It feels forever since I posted a chap, so here we go again so enjoy people.

Warnings: M and Yaoi. Don't own Yugioh

CHAP 26: Recovered.

The room was still in the late afternoon, but for the low beeping of the heart monitor that filled the room, Malik was asleep in the chair next to the bed, his fingers entwined with Ryou's and his head rested on the bed and his left arm was draped loosely over the Neko's hips.

Malik's head shot up as the door opened, he was looking directly at Ryou and blinked a few times in confusion as if he had made the noise, then turned his eyes to the Doctor as he walked in. "Am I disturbing you?" He said with a smile; disappointment hit Malik like a tone of bricks as Ryou was still the same way as he had been when he fell asleep a few hours ago, he shook his head and sat back in his chair.

"What's there to disturb?" Malik's tone had a bite to it.

"I just thought…"

Malik cut him off half yelling. "He hasn't woken up!" He rose to his feet leaning over the bed slightly. "Five days! For five days I've sat here waiting for him to show some sign that he's fine!" Malik narrowed his eyes and clutched the white bed sheets in his hands. "When is he going to wake up?!" He wasn't upset with Ryou, but the Doctor didn't seem to do anything but check Ryou's vitals then leave.

"Malik, please. Ryou suffered major injuries, you know this." The Doctor stopped by the bed. "Ryou's lucky to even be alive right now."

"I want to know, I need to know, is he going to wake up at all?" Malik's grip tightened on the sheets, most of every one had left for back home about three days ago, telling him to hang in there, but this just added to the stress that Malik was under.

"I can't tell you that because I don't know myself." The Doctor placed his clipboard down on the moveable table looking Ryou over, he said. "He needs time, you need to be patient with him and us."

"I have all the patience's in the world for him, I do. But not for you."

"I'm not the bad guy here." The Doctor frowned at him placing his hands on his hips.

"Look at him!" Malik waved his hand over the top of Ryou's body to emphasize his point.

"I am, Malik!" The Doctor shot back. "I've seen him every day, and for every hour of those days, I see him and I'm worried too."

"Then tell me something!" Malik said in an almost begging tone. "I hate seeing him like this, I can't stand it not knowing." He bit his lip to hold back the tears that threatened to fall; in the last five days Malik had never cried so much in his life.

The Doctor held up his hands and said calmly. "Malik you're exhausted and you look it. When was the last time you had a proper nights sleep, in a bed?" Malik's eyes were dark from lack of sleep and his eyes were also blood shot, his clothing ruffled from sleeping in the plastic armchair and his hair wasn't fairing any better. Malik looked away and the Doctor rubbed the back of his head thinking on what to say to make the teen feel better. "If you're worried that he has gone into a coma or something like that, he hasn't. There's no sign of head-trauma, no vital organs were damaged... really he's doing just fine."

"Then what's wrong with him?!" Malik sat down and slumped forward, his chin rested on the bed as he folded his arms in front of his face, sighing. "Doesn't he know that I'm waiting for him? That I'm here?"

"Malik, you're tired you need to get out of this hospital for a day, sleep and eat some real food, call Marik or Bakura to watch over Ryou for you, damn it, call the queen if you have to. But get out for a bit."

"I'm not leaving him until he wakes up." Malik mumbled and reached out a hand to play with a bit of Ryou's hair, he had left the room a few times through the day that was only to go to the bathroom or get something to eat downstairs in the cafeteria and that was as far as Malik would go from Ryou's side.

"You have been here for five days, Malik." The Doctor placed his hands on his hips again and said in a stern voice. "Change your clothes for goodness sake and get some sleep. I'll have you removed forcefully if I have to." Malik narrowed his eyes at the Doctor challenging him to follow through with his words. Suddenly there was a knock on the door and Bakura stepped in.

"Hey." He said then frowned looking at Malik's displeased and rather pissed off look and the Doctors annoyed look, not to mention the tension in the air was so think you could cut it with a knife. "I could come back." Bakura turned on his heels and walked back out.

"No, Malik was just leaving." The Doctor said.

"He was?" Bakura said surprised and stopped at the door, he knew nothing would make Malik leave Ryou's side willingly.

"He is." The Doctor said then added. "Bakura, will you stay for him and watch Ryou?"

"Sure." Bakura walked into the room more.

"I'm not leaving." Malik growled out, Bakura stopped next to the Doctor taking in Malik's shabby appearance.

"You look like shit, Malik." Bakura said simply. "Go back to our hotel and rest." He crossed his arms over his chest and added. "Marik's on his way over, you'll be no more than ten minutes away if anything happens." Malik looked away with narrowed eyes, if Ryou woke up in this place alone he was sure that the Neko would freak out. "If Ryou sees you like this you're going to make him worry on top of what he's been through."

"I'm not leaving." Malik hissed out, Bakura stormed around the bed and grabbed Malik by his shirt and pulled him from the chair.

"Stop being a selfish bastard and leave! Before Ryou sees how you look!" Bakura was never one for sugar coating stuff.

"I won't be able to sleep anyway." Malik pulled himself free of Bakura's grip, the Doctor dug around in his pockets and pulled out a small bottle and he popped the top and walked over.

"Take one of these when you get to the hotel they'll help you sleep." He placed the medication into Malik's hand, Malik sighed giving in, they would only keep at him until he did as they wanted.

"You'll call me as soon as he looks like he's going to wake up." It wasn't a request but an order.

"I have my cell right here and Marik has one as well." Bakura said taking a step back as Malik lent in over Ryou and kissed his cheek lovingly and whispered. "I'll be back soon." With that he walked out of the room.

"I don't think that Malik needed drugs to help him sleep." Bakura said as he took the chair next to the bed.

The Doctor smiled cheerfully and said. "It was a simple painkiller for a headache, he mentioned about one this morning, he'll have no trouble getting to sleep." Bakura grunted and turned his dark eyes to Ryou; he also wondered when he was going to wake up.

At the hotel in Marik and Bakura's rented room, Malik walked into the luxury room, that was donned in red's, gold's and white's, dropping his cell and the medication onto the nightstand and went into the bathroom and took a long hot shower to ease his sore muscles from nights and days spent in that horrid chair. It wasn't to long when he stepped out of the bathroom into the room, finding the bed freshly made and clean clothes for him on the small table, obviously Marik and Bakura had planed this from the start.

Malik looked about the room, the door was locked and the sign was hanging from the front door handle outside with 'Do Not Disturb!' He climbed onto the double bed and pulled the blankets up, and sighed it was comfortable, maybe he would just take a cat nap and go right back to the hospital before night fall. Malik turned the small clock that was on the nightstand that read 1:23 pm it was early in the afternoon, he stared at the bright blue numbers for a while and started to drift of to sleep.

Marik yawned and stood up looking at his watch that read 10.30 am, they had been here since yesterday afternoon and almost all morning, Malik must have been tired to be sleeping so long. "I don't know how Malik does it." Bakura said from the corner of the room looking out the window and had a picture view of the city. "Sit here in this room for five says."

"Six now." Marik mumbled as he stood up and lent on the bed looking Ryou over. "If it was me, would you wait?" Bakura narrowed his eyes, and before he could say anything, Marik mumbled. "I'm going to get something hot to drink, you want anything?" He moved from the bed and walked towards the door.

"Yeah a coffee, but I'll come with you to stretch my legs and get out for a bit." Bakura made his way to the door as Marik held it open for him.

Bakura stopped and lent in looking Marik right in the eyes. "Don't ask me such a stupid question again." Bakura started down the hallway, moving around the people, doctors and patience.

"I wasn't asking you anything." Marik followed him and snapped. "You're such a cold hearted bastard."

The lift doors opened and Bakura stepped in followed by Marik, the pale teen grinned and said. "No more than you are." The doors closed taking them down to the lower levels of the hospital.

Malik jumped awake covered in a cold sweat and panting for air, another nightmare every time he closed his eyes he would have one. He wiped the sweat off his face with his hand and glanced at the clock that read 11:45 am. "Oh fuck!" Malik jumped from the bed and ran into bathroom; five minutes later he came out hopping about pulling his shoes on. He dashed to the door and grabbed the keycard to the room and ran out locking the door.

On the nightstand his cell phone started to ring.

Malik pushed the button for the lift a few times hoping it would help to hurry it up, he couldn't believe that he had slept right through the afternoon the night and most of this morning. Malik growled and turned making a dash for the stairs since it would be quicker anyway.

He burst out of the door in the lobby and knocked down a bellhop that was carrying bags for a guest, which scattered out over the floor, a few people that were walking to the lifts jumped out of the way with gasps of 'Well, I never!?'

"Sorry!" Malik called out jumping over a few bags and headed for the front doors.

"Can I call you a cab, Sir?!" The man called from outside the hotel doors at seeing Malik run out, Seto didn't skimp on luxury.

"I'm fine." Malik called out running down the street, he reached into his pocket for his cell phone to call Marik, but he cursed as he remembered he left it behind in the room, he wasn't going back for it now.

A few blocks later the hospital came into view at the end of the road and the street was jammed packed by a traffic jam, horns blew, people yelling out their windows as construction works were digging up the road, glad he was on foot and not in a cab.

Soon he ran in through the front doors of the hospital and passed the front desk to the lifts. "No running please!" The young woman called out from the information desk she stood up and watched the teen run by.

"Don't you know who that is?" Said a nurse leaning on the desk.

"No."

"You know the Quarantine room up stairs." The younger woman nodded her head leaning on the desk towards the nurse with wide eyes. "Well rumor has it it's his fiancée." The younger woman gasped placing both hands over her mouth.

"That's horrible." She shook her head.

"Yep, she was struck down with a contagious virus on their wedding day." The nurse sighed. Malik rolled his eyes at hearing them, it was everywhere all over the hospital, different stories, he heard them all, but one part stayed in those little tails was that the patient in the quarantine room was his fiancée. Malik's heart sank like a rock Ryou would be his fiancée if he only woke up so Malik could say yes to him.

Malik stepped onto the lift and took it up, soon after the chime went off as the doors opened he stepped out, he walked down the hallway, frowning as he found it empty, all the rooms, papers on the floor. What was going on? Malik thought as he open the door to Ryou's room and found it empty also, his heart leapt into his throat as the bed sheets had been thrown onto the floor along with the equipment. "Ryou." He stepped more into the room.

"Malik, thank goodness I found you." The nurse panted out of breath in the doorway.

"What happened?" Malik asked pointing to the mess in the room.

"I tried to call you, Ryou woke up about fifteen minutes ago." She bit her lip, Malik would have jumped about in enjoy if it wasn't for the worried and frightened look on the older woman's face.

"Where is he?" Malik took a step towards her, feeling something was wrong.

"Everyone panicked and evacuated the floor because of the sign on the door." She shifted on her feet looking anywhere but at him.

"Where is he?!" Malik asked her again, she gasped and pointed upwards to the ceiling.

"He's on the roof." Malik's eyes widened as she said again. "He's on the roof, he was running about looking for an escape and ended up there." Without another word Malik ran from the room to the stairs.

In no time at all Malik pushed open the door to the roof, the nurse right behind him. "He's over there." She pointed to Malik's left and he saw Marik, Bakura, the Doctor and a nurse. Malik came up behind them and gasped at seeing Ryou, his bandages were stained with blood and he stood about one foot from the edge of the building.

"I'm not staying here!" Ryou snapped at them holding a scalpel in his hand to keep them at bay, he had to find out where he was and how to get back to Malik.

"Ryou listen to us." Marik said but not moving any closer than what they were, just in case the Neko fell.

"You liar!" Ryou growled at them. "You did this! You took me away from Malik." Ryou's ears were flattened back against his head so far that his hair covered them. "No more tests, I won't do them anymore." He shook his head.

"We're asking you to come back inside your wounds are bleeding." Bakura tried persuading the other.

"I'd rather die." The Neko hissed at him, his wounds burned in pain but he ignored it, there was no way he was going inside again to be bound and tested on until there was nothing left of him, he would jump if needed, Ryou glanced over his shoulder as a gust of wind blew up wiping his hair about his face, maybe the fire-escape, would soften the fall on the way down and it was a long way down, twenty six floors down.

"Ryou?!" Malik pushed passed Bakura and the Doctor and stood a few feet away from the Neko.

"Malik?" Ryou turned his head back around his ears pricked forward and his hand fell slightly and his eyes widened, brimmed with tears as his heart leapt into his throat, he was here.

"Please, Ryou come away from there." Malik held out his hand for him to take.

"I don't understand why I'm here or where I am?" Ryou shook his head in a negative way as he took a small step backwards; the nurses gasped placing hands over their mouths to hold in their mumbled comments of shock on what might happen.

Malik fought the urge to run over there and pull Ryou away from the edge but knowing he had to remain calm. "You where hurt, I had to get you help and this place was my only choice. You were dying." Malik tried again. "Ryou, come to me."

"No, no more tests, Malik, I can't do them anymore." Tears fell but Ryou suddenly placed a hand to his chest, he winched in pain as he bent over at the waist and panted slightly.

"No one's going to hurt you ever again, I promise you… Just come away from there, please." Malik was almost at begging point now he just couldn't lose him.

"No!" Ryou yelled at him looking up with narrowed eyes. "You're standing right next them, don't you see them." He shakily stood up straight and pointed the scalpel at the Doctor as tears welled up his eyes and fell. "He works for Founder and your helping him?!" All Ryou could see was that the enemy surrounded him.

Malik knew the Doctor must have been frightening Ryou. "No he doesn't, he's been helping me look after you." Malik snapped over his shoulder at the Doctor. "Take that coat off." The older male looked lost for a second as it dawned on him and took of his white coat; Malik turned his attention back to his Neko. "He's a good guy Ryou like Mai… Founder and Gozaburo are gone they can never hurt you again." Malik hoped that Seto was right that he fixed Dartz like he said; and as for Gozaburo Seto had said that he would go after that man himself, but Malik also wanted to find out what Seto did.

"Yes he can." Ryou choked back a sob. "It's gotten to you too, just like it did to Boots and everyone else." Ryou lowered the small knife as his tears fell and asked. "Are you going to sell me too, Malik?" A hurt exasperation passed over Ryou's face as Malik was rendered speechless for a second. Where had that come from? Malik would never dream of it, and before he could voice what he thought, Ryou growled at him and said. "Maybe I won't be worth as much if I didn't have these." Ryou raised the scalpel to his left ear and to everyone's dismay the Neko started to cut his ear off.

"Don't!" Malik dashed forward and grabbed Ryou's wrist and squeezed it until the Neko dropped the knife, blood ran into his white hair from the nick in his ear. "You'll hurt yourself." Malik growled out.

"I don't want to go back, I don't want to be here." Ryou broke down sobbing into Malik's chest and clutched onto him as he wept, his ears flattened out to the side, he released Ryou's wrist and held the Neko tightly.

"I've got you, everything's going to be okay." Malik glanced at the Doctor for a minute then turned his head away and closed his eyes; thankful that Ryou was awake, suddenly the Neko fell limp in Malik's arms. "Ryou?!" Malik shouted out in panic as he guided Ryou to the floor. "What's wrong with him?!" The Doctor rushed over and knelt down next to them. "Do something!" Malik hissed at him as he supported Ryou's head and shoulders.

"What do you expect? He's suffered injuries and isn't healed yet and he's running about the hospital getting all worked up." The Doctor looked at Malik and added. "He just exhausted himself… lets get him back inside, quickly now!"

Later that night Malik sat in the chair next to bed, the Doctor and the nurses had changed Ryou's bandaging and glad to hear that no stitches had been ripped out. "Malik." Ryou mumbled and opened his eyes half way, the room was dark but for the soft lighting above the bed.

"I'm here." Malik got up from the chair and sat on the bed and took Ryou's hand in his and caressed Ryou's cheek with the other. "You have to rest so lay still."

"I want to go home." Ryou mumbled looking at him. "I don't like it here."

"I know you don't, but it's just for a while longer until you're better to travel." Malik gave him a soft smile.

"You won't leave me." Ryou's ears twitched backwards and flattened down in worry, but he winched and his ears sat straight up again, his left ear was bandaged.

"I could never leave you." Malik said leaning in slightly watching as Ryou fought to stay awake, his smile widened.

"But Malik if it wasn't for them coming after me." Ryou yawned showing off his small fangs his words slightly slurred now. "Your life wouldn't have been in danger."

"I made that choice in being with you, I knew the risks that they would come after you and they did." Malik lent in a little bit that their noses almost touched. "And I got you back and made sure they were never going to hurt you again." Malik brushed his thumb over Ryou's bottom lip, finding it soft and kissable.

"How can you still like me after all that's happened?" Ryou bit his lip Malik removed his hand and sighed.

"You're right, I don't like you." Ryou made a choked sound from the back of his throat; Malik hated him?! Ryou clutched onto his hand tightly. "I don't like you because… I love you." Ryou's lip trembled as his tears fell.

"W-what does that mean? I-I don't understand." Ryou tilted his head to the side biting on his bottom lip stopping it from trembling. "Does it mean that you still like me?" Malik smiled and placed a lingering kiss to Ryou's lips and pulled back a little.

"Ryou, I'm willing to spend the rest of my life showing you what the exact meaning of love is." Ryou frowned, so was that a good thing? His thought was gone as Malik lent in and his lips brushed over the Neko's lightly and a tongue brushed over the full length of Ryou's bottom lip, Ryou started purring the sound coming from his chest as he responded to the kiss, but he squeaked and his ears pricked forward and he winched again, as Malik suddenly pulled back grinning and said. "Oh and an answer to your question that you asked me." Ryou looked confused as he thought back and a few seconds later he shook his head no and couldn't recall anything. "You asked me to marry you."

Ryou's ears fell back against his head and he winched in pain and straightened them back up, he had to remember not to move them, he thought hard as he remembered the couple in the park and said. "But I don't have that round thing that goes on your finger."

"It doesn't matter right now, but what does is that, I will." Ryou let out that high-pitched sound as Malik kissed him again, they moved apart to breath.

"You'll marry me?!" Ryou squeaked as he blushed Malik lifted his chin up again gently and mumbled. "Yes." And Ryou kissed him again wrapping both arms around Malik's neck and pulled him a little closer to deepen the kiss, but after a few long seconds, Malik opened his eyes, frowning as he pulled back and chuckled, Ryou had fallen asleep on him. "What am I going to do with you?" Malik covered him up and placed a kiss to Ryou's forehead and sat there on the bed watching over the Neko and held his hand. Maybe now the days ahead were going to be easier and happier for them both.

TBC

Okay I had trouble with this chap, a lot, so tell me your thoughts, all your needed to know answers will be in the next one (sighs) anyway R&R. (love and cookies)