Notes: I would have liked to have made this story longer, but because of Nesbitt's different circumstances regarding the Orichalcos, it just didn't seem like it was going to happen. I would like to say that self-hatred is a very crippling and very real affliction. I base Nesbitt a lot on myself and I have had many of the same struggles and feelings. I hope that if anyone reading this story also struggles, they have an outlet to help, whether that's a therapist or a trusted family member or friend.

Epilogue

The next hours and days were agonizing. No one could get in touch with Yugi's group, and it was soon learned that Dartz had bought out KaibaCorp. That only increased Solomon's worry. But at last, after what seemed an endless night and next morning, Yugi finally called Solomon and let him know Dartz had been defeated. All the captured souls were free, and they would soon be able to come home. There was much rejoicing in Domino City that day.

"Thank you, for keeping me company through all of this," Solomon said sincerely to the Big Five. "My daughter doesn't know much about Yugi's adventures, and it was nice to be able to share this worry with those who do know what's been going on."

Lector bowed. "Of course. And we all want to thank you for helping us through our trial by fire."

"Oh pshaw. You did most of the work on that yourselves," Solomon smiled.

"But you encouraged us," Johnson said.

Nesbitt looked awkward, but completely sincere. "I'm grateful to all of you, including you, Mr. Muto."

"You're a good man," Solomon said. "I hope your friends are starting to convince you of that."

"It will take a long time to get past years of being made to feel I'm not good," Nesbitt said. "But yes, they are definitely helping me. I couldn't have come back from the brink without them."

"But you also couldn't have come back if you weren't willing to listen to us," Gansley said.

Crump nodded. "So there's that too."

Johnson suddenly sighed. "I wonder how Yugi and the others will deal with us being around," he worried. "I'm sure some of them won't feel very forgiving."

"Quite rightly," Lector said with a sigh of his own.

"Now, I'll put in a good word for all of you and that should help," Solomon said. "Maybe some of them will take a little longer to trust you, but I'm sure things will all get straightened out."

"I hope so," Johnson said. "We're all trying to make amends for the past. I would hate to think we've permanently scarred any of those kids."

"They're all very resilient," Solomon said. "And very willing to extend second chances to those who deserve them." He smiled kindly. "All of you men do."

"Thank you," Lector said with a bow. "We are working hard to continue to deserve them."

"I know you will succeed," Solomon said. "And I believe your love for each other will show you the way."

"That sounds great to me," Crump said.

The others murmured their assent.

xxxx

Later on that evening, Lector found Nesbitt sitting at the kitchen table and staring off into the distance. Concerned, Lector sat down near him. "How are you, Nesbitt?" he asked. "The honest truth, now."

Nesbitt looked over at him. "I'm . . . alright," he said. "I'm happy. I still hate what I've done, but . . . for the first time, I feel like I can get past it."

"I'm glad," Lector smiled.

Nesbitt looked thoughtful. "Maybe all I really needed was to know I'm worth loving . . . even if I don't understand that yet."

"I pray we'll be able to help you understand it," Lector said.

"How do you not hate me, though?" Nesbitt demanded. "After everything I put you through . . . and all the terrible things I said . . . !"

"How could I ever hate you when it was the Orichalcos making you act that way, and when you only accepted it because of thinking you could be a better friend to us?" Lector replied. "Would you hate me if I had done what you did?"

Nesbitt looked away. ". . . No. . . . But . . . you're you, and I'm . . . just me."

"That's the self-hatred talking," Lector said. "You're a wonderful person, Nesbitt. You are every bit as deserving of kindness and consideration as I would be in the same situation!"

". . . Maybe if you tell me that enough times, I'll finally start to believe it," Nesbitt said.

"I hope so," Lector said.

"I wasn't just talking about what the Orichalcos made me do, though," Nesbitt said. "I was talking about . . . everything. I did plenty of terrible things on my own; that was why I accepted the Orichalcos in the first place."

Lector sighed. "No one is perfect, Nesbitt. Honestly, I struggle with my temper too. Whenever I think an injustice has been committed, I get completely bent out of shape. That's why I was unkind to you when you first showed up corrupted by the Orichalcos."

"You were justified," Nesbitt objected. "Any time you're upset, you're probably always justified."

"And you're not?" Lector frowned. "Nesbitt, you had every right to be furious with Mr. Kaiba for the way he treated us. We all went too far in how we tried to get back at him, but just being angry about it is not wrong. He lied to us and used us for his own goals and dumped us after all we did to help him achieve them!" He clenched a fist at his side. It would take him a while to not be angry about that.

"What about all the times I was angry at you?" Nesbitt countered. "You rarely, if ever, deserved it."

"I have most certainly been angry with you without justification," Lector said. "We both made mistakes. Why don't we just agree to move past them?"

Now Nesbitt sighed. "I'll try."

Lector gave him an encouraging smile. "It's a start." He paused. "Nesbitt . . . you mentioned something about going to New Orleans and meeting an older child. What was that about?"

Nesbitt looked thoughtful again. "When I was about two years old, my parents decided to see what Mardi Gras was all about. We went to New Orleans and stayed at this fancy old hotel. I couldn't care less about most of what was going on. I just wanted to sit in the lobby and play with my Legos. This older boy came along . . . I don't know who he was, but he was nice. I hardly ever liked being around people, but when I saw him, I . . ." He shook his head. "I know it doesn't make sense, but I felt like he was my best friend and I'd finally found him again. He liked me too. We were inseparable until it was time to go home. I didn't want to leave. Of course my parents insisted, and they didn't try to make sure we'd be able to keep in touch. They were hopeful I could finally socialize back home, and they wanted that instead of a long-distance correspondence. I have no idea what happened to that kid, but I . . . I've never stopped missing him. What we shared those days was something unique and special. I've never felt that again, until all of you saved me yesterday."

Throughout Nesbitt's story, Lector listened in increasing disbelief. His hands shaking, he opened his wallet and took out a well-worn picture. He stared at it for a long moment before looking up at the man who had become his treasured friend. "Nesbitt . . . do you remember that boy's name?"

Nesbitt blinked in surprise. "No, not really. I have a picture of us curled up asleep on the lobby floor, but the writing on the back long ago faded."

Lector shakily held out his picture. Nesbitt leaned in to look and then went stiff. "That's . . . how do you have that?!"

"This isn't your picture, Nesbitt," Lector said. "It's mine."

Nesbitt paled. "But then . . ."

"Yes! Your dear friend . . ." Lector smiled. "That was me."

Nesbitt just kept staring, still unable to fully believe this was actually happening. He slumped back in the chair, overwhelmed. "You," he rasped.

"'Robbie and Démas at Mardi Gras,'" Lector read from the back of his picture. He looked back up at Nesbitt.

Nesbitt choked on a sob. He got up from the table and came around to the other side, reaching to pull Lector into an embrace. Smiling, Lector got up to meet him halfway.

"I always missed you too," Lector whispered. "I wished our parents would have made sure we could write to each other. I was old enough to write, even though you weren't. Who would have ever thought we would find each other again, halfway across the country?"

Nesbitt shook his head. "My best friend," he choked out. "You were my best friend all along. . . ."

Lector held him close. "Welcome home, Robbie," he said softly. "Welcome home at last."