Disclaimer: Don't own bakugan. I'm done.

Well, here's part three.

Bold is thoughts

Italics is flashbacks

Ages:

Dan, Runo, Julie, Billy- 22

Marucho- 20

Shun, Alice- 23

DAN POV

I understand getting angry and slamming the door. I understand being upset with me and yelling at me, because I felt I did deserve it. But that heel was pointy, and totally uncalled for!

I felt a little ashamed. It was a bit harsh, but the people that surrounded me looked up to me, except maybe Shin. He was brutally truthful, and honestly, I always had the feeling I was looking at someone else when I talked to him.

"Should we be worried?" Mike asked. His fingers twisted nervously, and his mouth opened to let another statistic spew forth.

I cut him off, "It's nothing. I…just have some… bad blood."

We were all silent, and I was glad they understood. Rachel began pulling me into an arena, and smiling gleefully. "Dan, hurry up. Trust me, you don't want to miss this."

I stared at the person on the other end.

It was Shun.

And Alice.

Rachel giggled happily, "I set up a brawl between you guys! I got Mike and Ako to help me."

I stared at them. I was looking at the only chance I had to talk to them on my terms: in a battle. They stared right back, Alice's gaze disappointed and Shun's flat out angry.

The announcer-Julie-recovered enough to smile brightly and yell, "Well, it looks like after three years," her hand tightened on the microphone, "we have an old friend back here! For those of you that do remember him, give him a welcome back, and for those that don't here's Dan Kuso, former leader and number one of the Bakugan Battle Brawlers!"

Rachel squeaked a bit. She had never played before we all met up once. Everyone-her, Mike, Shin, Ako, and JJ-had only started up after meeting me. They never knew about my famous childhood, and I made sure it stayed that way.

I chuckled nervously, "Well, let's brawl. Ready Drago?" I asked my partner. He opened up, and though I couldn't see his eye move, I knew he was hesitant.

"Are you, Daniel?"

I closed my eyes. "We've got this Drago."

Julie grinned at Shun and Alice, "Let's see if our number one and two here can hold down their fort against the old number one!"

"Bakugan Brawl!"

A green phoenix and dark purple hydra stood up, their features so familiar to me. Drago, for the second time since we knew them, stood on the opposite end of the field, next to a beautiful white cheetah.

Shun scowled at Leibera (A/N: lay-beer-uh). His cool gaze landed on me, and he smirked. Nodding at me, he let Skyress pull back and wait, hovering above Hydranoid.

"It'sss been a while, Drago," the purple dragon hissed.

Drago bared his teeth, "Far too long, my friend."

"Friend?" Skyress screeched. "You may not have been the cause, but you certainly didn't help stop it. Do not call us friends."

Rachel pulled a card, "Let's go Leibera. Show them what we're made of!"

She didn't stand a chance without me. Shun and Alice were old pros at this, and she didn't have a clue as to their styles. "Drago, let's do this!"

While not as smooth as I had hoped, Drago and Leibera managed to land a hit on Hydranoid. He returned to Alice, and she gently tossed him.

"Folks, we just saw Alice fall out immediately! We may be seeing a new upturn on the board!"

Shun's smirk gave him away to me, but not in time for Rachel. Leibera flew back in the force of the wind and she was out.

I counterattacked, and Drago took Skyress down with practiced ease. It had been three years, and it was suddenly this easy? No, he was playing around.

"Be serious Shun! I don't want to have to take your spot!" I said lightly.

He glared, "Like you were serious with Runo?"

Runo. To all of my friends, it came back to Runo. I couldn't face that problem yet, so I didn't respond.

"Runo?" Rachel asked.

"Old girlfriend. Basically his sister."

The second round begun. Suddenly, it wasn't us two against Alice and Shun. It was Rachel and I, and inexperienced match up, versus a tag team made for the ages. Two bakugan, two people, one inevitable win.

They systematically took out Rachel, and then focused in on me. Drago was attacked, counterattacked Hydranoid, and lost to Skyress.

The last round began. Leibera growled and launched at Hydranoid, expecting to take him out. He, rather than attack back, dodged.

"Rachel, calm down! We've got this!"

Alice smiled at the girl, a sweet innocent little curve on her face. Suddenly, she threw in an ability card and pulled Hydranoid back. She was out of the game, but her card was fair bounds. Shun versus Rachel and me? Even he wasn't that good.

But, Shun smirked. As if he knew what I was thinking, "Dan, it's been three years. Let's see what you've really learned."

"Daniel…"

"Skyress, time to disappear!"

The green phoenix vanished, and the crowd grew to a dead stop. There was no sound. Drago couldn't attack something he couldn't see. I had no extra cards up my sleeve, so to speak.

"Dan," Shun stated. I looked straight at him. "You left her a long time ago. Don't think everything is just going to fall back in place when you come back. She's waited too many times. This time, try and get things right."

"Shun…"

His eyes hardened. No mercy. "Skyress, Fallen Angels Feather Dance!"

There was a bright light; When I opened up my eyes, Drago was balled at my feet, and Shun was walking away. The crowd was cheering loudly, and Rachel was on her knees.

Her mouth was wide open, "He-he beat me and you at the same time. Noone could ever beat just you! He got both of us in one attack! How?"

It has been too long. Looks like I missed a lot. And gave up too much.

RACHEL POV

When I found Dan again, he was by himself next to a cliff. There was a small blue cross, and purple hyacinths next to it. He was asking for forgiveness.

"It's funny," he said, his back still to me. "This was the place we first kissed."

"Who?"

"Runo and me."

"Shun's sister?"

He nodded. His voice sounded jerky, like it was being choked up. "It's where she tried to commit suicide."

"She tried-"

"She's alive. In a coma, but she's alive."

"Dan? What are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking," he took a deep breath, "I've been away from her long enough."

SHUN POV

When Dan's mom called, I was stunned. Her voice was raspy and dead. She met me at the front door, along with Alice.

"What happened?"

She shook her head. Her eyes were teary, but she was smiling. "They're together now."

I closed my eyes briefly before cursing under my breath. "What room?"

"173."

I stared at her. She nodded. Alice and I, holding hands, slowly walked into the room.

Dan lay on the bed, stitches on his head and casts on his arm and leg. The scene looked much too familiar to me. I looked towards the window.

On an identical bed, was Runo.

RUNO POV

The place was white. It was always white. Occasionally, the monotonous feeling would be pierced by Shun's comforting stories, or my mom's quiet whispers. Rarely, voices would mesh together, painting a picture of a room filled with brawlers. It was…nice.

This time, when I opened my eyes, it wasn't white. It was black, and then it faded into green. Green and blue, browns and reds melting into each other. A familiar figure was on an even more familiar park bench.

The figure looked up, "It's been a long time."

I ran at him, hugging him tight.

"I'm sorry I left, Runo. But, this time, I swear to you, I'll never leave your side."

ALICE POV

Shun looked at both beds for a moment. I know what he felt. I felt the same. They found a way to each other. Somehow, against everything else, they were together.

He whispered softly, holding my waist and dipping his chin onto my head, "You think they're happy?"

"I know they are."

Jazz here. I know, it's probably not the best, and it's not what was expected. But, I really couldn't bring a happy ending to this when I created it as an outlet for sadness. It's a bittersweet ending. Keep on reviewing :)

You might just guilt trip me to write more 3