Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Apocalypse ❯ Welcome Back ( Chapter 42 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Lokilos: *hugs tightly* Thank you for your review! I inspired you? *feels really special* I wish I could help you with html, but I have Lady Goddess do it because I don't know a darn thing. *hugs and hands Ryou plushie*

Welcome Back

Seto tasted his scrambled eggs and wrinkled his nose at the cardboard taste. The CEO swallowed the food and gulped his orange juice.

“That stuff tastes like crap. How did Aten live on this stuff when he was here?”

Kendall crossed his legs as he sat at Seto's bedside. “When you're hungry enough, you'll eat anything.”

“I wouldn't eat this if this was the last edible thing on Earth.”

Donny shrugged. “Kendall's right. If you're hungry enough, you'll eat anything.”

Seto put down his fork and pushed the table away. “I'll wait until I get home.”

The door opened and Asher walked in. “Mr. Kaiba, Maxine sent me.”

Seto grabbed his coffee and sniffed it. He rolled his eyes and wrinkled his nose. “Where's a good cup of coffee when you

need one?”

Asher closed the door behind him and removed his hat from his head. “Mr. Kaiba, I came to tell you that we have finished

the repairs to your office and to the lobby. The blood is cleaned up from the offices, the lobby, and your office.”

Seto took a deep breath and set the bitter-smelling coffee on the table. “Asher, did Maxine arrange Alex and Hayden's

funeral?”

Asher nodded. “Maxine told me to tell you that, too. She ordered pretty flowers for Alex.”

Seto crossed his arms in front of his chest and leaned back. The CEO hated to face the reality that he needed to bury Hayden.

Hayden was he and Joey's first adopted child.

Yes, Hayden committed unspeakable crimes, but he was also a victim of crime himself.

He was confused. Lost.

He deserved equal treatment in his death.

“Maxine is to arrange pretty flowers for Hayden's funeral, too, Asher. Tell her that. I don't want Hayden to be ignored because of what he did.”

Asher's right eye twitched. “Can I burn his body?”

“No, Asher. No burning Hayden's body. I want it buried.”

“Where?”

Seto leaned his head back against the hospital bed. “In the Kaiba Crypt. It's in Redeemer Cemetery. My stepfather isn't

buried there, though. Not anymore, anyway. After I tossed him out of the window, I had a proper funeral for him and put

him in the Kaiba Family Plot. After the media stopped their coverage of his death, I asked Alex and Jacob to break into

the Plot and steal my stepfather's body, cut it into pieces, and dispose of it into the woods for the wild dogs to gnaw at. As

far as I'm concerned, he deserved to be alive while the dogs were chewing his bones. The media thinks that Gozuboro is

still buried there. Let them believe what they want, though. That is where I am burying my son….the Kaiba Crypt.”

Asher's left eyebrow twitched. “It's more fun to burn things.”

“Asher, no burning Hayden's corpse! I mean it!”

“Okay,” the pyromaniac groaned.

“Tell Maxine to meet me in my office tonight at nine. There she can give me the time and location of the funerals.”

Donny stood beside Asher. “Do you think it's wise, sir? You're still recovering.”

“Donny……Alex was like a father to me. It would be disrespect for me not to go. This man………he held me after my

stepfather used me, Donny. This man was there to hold me and to protect me when my stepfather abused me. I owe it to

Alex's memory….and his family….to go. Besides, he once took a beating for Mokuba. I need to go give my last respects.”

“What about Master Joey? He's still in no condition to go.”

Seto looked over at his unconscious lover. “I'll take Joey when he wakes up and is mobile. I know Joey would want to go.”

“When are you coming home, Mr. Kaiba?” Asher asked.

“This afternoon I'll be home with Mokuba, Jeanie, and the girls. Donny, you'll have to swing by Ryou's and pick up Ceres

and Jaimen.”

Donny nodded. “Yes, sir.”

“Asher, this food is awful. Tell the cook to get in something decent tonight.”

“Cook is dead.”

Seto blinked. “What?”

“Cook is dead. Jay and Karl found a new cook.”

“Oh. Okay. Well, tell him or her to---.”

“Him.”

“Okay. Tell HIM to get something good in the place. I'm starving. Tell him to stock up on coffee.”

Asher nodded. “Maxine took care of it.”

“Thank you, Asher. I'll see you later. Tell Maxine what I told you about Hayden's funeral and that I want her to see me

tonight.”

“Yes, sir.”

Asher turned and left.

Seto rubbed his temples with his fingers.

Donny grabbed his keys. “I'll pick up Ceres and Jaimen and come back for you, sir. I won't be long.”

“Don, wait.”

“Yes,sir?”

Seto opened one eye and continued to rub his temples. “Get me a cup of coffee at the donut shop down the corner. I

need some coffee…..Real coffee.”

Donny chuckled. “Yes, sir, Mr. Kaiba.”

Donny left the room and stopped as he left the room.

Kendall watched Seto keep his arms closed. “When we get you home you can rest, sir. You look tired.”

“I have so much work to do when I get back to KaibaCorp, Kendall. I won't have time to rest. My company needs me. My

employees need me. I have to attend to business before my own needs.”

“Conditioning is a tough thing to break, isn't it?”

The CEO nodded. “It is…..but it's all I've known: Business before pleasure. I can't even take care of myself until my duties

are taken care of….that is something that Gozuboro beat into me from the start…and he never let me forget it.”

Kendall turned his gaze to Joey in the bed. “It's something that you've been working on, sir.”

Seto turned and looked at Joey. “I've done it too often, Kendall. Seeing Joey like this….it makes me realize…that maybe I

took him for granted.”

Seto watched as Joey's fingers twitched. “I'll never let that happen again, Joseph.”

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

Bakura's POV

I laid beside Ryou, not able to pull myself away from him. Malik had gone to the food store to grab some necessary

items. Marik was downstairs making breakfast for me.

He may not be the best cook in the world, but nobody can make scrambled eggs like Ishtar.

Nobody.

When Marik and I returned from the Shadow Realm, we found Jaimen outside in a panic. Ryou was unconscious on the

living room floor. Apparently, he had just collapsed without any warning. I managed to carry Ryou upstairs and place him in

our bed.

All night I laid awake beside him, just watching him breathe and his body twitch in his unconscious state.

I replaced his jeans and shirt with boxers when I brought him upstairs. I wanted him comfortable. Plus, it was fun slowly

removing his clothing.

As he laid beside me, I lifted the covers and ran my hands over his stomach.

`You now carry the heir to Egypt's throne,' the pharaoh said.

Could Ryou be pregnant?

I made an appointment for Zira to examine Ryou the next day.

Slowly, I reached for the sheets and pulled them down to below his waist. Softly, I reached to his stomach and held my

hand on there lightly.

What were we going to do if Ryou was pregnant?

Ishtar had no job now. What were we going to do?

It's hard to think straight with my hand touching Ryou like this. I loved rubbing his stomach when he was pregnant with the

kids…or rather, she.

Aria would move towards my hand and I would feel her kicking me.

Wouldn't be the first time that girl kicked me….

Now she's having another baby and her pregnancy is moving nicely.

She felt the baby move the other day.

I gently pressed on Ryou's belly and waited for some movement, ripple, foot, anything that would tell me if Ryou was

having a baby.

Nothing.

Ryou turned his head towards me and groaned.

“Ryou? Wake up, angel.”

Ryou slowly opened his brown eyes and he immediately closed them and held his head. “I….I have a splitting headache.”

“I thought you would, so I grabbed you some headache pills.”

I grabbed Ryou's arm and wrapped my arm under his body. I helped him sit up against pillows. Slowly I grabbed the water

and pills for his headache.

“What happened?”

“Jaimen found you in the living room and I carried you up here. Do you remember anything?”

Ryou swallowed the pills with the water and he coughed. “Not very much. I remember getting a banging migraine….and

then…there was a voice….it sounded like….Yami.”

Ryou finished his cup of water and I placed it on the table beside our bed. He slipped under the covers and I wrapped my

arms around him.

“Ryou, I'm glad to have you back.”

“'Have me back?' Did I go anywhere?”

“You…..you don't remember the past month or so?”

“Why, no, I don't. Did something happen?”

I held onto Ryou tighter.

My body started to shake as I held him. I didn't know what to say to him.

I couldn't exactly tell Ryou he's been acting like a complete dick.

Ryou doesn't have a mean bone in his body. To know how he was behaving would upset him. He can't use that now.

“It doesn't matter, love. I have you now.”

Ryou looked up at me quizzically. “What happened?”

Marik opened the door with his foot. “Look who's awake! How do you feel, Ryou?”

Ryou held his head and groaned again. “I have a bloody awful headache.”

Marik put the plate of eggs and juice on my bedside table. He sat at the bottom of Ryou's side of the bed and stroked

Ryou's leg. Ryou must have known something was up. He was looking between Marik and I.

“What happened, Marik?”

Ishtar shrugged and looked confused. “I just made Itemri breakfast. Why?”

I snickered. “Ishtar's my new little Kitchen Bitch.”

“Kiss my ass, sexy boy.”

“Hey, you love it when I kiss your ass.”

Ryou looked down at Marik. “Marik, tell me what happened in the past month. I don't remember anything.”

Marik raised an eyebrow. “Are you serious?”

“Yes. I don't remember anything.”

I sat at the foot of my bed facing Ryou. Ishtar and I looked at each other with uncertainty.

“What do we do?” Marik asked quietly.

“We have to tell him. I'd rather us tell him than have Yami tell him what he did.”

Marik nodded. “Good point.”

I leaned back against the bed. “Did you know that Aria is pregnant again?”

Ryou's jaw dropped. “My baby girl is pregnant again?! Oh that's so wonderful!”

“You didn't think it was wonderful at the time. You were very angry at Aria. She said that you slapped her across the face.”

Ryou's smile faded. “I….I what?”

“You hit Aria.”

“Oh no! I hope I didn't hurt her!”

“No, she was okay.”

I crossed my arms. “I tried to talk to you, but you wouldn't listen to me. You refused to even come near me.”

Ryou sat up and leaned over to me. He put his hand on my leg gently. “Yami, I'm so sorry.”

I lowered my eyes. I couldn't bear to look him in the eye when I told him this. “You said you didn't love me.”

Ryou gripped my hand. “Yami, I never meant that.”

I grabbed the bottom of my shirt slowly and lifted it, revealing the bruises that Ryou gave me when he tried to force

himself on me. I lifted my eyes to see his reaction and Ryou's eyes filled with tears. “Oh, yami……did I do that to you?”

Slowly, I nodded my head. “Yes.”

Ryou pulled himself to his knees and hugged me. He kissed my cheek. “Please forgive me.”

I held Ryou against me and smiled. My fist grabbed a handful of his hair. I let the strands of snowy, white locks slip

through my fingers.

My arms held him close and I rubbed his back with my free hand. “I'm so glad to have you back, Ryou.”

Ryou trembled in my arms and started crying. “I had no idea any of this was happening! I would have stopped if I had

known what was going on.”

“The pharaoh was controlling you, Ryou,” Marik chimed in. “He was controlling your mind. I walked in on you and Yami……

together.”

Ryou gasped. “WHAT?!”

I walked in on you and Yami having sex in his temple.

Ryou shook his head. “He must have taken me without my knowledge.”

Marik shook his head. “No, you were conscious. And enjoying it, apparently.”

“How could I have enjoyed that?”

“You did. You told me that you enjoyed Yami better than me.”

“Marik, that's not true and you know it,” Ryou said, hugging Marik.

Marik looked Ryou in the eye. “Isn't it?”

Ryou shook his head. “No. Yami is not a better lover than you.” Ryou sat back and pulled his knees up to his chin. “I feel

so bad….I had no idea what was being said.”

Marik moved beside my husband and put his arm around him. “Ryou, we're just glad to have you back to your old self.

Bakura, Malik, and I were very worried about you.”

The downstairs door opened and closed. “Hey, guys! Is Ryou awake?”

“MALIK?!”

Malik's footsteps ran up the stairs quickly. He entered the room and dropped the groceries on the floor. He ran to the bed

and wrapped his arms around Ryou tightly. Malik covered Ryou's cheeks and lips with kisses repeatedly.

“Ryou, I'm so glad to see you awake! How do you feel?”

The other hikari hugged Malik tightly. “Malik, I'm sorry if I ever hurt you with what I said.”

I saw Malik's eyes shift side to side as Ryou hugged him tightly. “Umm….we're cool, Ryou. Marik and Bakura told me what

happened and now it all makes sense.”

Ryou held Malik tightly. “I'm sorry if I hurt you.”

“Don't worry about it, Ryou. Really. We're just glad to have you home, safe, and with us again.”

Ryou buried his face in Malik's shoulder and cried. Marik and I shifted closer to Ryou and rubbed his back.

When Ryou had stopped crying, he picked up the phone. “I should call Aria and apologize.”

Malik ran to the groceries to pick them off the floor. “I have to put these away. Here's the change, yami.”

Marik took the five dollars change and placed it in his pocket. “Every cent counts until I can get another job.”

Ryou stopped short and I could tell he was more confused than ever.

“Wait…..another job? What happened to your job at Captain Smiley Buns?”

“I got fired.”

Ryou dropped the phone on the bed. “Fired? When? How?”

“You came into the place and made a raucous. You fought with me and my boss fired me. Oh well. At least I don't have

to wear that fucking pirate costume anymore. I was ready to give that damn uniform to Asher and have it burnt for me

anyway.”

Ryou lowered his head. “I'm sorry, Marik.”

“It's okay, Ryou. I'll find something better.”

Ryou looked down. “I hope so. It's all my fault.”

Marik and Malik hugged Ryou. That had to be the hottest thing I have ever seen.

“Don't worry about anything, Ryou. I'll take care of everyone here,” Marik said.

I looked at the clock. I promised Moneybags that Marik and I would come see him today.

The doorbell rang. I told the gang I would get it and I ran downstairs. I opened the door and saw Donny.

“Well, well….look what the cat dragged in.”

“I came for Jaimen and Ceres, Bakura.”

I stepped aside. “They're out back. I heard them playing.”

“Have they behaved?”

“They're Kaiba spawn. Need I say more?”

Donny didn't even crack a smile.

“The kids were good, Don. How's Moneybags doing?”

“They're releasing him today.”

I couldn't help but laugh. “How did he like the food there?”

“I'm to stop off and get him coffee on the way back.”

Snickering, I shook my head. “He must be going through withdrawal now. I knew he wouldn't be able to last long with that

awful food in there.”

“He's going to be through a lot. Asher said that Hayden and Alex's funerals are arranged. We'll let you know when and

where they will be held. I'm sure Seto will call you to let you know.”

“Very well.”

I walked Donny around the side of the house and opened up the back gate. Jaimen was pushing the little boy on the

swing.

Ceres kicked his legs and squealed happily.

He's so cute….

“Hey, guys, Donny's coming to take you to see Seto and you guys are going home.”

Ceres jumped off of the swing and ran to Donny with his arms stretched. “TONNY!!!!”

Donny pat the boy's head. “Hey, squirt. We're going home.”

“Is my daddy okay?”

“Your daddy is excited to see you, Ceres.”

The boy looked up at Donny with those large chibi eyes that make you melt. This kid had been so worried about his family

since he had come to live with us.

Ceres smiled. “I miss mommy and daddy.”

Jaimen ran up to Donny and hugged him. “Hey, Don! Is my dad okay? I heard he was shot!”

“Your father is okay, Jaimen. He's got some bandages, so be careful when you hug him.”

“As long as he's okay, I'll be happy.”

Donny picked up Ceres. “I'm sure Seto will fill you in, Jaimen.”

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

Seto winced as Zira examined his injury.

“I'd take it easy on that arm for a while, Seto. Don't strain it.”

The CEO replaced his shirt slowly, wincing as he moved his arm. “Damn, this hurts!”

“It will hurt until it heals.”

The door opened and Jaimen walked in with a smile. “Dad!”

The teen hugged Seto tightly, making the CEO whimper. “Nice….to….see….you……….too, son. Ow.”

“Jaimen, be careful of your father's shoulder.”

The teen jumped back. ”Sorry…I'm just excited to see him.”

“I know you are.”

“I'm glad to see you're alive and well, dad. I can't wait to get back to our home.”

Seto sighed and tried to look optimistic for his son.

He may have looked convincing, but he wasn't kidding himself.

KaibaCorp was in shambles, and the job of fixing it had fallen to Maxine, Jay, Karl, and Asher.

“Is Ceres doing okay?”

“Yeah, he's with Mokuba now. I made sure he got to see his daddy. You should have seen him….Ceres was just clinging to

Mokuba for dear life. Poor little chibi boy.”

Zira turned to Jaimen. “Make sure your dad takes care of himself and takes it easy on that arm of his.”

“I will, doctor. Thanks a bunch.”

“Anything else before you go, Seto?”

Seto looked at Joey in the bed. “Call me the instant he's awake.”

Zira nodded. “I certainly will.”

Donny came into the room as Zira left. “I'm going to take Mokuba and the gang home in my car. Kenny, you gonna take

Seto home in yours?”

Kendall nodded his head. “I'll drive Master Seto home, Don.”

“Okay.”

Seto shifted off the bed and walked to Joey. “Puppy, I'm going home now. I'll be right here when you wake up.”

The CEO kissed Joey's forehead and stroked his cheek. “Goodbye, Joey.”

Jaimen walked beside Seto as they walked to the car. Seto walked through the hallway with his eyes lowered to the ground.

Kendall escorted them to the car and opened Seto's door for him.

Seto sat in the car and crossed his arms and legs. Jaimen sat beside his father and kept an eye on him.

Kendall pulled away from the hospital and Jaimen turned towards his father.

“I heard about Alex.”

Seto blinked as he looked out the window. “…………………..”

“I'm sorry, dad. I know you were close to him.”

“……..His death is…..hard to accept.”

“I know it is, dad. I'm here for you. You know. If you want to talk and stuff.”

“…………….I know.”

Jaimen turned his body and faced his father. “Dad, I'll help you the same way you helped me when I first came to live with

you.”

“I'll be okay, Jaimen. I'm a Kaiba. I don't get upset. I don't get angry. I do what needs to be done.”

“Yeah, that's the Kaiba Attitude, alright.”

“It's going to be hard….having Hayden and Alex's funeral so close together.” Seto's bottom lip trembled, but he gave no

indication that he was going to let his emotions get the best of him.

Jaimen nodded. “I know. Hayden was my buddy. He was like my real brother. We raced our cars and he played with my

planes. I'm gonna miss him.”

Seto clenched his fists tightly. “I know.”

“Hey, dad, tonight, can we spend some time in the library together? I really would like that. I was very worried about you.”

The CEO shrugged and nodded. “I don't see that as being a problem.”

Jaimen smiled. “Thanks, dad!”

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

Seto wrote in his ledger as a knock sounded on the door. “Enter!”

Maxine walked into the room and closed the door behind her. “You wished to see me, Master Kaiba.”

Seto nodded as the Chinese woman stood in front of his desk. “When did you arrange Hayden and Alex's funerals?”

Maxine put her arms at her sides. “Alex's funeral is this Saturday at 1 in the afternoon. Hayden's is Monday at ten in the

morning. Both are being held in the cathedral where you married Master Joey.”

“Did you order the flowers?”

“Yes, sir. I ordered nice flowers for both of them.”

“Good. The place looks much better now. Good job on the repairs, Maxie.”

The woman smiled and bowed slightly. “Thank you, sir. I wanted everything to be repaired by the time you returned. The

one thing we have not had time to fix was the windows here in your office. We are having men come in on Sunday to repair

the windows.”

Seto nodded. “Thanks, Maxie. I'm glad you came out of this okay.”

The woman gave her boss a tiny smile. “So am I, sir. I'm glad you are still here, too.”

The CEO returned to his paperwork. “Thank you, Maxie.”

Maxine left the room and Seto sat back in his desk.

The cold wind from the night slipped through the bullet holes in the glass, making the room cold as ice.

Seto leaned over and opened his desk drawer. `I kept this safe from Joey….I need something to relax.'

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

Jaimen sat in the Library waiting for his father to arrive. He flipped through his book and looked at the clock. Seto always

came into the library to read his paper.

He was hoping to spend some quality time with his father after everything that had happened.

When Seto was half an hour late, Jaimen stood up.

“Where can he be?”

Jaimen left the library and cracked open the door to his bedroom. He checked the room and the bathroom.

Seto wasn't there.

Quietly he checked the children's room. Jeanie and Mokuba had to sleep with the children since they were scared of

the `bad men' coming to hurt them.

Jaimen checked Mokuba and Jeanie's room. He wasn't there.

`Maybe he's in his office,' Jaimen thought as he headed towards the office door.

“Dad?” Jaimen asked quietly as he opened the door.

Jaimen walked into the office and saw his father sleeping with his head on the desk. The teen walked up towards Seto and

saw a glass in Seto's hand.

“What's this?” Jaimen asked as he picked up the glass.

He sniffed it and wrinkled his nose at the bitter scent. He turned and accidentally kicked something on the floor by Seto's

desk.

Jaimen leaned down and picked it up. “What's my dad doing with Vodka?”

Updates; next Tuesday

Happy Holidays to all!