Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Anything For You ❯ Find Me, Lose Me ( Chapter 19 )

WARNINGS: ANGST…Yes, I usually never put this as a warning, but I also thought I'd say IMPLIED NCS at the end…nothing graphic at all…

Mystical Dragon: I am singing that song today! What a stressful day at the office!

BuffyM: I try not to disappoint! I will continue this story, don't worry!

Gralnak: Thanks *hugs *

Dragondreamer: What do you plan on oing with those handcuffs??? *wink *

Shade A: I have no idea how long this will take.

Shadow of Light: I know..i'll never think of carousels the same neither.

Angel Black: I have a lot of things to do before Bakura and Marik find Ryou…a lot.

Gralnak: Thanks. My first attempt at joey x seto…not bad

Find Me, Lose Me

Ryou woke up the next morning with Aten in his arms. The thunder the night before scared Aten and he had buried his head into Ryou's chest so deeply, that Ryou was surprised Aten was breathing. The little boy was talking in his sleep about his father and how much he missed his daddy. The child opened his eyes to smile at his mother. Ryou brushed back the baby's hair and wiped a tiny bit of dirt off of his son's cheek.

Aten cuddled closer to Ryou as he held his Change of Heart plushie.

"Morning, mommy!"

"Did you get enough sleep last night? I know that storm scared you."

Aten nodded. "I was fine…with you sleeping next to me, mommy."
Ryou held Aten close. "I love you, angel."

Aten hugged his arms around Ryou's arm tightly. "I wuv you, mommy. I wonder if daddy saw my pisher yet. I dwew him a pwetty pisher."

Ryou kissed Aten's forehead. "I hope daddy sees my picture I drew him."

The heard the sound of the basement door opening and Aten gasped.

Footfalls were coming down the steps. Ryou sat up and looked around the room for something to grab in case it was his father. There was nothing hard in the room. He wanted something….anything….to knock his father out so he could grab Aten and run to safety. The lock on the door was being picked as Aten ran to cling onto Ryou's legs.

Steven opened the door standing there looking well rested. "Well, boy. How do you like your new home? Comfy, huh?"

" 'Comfy' isn't quite the word, dad."

"I know..there aren't words to say how nice it is. I wanted to let you know that your lover Kaiba has put up a reward for your safe return."

Ryou clenched his fists and stepped towards Steven furiously. "What makes you think I'm sleeping with Kaiba? I told you that I love Bakura!"

"Hey, I can't keep statistics on how many men you probably bang."

"The only reason I was in Kaiba's bed in KaibaCorp is because I was DYING, dad! I was dying because of you! You and your "medicine"! You almost cost me my life, father. You know, just because I am in love with Bakura or live with Malik and Marik doesn't mean I'm sleeping around with every man I see. I never slept with Kaiba."

Steven shut the door behind him. "Don't tell me you never let Malik or Marik stick it in you….I doubt that. I see how you act around them and, son…let me be blunt…it is obvious."

Ryou looked down at Aten slightly shaking at the tone of the tall, angry man. Ryou picked up Aten and held the baby in his arms. Steven's eye switched between the two of them. When it did, they opened wide noticing the sharp resemblance between the two.

"That child looks like it has the skin of the boys you live with, son. His hair is like yours, too. You can't tell me one of those boys aren't the father of this little whelp."

Ryou growled and pulled Aten's head close to his shoulder. "My son is not a whelp. I love him and I don't want him to think that living the way you want to live your life is wrong. I want him to live his own life no matter how he chooses as long as he doesn't hurt himself or others. He's not going to turn out like you, father. A strict, bitter old man who thinks that his son has to live his life according to what other people want. No. My son will not turn out like that."

"I take it he sees nothing wrong with what you and Bakura are doing?"

Aten turned to Steven. "I wuv my mommy and Daddy Bakuwa! Daddy Bakuwa pways with me and my sister in the backyard! He chases me awound and he even wets me cwimb on his back and pway horsie!"

Ryou rubbed Aten's back to calm the child down. "Bakura and I love our children, father. Why can't you see that just because I love Bakura doesn't mean that I would expose my children to any danger? I love my children and I would do anything for them."

"I love you, too, son…but.."

"You do not love me! How can you even say that? You kidnap me, lock me in a dark, cold room with no food or water! Only a bottle of cheap wine from an alcoholic to feed my son! How can that be considered love?" Ryou felt tears pool behind his eyes. "If you really loved me, you would accept me for who I am and not for what you want me to be. THAT….is real love."

Steven's face seemed to thaw for a moment, then became frozen again. "But look at what you are doing to this kid!"

"What? I feed him, clothe him, dress him, play with him, take care of him when he's sick! What difference is there if I am gay or straight? I love him all the same. I don't love him out of obligation like you love me, perhaps. I love him because I truly do love my baby boy. I do it out of compassion, kindness, and fatherly love. You love me because you HAVE to…and that is why you cannot nor will not accept me…because you aren't man enough to be proud of me! All you see are your jealous, narrow-minded ways! You don't even deserve me as your son! You've always done that! You always find some fault in me! Well, guess what? All kids aren't perfect and you wanted the perfect son!" the tears fell from Ryou's face. "Well, dad, you know what? How can I trust you after this? I can't! I'm a better parent to my child than you ever were to me! That's the way it is always going to be!"

Steven's face glowed a fiery red and he reached out to Ryou's neck grabbing it with full force. Ryou almost dropped Aten from the shock. "You know what, Ryou…..you aren't the perfect, kid…and you never will be."

"Wet go of my mommy!"

"But you cost me everything…my career…my home……my wife…everything."

"Beathe, mommy!"

Steven's lip trembled in fear as he shoved Ryou into the closet door. He knew Ryou was losing his grip on Aten. "I tried to give you everything, Ryou! I tried to give you a good home…good education….food in your belly…and look at how you repay me…by this!" Steven grabbed Aten's arm and released it just as quickly.

"Wet go of my mommy, meanie-man!" Aten grabbed Steven's sleeve and pulled at it as hard as he could.

"Dad…can't breathe….."

"And whose fault is that, my boy? You mouthed off to me for the last time, Ryou."

Tim opened the door as they heard the screech of tires outside. "Steven, the cops are here! I have to hide the door!"

"Alright..slide the bookcase in front of it."

Ryou's grip on Aten tightened as Steven fought to grab Aten from Ryou.

"Dad…don't hurt….Aten…."

Aten squirmed in Steven's arms as they heard a heavy object being placed in front of the door. The screeching of metal across concrete could be heard.

Steven held Ryou tighter. "Tell him to settle down…I promise not to hurt him. But if he gives off so much as a whimper, you won't know what hit you."

"Aten….calm…down…..It's ok, baby."

They heard footfalls upstairs.

Aten watched Ryou stare into his father's eyes.

****Ryou's POV****

I wanted to scream. To yell. To alarm the cops that I was being held down here with my father's grip around my throat. I couldn't help shaking as my father's face began pooling with sweat despite the chill of the dark basement. Aten's legs dangled as my dad held him

around his waist close to his body. I was more scared for Aten than for myself. I knew how vocal Aten was when he was scared. When scared, he got very clingy and vocal. He couldn't hold onto me and I knew that's what he wanted.

But he had to behave.

The footsteps moved around the upstairs before retreating down the basement stairs. My father gripped tighter and my son tried to curl up in Steven's grasp, but he couldn't.

Pleaselookbehindthebookcase. Please look behind the bookcase….see a door..open it….rescue me. Whisk me away…from the madman's grip.

Please have Bakura with you. Please have Marik with you. Oh please…..

"You better pray..they don't hear you, Ryou," my father said.

Was I saying all that out loud? I couldn't tell.

Don't worry, Aten. Daddy will come for us…take us away….hug us tightly…never let us go. He'll stroke our cheeks….kiss our foreheads….and wreak havoc on our captors….my father and his whore of a wife.

Please find me. Please find me.

The cops' voices are heard laughing….laughing! Why are they laughing??? Don't they know what is going on in this room?

The cops leave the basement and for a while, things are quiet. Then, the footsteps return upstairs and the front door is heard being closed.

No….the engine is starting in the police car….

No….the car is leaving….

No…..the car is gone….leaving me to my father's wrath.

My father releases his grip on me and I almost fall to the ground gasping for breath. He releases Aten who clings to me like a magnet kissing my face and wrapping his arms around my neck.

"You are lucky they didn't find you, Ryou."

I couldn't look my father in the face. I hugged my child instead. I pet his white and blonde hair and I kissed his cheek telling him everything was going to be ok. We heard the metal against the concrete again and the door opened with Tim and Jessica running into the room.

"That was close, Steven!"

My father turned to them. "How did they know we were here?"

Tim and Jessica looked down at me. I knew I was in for a punishment….they knew about my letter that I left at the diner. How else would they have tracked me down?

"The waitress found a note written on the napkin at the diner we went to." Jessica looked at me sternly. "It had this address and mentioned someone was kidnapped."

My father turned to me and I tried to hide my face from them. I whispered in Aten's ear.

"Don't move, baby. Stay right where you are."

My father grabbed my hair and pulled my head back. "And I bet it was you, Ryou…wasn't it? You lead the police to us, didn't you?"

"Mommy! Wet go of my mommy!" Aten said wrestling with my father's arm.

I gripped Aten tighter and Tim and Jessica grabbed him.

"Aten! Let go of him! Give me back my son!"

Aten let out a wail as Jessica held him.

"Don't worry, kid. I won't hurt you."

"Mommy!"

Steven lifted up my hair pulling me off the ground. "Well, Ryou…now that you have been on tv and everyone knows what you look like, we'll have to do some…modifications, won't we?"

My father pulled me out of the room by my long hair. My uncle opened the door almost confused as to what was going on. Maybe he was drunk….again."

"Hey, Steve…what's goin' on?" My uncle's speech was very slurred and it surprised me that the police didn't notice that on their patrol.

"Get a chair and some scissors, Ryan. We have a job to do."

My father pulled me to the kitchen and pinned me to the kitchen table. "We have to do this for your own good, Ryou. I told you we would punish you if you misbehaved."

My heart began to race. Jessica continued to hold Aten who clutched onto her tightly.

Daddy pulled me off the table and sat me on a kitchen chair. Tim forced my hands back behind the chair and they were bound with something silky.

Aten watched with wide eyes as my father grabbed the scissors.

"No, daddy! Not my hair!"

He grabbed my head and pulled back making me hit my head against the chair. "Would you rather we did this to Aten? It's your choice, boy. You either take your punishment…or your son takes it for you."

I saw Aten looking at me with his quivering little body. It hurt me so much to have him watch this! How could I let my child pay? Tears dripped from my eyes as my head was held back by my hair.

It's for Aten….do this for Aten.

"I hate you, dad," I sobbed. Tim straddled my lap and held back my head as my father grabbed a handful of my hair.

Aten began to whimper in Jessica's arms as he watched me.

"No one will recognize you, Ryou….no one."

My father placed the scissors to my hair.

Tim brought his hand up to my chin to keep my head steady.

This is for you, Aten…..I love you, son.

The blades of the scissors opened.

Aten…….

"Aten….," I whispered aloud.

The scissors came down…..cutting my hair in the back.

My father held up the hair and threw it in the trash.

"No son of mine is going to have long hair anymore."

My father continued to cut my hair on the sides. Aten began to cry as my father continued to cut.

Don't cry, Aten…Mommy loves you.

Tim gave a satisfied smile as the basket filled with my long white hair. He leaned down to me and he looked into my eyes.

"Now you are beginning to look..somewhat normal."

My eye tried to avoid looking at him. I tried to keep my eye on my little boy in Jessica's arms. All I needed to know was that I was keeping him from harm.

Daddy put the scissors down and looked at his work. "Now no one will be able to identify you without your hair." Daddy then removed the bag of white hair and left the kitchen.

I lifted my head to see where he went and I came face-to-face with Tim.

"Well, you still look girlie…but less girlie..that's a good thing." Tim ran his hand through my shoulder length hair.

Jessica walked up to me and Aten put his hand on my cheek quietly. I don't know if he was thanking me for taking the "punishment" for him or telling me that he loved me. I know he did…he's my little boy…my baby. I carried him and gave birth to him. I still have the scar from his birth.

"You don't look bad, Ryou. Not bad at all."

I hung my head forward sobbing a little. I couldn't help it…my father chopped off my hair.

"Aww….is Ryou cwying?" Tim mocked. To my surprise, Tim Cinetti lifted up my head and he brought his face close to mine. He brought his lips to my cheek and he licked my tears off my face. Jessica was watching him as Tim licked my trails of fallen tears. Aten gripped Tim's hair and pulled it roughly.

"Weave my mommy awone!"

Tim growled and gripped Aten's arm to my horror.

"No, Tim! Don't touch him!"

Tim turned to me again and released Aten to my relief. "I won't touch him….as long as you cooperate with me, Ryou."

"Jessica….don't let Aten see this….please…"

My father returned to my relief, but to my horror, told Tim to wash my hair. My dad told me he was going to watch Aten along with Ryan in the meantime and that I better behave or I wouldn't see Aten again…for a very long time if not at all.

Jessica said she would help.

They took me to the bathroom and kept my hands bound behind me. They both roughly washed my head in the sink and pulled me into Jessica's room that she shared with Tim to…"dry my hair."

There, Tim untied my hands and I struggled with them to get out of the room. As we struggled, we knocked down one lamp which fell and shattered on the ground, its pieces splintering into thousands of tiny pieces all over the floor. Tim pulled me onto the bed and tied my one wrist to the bedpost.

All I could think of was that I was protecting Aten from their abuse….no matter what happened to me.

I swung my other hand to punch Tim, but Jessica gripped it holding it down until Tim could fasten me to the bed. They tied my wrists and I could tell they intended to break something more than that lamp……

NEXT CHAPPIE: Marik and Bakura are getting closer..and Aten sends a letter to Kaiba.