Hey ya. Sorry for such a late update. My Internet has been down for over a month. It's been driving me absolutely insane! I felt so deprived! TT So I'm really, really sorry. And to think I could have all this time to right but noo, I wrote every exciting chapter except the next one! And then I decide I'm going to write new stories. So I'm sitting here going bad 'manda bad! Must finish the other four first. It's been sad. No inspiration. Haven't been able to read other fanfics and my manga subscription ran out so no inspiration from that. Ooh the tragedy!!!

Anyways I'm blabbing…again. Read and Review!!! Enjoy!!!

/Yami /

\Kaiba\

Person over radio thingy

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Second Chance chap 6: Saddened Spirits and awful migraines

The ship landed. Joey was still asleep and the headache Kaiba had acquired had only gotten worse. His head throbbed and his stomach lurched several times as the ship reached the atmosphere. Duke flipped a couple of switches and the ship hummed to sleep. A voice came over the speakers.

"You're home early. What's the situation?" Duke reached over and pressed the button.

"We have one dead and one seriously wounded." Duke replied. There was a sigh on the other end.

"We'll notify Pegasus. The medical team is on standby."

Duke unbuckled his seat and peered back at his comrades. He glanced briefly at the sleeping Joey and then at Kaiba. Kaiba could tell the man was exhausted. His face was slightly drawn and his eyes had large black circles beneath them. Kaiba yawned and unbuckled.

"What do we do with him?" Kaiba gestured to the blonde.

"Don't wake him up. He'll have another fit. The medical team will take care of him." Duke stood and stretched. "Did you find anything?"

"What?"

"Did you find any artifacts before the cockroaches attacked?"

"Yeah. We found the museum." Kaiba shifted in his seat.

"Alright. At least we know where it is now. When Joey recuperates and we find a new person to hire we'll return." Duke yawned and opened the door. "Comin?"

"In a minute."

The door closed. Kaiba stood to his feet and opened the compartment on his seat. The puzzle glared up at him with its one eye. Picking it up he tried to find a space in his suit to put it that wasn't so noticeable. The material was to tight there was no way. He growled frustrated and tired to think of a solution. As he stared at the puzzle he could only swear it was getting larger.

\Yami. \ Nobody answered. \Yami! \

Footsteps echoed as the medics boarded the ship. Kaiba's anger began to bubble over and turn into panic. \Yami you idiot! Do something or… \

/Just put it on. / Was the silent reply. Kaiba hurriedly replaced the item around his neck. He let go of the rope just as three men in white uniforms walked in.

"Sir? Are you hurt as well?" One with a black mustache asked.

"No, sorry. I just didn't want him to wake up and panic." Kaiba lied. The medics nodded. Kaiba was pushed to the side as they surrounded the blonde. He walked out the door and exited the ship. His heart fluttered as he walked passed numerous men. He had to restrain himself from reaching up and touching the object around his neck. Could they see it or were they just ignoring him? He continued to walk and found Duke. He was talking to a person in a black suit.

"That's the third one this month. We can't keep doing this." Duke growled angrily. "We need a bigger team or bigger weapons or something because this is the last straw!"

"You know our budget is diminishing. We can barely afford paying you your monthly check. The government cut our funding even lower. Just face it! Nobody cares about this stuff anymore. They all just want to put it behind them and forget about it!" The man replied. Duke turned his face away and crossed his arms. That's when he noticed Kaiba.

"We'll talk later." Duke muttered to the man. The guy walked off and headed back into the station. Duke then turned to Kaiba and smiled. "Hungry?"

"Tired." Kaiba replied.

"Yeah, me too." They started to walk.

"Who was that man?"

"Oh, he's one of Pegasus's managers. He's an idiot."

"But what does he mean about your funds being cut?" Duke stopped and sighed. Kaiba caught him staring and for a moment he thought he was caught. But Duke was looking at the men caring Joey away on a stretcher. Kaiba had to suppress a sigh.

"The government's a joke. They cut whatever they can to put more money in their pocket. If it's something that's not of their interest they get rid of it. Pegasus is the only reason this company survives. His cunning whit for politics and the vast amount of money he owns is what keeps them dogs away. But even Pegasus can't fund this entire operation without some aid." Duke sighed again and continued to walk. Kaiba followed. "It's sad you know? We risk our lives everyday to retrieve pieces of our past to keep society from making the same mistakes twice."

Kaiba looked at him a little skeptically. He felt a pull at the corner of his mind and he knew Yami was listening.

"Okay, so that was a lie from my standpoint. The only reason I took this job was because of the money. But seeing all the different things and cultures you grow kind of attached after a while. Your curiosity starts to build and you start asking 'What was it like?' or 'How did they do such things with so little technology?' 'What was it like in the beginning?' We lose people constantly to answer these questions and nobody seems to care."

/They don't want to remember what they did. They're too ashamed. / Kaiba didn't realize he stopped when Yami said this. Duke turned around and looked at him with concern.

"Hey, you sure you're okay?" He questioned. "Your eyes glossed over for a sec."

"I'm fine just tired." Kaiba replied. Yami's voice caused his head to throb harder.

"How 'bout I take you to your room. It was a rough first day."

"Thanks."

Kaiba sat on the bed, his head in his hands. His room was small but it was cozy. There was a single bed with fresh sheets, a white couch that faced a flat screen T.V. There was even a small fridge in the corner and a bathroom with a shower on the far wall across from the door.

He wanted to sleep, but he just couldn't. Too many thoughts passed through his mind. He glanced up and peered at the golden pyramid that lay on his dresser. He glared at it with all his might, but it only made his head throb and his stomach churn. Was it worth it? Was it really worth getting Ben killed and Joey harmed? Now that he had the puzzle what was he supposed to do? Inform the pharaoh of his next mission? Hand it over to the angel? What? Bile rose in his throat as the headache turned into a migraine. He felt so miserable.

"I'm too old for this." He muttered.

/Then I'm ancient. / Yami's spirit sat on the bed next to the miserable CEO.

"What do you want?" Kaiba growled.

/Oh, I don't know. / Kaiba gripped his head again.

"Then go away."

/Still grumpy about your friend/ Yami questioned. Kaiba could sense a smirk on the sprits lips.

"You got him killed! Of course I'm mad! And then you nearly let Joey and I die!"

/True. / Kaiba growled and leaped to his feet ignoring the wave of nausea. The spirit stared up at him with a dark glare and an evil smirk.

"Don't you feel sorry?" Kaiba yelled.

/No. Not really. / Yami replied casually. He stood (more like floated) to his feet. Kaiba glared at him hard.

"The man is dead!"

"Your point?" Kaiba swung hard at the pharaoh's face. Yami burst into laughter as the man passed through his body and fell onto the bed. Kaiba stood up shaking with rage.

/Violence is not the answer. / Yami mocked.

"I'm gonna kill you!"

/Go for it. / Yami challenged.

Kaiba clenched his teeth and raised his fist. His knees suddenly buckled and he fell to the floor grasping his head. Yami bent down on one knee and surveyed the CEO's face. He was pale and sweating. Yami may not have been able to feel but he could certainly tell there was a fever. Yami sighed.

/Here. Close your eyes. /

"Why?"

/Just do it. / Kaiba shut his eyes not really in the mood to argue. The pain was so intense it made his vision blurry.

Yami began to call upon the shadow power. His hands began to feel heavy starting with his fingers all the way up to his elbows. His toes and feet came next. It continued on until finally his spirit was solid. He once again was the black shadow Kaiba had witnessed in the museum. He reached over with his black hands and grasped Kaiba's shoulders. Kaiba's eyes flew open.

"What the…!"

/Keep them shut. /

It wasn't really much of a choice. Kaiba felt his eyes close against his will power. He then felt two hands touch the back of his skull and then travel down and gently massaged the back of his neck. Kaiba found himself relaxing at their cool touch. His headache began to ease and the nausea passed. There was a tingling sensation inside his brain and then everything stopped.

Kaiba opened his eyes to find himself wrapped up in soft sheets. Everything was quiet and the room dark. Much to his embarrassment he realized he had fallen asleep. Sitting up he peered about the bedroom letting his eyes adjust. His migraine was gone but in its place were extremely sore muscles. His arms felt like they had been strapped down on one of those mid evil torture devices and stretched like a rubber man.

A movement in the corner suddenly caught his eye. It was Yami. He was back in his normal spirit form and he was staring out a window in the roof.

/I always wondered what we looked like from out here. / Yami spoke quietly.

"And what do you think?"

/It makes me feel tiny and insignificant. / Kaiba stood up out of his bed and stretched painfully. He caught Yami staring at him.

"What?"

/Nothing. / Yami chuckled.

"What?" Kaiba repeated.

/You're different. You look the same and you still have that same fiery attitude of yours, but you seem older. /

"It's because I am." Kaiba replied walking over to the fridge. He pulled out a water bottle. "I'm seventy years old."

/So what are you doing back/

"It's a long story." Kaiba replied. He crawled back into bed and wrapped back up in the sheets. The moon was cold. Kaiba turned on his side so he was facing the spirit. "What did you mean by 'I've seen too much?" Kaiba asked curiously. Yami returned his gaze back to the stars and scarred Earth.

/Just that. / He replied softly.

"Care to elaborate?"

/No. / Yami slightly smiled at Kaiba. /Not right now anyways. /

Kaiba rolled on his back and stared at the ceiling. He wanted to sleep, but his mind wouldn't be put at ease. There was something he had to get off his chest.

"Yami…are you at all sorry for what you did to Ben?" Kaiba asked. He heard Yami sigh.

/I'm sorry he had to die in such a way, but I'm not sorry he's dead. / Yami replied quietly.

"What do you mean? What happened to your compassion?" Kaiba spoke bewildered. Yami walked over to the puzzle. He reached out to touch it but his hand past right through. Kaiba was shocked to see the first expression of emotion cross the spirits face.

/I'm sorry for his family and friends, but I'm not sorry for him. He…/ The spirit held his hand up to the light that was blinking outside the window. It didn't even cast a shadow on his palm. It passed through as if he didn't exist at all. /I know there's another life after this. So I know he's at peace. There's no reason to feel sorry for that. /

Kaiba blinked a couple of times. He never thought of it that way. He glanced at the pharaoh and once again felt his heart heavy with guilt. Yami had fallen quiet and was staring at his hand. There was a sad distant look in his crimson eyes.

"I'm sorry." He spoke. Yami looked at him.

/It's not your fault. I just wish… / Yami closed his fist and sighed.

"Wish what?"

/Don't worry about it. Go to sleep. Tomorrow may hold bigger trials. / And with that the spirit disappeared.

Kaiba sighed and closed his eyes. The spirit was right today had only been the first day. Who knows what would happen tomorrow. Forcing his body to relax Kaiba gave himself over to the darkness and fell into an unpleasant sleep with images of giant cockroaches and wandering spirits.

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It's shorter than normal but it seemed like a good place to stop. Hope you all enjoyed. Updates will happen trust me. This Internet thing drove me crazy you have no idea. But it's back so it's all-good. Review, and I'll try to make next chap more exciting and longer. ;) Thanks for reading.

-Tragedyluver