A/N: HEY LOOK! I'm finally back with 5D's fanfiction! ^-^

A few notes before you read:
1) Elodie Kumari appears briefly; you don't have to have read anything by ElodieKumari94 to understand this fic; she just came in handy. Elodie is used with the permission of her creator - meaning, I don't own her.
2) This is part one of a two-part mini-series. Part two will be posted as a separate story - Crawling Back To You, which will be a Jackly fic.
3) Yes, I will eventually get back to those companion pieces to Shattered Soul that I promised. It's up next.
4) I don't own the characters of 5D's, either. For one thing, I'm not Japanese; I'm German. I also don't own the song "Lay Your Weapons Down;" Eddie Kirkland owns that.

Enjoy!

Lay Your Weapons Down

"Akiza, wait! Please. I'm sorry; I didn't –!"

"Liar!" she shrieked, tears streaming down her flushed cheeks. "You're NOT sorry! I don't know why I keep believing you every time you say that! You meant every word you said up until the 'sorry!'"

"Akiza," Yusei tried to plead. "I'm sorry, really! I was wrong –."

"Oh, so now you admit it! Well, guess what! That confession isn't gonna cut it this time, Yusei Fudo! I'm leaving!" The red-head turned, picked up her suitcase, and started for the door.

"Please, Akiza! It just came out all wrong! It's not what you think… I –."

"Oh really? I'm leaving, Professor Fudo, and there is absolutely nothing you can do to stop me!"

Yusei lunged forward, grabbing her arm in a final, desperate attempt to keep her from leaving. "Please, Akiza!" he whispered.

She simply continued to glare daggers at her husband of two years. "Don't you dare say that you love me, Fudo," she spat icily. "You never loved me." Without another word she wrenched her arm from his loosening grip and slammed the door of their Tops' apartment behind her.

Yusei stood rooted to the spot, staring in stunned disbelief at the closed door, arm still outstretched before him. How had it come to this? Not even an hour ago the two had been happily sharing dinner together. He shook his head as he let his arm fall limply back to his side, his gaze falling to the floor. In all honesty, he couldn't even remember what had started that argument. All he could see were his wife's beautiful honey eyes, angry and red from crying, staring coldly into his own blue orbs. All he could hear were the sounds of her hastily packing while he pleaded with her not to leave. He couldn't remember how it had come to this, but, he knew as he sighed deeply, that this was his own fault.

Again.

The only difference was that, in the past, they had resolved the problem, one way or another. They had cried, screamed, Akiza had locked herself in the bathroom on several occasions, Yusei had taken a walk to cool off.

But neither of them had ever walked out, bags packed, with the intent of not returning.

Yusei sagged into a kitchen chair, face in his hands, her final words echoing in his mind. 'You never loved me.' He sighed. "How can you think that, Akiza?" he whispered into the silence. "Even when everyone thought you were a witch… I have always loved you!"

"I'm at the end of my rope here, Crow. I don't know what to do."

The two surrogate brothers sat at a small, round table in the corner of their favorite café. Yusei had called on his best friend earlier that morning after Akiza had failed to return home, fulfilling her threat of such represented in the form of her suitcase.

"Have ya tried calling her?" Crow asked gently, stating the obvious, in Yusei's opinion, solution to locating his wife.

"Only a million times," he sighed wearily. "She didn't answer. I called Jack and Carly's, as well as Akiza's parents, but with no luck at either place. She hadn't been by or contacted either of them. She must've checked into a hotel."

"Bummer."

Yusei sighed, staring down at the still-steaming coffee in the Styrofoam cup clutched in his hands, his normally vibrant eyes clouded with doubt. "I don't understand, Crow; you and Elodie don't seem to ever have problems…"

Crow chuckled. "Where the deck did you get that impression?" He shook his head. "We've definitely had our share of spats, Yus'. I think it kinda comes with being married… with any relationship, really. No one can get along with everyone all the time, after all."

The blackette sighed again. "I know, it's just… She's never…" He trailed off, not knowing how to continue.

It was Crow's turn to sigh. "I know, man. Look, I'll talk to my wife. Maybe she'll have better luck tracking Akiza down – and convincing her to talk to you."

Yusei forced a small smile. "Thanks, Crow."

"What are brothers for?"

"I'm really sorry, Yusei," the soft voice at the other end of the line spoke, "but she doesn't want to talk to you."

Yusei sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. "It's not your fault, El. Thanks for trying."

A beat of silence passed before Elodie spoke again. "I do have a plan though, if you're interested…"

Yusei's mood perked slightly at this; plans of her devising usually worked out. "I'm listening…"

"Well, do you remember when Jack first returned to the city?"

"Of course I do," he smirked. "Carly had turned the tables on him; how could I forget?"

"Then you'll also recall how I set it up for him to get her back. See, I've already invited Akiza over for dinner tomorrow night…"

"You really think this'll work, El?" Yusei asked nervously as the brunette straightened his black tie for the -nth time.

"Of course it will!" Elodie answered confidently. Though, in her mind, she couldn't help but wonder the same thing herself. Akiza was stubborn – too much for her own good sometimes. Elodie knew full well that her friend would feel betrayed the instant she saw Yusei was here as well, so they would only get one chance at this. If it didn't work, Akiza would have nothing to do with any of them.

The doorbell ringing brought Elodie out of her thoughts. Crow called to them that he would answer it, giving Elodie another moment with Yusei. "Just stay in here until we come in. I don't have to tell you that you'll only get one chance at this… It'll work, Yusei." With that, she turned and left the living room, leaving Yusei momentarily on his own, remaining right where he stood next to an upright piano.

"Hey, girl," Elodie greeted Akiza with a hug. "I'm glad you came…"

"Me too," Akiza sighed. "That hotel room sure gets lonely after a few hours."

Elodie smiled apologetically. "I bet it does. … Dinner won't be ready for another twenty minutes at least, so why don't we go into the living room until it's done, huh?"

Akiza nodded and followed Crow and Elodie out of the entryway. She stopped dead in her tracks on the threshold, anger slowly bubbling to the surface. "What's the meaning of this?" she interrogated icily.

"Please, just let me explain –!" Yusei started only to be interrupted.

"I'm leaving!" She turned back towards the door.

"Now, wait, Akiza!" Elodie tried.

"NO!" she practically screamed. "You tricked me! What kind of a friend does that?"

"One who doesn't want to see her best friend's marriage fall apart!"

Before Akiza could retaliate, however, a piano cord reverberated through the room followed quickly by a soft baritone voice.

"It's been the coldest year I can remember

And the leaves just started turning brown

So when you see my white flag waving

Would you please lay your weapons down?

"It's been the hardest battle of the campaign

And there's still no proof I'm gaining ground

So when my scars bloom like roses

Can we please lay the weapons down?

"Are we fighting for the same thing

Or are you just gonna wear me down?

'Cause I don't think I'll make it through winter

If you won't let me talk it out."

Akiza was speechless. In the two years they had been married – and the few she had known him before that – never once had she heard him sing. When she'd asked about it once, he had simply shrugged and replied that he wasn't any good at it and didn't want to make her ears bleed. At the time, his words had made them both chuckle; now she could hear just how wrong those words had been. And then, of course, there was the song itself; she didn't know what to think.

"It's been the longest time I've gone without you

And in moments I can part the clouds

I never thought my mind could be sober

But I've learned to lay the lion down.

"We've been fighting for the same thing

And you've worn all my defenses out

I never would have made it to shelter

If you hadn't broken me down.

"It's a year I'd rather not remember

But the memory's where the answer's found

I know you see my white flag waving

Would you please lay your weapons down?"