Disclaimer: All accolades go to our favored author, who characters I have borrowed to write this meaningless dribble.

Thanks for the support which just motivates this story to continue. It's really one of the best I've written, especially living in earthquake country, so the basic plot line is pretty real to me. I truly had planned three chapters, but my muse started to cry and I had to comfort her. Soooo. . . we got busy. I promise an ending to move your heart. Sherabo style…. Sit back and have a hot cocoa.

Ooooooooo

Recap: Silly Pegasus, Seto is home. Home is where ever I am. We won't leave each other until we are both strong. I am his home . . . (yeah it's fluffy, but I love it, smiles)

Ooooooooo

Chapter 8: Hope

"Listen, I believe your brother would want you to get a little rest." Pegasus encouragingly spoke to Mokuba. "I believe in Kaiba-boy you should too."

"Don't call him that, especially when he's down." Mokuba eyes blazed like hot coals. "I don't need you to tell me what my brother wants."

"Oops, that wasn't the best thing for me to say, sorry, but I'm right Mokuba. You've been working at the airport all day and now."

"Now what, you think I can't take care of my brother?" Mokuba turned and lashed out at the white haired Toon-master.

"Hush, little Kaiba kitten, you're going to wake him up if you keep on yelling at me." Pegasus put his hand to Mokuba's lips in an effort to stop their meaningless conversation. Unlike Kaiba, Mokuba was determined to rattle on and on.

"I don't have to listen to you, so back off." Just like a snake's low hiss, the words coming from the boy's mouth stung.

Pegasus just shook his head and dangerously advanced on the youth. "Even Seto knows when to stop and take a step back to step forward. You could take a lesson or two in manners, boy."

"Can it, nothing has changed with you, you're still trying to control me, aren't you Pegasus?" He sarcastically spit out the words. "Just go if you can't stand the fire! Maybe your plan all this time has been to get rid of me?"

"You got it all wrong," rubbing his brow in frustration, the Toon-master was only making the situation worse. The young teen was becoming delusional. Mokuba crossed his hands across his chest, angry and frustrated. 'Who does he think he is anyway?' He fumed.



"Mokuba, I'm going to talk with the doctors, maybe you'll grow up while I'm gone." Pegasus adjusted his favorite eye patch, white with the black skull, with eye sockets that had red rubies around the eye brow, as he walked away.

Frustrated, but mostly afraid, the raven haired beauty moved from the chair he had been sitting on to his brother's bed, feeling the need to be closer; it was his duty to protect Seto while he was so vulnerable. Seto had collapsed earlier falling into Pegasus and Mokuba's arms. The CEO was completely exhausted. He had not slept or even rested his body for more than a few hours since the quake hit the city of Domino yesterday.

Every waking moment he had spent saving Joey's life. Now, completely wiped out, Seto slept in the security that Mokuba would take care of him. Next to his head Pegasus had laid the blue rose, the delicate scents filled the room and seem to ease the worry lines around Seto's brow.

About thirty minutes later Pegasus stood outside Seto's room and wondered on a new course of action. 'Well it looks like our fleeting relationship is over. Poor kid, but I got to get through. Kaiba would kill me if I left his brother alone now. O . . Ok . . . Round two coming up!! 'He opened the door.

Mokuba now set at Seto's feet sniffing and wiping his eyes. It had been apparent he'd spent his time alone with Seto crying. Pegasus tried to quietly turn around and back out, but he was not quick enough.

"Who is it?" The boy tried to regain his composure.

"Oh it's just me."

"Damn it," He snarled at the retreating figure. "I thought you had left for good."

"Oh . . . my. . . . Really . . . . It's not going to be that easy. We need each other's support, regardless how you feel."

"Ump!"

"Damn it, Mokuba, you are just as stubborn as your brother, but use a little reasoning too. I know you're tired too. . . ."Pegasus carelessly brushed Mokuba shoulder with his hand as he stood behind him, trying to calm the irate boy. "Mokuba you're not alone, Kaiba told me all about the orphanage and. . . ."

"Shut up Pegasus! I don't need to hear that shit right now. You want me to call you friend; well don't ever bring up that hell hole again. I don't care what kind of relationship you and my brother have. It's a lie. I know it is." Mokuba moved away and knocked the offered friendship hand away from his shoulder. 'I have to be strong for my brother,' thought the boy.

Seto was so quiet; just a soft purr could be heard coming from his tight lips. Small whiffs of air blew from his nostrils. Sometimes he twisted from side to side, but mostly he just lay perfectly still. Mokuba pushed the thin hospital sheet up around his arms draping it loosely around his shoulders, because Nii-sama hated to be confined. His skin was slightly cold, but that was normal, for the ice-man. Mokuba 

hated the nick name, which surrounded his brother; they were all so wrong. 'Why, Nii-sama, why is this happening?' He thought sadly.

"I get it Mokuba; I'm not on your top ten list, not even in the running, but listen. Kaiba would want us to be together on this and you know it. So I'll start over. Let me stay by his side, not because you can't, but I think there is someone else you need to see." The boy flinched at Pegasus's words.

"I hate you, man." Seto stirred and Mokuba glared at the Toon- master. You could almost see the daggers he mentally threw at Pegasus's good eye. "Just stay out of our lives."

Keeping a safe distance from the black-haired beauty, Pegasus walked over to the window and sighed. 'Ok, so he wants to play with the big boys, fine,' he thought.

"Ahh . . . just like Kaiba-boy, you are so beautiful, my little Kaiba kitten when you're pissed."

"I said don't call me that," shaking with fury. Mokuba started to lose control.

"But what will Kaiba think if you neglect the life of the boy he fought so hard to save? Stay here if you must, but we both know Kaiba would want you to take care of that boy. Don't be a little shit. Don't try and be Kaiba. Nobody is that cold. You think Kaiba-boy is down? Then you don't know a damn thing about his fighting spirit. Go Mokuba and finish the job he started, if you really want his respect. Are you going to leave his lover's condition to chance?"

"He's not his lover; you don't know what you are even talking about. I despise you." The words came out in a low hiss…..

"Oooo . . . touchy are we. Maybe you need a little cuddle yourself. Want to give it a go?" Pegasus winked at the boy.

"Sick bastard, just wait until Seto hears about this."

"Seto, Seto, if you keep on fighting with me, he'll hear soon enough. Back to the issue, the boy. Friend, lover, whatever, think about it."

Worry returned to his gray orbs and the little boy inside started to emerge. 'I can't leave Nii-sama, not like this, but Joey. How could I forget about Joey? 'Casually, Mokuba wiped the sweat from his temples and waited for Pegasus's next assault.

"Mokuba, I'll stay by his side and if he wakes, I promise I'll call you." Pegasus produced one of his endless toys from a back pocket . It was a small cell phone, with a monitor, and keyboard. Just for a second Mokuba's eyes lit up as he quickly figured out how to work the gadget.

"Look, it's programmed to take pictures and transmit over miles above the ground and below. Mokuba, I'm not the bad guy, really. Besides I am not going to hold his hand, that's your job."

He tossed the small intricate cell to Mokuba.



"Pegasus, I swear if anything happens to my brother. . ." Mokuba threatened.

"I said I got it," Pegasus replied rather dismissively.

Mokuba reluctantly rose and headed for the door, but not before taking one last look at his brother.

"Pegasus, maybe this isn't such a good idea after all." Every muscle strained in his body with anxiety. 'I didn't know Kaiba has been seeing the white-hair, overactive loony- toon, but why? Why didn't he tell me about this? Shit!! Ok, he did help us get to Joey, but I don't trust him, I can't. Seto what are you thinking and what should I do?'

Pegasus decided he would deal with this little Kaiba kitten the only way possible, straight forward. Push the Kaibas into a corner and they will come out mad as hell and ready to battle anything. "You might as well understand, Kaiba and I, we are both business associates and friends. Anything outside of that is none of your business, Mokuba. Don't go where you are not invited."

"Don't think I'm your friend, I'll find out what you are up to, and crush you for good. I know you act like my friend, but I don't trust you. "

"That's my little Kaiba kitten."

"Ass hole," the raven haired boy growled.

"Ass wipe"

"Toon-freak,"

"Now, now, we don't want Kaiba to think we are fighting. Why we are almost like brothers." Pegasus took out a white handkerchief and waved it at Mokuba."

"Idiot, aren't you ever serious?"

"Ahhh . . . my little Kaiba kitten, you wound me," Pegasus pretended to take a shot to the heart.

"Don't call me that."

"Look, while you were dreaming up ways to kill me I asked about Joey's condition and it's not the best news. So get over there, man. He's in and out of consciousness. It appears whenever your brother was around he normalized his breathing and calmed down." Pegasus waited for the words to take effect.

'Who would have ever thought that of Kaiba?' Pegasus always wondered about sex and the CEO. . . 'Ooo . . . my goodness, so my Kaiba-boy likes his desert served with honey, how sweet.' Just for a moment Pegasus's thoughts wondered onto very dangerous grounds. He barely heard the softly spoken words of Mokuba.

"Is he going to die, I gotta know," spoke the distraught youth.



"Joey is under a lot of stress and needs someone who cares about him by his side," there was no laughter or malice in Pegasus's voice. Finally, Mokuba understood the seriousness of all the events happening around him.

It pissed Mokuba off to hear these words coming from the Toon-master, but it was true. "I know he is hurt, and I should be with him. He's my best friend."

"Then go, don't forget the phone." Pegasus placed the cell in Mokuba's trembling hands, but not before he pulled him in close for a hug.

"Mokuba, I promise I'll take care of your brother, you just take care of your friend." Those were the words whispered in his ear before he had a chance to push the man away. Ceremoniously the boy wiped the scent of Pegasus off his ear and neck, argggg.

That was almost two hours ago, and now Mokuba sat in a chair beside the hospital bed of his best friend. Three times he had called Pegasus and demanded to see his brother on the monitor.

"Why Joey, you could have died? Why did you let go?"

Mokuba held Joey's hand and tried to rub a little life into the cold skin. Unlike Seto he knew Joey was always warm and soft to the touch. Slowly, he traced each line in his palm. The life line was jagged, almost broken near the base. The laugh line was thick and worn, attesting to the spirit of Joey. Thin, delicate, almost like rice paper, yet strong and fragrant; those were the boys' hands.

Mokuba held his fingers against his cheek and cradled the mangled arm in his own. Even amidst the medicines he could still smell the scents of the artist buried deep inside.

Each finger danced to a tune set in motion by Joey's artistic whim, guided by the stroke of the brush.

Watching Joey paint gave Mokuba a feeling of bliss and sensuality, he didn't fully understand, but needed. Sometimes the colors were wild, like the dragons Kaiba so loved and other times they were soft and gentle, like the life neither one would ever have.

"I won't let you go this time, I won't. I promise you Joey that you will paint again." Unlike Seto, Mokuba had no tears to shed. He was filled with too much anger to cry. His heart broke with the shame he now felt. 'I the great Kaiba was so afraid and I wanted to hide, and run. Oh God what have I done. He put his life on the line for me, and I choked up. I'm just a failure. You just gotta wake up Joey. Not for me, but because you are the best. You gotta show the world how special you are. And I promise I will help you all the way, because you are the real hero.'

Moments ago the nurses were whispering to themselves, supposedly out of ear shot. "Such a waste, he'll never use that arm again. Oh, and he's so cute."



"Shut up you old hags, keep your god damn comments to yourself!" Mokuba wanted to throw the clip board attached to Joey's bed at the fools. 'What do they know? It's no wondering why my big brother hates this place.'

"Joey, just wake up, you're the only one who listens to me. I love you so. I mean, I know you really want Seto. But I don't care, I don't care. I just want you to live." Now the tears started to flow, as he gently squeezed the hand he so wanted to see paint again.

If not for the tears Mokuba would have felt the tender touch of one baby finger as Joey wrapped it around Mokuba's hand. The boy struggled to find the entrance to the land of the living wanting to find the light. Warmth returned to his legs and arms, and the lines on the monitor started to flutter up and down creating high peaks and valleys on the screen.

Joey's POV

For the third time in his life Joey found he was in totally darkness again scratching for a way out into the light. He was completely and utterly alone, yet this time warmth generated from the dark abyss in his heart. Warm strong arms incased his body and there was comfort in the embrace. Joey nuzzled deeper into the embrace and opened his eyes completely to a soft light surrounding his body. The light was warm, just like the arms and Joey realized the scent coming from the embrace belong to Seto. 'This can't be real. I'm in Seto's bed?' he thought.

'Seto, Seto, is this hell or am I dreaming . . . . .?' He called silently.

'Wh. . . . Where am I,' he thought. 'Ahh. . . my back,' a dull ache, a throbbing came from his lower back or more embarrassing his ass and he remembered.. . . .

Hey, first a thank you to my wonderful beta Genius Vampire, who by the way if you like .Hack, she has this super story goin on called .Hack/G.U. Repose, its hotttt.

Mokuba: Hack, you mean the one with that AI, called Kite. Kaiba calls him a brainless wonder. Does it have lots of sex in it?

Sherabo: Mokuba! Actually is very violent and tender at the same time.

Mokuba: Well Endrance is so hot. I saw a couple of his pictures on Seto's lap top.

Sherabo: Really. . . mmm . . . . Cross over time…….? Sherabo smiles.

Review, review. I feel a lemon coming on, so stay tune for the next chapter. Remember you write the story. Whose will he wake up for, Pegasus, Seto, or Mokuba?? Tell me what you want. "Am I dreaming??" chapter nine.