Too Much

This chapter is a little different then usual, but I hope you enjoy it because I really enjoyed writing it.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 9 – Deepest Desires

Falling … Falling … Falling … but no impact.

Joey stood up. The sun was so bright he couldn’t see anything around him. It felt like he hadn’t opened his eyes in a long while and was not used to the brightness, momentarily blinding him. A dark shape emerged from the light. It had red flowing hair and a smile that Joey hadn’t seen in a long while, not since she was told she needed the operation. Joey’s face lit up and ran over to his sister.

“What are you doin’ Serenity, you should be in the hospital, your-”

Serenity placed one of her small fingers on Joey’s lips, ceasing his worries instantly.

“I’m fine, Joey,” She said with a smile, and a little chuckle. A real smile, like she truly meant it, not one of those smiles that didn’t reach her eyes and were just an act to keep her big brother from worrying.

Joey looked at Serenity again. She really did look okay. Like before both of their lives got thrown into a blender. The bags that were under her eyes were gone and the worn expression that Joey sometimes saw her wear when he new she was asking, ‘why, why me?’ was completely absent from her face. Not only absent, but like it never appeared there. All the pain he used to see in her eyes was gone and replaced with joy. His eyes slowly started to adjust to the light and he was able to make out some of the scenery, not that he cared what it was when his sister was there.

“I’m so glad to see you.” Joey said, feeling for once truly happy. Serenities eyes filled with tears, but they weren’t the usual ones Joey was used to. Joey felt his own eyes begin to water as well, so he took his sister in his arms and held her like that. He held her tight, and ran his hands over her silken hair, felt her small body quiver against his strong one. She was really real, and she was alright. He never wanted to let go. The biggest piece of his life was delivered to him and he wanted to hold her forever. He began to feel whole. It was Serenity who broke their embrace, Joey reluctantly allowing it. He looked into her eyes.

“I want things to be like this forever,” he said, voice softer than he had heard it in a long time.

“It will, brother.”

Joey’s smile grew larger and a new wave of tears was threatening to fall. He didn’t care what he looked like. His sister was back. He brought his hand up to his face to wipe them away when he felt that he didn’t have the splint on his nose anymore. He felt his head and the cut there was gone too. All of his injuries were gone.

Just then another dark shape came through the lightness, and it revealed itself to be Joey’s mother. The brightness dimmed a little bit more, allowing him to see more. Her face was bright and joyous, which was something Joey had rarely seen in the last years. She brought him into a big hug, which took Joey off guard seeing as him and his mother weren’t on the best of terms. She drew back and looked at her first born.

“You’ve grown up to be such a handsome gentleman.” She said, tears rimming her eyes too, a proud smile etched on her pretty face.

Joey felt embarrassed and just blushed. His mother’s expression changed into one of a more serious nature.

“I love you Joseph, I always have.”

“I love you too mom,” Joey replied quietly.

Just then a third figure appeared through the light, showing his father. His eyes finally adjusted to normal, showing him his old house where he used to live in the background, the sun was bright and reflecting off the windows. His father was smiling and his face was smooth, devoid of the wrinkles he had acquired in the last few years. He also appeared a lot skinnier, like Joey used to remember him.

His face broke into a crooked smile, just like the one Joey was famous for. He took his son into a one handed hug and gave him a pat on the back.

“I’m proud of you, boy,”

Joey didn’t say anything. He just watched as his father took his mother into a hug and gave her a kiss. It as a passionate kiss, so much that Joey had to look away. Joey was happy to see the love they shared, but he felt like it was such a private moment they should have it to themselves. He then felt little fingers on his hand, they were Serenity’s. They grasped his big hand and held it as they looked at their childhood home, aglow from the sun. Joey couldn’t remember feeling this happy in years. He finally felt at peace, more so than the peace his drugs gave him. That’s when he noticed a dark cloud was moving fast across the sky. They all watched it as it approached the sun.

“We’d better get inside, we don’t want to be out here when the storm hits,” His father stated, taking their mother by the hand and began walking towards the door.

It was too late.
The cloud began covering the sun, causing the light to diminish. His mother stopped in her tracks and slowly turned around. She looked at Joey with a terrible look on her face, like she was terrified and in great pain. The joyous glow she had was gone. Her skin began to sag and a scowl replaced her once jubilant expression. It didn’t stop there. She fell to the ground and her skin continued to sag and age. Her hair and teeth fell out and she began to disintegrate into the ground, leaving nothing but her skeleton, curled up in a heap of agony. Joey stared in shock, not moving as new tears of fear filled his eyes.

His sister was next, the hand that was once grasping Joey’s so tight went slack as she fell to the ground. She groaned and screamed as she began to disintegrate as well. “Joey!” she yelled out, her voice sounding hoarse and very unlike her usual softness. Joey dropped to his knees, and grabbed onto her shoulders that were shrinking away. “Serenity!” he yelled, as her features became ugly and dead, his tears dripping onto her disappearing form. She gave him one last look before melting away to nothing.

Joey hunched over and felt great heaving in his chest and heard his own sobs as he lost control. His whole body began to throb in pain. Pain returned everywhere. Then remembering his father, he looked up at him with red eyes. He began the same process as well. His face began to sag, his hair thinned, he gained weight and his happy expression was replaced with a scowl as well, but that’s where it stopped. He now resembled the drunken dad he lived with today. His scowl turned to uncontrollable rage.

“What did you do,” he whispered at Joey’s hunched form. Joey got up quick, his sobbing stopped immediately and his eyes wide with shock. “What did you do!” his father repeated, yelling it this time. Joey still said nothing as his father advanced on him, like a predator that cornered its prey. It was practically all dark now; all he could see was his father who kept stepping towards him while he stepped backwards.

“You let them die! YOU LET THEM DIE!” he screamed at Joey, who was shaking his head in denial, tears freely flowing from his eyes, snot dripping from his nose.

“No,” Joey whispered. It was all he could manage.

“It was you, you killed them, you destroyed them. I HATE YOU!” He yelled again as he took his fist and drove it into Joey’s face. Joey let out a yell, but he wouldn’t fight back, he knew he deserved it. Joey’s dad was sobbing now, and didn’t stop. He began punching Joey again, receiving no resistance from Joey. His father pushed him; he pushed and pushed and pushed until Joey looked behind him. He was standing on the edge of a cliff. His house was nowhere in sight, just darkness. He looked up at his father and whispered, “Please.”

His father’s expression was cold.

“I can never forgive you,” was the last thing Joey heard before he was pushed off the cliff into complete darkness.

Falling … Falling … Falling

Joey hit the ground. He opened his eyes slowly to find himself lying uncomfortably. His whole body was aching and his head swimming. He looked up and saw someone, and his memories started coming back to him. He must have been dreaming, and that was his family how Joey liked to remember them. So where was he now?

“Hey!” a voice above him yelled, it sounded far away because Joey’s ears were filled with ringing even though he knew it was right above his head. He felt light slapping on his face while the yelling continued. His eyes adjusted to focus on Seto Kaiba. That’s right. He remembered something happening with him, but what was it. Joey raised a very heavy hand to his face and wiped his eyes, very embarrassed about the moisture he felt in them.

“Hey, are you alright,” the voice said a little louder. He peered into the face. It didn’t look worried, but it also didn’t have Kaiba’s usual glare in it either, it seemed like a neutral expression.

“Yea, I’m fine,” Joey responded, surprised at how his voice came out in only a whisper. He cleared his throat and pulled himself up into a sitting position. A huge wave of dizziness overcame him as he did, making him feel like he was going to throw up. Kaiba, seeing Joey’s vacant and dazed expression as he tried to get his bearings, sighed and held out his hand as if to help him up. Joey shook it away, determined to get up himself and keep his independence. He also saw how reluctant Kaiba was to give any help, knowing he probably didn’t want to touch Joey’s dirty hand. Joey pushed his body off the ground, wincing as he felt a stabbing pain course through his left arm, and tried to walk. Joey took a step before succumbing to his dizziness. He took a wobbly step and fell, throwing his hands out in front of him to catch his fall, feeling the gravel of the road cut into his flesh.

Kaiba ran over to him and sighed as he looked down at him sprawled out on his stomach. “Do want me to call an ambulance?” he said as he whipped out his expensive cell phone from his jeans. “No!” Joey said quickly, “I’m fine.” Kaiba looked down at him with a skeptical look on his face. “Really,” Joey added, trying to convince him. Kaiba let out a frustrated sigh. “Alright,” He said as he put his phone away. “Let’s get you off the ground then,” he said as he wrapped his arm around Joey’s shoulder and slowly walked him towards his vehicle. Kaiba opened up the door to the backseat with his remaining hand and helped Joey climb into the back.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ok, you probably want to kill me because of these chapters that don’t go very far but at least you know Joey’s not dead or seriously injured. As I said before I am updating fast because I go away for a few days but I am hoping to have the next chapter up by tomorrow night before I leave seeing as I would have some of these chapters clumped together. I would update there but my laptop that I just got was attacked by a billion viruses :( It had virus protection but it died.

Anyways, At least you know next chapter has to have the Joey Seto interaction because I can’t put it off any longer!