Dear Readers (please read):

I apologize ahead of time, but I do not feel comfortable posting up the epilogue. It isn't because of bad or abusive reviews-everyone has actually been quite polite and honest, and for that I am grateful. But the amount of readers who have dropped away due to being offended by the material and the amount of reviews that have expressed disgust in characters who I only tried to write as honestly as possible so as to show a great wrong that is commonly accepted in our world has discouraged me. My goal and dream as a writer is to create a break from the common stress of my reader's lives and to encourage and perhaps bring some hope, if I am so lucky as to be a giver of that. I never meant to offend, and the fact that a topic so precious to me is what is offensive...this is exactly why I held off writing this story.

I'd like to believe that I am one of those strong people who can just write the truth and not care what other people think, but concerning this subject, I am not one of those people. I am not strong. I am not brave. It took a lot just to keep writing this story.

But as I cannot put up the last chapter, I also cannot, in good conscience, take down this story. It may offend most, but if there is but one person out there who needs this story, who this story can help, than it will be worth it. If there is but one who can take a little happiness from this, then...then I can be okay.

Since fanfiction forbids chapters that are just author's notes, I will include a short summary of an ending that I think will satisfy those purposes.

Thank you to those who have read this far.

LoweFantasy

It is remarkably how unkind the world can be towards those who have become prisoners to drugs, both illegal and prescription. Their addiction makes them unstable, unpredictable, and very often dangerous, therefore they are refused from many homeless shelters, medical help, and even their own homes.

The business world is even more cruel.

Bakura was already pushing the door open on being fired from the band when he nearly destroyed their first number with his unprofessional boycott. The overdose was the last thin nerve Kaiba had for him. Part of Kaiba's wild success was his strict drug policies on the various productions he ran, and he had little belief in reformation. Bakura was ousted, his only option for continuing his career to find another producer who would be okay with his past.

Atem almost went with him. But Tea and Joey agreed that Bakura would probably not appreciate that, and in the back rooms of the plot, Bakura agreed with them. Atem had given the last offense. To Bakura, his band leader's attempt to help had only been a harsh kick while he was down. And since Atem couldn't remember all of that drunken night, he wouldn't remember Bakura's attempts to seduce him, and therefore no one would ever really know about the dark jealousy Bakura held alongside his prejudice towards Tea.

Tea and Atem were engaged some months later. Tea became even closer friends with Kisara Kaiba, and Atem found himself the unwitting audience to sides of his producer that the cold Seto Kaiba kept well hidden from the world, all to better protect his son and wife from the judgmental, nosy, and often destructive view of the media and business competitors.

When Tea and Atem got married, they sent an invitation to Bakura, who did not come. Joey was best man, and though he could not enter the temple with them-along with most if not all of the wedding party-he and the Kaibas certainly had a crazy reception/party to celebrate them after they came out. Watching Joey roll around in a happy drunken fervor, Atem found himself surprisingly not wishing he could join him, but deeply happy that he could appreciate every moment of that day in complete soberness. After all, no alcohol was necessary in making him feel sky high and more happy than he had been in his life.