A/n: Well, I'm just doing this so they can be friends. I think that it would be funny if they were friends. They'd continue making fun of each other. :D :D :D Yeah plus the baby doesn't need to come into a hostile world. Cuz it'll be too cute! (glomps baby)

Ren: Eeee! My baby! (hightails it off w/it)

A/n: Oh yeah, 'Ren is gonna be very Chi Chi-like when it comes to her baby, if ya watch DBZ. I would be, too. I'd be like, MY BABY! MINE! HISS! HISS! Lolz. I'll try and use the 'summarizing tech' to make the events go faster. So try and keep up, if YOU dARE. Mweh heh heh.

Disclaimer: Still don't own anything especially YGO, or Super Soaker.

The Real Millennium Ring
SKRITCH! S-K-RITCH! went Mai's feathery gold pen on the blanks on the form, filling them in. Angry, she slashed down the name, birth, weight, and height. Well, at least he doesn't see what mine are...but WHERE IS HE? Is it not too much to ask to show up on our wedding rehearsal! And now everything was ruined! They'd have to reschedule it, it couldn't be done with the groom missing. I bET that he's GOOFING off someplace! If he is...ooh!

Meanwhile . . . . . .

"Wha-what did ya say?" said Joey, wiping off his ears. Water had even gotten into them. He tried shaking his head and sprayed them all.

"Nothing," Rebecca said innocently. "Did you hear something, Dukie?"

Duke was too busy trying to pry off the screen off the vent where Kaiba had punched a hole through accidentally, causing it to crumple. He grunted an answer.

"An' you!" Joey was firing back. "What's da deal attackin' me when I was only sayin' da truth! You gotta 'Kill a Messenger' Complex!"

"Truth hurts, doesn't it." Kaiba glared at an innocent-looking Rebecca. "All right what is it that you want so we can get out of here? I know now that you were the one who trapped us in here! So fix the panel so I can sue you for trespassing!"

"Whhhooo, me? I'm just a wee, lil' ol' girl who doesn't know nothin' about computer codes or mixing up binominals with trinominals."

"Den who was it den?" said Joey.

"Um... HIM! It was Dukie! Tee-hee!" Rebecca laughed as Joey put Duke in a headlock.

"Why, man? How am I supposeda go ta my rehearsal lookin' like this!"

"It wasn't meee! It wasn't meee!" Duke whined.

"Imbecile," Kaiba said, "it was the girl-brat! Devilin doesn't have enough brains."

It's so easy to cause chaos, she thought.

"Oh...sorry Duke. And if you call me an' imbecile jus' one more time...!"

Rebecca put in cheerfully throughout the arguing, while Duke gaasped and continued hacking away at the vent, "You guys don't get along, do you. Well, that's okay. Makes a mighty, tasty challenge for me!"

"Friends?" Kaiba spat. "You want us to... get along? Who sent you?"

"Ishizu."

"I knew it!" he muttered. "..." Meddling, voodoo woman!

"Ya mean dat Egyptian woman? Gimme a break. She wouldn't do dis!" Joey said.

How right you are! Rebecca smiled secretly. "Now, first we'll start off by listing things you don't like about each other, and go from there."

"You'll never do it," Duke said, hammering away with a chalkboard the Joey had put 'UGLEE' on. "Those two are like...like...oil and water!"

I'll let Dukie do the dirty work for me since the panel got wet and shorted out. "Re-hee-hee-heally?"

"Hey why were ya lookin' at me, Duke, when ya said 'oil'?" Joey demanded.

" 'Cause you never take a bath, mutt!" glared Kaiba.

"WHAT -! ...Yer jus' lucky dat dere's a little girl, here, Kaiba, an' I don't like ta put a bad influence on little girls! Unlike you."

"I really don't mind." said Rebecca. "And I prefer vertically-misguided! I am almost fourteen!"

"Coulda fooled me."

"If you're talking about your sister, again," Kaiba said, snarled actually, "I am getting sick of you're meddling in. Along with the world, in fact. Your self-righteous, santimonious speeches are really boring."

"WHAT!"

"He means you think too hi-highly of yourself," Rebecca stuffed a pencil behind her ear.

"I know!" Joey sputtered in rage, too angry to say one thing at a time. What a hypocrite!

"Don't DROOL on me, mutt." Kaiba picked up the umbrella by kicking it up and opened it.

"Argh...I jest hope Sis wakes up one day and leaves ya...for good!" He scowled.

"Really? Do you really?" Rebecca flipped through her organized, orderly notes. "You've been the main cause...playing...jokes? I wouldn't like to have the person that I am dating's brother to hate me."

"Gimme a break!"

Kaiba closed the umbrella and leaned aganist it in his corner, nodding slightly. "...Speaking of which, you still owe...145,000 for damage you did by spray pinkening my coats last year-!"

"Ooh!" She flipped and flipped. "You did that, too?"

"Gimme a break...dat was...Mokuba..."

"Plus, 1,500 for de-papering my walls when you put pictures of her on them and made her think I was stalking her. Which didn't work, by the way."

"'Cause she's already seen your 'wall'," muttered Duke in an undertone. Luckily, Kaiba didn't hear or he would be crumpled up like the screen.

"...oh, YEAH!" Joey said after a while. "Well...you owe me for about a gazillion dollars for ruining her life! I guess we're even!" Rebecca sighed.

"Okay, okay, so...you think that's he's too childish - granted - and you think that he's just plain evil. But he doesn't burn Bibles or kick little puppies, does he!"

"I bet so."

Duke snorted at Joey's heartfelt comment.

Rebecca twirled her pencil above her worksheet. "Schoolboy grudge...hm, workthroughable, though their is, an exception." She eyed them from above her glinting glasses, grinning. "Whether you two are stubborn."

"That's a given," said Duke.

"Definitely...so you don't believe that they are in love, Joey?" She ran her finger down her page, referring to Serenity. He grunted. "That's a no..." Kaiba shot him a narrow-eyed glare, then at her. "Questionable...no, anyway. But you don't know the whole story, do you Joey-woey?" she grinned.

"Don't call me dat. Of course I do. Kaiba was out one day, spinning his web for a tasty fly- " Duke started snickering quietly. "And sis was goin' to da church, and he lassoed her in an' cocooned her up an' den went out lookin fer other girlfriends-"

Duke was laughing outright in a safe distance, and Kaiba thought, she wouldn't mind if he couldn't talk anymore, would she?

"I know! But isn't that romantic! " Rebecca said dreamily.

"Huh!"

"I'm just kidding. But it is circa a Romeo a Juliet, according to my notes. The feuding families! The forbidden love!" she pointed dramatically, with each sentence and exclamation. "Verrry famous, old love story. But then again, they are famous..."

"What're ya TALKIN'." Sounds like a spider still ta me.

"People have been inspired! There are stories all over the Web about them, about you two, dicussion groups, logs, chat rooms-" Rebecca pointed to her email. "See!"

As they went over to look, curious, Kaiba sighed and leaned against the wall and felt his arms. It was cold, but that wasn't making him shiver or shudder. "..." He knew all about the Web and if it ever got out to the press...Good thing that they never knew the whole, real story. Speculations have been made, of course. "..."

But it did make him recall how nice it was in the good old days, when they were keeping it a secret, for safety purposes as well as personal. Then, they didn't have care in the world, he'd sweep her off her feet with roses and wine and dine her. Usually in the evenings, because he would have to work during the day. It always was an anticipation in his office to think of what was to come.

But the whirl and romance soon died out after a year or so, and they got stuck. I had to say that I didn't except it. It was his first relationship. Serious. With a girl. Or at all, really. He knew that it was coming, even prepared for it. But he had thought that he wouldn't want her anymore. But he'd had. Even though they were stuck in a rut.

Neither of them knew what to do to get out of it, really. So when there was a tounament in Spain and Mokuba wanted to enter, it was like a godsend. He had wanted him to enter, too, Mokuba that is, to his big brother. But he'd said no, thinking that this was a good excuse for a vacation. He'd been surprised at how well he'd enjoyed her company. They stillwere kind of serious, but still a bit on the awkward side.

Then Joey had found out, and Serenity had been upset. Strangely, ironically, that may have been the thing that had saved them. It...unified them as a whole, rather than breaking them apart. Of course, Joey had continued to grump and put a strain on them, causing a temporary breakup two months later. She had always taken her borther's side, when they argued about it and he couldn't stand it. Shouldn't he come first? Or was it selfish..?

I remember we had talked about that, afterwards. I had always said that it was his fault, Joey's fault, even though it was because of him, he asking me to pay for her operation, we got to know one another. Yet, he is so annoying! He's like that annoying salesman that just keeps popping up, and no matter how hard you try to chase him off - threats, police, attack dogs... It was always a constant wonder to him. Always wanted to whisk them away to somewhere private, Kaiba knew Serenity couldn't give him up, just like she couldn't give up her brother. Or, her child. Their child. I was a fool...

Fool to think that she would help me think of ways to... I thought that she would be always by my side... But now I know that isn't true. He heaved in a sigh. slowly exhaling it out. If he knew her, she would be taking the baby's side. She already has.

"ISN't THAT ROMANTIC!" That bratty girl, Rebecca was screeching, still telling the story, pulling on Joey's sleeve, hard. "A song!"

Must be talking about the time I dedicated a song to Serenity. Kaiba scowled, in frustration. How does this brat know all these embarrassing stories about me?

Mokuba is the only one who knows! "Guess which!" Rebecca said excitedly. "Guess which one he dedicated ot her!"

"Hmm...I dunno...'I'll Be Watchin' You' by Sting?" guessed Joey, disentangling himself.

Duke coughed. "The s-s-stalker song?"

"No, sillies!" Rebecca said as Kaiba glowered at them both. Boy, that Kaiba is tu-rnin' re-d as a be-et! "It was... it was...um, Someday by Nickelback."

"So there you stupid mutt. I don't stalk your sister, contrary to what you always believe." Joey made a scoffing noise rudely, but didn't say anything, to that. Kaiba remembered for moment why he had chosen that song: she had been always so optimistic that 'someday' it would get better. I known and always had known she meant by that - that I would get better... Therefore, everything will. Because it all depends on me - Ishizu said as much..."...And even though you don't care, I do...about whether she'll make it through this pregnancy..." He stopped.

Rebecca said very softly, iin her therapist's voice, "You're afraid aren't you...?" she said ultra-seriously.

"Of course! If anything should happen to her...I wouldn't forgive myself." One hand touched his face while the other gripped the umbrella's handle more tightly.

Joey stared at him.

Rebecca broke the silence, along with Duke's neck. "-AW! Isn't that SOO SWEET! THING TO SAY!" she cried, tugging at his shirt and nearly choking him. "It alwmost make me wanna CRY!"

"Yeah, yeah, you get your wager," Duke, rubbing his neck, said. Darn, I lost that bet!

I'll believe dat when I see Sis smile again! Geniunely! An'...he has ta do it! Joey set conditions with a cross of his arms. He rose up one and checked his watch. YIPE! The rehearsal was over two hours ago! "Oh man...Mai is gonna kill me..."

"That's enough, you little brat," Kaiba said as Rebecca was teasing him about how red he was, and for being 'sappy', "You work that control panel you tampered with, and maybe I won't throw you in jail!"

"Okay, okay...since that almost made me CRY." Rebecca went over to it. Then she remembered. "I forgot."

"...Don't tell me that you've forgotten the CODE?"

"It's okay wit me," Joey said, sinking into a corner with a sigh. "I'm in hidin'."

"Bwa ha ha! Mai is gonna kick your ass!" Duke said. "Like...usual!"

"Shut up 'less ya want a knuckle sandwich."

"I haven't forgot, but...it doesn't work." Rebecca pointed to the panel, which was giving off sparks and hisses. "Guess...it got wet..." she said sheepishly. When he loomed over her, she hastened: "But...Dukie-boy is working on the vent! Besides, you guys aren't leaving until y'all shake hands, and say...um..." she thought for a moment.

"Hop on one foot!" suggested Duke. He nearly got the screws loose.

"Mokuba is coming with help," Kaiba said.

"Don't count on it!" Rebecca said. When he loomed, she said, "Gosh, you are tall one, arentcha?" she leaned back to see his face. "O...ooh." Her eyes, a light green, were aglow as she stared up. I don't get it...what do little girls see in him! Joey frowned and scowled. Duke, nodding knowingly, pried off the remainants of the screws. To his dismay, there was another screen underneath. Luckily, these weren't screwed. "Uh, anyhoo, don't count on Momo 'cause he's the one who's broadcasting this!" Rebecca pointed upward at a tiny installed hidden camera.

" 'Momo'?" Kaiba grimaced. "And I thought you said Ishizu was your accomplice! "

"I li-ed! Duh! Though, I did visit her once. Such a fascinating woman," Rebecca said reverently. "She's an archeologist, kinda, like my Grandpa, and like me, I major in it at the university, though with a minor in psychology...so I'm certified to shrink your brain!" she joked.

"Guess you're safe," Duke said to Joey. "Ow! Kidding!"

Rebecca sighed, and her blond pigtailed head. "She's the one who suggested this idea. Actually, encouraged it."

"Yes...she is always FULL of IDEAS." Kaiba said sourly. "Pharoahs, Millenia Items and whatnot." Etc, etc...

"'Millennium Items'!" Rebecca shrilled, correctingly. "I think they're weird. In fact, she gave me one. We study them at the university...so that's why..." She started digging into her fuzzy shiny pink purse. "This is the Millenium Ring."

"Wait a minnit! That is not the Millenium Ring!" Joey said, backing away all the same. "I know what the Millennium Ring looks like, and dat is not it!"

"It is too. She said that after intensive studying for a while, Bakura's ring is called the Millenium Pendant. This is the real Ring." Rebecca held up a tiny object. "See? It's a ring like the one you put around your finger."

"Y-yeah r-right," Joey said, taking it cautiously from her. Even Duke went over to have a look. Kaiba thought about what dopes they are were. "Yer finger? It doesn't even - fit!"

"It'll fit the one it is destined for," Rebecca intoned (She sounds just like Ishizu, Kaiba thought) taking it back. "Not me, again! Darn!"

"But da hole...it's too tiny!" It looked more like a bead. "No one's finga could fit! ..."

"Exactly." Rebecca smiled, her glasses reflecting. "Ancient Egyptians got married, you see, real early. Like at 14, 15."

"Nuh uh! No one could be married DAT early!"

"Well, customs were different. So pbbt. Plus, this is also believed to be a wedding ring. Which means it deals with love. Love is so grand!" she chirped dreamily. "It has an counterpart, siince both wore the rings." SHe eyed Joey up and down. "Where did YOU buy your engagement ring!"

Joey staggered at the implication. "Ya...ya can't mean..." he said weakly.

"Heh heh. It might. Boy you're one to believe quick, aren't you?" Rebecca said, hugging it protectively. BOYS! S-O malleable!

"You're the one who's been putting those notions and more in my brother's head," Kaiba said suddenly at her. "Everybody knows that the wedding ring came from the fact that there's a vein running from your third finger directly to the heart-"

"Wh-ich came from the Egyptians! Duh!" Rebecca said, with a roll of her eyes. He got irritated from being spoke to in that manner.

"Give me that, you stalker." He reached out for what she thought was her ring, but instead for her notebook. "You've been spying on me - move, Devilin - and there's no other explanation for it! How do you know so much. Well, say goodbye to your notes!" He held them to the vent and that immediately got sucked in.

"Hey! You big BULLY!" She ran over, but it was too late. "T-t-that was my homework in there!"

"Was is definitely the key word," said Duke.

"Months of work..."

"Hey ya didn't hafta do dat! She spied on me, but I don't touch other people's things!"

"If that was a crack about your sister-"

"IT WASN'T!"

"THEN mind your own business!"

"Ohh, not again," groaned Duke, retreating to a corner and protecting his head with his arms over his shoulders, like the way hikers protect themselves from at a bear attack.

"EEEKK!" Rebecca shrilled horribly. "My ring! Where did you knock it out of my hands!" She began to frantically look.

There was a brilliant flash...it positively enveloped them. Except for Duke, who yelped out of the way behind Kaiba, who sheilded his eyes from the luminious glare. It wasn't that the light hurt their eyes, but they were blinded by it for a while. Then, as Duke hid, shivering, all three fell to the floor after groans of pain. The room was slowly visible again.

"Uh...guys?" he said tentatively, nudging with his foot.

Meanwhile . . . .

Meanwhile, the others were worrying and wondering. They'd tried his cell phone. No answer. It seemed that Joey had just disappeared off the planet, or into thin air.

After going daring to venture away from the rehearsal to look for their comrade, Yugi, Tristan, and Tèa had been demanded back by a very frazzled Mai. She was in a bad mood, and beyond reason, so all reluctantly dragged their feet back. She and Tèa had gotten into a row when Tèa had whispered that she didn't think that he was going to show, that he had probably forgotten, and that he was probably going to forget the wedding day, too, so would please Tristan make sure when the time comes? Eventfully, Mai overheard.

She soon found out where he'd been. They all did.Apparently, he was stuck someplace with Kaiba and Duke and Rebecca...? After a few more hours of watching, they split up to go look.

"That must be Kaiba broadcasting," said Tèa thoughtfully. "It's coming from his mansion, I think. It must be."

"That where Ishizu went to look," said Tristan. "We'd better look someplace else." He grinned. "I'll leave you two aloooone."

After he'd sauntered off towards some girls - apparently there was some Junior Miss Domino Pageant going on in the Square also - Tèa and Yugi were left alone, in an awkward silence.

"Geez... can he get any more obvious?" Tèa said.

"Yeah...I know." Yugi said glad the silence was broken by her.

"Are you and Rebecca really going out?" she said, thinking to the TV.

"N-no! We're not; she made that up, I don't know why..."

Tèa looked at him extra-carefully over, to see if he was lying. Satisfied, she said, "Phew! 'Cause I thought - for a minute - " She waited to see if he would say anything. " - that - you were - one of, you know, those guys that - dates a lot of people si mult aneously."

"I'm not like that."

"Like Duke." She wished immediately that she hadn't said that, because he scowled most unbecomingly and unconsciously rubbed his wrist. "You're not going to apologize, to him, for hitting him? are you?"

"Uh...I suppose it'd be...the right thing to do."

"'Cause I wouldn't mind. I...If you didn't."

"Good." He seemed relieved, and they both laughed, a little. Unbeknownst to them, they'd both been unconsciously walking to where the Game Shop was.

"Thanks for rescuing me with Mai earlier," she added with a smile.

"You're welcome." As always. "I don't know why she was acting so-"

"Hey, those are Kaiba's 'friends!' " A news reporter yelled out. There was a rushing of feet, like a those of a trampling herd behind them suddenly. Wires and microphones dangled. "Scuse us! Scuse us!" they blared.

"C'mon!" Tèa said, pulling him indoors of the Game shop. The doors rattled until they were broken, but eventually the pack gave up. "Jeez... sometimes I wish we didn't know such famous people!" He murmured an agreeing murmur. "Anyway... I have something to tell you, Yugi. Something I haven't told you before." She perched up on one of the stools in front of the counter where Mr. Motou used to sit. Yugi looked wistfully at the cash register. She's probably gonna talk about New York and how fabulous it is and how she can wait to get there, he thought. But no: "I, uh... heard... I mean! Overheard what you were saying while you were talking to Sereni- I mean Ren the other day."

"Eh?" he had completely forgotten about it until now. "...Oh!..." I must've looked like a desperate asking for advice. Especially another GIRL!

An awkward, tense-filled silence fell. "Well... uhm...and al-also..." Tèa's hand jerked towards her hair, looking away, "before that. After you punched out Duke. Which was very risky, by the way! I-I can't stand to see it." You get hurt, I mean, she thought but didn't voice it aloud because she wanted to rely on their inter-connection a last time.

"Uh-huh..." he felt even more depressed now! She's thinks that you're too weak to ever fight 'a real man's fight'! "..." His head bent down and looked at the floor. He looked defeated. But this is the guy that beat Kaiba, the world champ by himself! thought Tèa. Yet...

"Maybe he's just not ready, Tèa," she murmured in an undertone to herself. In a way, she had wanted him to beg her to stay, from New York, in Domino City where it seemed no one wanted her around anymore. But it was clear that he was not going to do that. "I don't wnat you to be unhappy." Maybe he does hate me... she thought.

She was suddenly aware that he was saying something. "D'you..." Yugi said, picking at a wood chip of the counter, "I'm not unhappy...Did you... happen to hear...something..I mean... b'fore you fell asleep...?" My throat feels, like a hockey stick got mixed in with my cereal and swallowed! He certainly felt like a little kid.

She didn't say anything.

Of course she didn't... you little idiot. She was sle-eping!

"You mean the 'I love you' part?" she said inquiringly, smiling, so that her nose crinkled.

He suddenly got lockjaw. "Yes...that would be the part...You-you heard me?" Yugi said faintly. He couldn't believe his ears, at his good luck - there must be something wrong. God takes my best friend and my grandpa and let's her actually hear me? The world is inconsistent!

"Yeah," said Tèa. "So..." She drew out the word for as long as possible, waiting, uncertain where they should go. Oh. Right. We're supposed to be looking for Joey. Right

"...Uh." Yugi said disappointedly, "oh!...you don't feel the same way. Tha - that's okay." He starting to slide off the stool and she put out a hand on his arm to stop him, "No, really! That's okay. Really. Just...forget I said anything, okay?" She looked slightly hurt at the words he was saying, but he was too busy hurting, himself. "I know what you are trying to do, and it...won't work. This just complicates things worse, anyway. So...don't pity me!"

"But, Yugi-" she began, her eyes beginning to shimmer.

"I said I get it!" He was horrified at hearing his own breath catch and the fact that he was actually yelling at her and that his face looked terrible. "You don't love me."

"But I do."Time stood still and Yugi was aware that they were all alone "You - love - me?" Yugi repeated, just to make sure. She made a face like she were flinching but he didn't see pity in her eyes. She meant it. Well, I don't know why she's flinching, but at least she doesn't think I'm pathetic! Hope rose.

"Mm hm." He looks so... hopeful, just like he used to look! I'm glad I told him.

"Oh." Everything fell back into place; hope fell. "As a friend."

Geez, now he looks so disappointed. Is it that hard for him to believe it? Tèa sighed, her first taste of male absurdness. "No. Listen, Yugi. When I went to New York,...let's just say it wasn't the way I hoped it would be." He pressed his mouth shut and ducked his head, somehow feeling like it was all his fault that that was so. "When I came back, I thought that things would get better, and at the same time, stay the same. What I mean is, I thought...everyone would be happy to see me."

"They were," he said automatically.

"Not... overjoyed. I know that it sounds selfish, and greedy, but I had this vision on that plane trip of... well, a party. Not...an engagement party, not a baby shower, but for me."

"Oh." Yugi felt guiltier still. He remembered how snippy he had been, and how distant. Now he was doing better, and it was all thanks to her. He wantd to tell her just that, that if she went he might fall again, but... it still hurt, to reach out. Tèa still stared down. "I...didn't know."

"I'm not blaming you. I know that you've had some rough bumps along your road. Heaven knows, I do. And I guess...once I've figured out it wouldn't be that way, I got a little jaded and started to push everyone away. You saw earlier how mad Mai was with me. She hates me for it."

"No..."

Tèa smiled sadly up, obviously trying to get a grip. "So...I guess that's me!... I guess no one wants me around, anymore. Except for you. And for now, I'll take it." He saw her smile get a little shaky as was reminded of what Serenity had told him about her. 'She's really, deep down shy and afraid as you are. Kind of like Seto...' I guess that that's true, he thought. I've never seen her like this...

It touched him, but then again she always touched him. Her kind thoughts and words...she believed she was a demon, and she really was an angel. "I'm sorry," he said gently, sitting again, "that I never thought about how you felt, then...and I'm sorry, for bieng so inconsiderate..."

"It's okay...I never did, either!..." She was trying to lighten up the seriousness of the atmosphere, but neither of them turned up a smile. I do like him as a friend, only...because it is too dangerous to think of him as anything else, to our friendship. Their faces started to bend towards one another, in unison... I can't lose his friendship, too...he's the oldest one I have now; I wouldn't bear it.

TBC

A/N: Whoo hoo! A kiss! Let's see...or a Convenient interruption? Even I don't know! Just know when they do, it'll be really passionate! Like MUAHHHHHHHH! lol.

Ooh, the suspense. Anyhow, I know Kaiba seems a little rough around the edges, but I'm under the impression that fatherhood will change him. He'll be doing a 180. YAY! And I bet you're wondeirn' what happened there. Guess! Please Review !