I told you i would update soon. This one was a lot easier to write and i love the cute parts, so i hope they work. I guess you'll have to read it and let me know.

Thanks to my beta batousaisgirl16 for helping. Airi is my character, the rest is Yugioh awesomeness.

Chapter 53

Airi was jerked backwards, just as the ground under her crumbled to the collapsing floors below. Yami disappeared in clouds of rubble. Coughing from the other side let her know Tea and Tristan were alright. She searched the rubble wildly for Yami, but there was no sight of him. She tried to step towards the chasm, but again something pulled her back.

"Don't be stupid." Kaiba's voice said.

Looking around, Airi noticed her upper arm was in Kaiba's tight grip. His other hand gripped the back of his brother's shirt. She stared at him. Had he saved her life? She jerked her arm out of his grasp.

"Thanks." she muttered. She should be grateful, but she was getting sick of Kaiba changing from helping to wanting nothing to do with them.

Another rumble and the sound of snapping metal came from the direction of the elevator.

"There goes our ride." Tea said. Another bunch of rubble fell towards the lower floors. Mokuba stepped closer to his brother. Lucky the chasm wasn't too wide for Tristan and Tea to quickly run round it to join them on the other side.

"Pharaoh!" Tea said. "Where is he?"

"Yami!" Airi called below. "Yami!"

Her words where swallowed up by a chopping sound from above. She jumped, almost lost her balance, but Kaiba's hand again steadied her.

"It's a helicopter." He said, voice annoyed. "Stop being jumpy."

She shrugged his hand off and went back to scanning the rubble for movement.

"Master Kaiba!" Roland's voice called from the helicopter. "We're coming for you, sir."

"Where?" Tristan said.

Fortunately the side of the hole the group was standing seemed mostly crack free. The chopper was able to land on an area designated for helicopter landing. The others hurried toward the helicopter with Mokuba in the lead.

"Come on." Kaiba again reached for her, but she stepped to the side.

"Yami!"

"Airi, face reason. No one can survive a fall to the bottom. He's probably-"

"Don't you dare say it!" Airi snapped.

"Fine." Kaiba ordered Mokuba to the chopper, but continued to stand by Airi's side.

Airi continued to scan the ruins of floors for any sign of movement.

"Yami, please, don't be dead." she said.

"You still don't trust me?" a teasing voice came through the link. "Are you alright?"

"Yami!" she looked around. "Where are you?"

"There!" Kaiba suddenly pointed. Airi followed his finger to the stair way of the building. Yami supported Rafael and they both slowly ascended the stairs. Both looked horrible, but they were alive.

Airi ran towards to where the stair would come up, ignoring Kaiba's shout from behind her.

"Airi, stay away from edge." Yami sounded tired. Airi obeyed but refused to back any farther away from the stairs.

Splitting concrete and metal continued to sounded around them. Airi turned to see the place where the helicopter had landed was now beginning to crack.

"Master Kaiba, we have to leave now!" Roland said. The others looked out from the doors of the copter, shouting at Airi to come to them. Kaiba stood on the ground between Airi and the chopper, ignoring Roland's repeated appeals for him to board.

A crashing sound behind her make Airi turn. To her horror she saw the stairs had broke away from the building and were swaying dangerously away from the landing. Yami and Rafeal had no way of getting there unless they jumped, and judging by their appearance neither were in the condition. Airi stepped closer, willing her arm to reach far enough to pull them to safety.

"Airi!" Kaiba shouted.

"Airi, go back." Yami said. "Go while you still can."

"Don't you go heroic on me." Airi's voice cracked on the dust filled air.

Rafael suddenly seemed to come to life. Coming out from under Yami's arm, he leaned forward. The sudden shift of weight caused the stairs to lean towards Airi. At the last moment Rafael picked Yami up and pitched him towards Airi. Surprised, Airi barely registered what was going on before Yami was sprawled on the concrete beside her. She gripped his jacket to assure her he was there.

Yami sat up, gripping his side. "Rafael!"

The stairs were still suspended and Rafael stood there. He appeared too calm for the situation.

Yami leaned out as far as he dared. "Come on. You can still make it."

More of stairs crumbled, making it too dangerous for Rafael to attempt his swinging stunt again.

"I'm not leaving you." Yami shouted, voice near panic.

Rafael shook his head.

"Master Kaiba, we have to go." Roland repeated over the sound of more crumbling.

"Wait." Kaiba ordered.

Rafael reached into his pocket and pulled out a small black object. Eyes connecting with Airi he tossed it to her. Her hand shot out and caught it.

"You'll need that to face Dartz." Rafael said. "I hope you reunite with your brother."

Airi slipped the thing into her pocket, eyes stinging.

"Thank you." She said.

Yami held out his hand. "Come one, you can still make it."

"Go." Rafael said.

The stairs collapsed, sending Rafael plummeting to the floors below. Yami shouted after him, but soon he was gone. Airi turned away, eyes closed.

"Pharaoh!" Tea shrieked from the helicopter. The pad was gone, only a ramp reading up to the hovering craft remain. Kaiba had finally gone to the helicopter, but stood in the doorway with Tea glaring at the two of them as if telling them to hurry up. Yami and Airi pull each other to their feet and sprinted to the helicopter. Airi felt Yami's hand grip hers as they ran and she gripped tighter to insure he wasn't left behind.

Up the ramp they ran, eyes fixed on their only way of escape. Kaiba leaned out of the chopper, hand extended. Airi extended hers and he seized it, pulling her aboard. Beside him, Tea pulled Yami into the chopper after her. They collapsed onto the floor, gripping whatever was near by, as the chopper launched into the sky away from the crumbling building.

Airi gasped for air, body pressed onto the floor, hand still clutching Yami's.

"Wow." she heard someone say above her.

Airi managed to push herself up enough to look out the window. Below her the rubble of the old Paradias building surrounded what looked like an ancient temple.

"So that's what the real headquarters looked like." Tristan said. "hope that building is more up to code."

"But why have two buildings?" Tea said.

"Dartz enjoys illusions." Yami's voice was bitter. "There is more to him than meets the eye."

"Well then what?" Mokuba said. "Let go down there and show what happens when he messes with KaibaCorp."

"He'll be long gone." Kaiba said.

Airi reached into her pocket and pulled out what Rafael had tossed to her. It appeared to be a computer.

"Maybe this will help us find Dartz." She held it out to Kaiba.

Skeptic, Kaiba slipped it into his PDA. Pushing a few buttons his eyes narrowed. "It appeared to be a map."

"To where?" Mokuba asked

"Dartz?" Tristan suggested.

"Follow this." Kaiba tossed the PDA to Roland. "Good job, Muto. You've earned a ride to this mystery destination."

"Generous." Airi muttered as he moved to the cockpit.

Tea and Tristan helped Airi and Yami into seats. Joey's unconscious body had already be laid out on seats near the back. Tea insisted Yami sit next to her, which kinda irked Airi, but she kept her mouth shut. She slipped next to him on the other side, noting how wiped out he looked.

"How are you?" she asked.

"Breathing." he said. "That was reckless of you, waiting for me like that."

"Runs in the family. What's your excuse?"

Yami groaned, but she heard the smile behind it. "Why do we keep having this conversation?"

"Because you won't learn."

"Very funny."

"Master Kaiba." Voices came over the intercom. "Helicopters surrounding us."

"Now what?" Tristan moaned.

Yami tried to get up, but both Airi and Tea pulled him back down.

"Kaiba's got it." Airi said. She looped her arm into his."Rest up. You'll need it."

He didn't argue and in a moment he fell asleep, leaning over so his head rested on Tea's shoulder. Airi was too tired to feel jealous and was also soon asleep, with her head resting on Yami's shoulder.

It barely felt like a second before Airi was jerked awake. Shaking her head, she looked around, realizing they were descending. The helicopters, she heard Kaiba's men reporting, where still around them. As they descended Airi could see they were approaching a military aircraft carrier. She felt Yami's hand slip into hers. Eventually the helicopter shuttered as it landed. Looking out the window she could see the other helicopters handing and groups of military personal standing around. where they waiting for them?

"What do they want?" Tea asked.

Kaiba appeared from the front of the chopper, looking annoyed.

"It's the military." Kaiba said. "They're requesting to speak with me and Yugi."

"Why?" Yami's grip tightening around Airi's hand.

"Something secret?" Kaiba said. "Unreliable authority. Typical."

A laud knock sounded from the helicopter. One of Kaiba's men pulled it open to show a man in military uniform.

"Seto Kaiba. Yugi Muto." he said. "Will you please follow me?"

Yami rose. Airi rose as well, but the officer shook his head.

"Sorry ma'am, but you're to remain here."

"What?" Airi said. "But I'm his sister."

"My orders are clear. Only Mr Kaiba and Mr Muto are to come with me."

"What do you want for my brother for?" Mokuba demanded.

"Mokuba, you're in charge." Kaiba descended from the chopper. "Keep the geeks under control."

Yami gave Airi's hand and quick squeeze before he followed. Airi walked to Mokuba, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"It's going to be ok." she said.

He only nodded, watching his brother follow the military officer approach another military officers in a different kind of uniform. Tristan tried to lighten the mood by joking about possible escape plans if they had to run for it. Tea told him to shut up and they spent the rest of the wait in silence.

Airi did her best to figure out what was happening. From what she could see, the military seemed to be doing most of the talking. Yami kept nodding, while Kaiba only seemed to stiffen with annoyance. Airi didn't like the expression on the main officer's face. Military were stern, but this was a different level of serious even for them. What's going on?

Finally after what seemed like ages, Kaiba and Yami returned, with their military escort. Kaiba stood in the door way, obviously annoyed.

"It looks like we're getting a ride by the military to this Dartz's place. Since we have a common enemy they are willing to give us a ride."

"Why don't they just shoot him?" Tristan said.

"Something about jurisdiction." Kaiba said. "They're giving us a ride, so we fly in and face him ourselves."

"At least their willing to do that much?" Tea said.

"We could just fly there."

"And back again?" Airi said. "you have enough gas?"

"Don't question my gas mileage." Kaiba snapped.

"So that's a no?" Tristan said.

Kaiba frowned. "You're still guests on my chopper. I'll leave you all behind so the real duelist don't have distractions."

No one felt like talking much as they waited. When asked, the military personnel only knew it would take about an hour to get out to Dartz's headquarters. It left too much time for thinking and contemplating the duel to come.

Getting cabin fever, Airi took to walking around outside chopper to get some fresh air. No one protested and she eventually found herself near the edge of the ship. The sky was still dark and cloudy with lightening. It still looked horrible and she was very happy they weren't flying right now. But knowing they were getting closer to Dartz didn't' make her less nervous. Dartz's horrible face and the Seal kept flashing across her mind and making her shutter. Yugi was there, she reminded herself, they had to get him back. She was grateful she wasn't expected to face Dartz. She doubted herself too much to last more than a few rounds against him.

But that meant Kaiba and Yami would be facing him. She swallowed. She'd only seen a couple duels with the Seal and she didn't want to see any more. Watching her friends inside the green ring made her feel weak and useless. She wanted to help in some way. Being there didn't feel enough this time. She fiddled with her necklace, staring out over the water.

After a moment she realized Yami was standing next to her. He also stared over the choppy ocean waves.

"You like sneaking up on people?" she asked.

"Couldn't think of anything to say." he said.

She nodded. It was hard to think of anything to say now they were so close to facing the enemy.

"I will get Yugi back."

"Both of you." Airi gripped her pendent. "I expect both of you to come back."

Yami glanced at her, but didn't answer.

Airi suddenly reached up and unclasped her necklace. Airi looked at the jade, rubbing her fingers over the carved petals. Nodding, she turned to Yami.

"Lean over." she said.

Expression puzzled, he obeyed. She reached up and fastened the chain behind his neck. Her fingers shook but she managed to fasten the clasp behind his neck.

"The Seal has really bad reception." she swallowed. "I don't like you being there alone."

"I'll have Kaiba."

"You know what I mean." she carefully slipped the jade flower under his shirt, adjusting the chain so it didn't snag on his choker. "Our connection weakens inside the Seal. This way I'll be with you to the end, like I promised."

Yami's hand rested on her cheek and his thumb brushed a tear away. She looked up to see his own eyes shining.

"I'm honored. Thank you."

"Don't let us down." She shrugged. "saving the world and all. You know, no pressure."

He suddenly leaned in and she felt the light brush of his lips on her forehead. He pulled back, smiling. It suddenly felt like they were saying goodbye. She threw her arms around him. He held her close. Tears slipped out and she hid them in the fabric of Yugi's jacket.

"I mean it." she said. "I expect you to come back. No copy-cat Yugi stunts and only one of you comes back. I want you back as well."

His arms tightened around her.

They stayed there for a long time. It was amazing, Airi thought. In the middle of the ocean with hundreds of military personal she felt like they were the only two people in the world.

Sounds and shouting erupted around them, forcing them apart. In the distance was an island, surrounded by dark clouds and flashing lightning like a horror movie set. It looked like the kind of place Dartz would call home.

"Yugi." Kaiba's voice came from the helicopter's speakers. "If you're coming, take off in two minutes."

Yami and Airi looked at each other.

"Take care." Airi said.

"You too." Yami held out his hand. She accepted, and they walked to the KaibaCorp chopper.

Next stop: Dartz.


Sorry this is short. Next is the Dartz duel. We're almost at the end of the season, finally. For those who wanted Airi to face Dartz instead of Kaiba, i would have loved to do that, but then rewriting the entire duel to get rid of Kaiba or a three-way duel would be a headache. I hope you guys like what i come up with.

Thank you so much for reading. You're all amazing.

Take care and God bless.