Oh and HAPPY NEW YEARS!!! (though it's January 2nd... I was planning to update this yesterday but hey I was lazy!!! lol)
-----------------------------
Chapter 7: End Of The Road
No. No This can't be happening..... No....
That's all Mai's mind could say. She held Joey close, as tears fell from her violet eyes, onto his dirty face. Yami and the others ran over to them as quickly as they could. Serenity screamed out her brother's name, as did Duke and Tristan. They saw the scene. Joey was beaten up, bleeding, and knocked out. Mai looked like a rag. Her face was drenched with tears that never stopped falling. She never wanted to cry in front of the group. But, she soon realized she didn't care anymore. The gang probably already knew she loves him anyway. It was okay to cry. Sometimes you had to cry. You have to release all those emotions at some point. Joey told her that once. His words still rang through her mind as if he had just told her yesterday.
'Can't ya loosen up? Just once?'
She kept hearing those words... She just wanted to drop dead here, and now.
"Joey..." She whispered to him. She knew very well that the group heard it. She didn't care. She loved him.
"BIG BROTHER!!!!!!!!!" Serenity screamed as she ran towards him, and Mai. She stopped when she reached Mai. Tears ran down Serenity's face. "What happened, Mai? What happened to my brother!?" She yelled bitterly.
Mai didn't answer. She was to upset to talk, or even look at the young girl in front of her.
The rest of the group appeared next to Serenity, wanting to question Mai about the events that took place. But she wouldn't answer anyone.
"Mai please.... Tell us..." Yami looked at her, then to Joey. Joey was still in Mai's arms, with tears on his face that had fallen from her eyes.
"It's r-really... h-hard..." She sobbed and hiccuped. It was hard to talk and cry at the same time. Yami understood that, and did loathe to see Mai like this.
"Alright, Mai. Just calm a bit. Please." He put his hands on her shoulders and looked at her straight in the eyes. "Everything will be alright. Now... tell me what happened."
She sniffed and tried her best to answer him. "He-he fought Varon... and-" She couldn't finish. Instead she broke down into hysterics.(A/N: As if she wasn't already like that Lol.) Talking about the previous events would only make her cry harder. And then what? Yami grew melancholy as he watched Mai cry her eyes out.
Duke watched in horror, but thought of something to do while Yami tried to get Mai to calm down. "Hey guys! I think Joey needs to see a Doctor-"
"Gee what was your first clue you retard."
"SHUT IT TRISTAN!" Tea screamed at him.
"As I was saying...." Duke continued on. "I think I'll go back to the Reunion Party and grab a car there so we can get Joey to the hospital."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
"Finally, Duke does something right."
"TRISTAN HOW MANY TIMES MUST I YELL AT YOU!?!?"
"Your lucky I can't hit girls...."
"I'll deal with you later. I'll be back soon" Duke gave Tristan one last glare before heading off, while Tristan gave him the middle finger. Tea didn't yell at him this time. For she knew, he would never learn....
She sighed and walked next to Mai and hugged her gently. Mai hugged her in return, as she cried into her shoulder. "Shhh... it's okay..." Tea tried her best to calm the older women down, however the obnoxious wails never stopped.
"No it's not okay.... And you should know that, Tea!"
Tea didn't know what to say anymore. She also knew deep down that it wasn't okay either, but she wanted to help Mai in any way possible. Gentle tears started flowing down her ice cold cheeks. "Alright.... But everything WILL be okay... very soon.... I promise... I'm sorry, Mai... I had no right to say that everything was okay... Cause it's not. This must be hard for you....."
"You have no idea..." Mai looked up at Tea still with tears flowing and more gathering in her eyes.
Yami saw the hurt in Tea's bright blue eyes. He always liked her eyes. They reminded him of the sky. Yes sir, he admired her in so many ways. It was hard for him to see Mai cry, but it's even harder to watch Tea cry. He noticed that Tristan was starting to look teary-eyed as well.
Just then, the group heard foot steps behind them.
A cold hearted CEO came across the distance and looked straight at Joey.
"What happened to the dog?"
Serenity sent a glare that was so fierce it could kill. "Don't you dare start, Seto Kaiba!"
Tea, Yami, Tristan, and Mai all looked up at Kaiba with glares of their own.
"Hmph. What the dog's sister finally gets angry?"
"SHUT UP YOU FUCKING LOSER! DON'T CALL MY DOG A FUCKING DOG! CAUSE HE'S NOT!"
"Really? I never noticed. Wheeler admit it, you have a crush on me. I still see it."
"I COULD NEVER LOVE SOMEONE LIKE YOU! AND I'LL ALWAYS LOVE MY BROTHER A GREAT DEAL MORE THEN I COULD EVER LOVE YOU!"
The group stared at Serenity in shock. That's when Kaiba started to admire Serenity a little more.
"Very good, Wheeler. You have finally learned how to stand up for yourself. I give you some credit."
Serenity was about to retaliate, but Yami stepped in. "KAIBA THAT'S ENOUGH! THIS IS NOT A GOOD TIME!!"
"Hmph. Why not!?" He asked coldly, as he spotted Mai holding Joey in her arms. (A/N: yeah yeah while Serenity was talking to Kaiba, Mai picked Joey up again.)
He smirked. "Well, well, well.... You never answered my question from the beginning. What happened? Mai you should know. Go ahead and explain."
Mai death glared him, and hugged Joey tighter. "Go away, Kaiba. Your presence is not welcomed here."
"It's a free country. I can be where ever the hell I want to be! But listen, who ever did this to him will pay because I was the person who was suppose to beat him. Not anyone else. Only ME."
"SHUT THE HELL UP!!!!" Tristan ran over and grabbed Kaiba's collar trying to choke him. "JUST FUCK OFF! WE'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOUR COMPANY!"
"I pity you, monkey." Kaiba then lifted his hand and got a good grip on Tristan's. Tristan swore under his breath as Kaiba knocked him to the ground.
"Tristan! Are you okay?" Serenity asked him, as he gave her a thumbs up still with his face eating the groud.
"Remember this you geeks, I'll be back. And this time I will be the one to destroy Wheeler!!" The CEO turned the other direction and proceeded walking. 'This is not over yet.'
"Glad he's gone!" Tea sighed in relief. "The last thing we need is for Kaiba to blow up in our faces."
"Talk about getting up on the wrong side of the bed." Tristan said comically.
Serenity thought to herself for a moment. 'What has gotten into you, Seto? You're NEVER like this to me... Maybe Joey was right... maybe... you are jerk who has no respect for anyone other then Mokuba. No.. no Serenity... you can not judge someone you hardly know. But I do know him... but then again I DON'T!' She continued to argue with herself, but she was interrupted in her thoughts with the sound of a beep. She looked along the path to discover Duke in a van, waving at them to hurry up. She gave him a nod and helped Tea, and Mai pick Joey up and put him on Tristan's back.
"Let's go! We don't have all day! Joey isn't heavy, Tristan! What the hell are you waiting for!!!!" Duke yelled from the van.
Tristan gave him a death glare and yelled back. "YEAH! WELL WHY DON'T YOU GET YOUR LAZY ASS UP AND YOU TRY HOLDING HIM!!!" He waved a fist in the air.
Duke sighed. "Child. He's not heavy, your just weak!!! AND WHO ARE YOU CALLING LAZY!? YOU FUCKING-"
"GUYS!! PLEASE!" Serenity cried out to them. Duke and Tristan stopped their pointless bittering and nodded at each other. Soon enough everyone was in the van and ready to go to the hospital. And then they took off and were now on the road. Everyone prayed to god that Joey would survive a little bit longer.
In the driver's seat was Duke of course, then you have Tristan next to him trying to give him directions. Then in the next row in the back there was Yami and Tea sitting next to each other. Yami was blushing at the fact Tea was so close to him, meanwhile Tea was sitting there thinking quietly to herself. In the very back was Mai holding Joey in her lap, with Serenity right next to her. Mai had calmed down a little bit knowing that the gang was on their way to get Joey some help, but she still worried that they wouldn't make it in time. Serenity had a very similar worry to what Mai's was.
'Big brother... please... don't die... we need you.... we ALL need you... I need you... I love you... Mai loves you....'
Now back to the front where Duke was trying to find his way around the road. He bleeped the horn to make people move faster. "DAMN IT!! WATCH IT YOU ASS! CAN'T YOU SEE WE HAVE AN EMERGENCY!!?!? My god these fucking people."
"I know what you mean! I can't believe I'm agreeing with you." Tristan said bluntly.
"Haha, very funny."
Meanwhile, Tristan looked back at his best friend laying on Mai's lap.
'Hang on buddy... We'll get you help real soon...'
"So how did this all start?" Serenity was questioning Mai as the van moved faster and faster. Mai was hesitant to answer, and tried her hardest not to cry anymore.
Yami, Tea, and Tristan all listened to the conversation, wanting answers as well. Just then, Yugi appeared inside Yami's head with questions himself.
'Yami, what in the name of all the hells has happen!?!? Why is Joey knocked out!? Why was Mai crying?! Tell me!' Yugi asked as tears fell from his big bright eyes.
' ' I'm sorry Yugi... I don't even know what happened... Mai was just about to tell us. I think... ' '
'Okay well fill me in on EVERYTHING later.'
' ' Will do. Now I must listen to what Mai has to say. ' '
"Well Mai? Can you tell us now?" Tea asked softly.
Mai nodded. "To make a long story short... Varon showed up and well.... Joey and him sorta had a rematch... and Varon ended up chickening out and fleeing the battle field. He knew he couldn't win and ended up in bad shape, just like Joey. Then Joey ended up passing out and all I could do was watch in horror! I never felt so helpless in my entire life! How could I forgive my self!? How could Joey ever forgive me!? Well... if even ever wakes-... up...." She had tears rolling down her cheeks again. Serenity did as well and put an arm around Mai, hugging her.
"My brother won't die. He doesn't give up. He will keep fighting to the end...." She tried to encourage the blonde as best as she could.
"I know, Serenity... I know he doesn't give up... I've witnessed that myself... But this pain is just to real... I can't deal with it anymore... I can't..."
"We are all suffering. He's our friend too. Friends need each other, so that's why we are all here. We never forget that friends are always there in the time of doubt and need." Tea said soothingly, as Mai gave her a small smile. The first smile anyone has seen on her face yet today. (A/N: Haha like you didn't know that Tea said that stuff cause of the friendship speech lol)
The van then came to a stop. Duke then got out and open the back door. "We're here! Come on let's get Joey some help!"
The group then ran through the hospital doors. Tristan was carring Joey on his back. They were greeted by a young, attractive nurse.
"Can I help you?" She looked a bit startled.
"Please... we have an emergency..." Tristan looked in her eyes almost desperate.
She nodded, and ordered a stretcher for Joey. Tristan layed him gently on it and looked back at the nurse.
"Thank you." He bowed as she gave him a warm smile.
"No problem. That's my job."
"How long will we know what his status is?"
"Hello there, who might you be?" She asked.
"I'm Serenity, his younger sister. Please is there anything we could do."
She shook her head. "All you can do is wait. You may go to the waiting room is you wish, or you may step outside for some fresh air if that's what you desire. It's your choice."
About an hour passes, and they heard nothing about Joey's condition as of yet.
Tea was asleep, resting her head against Yami's chest, who was also asleep. Serenity was reading a magazine to keep herself occupied. Duke was with Tristan, who was at the soda machine. And Mai was sitting on a chair, not saying anything to anyone. She stared at the door that lead to the ER, hoping a doctor or nurse would come and give her good news.
"DAMMIT!" Tristan punched the soda machine. "This fucking thing ate my dollar!!!" Other people in the waiting room just stared at him. Parents told their children to ignore him, and his rude mouth.
"Calm down lame brain! People are staring!" Duke yelled a bit embarrassed.
"How can I calm down!?!? My best friend is fighting for his life and there isn't a damn thing I can do!!!!! A this stupid machine is pissing me off!!" Tristan explains as he kicks it this time.
"We all know what your feeling! We're all of Joey's friends but kicking the soda machine and cursing your lungs out won't help him!"
"I don't care, dice boy! I've known Joey a hell of a lot longer then you have okay?!?! I've been there for him ever since we met, even when we were in that gang together! Sure he was strongest and over threw our leader... But he never treated me like shit like other people have! I don't wanna lose him! We're told each other so many secrets... He even told me is deepest darkest one... about his father being a drunk and abusing him...."
"WHAT!??!" Serenity screamed.
Tristan covered his mouth. "I wasn't suppose to say that..."
"JOEY KEPT THAT FROM ME!!! I can't believe that...." Serenity's eyes began to swell up with tears. "But I don't blame him..."
"He said that his dad would kill him if he told anyone. That's why he didn't tell you Serenity."
Mai listened to the whole conversation, hiding her own tears. She didn't realize there was so much that she didn't know about him... His past was one of them. Sure you think it wasn't important, but it really is. Isn't your past what got you here today?
Just then, a doctor came out addressing Serenity. "Serenity Wheeler? You are Joey's younger sister right?"
Everyone then looked up at the doctor. Yami and Tea had woken up at the sound of Joey's name being called out by the doctor. They soon found themselves blushing at the fact that they were sleeping in each others arms.
'I'll tell Yami how I feel later... AFTER we find out about Joey....' Tea made a deal with herself.
"Yes!" Serenity bowed. "I'm his sister. What's his status!? Please we need to know."
"Well... He's still unconscious... But we find it strange he's survived this long. No one had ever survived this long with those injuries he has. It's amazing. So there is hope. Right now we have a suction mask on him to help him breath, and his side bandaged up. He lost a lot of blood, so he should be out for a couple more hours. But we're doing the best we can. Actually... we've done about everything we can. He's in gods hands now. And it's the power of his heart that will keep him alive."
Most of the group started to become extremely depressed. Like there was no hope.
"Can we see him?" Yami asked, looking at the floor.
"I'll only allow one."
As much as Serenity wanted to see her brother, she couldn't go. She knew there was someone else that had to see him a lot more then her.
"Mai? You wanna see him?" She asked the blonde.
The group stared at Serenity in shock, but knew that Mai was the right choice. Mai looked at Serenity, not saying a word. All she did was nod and walked into the ER with the doctor.
"This way." He proceeded in telling her which room held Joey.
Mai then came across his room, and stopped.
"You may go in and see him, I'll be talking with your friends explaining his condition a little more. Feel free to leave when ever you wish." He then turned the other way and walked down the hall.
Mai gulped and touched the door knob, turning it slowly. She wondered how bad he would look, and pictured him with a suction mask on.
'Hmmmm.. maybe he'll be shirtless....' She couldn't help but giggle at the thought. 'Okay Mai, this isn't the time to be laughing....'
She took one last breath and entered Joey's room.
-------------------------------
Darkhope: Bleh. That was corny. There was so much crying in this chapter! Oh well. lol. Uhh hope you liked it cause yeah.... I need some encouragement! I dunno I'm just feeling like myself these days... (sigh) I can't write good anymore. (sighs again) Okay I'm done for now. Yeah, I know.. a cliffie. Lol. I can't type anymore! My hand is cramping. Please... review!
Until next time....
See ya!
-Darkhope-