I'M BACK'!'!'!'

Juice: Please calm down Hikari'!'!'!'

Me: I can't! I just cant! I have been overcome by happiness! ;munches on cookies from Taddybear; ... yummy.

Tanks for da reviews everyone! They make me feel special! XD.

Thorn: ;holding chibified Rosa; Will you jus' hurry it up?

Me: ;mumbles; pushy.

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Domino or Bust!

Chapter 12: Everything's coming together

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January second. The day most kids loathed and others ignored. The day school started up again. Gah. Why must they end the Christmas holidays? For some who had stayed at Hogwarts for Christmas, they weren't really looking forward to the rest of the school returning. Rosa being at the top of that list.

Everything now seemed to remind her of Thorn; Thus, causing her emotions to run haywire. She couldn't stay stable for 15 minutes for Christ sake!(no offence to you religious ppls) Jou and Seto had tried to comfort her, as did everyone else who may or may not have actually known about Thorn, but it didn't work. She just became more of a wreck.

Hermione said she stayed in her bed with the curtains drawn so that no one could see her, and when she tried to pull them back, a black mist slapped her hand away. This caused worried glances from hikari to yami. Everyone, save a few, knew it was the shadow magic she was channeling through those earrings.

"Rosa?" Jou said as he walked into the dorm. The only reply was a slight sniffle. Jou's expression softened even more as he approached the bed. He noticed the 'dark mist' fly from in between the cracks of the curtains as he reached to pull one back. He didn't stop, knowing that the shadow magic would react if he pulled away.

He pulled the curtain back. Rosa was sitting on the middle of the bed. Her knees drawn to her chest, and her face hiding from view thanks to her arms which where covering it. Shadow magic was floating around her petit form as she sat there in a pair of boxers and a white spaghetti strap top; oblivious to the cold the Shadow Realm gave off.

"Rosa," he said as he sat beside her on her bed. "It'll be ok-"

"No it won't!"

Rosa looked up at her mother with tears streaming down her cheeks. "I can't stop thinking 'bout Thorn, I can't stop crying, I won't be able to show my face without it being tear stained, I miss Thorn, there's no possible way for her to come back, I want her back anyway, I don't have my scarab, I can't contact Thorn, I can't stand not being near her, and my heart's breaking in a gazillion pieces 'cuz-"

She was cut off by Jou's finger against her lips. "I know Rosa. But you have to find a way to get through this." He said as he pulled his daughter into a hug. "It may sound crazy, but I just know you'll see Thorn again. She's your other half. I'm sure she'll find a way back and then you'll be happy again."

"But, how will I know?"

"Well, a lot of the times you wont. You just gotta hope for the best"

"... I feel her. It could just be a trick my mind likes playing on me, but I think I feel her. Her earring has shadow magic, as does mine, that intensifies. But ... this's happened before and I don't know If I can trust it"

"Remember when you were younger? You know, when we first moved to Domino?" Rosa nodded after pulling back a bit. "Yeah.". "Well, I had a similar feeling whenever I was around your father. And when I was alone at night and couldn't sleep."

"But you could never sleep"

"Being so far away from the other half of your heart can have strange effects on a person. At times, it was like he was right there beside me, and at a moments notice, that feeling of security would be gone. And I would never get to sleep after that. But you have to stay strong. Don't let the darkness swallow you anymore than it already has. Understand?"

There was an awkward silence after that. "Rosa-"

"I can feel her." The phrase made Jou grow quiet. "It's like the other half of my soul's close, but far away from my grasp ... It's getting closer though. So close ...". Jou rubbed Rosa's back for a second before getting off the bed. "You'll be fine." He said before heading towards the door. "You may want to get dressed. Class starts in half an hour."

"Since when have you cared about school?" Rosa asked as she wiped her eyes. "I don't." He said. "But Seto does." He continued before noticing that crooked smile on her face and walking out. "How is she?" Yami asked once Jou entered the common room. "Better." The blonde said as he took a seat on his lover's lap.

"And just how better is 'better'?" Said CEO asked. "Well," Jou started. "She smiled. It was small, but it still counts.". "Hoorah for the mother-daughter relationship." Yugi cheered fakely(I no it's not a real word but bear with me) before standing. "I'm getting breakfast." He said before being fallowed out by Yami, Seto and Jou.

As they entered the hall, the middle tables had been set a-gap, and children from all the grade levels where crowded around something. Yami and Yugi began to work their way through, after seeing no sight of anyone they knew and could ask, quickly fallowed by Seto who had picked Jou up bridal style to carry him through.

A soon as they got through, they noticed the disguised duel monsters(save Fiamma), Jayson, Andre, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Draco all in the front of the crowd trying to keep them far enough back. In the small circle, was Bakura who was comforting a distraught Ryou, while Marik was checking out a body, covered in a black, blood stained cloak that was torn from the person's knees and elbows down, while the person's pale hands clamped something gold wrapped in a silk-like cloth, as Malik tried to calm a crying Fiamma.

"What's going on?" Yami asked as he approached the dark blonde. "You may want to take a look at this body." Marik said. "Are they still breathing?" Seto asked as he gently placed Jou back on his feet. "Barely." Bakura added. "She needs energy to keep her heartbeat steady.". "What do you mean 'she'?" Yugi asked. "You may want to check yourself." Malik said with a grim look.

"It can't be." Jou said with a disbelieving look. "Rosa said she could feel her but it can't be. She's to far away.". He walked up and bent down. His hand reached for the hood of the cloak that covered the figure's head and--

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Rosa looked herself over in the mirror. With a nod of approval, she grabbed her side bag, and headed out of the dorm, and out of the common room. She may have been heading towards the Great Hall for breakfast, but he mind was somewhere else. 'I just know Thorn's close by.' She thought.

'But where? And why haven't I found her yet? It would be so much easier if I had the Scarab. Then she wouldn't be so far out of grasp ...'. She quickly wiped a stray tear from her watering eyes before wiping them dry as well. "No. Now's not the time for tears." She said as she rounded a corner. "I hafta be strong. For mama's sake if not my own." She said with a nod.

'But why is the feeling drawing closer?' she thought before opening the great hall doors. Her interest peaked as well as her fears as she made it to the crowd. "S'cuse me, pardon me, comin' through." She said as she wiggled her way through the crowd. She made her way to where her senseis, parents, and Fiamma sat.

"Rosa!". Rosa looked to her left. Tori ran up and clung to her shoulder. "You're staying right here!" She said in an ordering voice that was so unlike Tori. "Tori, calm down." Hex said as she pulled her girlfriend off the creeped out Rosa. "Kono higano mioshina nasa migeru konoma Hexe!(I'm not letting her get hurt Hex!)" Tori yelled having reverted back to the Harpie's native language. "Listen, she can take care of herself." Hex said before dragging the now crying girl into a hug.

"Be careful, ok?" Hex asked as she looked strait into Rosa's eyes. The girl just nodded before approaching her mother who was sitting in Seto's lap with wide eyes muttering, "I can't believe it" over and over again as the CEO tried to snap him out of the trance.

Her throat felt tight and sweat ran down her face as she passed everyone and kneeled down near the figure's face. She didn't know why she was so scared to see who the cloaked female was. 'Wait, how do I know it's a female?' she thought before gulping. Reaching out a shaky hand, her fingers wondered to the other persons and as soon as her flesh met theirs, a jolt of familiarity ran through her system.

Almost instantly, she knew who it was. Exactly who it was. Tears trickled down her cheeks as her fingers ran across the cold, pale flesh before meeting a speck of gold. Her throat tightened further as her heart seemed to pause before the next beat. She closed her eyes, and let her fingers grip the figure's hand.

Rosa's earrings began to glow. One black, and the other white the same was with the other female's earrings while the cloth covered gold seemed to shine a blinding white, causing everyone to shield their eyes. When the light died down, Rosa was lying unconscious on the floor with the bloodied torn cloak over her uniform.

"Rosa!" Jou said as he ran to his daughter. Checking her pulse, and breathing, he looked at the others. "She's alright." He said. "Just needs some rest I think.". He looked back with a smile. "I suggest we get her to bed." Seto said as he walked over and picked the girl up. "Tori, Azote, Hex, Fiamma, Sue, Andre and Jayson, you seven should come with us." Yugi said fallowed by a nod from Yami.

"But what about us?" Ron asked. Hermione nodding with concern for her friend who had done an unexplainable thing just now. "Let them come Pharaoh." Bakura said. "They should get an explanation." Malik added in with nods from Ryou and Marik. "Very well." Yami said before looking up at the staff who had just been able to get through the crowd. "Potter, Granger, Weasly, Malfoy, Espit-Rêver(Sue), Spirito-Del-Fuoco(Fiamma), Alies(Tori), Licht(Hex), Punto(Azote), and Kaiba are all excused from classes for the day." He added before motioning for the extra four to fallow the big group back to the Gryffindor tower to the other student's dislike.

"Enough! Enough! Now get to class!" Snape yelled before walking off to somewhere(Think a staff room where he gets a mocha làte or something ... funny ain't it?).

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Harry sighed. They had been sitting in the common room for about 20 minutes now. When they had been half way to said common room, Yami had yelled something in some foreign language, causing Tori, Hex, Sue, Azote, and Fiamma to nod and run of somewhere. Now, the rest of the group, minus Harry Ron, Hermione, and Draco where sitting around and talking privately in a corner about some strong issue. Rosa had been brought to bed by Hermione, who had offered to help, and had, while she was in there, change the poor girl's clothes to a pair of pajamas.

"I guess you all want an explanation." Yami said as the larger group walked over to the four. "One would be nice." Ron admitted. "I'll go keep an eye on Rosa." Jou said before standing and walking up to the girl's dorm room; Seto at his heals. For the next hour and a half, the remaining six answered and explained questions and concerns that the four Hogwarts student's asked.

"That's what she meant!" Hermione mumbled to herself as Malik finished explaining on the Sennen items. "What did she mean?" Yami asked; curious as to what Rosa had told them. "She tried to explain to us what the Sennen items where after I glanced at her research. I didn't wholly believe it because I tend to side with the facts in books." The female replied.

"A little to much obviously." Ron whispered to Harry and Draco causing Hermione to hit him upside the head with a glare. "Ow! What was that for'?'!" He yelled while glaring at the girl who remained silent. Jou and Seto walked out of the girl's dorm room and took seats on the couch. Jou instantly fell asleep in Seto's lap as the CEO kept a firm grip around the blonde's waist.

"He's had a rough morning." Seto said calmly as to answer everyone's unasked questions. A few nodded before Bakura felt the need to continue the explanation. He didn't really like explaining this sort of thing, but as soon as he was finished with this, he could go check on his favorite, and only, blonde student who currently slept in the dorms.

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Rosa blinked her eyes open sleepily. Sitting up slowly, she looked around. She was in her soul room, on her full size bed with navy blue sheets and white pillows.

The room was a normal sized room, with a large floor covered with navy blue carpeting. In the corner was a hand carved mahogany table with a bunch of unopened printer paper packets under it as well as drawing utensils. Taped along the white walls was a bunch of hand drawn pictures of her family. The ones on her ceiling where her most recently drawn or colored ones.

She reached over and clicked on the light of her white shaded lamp that rested on a mahogany nightstand causing light to flicker the room. That was her favorite part about this lamp. It flickered. She sat there in her bed for a minute. Never had she forgotten something that was important enough for her to wake up in her soul room for.

It was then she noticed something ... She didn't feel alone. Her hand wandered around her chest as it searched for the familiar slab of gold. It wasn't there. Her head instantly shot to her left where her white, rosewood door was located to see her golden Sennen Scarab hanging from a single coat hanger with all it's golden glory.

In an instant, she shot out of her bed and through the now opened door. She ran down the hall that seemed to lengthen with each step. She stopped and faced a door. It was made with a deep dark, stone that looked almost black, but not at the same time. The handle, even though it was pure black, was made of gold as was the eye of Horus that was carved into the stone at eye level.

Her heart was hammering in her chest as she reached for the handle hesitantly. Her shaky hand gripped the handle and turned it causing the door to open slowly. A slight intake of breath was all she could manage before her throat became tight. She silently walked into the room with pure black walls and dimly lit candle lighting.

She ran --more like stumbled-- up to the figure sitting in the corner limply as if dead. Rosa fell to her knees as tears fought to make it past her eyelids. She wrapped her arms around the figure protectively, but loose as to not disturb the wounds. She felt so helpless just sitting there while her darker half bled all over the stone floor.

Unbeknownst to Rosa, her earrings began to glow and a first aid box appeared in front of them. The smaller of the two quickly picked her surprisingly light yami, --too light in her opinion-- and placed her on the bed with black sheets. She grabbed the first aid kit, and began her work. Making sure to leave no spot unchecked.

When she was finished, she took the time to help her friend into cleaner clothes. Thorn was pale. Too pale for Rosa's liking. Her breathing had been labored at first, but had smoothly evened out to those of a heavy sleep. It was in this dead silence, when Rosa was sure Thorn was ok, that she instantly began to sob. It was like she couldn't stop.

She bent over so that her head was buried into her arms. She didn't know if she was crying because Thorn was back, or if it was because Thorn was hurt to the point that she had passed out before she had even got there. She was so upset about whether she was upset, that she didn't notice movement in the room. Thus, she jumped when a hand came to rest on her shoulder.

Her head shot up from reflex and came to stare in a pair of golden eyes with cobalt flecks. Her breath hitched in her throat as Thorn smiled warmly at her. "Long time no see, huh Ro?" Thorns deep voice asked a bit sarcastically. Thorn soon found herself being clutched by Rosa who had her arms tightly around her waist. "My Ra, Thorn ... please don't do that again!" Rosa sobbed into Thorn's shirt as said girl wrapped her arms hesitantly around the sobbing girl's shoulders.

"Didn't think I'd be missed this much." She mumbled as a pink tint attached itself to her cheeks. "Thorn, that isn't even ¼ of it." Rosa cried. "I've missed you so much ... please don't leave again. My heart wouldn't be able to take it.". Thorn's heart sunk as she picked the girl up and placed her on her lap. Her grip instantly tightened as Rosa's arms relocated to around Thorn's neck.

"No worries hikari." Thorn said as she rocked the crying female. "I don't plan on leaving any time soon ... Shh. I'm here now. Nothing's gonna hurt you. O-tay?". Rosa nodded as she unintentionally tried to dry her tears with Thorn's pajama shirt before bursting back into a sobbing fit. Thorn lifted her hand to rest on Rosa's cheek which made the girl's tears pause as she tried to combat a stubborn blush.

Thorn rubbed her thumb against the smooth, peach skin before maneuvering Rosa's head so that she could look, into her cobalt and golden eyes. "I'll always be here ok Ro-chan?" She said before allowing the girl to cry silently into her chest while she comforted her the best she could.

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"It's been a while hadn't it?" Harry said as he stared at the snow. He meant what he said. He hadn't seen the boy since they had gotten the explanation from the Yugi-tachi, and that had been two weeks ago. "It has." Draco replied as his eyes too watched the snow. "How's Rosa doing?"

"Don't know. Hasn't woken up yet"

"What about the others?"

"Hermione and Ron've finally hit it off. Snogging all day I'm guessin'"

"Anything else?"

"Nope; nothing's that different"

"I see ..."

" ... "

" ... "

" ... wanna go get some coco?"

"Sure"

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It was empty in the halls as Harry and Draco made their way to the Gryffindor tower. They where silent as they walked. Having plenty to talk about, but not wanting to disturb the comforting silence. They reached the top of the main staircase in a matter of minutes.

"Harry! Draco!"

The two looked up at their names being called and saw a rushed looking Ron running up to them. "Hey Ron." Harry said. "What's up?" Draco asked. "Guys ... Rosa jus' ... woke .. up!" Ron panted. "I've been ... lookin' all ... over ... for ya!". Harry and Draco glanced at each other before racing off towards the Gryffindor Tower. "Hay!" Ron yelled breathy before running after them. "Wait f'r me!"

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Konnichiwa Minna-san! Sorry for taking so long, but I really didn't have the time to update! I've had this chapter done a week or so after my last update, but didn't have the time to actually sign on and post! I so sorry'!'!'!' ;gets down on hands and knees and begs; Forgive me!

Juice: ;walks over and picks Leah up by her shirt collar and sets her on her feet; Stop doing that. It freaks me out.

Leah: oO ? Anyway, Thanks to all my reviewers! I may be giving things out next chappie, but only to reviewers, so you'd better review! And Tashi-chan, I tried not to go away, but stupid school made me! It's the school's fault I tell ya!

Cloe: You're just mad that they may be taking the soda machines out of your school.

Leah: Hey! I like soda machines! And I don't see why they have to be taken out when they're not turned on till 4pm anyway. Enough of my ramblings! I've got to go! Oh! and just so you guys know, I'm going to be passing out presents to the crew of my story so send some in! Give a present, get a present! Just give them presents k? I'll give you guys something extra.

Caio!