Disclaimer: (thinks) … nope can't think of a good one let's just say I don't own it!
(Skipping back a few months in this chapter so as to follow the Joey storyline for a while after all he did lie to the police to get Yami locked up again so this chapter is to find out what happened to him.)
Chapter 9
It had been three days since Yugi had walked out of Joey's apartment and he hadn't heard from him since. It didn't bother him as much as he thought it would. Their friendship close as it had been, had really been dead and buried years ago when Yami nearly killed him and Yugi had chosen his boyfriend over his best friend. It had hurt him for many years afterwards and when Yugi called him from the hospital, he nearly hadn't gone.
But he did to see if being beaten to the point of death had taught Yugi anything at all or if he was still infatuated with that drunken slimeball.
He couldn't even remember how Yugi had talked him into asking Seto to trace where Yami was living and then asking him to visit him and get him to come back with him but he had gone anyway.
When he had seen Yami he had been so angry with him remembering the beatings and abuse that he had put Yugi through. Even though he had not really forgiven Yugi for turning his back on him, he still cared for him thinking that no one deserved what Yami had put him through.
Yami had said he was forbidden from seeing Yugi and Joey had seen a good way to get Yugi to think that Yami just didn't want him anymore.
Punching Yami had made him feel a lot better and he'd gone home feeling pleased with himself.
He hadn't expected Yugi not to believe him and when he had gone downstairs later, he was shocked to find Yugi gone but having a distinct suspicion he was with Yami.
When he'd returned saying he had just been out for a walk, Joey didn't buy a word of it. He decided to bide his time and follow Yugi when he got the chance. If Yugi was going to see Yami it would give him the fuel he needed to get Yami out of the picture again and allow Yugi to get on with his life. He thought to himself that Yami deserved no happiness and he wanted Yugi to be free.
He'd gone to the police after making sure Yugi was definitely seeing Yami and told them that Yami had come in a fit of rage and hit him before taking Yugi away.
The police had acted quickly after hearing what he had to say and looking up the case file, which showed the restraining order against him.
When Yugi had reacted so vehemently towards him it had taken him completely by surprise and he'd been so upset when he walked out.
That was three days ago and now he sat moodily in front of the TV flicking absentmindedly through the channels not really paying attention to what was on. Seto had been and gone already that day telling his 'pup' that he had done the right thing but Joey wasn't so sure.
Years ago before he'd made friends with Yugi and started going out with Seto, he had been in with a bad crowd. They did a lot of stealing and dealing in drugs and such and he had been in trouble with the police a lot giving himself quite a record. However he had kept his nose clean since then and no one knew about his past except his friend Honda but he had moved away to America a number of years ago.
Just before he had made friends with Yugi, he had been given a final warning by the police that one more misdemeanor would mean he would do time.
He hoped that the police wouldn't find out he'd lied to them if they did that his old record would just be too old to count.
A knock on the door disturbed his thoughts and wondering if it was Seto coming back to see him, he was annoyed with his boyfriend sometimes as running Domino's largest company, kept him so busy but he saw Joey as much as he could.
He opened the door and was met by two police officers.
"Mr Wheeler?" One of them asked.
"Yes?" Joey said his mind not processing the fact that they could be here because he lied. He really didn't expect them to have found out about it.
"Mr Wheeler you are hereby under arrest for perverting the course of justice and in we request that you accompany us to the station to answer a few questions."
"I'll just get my coat." He mumbled and for a second considered escaping out the back door. That thought was quashed though when one of the officers followed him into the apartment to make sure he did exactly that. They escorted him to the car and he went meekly enough. He was just getting into it when Seto drove up. He was shocked to see his boyfriend being taken by the police and dashed up to see what was wrong.
"Excuse me officer but where are you taking my boyfriend?"
"I'm very sorry Mr Kaiba." The addressed officer said recognising the CEO immediately, "but Mr Wheeler must come with us."
He got into the car and drove off Joey looking out of the back window at Seto who was left standing on the side of the road with a shocked look on his face.
Arriving at the police station, Joey was led into an interview room and a detective entered followed by another police officer. The detective sat down opposite Joey who was fidgeting with his fingers and looking worried.
The detective reached over and pressed two buttons on a tape recorder.
"Interview commenced at," the detective paused and looked at his watch "Three twenty seven PM on the 14th September 2004. Present are PC Shadi and myself Detective inspector Sokuri. Would you please state your name for the purpose of the tape." Sokuri said and indicated for Joey to say his name.
"Joey Wheeler." He intoned and waited for Sokuri to continue.
"Is it true Mr Wheeler that you came into this station on the 11th September this year and reported that you had been attacked and that your friend Yugi Motou had been taken by Yami Aomori?"
Joey hung his head "Yes."
"And is it not also true Mr Wheeler that you were not telling the truth? We spoke to Mr Motou and also to some people in the same apartment block as Mr Aomori and they confirm Mr Motou's version of events"
Joey shook his head slowly. He was beginning to believe that he should have kept his nose out of Yami and Yugi's business.
"Please speak your answers out loud for the benefit of the tape Mr Wheeler." Sokuri said rather impatiently.
"No it was not the truth. I'm sorry sir but I couldn't allow Yugi to go to that, that animal." Joey said with venom in his voice. "So I made up the story to get him away from him."
"Justice is not for you to deliver Mr Wheeler and in view of your past record I would say you now find yourself in a great deal of trouble. I am formally charging you with perverting the course of Justice. You will remain here until your hearing on a date to be decided. This interview is terminated at three forty five PM."
Sokuri pressed the stop button on the tape deck and indicated for Joey to get up. He was escorted to a cell and the door clanged behind him.
He sat on the bed and put his hands over his face. What a mess he was in now he could only hope for a lenient judge.
He appeared in court one week later and pleaded guilty to the charges against him and was led away to await sentencing. He was a broken man since Seto had been to see him and told him that although he still loved him, he didn't want the good name of his company tarnished by a criminal. Joey had cried and begged him not to turn his back on him but Seto was adamant. He had worked too hard all his life building his company and pristine reputation up to see it go downhill by comments such as 'There goes Seto Kaiba with his ex drug-dealer boyfriend'.
Joey felt as though his life had come to an end and as he was guided through the door of his cell at the prison he didn't care who saw him as his tears fell. He slumped onto the bottom bunk sensing there was someone on the top one.
Yami had been staring at the ceiling again imagining he could see the soft amethyst eyes of his Aibou looking back down at him with that wonderful smile of his on his lips. He vaguely registered that the door had opened and that he was no longer alone. He didn't pay the other any attention until the sound of sobs reached his ears. He leaned over to see who it was and recognized the mop of messy blonde hair at once.
He had heard that Joey had been arrested from Yugi in a letter and he couldn't help but feel a certain sense of satisfaction that he had been found out. He had added his own elements to the story but most of it had come from Yugi.
He decided to leave Joey alone for the time being and return to his daydreaming.
Eventually Joey dried his eyes and went to the tiny sink to rinse his face.
Drying it he turned to see whom he was sharing a cell with and audibly gasped when he saw the shock of spiky red, gold and black hair resting on the pillow of the top bunk.
"Yami." He managed and the one on the top bunk turned slowly and fixed Joey with a pair of burning red eyes.
"Hello Joey." Yami said and swung his legs round bringing himself into a sitting position. He looked down on his new cellmate and stared at him his face completely expressionless.
'Oh great now he's going to beat the crap out of me for telling the police about him and Yugi." He though suddenly feeling very scared.
"Scared?" Yami asked raising one eyebrow but still keeping his face neutral.
"N…No." Joey stammered showing that he was anything but. Yami smirked knowing that the other thought he was going to lay into him.
Yami dropped to the floor and walked up to him putting his face very close to Joey's.
Don't worry Joey I'm not going to do anything to you. You have done enough to yourself. You see I know Seto ended your relationship and it was through your own doing not mine."
Yami's face was so close to his own that he could feel Yami's breath on him and he backed off a little way before he spoke again.
"If you hadn't treated Yugi like a slave and beaten him so badly he nearly died, I wouldn't have needed to try and protect him." Joey said trying to sound braver than he was feeling.
"Yes but I changed and paid for what I did in more ways than you can ever understand. Do you think a single day goes by when I don't think about how I hurt my Aibou? I spent every single day for three long years living the horror of remembering what I did and paying for it inside. No one can see torture like that. Yugi forgave me and still loves me and even now is battling for visitation rights so we can see each other at least for a short while every now and then."
The longing in his voice touched Joey and he felt his anger melting away. But he didn't want it to, he needed to hate and blame Yami for his situation so he didn't have to blame himself.
Unable to look at Yami's piercing gaze any longer, he pushed past him and laid on his bed staring at the wall.
Yami had sensed the anger of the other dwindling but he didn't really care. Thanks to Joey he might have lost any chance of ever being with or even seeing Yugi ever again. He didn't really want to hold a grudge against the blonde but Joey made it hard by his sneakiness in telling the police. He did feel sorry for him about Seto. 'Damn him.' Yami thought. Seto always had cared about his company more than anything. He really was married to his work and the only thing it couldn't give him was activity in the bedroom, which Joey had willingly provided.
Yami pulled himself back onto his bunk and resumed his daydreaming. It was the only thing that was keeping him from going mad in here. Soon he hoped the case for visitation would come up and he hoped with all his heart that the judge would find in his favour and he would be able to see Yugi again.
TBC