Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh.
"Talk"
'Thoughts'
Flashback/ Dream
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A deep sigh of contentment escaped her lips as consciousness slowly seeped into her mind. She snuggled closer to the source of warmth and comfort, all the while taking care not to jostle him too much. He had barely slept a wink during the past 48 hours and she was loathe to disturb him. He needed rest. He had been so worried, downright frantic with panic and worry, the others had told her.
A smile broke on her face and she moved even closer into his side if that was possible. Her Alistair, her boyfriend... no, her... A large smile split her face as she thought about what had happened just a few hours ago.
Flashback
"Oh God, please be okay Tea. I can't... I can't bear to see you like this. I can't lose you. Just... be okay." These were the words she heard upon gaining consciousness from her induced sleep. She opened bleary eyes to find Alistair sitting on a chair next to her bed, his hand clutching hers, his head resting on the bed by her side. She wanted to stroke his bowed head lovingly but felt too weak to move just yet.
"Alistair." She managed to whisper softly. He slowly raised his head and his grey orbs met her azure ones. There was silence as the two lovers gazed at each other.
"Tea." His one word had her breaking down in tears. She struggled to hold back her sobs, to control her shaking body, but to no avail. He was by her side immediately, his strong arms gently engulfing her in a protective embrace.
"Shh." He whispered soothingly to her. "Why are you crying? You are fine. You are going to be fine." She wrapped her arms around him, burying her head in his chest.
"I'm so happy you are here. I missed you so much." She sobbed.
"I missed you more than you can imagine." He told her, kissing the top of her head. "I wanted to see you and be with you every second of the day. I wanted to come and take you with me. But I never wanted to come in these circumstances." He pushed his body away so he could look her in the eye. "When I heard... I was so afraid. I thought..." He moved close to her again. "And when I got here and saw you lying on the bed, looking so pale... as if... as if..." His body shuddered and he tightened his grip on her. "I thought I would lose you."
"Shh..." It was her turn to calm him. She felt his fear through his thundering heart that was pressed against her. "I was never in any real danger. They wouldn't have jeopardized my health and safety."
"You looked so weak... so pale... I was afraid. I knew you were okay. They told me. They assured me but my heart... my heart was afraid." He admitted. "I never want to feel that way again. I never want to see you hurt again. I swear on your life and mine that I will never let any harm come to you."
"I love you." Tea said, tears running down her face. How she had missed his presence, his comfort, his love.
"And I love you." He said, lifting her face to sweetly kiss her pale lips. They pulled apart only to embrace again. Neither was willing to let go. Each had come close to the realization that they had almost lost the other, and now back in each other's arms, they were hesitant to separate. Alistair kept his arms around her, rubbing her back soothingly. Tea kept her arms around him, resting her head on his chest, breathing in his scent.
"Marry me." Alistair said after a few moments of silence. Tea lifted her face to stare into his serious eyes.
"Alistair... what..." She trembled.
"I love you more than anything in this universe, more than anyone or anything I have ever loved, past, present, or in memory. You are my sole reason for existence, my motivation for breathing. I can't imagine a life without you... and this experience..." He closed his eyes, suppressing a shudder that coursed through his body nonetheless. "This experience has made me realize that I can't live without you. If anything was to happen to you, I know now that I would follow you to whatever end."
"Oh Alistair." She whispered, tears streaming down her face. He gently wiped them away and spoke.
"I have been thinking about it for a long time now. I have wanted this with you since the moment we declared our love for each other, but was waiting for the perfect time, the perfect setting, the perfect atmosphere to ask you. But none of that matters. All that mattersis that we are together." He brought up her left hand and kissed her ring finger. "I don't have a ring with me right now. It's in France. I had it commissioned to be picked up when you moved in with me. I was planning on an elaborate proposal to sweep you off your feet. But I can't wait any longer. I refuse to wait any longer." He stared into her eyes again, holding her shaking hands in his steady ones.
"I want to marry you Tea Gardner. I want to spend every moment with you. I want to devote every breath to you. I want to commit every heartbeat to you. I want to be with you forever. Will you marry me?"
"Yes." She chocked, throwing herself into his embrace. "Yes, yes, yes. I will marry you. I love you. I have been waiting for this for so long. I love you. I love you so much." She pulled away only to kiss him passionately. He responded with equal fervor, gently pushing her body onto the bed. Only when Tea pulled away to take a deep breath did he realize her condition and pulled away. She let out a small noise of complaint, pulling him down for another kiss but he resisted.
"You need rest. Once you have fully recovered, we will celebrate this moment." He promised. "And I'll give you the ring along with the romantic and elaborate proposal."
"I'll pretend to be surprised." She winked. He smiled and kissed her.
"I should call the doctor and the others. They have been worried sick." He said, moving away from her but she gripped him tightly.
"No." She immediately said. "Can we stay like this for a little longer please?" He stared at her pleading face with soft eyes before nodding in agreement. After a few long moments of silence and comfort, Tea disengaged from him. He kissed her again before moving off the bed and leaving the room to call the others. She barely had time to adjust herself before the door was slammed open and Stan came barreling in.
"Tea, you are okay."
"St-umph." She hadn't even finished his name before her face was slammed into his chest as he fiercely hugged her.
"You had me so worried. I got the call from Stephen at an ungodly hour but it didn't matter. I immediately chartered a jet and got here as soon as I could. I wanted to personally make sure you were fine and healthy before I gave you an earful for nearly giving me a heart attack."
"I love you too Stan." Tea said with a smile. By then, Joshua, Stephen, Valon, and Mokuba had entered the room along with Alistair and a doctor.
"Tea, you are awake." Mokuba said, radiating joy.
"Hi guys." She said cheerfully to them.
"Don't you dare 'hi' us missy." Joshua said indignantly. "You nearly scared us to death. And caused us to get an earful from both Alistair and Stan." She had the decency to look sheepish.
"It's done and over now." Stan said with a tone of finality. "There is no need to discuss it anymore."
"Yes sir." Joshua said good-naturedly and Stan glared at him.
"If you are quite done with your greetings, I would like to check miss Tea." The doctor, who had stood silently, spoke.
"Of course. I apologize for my conduct." Stan said, immediately getting off the bed. The doctor smiled and moved closer to Tea.
"Hello miss Tea, I am Dr. Stephanie Elling. How are you feeling?"
"I feel tired and weak." Tea replied honestly.
"That is to be expected. You donated a lot of blood. We had you in an induced sleep for over 24 hours to allow your body to recover. You will require a few weeks to fully recover. I have prescribed medication to aid the process. I have also informed your friends of foods and nutrition you will require during the next 2-4 weeks. All that coupled with lots of rest should have you feeling back to normal." The doctor finished with a smile.
"Thank you. I will follow your instructions to the letter." Tea promised.
"I will make sure she does." Stan said in his 'I mean business' tone. The doctor nodded in satisfaction before leaving them. Mokuba was the first one to come near her and hug her gently.
"I'm so glad you are okay. I was so worried." He whispered so only she could hear. She smiled and rubbed his back soothingly. She could imagine how Mokuba must have felt. She was his best friend, his sister, his mother-like figure, his confidante, and his family of choice. He was attached to her and loved her, perhaps as much as he loved his brother if not more. Losing her would isolate him completely, leaving him alone and vulnerable.
"I promised to always be there for you. I wouldn't break that promise so easily." She assured him, referring to something she had said to him in his childhood, when she had started dating Seto Kaiba.
"I know." Mokuba said, resting his head on her shoulder, as if he was back to being a little boy. "I can't stop the fear from rising in my heart though. You were gone for over a year before I heard a word from you." She knew he was talking about the time she had left Domino for New York. Back then, she had been too hurt and depressed to have the courage to even think about Domino. She had cut off all ties with the city, even with Mokuba. Only after she had found herself again with the help of Stan had she contacted the poor boy to assure him of her well being.
"I felt scared like I did back then. I don't ever want to feel like that again, not when I have just got you." He admitted.
"Mokuba." She said, pushing him away to look into his eyes. "Things will never be like that again." She assured him. "Our relationship is out in the public now. Everyone knows about it, including your brother. There is no need for secrecy anymore so you can come visit me anytime you want, for as long as you want." She kissed his forehead affectionately and continued. "I will always be there for you, to welcome you and help you in any way that I can." Mokuba finally smiled and hugged her one last time before getting off the bed.
Tea turned to look at the others. Her eyes lingered on Valon who looked pained with guilt.
"Valon..." She sighed. He must have been beating himself over what had happened.
"I'm so sorry babe." He said, still not meeting her gaze or approaching her. "I never... I never wanted this to happen. I didn't think it would affect you like this. I... I was an idiot. I'm sorry."
"It's okay." She assured him. "You didn't know what would happen. None of us could have imagined any of this so don't beat yourself over it. I don't blame you for this. However, I am annoyed with you for lying to me and trying to trick me." She declared with a huff and crossing her arms. He finally looked up and cracked a smile.
"I'll take whatever punishment you dish out, I swear."He said.
"I'm sure Alistair and I can think of something." Tea said, her twinkling eyes meeting Alistair's smiling ones.
"No no." Valon said. "He already had a go at me when he came. He doesn't get another chance. And neither does Stan. Both of them ripped me to shreds."
"You deserved it for your stupidity." Alistair said crossly.
"Enough." Stan said loudly, before the two could start an argument. "Tea needs rest, and for that matter, so does Alistair."
"I am fine." Alistair said.
"You haven't slept since you came in yesterday. And I bet you didn't sleep during the flight either. That's easily over 36 hours. If you stay awake any longer, we will have to get another room in the hospital for you." Stan said.
"What? You haven't rested at all?" Tea said worriedly, looking at Alistair.
"I am fine. Don't worry about me." Alistair assured her.
"Bullshit." Stan said. "You need to rest or you will worry her and she won't be able to relax. If not for yourself, do it for her sake and get some sleep."
"Please Alistair." Tea pleaded. Alistair sighed and nodded his head.
"Good. Joshua can take you back to the mansion." Stan declared.
"No." Both Tea and Alistair spoke at the same time. Tea blushed in embarrassment while Alistair smiled.
"I am not leaving this room. It's big enough to house all of us. I'll sleep on the couch." Alistair said. Tea had gotten a VIP room in the hospital, complete with a private bathroom, a small sitting room, a TV, and a queen sized bed.
"No, it's not comfortable." Tea said. "You can sleep on the bed with me. It's big enough."
"I don't want to hurt you." He said.
"I am not injured. I just need some rest. I'll feel better knowing you are comfortable." She said.
"Fine." He said and turned to Stan. "Happy?" Stan nodded.
"Okay, you guys rest now. We will leave you. Is there anything you need?" Stan said, heading towards the door. Tea exchanged a look with Alistair before speaking.
"We have to tell you guys something." Stan paused and turned to stare at her. "We are engaged."
Four loud 'what's filled the air and she laughed.
"Alistair proposed."
"That's awesome." Joshua said excitedly.
"About time."Valon muttered.
"Congratulations." Stephen said with a smile.
"I was wondering when it would happen." Stan said.
"Mokuba?" Tea said, looking at the quiet boy. He was the only one who hadn't approached her with good wishes. He slowly walked towards her and gazed into her eyes.
"I'm so happy for you." He said, kissing her cheek. "You deserve all the happiness in the world."
"Thank you." She said, throwing her arms around him and hugging him. He was the link to her past, her connection to Domino, her old friend and honorary family member. He may not know it but his words and approval meant a lot to her.
"I think that's quite enough."Stan said. "We should leave and let Tea and Alistair rest." Everyone got up and headed towards the door.
"I'll come by in a few hours with dinner." Stephen said before they all exited. Tea turned to Alistair and smiled as he got into bed with her. She laid with him, snuggling into his embrace, sighing in content when he pulled her closer to his side.
"I missed this." She told him. He smiled and kissed the side of her temple.
"Me too." He closed his eyes, the exhaustion finally showing on his face. Tea adjusted the covers over them and closer her eyes, enjoying the blissful feeling that only his presence brought.
End flashback
Such a beautiful ending to a horrendous event. She never would have imagined in her wildest dreams what had occurred in the last two days, nor could she have predicted her reaction. She still couldn't figure out why she had acted that way. What had she been thinking? Deep down, she knew she hadn't thought anything. When she had gotten the call, she had just acted on instinct.
Flashback
"Take that you overconfident buffoon." Valon cheered as he viciously punched the buttons on the video game controller, eyes fixed on the TV screen. Sitting next to him, Joshua pushed the buttons on his controller with equal gusto, desperately trying to fight back. Valon had returned from his "walk" in a surprisingly good mood. Tea had asked but he had dismissed her questions and instead started playing the game with Joshua.
"Yes. Suck on that." Valon yelled in joy, slamming his controller on the carpeted floor as the words "Player 1 wins" flashed on the screen. Joshua made a face and immediately began demanding a rematch. Tea and Stephen watched their antics from a distance, knowing it was only a matter of time before the war of words would transition into a full blown wrestling match. Both were on guard just in case they needed to intervene.
Buzzz buzzz.
Tea reached for her vibrating cell phone and answered carelessly, trying not to laugh at Valon who was struggling to get out of Joshua's headlock.
"Tea..." She heard a broken, chocked sound. She couldn't identify the person.
"Yes. Who is this?" She carefully said.
"Tristan." The same voice answered in the same tone. Tea was immediately alerted. Something was wrong.
"What's wrong?" She hesitantly asked, hoping that Nina and Seraphina were okay.
"It's... it's Joey. He's dying." Tristan's sobs didn't register in her mind. Everything went blank.
"Wh... what?" She whispered.
"He... accident. Doctors say he won't... he won't make it." Tristan managed to say between cries. "He's lost too much blood. He needs blood."
Joey was dying.
He had an accident.
He had lost too much blood.
He was dying.
"No one will listen to us, but if you ask, someone will give him blood." Tristan begged helplessly. "Please, help him. Help me. I beg you. Please." She wanted to speak, to say something, anything, but words were stuck in her throat and breath was held in her lungs.
"I'd do anything... just help him. Help him." Tristan's cries of anguish pierced her heart and she wanted to say something. She wanted to speak, to move, to do anything. But she was frozen. An unknown force had rendered her immobile.
"Tea, what happened? Who is that?" Stephen had come to her, noticing her pale face.
"I... he..." She stared at Stephen with wide, fearful eyes.
"You are scaring me. Give me the phone." Stephen said, grabbing the phone from her hand and speaking to Tristan. By then, Joshua and Valon had noticed her state and were by her side.
"Tea, what's wrong? Are you okay?" Valon asked worriedly, rubbing her cold hands between his.
"Joey Wheeler was in a horrible accident. He is critically injured." Stephen informed them. Valon's face immediately mirrored Tea's, the color evaporating in an instant. If the other two had noticed it, they didn't comment.
"You need to sit down and take deep breaths." Stephen said to Tea, guiding her towards the couch but she wrung her hand from his grip.
"No, I need to go to the hospital. I have to go now." She said urgently.
"You need to calm down and-." Joshua tried but she cut him off.
"NO." She said loudly. "I have to go. I am his blood type. I can give him blood. He needs blood. I have to go."
"Very well." Stephen said. "But you can't go alone. You can't drive in the state you are in. I'll take you." He then turned to Joshua. "You and Valon go in a separate car. There are bound to be reporters at the hospital. I need to know where they are. Call the hospital to inform them of Tea's arrival and ask for a private entrance. Then, make sure it is secure and call me so I can bring her there." Joshua nodded, grabbing Valon and immediately leaving. Stephen went to the living room, grabbed Tea's bag, and then led her to the garage where Joshua's car was already missing. He carefully seated her, buckled her seat belt, and after securing his seat belt, he began driving. Throughout the drive, he glanced at her periodically but she was completely still.
She didn't show any outward emotion or resistance when he led her into the hospital. Joshua had already found the room where Joey was being kept and led them there.
The hallway rang with soft cries and sobs and Tea knew they had reached their destination. Her eyes fell on an agonized group of individuals. Serenity was sitting on a bench, crying loudly, her face pressed into Seto's chest. His face was grim, his arm wrapped stiffly around her shaking frame. Just two feet away was Mai sitting on the floor. She was crying softly, chanting Joey's name over and over again. Yugi was sitting beside her, trying to comfort her, his own face marred with tears. Tristan leaned against the wall, shuddering in emotional pain, his eyes focused on the door to Joey's room. Tear marks were visible on his face as well. He was the first to notice her.
"Tea?" He whispered in disbelief. Immediately, everyone's gaze turned to her, eyes widening in surprise. Serenity quickly recovered from the shock and looked up from Seto's arms.
"You." She spat angrily. "Are you here to mock us, to enjoy our pain, to celebrate my brother's death?" She would have physically attacked Tea in her anger and pain if not for Seto's grip on her.
"You ruined us. You ruined all of us. Wasn't that enough for you?" Serenity screamed. "What more do you want?"
"I'm here to give blood." Tea said in a steady voice that even surprised her. "I have the same blood type." Silence was their response.
"You do." Yugi finally said, as if remembering something long forgotten. "But how did you..." He left the question hanging there.
"I called her."Tristan answered. "I wanted her to ask others to help him. I had forgotten that she had the same blood type as Joey." Yugi turned to her, eyes shining with tears of gratitude.
"Thank you." He whispered. "Thank-."
"YOU." Mai yelled in a loud voice, leaping from her spot on the floor and menacingly advancing towards them. Stephen and Joshua immediately stepped in front of Tea to protect her. But Mai's gaze was focused on someone else. She passed them without a glance and stood before Valon. The sound of her slap to his face rang through the hallway.
"You did this to Joey. You hurt him. You killed him. You bastard." She continued to hit his chest, but with each word, her blows became weaker and weaker until she was slumped against him, her body shaking with sobs.
"I should never have listened to you. I should never have given you a chance. You killed him. You killed him." Valon's face contorted in regret at her words.
"Mai... I'm sorry. I didn't know... I didn't even imagine... I'm sorry."
"I hate you. I hate you. You hurt my Joey. You hurt him."
Everyone else watched the scene with confusion and surprise.
"What's going on?" Serenity asked, staring between Valon and Mai.
"That can be figured out later. Right now, I believe you are in need of a blood donation." Stephen said. "Where do we need to go?"
"Oh right." Tristan said, turning his gaze away from the bizarre scene. "Come with me." Tea, Stephen, and Joshua began following Tristan. Valon gently pried Mai's hands off him and followed them.
"If anything happens to Joey, I will never forgive you." Mai breathed to his disappearing back.
Tea met with the doctor treating Joey, who was glad to have a blood donor and immediately ordered a quick blood test to confirm that the blood was safe. After a few moments of wait, Tea was cleared to donate. As the nurses around her prepared to carry out the procedure, Stephen turned to Tea.
"I will call Stan and Alistair and let them know of this." She nodded gratefully at him.
"Is there anything you want us to do, anything you need?" Joshua asked.
"Don't tell Joey it was me." Tea said, again surprising herself with her words. Joshua raised a questioning eyebrow but didn't inquire any further.
"I'll ask the doctors and his friends to do that." He assured her. She smiled in gratitude and made herself comfortable on the bed she was sitting on. She knew that after the rather large blood donation, she won't be moving from it for a while.
End flashback
As she thought about that day, confusion overcame her. She still couldn't figure out why she had reacted the way she had. The choking fear she had experienced after hearing Tristan's words didn't make any sense to her. She hated Joey. She wanted him to be hurt. She wanted him to suffer. She wanted to cause him pain and suffering, just as he had done to her. Then why the overwhelming desire to help him when he needed it?
She had tried to rationalize it by telling herself that it was the right thing to do. She would have done the same for anyone else. But with Joey, there had been no thought process involved in the decision. It had been immediate, like a reaction born from instinct. That was what confused and scared her. It implied that she didn't feel as negatively about him as she had previously imagined, as she wanted to.
She was glad she had decided not to tell Joey of her identity. That had been a surprise decision as well but she was glad she had made it. She wasn't ready to face him. She was utterly confused about her feelings. She wanted to learn of the motivation behind her actions. She knew Joey would want to talk to her as soon as he learned of her identity and actions, and would demand an explanation that she didn't have. Her selfless gesture contradicted what she had done to them in the past, and reflected weakness. She would not go before Joey without a solid defense for her behaviour. She won't be weak.
The door to the room opened and Mokuba and Stephen walked in. The delicious smell of food reached her nostrils and she knew this was the dinner Stephen had promised her. Carefully separating herself from Alistair, she sat up.
"Hungry?" Mokuba asked with a grin which she reciprocated.
"Starving." She replied.
"Me too." Alistair spoke from beside her.
"Did I wake you?" She asked apologetically. He shook his head and got off the bed. Stephen handed them food containers.
"I got it from that Korean place you like." Mokuba said and she smiled gratefully at him, digging in. The others did the same.
"Where are Stan, Joshua, and Valon?" She asked between bites.
"Back at the mansion. Stan hadn't properly slept since he came to Domino and he was getting crankier by the minute." Stephen answered.
"You know how old people are." Mokuba added with a wink.
"Joshua dragged him out of here so he could rest and stop verbally abusing us." Tea laughed openly at Stephen's words. "Valon wanted to escape from Alistair so he went with them. I'll be here all night."
"You don't have to do that. Alistair is here with me. I'll be fine with him." Tea said and Stephen smiled at her concern.
"I'd prefer to stay here, away from Stan." The rest of their dinner proceeded in silence. Once Mokbua had thrown away the empty containers, he got up to leave for the night. When he hugged Tea for the night, she held him close and whispered so only he could hear.
"Mokuba, did you..." She hesitated. "Have you seen Joey?" Mokuba shook his head.
"No. But I'm due for a visit. I'll go when I get the chance and let you know how he is doing." Tea shot him a grateful smile and settled comfortably back in bed. Alistair had a quick and hushed conversation with Stephen before joining her, wrapping his arm around her.
Silent sobs overtook his body, jostling his limbs, shooting pain down his entire torso, but he welcomed it. Physical pain was better than the emotional pain he was feeling.
So it was true. It was Tea. It had been her who had saved his life.
"I'm sorry Joe." Tristan spoke in a low tone. "At that time, I couldn't think straight. I was desperate. I needed someone, anyone to help us. I couldn't let you die. I would have done anything to save you."
"Stop." Joey begged. "Just stop, please. I can't... I don't want to hear anymore."
"I'm sorry. I knew you wouldn't be happy with it but-."
"I don't deserve this." Joey cut him off. "I don't deserve any of this. I don't deserve your friendship. I don't deserve Yugi's kindness. Most of all, I don't deserve anything from Tea. I don't even deserve pity."
"I don't think she helped you out of pity." Tristan said quietly. "In the past, whenever one of us was in trouble, the rest of us just reacted without conscious thought or care of consequences. I think Tea did just that."
"Instinct." Joey repeated forlornly. "I wonder if I have any instincts remaining or if I have been trained too well to ignore them and simply follow instructions."
"Don't say that." Tristan immediately reprimanded. "You're not an animal."
"But that's exactly what I am." Joey repeated without emotion. "I followed commands and instructions, ignoring what my gut told me. I behaved like a circus animal, putting on a show for everyone to see, all for a reward from someone who claimed to have my best interest but was lying through their teeth."
"Joey." Tristan was speechless.
"I devoted my life to someone who slowly poisoned me, all with a smile on her face." Tristan had the uncontrollable desire to ask what had happened between Mai and Joey. He knew Joey was referring to Mai, but he knew that now was not the time. Joey was already in a vulnerable state. Everything was crumbling around him, leaving him bare. He was lost. He needed to turn away from his decaying relationship with Mai for the time being and focus on himself. He needed emotional as well as physical therapy to be himself again, and Tristan was more worried about the emotional therapy.
The door opened and a smiling Yugi entered. But as soon as his eyes fell on a sombre Tristan and an emotionally distressed Joey, the smile disappeared.
"What's wrong?" He immediately asked, closing the door behind him. "Is everything okay?"
"Joey knows about Tea." Tristan informed Yugi who sighed in relief before shooting Joey a sympathetic look.
"We had no choice Joey. We were desperate." Yugi defended their actions, of the belief that Joey was upset at having been helped by Tea.
"I know Yugi." Joey replied. Silence occupied the room. Yugi could tell that Joey was fighting an emotional war within himself. The expression on his face was a dead giveaway. He reminded himself to ask Tristan before he left for the night.
"How is she?" Joey asked, breaking the silence. Both glanced at him in surprise.
"I am not sure." Yugi replied slowly. "Mokuba told me she is well. Alistair is here with her, along with her manager, a guy named Stan."
"Have you seen her?" Joey asked.
"No." Yugi shook his head. Besides him, Tristan did the same. "I am here during the night and I don't want to disturb her."
"Nina said she looked pale and weak, but that is to expected after a large blood donation." Tristan said.
"I want to see her." Joey said after a small pause.
"I don't think that's a good idea." Tristan said in an uncomfortable tone.
"Why?" Joey demanded. "I'm not going to do anything to her. It's not like I can." He glanced at his immobile body. "I just want to talk to her."
"I don't think it's possible." Yugi said.
"You two are good with her now, aren't you? Why can't you ask her?" Joey said. "I just want to talk, I swear." He assured them. They looked unconvinced. "If you don't do this for me, I'll just have to go see her myself. I'll rip off these IVs and crawl to her room if I have to, but I'll do it." He warned them.
"Joey-." Tristan tried to placate him but he cut him off.
"I have to see her. I have to talk to her. I just have to... please." He said in a low voice, eyes begging them to understand. Yugi sighed in defeat.
"I'll try to talk to her and ask." Joey smiled in gratitude.
"Absolutely not." Stan said. Yugi's face fell.
"I understand your concern but-." He tried but Stan's barking laugh caused him to stop.
"You understand?" Stan mocked. "Don't insult me. You understand nothing. If I told you the truth, if I told you just what you all did to her, how much you actually hurt her, you won't want to live anymore. I refuse to give you the opportunity to hurt her again." Shame and guilt coloured Yugi's face.
"You are right. We don't know the results of our actions. We can't even begin to imagine what she must have gone through. I also know that we are not deserving of another chance after what we did, but we are not asking for that. We just want a chance to apologize."
"Of course. Your loud mouth, hot headed friend just wants to apologize." Stan scoffed.
"Yes." Yugi replied. "Tea's actions have affected him deeply. I know he has no intentions of hurting her, or even saying an unkind word to her. He just wants to talk to her, to thank her personally."
"No." Stan said, not wavering from his original decision.
"Please..." Yugi begged. "Just for one last time, let us talk to her. I swear to you we won't bother her again."
"I will not change my decision Mr. Motou." Stan said coldly. "Please refrain from bothering me with such requests in the future." With that, he walked towards Tea's room, leaving a disappointed Yugi standing in the hallway. Unknown to them, Mokuba had heard the entire conversation. He had been on his way to talk to Yugi and get another update on Joey's condition when he had heard them talking.
So Joey wanted to meet Tea. This didn't come as a surprise to Mokuba. He had imagined Joey would want to once he found out. It was surprising that he had found out so quickly. The level of hostility that Tea's name previously brought among the gang had disappeared. Even Serenity had stopped cursing the name with every breath, as was her norm. Now she avoided the name and any related topic all together. After all, it was difficult to hate the person who had saved her brother's life. Perhaps that had been Joey's clue.
And from what he had seen and heard, Mai wasn't on good terms with anyone in the gang. Of course he knew exactly what had happened. Valon had confessed. And without Mai's constant poisoning of Joey's mind, he was free to think for himself. It was obvious that after finding out about Tea's gesture, he wanted a chance at redemption just like Yugi and Tristan. The other two had made a sort of peace with Tea but Joey had stuck to his guns, or more appropriately, Mai's guns. Now unarmed and free, he was ready to talk.
However, he wouldn't get the chance if Stan had anything to do with it. Mokuba had noticed that Stan was fiercely protective of Tea. The man was like a mother lioness, protecting her cub. He snarled at anyone who mentioned anything that could harm Tea, be it something as small as a scratch. He was unrelenting in his efforts to protect Tea, even from things that Tea approved of but he didn't. Case in point was Mokuba himself. This had been the first time he had met the man who had saved Tea and made her what she was today. He hadn't been received warmly. Instead, Stan regarded him with caution. Mokuba was sure he was only allowed to be with Tea because Tea loved him like a younger brother. But he was sure that if given the chance, Stan would remove Tea from him completely. Perhaps Stan was suspicious of Mokuba's intentions because of his relationship with Seto. Or perhaps he was of the view that Mokuba was a constant reminder of Tea's past and Stan wanted her to move on. Mokuba had heard him say those words to Tea. In Stan's eyes, moving on meant forgetting the past by breaking all ties with it. And that was why he was unwilling to let Tea meet with Joey.
Mokuba admired the man for the love he bore Tea. It was obvious that he cared for her greatly and only wanted what he thought was best for her. But he didn't know Joey, or for that matter the Tea who had been friends with Joey, the very same Tea who had helped Joey in his hour of need without a blink. It was that Tea who had secretly asked Mokuba to check up on Joey and update her on his condition. And that Tea would want to meet with Joey.
Yugi blankly stared at the documents spread out on the table in front of him. He was staring at the letters but couldn't focus on a single word. His mind was focused on the task at hand, made impossible by Stan's refusal. How was he to get Tea to meet Joey now? He couldn't even talk to Tea.
Ever since Stan had entered the picture, he had taken over every decision related to Tea. He was to be consulted on everything that had anything to do with Tea, be it a check-up by the doctor or a visit from a friend. Everyone was on a tight leash, including Mokuba. Nina had learnt that from her visit. That's why Yugi had approached the male. But he had refused to even consider the request. And from the tone of his voice and attitude, Yugi knew there was no wiggle room. Stan meant it. He wouldn't allow them to meet with Tea.
Yugi glanced at a sleeping Joey. How was he going to tell him?
A gentle knock on the door interrupted his musings. He went to investigate and found a nervous looking Mokuba.
"Come on in." Yugi said, moving to the side, thinking Mokuba was here to get another update on Joey's condition. But the teen shook his head.
"I came to tell you that Tea has agreed to meet Joey." Yugi's eyes widened in disbelief. How was that possible? How did she know? Did Stan tell her?
"I heard your conversation with Stan and told Tea." Mokuba informed him. "She will come to Joey's room tomorrow night on the condition that you promise not to bother her in the future." Yugi shifted uncomfortably at the condition. Did it mean this would be their last meeting with Tea?
"Very well." Yugi said. This was more than what he had been hoping for. At least they would get to talk to her in private.
Tea's palms sweated profusely as she waited for Mokuba to come. In just a few minutes, she would be on her way to Joey's room. After Mokuba had informed her of the conversation between Yugi and Stan, she had been conflicted on what her response should be. A part of her wanted to do it, to meet Joey, to see him alive and recovering, and to finally confront him. But she was afraid of what she would feel upon seeing him. She knew this meeting would be unlike their previous ones because the animosity and anger they felt towards each other was no longer present. Instead, there was a myriad of emotions that she refused to dwell upon, fearful of what she might discover, and she knew Joey must be feeling the same.
Perhaps that was the reason Stan had refused Yugi's request. Stan knew her emotions better than her sometimes. He must have known her conflicted state of mind and to save her the confusion and pain, he must have refused. He was only looking out for her and she loved him for it. It was her love and respect for him that initially led her to consider refusing Yugi's request. But after only a few minutes of careful thought, she realized she wanted to see Joey. She wanted to talk to him as she had with Yugi and Tristan. She wanted some sort of closure to satisfy herself.
A wave of guilt washed over her. Going against Stan's advice to satisfy her wishes had gotten her in trouble before, and she was going to repeat it and hide it from him too. No one knew of her plans to meet with Joey save Mokuba and Alistair. She had told Alistair her feelings on the issue and sought his counsel. After a bit of hesitation, Alistair had given in to her, reluctantly becoming a participant in the plan to distract Stan so Tea could meet with Joey. At that very moment, Alistair was somewhere in the hospital with Stan. Tea had feigned sleep, allowing Alistair the opportunity to take Stan away from her room to discuss Tea's move out of USA. Mokuba had been left in charge of Tea's room until their return. As soon as they had disappeared out of sight, Mokuba had left to get a wheelchair for Tea. Though she was able to walk, she could not do so quickly and for a long period of time. Joey's room was relatively far from her room. It was more efficient for her to allow Mokuba to quickly wheel her there rather than she walk herself. This would save her time and energy.
"You ready?" Mokuba asked, opening the door and bringing a chair in.
"How did you get the chair?" Tea asked, sitting in it. He sheepishly rubbed his neck.
"I took it when no one was looking." Tea raised an eyebrow of amusement and he blushed. "I couldn't think of a good lie." She laughed and allowed him to take her out of the room.
"You didn't answer my question." He said as he broke into a light run. Tea didn't reply for a few moments.
"I am not sure." She said honestly.
"You'll be fine." Mokuba assured her. "You're stronger than you think." She smiled at his words. He stopped in front of a door to a VIP room and looked at her.
"Here we are." She took a deep breath to steady her erratically beating heart. "I'll be right here if you need me." He told her.
"You're not going to come in?" She asked. He shook his head.
"I think you should do this by yourself. You need this." She smiled softly at him in maternal pride.
"When did you get so mature?" He blushed in embarrassment and chuckled.
"Don't tell anyone." He said teasingly, slightly opening the door for her. She wheeled herself in the room, steeling herself to face whatever may come.
Joey nervously shifted his eyes away from the door. Tea would be entering through those doors very soon to talk to him. She had accepted his request for a meeting. Ever since Yugi had informed him of that, he had felt a nervous anticipation. He had spent the entire time trying to think of something to say but every time he drew a blank. Shame and regret left no room for anything else. He wondered if Yugi and Tristan had felt the same when they had confronted Tea.
He glanced around the room and saw both guys sitting stiffly in chairs. Joey knew they were as nervous as he. How was Tea feeling about all this? She had agreed to meet with him but did she know she would be facing Yugi and Tristan as well?
His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the door opening. He turned his eyes to see her wheel herself in the room in a wheelchair. The sight caused his heart to constrict for a number of reasons. She did not meet his gaze right away and continued to move closer to the bed. When she was satisfied with her position, she looked up. The silence that followed was deafening. Joey stared at her pale face. Her bright eyes regarded him with caution and anticipation. The last time he had gazed into those orbs, they had been glistening with tears he had caused. His mouth dried up, and his limbs become numb. In a dumb silence, he stared at her until he felt liquid slipping down his cheek. He suddenly realized that it was a tear.
"I..." He tried but he couldn't find the words. His mind was filled with a silence so loud that he could not comprehend anything else.
"Thanks for coming Tea." Yugi came to his rescue and spoke. Tea didn't turn to look at him as she answered.
"I have not told anyone of this visit." She informed them. "So I don't have much time." Joey knew this was directed at him. He had called her here. He had wanted to speak to her. Now was the time to do it.
"Tea..." He struggled in a chocked voice. "I... thanks..." She stiffly nodded her head. "I don't deserve this... not after what I did. I'm..." His voice broke down. Silent sobs rocked his body, causing waves of pain to shoot through his body but he embraced it. "I can't even say that I'm sorry. I have sunk so low that I have to redeem myself first to be at the stage where I am deserving of the consideration of forgiveness. But I want you to know that I regret what happened between us. I regret all that I did. I wish..." He closed his eyes, causing more tears to leak out. "I wish none of it had happened... that I hadn't allowed myself to be fooled by pride and anger, hadn't fallen for a selfish person who caused me to turn my back on my family of choice... that I..." He sighed and turned away. "I'm sorry Tea. I'm sorry Yugi and Tristan. I'm more sorry than you can imagine. And I'm ashamed of myself. I caused our group to fall apart. I destroyed our friendship."
Tea listened to all this with a rapidly beating heart. She watched the proud Joey Wheeler break down in a shameful mess, unable to meet the eyes of any of his old friends. From the corner of her eyes, she saw Tristan and Yugi express similar emotions. Even she was hesitant to directly look at them, afraid of what she would feel. As seconds ticked by, she realized that this was the end. They were over. Their friendship was over. The bonds they had forged over the years were broken, never to be repaired. Time and pain had created too great a rift between them, one that could never be mended. Every happy memory they had shared was now interlaced with pain, regret, and shame, never to be recalled without experiencing those emotions. It was easier to forget their past than suffer the loss of the love they had once shared.
The realization left a heavy feeling in her heart. She knew it was sadness. They had been great together. They had faced so many obstacles, so many challenges with grace and courage, using their love for each other to strengthen them. Who could have predicted such a sad end to their friendship? Yet here they were, no different than awkward strangers, afraid and hesitant to speak to one another.
"I will be leaving the hospital tomorrow and possibly leaving Domino the day after tomorrow." She spoke to end the long period of silence. "I don't think I'll return." They all looked up at her but no one spoke for a while.
"So... this is goodbye?" Yugi hesitated, afraid to say it. She nodded her head.
"Tea..."Yugi began in a small voice. "I... I want to ask you to stay, to give our friendship another chance... but I know that is not possible. I can't ask that of you in good conscious, no matter how much I want it." He swallowed painfully before continuing. "I know we won't see you again after this so... so... I want to say again that I'm sorry for all that happened, for all that I did, for all that we did."
"I can't forgive you... not yet." Tea whispered. "I just can't... "
"Don't." Joey spoke. "I am not deserving of it and I do not expect it either. I will live the rest of my life with the shame and regret of hurting you. But even that is a easy punishment for me." Tea opened her mouth to answer but was interrupted by a gentle knock on the door. Mokuba poked his head in apologetically.
"Sorry but we need to be heading back or we will get in trouble." Tea nodded her head at him. She then turned to the guys but only stared. What was she to say? What could she say to the people who had once been her heart, her soul, her strength and pride, those who had turned into her pain, her despair, and her nightmares? How did one end a relationship that was interwoven into every fiber of the body?
"Thanks for giving me the chance to say what I needed to say." Joey spoke. "Though I didn't deserve it, I'm grateful." Tea slowly nodded.
"I wish you all the best in your recovery." She said. She couldn't find anything else to say but she meant what she had said. She turned to Yugi and Tristan. "Yugi, I want you to know that I am honoring grandpa's last wish as best as I can. I would be lying if I said that I completely forgive you but I don't hate you either." Yugi shot her a grateful look, knowing how difficult it was for her to forget her grudge and patch things up with him as best as was possible.
"Tristan, I won't be able to meet Nina or Seraphina so tell them I said goodbye. I wish you and your family all the best for your future." She quickly wheeled herself out of the room before she could lose her resolve and cry. Mokuba grabbed her chair and began running towards her room.
"Did you say all that you needed to say?" He asked, entering her mercifully empty room.
"I think so." She replied, getting in bed and adjusting the covers. Mokuba smiled sadly and kissed her cheek.
"You're a kind and brave person Tea. I'm proud of you." She smiled in return and closed her eyes, willing the moisture that had gathered there to stay in. She would not cry.
Mokuba didn't bother trying to be quiet as he entered the Kaiba mansion late at night. He knew Seto would be awake and waiting. Besides, he wanted his brother to be awake and speak with him. That was the only way Mokuba could tell him the news. As he had expected, Seto was standing on top of the stairs, watching him. Mokuba didn't meet his gaze as he walked past him towards his room.
"You took longer than usual." Seto said, following him. "Any particular reason?"
"I wanted to spend as much time with Tea as I could." Mokuba answered.
"You can see her tomorrow as well. You shouldn't compromise your health by losing sleep." Seto said.
"I will see her tomorrow but not for a while after that." Mokuba said.
"What do you mean?" Seto asked. Even though Mokuba couldn't see Seto's face, he knew what expression his brother must be wearing.
"She is leaving tomorrow." He said. "She will be discharged from the hospital early in the morning and leaving Domino in the evening. Valon's already left." The footsteps following him halted. He knew his would happen but he had to do it. He had to let Seto know. Tea was leaving Domino for good. She was cutting off contact with her past. Mokuba would be the only one allowed to visit. She had made her peace with her friends but not Seto, and deep down, Mokuba felt that she needed that. Both Seto and Tea needed some sort of closure. His brother needed a shot at forgiveness, at redemption, however stretched the definition of the term may be in this case. And Mokuba wanted to give that to him.
"She's... leaving?" Seto finally spoke.
"Yes. The doctors have declared her fit for travel " Mokuba replied. "I'll be going to her place in the morning and won't be back until late night." With that, he entered his room and closed the door. He had given all the information he could give to his brother. Now it was up to Seto to decide what he needed to do.
The door to Joey's room opened slowly and he waited for the person to appear in his line of sight. He didn't need to hear or turn his head. He already knew who it was. Yugi had told him. In fact, Yugi had begged him to see her and it was only for the sake of his friend that he was doing this.
"Joey..." Mai said in a broken voice, standing a few feet away from him. He wondered if she was hesitant to approach him because she thought she would hurt him or because she felt some modicum of shame.
"What do you want?" He said curtly.
"I'm so sorry Joey." She broke down in tears. "I never wanted this to happen. I never wanted to hurt you. I love you." He scoffed at the mantra he had heard one too many times.
"If you have said what you need to say, then leave." He said without emotion. He wouldn't waste anything on her anymore, not time, not emotion, nothing.
"Please Joey, understand that-."
"I do understand."He cut her off. "For the first time in years I truly understand. And so I can't continue this anymore. I can't continue to lie to myself. I can't go one pretending that what happened was right, what you did was right. I can't allow myself to be fooled by your lies and be manipulated by you."
"I never lied to you. I loved you. I still love you. You have to believe me." She begged desperately.
"I don't believe you." He said softly. "Even if I want to, even if I desperately try to, I just can't. I no longer trust you Mai. I can never trust you. You cost me too much already. I can't afford to lose anymore."
"Joey... oh Joey..." She sank to the floor, tears streaming down her face. He watched her break down but he couldn't feel anything for her, not anger, not sympathy, not even pity. There was just an empty feeling, and he wasn't sure if that was good or bad.
"We are done." He said, driving the final nail in the coffin. "I no longer want to see you or be affiliated with you."
"Joey please-." She begged.
"Yugi and Tristan will be over to pack up my things this evening. Tomorrow, they will move everything out of the house. I have spoken with them about the division of property that we jointly acquired. If you want to keep our current lawyer, inform Tristan and he will arrange for one for me. We can separate our assets amicably and be out of each other's lives." He said dispassionately.
"You can't throw away years of love, years of hardships and memories." Mai said. "This is just another obstacle we have to overcome and we can do it Joey. We are stronger than this. Our relationship is stronger than this. We can make it. Just give us another chance. Give me another chance. I can change. I can become who you want me to be. Please... please don't do this. You are my world. I love you."
"There is nothing between us anymore, nothing by distrust and pain." He said.
"You can't deny that you love me. You still love me. You are angry, I understand that but-."
"I don't love you." Joey said, shocking her into silence.
"Wh... what?" She whispered. "You... you are lying. You... you..."
"I don't love you. I don't feel anything for you, not anger, not hate, not sympathy, nothing. I don't feel anything for you." He told her honestly.
"No, you're lying. You're... " She sobbed harder.
"I have said what I needed to say." He said, again surprised that he wasn't at least moved to pity by her pleas and tears. "I have nothing more left for you. Leave."
"Joey listen... please try to understand... I... this... you don't mean this... you..." Mai cried but Joey had finally had enough. Without a blink or change in expression, he called out Tristan's name, knowing that the male was waiting outside the door. Within a few seconds of his call, Tristan entered the room.
"We are done." He said with a tone of finality. Mai cried harder. Tristan sighed and went to Mai, helping her to her feet. She turned towards Joey as if to move closer to him but Tristan kept his grip on her and led her out of the room. Joey could hear her wails and pleas long after the door to his room had closed. Again he was surprised at his lack of emotion, positive or negative. He hadn't felt any anger at her presence, nor did he feel any joy at her absence. There was just emptiness.
"You okay Joe?" Tristan's voice broke his solemn mood.
"I think so." He answered honestly. "At least I hope so." Tristan shot him a small smile.
"It may not feel like it at the moment, but you are." Tristan assured him. "The hard part is over."
"You think so?" Joey asked, hope leaking into his words.
"Yeah. I feel like the worst is over." Tristan said. "We are back together as friends, as we should be."
"Not completely though." Joey said. He didn't need to say it completely. Tristan knew.
"Yeah." He said with a sigh. "But three out of four isn't so bad, is it?" He tried in a hopeful tone. Joey finally cracked a smile.
"No it's not." He agreed. Three out of four wasn't bad at all. It was a whole lot better than one out of four. Even as he repeated it in his mind, he knew he didn't believe it, not in this case. But he knew that for the rest of his life, he would repeat that to himself, as would Yugi and Tristan.
Seto rang the bell of the giant mansion repeatedly, not caring if it bothered the occupants inside. He wanted to make as much noise as he could. He wanted everyone to know he was there because if everyone knew, then she would too. And she wouldn't deny him an audience. He just knew she wouldn't.
"What the hell." Joshua's angry face appeared on a screen mounted on the wall by the bell. "Go away. You are not welcome here."
"Says you." Seto scoffed. "And I don't care about you. Let me in."
"No."Joshua said plainly and the screen turned off. Seto glared at it for a few seconds before taking out a small screwdriver and a microchip. He used the screwdriver to open the case that had the bell as well as a number pad underneath it. Seto knew it was to open the door from the outside. Without wasting a minute, he inserted the chip in a small space and turned to get his laptop. If they won't let him in willingly, then he would hack his way in but God dammit he was getting in. He was going to see Tea and nothing was going to stop him.
"What are you doing?" The screen was lit again with Joshua's face.
"Getting in." Seto replied.
"You're a jackass." Joshua said. Seto's eyes narrowed at the insult and he opened his mouth to retort when Joshua spoke again. "Fine, come right in. I'll open the door." Before Seto could shoot him a smug look of victory, the screen was off again. Seto was getting very annoyed with the male. He didn't have time to dwell on his dislike for Joshua because the door opened. He retrieved his microchip from the control pad and entered the property. He didn't have to knock on the house door. It opened to reveal the infuriating male before he reached it.
"Why are you here?" Joshua asked.
"I want to see Tea." Seto said.
"No." Joshua replied curtly.
"You can't stop me. I thought you would have learned by now." Joshua scoffed at his arrogance.
"You can't program me with a chip so I'll be harder to overcome."
"If you prefer, I can use a language you understand." Seto said, taking a menacing step forward. Joshua's eyes narrowed in challenge.
"Bring it on."Seto didn't waste another second and tackled Joshua who fell backwards into the house, Seto on top. But he recovered remarkably quickly and tossed Seto off him, quickly grabbing his leg to drag him out of the house. Seto used his other leg to kick him but Joshua had anticipated that and smartly dodged it. Seto jerked his body, causing his leg to slip out of Joshua's hand but before he could stand up, Joshua was on him, pinning him to the ground. Seto managed to wiggle one arm out and delivered a punch to the side of Joshua's face. He growled in anger and smartly punched Seto's face. A world of pain exploded behind Seto's eyes and thrashing in anger, he lashed out with fists. Joshua retaliated with equal ferocity and the two engaged in an all out brawl, rolling and spitting like two angry dogs.
"What the hell is going on here?" Stan's booming voice immediately froze them. "Joshua, get off him." With a grunt, Joshua let go of Seto's collar and the two males disentangled.
"Mr. Kaiba, you have no business here. Leave the premise immediately." Stan commanded. Seto shot him a nasty glare and stood his ground.
"No. I'm here to see Tea and I won't leave until I talk to her."
"That will not happen so don't bother wasting your time and mine." Stan said. "From what I saw, you were having trouble against Joshua. You won't hold up against two of my guys so save your dignity and leave."
"You can bring as many guys as you can, I don't care. I'm not leaving until I speak with Tea." With that declaration, Seto began calling her name loudly, hoping that she would hear him. He knew if she heard him, she would come to him. Stan, knowing what Seto was thinking, motioned to Joshua who advanced towards Seto again. But the damage was done. Tea appeared on top of the stairs, leaning against Alistair for support. Stephen and Mokuba stood beside her.
"What is going on here?" She asked, eyeing Seto's and Joshua's rumpled forms.
"Tea, I need to speak with you... privately." Seto said, locking eyes with her.
"I already told you that the answer is no." Stan growled. "Get it through your stubborn head."
"You can't make decisions for her like that. You don't control her." Seto said angrily.
"This is not just my decision." Stan said with a sneer and Seto scoffed.
"Then let her say it. Or are you afraid that she won't follow your orders and the real Tea will speak her mind?" Seto taunted.
"Real Tea?" Stan yelled angrily. "Do you mean the Tea you once knew, the one you hurt? Your Tea?"
"Yes." Seto replied without hesitation.
"Then I have bad news for you. This is not your Tea. Your Tea is dead." Stan said. "Her body is lying in a dark alley in New York, left to rot there by the four men who gang-raped her." Seto's mouth opened in shock at his words. This wasn't possible. It couldn't be. Please God, don't let that be. Stan continued, much to Seto's growing horror. "If she's not there, then try her dingy apartment located in one of the worst neighbourhoods in the city. You will find her lying on a used futon, having overdosed on sleeping pills, that is if she wasn't accidently shot in a gang brawl common to her neighbourhood." Seto's body shook and he unsuccessfully tried to steady himself. But when he looked up and met Tea's tearing eyes, his resolve crumbled. All his strength was sapped in an instant. His knees felt weak and he unsteadily wobbled.
"Did you think her life in New York was easy? Did you think she found success and happiness as soon as she stepped off the plane? Did you honestly think that the girl whom you humiliated, whose spirit you broke, managed to rule USA in a matter of days? What did you think happened to her when she left?" Stan asked loudly but Seto had no response. He could only stare at the floor in absolute horror.
"Your Tea struggled every second of every day after what you did to her. She had no confidence, no self-esteem, no hope, no nothing. She had no money. She worked like a dog just to support herself, all the while crumbling inside. She battled failure, self-doubt, depression, and constant fear of eviction, rape, and murder until one day it became too much for her and broke her. That was the day she gave up fighting the losing battle and gave in to death. That was the day she died." Stan finished, pausing to take a deep breath and get his emotions under control.
"This is MY Tea." He breathed dangerously. "I gave birth to her. I supported her and took care of her. I held her when she woke up screaming from her nightmares, begging her assailants for mercy. I stayed with her when she was too afraid to close her eyes, lest the shadows of the room turn into the fiends that haunted her sleep. I wiped her tears when she cried herself to sleep every night. I gave her the courage to look in the mirror and not see a dispensable object but see a human being, a person of worth. I gave her the will to move on, the tools to succeed, and the strength to overcome any obstacle. I made her the person she is today. This is MY Tea. I watch over her and protect her. And I won't ever let you hurt her again." Stan declared.
Silence filled the room after his speech but in Seto's head there was storm. Stan's words ran rampant in his mind, each inflicting a deeper wound than the previous. Oh God, so much had happened to Tea, so much that he could never have imagined, so much that he would never wish on his worst enemy. Yet he had indirectly done all that to Tea, to the person he claimed to care for... maybe even love.
She had struggled so much while he had enjoyed a safe and privileged life in Domino, all the while hating and cursing her. Even when he had realized his mistake, he hadn't bothered to seek her out because of his damn pride. Had he listened to his heart, maybe he could have saved her from some of the hardships and horrors she had faced, but in his selfishness and arrogance, he hadn't bothered. God, how much she had suffered, how many tears she had shed, all because of him.
Now he realized the real meaning of her reactions to him. Her elevated heartbeat, her discomfort, her fear, her reluctance to be alone with him, her distrust of him wasn't because she still loved him and was afraid of succumbing to her feelings. No. It was genuine fear. She was afraid of him because he was a demon from her past, the cause of her pain and misery, the fiend in her nightmares. And to think that he had come here with the intention of getting a declaration of love from her which he foolishly believed was his to take, just as she was. He truly was heartless.
With immense effort, he lifted his face to stare at Tea. He was met with tearing eyes confirming everything Stan had said. A searing pain clutched Seto's heart and he felt himself get lightheaded. It was too much. He had done too much. He didn't have grounds to ask for mercy or salvation, let alone forgiveness and love.
"I..." He struggled to speak but words eluded him. What could he say? There were no words in any language that didn't make him feel ashamed and guilty.
"I'm so sorry." He finally whispered, knowing that the words meant nothing. His actions didn't merit mercy. He didn't even deserve to be in the same room as her because his very sight was a source of pain for her.
"I..." He wanted to say something else, to tell her what a fool he had been, what a miserable wretch he was to have indirectly done that to her. He wanted to fall at her feet and cry and get rid of the crushing guilt he was feeling. He wanted her to yell at him, to curse him, to hurt him, anything so he could feel an ounce of the pain she had felt. But he knew he didn't deserve that. No. He deserved the full punishment for his mistakes and that included the feelings of shame and guilt that would be his companions for the rest of his life.
Unable to bear it all, he turned and walked towards the exit on wobbly legs. No one said anything to stop him. When he reached the door, he dared to turn and take a last look at her. She was nestled in Alistair's protective embrace, her cheek resting against his chest but her eyes were on him.
"I couldn't give you any happiness but I won't give you any more pain." He softly said and left.
Inside the mansion, silence reigned supreme until it was broken by Mokuba's shaken voice.
"I'm so sorry Tea." He said, eyes directed at the floor. "I told him about you leaving because I wanted... I just wanted him to talk to you and get closure. But I never would have done it if I had known what had happened to you. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Tea walked towards him and pulled the young boy into a comforting embrace that she knew they both needed.
"It's okay." She whispered soothingly to him. "I know you were only trying to help. If I had left without speaking with him, he would have followed me to USA. But I prefer this. At least this way, everything was done in private."
"I never knew you suffered so much." Mokuba said, tightening his hold on her. "I almost lost you without even realizing it. Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you ask me for help?" Tea sighed at his questions and pulled away.
"Honestly, at that time I was too depressed to think straight. My only instinct was survival and I struggled to do just that. I was too broken to think I had anyone left to ask for help. And..." She hesitated before speaking again. "I was ashamed."
"Tea..." Mokuba softly whispered her name, watching the emotions play across her face.
"I had been rejected by everyone I cared for. My self esteem had taken a hit and I couldn't face anyone from my past, including you. I was afraid that your brother will find out and humiliate me further, or that you will take his side."
"I would never have told him or supported him against you. I loved you like a sister." Tea smiled at his words and brushed his cheek affectionately.
"I know. It took me a while to realize that but I did. And that was when I found the courage to contact you. You are my family, just like these guys." She pointed to everyone else in the room. Joshua, who had joined the group now, smiled.
"Group hug." He said and he got no complaints from anyone.
"And I'm fine, by the way. Thanks for asking." Joshua said sarcastically as they pulled apart. Tea let out a small chuckle and stared at his face.
"You have a small bruise developing on your cheek but otherwise you are fine. Let's get you an ice pack." She said. "Anyone up for smoothies?" She asked everyone else.
"I'm going to contact my office to let them know when I'll be back. I'll join you guys in a bit."Alistair said and walked away from them.
"Go ahead and make them for everyone. We will meet you in the kitchen. We just have a few things left to do." Tea shrugged her shoulders and began walking towards the kitchen, Mokuba and Joshua following her. She could hear Stan and Stephen talking behind her as she left.
"How are we with the preparations? What's left?" Stan asked.
"The car rental company will be sending someone to pick up the two cars in an hour. The one Tea bought will also be taken by them and then shipped to her place." Stephen replied. Stan nodded in approval.
"Good. Let's do a thorough sweep of the house to make sure we don't leave anything behind." Stephen nodded and the two males left. Tea smiled, unable to control the feeling of glee that coursed through her body. She was leaving Domino. She was moving in with the man she loved, whom she was engaged to. She was getting her happy ending. The Domino chapter of her life was finally finished and a new one was beginning. And she knew this one was filled with love and happiness.
Seto entered his bedroom as if in a daze. His movements were slow, his eyes hollow and unfocused. In a trance, he sat on the bed, hands hanging limp by his side. Stan's words swirled in his mind like a hurricane. He could picture it... all of it... and it made him sick. So much had happened because of his selfish decision. Tea had faced unimaginable hardships and had survived only because Stan had found her. Mokuba had suffered immensely and had survived because of Rosa. His relationship with both of them had been damaged, in Tea's case, irreparably, all because he had been too proud to acknowledge his mistake.
"Seto, what's wrong?" Serenity said, sitting beside him. He didn't reply, nor acknowledge her presence. This worried her.
"Seto, what happened? What's wrong? Please tell me. Are you okay? Are you hurt?" She desperately asked.
"I don't love you." He said. She immediately became quiet. "I don't love you." He repeated, staring at the floor. "I have never loved you."
"I know." Serenity said after a pregnant pause.
"Then why stay with me?" He asked.
"Because I love you." She replied softly. "I have always loved you and I always will."
"I can't love you back." He said. She took in a shuddering breath before speaking.
"You don't know that for sure."
"I do know that." He insisted. "I am incapable of love. I thought I loved Tea but I was wrong. I was a monster to her and I hurt her. I thought I loved Mokuba but I hurt him too. I thought I loved myself but the pain in my heart tells me otherwise. I now realize that I never cared for anyone, including myself or I would never have done all that I did. I am a wretched human being who only knows how to cause pain. You should know this better than anyone else because I have hurt you too. Save yourself from me and leave me to my misery or you'll just get drowned in it." He finished, sounding utterly broken. Serenity wrapped her arms around him.
"I won't leave you." She declared to his unresponsive form. "I love you. I care about you and I want to be with you. I know that you don't love me and have never loved me but that was because you never tried. You always kept me at a distance but you don't have to do that anymore. I know that if you open your heart and let me in, you will love me as I love you."
"And if I don't?" He asked.
"Then I'll love us enough for the both of us." She said. "But don't give up on us Seto. Give me a chance. Give us a real chance." Seto finally responded, moving an arm to wrap around her. She moved closer to him in his embrace.
"You're right. I never gave us a chance. Perhaps it's time for me to move on as well and seek happiness where I can find it." He said. Serenity shot him a beaming smile.
"Yes. I know we can be happy. I just know it." Seto didn't reply. He allowed Serenity her hope, the same hope she had clung to since the beginning of their relationship. It was the least he could do. Deep down, he felt that he would never he happy. He would always feel the guilt and shame over his actions every time he thought of Tea or saw Mokuba. But he would try to keep his misery to himself. He had already hurt too many people. Hell, he had hurt Serenity too but she was still with him. Perhaps in trying to make her happy, he could find some sort of redemption and peace.
A pained smile appeared on his lips. He had just found a hope to desperately cling to.
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THE END
The story is finally finished. I hope the ending was to your liking and you enjoyed this chapter.
I want to thank everyone who read this story and stuck with me for over two years. I am very grateful for all the reviews and the words of encouragement I received.
Thank you again.
Flashimp