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I Know You're Out There Somewhere	By : Firewing Category: Yu-Gi-Oh > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 3536 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own YuGiOh!, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 28
- 29
- 30
Chapter 29: Life Forever Changes

Disclaimer: The Yugioh franchise is not mine, however the poem at the beginning of the chapter is.

��
As Joey slept, safe and snug in Seto�s embrace, his sleeping mind wandered through a brightly lit technicolor stone structure. He felt as though he had been digitally inserted into some twisted cartoon creation, complete with mellow strains of music and soft sounds that served as homing beacons to him, though just what he was homing in on remained a mystery to him.
Eventually, he found himself in what could only be described as a throne room, the source of the sweet melody. Inside, a young queen sat on a low stool, her lavender-blue gown flowing out all around her, golden curls framing her face. As she sang, she rocked her child�s elaborate cradle;

The seasons of my mind

Have no reason,

Have no rhyme.

Cycling through the life stream,

An endless circle wheeling

In kaleidoscopic view-

All the colors of the rainbow

Are by comparison few.

Life forever changes

Through the seasons of my mind�
Mother, Jou thought, reaching out towards her, but the vision was already fading.
��

Pegasus� jet, Illusionary Airs, landed in New York at 10:15 PM Eastern Standard Time. Seto spent at least twenty minutes trying to explain the concept of time zones to Jou, who was becoming more confused by the second until, finally, Tristan shook his head and fed Joey a slightly more simplified version.
�Look, Jou, you know how Pegasus had a magic eye? He used it to put a spell on the jet to make it into a time machine. It only seemed like we were in the air for fourteen hours. In reality, we just traveled a few minutes in time.�
Pegasus pondered this for a moment, wondering briefly if he had truly understood the full capabilities of the Millennium Eye. Hmmm�time travel. Perhaps I could have used it to change the past, to save her before this entire mess ever occurred. The Duel Monsters creator dismissed this thought as quickly as it had invaded his mind. Useless fantasies will not bring her back.

�Thanks, Tris, but I�m not buying it.� Jou scowled.
�You certainly could afford it!� Tristan grumbled.
Pegasus sighed. �And Kaiba could invent a time machine. Perhaps we should get a taxi or two and proceed to our destination?�
They procured a pair of Yellow Cabs and split into two groups. Jou, Pegasus, and Croquet took the first taxi while Seto, Mokuba, and Tristan occupied the second. This arrangement annoyed Seto, who would have preferred that Tristan had been stuck with Pegasus instead of his beloved puppy. The feeling was more than mutual; Tristan, for his part, would have liked to put Pegasus, Croquet, and Kaiba in one cab and send them on a cross country expedition, preferably in a different country.
Pegasus was quite content, on the other hand. Their taxi driver was Arabic and spoke only limited English, but Max used his perfectly inflected Arabic to sweet talk the driver into taking them on the most direct route to St. Vincent�s Hospital. That done, he sat back and assumed the role of tour guide, pointing out things to his long lost progeny as they passed them.
�It�s weird, ya know. I was born here, but it still seems pretty surreal.� Jou confided in his father, fascinated by the strange country.
�That�s quite understandable, Joseph, because you weren�t born here.�
Jou stared at the silver-haired man in surprise. �Huh?�
�You were born at Castle Pegasus.�
Jou�s jaw dropped, and his father took this as his cue to provide an explanation.
�We hired an Egyptian nurse who also happened to be a midwife. Cecelia became quite fond of her and had her stay on as your nanny. Anya was a godsend, especially when your mother became ill. When she wasn�t looking after you, she was at Cecelia�s bedside.�
�I was born on Duelist Kingdom.� Jou said in awe. �I was born to duel.�
Pegasus grinned. �It wasn�t Duelist Kingdom then, of course, simply Pegasus Isle. My father, your grandfather, was quite vain.�
At this, Croquet snorted.
�Christopher? Is there a problem?� His employer arched one elegant eyebrow as he spoke, the faintest trace of a smile ghosting across his lips.
�Uh�nothing, sir," the other replied. "Just a tickle in my throat.�
��.
A few minutes later, the six were at St. Vincent's hospital. Patiently, they followed brightly coloured arrows and various signs through a twisted labyrinth of corridors to the ICU.

After ten minutes of this, Jou began to whine that Seto�s VR maze had been easier to navigate, and Mokuba acted quickly to avert a potential disaster. �Be quiet, Joey. Don�t you remember what happened the last time you brought that up?� Fortunately for them, no one else seemed to be paying attention to Seto�s sidekicks at the moment.
Jou blushed in embarrassment as he went on alone to the ICU ward and asked the desk nurse for Maria Wheeler�s room number.
�You must be Serenity�s brother,� the nurse smiled at him and Jou nodded. �She�s in Unit 12.�
Apprehensively, the blond strode over to the unit, took a deep breath, and crossed the threshold.
�Joey?� Serenity straightened in her chair and rubbed her bloodshot eyes as he entered.
�Yeah, Sis. I�m here.�
�I�m so glad.� She hugged Jou tightly and began to cry into his chest.
He looked over her head at the woman in the hospital bed. She�s not my mother, Jou thought to himself fiercely, yet he couldn�t help feeling a distant heartache. There had been a time when she had been the one he ran to when he scraped his knees, the one who had read him and Serenity bedtime stories. She looked nothing like the woman he had said good-bye to a couple months ago at the Domino airport; all of her facial muscles were slack and she looked at least ten years older, but Joey just couldn't shake the memories or the feelings they kindled in him. It didn't matter what she looked like; she was still Maria Wheeler.
Serenity pulled away just far enough to be able to look up into her brother�s face. �The doctors want to turn off the machines. They say there�s no chance she�ll get any better. She had a massive stroke.�
Comfortingly, he drew Serenity back into his arms and looked at the woman who had tried to be his mother. �I�ll take care of her, Mom. I promise.� Even if Maria had been able to hear him, though, he doubted that she would have been reassured, but Serenity looked up at him in total adoration.
�Hey, there�s someone in the waiting room who can�t wait to see you,� he grinned, allowing the gesture to dispel as much of the darkness around them as it could, however temporarily.
�Tristan!� Serenity squealed, and Joey's grin broadened.
�Yeah. Now, go pretty yourself up, though I doubt he�ll know the difference.�
Serenity went into the bathroom for a few moments, leaving Jou alone with Maria for what seemed to the blonde like twice the time it had taken them to get from Domino to New York. She looked a little better when she came out, but her eyes began to fill with tears again when they settled inevitably on her mother's prone body.
�It�s not fair that this happened to her. We just lost Dad,� she whispered, and Jou gathered her up into his arms once again, pressing a reassuring kiss to her forehead as he rocked her shuddering form gently.
��.
Tristan was on his feet as soon as he saw her, and she quite literally jumped into his arms, clinging to him as though her life depended on it as she broke into wordless sobs.

He sat back down on the couch, pulling Serenity into his lap and letting her cry it out. Silent communication passed over her head between the two young men who loved her, and Joey�s eyes confirmed that the situation was as bad as Tristan had feared it would be.
�I�m so sorry, Sweetness,� Tristan whispered as he stroked her hair softly.
Recognizing the necessity of leaving Tristan and Serenity alone, Jou motioned for the others to follow him into the hallway, where he told them just what was going on.
�How do you feel about taking your mother off life support, Joseph?� Pegasus asked once he was finished.
Joey frowned. �It�s up to Serenity.�
�That�s not fair, Joey! You can�t force her to make such a decision in that state!� Mokuba said, gesturing back to the waiting room.
�Mokuba�s right, Jou. In fact, it would be better for all concerned if you made the decision for her,� Seto added.
�Maria�s not my mother. She never gave a damn about me. She took Serenity away, broke my dad�s heart, and abandoned me! How do you think I feel?!� Joey glared at the three of them and stalked off in a vain attempt to cool down.
Seto started to go after him, but Pegasus stopped him. �Please, may I?�
�No, you may not. I don�t want you anywhere near him.� Seto attempted to push past the older man, but Pegasus proved to be as immovable as a granite statue.
�You may sleep with him, Kaiba-boy, but you don�t own him.�
Pegasus� voice held a dangerous edge that Seto remembered only too well. It reminded him that Pegasus was a master of illusion, inhuman and insane; Jou was simply too naïve to know better.
�Neither do you.� He knew the lay of the land now; this time, he would not lose.
�You may find that the tighter you hold on to something, the more inevitable it is that you will lose it.� Pegasus' voice was now more venomous than sharp, but Seto met it as he did everything else, with his own haughty attitude.
�Enough of your philosophy, Pegasus. You have no right to him, no place playing the doting daddy when all you�re capable of is misdirection and betrayal.�
�You tell him, Seto!� Mokuba cheered his brother on.
Meanwhile, Tristan and Serenity had heard the commotion from the waiting room and had gone to see what was going on.
�Where�s my big brother?� Serenity asked anxiously, and her tone reminded the feuding men that they had more important things to concern themselves with right then.
�Fine. Go to him, Pegasus, but this is not over by any means," Seto conceded, trying to preserve some of his pride.
�Of course it isn�t, Kaiba-boy. You must always fight the tide, even when you are the only one being compromised by your efforts.� His piece said, Pegasus walked away, feeling stronger than he had since the disastrous finale of the Duelist Kingdom Tournament. He would not have to defeat Kaiba; the boy would do that more than well enough on his own.
��
Pegasus found his son in the chapel down the hall from the ICU, his head buried in his hands as he tried to sort things out.
�May I join you?� Pegasus asked quietly.
Joey nodded without actually raising his head and Pegasus sat beside him, gathering his own thoughts.
�Joseph, how is it that you can forgive me, after all I have done, so easily, while you still harbour such anger toward the dying woman who raised you?� the elder man asked gently, the desire to know weighing on his soul. Surely he had done more despicable things, many of which Joseph had witnessed, than Maria Wheeler was even capable of imagining?
Joey thought the question over, remembering all the people that had loved him over the years. Ghostly Cecelia, determined that her child would survive, had passed from the shadow of death into the land of the living to save him. Pegasus� warm amber-brown eyes in his self-portrait, loving and gentle. His adoptive father, Jonathan, who had told Jou once that the little boy, who biologically belonged to another, had given him the motivation to survive the worst time in his life. Beautiful Seto, whose humanity had been drilled out of him by people who saw only his magnificent brain instead of a young boy who needed as much as any other the love he had been so cruelly denied. Sweet Serenity, who had faced the possibility of a life in darkness with a smile and adored her big brother unconditionally, in spite of the fact that they were not bound by blood.
He had forgiven Pegasus for giving him up and could sympathize with the grief that had driven him to the edge of madness. He was willing to give Pegasus a chance, just as he had been willing to take a chance on Seto once he discovered what lay behind the mask, for Yugi had taught him that people are not always what they seem to be and the amazing power within a gentle nature.
�I wish Yugi were here.� Jou said at length.
�We�ll have to make do without him for the moment, Joseph.� Pegasus replied, shaking his head. �I do sometimes miss that foul gold eye of mine.�
�Why? So you could read my mind?� Jou asked, having no desire for his father to reacquire the horrid magic item.
�Oh, it had its advantages. Conventional travel has its drawbacks.�
�Huh?�
�Have you ever watched Star Trek, Joseph?�
�Yeah. Who hasn�t?�
�Do you remember the transporter?�
Jou nodded, totally confused and wondering what the heck his father was talking about.
�With the abilities of the Millennium Eye, I could open a Shadow portal. It worked somewhat like a transporter, by magic rather than technology. We wouldn�t have needed the jet or had to waste fourteen precious hours. I could bring Yugi to you within the space of a heartbeat if only I still had that damnable Eye.�
�Uh�I like you better without it," Jou finally decided, groping around frantically in his convoluted mind for an appropriate way of changing the subject. "What happened to you that day at Duelist Kingdom? You left the arena so quickly. We were afraid you wouldn�t keep your word to Yugi and we went to find you. Then, we heard a scream and saw you being carried out of the tower, so we went to check things out. Tea found your journal and Yugi found the blank soul cards��
�I don�t remember.� Pegasus answered. �Whatever happened sent me into a coma for a year, though.� He felt uneasy again, digging for buried memories in his mind as though they were hidden treasure.
�A coma? For a year? But that means��
�Yes. I only recovered a few months ago.� Pegasus nodded.
Gradually, though, Jou�s thoughts had strayed from Pegasus back to Maria. �What if they�re wrong? Maybe she�ll wake up in a few days, or a year? Doctors don�t know everything��
�Perhaps you should hear what the doctors have to say before making a decision, but do not get your hopes up, Joseph. When Cecelia became ill, I felt as you do now. I couldn�t accept that I would lose her�but I was wrong.� Pegasus sighed as he spoke, dredging up one particular treasure chest that would have been better off buried.
�I�m just thinking about Serenity, about what will happen to her. That woman�I don�t care��
�I think you do, Joseph, whether you are willing to admit it or not.�
Joey got up and paced the perimeter of the small chapel, becoming more agitated with every step. He stopped when he got back to his father.
�I have so much, so many people who love me. It shouldn�t matter that she couldn�t, but it does. She was my mom and I loved her as much as any little boy loves his mother. But then she left me behind. She never looked back, never even acknowledged my birthday. She was supposed to be there for me, but instead she treated me like I was trash, not worth keeping. I was devastated and I took my anger out on anyone who crossed me. It hurt so much�it still does. She�s a selfish, hollow person and I hate her!� Joey ranted.
Pegasus stood and pulled the shaking boy into his arms where Jou clung to fistfuls of the too-familiar frilly red suit the older man seemed so fond of, letting his pain overwhelm him. Pegasus had an aura of strength that Joey felt sheltered by, knowing now that this man would never intentionally harm him.
�How is it you can forgive me so willingly?� Pegasus asked again as he felt the onslaught of emotions pass.
Joey wiped his tears on his sleeve. �You�re nothing like her at all. You�re nothing like I thought you were. I think you feel too much, too deeply, and it hurts.�
Unable to resist his paternal impulses any longer, Pegasus brushed shaggy strands of unruly blonde hair out of his son�s eyes.
�What will happen to Serenity if Maria dies?� Jou asked, his eyes filled with worry.
�Hmm�I could adopt her. I always wanted a large family�at least a larger one than I have now.� Pegasus offered.
Joey�s eyes sparkled, the fear banished from the amber orbs for a moment as he stood there, amazed. �You�d really adopt Serenity?�
�Yes, Joseph, I would.�
�Would you let us stay in Domino with Seto?� Joey continued, beginning to get excited.
�If Kaiba would agree to it, yes. However, if I expect to be able to spend some time with you, Kaiba will become a problem, Joseph.�
�He�ll come around eventually.� Jou said reassuringly, though his heart said something entirely different.
�Do not count on us becoming one big happy family," cautioned Pegasus sternly. "Seto Kaiba is a man not easily swayed. To him, I will always be a devil. He will not forgive or forget.�
Jou felt pain lance through his heart. Of course, deep within him, he knew that truth, but that didn�t mean that he had to like or accept it. �Maybe not �or maybe he just needs some time.�
Pegasus sighed. �Just don�t get your hopes up.�
�I won�t. Do you really mean it? You�d adopt Serenity?� Jou looked like a kid who�d just seen Santa Claus, and the speed with which his train of thought was switching tracks only served to enhance that impression.
Pegasus� laughter was deep and rich, wonderful to Jou's ears. �Yes, Joseph, I�d love to.�
Joey hugged the silver-haired man and ran out of the chapel, nearly flattening Croquet on his way out.
Pegasus smiled at his old friend, still awestruck by what had just happened. �Chris, I�m going to have a family again.�
Croquet smiled softly, understanding nothing save for the fact that his master was happy. Of course, to him, that was all that mattered. "Congratulations, Sir."
��..
Jou had gotten a grip on himself by the time he got back to the waiting room, skidding to a halt before his sister, who was sitting beside Tristan and looking slightly calmer. �How ya doing, Sis?�
�I�m okay,� she said, trying to reassure him, without much success.
�In the morning, I want to talk to the doctor.� Joey crouched down in front of her and took her hands in his. �If there is absolutely no chance Mom will recover, I think it�s for the best if we say good-bye and let her go. Okay?�
�Okay.� Serenity agreed meekly, her voice choked and painfully thin. �Will I get to come live with you, big brother?�
Jou looked to Seto, who nodded his consent. �Of course, Serenity. You don�t seriously think I�d leave you here on your own, do you?�
�No.� She shook her head as vehemently as she could, which, considering her current state of mind, lacked the conviction that she felt.
Jou felt his father�s presence behind him; even though he hadn�t heard the older man at all, he sensed Pegasus� strength and support flow out to him just the same. �Serenity, there�s someone I�d like you to meet��
Serenity looked up at the tall, dignified man in the red suit, whose beautiful silver hair covered one side of his face. Charismatic was the first word that popped into her mind; though he had not uttered a single syllable, he seemed to be a force of nature, like gravity, inescapable and powerful.
�This is Maximillion Pegasus. He�s my father.� Joey finished, unable to keep a certain level of pride from bleeding into his voice. Somewhere between opening a wooden crate and their talk in the chapel, fear had given way to respect, perhaps even love.
Serenity looked from the new arrival to her brother, feeling very uncertain. �Isn�t he�?� She looked back up to Pegasus. It was rude to talk about the man like he wasn�t in the room. �You hosted the Duelist Kingdom Tournament, didn�t you, sir?� She had heard all about Joey and Tristan�s adventures on the island, and neither of the boys had painted a pretty picture of Pegasus.
�Yes, Serenity, I did. I don�t know what Joseph and his friends have told you about me, but I am certain it was most unflattering.� Pegasus replied, in his most regal manner.
Joey�s face turned a rosy shade of pink. �Uh�well, I had a �sorta biased opinion at the time.�
Serenity blushed too, but for different reasons. How anyone could see Pegasus as a thieving, lying, cruel, and self-centered madman was beyond her. She felt totally flustered.
�You�re pretty.� She blurted out, instantly hiding her face in embarrassment. That was so not what she had meant to say.
Pegasus laughed, but not unkindly. Jou turned to look at his father, wondering what Pegasus had done to his sister, and trying to determine why anyone would have the gall to call his father �pretty�. Handsome, yes. Elegant and sophisticated, yes. But pretty?
�Hey! I�m the pretty one in this family!� he pouted.
Pegasus only laughed harder while everyone else watched him with suspicion and Croquet watched them with even more suspicion. Pegasus recovered quickly, though, and crouched before the young girl, gently taking her hand in his own. �Dear Serenity, it�s quite all right. I have been cruel and self-centered. I hope that with your and your brother�s help I can overcome my flawed nature. Everyone should be given a second chance, don�t you agree?� As he spoke, Pegasus looked to Kaiba, expecting no acceptance and receiving none.
�Yes.� Serenity answered timidly, finally looking up. She trusted Joey, trusted that he would keep her safe, but she had felt a chill when Pegasus had admitted that he had been cruel and self-centered. Was it just coincidence, or had he actually read her mind?
Jou could restrain his goofy grin no longer. �Serenity, Pegasus has offered to adopt you. We�ll never be separated again. We can live in Domino on Seto�s estate and go to Duelist Kingdom to visit. Wait until you see the castle, Serenity. It�s humongous. You can be a fairy tale princess��
�No.� Seto interjected with finality.
�Why not, Kaiba-boy? Afraid I can give them something you can�t?" Pegasus taunted.
Seto had lost his already frayed patience a while ago. Now, he lost his temper. �You are not using Jou in some elaborate scheme to take over Kaiba Corp! You may be able to fool him, but I�m not that easy to deceive! You�ve been trying to dig your power-hungry, cheating claws into my company for years!�
Pegasus blinked in surprise. Maybe Kaiba did truly believe such nonsense on some level of his corporation-saturated brain, but it was far more likely that he was using his business as a cover for his personal concerns. Amused, he chuckled softly. Seto Kaiba was not the only one who was difficult to deceive.
Joey was looking at his significant other as though he had sprouted fins and scales or something equally ludicrous. �I don�t think you have anything to say about it, Seto.�
�Don�t you see what he�s up to, Jou? Don�t you see how manipulative he is? He seems like a nice guy now, but that is just the sweet coating on some very bad medicine. Open your eyes, Jou! Earlier you were having a fit because he chained Mokuba up in the dungeon! What kind of father could he possibly be?!�
Seto would probably have continued raving had a nurse not stopped in the waiting room with an angry scowl on her face. �In case it has escaped your notice, this is a hospital! There are people here with critically ill relatives trying to get some rest. Would you please take your dispute elsewhere?�
At this, Serenity started sobbing again, and Tristan wrapped his arms around her, glaring daggers at the blue-eyed CEO.
�Damn you, Seto!� Jou hissed. �Yeah, I see what Pegasus is up to. He�s put a more than generous offer on the table, but all you can do is insult him, hurting Serenity in the process!�
�Would you all just stop it?!� Serenity cried as she ran for the ICU.
Jou sighed. �You guys should go to a hotel." He suggested to the two men that he loved. "We�ll sort this out tomorrow. Tris, come on.�
The two best friends trudged off after Serenity, leaving Pegasus, Seto, Croquet, and Mokuba to their own devices.
The silver-haired businessman arched one eyebrow at Kaiba, who glared back at him before settling in behind his laptop, effectively shutting the rest of the world out.
�Christopher?�
�Yes, sir?�
�Please make arrangements for four hotel rooms relatively close to the hospital.�
Croquet bowed as he eyed Kaiba warily, finally deciding that his master would be safe as long as the CEO�s hands remained on the keyboard. That worry sated for the time being, he made a hasty exit.
Mokuba looked first at Seto, then at Pegasus. His brother was lost in cyberspace and had virtually abandoned him to their worst enemy. He frowned, crossed his arms over his chest, and stared up at Maximillion Pegasus.
�So, what are you scheming?� He demanded of his former kidnapper.
�Ah� a direct question. How refreshing. If you would care to have a seat, young Master Kaiba, perhaps I can clarify my position to you, at least.� Pegasus replied graciously.
Mokuba nodded, and they sat in adjacent armchairs. Seto still was staring at the computer screen, but his attention was focused on their conversation. After all, he could always use a good laugh.
Mokuba scowled at Pegasus as the elder of the two steepled his fingertips, his face set into a neutral expression.
�I don�t have a scheme, plot, or plan. I have no intention of undermining whatever relationships or choices Joseph makes. I�ve done my share of horrible deeds in my time, and I don�t intend to ask for forgiveness. However, I do ask that you and your brother attempt to understand that there are times when one�s heart can drive a person to extreme measures.� Pegasus watched Mokuba closely.
From behind the laptop came a low growl and the young boy glanced at his brother. Pegasus was speaking a language Mokuba did indeed understand. He had watched his beloved brother be pushed to the edge, until he had chosen to push back. He also knew that most people would never look beyond Seto�s cold arrogance, would never give the guarded, half-broken boy a chance, just as easily as they had written Pegasus off as a madman. In spite of all that Seto and Pegasus had in common, however, it would be difficult, if not impossible, for Seto to come to terms with the Duel Monsters creator. Still, purely for Seto�s benefit, he huffed at the older man and told him bluntly, �I don�t believe you.�
Seto smirked at the laptop while Mokuba rolled his eyes and Pegasus gave the younger Kaiba a sly conspiratorial grin. Kaiba may have been a genius, but Mokuba was certainly the wiser of the two. The boy had recognized his sincere effort to make peace for what it was and yet had found a way to accept it without openly defying his older brother. Pegasus found that quality nothing short of commendable.
With nothing left to say, the two sat in a silence broken only by the steady clicking of the keyboard, wondering what they were going to do about Seto.
��.
Tristan waited outside Maria�s unit while Jou went in to talk to his sister.
�Why do you guys always have to bicker and argue?!� Serenity raged at him. �Can�t you think of anything but yourselves? Especially Kaiba; he�s such an asshole!�
Joey snickered. It was funny hearing his baby sister swear, but he wasn�t as amused when she slapped him across the face.
Tristan watched from the doorway. �Hey, Sweetness, I totally agree with you about Kaiba, but he must have some redeeming qualities.� He looked at Joey with doubt in his eyes. �We should get some rest tonight. You and Joey can come back in the morning and talk to the doctor.�
�I want to stay here. What if Mom wakes up and no one�s around? I don�t want to leave her alone,� Serenity protested.
�She isn�t alone. The nurses are here,� Jou tried to convince her. He almost reminded her that Maria probably wouldn�t wake up-ever-but caught himself just in time. He knew that somewhere in Serenity�s heart, she was just as aware of that fact as he was, but she wasn�t ready to accept the finality of the truth yet. He wouldn�t be much of a big brother if he didn�t try to protect her as best he could, but his attempts only served to make her even angrier.
�That wasn�t what I meant and you know it, Joey Wheeler!� Serenity snapped.
�Whatever. Besides, a hot shower and couple of hours of sleep would improve your attitude, Sis. Now, come on. Let�s go.� Jou loved his sister more than life itself, but at the moment, he had no more patience to offer her, or anyone else for that matter.
Tristan was stunned to see just how well Joey�s authoritativeness worked where all their attempts at coddling her had failed. Without another word, she picked up her purse and followed her brother out of the ward.
��.
Jou wasn�t surprised to find that Seto and Pegasus were still in the waiting room. The idea 1) that either of them would actually do what he told them to and 2) that either or both of them would willingly leave him to his own devices was preposterous. After all, he might try to escape. It was ridiculously difficult being the center of the universe to two adoring billionaires, but as Jou�s gaze flicked from Seto to Pegasus and back again, he was glad that he had never been one to back down from a challenge.
With a big, goofy grin on his face, he put a hand on Pegasus� shoulder. �So, Pops, where we crashing for the night?�
The laptop closed with an audible clunk as the cybernaut returned to reality and glared at the love of his life.
�I believe Croquet has procured suitable accommodations and transportation for us, Joseph.� Pegasus answered his son, making a point of ignoring Kaiba.
�Good. Let�s go.� Without so much as another glance at his significant other, Joey strode out of the waiting room to find Croquet, leaving the other three occupants to follow in his wake.
��
Fifteen minutes later, they were settling into their rooms. Serenity had hers all to herself. Croquet, of course, would not be separated from his master, and since Tristan had no problem with having Mokuba for a roommate, that left the dynamic duo together.

Maybe with those two out of the way, the rest of us can get some rest, Tristan hoped fleetingly before the realization that the room he and Mokuba would be sharing was right next to theirs dawned on him. As loudly as Jou and Seto had been known to fight, the noise would be sure to pierce the relatively thin walls between the two rooms, and Tristan rubbed his temples softly.
�Hey, Mokuba, you didn�t happen to bring any sleeping pills with you, did you?� He asked hopefully.
�No.� Mokuba gave the older teen a strange look. �Why?�
Tristan sighed, �This is gonna be a long night��
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