Well, I am back! ^^ Howdy there, y'all.

Okay, fanfiction still won't let me reply to my reviews, so, here goes:

hollowgirl15: Hehe, thanks, ^^ and I do agree. I can't believe I'm almost done. It's so weird! Were you able to recover any of your stuff? :o That really sucks! .

DarkHeartInTheSky: Whoo! Cookies! 3 ^^ and, thanks. It is hard to believe but it's awesome!

YamiHeart: Well, if it makes you feel any better, Yugi actually had like two minutes left! XP But glad that you liked it!

Axl Howlett: Hahahaha, I think he has more life than a god! He survives so many times or any and everything!

DarkChao1663: Yup. ^^ And, me and court scenes don't mix. So this one is going to suck! It's my first time doing one so I really don't know what I'm doing. And, to be honest, even as the author, I don't really think I ever said what made her so crazy. O.O oh crap, how am I going to put that in here?

Angeldrkfire: Um….. Is that a trick question about hating Yugi? Lol, just kidding. I love him so much! It's just so fun to torture him!

Yugi: HEY!

^^ Anyways, sorry that it's coming to an end. . But, you still have this chapter and the epilogue!

Chapter eighteen:

"April ninth, two-thirty P.M., case number 620124." The judge announced. The judge, who is a woman, looked up from reading the file out loud. Everyone in the court, which was a lot of people, were all standing. "You may sit." She said and banged the hammer against it's' stool. They all sat down.

Sitting on the judge's left in the crowd were the victims. On the first row of seats sat the nine survivors; Mark Calvin, Greg Hobbes, Lee Bros, Marcus Lin, TJ Wilkus, Devin Mitoko, Krissy Crites, Alex Hatake, and Yugi Mutou. Behind them sat their family and friends.

On the other side of the courtroom was Coby Home and Cassandra Sensamino. They sat at their own desk with a lawyer next to them. Behind them in the crowd, sat either friends and/or family. Most friends of Cassandra though.

Yugi sat in between Devin and Alex on the bench as they listened to the judge talk.

"Now, before I call for whether these two," She said, indicating Coby and Cassandra, "are guilty, we are to hear each of the victim's stories on what happened during the time they were misses."

So for the next hour, each teen told a bit of their story and was questioned by the lawyer. The lawyer would ask really simple questions like what they did there, what happened, what their back-story was, etc. Whoever was up being questioned would explain truthfully and give as much information out as possible.

When it came time for Alex to be questioned, the judge looked at her with a surprised look. "You're saying that she kept you, along with Miss Crites and Miss Hisashi (Dixie) down in the basement?"

"Yes, ma'am."

The judge nodded and told her to continue. So she did.

When Krissy came up to the stand, the question the lawyer asked and her story was almost word for word with Alex's. The only difference was at the beginning when she was asked about how she was taken. Krissy explained that she was walking home one night from hanging out with Alex when a man, now known as Coby, appeared in front of her. She put up a good fight, managing to give him a black eye, a few bruised ribs and a bruised jaw. The blond seemed pretty proud of herself as she explained.

After Krissy, Lee went. After Lee went a very shy Devin, and after Devin came last but not least, Yugi.

Explaining his own story was a bit of a challenge. He couldn't tell all of these people about Yami, not that he would, so he made up a lie.

"I don't know why she gave me the poison. Maybe it was because she wanted to make sure one of us died without having to hunt us down?" He shrugged innocently.

"Lair!" Cassandra yelled and stood up. Everyone in the room looked at her.

"Ms. Sensamino, sit down." The judge ordered, ignoring her comment. Cassandra glared at the lady in charged but did as she was told. The judge looked back to Yugi. "Continue."

He nodded. As he explained his story, some of the guys looked horrified, having no idea that he had taken poison back at the mansion. He also explained about his time in the hospital and what it felt like when the lawyer asked.

One of the people in the jury stood up and asked, "Mr. Mutou, you said the poison Ms. Sensamino had given you would kill you and you said this all happened a week ago. How are you still alive? Did you find the cure?"

Yugi nodded to the jury. "The poison was supposed to kill me. But, someone gave me the cure."

Someone else from the jury stood up. "Who?"

"Coby. Coby Home."

Everyone in the room turned to the said man.

"You did?" Cassandra hissed, beyond pissed.

Coby shrugged his shoulders. "I didn't want him to die. He has a long life ahead of him."

"And you helped him, after everything I did for you? For your wife?"

Whispering started up among the people as the Jury sat back down. The judge banged her gravel against the sound-block. "Order in the courtroom!" The talking immediately stopped. The judge looked over to Yugi. "So you're saying Mr. Home gave you the cure after everything he did?"

Yugi glanced over to Coby. The man, who seemed to know what was going on, nodded his head in silent permission. Yugi looked back to the crowd.

"He only did it so he could save his wife."

"His wife?" One of the Jury asked. "Did something happen to her?"

Once again, he nodded his head. "I would tell you what happened, but it isn't my place too. It's Coby's life and I am not to interfere with it in any way."

The judge looked touched. "Alright. If you are not done with your story, then continue please."

Since he only had one part left of his story, he made it quick. He described his encounter-ment with Cassandra and about being shot at in the side. (Which still hurt). However, he cut the poison part out, not knowing how he would explained being cure by a substance that would kill you in under five minutes and had no cure to it.

'Are you alright, Aibou?' Yami's voice filtered his head. When the court meeting started, Yugi gave Joey the puzzle for safe keeping. He didn't know why, but he had a feeling something bad would happened and if Yami appeared instead of Yugi, then there'd be questions.

/Yeah, it just feels weird not mentioning you./

'It's for the best, unless you want to be questioned.'

Yugi mentally shook his head. /I'll pass. This is already too many questions!/

When he had finished his story, his being the longest, the judge sent him back to his seat.

As he was passing the desk Cassandra was seated at, she reached out and grabbed his wrist, stopping him. Yugi tried to pull away but to no avail. He looked at her.

"If it wasn't for Coby, you'd be dead!" She growled only low enough for him to hear.

"And that, I owe him my life." Yugi pulled his wrist from her with a jerk and continued back to where he sat in between Alex and Devin.

The judge had been discussing something with one of the Jury. When the Jury member went back to his seat, the judge looked to Coby. "Coby J. Home, you may stand." Said man rose to his feet. "I talked with my Jury and here by announce you guilty."

Coby nodded, looking unaffected.

"You will be spending the next seven years in prison. You may be seated." He sat back down. "Cassandra M. Sensamino, stand." The red head took her time getting to her feet. "Ms. Sensamino. We questioned you yesterday, the day before, and the day before that but we have not received an answer. Now I'll ask you once more, what happened to Alexander Hokins, Keo Lokaru, and Kouichi Fuggiama?"

Yugi leaned towards Devin and whispered, "Whose she talking about?"

"They're the ones who disappeared before you came." He whispered. "They were trying to escape, but got caught right outside the bedroom door. We haven't heard nor seen them since!"

Yugi's eyes widened. To cover his shock, he nodded and sat straight up.

Feeling his discomfort, Yami's voice once again entered his mind. 'What is wrong?'

/The boys who disappeared, I know what happened to them./ He tried to stay calm, but he could feel the nervousness form in the pit of his stomach.

'Then say something; they need to know.'

Yugi nodded but didn't say anything. He could hear his darker half sigh.

'Yugi, if you don't say anything now, then you'll regret it for the rest of your life.'

/Alright . . ./ Yugi mumbled in his mind.

"I'll ask you one more time, Ms. Sensamino: what happened to those three boys?" The judge asked again when Cassandra didn't answer the first time.

The red head crossed her arms against her chest. "I have no earthly idea what you're talking about." She said in a dull voice.

"Liar . . ."

The judge looked away from Cassandra to Yugi. "What was that, Mr. Mutou?"

Yugi looked up from his lap. Next to him, Devin looked confused and whispered, "What're you doing?"

Yugi didn't answer his friend, but answered the lady in charge. "She told me herself what happened to the others."

Cassandra glared at the boy and growled, "Don't you dare." But he ignored her as did the judge.

"Mr. Mutou, come to the center and explain how you know this."

When Yugi was standing at the little gate that marked the audience and the other side, he said, "Cassandra told me herself that she murdered the three boys."

"Really? The judge looked surprised. Cassandra, on the other hand, looked ready to explode. Her face was turning a bit red from anger. "So tell me, Mr. Mutou, where are Mr. Hokins, Mr. Fuggiama, and Mr. Tokaru?"

"Try checking the garden in her backyard."

"Excuse me?"

Yugi shifted from foot to foot. He felt a bit uneasy telling the truth, but as Yami had put it, they needed to know. He answered, "All she told me was that after she killed them, she buried the in her garden. How I know this is because she threatened me herself."

"You bitch! You first kidnapped my son, then you killed him!" A lady from the crowd screeched. Heads turned to find a female with waist long blond hair and dazzling blue eyes. She looked sort of familiar, though Yugi was certain he never saw her before. Well, at least he knew where Leon got his looks from.

"Ma'am, will you please sit down?" The judge asked as a man next to the crying lady gently helped her sit. He must have been the husband because he looked angry and had silent tears sliding down his face.

"Now, Mr. Mutou, are you positive?" The judge brought everyone's attention back to the front. Yugi nodded. She then turned to address the red head. "Ms. Sensamino, I assume what he said is true and - - sit down, Ms. Sensamino!"

While the judge was speaking, Cassandra had slowly stood up and now, she ignored the order. Seeing as her chair was right next to the gate leading to the audience, she had an easy access.

"I always thought 'mommy' old you not to tell one's secret." She growled. In one quick motion, she turned around and faced Yugi. In a flash, her hand came out of nowhere and appeared around his neck, starting to squeeze tightly.

He didn't react much, knowing something like this was bound to happen. But, unlike him, the courtroom exploded; people jumped out of their seats in surprise and some in rage.

"Security, restrain her!" The judge shouted and many cops jumped from their posts and sprang into action.

"'Mommy' did." Yugi tried very hard not to show any weakness. Instead, he gripped the gate in front of him until his knuckles started to turn white from his clutch. "But that wasn't a secret I should keep from the cops."

"You're as good as dead, Yugi Mutou." She hissed just as the cop pulled their guns on her. "Since I didn't kill you, someone else will. Mark my words."

"Let the boy go, Sensamino." One of the cops growled. He clicked the safety off of the gun and pointed it at her back.

Casting one last glare, Cassandra pushed the teen away from her and a different cop cuffed her wrists together, not at all being gently.

"Ow, watch it!" She hissed.

Yugi stumbled back from the force and would have fallen if not for a pair of strong hands catching him. The hands stabled him.

"Thanks Mark." He said, not even having to look back to see who helped him.

The copper-skin boy nodded his head. When Yugi did glance over his shoulder, he almost smiled. All of his friends, from the guys who were kidnapped to Joey, Tristan, and Tea, were all standing behind him, ready to help out. In his mind, Yami was cussing at the certain red-head while making sure his partner was okay.

"Cassandra Sensamino," The judge said loud enough to be heard. "I hereby claim you guilty. I sentence you sixty years in prison for the act of kidnapping, poisoning, smuggling foreign plants here, raping, murder, and attempt murder. Do you have anything to say for yourself?"

The rich-bitch smirked and turned to the crowd, well, the nine survivors. "I may be gone, but that doesn't mean you'll forget me. You'll always be reminded day after day and there's nothing you can do about it."

"You could always cover it up or cut it off!" Mark yelled, referring to their burned mark.

Cassandra just rolled her eyes in an annoyed way. The cops lead her out of the courtroom with Coby trailing behind her.

"And now, I release you from my courtroom. Dismissed." The judge claimed and banged her gravel against the sound-block.

The rest of the people that was sitting down rose to their feet and started to file out of the door. Yugi and the rest of the group were swept down the aisle to the outside where the bright sun shone brightly as if it, too, were happy to see Cassandra gone.

Once Yugi stepped away and off to the side lines of the crowd, he was immediately brought into a group hug.

"Way to go, Yugi!"

"Thanks, man!"

"Without you, we'd still be with Cassandra!"

"I'll never forget you and your pointy hair. Thanks!"

And many more were mixed in as the guys thanked their rescuer. All Yugi managed to do was smile like he was embarrassed. Which, he was.

After a few minutes, they started to pull away saying that they had to leave.

"If you ever wanna hang out," TJ started, "just give me a call." He said his last thanks and left with his dad and mom.

"Take care of yourself, Yugi!" Lee shouted as he walked away to where his family was at and scooped his little sister up into his arms.

"Bye, Lee! Bye, TJ!" Yugi yelled.

Marcus was next, giving him a soft punch on the shoulder. "Thanks to you, I'll finally be able to see my old girl friend . . . that is, if she remembers me. Well, anyways, see ya!" He walked away to an elderly lady, probably his grandmother.

"Anytime you wanna hang out and you're in Tokyo, hit us up." Mark said. Greg was right beside him. "But, we gotta go, so, see you around, Yugi." And the two left.

Last but not least, was the normal three, Alex, Krissy, and Devin.

"We'll really miss you, Yugi!" Krissy cried and hugged him tightly.

Yugi felt a light blush form and he hugged her back. "I'll miss you too, but we'll keep in touch, right?"

The blond nodded and pulled back just to let Alex take her place.

"Yugi." She hugged him more tightly than her best friend, almost squeezing the breath out of him. "Call me whenever. And, I'll hopefully see you soon!" She released him.

"We'll see both of you soon!" Krissy included Devin.

"Yup. And, don't worry, I'll call you soon." Yugi smiled. He watched the two girls leave the group after they said all of their goodbyes.

"Well, Yugi." Devin said, being the last one. "Thanks for becoming my friend. It's a scary place we were at and it felt weird making friends. So, thanks." They hugged.

"Devin, don't worry, I'll keep in touch with you too." He had a gleam of amusement in his eyes. "How can I not? You're one of my best friends."

The boy seemed to brighten. Before he could say anything, a little girl yelled his name. They both turned to see Devin's family patiently waiting for him. They all waved and smiled.

"Well, thanks a lot. And, see you soon?"

"You bet!"

When Devin left with his family, Yugi became locked in a head lock.

"You did it, man!" Tristan yelled, giving his friend a knuckle sandwich.

"Hell yeah! Now you won't have to worry about that crazy bitch again!" Joey added. He and Tea walked up beside the two.

Yugi rolled his eyes in a playful manner, but his face darkened a bit. "Not for another sixty years . . ."

Tea hit him on the arm. "Don't be talking like that!"

"Yeah man, and even if she does get out, she'll be all old and gross." Tristan released his small friend just as Grandpa walked up.

"Old and gross, huh? What does that make me?" He playfully crossed his arms.

"Uh . . . young and handsome?" They all laughed.

"Yo, Yuge," Joey got his attention.

"Yeah?"

"I'm guessing this is yours?" He chuckled and handed the millennium puzzle back to it's' owner.

Yugi nodded and placed the chain around his neck.

'Good job out there, Aibou.' Yami's voice complemented. Yugi smiled.

"So, where to now?" Tea asked.

Grandpa thought for a minute, then looked at his grandson. "You know, I say when we get back to Domino, we should go to - -,"

"Burgerworld?" Yugi asked, interrupting. He had his normal puppy eyes set in motion.

Joey and Tristan laughed. "That's the Yugi we all know and love."

The five of them started to walk towards the car, talking about what happened in the courtroom and Joey's and Tristan's stomach. But, before they reached it, Yugi stopped, but no one noticed.

'What's wrong?' Yami asked, materializing out of the puzzle.

Yugi looked down at his left hand where the mark CS had healed over. /No matter what, what Cassandra said is true. We'll always be reminded of the time we were away from our loved ones./

Though transparent, the ex-pharaoh laid a hand on Yugi's shoulder. 'Aibou, you might be reminded, day after day, but, you'll always be reminded that you're no longer there. Never again will this happen to you.'

/How do you know that?/ Yugi asked bitterly.

'Because, you have friends. They'll never let any harm come to you again.' Yami looked straight into his partner's eyes. Seeing the truth embedded there, Yugi nodded, letting a breath of relief out.

"Yugi!" Tea called, getting his attention. "C'mon, we're leaving!" Everyone was already at the car, waiting for with.

Yugi smiled. "You're right, Mou Hitori no boku, I do have my friends." He started running towards his loved ones, all the while thinking, 'Cassandra, I will never forgive you. You took me from m family, did all kinds of things, took other people from their families . . . and what did you get out of it? Jail? Pleasure? Well, I only have one thing to say to you besides I hate you; thanks. If it weren't for you, Devin and Mark and everyone else would still be there. That and I wouldn't have made such great friends.'

When he reached the car, Joey looked at him and held his first out. "Glad to have you back, buddy."

Yugi bumped his fist with the blonds. "Good to be back."

XxxxX

Well, that is it. Up next is the very last chapter. The epilogue!

Lisa: Dun dun duuuun

^^ Well, hoped you enjoyed this chapter. And, as you could see, I've never done a court scene. But, this was pretty good for a first timer. ^^

Lisa: Hey, everyone raise your hands if you wanna murder Cassandra! If you wanna hug Coby, pump the air with you other free fist! XD

Y'all really hated Cassandra, huh? Good. ^^ I tried to make her look really bitchy if I could. So, yeah. ^^

Next chapter, and last one, should be coming up reaaaaaally soon. Sorry this one took a little too long. I have been having a hectic week. But, I mean, who hasn't? Thanks for reading! XD