AN: This isn't really a shipping at all! That's why it's not in my one-shot collection, which puts ship yards to shame!

*runs before that sinks in and you can kill me*

Inspired by and contains a song from Les Miserable. I think it's pretty obvious where the song is. I changed the words some. Like...Cosette is now Ryou and such. And I don't know what Ryou's mom's name was, but I've always liked the name Naomi.

This is a What if...? fic. What if Ryou's mother had gotten the Millennium Necklace? Well...it's cute I think :x I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh or anything about Les Miserable. I should hope that was obvious.

"Yes dear. I just got it today. Yes, I'm holding it now. You didn't spend too much on it did you? It's lovely. Thank you. Alright, It's late here. I need to get to bed. Yes, I'll give the twins a kiss for you. I love you too, dear. Good night."

Naomi Bakura smiled, hanging up the phone and yawning, one hand covering her mouth, the other clutching the strange, gold necklace her husband had sent. It was on the large side for her taste: A ring with a triangle trapped within it, an eye in it's center. Five prongs dangled from it's lover half, a ring on it's very top with a leather cord run through it. Giving it a shake, she smiled at the way it chimed.

'Well, first thing's first,' she thought, setting the necklace aside. 'I have to make sure the Amane and Ryou are in bed.' Naomi had always wanted at least one boy and one girl, though she had never dreamed she would be blessed with both simultaneously.

Not that she complained. Though they could be a handful at times. Alone, Ryou was gentle and timid, but Amane was outgoing and cheerful. Together, however, they found ways to get into mischief, usually inspired by the sister.

Once both children (though they were thirteen, she still wasn't used to them being teenagers) were rounded up and readied for bed, Naomi followed suit, pausing beside the table where she had left the necklace. 'What did he call it? The Millennium Ring? Such a fancy name,' she thought, letting her fingers trace over the eye in the center of the pyramid. Gently lifting it from the table, she moved to stand before a large mirror and slipped the cord over her head, trying to find an ideal place for the ring to lay by against her chest.

She was an attractive woman with a slender figure, which she attributed to years of trying to keep after her twins. Long, white hair and soft brown eyes, which her children had inherited. She smiled at her reflection, tying a knot in the cord behind the nape of her neck to hold it at the desired place.

Suddenly Naomi felt dizzy, her hands reaching out to grasp the edges of the mirror, face hovering a scant inch from her reflection. For just an instant she thought her reflection had changed. Had appeared almost masculine, her hair more wild and her eyes a dark russet color. But then the moment passed and she pushed herself away from the mirror, shaking her head.

"I must be exhausted," Naomi muttered, turning away from the mirror and crawling into bed. She curled up on her side, not bothering to remove the necklace, her mind swimming.

As sleep claimed her, she found herself opening her eyes. Sitting up, Naomi found herself on a large canopy bed in a room decorated in pastels. Beside the bed on an antique table were two pictures: one of her husband and one of both her children. A smile tugged at her lips and she slipped out of the bed, exploring this new room.

"This must be a lucid dream," she said aloud, touching a few of the knickknacks on a shelf. Her attention turned to a door painted a soft pink with chocolate brown swirls decorating it. Curiosity getting the better of her, Naomi opened the door and peered into the hallway beyond it. To her surprise, the hallway seemed short, it's ends tapering off into darkness. Across the hall was another door, this one painted black with golden symbols she knew to be hieroglyphics.

Opening her open door further, she stepped out into the hall and approached it, one hand hiding behind her back as the other rose, knuckles rapping against the second door. Almost instantly, the door flew open and Naomi blinked into the darkness beyond it.

"Hello? Is anyone in here?" she called, leaning forward. "Hello? My name is Bakura Naomi. It seems that we are neighbors!" she smiled cheerfully. 'Such a vivid and interesting dream,' she thought.

"This isn't a dream," a voice spoke coldly. There was a gleam as the light from her open door caught something and a man emerged from the darkness and stood so he was just visible to her. "Leave."

Naomi blinked curiously and the man seemed to be confused and annoyed. "I'm sorry, am I intruding?"

The man grinned, dark eyes meeting hers. "You could say that I am the intruder," he chuckled. "Perhaps, since you are being so forward, my new yadonushi (host), I should at least tell you that your body, though not my preference, is mine now."

Naomi straightened, hands resting on her hips. "I beg your pardon?"

"I am the spirit living within the Millennium Ring," he said, crossing his arms over his chest. "My body no longer exists and I need a new one. One I can use to accomplish my go-"

"You're a spirit?" Naomi interrupted him, held tipping slightly, curious. "And you live in the necklace my husband sent me?" she frowned, taking a step into the room. "How long have you been in here?"

The spirit approached suddenly, blocking her from entering further but allowing her to get a good look at him. His appearance was similar to Ryou's, she noticed. But older, closer to being eighteen or twenty. There were subtle differences aside form age. His hair was longer and part of his bangs seemed to stand up slightly and his eyes were the dark russet she had seen in the mirror.

"Leave now and go back to your soul room, yadonushi. I will be in command from here."

Naomi frowned a little, taking a step back. "I don't know what you mean by that, Mr. Spirit, but I will leave you alone for now." She smiled, taking another step back. "My room's just across the hall. I'll leave the door open in case you get lonely. Good night!" As she turned to leave the spirit raised a brow but threw the door shut with a bang.

In the morning, Naomi got up and went about her routine of getting the twins up, making breakfast, and kissing a picture of her husband and tell him good morning. She felt a little lightheaded at times, but easily shrugged it off.

A month passed and the spirit of the Millennium Ring was growing frustrated. He needed to begin his search for the other Millennium Items. He had plans to deal with that annoying neighbor and his tiny dog who, the thief was certain, had lungs that defied it's stature. He had plans to use those two brats of his host as pawns.

And yet somehow he was helpless. Try as he might, he couldn't take control of his host's body. When she was awake, she was busy with keeping up with the household and her children. When she slept, she sat outside his soul room and talked on and on about whatever inane topic she could think of.

He sat in the darkness of his room deep in thought. He contemplated sending his host's soul to the realm of shadows, but for some reason he couldn't.

But why?

"Mr. Spirit?" the same thing every night. She came to the door of his soul room, knocked twice, and then sat down and started talking. Why wasn't she afraid of him? He was darkness. He was black and cold and unforgiving. Why was she talking to him? Why couldn't she just fear him and let him have his way?

"So...This dream every night for a month," she said. He could hear the smile on her face. "Maybe this isn't a dream then? I think I've accepted that this is real. Don't worry. I won't tell anyone about you. I haven't yet after all. Not even my husband, who sent you here."

The spirit growled softly, a sound that wouldn't reach her through the heavy door. He found himself moving to the door and glaring at where he knew her head would be.

"I love my children, but I miss my husband," she went on. "Even with Ryou and Amane, I feel like that house is empty. I wish he would come home and get a normal job. But I could never make him do that." She sighed, a hint of a laugh there. "Sometimes I think that if I didn't have the twins I could be with him now. But I wouldn't change things. I know that. My loneliness though...it couldn't possibly hold a candle to what you must be feeling."

The spirit froze, the glare fading to a curious stare.

"You've been alone for a long time, haven't you? Alone and in the dark. That must be very lonely indeed. Do you miss your family and friends? How long has it been?"

Inadvertently the spirit took a step away from the door. 'My family? My...friends? Did I have any?'

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. But I've been thinking about it all day and...I want you to know that you don't have to be alone anymore. As far as I am concerned, you are family now. So, Mr. Spirit, I suppose I will call you...Bakura-kun for now. Since I don't know your first name."

He heard her moving on the other side of the door.

"I'll be in my room for a little while. You are welcome to come over."

'Family?' the spirit's mind turned this new development over as he walked to the door, cracking it open and seeing that she was indeed not there. Without intending to, he found himself standing outside her open door and peering in. She smiled at him, motioning him in further.

"Don't be afraid, Bakura-kun."

Months passed and Bakura slowly began to open up to Naomi. She could see that he struggled with this change, but gradually Bakura seemed to warm up to her. On Ryou and Amane's 14th birthday she had even seen the spirit drifting around, unseen by those in attendance.

That evening, he was in her spirit room sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Youbo (adoptive mother), why does Ryou always look so...sad?"

Naomi moved to sit beside him, taking his hand in both of hers. "Ryou doesn't have many friends," she explained. "Almost all of the children were friends of Amane."

"Why doesn't he have friends? Someone like him...it seems he would make them easily." Bakura said thoughtfully.

"He isn't confident in himself." Naomi sighed. "I don't know what to do for him. Maybe if his father were home more that twice a year or if he had an older brother he would be more confident."

Bakura's eyes seemed distant for a moment. "Youbo, maybe I should talk to him?" He smiled a bit. "Aren't I his older brother now?"

Naomi's eyes lit up and she nodded. "Maybe. But don't be too hard on him. He's a gentle soul." She tapped a finger on her chin. "I should introduce you to both Ryou and Amane. Tomorrow night after dinner."

Bakura nodded, resting his head on Naomi's shoulder. Somehow, just being with this woman, the thief had begun healing. He knew he still had a long road to go before his heart was fully mended, but as long as he had his new mother, then maybe there was hope yet for him...

The accident had happened so quickly, the other car side swiping them and sending them into a tree. Bakura hovered over his adoptive mother fretfully, listening to the voices that drifted in from the hall.

"It was really bad..."

"Should we tell her...?"

"She probably won't last much longer...Maybe we shouldn't..."

"Her son is here. Should we..."

Bakura sat on the edge of Naomi's bed, the woman's life fading before his eyes. He felt his old anger and hatred already threatening to resurface. He wanted to hunt down the one responsible for this and make him disappear.

But not yet. No, Naomi needed him now. He closed his eyes, appearing in her soul room, cringing at how dark it was becoming within the usually bright room. Bakura went to where she laid on her bed, tears streaming from her eyes.

"Amane...Ryou..." her voice was broken with sorrow. "Amane...my beautiful Amane...I'm so sorry..."

Bakura sat beside her, taking her hand and feeling her hold onto it tightly.

"She died....she's dead..." she looked up at Bakura. "She didn't suffer...did she?" At the shake of his head she sighed in relief. "I will be with her soon...Bakura...I've never been so scared in my life..."

"Kaasan! (mother)"

Bakura appeared on the hospital bed beside Naomi, still holding her hand as Ryou came in, tears in his chocolate brown eyes. The teen hovered in the doorway, unsure what to do. Naomi opened her eyes, beckoning him with her gaze.

"Come to me, Ryou, the light is fading. Don't you see the evening star appearing? Come to me, and rest against my shoulder...How fast the minutes fly away and every minute colder."

Ryou glanced at the window and saw that it was indeed getting late. Sniffling, he went to his mother's side, climbing up onto the bed and laying beside her, embracing her as though she might break. Bakura reached his free hand out to pet Ryou's hair, but it went unnoticed. Naomi also petting Ryou's hair.

"Hurry near, another day is dying. Don't you hear, the winter wind is crying? There's a darkness which comes without a warning...But I will sing you lullabies and wake you in the morning."

As she sang softly, Ryou cried himself to sleep, begging her to stay. Pray for her to be well. Once he was asleep, Bakura looked into Naomi's eyes, seeing that the light there was fading as well. He returned to her soul room, the only light coming from the pictures of her children and her husband beside her bed, lighting her face. He took her hand in both of his and brought it up to his chest.

"Oh, youdo, our time is running out...But youdo, I swear this on my life"

"Look, 'Kura, where all the children play," she said, her voice as distant as the look in her eyes.

"Be at peace," Bakura said quickly, trying to keep her from slipping away just yet. "Be at peace evermore."

Naomi looked up into his eyes, tears still falling. "My Ryou..".

"Shall live in my protection," Bakura vowed, squeezing her hands.

"Take him now," she said, gently pushing Bakura from her soul room. With the last of her strength she lifted the Millennium Ring over her head and looped the cord over the sleeping Ryou's head. The ring flashed brightly and Ryou sat up, taking Naomi's hand. When he spoke, it was Bakura's voice rather than her son's.

"Your child will want for nothing," he said quietly, squeezing her hand tightly.

"Oh Bakura...you come from God in Heaven," she said, tears slipping down her face as she looked into his eyes.

"And none shall ever harm Ryou as long as I am living." Bakura kissed the back of her hand in promise. The door to her room opened and a priest entered, a nurse following behind him. With a quiet word of greeting, the elderly man came to Naomi's side, taking a bottle of holy oil and brandishing a bible.

:Take my hand.: Naomi said to Bakura through their fading mind link as she felt the spirit's grip on her hand loosen slightly. :The night grows ever colder.:

::Then I will keep you warm.:: Bakura tightened his grip, eyes never leaving hers.

:Take my child. I give him to your keeping.: Her voice was growing more distant and Bakura felt his throat tighten.

"Take shelter from the storm..." the priest was saying, drawing a cross on Naomi's forehead in holy oil with his thumb.

:For God's sake, please stay till I am sleeping! And tell Ryou I love him and I'll see him when I wake!: she managed to say to him before their link was forever closed. She only managed to hold on for a few moments before her eyes slid closed, hand going limp in Bakura's. Quietly, the spirit laid her hand beside her, tears running down his new host's face.

::Sayonara...youdo...aishiteru...::

AN: How was that huh? Sad, right? This song makes me sad :O But the story begged to be written. Now to get some lunch before I write more.

PS: Sayonara means "good bye". aishiteru means "I love you" :3