WARNING: SLIGHT ANZU-BASHING! YEAH FRIENDSHIP! ALSO, ONE USE OF HOMOSEXUAL SLANDER.

SweetMisery1: No, Aria doesn’t know about Jessica other than the fact she met her once. It’s just a coincidence.

star: No problem. I’ll see what I can do.

chaos queen: I love our bishies. Do I enjoy it? Yeah, in a way I do. When I need to blow off steam, my boys are there.

Shadow of Light: OH, I forgot to put a dreamcatcher in Aten’s room. D’oh!

Lady Elfskye: Well, keep me up to date, honey. He’ll be in my thoughts. Feeling does help healing, but remember Marik when he was in bed and refused to get up out of bed in Hostile? Well, I think that impacted Aten more than he realized.

bakachibi voidfox: Bakura’s dust won’t be able to be saved.

Dragon Tears: Aten and Robbie are only eight, but they learn early about homophobics.

Terra: *evil grin*

Seto lover and Bakurasgirl worshipper: Steven is a yami, but he doesn’t have a hikari…*gets evil, but good idea from reviewer response*….*evil grin*

Broken Time: My wife and husband have one daughter together. She’s seven with pewter eyes and long blond hair. Aww…can you give your chibi a hug from me??

Valea: Painting is always going to be a way for him to cope. Even when he gets older, painting is his coping mechanism.

Roxria: In “Shadow…” Yami doesn’t like women. He’s gay. He never sires a child. He basically ordered Seto to do it for him since Seto was straight back in Egypt.

Rezyra Sugamori: Aten and Aria are eight years old in this fic. *Aten hugs back*

Maruken: Bakura’s the voice of wisdom here in this fic…which is rare.

Overprotective

Bakura went into Aria’s room and woke her. She gave a little whine and tucked her head under the covers. Bakura sighed and pat her little butt.

“Time to wake up, chibi yami. Time for school.”

“Need sleep….go away.”

Bakura growled and nudged her with his hand. She let out another moan and snarled from under the covers. “Sleep…..”

Bakura nudged her again and she threw the covers off of her with a snarl and a growl. Her spiky hair twitched with frustration.

“Time for school, baby girl.”

Bakura opened the curtains in the room, letting bright sunlight enter the room. Aria hissed and covered her head with the covers.

“All right, daddy, I’m up!”

“Your mother has breakfast on. Do you want one eggs or two?”

“Two.”

“Toast?”

A snore came from under the sheets and Bakura nudged her. “Toast, please.”

Bakura left and Aria let out a sigh of relief.

The little girl threw the covers off of her and jumped out of bed. She walked to the bathroom and passed her brother’s room.

Aten was sitting in front of his easel, painting. His eyes were red and he yawned.

“Good morning, Aten. Couldn’t sleep again?”

Aten blinked slowly. “Yes.”

“How long were you up?”

Aten shrugged. “I don’t know. Very early.”

Aria walked over to him and kissed him on the cheek. “I’m sorry, Aten. I love you.” Aten looked up at her when she approached him. Aten wrapped his arms around his sister’s waist and drew her close to him. Aten buried his face in her stomach.

“Tell me again.”

Aria smiled and kissed the top of her brother’s head. “I love you, brother.”

Aten shook. “They’re still so bad, sister. I don’t know what to do about the bad dreams.”

Aria sighed. She stroked her brother’s white and blond hair. “I wish I knew what to say, Aten. That’s too bad.”

Ryou called up the stairs. “Aria, honey, time for breakfast.”

Aten released his sister and she gave him one last hug. Aria ran from the room and Ryou came upstairs with a tray.

Ryou placed Aten’s oatmeal and apples on a tray. He placed a tiny glass of water on the tray for Aten. “Here, honey, I brought up your breakfast so you don’t have to go down the steps.”

Aten put his brushes down as Ryou put his tray beside him. “Mommy? What’s wong?”

“Nothing, honey. Why?”

Aten looked up at his mother with large brown and purple eyes. “Mommy, you haven’t done this for a while. You only do that when I’m really not feeling well.”

“What do you mean? You’re not sick. You’re healthy! Healthy as ever!”

Aten cocked his head to the side. “And I not was able to play on the money bars last night. Why?”

Ryou shifted nervously. “Honey, it’s nothing to worry about.”

“Did Dotor Zira say something to you about my heart?”

“Aten, please….”

“Mommy, what did he say? Tell me! If Dotor Zira said something, I want to know!”

Ryou sighed. “Aten….” Ryou sat on the bed. “Come here.”

Aten climbed up on the bed beside Ryou.

“Aten, sometimes….people get really sick. Children can get really sick, too. Doctor Zira told me that your heart is very sick and he can’t make it feel better.”

Aten looked down. “Oh. I know my heart has been sit for a long time. He tant make my heart better? Never?”

“No.”

“Never, ever, ever, ever? Not in a billion-gagillion-bazillion years?”

Ryou shook his head. “No, Aten.”

Aten sighed. “Oh. That’s not good. If Dotor Zira tant help my heart, am I going to die?”

Ryou’s bottom lip trembled. He didn’t want to scare the child, but Aten would know if he was lying. He had to stay strong for Aten.

Marik knocked and entered the room. “Aten? You awake?”

Marik saw Aten sitting on the bed, his eyes wide.

“Daddy, am I going to die because Dotor Zira tant mate my heart better?”

Marik sighed. That wasn’t an easy question to answer.

Ryou nodded. “Yes, honey. But, we want you to know that we want to keep you happy.”

Aten nodded and cuddled up beside Ryou. “I know, mommy. Umm..I do have a question.”

Marik put his hand on Aten’s lap. “What is it, son?”

“What is death?”

“Death is when you stop breathing and your heart stops.”

Aten scratched his head. “Is death….scary?”

Marik took Aten’s hand. “Son, you will have no reason to be afraid.”

Aten looked up at Marik. “What will happen to me when I die?”

Marik looked up at Ryou who was gently caressing Aten’s white and blond hair. Marik did not expect all of these questions so soon.

Marik shrugged. “Well, son, different people have different ideas about what happens when after you die. In Ancient Egypt, death was a way to a better life in the next world.”

“What do you believe, daddy?”

Marik looked down at his eight year old son and tried to tell Aten the Ancient Egyptian view of death. “Well, son, when you die, you will go into the Underworld where you will live a new life.”

“Will my heart be bad in the next life, too?”

Marik shook his head. “No, son. You will no longer have a bad heart.”

“Good. Because the one I have hurts me.”

“When you die, you will undergo a series of challenges. If you succeed in passing the tests that the gods gave you, then your heart will be weighed against a feather. If you pass, then you will be able to enter the Underworld. It is paradise, Aten. Everything you ever wanted is there. Your greatest wishes will be granted.”

Aten smiled. “Really? Everything? So, if I wanted a chocolate sundae with chocolate syrup and sprinkles and whipped cream and a cherry on top, I can have it?”

Marik nodded. “You could. If you are a very good boy, you may be able to meet Ra.”

“Did you ever see Ra?”

Marik hung his head low. “No, son. I never have seen the face of Ra. I was a thief. I was forbidden to live my paradise. I had to serve someone else. Because I lead a bad life, I would have had to spend my eternity in servitude. However, Yami ripped me from the Underworld and put me in the Millennium Rod for eternity.”

“Will you ever see the Underworld again?”

Marik sighed. “I will never be in the Underworld again. I can visit the Underworld, but I am forbidden to remain there. I don’t miss being an eternal servant. It’s….It’s nothing.”

Aten looked up at Marik with large eyes. “What is it, daddy? Why do you miss the Underworld again?”

Marik sighed. “Everyone I know will die, Aten. Ryou will die. Malik will die. You and Aria will die. I will have to continue wandering this existence for eternity. I will never die. I will never rest. I’m condemned to a prison from which I’ll never be released.”

Aten reached up and stroked Marik’s cheek gently. “It’s otay, daddy. You’ll go bat to the Underworld. Daddy? Will Robbie be able to tum to the Underworld with me? Please tell me that Robbie will go to the Underworld with me! I tant spend an ederm-nity without Robbie.”

Ryou brushed Aten’s hair back. “You and Robbie will be together, baby.”

“I tant die and not see Robbie again. I’d be very sad and lonely.”

Marik sat beside Aten. “We want you talk to you about something that Dr. Zira wants to do for you.

“Dr. Zira wants to put a pacemaker inside of you, Aten. It’s a little device that helps your heart pump blood around your body. It’s going to help your heart stop hurting.”

Aten looked down at his chest. “He’s going to put something on me?”

“No, Aten. He’s going to sedate you and make a tiny cut in your chest. He’s going to put a tiny electrical thing on your heart.”

Aten’s eyes opened wide. “He’s going to cut into me?”

“It’s only a tiny cut, honey, you won’t feel it.”

Ryou removed his shirt. Ryou showed Aten the scar. “See? I have a pacemaker in my chest.”

Aten slowly reached up and touched the scar. “Mommy…you have a bad heart, too?”

Ryou nodded. “Yes, honey, I have a bad heart, too.”

“Mommy, are you going to die, too?”

Ryou replaced his shirt. “All people die, sweetheart. I’ll die. Malik will die.”

Aten looked up at Marik. “Daddy, you’re already dead, right?”

Marik looked down. “Yes, I’m already dead, Aten. I died a long time ago. I’m just a spirit.”

“Like a ghost?”

Marik chuckled. “Something like that. Daddy Bakura is already dead, too. We’re both spirits.”

“Did your heart make you die, daddy?”

Marik shook his head. “No, son. I was hurt really bad and I died.”

“Did it hurt to die, daddy?”

Marik looked at Ryou. He tried not to close his eyes, remembering the pain of his own death.

“No, Aten.”

“So, Dotor Zira wans to put something on my heart? Will it mate me not die?”

“No, Aten, but it will help your heart hurt a lot less. It may even take away the pain completely.”

Marik put his arm around Aten. “So, what do you think, Aten? Do you want the surgery to help your heart?”

Aten bit his lip. “Yes.”

“Okay, Aten. Is there anything you want to ask us?”

Aten shook his head. “What will happen when I die?”

Marik took Aten’s hand. “Your soul will go into the Underworld where you will meet Ra. That is, if you have been a good boy.”

“Did you meet Ra, daddy?”

“No, my son,” Marik sighed sadly. “I will never meet him. I live in the Rod that I carry around. That is my home for eternity.”

Aten looked up at his mother. “Does Daddy Bakura live in your Ring?”

“Yes, dear. Bakura lives in my Ring.”

“Oh. I will meet Ra if I am a good boy? I wan to meet Ra. Maybe you can meet Ra some day, daddy. Maybe Daddy Bakura can meet Ra some day, too.”

Marik sighed. “Maybe.” Marik ruffled Aten’s hair. “You should eat your breakfast, son. You don’t want it to get cold.”

Aten slid off the bed and sat at the tray. He stirred his oatmeal. “Is there any way I won’t die, mommy?”

“Baby boy, we know this is a lot to think about. We didn’t want to worry you. But, you know what, Aten? You have one mother and three fathers who love you very much.”

Aten nodded. “I know. I love you, too, mommy and daddy.”

Ryou and Marik stood up and went over to Aten. They kissed him and he looked up at them. “Tan I eat downstairs with Aria?”

“Are you sure you want to, honey?”

Aten nodded and Ryou carried the tray downstairs. “I don’t want to be alone,” Aten said as he climbed down the stairs.

Aria was eating her eggs when Aten sat beside her.

“How are you feeling, Aten?” Malik asked the boy.

Aten blinked and yawned into his dish of oatmeal. “Fine. Tired. Nightmare.”

Malik pat Aten’s back and Aten shuddered. “It’s okay, Aten. Nightmares can’t hurt you. Your mind is playing tricks on you.”

Aten sighed and thought. ‘Even my mind is bullying me. Oh well. I tant fight it, so I better get used to it.’

Bakura poured himself a large coffee and sat down at the table. “Aria, we have something to talk to you about. Your brother is going to need surgery to keep his heart going. The doctors may need some of your blood. Do you want to give blood for your brother in case he needs it during his surgery?”

Aria looked over at her thin brother eating his oatmeal. “Aten needs surgery? What kind of surgery?”

“There going to put something on my heart to teep it beating.”

Aria looked up at her father. “If Aten needs my blood, he can have some. Sharing is good, right, daddy?”

Bakura nodded. “Yes, honey. Sharing is good. Eat your breakfast and get ready for school.”

Aten grinned. “Robbie and I are going to play on the see-saws lite we always do!”

Marik shook his head. “Aten, you’re staying home today. You can go to school tomorrow if you are feeling better.” Marik looked at the time. “I have to get to work before I’m late!” Marik grabbed the Millennium Rod. He kissed Malik.

“Goodbye, love,” Marik said kissing Malik goodbye.

“Goodbye, Ryou,” Marik said kissing Ryou on the cheek.

“Goodbye, Pain-in-My-Ass,” Marik snickered as he kissed Bakura’s cheek.

Bakura whispered in Marik’s ear. “You never complained about that before, Ishtar. I plan on being a pain in your ass for eternity!”

Marik kissed his son. “Goodbye, my son. I love you.”

“Love you, daddy.”

Marik buried his face in Aria’s neck and growled. “Have a good day at school, chibi yami.”

Aria cupped Marik’s face in her hands and snarled back playfully. “Goodbye, Daddy Marik.”

Marik left the house as Aria prepared for school.

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

Aten dressed in his purple shorts and white t-shirt. He ran downstairs and towards the back door where Ryou found him.

“Aten, why are you running? You have to watch your heart!”

“I wan go play wif the money bars. I wan to be a money again.”

Ryou picked up Aten and carried him to the living room couch. “You should just lay here and relax. Here…here’s your blanket…..and your plushie. Is it too hot in here? I can put a fan on for you.”

“Mommy….I wan go play.”

“Here, let me put on a movie for you.”

Aten threw off his covers. “NO! I WAN GO BE A MONEY!”

“Aten! You can’t!”

Aten folded his arms and pouted. “I wan go be a money! Why tant I?”

“Aten, your heart might not be able to take it!”

Malik came into the living room and saw the pouting chibi fighting with his mother.

“Aten, you cannot go out and play with your monkey bars and that is final, Aten Bakari Ishtar!”

Aten started sobbing. “But I wan to go play on the money bars! Unkie Seto lets me play when I want!”

“Aten, don’t you raise your voice to me! I am your mother!”

“I’m not a baby anymore! I’m older now!”

Ryou’s body began to shake from anger. “I’m trying to keep you safe!”

“Leave me alone! I want to go out and play!” Aten started to sob.

Bakura came downstairs, feeling rage come from his husband. “Ryou? What is going on?”

“Aten might hurt himself on the monkey bars and he’s crying because I won’t let him go out and play!”

Bakura sighed and shook his head. He kneeled down to the crying chibi. “Aten, you can go outside and play.” Bakura took the chibi into his arms.

Aten sniffled and wiped his eyes. “I tan?”

Bakura kissed the boy’s cheek. “If your chest starts to hurt, come on inside and we’ll fix you up.”

Aten stopped crying and wrapped his arms around Bakura.

Ryou folded his arms. “Yami…can I see you in the kitchen?”

Bakura put Aten on the ground. “Go play, little monkey.”

Aten squealed and ran out the back door.

“Yami, I don’t appreciate you questioning me on how to take of my son!”

“Ryou, he’s eight years old! You have to let him be a kid.”

Ryou sat on the couch and started crying in his hands. “I don’t want to lose my son, Bakura!”

Bakura sat down and put his arms around Ryou. “Love, I know you want to protect Aten. We all do. But, Aten just wants to play. He wants to be a kid.”

“I told him about what Zira told us. He didn’t seemed bothered.”

Bakura shook his head. “He knew his heart is bad. Aten knows, baby. I know you want to hold him close to you, but, they are not babies anymore. They are children. They need to enjoy what youth they have, especially Aten.”

A knock came to the door and Malik opened the door. Miranda stood on the doorstep.

“Did…I come at a bad time, Malik? I came to see what the doctors said about Aten yesterday.”

Ryou looked up. “Miranda! Any word from the Navy about your husband?”

“Not since I got the letter. Daniel is going to arrive home tomorrow. They are releasing him a little early. I came to find out what your doctor said about Aten. You were really quiet yesterday after you left the hospital.”

Ryou brought Miranda into the house and Malik made hot tea. Bakura went outside and sat in the shade as he watched Aten play on the monkey bars.

Ryou, Miranda, and Malik had their routine morning tea together. Ryou sniffled as he stirred his tea.

“What did the doctor say, Ryou? Robbie was really worried about Aten last night.”

Ryou sniffled into his tea. Malik looked up. “Doctor Zira said that Aten has heart failure.”

Miranda put down her tea. “What?”

“He’s in the early stages of heart failure. He…he said it was terminal.”

Miranda’s face reflected worry. “Oh no. Did Zira say how long Aten had to live?”

A cough was heard outside in the yard coming from Bakura.

“Zira didn’t say. Aten will need a pacemaker to help his heart beat, though.”

Miranda shook her head. “Well, the doctors told me that heart failure can take months or years. My grandfather died of heart failure and it took him seven years to get really bad.”

Ryou wiped a tear away from his eye. “I don’t want to talk about Aten dying on me. My son isn’t going to die. My son can’t die.”

Miranda sighed. “That’s how I felt with my daughter, Ryou. It’s okay. It’s stressful to hear that your child has a life-threatening disease. It was just as hard for me to hear that Robbie would be born with a clubfoot. It was hard to hear his foot would be severely deformed. It was even harder to hear that my daughter had cardiomyopathy and she wouldn’t live past her first year of life. But, Ryou, you know, it’s okay to be upset. Aten has to experience all life has to offer while he can. I’m glad he’s outside playing. He needs to enjoy himself.”

“But, what if his heart….stops?”

“Ryou, he needs to play. He’s eight years old. If he’s tired, he needs to know that you are there for him. If you worry about him all the time, you’re going to make all this difficult on him. He knows if you’re upset. You don’t to make him more confused and upset than he probably is.”

Ryou sighed. “He’s not my little baby anymore.”

“No, Ryou, he’s not. And it’s hard to let go of that. Kids are perceptive. If they know you are scared, they will be scared, too. You have to be strong for him. Remember when you told me that Aten was raped by your father, Ryou? I told you that you had to be there for Aten. You are confused and upset, Ryou. That’s normal. But, your son will have questions about his problem. You have to be there for each other, Ryou.”

Ryou nodded. “I know.”

“Robbie’s going to be upset. Aten is his best friend. Aten is his only friend, really.”

Malik sipped his tea. “Aten said he was going to miss playing on the see-saws with Robbie this morning.”

Miranda chuckled. “What are we going to do with those two, Ryou?”

Ryou shrugged. “I don’t know. Those boys only have each other. Robbie’s going to be lost if Aten is gone.”

Miranda shook her head. “He’s going to be more than lost, Ryou. If I know Robbie, he’s going to be heartbroken.”

Another cough came from the outside.

“Is Bakura feeling okay?”

Ryou shrugged. “Maybe he picked up a little cold at the hospital.”

“Summer colds are the worst,” Miranda said.

“But, it’s not like Bakura to get sick. I’ve never seen him sick. Maybe it’s the heat or allergies.”

Malik nodded. “The first time the grass is cut after the winter, my eyes become so watery! I don’t go out for a few days.”

Miranda sipped her tea. “Yeah, the first cut of the season is rough. Robbie helps me rake though. He’s a big help when Daniel is away.” Miranda sighed sadly. “I miss him so much.”

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

Aten pedaled his bike faster as Robbie raced on his scooter. The boy had to go to Bakura to get permission to ride his bike with Robbie after Robbie came home from school.

Aten squealed happily as his long white and blond hair flew in the wind. Robbie looked behind him and saw his friend pedaling.

“Come on, Aten! Catch me if you can! WEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!

Aten giggled. “WEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!! Here I tum, Robbie!”

Aten pedaled faster and grit his teeth. His bike approached Robbie’s scooter.

“I’m getting close to the finish line, Aten!”

Robbie and Aten approached Aten’s house.

Aten closed the gap between he and Robbie. “I’m tumming, Robbie! Wash out!”

Robbie rode his scooter between the two trash cans. “And Robbie Allen Morgan wins the Robbie 500! YEAH FOR ROBBIE!”

Robbie stepped off his scooter and jumped up and down excitedly. “I’m Number One! I’m Number One!”

Aten jumped off the bike and tackled Robbie to the ground. “You always win!”

Robbie laughed as he laid on the grass looking up at Aten above him. “No, I don’t! You won a few times before!”

Aten grinned devilishly. “Well, sins you win, you get the tittle award!”

Robbie squealed as Aten began to tickle his ribs on the front lawn. Robbie’s eyes watered with uncontrollable laughter. His arms weakly reached up to Aten.

“Aten! Stop! That tickles!”

Robbie’s chibi squeal echoed through the neighborhood.

“Tittle attat!” Aten squealed as he tickled Robbie’s face grew red as Aten gave him a ‘tickle attack.’

“Who’s Nummer One, Robbie? Who’s Nummer One? Say it!” Aten laughed.

Robbie’s body started to shake as Aten straddled his waist and tickled him. “You’re…You’re….Aten! That tickles!”

Aten let out a chibi squeal as Robbie threw him off. Robbie got to his hands and knees and tried to crawl away, but Aten caught his ankles and straddled his hips again.

“Tum on, Robbie! Tell me I’m Nummer One!”

“You’re Number One, Aten!”

Aten clapped his hands. “I won!” Aten wrapped his arms around Robbie, still sitting on his friend.

“You’re my bestest friend, Robbie!”

Robbie held Aten close. “You’re my bestest friend, too, Aten!”

Robbie looked over and saw Mr. Gillam walk past the house. “Hello, Mr. Gillam!”

Mr. Gillam shook his head. “I don’t talk to fag kids like you,” Mr. Gillam whispered under his breath as he passed by the house.

Aten and Robbie heard what the man said. Aten sat up and Robbie looked over at Gillam as he passed.

“What did he call us? Fags? What’s a fag?”

Aten crawled off of Robbie’s body and shrugged. “Isn’t that a thing that waves in the wind?”

“That’s a flag, Aten.”

Aten nodded. “Oh yeah. I forgot.”

“I don’t know what that means.”

Miranda came out from her house, calling to her son. “Robbie, baby, it’s time for dinner!”

Robbie stood up and brushed the grass from his body. “I better go home. Goodnight, Aten.”

“Goodnight, Robbie.”

Robbie wrapped his arms around Aten and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. Robbie limped to his scooter and rode it home.

Ryou came outside. “Aten! Where were you?”

“Daddy Bakura said I could ride my bike with Robbie after school.”

Ryou carried Aten inside. “How’s your chest? Are you okay? Can you breathe?”

Aten nodded. “Yes, mommy, I’m fine.”

Ryou sighed in relief. “Okay. Go clean up for dinner.”

Marik walked through the door, groaning.

Ryou hugged him. “Rough day?”

“Anzu came into the restaurant today wanting ‘A friendly-wendly-cutie-cuddly-itsy-bitsy-teeny-weeny-hot dog. Then she went on for about ten minutes about how hot dogs are like friendship and how cute they were because they reminded her of friendship. HOW CAN A HOT DOG REMIND YOU OF FRIENDSHIP? I don’t get it, Ryou. I think I’ll spend the rest of my afterlife trying to figure that one out.”

Malik peeked his head out from the kitchen. “Dinner is almost ready, Ryou.”

A cough was heard as Bakura came down the stairs.

“Yami, are you okay?”

Bakura nodded. “Yeah. It’s nothing, Ryou. Just a little cold. Maybe allergies. I wouldn’t get too worked up.”

Bakura passed Marik quietly.

Marik sighed. ‘I hope you’re right, Itemri.’

Updates: Friday