Disclaimer: I get sick and tired of writing these. I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of the characters. I do though own Sinku but I don't want to.

To my fellow readers: I finally wrote a long chapter as promised! And thanks for all those warm and fuzzy reviews! I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! If not, then I failed as a duty as a writer. But oh well, I like it so that what matters to me! So get out that popcorn bowl and enjoy!

Chibi Tora: I'm glad you liked it! Withall of your reviews you kept mewriting this story, so I considered you to be my faithful friend!Which goesquite along with this story huh:)

And my other reviewers: YOU ROCK! Because you stuck out this far for me! And I kept you up for most of the night! Aaw...thats makes me feel good:)

Normal. This couldn't be. She checked over him once more. He was normal. The nurse looked at him, confused, "You're okay. That's odd, its like you've just awoke from a long night of sleep. The state of the coma you were in was life-threatening and…"

Yugi weakly smiled, "I guess I was lucky."

The nurse gave a small smile, "I guess so."

She turned towards Mr. Motou and leaned in towards him, "We're going to keep him here for an extra day. Just to keep sure, I've never seen this type of result before."

Yugi's Grandpa nodded and walked towards his grandson as the others came back inside.

"Yugi!" Tea cried out, "So nothing's wrong?"

"What happened to you?" Tristan inquired.

"Jeez, don't pressure him." Mokuba muttered as he lingered in the back.

"Just got into some trouble with some gangsters." Yugi said, he rubbed the back of his head and smiled weakly, "I'm okay now."

"Tell me the truth Yugi." His grandpa replied angrily.

Yugi looked at him, "Grandpa?"

"Someone took your soul?"

Yugi looked at Tea and Tristan whose eyes were wide as saucers, "Joey told you?"

"Well…" Tristan started.

"I overheard their conversation. I saw Joey leave last night to rescue you." Sugoroku confessed, "I don't understand why you couldn't tell me."

"Grandpa," Yugi started, "I…"

He was interrupted by the door opening. All heads turned towards the entering figure. Kaiba had walked in looking disheartening.

"Kaiba, did you find…"

"The mutt…is…" Kaiba paused, should he tell him?

"Where is Joey?" Yugi demanded.

"In the emergency room."

That was when all hell broke loose.

Yugi was nervous. He was walking down the hall, wheeling his antibiotics next to him. It just hit nightfall. Tristan had called Joey's dad, who still hasn't arrived yet. He also calledJoey's mom and Serenity but they couldn't come until the following day due to no mode of transportation.

"Partner." Yami Yugi called out as he emerged from the puzzle, "Don't you worry, Joey will be fine, he's a tough guy."

Yugi nodded, "But…"

"Believe in him Yugi. Just as he believed in you."

Yugi nodded. He didn't see Yami Yugi's hands shaking.

He stopped in front of the door. The door to the room where Joey was in. Tea had gone to his room earlier and told him that Joey was out of surgery. He immediately demanded to see his friend and Tea told him the room he was in. And now here he was, just a few more steps away and he couldn't open the door. I'm afraid…to see him Yugi realized. He felt a hand on his shoulder and he glanced back to see his grandpa standing there along with Tea, Tristan, and the Kaiba brothers. He turned back to the door and turned the handle.

A doctor was standing in front of Joey's bed blocking the sight of him. He turned around and faced the group.

"Ah, maybe you guys shouldn't be in here." He said.

"How is he?"

The doctor sighed; this was part of the job he hated the most, "He's near death. I've done all I can, gave him blood, fixed his wounds, cleaned his burns, bandaged him and he still shows no signs of improving. At this rate…." The doctor voice's cracked, "This…rate, he might die by the end of the night."

He walked up towards the shock group, "I'm sorry." And finally moved out of the way.

Yugi gasped. Joey was covered in bandages, apart from the blanket covering him; the only place Yugi could see that wasn't covered in bandages was the right side of his face. He was also hooked up tomany machines.Yugi walked towards Joey's bed, "Joey…"

Mr. Motou turned his head, I can't believe it, he went through such ordeals to save Yugi.

Tea covered her mouth as she quietly gasped and turned her heads as tears poured down her face, "Joey…you…"

Tristan felt hot wet tears pouring down his face, "Joey…" he silently whispered, "You've proved us wrong…"

Mokuba grabbed his brother in shock and hugged him, "Brother…Joey will…. make it? Will he?" He looked up to see his big brother's stricken face.

"Stupid mutt…" Kaiba muttered quietly, as a single tear fell from his face.

Yugi collapsed by Joey's bedside and grabbed his hand. Tears poured from the young's teen face.

"It's all my fault…it's all my fault…" He wept, "If it weren't for me…"

Yami Yugi stared on, shocked, Partner, don't say that…don't cry… He looked at Joey's face…Pal…

"Joey..." Yugi sobbed as he dropped his head onto the bed.

He was running. Running in a pitch-black place, trying to find a way out. He could feel cold mist hitting his skin and with each step he took he felt his strength weakening. Where am I? He thought. He started to panic; he was never going to find a way out of this place.

"Katsuya!"

Joey stopped running. Could it be, Sinku is still alive?

He turned around towards the voice and saw a figure coming towards him. Light shined from the silhouette and Joey saw that it was a short chubby man in a purple robe.

"Who the hell are you?" Joey yelled, using his arm to block the light from his eyes. The guy looks familiar somehow.

"I'm Sinku's assistant."

Joey's body tensed up in alarm and his quickly clenched his fists, prepared to fight.

"Relax, I'm not here to hurt you. In fact it didn't take me all that long to find you, your soul is between the border of life and death."

"So, I'm dying. My body is still burning in that building, isn't it?" Joey said.

"No, I took your body to the hospital."

"What? Why?"

"Ha," the man laughed, "I see you still don't remember me. You haven't changed a bit Katsuya. It seems that the Gods have given you another chance at life. I'm glad to finally speak with you after all these years, yet I'm displeased it's under these conditions." The man paused as he looked at the confuse Joey, "Everyone in Egypt was surprised that Prince Katsuya became the Pharaoh's Guardian. You always used to cause him trouble; you both got into major fights." The man smiled at the memory and then he frowned, "Then Sinku came and he almost took the Pharaoh's life. With the pharaoh near death, you came and battled against the vile man. And in the process," The man stared at Joey, "You sacrificed your life."

And when Sinku came back, it was like watching history repeat itself. Expect you were fighting for someone else. Your best friend..."

Joey broke his gaze with the man and looked down, "I had to…"

"You didn't have to," the man retorted, "You wanted to."

Joey clenched his fist harder, "Would you let a best friend die? Knowing you could do something?"

"Yes." The man declared, "I watched you die."

Joey looked back at him, "What are you talking about?"

"I was your loyal guardian back then, Prince Katsuya." The man declared, "I betrayed you."

Joey growled, "Listen I don't care, all that shit is in the past. I don't care if I was "Prince Katsuya" or whatever. I don't care if I sacrificed myself for the pharaoh. Just leave me alone, okay!"

"Listen to me Joey." The man snarled.

Joey took a step back, Okay, what's with the change of attitude?

"Your soul is here because you are confuse. You don't know whether or not if you want to live. That's why most people spent the rest of their lives in a coma, because their souls are wandering between the thread of life."

Joey raised a brow, "And your point is?"

The man sighed, " You're wandering close to the boundaries of death Joey..."

"What happens if you go near those boundaries?" Joey asked.

"Temptation." The man announced.

Suddenly, fire exploded out of nowhere and swirled around the two figures.

Joey jumped forward, "What the hell?"

"Prince Katsuya?"

Joey gasped and he whirled around, "No…."

There standing in front of him was Sinku!

"I killed you!" Joey exclaimed.

"You are walking among the borders of death Katsuya…I can lure you into hell."

Joey looked back at the chubby man, "You're doing this, aren't you?"

The man didn't reply; he just stared on.

Joey turned back to Sinku, "Well, wherever the hell we are I can take you on!"

Sinku laughed, "You're already in hell Joey, I'm here to keep you."

Joey growled, "Not if I can help it!" He whirled back a fist, "I beat you before and I can beat you again!"

Sinku laughed, "Always so eager to die aren't you? Why do you keep fighting for just one comrade?"

"You wouldn't understand!" Joey yelled.

Sinku laughed, "You always running into the face of death for your pathetic comrades! You must really want to die."

"You don't understand!" Joey spat out once more.

He suddenly stopped as flashbacks raced through his minds.

The Winged Dragon of Ra begun to make its attack. Joey struggled to get the chains of Mai.

"Joey, get out of here! Stop playing the hero!" Mai yelled.

Joey turned towards her, "Look, I'm staying right here!"

Sinku laughed and charged towards the subconscious Joey.

Ushio kicked him harder in the stomach. Joey winced as he coughed out blood.

"Stop!" he heard a voice yell. He looked up to see the short spiked-hair teen in front of him, blocking Ushio from harming him.

"Don't touch these two any more!"

"KATSUYA!" The man screamed.

"Joey! Get out of here! Forget about me!"

Joey shook his head, "No! I'm not leaving without you! I got too far to give up now!"

"Joey…" Yugi's eyes welled up with tears, "I could never forgive myself if you died because of me."

"Something you can show, but can't see!……You give up? C'mon! It's friendship!"

Joey snapped back and glared at Sinku. "Bastard!" He twirled his fist towards the man and WHAM! He slammed his fist against the man's jaw and heard it crack upon the impact. Sinku spun back onto the ground.

"You don't understand!" Joey yelled, "Because you don't know what its means to have a friend!"

Joey turned and started to run back.

"Wait, come and face me you coward!" Sinku yelled.

"I don't want to waste my time with bastards like you." Joey spat back. He brushed past thechubby manand leaped from the circle of fire.

"Why didn't you stop him!" Sinku yelled to his assistant.

"I'm the Prince's guardian," the man smiled, "Awaiting for the day for him to sent you to hell, where you already are." He turned and walked away, "Farewell, bastard. I'll be watching you from above."

Joey ran panting, it just gotten dark again and he couldn't tell where he was going.

"Yugi!" Joey cried out, "Yugi!"

Back at the hospital room. Yugi was still grasping Joey's hand, "Joey, wake up…you can't die…you're…my best friend….my brother…" Tears spilled from the teen's eyes, "Joey!"

Joey stopped, "That was Yugi's voice!" He turned towards the source of it. "Yugi!"

Yugi wiped his tears, "C'mon Joey. Wake up."

Joey glanced up as he saw a small light. He ran faster, "Hold on guys! I'm coming!"

"Joey…" Yugi cried, "Joey…Don't die! Joey!"

A small moan was heard, "Uh…Yugi…"

Yugi gasped and glanced up and Joey. His right eye was open, staring at the bewildered teen.

"JOEY!" Yugi screamed as he lunged towards his friend and hugged him.

Joey gave a small smile as he weakly but emotionally hugged him back.

Okay, okay...its not the last chapter...I know I know I'm evil...but I just write by what the story tells me to write and it tells me, it can't end there! So I'm sorry to say, you have to wait again. Darn it, here comes the death threats.