Disclaimer: Don’t own `em. And, if you’re a Nora Roberts fan then you’ll know that I don’t own the pretty doctor, Gwendolyn Maguire either (sigh)

 

Dai-na: I locked Yami Bakura in the closet, tied and gagged, cause he was being a pain.

 

Joey: @_@

 

Ryou: How long is Joey going to be like that?

 

Dai-na You’ll see.

 

Ryou:-_-;;;;;;

 

Y.Bakura: (Tied and gagged in the closet) Mmmm-nnnmm!!!!!!!!!!

 

And Everything Nice

By: Dai-onna

 

 

Bakura…

Bakura blinked rapidly, slow to waking as he struggled to make his brain work.

Bakura…

His eyes went painfully wide as he once again heard the voice in his head. He recognized it instantly and it wasn’t Ryou. He held completely still, unable to believe. He waited for a sign that it hadn’t been his sleep fogged brain playing tricks on him.

Please…… help me.

This time it was unmistakable and the fear and desperation in the voice made his stomach sink.

Joey, what’s going on? How…?

His question was cut off by an agonized scream in his head and he felt as if he was going to be sick. He didn’t understand what was going on, how it was even possible, but he did understand that something was hurting his lover and badly. He called out to him again.

Joey, answer me, what’s wrong?

As the silence stretched out in his mind he felt the sweat trickle down the back of his neck and he clenched his fingers in the folds of the sheets.

Help me… It hurts so much. I can’t fight it. Please…

And then he was gone. The presence completely from his mind. He sat straight up in bed, throwing the covers off his body and turned to Ryou. His lighter half was wide-awake and judging by the pale, stricken look on his face, he had heard everything that Bakura had. He reached for Ryou’s clothes and tossed them at him while digging for something for himself to wear. He pulled on a pair of jeans and a striped shirt, not really giving a damn at that moment how he looked. When he was finished he was satisfied to see that Ryou was dressed as well. He felt as if the was a large clock ticking away above them and that any moment that they wasted could be disastrous.

They ran from the house and down the street, unconcerned with the late hour. Something had happened, something bad and they could both feel it. Bakura was thankful that Joey didn’t live to far away. He had a feeling that they didn’t have time to waste by trying to catch a bus. Though, the way he was feeling, he wouldn’t think twice about stealing a car. Hell, this once, Ryou would probably let him. He probably would have if he’d had any knowledge of driving. He wondered vaguely how Joey had managed to talk to him the way he had. With Ryou it was different. They were connected, a part of each other. Some barrier in their minds had been removed, allowing them that contact.

He glowered when the were approaching a turn a group of men appeared from an alleyway. There were five of them and none looking particularly friendly. He nearly snarled when one turned a lustful gaze onto Ryou. When the one in the center, who was apparently the leader, stepped forward and pulled out a wicked looking knife, Bakura moved in front of his light half.

Dammit! They didn’t have time for this! With a feral growl he lunged forward and buried his fist into the man’s face, shattering his nose. The man staggered back, in obvious pain and the other’s moved forward. Bakura shoved Ryou away and leapt at them. His moves were lightning fast and his image blurred by the speed. He planted his fist into the midsection of one, not wasting time to see the effect before turning to the next, barely in time to dodge a punched aimed for his face. He dropped low and took the feet out from beneath him, sending him to the ground. An arm came tight around his neck, cutting of his air and from a distance he heard Ryou’s worried cry.

Fool! He thought, why hadn’t he gotten away when he had the chance?

Bakura rammed his elbow into his assailant’s midsection, feeling with a sadistic satisfaction as a few ribs cracked beneath the blow, and he dropped to the ground, forcing air into his lungs. He felt something beneath his hand and looked down to see the knife that their leader had dropped. A dark smile curved his lips and he grasped the blade tightly. Seeing red, he slashed out widely at the final thug approaching him, slicing his arm deeply. The man swore and clasped the wound. With a final snarl and a look that could send any of the fiercest demons of the Shadow world running the men fled.

Bakura took a moment to rest for a second before grabbing Ryou by the wrist and dragging him down the street. He went as fast as his legs would carry him, thankful that Ryou was able to keep up. Fortunately, there were no more incidents like that before they reached Joey’s apartment building. Bakura heaved a sigh of relief but didn’t allow himself to relax as they ran up the stairs.

Bakura pounded his fist on the door, not really caring that annoyed neighbors were beginning to peak their heads out of their doors. When the door in front of him finally opened they were faced with an older, heavyset man with sandy blond hair and brown eyes like Joey’s. Said eyes were sunk in and dull and there was a sickly pallor about the man, a sure sign of a hangover. Bakura wasn’t concerned about that, however. What he was concerned about was the panic and helplessness that he could see in the man’s eyes that only confirmed his fears that something was deeply wrong.

Ryou came up next to him, still trying to catch his breath. The man blinked at them both, confused, probably trying to figure out if his hangover had given him double vision.

“Joey…” Ryou managed to gasp around his heavy breathing. The man’s eyes once again reflected that panic and Bakura grew frustrated with him just standing in the doorway. He was saved from having to do anything drastic when the man nodded slightly and let them in. Bakura ran straight to Joey’s room, His eyes going wide when he saw the pale figure lying prone on the bed. He warily approached him and placed a hand against his face. He pulled it back with a hiss, very nearly burned by the drastic temperature. There were high temperatures and then there were high temperatures. Right now, Joey’s was very dangerous. He heard Ryou’s soft gasp as he entered the room and whirled on the two, spearing his light half with an intent look.

“Call an ambulance. He needs to get to a hospital.” Ryou’s eyes went wide but he didn’t question him as he ran out of the room in search of a phone. Bakura turned his steely gaze on Joey’s father.

“What happened?” He demanded. The older man’s eyes went wide at his deadly tone and he turned to look at his son in concern.

“I found him passed out in the bathroom.” He explained, speaking for the first time. His voice was slurred from the remnants of the alcohol that had been coursing through his veins. “I brought him back here but I couldn’t wake him up.”

Bakura cursed internally and he looked at his ailing lover for a moment before running into the bathroom. He grabbed a washcloth off of the rack and turned the sink on, running  it under the cold water. Dripping wet still, he took it back into the room and ran over the blonde’s face. He wanted to do something to get his fever down as soon as possible.

Joey moaned softly under the cool cloth. It wasn’t long however before the cloth was no longer doing any good and the boy’s skin was still unbearably hot.

He kept running back and forth from the bathroom, continually re-drenching the cloth and bringing it back to the sick boy until he heard the oddly reassuring sound of sirens below.

 

Bakura and Ryou paced the waiting room of the hospital, frantic to know what was wrong with their lover. He had been brought in nearly an hour ago and doctors had been rushing back and forth none seeming the slightest bit concerned with the two pastel-haired boys were on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Bakura was nearly ready to just grab one and demand to know what was going on. Thankfully though a young woman came out to them. She appeared to be in her mid-twenties with long reddish-gold hair that was clamped up on top of her head. She looked at Bakura steadily with lavender eyes; despite the glare he was giving her.

Joey’s father came up to her, concerned, somewhat more coherent than he had been earlier. She smiled at him thoughtfully.

“Mr. Jounouchi?” She asked. He had a soft soothing voice that made Bakura feel somewhat more at ease. Joey’s father nodded.

“I’m Gwendolyn Maguire, I need to ask you a few questions. Katsuya’s been ill with the chicken pox, correct?”

The older man nodded again.

“I need to know what sort of medications he’s been taking.” The older man looked helpless and it was rather clear that he didn’t know.

Ryou stepped forward.

“He’s been taking Aspirin for his fever but that’s about it.” He supplied. The young woman’s expression turned somber and it set Bakura on edge.

“I was afraid of that.” She said. She gave them an even look, her voice turning professional. “Katsuya has what is know as Reyes Syndrome. In his case it was caused by taking aspirin. We usually warn parents whose children get the chicken pox against giving it to them for this very reason. If he was taking medication on his own then it’s a safe bet that he didn’t know. Reyes Syndrome is a form of Meningitis. It’s a sickness in the brain. I’m not going to kid you. This is a very dangerous condition and there is about a fifty percent chance of it being fatal. Even if he pulls through this there is a high probability of brain damage.”

Ryou gasped and went pale and Joey’s father sat down, overwhelmed with the news. Bakura held completely still as the words penetrated his brain. Fatal. Joey could… die. He could lose the boy before he was even able to accept what he felt for him. The thought of no longer seeing him, of having to go on with only memories was too painful for him to comprehend.

“Can… we see him?”

Good god, was that his voice? That weak, pitiful sound? At the moment he didn’t even care. He was only concerned with seeing his blonde lover again.

The young doctor gave him a sympathetic look and nodded.

They were led down a busy hall and into a room where Joey was lying, unconscious, on the bed. There was an IV in his arm and a cooling blanket laid out over him to try and bring his fever down. He looked so pale, so helpless there that Bakura could barely stand to look at him. Without turning around he heard the doctor speaking to them.

“I can only let you stay here a few minutes. Visiting hours are long since over and we have to maintain our policies. I have to go make my rounds real quick. I’ll be back in about ten minutes. You’ll have to leave then.” He wanted to throttle the woman but kept silent. He heard Ryou agree but his attention was completely focused on the blonde boy in the hospital bed.

Joey’s father went over to him and sat down in a chair next to the bed. He took Joey’s free hand and began talking to him softly, apologizing for not being a better father, for not keeping their family together. Everything that he regretted that had caused his son pain. Ryou was on the other side of the bed, stroking his face softly, despite the odd look he got from the older man. Bakura was still unable to approach him though so he just stayed and watched them until the doctor came back.

 

Ryou kept to himself as they left the hospital. It was a weekday and he still had to go to school in the morning. It had been decided that he should go home and try and get some sleep. Joey’s father was going to give him a ride home so that he wouldn’t run into trouble. As they were reaching the hospital parking lot where Mr. Jounouchi had parked his car, Ryou approached his Yami mentally.

You should go back to him.

What?

His Yami was eyeing him curiously.

You should go back to him. You don’t have to be anywhere in the morning and I’d feel better if there was someone there watching over him. I know the doctors said that they would call but…

I know.

Besides, He started hesitantly, you still haven’t told him how you feel. You might not get another chance. Even if he can’t hear you, even if he doesn’t wake up, you should still tell him. Oh god, how hard it had been for him to say that, to admit to the possibility that he might lose one of the people that he loved so desperately. He waited silently for his Yami’s reply.

I’ll watch over him.

Ryou sighed softly to himself. He supposed that was the best reply that he was going to get. He nodded to him in assent then went to explain to Joey’s father why his “Twin” wasn’t going with them.

 

He slipped into the empty room quietly, grateful for the second floor room and the conveniently placed tree. He crossed the room quietly, careful not to alert anyone to his presence. With a sigh he pulled up a chair and sat down next to the prone figure. He watched Joey stoically, not sure what to do; if there was anything that he could do. He swallowed the emotion that rose in his throat and gently ran his hand over the blonde’s face.

Bakura?

Bakura jumped when he heard the weak voice in his mind and his gaze froze on the face of the unconscious boy. For a moment he wondered if he hadn’t imagined it.

Bakura, can you hear me?

Yes. Was all he said.

I’m glad. You heard me before too. You came for me. Thank you.

I will always come for you, Joey. They were both silent as what he said sank in. He was startled when he felt the other’s hand close around his but when he studied his face he saw that he was still out. He didn’t know what to say, what to do, and the utter helplessness that he felt threatened to overwhelm him.

You can’t die on me Joey. He finally said, then cursed himself for how stupid he sounded. He heard the other’s soft laughing and then jolted with a quick spear of panic when the laughter stopped abruptly and the hand around his tensed.

What’s wrong? He demanded. There was a stretch of silence before Joey finally replied, his voice a little weaker than it had been before.

It’s hard. He said. It’s so dark and hot here and I feel like I’ve been lost for a long time now. Sometimes it’s just a little too much. Just keep talking to me. It helps. I can find you that way. He explained. Bakura searched his mind desperately for something to talk about. Idle chitchat wasn’t something that he often indulged in.

How are you talking to me this way? He finally asked.

I don’t know. It’s like there was this door in my mind that was always closed. Then all of a sudden, it was open and you and Ryou were there. I couldn’t reach you but I could talk to you.

The silence stretched out between them again and Bakura braced himself. Knowing what he wanted to say, but not how to get it out. Finally he took a deep breath.

I love you.

Joey was quiet for a while and in that time Bakura felt the panic and fear of rejection rise inside him. Still, he waited for the other’s response.

I know. I’ve known for a little while but, hearing it from you. It means so much to me. I know it wasn’t easy for you.

Bakura made a noise that was something similar to agreement but he still waited.

I’m not going to say it. The blonde told him. Not yet. Not until I’m awake and saying it with my own lips.

It was all Bakura could do not to sigh in relief. Joey was promising, in his own roundabout way, that he would get better so that he could say it. He took him at his word.

Gently he brought the blonde’s hand to his lips. He felt his eyes sliding shut and fought to keep them open.

You’re tired. It wasn’t a question. You should get some sleep.

Bakura looked at him in surprise.

But I— Joey cut him off.

Don’t worry I’m okay now. I’ll be here. Just get some rest.

Not feeling like getting into an argument, he sighed in assent and pillowed his head on his arms on the edge of the bed. He would rest for a few minutes. Just a few. He said to himself before he drifted off into a deep, dreamless sleep.

 

Gwendolyn froze in the doorway when she spotted the figure sleeping in the chair by the bed and recognized him as the boy who’d been given her death glares earlier. She was about to call security on him when she noticed something that held her in her place. Katsuya’s hand was wrapped tightly around that of the other boy. She approached slowly, careful not to wake the pale-haired boy and checked The blonde’s vital signs. To her astoundment, the boy’s fever had dropped to a much safer level and his heartbeat had become a little more erratic, showing signs of mental activity. She looked at the sleeping boy next to the bed and smiled softly to herself as she went over to the closet to retrieve a spare blanket. She carefully draped it over him and left the room with a lingering look  She couldn’t wait to tell her husband, Branson about this.

 

~~Owari.~~

 

That was a little different then I’d expected. Oh well, let me know what you think.

Please review.