(Author's Note: Hey all... It's been a while, I know. Just felt inspired to pick this back up for the moment, and start writing about the next arc in the series, while I try to remember where I thought I was headed with this. I appreciate your patience and support. Please feel free to drop me a message or review. They do help me stay motivated. All that said, here you go... the start of a new chapter.)

If I cling too tightly, I'll just lose him.

Kaylie thoughtfully tapped her laptop, lips pursed in annoyance. Ever since her alternate self had appeared, she suddenly found her insecurities heightened. Pharaoh had told her over and over again to think nothing of it, but she knew when something was wrong.

And there was definitely something wrong with their relationship.

She couldn't pinpoint it, but the energy was different. Things had just felt off for a very long time. Maybe the novelty of their worlds colliding had disappeared now that she had chosen to stay there. Maybe she was too much of a mess for him to continue. Maybe she was too short. Maybe it was because she was now the legal sister of his sworn enemy. Maybe-

"Maybe you should stop worrying about it," she told her reflection in the laptop screen firmly.

That was, after all, how things had started going south between her and Zac. Granted, he had later come out as gay. Still, she felt some responsibility for fracturing their relationship with her neediness and constant worries that she wasn't being enough.

Well no more. She resolved, from that point forward, that she would no longer worry about what the Pharaoh was feeling, unless he had outright said it himself. No more paranoia. He was an ancient Egyptian spirit for crying out loud. He would speak his mind if he felt he needed to.

"I just felt responsible for her... your sudden appearance here."

"Uh-huh," Zoey tapped her lips with a pencil thoughtfully. "And you can just say 'her'. I won't be offended. Just pretend I'm a completely different person that is asking you incredibly personal questions to try and save the world."

"Um... okay?" The Pharaoh shifted uncomfortably in his chair.

"Now," Zoey tucked her feet up, under her body and stared at her notepad. "How have things been since then? That day when she decided to stay."

"Different," he answered carefully. "I suppose it's difficult to know how to... be with someone when one of you is a spirit, and the other is so... distant."

"What do you mean by distant?"

"When we were battling Dartz," Pharaoh's expression became more serious. "I felt that I had to protect her. She had so much going on, and clearly needed a friend."

"And now?"

"Now she doesn't need me at all," he finished, not caring to admit that the realization hurt more than he let on.

"Interesting," Zoey scrutinized the Egyptian. "So, given the fact that Shadi wanted you two to be separated, I can only assume whatever individual is behind this catastrophe we are all trying to avoid probably wants the opposite of that. But, according to you, the relationship already seems to be fracturing."

"It's not fracturing. They're just getting used to things being... normal," Yugi piped in.

"There's been a change in energy in the relationship. Trust me, she'll obsess over it until it's fixed, or so completely broken, it will never be the same," Zoey clicked her tongue nonchalantly. "But if we want to figure out who is behind this, that's exactly what we want."

"What!?" Both teen and spirit looked at the blonde like she was crazy.

"Well, if it's an individual who we are looking for, then they'll swoop in and do their best to fix the relationship. It'll give us a good reference point to start investigating," Zoey shrugged.

"And if it isn't a person we should be worried about?" Pharaoh asked.

"Then we avoid whatever situation had Shadi all riled up because the relationship will be broken, and he'll send me home," she smiled. "Honestly, I kind of just have to sit back and let myself do the work."

"I'd prefer to avoid breaking things," the ancient Egyptian muttered.

"Don't worry. It would only be temporary, until all these dangerous, save the world events are over," Zoey seemed determined. "Kaiba should be holding a tournament soon."

Yugi raised his eyebrow, "Again? But they just had their Grand Championship a couple months ago."

Her brow furrowed, "They already had the championship? With that weird German guy who was trying to get revenge on Kaiba?"

"It was in America, before we even flew back here after defeating Dartz. We had been hoping for a vacation, but there was barely two days between us saving the world and then saving KaibaCorp. Again."

"And I was there? I mean, the other me?"

"Well, yeah," he shrugged. "That's where they introduced her to the world as the third Kaiba sibling. She hated the attention, but it was kind of necessary."

Suddenly Zoey was in his face, her eyes shining as she glanced between the two, "I need you to tell me everything that happened, exactly as it happened. This is very, very important. Oh, but before you get started... Just so I can get the timeline correct... Have you been on any recent trips to India?"

"India, why would we want to go to India?"

"Great, there's still a little time. Tell me about the championship."

"Time for what?"

"Less questions and more explaining," Zoey tapped the coffee table impatiently.

Yugi and the Pharoah shared a look before Yugi started recalling the events, "It all started after Kaiba flew Kaylie off to their American headquarters, leaving us behind to enjoy some time with Professor Hawkins and Rebecca..."

A couple months ago...

"We'll have to give it a few days before all your paperwork is processed, but I've made sure it was fast tracked so we get your identity worked out as soon as possible. With all the trouble that Dartz created, and the opening of KaibaLand moving forward, everyone is going to be watching my company very closely. I can't have your sudden appearance messing things up for me," Seto sat back with his arms folded and eyes closed, not even bothering to make eye contact as he talked to his new "sister".

Not that it mattered, she was hardly paying attention either as the lake and campgrounds where the others were staying with Professor Hawkins disappeared from sight. It had only been an hour or two since she had made her decision to stay behind, and she was still in slight shock that shes had actually agreed to give up everything she knew.

"Kaylie?" Mokuba's voice broke her thoughts. "Didn't you hear Seto?"

"Huh?" she looked away from the helicopter window. "No, sorry. I was thinking about something else and trying to ignore his nerve grating voice."

She didn't say it in a malicious way. In fact, she finished the sentence with a wink that earned a smile from Mokuba to make up for the angry glare she was getting from Kaiba.

"For someone relying on us to not end up on the streets and homeless, you sure aren't showing a lot of respect," he growled.

"Don't mess up the opening of your theme park, keep my head down until then, where you're planning on having me make my grand debut to society..." she sighed. "Sorry. I'm just really anxious about this whole thing, and teasing people is how I handle my nerves. I didn't mean to sound ungrateful."

Kaiba let out a soft "Humph" while Mokuba gave her another sympathetic look. She was getting those from him a lot in the past few hours, ever since he had convinced her to stay.

"You're going to be fine," the younger brother assured her.

"I'm just doing my best."

"We'll all have to be at our best if we're going to recover from what Dartz did," Kaiba clenched his hand into a fist. "This whole theme park opening is vital to keep KaibaCorp running. And while having an older addition to the family business might put some stock holders at ease, you hardly exude the confidence you'll need to pull this off."

"Gee, thanks," Kaylie huffed sarcastically.

"The first thing you'll need is a wardrobe change," Kaiba ignored her apparent frustration. "If you look like you have power, people treat you like you have power."

"Do I have to wear a ridiculous cape like you?"

Mokuba let out a sudden snort while Kaiba ground his teeth, "Intimidation works for me. For a shrimp like you, we're better off trying to find something that isn't frilly and pink."

"So hostile," she smiled, just to let him know she was still teasing him.

"I'll have Roland take you shopping tomorrow morning. I want you and Mokuba in my office by 2 in the afternoon to discuss the opening of KaibaLand and your introduction to the world as our sister," Kaiba looked directly at Roland, who quickly saluted and affirmed he would carry out the orders before pinning his gaze on Kaylie. "I mean it. Don't mess this up."

She swallowed and nodded, "I won't."

I'm going to try very hard not to.