~A Year Later~

Yami jumped off his horse, which he had named Midnight. He walked her towards the stables and into her stall. Mai's horse Sky was already in her stall with the saddle already off and her mane brushed and cleaned. Yami unbuckled the saddle and slid it off Midnight's back. He must have liked having the saddle off because he neighed happily and shook the dirt off his back, Yami chuckled.

"I know you don't like it, but how else am I supposed to stay on?" Yami then grabbed the brush and water bucket and got to work scrubbing the dirt off and brushing Midnight's hair. Midnight was a black horse with dark grey hair with black edges, his tail being the same colour. The two had been partners since Yami took Anzu's position as Mai's partner. Midnight was Anzu's horse but he didn't like her that much. He got along real well with Yami though, the two bonded almost immediately.

Once finished Yami put the brush and bucket back in their respective places. Yami patted Midnight's snout before leaving the stables and heading into the palace. He headed up the stairs towards the floor where his and Atem's room was. He ran into Honda who was with Ootogi and Heba.

"Hey Yami, you're back," Honda said with a smile, Yami nodded with a tired smile.

"Yes, it's good to be back," Heba smiled.

"You look tired," Yami nodded.

"I am, it was a long journey home," Heba nodded and noticed two figures behind Yami. Yami yelled as he was suddenly picked up from the ground and spun around. After being placed back on the ground Yami turned and found Marik with an innocent smile. With a glare Yami rolled his eyes, he suddenly smirked.

"What did you miss me that much?" Marik's cheeks lit up with a blush making everyone laugh.

Yami was suddenly grabbed from behind in a headlock from Bakura. Who then proceeded to give him a noogie messing up his hair in the process.

"Nah, we didn't miss you that much," Ootogi rolled his eyes.

"They just missed having their favourite person in the world to mess around with," Bakura released Yami with a glare towards Ootogi.

"Oh piss off Dice man," Ootogi glared back as tension rose in the room making everyone uneasy.

"What's with all the shouting? I can practically feel the tension from my study," everyone turned to find Atem standing behind them with Seto beside him.

"Just Bakura and Ootogi's sexual tension," Marik said with a snicker making Bakura and Ootogi glare at him. While Yami, Heba, and Honda laughed at the two. Atem suddenly appeared beside Yami's side and pecked his cheek.

"We'll be going now," Atem draped his arm around Yami's shoulder and the two walked towards their chambers. Seto headed back to the throne room, the other 4 headed off to the lounge to relax.

The two entered their chambers and Yami started taking off his boots and his cloak. Underneath he wore a black tank top with a loop where the cloak connected to the top. Yami placed his cloak on the nearby chair and his boots by his side of the bed. He felt arms wrap around his waist and lips press against his neck above the leather choker. Yami moaned as the lips sucked on his weak spot and teeth gently nibbled. He shivered as a tongue rubbed over that same spot.

"Ate," he managed to moan out. "Someone will see that mark," Atem growled and pulled back

"Let them," next thing Yami knew he was pinned on his back to the back with Atem on top of him. "Hard to imagine that in 3 short months we'll be fully mated," Atem said with a smile. "It's almost surreal," Atem suddenly kissed his lips and his tongue rubbed against Yami's bottom lip begging for entrance.

Atem suddenly started to undo Yami's belt buckle and slowly slide them down his legs. The two separated from their kiss and Yami smiled.

"You can't wait 3 more months?" Atem smirked.

"I am the Emperor, what the Council doesn't know won't kill them," Yami rolled his eyes.

"Ate, you know the rules," Atem groaned."

I know, I can't touch you until the ceremony," Atem scowled and sat up next to Yami, Yami smiled and curled up to Atem. "Whoever made that rule was stupid," Yami giggled causing Atem to look at him.

"What?"

"You made that rule you know," Atem smiled.

"I guess I did, but that was before I met you," Yami smiled and yawned. "Tired?" Yami nodded.

"It was a long journey home," Atem smiled.

"Why don't you have a little rest and when you wake up I'll have dinner sent up?" Yami nodded and closed his eyes falling asleep almost immediately.

Meanwhile just outside the city walls sat many men and women in black clothing. Each had their own style of a weapon of their choice, each fitted to their style. It would be dark soon, and that was exactly what these people were waiting for.

"Yugi, you want me to tell Squad 1 to get into position?" a woman asked from behind Yugi, he turned and nodded.

"Tell them to be careful," the woman nodded and walked off leaving Yugi to stare at the palace.

"Yugi, are you sure you want to do this?" Sean asked approaching the boy, Yugi turned to face Sean, and beside him was Leah.

"That man took my brother from me 3 years ago, I intend to keep my promise I made that day," Sean nodded and Leah smiled.

"Well then Yugi we're behind you every step of the way," Yugi smiled.

"I thank you both for that." The two walked off to get ready and Yugi turned back to the palace where the sun was setting.

'I promise Yami, I'll free you from that prison and bring you home'

Yami woke up in the middle of the night. He turned to his right to find Atem still asleep. With a sigh, Yami got out of bed and put on a thick jacket, and headed to the balcony. The dessert was beautiful at night, the moon shone brightly in the sky and the air was cool. Arms wrapped around his waist and Yami leaned back in the warm chest of his lover. He recognized the familiar warmth of his lover.

"Can't sleep?" Atem mumbled against his shoulder.

"Not really" Atem smiled.

"Why don't you try and get some sleep? You had a long journey home," Yami smiled.

"Alright, I'll try," Atem smiled and the two headed back to the room.

Suddenly the palace shook knocking Yami and Atem to the floor in a tangled mess. The two stood up once the shaking stopped and quickly got changed. Yami grabbed his sword and followed Atem into the hallway where guards were running back and forth. Atem managed to find Heba and pulled him aside.

"What happened?" Heba frowned.

"The resistance attacked, they blew up part of the left-wing," Atem nodded.

"Atem," a voice called out from beside him, turning he found Yami staring out the window.

"What is it?"

"They're in the city, they're heading towards here," Atem turned to Heba.

"Get everyone ready, I want to end this quickly," Heba nodded and ran off, Atem turned to Yami.

"I want you to help Mai in the left-wing," Yami frowned but nodded. Atem kissed him gently. "I'll send someone for you later," Yami smiled and nodded, he turned and ran off in the direction of the left-wing.

Yami ran into the left-wing and almost tripped over a piece of the palace wall on the floor. He heard Mai yelling orders but he also heard the sounds of swords clashing. Running down the hallway he found Mai and several other guards fighting with some of the resistance members. Yami took out his sword and ran in to help Mai, who gave him a grateful smile as she yelled orders at the others around her. 'Forgive me' Yami thought as he killed the resistance members.

Atem huffed as he shoved a resistance member back. The man charged once more but Atem caught him quickly and slashed his chest. He tossed the body to the side and met up with Seto and the others.

"It seems we got them all," Seto nodded.

"Not all of them," a voice called out. The two turned to be met with a cloaked figure, his hood was up but Atem could tell he was male. He turned to Bakura and Marik who looked ready to fight.

"Go ahead," Atem sighed out with a roll of his eyes. The two smirked and charged towards the figure. Their sword pointed towards the figure in a killing blow. The figure however brought out twin blades and clashed with their swords. Their eyes widened before the figure kicked them to the side knocking them against the ground knocking them out.

The figure turned to Atem and Seto his hood still up. He charged towards them with an intent to go for Atem. Seto got in his way and clashed swords with him. The figure smirked and Seto's eyes widened, his swords suddenly lit up in flames and made Seto jump back.

"Let me handle this," Atem said as the figure turned to Atem and charged once again, Atem closed his eyes ready to strike. However, a clash made his eyes open. He found Yami in front of him clashing swords with the hooded figure. The impact of the swords clashing with great power made a breeze flow by and made the hood fall down. Yami's eyes widened when he saw who it was under the hood. The figure's amethyst eyes widened as well.

"Yugi?" Yami whispered in surprise, Atem's eyes widened when he heard Yami whisper. Yugi's eyes widened.

"Yami?" behind him Bakura and Marik regained consciousness, Yugi growled.

"This wasn't how it was supposed to be" Yami grunted as Yugi shoved him back. Yami's back hit the wall of the castle and Yugi charged at him their swords clashing once more. "You've become one of them," Yugi hissed out his eyes glaring into Yami's eyes of purple and crimson mix.

"It wasn't my choice, Atem saved me," Yami growled pushing Yugi back. Yugi rolled his eyes as he clashed with Yami again, Atem moved in to help but Yami growled at him.

"Stay back! This is my fight!" Atem could hear the anger in his voice and stayed back with Seto, Bakura, and Marik watching.

"First Seto and now you, who's next?" Yugi growled as his sword caught Yami's shoulder making a scratch form. Yami pulled back his wound bleeding.

"It wasn't just me and Seto that came here, Mother and Father were here before with of us," Yugi froze before growling.

"You lie" he charged again throwing Yami back against one of the trees.

"I'm not Yugi, if you'd just let me explain," Yugi shook his head.

"I don't want to hear any of your bullshit," Yami's eyes widened when he heard Yugi swear, Yugi never swore. "I wanted to bring you home for three years, and when I get here your on their side and one of them," Yami sighed.

"Yugi..." Yugi growled.

"Enough!" he yelled out charging at Yami once more. His sword pierced through Yami's side making Yami cry out in pain and squeeze his eyes shut.

Bakura and Marik decided this was a good time to intervene. They tackled Yugi to the ground and wrestled with him before they knocked him unconscious. Yami pulled the sword out of his side and tossed it to the ground panting. Atem ran to his side and placed an arm around his shoulder and another under his knees.

"Let's get you to Isis," Yami nodded and allowed Atem to carry him into the castle. Atem turned back to Bakura and Marik who held an unconscious Yugi. "Take him to the dungeons" Yami opened his eyes tiredly as Bakura and Marik nodded and Atem headed off to the healing chambers.

Yami woke up feeling a little bit of pain in his side still.

"How do you feel?" Atem asked sitting beside him. Yami winced as he sat up.

"A little sore still," he was quiet for a moment before asking.

"How is Yugi?" Atem smiled gently.

"He's still unconscious as far as I know, guess Bakura and Marik knocked him out a little too hard," Yami smiled.

"Is he hurt?" Atem shook his head.

"He was a little bit, just a few scratches and bruises but Isis healed him after she helped you," Yami nodded and Atem kissed his forehead "I was worried there for a second, I didn't know you and your brother were that evenly matched," Yami chuckled.

"We always have been, which reminds me. Didn't you say that Yugi was dead? Atem sighed.

"That's what Mai and Anzu thought, but according to Mai, Anzu made her keep quiet about Yugi being alive because she thought it would break you," Yami sighed.

"And here I was thinking her torture of my life was over," Atem chuckled.

"At least you don't have to see her every day now" Yami laughed and nodded.

"That's very true". Yami was silent for a moment before facing Atem. "Can I see him?". Atem looked tense.

"Yami I don't..." Yami interrupted him with the puppy dog eyes.

"Please Ate, I need to see him," Atem sighed knowing he can't resist Yami's puppy dog eyes.

"Alright, we'll go see him," Yami smiled and got his shoes on. The two joined hands before heading out the door and down the hall to the dungeons where Yugi was sleeping. Atem unlocked the cell door and the two headed in to see Yugi awake and staring out the window. Yugi turned to the two and glared at both of them equally.

"What do you want?" Yugi said sneering, Yami sighed

"I just want to talk."

"With him?" Yugi said motioning to Atem behind Yami. Yami sighed and turned to face Atem,

"Can you let us talk alone?" Atem sighed before nodding.

"Just call me if you need me," Yami nodded before Atem gave him a quick kiss and headed out of the cell, heading to the entrance to wait.

Yami walked more into the cell and leaned against the wall, across from Yugi. "You've grown, since I last saw you," Yami said with a small smile

"Well that tends to happen in years as people get older," Yami winced and sighed.

"Yugi, I want to explain why I let Atem turn me," Yugi was quiet for a minute before nodding.

"Alright fine," Yami smiled before nodding and starting his story staring from when Lady Eva first arrived to the moment when Atem turned him. Yugi was silent the whole time taking in the information being thrown at him.

"If Atem hadn't taken the poison out, I would have died," Yugi's eyes widened.

"So that's why," Yami nodded and went on to tell him about what happened after, about seeing their parent's ghosts. Yugi's eyes widened and he ran up to Yami. "You saw Mom and Dad? How are they?" Yami chuckled.

"Well I only really talked to Mother, but she said they both miss us," Yugi nodded.

"Did she look the same?" Yami smiled.

"She looked like she did when she died," Yugi smiled and tears formed in his eyes, Yami saw them and wiped them away with his thumbs.

"Yugi," Yami whispered gently. "I missed you these past three years, I'm sorry I wasn't there for you, if I had the chance I would go back in time and fight to stay with you," Yugi smiled and threw himself against Yami.

"I missed you so much," Yugi whispered crying into Yami's shirt. Yami sold and kissed his head through his hair.

"I missed you to," the two sat like that for a few minutes before they separated.

"So are you and Atem together?" Yugi asked with a smile, Yami blushed, and avoided his brother's eyes.

"Well...I..." Yugi giggled and hugged his brother.

"t's alright, I won't tell anyone," Yami smiled and nodded.

"After he turned me, he confessed his feeling for me and I returned those feelings," Yugi smiled and held his brother's hand.

"I take it he proposed," Yugi said with a wink holding up Yami's hand with the ring on it. Yami blushed and nodded.

"Now enough about me," he said with a shake of his head, his blush going down. "Tell me about you," Yugi smiled and told Yami about everyone at the camp. Jason and Lillian got married a year after Yami was taken. However, Jason was killed before Lillian gave birth and forced her into early labour. She had a girl which she named Mariah, Leah died in battle shortly after that.

Atem leaned against the wall as he heard Yami and Yugi giggling from inside the cell. A smile grew on his face.

"What's with the smile?" Heba asked from beside him, Atem smiled.

"Just the sounds of two brothers making up," Heba smiled.

"You mean Yugi and Yami?" Atem nodded. "It sounds like they've made up for the years they've been separated."

"I think they'll be just fine," Heba nodded in agreement and headed off. A few minutes later Yami emerged from the cell with Yugi behind him.

"Ate, can I show Yugi the library?" Atem smiled.

"I don't see why not, just don't run into Bakura and Marik at the moment," Yami nodded and the two brothers headed off towards the library.

"So who are Bakura and Marik?"

"They are the ones who look like Ryou and Malik," Yugi nodded as he remembered fighting with the two. The two reached the library in no time and entered, Yugi gasped at the many books and shelves.

"There are so many," Yami nodded.

"I've read almost more than half of these books," Yugi's eyes widened.

"How?"

"Spare time, and plenty of it," Yugi looked around with a smile on his face. Yami smiled, he missed seeing his brother's smiling face.

"Yugi," Yami called out getting Yugi's attention. "How would you like to live here with me?" Yugi's eyes widened.

"Here? At the palace?" Yami nodded a nervous smile on his face.

"But what about the resistance? Joey? Malik? And Ryou?" Yami grabbed Yugi's hands.

"They can live here, I can make it so that you can all share a room together," Yugi's gaze fell to the floor.

"I-I don't know," Yami nodded.

"Well think about it, and let me know tomorrow," Yugi nodded.

It was soon dinner and Yugi and Yami headed to the dining room. Once inside they found Atem, Heba, Ootogi, and Honda. Yami sat down next to Atem and received a kiss on the cheek, Yugi sat next to Yami. He had a nervous look on his face as all eyes were on him. Bakura and Marik entered next and instantly glared at the smaller boy sitting next to Yami. Yugi shrunk down in his seat as he knew why they were glaring at him, after all, he did attack them yesterday. Yami noticed but kept his eyes on the two vampires as they glared.

"What is he doing here?" Bakura said with a hiss, Yami glared.

"He's with me," Marik was the next to speak.

"But he..." Yami interrupted with a harsh glare sent towards the two, his eyes softly glowing red.

"I said, he's with me Marik, drop. the. subject," the two knew better than to test Yami's anger, which was equally as bad as Atem's.

The two vampires kept quiet and sat down at the table. Bakura sat beside Duke, and Marik sat in front of him. Dinner was soon served and the table was alive with chatter. Duke and Honda were talking with each other while feeding each other. Bakura and Marik were talking quietly for a change, but they were also drinking. Again. Atem and Heba were in conversation with each other which left Yami and Yugi.

"Yugi? What's wrong?" Yami asked noticing Yugi seemed upset. Yugi shook his head and stood up.

"I can't," Yugi left the room in a hurry.

"Yugi!" Yami called ready to chase after him. Atem grabbed his wrist before he could.

"Let him go, he probably just needs some air."

"But..." Heba stood up.

"Maybe let me go and talk to him?" Yami sighed but sat down and nodded. Heba left the room heading in the direction Yugi ran off to.

Heba found Yugi in the library.

"Yugi?" Heba asked approaching Yugi gently.

"Who are you?"

"I'm Heba, Atem's younger brother," Yugi nodded and allowed Heba to sit beside him.

"You seem upset, what troubling you?" Yugi sighed.

"It's just, that Yami wants me to stay here with him," Heba nodded.

"Do you?" Yugi nodded.

"I do, I haven't seen him for three years."

"But there's something else, isn't there?" There was a pause before Yugi spoke again.

"I want to stay with Yami I do, but I have friends back in the resistance group," Heba nodded and smiled gently.

"Well, why don't you stay for a while and decide later? I'm sure Atem wouldn't mind," Yugi turned to Heba with a small smile.

"You think?" Heba nodded.

"I know he wouldn't mind, especially if Yami were to ask him," From his tone Yugi could hear the hint Heba dropped.

"If I know anything about Atem, it's his one weakness, Yami," Heba said with a wink of his eyes.

On his way back to his and Atem's chambers Yami ran into Yugi. He was dragged into a spare room, the door closing behind him.

"Yugi? are you okay?" Yugi nodded.

"I'm fine, I'm sorry about dinner," Yami shook his head.

"It's alright," Yugi sighed.

"Yami, do you think you could ask Atem if I could stay for a couple of weeks?" Yami's eyes widened.

"You mean it?" Yugi nodded and was gathered into a hug. "I'll ask him, I am his weakness after all," Yugi nodded and the two headed to Atem's study where he currently was.

"Come on Ate, please," Yami asks with puppy dog eyes. Atem stared back trying not to give in. Heba silently snickering from his spot beside Atem. Atem sighed and gave in when Yami's eyes started to water a little bit.

"Alright fine, he can stay for 2 weeks," Yami smiled and headed behind Atem's desk.

"Thank you," he whispered gently before kissing him on the lips. Atem rolled his eyes as the two brother's left hand on hand. He turned to Heba with a glare.

"You told Yugi about my weakness didn't you?" Heba smiled and shrugged.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Heba said as left the study closing the door behind him in the process.

Atem sighed.

This was going to be a long two weeks.