So marching season just finished yesterday, and I just got back home this morning from championships. But as I promised, I would have a chapter ready by the time the season ended. And here it is…I spent the early afternoon finishing the second half, so you'd better be happy. Haha, just playing around.

Anyway, thanks to my reviewers! Since I can't answer them here now…I'll have to send you the replies. It'll be so much harder…I have to delete all the other replies, now. But those are my problems, not yours. On with the story!

Serenity stared dismally out of a window, wishing she was anywhere but here. She had come home from a peaceful walk around the city to a brother with darkened spirits. The comfort of the familiar surroundings that she felt she had needed to enjoy again had made her happy again. Opening the door had destroyed it. "We need to talk, Serenity." Those had been his first words.

Just those few words—and his expression—had been enough to tell her what happened. Kaiba had called the house saying something that Joey didn't like hearing, and it had to do with her. And what he said afterward—"I thought I told you we were done with Kaiba and Mokuba"—had only confirmed her thoughts. Well, what could she do now but listen to what he had to say?

Joey sighed, plopping down onto the couch. She knew he had been eating chips and watching TV before the call had come from the remote control that had sat beside a bag of chips. Now, they were gone, her brother not in the spirits to enjoy them anymore.

"He said he didn't want your help anymore." He said that bluntly, without preamble.

His sister continued to stare out the window from the chair, feeling his gaze on her back. "I know," she replied softly. "But I asked him if I could help again anyway."

"Why? There's no use trying to help a man like him. He has all the technology possible to find Mokuba. He's used to working alone anyway."

"I…I don't know. It just felt right. I know you don't want me to be with him so much, big brother, but I can't help it."

Silence hung in the air, heavy and oppressing. She felt the emptiness of his gaze moving away from her. "Don't you get it, Serenity? It's not because of him I'm concerned about you doing what you want, but you. I'm not trying to make your choices for you, or keep you from doing what you want, but what you're choosing is…"

"What, Joey?"

"It—It's not something I can just put into words. I just don't feel that it's right for you to neglect all of your friends for him. I understand now that you're friends, and I can't do anything short of breaking your heart to stop it, but Yugi, Tea, Tristan, and I feel as if you're leaving us behind."

She turned around to face him. He was looking up at the ceiling, hands behind his head, as if he could find the answers there. "I—I didn't mean to do that. I guess I've been so caught up with everything I wanted to do, I've just supposed that it would be okay with you. You've always understood before…I guess I really wasn't thinking about it. I'm sorry."

Joey bent down and put his face in his hands. "No, no, it's not that. We understand, and it's okay with us. I mean, we never really get much of a chance to see you anyway." He paused. "What am I doing trying to explain this to you? I'm not the right person to do it. I can't even figure out what I'm trying to say."

She watched her brother in silence, waiting for him to say something else. Eventually, after what seemed an eternity of listening to the clock ticking away the seconds, he said, "Well, we might as well prepare dinner."

However, none of them stood up to start. They stayed in their seats, Joey examining his hands in a hunched position, Serenity twisted from the window. "What is it, Joey?" she asked softly. "What aren't you telling me?"

He sighed. "Yugi, Tea, Tristan, and the others are coming over later. Around six or six-thirty. They called while you were gone. I was going to tell you, but…" He left his reason hanging in the air.

"Oh. Okay." His sister looked down at her hands, unable to look at her brother. They used to never keep secrets from each other, even when they had been hundreds of miles apart. Now, even together, it seemed so different. A rift was starting to grow between them, and she couldn't bear it. Yet she couldn't bear it that her brother was blaming it all on her, either, and the attitude that she had always thought to be so caring before seemed to be…well, tiresome, now. Not saying another word, she pushed herself out of the chair and walked out of the room quietly.

Both of them were still silent and unwilling to talk when the doorbell rang for the first time. They quickly glanced at the other, then Joey quickly went to the door. It was Tea.

"Hey, Joey." She smiled gratefully as she walked in the door. It wasn't until she had taken off her shoes and turned around to address her friend once more when she noticed Serenity standing nearby. "Oh, hi, Serenity." She smiled and walked over to her, not noticing the shadow across the older sibling's face as he backed off into the kitchen. "How's everything? Are you feeling better?"

Serenity tried her best to be her usual and charming self. "Yeah, I guess. I'm getting used to it," she lied.

"Oh, well that's good. Tristan and Duke won't act so…odd…anymore." She shook her head. "You have no idea how crazy they've been. They almost seem like someone else."

She smiled in reply, knowing that her friend was trying to explain their concerns for a girl they liked more than what was usual.

Just then, Joey came back in. "Do you want anything, Tea? Anything to drink, or something to eat?" he asked.

"Hmm…" Tea mused. "Maybe a glass of juice? I've got to admit, that walk made me a bit thirsty."

"Well," he said, walking back to the kitchen and opening the door to their small refrigerator and rummaging a bit, "we have apple juice and some cranberry-grape juice. Which one?"

"I think I'll have some of the cranberry-grape."

Joey took out a tall glass from a cabinet and slowly poured in the juice. "Here you are, Tea."

"Thanks," she acknowledged gratefully.

Over the course of fifteen minutes, the rest of them came over. The arrival of Yugi and Tristan didn't surprise her, but as more people came, the more suspicious she became. Why were they all meeting here? Duke, Mai, and even Ryou came. It seemed a bit awkward that they were meeting in their cramped house instead of Mr. Motou's game shop, where they usually met.

Slowly, they settled in the living room, each of them with a drink in hand—except for Serenity—and a few snacks out on the table. They were mostly talking about school gossip and joking around with each other, seeming as if they were just hanging around. She hung back, standing in the corner, not really able to join and feeling left out about something they were hiding. The whole thing about coming over to hang out seemed false, like an act to shadow something so obvious.

She was looking around the room for the hundredth time, trying to keep herself from becoming any more bored than she already was, when she caught Duke's eye. She quickly looked away again, not wanting to be bothered by him, either, but it was too late. He made his way over to her.

"Hey, Serenity," he greeted. He hadn't been talking too much, either.

She tried to take away the boredom; instead of friendliness that had always been so easy for her to reach, she found herself wishing that she was off by herself. Not able to make eye contact, she simply kept silent. She felt sick inside and nowhere near feeling like having a conversation.

"You okay? Is something bothering you?"

"No, I'm fine," she said.

"Are you sure? You look like something's nagging at you." He waited for a reply. When he didn't get one, he changed the topic. "Did you get any news about Kaiba or his brother? Has he decided to let us help yet?"

She shook her head slightly. Why couldn't he just get the clue that she didn't want him near her right now?

Duke sighed. "That jerk. He knows we can help him, but he's just too damn high and mighty to let us do anything. Well, at least he won't be rubbing off on any of us anytime soon, now. He'll be too busy."

She immediately felt something tighten inside of her, something that seemed almost foreign to her. "You don't know him," she said quietly.

"What is there to know about a man like him, Serenity? He's nothing but a egotistical CEO that thinks he controls the world by his word. There's nothing else to it." He leaned over a bit and peered into her face. "By the way, where have you been the last week? We've been trying to send you an invitation to meet with us, but you haven't answered except for now. Is anything happening now?"

"No," she lied again. The little knot inside seemed to grow within her, and it made her feel sick.

"Are you sure? I mean…" he trailed off.

"Yes." She turned away from him and looked out the window.

"Hey, Serenity," a voice interrupted.

She quickly looked over to recognize Yugi's voice. He tried a smile. "Hey, um…before you left, did Kaiba say anything about us being able to help?"

Serenity hesitated. "No," she finally said. Something felt wrong.

"Oh. Okay." Yugi was silent for a few moments. No one else spoke. "Well, you know that Joey told me about…that already, right?"

Serenity, who was looking out the window once more, immediately turned around. Her eyes, full of hurt and betrayal, found their way to her brother. How could he? She thought she could trust him, even if he hadn't been exactly happy about it. She said nothing in reply.

"What do you mean, Yugi?" Mai asked.

"He means that she just got rehired," Joey answered flatly for his friend. "Without telling me anything about it at all."

His sister laughed softly, bitterly, incredulously. "How can you say that? I didn't even know until you told me when I got home."

"I'm sure he didn't decide to let you work again just out of the blue," he shot back. "What did you do, huh, that made him change his mind?"

"I don't know. I just…talked to him after school, that's all."

"And it never occurred to you to ask him if we were going to do anything? Do you really think I like letting you around him alone like that?"

"Why don't you go ask him yourself, then? Why don't you tell him yourself?"

"Because it doesn't matter if you don't follow my instructions. It doesn't—"

"Your instructions? I'm sorry, Joey, but I think it's time I live by my own rules. I can decide what I feel like doing myself. And if it's wrong, I'll find out myself and fix it next time. I don't need you to tell me which is right and which isn't."

"You don't, huh?" Joey turned around, a shadow falling over his features. "Alright then. I guess you don't need me to provide for you either. Why don't you go find another home for yourself?"

Their friends, who had been silent the whole time, gasped. What had happened to the two siblings that had once been so close and inseparable? Where were the people that they knew, the stubborn but loving one and the kind and shy one? Where had they gone?

Serenity glared at him as tears built up in her eyes. "Fine, Joey, I will. If that's what it takes for me to be able to have my own freedom, then why not?" An angry tear fell from the corner of her eye. She turned towards the door. "Don't count on seeing me again anytime soon."

The door slammed behind her before the faces of those that she used to trust the most.

Serenity ran down the street, the tears blinding her vision. She didn't know where she was going, she didn't care where she was going. She just had to get away. She let her legs carry her wherever they went, never stopping at an intersection. She simply ran as the rain started to fall.

The conversations ran again and again through her head. This one, the first one, the ones that never even got anywhere. All of it seemed to torment her now, no longer making any sense. Faster, she had to run faster. If she didn't, she would never get away from them. It was no stopping.

If my parents were still here…

If Joey wasn't my brother…

If they had accepted Seto more…

If Mokuba had never been gone in the first place…

If she had never even tried to help…

If—

If love could be so much simpler.

She startled herself with that thought. Love? What did she know about it? She had never fallen in love with anyone, never received it from family or friends. She had thought so then, but now she knew, it was all a lie. What Joey had shown her was never brotherly love, but his way of getting what he wanted without her ever figuring out. They deserved those lies she had told them, for what they had done.

But what was it really? She knew he had done the best he could to raise her, and her friends to stay by her side. What had made her say those terrible things, and to lie right before them?

She ran on as the thoughts continued to chase her and devour at her heart, leaving her feeling empty inside with no more than hurt and pain.

"I can't believe you said that, Joey!" Mai shouted after the silence. "You knucklehead! She's your sister, not just some friend!"

He walked past her and shoved her roughly out of his way. "I don't need you to tell me what to do. Get out of my way."

She stared at him, shocked, as he walked down the hallway and slammed his door behind him. "Joey…" she whispered.

Tea walked over to the couch and hugged her friend gently. "Don't take what he said seriously. He's just so worked up that he said things he never meant to say."

"I know," Mai whispered. "It's just…" How could she reveal what she felt? Her dreams, her wishes, her thoughts…they were shattered.

"Oh, Mai," Tea whispered in reply, staring ahead of her to Yugi. She knew exactly what Mai felt, her own feelings for another duelist in the room just as strong. "I know, I know."

The four remaining boys stared at each other uncertainly. "I—I think we should go now," Ryou forced out. It was the first time he had been able to speak through the whole thing. "I don't think Joey wants us here anymore."

"You're right," Tristan said. "Well, so much for this get together," he muttered.

"Come on, let's get out. I don't want to stay in this dump anymore," grumbled Duke. "Let's leave."

They walked out together, a sullen group relying on each other to go on. They were so much smaller now.

Kaiba was walking through the rain like the rest of them, his thoughts unsettled and restless. Maybe walking home today would do some good, he had thought. When it had started raining, he began to wish he had just stayed inside and kept working. It was miserable out here, so gray and dreary. It was no help, here.

He was just about to turn back around, with everything he had packed up to work on at home in his briefcase now ready to be left at the office instead, when he felt someone run into him from behind. He grunted in surprise as he was thrown at the wall of the store beside him. He turned around to look at what had hit him.

He saw a short girl that barely reached his chest, dark auburn hair soaking wet and dripping. He was surprised to see that she was running around in no more than a pair of jeans, shoes, and a shirt. "Sorry," she muttered, ready to resume her fleeing.

"Wait a second," he said under his breath, grabbing at the girl's upper arm. He peered at her face. "Serenity? What are you doing running around in the rain like that? Aren't you supposed to be home?"

The girl looked up with hazel green eyes filled with tears, rain running down her hair and her face. He saw that her clothes were soaked all the way through, and could feel her shivering. Her eyes widened. She buried her face in his shirt without a word.

He was too surprised to move at first. Slowly, though, he let his briefcase fall to his side and let his arms come around her to hold her close. It seemed so warm to know that someone was still depending on him and needing to rely on his strength. But why her?

He searched for the answers through the rain, standing against the wall under an overhang with a girl in his arms. He couldn't find any.

So, did you like it? I personally thought it was cute…from now on, things will start to get faster. It'll get better, I promise you. Review, please!