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Prologue

        Tea turned and stretched gracefully.  A tendril of brown hair fell across her cheek and she brushed it away.  She brushed the wrinkles out of her knee length blue skirt and her pink blouse.  Picking up her carry-on bag once more she stepped into the main hall of the terminal.

       Domino City.

       It had been such a long time since she had last been here.  Not since Joey and Mai’s wedding five years before.  Sometimes she couldn’t believe all the trouble those two had put them through.  It had taken them nearly six years to confess their feelings for one another, and only three months to tie the knot. 

       She rolled her eyes as she recalled the frantic pre-wedding rush.  Joey and Mai – they were certainly in a class all their own, and quite a pair too.  And Serenity… she smiled as she recalled the official end of the wedding festivities.  Mai had looked straight at Tristan, giving him a slow and deliberate wink, before turning her back to the crowd and tossing the bouquet over her shoulder… directly into Serenity’s arms!  The young woman had blushed prettily, casting a sidelong look at Tristan who was gaping like a fish out of water- but there was hope in his eyes.  Now those two were hopeless. 

       Tea wondered if those two had ever gotten it together.  She hadn’t received a wedding invitation… yet.

       She frowned, shifting the bag’s shoulder strap into a more secure and comfortable position.

       Of course… there was no guarantee she would have received one.  She had left shortly after that – a job offer she couldn’t refuse.  Sure she’d written them all, but as the years went by, and they all went on with their lives, she could feel the distance growing between them.  But now she had had her time in the spotlight.  She had reached her goals, fulfilled her dreams, and had found it all rather empty.  It was time to come home. 

       Would they resent her? Welcome her? Would they even remember here?  When was the last time any of them had corresponded?  A few weeks?  A month?  Two?

       She stepped out into the open air and a gentle breeze blew her carefully combed hair astray.  She didn’t notice though.  Her attention was fixed on the lithe form a short ways away.  He was leaning casually against a dark blue car – he always had been partial to blue – it was nothing special, but it was nice, new.  He smiled at her warmly and pushed himself up, approaching her.

       “Got more bags?” he inquired, his eyes sparkling with amusement as he took in her single, small, bag.

       She nodded.  Most of her things would be shipped in a few days, but she had brought two suitcases with the essentials.

       “Where are they? I’ll get them.” He offered.

       As they walked toward the baggage claim she smiled.  He hadn’t changed – not in any way that mattered.  Oh, he was older, more confident, his voice deeper, but his heart was the still pure.  He was still kind, gentle, caring.  His hair too was the same.  She smirked at that.  A twenty six year old business man with tall maroon spikes – if they could even be called that – and blond bangs.  One significant thing had changed though – by some miracle, and it was a miracle, it must have been, he had grown.  He was taller than her now, though not by much.  She laughed inwardly <now that was a late growth spurt> Who grew after twenty one?

       “Tea?” his voice called her out of her reverie and she realized that they had stopped at the luggage carousel.  He already had her luggage.  She must have really been out of it.  She hadn’t even noticed.

       Her eyes shimmered as a realization hit her – he had remembered what her bags looked like… after all these years…

       She sniffed and quickly wiped at the moisture in her eyes.  She didn’t want him to think her sad – he had always been so sensitive.

       Oh how she had missed him.

       He set her luggage on the floor and stepped nearer to her, almost touching her, understanding in his eyes.

       “It’s good to have you back, Tea.” He said quietly, sincerely. 

       Tea sniffed once more, unable to hold back any longer.  She leaned forward ever so slightly, closing the distance between them, and placed her head on his chest, crying.  Slowly he brought his arms up around her and tenderly stroked her back.

       “It’s okay to cry Tea.” He whispered soothingly.

       She clutched the front of his shirt in her hands and sobbed.  She was so glad to be home.

       “It’s alright.” He murmured into her hair.

       Some things never changed.

       “Oh Yugi.” She sighed.