Hello, hello! Welcome to chapter 10, the one that made me cry at least four times while it was being written. This was the chapter that I dreaded writing for so long as I always cry while reading it and even watching the episodes. Please enjoy!

*I don't own Yugioh. I only own Christine, my OC. If you recognize anything else, I don't own that either.*

I climbed carefully out of the tiny passage, thanking the man who held out a hand for me. The moment I was free and out of the way, I stretched, feeling my back crack in at least five places.

"Yeeouch!" I muttered. "That was a very tiny tunnel!"

I had just climbed out of the entry tunnel of the Great Pyramid on the Giza Plateau. It was an architectural masterpiece without question, but for my back, it was a monster. How on earth had they managed to pull the ginormous sarcophagus through that tiny thing and at that terrible angle?! I huffed and puffed, mourning the curvature of my spine. I continued to stretch and groan from pain for at least a few minutes before finally feeling human again. When I could finally stand up straight, I noticed Yugi, standing a few feet away, fighting off laughter. I groaned, giving him a look. "Laugh it up, Yugi, laugh it up." He didn't laugh just yet, but I could see tears leaking from his eyes; was it really that funny?

"Sorry." He managed to squeak. "It's just… you're so graceful all the time, and you're brought low by a tiny tunnel…."

A gasp of laughter finally escaped him, but he smothered it with his hand. I rolled my eyes.

"I have the grace of that hippo from Fantasia."

"Shut up!" Anzu immediately snapped from nearby. "Hyacinth Hippo is very graceful!"

That was enough to make Yugi cackle. His head flew back, and his arms wrapped around himself to hold his stomach in place. I rolled my eyes again. My statement stood; I was not graceful in any shape or form.

When Yugi finally stopped laughing, he, Anzu, and I walked back toward the entrance of the Pyramid center. From a distance, I could see Honda and Bakura racing about on a camel while Jounouchi was arguing with the man holding the reins for his. Ryuji had already gotten off, but he just looked unamused at our friend's antics. They seemed to be having a good time, at least. I took a deep breath, looking back over the plateau. I had never been here in life - well, my first life -, except for the boat ride down to Thebes. Then, they were covered in their capping stones and glittering in the sun. Now, they were still just as beautiful, even in their crumbling states. "Did you and Yugi ever come up here?" I shook my head.

"Nah. We spent most of the time down in Waset, I mean, Thebes."

I bonked my forehead on the heel of my hand. "I always do that." Anzu didn't tease me, only patting me on the back like she always did. I smiled at her before my thoughts got the better of me.

It had been a month since that day in Domino Museum, a month since I had gotten my memory back. It had also been a month since Atem had reclaimed his name.

For the first two weeks, my Pharaoh was very quiet. It was a rare occasion that he came out and teased me like he usually did. The house was quiet without the sounds of me chasing him around after he'd taken my mail for the umpteenth time under some silly excuse. I simply figured he needed some time to get things organized in his head, so I gave him all he wanted, but my loneliness must have been apparent. I had been spoiled spending all that time with him in the game world. Yugi must have noticed my silence throughout gang get-togethers and visibly talked to Atem; I caught him as I came back from helping in the shop. I tried to convince him that I was okay, not wanting to be a bother, but it must not have worked. I knew that because my Pharaoh appeared behind me as I cooked breakfast the next morning, chin on my shoulder and arms wrapped around my waist. He was still quiet, but he came out more. He never explained his silence, but I wouldn't force him to give me an excuse.

Bakura also seemed to be doing better. He never tried to get the Millennium Ring back, seemingly understanding that it was time to let it go and be free of the thing that had controlled him for so long. He'd still have scars from what Zorc and Thief Bakura's souls had done to him, but I think he was doing much better; his smile seemed much more genuine now.

During that month, Yugi received a letter from Ishizu detailing what we were to do next now that the Nameless Pharaoh was no longer nameless. So, we gathered up the crew: Jounouchi, Honda, Anzu, Bakura, Ryuji, and Grandpa. Meg couldn't come with us as, once again, the Dragon's influence was heavy on her. Our group would fly out to Egypt and… I had to fight off tears each time I thought about it.

…and send him on his final journey.

Now that I was thinking about it again, I had to take a deep breath to stop my tears. Yugi noticed immediately, and he gripped my hand tightly. I tried to give him a smile and thank him for his thoughtfulness, but it wouldn't come out. He understood, helping me along.

After Jounouchi, Honda and Bakura were off their camels, we walked back over to Grandpa, who was waiting for us at the park entrance. According to Ishizu's letter, we were to wait for her and her brothers outside the airport, and she would get us an airplane to fly down to Luxor. We made our way there, crossing back over the river in a taxi to get there quickly. Poor Honda had collapsed on the way with the runs and was constantly running to the bathroom; I sympathized with him, trying to send him comforting smiles. It didn't do much, but at least he knew he wasn't alone.

"Boy, they sure are late."

We had been waiting outside the airport for a while. I could see that we all were getting a little antsy and impatient in Jounouchi's case. I glanced at my watch. They were supposed to have been here at least two hours ago.

"Yugi, my boy…." Grandpa sighed. "Are you sure this is where we're supposed to wait?"

Yugi pulled out the letter from his pocket, unfolding the letter to show him Ishizu's words. "Hmmm… Was there anything else?" Yugi then pulled out an image.

"Only this photo." Yugi replied. "See."

Grandpa took it, staring intently at the small glyphs carved on the wall. He may have been trying to read them, but even I had a hard time because of the less than suitable light source.

"It's all hieroglyphs, eh?"

"What does it mean…?" Anzu asked, flicking her eyes between Grandpa and me.

"Well…" Yugi jumped in before I could tell her about the faulty lighting. "I was thinking about that…."

Jounouchi suddenly huffed loudly, cutting off whatever Yugi was going to say. It brought all of our eyes to him as he crossed his arms and looked annoyed.

"Sheesh!" Jounouchi grumbled. "How long are they gonna make us wait?! If I knew it'd be this long, I'd have done more sightseeing! We only saw the Pyramids!"

"Hey!" Bakura then jumped in. "We could check out the Cairo Museum! I'd love to go see that!"

I understood he was impatient but now wasn't the time. Grandpa gave a growl, turning to give our friends a complete look at his annoyance. It only grew when they turned to run off back into the city.

"Don't go wandering off!" Grandpa shouted.

"Grandpa Motou's right!" Anzu shouted as well. "We're on an important mission!"

Neither of them stopped, shouting that everything was going to be fine. With surprising speed on his short legs, Grandpa caught Jounouchi by the scruff of his neck. He pulled him back towards the group, having to bear the brunt of Jounouchi shouting to be released. Poor Honda, though, was surrounded by the cacophony of noise and gave a groan of pain.

"Could you be quiet…?" He managed.

Whatever else he might have said was drowned out by a loud engine roar. It was enough that even Jounouchi, still fighting Grandpa's tight hold, stopped moving to look. I smiled at who was there.

"Yugi!" Marik called from atop his motorcycle as he pulled off his helmet; Odion was in the sidecar, smiling and waving. "Guys!"

"Marik!" Yugi called in greeting, racing over to him.

"You're late!" Jounouchi huffed, pulling free from Grandpa to go over as well.

"Sorry about that!" Marik apologized with a bright smile.

Ryuji and I helped Honda to his feet as we all walked over to the two brothers. Odion gave me a bright smile, bowing his head. I smiled in return, shaking my head.

"You don't need to do that, Odion." I breathed.

"It is proper to greet a queen as thus." Odion replied.

I scoffed, rolling my eyes.

"I am as queenly as I am graceful. Which means: not at all."

"Now that is a bold-faced lie!" Marik shot in once he stopped greeting Yugi.

I turned towards him, lifting my eyebrow. Marik had changed wildly in the few months since I'd seen him; he was looking far more playful, and a smile was plastered to his face.

"How so?"

His smile grew into a smirk. Oh boy…

"Well, according to what Meg told me…."

I stopped him there.

"Wait a minute. What do you mean 'Meg'? How did you get in contact with Meg?"

"Not important!"

The gang laughed at my expression as well as the cat-like smirk on Marik's face. "She told me that she caught you two weeks ago dispensing a hint of justice in this Circle of yours." I blushed. That… had indeed happened. It was a silly little thing that the crone wanted me there to see, and it was utterly ridiculous. They were going to punish someone for an accident they had no part in; of course, I had to jump in! "If that is not queenly, I don't know what is…." My blush went up to my ears, only making the laughter louder. "Plus, there are all those sassy, dignified remarks you made at me during Battle City…." I whined.

"You've made your point!"

The laughter continued at my expense. Marik looked so pleased with himself, his smirk growing even brighter. Compared to how he had been before, I think this was a good look for him. Once he had calmed himself, he looked back to the gang at large.

"There's been a change of plan. The Luxor airport is closed due to a sandstorm! There's no telling when flights will be running again."

The gang hummed nervously, but Marik kept smiling. "But have no fear! My sister is using her government contacts to get a ship. It won't be long!" Ryuji then raised his hand.

"How exactly are we supposed to get to the port then?" He asked.

"We've called taxis." Odion replied. "They'll be here in a minute."

I, then, was suddenly picked up and tossed into the sidecar. The helmet was thrown into my hands.

"Hey!" I snapped. "What the heck is going on?"

"A Queen doesn't take a taxi!" Marik chirped, jumping back onto the motorcycle.

I fumbled for a minute, wildly pulling on the helmet. I was suddenly afraid Marik was going to shoot off into the streets with me not ready.

"Uh… Shouldn't the Pharaoh get this treatment and not me?!"

"Uuuuuh…."

Marik sent a playful look at Yugi before snapping back to me. "Nah! Let's go!" I quickly looked at Yugi, hoping that he or Atem would argue, but he only smiled and waved. Thanks a lot, you two! Thankfully, Marik waited until I was buckled in before shooting off down the Cairo streets. I was scared for the first few seconds before realizing that Marik wasn't going to crash us and relaxed.

The sounds of the city were almost as loud as Marik's motorcycle. I could hear people calling out from the stalls at the side of the streets, the sounds of other vehicles driving along as we passed them. I could smell the various foods that were wafting out from restaurants or the random apartment. It was a far cry from Domino or even New Haven, where I'd grown up the second time. It was an even further cry to the comfortable life I lived in the palace of the Pharaoh. "Hey, Christine!" I turned to look at Marik. "I have a question."

"Shoot."

"How many wives did he have?"

I gave him a look. Marik didn't take back the question, only laughing until we had to stop at a red light. "Come on!"

"Why are you asking?"

"I'm curious! Plus, you look too serious over there!"

My look darkened, only seeing Marik's become sweet and full of compassion. "Alright, I'll admit it. Yugi told us about… all of this. He asked for help in cheering you up." I groaned. So that's why Yugi didn't argue; he set the whole thing up! I even bet it was him who put Meg and Marik in contact. Yugi was quite the manipulator. "I'm sure this is just as hard on him as it is on you. If you keep looking so sad, it'll only make it harder." I sighed.

"So you want me to simply smile and say that I'm perfectly fine with the man I've fallen in love with twice leaving forever?"

"No."

"Then what do you want me to do, Marik?"

Marik sighed, moving a few streets before we were caught at another red light. I waited as he gathered himself, watching as he turned between me and the light.

"I'm not telling you that you can't be sad. Death is, of course, sad. But… you're not going to be separated forever."

I sighed, turning my head to the nearby café. The words should have soothed me, but they only reminded me of what Isis had said in that recreation of my room. She had made it look like my soul had moved on, so I was technically a new modern soul. Would I even be allowed into the Field of Reeds when it was my time?

"I'm afraid that we will, Marik. I'm afraid that, through all of this fiddling to get me here, I will be denied that."

I couldn't see his reaction as I was still looking away. In the café I was staring at, a girl, probably no older than 12 or so, had caught me looking, and she stepped towards the window. She reminded me slightly of Sati with her dark eyes filled with light despite all the sadness she'd gone through. We locked eyes for a second before she turned to the large plant beside her and began to fiddle with it. Even when Marik started talking again, I didn't look away from her.

"Well… I may not know much about how you survived, but I'm willing to guess that the thing that did it has become a friend, right?"

I didn't need to reply as Marik probably already knew. "If you, Yugi, and Jounouchi have taught me anything, it's that having friends means that they'll do anything to help you, even if it means bending more than a few rules." Even when it came to life and death? "I don't think it's fiddling is quite done yet; I imagine it has one more trick up its sleeve." Did it? I wanted to believe him, so I didn't voice my doubts. I didn't want to give the universe more ammo to throw at me.

I kept my eyes on the girl, watching as she pulled at the plant until its vines moved on their own to form a snowflake shape. She then looked back at me, eyes wide in expectant wonder. I smiled at her; quite the smart kid to recognize one of her own from just a glance. I took a deep breath and exhaled, sending the air out like I was blowing a birthday candle out. The blast of cold air sent dozens of little snowflakes falling over the sidewalk and street, mystifying a few bystanders. It earned wide eyes from the girl as she looked from the snowflakes back to me, eyes wide in amazement. They then widened further, and I kept smiling; she'd put two and two together. Playfully, I lifted a finger to my lips and winked, telling her it was our little secret. When she nodded, wildly miming locking her lips, I pulled my finger away and looked back towards the street. I was still a bit sad, but it had been muffled by the beautiful moment I had just witnessed.

"I'm in the mood for some coffee, Marik. Think we have enough time to get some?"

"I think so, so long as you tell me how many wives he had."

I rolled my eyes, sending a look to the little girl, who smiled at me. Seems I had no sympathy. I sighed; fine.

"14 including me, but I'm the jealous type, so he didn't see them often. Now can we get my coffee, please?"

"Yes, your highness."

Yugi and the gang were already at the boat when Marik and I arrived. We were huffed and puffed at, but I brushed them off, blaming my desire for caffeine. Ishizu, standing nearby, gave me a curious look. I didn't say anything, simply drinking my coffee; was she in on the 'cheer Christine up' campaign as well?

We were directed to board the large boat Ishizu had commandeered, and I immediately walked over to the bow, leaning onto the railings, being careful not to spill my drink. Despite the scenery being different, I remembered this sight. A hand then touched my shoulder, making me peek back. It was Ishizu.

"Perhaps the sandstorm had a purpose…." She breathed gently but still loud enough for the whole gang to hear her. "In Ancient Egypt, people believed that ships carried Kings or people back to the gods, traveling from this world to the Field of Reeds."

She kept her hand at my shoulder for a moment longer before pulling away. "You asked about the picture, Yugi…."

"Oh… right." Yugi replied.

"What you see are hieroglyphs inscribed on the door to the afterlife."

"What do they say? My resident expert says the light sucks and that she can't read them."

"It does!" I huffed in reply, not looking at him.

There was a chuckle for half a second before the conversation continued.

"Well, to put it simply," Ishizu began. "The epitaph reveals how to open the door to send the Pharaoh to the afterlife.

I heard Yugi hum while my grip tightened on my drink. It really was the end…

"I think I know already…." Yugi breathed. "You place the seven Millennium Items in the Tablet of the Pharaoh's memories and say the Pharaoh's name as the key to open the door…."

"You found the Pharaoh's lost name?!" Marik gasped; Meg must not have told him that.

"Sure did!" Jounouchi jumped in.

No one said it, though. What were they waiting for? They all knew it. After nearly a minute, no one spoke. This silence was making me nervous. I chanced a glance backward and saw all of them looking at me. Did they want me to say it? Great.

"You all know it!" I huffed again. "You all say it!"

"It's cooler when you say it." Ryuji admitted.

I groaned, looking back over the bow. No one jumped in to save me, so I sighed, turning around fully. Fine. I'll say it.

"Atem. Nefruankhre Atem."

I got a chuckle from my unintended Bond reference from Bakura. Ishizu and Marik didn't laugh, though, as their eyes simply widened and they began to nod.

"Atem…" Ishizu breathed, testing the word on her tongue. "The lost name of the Pharaoh…."

The moment marinated for a long minute. It was one of the first times his name was said in the country of his birth; I didn't know what kind of Heka would be released from it, but the wind did ruffle my hair a bit. When the moment was over, Marik gave me a sympathetic look and looking back at Yugi.

"That's not the only thing written on the epitaph, Yugi." Marik breathed.

Yugi tilted his head in confusion. "It talks about the 'Rite of the Duel.'" I blinked, taking another sip of my coffee. "The Pharaoh's soul cannot start his homeward journey… his journey to eternal rest… still holding his sword." My mouth immediately wanted to correct him by saying he was more of a spear guy than a sword one, but I stopped myself; this was not the time.

"What are you talking about?!" Jounouchi gasped.

"The sword symbolizes the tools to fight in this world. For us duelists, it would be our cards. Do you understand?"

Oh, yes, I understood completely. I looked at Yugi, seeing his face drop from understanding to sadness.

"Someone has to fight with the other me's soul and win…." He practically whispered.

When he said it, that was when everyone else understood. I could see hesitation and even fear on their faces.

"I interpret it the same way."

A part of me questioned whether anyone could defeat my Pharaoh in a duel. He'd been through so many duels against so many powerful people; who could do it? My eyes stayed on Yugi, though, seeing a sad yet determined expression on his face.

"The land of the dead lies in the west, where the sun sets…." Ishizu then breathed. "The Pharaoh's soul needs the rise of a new sun…."

So tomorrow was the end. My eyes wouldn't leave Yugi just yet; it was like they were stuck there. The sadness had faded only ever so slightly as he turned towards the bow. The determination had taken root in his eyes now.

If anyone could defeat my Pharaoh and put him to rest, it was Yugi.

We all were given rooms on the ship to relax for the night. Mine was facing the eastern bank, so I watched the world float by for a few hours. Yugi had been hidden in his room since before dinner, putting together his deck for tomorrow. I didn't want to bother him like I had done during Battle City, so no matter how much I wanted to go and be with him, I kept myself away. I tried to sleep but stared at the ceiling for at least a few hours; maybe getting coffee was a bad idea.

When I still couldn't sleep at two in the morning, I decided to go for a walk. Not bothering to climb out of my pajamas, I picked up my key and exited my room. It was chilly when I opened the door, but not too cold; I didn't need a coat. I wandered for a while, slowly walking along the decks. No one else seemed to be up, so I was alone as I wandered. I wish I could have said my thoughts were whirling about, but my head was absolutely empty as I walked. This was worse than that night after Atem had disappeared; I would have taken the screams and crying over this silence. I eventually found myself on the top deck. While it wasn't the bow, it still had an impressive view of the Nile Valley. The chilly air blew around me as I walked to the railing, wrapping my hands around the metal.

It was still so quiet.

I fought for something to circle in my head. I tried to remember the last time I'd been on a boat on the Nile; I wanted a memory of happier times to distract me. All I was given was making a similar journey the day my father-in-law was buried. I had stood at my husband's side as he sent his father on his journey into the next life, holding tightly to his hand as it shook from continued grief. I shook the image off; that wasn't what I wanted to see at all! The wind blew again, sending cold air all around me; it was probably in the mid-50s now, so it was far colder than earlier today.

I jumped when a coat was settled over my shoulders. The only reason the person wasn't frozen was because my hand bumped the railing first, freezing the entire metal rod. I turned around and stopped whatever swear was going to come out when I saw Atem. My Pharaoh had put his coat over my shoulders as he wasn't wearing it. His red eyes were wide in shock.

"I didn't mean to scare you." He said, a sweet smile lifting his face. "Sorry."

I quickly tried to still my racing heart, taking in deep breaths. He scared the crap out of me! "You just looked cold, so…" He gestured to the coat, knowing that was a good enough explanation. When I'd finally gathered myself, I sighed.

"Don't scare me like that." I chastised. "I could have hurt you."

Atem nodded thoughtfully. His smile remained, making my heart continue to pound loudly.

"It wouldn't be the first time you've frozen me."

I groaned in embarrassment, hearing him laugh. Now that he had his memory back, he was going to wring all the blushes out of me that he could. "I was a stupid 16-year-old; I thought it was a grand idea to sneak up on you as you practiced." I playfully pushed his shoulder, hearing him laugh again. I turned back toward the Nile, brushing away the ice as Atem slid in beside me. "I deserved it and felt so bad after. It sucked seeing you cry for hours." I rolled my eyes.

"I didn't know how to get it off you! We had to wait for it to melt!"

Atem laughed again, so I elbowed him. "Don't laugh! I was traumatized." He continued to laugh, but he took my hand, entwining our fingers together. When was the last time he'd held it? Back at the museum?

"Do you remember sitting in Lady Mereyam's garden?"

A laugh finally escaped me. Now that was a happy memory.

"Of course! We'd sit and make silly flower crowns all day if we could."

"She'd get so mad at us. 'I'm going to run out of flowers if you two keep plucking them!'"

I laughed at his terrible impersonation of the priestess, remembering the words she'd constantly huffed at us. "We'd always apologize…."

"But we'd be back the next day…."

Both of us laughed then. His hand stayed wrapped in my own. It was nice and warm compared to the cold metal rod of the railing. I wanted to continue this little reminiscing party, as it was far better than the silence, so I brought up another memory. "Remember when you tried to teach me how to use a spear?" Atem snorted.

"Tried? I succeeded!"

"Hardly! I still suck!"

"That's because you only practiced when I was teaching you! Remember when you hit me so hard I blacked out?"

I actually turned to give him a look at that. His smile had grown even more, so his face was simply a mask of joy.

"You were standing too close! I was simply doing what you told me!"

Atem was quickly lost in a fit of laughter, head dropping down into his chest. I rolled my eyes at the reaction. He was so mean! I remembered crying again when I turned around and saw Atem bleary-eyed on the ground.

"I think you gave me a concussion with that hit."

"I'm not surprised!"

Atem snorted again, tightening his grip on my hand.

"I nearly came out when Marik suggested that I was still holding my sword. Uuuuh… no?"

I managed another laugh. The mention of this afternoon made my happiness fade slightly.

"You are a spear guy through and through."

"Thank you, Mereret!"

My laugh became a breath through my nose. Our happy reminiscing faded away into silence, but he kept holding my hand. We stood there for a minute before Atem sighed. "I'm sorry I didn't come out much this month. I…" I shook my head, stopping him.

"It's okay."

"No. It's not. I… I abandoned you…."

I sent him a smile, wanting to show him I was okay. All the happiness had faded from his face. His red eyes were molten from the liquid there, clearly visible, even in the dark. I didn't like seeing it, so I lifted my free hand to wipe away the tears. My heart squealed when he melted into the touch. He still didn't smile, though. "We could have spent so much time just remembering, but I hid away." I wanted to argue with that, but Atem was on a roll. "I wanted to come out - I really did -, but… I knew if I did, I wouldn't want to go back. I didn't want to do that to Yugi or you." I gave him another smile, continuing to wipe his tears away. "I'm sorry, Mereret." I hated seeing the sad look on his face, so I lifted onto my toes to press a kiss to his forehead. It only made him smile a little bit.

"It's okay. You suddenly have a lot on your mind."

A soft laugh escaped him, and he melted into my hand again. I thought that was the end of it, but it wasn't. His smile didn't last long, and his eyes opened again.

"Mereret… What are we going to do about tomorrow?"

My own smile faded at the question. "I don't want to leave you…." His free hand lifted to my cheek, mirroring my own. "I lost you once; I don't want to be the one to leave you this time." I sighed.

"I don't think we have a choice, Atem. I can't follow you through that door."

Atem sighed, lowering his head so that our foreheads were touching. I loved the gentle pressure, but it made me sad.

We were stuck. I was alive while he was a soul trapped in a 3000-year-old pendant. Plus, with how Isis saved me, my eternity in the Field of Reeds was in jeopardy.

"If I lose tomorrow and have to go through that door, you'll be left alone…."

I tried for a smile, anything to try and soothe him.

"I'd have the gang."

Atem's grip tightened on my face and hand. Oh boy… overprotective once more.

"That's not what I meant, and you know it."

A harsh breath escaped him. "I don't like the idea of you being with another man, but the idea of you being alone is even worse." An almost growl left him now. The sound made shivers race up my spine; my Pharaoh was very scary when he wanted to be. I fought to tease, trying to lighten the mood.

"And I'm the jealous one."

Since he had no hands to pinch me for the tease, I was pulled into a harsh kiss, effectively keeping me quiet. I didn't fight him, pressing up onto my toes to return it. When he was content or more likely needed to breathe, he pulled away, gasping for air.

"What if right now is the last time I ever see you? The Field of Reeds is no paradise without you at my side."

I sent him a smile. Hearing him say that was worth all of the teases in the world. I gave him another kiss, pulling away when Marik's words returned to my mind.

"Marik told me something today that gave me a little hope. Do you want to hear it?"

Atem nodded. "He had a feeling that the thing that helped me get back here in the first place wasn't done helping. If Marik's intuition is right, then we might see one more gift." My Pharaoh sighed.

"As comforting as that sounds, I wish we knew what that gift would be."

I had to agree with that. "But, despite that, I will have faith in this last gift. If you believe, so will I." I smiled up at him and let him kiss me again. When he pulled away, he looked a little less sad. He then pulled the coat closer to my skin. "It's cold, Mereret. Let's go inside." He tugged at my hand, but I stayed still for a second. It was silly, but I didn't want to be left alone right now.

"Can I stay with you?"

My Pharaoh immediately nodded, and my heart lifted. I let him pull me this time, trapping his arm between my own, as we walked back toward his room. I knew I'd have to be quiet as he worked on his deck, but anything was better than being alone.

If this was the last time I was with the man I loved, I wanted it to be a happy time rather than filled with tears.

Even after joining Atem in his and Yugi's room, I didn't fall asleep. I was a little tired, but I didn't want to lose these last few hours. We couldn't talk as he was preparing his deck, but I knew he wasn't ignoring me. I watched as he poked through card after card, placing them into piles according to what he was planning. I didn't recognize many of them, so I assumed that the two had bought packs before we left Domino. I also stared out the window for a long time. This room's windows faced the western bank, so the mountains of the Theban necropolis were visible, even from a distance. I only left once to get my things and change out of my pajamas; I didn't think there would be much time once we got to Luxor.

The boat had docked just as Atem was putting his and Yugi's cards into a backpack. The sun hadn't even risen yet, so it was still dark. My Pharaoh looked up after zipping the bag shut, looking over the town that lived in front of Deir el-Bahri and the Valley of the Kings.

"Looks like we've arrived."

"Looks like it."

We walked out together around the boat and towards the ramp that would set us down. I kept my hand in his, not wanting to let him go just yet. When we reached the ramp, Jounouchi's snap was loud in my ears.

"You're late, you two!" He playfully teased.

Anzu whacked him, but it did nothing to stop him from smiling. Honda shook his head before waving.

"Welcome home!" He called.

Home… I didn't even have a chance to think it sad before Jounouchi was calling out once more.

"C'mon! Let's go!"

It was still a ways to the Shrine of the Underworld, so we all piled into cars to travel quickly through the village. Anzu poked me when the buildings faded, and the mountains of the necropolis were ahead. I looked over to where she pointed and smiled.

Sticking out of the cliffs of Deir el-Bahri was the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut, my favorite Pharaoh besides Atem. The sun wasn't even up, and I could see the absolute beauty of it.

"Quite the message she's sending." Anzu whispered.

I nodded. As a woman in a male-dominated position, she needed all the help and propaganda she could muster. I then leaned over to Atem.

"If we had lived long enough, would you have given me a chapel like that?" I asked in a low whisper.

Atem leaned over to see the Mortuary temple, stared at it for a minute, then straightened up.

"My response would have been: 'Whatever you want, dear.'" Atem whispered back.

It was a 'yes' so I celebrated. Anzu giggled at my giddiness before looking back to the front of the car. We were stopping at the edge of some ruins.

The moment we were out of the car and walking into the ruins, the sun came out. It wasn't much longer to wherever the Shrine of the Underworld was located. It was only a few hundred yards away from the road when we reached a hidden entrance and chamber near the ruins of a village. We wouldn't see the sun long as we walked down the steps and into the darkness. Lights had been placed every few feet so that we weren't completely submerged in it, but it was still pretty dark. At the bottom of the stairs was a large chamber, littered with decorated columns on each side and the door from Ishizu's picture on the opposing wall. People were already inside, staring at us.

This place gave me the creeps.

"So…" Jounouchi breathed. "This is the Shrine of the Underworld…"

The men then stepped forward. The one in the middle was holding a covered tray with the Millennium Key and the Scales. But… weren't they with Shadi? I looked around. Shouldn't he be here? I found no sign of him. My free arm was then taken, and I was pulled backward. I turned to glare but found Marik. He wordlessly told me that I had to let him go for a minute. I didn't want to, but I had to. It broke my heart to pull my hand away and watch as Atem tried to get it back before realizing what had happened. I was gently led to stand with the rest of the group then released. I watched as the Millennium Items were placed into the slots, and the eye on the door began to glow. "The eye in the door is shining!"

"The Wadjet Eye will judge the truth." Ishizu breathed. "Thus begins the Rite of the Duel!"

The light coming from the eye illuminated the whole room but had the strangest effect on Atem's shadow. It had split into two: one his size and one Yugi's size. After a few seconds of that, Yugi appeared beside him; they had been separated to duel.

It was about to begin.

I didn't focus on each move and marinate over all the options that they could have done like I usually did. I didn't even shout out witty retorts to what was happening. I just stood there, watching as everything came to an end. Everything that was put into motion the day I came back to this world was crumbling around me.

I watched as Yugi, a far different person than the shy boy who had shouted at that creep to get off me, went toe to toe with Atem, the one who helped him break out of that shell and was taught kindness in return. Because of Yugi, my Pharaoh was back to the way he had been before being trapped inside a dark void for 3000 years. For over a year, they had worked together to bring down the people who had wanted to hurt us or take something dear, growing as close as brothers throughout that time. Now? They had to face each other and prove how much they've learned. From so long together, they simply bounced attacks and spells off each other round and round. Turn after turn, they set off traps to counter something they knew was coming. It reminded me of playing Senet with Atem and how we'd simply retaliate when something was done with our pieces until we simply had to keep moving forward.

I wish I could have made a sound of amazement when Yugi managed to defeat Obelisk. He knew that Atem would know his strategy, but he could still one-up him with another card he didn't expect. Even when Dark Magician - the card that had been Atem's most trusted for so long - came out, Yugi didn't back down.

I knew it was over when I saw Yugi play the Golden Sarcophagus. Tears streamed down my cheeks, blocking my vision. I faintly felt hands grip my shoulders, trying to be comforting, but I didn't acknowledge them. To stop any sobs from escaping, I covered my mouth. My golden pendant dug into my chest, the pain a physical representation of what my heart was doing.

I only looked up again when I heard the familiar roar of Slifer. Dark Magician was gone, and Monster Reborn was lifted on Yami's side of the field; Slifer had been in the graveyard the entire time. Yugi's Golden Sarcophagus was open as well, but I didn't need to look at the card inside to know it was the Monster Reborn.

Yugi's final message was clear. It was time for him to move on.

Since Monster Reborn was sealed into the Sarcophagus, neither player could use it, so Slifer was sent back to the graveyard. It was like he knew this would happen as I didn't feel the god's tail attach to my ankles. I understood and didn't fault him.

My eyes then saw Yugi look at me. I turned my head to face him. Tears were brimming in his eyes, and his hands were shaking.

"I'm sorry." He mouthed.

My heart broke in my chest. I cleared my throat of the lump that had formed, moving my hand to wrap around my little golden pendant. The metal was warm, a small comfort.

"Don't be." I mouthed back. "I understand."

A tear streaked down his cheek, and he turned back towards Atem. He called his attack, and it was over. More tears streamed down my cheeks, but I refused to make a sound. The moment Atem's life points hit zero, I watched Yugi fall to his knees, sobbing. My Pharaoh then walked over, pulling his duel disk off his arm and putting it on the ground.

"You did it, Partner." Atem breathed once he was close enough. "You win…"

Yugi didn't celebrate. He only stayed there on his knees, crying. I saw the sweet smile lift my Pharaoh's face, and he followed Yugi down onto the floor. "Stand up… The winner shouldn't be on his knees. If I were you, I wouldn't cry." Yugi shook his head.

"I… I'm too weak…." Yugi choked out. "You were my hero… my goal… I wanted to be strong… like you… that's all…."

"You're not weak. You've always had a power no one else could beat."

Yugi looked up, a curious look on his tear-stained face. "The power of kindness… that's what I learned from you, Partner." Atem helped him to his feet, keeping that smile on his face. "The courage you showed by fighting me showed me the path I must take."

"Other me…"

Atem shook his head, stopping Yugi's words.

"No, Yugi. I'm not the 'other you' anymore. And you are no one else but you!"

Atem's smile grew even more. "You are Yugi, the only Yugi Motou in the world!" Yugi sniffled for a few seconds longer before nodding. Atem then looked at me. Of course, he looked sad, but it was laced with a touch of hope. I pulled away from whoever was holding me and dashed up the steps to embrace him. He held me tightly, putting a hand in my hair to pull me as close as possible. I only let one sob out before silencing myself. "I will have faith in that gift." I nodded, clinging to him for the last few seconds I had. "But I also have faith that we will meet again and spend eternity together." I nodded again.

"Weaving flowers in Lady Mereyam's garden forever."

I felt him nod in return, clinging just as tightly as me. We weren't physically pulled apart, but after a few minutes of holding him as tightly as I could, Atem let go to give me one last smile. I could tell it was painful for him, but he let me go, turning to walk towards the still closed door. Yugi walked over to stand beside me, placing his hand on my back. The Eye of Wadjet was still glowing.

"The Eye of Wadjet guards the door to the afterlife." Ishizu breathed. "Through the Rite of the Duel, it has seen the truth of the Pharaoh's soul. After 3000 years of being lost in the world of the living, the time has come for the Pharaoh's soul to be welcomed into the next world."

I actually heard a breath of hesitation then, but Ishizu kept talking. "Soul of the Pharaoh! Say your name to the Eye of Wadjet." Atem stood silent for a moment before speaking.

"I am the son of Pharaoh Akhenamkanon." He called to the Eye. "My name is Atem."

The Eye flashed, and the stone wall began to split in half; behind it was a wall of light. Most of my body flinched away, knowing that it was the realm of the dead, but my heart wanted to fling myself through it. Yugi's touch kept me grounded. Honda's sobs broke the silence.

"Are you really… going to go…?" Honda sobbed. "You don't really have to go to the Afterlife, do you?! I mean… D-don't leave us!"

Honda's reaction was essentially what I wanted to be like. I broke my heart seeing it through him. I managed to reach over and hold his shoulder comfortingly. It didn't stop his crying, nor did it stop other people from crying out.

"Atem…" Anzu then called. "You need to go to the other side of that light, I know that, but… Why? I don't get it! We've been friends for so long, now all of a sudden, you're going to leave?! I just don't get it!"

"Anzu!" Jounouchi snapped. "You don't need to get it! You just need to accept it, y'know?"

I turned to see that even he was crying, but he was holding himself back. "Burn these memories into your brain! This time you've spent with him… the feelings… burn it in, so you never forget!" Jounouchi's breath hitched, but he looked up with a smile. "Yugi! Even if you're a king, you're still Yugi! Even if a thousand years pass, we'll always be friends!" Atem immediately looked back to send him a smile. He then looked at me and mouthed the three words that sent my heart racing. I sent him the best smile I could muster.

"I love you too." I breathed.

His smile grew, and he turned back towards the light. In one last show of solidarity with us, he gave us a thumbs-up as he walked away. I felt more tears race down my cheeks, but I didn't turn away. I faintly saw Yugi's clothes fade away, and as he entered the light, he was dressed as the Pharaoh he truly was.

It promptly shut behind him.

And then the shaking started.

Honda quickly grabbed hold of me as I nearly fell to the ground. It wasn't the same kind of earthquake as in the palace; it seemed to be emanating from the tablet. I looked to it, seeing it begin to crumble and fall into the earth below. With a loud crash, it exploded, sending shockwaves throughout the chamber.

"We need to leave!" Bakura shouted.

The group gathered their belongings quickly, but I was stuck, staring as the Millennium Items slowly disappeared into the pit below the chamber.

"Come on!" Jounouchi shouted.

"Ryuji!" Honda then shouted. "Grab her!"

My wrist was tugged, and I had no choice but to follow everyone up the stairs and back into the sunlight. I only looked back once and thought I saw Shadi standing where the tablet had been. We caught eyes, and he gave a gentle bow of his head. I didn't understand, nor was I given the time to.

Dust was wafting out of the tunnel when I turned around after escaping. I couldn't stop staring at it; it was like my eyes were glued to it. Ryuji let go of my wrist once he was sure I wouldn't fall, but I felt that he didn't move far. The group remained silent for a long time, staring at the wreckage and at each other. Ishizu was the first one to speak.

"By delivering the Pharaoh's soul…." She breathed. "The role of the Millennium Items has ended. The door to the Afterlife has closed."

More silence greeted that. I felt another hand touch my shoulder, gripping it tightly. "I'm sorry, dear." Tears teemed at my eyes again, my head dropping into my chest with my eyes still locked on the wreckage. Her grip remained, a second hand moving to my other shoulder.

"So…" Honda sighed. "That's it, huh… He's gone…."

And I was alone… I had done so much to try and soothe Atem that I was going to be okay, but just as he was gone, I felt the weight of his loss like a weight on my chest. A hiccup escaped me, and Ishizu's grip tightened.

I was alone…

A hand then appeared out of the corner of my eye and was freed to look at it. Yugi was standing beside me, holding his hand out. There were still tears in his eyes, but he kept his head high. It reminded me that I wasn't the only one who lost someone today. He'd just lost someone he cared about as well, but he moved forward; it was the only thing he could do. He knew that I'd feel this way and, just as he always did, reached out a comforting hand. Another hiccup escaped me, but I managed to wipe my tears away. I was so blessed to have him as a friend. I looked one last time to the ruined tunnel and blew a kiss to where I thought the door was.

Goodbye, Atem. We will meet again, I promise.

I pulled my eyes away and took Yugi's hand. Ishizu released me so Yugi could pull me away from the tunnel and back toward the road. We walked a few yards when he looked up at me.

"What do you say we go get breakfast then ask if we can go see Hat… Hatsh…" Yugi began, huffing once he reached the Pharaoh's name.

Yugi tried three or four more times before he groaned, making me laugh slightly. Her name was a tad hard to say, but I applauded him for the effort.

"Hatshepsut?" I offered.

"Her! Let's eat, then go see her temple! You've never been, right?"

I nodded my head. "Then let's go! It's only right to go see your niece, right?" That got another laugh out of me. My tears were still there, but they stopped pricking at my eyes.

"She's not my niece; she's my first cousin twice removed through marriage."

"Whatever! Let's go!"

I laughed again, nodding. He continued to tug me back to the road, hardly caring that we were leaving the rest of the gang in the dust. They eventually started after us, Jounouchi shouting about needing food. Just before reaching us, I muffed with Yugi's hair, hearing him huff in annoyance.

"Thank you, Yugi."

He sent me a smile, pulling at me again. When the gang caught up, I felt Jounouchi's arm wrap around my shoulders, tugging me into a hug, Honda on his other side. Anzu appeared on Yugi's other side, smiling at all of us. Ryuji was behind me with Bakura beside him, leaning over to talk to Yugi. I sent all of them a smile.

I was so blessed to call them my friends. As broken as my heart was, I would survive another day with them at my side.

Yami Bakura: You okay there?

Yes! ...and no! I'm still crying and all I did was proofread this one last time for errors!

Yami Bakura: *Laughs*

Shut up! *Glares as he walks off, still laughing, then sighs* While this may look like the end, I assure you, ladies and gents, this story is not yet done!