A/n:(cheery) Hi, y'all! Happy New Year! (wince) is it really 2005? Yipe! SO I resolve to . . .finish this story! Yup! Thanks for all yer reviews! THey make me so happy! Esp. the ones whose been with me since the beginning! I WUV YOU ALL!
(Joey): Daaaat's right, scare dem off...
A/n: Sob! And I'm not afraid to say it! Sob!
(Yugi): ::hands tissue::
A/n: Ohh, thank you! ::glomps:: He's so nice! Just for that...you don't get to suffer for the rest of the fic!
(Joey:) Hey!
(Seto) ::thinks:: she's already going to make me suffer, so...
(Yugi)::turning blue:: See? It's pays to be nice guys-s! ::faint::

A/n: Anyways, um . . .for now, it'll be mostly YxT-ness, and SxS-ness, until I get this SxS business done with. JxM-ness'll return then, and then it'll be more YxT-ness, 'cause I've put them off for so long that there only like ONE YxT fan left in my reviewers . . . and there's like, 3 JxM fans left . . .and there's like, a whole bunch of SxS fans . . .and the rest are mixed. :D This fic'll end with the wedding, at probably (here's hoping) the 30th chapter . . .and then the honeymoon, ooh la la . . .I don't know whether to do it or not. Maybe, if I still have some support to. But I digress . . .

Disclaimer: Me don't own YugiOH! No money's been made from this fic. You don't sue.

-

-

-

A Night to Remember, Part VI: Can You Hear Me Now?

-

-

-

Tea said to a relucant Yugi, "Come on, let's go help Serenity."

They wound their ways around the tables, Yugi a little slower, between the other chattering, lively people. Tea chose the door marked "Ladies" and walked in.

Yugi yelped, "B-but Tea! I can't go in—" "It's ok, Serenity needs the both of us," Tea took his hand and led him in.

The bathroom was empty looking and done in a gaudy lime-green. Tea marched up to the first stall from the left and stood on tiptoe. "Hey . . .Seren . . .?" she called out softly.

Yugi watched inconspicuously, admiring how Tea seemed so sensitive to others' needs. No matter what the situation, Tea's loyalty to her friends remained steadfast.

"I'm O.K.," warbled a tiny voice.

"I'm coming in," Tea announced, as she slowly pushed the door stall open, which was painted a lime-green. Even Serenity's face was the exact same hue.

"Oh!" Tea clasped one hand in front of her chest and the other over her mouth. "You look terrible!"

Yugi winced while Serenity muttered, "Thanks a lot! I really needed to hear that."

"Oh . . .well . . ." Tea said hastily, "maybe not terrible . . ." She stepped in a stray puddle of vomit and started cleaning it up with toilet paper, while Yugi helped. Serenity watched motionless for a while, then steeped over to the shining sinks.

"She's right, though, isn't she, Yugi?" I look like a-a succubus. "I look pathetic."

Yugi answered with heartily and negatively, passing her paper towels wordlessly after she washed her ruined makeup off her face. Serenity sighed when Tea came to help. All three were silent; Yugi and Tea concerned, Serenity looking tired.

"Well . . .that's all we can do," Tea said softly, still brushing off chunks from her pretty dress. "Except be there for you." "You guys better get out of here," Serenity said at the same time.

She looked pleadingly at them. "Seto's going to be here any second. So. Uh."

She looks so tortured, Tea thought. Yugi looked equally concerned. "Are you sure? Did he say that he was coming?"

"Yeah. I told him to come."

Tea's voice turned fierce. She crossed her arms over her sweatshirt and generally looked like she wasn't going anywhere. "Yugi and I will stay to be for moral support for you."

"Uh . . .Tea . . ." Yugi began, touching her arm.

"Thanks, but you've done enough . . .!" Serenity said uncharacteristically coldly and meaningfully. She was talking about when Tea blabbed about her 'condition' and got her in trouble, at school.

"Uh, yeah, about that," Tea said, looking guilty--but not abashed, "I spoke with the dean that day, and stood in your place for the trial. I pleaded your case, and they relented."

"R-really?" Serenity was immediately sorry she'd sniped.

"Yeah. Just after you give birth."

"Oh . . .I already knew that." Serenity started pacing around, her strappy shoes making clicking sounds in the tile floor. "Look, I really appreciate the idea of moral support, but you're—I mean, you two are just going to make things worse. Seto probably already feels really stupid for not believing you guys when you told him, and rubbing it in won't help."

"But I'm not going to rub it in—" Tea began, until Yugi pulled on her sleeve.

"Thanks Serenity, we'll leave you alone to your business." He led her out and once back in the dining table, Tea said:

"I can't believe it! She doesn't trust me? What do you think that I'll do, say 'I told you so,' to Kaiba?!"

"She must be crazy," Yugi agreed nonchalantly picking himself some pie from the dessert tray. Secretly, though he wouldn't be surprised if Tea did just that. She always had some kind of vendetta against Serenity's boyfriend.

Tea tapped her fingers on her plate of untouched floor, still mulish. "I swear I wouldn't do that!"

"Mm."

"I mean, I'm not that harsh, am I?"

"No . . ." Yugi said slowly, cutting his food. "But you are kind of blunt."

"Who, me?"

"Yeah. But it's okay," he said with a shrug, "It shows you care."

"Well . . .yeah . . .and did you see how uncaring she sounded?" Tea picked up her fork and stabbed her salad moodily. "I bet that that came from you-know-who—"

Just then, the front door of the restaurant opened. Cold air swirled in, mingling with the warmed air. Candle flames flickered, and a dead silence swept throughout the restaurant.

Kaiba walked in. Yugi barely recognized him, and he could tell Tea did too. Gobs of sleet and snow had gathered on his shoulders, and he walked as if limping. "Where is she—" Even his voice sounded wounded.

Twenty paris of fingers pointed towards the bathroom. Kaiba seemed to hesitate, especially around Yugi's and Tea's table, and then move on as everyone put their hands down. Except for Tea and Yugi.

Yugi saw Tea pursed her lips, as if physically blocking the thing she wanted to say, and then erupting when he had rounded the bathroom. "Did you see him?" she asked unnecessarily— "—he looked like he was going to throttle her!"

Yugi had to agree that Kaiba's eyes were burning oddly, but he told her he doubted it. About the throttling . . . part.

"Yeah, well, he'd better not!" Tea murmured loudly. She was so agitated that her feet were actually stomping the ground underneath the table. "Oh, Yugi . . .I'm so worried! I have to make sure she's okay."

"But she told you to butt out." Yugi said apologetically.

"Yes, well . . .there are other ways . . .like eavesdropping."

"Tea, you can't do that! Supposed they come out and catch you?"

"They won't." Smiling, Tea grasped her glass. "See, the bathrooms are right on the other rside of this wall next to us . . ." She downed her glass of water, the whole glass, in a couple of gulps, while he watched bug-eyed. She must be really thirsty . . .for knowledge, that is!

Tea pressed the glass against the wall, and listened. Her mouth twisted up in concentration, brows gathering. Finally, she stuck her other hand in her ear to block out the noise from the restaurant again.

"What? What are they saying?" Yugi inquired.

"Um . . .hold on a sec . . . Kaiba's saying, 'Why didn't you tell me?'" Tea donned a stern face. "And, um, Serenity said, 'Because you're never around. You're always working' " Tea cupped her hand over her mouth, and around the glass, "Yeah you tell him, Seren!"

Yugi heard their voices falter. He sighed and clapped one hand over his forehead, shaking it, sighing again.

"Oops, I think they heard me!" Tea pointed towards the wall; Yugi nodding in agreement. "Oh, well. Let's see . . . Kaiba's now saying, ' . . .you could have told me this afternoon when we talked!' Grr . . .you'd better not stress her out . . ." Tea growled and muttered underneath her breath for five full mint. "Yugi, I'm worried. What if he stresses her out so much that-that she goes in labor, and-and delivers a premature baby?! It's be all my fault!"

"Wha--?" Yugi was flabbergasted. "How can it be your fault?" Secretly though, he was amused because at first Tea seemed to not want this baby, then she's all protective of it . . .

"Oh—you know—I blame myself, you know, for Serenity getting herself into this situation." Tea stabbed lightly at her food, in a poke. "I keeping thinking, if I hadn't gone and left her for New York, she'd be able to get the advice and been able to avoid this . . ."

Yugi nodded kindly in encouragement.

Tea looked sad. " . . .You know how Joey and Mai, they were so wrapped up in each other, that they forgot to give her proper advice to avoid thing this kind of thing . . ." she paused. "They didn't even see this coming . . .even though they've been here the whole time . . ."

"Actually, Mai was in New York like you were, remember?"

"Oh, yeah . . .but Joey, then! He should've—" Tea paused excitedly. "That's it! I'll call Joey to come here and show Serenity some brotherly support." She signaled the waited to bring her the phone.

"Oh, no you don't! Tea—" Yugi put his hand over the receiver before she could reach for it. "If Joey comes over here, he and Kaiba are going to feud. And that's going to cause Serenity even more stress. Is that what you want . . .?"

Tea bit her lip, looking undecidedly at him. She could still hear lively chatter plus their voices from the bathroom. Yugi did have a point. But Tea wanted to help Serenity out of guilt for not being there for her. "I'll . . .I'll call Joey, and he can decide for himself," she said firmly, grabbing for the phone."

"No!" Yugi tried to grab for the receiver, much to the dislike of the snooty waiter. Joey's going to come the second he hears . . .

"Y'ello." Joey's warm voice filled the restaurant after Tea dialed quickly for both—both before she could change her mind, and before Yugi stopped her.

"Joey!" Tea said breathlessly. "You have to get down here fast. Your sister . . .she needs you!"

"Huh? Sis?"

"Yeah, she's—"

Yugi snatched the phone. "No, she doesn't! Tea's just . . .um, playing a trick on you, Joey."

"Yuge? 's dat you?"

"Yeah. Look, whatever you do, don't come to Mendy's Bar and Restaurant!"

"Huh? Mendy's Bar and Whatsoits?"

Tea snatched it back. "He means, yes to come! I mean—"

"Wait, hold on. I'm studying at home for the exams. Tell me everythin'."

"I was just about to!" Tea seethed for getting interrupted. Meanwhile, Yugi said with his countenance not to tell him. "Well . . . you see . . .Joey . . .Kaiba found out. About you know what."

"Huh?"

"Serenity being pregnant!" Tea exclaimed.

"Oh . . .Well, it's about time!"

"Tell me about it." Tea rolled her eyes at Yugi, who mouthed, Put the phone down. "Uh, anyway, so Serenity's all pale and shaky because you know, they had a fight, and then Kaiba showed up, looking like the walking dead—"

"So what else is new." Joey quipped. "Wait . . .how could fight wit her, and den show up?!"

"Because they fought over the phone, you—!" Here, Tea called Joey a name that made Yugi flinch. "—Imbecile! Anyway, I think he's really going to cause some damage because he's all in a bad mood—"

" . . ." Joey was silent.

"So get on down here to help! What are you waiting for?!" Tea wondered.

" . . ." Joey paused. Then, he said woodenly, "Naw, it's ok. Serenity'll . . .handle it." But he didn't sound so sure.

"Are you crazy?" Tea wanted to know. Even Yugi looked surprised, but he didn't show it by ducking to his food again. "Suppose she goes into labor and delivers a stillborn and etcetera.She's your sister, for godsakes!"

"! I know dat," Joey said as Yugi looked startled, and Tea's cell phone rang.

"Here Yugi." She passed over the phone, and clicked on her cell phone. I forgot I had it! "Hello?"

"Hey, Tea. Serenity's not answering her cell phone . . .?" It was Mai, calling from her cottage.

Oh no, he's killed her! Tea looked frantically wordlessly at Yugi, who was gabbing on the phone and didn't catch her look.

" . . .It keeps saying, 'Out of the area.'" Mai wound her finger around her hair.

"Oh . . ." Tea breathed out a 'Whew!' "She's in the bathroom; talking with Kaiba right now."

"Why is Tea actin' so trippy?" Joey was saying to Yugi. "Didja let her into da cooking sherry or what?"

"Oh . . .you know . . ." Yugi said vaguely.

"Hey, Joey, I HEARD THAT!" Tea yelled so loud that Joey had to hold the phone away from his ear and Yugi looked at the snooty waiter, who looked mighty mad at being made to stand up all this time. "Just because you won't help your sister—"

"Is that Joey?" Mai interrupted. "I thought he was studying for exams!"

"I am!" Joey said from the other line.

"Then what are you doing over there—in the restaurant?!"

"I'm on da phone!"(Yugi and Tea had to hold their phones together.) They both exchanged glances.

"I hear . . . chewing! You are at the restaurant!"

"Eating is how I study!"

"Quit arguing over my phone line!" Tea stormed. Finally, Tea said into her phone, "Look, Mai, do you want to know what's going on, or not?"

Yugi said, "Joey, Tea wants to know if you're coming or not."

" . . ." Long pause. " . . .No."

"Ok. See ya." Yugi hung up, casting an apologetic look at the waiter, who harrumphed and stalked away with his nose in the air.

Meanwhile, Tea was updating Mai on the events, while Yugi saw Kaiba and Serenity go to leave. "Wait, they've just came out—yeah, yeah. Talk to you later!" Tea shut off her phone with a snap.

The two strode over to the door. Tea watched them like a hawk for any telltale signs of what the conclusion could be. Nothing. None whatsoever.

Just before walking through the door, Serenity cast a glance over at Tea and mouthed, "Thanks a lot!" Kaiba didn't look over at all, but his jaw was so tense, it could've been carved from granite.

"See, Yugi?" Tea beamed. "I know Serenity would be okay. Look, she even thanked me!"

(a/n: Uh, no, Tea I think you've just madethings worse XD XP)

Meanwhile . . .

At the Kaiba Manor . . .

"H-have a good night, sir!" The chauffeur fairly scuttled away towards the servants' chambers, tipping his driver's hat at his master's miss as if to say, Good Luck! Serenity looked wistfully after him for a while, then trudged up the stairs, dreading this. All the way here, Kaiba had done nothing. Except talk to himself, and flipping his hand, between mirthless chuckles. Not a good sign. It was usual, though.

After Tea meddled . . .they had both agreed that they're were far too many ears overhearing in that restaurant, and when Serenity had left, she had cast a wistful look over her shoulder, remembering that she had had such high hope for the night, and everything had gone berserk. At least, she had tried to cast a wistful look, and then had spotted Tea.

And then she had called Joey . . .what was she thinking?! Good thing he didn't come . . .The world felt heavy and slow on her shoulders, slumping her slender frame as they reached the front door in a muddle. It had stopped sleeting, finally, and the night was cold and still. "You know . . . you shouldn't have traveled in the sleet like this," she said just for the sake of breaking the tense air around them coming in breaths. He didn't answer, just grabbed the doorknob tiredly, an old brass carved one, and pulled.

It came off in his hand.

Serenity's jaw dropped open as the door slowly creaked open. Meanwhile Kaiba was looking down at the doorknob in his hand like he'd never seen it before, and then she slowly focused her attention to the inside . . .

"W-what h-happened-- to the cleanup crew?!" She gasped aloud, at the landfill, stuttering as a jumpy feeling kicked at her chest. And it wasn't the baby, since it had finally stopped as if out of the occasion.

The ceiling to floor bookcase was upside-down, the books in it all stacked up neatly in a pile, but not put up in their shelves. The servant boy, hidden from sight, caught sight of them and halted, before scuttling away.

Obviously, they didn't come, or finish . . . Serenity looked warily up at him; he was standing there with his head down, still as a statue. Ishizu would've called the broken doorknob a bad sign, the first bad omen.

Behind them between the open doorway, a police siren wailed.

This is going to be bad . . .

To be continued . . .

A/n: Yep! Poor Kai . . . he loses to Yugi, his house's been wrecked by the party he so generously gave, finds out he's gonna be a father, and lastly the police arrive . . .with Mokuba! Tee hee hee . . .I'm so mean!

(Joey) Even I'm startin' ta feel kinda sorry fer 'im . . . very little sorry.
A/n: There's a reason for all of this before you think me mean! And when I find out what it is, I'll tell you! J/K! I know what it is . . . but it won't come up till later! Anywho, next: Okay . . .maybe Mokie hasn't been arrested by the police . . . methinks that's TOO much. XD XD Okay. TheSxS talk . . .YxT's date continues on . . .Joey studies and gets grease all over his notes . . .Ha! Ha! Okies, signing off now. Please review, plz!