A/N: No change in status…I'm still not rich enough to own Yu-gi-oh…not even close.

I would like to thank my very wonderful beta Iris Omega for getting this done so quickly, despite her excessively busy life. How she does it I will never know… Thank you! You are the best!

Chapter 15

Vertigo

The banging on the door and the incessant ringing of the bell didn't stop. She hoped that the annoying person who was tormenting her silence would leave when they received no answer. What time was it, anyway? She flipped onto her side and looked at the clock; it was 8:00 a.m. She rubbed her eyes, just to make sure she was seeing it clearly.

She groaned and yelped a quick 'go away.' She knew the person couldn't hear her, but it was worth a shot. Kaiba had left so late... She smiled impishly. Even then it had been hard to let him go; he just felt too good. She wouldn't let him know that, though... not for a while, anyway.

She pulled her pillow over her head, trying to drown out the pest—but it was no use. For some reason, lying in bed with thoughts of a blue-eyed dragon far outweighed whatever waited behind the front door. What time had Kaiba left? She smiled despite her aggravated mood. He had been so amazing last night. She never had a perfect date, but last night... it was wonderful. Changing anything, in any way, would have been wrong.

She stood up reluctantly, tugged on her robe, and pulled on her slippers. This had better be damn good, or she would kill whoever waited in the cold. Trudging down the hall, she yelled, "Coming... geez! Keep your freakin' shirt on, already!" They must have heard, because they became silent.

She looked through the spy window, and then rolled her eyes heavenward. With a deep sigh and an annoyed grunt, she opened the door.

"Good morning, beautiful!" Tristan smiled at her, beaming like a small child seeing a desired piece of candy. She pulled the robe tighter around her neck.

"You do know what time it is... don't you?" she asked, even as her eyes noticed a tray. It contained two beverages, and there was a bag in his opposite hand.

"Starbucks... and chocolate croissants." He held the bag up in an attempt to punctuate the point. "I'm still trying to get myself out of the doghouse with you..." He looked a bit sad. "Am I forgiven yet?"

She stepped aside, still not gracing him with a smile. A small part of her wished it had been... Kaiba. Once Tristan had entered and made his way to the living room, she closed the door. He placed the coffee and the bag on the small table, and then turned to her.

"When did you do all this decorating? The place looks amazing." He wandered around, admiring all of the little touches and Christmas cheer the small apartment contained. "Wow, I'm impressed... it's different from... that night... once again, I'm sorry about it." He looked at her with a soft blush on his cheeks.

"I know you are, Tristan... and thank you for the roses." She smiled and sat down on her couch. She was thankful that she was wearing her sweats and a long t-shirt under her robe. She wanted to give off as little temptation as possible for the man. "What brings you here?" She yawned and covered her mouth absently, running a hand through her sleep-tangled hair.

"I wanted to bring you breakfast. You are so impossible to get in touch with. Do you ever answer your messages?" He smiled at her, not wanting to make her mad, but a bit hurt that he was ignored. "The one with the 'S' is yours," he pointed out, referring to the cups. She took it in her hands and smiled. It wasn't a bad way to wake up—fresh coffee and chocolate croissants. Things could be much worse; he could have invaded last night when her and Kaiba were a bit cozy. That would have been hard to explain.

"I'm sorry, I've just been busy." She shrugged softly. Technically, she wasn't lying... was she? Tristan sat down beside her and smiled.

"Would you, maybe, like to have dinner with me tonight?" He looked so hopeful. "I would hate to have you judging me for that one night's stupid act... you know that isn't like me at all." His eyes couldn't even meet hers. "You know I would never try anything inappropriate; we've been close for too long." He tucked a few stray strands of hair behind her ear.

She nearly flinched at the contact. For some reason it felt wrong, and she paled when she realized why. When Kaiba touched her, it felt... right. This whole situation was wrong—totally wrong. She had promised herself not to get in too deep with any of them, and now she wanted the most dangerous of the three. What the hell was she thinking? Then again, maybe that was her problem: she wasn't thinking...

"I'm going to go get changed. I'll be back in a few minutes," she explained as she stood. "Start breakfast without me." She smiled at him over her shoulder as she grabbed her coffee and went into the bedroom.

Fifteen minutes later, she emerged—freshly showered and dressed. Brown eyes appreciated her choice of outfit. A white sweater—which fell off her shoulders—and a tight pair of jeans made her look angelic. She bent over and flipped her hair, then pulled it into a sloppy ponytail. Smiling at him, she grabbed a breakfast pastry.

"So, what have you been up to, Tristan?" she asked. This would be a test; if she reacted to him the way she did to Seto... then she would know that it was just hormones. If she didn't... then she was in trouble.

"Not much. Been thinking about what to get my special girl for Christmas Eve..." He winked at her. His gift was already bought and just in need of a pick-up. He knew she would laugh at it, but would it be enough to counteract whatever Duke had planned?

"Tristan, could you do me a big favor? Well, several, actually?" she asked, somehow not feeling shy anymore. Standing up, she approached him and held out her hand. "Would you dance with me?"

The look of confusion on his face was quite cute, but didn't cause the familiar flutter Kaiba's trademark smirk caused.

"Here? Now? But there isn't any music." He stood up as she leaned over and flipped the radio on. It was an obnoxious '24-hour-a-day-Christmas-Carol' station. She looked at him and shrugged, then tilted her head a bit. "Will this do?"

He pulled her to him and they started to sway. She never had to think about dancing with him—it was natural. They goofed around and danced together often. Tristan, for his few annoying faults, had always been a great dance partner. The funny part was that they were both awful. Evidence of the rule of the double negative, she supposed. Last night, she could hardly think straight—and what little knowledge she had about dancing flew out the window due to body contact. Kaiba messed with her mind and tore up her senses. Tristan was like an old shoe.

"This isn't what I expected this morning when I bought the coffee." He shuffled her around the room and she giggled. "So, Serenity, how about dinner?" He pressed his cheek against hers, in mock dance exaggeration style, as his breath fanned her ear. She now knew... it had nothing to do with hormones. It had everything to do with a certain man... No butterflies, no tremors, no stirring desire. In a word: nothing.

"I have plans. I'm sorry, Tristan." She heard him sigh heavily. "But, if you want to help me do a bit of shopping, we can hang out this morning." She shrugged as he stopped dancing. It was better than nothing, right? "Can I ask a third favor, aside from the dancing and shopping?"

"Anything... you know that." Tristan looked at her, realizing that something had changed, but not sure what it was. The girl he knew—the one who he had fallen so deeply in love with—had changed. Not in an outward way, but it was there... tangible. It was as if a ghost were there—something untouchable and yet real. What had happened?

"Kiss me...?" she asked in a small voice. Her brown eyes weren't able to look up into his.

His lips descended on hers, then slowly caressed and gently tasted. There was no deepening, no... passion. Her stomach knotted. This wasn't their first kiss, but she was beginning to see that it should be their last. Where was the magic? The tingling? Her fingers touched her lips after it ended. Why did it feel so... wrong? Dancing with Tristan had felt right—natural. Why did kissing feel so weird?

He now understood that things were different—he wondered what happened. A few nights ago, she asked him to dance and then to bring her home. Sure, he had acted like an ass, but she said she forgave him. Hopefully, his gift would change her back to the way she was.

"Big brother?" Mokuba slowly entered Kaiba's room, calling out for Seto. He couldn't let Seto escort Serenity to the Ball without knowing who she was. He just hoped that a simple last name wouldn't change the feelings he was sure existed. Games like this were never a good idea—especially when played on someone like Seto. What had he been thinking?

Then again, Seto had never looked at a woman the way he had looked at Serenity that night. Mokuba had only seen Seto look at the Blue Eyes White Dragon in a similar way. Would the small omission of a last name cause it all to go right down the drain? He shut his eyes and silently prayed that what the two had started would end with a laugh. They had to know by now that they were meant to be together... didn't they? Then again, Seto was so stubborn. But he had said that they were dating—then she had denied it.

"Mokuba? Is that you?" Kaiba called out from the bathroom. "Are you dressed yet? We have to pick up Serenity on the way; you better be at least showered." Kaiba tried to speak in a warning tone.

Mokuba wandered around the room, getting a bit more nervous. What would his big brother do? Certainly a grounding was in order... geez... he hated being grounded. And so close to Christmas, too... this could suck.

Kaiba wandered out of the bathroom with a towel draped around his hips. He still had to shave, and, honestly, had no time to get Mokuba moving. His tuxedo had been laid across the bed, ready for him; he just needed what went under it. Mokuba was standing by the desk flipping through a random magazine. At least he was in the tux, minus the tie and jacket.

"Is something wrong?" Kaiba asked, his eyes narrowing on the boy. He had noticed how quiet Mokuba had been since the whole 'are we or aren't we dating' fight. Perhaps he was mad that Serenity and him could be an item? That made no sense. If anything, Mokuba had been working tirelessly to get them together.

"I have something to tell you, and I just don't know what you'll think. I've done something bad, Big Brother..." There were tears in his innocent violet eyes.

"What are you talking about?" Kaiba asked, more concerned with the tears than the 'bad thing.' "Whatever you've done, I know it wasn't to be vicious." Kaiba shrugged, sure that Mokuba was over-reacting.

"Actually..." Mokuba gulped and looked away from Kaiba's intimidating blue eyes. "I did it to help... I just didn't think about... what could happen when the truth came out." He turned from his big brother and walked over to the bed, plopping down on it. He couldn't regret what he had done; it was deceitful, but necessary. He just hoped that Seto wouldn't hold it against Serenity and that he wouldn't lose all of his gifts from 'Santa Seto'...

"Kiddo... if you have a point, please get to it. I still have to get ready, and you haven't finished dressing, either." Kaiba disappeared into his walk-in closet—still clad in the towel, but carrying his tux pants. He hoped Mokuba would find some courage in his absence.

Mokuba fell back onto the huge bed and then flipped over onto his stomach. How had he gotten in so deep? Why should this be such a problem? Hell, Serenity wasn't Joey... but, then again, Seto could be a jerk sometimes and guilt by association was just as bad as being the guilty party—period. Would he be able to look past her last name and remember all the fun he was having? Heck, he didn't even know her first name when she was at that Christmas party... would it really matter? Yeah, it would. Especially when her name hit the papers as being Seto Kaiba's date. Damn.

"Well, are you ready to confess whatever sin it is that you've committed yet?" Kaiba emerged from the closet in pants, but still bare-chested. "I have a few things to finish up before we leave, so either find your voice or save it for later..."

"I can't save it, Seto." Mokuba sat up and frowned. "Remember when you met Serenity at the Christmas party?" Kaiba nodded. "Well, I told you I could introduce you to her... remember?" Suddenly his own fingers seemed more appealing than the eyes of his big brother. "I never mentioned her... last name..."

Kaiba smiled, knowing what was coming. He was prepared to hear it; he had known ever since the day when he had picked Mokuba up from Serenity's class. Her name was on the wall. Yes, it had been a momentary shock, but he wanted her. Still, it would have been nicer if she were 'Smith' or 'Jones.' However, it made no difference now. She had slipped in—past all defenses—and he wanted her... badly.

"What is her last name, and why would I care?" Kaiba stepped back into the bathroom.

"Her last name is the same as... Joey's." There, he had said it. Dead silence. Was Seto okay? Mokuba drifted off the bed and towards the bathroom door. "Did you hear me? I said... she's Joey's sister... you know... Joey, the mutt..."

"I heard you, Mokuba." Kaiba was shaving and trying to be mindful not to slice himself open. Toilet paper on his face wasn't what he had in mind to romance a certain fiery vixen. He had to look perfect for her. His mind kept drifting to that red dress. Her in that gown and him in a tux... Thoughts of last night assaulted him. Damn, she could kiss... and, when she moved onto his lap, he nearly came undone.

"Are you mad?" Mokuba asked timidly.

"Actually, I'm a bit annoyed you didn't tell me. What am I supposed to do now?" Kaiba asked. Yes, it was cruel to toy with the boy—but he, himself, had been the original target of the jest. "I should have you call her and tell her what you did. Then you can explain why I won't be taking her..." Naturally, that call would never occur. He wanted Serenity too badly to forget her over a name... a name he had known.

"Seto! You can't do that... this. You have to take her—you two really like each other! Why would you do that because I was stupid for not telling you her name?" Mokuba's eyes were wide and he looked so upset.

"Do you think I would want that mutt's sister on my arm? Come on, Mokuba... you know me better than that." He wiped his face with a towel to rid himself of the shaving cream remnants, and then put on his cologne. He wondered if Serenity was thinking of him the way he was thinking of her...

"You want me to call and cancel?" Mokuba's voice was low. He couldn't believe Seto would dump her... but, then again, it was Seto...

"Naturally; it is your fault. Now that I know who she is... do you realize how humiliating it would be to lose her on Christmas Eve, if she doesn't laugh? That mutt would forever hold it over my head." Kaiba smirked; Mokuba looked very thoughtful.

"You won't lose... I know you won't. She likes you too much." Mokuba's voice was small.

"Well, the only way I won't have you call and cancel is if you agree to help me... in any way possible..." Kaiba's plan was about to be set.

"Agreed..." Mokuba relented immediately. Anything would be better than having to cancel the date. How humiliating would making that phone call have been?

Kaiba continued dressing and told Mokuba to finish up as well. He undid his bowtie again. He hated the damn things. Usually, he had no problem getting them to lay right and look fantastic, but right now it was as if the heavens were working against him.

"Damn it," he swore and then raked a hand through his hair. He had never been this nervous... ever. She was affecting him, and—even though he liked how she made him feel—he couldn't help but be anxious as hell. In a duel, he could be arrogant and confident. In this game, he wasn't playing to prove he was the best—he was playing to prove his worth to a girl. When had the mighty Seto Kaiba come to this? The answer: from the moment she walked down those steps, like a nymph... like a fairy princess... popping out of one of Mokuba's stories.

Serenity stood before her full-length mirror and smiled at the way she was dressed. Never before had she looked like such a woman... not like this. Her curves appeared as if they were made for the gown, and the color set her hair on fire. It was a simple dress with a plunging back, a neckline that was resting a bit off her shoulders, and a slit up the side to right above her knee. It made her look—and feel—like a celebrity. Still, it was hardly the way a teacher dressed. She had pulled her hair up into a soft cascade of curls and applied just a simple amount of make-up. Her thigh-high stockings made her feel a bit flirty and the red heels were... manageable. What would he say? She wiped her palms against her sides. She had to calm down.

What would he think? He would look amazing... and she would pass out from... a panic attack. She always sat in a power seat; no man had affected her. Biting her lip, she put on her perfume—a light, clean, crisp fragrance. She took a deep breath and held it, hoping that releasing it slowly should calm her nerves slightly. Why was she so jittery? Hell, last night they had kissed for quite a while. He was good at that—amazing, actually. Were they dating? Was she kidding herself? No, they weren't—they couldn't be until Christmas Eve. He had to make her laugh. If he didn't, then there could be no romance. Who wanted a sullen man with no sense of humor?

She jumped and her heart skipped several beats when she heard the doorbell ring. It was Kaiba—the clock on her wall told her so. She had to remain calm, approach slowly, and keep her wits about her. Wanting him too much would destroy her, show her hand, and give him control. Steady and sure, she walked to the door and opened it.

There he stood—leaning against the doorframe. He looked amazing in his tux... even better than she remembered him looking at the party—the night she started the contest.

"Aren't you going to invite me in?" He smirked at her wide eyes and soft blush.

"Of course..." She moved to allow him to enter.

He moved so gracefully. Last night had been different than tonight; last night had been more defined and less formal. Tonight was a date... a real date. She shut the door as he moved into the living room. Following him, she noted how he looked from this angle. She smiled; he was beautiful, no doubt about that. How would it be to walk in on his arm? To be his date? This was unfamiliar territory. Up to this point, she wasn't on the radarscope—tonight she would open herself to the barrage of reporters. He turned and looked at her—appreciating the dress.

"It fits." He shifted. "Are you ready?"

"As I'll ever be, I guess." She shrugged. She had wanted a compliment, but figured that was all she'd get.

She picked up her coat and he took it, holding it open for her. She slipped her arms in and adjusted. Why was this so awkward? Last night she was in his lap—kissing him with hunger. Stopping, she looked at him. Was he nervous at all?

"Where is Mokuba?" Her voice sounded so faint.

"Waiting in the limo, why?" He moved closer, catching the scent of her light perfume. She always smelt soapy—never fruity or overpowering. He liked it. Last night, he had been reluctant to remove his shirt; it had felt like a part of her still clung to him even though he had left her. The whole ride home, he could detect her lingering around him, just like an aura.

"I just thought..." She thought what? That he would kiss her? That he would hop on the couch and let her straddle him again and make out for half an hour? She felt the flush creep up her cheeks. Damn him.

"Thought what?" he asked, liking how she was at a loss for words. It was a change—a total switch. Usually, she had sharp barbs and cute comebacks. Her silence was sweet and so... entertaining.

"That he might come in? Or that I would kiss you if he didn't..." He leaned in close to her, his mouth inches from hers. He licked his lips, offering an invitation. She turned her head away. "Not feeling bold?"

Honey brown eyes snapped back to his deep blue ones. "Excuse me?" She huffed.

"Last night, you had no problem kissing me." There was that smirk again. She wondered if it was trademarked. She was now leaning against the wall; he had her cornered—one hand toying with her waist and the other resting on the wall next to her head.

"You were kissing me," she reminded him in a nasty tone; brown eyes narrowed.

"You climbed on my lap, if you don't recall." He moved a bit closer. Her slender hands grasped his coat's collar. Was it to push him away or pull him in? Her eyes searched his and then settled on his lips. Would she?

"You pulled me..." She attempted to push the blame on him.

"You're a liar..." he growled. The truth was on his side, actually.

"You're a scoundrel, Seto Kaiba... you shouldn't talk like that..." She blushed and tried to look away. How could he make her seem like the aggressor?

"What? Would you rather I lie? You did, and you also kissed me first..." He chuckled. She was playing innocent, but last night she was anything but that. He liked this coy side of her, but last night he had loved her aggressive side as well.

"Now you are a liar... you kissed me first." She pouted after announcing that, hearing his low growl.

"You pulled me to your lips... and really kissed me." He moved closer to her ear, his warm breath tantalizing her. "And I enjoyed every second of it. I liked it when you attacked me..."

She gasped at his words and pulled back.

"How dare you! I didn't attack you!" Fire and anger made her beauty even more splendid. He liked when she challenged and fought. Hardly a kitten—more like a tigress...

"You did... I was merely... sampling you when you became quite... hungry." He watched as her lips parted and her jaw fell open. "Would you like to kiss me again? I'll make it easy for you... I promise not to move until you do." Kaiba pressed his body closer to hers. A knot formed in his throat when her breath caught and then became more rapid.

"I don't want to kiss you, Kaiba..." It was barely a whisper.

"You'd deny yourself? To prove what? That you're stronger? Or, perhaps, that you're in control?" He brushed his nose against hers and she caught the faint aroma of peppermint. Had he been prepared to kiss her?

She knew she either had to kiss him or go crazy.

"If I lose control, would you stop me? What if I fell... would you catch me?" she questioned, lifting her eyes to look into his. Never before had his eyes looked so fixed and bewildering.

"Try me..." His lips skimmed hers—not kissing, just feathering. Her heart quickened.

The door slammed open. "Are you two coming?" Mokuba blushed when he saw the compromising position they were in. Kaiba quickly released Serenity, and she turned and walked back to the living room. She didn't get her kiss—how disappointing. Her lips fairly itched to be kissed by that man. Thankfully, Mokuba hadn't walked in on a kiss.

Last night's sweet session showed how out-of-hand they tended to get. Awful to witness, but tantalizing to enjoy—Kaiba's hands on her thighs, her fingers digging into his shoulders, their mouths tangled and tormenting each other. She smirked; they never did have any tea. What had she been thinking? She had to maintain control. No more erotic thoughts about him, at least not for the next few minutes... or seconds...

She returned with her purse and they walked to the limo—Kaiba's hand resting on the small of her back. Mokuba scampered into the front seat while Kaiba slid in next to her. She smiled, despite feeling annoyed with this man, yet again. He was arrogant, annoying, and testy... and she couldn't help but smile.

Mokuba was thankful that Seto hadn't yelled at poor Serenity for her last name. That would have been bad. His thoughts started to wander to what he would have to do to help, and he shuddered. This could be very bad, but Seto was holding up his end of the bargain. Mokuba wouldn't disappoint his big brother, no matter what the cost.

A/N: Not a thought…except next chapter will be a bit…um…interesting… Thank you for all the reviews! I can't believe how you all love this. To all my shadow readers…I hope you're enjoying the ride as well! Keep reviewing and I will try to keep entertaining!