Disclaimer: I don't own Yuugiou… sadly y,y

Ryu: Well, it's been a while but I'm gonna try to get a new chapter up. If anyone's taken the time to read my profile you'll know why it's taken so long to get a new chapter up. If you haven't read and you want to know… go read my profile. So let's get this part out of the way first:

Lady-Silverkiss: They say your worst critic is yourself so that could be why I'm so hard on myself but oh well. I'm glad you like this story so much. I'm not sure if I'm going to have a happy ending or not but I'll try not to disappoint with whatever I write.

Adva Atreyu: For shame… missing my cameo. Maybe this will help you remember:

Everyone looked to the door where a muscular man with a raspy voice, short blonde hair, and blue eyes was standing, wearing a pair of dirty jeans and flannel shirt.

"Someone needs to tell us where to put this stuff." He gestured over his shoulder where a man with gray eyes and short red hair was helping another man with spiky brown hair and crystal blue eyes move a set of small furniture off the truck.

I can't believe you missed the 3 Swordsmen of Doma guest staring as the moving people. Or Kaiba's enemy turned friend Siegfried von Schraider as the guy that can offer help to our poor, forgetful Bakura. Oh well, I guess I'll have to make them easier. I'm glad you can appreciate Malik's love and dedication, make me feel less crazy.

Andyouthinkimcrazy: Yay, you're a real reader, not one of the ones that read a few chapters then gets bored. Wait… I'm like that… oh well. I thought the irony of the two of them running into each other would be fun and I think I can do something interesting with it. Glad you like what I did with 'Kura, he's so cute when he's forgetful.

Broken Mirrors and Tainted Souls: Yay, a new reader. You know, I get more comments on making Bakura Ryou's father than anything. Well, since you're making Bakura and Ryou twins it's not really stealing my idea so I can't say anything (not to mention you've probably already started your story by the time I get this posted).

Ryu: Okay, now I can get on with this chapter. It's 1/16 right now but I have no idea what it'll be when this actually gets posted. But… oh well.

Chapter 14: Back to the Beginning

Seto Kaiba's office was a large room with two leather couches sitting across from each other on either side of a mahogany table in the center. Against one wall was a giant bookshelf littered with books on gaming and business. A flat-screen TV that hid most of the light blue wallpaper from view covered the wall opposite. The back wall of the office was a giant window with a large mahogany desk in front of it. It was at this desk that Seto Kaiba, CEO of the world's largest gaming corporation, spent most of his life. And it was at this desk that Seto Kaiba sat right now.

He'ddecided to skip school today, having to settle a problem in the computer system. "So that's what it was, I didn't have to take a whole day off for this," he mumbled to himself. "Oh well, may as well enjoy it."

He continued typing on his computer when his phone began to ring. He picked up the receiver and rested it on his shoulder, not letting up on his computer. "Kaiba here," he said into the phone.

"Kaiba-san, there's a call for you on line 3 from Schraider-san in Germany," said the secretary on the other end.

"Put him through," Kaiba said. There was a moment's silence before the line connected.

"Seto?" said a voice.

"This is Kaiba, what do you got for me Siegfried?"

"Well my doctor friend replied and said he thinks he can help but needs to meet with your Mr. Bakura and better analyze his condition."

"So when's his flight to Domino scheduled?"

"About that…"

/IN TOWN/

"You're really not going to school?" the chestnut-haired girl asked the boy walking with her.

"I really just don't feel up to it," Ryou replied, staring sadly at the ground. "But I guess you should probably get going."

"I don't think I'm going to class either," Shizuka told him.

They continued to walk quietly for a little bit.

"It's a nice day out," Ryou said, trying to break the uncomfortable silence.

"Yeah, nice…"

The silence hadn't lifted and they continued walking on. They walked into Domino Park, a place at was usually filled with playing children and young couples; it was currently empty save for an old person or two feeding pigeons.

"You sure it's okay if you don't go to school?" he asked, the silence making him restless. He felt like he was going to try and hit something, or someone, if it didn't lift soon.

"Don't worry about it," she told him. "In fact, I kind of want to talk to you alone for while; without Malik-san around. And now seems like a pretty good time."

Ryou flinched visibly, having been afraid she'd say something like that.

She looked over at him with a hurt expression and asked, "Is that really such a hard thing for you to do? I thought you loved me."

"So did I," Ryou said quietly. "But I told you both last night that I don't want to be with anyone right now, not when otou-san and Amane-chan need me…"

"Stop with the excuses," Shizuka cut in. "I know you love your family but you're not just trying to take care of them you're trying to hide behind them like a coward."

"And what do you expect me to do?" he yelled, coming to a stop. She stopped too and looked at him to see that he was glaring at her furiously. "I can't handle this okay. I don't want to hurt either of you, yet I do and don't want to be with the both of you at the same time. I can't think straight; nothing makes sense to me. Why shouldn't I hide? Why shouldn't I pour all my love into my family where I can share it without hurting them? I can love my dad and Amane at the same time without hurting either of them but I have to pick between you and Malik-kun and, no matter whom I pick, I'm going to end up hurting someone. And if I don't pick I'm still hurting people. I only cause pain so it would be better for everyone if I weren't with either of you. Besides, you love Malik-kun, not me. So why not just go be with him? With how I've been I'm sure he'd go for you now; someone who won't fuck him and leave like I did!" He fell down his knees and his head fell into his hands where he cried and cried hard.

"So you really did that to him?" she asked quietly.

Ryou didn't respond in any way, just continued crying to himself on the sidewalk.

Shizuka gave a sympathetic sigh and knelt down beside him, placing a hand on his back. "Ryou-san…"

He looked sadly up at her.

"If you don't want to be with us then we shouldn't force you," she said. "I guess I'm kind of relieved that you don't share Malik-san's feelings. That means I can take him more easily. Then neither of us will bother you anymore about this."

Ryou only stared up at her, still crying. Once again he was feeling mixed emotions that were too much for him to handle. He was happy that they'd move on and let him be so he could figure things out. But at the same time he was crushed. What if, when he did figure things out, neither would be waiting for him?

"Ryou-san?" The platinum boy was at a true loss of what to say, what he could say, and it was starting to get to the girl that was trying hard to comfort him. "Forget it," she said, standing up angrily. "I've tried being nice but if you're really that childish, if you're really that broken, then this is just a waste of my time. If you really want to be with me then you're gonna need to grow up more. Until you do I'm not letting upon getting Malik to like me. Good bye Ryou."

Ryou watched as she walked away, out of the park. 'She's so sweet and yet…' he thought as he watched her, 'She's not that understanding that I'm going through something tough. She never thought of me as more than a friend and even if she did I don't think it would last. I thought it was love at first sight but it must have just been an infatuation.'

"She knew those things would hurt me and yet she still said them," he thought aloud. "I guess that settles it then. Between the two of them… I pick Malik to love."

/DOMINO HIGH/

"Ryou-kun didn't show up today," Jou said while changing his shoes at the door.

"I know, I'm kind of worried about him," Yugi agreed.

"It's probably nothing," Yami offered. "And Seto-kun wasn't here today either. Maybe they found out something for his dad."

"You've got a point," Jou said. "Maybe we should all go over there and see what's going on."

"Where are we going?" Malik asked cheerfully, joining the group at the door.

"We're all going to Ryou-kun's to see why he wasn't here today," Jou said. "You should come too."

Malik bit his lip at hearing mention of the albino boy. After last night he wanted to give Ryou a little time before seeing the boy again. He still held his unexplainable love for the boy and, given time, he still wanted to see him but right he thought it best to give Ryou the space he probably needed. Besides, Malik already knew why Ryou didn't come to school today, he was avoiding the Egyptian boy.

"I'll have to pass on that guys," Malik said. "I told Isis I'd help her with something at the museum." He didn't bother putting his normal shoes on but rather carried them out the front door as he sprinted for the black car waiting out front for him.

"What was that about?" Yugi asked.

"He's avoiding Ryou-kun," said Mariku casually as he walked passed them with Otogi and Ryota behind him to get their shoes.

"Did something happen after the party last night?" Jou asked.

Mariku just shrugged before turning to his friends.

"Maybe we should leave Ryou-kun alone for a while then," Yugi suggested.

"No way," Jou argued, "If he's down we need to cheer him up."

"But Jou, we need to pick up your sister today don't we?" Yami asked. "Seeing Shizuka-chan might not be a good thing for Ryou-kun."

"He's got a point," Yugi agreed.

Mariku just smirked at the group as he walked out to the car and climbed into the back seat next to his brother. "I don't think they're going because they'll have Shizuka-chan with them."

"That's good," Malik said as the car pulled away. "I don't want Ryou to see Shizuka right now."

"I know you don't want to hear this but maybe you need to move on passed Ryou-kun," Mariku suggested.

"I hate to agree with Mariku-kun but I think he's right," Rishid said regretfully. "This unrequited love is only hurting you."

Malik didn't reply, only stared out the car window at the city passing by. His phone ringing brought him out of it though and he answered the device without looking at who it was. "Moshi, moshi."

"Malik-kun?"

His eyes widened and he checked his phone to make sure he wasn't imagining things. The name matched the voice he thought he'd heard and he put the device back to his ear. "Shizuka-chan?"

"Malik-kun, can we meet somewhere?" she asked. "I want to see you…"

/ELSEWHERE/

"So how was your first day at school?" Ryou asked the little girl walking with him.

"It was okay, but I was scared of all the kids," Amane answered truthfully.

"That's all right," Ryou told her, "You just need to get used to them. I'm sure you'll make lots of friends quickly."

"Okay," she said happily, then asked, "How was your day onii-san?"

Ryou bit his lip, trying to decide what to say. He sure didn't want to tell his little sister he'd spent the day crying in the park; or that he'd decided to try aserious relationship with another guy. So he instead settled on telling her, "It was pretty dull, but high school always is."

"Thanks for making it sound so glamorous," she said in false bitterness, a trait she'd picked up quickly from Ryou's friends the day before.

Ryou just rubbed the back of his head nervously as they walked up to the front door. "Don't worry, its not that bad," he told her, opening the door. "Otou-san, we're home," he called.

Bakura emerge from the kitchen then, looking somewhat uneasy. "Hey there guys," he said, trying to look like he was okay.

"Otou-san," Amane said happily, running to her father's arms with her shoes still on her feet. "I missed you today."

"I missed you too," he said. "Why don't you go get settled in your room and you can tell me about it in a bit. I need to talk to your brother alone."

"What is it?" Ryou asked, walking to his father when his shoes were off.

Bakura waited until Amane had left the room, and taken off her shoes, before talking to his son. "You're school called today," he told him.

Rou bit his lip nervously. "What'd they want?" he asked.

"I don't know but they called," Bakura said with a shrug, causing a giant drop of sweat to appear on Ryou's forehead. "But that's not what I wanted to talk to you about," he went on seriously.

Ryou stiffened then, awaiting his father's message.

"Your friend Kaiba-kun… he may have found someone with a cure," Bakura said slowly.

Ryou's jaw dropped and his eyes lit up excitedly. He ran to his father and threw his arms around the man happily. "That's so great otou-san."

"Well we don't know yet anything," Bakura told him. "I need to go in for some tests and observation. But I don't think I'm going to."

Ryou pulled back and gaped at his father. "Why not?"

"Ryou…" his dad hesitated. "The doctor I need to see is in Germany. If I want to see him I have to go there. But I don't want to leave you kids and I don't know how long I'll be there. I just don't think it's worth it."

"No, you have to go otou-san," Ryou said passionately. "This could be the cure we've been looking for in these past months. You just have to go."

"But what about you and Amane-chan?" Bakura asked. "I can't leave you two alone while I fly off to another country."

Ryou thought for a moment before he got an idea. "I bet we could go stay with Malik-kun," he suggested.

"I thought there were problems between you and Malik-kun since…" his dad trailed off wondering if he'd only imagined it or if the two had made up and he'd forgotten.

"We are," Ryou said shyly, a tear or two forming in his eyes. He was scared to say what he needed to say to his father, afraid what his father would think. But he had to say it. "Otou-san, I've decided that I want to return Malik-kun's feeling and be with him," he said, then looked away. "I'm sorry if it disappoints but it's what I want and I hope you'll still love me."

Bakura gawked at him a moment but quickly shook his head out of it and smiled at his son. "Nothing you ever do could ever disappoint me Ryou," he told him, placing his hands on the boy's shoulders. "Do you know why?"

Ryou looked shyly back up at him, a light flush on his cheeks.

"Because you're my son," Bakura said, "And I love you no matter what, your sister too."

Ryou threw his arms around his father, crying happily into the man's shoulder. "Thank you otou-san, thank you so much."

"You're welcome son," Bakura said.

Ryou pulled back and looked at his father happier than he had in a long time. "Can we talk later? I really want to call Malik-kun and tell him how I feel."

"Okay, but we need to talk soon."

"We will," Ryou promised, kissing his father's cheek.

They walked together down the hall, Bakura going to Amane's room to talk about her first day of school while he still remembered what school was and Ryou to his room. He closed the door and then sunk down on the gray comforter, fishing excitedly for his phone. He scrolled through his phonebook to Malik's number and pressed the call button, then place the device at his ear.

It rang a few times, then connected to a nervous sounding Malik saying, "Hello?"

"Hi Malik-kun," Ryou said eagerly. "Sorry I didn't see you at school today."

"It's okay," Malik said. "But are you?"

"Yeah, just have something really exciting to tell you."

"That's weird," Malik said in a shaky voice. "I need to tell you something too, but you first."

"Otou-san may have found a doctor that can help him."

"That's great, Malik said, feeling a little happier.

"But I need to tell you something else."

"Hang on a second Ryou-kun, I have another call," Malik said before the line went quiet.

Ryou sat there waiting, tapping his fingers nervously. It was probably five or ten minutes before the Egyptian boy came back. "Who was it?" the albino boy asked.

"It was Shizuka-chan," Malik told him.

Ryou felt an icy grip at his heart and asked, "What did… she want?"

"That's what I need to tell you Ryou-kun," Malik said. Ryou thought he could hear a few tears in the boy's voice.

"What is it?" Ryou asked more urgently.

"I'm dating Shizuka-chan," Malik blurted out.

Ryu: I finally did it. Sorry about such a long wait and the short chapter but I've been working so hard on my Creative Writing final project/novel. Sadly all updates this story will probably be just as far apart and just as short from now on unless one day I just have to work on it. I hope you all can understand and will continue to read when the updates do come. Well, gotta get back to my project. R&R plz