Kat: *laughs* love the Homer simpson inclusion.
Marik is always the confident yami….and the caveman was a great
touch. Never thought I would see that…or
Ryou tearing open Marik’s shirt.
Pharaoh Yamis Princess: *is proud
of evil cliffie*
Caterfree: Marik and Ryou will be fine. Little shaken, but fine.
Marik Ishtar77: Yeah, the muses are quite proud of their
work. Ryou’s
going to get a Ginger Snap today for his wonderful acting. *hugs Ryou*
Draza: Yami is behind the mask, yes. Hayden gets print in this chappie. *hands Ryou plushie*
Do’t hurt me with the javelin….take this instead!
Valea: The dream was confusing? A lot of it was foreshadowing.
Broken Time: *resurrects* If you’re dead, you can’t review!
Sakiyama: Marik, Ryou, and Aria are going to
be okay. Yami..you are right.
I Is Me: *backs away*
Beysie: He got into his Rod….*snicker* Gotta
love Rod jokes.
Lady Elfskye: hehehe….good
title. Like it.
Tari Helyanwe:
*hands smelling salts*
Anubiset: eep!
*jumps from flame on butt*
Shadow of Light: They’re going to be fine.
Laugh
Aria opened her eyes from the crash and heard the horn on the
car sounded steady. Maxine was in the
front of the car unconscious, her body slumped to the
side. Aria groaned as she felt a sharp
pain in her hand. Her palm was bleeding
from broken glass.
She heard a male’s voice call to her.
“Hey, kid? Are you
okay?”
Aria’s Sennen Eye continued to glow
on her head as she growled at the man.
“I’m fine. See to Maxine!”
To the man’s amazement, he watched the girl unbuckle herself
and open the car door.
“MOMMY!” Aria cried as she pushed through the
crowd of people surrounding Ryou.
Aria kneeled by Ryou’s side. Aria’s hair spiked and her body shuddered.
Her Sennen Eye had dimmed. “Mother?”
The dying mother raised his eyes to look at his daughter.
“Mother is dying?”
The white-haired hikari laid in a pile on the concrete. A large puddle of blood had surrounded
him. Ryou opened his eyes, his body
shivering. A large piece of glass had
embedded itself in Ryou’s neck. Ryou’s body
twitched and shivered on the pavement.
Aria reached for the glass.
“Don’t pull it out, child!
He may bleed to death!” a woman begged her.
Aria snarled at the woman. “I know what I am doing!” Her eyes lowered to her mother. If the people saw her miraculously heal the
dying man in the street, there would be too many questions that would be unsafe
to answer. Bakura and Marik had warned
her and her brother that no mortals were permitted to know about yamis and Shadow Magic.
If the mortals knew about such magic, Malik and Ryou would be in
danger. Their lives would also be in
danger. With ambulances racing to the
scene, hundreds of people watching, using Shadow Magic would be dangerous.
Aria watched her dying mother on the concrete. “I have to do
this!”
Aria removed her deck from her dress. “NIGHTMARE DRAGON! I SUMMON THEE!
A loud roar echoed through the intersection. Dark clouds appeared over head as the
Nightmare Dragon hovered over the city.
The dragon soared down, roaring.
People screamed and scattered.
Ryou laid on the concrete gasping
for air.
Aria pulled the shard of glass from Ryou’s
neck. “Hold still, mother.”
The girl put her hand on the site of Ryou’s
mortal wound. “Please let this work,
dear Ra. Don’t let my mother die.”
Under Aria’s bloody hand, the torn tissue and broken blood
vessels were mended. Ryou’s
severed windpipe was healed. “Heal my mother.”
Ryou took a deep breath as Aria touched each of his injuries,
healing them with her bloodied hand.
Ryou took the Ring in his hand. “Ba…Bakura…”
The spirit emerged from the Ring half aware of his
surroundings.
“Ryou!!! Dear Ra!” Bakura gasped as he
kneeled by Aria.
“I healed mother,” the yami child said beside Ryou.
The yami looked up at his daughter. “Aria? Chibi Yami?”
Aria brushed her spiky hair behind her shoulders and lifted
the hair covering her forehead to reveal the Sennen
Eye. “Hello, Father. We meet again.”
“Aria?
What happened? Are you
okay?” Bakura lifted his head when he
saw the Nightmare Dragon flying in the sky, terrorizing the people. “Aria, what did I tell you about Shadow Magic
and mortals?”
Aria snarled at her father.
“I sensed HIM!”
“Him?
Him, who?”
Aria growled. “The pharaoh.”
The yami narrowed his eyes. “HE did this?”
“I sensed him.”
Ryou started to sob and reached out for his husband.
“Bakura,” the white-haired boy cried.
Bakura held Ryou in his arms.
“It’s okay, Ryou. I’m here.”
Aria ran to Maxine.
“She’s near death!”
Aria put her hands on Maxine’s head. “Heal this woman.”
Maxine’s bleeding stopped as the Ambulance arrived. The paramedics attended to Ryou and Maxine,
deciding it best to take them to
Aria rode with Bakura in the back of the Ambulance. The Nightmare Dragon disappeared.
Bakura watched her intently as she looked out of the window
with a menacing snarl. “Aria.”
The child turned her head. “Father?”
“What did you do to your mother? From the blood covering his clothing, it’s
obvious that he was gravely injured.
What did you do?”
The girl raised her eye to the doctor in the back, who was
bandaging Ryou’s broken arm.
“I laid my hands on him.
He recovered.”
Bakura’s hair twitched.
“You just don’t touch someone and they heal, Aria Kanika. Young lady, you tell me what you did!”
Aria narrowed her eyes at her father. “Don’t ‘young lady’ me,
father! I saved my mother’s life. I saved your husband from a certain death.”
“What did you do?”
Aria crossed her legs and sat back, bringing her chest out
more. Bakura noticed for probably the
first time that Aria was becoming mature, more mature than her age
dictated.
“Have you read the scripture ‘The Oracle of Isis?’”
Bakura shook his head. “I was a thief. I probably stole the
scroll and made some money off of it.”
Aria grinned. “Old habits die hard, I see. It’s good to see you haven’t changed in five
thousand years.”
“Tell me, Aria.”
“You call me ‘Chibi Yami.’ You are
right. ’The Oracle of Isis’ reads that
one yami….will have ‘Healing Blood.’
That yami would be ‘the seed of the Thief King.’” Aria turned her head
to Bakura. “I…I am that yami.”
“Yami Aria?” Bakura raised an eyebrow. “’Healing Blood?’”
Aria brushed her spiky hair behind her ears. “Remember three years ago, I was kidnapped? That lab tested me. Injected my body with many
medicines. Do you know why they
kidnapped me?”
“No.”
“It’s because my blood can heal. It can cure deadly disease.”
Bakura rubbed his forehead. “If you can cure disease, why
didn’t you tell us? We could have cured
Aten.”
Aria shook her head. “I
cannot cure a biological defect. Aten’s heart is naturally weak and disfigured. I cannot heal a naturally broken heart.”
Bakura sighed.
“There is more. The
same scroll reads that one yami…will have ‘Deadly Blood.’ His blood kills. His blood takes life violently. His blood is dark. Vicious. Cruel. Evil.”
Bakura narrowed his eyes. “Who is that yami?”
Aria took a deep breath and sighed. “My brother.”
“Aten?”
Aria turned her black and red eyes towards her father. “Yami
Aten.”
***********************************
Malik grabbed the duster and turned on his music. He cleaned
the living room as he moved his hips to the music.
The hikari sang at the top of his
lungs. The phone rang and he turned down
his music.
“Ishtar-Itemri
Residence.”
[Malik, did Marik leave yet?]
“Yeah.
He’s not there?”
[No. He hasn’t arrived.]
Someone knocked on the door. Malik turned off his music and
looked out of the window at the door.
[Malik, what is going on?]
“Police officers….and they have the Millennium Rod! I’ll call you back.”
Malik turned off the cell phone and opened the door. “Hello?”
“Are you Malik Ramses Ishtar?”
“Yes.”
The officers looked at a clipboard. “Do you have a 2003 Pine
Green Chevrolet Impala?”
“Yes.”
“Was your car reported stolen?”
Malik shook his head. “No.”
“We found this item in the front seat of the car.”
The officer held up a plastic bag with the Millennium Rod in
it. “Does this item look familiar to
you?”
Malik gasped. “That is mine!
Where did you find it? Where is
my car?”
“Your car was involved in an accident.”
“What happened?”
“It crashed against the
The man looked at the golden item in his hand. It wasn’t scorched. It looked brand new.
“You will have to keep your car until we discover who stole
it.”
Malik gripped the Rod tightly in his hands. “Thank you for returning my…family
heirloom. You didn’t find anyone in the
car when you found it?”
“No. Nobody was in or
around the vehicle. We will keep you
updated.”
Malik stepped in the house and closed the door behind
him. “Marik!
Marik! Are you okay?”
Malik shook the Rod vigorously.
The Item glowed and Marik appeared holding onto the staircase
for support. His forehead was wounded
and bruised. The shirt he wore was
burned and fused to Marik’s skin in some places. The ends of Marik’s
blond hair were scorched.
Malik wrapped his arms around his injured yami. “Marik! SWEET
Marik fell to his knees and wavered unsteadily. The hikari held
Marik against him, fearing that the yami would fall down. “Marik, I have to get the first aid kit!”
“No…need time in Rod…..Just came out to tell you…that I’m
okay.”
“Go into the Rod, Yami Marik.”
Marik lifted his chin weakly.
“Malik…give me a kiss…please.”
Malik leaned down and kissed his yami’s
lips. “Go into the Rod, Marik. Love you.”
Marik disappeared and his flicker of light returned to the
Rod.
Malik dialed Seto’s phone
number.
[Seto Kaiba.]
“Seto, Marik is hurt!
The cops said that my car was in an accident!”
[Is Marik okay?]
“He’s burned! He’s in
his Rod now.”
[Healing, hmm?
Okay. I have some emergencies I
have to deal with now. Maxine is in the
hospital.]
“Maxine?”
[Maxine was also involved in a car crash. Ryou and Aria were injured.]
Malik’s eyes filled with tears. “Oh, sweet gods, no. Are they alive?”
[Maxine’s cuts are healing faster than normal, but she may have
some internal damage. They are checking.]
“Aria?”
[A few cuts on her hand.]
“Ryou?”
[The doctors don’t know how all three of them got out of that
accident with no major injuries. Ryou
was laying in a pool of blood, apparently. How he escaped with no bruises or cuts is
beyond me.]
“Seto, can you give me a couple of hours to keep Marik in the
Rod? Marik heals quickly in there. For every hour he’s in there, it’s the
equivalent of a week’s worth of healing.”
[Fine.
I’ll have someone come and pick you up at
“Okay.”
Malik hung up the phone and sat on the couch. He laid the Millennium Rod on the coffee
table in front of him.
“Relax, Marik. I’ll
take you to Seto after you rest.”
*****************************
Malik arrived at KaibaCorp and
entered Seto’s office. “Marik, we’re here.”
A bright light shined and Marik emerged from the Rod,
yawning. His cuts were healed and his
bruises had cleared.
“Marik, I hear that you got into an accident.”
Marik growled. “My brakes were cut.”
Malik gasped. “Oh my Ra!”
Seto narrowed his eyes.
“Why does that not surprise me?”
Marik put his arm around Malik’s
shoulders. “If Marik or Ryou was in
there, they would have been dead.”
“Ryou and Aria were also involved in an accident, Marik,”
Seto said as he crossed his legs.
Marik’s face drained of color and his eyes
filled with tears. “W-What?”
“Maxine’s brakes were cut, too. They are in the hospital.”
Marik dropped his arm and put two open palms on Seto’s desk.
“Please….please tell me that they survived.”
Seto nodded. “They did.
Somehow they came out with some scrapes.”
“What about Aria?”
Seto shrugged. “I don’t know how that girl managed to get out
with only a cut hand. The car was
totaled. Aria should be dead by all
accounts.”
Marik breathed deeply and sighed. He sat in the chair by Seto’s desk and buried his face in his hands. “I almost
lost Ryou. I could have lost Itemri. I…I could
have lost Aria.”
Malik put his hands on Marik’s
shoulders and massaged them. “We
know. I didn’t know what to think when
the police had your item in their evidence bag.
When they told me what happened to my car, I thought I lost you.” Malik wrapped his arms around his husband
from behind, hugging him tightly. The hikari placed a soft kiss on Marik’s
cheek. “Don’t ever leave me, Marik.”
The blond yami nuzzled his cheek against his husband’s, “I won’t, hikari. You’re stuck
with me for the rest of your mortal life.”
Seto crossed his arms. “If you two are done giving me cavities
from all of the sugary sweetness you two are radiating, I can tell you what I
heard.”
Marik and Malik turned to him. “You heard something?”
Seto nodded. “I had a dream last night. I was so stupid! I dreamed that Aten told me where to look.”
Marik crossed his leg and leaned on the arm of the chair.
“So, where do we look?”
“I was told to search for the ‘Desert Flower.’”
Malik scratched his head. “’Desert Flower?’ It’s hard to find flowers growing in the
desert.”
“You yourself told me to look for a ‘beacon’.”
“So we have to search where for a desert flower?”
Seto turned on his computer. “On the Net.”
“We searched the internet.”
“I know, but we didn’t know what to look for. It never occurred to me.”
The internet browser started and Seto typed in ‘Hayden
McGinnis.’
“Hayden used to be ‘Hayden McGinnis.’” The news reports were in the search
results. “Now, remember three years ago
they released Charlie, Hayden’s uncle.
The news gave some of the details of Charlie’s child pornography
ring. Hayden was rented out to at least
one hundred men. Charlie also had a
website that he established.”
Marik narrowed his eyes. “What are you suggesting?”
Seto shifted his eyes between the two men. “My guess that Charlie is
still as stupid as he was eight years ago.”
“Are you saying that Charlie probably has a website now just
as he did then?” Malik asked.
Seto nodded. “It occurred to me as I was waiting for you to
arrive.”
“Why didn’t you have the website up? Why didn’t you have the computer turned on?”
The CEO took a deep breath. “Because I’m afraid….that it’s
true.”
“We have to search for ‘Desert Flower?’” Malik asked.
Seto nodded.
“Seto,” the yami said slowly.
“I know this is going to be difficult.
But, we have to do this for the boys’ sake.”
Seto felt his hand tremble.
What if Charlie was running the same type of website? What would he find? Would Aten be on that website? What did they subject him to?
Marik stood up. “We
have to do this for the kids, Seto.”
“You’re right, Marik.
I just…I don’t know what I will see.”
“I don’t know either.”
Seto hesitantly typed in ‘Desert Flower’ into the search
engine. A list of books and apartments
were listed as results.
“No good,” Malik said, hovering on Seto’s other side.
“What about….’Desert Flower’ and
‘Aten?’”
Seto typed in both terms.
Nothing.
Marik put his hand on Seto’s
shoulder. “Charlie is not going to put Aten’s name anywhere on the page. Search for ‘
Seto typed in the terms and saw a link which read ‘See the
most Beautiful Desert Flower found in
Marik growled. “Click on it.”
Seto clicked on it and a list of
downloadable movies were revealed. “What the hell is this?”
“’Fallen angel?’ What’s that got to do with deserts
or flowers?”
Seto clicked on the link and a movie downloaded. Marik, Seto, and Malik gasped as an image of
Aten and Charlie filled the screen.
Aten was bare from the waist up. Broken and frayed angel wings were attached
to his back. Charlie was holding Aten by
the upper arms and was kissing the twelve year old deeply.
“What…the fuck….is THIS?!” Marik snarled as his hair spiked in
fury. He gripped the Millennium Rod in
his hands angrily.
Malik covered his mouth.
“Oh, gods, no!”
Seto closed the movie.
“Three Is a Crowd?”
Seto gripped his chair with one hand and clicked. Seto’s heart sank
as he saw Hayden chained to a bed. Seto
focused on the man pounding into Hayden.
“CHARLIE MCGINNIS! SHIT!” Seto’s eyes
wandered to the other two men
who were kissing Hayden’s body.
“Why is that guy wearing a mask?”
Marik narrowed his eyes. “Because he knows he’s being
watched. He knows if we see this, we
will know who it is.”
Malik shrugged. “How can we tell?”
“We’ll find out who it is and I am going to carve their
mangled carcass and feed it to my dragon!” the blond yami snarled.
Seto’s bottom lip trembled. “Hayden! No….my little Hayden.”
Marik closed the window. “What other fucking movies are on
here?”
Marik clicked on the link ‘Lost in Innocence.’ (thanks, beysie!!!!) The movie downloaded and the three men watched
stunned. Aten and Robbie were under the
covers, their pants laying by the bedside.
[I miss my mommy and daddy, too. But I’m glad I have you,
Robbie.]
The two boys looked at each other and Aten started to touch
Robbie’s chest.
[Aten.]
[Robbie.]
The two boys started kissing, their hands drifting over each
other slowly.
“What the hell is my kid doing?” Marik asked, cocking his
head to the side.
Malik watched as Aten’s hands slid
lower, Robbie’s body eventually gave a shiver of pleasure. “Oh dear.”
Marik’s jaw dropped.
“That…bastard…VIDEOTAPED MY
Seto shook his head. “Aten is going to be crushed if he finds
this out.”
“I cannot believe…..Aten…..my son….” Marik’s
eyes glowed a blood red. “What the hell is my son doing now?”
Malik clicked off the movie.
“We can’t watch this, Marik. It’s not right.”
Marik’s eyes were burning red. “How dare that man treat my son like this!”
Seto turned to Marik, his eyes full of tears. “At least you
didn’t see your son being raped, Marik. I…I just did.”
Marik looked down and his eyes returned to normal. “You’re right.”
The men looked at the list of movies.
“’Masquerade?’”
“Should we click on it?”
Seto closed his eyes and clicked on it. The masked man was pounding into Hayden.
“What is that?”
Seto narrowed his eyes. “One dead man.”
Malik shook his head. “No, that light. See that light in the upper right hand corner
by the window?”
Marik raised an eyebrow. “It keeps appearing and
disappearing.”
Seto turned his attention to the corner window. “You’re right. A light…..That must be the
Beacon from my dream!”
Marik grabbed the mouse and opened the two movies they had
looked at. In the background was a
similar light that appeared and disappeared every five seconds. “Strange.”
Seto bookmarked the site.
“I’ll have Joel run this through the equipment in the office. He’s good at this type of stuff. He’ll investigate this further. But now we know he can’t be in the South
Domino. Nothing like that will cause
this type of light.”
Marik’s eyes read the links of the
movies. “’Egyptian Delights.’”
Marik released the mouse.
“I…I cannot see what is behind that link.”
The yami stepped back.
“My boy.
What have they done to you?”
Malik bit his lip. “Maybe Aten’s
not in that movie, Marik.”
Marik shook his head. “I don’t want to find out if he is or
not.”
Seto looked at the link.
“Turn around, Marik.”
Marik shook his head. “I’m leaving the room. I cannot bear to hear him cry.”
The yami left the room and sat on the chair outside Seto’s office.
//A beacon of light?
How the hell is that going to tell me where he is? Is he near the airport? The docks? I know there is a lighthouse in
Malik emerged pale a few minutes later. The yami looked up. “Marik….Aten is going to be okay.”
“Was he in that video?” Marik asked as he stood up.
Malik avoided looking his yami in the eyes. It’s hard to tell. You can’t see too
much. The link is blurry for some
reason.
“I see.”
Marik brushed past his hikari and
entered Seto’s office. “Moneybags, I have to go to the hospital to
see my family. Can your men take me?”
Seto’s seat was turned around. “Whatever.
Go Away. Leave me alone.”
Marik left. “Let’s go,
Malik. We’re going to see the Itemris.”
//I’ll get you back, Aten. I promise you, son.//
****************************
Malik watched the buildings pass as the rainstorm grew in
intensity. The rain slammed against the
far with hurricane force.
“Marik?”
“This rain will not let up until those kids are found, so do
not ask me again, Malik Ramses.”
The hikari sunk into his seat at
his yami’s stern tone. “Okay. Sorry.”
Marik lead his husband through the hospital. He entered Ryou’s
hospital room and saw the white-haired man reach out for him.
“Marik….”
The blond yami walked to Ryou’s
bedside and clutch the white-haired man to his body. He leaned over to wrap his arms around the
thin figure. His eyes closed tightly as a tear fell down his eye. “Ryou, I was
so afraid that I had lost you.”
A quiet whimper came from Ryou.
“Shhh,
baby. It’s okay.”
Marik held onto Ryou until the hikari
reached out for Malik.
The two yamis met each other’s eyes
hungrily. Marik walked around the other
side of the bed and Bakura pulled over the curtains to give him and Marik some
privacy.
Once behind the curtain, Marik grabbed Bakura’s shoulders
with a tight grip and pulled the other yami against him. Marik possessed the other yami’s
lips hungrily and with a vicious growl.
Bakura gripped onto Marik tightly, his fingers digging into Marik’s leather jacket.
Bakura pulled back from the kiss and bit hungrily into the side of Marik’s neck with a growl.
Bakura backed Marik against the wall. The two growled low in their throats as they
remained pressed against the wall.
Marik sensed the familiar bite and growl was the result of
bloodlust. Bakura must have been near Ryou’s blood during the crash. “Itemri…….”
Bakura pressed himself harder against Marik. The blond wrapped his arms around Bakura
slowly and hugged him against his body.
“Itemri….”
Bakura pulled back. “Seto called and told us that you were in
an accident. He said that your car was
totaled.”
Marik held the other yami against him and sighed. “The brakes
were cut. My head slammed against the
steering wheel. Then I felt flames all
around me. I gathered whatever power I
could to get into the Rod. I knew I’d be
safe there.”
Bakura hugged the other yami.
“I was afraid, Ishtar.”
Marik kissed the smaller yami’s
forehead. “Don’t be.”
“Marik?”
Marik released Bakura and the two yamis
pulled back the curtain. “Yes, Ryou?”
“Have you seen Aria?”
“No. I didn’t get to
the Pediatrics yet.”
Ryou looked down. “Okay. I was just wondering how she was doing.”
“We’ll go check on her, Ryou,” Bakura said, taking Marik’s hand.
Malik nodded. “I’ll stay here with him.”
Bakura and Marik walked to Pediatrics, striking angry glares
at anyone who dared comment that they were holding hands.
They heard a hiss come from one of the rooms down the hall.
“Sounds like my baby girl is giving
a nurse a hard time.”
Bakura and Marik entered the room and saw Dr. Zira standing by Aria.
“Aria, were you hissing at the doctor?”
“He touched my leg and it hurt!”
Zira shook his head. “We did all the
x-rays on her leg and we found nothing wrong.”
Bakura pulled back the sheets and saw Aria’s legs were
normal. “Dr. Zira,
can we take Aria and Ryou home today?”
“Yes, there’s nothing wrong, amazingly. I don’t know how she escaped unscathed.”
Aria smiled up at her daddy and winked. “I love my father!”
The little girl threw her arms around Bakura.
“Love you, too, baby girl.”
“Well, Bakura, I was told by Seto to allow Miranda to go home
with you when she was ready, but her husband is back from the military. I would hate to disobey Mr. Kaiba’s orders, but I know right now you have a choice.”
Bakura shrugged. “It’s Miranda’s choice to make, not mine and
not yours.”
“Mr. Ryuugi can go home, but I
believe his husband is with him.”
Marik snickered. “Husband? Since when was Otogi married?”
Zira shrugged. “I can’t give out personal
information like that, Mr. Ishtar.”
Aria jumped out of bed and rubbed her lower back. “Ow,
Aten. Knock it off.”
“What’s wrong, Aria?”
“Aten’s lower back is hurting. Either that or it is mine. Daddy, can we stop at the store and get some
chocolate?”
Bakura shook his head. “No, Aria, you were sick
yesterday. You shouldn’t have
chocolate.”
Aria’s eyes darkened. “I need chocolate! Now!”
Bakura shook his head. “No, chibi
yami, you were sick. Now, come on.”
Marik, Bakura, and Zira left the
room and Aria grinded her teeth.
The child snarled and the other hospital bed disappeared from
the room.
***********************
Bakura, Marik, and Aria returned to Ryou’s
room where Miranda, Daniel, Otogi and Tristan were
visiting Ryou.
Marik and Bakura stood on either side of Otogi. “Dice-Boy, did you marry Coffee-Boy?”
Otogi blushed. “Yes, we got married before
the Justice of the Peace a couple of weeks ago.”
Ryou’s head snapped up. “You did? Why didn’t you tell us?”
“Well, we didn’t want anything big and elaborate, Ryou. We just wanted it with just us,” Tristan said
casually.
Marik grinned at Miranda. “Hello, hotness. Oh, Hi, Daniel.”
“Marik, you haven’t changed since the last time I saw you,”
the man said.
“Five thousand years haven’t changed me, Danny-Boy. Besides, I am dead, but certain things still
work, if you know what I mean.”
Miranda snickered. “Marik, I don’t sleep with dead guys.”
Marik shrugged. “There’s a first time for everything.”
Bakura shoved Marik. “Can you stop thinking about trying to
get into Miranda’s jeans for two seconds, Ishtar?”
Marik licked his lips. “Not really.”
Daniel held up Miranda’s hand with the wedding ring. “I don’t blame him.” Daniel kissed Miranda’s
hand. “I can’t go for that long either.”
The woman shook her head. “I’m surrounded.”
“Daniel, Seto wants Miranda to go home with us. But since you are home, that is your
decision.”
The tall man ran his fingers through his short black hair. “I
want to go look for my son. But, I can’t leave her home alone. Not after that asshole tried to get to her
again. I’m taking no chances. I don’t gamble with my wife’s safety.”
Bakura nodded. “Understandable. Okay.
When you are out looking, Miranda, you are welcome to stay with Ryou and
Malik. I fear leaving you alone while
this guy still walks the streets.”
Miranda nodded. “I agree.”
“Perfect. Then we are agreed.”
Aria stood beside Ryou. “How do you feel, mother?”
Ryou leaned over and kissed his daughter. “I don’t know what
you did, Aria. But…thank you.”
Aria put her head on Ryou’s lap. “I
couldn’t let anything happen to my mother.”
The girl wrapped her arm over Ryou’s
legs and hugged them.
Ryou smiled and stroked her daughter’s hair. “My little angel.”
Bakura watched Aria’s eyes turn from brown to black and
red. Her canines sharpened and she
smiled.
Yami Aria hugged Ryou’s legs
tightly and instead of a growl, the chibi yami was
purring at the affection given to her.
“My mother….”
********************************
Hayden’s POV
Two weeks.
That is how long they’ve told me I’ve been with them.
Two weeks.
Why won’t daddy come for me?
Uncle Charlie told me that Mr. Kaiba
is dead. He told me that he shot him
execution style.
Mr. Kaiba.
Uncle Charlie came in with Aten.
“Hayden, here is Aten.”
Charlie threw Aten against the bed. Aten looked at Uncle Charlie defiantly.
I can’t fight. I’m
tied.
Tied.
Bound.
Just like when I was five.
Aten looked at me with tears in his eyes. He could see my
bruises, my body getting thinner and thinner.
“Aiden, are you okay?”
“Aten, please……”
Charlie sat by my bedside with an evil grin. Bastard.
His pain has always been his pleasure.
Is that all I am good for?
Yes.
That’s the way it has always been. And it will forever be
like that.
“Aten, show Hayden what a good little boy you are.”
Aten shook his head. “I can’t do that to Aiden.
He’s like…He’s like a brother to me.”
Charlie growled. “You are putting on a very bad show for the
cameras, my dear boy.”
Aten. I can’t hurt him.
We played together as kids.
We always played cars.
We weren’t as close as he and Robbie, but we still spent
quality time together.
Aten shook his head. “I don’t want to put on a show for the
camas! I know you taped Robbie and I doing
something that nobody should have been able to see!”
Charlie glared at him. “Don’t talk back to me, boy. You keep this up,
Robbie will be placed here instead.”
Aten has guts. He has
brass balls. If Aten’s
not careful, that’s going to get him a nice swift beating.
Aten looked down at me.
“I can’t have Robbie injured.”
Aten leaned down to me and kissed my lips.
“I’m sorry, Aten,” I whispered into his ear.
His brown and purple eyes looked deeply into mine. “I’m
sorry, too, Aiden.”
My uncle watched us.
I’m his whore.
I have to do this. I
have no choice.
Here I go….spiraling.
Forced to do what I know shouldn’t
be done.
I am dirty. Wrong.
Sorry, Aten. I’m
falling.
Spiraling.
I have to hurt you. I’m sorry.
Spiraling….
Falling….
Aten’s kisses fall to my chest and I can
sense detachment in his soft kisses.
He wasn’t kissing me.
He was kissing someone else.
Falling….
Was it Robbie he was thinking of kissing?
I hate myself for this.
I hate myself for reacting to this.
What do I have to look forward to? Mr. Kaiba is
dead. I don’t know where daddy is.
I have no choice but to fall into myself.
Lose myself forever.
Because I am Uncle Charlie’s little object.
Falling…
Spiraling…
Madness….
Falling….
Little whore….
Little Object….
Nothing left.
Aten’s head snapped up in fear as he
arrived at my lower belly. His face was pale.
Did that scream come from me?
That tortured scream?
I can’t believe this is happening!
Aten, I’m sorry.
“I can’t do this to Hayden!” Aten begged.
“Do it, you little rodent!”
Falling….
Madness….
I have nothing left.
This is wrong. Dirty. Evil. Cruel.
And my body is reacting to his kisses.
That is the worst thing.
Aten jumped, startled by something.
Another scream from me, I guess.
No….laughter.
“GO ON, ATEN! MAKE ME
YOUR WHORE
Aten shook his head. “Aiden?”
“GO ON, ATEN! DO IT TO
ME!”
If I can’t shed any more tears, I will laugh! LAUGH, I SAY!
I CAN’T LAUGH
See?? HAHAHAHAHA!!!
Hear me laughing? I can laugh!
Laughter is the best medicine, isn’t it?
YOU LAUGH! GO ON! I
DARE YOU TO LAUGH!
Uncle Charlie is standing up. He’s angry! Laugh at him!
*SLAP*
Uncle Charlie just hit me!
Laugh!
Uncle Charlie is grabbed Aten! Laugh!
Funny!
Feels good! Laugh!
Laugh harder!
Everyone likes a good laugh!
Aten’s fingers dig into my stomach. He needs to file those damn things!
They’re sharp.
Sharp things don’t make me laugh.
Violence. Violence is the way people
interact. Should I laugh?
This is how the world is, then I’ll
join in. Why not?
Well, Hayden……
Then this is how I shall be.
I can be just like everyone else…and laugh it off after.
After all….everybody loves a good laugh, don’t they?
**********************************
Phone call
*****************************
Ryou opened his eyes as a loud shriek pierced the quiet
night. His heart froze as he realized
the scream was not coming from the Ishtar bedroom.
Ryou rolled out of bed and ran to his daughter’s room. Bakura ran into the room with Ryou to find
Aria curled up in a ball holding her stomach.
“Aria?
Baby, what’s wrong?”
“Mommy, it hurts!”
Ryou held her hand. “What hurts?”
Aria looked up. “My
stomach……and….” The girl looked at the
four men looking down at her. “and….” Aria blushed.
“Guys, I can handle this,” Ryou said, noticing the child’s
hesitation.
“Are you sure?”
Ryou nodded. “Yes.”
The three men filed out of the room.
“What hurts?”
“My vagina.”
Ryou sat down. “Okay, sweetie. You
haven’t hurt yourself down there, have you?”
Aria shook her head. “No…..”
Ryou bit his lip. “Okay.”
Aria closed her eyes and whimpered. “My stomach really hurts.”
“Where does it hurt?”
Aria rubbed her lower belly. “It really hurts, mommy! Why
does it hurt?”
Ryou shrugged. “I don’t know.”
“Must have been all the chocolate I ate.”
Ryou sighed. “Aria, you know not to eat an entire bag of
M&M’s, baby girl.”
“But I needed to!”
Ryou stood up and opened the door. “Bakura, can you get Aria
some Tylenol? She’s having stomach
cramps.”
Ryou turned back and sat on Aria’s bed. “Daddy’s going to get you a Tylenol.”
The mother looked at his daughter and noticed a tiny pimple
on the side of Aria’s cheek.
Ryou stroked Aria’s hair, noticing her calm down as he sat
with her.
Aria winced. “Ow.”
“Stomach cramps?”
Aria shifted. “Aten’s
uncomfortable.”
“You still hear from him?”
Aria nodded. “Yes.”
Bakura entered the room with Tylenol and a glass of
water. “Here you go.”
“Can you talk to Aten now?”
Aria blinked. “I’m blocking him.”
“Why are you blocking him? Is something happening to him?”
Aria sniffled and wrapped her arms around Ryou’s
waist. She laid quietly, indulging in Ryou’s gentle touch.
Bakura watched Ryou’s worried
face. The yami put a comforting hand on Ryou’s shoulder.
“Aria, can you tell Aten anything?”
Aria shook her head. “Not unless I break down the barriers.
He told me to promise not to break them until tomorrow morning.”
Ryou sighed. “Okay, baby.
You go back to sleep, okay? Get a
good night’s sleep.”
Aria rubbed her lower belly. “Okay, mother.”
“That’s my girl.”
Ryou kissed Aria on the forehead and left the room with
Bakura.
The two Egyptians waited outside.
“Is Aria okay?”
“She just has some stomach cramps.”
Marik sighed. “Well, she did eat an entire bag of M&M’s
today.”
Malik turned to Bakura. “Did you notice that Aria’s face has
a pimple? Boys, I think our little girl
is blossoming.”
Bakura poked Malik. “My girl is not blossoming. She is not a flower.”
Ryou turned to Bakura. “She’s not going to be a child
forever, Bakura. She is getting to be a
young woman.”
Bakura shook his head. “Not my kid.”
The spirit walked past his husband and entered his room.
“Bakura really needs to get a handle on this thing,” Marik
said.
*****************************
Robbie watched the lighthouse beam spin around with a
sigh. He jumped when he heard a scream
come from the other room.
A slap made Robbie wince.
What were they doing to Aten? Why
was Hayden screaming?
Robbie sat down on the bed.
Laughter was rising from Hayden in the next room.
The blue-eyed boy stood up and ran to the door. He jiggled
the doorknob and kicked the door in anger.
“LEAVE ATEN ALONE, YOU BUTTHOLES!”
Why is Hayden laughing?
He scratched at the door and kicked it harder. “Let me
out! I have to help Aten!”
He threw his body weight at the door.
He fell back, holding his shoulder. “Ow.
That hurt.”
Robbie looked around for something heavy to break down the
door. “I’m coming, Aten! I’m going to get you out!”
Robbie growled as he found nothing. He slammed himself into the door again.
He fell onto his side. “Don’t give up, Aten!”
Robbie struggled to his feet and sat on the bed. He rubbed his sore clubbed foot. The cold weather was coming and it always
seemed to get worse when the air became colder.
The laughing stopped.
The door unlocked and Aten was thrown inside.
Robbie rushed to his friend. “Aten?
Oh god! Aten, speak to me!”
Aten’s body shuddered as he laid face down
on the carpet.
“Aten?
It’s okay. You’re with me now,”
Robbie said stroking Aten’s hair.
“Robbie.”
Robbie stepped back as Aten struggled to his feet.
“Aten, good gracious!
What happened? Your face is
filthy!”
Robbie ran for the glass of water he had and dipped his hand
in it. He reached out to clean Aten’s face, but the Egyptian stepped back.
“Don’t.”
“Aten, you’re a mess!”
Aten shook his head. “No.
I’m fine. I’ll do it.”
Aten took his hand and washed his face off.
“Aten, what happened?”
Aten narrowed his eyes and Robbie stepped back.
“Okay, I won’t ask anymore.”
Aten growled low in his throat. “Tomorrow. This is it!
We’re getting out of here tomorrow.”
Robbie sat on the bed, watching Aten walk to the other side
of the bed. “I’m just glad to see you
back, Aten.”
Aten turned to Robbie and nodded. “So am I.”
Robbie watched Aten run his fingers through his hair. Aten was speaking strangely. His hair had spiked. Lightening bolts formed from the blond hair. “Umm…Yami Aten?”
Aten turned around.
“Yes, Robert?”
Robbie’s eyes widened and his jaw dropped. “Oh. I
knew it was you again.”
Aten turned around. “You could, hmm? Good for you.”
“How do you think we’re going to leave? We can’t leave Hayden here.”
Aten growled. “Don’t you worry, liebhaber.”
Robbie’s jaw dropped. “No way! Where did you learn to speak German? I thought you only knew Arabic!”
Aten laughed. “I watched you and looked at your
dictionary. It’s the only word I care to
know. It’s the only word I cared to pick
up.”
Robbie raised his eyebrow. “Did you just call me what I
thought you called me?”
Aten chuckled. “It’s time for bed, Robert.”
“Aten, did you just call me l--?”
“Robert, I said it is time for bed.”
Robbie and Aten laid down. Aten faced away from Robbie and sighed.
“Aten?
Aren’t you going to give me a goodnight kiss?”
Aten turned his head. “Not tonight, Robert. I’m sorry.”
“Are you angry at me?”
Aten shook his head. “No.
I am not angry. Tomorrow when I
have washed up, feel free. But not now.”
Robbie turned around and cuddled up to Aten’s
back. Robbie put his arm around Aten’s side.
“Goodnight…..Yami Aten.”
“Pleasant dreams, Robert.”
Aten kept his eyes opened.
//Those men have dug their graves tonight. By High Sun tomorrow, they will be dead. I guarantee it.//
Robbie blinked as he held Aten against him. ‘I didn’t know
Aten watched me as I did my German homework.
He just called me……… ‘lover.’’
Update: Tuesday