Atem didn't mean to fall asleep in Mana's room. It had happened on its own, because he himself was also exhausted.

The next time Seth awoke, he was alone, and he felt the pain intensify all over again. Had the herbs worn off so soon? Where was the physician? He needed more medicine. He couldn't sleep like this. He tried to sit up, but grunted in pain and fell back onto his cot, unable to rise. He hated feeling this helpless.

"Seth?"

He stiffened when he heard that sweet, gentle voice he once cherished so much. He covered his face with his arm so that he wouldn't have to look into Kisara's eyes as she sat up, her face smudged with dust and tears. How long had she been crying on the floor by his bed?

"Do you need something?" she asked hesitantly, afraid of being sent away again.

"Medicine," he rasped, and she stood immediately. Her knees were caked with dust and sand, marked with lines from sitting on the floor for so long.

"I'll fetch the doctor," she assured and sprinted off, leaving Seth to grit his teeth and bear the pain until she returned. It didn't take her very long at all to rouse the doctor, and in a matter of minutes she was at his side again. "He'll be here in a few minutes," she murmured, kneeling again by his bed. "Is there anything else I can do for you? I'll do anything, anything at all," she pleaded, her eyes filling with fresh tears. "Please, Seth, let me make amends to you somehow. I'll do anything it takes to make you forgive me."

He shifted his arm a little and considered her bruised, dirty face. Her remorse seemed genuine enough, though it didn't make much difference.

"Not even you can change the past," he muttered before closing his eyes. Kisara's face fell, and she started to cry again, hiding her weeping with her hands.

"I love you, Seth, just not like that," she whispered, making Seth's heart sting afresh.

"Get out." He choked on the words, but their meaning was clear. She needed to leave before he lost himself to the grief and pain entirely. She complied, leaving him with the tears he was too ashamed to shed in front of her.

Mere moments later, the doctor entered with the pain-numbing medicines Seth craved. The medicine would take a little while to become effective, but it would start working soon, the physician assured before he left Seth alone so that his patient could sleep.

Hadn't Atem said he would stay here all night? What had happened to his promise? Seth sighed, wondering if this was really what his life was meant to be: professional success coupled with nonstop personal pain? Atem had made a promise, then broken it, and in doing so, broke another promise.

He'd promised that he would never hurt Seth, but his absence only increased his cousin's pain. He couldn't breathe, even as he tried to gasp for air. Now he was shedding tears of pain as he struggled with himself.

Was it really worthwhile to fight it, though? Wasn't it better not to live than to live in agony? A dismal thought, but a somewhat comforting one since he had no ability to stop himself from blacking out due to a lack of oxygen.

Kisara had left the room, true, but she was only crouching just outside the doorway. She still owed him something, and she wouldn't rest until her debt was repaid. The doctor left, but she remained, listening as best the could. She listened to the panting, the gasping, with a growing sense of dread. Then suddenly, all sound of breathing stopped.

Filled with panic, she jumped to her feet and ran back to him. He'd stopped breathing, his eyes were closed, his lips were blue, but he still had a pulse. She immediately began to resuscitate him, breathing into him and pushing on his lungs alternatingly until he suddenly gasped, his eyes flying open as he began to breathe on his own once more. Kisara breathed a sigh of relief and sat back on her heels.

"Thank the gods," she murmured, pushing her hair behind her ear. "I was afraid that you'd..." She couldn't say the terrible words, but she didn't need to.

"No, I'm still here," he muttered, sounding annoyed. Kisara dropped her gaze to her hands.

"It's a good thing I was just outside the room," she murmured, not daring to look up at Seth, who rolled onto his side with his back to her so that she couldn't see how disappointed he was that he'd been saved. The painkillers were finally starting to kick in, making the ache recede enough for him to fall asleep.

Atem woke up in Mana's room feeling disoriented. Why was he here? After a moment, the events of last night returned to his mind, and he groaned in frustration. He'd promised he wouldn't leave. He needed to get back to Seth, now.

When he arrived at the infirmary, he found Kisara kneeling at Seth's bedside, looking half asleep herself. Atem walked up and lay his hand on her shoulder. She started and looked up at him in surprise. Atem winced when he saw the her bruised face, and held out his hand to her, helping her to stand on wobbly legs.

"You should go rest," he said gently. "Thank you for watching him." She looked like she wanted to say something, but she kept her mouth shut and nodded in obedience.

"Yes, my pharaoh," she murmured, bowing once before she left. Atem sat on the edge of Seth's bed, and immediately the priest in question rolled over to face his cousin, looking upset.

"You promised you would be here," he muttered accusatorily, looking hurt.

"I know, I know," Atem murmured, reaching down to stroke Seth's hair comfortingly. "I'm sorry."

"You promised," Seth repeated angrily.

"I know, I'm sorry," Atem continued to repeat as he leaned down over Seth and pressed their foreheads together, looking deep into his eyes. "I left to take Mana to her room and I fell asleep. I'm sorry." The explanation seemed satisfactory, for now at least.

"So what now?" Seth asked quietly, his anger replaced with despair. "Am I supposed to continue living as if everything is alright?"

Atem took a deep breath and said, "Mana has a plan that might help remedy things. But we can't do anything about it until you're well again."

"Atem explained the plan to Seth, and when he recovered, they got married as planned. And then they all got drunk and had an orgy. The end!" the cybernetic ghost of Christmas future from the past declared, as if that answered all of Kaiba's questions.

"That's bull," Kaiba snapped, glowering at the robot. "Come on, Mokuba, let's get out of here. He's useless." He turned on his heel and started striding away as his little brother lugged his briefcase and followed after him.

"Seto, what's an orgy?"

"Shut up Mokuba."