Disclaimer- I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh

Melting the Ice

Chapter 30

Thank You for Everything

Two months, that is how long Anzu has been at her dancing school. She had been so busy practicing that she hardly could believe that time passed so quickly. It did and when Anzu thought about it, she felt a pain deep within her.

After the phone call she left, she had no contact with either Kaiba brother. She wanted, no, expected some kind of reply. Why did he not reply? Did he not even hear the message or care enough to listen? Even if he denied her, she would cry but eventually move on. As long as he knew how she felt, she would be satisfied.

Anzu looked up at the ceiling of her room. She had the day off today and so far, she was in her pajamas doing nothing. She wished she would be dancing. When she danced, it took her mind off everything. Turning on her side, she found herself facing her closet, which stood open. Peeking out was that dress, that beautiful dress that she danced in with Seto Kaiba.

Letting out a groan, she threw her pillow over her head in frustration. Why did those little reminders have to be around? She needed to do something. Sitting up she flung her pillow carelessly behind her. Yes, she needed to keep busy. What could she do?

Anzu listed off several things she could do mentally. Go to the arcade! Yes, she could go to the arcade and… no the arcade is where she scolded Seto Kaiba when he was neglecting Mokuba. She could not go there. Perhaps the coffee shop, yes a nice cup of coffee would do her some good. Wait, no that is where she met Seto when she first applied for the job as Mokuba's nanny. The park, yes a nice stroll in the park… would be a bad idea. Twice she was in the park and once was when she was in her pajamas in front of Seto.

Anzu let out a frustrated cry. No matter where she would go or what she would do, something would remind her of him. Why did this have to bother her so much?

"I hate you Seto Kaiba!" she shouted to the heavens. "You could have at least told me you didn't like me!"

As she finished her fit, her cell phone rang alerting her. Anzu blinked and picked up her cell phone, which sat on her desk. She looked to see who was calling and saw it read "Mokuba."

Why is Mokuba calling me now?

She flipped it open and brought the phone to her ear.

"Mokuba?" she called through the receiver.

"ANZU!" the young boy's voice shouted over the phone. "I need you at my house right away!"

"What?" Anzu asked, bewildered. "What's wrong?"

"You have to come here now! I have no time to explain. PLEASE hurry this is important."

"What… wait Mokuba… I…?"

Before she could finish her sentence, or even attempt to make a sentence, the phone line went dead. Anzu closed her phone and quickly pulled on a pair of shorts and a tank top. She flew down from her room jumping two steps at a time. Quickly she grabbed her purse and slid into her sandals before sprinting out the door.

A jog and a bus ride later the dancer arrived at the Kaiba mansion. She rushed to the main gates and rang the intercom. No one bothered to call out to her. The gates just opened. Had she not been in a state of panic, Anzu would have thought the gates opening without a guard would be strange. However, she continued to sprint across the grounds, which was a long, VERY long.

I still need to run more, she thought as she crossed the lawn.

Up the steps to the front door, Anzu slipped and crashed into the door with her hands. Ignoring that little mishap, she banged on the door.

"MOKUBA!" she shrieked, "OPEN UP!"

She banged harder and the door opened suddenly. Anzu stumbled forward only to see Mokuba at the other end of the hall.

"Mokuba what is going…"

Once again, she could not finish her sentence. Mokuba dashed through the doors. Anzu followed, her legs tired from all the running. She followed Mokuba through the hallways, only seeing him as he turned the corner. She tried several times calling him to stop but he either did not hear her or chose to ignore his former nanny.

After a few twists and turns, Anzu burst through a door that led to the dining room. She stopped as she saw Mokuba turning to open the French doors that led to the outside. Gasping for air, Anzu held onto the door for support. Looking up at Mokuba she was about to call out to him when he dashed through the doors to the outside.

She let out a loud groan and continued her pursuit. Now, she was running through the gardens. She remembered how barren the placed look in winter but now with all the plants alive the place looked beautiful. Yet, Anzu could not enjoy the scenery because she had to keep up with Mokuba.

She watched as the boy zigzagged between two large rose bushes. Anzu stopped short realizing she had to go around. Mokuba was much tinier than she was and if she tried, the thorns would prick her.

The brunette followed the path around, Mokuba nowhere in sight. She jogged around trying to peer between the large bushes, hedges, and trees to see if she could spot the boy. Once on the other side she finally spotted the boy who instead of running off walked around a corner of a long row of hedges.

"MOKUBA," Anzu cried.

Walking quickly to where the boy was because her legs were threatening to collapse on her, she was ready to tackle the boy and get an answer out of him. Why had he been running? He called her over in a panic and now he was putting her through a wild goose chase. That boy had A LOT of explaining to do.

Approaching the corner, Anzu stopped. She needed to catch her breath. Running in a panic all the way here and through their home was not something Anzu was looking forward to doing today.

"MOKUBA KAIBA," she shouted in a threatening voice. "YOU BETTER HAVE ONE DAMN GOOD REASON TO WHY I HAD TO RUN ALL THE WAY…"

Anzu again could not finish her sentence. Not because someone cut her off. No, it was because she was staring in awe at a fountain with three angels. The magnificent piece she so long ago seen when Seto Kaiba had absently told her his bloody past. The fountain, now flourished as the water rushed through it and the three angels eyes were pouring out water as if they were…

"I told you they looked as if they were crying," said a familiar voice, a voice that she could never forget.

Anzu watched as Seto Kaiba appeared behind the fountain. Dressed in a long sleeve black turtleneck, black pants, and his signature blue trench coat, Seto walked around and stopped with his back to the fountain. He crossed his arms composing himself into such a manner that screamed self-importance.

He was the same Seto Kaiba she knew from back then. He had the same chestnut brown hair with bangs that fell over his eyes. He had the same arrogant vibe that told everyone that he was better than you were.

Anzu stared at him wanting to say so much to him but nothing at all came out. She was angry and happy. She wanted to go run at him at full force, slap him, and hug him. She wanted to tell him he was conceited jerk and then tell him that… still she loved him. Even after two months of no words passing between them, no contact she still loved him.

He approached her but still she could do nothing but stare, dumbfounded. Inches from her, he let out a grunt.

"Why do you always have a dumb look on your face?"

WHAT DID HE JUST SAY?

Anzu snapped from her paralysis and her cerulean eyes went from doe eyed to fierce. She glared at him and then shoved her finger against his chest, jabbing him hard.

"HOW DARE YOU!" she seethed. "I come all the way here because I think something is wrong! I nearly ran my legs off trying to find Mokuba. I then come here and find YOU after months of not even bothering to contact me let alone CONGRATULATE me for getting into my dance school and YOU… YOU HAVE THE NERVE TO INSULT ME?"

"I should have just stayed home and ignored you. I come out here worried that something is wrong and YOU insult ME! KAIBA YOU ARE A CONCEITED, ARROGANT, JERK!"

Anzu raised her hand and went to slap him when he caught her hand. Anzu gasped. How could she ever get away with trying to slap Seto? He stared at her and she was prepared for a scolding, verbal abuse.

"Thank you…" he whispered.

"What…" she questioned completely confused. "What did… I do?"

"…For everything."

Seto loosened his grip on her hand, giving her space between them. She looked up at him for a moment, so confused that she had no idea what was going on. It was then she noticed that he was not completely the same Seto she knew.

"Thank you for everything," he whispered again.

Everything what was everything? Was everything that happened between them since she was Mokuba's nanny? Anzu stepped back shaking her head.

"Seto… two months ago you didn't show up for my audition." Anzu turned away, still hurt that he broke a promise to her.

"You didn't even explain why! Two months and now you are talking about this and that. If I did this and that for you then why did you ignore me? Why didn't you talk or even call me. Were you too busy? Did you just realize NOW that you forgot all about me?"

She felt angry but she could not face him. She did not want to cry in front of him. Her tears burned in her eyes. Anzu wanted, needed, to run away. She could not cry in front of him. Then he spoke again.

"I'm only going to say this once," Seto said.

She clenched her fists and spat out a fierce reply.

"Say what, that you are sorry? Well guess what it is too late to say…"

"Seto Kaiba loves Anzu Mazaki and not as a friend either." He whispered.

Anzu turned around and looked at him in disbelief. Tears threatened to fall from her eyes. Did she just hear him right? She looked into his eyes; pass the expressionless face to see something flicker behind those cobalt blue eyes. Anzu breathed in sharply, her body trembling suddenly.

"Why now...?" she asked.

"Because, it took me that long to realize how much I really did care for you."

"Well… what if I don't love you anymore? What if I just moved on?" she asked stubbornly.

"Have you?"

No, for the past two months, she wanted an answer and she got it. He loves her. Seto Kaiba loves her… and she loves him. If someone were to ask her back before she really knew whom Seto Kaiba was, if she liked him, she would have replied no. Now, she was in love with him. Every part of her wanted to hold him, touch him, and kiss him.

"Seto… I love you…" she burst into tears. "I love you so much."

She turned around and embraced him, burying her face in his warmth. She clutched to his coat holding onto him and never wanting to let go. He held her to him and for once, he enjoyed every moment of this contact. He looked down into her tear-filled eyes; his eyes still a mask, but behind those hard eyes warmth and love that only, she could see.

Anzu moved to him. She wanted to kiss him. She was going to kiss him. She stood up on her tips toes and closed her eyes slowly, moving closer.

"EW GROSS,"

Anzu stopped before their lips could touch. The two reluctantly broke apart. There hiding behind the bushes was Mokuba gagging at the thought of the two kissing.

"I can't believe all this mushy stuff." He choked.

"Mokuba," Anzu said. "I should kill you for making me worry!"

"Aw sheesh Anzu," he whined. "I didn't mean to but I had to get you here somehow."

"Oh, yeah by scaring me half to death?"

The young boy winced and then backed away as Anzu approached him. Yes, scaring someone half to death was NOT a good way to get him or her to do something.

"Uh… err…" Mokuba said as the brunette glared at him, "BYE!"

With that the younger Kaiba ran. Anzu would have ran after him had their not been bushes in front of her. She waved her hands frantically and began shouting after him. Even though she loved Mokuba like a brother, she was angry. Finally, calming down she noticed Seto was standing arms crossed just like always. That was just how Seto Kaiba was, always calm and collective.

"Uh well," Anzu sputtered. "I better get going… I have… uh things to do."

It seemed awkward for her after such a passionate moment and now they were staring at each other. Anzu moved away to head back.

"Yes," he said emotionless, "And I have a company to run."

Just like Seto Kaiba, always busy with his work.

"Um… I guess I'll see you around…?" Anzu nervously called from over her shoulder.

"Whatever," he replied coldly.

Just like Seto Kaiba to go back to things as if nothing changed. Anzu sighed and began to walk away. What could she expect it was Kaiba after all?

Unexpectedly, she felt someone grab her hand. Then unlike Seto Kaiba, he pulled her toward him and kissed her. Anzu was so stunned that when the kiss finished she stood staring at him.

He walked away from her without so much as a response. She half expected him to say he loved her again but he did say he would only say it once. Yeah, that was the Seto Kaiba she knew, strait and to the point

Anzu blinked for a moment. She watched as he walked away. A smile crept onto her lips and she ran after him. Anzu caught up to him and began walking next to him. Her cerulean eyes peered at him from the side before taking her hand and placing it in his. Carefully, her tiny hand gave him a gentle squeeze. He returned it.

Like Seto Kaiba, he kept his cold demeanor as they walked. He had no smile on his face and his eyes looked as if they could pierce into ones soul. She knew Seto Kaiba would never outwardly change. He would always be the same.

Nevertheless, unlike Seto Kaiba, she felt no coldness in his touch knowing very well that his icy heart had finally -finally- melted away.

The End

Author Note- After what seems like forever it is finally over. Thank you all for sticking with me. I must say even though my ideas kept changing this chapter never did. I wanted to end with a change in Seto but not one that would take him over the hills and far away, from whom he was as a character. I also wrote this chapter before the last few chapters knowing that I wanted to post this ending.

The title is almost as meaningful to the chapter as it is as me saying it to you my loyal fans. Yes, you readers out there who supported me even when it seemed like I disappeared off the face of the earth and went through my writers block and busy life. Your support meant so much to me. Your reviews, messages, and such kept me going.

Thank you for everything.

Princess of the Knight