Guardians

Note: Well, we've hit chapter forty at long last. It seems like only yesterday I was writing the first chapter and wondering whether or not anyone would like it. Now I'm the happiest girl in the world, with over 280 reviews! YAY! Okay, then, on to chapter forty! Don't forget to review!

Chapter Forty: Vacation

Karmina walked into the house and jumped nearly a foot in the air. Tea Gardner and Yugi Moto were sitting on the couch with Joey.

"Um… hi?" she asked/said.

"Hi Karmina!" Yugi said happily, looking like he was about to hug her.

"Hi, Karmina," Tea said with similar enthusiasm.

"Why are you g-guys here?" she asked them, looking at Joey suspiciously.

"We're taking a trip this spring break!" Yugi announced.

"To the beach," Tea continued.

"And we want ya ta come wit us," Joey said. Karmina opened her mouth to speak, but he cut her off. "And before ya say no, I got somethin' ta tell ya. No matter how much ya sit at home an' cry over it, Kaiba ain't gonna just show up and kiss ya or whatever it is you want from him. 'Sides, it'll be fun goin' ta the beach wit all your friends."

Friends. That word caught her off guard. She sighed and pulled at the apron. "Well, if I can get off work, then I guess I'll come."

"Great!" Tea exclaimed. "Do you have a swimsuit?"

Karmina shook her head. "Well, no… I… no."

"Great! We can go swimsuit shopping together!"

"Er… great."

Tea grabbed her hand. "Come on, it'll be fun! I haven't gone with anyone in ages, since the boys are no help. Plus, we can drop by the Palace and ask your boss for a week of vacation."

Having no other choice, Karmina went with Tea out the door and into the mall.

"Okay, so… I think you'd be so cute in a bikini, so that's what we're getting you."

"Um… okay… just not too expensive… my paycheck might not be able to handle-"

"No, this is my treat. I'm dragging you off to the beach, so I'm buying the supplies."

Karmina gaped at her. "I c-can't let you do that."

"Sure you can, but I'm picking it out, so consider us even!"

Tea tried on a few suits, asked her opinion, and then bought a navy blue halter top bikini. "Now for yours. We want something that'll make the boys drool, so…" she picked up several bikinis, two of them halters and the rest normal straps. "Go on, try them on!"

Feeling silly, she pulled on a pink suit, which Tea waved away at once. "Pink isn't your color, I can tell. You're a light blue type of girl, I think." She took all the pink ones away and handed her a light blue halter with a skirt bottom and a triangle of cloth hanging down to cover more of the stomach. She slipped into it and stepped out of the room, where Tea gasped.

"That's the one! I know it is!"

So she bought that one for Karmina, who tried to pay for it but had her hand slapped away. "I told you, it's my treat."

And that's how she ended up packing a suitcase full of clothes and sun tan lotion, and walking to the airport with Tristan, Joey, Tea, and Yugi. Halfway there, they met a black haired boy who she did not know.

"Hi guys. Oh, this lovely lady must be Karmina," he said when he saw her.

"Oh… yeah… I'm Karmina."

He shook her hand enthusiastically before settling in beside Tristan in the little crowd and talking heatedly about something.

"Don' worry about him, he happens ta be too busy tryin' ta date my sista to bug ya any," Joey whispered, though not so close to her like usual.

"Oh… that's good… because you know, Joey… I'm still not ready to-"

"We aren't gonna talk about dat this week, okay?"

"Um… all right…"

He smiled and resituated his suitcase. She could tell that something about him, or about the way he treated her, had changed.

"Um… I know you said not to talk about it, but… have you… do you like someone else, now?"

He didn't answer her. Instead, he grinned and ran up to a brunette girl who was waving at them from inside the airport.

Okay… that's interesting.

"That's Serenity, his sister," Tea said matter of factly.

"Oh."

Tristan and Duke now appeared to be fighting for her attention, and Joey was glaring menacingly at them both.

"Hi," Serenity said to Karmina with a smile.

"Hi… um, my name's K-"

"Karmina, I know. Joey never shuts up about you on the phone. I'm his sister, Serenity. It's great to finally meet you!"

Is everyone Joey knows overly happy like this? "It's… nice… to meet you, too."

"I'm really excited to be going to the beach with you guys," she said happily.

"Um… yeah… it sounds like a l-lot of fun."

An announcement over the intercom told them that it was time to board their flight. Karmina was not too excited about the idea of riding on a plane, but she wasn't about to make a scene, so she stepped as calmly as she could into the vehicle.

"Nervous?" Joey asked.

"Only a whole lot," Karmina said with an empty little grin.

"C'mon, cheer up, Karmina, we're gonna have a lot of fun."

"I'll try… but-"

"Look, da plane lady's bringin' us food!"

She sighed and accepted a bag of peanuts from him, realizing for the first time that she was sitting alone with him, and by the window. The others were scattered throughout the compartment, as she could tell by looking for the pointy hair of Yugi and Tristan.

"Joey… how long is this flight gonna take?"

"About two hours."

She sighed again, and suddenly realized how sleepy she felt. Her eyelids drooped, and she fought to stay awake. Don't fall asleep now… it's not time to- oh I'm tired… She yawned and fell asleep, her head falling onto Joey's shoulder.

Joey stared at her for a minute and then smiled, touching his lips to the top of her head. "Sweet dreams, Karmina," he whispered, wishing more than anything that she loved him as much as he loved her.

End note: Aww… isn't it sweet? I wonder what's going to happen at the beach! Wait, I already know that, but you still have to wonder! Review and you'll know soon enough!