Disclaimer: I don't own Yugi or any of the characters.

'Thoughts'

/Hikari to Yami/

[Yami to Hikari]

Chapter 7

Yugi was startled awake when a bright flash of lightning lit up the sky, while a loud boom of thunder echoed all around him. He shivered slightly as he snuggled closer to Yami, he buried his face in Yami's shirt trying to block out the loud booms of thunder that scared the small boy. As the thunder got louder, Yugi kept moving closer to his yami until he couldn't get any closer. Yugi started shaking uncontrollably as the storm outside got even worse. Yami awoke when he felt Yugi shaking against him, he put his arms around Yugi and held him tightly.

"What's wrong, Yugi?" Yami asked quietly. Yugi was just about to reply when another loud boom of thunder made him hide himself further in Yami's shirt. Yami continued to hold Yugi until his trembling had finally stopped.

"What's wrong Yugi?" Yami asked again.

Yugi started coughing and whispered, "I don't like storms."

Yami smiled and tightened his embrace on his little hikari, "it's okay Yugi," he whispered, "I'm right here, and I won't let anything happen to you."

Yugi looked up at Yami and smiled, but then he started having a really bad coughing fit. Yami patted his back trying to ease his coughing, he picked up his light and carried him to the bathroom. He set Yugi on the counter and looked around for a bottle of cough medicine for the small boy. Yami was starting to get worried when he couldn't find any medicine for Yugi and his coughing had gotten worse and Yugi's face had started to turn red from his coughing. He gathered his light into his arms and hurried down the hall to the spare bedroom and quietly walked in.

He slightly smiled when he saw Bakura and Ryou snuggled up together sleeping. Yami walked over to Bakura's side and was about to shake the yami awake. The second his hand got close to Bakura's shoulder, a hand shot out from under the blankets and tightly grabbed Yami's wrist. Bakura was about attack whoever had woken him up but when he heard someone coughing violently he stopped his attack. He opened his eyes and unburied his head from under the blankets. He was about to yell at the yami but he stopped when he saw the frightened look on the small hikari's face and how he clung tightly to his yami.

"What's wrong?" Bakura asked sleepily.

"Can Yugi stay in here with you for a few minutes?" Yami asked quietly, "I have to get him some medicine and he's afraid of the storm."

After another loud boom of thunder, Yugi whimpered and hid his face in Yami's shirt. Bakura nodded sleepily and moved over to make room for little Yugi. Yami had to pry Yugi's fingers from his shirt and he gently laid the boy next to Bakura. Yugi whimpered again and tried to reach out to Yami.

"It's okay Yugi." Yami said soothingly, "I'll be back as soon as possible, you just try and go back to sleep."

The storm outside was getting more fierce and Yugi started to shivering from fright.

/Yami/ Yugi whispered /I don't want to you go/

[It's okay, I'll be right back Yugi] Yami said [just stay here with Bakura, I won't be gone long]

Yami took a step back as Yugi tried to reach out for him again. He gave his hikari a smile and left the room. Yugi started coughing and hid his face in Bakura's shirt to try and drown out the loud thunder that crashed outside. Yugi was shaking and coughing so badly, he ended up waking Ryou.

Ryou turned over sleepily and was surprised to see Yugi in their bed with them.

"What's going on?" Ryou asked sleepily, while rubbing his eyes, "what's wrong with Yugi?"

"Yami went to the store to get Yugi some medicine." explained Bakura, "Yugi's afraid of the storm and Yami didn't want to leave him alone."

Bakura was trying to calm down Yugi, but the small boy only cried harder. Yugi gave a startled squeak when Bakura picked him up and laid him down next to his own hikari. Ryou wrapped his arms around Yugi and held him in a comforting embrace, finally Yugi's cries subsided and the small boy fell back asleep. Unfortunately it was not a very restful sleep, the small boy's coughing had gotten worse.

'hurry back soon Yami,' Bakura thought, 'this kids really sick.'

[You seem to have a magic touch Hikari] Bakura said through their link, [I didn't think he was ever going to fall back asleep]

/Be nice Bakura/ Ryou replied, /if I was sick and scared I wouldn't want to be left alone either, and I really didn't do much. I think he was just really tired./

Another bad coughing fit caused Yugi to shift in his sleep and moved closer to Ryou seeking warmth and comfort. He had two small fistfuls of Ryou's shirt and his face was hidden in Ryou's chest. Ryou felt the small boys forehead.

"He's really burning up Bakura," stated Ryou worriedly, "I hope Yami comes back soon."

Bakura sighed and climbed out of bed, "I'm going to get a cool washcloth for the munchkin," He replied to Ryou's questioning look, "there's no way I'm getting into the bathtub with him to cool him down. That's his yami's job."

Ryou shook his head at his yami. He then looked worriedly at the small boy in his arms. Yugi was still shivering like he was cold, but he was sweating and his face was red.

Bakura came back with the washcloth and walked back over to the bed. He tried unsuccessfully to uncover Yugi's face and pry his small fingers from Ryou's shirt. Every time he tried, Yugi would whimper and try to move closer to Ryou. Bakura was beginning to getting annoyed, but luckily Yami returned.

"What happened?" Yami asked concerned.

"Yugi's running a fever and I was trying to put this cool washcloth on his forehead," explained Bakura, "but he won't let go of Ryou for me to do that."

Yami smiled slightly and walked over to the where Yugi was. He gently pried Ryou's shirt out of Yugi's small hands and carefully picked him up. Yugi coughed softly and snuggled closer to the warm embrace. Yami took the washcloth from Bakura and headed back to his room. Before he left the room, he turned back to Bakura.

"Thanks Bakura," He said gratefully, "he'll be all right now."

Bakura nodded as Yami left the room. He held his hikari closer to him and Yugi fell back asleep.

Yami carried Yugi back to his room and gently set him down on his bed. He laid down next to him and placed the cool washcloth on Yugi's forehead. 'He really is burning up' Yami thought. Yami shook Yugi to wake him up so he could give him his medicine. Yugi woke up and stared sleepily at his yami.

"Here drink this." Yami said while handing Yugi the cap filled with medicine. Yugi drank all of it and then fell back asleep. Yami smiled at him, then he also fell asleep with Yugi securely in his arms.

The next morning Yami was relieved to see that Yugi's fever had gone down during the night, but he was still coughing. Yami decided to let Yugi sleep since he didn't get much sleep last night. Yami slowly climbed out of bed and was careful not to wake the sleeping hikari. He quietly walked downstairs and to start breakfast.

Yami entered the kitchen and saw Bakura cooking breakfast and Ryou sitting at the table trying unsuccessfully to hide a yawn. Bakura turned around at the sound of Yami sitting down. "How's the munchkin doing?" he asked.

"He's doing better," replied Yami while covering his mouth to hide a yawn, "after I gave him the medicine he fell back asleep almost immediately, and when I woke up this morning his fever was down, but he's coughing is still bad. By the way, thanks again for watching him last night."

Bakura waved off the thanks and went back to cooking breakfast. A few minutes later Joey and Seto joined them.

"I love storms like that," Seto said, "Makes for the best nights sleep."

"Not me," yawned Joey, "it kept waking me up last night. By the way, where did you go last night Yami, I heard you leave."

"Yugi was really sick last night," Yami explained, "I had to get him some medicine."

"How is he?" Joey asked concerned.

"He was better this morning. His fever went down, but he's still coughing pretty bad."

By the time Yugi woke up, everyone was finished eating and were sitting in the living room watching TV.

Yugi's coughing alerted everyone to his presence and they turned in that direction. Yami quickly got up off the couch and made his way to his Hikari. He kneeled in front of Yugi and placed his hand on the young boy's forehead, and was relieved to see the fever was still down.

"How are you feeling Aibou?" he asked concerned.

"I still don't feel well." Yugi whispered and snuggled up to Yami wrapping his arms around his yami's neck. Yami picked him up and carried him to the couch. He set Yugi in his lap and continued watching TV with their friends.

Yugi tugged lightly on Yami's shirt to get his attention. When Yami looked down, Yugi whispered in his ear, "I think I'm ready to tell everyone."

"Are you sure?"

Yugi nodded and clutched Yami's shirt in his tiny hands. Yami turned off the TV so that everyone would hear what his Aibou had to say. They all turned at looked at him questionly.

"Yugi has something he wants to tell everyone." Yami replied to their questioning looks.

"I have a heart condition," Yugi whispered

Ryou got up immediately and hugged his fellow Hikari. Yugi smiled sadly at him but refused to release his hold on Yami.

"When did you find this out?" Ryou asked confused, "I know you didn't have one before."

"It happened after the accident," came the soft reply, "I guess I stopped breathing long enough to affect my heart."

"Is that what you were afraid to tell us?" Joey asked.

"Yes," whispered Yugi, "I was afraid that you guys would leave me because I'm even weaker than I was before." Tears started to form behind his eyes and he buried his face in Yami's shirt again.

"Yugi, we would never leave you for something like that." Ryou said playfully, "you know that right?"

Yugi nodded his head and smiled at his friends.

[See Yugi, I told you there was nothing to worry about. They're your friends, they were worried about you.] Yami explained.

/I know Yami, I was just scared/ replied Yugi softly.

The stress that had been on Yugi about telling his friends was finally lifted off the small hikari and when Yugi shifted Yami glanced down at him and smiled. Yugi had fallen back asleep with his head resting on Yami's shoulder.

Should I end it here or should I continue?? This chapter has been really hard for me to write, I think I lost my motivation for this story, but as always I welcome your comments. Thanks to everyone who reviewed this and my other stories.