Hello and sorry for the long wait. I really apologize but this chapter was hard to write. I also was waiting to get some more answers to my poll question. However what really delay the update was my computer. I had virus, the internet was not working properly and I would get disconnected pretty frequently and then it would take forever to reconnect. Actually I was going to update last Saturday, but be glad I didn't. It would have been half of this. Since I couldn't update I just kept on going over it thinking maybe I should make it a little longer. Well, a little became twice as much. This was going to be 5 pages long and ended up being 10, actually 11 but only because of the last paragraph.

BTW, I'm still looking for a beta writer to help keep the characters in character. I don't think I have them right on this chapter so I'll appreciate any help and pointer to keep them in character. Okay, that's enough of me so I hope you all like this chapter. Enjoy!

Chapter 12: Questions

Her feet were hurting; that was the first thing she noticed when she woke up. She tried to get up from bed but as she tried to sit up she ended up falling back. Her body felt strangely heavy and she felt also lightheaded. She knew this sensation. She groaned.

After a few minutes of lying down she gathered enough strength to get up and finally go down to greet the guys. She staggered a little as she walked down the stairs. She was half way down when Crow noticed her.

"Yori," he exclaimed a little surprise since it was around nine and with what had happened last night they all thought she would sleep in. "good morning,"

She smiled weakly. "Mo-morning." She said her cheeks slightly red.

"Good morning," greeted Yusei.

"Morning," grunted Jack.

She walked slowly towards them, where they were eating breakfast. She sat on the same chair she had a few hours before and Jack gave her a cup with coffee.

"T-thank you," she said quietly as she stared at the coffee.

"You don't like it?" Jack asked and Yori flinched. It was not that she was scared of him but he had this air that was a little intimidating.

"It-it's n-not that," she said huffing a little. "I just never tried it before."

"What do you usually eat for breakfast?" Asked Yusei.

"Chocolate milk, with wafers or French toast and sometimes pancakes too." She replied as she continued staring at the black liquid.

"You don't have to drink it, you don't want to," said Crow as he observed her.

She shook her head, "I'll try it." She gulped before she took a sip. She made a face. "Too bitter."

Crow laughed. "Just like a kid,"

Yori put the cup down and sighed. She felt too weak to argue, in normal circumstances she would have started protesting about being called a kid.

"Are you feeling alright?" Yusei asked as he silently asked for the cup and gave her orange juice instead.

Yori looked at him slightly confused. "I'm okay. Why you ask?"

"Your face is red and you look really tired." Yusei replied.

She had not wanted to say it but it seemed she hadn't been able to hide it. "It's just a slight fever," she replied.

"In that case, you should be in bed." Said Jack, surprising her.

"I guess, I should." She replied standing up. She drank her juice and put the down the cup on a nearby table. "Thanks, guys. I'll go sleep a little more, please wake me up before noon, in case I oversleep."

"You should probably just stay in bed," this time was Crow who talked.

Yori shook her head. "I have to go to work." She huffed. She no longer suppressed her tiredness. She wasn't trying to look normal anymore. "I have to call home and get my clothes so I can go to work."

"Can't you call and tell them you're not feeling well?" Yusei suggested. Yori considered it. "Besides," he added. "Didn't you come here saying you had been attacked? If that's the case, by going in that state you could become an easy target."

She remained silent. She knew he was right. "I-you're right. I'll call out." She said in defeat. "Still, didn't I promise to tell you guys what happened?"

"You can do it later," Said Crow.

"O-kay, I'm going back to bed. Later and thanks again." She wobbled her way back and almost even fell on the stairs.

Crow who was the closest to her rushed to help her and saved her from falling.

"Thanks," she giggled weakly.

Yusei who had been watching her closely walked up to her. He put a hand on her shoulder and she turned her head to see who it was. Then, before she realized she was in his arms. Her face became even redder and this time not from the fever.

"Y-y-yusei!" she exclaimed completely embarrassed. "W-what do y-you think you-you're doing!?" she struggled.

"Carrying you to my room," he said making her blush even more. "Stop moving or I might drop you."

She knew what he meant. It was his room after all. Still, she just couldn't understand how he could say that with such a straight face. Didn't he realize what he had just said? Or the meaning it had? She stopped struggling. It was dangerous on the stairs anyway.

'I always wanted someone to carry me like a princess but I take it back. This is way too embarrassing!' She thought. She clutched onto him, grabbing his jacket. 'Hope I'm not too heavy.' She couldn't help but think. She was a little scared and closed her eyes tightly as he continued carrying her.

Yusei looked at her and noticed how she was clinging onto him and that she was shivering. Her eyes were closed and a smirked escaped his lips. It was in moments like this, he noticed, when he thought she was cute.

The door of the room was opened so he just put her down on bed. She became unable to make eye contact with him and avoided his gaze.

"Thanks," she said quietly.

"Your feet are hurting you, right?"

She nodded. Without a word he left the room only to come back a few minutes later with a towel, a small plastic tub with hot water, and soap.

"Thanks Yusei," she smiled at him shyly. He put the tub before her and she put her feet. "Where should I put this once I finish washing my feet?"

"It's okay, you can leave it here and I'll take it later." He said before leaving.

//\\//\\//\\//\\

"Yusei," Jack started. "I know I said it was okay for her to stay as long as she wanted but," he made a pause so he's point was viewed clearly. "She can't stay here forever."

"So you're saying once she perfectly fine to let her go?" accused Crow.

"No," Jack grunted. "What I meant is that she has a job and she has to go to school. Today is Saturday but, what about Monday?"

"Jack has a point." Yusei said thoughtfully. "Still, we are not the ones to decide. She is the one who has to make her decision."

"Since we're not getting anywhere with this, I'm going to make today's deliveries." said Crow. "See you guys," Crow said as he put on his helmet and left.

It felt refreshing washing her feet. It eased the pain a little too. She tucked herself inside the bed again. She felt better already. Before she lied down ready to sleep again she called to work and her boss said it was fine and hoped she felt better. She felt a little guilt, though she wasn't lying when she said she had a fever.

She was beginning to feel drowse when her cell phone began to ring. It startled her as it was also on vibration mode. So it made a noise on the wooden desk across the room. Reluctantly, she got up from bed and tip toe towards the desk trying not to get her feet dirty again since she was barefoot.

"Hello?" she answered keeping her voice neutral. Almost instantly she pulled the phone away from her ear as she heard someone scolding her. She rubbed her ear as if that would ease the pain. "Um, Ralph?"

She listened to him scolding her about her leaving her house at night and not even come back in the morning moreover without leaving a note or anything.

"I'm a friend's house." She replied. She wasn't sure whether or not to tell him. She knew he cared but she also knew he didn't like Yusei. If she told him she had been attacked and was not at Yusei's, he'd probably be mad. Still, she didn't want to lie more than necessary. The only thing she really had to lie about was about her real self about everything else she felt she should tell the truth. "No, I'm not at Aki's." Oops, maybe she should have lied. She didn't have many friends, after all. "Don't worry I'm fine." That was truth, she was safe. "So, why did you called?" she asked hoping the conversation would deviate away from her.

He sounded excited and happy with the news of his new job in which he would not only be the face for a new line of clothes but he would also get a part on a cast as an actor. Something he had never done and the reason why he had been looking for her. He wanted her to reassure him everything would be fine, which she did. "I want to see you one last time before I go," he had said over the phone. "I'll probably be out for a month or so, so I want to say goodbye."

She also wanted to talk to him as this seemed to be the last chance she had. He was the only person left to ask about her accident, which she now knew it was not an accident but she still wanted to hear from him. She needed to know what he knew. Something in her gut told her that something he knew would give her a clue to figure things out.

She sighed. There was no choice and she needed a few things from home too. "Ok, do you have time now?"

"Yeah, I'm leaving tonight." He replied. "I still have a few hours."

"Ok, but first can you do me a favor and put Misato on the phone? You're at my house, right?" After an affirmative response the young maid was at the phone. "Misato, I need to do make a bag with a few things." She said as she started thinking of the things she'd probably need. She knew going back home for the meantime was not a good idea. Staying here was her best option but since she wasn't sure if they guys would accept her she needed a plan B. "My card?" she was slightly confused since she had no idea what card she was talking about.

"I thought since you are asking for three changes of clothes, including your uniform that you'd be staying over a friend house. Thus, having your card would only be natural since it's the weekend. I'm sorry but I thought miss and your friend had planned to go on a shopping spree?"

A light bulb turned on in Yori's head. "Oh, yes, I would most definitely need my card." She grinned. She wondered how much she had on that card. "By the way, any news on my parents or Ms Higgins?"

"Ms. Higgins called today. She was a little worried about you but because I didn't want to scare her I told her you were fine." Misato replied.

"Thank you. Did you ask her about my parents?"

"I did," she made a pause. "However, when I called the numbers she gave me they told you me the master and mistress had already left the hotel in Berlin. I'm not sure if they are still in Germany or have gone to another country already."

"So, they're untraceable?" she asked rhetorically. She sighed. Two minutes later she had finished talking with Misato and also was done with giving Ralph instructions as to how to get to where she was. She didn't say it was where Yusei lived with his friends; she left that little detail out.

"I'll be there in two hours or so," Ralph said and by the tone of his voice she could almost see his smile. Oh boy, she just knew that smile would be wiped off his face once he found out she spent the night in an apartment with three guys.

"See you," she said trying to sound cheerful. She let out a sigh when she hung up. This was bad. There was storm coming, she knew. Actually it was hurricane coming. Still, she put the alarm of her cell phone to wake her up in one hour and a half though she doubt she would be able to sleep. She just hoped that by the time Ralph came she wouldn't have a fever anymore.

She woke up by herself two hours later and judging by the voices she could hear downstairs. She hadn't heard the alarm. Next to the bed she noticed a pair of slippers that hadn't been there before. She put them on and rushed out of the room. Downstairs she found an angry-looking young man holding Yusei by the collar who had a little of red liquid coming from his lip, which she guessed was blood and the guy holding Yusei was probably Ralph; still without her glasses her vision was blurry. Crow and Jack in the meantime were trying to restrain the boy.

"Enough Ralph!" she shouted focusing the attention on her. She felt uncomfortable with the stares but directed her gaze only towards Ralph.

"Yori!" he exclaimed almost with relief to see her. He walked towards her and pulled her into a hug. "I'm so glad you're okay." He said relieved as he put her glasses on her. Almost a second after he said and did that he pulled away and started scolding her. "Why do you think you're doing here in a place full of guys? Do you have any common sense!? And what happened to your hand!?"

Yori had just let him do what he pleased. Hugged her, pushed her, put on her glasses, she felt like a doll. She sighed as she took his hands off her shoulders. "In order?" she asked rhetorically. "I ran away and came here. I do believe I have common sense and I had a little accident."

"That doesn't answer anything." Ralph said exasperatedly.

"I know. I just limited myself to answer your questions, which is why it doesn't make much sense." She shrugged.

"I demand-!"

"You can't demand anything," Yori interrupted him and looked at him coldly. "You're not my father." Shock was written all over his face. Yori's heart was beating furiously; she was nervous and a little scared. She didn't dare to look at the other guys. "If you stay you'll hear it since I owe them an explanation." She looked at Jack, Crow and Yusei. She didn't know what kind of expressions the ones they had on were.

Ralph nodded and remained silent. She breathed in and let it out slowly. The room was filled with silence for a minute.

"I guess, I'll start from the very beginning." She thought out loud. "You remember our duel, right Ralph?" she addressed him.

"Of course, how could I forget?" he replied, his voice sounded a little bitter. "You kicked my butt."

She let a small chuckled as she remembered the scored. She shook her head. That was not what she wanted to tell them. "Anyhow, that day I noticed that I was being followed. It was also the day Ms. Higgins had left a note for me to be careful." Confusion filled the room.

"Wait," Crow interrupted. "Who is Ms Higgins?"

"Ms Higgins is my care-taker and the one in charge of the house when my parents are away. Anyway, her daughter is the hospital right now and her grandchildren were at home and she was worried." She babbled. "So I told her it would alright for her to go till her daughter was released from the hospital."

"I knew it," Ralph sighed. "That's why you asked me those questions that day." Yori nodded.

"Okay," she said as she started again. "So, yesterday when I was sleeping at home. I heard noises." Her voice became as distant as her gaze as she recalled the events of the night before. She told them how she had hidden under the bed and then escape. She didn't mention how she got hurt.

"Why didn't you go to my place?" Ralph inquired.

"I don't know," she replied. "I guess it's because you live next door and they were right behind me. If I had waited for them to open the door, I think I would've been caught."

Ralph thought for second. "You're probably right."

"Why did you decide to come here?" Asked Jack.

"I thought of going to Aki but I don't know where she lives," she replied. "Since I ran towards school, I couldn't go back to Ralph's either; I just kept on walking and sat down in the park near the school for a little while thinking where to go." She was looking down at her hands. "I don't know many people and right now and Yusei had said that I was a friend so…I just came here." She wasn't even sure what she was saying. She wasn't thinking anymore either.

"I guess, I owe you an apology," Ralph said sheepishly to Yusei who looked surprised.

"It's okay," Yusei replied. "You were just worried about your friend."

"I don't mean just now," he said referring to the punch he had given Yusei when he first came in. "I mean the way I've treated you since I met you. I've been a jerk."

"Who are you!? And what have you done to Ralph?" she asked pretending to be aghast while accusing him.

Ralph narrowed his gaze towards her. "Shut up,"

Yori grinned. "So, does that mean you'll quit being a jerk?" she asked unable to stop herself from grinning.

He looked down at her. "Only towards him." He smirked at her. She didn't like that smirk but before she could stepped away he had put an arm around her making her unable to move.

"No stop it, please! No!" she yelled as he rubbed his knuckles on her head, hard. "It hurts, it hurts, it hurts!"

He let go. "Promise me you won't do anything reckless." He said looking serious. Looking serious like that he did look like model, a stranger, and felt less like her younger brother. Even if they didn't look alike she couldn't help but notice that Ralph and her younger brother from her world were alike. It was like they were the same person but with a difference face and a few other small differences.

"I won't," she promised. 'At least, I'll try.' She added on her mind. "Ralph, there's something I want to ask you."

He looked at her curiously.

"Do you know what happened? What really happened that sent me to the hospital?" She asked fear in her eyes.

He looked sad and in pain. "I do. I was with you."

"Eh?"

"I was there, I saw it." He explained. His gaze became distant. "I was waiting for you, we had agreed to go watch a movie." He started. "I saw you come running. The light was red and there was a car in the distant approaching. You were there almost in front of me and then…" his voiced quivered and he blinked a few times as if trying to fight back tears. "Red, everything was red with your blood. You were there a few meters away from me covered, no, drenched in blood." He pulled her closed and hugged her tightly. "I thought I had lost you. I thought I had lost my most important girl."

"Ralph" she said softly as she returned the hug and looked up to him as she parted from him a little. "I'm okay now." She said sympathetically. 'What would Yori say to him? I'm not good with drama and this sort of thing.'

"Yes, you're fine now." He looked at her but at the same time he wasn't looking at her. "My most important girl…" he smiled tenderly still in some sort of daze. "There's something I need to tell you," he said and it was like he was back to normal. "I'll tell you when I come back. Will you wait for me?"

Yori didn't understand what he meant. If he had something to say why not say it then? And what was up with the 'will you wait for me?' He sounded, to her, as if he was going to war and didn't know if he will make it back. "Um, sure, I'll be here?" she said unsurely.

"I better go; I have to be in the airport in an hour." Ralph said with a lonely smile. He leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Please be safe." He told her. "I'm counting on you guys to protect her, alright?"

Yusei nodded. "Count on it." Crow and Jack nodded silently.

"Wait!" Yori exclaimed as she pulled him from his sleeve with her good hand, her left hand. She grabbed his collar and pulled him down, all in less than a blink of an eye. "Good luck," she gave him a kiss on the cheek and smiled at him. His face became slightly red as the guys looked surprised at her boldness.

"Later," he murmured before hurrying off.

"Well, you can stay here as long as you want." Crow said when Ralph closed the door. "We are not going to let anything happen to you."

Yori smiled brightly. "Thank you!" It was almost unbelievable that such a bright smile came from the same girl who a few minutes ago looked like a shaking leaf as she recalled last night events.

"He left that for you." Jack said pointing to a black camping bag.

"What's in the bag?" asked Crow.

"Just a few things I thought I might need." She replied. "My laptop, deck, school stuff, clothes, that sort of thing" she shrugged.

"How did he know?" Asked Yusei.

"I told him to bring it." She admitted. "He called me when I was about to sleep again and said he'd come here I just never expected to be so deep in sleep that I didn't hear the alarm." She explained feeling a little guilty. "I should've warned you, sorry."

"It's okay." Replied Yusei. "What are you planning to do?" he changed the topic.

"I'm not sure yet." She sighed. "What I do know it's that I can't stay confine here forever. I have to live my life as usual. I don't think they'll try to do anything in broad daylight with a crowd people around so I think going to school will be okay. Work should be okay too since it's on the shopping district and there's always people walking around there."

"You should think things calmly. Do you have any idea who could be behind the attack though?" Jack asked.

She shook her head. "No," she lied. 'Yori said it was her uncle but I have no idea who that is; till I find out I can't say anything.'

"Do you have any idea why would they target you?" Yusei asked.

Yori crossed her arms as she thought about it. "There are many reasons but none of them have to do with me." She replied.

"That makes no sense," Jack voiced for the three of them.

She chuckled a little. "Sorry, I'm not good at explain." She said. "The thing is there are a few reasons why I would be a target."

"Many reasons?" Crow asked skeptically. "No offense but you look like a girl who can do squat to me."

Yori raised an eyebrow not liking what he said. "What is that suppose to mean?" she asked a little offended.

"You look like a nice kid who wouldn't do anything to others."

"I am NOT a kid."

"You look like one," he countered.

The guys watched her struggled as she tried to make a come back and at finding none, she ended up pouting. Like a kid. It was hard not laugh but she really looked like a kid who had been scolded. Crow couldn't hold in and let out a hearty laugh. Jack soon joined with a chuckle and Yusei tried to not to but he also was chuckling.

Crow, still laughing, put a hand on her shoulder. "You are cute,"

She sighed and looked depressed. "Like a kid," she murmured to herself.

"Um, I'm gonna take this upstairs. I think I'm gonna try and sleep a little more." She said once the laughter died.

"Do you need help?" Asked Crow.

"It's okay, it's not really heavy." She replied as she carried the bag on her bag.

"If you need anything, we're here." Yusei said as she was half way up the stairs.

She looked back and nodded. "Thanks"

She reached Yusei's room and closed the door behind her. She opened the bag and took out her laptop, scattering the clothes that had been packed, across the room. 'I know I said I was going to sleep but now it's not the time for that.'

Okay, I know you must hate reading/hearing this by now but please review. I was so lonely last chapter not many review but I do thanks those who did. Review, pretty please?