*17* Jounouchi *17*

Where did Rich Boy come off, teasing me like that? My heart was beating like crazy. I can't believe he actually said that. To be honest I wanted to hear it…but it was just so unexpected. I let myself fall back against a pillar and slide to the ground. I was generally happy about his words and I let myself smile.

The smile faded though, being around him made me forget the situation I was in, his admission didn't change a thing. I was still dead and as soon as all of this was over I would be gone. I'd never get to admit… I paused… admit what?

"No fucking way…" I murmured. A laugh escaped my lips but it was far from funny, I was falling in love with Kaiba. Deep down I knew this and it hurt even more knowing that nothing could ever be done about it. "Shit." I guess this is what I deserve for all that I put everyone through.

"There he is!" I jumped to my feet when I heard the loud exclamation and the shuffling of feet.

"I don't see anything?" said the other man, "I'm not picking up any EVP's." he said.

"I can sense him. He is very strong." The man emphasized the word "is" and made his way around the corner, he was right in front of me but I knew he couldn't see me so I wasn't worried. Plus. I looked back at the "secret base" and noticed that I was far enough away from it that they wouldn't be able to find Kaiba. Still, I had to do something before the stumbled upon it.

I weaved myself between cars and approached a very expensive car, I knew it would have an alarm I just had to hope that this wouldn't suck up too much of my energy. I floated into the driver's side and began to yank at the wires beneath the steering wheel.

The car blared to life, causing a chain reaction that set off other cars near it. I smiled when the men changed direction. My relief didn't last because I noticed something very odd about them, something I had seen when Tristan and I would watch TV. Ghost hunting equipment.

"He's toying with us." Said the first man. "If we don't catch him here then we'll have to explain to the boss why we failed and I'm not doing that."

"Man, our first real one and we have to hand him over to a psychopath." Said the second.

It was then that I knew they were after me. "Shit." How the hell did they know about me?

"Set the trap, he's still near the cars." The first man said. The second man nodded and reached into his bag and pulled out a small dome-shaped devise.

I had to get out. I fazed through the car and fell to my knees. I loud screeching sound filled my ears and I couldn't move.

"The trap is set. It's emitting the sound." I could barely hear what the second man was saying over the earsplitting noise. I felt like my head was on fire, the pressure was too much, I could feel myself fading but it was okay because I wanted nothing more than for the sound to stop.

"Ah, a spike."

"Wow, this power is amazing."

Finally, the sound began to fade, I felt something cold against my cheek, hmm. Was it Kaiba? I knew he would come save me… I closed my eyes at the feel of his cool hand against my hot cheek. "I have something to tell you…" I said but it was all I could manage before I felt my bodying being pulled toward something.

I snapped back to reality, the noise was still blaring and it all came back to me, I was lying on the hard concrete floor and being dragged, toward the dome-shaped trap. I tried to struggle but I couldn't move, my body was heavy.

"We got him." Said one of the men.

"Like hell." I said and I began to struggle more but nothing happened. Why couldn't I move?

"It's taking a long time to catch him. His will is strong."

"But not strong enough, he won't get out of this one."

The men begin laughing as I struggled to remain conscious and after a few moments everything was dark.

When I woke up I felt weak, it was the same feeling I had before I would fade and return to my bench only this time I felt as if I was caught between fading and reappearing. I looked around as best I could but I couldn't make out much. The room was dark except for a few blinking lights and the hum of electricity.

I tried to take a step forward but I was blocked by something, I felt around and I could tell it was some sort of tube about the size of my body.

I had no idea what was going on but I had to hope that Seto was alright. They were after me not him but they were close to finding him too. We didn't know who we could trust after all.

"Hey! Let me out!" I tried and I banged on the glass with all my might, which wasn't much considering I was weak as hell. I let out a growl of frustration and gave up. Once my strength returned I could just faze through the tube and escape.

Then again, ghost hunters had captured me, I didn't know if that was possible but I had to get out and help Seto, I had to be there for him… Man, I had it bad, I went and used his first name again and I'm in this tube and all I can do is think about him. I am such a mess. I thought.

The light came on and I had to blink so that my eyes could adjust, the room was like you would see in a movie about doctors doing experiments on people. White walls and equipment everywhere.

"Is it really in there?" some guy asked, he was different from the men who had captured me.

"Yes, a fine specimen, it's a shame we have to hand him over to the boss." Said a second man, this one was the guy who set the trap.

"Can I see it?" asked the first man.

"He's a bit weak from the capture but I think I can motivate him to show himself." Trap man said and made his way over my tube, he flipped a few switches on his computer thing and I felt a zap of energy flow through me. I let out a scream as the energy grew stronger, it was too much, too fast.

"I see it" said the first man, "that's the biggest orb I have ever seen. I knew we weren't crazy, I knew they were real."

I fell to my knees as the power grew to be too much, this pain was worse than anything I had felt in my entire life. "Kaiba!" before I could stop myself his name escaped my lips. I tried to focus on his face and ignore the pain.

"We should let him rest." Said trap man, "We don't want to tear the soul apart." He flipped the switches to the off position and the pain stopped.

"When I get out of here you guys are gonna pay!" I vowed. "As soon as I wake from my nap… yeah…" I added as I lost consciousness again.

"Jounouchi, come play with us." Anzu waved in the distance, we had finally had time to meet at the waterpark on a Sunday. I smiled and ran toward them.

"It's been so long since we all hung out like this. Yugi is busy with the shop and you and Honda are so busy with school." I said.

"I know, I noticed that too so I wanted to cheer you up by getting all of us together." She said.

"Well if anyone could manage that it would be you, as the queen of friendship" I teased.

"You were the one who started that, weren't you?" she held up a fist and glared at me. I laughed, it might have been my fault that the whole school was making fun of her and her friendship speeches. She didn't know that I really appreciated them, deep down.

"Ha-ha, maybe." I said, then I took her towel and started running toward the other guys.

"Hey!" she ran after me, Honda and I played keep away with her.

"You guys will never grow up will you?" the snooty comment belonged to Kaiba. He always managed to ruin the fun.

"What are you doing here, rich boy? Thought you had the stick so far up your ass that you couldn't swim." Ha, that was a good one.

"I see, you are all here to teach the mutt here how to swim rather than doggy paddle. Wouldn't want him to drown, forgetting how to float." He stocked off, laughing at his own stupid joke

I ran after him ready for a fight but as I did the ground stretched on to infinity, I couldn't catch him no matter how fast I ran. I decided to look back but the road was equally long in the other direction as well.

"Anzu! Honda! Yugi! Where are you!" my voice echoed but on answer came. Suddenly the sky broke apart and I was standing in the middle of a graveyard. The loneliness I felt was palpable and I wanted to crumble to my knees but I resisted.

"Hi, big brother." I turned around to see Shizuka standing in front of a grave, "this will be the last time I come and see you. Our new little brother is going to need some taking care of."

"Wait!" I said, "You can't just replace me."

"I will always love you big brother." She said, turned on her heals, stared right at me and gasped

"Yes, I'm here." I said and held out my arms, she came running toward me and I couldn't wait to feel her warm body against mine and smell the familiar scent of her hair. As she got close enough to hug she passed through me and ran into the arms of my father.

"Shizuka!" I called but they just walked away. "Please, don't leave me." I fell to my knees and held my head in my hands.

"Get up, Jounouchi." I looked up to see Seto standing in front of me.

"What are you doing here, Kaiba?"

"Oh, it's Kaiba now? What happened to Seto? What happened to friendship?"

"You mean…"

"I meant what I said. You have proven yourself…no, that's not right, you have shown me that there are some people I can rely on. I won't have you ruin that by giving up now." He said, "Prove to me that you are stronger than death. Wake up."

"Wake up?" I repeated

My eyes opened and I was still in the tube, my dreams always had a way of reminding me what was important. I felt rejuvenated. Yes, I was gaining strength, I would find a way out. I would prove to Seto that I was strong enough to be worthy of him.