Posting the first chapter of this fic so that my readers know I haven't gone away again, though there will be a possible delay in updating for the next couple of weeks or so as I'm currently focusing all my spare time to working on some cosplay outfits I'm making.

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Part of the 'Doctoring the Blue Eyes saga'; set after 'Birth of a Kaiba - Transportation'

Timescale: Seto aged 35

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Chapter One

The prescribed pills rattled in their bottle as Seto emptied out the required dosage onto his hand before replacing the lid securely. He'd been against taking such things but after much persuasion from his loving wife and the trusted captain, he had reluctantly caved and sought the help required to combat the dark cloud reforming in his soul. It wasn't ideal, but it kept them off his case and saw him through each day as they came; that was what truly mattered.

Water now ran from the tap and into the tumbler until it was just about full. It was then raised to his lips as he popped the two capsules into his mouth and then downed the whole thing to ensure that the contents were washed away to his stomach. He placed the empty glass back down beside the basin and looked at himself in the mirror he'd been trying to avoid as it hung directly in from of him. The image of himself staring back looked worn, tired and hollow. It was exactly how he felt, and the jet lag wasn't helping either.

Turning away in disgust, Seto exited the en-suite bathroom and returned to main area of the hotel room. He headed directly for he bed were he flopped down and closed his eyes whilst listening to his wife's conversation as she sat in a chair across the room from him.

"... I know it's uncomfortable Baby, but you have to try not to scratch."

"I'll try." Anathema assured from the screen of the tablet that Kisara held in her hands. "Is Daddy there?"

"He's having a lie down right now."

"Can I talk to him? Please?"

She glanced over at her husband and saw a forced yet weak lopsided smile that told her it would be okay for their daughter to speak with him.

By the time Kisara had reached him from were she had been seated, Seto had pushed himself up and managed to display a more convincing smile ready to converse with his little girl as the tablet was handed to him. "Hey Kiddo, what's up?"

"Aunty Naoko made me look like a Marshmallon!"

There was now warmth in the smile on his face that was no longer forced as much at seeing the pair of blue eyes staring up at him from a chalky pinkish-white face. "It's calamine lotion, it'll help ease and clear the spots. And like your mom said, try not to scratch."

"Chicken pox sucks!"

"Don't worry, it'll soon pass." Seto's thoughts momentarily wandered back to the time when he and Mokuba had both had the same kind of outbreak … Ugh! … It hurt just to think about his brother and so he refocused his attention back to his frustrated daughter. "I know, why don't you distract yourself by constructing a new deck? We can test it out in a duel once I get back."

Anathema nodded with a hint of sadness in her eyes. "I miss you both."

"We miss you all too." He confirmed with a pang of guilt at having left his children at a time when they were sick and needed extra caring for. "We'll be back in a couple of days. Be good for your aunt and help her take care of your brother and sister."

"I will." She assured as Naoko approached to take the tablet back from her. "I love you Daddy."

"I love you too Kiddo." Seto's smile disappeared as his daughter vanished from the screen and he swiftly handed the device back to his wife.

Kisara took back the tablet but remained on the bed beside her husband all the while making sure that he wasn't captured in the background image. "Like Seto says, we'll be back home in a couple of days."

"Good." Her friend struggled to hold the youngest child who was barely seven months old and wriggling frantically in her grasp, as well as trying to stop the other two from scratching themselves. "Because this time I think that I may have taken on a little bit more than I can handle."

A sharp smirk crept on the CEO's face at hearing the obnoxious woman's moan. She'd always find something to nitpick about him in order to make herself seem superior, so was highly amused to hear her openly admit she was having difficulty. You're not quite as impeccable as you make yourself out be.

"Hit him for me Kissy, I know he's gloating."

Seto sent his wife a startled raised eyebrow look and mouthed, 'Am I really that predictable?'

Amused herself, Kisara just smiled and shook her head, still hopeful that one day the two of them would get along. Until that day came she'd defend her husband at all costs. "No, he's not ..."

"Eek!" Naoko shrieked as creamy coloured phlegm dribbled down from the mouth of the child she was holding. She grabbed a nearby cloth to wipe it away but was too late. More phlegm and sick now splattered all over the front of her designer blouse as a gush exploded from the baby girl like a miniture milky waterfall. Horrorstruck, she just about managed to keep her cool as she spoke, "Sorry Kissy, I have to go. We'll talk more tomorrow ..."

"Can't; our schedule is full for the whole day."

"Well in that case it'll have to be the day after." The dark haired woman shot back at her friend as she tried desperately to clear up the mess before it ruined her garment beyond all hope of being salvaged.

"But feel free to call before if you need to." Kisara expressed that they'd be willing to take an unexpected call from her if the case arose.

"Understood." Naoko nodded with a reassuring smile as she reached out to sever the call's connection whilst calling out to the other two children to cease their scratching once more before the screen went blank.

Seto watched his wife power down and close the protective casing around the tablet. "What happened this time, did she break a nail?" He quizzed the reasoning behind the shriek he'd heard.

"No, Keiko threw up on her."

"And you didn't show or tell me?" He jeered only to see Kisara look sad and distant, no doubt her mind was still thinking about having left their children back home. "Don't worry Honey, I'm sure that the kids with be fine."

"It's not them I'm worried about." She sighed at the thought of her friend struggling as she'd never looked after all three of the children at the same time on her own before, not to mention that all of them were ill too. "I don't know Seto, maybe we should have hired some help this time."

Over my dead body! He frowned at her since she knew just how he felt and where he stood when it came to leaving the three precious lives in the hands of complete strangers.

Their care wouldn't have been an issue if they hadn't contracted the viral disease as they would have been brought overseas with them. But since things hadn't panned out as planned they could not make the intended journey which was why they remained back home. Only those he truly had faith in would ever be granted the honour of being entrusted with their children. With his brother and sister-in-law clearly out of the question and the Taylors currently out of town, their only other choice had been his wife's oldest and dearest friend which he'd reluctantly agreed to.

"Come here." Seto held his arms open and pulled the woman he loved close as a feeling of guilt for having caused her such uncertainty began to plague him. "Don't tell her that I said this but ... as prissy as she is, I have full faith in Naoko and her ability to take care of our children. She'll be just fine. Heck, if she can put up with me then our kids will be a breeze for her to deal with."

A smile grew on Kisara's face at hearing her husband's 'rarely spoken' kind words towards her friend. With her head on his chest she hugged him back tightly to let him know that the reassurance had been well received.

He ran his fingers through the long silvery hair and lovingly planted a kiss on the top of her head. "I could have a word with Jack and Ianto about us making a swift exit after the ceremony tomorrow; catch an earlier flight back home, if that would help ease your mind?"

"We can't do that. We've got promises to keep remember?"

How could I forget?

Carefully she pushed herself up from his embrace to be met with an absent looking expression. It had been so long since she'd last seen any kind of spark in his eyes. Had it not been for the brief flicker of a smirk due to his sarcastic nature or how he warmed when around their children, then Kisara wouldn't have recognised him at all. She longed to have her husband back to his usual self.

Almost eleven months had passed since the accident that led to the fallout with Mokuba. The disconnection and contact between the two brothers had brought on Seto's depression and she couldn't help wonder just how much longer he was going to be made to suffer as a result of it? Surely the two men were mature enough and capable of working something out? She sure hoped so as she too missed the company of the younger brother and his family.

Sitting fully on the bed beside him, Kisara attempted to lighten the mood and hopefully raise her husband's spirit. She leaned in closer and tenderly brushed her lips against his as she cupped his face with one delicate hand.

Hesitantly at first, the gesture was soon returned before the CEO gently took hold of his wife and pulled her close to him. His mind became soothingly lost in the blissful kiss and their tongues began to wander as did their hands. A sharp gasp left his mouth at the unexpected yet playful bite to his lower lip. It was a tactic that had been used many times before and a surefire way to get his pulse racing and blood pumping. But not today.

The back of Seto's neck felt strange with the absence of his locket's strap though he'd not worn it for months now. Without it there to get in the way and the tie having been discarded earlier too, her job would surly be that little bit easier as one of Kisara's hands lowered and traced along the shirt collar before undoing several buttons from the top down. Suddenly she felt him freeze and the kissing stopped.

"I'm sorry." He muttered pushing his wife away whilst purposely avoiding her gaze and then perched himself on the edge of the bed. With his back to her he struggled to fend off the growing voice inside his head. You're pathetic! You can't even give her what she wants. You're an empty shell; she deserves better!

Hurt and frustrated tears began to form in Kisara's eyes as a result of her husband's withdrawal. She bit down on her inner cheek and blinked them back with an aching heart. The number of times they'd been intimate during the last ten months could be counted on the fingers of just one hand, so why had she foolishly expected anything different of him just then? All she had wanted to do was see him come alive once more and return to being the husband she adored.

"Seto?" She whispered softly to try and get his attention to let him know that her patience with him and his hindering still remained. There was no reply so she made a second attempt at reassurance by approaching from behind, wrapped her arms around his rigid frame and rest her chin on his shoulder. "Darling, it's okay, it's not your fault. We don't have to do anything that you don't want to."

"But I do want to." His voice was extremely low and void of any emotion. "I just don't … feel … uggh..."

Kisara's pursed mouth trembled at hearing Seto's words dissolve into a suppressed sob. She swiftly planted a kiss on his cheek. The taste of his salty tears was the last straw and caused her own to cascade silently from her closed eyes. Her husband was grieving. He was broken. And she had been powerless to stop it all from happening.

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