Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Return To Paradise ❯ Fallen Soldier ( Chapter 41 )

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

Fallen Soldier

Robbie and Bakura stepped into the darkness of the Shadow Realm. The chill sent shivers up Robbie’s spine as he began to shake. “It’s cold here!” he exclaimed, wrapping his arms around himself.
“The coldness of death rules here, Robert,” Bakura said. “The cold does not bite the dead. I probably should have told you to bring a sweater.”
“Now you tell me!” Robbie shivered. “I hope this works.”
Dark Necrofear appeared before her master with a bow. “My Lord Bakura.”
“Where is Aten?!” the yami growled, his hair spiking and his eyes flowing with fury.
A loud clunking of metal approached them slowly. Robbie looked up and saw The Robotic Knight standing before him. The large machine looked down at Robbie. “How may I serve you?”
“We came to find Aten,” Robbie said as he saw the monsters gathered in a large crowd. “What is happening here?” Robbie asked.
Darl Necrofear looked at Robbie with a small smile. “War.”
“What do you mean?”
“Yami Aten is leading us all to war,” Dark Necrofear said.
“Why do you wish to see him?” the robot asked Robbie.
Robbie looked up at the large machine. “Bakura told me that Aten harmed his father and we need to see him.”
Dark Necrofear looked at her angered master. “Very well.”
Robbie shook his head in disbelief as he saw the crowd of monsters growling and snarling in unison. “No, he can’t be doing this! That’s not the Aten we know.”
“That is not the Aten you have known. Death has changed him into something wicked,” Dark Necrofear said, calmly leading them towards the group of monsters.
Robbie and Bakura followed Dark Necrofear and The Robotic Knight towards the group of angered, snarling beasts. Bakura watched as the Celtic Guardian growled at him. The yami returned the snarl without hesitation.  “Pharaoh’s puppet,” he murmured as he past.
Dark Master Zorc grinned at Bakura, his sharp canines covered in blood. The yami reached for his dagger.
Robbie saw Kuriboh glaring at him. “They are all irate. Why do they look so angry?”
“They want revenge on humans. I think they should just go after the pharaoh. It’s his fault that they are trapped in the Shadow Realm, never knowing rest,” Bakura said.
Robbie quickly ducked as Gladius flew towards his head, missing it by inches. “Did you see that?!”
Dark Necrofear stopped as a group of people blocked their path. “Please move aside.”
The haggard people stood silently.
“These are the Victims of Silence. They are Aten’s monsters,” Robbie said. “We wish to speak to your master, Aten. I need to speak to my husband. He needs me.” The people continued to look at Robbie, mystified. “I love him. Please let me through to see him. I bear no ill-will towards him.”
The people slowly parted, revealing Aten standing behind them.
“Aten!” Robbie exclaimed.
Aten glared at Robbie and Bakura with his arms crossed, the Scepter of Ra in his hand. The red jewel glowed crimson. The yami’s blond and white hair spiked as his eyes darkened. Yami Aten looked at Robbie with disdain. “What do you want? I’m busy.”
“Aten, what is going on here?” Robbie asked. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
Aten chuckled. “Because it is time to wreak havoc on the mortal world. That’s why.”
“Aten, this is not right.”
“Innocent people do not need to pay the price of death for your anger! You know that makes you no better than Yami!” Bakura growled.
Aten shook his head and pointed the Scepter towards Bakura. “You are wrong, Father Bakura. I am better than him!  I will not torture people and allow them to live an immortal existence. I will simply destroy all of life quickly! No one will suffer! I will be the world’s salvation!”
“Your father and mother raised you better than this, Little Marik!” Bakura snarled. “Think of what you are doing!”
“People are bad and that world is evil! I will save humanity from itself!”
Robbie took a step forward. “Is what we have evil, Aten?”
Aten stood silently, much to Bakura’s amazement. Yami Aten lowered the Scepter of Ra slowly.  The teen glared at Robbie, breathing heavily. Why did Aten not protest that question?
Robbie leaned on his cane. “Is the fact that I took care of you before you died evil? Aten, I did everything I could to help you. I helped you with your medicine. I rubbed your back when you were sore. I was there to help you when you were too weak to go to the bathroom by yourself! When you fell, I was always there to pick you up. When you died….” Robbie looked down with tears coming down his eyes. “Did I not hold you in my arms against me?” Robbie rubbed his eyes sadly. “I couldn’t let you go, Aten. I….I just couldn’t. When I saw you, blood coming down your chin, I knew you were dead.  I would have given anything….anything….even my own life to have you back with me.”
Yami Aten watched Robbie approach him slowly.
“The hardest thing I ever had to do, Aten, was put you in that ground,” Robbie said, a tear falling down his cheek. “The hardest sight I ever had to see, was you laying in my arms dead.” Robbie wiped away the tears falling freely down his cheek. “I never wanted it that way, you know. I wanted you out of pain. That is all I wanted. How can….How can that be evil?  I still love you. That will never change, Aten. Yami or not, I love you.  Our love is forever.”
“Then you love a monster,” Aten said.
Robbie nodded. “I never considered you a monster, Yami Aten.  I love you.”
“You shouldn’t.”
Bakura raised an eyebrow when he heard Aten’s voice, that calm, timid, and quiet person he had been in life. Aten’s former self is coming out…
Robbie smiled. “You are who you are.”
“I will be the Savior of Mankind, Robert,” Yami Aten snarled. “Do you need saving?”
Robbie swallowed hard as Yami Aten held the jewel of the Scepter towards Robbie. “Do you need salvation?”
Robbie looked into Yami Aten’s eyes. “No. I only need you.”
Bakura watched Yami Aten growl at Robbie. Bakura stepped forward next to Robbie, glaring at Yami Aten. “Why did you hurt your father, Chibi Marik?”
Yami Aten crossed his arms. “Because he needed revenge acted upon him for his misdeeds.”
“What did he do to you?”
Yami Aten shook his head. “He hurt my mother.”
“So did I. So why do you not act revenge upon me?”
Yami Aten chuckled. “All in good time.”
“Aten, your father loves you. He’s always been there for you. How could you do that to him?”
“Justice needed to be done.”
Bakura gripped his dagger tightly. “What deity died and made you Judge, Aten Bakari?”
Robbie shook his head. “But he loves you!”
“Marik and I have repented for our sins, Aten!” Bakura protested.
A group of people materialized behind Robbie. Robbie turned and saw the Victims of Silence facing a squadron of soldiers, lead by the Decayed Commander.
Robbie’s eyes widened. “I recognize them! They’re on my ‘Reinforcement of the Army’ card!”
Yami Aten narrowed his eyes. “The Decayed Commander was my grandfather’s card! Why does he follow your orders, Robert?!”
The Decayed Commander looked at Robert with a half-decayed grin as he carried a banner.
“He’s carrying the Banner of Courage, Aten, another one of my cards. Aten, there’s no need to be afraid anymore.  Your grandfather cannot touch you.”
“He will suffer, too, when I find him. I will not stop until I find him and he lies permanently dead before me.”
Bakura stepped closer to Robbie. “How can you kill him? He’s undead just like you.” If there was a possibility that Aten would know how to kill an immortal, Bakura knew it worth the question.
“I know there must be a way.  There must be a spell somewhere. My minions will find it.”
“Minions?”
“I have my ways of searching for information, Father Bakura.”
Robbie turned to Aten. “You know your sister had her baby. She had a little girl.”
Yami Aten chuckled. “That’s special.”
“You should go see her. The baby is very cute.”
“Why should I?”
“She is your sister. I’m sure she would like to see her brother.”
Yami Aten chuckled. “Possibly.”
“Aten, your sister was upset when you died. She would want to see you.”
The yami grinned. “Very well. I will see my darling sister. Tonight.”
“I guess I’ll see you at home tonight, Aten?”
Yami Aten nodded. “Yes, I shall return home tonight.”
“Alright. Heaven and I will wait for you. Goodnight.”
Robbie turned and limped away a short distance and turned to Bakura. “Coming, Bakura?”
Bakura glared at Yami Aten. “If you harm my daughter or her child, there will be more than Hell to pay. Then I will be the one to exact Justice on you, Little Ishtar.”
Yami Aten grinned. “Bring it, Father Bakura.”
“See that your promise is kept,” Bakura turned and joined Robbie. “I don’t trust him. I’m not leaving my daughter alone with him.”
Robbie sighed as he limped beside Bakura. “Do you think Aten would hurt Aria?”
Bakura growled as he opened a portal to the mortal world. “He hurt his own father, didn’t he?”
***************************
Aria looked at the baby through the nursery window. The tiny baby slept quietly, wrapped in her pink blanket.  Aria felt the arms of her husband wrap around her from behind as she sighed tiredly.  
“She’s beautiful, Little Mermaid.”
A small smile crossed Aria’s face. “Yes, she is.”
Umi kissed her cheek. “You don’t look happy, Aria. Are you feeling okay?”
“Umi…I….” Aria looked down. “She is very beautiful.”
Umi cocked his head to the side. “What’s wrong? With the boys you were overjoyed. Aren’t you happy we have a girl?”
“Yes, I am, Umi. I’m…well…you know how I was when the boys were born.”
“I remember, but you were a little happier than you are now. You haven’t said a word and you haven’t eaten all day.”
Aria sighed. “Umi, I…I have to tell you something, and…I know it would hurt your feelings.”
“What are you talking about?”
Aria took a deep breath. “Umi, Ari might not be your daughter.”
The smile disappeared from Umi’s face. “Wait, what?”
“Kailani may not be your daughter,” Aria said as she looked down at the floor to avoid Umi’s eyes.
Umi looked at the baby girl in the nursery. He stepped in front of Aria and put his hand on the window. He shook his head in disbelief. “She…may not be mine?”
Aria sniffled as she felt a tear fall onto her hand. “Umi, I’m sorry.”
“Who…who could be her father if it isn’t me?”
“Umi, don’t make me….”
Umi turned to Aria quickly, his eyes filled with hurt. “Tell me who, Aria!”
Aria wrapped her arms around herself, still looking down. “Seto Kaiba.”
Umi’s eyes widened and his jaw dropped. “Seto…Kai---ARIA!”
One of the nurses came out of the nursery. “Sir, please keep your voice down.”
“Umi, I’m so sorry!”
“Yeah, I bet you are! Just like when you were sorry about Bandit Keith!”
Aria narrowed her eyes. “I couldn’t help that! I couldn’t help this either!”
“Maybe I should go find another girl and get her knocked up! Wait! I’d have to go find two girls and get them knocked up just to match you!”
Two doctors approached Umi. “Sir, please keep it down or you will be asked to leave.”
“Umi, I was caught in a flashback! Ari could still be yours! Let’s do a paternity test!”
Umi took a deep breath and narrowed his eyes. “Fine. I’ll give my sample tonight. I’ll call Seto and tell him to get his ass here and give his.”
“No matter who her father is, I will still love her, Umi.”
Umi sat on the floor, his back against the wall. He buried his face in his hands. “How could you do this to me? Twice! What’s worse, he’s your uncle!”
“Not by blood….I just….I didn’t know what was happening. You know what happens when I go yami. It’s just like that. When those flashbacks happened, I thought I was with Seth from the past. I didn’t know, Umi.”
“How could you do this to us, Aria?” Umi asked, his voice whimpering.
Aria sighed. “I’m sorry, Umi. I tried to fight it.”
Umi stood up and took a deep breath. “I’m…going to give my sample and then I’m going to Robbie. I…I need to talk to him.”
Aria nodded. “Okay.” She watched Umi walk down the hallway. When he disappeared into the elevator, she returned to her room, walking slowly. When her affair happened with Bandit Keith, Umi was understanding. He loved Kailani like she was his own.  When Kailani died, he had told her it was like a piece of him had died, too. Though Kailani had only lived a few days, the impact was great on him.
Would Umi understand this time if the test results showed Seto Kaiba as the father?
Would Umi stay with her?
Aria returned to her hospital room and closed the door behind her. She sat on her hospital bed and buried her face in her hands. She cried hard, her body shaking.
Would Umi accept that she could not fight the flashbacks?
Would Umi leave?
What about Kai and Rhett?
“He has every right to be angry, you know,” a voice said from the shadows.
Aria’s head snapped up quickly as she saw her brother at the foot of her hospital bed. “I told Umi. He knows Kailani may not be his.”
“Oh, I admire your honesty, sister. Umi deserves that,” Yami Aten said, standing beside her.
Aria sniffled and wiped her eyes free of tears. “Umi has been a wonderful husband to me. I hope he will understand.”
“It is possible, sister,” Yami Aten said as he sat at the foot of the bed. “It is possible that he might not.”
“Aten, you of all people should understand about fighting flashbacks and how difficult they are.”
Yami Aten nodded. “I do.”
“Why are you here, anyway?”
“My husband told me I should come see you. I figured it was a good idea.”
Aria rolled her eyes. “I’m sure you’re here only out of obligation.”
Yami Aten looked down. “No.”
Aria looked at Aten. “No?”
“No. I came….to tell you…..how………” Yami Aten growled as he gripped his hair.  He whimpered in pain and took sharp gasps of breath.
Aria watched as Yami Aten leaned over, almost falling off the bed. “Aten!” Aria grabbed Aten before he could fall off of the bed.  He clasped onto her tightly, his chest rising and falling quickly. “Aten, what’s wrong?”
“I’m sorry, Aria,” Aten said quietly.
“Aten? Aten, is that you? The real you?”
Aten whimpered in pain. “I’m sorry, Aria…so sorry. Please forgive me.”
Aria caressed Aten’s hair as she held her brother close to her. “Aten, it’s okay.”
Aten held onto Aria tightly. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. Don’t be mad at me.”
Aria closed her eyes, tears coming down her cheek. “Aten, I love you. I’m sorry I never got a chance to say it to you before you died.”
“I…talked to you the night before…you said…you loved me.”
“I do, Aten. I prayed you wouldn’t be in pain when you died.”
Aten shook his head slowly. “I…I felt nothing. I tried to hold on.”
“Aten, do you forgive me?”
Aten raised his head and Aria saw the old brown and purple eyes looking at him. “How…could I not? You’re my…..” Aten coughed and began to wheeze. His body began to shake. “Sister…”
“Aten, tell me what is going on with Yami Aten.”
“It took all my strength to prevent him from hurting Robbie,” Aten trembled. “He’s strong…so much stronger than I.”
“What do we need to do?”
“Library……Magic….”
Aria shook her head. “Aten, I don’t understand.”
“You must…kill…me.”
“Aten, I can’t kill you. You’re my brother.”
Aten gripped onto Aria’s bathrobe. “Skoll.”
“Scroll? Where?”
“Maktaba…” Aten muttered through lungs filled with fluid.
“What? Aten, I don’t understand you.”
Yami Aten sat up. “I’m better now.”
“What happened to Aten?”
“He can’t stay out here too long. My other half is fragile.”
Aria narrowed her eyes. “No he’s not. You are weak, too. You just feed off of him.”
“Aria, we make a good team, you and I. Perhaps you wish to join my legions?”
“Legions of what?”
Yami Aten stood up. “With your Trident, you could command the beasts of the sea! You could command your monsters and we can rule this world together! You could rule with Seth, if that is your desire. You and he can rule the open seas, wherever you seek to roam. Join me, Yami Aria, and let us eliminate the human race and their pathetic mortality.”
Aria stood up. “What about mother? Uncle Malik? They’re mortal.”
Yami Aten smiled. “Unfortunate casualties of war.”
“I cannot kill my own mother! Aten, I will not join you.”
“Mother will be released from all his pain! You do not see that as a mercy-killing? Don’t you know that mother has become weak with his heart problem?  I will save him a long-suffering death like the one I suffered!  It won’t take mother eighteen years to die! I can kill our mother with one swift blow to the back of the head and his pain will be gone.”
Aria shook her head. “No. If you try to kill mother, I will be right there with my Trident to fight you! I will win like last time!”
Yami Aten chuckled. “How can you win a battle if none of your soldiers will follow you?”
“My servants will not abandon me!”
Yami Aten smiled. “We shall see about that.”
“Don’t you hurt our mother!”
Yami Aten smiled. “As I told your father, I do not need to lay a hand on him. He will die soon from his heart. Even a good fright could stop his heart.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Aten wasn’t the only one with a bad heart, remember? Grandfather already killed our mother, he just doesn’t know it yet.” Yami Aten walked out of the room.
***********************
Robbie and Bakura stepped out of the portal and into the Itemri bedroom. Robbie continued to rub his arms as he stepped into the warm air of the mortal world. “Bakura, when you die, is it cold like that?”
Bakura shook his head. “You don’t feel it when you’re dead and you walk into the Shadow Realm. In the afterlife, it is not cold, no.”
“I’d hate to be cold like that for eternity.”
Bakura chuckled. “You have a long life ahead of you, Robert.  I don’t foresee anyone trapping your soul in a Millennium Item for eternity. An immortal life is nothing if everyone you care about dies. You carry on, remain young. You die once and that is all. That is, unless things take an unexpected turn.” Bakura’s eyes went to the dresser.
Robbie nodded. “I hope Aria is safe with Aten. I’ll call her tonight and make sure she is okay.”
Ryou opened the door to the bedroom. “Robbie, Umi is here to see you and he looks very upset.”
“Is Aria okay?”
Ryou nodded. “Yes, he didn’t mention Aria being in trouble at all. Robbie, you really need to talk to him.”
“Has he said anything to you?”
Ryou shook his head. “No, he’s just….well….he’s crying and he won’t tell me why. Rhett and Kai are at your house, Robbie.”
“Wow. Okay, Ryou, I’m coming.”
Robbie walked past Ryou, who turned to Bakura. “How did it go?”
Bakura shrugged. “He understands if he hurts Aria, I will not rest until I track him down and get revenge.”
“Besides that.”
Bakura opened the dresser drawer and removed it. “We’re not the only ones looking for a scroll to reverse immortality.”
“Why would Aten be looking for that scroll?”
Bakura reached into the dresser, searching for his secret hiding place. “The same reason we are.”
Ryou sat on the bed and saw Bakura pull out a parchment. His eyes widened. “Yami…Bakura. Is that what I think it is?”
Bakura removed the scroll from its protective parchment. He sat beside Ryou and nodded. “This scroll will remove Immortality from the Living Dead.”
Ryou took the scroll from Bakura carefully. He unraveled a portion and saw the fading hieroglyphics on the parchment. “Yami, where did you find this?”
“I thought it would be in the Royal Magical Library.  I found it in Cairo, hidden very well. It was not easy to find.” Bakura took the scroll back from Ryou carefully. “This will relinquish any Immortality that Aten…or any yami…possesses.”
Ryou reached over to Bakura’s hand slowly. He held Bakura’s hand gently, covering his with his own. “Bakura, you know what this means, right?”
Bakura nodded as he stared at the magical script. “Yes,” he whispered. “Death.”
“Bakura, do you want me to cast this spell on you?”
Bakura turned his head towards Ryou. “How could I leave you, Ry? You still need me by your side.”
Ryou smiled. “I know this means a lot to you.”
“You still need me, Ry. I can’t just leave you alone. What about your own heart condition? I can’t leave you when you need me the most.”
“But I want you happy.”
Bakura leaned over and kissed Ryou’s cheek. “You have made me happy for three decades, my love.  I vowed to take care of you until death do us part. I meant your death, not mine. I already had my death. I’m not going to leave you, Ryou.”
Ryou looked at the scroll. “Should we cast it now?”
“I have to study it. Some of the words I can’t read and you have to recite the spell word-for-word correctly or it will not work or backfire.”
“Does Marik know you have it?”
Bakura shook his head. “No, I need to look at it first. Isis and Odion should look it over before we cast it.”
“They’ve been busy looking in the Domino Museum, I know that.”
“I don’t want to act before we know exactly what scroll this is.”
Ryou nodded. “When they come home, I’ll have them look at it.”
“Good. Malik may know about this, but I’m going to put my money on this that Odion or Isis would know more.”
“That is probably a good idea.”
“Don’t worry, love,” Bakura said, kissing Ryou on the lips. Bakura caressed Ryou’s cheek and stared into the Light’s sparking eyes. “I love you so much, Ryou Thomas.”
Bakura watched as Ryou began to rub his chest and whimper.
“Are you feeling okay, Ry?”
“I guess so. I’m still worried about Aria and Aten and everything. Maybe I just need to rest.”
Bakura picked Ryou into his arms and placed him on the bed. He tucked Ryou into bed and kissed Ryou’s forehead. “You have a lot on your mind. Rest.” Bakura kissed Ryou’s cheek again. “I love you.”
“I love you, too, angel,” Bakura said.
Bakura closed the door behind him.  Time to find Isis and Odion…
***********************
Umi sat on the couch, his face buried in his hands. How could Aria do this?  He loved Aria. He loved Aria since he had met her. They were childhood friends and played together. When Bandit Keith left her pregnant, Umi supported her. When Aten died, he was there to comfort her.
What did he get in return?
Robbie limped down the stairs and saw Umi sitting on the couch. “Umi, what’s wrong?”
Umi looked to the side and saw Malik and Marik watching television. He didn’t wish to speak of this in front of the Ishtar. This was his own personal matter.
“Let’s go in the backyard, Rob. I need to speak to you.”
“Can we go to my home? I have to put Heaven to bed and I’m sure your kids need to get home.”
Umi sighed. “Okay. Have a good night, you two.”
“Goodnight, Umi. We hope things work out,” Marik said, waving.
“Bye, Umi,” Malik said with a smile.
Umi and Robbie left the Ishtar-Itemri home. “Rob, do you think you can keep a secret?”
“Umi, you look like crap. What’s going on? Did Aria lose the baby?”
Umi sat on the step and buried his face in his hands again, crying. “Aria cheated on me! Again!”
“What?”
“She cheated on me! She told me that the baby might not be mine!”
Robbie leaned on his cane. “Umi, I’m so sorry.”
“She cheated on me with Seto! Seto! Can you believe it?”
Robbie raised an eyebrow. “That sounds…disturbing considering the family connection there.”
“She said she kept having flashbacks and she couldn’t control it.”
Robbie heard a branch snap nearby and he turned. Nobody was around. “Aten had flashbacks all the time and said he couldn’t control it, either.  What was she having flashbacks about?”
“She has been talking about having flashbacks with Seth in ancient Egypt. She said she can’t control them when they happen.”
“Aten got that way. He said he couldn’t control his flashbacks with his grandfather and he would turn violent sometimes. Sometimes they can’t control it, Umi. But, it’s something that you and Aria have to work on.”
Umi sniffled as he stood up. “I guess so.”
Umi and Robbie began walking to Robbie’s home a few doors away. Robbie turned to Umi as he gripped his cane tighter.
“I’m surprised you came to me about this.”
“Well, I can’t go to Ryou or those guys about this. Can you see what Bakura or even Marik would do to Seto if they should find out?”
Robbie chuckled. “Seto would be found castrated and skinned alive, I’m sure. I don’t think he would take it lightly that Seto was sleeping with his daughter.”
“Bakura’s a very protective father.”
Robbie nodded. “I know. I’m lucky I had to deal with Marik when I wanted to marry Aten.”
“I gave Bakura fish for his permission to marry Aria.”
Robbie laughed. “That’s priceless!”
Umi smiled. “I was so happy when Bakura let me marry her.” Umi stopped. “Robbie, I came to you because well….you’re my friend. I could always talk to you about anything.”
Robbie turned to Umi. “You helped me out a lot when Aten died. I really appreciate that.”
“Where is Aten anyway?”
Robbie shrugged. “I don’t know. I hope he’s home.”
Robbie and Umi entered the Morgan home. Rhett and Kai were sleeping on the couch. Miranda smiled as she sat on the recliner. “They fell asleep watching a movie.”
Robbie saw Heaven sitting in her playpen. The baby girl looked up at Robbie and clapped her hands. “How is daddy’s little girl?”
“She won’t go to bed. We’ve tried everything.”
Daniel entered the room. “Hi, Rob. Your little baby here won’t go to sleep. She refuses.”
“Heaven, it’s time to go to sleep, sweetheart,” Robbie said as he reached down and caressed her bald head.
“When we take her upstairs she cries.”
Umi looked at his sleeping boys and smiled. “I shouldn’t wake them up. I don’t see myself going to bed anytime soon.”
“Well, well, if it isn’t my husband,” Yami Aten said as he walked down the stairs.
“Hi, Aten. Heaven’s not going to bed. Have you tried putting her to bed?”
Yami Aten nodded. “I’ve tried, but she only wants you.”
“Can you carry her upstairs for me, Aten? I’ll tuck her in.”
Yami Aten reached down to the baby and began to resist Aten’s grip. “Heaven, settle down.”
The baby began to scream loudly as they headed towards the steps.
“Maybe she needs to go for a walk or something,” Umi said. “Maybe some fresh air will help get her to sleep.”
“When Robbie had colic when he was a baby, I used to drive him around in the car until he would fall asleep,” Miranda said. “It worked.”
Robbie sighed. “Well, maybe a quick walk around the block.”
“I could use some fresh air,” Umi said.
“Alright. Aten, are you coming?”
Yami Aten shook his head. “No. I’ll pass.”
Robbie limped up to Yami Aten. “If you change your mind, come find us, okay?”
Yami Aten nodded. “I will.”
Robbie smiled at Yami Aten. “I love you.”
A small smile appeared on Yami Aten’s face. Yami Aten leaned into Robbie’s ear. Robbie heard a whispered ‘I love you, Robbie’ in Aten’s old voice.
Robbie kissed Aten and turned to Umi. “Let’s go.”
Umi pushed the stroller as Robbie walked beside him. Heaven was looking up at Robbie with a smile on her face.  “She’s getting to be a big girl, Rob.”
“Aten’s getting more comfortable with her. I’m glad to see that.”
Umi nodded. “Yeah, I remember you telling me he was scared as hell to even have her around.”
“It takes time to him to become acquainted with new things. He’ll be fine.”
Heaven began to coo in the stroller, kicking her leg with excitement and playing with her blanket.  
“Do you think I should give Aria a second chance?”
Robbie nodded. “She deserves a chance. Even if the baby is Seto’s, I would still stick with her.”
“I can see the Child Support check now. That would be amazing! I’d never need to fish again.”
“You’d get bored. You love to fish.”
Umi nodded. “Yeah, you’re right. I wouldn’t stop fishing.  I don’t think I’d even go after him for Child Support. As long as the baby is healthy, that’s all I care about.”
“Like I said before, Aten couldn’t help his flashbacks, but it was something that we had to handle for our relationship. You and Aria have to do the same. You both have to come to terms with it and accept it as part of your relationship.”
Umi looked at Robbie. “How did you guys deal with it?”
“Well, let’s see,” Robbie said, biting his lip. “Well, when Aten would freeze when we were being intimate, I would stop and remind Aten that we are together and I wasn’t his grandfather. He would hit sometimes….hard! It was frustrating at times, too, but I accepted his flaws because I love him enough to see past all that. It’s the same thing with Aria. You have to accept that this is something that happens and she may not be able to fight it like Aten. She is fighting memories of a past life while Aten was fighting memories of abuse.”
Umi sighed. “They may be different battles.”
“Yeah, you’re probably right, but they are battles nonetheless.”
Robbie’s ears perked up as he heard an ambulance nearby.  “Tonight, I want to spend some time with Aten. I haven’t seen much of him since he was resurrected. I pretty much all but exhausted the time that Seto is going to give me off for caring for Heaven. I’ll have to get back to work at KaibaCorp.”
Umi chuckled uncomfortably. “I’m glad I’m not working there. The last thing I need to walk in on is my wife having sex with my boss.”
“I never walked in on Seto and Joey having sex in the office. I’m sure Seto waits until lunchtime then tackles Joey in the library or Studio or something.”
“Yeah, I wouldn’t feel too comfortable in either scenario.”
Robbie chuckled. “I don’t blame you. I would be awkward.”
Robbie looked into the stroller and saw the baby fast asleep. Robbie smiled and pulled the blanket to cover the sleeping baby girl. “My Heaven. Such a pretty girl.”
“It’s getting late. We’re almost home, though.”
Robbie and Umi could see the lights on in Robbie’s home after walking around the block.
“If you want to leave Rhett and Kai overnight, Umi, I don’t think my folks would mind. This way you don’t have to wake them up.”
Umi sighed and shrugged. “I don’t want to impose.”
Robbie and Umi heard the ambulance racing towards the hospital.
“I don’t think it would be a problem. It would be nice for Heaven to have somebody to play with. She can’t really move at all and Rhett seems to get along well with her.”
“The boys will learn how to play with a little sister. Heaven will be good practice for them.”
Robbie chuckled. “I’m not so sure. That’s Aria’s girl. She may be just like her mother.”
“Then I guess I’m in trouble,” Umi said with a smile.
“You don’t know how right you are, Tsunami,” Eric said as he jumped from the bushes pointing a pistol at Robbie and Umi.
Robbie’s eyes widened as he saw a wild fury in Eric’s eyes. “Eric? What’s this all about?”
Eric aimed the pistol at Robbie’s head. “You’re going to die for the murder of my father!”
Robbie swallowed hard as his heart began to race. “Eric, I didn’t kill your father.”
“SHUT THE FUCK UP, MORGAN! You are going to die for the murder of my father and Rhonda!”
Robbie took a step forward beside Heaven’s stroller. “Eric, put the gun away.”
“You have stood in my way for far too long, Morgan! I should have killed you before you married that half-breed faggot you called Aten!”
Robbie’s hand began to tremble as he held onto his cane. “Eric, put the gun away. Umi and I didn’t do anything!”
Eric’s eyes went to the sleeping infant. “Give her to me.”
Robbie swallowed hard and shook his head. “N-No, Eric.”
“Why do you want her?” Umi asked.
“She is my brat! Rhonda never should have dropped that little shit on your doorstep!”
Robbie narrowed his eyes as he stepped beside the stroller. “She is not a little shit!”
Eric cocked the pistol as he pointed it at the sleeping baby. “Time for me to do what I should have done long ago.”
Robbie lunged for Eric’s hand as he pulled the trigger. The bullet hit the side of the stroller, waking the baby and making her cry. Robbie grabbed the wrist holding the gun as Eric growled furiously.
“Let go, Morgan!”
“Umi, get Heaven home!” Robbie exclaimed as he slapped Eric across the face.
Umi reached into the stroller and took the baby in his arms. He ran towards the home.
“NO!” Eric fired towards Umi, hitting him once in the shoulder. Umi let out a cry of pain as he nearly dropped the infant in his arms.
Robbie tugged at the gun roughly, using his better foot to maintain his balance.
“I’m going to kill you, Robbie!”
“I won’t let you hurt Heaven or Umi!” Robbie exclaimed as he tried to wrestle the gun from Eric’s hands.
Eric growled as Robbie grabbed his wrist.  Robbie stumbled forward as Eric pulled the trigger. Robbie felt the pistol press against his stomach.
Bang.





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