A/N: This chapter should be called "In which I cut Ryou off a lot. The poor boi." Featuring: Jealous!Yuugi and Backbone!Ryou. ... Oh, dear

((gasps)) Can't believe I almost forgot! Thank you Edmondia Dantes from whom I borrowed the "shinypants Pharaoh" mention and the "Bakurae" ( "the two Bakura Ryou and Bakura) term. I love your fics. They make me laugh, angst, cry, and drool. If you're reading this, then I hope you find my humble shrine acceptable to your YGO greatness! ((bows))

Dedication: To SilverShadowFire who reviewed all three of my postings within the first 3 hours and, who, I might add, has been nothing but supportive, amazing, sweet, exciting, and wonderful. Go check out her stuff. Why? Because it makes me drool without fail. :3 You're magnificent, girl!

Disclaimer: I don't need to own Yu-gi-oh (which is good because I don't), because I plan for a successful career working as a slave at MacDonald's (which I don't own either). So there.

Pairings: (because I think I should start warning people) – listed in no particular order

Seto/Joey

YY/Y (natch)

Yami/Joey (and Yugi) – please don't ask?

Further Note: (Holy crap, I'm babbly today. Gaah.)

Anyway, it has come to my attention that "Yadunoshi" is not an uber-frequent term, and thus I shall mini-translate:
Yadunoshi: Bakura's "derogatory" term for Ryou. Means (approximately) "landlord."

Writing Guide:

This bold speech indicates possession by the ghosts, as they relive whatever moment in their life.

((Flashback)) Yeah. It's a flashback. There's all of… one.

(Yuugi's telepathic bond-y thing)

((Yami's telepathic bondy thing))

-Bakura's telepathic bondy thing-

"Bakura!" Ryou's cracking voice accused and whimpered in the darkness that followed.

Bakura, though, looked nearly as startled as Yugi. He bristled. "Not me, idiot. I steal souls, not fires."

"Hah, hah, hah!" Joey's nervous laughter came. "I s'pose you're tellin' us the fire just went out by itself?"

Yami cleared his throat. "Stranger things have happened."

"R-right!" Ryou brightened. "It… was probably just a gust of wind or something!"

Yugi smiled at Ryou, but spoke silently to Yami. (Yami, all the windows are shut.)

((But the house is old, aibou. Perhaps it was a draft from some un-repaired wall.)) Yami pushed the thought tentatively forwards. He knew it was a long shot, but it somehow seemed that by denying the presence of ghosts, Yuugi couldn't be hurt. Besides, fires went out all the time, right?

Bakura snorted. "You're all deluding yourselves," he spoke up in a scathing tone. "I felt the ghosts here even before I walked through the door."

Yami sighed. He hated to admit it, but Bakura was right. "One more thing is certain, then. Not only are there spirits, but they are powerful ones as well. After all, they possessed the both of you with ease." He waved an elegant, bronzed finger in the Bakurae's general direction.

Ryou gulped and nodded hesitantly while Bakura just crossed his arms and scowled. "Hn."

"This brings us to the next question," Yami continued, feeling self-righteous on allowing Bakura to escape the situation with pride relatively intact. He hoped Yuugi had noticed, and approved of, his self-control.

"What we're going to do?" Joey hazarded.

"Maybe more like, 'has anyone else had any of these experiences?'" Yuugi corrected gently. "We should probably find out how common these attacks are before trying to make a plan."

Yami smiled at his only. "Exactly what I had been thinking, Yuugi."

"Well, I don't think we've been influenced – apart from that one time, that is." Ryou spoke up timidly, his eyes downcast as he shied away from Bakura's almost palpable wrath. "A-At least, I haven't," he amended. "I know I shouldn't speak for anyone else."

"Nah, that's fine, Ryou," Joey reassured, obviously still remembering their morning's conversation. "You're pretty much on th' mark. I don' think those spooks have touched me, either."

"Yet," Bakura smirked, his emotions under control again.

Joey glared. "Shuddup," he muttered.

Yuugi coughed softly, magically defusing the tension that was slowly coiling around them. "I felt a little cold last night, but I don't think I've been influ…en…ced," his voice trailed off into a little nothing as his eyes freaked open and he spun around.

"Yami!" he cried, his mind bursting into a tumult of colours that splashed over into Yami's mind.

Taken aback at the sudden surge of emotions, Yami tensed and straightened, his eyes betraying his surprise.

"Last night!" Yuugi cried out. "That's why you felt all weird! Oh my gosh! Are you ok?" Though already sitting in the chair next to Yami, Yuugi was standing in a flash and over at Yami's side in half that time. Trembling hands hovered like a hummingbird over Yami's chest and arms, not daring to invade Yami's privacy but wanting to be as close as physically possible. "Why didn't you say anything? What happened? Are you hurt?"

Yami, at a total loss, moved his mouth several times. "I… uh… no… um…"

Yuugi pressed closer, his teeth biting at his lower lip – a tendency he'd unconsciously adopted from Yami – in horrible worry. "I should have been paying closer attention! I'm so sorry! I let you down…" his breath hitched alarmingly.

Yami resorted to the best form of communication. ((No, aibou, you did not. You are not at fault.)) Yami deliberately interwove traces of pink comfort into the calming blue.

Yuugi closed his eyes, tears sparkling in the corners. He shook his head violently, the rapid-fire green panic enhancing the guilt-ridden black. (I did! You don't have to protect me from the truth. I let you down and you could have been…)

((Aibou! Please, I am all right. You can see this for yourself, can you not?)) Yami reached out and tenderly laid his hands on Yuugi's still shaking hands, warming them with his body heat. ((We will not look at the past except to learn from it. And I have learned to share everything with you.))

Slowly, Yuugi calmed down until his eyes opened again. Without realizing it, he stared deeply at Yami for lengths on end. On the other side of the room, Joey watched: confused and with one very interested eyebrow raised.

On the love seat, Ryou smiled wistfully at the two soul mates. He didn't seem to notice Bakura's suddenly thoughtful expression or the way his eyes casually slid around the room.

Yami returned Yuugi's steady gaze, equally oblivious to his friends' expressions. Yuugi's 'voice' twisted into his mind, a sparkling blue once againI've learned that we're not going to separate under any circumstances.) Yuugi tightened his grip on Yami's shirt, where his hands had grasped blindly for something comforting to cling to.

(I can't lose you, Yami.)

((I will always be by your side, aibou.))

A sudden gurgling made everyone stiffen. Joey leapt to his feet, Yami's arms tightened protectively around Yuugi, and Bakura grasped his Ring, slamming Ryou back into the couch. Another gurgle erupted, much the same as before, and suddenly Joey looked sheepish. "Ah, guys? Can we grab some food?"

Ryou, Yuugi and Yami erupted into relieved laughter, while Bakura snorted. "You're all fools."

Supper that night was delicious but uneventful. There was a brief scare when Bakura jiggled the table and threw out a spectral moan, but the others' fear collapsed after Bakura started snickering.

"Gotcha."

"Bakura!" came the collective complaint.

Several more minutes passed while the five munched on the take-out Chinese stir-fry (charged to KaibaCorp). Yami glanced over and saw that Yuugi had begun picking at the food on the plate, a troubled look on his face.

Red-bright panic alarms began to blare in Yami's mind. "Yuugi?" he tried to speak calmly. "What is the matter?"

At Yami's question, the background hum of conversation, halting and strained to begin with, ceased completely.

Yugi squirmed in the silence. "Well…" he hesitated. "I know this will sound weird, but…" He paused once more, then finished his sentence so quietly that none, not even Yami, could hear it.

Ryou leaned forwards. "I-I'm sorry?"

"Yeah, speak up, Yuug'," Joey drawled, his ears perked.

Yugi fidgeted. "Umm… well, I kinda wish we could maybe help the ghosts? I mean, it must be so horrible to be trapped here, having no way out, only able to relive the last, awful, experience before your death…" Even as he spoke, tears sprung into his eyes.

Bakura and Yami both scrunched their shoulders and stared at the ceiling and the floor, respectively. They didn't want to say anything.

Joey sighed. "That's my best friend," he murmured fondly. "Always thinkin' of others, 'ey, Yuug'?"

Yuugi bit his lip and smiled sheepishly. "I just want to help them, that's all."

Yami laid a solid hand on his shoulder. "As noble as your plan is, Yuugi, I'm afraid it will be slightly harder than that. Ghosts are not duel monsters, aibou, nor are they corrupted men. Losing to a ghost can mean more than just physical injuries – you could be … hurt in many ways." He forced that last bit out, reluctant to voice his greatest fear.

"I know that," Yuugi's eyes shimmered determinately. "I'm willing to take that chance."

'I'm not!' Yami's mind screamed. With great strength of will, he squashed that thought. "Then I will join you," he stated instead. Then and there, he vowed: For the ghosts to get to his partner, they would have to rip him to shreds first.

"Make that three," Bakura drawled, his teeth bared. "I've got my revenge to think of." Under his breath, he muttered, "The Shadow Realm is too good for those freaks."

Ryou shivered and raised his hand mutely, four fingers extended.

"Five!" Joey called. "I call five!" He grinned with his trademark bravado. "Well, Yuug', looks like we're all in for the long haul. What's first?"

Poor Yuugi looked overwhelmed at the massive wave of support. "Oh gosh, you guys. Thanks. I'm sorry about this, but…"

Joey's grin firmed. "No need ta apologize, buddy. 'Sides, t'ink of the boastin' we can do when we go back home and meet Kaiba!" He raised his voice slightly, obviously playing out the scene in his head. "Hey, Kaiba! Guess what? While you were babysittin' a bunch of brats, we played the hero and sent a bunch of ghosts to heav'n!" He laughed. "On your money, too!"

Yuugi smiled tolerantly, then returned to business. "All right. I think we already know who the ghosts are … but why did they, um… you know..."

"Get offed?" Bakura inserted snidely. "Look, shrimpy shinypants, you're going to have be blunt. How many ghosts, why they died, how they died, and what they're still looking for." He ticked the list off on his long fingers, exasperated with the genteel way the hikari was approaching the situation: These were ghosts! Malevolent spirits! Suffering was what they did and inflicted! The only thing that separated himself and the shinypants Pharaoh from these ghosts were these silly tethers of light that dragged them around. Bakura shot a proud smirk at his own light, sitting demurely beside him. Although in his case, it was the dark that dragged around the light.

Ryou cringed at Bakura's harsh wording, then straightened his thin shoulders. "Right," he acknowledged.

"Then we shall continue Yuugi's exploration of this old house," Yami announced, smoothly taking charge once more. "Perhaps we will find some clues, or better yet, a reason for the ghosts' continued stay."

Subtly, Yuugi reached over to hold onto Yami's jacket-cape (which flared even as he sat, it was that cool). "Maybe we should all stick together?" he offered.

They all knew that they could cover more ground if they split up, but most also knew that was the first horror movie cliché: Never split up.

And so they didn't.

They returned to the basement - Ryou coughed as he ran into a fake cobweb. "Yuck!" he exclaimed and backed up, promptly running into Joey, who bumped into Yuugi and Yami (joined at the hip as always). The chain reaction tumbled them to the ground in an accidental dog-pile and drew the attention of Bakura, off in the opposite corner.

He shot them a scornful glance. "That," he sneered, "was a disgusting display of human inequilibrium."

Yami glared back. "Big words, little man," he commented, too concerned with not crushing Yuugi underneath him to fully concentrate on what he was saying. Ryou lay off to the side, squirming under Joey's legs. Joey's torso, on the other hand, sprawled over Yami's back and made life rather difficult to bear.

Bakura, however, was not subject to these concerns. "You should talk. How tall did the nurse say you were again?" He tapped his lip in pretend-thought. "Something about 'too short to play basketball, so go sit on the bench, sweetums'?"

Yami continued to hold himself up, ignoring the slight trembling of his arms. The angle was most awkward, though Yuugi was more important than his body anyway. "Are you all right?" he queried.

"Uh-huh," Yuugi lay underneath, his delightful eyes shining gratefully at Yami, as if he knew exactly what Yami was doing. "You?"

"Fine," Yami forced himself to not grit out. Physical taxation wasn't something he was going to be showing at this moment. On the right, Ryou was slowly extracting himself from underneath Joey, who was lying quietly on the floor.

Yami realized something. "Aibou," he commented almost pleasantly. "Instead of this drama, perhaps I should—"

(Great idea, Yami! Come on in!) Yuugi's thoughts bubbled shades of orange: a mixture of humour, concern, and the ever-present delight of Yuugi's mind.

Gratefully, Yami nodded. Gathering most of his strength, he pushed upwards with his shoulders, and let Joey slide off his back to rest gently on the floor. Then, even happier, Yami 'went spirit,' as Yuugi had dubbed it, and sunk into the sheltering haven.

Yuugi sighed happily as Yami 'rejoined' – things always seemed better when they were united, somehow. Perhaps it was to be expected: Yuugi had been introduced to Yami through the mental link, and it was through the link that they'd developed their friendly relationship. The two still used their mental link, even when Yami had learned to form a body of his own. Even when there was no one around and it was just the two of them, sitting close on his bed.

Ryou gave a sound of surprise, waking Yuugi from his self-introspection. "What is it, Ryou?" he asked, getting up, stepping around a still Joey, and walking over to where Ryou was poking the floor. "Did you find something?"

"The floor seems uneven here," Ryou murmured softly, his doe eyes fluttering timidly over for Bakura's approving nod.

Bakura actually shifted his focus away from examining the wall to peruse Ryou's finding. "Let's see. Move."

Ryou shuffled quietly to the left, gazing in increasing trepidation as Bakura ran experienced hands over the floor, looking for the telltale grooves or dents that meant a secret compartment. "Tough luck, yadunoshi," Bakura finally stated. "It's just a bad floor job."

"Oh."

Ryou looked so crestfallen that Yuugi actually felt his own body tensing up in sympathy. Aware that his presence might be embarrassing Ryou, Yuugi discreetly turned his attention to the far wall. In the silence of his mind, he sighed.

((What is it?))

(Oh, nothing. It's just…)

A shiver of a chuckle attempted to lighten the grim subject. ((We have noticed this before, Yuugi. The relationship that Bakura and Ryou share is much different than ours.))

(I just wish I could help him, you know?) Yuugi released another sigh. (Ryou is such a great guy. He deserves so much more happiness than now.)

Agreement silently resounded down their link, and it seemed to Yuugi as if that made their bond even stronger. He smiled happily, closing his eyes to savour the moment.

Bakura ignored the shrimp ditzing off in the corner in order to focus better on the disappointed light in front of him. He bit playfully one bare inch from Ryou's cheek, earning a delicious squeak. "You're improving, though," he smirked, anticipating – and getting – a delighted expression from Ryou.

"Th-Thanks, Bakura!" Ryou shimmered happily, practically sparkling.

A quick glance around confirmed that the others were off in their own land. It was the assurance of privacy that let Bakura ran a smooth finger over Ryou's right cheek, watching in amusement as it turned the faintest tinge of red.

"Bakura?"

He decided that it was enough for now. He'd keep Ryou guessing … and hoping. It was always more fun that way, anyway. Bakura drew back. "Come over here for a minute," he commanded, as if nothing had happened. "Now this crack in the wall over here is looking… Ryou, are you listening to me?"

Ryou snapped out of his trance. "Uh… yes! Yes, sir!" He ran over quickly.

Slowly, on the opposite end of the basement room, Joey shuffled to his feet. He absently rubbed his hip. "Owie," he commented offhand, then shivered.

Suddenly, his eyes went wide, the dark chocolate within them freezing and contracting as if poured onto ice cream. "Oh no!" he gasped. "No, no, no, no!"

Bakura rolled his eyes at Joey's theatrics, resuming his (and therefore Ryou's) concentration on the wall. Yuugi looked over curiously. "Joey? Are you all right?"

Joey seemed frozen on the spot. "He's coming! Please, no! Help me! Help!"

"Joey?" Now seriously concerned, Yuugi moved forward, but was halted by Yami's sudden appearance in front of him.

"Wait, aibou. I sense a spirit possessing him. Perhaps their actions will shed some light on this dark situation."

"But Joey…"

"Do not worry." Yami gave him a confident smile, though he remained focussed on their friend, mere metres away. "I will not allow any harm to come to our friend." To reinforce his words, his Puzzle glowed brilliantly.

"Help me, please, someone, anyone… He's coming! Please help me!" Joey twisted on the spot, never moving from the one place, although his actions suggested some sort of desperate wish of flight.

"Who's coming?" Ryou clung to Bakura's shirt hem, trying to be brave despite his fear. "Joey? Who's coming?"

"Please, help me! Please! No! I don't want this – please, someone help me!"

Bakura grabbed hold of Ryou's arm as he scoured the spiritual air around the room, then relaxed in disgust. "It's no use," he spat. "It's fixed."

Yami refused to be taken in by the thief's comments. He kept his senses acute and Puzzle magic at the ready.

"Fixed?" Yuugi wondered. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that this thing's not going to do anything. Whoever's got Joey," the name was sneered with contempt, "is just going to relive that one moment until they get bored and move on. But by then, the possession will be over." He gestured expansively. "See? All he's doing is repeating the same stuff over and over again."

Suddenly, as if to spite Bakura's considerable spectral knowledge, Joey gave a heartrending scream and tore off in the direction of the hallway.

"Joey! Come back!"

Yami, Yuugi, and Ryou immediately cried out, dashing out the doorway. Bakura, meanwhile, narrowed his eyes. This whole set-up reeked of a diversion. It seemed to him that this would be exactly how he'd play things if there were something hidden that was about to be discovered – something that he wanted to stay hidden. Bakura smirked. If he were accommodating, he might take the bait and run out of the room, as well. Instead, though, he leaned down and resumed working on prying the tiles from the wall.

He'd never been a good houseguest, anyway.

Seto sighed as he suffered through the supervision of yet another atrociously played duel monster game. The two kids in question paid him no mind, too caught up in re-enacting their practiced strategies.

"Behold!" cried the shorter of the two. "I play Dark Magician, in attack mode!" He flung various appendages around for dramatic emphasis.

… However, what appeared on the holographic board was not, in fact, the rare and ultra-cool Dark Magician, but rather a snot-nosed Clown of Fools. It giggled mindlessly, grating on Seto's nerves even more.

"HA!" the opponent yelled, his voice amplified slightly by his taller height. "Your magician has activated my trap card! Go, Swords of Revealing Light!" His face contorted into a smirk. "This allows me to freeze all the monsters on your side of the field for three whole turns! And by then," his smirk grew, "it will all be over." And then he, too, flung around various appendages dramatically.

What appeared on the playing field, though, was the Pot of Greed image. The two kids ignored it, too busy trying to stare each other down over some thirty-metre distance.

Seto sighed again. Did these kids even know how to play, or did they just spend all their time watching the pros compete? He resisted the urge to cry. His absolute favourite game was getting ripped to shreds before his very eyes while he was unable to stop it. To make matters worse, he'd have to award a prize to the winner.

And they were already on the semi finals!

He twitched at the thought, then glanced strategically over the edge of the tall, surveying balcony on which he stood. Maybe if he jumped…

The cell phone in his pocket suddenly buzzed with a distinct pattern. Jarred from the entertaining thoughts of self-mutilation, Seto did a double take as he realized just who must have been calling him. All of his other incoming calls were screened through his highly critical secretary, and only if they accepted were they dispatched to the comm on his jacket. The efficient system rendered cell phones basically obsolete, but he still carried one around anyways, set to ring only from one caller in particular.

Joey had smirked as Seto had tried to explain it to him.

((Flashback))

"Listen carefully, mutt," Seto spoke slowly. "This is the number you call. It will patch you directly to the cell, seeing as you'd never get past Maria, anyway."

Joey grinned. "Call the number. Got it."

"I wasn't done," Seto glowered. "It's equally important that you use this phone; it's got a special transmitting chip that will identify you as a legitimate caller." He handed the phone in question over, its compact shape fitting snugly his palm. Their hands brushed briefly as Joey took it and examined it critically.

"It's your dragon," he finally stated.

Seto rolled his eyes. "No kidding, Captain Obvious."

"Can I see yours?" Joey smiled, an enigmatic expression on his face.

"Look but don't touch, mutt," Seto acquiesced grudgingly. "Mine's more delicate than yours."

Joey dutifully peered, albeit at a very small distance. "So, you're sayin' we've got matching phones?"

"And Captain Obvious strikes again," Seto bit out, for some reason offended at Joey's remark.

"Cool." Joey accepted the answer and shrugged off the insult. "Why?"

Seto hesitated. When he'd ordered them created, the idea had struck him on a whim. "It's…highly complicated," he recovered, bluffing like crazy. "It's too complex for you to understand. Do you want it or not?"

Tension and something indefinable crackled for a moment between them before Joey nodded. "Sure. Thanks, man."

((End flashback))

The phone hadn't been used since Joey had activated it. Why was it ringing now? Still desperate to escape the depressing sight ahead of him (both kids had dropped their decks and were scrambling around to pick them up), Seto flipped open the Blue Eyes White Dragon's mouth to open communication.

"Seto here."

Joey's voice crackled back, despite the clear transmission. "Help me! Please, help me!"

Seto jumped before remembering who was calling and from where. "Not funny, mutt."

"No, please! Help me! He's coming and I'm…" a sobbing breath, "I'm scared. You're my only hope! Please!"

Seto froze on the spot. "You're kidding." Even as he spoke, though, he could hear the sound of running feet and panting breaths.

"No!" More cries of muted terror as the speaker ran out of breath. "Please, save me!"

"Look, Joey. I'm in the middle of a tournament. I can't just leave."

"Help me. Help. Help me, please." The heavy, strained voice continued to accelerate alarmingly.

Seto sighed. "What about Yami? Or the actual authorities? China does have a few police units, you kno—"

"Help me! By all that you hold dear, help me! Please!" Panic was warping Joey's voice, destroying the Brooklyn drawl and replacing it with a high, fluted pitch. "Please!"

"Joey. Calm down." Seto closed his eyes, collecting his thoughts. "Fine. I'm leaving right away. Go hide somewhere. I'll be there in approximately three hours."

He snapped the phone shut, missing the gleeful cackle that started up.

"Mokuba!" Seto called out. His brother trotted over, chomping happily on some cotton candy. Seto pried the cavity disaster away. "No."

"Aww. Hey, what's going on?"

"Something's come up. Do you remember the procedure for the award ceremony?"

Mokuba's eyes grew. "I'm in charge?" he squeaked.

"I wouldn't think of trusting anyone else," Seto grunted. "Listen, I'll be back as soon as I can, but don't hold up anything on my account."

Mokuba recovered quickly. "R-Right! You can count on me, Seto!"

Seto ruffled his hair fondly. "Never doubted it. Be safe, and keep sane. I told you these kids sucked."

"Seto!" Mokuba laughed.

Seto smirked. "Bye."

And with those words, he strode quickly from the platform, already barking orders into his comm to prep the jet. Mokuba gazed at him until he was out of sight, then dutifully returned to supervising the duel.

Two minutes later, Mokuba risked calling over the cotton candy salesman. "After all," he reasoned, "he owes me for getting to run off to his puppy."

Yami pounded down the hallways in hot pursuit of Joey's fleeing figure. A small dragon was tossed at him, just as a mysterious cackle seemed to erupt from the walls themselves. Yami dodged, then concentrated on the sight ahead of him intently: he'd promised Yuugi that no harm would come to Joey and he vowed not to break that promise.

If he looked hard enough, Yami could swear that, overlaid on Joey's figure was a slender, black-haired figure. The long white robe fluttered like a flag as the shapeless figure ran away.

"Wait!" Yami cried. He lengthened his strides, forcing the muscles to greater exertions. A cold wind tore down the path, pushing him forward and faster. Along the hallway, the lights started flickering and doors started banging open and shut.

Joey ran into one of those rooms, Yami darting after him just before the door slammed shut. A half-second later, Yuugi and Ryou ran up, puffing slightly.

"Yami? Joey!" Yuugi called out.

Ryou was busy at the doorknob, trying to twist it open. "It's no use," he finally breathed, stepping back. "It's like the door's been welded shut."

Yuugi shot him a scared look. "Don't say that!" he cried, then started pounding at the door. "Yami? Yami!"

"Joey!" Ryou yelled. He tried the doorknob again, before suddenly yelping.

Yuugi looked at him warily. "What's wrong?"

"It feels like ice," Ryou stared at his hand, which was slowly turning red from the brief experience of the cold.

Several moments later, Bakura walked onto the chaotic scene, looking mildly repulsed at whatever he'd found. He hid the expression, though, when he caught sight of the two hikaris.

"Who died?" he inquired casually.

Yuugi turned stricken eyes on him, then banged on the door with heightened urgency. "Yami! Joey!"

"We can't get the door open, and Joey and Yami are inside!" Ryou clung to his shirtsleeve, his own eyes wide and beseeching. It wasn't that he didn't think that Bakura couldn't do anything, but more that he wouldn't do anything.

True to his nature, Bakura smirked. "So the Pharaoh and the yapping Chihuahua are stuck in a room with some spooks?" His smirk grew. "Maybe the ghosts will have them kill each other and save me the trouble. There might be some hope yet for the ghosties."

"I can't talk to him! Our mind link isn't working!" The horror of that reality overrode Bakura's provocation. Then his mind clicked the two together. "Does that mean that… I-is Yami…?" Yuugi gulped, staring desperately at the door for an answer.

My, but this was fun. "Yes, Yuugi," Bakura said sombrely. "I'm afraid that Yami is dead."

"No…" Sinking to his knees, the childlike face went white with terror, while tears began to course down the cheeks. Hands, more accustomed to clutching cards, interwove and started to wring themselves. "…Yami…?" the voice shook, small and alone.

Ryou twitched, knowing Bakura's methods a little better. "Yuugi, no." He laid a comforting hand on Yuugi's head, the spiked ends tickling his palm gently. "No, that's not it. Bakura just means that Yami's already a spirit, so technically he could be considered… deceased. But Yami is fine, Yuugi."

"Not dead?" Yuugi voice wavered, despairing but hopeful. "Yami's… okay?" His eyes begged for comfort, the amethysts within them small and dull.

"He's fine," Ryou reassured, then looked pointedly at the sniggering Bakura. "Isn't he, Bakura?"

Bakura paused. "Fine is a relative term, Ryou."

"Bakura!" Ryou hissed, then returned to Yuugi. "Yuugi, just feel what's in your heart. He's still there, within you."

Yuugi closed his eyes and concentrated. Immediately, the Puzzle glowed softly and warmth filled the hallway for a moment. Yuugi opened his eyes again, a calm smile on his face. "He is alive. Thanks, Ryou. You're a true friend."

Ryou (much to Bakura's disgust) blushed happily. "Thank you, Yuugi."

"Oh, for the love of gold!" Bakura spat out. He marched forwards, the Ring gleaming harshly. "This door's opening, if only so I don't have to see any more mushiness!" he snarled. With the experience of a professional thief, he pointed the Ring at the door and blew it open with a jolt of Shadow magic. Lights continued to flicker on and off, making the room beyond reveal nothing but writhing shadows.

He stepped back. His unpredictable tendencies were reaffirmed, and the mushy scene had stopped when the two weaklings had stared at him in shock. He swivelled, grabbed Ryou by the arm, and dragged him to the other side of the hallway. "You're staying with me," he commanded as Ryou gasped at his tight grip. "You're too weak – the ghosts would eat you alive."

Ryou stiffened. "But you're the one who—"

"Shut up," Bakura growled into his ear. Ryou froze.

Yuugi, diplomat that he was, tried to ignore the scene. "Bakura," he coughed, "thank you for your trouble." He turned around and took a deep breath. "My heart's telling me that Yami's ok, but it's also telling me an important event is going on here. Maybe it's even one that will reveal the truth about everything. I'm going in."

Ryou strove to rise, despite Bakura's firm, restraining grip. "Yuugi!" he called out. "I don't think—"

Yuugi half-turned, a faint but resolved smile on his face. His eyes shone extra bright, as if unshed tears vowed to make their presence known whether they fell or not. "No, Ryou. I think I should go through this door," he spoke softly. "Yami's made me strong enough; I'm sure I can cope with whatever's in there."

His smile shuddered, then Yuugi turned back and stepped through the portal.

At last.

Together at last.

The feeling of satisfaction settled down within, as hands entwined in the other's hair, revelling in its texture. It was fascinating and comforting – enough to warm the body through and through.

"You," Yami managed, amidst tears of joy, "are my only friend here. I love you."

His true love smiled back tenderly and ran a caress over his cheek. Yami nuzzled into it happily.

"Did you like the puppy I brought?"

Yami pressed closer, needing to feel every inch of his love against his own body. Already, his brain sang with the delicious contrast between the cold around them and the heat between them. "Yes," he sighed, and trailed an adoring finger over the familiar face. "I loved it. I love you."

"Good."

From his slanted rear vantage point, Ryou saw Yuugi tense as he moved farther away.

"Yami?" Yuugi questioned, and Ryou heard the involuntary hitch and tremble that came with tears. Again, Ryou tried to rise, but Bakura wasn't letting go. In fact, a glance upwards let Ryou see that Bakura wore a resolute expression, the kind he wore when nothing in any realm would sway him – not even masses of shiny Pharaoh gold.

Ryou tried anyway. "I've got to help them! Bakura," he started pleadingly.

"No."

"But—"

"No."

"Please, Baku—"

"No."

"Even if I –"

"No!"

A pause.

"Even if you what?" Bakura asked with studied nonchalance.

"I don't know; anything! Yami, Yuugi, and Joey are in trouble! I know you don't care about them, but they're my friends! I've got to help them! I'll do anything!" Ryou burst out, nearly in tears.

There was another pause. Finally, Bakura had fully processed this latest development, and the strangest look came over his face. It was as if the thief had just stumbled across the greatest collections of jewels in the world, and it was all under the haphazard supervision of a feeble-minded, inept guard.

Suddenly, Ryou felt awash with fear. Like a deer, he froze in place, taking no opportunity from Bakura's now loosened hands on his shoulders. Instead, he could only stare mindlessly as his body sweated cold perspiration. Bakura's body, typically skinny as it was, seemed to become more wraith-like than ever. The yami's face blended in with the morphing shadows around the hallway.

The lighting, always dim, flickered twice more then blew out in a crash.

Grasping, bandaged, skeletal fingers took hold of Ryou's skin, sliding down to lightly surround his throat. Still, Ryou could only stare numbly at his darkness. He was still staring when a greedy smirk split the shadowy face in two with a flash of white.

"Anything, huh?" the spectre in front of him murmured intensely. "I'll remember that."

And to add to Ryou's hyperventilating fear, a tongue snaked out and slowly traced a cold, wet path from his jaw to his earlobe.

"Bakura…" Ryou's voice quavered, sounding lost and scared in the darkness.

On the other side, the door slammed shut behind Yuugi.

Yuugi froze as he fully took in the scene before him. Joey, holding Yami. Yami, smiling gently.

Yami, moving upwards to Joey's lips.

Yami kissing Joey.

And Yuugi's mind shattered. Face twitching with rage, pain, hurt, confusion, agony, he screamed out his betrayal. "What is going on here?"

The two ahead of him, clasped in illicit embrace, broke apart with a gasp. The taller hunched his shoulders, seeming to shrink into Yami, who quivered in fear.

Yuugi lurched forwards, his hands fisting into vengeful weapons. "You! How dare you!" Face scowling, he grabbed Yami's arm and tore him away from Joey. Yami let out a fearful cry as Joey stood there, not moving, in a state of stunned stupor.

"You're mine!" Yuugi screamed at his only, his eyes narrowed to mere slits of rage. "How dare you, how dare you even think otherwise? After all I've done for you, this is how you repay me? Betrayer! Slut! Filthy cow!"

Yami cowered. "No! No, please! I'm sorry! It's just… I'm sorry! Forgive, forgive!"

"SHUT UP!" Yuugi roared. Overcome with a rage that seemed to burn away his very being, he raised his hand and screamed it down upon Yami's terror-stricken face.

The slap resounded around the room, echoing off the walls in the sudden silence. For a moment, the scene was in tableau: Joey stood there, still staring in confusion. Yami collapsed on the ground, his head swivelled to one side from the force of the blow. And Yuugi, panting with exertion, glowered over him.

Breathing hard, Yuugi began to realize just what he was doing. He still felt mad – madder than he'd ever been before – but it began to distance itself. It was still there, coiling, salivating for an escape, but…

Yuugi froze in shock. But…

Yami was crying.

What had he done? Oh Ra, what had he done?

"Yami?" he whispered, aghast. His hand reached out timidly, then snapped back as Yami covered his face in submission. "Oh, Yami, no…"

"I'm sorry!" Yami sobbed, his voice cracking in desperation. "I'm sorry! Don't… don't touch me, please!"

Yuugi wanted to cry as well – to join Yami in this action, too. "Yami," he tried again. His hands trembled with want, to reach out and seek comfort from the one who normally comforted him.

"I like puppies," Joey suddenly announced, a happy little smile on his face. "Do you like puppies? I like puppies. Mr. Doctor let me have a puppy!"

"Help me," Yami shied away from Yuugi, and reached out pleadingly towards Joey. "Can you help me? Can anyone help me?" The look on his face was awful, like that of a child. It was wrong on Yami's face.

"Yami?" Yuugi pleaded. "Can you hear me?"

This was all wrong. Yami was still possessed? A sudden chill hit him and hit him hard, as he felt a freezing whirlwind swirl around the room. Cries started out of nowhere as the furniture started to scrape around the room. Yuugi would have never believed it, but it was almost as if he could feel the energy of the room shift.

Concerned, Yuugi did what he usually did, which was to look worriedly in Yami's direction. Normally, Yami would be able to gaze back at him, and the attention Yuugi would receive would be enough to soothe his anxiety. But now… when Yuugi looked over, Yami stared back in horror. His face was contorted and cringing, to the point where Yuugi actually hurt to look at him.

But even as Yuugi was wincing in empathy, the blank look in Yami's eyes faded suddenly. Yuugi recoiled in astonishment as Yami cleared his throat.

"Aibou?" the shocked voice wavered across the small distance between them.

"Yami!" Yuugi erupted. Oh, it was so good to have his yami back!

Then Yami paused, seeming to take stock of the situation. The eyes focussed on Yuugi's peculiar expression, and his hand that still lay protectively over his own cheek. Memories came rushing back in, distorted only slightly by the possession. And so it was that Yami's eyes widened in dismay.

"Aibou, why?" escaped him before he could stop himself. To his increased sorrow, Yuugi backed up even more and looked down.

"I-I'm so sorry!" Yuugi stuttered. "I don't know what came over me… I never meant to! Honest! I think it was the gho—"

Yami raised a hand to cut off the painful explanation. No, of course it wasn't Yuugi's fault. His aibou was the most understanding, caring, considerate person Yami had ever met. It couldn't ever have been Yuugi's fault.

It must have been his own.

Yami swallowed heavily, then rose to his feet with as much dignity as possible. He offered a wan smile in Yuugi's direction, who was looking increasingly pale.

(Yami? What's wrong? You're not mad at me, are you?)

((Of course not! Do not trouble yourself, ai—Yuugi.)) Yami corrected his thoughts with effort. After enraging his hikari to the point of physical violence, why would he then remind him of their linked souls? And yet, it was impossible for Yami to leave. Yuugi was the true keeper of the Puzzle, having assembled it twice and continuing to possess the true physical body to wear it. Yami's cheap imitation of the physical form was due solely to the energy from the Puzzle.

Truth be told, Yami would not want to leave Yuugi, either. Even to feel the constant condescending anger of his aibou's displeasure would be better than to be devoid of any contact with Yuugi.

Yami sighed. What was that wise proverb about being stuck between a rock and a hard place?

(No, seriously, Yami!) Yuugi's concerned thoughts intruded on his depressed musings. (What's wrong? Please forgive me for before. I can't express how sorry I am! I should never have… There's no excuse…) Yuugi's despairing thoughts drifted away from words and into a black funk that pressed down on them both.

And now Yuugi believed that Yami despised him. ((No, aibou. That's not it at all. Can you ever forgive me?))

(What? For what? Yami, you did nothing wrong!)

Ah, but that was where Yuugi was wrong. ((If you say so.)) Yami surrendered the argument, willing to do anything to make Yuugi feel better.

"Is it jus' me, or is it freezin' in here?" Joey's voice cut across the sombre atmosphere of the room. Yuugi and Yami both looked over at him guiltily.

"Ah, you're right!" Yuugi recovered the quickest. "It is kinda cold. We should… um... get out of here."

"You took the words right outta my mouth!" Joey exclaimed, then made double time towards the door. "What happened, anyway?"

Yami looked down, respectfully silent as he waited for Yuugi to speak.

Yuugi, though, was gazing at Yami, trepidation radiating from his every pore.

"Guys?" Clueless, Joey looked at the two duellists. "Did I miss somethin'?"

Yami offered him that same wan smile he'd tried earlier and brushed by the two of them to open the door. "I think we'll all feel better once we get out of this room."

"Right!" Yuugi agreed immediately. He made his voice deliberately enthusiastic and cheerful, though inside he was horribly depressed. "That's a good idea, Yami!"

Yami turned away from Yuugi's sad eyes. It was obvious to anyone who knew him that Yuugi just wanted this whole thing over and done with. He renewed his efforts on the door handle. "What?" He frowned in confusion down at the unlocked, but unmoving door. "It won't open," he muttered.

"Maybe you're not pushing hard enough, Yami," Joey suggested.

"Here! I'll help you!" Yuugi practically ran forwards, grasping the handle close enough to Yami's hands that body heat radiated between them. "On three?" He offered a peace-making smile. Inside, Yuugi was mentally praying. 'Please let's make up, please let's make up, please…'

Yami swallowed again. Yuugi was trying his hardest to make it seem as if nothing had happened. Then, for Yuugi's sake, he would also do his best to forget as well – though he knew he would never be able to truly dismiss his feeling of betrayal that had come with Yuugi's strike.

He smiled – his very best effort. "Three it is, Yuugi," he said instead. "One, two…"

"THREE!" Joey shouted, and barged at the door as the two pushed. With a screech of warping wood, the door swung quickly open, spilling the three into the hallway.

"Freedom!" Joey grinned out. The weird feeling of paralysing fear was over and done with, and Joey couldn't for the life of him remember why he'd been so afraid. Oh, well. Live in the moment, right?

"Not a moment too soon, eh, Yami?" Yuugi timidly commented, still stepping on metaphorical eggshells.

Yami, though, was paralysed by the scene that had drawn his attention across the hallway. "Not a moment too soon at all, aibou," he could only croak out, his eyes wide with shock.

"What?" Yuugi looked over to where Yami was staring. It was only then that he realized that the hallway was almost at freezing temperature, and the shadows swirled erratically around them. Wisps of white shades darted around, wailing in abandonment, while the walls themselves seemed to shimmer, as if defying the laws of nature to escape the scene.

But what was drawing Yami's whole attention were the two figures pressed up against the far wall.

"Bakura!" he roared.

"Either shove it or help!" Bakura screamed back, as the winds began gusting at all time highs.

It was then that Yuugi realized that Bakura wasn't hurting Ryou, but rather was protecting him. Odd, how the two seemed so similar. Bakura had boxed Ryou in with his body, but was half-turned to face the hallway. With the free hand that wasn't cradling Ryou's shaking head, Bakura held the Ring defensively. Even though normally the Ring seemed dangerous, at the moment it was a glaring, screaming instrument of pain. Even the wraiths that raced through the hallways gave it – and therefore the Bakurae – a wide berth, as if sensing the damage it could do.

Still, though, the Ring couldn't protect them forever. Even as Yuugi watched, a stray chair hurtled towards the snowy-haired couple. As they dodged, the Ring faded, and a moaning head veered towards them, its jaw hungrily gaping.

"Get back!" Bakura yelled, his face a caricature of rage.

"Get out of here, guys!" Ryou tried to call towards his friends. "It's not safe!"

"Yeah, right!" Joey yelled back. With his hands held protectively over his head, he ran over to where the two were huddled. "As if I'd leave my friend because of some spooks!" he grinned.

Ryou shot an inexplicably grateful look at him. "Thank you, Joey." Then, deviating horribly from the norm, he detached himself from Bakura's grip and squirmed over to Joey's side.

"Ryou?" Bakura asked, torn between intense rage, overwhelming protection, and vast confusion.

But then there wasn't any more time for words, because Yuugi and Yami had joined them. As if on unseen signal, the winds dropped, the furniture stopped moving, and the lights resumed their normal glowing.

All that remained of the earlier scene was the overturned chair on the floor, coupled with the sudden, searing cold. What the five had experienced before for cold was nothing compared to now. The previous cold of the salon room was like a warm spring day, balanced against the sudden winter that fell upon them.

Yuugi shivered. Next to him, Yami reached out to offer his own body heat, hesitated, then drew back his hand, looking ashamed. The whisper of cloth that accompanied this action was the only sound that pierced the sudden silence.

Before their eyes and frozen feet, the air around them suddenly bled into crimson. A figure appeared just as quickly – a grotesquely grinning, disembowelled corpse, which only held vague similarities to the girl that had appeared earlier.

Ryou gasped, cowering further behind Joey. An equally pale hand, though, suddenly grabbed him and pulled him over.

"Don't think that you've escaped me, hikari," Bakura hissed ominously. "Far from it. In fact," he grinned and switched to ravaging their mental bond. -we're closer than ever.-

Ryou gasped, then found his subconscious hurting backwards into his soul room as Bakura took over his body. The door to the outside world slammed shut. However, far from being the doomed clanging it normally was, the slam seemed to provide security. The last glimpse he had was of a grey fog settling down, and a woman screeching towards him.

Safe in the comfort of his impenetrable soul room – now that he knew Bakura was guarding it – Ryou collapsed onto a pile of pillows. The day had been so fraught with horrible events that all he wanted to do was sleep. Everything else – including Bakura's bi-polar behaviour – could be figured out later.

TBC
A/N: Yeeeaaahhh. ((shifty eyes)) Obligatory begging for reviews goes here. ((cries)) I feel so awful about what I'm doing to these characters! ((lower lip quivers)) But it's not totally my fault; they look so WOW when they're angsting! … or is that just me?