Please note that the next chapter will not be up until late next week I am going on a river trip and will not be home to edit or write for almost a week Enjoy the chapter and of course leave a review.

Chapter 9

Pride comes before a fall

Seto walked around the lower level of the house for about a week, he had tried to rid himself of the crutches however he some how found himself clinging to them for dear life, as if afraid to fall. His leg was almost healed and so he could walk on it again without pain however letting go of pain he felt inside was another problem.

Even if he made it through Katharine's attempt to kill him, what would he do, how would he now choose a course of action to taking back his company. The question that plaque Seto a little more then it had been was, did he really want the company anymore?

"Do I really need it, I mean, do I always have to be Seto Kaiba forever?" he asked, himself one morning after making some coffee using the coffee maker Alec had bought for him after throwing a small fit that he didn't have his morning java.

"I used to be happy, did that job of being CEO, make me happier, did I get what I want from it?" he asked himself sitting on the table next to coffee maker. "I don't know why am, I asking myself these questions," he snapped at himself, "I am losing it damn it."

"Are you sure about that, because from where I stand you're not losing it you're trying to find something," said Alec in the doorway of the stairs. "Who asked you pain in the ass?" Seto snapped at her. Alexandra sighed, "Well you keep talking to your imaginary friend, and I'll keep writing to some unknown reader in my journal and since we are both stuck here, with no way out, if Katharine finds us I figured," she shrugged. "You know to past the time we should figure it all out, together," she said sitting next to Seto with coffee in her hand.

"I like to stay in my own world, thanks but no thanks, I don't need your advice Miss Dr. Phil," Seto said standing up and walking over to one of the supports in the middle of the room. Alec shook her head, "Fine, but to answer this question, was it all what you wanted, would you have Mokuba faced alone, like you did, if he were in your position?" she said heading towards the stairs.

Seto stood there in the room; he thought about it, Mokuba would have faced everything alone, Seto knew if he did not stick with his little brother that was sure to have happened. If he were in his brother's shoe from that night of the car accident, where their father died and met that young frightened girl, would Mokuba have been like him to and taken care of her until help arrived in the morning. Would his brother taken over a company sacrificing, his happiness, just so that way they could have a good life?

The answer to the last question was a hard and straight "no, he wouldn't" while the others where loud and clear "yes, and he would probably make sure you were alright first," Seto brain spoke. Mokuba would have never wanted that unhappiness for Seto. Seto's mind flashed back to that, night at the cabin a few weeks before Katharine showed up to run them out.

Flashback

"Seto can we talk?" spoke Mokuba walking into the room. "What, I am kind of busy," snapped the CEO "I'm trying to get this piece of shit back together since it's the only thing that I can do right now," he said.

"Do you have to be busy all the time, why can't we just talk," Mokuba asked. Seto looked at his brother, "Talk about what Mokuba, we don't have anything to talk about, we both haven't had anything to talk about in years," he said sticking two pieces of plastic together making a round piece bigger that was in his lap. "Yes we do, we can talk about Alexandra, can't we?" Mokuba retorted. Seto looked at his brother, "Look, Mokuba, Alexandra was asking for it when I hit her with this, besides I owed her a knock in the head, for what she did to me, and letting her sister kick my ass," he snapped.

"Did to you? Seto, if you shot Katharine that day you would be dead right now. I wouldn't have a brother anymore, because you would be in jail," he said. Seto snorted, "Not really at least I would have Kaiba Corp again," he said. "Alexandra saved you," snapped Mokuba starting to yell.

"SAVED ME, MOKUBA, saved me from what? You tell me what she saved me from, death please, I don't fear it anymore, never have in my life, I been to hell Mokuba, all for you and me to live a good life," Seto snapped, "We don't have anything thanks to the Pegasus Sisters. They are all scum, we don't have a home, we don't have a company because of that woman and her bitch of a sister," he barked loudly.

That was the moment, Alexandra had walked by the door to Seto's room, Seto continued his rant, "I have nothing to give her, and so what if, she got you and the geeks to pull me out of the snow. I didn't ask for your help, I didn't ask for anyone's help or pity, we aren't like them Mokuba, we're Kaibas, we can take care of ourselves," he said.

Mokuba walked to the door, "We haven't been Kaiba's forever, and you know that, I guess, Alister was right you are like Gosaburo, I am however, at least still have a heart, to know when to be grateful, what happened to you Seto? Where did my brother I used to know go? The brother I had before we lost our Dad, the one that helped that girl, who helped save me, the one that help stop my arm from bleeding out, all those years ago, in the accident," he asked near tears.

Seto crossed his good arm with his bad arm, "I am right here Mokuba, I haven't changed, just grew up," he said. "Look at you, after all this time you not willing to show who you really are, this is the brother I had before," Mokuba said walking towards the door. "WHAT is that suppose to mean," Seto retorted. "It means that I did the right thing leaving when I was 18, and started my own web company, where I am not like you," he said.

"Don't forget who is the one that taught you all those tricks, Mokuba," said Seto with a small smirk on his face. "Oh I remember who taught me but it wasn't my brother," said Mokuba heading to the door. "What are you talking about I helped you start that little industry of yours," Seto said. Mokuba shook his head, "Your hopeless, Seto," he said walking out of the room. "Well go then, I don't need you, I don't need anyone, never did," Seto yelled.

End Flash back

Seto looked at the ceiling; those were his last words to his brother other then good bye he gave before they separated in California to different flights. "I don't need help, I don't need anyone," he said taking a step however, his bad leg gave in suddenly, causing him to hit the brown shag carpet that was on top of cement and his drink falling a good distance away thankfully it was in a plastic cup with a lid to prevent spills. "OW son of a bitch!" he snapped hitting the ground hard, "Damn it," he said pushing him self against the post in the room and closing his eyes, "That hurt."

"Did I really have to do all this? Did I have to go through the pain of being alone? I wasn't even happy in the mansion by my self," Seto asked himself. Alec was near the door to the stairs, she heard Seto fall however, she did not come running knowing that Kaiba, probably would yell for her, if he did need her to help him off the floor.

"The answer is simple Seto, you do need help, you can't even walk right, nor stand for 20 freaking minutes," Seto laughed at himself. "Where did this pride come from, you weren't afraid to ask for help before Gosaburo, before Pegasus, and definitely before he met that, Pegasus's sister that was now protecting you. Why did I let all pride in and consume me was Mokuba right? Did I really become Gosaburo?" he asked himself, "Why do I feel so empty? So incomplete," he asked. "Maybe just maybe Alister was right I am like Gosaburo Kaiba, I am like that bastard that I hated, the one that beat me almost every night, the guy who forced me to take his company because he wanted to challenge me, he got tired of it, the one that taught me to lose means death," he said. (That last one came right from the Manga you character watchers)

Alec heard Kaiba's voice getting fainter, she slowly opened the door however not enough to have him to notice, Seto's back was to her, as he sat on the floor looking at the work benches. "Why should I even try to be me, again, who am I anymore?" Seto asked looking at his hands, "Have I taken the steps towards getting it back or have I stayed the same, should I open up the door and walk through it, or sit where I am and just look at what is happening like a child?"

A small flash back of his conversation with Alec at the cabin came to mind, the one which she tried to have a civilized conversation to one another however he just blew her off and smacked her with a present he gave her at her birthday party that he was forced to attend as a teen by Gosaburo.

Flash back

"I am giving you a choice and a chance Kaiba, because I owed you a favor, that's why I had Yugi and the others pull you out of the snow. You think I liked being the way I am as a niece to that evil dead man and the sister to a bitch that is cold and selfish not to mention jealous of me, because I don't want them. I wish my life was easier, ok, that I was not the niece of Maxamillon Pegasus, that I didn't have all this money at my beckoning call, I just wanted a normal life or the life that I lost back, before my parents were taken from me, in that car accident. Yes it was just like your real father's too," Alexandra said then with a pause.

"Didn't you ever want something like that, something as, simple as a normal life where you didn't have to go to work and be a hard ass to everyone? After you were adopted did you wish you could change something that happened like that chess game," she asked him slowly and quietly.

Seto leaned his head against one the pillow and looked at the ceiling, "At one time yes, but that was shattered, because someone I let get too close to me, betrayed me," he slowly said, "That is why it was wiped away in a heartbeat, after that," he said. Alexandra kept looking at the window Seto thought that Alexandra was thinking it was her self for that thought, when in fact it was himself and Gosaburo. "Why do you say that," Alexandra asked turning around to face him.

End Flash back (Author note: Yes, I extended it a little but you know this is Seto's flash back)

"I do or did want to change something once that I did, my winning to that stupid chess game, against Gosaburo however Mokuba and I would have died in that hell hole of a place if I didn't do something at that time. Alexandra knew that I wanted to change that, she wouldn't have questioned it if she didn't already know, the answer," Seto said. "However, would living in Hell have been better then living a heaven that was just as bad as a hell, for one but paradise for another," he questioned.

Alec moved over to Seto's side and touched his shoulder, "All you have to do is ask and maybe you can find the answers you're looking for, if you open the door," said Alec offering her hand to him to get off the floor. "What would you choose, Seto Kaiba, a life of simplicity, or one of hardship and hate filled with loneliness and nothing to gain?" she asked Kaiba.

Seto looked at Alexandra's hand, "So are you going to just sit there and think about it or do you want to talk, like we did at the cabin, and no I am not going to be Dr. Phil to you, however I can be ears for someone who wants them to listen, for a change," she said.

Seto looked at Alec; he looked at the carpet, which he sat on, then decided to swallow his pride for once in a long time, to give up what was beaten in to him 11 years ago, maybe to give a chance to the life he turned his back on one final chance. Maybe just maybe his angel came in the form of his enemy's stepsister that was there to help him as he once helped someone else along time ago. With all those thoughts in mine Seto, gave Alec his hand for her to help pull him up. Alec who was smaller then Seto but not by much, because she was a year younger then him by a few years, but she yanked him up anyways by stepping back a little, Seto then used Alec's shoulders as a crutch, as they walked toward his room.

"Where do you want to start?" said Alec, as she helped if you could call it that for Seto just hopped from the door two inches to the bed. He moved his legs over on to the bed and leaned against the pillows that he had stacked so he could be sitting up. "I guess maybe were we left off, would be a good place," he said knowing that Alec had known a lot about him already, from them being a in a small relationship many years ago however it didn't work because he had to let her go. Also being that they were both adopted, and forced to get to know each other when they were children at social events.

Alec smiled, "How about from the beginning, Kaiba, apparently that's were your grumpiness starts, on that day when you were adopted," she said. Seto shook his head, "Ra woman, your nosy are you going to dig so deep into my past to the point of opening wounds, again, because I no sooner tell you to leave if it came to that, besides you said you were the one that would listen," he said rolling his eyes. Alec smirked and sat at the bottom edge of the bed at Seto's feet, "Try and find out how nosy I could be, Seto Kaiba and you might find you're just as bad me in that little thing called a past," she said.

Back at Kaiba Corp in Katharine Pegasus's office that hadn't be Seto Kaiba's for over two months now, she sat at her new desk that was brought in from the Industrial illusions building, just on the other side of town. "Well, that's interesting," she said picking her long white nails with a letter opener, "So you mean to tell me that you two are willing to go back on your so called friends?" she asked the two figures that sat in front of her desk.

"Do we have a deal?" asked one of the figures, in a sharp black suit and spiky red hair with sunglasses. "I don't know, how do I know that I can trust you?" asked Katharine, "And you Mr. Wheeler?" The second figure with blond hair that stuck out over his forehead like an over hang, smirked, "Look, you know I have a thing against Kaiba anyways, you can trust me," he said with a smirk, "After all I want to make him the dog and me the master," Joey was grinning ear to ear now.

The first figured looked at Joey, 'Joey calm down your going to blow your cover with her,' thought the man with spiked hair. "Gentlemen, I know you both have a grudge against Seto Kaiba, however you're not just finding him but someone else as well," said Katharine. "And that would be?" asked the first figure in a deep voice. "My abomination of a sister, Alexandra, find her last, find the Kaiba brother first is that clear," she said leaning her elbows on the desk.

"Yes, that is clear, now what do you want us to do once we find them?" asked Joey. Katharine smiled, "That's the easy part, you contact me, and then well, you will see once we reach that phase of my plan," she said with venom in her voice, "I will transfer half of the money to you, when you find them the other half if you hold and you hold your end of the bargain."

"Find, 2 million will be in the account, tomorrow morning or no deal," said the first figure next to Joey. "Agreed," said Katharine, "however if I am to have a dead line so are you, you must find them with in the next week or I pull the plug and set your fate to the one that I have in store for my step sister and the Kaiba Brothers, so don't run," she finished.

"Agreed," said the first figure, standing up, "We will be leaving now, let's go Joey," he said with his deep dark voice. "Coming," said Joey getting up and following the first figure.

Outside of Kaiba Corp, Kisara and Yugi sat in the park, "Do you think we can still trust them after this?" said Yugi. Kisara nodded, holding her sword at her side, "Yugi, have a little father in your past self up there, and Joey, they won't make a deal with Katharine," she said.

Joey and the other man, who was Atemu, stepped out of the Kaiba Corp building looking like members of Men in Black. They walked over to Yugi and Kisara who were in the bushes, hiding, "Yugi, Kisara, its all set," said Joey looking down at them. "I hope this plan works, you know what will happen if we all fail," said Kisara looking at the two men.

"Yeah our fate will be the same as Kaiba's, however we never lose," said Atemu removing his glasses. "Yeah, well you did lose three times I might add," said Kisara crossing her arms. "What is that suppose to mean?" asked Atemu. Kisara stood up and walked away, "you will have to figure that out Pharaoh," she said walking away. Atemu fumed suddenly, "What is that suppose to mean Kisara, I may have lost to Yugi but I have never lost another game," he snapped. Yugi shook his head, "Actually she's right, you did lose two other times," he said.

"Yeah, you did, there was that time at duelist kingdom with Kaiba, oh and that time with the Oracle… I am just going to shut my mouth now," said Joey, seeing the glare he was getting for Atemu. Kisara was laughing from the park bench, where she sat, Yugi put his hands behind his long red spiked hair and headed towards, her, "Why don't we call it a night and get the plan rolling in the morning," he said. "Agreed," the other three, said at once.

"Ok so let me get this straight you, aren't related to that bitch Katharine?" said Seto in the bedroom leaning on some pillows. Alexandra shook her head, "Nope, just Yugi, I am his cousin, I thought you heard me the first time I told you 5 years ago," she said. "No I was a little fuming mad at you because I just lost to him," said Kaiba. Alexandra smirked, "Well we spent all day talking I better get going, to bed, now, night Kaiba," she said getting up heading towards the door.

"Alec," said Seto slowly, as he watched the young female walk away from him. "Yeah, Kaiba what is it?" she asked him. Seto motioned for Alexandra to come closer to him, and going against all warning systems in her body, she moved closer to his bedside. "Stay with me," said Kaiba.

Alexandra felt a jolt of bad memories flush back into her mind, at the sound of those three words to a boy that saved her life 11 years ago. "Stay with me?" said a little girl to a boy holding her hand as he was walking away.

HAHAHHAHA cliffy you will find out in a week when I post the next chapter for now I am going on a trip and will not be back until Monday morning, so I hope this chapter is a good one. Now to my reviewers, that I am so lucky to have THANK YOU to all and I will write up personal a thank you and answer questions next chapter. Thank you so much to all of you, you make this story better, and I have tried to add details to things this chapter got a few of those added, the question is can you find which ones that I added, because it's not all of them lol.