The magic worked, Téa wasn't in her room anymore. Téa gasped, looking around. It was so light and peaceful here. Maybe Atem liked it. There was one little problem – Téa had no idea where to find him and had too little precious time to lose. Téa entered the palace; it was the most obvious place for a deceased royalty to be. Téa went through the gardens unsure where to go. Téa noticed a woman in Egyptian clothes coming out of another small building. Was it okay to ask her for help? Last few times in the past Téa met some highly unfriendly people so... Téa decided against it, but it was too late; the woman had already seen her. Téa then recognised her. She looked exactly as Ishizu, but she couldn't... except that she wasn't Ishizu but her ancestor, Isis, Téa recalled. The priestess ran towards her, excited to see the brunette.
"Lady Téa?" Isis asked when she approached her. Well, Téa hadn't been told lady before.
"Yeah, except not a lady." Isis only waved with her hand as if Téa was a child she was scolding at.
"I'll take you to the pharaoh." Isis took her hand and they ran through the halls.
That was an unexpected turn of events. The woman was obviously excited to see her but why? Maybe Isis had some powers to see in the future and knew something they didn't? Téa had no time to think, the priestess was leading her all too quickly. Téa would see him again, Atem was here. It made her all excited and nervous at the same time. Her stomach was a ball of nerves. Would Atem be happy to see her? Of course, Atem would be. Wait... would Téa tell him about her... feelings? The colour drained from her face; no, no way, Téa couldn't do it. Before another thought entered her mind, they had stopped in front of a grand doorway. Isis smiled at her and opened without giving her a chance to prepare or anything. Téa held her breath staying close behind the Egyptian, but Isis quickly moved away revealing her instead. Atem was there, his back facing the door, but Téa knew instantly it was him. Téa gulped, that was it. The thing Téa had wished, dreamt of, even prayed for was finally coming true. Atem turned hearing someone enter the chambers. That was when Téa truly saw him, completely frozen in her place.
Atem was alone in the library. Atem highly appreciated all kinds of knowledge. The library was a place Atem had always liked being in. Atem was intrigued to learn about the world, foreign nations, lands... It was amazing. But Atem had spent quite some time in the modern world, and it was so much bigger than he thought. Back in Ancient times, they had very little knowledge about everything around them. Now, they had sciences, people specialising in different areas... it was simply fascinating. Atem was looking at a manuscript when he heard the door opening. Atem turned slowly around only to freeze in his place. This couldn't be... His mouth gaped a little at the sight of the girl in front of him. It was... if Atem wasn't mistaking them and was seeing clearly, it was Téa!
They both stood unmoving at a distance, too stunned to do anything at all. First to come to her senses was Téa. Her eyes filled with tears and Téa ran towards him. Atem was still shocked when Téa reached him and hugged him tightly. Téa didn't care if she was already crying, it had been so long, and she was finally seeing him, feeling him!
"Atem!" His name was said with such a relief and praising, it caused him to get out of the trance.
Atem returned the hug, enveloping her tiny waist with his arms. It was her; it really was. Atem felt her silent sobs vanish between them. How had Atem missed her... If Atem could've, he wouldn't let her go and hold her forever. The feeling of her being in his arms was the most incredible thing Atem had ever experienced. Téa was holding him and still couldn't believe it was true. Téa was afraid it was only a dream and she would soon wake up. But it was real, Téa was here. It seemed like after an eternity later, they parted but only a little to see each other, still holding for the other. Téa was crying less than before but still, crystal tears streamed down her face. Atem looked at her lovingly and wiped them off with his thumb.
"Téa..." her name sounded so beautiful coming from his mouth with his husky voice. How had Téa missed him...
They stared at each other, absorbing every little detail. Atem was even more handsome if that was possible. How Atem got taller, Téa had no idea nor did she cared. His body was strong and grown-up. Atem had died as a teenager but now... he seemed more mature. Téa felt his hands on her waist, laying casually but firmly. Atem didn't want to let her go, neither did Téa. His hair was still unruly but so gorgeous and the eyes... her legs almost melted but Atem held her. Her body was pressed into his. It hurt to see the tears in those beautiful eyes of hers. Atem noticed that her hair was longer, and it was simply lovely on her. Atem checked if something about her was different than he remembered but here she was, the same Téa safely in his arms.
"I missed you so much, Atem." Atem loved to hear her saying his name.
"I missed you, too." Atem whispered back.
Téa leaned her head on his chest, this time intertwining her hands around his waist. Atem hugged her petite figure, one hand resting in her hair. It was so soft, and Atem would love to caress it. Neither of them wanted this to stop. It was their moment, only theirs. Isis had long ago left, foreseeing what was coming next and that they needed solitude. Atem was so overjoyed that didn't think about how Téa got there in the first place. It was time to break the spell and go back to reality. They parted from one another, fortunately, Téa wasn't crying anymore. It hurt to see those sapphires of hers sad.
"How did you get here?" Atem began first. Téa touched her necklace showing it to him.
"Thanks to this," was her reply.
"Let's sit and talk then," Atem suggested, offering her his hand.
Téa gladly took it and they both sat on the couch. Téa had to explain how she got there after all. Atem must be confused and needed an explanation.
"I... lately, I started to find out some things about me." Téa felt uncomfortable talking about this. "I'm a time sorceress." Atem was a bit surprised. Atem didn't expect Téa to be like... the other one.
"Oh."
"At first, it happened all too randomly. I never knew when and where would I go. I was simply scared. I appeared in Ancient Rome and the guards thought I'm a spy, they chased me." His heart skipped a beat. His precious Téa had been chased! "I also appeared in the middle of a war in Ancient Egypt," Téa added. Shocked was a brief definition of his reaction.
"Are you alright? Did anyone hurt you?" Atem asked concerned.
"No, I'm fine. It didn't last that long." So, it was mere luck Téa wasn't hurt. "But thanks to this, I can control it now. It has some rare sand of time according to what she said." Atem looked at her confused.
"She?" Téa felt insecure talking about Teana.
"Well, when I got this, I saw... my ancestor. She's a Persian princess and she looks pretty much like me. She explained to me about all of this."
So maybe unlocking her powers caused him to remember. Strangely, Atem didn't feel right telling her about this. Obviously, Téa wasn't comfortable with the thought of the princess. Maybe Téa felt minor to her? Anyway, Atem didn't mention anything.
"This is something very big, Téa. You can travel in time." Atem was amazed, actually.
"And space, to be precise." Téa added.
For now, this was pretty enough. Téa didn't feel very right talking about this, maybe it was too new and sudden to her. But why now? This question showed up again in his head. What was the reason for resurfacing this exact moment but not earlier?
"Do you know why it happened now?" Téa tilted her head, already knowing what Atem meant by that.
"Before... well, I came of age but still, something was stopping it from coming out." Téa hesitated a little. "Your presence in the present was somehow keeping me safe. You were a far greater magnet for trouble and your powers were overshadowing mine. So, once you were gone... they could find their way to the surface." So, his departure had left her without her defence. Atem had been protecting her.
"I'm so sorry, Téa." Atem bowed his head. "I wished there was another way. I didn't want to go but the other option..." Téa understood.
"I know."
They stood in silence for a few moments. Why did the gods make him leave when Atem was protecting her? Atem was her shield and Téa had lost everything, being completely exposed to the world. Atem felt angry at himself for not being there to help her. Téa had to cope with it all alone.
"Do the others know about your powers?" Atem asked carefully.
"No, I haven't told anyone, except Ishizu because I asked her for help." Téa confessed.
"And how... how are you doing? All of you?" It was a question Atem hesitated to ask the whole time.
"They're doing fine. It took Yugi more time to get used to... the absence but now he's fine, too." Téa avoided his first one, however.
"And what about you, Téa?" Atem asked gently, looking at the brunette.
"I... I haven't been very well." Atem put his hand under her chin, lifting it so Téa could look at him.
"And why so, Téa?" Atem kept on saying her name, it sounded so adorably coming from him. Confessing her state in the past year and looking at him at the same time was almost impossible to do.
"I missed you greatly. I still do, Atem." Her eyes were full of tears when they met his.
"And I missed you, too." Atem confirmed again.
Atem brought her closer to him and hugged her. Téa closed her eyes resting her head on his strong muscular chest. Atem caressed her hair gently and Téa liked it. Téa liked staying here, this way with him. It was something Téa would only want to do with him. Téa felt as she could reveal her bare soul to him unafraid of anything because Atem would keep her safe as he always did. After a while, they parted but were still close enough, afraid to let go of each other. Atem had a better look at her hairstyle and smiled.
"This hairstyle looks very nice on you." Téa blushed because of his compliment. It was a bit strange to receive compliments at all; Téa didn't think of herself as a very remarkably beautiful girl.
"Thank you," Téa said still blushing.
Téa was a very pretty girl indeed. Now as Téa had matured a little was absolutely stunning. Téa had always been the most beautiful girl in his eyes. Neither of the other girls Atem knew could compare to her. Maybe Mai Valentine would be defined as an attractive woman but to him it was Téa. Téa, however, brought him to reality with her question.
"So... what's like the afterlife?" Téa asked curiously.
"Constant, still, unchangeable..." Téa tilted her head.
"Don't you like it?"
"It's just... I've been in the centre of action for so long and this sudden stillness... It almost drove me crazy at the beginning, to be honest." Téa wasn't sure if she'd like to be in such a non-changeable place.
"It wasn't fair to you. You deserved a second chance at... life." Téa looked cautiously at him. His head was bowed, his gold locks hiding his amethyst eyes.
"Maybe..." Atem sighed. "You know, I never turned back when I was leaving." Oh, Téa knew it too well. "Because I wouldn't have been able to continue if I looked at all of you one last time." So, Atem hadn't wanted to go either, but he was brave, a lot braver than her and managed to continue.
"If Joey hadn't stopped me, I would've gone after you." It was one of the things Téa regretted not doing.
"When I heard your words, I was unable to move. I couldn't bring myself forward. If Joey hadn't encouraged me, I don't think I would've gone any further." They didn't look at each other confessing these things. It was too hard looking at the other person.
"Sometimes I feel angry at him but deep down I know this was the only option. I'd never wish for you to be trapped for five thousand more years." Atem knew it as well, but it didn't stop him from wishing for another way, another choice...
Téa looked at her tiny pendant. The sand was flowing down mercilessly. Téa was running out of time which made her heart shrink. Téa wasn't ready to say goodbye again. Hell, Téa wanted to spend all the time with him. Their little reunion was coming to an end.
"We don't have much time." Téa informed him and Atem looked at her. "As the last drop of sand falls in its lower part, I'll be gone to the present." Téa said gravely.
"Well then..." Téa didn't listen to him, though.
Téa was a time sorceress and needed to time travel regularly. There was no rule to wherever Téa would go as soon as she did it. An idea formed in her mind. Téa didn't want to go in the past or anything but this... it was her chance. After all, her pleas were answered, and Téa had a way to see Atem. Her face brightened a little and Atem noticed it. Atem understood when something occurred in the brunette's head.
"It's not a goodbye," Téa spoke suddenly. "I need to time travel regularly and so I will." It took him a few moments to realise what Téa was talking about.
"You mean..." Atem hesitated a little.
"I don't want to say goodbye again. I missed you so much and now I have the chance to meet you again. I won't waste it." Atem saw the familiar determination in her eyes and smirked.
"Well then, I'd be glad to see you again."
They stood, preparing for her leaving. However, this time Téa didn't feel as she would never see him again because Téa would. This was the only place Téa wanted to time travel and Téa had the perfect gift to do so.
"I'll see you again," that was a promise to him.
"I'll be waiting for it." They looked like a couple from aside.
"Bye, Atem," Téa said with hope this time.
"Bye, Téa," her name sounded lovely coming from his mouth.
Téa hugged him quickly one last time before disappearing into thin air smiling for the first time in forever. Atem had brought the smile back to her face. Téa knew Atem was the one to do so and he did.