Hello! So how was everyone's new year? My Mama's birthday is on new years. Congratulate her she's half a century now! ( She threw a pillow at me when I said that to her. Lol.) So here's the next chapter of ' To Save Myself.' Disclaimer: I don't own it. Enjoy!

Life And Death

Two weeks had passed since he had stopped playing the piano with Mr. Pegasus. In many regards he felt guilty. Oh, he didn't give it up completely. He still played at least four times a week. The vain streak within himself would not allow his talents to become less than it was or rusted. Atemu knew he would go back to the piano wholeheartedly someday. And when he did he still wanted to be the best. But for now it was his writing which had taken priority. His story was evolving rapidly. Between classes and during breaks, with every spare moment in fact he did nothing but write. Today was no different. He sat on the ledge of a beautifully carved marble fountain on the campus grounds. The weather was wonderful: No humidity, low winds and the sun shining at sixty degrees today. He wrote rapidly in the notebook balanced on his lap, his reading glasses folded on to the collar of his shirt just in case. A small tap on his head disrupted his winding trail of thought and he looked up then smiled.

Yugi smiled back then slid off his black backpack and sat next to Atemu on the fountain's ledge. " Hey you. You've been going at it since third bell." There was wonder and just a little annoyance there. Atemu leaned in and captured his love's lips in a sweet, gentle kiss. So soft. He was left powerless to the love that swelled in him every time Yugi was around. When oxegen became a necessity they broke apart and stared at eachother, their breaths a bit more labored than before. He took Yugi's hand in his and held on gently.

" I know, love. I don't mean to ignore you but-" Yugi put a finger to his lips and gave him a silencing look. Atemu smiled then kissed Yugi's finger and the younger boy smiled back.

" I know. You're in a very creative mood right now. And this story means so much to you. You've put so much of yourself in to this." Yugi lowered his hand from Atemu's lips then leaned forward and whispered in his ear. " Just don't forget about the people who exist outside of your head." Atemu laughed with his boyfriend then set his notebook and pen down so he could wrap his arms around his lover.

" You're always in my head, Yugi." Yugi giggled then detached himself from Atemu.

" So you won't protest if I come by your house for dinner tonight? After the game?"

" As long as you promise to be dessert." Atemu said, giving him a sultry look. Yugi laughed and lightly shoved his boyfriend in the shoulder. He could be such a terrible flirt sometimes. Yugi stood up then grabbed his backpack and slung it over his shoulder. He checked the time on his wristwatch then looked back at the other boy. " Come on. Fourth bell is almost over. We don't wanna be late. Again." Atemu sighed in a resigned fashion then looked back at his notebook. He fingered the edges of the page then made to turn it when...

" Ow!" He brought his finger to his mouth and lightly sucked on the digit faintly tasting his own coppery blood. Yugi's face filled at once with concern.

" You okay?" Atemu nodded and lightly flexed his hand.

" Yeah. Paper cut." Yugi smiled sympathetically and kissed him on the cheek. Now he felt better.

" Come on." At that moment the wind picked up, sending a flyer fluttering to Atemu where it was plastered to his right leg by the wind. He peeled it from his body and stared. It was a missing person's flyer. A pretty smiling girl was staring back at him photographed in black and white. The face was as familiar as the name. Miho Kuji. Atemu had met her a few times. She went to their university and was an art/music major. She played the violin, and she played exceptionally well. They had met and shared a few friendly conversations together, but not enough that he could really say she was a friend of his. An aquaintance more like. What he did know was that Miho was a friendly, bright, talented girl. And she had been missing for a month now. Atemu gathered the rest of his things then walked over to the post-board on the grounds, Yugi trailing behind him. He tacked the picture back in it's proper place, his eyes never leaving the photo even as his boyfriend squeezed his arm sympathetically.

" I hope they find her."

Miles away a young girl sceamed as the air rushed past her and the water slammed up to greet her in it's cold embrace. She couldn't swim anymore. She couldn't do alot of things anymore. Days of such screaming had left her voice hoarse and her body was so wracked with pain she was powerless to fight as the water began sapping her of what little strength she had left and the girl disappeared all too soon underneath the deep blue waves of Domino harbor.

" Rest in peace... Miho."

The cameras flashed brightly as a small group of people fought their way through a throng of television cameras and microphones as the reporters fired question after merciless question. " Mr. Kuji, what do you think you'll find in there?"

" Mr. Kuji, why do you think the killer targeted your daughter?"

" Mrs. Kuji, do you know who the killer might be?"

" Mr. and Mrs. Kuji! A comment please!"

" Officer! Do you think the killer will be found?" One of the police officers escorting the grieving couple to the building turned around and looked back at the reporter with unbridled disgust and indignation.

" One girl is dead and you already label this nut a serial killer? You people astound me." Though in the back of his mind the officer knew why this death was being so sensationalized. Domino city was a quaint little patch of land, quiet. Crime rates in the city were low. Hell, a cat stuck in a tree was big news around these parts. So it was understandable that a murder-and of a young girl no less, had shaken up this town. And the press were hungry-no starving even for a juicy story like this one. Understandable but not excusable. Inside it was even uglier. The officers led the parents through a set of double doors and then down a desolate hallway where every step echoed condemingly on the tile floor. The hall ended and another set of door opened to every parent's worst ordeal. The mourgue. The wall was lined with row upon row of small metal doors each one housing a dead body. One of them might be Miho's. It was up to her parents to identify her.

The guard unlocked the last door on the second row then slid the table out...and pulled back a white sheet. Mrs. Kuji screamed as he husband gripped her body preventing her form collapsing, neither one able to speak or stop their combined flow of tears. It was indeed their daughter. And she was dead. In another part of the building a court liason sat at a desk in his office typing a new file for the case records. Thirteen years in the buisness and never before had he heard of anything like this. The coroner's voice spoke to him through the earpiece as he typed out the grisly findings of the poor victim. ' Miho Kuji, nineteen year old white female. The autopsy began at 8:30 am on august 27th, 2011. Amputation of individual digits. Full metacarpal amputation aproximately two weeks later. Ragged cuts indicate leathal levels of amphedimine inducing a state of forced alertness. Suggesting the killer wanted the victim fully conscious during each limb removal. Cause of eventual death was drowning. With combined limb removal and signs of malnutrition the victim was unable to move in the water and predictably did not survive. The killer's intention made all the more apparent as the condition was as carefully planned as the eventual body disposal.' With a shaky sigh the liason stopped the tape recording and sat back in his chair re-reading what he had typed. The poor girl had been tourtured for a month. Forced awake to feel every cut, beating and dismemberment for a month.

" Jesus Christ."

The stadium was packed, the chatting crowd dressed in light coats and jackets to fend off the early fall's light chill. It was the biggest game of the season in the college. The Domino Raiders versus the Weston Dolphins. Weston and Domino had been competitive rivals practically since Jesus was a baby. This year Weston won the football game, Domino won baseball. Weston won basketball, Domino won hockey. Now it was soccer's turn. If they won this year then Domino would be one above their rival. The digital score board read Raiders: 0. Dolphins: 0. Above on the message board a large white cross appeared. The speakers blared to life and the sports announcer grabbed everyone's attention. " As you all know, Miho Kuji's body was discovered today. If we can... I'd like us all to take a moment of silence." Every student went quiet and bowed their heads in silent prayer. Atemu wasn't a very religious person. Still he prayed to whomever was listening that Miho was somewhere better now. After a moment the announcer brought everyone back to the present game, his enthusiasm on full throttle. " Now let's win this one for Miho Kuji!" The crowd exploded in cheers as the band began playing the school song.

The soccer teams ran out on to the field and the cheers got louder. Blue t-shirts and matching shorts lined on the sides with white. The word ' Raiders' was printed in bold white letters on the front. The player name and number on the back. Tonight they were all dressed the same against the cold of fall. Black knee-high socks with their cleats, and white long sleeved shirts under their team uniforms. Atemu scanned the players until he found a familiar shock of hair and a shirt who's back read ' Mutou. 07.' " Yeah! Yugi!" Yugi turned around and easily found his handsome boyfriend in the crowd. He smiled brightly and waved, then jogged over to his team mates. The challenging team, the Dolphins were dressed very much like the Raiders. Only their uniforms were green and white . The players took their places on the field as the referee held the black and white ball in his hand in the center of the field. The ball was tossed up... The horns blared... and the game began.

All done! So Yugi and Atemu got to have some lovey-dovey time. Enjoy this peace because next chapter everything goes to hell and back! MUAHAHAHAHAAAA! Please R&R and bless your happy happiness!