I'm so glad the first chapter of this fic was received so well. Thank you to everyone who reviewed and favourite'd and all the other readers as well (although there's a special place in my heart for reviewers ;) ).

Here's the next chapter. I hope you find it just as good, if not better.

Yami – understandably – was having trouble taking all of this in.

Here was… himself. Another Yami. A past Yami.

"How is this possible?" the Pharaoh stammered.

The Shadow of him kept smiling. "You don't remember sealing me away?"

No, of course Yami didn't remember doing something he'd never consciously done.

"You hated me," the Other told him. "You despised my power because it was feared by others and you feared it yourself, so you locked me away. You thought you destroyed me, didn't you?"

"I didn't think you were a separate being, for a start," the Pharaoh reminded him, folding his arms over his chest.

"Yes, well, that's an interesting point," the demon sighed. A thought occurred to him and he smiled. "But it doesn't matter. I'm free now. Thank you."

Yami stiffened as the reality of the situation struck him. He'd released this Other Yami. This monster he told himself he'd never be reduced to again. The Shadow Games were hardly something Yugi had really admired about him. He'd been forgiven of course, but they barely ever spoke of those first few months.

Now the monster was here again.

"No." Yami set his jaw. "You're not free. Turn back now."

The Other raised an eyebrow. "That's not going to happen."

"It is," the Pharaoh gritted his teeth. "You're not leaving here. Go back."

"No," the shorter spirit said simply, his eyes hard and deadly. "I'll not return to the darkness."

I'm finished!

They both snapped their gazes in the direction of the disembodied voice that echoed through the Puzzle: Yugi.

"Oh," the Other grinned. "Is that our hikari?"

Yami's eyes widened. He didn't want to think about what would happen to his aibou if this demon reached him.

Yami, are you there? Yugi asked.

"He sounds so beautiful," the Shadow whispered, starting to move up the corridor towards the voice. "What's he like? I want to meet him."

"You're not leaving." Yami stepped in front of the demon, glowering. "Don't even think you're going anywhere near him."

"I have as much right to him as you," the Other sneered. "You've kept me locked away from the light this whole time. I need to see him."

Yami? the boy sounded increasingly concerned. What's wrong?

"He's calling for us," Other Yami said longingly.

"He's calling for me," the Pharaoh growled. "He doesn't want you."

The Shadow fell silent, looking like he'd been struck. Yami took the stunned moment as his chance to grab the demon and haul him towards the big black door from where he came. Other Yami started to protest but the Pharaoh already had the upper hand. He shoved the small spirit through the door and slammed it shut. Immediately there was banging and shouting from the other side but Yami held his ground. With enough concentration he soon conjured a seal on the door, the walls of the Puzzle bowing easily to his will. Ignoring the protests from behind the barrier, he opened the link.

"Yugi," he greeted his hikari. "You're finished now?"

Yeah, the boy replied. Is everything okay?

"Of course."

You just took a while, did something happen? Yugi sounded concerned.

"Apologies, Aibou." Yami appeared beside him as he was packing his books in his bag, the teacher having left. "Searching through the Puzzle got distracting. You know what kinds of obstacles can present themselves in my room."

"Alright," the young light looked doubtful. "Do you want me to help sometime? We'd get through your rooms at twice—"

"No," the Pharaoh interrupted him firmly, then checked himself when Yugi was taken aback by his abrupt response. "It's… dangerous. Don't put yourself at unnecessary risk. It's not worth it when I'm starting to think there really is nothing in there."

He was ashamed and a little uncomfortable with how easily he lied to his aibou. The boy looked crestfallen.

"I'm sorry you can't find anything, Yami," he said sadly. "We'll get your memories back eventually."

Oh gods. Yami must be the most despicable being in existence to upset his dear hikari with a pitiful lie. His memories were the absolute least of his worries right now – he was more concerned about the monster he could feel burrowing its way out of its prison in his soul room. The one who was shouting that it wanted Yugi – to talk to him, to hear him speak, to touch him—

The Pharaoh shoved the demon as far into the dark recesses of his mind as he could.

The Other Yami had far from given up on that first day. Keeping the Shadow at bay was now a never-ending chore for the Pharaoh and as determined as he was, he wasn't sure how long he could continue. The walls of the Puzzle seemed to be as easily influenced by the demon as they were by him, and he struggled to keep him contained for any extended period of time.

Eventually, Yami gave up and changed his focus to preventing his doppelganger from leaving the Puzzle. He was free to roam about the endless corridors all he liked, and the Pharaoh was resigned to standing guard at the door. After all, he'd reasoned, the Shadow was only really a threat to Yugi – there was no point expending energy on keeping him completely sealed away providing their link was watched and he kept within the bounds of the Puzzle.

Of course, this was still no easy task, and it was made all the more difficult when the demon would sit and torment Yami the entire time.

"I'm incredibly offended, Pharaoh," Other Yami said as he lounged on the damp floor of the main room, staring up at the taller spirit. "You don't trust me with the boy at all, do you?"

"I would have thought the answer to that was quite obvious," Yami bit back, arms crossed as he stood before the one exit to the Puzzle.

"But I would never harm such an innocent hikari," the Shadow pouted. "I only want to see him."

The Pharaoh didn't move. "I'm afraid your words don't reassure me."

"His voice is so sweet," the Other mused, ignoring his double's comment. "He must be such a wonderful little one."

Yami's teeth clenched but he said nothing. The Shadow saw this and smirked.

"So warm," he continued. "I so want to touch our little light."

A deep, tense breath from the Pharaoh and Other Yami was further encouraged.

"He's so pure. I can hear it in his voice. I can't wait to meet the exquisite child—"

He was cut off by Yami's hands around his throat. They didn't squeeze, but both spirits were acutely aware of the very real potential.

"You'll never meet him," the Pharaoh whispered darkly. "You won't touch him. You won't taint him. I'll never allow you to harm him in any way."

The Shadow stared, his expression unreadable. After a long moment – during which Yami's hands never once moved from around the demon's neck – he spoke.

"You won't keep me from him. Not forever."

Yami almost snapped – almost. Crushing the Other over mere words would make him a monster; but this Shadow had to be the monster out of the two of them. And he would keep this monster from Yugi at all costs.

"Would you kindly remove your hands from my throat?" the doppelganger asked dryly.

The Pharaoh acceded. He stood up and went to the door again. The demon just lay where he was.

The Other Yami was suspiciously silent after their conversation. Yami was glad the Shadow had retreated to the depths of the Puzzle and wasn't bothering him anymore, despite the fact he was almost certain there was a very good reason he'd disappeared. He appreciated the quiet.

Pharaoh?

He looked up, "Yes, Yugi?"

Uh… everything okay?

"Of course."

You've just been really quiet lately. I was worried.

Yami left the Puzzle to sit beside his hikari on the boy's bed. Yugi was dressed in his pyjamas, ready for sleep. His face was creased with concern.

Yami gave him an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, Aibou. Have I really been away that much?"

"Sort of." Yugi fiddled with the leg of his trousers. "You're looking for your memories, aren't you?"

The Pharaoh's smile faded. His light was clearly very troubled by his recent bouts of absence. His doppelganger was so relentless that trying to focus on much else was a huge risk and consequently, long talks with Yugi were difficult to sustain.

The boy had taken Yami's silence as an affirmative. "You're spending so much time there, Pharaoh. I don't think it's good for you. I think we're supposed to find your memories another way."

The spirit sighed. He couldn't tell his aibou, but he couldn't keep pushing the boy away either.

"You're right, Yugi," he said. "I'll stop looking."

Yugi smiled sadly. "Thank you. It's not fair on yourself, Yami."

Not fair at all, the Pharaoh thought. Why did he have to let out that godforsaken Shadow? He would find more time for Yugi. There would be a way. He could somehow protect his light, keep the Other Yami at bay and act normal all at once. He wouldn't let the Other think he was winning in any way.

"Goodnight, Little One." Yami nodded to the boy.

Goodnight, he heard as he retreated to the Puzzle.

It was very quiet there – too quiet. The Shadow was nowhere to be seen. This wasn't good. The Pharaoh made his way down the twisted corridors, along the path he'd learnt well to where he'd found Other Yami. The cold black door was closed. Everything was so quiet. Frowning, the man opened the door.

He could have sworn his heart stopped when he saw the room was empty.