Disclaimer: I own nowt.

Yami: What are those out the window Yami Seirei?

Yami Seirei: Those? Oh incense sticks.

Yugi: What are they doing out there?

Yami Seirei: Oh me and a friend chucked them out the window for her ex to pick up.

Yami: Oh.

Yugi: …

Seto: well I'm glad I'm not her ex, I wouldn't want all my stuff chucked out of a window!

Chapter 5

"Mr Kaiba?" The doctor returned to the waiting room where Yami, Yugi, Seto and Jou's dad were anxiously waiting for his return.

"Yes?" Seto said his worry clear in his voice having stopped trying to cover it up with a front any more.

"I am pleased to inform you that Katsuya's operation was a complete success and he is presently recovering but he is still in intensive care and heavily sedated."

"Thank you doctor, could I have a word in private?" Seto said and the doctor nodded.

They returned to the small office and sat down.

"What can I do for you?" the doctor asked.

"Well if Jou is addicted to heroin, he needs to be placed on some sort of rehabilitation program to get him off it."

"Well we do prescribe the substitute drug Methodone but it is not ideal as patients can then become addicted to that. A quick way is cold turkey but it will have to be Katsuya's decision whether he wants to do through that."

"Well what will happen to him?"

"Patients going cold turkey will experience hallucinations and become violent sometimes. They will get shakes and sometimes extreme cold turkey can result in the death of the patient."

"Death?" Seto said suddenly scared of losing Jou altogether. "How does Methodone work?"

"Well we have been administering the drug to him while he's been sedated to prevent his body going into shock which could kill him." The doctor said gravely. "The Methodone program will wean him off his body's need for heroin but it can take a long time. It depends on how badly Katsuya wants to get better and how well his body will be able to cope."

"Well that sounds like a better option to me but as you say it will be up to Jou." Seto said wishing with all his soul that he had told Jou how he felt before all this started. But on the other hand he had no idea just how long Jou had been using drugs.

"Well we will continue to administer Methodone for now and allow him to come round. Then he will need to see a psychiatrist to talk about things."

"Okay. I will tell his father what is going on and see if he will allow me to take care of Jou at my home when he is discharged from hospital. I'll hire a team to help if necessary." Seto said with resolve.

"Very good Mr Kaiba." The doctor said wishing that all drug patients had someone like Seto Kaiba to help him or her kick the habit.

Seto returned to the waiting room and told the others what the doctor had said.

"Thank you." Jou's dad said. He had been crying again full of remorse for driving his own son to use drugs. He would never touch a drink again. He had determined to get a job and sort his own life out and he meant it.

"Please look after him." He said knowing that Jou would be well cared for now. He was happy with that knowledge.

"Do you think he will be okay?" Yugi asked nervously. He hated the thought of his best friend being a slave to something like that.

"I hope so Yugi. Listen do you three want to return home with me for something to eat? I think we should all eat and get some rest. I think Jou will be out of it for a while but I will check with the doctor before we go."

"Thanks Seto I think that's a good idea, we're all tired." Yami said feeling sleepy himself. It had been a long day for all of them. "We should let the others know what's going on." He said and Seto nodded.

"I'll take care of it."

He left to find the doctor who was still in the office.

"I think we are going to get some rest and something to eat. Do you think Jou will be asleep for a while longer?"

"I would say so yes. Come back tomorrow by which time Katsuya will be awake and able to talk to people."

"Okay no problem I will call before we come." Seto said. "Thank you, for everything." He added and the doctor smiled.

"It's a pleasure Mr Kaiba. Let's just hope we can get him on the road to recovery."

"I'm sure we will." Seto said and left the room to tell the others that they could leave and come back tomorrow.

"Will it be okay do you think if I come too?" Jou's dad said anxiously. He wasn't sure if Jou would even want to see him but he desperately wanted to say sorry for everything.

"I'm sure it will be fine." Seto said glad that Jou's father seemed to be on the right track. "What about you? Will you need someone to talk to about everything?"

"I don't know, probably but I want Jounouchi to get well, I'm not worried about me."

"You won't help Jou unless he knows you are getting help yourself." Yami pointed out.

"Yes that's true, okay I will talk to someone." He said and Seto nodded.

"I will arrange that. Don't worry about costs I will sort that out." He said thinking that he would make a poor partner for Jou if he couldn't help his family out too. He wondered if there was anything he could do for Jou's mother and little sister but he could ask Jou about that later on. Right now he would do what he could.

Later on that night Yugi curled up in Yami's arms so glad that they had each other and that neither of them had had to go through what Seto was going through with Jou.

"I love you Yami." Yugi said as he drifted off to sleep. Yami flooded their link with his own love giving Yugi a warm and reassuring feeling deep in his soul.

/I love you too Aibou./ He said through the link.

In his room Seto lay on his bed and tried to sleep. He wished that Jou was in his arms where he could hold and protect him always but he knew there was a long struggle ahead of them both but he was prepared for it.

He drifted off to sleep sometime around three am and dreamed of a time in the future when all this would be behind them and they would be happy. He saw Jou laughing playfully as they were on holiday together somewhere exotic and when he woke he felt reassured by it. He would hold on to the hope that the dream gave him. He was not one for believing in dreams and fate and things like that but any sort of hope was good to hold on to right now.

They arrived back at the hospital and waited to be told whether they could see Jou yet. Seto came back from having a word with the receptionist and told them that the doctor would be along soon and they could wait in the waiting room until he came.

Seto was beginning to hate that waiting room, as every time they were in it the doctor seemed to bring them bad news. The stark white walls seemed to be laughing at him as he took a seat and so he looked at the floor.

Jou's dad sat twiddling his thumbs and not sure what to say so he stayed silent. Yami and Yugi sat sending reassurance to each other through the link.

Eventually the doctor came to speak to them and they stood when he entered.

"Good morning everyone. Jou is awake and asking to see Mr Motou." He said and Yugi stepped forwards.

"That's me." He said. Seto looked disappointed but then he hadn't expected Jou to ask for him, as he didn't know yet how he felt.

"I'll take you to him." The doctor said and Yugi followed him out of the room.

They arrived on the intensive care ward where Jou was recovering and the doctor led him to the bed.

Jou was still hooked up to lots of machines and drips and Yugi was shocked by the way he looked but he tried not to show it, as Jou was awake and had seen him.

"Thanks doctor." Yugi said and walked up to Jou.

"Hey." Yugi said fighting tears over the state of his best friend.

"Hey man." Jou croaked his throat as dry as a bone.

"How are you feeling?" Yugi asked.

"Like crap but I guess I'll be okay. Listen man I'm really sorry."

"Don't be sorry Jou, just get well. For Seto too."

"Why for him? He's never liked me." Jou's voice was still croaky and he was having a job to talk. Yugi knew he couldn't stay long as Jou would tire easily after his ordeal.

"He does like you Jou, the last two days he has been out of his mind with worry. He is paying for your care. I think he really loves you."

"Really?" a sparkle came into Jou's eyes and he managed a small smile.

"Really really." Yugi said. "I know he really wants to see you. Maybe you should see him after me."

"Yeah." Jou said.

"I'll go now." Yugi said and gave Jou's hand a squeeze.

"See ya soon bud." Jou said

"Count on it." Yugi said forcing a smile to reassure Jou that it would be okay.

"Uh Yug, can you ask Seto to some?" Jou said as his friend walked away.

"Yeah of course." Yugi said and made his way back to the waiting room. He entered and the others looked at him.

"He wants to see you Seto."

"He does?" Seto said and his face brightened a bit.

"Yeah I kinda told him you like him and he asked to see you."

Seto was torn between being angry that Yugi had discussed his feelings with Jou and relieved that Jou wanted to see him. He decided to stick with the latter and left the room to find the ward where Jou was.

Jou lay on his bed thinking. The doctors and a psychiatrist had been to see him before Yugi and the others had arrived and explained his options. He knew what he wanted to do. He wanted more than anything to be off the drugs and forget everything that had happened. When Yugi had told him that Seto liked him, his heart had taken a leap of happiness. He had been in love with Seto for a long time but he had thought the CEO hated him after all he was always teasing him and calling him a 'dog' had it all been a front? He wanted a drink now as his throat was so dry and he needed to be able to talk to Seto properly.

He pressed his call bell and a nurse appeared at the doorway to his private room.

"Yes Katsuya? What can I get for you?"

"Can I have a drink please?" Jou croaked and the nurse smiled at him before pouring him some water into a beaker that had a spout on it so that Jou could drink in a laying position and not spill it.

Jou took a small drink and allowed the liquid to moisten the inside of his mouth before swallowing and asking for more. He drank most of the beaker and feeling better he rested his head on the pillows.

"Thanks nurse." He said not sounding so croaky and she smiled before leaving him to it.

He heard footsteps coming towards his door and thought he recognized the paced stride. The footsteps came to his door and Jou felt his heart flutter when in walked Seto.

"Hello pup." He said and Jou managed an ironic grin.

"Well I guess that's better than 'dog'." He said and Seto had the good grace to look apologetic. He took a chair and sat on it.

"I'm glad you made it through your op Jou." He said not really knowing what else to say.

"Yeah I'm a bit sore but the docs say I'm doing good."

"That's good."

There was an uncomfortably long silence as Seto searched for the right words to say. This was not something he was used to and didn't think he would be able to say all he wanted.

"Your father gave up drinking." He finally said and Jou looked shocked.

"He did? Why?"

"For you I think. He's been worried sick, we all were."

"I'm glad. I don't blame him for the fact I screwed up my life. He was just an excuse for doing it."

"You haven't ruined your life Jou." Seto said gently but Jou looked away.

"Yes I have, who would want me now? I feel dirty and used and ashamed of lying. I stole the takings from Yugi's shop to pay for the drugs you know."

"I know, and you're wrong Jou, we all want you…I want you." He finished having made the confession that he should have done a long time ago.

"You do?" Jou said. He hadn't doubted Yugi's word but now he was hearing it from the horses' mouth so to speak. A knot was forming in his stomach as he hardly dared to believe what he was hearing.

"Yes I do want you, want you to be with me always." Seto said and Jou knew this was hard for him to say. After all this was the man who never showed feelings apart from disdain or arrogance but here he was pouring is heart out so Jou stayed silent for a few moments to allow him to continue.

"I have liked you for a long time Jou but I didn't want to let anybody know about it so I teased and called you names to hide it. Fortunately I am really good at hiding feelings because of my life but I don't really have an excuse. I keep thinking that if I had told you sooner then maybe you would not be lying on a hospital bed right now but would be where you belong, at home with me. These last few days have made me realize that I…I love you." He finished.

Jou lay for a few moments absorbing the information. Even though his body was still, his stomach was doing cartwheels and he couldn't prevent the sudden happy grin that appeared.

"Really? Well you know I feel the same way. I have loved you for a long time Seto and wanted to tell you so badly but I couldn't."

"It's okay. Will you come and live with me when you are discharged from here?"

"Yes." Jou said and without warning Seto suddenly leaned over and gave Jou a long lingering kiss on his lips.

Jou closed his eyes enjoying Seto's taste on his lips. They broke apart eventually and Jou smiled.

"I have wanted that for so long." He whispered and Seto nodded.

"Me too. Look I better get back to the others and I think your dad is desperate to see you. I have had a good few talks with him."

"Does he know? I mean about you and me."

"He knows, I told him how I felt and that I would look after you and he seemed pleased."

"Cool, yeah I would like to see him soon but not now okay? I feel really tired and want to sleep." Jou said his eyes suddenly feeling heavy as lead.

"Okay pup he will come and see you later okay?"

"Mmm okay." Murmured Jou who was almost asleep. Seto brushed a few stray strands of hair off his puppy's face and watched him for a few moments before giving him a peck on the cheek and leaving him to sleep.

TBC.

There ya go! Awww Jou and Seto make such a cute couple don't they? Hehe Jou is on the road to recovery yay and Ushio will get his just deserts soon I promise as he had quite a list of offences against him doesn't he?

By the way if the convo at the beginning makes no sense it's aimed purely at one of my best friends and I know it'll make her laugh!