Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the situations I put all my poor, poor victims in. Everything else belongs to somebody else and that's just the way it's gotta be since I sure as hell can't afford to buy the rights. Thanks to all my faithful readers out there, thanks for sticking around so long! MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT!

Endings and Beginnings

While everyone gathered around to greet and reunite with those they'd thought they'd lost, the room slowly began to darken and then all went black. It was only black for a moment though, and then there was faint light, only this light was coming from the sky above them, which was full of stars and a pale full moon. Under their feet was desert sand now, and there was nothing but the sand and their companions as far as the eye could see. They stood alone, a solitary group out in the middle of the desert, with no sign of a pyramid or civilization in sight.

Wrapping her arms around her waist Mai took in the landscape with a grimace. "Well this can't be good."

"Well this takes me back." Reaching down Henry picked up a handful of cool sand, watching it slip through his fingers. "Anyone have any idea where in Egypt we are?"

"No clue." Hugging herself against the cold night air of the desert night Rika was glad she was back in her old clothes. In those skimpy Egyptian clothes, she'd have frozen her ass off. There was nothing but desert around them, not even a glimmer of light that might suggest even a town in the distance. She'd survived saving a Digital World only to die due to exposure in a desert. Yeah, the gods sure did have a sense of humor all right. And it was blacker than Freya's hair.

"You, get me out of here. Now." Jabbing her finger into Sirus's chest Alice gave him a heated glare that said plainly she'd reached her tolerance level and was now perilously close to letting lose on the handiest victim, that being him. "You got me here, now get me out before I take that staff and shove it where the sun don't shine."

"Your wish is my command, my lady." Taking off his cape Sirus spread it out in front of him then backing up pointed his staff at it, casting the spell necessary to get them out of their present predicament, and hopefully impress his girl at the same time. Before everyone's eyes the cape grew to about the size of half a basketball court, than changed color so that it looked like a brightly colored magic carpet. It hovered about a meter off the ground and the back bent in a zig zag to form a small set of stairs for their convenience.

"Oh my God. It's the magic carpet from Aladdin!" Jaw dropping Rika gave her brother a shocked look, who was even now humming the song "A Whole New World", confirming her guess.

"It's one of Alice's favorite movies, isn't it, Alice?" Smug Sirus could see that he had impressed her, though she was trying her best to hide it. "All aboard whose going aboard. I've instructed it to take us to the nearest big city, which will hopefully have a hotel where we can stay for the night and an airport to get us the hell out of here and back in Japan tomorrow."

Everyone gratefully climbing aboard Sirus quickly turned his clothes, as well as the other Egyptian garbed members of the group, into more modern, much warmer clothing. Once that was done he took the helm of the carpet and they were off and flying.

"It's times like this I'm glad my mother never let me leave the house without my credit cards." Rika commented as she patted her pant pocket, then looked stricken as she looked over at her other mother, who gave her an understanding smile.

"Don't worry about it, love. She's your mother, just as much as I am. We'll learn to share you. Besides, it looks like your father and I are going to have our hands full with your brothers as it is." Winking Suna nodded her head in the direction of the front of the carpet where Sirus was unsuccessfully trying to chat Alice up. "The gods picked a hard headed woman for him. Not that I'm complaining, as she's exactly what he deserves."

Smiling Rika had to agree.

"Does your older brother have a special someone? I know that he's with High Priest Seto, that he's been taking care of Yami for us. Or should I say doing the bare minimum required to keep him alive." She had no illusions where her son and future son in law were concerned. They'd fought like cats and dogs since the day they were born and she doubted this life would be any different then the last. In fact, she'd imagine it was only going to get worse from here on in.

"Her name's Tea. I think you'll like her."

"Tea." Trying the name on for size Suna decided to reserve judgment for the time being. "Well I'll meet her soon enough."

Doing his best to ignore the fact that his sister was currently sitting in the lap of a twenty something guy who all the girls had loved in his time, Henry turned his attention over to his former king, who was watching Rika and her mother with love in his eyes. "So I guess this means Suzi won't be dressing you up in doll clothes anymore."

Grimacing the king, formerly known as Terriermon, casted a weary look in Suzi's direction. "No, she won't be. Thank the gods."

Nodding in understanding Henry could only imagine the humiliation his king had suffered. To a king, being disgraced like that had to be the worst. "Well you won't have to worry about money, Rika's loaded and so is Kaiba for that matter, Seto I mean. For that matter, Latoya ended up bagging herself a billionaire as well, so providing you all with Ids and cash shouldn't be too hard."

"Seto." A dark look coming over his face the king's eyes narrowed. "Yes, he and I have a great deal to talk about."

Uh oh. Henry knew that look. It's how he looked when he caught sight of guys his sister had dated or expressed an interest in. It was a look that indicated the king was more than likely going to join forces with Yami and attempt to send Seto back to the afterlife as soon as possible. Neither his king nor Yami had been aware of Rika's affair with the high priest, but once Yami was clued in the two were sure to put their differences aside for the opportunity to kill the former priest. And dammit, he'd have to defend Seto too, as Isis's former brother. If the Isis Rika had meet was his Isis, than he had a lot to make up for. Not to mention, Rika was his best friend too. From what he'd heard, she was as into him now as she had been before which meant she would be getting in the way of her family's plans in a big way. And there was nothing scarier than Rika when she was protecting someone important to her. "Well you know." Henry began hesitantly, trying to find the right words as his former partner studied him carefully. "I haven't met him in this life, but if Rika's in love with him, I think you should support them wholeheartedly. After all, you already lost her once, no reason to risk losing her again because she has a fondness for bad boys."

The look the king gave him said he wasn't buying this at all.

"Uhmm...Momentai?"

"Nice try. But no."

"Oh boy." Overhearing the conversation Aries was having with their former king Joshua grimaced, sharing a wince with Latoya. "And just when we thought it was safe to relax. The worst is yet to come."

"Oh it won't be that bad...will it?"

"Lets think about this. The apple of their eye, their precious little princess, the woman who's death caused Yami to disown his own father, was sleeping around with one of the High Priests, a priest whom neither of them ever really got along with, who also happens to be the son of the man who created the Millennium Items in the first place. Hmmm...let me think... Armageddon anyone?"

"But they're soul mates!"

"Like that's ever worked on a father or brother before? I'm fully expecting Seto to try to kill Aries over Isis as it is when we get back. Come to think of it, a lot of people are going to be wanting to kill Seto and Aries once we get back. Do you think Rika and the Queen will be able to hold them back long enough to give the poor bastards some warning? I do sort of owe the guys after all."

"Oh dear. This could end really badly, couldn't it?"

"I'll say." Was Freya's opinion, having been eavesdropping on their conversation. "I'm surprised our beloved pharaoh let your Pegasus live, considering that he always thought of you as a big sister as well. Yami always did have a sort of virgin/whore complex where women were concerned."

Cheeks going red Latoya stammered, her attempts at defending her honor and Max's coming out as barely understandable mumbles.

"Leave her alone, Freya." Joshua warned, giving her a look. "You don't want me to tell your soul mate all about what you were like in Egypt, now do you?"

"He's my soul mate, he has to love me regardless." Was her sassy reply.

Hard to argue that.

"So are you guys saying that the people you were all residing in are your soul mates?" Suzi asked from her position on her master's lap. She wasn't letting him out of her sight and was sitting on him just in case. He wasn't getting away from her without a fight this time around, no siree. Besides, gorgeous as he was, as soon as they got back to civilization the girls were going to be all over him and she was too tired for cat fights. The sooner he understood that he was hers, the easier things would be for him.

"Yes, that's why we could reside within their souls." Latoya explained, still red in the cheeks but coherent now. "Their soul and ours are two pieces of one whole. That's why it took so long for us all to be reincarnated. We had to wait until all the souls could be brought back at the same place in time. It's also probably why we are all people who never loved in our past life, because the other half of our souls had not yet been born."

"That's so romantic." Suzi sighed dreamily.

Grinning Mai could only imagine what waited them at home. "Yeah well, I personally can't wait to see Joey's face when he hears this."

It was then that the images Isis was projecting faded out, a fitting closing so to speak. The room was silent, as it had been since the group had been transported from the Digital World to Egypt. Most of the faces were turned towards Yami, who stood with his hands clenched and his head down, Tea's arms wrapped supporting around his waist. Several moments passed before he finally raised his head, turning his head to look at Pegasus. "I need to get to Egypt."

"I'll arrange for a jet immediately." Reeling from the idea of Latoya as his soul mate, Pegasus didn't even think to marvel at the fact that Yami was asking him for a favor. Pulling his cell phone from his pocket Pegasus began making the necessary calls.

Taking his own cell phone from his pocket Seto walked woodenly away from the rest of the group, punching in the number for the investigator he often used when he needed to find information on someone. Giving orders for Rika and Mai's credit card numbers to be found and traced, he made it clear that he was to be informed the minute either was put into use and where the transaction had occurred. The next call was to his personal pilot, who was ordered to immediately head to the airfield and prepare his personal jet for take off to Egypt. To Rika.

"May I get a ride with you?"

Turning his head Seto nodded, and without a word to the others walked out of the room with Isis and Marik at his heels, leaving the rest to find their way to Egypt with Pegasus.

The hotel they'd found in Cairo was a nice one, with enough rooms to take them all which was a definite relief. The guys had paired up to share rooms, with Joshua, Mahado, Aries, Sirus and his little brother taking one room, while Freya, Latoya, Rika, Mai and Alice took another. Rika's parents understandably took their own room. They'd had no luck finding a flight out of Egypt yet, but Yamaki had promised to send a plane for them if they couldn't find their own way back by noon. It was early morning now, and everyone was starting to come down for the scheduled meeting in the front foyer to go out and get some breakfast.

Standing by a newsstand, marveling at the fact that he could actually read most of the Egyptian print on the piece of paper, Henry paused in his reading as a strange chill went up his spine. A feeling, a recognizing of something that had him slowly lowering the paper to see the three people who'd just walked in the front door and were even now striding towards the main desk. Dropping the paper to the ground, not even noticing the sheets scatter, Henry lurched forward, one word on his lips. "Isis!"

Even though there was no logical explanation for how she could hear him with all the crowd and voices between them, her head never the less swerved in his direction and their eyes met, time seeming to stop in that one moment. Then they were both moving, weaving their way through the crowd with muttered apologizes and excuse mes, meeting in the center of the room as Henry scooped her up off her feet and held her tight against his chest, turning his face to bury it in her hair, which still, after all the centuries smelled of the sandalwood she'd always loved.

Having followed their sister through the crowd Seto got right to the point. "I won't kill you if you tell me where she is."

"Forth floor, room 408." Lifting his face away to meet Seto's gaze squarely Henry's face was content and firm. "But I'm telling you that because you love her as much as I love your sister. Not because I'm afraid of you. Isis and Rika would kill you if you tried anyway."

"They probably would." Nodding his head Seto left the group, counting on Marik to go all big brother on Aries's ass in his stead. He'd give it a go himself later on. For now, there was only one person he needed to see. Pressing the button for the elevator, he waited, the doors finally opening as Latoya and Suzi walked out.

"Here, you'll need this. She decided to sleep in instead of getting breakfast." Holding out their room key Latoya smiled at him with that gentle smile he now remembered so vividly.

"He's on his way, we took different transportation." Taking the key from her Seto smiled in return and got into the elevator, Suzi giving him a thumbs up as the doors closed in front of him. Riding the elevator up to the forth floor, Seto didn't really think about what he was going to say or how to say it. He was running on instinct now, like any animal seeking its mate, biologically encoded to need the person as much as air or water. He was very nearly vibrating with suppressed energy, his long learned restraint the only thing that had kept him from searching for the nearest stairwell. When the doors finally opened he was out like a shot, down the hallway in search of the right door. Mai and Freya were just coming out of the door as he approached, both being the type to spend a lot longer in front of a mirror than the other girls. They both jumped a little as they turned to see him coming in their direction.

"Well hello, handsome." Holding out the card she still held in her hand Mai winked at him teasingly. "How much will you give me for it?"

"Already got one." Holding his own card up Seto's eye plainly told them to get out of his way.

"Then I guess we'll be seeing you in a bit." Taking Freya's arm Mai hurried the other girl along, the two pausing to watch Seto go into the room, closing it quickly behind him. "Go get her, Mr. Billionaire."

The room was silent and cramped despite the lack of luggage. There was a cot wedged between the two double beds, and that plus a table and one chair made up the furniture in the room. But it was clean and that had probably been all they'd cared about seeing as they hadn't checked in until three in the morning. On the far bed was the lone occupant, fast asleep on her side with her back to him. Walking around the beds to get to her, Seto sat down on the side of the bed beside her, lowering his head to capture her lips with his in a tender, loving kiss. Watching her on the screen, his memories had returned, so that the gaps were mostly in his childhood, his adulthood clear to him. He had loved this woman with everything he'd had, had intended to marry her whether her family liked it or not. He'd been willing to move mountains and empty oceans if that had been what it took to have her always. He'd lost her though, lost her to the cruelty of fate so that they'd been separated for so long. Until death had taken him as well. But even then, it had not been the same, could not be the same until now, now when they were to be given a second chance together. Sliding his arms under the sheets Seto lifted her from the bed and into his lap, cradling her close as his lips remained on hers, staying there until her eyes fluttered open, the violet depths meeting his with a recognition that defied all time and space. Drawing his head back slightly, Seto smiled down at her. "Morning."

"Morning." Was her sleepy reply. "When did you get here?"

"A few minutes ago. Your brother and the others are probably on their way as we speak."

"He the one that gave you the black eye?"

"I gave him two."

Chuckling huskily Rika could only imagine the trouble she was going to be in once her big brother got here. "Then I guess we're lucky Henry and Joshua are here to have our backs. Things are bound to get ugly once they find us together."

"We'll just threaten to ban them from the wedding."

"The wedding." Rika repeated, raising an eyebrow questioningly. "Is that your idea of a proposal?"

"I proposed to you once and you up and died on me." Seto pointed out, nuzzling his cheek agaisnt hers. "As far as I'm concerned, we're getting married as soon as possible and to hell with whatever any of my in-laws, past and present, think about it."

"Good point." Pulling him down for another kiss Rika was just settling in more comfortably against him when the sound of someone banging the hell out of the door startled them enough to have them both pausing in mid grope to look towards the door.

"KAIBA! OPEN THE DAMN DOOR THIS INSTANT! I KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE!"

"RI, THIS IS YOUR FATHER SPEAKING! OPEN THE DOOR LIKE YOUR BROTHER SAYS!"

"Oh boy." Sharing an amused look with Seto Rika wrapped her arms around his neck. "What should we do? They'll break the door down if we don't open it."

"Let them." Was her fiancee's opinion as he tumbled her onto the bed, managing to get her shirt unbuttoned and his own off before the two oldest male members of Rika's former family managed to break said door down and came marching in with deadly purpose.

"Oh my eyes!"

"GET YOUR HANDS OFF MY SISTER, YOU BASTARD!"

The End and the Beginning