Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Daze of Paradise ❯ Paradise Regained ( Chapter 6 )

Authoress' Notes: Well, hello everybody! *stretches lazily* It's so good to be back! I hope too many of our loyal readers haven't forgotten about this fic. (Caitlin: *sniffles & chibi eyes* How could anyone forget me?!) -_-; Right… I guess now would be a good time to say that I've now seen the whole Battle City tournament, and as far as I can tell, I haven't stepped away too much from the actual plot accept for Marik being around, Ishizu having a yami of her own (Isis), etc., etc. As for the Bakura/Ryou stuff, I have yet to see a conclusion on that plot thread so I'm not really worried about it. Anyway, Let's just move along, shall we?

Disclaimers: Caitlin and I don't own Yu-Gi Oh! We don't own Paradise Regained, either. That's John Milton's.

Warnings:The usual. In this chapter: A little angst and a plot twist NO ONE was expecting, I'm sure. And from now on, no more Tea bashing! O.o

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Chapter 6 - Paradise Regained

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Joey went to the door to get the food, Ryou right behind him to help carry it in. The others were out on the deck watching a spirited game of Duel Monsters between Kaiba and Yugi.

The blonde duelist threw open the door and the smile he'd had on his face abruptly vanished when he took in the appearance of the delivery person.

"Oh! Joey…and Ryou! I didn't know this was your cabin." Tea said, shifting the food boxes in her arms so she could see them without looking over the top of the stack. "Are the others here, too?"

"Let me take those." Ryou scooped up the boxes from Tea and headed for the kitchen, leaving Joey to deal with their former friend.

"Uh…yeah. They're out on the deck." Joey sighed at the hopeful expression on Tea's face. But that wasn't what made him stand aside and usher her inside. Under the hopefulness was a lost, nervous, and fearful look that made him wonder just what she was up to. "I want to talk to you, Tea."

Tea nodded and stared at the floor as she kicked off her shoes. "Yes. I figured you would. I have time. I offered to deliver your food when the regular delivery kid called in sick and they had no one else to send. I'm off work now until tomorrow afternoon."

He just looked at her as she babbled. Yep. There's definitely something different about her. Joey led her to the living room and motioned for Ryou to join them. The white-haired hikari took the food outside first, and while Joey waited he watched Tea carefully in silence as she fidgeted and played with the shoulder strap on her purse anxiously. When Ryou returned, Malik was with him, and the two hikaris sat next to Joey on the couch after Ryou had filled his and Joey's plates and snagged three sodas for them. He handed over the food and a soda to Joey.

"Alright, Tea. Spill it. What's got you so worked up?" Joey finally demanded.

"I…I just wanted to say that…I'm sorry. For being such an annoying, jealous bitch before I left." She looked at Joey pleadingly. "I don't know what was wrong with me! I never wanted to lose any of you as my friends, Joey."

Malik snorted and Ryou elbowed him in the ribs. "Let her explain herself, Malik." Ryou said, looking right at Tea as he spoke. "Even she deserves to be heard before either forgive her or let our yamis have fun."

Joey really had to try to resist point out Yami wouldn't allow that and snickering at Tea's horrified expression before, to their shock, she slumped in her seat and refused to look at them.

"I deserve it, Ryou. After being the way I was with not just Yugi and Yami but with all of you." She admitted quietly, her voice full of tears. "I don't blame you guys for hating me."

"Then why, Tea? Why couldn't you just accept that Yugi didn't return your feelings and never could?" Joey asked, shaking his head. "You don't know how hard it was on Yugi to lose one of his closest friends, Tea."

Malik glared, fiercely protective of the young Light that had saved not only him but his yami from the Shadows - and themselves. "If you think you'll get anywhere near Yugi again, you're in for a rude shock, girl. You have to get past all of us - not to mention Kaiba and Yami."

Tea looked up, a little confused. "Seto Kaiba? What does he care anyway?" She waved that off. "Never mind. I don't want to get between Yugi and Yami, Malik. I swear it on…I'll swear it on the Millennium Items if you want."

Ryou raised a white eyebrow and exchanged looks with Malik and Joey. "That's rather brave of you, Tea, assuming you know what swearing an oath on them would mean if you were lying or broke that oath…"

"I do know, Ryou."

Malik sighed. "She's not lying. I spent enough time in her mind to know when she is or not."

"Look…I know I have to earn it, but I hope you all can forgive me someday." Tea stood, shakily twisting the strap of her purse in her hands. "Maybe I'd better just go. This was a mistake." She turned to go to the door but stopped cold when she came face to face with Yugi. "Yugi!"

"Tea." Yugi acknowledged, studying her so intently that she fought back the urge to squirm under his penetrating, amethyst gaze. "Leaving so soon? We didn't have a chance to talk, you and I." His smile softened his expression and he said gently, "There's a lot we need to catch up on, after all."

Tea sniffled, tears sliding down her cheeks. "Yugi…I'm so sorry! I've missed you so much…missed your friendship so much!"

Yugi, always willing to forgive and ever able to see the goodness in others where most could not, opened his arms to his friend and gathered her into a welcoming hug. He'd grown a bit since the last time they'd seen each other and Tea wasn't boosted up by her typical four-inch platform shoes she usually wore - making them exactly the same height now. She tucked her face into his neck and cried quietly.

"I missed you, too, Tea." He whispered. He glanced up as Yami and the others filed in and surrounded them. His amethyst eyes met ruby red orbs.

{My Light…always so forgiving.} Yami sent, voice wry and amused.

{I know. But I do miss her, Yami. And she's changed. I can tell.}

{Perhaps.}

Yugi sent him a mental grin. {Besides, you know that no one and nothing can separate us, my love. The sex it too good.}

Yami chuckled and shook his head. {That it is, aibou. I quite agree.} He grinned a bit when his hikari blushed slightly.

"Here, Tea. Have a tissue." Serenity produced a box of them and handed it to her as the brown haired girl broke away from Yugi and wiped her eyes.

"Thank you, Serenity."

Everyone took a seat, gathering around as Yugi filled Tea in on everything that happened while she'd been gone. She smiled at the bonded Pharaoh and his hikari when Yugi lifted his shirtsleeve to show her the golden armband of the Winged Dragon of Ra.

"It's beautiful, Yami. I think that monster was an excellent choice."

Yami just inclined his head briefly in thanks.

"So what about you, Tea?" Mai inquired, studying her nails. "How're those dance classes going?"

Tea's face fell. "Actually, not so good. I tried to get into this school in Los Angeles, but they said I wasn't quite good enough."

"But you're a fabulous dancer!" Yugi protested.

"Thanks, Yugi, but I guess I'm not as good as I thought." She shrugged. "If that school wouldn't take me, then no others in the States will either - especially not Julliard." She tried to brighten things up a little. "Besides! Dancing isn't all I'd like to do with my life. I want to travel some more, maybe go to college for a while."

Joey gave her a one-armed hug. "Well, whatever you decide to do, just make sure it's what you want. We'll stick with ya, Tea."

"Thanks a lot, Joey!" She hugged him back.

"So what are you doing here? In Hawaii, I mean?" Everyone looked at Kaiba, who had spoken after being silent the whole time, a bit stunned.

"Ah…I made enough money at a waitress job in LA to get a plane ticket here but not enough for one to Japan. I had to get out of LA as soon as I could so I figured I'd be able to get a decent job here easier than LA, since Hawaii gets a lot of Japanese tourists and I speak Japanese as well as English." She explained. "But…if it's strange that I'm here then it's down-right weird that you're here, Kaiba."

"I'm on vacation. What's so weird about that?" He frowned, ice blue eyes fixed solidly on her as he crossed his arms over his chest almost defensively.

Yami chuckled. "Because it's you, Seto. But I think she means it's weird because you're here with all of us."

"Oh." The CEO shrugged. "Kala won the trip and invited me along. And Mokuba was getting on my nerves complaining that I don't relax enough."

"I see." Tea's expression said she wasn't so sure about that but she let it drop.

"So you're working to earn enough money to get a plane ticket home?" Yugi asked her. She nodded.

"Yes. I hope to have enough by the end of the summer so that I'll make it back in time to register for classes in the fall. I figured I would get a student loan or something." She smiled sadly. "With my mom gone, I have to do something to put myself through school. I spent what I had getting to the States and living there as long as I could."

Mai felt sorry for the girl, despite how she'd disliked her for the past. "Honey, you're coming back with us. And you can stay with Joey, Serenity, Kala, and I until you can afford an apartment of your own." She offered.

Joey blinked and looked at his girlfriend. "Mai? You sure?"

"Hmph. I just offered didn't I?"

Tea's eyes got huge and she swallowed thickly. "I…Mai, I don't know what to say!"

"Don't thank me, kid. I'll expect you to earn your room and board while you're with us, and think of the plane ticket as a welcome back gift from all of us."

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After a dazed and happy Tea had left and the three yami/hikari couples had gone to their cabin to go to bed, Joey had a brief conversation with Mai before turning in themselves.

"Under that tough-as-nails exterior you're really a big softy, aren't you, Mai?" He leaned back into his pillow.

"You're just figuring that out, Joseph?" She drawled amusedly, crawling into bed with him.

He shrugged. "I guess we're just such a good influence on you, huh?"

"Oh yeah. I'm sure that's the reason." Mai turned off the light.

There was a period of companionable silence that was eventually broken by Joey's sudden question.

"Hey, Mai?"

"Yes, Joey?"

"Do you love me?"

Mai opened her eyes and blinked in surprise. "Of course I do, Joey." She rolled onto her side to face him. "Where'd that question come from?"

"Just thinking about the past. You know…Tea and Yugi." He folded his hands behind his head, propping himself up a bit as he thought. "Do you think we'll ever have the kind of love that Yami and Yugi have?"

Mai frowned. "I don't know that anyone could. Those two are rather unique, Joey."

"Yeah. I suppose you've got a point there." Joey sighed.

"Are you…having second thoughts about us?" Mai asked softly after a few moments of tense silence.

Joey sighed again and turned over onto his side, coming face to face with the woman who'd been his first girlfriend, his first lover, and a staunch friend for three years now. "No. Not in the way you mean. I love you, Mai. You know that."

"I know. But…" she let him grasp her hand and bring it to his lips, pressing a gentle kiss to the back of her hand.

"But tell me the truth, Mai. Do you see us in, say, five years, getting married? Having kids?" Joey closed his eyes for a moment. "I've tried…I really have. But I can't see myself traipsing off to Egypt for a dig and leaving my family behind, and I can't see you raising our kids all alone while I'm gone."

Mai, despite the small ache in her heart, thought about that for a moment. Then she answered truthfully, "No, Joey, I can't either." She felt a tear slide down her cheek and smiled sadly into Joey's big, puppy dog golden eyes as he wiped the tear away with his thumb gently.

"So where does this leave us?" He asked, sorrow in his voice.

"I don't know. I don't want to lose you, Joey. You and Serenity are like family to me."

"That will never change, Mai. I promise you that." Joey swore, crossing his heart. "Serenity looks up to you as an older sister. She needs you in her life and so do I."

"Well, I need you both, too."

"I guess this means we're breaking up?"

"Yeah. I guess so. But we're still close friends, Joey. And you and Serenity can still live with me for as long as you want." Mai said that quite firmly.

"Thanks, Mai." Joey leaned over and kissed her one last time before rolling out of bed and moving to his bag to pack his stuff. "It's probably better if I just move over to the other cabin with Yugi and the others, since this cabin's all full." He pulled on a pair of shorts and a shirt, though he left it unbuttoned as he packed up.

"You don't have to go tonight, Joey." Mai told him, though she knew he was right.

He hoisted his bag over his shoulder. "No. It's better this way." He looked like he wanted to say something else, but it just wouldn't come out. Mai got up and went over, wrapping her arms around him tightly and kissing him goodbye passionately before pushing him to the door.

"Go, Joseph. I don't want you to see me cry." She sniffled.

"I'm sorry, Mai."

"Just go. I'll be okay."

He nodded and went for the stairs, not looking back until he heard the 'click' of her bedroom door.

Downstairs he found Kaiba sitting alone, reading his book again.

"What're you doing still up, Kaiba?" Joey asked.

"Couldn't sleep. So…" he waved his book at Joey, and frowned when he noticed Joey's bag. "Where are you going?"

"The other cabin." Joey looked away, heart heavy and not wanting to discuss his love life with someone who, at best, despised him. "I'll see you in the morning, Kaiba." He walked out the patio doors and tried to ignore the presence of the blue-eyed CEO that got up, laid his book aside, and followed.

"Wait, Joey." Kaiba wasn't sure why he cared - this was Joey Wheeler, after all - but he found himself concerned about the blonde. "What's wrong? Do you normally run off in the middle of the night?"

Joe sighed and set his bag down, fairly sure Kaiba wouldn't let him leave until he explained himself and feeling too emotionally weary to fight back against his adversary. "Not that it's any of your business, Money-bags, but Mai and I decided to break things off, and I decided it would be best if I moved to the other cabin and took the free room since this cabin's full."

Kaiba absorbed that then said, "I see."

He had to frown at himself when he felt a little spark of… Dear Gods! I'm happyhe's not going out with Mai anymore?! What the hell?!

Oblivious to Seto's sudden elation and extreme confusion about it, Joey picked up his bag again. "I'm going over there before anyone gets too settled in. Bye." He started down the steps to the beach.

Kaiba mentally shook himself and called out, "Joey! Hey, I'm sorry. About you and Mai, I mean."

Joey looked up at him, surprised. "I…uh, thanks, Kaiba." He replied, uncertain about this new Seto Kaiba. Then he hurried over to the other cabin, leaving a confused and vaguely annoyed with himself blue-eyed duelist behind.

The blonde knocked on the door of the cabin and waited, knowing that either Yugi or Yami would hear his knock or sense he was there.

He was right. He didn't have to wait long.

A sleepy-eyed, tousled Yugi appeared at the door, flicking on the kitchen's light switch as he rubbed at his eyes and opened the door.

"Joey?" Yugi yawned. "What's going on?" He gestured at his bag. "What's with the luggage?"

"Sorry I woke you up, Yug." Joey apologized. "Is it alright if I take the forth room here?"

"Of course, Joey." Beginning to wake up some, Yugi let him in and led him up to the spare room. "But why? Did you and Mai have a fight or something?"

Joey shook his head, smiling sadly. "No. Look, I'll tell you about it in the morning, okay? Go back to bed, Yugi." He paused. "And thanks."

"Well, if you're sure…" Yugi left him alone and went back to bed and his nice, warm Yami.

Joey closed (and locked - an extra precaution against certain platinum blonde Egyptians) the door, then stripped and crawled into bed.

He cried himself to sleep that night.

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Authoress' Notes: O.o I told you I had a surprise for you! I'm being sneaky again!!!! (Marik, Malik, & Bakura: LET US HELP!!??) ^-^ Ah…no. I don't think so. More coming soon! R/R!