Sorry it took a while! Big life changes will do that. I'll be updating much more frequently now.

Ryou

Ryou had told Seto he couldn't come in tonight, which had prompted Seto to respond with 5 texts all in the space of about 5 seconds.

Then come in today. Bring the staff and the jar. They are no longer safe with you.

When will you be here?

Where exactly are you?

I know you're at the game shop.

Come in or I'll come to you.

Ryou sighed and replied, he saw the little typing bubble disappear as he began to write his message.

I'm stopping home to get the items then I'll come in for a bit but I'm NOT staying

Seto replied. The car is already there.

Ryou sighed,

Yugi glanced at Ryou's phone and chuckled."He'll never learn to be less intense will he? Who texts with periods?"

"No he really won't." They looked at each other smiling, then slowly both of their expressions became somber.

"I'm sorry to bring all of this up again… I know this would be like the best thing in the world for you."

Yugi shrugged. "I guess sometimes you have to accept endings when they come. Its never easy."

"Well I wish my ending would come." Ryou muttered shruging on his coat.

"Maybe right now you do, there were plenty of times I wished the Pharoah could just figure out where exactly he had come from and where he should be so I could get on with my own life… especially when Tea…ah nevermind." He smiled hugely, "I'm just saying things can change and that things can feel different when we're.. you know… in them."

"I really do have to go, I'm sorry to burst in here like this with bad news."

Ryou was already walking away, uncomfortable, but he heard Yugi's soft response. "Who said this was bad news?"

Bakura

As Bakura, truding behind Malik, stepped through the large doors his sharp ears, a thief's ears, heard another set of doors slam. He peered around his… companion?... he didn't really know how to think of Malik, he seemed to be harmless to him. He saw a familiar brunette sitting behind a large desk typing away while gazing intermittently between two computer screens. Malik stopped in the middle of the room and Bakura stopped by the door… he always liked to have an exit point.

"What." Seto Kaiba hadn't looked up or paused in his work at all.

"Ryou should probably hear this too."

Seto stopped typing and looked up at Malik and frowned. Silence dragged on."Ryou is busy. He left."

Bakura felt surprise and unease building within his stomach. Why would Ryou be here with this ruthless man? He was unwilling to recognize the disappointment that welled up and pushed it back.

Malik sighed. "Well it doesn't matter, he'll hear it anyway." Malik glanced towards a set of blue doors to the left of the desk.

Seto stood up. "He really has left. On assignment."

Malik and Seto glared at each other.

"What exactly do you think you're doing bringing that here?" Seto didn't even glance at Bakura.

"I was hoping to explain what Ryou and you have been doing here since he 'disappeared'."

"My patience wears thin with you." Seto was so robotic, it made Bakura mad just to listen to him talk. "We understand you don't want any part of our work, we can't make you help. But we are fighting powers that this-" he pointed at Bakura, still not looking at him. "-has been in league with."

"Exactly.", Malik smiled. "Don't you think he could have some answers-"

"Enough of this." Seto sat back down and started typing away again. He hit the intercom buttom and said. "Ishtar is leaving."

Malik, surprising Bakura, turned and walked away. Bakura glanced towards the doors that, he now guessed, Ryou had just disappeared behind, and paused.

"Don't seek him out again." Bakura turned towards Seto and let his face fall into what he believed was the only intimidating expression Ryou's delicate features could be transformed into. It didn't matter, Seto Kaiba was still staring at his computer screens.

Without a word, Bakura turned and left. He had a lot of questions… but not for this man.

Malik was already out on the street. They had been in the buiding no more than 10 minutes, but the sun had already begun to disappear behind the large buildings surrounding them. Bakura walked down the steps of the small square building, whose sign read 'Kaiba Corp. SR division' and as he reached Malik, fell into perfect unison with him as they walked towards his apartment. Bakura looked back as they walked down the street. The building they had come out of was small and unobtrusive. No one could guess its purpose from its smooth and windowless exterior. The minute Kaiba Corp. sign was the only indication it was any sort of business at all, and as Kaiba Corporation owned most of Domino City's buildings, it was nothing out of the ordinary. Why the CEO of Kaiba Corp. would be sitting in this small building was nagging at Bakura, and there had already been too many strange things today. Questions began to spring up in his head. The foremost one being, what exactly was Ryou doing with Kaiba. They looked at each other and Malik took a deep breath.

"I wanted them to see you… I thought they might let you talk."

"I don't have anything to say."

Malik rolled his eyes, "Okay, but I think you'll have more to say when you hear what's going on, particularly as it pertains to Ryou."

It annoyed Bakura that he could not deny any interest in Ryou with Malik, he had shown his hand earlier when he was trying to explain how Marik and Malik were connected. Malik smirked triumphantly when he saw that Bakura was not going to retort.

"I'll explain when we get indoors."

Bakura's cocked eyebrow was all the answer he received.

Ryou

Still attempting to get his breathing under control, Ryou setted into the smooth leather seat of the car he rode in. The driver was taking him to a museum, the rod with the scarab beetle was secured in a laqured wooden box at his feet. He held a sack in his hands, wrapped in many layers of lush velvet.

He kept looking behind himself, expecting to, somehow, see Bakura any minute, racing towards the car with supernatural speed and deadly intent. But no Bakura appeared and the car pulled up to the back door of the museum. A small sigh of relief escaped his lips when he saw Ishizu standing by the door. Gone were the days of a flowing white robe and golden sandals and acoutraments. Ishizu was clad in a simple black dress that ended midcalf. The Millenium necklace she had worn for so long was replaced by a small chain with three keys that lay just below the neckline of her dress.

"Thank you." Was all she said as Ryou got out of the car in his black clothing, shoes included this time, and handed her the sack and the rod. He felt a lightening throughout his entire body as he did so and a smile came easily to his face for the first time in what felt like days.

"I just saw Malik." They made eye contact. "He's keeping Bakura company."

Ishizu looked extremely uneasy.

"I'll speak with him."

Ryou nodded and got back in the car. The driver drove away immediately, straight back to the SR division headquarters. Ryou felt anger flare up inside him and tried to push it back down. It wasn't fair to be upset with Malik, it was his own fault Malik and Bakura had had any opportunity to speak. He hadn't considered the old partnership… the bonds that seeing and speaking to each other could reforge. He cursed himself quietly and allowed his hand to curl into a fist. He began impatiently tapping his foot and even glared towards the rear view mirror. The driver silently raised the partion between them. Ryou rolled his eyes and glared out he window instead as it began to rain. Malik was his friend… his only really close friend. He'd have to go over there sometime and try to snap him out of whatever stupid train of thought had inspired him to befriend Bakura and even take him out in the day light. Probably just another little hobby, Ryou thought to himself maliciously. Ryou was ashamed to admit that he had thought Malik might intimidate or even harm Bakura so he would not have to deal with him anymore. A mixture of shame and irritation whirled around inside him as the car pulled up. Ryou did not wait for the drivier to open the door. He stormed out of the car and through the backdoor of the square building adding another layer of shame and annoyance to his already unstable mood, because he could only be reminded as he pushed through doors and stomped down hallways, that this kind of behavior was exactly what Bakura was known for… this and causing as much pain as possible to as many people as possible. A little talent Ryou was still dealing with the reprecussions of.

"I'm back." Ryou settled himself into a chair placed rght next to a pair of blue doors facing a large dark wood desk and crossed his arms sullenly.

"No problems?"

"None."

"Good."

Kaiba had stopped typing the moment Ryou walked in.

"I could hear you coming from a mile away. Don't slam doors in my building again."

Ryou narrowed his eyes at a small paperweight on Kaiba's desk and made no response. Kaiba laced his fingers together and placed his head on them, closing his eyes. Ryou saw him do this often, when he was thinking.

"Malik wanted us to talk to your demon."

"Excuse me?"

"He wanted the demon to help us. He appeared to think he might have some kind of insight into what is going on."

"Like we need his-" Seto held up a hand to quiet Ryou, which worsened his mood considerably. He was about to start ranting and raving about anything and everything when Seto said, eyes still closed, "What is wrong with you today?"

His bright blue eyes flashed open and Ryou suddenly felt all of his anger and irritation cool, still there, but considerably less violatile.

"Are you serious?" He replied. "You must be joking. Take a wild guess at what coud possibly have me a bit on edge."

Kaiba waved his hand impatiently.

"You can't possibly be this upset about that thing returning. Maybe at first, but from the looks of him and some of the short comments you've made, it sounds like you gave him quite a beating and sent him on his way. And he hasn't come seeking you-"

"HE CAME HERE!"

They looked at each other.

"He didn't follow you here, stalk you home, try to approach you at the museum. He left with Ishtar and he CAME with him. I'd guess that he had no idea you were here, and, if you hadn't had a little temper tantrum and slammed my doors on your way out, still would not know."

Ryou blinked.

"So why then," Seto continued, closing his eyes again, "are you drawing attention to yourself, and storming around this building when they both could very well have still been here?"

"Are you trying to say you think I'm looking for attention here? Or somehow wanting him to approach me?"

"I'm saying you're not acting like yourself, and that you're being careless."

Ryou considered this, Seto got up and began pacing.

"I'm concerned that this means the Shadow Realm is gathering strength despite what we are doing here. I'm concerned he may be some kind of… manifestation of these forces we have been fighting."

Ryou, surprising himself, immediatey said, "No. He's here for-" and stopped speaking. Seto glanced at him.

"For what?"

"I don't know."

"You have some idea." Seto stopped pacing.

"Well… I'd guess he's here for me."

"That's ill considered."

Ryou rolled his eyes. It was just like Seto to speak like this, dismissive and uncaring.

"And what have you calculated to be the most likely reason for his appearance?" Ryou replied, sinking down in the chair and hitching his legs up on the arm. He began picking at small fuzz balls he saw on the fabric.

"You don't have to act like a child." Seto began pacing again, missing Ryou's eye roll. "I don't know exactly why he's still here in Domino. But he doesn't need you for your body anymore and that's all you were to him. I'd imagine your part in his games is done."

Ryou felt the sting in the words without understanding why he was hurt. This kind of cold reasoning should make him feel relieved. It should make him feel safe enough to not be looking over his shoulder. But he couldn't let go of a nagging susupicion that Bakura was here for him. To hear someone so callously dismiss any connection they had made him ache a little inside.

"But I can only guess at why and how he is back in our world. At least the Pharoah hasn't appeared."

"Well if you think Bakura is just some kind of Shadow Realm ghost then why would the Pharoah be here? He's 'at rest'." Ryou remembered back to Yugi's sad eyes and the desperate tone he had used when he spoke about the Pharoah returning.

"Yes, more evidence to support my position."

"If Bakura is-"

"Why are you calling him that? Bakura is your surname."

Ryou blinked. "I'm going home."

"I would have you to stay, you know our nighttime work is the most important and you are one of the best at tracking them."

"I don't have it in me right now."

Seto waved his hand as he paced. Ryou sighed. As he grabbed his small backpack and slung it over his shoulder he wondered if he'd ever be more than a pawn in a game he wasn't in control of.

Ryou walked home slowly. After the cool dissmisive nature of Kaiba's words, he almost wished for the Thief to step out from behind every dumpster he passed, every alleyway he started down. But he met no one and arrived at his apartment building without incident. He stood looking up at it, contemplating the night he was in for. One of uneasy pacing and little sleep while nothing changed. It made him angry to think he wanted to talk with Bakura. It infuriated him still further to think that he wouldn't show up at his door… because, for the first time, he started to doubt that the great Thief King would be interested in him. He was used to being an integral part of any plan Bakura concocted… but he had never considered that this was simply out of convienence. He had thought he was somehow special… somehow an apt tool for this great rebel. And, as much as he hated to admit it and wasn't sure he had ever been conscious of it… it had made him feel important. It had made him feel strong. He kicked at some gravel on the ground and it caught on a rock. Fighting Bakura had made Ryou feel strong alright. But watching Bakura do such terrible things with his body was horrific. It awakened some awareness of what he could do with the same body, and a kind of confidence had begun to grow in him during those years.

He turned and began walking down the road towards nothing in particular. He couldn't face a night of waiting to be used in a chess match he was surely to be sacrificed in. As he walked he thought about all the times he had been glad to be shoved into his soul room and not have to deal with the dueling and the fighting and the damn card games. As much as he had hated Bakura, he had found a kind of peace and centering during those times. And when he was released, he was surrounded by worry and concern. The darkness present within Bakura had somehow made his small and flickering light burn bright and pure by comparision. And the times that he had been able to see… those times when Bakura used his imprisonment as punishment and not simply an opporuntiy to use the body they shared.. they had been the most confusing of all. He had hated watching him run with his legs, duel with his mind, fight with his fists, and speak with his own tongue in a way he would never have been able to. Part of him had always been in awe of Bakura's ability to use what he continually complained was a weak, small, and awkward body for such great and terrible things.

Ryou looked up at the building in front of him. Malik's apartment. He stood there a long time, staring at the window two levels up and one over… where he could have sworn he saw the sillouette of someone tall and lean with a mess of gray hair leaning against the windowpane. As the street lights flickered to life and the familiar aching pain throbbed dully in Ryou's chest, the figure turned and he saw green eyes flash menacingly and his mouth curve into an angry sort of leer. He flinched out of habit and inwardly cursed himself, but he did not stop looking and when Bakura's eyes settled on him, he was surprised to see, even from so far away, a softening of the dark expression. He looked up at him as the moon rose and somewhere a clock chimed. Neither of them moved, and neither looked away.