Hello readers, I have yet to hear of weather that rumor is true or not so I am sorry for not reponding to reviewers however I will soon have a link to my journal will have all reponses to questions to this story and if I have time to get the reponses to my other stories over to it as well, for now I will save all answers for the last chapter however it is not this chapter like I said last chapter. I have changed my mind and pushed the story to 23 chapters, so next chapter will be the final chapter weather the ending is happy or sad has yet to be seen even by me, so no telling of the when the last chapter will come out. Thank you to all reviewers and keep an eye on the profile for the link to my journal for reponses. Enjoy

Chapter 22

It was a Lie

It was late the next morning when Alexandra woke up, however she noticed that Seto's side of the bed was untouched, as if he never came to bed. Alexandra got up and threw on her robe and went into the living room, she found Kisara and Atemu weren't there; she figured that Atemu must be asleep downstairs and Kisara in the spare master bedroom.

Alexandra walked on to the second level trace through the front door, and looked out over the hillside. Alexandra looked towards the lake a small smile crossed her face, when the spring has passed and summer came she would go to the lake for swim, as she did as a kid, then it hit her she was free from Katharine.

'Did I do it? Did I really beat her?' she thought. In the back of Alec's mind, a voice answered, 'you won, your free however there is a small price now that you have to live with,' it said. 'What was the price? I have my family's money to run now,' thought Alexandra. 'That's the catch, YOUR family's money is either with the Muto family or Pegasus family? Which will you take?' replied the voice. 'Yeah, that's the catch all right work like a slave over a company that's just puts me back into chains or live off the last of the money that my parents left for me to take when I turned 18, to pick one that would run out would be suicide,' Alexandra thought back.

'Then you have your answer,' thought the voice, 'you have to take the job at Industrial Illusions, and take your step sister's place as President of that company, you're a CEO now, and also Kaiba's competition.' 'And I know competition with Seto isn't that great he would burry me,' Alexandra thought. 'Oh but what if he chose not to go back to Kaiba Corp remember you heard last night that he may not even have wanted to go back to that life,' replied the voice.

'Now you're just getting confusing,' thought Alexandra. 'I know isn't it fun, besides if you did take Katharine's old job would you have been truly free? If he did choose his company you must be rid of Seto Kaiba?' asked the voice. Alexandra let out a sigh, trying to think as she did she saw something looking down at the yard bellow Alexandra's eyes caught something, tire tracks; however, they weren't from the day before, but fresh for the puddles in them were still full as if made in the middle of the night.

Alexandra ran back into the house, and turned on the TV to a news station. "This morning's top stories, a press conference will be held at Kaiba Corp in Domino to discuss the company's plans for the future and to get the final word on CEO Seto Kaiba return or burn of the company," said the reporter, Alexandra then clicked off the TV. "He went, back, dam it," she said closing her eyes.

Atemu and Kisara were by the kitchen table and refrigerator, "He left in the night Alexandra," said Kisara slowly. Turning slowly, "Why did you let him leave? Why the hell did you let him run off with MY CAR?" Alexandra yelled.

"Alec, he took Joey's car to the airport and came back before you got up, and if we forced Kaiba to stay the choice wouldn't have been his to make remember," said Kisara walking over and hugging Alexandra. Atemu nodded in agreement with the Lady dragon, "Kisara, is right, if he truly wanted to change he would have done it on his own," he said. Alexandra nodded, "But after everything, he said he loved me, or was he just pulling my leg," she said now sounding sad.

Kisara looked at Atemu, "Could you give us a minute," she said to the former Pharaoh who nodded and went down stairs to see if Yugi and Mai were awake for Joey was already up and eating donuts. "Alexandra, look at me," Kisara said slowly Alexandra looked at her former self, "He wasn't ready yet. You need to understand that Kaiba does feel something for you but maybe your time with him was meant to be short," she said. "How would you know anything about short relationships you didn't even live long enough to get into Mage Seto's pants," snapped Alexandra.

Kisara sighed, "True but there was a crisis back then, your story is different" Kisara started to speak in an normal tone trying to stay calm, "Maybe this will help," she handed Alexandra a letter that was addressed to her. "Kaiba gave it to me before he left and told me to give it to you, if you didn't understand, which I can tell you don't or else you would be a whole lot calmer," she said. "I want you to go on to the balcony out side my room and sit in a chair out there and read this," finished the blue eyed and white haired woman as she walked away leaving a frustrated Alexandra sating there with a note in her hand.

Alexandra let out a long sigh with a groan, went to Kisara's room and walked out on to the trace that was outside the door; she sat down on one of the chairs, and looked at the letter in her hand. "Do I even bother to open it?" she asked aloud. The sun was out and the clouds were out of the sky, it was early morning and the forecast for the rest of the day was still to be determined.

Alexandra slowly opened the letter and began to read, it.

Dear Alexandra,

You're probably mad at me, for taking off like this, but I have some things that I need to do first. I know you probably think that I am the same stubborn man; you met just after I took over my stepfather's company. Well, you're wrong for once, I am not anymore. Look, it's not easy for me to write this, nor say, it to your sweet face, however I can't just feed my brother to the wolves right now, and he needs to be guided into the job that he wants to take.

I know the news of being your step cousin, has probably pushed you away, I am just going to say this, I don't care about that and probably never will either. Therefore, what if I am part of your stepfamily that shouldn't matter and you know it. I am not a part of Pegasus's family because they lost us along time ago, Mokuba says that same thing when I talked to him on the phone, and agrees that he and I are Kaibas now, so you can relax about me spreading it around to others.

Look, you have a choice now either, join me or fight me. Run your step Uncle's company or enjoy that place your reading the letter in now. I will get straight to the point about my choice, I am still in limbo about it, so don't think it's over but know that you and I need to be apart because it looks like your asking for space. Make your choice I won't fight you on it so long you don't fight me. Your fate is in your hands don't forget that.

Sincerely

Seto Kaiba

PS watch the news conference in a few days.

Alexandra put down the letter and wiped the small tear in her eyes away. "I'll watch, however getting the others away from the TV is going to be difficult, and what the hell you mean by fate, you're the one that still, owe me a freaking new magic 8 ball," she said to her self with a sigh.

Kisara stood in the door, "Don't worry about it, I can make sure they don't watch the press conference," she said looking at Alexandra.

At Kaiba Corp a day later

Seto was sitting at his desk, slowly and I mean very slowly typing one letter per second on his computer at his desk. Mokuba walked into the office, as he used to when he was a kid. "Hey, Seto I got those reports you want…ed," he said stopping at his brother's desk noting that the papers on it had hardly been touched, "hey umm, Seto are you ok?" he asked concerned.

Seto didn't even pay attention to his brother in fact his eyes were focused on the computer screen. Mokuba walked around his brother's desk and went looking over is shoulder, "I see," Mokuba said slowly looking at the screen which had a search engine and Seto typing various words very slowly into it, he typed in the article of the car wreck that changed his life and Mokuba's forever. When it came up, Seto was just pushing the arrow key as if speed-reading through it.

Mokuba looked at his brother, seeing that he was in a trace he decided to do something he hadn't done to him in years, the evil wet wily. When he stuck his finger in his mouth and was about to place it in Seto's ear, when suddenly, he felt something in his own wet and disgusting. Mokuba's face went wide-eyed, as he felt his brother finger.

Whoops, what, would, you know Seto beat his brother to the punch, and had his finger that had been recently licked and placed in to Mokuba's ear, with his free hand that had been sitting on the chair not touching anything. "Don't even think about it, Mokuba," said the older brother removing his finger.

"EWWW, do you know how gross that is," said Mokuba shaking his head, as trying to cleanse his ear from the bad feeling left by his brother's finger. Seto shrugged his shoulders, "Do I look like I care, any," he said. "Well, umm, not really, you seem out of it, do you want to talk?" Mokuba asked moving over to the other side of Seto's desk. Seto didn't take his eyes off the computer screen as articles, flashed by. "Not really, just looking for something," he answered slowly.

Mokuba sighed this wasn't like his brother at all at least not the one that he had seen in along time, "Your hopeless, big brother, come on, talk to me, we never talk anymore and there is something bothering you, I can tell," he said. Seto sighed, "Maybe, but there is no point to putting the problem on you, I have to deal with it alone," he said. Mokuba walked over to one of the chairs at Seto's desk, sticking his feet on a open space on the desk with a loud thud sound, and hands behind his head, "Try me," he challenged giving his brother a grin that was just reeking with the words, 'bring it on.'

Seto finally turned his eyes from the computer, "Ok, fine what do you want to talk about?" he said giving in easily 'a little too easy' said a voice in Seto and Mokuba's minds at the same time noticing the imposing conversation about to begin. "How about the company have you made up your mind wither or not your going to be CEO?" asked the younger brother. Seto closed his eyes, "I haven't," he said coldly. "Okay, how about Industrial Illusions?" Mokuba asked next. "Don't know about that either, with Alexandra still considered indisposed to them, I haven't made up my mind weather to take over and then smash the dam building to the ground or hang on to it for Alexandra sake," Seto answered.

"So what is really bothering you?" asked Mokuba. Seto leaned back in his chair, and then glanced at the computer screen, "Dad death?" he said slowly. Mokuba raised an eyebrow; he had never expected that subject to be bothering his brother.

"What about him?" Mokuba asked, "What could they be bothering you about?" Seto leaned forwards and put one of his fists under his chin, "Would he be proud of me?" he asked. Mokuba scratched his head in puzzlement, "Umm," he said. Seto looked at his brother without moving his head, "Ok, how about an easier one, are you proud of me for everything that I have done in the past?" he asked.

Mokuba blinked at his brother as if a deer was caught in the headlights, "Kind of," he admitted slowly. "I mean you looked after me, made sure that I had everything that I wanted, except…" he went silent. Seto had tilted his head sideways and was looking at the computer screen, "except what Mokuba?" he asked.

"Except that you, weren't there when I needed my brother, all I got instead was the guy that pays the bills," Mokuba said quickly. Seto nodded, "So basically, your proud of me for what, watching you at times, however not fully being the brother I should have been, what is it Mokuba I need more then that, details," he said calmly.

"Well what is it that you exactly want me to say Seto, nice job for working your ass for me? Throwing the years of your youth aside for the fact that I could hide in the shadows as you took the blows for me," Mokuba said sarcastically. "Mokuba you know what I mean, and yes I did take some beatings for you," Seto retorted. "Well, I know I watched from behind the cracked door, but actually I think that you been talking like your losing it, do I detect the hit of regret in your voice from something else that you're regretting?" Mokuba said with an evil smirk on his face.

Seto leaned back in his chair he didn't know why he couldn't stay still, "Maybe," he said closing his eyes ignoring the thoughts of his beatings that were trying to haunt him. Mokuba knew what his brother was thinking, "Your thinking about her, aren't you, weather or not you should go back and live the happy life?" asked Mokuba. Seto with eyes still closed slowly began to nod, "I miss, her, however it's like it was all one big lie. She tried to kill me, Mokuba, and you too," he said. "That was because Katharine had a tight grip on her, and if you didn't beat Gosaburo all those years ago, you would have probably jumped off a cliff if the man told you too," retorted Mokuba and then taking a few calming breathes. "Besides," said Mokuba calmly, "What is it about Alexandra that makes you miss her so much?" he asked.

Seto looked at the computer screen, "I don't know exactly anymore, I was going to ask her something at the press conference here in a few days, but now I am not so sure," he said. "How were you going to do that? Seto, she is all the way back at the house that you two were hiding in a few days ago," Mokuba asked. Seto raised an eyebrow, "I would ask her in front of everyone, however the question I don't even know anymore," he said.

The younger Kaiba brother nodded, "I see your confused weather or not you love her, still after everything that has happen," said Mokuba. Seto sighed, "I don't know if I ever been in love with Alexandra Pegasus," he admitted, "SO I had one night with a woman…" he trailed off, thinking that Mokuba didn't know forgetting the little confession a few days ago.

"Oh, stop it with the moral talk, Seto. Besides Kisara, my self and Rebecca were watching you two walking on the lower level that night though the crack in the window curtains, and no I didn't see do anything except shut a door with your foot while kissing Alexandra," said Mokuba. Seto's eyes went bug eyed, "YOU WHAT!" he barked. "Relax, I got worried about you two after that day you read Alexandra's journal, then there was the horse ridding trip and you were all muddy and I thought you would be mad at Alexandra so I wanted to make sure ok. So, that's why Rebecca and I thought you two need to get out of the house, I had to know if things would turnout good for you two, just didn't think it would lead to that," Mokuba said quickly however very calmly.

Seto kept his composure knowing that an outburst of anger would probably kill the conversation, "Well you know then, anyways I don't know if it was lust or love anymore Mokuba," he said. Mokuba smiled slightly, "Seto," he said looking at his brother closely. Seto had his head against the black leather chair, and hand behind his head, his feet on the desk now, and eyes closed. "When was the last time you got something you wanted, and you didn't have to pay for it?" asked Mokuba boldly. "Ah, that would be umm," Seto, thought about it, it had been along time actually.

"A long time ago right?" said Mokuba. Seto nodded slightly, "Yeah I guess you can say that, except I got what I wanted when I was around Alexandra," he said. Mokuba crossed his arms, "This doesn't include sex, or other things that she had to get for you to help you get better. I am talking about something you wanted, actually wanted besides duel monsters titles, just you, what does my brother want to choose for his life?" he said.

Seto opened his eyes and looked at the ceiling, "I don't know what I want anymore Mokuba," he said then turning towards his brother, "Just I guess you to be happy," he admitted. Mokuba smiled slightly, "You know what I wanted for you?" he asked softly. Seto looked at his brother sitting up, as Mokuba stood up and looked him in the eye, "I wanted you to be happy too, without making sacrifices for me, to be happy," he said.

"What is that suppose to mean?" asked Seto. Mokuba smirked, "It means, for once let the CEO of Kaiba Corp that was a complete mental jackass, die and be who you want to be, do what you want to do, you don't need Kaiba Corporation anymore. I know how to run a company after all, I run the worlds biggest web company next to Microsoft, so Seto why stay in this lonely life that you wanted to have die so long ago, don't resurrect what is already dead," he said heading towards the door.

Seto leaned back in his chair, "Resurrect what is already dead," he said softly looking at the ceiling. "I mean, listen to yourself, Seto. The Seto, I used to know, the one before the accident, the one that I was proud to call my brother before the take over of Kaiba Corp. The man I know that you are to be, the one that is hidden deep in side the one that Alexandra brought out that night that was reborn. The one that she can get anything out of, with just the sound of her voice," Mokuba said and headed out the door leaving what ever he was going to tell his brother about the company for a later time.

Looking at the computer Seto found what he had been looking for, the article in which listed, his name, Mokuba's and Alexandra's as the only survivors of a horrible unexplained accident however the paper had one subscriber and it was Clare's store.

The afternoon of the press conference

Alexandra sat in the living room she could hear Joey, Atem, Yugi, Mai, and Kisara heading out for dinner. Alec was able to pull off a fake stomachache to get out of going to dinner with them she wanted to watch the news conference.

The TV was on and Mokuba was at the podium with his hair neatly brushed, pulled back into a professional ponytail, and wearing a semi-business suit that was gray. "Ladies and Gentlemen, I thank you for coming to this news conference that my older brother has arranged. Unfortunately he will not be here, now, for I have convinced him that something is a little more important, that he has to take care of if he is to decide what he will do now," he said to the news reporters and those watching TV.

Alexandra's mouth dropped, as she was sitting in the burgundy colored lazy boy. "Where could he have gotten too now?" she asked, "No doubt, your running again." "Actually not," said a deep voice behind Alexandra as she fell out of the chair on to the floor.

Alec stood up and saw Seto standing right there next to the table, "I came to talk to you," he said. Alec stood up, "What are you doing in here? I thought you wanted to go back?" she asked crossing her arms. "I came to do what I should of did 11 years ago, actually what I should have done a few days ago to tell you the truth," admitted Seto. Alec rolled her eyes, "Look if you're going to keep Kaiba Corp, go ahead, just to let you know that…"she was silenced by Seto placing a figure on her thin lips.

"Actually, I mean, I should have taken you with me, 11 years ago at the car wreck, and a few days ago when I thought I should return to what I hated, the most about myself," Seto said.

Alec looked at Seto's blue eyes, "What you are talking about taking me with you, where would you trust me to be with you and not try to kill you again, like I almost did a few weeks ago, because my now dead step sister ordered it," she said almost in a panic tone. "We aren't meant to be ok, I made my choice Kaiba, and it was a lie. I lied to you, ok, Katharine didn't have that tight of a grip on me, I…I don't want to be with you," Alexandra was looking as if she was going to blow steam. Some how Alexandra felt this was the only way to do things she needed to have Seto come to her not the other way around of him being forced to her.

"What are you talking about?" said Seto being confused one, "I thought that this is what you wanted." Alec moved away from Seto and stood in the middle of the room, "Kaiba, it's not what you want, though. I tricked you, it was a LIE, a good one too, to tell you the true now, that night we shared had some magic to it, but to be honest you and I were nothing more then a fairy tale," she said with her back to him.

"Who says what I want anyways and what is with this sudden change of heart you are sounding like me a few months ago when I was considered the quote UN quote "jackass?" Seto said making air quotes. Alec closed her eyes, "I am saying that, I am a fake, I was brain washing you to trust me. Look, just leave ok, this won't work, I lied to you," she said trying to make her true emotions not show through her face. Seto felt like he had just been shot again, except this time in the heart, 'How could she say that it was all a lie?' he thought.

"Fine," Seto said slowly, "I just want to know was it a lie? And tell me the truth to my face," he asked stepping in front of Alexandra.

Alec stood there taking a quick breath, and not answering but looked Seto straight into his eyes while hers reflected his face; she wasn't going to let him see her lie now. Slowly Alexandra answered, "I was trying to change you for two reasons, and one was that Mokuba asked me to get his brother back, since I used to work as a nurse and part time psychologist before heading back to help Katharine run Industrial Illusions. The second reason was to bait you into that trap for Katharine. I didn't expect her to make me shoot you, and I thought it would be her doing the work, like always she made me do it instead so there is the truth Kaiba, I never cared about Seto Kaiba, oh and you owe me a new eight ball."

"So basically you lied to me?" Seto reposed coldly. Alexandra nodded, "Do I look like I am lying now. You were, as I said that day on the side of the mountain, "a side dish," she said with venom in her voice as if she weren't saying the words as if someone else was speaking. "Fine, but know this Alexandra if you and I cross business paths I won't go easy on you," he said and marched out of the second story door and then taking the stairs to the car waiting for him at the bottom.

Alexandra closed her eyes she knew that Kaiba had read her code of language of working at her stepfamily's company and cursing herself forever as Alexandra Pegasus, instead of Alec Muto. (There is a reason for the names pay attention to them for later)

The gang returned from dinner when Seto walked out through the second level door and down the stairs, they did see his car but not him.

Alec stood there looking out her window as Seto's car drove down the road and out of site. Kisara and Atemu ran upstairs, and found Alexandra on the couch looking into the sky "Alexandra?" said Kisara, "What happened?"

Alexandra closed her eyes, and took a deep breath, "I am not for him, and forced him out. I did it for his, own good he should come to me freely not because I gave him the chance," she said getting up and heading to her room. Kisara sighed, "That girl needs a wake up call," she said. Atemu put his hand on Kisara's shoulder, "Kisara, give her time, she still trying to figure it all out like Kaiba did. She wants fate to decide, now, if you think about it," he said.

Yugi and the gang were down stairs with a tape recorder that just happen to catch the conversation between Alexandra and Kaiba, and they could tell that Alexandra push Kaiba away hard and now they knew why but it wasn't because she said she lied.