Hey everyone! Glad to see that you're all here because Fanfiction was apparently down for the past two days. Lost some reviewers since the main page was in fixing. Hope to see that this chapter will get you all back! :D So, I would love to thank you for all the wonderful support last chapter. Last chapter was a great calm after all the tension, so I was happy to see that you all liked the cute moment. Oh, and as for the switch I had talked about for chapter 19, I won't be switching them yet. I'll just leave it as it is until the end of the story, which will be happening next chapter. :'(

RESPONSE~

Kitsune (Guest) – Hey, Kitsune! I'm glad that you really like this story, and yes, Yugi getting Yami to clean the house was very hilarious! It was my favourite part too. As for Yami, he will be finding peace very soon. Now, as for your question, it isn't too hard to write a fanfiction, or a story at all. All you have to have is a creative mind, and I guess basic writing skills. If not, don't worry. I'm sure authors here wouldn't mind helping you out and pointing out mistakes you may make. It's all part of learning. That's how I learned to write too. I was awful when I started out, and who knows, it may not be the same for you. As for classes, it all depends on you. If you want to take courses at school, go for it! I took a creative writing class at my school too, and it really helped me. And, as for the last thing… SAME HERE! I made an account just so I could review to amazing people (because back then apparently there was no option to review as a guest), and thought that I won't ever write a story. I did, and things are going great. Overall, if you want to write, please do. I would love to see your work. :) I hope I answered all of your questions. Thank you for your kind words, and here! The chapter has arrived. Sequels I will talk about next chapter. Thanks again.

Okay, talked too much.

Enjoy!

The Ghost of Yami Atem

Chapter 19

The rain continued to fall lightly and silently as morning came. The storm had rolled away leaving a huge mess in its wake, but since the town was still asleep on this fine weekend morning, no one cared. It was so peaceful and so quiet that everyone just wanted to curl up on their couch with something hot in their hands, slowly enjoying the morning. Except…

"Oof!" a voice yelled as his body hit the floor. The messy tri-coloured hair popped up from the side of the bed, the crimson eyes glaring playfully at the giggling child who still laid on top.

"Yugi! No fair!" Yami exclaimed, and he got up quickly and tackled the child on the mattress.

"Haha! Yami! Stop!" Yugi cried as Yami tickled him to bits.

"No way!" Yami shouted, and he froze when a pillow then hit him in the face.

"How about now!?" Yugi cried, and he shakily stood up on the bed, pillow in hand.

"Still, the answer is no!" Yami yelled back, and he grabbed the other pillow and raised it to attack.

A few minutes later the two boys were sprawled across the floor, panting tiredly as busted pillows laid scattered all around. Fluff was strewn all over the place as if a tornado had come and gone, so surely it wouldn't take long for their guardian to come knocking. A short moment later Grandpa opened the door and stopped when he saw them on the floor.

"Yugi! Look at the mess you made! C'mon, get it cleaned up and come for breakfast," Grandpa said, and he turned around to leave.

Yugi pouted and sat up. "Yami did it too!" he cried, realising that Yami made himself invisible to Grandpa to get away from the scolding. Yami gave him the how could you look, but knew he was caught and slowly appeared before the old man who rose an amused eyebrow.

"You too Yami," he said, and once again he turned around and left the room. Yami pouted as Yugi giggled.

"Not funny," Yami said, and Yugi smacked him with the pillow again as he stood up and began to get dressed and washed for the day.

Yugi sat at the dining table, Yami sitting next to him quietly with a thoughtful expression as he watched as Grandpa brought Yugi his breakfast.

"Don't you wanna eat?" Yugi asked, stabbing his pancake with his fork.

Yami shook his head, smiling a bit. "Nah, you eat."

Deciding that Yami was still a bit upset about the other day, Yugi shrugged it off and took a big bite, letting Yami come over it by himself. Yami however stared aimlessly off into space, the things that happened the other day the last thing on his mind. Something didn't feel right. There was a different feeling stirring up inside of him, and he didn't like it one bit. Something was going to happen, but what? Just as he tried to think about what the feeling was, he stiffened and got even paler, his head shooting towards the door. His eyes were wide as he stared, the feeling inside him getting stronger and stronger by the second.

Yugi looked at him curiously, dropping his fork to gaze up at him with a worried look. "Yami? What's wrong?"

Yami stood up, and it was clear that the spirit was shaking. He was taking little steps back, his eyes locked on the door in fear. Yugi stood and got closer, never seeing Yami look so afraid.

"Someone's coming," Yami whispered, and he gulped. His hands grazed across the banister, and he took a step up the stairs. Yugi followed, not sure of what to do to calm Yami down.

Yugi looked at the door. "But, there's no one-"

The door knocked.

"Oh," Yugi said. "Grandpa! The door!" he then called out.

"Okay, okay. Coming!" Grandpa shouted, and he put the plate on the table before walking over to the door.

"Yami?" Yugi questioned, and he heard the door lock open. As soon as the lock turned, Yugi watched with wide eyes as Yami shot up the stairs in a cloud of smoke and out of sight. Concerned about Yami's strange behavior, he too turned towards the door to see what Yami had been so worked up about.

Grandpa opened the door, and stared at the person who had arrived. Yugi stayed where he was, preferring to wait and see if Yami will come back down.

"Solomon Moto?" the cold voice asked.

"Seto Kaiba? What are you doing here?!" Grandpa said, angrily, and it was then when Yugi's eyes widened as he heard the familiar name. "I thought you weren't coming," Grandpa continued, and Yugi could hear the amusement in his Grandpa's voice.

Kaiba stood at the door, and he glared at the old man. "Listen. I was coming, but you ended the call before I was able to finish my sentence!" he shouted angrily.

"You said 'No'," Grandpa shot back.

"My 'no' meant that-" and Kaiba paused and took a deep breath before continuing slowly, a bit calmer. "It meant that I wasn't going to let it continue. You know what, this is ridiculous," he said to himself, and Yugi watched as Kaiba pushed his way around Grandpa and stepped into the house to look around.

Looking at the man in front of him, Yugi stood at the base of the stairs and anxiously as he looked around for Yami. Yami had to be here. He should at least see his step-brother once. Yami still loved him, and cared about him. He wouldn't hide like this. Besides, Yami hiding just proved that he still cared for Seto. If he truly hated his brother he would have faced him head on with a storm like he did that day those men came in.

Sure enough, as Yugi looked up to the banisters upstairs, he spotted Yami at the top off the stairs, peeking down from his crouched position on the floor. The spirit's crimson eyes were locked on the figure who looked around, and Yugi could see the confliction that was written all over Yami's face.

"Seto…" Yami said, and Yugi watched sadly as Yami clenched his teeth together, staring at the man sadly even though he tried to mask it with anger.

Yami was indeed confused. He still cared, and his mind was trying to tell him that, but he refused to pay that little corner any attention. He just stared at Seto, looking at him from head to toe. He noticed that his brother had grown over the years. He was much older, and taller. He would be twenty years old now, but Yami was still stuck in his sixteen year old body. However, even though those things were different, one question stood out and bugged the spirit. Why was Seto here?

Kaiba looked around the house coldly, trying not to show any emotions as the house brought back many memories that he had tried to buried. He scanned the place, only to have his eyes lock on the child who stood at the base of the staircase, looking at him with wide, violet eyes.

"How could it be?! He looks almost exactly like Heba!" Kaiba screamed to himself, and he just stared at the child who looked at him with a tiny smile with a ray of hope caught in his eyes. Clenching his fists, Kaiba turned around to look at Grandpa who gazed at him sternly.

"You said that Yami was still here. Then tell me, where is he?" Kaiba said, and he stared into Grandpa's eyes and watched as the man crossed his arms.

"Do you actually care about him?" Grandpa asked, and the question caused Kaiba to growl.

"Of course I do," he grounded out. "If I didn't I wouldn't be here. Now tell me. Where is he? If I find out that you were lying to me, I'll make sure you never live in this country again."

Yugi on the other hand grinned at Kaiba's response, ignoring his threat, and didn't hesitate to run up to the man and leaving a stunned Yami in his same position. Yami stared from the top of the stairs with wide, shocked eyes, not expecting the response from Seto at all.

"Do you really still care about Yami?" Yugi asked, grabbing on to Kaiba's pant leg, and he looked deeply into the man's blue eyes when he looked down at him. He was right. Seto still cared about Yami. Now it was time for Yami to see that, and Yugi almost cried with joy as he saw the small nod from the older man.

"Yes, I do," Kaiba admitted softly, his eyes warming at the sight of Yugi. "Do you know where he is?" he then asked, and his gaze followed Yugi's arm as he pointed to the top of the stairs.

Seeing Yugi directing Seto's gaze towards him, Yami hurriedly stood up and took a step back, his nerves rising as he saw Kaiba take steps closer towards him.

"Yami, come down!" Yugi called, running half-way up the stairs while Kaiba paused a few steps away from the base. "He cares about you. I told you! I told you! He does care!" Yugi cried, and Yami felt tears well up in his eyes. He shook his head, clenching his eyes shut.

"Yami, please! Come down!" Yugi begged again, but Yami stayed still. Frowning, Yugi turned to look at Kaiba who was looking at the spot where Yami was standing curiously.

"Where is he?" Kaiba asked, and Yugi pointed again.

"He's standing there, next to the wall. He doesn't want to come down, it seems."

"You can see him?" Kaiba asked in astonishment, and Yugi nodded.

"You can see him too, but Yami has to make himself visible to you first."

"Doesn't he want to come down?" he asked softly, and Yugi bit his lip. "If he doesn't want to meet me, then fine. I understand," and Kaiba took a step back.

"Wait," Yugi said, and as Kaiba looked up at him, the young boy ran up the stairs and stood in front of Yami. The spirit was crying silently, eyes locked on the ground as no doubt tons of thoughts and questions swarmed his mind.

"Yami, please, come down and meet him," Yugi pleaded, and he watched as Yami clenched his eyes shut.

Yami just couldn't understand why Seto was there. He had to be lying. He probably didn't mean anything he was saying. It was just all an act. It had to be. Seto didn't care about him. He didn't care about Heba, or his mom. So why was he here to torture him? He was already dead. What else did he want from him?! He just couldn't understand it all. Seto looked so sincere, but, but what if it wasn't true? He would be left alone all over again and he didn't want that to happen. He won't believe him, but…

"Yami, snap out of it," Yugi shouted, and Yami looked up at him with teary eyes. "Seto isn't lying. He really cares about you. I can see it in his eyes," Yugi said, and Yami just looked on. "You have to believe me. You can tell when someone is lying or not, so why don't you go down there and look into his eyes for yourself. You'll know."

Yami stared at the boy, but didn't reply. Seeing that Yami wasn't going to make up his mind, Yugi decided for him. He grabbed the spirit's right wrist, and began to pull him towards and down the stairs. Yami didn't fight, and allowed himself to be pulled. If he couldn't decide, then he would have to leave the decision making to someone who had a sense of direction.

Kaiba on the other hand could tell what was happening even though he couldn't see Yami. Yugi was apparently dragging Yami down to meet him since it seemed he was holding someone's hands, but he didn't want Yami to be forced to meet him. He then stilled, a cold sensation teasing his form the closer Yugi came down, and once Yugi was standing right before him, Kaiba felt as if he was standing in a freezer.

Yami looked up at Seto who was now right in front of him, and stayed silent. He could tell that Seto sensed his presence because he had made at least that much known about himself. He looked into Seto's wide eyes, and he gulped. He couldn't tell what was in them. They looked so confused, and so worried, yet so angry at the same time. Unsure of what to make of it and unable to read his brother's eyes, Yami took a step back once again only to stop when Yugi held him tightly so that he wouldn't go anywhere. He turned into a statue when his name fell from Seto's lips.

"Yami..." Kaiba called out softly, and Yami clenched his eyes shut, hoping that the blue eyed man would disappear.

"Yami, I know you're here," Kaiba said again. "I'm sorry."

"No you're not!" Yami shouted before he could stop himself, and a hand covered his mouth when he realised what he had just done. He hoped that Seto didn't hear him, but looking up at the man he saw his surprised eyes.

"Yami?" Kaiba asked again, and feeling Yugi let go of his hand, Yami sighed in defeat knowing he had to face him. He closed his eyes and made himself appear.

Kaiba looked as shimmering lights appeared before him, and he stared in awe as a form began to take shape. Soon, Yami stood before him, the same way he was the day they had left all those years ago.

"You're not sorry, Seto," Yami said slowly, and he looked at Kaiba who gasped.

"Crimson eyes! Just like the stories..." he thought, only to push that aside and sigh, looking at Yami regretfully. "Yami. I really am, truly sorry. I'm sorry for everything. I'm sorry for what happened to mom and Heba. I'm sorry for letting everything get out of control," Kaiba said all in one breath as he looked at Yami with saddened eyes.

Yami held his tears back as he looked at Kaiba's face, looking to see if what he was saying is true, or just another lie. He tried his hardest to tell the truth from the lie, but he still couldn't tell them apart.

"Why did you go?" he sniffed, his emotions getting the best of him. "Why did you stop caring?"

Kaiba looked to the ground at Yami's question. "I never stopped caring, Yami. I was there, always trying to help-"

"Liar!" Yami cried, and he stepped back.

"Yami, please. Hear me out," Kaiba pleaded, and he looked at Yami who was breathing hard as energy ran through his system.

Yami kept quiet though, and just listen to what his brother had to say to defend and explain himself for abandoning them.

"Remember the day I called you. I was wondering if you were okay. You didn't tell me that mom died. I didn't know-"

"Don't blame me for that! You should have called more instead of once every two years!" Yami exclaimed.

"I'm not blaming you," Kaiba said. "I know, I should have called more. And I regret that. I was so busy and I didn't have time. My father, Gozoburo-"

"Like always," Yami said before he could finish, and Kaiba frowned.

"I told you that dad was coming to take you all with him."

Yami said nothing.

"Yes, it's true. I went along with that one hoping you all would agree and we could go back to being a happy family, but to know mom died a few months before we arrived, was the last thing I expected."

Yami stared at the floor, his gaze lingering elsewhere as he refused to look at Kaiba.

"I was upset when I heard about it. I was even more when dad decided to take Heba away. It all happened to fast before I was able to process what was happening. Before I knew it, dad was dragging me out as I looked at your fear stricken face. Once outside I questioned what he was doing. I told him that it was wrong. I tried to reason with him, Yami. I truly tried. But with Heba screaming for you, he ignored me."

- Flashback -

"Yami! Yami!" Heba screamed, tears running down his face as he was ripped away from his brother and taken outside and towards the car by his father.

"Dad, what are you doing?!" Seto exclaimed, pulling his wrist away from the strong hold the man had on him.

"I'm doing what needs to be done. If that brat wants to stay there, he can! Now, come along, Seto!" Gozoburo yelled, and he began to walk towards the black car once again.

"No!" Seto shouted. "What you're doing is wrong. We can't just leave Yami there alone, and taking Heba away is wrong as well!" Seto cried out. "Mom is gone, he's all alone, and don't you even care?!"

"No. I don't care," Gozoburo replied coldly, and he opened the door and shove the screaming Heba inside. "What I'm doing is absolutely correct. Heba is my son and I will decide what's going to happen."

"Then I'll stay with Yami," Seto said, and he clenched his hands into fists and glared up at the man.

Gozoburo stopped and shot daggers at Seto. "Don't be foolish, Seto!" he exclaimed, but seeing Seto's determined face, Gozoburo grabbed his hand and pushed him into the car with Heba before going to the driver's seat.

"Trust me Seto. It's the only way," Gozoburo said once more, and he started the car and they began to roll away.

Seto however stared at the building sadly, looking for any signs of Yami before the car sped off. He held Heba tightly, vowing to protect him and return very soon.

- Flashback End -

They were all silent, Yami staring up at Kaiba as he began to explain his side of the story once again.

"After months of pleading and doing whatever he asked, I finally convinced my father to get me and Heba flights to see you. Heba was so excited. He wouldn't stop talking about you. But once we got there, we were met with something else..."

- Flashback -

"Seto! Are we really gonna see Yami!" Heba cried, bouncing up and down on the car seat.

"Yeah! Just wait until he sees you," Seto said smiling. "He'll be so happy!"

"Would he come back with us?" Heba asked softly.

Seto ruffled his hair. "I hope so."

All was silent as they got to the house, and as soon as Seto stepped out if the car, he wrinkled his nose at the awful smell.

"Seto... What is that!?" Heba said, covering his face his hands as he looked around the lawn, his eyes falling on the front door.

Seto shrugged, his face twisting into disgust as the smell got worse. "I don't know, but I'm just hoping that Yami hasn't tried cooking again..." and at that Heba giggled.

Walking up to the door, Seto began having second thoughts about the smell. It didn't smell like food at all, but in fact, like rotting corpse. Knowing that, nervousness crept into his mind and he began to sweat out of fear of what he nay see inside. Heba on the other hand wasn't aware of any of this, and just pushed the doors open with his dear brother's name at the tip of his tongue.

"Yami-" Heba stopped midsentence, and as Seto stepped in he stared at the body in front of them. Open, sunken eyes, blood on the floor, the body extremely pale, taking a green colour as it laid on the floor, the once wild and bright hair now just a faded, limp mess.

Seto felt a bile rising up his throat. Unable to take much more, he grabbed the stunned Heba and ran out the door, slamming it shut behind him and getting as far away as possible- for Heba's sake.

"No, no this, this can't be happening, oh god!" Seto said to himself as he dropped to the ground and threw up his lunch and everything else he had ate on their journey. Heba on the other hand was silent, standing still, his unblinking eyes locked on the ground.

Seto took a deep breath before he wiped the sick away from his mouth, then pulled out his cell phone as he pulled the unresponsive Heba into an embrace, brushing his back and his hair in an attempt to calm him, if that was even possible by now.

"Hello, I-I need an ambulance. Right away," and at those words, it didn't take more than a week until he was standing off in the distance under the shade of a tree, watching as Yami's body was lowered into the ground. Only a few people turned up for his funeral. Some of them were friends he had made, but that was it. He stood there with Heba who continued to remain silent for the few days.

Seto punched a tree in rage as the people left and as the sun began to set. "The day we left. He's been like that ever since!" A tear ran down his eye as he picked Heba up and walked away after everyone left, the doctor's words lingering in his mind for a very long while to come.

- Flashback End -

"I locked the door that day and left. I didn't return to it because I was too scared, and ashamed of what I've done. What I let happened without putting up more of a fight than I should have," Seto said, his head bowed.

Yami stood silently, fidgeting as he held in sobs that were trying to break free.

"I eventually caught whiff of the rumors that began spreading not long after that incident. Apparently your ghost haunted the house ever since, but I refused to believe it. So I guess I'm wrong once again, huh?" Kaiba said, trying to get a smile on Yami's face, but to no avail. Instead, tears were slipping through his eyes and he watched as Yami wiped them away quickly.

"What really happened to Heba?" Yami asked softly, and he didn't allow his eyes to stare up into his brother's.

Kaiba frowned. "Heba..." he hesitated.

"I know he's dead, so just tell me how!" Yami shouted loudly, his eyes blazing with fire as he stared into Kaiba's sapphire ones.

Kaiba looked at Yami uncomfortably. "H-How did you know?"

"He came to me before he moved on," Yami said, and he looked at Kaiba intensely. Seeing the murderous gaze, Kaiba nodded.

"He died in an accident."

"I know that, but how? Why?!" Yami snapped, and Kaiba explained.

- Flashback -

"Heba, hey c'mon. Snap out of it," Seto said, waving his hand in front of the quiet child seated on the couch before him that dark, rainy night. Seeing no response, he sighed for the millionth time, unable to break through to the boy.

"Why won't Yami come back?" Heba asked once again, and it was one of the only things he asked about for the past few weeks, ever since they had returned from Domino.

"He-he's gone..." Seto answered again, and he clenched his eyes shut out of pain when he heard Heba's words.

"No he's not!" Heba shouted, tears building up as he burrowed into Seto's shirt. "He's not gone! Why won't you take me to him?! Why won't he come back?!" he yelled, crying. Seto shushed him, rubbing his back as he tried to calm the child who sobbed into his shirt.

Lightening was heard through the windows as the rain continued to pour down, and as Gozoburo walked past the fine staircase to head up to his office, he stopped and stared at the sniveling child in Seto's arms.

"Again?!" Gozoburo exclaimed, anger building up, and he marched over to Seto and Heba. Seto saw him coming and held Heba tighter in his arms.

"Just leave him alone, dad," Seto said, and he stood up and wrapped his arms tighter around Heba to protect him.

Gozoburo stopped and stared in shock, only to shrug Kaiba off and grab Heba off the chair only to drop him on the floor. Heba cried harder and Seto ran up to him, hugging tightly.

"Your brother is dead! Understand kid! Gone! Dead! Deceased!" Gozoburo yelled, and Heba screamed even louder.

"What's wrong with you!?" Seto yelled angrily.

"I'm trying to make him understand. Yami is dead! Get over it!" he yelled again. "No son of mine shall act this way! Understand?"

"No he's not!" Heba cried out from the base of the couch, looking up at the man towering above him, and immediately the man responded.

SLAP

Seto stared wide-eye as Gozoburo struck Heba. Heba was still with shock, and then suddenly he took one look at Seto before getting up and running out the front door before anyone could stop him.

"Look at what you've done," Seto exclaimed to his father before rushing outside after Heba, the rain still pouring heavily as he searched for the boy. Running out on to the street, he squinted his eyes to see through the heavy rain, only to finally spot him running down the street. He took off after him, splashing through puddles as he ran, his clothes absolutely soaked.

"Heba! Wait!" he yelled, but Heba continued to run, not caring where he was going as tears coursed down his face.

Seto began to panic when he saw Heba run into the road.

"HEBA! Get away!" he screamed, but Heba didn't hear him. His eyes widened as he saw two bright lights going straight for the child. Then, a cry was heard, tires screeched, and voices erupted. Seto dropped to his knees in shock, unable to remove his eyes from the small body that laid crumpled on the road.

"Not again... Not again," he said to himself, and he fell to the ground, the pain in his heart growing and turning numb, and cold.

- Flashback End -

Yami stared at Kaiba with wide, fearful, and shocked eyes that held tears.

"Yami, I'm sorry... But just like always, I was late yet again," Kaiba said. "I'm so sorry, but you have to believe me. I never stopped caring about you two. I always did, and I was never able to forgive myself for letting you two go away from me. And, I'll understand if you don't ever forgive me. If I were you, I wouldn't have forgiven myself either. But, I never stopped caring. Never," Kaiba said sadly, and he looked to the ground, not wanting to let anyone see his eyes filled with regretful tears.

Suddenly, his head shot up when he felt cold, freezing arms wrap around him. Opening his eyes, they shot open when he saw Yami hugging him tightly. Yami sobbed as he hugged him, burying his head into Kaiba's shoulders as he cried all the tears he had tried to hold in for the past four years.

"I forgive you Seto," he said. "You tried, that's all that matters," Yami said through sobs. "I forgive you, and I'm sorry for blaming you. You do care. You care a lot," and he hugged the man tighter.

Kaiba smiled, wrapping his arms around Yami as well. "Thank you." And as those words left his mouth, something caught his attention just a short moment later. Looking down at the person crying happily in his arms, he saw a white, soft glow surround him.

"Yami, you're glowing," Kaiba said, and as Yami pulled away, he watched as his little brother looked down at himself before slowly looking up at him with wide eyes.

And there! Hope you all don't kill me! More sadness continues next chapter, and it's not because it's the last. Review please!

Bye~