Here it is: the operation. O_o

Sorry this chapter was lateish and stuff, but you guys know the drill… collage sucks my life away.

Ryou's monolog/confession thing was re-written like 10000 times! And I still don't like it! GAAA I'm sorry my faithful readers! I have once again let you all down –sobs-

Ok important note: this is it you guys. This is the last book, which means I'm going all out. Holding nothing back, while I'm going to try to make sure everyone stays in charater all the realtionsihps are going to end in this story. No more "I might like you… yes… no wait" stuff.

This

Is

It

That being said, I hope you like this chapter and the ones to come.

At first when he heard a voice that he thought he knew, and when he reached the place from which it seemed to come Rapunzel knew him, and fell on his neck and wept. And when her tears touched his eyes they became clear again, and he could see which them as well as ever.

~Rapunzel

Today was the day.

Mir sat on her bed while her sisters hurried around her, getting ready. Mir could almost see Emi flying around the room, packing, with Gwyn trailing behind her, picking up the carnage of everything her older sister tripped over or knocked down.

Emi was a wreck; she kept stopping every few moments from whatever she was doing to check on Mir. After the brunette would reassure her sister she was fine, Emi would dash off again. It would have been funny if it wasn't such a stressful time. Maybe when they were all old and rocking on a porch somewhere they would laugh about this.

Probably.

After what seemed like forever and only moments at the same time—funny how time behaves— Seto's limo came to pick them up. Mir silently thanked God as she got into the limo; any longer and Emi might have accidently burned down the house.

Seto and Mokuba greeted them as they loaded into the limo. Everyone said their solemn hellos before they drove off to the high school. Gwyn and Mokuba were going to be dropped off at school before Mir went to the hospital. Gwyn had talked about going with them and skipping a day of school. However, Mir's operation was the same day as tryouts for the theater. And while Gwyn didn't care much about anything but her sister, Mir had told the young girl it wasn't that big a deal.

"After all, I'll see you before I leave and when it's all over. Once I get there I will pretty much be drugged up the whole time" was what the blind girl had told her sister before dismissing the idea. So while this still seemed against the sister code, Gwyn had agreed.

The ride was a quiet one. There wasn't much to say and everyone knew it. Mir silently wished everyone wasn't so solemn about this operation. It was hard knowing that she might NEVER be able to see again, but the reality that this wasn't only going to affect her but those closest to her was even harder than her lack of sight. As they drove, the brunette started to think of ways to make sure everyone was ok with whatever outcome this operation had.

"Satra's outside, I think she wants to say good luck," Gwyn said, breaking through Mir's brooding. The blind girl couldn't help but smile; just what she needed.

"Better not keep the little redhead waiting."

"Hey! I knew you would be here to drop Gwyn off so I wanted to say bye and good luck! Nice ride by the way. But don't you normally ride in a hearse AFTER you go to the hospital?" Mir climbed out of the limo, laughing as she hugged Satra. Her friend's voice sounded strained, as if she was trying hard to keep things light but it was killing her. "Ryou's not here," the strawberry blonde whispered into her friend's ear. "If I see him at school I'll tell him to get his British butt over to the hospital." Mir giggled, hugging her friend tighter. Satra had started teasing Ryou about being from England and pulling all different jokes on him. Her favorite was put that in your tea and drink it. She would even use it when it didn't apply to the conversation at all.

"Thanks, Satra, I don't deserve a friend like you." Mir pulled away, her smile grateful as she wished she could say everything that was going through her head. "I'll see you bright and early tomorrow morning at the hospital. And I mean that literally."

Satra laughed, lightly squeezing Mir's shoulder. "Yep, I'll be the first thing you see."

"Is that a threat?"

"You bet it is."

"Maybe I'll stay blind."

Satra's loud contagious laugh never sounded so good to Mir. Thank God she was blind and not deaf, she would miss Satra's laugh too much.

Ryou jolted awake two minutes before his alarm was supposed to go off. Rubbing his eyes, he took his clock, checking the time; groaning,he decided it wasn't even worth trying to go back to sleep. Standing up, he shuffled toward the bathroom, wondering if he had even slept at all last night. Or, for that matter, if he was even awake. When you spend a night half asleep it's hard to tell reality from dreams.

Sighing, Ryou looked at his own reflection. A stranger looked back at him. He had the same white hair and brown eyes, but this person looked half dead. Like a zombie, dead. Large dark rings and bloodshot eyes stood out against deathly white skin. Slowly he reached up and touched his cheek, checking to make sure his reflection did the same. Then, shaking his head at his own ridiculousness, he started to get ready for the day.

He yawned, running his fingers through his hair as he pulled out his clothes. Today wasn't a day to be worried about appearances. Not that it had ever mattered, since the girl he loved couldn't see. But then, maybe today it did matter what he looked like. Pausing, Ryou checked his reflection again. While he didn't look as dead as before, he didn't look like his old self. Gently, he straightened his shirt, sighing. Today she was going to be able to see again.

Maybe.

"I'm sorry, but she just went in for surgery, there won't be any visitors allowed until operation is over. That probably won't be until four a.m., and she'll probably be asleep." Ryou nodded, still panting from running from his house to the hospital.

His plan had been to meet Mir at her house before she went to the hospital. However, he had missed her by a few minutes. Instead of trying to beat the limo to Gwyn's school, he gone straight to the hospital. It was several miles from Mir's house and had taken much longer than he had planned.

The nurse was looking at him as he tried to catch his breath, unsure if she should call a doctor or not. Ryou was sure he looked like a mess, standing here panting and sweating as he leaned heavily on the front desk. Taking a quick gulp of air, he tried to regain some composure.

"Ok… well… I'll just wait then," he mumbled, walking toward one of the chairs. The nurse watched him, frowning slightly.

"Would you like something? Water maybe?"

Ryou nodded trying to give the young woman a smile. "Water would be lovely, thank you."

Emi sat on a large bed in the hotel room she was staying at, working away at her laptop. Seto had booked a room for the blonde girl when they had found out that Mir's operation would mean that she had to stay at the hospital for a few days. Gwyn had planned on staying at the Kaiba mansion after school anyway, so she just packed a few things so she could spend the night. This meant Emi had to camp out here alone, or as alone as Seto would allow.

Every now and then, Seto would come in, bringing her some more work. Some of it definitely did not really pertain to her department, but Emi had the feeling he was just using an excuse to come check on her to make sure she hadn't killed herself or something. The thought of her trying hang herself, only to lose her balance and fall off the chair before she was able to slip the rope over her neck, was a slightly morbid yet funny thought. Emi slightly wondered if it was the stress that was making her find the strangest things funny. Shaking her head, the blonde went back to work only to be interrupted by her boss's visits.

Seto's last visit found her laying under her covers of the bed, typing away on a spreadsheet. Books and papers shrouded her like a filing cabinet had exploded around her. Gently, he took the laptop away from her, breaking her concentration. She looked up at him, not bothering to fight his actions. "It's late and you should get some sleep, you never know when the hospital is going to call you," Seto said, gathering up the books and papers and placing in them in a stack by her bed. He then turned to leave, but Emi grabbed his sleeve, stopping him.

"Could… could you stay for a while, please?"

Seto turned to her; her crystal blue eyes looked so filled with pleading. She seemed so lost and frightened. Of course he never would have said no, but when she looked at him like that, he was unable to do anything but stand there. His brain seemed to be working too fast yet not producing any coherent thoughts at all. Later he would be annoyed at himself at the way he had acted—not as in charge and strong as his usual self— but right now the thought of hurting the woman looking up at him seemed like the worst crime possible.

Gently, as if she would break, he sat down next to her. A flashback of when she had been sick all those years ago flashed in his mind. How things had changed since those days. Next to him, he could feel Emi shaking slightly; her breathing was starting to grow ragged as she fought back all the fears that were now plaguing her. She had been working hard all day to push away the thoughts of her sister and now that she was just sitting here with nothing to do, she couldn't push them away anymore. They hit her like a tidal wave.

Without thinking about it, Seto reached out and took Emi's hand and slowly started to rub it. Strong fluid motions as if trying to push away her of her fears. He used to do this all the time to calm Mokuba down at the orphanage when their parents had first died. Another memory; funny how the past will creep up on you at the strangest times.

Emi just watched him for a moment as her breathing slowed and her body relaxed. Then, suddenly, she started to laugh. The sound caught Seto completely off–guard, causing him to turn sharply to look at her. "Your hands, they are so cold." She giggled, her eyes on her hand as Seto rubbed it.

"…"

She rested her head on his shoulder, still chuckling. "Guess they were right." Her action slightly surprised Seto. Lately Emi had been distancing herself from him, and while he hated it, he wasn't sure what to make of her actions tonight.

"I'll stop."

"No, it feels… nice." Her voice was gentle and slightly distant. Slowly her body started to relax as she leaned on him, letting sleep drift over her.

-Gwyn and Mokuba-

The day had been a solemn one. Even though it was sunny outside and everyone at the theater was excited about the upcoming plays, Gwyn felt like the world had turned gray. It seemed like everyone around her was just as upset and worried as her. Of course, they wouldn't be, since most of them didn't know about her sister's operation. But all the same, their smiles and excitement seemed as fake as the one on her face.

Time was also behaving very oddly. It would speed up so fast it seemed she would blink and an hour would be gone. Then it would slow down to a crawl so that Mir's operation seemed like years away.

Mokuba was trying his best to cheer her up. Instead of staying in and doing homework, they took Noah, Mokuba's dog, out for a walk on the Kaibas' ground. They explored for several hours and only came back after Mokuba's stomach started to growl so loudly that it couldn't be ignored. Once they came back from their hike, hot and sweaty, they went for a swim in the outdoor pool. The maids served them a wonderful dinner of chicken wraps with fruit punch at the pool. Gwyn felt very exotic and slightly flattered at all the attention she was getting from the staff at the Kaiba mansion.

Noah, who also seemed to sense Gwyn's worry, stayed close to the young teen the whole day, constantly licking her and following her around the house, encouraging her to play with him.

"I'm jealous," Mokuba remarked as the dog played fetch with Gwyn in the pool, diving over and over again for the small chew toy she threw. Gwyn giggled lightly as the wet puppy brought back the toy, dropping it at her feet, wagging his tail waiting for her to throw it again.

"He's so cute," Gwyn said, tossing the toy into the pool. Mokuba nodded, watching the dog dive into the crystal water.

"He's a great dog. I'm glad your sister got him for me."

The rest of the day was rather uneventful; Mokuba and Gwyn ended up watching some popular movie that all the kids at their school had been talking about. Gwyn ended up falling asleep halfway through. Noah snuggled up next to her, his head resting on her leg. Mokuba glanced at his friend and dog; they both looked so funny. Gwyn was lying on her back, chin resting on her chest while Noah lay on her stomach, his nose almost touching hers. They both were so peaceful Mokuba almost felt bad for waking them up.

That night Mokuba woke up to find his dog missing. Getting up, he walked slowly down the hall wondering where his companion had gone. After a short search he found the small animal asleep, curled up next to Gwyn, who had her hand buried in his brown fur. Smiling, Mokuba closed the door. Sometimes the smallest things can really help someone. He hoped Noah could help Gwyn feel a little better, because he was sure as heck feeling helpless.

"Excuse me, Sir?"

"Huh…?" Ryou woke up with a jolt, gasping in shock. It took him a few moments to realize where he was and why his body felt so sore. The nurse, standing over him, gave him a small smile. Her eyes looked slightly worried, making Ryou's stomach turn.

"Is she ok?" the white-haired boy asked standing up. The nurse nodded.

"We won't get the results until tomorrow, or later today to be more precise."

"Oh, ok." Slowly, Ryou turned to look at the hospital room where Mir was. The nurse followed his gaze.

"Well, she's sleeping but you're welcome to go and sit with her," she said kindly. Ryou nodded and walked toward the room as if he was marching to his death sentence.

Mir was lying on the hospital bed, her chest raising and falling slowly, an IV tube hanging next to her dripping slowly as if going along with her breathing. Her eyes were still bound up with heavy bandages, making Ryou feel sick to his stomach. He quickly reminded himself that they wouldn't know until later that morning if the operation worked.

Sitting down on a chair next to her, he took Mir's hand in his.

"Hey, Mir." His voice cracked and he winced. He could almost hear Mir laughing at him. What's the matter, Ryou? she would ask. When he told her, she would laugh and say, You know what your problem is? You always take everything too seriously. You need to relax.

Ryou didn't realize he was crying until he felt wet tears hitting his hand. Quickly he wiped his eyes.

"Mir, I… I love you. I love you so much. I haven't felt this way about anyone… well ever. You were the first good thing since… since… well, since my sister died." He paused for a moment. "I think that was what first drew me to you. You were always smiling and laughing. The way you treated your sisters, the way you treated me. I couldn't get enough of it."

Mir mumbled something in her sleep, barely audible, but it caused Ryou to stop talking for a moment and study her face. She was so peaceful, so vulnerable. "But I was scared. Since the day we first met. I was scared of what might happen to you." His stomach turned, remembering his fears. "I don't remember the first time I met him but I remember the destruction he caused… I remember it like it was yesterday." At the thought of his Yami, Ryou winced. The memories were still painful, but he was determined, he was going to tell her everything. Even if she couldn't hear him, he needed to tell her, say what he had internalized for so long.

So he explained everything: the death of his sister, when his father had gotten him the Millennium Ring, the first time he had dreamed of that demonic laugh.

The first time the Yami had killed one of Ryou's friends.

The memory of that body just laying there, dead, his eyes staring up at Ryou blankly, and no life in them at all.

"And that's why… why I'm so scared." He kissed Mir's hand, looking at her sleeping form. "I'm… I'm scared of hurting you… but I'm even more scared of not being with you." He shook his head. "I'm so selfish. Yet I can't stop." The sudden pressure from Mir's hand startled him. He looked down at his hand in shock, then at her face; a small smile was growing there.

"Emi was right," Mir's voice whispered. "You were scared, but, Ryou, all that stuff is in the past." She took a deep breath. "I'm different. What happened to me was all me, not some phantom or demon possessing you."

"I… I know, but…"

She squeezed him to silence him. "Ryou, I have been through a lot in my life, and whether you like it or not, I'm not leaving you." Ryou's eyes widened. "I'm a tough girl and can take care of myself. So put that in your tea and drink it." Mir giggled, squeezing his hand again. "You're part of our family now, and in my family, we don't give up on each other no matter what."

Ryou didn't realize he was crying until the tears were falling on his and Mir's hands.

When Seto first woke up, he was wondering why there was sunlight in his face. A maid was going to pay for this, pay dearly. The next thing Seto was wondering was why he was so warm—not really hot, but warm. It was almost like he was sleeping next to someone. But Mokuba hadn't slept with him for years now. Slowly, Seto opened his eyes, surprised at the fact that he was not looking at his room. Then it all came flooding back to him. Mir's operation, Emi staying in the hotel, her asking him to stay the night with her, him helping her fall asleep. It all came crashing down on him like a tidal wave.

Looking down, Seto found Emi fast asleep in his arms, breathing gently against his chest. She looked so peaceful; it was funny to think that this young woman was the same woman who could keep up in any argument with him. He couldn't help but smile as he ran his fingers through her hair. The morning caught it, making her light blonde hair look like white gold. Stirring slightly, Emi mumbled, softly burying her head deeper into Seto's chest, reminding Seto of Noah when the puppy would snuggle up against his brother.

It was then that Seto realized this was the woman he wanted to marry. He suddenly understood why Emi's question had bothered him so much. Why he always wanted her around. Why her feelings affected him so much. Seto had never been good at this whole love thing -he guessed these feelings were love- but what he was good at was knowing what he wanted. And he what he wanted was going to marry Emi.

RING.

Emi jolted awake at the sound of the phone, almost hitting her head against Seto's chin.

"Wha…What?" Seto chuckled, brushing hair out of the young woman's wide crystal eyes.

"It's just the phone, calm down," he told her, picking it up and handing it to her. She looked down at it for a moment as if she wasn't sure what it was. Then, gently, she took it, holding it up to her ear.

"Hello?"

So I wasn't going to add the part where Seto decides he wants to marry Emi until I talked to my roommate Lizzy last night. She's getting married in December and she was telling me that when she came to visit our collage her soon to be husband saw her and was like "She's the one I'm going to marry." I have heard this from other couples before too, I think (unlike us girls) a lot of guys just know. I also feel like Seto would be one of those kinds of guys. So I'm sorry if you guys think it's OOC (truthfully I was torn) but I feel like it worked.

Plus this is my last book so I want to make it count :D

And now to thank those who stuck with me this long:

kisaraxseto forever:

GOOD! I'm so glad! I also want to make my readers laugh!

DarkestInk

Well I HAD to reference Mr. Yami Bakura at SOME point. What kind of Yugioh fanfic would this be? –giggles- Also the part when he DOES tell Mir was completely inspired by you! After reading your review I pulled up a word doc and typed it up. I did a drawing of him with short hair on facebook, I'll try to do another more serious one (since the one at DA is more of a sketch) when I get time.

I'm glad Tamarey is getting on your nerves, I want her to be annoying without her being like SUEISH annoying. If that makes any sense. Like I want her to be believable not like "Ok this author just wrote her because she wants a slut in her story"

Ahhh Satra and Duke…. Funny thing is I'm not even sure if I want them to end up together yet or not. When I first started making Satra a main character I wanted her to end up with Joey. –laughs- what do you think? Should I pull a curve ball later on and have her end up with someone completely different to even those too? (Have Marik come out of nowhere and sweep her off her feet? lol)

DaAmazingMeepers

Hahah I know, it's sad. But I wanted to kind of think of him as getting older and I guess I always thought he would cut his hair when he got older.

Liz (Aka. Element-girls)