Chapter 26: Safe and Sound.

Author: This is a message to all readers who have read this far into the story and still want to read more! Thank you soooo much for reading this far and get ready for the Yuko Fan Page! (Coming out as the next chapter!) XD Anyway, that is all...for now, I hope you all enjoy this chapter! :D

Yuko opened his eyes and found himself staring at a very familiar grey ceiling. He blinked a few times and turned his head to his side where to his surprised, finds Jack and Crow both sleeping on chairs, their heads resting on the round kitchen table in front of them. Yuko also noticed Akiza sleeping at the foot of the couch which Yuko was resting on, while Yusei's sleeping head was placed on Yuko's chest, covered over with a blue blanket.

"Strange", thought Yuko, quite amused at the sight and nudged Yusei slightly so to wake him up. Yusei groaned and slowly sat up, opening one eye while Yuko sat up and yawned, stretching his arms and allowing the pain from his shoulders to inflict throughout his body.

Yusei blinked and his expression enlightened as he noticed that Yuko had finally woken up.

"Yuko! Your awake! Thank God!" he exclaimed grinningly, and patting Yuko gently on his shoulder.

Yuko smirked and rubbed his right eye sleepily. "Well, of course I'm awake. Why are you so surprised? Did you think I died or something?" mocked Yuko.

Yusei went silent and shrugged, then nodded lightly.

Yuko looked at him confused. "Why would you think that? What happened?"

All of a sudden, Akiza moaned and slowly woke up from the noise of the starting conversation. She looked over at Yuko and her eyes widened with joy. "Yuko, your awake" she yelled cheerfully, and jumped over to hug him. Yuko felt her smooth soft body pressing down against his chest, causing a few strokes of pain to strike from his chest and down through his body, but he hugged her back, trying to ignore the pain and felt a little surprised by the reaction.

As he hugged her, Yuko noticed his right arm all bandaged up into a cast.

"Whoa! What's this", he quickly asked, and Akiza stopped hugging Yuko and turned to study the cast over Yuko's arm.

"Oh, that um...that's there because...", Akiza couldn't finish and so Yusei continued.

"You were shot, in the arm", he remarked softly.

Yuko looked at his cast, confused from the response . "I was shot? How did that happen?"

Yusei stared at Yuko with worried eyes. "A man named Zane claimed to have found you and saw that you were attacked by a gang of guys. He stepped into help you and saved you, but one of those guys had a gun and shot you in the arm. Zane beat the rest of them up and reported them to the security police. I must say, he was in a pretty bad state as well when he carried you in. Next time, come back home sooner", he explained mockingly, but with rather worried cobalt eyes.

Suddenly, Yuko remembered about what happened yesterday night. The prison break. The escape plan. Yuko assumed that the story Zane must have explain to Yusei and the group was only a cover up the real event, therefore Yuko knew that he had to play along.

"Oh yeah, I remember that. I was on my way to the card store at the time", he lied and noticed Jack and Crow begin to wake up.

Crow jumped out of his seat when he saw Yuko fully awake. "Yuko! Your awake! How are feeling?" he asked hyperactively.

Yuko scuffed. "Let me think. I have two broken ribs an two cracked ribs, a bump on the head, holes in my shoulders and a broken arm because I was shot! So yeah...overall I'm fine!" he claimed jokingly, causing Yusei to smirk and Akiza to giggle.

Jack scratched the back of his head and looked away guiltily. "Umm, Yuko. I think that you may have missed out something".

Yuko looked at Jack oddly and Akiza slowly went over to her small hand bag and took out a small hand mirror. She then hesitantly gave it to Yuko, who gulped, already assuming what he was about to see. "Please don't let it be a broken nose", he thought, and closed his eyes, before facing the mirror to reflect his face. He then slowly opened one eye and notice something black around his left eye. He then opened both eyes and smirked. "Is that it? I have a black eye?" said Yuko lightly. Akiza giggled as she lay close to Yuko and turned to face Jack.

"Well, come on then. Tell him" she said, causing Jack to sigh shamefully.

"Fine!" Jack replied frustrated. "Yuko, I must confess something that you won't like to hear" he started and gulped.

"W...when Zane bought you to us, I was helping him in take you up to your bed, but then I tripped and let go, causing you to fall back down the stairs and bump your eyes against the...", Jack turned and noticed a tool box at the bottom of the stairs. He pointed at it and continued. "You bumped your eye against that tool box which Crow put down next to the bottom step!" yelled Jack, and turned to blame Crow.

"What! That wasn't what happened!" repelled Crow, causing Yusei and Akiza to start chuckling loudly.

"Nice try Jack", complimented Yusei, and Jack snuffed proudly.

Crow pointed at Jack accusingly. "This idiot thought that punching you in the eye would wake you up!"

Jack quickly cut Crow off. "I accidentally punched Yuko in the eye!" he corrected, and Yuko started to chuckle along with Yusei and Akiza.

"It Ok, Jack" said Yuko, and looked back into the mirror. "At least you didn't break my nose or anything", he joked, "but seriously, punching me in the face!? That was your best idea!" said Yuko, now rather grumpy, while Jack huffed and continued to argue with Crow

Yuko (as beat up as he was) sighed in relief, and could feel that he was finally much closer to his friends then he had ever expected to be. He now felt as if he was officially a part of their group of friends, and was ready to make them proud (if only he practiced a bit more on his dueling skills). All this after 1 week!

"By the way", interrupted Yuko, "Where is Zane at the moment?" asked Yuko curiously.

Yusei got up and pointed up stairs where Yuko could hear the faint snores of a tired duelist. Yuko smiled and was happy to find that Zane hadn't run away. Even if Zane was a criminal, Yuko felt that there was still some good in him. However, there was one last thing which really bugged Yuko as the group continued their discussion.

"Why didn't the others recognize that Zane was the criminal?"

Yuko: Finally! Now it's time for Part 2 of this adventure (or season two if you prefer)! :3 I hope that you've all enjoyed this story so far! :D Please Review! Follow! Or add to Favorites!

Jack: Wow! 26 chapters is not bad, Yuko!

Yuko: Thank you!

Crow: You might finally get fan girls!

Yuko: Ok, I think your over-exaggerating a little bit there, Crow! :3

Carly: Yeah! Since this isn't a story which Yuko invented, it's a story which actually happened to all of us! -_-

Yuko: Yes, I know, but I could actually be bothered to write it down!

Jack: Good Job! ;)

Carly: This is stupid! T_T

Yuko: What is this! Opposite Day!? Why are you, Jack giving me compliments for once and you, Carly insulting me!

(Everyone exchanges glances)

Crow: Yep! It's definitively Opposite Day!

Yuko: X3