NOTE: I'm going to TRY to get this up to at least twenty chapters. I KNOW I can last up to like…probably sixteen or seventeen, but it may get difficult. Expect like…only five page chapters for the next few…because I was relying on this transition of sickness to last me a few….

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!

Chapter 14: Touch o' the Brain Fever?

Tea groggily woke up. The book was gone from her hands. She suddenly looked up at the clock. It was Sunday morning! Six-thirty! How could she have slept? She had told herself that she would stay awake all night, just to make sure he was alright!

And where was that book?

Tea looked around and saw Seto reading the book; his back propped up against the back of the window. He was reading it – his nose buried in the book. Tea was slightly confused. Was he better? Or was he still sick? With a temperature as he had had last night, he should still be sick….

"Kaiba? Don't you still have a fe-?"

"I'm fine," he replied immediately, a little too quickly. Tea noticed that his face was flushed, from heat. She set her face.

"No, you're not. You still have a fever, no matter how much you try to deny it. Now, if you don't lie down and rest, you'll never get any better!" she informed.

"I'm resting: reading doesn't exactly take a lot of power, you know," Seto retorted. "And besides, I'm not "sick" anymore. I told you it would pass in the morning."

Tea didn't believe him. She immediately thrust her hand under his bangs to his forehead. Seto jerked in surprise, as he had done last night.

Her touch felt so cool…and not just because he felt unnaturally warm. There was another pleasing sensation to her touch. She had such soft hands…and she looked so determined and concerned…all at the same time.

Seto shook his head slightly as Tea took her hand away. Stupid "fever" was getting to his brain.

Well, then, maybe that's it: brain fever. I'm beginning to go insane from being cooped up here for three days!

"Kaiba, you're still very warm. Lay down, and you can continue to read. That's all I'm asking you do."

"Fine, fine, if it will quit your nagging," Seto answered, turning his back and laying back down, pulling on the covers again. He hated to admit it, but lying down felt much better, and he was still pretty chilly. Unfortunately, the light was not great, due to the fact that storms still raged outside. So, instead of keeping his back to Tea, as he had planned to do and ignore her, he had to turn the other way to get some light to read.

At least his eyes would stay on the book, and not her.

So he hoped.

The plan didn't work so well.

Because Tea was devoid of a book, she busied herself about the room, looking for anything that might help Seto more.

He couldn't keep his eyes off her figure…especially from such a low angle. Every move was made with a bit of bounce and grace: as if she was trying to dance from spot to spot.

She had the perfect body…that was for sure. Not too broad anywhere, but not too shallow, so to speak.

Her constant busy-bodying was beginning to get on his nerves…in two ways. She made a constant checking up on him…or at least trying to check up on him. He refused to let her touch him. Her flouncing also did a number on his mind: numbers which he was wanting to delete profusely.

He was getting fed up…. He couldn't concentrate! He didn't want to be sick anymore: like he even was! Seto Kaiba never became ill! He could not tolerate this anymore: being treated like some old coot on his death bed!

"Gardner," he breathed out slowly.

"Yes?" she spun around with rapt attention, her face stricken with concern. Perhaps stricken wasn't the best word. Worried, yes; but stricken? Not entirely. Perhaps Seto only wished she were stricken with worry-

AS IF! He was beginning to constantly reprimand himself.

"Get out of my sight," he growled, loud enough for her to hear: but not too loud, as he didn't feel like talking.

"W-What?" she inquired.

"You heard me: get. Out."

"But Kaiba-"

"GET OUT!" he shouted. Tea jumped back in alarm.

"I really shouldn't leave-"

"Gardner!" Seto suddenly sat up, "Don't make me come over there-"

Tea knew that tone of voice too well. She had heard it many times before. "A-Alright!" she scampered out of the room.

Goodness, she said, running down the hallway aimlessly, Fine! He can just…DIE there, if he doesn't want any help!

She knew what she was thinking was wrong, but her anger was overpowering her sense of goodwill at the moment. Her anger and her fear.

Seto sighed in contempt as he heard her running off. Finally! Some peace….

He sat up, not being under Tea's watchful eye, sat back against the window and began reading. Nothing to distract him now….

He could be at ease and overcome this "sickness." He would prove that he wasn't ill!

So, he read quietly. Of course…who knew that books could remind you of certain…people?

"No!" the man called out, rushing to her side. She, Ardella, lay on her stomach with a dagger plunged into her back. She didn't seem to be breathing…. "Ardella!" he cried, kneeling by her, and ripping the fatal weapon out of her back. Her blood coated the edge and dripped along her back.

But Sven didn't care. He turned her over gently and laid her in his lap so that he may once again see her gentle face.

She stirred slightly.

"Aredella? Aredella, speak, please, so that I may know that you live!" Sven bent closer.

"Sven?" he soft voice asked. She slightly opened her azure eyes that used to sparkle ceaselessly. Now, they seemed a dull navy. They did not fit this beautiful face that was now pale with death.

She was sweating ever so slightly: her chocolate hair clung to her damp cheeks.

"Sven?" she asked, looking back into his own ocean-like eyes, "Is that you?"

"It is…. Please, Ardella, don't leave me-"

"I must, Sven…I must…" she slowly raised a thin arm and with her soft hand, gently caressed his face, "you know that I'll always love you…."

"I love you too, Ardella!" he exclaimed, taking her hand that was now on his cheek, "I can save you…just hold on!"

"I can't, Sven…I just can't-"

"You can! You have faced much worse dangers, and lived through them! Where is the Ardella I fell in love with? The one that had courage and spunk? The one who stood up for everyone and everything's rights? The one that could fight off anything…even death."

"That Ardella…is dying," she answered, tears beginning to fall down her face. "Sven, I-"

Seto placed his finger in the book to mark the spot, but closed it nonetheless. Normally, he was fine with this kind of story. Sure, it was a bit sad…okay, VERY sad. But now…why, in his mental picture of the book…was he thinking up those two people…with looks strangely resembling Tea and…him?

Seto almost laughed aloud. The thought about the whole idea was simply ridiculous! This entrapment within the school was really beginning to get to his head.

He began mocking the story, "Tea!" he whispered softly, smirking as if reading a joke, "Tea? Tea, speak, please, so that I may know that you live!" – "Seto? … Seto? Is that you?" – "It is…. Please, Tea, don't leave me-" Seto was trying very hard to keep his laughter down. The whole conversation was so humorous! As if this would actually happen in real life! Him asking for Tea Gardner to live. But heck, who was to say Seto couldn't have fun in his own ways? He continued teasingly, "I must, Seto…I must…." Seto read over the next line with his eyes and slowed down. You know that…I'll always…love…you," he started having trouble, for some reason, reading this sentence.

It just got worse with the next sentence. His throat felt completely contracted.

"I-I…I love you…too…Tea – argh, forget this! What was I thinking reading that crap aloud? Where was I now?" Seto scanned the page for his place. He just wanted to get the story over with. Then again…that meant that later, he would have nothing to distract himself from Tea. Ah, who cared? He would find something to do!

A voice rang in his head as he was reading, so that he really wasn't taking in the words that he watched, You know you only had trouble reading those lines…because you hope it to be…and know it is true….

"What the crap!" Seto suddenly shouted, forgetting that it was he, himself who had thought those ideas…in his mind. Not aloud.

Seto sighed and placed the book aside. He was never going to enjoy this time without Tea if these feelings kept bothering him.

Seto decided to lay down and try to get some sleep.

But he had a restless time. Sleep would not come. His mind was wide awake and thinking. Randomly, he was going through reasons….

Why WOULD I even like Tea? I mean…yes, she's got quite the figure…but that's not the point! One isn't supposed to love – er- like based upon looks. Seto was quite oblivious with what he was thinking. Everything just kept coming…..

She's a great dancer…very graceful…saw her in one of the school dramas once…. She DOES stick up for people…tells them what's right and wrong…man have I gotten plenty of those speeches – anyway…. What else would there be? Is that all? Those few reasons?

No.

Seto had forgotten the most important reason of all. How could he? In fact…it was one of the first reasons why he had ever started…wondering about his feelings for her.

She was just like him.

The adoption: the abuse: the "love" from the family.

No wonder he…thought he might have taken a liking to her.

Slowly trying to block out these unnecessary thoughts, Seto feel into a calm sleep.

It's that book again, Seto thought. I'm back…. I recognize these thoughts. It's exactly how I imagined the room in the book…at the place where I left off.

Seto felt his legs move involuntarily. He must have been following the course of the story. Unconsciously, Seto dreaded to see what he was coming up to. He was running now….

"No!" Seto suddenly called out, rushing into a room. He saw that something he had dreaded. Tea lay on her stomach with a dagger plunged into her back. She didn't seem to be breathing…. "Tea!" he cried, kneeling by her, and ripping the lethal weapon out of her back. Her blood coated the edge and dripped along her back.

But Seto didn't seem to care. On the contrary, he turned her over gently and laid her in his lap so that he could see her face. Two conflicting thoughts ran through his head:

Wake up, Seto!

I hope Tea is alive!

She stirred slightly.

"Tea? Tea, please talk to me!" Seto bent closer.

"Seto?" he soft voice asked. Seto's heart fluttered. What a relief and joy to hear that voice once more.

A relief?

A joy?

What the heck? WAKE UP, SETO!

Tea slightly opened her sapphire eyes that used to sparkle ceaselessly. Now, they seemed a dull navy. They did not fit this beautiful face that was now pale with death.

She was sweating ever so slightly: her brunette hair clung to her damp cheeks.

"Seto?" she asked, looking back into his own azure eyes, "Is that you?"

"It is…. Please, Tea, don't leave me-"

What was he saying!

"I must, Seto…I must…" she slowly raised a thin arm and with her soft hand, gently caressed his face, "you know that I'll always love you…."

WHAT! SINCE WHEN!

"I lo-"

Seto jumped up in the cot, breathing heavily.

No. Way. He really must be getting "a touch of the brain fever."

"That's it," Seto sneered, pushing the book into the far corners of the room, "No more reading before I sleep."

Mokuba and Noa walked through the park that Sunday. Noa was off from working at Kaiba Corp. and he and Mokuba had wanted to look for Seto, while talking a walk.

Sure…it was raining…but that didn't bother them….much.

"Mokuba…I'm freezing!" Noa shivered, putting his hands around his arms.

"I told you to bring a coat! Some genius you are," Mokuba rolled his eyes.

"I thought long-sleeves was enough-"

"To go with shorts and rather high socks. You Pollock…."

"I'm am not a Pollock! Well…then again, maybe I do have some of that blood in me-"

Mokuba rolled his eyes again. He continued to hold the umbrella over the two of them.

Mokuba then noticed a group of four standing a ways ahead, "I didn't think that anyone else would be out in this weather."

"This just proves what a genius you are," Noa narrowed his eyes.

"I've seen them before…" Mokuba said, pointed to two girls, "They're now freshman at the high school! They were eight graders last year, remember?"

"They do look rather familiar…" Noa stated, "Wasn't their name 'Gardner' or something-"

"Gardner?" Mokuba suddenly said, "Of course! They must be related to Tea! I wonder where Tea is though…."

The two ran over to the Gardner family.

"Kaz, please tell me you know where she is!" Rika cried into her husband's chest.

"I don't know, darling. We asked the children, remember?"

"This is one of Tea's favorite spots to come by," Rae said.

"Hello," Mokuba said, coming up to them, with Noa on his tail.

"Oh, hello," Rika Gardner recomposed herself and looked over at the two, "Who might you two youngsters be?"

"Mom!" Kari suddenly cried, "Those are two of the Kaiba brothers! Don't you recognize them!"

"Oh…oh, right you are," Rika sniffed.

"I'm sorry for my wife's behavior," Kaz stepped forward, having known very well previously who the two boys were. He did work with Seto Kaiba quite often enough to know. "Can we help you?"

"We're just wondering…" Mokuba started.

Noa finished, "You wouldn't by any chance be related to Tea Gardner, would you?"

At this statement, Rika broke into another row of sobs. Rae jutted forth and smiled at the two, "Yes we would! She's our cousin! Of course…we don't know where she is at the moment…disappeared after school on Friday-"

Rika Gardner's sobs drown out what Rae was going to say.

"Have you seen her?" Kaz asked.

"She's gone too?" Noa stood, aghast, "And on Friday? Well if that isn't a coincidence," Noa looked over at Mokuba.

"What's a coincidence?" Kari asked.

"Our brother, Seto, is missing as well," Mokuba suddenly blurted.

"WHAT!" Kari and Rae both shrieked. It was more than obvious now to the two younger brothers that the two had a "thing" for their older brother…as most girls did.

Rika's head snapped up, "You don't think-"

"They're together?" Kaz inserted.

"You don't think they've eloped?" Noa joked.

"Noa, this isn't funny," Mokuba growled, "For all we know…they…might have?" he ended a bit skeptically. "But that just isn't like Seto…."

"And it isn't like Tea either," Rae said, "She would never ever elope…especially with Seto Kaiba! I swear: she hates his guts – no offense!" Rae smiled worriedly.

"She doesn't hate his guts!" Kari retorted, "She just doesn't like him. You know what she says: give everybody as chance."

"But she's also said that she and her little group of friends have given him enough chances!"

"But she still believes in trying to invite him to be with them!"

"Hey, don't you remember why we're so happy that she does hate him? That makes way for us to-" Rae stopped. She slowly looked over at the two brothers, whose faces resembled looks of utmost interest.

"The point is!" Kari took up where her sister had left off, "Tea would never be with Seto Kaiba: end of story!"

"Besides, I'm sure Kaiba doesn't get detentions, like Tea did," Rae crossed her arms, "It proves she's not so much better than we are after all!"

"Girls," Kaz started, with a reprimanding tone.

"Well, er, we had best get going then," Mokuba said, "I hope you find Tea soon! She's a good friend of ours!"

"Oh, do find your brother soon too!" Kari and Rae waved.

It was Noa this time who rolled his eyes. "Ever wonder why we never get that kind of attention."

"We're too young. Besides…do you want girls hanging over you every minute?"

Noa playfully tapped his chin, "Sounds appetizing…."

Mokuba sighed.

"I'm kidding!"

"Sure you are…."

"You have to admit, though-"

"It isn't as bad as it looks," Mokuba finished for him, "Yeah, I know."

"Let's just concentrate on finding Seto. He has to be around here somewhere," Noa stated.

"I hope we find him soon…. I don't want that power of running a company going to your head again."

"Moi?" Noa looked appalled. Mokuba glanced at him, stonily. "I know, I know, I was just kidding."

"You and your jokes," Mokuba sighed. "Come on."

Seto stood up rather wearily. If he was going to prove to himself and Tea that he wasn't ill, then the best way to do so was by walking around and acting normal.

Seto too a few wobbly steps. It's just because I haven't walked in a while, he reassured himself. He walked to the door and looked down the hall. There was no sign of her. She had been gone a long time.

I wonder where she could be, Seto thought. I'm just surprised she actually listened to me! Although, it does make her rather hard to find! Darn it! And this stupid foot isn't helping!

In the commotion of being sick, Seto had almost forgotten about his foot, that was still broken, or sprained, or whatever it was.

He began walking down the hall, back towards the doors. It was then that he heard a bit of music. Seto stopped and listened. It was a piano….

That could only mean that she was in the auditorium.

Seto led himself there. He opened the backdoor to the stage quietly and looked around. She wasn't back here. He stepped inside, closing the door and walked up to the curtain, looking around it.

Tea was standing on the stage above the piano, playing a few notes with her right hand.

"Can't have music and dance at the same time. Ah well…one will have to do," she said to herself, jumping down off the stage and going out onto the floor.

With her back turned to Seto, she stretched out her right arm and leg and stood still for a minute. Then, she began to step around and twirl.

She began to dance.

This way and that, she swayed across the room, with her eyes closed. She seemed to know where she was going though.

She was a beautiful sight indeed. Seto could just see her enough with the windows pouring some feeble light onto her. She had also brought the flashlight and set it on the stage. He hated to admit it…but he really found her attractive in moments like this.

He smirked, getting an idea. She wanted music? What better way to announce his presence?

Seto walked over to the piano –Tea still not noticing him- and sat down on the bench. Picking out a song from memory, he placed his hands upon the keys and began to play.

Not only did this help Tea, but it would help him as well. Music seemed to relax him: and relaxation was just what he needed. Maybe he could rejuvenate himself from this illness.

Tea gave a small start on the dance floor. She had been imagining music in her head. Now, it seemed so real! But that was impossible! Seto was still in the clinic and there was no one else here! She must just really have a good imagination.

Seto was running out of music in the sonata from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. So…to keep up the act (he liked playing the piano while no one was watching…as Tea wasn't), he flowed right into the next song: Andantino.

Tea never noticed. She kept on dancing. Of course, with the change of music, she stopped for a moment, and listened, taking in the mood.

Seto noticed this and watched her as he continued to play the slow song (Seto Kaiba does not have to look at the piano in order to play).

Tea slowly extended her right arm into the air, slightly off to the side, and her left arm she held out to her side as well.

If Seto hadn't known better, he would have figured that this was some sort of dance move, as she began gliding around the floor, twirling at times. But he knew better. He knew the mood he had put into the music. It was the mood of formal dancing.

And that was just what Tea was pretending to do: dance with some invisible person.

But who was that invisible person?

Seto noticed the song coming to an end. Again, he played right into another one; this time Canon in D Minor. Tea continued to dance. But the more Seto watched her, the more he felt that she needed someone out there with her. It just wasn't proper for a young lady to dance by her lonesome….

Seto ended the song after a couple of minutes. Leaving the last note hanging by keeping the petal down, he slowly got up from the piano and only took his foot off when he was able to get out of sight.

He noticed Tea stop for only a second, before she continued: obviously enjoying herself and thinking up more tunes to dance to.

Seto was still surprised that she hadn't caught him playing. How unobservant was she? Well, that didn't really matter….

Tea was having quite a time down on the floor. Sure, the vivid music in her mind had come to a rather abrupt, yet lingering end…quite the oxymoron….but nevertheless, she danced on. Tea had that ability: to feel as if she were actually doing something, somewhere and hearing such noises. It was a talent greatly needed when she wanted some quiet time to herself, after her few…run-ins with her strongly upset uncle.

A shiver passed through her, thinking that thought, but she brushed it away. Now was not the time.

And it was then that her air of "pretend" seemed to grow stronger. Yes, she had been imagining herself dancing with someone in some elegant hall. She had always fancied the thought. He uncle had said that one day, sooner or later, he would be taking his family to one of those kinds of formal parties: it was an annual business one that sprung up every year. However, previously, he had not considered his daughters old enough to go, so he had them stay home while he and Tea's aunt went along.

But this year, Tea knew she would be going. Her uncle had specifically said so to her and her cousins. So, Tea was practicing, just incase some boy asked her to dance.

With such a thought of being at the party, she almost felt as if someone were actually holding her hands, and twirling her in and out.

And without even thinking, she leaned backwards, as she had read about others doing in books and in movies, and the like.

It was then that Tea noticed something.

Without support, there was no way she could do something like that.

She immediately opened her eyes and saw a smirk and a set of azure ones looking right back at her.

She gave a start and fell backwards, landing rather sprawled out on the floor. She looked back up at Seto, who was trying very hard to keep his laughter down.

"K-K-Kaiba!" she jumped up, dusting off her clothes, "What are you-? Shouldn't you be-?"

"Spare me the lecture," Seto repressed, "I'm tired of being "ill…" though I clearly am not sick," he added.

"You're in denial," Tea shook her head, tentatively starting to raise her hand. It was instinct to feel his forehead…for his fever of course.

Seto took a step back, "Stop doing that."

"Why? Don't want to face the fact that you can actually get infected with illnesses?" Tea stepped forward.

"No…I mean, yes," Seto replied, backing up more. He didn't want her touching him. He was just remembering all of the thoughts a non-related book had given him. Imagine what her touch…again would bring to his mind!

Tea suddenly stopped, putting her hand down only slightly. "Looks like you're out of luck."

"What?" he narrowed his eyes, looking around him. He rolled his eyes. How had he gotten stuck in this mess? Of all the elementary tricks to fall for: the backing-up-into-the-corner fiasco!

Tea suddenly walked forward, surrounding him, and again checked his temperature: being too quick for Seto's reflexes as she had taken the time to do this while he was still figuring where he was.

She walked back quickly.

"S-Kaiba…you feel…warmer." She blinked. That didn't go too well with her, "Please go lay back down! If you want to get better-"

"I'm not-"

"You'll stop denying this fact and get your stupid head back down on a pillow!" she clenched her fists, red rising into her own face: this from anger.

Seto watched her. What was she getting so worked up over? He couldn't possibly be getting sicker.

"Look: go take your temperature and you'll see what I mean! Please, Kaiba! Put both of our minds at rest, why don't you?" When he didn't respond, she suddenly grabbed his wrist and started dragging him along. Seto grudgingly went along, but didn't free himself. Not only was he feeling that it was pointless (he wasn't going to admit he didn't have the energy to do so), but she also had quite the grip.

They walked back up the stage, to steal out the back door, when Tea stopped. She looked at the piano suddenly and then back at Seto.

"You-? You?" she looked back and forth. She sighed, shook her head and mumbled something like, "Too many talents…."

Seto took that as a compliment.

Of course, the pride was short-lived as he was forced back down onto the cot, with Tea trusting the temperature gauge into his hand.

"And it might help if you take your jacket off-"

"No," he answered far too quickly.

"Why ever not?" she threw up her hands in exasperation, "you're far too warm for it: does it matter? You'll feel so much better! What's wrong with taking your jacket off?"

"You think up the possible reasons," he sneered quietly. But Tea had heard, intentionally or unintentionally.

"I don't have time for that," she said, "Just take-"

"One hundred two point five," he suddenly said, looking at the reading rather disbelievingly.

"There! See? That's not normal, Kaiba!" she took it out of his hand and looked down.

The seriousness of the situation struck her just then,

One hundred two point five? That was really high! She almost dropped the thermometer in shock. That wasn't good.

"Oh goodness, Kaiba, please," she kneeled by the cot, "PLEASE, rest! This temperature will never go down if you don't!"

She looked so worried about him. Seto looked at her. She looked completely stricken. Was it that serious? Then again, he recalled that at temperatures of one hundred six, the sickness became dangerous. That number was only four degrees away.

But that was a whole four degrees away! What were the chances?

Then again, he had risen two degrees within a night….

But what were the chances, he had to ask himself again.

Realizing this information and seeing the pleading look on Tea's face, he conceded to lie down and rest finally.

Perhaps this was the fastest way to recovery.

Finally, Seto Kaiba had taken in the fact that he had a fever.

Although he still joked that it was brain fever.

Well, did you like it? I tried putting in some major transitions in here! And I got another great idea! And this chapter turned out MUCH longer than I expected! (Remember I aid five pages at the beginning? Well, this one was twice that! Ten! Bravo, me! I have been inspired again!) Well, PLEASE REVIEW! My inspiration is back! I know what I'm doing pretty much for the rest of the story!