Yugi was standing...just barely. His breath came in ragged gasps, his head was pounding, and he was trembling from head to toe. This was, after all, his third duel in the last half hour, and Kaiba's virtual reality system made every monster blast hit harder than any hologram ever had before. He'd been thrown around by several, and despite being able to get up every time, he hurt all over.

But he couldn't give up. Not now. Not when so much was on the line.

Diva - Aigami - whatever his name was, had become a monster entirely warped by the Millennium Ring and was threatening the existence of his entire universe. He was proving to be an enemy more terrible than any Yugi had faced...and he'd faced him together with Kaiba.

But it hadn't been enough.

Kaiba had, shockingly, sacrificed himself to ensure that Yugi could continue. He'd given him the Puzzle.

He couldn't let him down.

He couldn't let his friends down, trapped in the awful soul-sucking darkness below.

He couldn't.

He wouldn't give up. Not now, not ever. He felt the Puzzle shift against him, its weight reassuring, as it had always been.

His head throbbed harder than ever. He concentrated as hard as he could, repeating his resolution to himself: I will never give up.

Diva's Crimson Nova reared up to attack. If it hit, it would be the end of him.

Good thing he had one more trick up his sleeve. "I send Clear Kuriboh to the graveyard, so I take no damage!"

Kuriboh, faithful to him as ever, took the brunt of the blast. Yugi still felt some of it...and it hurt. It hurt so much. It wasn't all that strong, thanks to his little monster...but he could feel every bruise, scrape and ache and it seemed that they began all at once to clamor for his attention. His body had always been able to take a good deal of abuse, but this time...this time...he'd reached his limit.

No. No, he couldn't stop.

He had to duel to the end.

He hurt so much...he was shaking so hard...

He had to win.

He HAD to...had to what? He lost focus, his hearing dimming for a moment.

No! He forced himself back to the present. He could feel his heart pounding, throbbing through his entire frame from the effort.

I can do this.

His vision wavered. He could hardly hear whatever Diva was saying. He forced his hand to his deck, forced himself to draw.

I can't give up.

I duel to the end.

"I still believe…" he rasped. He had complete faith in his deck. He had faith in himself...but he was in so much pain...but he had to keep fighting…

...had to keep fighting...

...had to...

Atem…

He was fading. His vision grew dark.

He'd failed. He'd failed everyone.

...I'm sorry…

He suddenly felt the Puzzle grow warm. A familiar golden glow penetrated his closed eyes.

And a presence he hadn't felt in a long time seemed to slip into his mind and envelop him in a warm embrace.

No way…

Automatically, he ceded control.

And the pharaoh, Atem, took over, his incredible strength and power burning away Yugi's fatigue, pulsing in his mind, as he took over the duel. It was overwhelming.

It was the most wonderful thing he'd felt since they'd parted ways.

Atem won. Of course he did. His partner, the King of Games, the pharaoh who'd saved the world from crushing darkness twice, now did so a third time as the sheer force of his return blasted through the terrible darkness of the Plana being wielded by Diva.

Just as Sera had said...his return was enough to push it all back and seal it away. But he finished the duel anyway.

Just as he always had, he'd pulled one card that enabled him to win.

Yugi just watched, drinking in every second from the back of his own mind. Atem said nothing to him, and he said nothing in return. He didn't need to. Feeling his presence, feeling his emotions...he knew it all. His anger at Diva pulsed through their bond and practically made the air hum with energy. But Yugi felt all the rest, too - the strength and love and protectiveness that he'd missed so much...and it was enough.

The dust cleared in front of them. Diva, unconscious but his own self again, vanished.

Atem looked at the Puzzle - their Puzzle - and smiled. Yugi knew, innately, that Atem wanted to see Yugi just as much as Yugi wanted to see him.

As one, they reached to touch the Puzzle...and as one, they separated. Yugi was back in his own body...without fatigue. Without pain. Atem had given him that gift, he could tell, but exactly how, he couldn't quite guess.

That didn't matter. Nothing mattered right now...except the face in front of his own.

He was so beautiful. He looked as he always had - strong, confident, wonderful. But now he also looked...content. Peaceful. Yugi had only seen that kind of contentment once...and it was the day they'd said goodbye.

Yugi, who'd dreamed of all the things he'd wanted to say to Atem over and over again, found himself with no words.

But Atem understood. He smiled. Yugi felt his emotions swoop over him like a gentle wave. His pride in how far Yugi had come on his own, how he'd grown both in physical stature and in confidence. His genuine happiness at seeing his partner again. His love.

Yugi hoped Atem was feeling his own emotions coming back. His own happiness at seeing Atem again, at seeing how at peace he was. His sadness that once again, he couldn't stay, but his preference that he go where he belonged, and deserved, to be. His own love. The overwhelming love and affection that he never had been able to put into words, how strongly he felt and how grateful he was for this one small chance to show it.

He walked forward. And for the first time ever, he wrapped his arms around Atem, and felt him respond in kind. Not in their soul room, or the Shadow Realm, or with one a spirit and one physically present. For the first time, they embraced in the physical world.

They were the same height now.

And then, for the first time in the physical world...they kissed. When they broke apart, they held each other tightly.

Gods, it felt wonderful. He was clinging to his Pharaoh, and he could feel Atem clinging back just as tightly.

Atem should not stay. Yugi knew that. He also knew, however, down to the very core of his being, that if he asked Atem to stay...he would. For him. Not for Kaiba and his obsession with finding his own strange closure; not for their friends, whom he did nevertheless care for deeply...for him.

They stood there for a moment, locked in their embrace, saying nothing, needing no words to fully grasp the other's feelings. Words couldn't really do them justice anyway.

Yugi would never want Atem to be unhappy. He'd fought for his memories, he'd fought for his friends, for Yugi, for his chance at the afterlife at last...he shouldn't have needed to come back to fight at all. But he had, to protect those he loved most.

And for Yugi...that would be enough.

He pulled away, taking one step back, then another. He clasped Atem's hands and squeezed briefly, then let them drop.

No more fighting. Let him be at peace for good this time.

Yugi looked Atem straight in the eye, confident and dry-eyed.

He nodded and smiled. I love you, he said through their mental bond, quietly.

Atem did not move. He smiled back, and with that smile came a wave of emotions that flooded Yugi's mind once more - pure, strong love that carried with it all the memories they'd shared, all the pride he felt in his partner, the gratitude for his kindness and willingness to let Atem rest.

The pharaoh touched the Puzzle. He - and it - vanished. So did the presence in Yugi's mind.

Just like last time.

This time, though...Yugi felt utterly at peace himself. The world was whole again. His friends were okay...he was okay. Though they'd barely said anything, they'd communicated everything they'd needed to. And now Atem was at rest, but part of him would always remain in Yugi's heart. He himself was not entirely whole...but he would be someday.

He smiled to himself.

Thank you.

It was enough.