Once Upon a Dream

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh no matter how much I would like to.

Authors note: Thank you for reading my story. Read and Review!

Story Description: AU Serenity and Joey have always told each other everything? Right? Everything, except for one secret that happened after they were separated. And what happens when this "secret" comes back into Serenity's life after all of these years? SetoXSerenity.

Chapter Fourteen:

A Proposal for a Happy Ending

Serenity heard a loud crash as she let go of Seto's kiss outside he house. The curtains were fluttering. Joey must have been watching and fainted. She thought.

"Well, goodbye Seto." Serenity said unwillingly

"Goodnight Reni." He drove off in his Ferrari and headed towards his house.

Serenity walked inside and dragged Joey to his bedroom. "Goodnight Joey," As if hearing her, Joey started snoring.

Serenity made her way to her bedroom and wrote in her journal before continuing with the painting. After finishing she looked at the clock. Three in the morning. She made her way to the bed and collapsed on the sheets.

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It had been a few weeks since prom. Tristan remembered that night, he went with Miho and left early because he couldn't stand the sight of Seto and Serenity. He was able to ignore them for a little bit, but when they chose them for some award and they were supposed to share a spotlight dance, he had decided to leave before he got sick. Miho wasn't exactly a perfect date anyways, she was flirting with any guy she saw standing alone.

"What's the plan now?" Tristan said to no one in particular, "She didn't run to me when Joey was trapped in the Shadow Realm during Battle City, so targeting him won't work. I was almost positive that attempting to kill that pretty boy, Kaiba, would get her, but that plan went down the drain."

The anvil-haired youth sat in his ratty apartment overlooking the slums of Domino. The news was currently on, but muted, and Tristan sat on a worn recliner in his boxers, staring off into space.

"That's the problem," he concluded "If hurting the people she cares about doesn't make her run back to me, nothing will." Tristan's attention shifted to the glowing box before him.

He grabbed the remote and un-muted the report.

"And now for something having to do more with gossip around town more than actual news," The reporter said with a chortle in the back of her throat.

"Rich boy…" Tristan sneered as the camera focused onto Seto Kaiba.

"Thank you for agreeing to meet with us, Mr. Kaiba. We all know you're not too fond of the press going into your personal affairs." The woman said with her half laugh again.

"Well I thought it'd be safer to say it myself rather than have gossip start about." By his tone, or rather lack of tone, in his voice Tristan had a hard time believing it was his idea.

The camera zoomed out and focused again. Tristan almost fell out of his chair.

"Now who is this?" The reporter said with a smile.

Serenity nudged him with her elbow and Kaiba glared at her until he gave up the argument.

"This is Serenity Wheeler." The next part seemed to come more easily than anything he had said all night "My girlfriend."

Tristan choked on his Mountain Dew. He had a feeling that they were officially dating, but that they were announcing it on TV was surprising.

"You heard it, mystery solved citizens of Domino. Seto Kaiba is now a taken man. Sorry ladies."

Tristan shut the TV off. He hated the thought of them together.

"Fine," he said angrily "If I can't have Serenity. No one will."

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"See that wasn't so bad." Serenity grinned

"I hate those leaches so much," Seto said coldly

"It was at least after dinner, that way they couldn't follow us."

"Yeah I guess so." He grunted

"Come on, it's getting late." Serenity checked her watch

"Ok,"

They jumped into his black Ferrari and headed to Serenity's house.

Seto pulled into the driveway and said softly "Goodnight Serenity."

"Goodnight Seto." Serenity said with a kiss

Serenity disappeared into her house and Seto took out a small box from his pocket. He opened it up and fingered the ring inside nervously. "Maybe tomorrow night," he replaced the diamond and sapphire ring and drove off towards the mansion.

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Serenity listened to the sound of Seto's car drive then continued with brushing her hair.

This felt sort of strange, the perfection of things. It was only a couple of weeks ago that Seto got out of the hospital and he was complaining about too many people making too big of a fuss over him.

"He never has wanted help doing things. Always by himself. Always." Serenity sighed, not realizing she had talked aloud.

And now, now, things seemed almost too perfect. She was happy and in love, and Joey was starting to get used to Seto. Seto had thrown her a fabulous 18th birthday party a couple of days ago. Better yet, Tristan hadn't showed up at school, which was now over, since Seto got out of the hospital.

Serenity turned out the lights and cuddled up in her comforter. Falling asleep to the lullaby of Joey's snoring in the next room, she completely ignored the prickling on the back of her neck; the peculiar feeling that somebody was watching her.

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"Wake up Sleeping Beauty," A man's voice rasped from the blackness.

Serenity's eyes fluttered at the sudden noise before slowly inching them open. She tried to sit up, but she was paralyzed, she couldn't move anything except her eyes and mouth.

"Don't even try to move. I injected you with a muscle relaxant, right into your lower spinal cord." He sounded on the brink of laughter. He quickly added, "A pretty strong one at that," He laughed this time.

Serenity recognized that laugh; it was Tristan who was hiding in the shadows. "Where did you take me Tristan? And what in that messed up head of yours made you think kidnapping me will win back my heart?" Serenity snapped.

"I don't. I gave up on that a long time ago. Now, I figure, if I can't have you…nobody can." He said it almost too calmly.

She could never think Tristan would kill her. I've heard of going crazy over a girl, but this is ridiculous! I think he really has gone insane! Serenity thought.

"Oh, but don't worry," he continued "in about a minute you'll be able to move everything except your legs. Then, when you die, you can feel every shred of pain I've had to go through because of you."

Serenity could feel the relaxant start to wear off, the sharp pains that you usually felt when a body part woke up after being numb. Tristan walked over, gun in hand, and helped her sit up.

"Now shall we talk, I know you don't want to die, so, I'll prolong it, I might enjoy a little conversation for once." He said smoothly as he sat behind Serenity, propping her against his chest.

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Seto walked over to the phone that just woke him up. Who would be calling now? Who in their right mind would be up! He thought to himself.

"Hello?" He said wearily

"Kaiba! I didn't know who else to call." It was Joey on the other line

"What is it Mutt?" Seto replied coldly

"It's Serenity, she's gone! Kidnapped. It was Tristan."

"What!" Seto screamed

"He's at one of your warehouses, number three. He has a gun, Kaiba. He's going to kill her." Joey waited "Kaiba? Are you still there?"

Joey hung up the phone and heard a motorcycle pull up in the driveway. He walked outside to be greeted by a helmet being thrown at him. "That was fast, Kaiba."

"Just get on," He replied coldly

"Fine, fine, hold your thousand dollar pants." Joey put the helmet on and sat down.

"Oh nice one, Wheeler." Seto rolled his eyes as Joey sat down. "You better hold on,"

"You mean put my arms around your waist? You have to be out of your mind!"

"Unless you want to fall off, you're going to have to. Do you think I planned this?" Seto snapped

"No, I refuse to." Joey crossed his arms

"Listen, do you want to get Serenity or not!"

"Fine, but this is for Serenity." Seto pulled out of the driveway "This doesn't get mentioned at all, like it never happened, you hear!"

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"Hmm, sounds like Joey squealed to the cops." Tristan said in that calm, unwavering voice again. The sirens were going off outside and a cop with a blow horn was commanding orders.

"So, what are you going to do now? You surely must have planned something if the cops came." Serenity taunted. She wasn't afraid anymore, she had come to realize that what happened tonight just happened, and she couldn't stop it.

"Yeah my plan was to just get what I came here to do, done. Then I would try to run. If running didn't work I'd just surrender." Tristan was smiling.

How is he smiling? Why would be smiling at the thought of killing someone he supposedly loves? He really has lost his marbles.

"We're giving one minute to drop the gun and surrender!" The cop commanded.

"Ok, then we'll have a count down." Tristan was on the brink of laughing like a madman.

Serenity felt the gun push up against her back; pointed right at her heart. Her back arched itself in a silent protest to the pressure, but Tristan just pushed the gun closer, and harder.

Seconds seemed like hours as she sat there whispering a silent prayer.

"Ten," Tristan spoke out loud.

"Nine," Serenity whispered a wish.

"eight…seven…six," Tristan grinned wickedly.

"five…four," He tightened his trigger finger.

"three," a tear streaked down Serenity's cheek.

"two," Serenity closed her eyes.

"one," She heard the clicking of Tristan preparing .

"zero--"

Serenity's muscles tightened as she heard a loud thump and she collapsed. She wasn't dead, but why?

She twisted her torso and looked behind her. Tristan was knocked out cold, breathing as if he was asleep. Looming above him was Seto, staring at her, concerned.

"Are you alright?" He kneeled down beside her.

"Yeah, I guess so. I'm sore, that's it really." She gave him a smile.

"Can you walk?" He asked, seeing the fact she had not moved her legs.

"He gave me some muscle relaxant, so no."

"Well then, I guess I'll just carry you." He flashed her that warm smile he had earlier that night.

"Where's Joey?" Serenity asked as they walked out of the back entrance.

"I don't know, maybe the cops are asking him some questions."

"Oh," she sighed "I don't feel comfortable at home alone. In fact not at all."

"Tell you what. You can come back to my place until you feel like going home again." He kissed her forehead.

"That'd be nice," She relaxed a little.

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Tristan opened his eyes and saw Seto and Serenity disappear out the back, "That son of a…" He said rubbing his head "What'd he do, use a sludge hammer!"

"No, his hand. I'm not that strong though, so maybe I'll just use this." Tristan turned to see Joey holding his gun.

"Put that down. You don't want to kill me." Tristan lost his mellow unwavering look.

"Goodbye, old friend." Joey pulled the trigger and Tristan hit the ground, wide, glazed, eyes staring at the ceiling.

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"Now that all that cop business is settled…" Seto said as he sat Serenity down on the couch.

"What now Mr. Kaiba?" Serenity mocked.

Seto kneeled down on one knee. "I've been trying to do this for a month now, and tonight, I was so scared that I'd never see you again, that I could never do this." He looked nervous.

"What are you talking about Seto?"

"Serenity?" He started digging in his pocket before drawing something out.

"Yes?"

He opened the little box from his pocket and heard Serenity gasp. "Will you marry me?"

Serenity had her hands over her mouth. She was on the brink of crying and laughing from joy. She regained her composure just long enough to say "Yes!" and fling her arms around him.

The End

Post Authors Note:

Thank you for reading my story. I am sorry, and I regret, this is the final chapter. I know, I'm sad too. If you guys have any ideas or suggestions for a story you would like me to write, I'd love to hear them. Please don't post ideas in your reviews, but e-mail them to me instead. I love you guys! Read and Review!

See you next story!

Tschuss!

-Toxic