Anzu arrived at her apartment slowly and quietly opened her door. She had called for a taxi to take her the rest of the way and sat with her mind reeling at what had just happened. Who had saved her?

She knew who it was but her mind didn't want to allow this revelation to be true. But how could it not? There had been so many instances now and Anzu was just about ready to check herself into an institution.

She placed her things on the kitchen counter and was thankful to see she was alone. She wasn't sure she could face Seto at the moment and wanted nothing more than to be left to her peace. She walked to her sink and started splashing cool water on her dusted face. The water stung the cuts on her hands which she had failed to look at until now. They weren't deep but they kept bleeding and she knew they would most certainly bruise from the impact of the fall.

Her knees were in much worse shape and it was when she sat on her couch did she notice the cuts in her tights. Blood seeped from every hole and she slowly tried to clean up what she could. Everything hurt and she had never felt more exhausted.

After she felt her wounds were clean enough did she abandon her clothes and placed on her pajamas from the night before. Her injuries were more accessible now and she hastily placed some ointment and bandages over them. Her hands were a bit difficult but she was able to cover them diligently. As she finally laid in bed covered in more white gauze than she would have liked, she couldn't help but feel like a mummy. That thought made her laugh and soon she started laughing almost uncontrollably. Anzu rolled onto her side clutching her stomach as she laughed at the events that had occurred today. How could this happen to her and what had she seen at the end of the encounter. It was Atem, it had to be. And soon her laughter turned into a fit of sobs and Anzu clutched at her pillow hoping, praying the growing pain in her hands, her legs and now her heart would just leave her. She didn't want to face it. She wanted to erase it from her memory but that had already proved impossible. She soon slept after her meltdown clutching the lone pillow besides her that now showed her tear marks. Her sleep that night was deep and heavy and blissfully dreamless.

She woke with pain. Funny how now all she knew was pain. Her arms felt like they had been dragged through concrete and her legs felt stiff and ached. She didn't dare stretch but groaned and slowly moved her body up so her headboard was supporting her back. She removed the covers from her legs and exposed the somewhat swollen flesh. She could see most of the bandages had blood seeping through them and some bruising had already accrued. She then looked at her hands and although the blood didn't leak as much, she knew she would have to change the bandages. Getting up proved to be very difficult and Anzu used her bed as support. She slowly walked toward the bathroom and once inside she immediately sat on her toilet. She never felt so tired.

Slowly she got up once more and looked in her mirror. Her eyes almost filled with tears once more as she took in her appearance. Dark circles and red rimmed eyes stared back at her. Some dirt from her fall had settled on her neck and collarbones and it was then she noticed the giant purple bruise on her arm from her attacker. She immediately looked down, her bangs covering her face as tears ascended into her sink. Her fingers clutched at the cool white surface tightly causing stinging from her injuries and she wondered why someone would do this to her-to anyone.

"You will be okay." A voice spoke from behind her.

Immediately she froze. She shook her head, she hit her face.

This was not real.

"Anzu look at me." It spoke again.

Anzu did nothing but continued clutching the sink, the pain in her hand only growing. Her heart was in her throat and she wasn't sure what she would do.

"Pharaoh… if it is you why are you here?" she lowly asked. Her voice was scratchy and she wasn't sure he heard her.

"Turn around Anzu. I do not know how I have come to this plane once more. All I know is that I am able to come to you." He spoke again.

She sighed closing her eyes tightly. His voice was so soothing to her. She wanted to hear it endlessly if she could. That thought terrified her. It was then she slowly turned to face the Pharaoh.

Anzu's eyes were still closed as she was now facing him. She humorlessly thought she could hear him breathing as she felt footsteps coming closer to her.

"Open your eyes." He whispered stalwartly. It almost sounded like a command and she couldn't stop herself from not listening.

She opened her eyes to see Atem towering a whole head before her. His warm skin glistened in the rays of the morning sun and to her surprise he was not wearing his traditional robes, but what looked like dress pants, a dark shirt and a black leather jacket on top. Dark boots accented his feet and she could see bracelets adorning his hands and a dark red ring on his thumb.

"You-you're real?" It sounded like she was asking him but more so it was the shock of what she was seeing.

He watched her curiously. This was the first time they were able to communicate with ease ever since he felt the pull of her from his haven. He himself was not sure of the role he was playing in his current state but for now he couldn't stop the elation he felt from seeing his old friend.

Atem took in the body of the woman she had grown into. He noted her hair was longer and darker creating a haunting contrast between the blue of her eyes and the white of her skin. She had grown some and not just in height.

"I am real." He stated back at her. His voice felt deeper in this world as though it held more weight here.

He watched her face contort from confusion to pain to what looked like anger.

"But why? Has something happened?" she asked, her voice growing stronger.

"I do not know and I do not know how long I have here, although I do feel my energy weakening."

He paused looking at her with curious sad eyes. "I have missed you Anzu."

She slumped back into her sink and he almost wanted to catch her but saw his hand go right through hers. She looked at him in bewilderment but said nothing.

"Are you a ghost Atem? Has your soul been stuck here?" She quickly asked staring at his hand.

"No, I have passed into the fields of Aaru. I have been reunited with those I had lost."

"Then how is any of this possible?"

He noted she seemed to be asking the same questions over and over again and he has repeatedly failed to come up with any sort of answers. He decided it was from the shock of it all. After all it had been so long since he had last seen or heard from any of those he had left behind in this world.

Just as he was about to speak did the pull of her start to fade. Anzu saw his lips moving but a golden outline had already overtaken his figure blocking any sound from escaping him. It was only when she heard the soft whispers of stay safe did he truly vanish from her sight.

As soon as he was gone, Anzu grabbed ahold of the sink once more and felt her knees give away. She could feel the walls start to crack even more as she tried to get ahold of her breathing.

Seto entered the quiet apartment seeking his dancer. He had decided to give her some space yesterday and after work today, made his way to her here.

As soon as he entered he noticed most of the lights were off except for a small one in the kitchen she always kept on. He slowly made his way toward the bedroom door and saw more darkness.

"Anzu?" he seemingly asked the dark.

He could hear some covers being shifted and soon the small lamp next to her side of the bed opened.

"Seto?" she asked while rubbing her eyes. "What time is it?"

He looked down at his watch. "Half past six."

"What!" She immediately turned the covers over and attempted to get up. Seto hurriedly made his way toward her and stopped when he saw her wounds. His eyes scanned her bruised arm and the multiple bandages adorning her legs and hands.

"What happened?" He asked. His voice had turned cold and steely, something he couldn't help when he was caught in a situation he wasn't sure how to handle.

"I was attacked." Her voice came out small, almost childlike.

"What?" he couldn't believe it. Who would attack her?

Slowly he closed the small amount of space between them and pulled her into a gentle hug. His hands stroked her hair softly. He could feel her relax into him.

"Did he touch you?" He asked in a whisper so soft if she wasn't so close to him she wouldn't have heard it.

"It was getting there, but someone came just in time." Her voice was suddenly caught in her throat and Seto could feel the tears start to fall from her and wet his shirt. He pulled her in tighter, anger radiating off of him. He suddenly felt very stupid for leaving her alone yesterday. Guilt quickly entered his heart and the anger only grew.

"I'll find him and kill him." He whispered.

Anzu knew Seto was capable of many things and she was sure something like this was probably not beyond his grasp. And yet the coldness in his voice as he said the words still caused shivers to enter her aching body. She had no doubt in her mind he would try and find him to do what he had promised.

Seto stayed with Anzu the rest of night. They laid in her bed together, him stroking her hair, her laying on his stomach. They talked about nothing in particular and Seto made sure not to bring up the incident from the night before. All he wanted to do was make the painful memories of her attack go away. So he spoke with her and actually made her laugh with his incredulous remarks about the world. It always surprised him just how easy it was talking to her. His words came out naturally and unforced unlike the many conversations he held at his work place. It was always refreshing having someone there other than Mokuba to talk with.

"So what's your favorite color?" Anzu suddenly asked after some moments of silence between them.

"Hmm?" He looked her way with sleepy eyes.

It was well past midnight at this point and Seto could feel the day's exhaustion overcome him. He was use to sleeping late and on some cases not sleeping at all, but whenever he was around Anzu he allowed himself to truly relax. It wasn't even something he could help.

"Your favorite color?" she repeated while drawing circles onto his stomach.

Seto had since removed his tight fitted suit and placed on a single pair of sweatpants he kept at her apartment when he didn't have time to go home and bring clothes.

He thought about her question not sure what the answer was as he had never truly considered it himself.

"I suppose white." He finally replied. He was not sure why he had chosen the simple rather obtrusive color but it seemed to fit him.

"White." Anzu stated while mindlessly tracing it into his stomach. He smiled at her little game and brought her up closer to him.

She leered up at him and wrapped her arms around his neck as he placed his arms around her waist. He was careful with her legs and arms as her injuries were still healing and the body parts still very much sore.

"And what is yours?" he asked smiling down at her.

"Purple." She stated.

He raised his eyebrow at her answer. He had expected something like pink, maybe even blue.

"Purple?" He questioned.

She nodded. "Its royal and deep and looks great on me." She laughed at her last statement and he kissed her cheek. He could see the tinge of red start to form on that spot.

"By the way I was wondering, you said someone had come just in time, who was your rescuer anyway?"

Anzu immediately froze, violet flashed before her eyes and she cleared her throat.

"It was um some man, I'm not sure who exactly it all happened so fast." She technically wasn't lying as she wasn't entirely sure who it was (she was getting increasingly good at deceiving herself).

"He didn't stay to help you afterwards?" He asked rather annoyed.

"He probably didn't want to get involved if the cops were called." Anzu replied tiredly. Her lies were getting progressively better and she worried when she would stop.

"That reminds me, we should report this incident if we want to find him faster. I do not want you to feel as though you're not safe with someone like him still paroling the streets."

Anzu thought about it and was sure he was right. But a part of her really wanted to forget everything that had happened and move on. She knew involving the cops meant she would have to go in and testify for some time but she would certainly feel safer if she knew they were actively searching for him. So she nodded and laid her head on his chest. He placed his arms around her tightly as though he was afraid she would disappear right before him.

They slept soundly that night, neither saying a word in their sleep nor were they restless. Anzu was exhausted from her day and her injuries were certainly proving to be quite a burden. Seto felt secure with Anzu being so close to him and within his reach. He had made a silent promise to himself to never leave her alone again. With both beings carrying their own desires and promises of new comings did sleep truly grant them a blissful night.