Thank you all! I'm happy that you think this is better than the original. That was exactly what I was trying for. Not to disappoint anyone but it will be a couple chapters before you find out what Atemu does with the men and then much longer until they get the mastermind.

Warnings: None

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Chapter Nine

A little over a week had passed, and Kaiba found himself having difficulty balancing his care of Jounouchi with running the company. Currently he sat in his office signing some of the proposal papers he had sent over to the house. Kaiba had two reasons for not leaving the house. One reason being Jounouchi. Even though the blond was becoming more and more comfortable being with his friends and Mokuba, there were times that he would revert back to his dog personality and not let anyone near him but Kaiba. The CEO turned in his chair and stood up to look out the large windows in his office. He could clearly see the press camping outside of his gates. They were the second reason Kaiba didn't leave. He was told by his public advisor not to venture outside and have very limited time with the press as possible. They were currently working on resolving the problem and were in with the judge, attempting to get an order to have them removed from his property even though they were technically outside of his property. The annoying press seemed to side with Doctor Shima about Jounouchi. However, as days went by with no incidents happening inside of the mansion, the press began to slim. The only ones left were the ones that would pay a large sum of money to get one of Kaiba's dark secrets. He wondered how much Doctor Shima received by going to the press. He hated people like that. He should have trusted his gut to begin with and not let her anywhere near Jounouchi. It was only a matter of time before his lawyers managed to disprove her and all the press would have nothing more to attract them to him.

The brunet sighed and sat back down at his desk. He glanced up at the large television screen on the other side of the room. He checked every camera before moving back to his work. Ever since someone tried to sneak into his property, he kept a firm watch on the cameras as often as he could. The security patrolled the grounds, but Kaiba was a very cautious man. He crossed out a few lines on the proposal he was working on and wrote a few words in the column to the right. He didn't like this project that his gaming board was proposing. He leaned back in his leather chair and looked at the computer screen. Everything was distracting him from his work, but he couldn't let that happen. Taking about two weeks off from work had left him severely behind. The projects that were being worked on had been suspended until he was able to review everything. He worked long hours and even through the night. That was when he would sit up in his room while Jounouchi slept in his bed. The blond seem to have an easier time sleeping with him in the room than being alone.

Kaiba rubbed his tired eyes right before a knock came at the door. He sighed in frustration, but replied through the door. Atemu walked in and sat down on the chair directly across from Kaiba. He crossed his legs and placed his crossed arms over his chest. He looked like he was frustrated and needed something to occupy his mind. Knowing what Atemu came there for, Kaiba pushed what he was working on to the side and looked up at the man he thought never existed. "What is it you need?"

"Where are you hiding those men?"

Kaiba smirked. He wondered how long it would take the pharaoh to ask him that question. He slid open a drawer and tossed a manila envelope over towards the pharaoh. "They are being held in a secret location that even I don't know about. It's safer that way. Roland managed to get information on all of them. Three of the men are hired bodyguards. They are the reason why Roland was able to find Mokuba so quickly. They aren't smart enough to plot this whole thing, but dumb enough to leave a trail. The other one is a father of three small children. The family hasn't reported him missing yet which means that either he disappears on them a lot or they know what he does and doesn't want to bring attention to themselves. Either way that family isn't part of this. I don't want to harm them anymore than that man might have."

Atemu opened the folder and started flipping through the documents. "Any clue on who is behind this whole thing."

"No, but I did find out that those people had Jounouchi the whole time. They don't know exactly what occurred, but they were told to pick up Jounouchi from a club. He might have been bought there, and it doesn't explain why Jounouchi was kidnapped. After that, their boss trained him like a dog, but they wouldn't tell Roland the name of their boss or anything about him. I think Jounouchi might know at least what he looks like, but I don't want to push him into remembering him. The doctor has been making great progress."

The pharaoh sighed and placed the folder back on the desk. "How long do you think you can keep them hidden without the police coming to you?"

"They already did a few days ago. They wanted to know what happened to the men that kidnapped Mokuba. I told them that they managed to escape while my men were searching the place. There are no clues in that house for the police to know that I had anything to do with capturing the men, nor are there any clues that I could find about the boss." Kaiba glanced over at the security cameras. "Until that man is capture, I don't feel comfortable leaving Jounouchi by himself. I'm sure the man behind all of this is fearful that Jounouchi would lead us or the police right to him. If he's not, then he's overly confident that he trained Jounouchi well enough."

"I do not think Jounouchi would hold that information from us once we ask him. However, I agree with you. I do not think now is the time to ask him. He is still a little timid. I, on the other hand, am getting a little anxious. If those men you are currently holding are useless now, I want to pass judgment on them."

Kaiba placed his head against the back of the chair. "I would normally be right with you in torturing them, but I want to be certain that I can get their boss before I send them to the afterlife," Kaiba growled.

Atemu smirked. "You sound just as deadly as I am right at this moment. Tell me something, Kaiba. How much do you love Jounouchi?"

Kaiba was shocked by the sudden question. He wouldn't put it pass Yugi from telling his other half something that important. Why did he suddenly ask? It didn't make sense that that question would come right after he said something about torturing those people. However, the brunet sighed softly and relaxed. "Between you and me and since you have to share things with your other half, Yugi as well, I love him more than life itself. I want him to be happy and healthy even if it would be with you guys instead of me. I don't expect him to stay with me after he fully recovers, but I will quietly support him in any direction he goes. I don't want to do anything to hurt him. He's been hurt enough."

"What if he chooses to stay with you, but wants you to get along with all of us so he does not have to choose?"

"Like I said, I will do anything to keep him happy." Kaiba averted his eyes and stared at the security system for a little bit. "Plus, having all of you here this past week hasn't been that difficult. You haven't tried to run my life or tell me how I should be taking care of Jounouchi."

Atemu smiled. "That is because we can all see how much you care for him. In the past it became difficult to see that you were only trying to help him because it looked like all you wanted to do was hurt his feelings. Jounouchi would get so worked up that it looked like he hated you. In fact, if I saw through your arrogant pride, I would have seen everything you were trying to hide. Tell me something, Cousin. After Battle City when I defeated you, what was that battle between you and Jounouchi?"

Kaiba was shocked. He hadn't thought of that battle in years. He remembered feeling utterly depressed that he couldn't defeat Yugi again. He felt disappointed and useless that he didn't care what happened during the next match. Jounouchi stubbornly forced him into another match. He thought he would beat Jounouchi down and turn to leave, but he found himself enjoying the time with the stubborn blond. Kaiba glanced up at Atemu. "I think he was trying to make me feel better. That's something I've wanted to ask him for years. I guess I'll ask him about it when his memories fully return."

Atemu was about to say more, but a quiet knock sounded at the door. Doctor Hiroshi walked into the room with a giant smile on his face. "I've finally found a doctor that is very optimistic about getting Jounouchi to walk again. He studied the x-rays I took the last time I came and believes that he could reset his ankles. I set an appointment for tomorrow. Do you have any objections?"

Kaiba sighed. "That would require getting pass the press."

"I'm sure you can arrange for that in such a limited amount of time."

Kaiba rolled his eyes. "Always pushing my resources. Do you believe this doctor will be able to do it?"

"I believe so."

"Fine. What do I have to do to prepare Jounouchi for the surgery?"

"Give him something to eat right away, but after that he has to fast until after the operation. He can drink water, but not too much. His appointment is at two in the afternoon. Be there by one at the latest. Rest assured. I'll be in the operating room with the doctor to assist him."

"Thank you, doctor."

"I'll see you tomorrow. I need to make preparations for the doctor's arrival."

The doctor left and Atemu smiled up at Kaiba. "Things are looking up."

"That they are. If you excuse me, I need to make arrangements for our departure tomorrow. I suppose all of you will be coming as well."

Atemu chuckled. "As if we would stay here and wait while our friend has a serious operation. I will inform the others without letting Jounouchi know. I will leave that to you to explain to him. He takes information like that easier when it comes from you. I do not want to scare him again."

Kaiba nodded and picked up the receiver to his phone. He needed to arrange for a van and a decoy van. Along with bringing food up to his room. He frowned remembering when Atemu told him that his psychologist was there before Kaiba could last week. Jounouchi became deathly afraid and refused to talk to the man until Kaiba walked upstairs to calm the blond. It turned out that the duelist thought Atemu was now his master instead of Kaiba, and he didn't want that at all. He sighed; knowing that it would take a long time to break Jounouchi away from needed someone as his master. Ever since then, Atemu never brought anyone to see Jounouchi without Kaiba there or even tell him important things. After making all the arrangements, he continued to work as quickly as possible, considering that tomorrow would be another day that he wouldn't accomplish anything.

Kaiba didn't sleep the whole night and refused to do anymore work until after Jounouchi's operation once he finished all the paperwork he had on his desk. He stayed awake, watching as the blond tossed and turned in his bed. He couldn't bring himself to move Jounouchi back into his own room after seeing how comfortable the blond was in his room. He slept more peacefully curled up next to Kaiba than alone in his own bed. The brunet moved over towards the bed and slipped in under the covers. Jounouchi immediately moved closer to Kaiba. He wrapped an arm around Jounouchi and held him close. Even with the warmth and the comfort of Jounouchi wrapped around him, he couldn't seem to calm his mind enough to fall asleep. His chest felt heavy, and he feared that something horrible would happen tomorrow. There was too much pressure and stress. So many things could go wrong from the trip to the hospital, to the operation and to the trip returning home and Jounouchi's recovery. There was still a chance that this operation wouldn't work. He ran his fingers through Jounouchi's soft blond hair as the smaller man whimpered in his sleep. Jounouchi still had nightmares that plagued him. Nightmares that Kaiba wished to ease from his mind, but he knew at this moment, Jounouchi saw him as nothing more than his new master. Someday soon, he hoped to be more than that in the blond's eyes. Something more meaningful than his master.

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I know this is a bit shorter than the last chapter, but I didn't want to put this chapter and the next one together. The next one should be out on Friday. Thank you for reading. Please review.

Angel Dov