A/N: This is going to be a super hard chapter to write. Really hard. Hard as hell. Sorry if I get some things wrong... I have never really been in a situation where someone I know is in a hospital. You know, I was trying to read over this story over, but I couldn't. It was way to long. I didn't think it was going to be so long. this is the longest thing I have ever done... well, except Yami, but whatever. I reread the part when Yami begins to do it with Yugi in chapter 14. I realized that Yami was sort of taking advantage of the situation. I didn't mean it to. In this bad chapter, time flies fast. Enjoy...

Disclaimer: continuation

"Yami!" I yelled, tumbling forward from my chair to land on him. He groaned as I gave him a tight embrace. "Oh, God. Yami." I feel my eyes begin to get moist, but I blinked it out. "Hey, fallen-angel. You know I have been awake for three hours, wai-" "You have been awake!" I said,
releasing him. "Yeah. I was waiting for you to say something. For the love of Ra., I thought you would be saying over and over again how much you loved me..." I raised my eyebrow. "You arrogant, bigheaded fool." "Well... You said it, right?" He said, his eyes widening. I bit my lip
and returned to my seat. He pushed himself up and pouted. "Right?" "I... I... I..." I was about to say it to him. That I loved him. But then, the image of Anime World came into my head. "I just wanted you to get up... You are one of my closest friends." His crimson rocks concealed themselves behind his eyelids. He fell down, back to laying position. "Get out." He whispered, barely moving his lips. "What?" "Get out. I have too many girls, and guys, that "just want to be friends." I am okay with them. They hardly meant anything to me. But I... can't have you around as just a friend. Now get out before I get the nurse." I got up and ran to the door. As I exited it, I turned to see my love crying silently into his hands.
A real disclaimer: I don't own Windex, a very effective cleaning liquid
((((((Space))))))

------ spiral of the mind's lost ------

The sirens blasted in the teen's ear. It pounded throughout Yami like a second heartbeat. The lights flashed different colors, so rapidly that purple dots appeared in front of the Pharaoh's crimson beauties. A familiar dizziness appeared in his head. The ambulance worker pushed him up into the large, white vehicle and into a side seat, following close behind. His little, bleeding light was already placed into the car, two or three people crowding around him. Yami had one last glance at Bakura before the doors slammed close. The man Bakura gave Yami off to was now kneeling in front of him, inspecting the dark's cuts that he inflicted a short time ago. He was tall and tan, his ears were slightly forward. His black hair was fluffy and combed into an improper mohawk. The man had a stubbed beard, cut purposely like that, Yami supposed. On his blue uniform, he wore a tag, much like the one Leira had, that said "Marlon Allerste". The ambulance bumped and began to race off to the hospital. The man reached for something in a cabinet beside the Pharaoh's head. Once he got what he was looking for, he began to clean up Yami's wounds.

"Stop..." Yami muttered. Marlon looked up from his task, his chocolate eyes widening.
"Huh?"

"Help him..." The dark said, pointing to his love with the arm not being cleaned. The light had a breathing mask on his lifeless face. The conscious half couldn't see anything other than the stony head and rigid legs of his hikari. As Marlon put a cleaning solution onto his cuts, Yami saw him turn to look at Yugi. A hot burning filled Yami's mutilated arm, causing him to scratch it deeply. He groaned as he opened the wounds that had almost stopped bleeding. But now, as his nails pulled the skin apart, blood erupted from the cuts.

Marlon looked back from the light to see Yami's pained face. "Shit..." He whispered as he grabbed the dark's arm. In no time, Yami felt the inside of the vehicle whirl and twirl. The man's face nearly a foot away grew blurry. The Pharaoh felt his eyes roll to the back of his head as he fell forward.

((((((Space))))))

A dull beeping entered Yami's ears, like it had been for about five minutes. It was slow, pausing every few seconds as his heart received more blood to pump. He heaved and opened his eyes. Then, he let his head roll to its side on the three fluffed pillows below it. Yami saw, like he had expected, Bakura, his hands on his lap, sitting in the chair beside Yami's hospital bed. His shirt that matched the color of his irises had what Yami guessed as Yugi's dried blood smeared near the
bottom. The tomb robber looked extremely tired.

"Hey." Yami sighed. The bandages on his arm irritated him, but they were applied tightly, so the Pharaoh couldn't scratch at his cuts.

Bakura ran his fingers through his matted hair. He frowned, but otherwise gave no response.

"Where is he?"

"In surgery. Has been for the last two hours." Bakura's voice was low, almost suffocated. Like his Adam's apple had expanded and was now blocking all air going out.

Yami bit his lip. Had he been unconscious for so long? "How bad is he?"

"Some bones in his face are cracked. None are broken, it should heal soon. They say his brain hasn't been affected. Most of the damage was to his chest. Lots of broken ribs, seventeen I think. He also lost a lot of blood..." Bakura peered deeply into Yami's eyes. The dark just then realized how red their edges were.

The smaller teen broke the gaze, sighed again and rolled his head over so he looked away from his friend. "How much longer will I have to be in this bed?" His voice was even, though his hands were shaking.

"I don't know. I think they'll release you soon. First, they'll check if your blood has replenished, if you're healthy enough to leave, shit like that."

Yami wanted to leave then. He didn't want to wait. He wanted to run. Run away. Run somewhere far. Maybe then, everything will correct themselves. None of this would have to happen. Yugi would be laughing, playing games with all his friends instead of being sliced open and poked at... A warm, nasty feeling attacked his crimson orbs. "Can you leave me alone for a second, Bakura?"

There was a moment of silence. "No."

The dark snapped his head toward the other teen. "What?" Tears fought their way to exit, but the dark held them back. It was definitely a losing battle.

"No." He crossed his legs and leaned closer to Yami. "You need me here."

Yami sat up and hunched forward, covering his face with his hands. He felt cold grasp at his heart. Covering it in ice, sending icicles through his bloodstream, striking organs as the ice passed through them. The frost hurt so much. It made him start crying. The frigid frostiness of terror, horror, hopelessness and guilt. A pair of warm arms snaked around Yami's shoulders, constricting him into a deathly embrace. But the Pharaoh made no move to be released. Instead, he wrapped his arms around Bakura's waist and buried his wet face into the chest.

As Bakura rocked Yami back and forth, the dark heard him hum softly, comforting both the Pharaoh and himself.

Here is the house
Where it all happens
Those tender moments
Under this roof
Body and soul come together
As we come closer together
And as it happens
It happens here
In this house

Bakura's voice was hushed, as if not trying to ripple a water's surface, much unlike the real song.

And I feel your warmth
And it feels like home
And there's someone
Calling on the telephone
Let's stay home
It's cold outside
And I have so much
To confide to you

With or without wordsI'll confide everything

Here is the house...

Yami's tears slowed, but he didn't let go of his friend.

So we stay at home
And I'm by your side
And your know
What's going on inside
Inside my heart
Inside this house
And I just want to
Let it out for you

The machine keeping Yami's heartbeat was the only thing that dared make a noise in the white washed room.

And I feel your warmth
And it feels like home
And I feel your warmth
And it feels like home

Here is the house
Where it all happens
Those tender moments
Under this roof
Body and soul come together
As we come closer together...

He was about to start the song again when the dark stopped him. He was no longer crying. "Is this what you meant?" Yami said into Bakura's shirt.

"What do you mean?"

"Every time you said that things were going to change, is this what you meant? Is this what you saw in your dreams?"

"Of course not. I thought it was going to be different. You know I would never have hoped for this to happen. Not to Yugi. You. Any-"

"It's okay... And Bakura... Why that song?" The smaller teen whispered.

Bakura shrugged and kissed his friend on the forehead, pushing the Pharaoh slightly back, not to break the hug, only to be able to look into each other's faces. "I have no clue. I hardly knew that I memorized the lyrics... My light is always playing that song. But anyway... I want to know what happened that led your hikari to want to come to me."

Yami sighed and pulled on Bakura into another hug. "When we came home... I stood in our room while he went around the house." He said into Bakura's shirt. "Then, around the time school let out, he came into our room. We talked and then I... I..." As he recalled what he had did, Yami burst into tears again.

The white haired teen looked down at the Pharaoh, rubbing his back in small circles. "What?"

"I...I came onto him..." Bakura froze and pushed his fellow dark away from him, grabbing onto his biceps. He stared into the teary eyes in front of him.

"Yami... Why did you that?" The slightly older yami was utterly shocked. The Pharaoh would never do that, normally.

"I have no fucking clue!" The tricolor haired teen said fiercely.

"Don't yell at me, my Pharaoh." Bakura said affectionately. "I have done nothing wrong."

"Yeah, I... I know. Then, I stopped and tried to play it off like nothing happened. He got mad and ran out."

If the taller teen had not felt so sorry for Yami, he would have started to yell at him. "Why the hell would you do that?" Bakura said, pinching his nose in a vain attempt to hide his anger.

"Guilt. I felt like I was taking advantage of him. Anyway, when he left, I threw up and then..." Yami lifted his bandaged arm. Probably knowing that Bakura was only going to question him further, Yami continued. "I did it because I hated myself, very much."

The dark's voice gave him away. Bakura placed a hand on his friend's face. "Do not lie, Yami. That is not the entire story. And I do not wish to use my magic on you in your weakened state. Tell me the whole truth."

"I... I... No."

The tomb robber shook his head. "Fine, but only because someone here should be checking up on you now that you have awaken." Bakura reached over and pressed a blue button on theheadboard of the bed, calling for a nurse. "And Yami..." He said as he off the bed. "... This is not your fault. None of this is." He kissed his fellow yami once more on the forehead and flopped back into his chair.

((((((Space))))))

For the second time in a twenty-four hour period, a group of seven teenagers were seated in a pale cream painted waiting room. It still smelled of multiple different cleaning liquids. Nothing had changed within the room, except for the sickly aura that suffocated it.

Unlike the day before, where the group of teens were weeping, comforting one another and such, no one dared to move. They sat closer together, stony faced and wide-eyed, on two couches facing each other, one maroon and green plaid, the other striped mustard and lavender. Seto, Joey, Mokuba and Ryou were on the plaid couch staring awkwardly at Anzu, Honda and Serenity across from them. None would really contemplate what had happened, why they were there or what the future held for their pale friend.

These teens were haunted by the sounds coming from the alcove where the younger Kaiba had peered out the window at a time that seemed like an eternity ago. On the ledge of the large, Windex-ed window, Bakura was holding the shaking Yami in the same way he had in the dark's room. He was doing his best to give solace to the weeping Pharaoh. The smaller of the two had burst into tears the second he entered the room. Bakura, who had been at the dark's side, caught him before Yami's knees gave way under him. He half-dragged the tricolor haired teen to the window. Once in an embrace with the Pharaoh, Bakura turned back to the gang. They all looked... frightened. Most had never seen Yami cry, except Seto's puppy and his sister's boyfriend. Bakura knew that, even if they would never admit it, they were all counting on the now-sobbing dark to be strong for them.

Bakura rubbed circles on the back of Yami's neck as he watched a nurse walk through the waiting room door. Her dirty blonde hair was long and left loose. She wasn't that bad looking and was about the height of Seto's puppy. A pair of glasses ringed her eyes. Her name was Widta Lores.

"Excuse me, are any of you here for a mister Yugi Mouto?" Widta said in a cautious voice. Her greenish blue eyes looked around the room for a response. In his arms, the white haired teen heard Yami's sobs soften.

"Yes. We all are." Seto said, raising his left hand. The nurse walked up to him, every single pair of eyes following her.

"Thank, God. I have been trying to find someone for him for the last fifteen minutes. Well, mister Mouto has gone out of surgery. And well... um..." The blonde bit her lip.

"Well?" Serenity breathed out, startling the silent others.

"Um... You see, he lost a lot of blood. His body and mind took on an awful lot of tramma-"

"Get to the point, woman!" The orange-haired girl said, losing her patience.

"He is in a coma..." Widta's last words hung in the air like bad perfume. The lady looked anxiously at each of the teens horrorstruck faces facing her. Bakura, however shot his gaze to the still male in his arms. He didn't move, or even breathe. The tomb robber brought the living statue closer. Yami didn't seem to notice.
"When can we see him?" Seto's voice was smaller than Bakura had ever heard it before.

"They are arranging a room for him in our intensive care ward st the moment, that will take about ten minutes. Only three at a time, however. We don't want too much stress on him so soon after surgery. I'll leave you all alone. In about twenty minutes, that will be, what, 6: 20... come to the front desk and I will personally lead the three to the patient's room." In a rush of colors, Widta walked out of the waiting room.

The huddle of friends sat rigidly after the departure of the nurse, lost for words. After the twenty minutes, the crimson eyed male stood up and began to walk for the door. Seto immedently jumped up and went to follow him. The CEO caught up to him near the main entrance. The brunette turned left to the desk where Widta was talking to a pretty Asian woman, only to see the Pharaoh head right, to the exit.
(What the/), was all Seto could think before going after his friend, who had pushed the glass doors open and was already outside.

"Yami, what are you doing?" The handsome Kaiba said as he approached his friend. Yami was leaning against a hospital sign, an unlighted cigarette twisted in his hand. He was staring at it determinedly. The early summer's air grew crispier around them.

Without looking up, the dark dully responded, "Huh?"

Seto couldn't help but feel angry. He had been able to control his emotions of rage and such since he started dating his puppy, but now... he felt raw with the tragedy. "Yami, what the fuck are you doing out here?" Seto was about a foot away from the tricolor haired teen.

Yami slowly pulled his head towards the brunette, but didn't take his eyes of his hand. "But whatever do you mean?"

The CEO growled and grabbed the dark by the shirt collar, lifting him up to the taller boy's height. "Why in hell are you here instead of inside seeing Yugi?"

The dark's head tilted sideways in a bewildered stare. His usually sparkling eyes were unfocused and serene. "Let me down, Seth," was all he said in a deathly low voice.

"I am not intimidated by you, my dear Pharaoh."

The dark frowned and let the cigarette fall out of his hand. He finally snapped out of his trance. "I can't see him right now, okay? Is that what you want to hear? I can't. Just go with Joey or something. And will you put me down?" Seto sighed and let him go. Yami fell awkwardly on his feet. "Now leave me be. I shall be here. When one of you leaves, tell them to come and pick me up." Yami fell backwards to end up leaning against the sign. He pulled out a cigarette, fumbling it in between his fingers.

((((((Space))))))It was nearly 9:00 and Yami still waited by the "No Smoking" sign. Several cigarettes littered the ground his feet, broken in thirds or fourths. None of which had been lit. He stared absentmindedly into the dark clouds above.

Yami had watched, moments after Seto left him alone, a black car with obvious police sirens attached to the inside of the windshield rumble up to the hospital. A tall, lanky man exited it. His hair was a mop of luxurious, caramel curls that fell two inches above his wide shoulders. The man's olive skin was highlighted by his green eyes. A gun holster ringed his waist, a black .9 millimeter fastened in it. He strode into the hospital without noticing Yami, which bothered the dark. Was he not an underaged teenager holding a cigarette in a nonsmoking zone? Shouldn't an officer notice such things?

Most of the gang had already left. Serenity, Anzu and Honda were the first to leave. They had told Yami that Bakura said that if they dared to take Yami home, the tomb robber would curse them and any future children they had. That was at 8:00.

About 15 minutes before the current time, Seto, his puppy, Mokuba and, to Yami's surprise, Ryou came out of the hospital. This time, the hikari said that Bakura wanted to talk to him. The boy also gave the dark a full box of Marlboro's because the grave raider said that it was a shame that Yami only had one cigarette left from the first box.

Now, at 9:04, Yami was pissed. Unsure about anything, but still pissed. He wanted to go home and be by himself. Was that to much to ask for? Apparently, it was to that no-good, fucking waste of time. The cigarette crumbled in the Pharaoh's hand. "Stupid piece of shit." As Yami watched the paper shreds and dried tobacco leaves being whisked away in the slight breeze, guilt filled him. He knew that the 'stupid piece of shit' was only trying to somehow help him and that he shouldn't be angry with the one person who was giving up their time to give a hand to the fallen dark.

Sighing, Yami pulled out yet another cigarette. He didn't fiddle with it like he did with the others. Instead, he just held it in his hand, hoping that this stick of disease and death would satisfy an emptiness in his hand. The same emptiness that cycled deep within his aching soul. The cigarette only made him feel hollow. He grabbed the butt of the Marlboro between his index finger and thumb. Then, Yami turned the cigarette slowly, around and around, attempting to see if he touched another part of it, then, perhaps, he would finally feel whole. No such luck. The dark allowed the cigarette to roll back into his palm. Watching it roll made Yami relax, so he tilted his digits toward the ground. The Marlboro traveled down to the folds of his fingers when Yami curled his hand back up, making the cigarette change directions quickly.

The tricolor haired teen was so engrossed with the cigarette that he didn't notice Bakura stride in front of him. The taller yami saw the blank look in the Pharaoh's crimson beauties. He needed to be gentle, yes, but he also needed Yami to feel the true seriousness of the situation.

"Pharaoh..." Bakura said in a benevolent fashion. The younger of the two only continued to stare at the white and orange stick in his hand. "Pharaoh." The white haired teen said, yet again, a bit more curtly. He received the same response as before. His temper was well worn out by all that had happened, Bakura felt his patience lose itself. He stepped closer to his friend and tried again. "Pharaoh." Yami's clouded eyes followed the path his cigarette had in his hand. The tomb robber, now only steps away from his breaking point, reached out and took the Marlboro from the Pharaoh's hand, hoping that would get the dark's attention. Unfortunately, it didn't. Instead, Yami still scanned his hand, curving it as if the cigarette was there. Bakura frowned, looking at the completely dejected yami. "Yami?" He said patiently. No change. The gray-eyed teen frowned. he grabbed his friend by the nape of the neck and pulled Yami into a deep kiss. Once Bakura let go, he still saw the same detached look in the Pharaoh's face. Bakura could only think of one more thing to do.

"Guardian?" Yami's head snapped up, his face startled, his eyes alert. It took his a second to register that it was Bakura that had spoken and not his little light. The smaller of the two teens looked disappointed at once.

"Don't you ever call me that." Yami hissed the word 'ever'. "What did you make me wait an hour more than I had to? I could have gone home with Honda."

Bakura inhaled, calming himself. "Did the puppy's sister tell you that I would curse her, her boyfriend, the slut and all of their future kin to eternal damnation in the egregious darkness of the Shadow Realm if they took you home?"

"Basically," Yami scowled.

"Just making sure. I was talking to my sweetheart when they were passing you. In any case, they wouldn't have taken you even if you begged. They actually think that I would do such a horrid thing, now. I had to yell at my sweetheart through our link to make sure he didn't burst out laughing at the faces the puppy's sister and her beau were making. I can't threaten people correctly when he is around..." Bakura received a phantom grin from Yami that was gone in about a second.

"What did you want?" The Pharaoh snapped.

Bakura ran his fingers through his silky hair that seemed to glow with the light from the rising moon. "I don't care if you don't want to, or if you aren't ready yet... You need to see him."

Yami's lower lip quivered. "Please, I don't want to. I can't."

The taller of the two lightly grabbed the dark's chin. "I just told you I don't care if you don't want to. And don't say that you can't because it is physically possible for you to go to his room."

A diamond sparkled at the side of the dark's eye. "I'm scared."

Bakura rapidly brought his arms around his friend, pushing Yami's head into his own chest. He put his face into the red tipped lockes. "I know you are. But he needs you."

Yami began to sob softly into Bakura's new shirt. He had bought it from the gift shop and changed out of his bloody, gray one. "Le- Le- Le- Let's go."

((((((Space))))))

They stood in front of Room 2.012 of the intensive care ward. Yami's trembling arm clung onto Bakura's waist. The taller rubbed the other's shoulder blade with his thumb. "Ready, my Pharaoh?"

In a small, quaking voice, the dark answered, "Yes."

The grave raider sighed and walked in the room through the doorless frame with his fellow yami. The room was a pearly blue, hardly distinguishable from any white. A sea green stripe ran around the room, stopping only for a door, which led to the restroom and a large window. Multiple machines beeped and hummed. A plain clock hung on the wall with the bathroom. Two squashy chairs of the same green color as the stripes sat lazily across the room from the bed, a wooden table with several drawers in between them. Under the white washed sheets, Yugi's body lay, almost lifeless. The hikari's arms, scars facing skywards, had tubes full of liquid injected into them. Bruises faded in and out throughout the entire length of the limbs. The light's chest, were most of the 3 hours of surgery was focused on, was covered with an ice blue patient's gown, but all the heavily wrapped bandages were visible underneath the thin cloth. His neck was held in place with a temporary brace, just as a precaution. A breathing mask covered his button nose and swollen lips. Half of the boy's face was covered in bandages or stitches. The rest was a mild purple and blue. A sole patch of his porcelain skin was untouched. It was on his left cheek. This skin seemed to hold all pureness and happiness of the world. The boy's eyes didn't move at all. They looked as if they had been painted on. Each eyelash. Each tiny wrinkle. Yugi's hair was spread limply on the feather-filled pillow. His sunflower yellow bangs had fallen to the side of his head, slightly covering his ears, except one lock that curved over one eye to the top of the breathing mask.

Bakura, who had been too engaged with Yugi, did not notice Yami leaving his side. He nearly jumped when he saw the Pharaoh pull up a chair an inch from the bed and flop down into it. The tomb robber carefully walked behind the chair. The dark was crouching forward, his eyes daze and glittering. A somber grin danced across his lips. He lifted his arm stiffly, as if the air was trying to stop him. He gingerly pushed the stray bang out of his light's face. The dark brought his hand to his other half's. Yami touched his hikari's fingertips, then dragged his digits to the boy's palm. After rubbing several, small circles over the palm, Yami finally clasped the limp hand. He spoke, using a voice quite unlike any he had used before. "He looks so angelic... so peaceful... so beautiful..." The Pharaoh leaned down and kissed his light's hand. Bakura felt his eyes water and the tears flow shortly after the feeling emerged. Yami pressed his forehead into his and Yugi's hands and began to weep openly. Not exactly loud wails of despair. But more of the cry of a phoenix. Soft and soothing. Inviting others to call along with it comfortably.

After about five minutes, the dark sat up and turned to Bakura, who was still behind him. He placed his hand on the tomb robber's. His red irises shone even more brilliantly than ever before. "Thank you, my friend. Thank you." The Pharaoh kissed the gray-eyed teen on his hand. Bakura lifted the same hand and used it to touch Yami's moist cheek.
"I only did what you would have forced me to do, my dearest Pharaoh." He then kissed the dark's forehead.

"I have to stay with him. I can't leave him."

Bakura smiled. "I thought so. I asked one of the nurses to bring in a blanket and a pillow. They're in the table over there." He cocked his head in the direction of it. "We'll all come over tomorrow. I'll bring over some books, I know you will need them."

"Thank you, Bakura. Thank you so much. Oh, and my dear grave raider, can you clean up my bathroom? I don't need to be tempted with shards of mirror." The standing teen leaned down and pecked Yami on the cheek. He silently stepped out of the room, seeing the fellow yami get out of the chair and walk over to the table.

((((((Space))))))

The following day, as Bakura said, the gang came to the hospital. However, only Seto and Bakura came into Room 2.012. Mokuba didn't come in because Seto grimly told him he wasn't old enough. Ryou, Serenity, Honda, Anzu and Joey, who had gone into the room the night before, just couldn't do it again. Seto was the one that told Yami that everyone came because the dark refused to leave the room to actually see them. And as he promised, Bakura brought books, as well as a CD player and several burned CDs. They didn't really talk. They just hung around. Seto sitting in his own seat, his back to the door. Yami was slightly nuzzling the grave raider's chest as he sat in Bakura's lap on the opposite side of the bed from the brunette. Yami watched it all happen in a blur. He did well to hide his dazed mind, but he felt it strong.

"Look, Yami." Seto said, his blue eyes staring into Yami's beauties. "About the Game Shop... I will buy it, as well as your apartment. I'll let you two run the shop, all profits going to you. In the case that child services put you and Yugi on the adoption list, my birthday is in a month. I'll be turning 18, a legal adult. I could become your guardian, until you turn 18 and I can give you full custody over Yugi." The two yamis looked amazed at the Kaiba. "I asked my lawyers what I can do to help you guys. Their plan, not mine."

"Thank you so much, Seth." Yami said calmly. "Where the hell would I-"

"Excuse me... But we need to run some tests on mister Mouto and-" The woman's familiar voice said as she entered the room, holding a clipboard. Yami's head shot up as he remembered who that voice belonged to. Her brown hair was still held by an old, worn headband. Leira halted as she saw the dark. "Yami? What are you doing here?" Bakura and Seto looked curiously from the Pharaoh and the nurse. Yami slid out of Bakura's lap, stepping closer to Yugi. His eyes rolled down to his light. Leira seemed to get the message and frowned. "Oh, I'm so sorry." She walked over to the dark and, before anyone else in the room knew what she was doing, bent down and hugged Yami. Before releasing the Pharaoh, the nurse whispered into his ear, "Is that him?" She glanced at the white haired teen.
It took Yami a second to realize that she was asking if Bakura was the boyfriend he was talking about that last time they met. "No. That's Bakura. He is a close friend of mine. So is Seto, here." Both boys sheepishly smiled and waved. "That's him." Yami said, audible only to the nurse, looking at his little light.

"I am so sorry, Yami." She said softly. She smiled. "Your boyfriend is a real looker, isn't he?" She said, looking at the hikari. Yami quickly looked at Seto and Bakura, each had a look of playful accusation.

The Pharaoh blushed deeply. Seto, holding back a laugh, asked the nurse, "So what did you need of Yami's little beau?" The CEO made sure to accent 'beau,' making Yami turn a darker red.

"Oh, yeah. I need you all to leave so I can run some tests. It won't take that long. I suggest going to the cafeteria while you wait. Great food. I have no clue why it gets such a bad reputation." She flashed a grin again.

((((((Space))))))

Yami watched his love as air was forced into his petite lungs. For the tenth night in a row, the dark sat in the squashy chair and just looked at his light. He only cried then, in the darkest hour of the day. It wasn't that he waited to weep when no one could see, it was that he was only able to cry in those 'dark times'. He lived in a daze until the blackness came. One time, Yami went to get a candy bar from the vending machine and stood in front of it for about forty-five minutes before remembering where he was and why he was there. He ended up buying a Twix.

Yami's life now fell into a routine that he could easily write down on paper. He would wake up at around 9:00. At 12:00, he would have lunch with Leira and her friend, Widta, who would be on their break. Lunch was the only meal he ate anymore. Bakura or Seto would come to visit around 4:00, leave an hour later. Then at 6:30, the yami would wander around the building, always stopping by the nursery. He would begin to cry at around midnight and would fall asleep at 3:00 or later. He went home every fourth day. Yami hadn't listened to or read any of the CDs or books Bakura lent him. His mind was too busy wrapped around itself to really pay attention to anything else. He didn't care. He only wanted one thing and it wasn't happening.

The dark had left the hospital twice, both times during the day, to shower and change. Bakura had cleaned up the mirror and had even installed a new one. Yami didn't even go to school anymore. There had only been 11 school days left in the year when the light came to the hospital. The Pharaoh already missed 5 days. Some of the absences would be covered. And any that weren't wouldn't hurt Yami's graduation. The missed days wouldn't really count to anything. All his finals were held at the beginning of the month.

The dark didn't care about the absences. The only thing that bothered his was missing the senior prom that Friday, the last full day of the year. The Pharaoh had bought his outfit a month ago. It was only dress pants and a shirt. They were tucked next to Yugi's suit wear, which was the same as Yami's, in the only closet in the house, the one in Grandpa's room. During school the day Grandpa had his heart attack, those few hours when the two lovebirds relationship seemed perfect,Yami had planned out how he was going to ask Yugi to the dance. The Pharaoh would pretend that he didn't want to go. His hikari could whine about how important the prom was. Yami could 'change' his mind about going the night before the dance, when everyone already had a date. He would tell the light that he didn't want to go to prom alone. Yami could ask Yugi to go. The light could accept. They would go, dance and then, during the slow song, the dark would tell his light that he loved him. Yugi would tell Yami he loved him back. They would kiss, swaying to the steady beat of the music.

The dark began to cry harder. He wanted his love back. To hear his sweet voice... To see his rosy blush... To feel his puckered lips against his own once more... Yami could give everything he held dear. The Pharaoh brought his fingers to the untouched part of Yugi's face. "If you wake up, my love, I will never touch you again, if that is what you wish, of course. Just wake up. I miss you."

((((((Space))))))

The following day, as Yami ran his fingers through his love's hair, someone coughed behind him. The Pharaoh immediately pulled his hand to his side. He turned around to see the man with thick., brown locks standing at the doorway.

"Sorry to interrupt, but are you Yami Atemu?" The man said, rubbing his chin. Black stubbled hair decorated his jawbone. His voice was cool and deep. Yami nodded. "Hello. I'm Detective Alex Belleville. I am currently working on Yugi Mouto's rape case. I was told that you were the person who found him."

Yami sighed. "Your information is correct. What do you want to ask me?"

"Okay..." The detective probably wasn't expecting Yami to get to the point so quickly. "Well, can you tell me what happened that Friday?" He reached inside his coat and pulled out a felt-tipped pen and a small notebook.

"Well, I picked him up from my friend, Bakura, the one who called 9-1-1, house around 9:00. He had spent the night with Bakura and his boyfriend. We got off from school due to the fact we were mourning the lost of our adopted father. The two of us just hung around the house. Around 3:00, he ran out. After awhile, I felt something was wrong so Once I left our house, I bumped into some of my friends. I ignored them and ran to the place where I thought Yugi might be, Bakura's apartment. I found him along the way, in the shortcut we used."

Detective Belleville scribbled everything Yami said. "Why exactly had he ran out of your house?"

The dark's face fell. He turned back to look at the bed. "Do I have to tell?"

"No. But I would like to know now. It could be important."

The Pharaoh buried his eyes within his hands. "We were about to have sex. I stopped. He ran out. We didn't actually do anything. Does that answer your question?"

Alex blushed inwardly. He wasn't expecting that response. "Um... Yeah... Um... I was told that not only was mister Mouto checked into the hospital, but you as well. May I ask why?"

Yami tiredly raised his now bandage free arm. He didn't really like telling the story over again. The dark pointed to the scars that he had actually done. They contrasted greatly from those his love did. Since he hadn't poured nail polish over them, the scars were thinner than the other, bolder ones. "Feeling regretful. Anything else?"

The detective bit his lip. He had purposely held this question last. He didn't like it at all. The handsome man knew an explanation that could follow and it was a nasty one, he was sure of it. "We know that the rapist is a man that goes by the name 'Bandit Keith.' Do you know if mister Mouto had any feelings at all for him?"

The teen's head snapped to Alex. "Why do you ask?"

"Um... There were... signs that the sex between Yugi and Keith was consensual."

"What do you mean? What signs?" Yami's voice rose.

"Well... The doctors had performed a rape test the night he was checked in. They had not found any wounds that suggested that mister Mouto attempted to defend himself. There was also two samples of semen. One belonging to Keith, the other Yugi." Alex had looked away from the tricolor haired teen as he talked. He hated this part of the job. As his gaze returned to the teen, he wished he hadn't. Yami looked horrorstruck. His red eyes widened so the entire iris was shown. The boy's lips quivered.

"Oh. Well, um. I am almost certain that Yugi did not, in any way, have feelings for Keith." With that, the crimson eyed teen turned back to the bed. The detective wrote down another note before stuffing the notepad into his pocket. He turned to leave when he decided against it. Instead, he walked up and next to the only occupied chair in the room. He looked at the boy in the bed.

"You know, he is very lucky to have you." Alex saw from the corner of his eye Yami looking up at him.

"Why?" The boy whispered.

"This isn't the first time that bastard did this. Over the years, I say he did it over fifteen times. The bitch would rape some poor soul, write his name into their chest and then he would cut their throat. Cocky piece of shit never even used a condom. He wanted us to know it was him. Anyway, Keith would always cut their throat. Until now. Yugi's the first to survive Keith. And if you didn't find him when you did, who knows when the next time someone would have walked through that alleyway. The boy owes his life to you." Detective Belleville took one last look at Yami before leaving the room.
((((((Space)))))

It was prom night and Yami walked down the carnation pink halls of the intensive care ward, a long-stemmed, black rose in hand, a black shoulder bag bumping against his leg. He was just returning from being gone the entire afternoon. He had went to Bakura's. There, the seniors of the gang, tomb robber and Seto, along with their dates, Ryou and Joey, were all getting ready for prom. They had decided to go together in Seto's limo, even if the actual dance hall was held across town, a couple of blocks away from the Kaiba mansion. They picked to get ready at Bakura's since it was closer to the school, which they still needed to attend that day. Yami helped everyone do the little things needed, such as apply make-up; which all the boys accepted, but only a little bit. The only person who asked Yami if he wanted to go was, of course, the grave raider. The Pharaoh was touched, but said that he was spending prom night with the one that he loved.

Once every male was done changing, the dark had taken some photos them all. The Pharaoh left right after that, saying he had to do something. He hopped in his car and drove to the Game Shop. Without noticing the time, Yami had taken a two hour long shower. When he was done, he had gone into his father's room and pulled out his suit pants and shirt. They were still crisp and creaseless. The dark slipped them on. Even he could see that he looked great. The shirt was as black as the pants. It also was tight in the right places, so it showed off Yami's great body without making him look like a slut. He placed a silver ring on his right ring finger and several black bands on his wrists. The dark left his hair loose. The only thing he did was push some of the wavy locks behind his ears. A dab of lavender eye shadow colored his lids. The dark pinned a white rose to his shirt, directly on the heart. He was going to, like he said, spend prom night with the person who he loved the most.

As Yami passed Room 2.004, he heard someone crying. He stopped and looked inside. It was a lot like Room 2.012, except the theme was yellow instead of blue. In the same, white washed bed, a woman sat, leaning on five pillows, her hands curled at her eye sockets. She was very old. Her skin was wrinkled and sunspots appeared every once in a while. But her thin hair was jet black and up to her waist, by what Yami would tell. The dark stepped inside the room.

She had heard him enter. The woman sluggishly brought down her hands. Once she saw Yami, she stopped crying. Her slightly hazed, brown eyes looked at the male with great interest. "Esta... esta... esta realmente usted?"

Yami frowned. He hardly understood what the woman had said. If Yugi hadn't forced him to study with him before a Spanish test, Yami probably wouldn't have understood the little he did. The dark dropped his bag slowly and made his way next to the bed. She had said something like 'Is that you?' The Pharaoh was sure. "Habla ingles?" He asked her, hopefully, if she spoke English. She nodded painfully.

"Si. Little." Her English accent was as bad as the dark's Spanish.

"Who are you?" Yami asked. She gave him a blank stare. He wished he had taken Spanish instead of French badly. "Que llamas?"

The woman seemed to understand. "La enfermera, la.- la- la nurse, calls
me Viejita."

"Por que estan llorando, Viejita?" Yami mentally translated what he hopefully said. 'Why are you crying?'

"Porque yo voy a morir..." '-Something- I'm going to die.' "...Soy muy vieja..." 'I am -something- old'
"...No queiro morir. Queiro vivir." 'I don't want to die. I want to live.'

Yami wasn't sure what to say. What could he say? He didn't want to lie to Viejita. But to tell someone they will die seemed so cruel. The dark twisted the flower in between his fingertips. She spoke before he had a chance to think. "You. You consiga mi alma, no?" The teen had no clue what she said.

"What? I mean- Que?"

"You are el angel de la muerte, no?"

The Pharaoh understood that. El angel de la muerte. The angel of death. Her eyes seemed to glitter with longing. She wanted to be taken away from this Godforsaken place and brought to her eternity of painless life in her heaven. Yami smiled down to Viejita and nodded.

"Toma mi alma. Take me." She pleaded. The dark blinked back tears.

"No. Not yet. In poco tiempo." Yami put the black rose on the woman's lap. He then placed his hands on the sides of her face and kissed her soft forehead. "In poco tiempo." The dark let go of Viejita's face. He reached up to his breast and unpinned the white bud. The Pharaoh took her shaking hands and put the blossom into them. He picked up the black flower and walked backwards out of the room, stopping only to pick up his bag full of a change of clothing. Once out of the door frame, he bowed elegantly and turned towards Room 2.012.

"Here is your rose, my love." Yami said once inside Yugi's room. He sank quietly down in the chair and laid the flower next to the light's hand. "A dark for your light."

((((((Space))))))

The next day, when Yami passed by Room 2.004, he saw Viejita with a male nurse he never saw before, talking in Spanish to each other. She was showing him the white blossom. The man tried to touch it in order to see it better, but she only took it away, hiding it between her hands. The dark immediately went to the gift shop and bought a bouquet of six different flowers with gorgeous heads and a vase, as well as a Spanish/ English dictionary. He put the flowers in the purple vase, after filling it up with water, of course. Then, every night, Yami would change into his suit pants and black shirt and would visit Viejita, leaving behind a flower blossom. A carnation. A lily. A forget-me-not. He also told her not to tell anyone else, because he did not want to explain to someone what he was doing. Yami no longer cried at nights, since he spent most of it standing next to the old woman. After the twelfth flower, Yami brought a lily-of-the-valley to Room 2.004. But instead of being greeted by Viejita, the dark only saw an empty bed. Tears falling like dewdrops, the teen put the flower on the clean sheets. "Hasta la vista, mi abuela."

((((((Space)))))

It was the middle of July, a little over a month since Yugi's arrival at the hospital. The boy's body was healed almost completely, but he was still in a state of coma. The light no longer needed a breathing mask, though his exhales were thinner than normal. His skin returned to its porcelain color. However, many, crooked scars were left all over his face, his nose was no longer centered and one cheek was more shallow than the other. But Yami could only see the beauty of the boy. The entire gang, including Mokuba, visited, not as often, but still. As promised, Seto bought the Game Shop. Each member of the gang took turns watching over the store. The blue-eyed brunette also did adopt Yami and Yugi once his birthday came.

Yami looked down at his hikari. He had decided to use Bakura's CD player. A song unfamiliar to the Pharaoh played from the burned CD.

It might not be the right time
I might not be the right one
But therés something about us I want to say
Cause therés something between us anyway

I might not be the right one
It might not be the right time
But therés something about us I've got to do
Some kind of secret I will share with you

I need you more than anything in my life
I want you more than anything in my life
Íll miss you more than anyone in my life
I love you more than anyone in my life

((((((Space))))))
Translations:
"Hasta la vista, mi abuela" directly means "Until the horizon, my grandmother."
"Viejita" is a nice way to say "old woman". It is what my family called my great-grandmother
"Consiga mi alma" means "You come for my soul"
"Toma mi alma" means "Take my soul"
"Poco tiempo" means "in a small amount of time"

Songs:
The first song is "here is the house" by Depeche Mode, but if you want to listen to it, I suggest the remix, titled the same, by Andain.The second song is "Something about us" by Daft Punk.
Apologies:
I am sorry for: the delay; any and all bad/ adult words I have ever used; this chapter (I have never been in a situation let this so I don't know if anything is valid); my Spanish (I am not exactly an
expert in the fine language of Spanish. forgive my grammar.)

Thank you:I want to thank my friend, ifthedeadwerealive (who Widta Lores was based after). She edited most of this chapter because, as some of you said in Internet World, I have horrible grammar. ifthedeadwerealive is an awesome friend (and an awesome writer I wouldn't necessarily say awesome ifthedeadwerealive . go check out her fic, Love is but a figment, now)

A/N:
Okay. Here is the chapter. You know, I always plan the chapter differently at first than I actually write it? I wanted Yami to be all crazy at the end. But I made him all normal at the end, crazy at the beginning. Weird. The whole Yami crying sounding like a phoenix calling was a tribute to a certain someone in harry potter's new book (I won't say who since I don't give out spoilers). Just so you know: Marlon is my super great big brother and Alex Belleville is an imaginary guy who
looks hot. Viejita is based after my great-grandmother who died earlier this year. I didn't say good-bye to her properly at her wake, so I thought that this would be good. who wouldn't want flowers from the hot Yami? Hope this chapter wasn't too boring. Some parts aren't that bad, I must say.

Yet another A/N:

I think I should explain one more thing. It is very important to me that you know why Yami puts the ring on his right ring finger. With some people I know, when you put a ring on the ring finger on the opposite hand of your 'marriage ring finger,' you are saying that you are deeply in love with another person and you want/ plan to spend the rest of your life with them.