Hello. It's me, scrambled_eggs_at_midnight.

I had this idea for a fic, and it's been bouncing around in my head, so I decided to write it…let me know what you think.

Small Comforts

Written by scrambled_eggs_at_midnight

Prologue:

Malik was seventeen when Odion died.

It was a year after Battle City. Everyone had such high hopes; Yami's memory had been restored, the god cards had been returned to their rightful place, and everything seemed to be going back to normal. Then came the diagnosis.

The doctors were shocked. After all, tumors caused by electric shock were so rare, so unheard of, that they didn't know what to think. And because this particular case was apparently caused by lightening strike, during the middle of an un-predicted storm, on top of a large blimp, it became quite popular with many of Egypt's top doctors, as well as those from Japan and even America. Because of this, Odion was cured in an unusually quick amount of time. For a while, it seemed like he and his family would be able to continue living their lives.

And then the cancer came back again.

And again.

And again.

And finally Odion's body lost the battle.

When Malik first heard the news, he was numb. The only thoughts that were allowed in his head were those of guilt. After all, it was his fault that Odion had been hit, his fault that he was gone, that he wasn't there to protect him anymore, that he was allofasudden dead.

Then, a year after Odion's death, when Malik was eighteen, Ishizu got married. During her work with the museum, she met a man. His name was Richard Elm. He was a nice guy, Malik thought, and he was happy for his sister.

Nine months after the wedding, Ishizu gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. She named her Holly Marie Elm, after Richard's mother, and Malik flew out to Egypt to visit and stay with them and help Ishizu while she recovered. However, Egypt held too many painful memories for Malik, and he soon returned to Japan with a promise from Richard and Ishizu that little Holly's first vacation would be to Japan to visit and stay with her uncle when she was old enough. Despite this, however, it would be four years until Malik next saw Holly.

You see, Ishizu had gotten a phone call from the Japanese branch of the museum, saying that they would be ever so grateful if she and her family would pack their bags and move back to Domino to work full time on the Egyptian exhibit. Ishizu gladly accepted, and Malik quickly offered them a place to stay while they searched for a house and a home. They bought their tickets, packed their things, and left Egypt for ever.

At exactly ten o'clock on a quite Saturday morning, the plane had been traveling on a steady course to Japan. It was full of normal people who lived normal lives, excited for the plane to land so they could begin the next step in their lives' journeys. At ten thirty, one of the passengers had noticed a large cloud of smoke protruding from one of the engines and had quickly alerted a flight attendant, who quickly alerted the pilot, who finally alerted the rest of the passengers, told them not to worry, and quickly prepared for an emergency landing in Tokyo. Everything seemed to be under control.

Then the other engine died.

At eleven o'clock, the crash was all over the news. The plane was a mess, and half of the people on board had been killed, including the pilot. Everything was in chaos, which was why Malik didn't get the phone call until noon.

He listened to the police officer on the other end. He confirmed his relationship with Ishizu and Richard. Then he went to his room, laid down on his bed, and stared at the ceiling, listening to his thoughts play over and over, on repeat, in his head.

In the midst of all the confusion, all the shouts, all the flames, a little girl sat quietly, just as she had been taught, trying not to cry, trying to figure out why Mommy and Daddy weren't getting up.

Chapter One:

What people don't tell you about life, Malik Ishtar thought, is that it sucks.

You came into this world kicking and screaming. You lived a short life full of dead ends and surprise turns. And when it was finally over, and you left for whatever came next, and you thought you were doing everyone a favor by finally getting out of their lives, you ended up hurting the only people you ever really cared about. But it was worse when you were the one left behind. Then you got stuck with the dead's problems, all of their unfinished business. All of their…endings.

Malik gave a small sigh and turned his attention towards the preacher, trying to find meaning in his words, but the very sound of the man's voice made him want to rip his own hair out. God, what he wouldn't give to be anyone else attending the service, anyone at all.

He looked around at all of the people, everyone he knew; Tea, crying quietly into a scrap of lace, Yami, trying to comfort her, Bakura, looking cold and impassive, Ryou, sad and troubled, everyone, everyone who he knew, everyone who didn't know him

The service ended. People walked up to him, spoke empty words, to which .he nodded and tried to smile and resisted the urge to scream.

Finally, when the last of the attendees had drifted off to some other part of the large out door park, Malik had some time alone, and he used it to look over the deceased.

Ishizu Ishtar didn't look dead, and neither did her husband. They just looked…empty.

Malik squeezed his eyes shut. It had been easier at Odion's funeral. Because Ishizu was there. He had been allowed to cry, to break down, because he knew that his sister would stay strong, like she always was, and hold him together.

Now he was alone again.

It shouldn't have mattered, really. Ishizu was just one more goddamn person to leave on his own. But that was okay. He would cope. He knew what he was doing.

Tiny white lies.

Suddenly, Malik felt a hand on his shoulder. "Are you okay?"

He looked up. It was Bakura, standing with his hands in his pockets, looking at Malik with what could be interpreted as either pity or annoyance. They meant nearly the same thing to him anyway.

Malik didn't know why he put up with Bakura. The spirit was irritable, sarcastic, and generally mean spirited. Bakura didn't know why he even bothered with Malik. The kid had just too many problems. But then again, so did he. They stuck together simply because all evidence pointed towards the fact that the world was against them.

Malik nodded slowly at Bakura, wondering what exactly could be defined as "okay."

Bakura looked at him oddly, probably sensing that he was lying, but didn't say anything. "Okay, great, because I think you're about to have some company."

Bakura gave a side long glance at a tall business-y looking man in a suit who had spotted them and was beginning to make his way over to the caskets. Bakura gave him another pointed look and slipped off to the side, leaving Malik to deal with the man.

"Hello. My name is Jeffery Smith, and I am Ishizu and Richard's lawyer.

"As you know, before they died, Richard and Ishizu had a daughter named Holly Marie Elm."

Malik nodded. He had only met his niece once, when she was first born, and all he remembered of her was her bright eyes and dark hair, making her look remarkably like her mother.

"As you also know," Jeffery continued, "Richard never had any siblings, and his parents are both dead, making you Holly's closest relative."

Malik nodded again, wondering where Jeffery was going with this.

"Mr. Ishtar, would you be willing to take into custody your niece Holly Marie Elm?"

Malik stopped nodding. "I'm sorry, could you repeat that last bit?"

Jeffery sighed. "Holly is only four years old; it's either you or an orphanage."

Suddenly Malik felt dizzy. "Could I have some time to think about this?" he asked weakly.

As Jeffery walked away, Malik sand down onto the grass. He hadn't been expecting this. Dear god, if he had been expecting anything, it wasn't this. And yet…

"So? What did mister lawyer want?" Malik looked up as Bakura plopped down next to him. "Are you getting sued?"

"Do you think I could be a parent?"

Bakura choked. "Shit, did you get someone pregnant?"

"No. Jeffery wants me to adopt my niece."

Bakura thought for a moment. "Well, I suppose you could. Mind, I don't see why you'd want to. It can't be any fun."

"Yes, but it's either me or an orphanage. I definitely don't want the kid to end up there."

Bakura was quiet, thinking. Then, "It might be good for you, you know. Help get rid of some of your guilt."

"Guilt?"

Bakura rolled his eyes. "I know you, Malik. I also know that you blame yourself for what happened. I can read it, plain as day, when you look at them."

Malik swallowed. Bakura was right. He did blame himself. Now, it was time to repay his sister for everything she had ever done when they were children. It had been too damn long already.

"Mr. Jeffery?" Malik called out, "I've made my decision."

There. I hope you liked. I don't know when chapter two will be up, probably some time soon because I already have it typed out. Drop a review on your way out!

-Love forever, eggy