Disclaimers: I do not own any of the rights to the characters of Yugioh. Hell, I don't even own the computer I'm using, the desk it sets on, or... Damn I am poor as hell and happy as a yaoi girl could be...
Fans and reviewers you own this story, it's because of you I am posting and having a great time. Thanks for the reviews and the stimulation you are giving me to do this story. Thumbs up to you all for the reviews. Wow...you know my signature as always, hugs and kisses...Sherabo...
Chapter 2: POV, Trapped and Afraid...
'Cold, I feel so cold,' thought the boy. Joey desperately tried reaching for the cover on his futon, but he couldn't move. For a moment his body appeared to be tied down imprisoned in a cage, restrained with heavy ropes, restricting any movement he tried to make. Physically the boy's body was incapable of movement and he had no idea why. Joey's eyes fluttered open and he wondered why he was still in bed. Joey's thoughts drifted to the only person he could think of responsible for something like this, his father. 'Maybe my father is actually playing one of his sick demented games.' At least once a week the beatings happened, unless Joey out witted his father. He thought pops had passed out last night or as least had company with him. He remembered hearing voices coming from the front room. Something seemed out of place, his thoughts confused and mixed, were of little use. 'It's so dark in here, I've got to get up and get ready for school.' Thought the boy.
From out of now where the pain, sharp and steady hit Joey hard and heavy. The pain started from his finger tips and slowly worked its way up his arm. The pain wrapped around his chest squeezing his heart like a piece of wood in a vise, ready to snap in half any minute. One tear trickled down his cheek. Every time he tried to moved the snake inched further along its path, slow and meticulous up his chest. Yes, this pain had a name and its purpose was to choke the very breath from his lungs. 'Why,' thought the boy. 'What could I have done to make my own father hate me so much?'
The snake, called pain, traveled along his upper body, calculating each move towards its final destination, upward it spiraled and curled around his neck, snug and secure like a collar worn by guard dogs, to keep them in line. Only the metal spikes were missing. Joey started to choke on his own spit. Joey thought, 'Why can't I breathe?' The snake after taking a small break continued upward and rested on the base of his temples. If the lights were turned on, the boy would see wrinkles of stress and pain across his forehead. The pressure began as a light knocking on his head, but soon escalated into a steady constant hammering in one spot, now the tears started to flow freely. He tried to take another breath to calm his racing heart, but that only irritated the snake, called pain. No sound escaped from Joey's mouth, he cried in silence.
A few minutes passed before Joey tried to make some sense of his situation. 'Maybe if I try and move my legs, I will be able to stop this pain, but that only cause Joey to realize he couldn't feel his legs. Slowly Joey's mind connected the dots; 'I can't feel my toes or my legs, only a sharp pain in my arm and a dull constant ache in my head.'
Perhaps, I 've walked into one of Yugi's games and it's really lunch time. Yugi, where are you? This game ain't funny any more. On top of the withering snake around his neck, frustration and overwhelming fear consumes the youth's troubled mine. 'My worst nightmare has become a daytime reality,' thought Joey. 'My dad, he has finally succeeded in killing his only son. I must be in a hell he's created especially for me. He has tied me to this worn out futon, then left me here to die. I guess I've been beaten so bad I must have passed out from the pain. Nobody knows were I am or the danger I live in, because I never told them about my dad. Not one of Joey's friends realized the bruises on his body sometimes came from home. 'Who will come for me?' Those were Joey's secret thoughts, but in reality his friends knew something wasn't right at his house. Once Yugi, Tristan and Tea went to Joey's apartment looking for him because he had missed two days of school. Joey's father threw a beer bottle at them and cussed them out . In his drunken state he thought the gang was actually Joey. Tea convinced the guys not to say anything, unless Joey came to them first. Little did they know Joey was lying in his bed room, in pain, nursing a split lip and bruised rib.
'Home, why is it so dark? This doesn't feel like my room. He tried to find the crack on the ceiling, but it wasn't there, only total darkness. I don't understand, this can't be my room, nor my bed. I think, I am on a floor, its so cold. Maybe pop has taken me out somewhere and dumped me, in a hole in the ground. Did he bury me alive?! He's really insane!' Tears continued to run a course along his cheek bones and down his neck. 'I can't breathe.' He coughed and it hurt so much. Joey coughed again and blood trickled down the side of his mouth. Although most people compared blood to metal, Joey's tasted warm and salty. ' My pop is really insane, I know he has beaten me in the past. But never has he tried to kill me. What have I done to make him hate me so much? 'I don't want to die, please God! I still have so much to do. What about my friend Mokuba, and my paintings. God, can I see Kaiba, just once, I want to hear him call me, his mutt. I want to be held in his arms, just like in my dream. I don't want to die!'
'Ok, listen to yourself. I can make it. I know I can,' he thought. First stop crying. Somewhere I read you need all your body fluids to survive. And tears are water, I think. Can't waste them by crying. My legs must be under a board or something, I can't feel them, I know my arm is broken. Everything hurts.' Joey eyes started to feel heavy and he wanted to sleep, but sleep couldn't be a good thing to do. 'Yay, I got to stay awake, can't go to sleep, or I may not wake up.'
Suddenly, Joey could hear a rumble and groaning from the walls vibrating all around his broken body. The ground, Joey thought to be his bed shifted underneath him. Somehow he knew at this point it was necessary to stay away, or he would die. The ceiling which he couldn't see dropped plaster and small pieces of wood on his chest, some landing on his face. Little pieces of dust and soot attached to the tears and the already drying blood, on his face, especially around his mouth. He could taste the lead in the paint, and smell the bodily fluids leaking from his skin. Fear pumped adrenal through his veins and for a moment Joey realized if he wanted to live, he had to survive this nightmare on his own.
After a minute passed, the movement on the ground below shifted slightly placing Joey on his side. Slowly the realization of his situation came home to visit. He could hear the distance groaning of the walls around him. The stale air, thin and suffocating started to feel up in his lungs. It wasn't the familiar smell of beer and cigarettes. ' Ohhh,' Joey could feel a wetness between his legs and more pain from the shifting. 'Goodness more water I've lost, at least I can feel something and the air and sounds tell me, I am not at home.'
'Mokuba, I remember now, the museum. Oh shit! Mokuba is he safe? Yes, he told me there were people in the light and then I fell. The quake, the tremors. The bottomless pit and the snake called pain. Oh, what a relief to know, it wasn't my father after all.' Somehow the boy gained comfort from the fact his father was only a drunken, child beater, and not a murderer. Joey knew he had an angel watching over him. What other explanation, after all he had fallen floors down a collapsing building, yet he had not been crushed to pieces. This is a question he will never have the answer to, only that it is.
The boy wondered if it was true your life flashes before your eyes when you die. 'How horrible mine would be if that is true. ' My life would be, only images of beatings and smelly rooms, a mother who left me in the hands of a drunken father, and days without food. Would angels come and take me away to heaven? I don't want to die! I want to live! Besides, God wouldn't take me away, yet. I haven't loved anyone. I'm still a virgin. I mean, I can't die yet, and not have known the ecstasy of love. That's not right. I want to be kissed, my first kiss.' In his dreams it would involve only one man, the illusive Seto Kaiba. A friend to none but wanted by all the girls and guys at school. I want to be held with love, please!' On that thought, Joey convinced himself he would live to love. He tried to laugh, but only succeeded in coughing up more blood. 'It hurts, when I breathe.'
The boy's beautiful hazel eyes tried to mask the pain but he flinched with every small tremor, his eye lashes heavy with tears, exhaustion assaulted Joey next. He remembered the only thing that keep him alive and hopeful for a future in life. It was the verse he chanted every morning before going to school: I won't give into the despair that appears in my life, I will survive no matter what, or how much it hurts.
Conversation in his head held little interest anymore, as the air left his lungs, which were slowly filling up with the blood from the internal bleeding in his body. The fall had cost Joey more than a broken leg and arm. He was bleeding on the inside, of his body. 'Maybe I'll rest here a while,' he thought. Joey's eyes closed as he slowly slipped away into unconscious.
Meanwhile in the sky above . . .
Kaiba settled back in the comfort of his private jet, going over the papers for his business meeting with Pegasus. He'd finished the meeting at Kaiba Land and decided to spent a little time with Pegasus. Pegasus had the attitude of a child in Kaiba's eyes, but a brilliant mind when it came to art technology in the game of dueling. Together after much debate Kaiba decided to work with the white-hair looney-toon artist on a special project which would benefit, both business men. The relationship Kaiba kept a secret from Mokuba, because the young Kaiba hated Pegasus with a passion. He'd never believed a man could change that much after stealing people's soul and trying to destroy the empire Seto had spent his life building. Seto was a fool for trusting Pegasus, in Mokuba's eyes.
Putting his paper down, he thought about Mokuba and Joey at the museum and the fun his little brother was having. Kaiba knew Mokuba had a crush on Joey, but he also knew Joey would never pursue these feelings. He treated Mokuba like a little brother, and it sometimes made Kaiba jealous. He knew how much Mokuba liked the beauty, called Joey. 'Did I just call the mutt, beauty ? Yes, Joey's charms had not escaped Kaiba's interest. Girls never held much interest to Kaiba, yet his sexual preference never concerned him. Personally he thought most people in general to be boring, so finding anyone to hold his interest just didn't happen.
Yet, last summer at a pool party Mokuba talked Seto into giving, Joey wore this bikini bottom fit for a nude dancer or hi fashion model. It was a dare, because he'd lost a game of duel monsters to Yugi. The swim suit barely covered his slender hips and left a nice expanse of muscled thighs, softened from years of swimming. Joey legs long and perfectly shaped caused a gasp to escape from Seto's mouth, as he stared at Joey from behind the door in the kitchen. Seto needed a little private time from all the activities around the pool. Everyone was making a fool out of their self, with all that laughing and splashing in the water. Speaking to only the silence in the kitchen, he screamed out in frustration, "Damn I wish they would all go home!"
'Except my mutt,' he thought with a slight smirk on his face. So with nothing better to do, Seto made a cup of coffee and continued to stare openly at Joey. He actually leaned up against a kitchen counter and rested his elbows, on top of the smooth marble surface of the counter and locked cerulean eyes on the beauty's wonderfully shaped ass. 'Wow maybe Mokuba's idea of a pool party had its merits after all,' thought Seto.
Seto's eyes devoured every inch of the hazel eyed beauty's body, and the parts that were covered his imagination took flight, causing his groin to ache.
Joey, has the body of a swimmer, long, thin, and graceful. 'Ok, so I am physically attracted to him, doesn't make me gay or anything, that just so weird.' But later without fully understanding why, Seto always found a way to be close to Joey. The closeness usually meant fighting, arguing, taunting, and outright mentally attacking Joey. Ok, still after a year he looked forward to seeing his mutt, refusing to admit the relationship could be anything more.
Joey enjoyed Seto's brother's company when he had business to attend to. Lately the two spend more time together, but Mokuba needed a good friend. True, Joey wasn't the smartest jerk, but he was a nice person, so Seto pretended not to notice the budding relationship, simply because it allowed him more glimpses of the beauty also.
It wasn't fair, but nothing in his life ever was. 'Hell, I can't even find a person to love. The Ceo's logical mind would never except the fact his love, Joey was right in front of his face,' Mokuba was completely safe with Joey, so why did he write those stupid instructions, laying out minute by minute plans? Anything to communicate with Joey, and making him mad was the only way he knew how to get his attention.
The plane just cleared the skies over Japan when one of his private attendants walked briskly to his private quarters. "Kaiba-sama, there's been a terrible incident in the Domino."
The attendant stood frozen and unable to speak. In the utility room in front of the plane behind the cockpit, the attendants flipped a coin and choose by way of luck who would deliver Kaiba-sama this distressing news. Kaiba tossed his business papers to the side, which fell to the floor, and barked at the man to speak up.
"What is it? This had better be important, I don't have time for fairytales, and soapbox updates. Someone trying to take over my company again, speak up before I fire you." Kaiba's coffee cup started to rattle, presumed to be from the sound of his voice, however it was really a shaking from the angry sky.
"Kaiba-sama, it's an earthquake and the city of Domino, was hit, the hardest just a few seconds ago." Before the man could finish the last word of his sentence Kaiba ordered the plane to turn around. He stood up and pushed past the attendant to the cockpit of the plane for a better view. Outside one of the side windows, the sky appeared calm, but on closer inspection, Seto's heart skipped a beat at the sight he saw. As the plan banked down low to descend, Kaiba witnessed the destruction of Domino Bay Bridge. The bridge simply broke into two neat pieces and fell into the bay. The remaining structure consisted of tall steel poles, which jutted out of the water like broken pencils lined up to be sharpened, or sentinels guarding where once stood a majestic bridge. In the bay one ship rocked back and forth over stormy waves, like a toy in Mokuba's bath water, abandoned years ago, as he grew to become a young man. "My God, Mokuba I've got to call him." Seto tried reaching his brother, but the phone appeared to be dead.
Clouds, suddenly appeared lower in the sky, in front of the jet, causing zero visibility on the final descend. The pilot under the close observation of Seto Kaiba, started to sweat. Beads of perspiration flowed down the frightened pilot's face and gathered around his collar staining it an ugly brown, 'I can't see,' he thought.
Seto without a second to spare, pulled the pilot out of the cockpit and immediately took control of his BEWD jet. Kaiba maneuvered the jet through the clouds on instinct, and landed his jet at a private strip. "That's impossible," without thinking the co-polite hollowed out.
Seto responded in kind," You're fired, pack your bags and leave."
In two long strides, Kaiba was inside the waiting limo. Roland had the motor running as he sped down the runway into traffic towards the museum. Roland attempted to update the CEO, on the present condition of the city, but he knew Mokuba was his first concern. Roland was not looking forward to the events as they began to unfold. There would be held to pay before this day ended. He only prayed his two young men would be safe and sound. " Kaiba-sama, I've tried calling Mokuba, but his phone is dead. Kaiba nodded his head and motioned for Roland to continue with his news. He refused to show emotions, even in front of Roland. Roland continued to speak." The city, it has been hit pretty hard. All of the south side, near Tokyo as been severely damaged."
Looking through the stained glass windows, Kaiba could see people running in different directions, calling for loved ones. Some citizens were trying to consol strangers who were injured.
"Kaiba-sama, "the museum has just been leveled to the ground. Kaiba-sama the site has been closed off and marked as a danger zone. All rescue attempts have been temporally postponed due to the continuos shifting ground. I'm sorry Kaiba-sama."
Seto, eyes turned a blazing blue, his dragon had escaped, " What did you say?! How dare the fools close down the site? My brother could be trapped in there. They all had better pray he is all right. Roland call Pegasus and have him assemble a team. I will handle this my way, if the city is too afraid." Inside Seto's heart and mind raced out of control. He really didn't believe in praying but Mokuba did.
So he prayed. Well, wherever you are, up there, I think you understand Mokuba Kaiba is innocent and he doesn't deserve to be punished. So I suggest you help me out and bring my little brother home save and sound. Thank you, Seto Kaiba.
Kaiba needed to stay calm. His brother's life is in question and there could be only one answer he would accept.Upon arrival at the museum he plowed his way through the crowd, but met resistant at the front entrance.
"Hey, sir, you can't go in there! It's been called a disaster zone." Kaiba glared at the simple man. 'Does this man honestly think he could stop me from going inside?' Two officers gabbed Seto around his shoulders, and attempted to restrain his movements.
Seto's nerves were raw and his anger very real. Aldrianal rushed to his head as he spoke, " Listen my brother is in there. I suggest you move your hands while they are still attached to your body from my shoulders, and get out of my way." Normally his words always caused fear in the receiver of his message, but the officers remained calm, perhaps a death wish? However they backed up slowly and placed their hands in back pockets.
"Listen," one of the guards recognized the young CEO from a billboard. He tried to smile, hoping Seto's glare would find someone else to torment. Boldly he spoke, "If you go over to the recovery team there may be word of you brother. They have rescued a small group of tourist from the art exhibit. Maybe your brother is in the group. The volunteers with a team of doctors and nurses may be able to give you more information. Kaiba-sama, we are all doing our best, under such dire circumstances."
Seto ran over to the rescue center and there laying on a make shift bed, on the ground, he saw the unmistakable black curls of Mokuba. Relief flooded his body, for the moment the CEO couldn't move. ' What if it was an illusion made only to torture me?' Seto willed his legs to move and approached the still figure.
Mokuba could feel his big brother's presence before he actually saw him and turned over to meet his brother's eyes. "Nii-sama, Nii-sama, it's you! I was so afraid you wouldn't find me." Mokuba's voice barely above a whisper broke with the word afraid. His lip trembled and Seto fell to his knees and tenderly cradled Mokuba in his arms. Seto began to touch his face, eyes, cheeks, chest, and expertly ran his hands along his legs and arms. Mokuba flinched at Seto's probing, but for the most part Seto could feel nothing was broken.
Cold but alive, Mokuba allowed his brother to comfort him with his touch, his smokey gray eyes never leaving Seto hands, as Nii-sama calmed the trembling in his body and stilled his spirit, with the loving touch only Seto could give him. When Seto finished his examination, he sighed and pulled Mokuba closer . "I don't think anything is broken, Mokuba. You will be ok, once a doctor has a closer look." A rare smile formed on Seto's lips, eyes locked in with his brothers.
Still in shock, Mokuba wanted to explain everything he could remember while the nightmare was fresh in his mind. Mokuba looked up into the ocean blue eyes of his brother and knew everything would be all right. Seto still a little unsure of his brother's condition, watched intently starting into his grey eyes, slightly darkened with fear and listened. He tightens his grip around Mokuba just enough and felt his heart beat in time with his own. So close the two brothers were together and safe.
"Nii-sama everything started to shake and the ceiling in the museum fell down. It fell on top of me. Joey protected me, with his body, Seto. Where is Joey, Seto?! Mokuba became excited, and screamed out loud, " Seto, where is Joey?!" Seto realized for the first time Joey was not with his brother, he assumed he'd be with the tourist. No, that is not true. Joey would not have left Mokuba's side unless he was in trouble. 'How could I have not thought about the boy?'
Mokuba snapped Seto, momentarily dazed, back to the present."Seto we have to go back. I promised him, I would come back, Seto. Seto, can you hear me?!"
A reporter walked over to the brothers and barged in on their private conversation. "Hey, you're Mokuba Kaiba, that rich kid, everyone is talking about. I understand you helped these people out of the building. What was it like? All of them are safe." The reporter pointed to the group of young tourist receiving medical attention ranging from simple shock to broken bones. They needed to be stable before being transported to the hospital. Only the critically injured were transported immediately. Beds were in great demand.
The reporter wouldn't stop and continued to bagger the young Kaiba. "You're like a hero or something. Can we get a picture? I can see the headlines now. 'Young man saves the life of tourist from a collapsing building.'
"Seto, make them stop. We have to get Joey."
The reporter arched his eyebrow, and inquired, "Who's Joey?" Mokuba struggled to remove his body from Seto's embrace, but the CEO refused to budge. Reporters known to be superb snoops put two and two together and without giving Mokuba a change to gather his thoughts asked. "What going on? Is there someone else inside the building? Boys over here. We have a real life story going on." These reporters were just like the paparazzi Seto hated. His blood started to boil.
"Damn it to hell, get away from my brother, with your stupid story. If you print any of this conversation, I will see you never write another article in your damn life."
Seto lifted Mokuba up and carried him over to the limo. Guards, forever present blocked the way from the reporters and shield the brothers from their annoying probing. Once inside Seto calmed Mokuba down and started to try and make a little sense of his babbling. "Slowly, Mokuba I can't understand you."
"Nii-sama, when Joey protected me, from the falling ceiling I think he lay on top of the tomb, and broke his arm. We fell through a floor and ceiling and he hurt something inside his body. I saw blood coming from his mouth. I know he thought I didn't see he was hurt, but I did." Mokuba voice started to waver on his next words, the nightmare still too painful and fresh in his mind.
"Seto he pushed me out of the hole and into the light. That's where I found the other people . Joey explained how to get out, before he made me go alone. I should not have listened to him. Seto, I left him all alone. I was so scared and not thinking. Seto what have I done?!" Fresh tears started to flow down the young Kaiba's face. His heart felt so heavy as it began to break in two. Mokuba never felt so miserable in his life.
Seto released Mokuba from his iron grip, as thoughts started to invade his mind. Mokuba looked so fragile. How could he assure the grief-stricken boy everything would be all right. Seto looked outside at the building and he felt the devil grab his heart.
Mokuba grew quiet and Seto feared the question he had to ask. "Mokuba listen, why didn't Joey come after you and crawl out and up through the opening?"
Mokuba lowered his head, and spoke in a whisper, "Seto It's my fault if he dies. I think I killed him. Even you blame me."
Seto tried to stop his hand from trembling as he brushed back Mokuba's long bangs which were plastered to his forehead. He started to pick the little pieces of plaster he had just notice buried in his hair. "Mokuba you couldn't kill anything. You haven't hurt Joey either, this I know."
"HOW?! You don't know anything, Seto. You weren't down there. You don't really care anyway. You're always fighting and hurting Joey." Mokuba pulled completely away from his brother and continued to bleed inside with his pain. He felt so useless, " You don't understand at all how I feel. I love him. Seto, Joey means so much to me." Mokuba looked directly into his brother's eyes, waiting for reaction of shock to come, but Seto just smiled.
"I know what you are trying to do Mokuba," Seto lifted Mokuba chin with his thumb and wiped a fresh tear which had fallen on his lower lip. Mokuba lowered his head and spoke softly to Seto, trying to be an adult.
"I'm sorry Seto, I really didn't mean all those things I said. Me and Joey are good friends."
Seto reached again for his brother, " I know how you feel. Mokuba, I know Joey's not dead. You have to believe. Mokuba, you did the right thing. Listen to me, just take a deep breath and try to breathe."
Seto knew he had to do something and do it fast Seto reached again for his brother, pain racking his small frame as Mokuba gathered his thoughts to speak again.
"He said the hole was too small and unstable for us to go through together. But that's not true. I think he was too badly hurt and didn't want me to worry. I couldn't pull him out, he was hurt too bad. Seto, I promised him I would get help. Seto, the earth trembled again and he was pushed away from the opening. Seto he's badly hurt I just know it."
"Roland, get Mokuba to our private hospital right away. I want him thoroughly checked out." Kaiba only hoped he could pull the plan formulating in his mind off. It would be dangerous but something he had to do. Pegasus where in the hell are you?"
"Nii-sama, what are you going to do? I can't go to the hospital. I have to stay here with you, please, Nii-sama, please."
"Mokuba, I'm going to keep a promise, I'm going to get Joey. Once again Seto tried to smile for his brother, but Mokuba emotionally linked to Seto understood. Seto had his own demons to fight...Mokuba fears increased, for the second time today, the two most important men in his life were in a death situation.
Wow, reviews excepted... remember you write the story, so who rescues Joey,,,,Pegasus or Seto, which chapter should I post...smiles... Chapter A: Help Me I'm Falling, My White Angel, Chapter B: He Came From the Sky, My Knight