Chapter 3! YAY! Okay, a few things. Christine, Aileen and Dorothy are going to show up next chapter as Anzu's sisters. Yuki, Susan and Sarah came to Egypt to hold a surprise party for Anzu's 18th birthday, meaning that these first few chapters takes place in August. The plot unfolds more and more romance in this chapter!

The first segment is in Anzu's pov. And Min Sung and Aaron are going to be in the next chapter when they arrive in Cairo.

Disclaimer: Do not own, I'm so teird of saying this. I don't even own the OC's, they're based on my friends!

Dedication: To my best pals and reviewers. Oh! And Sarah. She kept forcing me to continue writing! . It's thanks to Yuki, Susan and Sarah who keep this story moving! Thanks guys!

On with chapter 3!

Chapter 3:

Rising Suspicions

The moon sure is pretty, I mused to myself in a forced effort to lighten my mood. After awaking from that dream, I just couldn't go back to sleep. Too many questions rolled in my head, too many excuses I came up with to puch them out of my thoughts. I stared at the shivering stars in the sky. Were they shaking because they were troubled too?

I sighed, not because I was teird from waking up so early, but because of the mysterious figure who obviously provoked that odd dream. Why can't I just get over the fact that he was gone? Am I really that stubborn, so much that I couldn't look at another guy for 3 years after his leave? Am I destined to be alone for the rest of my life?

It's not that I want to forget, but I want to move on also. You can't do this to yourself Anzu! When are you going to wake up?

Who were those people? I instantly recognized the attire. But why would I suddenly have a dream about ancient egypt? Could it be because of the fact that I'm in Egypt? Does that matter?

Ugh, I have to go back to sleep. Or I won't be able to get back up tomorrow. Crossing over to my bed, I snuggled back into the warm covers. But still my mind filled with thoughts and memories. That's it! We are going back to New York as fast as possible! Maybe Egypt really does do weird things to me.

Why does his face never leave my mind? Even though it's been so long, it never faded or turned vague. To be honest to myself, I don't think that I ever stopped loving him. I've always loved him, and I always will. But then what's the point? He rejected me anyway.

Turning over to the other side, my soft whimpers ceased as my tired body drifted back to sleep…

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"Ishizu! Is de grub ready yet?"

"For goodness sake Joe, have some dignity and put on a shirt!" Mai shook her head in displease, shooing Jounouchi away with her carefully manicured nails. Everyone else was spread around the kitchen and living rooms, helping themselves to the food and drinks.

"But Mai! I'm hungry!" Jounouchi whined, inching towards the mountain of stuff piled on the kitchen table counter. "Tatsuya Jounouchi! You will go upstairs and dress before you eat! NOW!" Jou whimpered under Mai's outburst and slumped back up the stairs and then rushing back down again.

Mai stared at his grinning face right in front of hers in bewilderment. "Wha-" But she was cut off with a quick kiss, but nonetheless sweet. Rushing back up the stairs, taking 4 steps at a time, Jou escaped from a flustered Mai who chased him up into the upstairs hallway.

"Do they always start off the day like this?" Susan asked Shizuka, who was halfway through with her cereal. She timidly looked up at her behind long auburn hair and nodded with a smile gracing her lips.

"Yeah, I'm afraid so. Tatsuya-sama always argues with Mai," she answered and then lifted herself up to head towards the stairs; her hand resting on the polished banister.

"Seto's still on his computer," she sighed wistfully and called back to Susan. "I'm going to go check on him," Susan nodded 'okay' as Shizuka climbed the steps.

…………………..

"Seto?" The C.E.O. was broken from his concentration upon hearing the soft cry of his beloved girlfriend. His mouth twitched slightly as a tiny smile and Shizuka shifted closer to him to stare at the back of his laptop. Waiting patiently for him to answer her, she was finally greeted.

"Shizuka, come here," obediently obeying his wishes, she went closer to get pulled into a warm, inviting embrace. It was firm but yet gentle; she giggled as Seto's warm breath brushed her hair onto her face. Slipping his arms around his sturdy neck, she engulfed herself in his warmth and they sat on the sofa, just enjoying having each other's company.

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Yuki appeared in the entrance to the living room, holding a small plate consisting of a bagel with butter, an orange and a glass of warm milk. Looking over the crowded room full of laughing friends joking around and poking fun, she couldn't find an appropriate place to sit! Until she glimpsed a small vacant seat next to… Takashi!

Frowning at the heat rising to her cheeks when he turned his head towards her and motioned her to come over; she crossed the sea of people and stopped a few feet away.

"Here, Yukari," he urged, moving over on the single armchair. It wasn't much of a 'vacant' seat, but comparing to all the other spots in this room, this would do. Hesitantly, Yuki lowered her head and sat, facing away from Takashi. Trying to be as silent as can be, she held up the plastic knife with her shaking hand and started (with great difficulty) to butter her bagel.

Not failing to notice her flushed expression, Takashi mischievously slid back down onto the armchair, instantly squishing Yuki and causing her to drop her halfway buttered bagel back onto the plate, face down. He nuzzled his face in her hair as Yuki's heart accelerated at an alarming rate so fast that she felt that her chest would burst!

"You know," he purred and she tensioned in apprehensiveness. "You look cute when you're blushing…"

On the far corner of the room, Sarah and Susan noticed the awkward situation Yuki had gotten herself into and Susan dropped her plate in shock with a dull sound as it hit the carpeted floor. "Ho ho! Yukari's flirting with Takashi!"

Yuki heard Susan's statement and glanced over at her two friends staring at her with huge grins on their faces; Sarah looked as she was trying with all her might to suppress a good laugh while Susan had on the cheesiest grin which just screamed 'Susan's up to no good'!

'Oh dear…' Yuki mentally groaned in distress.

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"Hey guys, where's Anzu?" Mokuba asked, currently helping Odion and Marik clean up. "I think that she's still in her bedroom," Miho answered, taking a break from her playtime with Vivian's two restless sons.

"Me want 'Zoo-nee-sama! Me want 'Zoo-nee-sama!" Harry whined, banging his plastic spoon on his high chair.

"Where's ji ji?" Sam asked his mom and Vivian smiled in amusement. "Sammy, it's jie jie, not ji ji. Remember? Ji ji is 'chicken'. I'm sure your 'big sister' wouldn't like it very much if you call her a 'chicken'," Miho chortled along with Vivian at Sam's embarrassed appearance.

(Author's note: Since Duke is Japanese and Vivian is Chinese, their kids know both languages, okay?)

"Really though, she's been in her room for a long time," Yuugi said worryingly, looking up at Anzu's bedroom door. It was now almost lunchtime and Anzu had not yet emerged from her room. "We should check on her."

"I'll go," Sarah volunteered immediately, raising up her arm. "Me too," Susan added. "I want to go," Yuki stated and stood up from her chair. "Anzu's like a sister to me, I'm coming too," Miho said in a very dignified manner.

"I've been watching over Anzu all my life, that girl can't go anywhere without me," Mai stated firmly.

"Guys, dis is not some rescue mission to save her from some man-eating dragon or anyding okay?" Jou snickered at Mai's warning glare. "Just go and shake her awake or someding." Mai just ignored his random comment and started up the steps, followed by the others.

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The soft, muffled ringing in the kitchen was barely noticed except for Marik, who just happened to be standing at such close proximity to it. Picking it up, he replied in his low voice, "Hello? This is Marik Ishtar."

"Hello, good day sir. May I please speak with Ms. Ishizu Ishtar please?"

"She's busy, may I take a message?"

"Of course," there was a long pause and Marik wondered if the person was still there. "Um, this may become quite a shock to you Mr. Ishtar but… um… you might want to step out of the room for a few seconds."

Even thought Marik was totally befuddled on the course of his demanded actions, he complied and waited.

"There was a break in last night…" Marik nodded. "A priceless artifact was stolen…" Marik's throat tightened in feared anticipation. "Which artifact?" He asked, really not wanting to hear the response.

"We cannot confirm it. They left no trace of anything except the theft of Exhibet B, The Table of the Pharaoh," Marik gasped, his eyes nearly popping out of his head. "But-But how could anyone-"

"I think that you should take a look at this sir…." He stated grimly.

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The soft sunlight filtered in through the blinds, casting its glow on a relatively peacefully sleeping form. A knock was heard from outside the wooden door followed by the creak of metal. Mai stuck her head inside the room and nodded an 'okay' to the girls to assure them.

"She's still asleep," she said in a hushed voice and they tiptoed into the room. Pondering over how to wake her, they stood in awkward silence.

"Let's just jump on her!" Susan whispered excitedly and Sarah shook her head. "That'll be a rude awakening!" Miho giggled quietly and Mai strode over to the bed. "You're not really going to jump on her are you?" Sarah gasped. Mai shook her head back at them as she seated herself on the edge of the bed.

"Hon, Anzu. Wake up Anzu," she gently shook her shoulder, her body was facing away from them. Yuki went closer and kneeled beside her. "Anzu-chan? Wake up," in a feeble attempt, she tugged on the fabric.

"Oh come on guys! She's obviously a really heavy sleeper! Trust me, I would know!" Susan shouted and followed in pursuit. "All you have to do it this," they stepped back in curious anticipation. Susan breathed in deeply and then suddenly pounced on the bed, arousing an aggravated dancer to spring up in her bed, her hair askew and her clothes ruffled.

"SUSAN! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?" Everyone rolled their eyes. Another typical day.

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"Okay friends! Are you ready?" Ishizu asked cheerfully when everyone got settled in the living room. "Ready for what?" Jou asked. Ishizu scanned the room with her eyes, searching for her brother. 'Where's Marik?'

"Wait, didn't she tell you?" Odion questioned the look of bewilderment crossing everyone's face. "Tell us what?" Miho inquired anxiously.

"Why, you didn't think that we called you here for nothing!" Ishizu beamed, sending a fearful shiver down everyone's spine. "Wha-what then?" Mokuba asked with building dread.

"Odion," he handed his sister a shovel much to everyone's confusion. "You see, we just uncovered this tomb a few weeks ago, there's still a lot of excavation to do. Which means…"

"Oh no," Seto groaned.

"You get to DIG!"

Memphis Weather Research Center, Egypt

"Hold on! I'm coming! Would you get that for us, Rebecca?" Professor Hawkins solicited his granddaughter.

"Sure Gramps," Rebecca replied in her usual blunt remark, picking up the ringing cordless phone and holding it up casually to her ear. "Memphis Weather Research Center."

"Professor?" After the male voice responded, Rebecca cleared her throat and extended her arm to the Professor, who was looking over his partner's shoulder, who was none other then Sogoruko Motou. "Grandpa, it's for you," Rebecca handed the phone to him and then returned to her laptop, continuing on the analysis of a satellite image of a recent monsoon.

"Yes, this is Professor Hawkins…" After a few minutes of silence in solitude, Mr. Motou glanced up at his old friend. His face was contoured with what seemed as suppressed shock and tremendous disbelief, all sorts of stretched emotions swirling in the depths of his eyes. "Are you sure Min Song?"

"Yes Professor," the voice could be heard from the other end of the phone line. "Aaron confirmed it by calling up two ports located near the two buoys and they couldn't identify any malfunctions. This wasn't a mistake Professor."

All the while during Min Song's discussion, the Professor sat down onto his leather seat and kept staring at the blank walls. Now even Rebecca looked up from her laptop and along with Mr. Motou, they watched him with vigilant stares.

"Yes but… how… right, I know… Right, I-I'll check with the others on this… yes… thank you Min Song… yes," the faraway look on his face indicated that the flustered, exaggerated expressions were not cast in vain. Small dialects from their conversation could be making out when listened for closely. "Yes, you and Aaron come to Egypt as soon as possible. Tomorrow? Yes. That's fine. Goodbye," gently placing the phone onto its carrier, the Professor stared at it as if it had just got up and danced across the table.

"Arthur?"

"Grandpa?"

Both tried to get some information from the dazed Professor, logically thinking in their high intellectual minds that something had happened. To their utter surprise, he leisurely turned his head to look at them with wide eyes which seemed to mist over with sheer alarm and dismay.

"I have troubling news…"

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Well? What did you think? Please review! (Big puppy eyes) PLEASEPLEASEPLEASEPLEASEPLEASEPLEASEPLEASEPLEASEPLEASEPLEASEPLEASEPLEASEPLEASEPLEASEPLEASEPLEASEPLEASEPLEASEPLEASE!

With cherries on top?

Bye for now! Healing Spirit over and out! .