Bridging the Void

Note: Ok… so far I havevery fewreviews. That really, really hurts. Oh well, here is chapter 2 people, hope ya like it! Review ASAP!

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-gi-oh, or Avril Lavigne music ;)

Chapter Two: Reunion

"What on earth are you doing here!" I whispered frantically to Seto and Marik. "How did…. Why are… Just explain this to me!"

Seto stood up and embraced me in his strong arms. "I missed you," he whispered deeply into my ear.

"How did you get here?"

He stood back and jabbed his thumb at Marik. "I have no idea, but this psycho might."

"I am not a psycho! And this is not my fault. I was just sitting quietly, minding my own business and then here I am, in this weird house with you two."

A tear slipped from my eye and I ignored it with as much dignity as I could manage. He was standing in front of me! He was really, really there!

"Seto… I… I'm glad you're here. But… aren't you in danger? I was when I was in your world, so what about now? If there's any chance you can get hurt, I want you to find a way back!"

"Ok, just ignore the other guy in the room, then," Marik scoffed, looking at my writing competition trophies.

"Don't worry," Seto remarked. "We will."

"Do you have any idea what's going on? I mean, how do I explain this to people?"

"Well, as I see it… this is some kind of inequality in the dimensional barrier," Marik said. "But as to how or why it was the two of us that came through… I have no idea."

I nodded thoughtfully. "When we… Steph and I… went to your dimension, it was storming and I had my hand on the TV, where the show written by a man who unwittingly dreamed of your world was playing. Maybe… I don't know…"

"Do you think that it was wanting to see you again that could have brought me here?"

I blushed. "As if I know. I'm an author, Seto, not a genius."

But in my mind was the image of me crying at the television because Seto's face was on it, and all the nights I had spent holding his necklace in my hands. Maybe it was possible that we shared some kind of bond… Maybe.

"That has happened before in the history of inter-dimensional communication, but that would not explain why I'm here."

I blinked at him and then flinched. There was movement in the next room. I checked the clock. 5:45; Dad was getting up. Glancing at the two guys in my bedroom, I assumed that it was not going to go over well and led them to the large window.

"Climb out here, jump down and hide in the side yard. I'll be down in a few minutes, but first, I think I need to make a phone call."

They did as I bade and then I stared at the phone. Steph had, in fact, become very interested in the theories about other worlds, and she had been there with me the first time the supernatural had paid me a visit. That dusty old speed dial button was starting to look like my only hope.

"What?"

"Steph, it's Lily. I have a slight… problem."

"Oh? Did Drake ask you out again? Is your heart still on the mend from your darling Seto?"

"This is not the time for that, there is a real, serious problem."

"Look… I was talking to Chris… you know we aren't very close anymore, why can't you let go? Is this really very im-"

"Seto and Marik just popped up in my bedroom."

"Oh. Hold on a sec."

I looked at my fingernails for a minute and then clutched the necklace. He was in my yard! I could just jump out the window and run into his arms!

"Alright… so Kaiba and Marik are in your… house?"

"No, silly, my yard. They were in my house, but I made them leave. Now they're outside."

"You haven't changed a bit. Always with the sarcasm. What do you expect me to do?"

"I need your help… we'll have to… to… send them back. And I need a good cover story."

"So tell people he's your boyfriend visiting from Japan… It's true enough. And Marik can be your cousin."

"But what about finding a place for them to stay? And my parents? That story won't fly with them. Or Marik, or Seto for that matter."

"Okay… then Marik and Seto are my cousins. I'll come down and stay with you for now, so we can solve this. Just let me get the car… meet me at the secret hideout."

"Okay… let me find your cousins, then. I hope the bug'll still start… I haven't left the house in ages… Maybe the cycle still will…" Click.

I rushed down the stairs and grabbed my keys. "Going to meet Steph at the club, Dad, don't wait up."

"You're going outside? Good."

I ran out into the yard, snuck the boys into the car, spent a few seconds panting from the effort, and then started the metallic bug.

"Thank goodness. It starts!" I yelled to the hottie in the side seat. He raised his eyebrows and looked around him.

"This car… is a piece of junk."

"This car," I said smoothly. "Is my piece of junk. I paid for every cent of the price, including gas and tune ups."

"Oh."

Marik leaned forward. "Can you lovebirds knock it off?"

"Sure. Let me turn on the CD player here… hmm, let's see…" I looked through the CDs, feeling more alive than I had in nearly two years. When Steph and I had been friends the pain of a broken heart had been lessened. We got our temps together, then our licenses, and then our cars. We had been unstoppable chicks with wheels in that time, and then, suddenly, we were two loners. Just like that, she had a boyfriend, and I had my broken heart still to reckon with. But now both blows were being undone. My voice rang out to join Avril's in a happy flutter.

"So you go, and make it happen. Do what you do just keep on laughing. I'm telling you, there's always a brand new day. I'm gonna live today like its my last-"

"Lily! Car!"

"What? Oh!" I slammed on the brakes and wheeled into a sharp turn, following Steph's convertible into our secret area.

"You remember Steph," I said smirking at Kaiba. He nodded glumly and looked away, suddenly very interested in my piece of junk.

"So… shall we fill them in?" I asked my friend, frowning when I noticed several bruises on her arms and one on her face. "What are-?"

"I fell. Let's tell them."

Her voice sounded hollow and fearful. I swallowed and pulled Seto towards me out of nervousness. He smiled and put his arm around me.

"So, the story is that you guys are Steph's cousins, and that the three of you are here for a visit this summer. It should fly as long as we spend a lot of time out of the house. My parents will like that."

Seto raised an eyebrow, clearly noticing the bruises as well, and also my comment about getting out of the house.

"You two are picture perfect, aren't you?" Steph remarked with the shadow of a smile. She was so much thinner than I recalled. So much… sadder.

I smiled. "Which reminds me… How goes it with lover boy? He still buying you all that jewelry?"

Her eyes darkened and she forced a smile. "My Chris is having some… financial troubles right now. But we love each other, and that's what really matters."

I smiled a little but I sensed the trouble in her eyes. I had never really trusted him, especially not after he had been flirting with me, but Steph said that she loved him, and I saw in her eyes the same feeling I had whenever Seto was near me, which, incidentally, was not that often.

"And now," she said with a large, sly smile, "You haven't got an excuse not to go on a double date with us."

"Why don't we head up to the house soon, and introduce my mom to your cousins?"

"Or… we could go and get Chris and Courtni and head down to the bowling alley. It would be so much fun!"

I sighed. "Can Marik handle Courts, though?"

"I dunno, but I sure would like to see him try."

"I'm going to count that as a challenge," Marik said from the car.

"It was."

"Alright, but I've told you how I feel about-"

"I know, Lily. Two years isn't enough to make a girl forget something like that."

"Okay, okay. Hop in the bug, Seto. Steph, your car's bigger, can you take Marik?"

Marik cocked an eyebrow and hopped out of my car instantly. "Wouldn't want to stand in between these two, that's for sure. I'm outta there."

Marik followed Steph into the truck and I hopped back into the bug with a smile on my face. Maybe my life was drained of all that it had been, and maybe the pieces were near impossible to pick back up, but Seto was back, and that was all that mattered at the moment.

End note: Yipes, I've just though about it… Does Lily seem to dependant on her boyfriend to make her happy? I hope that it doesn't, but tell me when you review. I must return to scheming cruel things about Steph's bruises, so goodbye 4 now!