Notes: Review and I will be eternally grateful. Thank you. I originally did not mean for this chapter to turn out the way it did, but, well, it did, and what can I do but go along and make it the best I can?

Warnings: Dark. Pain. Death.
Sleeping Demons and Crying Angels - Life, Cycle Of Three
"Bakura! You've returned!" The blonde Egyptian was besides himself with fake joy. "I knew you would." He walked slowly up to Bakura, and grinned evilly.

"Leave me alone," growled Bakura, glancing away. //Where is that blasted pharaoh?//

/Bakura!/

//What IS it, Ryou?//

/I'm . . . I'm - BAKURA! I'M SORRY!/

//Ryou, what's wrong? Ryou? RYOU?//

"Oooh, is poor Bakura worried about his host body? What has happened to you, my dear lover?" Marik sneered at the pet name he gave to Bakura.

Bakura growled, "What did you do to Ryou?"

"Oh, nothing, really. But I've only just made it so that he will be stuck here much longer than before. In his world, nothing they do can awaken him! You'll be stuck in here with me until I've hurt you enough to bring you out! The end is near, Bakura, so near." And once again, Marik pressed himself up against Bakura. "Tell me, do you realize you miss me yet?"

"Bastard. Get away from me, and get Ryou back to normal. I don't care."

Marik backed away, angrily, "So you're with the PHAROAH now?"

"I'm not with ANYONE," Bakura yelled back. "I'm BY MYSELF!"

"No, you're NOT!" Marik screamed. "You can have ANYTHING you want, just stay with ME!"

"Look at you two, screaming like kids. You two disgust me," Came a third voice.

There stood Yami, looking proud and tall.

Marik glared, "How can this be? I hurt both of you enough that neither of you should be able to move! What is wrong with you guys?"

"Our hosts care for us!" Yami said defiantly, "And for their bodies. They want to protect us." He turned to Bakura and held out a hand. "Bakura, join with us ," He said, meaning Yugi and Yami, "And you can trust in us. Please."

"I fight with no one."

/Ba. . . ku . . . ra . . . help . . ./

//Ryou? What is it?//

/I . . . can't . . . breathe . . . itai . . . it hurts . . ./

//What's wrong Ryou! Tell me!//

/Trust . . . in . . .Yu . . gi, please!/ Bakura could almost feel the pain his hikari was going through. It felt like someone was holding his heart and squashing it into the smallest thing, and then piercing it. He shuddered involuntarily, and the pain was gone. /He . . . . . he . . . trust . . ./

//Ryou! YOU HAVE TO TELL ME WHERE YOU ARE!//

/So . . . rry . . . . . ./

And then the hand was back, squeezing the life out of his body, twisting his insides, burning him from inside out . . . and then it was gone. Bakura blinked. His hand was turning transparent, like he himself was fading.

"Bakura!" Yami gasped, "What happened?"

Marik stared in awe. His mouth open in shock, he made no attempt to try to disguise his surprise by this all as he said, reverently, "It . . . worked!?

-=-=-=-=-=-

"No, Ryou!" Joey was sobbing. He was in the hospital again, with Yugi and Ryou, only they didn't know it, because they were both unconscious. Once again they were sharing a room with a blonde haired, tan skinned patient. "Oh, god, Ryou!"

The doctor by Ryou's bed looked gravelly at the sleeping form, before reaching over and gently pushing up Ryou's eyelids. Ryou's eyes stared back, glassy and lifeless. ". . . . I'm sorry," he said softly. "There is nothing . . . we can do." He reached out again, and made close Ryou's eyes for the last time, but Joey reached out a hand.

Silent tears streaming down his face, Joey turned to Ryou, and stared into his friend's eyes. 'Oh, god, Ryou, how did this all happen? When did it start, why did you hide it? Why didn't you let us help?' For a few long moments that seemed like an eternity, Joey stared into the lifeless brown eyes. Eyes that would no longer see. "Ryou!" He sobbed, finally unable to hold back his sorrow.

"There was nothing we could do," the doctor said apologetically, "Internal bleeding suddenly started up in his legs and arms, clotting blood . . . nothing short of a miracle could have saved him."

Joey rubbed the tears from his eyes, and glanced at Yugi for a moment. 'Thank god Yugi seems to just be unconscious, and not . . . not . . .dead . . .'

"Patient 3423, Ryou Bakura. Date of death, May 27th, 4:23 pm," The doctor said to the nurse, confirming everything into a strange reality. The tears on Joey's face shone even more.

"Joey!"

Joey turned around, and saw a familiar face. "Serenity!" He chocked out from between tears and tried to brush his eyes out of his eyes. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in your room?"

"The nurse told me you were here Joey, and I had to come see you." She ran up to her brother and hugged him. "I'm so sorry for you! The nurse told me!"

"Serenity. . . thank you," Joey sighed, hugging her like a lifeline, "God, how cruel is that? Ryou . . . he never did ANYTHING to deserve death . . . and especially not a death like this . . ."

"It's ok, Joey," Serenity whispered softly, trying to comfort her older brother, "He'll be safe."

Joey couldn't bear to think otherwise.

-=-=-=-=-=-

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM?" Bakura yelled, trying to grab Marik and shake him. His transparent form passed through Marik.

"I attacked him," laughed Marik, "I attacked him and he's dead now. He's bled to death. His body is worthless to you, but you can't stay here. Good bye, my friend."

"No!" Yami yelled, "That can't be!"

Marik smirked, "Ah, but it can."

Bakura closed his eyes tightly. //Ryou . . . no matter where you are . . . I can feel you . . . faintly . . . where are you?// There was no response. Bakura could see a picture of the hospital clearly in his mind. A bed, with Ryou's body on it, lifeless. No trace of life in the still-open eyes.

//Ryou . . . where are you? Where can you be?//

/I can be . . . no where . . ./ Ryou's voice was scared, alone. /Bakura . . . I'm so sorry, I don't know . . . I don't know what to say, or do, or anything. Bakura, I'm DEAD./

Bakura flinched at this, not noticeably, but he did nonetheless. //Your body is not fit for any soul right now, Ryou. Where are you?//

/I don't know . . ./

//Are you in . . . heaven? The afterlife?//

/I don't know/ Bakura could hear sobs coming from his hikari, and it hurt him even more than any pain Marik could try to inflict on him.

//Don't cry, hikari, it is ok.//

/There are . . . lights everywhere, and it's so bright, but still so dark and alone . . . there's no one here, I can only hear you. . . ./

Bakura opened his eyes slowly, and glanced at Yami. "Pharaoh."

"Yes, Bakura?"

"What happens when our host bodies are no longer available to us?"

"What do you mean?"

"Where has Ryou gone? Where has his soul gone?" Bakura yelled, loudly, frustrated.

"My, my, all this over a simple human. You are SO amusing," Malik said.

-=-=-=-=-=-

"Well, who would have expected this?" Joey's head snapped up at the sound of Seto Kaiba's voice.

"Kaiba!" He said in shock, "What are you doing here?"

"Well, duh, Joey, I brought him here. I suppose you brought Yugi?"

"Yes, but what does it matter? Ryou is dead."

"Dead!? But he can't be!" came another new voice. Isis stepped into the room, and went immediately over to Ryou. "Oh, Ra, he IS dead."

"What does this mean?" Kaiba asked quietly. Isis shook her head.

"Does he," Isis pointed to Joey, "know about this?"

Kaiba shook his head, and Isis quickly explained everything to Joey, who listened with Serenity in wide-eyed amazement.

"Now, what I haven't explained is that there are seven of these items. Ryou had just received his pendant . . . which . . . Ra! I think . . . I think . . " Isis ran over to Ryou and pulled back the covers bringing the Millennium Ring to view. It was glowing brightly. "Ra . . . in this item is Ryou's soul."

"Release it, then!" Joey said loudly, "Bring him back!"

Isis shook her head, "That would be impossible, I'm afraid," she said, "But at least it clears a few things up. Ryou's body will continue to stay here, but his soul will too. It cannot be released and go onto rebirth. Without this ring, Ryou would be reborn, and Bakura would be destroyed."

"You're kidding!" Joey said, unable to comprend everything.

"No, I am not." Isis went over to Yugi, and placed another item around his neck. "This is the millennium puzzle. It belongs to Yugi now. I have with me the other five items, but I must give them . . ." She paused, and noticed for the first time who lay in the third bed. "Malik?" she whispered.

"You know this guy? He's been passed out all this time," Joey said, trying to take a stab at normal conversation.

"He is . . . my brother . . . and he is going to further complicate this . . ." Isis whispered, tears coming to her eyes, "It's starting all over again and I didn't do anything to prevent it!" She closed her eyes, and brought out another Millennium item, the millennium rod. "Malik . . . evil reborn . . . death to you . . . my brother . . ." She tapped him once with the rod, and it glowed brightly.

"What does that mean?" Kaiba demanded.

Isis sighed heavily. "Malik is the cause of your friend's demise."

-=-=-=-=-=-

"Without a body to go to, and with half your soul missing, what will become of you Bakura?" Marik sneered. "Do you still continue your pathetic cries of 'I work by myself', or do you realize I can help you?"

"I don't need help," Bakura maintained, crossing his arms stubbornly. "Dammit, I don't need any help at all!"

Yami ran over to Bakura, "Here, I think you should know this. I know where Ryou's soul is. It is trapped in an artifact of sorts, doomed to stay there for all eternity."

"And why is that?" Bakura demanded.

"Because his body is unable to host a soul, and even if it could, you'd be forced to possess it, since he has left. Even if that doesn't make any sense, it's the truth."

Bakura fell to his knees, and muttered, "He's gone?"

"He's still there, but that's about it. He'll stay there until his body is better, and then you'll possess his body and he'll be able to come here." Yami explained.

Bakura closed his eyes and sighed heavily. "Ryou . . ." he whispered, "I don't know you . . . that much . . . and you seem weak at times . . . but you were there for me the few times . . . I don't blame you."

/Thank you Yami. I . . . ummm, well, I hope you like my body when you get it./

//Thank you hikari, I realize this must be hard on you.//

/That's a little understating it/ Ryou's response came with a weak laugh and cry. The sound of it made Bakura, who didn't even flinch when he saw a person cut off their own head, weak in the knees.

//I wish I could help you, hikari.//

/I know. I wish I could help you./

-=-=-=-=-=-

"So then let's talk to this little bugger and get him to fess up!" Joey screamed, "I want answers!"

Isis frowned, "I wish it were that easy. He is in a deep sleep and being controlled by his yami. There is, sadly, nothing we can do for him. He is destined to be evil, and Yugi is destined to be good. Ryou was . . . born in the middle and . . . it tore him apart. . ." She bowed her head.

Yugi blinked and sat up. "Joey? Where am I?"

Joey smiled at the sound of his friend, "Yugi! You're alive!"

"Of course I am . . . why wouldn't I . . am I in the hospital again?" Yugi paled slightly.

"Yeah . . ." Joey nervously shifted from foot to foot, trying to think of a way to break the news to Yugi. "And . . . Ryou came here too . . ." A lump was forming in his throat again, and he almost started crying again.

"Kaiba? Who's the lady? Why are you two here? And what about the puzzle around my neck? It's interesting, but why?" Yugi asked, trying to put off asking about Ryou. He had a sick feeling in his stomach. He had heard Yami. Finally, he had to ask "How's Ryou? He should be alright, I know, he's really . . . he doesn't . . . he never . . ." Tears started falling out of Yugi's eyes. "He didn't deserve to die."

"You know?" Joey asked, "How?"

"I heard from my Yami . . . oh, I didn't want to . . . I wanted to think it was . . . anything . . . maybe I didn't hear right . . . I don't know . . Ryou. . . ." Yugi pushed back his covers, and silently walked over to Ryou's bed, and looked at his friend. Ryou's eyes stared back at him, unseeing eyes, glassy, lifeless.

"Yugi?" Joey said tentatively. Yugi didn't move for another minute, and then he bowed his head and turned around.

"Ryou . . . " He began to wish his friend a blessed rebirth, or afterlife, but Isis cut him off.

"I'm sorry, but he won't be reborn, and he isn't going to the afterlife," she said, "I know this will be a lot to absorb, but . . ." And for the third time she summarized the story. Yugi listened, wide-eyed.

"Then this millennium puzzle . . .?" he asked haltingly.

"If you die, your soul will go there," Isis explained, "And that way . . . " She closed her eyes, "If both you and your yami should ever die you will be reunited in the item. That is why I give them to you. If that should ever happen, you will be reunited for the rest of time."

Yugi drew a sharp breath, and then nodded. "And Ryou's the same way?"

"Yes."

Yugi nodded, before falling to his knees, and crying for the loss of his friend.

-=-=-=-=-=-

"Yami . . ." Bakura sighed, watching as Yami disappeared as Yugi woke up.

"You're all alone," Marik smirked. "Evil preys on the weak, the alone, the friendless. The half dead." He paused, for emphasis, "On you."

Bakura forced himself to stand up, and stand tall. "Marik, stop your advancement, I will never join any side."

"You say this even though you have nothing to fight for, nothing worth living for, and you're hardly living at all," Marik said, counting the reasons off on his fingers, "You say this and expect me to be scared?"

"Yes!" Bakura said, loudly, and tons more confidently than he felt, "Because . . ." He paused, and took a deep breath, before saying softly, "Because I'm not alone. You, Marik, are the alone one. Hated by everyone who knows you, and even the one who once loved you." Bakura paused again, and then said loudly, "You are nothing, and I refuse to cower before you!"

"How dare you!" Marik yelled back, advancing closer, "How dare you claim I am alone when I have so much more than you will ever have. Anything I want or need I can get as soon as I take over my host body. Bakura, that is in less than a week. And then I, I will be so much . . . stronger than you can ever imagine. So don't you DARE say I'm alone!"

Bakura calmly stood in place, and said carefully, "Every word you say is a lie. Every . . . every moment you breathe, you are still dead. And I am not alone! My hikari is by me, always! Where is your hikari, Marik, when you need him? Or should I just call him your puppet? Because that is all that he is, Marik. A puppet." It was Bakura's turn to smirk. "And puppets are easy to cut down, because all you need to do is sever the strings."

"Bakura, I will make you regret that. You pathetic fool," Marik cried out and moved forward to attack.

"I am NOT alone!" Bakura screamed loudly, refusing to back down. There was a bright flash of light, and suddenly a cloudy outline of Ryou stood in front of Bakura. The bright light faded slightly, forming a protective circle around the two of them.

"You're right," Ryou said softly, "You're not alone. But look at us now. Both two halves of a whole, we're only half way here. I can not stay long. You have to fight him. My body will be ready for you tomorrow. Can you do this?"

"Yes . . .I will," Bakura said, "And you, Ryou, are you going to be ok?"

"I . . . will. . ." Ryou said, and then he leaned forward and embraced Bakura. "I have . . .to . . ."

Bakura felt something wet on his skin and saw Ryou was crying. "No, you're not ok . . . Ryou. . . . you'll be in your own body soon enough . . . I promise. . ."

Ryou sobbed silently, "Oh, Bakura, I know . . . but . . . I feel so alone when I can't feel you and there's never anyone around . . . I think I'm going insane . . . but I have to trust you . . ."

"It's ok . . . Ryou . . .it's ok . . ." Bakura muttered softly, holding his hikari.

"I know," Ryou said, smiling a sad smile. "I believe in you."

The light faded, and then, slowly, Ryou did too.

-=-=-=-=-=-

Finally, Yugi stood up, smiled sadly, and sat down on the bed. "I never thought . . . his life would end like this . . . I can honestly say. . . I don't know anymore . . . "

Isis walked over to Yugi and sat down next to him, surveying the room. Joey sat on the end of Ryou's bed, Kaiba and Serenity were sitting in the chairs, and Malik was sleeping peacefully. "Yugi," she said, not looking at him, but looking instead at the wall, "You're going to experience things that no one should ever see, especially at your age. You and Ryou and Malik have all be chosen, and there's nothing you can do otherwise."

Yugi bowed his head. "I know."

"I suppose there is nothing else to say, at least, nothing that should be said . . . however," Isis paused, "Your fate is set. Ryou was going to die like that. Don't lose faith. In a days time, Ryou's body will be fine again, and Bakura will come to stay in it. Do not be afraid. You must help Bakura, with Ryou, and make sure he doesn't fall to the dark." Isis glanced at Joey and Serenity, "You two, could I ask you to leave for just a few minutes?"

Joey reluctantly nodded, and he and Serenity walked out of the room.

Isis turned to Yugi and looked at him gravely. "What I am going to say . . . must never be repeated . . . "

Yugi nodded dumbly.

Turning now to face Kaiba, Isis said, "Kaiba, you will play a part in their fate as well . . . you . . . are the one . . . who controls their fate."

Kaiba raised an eyebrow. "How do you figure?"

Isis smiled. "Kaiba, you are the reincarnation of the one who sealed the three souls away in the first place. You have no yami, but you will control the millennium ankh." She handed it over to him.

Kaiba accepted it, without comment. He didn't seem too surprised at what he had been told, but mostly because he didn't believe it. "Isis, I believe most of your stories, where most people would scoff I believe, but I cannot believe this."

"I didn't think so. That is ok. You don't have to do anything yet. But there will come a time when you will need to do something. And Kaiba, I hope at that time, you are ready." She stood up abruptly. "I'll be back later. Rest, Yugi. Do not mourn the death of your friend yet, you need your energy now." Isis gracefully walked out, and Joey and Serenity came back in.

"What did she say?" Joey demanded, "You two look like you've seen a ghost!"

"Sorry, Joey, she made me promise not to say. I'm sure she'll tell you too, though," Yugi said.

Kaiba snorted. "I want to have no more to do with you guys. I'm going." He left, too, and there was silence for a long moment.

"Yugi, are you going to be ok?" Joey asked finally.

"Yeah, but I don't want to leave Ryou here."

"I don't think we can take his body, though."

"We have to ask."

Twenty minutes later, Yugi and Joey walked out of the hospital with Ryou's body. The nurses were more than happy to give them the body and Yugi had a suspicion that Isis had something to do with it, making it so easy. They silently walked to Yugi's house and lay Ryou to rest on Yugi's bed.

"I'll sleep on the floor, and you can get the couch," Yugi said, pulling out blankets.

"No, you get the couch," Joey said, "You need it more."

"But . . ." Yugi didn't have the energy to protest, however, and Joey helped him to the couch. "Thank you," He said, closing his eyes to go to sleep.

Joey smiled slightly before lying down and trying his hardest to go to sleep and get some rest.

-=-=-=-=-=-

Flowers. Warmth. Happiness. You will never have these. You are no one. You are nothing. Half of a whole, there is no way you can do anything. You are pathetic. You are weak. I scorn you. I hope you realize every day how worthless you are.

"No, I'm not," he muttered quietly, pleadingly, "Go away."

Pathetic mortal. Idiot.

"Go . . . away . . ." he closed his eyes and brought his knees to his chest, hugging himself tightly.

I can't go away. I am you. Do you not see how pathetic you are? You are NOTHING.

"You're not me!" He screamed loudly. The shout vibrated off the walls and then faded to nothing. Just like everything else in the room. "I'm so alone," he whispered softly, holding back tears, "And it hurts so much."

Pathetic.

"I need someone."

Weak.

"Anyone."

Worthless.

"To save me."

You'll be destroyed.

/Bakura, I need you now. It's only been a day, but I'm still scared and so alone/

//Oh, Ryou, I'm sorry. I don't know . . . what to do . . .but I'm fading . . .//

/You're probably going into my body now. Stay calm. I'll leave you alone. Talk to me when you're done./

//Ryou, I want to talk to you. Make sure you're ok.//

/Don't worry about it now, you just need to make sure you get into my body alright?/

//o. . .ok . . .//

He sat back in the small room and smiled.

Then there was a flash of light, that grew huge, and then faded to a gentle glow. "What the . . ." Ryou blinked and looked into the center of the light. An angel stood there. At least, he thought it was an angel. The angel spoke, gently, softly, telling him everything would be alright; that everything was ready. All he needed to do was wait.

Ryou relaxed, listening to the calming voice. Then there was a loud noise, like a gunshot, and his vision plunged into darkness.

When he opened his eyes again, Ryou was more aware of his surroundings than ever before. A tan Egyptian stood near him. Ryou gasped. "Marik?!"

"Bakura, is that you? Why did you jus-" Marik cut off abruptly. "You're not Bakura."

"So you've noticed," Ryou muttered, "I'm Ryou. Get away from me."

"Oh! I killed you, that's how I know you! Hello!" Marik smirked.

"Get lost," Ryou said, but he didn't know what else to do.

"No. Bakura's in your body now, you know. Which means that you've already lost your chance to get back. Which means once I destroy you, he'll come back here, and you will both cease to exist."

"You lie."

"Maybe I do, maybe I don't. Do you trust me?"

Ryou shook his head. "Not in the least."

Marik smirked. "You should. I'm a very trustworthy person. Evil, yes, and cunning, but trustworthy nonetheless."

Ryou glared, and turned to walk off. He had no clue where he would go, but he just needed to get away from Marik. Something Isis told him went though his head - 'When you are asleep or unconscious, they are released to a soul room and become slightly more powerful'

So where would that put him when Bakura woke up?

And in Yugi's house, Ryou's body sat up, and blinked. Bakura was awake.