Marik held Umi and Aria’s hand as he walked her through the hospital. She looked up at all of the nurses and greeted each one by name. Her brother was too well known in that hospital and every nurse approached Marik offering condolences about his disappearance.

Marik took Umi and Aria to see Mako first. The ocean duelist felt his son touch his hand and his fingers twitched.

“Daddy? Daddy, are you awake?”

Mako’s closed eyelids fluttered. Umi held onto his father’s hand and pat it.

“Marik and Aria’s daddy are taking good care of me. I hope you get better real soon so we can ship out and look for your dad some more. I really want to help you find him, daddy.” The chibi’s lip trembled.

Marik leaned down to Aria. “Aria, can you stay here with Umi? I have to go see someone down the hall.”

“Sure. I’ll stay here, Daddy Marik. I won’t go anywhere.”

“And no sending anything to the Shadow Realm while I am gone, young lady.”

“Yes, sir.”

Marik left the room and walked down the hallway to Seto’s hospital room. He stepped into the room and found Kendall eating his vegetables with a look of disgust on his face. Donny was asleep with Alice, his wife, by his side.

Marik handed Seto a container of cherry Jell-o. “Ryou made this for you. He makes the most kick-ass Jell-o I’ve ever had.”

Seto opened the container and licked his lips hungrily. “The food bites here. I don’t know how Aten ate this stuff as often as he did.”

Marik shook his head. “Well, he ate it somehow. He never liked their grilled chicken, though.”

Seto closed the container. “Marik, I got a phone call telling me to pick up the bodies of the kids.”

Marik’s shoulders sagged and he gripped the metal on Seto’s bed to keep himself on his feet.

“I went and we were ambushed. I found bloody clothes. No bodies.”

Marik’s heart sank to the floor. “Does this mean that my son is dead?”

Seto shook his head. “I doubt that he is. I think that was a ploy to get at me and my men. Marik, you came to me and wondered if I was giving up the chase?”

“You mean that day you wouldn’t answer me if you were going to give up on those missing boys?”

“You came looking for my help, but I was in no condition to answer you, Marik. We cannot find those kids if we are divided. We have to work together.”

Marik blinked. “Those kids are depending on us.” Marik bit his lip. “Seto, I cannot lose Aten. We have to expand our search.”

Seto nodded. “I agree. My men are already spread over the city. Now I have three of my men here with me, one of them is damn near to his deathbed. I don’t know why I didn’t see that coming! I was so desperate to get the kids back…..I never stopped to think this may have been a trap.”

“But you were prepared.”

Seto looked across the room at Donny fast asleep on his bed. Alice held his hand and spoke quietly to him. Beside him, Kendall had also fallen asleep. Jay was still missing.

“I wanted Hayden back so badly, Marik.”

Marik put his hand on Seto’s shoulder. “I know how you feel, Seto. We’ll have to spread our search to the nearby cities. We’ll have to go beyond the city limits.”

Seto covered Marik’s hand with his own. “We’ll find them, Marik. Even if I have to turn over every city from Boston to San Francisco, I’m going to find my son….and bring him home where he belongs.”

The doors to the room opened and Jay was wheeled into the room. Karl followed the doctors and watched them wheel in the monitoring equipment. Karl stood beside Jay and kissed his lover’s forehead. The tall man sniffled when his lover didn’t react.

Karl carried a chair beside Jay’s bed and sat beside him. Without a word, Karl held Jay’s hand and watched his lover diligently.

“When my ankle has healed, we are going out together and looking for those kids.”

Marik nodded. “We won’t stop at anything, moneybags. Nothing.”

*******************************

Aten sat on the bed and looked out the window. The clouds floated in the sky carelessly, while he and Robbie were still trapped in the room.

He heaved a sigh and Robbie turned around.

“Aten, are you okay?”

Aten coughed. “My legs are hurting today. It’s getting harder to breathe as I’m sitting here.”

“You’re out of breath? You’ve just been sitting there.”

The Egyptian sighed. “No medicine.”

Robbie reached over and rubbed Aten’s back. He could feel his friend relax and his body sag under his touch. Aten smiled, enjoying Robbie’s touch on his scarred back.

Robbie heard a little sigh of pleasure come from Aten and he raised his eyebrow. “You like that, Aten?”

The Egyptian smiled and turned around to lay on his stomach. Robbie rubbed Aten’s bumpy back.

“My back is killing me,” Aten said.

Robbie’s eyes scanned Aten’s back as his fingers brushed across the brown skin. Aten’s skin was becoming a little cooler each day that had passed.

Aten smiled and sighed as Robbie rubbed his back. Robbie’s hands on his back did not frighten him as much this time. He didn’t know why. Maybe it was because right now, Aten needed this type of contact with his friend.

“Does this feel good, Aten?”

“Would I be purring if I didn’t like it?” the boy said with a laugh.

Robbie snickered and started rubbing his fingers through Aten’s hair.

“That’s going to put me to sleep, Robbie,” Aten yawned.

“You need sleep, Aten,” Robbie said as he began to scratch Aten’s scalp.

“Damn you, Robbie,” Aten moaned as he went limp against the bed.

Robbie continued to scratch with a tiny chuckle. “I told you that you need to sleep, Aten.”

Vinnie and Charlie opened the door to Aten and Robbie’s room. Aten’s eyes shot opened as the door slammed open.

Vinnie grabbed Robbie’s arm and dragged him out of the room.

“You have to earn your keep, Robbie-Boy!”

Aten held onto Robbie, pleading loudly for Robbie to stay in the room. Charlie grabbed Aten by the hair.

“You have a different job to do, Aten-kid. You have to clean the living room.”

Robbie and Aten left together. Vinnie threw Robbie in the kitchen, growling orders for Robbie to scrub the kitchen from ceiling to the tile floor.

Charlie gave Aten a cloth. “I want this place to fucking shine, Aten. You will clean like you have never cleaned before. And if I find you taking a nap in here, you will get the ass-ramming of your life. Do you understand me, Desert Flower?”

Aten nodded silently. “Yes, sir.”

Charlie nodded. “Good. Get to work.”

Aten turned to the T.V. and then to Charlie. “Sir, may I listen to the television as I work?”

Charlie turned on the news. “Listen to this. This will keep you motivated to do as we say.”

Charlie left and Aten stood in front of the monitor.

[No leads have been found regarding the disappearance of the three missing Domino boys missing since Sunday morning.]

Aten saw his father standing beside Seto Kaiba’s hospital bed. Aten fell to his knees and his fingers touched the screen over his father’s face. “Daddy……”

The reporter put a microphone in the clearly irritated Seto Kaiba’s face. “Seto Kaiba, isn’t it true that there was an attempt on your life?”

Aten gasped. “Oh, no!”

Seto narrowed his eyes. “It wouldn’t be the first time someone tried to take me out with a bullet and a pathetic attempt at an ambush.”

Marik growled. “This will not stop our search for those kids. Aten, if you are listening to this…..I love you, boy.”

Aten lowered his head and closed his eyes tightly. “I want to go home.” He wiped his cheeks free of tears. Aten raised his head. “I love you, daddy. We’ll get home….no matter what I have to do, I’m going to get us home safely.”

The Egyptian boy stood up and began dusting the furniture. After he finished polishing each surface, he had to stop to catch his breath. Breathing was becoming quite a struggle, but he wasn’t ready to give up.

He had Hayden and Robbie to live for. He had to survive long enough to get Hayden and Robbie free.

After he did that, then he could rest.

He kept an ear on Hayden and Robbie in the separate rooms. Vinnie’s loud deep voice reminded him of his grandfather, but he focused on his work to distract him.

A shrill cry emanated from Hayden’s room….and a laugh….it was a familiar laugh. He had heard it at KaibaCorp on several occasions.

Did the mystery man work for Seto?

Did the strange man who always wore a mask, want a promotion in exchange for Hayden’s release?

Did this man have a vendetta against Seto?

Aten heard Charlie in the room with Hayden and Dominic. He left the living room and started to creep down the hall. There was a keyhole in the door.

‘If I look in there, I can get to see the man’s face. Then I can say for sure who it is!’

Aten held his breath as his light footsteps touched against the floorboards. With each step, he knew he was risking not only his safety, but Robbie and Hayden’s, as well. He kept his ears alert for the sound of Vinnie. Vinnie talked loudly to Robbie about his mother, so his voice resonated through the house.

Aten arrived in front of Hayden’s door and peeked inside the keyhole. He looked inside and saw Charlie resting between Hayden’s legs. Aten could see Dominic’s black hair.

‘Come on, move your head so I can see your face!’

Dominic didn’t move his face, but he let out a deep moan.

Aten touched the door as he heard Hayden cry. ‘I know what you are going through, Aiden. Should I go in? If I do, what’s going to happen to Robbie? To Aiden? What if they do this to me to punish me?’

The fear of enduring that type of pain again made him step away from the door.

‘I can’t do that again,’ he thought as he backed away. ‘I can’t.’

Aten returned to the living room and continued cleaning the living room. He looked at the front door as he cleaned.

‘I can’t leave Robbie. I cannot leave him here with Aiden. What if they touch Robbie? What if they try to hurt Robbie like my grandfather hurt me? I can’t let that happen to Robbie.’

Aten winced as he felt his leg cramp with the excess fluid. He grabbed onto the table by the door to keep his balance when he heard something shift inside the drawer.

He opened the drawer and found the revolver laying in the drawer. He dropped the dusting cloth and picked up the gun.

Aten looked at it with a shocked expression. Here was a weapon. He had the opportunity to finish what he began in the alley….or he could free himself and the others from the tyranny of Charlie and his gang.

Aten gripped the revolver in his hands. He turned the gun around and pointed it at his forehead.

“Fire it.”

Aten’s POV

I looked up and saw Charlie looking down at me.

“What are you waiting for, Aten? Pull the trigger.”

I put my finger on the trigger.

Should I fire?

Robbie…..

End it all?

I can’t.

“What is stopping you from pulling the trigger? Are you afraid?”

“I….”

Charlie smiled at me. He approached me and stood in front of me. He glared down at me. “You’re afraid, aren’t you, you little coward?”

My eyes looked up at Charlie and I hesitated. “I…” I dropped the gun and fell weakly to my knees. “I can’t do it. I can’t leave Robbie and Aiden here.”

Charlie took the gun in his hands and I suddenly felt cold steel pressing against my temple. “Do you want me to do it for you, kid? I won’t let you linger. I promise.”

My body began to shake and my breathing became more difficult.

The metal pressed hard against my skull.

“Do you want me to kill you, boy?”

“ATEN!”

I turned my head and saw Robbie standing there white as a ghost. His face wore an expression that went beyond fear. It was a look that went far beyond horror.

“Please don’t shoot Aten!” Robbie pleaded.

Vinnie had grabbed Robbie’s arm and he was holding him back. “Better stay back, kid. Aten’s brains will splatter all over the place if Charlie pulls that trigger.

Robbie started crying loudly and whimpering. “Please! I can’t lose Aten!”

Vinnie grinned. “Better stand back, too, kid. It’s not pretty when a weapon like that blows out the back of the skull. Brains and blood go everywhere.”

I looked up at Charlie.

“So, son, do you wish for me to end it for you?”

Robbie and I looked at each other. He folded his hands in prayer and his body was shaking. Robbie could hardly stand up under his own willpower.

“No. I can’t lose Robbie.”

Charlie cocked the weapon. “Are you sure?”

I nodded. “Yes.”

My reason for living broke from Vinnie’s grip and ran over to me. Both of us hugged each other tightly. I found it harder than ever before to let go of Robbie.

Vinnie stepped beside Charlie. “I thought you didn’t plan on shooting the kid until later.”

My fingers clutched onto Robbie. They were going to shoot us? When?

As long as I had Robbie, nothing mattered.

“The kid found the gun,” Charlie said as he put the gun back where I had found it.

Vinnie grabbed Robbie and Charlie grabbed me. They threw us into the room.

“Listen, you two bitches….you keep your hands out of where they don’t belong. You keep away from that drawer! You both do as you are told and the next time I see any form of rebellion, you both are going to get the shit beaten out of you! Oh, and if you think that you are both getting fed tonight, you can forget about it!”

“Understand?”

Robbie and I nodded quickly. “Yes.”

Charlie and Vinnie left the room, much to our relief.

Robbie crawled over to me and wrapped his arms around my neck. “I was afraid he would go through with it!”

So was I, I had to admit.

“I know, Robbie.”

We held onto each other on the floor as the sun started to set.

To me, watching that sunset with Robbie opened my eyes. As we watched the sunset, Robbie and I held onto each other. Now I see what my daddy enjoys about sunsets. It was the end of one day. Tomorrow, another day would begin. New opportunities. New possibilities. It was a time to reflect on how to make the next day better than this one had been.

I thought about today. I almost died. I was almost killed. I almost lost Robbie. Robbie almost lost me.

Ra, on this sunset, I promise you that I will never leave Robbie’s side again. I will always be with him. Never will I think of myself before him. This is my vow. Hear me, Ra, for I love Robbie Morgan! May we always be friends. May I know how he feels about me.

“Aten?”

“Robbie?”

“What are you thinking about?”

How should I answer him?

“I’m thinking about how close we came to being separated today. It is…scary.”

Robbie nodded. “It is. But you know what, Aten? We still have each other now.”

I squeezed Robbie’s hand to reassure him. “Robbie, we will always have each other.”

My friend gave me a smile. He has the cutest smile! He has his mother’s smile.

Robbie leaned over and kissed me on the lips again. I quickly submitted to the kiss. The longer our kiss continued, the more I wanted to touch Robbie again.

That shocks you? Shouldn’t. We’ve been doing that since we were three. I still remember when my father caught Robbie and I touching each other because I was making sure that Robbie’s penis didn’t go down the shower drain.

My father was so angry at Robbie. I don’t know why, though. I was only making sure that Robbie didn’t lose his penis. It’s not fun, you know, if a boy loses it. Then he becomes a girl, I guess.

Robbie’s hand moved to my thigh and touched my leg. It’s amazing to think that even thought Robbie’s touch was light, though his hand felt like he was squeezing my leg so tightly it would bruise.

I pulled back from the kiss as a wave of breathlessness took over me.

Stupid lack of heart medication.

Robbie wrapped his arm around me. “It’s okay, Aten. I’m here for you all the time.”

I never doubted that, Robbie. I’ve never doubted that.

****************************

Vinnie grabbed his black leather jacket and grabbed the keys to his car. Charlie came out of the kitchen with a beer.

“Where the hell are you going?”

Vinnie grinned. “I’m going to pay my little Firefly a little visit.”

Charlie chuckled. “Miranda, huh? Well, go on if you want. Do you need Dominic to go with you? He’s been with Hayden constantly. Dominic really enjoys Hayden a lot. I’m going to have to charge the bastard pretty soon.”

Vinnie shrugged. “Miranda will be happy to see me, Char…especially if she wants to see her boy alive and well again.”

“Remember our agreement, Vin. If you kill off Miranda, you may keep Robbie for your very own. No matter what you want to do with him, he will be yours. Understand?” Charlie waved him away. “Go on. Enjoy yourself.”

“I’ve always enjoyed Miranda. She’s such a good lay. I may as well enjoy her one more time before I do her in for good.”

********************************************

Otogi sifted the flour into the bowl, wearing his patented pink frilly apron. He was humming along to the tune of the music on the radio. Miranda removed the cookies from the oven and scraped them onto waxed paper.

Miranda and Otogi were making treats for those who were looking for the missing boys. Miranda and Otogi met at least once a week to exchange recipes and bake. With Daniel gone, Otogi was great company. He was funny. He was helpful. And she often made the remark that Otogi was ‘like a big sister.’

The Dice-Master stirred the flour into the batter. “How do those cookies look?” Otogi sniffled them. “Oh, they smell simply scrumptious! Do you have any milk, Peaches?”

Miranda looked in the fridge. “I have only a liter. With Robbie gone, the milk consumption around here has dramatically dropped. Robbie drinks a lot of milk. He drinks it more than I do.”

Otogi nodded. “Tristan drinks a lot of Root Beer. I honestly do not know how he manages to keep the weight off with the amount he drinks! I’ll never know, I guess. It’s like a mystery.”

Miranda shook her head. “Tristan drinks that stuff? I can’t stomach it.”

Otogi leaned over to her. He knew Miranda had a crush on Tristan. Everytime he talked to her, she went quiet, overwhelmed with his manliness. “The best is when he gets out of a hot, steamy shower. He walks into the kitchen naked and he pours himself a big tall glass full of ice. The fizz and water droplets run down his body. Mmm…..so hot!”

Miranda and Otogi wiped the corner of their mouths from drooling.

“Otogi, do you have to do that?”

“Do what? I didn’t do anything,” the Dice-Master blushed innocently. “I’m innocent.”

“You are not innocent, Otogi.”

Otogi nodded. “Yeah, Peaches, you’re right. I’m not.”

The woman smiled in victory.

A knock sounded on the front door. “I’ll get that,” she said putting down her oven mits.

She opened the door and her heart sank. “VINCENT!”

The tall, black haired, green-eyed man grinned. “Hello, Miranda. I’m back.”

********************************

Anzu skipped brainlessly along Main Street, waving the flyer Ryou gave her in the air.

“Has anyone seen these friendly kids????!” she called out loud.

Anzu saw Umi, Aria and her dog walking across the street. “OO! CHIBI!”

Aria turned her head quickly to see Anzu dodge traffic to get to her. Sekhmet growled as Anzu ran up to her.

Umi sighed in resignation. “Not her again….Can’t we dump her at the bottom of the sea?”

Aria sighed. “My daddy and Daddy Marik tried that. It didn’t work.”

“Hi, Aria! I heard that your friendly brother is missing!”

Aria snarled. “My brother is missing! You are in my way, you brainless dolt! Now get out of my way or I will send your brainless, pointless, skinny little ass to the Shadow Realm!”

Anzu squealed so loudly it could shatter glass. She picked up Aria and squeezed her tightly in a hug.

“YOU ARE SO CUTE WHEN YOU ARE THREATENING! THREATENING PEOPLE IS VERY FRIENDLY! I JUST WANT TO HUG YOU AND SQUEEZE YOU AND HOLD YOU AND KISS YOU AND….”

Umi pulled at Aria’s dress. “LET HER GO!”

Sekhmet growled and grabbed onto Anzu’s yellow skirt with his sharp teeth. The Boarder Collie growled and thrashed, trying to save its mistress from the horrible grasp of Anzu.

Aria leaned up and sank her canines into Anzu’s neck, forcing Anzu to drop her.

Anzu held her neck. “Aria, that wasn’t very friendly of you! Now I’m bleeding! YEAH FOR BLEEDING! SCORE ONE FOR FRIENDSHIP!”

Aria wiped her mouth clean of her blood. “Now, go away! I have some business to attend to!”

Aria went to turn down a dark alley where men in black leather and spiky hair stood at the end.

“Hello, minions!” Aria called out to them.

Umi covered her mouth. “Aria! What are you doing?! These guys can kick our asses!”

Aria laughed. “They wouldn’t hurt me.”

The men approached her, Umi, and Anzu. “What do we got here, boys? A pretty little girl! Well, hello there, cutie!”

Aria crossed her arms. “I am not impressed, Kelsey.”

The man looked around. “How do you know my name, you little brat?”

Aria laughed. “Oh, I know all about you. You like pretty little teenage girls in mini-skirts.”

Umi took Aria’s hand. “Aria, we have to go..We can’t stay here.”

The gang members leered down at the two kids. “You know a little too much, kid! Maybe we should see how much you really know. We’d like to get to know you a little better.”

The man licked his lips as he looked at the little girl.

Aria shook her head and her hair spiked. “If you want to suffer a painful death, go ahead. My father will not like it.”

“What is your father going to do to us?”

Aria grinned. “Eat. You. Alive.”

Anzu cheered. “YEAH! THAT IS SO FRIENDLY! It’s friendly to eat! EATING IS VERY FRIENDLY! YEAH FRIENDSHIP!”

Umi rolled his eyes and shook his head. “Aria, please. Sweetie?”

Aria lifted her eyes and her hair spiked. “My father will not like it if you touch me.”

The men laughed. “What are you going to do to us if we do touch you, kid? Throw your Barbies at us? Isn’t it past your bedtime?”

Aria shrugged and removed her dueling deck from her pocket. She had grown accustomed to having her deck in her dress for emergencies. “The Loyal Servant! Come to me!”

A strong wind spread through the alley and Anzu screeched. “The wind is being friendly! It’s wrapping around me like a warm fuzzy blankie!”

Umi looked up at a tall woman in tattered clothing holding a sword.

“Gentlemen, meet The Loyal Servant! You’ll have to get through her sword to get to me!”

The men stopped laughing and stared at the woman holding a sword. “Only two other people can summon a duel monster like that!”

Aria bushed back her spiky hair. “My father is Bakura Osiris Itemri.”

The men murmured. “Oh, we are sorry, little girl. Bakura had let it known that he had a daughter, but we did not know it was you. A thousand apologies.”

Aria recalled The Loyal Servant back into her card. “See that it never happens again. What have you minions discovered?”

“We have not had any leads, our princess. We are still searching for clues to help find your brother.”

Aria narrowed her eyes. “Then you obviously have not been looking hard enough, haven’t you?”

The men were quiet.

“DON’T JUST STAND THERE! ANSWER ME WHEN I TALK TO YOU!” the female yami snarled.

“No! No! We will try harder, our princess!”

Aria replaced her deck in her pocket. “See that you do. My brother----.” Aria winced and fell to her knees.

Umi kneeled beside her. “Aria?! Aria, what’s wrong?”

“My brother…..fear.”

Umi rubbed her back. “Can you tell what is going on?”

Aria shook her head. The girl shut her eyes and she saw the image of a gun in front of her eyes.

“A GUN!”

The men gathered around Aria. “Princess! Are you okay?”

Aria took a series of deep breaths. “Yeah….fine….Aten’s emotions can be overwhelming sometimes. This is the first time I’ve ever gotten a mental image from him, though.”

Aria slowly relaxed as feelings of contentment surrounded her. “He’s fine now.” Peace spread through the mindlink.

“You saw a gun?” Umi asked.

Aria nodded. “I’ve never received a mental picture from him before. All I remember is that I was terrified….beyond scared.”

Umi ran his fingers through her hair. “It’s okay, Little Mermaid. We’ll find him.”

The men exchanged glances. “We’ll find him, princess. Don’t you worry. We will find him even if we have to turn this town upside down.”

Umi helped Aria to her feet and wrapped his arms around her waist. “You okay, Aria?”

Aria looked into the ocean-blue eyes with a smile. “Yes.”

Umi kissed her on the cheek. “Good. I was worried there for a second. We had better get home before your daddy sends his men out to look for us.”

Aria turned to the men. “Keep looking. Leave nothing unexplored. My brother is out there somewhere.”

The men nodded. “Yes, princess.”

Aria and Umi left the alley.

Anzu bounced up to the men holding the picture. “Have you seen these friendly little chibis??? LOOK AT THE CHIBIS! THEY ARE SO CUTE THAT IT MAKES ME WANNA HUG THEM AND SQUEEZE THEM AND SQUISH THEM AND HUG THEM TIGHTLY UNTIL THEY CAN’T BREATHE ANYMORE!”

The men exchanged glances. “There is something wrong with you. Seriously. Wrong.”

Anzu cocked her head to the side, still trying to comprehend what they were saying. “I LIKE FRIENDSHIP!”

The men rolled their eyes. “Big deal. I like bashing people’s heads in with rocks.”

Anzu smiled. “THAT IS SO FRIENDLY! Rocks are very friendly things! One time, Marik and Bakura took me to a ravine and threw rocks at me! They hit me with so many friendly rocks that I was overcome and I fell into the ravine.”

“……..Umm….wouldn’t that kill you?”

Anzu shook her head emphatically. “Not me! I am so friendly that nothing kills me! Horray for never dying! YEAH! FRIENDSHIP IS IMMORTAL AND SO AM I!”

The men groaned. “Look, kid….just leave.”

“But I’m spreading the word of friendship and helping to look for these kids!”

The men sighed in defeat. “We don’t need to hear a friendship speech.”

Anzu pouted. “Aww….” Anzu looked at the picture. “WAIT! THE KIDS! I have to go tell Bakura! See you! Bye!”

Anzu skipped brainlessly out of the alley, much to the relief of all of the men.

******************************

Bakura paced the living room floor restlessly. Aria was still outside with Umi and they hadn’t returned.

“If that boy is spawning with my daughter, he’s going to take a nice long swim.”

Malik handed Ryou a cup of hot tea. “Bakura, I don’t think Aria and Umi are like that with each other yet.”

Bakura narrowed his eyes. “She better not be! Not my daughter! I’ll be damned if my daughter---.”

Aria and Umi walked through the door. “Hello, father.”

Ryou put his tea down and walked to his daughter. “Did you find anything?”

Aria hugged her mother. “No, mother. I have found nothing.”

“Oh. I see. Well, kids, it’s late and you should be getting some sleep. Aria, darling, go take your bath.”

Bakura took Umi’s shoulders. “You’re not going upstairs while my daughter is taking her bath.”

“I wasn’t going to go upstairs while she was naked!”

“You better not, Tsunami!”

Malik sighed. “Umi, let me get you something to eat.”

Umi followed Malik into the kitchen excitedly.

Ryou looked out the front window with a heavy sigh. “He’s still out there, Bakura. Four days. Four days my baby has been gone.”

Bakura stepped behind his husband and wrapped his arms around Ryou’s waist. “We’ll find him, baby. He’s with Robbie.”

Ryou leaned his head back and the yami rested his head against Ryou. “I just wish I knew how he was doing. That phone call…..it was….horrible.”

Bakura kissed Ryou’s ear. “I know, angel. Marik is out there looking. When Seto recovers, he will join with Marik in the search. They will find something. You know Moneybags. He has contacts all over the city. So does Marik.” Bakura gave Ryou another kiss on the ear. “You know what I think my husband needs tonight? A nice, gentle massage. What do you say, love? Tonight I’ll give you a massage.”

Ryou turned around to look Bakura in the eyes. Bakura and him had hardly spent any time together since the kids’ disappearance. He needed Bakura. He needed intimacy with his husband, the comfort, the love.

But, there was someone missing. Someone whom he needed now for mutual support. Marik.

But Marik was off with Seto, searching miles away from the city limits, despite Seto’s injury.

“Bakura, I want Malik to share our bed tonight, too. Is that alright with you?”

Bakura saw Malik serving Umi his snack. “That is fine with me, love. I know that Malik and I have not been together in a long time. And….I do miss him.”

Ryou nodded. “I’d really like that, Bakura. I do really need you and him tonight.”

Bakura leaned down and possessed Ryou’s lips in a passionate, slow kiss. “I need you tonight, Ryou. I love you.”

Ryou leaned up and possessed his yami’s lips. He did not know for how long they kissed by the window. Most of the neighborhood had become accustomed to seeing the two men kissing lovingly by the window.

A quiet snicker came from the steps as their daughter walked down the steps. “Aww…daddy and mommy love each other! That is so cute!”

Ryou turned and smiled. “Oh, hello, honey!” Ryou ran to his daughter and picked her up. It was a little bit of a strain to pick up the girl, but Ryou didn’t complain.

“Time to get my little girl a snack and then it’s off to bed!”

Bakura watched Ryou carry Aria into the kitchen. It was refreshing to see Ryou so happy as he carried his daughter. He turned back to the window.

“Goodnight, Ishtar. I’ll protect our family until you return home.”

NEXT CHAPPIE: ATEN / ROBBIE LIME! RYOU X MALIK X BAKURA LEMON! YAOI AND SHOUENEN-AI NEXT CHAPPIE!!!!