A/N: Okay so this chapter was actually a little harder to write than I anticipated. Mostly because I was struggling to keep Seto in character – amazingly I sometimes have a hard time remembering how rude and blunt he can be. Please feel free to let me know if I missed the mark on his personality, because writing him is probably one of the most aggravating things about this fic, even though I love diving into my interpretation of his inner thoughts.

Before I knew it, this chapter had reached over 13,000 words O.O That had not been part of the original plan, but I didn't want to break this one into multiple chapters. After the long hiatus I feel that you all have been patient enough with me, so I'm actually happy that this chapter ended up being so long. Think of it as a thank you for being such amazing people.

One more quick thing before we get to the actual chapter – a huge, gargantuan, and monstrous THANK YOU for the lovely words of encouragement. It really made me feel amazing to have you take a moment of your lives to wish me well. The sweet words and understanding touched me very deeply, and made this chapter a joy to write, even as I ripped my hair out in frustration over it.

Thanks to everyone who has clicked those magical "Favorite" and "Follow" buttons. It makes me smile every time I get a notification about it, so thanks for that - and I'm so happy people are enjoying the story. And shout outs to superotakufan, animagirl, Drachegirl14, and the anonymous Guest for reviewing, you guys rock!

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any characters created by Kazuki Takahashi. I own only my own Ocs, this fic is purely for entertainment.

Chapter 14

Stretching my arms over my head, I sighed while I took a well-deserved day off. Mai and I were sitting on the back veranda, enjoying a cup of tea together. Given how hard I'd been working the past month, I had opted to take the day off from business and instead spent the day being surprisingly domestic. I'd made breakfast and packed lunches for my uncle and Hojo, Mai and I had shared a light breakfast, had gone out to lunch and gone on a small shopping spree. Once we'd gotten home decided to act like proper socialites and have a full English afternoon tea spread in the garden.

We'd been laughing at the thought of ourselves as socialites the entire time, because let's face it, Mai and I don't fit the standard idea of socialites. Mai was far too independent, bold, and straight forward to fit in 'high society'. And although I could maneuver my way through any meeting or social function, I wouldn't be happy with just the life of a socialite. There's no challenges to overcome, no deals to draft out, and so little use for my talents. Sure I held charity functions and parties from time to time, but that was mostly because it was expected of me, and I refused to hire an event planner to do the work for me.

Mai set her cup down and sat back, smiling. "So no Mokuba today, huh?"

I shook my head in response. "He said that he had to go to the library and get a book for a project his tutor assigned him." Frowning slightly, I studied my tea. "It seemed really odd, but when I asked him about it he was really evasive. It's not like Mokuba to get books from the library when either I can lend him one if I own it or Seto can buy it for him."

"You're overthinking again." Mai said, leaning forward to study me. "You don't have to mother him you know. He's a good kid with a good head on his shoulders."

Looking up at her quickly I blinked in surprise. "I don't mother him, I just worry about his safety. Given all that's happened I don't like him being out of my sight for too long…" I trailed off as I thought back, looking at my interactions with Mokuba in a different light. I hadn't even been aware, but I was treating him much the way that my mom had treated me when she was still alive. She had worried, but still allowed me to try new things and be my own person. She respected my intelligence, but still helped anyway that she could. Most mothers do that, I think… Or at least the two that I remember having were like that. "I didn't even realize that I do that. I should probably apologize, I don't mean to treat him like that-"

"Stop right there Reila. If Mokuba minded, he would have said something a long time ago." Mai said, tossing a piece of parsley at me. I swatted it away and scowled playfully while she continued. "Again, you're overthinking. Mokuba is not the type to let people treat him in a way he doesn't like, so the fact that he hasn't said anything means that either he doesn't realize it or that he's okay with it. Think about it – the both of you, and Kaiba were orphaned at a very young age. Now from what you've told me the people at the orphanage were kind to you, but you obviously knew that they weren't family. You're the only consistent female influence that Mokuba has had in his life since his mother's passing, so it's probably a good thing for him that he has someone in his life who cares for him the way you do." Munching on a piece of toast she gave me a moment to think over her words. "It's not a bad thing Reila. If either he or Kaiba minded they would have told you by now."

Picking up my tea cup I drained it and sat back, still thinking over her words. Was it simply because I was so much older mentally? Or was there some unknown nurturing part of me that was coming to the front? I'd never given much thought on having children in the future because I didn't consider myself very good with children. Mokuba was different because he was so much more mature than other children his age, and it made it easier to get along with him. But I'd never really considered my actions towards him as "motherly", I just thought it was normal to protect those smaller and younger than yourself.

"It's even funnier when you do it with Hojo. It's absolutely hilarious that you mother your older cousin. But then again you are more mature than he is." Mai said, grinning.

I grinned back because she was correct, I do tend to mother Hojo and I will fully admit to it. Partially because he needs it, partially because it's my job as the lone female of the family to ensure that our reputation is kept intact. Despite being a genuinely good guy, Hojo did have some wild tendencies that I was doing my best to weed out of his personality – or at least minimize as best I could. "Well they do say that young women mature faster than young men."

"That is true." Mai agreed, and we sat in silence for another minute. "Still, I think that Kaiba might be more mature than most guys his age. Which is why I don't understand how you two are still fighting when you're both more mature than other people your age. You're both clinging to your pride so hard and yet neither one of you is happy. In fact you both seem downright miserable." She paused for a moment. "Well, Kaiba seems more miserable and short tempered than normal at least."

I groaned and let my head fall lightly onto the table. "I know I should let go of my pride, but I can't give in at this point. If I do, Seto will never respect my opinions or my views ever again." Sitting back up I glowered into the distance. "I don't feel that what I said was wrong. Possibly worded incorrectly, and definitely something that I would have preferred to discuss in private, but he hadn't thought things out like he normally does. His ego blinded him, and because of that he voluntarily put himself and Mokuba in danger." Sighing I rubbed my forehead. "I knew that I was emotional and that I couldn't talk with him right then. I tried to tell him I needed time, but he's so stubborn at times that he keeps pushing and pushing until I'm backed into a corner."

"I know, I heard you ask him multiple times to let it go for the moment." Mai reached across the table and lightly patted my hand. It was an awkward motion, but Mai was just as new to this whole female friend thing as I was. Still I appreciated the gesture and smiled. Mai smiled back before she continued talking. "Look no one can blame you for losing control of yourself. I saw it first hand, you were basically an emotional wreck from the moment we met up in the game. No offense but I'm actually amazed that you didn't break down a little sooner. You're right, Kaiba backed you into a corner. And there's nothing more dangerous then someone cornered with no place to go."

I sighed as I poured some more tea into my cup. "I don't lose control of myself like that often. It's expected of me to be rational and in control at all times." Yes, I had been scared and just had another brush with death, but seeing as mentally I was more than twice Seto's age I should have been able to keep better control of my emotions.

"You were scared Reila; I know because I was too. And you knew the danger we were all facing before I did, so you'd been dealing with it longer. Don't beat yourself up for being human, we can only take so much before we snap." Mai checked the time before standing. "Hey I have to run, I promised Tea that I would help her pick out some new clothes."

I nodded and continued sitting. "That's alright, I'm going to have to go get ready for my training session with Mariko in a few minutes. Do you want Shuuichi to take you? I won't be leaving the house for the rest of the night so I can ask him to drive you if you like."

Mai shifted, looking a little uncomfortable. "You know Reila, as much as I appreciate everything you've done for me, you don't have to do so much. What I mean is that it doesn't seem right to keep abusing your hospitality. I can take care of myself you know. Since Kaiba paid me for my work, including the little bonus for being in danger, there's really no reason why you have to help me so much."

I shook my head slowly. "I know you can take care of yourself Mai. If you feel the need to leave I would never stop you, you're free to come and go as you please. And you're not abusing anything, I offer because I genuinely appreciate your company." A sardonic grin slid onto my face. "I don't have many female friends, at least not ones that I can really be myself around. It's been wonderful having you here, but if that itch to travel is kicking in I understand. And as for offering Shuuichi's services, he's more than happy to give you a lift. He gets a kick out of your commentary on other people's driving."

Mai relaxed a little and looked out over the gardens, thinking for a moment. "Well, Mokuba did mention that Kaiba's looking to host another Duel Monsters tournament... It would be a waste of time to leave only to have to come back. So if you're alright with it maybe I'll stick around to see what happens with that."

I bit back a laugh at her reasoning, nodding my head. "Of course it's alright. I'll see you later on tonight then." Watching Mai walk away, I sighed at the half truths I gave her. I did genuinely appreciate her company, and the fact that I could relax a little around her. But my real reasoning for keeping her here, for building this bond between us was to keep her out of Dartz's clutches. But first I would need to figure out a way to keep her out of the Shadow Realm, to overpower Marik's magic.

It is possible, young one. I can teach you how to shield yourself and others using my magic, which is more than strong enough to overpower those Egyptian abominations.

I pondered Ydor's words for a moment, glancing around to make sure I was completely alone. "Your magic? Wouldn't I need to learn how to wield my own?"

You do not possess magic within yourself, but you are a conduit for magical energy. There are three types of people in the world – those who possess magic within them that they can wield, those who can channel magic from another source to wield, and those who cannot wield it at all. You are the type of person who is a conduit, one who can focus and wield magic from sources other than yourself. In this case, because I dwell within you, you would be able to wield my magic, to focus it and cast it. Think of yourself as a cannon, and my magic is the cannonball. Without my magic you are unable to fire, but add in my magic and BOOM.

I frowned a little at his words. "So basically, without you I can't really do much on my own. That's a little... disappointing to be honest."

You are a special human with your own special destiny. Maybe not as glorious as the destiny of others, but your time will come when you are ready. But we will not start today. Today you must focus on learning to protect yourself physically. The woman you call Mariko is correct, you need to develop some defensive abilities.

"I know. I'm just worried that this is one ability that I won't be able to pick up as quickly as others that I have. I haven't had any self defense training in either of my lives, and it's a little daunting starting from scratch after so many years of being ahead of the learning curve." I grumbled, expressing a hidden fear – that I would one day be exposed as a fraud, not a true genius as everyone calls me.

You have abilities that you are not yet aware of young one. Do not fret so much, just listen your tutor's instructions. You may surprise even yourself.

With that cryptic comment Ydor's presence faded into it's normal levels, a light thrumming that I've come to appreciate. Frowning in thought, I stood up and went to take the tray of dishes into the kitchen before going to change and meet up with Mariko. I only hoped that I would be able to prove myself a good student, because this was one lesson that I had a feeling I would need to learn quickly and well, if I was to have any chance of protecting both myself and those I care for.

[page break]

"What do you mean Mokuba isn't here?" Seto stared down at the young woman in the foyer of the Sarota manor, feeling his irritation slowly increasing. He'd already had a hectic day at work, and now this maid was telling him that his brother wasn't where he said he would be. He hadn't been surprised when Mokuba had sent a message saying he was going to Reila's house. Mokuba got lonely being by himself all the time, and although Seto knew he should take more time out of his schedule to spend with his brother the past few months had been rough. Between Pegasus and the former Big Five, morale in his company was low and even his stock holders were beginning to question whether having such a young CEO was in the best interest of the company. So long as he held the majority of the company shares, he was the final decision but still Seto had to work twice as hard now to keep control of the company he'd spent so long taking as his own.

His eyes narrowed as he returned his attention to the girl, one he didn't remember seeing around in the past. Maybe she was new and didn't know who Mokuba was, but either way she was wasting his time. He needed to get back to work on his new duel disk system, and every minute this girl wasted was another minute longer that his hardware was unfinished. "Get Reila. I'm done wasting time with you."

"Ms. Sarota is currently busy with lessons from Mariko. Mr. Kaiba I'm telling you, Mokuba is not – wait where do you think you're going?"

Seto stalked past the girl and made his way to where he remembered the Sarota's in-home gym was. Ignoring the incensed protests of the maid behind him, he walked quickly down the halls. All of Reila's staff knew who he was, and despite their current fight Reila still allowed Seto unrestricted access to her home. He supposed that was a sign that she would eventually cave and stop acting as though she was the one wronged in their argument. Perhaps he had been wrong in pushing her like that – looking back after he'd calmed down a little, she had been so far from her normal self that it was a possibility that he should have waited to speak to her. His own emotions had been running high, and he had let his impatience get the best of him.

Regardless, the continued bickering between them could be easily overlooked if she would just admit that she had been wrong.

Entering the gym, Seto flinched at the blasting music coming from the speakers surrounding the gym. Fast paced, loud, and with the bass cranked so high you could feel it thumping throughout your entire body, Seto was briefly taken back by the choice of music. Although Reila listened to many different kinds of music, it was very rare that she listened to such heavy rock music. Scanning the room, he spotted her with a woman just as petite as herself, settled into a fighting stance against a human shaped dummy. Dressed in tight gym clothes, Reila was covered in a fine sheen of sweat as she jabbed and kicked continually at the dummy, while the black haired woman called out pointers over the obscene music.

"Keep it up Reila. Time your jabs with the beat – one, two, three, four, one, two, three, four. Eyes, nose, throat, groin. Those spots will be vulnerable no matter what gender your opponent is. Keep going until your attacker is on the ground." The woman walked in a circle around Reila as she studied her hits from different angles. "Remember, you most likely will be weaker physically, but you can be swifter. Don't let up, eyes, nose, throat, groin. Once they drop to the ground you run as fast as you can, but don't stop your attacks until they're down. On average five pounds of pressure will crush a windpipe. It only takes about three pounds to rip off an ear, and even less to permanently blind someone. If they're coming after you, you do whatever has to be done to protect yourself. One, two, three, four."

Seto raised an eyebrow at the rapid fire information, briefly musing just how deadly this woman was. The maid had called her Mariko, and he knew that was the name of the head of Reila's family security force. Much like Reila, Mariko's presence was larger than her body. The way the woman carried herself, and the lithe way she moved hinted at martial arts training. The fact that she knew so much about how to physically maim someone showed that she was well studied in the art of taking someone down.

Reila's face was a mask of concentration, her breathing coming out harshly but her pace never faltering. In fact, if Seto didn't know better he'd say that Reila had been training like this her entire life. Mariko was coaching, but not correcting – something that a beginner should need. Seto pushed the thought aside to ponder later as he approached slowly. Mariko saw him and motioned for him to wait a short distance away before turning to another guard, a remarkably average looking man who was standing on the sidelines. Assuming he was another guard on the security force, Seto waited to see what his role in the training was as he approached Reila from behind, his movements muffled by the music.

"Remember, so long as your limbs are free you can deal damage. If someone grabs you, go limp right away. Nine times out of ten it will unbalance whoever is grabbing you and you'll be able to get away when you two fall. Since you'll be anticipating the fall you'll recover faster; make your first hit count. Any one hit in the areas you're attacking will be stunned momentarily and you can use that moment to get some distance between you and them." Mariko nodded to the man, who without a word of warning grabbed Reila from behind while she was mid-punch.

Events unfolded so fast that Seto was shocked by what he saw. Just as Mariko had advised, Reila went limp as soon as the man's arms began to enclose around her. The man had obviously not expected Reila to go limp so quickly, as he stumbled and the two of them fell hard onto the mats beneath them. Reila was already moving as soon as she hit the mat, rolling over and bracing herself on one knee as her fist lashed out quickly, coming to a stop mere centimeters from the man's throat.

Everyone froze, eyes locked on Reila's fist. Seto took half a step back, brow furrowed in confusion. That move had been too smooth, too studied to be from a beginner. Even Mariko seemed taken aback, her body tensed as she stared at Reila with her mouth slightly open. The man's eyes had almost doubled in size as he was caught off guard by the swiftness of Reila's moves. If he had been trying to attack her for real, he wouldn't have succeeded if Reila had gone through with her blow. As for Reila...

Breathing harshly, her eyes were trained on the man's throat, unblinking and with such an intense focus that Seto felt a slight chill travel down his spine; this wasn't like Reila at all. He'd never once seen her harm anyone, never even seen her strike anyone until she'd slapped him in his lab. But Reila's face was so calm, so perfectly devoid of emotion that it was like he was looking at someone else. It was downright chilling, a deadly expression on a beautiful face.

Seeming to snap out of a trance, Reila gasped and sat back, her eyes wider than normal as she stared at her fist. Stumbling back quickly, her eyes darted around as if looking for something or someone. When her eyes locked with his, he could see confusion and fear in them. Swallowing harshly, he had to fight the sudden impulse to comfort her. The look of panic on her face was so intense that he almost forgot that they were fighting, that he was supposed to be angry with her. Breaking her gaze from his, she looked down at her hands in disbelief, breathing deeply to get her calm back.

"Well, I think that's enough for today." Mariko took a remote from her back pocket and turned off the music, and the sudden silence seemed to ratchet up the tenseness of the air around them. "Reila you did... Unbelievably well. But I don't want to work you any harder today, and you've surpassed my expectations. We'll pick up again later, alright?" Walking up to Reila slowly, she placed a hand on the younger girl's shoulder and gave a kind smile. "It's really scary the first time you move without thinking. That's why training is so repetitive – when your adrenaline kicks in, thoughts become unclear. It's easier to rely on muscle memory than it is fine tuned details and plans. Big muscle movements are best, and you picked these up so quickly... You really are a genius Reila."

Mariko's words seemed to trouble Reila more than anything, but she visibly shook off her feelings and nodded in response to Mariko's words, rising slowly from the floor. Reila held out a hand to the man still laying prone on the floor, and he accepted Reila's help in standing. "Sorry about that Stephan – You caught me off guard and I reacted without thinking."

"Don't apologize Ms. Sarota. That was absolutely brilliant." Grinning, Stephan put a hand onto Reila's shoulder and squeezed in a friendly way. "I only wish everyone had that kind of reaction time. Anyone who tries to harm you will think twice after seeing you move like that. But one pointer – don't hesitate. Follow through with all your actions, even in training."

Reila bit her lip, but nodded to show she understood. With one more friendly pat to show that there were no hard feelings, Stephan and Mariko walked towards the exit, leaving Reila and Seto alone. Taking a deep breath Reila shook her hands lightly before turning to face him. "Seto, what are you doing here?"

"I'm here to get Mokuba, but your maid swears he isn't here." Seto said, shaking off the last of his uneasiness from the scene he'd just witnessed. "He sent me a message earlier today that he would be here with you for the day."

[page break]

I scowled at Seto's words, still fighting to calm myself. "What? Mokuba sent a message to me saying that he wasn't going to be coming here today. He said he had a project that one of his tutors gave him and that he needed to work on it. He was going to the public library to get the book he needed and then home afterwards."

The look of confusion on Seto's face sent tension shooting throughout my body. Worry overcame my adrenaline, weighing heavily on me as a million scenarios ran through my head. The time between the Legendary Heroes arc and the Battle City arc was supposed to be quiet, calm with no major events. Had my presence here altered things? I didn't even wait to see if Seto was following before I was bolting for the door, worry spurring me on even though I was exhausted from my training session.

"Reila!" Seto followed, and since his legs are longer than mine he caught up quickly, pulling me to a stop. "You're exhausted. Go rest, I'll find him."

"I'm coming with you Seto." My bluntness seemed to irritate him, and I crossed my arms defiantly as I stared up at him. "Either I'm coming with you to make sure he's alright, or I'm going to follow you. Either way, I'm going to the library to see if anyone's seen him."

Seto's jaw set into a stubborn line, one I knew all too well. "You're just coming off a serious injury, and you stubbornly insisted on starting your self defense lessons today. If you push yourself any further you're risking injuring yourself all over again." Only Seto could take words meant to show concern and make them sound like he was scolding me.

Stepping closer, I had to crane my neck up to look him in the face as I poked at his chest with a finger. "You're not a doctor, and I taped my ankle up before I began training to prevent further strain. It doesn't hurt, which means that I'm fine – and even if it did hurt, that wouldn't stop me from making sure Mokuba is safe. You're not the only one here who cares about him Seto, and I would appreciate it if we spent less time arguing and more time finding him. So if you're finished trying to run my life, let's get going." Stepping around him, I made my way quickly to the front door, calling out for a driver.

Seto was right behind me, growling with irritation. "Fine, get hurt all over again. I warned you." Seeing a driver he didn't recognize, Seto waved him away. "If you insist on coming, make sure you don't slow me down Reila."

Smiling apologetically at Yuki, another of my family's drivers, I followed after Seto silently. The urge to retort back that he was the one who was slowing us down with his stubbornness was there, but I ignored it and climbed quickly into the car. As we settled back into the seats, his driver took off quickly for the library, and we rode along in silence. Staring out the window, it struck me that this was the first time Seto and I were alone together in over a month. Looking at his reflection in the window, I wasn't surprised to see that he was effectively ignoring me. I was actually thankful for that, because it gave me time to get the last of my confusion and fear from training under control.

Ydor? Are you there?

Yes young one. Ydor's presence was stronger than normal, as it had been since he'd stopped me from seriously harming Stephan during training. One moment I'd been running through the jabs and kicks Mariko had taught me, and the next... I can't even explain it. I was me, yet at the same time I felt like I hadn't been me when I brought Stephan down. It had happened so fast, and only Ydor's voice roaring in my mind had stopped me before it was too late.

What in the name of all things holy happened in there? It was... It felt like I was a completely different person.

I told you before, you have talents that you do not yet know you have.

Talents yes. But is potentially killing someone really a talent? I... I had no control over my body.

On the contrary, you had complete control over your body. He must have picked up on my confusion, because I heard him sigh before he continued. You are an anomaly in the universe, young one. Your soul, your very essence is unique and unlike any other in this world. Have you never once entertained the idea that this is not your second life? That you have lived others before that you do not remember?

That thought made my spine stiffen, something that Seto notice from the corner of his eye. Leaning forward, he spoke quietly to the driver – well more like gave him a quiet order. The driver nodded and clicked on the radio, setting it lowly as background noise. Misreading my body language, he'd thought I was uncomfortable with the silence. In reality, I hadn't even noticed since I was speaking with Ydor, but I still nodded in thanks to Seto before returning my attention to my current conversation.

Are you implying that I have lived a life where I was trained in combat? And that training with Mariko kind of woke up this... What would it be considered, genetic memory? Spiritual memory?

I am not implying anything. But with you, there is little to no limit of possibilities.

Ydor, I... I don't know if I want to have this. At first it was really cool, being able to pick up in things so quickly, but... To have the knowledge of how to harm someone like that, and to get so caught up in a fight that I don't even realize what I'm doing is a terrifying idea. If you hadn't stopped me, I could have seriously hurt Stephan, if not killed him with that blow.

Young one, you know the challenges you will face in the future. Do you think that the enemies of the future will have such consideration for your well being? They will not. You will be an obstacle in their way, one that they will do whatever it takes to remove. It is better for you to harm them, then they to harm you. Can you honestly expect to protect the man beside you and the younger one without knowing these skills, without honing them? Control will come in time, but if you back down from fear you will never master these skills.

I glanced at Seto's reflection again, finding him studying my reflection in the window. As our gazes locked, I realized that Ydor was right – to protect Seto and Mokuba, I would need these skills and more. As much as the thought of harming someone sickened me, and as much as I wanted to avoid confrontation if at all possible... There was a distinct possibility that I would need to physically defend those I cared about before this was all over.

… You're right Ydor. I guess I never fully thought it out like that.

Sometimes humans do not think a situation or potential situation out fully. But it is those exact imperfections in logic that make you human.

Ydor's words rang in my head as he faded into the background of my awareness, and I realized that he was right. It is human to make mistakes, to not be perfect. And I had gotten mad at Seto for doing just that – for showing that he was human and made mistakes. The one thing that should have proven all over again that at times he can fumble and make mistakes is the very thing that I'd gotten so angry with him over.

I felt dirty, because thinking along those lines I felt like Gozaburo, expecting perfection from Seto. Even though I know he has his faults, that he sometimes makes mistakes, a part of me had secretly been hoping that he would overcome those faults on his own, that he wouldn't make the same mistakes. And instead of trying to help him, I'd lashed out at him with my fear, anger, and panic.

Putting my hand to my mouth, I felt my stomach heave as I realized that I'd done so much more than anger him when I slapped him. I knew from my memory of the show that Gozaburo had been a tyrant, and although they had never showed it outright the implication of abuse had been there. Mental, emotional, and most likely physical abuse had been something that Seto had endured while Gozaburo had been alive, and the blow I'd given him had probably brought it all out into the open again. He would never admit, but my actions could have possibly opened old wounds and made them bleed all over again.

I wanted to run and hide, because I'd been too busy thinking about my own emotions to take Seto's into account. His little brother had been digitized in front of him, he'd been trapped in his own creation, betrayed by his executive officers... His own emotions had probably been running high, and I hadn't been able to look past my own to see that he'd been hurting in a similar way as I had been.

Some friend I am.

[page break]

Seto's jaw tightened as he studied Reila's reflection in the window she was staring out of. She was rapidly blinking back tears, and the way she held her hand against her mouth indicated she was on the verge of being sick. He knew that he shouldn't have let her come, but her stubbornness rivaled his own. At least this way he could keep an eye on her and keep her from hurting herself all over again. Leaning forward, he snagged a bottle of water from the mini fridge in the back of the car and handed it to her wordlessly. She took it with a nod of thanks, turning away from him again as she sipped it slowly.

Sitting back against the seat Seto tried to keep his mind off of Reila. But being alone with her for the first time in so long, with the two of them not bickering or arguing was making it harder to remember why he was still so angry with her in the first place. Of course he knew why, he hadn't forgotten at all – but seeing her act vulnerable for even just a moment weakened that anger. Truth be told he missed her companionship. Her sharp mind was a welcome relief from having to deal with idiots all day, and he could discuss things with her that he couldn't with Mokuba. She had a fiery spirit within her that allowed her to stand her ground against men twice her age and with twice her life experience. Mokuba could be just as ruthless as Seto could, but Reila was more on par with Seto when it came to taking down an enemy, to outmaneuvering an opponent and coming out on top in the end.

In hindsight, when he had programmed Sabine he had forgotten exactly how ruthless Reila could be. But seeing her sparring in the gym had brought what he'd learned about her rushing forward. Gone was the innocent girl he had known in the orphanage, and in her place was a young woman who wore a mask so well that you didn't see her wrath coming until it was too late. When creating Sabine, he'd modeled her not after the real Reila, but had created a duplicate of the public image she painstakingly maintained. He supposed that could have contributed to her anger, but it still didn't excuse her. Once Mokuba was safe, maybe he would bring up the subject again... And hopefully this time it wouldn't lead to another fight. Maybe he could approach it in a different way, because even he was growing tired of the continual fighting.

As the car came to a stop he turned to tell Reila to wait in the car, but she had the door open and was getting out before the car had completely stopped. Cursing softly under his breath, Seto followed behind her, easily catching up with her smaller steps. Seeing the determined look on her face, he figured if she wanted to overwork herself that it would be on her, not him in the end. Avoiding a fresh fight would make it easier to locate Mokuba anyhow.

Approaching the doors, they stopped short of entering as a woman exited the building, locking the doors tightly behind her. Spotting the two, the woman smiled pleasantly. "I'm sorry dears, but the library is closed for the night. We'll be open at seven in the morning if you need anything."

"Ma'am we're looking for his little brother. Have you seen a boy with long black hair, blue eyes, wearing an orange shirt and jeans, about this tall?" Reila spoke up before Seto snapped at the woman, and Seto only felt a minor surge of irritation. The woman looked thoughtful for a moment before her face brightened up.

"Oh yes! He did come by earlier. He said that the three of you were playing an intense game of hide-and-seek. He left a clue for you with me..." Digging into her purse she pulled out an envelope. "Ah here it is. Now, your names please?"

"Look lady, we don't have -" Seto started to reach for the envelope, but Reila took his wrist gently and gave him a subtle shake of her head before turning back to the woman.

"My name is Reila Sarota, and this is Seto Kaiba. His brother, Mokuba, gave you our names?"

"Yes he did dear. He was vary adamant that I only give this envelope to you two, and only if you both came here together. I don't know why it was so important to him, but he was very explicit on that fact." The woman handed the envelope to Reila with a wide smile. "Well now that my job is complete I really must head home. Give your brother my best!" And with that she walked down the steps towards the employee parking area.

Seto and Reila shared a look. "I could have handled that without your help." Seto said, still irritated that Reila had basically shushed him and took over the conversation.

"She thinks that we're playing a game – if you start snapping at her she might have thought it was something else and possibly involved the police. For all we know she might have taken your aggression as a sign that we were hunting him, not trying to find him. Better to play along with her beliefs than risk public exposure with you and I getting arrested or having the police involved if they don't have to be." With an exasperated look Reila handed him the envelope. "Honestly Seto, your company is having enough bad luck with publicity as it is. Better to keep things quiet as long as possible to protect you and your company than risk a media circus. And better for no one to know that Mokuba is out there alone somewhere. You've made a lot more enemies than I have."

Seto grudgingly admitted – to himself of course – that Reila might have a point. The shareholders of his company were already acting skittish, and if playing along with this "hide-and-seek" thing kept his enemies from knowing his brother was vulnerable, then so be it. Opening the envelope, addressed to both himself and Reila, he scanned the message his brother had written out.

"Dear Seto and Reila,

I've had enough of your fighting. Both of you need to put aside your differences and make up, because you're driving me and everyone around you crazy. Since the only time you two seem to get along is when you're worried about me, I'm hiding somewhere and the two of you will have to work to find me.

I know you're both going to be mad at me, especially you big brother. But Seto, you have a bad habit of holding onto your pride. Reila asked you twice to let her go home, calm down, and then she would discuss why she was so mad but you wouldn't let her. Well now you're going to have to talk to her, and if you can do it without fighting you'll find me that much quicker.

Reila, I'm surprised and hurt that you've been so stubborn. You shouldn't have lashed out at Seto like that, and you should have apologized right away. Acting like that in front of a bunch of people... That's not the Reila I know. You're always in control of your emotions, and always telling others to think logically, not emotionally. Well it's time you practice what you preach and that you work with Seto, because I want my family back the way it was.

If you two want to find me, you'll have to solve the riddle I wrote. Keep in mind I wrote it specifically to make you both work together. One of you will understand one part right away, and the other will solve the other part. But you have to have both parts to get the final answer!

Seto – You have faced me before in a duel. As the first card my owner played, I defeated your Hitotsu-Mi Giant with a blast of fiery breath. You need the first five letters of the third word in my name for your part of the final answer. What are they?

Reila – Once upon a time you told a story about your father. The last clear memory you have of him, you said, was the two of you planning to convert this room into a private library, where the two of you could play and read all day if you wanted to. What type of room was it?

Combine Seto's answer with Reila's, and that's where I'll be – in the place where we all came together.

-Mokuba"

Seto frowned as he scanned the letter a second time. Mokuba was hiding... To bring them together. If he wasn't so irritated he would actually think that was rather brilliant on Mokuba's part. Thrusting the letter at Reila, the two of them walked down the steps towards the car while she read it. Seto's mind was racing, trying to figure out the answer to his part of the riddle. He obviously meant a past duel, but which one? Seto had been in many duels, and in many duels he'd summoned the Hitotsu-Mi Giant first.It couldn't be his most recent duel with Pegasus, that didn't fit. Before that was...

"Hey little lady, why don't you ditch the suit and come hang with us?" Seto's concentration was broken as a rough voice approached, and Seto turned to glare at the man walking forward. He'd left two of his friends standing a little ways away, and the man who had spoken was sauntering up with a smug grin on his face. His shaggy black hair fell into his dark eyes, which were trained on Reila intently while completely ignoring Seto. The fact that this punk didn't recognize him was irritating, but the way he was leering at Reila was even more so. Reila for her part looked up once, briefly scanned the man, then returned her attention to the letter, silently dismissing him as not worth her time.

Seto felt his fist tighten as the man's gaze dipped lower to where Reila's tank top showed the smallest hint of cleavage – she really should have changed before she left the house. Her top was much tighter than she normally wore, and her shorts were shorter than anything she normally wore in public. The man's eyes moved slowly over Reila's body, and his grin widened as he lingered on parts of her body that would get him killed if he tried to touch.

The man wasn't dissuaded by Reila's silent treatment, and reached out with his hand to grab her shoulder. "Come on, don't give me the cold shoulder babe. Me and the boys can show you how to have some fun. What's your na-"

Seto didn't even realize that he'd moved until he had the man's wrist firmly in his grasp. For the first time the man turned his full attention to Seto, his eyes widening at the dark expression on Seto's face. As the color drained from the man's face, Reila's head turned to look over her shoulder, and when her gaze met Seto's she gave him a small smile and nodded, returning her attention again to the letter. That one tiny gesture told Seto a lot more than anyone else would see.

Reila still trusted him to protect her. So long as Seto was in control she felt safe enough to turn her attention away form a threat, even one as minor as this and allow Seto to handle it. That tiny show of trust went a long way to soothing Seto's anger, because the trust between them was still intact. The quick reaction to hearing Mokuba was possibly in danger showed him that he could still count on her, that he could still trust her with the one person who meant everything to him. And her willingly turning her back to this punk and allowing Seto to deal with him showed that her trust in him was still there as well.

Turning his attention to the idiot he still held, Seto squeezed down on the man's wrist until he saw a wince cross the paled face. "Get lost, we don't have time for you." Shoving the man roughly, he felt a sick thrill as the guy stumbled and massaged his wrist, scrambling back to his friends.

"Dude I told you she was out of your league. Don't you know who that is? That's friggin' Seto Kaiba. You're lucky he didn't rip your arm off for trying to touch his girl." The more intelligent of the three – and Seto used that term very lightly – glanced back as he spoke, but the three hurried on their way as they saw Seto step closer to Reila, a silent declaration that he was her protector right now and that they needed to leave. Now.

"Well I understand my part of the riddle... My father and I had plans to turn the den into a library where we could store all our books." Reila spoke up, handing the letter back and crossing her arms, tapping her fingers against her arm. "But Mokuba's right there's no way I would know your part. I'm assuming it's a Duel Monsters reference and I'm not that familiar with the names of the cards, not to mention that I've only seen you duel three times."

"I think I know what card he's referring to – Winged Dragon, Guardian of the Fortress." Seto said, the pieces clicking together. Although why Mokuba would bring up his shameful defeat at Yugi's hands was beyond him. "So my part of the riddle is 'guard', and combined with your part..."

"'Guard' and 'den'.Guard-den... Garden!" Reila said, snapping her fingers with a smile. "And the 'place we came together' must be-"

"The orphanage." Seto finished, and Reila smiled brightly as she turned to the car. "Reila, why didn't you tell that punk off?" Seto's curiosity got the best of him, or maybe he wanted to hear what she had to say. He knew the answer, but hearing her say it would prove that he had been correct in reading her actions,

"Because I knew you would take care of it." She said simply, raising an eyebrow at him. "Are you implying that I was wrong?"

"Forget it. Let's go." Seto led the way to the car, content in her answer and knowing that he had accurately read her actions – she still trusted him with her well being, trusted him to protect her.

[page break]

Seto's question had honestly caught me off guard, but I didn't dwell on it too long. To be honest the guy hadn't even registered as a threat to me, just a minor annoyance. As the only female in my immediate family, I've had to put up with attempted gropes, pick up lines, and much more from many different men. Some older, some my age, and all involved with my family's business in some way. Tabloids have tried to hint at romantic relationships between me and so many people that I've honestly lost count of how many supposed "secret love affairs" I'm rumored to have had. The fact remained that I have never dated anyone in this lifetime, and I have never been romantically involved with anyone. It just doesn't register as a priority at all for me right now, and even then I'm not completely naive – a relationship for me would be tough. I'm mentally older than any candidates my age, and the ones who are on my maturity level are at least twice my age. Couple that with my very strict "no fraternization" policy that I had with the artists of my company and that meant that finding a partner was almost impossible, even if I wanted romance.

Besides, the thought of really falling in love with someone terrifies me.

Back in the car, Seto and I again sat in silence, but it was far less awkward this time. Maybe Mokuba had done the right thing, but I could honestly pull my hair out over how much worry he had caused me, and I'm sure Seto had to have been even more worried than I had been. Knowing that he was at the orphanage took a huge load off of my shoulders, because there he would be safe. I reached out and kept in contact with the caretakers, and made considerable donations to their organization, something that I knew Seto did as well. I personally looked at it as my way of saying thank you for taking care of me while I was with them, and to provide better chances that the children currently housed there could find good homes. Maybe Seto's donations were for the same reasons, maybe not. I didn't ask about them, as Mokuba had only mentioned it to me in passing and I didn't want to give the impression that I was prying. Through everything I have tried to respect Seto's privacy as much as possible, and in return he did the same for me.

"I could throttle him for this." Seto said, frowning as we got nearer to our former home. "What was he thinking, running off like that?"

I didn't respond to the rhetorical question, choosing instead to shrug my shoulders when Seto turned his gaze towards me. Mokuba was right we had been holding onto pride and anger for too long. I'm almost ashamed to say that I didn't even notice that it was making others uncomfortable, or that it was causing Mokuba this much stress. I love that little kid, much more than I ever thought I would. And knowing that I contributed to his stress and drove him to such drastic measures... I actually felt a little ashamed of myself. I'm almost forty years old mentally, and I had to be scolded by a twelve year old boy. So much for my thinking I was so mature.

When the driver pulled up to the entrance, I stepped out slowly, my eyes roaming over the building with a mixture of fondness and apprehension – this had been my home when I had no one. The women here had taken care of me, nursed me when I was sick, held my hand as I had mourned my mother. This where I had first realized where fate had brought me, where I had planned and schemed so many years ago to put myself in a position where I could protect two innocent boys. I wouldn't say that it felt like coming home, because I had never considered this my home. But the weight of so many memories was almost tangible, and I felt a shiver run down my spine as memories surged.

Stepping beside me, Seto stopped for just a moment too. Whatever he was thinking or feeling, he kept his emotions hidden inside. Instead he gazed stoically at the place where we had met, and in fact if I thought about it this was almost exactly where he had been standing the first time I set eyes on him. Glancing at me from the corner of his eye, he waited just a moment longer before making his way to the garden area.

Reaching a hand out, I lightly grabbed the sleeve of his jacket. "Seto the garden will be locked. Last year they had a problem with delinquents tearing up the plants, so I had a fence with a coded lock installed for them. We'll need to speak to Mrs. Enimoto to get the code."

Seto's brow furrowed. "Why would delinquents target their garden?" Changing direction the two of us headed to the community area, where Mrs. Enimoto would most likely be supervising the children as they played before bed.

"I wasn't able to find out – the police had almost no leads and none of my digging could turn anything up. Either way, when she told me about the problem I got the fencing installed immediately and paid to have the gardens restored with new plants." I shrugged as we reached the doors to the community room. "I couldn't stand the thought of someone damaging any part of this place."

Seto didn't reply, merely nodding before knocking sharply on the door. Hearing light footsteps, we waited as the door was opened by a small girl, who looked no older than six. Brushing her lanky black hair out of her eyes, she peered up at us curiously. "Who are you?"

Kneeling down I smiled gently. "My name is Reila, and this is Seto. We're looking for Mrs. Enimoto, is she here?"

Looking thoughtful the girl nodded. "Yeah, Mrs. E is in the play room... HEY MRS. E! THERE'S SOME PEOPLE HERE TO SEE YOU!"

I winced at the sudden shriek, having forgotten just how sharp a small child's voice can be. Mokuba's voice was already showing signs of deepening in the near future, and since I spent most of my time around adults and not children... I wouldn't say she made my ears bleed, but it was definitely uncomfortable.

As we waited the little girl looked up at Seto and I again. "Are you looking for a kid to adopt? If you are then I'm the best girl there is here – I'm good at reading and doing chores, and I'll be the bestest little girl ever I promise!"

I stood up quickly, turning my head quickly to look at Seto. Whatever expression I had on my face, made his lips quirk up in amusement, which I returned with a scowl. Why wasn't he saying anything?!

"Sweetie, we're not... Oh thank the gods." Mrs. Enimoto came into view, saving me from having to explain to a child that I wasn't married, not to mention even old enough to entertain the idea of adopting a child, or having a kid period. "Mrs. Enimoto, how are you?"

"Reila, my dear Reila." Stepping around the little girl Mrs. Enimoto pulled me into a tight hug, which I returned happily. Pulling back she spotted Seto, and her face brightened even more. "And Seto too! Oh I'm so happy to see you two together again. It brings back such memories."

Smiling as I watched Seto shake her hand warmly, I studied Mrs. Enimoto. Her black hair had more gray than I remembered, but she hadn't changed much more than that. She'd always been a sturdy, kind woman. She stood a little taller than me, and her big brown eyes were always full of kindness and warmth. After her husband had passed away in a train wreck, she'd taken over management of the orphanage, giving the children who stayed here all the affection she'd never been able to give children of her own.

"Now what brings you two here so late in the evening? I'm thrilled to see you both of course, but you both are so busy I'm hesitant to flatter myself that this is a social call."

The little girl, tired of being ignored, pulled on Mrs Enimoto's pants. "Mrs. E, you know these two?"

With a kind smile Mrs Enimoto smoothed the girl's hair out of her face. "Yes Penny, I know these two. They once stayed here with us, just like you are now. Reila's family came and found her, and Seto and his younger brother were adopted by a powerful man."

Seto stiffened lightly beside me, but didn't comment. I glanced his way to make sure he was alright, but he refused to meet my eyes. Deciding to cut to the chase before he lost his patience, I turned my attention back to our former caretaker. "Mrs. Enimoto, was Mokuba here earlier? He mentioned that he might stop by, but his cell phone died and we haven't been able to reach him."

"Yes, he was here earlier. He played with some of the children for a little, before asking to see the garden. But I'm afraid I haven't seen him since – I assumed that he left when I saw the car he came in drive away." Mrs. Enimoto tapped her chin in thought. "That was... About two hours ago?"

"Oh, we must have missed him then. I'm sure he made it home safely... Would we be able to see the garden, since we're here? Seto hasn't seen the improvements that you made to it, and I'd hate for him to not see them while we're here." Seto shot me a look that clearly said how stupid he thought my statement was, but I just motioned for him to go along with it.

"Oh of course dear! You know how to work the lock – the code is the same one that you programmed in. We haven't changed it, so feel free to have a look. I'd go with you, but I have to get these youngsters to bed." She grinned at Penny's immediate protest, and I shook my head with a smile, remembering all too well how many kids complained when it was time for bed.

After saying our goodbyes and promising to stop by soon – well, I promised at least – Seto and I hurried to the garden. Seto stood to the side while I entered the code, watching me intently.

"10250707? How did you come up with that code?" Seto asked, following me inside once I'd opened the gate.

I stopped in my tracks, turning a puzzled look to him. "You don't know? 10-25-07-07... October 25th, July 7th. Yours and Mokuba's birthdays."

[page break]

Seto stared down at Reila, unsure of how to react. She'd restored this garden after it had been destroyed, installed improved fences and a locking gate, and used his and his brother's birthdays for the code – all to protect the place that they'd met. The thought that she treasured this place, even slightly... It wasn't often that Reila showed her sentimental side. She had one, he'd seen it in the way she interacted with Mokuba, the way she treasured the figurines her father had collected for her, the books that her mother had passed down to her. Like himself, she kept her weaknesses and sentimentality carefully guarded, and only a few were privileged enough to see them show that side of themselves.

Shaking himself out of his thoughts, he followed Reila into the garden, scanning the area for Mokuba. He noted that there were improvements, and although the garden was changed the feeling was still the same – there was an almost tangible sense of joy and peace in the air, an escape from reality. Seto didn't have much use for gardens, didn't know the first thing about them. But just walking down the small path with Reila beside him brought back a flood of memories, of a time when he was carefree and more open with his emotions and self than he was now.

"You did well. It's nice in here." Seto said, knowing that the improvements were Reila's handiwork.

"I didn't do anything but sign the check, but thank you." Reila shrugged, pausing to scan in the foliage for any sign of Mokuba. "I don't know the first thing about gardening, plants, or landscaping. I just hired the best company I could find and set them loose."

Seto smirked, shaking his head lightly. "So finally something that you're not a genius at."

"I'm sure I could be very good at it, if I had the desire. But plant arrangements and the like aren't exactly something that I need to know." Reila returned his smirk with a small grin. "Besides I'm not a flowers type of girl. Flowers fade and die- not exactly the most romantic of images."

"So you're saying you wouldn't like someone sending you flowers?" Seto frowned as he tried to picture what woman wouldn't like flowers.

"I'd appreciate the gesture and be thankful for the thought, but they're not high on my wish list. I did have an artist give me a plant once... I killed it in just over two weeks. Unintentionally of course."

Seto had to bite back a laugh at the thought of Reila managing to kill a plant. "Point taken." Stopping in his tracks, he motioned for Reila to look, and a small sigh escaped her as they took in the scene before them.

Stretched out on one of the benches, Mokuba had his arms tucked under his head as he slept soundly. His backpack sat on the ground next to him, and a book lay on the dirt where he must have dropped it when he dozed off. The mere fact that he was able to fall asleep outside like this went a long way to showing how safe he felt here. Shaking his head, Seto stepped forward to wake Mokuba up, but Reila stopped him with a hand laid gently on his arm.

"Let him sleep – he probably hasn't gotten a good nights sleep in a while, if he's been worried about us." Stepping lightly, she picked up the book and scanned the title, showing it to him. Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie. The irony wasn't lost on him, that Mokuba would be reading a book about running away while he ran away. As Reila tucked the book into the backpack and hoisted it onto her shoulder, Seto stooped down, gently picking up Mokuba. The fact that his little brother didn't wake when he was moved showed just how tired he was, and that worried Seto.

Following Reila, the two of them made their way to the car and got in, and Mokuba never once woke up. Placing the sleeping boy between himself and Reila, he frowned as he tried to decide where to go first – drop off Reila, or take Mokuba home and get him into bed.

Reila answered his dilemma without him needing to ask. "Seto, let's get Mokuba home and in bed. I can have Shuuichi pick me up from your house."

Nodding, he sat back in his seat as the car began moving, thankful that Mokuba hadn't been hurt or taken again. He'd be sure to tell Mokuba just how reckless this little stunt was, but for now it was alright.

[page break]

The drive to the Kaiba mansion was quiet, but as I didn't want to wake Mokuba I was alright with that. I was so relieved that Mokuba was safe, and having sped through so many emotions today I was drained. So much for a relaxing day off.

When we got to the mansion Seto disappeared upstairs to put Mokuba to bed. The sun had long since gone down, and glancing at the clock I sighed. Seto and I had spent a lot of time running around town, and I hadn't stopped to tell anyone where I was going. Then again, Mariko had overheard part of the conversation so maybe she had told someone. Still, I used the phone in the kitchen to call Shuuichi, asking him to come to pick me up in about an hour. While I was here, I might as well apologize to Seto and hopefully we could put this fight behind us.

It had been really eye opening, the way that we fell back into old habits the minute we had something else to focus on besides our fighting. I wasn't angry with Seto, I'd gotten over that fairly quickly. It was more that I was irritated with his continual haughtiness. I myself was just as guilty, but if it meant peace between us and peace of mind for Mokuba I was willing to swallow my pride and admit that I might have been out of line.

Well for hitting him at least. I'm not going to apologize for what I said, because someone has to keep his ego from inflating too much. Seto with an ego that's more inflated than normal is something I really hate dealing with.

As I got a glass of water, Seto joined me in the kitchen. "He's in bed." Crossing to the fridge, he opened it and frowned. Glancing over his shoulder, I tried to find what was wrong.

"Uh, Seto? It's a fridge – why are you frowning like that at a fridge full of food?" It didn't make any sense, unless someone had eaten something he had wanted.

"Fujikawa must have gone home before she cooked anything." Straightening up, he closed the door and pinched the bridge of his nose. "In all the confusion I didn't call to tell her to make something for when I got home."

Rolling my eyes, I pointed to the small dining table that sat in the corner. "Sit down, I'll make something." Opening the fridge I scanned the contents, trying to think of something quick and easy to make. Spotting a beef fillet already seasoned, I figured that would be easiest and took it out, turning on the oven and hunting for a rice cooker.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Seto asked warily, eyeing me with a doubtful look in his eyes.

I snorted as I measured out the rice, taking the pot to the sink to rinse it. "More than you do. When my mother started working I learned to cook to take some of the burden off her shoulders." I felt a bittersweet smile form on my lips. "I didn't want her to have to come home and cook dinner after being at work all day. So I learned to make simple meals to help out. I'm no gourmet but I can make something edible and filling."

Seto didn't respond, but I could see him studying me intently from the corner of my eye. "You don't talk about your mother often."

Draining the rice and putting in fresh water, I busied myself getting the rice going before responding to his quiet comment. "I try to honor her memory, and I will always love her." I couldn't tell him the truth about why I spoke so little of my mother. One day I would deal with that problem myself, but now was not the time. "Besides, I'm not the only one. You and Mokuba almost never talk about your parents."

"True." Seto didn't pry, and I didn't pry either. If they wanted to talk to me about it they would, and if they didn't then I wouldn't force them.

We both lapsed into silence, broken only by my bustling around the kitchen. Seto's gaze followed my movements, and for the first time in a while I didn't find his penetrating gaze irritating. It felt like old times, with him silently watching me, studying me. Whatever he saw he kept to himself, and so long as he wasn't being overly critical I tolerated it.

Popping the beef into the oven, I leaned against the counter, facing him. "Look Seto, this arguing between us..." I took a deep breath as I fought to find the right words.

"Hold on." Seto said, standing and disappearing from the room. Frowning I felt a spark of irritation that he'd walked away right when I was getting ready to apologize. To keep busy I wiped down the counters, opening the fridge again and spotting some asparagus. Hoping that Mrs. Fujikawa hadn't had plans for it, I rinsed it off and had just found the cutting board and knives when Seto walked back into the room, holding a small box in his hand. Once he was standing next to me, he plopped the box next to the cutting board and went back to the table, leaving me puzzled.

Setting the vegetables aside, I rose an eyebrow at him, but he remained silent. Wiping off my hands I opened the top, peering inside. A giggle escaped me, and then that turned into a full fledged laugh as I spotted a pair of black heels nestled in white tissue paper.

He'd actually gotten me a new pair of shoes. He'd actually gotten a replacement pair of Sergio Rossi's shoes for me.

Wiping a tear from my cheek I turned to him, a wide smile on my face. "You actually got them for me. I'm touched."

"You said you would charge me for the ones that got ruined. I figured this would save everyone the hassle." The corners of his mouth were slightly quirked, showing that he found the entire thing amusing. To be honest, it really was funny. I'd been halfway joking when I said he owed me a new pair after mine got ruined at Duelist Kingdom. Halfway joking – shoes aren't something I normally joke about.

Setting them aside I shook my head, still bubbling with amusement. "How long have you had them?"

"They got here last night. Took me a while to convince the designer to remake them for you." Seto crossed his arms over his chest, leaning back in the chair. "He's an irritating man."

"Oh gods I hope you didn't tell him I ruined the other ones – he'll never give me another pair for as long as I live." I said, suddenly horrified.

"Don't worry, I made sure he understood that you weren't at fault." Seto rolled his eyes, clearly not getting my obsession with shoes.

Turning back to the vegetables I started chopping, touched by the gesture. He had to have contacted Sergio sometime within the last month – even while we were fighting, he had remembered my little joke. I hadn't expected him to go above and beyond like this, even before our argument. Putting the asparagus into a pan to sauté, I turned again to face him. "Mokuba is right – this argument between us has to end."

"Are you admitting that you were wrong?" Seto studied my face, just as I was studying him. There was some emotion in his eyes that I couldn't read, but he wasn't challenging what I said.

"I'll apologize for slapping you – it was uncalled for, and I shouldn't have lost my temper like that. But I'm not going to apologize for what I said. I could have worded it better yes, but I asked you to let me calm down before we discussed it." Quickly stirring the vegetables I turned back to him. "You're a brilliant man Seto – but sometimes even the most brilliant overlook things. I was terrified when I heard you'd been trapped, and when I found out that you had willingly walked into a trap... I suppose I was using anger to cover up my fear." There, I had said it aloud. "You and Mokuba were all I had after I lost my parents. You two were the first ones to accept me as I was, not comment on what an odd child I was or that my eyes are creepy. I suppose I might lose my calm a little when you two are in danger."

"Your eyes aren't creepy, and you should stop letting stupid comments from idiots get to you about them." Seto said, frowning.

"Then why did you change them in that game?" The question was out before I could stop myself, because I had told myself repeatedly over the past month that I didn't care about it. It had hurt, yes, but I hated that my insecurity was coming out... Again.

"You think that I changed them deliberately?" Seto shook his head, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. "Programming eye color is something I can do in my sleep, but a computer registers black as a one dimensional color. Every time I input her coding her eyes looked lifeless, flat. A digital artist was working on the problem, and I was going to input the code later – the gold eyes were only temporary."

I felt my face grow warmer as Seto explained, and I realized that I'd blown it entirely out of proportion. Really it was such a minor thing, but there was also her personality. She'd been very passive, ridiculously mild compared to me. Fighting back my blush I turned my eyes away from his. "And her personality? She seemed remarkably docile compared to me. Your aim was off if you were trying to pin down my personality."

"You're a difficult person to categorize. Sometimes it's easy to forget how shrewd you are, how dangerous you can be. You've very rarely shown that side around Mokuba or myself." Seto smirked, and I could have sworn I saw a hint of pride in his eyes. "You wear a mask so well that you make those around you forget that you can leave them bleeding with just a few words."

Just when I'd gotten my blush under control he had to go and praise me like that. Praise from Seto Kaiba was worth your weight in gold, and I turned back to the stove quickly to cover up the fact that his praise touched me. "Yes well... Again I might have overreacted on that part. I should have waited to hear your reasoning before jumping to conclusions."

"Reila you're the only person besides Mokuba that I can trust at my back. If you changed, in any way, you wouldn't be that person anymore. You say that I miss obvious things at times – you overthink everything. You spend too much time and energy worrying about how people perceive you." I didn't even hear him move, but the next thing I knew he was taking the spatula out of my hand and lightly turning me to face him. "Why don't we agree to leave it all behind us and just move on?"

As I craned my neck to look up at him, I realized that this was as close to an apology or admittance of guilt as I was going to get from him. But he wasn't gloating that I had been wrong, which was a good sign. And he was right, I did spend too much time worrying about how others viewed me. Mai had pointed that out earlier today as well. Although a part of me resented that he could read me so well, I was more grateful that he was willing to move on and leave everything in the past. Taking back the spatula I gave the asparagus a final toss before turning off the stove. "I can agree to that. But-" I pointed at him with the spatula, and the exasperated expression on his face made me smirk. "But I meant what I said before – sometimes you think less with your mind and more with your ego. As your friend I'm going to tell you when you're getting too full of yourself."

"Whatever." Seto said, put the corners of his mouth were upturned slightly to show that he wasn't angry. Grinning I shooed him back to the table as I pulled the beef from the oven and dished out a plate for him and for me. Plopping it in front of him, I sat on the opposite side with my own plate. The two of us ate quietly, occasionally asking one another questions about current work problems. After a month of barely talking, it was nice to have a moment where the two of us could use one another as a sounding board for ideas. His part of the conversation focused mainly on plans for his tournament, and I offered a few mundane suggestions. I didn't want to suggest too many changes, because if too much changed I couldn't predict how much things would change from the canon story.

When we finished eating I gathered the dishes, intent on cleaning the kitchen but Seto stopped me, taking the plates from my hands. "You're tired. Get home and get some sleep – you look like you're about to pass out."

He was right, I was exhausted. Sometime between the first bite of food and now the full day's events had caught up with me – even as I opened my mouth to protest a yawn escaped me. "I can't just leave the kitchen a mess like this, it's not fair to Mrs. Fujikawa."

"I'll take care of the clean up, you get home and sleep." Seto set the dishes down and practically marched me out of the kitchen, snagging my shoe box on our way out the door. I had half a mind to point out that he was ordering me around, but decided to let it slide. I was alright with him acting high and mighty once in a while, because that's part of what made him Seto. But too much and I would call him out on it, as I've done before.

Spotting Shuuichi outside, I made a beeline for the front door. Seto opened the door, handing the box to me before looking down at me with a slight frown of concern. "Stop pushing yourself so hard Reila. If you end up sick it'll be your own fault."

I rolled my eyes, waving a hand in the air. "You're one to talk Seto. I'll be fine – just make sure you get some sleep too. Mokuba says you've been up all hours of the night working on your new disc system. Maybe a night off would do you good, give you a chance to recharge and tackle it from a fresh point of view."

Seto made a non-committal sound, which I shook my head at. Saying good night, I walked to the car as Seto went back into the house, and for the first time since our fight began I felt more at peace, more like things were back to normal than I had in a long time. Maybe tonight I would finally get a decent night's sleep, and not be kept up from guilt and worry eating at me.