I am REALLY starting to get into this story! I want to thank Autobot00001 for outlining the story for me, and I want to thank katerinaaqu for drawing the cover for my story, I am grateful to you guys!
Enjoy:)
Dub raised his sword as he struck down at his brother's sword, but Dother managed to hold his ground and whipped his sword as he lifted his shield for protection. The brothers continued to spare while their younger brother, Dian, watches from the side with excitement.
The three brothers were in the ball room of the broken mansion, practicing their sparring. Each day was the same, and each day they got better, especially when they are about to face an enemy soon.
Dother pushes his shield up against his brother, pushing him away as the brunette gets back up. Dub smirked at his brother mockingly, Dother returned the same look which confused his older brother, until Dother swept his foot underneath the red head and swiped his shield across his face.
Dian started laughing hysterically from what Dother did, while Dub rubbed his face and glared at his brother with a firey rage.
"What the Hell was that?!" Dub demanded angrily.
Dother took a cloth and wiped his shield to remove his brother's face print, checking for dents, "That was me, knocking your ass to the ground, and winning again. Is that so much of a surpise?" he answered with a dead panned expression.
Dian continued to laugh at his fallen brother, "He got you good, he got you good, Dub! You can't beat Dother! He's real smart to take you down like that!"
Dub whipped his head and gave his younger brother the same deadly glare, "Shut up! I'd like to see you try to beat me!"
"Careful, Dub," Dother spoke, "remember, Dian may be a bit slow, he makes up for it with brute strength...remember the soldier in Rome, and how Dian cracked opened his skull like an egg?"
Suddenly, the door to the ballroom slammed opened. The person was their mother, dressed in a black cloak and she walked towards her children as she removed her hood, with a smirk on her painted red lips.
"Boys, the moment we've been waiting for has arrived." she announced.
Dub blinked and got up, "What do you mean, mother? What happened?"
"...The Red-Eyes vessel is here."
The boys eyes were wide, Dian got away from the sidelines and Dother and Dub followed their younger brother towards their mother as they were still digesting what their mother just told them. Dub grinned in excitement and joy, "At last! The time has come!Vengeance will be ours!"
Carman raises her hand, halting her son's exuberance, "All in due time, Dub. However there is a slight complication to our plans."
Dian was confused, "What does that mean, mama?" he asked.
Dother's eyes narrowed, realizing what his mother meant, "It means we have a problem ahead of us."
Dian blinked as he finally got what his brother meant, "Oh."
Dother looked at his mother however, with the same confusion as Dian, "But what sort of problem are you speaking of, mother? Isn't the Wheeler boy still in a coma? Surly the Red Eyes vessel can't do anything so long as he's in the hospital."
Carman nodded, "Yes but I now sense he's healing, mentally and physically thanks to the Red Eyes Ka when it entered his body to save him when I tried to kill him, and there is no doubt that it's taken him to 'her'." Carman's eye's became dark, holding a grudge within her blue eyes.
Dub and Dother's eyes widened, "Her, mother?" Dub asked in utter shock, "Are you sure?"
Carman nodded, "Yes, no doubt she send the Red Eyes Black dragon to rescue him, and now he has been brought to safety where I can't re-enter his mind to finish him off again as they are now protecting his very being."
Dub clenched his fists in his arising anger, barring his teeth, "Which means that when he wakes up, he'll know everything. He'll be one step ahead of us because that fire breathing bitch has prepared him of who we are and our plans! And now that Red Eyes vessel is here, it'll be a matter of time before he'll learn the truth as well."
"Indeed. But there is good news." Carman leads her sons to the library in the other room. It was large, old room with eighteen book shelves with many books on each shelf. It was recently dusted by the family and Carman, along with Dother, have been reading the books eversince to gather information.
However, there was on book on the table the petite woman grabbed and turned to a particular page.
"Now that the Red-Eyes vessel has returned, we can find it more easily. And once we find it, we can begin the ceremony and bring back the weapon of our ultimate revenge." she explained.
Carman turned the book to show her sons what she was talking about. Dother, being the intelligent child and has read more books than his brothers, went wide eyed as he saw the chapter his mother showed them, a picture of a Red Eyes Black dragon, but much more sinister looking with a village burned beneath it.
Dother looks at his mother in disbelief, "You mean-"
Carman smirked, nodding her head as she answered her middle child's question, "I do...The Darkness Dragon.
Dian began to laugh hysterically, "Yes! The Darkness dragon, I can't wait!" he laughed like an excited child, with his green eyes filled with glee.
Dother sighed at his younger brother's childish behavior, "One bad bump on the head, and he'll never be the same again."
Dub crosses his arms and gives Dother a disappointed look, "Well, it was your fault for what happened to him."
Dother glared at his older brother, "Shut up! I didn't see that rock coming! If I had I would moved Dian out of the way before it hit him!"
Dub, not wanting to continue arguing ith Dother, returned his direction to his mother, "So the vessel, mother, how do we find him?"
Carman simply smirked.
Tristan and Serenity were sitting on the couch. Serenity had just got settled in and put her bagaged on the chair as she would be sleeping in the living room as Tristan's mother was occupying Joey's room.
Serenity had just calmed down about Joey's condition and the two were now having tea, talking and catching up.
Tristan set his cup down on the coffee table, "So when did you get back, Serenity?" he asked her.
Serenity sipped her tea and looked at Tristan with worry, "This morning. But I was having trouble finding you guys at first, I thought Joey would still be at his old apartment he shared with dad, but when I looked inside, I noticed all of his things were gone. But then I ran into Mr. Muto and he told me you and Joey moved into this apartment a couple of weeks ago." she explained.
Tristan was silent for a moment, "...So Joey never told you?"
Serenity sets her cup down and looks at Tristan with sad eyes, "...I can't believe he left home before he even graduated high school...why didn't Joey tell me things were this bad with dad? Now Joey's in the hospital because of him...why didn't he call the police or me or mom for help before this happened?"
Tristan shook his head, "He probably didn't want you to worry about him. He thought he could handle your dad until he left and didn't want to bother you or your mom about it since you have a better off without him, and he didn't want Jordan to ruin your life now that you got your eye operation and saved your sight and can now do your own thing."
Serenity felt disappointment and sadness, disappointment at her father for what he did to Joey and at Joey for not telling her about the abuse he endured since their parents divorce. Sadness because she understood why Joey never said anything since their father was the only blood family Joey had in Domino, and the fact that Joey didn't want Serenity to have to deal with him all over again since Jordan was the main source of their unhappy childhood. It was all to protect Serenity, as he always did.
"Do you really think my dad hurt Joey?" Serenity asked.
"Everyone's saying your dad did it, and the more I look at it, the more I agree with them. Your dad doesn't have a good reputation around these parts, and your brother and dad fought a lot up until Joey left him weeks ago. But now that all of this has happened, your dad has basically tied his own Knoose if he is the one who harmed Joey."
Serenity looked down, her eyes filled with tears, sorrow and anger, "I just can't believe he'd do that…to his own son, After everything Joey did for him. And Joey kept quiet and suffered all those years, living in poverty and having to deal with an alcoholic father who sometimes hits him or kicks him out onto the streets at night...and now this. And he never told me..."
The memories of her father were flooding Serenity's mind. She was terrified of her father when she was a little girl, she remember him coming home from the bar and would start cursing and breaking objects. The fights between him and her mother were brutal, as well as the fights between him and Joey, but what really hurt her remembering him was the fact that he blamed her for the family's financial problems because of her bad eyesight. Then her mother finally had enough and filed for divorce, but with the price of leaving Joey behind, and Serenity blaming herself for the family being torn apart for the disease she never asked to be born with.
Tristan wraps his arm around her shoulder to comfort the Auburn haired girl, surprising her as she snapped out from her thoughts. She looked up at the brunette man who smiled at her.
"It'll be okay, Serenity. Joey will get better, he's pulled through on us before in Battle city when Mark broght him down with lightening. If he can survive that, he can survive anything. Besides Joey's stubborn and can't be beaten that easily, and when he wakes up he'll be happy to see his little sister again. And when he does, you guys can go to his first tournament as a professional duelist where you can cheer him on."
Serenity blinked up at the taller boy, seeing his reassuring smile made her smile as well, only her's held sadness in her eyes, "Thanks, Tristan. That really means a lot to me, I'm glad you're here."
Tristan started to blush as Serenity smiled at him, and when he realized he had his arm on her he quickly backed away, "Oh! O-of course! I mean what are friends for right!?" he quickly stuttered and looked away.
Serenity was confused by Tristan's reaction, but before she could ask him, Tristan's mother peeks her head through the living room from the kitchen.
"Hey you two, dinner's ready. I hope you like raviolli!" Judith chirped.
Tristan turned his head quickly towards his mother's direction, still flushed in the face, "Okay, thanks mom." he said nervously.
Tristan got off the couch and was soon followed by a confused Serenity. Soon Tristan, Serenity and Judith went to the table and started to eat the pasta Judith prepared for them. Soon they began to talk, with Serenity and Judith introducing themselves to one another and Serenity and Tristan catching up with eachother since the last time they met.
Tristan decided to ask first, "So how've things been for you, Serenity? I heard you just finished your first year of high school."
Serenity smiled and nodded, "I have, I even ended up on the honor roll to this year. I plan to keep up with my grades and studies to get a scholarship after I graduate and head to one of the state colleges or universities."
After Serenity's eye operation, she wanted to start making more of her life, with her eyesight fixed and the world at her feet she began to plan a future for herself so she can live life to the fullist and do the things she dreampt of doing but thought she never could. Now that Serenity was ahead in school with her good grades, she started look into different colleges and universities to get a higher education after she graduates in two years.
Tristan smiled proudly, "That's great Serenity, Joey would be proud! I'm glad things are going well for you."
Serenity nodded, "Well, up until now things have been going pretty good. And not only that, my mom's getting married soon."
Tristan was shocked once again by the news. While he knew Joey's parents were divorced, he didn't know that Joey's mother found a new man in her life, nonetheless he was happy to hear Serentiy will have a new stepfather. Given that she and Joey had a less than perfect father, at least with Mrs. Wheeler's new fiance, Serenity will have a better father figure.
Judith was estactic for Serenity when she heard the news, "Oh, that's wonderful, dear! I'm so happy for your mother and you!"
Tristan nodded and smiled, " Yeah, congratulations Serenity! So when's the wedding gonna be?" he asked the Auburn haired girl.
"In about a month from now. Not only that, my mom wants me to be her Maid of Honor to." Serenity explained.
"That's awesome! You must be excited!"
Serenity smiles at the older teen,"Yeah," then her smile started to fade as she remembers her brother in the hospital, "I just hope Joey wakes up so he can be there too. Thomas wanted to meet him and told me he planned to invite him."
Tristan was silent from Serenity's last comment, seeing the sadness in the sweet girls eyes. It was breaking his heart as he kept looking at her.
Judith broke the silence and placed her hand on Serenity's shoulder, "Don't worry, Serenity. I'm sure Joey will make a full recovery, and he'll be so happy to know his little sister is in town to see him."
Tristan nodded in agreement and smiles, "Yeah, Serenity. If there's one thing I know about your brother, it's that he's too stubborn to miss out on something that important. You and his first tournament as a professional duelist, and now that you're here for the Summer, he'll be stoked for sure and it'll give him more confidence."
Serenity smiled a bit at the mother and son. Seeing their smiling faces and warm eyes reassuring her of Joey's recovery already brightened her spirits. It reminded her of Joey and how he gave her the courage to rise above the toughest moments oflife, and she knew he would want her to be strong now in their darkest hour.
Serenity nodded, "Yeah, family does mean the world to him. Thank you."
Tristan smiled, happy to see Serenity starting to smile again, "So Serenity, do you think your mom will come out to see Joey in the hospital?
Serenity shook her head, "I don't know." she said with uncertainty.
Judith was surprised by Serenity's response, "Why wouldn't she? Joey's her son. If I were in her position, I'd want to give my support if anything happened to Tristan or my other children." she said puzzled.
Serenity looked at the older Taylor, "I know, Judith, but mom didn't really say much about it. I think she was too much in shock when I told her what happened to Joey. She almost didn't even let me come out here."
"Really? Why is that, dear?" Judith asked surprised.
Serenity looked down, frowning but was also glaring to herself, "...Because she was afraid my dad would come after me." she said the last sentence in a bitter tone.
Judith and Tristan frowned at Serenity's statement.
The older woman had understood why her mother was hesitant about sending her only daughter in the place where that violent man was, as he is said to be the reason for Joey being in the hospital. Tristan told her about his violent tendancies since Joey was a child and that he wasn't the best father and how Jordan made Serenity the source of the blame for all his problems due to her illness, despite the fact that he physically abused Joey more.
It reminded her of her soon to be ex husband and the problems he caused her and her three children over the years
"I can understand why." Judith admitted.
Tristan, on the other hand, was lost in his thoughts and didn't say anything. His expression darkened at the mention of Serenity and Joey's mother.
"Tristan, don't tell Serenity what happend here today. She's already been through a lot and has finally gotten surgery, I don't want her to get upset."
Tristan glares from the memory and looks up at his mother looking at him in confusion from his gloomy expression, then they turned to look back at Serenity. Judith smiled," Well, we're glad she changed her mind. Joey needs you, and it's clear you need him, Serenity."
Tristan nodded in agreement, "My mom's right, Serenity. It's like the message you had me give him during Battle City. You two are a team, forever, and he will pull through this."
Serenity smiled as she remembered telling that to Joey after she took off her bandages, seeing clearly and better for the first time in her life after spending half of it seeing shapes, shadows, having days where her sight was blurry and nearly seeing darkness. Her escape from seeing eternal darkness and gaining her second chance of living her own life with her improved eyesight was thanks to Joey making and keeping his promise to his little sister.
He also protected her from their father's drunken rage's and always promised her that things will be alright. Whenever she cried in the middle of the night from their parents fighting, he had her in bed reading her a story for comfort, or took her out when their parents would fight again, or if their mom was gone and their father was passed out on the couch from drinking to much and they would be in town or the beach.
He saved her and was there for her and made sure she was happy, now Serenty was determined to be there for her big brother.
She smiled, "We are a team."
Serenity looked to her side when something big and furry came and sat down beside her. She saw a pair of big black eyes starring at her with curiousity and affection in them, Blankey decided to go up and say hello to Serenity.
"Oh, hello." Serenity responded as she let Blankey sniff her hand, and then proceeded to pet the old German Shepard, who was enjoying Serenity's touch as her eyes were closing and her tail wagging from delight. Serenity smiled at the dog as she continued petting her.
Tristan and his mother were in disbelief, "Whoa."
Serenity looked at Tristan in confusion, "What is it, Tristan?"
"Blankey doesn't usually warm up to strangers that fast." Tristan explained as he continued to stare at Blankey in amazement as she is already close to Serenity, as if she had raised her since puppyhood. Blankey was always a guard dog as long as Tristan could remember, there was even a time Blankey bite a hole in Joey's pants when she saw them wrestling.
Joey still had the bite mark to prove it.
Judith smiled as Blankey laid down beside Serenity, "I guess she had a good feeling about you." the older woman spoke.
Serenity looked down at Blankey and continued petting her,"I guess so. You know, Joey and I always wanted a dog when we were kids, but our parents always said no." Serenity said the last sentence with a sad tone as she remembered her father saying, in his own words, he had two animals, refering to Joey and herself, in his house and that he didn't need another one with their mother telling her that animals are filthy and will make a mess.
Tristan noticed the auburned haired girl's sad expression and spoke out, "Well, as long as you're staying with us, Blankey's your dog now too. Besides she really likes you."
Serenity was surprised by Tristan's offer, but began to smile and nodded, "I appreciate that."
The three of them continued to eat their dinner in peace.
At Domino county jail, Jordan Wheeler was held in the interrogation room with an officer and detective. The older man glared at them with glassy brown eyes filled with anger and drowsiness, with handcuffs around his wrists and was wearing a blue jump suit. That was the first clean outfit he wore since his son left him and no longer did his laundry.
The room they were in was dark, with only the light from the ceiling lighting the middle where the table and three men were. When Jordan sobered up a bit and learnt why he was arrested when the police came to his apartment, he immediately tried escaping from their custody and started yelling he didn't attack Joey or, as he called him, his good for nothing shitty son, and that he wasn't going to jail. It was in vain however when the cops tasered him unconscious when he started getting violent, and hours later he woke up in a jail cell.
The detective sat in front of Jordan, with his hands on the table holding a document. He wore a grey suit and had slicked back black hair, with dark grey eyes as he looked at the older Wheeler with antipathy when he heard about what happened.
"So why did you do it, Mr. Wheeler?" the detective asked in a cold tone.
Jordan looked at the detective in fury and slammed his fists on the table, "I'm telling you for the last fucking time! I didn't attack that ungrateful brat or tried to kill him!" he snapped at the man.
The police officer stepped forward when Jordan slammed the table, ready to detain him if he decided to fight, he gave Jordan an icy glare for his comment, "I'd watch my mouth if I were you, Wheeler, saying things like that about your own son, considering what happened to him, and how you acted when you were being arrested and what you said just now, isn't gonna help your case. And it doesn't look good for you, given your history."
"What history?!" Jordan demanded.
The detective stands up and opens the document he had on the table, he began to read, "My men did some investigating when your son ended up in the hospital and when we had you taken into custody. It says here you've been laid off by numerous employers over the past nine years. Those reasons were failure to show up, failure to comply with orders, and that's only when you did show up, and with a hangover no less."
The police officer takes out another document from the detective and looks at Jordan, "Not to mention you've got quite a criminal record too."
Jordan snapped his head up and was still glaring at the men, "Yeah, well my kid's got a record too! He's not innocent himself!" Jordan barked at them, remembering how Joey was in a gang in Middle school and how he often got into trouble with the law, of course Jordan didn't care since he always thought Joey would become a failure before he got into dueling.
The police officer had a look of utter disgust from Jordan's comment, "Sure, but it's not exactly as lengthy as yours. He's only been charged with a few shoplifting cases and getting in fights in Middle school. But you?" the police officer reads the document, "Bar fights? Drunk driving? Excessive gambling? And domestic disputes between you and your ex-wife from when your son was young and your youngest daughter still lived with you. And when your son was in your custody, he always came to school with bruises and a bloody nose...and the teachers said that he looked like he was attacked by an adult but they couldn't figure out who did that to him, care to explain that?"
Jordan became angry, he knew he was defeated, "Okay, yeah, I did those things! But I didn't attack my son last night!" Jordan confessed, "when he told me he didn't want to see me again, I just walked away! Yeah I was pissed but I was done with him anyways, he walked out on me months ago and disowned me, he doesn't want anything to do with me either!"
Jordan suddenly felt a sharp pain in his chest when he said those words outloud. The older man was confused as why he was feeling this way, he felt his body feeling strange and heavy, and his eyes heating up and watering a bit.
"Know this, pops, I did want to help you, and I did want us to be a family...but you took things too far, and I can't deal with this anymore. As far as I'm concerned, I have no father...and I never want to see you again...take care, Jordan."
The officer and detective heard enough from the man. The detective takes the other file back from the officer and put the documents back in the envalope, "Well, it's not looking very good for you here, Mr. Wheeler. Knowing your history and now that it's public knowledge that you abused your son in his childhood, no one's going to believe your innocence and that you did infact cause your son's hospitalization. And if he dies, you could face a life sentence in prison, and all you did throughout this interview was call him names and blame him for everything. You just made yourself look even more guilty."
The door opens, and two security guards enter the interrogation room, lifting Jordan from his seat roughly, with the detective leaving the room, but the police officer stays and looks at Jordan with disapproval.
"And your son may have a record, but with a father like you, I can see why he was always in trouble. And from what I heard he is a famous duelist and was supposed to leave for a tournament before all of this, he was making something of his life...then you showed up and now he's in a coma, what will that tell people?"
Jordan didn't look at the officer and he continued speaking, "There's going to be a trial soon, Mr. Wheeler, and unless your son pulls through to tell us what happened that night and who really attacked him, nothing short of a miracle is going to save you. And you have done a lot of bad things in your life and to your son that will make everyone doubt you. Let that sink in."
The guards take Jordan back to his cell, the man didn't say a word nor did he try to fight the guards. Once he was inside his cell, he was silent and walked quietly to his sitting mat and sat down cross legged. Suddenly, tears started to fall down his cheeks.
After dinner, Tristan shows Serenity to Joey's room as she carried her bag. Since Serenity was going to stay in Domino during Joey's recovery, Tristan offered Serenity to stay in his and Joey's apartment and in her older brother's room.
Tristan opens the door and presented the room to Serenity, "Well, here it is, Joey's room." he announced in grimace he he knew what he was showing the young woman.
They look around Joey's bedroom, and it was a total mess. The bed was not made, there was paper, clothes and garbage all over the floor, and his garbage bin was completely full. Tristan was amazed that none of Joey's girl magazine's were on the floor, of course he was also grateful as he wouldn't want Serenity to see what her brother reads.
Tristan was sheepish and looked away in nervousness, "I know, it's not exactly a luxury hotel, given it's Joey's cave afterall."
Serenity smiles at Tristan, "It's okay, Tristan. I'm fine with it."
Tristan blinked in surprise, "Really, are you sure?"
Serenity nodded, "Yeah. Joey's room was a mess back when we were little, so it's like he's still here. Of course I should tidy up a bit in here...and find an air freshener." Serenity said sheepishly as she caught a whif of the air in her brother's room.
Tristan chuckles and smiles, "Well, I'm glad you're happy with it," then something caught the corner of his eye. To his alarm he saw one of Joey's magazine's, a girl in a microkini on the cover, was sticking out from under the bed, Tristan quickly went over and pushed the magaizine under the bed with his foot, blushing and looking nervous, "Uh, one thing though, don't look under his bed."
Serenity blinked in confusion, "Okay?" then Serenity started to yawns, "Well, I should probably get some sleep. I want to be early so I can see Joey in the hospital tomorrow."
Tristan nods in agreement,"Yeah, I'm a little tired too. I'll see you in the morning. Mom will make breakfast for us."
Tristan turns around to walk out of the room.
"Tristan?"
Tristan stopped on his track when Serenity called out his name. He turned around to face her, "Yeah?"
To his shock, Serenity comes up to him and and hugs him. She held on tightly,"Thanks for everything. You really are a great friend.""
Tristan was blushing madly, then he slowly starts to her back, smiling, "Anytime, Serenity."
Suddenly, Tristan's eyes snapped open when he realized what Serenity, "I'm still in the friendzone?! Come on!" he shouted in his mind.
After Serenity lets him go, Tristan leaves the room and closes the door behind him. Minutes later when Serenity puts her pink pajama's on, she hears voices from behind the door. Curious, Serenity goes to the door and presses her ear against it, she hears Tristan and his mother talking.
"She is such a sweet girl, Tristan." Serenity heard Judith speak.
"Yeah I know."Tristan replied to his mother.
Serenity blushed from Judith's compliment.
"So why didn't you tell me Joey's sister was your girlfriend?"
Serenity turned bright red and her heart started to race from Judith's words. Serenity heard Tristan squeak.
"Mom!"
Judith giggles, "Sorry, have I struck a nerve?" she teased.
"Serenity's not my girlfriend, mom!" Tristan exclaimed defensively.
It was silent for a moment, until Judith spoke again, "But you do like her a lot, right?"
As Serenity continued to listen, behind the door, Tristan closed his eyes and sighed in defeat, "It's that obvious, huh?" he looks at his mother with red cheeks.
Judith smiled at her youngest son, "A mother knows these things."
Tristan looks up and nods, "Yeah, I do like Serenity a lot, mom. I'm actually crazy about her."
Serenity gasped from Tristan's confession, but quickly covered her mouth so the mother and son wouldn't hear her. She slowly moves her hands from her mouth and was stunned.
"...Tristan likes me like that?" she asked herself.
Tristan shakes his head with a defeated smile, "But it doesn't really matter."
Judith blinked in perplexion, "Huh? but why not?"
"...She says that I'm just a friend."
Judith frowned at her son's sadness, "Maybe you should tell her how you feel."
Tristan shook his head again,"I don't know if that'd do any good for me. She probably likes Duke better, he actually managed to score a date with her."
Serenity grimaces over the memory of her date with Duke. When he took her out for lunch, he was constantly flirting with the waitresses and girls who came over because they learnt who he was. While Duke was having a good time, Serenity ended up feeling like a piece of meat being ignored by him, and what made it worse for Serenity is that it her first date ever as she couldn't go out because of her illness before she got her surgery. She was hoping it would be special, but it turned out to be a disappointment.
But now hearing Tristan's confession, she felt absolutel guilty as she now knows that she did the same thing to him that Duke did to her.
Tristan continued, "Besides, the time isn't right, not with what's happening with Joey. I mean, I do wanna tell her how I feel, but I know I shouldn't. Not yet at least...but I'm scared she'll turn me down."
Serenity frowned from Tristan's words. She didn't know she had that much of an impact on the older boy, how could she have not known sooner?
Judith lifts Tristan's chin, "Then wait, Tristan. When the right moment comes, your heart will tell you that you're ready. But don't wait too long, or you'll lose her."
Tristan, while unsure, smiles at her, "Thanks mom."
When they left for bed, Serenity began to pace the room in panic and guilt. Tristan had just admitted he liked Serenity, he wanted to go out with her, and she never noticed!
Serenity's mind was racing, "Tristan likes me as more than a friend? I can't believe I called him a friend! Why haven't I seen this before!"
Serenity should have seen the signs, he was completely nice to her, and when Duke came along he got defensive whenever the raven haired boy got to close to her. Not only that, Tristan told her lies about training Joey and that Joey was winning the tournament at first while she was recovering in the hospital, at first she didn't know why he would do that, but now she realized that it was all to impress her. While she doesn't condone Tristan lying to her, she was surprised Tristan wanted her to like him that much.
What Tristan didn't know, was that in a way, Serenity liked him to. She was flustered by him as he was the first guy she ever had contact with, besides her older brother,as her mother didn't want any boys near her while she was still ill and even after she had surgery. When she went on her date with Duke, her mother disapproved a bit but still allowed it, but when Serenity came home and told her mother what happened, Serenity could have sworn her mother looked a bit to happy by the news.
However, Tristan was different from Duke. He wasn't a flashy guy like Duke, he was humble, besides lying about being a great duelist, and he had a great sense of humor, and to Serenity he was quite handsome.
Serenity sat on the bed, unsure what she should do. After her date with Duke, she decided to take a break from seeing boys for a while, and with Joey in the hospital she doesn't have time for a boy period, let alone Tristan who is her brother's best friend.
Serenity looks up at the cieling, "I wish Joey were here. He'd know what I should do."
Of course Serenity knew that when it came to boys, Joey would be guarding her like a German Shepard, and since it's Tristan he might try to beat him to a pulp.
Serenity turns her head, and to her surprise, she sees Joey's Duel Monsters deck on the nightstand. She started remembering what Joey and Yugi have always said about the Heart of the Cards, she takes the deck and she draws a card. To her surprise, it is the Red-Eyes Black Dragon, Joey's favorite. She smiled at it as she hugged it close to her, it was a good sign.
Serenity looks out the window into the glowing city below her. She turns her attention back to Red Eyes, she knew she had a long road ahead of her, not only to make sure her brother gets well, but she also had a lot to make up for to Tristan for not realizing his feelings.
"Tristan's right. Now's not the time to give up. I have to focus on Joey first and make sure he pulls through. But then maybe...I could give Tristan a chance."
Then Serenity shuts the lights off and heads into bed, waiting for dawn.
Don't forget to review:)