Back to present day again!

To the reviewer that thought this was based on the Skeleton Key, it isn't at all heh, I have seen the movie but this isn't based on that. It is very very loosely based on a movie called Spirit Trap where the ghost had to trap someone to take their place. I got the idea from that but everything that goes on is all me

Thanks for the wonderful reviews I am so glad you are all enjoying this story!

Disclaimer: No own no sue :P

Chapter 4

Yami and Yugi worked hard on removing the ivy from around the windows and finally they had it cleared. The house was much lighter during the day and now there was electricity too as Yugi had called the company and now there was power supplied to the house.

"I have to go into town to get some supplies." Yugi said as he and Yami sat round the kitchen table the evening after they had finished. "Want to come with me?"

"No it's okay Yugi you go I'll stay here, someone has to keep an eye on Bakura. He's been so quiet these last few days I'm worried he's up to something."

"Are you sure? It'll be fun." Yugi pressed but Yami shook his head. He didn't want Yugi to know he was a ghost yet and scare him off. The more time he spent with him the more he liked him and he had the feeling that this was going beyond just friendship.

Yami had shared Yugi's bed with him ever since that first night. There were two reasons for this, the first being that Yugi begged him to stay and the second was that he didn't want to return to his lonely cottage anyway and wanted to keep Yugi safe from Bakura. Yami had no idea if Yugi felt the same way about him but he hoped he did. But even if he did Yami was scared that Yugi would reject him and become scared if he knew Yami was a ghost too.

He never seemed to notice that Yami didn't eat with him taking his excuses of having 'grabbed something earlier' or 'I'm not really hungry right now' and never questioned him.

Sooner or later though Yami knew he would have to reveal what he was but for now he was content to delay that day as long as possible.

Yugi himself was glad that Yami stayed close to him. He was slowly falling for the young man who looked so much like him apart from a few small differences. Yami had more blonde bangs that grew straight up like lightning bolts and his eyes were crimson in colour and slanted more compared to Yugi's amethyst innocent looking eyes.

Yugi knew he could lose himself in those crimson pools but having no idea whether or not Yami liked him in that way, he tried not to do that. He sighed.

"Okay I'll go on my own but I promise I won't be too long." He said and Yami smiled.

"This place would be too lonely without you."

Yugi grinned.

"I'll be as quick as I can I promise." He said and grabbing his coat, he headed put of the door. Yami heard him start his car and drive away.

Sadly he turned from the door and wondered what to do to kill time while he waited for Yugi to come back.

"Maybe I'll read for a while." He said to himself and was just heading in the direction of the library when Bakura appeared in front of him.

"Well Yami what are you going to do? He's alive and you're dead and you're in love with him aren't you?" he said his expression mocking and Yami glared at him.

"What is it to you Bakura?" He said annoyed.

"Well if you two sleep together doesn't that make it necrophilia?" He taunted grinning.

"No it doesn't! You're just jealous because I can become solid and stand a chance of a physical relationship and you can't do anything with Ryou. Must be terrible for you having the one you love so close and never being able to touch."

Bakura's face twisted and became very evil.

"Shut up Yami, you'll pay for that comment I swear it."

"I'd like to see you try." Yami said in a low and dangerous voice.

"Believe me I will, you better keep a close eye on Yugi now hadn't you? Or you may find him a ghost too." Bakura snarled before vanishing.

Yami sighed still angry at Bakura's words and not really in the mood for reading now. He decided to go outside to his favourite place to clear his head and pass time until Yugi got back. When he did, he would have to keep an extra close eye on him in case Bakura carried out his threat.

Assuming his spirit form, Yami flew straight up and out through the roof. He flew over the house until he came to a place where two sections of the roof met and there was a slight flat area about three feet square. Even Bakura didn't know about this place and it served him well if he wanted to think with no interruptions.

He sat down drawing his knees up and rested his chin on them. He wondered whether he should tell Yugi he was a ghost. Would he be scared? Freak out? Run away screaming? Somehow he didn't think Yugi would do any of those but what would his reaction be? Anger for not telling him to start with?

The list of possible outcomes if Yami told him the truth was seemingly endless and none of them seemed very good.

He wondered if Bakura would betray him and tell him. If Yugi heard the truth from Bakura would he be more angry that Yami hadn't told him?

"It's not fair!" he cried at the sky. Why couldn't things have been easier? Why couldn't he be alive and able to escape this place and be with Yugi properly? He thumped his fist on the ground and frowned.

It was so complicated and Yami could see no easy way out of it other than to carry on as they were or come clean.

"It would be better to tell him the truth now rather than wait. Better to tell him before we possibly get involved and I fall for him more than I already have." He said glumly.

He had no idea how long he had been sitting there but the sound of a car approaching the house roused him from his thoughts.

"He's back, I should tell him now before anything else happens." He said and his mind made up, he floated down to the ground and resumed his solid form before walking round the side of the house to help Yugi in with his purchases.

"Let me help you." He called as he walked up to the car which Yugi was unloading with enough supplies to last at least a couple of weeks.

"Thanks Yami, they are a bit heavy." Yugi said smiling at the sight of the other.

Yugi watched Yami walk up to him and his stomach flip flopped. He looked so sexy and Yugi's mind was suddenly invaded by images of Yami holding him in his arms, kissing him, making love to him…

"Yugi?" Yami said concerned at the sudden glazed look in Yugi's eyes. His voice roused Yugi from the erotic images in his mind and he blinked.

"What? Oh yes can you help me with these?"

"What were you thinking about Yugi?" Yami asked causing the other to blush furiously.

"Er…nothing." Yugi said embarrassed and busied himself with taking bags from the car.

Yami smirked and wondered if Yugi had been thinking about him just then. He grabbed a couple of bags and they went inside to the kitchen.

They finished emptying the car and unloading the shopping. All the while Yami was working up the courage to tell Yugi the truth and worrying about what his reaction would be.

"I'm going to grab a quick bath." Yugi said.

"Can I talk to you first?"

"Well I feel dirty right now, can it wait till I'm done?"

"Yes I guess so." Yami said thinking that a little more time wouldn't matter and he could build up a bit more courage.

Yugi smiled making Yami's heart melt at the sight and went off to take his bath.

Yami sat down at the table to wait for his return and began to think again.

Yugi went into the adjoining bathroom to the master bedroom and began to run his bath. He was looking forwards to relaxing for a while and wondered what it was Yami wanted to tell him.

"Maybe he's going to tell me he likes me." He said to himself hopefully and smiled at the thought.

He did not realise that someone was watching him from the shadows. That someone smiled to himself but it was not a pleasant smile.

'Yami is so taken with him, he's forgotten my little threat. Well soon Yugi will be trapped here instead of me and I'll be free.' Bakura thought as he watched Yugi undress ready for his bath that was run.

He leered as Yugi stripped thinking that he wouldn't mind him for himself except he couldn't. He watched Yugi go into the bathroom and shut the door locking it.

"Showtime." Bakura muttered before floating through the wall and lurking in a corner near the ceiling to wait for Yugi to relax in the bath.

Yugi stepped into the water and sat down. He got a jug and washed his hair before washing the rest of himself. Bakura watched him knowing that it was not quite time yet.

Yugi finished washing and lay back in the water to relax for a while and soothe his joints that ached a little from all the work he had done over the last few days.

"Time for you to replace me little one." Bakura snarled making himself appear above Yugi and bearing down on him.

Yugi squeaked in fear and scrambled to cover himself up and get out of the bath but he wasn't quick enough. Bakura grabbed his ankles and began to pull him towards the window that was open.

Yugi screamed.

Downstairs Yami heard the scream and momentarily forgetting that he could pass through walls, he dashed through the house and up the stairs to the master bedroom. He ran through it and tried to open the door. He could hear Yugi on the other side crying in fear and pleading for his life and his anger kindled.

Remembering what he was, Yami assumed his spirit form and shot through the door becoming solid again as soon as he did.

"GET YOUR HANDS OFF HIM!" he thundered dark energy gathering in his hands as his anger grew.

Bakura had Yugi bound by ropes and was trying to push him out of the open window. Yugi was putting up a good fight but was losing.

"I said let him go!" Yami snarled getting ready to blast Bakura with the gathering energy in his hands.

"Shit." Bakura swore and let Yugi go vanishing just before Yami's blast hit him. It hit the wall instead vanishing instantly.

Yugi crumpled to the floor sobbing and scared out of his wits. The ropes round him vanished and he clutched a towel to himself.

Yami moved forwards dispersing the remaining energy as he went. He was still angry with Bakura but wanted to help Yugi.

He touched Yugi's shoulder tentatively but Yugi shied away.

"Stay away from me!" he said between his sobs. "What are you anyway?"

"Please let me explain Yugi." Yami pleaded. Of all the ways Yugi could have found out the truth, this was perhaps the worst one.

"No! go away, leave me alone!" Yugi cried and covering himself with the towel, he ran to the door, unlocked it and threw himself on the bed where he curled himself into a tight ball crying uncontrollably.

Yami looked at him sadly before assuming a spirit form and making a bee-line for Bakura's room.

He found Bakura pacing up and down the room angry that his little plan had been stopped. Ryou was cowering in the corner fearful of Bakura when he was like this.

"How dare you." Yami said and the other ceased his pacing.

"I was so close to being free and you had to go and spoil it you bastard." Bakura said his eyes glowing red with fury.

"I will NOT allow you to trap him here, if it wasn't for the fact that Ryou would be taken with you, I would finish you here and now. As it happens I care about him and don't think he deserves that fate even though you do."

"You can't protect him forever Yami, from what I'm sensing right now, he's scared of both of us. How are you going to get round that?"

"I…I don't know." Yami faltered and Bakura smirked.

"He'll hate you now and that will make it so much easier for me." He gloated.

"I will protect him as long as he remains in this house whether he hates me or not." Yami growled. "As for you, I will discover a way to rid this house of you and free Ryou without sacrifice."

"You'll never be rid of me." Bakura smirked.

Yami glared at him in pure hatred before exiting the room and flying down to where Yugi was still curled up on the bed no longer sobbing but shaking either from fear or the chill in the air, Yami couldn't tell which one.

"Yugi?" he ventured assuming his solid form as he spoke.

"Go away."

"I can't, if I go, he'll try and get you again. He needs to trap you here and I cannot allow that."

"What are you?" Yugi asked sitting up gathering the sheets round him as he did so.

Yami sighed.

"I didn't want you to find out this way, I was going to tell you earlier in the kitchen but you wanted a bath so I decided to wait. I'm sorry."

"You haven't answered my question, what are you?"

Yami closed his eyes and sighed again.

"I'm a ghost."

Tears pricked Yugi's eyes. Why hadn't he seen it? Yami never ate or changed his clothes and never seemed tired.

"I'm so sorry Yugi but I didn't want to scare you away. The truth is I like you too much to lose you."

"Like me?" Yugi asked and in spite of his fears, hope bubbled up inside him.

"Yes, I like you a lot, more than I cared to admit to myself because of the situation."

"You lied to me." Yugi said his hurt clear in his voice.

"I know I am so sorry Yugi, I should have been honest with you from the start."

"I need to be alone to think for a while." He said and Yami nodded.

"Okay but I need to stay close to protect you from Bakura's attacks. He's angry with me and might try to get you again. I'll be right outside the door okay? So if he tries anything just yell for me."

Yugi thought about it and nodded.

"Okay."

Yami turned and left the room closing the door behind him. He knew he shouldn't but he knew Bakura could try again and so he made himself invisible and passed back through the closed door. He took up position on top of the wardrobe and sat down to wait and see if Bakura came back or such a time as Yugi was ready to talk to him.

"Please let him forgive me." He silently begged the sad looking figure curled up on the bed.

TBC…

A.N. Bakura can gain enough of a physical form to be able to do what he did but he wouldn't be able to do it like Yami does. He can carry out things like lifting and moving stuff but not a physical relationship. I hope that clears up any questions you have!