Title: Wish (8/9)

Author: WhosJeebus

Rating: M

Pairing(s): Joey/Seto, scads of others, & even a few surprises

Beta: Jennie B.

Spoilers: Some mentions of Battle City, and vague references to general
events from the anime series

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, but if someone wants to give it to
me as a Christmas gift, I certainly won't argue about it...

Summary: Seto won't be home for the holidays, but can Joey's friends
and family manage to show him a holly jolly time, anyway? Sometimes,
Christmas miracleshappen in the most unexpected of ways...

A/N: I am lame, lazy, and frequently depressed. But, I am alive.I was also kind of hospitalized for a while, too. NOT in a mental institution, smart-asses. Anyway, as well all know, Me teh suck. Hope you enjoy the eighth chapter, and aren't inclined to hurl bricks at me if you pass me on the street. (much hugs and kisses and various other methods of apology)

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Chapter 8:
(Christmas Eve)

It was dark when Joey exited through the side door of the now-silent and deserted mall, and he ducked his head down inside the collar of his coat to protect himself from the wind and bitter chill. With only the top half of his face exposed to the cold, he lifted his eyes to glance up at the night time sky, seeking any visible evidence of the blizzard that was supposedly bearing down on them at this very moment. Despite the occasional, frigid gusts that quickened his breathing and sent shivers down his spine, Joey could still discern large swaths of clear blackness peeking through the clouds, the inky patchwork liberally sprinkled with a dusting of bright stars. The sight was dramatic, even somewhat mesmerizing, which was probably why he missed seeing the horse -- right up until the point where he walked into the side of it.

He fell back on the frozen pavement with a loud grunt, only to hear a familiar, girlish giggle from somewhere above him. "Serenity?"

She came over and helped him back up onto his feet, still laughing. "Merry Christmas, big brother! I'm sorry; I probably should have warned you to watch out, but you just looked so cute all bundled up and staring at the sky. Just like a little boy!"

Blushing, Joey grinned sheepishly at his little sister, and then focused his attention on the bizarre spectacle behind her. "You know, when I parked my car here this morning, it was still just a plain, old Toyota. This... " He indicated the waiting horse and sleigh with a sweep of his hand, "Is somethin' new altogether. Don't tell me this is what happens when the warranty's up."

"No, silly." Serenity climbed up inside the sleigh and patted the plush, velvet seat beside her. "I hope you don't mind, but I had Mokuba drive your car on over to the party at the Black Crown. Which, by the way, you're still invited to if you've changed your mind. But for now, you and I are going to take a little ride in a one horse open sleigh. Now quit stalling and hop on up here!"

Joey eyed the massive Clydesdale with distrust, and shuffled his feet. "Are you sure you know how to handle this thing?" He jerked a thumb toward the horse and stage-whispered, "Because he looks pretty vicious, if you ask me."

"Her name is Myrtle, and she's got the disposition of a kitten. Besides, Rebecca taught me everything she knows about horses, so you'll be perfectly safe with me, cowboy. Now climb aboard and let's get this show on the road. Or didn't you know that there's a storm coming?"

Joey seated himself in the small sleigh with trepidation, and despite her urging to the contrary, Serenity seemed in no great hurry to get anywhere soon as she expertly guided them through the winding streets of downtown Domino. Their leisurely pace took them past a number of landmarks that they remarked on from their childhood, each bringing its own memories and associations with it. The old, abandoned church that the neighborhood kids had routinely dared each other to enter was now a vacant lot, though the creepy, old cemetery still stood next to it, ageless and untouched. When they drove up beside the wrought-iron gate that marked the entrance to Domino City Park, Serenity pulled the sleigh over to the curb, sighing wistfully when she spotted the closed and chained gate. "Phooey. I was hoping to at least get a peek inside. I haven't had a chance to visit since I moved back, and this place was practically a second home to me when we were kids."

The park's entrance was situated on top of one of the largest hills in Domino, and the two siblings paused there a moment to gaze down at the serene, snow-covered landscape of their home town. Serenity reached over and took Joey's hand in her own, rubbing it briskly with her gloved fingers when she felt the older boy's shivering. "Joey! You're half frozen! Why didn't you say something?" She reached down into one of several paper shopping bags at her feet and produced a matching green set of gloves, a winter hat, and a warm, woolen scarf. "No point saving these til tomorrow, I guess. There are plenty more presents with your name on them, but you need these now." She scooted over and began wrapping her brother in the protective garments, patiently tolerating his squirming and good-natured fussing until she was satisfied with the results. "There. Now you'll stay toasty warm."

"Thanks, sis. These are really nice. Not like the itchy kind that Dad always bought."

At the mention of their father, Serenity's smile faltered slightly. "I'm really sorry we can't make your big dinner tomorrow, but I'm still looking forward to meeting Kim. What's she like?"

"Trust me, you'll love her. She's a great cook, she's funny, and she's got the patience of a saint."

"Well, she'd have to in order to put up with that infamous Wheeler temper. Although some Wheelers are worse than others..."

Joey narrowed his eyes and gave his sister a playful nudge. "What's that supposed to mean?"

She smiled at him and took the reins once more, continuing a bit further over the rise and guiding them clear of the yellow circles of light cast by the streetlamps. The view here was even more spectacular, providing not only a wide vista in which to gaze down upon the city, but also affording unlimited visibility of tonight's vast, star-filled sky. Ignoring the awe-inspiring sight for the moment, Serenity turned sideways in her seat and focused all of her attention on the young man beside her. "Joey, I think we need to have a talk."

He'd heard from various sources that no good could come from a woman uttering those words, but he had no idea what sort of lecture to anticipate from his sister, of all people.

But, instead of a lecture, he was treated to hazel eyes full of love and concern, and a gentle hand on his knee. "How are you holding up, big brother? And before you answer that question, keep in mind that I can always tell when you're lying."

"That why I never play poker with you," he joked. "Honestly? I'm doin' OK. I miss Seto like crazy, but I've had a lot on my plate to keep me busy, and all my friends have been great. I think I'll pull through."

"Speaking of your friends..." Serenity leaned over and pinched Joey's cheek playfully. "I hear that you've been making quite an impression on them lately with your little 'love doctor' routine."

Joey shrugged. "Meddling helps to pass the time."

"Well, I'd like to thank you for your 'meddling', and for having that little talk with Tristan the other day. It's really helped out a lot with our current situation. Did you know, he actually sat down with me and Duke and poured his heart out? I always thought that getting water from a stone would be easier, but he spilled everything -- his doubts about my commitment, his feelings for Duke... the whole enchilada, as he called it. I don't even want to think about how badly things might have gotten out of hand if you hadn't convinced him that he needed to open up."

Joey gazed upward and tried to look innocent. "That's good to hear. Are things gonna work out for you guys, you think?"

It was Serenity's turn to shrug. "Who can say for sure? I know I could never choose between the two of them, because that means one of them would be hurt, and I couldn't bear for that to happen. And I could never ask them to choose between each other and me for the same reason. Never, in my wildest dreams, did I imagine that those two would ever come to any sort of agreement or compromise. It boggles my mind." She tilted her head to the side and winked at Joey, a sly grin spreading slowly across her face. "As far as I'm concerned, I'm just the common denominator in a perfect equation, and to top it all off, those two together are totally hot."

Joey wrapped his arms around his head and began rocking back and forth. "Gah! I really didn't need to know that. Now all I wanna do is march on over to that party and beat the crap outta both of them." He looked up again after a moment, and tugged playfully at a lock of Serenity's chestnut hair. "Weird as it is, I'm happy for you -- all three of you -- and if anything I said or did had somethin' to do with it, then that just goes to show you how good I am at tellin' other people what to do. I should be runnin' this whole damn place in no time..."

"I see that Seto's megalomania is finally starting to rub off on you. If I were you, I'd maybe try starting out a bit smaller. Will you be setting up your advice stand any time soon, Joey Van Pelt?"

Laughing at the thought, Joey deflected his sister's comments and continued to play up his part as the modest mediator. Even faint praise made him uncomfortable in these types of situations, and he knew that Serenity was one of a very small number of people with the ability to see right through his brash, braggart's exterior.

"Look. Everything that's gone on over the past few days has been completely unintentional. I mean, they're the ones that were s'posed to be cheerin' me up, for fuck's sake. I don't like to go stickin' my nose in where it's not wanted, but I can't stand seein' the people I care about unhappy, either. If I'm able to figure out a way to help them solve their problems, then I can't just let it go. You should know that better than anybody, so no thanks necessary, OK?" His amber eyes pleaded with her to let him off the hook, change the subject, just... anything but the mushy stuff. Unfortunately, despite his knack for handing out advice, Joey Wheeler rarely had the faintest idea what was best for himself.

Serenity was aware of all this already, and she merely patted his cheek reassuringly. "I know, and I'm glad you've been able to help so many people with your own insight and experience. It shows an amazing amount of true Christmas spirit, and I can't tell you how thrilled I am to see it. I spent a lot of time worrying about you after Mom and Dad split up, especially around the holidays. I sometimes heard stories from Mom, and some of the other relatives that were still living in Domino; things that just made me heartsick. Even worse was knowing that I was helpless; that there was nothing I could do for either of you back then. All I could do was wonder whether or not you'd be able to find your way back from that dark place on your own. I hadn't even seen you, or talked to you, in ages, so I prayed that you were still strong enough to recapture the soul of that sweet, little boy I used to know."

Joey's face was flaming scarlet with embarrassment by now, and he was desperate to move on to a safer topic of conversation. Sure, the holidays were supposed to be about sharing, and togetherness, but there simply had to be limits or guidelines for these kinds of things... "Hey, I'm the older brother here, so I'm it's my job to be the worrier in the family. It's me who's supposed to want to take care of you; not the other way around. Get it straight next time."

Realizing that Joey wasn't going to drop his defenses so easily, Serenity leaned back against the seat and sighed in frustration. "And you have taken care of me, Joey. You've given me a lifetime's worth of support and affection, and that's just over the past few years. You gave me my sight, brought me back into a real family, introduced me to the two greatest loves of my life. I wouldn't be the same person I am today, if it weren't for you. Surely you can see that by now?"

"Aww... you're makin' me all misty-eyed here."

Growling irritably, Serenity punched her brother lightly in the stomach and declared, "I give up. You're hopeless."

"Yeah, but you love me anyway."

Despite the light-hearted banter, somber, busy thoughts churned in both siblings' minds, and they fell into a comfortable silence together. Serenity rested her head on Joey's shoulder, and the two gazed up at the stars, captivated by the stunning show that the cosmos, and Mother Nature herself, seemed to be putting on just for them. Darkened storm clouds swirled and maneuvered above them, alternately revealing and hiding the constellations from their view, and the overall effect was nothing less than breathtaking. While his younger sister remained motionless with her eyes glued to the heavens, it seemed that the timeless, atmospheric dance exerted limited power over Joey's wayward attention span. Yawning, he looked away for a split second, only to whip his head back around at the sound of Serenity's startled gasp.

"Joey! Did you see that?"

"See what?"

"A shooting star!"

"Nope. Missed it."

"Oh! I have to make a wish on it!"

Serenity closed her eyes tight and concentrated, while Joey looked on, puzzled by this odd behaviour. The intensity she displayed bespoke a private, practiced ritual, and he felt a bit like an intruder for having witnessed it. Opening her eyes once more, she smiled brightly at the bemused expression on her brother's face. "There. All I have to do now is wait."

"You seem pretty confident that it's gonna come true." Joey glanced over at Myrtle. "You didn't happen to wish for a pony by any chance, did you?

Serenity laughed. "Of course not! A wish on a shooting star is too precious to waste on something trivial. I'll have you know that I've never made a wish on a falling star that didn't come true," she said proudly. "Although, maybe not always in the way that I had hoped..."

"What? You mean like in a gruesome, 'monkey's paw' kinda way?"

"No! It's more like..." A worried expression flashed across her face for a moment, but then she chuckled at her own silliness. "I guess the not-telling rule doesn't apply if the wish has already come true, huh?" Thinking back, she spoke slowly, hesitantly. "The first wish I remember making was when I was eight. I stood at my bedroom window late one night when you were asleep, and I was scared stiff that you were going to wake up and make fun of me. I just wanted Mom and Dad to stop fighting..." Averting her eyes, Serenity stared off into distance. "Well, it turns out that's exactly what I got, but I also lost you in the process. After that, I didn't make any more wishes for a long, long time."

Joey was speechless at Serenity's confession. In lieu of words, he slipped a comforting arm around his sister's shoulders and gave her a gentle squeeze of encouragement.

"More than anything, I wanted to wish for you to come back, but I was afraid of being greedy. Instead, I wished for you to be happy, wherever you were, and even though I didn't know it at the time, it wasn't long before you found Yugi and Tristan, and all the rest. They helped you begin to find your way back to me on your own."

"Serenity..."

"Let me finish. Please. I -- I need to say all of this to you, while I still have the words for it, OK?"

"Sure, Sis."

Serenity inhaled sharply before releasing a deep, shaky breath "Even while I was slowly going blind, I only allowed myself to wish for two simple things. The first was that I wouldn't wind up being a burden on anyone else, and the second was that I might get to see you again with my own eyes, just one more time. You really came through for me with that operation. Even with all the terror and confusion going on at the time, the day that I was able to take those bandages off and see you again was when I truly knew that my wish had been granted. That day, I felt like I could finally begin to repay you for everything you'd done. But even after that, you've only ever kept giving, and not just to me, Joey -- to everyone."

"Hey, you saved my life that day. That puts us way beyond even."

Serenity's eyes were wide and brimming with unshed tears, and she clutched at Joey's hands as she relentlessly ploughed on. "That's just it! It's not about being even. It's about being able to show you care for someone else, and to keep doing it in ways that will never cause them to doubt you, or forget how much they're loved."

Joey embraced his sister fiercely, feeling his own eyes begin prickle a bit at the corners. "That's the hard part, Sis. Most of us drop the ball on that one, but not you."

Smiling in spite of the teardrops that still threatened, Serenity nodded her head against his shoulder. "Sometimes, when you love someone so much, your heart just fills up with it a little more each day. When it becomes so full that you can hardly stand it, you have to do something to relieve the pressure or you think you might just burst apart from feeling that way. I can't really describe it any better, but when I start to feel like that, then I know it's the right time to make a wish. And that's why they always come true -- because all of my heart's in it."

Serenity pulled back from the embrace and looked up at her brother. She was crying openly now, and Joey had a huge lump in his throat that refused to go away. Before he wound up embarrassing himself further, he attempted to steer the conversation into less treacherous waters. He coughed loudly into his fist and asked haltingly, "Every wish comes true, you say?"

Still unable to speak, she nodded.

"Did you go and wish for me and Seto to be together, too? 'Cause if you did, I should probably be thankin' you for that one right about now."

Serenity laughed and shook her head, self-consciously swiping at her still-streaming eyes. "That one falls under my original wish for you, Joey. You just weren't truly happy until you found someone to share that happiness with."

"Hot damn! If it works that well, then I may have to give this wishin' thing a try for myself."

Serenity placed her hands on either side of Joey's face and tilted his head toward the sky. "There's no time like the present," she said, pointing encouragingly at the brightest patch of stars visible.

"Uh... OK. What should I wish for? I sure could use a new watch, " he teased. "My old one is scratched all to hell."

She giggled and poked Joey in the ribs. "You have to wait for it first. Only shooting stars count. And besides, that would be a selfish wish, and I do believe we've already discussed those."

"Oh, yeah."

As Joey avidly scanned the night sky, Serenity studied her brother's profile and murmured aloud, "On second thought, if anyone on the face of this planet deserves to make a selfish wish, then it's you, Joey Wheeler. Just be sure that it's a wish you make from your heart."

Joey had only managed to pinpoint several airplanes and satellites so far, but he wasn't about to give up that easily. "It will be, Serenity. There's this big chunk of my heart that's missin' right now, and I want it back."

As they sat leaning back to back and surveying the darkness, a bright flash lit the skies directly above them, and a large meteor shot straight across the horizon, leaving streaks on their vision. Serenity squealed and tackled her older brother against the seatback. "Get it, Joey!"

He clenched his fists and closed his eyes, focusing every ounce of his formidable will on the one thing that he wanted most in the entire world. When he looked up again at last, Serenity was leaning over him, her face beaming with excitement. He felt slightly dizzy and drained, but mostly just foolish. "How do I know if it worked?"

"You'll know when you know."

"Gee, that's helpful."

A sudden gust of wind caught Serenity's hat and sent it flying, and Joey vaulted over the edge of the sleigh to give chase. He returned a few minutes later with his evasive quarry, brushing the snow off with his gloves. "Let's get you to your party, Sis. This weather looks like it could turn nasty at any second."

They arrived at the Black Crown to find the festivities in full swing, most of the guests having already finished up their meal and taken up residence on the dance floor. Serenity left to make arrangements for Myrtle while Joey stood in the doorway and observed the pulsating throng of holiday revelers.

"Hey there, sailor. How about taking a quick spin out on the floor with me?" Joey whirled around to spot a smiling Mai Valentine, resplendent in a slinky, purple gown, and her long, blond tresses woven into an intricate braid atop her head.

"Sorry, darlin'. As you can see, I'm not quite dressed for the occasion." He gestured at his baggy, green army coat and khaki pants. "I'm just droppin' off my sister, I'm afraid."

"Hn. Your loss."

"I do believe we've had this conversation before."

Mai laughed and kissed him on the cheek. "I've missed you, sunshine. I wish you could stay for the party; we've got us some catching up to do."

"You know where to find me, sweet cheeks. Go left out of the parkin' lot and drive until you see the biggest fucking house in the world."

"Mmm... don't I know it! You landed yourself quite a catch there, Joey. Got any trade secrets you feel like sharing?"

Joey grinned widely. "Not anything you haven't already taught me, hot stuff."

Mai walked away laughing, and soon returned with two glasses of champagne. She handed one to Joey and raised a toast. "Merry Christmas, Joey. Here's to old times."

"To old times." He sipped his drink while he waited for Serenity to get back, spotting several of his friends in the crowd and cheerfully waving to them. "Hey, Mai... do you know what the deal was with all the rescue and emergency vehicles parked out front? Did someone get hurt?"

Mai doubled over and spat out a mouthful of champagne. Joey was worried at first, until he realized that she was gasping for breath due to uncontrollable laughter, and not anything detrimental to her health. "I'm sorry Joey," she wheezed. "It's just that I crack up every time I even think about it..." She trailed off into hysterical giggles again, and Joey wondered just how many glasses of champagne she'd already had tonight. "Duke had a giant, fake chimney and fireplace built special just for tonight. Everyone thought it was for ambience or something, but he was actually trying to..." More helpless laughter. "Trying to make this grand, theatrical entrance dressed in a Santa suit..." She beat one fist against the wall and wrapped an arm around her aching sides. "He got stuck in it!" she howled, and Joey found himself unable to resist joining in. "The paramedics and the fire department were called in, and they had to demolish the whole damn thing just to get him out!"

At that moment, the man of the hour himself strode into view, yelling at another laughing party-goer over his shoulder. "The next person who makes a wiseass comment about my weight is going to get stabbed in the face!" Duke was dressed from head to toe in shiny, red leather and buckles, with a jaunty, red Santa cap perched atop his flowing, black locks. "It was faulty construction, and there will be a lawsuit, mark my words!" He spied Mai and Joey standing in the doorway, and swooped down on them. "Mai! Jesus Christ you look gorgeous! Isn't this party the worst disaster you've ever seen? Let's run away together, right now!" He leaned down and pressed a quick kiss to her extended hand, obviously choosing to ignore the fact that she was gnawing on her bottom lip to keep from laughing. "Joey! I thought you weren't coming tonight! Is Serenity with you?"

"She's uh, parking the car, I guess you could say."

"Great!" He glanced over his shoulder and waved to a couple just coming through the front door. "I tell you, this night's gone to hell in a handbasket already, so you know what? Fuck the dress code! Everybody come on in and mingle!" He stood on tip toes and gazed anxiously across the room. "I'd love to stay and chat, but I've got to find out where the hell Tris' took off to. He had a digital camera on him earlier, and I've got to track him down and destroy any and all evidence of the... unfortunate incident." He shuddered. "Tell your sister to come find me when she gets in. Merry freakin' Christmas, you guys!" He flounced off again, stopping here and there to greet various guests and scan the crowd for the elusive brunet.

Mai handed her empty champagne flute to a passing waiter. "Well, honey buns, I think I'm going to go and make like a social butterfly, too. Come dance with me if you decide to stick around, alright?"

"Sure thing, Mai."

She took two steps back toward the dance floor, but then paused and turned around again, worry evident in her dark, violet eyes. "Joey... you haven't by any chance seen Bakura around lately, have you?"

Joey shook his head. "He and Ryou dropped by my place a few days ago to murder some Christmas decorations, but I haven't heard from him since. Did you check with Ry?"

"Yeah. I cornered him at dinner, but that was the last time he's seen 'Kura, too. I'm starting to get a little worried about him."

"Don't be. I'm sure he can take care of himself." Mai nodded and waved again, disappearing back into the gyrating crowd. Joey wandered back toward the main entrance, raising a hand in passing to Téa and Marik, who were both busy shaking their respective groove thangs beneath the spinning disco ball and flashing lights. To their left, Mokuba stood with Yami and Ishizu, having what appeared to be a serious, in-depth discussion. The teen looked up at Joey questioningly, raising his eyebrows and pointing to his wristwatch. Joey just waved him off, receiving a sunny, grateful smile in return. Curfews were Seto's schtick, not his. The kid deserved to have a little fun on Christmas Eve, not be forced to spend it getting snowed in with his mopey, almost-brother in law.

He spied Serenity as she entered the room, and he immediately crossed over to her, giving her a warm hug and murmuring his farewells into her ear. He was exhausted, the weather was growing rapidly worse, and at the moment, all he wanted was a little peace and quiet. He still needed to call Seto and wish him a Merry Christmas, and it would certainly do him a world of good to hear his lover's voice again, even if it was only over the telephone.

Stepping outside, he braced himself against the wind and snow, scanning the parking lot for his car. He fished around in his front pocket for his keys, nearly dropping them into a snowbank when he finally located his little, silver Toyota. It was parked right up against the front of the building, in the space formerly reserved for the general manager. Someone, most likely Duke, had taped a sheet of paper reading, 'Reserved for Dog-Boy' across the sign, even going so far as to draw a crude caricature of a dog and a fire hydrant underneath the words. Laughing to himself as he scraped the accumulated snow from his windshield, Joey mused that it probably could have been much, much worse. Among Duke's various nicknames for him, 'Blondie', 'Fleabag', and 'Kaiba's Bitch' were the current running favourites, so he supposed he should be grateful for the small consideration. The potential illustrations for that last one alone were alarming enough.

On the snowy drive home, Joey took out his cell phone and tried to ring Seto in Hong Kong, but with no luck. He'd woken up this morning with the phone stuck to the side of his face, and it had been a number of hours later before the keypad indentations had faded from his cheek. He'd tried phoning again several more times throughout the day, but was only ever able to reach the brunet's voicemail. He just prayed that Seto wasn't angry with him for dozing off in the middle of their conversation last night.

He made it home without major incident, though the storm had picked up considerably along the way. He hoped that all the party-goers at the Black Crown had enough sense to stay put for the night, because this particular blizzard seemed to be gradually working its way toward 'storm of the century' contention.

Once inside, Joey shrugged off his coat and busied himself in the kitchen with last minute preparations for Christmas dinner. Things would hopefully go off without a hitch tomorrow -- provided they weren't all swallowed by the next ice age before then.

Some last minute gift wrapping was the final chore that required his attention for the evening, and when the last present had been deposited under the tree in the den, he stood with his hands on his hips, pondering what to do with himself. A week ago, this Christmas was already shaping up to be one of the oddest on record, but he'd certainly never expected to be bored by the time the holiday itself had actually rolled around.

He glanced at down at his cell phone and noted the time as being several hours prior to midnight. Almost Christmas Day. This meant that Seto should be up and bustling about in his hotel suite, preparing for yet another long day of meetings, and other, corporate... stuff. Joey's mind compulsively circled this thought as he dialled the number by rote. Just what the hell did Seto do in his office all day long, anyway?

As he waited for Seto to pick up the line, Joey opened the front door and stepped out onto the porch. The wind gusted over his slender form, making him shiver from head to toe as he stared out across the front lawn. He couldn't see much through the blinding sheets of white, but just for a second, he'd thought he'd glimpsed... Nah, it couldn't be.

Seto's voicemail picked up once again, and Joey shut the phone with an irritated snap. He replaced it in his pocket and turned to go back inside, fully intent on fixing himself a hot drink and taking up residence by the fireplace. A sudden movement at the edge of his field of vision caught his eye, and he whirled around quickly, just in time to witness a tall, dark form emerge from the swirling maelstrom of wind and snow. The figure lurched forward and fell roughly against him, shoving them both back through the open door and into the front entry hall. Joey, frightened nearly out of his wits, jumped backwards to relative safety as the heavy body that had assaulted him fell forward onto its knees. The figure lifted its head, and deep, pools of azure blue gazed up at him out of a mask of deathly pale skin.

Seto Kaiba, smiling beatifically at the sight of his lover, managed to croak out, "Merry Christmas, Joey," just before those same blue eyes rolled back in his head, and he passed out cold on the marble floor.

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tbc

Author's notes:

Items used in this chapter:

(16) A sleigh or hay ride.

(17) A major rain or snow storm.

(18) Someone gets stuck in a chimney.

Word Count:

5402 this chapter / 41958 total thus far