A/N: This chapter is a looooong one. And quite intense. I hope you enjoy!

((Original A/N from multiple years ago (verbatim): This chapter is for Elena who wants more Bakura x Ryou. I was going to save this for a bit later, but Elena wants it so it is. You better like it bi-otch! JKJK!))

Disclaimer: Don't own. If I did I'd be rich, which I am not. I am in fact broke.

Chapter 13

Bakura leaned against the wall of the house. How had he let this happen? He and Ryou had finally been happy, and he'd let his selfishness get the best of him. Now Ryou would never trust him. He would never be able to hold the angelic creature in his arms again. Ryou would never fall asleep on his lap and have to be carried to bed. He would never again see those eyes light up at just the simple "I love you," or a quick kiss on the cheek. He hadn't realized just how much Ryou meant to him.

A siren blared not far away. Bakura looked up to see an ambulance turn the corner and come speeding in his direction. Not thinking twice, Bakura ran out into the street. He heard the brake squeal, but the vehicle's velocity was too great to stop that suddenly. He stared directly into the horrified eyes of the driver as four thousand pounds slammed into him.

Yami ran out of the house, his face ghostly pale. He'd seen everything, having heard the ambulance coming and been preparing to go out and meet the paramedics. The EMTs now leapt out of the van to try to save Bakura, the expressions on their faces very grave. There was no way the tomb robber's body could have survived that impact, although his soul was another matter. Yami knew that Bakura, in his time of emotional crisis, had forgotten that he was immortal, that the body he was inhabiting wasn't really his. It didn't really exist. His soul was still in the ring, which did and would always hang around Ryou's neck.

"Sir?" one of the EMTs called to Yami. "Do you know this man?"

Yami nodded, preparing for the worst.

"We're extremely sorry, he ran out in front of the van and we tried to stop, but it was too late. I'm terribly sorry, he's gone."

Yami nodded, the information did not come as a surprise. Bakura had intended to die, and that he had.

"You did call for assistance, correct?" the man asked, after carrying Bakura's limp body wrapped in a tarp to the van.

"That I did. I didn't know what to do, my friend was raped. I think he's in shock."

"Say no more, we understand," the second EMT, a woman, opened the door to the house. Minutes late, she came back out, leading Yugi by the arm. She beckoned to Yami to follow them and they got into the ambulance. The woman gave Yugi a pill of some sort of tranquilizer to calm his shaking, then she left him to sit by himself while she talked to Yami.

"What is your relation to Mr. Muoto?" she asked.

"We're friends. His Grandfather let me stay with them because my parents are having… marital issues."

"Just friends?" she asked, raising a skeptical eyebrow.

"Okay, boyfriends," Yami admitted. "How did you figure that out?"

"Oh, I've been at this job for quite some time, and before that I was a rape counselor. Your boyfriend was raped by a man, yet that didn't seem to be the issue, just that he was raped in general." She looked at Yami with a warm expression, "There's another question I have to ask… was he sexually active before the incident?"

Yami blushed, "Yes."

"I'd assumed so. When we get to the hospital you will have the option of going to the police and pressing charges if that's what you want. Do you have any idea who the attacker was?"

Yami nodded. "But I don't think it will help to arrest him."

"Is he family?"

"No… it's complicated. I can deal with him myself."

The woman's eyebrows shot up again, alarmed.

"No! No I'm not going to do anything illegal." He assured her.

"Okay," she said, clearly not convinced. "Well. Is there anything I can do regarding…" she waved in the direction of Bakura's corpse.

"You probably figured out it was suicide, right?" Yami said quietly.

"Yes, I could see it in his eyes. I guess you know his reasons?"

Yami nodded, sadly. Ryou would be devastated, believe himself the sole cause of Bakura's death. Yami knew that he'd have to be the one to tell Ryou, when he came back from wherever he'd gone to escape the pain Bakura caused him.

"Want to talk about it?" the woman asked, "I am a certified counselor."

Yami sighed.

"If I could explain everything in a way that wouldn't make me sound crazy, I would."

The woman nodded, "I'm very sorry for your loss," she said, not pressing the issue.

"Thank you," Yami replied as the ambulance turned into the hospital.

Ryou felt a wave of nausea come over him that had nothing to do with the roller coasters. He stopped walking and leaned on a railing to steady himself.

"You okay Ry?" Joey asked, concerned.

"Yes—I think so… I don't know what just happened… I feel like I was hit by a train or something." He tried to continue walking but his knees buckled and he ended up clinging to Joey for support.

"Woah there," Joey said, helping him to a picnic bench to sit down. "You are most definitely not alright."

Suddenly Ryou's small body shuddered as if an electric current had torn through him. His eyes were wide and frightened. He turned to Joey. "Bakura…" he whispered. "He's… gone. I felt his soul… vanish—"

"Bakura died?" Joey asked, startled.

"I don't think so," Ryou said, suddenly looking puzzled. "I don't think he can d-die…" Ryou trailed off.

"But something definitely happened to him?" Joey asked.

Ryou nodded. Then he looked up at Joey apologetically. "I'm sorry I ruined your night," he looked on the verge of tears.

"You didn't," Joey assured him.

"Yes I did. I always fuck things up. I… it's like I'm cursed or something. I screwed up with Bakura the first time, and then when I finally had what I wanted, I had to go throw it away over something stupid! And look what it led to. Bakura's dead because of me!"

Joey didn't know what to say, He laid his hand on Ryou's arm understandingly.

"Is there anything I can do?" he asked.

"Well, maybe you can call Y-yami," Ryou hiccupped. I think that's where Ba-ku—" he couldn't finish the sentence, but Joey got the point. He went over to where Kaiba was standing a little ways away, having seen Ryou's need for privacy.

Ryou slumped forward onto the picnic table, head in his hands, sobbing. If he had been there, would he have been able to save Bakura from whatever had taken his life? If he hadn't run away from him, would Bakura still be around? He had no way of knowing, and he knew it was pointless even to wonder, but he still did. Had it been his fault?

Joey tapped Ryou lightly on the shoulder, trying not to startle him. The white haired boy turned around, and Joey handed him the phone.

"Ryou?" Yami's voice said.

"Y-yes?" Ryou responded, barely managing a whisper.

"Ryou… I'm so sorry," Yami began, "Bakura, well, he'd gone."

"I know," Ryou said, hollowly.

"Yes of course you would have felt it…" Yami trailed off, seemingly lost in thought.

Ryou cleared his throat, trying to dislodge the painful lump that had settled in it.

"What happened?" he asked, his voice cracking.

"He… killed himself. Oh Ryou, I'm so sorry, I should have seen it coming, I should have stopped it—"

Ryou cut him off, "No, it's my fault. He probably thought I hated him."

"Did you?" Yami asked quietly.

"I… I don't know. I know I don't anymore, now that I know how much he does care," Ryou laughed darkly at the irony.

"I'm at the hospital now, if you want to come… I had to bring Yugi in… I was trying to call you, but I didn't know where you'd gone. Bakura… well they need a family member to come and figure out what to do about… funeral arrangements and all that…" Yami trailed off again, not wanting to cause Ryou to cry again.

"I'll come," Ryou whispered, and he closed the phone.

He had been the cause of Bakura's death. He would have been able to prevent it if he'd been there. Because of him, Bakura would never be with him again, never love him, never hold him…

Sobs shook Ryou again, his slim body jerking painfully. Joey immediately rushed over to comfort him, but he pushed the blond aside. He didn't deserve to be comforted. He didn't deserve their kindness. He didn't deserve anything.

Joey backed away from Ryou, a little hurt but mostly worried. He could tell that Yami's news had not been good, and probably worse that Ryou had been expecting. He just hoped Ryou wouldn't do anything stupid, knowing it really wouldn't solve anyone's problems.

Ryou made no attempt to get up. His sobs eventually subsided, and his head slid off his arm to rest directly on the table. Joey knew from his rhythmic breathing that he was asleep.

"Seto," Joey said, "If you want to stay here with Mokuba, I'll take Ryou to the hospital."

"Mokuba's fine with Roland, I'll come with you."

Joey lifted Ryou from the bench, careful not to wake him. He slipped the boy's arms around his neck. He put one hand on Ryou's back, and, not quite sure what to do with the other, ended up awkwardly resting it on Ryou's hip. In his sleep, Ryou wrapped his legs around Joey's waist.

Joey determinedly kept his gaze away from the sleeping boy, and walked towards the entrance of the park.

A/N: Please please please review, I beg you!