Author notes: Sorry for not updating in a while. Shcool has been taking all of my writing time. But any way I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! I'm sorry for any spelling or grammer mistakes. Please review!

The footsteps were getting louder with each passing moment. Sweat started to fall down Bakura's face. What are we going to do?! He mentally screamed at himself. He turned to look at Ryou.

"We've got to-"

"Shhh!" Ryou said putting a finger to his lips, and he quickly grabbed Bakura's hand.

"What are you-" Bakura started to say but stopped as he felt his entire body turn to ice. He felt as if he was frozen in place. What's going on?

The footsteps stopped outside the doorway. The door burst open. The two boys saw a tall man, with dark hair stand in the doorway. His eyes were as cold as stone. The man slowly walked into the room, looking around it as if he was to find something. The man turned his head in Bakura's direction, stared for a moment, then gave a low grunt and walked out the room closing the door behind him.

The footsteps started to faint away. Bakura gave out a long sigh.

"T-that was close…" He said quietly looking up at Ryou, whose hand he was still holding.

"We've got to get out of here now." Ryou said with his tone suddenly serious.

"But why?" Bakura asked. Suddenly he was pulled into the air. He looked down to see he was floating. "W-What?!" Bakura asked startled.

"Don't let go." Ryou said not looking down. And the two of them flew through the roof. Then Ryou glided them away from the house. They flew until they were a good distance south of the house. Then slowly Ryou flew down and landed Bakura on the ground. Bakura was still holding on to Ryou's hand even though he was on solid ground.

"You can let go now…" Ryou said quietly.

"Oh, sorry." Bakura replied back blushing a little, and letting go of the other's hand. Suddenly Bakura's body felt warm again. Well as warm as it was outside, with the snow blowing in his face. "W-What just happened?"

"We flew…" Ryou simply responded.

"No, t-the coldness I felt…" Bakura asked shy, unsure of what he felt was even real.

"O-oh, I turned you transparent like me…" Ryou said back.

"S-so you turned me into a ghost?" Bakura asked in disbelief.

"Y-yeah, I guess." Ryou said looking down.

"So that's why the guy didn't see me?" Bakura questioned. Ryou just slowly nodded his head. Suddenly Bakura remembered Ryou's quick actions to the person in the house, and the escape they had just made.

"R-Ryou?" He asked looking at the hovering, young figure. "Did you know that person?"

Ryou's face stiffened. Bakura could tell what ever it was he was thinking was not good.

"H-he's my dad…" Ryou said his voice quivering. A sudden memory burned in Ryou's mind.

He was a sitting in his room, the light was off and it was dark outside. He was reading a book when the sound of the front door slamming caused him to jump. His eyes widened in fear. Loud footsteps were heard thorough out the house. They became faster, and louder until they stopped outside his door. He tried to hide in the closet but it was too late, the door was already burst open.

"RYOU!" A loud gruff voice yelled. "Get over here!" He slowly walked over to the man knowing what was coming.

"Were you trying to hide from me?" The man asked as he tightly grabbed at his arm.

"N-no daddy…" He said shivering at the man's touch.

"YOU LIAR!" The man screamed. The man pulled on his arm until there was a loud snapping noise. He screamed in pain as his bone shattered from the man's grip.

"I-I'M S-SORRY!" He yelled with tears streaming down his face. "I-It will never happen again daddy!"

"What did you call me?! The man roared, throwing him to the floor.

He cried out in pain as he hit the hard-wood floor. "I-I'm s-sorry master!"

"That's what I thought." The man said stomping onto his back, causing him to gasp for breath.

"Now are you going to make me dinner?" The man said getting right into his face.

"Y-yes…master…" He coughed as the strong smell of alcohol burned his nose. The man pulled him up by his hair causing him to yelp, and threw him down the hallway.

"Get going slave!" The man said with a chuckle.

Slowly he got up holding his left arm, and walked into the kitchen. He started to pull out pots, and turned on the stove. Slowly with one hand he started to cut up vegetables and put them in a pot. He then added some meat, and stirred the mixture.

"Hurry up! I'm starving!" The man yelled outside the kitchen.

He turned off the stove and carefully poured a bowl, and walked out to where the man was sitting. He placed the bowl in front of him. Slowly the man took a bite and yelped.

"You idiot!" He roared. "It's too hot, why didn't you let it cool down first!"

"I-I'm sorry..master.." He said looking down.

"What?! You don't believe me?!" The man yelled getting red in the face.

"N-no I-I believe you!" his eyes widened in fear.

"Why don't you try it then!" The man said shoving the bowl in his face. He screamed as the stew caused his face to burn. He could feel his skin peel and blister as the hot substance was pressed against his face. He fell to the floor screaming and holding his face with his good arm, tears running down his cheeks only adding to the pain. The only sound he could hear over his screaming was the man's laughter.

Tears were running down Ryou's face. His eyes wide with fear. Bakura noticed this and tried to get him to stop.

"H-Hey Ryou!" He shouted uncertain of what to do. "Ryou are you okay?"

Ryou blinked slowly, finally realizing where he was. He looked down to see Bakura looking up at him worried.

"Y-yeah, I-I'm fine…" He said shakily.

"What did you remember?" Bakura asked.

"S-Stuff about my dad…" Ryou said back slowly.

"What about him?"

"He…was mean to me…" Ryou trailed off.

"Oh…" Bakura said back, thinking of nothing else to say in this situation.

The wind blew at Bakura's scarf, causing him to shiver violently.

"C-Can we get out of this cold weather?" He asked huddling up in his coat.

"Were are we going to go?" Ryou asked back.

"I guess we can go to my place…"

So Bakura lead the two of them to a small little shed that was in the middle of some woods.

"This is where you live?" Ryou asked, kind of shocked.

"Y-yeah," Bakura said shivering. "Now, let's get in I-I'm freezing!" Bakura quickly opened the door and rushed inside, while Ryou just hovered in.

Inside the small shed, were two beds, a small table, a fire place, a window, and a dresser. Bakura walked over to the fire place and started a fire. As the flames grew he held his hands out to warm them.

"This is where Marik and I live." Bakura said not turning around from the fire. "Or where he use to live…" He added with a sad tone. He thought back to the first time he had met Marik.

Snow was falling outside. It was going to be his first Christmas without his mom. He was walking to his apartment when he saw his dad yell at a young boy.

"Get out of here! Go On Go!"

The young boy was tanned with spiky blond hair. He looked to be about the age of seven which was only one year older than Bakura himself. He looked at the young boy in wonder. His face was drawn tight, his body looked deathly skinny, and the only thing that seemed to keep him warm was an oversized black coat. The young boy started to run away at his father's voice, but bumped into Bakura in the process.

"I-I'm s-sorry…" The young boy said quietly getting up.

"It's okay." Bakura said also getting up. Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out some change and put it into the young boy's hand.

"T-Thank you." The young boy said in disbelief.

"You're welcome." Bakura said with a smile. "My name is Bakura, What's yours?

"M-Marik…" The young boy said back quietly.

"Nice to meet you Marik" Bakura said before walking up the steps to his apartment.

"W-Wait!" Marik called after him. Bakura turned around to find the young boy's hand shoved in his face.

"H-Here…" Marik said giving Bakura back the change.

"Keep it." He said back opening his door. "I know you need it."

"T-Thanks…" Marik said giving a big smile walked away.

Ever since that day. Bakura and Marik were the best of friends. Bakura found out that Marik was an orphan, his parents had died long ago in a car crash. Much like how Bakura's mother died last year of an illness.

Marik would show up at Bakura's apartment everyday, eager to see the boy so they could play together in the snow. Then Christmas eve came by.

"Hey Marik," Bakura said with a bit of eagerness. "Merry Christmas!" He said shoving a little wrapped present in the other boy's face. Marik slowly took the gift and opened it. It was a little gold ring that had the word 'Friends' engraved on it.

"Wow…" Marik said starring at the object in wonder.

"And I have the other one." Bakura said showing Marik his finger, which had a silver ring on it with the word 'Forever' engraved on it. Marik put his ring on his own finger.

"Thanks Bakura." He said giving him a hug.

"You're welcome." Bakura said back with a smile.

Later that night, Bakura got up out of bed to get a class of water. He walked into the living room to find something that made him scream. There under the Christmas tree was his father. A knife stabbed in his chest Blood was everywhere. Next to him laid a note.

Dear Bakura,

I'm sorry but I can't live without your mother. I decided long ago that I would join her in heaven. I'm sorry I won't be here to watch you grow up. I left some money in the cabinet, and you have enough food to last you the rest of the month. You're a great kid. And I will always love, and so will your mother. I know you won't understand, please forgive me.

Love you're father.

The tears wouldn't stop flowing down his cheeks. His heart hurt so bad. He had lost now both his parents. He laid down besides his father's figure, crying until morning came.

Marik was waiting outside Bakura's apartment as usual, but for some reason everything felt different. Marik waited a long time, It was never like Bakura to be late. He walked up the steps and knocked on the door.

"Bakura?" He called. "Are you there?" When he got no answer he opened the door and walked inside.

"Bakura?" He called again. He slowly made his way into the living room, where he stopped at the sight. Bakura was lying on the floor hugging his dad, who had a knife sticking out of his chest.

"Daddy, Daddy!" Bakura wailed. "Daddy please come back!" Marik rushed over to him and pulled him off his father.

"Come on Bakura." Marik said pulling him away. "There is nothing you can do…" Marik pulled Bakura into a hug and let him cried into his shoulder.

"I-I don't want to b-be a-alone…" Bakura sniffled.

"You can come live with me." Marik suggested still hugging him.

Marik lead the two of them to his own shed he had in the woods.

"Don't worry Bakura," Marik said. "You will never be alone as long as you have me."

Bakura was looking at the silver ring he had on his finger. The sudden sound of Ryou's voice broke his thoughts.

"I'm sorry Bakura…" Ryou said looking down. "But could I be alone for a while..?"

"Yeah sure…" Bakura said, his eyes darting back to his ring. No sooner then Ryou left Bakura heard voices outside the shed.

"Are you sure about this?" An unfamiliar voice asked.

"Don't back down now, you wuss!" Bakura knew that voice too well. Marik!

Marik and one of his friends were walking towards his old shed. They were carrying big jugs of an unknown liquid, and Marik had a pack of matches ready.

"Are you sure about this?" The friend asked.

"Don't back down now, you wuss!" Marik yelled back. They started to pour the jugs all over the place. Once every bit of the are was covered, Marik walked over to the front of the shed and took off his ring and placed in the snow.

Goodbye Bakura. He thought to himself then struck some matches and flung them to the ground. The shed burst into flames, and Marik and his friend ran away.

Marik! Bakura thought to himself. But just when he was about to go to the door, a fowl smell burned his nose. Is that gasoline? Then the shed burst into flames.

So how was it? please review!