Dousing the Flame

Hospital

A/N: Hello all. As always, thank you for your support. Please continue to comment and vote *hugs.*

/Thoughts/

Yugi blinked in surprise, raising his phone to his ear and said in a monotone voice; his eyes not drifting from the officers, "Joey...I have to call you back."

"Yug, what's.." Joey never finished his sentence before Yugi hung up.

"Yes. I am Yugi Sennen," Yugi whispered his mouth going dry. He repeated his previous query, "What can I do for you both?"

The officers shared an uneasy look before one finally responded, "Yami Sennen has been in an accident."

Yugi dropped his cell phone; his hands raising to cover his mouth. Crystalline tears  collected in his eyes, "Is he okay?"

"He has been taken to the hospital," The other stated as he reached into his pocket to retrieve a card, "Here is the address of where he was taken and our contact information should you have any questions. They will be able to give you more information about what happened and his condition."

Yugi gulped staring at the card he had received from the officer, but not really seeing it. The letters appeared strange and unrecognizable to him. The letters could have been written in ancient hieroglyphics for all he knew.

"Thank you...." Yugi whispered, fighting back the tears. /I have to get to him./

The officers nodded solemnly to Yugi and they took their leave. Yugi closed the door in a mesmerized trance; his hands drifted down the wood paneling. The petite graduate finally focused long enough to pick up his cell phone. His hands shook as he fidgeted with the digital device, trying to call Joey back. He couldn't think clearly enough to operate it nor would his fingers comply to push the desired buttons. Yugi feared the worst. He wanted to call Joey back, but could not get his brain and fingers to work as a team and dial the number. To his relief, Joey's name flashed on the screen a few minutes later.

"Jo...Joey," Yugi croaked out.

"Yug! What's wrong man? What happened?" concern laced the blonde's voice.

"Yami's been in an accident. I..I..." Yugi could feel his composure weakening as if it were grains of sand slipping through his fingertips.

"Yug, you want us to pick you up to take you to the hospital?" Joey offered.

Yugi nodded before realizing that Joey couldn't hear his nod. "Yes," He whispered.

"We'll be there man. We're leaving now," his best friend stated. Yugi heard Joey's voice off in the distance stating, "Duke, we gotta go... Yami..." before the line was disconnected.

"Thanks Joey," Yugi whispered hanging up the phone and letting go of his composure. He fell to his knees; his hands balled up in fists. One squeezing his cell tight enough to turn his knuckles white. His body quivered; sorrow overtook him. The flood gate opened and the tears were set free. They squeezed between his long ebony lashes and trickled down his face. A few landed on the back of his hands and slid down to be absorbed into the carpet like the other tears.

\/\/\/

Eighteen agonizing minutes later, Yugi heard a knock at the door. He struggled to regain his standing position; his knees feeling wobbly and not sturdy enough to support him. The concerned faces of Duke, Joey, and Tristan met his amethyst gaze when the door swung open. The three circled him giving him a brief supportive hug.

"Come on, Yugi. Let's get you to the hospital," Duke commented. Yugi handed Duke the card with the hospital address on it.

The ride over was silent and excruciating. Time almost seemed to stop completely or not exist at all. Yugi wasn't sure. His thoughts were jumbled and his mind raced; the worst case scenarios flashed through his head. The world around him blurred together in blotches of light and darkness.