AbhorsenSabriel87: Here's chapter seven reviewers.
Hiei: About damn time! --to readers-- She's been so fixed on this fic that she had writer's block on all of her other ones!
Sabriel: Not true. I started your story's chapter four didn't I?
Hiei: You never finished it, thank the Goddess.
Sabriel: So I had writer's block for a while. So what? It's not as if I've been swamped with reviews.
Hiei: Close enough.
Sabriel: --makes face at him and sips unknown liquid from travel cup-- Reviewer response time.
Hiei: --sighs and prints off list of reviews and reviewers, hands it to Sabriel--
Flame Swordswoman - Yup, the house is on fire. And this chapter is more suspense and thrills than violence, but I may put some in there.
KillmeKissme - I liked how to make Angel that way too. That's why I created her in the first place.
Hiei: She had the idea for Angel since chapter 3.
Sabriel: Yup. And of course burning down Kaiba's place is okay! He is hella rich and can rebuild it. The only pain or regret I have for doing so is that there's a lot of cool stuff in Kaiba's place that I don't want to get crispy fried.
Dragoon-Hard Metal System 2 - Wow, long name, but thanks and I am.
CoconutDemon - Hey, I don't care how long it's been; as long as your reviews say that you enjoyed it, I'm happy. And the mallet is mine; it's always been my tool for bashing people into the floor or just plain unconscious.
harpies ladies - Thank you, thank you very much.
Angel-Belle - Does that mean you don't like the chapter? Oh, btw, Angel has no resemblance in any way to you. You're nice; she's not. There we go.
Shadowy Fluffball - ...You have far too much free time on your hands...
darkpyra1 - Wassup Michelle?
Hiei: --nods to Ahkra--
Sabriel: And thank you Captain "State-the-Obvious" Ahkra. Yes you shall find out in this chapter, but I think I'm getting worse in my "skills". My abilities are going down the drain faster than a poor man's engagement ring for his girlfriend on Friday the 13th. And Mokie isn't a really big character in this. I really only put him in there because he matters to Kaiba and no one even puts him in JouxKaiba fics at all most of the time. And Mokie has a job and school that he has to go to. Kaiba can take time off whenever he damn well pleases.
Hiei: Wow, the rant is bigger this time.
Sabriel: Shut up Captain "Kiss-My-Ass-Because-I'm-Cool-and-Gothic".
Hiei: ...You're sad, and I have never once said that.
Sabriel: Whatever.
astalder27 – Well, you will in this chapter!
Tech1 – …I don't need your forgiveness because I can put as many cliffies in here that I damn well want. If you don't like it, tough shit.
Hiei: …… I don't think they'll like that……
Sabriel: As I said, if they don't like it, tough shit.
Hiei: --sighs--
kenshinfan21 - …Damn! You are psychic! I'm going to do that later, but neither Jou or Seto or Mokuba will carry it out. Nice work, little detective!
Hiei: --sweatdrop--
WheelerWolf – Calm down, it's okay. You find out this chapter. --pats on head--
Sabriel: There. Now that that's over with, I can write this damn chapter.
Hiei: You're just upset 'cuz you had writer's block.
Sabriel: Now who's ruining the mood, jackass?
Hiei: --glares-- AbhorsenSabriel87 does not own Yu Yu Hakusho, Yu-Gi-Oh!, or The Prophecy of Hieryn.
Sabriel: I own only my own sick and twisted self. --puts on Inuyasha soundtrack-- And I do not own Inuyasha.
((((Kaiba's mansion))))
"What are we gonna do!" Mokuba shouted. He turned to Jou, grey-violet eyes wide in fear. "Jou, we have to get out of here!" Jou snapped out of his shock and nodded. "How else is dere to get out of here besides de downstairs?" Jou asked calmly, but urgently. Mokuba looked around for a minute, then returned his panicked gaze to Jou and his injured brother. He gulped and pointed shakily to the second floor. "We could get out through the windows if we pick one that's by the trees. Then we can climb out." Jou nodded and replied, "Then you go that way first. I know fer a fact dat Kaiba here cares more about you than 'imself, and he would skin me alive if I let you die in here."
"But I have to stay with Seto!" Mokuba cried out, taking a step towards the two older teens. Jou stepped back, glaring at the young boy. "Mokuba, if you don't get yer ass outta here right now," he started, "I'm gonna personally throw you out of one of the windows! Now move kid!" Mokuba took a step back, then looked at Angel, still unconscious on the floor. "But what about-" he started.
"Go you idiot! Let me worry 'bout that! Move it!" Mokuba nodded and took off down the stairs onto the second floor while Jou knelt down and shifted Seto onto his back, picking Angel up "bridal style" as well. 'Damn my conscience,' he thought bitterly, 'but I can't for the life of me leave this bitch behind, no matter how bad I want to.' Moving as fast as possible with the combined weight of Seto and Angel as well as his still-delicate ribs, Jou maneuvered his way down the stairs. The fire had already claimed the downstairs hostage and was now working its way upstairs at a rapid pace. Jou reached the second floor about the same time as the fire and looked around, searching for the way out as the heat sucked the water and oxygen from the air, making it hard to breathe and keep his throat wet.
"Over here!" came Mokuba's voice to his right. "Hurry Jounouchi!" Jou didn't need telling twice; he hurried blindly in the direction of Mokuba's voice, the fire spreading around him. He found the room Mokuba had motioned him into and hurried in, but the fire still managed to get in before him. Mokuba yelped as the heat washed through the room and singed his clothes. "Hurry Jou!" he called. "We don't have much time!"
"Jump out now Mokuba!" Jou called over, his voice hoarse and throat dry. "I'll lower Angel to you, then climb down with your brother."
"Okay!" came Mokuba's response, as well as a rush of cool air as he opened the window. Jou could see through the heat Mokuba climbing onto the tree and motioning for Jou to hurry. Jou walked as quickly as possible over to the window and handed Angel through to Mokuba, who dragged her to the safety of the branch. But before Jou himself could climb out, the beams above him cracked and fell overhead. He jumped away, back into the room as the flaming pieces crashed in front of the window. Mokuba shouted to him, but Jou couldn't hear it over the roaring flames around him. He looked around wildly, semi-conscious of the fact that the room was becoming increasingly hotter. He noticed a vase of flowers on a table that had yet to be touched by the fire and picked it up, pouring the water over himself and injured companion. Then, he ran.
Jou ran out of the room through the door and down the hall as all around him searing heat as orange, gold and red flames licked at his damp legs. He ran down the hall, looking for and alternate escape route, but found none. Panicking, he ran up the stairs to the third floor, miraculously only barely touched by the fire... for now. No where to go, he ran into one of the rooms and slammed the door shut to prevent smoke from entering. Glancing wildly around, he saw that the room had a window that looked over the backyard and had a few other doors. Ready for any option, Jou opened the window and looked down There was nothing to break his fall if he jumped, and he'd only hurt Seto further if he dropped him. Sweating and golden hair falling damply into his eyes, he tried the other door in the room.
The door opened to reveal a completely electronic passageway leading down to the lower floors. For once, I'm happy you love technology so much Kaiba! Jou thought, shifting the unconscious teen on his back and running down the hot passageway. The walls were tinted red from the intense heat of the fire and Jou could feel the rubber soles of his shoes melting on the oven-hot stairs as he ran. He saw two doors as he went and chose the further down one, kicking through the burnt wood easily. A wash of flames licked at him, causing him to cry out and step back for a moment until the flames retreated. Narrowing his eyes to protect them from the intense light and heat, as well as debris, he saw that this was an expansive library, filled with books, nearly all of which were burning in the bright inferno. Taking a chance with the only pass he saw, Jou ran into the room quickly.
All of the water seemed sucked from the air and his clothes had almost finished drying and were starting to burn. He focused his eyes on the broken window to his left and shifted Seto so that he could carry him easily in his arms. Then, he ran at the window, jumping through at the last second, protecting Seto from the glass and wood. The two hit the ground hard and Jou lost his grip, letting Seto tumble out of his arms and onto the grass a few feet away. Cool air washed into Jou's lungs as he breathed the cool air, tainted only by the smell of smoke. He looked over at Seto laying there, back to him, and Jou saw more of the damage inflicted on the poor teen.
Long, deep cuts ran all down his back, bleeding stopped from the heat, and first degree burns covered his entire back and most of his arms, shoulders, and neck. Jou scootched over and pulled Kaiba's black slacks up, rebuttoning them and retying the belt. He also took off his jacket and pulled Kaiba into a sitting position, placing the blue fabric around his shoulders and fitting his arms through. You have got to make fewer enemies, Seto, he thought, exhausted. He once more took Seto onto his back and walked slowly and painfully into the front, now hearing sirens as fire trucks neared closer. NOW they come, Jou thought bitterly, hurrying with his aching ribs to Mokuba, who was slightly off to the side near the gates of the mansion, dialing a combo to let the fire trucks pass in.
"Hey kid," Jou said quietly, kneeling down next to him. Angel lay sprawled out carelessly a few feet away, hidden slightly by the gate and Jou glared angrily at her unconscious form. Before, he just wanted to have her leave him alone. Now he wanted to do to her exactly what she did to Seto.
He shook the thoughts quickly from his mind as the fire engine and paramedics rushed into the drive. "Come on," he said to Mokuba, who nodded and lifted Angel up on his shoulder like a wounded soldier. The two walked over to the paramedics and Jou shouted, "Hey! We need some help over here!" One of the white suits looked over at them, then motioned for a few more to come with him. "Who are you?" he asked, brown eyes staring directly into Jou's own as one of the others took Angelina from Mokuba and checked her out.
"Katsuya Jounouchi," he replied boldly. "I saw the place and the door unlocked and ran in. I managed to get these guys out, but the girl and this guy need some medical attention now. The kid is just a little singed." Mokuba nodded as another medical assistant check him out and the other confirmed that Angel had a concussion and would be out for a while. The first one nodded and helped take Seto off his back and placed him on a stretcher, hooking him up to a respirator and getting him into the ambulance. The other paramedic did the same to Angel and the assistant helped Mokuba step into the ambulance.
"Is there anyone inside?" a firefighter asked Jou, having just walked up. "No one else," Jou replied. "Everyone got out all right. Just put out de fire, okay?" The firefighter nodded and ran back to the scene to help his comrades while Jou turned to the paramedics. "I'm comin' with," he said, getting in with Mokuba. The doctors didn't object and just closed the doors after him with a loud bang. Jou sat next to Mokuba and smiled reassuringly. "Seto will be fine," he said quietly to the upset child. Mokuba only nodded and leaned on Jou, crying as the ambulance left the burning house and headed into town.
((((Hospital))))
Jou was being treated at the same time as Mokuba in the same room by the same doctor who had treated Jounouchi before. Jou didn't recognize him, but then again, he was unconscious the whole time he was last here. The doctor checked Mokuba first, and noting no real injuries besides a slightly burnt left hand, wrapped it and went to Jou. He poked and prodded his ribs and checked over the burns. "Looks like your ribs are cracked again, Mr. Jounouchi," he said quietly, running a hand through his copper hair and pulling out his bandages again. "Remove your shirt and lie down on the table so that I can wrap them." Jou complied promptly and the doctor was finished in a matter of minutes, just as the lead paramedic walked in quickly.
"Dr. Knisely wants you, doctor," he said. "She's got Seto Kaiba in room 201 and she says it's urgent to see you and Mokuba Kaiba." The copper haired doctor nodded and walked out, Mokuba following him. Jou stayed where he was, as he knew that doctor-patient confidentiality would be void if he came in with them. He just sat on the table, waiting and thinking about the night before.
Seto had been so distant then. Not that the guy was the most open person in the world, but Jou could at least see what he was thinking every once in a while. Then, it was like he was lost; in a memory or in himself Jou couldn't decide. But he knew that never once had he seen those looks on his face before. That shame, the embarrassment, the sad smile while he was crying. Yeah Jou, he could hear in his head. You got it; My step-father raped me for five years... Why? Why did people do that? How could they live with such a... such a despicable thing? If there was a God, why did he allow these people to exist?
-Because there is no God, Jou thought bitterly. If there was... neither Kaiba nor I would be here... But then again, we'd never had gotten to be like that... he looked so upset... Jou had the strong urge to start crying, but instead smiled. How much last night he wanted to just wipe Seto's tears away, brush them off, kiss them away...
He shook his head again, shock entering his mind briefly. No way, he thought. Even if he is like me, why would he get together with me? He'd probably be like before and just ignore and taunt me... But I have to admit; some of those were pretty funny. "Monkeys can't fly" my ass. He looked up into the hall and sighed, left to his own thoughts as doctors scuttled by like rats and patients filed in like cockroaches.
((((Room 201))))
"Will he be alright?" Mokuba asked the doctor as she walked in. Dr. Knisely was a young black woman (see chapter 3) and she sighed as Mokuba walked in. "He'll be fine," she said calmly, "but I need to ask you exactly how this happened, Mr. Kaiba." Mokuba's eyes filled with tears and he ran to Seto's side to hide them. The teenager's arms and chest were bandaged extensively and an I.V. flowed steadily into his left hand. For once, Mokuba actually saw his brother asleep, not hunched over a desk or a computer. Unfortunately, it made Mokuba miss how his brother would always looked up and smile at him, ask him what he was doing up, and tell him to get some sleep.
"I'm not Mr. Kaiba," he said quietly, forcing back tears. "That's Seto. I'm just... Mokuba." The woman looked sympathetic and kneeled down next to the dark haired boy, hooking an arm around his shoulder and saying, "Seto will be fine, I promise. We cleaned, stitched, and wrapped his wounds and gave him an anti-toxin for the drugs in his system. She gave him a pretty low dose, but it was still able to knock him out." Mokuba nodded, still holding onto his brother's right hand tightly. "What happened Mokuba?" she asked again, kind and stern at the same time. The thirteen year old bowed his head and whispered, "I don't know. He was like this when I got home from school."
"Was there anything unusual?" she asked. "The girl and Katsuya Jounouchi, what were they doing there?" Mokuba bit his lip, not sure what to say. Dr. Knisely seemed to understand and said quietly, "Listen. Dr. McKinley and I worked on Jounouchi last time he was here. It says in the medical records that this time your brother gave the authority to release Jounouchi. What were they doing at your house?"
"Angelina works for us," Mokuba replied quietly. "She said she was fourteen and needed a job to help pay for her apartment with her mom while she studied at home. I don't know why Jou was there." He should have already been gone, the young boy thought, trying his best to maintain composure like his brother always did. The African woman sighed and nodded slightly, looking at the red haired doctor behind her. "I don't suppose I could get any more information from you Kale?" she asked hopefully. The other doctor shook his head and gave off his prior excuse of doctor-patient confidentiality. The surgeon sighed and stood, looking once more at the chart. "I'll go see to Angelina," she said, sounding tired. "You may wait here as long as you wish Mokuba." She left the room and walked down the hall, leaving Mokuba and the red haired doctor alone in the room.
-He'll wake up soon, Mokuba thought, taking a seat next to his incapacitated brother and looking at him sadly while the doctor rechecked the IV they had him hooked up on. I know he will. He has to.
((((Author's Notes))))
Sabriel: Omigods that was a long chapter. --shakes hands--
Hiei: That's what you get in not writing for the longest time.
Sabriel: Shut up. Ah well, review my faithful readers and I shall get another chapter up soon.
Hiei: Hopefully.