Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of its characters

Claimer: I, chop4tess, own this story, its plot and any and all original characters

Hello and welcome to chapter six of my story. I hope you enjoy it.

Chapter 6: Reunions

I woke up Friday morning feeling like I just wanted to bury myself under the covers and never come back out. No doubt the bullies would be waiting for me at school and my absence yesterday would have been noticed. I sighed rolling onto my back and stared up at the ceiling. I couldn't help but wonder what Yami was up to. I groaned as I remembered last night. How could I have asked him to stay like that? He wasn't my boyfriend or anything. I licked my lips thinking that I would rather like to have Yami as my boyfriend. There was something about Yami that made me feel safe in a way I had never felt before. Well, when I was with Joey I used to feel safe but in a different kind of way. Joey was my first real friend whereas the feelings I had for Yami were different. I wanted to be with Yami all the time, I wanted to know what he was thinking and I wanted him to only look at me.

Good grief I'm acting like a girl, I thought to myself sitting up in bed. The sun was shining through my curtains and it looked like it was going to be a nice day. After a brief shower I dressed and shoved my books into my school bag. The teachers would have kept anything they handed out in class for me so I didn't have to worry about falling behind. I walked down stairs and smiled at my grandfather.

"Good morning grandpa." I yawned and my grandpa smiled at me.

"Are you feeling better today?" He asked glancing back at his newspaper as I sat down helping myself to cereal.

"Yes," I nodded pouring milk into my bowl and tucking in. I felt a gaze on me and I looked up to see my grandpa staring at me. "What?"

"Nothing," My grandpa shook his head, "Are you going to see Yami again today?" I blinked at my grandpa who smiled at me.

"Err, we haven't made any plans." And I most likely scared him off yesterday with all my talk of staying with me.

"Well I think you should call him, you need to have friends at your age." My grandpa nodded and I rolled my eyes. My grandpa was always telling me to make friends, he didn't seem to realise how difficult that was for me.

"Sure thing grandpa," I said although I had no idea if Yami had a phone. I didn't even know where he lived. After finishing my breakfast I walked to towards my school thinking about Yami. I remembered how his violet eyes had sparkled whenever he saw something of interest. He seemed to have no real knowledge of the world and appeared to be so innocent. I snorted, Yami was most likely older than I was how could he be innocent? Yet there was a child-like quality to the things he did even though he also seemed so wise.

Then there was that dream I had that I was crying and he had held me close in his arms. I felt my face turn red with a fiery blush and I shook my head. I didn't even know if Yami swung that way and there was no way such a good looking guy would be single. There must be hordes of girls wanting to be his girlfriend even if only for a day. I didn't stand a chance.

I kicked a stone out of my path with a sigh. In truth I was very lonely. I wanted friends but ever since Joey left I had convinced myself not to get too close to people or expect too much from them because eventually they would leave. When I was with Joey I didn't need anyone else. It was him and me against the world and we loved every minute. Joey never did his homework and would always copy mine and I thought that was the way it would always be. We would go to university together and study together with Joey copying all my notes and stressing over exams and essay deadlines. I chuckled lightly before glancing around wondering if anyone had heard me. Stop laughing to yourself Yugi otherwise people will think you're crazy, I told myself.

Yami's face popped into my mind again and I frowned. Why was I thinking about him so much? I had only known him for four days. I paused mid-stride, has it really only been four days since I met Yami? I thought about it before nodding to myself. Four days since Rob and his gang had attacked me and Yami had saved me. It felt like a lot longer than that. I felt like I had known Yami all my life. Something about him drew me to him like a moth to a flame. Yeah then the moth gets burned when it gets too close to the flame. I snorted and continued walking. If I got too close to Yami, if I let him inside my heart I would get burned, just like the moth.

I reached the school grounds a few minutes before the bell rang. This was a good time to arrive because I could slip through the throngs of people and wait in the classroom for class to start without the fear that Rob would find me and drag me off to some dark corner to beat me up. Just as I was taking my seat the bell rang and I pulled out my books for the first class which was maths. I sighed and leaned back in my chair as other students pilled into the room talking loudly to their friends or texting on their mobiles. Some where texting and talking at the same time. A boy with white hair and soft chocolate eyes gave me a small smile before sitting down behind me and two seats across. I knew his name was Ryo but I had never spoken to him. Ryo usually hung out with the older boys and I was too scared to talk to him although he looked perfectly nice.

That's when I remembered something that Yami had said. Didn't he say that Bakura was going out with a guy called Ryo? I tilted my head to one side wondering if the Ryo I shared a class with was the same Ryo that was going out with the white haired devil. They certainly made an odd pairing. Ryo was known for being sweet and kind while Bakura was known for being mean and horrid. Love is the strangest emotion, I thought as my math teacher walked into the room.

"Settle down class. If I see that phone again Tristan its mine." My teacher threatened and the brunet boy blushed and shoved his phone into his bag. "That's better, now we have a student joining us for a while; I guess most of you know him since he used to live here." My ears pricked up at that. There had been a few students to move away in last few years and I wondered who it was who had come back. "You can come in now." The teacher called and the door opened.

I leaned forward along with the rest of the class as I tried to see who it was. Being shorter that everyone else in the room I couldn't see anything more than blond hair as the student walked into the room. There was an audible gasp and one of the students in front of me ducked down to whisper something to her friend and I got a clear view of the boy standing at the front of the class looking embarrassed. My jaw dropped and I stared at the boy wondering if this was all some strange dream and I was really back home in my bed. I shook my head and rubbed my eyes but it did nothing to dispel the image in front of me.

"Well introduce yourself then." The teacher said shortly and the boy turned hazel eyes to the class who were staring at him in open mouthed amazement. The few students who didn't know him were staring at him in open curiosity. The boy's eyes met mine and a familiar smile tugged up the corners of his mouth. A smile so familiar I thought I would cry with happiness. It had been so long since I had seen that smile.

"Hi everyone," the boy said his eyes leaving mine for a moment, "most of ya know me but for those who don't, my name is Joey Wheeler nice to meet ya!"

-:-

Malik couldn't help but stare at the hustle and bustle of the city before him. He hadn't been to Earth in years and it had changed so much. The last time he was down here the humans were still using horses and carts. The noise of all the cars was deafening. There were neon lights everywhere and so many people. Malik knew that the humans breed like rabbits but this was just amazing. Where have all these people come from? Where do they all go? Malik wondered eyeing a young couple whose only interest was each other. Malik pulled a face as they started kissing passionately; public displays of affection where never Malik's thing. He couldn't understand why they had to kiss right in front of everyone; like anyone else cared that they were a couple.

"Stop staring at everyone and help me." Seto snapped his blue eyes flashing and Malik rolled his eyes and turned back to Seto with a sigh.

"Why? It's not like anyone can see us." Seto had insisted that they use their magic to hide their forms while on Earth which Malik found to be a bore. What was the point of being among humans if they couldn't even see you? Humans are so blind to the world around them, Malik mused, they walk around with their eyes shut. Then again seeing as they were wearing their white uniforms maybe it wasn't such a bad thing. They would stand out like sore thumbs in this crowd of muted and dark colours. Seto was wearing all white and when the sun shone on his suit it was almost painful to look at. Malik was wearing his white trousers, shirt and jacket but he had black shoes on instead of the usual white ones.

"We need to find Yami as soon as possible so we can get out of here." Seto said holding a crystal over a map of the city. The crystal was tied to a piece of string and would pinpoint the location of all angels on Earth. Since they and Yami were the only ones on Earth Seto knew that finding Yami wouldn't be very difficult. There were spells angels could do to hide themselves from each other but since Yami didn't know that they were here he wouldn't think to hide from them.

"What have you got against Earth and humans anyway?" Malik asked putting his hands behind his head and looking up at the blue sky. "You used to be a human remember?"

"My life as a human is of no importance to me." Seto said stiffly. Malik glanced him with a raised eyebrow.

"Really? You really have no wish or feel the slightest bit of curiosity as to who you were when you were alive?" Malik couldn't believe it. Seto looked up from the map and glared at Malik.

"Of course not, God says we don't need to know about our pasts. I know I was a good enough to be accepted into God's Heaven and that's all that matters." Seto turned back to his map while Malik studied him for a moment. Seto's shoulders were stiff and his face closed off. Malik snorted and looked away. There was no way Seto didn't wonder about his past; Malik could see it in his face.

"Just because God says it doesn't make it right." Malik muttered and Seto glanced at him before looking back down at his map. Malik's talking had distracted him so he needed to do the spell all over again. Malik's words had affected him more than Seto was willing to admit. All he saw when he looked at humans was rage and greed. They fought for land, for wealth, for a husband or wife and didn't care who they trampled under their feet as long as they got what they wanted. The weak fell and the strong made fancy houses from their bodies. Seto never wanted to acknowledge that he was once part of that disgusting race so he did all he could to forget about it. Yet the more he fought to forget the more he thought about it. It was a depressing never ending circle.

"Ah there he is." Seto said as the crystal lit up and Malik walked up to him and looked over his shoulder. There were three bright white dots on the map. Two where very close together and the last one was a few blocks away and the light was much dimmer than the other two.

"How come our dots are brighter?" Malik asked, "Are we more powerful or something?" Malik smirked liking the idea that he was more powerful than Yami. He would have to rub that fact in Yami's face when they met later.

"No our lights are brighter because we are not hiding ourselves. Yami must be cloaking his body to appear human which also cloaks his powers to some extent." Seto took note of where Yami was before tucking the map into his jacket pocket. "Follow me," Seto opened his wings and took off into the sky with a whoosh. Malik glanced at a passer-by who had jumped at the sudden rush of wind and was peering at the wall in a confused manner. "Hurry up slow coach!" Seto shouted as the passer-by continued on her way. Malik sighed and opened his wings and took off into the sky.

-:-

I couldn't believe it, Joey was back! I stared at him all through math class and didn't hear a word the teacher said. When the bell rang I tried to talk to Joey but other students beat me too it and teacher held me back to lecture me on paying attention in class. After having to run to history class I didn't have time to talk with Joey and he was surrounded by students on the way to Physics too so I didn't get a chance to talk with him then either.

At lunch time I sat down in my usual corner and picked at my food. I didn't know how after almost a year of being gone Joey could just come back like he had never left. He had grown over the past eight months and his hair was longer too. But if Joey was coming back then why didn't he contact me? My mobile number was the same and I had an e-mail account which I checked on my grandpa's old computer. I had heard nothing form him, not even a hint that he was coming. I stabbed my fork into my slice of cold beef with a little more force then necessary scowling.

"I think its already dead pal." A voice said and I jumped glancing up. Joey was smiling at me with that guilty and tentative look on his face that he got after we'd had one of our rare arguments. I opened my mouth but nothing came out. I had wanted to say so many things to him after he left but now he was standing in front of me I couldn't say anything at all. "Is this seat taken?" Joey asked nodding his head to the seat opposite me and I shook my head finding my voice at last.

"Um, no," I blinked as Joey sat down. There was an awkward silence before Joey took a deep breath.

"Look I understand if you're mad at me, hell I would be mad at me but I hope you understand that there was nothing I could do. My parents wanted to move away and nothing I said could change their minds." Joey poked his food and the action was so familiar to me I felt myself smiling.

"I'm not mad at you Joey, I'm just surprised. I mean, I never thought I would see you again." I smiled and Joey smiled back. A smile so familiar it made my heart ache. I hadn't realised just how much I had missed my blond friend until now.

"I didn't think I would be coming back either pal." Joey sighed and glanced at his untouched food. "Hey do you want to go outside? I'm not hungry." I nodded and Joey and I threw away our food and left the trays with the empty plates on the counter for the dinner ladies to take away. Joey and I walked side by side to our usual spot under a tree in the grounds outside the school and I couldn't stop smiling. Joey threw himself down on the grass while I sat beside him. "What are you smiling about?"

"You," I grinned, "You are just the same as I remember you. A little taller and wilder maybe," I glanced at his hair, "but still the same Joey."

"Of course I'm the same," Joey laughed ruffling my hair, "You didn't think I would turn into someone else did ya?" I glanced at him as I pulled my knees to my chest and wrapped my arms around my legs.

"I missed you loads Joey." I said quietly and Joey glanced at me then smiled softly.

"I know bud, I know. I missed you too." Joey chuckled, "I didn't like my new school at all. I was failing in everything because I didn't have your notes to copy." I laughed at that and Joey grinned sitting up and leaning against the tree. "I didn't have any real friends and I got into loads of fights. My parents thought it was a rebellion against moving but I just couldn't settle down there. I didn't like the new house, I didn't like the school even the mall was boring." Joey paused before continuing his story.

"I wanted to come back and live here in a rented apartment but I knew that my parents would never let me so I didn't bother asking them. Then about two months ago my dad asked me if I wanted to come back here. He said he could rent a place for me. It wouldn't be much, we don't have much money right now, but I could study here and go back home for holidays and such. I was amazed and I leapt at the chance to come back. It took weeks to sort the apartment out and change schools but I was glad to be coming back."

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming back?" I asked unable to keep the hurt out of my voice. Joey gave me a guilty look and placed a hand on my shoulder.

"I'm sorry bud but until I actually arrived here yesterday I was expecting everything to fall through and I didn't want ya to get your hopes up. It was late when I arrived and after unpacking all my stuff I fell asleep. I meant to call ya honest I did." Joey looked pleading now; I had never liked that look on his face. It didn't suit Joey's strong personality to look pleading.

"It's ok Joey; I got one hell of a shock when I saw you this morning. I thought I was still dreaming!" I laughed and Joey laughed too.

"Why, do you dream of me often?" He asked grinning and I blushed.

"Joey!" Joey laughed and I found myself laughing too. Joey could always make me laugh even if it was me he was teasing at the time. "I'm just so glad to have you back. It's been lonely without you." I admitted bashfully and Joey nodded and pulled me into a one armed hug.

"I've been lonely without you too bud. But now we are together again, the unstoppable duo!" Joey punched the air and I laughed letting Joey hold me for a moment longer before pulling away.

"Yes we are the unstoppable duo." I agreed, "Nothing will ever come between our friendships ever again."

"Amen to that Yug'!" We both fell about laughing. Suddenly the world seemed a bit brighter and the sun a bit warmer. I had my best friend back and now anything seemed possible.

-:-

Yami was walking down the street thinking about Yugi, God, Heaven and his mission. When he first became an angel everything was so new and strange to him. All new angels had two weeks of training for whatever tasks they will be performing while in Heaven. They would be paired with an experienced angel for 2 months after that to gain confidence and expertise in their area. One of the first lessons they were taught was that God's word was law and they were never to disobey the One who had given them so much. Everything in Heaven was made by God and would wither and die if He died. Therefore it was an angel's duty to support God and keep heaven alive and beautiful.

Back then Yami would never have dreamed of betraying his Lord and he bad mouthed Lucifer and the other fallen angels along with everyone else. Lucifer was portrayed as weak and rotten to the core for throwing away God's love and lying with demons and monsters that were hell bent on manipulating and corrupting all mankind. Mankind was God's most treasured possession and he wanted to protect them from Lucifer's evil ways. Yet because he loved them he gave man free will and watched them fall victim to the demons without being able to help them. Yami wondered how God could just watch his loved people fall into ruin and once asked God that very question.

'People have the power to save themselves if they only look for it.' God had replied, 'they do not need my powers to achieve all that they can.' Yami didn't understand God then but now, looking at the people of this city he thought that he understood a little better. Humans are so complicated, Yami thought, they can be great or nothing at all. There are people who risk their lives to help others and people who couldn't care less.

Yami was walking through a park when he felt it, the presence of another angel close by. Yami frowned and glanced around before heading to a secluded part of the park where no one would see him. Yami closed his eyes and his puzzle glowed briefly. Yami snapped his eyes open and tilted his head up to the sky. Seto and Malik were coming for him.

Within moments Malik and Seto were swooping into the clearing making the trees buckle and sway from the force of their wings. Yami watched as they landed opposite him. Seto looked serious while Malik was grinning like the idiot he was. Yami narrowed his eyes at them and crossed his arms over his chest.

"What do I owe the pleasure of this visit?" Yami asked glancing from one angel to the other. "For three guardian angels to be on Earth at the same time something big must be going on." Yami commented lightly. Seto frowned and stood tall. Seto was about a head taller than Yami much to Yami's dislike. Even Malik was taller than him, it was downright annoying.

"You are what is going on," Seto said in a business like tone. "God ordered us to bring you home Yami, by force if necessary. But I don't think we need to resort to that sort of tactics do we?" The threat was clear in Seto's voice and Yami glared at his rival.

"God sent me here and I will not leave until His wishes have been carried out. My mission is not over."

"Well when God says jump we jump Yami and you're not jumping." Malik said with a shrug. Yami arched an elegant eyebrow.

"Crude but quite accurate," Yami said and Malik grinned.

"I have a way with words." Malik shrugged and Seto rolled his eyes.

"Yami just how long are you going to disobey God?" Seto asked frowning, "Do you want to be cast out of heaven? You will be forced to join Lucifer and his mob, is that what you really want?" Yami paused and bit his lip. Seto saw the hesitation in Yami's eyes and smirked. Got you, Seto thought smugly.

"I have no intention of serving Lucifer but I can't go back to heaven just yet." Yami said almost pleading, his eyes downcast.

"Of course you can, the brat can't be worth that much." Malik said and Yami snapped his head up and glared fiercely at Malik.

"Yugi is worth everything! I am doing this for him. He needs me!" Yami snapped and Malik actually took a step back in surprise.

"He needs you?" Seto repeated arching an eyebrow, "What exactly does he need you for?"

"He has no friends, his parents are gone and all he has left is his grandfather. He is lonely and miserable that is why he needs me. If I can make him believe in himself then he will be able to manage without me." Yami argued. To him the argument seemed perfectly logical. Isn't that was God had ordered him to do in the first place?

"You are becoming too attached to the human," Seto glared at Yami. "He has poisoned your mind and corrupted your soul."

"No! Yugi couldn't corrupt anything! His soul is pure and kind." Yami almost shouted. "'Judge not' isn't that one of our Lord's commands?"

"All humans do is corrupt and destroy everything they see!" Seto shot back with a snarl. "They do not deserve God's love but he still gives it to them. Even though they kill and main each other he loves them. Why? Why do such horrific creatures deserve His love?" Seto was almost shouting himself now. Neither Malik nor Yami had seen him so angry or lose his composure like this.

"Humans do terrible thing I admit," Yami said softly, "But they also do great good. If you spent one day in this city you would realise that." Yami looked at Seto his face calm and Seto stared at him before taking a deep breath.

"Whether that is the case or not, it does not concern me." Seto glanced at Malik who had remained quiet during his tirade which Seto now felt quite embarrassed about. "We are here to bring you back with us." Malik nodded although there was a look in his eyes that Seto couldn't place.

"I will not leave Yugi." Yami said his chin up in defiance. Malik turned his violet eyes to Yami.

"What if Yugi leaves you?" Malik asked and Yami looked shocked as if such a thought had never occurred to him.

"What do you mean?" Yami asked he voice laced with suspicion and Malik waved a hand to open a viewing globe. Seto couldn't help but be a bit surprised at Malik's talent. Viewing globes were difficult to open and even more difficult to maintain. The scene within the globe showed Yugi's school before moving to a green area outside the school. Yami felt his eyes widen when he saw Yugi sitting with a good looking blonde under a tree. The blonde was leaning against the tree and they couldn't see his face but Yugi was clearly visible.

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming back?" Yugi sounded hurt as he looked at the blond. The blonde's answer was harder to hear as Malik struggled with the magic needed to keep the globe open.

"I'm sorry bud…expecting everything to fall through and I didn't want…..It was late….I fell asleep. I meant to call ya honest I did." Yugi was smiling at the blonde with a happy look on his face.

"It's ok Joey; I got one hell of a shock when I saw you this morning. I thought I was still dreaming!" Yugi started laughing and Yami gasped. Joey? As in the Joey who left? Yami found it hard to believe that he was back but there his little hikari was, laughing brightly.

"…..dream of me often?" Yami frowned at the blonde's question feeling a strange emotion well up inside of him. It was dark and full of rage. Not an emotion he was used to feeling and it shocked him.

"Joey!" Yami watched as they both laughed. Yami had never seen Yugi look as happy as he did right there with his friend. "I'm just so glad to have you back. It's been lonely without you." Yami felt his heart twist as another feeling washed over him as the blonde hugged Yugi. This one he recognised as despair. Yugi was back with the one he needed, he had no use for him anymore.

"…been lonely without you too…But now…together again, the unstoppable duo!" Yami watched as Joey punched the air and Yugi laughed again. Yugi let Joey hold him for a moment too long and Yami sighed sadly. Maybe he doesn't need me now that Joey is back in his life. Yami felt frustration well up inside him. He had disobeyed God for Yugi only to thrown aside as soon as Yugi's previous friend returned? This Joey had hurt Yugi yet Yugi let him hug him and laughed with him. It was so unfair!

"Yes we are the unstoppable duo." Yugi grinned like a child, "Nothing will ever stand between our friendship ever again."

"Amen to that Yug'!" Yami watched as they fell about laughing. Malik looked up at Yami who took a deep breath then let it out. He felt like all that he had been fighting for that been taken away from him, leaving him empty inside.

"Yami, what is your decision?" Seto didn't like to see his rival so broken. Yami was meant to fight him to the end not just give up. It was almost a disappointment. "Will you come back with us or stay here?"

*End Chapter*

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