the man defending me is deliberately frightening her that will eventually be pinned on me and the last thing I need is harassment nailed to my charges. The quicker this ends the better it is for everyone."

Anzu screamed suddenly as shots were fired from the roof directly at her and Bakura.

Three were fired near her feet and a fourth just missed her ear.

A fifth shot hit Bakura in the chest and sent him spiraling to the ground.

Seto was standing over them in half a second and shielded a sixth from hitting her with his briefcase.

He pulled her back as paramedics surrounded Bakura.

He let go of her and she fell to her knees, reaching out to Bakura as he was put into the ambulance and driven away.

"Bakura!"

Seemingly out of nowhere Ryou stepped in front of her.

She looked up startled as he spoke.

"Anzu, are you alright? Who was shooting at you?"

She threw her arms around him, sobbing as he pulled her up.

"I don't know! Bakura he's..."

He quieted her with a soft finger to the lips.

"I'm sure he'll be fine. But are you okay? I was just coming around the corner when they started to shoot, it looked like you came very close to being shot yourself."

Pharaoh glanced at Seto who was still standing behind her.

"Kaiba...don't you think you should be going?"

Anzu jumped at the voice and turned as Seto replied.

"I guess I should be, but my parole officer ran off. If I have to wait here I might as well make sure no one else gets shot."

Anzu stared at him as she felt Ryou's arms come around her protectively.

"Kaiba-san you..."

He looked away.

"It's the least I could do...after the night I put you through. We shouldn't be talking...the press will start wondering."

He looked up at her.

"Oh and Miss Mazaki...I'll try not to bring up anything too touchy tomorrow and I'm sorry about my lawyer, he was way out of line."

She nodded quietly and Ryou walked her away, Pharaoh following closely behind.

'.'...'.'...'.'...'.'

Bakura opened his eyes and looked around to find Anzu sleeping uncomfortably in a chair next to him.

She woke suddenly as he began to sit up.

The bullet had struck the right side of his chest and lodged into one of his ribs.

To Anzu's relief the doctors had told her that he should be fine in a few weeks and released by Friday.

She pulled the chair close and took his hand as she brushed his hair away from his face.

"Do you feel okay?"

He shook his head.

"It hurts. I forgot what pain feels like. But I suppose that's a good sign. What in the hell hit me?"

Anzu closed her eyes, trying to stop another onset of tears.

She'd cried for three hours while Bakura was in surgery.

"It's called a gun. Some one shot at us from the roof. Seto he...shielded me from a bullet that was aiming for me. The police are going to escort Yugi and I tomorrow. I wish you could be there with me."

He gently squeezed her hand.

"Take Ryou with you. He's always happy, he'll comfort you better than I can."

She lifted his hand to her lips and laid soft kisses on it.

"I don't want Ryou...I want you. Ryou can't hold me like you can."

He smiled softly, pulled her hand to his lips and kissed her sensitive wrist.

He smirked as she swayed a little; he loved making her weak.

"I know. Go back home and get some rest. I'll be okay."

She looked up into his eyes and shook her head.

"I'm scared to go home alone."

He opened her hand and kissed her palm.

"Anzu...please don't make me worry about you. Before you go, I want to tell you something."

She stood and looked down at him.

"Yes?"

He smiled and pulled her down into a kiss.

"I love you."

She smiled brightly.

"I know."

He looked up at her confused.

"But how?"

Her smile faded a little as she spoke.

"When Seto was holding me like that, and you threatened to take me, the look in your eyes wasn't lust...it was pure love. The kind of love that Pharaoh showed me when he first came back."

He looked away.

"I made myself sick that night. I couldn't understand why it bothered me that he spoke about you like that. The look in your eyes actually hurt me too. And when you cried out in anguish, I felt so guilty. Then last night when you were sick, I realized that I wasn't angry that Pharaoh had interrupted us, but that he had hurt you."

She closed her eyes tightly.

"You really had me scared Bakura. I thought you'd lied to me. I felt safe until you threw me into his arms. I have never been so afraid of someone in my life...but at that moment, I truly was as afraid of you as I am of him. Swear to me and mean it that you will never do anything like that to me again."

He nodded.

"I swear and I mean it, that I will never hurt you like that again. Go on now, I'll be here tomorrow when you get back. How long will I be here anyway?"

She looked into his eyes for a moment.

"The doctor said about a week. Hopefully the trial will end tomorrow...though I'm really not looking forward to being questioned by the man I'm accusing. He scares me enough just being in the same room."

He looked thoughtful for a moment.

"At least he can't try anything while you're in the courtroom."

He reached up and gently laid his hand on her cheek.

"Everything will be alright. If I have to take you away by the end of this than we'll go to the ends of the earth if that's where you so desire to go."

She slipped away from him and turned at the door.

"Sleep well Bakura. I'll come by again in the morning if I can."

He smiled softly as he watched her leave.

'Ra, please protect her while I cannot.'

'.'...'.'...'.'...'.'

Anzu slowly approached her steps to find Ryou sitting there.

He was actually a welcomed face and she couldn't help smiling.

He however looked very worried.

"Hello Ryou. What brings you here?"

He glanced up at her and gave her a weak smile.

"I have to confess something to you and I'm really afraid that you're going to hate me after this."

She looked concerned as she ushered him into her living room.

"There's not much that could make me hate you, you've always been a very good friend."

He looked away as she sat on her couch.

"I won't sit because I'm sure that when I tell you you'll make me leave anyway..."

She looked up at him and shook her head.

"I don't think so, but tell me. We can't be friends if you keep things from me."

He looked into her eyes, genuine regret burned into his.

"I heard about the journal today."

Fear began to rise in her.

"Ryou you're not the one who..."

He shook his head.

"No, I didn't send it to him but...Anzu when I first met you I had such a bad crush on you. You were beautiful. You showed me friendship when everyone else was afraid of me. I thought I'd never see you again after the fiasco in my apartment with the capsule monsters game. I really wanted something of yours that would remind me of you and so I followed you home one day and snuck in while you were taking a shower."

She stared at him in complete shock as he continued.

"I didn't look at you or anything like that but...your journal was laying on your bed, you'd just finished writing about how darkly handsome and mysterious Pharaoh was...you'd called him the shadow master. I took it and I kept it. And then three weeks ago it went missing from me."

She stood and he turned to leave but she caught his arm.

His eyes were wide with surprise as she hugged him tightly.

"You aren't angry that I stole your journal in the first place."

She shook her head.

"Actually Ryou this may have been much worse if you hadn't."

He looked startled.

"What do you mean?"

She looked away.

"I think I know something but I'm not sure."

She closed her eyes, shuddering as the thought passed her mind.

"What if Pharaoh did this? What if he was the one who called Seto? He's turned into such a different person. And what really scares me is that whoever did this knew I was talking about Seto. When I wrote it I really thought it would be romantic but I was just a young girl then. If you hadn't taken my journal..."

He looked into her eyes and placed his hands gently on her shoulders.

"This might have happened sooner."

She began to shiver.

"I don't know, but I really need to sit down. This is just too much to handle in one night."

Ryou walked her over to the couch as tears began to well up in her eyes.

"I wish Bakura was here."

He looked into her eyes as he sat with her and brushed away her tears.

"But Anzu...I am Bakura. I am Ryou Bakura. We aren't as different as everyone thinks we are."

She nodded and closed her eyes.

"I know but...I need someone to hold me. I'm so scared."

She jumped as he softly took her hand and spoke in a whisper.

"Anzu...Just while he's gone, will you let me comfort you?"

She looked up at him confused.

"What do you mean?"

Without a word he leaned over and kissed her.

"Pretend I'm him. Let me love you, let me hold you and kiss you. I promise that I'll never hurt you."

She gently pushed him back and stared at him for a moment.

"You know that I'm not interested in you right?"

He looked away for a moment but suddenly knelt before her and took her hand, kissing it gently before he spoke.

"I don't care...I just want to hold you and be close to you. It hurt so bad when you chose him over me. Let me be his substitute."

She took a deep breath, having no idea what to say.

Now that he'd grown up they looked so much alike and she knew how easy it would be for her to forget that he wasn't the same Bakura.

She wondered if her Bakura had known of Ryou's feelings.

"You won't expect any kind of a relationship out of this? I really just need a close friend right now."

His face lit up and he nodded with a smile.

"I promise you Anzu, I won't stand in your way if he's really the one you want. I can do anything you ask me, I can be anyone."

He sat next to her again and gently pulled her into his arms.

"If it's Thief King Bakura that you want...than that's who I'll be."

She sat up with a start as he began to purr like Bakura had.

"What's wrong?"

She shook her head and leaned back into his arms, closing her eyes.

"I just forgot that you were listening to most of my conversations with him. You weren't there when..."

He shook his head.

"I sealed myself into his room...it's a useful trick when I didn't want to know what he was doing with my body. But forget about it, it's almost midnight and you have a very long day tomorrow."

She nodded and sighed deeply as he continued to purr and held her closely.

Soon she fell asleep and he lifted her into his arms, carrying her up to her bed.

He lovingly pulled down her comforter and covered her with it before sitting beside her.

He closed his eyes and leaned down, so close to her lips that he could feel her steady breathing and whispered.

"When you want Ryou...just let me know and I'll be him too."

And took her lips gently with his before leaving the room.

He closed her door as he left and leaned against it with a deep sigh.

'I'm always three steps behind aren't I? To think...you just might have been mine. Anzu, you have no idea how lucky you truly are...I only wish you'd love Bakura and I.'

'.'...'.'...'.'...'.'

Anzu woke the next morning to Ryou stroking her hair as he watched her.

He immediately flashed his signature smile and spoke in a chipper tone.

"I was wondering when you would wake up. You don't feel anything in your sleep."

He laughed softly as he stood.

"Or hear anything apparently. Yugi's already here"

She sat up, looking at him oddly.

"Why didn't my alarm go off?"

He pressed the back of his hand to her forehead.

"Well that's a good sign. You're not warm. It went off three times already. I figured I'd better come and wake you so you aren't late. The news channel said they've delayed the trial so it won't start until after lunch."

She smiled and placed her hand on his.

With Pharaoh she felt sad and sometimes dirty the way he talked to her, and with Bakura she felt sexy, like she was worth the world.

But with Yugi and Ryou she felt like just herself.

They made her laugh and even though she'd known for a long time that Ryou was in love with her, he never made her feel uncomfortable like Pharaoh had in recent days.

He smiled back at her and kissed her cheek.

"Hungry? I made breakfast...pancakes from scratch!"

She giggled and nodded as she finally saw the apron he had tied around his neck and waist.

"Ryou you're too cute in that!"

He blushed suddenly.

"Oh well, um, I hope you don't mind that I borrowed it...I hadn't expected to spend the night but I didn't feel right leaving you alone."

She gave him a confused look as she stood.

"Where did you sleep?"

He chuckled slightly.

"On the couch of course! I stayed up really late cleaning up a bit. Bakura can be a real slob sometimes."

She looked up seriously suddenly.

"Ryou...could you do something for me when the trial is over?"

He nodded, softly touching her cheek.

"Anything."

She placed her and over his and closed her eyes as he pulled her closer.

"I want to burn it."

His eyes went wide suddenly, a fear he wasn't unaware of rising up in him.

"The journal but..."

She looked into his eyes.

"You don't need it anymore Ryou. You've told me how you feel and now you know I'll be around for a while at least. It's just full of memories that I want to forget anyway. We'll make a new journal...together, the two of us."

He smiled softly.

"I'm being silly. It would be much better for you if it was gone."