Ok, first the disclaimer: I don't own even the smallest bit of Yu-Gi-Oh. Don't plan to … The characters are just too fun to play with (grins)

Warning! If you don't like OC's and OOC-ness and Mary-Sue's THEN DON'T READ THIS FIC. It was intended merely for the fun on the message board it was created on, with permission from everyone who participated in the RPG this story came out on…

A/N: This has nothing to do really with the actual story at all. I have a message forum for Yu-Gi-Oh and other anime and this little story was cooked up between my friend Blue and me. This is in the fantasy genre because it includes characters with magical powers. We have our characters as well as characters from the show. You will see Bakura acting slightly… ok a LOT ooc in this one. No flames if you choose to leave any remarks. This is strictly for the comic/romance tale to tell…

Well then… On with the fic…

Chapter 2

Knight in the Shadows

Ryou was still shocked by the scene he had just witnessed. His diabolical yami had just been broken by a woman. She pulled every string and managed to win. There was a mixture of emotions on Bakura's face as he began to follow Zahara who was walking toward them. They were going bowling and this was looking to be an interesting game. Blue looked over at Ryou.

"You would like that done to you, too, wouldn't you?" she asked him with a laugh and a kiss. The pure torture that Bakura had just endured at the gentle caressing hands of Zahara; Ryou closed his eyes as he imagined the scene reversed and he was at Blue's mercy. His body shuddered at the thought, but it was a pleasurable shudder. Aurora smiled at them and looked at Zahara's happy face again.

"So nice to see the kids happy again," she said to Atem. He wrapped an arm around her waist and drew her near for a hug.

"It is," he told her softly. They began the walk when Aurora noticed they were short a person. She looked around. "What is it?" Atem asked her.

"Bakura is over there near Ryou and Blue, but Zahara is gone…" She looked around again. "Now where did that girl go to…?" Her thoughts were interrupted by a nudge from Atem. She turned to see what he was looking at and had to stifle a giggle as she noticed Zahara sneaking up on Bakura.

"Gotcha!" She managed to tickle him at his sides with a quick touch before taking off ahead of everyone, laughing all the way. He let out a startled shout. No one had ever gotten the best of him before. A wolfish grin came across his face and he laughed. Ryou was not sure how to take that laughter.

"I wouldn't do that…" he commented softly. He knew what his Yami had been capable of. Bakura's smile grew bigger.

"I'll get you!" he called out to her, beginning the chase. Blue shook her head and laughed at them.

"She really has him wrapped up," she said. Zahara heard him quickly approaching and she squealed as she began to run faster. Her immortal abilities blessed to her from her mother made it quite a chase for Bakura indeed. She was no average human. He had forgotten that.

"Now she's gone and done it," Aurora commented. Atem turned to Ryou.

"So… Ryou… You never tried to take Bakura by surprise like that…" He could not help but grin at the Tomb Robber's Hikari. Aurora shook her head and giggled.

"Probably afraid of the consequences," she told him. Sanura smirked and began to cheer Bakura on.

"GET HER, 'KURA! GET HER!" Zahara let out another squeal as he began to close the distance again. Aurora laughed a little harder.

"Why do I get the feeling they will be on the ground again?"

"At this rate they will get to the alley before we do," Atem commented. Aurora turned and winked at him.

"Race you there!" she said as she took off. Blue began to laugh as she joined her. Ryou looked shocked for a moment.

"Wait! Last time we were running from something I was squashed by a boulder!" Blue giggled and ran back to him, grabbing his hand.

"It was a balloon, sweetie, now come on!" Up ahead, laughter had stopped. The others reached where Zahara had stopped running. She was looking around with an amused, yet worried look on her face.

"Uh-oh," she said softly. "I got a bad feeling about this." The others ran passed her, leaving her to the punishment coming to her for her tickle attack. She never heard him coming. Not until he was immediately behind her and she felt his breath at her ear.

"Ku ku ku ku," (1) he laughed softly as he grabbed her around the waist and tickled her. He had no idea how ticklish she was until she squealed out and crawled frantically to get away. He would have thought she was terrified, had she not been laughing the entire time he had her. He did not seem to mine her nails biting into his arms either. A little pain always made for an interesting time to him.

Aurora and the others stopped as they reached the alley and turned back when they heard the squeals of laughter. "Yup," she said with an amused grin. "They make a fine couple… torturing each other." Atem nodded.

"Looks like he had finally someone who can match his love for torment," he added with a laugh. Aurora smirked.

"Ra knows she's good at it."

" 'Kura!" Zahara cried out as he picked her up and flung her over his shoulder, cave-man style so they could catch up to the rest of the group without further distraction from her. She pounded on his back, laughing the whole time she yelled at him to let her go. Ryou looked like he was about to fall over from the shock.

"I have definitely never seen Bakura act like that!" He exclaimed. Blue giggled beside him.

"My Ra!" she said, nodding in agreement. Atem looked away from his former enemy and over to his wife.

"Guess you are right… Even a Tomb Robber can change," he commented as he held open the door for everyone to enter the building. The sounds of rolling bowling balls and the clashing of crashing pins greeted them all at the entrance.

"We're here, Ryou," Blue told him. He looked around.

"This is a bowling alley?"

"Yep," she answered with a grin.

"And now the fun begins," Aurora added. They went to the counter to get the shoes and then they spread out to find the ball that was the perfect weight for them to use and then decided on a lane. "Blue and I can keep score," Aurora told them. Zahara had long since given up her struggle and she rested her chin on her hand which was propped up on his shoulder blade. He had never let her go.

"So… um… Will you be needing help learning to play?" she asked him in a surprisingly bored tone. Bakura was still taking in the sight and sounds of the place. In all the time he had been living in the present day world, he and Ryou had never gone into a building like this before. It was strange to him. Ryou was staring down at the ball Blue was holding out to him. He looked from the holes on the ball to her face, trying to figure out what they were there for. "Um… 'Kura?" Zahara asked again, twisting slightly to use her other hand and trace the outside of his ear. He shivered, but seemed to ignore her as he continued to look around. She decided to try again after a light sigh escaped her lips. An evil grin covered her face as an idea struck her. Hey, it worked before, she thought as she leaned over and lightly licked the outside of his ear, following the little trail her fingertip had just gone over. He closed his eyes with a moan and placed her on her feet. She grinned up at him.

Aurora shook her head. "She seems to be getting better at the slow torture thing with Bakura, isn't she?" she asked Atem with a grin. He tossed a sly smirk in her direction.

"Must have been something she got from you…" Aurora looked at him with wide innocent eye. Well, they would have been innocent had what he said not been true. Zahara felt the blush creep up her neck to her cheeks when he tightened his grip around her, not exactly ready to let her go.

"I better be expecting some sort of payback for all this torture one day, aren't I?" she asked him with a shy grin. The wolfish grin appeared on his face again.

"That was torture? Ku ku ku ku," he laughed as he lifted her up and pinned her on the bowling bench. "I'll show you torture," he growled at her. Ryou's eyes again went wide, in shock and embarrassment as he looked around the bowling alley.

"Don't do it here, Bakura!" he hissed at his Yami. Bakura nuzzled her neck, nipping it slightly and received a new squeal from her, her fingers digging into his back. Atem coughed and looked away. Anywhere was better than watching his daughter being molested by his once sworn enemy. He was still confused by why he was allowing it in the first place.

Perhaps it is because for some odd reason he is making her happy, Aurora commented to him using their telepathic link. He sighed and looked at her.

"Shall we play?" he asked aloud. Aurora shook her head with a knowing grin.

"Play around them. They could be busy for awhile." She picked up her ball and took her turn, lunging it down the alley and causing a strike. Atem looked at her, shocked.

"You got them all down with one shot?" She grinned up at him as Blue made the note on the scorecard. They hear another squeal and she sighs. Sanura was the one to speak up however.

"Sister, please! Have some decency here and take your turn already!" Zahara reluctantly pushed Bakura off her so she could grab her ball and take her turn. An evil thought came to her head. She winked at her sister and as she moved to her spot on the alley to make her throw, she purposely added an extra shake to her butt and giggled, imagining the reaction Bakura had. Sanura groaned and smacked her forehead. "Why couldn't I have been an only child…? Or at least the only sister…" she muttered.

Zahara rolled the ball and took out six pins her first try.

"Ok, six down, four more to go," Aurora told her. "You can do that." Atem gave her an odd look.

"She gets another turn?" Sanura nodded her head.

"Yup if you get all ten pins down the first turn you get a strike and only one turn. But if you miss a few on the first turn, you get a second turn to pick up what is called a spare."

"Oh," Atem nodded. "You guys did this a lot?"

"We had a lot of time to kill while you were in that puzzle. We changed with the times and learned the new games. Anything for a change of pace. Oddly, this was one pastime I actually didn't mind learning," Sanura told him. Zahara blew Bakura a kiss and rolled the ball the second time, snagging the four pins that had been left standing on her first turn. Bakura grinned happily and moved to stand near her again.

"He sure seems to be enjoying himself," Blue commented lightly as she watched him wrap his arms around Zahara's waist. He growled into her ear.

"Now, how about we get back to where we were?" he asked her, sparking a nervous giggle from Zahara. Ryou smacked his forehead.

"Yami!" he called out exasperated. She picked up a new bowling ball and handed it to him.

"Take your turn first, Tiger. Then you can play."

"Promise?" Bakura asked her with his hungry smile. She winked at him. Aurora's eyes grew wide and Sanura sweat dropped. Atem hung his head.

"So much for my innocent little girl."

Bakura took the ball from her and left a kiss on her cheek. "For good luck?" she nodded and stepped out of the way. As he walked to his spot on the alley floor, he looks down at the ball in his hand, suddenly remembering he had no idea just what he was supposed to be doing with it. Damn! He thought angrily. What the hell am I meant to do with this thing? Zahara noticed his hesitation and slipped up beside him, letting her arm drape around his waist.

"Need some help, Tiger?" She asked, giving him a sly smile. Bakura returned her smile with one of relief.

"Yeah, uh… what am I supposed to do?" he asked her, pointing to the holes in the bowling ball. Blue laughed and Ryou hung his head this time.

"Oh no…" he muttered.

Zahara chocked back her laughter and took his hand. "First you put these fingers here, and your thumb in here," she told him as she placed the fingers in the proper place on the bowling ball. "Then you stand here," she added, pointing to a spot on the floor. "Take aim at the pins and take three steps forward, like this," she continued as she took the three steps and pretended to throw her ball. Atem watched Bakura and sighed.

"Um… Bakura… It kind of helps if your eyes are following her feet and not her behind…" Aurora and Sanura sweat dropped, but found they were not entirely surprised by him anymore. Bakura ignored Atem and concentrated on his steps.

"Like th… Whoa!" his words were cut off as he stumbled. He frowned. "These shoes… They remind me of Ryou's-"

"SHUT UP!" Ryou shouted suddenly, startling everyone. Blue blinked at him, but he said nothing more. Bakura actually did as he was told and went back to the game. One problem, though. When he swung his arm back to throw that ball, the ball slipped from his grip and narrowing missed Ryou's head by five centimeters. He spun around to face a very angry looking Ryou. "Uh… That was unintentional…" Ryou growled in irritation. Zahara sighed and retrieved the ball.

"You throw the ball toward the pins… Not at Ryou…" She showed him again the steps and moves to make. "See, step, two, three, roll. Step, two, three, roll." She stepped back. "Now try again."

"Sounds like you are teaching him to dance," Sanura commented. Zahara looked up at him for a moment.

"Can he dance?"

"He's beside you, ask him, not me!" Zahara grinned.

"After his turn. Maybe later we can hit the club or something…" She added softly to herself as he throws the ball. This time it went down the correct aisle. Zahara was taken by the power behind that throw.

"Hey! I got them!" Bakura called out, in surprise, whipping around and snatching her up in his arms. Caught up in the excitement of his success, he kissed her deeply, shocking her at first. When they parted from the kiss, they were both breathless. He blinked a moment, trying to get focused again. "What was that about a club?" he asked her.

"Huh?" she returned, still dazed. Everyone laughed and the game continued.

The weeks to follow were similar as they learned more and more about each other. Between challenges and games and the passionate torture between them, they were driving each other insane. Ryou had noticed a big change in Bakura at home. He was lost in thought fairly often. Ryou would try talking to him and Bakura would not even be listening. RIJ had even made attempts to get Bakura to hang out with him and stir up trouble. But the Yami who was normally the mastermind behind all their pranks remained lost in fantasy and dreams. RIJ and Ryou finally agreed on something. They were concerned about Bakura.

Zahara had to admit she truly enjoyed the weekly meetings for once. Bakura made it worthwhile. She was no longer bored with the time spent. But as happy as she was, she could not help but have her doubts about Bakura's intentions. She was, after all, Atem's daughter. By all rights, he should be trying to hurt her, destroy her, not hanging out with her. It concerned her to a point that there would be moments where she would go silent. He would ask her what was on her mind and she would blow the question off the best she could. But she knew one day she would no longer be able to hide her fears. She would have to face them eventually. IN the meantime, she enjoyed his company.

He really isn't that bad once you get to know him, she mused one day. They had met up by chance without the others several months into their unusual relationship had begun. She had been lost in thought as she walked down the sidewalk in town and had not seen him as he appeared outside of a jewelry store. She remembered her heart jumping when she crashed face first into his chest. She also noted how jumpy he had been as well. Smiling at her, he asked her if she had eaten yet. When she shook her head he lead her away from where they had stood and over to a nearby café. She did not know it was a ploy to make sure she remained in the dark of the store he had just left. They sat at the table and just talked. No games, no insults, no tickle matches. Just talked.

The more they talked to each other, the more he found himself opening up to her. It also made him more certain he had made the right choice by going into that store. He lightly tabbed the object hidden in the pocket of his leather jacket. When the time was right… A thought popped into his head.

"Has your father said anything?" Zahara blinked at the sudden bluntness and she lowered her gaze.

"No, not as of yet. Up until now we have always met when near everyone else. So he has been able to keep an eye on me."

"I see. Still doesn't trust me, eh?" he asked her, smiling that same wolfish grin of his.

"Do you blame him? You guys have quite the history between you." She was quiet a moment. "He has only been silent about everything. Mother says he is just lost in thought, but even she cannot get him to talk about his thoughts these days. She seems happy about it." She neglected the part that her mother told her that she was enjoying seeing the lighter side of him for a change. She hoped it was a start to a new path for him. A path that could make him even more of a good guy. Zahara did not really want that though. She liked his dark side. She looked up at him and stared into his eyes. She knew what she was feeling, but it was so terrifying to her.

Their conversation ended there as they glanced at their watches and noticed it was time for them to go and meet everyone in their usual spot at the park. They both stood and he could not help but stare in admiration when she leaned back into the booth to pick up her purse. He was still a guy after all. A guy she had teased time and time again with her suggestive words and touches. Truth be told, he was tiring of the cold showers he had been taking at night whenever thoughts of her came to mind. He wanted to hold her and take her, but he also knew she was still playing the innocent one. For her father's sake, no doubt, he thought with a smirk. She straightened and turned to face him, catching the hungry look in his eyes. She smiled knowingly at him and began to leave. Silently, he followed her.

Everyone was already at the park by the time they arrived which drew several looks in their direction. Zahara separated from him to speak with her mother and sister for a moment while Bakura sauntered over to RIJ. Aurora smiled at the fact they were trying to pretend nothing was happening, but she said nothing. The day went by rather slowly as they chatted about the upcoming events. Fairs and parties. All chances for fun as well as the occasional opportunity for creating some form a chaos for Bakura and RIJ. Especially when it was learned Malik would be stopping through in the coming week. Atem could not help but groan at that thought. A breeze picked up, sending a few papers scattering. Zahara jumped up and chased after the papers.

Bakura and RIJ were deep into their plans for the upcoming party when a scream cut their talk short. Bakura looked up to see Zahara fighting against a guy who had appeared almost out of no where. The guy had a hungry sneer on his face.

"Zahara!" Aurora and Atem shouted as they began to go after the man holding their daughter. They were shocked when a white blur moved passed them and attacked the man holding her.

"Foolish mortal!" Bakura growled. "How dare you lay hands on her!" Ryou and Blue had reached them at that time and stopped beside a very shocked Aurora and Atem.

"Oh, my," Ryou said lightly as he blinked at the sight before them. "He's done for."

"I can take you!" the attacker told Bakura.

"We'll see about that," Bakura said as he grabbed the guy by the collar. The guy grinned and did a karate chop at Bakura's neck. He growled and turned to face him again. Zahara blinked rapidly as she watched the two fight. Nothing surprised her more than Bakura's next words. "You were messing with my woman!" he informed the man as he threw him to the ground. The guy reached up and grabbed Bakura's arm taking him with him.

My knight in the shadows, Zahara thought as she sighed.

"The things he apparently does for love," Ryou commented with a shocked look. Bakura turned and tackled the other guy who spun him and grabbed onto Bakura's neck to begin choking him. Bakura found an opening and turned the tables on him, flinging him to the ground and beginning to choke him.

"You really think you can defeat me?" Bakura sneered at him. The guy grinned.

"As a matter of fact, yes I do!" The fight continued on that way for a while before the others decided to step in. Eventually, the fight broke up and RIJ decided to take the guy away from the area permanently. Zahara sat near Bakura as he gripped his arm which had been injured in the fight.

"A-are you ok, 'Kura?" she asked him softly. Tears had begun to fill her eyes and she knelt beside him. He looked over at her, traces of his anger still visible. He noticed a bruise on her arm where the man had grabbed her a little too hard. He reached over and gingerly passed a couple of fingers over the bruise.

"How dare he hurt you," he said angrily. He startled her when he pulled her into a hug. She stilled for a moment before returning the hug, running her fingers through his hair.

"It's ok… Hush now…" His angry words stopped and he just held her. Suddenly feeling slightly self-conscious about the eyes watching them, she pulled back and looked him over, trying to see if there were any other injuries he was not letting on about. "Are you ok?" she asked him again. That was when she noticed some blood at the corner of his mouth. He became aware of her gaze and reached up to wipe it away.

"I'm fine, but… thanks for asking," he said softly. Aurora looked over at Atem who was watching everything with confusion in his eyes. He still did not know how to take in the fact that his enemy, the long time thief had actually put himself in danger to come to his daughter's aid. Atem was still trying to figure it out. He could not help but wonder if there was some other kind of plot Bakura had been working on and if Zahara was caught in the middle.

"Are you sure? Because I…" She paused a moment fiddling with her fingers in her lap as she struggled to reveal a small secret to him. "I… I can help. I – I can heal any wounds you may have gotten," she finally got out before blushing and looking down. Bakura blinked but did not hesitate in his answer.

"No, I'm fine… Just a few cuts and bruises. Nothing I can't handle." Zahara spied a cut on his hand and gently took it, brushing her finger lightly over the cut. She bit down on her lower lip again before taking another shot.

"If you are sure…" She raised his hand to her lips and kissed the cut. Bakura's eyes widened as he felt a slight tingling sensation where her lips touched his skin. She kept her gaze lowered as she lifted her head. He stared in amazement upon realizing the cut was no longer there. Not even a scar had been left in its place. "Just so you know how I can help if you ever need it," she told him, still not looking up. Aurora could not help but smile.

"Odd, months ago they attack each other in a bowling alley and they toy with each other every week, yet she still plays shy," she commented with a roll of her eyes. Sanura sighed.

"So now that our plans have been scattered all over the park, what do we do now?" No one seemed to hear her as they continued to watch Bakura and Zahara interact. He was still amazed at her gift of healing. A sly smile quirked his lips.

"Hm… You know… I also have another cut…" Zahra blushed wildly, but played into his ruse.

"Maybe I can take care of that one for you a little later?" Aurora coughed.

"Zahara, did I just hear what I thought I did?" Zahara smirked.

"Depends on what you think you heard…" Aurora turned her head away in shock. Ryou just stared at his yami with wide eyes. He could not even think of anything to say. Blue smiled. It was clearly evident that Bakura was still a man after all- even if he had been nothing but a spirit at one point. Now he had needs he was needing taken care of.

"He never learns…" she said quietly. Atem finally stepped forward.

"Do I need to separate you two?" Zahara sighed.

"I think that after three thousand years, I can think for myself," she told him as she returned Bakura's hungry gaze. Sanura gasped as Atem's face turned red with anger at his daughter's disrespect.

"This is not going to end well," Sanura said with a cringe as she began to back away. Bakura looked away from Zahara to glare at Atem.

"Just how can you separate us, Pharaoh?"

"He has once," Ryou mentioned.

"Yup, during your first duel," Blue added. Bakura blinked at them.

"That was… That was different." Zahara looked around at Ryou, Blue, Atem and Bakura. A confused look on her face.

"Different? What made it so different?"

"I was still with Ryou," Bakura told her, then paused as he realized how that may have sounded. "I mean, I was still a part of Ryou then."

"Glad you're not, too." Ryou told him. Bakura laughed.

"I bet you are. You can watch pornos on your own now." Ryou's eyes grew wide with shock and Blue glared at him. Zahara matched Ryou's look, not sure how to respond to that.

"He doesn't need them anymore anyway," Blue said after she recovered. Ryou's face turned a brilliant shade of red. Aurora giggled and Zahara turned her face away to mask her own embarrassed blush. Sanura laughed at her sister.

"So there is some kind of modesty in there somewhere." Zahara arched an eyebrow and turned back to Bakura.

"Now… About that cut…" A sly grin slipped over her lips.

Sanura hung her head. "I spoke too soon…"

(1)- ku ku ku ku- wa actually the way Bakura's laugh was portrayed in the manga. It was too cute for us not to add in the RPG (laughs)

Yes, I know it is so not what people are used to but that is what happens when a story like this comes out in an RPG... I had to do a lot of edits, cuts and adds, but the people involved wiht the RPG have no complaints as of yet (grins)... well now... The story shall continue...