Chapter 9

When the duel was over Yugi instantly began to but the puzzle back together as he couldn't bear the thought of losing his friend, again. Kaiba was by Mokuba's side so fast that nobody remembered seeing him move. Bakura had rushed to Emma's limp form hoping to pocket the millennium key only to get his hands burnt from a force-field that was still around her. Tea was pouring bottled water on to Bakura's burns to prevent them from getting worse, while Joey tried to figure out a way to get passed the force-field to help Emma.

"I didn't mean for any of this to happen." Mokuba told his brother as he looked around at everyone.

"Of course not." Replied Kaiba as he flipped open his cell phone and dialled a number. When the line at the other end was answered he didn't wait for them to speak before he started giving them his orders. "I need an emergency chopper right away. My location is…" His cell phone disappeared from his hand and he saw Joey throw it as far as he could in to some bushes. "What do you think you're doing Wheeler!"

"I should ask you the same question." Joey shot back at him looking like he was about to strike out at Kaiba. "I can't believe that you were arranging to fly off and leave us here like this!"

"You idiot!" Kaiba roared. "I was getting you all help before her situation worsens!"

Everyone was shocked at what they had just heard Kaiba say, but it was Tea who spoke what they were all thinking. "You must care for Emma a lot if you wanted to get help for her so quickly."

"I beg your pardon?" Kaiba asked as if he had missed something.

"You said 'her', Seto." Mokuba explained to his brother.

"Maybe the rich boy does have a heart after all." Commented Joey.

"You all need your ears testing. I said 'their'." Kaiba growled as he pointed to both Emma and Bakura.

"Yeah, sure ya did." sniggered Joey quietly.

"I don't think that there's anything that they could do while that barrier is around her anyway." Pointed out Bakura, as he winced as Tea poured on more water over his burns.

"Almost there!" they all heard Yugi cry. "Only one piece to go." He fixed the last piece in to place. "There it's done."

The force-field surrounding Emma disappeared as she sat up gasping for air. She struggle to get her first couple of breathes and then found that breathing became far easier with each new breathe that she took.

"She's okay!" Mokuba shouted over to Yugi.

"Well done Yugi, you did it." said Yami as he appeared by Yugi's side once more.

"How are you feeling?" Tea asked as Emma had finally gotten her breathing back to normal.

"I've felt better, but I'm okay." Emma assured them all almost laughing as she spoke.

"After Yugi broke the puzzle, this guy here was the first on the scene to help ya." Joey told her as he slapped Bakura on the shoulder. "Too bad he got his hands burnt doing so."

Emma looked down to the red raw skin that covered Bakura's hands. With a puzzled look on here face. "How'd that happen?"

"There was some kind of energy barrier still surrounding you after the duel." He explained. "But I'll be okay in a week or two."

"Oh and Mister Moneybags over there was worried about ya too." Joey added as he pointed at Kaiba.

Bakura glared evilly at Emma, as he couldn't believe that he had been so close to obtaining possession of the millennium key and had failed. He was sure that there was more to her than what they knew. Next time he tried he would succeed in taking it, that he was sure of.

Emma stared at Kaiba and wondered if he had really been worried about her or was just repaying her for what she had done to save his brother. Kaiba broke their eye contact as he turned away from her. Now she was sure that it was only the later of the two. "Are you okay Mokuba?" she asked.

"Thank you for your help." Mokuba replied and without warning, he threw himself at Emma and locked his arms around her in a tight embrace. "I'm sorry about everything that happened while I wasn't myself."

"Don't worry about it." She said taken by surprise. She could see Kaiba watching them out of the corner of his eyes. Unsure of what to do, she gently hugged him back. "I'm just glad you're alright."

Mokuba began to pull away and she let him go. "Oh, I've got something for you." she told him as she pulled a small silver packet from her jacket. "I was told to give this card to the person who could beat me in a duel. And since the draw counted as a loss I guess this is yours."

"But it wasn't really me duelling." Mokuba argued.

"I'm not going to go in to the technical differences." she said, eyebrow raised. She waved the packet about. "Would you like it or not?"

"Thank you." said Mokuba as he took the packet from Emma.

"I must warn you though that once opened it will only obey its master who is the first person to touch it with their bare hands." She warned him with a smile on her face.

"Oh, please." mumbled Kaiba rolling his eyes at what Emma had just told his younger brother.

Emma picked up her bag from where it had been left near a tree whilst she duelled. "Well guys, I hate to do this so soon but my job here is done, so I'm off back to Egypt now."

"Won't you stay just a while longer?" Yugi asked.

"Sorry, Yugi but there's someone I can't wait to see again, waiting patiently for me to return." Emma apologised as she threw the bag strap over her shoulder.

"I hope our paths cross again." Said Yami, even thought he knew that she wouldn't be able to hear him.

"I'm sure they will." Emma smiled.

"Who are you talking to?" asked Joey surprised.

Emma, Yugi and Yami all stared from one and other with just as much surprise as Joey. Was this the result of a side effect from being sucked into the millennium puzzle? All Emma knew was that she could hear and see Yami without him taking control of Yugi's body.

She waved goodbye once more. "Later guys." and she turned and walked away.

"Wait!" called Kaiba after her.

Emma stopped and turned round to face Kaiba. What did he want? For a moment she thought that he wasn't going to say anything else, but she was wrong.

"When you return," he began "I want that re-match."

"I look forward to it." Emma replied as she flashed him one last smile before continuing on her way.

As he watched her walk away, Kaiba hummed to himself ever so quietly. When she was almost out of sight he turned to his brother. "Come on Mokuba, it's time to go home."

The End