Going On

Disclaimer – Nope, don’t own them. But if I get luckily, Santa will heed my request and there will be a bow wrapped Tomb Robber under my tree come Christmas morning . . . oh wouldn’t that be delightful.

Author’s Notes – Okay everyone, another chapter. Time for Yami to face his friends. Cross your fingers for him . . . he’s going to need it.


Chapter 6 – Face the Past


Yami stepped out of Bakura’s Viper slowly, wincing as he put weight on his wounded leg again, but otherwise no emotion showed on his face. Ryou slid out behind him, glancing up at the former spirit in concern before turning his eyes to his yami, who was getting out from behind the driver’s seat.

**Maybe we’re pushing to hard, ‘Kura,** he asked quietly through their link. **He looks okay, but I know he’s afraid. I can feel it.**

*He will be fine, hikari,* Bakura replied, stepping up beside the smaller youth and glancing towards Yami himself. He wished he felt as sure of that as he sounded. Perhaps they were pushing too hard . . . Yami was frightened, an emotion he’d thought completely alien to his former nemesis. He could see it in the Pharaoh’s stance. Yami was tense, the crimson eyes dark with even darker emotions as he stared up at Kaiba’s mansion. Within that house were all the people his darkness had harmed or attempted to harm . . . all people Yami thought would hate him now. Shrugging after a moment of tense silence, he stepped forward with Ryou on his heels. There was no help for it now . . . they’d convinced him that he needed to do this, and it wouldn’t look good if they tried to talk him out of it after that.

He wished for a moment that Marik had accompanied them, but the Egyptian had gone back to the apartment he shared with Yugi for more clothing. While his particular taste ran mostly to jeans . . . no doubt influenced by his hikari’s choice of clothing . . . Yami’s seemed to run towards leather, which meant clothing that fit him had to come from Marik’s closet until he could shop for his own clothes. A slight smirk crossed the aquiline features of the former thief . . . he suspected once Yami was introduced to shopping, he was going to be one hell of a clothes horse.

Arriving at the mansion door, he simply bent down and picked the lock, unwilling to knock.

“You know, Tomb Robber . . . some people would consider that rude,” Yami murmured from right behind him, causing him to jump slightly. The damn Pharaoh moved too quietly by far.

“I just don’t feel like dealing with that damn, overly pompous butler of Seto’s,” the thief grumbled. “Reminds me of someone else I know.” He glanced pointedly at the lithe figure as it moved up beside him, and was surprised when Yami smirked.

“I’m supposed to be overly ‘pompous’, as you put it, Bakura,” he replied. “That was my job.” He met the wide eyes of the thief and shrugged. “Being Pharaoh was not all fun and games, Bakura,” he murmured. “I did not enjoy it nearly as much as you seem to think I did.” He sighed, the shoulders slumping slightly again. “It was actually much like now. Too much at stake, and a failure could cost everything.” He jumped slightly as Ryou wrapped an arm around his waist, squeezing lightly.

“You didn’t fail, Yami,” the youth said quietly, as the door swung open under Bakura’s skillfull hands. “I know that’s what you think, but you’re wrong. You protected everyone from what Kage could have continued to do to them. Rather than focus on what he did manage to do, try to think of what you prevented him from doing.” Tugging lightly, he drew Yami after him into the foyer of the huge mansion, his own yami trailing along silently.

They nearly ran straight into Kaiba.

“You know, Tomb Robber . . . there is a reason why I have a butler.” Bakura smirked as the CEO of Kaiba Corp. crossed his arms over his chest in annoyance. “I realize you were a thief in your past, but must you continue to be a thief in this time as well?”

“Take it as a compliment, money bags,” the white haired yami said arrogantly, crossing his arms as well. “I consider your property enough of a challenge to make it worth my time.” Seto growled under his breath, blue eyes flicking to Yami as the former Pharaoh chuckled slightly, rolling his eyes and shaking his head at Bakura’s antics. At least Yami’s sense of irony and humor hadn’t been damaged . . . much.
“Now I know why only certain tombs got robbed,” Yami murmured. “I should have figured that it had to do with your arrogance.” A gasp from behind Seto drew everyone’s eyes from the current amusing situation, and Yami suddenly stiffened in Ryou’s light embrace, crimson eyes darkening as he saw Tea.
Ryou glanced up at the lithe figure near him in concern, noting that the mask was firmly in place . . . but the crimson eyes were wide, panic seeming to drown the crimson in the black pupils.

**’Kura, he’s going to freak . . . I really don’t think he’s ready for this . . .** The mental call from his hikari brought the red-brown eyes of the former thief around to Yami, and he took a step towards the Pharaoh as he noticed the slight tremor that was going through the other former spirit.

*Perhaps we are pushing too hard,* Bakura murmured, coming to stand in front of Yami. *Ryou, move, love . . . he’s going to collapse.* Ryou moved away from the shivering Pharaoh slowly, startled when his yami stepped into the shivering frame, pulling Yami against him carefully.

“We are here, Yami,” he whispered into the frozen spirit’s ear, hoping to calm the violent shivering. “We shouldn’t have pushed you into this . . . we can still leave.”

“Too late . . .” the Pharaoh whispered hoarsely. “It is too late to flee . . . it is always too late.” He clung to Bakura unconsciously, crimson eyes closing as he fought the wave of despair, fear, and guilt that flooded through him. His shadow had used Tea’s interest in him against her, had taken her innocence and shattered her heart much as he had done to Yugi. How could he apologize to her for that . . . how could he expect her to forgive him for such an unforgivable sin? And he could still remember the feel of her body against his . . . damn Kage for making him experience that!

“It’s true . . .” Tea whispered, gliding across the foyer in a daze, her dancer’s legs stiff with disbelief as she stared at the haunting image in front of her. “Oh my god . . . you really have come back.” She reached over Bakura’s shoulder, her fingertips hesitating momentarily before brushing against one tanned cheek. She pulled away as if burned by the contact.

Straightening slowly, Yami gently pushed Bakura out of the way, standing on his own in front of Tea sadly. If he was to be punished, then Bakura did not need to be in the way . . .the Tomb Robber was not deserving of whatever Tea felt his betrayal of her warranted. His muscles locked on him, trying to force him to turn away, to flee this confrontation, but as he had said, it was too late to run.

The crimson eyes went wide with shock and surprise when Tea stepped up to him and hugged him, clutching him tightly as she sobbed into his shoulder, rather than the slap he’d anticipated. Hesitantly, he embraced her in return, surprised to find that she was shivering nearly as much as he was.

“We never got to say goodbye,” she murmured hoarsely, laying her cheek upon his shoulder wearily. “We’ve missed you so much, and we never got to tell you . . . how much you had come to mean to all of us . . .”

“Tea . . .” he choked out, his own voice catching around the pulse that hammered in his throat. “I cannot tell you how sorry I am for what happened to you . . .” He stiffened again as the girl . . . no, the woman . . . pulled away, staring into his eyes from a short distance away.

“Why should you be sorry?” she asked quietly, blue eyes confused. “You’re not the one who raped me.” She saw the violent shiver that went through the lithe form at the word ‘rape’ and her eyes darkened with understanding. “Yugi was right . . . you really do blame yourself for what happened!” she whispered in sudden realization. She pulled the shivering form into a tight hug again, wrapping her arms around Yami firmly. “It wasn’t your fault, Yami . . . I don’t hold you responsible at all.” She was startled when Yami simply allowed himself to be held, instead of pulling away.

Tea glanced over the tri-colored hair, meeting the gaze of the three men who had been standing with Yami in the foyer. A look of gentle understanding passed between them. No matter how strong Yami had been in the past, he had needed them as much as they had needed him . . . as much as they needed each other now. It would take all of them to reclaim the former Pharaoh from the torment of his own sundered heart and soul. And he hadn’t even seen Yugi yet . . .

“Yami . . . no one, in the past two years, has ever held you responsible for what that creature did to any of us,” she said softly, one graceful hand rising to stroke the crimson tipped hair comfortingly. In this moment, Tea realized just how similar Yami and Yugi truly were . . . but while Yugi allowed everyone to see his heart and vulnerability at times, Yami was so accustomed to hiding it that this was proving a harder struggle for him to deal with than anything they had ever been through. “We’re all your friends . . . we always will be.” She felt the others come into the foyer from the den like an electrical current through the air, glancing over her shoulder to meet their gazes solemnly.

“She’s right, bud,” Tristan murmured, stepping forward carefully. “None of us ever held you responsible.” The others fanned out behind him, slowly encircling Tea and Yami in a ring of friends. Tristan was the first to reach out, laying a kind hand on the former Pharaoh’s shoulder gently. “We’ve always been here for you, just as you’ve always been there for us, when we needed you.”

“Yeah,” Joey said, sighing as Kaiba came up behind him and leaning into the taller man. “Because of you and Yugi, my sister got her operation. And you guys taught me to be a better duelist, and never give up on myself, no matter how bad things looked. I owe you more than I can ever repay, man . . . you’re my friend. You always will be.” He reached out, resting his hand on Yami’s other shoulder, a warning squeeze from Kaiba reminding him to keep the contact light and unassuming. It was a warning he didn’t really need . . . he could see the tense set of Yami’s shoulders, could tell that one wrong move would undue everything. “What Kage did was bad . . .” He paused as Yami flinched slightly, but continued on, choosing his words more carefully. “But it also forced me to finally stand on my own two feet and let go of some childish dreams I was harboring. As much as I hate to say it, he did me a favor, Yami, and made me a stronger person. No matter how much that game hurt, it helped me as well. Beating yourself up over it can’t change what happened . . . especially when none of it was your fault.” The tri-colored head turned slowly, the crimson eyes slowly coming into view as they met amber from a foot away.

“Joey . . .” he whispered. The blonde smiled reassuringly, stepping away from Kaiba and holding out a hand to the former spirit in invitation. Yami stepped away from Tea, taking the offered hand hesitantly and squeaking slightly in surprise when the blonde pulled him into a tight embrace.

“We’ve missed you, man,” Joey murmured. “And Kage missed one thing in his game that I never got to tell you . . . as much as I love Yugi, I love you as well. But it’s the love of a friend for a friend only – something Kage could never understand.” He felt Yami relax in his arms, and smiled to the others. They’d broken through the walls Yami had been keeping up around himself.

“Thank you,” Yami said softly. “Thank you all.”

Bakura stood back, watching as Yami disappeared within the circle of friends as they all surrounded him, giving him both their silent and vocal support, aware of Ryou standing silently at his side.
“Do you think . . .?” Ryou asked softly. Bakura snorted.

“He’s stubborn, but he’s not that stubborn,” the former thief murmured. “This is the first step . . . the hardest will be facing Yugi.. He may still harbor some guilt . . . gods above only know how he loves to beat himself up over any mistakes he makes . . . but this will at least begin his healing.” Ryou squeaked slightly, but relaxed as his yami drew him into his side, an arm wrapped lovingly around his waist. “I know how he feels all too well.” The smaller man looked up in concern as a tinge of dark emotion filtered through his link to his yami, and he wrapped his own arm around the taller man and squeezed lightly in understanding.

He and Bakura had not started their own relationship under the best of circumstances, just as Yami and Yugi were going to be doing. As the circle of friends, with Yami still firmly in the middle, drifted towards the living room, he only hoped that this rocky start would have as happy an ending for the Pharaoh and his hikari as their own had.


*-------*-------*-------*-------*


Marik shoved the remainder of the clothes he had uncovered into the duffel bag he had retrieved from his closet and slid the zipper closed with a sigh. He wondered how the meeting between Yami and the group was going . . . was it going as well as he had hoped it would?

He shook his head, blonde hair brushing against the gold necklace covering his throat as he slung the duffel bag over one shoulder and made his way toward the door of he and Yugi’s shared apartment. Worrying about it wouldn’t do anything but rile him up. The best thing to do now would be to get to the mansion and see how things were going.

He was reaching for the door when a sound from behind him caused him to whirl back around, coming face to face with Kage.

“Hello, pretty Tomb Keeper,” Kage murmured. He lunged suddenly, and Marik ducked, moving to the side and rolling before coming back to his feet and sprinting for the open window. If Kage could get up here that way, then he could get down. He froze as the shadows wrapped around him, pinning him in place, freezing the air in his lungs and the blood in his veins as Yami’s shadow chuckled coldly. Pale fingers threaded into platinum blonde hair, and Marik winced as his head was yanked backwards painfully, exposing his throat to the demon that paced gracefully around his frozen figure, coming to stand before him.

**MALIK!** He felt his other stir within the prison of his soul room. **Kage . . .**

*Yes, I know, little Marik,* Malik replied. *Yami’s shadow has come to play.*

**If he kills me, you die too!** The shrug from his other that followed that statement infuriated him. **MALIK!**

*If you want me to do something about this, you must let me out, Marik,* Malik snarled. *And that is something you will not do.* Marik could have sworn he heard a tinge of bitterness and pain in his dark side’s voice. Confused, it almost distracted him from Kage, who brought him abruptly back into the real world by the caress of his tongue against the pulse beating wildly at the base of his exposed throat.

“Still sweet to the taste, even if you are boring compared to your other . . .” the shadow growled, following the wet caress with a harsh nip of teeth. “So tell me, Guardian . . . how did the Pharaoh come back with me?” Marik shook his head as much as his range of movement was allowed.

“I don’t know, Kage,” he replied. “None of us know . . . not even Yami himself.” He tried to still the wild beating of his heart – showing fear at this moment would only make Kage more excited and unpredictable. He didn’t want to have to release Malik. Malik was as unpredictable and uncontrollable as Kage was, and he knew that if he released his other, he might as well say goodbye to the rest of his life anyway. But perhaps . . . maybe, just maybe, Yami could reclaim his from the darkness again if he turned his body over to the volatile spirit. If he didn’t . . . he probably wasn’t going to survive this. Malik was his only chance.

**Somehow, I know you’re going to make me regret this,** he whispered to his other, and opened the door in his mind.

*Such faith you have in me,* Malik replied dryly . . . but was that a hint of hurt Marik heard? What the hell . . .? He found himself abruptly in his Soul Room, and sagged against a wall wearily. It was done . . . he only hoped he had done the right thing.

Kage staggered backwards as a cold wind swept through the room, blood red eyes narrowing angrily before a smirk crossed the thin lips as he met the deep violet eyes of the Tomb Keeper’s dark half.

“Well, well, well . . . so my suspicions were correct. You are still alive,” he murmured, stabilizing his position and crossing his arms over his chest as he examined the lithe figure before him. He felt himself harden with desire . . . here was someone who took pain as well as he gave it, making him an excellent play mate. He stalked towards the taller blonde, his eyes hungry. He was surprised only slightly when Malik stepped into his advance, sweeping his feet out from under him before pinning him beneath his knees.

“If you would call being locked in my Soul Room alive,” the dark Egyptian growled, leaning over Kage dangerously. “To what do I owe this dubious honor?” He leaned down, licking a cool trail up the dark Yami’s cheek before pulling back. “Or did you just want to play?” He hissed as the body beneath him bucked, bringing twin erections into sharp, sudden contact through cloth.

“I like to play with you, Malik Ishtar,” Kage replied. “Indeed . . . you are a lot of fun to sate my passions with.” Purple shadows began to swirl around them, and Kage raised an eyebrow curiously as the Eye of Horus began to glow on Malik’s forehead. “A Shadow Game?” he murmured, amused. “You’re challenging me to a Shadow Game?”

“Hardly,” Malik snarled in reply, grinning at the confused dark. “But unlike you, I need this body . . . your body is solely your own, but I still share mine, and he is mortal. We can do whatever we please here.” Clothing disappeared in a swirl of dark magic, both spirits hissing at the heated contact of flesh on flesh. “If I remember correctly . . . you took me last time. It is my turn to play,” the blonde growled, before burying himself in the unprepared body beneath him. He rode the violent spasm upwards, grinning down into the bloodthirsty eyes that were glaring up at him. “Shall we begin?”

Kage smirked slightly before moving upwards in a lightning fast strike, latching onto one nipple hungrily, biting through the skin to taste the blood beneath. Malik grunted, but refused to give Kage the satisfaction of a scream as he moved, pulling out slightly to slam back into the warmth he had buried himself in. He allowed Kage to feed off him . . . if that was the only damage he took from this, he would be surprised.

**WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!?** Malik winced as Marik’s outraged and panicked voice echoed in his head.

*Keeping us both alive, you idiot,* he snapped back, maintaining his brutal pace as Kage fell back with a moan, drunk on the blood that still dripped from the wound he had created. *And enjoying myself while I’m at it . . . so go hide in a corner and leave me alone.*

**That’s MY body your fucking him with, if you don’t mind, you sadistic prick!** Marik snarled back. He pounded on his Soul Room door, then tried to open it, only to find it locked. **LET ME OUT!**

*It’s my body now, little one,* Malik replied, smiling. *And you can just stay in there until I decide to let you out.* He started slightly when Kage grabbed his head, yanking him down into a brutal kiss, battling for dominance.

“You should just get rid of the little brat,” he murmured, before biting at one ear lobe and lapping at the blood he drew there. “He really is ruining the mood.” Malik pulled away in surprise, pausing in mid-stroke to stare down at Kage in shock.

“You can hear him?” he asked.

“Of course . . . you aren’t shielding very well. Then again, you haven’t had much practice.” Using Malik’s surprise against him, Kage pushed the tall blonde off of him and rose to his feet unsteadily. “Just be rid of him . . . I can show you how.”

Marik listened to the conversation in dread. He’d made a terrible mistake letting Malik loose . . . he knew that now, and he was sure the others would pay the price.

‘Is this how Yami feels?’ he wondered. ‘Is this what it feels like when you’ve put everyone in danger by your own mistake?’ Lost in his own guilt and horror, he almost didn’t hear his dark’s reply.

“I still need him for the time being,” Malik replied shortly. He tried to rise to his own feet, and suddenly found himself pinned underneath Kage.

“Why do you still need your weaker half!?” the shadow snarled, bloody saliva dripping from bared teeth in a feral mockery of a smile. “I’ve gotten rid of mine.”

“Because with that weakling still about, I can get you the Pharaoh and his hikari.” He smiled slightly, satisfaction evident in his expression as Kage pulled back with a thoughtful frown. “If we get rid of Marik, they’ll know that it’s me the minute they lay eyes on me. But, by keeping him around, I can pass myself off as him. I can deliver all that you want, and more.”

**YOU BASTARD!** Marik shouted. **HOW COULD YOU?!**

*Shut up!* Malik snapped back. Marik paused in mid-shout at the command . . . and the emotions that accompanied it. If he didn’t know better, he would say Malik was lying . . . but he couldn’t question his other without Kage overhearing. He sat back silently, considering the current circumstances and wondering just what the hell was going on with his dark. What was Malik up to?

“So you’re going to join me?” Kage asked, a sadistic smirk crossing his features when Malik nodded.

“I hate the Pharaoh and his little band as much as you do, darkness,” the blonde replied. “Did you honestly think I would turn down such a tempting offer?” He growled as chains suddenly appeared around his arms and legs, pinning him to the ground as Kage arose again, a knife glittering coldly in his hand. “What the hell are you doing?” He shuddered inside as the Pharaoh’s darkness smiled evilly.

“Testing the truth of your words, Malik,” he growled, enjoying the way the violet eyes widened at his words. “Did you honestly expect me to simply trust you?” He approached the chained dark slowly as Malik was raised into the air, spread eagle, shadows twining around the lithe frame lovingly, their cold touch sending light shivers through the tan flesh. He followed their path with the blade of the knife, light enough to only scratch but hard enough to draw thin rivulets of blood. He followed the knife with his tongue, tasting the blood in his mouth like a delicate wine.

“Just do it then, Kage,” Malik snarled, growing tired of the game. If he was going to take more damage from this encounter than he already had, he wanted it over with. He almost regretted it when Kage smirked and went to stand between his legs, wrapping one pale hand around his member and pumping it harshly.

“If that is what you wish,” Kage growled, bending over to run his tongue teasingly over the flesh in his hand. “If you truly are intending to join me, then you will let me take you . . . willingly.” One platinum blonde eyebrow rose in confusion . . . how would that prove he was telling the truth? Unless Kage’s passions were clouding his mind, and he was just trying to find a way to keep Malik from turning the tables on him again.

“Easy enough,” he replied, letting his head drop back. “But the chains are becoming uncomfortable, so just do it.” He bit back a scream when Kage did as he requested, shoving into his unprepared entrance roughly. He couldn’t deny the flash of pleasure that went through him as well. “More . . .” he snarled, bucking against the intrusion. He was startled when the chains around his ankles disappeared, forcing him to close his legs around the pale hips to keep his weight off his wrists as he suddenly found himself semi-upright with his arms extended above his head. Kage’s head suddenly buried itself in the crook between neck and shoulder, teeth drawing blood which the dark fed off of as he thrust harshly into the tan body.

Caught between pain and pleasure, Malik was not long in finding his release, Kage following him over the precipice into divinity. He collapsed as the chains released him, the floor rising up to meet him just as the darkness rolled over his mind.

**You’ve made a pact with the devil . . .** Marik whispered. Before unconsciousness claimed him in her embrace, Malik had to agree. He had made a pact with a devil . . . but he’d saved himself, and his other. Now he only had to find a way to get them out of this in one piece . . . and for that, he would need the Pharaoh.