CHAPTER 1

"The Illness Of A Hikari And A Homecoming"

Yugi had felt sick in more ways then one it started not long after Yami had crossed over. Yugi had been hiding it for the last 4 months. Yugi slowly stood up. Solomon had noticed that Yugi seemed to be sick and was about to ask him what was wrong when the bell on the shop door rang, Solomon turned to see who it was and was shocked.

"Pharaoh?" Solomon asked in shock.

"Grandpa, where's Yugi?" Yami asked with concern.

"In his room." Solomon said with concern.

With that Yami ran upstairs and into Yugi's room. Yugi was standing there in his PJs and looked at the door. Yugi's eyes widen in shock, and then his eyes welled up with tears. Yami ran forwards and embraced Yugi tightly.

"Y-Yami..." Yugi sobbed and just enjoyed the embrace of his other half.

"Shh, I'm here aibou." Yami said softly.

/Mou Hitori no Boku, I think I'm getting sick./

-Maybe we should get you to a hospital.-

/Yeah, maybe we should./

Yugi wobbled and nearly fell over. Yami scooped Yugi up and carried him down the steps and into the Kame Game Shop. Solomon frowned seeing this.

"Oh, Yugi." Solomon said guiltily.

"I'm taking him to the hospital." Yami said sadly.

"Call me and let me know what's wrong." Solomon said sadly.

"I will." Yami said and rushed out.

Soon Yami ran into the hospital. The doctor saw this and scooped Yugi up out of Yami's arms. Yami paced impatiently waiting for news on his other half.

2 HOURS LATER

The doctor walked out to the waiting room where Yami was still waiting impatiently pacing. The doctor walked over to Yami. Yami saw him and spun to face him.

"How is he?" Yami asked his baritone voice was full of concern.

The doctor sighed.

"We've done a test. Yugi has leukemia." The doctor said.

Yami frowned sadly.

"I see." Yami said sadly.

"I'm sorry." The doctor said.

"Can I see him?" Yami asked.

"Of course." The doctor said.

Soon the doctor led Yami to Yugi's room. Yami immediately ran to Yugi's bedside and took Yugi's hand in his and looked into Yugi's amethyst eyes.

/Y-Y-Yami.../

-Rest aibou.-

Yugi smiled weakly at Yami. Yami forced a smile. Yugi's eyes started to close as sleep started to claim him.

"Sleep aibou." Yami said.

Yugi yawned and closed his eyes falling asleep.

"Sleep tight." Yami said softly.

"There's no way grandpa's insurance will cover the chemo. What are we gonna do?" He asked himself softly.

"I have an idea. I'll be right back Yugi." He told the sleeping hikari.

Yami stood and ran out. Soon Yami ran into KaibaCorp and bumped into Mokuba.

"Yugi, what's going on?" Mokuba asked.

"Yugi is dying." Yami said near tears.

"What? How?" Mokuba asked.

"He has leukemia. And grandpa's insurance won't cover the chemo." Yami said sadly.

"Come on." Mokuba said.

With that Mokuba grabbed Yami's hand and ran towards his brother's office pulling Yami along. Soon the two walked into Seto's office. Seto stood quickly.

"Mokuba, what's Motou doing here!" Seto demanded.

"I have to get back to Yugi." Yami said.

"Big brother, Yugi has leukemia." Mokuba said sadly.

Seto frowned.

"I see." Seto said sadly.

"And what's worse is grandpa's insurance won't cover the chemo and we can't afford it." Yami said sadly.

"KaibaCorp will cover it." Seto said.

"Thank you, Seto." Yami said and ran out.

Mokuba followed Yami. Yami stopped Yugi's doctor.

"Excuse me, doctor. But, I just talked to Seto Kaiba and he's agreed to cover the chemo." Yami said.

"It's true." Mokuba said.

"Then we'll start the treatment now." The doctor said and walked into Yugi's room.

Yami sat down a moment. Mokuba offered to let Yami use his cell phone. Yami smiled and took Mokuba up on the offer and took his cell phone. Yami dialed the Kame Game Shop.

"Hello, Kame Game Shop." Solomon said, answering.

"Grandpa, this is Yami." He said.

"Yami, my boy did they find out what was wrong with Yugi?" Solomon asked out of concern.

"Grandpa, its cancer." Yami said as the tears finally began to fall.

"I see." Solomon said sadly.

"He can come home after his first chemo treatment. KaibaCorp is covering it." Yami said.

"That's good." Solomon said.

"Yes, it is." Yami said.

A MONTH LATER

Yugi's doctor finally gave him the ok to return to school; it was Yugi's senior year. Yugi walked into his class and smiled at his friends and brother.

"Aibou." Yami said smiling at him.

"Hey, Yami." Yugi said smiling back at Yami.

"Yug?" Joey asked in confusion.

"Oh did I forget to tell you Yami was back?" Yugi asked.

"Yeah, you did." Tristan said.

"Oops, sorry." Yugi said rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

"It's ok, Yug." Joey said smiling at his friend.

Yugi was wearing a bandana on his head.

"Yugi, take that thing off your head." The teacher said.

Yugi sighed and took the bandana off revealing his baldhead.

"Yug, what happened to your hair?" Joey asked in shock.

"I have cancer." Yugi said softly.

"The chemo made his hair fall out." Yami said sadly.

"Oh man." Joey and Tristan said in unison.

"Yeah, I know." Yugi said sadly.

"Uh oh." He mumbled.

"Aibou?" Yami asked concerned.

"I think I'm gonna throw up." Yugi said.

Yami jumped up and helped Yugi out of the classroom and to the bathroom. Yugi knelt in front of the toilet and threw up. Yugi knew this was breaking Yami's heart. But, he also knew he'd be fine in time, his biggest concern was whither or not Yami would be ok. Yami was waiting for Yugi to finish. Yugi slowly stood and walked out and smiled reassuringly at Yami.

"You could tell?" Yami asked.

"Of course you are my other half after all." Yugi said.

"I just don't wanna lose you again." Yami said sadly.

"I know, Yami. I know." Yugi said.

Yami smiled at Yugi and helped him back to class.

/Maybe I came back to soon./

-I agree. You should be home resting.-

/But, Yami. This is my senior year after this High School will be over. Then once I enter remission I'm going to college./

-Any idea what major you'll do?-

/Egyptology, and Archeology./

-Really?-

/Yep./

-That's great.-

/I know./

-What school?-

/Brown./

-But, that's so far away.-

/I know./

-I see. Well, at least it'll be a while.-

/Yeah./

Joey, Téa, Tristan, Duke and Ryou smiled at the duo.

"Feel better, Yug?" Joey asked.

Yugi nodded.

"Good." Joey said.

"Any idea what school you guys are gonna go to after graduation?" Yugi asked.

"I'm going to New York." Téa said.

"Probably Domino College." Tristan and Joey said in unison.

"I'm going to Davis." Ryou said.

"Domino College." Duke said.

"Looks like 3 out of 7 are going to America for college. What about you Yami?" Yugi asked.

"Same as you." Yami said.

"Make that 4 out of 7." Yugi said.

"What do you mean 4, Yug?" Joey asked.

"Ryou, Téa, Yami and me." Yugi said.

"Where are you two going?" Joey asked.

"Brown University." Yugi said.

"Oh." Joey said sadly.

"Don't worry guys will come back during breaks." Yugi said.

"OK, Yug." Joey said smiling.

Yugi smiled back.

/I hope this goes into remission soon./

-Me too.-

"You should go home and rest. I'll bring your make up and homework after school." Yami said sternly.

"Oh fine." Yugi said in defeat, stood and headed out.

Yami smiled and watched Yugi leave.

"Yami." The teacher said and put the graded test in front of Yami on his desk.

Yami gulped and picked up the test, looking at it.

"Well, what you get?" Joey asked.

"An A+." Yami said.

"That's great." Téa said.

"What you get, Joey?" Yami asked.

"B+." Joey said.

"That's good." Yami said.

Joey smiled at Yami.

"Yami Motou please report to the principal's office. Repeat Yami Motou to the principal's office." Came over the loud speakers.

Yami stood and walked out. Soon Yami walked into the principal's office.

"Yami, I'm sorry to tell you this but, Yugi has just been taken to the hospital. Your grandfather is on his way to pick you up." She said.

"I see." Yami said sadly.

Soon Solomon arrived and walked into the principal's office.

"Grandpa..." Yami started, standing up.

"Let's hurry." Solomon said signing Yami out.

Yami walked over to Solomon and the duo headed out the door.

"Grandpa...have you talked to the hospital?" Yami asked.

"Yeah, it's bad, Yami." Solomon said.

"How bad?" Yami asked.

"They said there's an infection around his heart. Yami, they may have to operate because it seems he's had the infection a while and it's caused some damage." Solomon said sadly.

Yami frowned as they got in the car and headed to the hospital.

"He'll be fine, Yami. I know it." Solomon said.

"I hope so." Yami said sadly.

"You gotta have faith." Solomon said.

Yami looked out the window sadly. Solomon sighed as they arrived at the hospital. As soon as the car stopped Yami ran into the hospital and over to the nurse's station.

"I'm looking for my brother." Yami said.

"Room 202, second floor." The nurse said.

Yami ran upstairs and to room 202. But, he hesitated to go in. Yugi was starting to come to. A random beep was heard Yami sighed and walked in and over to Yugi's bedside taking Yugi's hand. Yugi's weak amethyst eyes slowly open and look at Yami.

"Take it easy, aibou." Yami said softly.

"Mou Hitori no Boku..." Yugi started.

"Shh, its ok, I'm here." Yami said softly.

/M-Mou H-Hitori no B-Boku...I-I-I'm s-s-scared./

-Don't be it'll all work out.-

/I-I-I h-hope s-so.../

-I know so.-

Yugi smiled at him weakly.

"It's gonna be ok, aibou. Trust me." Yami said.

Yugi looked so fragile in the bed, Yami was deeply saddened. He could only hope that his twin would survive the surgery and that he'd recover soon. Soon the surgeon came in and took Yugi to the OR. Yami stepped out of the hospital and pulled out his cell phone having got one between his return and now and he called Téa's.

"Hello." Téa said, answering her cell as she, Joey, Tristan, Ryou, and Duke stepped out of class.

"Hi, Téa, it's Yami." He said.

"Hi, Yami. What did the principal want?" Téa asked.

"Yugi's in the hospital...in fact they just took him into the OR." Yami said sadly.

"What's wrong!" Téa demanded with worry deep concern.

"He had an infection and it caused some damage to his heart and they had to operate to fix it." Yami said sadly.

"We'll be right there." Téa said.

"I'll see you then." Yami said as the two hung up.

"What's going on, Téa!" Joey demanded with deep concern.

"Yugi's in the OR." Téa said sadly.

Joey looked shocked a moment and then ran out of the school and to the hospital. Téa, Tristan, Ryou and Duke chased after Joey and they all arrived in the OR waiting room. Yami was pacing when the group arrived. When Yami saw them he let out a sigh and smiled softly at them.

ALMOST 4 HOURS LATER

The doctor walked out of the OR and to the group.

"How is he?" Yami asked his baritone voice was full of concern.

"The surgery went well and he'll be fine with some rest." The doctor said.

Yami sighed in relief. Joey, Tea, Tristan, Duke, Ryou and Solomon sighed in relief as well.

"Dat's good." Joey said in relief.

"Can I see him, doctor?" Yami asked.

"Yes. But, the rest of you have to wait until we move Yugi to a private room." The doctor said.

"Go on, Yami, my boy." Solomon said.

Yami smiled and the doctor led him to Yugi's room. Yami walked to Yugi's bedside and took his sleeping hikari's hand in his. There was a steady beep from the heart monitor.

ANOTHER 2 HOURS LATER

Yugi groaned and started to come to. Yami smiled when he saw those amethyst eyes open.

-Feel better?-

/A bit./

-Good. We were all worried sick about you.-

/We?/

-Joey, and the others are in the waiting room.-

The doctor saw that Yugi was awake and moved him to a private room. Joey, Tea, Tristan, Ryou, Duke, and Solomon walked into the room and went right to Yugi's bedside. Yugi smiled tiredly.

"Feelin' better?" Joey asked.

Yugi still had an oxygen mask on, so he only nodded. Joey smiled softly at his best friend.

"Dat's good." Joey said.

2 DAYS LATER

Yugi was now off the oxygen mask and sitting up in bed at the time and was eating. Yami was sitting in a chair by Yugi's bedside watching him with a smile.

-When we get home the doctor wants you on bed-rest.-

/Not surprised./

Yami brushed a hand through Yugi's hair. Yugi smiled softly at his brother.

-I'm glad you're feeling better.-

/Me too./

Yugi finished his plate and laid back down. Yami smiled softly at Yugi.

"I wonder how much longer it'll be." Yugi said as his oncologist walked in.

"Oh, hey, doc." He said.

The oncologist took a blood sample to check out his blood count for the state of the cancer or if it was in remission. Once the oncologist got the blood sample he left taking the blood to be tested.

/I hope it's good news./

-Me too, aibou.-

/The cardiologist said I can go home tomorrow./

-That's great.-

Yugi smiled at Yami.

-Why don't you rest a bit. I'm gonna grab a bite to eat. I'll be right back.-

/OK./

Yami smiled at Yugi as he walked out to get something to eat. Yugi sighed and pulled an old picture out of his drawl. Yugi sat there staring at the picture.

20 MINUTES LATER

Yami came back but stopped and watched and listened to Yugi a moment.

"Things have gotten pretty bad since you too passed, it gets worse when I'm stuck in the hospital. When you two died it had a bad effect on me…" Yugi said softly.


FLASHBACK 12 YEARS AGO IN TOKYO


Yugi, Yuri and Virgil were in a car driving to an office building where the elder two Motou's worked as CEO's Virgil was president and founder of the whole company and Yuri was Vice President. The trio never arrived at the office. It was written in the company records that his father's best friend would run the company if anything happened to Virgil and Yuri and if Yugi was a survivor he would take over when he was of age. Yugi dislocated his arm and Solomon took him in and moved the boy to his house in Domino. The young boy had seen the bloody deaths of his parents and was diagnosed with PTSD.

FLASHBACK END

"I miss you both so much." Yugi whispered.

Yami looked confused as he noticed a business man watching him and turned to face him.

"That boy has been through a lot in his young life." The man said.

Yami raised an eyebrow.

"Sir?" Yami asked in confusion.

The man smiled and pulled a picture of himself, Virgil, Yuri and Yugi and handed it to Yami who looked at the picture.

"That's you and that looks like Yugi." Yami said.

"It is on both counts, the other man is Yugi's dad and the women is Yugi's mom." The man said.

"You know his parents?" Yami asked.

"I knew his parents. They died in a horrible car accident and Yugi was also involved. I was his dad's best friend and I think it's time for the heir to take over." The man said.

"What heir and take over what!" Yami demanded in confusion.

"My best friend was the founder of KaibaCorp's main competitor and he wanted Yugi to take over when he was old enough." The man said.

"I see. I doubt grandpa knew about the company." Yami said.

"Virgil and Yuri were going to call him from the office the day of the crash." The man said shaking his head.

"Do you know his heath history?" Yami asked.

The man shook his head.

"I know when his parents died he saw it and the doctor said he had PTSD." The man said.

"PTSD?" Yami asked in confusion.

"That stands for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder." The man said.

"I didn't know about that. Well now he had leukemia and is on chemo and got an infection around his heart which caused damage and they had to operate to fix it." Yami said sadly.

"I see." The man said.

TBC...