A/N: Hello! Sorry for the delay... again. I've struggled trying to write this next chapter, but I managed it in the end. I'd also like to take the moment to thank everyone for their encouraging words. It really means so much to me that someone else has faith in me when I'm lacking, so as cheesy as that sounds, thanks. I am hoping to get back on track with this story and am aiming to get it finished before the new year. However, saying that, I've so far not been amazing at keeping on track with updating so... who knows. I've also been preoccupied with editing one of my other Fan fictions, Snow Child and uploading it to Inkitt. So, if anyone wants to check that out, please do so. It's written under the same account name of TheGeekInPink92. Anyway, enough of me babbling on.

Chapter 36

Bakura entered the bedroom almost tentatively. He was quietly impressed with the devastation the room had become. Everything that could possibly be broken, had been. He made his way cautiously around the dense forest of wreckage. He could hear her before he saw her. He rounded the bed and found the girl. Hina was sat in the corner of the room, huddled up and curled into a tight ball. Her face was buried in her arm and her body vibrated with the soft sobs still coming from her fragile frame. The urge to comfort the pathetic girl was more than it ever should have been. If the stains present hadn't been there, the scent would have given away her injuries. She was bleeding.

"Go away," The girls fragile voice spoke so softly he might have missed it. Bakura towered above her not wanting to let on how perplexed he was. He hadn't any idea of what to do. He doubted any attempt to try and comfort her would achieve anything. As he stood there, pondering over his options, Hina lifted her face from her arm and glared daggers at him. If he had thought she'd looked at him with hatred before, he had been wrong. The look of pure contempt across a battered, bruised and tear stained face would have scared almost anyone.

"I SAID LEAVE!" She screamed out. Bakura didn't flinch as he glared back at the girl coming apart at his feet.

"You're injured," He spoke coolly. Hina snorted with disdain.

"Are you only just figuring that one out?" Hina laughed cynically, "You did this to me. You may as well just kill me now, because I can't live in this world if you're in it," Hina whimpered deliriously. Bakura snorted. He sat down on the floor a short distance away from her.

"Do you really believe I'd give you the chance?" He demanded with a chuckle. Hina laughed coldly.

"Do you really think I'm giving you an option here?" Hina retorted through her sobs. She leaned back, her head resting upon the wall as she gazed up at the ceiling.

"I… I've never… hated… anyone… as much as I… do… you… right now," She choked out. Bakura sat without saying a thing as she spoke. He didn't want to interrupt her.

"I was willing… more than willing… to give you everything… I'd have done anything for you… So… why? Why take Osamu away from me…" Hina wept the last words barely distinguishable. Bakura stood up. He'd had enough. He couldn't stand to be around this pathetic little girl any further. He needed to get away from her. In the moment he felt revulsion, and knew it was more directed towards himself than he'd care to admit.

"You're to be under constant supervision. I don't trust you." He began as he turned his back on the girl.

"The feelings mutual," Hina snapped at him.

"You've ruined your room. You'll stay in mine from now on, where I can keep a constant eye on you." He sneered. She may very well hate him, but she wasn't escaping him anytime soon. Hina made an undistinguished noise of disgust and protest.

"Like hell I will!" She eventually snarled. Bakura looked back at her. The girl had gotten to her feet where she swayed precariously, her eyes finding his, anger burning deep within them. He turned back to face her. She was livid. He could almost feel the anger radiating off the girl.

"I can't bear to be near you, what in god's name makes you think I'll stay in the same room as you?" Hina snarled viciously.

"Give me your hand," Bakura barked the order, his eyes hardening as she challenged him.

"No." She spat in response, taking a step away from him.

"I literally was willing to give you everything… everything. Why, why did you take away the only person I had left?" Hina demanded, the words tumbling out of her mouth in a desperate bid to know the truth. Bakura felt his patience running thin. He had no intention of answering the girl's pathetic demands. He didn't have to answer to a simple slave girl. She was nothing and had no control here and he was sick of her thinking she did.

"Girl, give me your hand." He snapped, marching forwards. Hina tried to dodge away from him but she was weak. Her injuries slowed her down and her body was slow and unresponsive from crying so much. He grabbed her arm and pulled her hand out. He inspected the wounds upon her palm as she tried and failed to squirm away from him. The cut was fairly deep, blood still seeping from the broken skin as he watched, although not rapidly enough to cause him severe worry.

"Stupid girl," He mused reaching into his pocket. When he retracted his hand, his fingers were clutching onto a roll of gauze.

"What? Now you decide to be caring?" Hina spat savagely, trying to jerk her hand from his grasp, but failing. Her exertions had made her weak.

"Girl, if I have to physically restrain you to see to your hand, I swear I won't be gentle about it," He growled in response, yanking her arm closer to him, causing her to stumble. Bakura, ignoring Hina's protests, proceeded to dress the wound with the gauze. He wrapped it around her hand several times before tying it off and tucking the ends beneath one of the layers.

"Wasn't so bad, was it?" He sneered at her as she pulled her hand back and took a few steps back, putting as much distance as she could between herself and the monster stood before her.

"Go to hell!" Hina retorted before sinking back down into her corner and burying her head in her arm once again. She couldn't give a damn that the man who had caused her such pain was still present. She would never escape him and she knew that. That didn't mean it didn't pain her. she was resigned to her fate, that didn't mean she couldn't hate it.

"Follow me," He barked the order from somewhere above Hina. She wanted to laugh at his attempts to make her obey him. He'd long since lost that privilege. She wouldn't follow him obediently. Hell, if she had to do it, she'd follow orders kicking, screaming and protesting.

"Girl, I'm not going to ask again," He snapped, agitated. Hina lifted her head up to glare at him.

"Good." She snarled back. He glared back at her furiously.

"The problem here, my King, is you have no leverage any more. You have taken everything that ever mattered from me. You have no control over me now because anything you do to me doesn't matter anymore." Hina laughed coldly. Bakura felt his temper rising at the girl's comments. She had nothing left here? He doubted that very much. He could kill everybody on this pathetic planet, if he wanted to. He could hurt anyone who put a toe out of line. He was pretty sure he would be able to find someone on this worthless ball of rock that would matter to the girl sat snivelling at his feet. She was foolish for challenging him. Then, the answer occurred to him. A smirk split across his face. He knew very well of whom the girl still cared for. He glanced around the floor, searching. His eyes landed on what he required. He walked the few paces towards it and stooped down. He picked up the shard of mirror the girl had equipped herself with. When he straightened up, he examined it. There were streaks of red across its surface and he knew it was Hina's blood. She was watching him cautiously, fear flitting ever so slightly across her expression.

Hina watched him feeling rather perplexed and also a little bit afraid. What was he up to? Did he really think threatening her would work? She would welcome death over sticking near this maniac. She couldn't bear to be anywhere near him. She watched as a look of concentration flashed across the man's face. She wanted to speak, to ask him what the hell he was up to, but she bit back her words as she watched him. He was staring at his left hand. Moments passed by and still he did nothing. Hina was about to question him when he moved. His left arm went limp. He smirked with triumph.

"What are you doing?" Hina demanded exasperated. She wanted him gone. She couldn't bear being this close to him. He had nothing to threaten her with anymore, nothing he could do to control her. He had taken every single person she cared about away. What more could he do to her? Kill her? Hina would welcome it at this point. Hina was just about to open her mouth and point that out to him again when he moved. He lifted his left arm up, his palm facing the ceiling. His right hand, the mirror shard clutched in it, went crashing through the air in an arc before he imbedded the jagged piece of mirror in his left palm. Hina jumped and stared at him as if he really had gone mad.

"What the hell are you doing?" Hina demanded more panicked this time. Bakura looked up at her, a malicious grin crossing his face. His left hand was twitching about in obvious pain. The agony however never seemed to cross over Bakura's expression. He still clutched the mirror shard in his right hand and began to twist it around agonizingly slowly.

"What… You think causing yourself harm will give you an upper hand? Are you crazy? I want you dead. I want you in pain," Hina spat viciously getting to her feet. She intended to lock herself in the bathroom, trying to put as much distance between herself and the maniac inflicting pain upon himself.

"Not me…" He growled back. Hina glared at him. He laughed before pulling the makeshift blade out of his own hand. Blood splattered across the floor. He stabbed at his hand again.

"What are you doing?" Hina cried out almost feeling hysterical. Bakura grinned, flashing his teeth.

"Should I take a finger next?" He demanded with amusement. Hina gulped, completely lost. Had he really lost it?

"Why should I care?" Hina replied in a voice that wasn't as strong as she'd wanted. She couldn't lie to herself, she was afraid as she watched him torture himself.

"Because… girl… I've allowed my pathetic host to regain control over part of his body… I'll let you guess which part," He snarled before licking his lips, thoroughly enjoying his plan. Hina felt her stomach drop as nausea swept over her as she finally clicked on to what his plan actually was. He wasn't hurting himself, not at the moment. He was attacking Ryo. Hina couldn't believe it was actually possible for him to give Ryo control over just a single part of his body, but she believed him now. She couldn't afford not to believe him.

"My precious Host can feel every stab of pain, every drop of his blood I spill and he can do nothing but endure the agony," Bakura growled through gritted teeth as he harshly tore the shard out of his palm once more.

"So… Shall I start with his little finger? His Index finger? Maybe the ring finger…" He snarled his eyes almost turning crimson with blood lust. Hina's mouth had dropped open at the entire revelation, but at his words she felt herself come back to life. She didn't really believe he would cut off his own finger, after all, it was still the body he inhabited, but Hina didn't want to chance it. There really was no knowing what he would do if pushed to it. Hina couldn't deny the man's damn integrity. Despite everything, he'd found her weakness, one she wasn't really aware of having. There was no way she would let Ryo suffer without trying to stop it.

"The entire hand it is," He sneered at her before lifting the blade once more. He was about to bring it crashing down to slice and cut at the flesh.

"No! No, please stop!" Hina cried out moving forwards. She hated herself for admitting defeat, but there was no alternative.

"I… You can't hurt him… okay… I'll go with you, just… stop it…" Hina spluttered. She was beside herself with terror at the very thought of the lengths he'd go to control her. She would play along. For now at least. She couldn't forgive him, would never forgive the spirit for taking everyone away from her, but… he was right. Ryo was still there, even if she barely ever saw him. He was still there and still a person that needed protecting. So, until she could figure everything out, she had no choice.

Bakura was watching her, eyes narrowed as he watched her wide panicked eyes. They were like windows which made it incredibly easy for him to witness the internal battle she was having with herself. It amused him more than anything to know such a simple plan on his behalf had changed her mind completely. She would continue to be his, for the sakes of his pathetic host. She wouldn't turn him down. His sadistic little performance had shocked her back into having the fight he liked about her. His right hand, holding the knife, hovered above his left hand as he waited. She had already accepted her fate, but he wanted the words to come from her lips again.

"Please… put the knife down," Hina whispered moving closer to the monster she wanted to flee from. She dared not touch him but she met his sadistic glare with determination.

"I'll do what you ask… okay? I'll follow you. I'll stay where ever the hell you want me to, just don't… no more… please," She practically begged him, her eyes filling up with tears. Despite his best efforts, Bakura felt himself soften towards the broken girl. He lowered his hand and the shard of mirror dropped from his clutches. Without thinking about it, he reached out to the girl and wrapped her into his embrace. She didn't fight it, but she didn't reciprocate it.

"Your friend isn't lost to you," He spoke. Hina heard him and squeezed her eyes closed, burying her face into his chest as tears fell down her face. His voice didn't sound like him, but nor did it sound like Ryo. It was yet again as if they were merging together to talk. It scared Hina, but she couldn't do anything to help. She allowed herself to indulge in the moment, knowing she'd deal with the guilt later.

"His body is being looked after and will continue to be until I feel I can put his soul back… I won't allow him to die,"

Hina followed after him without complaint. She walked slightly behind him as they marched down the corridors, flanked on both sides by members of the king's guard. Hina glanced around them, wondering if they really thought all this security was necessary. She was a tiny girl, what did they really expect her to be capable of doing? Then again, she knew underestimating her would be a big mistake. They reached the all too familiar golden door after barely minutes of walking. Hina glared up at it as if it offended her. Bakura pushed the door open and entered the room, Hina following after him, a sigh escaping her lips. She knew there was no use fighting this. She would lose. The room was how it always was. The king's large imposing bed immediately drawing attention to itself. The shelves were as they always were and the table in the centre of the room with an array of objects upon its surface. It took Hina a few precious seconds to notice the change in the room. At the far left of the room the usual furniture, stolen treasures and statues, had been replaced by a simplistic single bed. Hina felt a sense of relief, somehow knowing this was for her. She was glad as she would have point blank refused to sleep next to the King and she doubted she'd get a huge amount of sleep on the floor. The door swung shut behind Hina and she jumped at the sound. She was left alone in the room with Bakura. She stayed where she was, wondering if he'd bark orders at her.

"That's yours," He spoke gruffly, pointing towards the small bed. Hina nodded, already well aware of this fact. She wandered over to it and sat down upon the squashy mattress. She felt exhausted. Her face was red and puffy from crying so much. She just wanted to sleep. As she lifted her legs up onto the surface of the bed, Bakura wandered over to her. She eyed him suspiciously. He stood, towering above her. With a simple wave of his hand, Hina felt power radiate from him. She sat up terrified. That's when she felt it. She glanced down at her feet and watched as a gold cuff materialised on her ankle. A chain began to form from it and it snaked across the surface of the bed until it dipped over the edge. Hina sat up and watched as it finished in a second cuff that fused to the bed. Hina stared up at Bakura, a look of disbelief across her face. He responded by grinning smugly.

"What… what is this?" Hina asked her voice breaking. She was exhausted. It wasn't hard to tell, the day had been trying on her. She lifted the chain up with her bandaged hand.

"So I know where you are," He replied coolly, despite his amused expression. Hina shook her head and laid back down. She really didn't have the energy for this fight. She really needed to sleep.

"Like I'm capable of going anywhere," She muttered under her breath as she shifted her position on the bed so she could face away from the man looming over her. She didn't want to see him, she didn't want anything to do with the maniac. Then Hina remembered. She turned back around and glared back up at him.

"Is… is Ryo still in control of… of your hand?" She stuttered. Bakura glanced down towards his left hand which was covered in dried blood. He shook his head and saw the girl exhale with relief.

"Please… get your hand seen to… get it fixed… don't… don't do anything like that again… okay?" Hina mumbled as she closed her eyes. Bakura watched her feeling confused. He should hate the girl. He should have killed her or worse. She didn't deserve anything from him, she'd betrayed him and a part of his soul was yelling to him that she hadn't nearly suffered enough. Despite his best instincts, he couldn't hurt her further. He thought she had suffered enough. She was broken. He knew he'd gone too far and broke her. He felt an unfamiliar feeling spreading through his chest and it was a sensation he didn't like. Guilt. As he walked away from the girl, he couldn't stop his anger at himself from building up. He exited the room, slamming the door behind him as he went. Out in the hallway, Bakura closed his eyes, taking a few moments to attempt to regain control of his emotions. If he didn't he wasn't sure just what he would do, but most certainly they would include marching back into the room he'd just exited. As he stood there, trying to regain control, he heard hurried footsteps heading his way. His eyes snapped open and he turned his head. One of his many soldiers was walking towards him. The man was a lower rank officer, a disposable piece of trash. Bakura felt his temper flare before the man even reached him.

"Your highness… There's an issue in sector 3…" The man began to speak, sounding nervous. Bakura let out a growl that rippled from his mouth monstrously. He launched forwards and wrapped his hand around the man's throat before his pathetic words finished spilling from his thin lips. Bakura squeezed his grip hard and watched with satisfaction as the man's pathetic face turned red and he spluttered. Bakura slammed the man against the wall hard before releasing his grip. He watched as the man slumped to the floor, still gasping for breath.

"Sort it yourself," He spat angrily. Bakura turned away from the man and stalked down the corridor.