Umi sat behind the counter, trying to figure out where the various card packs and other games should be placed when the post arrived. The mail carrier was a young man, a few years older than Umi. He smiled at her as he put several boxes on the counter.

"Why, hello." He said, smiling. Umi felt his gaze travel over her, lingering on her cleavage that was subtly exposed by the v-neck she was wearing. "You new here?" He leaned on the counter toward her.

"My first week." She crossed her arms in an attempt to cover the exposed flesh. She felt as if she were walking around topless as his gaze lingered.

"I'm Hideo."

"Hi, Hideo." She said politely, though she shifted uncomfortably away.

"What's your name?"

She backed away slightly. Her grandfather walked in through the back door.

"Umi? Has this week's shipment arrived yet?" He asked, as he looked at a printout of his order. The mail carrier immediately straightened up.

"Yes, Grandpa." She said, fixing the young man with a warning stare as she stressed her relationship with the shop owner. "It just arrived."

"Oh, yes. I see." He held out his hands for the documents he needed to sign for delivery. The mail carrier fumbled with his pad as his attention was redirected from Umi to his job. He moved stiffly, his back ramrod straight as he handed the tablet to the old man. His gaze drifted back to Umi as she began opening the boxes, now seemingly oblivious to his presence.

"Thank you, Mr. Muto." He said rigidly before he hurried out the door. Umi let out a sigh of relief as she leaned on one of the boxes.

"Is everything alright?" Solomon asked, checking off the list against the contents of the boxes.

"Yeah, Grandpa. Everything is just fine." Her voice belied the frustration she felt. Everything was not fine. Since she had moved back, Umi had experienced an ever present feeling of being watched. Sometimes she felt like people could just look at her and know what had happened. It made Umi want to crawl back under her blankets and never come out again. Other times, it was like today, where she felt the eyes of men on her everywhere. They leered, they undressed, they played out their fantasies with her body in every glance. Everywhere she went, she felt their desire. It did not matter how she was dressed. Yesterday, as she drew on the sidewalk outside the shop with chalk, she felt the eyes on her despite being dressed in a pair of ratty jeans and her Berkeley sweatshirt. Today, she had made more effort with her appearance, and the stares only increased. Unfortunately, when she had mentioned the feeling to Tomoe, the only advice she received was to dress more modestly. Umi did not think that she dressed promiscuously to begin with, but even when she had covered up, the feeling did not diminish. And some days, she felt that the reactions to her were more overt, like today. Even Yugi's friends had not been immune to her feelings, though both Joey and Tristan had treated her with respect. She still felt like they were watching her.

Umi tried to take her mind off the interaction with the mail carrier by helping her grandfather with the shop inventory, but her attempts only made her more frustrated. Her grandfather watched her as she struggled to read the inventory list. She was slow and only right half of the time.

"Umi? Are you doing alright?"

"I'm fine, Grandpa." She smiled with false cheer.

He narrowed his eyes at her before pointing to a string of characters that meant nothing to Umi.

"What does this say?"

Umi stared at it mutely, trying to force some meaning onto the figures.

"You don't know, do you?" He said after a short while, his voice gentle. She shook her head.

"Your mother gave you so many opportunities, Umi. Living overseas, traveling the world. It always made me miss my own travels, you know." A nostalgic smile lit his face. "I wish she had given you more opportunity to learn about your homeland. But we never think about those things until they are forced upon us."

Umi found herself crying as she had so often lately.

"It's frustrating, Grandpa. Not being able to read."

"I know. I felt the same way the first time I went to Egypt. It was so hard to find my way around or even order dinner."

Umi laughed through the tears.

"I had forgotten that you had traveled so much in your youth."

"It has been a long time. A very long time." the old man laughed at his own joke. "But the point, Umi, is that I know how you feel."

"I can speak Japanese just fine."

"Well... You do have some room for improvement." he said honestly.

"Grandpa!"

"But it is good enough to get by." He backpedaled.

"I just feel illiterate and I hate it. I love to read, and not being able to is frustrating." She collapsed onto the counter, laying her head on her folded arms.

Solomon put a hand on his granddaughter's shoulder.

"Don't worry, Umi. We will figure this all out together."

"Thanks. But is seems as all I am doing is causing trouble for everyone."

"Nonsense. Who spent an hour untangling the power cords behind the television when the router went out?"

"I did."

"And who drew that spectacular artwork on the sidewalk yesterday drawing more customers in that one day than we had had all week?"

Umi smiled.

"I did."

"You are not trouble, Umi. Sure you have some areas to improve, but you should never think that you are a burden on us."

The bell chimed on the door as it opened.

"I'm home!" Yugi called as he and Joey entered the shop. "Grandpa, the principal gave me this for you." He handed the old man the large brown envelope, which was promptly opened.

"Well, this is good news. Umi, they are accepting you to the school conditionally for the next term."

"That's great, Umi!" Yugi said excitedly. The prospect of finishing school excited Umi and gave her hope that her fears about her future in Japan were unfounded.

"What's the condition?" She asked, nervously.

"Well, um. Oh this isn't good."

"What is it?"

"You have to pass the placement test that is being given in two weeks."

"Two weeks? Grandpa, how am I supposed to learn to read Japanese in two weeks?"

"You can't read?" Joey asked.

"Not Japanese. English, sure. I can even read a bit of Arabic, but I never had reason to read Japanese in America."

"Oh."

"We'll figure something out, Umi. I can ask if you can have the test read to you."

"But, Grandpa, people spend the entire year preparing for the entrance exams." Yugi reminded him. He had almost moved to America with Umi over the stress of the exams himself.

"I'm not worried about the content, but I'll never pass if I can't even read the test." Umi complained.

"We will figure it out." Solomon assured her. "Now, I believe you have a job to do." He looked over at Joey.

"Right. Come on, algebra boy." She led the way upstairs.

As Yugi watched Umi patiently work with Joey on his math, he had an idea. It had only been a few days since Umi had started tutoring Joey, but already his understanding of the material had improved. Yugi thought that if Umi could work such a miracle on his nearly hopeless best friend, then she should be able to easily help some of their other classmates in math and science. As Joey left, Yugi pulled Umi aside.

"You've helped him out immensely, you know."

"Really?"

"Yeah, he actually passed the last test."

Umi smiled proudly.

"That's great."

"It gave me an idea."

"And what is that?"

"Maybe you can work out a tutoring trade with someone at the school? We could find someone who could teach you to read Japanese while you work with them on a subject that you know well, like English or Calculus."

"Huh. That's actually a really good idea."

"Maybe you can come with me to school tomorrow and talk to the teacher's about it?"

"Sure. Now, I'm going to see if Grandpa needs anything."

Seto had spent the last week in a drunken stupor as he tried and failed to numb himself to what he was feeling. He had managed to avoid answering Mokuba's questions as of late, but his little brother was becoming more insistent. At dinner one night, Mokuba finally cornered him for good.

"Spill it, Seto." Mokuba said angrily.

"Spill what?"

"What is wrong with you? You haven't been like this since Gozaburo... died." Mokuba was right. After their adoptive father had committed suicide, the stress of his new position had overwhelmed Seto. It was then that he started smoking and self-medicating in other ways. "Roland said it was girl troubles, but I find that hard to believe."

Seto looked at his brother through a sleepy, drunk daze.

"I'm fine, Mokuba." Mokuba slammed a fist into the table.

"No you are not!" he erupted. "Seto, I'm worried about you."

"You shouldn't be. It's my job to worry about you."

Mokuba slapped his brother, hoping to knock some sense into him. Angry tears streamed down his face.

"Stop it, Seto! I have every right to worry about you, especially when you are acting crazy! Things were going so well and then you left and since you got back you've been more distant and secretive than normal. It's scaring me, Seto!" The pained tone in Mokuba's voice seemed to make Seto snap out of his funk.

"I'm sorry, Mokuba." he said softly. "I didn't mean to make you worry."

"Yeah, well. Good." Mokuba said, his anger no longer finding an outlet. "Now tell me what's going on."

"I met her."

"Who?"

"Yugi's sister." Mokuba froze as Seto traced patterns in the ring of water left on the table by his glass. "Some very bad men were hurting her."

"Is that why you went to America?" Mokuba took the seat next to him at the large table. Seto nodded.

"I helped Yugi get her home. She's safe now."

"But." Mokuba prompted.

"But she's with him."

Mokuba watched his brother's miserable face.

"You're in love with her." Mokuba stated, his mouth dropping open as the realization dawned upon him.

"No I'm not." Seto said defensively. But his heart raced at the thought.

"You're blushing."

"It's the alcohol." he lied as he pressed the backs of his hands into his cheeks trying to cool them.

Mokuba laughed.

"Oh, yes. Yes you are. Seto." He smiled at his older brother. "This is so sweet, so adorable." Mokuba could not help but grin.

Seto sighed in frustration, realizing that his brother might be right. Despite his attempts to get her out of his head, all he could think about, all he wanted to think about was her.

"Ok, fine, so maybe, let's say you're right. What am I supposed to do?" He sounded desperate, even to himself. Mokuba's right, he thought. Something is wrong with me.

"'What are you...'? Seto. You go get her. You tell her just what she means to you."

"I can't do that."

"Why not?" Mokuba crossed his arms defiantly. "You are Seto Fucking Kaiba. I've never known you to give up on something you want. Why are you so hesitant now?"

As Seto's eyes met Mokuba's, he felt a surge of confidence that he had not felt since he had returned.

"You know, You're right, Mokuba."

"Damn straight I'm right."

"If I want her, I need to tell her. And I can't give up, even if her entire family hates me."

"Yugi doesn't hate you."

"Oh, but I bet her grandfather does."

"Details." Mokuba said. Seto took a deep breath. His mind still swam a bit from his over-indulgence and he was unsteady on his feet as he stood.

"I should go over there right now." He swayed as he turned and tripped on his chair. Mokuba caught him as the phone rang loudly. Seto put his hands to his ears at the harsh sound.

"Is that you or me?" he asked as Mokuba checked his own phone.

"That would be you, big bro."

Seto sat heavily as he answered his phone.

"This is Kaiba." His entire demeanor changed as he listened to the voice on the other end. His face grew serious and all thoughts of rushing off chasing a dream fled.

"Dammit." he spat as he hung up. Mokuba looked up at him worried.

"Uh, Bro?" He showed Seto the company stock profile in freefall.

"Come on." Seto grabbed a jacket and hurried for the door. He berated himself for his inattention to what had, until recently, been his entire world. And now, because she had been such a distraction, he was about to lose it all.

The next day, Umi went to school with Yugi to discuss her potential enrollment. The principal seemed quite impressed with her credentials and skills, but was insistent that she take the entrance exam as everyone else had. He told her that she would likely be a model student and he would be proud to have her attend his school. He promised to ask if the board would allow her to have the test read aloud to maximize her score.

"Of course, that may work for the entrance exam, but you will still have to take placement tests for your grade level."

"You mean if I want to be placed with my age peers? I will have to pass the final exams for each subject?"

"Precisely."

"I see."

"And I do not know if they will allow such accommodations for those tests. And then there is the matter of the classes themselves. If you cannot read Japanese, how do you expect to pass? It will be difficult, regardless of your natural talents in certain subjects."

"I am currently looking for a tutor. In fact, I was wondering if I could speak to you about that. I was hoping to offer my own services as a trade for remediation in Japanese."

The older gentleman considered her proposal for a moment. He looked at her over his steepled fingers. Umi fought the urge to think the worst of his gaze as he looked at her. He had not given off the creepy vibe that most men had recently, but she had to suppress her instinct to view him as lecherous.

"That is an intriguing idea. Let's go ask some of the teachers what they think."

After meeting with several of the instructors, Umi was led into Yugi's class. The entire class grew silent as the principal addressed them.

"This is Muto Umi. She has a request she would like to make." He looked at her as he offered her the floor.

"Good afternoon. I am looking for instruction in how to better read my native language. I have lived in America since I was six. I am willing to offer my own services as a tutor in English, Math and Science in exchange. Thank you." She bowed to the class. A male voice from the back of the room called to her.

"I'll teach you, but for some different services."

Yugi shot the boy a death glare and Umi laughed uncomfortably.

"I'm sure you would... " she muttered. The principal did not seem to notice before he ushered her to another class, in which she was able to find a girl who would be able to help her out.

Umi walked home still shaking from the catcall earlier. She had done her best to avoid drawing attention to herself, to her body, but no matter what she did, it seemed as if she were beset on all sides by those who would abuse her. She saw the faces of her abusers in passersby on the street and hidden among the crowds. Each new face she saw, she wondered if they would hurt her too. She rushed into the solitude of an empty playground to escape the onslaught of faces. She looked at her phone. It was almost midnight back home. No, California, she corrected herself as she struggled to get used to the concept that she was now home in this strange land. She sent a message to Christa and one to Terese. She waited for a response, but none came. She took a couple of pictures of herself but did not like them enough to share. She deleated most of them. She sat on the swing and pushed herself lazily.

"Things are not as bad as they seem, Umi." Neferet said from deep within. "You have found your twin soul."

She sighed at the thought. Neferet had been convinced that Seto Kaiba was indeed the reincarnation of her long dead lover, also named Seto. Truth be told, Umi was not certain she was wrong. But Neferet had put so much faith in the idea that they were destined to be together that it made Umi cringe a bit, but then Neferet was all about Umi's destiny.

"If that's the case, Neferet, then why haven't I seen him since he drove off that day?" she said aloud in the empty park.

"I do not know. Perhaps he is also resisting his destiny."

Umi rolled her eyes.

"So what is my destiny, Neferet? If I'm supposed to be here, now, what am I supposed to do? Was it simply to find Seto?"

"That I cannot say, Umi. I know we are the key, but I do not know where we will find the lock."

"But it does have something to do with my brother."

"I believe so."

Umi sighed. She had heard Yugi talking out loud to someone over the last several nights, but she could not make out what he was saying. It sounded like he was talking to himself, which had concerned Ms. Tomoe and her grandfather. Umi would also have found it concerning had she not also done the same. She knew he must be talking to the spirit that he had unlocked. She had yet to meet this spirit and from what Neferet had shown her and how she had used the queen's memories of him, she was not entirely sure she wanted to.

Umi kicked her legs and began swinging more forcefully, feeling the wind blow her shoulder length hair behind her and then push it all in her face as she swung back.

"We still have to figure out why the Gods are awakening, as well." Neferet reminded. Umi ignored her as she swung higher and higher, losing herself in the pendulum motion. Slowly she allowed friction to bring her back to earth when a pair of hands stopped the swing. She whipped around to find their owner and saw her brother. Only it wasn't. They stared at each other for a moment.

"Hello." he finally said.

She just looked at him. The resemblance was striking. She could easily see why everyone had mistaken the two, but he felt... off, different. There were parts of his presence that reminded her of her brother, but they were twisted into a new form. He stood taller, more confident, though one might say arrogant. His eyes were the ones she had called up when she had to escape the pain of the world in which she had been tortured until recently. She watched him as he took a seat on the swing next to her.

"Hello." she said, finally finding her voice. "You're not my brother." She stated what to her was obvious. She felt stupid as she said the words aloud. He smiled sadly.

"No. I am not."

"You're him."

"Him?"

"The Dark One." He raised his eyebrows at the name she had given him.

"Yes, I guess that is fitting. When I emerged, things were very dark indeed. I made many mistakes, but I do not regret my actions."

"And the men who hurt me? Was it you who hurt them too?"

"No, not entirely. Yugi wanted vengeance. I assisted, but it was his decision."

"I see."

They sat, swinging in silence.

"What's your name?" She asked eventually.

"I wish I knew." His face was somber, and far more serious than her brother. He seemed like he was lost, like he was searching for something that he could not find and was not certain he even knew what it was he was looking for.

"I do not know much about my past, my origin. I believe I was born in Egypt, but I do not know why I am here now. Other than because Yugi completed the puzzle."

Umi looked at the golden pendant dangling around his neck. It seemed to glow dully in the afternoon light. She had seen it so many times before. It had become a part of her brother. Now she could not imagine him without it. The puzzle seemed to ooze its age, just as the her brother who was not her brother seemed to radiate with an ancient energy.

"How sad." she said as a name rose to her mind from the depths of her soul. She looked at him again. Neferet's memories of him sprung forth.

"You seem familiar though. In a way the others do not."

"What do you mean?" Neferet's memories danced through her mind, memories of their lips pressed against each other, of his arms around her. And Umi knew why he found her familiar. She blushed at the onslaught of emotions her own ancient spirit brought to her. The feelings made her head swim, which confused Umi. She would have to talk to Neferet later about what was going on.

He shrugged.

"It's getting late." he said, looking at the darkening sky. "We should get going."

"Right." She hopped off of the swing. He followed after her. As they approached the gate that led from the park to the street, Umi turned to him and hugged him. His eyes grew wide and he hesitated before wrapping his arms around her. He laid his head against her shoulder, melting into her briefly. She pulled away from him as abruptly as she had embraced him.

"What was that for?" He asked. She could not be sure, but she thought he sounded a little breathless.

"You looked like you needed it." She turned back to the road in front of them. "And maybe I needed it too."

"Umi, are you alright?" the voice behind her asked. It was a different voice, familiar and warm. She glanced behind her and looked into her brother's eyes.

"Yeah, Yugi. Or I will be." She linked arms with him as they made their way back to their home.

"I thought we had talked about you shutting me out like that, Other Me." Yugi complained.

"I'm sorry, Partner. I did not mean to." The ghost-like figure of the Pharaoh sat on his bed as Yugi paced. "She just felt so... familiar. I cannot say why, I wish I could."

"Then I guess we had better get to work on finding those lost memories of yours."

"Partner. Something is bothering you."

"Yes, You are." The spirit shimmered in shock. Yugi plopped down on the bed next to the spirit. "I didn't mean that."

"Yes you did." The spirit said, recognizing the truth of Yugi's words. Yugi sighed.

"Fine, I did, but it's not just you."

"This is about what that boy said at school today?"

"Yeah. But not just him either. I've seen the way Umi has been shying away from people lately. She was never like this before. It's like she feels that everyone is out to hurt her."

"She told you this?"

"She doesn't have to, Other Me." Yugi stood and opened his desk drawer. He needed something to take his mind off of his anger with the Pharaoh and his sister's secrecy. The gleam of gold from the Millennium Items within lit his face. He lingered for a moment before pulling the necklace and rod from their resting place. He gazed at them in wonder, wondering what he was supposed to do with them. He pulled out the three God cards that he stored beneath them and arrayed the items around him.

"I know it's a puzzle, but I don't know what it's supposed to make."

"You did not need such a key before, when you released me."

"I also had eight years of working on the puzzle before I solved it. I don't know. I feel like we don't have the luxury of time with this, Pharaoh. If what Ishizu said is true."

"We do not know when the darkness she said was coming will arrive. Perhaps she was referring to her brother?"

Yugi picked up the necklace, hoping for a glimmer of insight. He received nothing.

"Perhaps, Other Me. But I have the feeling that we have not faced it just yet." Yugi moved the items around, hoping that something, anything would trigger, but to no avail. Groaning, he placed the cards and items carefully back in their hiding place and went on to finish his homework.

"Neferet, what the hell was that? I thought he trapped you in the darkness? Why were you so... affectionate toward him?" Umi spat quietly, as she tried to pry information from the spirit within.

"He was, but he was still my husband, and I did love him once."

"Once? Are you sure it was once? because that felt pretty damn current to me."

"Part of me will always love him."

Umi took a deep breath and tried to regain her composure.

"What about Seto?" She asked the spirit as she calmed herself.

"What about him? He is my great love, as he is yours. It is our destiny to be with him, well, your destiny."

"And now you complicate things by remembering just how much you loved your husband. Your husband who happens to be inhabiting my twin brother's body?"

"I said that I loved Seto, but I also loved Atem. I never said that it was going to be easy. And remember, Atem was my brother too."

Umi flopped back onto her bed. She could hear Yugi talking to himself through the wall. Rather, she corrected, he was talking to Atem.

"Why did you not tell him?" Neferet asked.

"Tell him what?"

"His name. What you know. Anything."

"I don't know." Umi admitted. She sat upright quickly as if an electric current passed through her. "What was that?" Umi felt a deep throbbing hum within her spirit. She placed her hands on the wall her room shared with Yugi's and the hum grew louder, more demanding. Umi had the distinct feeling that Neferet was searching her memories for a clue. She listened as the discussion continued barely audible above the hum. She closed her eyes. The sound was powerful and all-encompassing. Umi slid along the wall, trying to find its source. She knew it was in Yugi's room. She knew she could just walk down the hall and open the door to find out, but she could not tear herself away from the sound to do so. It was paralyzing, not unlike Seto's eyes. She felt a strong sense of him within the hum, though she had no understanding as to why. Deep within the sound, she felt someone call to her, reaching out to her with a power she had never experienced before. As suddenly as the hum started, it stopped. Umi gasped as she pulled herself away from the wall.

"Neferet?" Umi gasped, feeling drained.

"Umi." The spirit seemed worried. "I have no idea what caused that."

"Did you feel them calling?"

"Feel who?"

"I don't know. I was hoping you might. Did you? Feel them?" The spirit rippled in the negative. Umi sighed. She looked at the time and decided to try to message Terese and Christa again. She had not spoken to her friends since the night she left and she had missed them terribly. She did not expect them to answer, given the time difference, but Terese messaged her back quickly. And was on a video chat a few short minutes later.

"Oh. My. God. You cut your hair!" Terese exclaimed. "It looks so good."

"Thanks. I just needed to, you know?"

"Well, yeah. New place, new face. Speaking of new, how is everything in your new home?"

"It's... It's different. It's been more of an adjustment than I thought it would be." She admitted.

"So what are you doing there? You said that the school year is different there, so are you enrolling now or are you waiting until next year?"

Umi sighed.

"There's more to it than that. I have to pass tests to even be allowed to enroll."

"Well, you are the smartest girl I know, so that shouldn't be too difficult." Terese smiled, making Umi laugh.

"Yeah, well, I still have to take the tests in Japanese and I can barely read and write my own name in the language, much less take a high school entrance exam."

"Yikes. That sucks."

"Yeah."

"Oh, that picture that you're tagged in is absolutely adorable. The one of you and your crush." Terese waggled her eyebrows. Umi blushed noticeably and grinned. "I feel there is a story there. Come on, spill it."

"No, there's no story."

"Uh huh."

"Just further confirmation that he's an amazing kisser."

"And was there anything more than kissing going on?"

"What? No! Besides, I haven't seen him since we got back to Japan." Umi said sadly.

"Aww."

"What?"

"You miss him."

"I do." Umi admitted, feeling a deep sense of loneliness once more.

"Speaking of missing people, how's your brother?" Her caramel skin darkened as she blushed.

"He's doing well. He's doing homework right now."

"Any chance I could talk to him?" Terese asked, nibbling on her lower lip. Umi laughed as she knocked on Yugi's door.

"Yeah?" he called from across the room. Umi poked her head in the door.

"Someone wants to talk to you."

He was sitting at his desk, his back to her as he was working through some problems. She crept up behind him as quietly as she could.

"Who is it?" He called loudly, as if she were still on the other side of the door. She flinched at the sound.

"Terese." She whispered in his ear. He turned quickly to her and grabbed the phone from her. He smiled as he ushered Umi from the room.

"Hey! That's my phone!" Umi yelled as he closed the door in her face. Umi leaned heavily against his door and slid down to the floor. "Great." she muttered.

Yugi came down to breakfast all smiles the next morning and handed Umi her phone back.

"Sorry, I drained the battery." He gave her an embarrassed grin.

"I'll say. You two were talking pretty late. Didn't she have school?"

"She said she was at home sick."

Umi rolled her eyes. Yugi ate his breakfast eagerly as Umi put her phone on the charger in the kitchen.

"Umi, I will need you to watch the shop today." Solomon said as he entered the room.

"Of course, Grandpa."

"Tomoe will be around if you need help. I have to go out of town."

"What's going on?" Yugi asked, his jovial mood fading.

"They are releasing your mother's ashes from quarantine. I have to go pick them... her up." His words left a hush in the room. Umi noticed then that he was dressed in a suit and tie. The only other time she had seen him dressed in such a manner was the day of her father's funeral. His face was compressed and tense all at the same time. Umi felt her brother's eyes on her and finally felt his grief. She stepped around the table and embraced her grandfather. Yugi followed suit. Solomon held the twins tightly before straightening and smiling a forced smile. He left the house early in order to catch the train before rush hour. They stared for a long time at the door he had gone through. Yugi at last felt the finality of his mother's death as he saw the pain her passing had lain on his grandfather.

"I'm sorry." he said, as the tears finally broke and he fell to his knees. Umi wrapped her arm around his shoulders as he broke down. "I'm so sorry, Grandpa."

"We were so caught up in our own problems, we never imagined what he might be going through." Umi added just as she added her tears to her brother's.

Yugi wanted to stay home, to crawl back into bed, but he still had work to make up and tests to take. The term was ending in a few weeks and he had to end it on a high note. But he had to force himself to walk out the door. Tea's frantic waving at the shop entrance helped him get moving, but he was still sluggish. His test was in the morning. He told himself that if he needed to, he could call out sick at lunch. His trip to school was plodding as were his classes. All day he felt as if he were moving in a fog. He kept part of himself tied to his sister, an anchor to guide him home. When he returned, Umi was cradling the urn containing the remains of their mother, weeping. Tea asked if he would be alright, but he just waved her off with a thank you.

Umi whispered as she wept, apologizing for everything that had happened since her mother had gone. She apologized for what she let Derek do to her, for not being stronger, for putting her fantasies above her own safety. Yugi sat with her as a dark cloud settled over the household. Tomoe and Solomon began to make preparations for the funeral.

It threatened to rain as the Muto family prepared their final goodbyes. Yugi's friends met them at the graveyard, standing in support for the family that had in part become their own. The proper rites were said to help Sakura Muto's wandering spirit rest. The stone was placed and incense was lit. Umi removed her necklace and placed it over the stele that now sat next to her father's. Her mother's necklace shimmered gold among the white and gray stones. The rest of gathered crowd slowly filtered away. Yugi lingered, watching his sister. She reached up to the stele that marked her father's memories and lightly stroked the golden eye that topped the stone. It matched the one she had lain a few inches away with her mother's marker. She bowed her head and fought back the tears she had thought would have stopped falling by now.

"Neferet. Does it get easier?" she whispered to the spirit who had been eerily silent the last few days. She looked back up to the collection of stones that marked her heritage when she felt a jolt pass through her heart, a tug that made her turn. As she did, her eyes locked with the one Neferet had called her twin soul and she finally understood what the spirit had meant when she talked about her soul singing.

Seto walked quickly through the rows of gravestones wondering how long it has been since he had been here. After he and Mokuba were adopted, he had been forbidden to return. Gozaboro did not want anyone to think his son held on to any part of his old life. He had come to honor those who gave him life a few time after Gozaboro had committed suicide, but he had never brought Mokuba with him. After all, Mokuba did not remember much about their real parents. He had been so young when they had died. First their mother had left while trying to give birth to their sister. Neither survived long after the ordeal. Then, their father passed away in an accident a few months later. He strode purposefully, twisting through the aisles, his feet somehow remembering the way despite the passage of time. Mokuba had to struggle to keep up.

"Seto, slow down!" the preteen called out to his brother. He shortened his stride but did not stop his weaving through the dense plots. The sky was darkening quickly and he did not want to get caught in the rain. He had other things to do after this and did not want to waste his time having to change because they had gotten soaked. He turned a corner and stopped suddenly.

A small black cat blocked his path. Normally, he would ignore the creature and continue on his way, but something about the animal made him stop. Mokuba ran into the back of him, pushing him forward slightly. He had to catch himself on one of the railings to keep from falling over. The commotion made the animal scurry down the aisle. Seto watched the animal as it ran off. Mokuba followed his gaze.

"Isn't that Yugi?" Mokuba asked, as he spotted the spiky haired young man.

"Yugi?" Seto looked up to the small group of people clustered at a nearby family plot. Those in attendance were all dressed in black, and he could not mistake the profile of his eternal rival standing at the head of the group as he placed a small stone into the plot. He forced himself to turn away from the scene and walk down the aisle away from them, to where he could place an offering in his parents' memory. He tried to focus on his task, but his eyes kept drifting to the gathered mourners.

A young woman stood before the plot, placing a small object within. She stood alone before the collection of stones for a long time, her head bowed.

"You should go talk to her, Seto." Mokuba said quietly from his elbow as he watched the focus of Seto's distraction. He shook his head, turning back to his own parents' place of rest.

"Not now, Mokuba."

He focused on lighting the incense and the placing of offerings. He tried to ignore the pull in his heart to look at her again by focusing, stubbornly on the grave stone before him.

The black cat appeared once again and circled around his feet. Mokuba knelt down and placed his hand out. The cat sniffed at it before rubbing its head against the outstretched fingers. Mokuba giggled as the cat circled through Seto's legs once more, meowing up at the tall young man for attention. He looked down into its golden eyes before squatting down next to his younger brother. He had a feeling of deja vu as the cat rubbed his hand. He looked again down the aisle. Yugi and his friends had gone, leaving the Umi standing alone at the grave. He locked eyes with her. The cat darted toward her. Mokuba cried out in disappointment as it left. Seto knew that he had long wanted a pet, but they had never been allowed with Gozaboro, and he had not thought about getting one himself.

"Go talk to her." Mokuba prodded, watching the pair. Seto stood as she bent down to stroke the lean back of the black cat with golden eyes. Mokuba pushed him in her general direction. Seto sighed, regretting everything he had told Mokuba about her and his subsequent lack of sleep. He had not been able to stop thinking about her since he helped to bring her home. She was a distraction, making it difficult for him to work, despite the brevity of their acquaintance. She had somehow gotten under his skin. Mokuba kept pushing him until he started walking. He glanced back accusingly at his younger brother. He did not understand it, but Mokuba had a much better grasp of people than he did. He reluctantly followed Mokuba's advice.

He met her at the crossroads, where a main path intersected the aisle that their family plots' shared. He could not take his eyes off of her as she smiled up at him. They looked at each other for a long moment, each waiting for the other to act. He knew he should talk to her, to say something, but he was at a loss for words. He wanted to sound… well, he did not want to sound dumb, but he wasn't quite sure what he wanted to sound like.

"Hi." She said, breaking his train of thought.

"Hi." He replied, feeling stupid and cursing himself for not being able to act.

"This seems… familiar." Her eyes drifted to the cat weaving figure eights between their legs. "Don't you think?"

"Yeah. I can't explain it. You feel that sense of deja vu also?"

She nodded.

"I'm surprised you don't remember, Seto." Her voice was teasing. "We've met here before. Isn't that right, Little Bast?" she said, addressing the cat who meowed at them before darting away. Realization dawned on his face and he was sure he looked like an idiot.

"The girl, at Dad's funeral. Why did I not see it before?" He had thought she seemed familiar when they met previously, and she had seemed to know him. But between his damaged memories and how often he had been in the public eye, he had not given it much thought. Now he realized that she had recognized him on a more intimate level. Her jade green eyes shimmered with unshed tears as she looked up at him.

"I thought you had."

He brushed a strand of hair from her cheek and tucked it behind her ear. He did not know why he did so, but the touch jolted through him, like an electric shock. He gasped for air. Her eyes had slid shut as she leaned into the touch, and looking at her, he wanted so much more. He slid his hand around the back of her neck and pulled her to him. Her hands grabbed at the lapels of his suit coat as her eyes met his once more. She started to speak but he brushed his lips against hers, gently, tentatively. She met him with a ferocity of desire that he was eager to answer.

He did not want to stop; he did not want to even breathe. She was like oxygen to him and in that moment, he could not live without her. It was not until the deluge that had threatened the sky with its rage all day broke upon them that he managed to pull himself away from her. She quickly opened the umbrella she had brought, but by the time she opened it and they both huddled beneath, the rain had plastered their hair to their faces and soaked through their clothes. He slid his hand in hers, intertwining their fingers as he took the umbrella from her to hold between them. She looked from their interlocking hands up to him, smiling. He could not help but smile back. His heart was pounding in his chest and he wanted nothing more than to kiss her again. And despite the darkness of the day, Seto found himself to be happy for the first time in a very long time. Tearing his eyes from her, he looked around for his brother.

"Mokuba." He called out, only to jump slightly when the younger boy seemed to appear out of nowhere. "Come on, Mokuba. Where did you get an umbrella?" he asked.

"Always be prepared, big brother." Mokuba grinned, his eyes darting to the young woman now holding his brother's arm. She giggled before pulling Seto toward the entrance to the cemetery. Seto looked around for the black cat, but could find no trace of the creature.

"Let's go before they start to worry about me." Umi said.

"Right."

Seto kept glancing at her as they huddled under the umbrella together. Her eyes were as striking as he remembered, and her skin as soft, but her hair was different. She had cut it short after her ordeal. Not that he blamed her. It had been long before, and he had quite liked the feel of it against his skin. Still the short style suited her quite well and gave her a mischievous look that he found entrancing. It also seemed to shimmer with color, reflecting many shades of blue and purple mixed in with the black he had remembered, though it was difficult to tell in the darkening sky.

They wove quickly through the grave sites. Too quickly for his liking. At the entrance, they met up with the rest of the funeral mourners, few though they were. Yugi's face flashed with anger when he saw Seto with his sister, but it quickly became a mask once he noticed their interlaced fingers. Seto smirked at the reaction, relishing in the fact that Yugi did not like the idea of him being with his sister one bit. A car sat waiting for him and Mokuba, ready to take them to their next appointment. Seto realized that he would cancel everything if he could just stay with her the rest of the day. But time waits for no man, he thought. And he had had a difficult time of things with his company as of late. He lifted her fingers to his lips and kissed them gently before pulling away from her. She took the umbrella from him as he backed out into the rain before darting to the waiting car. The chauffeur held an umbrella over the open door that Mokuba had just entered through. He felt her eyes on him as he turned back to look at her before chauffeur pushed the door shut.

Seto sat in the car, across from his little brother, soaked to the bone and completely, utterly happy.

"You should listen to me more often, Seto." Mokuba commented as he looked at Yugi, Umi and their friends through the tinted windows of the limousine. Seto only smiled.

Umi stood in the downpour, watching the car drive away. Where once she had been broken, she now felt elated. She could no longer deny that what Neferet had said was true. She could feel him within her soul, as easily as she felt Yugi within her mind. His every touch set her on fire. She wanted him in a way that she had wanted no other. The thought of sex still made her freeze in fear, but his kiss had a way of warming her like nothing else ever could.

"Umi, come on." Yugi called from down the road. "If we don't get out of the rain, we'll all get sick." Umi stood, watching the path the car had taken for second longer before rejoining her family and friends. But her mind was occupied with how much she already missed him.