Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ The Yami Virus ❯ Brother and Sister, Hikari and Yami ( Chapter 16 )

* The song Aria and Aten sing is called "You're Always With me" called 'Batwanes Beek' in Arabic. I don't own it. I can't even pronounce some of those words. I got the song from: http://www.shira.net/batwanes.htm

Shadow of Light: Aria and Aten's bond is explained in this chappie. Since they are two halves of the same soul, they do share a special connection.

Kschur32: I haven't decided what I'm going to do with Diane yet. Though after this chappie, I may just have to kill her off.

Liann: When Aria leaves, she's going to bring the puppy with her and that will be her pet. I'm glad you like Servant Yamis. Gotta love Tea bashing.

Terra: My wife can give me naked snarling Bakuras! NOT THE POUT! MY WEAKNESS!

Dragon Tears: It's the Yami Virus affecting Bakura's personality.

Lady Elfskye: I wasn't in downtown Philly. I was in northeast philly. My wife was sick, so we didn't get a chance to go anywhere. Besides, my dad was driving my sister all over the place, so he had the car.

Kura Magician Girl: Bakura's in worse shape than Marik. But mood swings will be the norm for him.

Valea: Aria and Aten are two halves of the same soul, so they would share a specific bond. But it would only happen suring intense emotion. She won't die.

Broken Time: Aria and Aten share a bond being two halves of the same soul.

thunderchaos: Thanks! Bakura goes second. Someone else goes first.

bakachibi voidfox: lemon next chappie between Ryou x Bakura. The Virus is affecting Bakura's personality.

Brother and Sister, Hikari and Yami

Seto looked out of the library window. He looked at the water in the distance. He needed the serenity of the nearby ocean to calm him.

The rich, powerful CEO of KaibaCorp felt poor and in need.

He didn't need more money, more employees, more financial reports to review.

He needed Aria.

He needed Aria to be safe.

He needed Aria returned.

Seto leaned on the Louis XIV chair by the window and gripped it for support.

He was empty.

Seto didn't turn when he heard a knock on the door to the library. "Enter."

Donny stepped through the door. "Sir?"

Seto turned his head slightly, giving his personal driver and friend the Evil Eye for the first time in seven years. "Well?"

"We are still looking, Mr. Kaiba. We haven't found any trace of her yet."

Seto turned away from Donny. "Then leave and keep looking!"

"Yes, sir, Mr. Kaiba."

Seto looked over the city as he let out a long sigh. "Where are you, baby girl?"

Hayden entered the room. He stood beside his adoptive father. "Hello, Mr. Kaiba. Any news about Aria yet? I heard at school that something happened to her and she can't be found."

"Who told you that?"

"Umi Tsunami. He's Aria's boyfriend."

Seto shook his head. "No. No news yet."

"Oh. I really hope they can find her. I know how it feels to want someone back and wait and wait and wait and wait. After my parents and my sister died in the fire, I waited at my uncle's house for months hoping to see them. They never came to see me. I was hoping that they were alive and were okay. But, my uncle told me they were dead. It didn't hit me until before the police came to take me away that my parents and my sister would never come. That they really were dead like my uncle had told me."

Seto's bottom lip trembled. 'Aria can't be dead! I won't accept that!'

Hayden timidly reached up and put his hand on Seto's shoulder. "Aria will be okay."

Hayden left and Seto collapsed sobbing into the Louis XIV chair.

"Aria, don't be dead! Please!"

The door opened again and Joey walked into the room.

"Seto?" Joey ran to Seto and kneeled beside him. "Seto, tell me what is wrong!"

Seto wiped his eyes and stood on his feet. He sniffled and straightened his suit jacket. "Nothing is wrong. I had something in my eye."

Joey stood up and crossed his arms against his chest. "You're a shitty liar. Tell me what is wrong, Seto. I know something is wrong."

Seto folded his hands behind his back and turned from Joey to hide the tears. "Nothing."

Joey grabbed Seto's shoulders and turned him to the side. "You can't hide your feelings from me! Something happened and ever since yesterday, you have barricaded yourself in your office and the library. You didn't sleep at all last night. Please tell me, Seto."

Seto rubbed his eye before a tear could escape. "Aria is missing."

"What?! Missing?!"

Seto nodded. "Robbie was kidnapped, too. He was found nailed into a crate. No sign of Aria."

Joey wrapped his arms around Seto and rested his head on Seto's shoulder.

"I have the entire Public Relations Department looking for her. I can't lose her, Joey. Something inside me tells me that if I lose her, I….I will be lost."

Joey's brown eyes looked up at Seto. "I know you will be upset, Seto. So will I and everyone else. But, you'll still have Mokuba and I to hold you up."

Seto sighed. "I know, puppy." The CEO put his arms around his lover. "We'll always have each other. I wouldn't have it any other way."

Joey nuzzled his cheek into Seto's shoulder. "Any news about Aten?"

"The hospital is keeping him for another night. Aten had a seizure and they don't want his body to reject the pacemaker."

"A seizure? Aten doesn't have epilepsy."

Seto held tightly onto Joey. "I know, but they don't know the origin of the seizure, so they are keeping him overnight."

Joey clutched onto Seto. "Can we go see him?"

Seto pet the golden hair beneath his chin. Joey was having a very difficult time coming to terms with Aten's terminal condition. The blond had admitted to Seto that he was fighting the urge to drown himself in the bottle again. Joey had also talked to Dr. Chapman, his psychologist, about the desire to buy a bottle of Jack Daniels and lock himself in his art studio. Joey begged and pleaded with Seto to allow him to spend more time with the sick chibi. The blond was still struggling with his alcoholism, even after years of therapy. Seto knew this wouldn't be an easy obstacle for Joey to overcome and still Seto refused to give up on his lover.

Seto couldn't deny his lover the right to see Aten, especially if the child was in the hospital.

"I'll get Jayden to drive us. Donny is searching for Aria right now."

A smile lit up Joey's face. "Thank you, Seto!"

"Let's take Hayden with us. It might make Aten feel better if we all go see him. I'll see if I can find Mokuba."

Joey kissed Seto on the lips and ran from the room. Seto searched for Mokuba and found him in the study leaning over a blueprint. Mokuba abandoned his blueprint to go with the family.

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

Hayden sat in the back of the limo with a bag of nacho chips. He chewed loudly as he looked out of the tinted windows. Joey looked down and saw Hayden was quickly gaining weight. Hayden had a little belly on him now.

It didn't surprise him at all. Hayden was becoming a virtual bottomless pit. Everytime he saw Hayden, he had cookies or chips in his mouth.

"Hayden? Did you eat enough at lunch?"

Mokuba crossed his arms. "I would hope so! He ate three hamburgers and half of my fries when we went out to Captain Smiley Buns! And he was still hungry, so he borrowed money off of me to buy an apple pie!"

Hayden shrugged. "I was hungry."

Joey and Seto looked at each other. "Well, son, you should leave your snacks in the limo when we get to the hospital."

"Why? I can bring in food."

Seto crossed his legs. "Yes, but, we're…we're just concerned about your weight, Hayden."

"What about my weight?"

"You've been eating constantly lately and we just want to make sure that you're taking care of yourself."

Hayden nodded. "I am taking care of myself. I shower, eat, go to school, come home, and have a few snacks while I'm doing my homework."

"A few snacks?" Mokuba asked. "You ate all the Oreos!"

"You ate all the popcorn!"

"You ate all the onion dip!"

Seto turned to Joey, shaking his head. "Can't we just lock them both in their rooms until they are eighteen?"

Mokuba pouted. "I'm going to be eighteen in two months!"

Hayden grabbed his bag of snacks. "These are mine and you can't have any!"

Joey turned to Seto. "Were we ever this bad?"

Seto rubbed his temple. "Calm blue ocean…calm blue ocean…..calm blue ocean….calm blue ocean."

Joey held out his hand. "STOP!" Hayden and Mokuba stopped arguing. It was rare that Joey raised his voice. Mokuba couldn't remember the last time when Joey cried out like that. "Hayden, we're just concerned about you, that is all. We still love you. It's just that we noticed you eating more than usual and we just had to say something."

"It wasn't meant to hurt your feelings," Seto added. "Look, we're going to see Aten and the last thing he needs is to see us at each other's throats."

Hayden and Mokuba lowered their heads. Mokuba looked at Hayden. "Sorry, Hayden."

"Sorry, Mokuba."

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

They arrived at the hospital and found Tristan and Otogi walking to their car holding hands. Seto's eyes widened at the absence of Tristan's industrialized thermos full of coffee.

"Hey, guys!" Joey smiled, running to them. Joey wrapped his arms around Tristan and Otogi. "You guys just came back from Aten's room?"

Otogi nodded as Hayden and Mokuba caught up with them. "Yeah. He's in Room 215. They always put him in that room."

Tristan shifted his eyes side to side as Seto looked at him. "What?"

"You don't have your thermos with you. You look so…naked without it."

"Bite me."

Seto smirked. "No thank you. I'll leave that up to Otogi. Besides, I know you prefer a feminine touch."

Otogi brushed back his hair and stamped his foot. "Why does everyone insist that I am feminine?!"

Tristan turned to Seto. "Don't mind him. He's pre-menstrual."

Otogi crossed his arms and pouted. "I am not!"

Seto found Tristan's hands slightly trembling. "You okay, Tris?"

"Haven't had a coffee in one hour. I promised Otogi I would cut down."

Tristan's eyes were wide as his eyes shifted to his motorcycle. "Umm…excuse me, please." Tristan ran to the motorcycle and grabbed his thermos, hugging it and kissing it.

"Precious….my precious…."

Seto rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Why me?"

Otogi sighed. "He's gotten better, Seto. Before he couldn't go thirty minutes. Now he's at an hour. That's progress."

"Can't argue with that. We better go. Bye, Otogi! Bye, Tristan!"

"BYE!"

Joey lead the family to Aten's room. Aten was on his side, sleeping in his bed. Aten was sucking his thumb and cuddling his monkey plushie.

Seto shook his head as he pulled up a chair beside Aten's bed. "He still sucks his thumb in his sleep. Some things never change."

Hayden looked down at the eight year old boy with the bandaged shoulder and chest. "He always sleeps like that."

Mokuba walked around to the other side of the bed and pulled the covers over Aten's chest. Joey lifted the wires connected to the child. Aten snuggled into his monkey plushie and sighed.

Joey checked the boy's medicine bag and saw that it was running low. He went outside to find a nurse.

Ryou walked into the room alone. "Oh! Hello, Seto! Hi, Hayden! Hi, Mokuba!"

Seto brought Ryou into his arms and hugged him tightly. "Hi, Ryou. Where is everyone else?"

Ryou sighed. "Marik and Malik are looking for Aria."

"What about Bakura?"

Ryou buried his face in Seto's chest and whimpered. "He….He's home."

Seto tilted Ryou's face up to look into the chocolate brown eyes. "Ryou? Is Bakura really home?"

"Yes."

Seto looked into the eyes and saw something familiar. These were eyes that could not hide what he was feeling. Seto saw the same hurt that he saw in Ryou's eyes ten years ago when Bakura abused him.

"Ryou, tell me what he did to you."

Mokuba and Hayden looked over at Ryou. Seto shifted his gaze between the boys and the door. When Hayden and Mokuba left, Seto looked down at Ryou. The CEO leaned down and planted a kiss on Ryou's cheek.

"Tell me what he did, angel."

Ryou wiped away a tear. "He….He tried to seduce me and I wasn't in the mood."

Seto bit his lip. "Did he hit you when you refused?"

"No."

"Did he pin you like he used to?"

Ryou avoided Seto's gaze. "Yes."

Seto ran his fingers through the white locks. "My poor angel."

"This illness he has is becoming worse. I don't know what to do for him. I don't know what I can do for my son. I don't know where my daughter is. I don't know anything!" Ryou cried into his hands.

Seto brought Ryou to his chest and held him close, letting Ryou cry out his tension. Seto was always there to support and protect Ryou during the most difficult times of his life.

The CEO held his friend. "My men are looking for Aria, Ryou. We'll find her. We have the best doctors looking after Aten's health, Ryou." Seto held Ryou at arm's length. "You know that you have our support, right?"

"I know," Ryou said sadly.

"I told you before that I will always be there for you. I will always be there for Aten and Aria, too."

Ryou hugged Seto. "Thank you, Seto."

A whimper came from the bed as Aten's eyes shot open wide. The little boy began to tremble and shake. Tears spilled out of his eyes. Ryou and Seto ran to the bed as the boy started cry.

"Aten? Baby boy?"

"I want my puppy."

Ryou and Seto exchanged glances. "Aten?"

"I want my puppy. I'm alone."

"Sweetheart, it's mommy and Unkie Seto."

"They took my puppy. Why can't they let me have her with me?"

Seto and Ryou gasped. "Aten said 'took.'"

Ryou kneeled in front of Aten. The little boy's eyes were glassy and unfocused. Ryou waved his hand in front of Aten and Aten didn't respond.

Seto watched as Aten's hair gave a slight twitch…like Aria's hair.

"Ryou, his hair is twitching!"

Joey returned with a nurse to replace his morphine bag.

Ryou stood up and jumped back. "It's..It's…you!"

The nurse looked at Ryou. "Ryou? Ryou Bakura? I haven't seen you in years! Remember me? Beatrice? Beatrice Cinetti?"

Ryou backed away to the wall. "Oh gods…"

Joey stood beside Ryou. "Ryou, what's wrong?"

Ryou's face went pale. "Cinetti…."

Beatrice went to Aten's medicine bag and reattached the new bag. "I haven't seen you for a while, Ryou! This is your son, I hear."

Ryou nodded. "Yes. His name is Aten."

"'Aten.' What a pretty name! I've never seen anyone look like him before! He's so cute!"

Aten trembled from the bed. "I want my puppy. All alone. No one. Mommy's not here. Daddy's not here. My brother's not here. I want my brother here."

Ryou and Joey approached the bed. "Aten, do you know where you are?"

"They came and took my puppy away. Why? Why did they take my puppy away?"

Joey and Ryou stood astonished. "Aten said 'came' and 'took'!"

Beatrice moved to the other side of the bed and looked at Aten. "Aten? Aten Ishtar?"

"Where is my puppy? I want my puppy."

Seto elbowed Joey. "Go sit by Aten and let him touch you. Let him know you are here."

Beatrice moved over and Joey sat beside the bed. He leaned in and Aten grabbed a handful of Joey's blond hair.

"Aten?"

"Aten isn't here. Where is he? Where is my daddy? I'm alone. I'm scared."

Beatrice left the room in a hurry. Ryou leaned over Aten and rubbed Aten's back.

"Aten, baby, wake up."

Aten's body continued to shake. "Can't stop crying. I want my brother."

Beatrice returned with another doctor. Hayden and Mokuba entered the room. The doctor stepped beside Joey.

"Could you move aside so I can examine the patient?"

Joey went to move and Aten started crying. "I can't move. He wants me to stay here."

The doctor examined Aten's medical chart closely. "Aten Bakari Ishtar. Heart Failure. Allergies…whatever…it doesn't matter." Dr. Davis looked at the child's chart and his eyes widened. This was the little girl's brother! Diane wanted to get her hands on the boy and here he was! Domino Hospital, Room 215!

The doctor returned to Joey. "Please step back so I can examine the patient."

Joey moved aside just enough so Aten could still stroke his hair.

The doctor turned Aten's head to the side and looked into the child's eyes.

"Where is my brother? I want my puppy. Someone bring me my puppy."

He turned to Ryou and Seto. "Who is the parent?"

Ryou timidly raised his hand. "I'm his mother."

"When was he diagnosed with heart failure?"

"Last week," Ryou said wiping his eyes.

"He just had a pacemaker implanted, correct?"

Ryou nodded.

"Has he always talked like this? He seems confused."

Seto shook his head and put his arm around Ryou. "No, he just started talking like this."

The doctor nodded. "Does he sleep a lot?"

"He just had surgery," Seto said narrowing his eyes. "I would think he's sleeping much. That morphine would keep him asleep."

The doctor turned and waved his hand in front of Aten's eyes. Aten's eyes still were not focused. "Aten Ishtar?"

"Nice puppy….I got my puppy back…." Tears pooled in Aten's eyes. "Puppy? Puppy? What did they do to my puppy?"

Aten's fist grabbed onto Joey's hair as the doctor looked down at Joey.

"Sir, you have to move so I can get to the patient."

"If I move, Aten is going to become scared."

The doctor pushed the chair out of the way. "Sir, I cannot do my job if you are in my way."

Joey stood up and Aten gripped the bed sheets. He started pulling at the linens nervously.

"What did they do to my puppy?"

The doctor put his hand to Aten's neck and felt the pulse. He stood up and turned to the two men holding onto each other.

"What is wrong with my little boy?"

The doctor shrugged. "Your son is dying."

Ryou gripped his chest as Seto had to grab Ryou before he could fall to the ground. Hayden and Mokuba gasped, stepping back from shock.

Joey covered his mouth, his eyes filling with tears. "Aten is..dying?"

"He's confused, doesn't know where he is, he's obviously on his last leg."

Seto narrowed his eyes at the doctor. "Where is Doctor Zira?"

"Zira had an emergency at his practice and I'm filling in for him."

"And you think that Aten is dying?"

The doctor shrugged. "His body is probably rejecting the pacemaker and he's dying from it. You know how the dying are. It's normal for people who are dying to become confused and disorientated."

Ryou ran to Aten, brushing Aten's white and blond hair. He sobbed deeply. "Please, baby, don't die on me! Please! My little boy!"

Aten reached out and touched Ryou's forehead. "Mommy?"

Ryou's brown eyes looked at his son's. "Aten, baby? Are you okay?"

Aten reached out with his other hand connected to the IV. "Mommy? Why are you sad?"

Joey looked at Aten's eyes, alert and focused. "What the hell happened there?"

Mokuba stepped to the doctor. "How dare you scare us like that! We actually thought Aten was dying!"

Hayden clenched his fists. "That wasn't funny!"

Seto scowled at the doctor. "What is your name?"

"Dr. Davis."

"Well….Dr. Davis, I can guarantee you that after tomorrow morning, you won't ever work in this town again."

Dr. Davis stepped back and smirked. "Yeah, right." Davis left.

Seto growled. "That bastard crossed the line."

Ryou caressed Aten's cheek. "Sweetheart, what happened? You were talking about a puppy and that you missed daddy and I."

Aten looked over and saw Joey. "Unkie Puppy! You tame to fisit me!"

Ryou and Seto exchanged glances. "Aten? Can you say 'came'?"

Aten shook his head. "I tant say that. It's too hard."

Joey raised an eyebrow. "But, Aten, you said it a few minutes ago."

"I did? What did I say?"

Ryou put his hand on Aten's wrist gently, trying to avoid touching the IV. "You were talking about a puppy and how much you missed your brother."

"I don't have a brother. Aria is my sister."

Joey sat on the chair beside the bed. "Do you remember seeing anything, Aten?"

Aten scratched his hair. "I saw an eppty room. I no hear anything and I just felt sad. I felt lonely. I wanted mommy and Daddy Bakura."

Seto took Ryou's elbow and pulled him aside gently. "Ryou, what are you thinking?"

"I don't understand. We don't have a dog."

"You don't think….that he was seeing the world through Aria's eyes and feeling her emotions, do you?"

Ryou sighed and crossed his arms. "I guess it is possible. Anubis told me when I became pregnant that Cinetti's soul was divided into Light and Dark. Aria was the Dark part of Cinetti while Aten was the weaker Light."

"Are you suggesting that Aria and Aten are Yami and Hikari? Like Bakura and you?"

Ryou shrugged. "I don't know. I don't know what to think."

"They both come from yami blood. How can Aten be a hikari?"

"Aten was the weaker Light of Cinetti's soul. Hmm. I wonder if Aten can consciously access Aria's emotions."

Ryou stood by Aten. "Aten, can you tell where your sister is?"

"Just in a room. I tant see anything else. I know she is sad and lonely."

"But, she is alive, right, Aten?" Seto asked desperately.

"If she wasn't, I'd not be able to feel what she is feeling."

Ryou gripped Seto's hand and squeezed. "She's still alive. Great gods, where can she be?"

Joey gripped the sheets of the bed. "Can you tell us anything else about her, Aten?"

Aten sighed. "No. I don't know where she is. Why is she upset?"

Ryou looked down at Aten. "Sweetheart, Aria is missing and we have people out looking for her."

Aten's lip trembled and his eyes watered. "My sister is missing? How? Why?"

"We are looking, Aten."

"What if she's hurt?"

Ryou pet Aten's hair. "Aten, honey, calm down. She'll be fine."

Aten tried to sit up. "But, Aria is my sister! I tant stay here! I have to get out find her!"

Ryou and Joey helped Aten back in bed. "No, baby."

"I have my people looking for her, Aten."

Aten fell back on the bed, holding his shoulder. "Ow! My arm hurts!"

"What is it, Aten?" Ryou asked, his heart jumping into his throat.

"My insishion hurts."

Mokuba put his hands in his pockets. "We want you to get better, Aten. That is what is important."

"But, Unkie Motuba, I tant let my sister be missing!"

"We will take care of finding Aria," Mokuba said. "You just relax."

Aten sniffled and hung his head. "Otay."

Hayden pat Aten's leg. "Mr. Kaiba's men will find her and then they will make the bad guys pay!"

Seto and Joey sat on the other hospital bed in the room.

"They're keeping you another night, Aten?"

Aten nodded and he looked up at Ryou. "Mommy, I want to go home."

"I know you do, baby, but they want to make certain that your pacemaker is working the way it should."

"I don't want to be here anymore! I want to go home!" Aten pouted as he punched the hospital mattress. "I want to go home and sersh for Aria! I want to go home and play with Robbie! I don't want to be here!"

Ryou sat down on the bed and cradled Aten close to him. "Sweetheart, the doctors at the hospital are trying to help you feel better."

Aten sobbed. "But, I miss my daddy! I don't want you to leave, mommy! Please stay with me!"

Ryou bit his lip. Leaving Aten in the hospital was the hardest thing for him to do. Ryou took Aten's toy monkey in his hands. "Your toy monkey will keep you safe, Aten. He's always kept you safe when I can't be there for you. When you feel lonely, hug your little toy monkey and tell him how you are feeling."

Ryou's hand went to Aten's chest and started rubbing it gently. Aten let out a yawn as his mother loosened the fluid in his lungs. The boy rested his head on Ryou's chest and moaned. He let out a violent cough afterwards.

When his body stopped shaking, he looked up at Ryou. "Mommy, tan we go for a walt?"

Mokuba went to get Aten a wheelchair and the family took Aten around the hospital.

Zira entered the elevator and gasped. "Mr. Kaiba!"

Seto narrowed his eyes. "What possessed you to appoint Dr. Davis to substitute for you?"

"I'm sorry, Seto, I had an emergency at my office. One of my patients needed me immediately."

"That man will never work in this town again by the time I'm done."

Zira looked down at Aten. "What did he say to you, Aten?"

Ryou sniffled. "He told me my son was dying! He said that he was obviously on his last leg!"

"He was cruel, Zira. I will not have a doctor speak like that to anyone I care about! He'll learn the hard way not to cross Seto Kaiba."

"Oh, Ryou, I am terribly sorry for Doctor Davis. The hospital chose him as my substitute. It will never happen again."

Seto turned to Joey. "It looks like this hospital is going to have a new management pretty soon, pup-sicle. What do you think?"

"Why do I have a feeling that's not going to be the only thing acquiring new management?"

"His practice is going to get a little visit from Public Relations. Joey, Hayden, Mokuba, let's go."

Aten reached up to Seto. "But Unkie Seto, you just tame! Don't go yet! Please don't leave!"

Joey leaned down to Aten as blind rage made Seto walk away, ignoring the boy. "We have to go, Aten. I'll tell you what, kiddo, I'll come over to see you tomorrow at home. I'll bring you a present. Okay?"

Aten rubbed his eye. "A present? For me?"

Joey nodded and ruffled the child's hair. "A present just for you!"

"Promise you'll tum and see me?"

"I promise."

Aten reached out and hugged Joey. Joey rubbed Aten's back and was surprised at how cold the child's skin was becoming.

"Ryou, maybe you should get Aten a sweater. He's feeling a little chilly."

Zira went and grabbed Aten a blanket. Zira covered the child in the wheelchair and tucked it around him. "There we go. Snug as a bug in a rug."

"Thank you, Dotor Zira. Bye, Unkie Puppy."

Mokuba leaned down and pat Aten on the shoulder. "Get better soon, Aten. When you feel well enough to visit, I want to show you my new schematics for a computer I'm trying to build."

"I'd lite that."

Hayden leaned on the wheelchair. "Bye, Aten. We'll see you soon."

Aten watched as Mokuba, Hayden, Joey, and Seto walked down the hospital hallway. When they had disappeared around the corner, Aten lowered his head and sighed.

Ryou put his hand on Aten's shoulder. "It will be okay, son. Just one more night." Ryou kneeled beside the wheelchair and kissed Aten's cheek. "I'll tell you what. After your father gets home from work tonight, what if he comes and stays with you?"

Aten smiled. "Tan my daddy tum and stay with me? I don't want to be alone tonight."

Ryou looked into the brown and purple eyes. "There's something bothering you, isn't there? You're worried about something. What is it, baby?"

Aten reached over and grabbed Ryou's hand. "I'm stared to die."

If Ryou's heart could fall to the ground, it would have done so. "Oh, baby. It's okay to be afraid."

"I don't want to be alone. Will you be there?"

"Of course, baby."

"I want Robbie there, too."

Ryou stroked Aten's cheek.

Zira kneeled beside the wheelchair. "Aten, the pacemaker that you have will help your heart. It will keep your heart beating for a long time."

"I know you are scared about dying. Remember what we talked about that night in your room?

There has to be a life beyond this one, Aten. That life will be a place where you will be rewarded for being good."

"But, what if I've been bad?"

Zira shook his head. "Aten, you have never been bad. I don't see you being capable of hurting someone deliberately. You're not a bad boy, Aten."

"I want to be good so I tan see Ra. My daddy said he neffer met Ra, but I want to."

Ryou smiled. "And you will, Aten."

"Robbie's not Egishin. If Robbie is not Egishin, does that mean he's not going to see Ra? Betaws I don't want to die if I neffer get to see Robbie again."

Ryou pat Aten's leg. "Robbie has his own beliefs. Many people think about death in different ways. When you get older, Aten, you'll have your own way of thinking about what happens after this life is over."

"Betaws I don't want to die without Robbie. That not be good."

Ryou leaned over and kissed Aten's cheek. "I know it wouldn't be, Aten. I'm sure Robbie's going to be right with you."

Aten managed a smile. "Mommy? Tan we go and get some eyes-team?"

"Ice cream? Do you want vanilla frozen yogurt?"

Aten licked his lips. "Please?" Aten's large chibi eyes brightened and Zira stood up.

"He can have frozen yogurt. That would be better than ice cream. The cafeteria can get you both some frozen yogurt. I have to go and clean up the mess Davis must have made."

"Fanilla! Hurry up, mommy!"

Ryou took Aten to the cafeteria for a treat.

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

Dr. Davis parked his car in front of the GeneTech headquarters. He ran into the building, passing Panik.

"I found the boy! I found her brother!"

Panik stood up from behind the security guard's desk. "You found the other child? Where is he?"

"He's in a bed in Domino Hospital."

Panic grinned. "I can get my hands on him!"

"No, you can't! That's the problem!"

Panik laughed. "Nobody can escape Panik! I can get my hands on him."

Davis slammed his fist on the guard's desk. "No, you idiot! The entire staff knows Aten and his family! They will know if someone other than them tries to take the kid out!"

Panik growled. "We have to get our hands on the boy! Then our collection will be complete!"

"I must speak to Diane!"

Davis ran to the elevator and left at the top floor. He walked to the end of the hall and knocked on her door.

"Come in!"

Davis entered. "Mrs. Flemming! I found him! I found the boy!"

"What boy?"

"The girl's brother!"

"You found GT5459-B's brother? Quick! Tell me! Where is he?"

Davis took a deep breath. "In a bed at Domino Hospital. He doesn't look healthy."

"What was he doing there?"

"He received a pacemaker for his bad heart."

Diane banged hard on the desk. "DAMN IT! They're messing with the test subject! We have to stop them! We have to get Aten Ishtar here before they do anything else!"

Davis shook his head. "We can't. Everyone in that hospital knows Aten. They will know if someone tries to take him."

Diane went to the window and looked over the waterfront. "What if you go into the hospital and claim that you are transferring Aten to another hospital."

"But, Zira is his patient."

Diane turned quickly. "Then CONVINCE Zira that Aten would be better off in another hospital. You drive the ambulance here, bring Aten to the operating room and we will do the exploratory surgery immediately. The child may die, but think of the benefits to humanity! Disease will be a passing memory! Millions will be saved and GeneTech will be the richest corporation in the world! KaibaCorp will crumble beneath my feet! Seto Kaiba will come to ME looking for a job!"

Davis snickered. "You wouldn't offer him a job, would you?"

Diane smiled as she looked out of the window. Pride surrounded her as she remembered Seto Kaiba begging for her to stop. She ran her hand down her chest as she thought of him inside of her. She loved nothing more than to hear the CEO beg for mercy. He pleaded with her to stop and she didn't. She took what she needed and left, leaving Seto Kaiba crying on his desk.

"Seto Kaiba belongs underneath me. That is where he enjoyed himself before. He can do it again."

The phone rang and she picked it up. "Diane Flemming."

[Mommy? Mommy, are you coming home?]

"Jaimen? Why aren't you in bed?"

The nine year old boy sniffled. [I miss you, mommy. I haven't seen you in days! Can you come home?]

"I'm working, Jaimen. Get your ass to bed."

[Can't you at least come and read me a story and then go back to work?]

"Jaimen Kaiba Flemming, get your ass in bed this instant!"

The child cried. [O.K. *sniff* Bye, mommy.]

Diane replaced the phone on the receiver. "Curse of my existence! All I wanted was a piece of Kaiba and I got more than I bargained for! Damn him!"

"What are we going to do with Aten? We have to get our hands on him."

Diane grinned as she ran her fingers through her brown hair. "When does he get out of the hospital?"

"Tomorrow."

"Perfect. When the hospital discharges the kid, put the child in an ambulance and bring him here. If you can get your hand on the mother, Ryou Bakura, so much the better. We can always hold him for further study. I want to know how Ryou Bakura conceived those children!"

Davis smiled. "I'll get my hands on both of them."

"See that you do. No screw-ups."

Davis left and Diane put her hands in her jacket. She left her office and walked down the hallway to the little girl's cell.

She opened the sliding window in the door and found Aria holding the puppy in her arms, singing a song* her father had taught her in Arabic. Aria sniffled as she thought of her brother. Aria sung the song in English, since her English was better than her Arabic.

Batwanes beek wa enta m'aya

Batwanes beek wa bala'i fi 'orbek dunyaya

Lama 'et'arab 'ana batwanes beek

Wa khayalek bikoun wayaya wayaya

Wa enga'h soutek, soutek bewanasni

Wa hawak fil bou'd, fil bou'd beyahrousni

I cherish your company when you are with me

I cherish your company and I find my world when you are close to me

When you are far I feel your presence

And your image is with me

And the thought of your voice comforts me

And your love protects me from far away

Diane closed the window and left.

Meanwhile in the hospital, Aten once again felt the rush of emotion coming from his sister and he heard her sing inside his head. He heard her sing Bakura's favorite Arabic song.

He closed his eyes as a tear dropped from his eyes. He joined his sister's singing. He quietly began to sing in Arabic as Marik entered the room without his knowledge.

Lama 'et'arab 'ana batwanes beek

Wa lama beteb'ad 'ana batwanes beek

Wa khayalek bikoun wayaya wayaya

Wa enga'h soutek, soutek bewanasni

Wa hawak fil bou'd, fil bou'd beyahrousni

Wa shouq 'enadilek gouwaya

Wana, wana, wana, wana, wana, wana,

Betwanas beek wa 'enta ma'aya

When you get close I cherish your company

When you are far I feel your presence

And your image is with me

And the thought of your voice comforts me

And your love protects me from far away

And love is calling you from deep inside me

And me, and me, and me, and me, and me, and me

I cherish your company when you are with me

Aria looked around the empty room. She heard Aten singing in Arabic. She smiled as her brother's song filled her mind. He was a beautiful singer. His voice was flawless. She rubbed her eyes as Aten continued to sing. She continued, joining her brother's singing. Aten's Arabic and Aria's English resonated through their bond.

Bitmour s'at ba'ad louana

Wa rouh liwugudek 'atchana

Tewahashni 'ayneek

Wa bal' edounya ba'it fadya

Ma'a 'eni enaas rayha wa gaya

Wa ana bahlem beek

Hours pass after our rendezvous

And my soul is thirsty claiming your presence

I miss your eyes so much

And though the world seems empty

Even though the crowds are coming and going

I am dreaming of you

Aria and Aten covered their faces with their hands and sobbed.

"I miss you, Aten."

"I miss you, Aria."

Marik walked to Aten's hospital bed. "Mall amr?" (Arabic="what's the matter?")

Aten reached out to Marik and pulled his father against him. He buried his face in his father's stomach, sobbing. "Aria…I heard she is missing."

Marik stroked his son's white and blond hair. "Moneybags will find her, Aten."

"But, she's alone!"

"We'll find her," Marik whispered, leaning down to kiss the top of his child's head.

Aten wiped his eyes on Marik's shirt, wetting the fabric with his tears. "Don't leave me, daddy! Please!"

Marik sat on the bed and brought the thin child on his lap. He cradled Aten against his body and rocked him. "I won't leave you."

"Are you going to stay with me for the night?"

Marik handed Aten the Millennium Rod. "I'll stay in the Millennium Rod tonight while you are sleeping."

Aten smiled. "Really? You are going to stay with me?"

Marik nodded. "Mommy told me you were upset when he left. So, Malik, Mommy, and Bakura are taking care of the house while I stay with you."

Aten snuggled into his father's chest. "I want to go home tomorrow."

"You will, son. Shhh….close your eyes, chibi. Daddy's here."

Aten sighed and closed his eyes. "Daddy, tan you tell me a story?"

"A story? Okay. I'll tell you how I met my first wife, Amunet."

Aten snuggled into Marik's chest. Marik smiled as he held his son, rocking him.

"Amunet…..was a beautiful girl of fifteen when I met her. She belonged to a nomadic tribe. Nomads travel around from one place to another. They wandered onto my family's land and asked my father for permission to settle there for a short while. I was out riding my horse one day when I found a girl taking water from the well. I saw her and it was if a star had fallen from the sky and hit me." Marik smiled. "She was the most beautiful creature, Aten! Long, black hair that was soft as silk linens….blue eyes that shimmered like turquoise jewels. Her smile took my breath away. That's how love hits you, Aten. From that moment, nothing else mattered to me. I forgotten my studies to talk to her by the well. I sneaked out of my house at night to stay with her in her tent. My father wanted to know where I was spending my time. When I told him about Amunet, he was not too happy. I fought with him."

"Why did you fight?"

"Because my father didn't want me to fall in love with a common woman. He wanted me to marry the daughter of a wealthy landowner so that we may join our territory."

Aten yawned and sighed.

"I renounced my family's name. Nothing was more important to me than Amunet. I offered the tribe all of my wealth for Amunet as a dowry. When they accepted it, we were married."

"Did you love her?"

Marik looked down at the child in his arms. Tears pooled in his eyes, remembering seeing her alive for the last time, her belly large with her pregnancy. Marik closed his eyes and buried his face in Aten's hair as he recalled the last time he saw her….laying in the desert sands….her pregnant belly sliced open, the child removed from her, and disemboweled. Her throat was sliced from ear to ear.

Marik bit his lip. "I loved her very much, Aten. I loved her more than life itself. Her sense of humor and wit remind me a lot of Miranda. Maybe that's why I feel so close to her."

Marik held the child until he fell asleep. He tucked Aten underneath the covers. He placed the Millenium Rod under Aten's arm.

Aten held the Millenium Rod close to his chest and smiled. "My daddy…."

Marik smiled and stretched his arms beside him. "Goodnight, my boy." Marik disappeared into the Item.

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

Davis returned home to find his apartment locked. He shook the doorknob as his landlord approached him. "Greg, I had to cancel your lease on your apartment."

"Why? I was paid up to next month! You can't lock me out of my home when I paid for the right to live here!"

"I found contraband in there, Davis! You can either leave or I will be forced to call the cops. It's your choice."

Davis growled. "I don't have time for this! You'll be hearing from my lawyer!"

Davis returned to his car and drove to his practice. He could always sleep there until the next morning. He found a piece of paper taped to the door.

Davis pulled the paper off of the door and read it: 'This property is now formally property of KaibaCorp….So get the hell off my property. Seto Kaiba.'

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?"

Across the street, Seto and Joey watched as Davis stood outside his practice.

"I told him he was ruined. Now he has no home and no job. Pity. Let's go, Jayden. Our work here is done."

Updates: Wednesday or Thursday