• 1-Prologue
• 2-Chapter One: Depart
• 3-Chapter Two : Reason
• 4-Chapter Three : Endure
• 5-Chapter Four : Awaken
• 6-Chapter Five : Break
• 7-Chapter Six : Reunion
• 8-Epilogue

Title: If It Takes Forever, I Will Find You (Epilogue)

Author: Rroselavy

Rating: NC-17

Pairing(s): Seto/Jou

Beta: Akuchan

Final Word count: 1597 (21,389 total)

Spoilers: None, AU

Disclaimer: I do not own or profit from Yu-gi-oh!

Summary: It has been almost a year to the day since Kaiba Seto last saw his lover Jounouchi Katsuya. At the realization that Jou may be gone for good, Kaiba sets off on a cruise vacation to begin the healing process.

"There is no remedy for love but to love more."
-- Henry David Thoreau

Kaiba watched Jounouchi pace over and over the length of the fuselage. The closer they got to Domino City the more agitated and nervous his blond lover became. He stood up and intercepted Jou, pulling him into a warm hug.

"I told you Puppy, everything is going to be okay," He kissed Jou gently, and feeling his compliance, deepened it. Jou pulled away reluctantly.

"It's just ..." he said and Kaiba saw the far away look in his beloved's eyes return. In the time since they'd reunited, he'd learned that that look meant that Jou was reliving the nightmare that he'd lived through. He held Jou loosely, and rubbed his back soothingly.

"No one blames you, love." Kaiba said quietly. "No one is going to be angry with you or hate you. You've been missed beyond comprehension. All of your friends and your family will be overjoyed to see you." He trailed chaste kisses across Jou's cheek. "Come sit with me, let me hold you."

Kaiba knew that it would be a long time before Jou would fully recover from the trauma that he'd experienced, and he would need to be patient as his lover healed and came to terms with the abuse he'd suffered. He slipped into a nearby captain's chair and guided Jounouchi sideways into his lap. Jou rested his head against the brunet's shoulders and closed his eyes.

"But I don't want to face the press, Set. Can't we just go home?"

"You're not going to be alone. I will be right by your side. You have nothing to be ashamed of, and if we don't do this, it will seem as if you do."

Jou sighed in resignation. "You promise that I don't have to answer any questions about the movies?"

"Of course. The press conference is only to announce our marriage, and believe me, that will generate enough interest to make those halfwits forget all about the events of last year."

Kaiba took Jou's hand in his and rubbed the ring he'd given him at the Pantheon, remembering the joy that had flooded into his heart that day when Jou had answered his proposal. They had been wed the next day at sunset by the ship's captain as they sailed between Portovenere and Portofino, on what would have been their second anniversary. The rest of their vacation had been a blur of sightseeing, feasting and lovemaking that had served to begin the healing process.

It had killed Kaiba to do it, but he'd had to tell Jounouchi that he'd gone public with the unedited movies he'd confiscated from the Matsuki company computers. Jou's reaction had been predictable. At first he'd been angry, and when Kaiba had explained that he'd had no choice because as long as the edited movies existed Kaiba and Kaiba Corp. would be vulnerable to extortion or worse, Jou had become disconsolate in the realization of the futility of his rash actions. Running away hadn't solved anything. It had only served to make both of them miserable. He'd hung his head in shame, and it had taken him a long time to come to terms with that. Kaiba, all too familiar with how poisonous living in the past could be, had quietly reasoned with Jou that none of it mattered, that they had their entire lives to live together, and the one year's length of separation would prove to be a mere blip on the radar screen. Still Jou had sworn that he could never go back home again, swore that he couldn't bear to be an object of pity or ridicule.

"What happened to you was awful, Katsuya, and it is only natural for people to feel compassion toward you. Don't you see how much worse it is that you are considering continuing your exile from every one who loves you, from every place that's familiar to you? If you keep running, then Matsuki will have won. He will have succeeded."

But Jou had been stubborn, and remained unwavering until Kaiba had caved. "All right, Katsuya, name where you want to live and that will be our home."

"Are you serious?" Jou had asked, incredulous at Kaiba's offer.

"Yes. I will not force you to go back. We are equals, and it is more important to me that you are happy than where I live." He'd added meaningfully.

Evidently the thought that the CEO would uproot his life for Jounouchi had been enough to tip his decision, because the next evening at dinner he'd agreed that ultimately he would be happier back in Domino City surrounded by his loved ones.

The pilot's voice crackled overhead. "Mr. Kaiba we are approaching the airport, all passengers must be buckled in and seated in a forward position."

Jou slid out of Kaiba's lap and into the seat next to him. "And after the press conference we're going straight home, right?"

He cupped Jou's chin. "Yes, straight home."

Kaiba had kept true to his word. While the press conference had been interminable, he'd remained by Jou's side, his arm around his waist in a loving embrace. Kaiba answered question after question about their marriage and Kaiba Corp., but carefully intercepted and deflected any questions that remotely touched upon the events of the previous year and Jou's subsequent disappearance. After what seemed like hours, they were finally in the limo and on their way home. Jou slipped his hand into Kaiba's and looked out the window at the familiar landscape.

Jounouchi had been adamant that there be no welcoming committee at the airport or at the mansion; he would handle his friends and his family when he felt that he was ready. A year ago it would have pleased Kaiba to no end that he'd trumped the Yugi-tachi--that Jou had chosen a quiet reunion with him and Mokuba over a boisterous party. But Kaiba had realized that even though Jou didn't want a big reunion, it was exactly what he needed. He needed to be surrounded by everyone who loved him, to be welcomed home with open hearts and open arms. Kaiba had telephoned Mokuba and instructed him to arrange for a grand celebration.

The house was dark when they arrived, and as he unlocked the door, he wondered how successful his brother had been in his arrangements. He reached for the hall light switch as Jou followed him inside and as he flipped it on, many voices in unison sang out "SURPRISE!"

There was a flash of magenta-tipped gold and brunet and then Jou was pinned against the door in a three-way bear hug. Honda and Yugi began talking at him at once, and then Anzu joined in the group embrace. In between hugs and kisses and exclamations, Jou caught Kaiba's eyes with his own tear-filled ones and smiled.

Mokuba hugged his older brother whispering, "You did it Seto, you found him and brought him home." He hugged him back, wordlessly nodding his head.

Gradually Yugi, Honda and Anzu released their long-lost friend and gave Jou space to see who else had come to welcome him home. Mokuba hugged the blond tight, crying "Welcome home, Jou!" and Jou hugged him back tearfully.

Kaiba took Jou's hand and led him into the living room, and there Jou saw all his other friends -- Bakura, Otogi, Malik, and Mai, each smiling, each greeting him with hugs and kisses. Then it was his father hugging him, and as he looked over his dad's shoulder, he saw his mother and Shizuka, tears of joy streaming down her face. Jounouchi was overwhelmed with emotion and he collapsed into Kaiba's arms. He held his lover steady, and whispered, "I know you said you didn't want this, but you needed it, and they needed to see you too."

"Thank you Set," he whispered back hoarsely, as Shizuka wrapped her arms around her older brother.

Jou spent hours talking with his friends, filling them in on the details of his year in exile, of how he'd created the name Joey Wheeler at an Internet café at a website called "Find your English name" by typing Katsuya Jounouchi into the data fields, and had immediately used it to forge a passport. That expenditure had cost him all the money he'd had in his wallet, and after a couple of days living on the streets and begging for spare change while he wondered whether or not he should go home, he'd gone back to the café and searched for jobs abroad, which is how he ended up working for the cruise line. He tearfully admitted how miserable he'd been without contact with his loved ones and, taking Seto's hand in his, he promised them all he'd never disappear like that again.

The celebration lasted well into the early morning hours, with Yugi and Honda being the last guests to leave, and then only after Jou promised they would spend the next day together catching up. Shizuka and her mom had long-ago retired to the guest bedrooms Mokuba had ordered readied for them; they would spend the week in Domino with Jounouchi before heading back home to New York on one of Kaiba's private jets.

They were finally alone in their bedroom, both exhausted from jetlag and the emotional reunion. "I'm so glad to be home Set," Jou said as he began to undress.

"And so am I, Puppy," Kaiba agreed. He'd already stripped down to his boxers and lay stretched out on his side of the bed. Jou joined him and they lay together, hands entwined, and drifted peacefully off to sleep.

~FINIS~

Sammei: Thanks for your kind words! I'm so glad you are enjoying this fic. Yes, Rome is a wonderful place to experience. And my description nowhere near did the Pantheon the justice it deserved ... I will leave that to far better writers.

catti-dono: :-D So happy you enjoyed the smut. I'm always nervous that it doesn't meet tbe heat quotient ...

Midnight Hope & Iva-san: Oooh someone drew an illustration to my story? I would love to see it! If you ever get the chance please email it to me (check my author page for my addy). Thanks for your lovely reviews!