Disclaimer: (looks at Yami) Do I own you? (Yami shakes his head) damn!

(Back to the present after the last chapter.)

Chapter 10

It was Yami and Yugi's weekly visit and they were lying in each other's arms on the bed in their private room trying not to think about the minutes ticking by until they had to be separated again.

"I think things are going well koi." Yugi said smiling up at Yami. "We can use the character references again and your boss has agreed to speak on your behalf."

"That's great aibou." Yami said giving him a peck on his nose and making Yugi giggle. He looked thoughtful for a moment before deciding to broach the subject of Joey.

Joey's date for sentencing had come and gone and he had been given twelve months. He had returned from court and slumped to the floor in a corner. Yami had left him alone knowing how awful that feeling was and even though Joey had brought this on himself, he had no one to turn to even his boyfriend had turned his back on him and even though he'd betrayed both of them, he felt sorry for him.

"Aibou," Yami began not knowing how his lover was going to react. "Do you think we should forgive Joey?"

There was a gasp and silence while the other contemplated the request. Yami had told Yugi about Joey and what had happened and had if he was honest he also felt a little sorry for his former best friend.

"I'm not sure…" He said. He might feel sorry for him but he didn't know if he could forgive him for having Yami locked up again with his lies.

"You forgave me after everything I did. I think he really needs a friend right now. On the other hand he still may not want to know me." Yami reminded his aibou and Yugi nodded.

Turning to face his koi, he smiled.

"All right Yami. I'm glad you don't hold a grudge really even though I hated him for what he did, I can't hate anyone for long."

Yami hugged him closer and kissed his soft hair taking in his scent and memorising it so he could remember it in the long week ahead without his aibou.

"I've never known anyone like you Yugi." He said softly planting a kiss on the other's forehead.

"That's because I'm one of a kind." He grinned and then became thoughtful. "How come you don't hate him Yami after all it was his fault you ended up back inside prison."

"Well I'm not entirely sure aibou, I guess it's because I spent so long feeling angry at everyone and everything when I was drinking and it's made me realise that it's better to forgive and forget than to harbour grudges. They only make you bitter, you taught me that Yugi." He responded nuzzling into his aibou's soft hair.

All two soon their two hours were up and Yami was taken back to the prison wishing that their time together was longer. They hadn't made love since the night before his arrest and he was missing the feel of Yugi's wonderfully soft and creamy skin against his own. He hoped the court case date would come soon and prayed with all his heart that they would be successful and be free to do as they wished.

He was led back to the cell he shared with Joey and walked in to find his cellmate sitting on his bed staring into space. Yami wondered if he was wishing Seto would visit him and knowing he wouldn't. He decided to leave Joey alone for now and read the book Yugi had brought for him.

Jumping onto his top bunk he opened it and began to read the scent of his aibou's hair still lingering round him like a summer mist.

Ushio Tokonami was at that moment being transferred from the maximum-security prison where he had served ten years of his twenty-five year sentence, to the prison in Domino. He had kept his nose clean and although there was no chance of parole for him, he had been deemed safe enough for transfer. He had heard a name in conversation, as the rumour mill in the prison was rife. Seto Kaiba's boyfriend had been sent down for twelve months for lying to the police and was in the same prison he was going to now. He was really looking forwards to seeing a certain Joey Wheeler again and he couldn't disguise the smirk that appeared on his lips.

It was payback time.

Yami and Joey were lying on their respective bunks dozing when the rumour reached them. A notorious murderer was being transferred there to serve out the rest of his sentence. The news didn't really bother Yami, he kept himself to himself and the only person he spoke to was Joey who he still hadn't talked to over what he and Yugi had discussed. He was waiting for a time when Joey wasn't looking quite so distant and dreamy and would actually listen to what he had to say. For all he knew his offer of forgiveness might be thrown right back in his face so he wanted to wait for the right time.

Joey who had actually been wishing for someone to talk to, even Yami who he still couldn't bring himself to trust fully even though Yami had been nothing but nice to him, would have been okay to talk to. He found himself wondering who this new inmate might be. He decided to stay out of his way if he could. He couldn't explain it but he felt a sense of foreboding and couldn't shake it.

He was to find out soon enough.

Every day during the afternoon, the prisoners were taken outside to exercise in the yard for a couple of hours so they could have fresh air and stretch their legs. Yami would have preferred to stay in his cell and daydream of Yugi but he went anyway as the fresh air usually made him feel better. He wondered off by himself to find somewhere to sit in a quiet corner where he could hear the birds and wish that he had wings to fly away with.

Joey also wondered off by himself wondering why his sense of foreboding about the new inmate was growing and then he caught sight of him and the colour drained from his face.

He knew exactly who the new inmate was and he was scared. If he spotted him, he might want to take revenge on him after all it was Joey's fault that he'd been convicted in the first place.

He wanted to move but he couldn't he just stayed rooted to the spot staring at Ushio across the yard. He noticed that in the short time he'd been in here, he already seemed to have a group of lackeys who were probably those who wanted protecting from others. Joey wanted protection too but knew he was on his own.

Ushio looked round as he came outside his followers close behind. It hadn't taken long to gain two or three inmates to latch onto him and he didn't really mind this as they would be useful for keeping guard while he showed Joey Wheeler what happened to pigs who squealed.

He looked round the yard and spotted his victim standing and staring at him with fear written all over his face.

He walked towards him and Joey didn't move. Ushio wondered why he wasn't moving, he should be running for his life but he didn't move at all but his fear was growing. Ushio could sense it radiating off him so strong he could almost taste it.

"Well, well what do we have here? A dog? A pig? Well I would think pig is a good name for you since you are so fond of squealing."

Joey shook in fear as Ushio spoke into his ear.

"I haven't forgotten little piggy and I think it's time you and I had a little 'chat' don't you think?"

Joey didn't move remembering that Ushio usually conducted his little 'chats' with his fists. Fear was running its cold fingers down his back and he closed his eyes to try and hide just how scared he really was.

He felt hands close round his arms and he was pushed out of sight of the guards to where the garbage bins were kept.

"Now then." Ushio said when they were safely out of sight. "We wouldn't want little piggy squealing would we? So I think we should make sure you keep your snout shut."

He indicated to one of his lackeys who pulled strips of torn cloth from his pocket and proceeded to gag Joey and tie his hands and feet together.

Stepping back for a moment enjoying the look of terror in his eyes, Ushio punched him in the stomach as hard as he could. Joey flew back through the air and crashed into the wall making a nasty smacking sound with his head as it hit the concrete. He slid to the ground still conscious and watched Ushio's feet as they approached him.

He could feel every blow as Ushio's feet made contact with his legs, arms and stomach. Each one was more painful than the last and he curled up as small as possible wishing he were dead so the pain would go away.

Ushio eventually stopped satisfied that the blonde would never dare squeal on him again or anyone for that matter. If the little pig hadn't gone to the cops after he got in with those new pathetic goody goody friends of his and told them about who'd killed that kid, he would never have been caught.

"Anyone see us?" Ushio asked to the inmate he'd put on guard and he shook his head. "Good." He said and left the area beckoning for them to follow him and leaving Joey on the ground battered and bruised with a trickle of blood running down the back of his head where he'd hit the wall.

TBC