Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Soul Of The Night ❯ The World That Welcomed Me ( Chapter 11 )

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

The World That Welcomed Me
Bakura’s eyelids fluttered as he felt a wet cloth cover his forehead.  A warm drop of water coursed down his cheek as he felt light fingers touching his face.  The world slowly came into focus as he turned his head.
“He’s moving!” a voice said excitedly beside him.
“It’s about time,” another voice said as a hand rubbed his shoulder. “Bakura, wake up!”
Bakura groaned as he tried to identify the voices from his right ear.
“It almost looks like his skull was caved in,” another voice said.
“Marik cracked his skull the the Millennium Rod,” a familiar voice said with a crack.
Bakura groaned again. “Ryou?”
“Baby, I’m right here.  Just relax. You’ll be alright.” Ryou said, caressing Bakura’s cheek.
Bakura raised his hand and moved it slowly towards Ryou’s face. The yami slowly opened his eyes as Aten moved the cloth on his forehead.  “Ry?”
Ryou leaned over and kissed Bakura’s cheek. “I’m here, angel.”
“Ishtar?”
“Gone...and he took Heaven with him,” Robbie said sadly.
Bakura narrowed his eyes at Robbie. “What?”
“Father took Heaven with him, Father Bakura. At least, that’s what the Lady of Faith said,” Aten replied, placing a supportive arm around Robbie’s shoulders.
Bakura’s eyes wandered around him. “What....what...where is the oasis?”
Ryou and Aten exchanged uncomfortable glances. “We’re in the oasis, baby.”
Bakura struggled to sit up with Ryou’s help. The yami groaned as the world spun around him.  When he opened his eyes, he saw the foliage of the oasis gone.  Dead, burned branches from bushes stuck out from the sand.  Bakura gasped as he looked at the devastation.  “This can’t be....” The yami’s heart sank at the bare trees, some still burning with tiny flickers of flame.
Some palm trees whose trunks had been charred barely stood while most had fallen on the ground.  Bakura could peer into the desert from his seat on the sand.  No bushes or trees were present to provide adequate shelter from Yami’s guards or desert travelers. “My home....gone.”
Ryou rubbed Bakura’s back. “We’re all safe, Bakura. That’s what’s important.”
“How?” Bakura saw the burned embers around him. “Why?” the yami reached into the earth and watched as ash slipped through his hands.
“With my last amount of strength, I summoned Wingweaver and the Lady of Faith to keep us protected from the flames,” Ryou said.
Bakura wavered as he sat, but Ryou gathered him into his arms. “It’s all gone, Ry. My home....my beloved home. Gone.”
“It can grow back, Bakura,” Robbie said. “It will just take time.”
The yami lowered his head. “My home is destroyed. This place was my sanctuary since I was little older than my younger self.  Now, it’s gone.”
Ryou wrapped his arms around Bakura and held him close. “We’re all safe, yami. This can be replaced. The oasis will grow back bigger and better than you remember it.”
Bakura looked up at his husband. “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine, angel,” Ryou said softly. “Don’t worry.”
“That’s a relief.”
Robbie looked towards the west. “Marik took Heaven when he left.  I hope he doesn’t hurt her.”
“We have to try to find her.”
“I’m coming with you, Aten.”
Aten shook his head. “No, you should stay here with mother and Bakura.”
Ryou caressed Bakura’s hair. “Son, you shouldn’t leave. You should stay here.”
“But, mother--.”
“Listen to your mother, Ankhenaten.  Your father is deadly and we need to find a new place to stay.”
Aten looked down at Bakura. “My daughter is out there, Father Bakura!”
“I sympathize, but I’d feel better if you stayed here tonight.  I’ll need to find us a new place to live tomorrow.”
Aten sat on the soil. “If you insist, Father Bakura.”
“I know you want to run out there and find your girl, you two.  It’s dark and there are predators in the night. I rarely ventured past the edge of the oasis at night because I know what lurks in the desert sands when the sun sets.  Without the trees and brush, we are open targets for Yami’s guards should they venture here.  We’re vulnerable to any predators of the night and bandits.”
Robbie shrugged. “But we didn’t do anything. Why would the pharaoh come after us?”
“He knows I have the Millennium Ring. Besides, Pharaoh Yami never needed a reason to drag someone into his private sanctum. He grabbed who he wanted and tossed them aside to hungry dogs.” Bakura paused. “Don’t forget, my boy. After Yami killed me, he tossed my body to his dogs. They chewed my bones. When he found your father’s corpse, he exhumed us both and sealed us into our Items. The dogs once again made a meal of our mortal bones, Aten.”
Aten looked at Bakura. “I never knew dogs chewed on you.”
Bakura nodded. “When we traveled to Egypt many years ago, Isis found our bones.  She showed us our bones sitting in a box on a shelf in the Cairo Museum.  Our bones showed evidence of animal teeth.  Some teeth marks belonged to dogs. Marik’s bones also showed evidence of jackal teeth.”
Robbie shook his head. “That’s awful.”
“That’s why when we buried you and Aten, I wanted to make certain that you had a proper burial. Even.....even when Ryou miscarried last year, I wrapped the child in a baby blanket and laid the baby boy in the Bakura plot.  Every person, every soul, deserves a reverent burial. Nobody deserves to be tossed to dogs or be desecrated.” Bakura ran his fingers through his hair. “I can’t believe Marik would destroy my home.”
Ryou kissed Bakura’s forehead. “It’ll be alright, baby.”
Bakura kissed Ryou’s cheek and turned his head to the water.  The yami crawled to the water and dipped his hand into the warm water. “It’s not cold anymore.” Bakura sipped the warm water.
Ryou winced as he rubbed his cramping leg.
Aten and Robbie grabbed a branch flickering with tiny flames. “If we can make a little fire to keep warm in the chill of the night, at least we’ll be able to see anything around us,” Robbie said. Aten salvaged what brush and timber he could find and placed them in a pile. Bakura watched as a little campfire sprung to life. “Good job, you two. At least we’ll have some light.”
Ryou shifted to Bakura and laid his head on Bakura’s lap. He looked at the campfire and sighed. “Where do you think we’ll find a new place to stay?”
Bakura rubbed Ryou’s lower back. “The Valley of the Kings is the best chance we have of avoiding Yami and Marik.”
“Was Yami buried in the Valley of the Kings?” Robbie asked.
“I don’t know. I was dead by the time Yami sealed himself in the Millennium Puzzle,” Bakura said. “We may find some answers in his successor’s tomb. His successor’s tomb should lie within the Valley of the Kings.”
Ryou closed his eyes as Bakura thought he heard his lover purr under his gentle hand. Bakura watched as Ryou’s white hair rested on the ground. The hikari’s ribcage rose and fell slowly as he drifted into sleep. Bakura’s hand rubbed Ryou’s side gently.  His hand slowly drifted to the front of Ryou’s belly.
“Cheer up, Bakura,” Robbie said. “It could have been a lot worse. I was worried Marik had eliminated you completely. Your face looked smashed in.”
Bakura nodded slowly. “Being dead has its advantages, Robert. You can take so much more punishment, but there are limits. You may be immortal, but it is possible for your energy to fade into nothing.”
Aten looked into the fire. “I remember when you and father had the Yami Virus.  I didn’t understand why you died, but now it makes sense.”
“One thing is clear: we can’t stay here. Yami’s goons are going to be scouring the area for us. Marik already knows we are here.  Marik’s already taken Heaven. I can’t let Ryou and you two fall into Marik’s hands. The Valley of the Kings has many tombs.  We just have to avoid the work crews digging the tombs.”
“That won’t be easy,” Aten said.
“We’ll slip in before dawn.” Bakura looked down at Ryou. “Get some sleep, boys. You’ll need your rest.”
Robbie sighed as he laid beside the fire. “I don’t know how much sleep I’ll get. I keep thinking about Marik and Heaven.”
Aten cuddled up to Robbie. “Marik won’t hurt her.”
“I hope you’re right.”
Bakura winced as he held the left side of his face where the Millennium Rod had cracked against his skull. He felt a small movement under his hand on Ryou’s side. Bakura watched Ryou shift on the ground as the baby moved. The yami father watched a lump form by Ryou’s hip and move towards his front.  Settle down, little fighter. You’ve had a long day. Go to sleep.
**********************
Malik walked down the dimly lit hall to check on his captives. Little Bakura sat in the corner of a cell with his knees under his chin. The boy in the fetal position cried as he trembled in the corner. Heaven sat on the floor, whimpering as she looked at Bakura.
Amenhemhet and Ausaira stepped beside Malik with a force of twenty Tombkeepers.  “We are ready to travel to the god stones,” Amenhemhet said.
“How fared my brother in the oasis?” Ausaira asked.
“My yami crushed his skull and set the oasis ablaze,” Malik said with a satisfied grin. “Nothing will stand in our way of achieving our goal.”
Ausaira crossed her arms against her chest. “What about the slut he loves?”
“Snefru stabbed him. The flames engulfed them both.”
Ausaira chuckled. “Perfect. I must commend your yami for a job well done.”
“Marik won’t let anyone stand in his way,” Malik said. “Let’s destroy those god stones.”
Malik lead the group down the hallway.  The Egyptian opened a door and lead the group through a series of passages. The Tombkeeper army held torches as they made their way through the interlocking maze of connected hallways, past dead ends.  Malik lead the group around a bend to a dead end.
The Egyptian hikari pushed four bricks into the wall seemingly randomly.  Every brick in the wall retreated simultaneously. Bricks shifted to create an archway which revealed another hallway. Malik lead the Tombkeepers through another dark hallway.  
Malik paused before a mural of Pharaoh Yami with Slyfer behind him.  A white-haired figure with spiky hair bearing the Millennium Ring extended an open hand towards his nemesis. Behind the spiky-haired figure loomed Dark Master Zorc.  The yami’s hair spiked with anger.  
Malik continued to look upon the murals along the walls where he spent much of his young life playing.  Yami was being welcomed by Osiris into the Land of the Dead. Malik narrowed his eyes at the mural and scoffed with defiance. Malik lead the group down a set of steps.  
“Do you know where you are going?” Ausaira asked.
“To the ancient dueling grounds of the pharaohs. It has been sealed by the workers from Yami’s tomb.”
Ausaira’s eyes widened as she stepped into a large room. A tall ceiling held murals of Obelisk, Slyfer, and the Winged Dragon of Ra.  Every pillar was decorated with a flowering lotus pattern and was carved with prayers to the Egyptian gods for protection and defense of Egyptian soil. A mural of the Dark Magician graced the wall behind an altar.  
Malik looked on the dueling ground where a large ankh in black obsidian stood among a floor of red brick.  “Egyptian pharaohs have dueled here for millennia becoming more powerful and have performed ancient rituals to turn human beings into monstrous aberrations.”
Malik lead the group through the room into an antechamber on the other side.  “This...is where some souls have been trapped and will never leave.”
Ausaira saw large tablets depicting monsters lining both sides of a walkway.  She walked along the right row of monsters.  She stopped before the Gross Ghost of Fled Dreams. “This monster....I have seen it before.”
“It’s one of your brother’s monsters.  His deck holds zombie monsters and undead puppets.”
One of the tombkeepers approached Malik. “How are we to destroy the tablets?”
Malik grinned. “Men, each of you take a tablet. We destroy these, Slyfer, and Obelisk! Do not damage the Winged Dragon of Ra or those monsters loyal to the Ishtar family.”
The Tombkeepers removed metal sledgehammers from under their robes.  Each man stood before a tablet.  
Malik grabbed his own hammer and stood before a tablet depicting Jinzo. “No more shall you stand up against us.”
************************
Seto held Kailani in his arms, rocking the baby to sleep. Umi was tucking Rhett and Kai into their bed. The boys had fallen asleep listening to one of the women in the harem tell a story to them. Yugi and Glenn were sitting with the women listening to the end of the story.  
Seto looked as his daughter’s eyelids fluttered as she struggled to stay awake. “You need to go to bed for your papa, Lani. Hopefully, mommy won’t be gone for too much longer.”
Kailani licked her lips as she looked up at the CEO.  She clenched her fists and began to suck on them.
Seto chuckled. “That’s what your mommy used to do when I would hold her,” Seto said quietly.  “Are you mommy’s girl?”
Kailani yawned and began to close her eyes.
Seto caressed the baby’s forehead. “Don’t you worry about your mommy, Lani. She’ll be out of that jail before you know it.” The CEO thought about that night when Bakura and Seto interrupted Aria and Umi at the lake while they were dating. Father and daughter engaged in a bitter battle of words.  Aria was stubborn, proud, headstrong, impatient, and a piece of dry wood looking for a spark to ignite an inferno.  Bakura always said the fruit never falls far from the tree. “Then again, Lani, if Aria gives an attitude to Yami, she could grow old in there. But don’t you worry. Umi and myself will take good care of you.”
Umi cleared his throat as he stood in the doorway. “Time to put your daughter to bed. The boys are fast asleep.”
“Are you going to hold this grudge against me for eternity because Aria and I couldn’t stop the flashbacks?”
Umi shook his head. “No, I won’t hold it against you for eternity. Just until you die. Then I’ll know that you can never impregnate my wife again.”
“Umi, I know it’s hard for you to understand. I don’t blame you for being angry at me. But, I know you want what is best for Kailani. That’s all any of us want for her. We need to set aside our anger and think of this baby girl.”
Umi sighed and walked toward Seto. He gently took Kailani from Seto’s arms. “I want the best for her because Aria is my wife and I love her.” Umi poked Seto in the chest. “Do you hear me? I love Aria Kanika Itemri.” Umi took a deep breath. “I’m glad that you are taking an interest in Kailani and being a father to her.”
“I’m not going to be a deadbeat father who makes the baby and ignores her. I want to be a part in her life. One day, she will wonder why she is different from her brothers. But there’s no reason why we can’t make it work. Look at the Ishtars and the Itemris. Remember how Marik and Bakura argued who was the father of Ryou’s baby? Bakura and Ryou made their relationship work despite the fact that Aten is not Bakura’s blood.”
Umi nodded. “You want to make it work. You want to be a part of her life and you have played an active part in being her father since Lani’s birth. Right now, I think that is the only thing that is stopping me from ripping you apart and gutting you like a fish,” Umi said quietly. “Goodnight, Seto.”
Seto sighed and left the room. Yugi and Glenn looked up at Seto leaving the harem solemnly. Yugi ran to Seto and grabbed Seto’s arm. “Seto, are you alright? You don’t look so well.”
“Did Joey return to our room?”
Glenn nodded. “Yeah, he left a while ago. He said he wanted to prepare paints he acquired from the royal artists to paint a picture.”
“Alright, Glenn. Thanks,” Seto said as he walked out of the room.
The High Priest sighed as he walked down the hall. Along the side of the hall, he saw an opening into the night sky.  Seto stared into the darkness of the night lit by a gentle glow in the distance.
Seto’s eyes focused on the glow in the desert.  A wind blew by the palace, sweeping the scent of burning wood and leaves into the hallway. Ryou....Bakura....
********************
Bakura’s head snapped up as he heard the faint sound of horse hooves in the night.  The rider was alone.  It wasn’t Yami’s army. Yami would not travel alone...unless Yami was sending an assassin. Bakura’s brown eyes went to Ryou, who continued to sleep peacefully with his head on Bakura’s lap.  The yami reached for his dagger and placed his hand protectively in front of Ryou’s belly.
Bakura’s lip curled, his body tensed, ready to fight and defend his husband, stepson, and Robbie.  For a moment, he thought of the possibility of Marik returning to finish the job.  The thought left him feeling tense and hopeful that he would be able to talk some sense into Marik. If he failed, he was willing to fight Marik until both of them lay on the sand beyond repair of any Millennium Item and any magical spell which would return them to life or unlife.  
Bakura saw the lone rider stop at the edge of the oasis’ boarder.  His campfire barely illuminated Seto’s figure until he approached the fire.
Seto looked around in shock and amazement. “Bakura, what the hell happened?”
Bakura sighed as he looked down at Ryou. Seto saw concern and sadness in the thief’s eyes as he looked down at his sleeping lover. “Marik and Snefru came.”
“Who?”
“Marik has partnered with my brother and sister to become pharaoh.”
Seto raised a curious eyebrow. “You don’t have a brother or sister. You’re an only child.”
Bakura slowly shook his head. “No, my brother was born when I was four and....I don’t know when my sister was born. I was living on the streets.”
Seto looked at the burned trunks of palm trees and bare branches of bushes.  “Did your brother or Marik do this?”
Bakura took a deep breath and ran his hand along Ryou’s side.  Bakura’s palm lightly caressed Ryou’s hip. “Marik did this, Seto. He destroyed my home.” Seto heard deep sorrow and remorse for his devastated home in the thief’s voice. “Marik destroyed my home.  He would have destroyed Ryou and myself if Ry hadn’t summoned the Lady of Faith.”
Seto sat beside the fire and looked over at sleeping Ryou. “It’s amazing you weren’t burnt to a crisp.”
“Aten and Robbie had gone to look for Little Marik and Bakura. Marik and Snefru came and attacked us. Marik smashed the Millennium Rod against my cheek.”
Seto saw the left side of Bakura’s face bruised and discolored from the attack.  “Could you talk any sense into him?”
“No, Seto.  Nothing can get through to him.  Something has to get through to him and pierce that thick skull of his.”
Seto reached towards Ryou’s stomach. The hikari whimpered in pain and turned around. Ryou laid on his right side and buried his face against Bakura’s stomach.  Bakura watched his husband kiss his stomach lightly and slip back into a deep sleep. The thief caressed Ryou’s hair lightly. “Go back to sleep, baby,” Bakura whispered.
Ryou relaxed, his breath brushing lightly across Bakura’s skin.
“His stomach is sensitive. Even when I touch him there, he tenses.”
“What about the baby?”
Bakura’s thumb traced Ryou’s ear. “The doctor told us that Ryou and I will be having a little boy.” The thief smiled and chuckled quietly. “Ryou’s carrying our first son.”
“The child is unharmed?”
Bakura nodded. “You can feel him move.”
“He’s one lucky boy to have survived all this.”
“I keep checking up on his movements every hour. I don’t want to lose him, Seto. I don’t want to lose Ry, either.” Bakura lowered his head. “I thought Marik would destroy them both when he and Snefru cornered us.”
Seto shifted to Bakura and put his hand on the yami’s shoulder. “This place will grow back, Bakura. It’s not the end of the world.”
“I know it will grow back. This place was my sanctuary, Seto.” Bakura looked at the devastation around him. “This was the world that welcomed me....when all of Cairo pushed me away. My own private heaven, my sanctum.”
Seto reached out and rubbed Ryou’s back, making the hikari purr contentedly in his sleep. “You could have lost more, Bakura.”
“I know, moneybags. I don’t know what I would do if I lost my husband and our unborn baby. I-.” Bakura looked into the dying fire and bit his lip. The thief slowly shook his head. “I would do something....terrible.”
Seto felt a kick against his palm when he touched Ryou’s lower back. “He’s moving, ‘Kura.”
“That’s a good sign.” Bakura’s hand wandered to Ryou’s side. “Little fighter, go back to sleep. Don’t wake up your mother.”
Seto stood up and looked down at Aten and Robbie. “With Marik taking Heaven, do you want me to take those two to the palace with me?”
“You’ll have to ask them that later. You should get back to the palace before your disappearance arouses suspicion.”
Seto stretched. “Joey will be waiting for me. He’s picked up art supplies, so he’s probably engrossed in painting one of my women somewhere.”
The thief grinned with a quiet chuckle. “What?”
“I have a harem of women whom I don’t wish to touch. In fact, Yami wanted to know if I made him an heir yet,” the CEO said with a disgusted wrinkling of his nose.
“Too bad I couldn’t get the spell that changed Ry into a woman. Then you and Joey can make your own staff for Kaiba Corp,” the thief snickered.
Seto shook his head. “I want Joey to stay the way he is.”
Ryou groaned in his sleep and rubbed his own belly.
Bakura looked up at Seto. “Why did you come here anyway? It’s the middle of the night.”
“I saw flames and I was....worried about you and Ry.”
“Worried about me? There’s a first, Kaiba. I’m flattered. Now I think I’ve seen it all. Seto Kaiba was concerned about me? I’ve always known you had a soft spot for my host, but....me? Well, Seto, that’s a kind gesture. The flames you must have seen were of the final timbers and trees on fire.”
Seto reached for a bag on his horse and placed a sack beside Bakura. “There’s some food for all of you. I’m glad you are all alright.”
Bakura bowed his head to Seto. “I appreciate your concern. Thank you, Seto.”
“Stay safe, Bakura.”
“Be careful, Seto, should Marik and the Tombkeepers invade the palace. Yami may have been a tyrant, but a blood-thirsty, horny Ishtar could be more dangerous.”
Seto nodded as he looked down at Ryou. “Agreed. Goodnight, Bakura.”
“Goodnight, Seto Roka Kaiba.”
Bakura watched Seto mount his horse and ride towards the city. The thief reached into the bag and found bread, grapes, dates, and a duck. Bakura licked his lips. “Tomorrow, we feast.”
******************
Seto stepped into the bedroom he shared with Joey. The blond was sitting before a mirror and was combing his shoulder-length blond hair.  Joey turned his head with surprise. “Seto, where have you been? I was getting worried about you.”
Seto walked up to Joey and wrapped his arms around the blond’s shoulders from behind. Seto kissed the top of Joey’s head. “I had to check something out.”
“Where did you go?”
“I saw flames in the distance and I had to check on Ryou and Bakura.”
Joey quickly turned to the brunet. “Are they alright?”
“They’re all fine.” Seto removed his cape and white gown.  The brunet laid naked on the bed and closed his eyes. “Marik attacked the oasis with Bakura’s brother, a man named Snefru.”
Joey’s eyes widened. He placed the bone comb on the dresser before him and stepped to the side of the bed where Seto rested. “Since when does Bakura have a brother?”
“There’s a sister, too.”
Joey crossed his arms against his bare chest. “You would think you know a guy after twenty-five years.”
“They attacked Ryou and Bakura while Aten and Robbie were gone. Luckily, Ryou didn’t lose the baby.” Seto looked up at Joey. “Ryou’s carrying a boy.”
Joey smiled and jumped. “That’s great! I wish I could congratulate Ryou!”
“If Yami found out Ryou was having a boy, Yami will want to get Ryou into his custody.”
Joey’s smile faded. “I never remember Yami ever mentioning sleeping with women.”
“He doesn’t. Yami only sleeps with other men. If he had Ryou, can you imagine the consequences?”
“That would be really bad. All Ryou would do is sleep and pump out kids every 9 months.”
Seto sighed. “I’m glad Ryou didn’t lose the baby.” Joey watched his lover relax and look up at him. Seto pat the empty space beside him. “Come join me.”
Joey moved to the other side of the bed and laid on his side.  He looked at Seto’s brown hair and into his blue eyes.
Seto turned on his side and looked into the brown eyes of the blond. He reached out and caressed Joey’s cheek. “How was your night?”
“It was fine. I talked to the head artist and he said that I can help create the royal murals if I wish.”
Seto smiled. “That will be good for you.”
“Has Bakura found a way home yet?”
“No. The Tombkeepers and Marik might have the answers.  We have to get to them wherever they are hiding.”
Joey sighed. “Considering how Marik is acting, that won’t be anytime soon.”
Seto shifted close to Joey and kissed the blond’s forehead. “Don’t worry, puppy. Everything will work out.”
Joey looked into Seto’s blue eyes and took his lover’s hand. “Seto, there’s something that I must ask you.”
Seto saw serious look on his lover’s face. “Is everything all right, Joey?”
Joey held Seto’s hand. “Seto, I was playing with Kailani today with Yugi, Kai, and Rhett. I noticed something strange about the baby.”
“Does the doctor need to see her?” Seto asked quickly.
“No, she looks healthy, but I noticed something strange.  Kailani doesn’t look anything like Rhett and Kai.  Kailani had blue eyes and brown hair.  Aria doesn’t have brown hair and neither do her parents.”
Seto swallowed anxiously. “What are you trying to ask me?”
“Well, I don’t know how to ask this, but.....” Joey took a deep breath and looked down at the white, sheer blanket.  He slowly raised his eyes. “Is Kailani.....your daughter?”
Seto’s hand began to lightly tremble.  “What, Joey?”
“Seto, be honest with me. Is Kailani your daughter?”
Seto released Joey’s hand and turned his back to Joey. He sat at the edge of the bed.  Seto lowered his head. “Joey, I...I don’t know what to say.”
“It makes sense. Neither Umi or Aria’s parents have brown hair.”
Seto buried his face in his hands. “It’s true, Joey.”
Joey jumped to his feet. “What?! Seto, what were you thinking?”
Seto shook his head. “Aria and I were caught in our flashbacks. We couldn’t stop ourselves until it was too late. Joey, we didn’t want to do what we did.”
Joey walked around to Seto. “Aria is your niece! She is Ryou and Bakura’s daughter! Do you know how you betrayed their trust? Bakura’s going to kill you when he finds out!”
Seto jumped to his feet and stood before Joey. “Bakura doesn’t know.”
“Does Umi know?”
Seto nodded slowly. “Yes, Umi knows. I spoke to him before leaving for the desert.”
“What does Umi say about this?”
“He’s angry with me understandably,” Seto said. “We both want the best for the baby.  Umi says that’s what keeps him from trying to kill me in my sleep. I send them money every month for Lani’s food, clothing, diapers, formula, and toys.”
Joey staggered back and felt a tear creep down his cheek. “I can’t believe it. I can’t believe this is happening. How could you do this?!” Joey screamed angrily.
“Joey, our flashbacks couldn’t stop! We tried to stop them! We tried to stop seeing each other. We have tried everything.”
Joey shook his head. “Seto, for God’s sake, you changed Aria’s diapers!  What on earth were you thinking?”
Seto held out his hands. “Joey, we didn’t do it out of free will! Our memories from Ancient Egypt took over!” Seto gasped. If Aria and him were back in Egypt, could their flashbacks once again become a reality?  
“I can’t believe you!  If Bakura finds out, he will obliterate you!  I’m surprised he hasn’t done so already.” Seto put his hands on Joey’s shoulder. Joey pushed Seto’s hand away from him. “Don’t touch me!”
“Joey, please....”
Joey wiped his teary eyes. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because you were sick and I didn’t want to worry you! Joey, you were sick. You had just received Aten’s liver and you were showing signs of improvement. If I would have told you then, your anger now would have made you worse.”
Joey sniffled and shook his head. “Seto, I’ve always stuck by your side. I have always believed in you. But.....this, how can I trust you?”
Seto sighed. “Joey, I do love you. I want to be with you. You’re still my husband. Kailani, I love her, too. When they need a babysitter, I welcome all of Aria’s kids.  Now that Jaimen is at the University, we have two free rooms.   Ryou’s baby will be welcome, too.”
Joey straightened his back. “Is Ryou’s baby really Bakura’s?”
Seto nodded. “Yes. I didn’t impregnate Ryou.”
Joey wiped his teary eyes. “I never had any problem with your relationship with Ryou.  But, Seto...Aria is Ryou’s daughter.  She’s 19 now. You’re  going to be 36 this year!  At least Ryou is only 34!”
“Joey, what’s done is done. If I could do it over again, I would go back in time and kick myself in the balls to not do what I did. I hate the fact that I did that to Aria. Our flashbacks were too strong. They took over our minds and controlled our actions. We both regret what happened, but we can’t ignore the child we made because of our lack of control. We’re both responsible and we work together to make sure the baby has everything she needs and that she feels loved.”
Joey sniffled and walked towards the door.
“Joey, where are you going?”
“I need to think, Seto. Goodnight.”
“Joey, come to bed,” Seto said quickly.
Joey reached for the door. “I can’t, Seto. Goodnight.”
Seto watched Joey leave the room. The CEO sighed as he sat on the bed. “Joey, what have I done?”
*****************
Bakura watched Aten as he completed his morning prayers to Ra, the Sun God. The teen was slightly disappointed that he had no sacred fire to make since the campfire over night was no more than smoking cinders and there was nothing in the oasis to make a fire.  The thief yawned as he looked down at his sleeping husband.  
“Father Bakura, were you up all night?”
Bakura caressed Ryou’s back. “Indeed, Little Ishtar. I’m glad I stayed awake. Seto came by to check on us.”
“How is he? How is Aria?”
“He didn’t say how she was. He didn’t stay long. He was worried about us after seeing the oasis burn in the night.”
Aten sighed. “What are we going to do for tonight? Mother needs a better bed than sand, Father Bakura. His back is already sore without having to sleep on dirt and sand.”
Bakura handed Aten the bag of food. “Have some breakfast. Seto brought us food last night.  We have to find food and shelter today. I’ll scout around the mountains to the Valley of the Dead and see where we may find a suitable shelter.”
“Egyptian workers had some breaks in their work. They’d be gone for a few days. Very few would stay behind.”
Bakura sighed. “The nights will be cold without the shelter of the oasis. I don’t want you to become sick, young man.”
Aten chuckled. “Are you going to call me that for eternity?”
“You’re dead, Aten. You will be young for eternity.”
Aten nodded as he had a small bite to eat. “This is very nice of Seto. He should come by more often.”
Bakura watched as the smoke from the hot wood of the fire turn a hazy purple color.  “Aten? Look.”
Aten looked at the smoldering timbers in the campfire and saw a small figure emerge. “Helpless Child?”
The little boy had tears in his eyes as he kneeled on the wood. He folded his hands in prayer against his chest and looked up at Aten. “Master Aten, something terrible is happening in the Shadow Realm! I’m scared!”
Aten kneeled before his terrified boy-monster. “Take a deep breath and tell me what happened.”
Bakura watched the crying, shaking boy rub his teary eyes. “Is it the Ra-damned useless pharaoh?”
The Helpless Child sobbed and shook his head. “I saw the Battle Ox go to sleep.”
Aten and Bakura exchanged confused glances.  Aten shrugged his shoulders and shook his head. “What?”
Bakura put his hand on Aten’s shoulder. “He’s a child, Aten. You have to approach this from a child’s mind.” Bakura cleared his throat. “Boy, how did the Battle Ox go to sleep? Was he tired?”
The boy shook his head. “He not wake up even when I yell really loud.”
“Was the Battle Ox dueling before he fell asleep?” Bakura asked.
“No!” the boy yelled. “Battle Ox eating grass and then he yelled really loud. He falled down on the ground. I ran because I was scared. I went to St. Joan to ask her to hold me. She gave me a hug. Then she screamed and fell asleep. I saw a big tank go boom! Then....I saw...”
The little boy cried into his hands as he kneeled before Aten. “I saw the Boo Eyes Dragon fall on the ground.” The child sobbed. “He not move.  The White Eyes Black Dragon began crying for its mommy.”
Aten looked at Bakura. “What does it mean?”
“I don’t know. Monsters come from the Shadow Realm during a duel and return once they are destroyed in battle. If they are destroyed in the Shadow Realm, I have never heard of it before.”
“We should go check it out.”
Bakura’s thumb traced Ryou’s ear. “I cannot leave him alone.”
“Please, Master Aten, I don’t want to not move!
Ryou’s eyelids began to flutter and he slowly opened his eyes. “Is Aten crying?" Ryou turned his head to see The Helpless Child kneeling on the ashes of a campfire. He turned around and raised his head. “What are you doing here, little one?"
“The others are falling asleep and they won’t wake up!”
Aten scratched his hair as he thought. “Hey, did you see the Ultimate Obedient Fiend go to sleep?”
The Helpless Child sniffled. “I don’t know. It’s a big Shadow Realm.”
Aten stood beside the fire and closed his eyes. “Ultimate Obedient Fiend obeyed Yami Aten, but he may still answer to me. Let me try.” Aten crossed his arms in front of him and  lowered his head. “Ultimate Obedient Fiend, come to your master!”
Bakura and Ryou looked around at the quiet desert. Ryou sat up beside Bakura and listened for the sound of the demon monster. Aten waited as nothing new changed.
“Perhaps he won’t answer to me.”
Bakura looked at Ryou. “Try summoning St. Joan, baby.”
“Why?”
“The boy says he saw St. Joan fall asleep. Perhaps that is why the Ultimate Obedient Fiend will not respond to me.”
Ryou nodded as he stood up. “Ow,” Ryou winced as he rubbed his back. “I’d give my soul for a bed to sleep on. Alright, let’s try it.” Ryou folded his hands in front of him as if in prayer. “St. Joan, come to me. Protect your children.”
Bakura and Aten looked around. Ryou held his breath as he waited. “I don’t think it worked. Strange.”
Bakura stood up. “Dark Necrofear always answers my call. Dark Necrofear, come before your master!”
Bakura’s eyes shifted around the quiet oasis. “Dark Necrofear? What has happened in the Shadow Realm?”
“Robbie and I can go check it out,” Aten said. “This way you can stay with mother.” Aten kneeled beside Robbie, who snored as he laid on his back. “Robbie, wake up!”
“Keith, you son of a bitch!” Robbie exclaimed as he opened his eyes. “Aten?”
“We have to go to the Shadow Realm right now.”
Robbie and Aten turned their heads as they heard the little boy scream. Ryou watched in horror as the kneeling child threw his head back and curled his fingers in agony.
“What is wrong with him?” Ryou asked helplessly.
“We don’t know,” Bakura said, trying to touch the child’s shoulders. “What do you feel?”
The boy opened his eyes and tried to reach for Bakura. “Pain! It hurts! Stop them! Tell them to stop! They’re hurting me!”
“Tell who to stop?” Ryou asked. “Who is hurting you?”
“Yami! Please! Stop! It hurts!”
Ryou bit his lip, wanting nothing more than to help the shrieking boy. “Yami, we have to do something!”
Bakura narrowed his eyes as the boy mentioned Yami. “I knew he was behind this.”
“Please stop! Please--!”
Ryou and Bakura watched the boy fall onto the smoking embers, quiet and unconscious.  Bakura tried to touch the boy, but his fingers went through the motionless body.
“Bakura? What did we just see?”
“Come, Robbie, we have to enter the Shadow Realm and see what is going on in there.”
Robbie rubbed his eyes. “There’s something you don’t see every day.”
Ryou kneeled before the campfire. “Poor baby. Bakura, what happened?”
“Something is wrong with our monsters in the Shadow Realm. The boy said all the monsters were falling over asleep.”  
“Don’t worry, Father Bakura. Robbie and I will check it out,” Aten said, helping Robbie to his feet.
Robbie grabbed his walking stick. “We’ll get to the bottom of this.”
Ryou stood up and walked towards his son. Ryou wrapped his arms around his son and rested his head against Aten’s white and blond hair. “Please be careful, baby boy.”
“I will, mother.”
Ryou kissed Aten’s cheek. “I love you, baby.”
“Love you, too, mother.”
Ryou stepped backwards as Aten and Robbie stepped into the purple smoke of the campfire.  Ryou sighed as he watched his son disappear. Bakura stepped behind Ryou and held him close. The hikari rested his head against Bakura’s chest as the yami touched his stomach and chest.
Bakura kissed Ryou’s cheek. “They’ll be alright, Ryou.”“I hope so, angel.”