A/N: I apologise for the delay in posting, college life and work life rarely coincide with each other. This is the last chapter for "The Debate" and I want to thank everyone who has read/followed/favourited/reviewed this far. I have other stories lined up and almost ready to go, check my profile to see which ones ;)

Epilogue

Kaiba made his way as usual to Kia's hospital room, holding his cup of black coffee and carrying his briefcase. He nodded to the nurse on duty - Sara - before opening the door and moving swiftly inside. Kia lay in the same position as she had for the past two years, never moving, never responding. If it wasn't for the dozen machines or so connected to her body, she would have died shortly after arriving to hospital.

"Good morning Kia. Mokuba and Mizuki are coming to visit this afternoon..." As he spoke, Kaiba felt a lump form in his throat. He sat on the red plush chair next to the bed and gently took Kia's hand, stroking it with this thumb. He gazed at her perfect face for a long time, before taking his laptop from his briefcase and commencing his work.

Kia had fallen into a coma moments after collapsing from holding the Millennium Rod two years before and had since been in a comatose state. Doctors were baffled, as she seemingly suffered no head trauma to induce such a long coma. Immediately, she was connected to several different machines, each of them doing their part to keep her alive. And when her pregnancy term was over, they were forced to perform a dangerous cesarean to deliver Mizuki.

Since then, Kaiba would visit Kia for a few hours every morning and again in the evening, sometimes bringing Mokuba and Mizuki. Kia didn't stir even once during these visits. Kaiba was distraught. He had Kisara locked away until she disappeared back to the underworld, as was Marik. Every replica of the Millennium items were destroyed and Kaiba made Ishizu swear never to create them again.

As he corrected a report on an ongoing project, he thought he saw movement in the corner of his eye. Looking down at Kia's hand, he raised an eyebrow and waited for a second. When nothing happened, he resumed his typing.

Kia slowly drifted back to the present day, her eyelids fluttering slightly before her eyes opened fully. She sighed and attempted to sit upright, gaining Kaiba's confused attention.

"Kia?" His uncertain whisper made her head then in his direction. Deep blue eyes met pearl grey and Kaiba struggled to believe what he was seeing. "Kia? How are you..?"

"It's weird hearing my real name after so long..." Kia interrupted to comment dreamily, her voice raspy and rough. "Why are you so surprised? How long have I been out?"

Kaiba couldn't answer. He leant over his laptop and kissed her, surprising her and himself. He pulled away almost as quick and pressed his forehead against hers, staring into her intense grey eyes.

"Kia, you've been in a coma for over two years... And the doctors say you won't last much longer..." He closed his eyes and shoved the laptop from his lap, wrapping his arms around her and embracing her. She didn't respond to him for a long moment, the realisation sinking in.

"I've been in a... Coma... For two years?" She pulled away from his arms and grasped her flat stomach. "Oh no, did we..?"

Preempting what she was about to ask, Kaiba quickly shook his head and took her hands in his. "No, she was delivered safely, even while you were gone." He smiled a small smile at her, watching as the relief washed over her face. Little by little she was regaining her senses.

"She..." Kia whispered, staring into nothing. She was suddenly reminded of the first vision the rod had shown her; when she awoke as Kazuko and the High Priest and she made love for the very last time. She remembered the pain in his eyes as he realised what had happened; the anguish in his heart as he thought it was his fault that she had died. She didn't want that for Kaiba.

"Kia, do you remember when you told me that story, the one about Oisín in the Land of the Young?" Kaiba's timid voice broke Kia from her thoughts and she nodded, waiting for him to finish. "I hate stories where someone important dies. Why does everyone I care for have to die?"

Kia's eyebrows drooped with sadness as she listened to his confession. She never understood why he loved her the way he did, but she loved him and she could understand what he must be feeling.

"Seto... I'm sorry..." Kia mumbled, before finally bursting into tears. It was her fault. Her stupid obsession with seeing her past life caused this mess. And now Kaiba had to suffer.

"Kia? Kia, don't cry... It isn't your fault... It's mine, I should have protected you..." Kaiba held her close and soothed her, rocking slowly back and forth. The sweetness of his actions made Kia cry even more and Kaiba felt at a loss.

"Seto, I was selfish... I wanted to see her again... And the rod..."

"Kia, no, don't..." Kaiba's arms tightened around her and his hand found it's way into her hair. The familiarity of his fingers and his tight embrace calmed Kia, as she slowly stopped her crying. "I don't want to lose you..."

"I don't want to lose you either Seto! I've missed you so much! Even though I was married to the High Priest and I gave birth to Mizuki and watched her grow older..." Kia trailed off, her eyes glazing over as she thought about her past life. Kaiba said nothing and simply watched her, memorising her face; how her lips moved when she spoke; how her forehead creased when she struggled to remember something.

"Kia..." Kaiba's voice was suddenly very deep and suggestive, and Kia tensed, the image of the High Priest on the edge of her mind. He leaned over to her again and kissed her softly, his lips moving almost uncertainly against hers. She smiled and kissed him back, holding him closer to her body.

The door opened suddenly and a nurse walked in, interrupting Kaiba and Kia's moment. The former cursed and disentangled himself from Kia's grasp, whereas the latter giggled and looked down at the bedsheets.

"Miss Boulevard, you're awake?!" The young nurse almost fell away with shock as she stared with round eyes at the CEO's fiancée. The nurse didn't wait for a reply and dashed back out of the room, supposedly to get the doctor. Kia's smile dropped from her face, as she decided that she would have to tell Kaiba what was to happen.

"Seto..." He met her gaze and waited for her to continue. Taking a deep breath, Kia shook herself and continued speaking. "I'm not going to last much longer. There are some things I nee you to know, and other things I need to you to promise me." Kaiba merely nodded his head in acknowledgement, not trusting himself to speak.

"I'm not to see Mizuki before I go..." Kaiba's eyes widened in alarm. "Not for any bad reason! I shall miss her terribly and she might miss me! I don't want her to burden her with this, she's too young..." After justifying her reasons, Kia closed her eyes and prepared herself to speak again.

"I want to be cremated and my ashes kept in my library." Kaiba simply nodded and dropped his head, unsure of what to say next. Neither said a word, but allowed themselves to wrap their arms around the other and they embraced, for the last time.

Kaiba was thinking of all he would have to do once Kia was gone. His main concern was how he would raise Mizuki on his own. A small voice in the back of his mind reminded him that he was already taking care of her alone, and he mentally sighed. Mokuba was helping too, but it really was his job to mind her during the weekends.

Then, of course, there would be preparations for Kia to be laid to rest. He refrained from informing her that he had been researching Irish burial customs and had decided that much of her ceremony be carried out in a Catholic Church. He was tempted to ask her opinion, but he suddenly felt a change in atmosphere in the room.

He could feel as her heartbeats grew weaker and weaker; her breaths becoming more and more shallow; her body becoming limp. He didn't speak a word, as he held her carefully and ran his hand through her hair soothingly. She sighed, a weak, frail sigh and mumbled something almost incoherently against Kaiba's chest.

"...going to miss this..." His eyes clouded and a lump formed in his throat. He had missed this for two years and as soon as he could hold her again, she had to leave. Forever.

"I'm going to miss you Kia, with all my heart." Kaiba didn't realise he had spoken aloud until Kia looked up slowly from his chest, eyes widened slightly. He knew his small displays of affection were seldom, but he couldn't believe she was that shocked. He smiled down at her, a small smile, and pressed his lips against hers.

She didn't reciprocate; her head slumped against his chest as soon as he ended the kiss and the tears that he tried to keep from falling fell quickly and silently.