Disclaimer: I vill say zis only once – I don't own it! If I did Yami and Yugi would be doing a whole lot more than just talking in their soul rooms…

Chapter 13

It was a further week before Joey was released from hospital and taken back to the prison. Yami was waiting in their cell for his return hoping he would be feeling up to talking. He still had no idea whether Joey would be willing to be friends or not yet but he was hopeful.

Joey was following the guards back to his cell wincing at every step. His ribs still hurt like hell and he had to be careful not to jar them too much as he walked. He wanted to talk to Yami when he got back. He was glad when Shinobi had come by again two days later to tell him that Ushio had been transferred back to the high security prison and Yami had been let out of solitary and allowed him to have his privileges again.

Yugi had also been to see him at the hospital though the guards at the door had been reluctant to let him in after all Joey was a convict but after searching him to make sure he wasn't sneaking anything in, he had been permitted.

The two had talked for a long time and now they were good friends again and Joey had promised to give a good testimony for Yami at the upcoming hearing when it would be decided whether to lift the restraining order completely or not. If the order was lifted and it was decided that Yami hadn't breached the terms of the order then he would be a free man. Even though this had all been presented at the last hearing, it was only for visitation rights so Yami couldn't be released as the Judge had also said the temptation to breach the terms again would likely be too much.

The guards stood back and allowed Joey to enter before closing the door behind him and locking it. Joey looked at Yami and grinned.

"Hey Yami." He said and Yami grinned back.

"How you feeling?" he asked noting the slightly pained look on the other's face.

"Sore but I'll survive. I want to talk to you about something."

Yami gestured for him to sit next to him and he gingerly did so. He looked at Yami who was waiting for him to start.

"Before we go any further Yami I need to know, why did you start drinking?"

Yami thought about it for a few moments before giving his answer.

"I'm not really sure, we all went out to that club do you remember?" Joey nodded remembering it only too well. "I had a lot to drink and enjoyed myself a lot, maybe I wanted to keep hold of that feeling and to start with Yugi didn't seem to mind as things got slightly more um shall we say 'adventurous' in bed." He blushed slightly but Joey didn't grin or say anything so he continued.

"It went from there really, soon I was getting drunk every night trying to recapture that feeling I'd had the first night when we were out but it never came. I was told that Yugi put something in my drink to spice the evening up for me but whatever it was he never mentioned it to me and I never asked thinking that I would be alright just drinking alcohol. When I did think about it and asked Yugi for something extra to make me feel good he refused and anyway, by this time money was really tight."

He hung his head in shame remembering Yugi's shocked face when he'd asked and also remembering the row that had happened as a result and ended with Yami blaming him entirely for the state he was in. Yugi had sobbed that it wasn't his fault that Yami was in this state and he'd told him to shut up and get to the bedroom.

He remembered the fear in Yugi's eyes as he'd taken him though at that time he had consented but it was clear he was scared of his lover.

"I can't make up for everything that I've done Joey and I don't ask for forgiveness. All I do ask is that we start again fresh and try to not dwell on the past, I spent every day for three years doing just that and now I want to move on. I am more than lucky to have Yugi I was just too stupid to realise what I was doing to him."

A tear escaped and rolled down his face hanging on his chin for a moment before falling to splash on his hand.

"Yami you don't know do you?" Joey asked.

"Know what?"

"It wasn't Yugi that spiked your drink."

"But Marik said…" Yami began and then the penny dropped. How could he have been so dense? Of course it wasn't Yugi who had done it! Yugi wasn't really the sort of person to do that and it'd never crossed his mind to ask him at the time and now when he saw Yugi he didn't want to bring up the past to him like that. It was too painful for both of them.

"Marik was the one who spiked your drink Yami. You spent all those years blaming Yugi for it and it wasn't even him. Anyway it is all in the past and I want to say something now." Joey said as Yami's anger was kindled against Marik for his dirty trick. He quashed the feelings before they came to the fore and waited for Joey to carry on.

"I was so angry with you for putting Yugi through hell all those years but I have come to realise you're changed and I am so sorry I told on you but I was still so angry that Yugi could love you after all you did. Now I see that he had faith in you. He came to see me in hospital a couple days ago and we had a long talk. I really would like to start fresh too you think we can be friends again?"

Yami smiled happy that Joey wanted to be friends again.

"Yes of course, Yugi begged me to talk to you last time I saw him and I promised I would. I was actually coming to find you so I could do just that but Ushio had got to you first."

"Really? How did he beg?" Joey asked innocently but the smirk on his lips betrayed him.

"You have a dirty mind Joey Wheeler!" Yami said in mock shock and they both laughed, Joey stopping when pain shot through his ribs again and he rubbed them.

"Owww, speaking of Yugi, when are you going to see him again?"

"Tomorrow afternoon. When I was in solitary I thought I'd never see him again, as I was sure the visitations would be removed permanently and I would have to stay in here for longer. I miss him so much Joey. Thanks for telling them it wasn't me."

"Hey I couldn't let you take the rap for it and besides Ushio deserved his punishment. I'm lucky he didn't kill me. His sentence still has fifteen years to run so I guess I'm fairly safe from him."

"Yugi told me Seto got back with you after he went to see him."

"Yes I owe huge debt for that, even though I already thanked him and he told me not to worry about it, I'd still like to thank him properly."

"I owe him so much more." Yami said knowing that he could truly never repay Yugi for loving him no matter what but when he got out of here he was damn sure going to try!

"Seto wants me to live with him as a proper couple when I get out and I couldn't be happier." Joey said his eyes shining. "He always held me at arm's length and I used to get so lonely when he wasn't around but things will be better for us when I'm out of here."

"At least he can come visit you anytime." Yami said wistfully and Joey put his arm round him to give him a hug.

"Well let's hope the court case comes up soon and you can get out. I will speak for you."

"Thanks Joey that means so much to me." Yami said and rested his head on Joey's shoulder wishing it was Yugi's

The following afternoon Yami and Yugi were at the centre. After their initial enthusiastic hugs and kisses Yugi produced a letter.

"The court case is set." He told Yami excitedly.

"When is it?" Yami asked knots forming in his stomach at the thought.

"Three weeks from today."

"Are we ready?"

"I hope so, I'm going to get you out Yami that is a promise."

"Then let's hope for a decent judge."

"I love you." Yugi said.

"And I love you aibou and I'm glad you asked me to talk to Joey, we're friends again."

"Really? That's great koi."

"Yes. He told me about Marik and my drink on that first night and I want to say how sorry I am that I thought it was you."

"You didn't know it had been Marik?" Yugi was surprised "But I thought you knew it was him."

"He told me it had been you, aibou I'm so sorry."

"It's okay koi, it's all in the past though I did think it weird when you asked me for more of the same."

"I wish we'd never gone out that night, I wish I'd never had a drink and above all I wish we could erase it all and start over."

"But we have Yami, I hold no grudge against you though I'm mad as hell at Marik. As far as I'm concerned now the past didn't happen, I want to look forwards to our future together and that means when you get out I want to move right away from here. Start a new life somewhere where no one knows us."

"That would be perfect aibou." Yami said nuzzling his neck.

They lay making plans for when Yami was released neither of them thinking that Yami may have to stay where he was and see out the rest of his sentence, the thought was just too painful.

In three weeks time they would know whether they would be able to start a new life for themselves somewhere far from Domino and their awful past.

TBC…