Warning: This one is rather long. I...kinda got lazy, and didn't want to post it as different chapters, so I just did it like this.

Disclaimer Dude: The only thing Miriku owns is Kina and Kenai.

Read, enjoy, and review! Flames will be used to toast marshmallows, so don't even try it.

The clock read 12:30, Saturday night.

Rain spattered lightly against the windows. Dim light from the streetlamp filtered in, casting an eerie glow around the room. Its only occupant, Yuugi Mutou, was sound asleep.

But, deep within his soul room, Yami stirred.

Something felt slightly wrong. Another presence was protruding on his awareness—one other than his own or Yuugi's. Different.

Yami phased out of the Millennium Puzzle, concentrating on the source of this other presence. He moved to the window, where the pull was stronger.

Whoever it was, they were somewhere outside.

He looked at Yuugi for a moment, then slipped out through the wall.

Yami started off down the street, exerting just enough power to create a waterproof shield around him. Though he wouldn't get wet if the rain touched him, he would still become cold.

He followed this pull, this compulsion, across the city. To a small house on the outskirts. Through a window, and into the room beyond.

A girl lay on the bed, asleep. Her ebonyblack hair was tousled, as if she'd been tossing and turning. She was about Yuugi's age and height.

Her face was creased with pain. Suffering. She whimpered, rolling over on her side. "Lemme go…lemme go…"

Yami felt an urge to help her. She was a light; he was a darkness. It didn't matter that they weren't part of the same whole.

He put a gentle hand on her forehead, and slid into her dream.

OooO

Kina Mirio was having nightmares again. It was the same one as always; she was held back, restrained by brutes, forced to watch as her birth parents were murdered.

But suddenly, those images faded. They were replaced by a sort of dreamy calm.

"Do not worry, little light."

Kina opened her eyes. An indistinct figure approached her bed.

Now, Kina was different than most people. In the sense that she had some special 'powers'—such as being able to know how 'light' or 'dark' people were.

She reached out with this sixth sense of sorts, and found herself confronted by a creature of almost pure darkness. But there was something about it that made it good. Not cold, evil darkness—it was warm; kind. Sorrowed, yes. Pained, yes. Tormented, yes. But evil—no.

And what he'd called her—'little light'. That in itself demonstrated that he meant no harm.

She felt strong arms wrapping around her.

"Yes. I am of darkness. But you have no need to fear me, for I come to help. To heal. For I have also been touched by a light—one such as yourself. And he showed me. Now I come to help you."

Kina found herself relaxing into the words, into the indistinct figure that spoke them.

"Banish the nightmares from your mind," he said soothingly. "Banish the memory from your thoughts. What's done is done; past evils cannot be erased, only made up for."

Kina thought she heard the pain of recognition in his voice, as if he'd had to take that advice to heart one too many times.

"Who…are you?"

She got the sense that he was smiling sadly at her.

"That, I cannot reveal to you. Not just yet. Now…sleep."

Those words were like a command. The comforting presence remained, and she slipped into dreamless sleep. Without knowing why, she murmured, "Atemu…"

And the spirit laughed—a warm, comforting laugh.

"If you insist, little one."

But she didn't hear him—for she was fast asleep.

OooO

The next morning found a rather preoccupied Yami.

Yuugi eyed him worriedly as he got dressed to go to the park with his friends. "Yami?"

"Yes?"

"Are you all right?"

Yami smiled softly. "I'm fine. Really. I've just got something on my mind."

"You sure?"

Yami laughed, tousling his hikari's hair. "You worry far too much, aibou."

"Because you're too reckless."

"Which is why I'm the dark half."

Sighing, Yuugi strapped on his deck belt. "Let's go."

Yami phased back into the Millennium Puzzle, thoughts once again filled with the strange girl whose dreams he had entered the night before.

Who was she?

Why did she have such horrible nightmares?

And…how does she know my name?

OooO

Kina wandered through the park, aimless as the wind. Her thoughts were full of that dark presence, whose name seemed to be Atemu.

Whoever he was…I owe him my thanks.

Heading down the path, she saw two people—a brunette girl with blue eyes, and blond boy with brown eyes. Reaching out with a second of her 'powers', Kina could eavesdrop on their conversation.

"Where's Yuugi?" the girl was saying worriedly. "He should have been here by now!"

"Don' worry," the boy said. "Yuug'll pop up eventually."

"Are you sure?"

The boy grinned. "Sure-fire, Anzu. He'll be showin' up soon."

"Look out!" Kina was nearly knocked of her feet as a boy dashed past. He was about her height, with gravity-defying spiked hair.

"Guys! Guys!"

The boy smirked at Anzu. "Told ya."

Anzu glared, before turning to the second boy. "Hey, Yuugi. What took you so long?"

"Duelists." Yuugi sighed. "Weevil and Rex decided they just had to double-team me, even though I told them there was somewhere I needed to be."

The blond boy nodded. "An'…?"

Yuugi laughed. "Yes, Jonouchi. Yami and I cleaned their clocks."

Kina sighed, watching as the three of them laughed. They're good friends, she thought longingly. I wish I had good friends…

But she remembered Atemu, and knew she had the best friend of all.

Suddenly, Yuugi looked around. "Hold on a sec…I have to go apologize…"

Spotting Kina, he ran up. "Hi, I'm Yuugi. Umm…sorry about running you over. I was in a bit of a hurry."

Finding Yuugi's cheery attitude infectious, she grinned. "Kina. And it's all right—I'm used to it. Short people get run over all the time."

Yuugi nodded ruefully. "Don't I know it." His face lit. "Hey, do you want to be friends?"

"Really?"

"Sure! C'mon—I'll introduce you to the others!"

With that, he grabbed her wrist and dragged her off to his friends. Touching him with her sixth sense, she was almost blinded. Pure light—with a hint of that warm darkness she had come to associate with Atemu.

"Guys, this is Kina. Kina—Anzu and Jonouchi."

Kina nodded at each in turn. Yuugi grinned around at them all. "Hey—why don't we go to the docks?"

Jonouchi and Anzu nodded. Kina shrugged. The four of them started off, talking and laughing.

OooO

It was the same girl. Yami knew it. There was just something that made her recognizable. Yami watched her carefully during the time she spent with Yuugi and his friends at the docks. She looked happy—but there was a hidden sadness that refused to leave.

Well, I can fix that. I hope…

OooO

That night, Kina slid into bed, thoughts full of the things she and her new friends were going to do tomorrow. She nearly forgot about Atemu—dismissing it as fact that he wouldn't come again. She closed her eyes, and immediately slipped into that dreamy calm.

"You did not think I would come?"

Kina gasped as strong arms encircled her. Atemu's voice was warm and amused.

"No," she whispered, opening her eyes. "I thought…you would help me, and then be gone…"

Atemu laughed. "No, little one. That is not what I do. And you are not yet healed."

She sighed, burrowing her face in his chest. "Don't leave…not yet…I have so much I wanted to tell you about my day…"

"Oh, I know. I saw. But, if you want, tell it to me."

And she did—if only to keep his comforting presence close to her.

"Sounds like you had an interesting day."

Kina nodded sleepily. She tried to keep herself awake, but fought a losing battle.

Atemu smiled softly, placing a hand on her forehead. "Sleep now, little light. The morrow is coming, and I would not have you too exhausted to enjoy it."

Kina looked sorrowfully up at him. "But if I fall asleep…you'll have to leave, won't you?"

Another sad smile. "Yes. But I will stay with you until you are asleep."

Kina smiled, and laid back on the bed. Within seconds, she had begun to drift into dreamless slumber.

Atemu stood back from the bed, and happened to enter a patch of moonlight. Right before she fell asleep, she saw that he looked almost exactly like Yuugi.

OooO

"Yami? Yami…. Hey, you in there?"

Yami started, and looked over at Yuugi. He had been staring out the window, lost in his own thoughts. Yuugi grinned.

"Come on—we were going to meet everyone at the arcade, remember?"

Yami nodded absently, and phased back into the Puzzle. His thoughts were still centered around Kina. Why was she always so…so hopeless?

Before he knew it, they were at the arcade. Yami eyed Kina critically through his hikari's eyes. She looked fully rested, if a bit pale.

Yuugi noticed, too. "Hey, Kina…you all right?"

Kina blinked. "Yeah, why?"

Yuugi shrugged. "You're a little pale. That's all. It's probably nothing."

She watched him closely for another few seconds, then smiled brightly. "Probably not. Now, since we're here already, let's go do something!"

OooO

Kina sat at a small table, watching her friends have fun. She barely saw him, though; her thoughts were focused on Atemu. She stirred her glass of Sprite almost absently with her straw.

Who is he?

Suddenly, the door to the arcade slammed open. A deadly hush fell across the room.

Kina gulped. She recognized that hulking figure all to well.

"Kina Mirio!"

Her foster father stormed into the arcade, and grabbed her by the ear. "What in Kami-sama's name are you doing here?"

Kina whimpered, writhing painfully as the grip on her ear tightened.

"I'm w-with my f-friends!"

The man looked like he was going to explode. "You don't have any friends!" he roared. "You can't have friends, you little bitch! Now get your worthless ass back home, or I'll get it there myself!"

Kina complied, absolutely cowered by her foster father's rage. But she had barely taken two steps before a strong hand on her shoulder stopped her.

OooO

Yami felt Yuugi's anger. He felt Anzu and Jonouchi's anger. And it only served to fuel his own. This man was screaming at her for having friends. And he was doing it in public.

Now I know why she's always so miserable.

Finally, Yami's rage overcame him. He shunted Yuugi's mind to the side, sprinted up, and put a hand on Kina's shoulder, preventing her from following her foster father.

Kina began to shake her head. "I have to follow him," she mumbled. "He'll beat me now, for sure."

"No."

Yami said it quietly to her, but his voice was strong enough for the whole room to hear. She froze, and glanced up at him. He sensed the thought that raced through her mind, but ignored it, as the big man turned.

"Well?"

Kina looked sorrowfully up at Yami, who still had a hand on her shoulder. "Do I have to go home with him?"

Yami shook his head, getting a strong wave of consent from his hikari. "No. You can come with me."

He motioned for Jonouchi and Anzu to follow him, and made to push out around Kina's foster father. But the big man grabbed his arm. "Now, see here—what do you think you're doing?"

"Being her friend," Yami replied, not even looking at him. "And doing a much better job at it than you do as a father. Come on, guys."

The man recoiled from Yami's arm, and looked sharply down at Kina. "Get over here right now. I forbid you to be anywhere near this place—or those people."

Kina looked fiercely and defiantly up at him, arms crossed. "No."

There was a collective gasp from the other occupants of the arcade.

"Come."

"I don't want to."

The man's face was livid. "I said I want you to come here. And I want you to do it right now."

"And I don't care what you want! It isn't always what you want! Sometimes it can be about what I want!" Kina's foster father stared at her, shocked that she would talk back to him. She took a deep breath. "I hate you. And I never want to go with you anymore."

Snarling, he lunged forward. Kina immediately ducked behind Yami, who swung his fist into the man's face. Her foster father reeled backward, howling in pain. Not being one to waste time, Yami swept Kina off her feet and ran, Anzu and Jonouchi on his heels.

OooO

Kina curled up in his arms, shivering as the wind rushed past. She reached out with her mind.

Atemu…?

Yes. Do not fear—we will care for you. You are safe now; and it is time to heal.

Eventually, they slowed. Kina recognized the game shop—it was one her real father had loved to visit. Atemu let Kina down onto the pavement. There was a flickering of light, and Yuugi stood in his place. Kina blinked, then dismissed it as some sort of foreign magic.

Yuugi pushed open the door. "Grandpa?"

"Here, Yuugi."

Motioning for Kina to follow, he entered the kitchen. Soguroku was reading the newspaper. "Grandpa…can Kina stay over at our house?"

Soguroku glanced up from his paper—and did a double-take.

"Kina Mirio! The last I saw you, you were only a child! Two years old, if I remember correctly!"

Kina blushed, hiding behind Yuugi. Because of the similarity in height—not to mention Yuugi's hair—this wasn't very hard.

"Come on," Yuugi encouraged, pushing her out from behind him. "Don't be shy. It's just my Grandpa. He's harmless—unless you duel him."

Grandpa laughed. "Come now, Yuugi! I haven't dueled in years!"

Kina was beginning to find the two Mutou's cheer infectious, despite the current situation.

Grandpa finally looked back up at her. "So, you want to stay over? For how long?"

Kina and Yuugi glanced at each other. Suddenly, Kina burst into tears.

"I never want to go back! Please, let me stay with you!"

Grandpa was obviously stunned by this sudden outburst. Yami pushed his way into control, and embraced the young girl. "It'll be all right, Kenai."

Yami blinked. Kenai? Where had that come from?

Suddenly, he was flooded with memories. A flashback hit him out of nowhere.

Flashback

"Yami!"

Yami looked up from where he'd been writing a document. It was very important, and he was about to snap at the person who had called his name.

That is, until his little sister flung himself into his arms.

"Yami, I lost it! I lost it!"

Yami wrapped his arms around her. "Shh. Calm down, Kenai. What did you lose?"

"Mother's old shawl! I lost it!"

Tears were streaming uncontrollably down Kenai's face. She treasured that shawl beyond anything else in the palace.

Immediately forgetting the important document he was supposed to be writing, he stood up. "Let's go find it, then."

"But I looked!"

Yami shook his head, smiling softly. What Kenai considered 'looking' for something was running into a room, glancing around, and running back out.

He eventually found the old shawl flung underneath the bed. Kenai wrapped it around her neck, giggling. "Thank you, big brother."

"You're welcome, Kenai."

Kenai suddenly became serious. "I miss Mother. And Father, too."

"I do too."

"Are we alone now, Yami?"

Yami shook his head. "No. We have the High Priests. And most importantly, we have each other."

He hugged his sister warmly. "We'll always have each other, little sister. Always."

End Flashback

Yami smiled softly. Kina reminded him so much of Kenai.

Grandpa nodded. "Open up the guest room. She can stay with us for as long as she wants."

Yami nodded, and led her up the stairs. Kina glanced up at him. "Thank you, Atemu…"

Yami shook his head. "Yami."

"What?"

"Call me Yami. Atemu is much too formal."

"All right. Thank you, Yami."

"You're welcome, Kina. Kenai."

Kina looked confusedly up at him, and he smiled softly. "You remind me so much of her—my little sister."

"Where is she now?"

Yami looked away. "I don't know."

"Oh…"

A smile returned to Yami's face. "I can't dwell on the past, though, And neither can you." He showed her into the guest room. "It's almost nine o'clock. Get some rest."

He watched as Kina immediately dove under the blanket and curled up.

The time of hurting is over, Yami thought with satisfaction. And your time of healing has begun. Sleep, little sister—little light. Sleep and heal.

Aww...hehehe. Review, please!