AN: So I'm sat at my computer. It's 9:40 in the morning in England (which is really early for me as I'm practically nocturnal by nature, but society forces me to keep other hours) and I'm trying to work out how to put this AN into words.

I guess I'll start by saying that this is the last chapter of Borderline.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I could never thank you all enough. This was an amazing experience for me, to have my first Yu-Gi-Oh! story on this site enjoyed by so many while I myself thoroughly enjoyed writing it. All of you readers' support and comments were great.

Thank you.

I will still be around on reading and writing (I've got quite a few stories up my sleeve), but I'll never forget this one story.

Honestly, I'm really sad to see it go. But I hope this epilogue ends it nicely, and I hope you all enjoy it.

Borderline

"Every ending is just a new beginning. "

-Proverb

Epilogue - You Won't Ever Get Too Far From Me

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!, and this storyline is absolutely, positively fictional. I mean no offense to anyone.

Ryou stares out of the window to his condo.

He bites his lower lip and watches as the clouds roll in up above in the sky. It had been a lovely spring day, and it was just ruined because of those incoming thunder clouds.

He sighs and frowns childishly.

Even at nineteen years old, he still acts like a baby when bad weather rolls around.

"Ryou!"

Ryou turns his head, snapping over to look at the person standing in his living room.

Yugi's purple eyes gaze up at him. He laughs a little upon seeing Ryou's disappointed face.

"Don't worry, the storm won't last forever. We can go to the park after it's over," he says, and Ryou smiles cheekily in return.

"Ooo! Good! Once we get there, can we play hide-and-seek?" he exclaims, smiling hopefully, and Yugi shakes his head, laughing loudly.

"You are a five year old trapped in a nineteen year old's body, Ryou, no doubt in my mind," he jokes, and Ryou laughs in reply.

"You know it!"

Yugi regains his composure and jams his thumb over his shoulder. "I actually came to tell you that Seto, Joey, and the other guys are here," he says, and Ryou replies with a "cool" and hops up off of his bright red, comfy couch.

The two friends walk back into the main room, and Duke (who had been busy watching the TV) looks up.

"Glad to see you two finally decided to join the party!" he jokes, and Ryou scoffs.

"Duke, without me, there would be no party!" he says, and everybody chuckles.

Seto Kaiba steps forward from the doorway. "Hey, long time no see."

Ryou nods, smiling. "Yeah, 24 hours is a super long time."

Joey Wheeler, who had been standing next to Seto, shakes his head. "You two are so dumb."

Seto smiles and winks. "Right back at you, Wheeler." He leans over and gives him a small hug.

Joey blushes and mumbles something under his breath that sounds like, "I hate you, Kaiba."

All of a sudden, Yugi, who had been standing behind Joey, steps up and asks,

"Can we start playing music, now?"

Then, a voice from the back adds,

"Yeah, that is what we came here to do in the first place!"

Everyone turns to see Tristan Taylor rolling his eyes.

Duke nods. "Right."

Everybody steps back into Ryou's living room and takes their place at an instrument. Music fills the home, and for hours, it's kind of like old times.

Old times that Ryou is glad to have gone through and be over with.

Days passed, and he left Rockford.

He left Rockford.

He was "cured".

The biggest chapter in his life was over, and Ryou didn't know quite what to do. His parents bought him a condo in a nice neighborhood not too far from his old house, and he settled in there for a bit. He got a nice job that paid the bills, and he played music, so he was okay.

But through this "okay" existence, Ryou had one little thing itching at the back of his mind.

He never heard a word from any of the other guys (not even Duke) after he left Rockford.

No letter, visit, phone call…nothing.

Ryou tried not to let it bother him, but there wasn't one moment in the first couple months of living in his post-Rockford life that it didn't come to mind.

He loved each and every one of those boys, and the thought of maybe not seeing or talking to any of them ever again made his heart ache.

He thought about calling Rockford or even the hospital to find out about Tristan even, but he could never seem to muster up the courage to do anything whenever the thought came up, so he just lived his life wishing and hoping.

But then, on April 12th, his doorbell rang.

There on his porch stood all his old Rockford friends, newly declared "cured" and "ready for the world". Even Tristan had come out of his coma and was standing there, smiling.

It was a joyous reunion except for one small thing—

Ryou puts down the new, off-white guitar he just got for his birthday. He yawns, stretches, and announces,

"Hey guys, I'm gonna be out on the porch for a bit. Come on out if you need me."

Everybody nods or verbalizes their agreement, and Ryou starts out.

Once he's out in the open air, he inhales deeply. The fresh, post-storm scent fills his lungs and he looks up. The sun is setting.

He didn't get to go to the park.

He laughs at himself; he finds it funny that that's the first thing that pops in his mind.

But he shrugs it off, and just feels grateful for the beautiful weather and all the amazing friendships he has.

His second chance.

He found himself, through all that turmoil and struggle, he found himself and came out of it okay.

Ryou considers himself a butterfly, now.

He used to be a lost little caterpillar, wandering around and playing games.

But he went through his own metamorphosis, the metamorphosis that saved his life, and is now a full grown, beautiful butterfly, ready for the world.

Slowly, he saunters over to his porch swing. He plops down on it, it squeaks, and then he begins pushing himself back and forth.

He stares thoughtfully and quietly at the setting sun.

A tear rolls down his cheek.

Soon, Ryou is crying.

Ryou is crying rather hard, and he brings his hands up to his face and tries to stop it, but the tears won't stop falling.

He feels worried, because he doesn't want Yugi or Duke or anyone to hear him and come out and get concerned, but he knows the tears won't stop and he knows why.

Even though he tries to deny it, his journey will never be complete until he sees one last person.

But that person hasn't been seen by anyone in six and a half months. Not even Yugi.

Anytime anyone asked, they were just told that it was confidential information, and no one could get a hold of his parents, either.

Ryou cries harder as memories race back to him.

Brown eyes.

A beautiful, rare laugh.

Soft white hair.

Musical and literary talent.

His best friend.

Ryou hears the sound of someone's footsteps on the porch.

His head shoots up, and he tries to frantically wipe his tears away.

"I-I-I'm fine, Duke, I just—"

"I'm not Duke."

Ryou is almost afraid to look up.

Bakura stands there in front of him, the low sun casting brilliant glows on his face and Ryou is breathless.

The one person he'd longed to see for so long is standing right in front of him.

(He kind of wonders if he's dreaming.)

Ryou's mouth falls open.

"Bakura."

His best friend nods once. Then, he whispers out,

"Yeah. It's me. I got out of Rockford a few days ago."

Ryou looks immediately at the boy's arm. It's under a black jacket, but it seems fine as it hangs lazily at his side.

"Y-your arm—" Ryou starts, sniffling madly and trying to quickly regain his composure, embarrassed that Bakura caught him crying and that his words are coming out so clumsily.

Bakura rolls up his sleeve.

His arm looks completely fine except for one scar where the bullet hit. Ryou mentally thanks God that his arm is okay.

Bakura laughs a little at Ryou's pleasantly surprised face.

"It's amazing what medical technology and physical therapy can do these days," he says, and Ryou smiles and nods.

"Yeah," he says, and sniffles.

There's silence.

Bakura just stands in front and stares at the sky above Ryou's head and Ryou just stays on the porch swing and stares at the ground.

Then, suddenly, Ryou feels a rush of embarrassment as he realizes what he's doing.

"Oh, gosh, Bakura, I'm sorry. C'mon, sit down," Ryou scoots over and finally invites Bakura to have a seat.

Bakura chuckles a little, and walks over. He sits himself down, and Ryou feels his stomach swell in joy at being so close to Bakura again.

Ryou swallows.

"You look good," Ryou says, and it's true. Last time he'd seen Bakura…well, he'd rather not think about it.

Bakura nods in acknowledgment. "Thank you. You do, too."

Ryou smiles. He still hasn't actually looked at his friend since he sat down, yet.

The change in Bakura is so great and so wonderful that Ryou wants to start crying again, but he doesn't. He holds it back. It's not the time and place for crying.

But Ryou can't deny it anymore.

Bakura is free.

Whatever was holding him back before, those chains have been broken. Bakura will be okay, now.

There's silence.

"So do you guys play still? I mean, you, Duke, and Yugi?" Bakura asks, a quiet sense of nostalgia in his voice.

Ryou nods.

"Yeah. But, it kind of stinks, `cause we wanna start a band but we don't have a rhythm guitarist," he explains, his tone suddenly a bit depressed.

There's a pause.

"Do you think, that, like, you would like to maybe play as our guitarist or something?" Ryou whispers out, daring to ask, and Bakura all but exclaims back,

"Of course!"

Even in the dark, Ryou sees the blush dotting his friend's cheeks. "I mean, uh, yeah. That, like, sounds pretty cool. Thanks." He smiles sadly. "I miss playing with you guys."

Ryou nods. "We miss you, too."

Silence arises.

Again.

Ryou can't hold it in anymore. He flies around and stares at his friend in the now nighttime light.

"Why did you just disappear?" Ryou asks, his tone hurt and soft all at the same time.

Bakura swallows and doesn't answer for a moment.

Then, he turns to Ryou and their gazes meet, and Ryou thinks Bakura looks the most beautiful he's ever seen him.

"I tried, Ryou. I did. I wanted to. But Jared and Dr. Sampson wouldn't let me. They sent me to a different wing of the hospital where I was put in advanced therapy, and I tried every day to see or talk to you or Yugi or someone from 227, but I couldn't," Bakura whispers.

Ryou bits his lower lip.

"But I knew I had to see you guys again. So I tried my hardest and eventually…" He heaved a breath in. "Eventually I was okay. The process was sped up `cause of what we went through, though…"

He looks forward at the stars now dotting the horizon and pauses.

"I can't believe I almost killed you, Ryou. I'm so sorry."

Ryou shakes his head.

"It's in the past, Bakura. You're fine now; I forgive you, and everyone else will, too."

Bakura's eyes glimmer with tears.

"I was so messed up, Ryou. So messed up. And that night, when you told me you hated me…I realized it," Bakura says, and swallows tears.

Ryou feels a tear slide down his own cheek, and he reaches out and touches Bakura's shoulder comfortingly.

"I'm glad you're okay, now," he whispers.

Bakura nods. "Thanks."

All of a sudden, Duke's voice comes from the open window around the front of the porch.

"Ryou! Get in here! We're getting ready to have dinner! Yugi's making spaghetti!"

Bakura and Ryou both chuckle. Ryou calls back,

"All right! Gimmie a sec!"

After Duke's "okay!", he turns back to Bakura, who is obviously feeling awkward and is biting his lower lip in a way that looks rather adorable.

Ryou smiles softly.

"Why don't you have dinner with us, Bakura? The guys would love to see you again," he asks.

Bakura snaps his head around and stares at Ryou with wide eyes. "A-are you sure?" he stammers.

Ryou laughs. "Of course!"

Bakura takes a deep breath in and lets it out heavily. He closes his eyes.

For a minute, it's all quiet.

Then…

"Ryou, you know how they say there are people who mean so much to you that without them you couldn't live?" Bakura whispers.

Ryou doesn't take his eyes off of Bakura.

"Yes, I do," he says softly back.

Bakura turns to face Ryou. Their gazes hold one another's for a few silent moments, and then Bakura says,

"You're one of the few people that makes my world go round, Ryou. I don't think I could live without you."

Ryou looks up at the sky.

On the inside, he's bursting with joy. Happiness. Relief.

Love.

He smiles.

A tiny streak of silver flies across the backdrop of the navy blue spring night sky, and Ryou whispers,

"Look. A shooting star."

Bakura follows his gaze, and he smiles.

"Make a wish," Ryou says.

Bakura shakes his head.

"I already have anything I'll ever want."

Ryou smiles. Slowly, so slowly, he wraps his arms around Bakura and pulls his body close. Ryou inhales the scent of his best friend that he hasn't smelt in so long and feels Bakura gently press his lips on his own, in a sweet and romantic kiss.

Bakura gently pulls away and leans his head atop Ryou's happily.

"Well then we're both set for life, I guess," Ryou whispers, feeling immeasurably happy.

Then, he looks up to see his Bakura, and his breath hitches in his throat because…

There's no smirking.

There's no witty comeback.

And…

For the first time in his entire life, Ryou watches as Bakura smiles beautifully and the stars explode into a burst of silvery light.