It had been an hour after the party had ended abruptly. The guests had left and the palace staff was still cleaning the ballroom.

Yami was still locked in the dungeon.

However, his body felt as though it was on fire. His insides burned and he felt nauseous. Yami sat up from his spot on his bed. However, he needed to lie back down due to his head spinning and the wave of nausea that hit him. He knew it was the Hasta poison that Anzu and Dartz had slipped in his drink. Yami gasped in pain as the pain doubled.

Atem raced to Isis's chambers with the other members of the Royal Court following. He knocked on the door hoping Isis wasn't sleeping. Isis answered the door still dressed in her dress from the ball.

"Your Majesty? What is it? What's wrong?"

"What do you know about Hasta poisoning?" Isis raised an eyebrow.

"It's a deadly snake poison, and once in a person's body it slowly starts to kill them from the inside and then from the outside," Isis explained. "It had no effect on vampires but on humans, it can kill," Atem's eyes widened.

"Why do you ask?" Atem quickly explained what had happened and Isis's eyes widened.

"We must hurry, I fear we don't have much time before the poison takes full effect," the group then ran down to the dungeons.

'Please hold on Yami'

Yami had managed to stand up and was slowly wobbling his way to the cell door.

"I need to get to Isis," he mumbled as his body was going numb. Yami hissed as he felt something prick his neck, a new burning entering his body. In his pained state, Yami forgot the Blood Collar would release a poison in him that would kill him if he was away from Atem for too long. Yami collapsed halfway to the door. The cold floor was cool to the touch on his heated skin. He moaned in pain as his body had gone numb. He couldn't feel anything. His eyes felt heavy and he struggled to keep them open.

Eventually, Yami gave up fighting and let his eyes slowly close.

'I'm sorry Atem, please forgive me' was the last thought to cross Yami's brain as he went into unconsciousness.

The group eventually reached the dungeons and Atem opened the door and quickly headed to where cell where the guards had locked Yami in.

"Yami?" Atem asked stepping in front of the cell. Isis stepped up behind Atem and gasped in horror at the sight before her. Atem followed her gaze and his eyes widened in horror. Yami was laying on the floor, on his side. His arms were stretched in front of him and he was barely breathing.

"Yami!" Atem called out rushing over to the unconscious male. He kneeled beside Yami and pulled him into his arms. Yami's breath was ragged and slow, Isis kneeled down beside him and frowned. "Isis there has to be something we can do," Atem said desperation clear in his voice as tears flooded his eyes. Isis frowned.

"There's nothing I can do, he's too close to death that my medicine won't help, and neither will my magic," Atem frowned and turned back to Yami who was so pale, paler than he normally was. "But there's something you can do," Atem perked up at it.

"What is it?" Isis frowned.

"But you won't like the idea," Atem shook his head.

"I don't care what it is, I have to save him."

"You have to turn him," Atem's eyes widened.

"I couldn't do that to him," Isis placed a hand on his shoulder.

"If you don't do it now, Yami will cease to exist anymore," Atem glared at the floor.

"Can't someone else do it?" Isis shook her head.

"It has to be you, you're a pureblood," Atem frowned. Yami's breathing had become slower as the poison made his way to its heart.

"What about the poisons in his body?"

"Poisons? I thought it was just the Hasta venom?"

"No," Atem said with a shake of his head, clipping the Blood Collar off of Yami's neck, revealing the puncture wound. "He also has the poison from the Blood Collar in him."

"Well, if all goes well they will both be destroyed once your blood is in his system," Atem sighed and glanced at Heba who was standing a few feet away along with Seto, Bakura, Marik, Ootogi, and Honda. Heba stepped forwards and kneeled beside Atem with a small smile.

"It will be fine Atem, I'm here if you need me," Atem nodded and turned to Isis with a nod.

"Let's do it," Isis nodded and brought out a little knife she kept with her. Atem held out his wrist and Isis quickly made a cut along his wrist. Atem turned to Heba and nodded, Heba understood and held down Yami's arms.

Atem held his bleeding wrist over Yami's mouth and watched as blood dripped into Yami's open mouth. Atem pulled back a moment later and Yami's eyes flashed open. He groaned in pain and thrashed as the blood made its way through his system. Yami screamed as the poisons were leaving his body, being canceled out by Atem's blood. Heba and Atem held down his arms to make sure he didn't harm himself.

Yami suddenly stopped and his body relaxed. Yami's breathing evened out showing he had fallen asleep. Atem smiled and gently lifted Yami into his arms.

"We should take him to your room, he'll be more comfortable," Isis said laying a gentle hand on his shoulder Atem nodded his gaze never leaving Yami. "I'll come and check on him in a few hours." Atem stood up and carried Yami out of the cell, Heba following behind him, ready to help his brother if the need came. The group split to make room for the Emperor who carried the sleeping human in his arms.

Once at his bedroom, Heba helped Atem lay Yami in Atem's bed and cover him with the blankets, removing his boots and jacket first. Atem sat next to Yami on the chair he pulled up and held onto his hand, which still held warmth in it. Heba placed a hand on Atem's shoulder and gave a small smile to Yami who seemed to be sleeping peacefully now.

"Let me know if you need anything," Heba said softly. Atem nodded gently, his gaze never leaving Yami. Heba gave a last look to Yami before quietly leaving the bedroom.

'I'm sorry Yami, please forgive me for what I did to you'

Yami woke up with a flash. He shot up and found himself in the cell still. However, the door was open instead of being locked shut. Getting out of bed Yami walked out of the cell and out of the dungeon on the lookout for a guard, however, he found it to be deserted. Not a servant was around running around with their jobs like they usually were. Yami frowned and kept walking towards the throne room hoping to find at least someone. He entered the room and found it empty. There were no guards, no Sacred Court, and more importantly, no Atem. There was however a girl, a woman to be exact, she stood in the middle of the room with her back towards Yami.

Yami took a few steps towards her. The woman then turned to face him with a smile. Yami's eyes widened at seeing his mother, only this time she looked normal. Her black hair fell in waves down to her lower back and covered a bit of her right eye. Her purple eyes shone with happiness at seeing her son. She wore a dark magenta flowing skirt and a light magenta blouse with off the shoulder sleeves. She walked towards her son with a smile, her lips painted a medium shade of pink.

"Yami, I missed you so much," she whispered as tears fell down her cheeks. She gathered Yami in a hug, he was a little bit taller than she was. As Estelle pulled back she noticed the frown on his face.

"Why didn't you tell me you worked for the vampires?" Estelle frowned.

"Oh sweetheart, me and your father wanted to, but we couldn't," Yami nodded.

"I understand," Estelle smiled and placed a hand on her son's cheek.

"You've grown so much, I missed seeing you grown up," Yami leaned into his mother's touch, he missed her touch.

"Where am I?" Yami asked as Estelle pulled her hand back. She smiled and two portals appeared behind her.

"This is the cross paths where you must choose where to go," Yami looked at both path confused.

"I don't understand, aren't I dead?" Estelle shook her head.

"Not yet, but you're on your way love," Yami frowned.

"Why am I here? The Hasta poison and the poison from the Blood Collar should have killed me by now," Estelle smiled.

"Atem saved you, he gave you his blood and it canceled out the poison before it reached your heart," Yami's eyes widened.

"So does that mean?" Estelle nodded, a solemn look on her face.

"Yes, it means that because of Atem's blood being put into your body, you are now a vampire."

Yami's breath stopped, he had to take a minute to take everything in. Estelle stood by waiting for her son to calm down. After a while, Yami did calm down and started thinking about the pathways. He turned to his mother confused.

"I do not understand these crossways," Estelle smiled.

"These pathways represent choices, you can either choose to go left and return to your world, or you can go right and move on with me and your father." Yami's eyes widened.

"You mean I can move on?" Estelle nodded.

"Yes, I'm sure your father would love to see you again."

Yami nodded, he had a choice to make. He could either return to his world and go live his life as a vampire. Or he could choose to move on and join his parents.

Yami woke up his eyes wincing at the bright sunlight. He felt a weight on the bed beside him. He turned his head and found Atem fast asleep his hand holding his own. Yami smiled and tried to sit up, but he fell back as he felt his body scream at him in pain. The movement caused Atem to wake up, he noticed Yami was awake.

"How do you feel?" Atem asked brushing bangs out of Yami's face.

"Sore," Atem smiled and laughed.

"Yeah, you'll probably feel that for a couple of days," Yami nodded.

The silence was awkward between the two.

Atem broke the silence by speaking first.

"Yami, I"-" Yami shook his head.

"You don't have to say anything Atem, I know I messed up," Atem frowned and shook his head.

"No, I need to get this out," Yami's eyes widened but he nodded and listened to what Atem had to say. "I know it wasn't you that killed Eva, I was just so upset and angry that my childhood friend was killed when I was supposed to protect her," Yami's eyes softened.

"How did you figure out it wasn't me?"

"Mai had been following Anzu for a while, and on the night of the ball she told me what Anzu and Dartz had done," Yami smiled. "Who would have thought, my childhood friend who had been living at the palace since we were born would try to kill my other childhood friend."

Atem suddenly spaced out as he remembered what Mai had told him that night.

"What did you need to show me?"

"It's a little difficult to say," Mai said with a frown. "Just trust me and look at my memories," Mai said holding her hand out to Atem. Atem sighed but grabbed her hand and using his powers glanced into Mai's memories. Atem saw Mai watching the meeting between Anzu and Dartz after the ball. His eyes widened when he heard Anzu say that Yami would be dead by the time Atem came to check on him. Atem pulled back from the memories and stood up suddenly. He turned to Mai with a smile.

"Thank you Mai, I need to find everyone and get Isis," Mai nodded and Atem rushed out of the room, Heba who was about to knock on the door was almost trampled by his brother.

"AAtem? Where are you going?" Atem turned back still running.

"To get Isis, get the Court and everyone else and bring them to Isis's chambers," Heba nodded and handed the tray with tea to Mai and hurried off in the direction of their friend's chambers, and then hurried to get the Royal Court.

Atem was brought out of his thoughts by Yami waving a hand in front of his face.

"Atem? Are you alright?" Atem smiled before nodding.

"I'm fine just, remembering some things," Yami nodded and glanced towards his hands.

"What will happen to Anzu and Dartz?" Yami asked.

"Well we need to get Anzu and Dartz to confess first, then we need to hold a trial," Yami's eyes widened.

"A trial? You don't normally do trials," Atem nodded.

"Well, they attacked and hurt my best friend and the one I love and care about," Yami's eyes widened.

"Y-you love me?" Atem nodded.

"I do, I have since you became my personal slave," Atem turned away afraid to see the rejection in Yami's face.

Yami smiled before grabbing Atem's face with both hands and ignoring his pain kissed Atem on the lips. Atem's eyes widened and before he knew it, he had one hand on Yami's cheek and one tangled in Yami's hair. They separated and Yami had a smile on his face.

"Does this mean?" Yami nodded.

"I love you to, I was just afraid to tell you because I was scared of your reaction," Atem smiled and kissed Yami once more, Yami responded immediately and felt Atem's tongue run across his lower lip. Yami allowed Atem's tongue inside and the two engaged in a heated tongue battle. Yami pulled Atem onto the bed and the two continued to kiss until the need for air became too much to ignore.

Yami cuddled against Atem and yawned. Atem chuckled.

"Go to sleep Yami, we'll deal with this problem later," Yami didn't respond and Atem looked down to find him already asleep with a content smile on his face. Atem chuckled and pulled the blanket over their bodies and falling asleep next to his lover.

Yami had found himself, instead of dreaming he was having a flashback to when he spoke to his mother.

Estelle frowned seeing her son having an inner argument with himself.

"What's wrong love?" Yami turned to his mother and sighed.

"I want to move on, I want to see you and father again," Estelle nodded.

"But you wish to stay with your friends," Yami nodded with tears in his eyes.

"I have to stay, I have to, I have to stay with Atem, Estelle smiled.

"Atem is the one you love isn't he?" Yami blushed and nodded.

"He is, I'm just afraid of his rejection that I cannot tell him of my feelings," Estelle smiled.

"I can see that keeping your feelings trapped away like what you are doing is affecting you," Estelle said as she brushed a bang out of his face. "You should tell Atem about your feelings before it's too late," Yami frowned.

"You think so?" Estelle chuckled.

"I know so."

The portal leading to Heaven disappeared leaving the portal which lead to the Palace.

"Go, be with your love," Yami smiled and hugged his mother letting his tears fall.

"I'll miss you," Estelle smiled and hugged her son back.

"I know honey, but you'll see us one day soon," Estelle kissed her son's forehead and Yami was blinded by a white light. The last thing he saw was his mother smiling with tears falling from her purple eyes and disappear back to Heaven.

Then he woke up.