Author's note: Thanks for the reviews!

There's a knock at her door.

Alexis is fresh in herself. She loves her job, really she does, but it can be stressful at times. The kids make it She has only just got a folder out of her bag, when she's disturbed. The woman lets out a sigh. She's a little confused, visitors aren't commonplace for her, but it's still early enough that she doesn't actually worry. She has a feeling that she knows just who it will be behind the door.

She opens it, and greets the man on the other side with a smile. Then she realizes that he isn't alone.

"You sure know how to put a girl off!" Atticus can't help but note, as his sister's smile falls.
"I just wasn't expecting two of you. Come on in."

Atticus has to hobble on his crutches, but at least he's moving around by himself. He doesn't seem to be terribly bothered by his injuries, or at least doesn't let on if he is. She makes sure to stand back, and give him plenty of room. Of course, her brother isn't alone. Behind him, stands another man whom she's even more surprised to see.

Zane is out, and about it would seem.

The man gives her a brief, sideways glance before retreating inside. It's almost as if he's searching for some sort of sanctuary from the outside world. Once he is in her apartment, the man becomes a little more withdrawn, silently taking in his surroundings. She has to wonder the last time that he last bothered to make a social call. Atticus of course, is far less timid. He hobbles over to her couch, and dumps himself down without any ceremony.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?" She asks the pair, folding her arms across her chest.
"Can't a big bro come to meet his little sis?"
"Depends on the occasion. You're not in any trouble, are you?"
"No! Well, only Zane."

She turns to see him. This is the first time that he's actually come to see her. She wonders just how he's come to be like this. Whether or not it's one of Atticus' tricks. For a few seconds, she thinks about asking, but decides against it. The more that she treats this as something exceptional, the more that she fears it might become so. As such, Alexis is determined to make things as normal as they possibly can be.

"Do you boys want something to drink?" She pauses for a moment. "I um… Don't have much in."
"That's fine. I can't drink with my meds anyhow."
"Neither can I." Zane answers.
"So… Water? I have some orange juice too if you want."

It's juice for Atticus, and just some plain old water for Zane. She settles both of them down on the couch, and armchair. Her brother needs the chair from her desk so as to support his leg, but at least he's out, and about, and being a relatively good patient about it all. If she's honest, she'd been worried that her big brother was going to be a drama queen. He had been one from time to time in the past.

Zane does look thoroughly confused, as if he doesn't quite know how he got himself here, and keeps on wondering if he might wake up at some point and realize that he was dreaming. It's cute in its own way, but certainly progress.

"So. Why are you two here? Not that I mind having either of you round." She's quick to add.
"I was just wondering how you were." Atticus explains.
"That took two of you, did it?" She can't help but raise an eyebrow dubiously.
"I… Needed to get out of my flat."

It seemed like a simple, and likely enough explanation. She gave him an approving smile. Zane shies away from it quite quickly. Instead, he takes to looking around the room. There really isn't much to see. Her flat is a modest one to say the least. She likes it like that though. It makes for less dusting, and allows her to focus more on what's important.

It's on some old photos of them that his gazes comes to rest upon. He was in one of them. It was just her, Atticus, and Zane, about a year before the boys had first departed from Duel Academy. They're carefree, and happy, blissfully unaware of just what awaits them in the coming years. Alexis' isn't too sure why she keeps it out, but the shelves had seemed a little bare and it's a nice photo. It reminds her of more innocent times. On occasion, she does wish that she could go back to them. Not everything of what occurred on the island that had been their home for three years had been joyful…

"I forgot how goofy we all looked."
"Speak for yourself." Zane grumbled in response.
"Oh, I remember that Hawaiian shirt." Atticus tells him with a mocking smile.
"Now that's something I want to see."
"It really isn't..." Zane stresses.

Alexis decides that she might just ask her brother to dig out some pictures later on. If he has any.

They chat for a short while, remembering some of the fun from their youth. It seems like a painfully long time ago to Alexis. She misses those days of sneaking out to chase after her brother and his friend. Sometimes, although very rarely, Syrus had been there too. She thinks back to learning the rules of Duel Monsters, and getting her first real deck. Then watching the two head off to the island. Some part of the woman wonders if she could do anything differently, would she? Would it change much?

They end up ordering a takeaway, and deciding to split the bill three ways. Alexis rarely has guests, and doesn't bother stocking her fridge accordingly. She's not even going to try and feed her brother. Unless his injury has somehow affected his stomach, he's something of a bottomless pit when it comes to food. Zane, is harder to predict. He doesn't claim, nor admit to be hungry. He does take an interest in the order though, which is more than she'd dared to hope. He wants some plain rice… That sounds about right too.

"Don't you have classes?" Zane asks her as they settle down.
"I do." She answers. "I was just correcting some papers."
"Need some help?" Atticus offers in such a way, that she can't decide whether or not he's being serious.
"I can't let you look at my students' papers!" She reminds him.
"I was thinking of Zane here!" Atticus reaches out to tap the man behind his shoulders. "Can you imagine the commentary?"
"I'm sure he'd be fine..."

She offers her old friend a gentle smile. He stares back at her, almost confused by the compliment. She has to wonder when was the last time that he sat down for a meal with more than one other person. Zane is a quiet type, so it's impossible to tell just how put off he is by the surroundings. So she opts to be careful. She gives him his space, and Atticus, as boisterous as he usually is, seems to find the common sense to do the same.

It's in their shared past that they find some neutral ground. It's a subject which doesn't cause any upset.

"Remember when you, and I challenged all the other kids in our class to a tag duel?"
"Yeah." Zane answers.
"We rocked back then." Atticus declares with pride.
"If I remember correctly, you almost cost us the duel with that sacrifice stunt you pulled."
"You were just in awe at my natural talent..."

Zane rolls his eyes. He excuses himself a short while later, asking for directions to the bathroom. Alexis points it out to him, and waits until he's safely out of earshot, before speaking quietly to her brother:

"He's looking better."
"He has his good days too you know." Atticus tells her with a smile. "What have you been doing to him?"
"Huh?"
"I barely even had to bully him into coming along. It was almost like he wanted to."

She looks back towards the door where Zane just disappeared. It doesn't sound much like him. Usually he keeps to himself. So of course, Alexis begins to worry. Does he need help? Does he think that he's really running out of time? So many questions…

For the time being, she pushes them from her mind, determined to enjoy the evening, and its surprises. Zane returns shortly thereafter. She makes a point of flashing him a smile. He comes to a brief stop, staring at her as if he's only just seeing her now. He comes to sit down back where he had been only a short time earlier. Still, the man seems to be awkward, as he sat there. He shifts a bit. Looking around, choosing anywhere but the Rhodes siblings.

"This is a nice place you've got here." He speaks eventually.
"Thank you."
"It's amazing what dusting can do." Atticus can't help but dig at his friend.

Zane rolls his eyes, clearly fighting back the urge to snap back something pointed at his childhood friend. Perhaps he would, if he weren't in another's house. He's more docile than Alexis is custom to seeing him. Oddly, she finds that it's a surprisingly nice change for him. A few times, his dark eyes drift over towards her, as if to check that she's still there. When he does, she gives him a warm smile. Not much, just a little one.

He looks away.

"Do you guys ever hear from any of the others?" Zane asks eventually.
"From time to time." Alexis answers. "I meet Jasmine, and Mindy about once a week. Chazz still calls sometimes. So do Hasselburry, Jesse and a few of the others."

"Jaden?"
"He moves around." Alexis shrugged her shoulders in a non-apology.
"Hm..." Zane hummed thoughtfully for a moment. "Sounds like him."

In truth, Alexis doesn't know much about Jaden. Only that he's still alive, and that he wanders his way through the world. It's just words here, and there. Whispers, and rumors about where he has popped up. Ever-doers put in their place. Still, she suspects he's happy. From time to time, she wonders if he ever thinks of the rest of his friends. Then she remembers what he was like and she's sure that he does.

It's strange when she thinks about it. They all used to be inseparable in the past. They had faced all of the horrors in the world, and beyond and somehow come out on top. The trauma that they had experienced had certainly left her with the occasional nightmare. Somehow though, they had drifted apart over the years. It had happened slowly. From time to time, she thought of them of course. She supposed that they could, and probably should have done more. Perhaps, she muses, after a reunion like this with Zane, she might make the effort.

There's another name on the tip of her lips. For a few moments, she thinks about uttering it, but thinks better of it. It's a touchy subject, and tonight is a nice night.