Author's Note: Hey everyone! Here's chapter 15! Hope you like it! And thanks to those of you who support me! I greatly appreciate it! ^^

Sarah is wounded and stubborn to go to the hospital. They return home only to meet with... some awkward times. Normal among friends, or a special, close bonding moment?

Disclaimer!: Fanfiction, and I do NOT get any money out of it either. Thanks. ^^

Battle City-New Evil Emerges, Old Friends Reunite Chapter 15

"Maybe we should have gone to the hospital..." said Yami for the first time that night. I was in no mood to turn around and start heading for the hospital. When Yami offered to take me to my apartment, I personally thought it was a great idea. The hospital was on the other side of the city and my apartment was just at the end of the street. Hm...which is closer? My apartment, or the hospital? That's right, my apartment. And that is just where we're going. Yami was just beginning to have second thoughts, thinking that maybe someone with a medical profession can help me. I would have loved to use my healing powers, but like I said in my dream, my healing powers can only return energy to a person, not do a surgery or something.

It was the dead of night now. By the look of how high the moon was at the moment, I'm guessing it's getting somewhat close to midnight. Other than the sound of our footsteps, the street was quiet. The only lights illuminating the roads and sidewalks were the whitish orange bulbs of the streetlamps, flooding our sights so we could see where we were going.

"I'd hate to turn around and start walking all the way to the hospital now," I muttered wistfully, wincing slightly at the pain in my side. "My apartment's nearby somewhere, I know it is. Don't worry so much about the hospital, we'll get to my house."

Yami's brow creased forward. "Somewhere?"

"Yeah, I know. I would've turned around and gone straight to the hospital the moment you decided we'd go to my house, but I didn't because I thought we were close to it. Now I realize we had only walked halfway from Domino Square up until the fight. We have another half to go. That's why it's taking a bit longer than we thought."

Yami suddenly turned on me, motioning to the bloody hand of mine still clamped onto my left side, clutching the folds of my shirt over the blood gushing gash. "You are in no position to be moving around too much," he said sternly. "Can't you see the blood streaming out of you?"

I winced again, either from the random shot of pain striking my side, or Yami's adamant words, I had no idea. "I know it's not one of my best choices to keep going on this road, but it's so much closer right now! And I know I have a first aid kit somewhere in my house so I'll take care of this on my own instead of having doctors do it for me."

My uneasy walking concerned Yami. With his hands in his pockets, he gazed at me forlornly. "Again with the somewhere?" he said.

Despite my current situation, I smiled sheepishly. "Don't worry so much," I said again, waving it off with my other hand which held the two kunai the mysterious person left behind and my coat. "I've been in worse positions; remember the dream?"

Yami suddenly snatched the items from my hands, causing me to blink. "I have every right to be worried," he said. "and besides, you should worry about it too. Suppose it gets infected?"

I shook my head, feeling the cut in my left side begin to crust with dried blood, but only on the much less sliced areas. The inside of my hand was still wet with fresh blood, pouring from out of the gash I was trying to block. The striking pain was at random times or when I bent or twisted my body the wrong way, but when I'm not doing anything wrong, the pain is just a piercing throb. I mentally cursed at the cowardice act the brought me this dilemma. That dude got such a cheap shot...he'll pay for that once I see him again...

"No, it won't get infected," I replied, but still hoped it didn't though I reassured Yami. "I've been through worse, like I said before. And one more scar won't really make a big difference."

Yami raised a brow at me in question, just when I could finally see the white walls of my apartment complex twenty yards away; shining against everything else dark on the street. "Scar?" asked Yami curiously. "Do you mean permanent scars?"

Oh, oops, I thought stupidly. I don't think I should have mentioned that...now the friend protectiveness will come back again.

I was a little hesitant in answering. "Yeah, but permanent scars can be both mental and physical. This new cut, however, will definitely be a physical one. Speaking of which, I'll have to apply stitches since it's so deep...

"But it'll be just like the scar from the Battle of the Nile. It's nothing new."

Yami regarded the moving sidewalk beneath his feet with much thought. His eyes narrowed slightly, making his elegant eyebrows crease forward once again. He tried to imagine what it would be like to have a scar, but he knew he could only think of how it looked, not of how it felt.

There was one thing bothering him though, and it was a comment the cloaked figure had made.

"So you'd give up your own chance to live so you could save some Pharaoh? Hah! That's so stupid!"

But..Sarah doesn't it find it stupid... thought Yami airily, finding his eyes gazing at her in thought. She actually thinks it's...OK...

Her walking was normal, but forced. He could see her eyes flicker uncomfortably every time she puts pressure on her left side. He suddenly felt very guilty as he stole a glimpse at her again. It was because of him she's getting hurt; and hurt enough to be this injured. He could see streaks of dried claret running the outside of her hand from her palm overflowing with blood. Her clothes were stained so much, he wondered if her skin beneath her clothes would also stain. He never thought he would see so much blood in this lifetime. It was a miracle he wasn't feeling sick. Dark red spots covered her left side. She managed to to keep all the blood soaking in her shirt and keep the flow of it blocked with her hand as much as possible. He noticed there wasn't a trail of blood anywhere behind them.

We finally reached my apartment, and truthfully, I was very happy to see it. One story of bright-white-painted happiness I call home in this modern rebirth. I was just using my other hand, which wasn't occupied with anything, to dig into my pocket and pull out my key to the house when Yami asked me, "Doesn't the wound hurt, though?"

I unlocked the door soundlessly and trudged inside, making the automatic lights turn on, well, automatically. Yami hesitated a little bit, curiously watching after me.

I gave him a small shrug as I tossed my key onto the counter, leaving my shoes on the mat, and headed for the second door to the right. The lights in the bathroom turned on immediately and I walked inside, grabbing hold of a nearby towel and drenching it under running water.

"Well..." I started uncertainly, carefully removing my hand off the wound to pull the blood infused shirt up to reveal a bloody cavern curling around my side. I gave a quiet curse as I saw it and quickly covered it with the cold towel. It stung only the slightest bit, but it felt so much better, all at the same time.

"Yes, it hurts, but not so much that I can't handle it," I said, finally answering Yami's question, but noticing he wasn't here. I looked out the bathroom door to find him waiting patiently outside the doorway, waiting to be invited in. "Oh, you can come in, Yami. Make yourself at home."

Even in such a predicament, she acts almost normal, like everything is so casual, thought Yami as he walked in through the front door, closing and locking the door behind him and leaving his shoes near the welcome mat. His crimson eyes soaked in the cream coloured walls of the hall before finding the left wall completely open, leading into the living room and kitchen. Yami left the coat and kunai he was holding on the counter next to the key.

"How are you doing?" he asked, leaning against the door frame to the bathroom with his back to me. I forgot to close the door in the panic of feeling cool water washing away the blood. Yeah Sarah, don't think about privacy and your shirt halfway up your body. *face-palm*

I was still dabbing the wet cloth on my wound, trying to wash away the blood, but it hurt more than I thought. The cut was still fresh and the blood wanted a taste of freedom, so all the little cells battled each other for a way out; which was the only opening I was trying to clear away.

"I think I have it under control," I said a bit distractedly, keeping my mind focused on cleaning the blood. "That reminds me, can you please hand me the first aid bag from the hallway shelf? That would help immensely."

Yami blinked once. "So you knew where it was this whole time?" he asked as he looked around the hallway for a second before spotting a small wooden shelf hosting the red bag near the front door. I replied with a nervous laugh and sweat drop. Yami picked up the bag from off the shelf and was just about to walk back when I let out a small yelp. Yami was immediately at the door, wondering what was wrong.

"What happened?" he asked in concern. He gave me a small blink before beginning to feel his face heat up. ...so called privacy is now gone...

I winced at the pain, still clutching the towel over my wound. Well...it wasn't like I was standing there with absolutely nothing on, so this much exposure isn't even a lot to worry about. "N-nothing," I forced with a sheepish grin. "It was just a lot of blood on the towel. It freaked me out."

Yami cast his eyes over me into a doubtful glance, but the blush on his face never left. "Er...are you sure you're all right?" he asked cautiously, wondering if I knew what I was doing or not.

I caught him standing there in the doorway and found myself unable to say anything. "No..." I murmured, taking the first aid bag from his hands and unzipping it to open the top. I pulled out some antiseptic. This will definitely sting, but I had to disinfect the wound in case of any germs.

"Do you want any help?" he asked uncertainly, watching me apply some of the antiseptic onto another piece of cloth. He couldn't believe he was asking this. What if Sarah minded?

I thought about the question as I tried dabbing away some more blood with the towel before wondering if the antiseptic was a good idea... I hesitated with it still in my hands. My shirt was also annoying me; always wanting to fall and curtain my view so I make the wrong move and accidentally make the already bad wound even worse. I had the water soaked towel in one hand, held up to my side, while the cloth dampened with antiseptic in the other. I tried leaning against the wall to keep my shirt up, but it didn't seem to be working.

"Um..."

Yami rolled his eyes. "Sarah, you look so unorganized," he persisted. "Both your hands are occupied and your shirt is in the way. How are you going to stitch the wound when the time comes? Let me help you." His last sentence nearly made him dizzy. If Sarah said yes... (you can see how the mind of a man's works. xD)

I nibbled on my bottom lip, giving both pieces of cloth in my hands a puzzling stare. "Um...I suppose you can," I said dubiously. "I'll just apply the antiseptic and then you can help me stitch it up. I need two more hands for that."

Yami nodded, feeling his heart beat faster for some reason and his face warm up again. The way Sarah said her last sentence could have been taken in other ways, he thought glumly, walking into the bathroom. He searched through the first aid bag for a needle and thread, finding them in a separate plastic bag. He ripped it open and brought out the contents; tying the thread onto the end of the needle. He almost jumped when Sarah yelped again.

"Ra! This antiseptic is mean! Why would medicine sting, but not water?"

Yami turned away from the counter where he placed the needle and thread to give me blink. "The medicine will sting because...it's medicine? And it has medicinal ingredients?" he replied in amusement at my question.

I sweat dropped, carefully wiping the antiseptic onto the wound. Now that all the blood was cleared away, we could see what the cut looked like more closely. My skin was smooth and flawless—until you see the ten centimetre long cut curling around my side. It looked pretty deep. Bright, yet dark, red colour ran along the bottom of the raw, bloody flesh canyon. The man's knife made an otherwise very clean cut, because it was in a straight and sharp line. There was blood at the bottom of the "mini-canyon" wanting to battle it's way out again, but it was like they sensed us wanting to stitch the skin together, so they stayed down. That was fine with me. Or maybe the blood couldn't get out because the cut was too deep.

"Yeah, you're right," I sighed, wiping my forehead with the wrist of one of my hands. "Gosh...I forgot how hard it was to contain pain..."

Yami momentarily faltered as he was just about to pick up the needle and thread again. What was I thinking accepting her answer about feeling the pain or not, thought Yami slightly angered because he didn't do anything about it, but the emotion died when he realized the truth. Sarah would've still endured it. There was nothing I could have done to prevent anything. All I can do now, is help as much as I can.

"Do you want me to stitch the wound now?" asked Yami, turning back around to find Sarah holding her shirt just above her torso. His face got hot again.

"Now would definitely be the time." I said, tossing the antiseptic pad into the garbage and folding over the blood-water drenched towel over to get a cleaner side. "I'll hold my shirt up and the towel, in case blood decides to escape again, and you can stitch the wound. I can't very well see what I would've been doing anyway, if I were having to stitch. Thanks for saying you wanted to help, by the way."

Yami nervously swallowed the lump in his throat. "My pleasure," he murmured low enough so I couldn't hear. "Are you sure you're ready? This is a needle and it's going through your skin. This will surely hurt."

Now that he mentioned it, if walking all the way here with pain in my side was bad enough, then would I really want to feel my skin being sewn together? It sounded horrendously painful and I was beginning to have second thoughts. I mentally shook my head. Come on, Sarah, I thought, talking to myself. Get a grip. You almost died one time and this is nothing compared to that. So suck it up and deal with it! The Pharaoh of Egypt is right in front of you!

"Yeah, I am." I said fretfully. "Let's just get this over with."

Yami nodded and carefully laid the needle on my skin, sending shivers down my spine from feeling the cold metal. With hesitant hands, he fingered my broken skin so the needle would go through. I inhaled sharply.

"See, I told you it would hurt," he said, watching me squirm and squeeze my eyes shut. I gritted my teeth together too so I wouldn't cry out. It was worse than I thought! How could one little needle poking through skin hurt this badly? Isn't it actually supposed to spill even more blood? I held the towel next to his hand in case that happened.

"I never expected it to be as bad as this," I admitted, wincing harshly when Yami poked the needle through another flab of skin. It felt like a miniature blade slitting my skin even more.

"It will only get worse if you keep moving," said Yami, when he ran the needle again. Every time he was done a stitch, he would tighten it together, not hard enough to beak it, but enough to get both sides of the "mini-canyon" touching one another. And every time he did that, I would yelp or grit my teeth together even harder. If I kept doing that, I'm sure I'm going to strain something or bite my tongue really hard. And then I'll need stitches on that. Oh Ra, I don't even WANT to think about that!

"God...damn! Why does it hurt so much?" I almost hollered, gripping the towel in my hand so I wouldn't have to grind my teeth into nothing. I wanted to wiggle my way out of this situation, and every time Yami prodded my skin with the needle, I jumped but tried not to, all at the same time.

"Wasn't there a way to freeze the area of the wound?" asked Yami as he tried to get me to keep still. His hands held my left side, gently yet firmly.

"I would have frozen my side if that were possible," I muttered incoherently as Yami poked me again. I was so close to screaming for a moment, I really did jump!

"If you continue to move around, Sarah, the needle will probably poke you somewhere else, and then we'll have more than one problem!"

I almost cried. "But it hurts!" I cried, gullible. "It feels like that bastard is hitting me with his knife again and again."

Yami's hands slowed dramatically. "Well, know this: I am definitely not the cloaked man shoving another knife into your body, again and again. Just take it easy. Grab my shoulder if you need to."

I blinked and gave him a questioning stare. What did he mean by that? I wondered. Did he mean clench his shoulder every time he poked me with the needle, so I don't grind my teeth instead? But I can't do that! He's the Pharaoh! I can't just put my hands on him without any consultation at all!

But he did say it.

Forget it, I'm not going to.

"No thanks." I said finally, making up my mind and restraining a mini battle with myself from happening. "I'll be fine. Just...hurry up but don't poke so hard."

"It isn't my fault. Needles poke you. I have nothing to do with it."

A few more minutes went by with Yami trying to sew my side together and me trying to squirm as much as I didn't want to. Well, it wasn't my fault! Every time Yami completed a stitch, it was like a million other needles were poking me endlessly! This was like one attack made into tonnes more!

But I had to admit one little thing: this was awkward. I mean, I'm the Guardian, and Yami's the Pharaoh. He's not supposed to be helping me. I'm a servant; he's the King. I'm...levels underneath him! Why would he be helping me?

Was it that friend protectiveness thing? Do I have to get used to that sort of stuff?

I hoped not. Yami needed to know that as Pharaoh, he doesn't help his servants, just expects them to be there for HIM. With his rebirth into the modern world, and with his memory gone no less, he doesn't think the way he used to. I have to remind him that he can't be like this anymore; if traditions like this were lost, commanders will lose control. And because it's already been like that, why change it at all?

Besides...it's life.

When Yami FINALLY finished every stitch, he backed away from me like I would scream and hop in utter joy to feel the relief of no more skin-pulling. I didn't bother to move though. I simply threw the towel I was holding in my hand directly into the garbage bin. It had way too many blood stains in it, and frankly, I don't think I'd be in the mood to find a blood stained white towel whenever I wake up and go to the bathroom. And to think of the truth, I was greatly tired by the day's events. It never took it's toll on me during the day, but when I thought about how long it's been right before bedtime, I feel exhausted. But relief from finally fixing my wound never stopped flooding into me.

"Thank you so very much," I thanked Yami gratefully. "I have no idea what would have happened if you didn't help. Probably a disaster and more pain than what was needed."

Yami washed his hand thoroughly under warm water. The tap ran noiselessly as he rubbed the foamy soap off his hands. "You're welcome. I'm glad I could help in one way or another after you took care of those thugs for me."

...this whole "modern day world" thing is going to drive me insane. Now Yami's thanking me...

I waved my dirty hand dismissively, making sure so as not to let it be in Yami's way when he reached for another fresh towel from the bathroom cupboard. "It's what I do," I said when it was my turn to wash my hands. All the sticky blood rinsed away and I could finally see my normal fair skin again. Gosh...I don't think I'll get used to this new colour. It was so...foreign. "I couldn't just let them demand whatever they wanted from you without a fight. That would just be insane."

Yami leaned against the bathroom counter, staring at me intently. I was still washing my hands of all the blood but I could still feel his gaze. Those crimson pools were so deep and thoughtful, I had the sudden feeling he was trying to read my soul.

"Is that what you did back in Ancient Egypt?" he asked me faintly, as I reached for the clean towel Yami was using a moment ago. "If someone challenged me, in any sort of way, you would intervene?"

I hung the towel onto the brass handle by the sink and looked into the mirror for a moment. I looked a little different. My skin was a little paler than usual, and my eyes almost looked like a dull red. I'm pretty sure it was because of the loss of blood. My white shirt was stained with red all over one side and so was my blue shorts. There was no way I could get the stains out in one wash. My hair almost looked like a mess, and not only did I look tired, I actually was. All the travelling and new info today was a lot to take in in one day. Not to mention the fight at the end of it left me with less strength than what I began with. I feel like going to bed.

"That's right," I answered, slightly patting my cheek in hopes of getting my fair complexion back. It only made me look a little demented. "When someone wants to get to you, whether to simply challenge you with words or kill you, I have to intervene. I'm like a castle wall to the castle inside, which is you. The bad guys have to go through me first before they can get to you.

"That girl on the road...she wanted to get to you for some reason. And I'm pretty sure it has something to do with her "Master". She wanted you to go with her, but for what I have absolutely no idea about. There could be any reason."

I finished cleaning everything up and walked out of the bathroom to return the first aid bag back to it's spot on the shelf. Yami followed. "Did you really have to fight, Sarah?" he asked gravely. "That was a lot of blood you lost."

I've had worse... I thought, but I knew Yami knew. I could tell just by the uneasy sound in his voice. "If she hadn't mysteriously materialized from out of nowhere, and not to mention with a blade almost as tall as her by her side, I would have gone so much easier on her. You can see what a huge difference one weapon can make."

I walked into the kitchen to grab Yami and me a drink of water when I turned around to find him already here, leaning casually against the plastered walls with his arms crossed over his chest. His eyes still looked hard, like he couldn't wrap his mind around whatever I was saying.

"So the sword in her hand alerted you even more," he said.

I handed him a glass of water, which he took gratefully into his hand, and hopped onto the counter; careful with my side. "That's right," I said with a nod, bringing my own glass of water up to my lips. I felt the cool liquid relieving my parched throat, and soon I felt a little more better. "The fact that she showed up with a lethal weapon such as that in the first place made me think, "Uh, no. You're not going anywhere near the Pharaoh."."

For a moment, I thought I saw the corner of Yami's lips twitch upwards, but he soon pressed the glass in his hands to his mouth and sipped some water. Any signs of emotion were soon gone. "Did I used to get threats often?" he asked.

I thought back on all the times Yami was ever in trouble. "Well...you weren't Pharaoh for very long. I mean—Bakura showed up just when you had become Pharaoh and decided to destroy the world. You had to deal with him and...that's how you were trapped into the Millennium Puzzle. Other than the Battle of the Nile, Bakura, and maybe some small thieving from people here and there, you haven't been threatened a lot. I don't think..."

Yami's head inclined a little bit to the right, like he was trying to look around me. But all I could see on his face was the tiniest hint of a smile, when I blinked though, it only looked like a straight line. His eyes showed question, and I realized I was answering his questions this whole time. It's not bad or anything, I'm actually glad we've gotten this far. I have to help him remember his past anyway, but telling him all at once would be too difficult. Not to mention incredibly easy if I did tell him from the very beginning, but it was a little too easy. There was definitely going to be some sort of catch...whether I know it or not.

"That's reassuring," scoffed Yami, though I knew he was joking. "It sounds like you don't even know what happened in my past."

I quickly shook my head to object, but I soon found that wasn't a good idea. I was beginning to feel a little bit dizzy. "That's not it! I swear! There was just...so many things I can actually remember. I have been trapped for 5,000 years just like you, after all. My memory could be a little hazy at times, but I never actually forget anything. Just give me a moment and maybe I'll remember."

Yami held his thoughtful gaze. In a moment, he had moved over to the Counter Island sitting in the middle of the kitchen and started leaning against that, so he could be standing right in front of me instead of to the side. I blinked curiously. His expressionless face never changed, though I could see some mystery leave his blazing red eyes.

"How were you trapped?" he asked. "In your Millennium Locket like I was in the Millennium Puzzle?"

"No, actually. Though maybe that would have been easier." I tried recalling everything I could remember, from what the Prophecy stated to when my soul was being trapped. "At the Prophecy Recitation, which was recited by Isis from a vision her Millennium Necklace showed about your Fate, no one needed telling me that my soul had to be trapped too in order to meet you in the future. I purposefully brought myself forward and said for the Court to trap me. My magics teacher brought out a spell from one of his really Ancient Spell books and read what it was. It was a way to trap my soul into the Dungeon in the Sky; something unusable and can only be accessed by a very complex spell; the one my magics teacher had pulled out. The Dungeon is like another Realm...a lot like the Shadow Realm. I'm pretty sure it was in the Shadow Realm, too. But this Realm was a dimension below the Gods', and can only be used for great importance. So it couldn't have been dark.

"It took only a day to make sure the spell can work. When my magics teacher recited it aloud, my soul parted from my body and I floated up; high into the sky, never to be seen or heard from again until you were released from the Millennium Puzzle. When you were set free, I was set free too. My soul drifted down from the heavens and into my body, which was hidden away in my tomb somewhere in the sand dunes. There was another spell that kept my body safe my magics teacher used."

"That seems complicated," commented Yami, taking another sip from his glass. He set it aside on to the counter top with a small clink and gazed back at me, though his eyes looked slightly troubled. "Did you get to say your good-byes to everyone? Surely you knew you wouldn't be...able to see them again."

I stared at the glass in my hands, suddenly feeling my heart grow heavy with longing. The water inside the glass was swirling idly around, like it had all the time in the world and it enjoyed sitting at the bottom of a cup. "Truth is, Yami, I never thought of it," I said quietly, thinking how much I missed Isis, then, and everybody else. "We were so focused on creating a solution for the dilemma that I never...it never even crossed my mind...that I won't see them again."

Yami knew he had made a mistake. What was I thinking? Does fate want me to ruin Sarah's life even more? I should have never asked such a question. Why am I so foolish!

While Yami was beating himself over with words in his mind, he felt his own heart grow slightly heavier. Not of longing though, but of despair. From the way Sarah talks about her life, he keeps getting the vibe of blindness. Like she can't seem to see any worth in her life anymore. That's why, after her family's death, she became his Guardian; because she thought carrying on her life like before was useless. She decided to throw away her life as his shield and...never give a damn about herself.

First, she dedicated her life to be his Guardian. Second, she talks about her life like it's his shield—and ONLY his shield! Thirdly...she claims she was so focused on having her soul trapped that she never thought about saying even a good-bye to everyone before she left.

How could she be tearing up inside with all these facts...Yami could not imagine. She loses her brother, then her parents, then her caretaker (to get her soul trapped), and now this; to relive a horrible time by thought. How could she have endured it all?

There has to be something... he thought. Surely it's her determination, but...is that it? What is holding her up?

"...When she graduated, and she began fighting alongside the Pharaoh in battles, both became a powerful team. The immense power they had together just made the opponent's shake with fear."

"Did we get along?" asked Yami.

"Yeah," she nodded, then added quietly, "You two were friends."

Is it...their friendship?

Is that what's making her stand up tall, instead of crippling over like a tree in a hurricane? She must have hope for the bond he had with her back in Ancient Egypt, before it was forgotten by him. She must think it can be restored back to it's full strength. That's why she's here, standing—well, sitting at the moment—before him in the right state of mind. She isn't depressed or hanging onto her rough past as much as Yami thought people in this situation might. She's actually pushing forward with her life so she could expand their friendship; the sliver of connection that's begun to form from the moment Sarah told him who she was.

Maybe...maybe it is just that...

"Alright, that's enough of the past for one night." Yami broke out of his thoughts at Sarah's voice, breaking him out of his trance. "Night is upon us and we still have to get you home."

He saw light shadows from her bangs covering her eyes and the grip on her glass was tight enough to make the skin on her knuckles turn some what white. He realized he had definitely made a mistake of asking her his last question. He wished he could take it back. Sarah looked like she was straining to keep her emotions in control.

Before she could break the glass, and skewer her hands this time, Yami carefully took it, leaving her hands to curl around air.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly, before placing the two glasses into the sink with a soft clunk. He felt his heart clench uncomfortably from guilt. "I should never have asked such a thing."

He saw her shake her head from the corner of his eyes and raise it, enough to see those fiery red eyes of hers gazing forward. He didn't see anything else, but the same look she always usually has; of eyes that have seen too much but never broke down. She wasn't shedding one tear. Even though back at the museum she was completely devastated when talking about her family.

He supposed 5,000 years of constantly letting those kinds of thoughts haunt her finally took its toll; she couldn't take it anymore and she burst.

"It's fine," she said. Then she cleared her throat and jumped off the counter, cringing slightly after forgetting about her side for a moment. "Do you still want to go home? It's already—," She stole a glance at the written LED time on the stove. "—near midnight."

Yami followed her glance then looked out the wide, living room window; which stretched from the floor to the ceiling and overlooked the quiet and dark street outside. "I have to go home," he said, looking back towards Sarah to find her gaze still looking pained. "What else would I have to do?"

Sarah stilled for a moment, like an idea hit her and she was wondering if it really was a good idea or not. "It's way too late now," she said. "I just had the sudden thought that if you go, those cloaked figures will come back. There's no way you're going back to the Game Shop tonight."

Yami didn't understand. His brows creased forward with slight confusion. "What do you mean? Where will I stay then?"

It was then Sarah finally blinked in his direction, locking her gaze thoughtfully onto his, like she was trying to answer his question through her eyes. "Here," she said simply. "If you go anywhere outside, whether it be just to walk next door or all the way to the Game Shop, there's still a chance those cloaked figures will come back. And without me, they will definitely get what they want. ...whatever it is...I'm still not sure, but we're still not taking a chance."

Yami thought Sarah was joking. He felt his cheeks automatically grow hot like how the lights Sarah has installed into her apartment automatically turned on when she walked into it. Does she even know what she just said? "Here? At your apartment? But..." It's going to be so awkward...

She gave him a nod as she began to dig into her shorts' pockets. She brought out her black LG cell phone, with the Dark Magician keyring he and Yugi had given her earlier in the day. It almost seemed so long ago. Sarah gave him the phone, with the words "Yugi Muto" and the Game Shop's phone number written on the screen. He blinked at it curiously before looking back up to Sarah, wondering when she would jump up and yell, "Haha! Gotcha'!"

"Call Mr. Muto and tell him you can't make it." she said, before heading towards the kitchen door to give Yami some privacy for the phone call. "It's way too late now for you to go home. You're going to have to stay here. I'm sure he doesn't want you wandering out alone in the dead of night either."

He stared at the phone a little uneasily. "But, I don't want to be a bother, Sarah." he said. "I'll be fine walking home alone. Even Aibou will agree; right Yugi?"

The Pharaoh looked down at his Millennium Puzzle and waited for his light's reply. But he heard nothing. For a moment he wondered if he was all right, but when he listened harder, he could fell the steady heartbeat of his hikari. He knew he was there, but not awake. That could only mean...

Sarah was watching him. With a raised eyebrow, gazing at him inquiringly.

"...Aibou's asleep in his soul room..."

She almost laughed at the uxexpectancy, and the way Yami had said that sheepishly. But instead, she gave Yami a tired smile. "He has the right idea," she said, making Yami look up from his Puzzle. "He was stuck in there since 10 am, after all. I feel bad for making him stay in the Puzzle for more than 12 hours..."

Yami sighed, wondering whether his hikari had planned the end of the day for him, or he really was that tired to have fallen asleep. "We had a talk about the day yesterday after he came home from school," he said. "We already thought the day would become long. And I told him that I didn't want him kept in the Millennium Puzzle the entire time, but he objected and said it was fine. I suppose he wanted me to have a bit of fresh air without having to switch back and forth with him."

Sarah gave him a light shrug. "He is a pretty kind person, Yami." she said. "Yugi didn't like you stressing over about your past. That's why he told me to hang out with you today; in hopes of making you feel better. After all...it has been 5,000 years since either of us has seen a speck of daylight. Being cooped up in a Millennium Item for that long is neither fun nor healthy."

Nor is being locked away in a dungeon dimensions away... Yami mentally shook his head. He can't keep thinking about it. It'll just bring him down and make him feel more guilty than he already was. "Alright, I'll call him." said Yami, holding up the phone, ready to press the talk button on the already displayed contact. "Hopefully grandpa won't be too upset with us taking so long to call in the first place."

Sarah gave him a short nod and turned back around to walk into the hallway. "Sounds good. You call while I'll think of this sleeping dilemma. I'm sure I can think of something." With that, she walked around the corner, leaving her hair to be the last thing Yami sees before she's completely out of his view.

He looked back to the phone still sitting in his hand, and found the Dark Magician keyring twinkling under the kitchen lights. Personally, he liked Yugi's idea of giving it to Sarah. It brought a sort of light into his heart. He pressed the talk button on the phone, and held it up to his ear.

Damn...I never actually thought about that, I thought to myself, as I walked into my bedroom and opened my closet doors. What Yami said was true; I never did say good-bye to everyone before I left. I was so caught up with being Yami's Guardian and all that it never entered my mind, let alone leave it.

Well...whatever pain I would have felt from it was gone. I can't wallow in the past. I have to keep pushing forward. Yami and I need to enter that tournament Kaiba's hosting and find the answers to the past and our powers. If we don't...who knows what'll happen. And I can't just let him down.

I searched through a box of clothes I stashed away in my closet, thinking it was too hot to wear anything thick these days. During the night however, it's a whole different story. I pulled out a pair of grey sweats, and then from another box, I pulled out a red t-shirt. I hope these fit Yami well. If he was going to stay here, then he might as well stay here comfortably. Those jeans he has on don't look OK for sleep. (xD)

I walked into the bathroom next to get a toothbrush from a package of spares and a towel, in case Yami wanted to shower. I had an urge to shower just then, but with my freshly stitched side, I thought twice about it. I took one this morning before I left, so it won't hurt if I take one the next morning.

Speaking of the stitches, when I took a look at them from the bathroom mirror, I almost gaped. The stitches were clean and straight, lining all the way from end of the slash to the other. I had no idea Yami could be that skilled with modern equipment. It was like a doctor had done it, not an Ancient Egyptian Pharaoh.

But I'll have to give him some props. For a Pharaoh, he was pretty talented. Of course he was given the most advanced education, being Pharaoh and all, but it was still fascinating. To think, that the King of Egypt can do wonders other than care for his people like a King would.

I walked into the kitchen to give Yami his things when he was just finishing his phone call. I waited at the archway until he was done.

"Alright, grandpa, I understand," I heard Yami say, and whatever he agreed to must have been something, because his face was flushed. "I will, I promise. Alright, I'll see you in the morning. Good night." He pressed the off button on the phone and exhaled a long sigh, wiping his face with his hand like he had too much on his mind. I merely watched him intently, wondering if I should dare to speak or not.

"I have some things here for you to use," I suddenly said, making Yami swirl around to see me standing in the archway connecting the hallway and kitchen together. "I thought if you're staying here, you might as well stay here properly."

Yami glanced from the pile of clothes, toothbrush, and towel in my hands to my face. He had no reason to argue, because he knew I was right. "Thank you," I heard him say, as he took the pile of items into his own hands before handing me back my phone. I gave him a short nod before returning to my bedroom while he entered the bathroom.

I knew what I saw in his eyes. Even with the phone call and him blushing from whatever Mr. Muto said to him...I knew there was something completely different lurking in his iris and pupil.

It was apology.

Like I said, I wasn't going to live in my past. What's done is done, and I can't change it...no mater how much I might want to. But Yami told me he didn't mean to bring up any bad memories. He was just wondering if that was what had happened. I didn't blame him at all, but myself.

It wasn't something I wanted from him, but his apology still lifted my spirits higher than I thought possible for the night.

I forgive him.

And I'm sure he's seen that in my eyes too.

Outside, everything was quiet. The houses lining on both sides of the road were lightless, basking in the dark of the night and the moon's soft rays shooting down as much as they can. Not a soul was outside, only the soft flow of the wind whispering through trees and bushes. The streetamps were the only source of illumination; their hazy orange light danced like little fireballs in the air.

It might have been quiet everywhere else, but definitely not here. Not in my apartment.

"Lie down."

"What?"

"Right now. You heard what I said."

"You can't order me around."

"Yes I can."

"What do you mean you can? No you can't!"

"Yes I can! Now lie down before I have to force you! You are not going to sleep on the floor; you're getting the bed!"

"I don't see what the difference is..."

"Because the floor isn't very comfortable, so I want you to get the bed."

"Then why does that mean you get the floor if it's uncomfortable?"

"Because—I—it's not—oh, Yami! Stop messing me up and go to sleep already."

Without another word, Yami crawled into bed, pulling the covers up to his chest. "I still don't see why you have to sleep on the floor..." he murmured, turning over to his side only to cover his head with the comforter. He kept himself tucked away, unseen to me.

I stood over him, glowering at the lump of comforter on my bed. I didn't see what the big deal was if I slept on the floor. All of a sudden...we just started one of those quarrels friends would sometimes do over little things. It was insane.

...friends...it's been a while, I'll have to admit. Though throughout the whole thing, there was a portion of me that couldn't stop laughing and thinking it was great.

Yami had just come out of the bathroom, blinking, and pulling at the roomy grey sweat pants he was wearing before this all started. I suppose he wasn't used to something different, other than those jeans he usually wears with Yugi. I came out of my own bedroom, changed into grey sweats too and a new white shirt (I swear I have an unlimited supply of them) just to see how Yami was doing, when I met him in the hall. We blinked at each other momentarily, before I couldn't help it. I busted out laughing. I just thought the way Yami was just standing there, looking SO much like a normal teenager, was so fascinating, that I did the most reasonable thing to come into my mind; laugh. I was on the floor, holding my stomach, and laughing so much it hurt. I hoped my side didn't cramp up, or that would have been bad. Yami merely blinked at me once more before giving me a small glare and dumping his clothes on my broken down form. I almost choked when his jeans came into contact with my face. They smelled like light leather; not so much that it was overwhelming.

-Flashback-

"I don't see what's so funny," said Yami defiantly as he sat himself down on my bed to watch me stumble into my room, clutching at his pile of clothes. Small bits of laughter still rippled from my mouth and I had a hard time controlling them.

"I'm...sorry..." I said, trying to talk between my mini bursts of laughter. I placed Yami's clothes onto the dresser and wobbled my way over to the bed, falling on my stomach onto the soft mattress. "Oh...my tummy hurts...I can barely breathe...! Why did you have to look so funny...!"

Yami narrowed his eyes again at me. Then planted his fist lightly onto my head. I sweat dropped. (It's like how Kyo playfully punches Tohru in the head! In Fruits Basket. It's a kawaii moment. X3)

"I don't like being called funny," inquired Yami, ruffling my hair a bit, before leaning back against the headboard with his arms pillowing his head. "I'm the Pharaoh of Egypt. Being called funny is disrespectful."

I turned around onto my back so I could put my arms behind my head too, to look up at the ceiling, and scrunched up my nose at the remark. "Oh yeah. I almost forgot." I said sarcastically, and Yami set his death glare on me. "OK, OK. I was only kidding, anyway. I wouldn't want to be disrespectful anyway. Especially towards you. I'm sorry."

Yami's glare turned into the opposite; softened eyes. He had a sudden urge to ask a question, but from everything he's already asked, he thought back on it and decided not to ask. Instead, he switched his mind elsewhere. "Er...so...how were we like back in Ancient Egypt? Did we usually fool around like this?"

A small laugh bubbled from my lips, causing Yami to blink at me once more. "Oh, did we ever." I said with a smile. "We were really close from the time I graduated to the moment you were trapped. We were like those kinds of friends that would be really close, yet far apart, all at once. Some days, we would hang around in the palace gardens, just talking about something random. Other days, we would be in the throne room, talking about serious matters with your Court. It was pretty wild, and everyday, it was like we got even closer."

Yami seemed to smile at the thought, but then it faltered dramatically. "But how were we far apart then? You claim we were really close."

My smiled turned funny; like one of those curious and thoughtful smiles when someone wonders about something. "You were Pharaoh. I was your Guardian. We were in totally different levels. We hung around, and talked often, but...er...we never intentionally fooled around. Like how Joey and Tristan fool around with each other, dancing, singing, looking like demented twits. We were close, yet...far apart. Do you see where I'm going with that?"

Yami gave me a small nod. "I believe I do understand," he said. "Somewhat."

I gave him a smile and hopped off the bed, making my way over to a camouflage sleeping bag set neatly onto the floor by my closet. "Well...it's a start," I said with a small shrug. "OK then, if you don't mind, we should get some sleep. It's midnight."

Yami raised a brow. "Er...where am I sleeping?" he asked.

I blinked at him curiously, like was he really serious? "You're sleeping on whatever you're sitting on."

Yami looked underneath him for a moment before remembering what it was he was sitting on. Suddenly, he jumped off the bed, thinking about something Mr. Muto had said about on their phone call. A small blush crept onto his cheeks, though through the closed lights, I couldn't really see.

"What am I sitting on?" he asked now.

When I looked up from unfolding my own comforter across my sleeping bag to see what Yami was talking about, it was my turn to start glaring at him, but not to mean harm. He gave me a sheepish shrug.

"You're standing now. What are you talking about?"

"Are you sure you want me to sleep there?"

"...there where?"

Yami felt his face almost start growing hot again. He stole a glance at the Millennium Puzzle sitting on the oak dresser next to his pile of clothes, and then started remembering what Mr. Muto said all over again.I wonder how Aibou handles this sort of talk... It's almost embarrassing!

"On the bed." The word almost sounded lethal on his tongue, like it was a weapon all on its own. "Are you sure I should sleep there when the host, meaning you, Sarah, has to sleep on the floor? It just doesn't seem right."

I sighed. "You're the guest. Now go. I don't want to have a fight about something useless."

"It isn't useless if you know it's worth fighting for."

You see? Friends who fought over tiny things like who's sleeping where. Isn't it great? xD

I sighed again, but this one sounded a lot heavier. I wanted to sleep in peace, not with all this friend protectiveness going on. I know Yami meant well, but this isn't how things work. "You're sleeping there, and that's final."

"I wouldn't mind if I slept on the floor..."

"Yami...lie down...right now."

-End of Flashback-

So that's the story. I get Yami and I both meant well for the other, but it was a little crazy having to quarrel over something this small. But when I thought about it a little more, it was actually kind of funny. Yami and I almost seemed normal for those few minutes.

Lying in my sleeping bag, staring up at the ceiling with a sort of tired gaze glazing my eyes, I couldn't help but think that maybe things WILL turn out all right. That our friendship will be saved. That is, after all, what's keeping me on my feet.

Just one little friendship.

One little friendship, that is really big to me.

Sometimes so big, it fills me to the core.

Yami was hiding under the covers, most likely asleep after such a long day. The automatic lights turned off for the night, leaving the room and apartment in total darkness, but the only illumination was the moon shining in through the window. It's pure white rays shone mysteriously.

I heard the sound of fabric from the comforter shifting, until I was met with Yami's face, still awake. Through the dark, his crimson eyes glittered exotically. I wonder why he wasn't asleep yet...

"Thank you, Sarah." he said in a quiet whisper. "Today was amazing."

I gave him a smile. "I agree, it was." I said. Hopefully we'll have a lot more together. As friends again. "I'm glad I could be fun. And I'm glad to help. Good night Yami."

"Good night, Sarah."

Author's Note: x3 D'awwww I think this chapter was so KAWAII! xD lol. I hope you guys liked it. Reviews are appreciated! Thanks for reading! ^^

I hope it turned out all right. ^^' I added some funny in hopes of balancing it all out. Haha...xD

I am so sad. :( Today is the last screening of the Yu-Gi-Oh! 3D: Bonds Beyond Time movie in the theatres in the States! I live in Canada, and it never came here! I was like, "That's so unfair! And it doesn't make any sense!" ~O~ I wish I could see it! I want to see it so badly! I think it's really cool how all three Yu-Gi-Oh! heros from all three series are put into one movie! It's freaking EPIC! xD Yami looks as sexy as ever. x3

I hope it comes out in DVD soon! I'M-A TOTALLY GET IT! xD lol.

Until then everyone! Hope you guys got to see it, and if you did; NICE!, but if you didn't; DON'T WORRY! It WILL come to your neighbourhood soon! ^^' Take care everyone! I shall see you next time!

Buahahaha...^^' xD

I'm sorry for any grammatical errors! ^^'