Hello all of you wonderful readers. I am so ticked that I haven't been able to work on this story lately, but I finally got this one chapter typed up with no problems or interruptions. Anyway, I am trying to be a lot better about keeping you all happy. I can't thank you enough for reading, reviewing and most of all, being patient with me! I hope maybe you find this chapter as appealing as the others. Peace, love, and padded walls! giggles I love saying that….

The dark egyptian's mind had dwelled upon the thought of the passionate kiss he shared with the other egyptian for quite some time now. His stomach was uneasy, but in a good way. He had so much to think about. Downstairs there were loud crashing noises omitting from the kitchen two floors below. This meant that Malik was attempting once again to cook. It would most likely end up burnt and so would he. Mariku couldn't help, but smile just the slightest.

However, Mariku needed a quiet place to think, so he put on a long sleeved crème shirt, then left the mansion without Malik knowing. A few minutes later, the crisped Hikari went to Mariku's room to present him with something that looked like scrambled eggs and toast. He knocked a few times, then actually walked in. He searched the room with his light purple orbs, but to his surprise his Yami had left without saying anything. With what was going on between him and Bakura it was cause for worry to Malik.

It was then that he spotted a few blood-stained articles of Mariku's clothing, namely the red trench coat and black shirt Mariku had tossed aside earlier. Malik looked at the clothing and started to freak out. All sorts of terrible thoughts were running through his mind. "Mariku…"

Bakura awoke slowly, laying on his side, and found himself looking directly at the rose which was now occupying a clear glass of water. Ryou must have brought it up while he had been asleep. He sighed and rolled over onto his other side wanting to not think about anything that had happened between himself and Mariku, just ignore the issue altogether. He climbed out of bed and put on one of his many black tee shirts. His thin, lengthy fingers danced through his entangled tendrils in an attempt to sort them out.

He finally realized he was in dire need of a time to himself so he could think about everything that was going wrong or right in his life. He put on his leather boots and grabbed his black trench coat before he departed from the gloomy house.

The air was artic and uninviting, but Bakura ignored it all. His mind was trapped in other thoughts. The panicking Malik had run by just momenst ago. Malik had to skidded down the hill to the school yard to see if Mariku had gone there. Instead he found a pile of broken snowmen. Malik slipped and slid as he climbed back up the hill and scurried frantically down the sidewalk.

He ran out into the middle of the street to see if he could see Mariku from there. (Kinda stupid if you ask me, but you can't blame him) Malik turned his back to an oncoming car that he hadn't noticed just turned the corner. Bakura snapped out of his deep train of thought in time to sight the oncoming vehicle.

"Damn idiot…" Bakura said in an annoyed tone. He bolted out into the road and pushed the Hikari into the snow on the other side of the road, following him into the white powder.

Malik was laying on his left side and shaking in a most frightened manner. His arms were set over his face to somehow protect himself from who he thought was an attacker. The Hikari peeked through his fingers and saw Bakura groaning and leaning up slowly beside him. "Oh, its just you Bakura," he said with a sigh of relief that followed.

He too sat up and shook off the fine powder. "Why did you push me?" He questioned not quite sure why the male had been so rude as to push him. "You really need to pay more attention to where you are going," Bakura replied aggitatedly. "What the hell were you doing standing out in the middle of the road?"

Malik paused and lowered his head in a sad sort of way. "Mariku has gone missing…I've been searching for him." Bakura stood and paced away not caring and angry at this point. Malik jumped up and ran up behind him. "Thank you, Bakura."

"Spare me, I didn't have to do anything," he retorted. "I'm sorry, " Malik said in a quiet and apologetic tone. Bakura turned and glowered at him in an annoyed way. Malik ignored the evil glare he was being given and looked deeply within the dark chocolate eyes Mariku loved so much.

Bakura broke the eye contact between them and turned his back again. "Why don't you run along and play with your little imaginary buddy or something…" He again took up his slow pace that was taking him in no certain direction. Malik caught up to him once again. "Bakura," he called as he was lagging behind.

Bakura picked up his pace to get away from the annoying little male. "What the hell do you want from me?" He said coldly and annoyed. "Please help me find Mariku. I can't find him by myself."

"Then look harder."

"I have been for the past hour!"

Bakura came to a hault and looked back at the persistant male. "If I do, will you tell him to leave me the hell alone?" Malik sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "See, here's the thing. I"ve tried that already." He lied through his teeth, desperate to find his missing yami.

Bakura badly wanted to shut the Hikari up and helping him in his search was probably the only way he could achieve this. "Fine, I'll help you find your dumbass Yami…." He grumbled.

"Thank you!" Malik said as he wrapped his arms around Bakura's waist in an excited and grateful way. Bakura quickly pushed him off. "That doesn't mean you can fucking touch me." The smaller one appologized quickly. The two split up, going in opposite directions of eachother. Malik walked towards his neighborhood, and Bakura towards the park.

The chocolate eyed egyptian arrived there not long after. He expended little effort in finding the missing egyptian. Casually he looked around as he strolled down the walkway. Up ahead he noticed a dark figure sprawled out deep in the fallen snow. He instantly recognized the spiked hair belonging to the lunatic wanting to be his lover.

He left the path and trudged through the snow to where Mariku was just laying face down in the snow. The egyptians clothing was drenched in his own precious crimson. Bakura nudged him with his boot but was given no response. He glanced around and saw tracks and blood in the snow leading off in another direction. "Hmm…." He nudged him again. "Why don't you just get up and go home? Malik has been freaking out all over the place and its becoming annoying."

Mariku moaned softly with the snow drowning out most of the sound. His breathing was much heavier than normal, but it was consistant. Bakura knelt down beside him and gently flipped him over on his back. He had been pummeled and probably violated by the way his clothing was messed up and torn. His skin was discolored with bruises and stained with blood. The sight of Mariku this way was a unappealing sight for even Bakura to see.

"I thought you were an all-powerful being…and here I find you face down in the snow, " Bakura taunted enjoying every minute of this. "I…thought they would…have the brains to kill me…" Mariku uttered in a raspy tone. "Smart move, well…they didn't." Mariku closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths. "Shut up…." He hissed.