Authoress Notes: -Things get thrown at her- I know! I KNOW! I deserve it! I mean the last time I updated was at least 8 months ago, I'm sorry everyone and because of my stupidity I made this chapter long and I will update the next chappie a lot faster, but thank you to everyone that reviewed and once again I'm sorry!

Thnx To The People Who Reviewed!

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Crimson Betrayal

Chapter 6-

Troubled

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Downtown Domino

September 24th, 2004

8:20pm…

Yugi wiped some sweat from his face as he sat down on the ugly brown colored couch, avoiding all the springs popping out to the surface. He looked around the small apartment and noted how good it looked for the first time in ages. Bakura was going to be coming home soon but Yugi was done with everything that Bakura had told him to do and actually a little more extra hoping that Bakura wouldn't beat him tonight.

For a small apartment Bakura made such a huge mess that it was really hard to take care of the place, but Yugi tried his hardest to keep working at his best, but it was really hard. This time it seemed like Bakura didn't leave so much of a mess as he used too. I mean for crying out loud the apartment actually smelled clean and that was a first since the time they first moved into this place!

As Yugi wiped more sweat from his face he smiled for the first time in a long while, he was just so happy. He just hoped that Bakura liked it as much as he did, but thinking that they didn't think alike it probably wasn't a possibility.

Yugi turned his head when he heard a noise coming from outside, but sighed in relief when he realized it was just a crow making all the noise.

As the noise aroused him from his daydream he looked over at the kitchen clock lying in an unusual position on the floor as he almost went ballistic. It was almost 8:40pm the time that Bakura usually got home from whatever he was doing all day.

Yugi got up, feeling one of the springs poke him in the butt as he cringed in pain a little because the ends of the springs were very sharp as he slowly moved away as to not hurt himself worse then he needed to, Jeez if Bakura doesn't hurt me tonight then the stupid spring will!

Yugi grabbed the vacuum cleaner and placed it neatly into the small closet where Bakura's coats hung, all neatly and unwrinkled. Yugi looked into the closet to make sure everything was in order and took one last glance into it as he shut the door lightly and walked towards the kitchen and looked at it.

Everything seemed to be spotless as he checked over everything carefully. He was just so tired of getting beaten on, maybe for just one night if he did so much better than every other night then he would be bruised and cut free! He didn't really think it would happen, but hey it wouldn't hurt to try!

Yugi checked around the small apartment which seemed pretty big to him and once he was satisfied with it, cleaning a little dust here and there stood by the door with Bakura's black robe and Dr. Pepper.

Yugi did this every night, knowing exactly what time Bakura would come home and this is what he was ordered to do, every night Bakura came home from a long day.

Yugi stood patiently as he listened to the clock ticking, sweat pouring down his face. He was hoping Bakura wasn't too stressed out and he was also hoping that Bakura would like what he had done with the place.

He should be here by now, is he late? Yugi looked over by the clock and wondered what was going on. Bakura was never late because he always loved getting the chance to beat on him and Bakura being late was just not normal in Yugi's book.

Yugi was broken out of his thoughts as he jumped hearing a ringing sound bounce off the walls of the small apartment as he calmed his fast beating heart down and set down Bakura's robe and soda, making sure not to damage any of it and ran towards the phone in the kitchen.

Yugi just barely made it as he picked up the phone, "Hello, Bakura's roommate speaking, how may I help you?"

"Hey little runt…"

Yugi's face paled when he heard Bakura's voice on the other line, Is this a bad thing or a good thing? Golly I just know I'm in trouble now…

"B-Bakura?" Yugi couldn't help but stutter.

He could just see Bakura smirking over the phone as Yugi shuddered, Why is Bakura calling me?

"Yes… now if you're done stuttering you little twit listen up and listen closely. I expect the whole house cleaned by tomorrow night when I get back because I'm staying over at a friends house for the night."

Yugi's mouth was wide open and eyes wide with surprise. This just couldn't possibly be happening… could it be?

Yugi was about to ask a dumb question but decided against it and he tried to keep the happiness out of his voice as he cleared his throat, "Okay Master, your house will be cleaned by tomorrow night."

"Good, now I gotta go and remember the house will be cleaned when I get back or you'll find your carcass in a bloody heap on your bed."

Then the phone went dead on the other line as Yugi gulped. The threat was a bit scary but then he smiled when he realized that the house was already all cleaned.

Yugi hung up on the phone call Bakura had just given him as he laid back and made a sigh of relief and happiness. Bakura was going to be staying at one of his friends houses for the night, as he smiled. Could you blame him for being happy?

He suddenly walked into his room and danced a bit. Yeah, he had to do more work, but he didn't have to see or get beaten by Bakura until tomorrow night! It was like a miracle had just happened!

Yugi then stopped when he heard a noise come from his window as he looked around and then fell to the floor, eyes wide with shock and fear both. He couldn't believe what he was seeing it was just like a dream, but the only problem was...

It wasn't a dream this time...

Dark purple eyes roamed around the room, but then landed on Yugi as they sparkled, tears forming rather quickly, one by one dropping down towards the ground.

"Yugi? Yugi! It's you!"

Yugi just backed away; this couldn't possibly be real, it was Yami… who had abandoned and forgotten about him that fateful day one month ago. It had to be an illusion in Yugi's head, but he knew it wasn't an illusion but that in fact it was real and Yugi was scared.

"Yug, is it really him Yami or are ya havin' anotha illusion?" A voice called from behind in a Brooklyn accent that could only belong to Joey. "And is it rainin', cuz some drops are fallen all ova my face…"

Yami worked hard in trying to open the window because it was rusty from never being opened, but was able to push enough energy into it so that it busted open quickly, "Yugi!"

Yami jumped right through the window and started to run towards Yugi with open arms but stopped when he saw Yugi shivering in the corner, "Yugi?"

Joey's face peeked out from the window and his eyes widened, "YUGI?" Just when Joey tried to jump through the window, the ladder gave away and Joey fell down towards the ground and you could hear a really loud 'clunk' at the bottom.

Yami was too worried about Yugi to pay attention to Joey, "Yugi what's wrong? What's going on here?"

Yami tried to reach out a comforting hand to Yugi only for Yugi to smack Yami's hand away and cower in fear more then he was.

Yami looked pained by this action that Yugi had just performed as he sat on the floor, looking over Yugi's body. He had cuts and bruises all over his arms and face and probably just about everywhere else too as tears of pain started to form in his eyes.

"Bakura, he did this to you," Yami's eyes flashed into anger, but then back into sadness as he looked at Yugi's thin and frail body and then looked at his eyes which were not filled with joy anymore but rather emptiness and darkness. Just two voids of floating nothingness… "Yugi… I'm so sorry."

Yami broke down into tears as Yugi stared at him with frightful eyes, "You left me… you never came for me that day so long ago… I really thought you cared for me Yami, but I guess I was wrong when you never showed up, huh?"

Yami looked up, eyes red and puffy as millions of salty tears ran down his cheeks, leaving a trail of sadness behind, every passing one showing how much pain he was in and how much pain he caused Yugi.

"You have to let me explain Yugi…"

"There's nothing to explain Yami! A month living with Bakura as his slave and getting beaten on almost every day say's it all!"

Yugi got up very quickly and ran towards the living room, only to get thrown down rather hard as Yami jumped onto him. "Yugi hold still, I need to explain to you, what is wrong and why I didn't come!

Yugi struggled underneath Yami, but he couldn't seem to get him off of him because he was so puny and dead thanks to Bakura barely ever feeding him.

"Please Yugi; please you have to understand why…"

Yugi then stopped struggling and opened his eyes wide as he listened to Yami's voice, with so much plea and care for him, sadness erupting like a volcano through his darks words as he felt tears come to his own amethyst eyes.

What am I doing…?

That's when Yami let go of him and Yugi got up, Yugi stared at Yami's face for only a second before he clung to Yami tightly and cried so hard. He hadn't cried like this since the day… he couldn't even remember.

Yami clung just as tightly back as he cried softly into his lights shoulder.

"It's ok Yugi, Its ok I promise…"

Yugi couldn't seem to stop crying. Here he was getting mad over Yami one second and then the next he's crying all over him! What was with him? Should he listen to what Yami has to say or should he not?

Yugi tried to dry his tears, but they kept spilling out. All the pain he had to go through hoping one day Yami would come and save him from this dreadful place and from Bakura… it felt so good to be in his arms to finally feel like there was still hope for him yet.

Between Yugi's choking sobs he started to hiccup and once again he smiled. Yami let go of him as Yugi looked into his eyes, seeing so much happiness. Yugi was wrong Yami did care about him, but what went wrong to keep Yami from coming to get him?

Yami started to get up, but Yugi grabbed his arm tightly not wanting him to leave. "Yami… w-what happened on… that day?" Yugi tried to talk through all of his hiccups.

Yami softened his eyes, happy that his Hikari wanted to hear his side of the story, but then lifted Yugi to his feet too and brought him over to the brown couch, avoiding all the springs popping out.

"Let me get you some water first to wash down the hiccups," Yami was about to get up, but once again Yugi grabbed his arm and shook his head.

"No, I… I want to hear your… story first."

Yami stood there for a few seconds more looking down at his Hikari. Then he sat down next to him and started his story.

"It all started on the day that I went to go and get you…"

.:FLASHBACK:.

Yami sat on the cold hard ground inside the Millennium Puzzle… inside his room. He looked around at the many doors all around him, all of them giving a haunted look as the lights were dimmed, fitting in with his gloomy mood.

He then looked down at the floating object near him. It was a clock and it blinked 9:26pm in bright red numbers as he sighed but then stared angrily as he got up and walked around. "Bakura you sneak, if you hurt him you won't see another day of your life."

Later after Yami had cooled down he arranged all the necessary ingredients to give him a body, the only thing that bothered him though is if 2 hours was enough time at all to get Yugi and bring him back and also figure out how he can keep Bakura from getting the Millennium Puzzle.

As Yami mixed all the ingredients together he thought about Yugi, I hope you're ok… Bakura will pay if even touched a hair on your body.

A green puff of smoke arose from the flaming pot as blue and purple sparkles flew about the place, dancing around the red flames at the edges of the pot, giving an almost beautiful, but yet scary calm to Yami.

Something also puzzled Yami as he stirred the ingredients around, what bothered him is that he couldn't reach Yugi at all through their mind link, the connection was just broken off, dead. The only times that happened were if one of them was unconscious… Yugi could have been possibly out cold this whole time or Bakura did something.

A glass bottle appeared next to Yami as he filled it up to the tip with the dark crimson colored. He was almost afraid to drink, but he soon shut his eyes tight and gulped down the fiery liquid into his body.

Yami's lungs felt like they would explode as he clutched the side of his body in pain and anguish, trying to ease the pain, but it only grew worse as beads of sweat poured down his face. Suddenly he yelled out as he saw everything go white before his eyes.

-

Yami got up slowly, trying to understand what was going on, his whole body was still in pain, but now everything was dark and he couldn't see a thing, except for a dim colored blue light falling through the window.

Yami opened his eyes, Window?...

He looked around to realize he wasn't in the puzzle anymore, but was outside in Yugi's room and in his own body. He was amazed, I mean he's had a body before, but for some reason it felt different this time. He stood up and looked down at his hands turning them over and everything, but then he glanced at the clock and literally dashed around the room getting his gear.

As the clock read 9:42pm Yami grabbed his belt and buckled in on, patting the side with his and Yugi's deck of cards, just in case. Then he put on his choke collar, fitting around his neck, pulling it not to tight so he wouldn't choke himself. He put on his shoes next as he slipped them on and looked over towards the puzzle. He slowly walked over there and put the golden upside pyramid around his neck. Before he left he made sure the chain was secure and then he dashed off through the house quietly and into the streets of Domino.

Yami knew Domino know like the back of his hand because of the Battle City Tournament and thanks to Yugi's memories of everything around here. The dock isn't way to far away, but it was long enough that he might be late and he couldn't afford to be late so he was going to run over to Joey's house real quick and grab his motorcycle for a spin. Joey said it was ok if any of his friends did it as long as they didn't scratch it because he just got it from a birthday present from his mother and sister Serenity.

Yami ran like a madman trying to get to Joey's house before the time ran out. He had to get there take the motor bike to the pier and get Yugi safely back home. The puzzle was still a mystery on how he would be able to get it back.

He decided to take a shortcut to Joey's thinking that it would be faster, but that's when everything went downhill for him. He went down an alleyway, but as he did he remembered that this was not a real good idea for Joey lived near gangs, but he decided that he will handle them quickly with the Millennium Puzzle, but what he didn't realize was that he was going to get attacked from behind.

Just when he was about to make it to Joey's house, he felt someone from behind him grab him around the stomach and bring a knife to his throat. Yami was blinded by the moons reflection on the knife, but got a glimpse of someone coming towards him from the shadows.

"Now what do we have here? Funny looking guy, but that thing around your neck looks worth a lot of money."

Yami opened one eye, but realized that the blinding light was gone as the guy shifted positions, but the knife still close to his throat as he opened the other eye and looked at a teen that looked just barely over 19. He narrowed his eyes at the man and thought about kicking the guy behind him, but it would just be too risky.

Instead his hands reached up for the Millennium Puzzle and touched it as it started to glow, "Hey boss the kid is doing funny things…"

"Tie him up before he does anything stupid!"

Yami knew he had to hurry or else he would never be able to get Yugi in time. He tried to call upon the Millennium Puzzle's power, as the Millennium Symbol started to appear on his forehead, but he was already too late as some guy ripped his hands from the puzzle and put them behind his back. He felt the guy from behind him push him on his knees as some other guy started to tie his ankles up too. Yami tried to reach the power as he panicked, but the boss grabbed the puzzle from around his neck and walked backwards a few steps.

Yami felt the power weaken in him, as the Millennium Symbol was barely on his forehead now. Yami felt helpless now as the guys behind him tightened the bonds on him. He tried to kick one of them, but someone whacked him over the head hard as he fell towards the ground in a very uncomfortable position.

"You've got guts kid, but you're no match for us. We'll be taking your golden thing now, but before we go we have to leave you a parting gift."

Yami closed his eyes as he sensed the teens coming closer to him, I'm sorry Yugi…

"Leave ma friend alone!"

A voice came from out of nowhere as Yami opened his eyes and looked to find the source of the voice, but only saw a tall shadow in a fighting position, but the accent seemed very familiar as Yami's vision seemed to be weakening all of a sudden as things got blurry.

There was lots of yelling as he heard punches and kicks being thrown, but Yami couldn't seem to concentrate as he saw a liquidly substance blind him as he realized it was his blood from the attack when someone smacked him hard over the head. He didn't think it was that bad, but now with all the effects taking place, he realized it was worse then he thought.

As the mysterious man fought with the teens who stole his puzzle, he couldn't help but cry as the tears mixed in with the blood on his face. He had failed Yugi, now Yugi is stuck with that psycho Bakura.

I failed you Yugi, I'm sorry… I was so stupid, how could I let something like this happen to you?

"Yami, Yami are you okay!" 1

Now Yami recognized the accent belonging to Joey, but the voice seemed to be very faint, the words coming out in a soft whisper almost, "Jo-ey… Yugi I-I'm sorry…"

Then just as Joey was reaching out his hand everything went into swirls and then darkness.

.:END FLASHBACK:.

Yugi looked at Yami with caring eyes. He did come for him, but a street gang came and if it weren't for Joey saving Yami's life he probably wouldn't have survived. He felt another tear fall down his face, Yami noticing and brushing it away with the tip of his finger.

"It's ok Yugi, ever since then Joey and I have been trying to find you, but the problem was our mind link connection was broken off so I had no idea how to find you and then with me only having a body for 2 hours… it was a bit hard to try and find you."

"Does…does everyone think I'm dead?"

Yami looked hurt for a moment, his eyes already saying everything as Yugi dropped his head down to his chest, Yami coming over and hugging him.

"Only a few people thought you were dead, but they didn't hold you a funeral because the police are still on the case searching for you, but now… but now we found you and that's all that matters."

Yugi nodded as a smile came to his face and for a splitting second he thought about home and all his friends and how much he actually missed them, "I didn't realize how much I missed everyone and everything, including you. Not having you inside me, I felt weak and lonely and now that you're back, I feel great, like the missing part of me is now back with me again."

Yami seemed touched as he hugged Yugi a bit tighter, "Come on, let's get you out of here and then we'll figure out what to do with Bakura later… when does he get back home?"

Yugi looked at the clock which read 9:58pm as he opened his eyes wide, Time sure does pass…

"He originally comes home around 8:30pm, but today he said he was staying with a friend until tomorrow night."

Yami blinked, That's strange… after coming home the same time every single day that they have moved here then why today be different? Hmm…

"Yugi I suspect something wrong here, we better get going now come on."

Yami lifted Yugi to his feet and they both ran towards Yugi's "room" and tried to open the window but it wouldn't budge.

Suddenly without notice the front door slammed open as Yugi whirled his head around only to hear Bakura's voice… and someone else's too.

"Hey little runt, get in here!"

Yugi was terrified now as Yami tried to open the window quietly but quickly as to get out of here, "What is he doing home early, he lied to me?"

"Yugi it's a trick, he has something bad, we have to hurry!" Yami hissed as he unlatched the window, bringing it up slowly.

Yugi gulped as he tried to listen to the next voice, "So this is the place, huh? Not bad, little Yugi can actually do good at something…"

Yami seemed to have heard the voice too as he looked at Yugi with wide eyes, it was Malik, no… it was Marik, but didn't they send him away?

"Yugi now come on!"

Yugi stood there for a few moments before he heard Bakura yell again, "You brat get in here and hurry up!"

Yugi tip-toed over to Yami and grabbed his hand as they both climbed through the window, Yami first to make sure that Yugi wouldn't slip and fall because when he was going up the stairs it was dangerous and Joey…

"Joey?"

Yami looked down real quick and so did Yugi as they saw a very confused Joey down there holding his head. He got hurt bad when he fell down, "Come on Yugi, let's go."

Just as they started to descend the ladder Yugi felt someone grab his arm as he squealed in pain only to look up and see the faces of Marik and Bakura staring down at him and Bakura looked really pissed.

Oh no… "YAMI!"

-

Authoress Notes: So… How did everyone like the chapter? It couldn't have been that bad, I hope not. Next one will get rather interesting. Left you on a rather evil cliffhanger huh? Well here's the next preview and I hope you enjoyed the chapter:)

1 All of Yugi's friends and his grandpa know about Yami in this one, that's why Joey shouted out Yami and not Yugi. Just wanted to let you know…

Preview

Yugi tried to get Bakura to let go of his arm as Yami was grabbing his leg trying to pull him down. Everything in his body hurt as he tried to get away from Bakura who only smiled evilly, "I don't think so squirt, get back here!"

"No, let go of me!" Yugi shouted as he felt Marik grab his other arm, tears filled his eyes as Yami tried to pull hard, but he felt himself going up towards Marik and Bakura.

Not again, I can't go back with him, no! Yami, help me!