NO LEMON IN THIS CHAPPIE!!!!
Anigirl15: Glad you like the lemon. I actually thought the collar working out pretty good. I had no idea to what extent Ryou would be dominant.
Firedraygon97: I love dream sequences…they dive right into the psyche. So cool.
Gralnak: I think I reviewed that chappie of Undying Light. It was very good. I’ll have to see, but I’m pretty sure I reviewed that.
Yami Chaos Gem: I hoped you liked the lemon! Thanks for the review!
Lunara Stormrider Moonbeam: That squirrel part in 25 was way too funny!!!
Stupid kid 4 and blah: Yes, I like the Marasume….and the Millenium Bow and Arrow (Wingweaver is my favorite card…It’s like Sephy in FF7). I like daggers, but that’s already taken I think. *sigh *
Yugi Closet Fan: I love it when Anzu tries to hug dangerous animals. It’s so much fun!
Melokitty: I don’t know why, but I could see Bakura and Marik teaming up in a fight together. I also figured since it was blatantly obvious Malik and Ryou care about each other, and the yamis always hang out together, that they know how to defend themselves. Both of them are bad-asses too, so I doubt they would show any fear like the hikaris did.
The town isn’t full of people who are homophobics, I don’t think. Malik and Marik may run into a little trouble later, but I think everyone knows not to mess with Kaiba. He’s also a bad ass.
Bakura’s Baby: I know…I needed a lemon by now. I was going through lemon withdrawl.
Moonnymph: Bakura wore it with pride!
Digi: Wow! Digi! I didn’t think you read lemons! I’m glad you liked that one!
Dark Raven: YEAH FOR LEMONS AND FRIENDSHIP!!!!! Sorry…got carried away.
Aino Bakura: Bakura tied Ryou down the last lemon chappie, so it was Ryou’s turn to have some fun. In any case, it would have given Ryou a sense of control over something which he desperately needed.
Diamond: You are the best!
Conditional Love
*****Dream Sequence*******
Steven stood outside his house under the night sky. He saw a light on in his bedroom and in Ryou’s room. The front door was open swaying with the wind He heard a cry come from his bedroom…the cry of a baby! Steven into his bedroom and saw the room a mess. The jewelry box had fallen on the floor, there were signs of a struggle. On the carpet were little drops of red leading to Ryou’s bedroom. This was like the other nightmares he had about that dreadful night…that his wife was murdered. But this was different..the blood usually trailed from his bedroom door in a puddle. Now it trailed in little dots to his son’s room.
Steven ran for his son’s bedroom and tried to open the door, but it was locked. Inside he heard the sobbing of a woman. The baby’s cry was now silent. He quickly opened it with the key he kept on the nail beside the door and found a woman facing the window rocking on a chair back and forth, the moonlight illuminating her white hair.
“R…Rhea?” He heard a sniffle come from the chair and her humming quietly.
Steven walked to the woman holding a white-haired baby against her chest, so nothing but his white hair was shown to him. The woman stroked the baby’s hair lovingly.
“Rhea! Rhea! Are you alright? I saw the blood on the floor!”
Rhea let a tear slip from her eye and fall on the baby on her chest. She sighed sadly.
Steven hugged Rhea tightly. “I’m so glad to see you again! I missed you so much!”
Steven pulled back and noticed his shirt was covered in red. “What the hell? Rhea, are you hurt?”
Rhea kissed her baby’s head and let the blanket fall. Steven stood wide eyed and gasped. He backed away shaking.
“Our son has stopped crying…Steven.” Rhea stood to face him angrily. She moved him from her chest and into her arms, legs and head limp, the trickles of blood leaving the baby. Steven winced at the sight.
“Why does this frighten you? Didn’t you wish our son was dead? Didn’t you wish he was killed this night besides me?”
Steven backed away. “I….I…I just can’t stand blood.”
Rhea shifted Ryou to the other arm, where the lifeless body hung loosely backwards. “Ryou’s blood is on you! Our son’s blood. It makes me sad that you could wish Ryou was taken besides me.”
“I love you, Rhea! Can’t you see that?”
“No, Steven. You do not love me. After all these years, I see your true nature now.” Rhea advanced on him. “You do not love me. If I would have known how you would treat your own son, maybe this is the way this night should have ended.”
“It would have saved me a whole lot of heartache,” Steven snarled.
Rhea brought Ryou to her chest and cried. “My poor little Ryou…I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bring you into this world…to a father who cares more about himself than anyone else.”
“This kid made me look like a fool! He has disgraced us and the family name! I love you, Rhea! But this,” he pointed to Ryou, “is all wrong.”
“How can you say you love me when you hurt what is most precious to me?”
Steven stammered. “Loving you is different than the love I have for my son. You have never betrayed me. You have never embarrassed me.”
“Love is able to see past all that, Steven. Ryou is all you have in this world. I have seen you step by step run that child’s life like an army sergeant! How can that be called love? Can’t you see past your own feelings to consider those of others?”
“Why don’t I approve of it? It is wrong! That’s why! It’s not normal! I want my kid to be normal! I want my son to be happy, but this is not the way to do it!”
Rhea shook her head. “If Bakura loves him and it makes Ryou happy, why would you object?”
“It’s not the way I wanted him to be! He’s not supposed to be ….that way! I will not have my son behave the way he is!”
“Why can’t you just let him run his life the way he wants to?”
“Because I had higher expectations for him! He’s throwing his life away on this endeavor! You know this is self destructive behavior? His behavior can make him sick! It could kill him! Do you think I want my son dead?”
Rhea clenched her fists. “You wished it, Steve, I heard you!”
“I want to change him before he does get sick and before he does die from it! I don’t want my kid hurt by some mob!”
“Loving someone isn’t about changing them, Steven!”
“I will change my son before his behavior kills him!”
Rhea returned to the rocking chair and began to rock the child again. “Loving your child is about acceptance and patience. If you don’t love Ryou, then you obviously do not love me.” Steven stood quietly. “Ryou is still human. He needs your love and wants you to accept him for what he is, not for what you want him to be. That is not love if you only accept him for what he is. A father’s love is supposed to be unconditional. You place too much pressure on our son to fit your desired mold. That is wrong.”
“He is my son! I want him to follow in my footsteps someday, not prance behind me like a fairy!”
“Well, Steven, I feel sorry for you. I do not regret bringing my son into this world. I love him more than anything possible no matter how he runs his life. It is a shame you can’t do the same. However, accidents do happen…and marrying you was my accident.”
Steven felt a tear fall down his face as Rhea kissed the baby again.
“I can see how you have changed since I left you. You have become cruel, uncaring to those who love you the most. Ryou will always love you unconditionally. But you are his father. Do what you will. When Ryou’s time comes, I will bring him with me to the heavens. Who will bring you to heaven, Steven?”
*******************
Steven woke up in sweat and he wiped his forehead. Was it really a dream? Cinetti leaned against the bars quietly snarling. Beside him was his son.
“What are you dong here?” Steven asked Cinetti’s son.
“My kid was busted because of your kid! The mob didn’t even get a chance to touch Ryou!”
“It failed then?” Steven asked.
“Miserably,” Cinetti sighed.
The warden came in with Mike and Carl with his wrist bandaged. “We posted your bail, guys. Let’s get you out of here.”
Tom turned to Carl gripping the bars. “How is Alan?”
Mike heaved a sigh. “Alan is dead. He was hit on the head with a blunt object while he was confronting your kid.”
Tom and Steven stood aghast. Their friends paid their bail and they left the prison.
“I can’t believe your kid killed Alan!” Mike said angrily. “He took his friend John and confronted him and some kid carrying a stick of some kind. It was hard to see it was night. John just remembers fighting your kid (Bakura and Ryou look alike, don’t forget) and the other kid hit Alan on the back of the head.”
Steven walked towards his home with his friends and Cinetti’s son.
Steven growled. “We’ve tried everything to stop Ryou and he won’t let up. I will move onto my next plan, then. I need to get rid of that Ring.”
NEXT CHAPPIE: Bakura finds out Ryou’s secret.