"You know…" Yugi started as he smiled slightly up at the clear blue sky. They were walking down the sidewalk in a park, just enjoying the weather and each other's company. They were pretty close together, close enough to feel the other's body heat, but not quite touching. Once, Atem's hand had brushed against Yugi's so softly and quickly, Yugi wasn't even sure it had actually happened. Something about the park seemed familiar, too. Like home before everything fell apart.

"I do remember some birthdays that weren't so bad." Yugi continued. "But that was so long ago. Like another lifetime. One was when I was five…" Yugi suddenly realized why the park was so comforting. "Actually, this is the very park we went to."

"Do I get to hear about this birthday?" Atem wondered with a wry smile, leading the way over to park bench and sitting. After a second of hesitation, Yugi also sat down, leaving an inch or two between them.

"I don't see why you would want to…" Yugi started, and Atem cut him off with a sigh,

"It's about you, Yugi. I am fascinated."

Yugi flushed with pleasure and shifted in his seat. Taking a soothing breath, he stared at his hands in his lap, and began…

A little, five-year old boy woke up on his birthday with a big, bright smile that reached all the way up to his eyes. He sat up, kicking his blue blanket off of him, and inhaled the sweet smell of his favorite birthday breakfast. He laughed delightedly to himself and half-fell, half-got out of his bed that was actually supposed to be for bigger boys, but his mommy had gotten it for him anyway because it was the best. He tossed his door open and ran down the stairs. At the bottom, he stumbled on the last step and fell right into his mother.

"Oh, Yugi!" Michelle carefully set him back on his feet. "Are you alright? Oh, my poor baby!" She immediately started kissing every inch of her son's face, who laughed and pushed her away. "So, what are you doing up so early?" She asked with a grin, because she already knew the answer to the question.

"Today's my birthday!" he reminded her sternly, like that should clear everything up.

"Is it now?" She put a finger on her chin. "My, my. When did that happen? It seems I have forgotten." She shot a sideways glance down to an appalled looking Yugi.

"You did not!" Yugi latched onto her leg. "Mommy! Don't lie!" Michelle laughed, and Yugi cried out as he felt his feet suddenly leave the ground.

"I got you now!" Michelle teased and she blew onto Yugi's cheek. "You ready for some pancakes?"

"Awright!" Yugi struggled out of Michelle's arms and he ran into the kitchen, this time colliding with his father.

"Whoa! Watch it!" Saguaro warned as he tripped. The pancakes that were in the pan flew out, barely missing Michelle as she walked into the kitchen. They all stared at the chocolate pancakes in silence. Yugi thought he was in trouble, so he tried to hide behind the kitchen towels that hung on the stove. He heard his father moving and peeked around the towel. Saguaro looked at the pancake stuck on the wall, than at his spatula, then back.

"I guess breakfast is ready," He said, peeling it off. Michelle took a piece and ate it, pretending to melt with happiness.

"Mmm, delicious." She kissed Saguaro's cheek, and Yugi quickly ran forward to get some pancakes, too.

Thirty minutes later, Michelle was struggling to button Yugi's shirt as he kept bouncing.
We're going to the park?" He asked excitedly. "The big one?"

"Yes, yes." She smiled at him and finished with the buttons. She gave him a once over and hugged his tight. "Oh, you are getting so big! But you're still my little shorty." She winked.

"One day I'll be a tall as...as..." Yugi struggled.

"Mt. Fuji?" Michelle rose an eyebrow. Yugi clicked his tongue at her silliness.

"Of course not that tall!" Yugi put a finger on her nose. "Nobody can ever be that big!" Yugi put the finer on his chin. "Maybe...maybe I'll be taller than a tree at least!"

Michelle laughed. "Oh, Yugi. Mommy's only wish is that you are as tall as your soul mate. That would keep the playing field even." Her eyes got all dreamy.

"What?" Yugi had no idea what she meant by that.

"One day you'll find a wonderful person who will love you and accept you for who you are. You'll probably be shorter at first, but I believe that you will grow and eventually meet them eye to eye. Nobody bending to look down, no one straining to look up." She placed her hands to her cheeks and proceeded to fangirl.

Yugi, however, gave her a look. "I don't get it."

"Oh, Don't worry," She smiled at him. "Someday you will."

Saguaro came into the room carrying a basket and a blanket.
"All set?" He asked. Michelle grabbed Yugi's hand and they walked out the front door.

Later, as they were picking up their picnic and getting ready to leave the park, Yugi found one small dandelion growing in the dirt. He looked at it with awe and then carefully pulled it from the ground. He walked back to his parents, holding it at arm's length in front of him.

"Oh, where did you get that?" Michelle asked when he showed it off. "It's beautiful."

"I'm taking it home!" Yugi said happily.

"Yugi," Saguaro sighed. "Why on earth would you want to take that weed home?"

"It's not a weed! It's a pretty flower!"

"Yes, yes, Yugi." Michelle shot a hard glance towards Saguaro before kneeling in front of the little boy. "But you can't take it home."

"Why?" Yugi whined.

"Because it belongs out here, in the ground. So it can live and plant its seeds. You can help it do its job, you know."

"How?"

"Blow on it." She told him. Yugi nodded and turned away. He took in a deep breath and blew on the flower.

"Oh!" Yugi watched, completely amazed, as the white fluff flew off of the flower one by one and into the breeze. They wafted gently around him, before being carried by the wind to the other side of the field. A warm hand surrounded his.

"Let's go home Yugi." Michelle said softly.

Atem and Yugi sat in the quiet before Atem finally spoke. "Wow. Your family used to be so..." he hesitated.

"I know." Yugi said, staring straight ahead at the children playing in the field together. The sound of laughter echoed in his ears, and in that moment he wished he could go back to being five-years-old again. He wished he could be free. "We used to be so happy and normal." He finished, sighing in a way that stated he was done talking. "Well…that's that.

"How are you able to tell me that story and then just move on?"

"Well, like a wise man once said, 'The past is gone...you cannot change it. All you can do is hold your head high and push ahead'." Yugi smiled. "I'm such a dork. I can't believe I still remember that. It's been years." He sighed. "I'm a hypocrite, too. I say that line, but my past isn't something that someone can just overcome so easily."

"I see." Atem was silent, thinking about Yugi's life before everything got so messed up. Yugi's eye veered to the right, and he suddenly sat straight up.

"Atem!" Yugi called out, grabbing Atem's arm excitedly and pulling him out of his thoughts.

"What?"

"Look! There's ice cream over there." Yugi looked Atem with bright eyes, almost bouncing in his seat. "Can we have some?"

Atem chuckled. "I don't see why not." Atem went to stand up, only to be pulled back onto the bench by Yugi.

"I'll get it. Just give me some money." Yugi held his hand out, and Atem dug in his pocket. He placed some cash into Yugi's hand, who then stood up.

"Just don't go crazy with the scoops." Atem warned, pulling a leg up onto the bench so he could rest his cheek on his knee.

"What flavor do you want, Atem?" Yugi asked.

"Surprise me."

Saguaro Mutou carefully studied the figure sitting still on the bench. It was so painfully familiar. Before thinking about it being daylight and people around every where, he started to step slowly towards the bench, a menacing look coming into his eyes. That hair…so annoying. He would know it anywhere. He noticed that the hand the figure was now rubbing the back of his neck with was tan. Saguaro felt a wave of relief, and he halted. It wasn't Yugi. It was some other moron with fucked up hair.

'Of course it's not Yugi!' Saguaro shook his head. 'I killed him. There was no way he could've survived.' He remembered how shocked and angry he had been when he came home to find Yugi gone, but after an hour of thinking, he had calmed down and realized that it didn't matter where the boy went. He was injured too badly to live. He probably collapsed and died in a place no one would even bother to look at. He was always stupid like that. So, Saguaro truly believed that he had nothing to fear.

Because there was no way he could have…

Saguaro's jaw almost dropped in disbelief as he spotted a shorter person, with similar tri-colored hair as the one on the bench, walking back, holding two ice creams and smiling. His skin was pale, and Saguaro recognized the face with ease. His temper flared immediately. How the hell was he possibly alive? And how was he walking around like he'd never even been stabbed? There was no way he could've healed so quickly!

'Just…how?' Saguaro thought acidly as he watched Yugi hand the other man the other ice-cream. He then sat down, keeping close to the other. 'That man…that man has something to do with this!' Saguaro gritted his teeth. He didn't exactly know how, but he would find out.

With his head held high and his fists gripped at his sides, Saguaro stalked closer to the two.

"This is good." Yugi said after eating some of his black cherry flavored ice cream. "I haven't had ice cream in forever! Fath—Saguaro would never let me have any, and I didn't have the money to go get some." When Atem didn't answer, Yugi took a glance sideways, blushing a little when he saw two ruby eyes staring back. "W-what? Is there something on my face?" Yugi used the back of his sleeve to wipe at his mouth.

"It's nothing." Atem said, taking a small bite from his chocolate ice cream. "I'm just starting to think that maybe I'm lucky after all."

"What's that supposed to mea—" Yugi suddenly cut off, and his eyes caught on something just behind Atem. His hand became slack, and his half-eaten ice cream dropped to the ground. His eyes were growing impossibly wide.

"Yugi...?" Atem gave him a worried look. "What's—" He felt the presence behind him and turned around. He saw a tall man with black hair looking at them like they were the gum stuck to the bottom of his shoe. Atem immediately sat up straighter. Everything about thins guy seemed wrong. Yugi's hand grabbing his and holding it in a very tight grasp only proved this even more. And, just like that, Atem knew who the man was. "What do you want?" He spat out in a hard tone.

Saguaro looked at him, almost snarling. But instead of answering Atem, he spoke to his son. "Yugi, get up. We're going home." Yugi flinched, but did not move. Saguaro's eyebrows drew in together more. "I said, 'get up'." He repeated with such a hard tone that Yugi shrank behind Atem. He wished he could just melt into the bench.

Atem stood up quickly, pulling Yugi with him. He pushed Yugi behind him protectively, and Yugi's hands can up to rest on his shoulders. Yugi set his forehead against Atem's back and was only able to manage two whispered words that were filled with fear; "Atem…Please…"

"Hush," Atem muttered over his shoulder, trying to comfort him. There was no way he would let Saguaro take him away. "I'm sorry." Atem then replied coolly to Saguaro. "I think you've made a mistake, so let me clear this up." Atem drew himself up to his full height, and even though it wasn't nearly as tall as Saguaro, Saguaro seemed to back away. Even he could feel the rolls of anger coming off of Atem. "Firstly," Atem growled. "Yugi is my responsibility. You showed him no love, only hate, and I helped him when you so wrongfully stabbed him. He's with me, and he is mine. Secondly, you better get a damn good look, because this is the last time you will ever see him again."

Saguaro got over his slight fear of Atem and simply laughed. "Please. What can you do? You're just a fucking teenager who got mixed up with the wrong family. This is none of your business, kid. Why don't you just go while you still can? All this child is good for is bringing misfortune to whoever he's close to. He's not worth your trouble."

Yugi's hands suddenly clutched Atem's shoulders in a vice-like grip, and Atem tried to ignore the soreness. He felt Yugi slide down a bit, like the weight of Saguaro's words were too much for him to carry. Atem wanted to hold him close and deny every hurtful word from Saguaro, but he wouldn't risk being off guard around him. There was too much at stake.

"Come on, Yugi. We're leaving." Atem said, slowly starting to back up, keeping a close eye on Saguaro. He hoped he could get out of here without any incidents.

Saguaro smiled and suddenly leapt at Atem, the force of his body knocking Atem down. Before he landed on the ground, Atem quickly caught himself and kicked his foot around in a semi-circle to sweep Saguaro's feet from under him. Saguaro fell to the ground with a loud thud that seemed to shake the earth. Saguaro grabbed Atem's ankle and yanked him down as well. In a second, Saguaro was over Atem, holding him up by the collar of his shirt, fist pulled back, ready to punch.

"No!" Yugi cried. He grabbed Saguaro's arm and pulled him back off of Atem. Saguaro threw him off with such force that Yugi fell backward onto the ground, landing on his right wing. Yugi let out a sharp cry of pain.

"Yugi, go!" Atem yelled as he got to his feet.

"But—"

"Just run! I'll catch up with you!" Atem pulled his leg back, and Saguaro turned to face him. Before he could do anything, Atem's foot suddenly connected with his crotch. Pain shot up his spine, and Saguaro kneeled over, breathing in short gasps. In his distraction, Atem grabbed Yugi's hand and pulled him along. They ran away from the hurt man and out of the park. When they were five blocks away, Yugi started to stumble a bit, and his lungs ached.

"Atem! I...I can't run…anymore!" Yugi called to him. Atem, not slowing at all, pulled Yugi forward until he was being held by Atem piggyback style. He wrapped his arms around Atem's shoulders and held on, trying to breathe right again.

"Damn it!" Atem said loudly. He needed to fly, but the shirt and Yugi being on his back was making that impossible. He shot a glance behind him and saw that they were far away from the park, and that Saguaro hadn't followed them—or at least he wasn't able to catch up if he had. Atem kept running anyway. He wouldn't take any chances where Yugi was involved. He turned a corner and collided with a tall blond-haired boy. He rebounded off and caught his footing before he fell.

"Ow! Watch where you're goin'!" A voice rang out with a Brooklyn twang. "Whoa, wait! Yugi! Is that you riding on him like a baby monkey?"

"Jou!" Relief and shock filled Yugi's voice. "Thank god! Atem, it's ok. He's my friend." Atem nodded and gently slid Yugi down off his back. As soon as his feet touched the pavement, Jou grabbed him in a hug.

"Oh, man! Where have you been? And who are you?" He asked, staring at Atem.

"Jou—I'll explain—but we really need to get somewhere safe." Yugi looked around the corner. "He could be close!" Atem grabbed Yugi's hand and started running again.

"What happened?" Jou asked, running along side them. One long stride for him was two strides for both Yugi and Atem.

"No time right now," Yugi managed.

"Okay, then. Let's get to my house. It'll be safe from...whatever when we get there." Jou said.

"Actually," Yugi replied, "it'll be easier to go to Ryou's. He's closer and I'm going to have to explain to him, too."

"Explain what?" Jou asked as they turned a corner. Neither Yugi nor Atem answered, and pretty soon they were slowing down in front of a tan house.

"Here we are," Yugi stopped in front of the door and knocked impatiently. "Come on, Ryou. Open up." He muttered frantically.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" A voice called out in a British accent. The door opened a moment later and revealed a sleepy-looking teen with long, white hair and brown eyes. "Wait…Yugi?" Ryou blinked. "What's going on? Where have you been?" He looked behind him and saw Jou. "You, too, Jounouchi?" His eyes widened as the fell on Atem. "And who are you?"

"Ryou," Yugi said, and the other looked back at him. "Can we come in? I think it's time I tell you and the rest of the gang something. Something I should've said a long time ago.

Saguaro uttered a particularly nasty curse and leaned against the building wall, trying to catch his breath. That guy was a speedy little fuck. He pounded a fist into the wall. Shit! How could someone half his size get the advantage on him? He was definitely stronger than Saguaro first thought.

And everything was going so well before! He had finally stabbed the little bastard, but even then he wasn't free from him. How Yugi survived, Saguaro didn't know, but he was sure the man had something to do with it. He looked like a simple teen, but there was something hidden about him. Something powerful.

If he was sure of anything, it was this: That man was in love with Yugi. Saguaro wasn't stupid. He could see it in the man's eyes as he protected Yugi. Strangely, that just made him even more pissed. Saguaro shook his head.

Saguaro should've gone to the bar after he was sure Yugi was dead. Most of the bad things that happened in his life were because of Yugi, but even he couldn't deny that this was his fault. If only he had made sure that Yugi was dead, then this would've never happened.

Saguaro pushed off from the wall and stared straight ahead

He had lost the two. Where did they go? He would find them, he swore it. He needed to end it once and for all. He was just about to walk the other way when he noticed a slim woman with blonde hair walking towards him, distain flashing in her eyes at the sight of him.

"Hello, Saguaro." She said. Her voice was just as he remembered. Slow and smooth like honey pouring from a bottle. "I see you haven't changed a bit." Her tone was hard, and it no longer held the love that she once had for him. That had gone a long, long time ago.

"What are you doing here?" Saguaro was irked when he heard his voice come out soft instead of demanding like he wanted. He tried again. "What are you doing here, Michelle?" She stepped forward and glared at Saguaro.

"I'm only going to say this once." She warned, her tone now dropping in temperature. "Where. Is. My. Son?"