Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Return To Paradise ❯ A Shot Through the Heart ( Chapter 21 )

WARNING: DRUG REFERENCES

 

A Shot Through the Heart

 

Malik wrung his hands nervously as the connection to his yami was severed abruptly. The blond hikari paced back and forth, trying desperately to re-establish the mental connection with Marik. Ryou watched Malik biting his lip nervously and looked at the phone.

“Do you think they're gonna call like they did with Bakura?”

Ryou shrugged. “I don't know.”

“I hope they don't do to him what those goons did to Bakura.”

“Marik is strong, Malik. Whatever they do to him, I'm sure he'll pull through.”

Malik kept the Millennium Rod attached to his hip as he paced the living room floor. He was waiting for the Item to glow and project Marik into the room.

“But if they tear him to ribbons like Bakura, I'll have no idea where he is! I'll have to wait for him to contact me! Hear that? WAIT! I can't wait for Marik to be hurt!”

Ryou stood up and walked towards the seething Egyptian. “Malik, we must be strong for Marik now. Keep your mindlink open to him and see if you get anything from him.”

Malik took a deep breath and sighed despondently. “Nothing better happen to my yami or those who took him will be in deep trouble!”

Ryou nodded. “They're already in deep trouble if it is Rocher's gang doing this. We'll be talking to Seto tonight at the dinner.”

“We're still going?”

“Staying here will do us no good. Besides, planning over the phone could be dangerous. The police could have tapped our phone. We need to plan our next move.”

Malik clenched his fists angrily. “Our next move is to get Marik back safe and sound!”

“That is our plan, but we have to make sure that Rocher is the one doing this. If not, we could be blaming an innocent person.”

Malik's face turned red with anger. “First Bakura gets kidnapped and torn to shreds and now Marik goes mysteriously missing and now Rocher is innocent?! That's bullshit, Ryou, and you know it!”

“Didn't you say that the INS took him? Why would Rocher be responsible?”

“Rocher's thugs could have easily obtained false documents just like we did for our yamis! Nothing is stopping them from forging documents, too.”

Ryou stepped back from Malik's rage. “Malik, don't speak so loud! Those people can hear us outside if we fight like this!”

“Good for them! I don't give a flying shit! All I care about at this moment is Marik! Nothing else!”

“Giving the media fodder is not something we want to do, Malik.”

Malik clenched his fists and trembled with anger. “I can't even help Marik….wherever he is.”

“We'll find him. We just need to get any kind of clues we can as to his whereabouts. That might not be easy, but I'm sure we could find something. Can you sense anything from him now?”

Malik walked to the couch and sat down. He closed his eyes and buried his fingers in his blond hair, struggling to connect with Marik.

Ryou watched Malik shiver.

“The room is cold.”

Ryou shook his head. The room they were in was warm.

Malik continued. “There's something around the arms and legs. I feel dizzy. My mind isn't aware of anything. I feel weak. I think Marik is asleep. I can't open his eyes and see what is going on. My arm hurts, though.”

“Any clues as to where he is?”

Malik opened his eyes and shook his head. “No. Marik's out cold. All I felt through him was that he was unconscious and his arm hurts. That's all he knows right now; He's tired and his arm hurts. That's it.”

“We'll have to wait until he wakes up.” Ryou put his arm around Malik. “Marik will come back to us. Our yamis' immortality will be their saving grace.”

Malik rubbed his eyes and sniffled. “How is Bakura?”

“He's…..improving. He's still too weak to come out for long, though. He's walking around inside the Item, but he won't be able to stay out for more than an hour or so. That is why he's waiting until we get to KaibaCorp to come out.”

“Has he heard of what happened to Marik?”

Ryou nodded.

“And?”

Ryou took Malik's hand. “He wants you to know that he is going to do all he can to help Marik.”

Malik squeezed Ryou's hand gently. “Tell him that I said thanks.”

“He knows,” Ryou smiled.

Malik leaned over and gave Ryou a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you, Ry.”

Ryou released Malik's hand and cupped Malik's face in his two hands. “Trust me, Malik. Everything will work out. Okay?”

The Egyptian nodded slowly. “I trust you, Ry.”

Ryou leaned over and kissed Malik on the lips slowly. The Egyptian closed his eyes as Ryou deepened the kiss. Malik reached around Ryou and pulled him closer to his body.

The Egyptian reached under Ryou's shirt and ran his fingers along Ryou's back.

Ryou kissed down Malik's jaw towards his neck, making the Egyptian moan.

Malik's breathing became sharper as Ryou licked up his neck. “Ry…I hate to…..stop…..”

Ryou pulled back with an impish grin. “You would? You? You want to stop?”

“I hate to stop,” Malik panted. “But I should keep my attention on my mindlink with Marik.”

“I think that would be a wise idea,” Ryou said with a smile. “I was just trying to help you feel better.”

Malik snickered. “Well, I do feel better on one hand……but on the other, I think….I think I'll have to take care of something upstairs.”

“Go on,” Ryou laughed. “I'll keep my eyes out for Daniel coming to pick us up.”

Malik ran up the stairs, leaving Ryou smiling proudly.

//What on Ra's Earth is going on out there, Ry? The temperature feels like it went up ten degrees!//

/Just making out with Malik on the couch./

Ryou heard Bakura snicker. //Can I watch?//

/No, yami, Malik needs to keep his attention on his mindlink with Marik. If Marik speaks through his mindlink, then he can tell us where he is./

Bakura crossed his arms defiantly inside his soulroom. //These bastards won't see the light of day again when I get my hands on them. Their souls will be my puppets.//

Ryou swallowed hard at Bakura's last remark. Bakura had not spoken in that fashion in many years. Only when Bakura was pushed to a breaking point did he express a desire to manipulate people's souls.

/I just want Marik back./

//So do I, Ry…..so do I.//

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

Yugi turned the `Open' sign to `Closed' with excitement. “Glenn, hurry up and get ready! We have to be at Seto's house soon!”

Glenn closed the blinds in the front window. “I have everything ready. I'm ready to go when you are.”

“Okay. Just let me count the money in the register and put it in the safe. Then we'll be on our way.”

Glenn nodded and gave Yugi a kiss on the lips. “Sounds like a plan! I'll let you count in peace.”

Yugi watched Glenn leave and he began counting. Yugi counted the money as he heard something move in a rack of Dueling shirts. He shrugged and continued counting. Yugi lifted his head again.

“Hello? Did somebody get locked in here?”

No answer.

Yugi shrugged and heard the clothing rack move. Yugi lifted his head and he saw his Millennium Puzzle glow. “What the--?!”

Yami appeared standing in front of his hikari with a grin. “Hello, hikari.”

“YAMI!”

Yami raised his hand and the door to the house slammed shut. “There. Now we can talk in private.”

“Maybe you have lost your hearing. There is nothing to talk about! I don't want to talk to you!”

Yami walked around the counter to Yugi. The smaller man backed away, shivering as he was towered over by his other half.

Yami fell to his knees in front of Yugi. “Please take me back.”

“No, Yami, I can't.”

“We are destined to be together.”

Yugi shook his head. “No. Not after what you have done.”

“You do realize that we will be together for eternity, don't you? Even if Glenn dies, we are two halves of the same soul.”

“You leave Glenn alone! He's good to me and he loves me for who I am! He doesn't try to alienate me from my friends like you do!”

Yami looked into his hikari's purple eyes. “The storm has only just begun, Yugi. I can protect you from any harm.”

“What storm? I know you are behind a lot of this media circus surrounding the Ishtars and Itemris.”

Yami folded his hands. “I am not.”

“You are and you are lying to my face again!”

“Hikari, these people will stop at nothing to get what they want. You have seen what they have done so far. How far do you think they will go with you? I can protect you. Glenn couldn't protect a grilled cheese sandwich if he tried. I have powers and I can use them to your benefit.”

Yugi crossed his arms defiantly. “I will not take you back.”

Yami grinned. “You do realize that I have powers beyond your comprehension? Shadi might hold the Scales, but I have the power…..over life and death. It is at my command.”

“You cannot decide who lives and who will die!”

Yami grinned. “How do you think I manipulated Seto into fighting with me in the Final Battle? He only did that to save Joey's life.”

“You…..You what?!”

“I threatened Seto with Joey's safety should he refuse to fight on my side. Notice that Joey's health has only deteriorated since then? Have you noticed he is knocking at death's door? Same thing with Aten, but his death is being taken care of by nature herself. I don't have to do a thing there. I don't have to kill Aten. His body is doing that for me.”

Yugi grit his teeth angrily. “Get out of here!”

“You have to take me back, Yugi!”

“I don't have time to argue with you! I have to get to Seto's place for a dinner where YOU ARE NOT INVITED!”

Yami narrowed his eyes. “I could show up if I wanted.”

Yugi shook his head. “No! You are not coming! Leave now!”

Yami stood up and looked down at his hikari. “You will take me back, Yugi. To save the lives of those you love, you will do what I say.”

“I can't, Yami. You are a part of me and always shall be, but I can't let you threaten my friends anymore.”

Yami glared down at Yugi. “The storm has just begun.”

Yugi shielded his eyes as Yami disappeared. Yugi looked around at the shop and found that he was alone. Yugi covered his face with his hands and sobbed.

“Why does he keep doing this? Why can't he just let me be happy?”

 

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

Two men placed the unconscious yami on the stretcher and strapped him securely. They pushed the stretcher down the long hallway. The brightly lit hallway illuminated all around the yami as he was rushed down the hall.

They pushed the stretcher into a large room with a single spotlight hanging suspended above him. A tall man in white looked down at him, wringing his hands with a grin.

“So this is one of them? Which one is it?”

“His full name is Marik Jibade Ishtar. That is, if this birth certificate is correct. All of the rest of the information in his file has not been confirmed as true, other than his address on Arendell Street.”

The tall man lifted Marik's eyelid and shined a light in Marik's eyes. “Fascinating…..”

The other two men pushing the stretcher stood beside Marik. “There's something else that is fascinating. Check out his pulse.”

The tall man placed his fingers on Marik's neck. The man's eyes widened. “The vein is not throbbing! He has no pulse!”

“How can this man live, then, without a pulse? It's scientifically impossible!”

“The sedative we gave him might be interfering with his heartbeat.”

The other doctor removed scissors and cut Marik's shirt. He pulled it open and looked at Marik's torso. “He looks human.”

A quiet groan escaped Marik. The tall doctor reached over for a syringe. “If he wakes up, sedate him. Give me those scissors, Brown.” The tall man took the scissors and removed Marik's belt. He cut off the jeans and removed Marik's socks and shoes.

“He certainly looks human,” one of the doctors said.

The tall doctor put gloves on his hands and touched Marik's skin. “He feels cold to the touch.”

“We'll need to conduct a full physical on him. I want a CBC test, an EEG, an EKG. I want him examined from head to toe and everything in between.”

Marik groaned again and slowly opened his eyes. The room looked cloudy when he opened his eyes and a bright light shining in his face. He went to rub his forehead, but he couldn't move his arm. “What the---?”

“So you are awake. Who or what are you?”

Marik pulled his arms again and tried to lift his legs, but he was tied down. He went to raise his head and discovered a belt strapping his neck to the stretcher. “What the fuck is this? Who are you?”

“You are our new specimen. Public safety is our number one concern. You are public enemy number one.”

Marik squinted his eyes as the light blinded him. “I demand my phone call! I know my rights!” Marik pulled at his restraints violently.

The doctor looked up at the doctor on Marik's left. “Sedate him.”

Marik clenched his teeth as he felt the pin prick of a needle. The room began to spin and he slipped back into unconsciousness.

“Keep him sedated. When we do the full physical exam, I want him kept under sedation for our safety and for his. Keep him alive. He's worth more alive.”

The doctor looked down at Marik and saw a mark on the side of Marik's neck. “What is this? He has a tattoo on the back of his neck. During the examination, I want identifying body scars or marks to be photographed and documented. I want the examination done tonight.”

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

 

Malik closed his eyes quickly and rubbed them. “Ow. That hurts.”

Ryou and Miranda looked at Malik. “What's wrong?”

“Bright light shining in my face. I don't know where Marik is, but I know he can hardly see anything.”

“How is he?”

Malik clutched his fists tightly. “Marik's really pissed off.”

“Is he hurt?” Miranda asked.

“No, just extremely ticked.”

Malik began to sway as his surroundings seemed to spin around him. He grabbed Ryou's hand and held it tightly. “I don't feel so good.”

“If you have to puke, tell me so I can pull over,” Daniel said. “Don't puke on the baby.”

Malik shook his head. “I don't have to throw up.”

/Marik?! Are you awake?/

//Malik…….//

/Marik, where are you?/

//……………………//

“Damn, Marik's unconscious again,” Malik groaned. “I can't talk to him if he's out like a light.”

Miranda sighed. “I hope he's not hurt.”

“I don't think he is in pain, but my arm hurts a little.”

“Like a needle?” Ryou asked.

Malik nodded. “Yup.”

“I don't know if Rocher does business that way.”

“But we don't know that for sure,” Daniel said. “That's something to keep in mind and bring up to Seto. He might know.”

The baby girl yawned as she sat in her carseat and looked up at Ryou.

Ryou smiled down at the baby. “Hello, sweetheart. Enjoy your nap?”

The baby yawned again and looked around, whimpering.

“We're going to see daddy, Miracle,” Miranda said. “It's going to be okay.”

Daniel arrived at KaibaCorp and pulled into the parking garage. Daniel lead the family to the elevator and waited for Miranda to catch up with the baby girl in her arms. Ryou punched in his access code and stated his password. The elevator doors opened and closed behind them.

The elevator carried the families to the top floor where Ceres and Lily were waiting for them. The doors opened and they jumped up squealing `Boo!'

Ryou smiled down at the two children. “Ceres! Lily!” Ryou reached down and hugged two of Mokuba's kids.

“Hi, Uncle Ryou!” the two twins said.

Cassie and Ivy ran up to Ryou and hugged him. Ryou returned the embrace and picked up Cassie.

“I draw kitty!” Cassie exclaimed.

“Good for you!”

Mokuba's old bedroom door opened and Robbie walked out. “Baby girl!”

The baby's eyes widened and she reached out for Robbie. Robbie took her in his arms and hugged her.

“How's my pumpkin?”

The baby snuggled into Robbie's chest and closed her eyes, sucking her thumb.

Aten stepped out of the room and Miranda walked up to him slowly. “Mom?”

“Aten, I'm so glad you're safe!” Miranda said. “You could have been hurt wandering around Domino in the middle of the night.”

“I know…I'm sorry.”

Miranda hugged Aten. “I'm just glad you're safe.”

Daniel and Ryou approached Aten. “You okay?”

Aten nodded. “I've slept all day. I'm tired.”

“Well, if you get tired during dinner, you can come back here and sleep.”

Aten winced. “My head hurts still. I've had this headache all day.”

Robbie put his arm around Aten's waist. “If you'd rather lay down until dinner, you can go lay down.”

“I'll be fine.”

Mokuba and Jeanie stepped out of the dining hall and waved to Ryou and the family. “Hey! Ryou! Malik!”

Mokuba waved to Ryou and Malik. “Nice to see you guys!”

“How have you been?” Jeanie asked as she walked towards them.

“We've been better,” Ryou said.

Mokuba nodded as he approached. “Yeah, so I hear. I've been hearing that smear campaign against you guys all over the news.”

“It's so unfair!” Jeanie said.

Daniel ran his fingers through his black hair. “They won't leave anyone alone. I'm lucky I got Ryou and Malik out of their house without a riot starting.”

Mokuba looked around. “Where's Bakura?”

“He'll be here soon. He's resting at the moment.”

Jeanie looked at the baby in Robbie's arms. “Is that your new little foundling?”

“Yup. She's now officially part of our family.”

Mokuba looked at the newborn dressed in a white and pink dress with pink booties. “She's a cutie. What's her name?”

Robbie smiled. “I named her Heaven Raine Ishtar.”

Aten looked down at the baby and touched her head lightly. “Heaven Raine. You named her that?”

Robbie nodded. “Do you like it?”

Aten looked down at the baby girl and took her hand. Heaven looked up at Aten and wrapped her tiny hand around his finger. Her eyes looked up at him, glassy and wide. “Her eyes changed color.”

Robbie nodded. “Her eyes turned green.”

Aten looked up at Robbie. “Give her to me.”

Aten took the baby in his hands and held the baby in front of him. Heaven looked at him.

“Come here, baby girl.”

Aten brought the girl to his chest and held her close. Robbie smiled and planted a kiss on Aten's cheek.

“There's our daughter, Aten.”

Aten sighed. “I'm sorry.”

Robbie put his arm around Aten's shoulder. “She's all ours, Aten.”

Jeanie took the baby's hand. “She's a cutie, guys!”

Ivy jumped up and down. “I wanna see the baby!”

Mokuba picked her up and showed her the baby. “See the baby, Ivy?”

Ivy smiled and reached out to touch the baby's arm. “She's pretty! Mommy, can we have another baby?”

Jeanie laughed. “No, we have enough.”

Mokuba snickered. “We couldn't wish for better daughters and son.”

Jaimen stepped out of Seto's office. “I'm going flying tomorrow because I want to! I'll take care of everything, dad! I can't believe you don't believe in me!”

“I do believe in you, Jaimen, but do you really think you are ready to fly solo?”

“I can do it! Trust me!”

Seto stepped out of the office and shook his head. “I can't let you fly solo yet, son. It's not a good idea.”

“You think I'm still a child, don't you!”

Seto narrowed his eyes. “No!”

“I'm going to do what I want!”

Seto took a deep breath. “Jaimen, I love you dearly, and I know you have the stubborn Kaiba blood in you. Please listen to me. I already buried one son. Don't let me bury you, too.”

“I'll be fine. Trust me.”

Kaiba looked into his son's eyes deeply and saw the conviction in his eyes. “Okay, Jaimen. I'll trust you.”

Jaimen gave his father a smile and hugged him. “Thanks, dad.”

Seto hugged his son and turned to the group in the hallway. “Hi, I'm glad you all made it.”

Malik walked up to Seto and pushed him into the wall angrily. “How could you let them take Marik?!”

Seto pushed Malik off of him. “I had to let him go, Malik! I had no choice!”

“What if those men were with Rocher?”

Seto shook his head. “No, they weren't with Rocher. They were legitimate. I checked them out.”

Malik glared at the CEO. “Where did they take him? Did they say?”

“No, they didn't say where they were going to take him.”

Malik sighed and the angry face melted into one of sadness. “I can't help my yami. He's somewhere and I don't know where he is.”

Seto put a comforting hand on Malik's shoulder. “Marik will be fine.”

Ryou looked down as the Millennium Ring glowed. The bright line shone in the hallway as Bakura emerged beside his hikari.

Bakura walked up to Malik and stood behind the sniffling Egyptian. “Marik will be fine. Don't cry.”

Malik turned and hugged Bakura tightly. “Poor Marik…..”

Bakura embraced Malik and nodded at Seto. “Thank you, Kaiba, for helping me at your mansion.”

Seto looked at Bakura's scar along his neck. The yami's throat still looked bruised and the cut mark was jagged across the flesh. “I'm relieved you're back to normal.”

“Normal?!” Bakura laughed loudly. “Not many people would call me that.”

Ryou walked up to Bakura and giggled. “You're more normal than you think, `Kura.”

The elevator doors opened and Kai ran out. Aria was holding Umi's hand and holding Rhett in the other arm.

“Hi, Aria! You're looking good!” Jeanie exclaimed. “I hear you're pregnant again! Congratulations, Umi!”

Aria smiled slowly. “Yes, thank you, Jeanie.”

Mokuba and Robbie walked up to Umi. “I'm so glad to see you again!” Mokuba said, shaking Umi's hand.

“We wouldn't miss this opportunity to come for a dinner with the family! It'd be a good opportunity to reconnect. What have you been doing with yourself, Mokuba?”

Mokuba smiled proudly. “I've been busy traveling all over the world trying to get KaibaLand global! I've been to almost all of Europe and the Orient! I've been gone for a while and just got back from Turkey.”

“Why don't we move into the Living Room? It might be more relaxing in there,” Seto said, leading the group to the large room.

Umi continued to talk to Mokuba as they walked. “I've been busy fishing and helping my father realize his dream of finding my grandfather.”

“Mako STILL hasn't given up?” Mokuba asked, shocked.

Umi nodded. “My dad is persistent. My father doesn't give up hope.”

“Does he know about your new baby?”

“Oh, yes, my father came to see Rhett when he got back from his trip. I called him and told him we're having another baby. He's so proud!”

Mokuba laughed. “That's excellent news! I hope everything goes well.”

Aria walked behind her husband, blushing and holding her head down, hoping nobody would see the shame in her eyes.

She followed the group into the Living room where couches and chairs were placed around the fireplace and bookcases. The children ran to the toybox in the corner of the room to get toys.

Umi looked at the baby in Aten's arms. “So, that's Miracle, hmm?”

Robbie shook his head. “Nope, not anymore. I signed papers for her today. Her official name is Heaven Raine Ishtar.”

Umi smiled down at the newborn. “That's a really good name, Rob!”

“I called up the church and we're going to have her Baptized, too. It's going to be just a small, private ceremony.”

“Did you ever find the mom?”

“No, we haven't.”

Umi scratched the back of his head. “You know, Rhonda was hanging around the pier about a week ago. She really lost weight.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, I heard that she was pregnant.”

Robbie nodded. “Yeah, I saw her in the hospital when Aten was having his checkup. She looked huge!”

Umi raised an eyebrow. “Doesn't that strike a chord with you? Rhonda hasn't been seen with a baby.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, she's been hanging around the pier dressed like a complete skank. I asked her where her sugar baby was and she flipped me off telling me to `Mind my own fucking business.' That's all I got out of her.”

Robbie looked at Heaven and held the baby closer. “Maybe she left the baby home.”

Umi laughed. “Yeah, right. Eric wouldn't look after his own brat!”

“Eric?!” Aten and Robbie gasped.

“Yeah, Eric's the baby daddy! Isn't that a laugh riot?!”

Aten looked down at the baby and shook his head. “It can't be!”

“Umi, are you sure about all this?”

Umi shook his head. “Of course not. I'm just telling you guys what I have seen down on the pier. She seems to be grabbing any sailor's ass she can. I've told her on more than one occasion to quit smoking dope on my front deck. She hasn't come back since I nearly harpooned her.”

Robbie narrowed his eyes. “Are you sure you saw her smoking that stuff on your boat?”

Umi rolled his eyes. “Dude, I've seen that girl doing all kinds of nasty stuff! I've seen her doing H and snorting. That girl's an apothecary of illegal drugs. I stay away from her. I know better than to mess with her.”

Robbie looked down at Heaven and felt torn. Was this baby girl really the spawn of his enemies? Was this baby Eric and Rhonda's? How could he prove it?

Mokuba shook his head. “I remember you talking about Eric and Rhonda. They always gave you and Aten crap in school.”

Aten nodded. “They will pay for what they've done, Mokuba. Maybe not in this life, but in the afterlife, they will suffer for what they have done.”

“Well, they can't stoop any lower than they already have. Who knows what they are capable of?”

Robbie shook his head. “Heaven is my little girl now. She's mine and Aten's. We're going to give her a good home and all the love we can because she deserves it.”

“That's good of you both to care for her if she is theirs. Then again, her baby could be home with Eric. I don't know all the particulars of their lives. All I know is that if they come on my boat again, they will be my harpoon's target practice.”

Someone knocked on the door and Aten's head pointed immediately towards the door.

The door opened slowly and Yugi entered with a smile. “Hello? We're here!”

Yugi stepped inside wearing a hat to cover his hair. Glenn stepped behind him, waving.

“Sorry we're late. We had a little unexpected visitor,” Yugi said.

“We're glad you came,” Seto said, shaking Yugi's hand.
”The traffic's a nightmare! You know it's harder to get near KaibaCorp anymore because of all the news vans,” Glenn said, stretching. “It took us double the time to get into the parking garage.”

Seto nodded. “I apologize for that. I have issued them a warning about blocking the entrances.”

“Some people are selectively deaf. They'll only hear what they want to hear,” Glenn responded.

“How have the crowds been at the Game Shop?”

Yugi sighed. “They're getting bad. People keep coming in asking about my connection with you and Ryou's family and my old Dueling career. I keep having to answer the same questions with different people. I have even refused to speak to them, but they just keep coming, fishing for answers.”

“What do you tell them?”

“Nothing more than they need to know,” Yugi said cautiously. “I won't let every cat out of the bag.”

Seto nodded. “Good job. I'm glad you came.”

Yugi smiled. “I wouldn't miss this for the world! It'd be good to forget about our problems for a while.”

Glenn separated from Yugi and Seto and went to Robbie. “Robbie, who is this?”

“Heaven Raine. She's our daughter.”

“Who's daughter?”

Robbie smiled proudly. “Mine and Aten's. We found her on our doorstep and I just filed papers for her today.”

“Aw, she's a cutie! Can I hold her?”

Robbie nodded. “Carefully.”

Robbie handed the baby girl over to Glenn, who kept trying to get her legs gathered over his arms.

“She doesn't seem to be fitting right. Wait, maybe if I move her dress her leg won't get caught.”

Glenn moved the baby girl's dress to the side and saw the baby only had one leg. “She's only got one leg!”

Robbie put his hand over Glenn's mouth. It wasn't fast enough as everyone in the room turned towards them. “Yes, she's only got one leg, Glenn. We found her very sick on our doorstep and I've been nursing her back to health.”

Glenn swallowed hard as he nervously held the baby. “Oh, I'm sorry, Robbie. It took me by surprise.”

“Don't worry about it. Just be careful with her.”

Umi's eyes widened. “Wow, she's only got one leg? She's gotta be Rhonda's and Eric's kid, then.”

Aten narrowed his eyes at Umi. “What are you saying? Because she has a deformity she has to be their kid?”

“No! No! It's just with everything I've seen Rhonda doing, it makes sense! That's all I meant! Honest!”

The baby girl began to cry in Glenn's arms. Robbie took her and felt her diaper.

“Aten,” Robbie whispered to Aten, “We have to change her. Come to the bathroom with me.”

Robbie went to Seto and whispered to him. “I have to take Aten and Heaven to the potty.”

“If dinner is ready, I'll send somebody for you. Use the one in my room. It's closer.”

Robbie took the diaper bag from his mother and took Aten to the bathroom. “What do you think, Aten?”

“I think this is going to be stinky.”

“Well, yeah, that's what happens when you change a dirty diaper. No, I mean about Heaven being Eric and Rhonda's baby.”

Aten took a deep breath and sighed. He remained quiet until they reached Seto's bathroom. Aten watched Robbie lift the baby's dress and remove the old diaper.

“Okay, Heaven baby girl, just relax and let daddy clean you up. What do you think, Aten?”

Aten looked at the baby, clumsily moving her arms and leg. He watched her and noticed how helpless she really was. This baby was laying on her back, vulnerable…..just as he was at such a young age.

A young age…..

A young age when he was wearing diapers…..

An age where his trust had been betrayed and his boundaries violated.

He watched the baby girl on her back, her eyes looking upwards. She looked vulnerable.

Aten looked down at Robbie and noticed the care with which Robbie was cleaning her.

Robbie looked up. “Aten, are you okay?”

Aten blinked and nodded quietly.

“I'm not hurting her, okay? You have to do this when you clean a baby's diaper. You have to clean her……umm…..girl parts, too. Okay? What do you think about Heaven being Eric and Rhonda's baby?”

Aten opened his mouth to respond, but closed it slowly without responding.

“I don't care who her parents were. If her mom and dad are Eric and Rhonda, this baby has a better chance with us than them,” Robbie said.

Aten took a deep breath. “Can….Can I put the diaper on her?”

Robbie nodded and stepped to the side. “Of course. Here. Take some baby powder and powder her up. It's a little hard getting to her butt without two feet to hold, but there's a trick to it. There you go. Now wrap that around like that….okay. Now fold them. Yeah. Good. Now she's all ready.”

Aten picked the baby up and smiled at her. “She's ours, Robbie. I don't care who her parents are. She's our daughter.”

Robbie smiled. “I love you, Aten. I'm glad you're feeling better.”

Aten gave Robbie's cheek a kiss. “Let's get back to the party.”

Aten and Robbie left the bedroom and Jaimen ran up to them.

“Dinner's ready in the Dining Hall.”

Robbie and Aten followed Jaimen into the large Dining Hall where the long table was full of food and drinks.

Aria looked around and turned to Malik sitting beside her. “Where's Father Marik? Didn't he want to come?”

Malik sighed sadly. “He was arrested today.”

“WHAT?!” Aria gasped.

Malik nodded. “The cops said that his Social Security papers were fraudulent.”

“They were the INS,” Seto added.

“Where did they take him?” Umi asked.

Malik shrugged. “I don't know where he is.”

Mokuba swallowed some of his veggies. “I heard about you all over the news, even in Italy. They claim that you are the gods of Olympus that have taken on human form.”

Bakura rolled his eyes. “That is ridiculous! If we were gods, we would have smitten people already! If this media doesn't knock all of this crap off, I'll do more than smite them with my thunderbolts.”

“Everybody is watching the news, wondering what you guys are,” Mokuba said. “It's a shame about Marik, though. I hope he can keep his temper controlled.”

Bakura laughed. “Good luck on that, Little Kaiba. It's not going to happen. Marik is like a volcano. He blows hard when the pressure gets too much.” Bakura grinned. “That sounded dirty and suggestive didn't it?”

Ryou nodded. “As usual, dear.”

“Glad to see I haven't lost my knack.”

Jeanie cut up Ceres' veggies for him. “Nobody has been after us.”

“You're lucky,” Joey said. “We've always got somebody here begging for some information.”

Yugi nodded. “People are just digging up the past with me. They keep asking me if I will duel Aten and Aria if they decide to take over the world.”

Aten shook his head. “We beat the pharaoh once. We don't have to beat him again to prove a point.”

“Aten's right. We beat the pharaoh. BUT…. We didn't beat Yugi, brother. Our fight was not with Yugi.”

“I don't want to duel either of you anyway. You both are good, but like Aten said, there's nothing to prove.”

Bakura shrugged. “There's lots to prove. Yugi might be the King of Games, but every king gets dethroned at some point in their lives by death, defeat or a coup. Royalty isn't forever.”

Aten nodded. “Very true. A peasant bleeds just like a Noble no matter how deep the cut.”

“Now you're sounding like Bakura,” Umi said.

Aten smiled. “Well, I have spent a lot of time around him. I just hope my father isn't in pain. I hope my father isn't bleeding now.”

Malik rubbed his sore arm and sighed. “I don't know about that, Aten. I hope so, too.”

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

The doctors removed three vials of blood from Marik. Their eyes widened at the black goo filling the vials.

“Can this be blood?”

The tall doctor examined one full vial closely. “It looks like congealed blood….with the consistency of tar.” The doctor turned to the doctor beside him. “Cut him.”

The female doctor took a scalpel and made a small incision on Marik's hand. A red trickle of blood crept from the wound.

“Fascinating. I've never seen anything like this. Turn him over.”

The doctors unstrapped Marik and turned him onto his stomach. They gasped and jumped back at what they saw.

Marik had a tattoo just below his neck, but his back bared the markings of scars and old injuries.

“Look at this wound on the back!”

The doctor touched it with his gloved hand. “Interesting. It looks like he was injured. What could have caused this wound?”

The female doctor leaned close to the wound and touched it with curiosity. “It appears to be a wound of great significance. It's not a gunshot wound. It does look like a wound caused by a sharp instrument like a knife. He must have been stabbed at some point in his lifetime.”

The tall doctor looked at the vial full of black blood. “I don't think we are dealing with life here, Doctor Binghamton. We're dealing with something…..much more sinister.”

“I want to see the scans of his body!”

The other doctor lifted two scans into the light. “The scans of his body reveal a serious wound consistent with a puncture wound from behind. You can see the damage. Some object pierced through the back and you can even see the ghost of the healed injury. See? What looks like an arrowhead is embedded into the heart. Whatever stabbed this individual, it severed the second rib, pierced the lung and shot into the heart. This individual should not be alive. He wouldn't have died immediately, though.”

“This person would have bled and suffocated to death. Anybody with this type of injury would only be alive for a few minutes.”

“How could he be walking around, then, living and moving if this injury is fatal?”

The tall doctor looked down at Marik and glared. “What are you?”

 

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