Disclaimer: All Yu-Gi-Oh! characters and references belong to Kazuki Takahashi. Story elements © Hideki LaShae. No money was gained in the writing of this story.
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Return
By Hideki LaShae
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Part One
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I felt my heart clench at the intensity of the gaze staring straight into me, and I mentally pleaded to hear the words 'It'll be all right.'
"I wish it didn't have to be this way, but I don't know what else to do…"
"How can you possibly not know…?" A finger pressed against my lips to silence me.
"Don't speak. Please don't speak. You'll only make this harder on both of us."
I nodded my head even as I felt the tears start to form in my eyes.
"You're the only person I trust. I need you to do this for me. I need you to keep my secret safe…" Eyes pleaded with me with a desperation I never knew was possible.
I nodded my head again.
"And I need you to forget about me."
"I can't…!" I gasped and the tears rolled down my cheeks. This time it wasn't a finger that silenced me but a pair of lips giving me one last, lingering kiss good-bye. I felt something being placed in my arms.
"I'm sorry it has to be this way. I never wanted to do this… to either of us."
I clamped my eyes shut so I didn't have to see anything else. Watching would only hurt more so I didn't.
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Part Two
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The machine beeped reassuringly, measuring the steady heartbeat of the man lying unconscious on the bed.
A young woman sat in the chair beside the hospital bed, crying into a tissue. "I don't understand! Why, Joey…?"
The blond man standing beside her placed his hand on her shoulder and squeezed it before answering. "I don't know, Serenity, but we'll ask him ourselves when he wakes up."
Serenity Wheeler wiped the tears from her brown eyes and looked up into the equally brown eyes of her older brother. "What would make him…? Why would Joey drive his car off a cliff? He had so much to live for!"
"I don't know." Jonathon Wheeler, Jono to his friends and family, looked down at his twin brother in the bed. With all the bandages and the shaved head, he almost didn't recognize Joseph Wheeler, the man nearly a full ten minutes older than himself. "Where's…?"
"She had to take Holly home to bed, Jono," answered Serenity.
Jono nodded. "Yeah. Probably better that Mai isn't here right now. I don't think Joey would want her to see him like this."
"She already has. I don't think she's taking it very well either. Mom should be with her. Mom didn't want to see Joey…"
Jono mumbled something Serenity couldn't identify, but then he added more legibly, "What about Dad? Why isn't he here right now then?"
"That asshole!"
"What?"
"He was totally shit-face drunk when I called to tell him about Joey's accident! He actually asked me when the funeral was!"
"Maybe he thought Joey hadn't survived the wreck…"
"He asked that AFTER I told him Joey was still alive!" screeched Serenity.
"I'll talk to him later," said Jono.
Serenity stood abruptly, and Jono's hand fell from her shoulder. She leaned down and kissed Joey's cheek. "You're strong, Joey. Come back to us. I'll be outside getting a bit of fresh air, and I want to see your smiling face when I come back."
Jono watched Serenity step outside the room, and he sat down in the recently vacated chair to watch over his brother.
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Part Three
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Mai Valentine-Wheeler stepped into the hospital room where Jono and Serenity sat on opposite sides of her husband. Her face looked paler than Joey's as he slept in the bed.
Serenity turned towards the buxom blonde, and she gasped. She stood up and rushed to Mai's side. "Mai! Are you all right?"
"Joey…"
"What about Joey?" asked Jono standing as well and helping Serenity pull Mai to a chair to sit down.
"The doctor… Joey…"
"What did the doctor tell you about Joey?" asked Serenity, "Why isn't he awake yet? Shouldn't he be…?"
"Joey's in a coma," stated Jono as Serenity's words sunk into his brain, "That's what the doctor told you, wasn't it?"
Mai nodded, and her violet eyes filled with tears. "He doesn't know when he might wake up. He doesn't even know if he WILL! Dammit, Joey! Wake up! I can't do this without you! I need you… Holly needs you!"
"Coma?" Serenity collapsed and fell to the floor. "How? Why?"
Mai shrugged her shoulders.
Jono looked at Joey, his bandages all removed and blond hair just starting to grow back, and his senses shifted into overdrive. Something wasn't right about all this. Why would Joey purposely wreck his car when he had a wife and daughter to support? And how could the strongest person he knew fall into a coma so easily when it was in his very nature to fight against the very essence of death? He felt like he was looking at a jigsaw puzzle from which he only had four of a thousand pieces. He'd have to find more pieces to understand what happened…
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Part Four
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January 25, 2003
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Music filled the air of the forest grove as a young woman walked around the edge of the circle of people, wafting the scent of a soothing incense towards them as she chanted, "Circle of Air, around and round. Circle of Air, thrice be bound."
A young man followed the woman carrying a burning candle and lighting the wicks of the candles everyone else held. He too chanted, "Circle of Fire, around and round. Circle of Fire, thrice be bound."
A middle-aged man and woman walked around the circle's edge next, just barely five feet behind the younger man. The man carried a small cauldron of water, and the woman used the water to anoint the foreheads of everyone as they both chanted together, "Circle of Water, around and round. Circle of Water, thrice be bound."
Next walked a much older couple. This man carried a dish of salt, and the woman anointed the people with it as they chanted, "Circle of Earth, around and round. Circle of Earth, thrice be bound."
Raw elemental power grew within the confines of the circle, and three children, thirteen years of age to the day, held each other's hands. They didn't receive candles to hold. Today was their day… They would have their own candles to light, up on the altar in the center of the circle where a man and woman, High Priest and High Priestess, stood with their arms raised towards the moon overhead and chanted, "Triple Goddess and Triple God, watch over us for this rite! Triple Goddess and Triple God, all blessed be on this night!"
The six people walking around the edge of the circle approached the altar at the center and set the items they held down on the wooden surface before stepping back a few paces and sitting down on three wooden benches.
The High Priestess lowered her arms and spoke, "The circle is cast. Let it forever remain a circle."
"We are outside of space. We are outside of time," said the High Priest lowering his own arms, "So mote it be."
A chorus of "So mote it be" came from all around the circle as everyone spoke the magical words.
"May the Initiates step forward! You have all been informed of the rules to which this coven abides and the roles with which you will partake of yourselves. Do you understand them?"
The triplets stepped forward and approached the altar while nodding their understanding.
The High Priest lifted the dagger from the altar and stepped around it to stand in front of the children. He raised the weapon and pressed the tip of the blade against the heart of the oldest boy. "Do you enter into this coven of Triple Moons of your own accord?"
"May this athame pierce my heart if I speak false. Yes, I do."
After a moment of holding the dagger steady, the High Priest moved the blade tip to the younger boy's chest and repeated his question.
"May this athame pierce my heart if I speak false. Yes, I do."
Another prolonged moment before the High Priest moved the dagger to point at the girl's heart. He saw her trembling slightly, and his eyes narrowed. "Do you enter into this coven of Triple Moons of your own accord?"
"May this athame pierce my heart if I speak false. Yes, I do."
The High Priest held the dagger to her for a moment more before withdrawing it and moving back around the altar to place the dagger upon it once more.
The High Priestess lifted a book and pen from the altar and stepped around to the three children. She held open the book of names and offered the pen to the oldest child. "Write your name in the book so we forever record your membership in the Triple Moons Coven."
With a quick glance at the other names in the book, the older boy took the pen and wrote down his name. His magical name first, and his real name afterwards… Katsuya Jounouchi, Joseph Wheeler.
"Forevermore you shall be known to this circle as Katsuya Jounouchi!" exclaimed the High Priestess, "All welcome Katsuya!"
The crowd called, "Welcome, Katsuya!"
The middle child took the pen and wrote his own name in the book… Tetsuya Jounouchi, Jonathon Wheeler.
"Forevermore you shall be known to this circle as Tetsuya Jounouchi!" exclaimed the High Priestess, "All welcome Tetsuya!"
The crowd called, "Welcome, Tetsuya!"
The youngest child took the pen and wrote her name in the book… Rikuya Jounouchi, Jolene Wheeler.
"Forevermore you shall be known to this circle as Rikuya Jounouchi!" exclaimed the High Priestess, "All welcome Rikuya!"
The crowd called, "Welcome, Rikuya!"
The High Priestess closed the book and returned beyond the altar to place it down. "You may approach the altar and light your candles."
The triplets stepped up to the altar and one by one they lifted the candle and lit one of the white candles resting on the altar.
The High Priest lifted a plate containing tiny cookies and offered it to the children. "May you never hunger."
Each of the children took a single, thumb-sized cookie and ate it.
The High Priestess lifted the chalice of wine and held it out towards the children. "May you never thirst."
The older boy took the wine glass first and took a tiny sip before passing it to his brother who took a slightly larger sip before passing it to the girl so she could take a large swallow and pass the chalice back to the High Priestess.
The High Priestess smiled. "Welcome to the Triple Moons Coven."
"Welcome to the Triple Moons Coven," said the High Priest before walking along with the High Priestess around the edge of the circle to give everyone present a sip of wine and a tiny cookie.
The other six Priests and Priestesses rose from their benches, and the younger couple each took one of the girl's hands and walked around the circle with her in between them chanting, "Circle of Air, Circle of Fire, around and round. Circle of Air, Circle of Fire, thrice be unbound."
The middle-aged couple took the middle child's hands and followed the younger couple around the edge of the circle chanting, "Circle of Water, around and round. Circle of Water, thrice be unbound."
The older couple walked along with the oldest boy in between them. They needed their hands to utilize their canes so they didn't hold his hands. All three of them chanted, "Circle of Earth, around and round. Circle of Earth, thrice be unbound."
"The circle is open but unbroken. Merry meet, merry part, and merry meet again," said the High Priest and High Priestess in a single voice, "All creatures trapped by this rite now go free."
The music changed to livelier dance music, and more food and drink appeared in the grove as the real party began. The Triple Moons Coven had a new Triad…
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Part Five
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March, 2009
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Jono stared off into space as a slightly older woman stepped out of the doctor's office. He didn't even blink as she stepped up right in front of him.
"Well, he said I'm fit as a fiddle! How about you?"
Jono's brown eyes focused in on the woman. "Huh?"
The woman sighed. "Are you okay, Jonathon? You look a little… out of it…"
"I'm not okay, Hecate…"
The woman, Hecate Hudson, placed the back of her hand on Jono's forehead. "You don't seem to have a fever. We are at the doctor's office. Did you want to go back in?"
"He can't help me. No one can help me." Jono looked directly into her blue eyes and his heart broke as he said, "He said I can't…"
"Can't what?"
"I can't have kids. The results of my fertility test… not promising. This isn't going to work…" Jono collapsed into a nearby chair. "I've been trained to be the Coven's Father, but I can't actually have children of my own! I'm a failure!"
Hecate pulled Jono into a motherly embrace and rocked him gently. "It's okay… You don't have to parent a child to be a father. I've been trained to be the Coven's Mother, but that doesn't mean I'll be a good parent."
"But I want kids! Ever since I started my training, I couldn't wait to be a father, and now it looks like that will never happen!" Jono's eyes filled up with tears, but he wouldn't let them escape. "Everyone wants us to marry, Hecate, but I can't marry you like this… I can't give you children, so you can't be a mother with me, and you deserve…"
Hecate silenced Jono with a kiss. "I've been training with the Mother, and alongside you, for many years. You should know by now that I don't actually need children, I love you, Jono, and I prefer to be called Kate. If you really want children, we can adopt a child later. The only question is… Do you love me, and will you marry me?"
"You really don't mind if we don't have children, Hec… Kate?"
"I don't mind."
Jono wiped his eyes and smiled. "We have been together a long time, haven't we?"
"Six years, ever since your initiation," said Hecate smiling in return.
"I do love you, Kate. Let's get married!" Jono hugged her. "The wedding's already planned after all. We might as well!"
Hecate nodded. "Yes. My Priestess initiation is next week, on my twenty-fourth birthday. I would like a rose for my birthday present, by the way, and then on the first of June, our wedding ceremony has been planned. With our families and the Council planning it, I'm sure it will be beautiful. I'm just glad I didn't have to help plan it!"
"I thought that was my line," teased Jono.
"Hey! You just better say 'I do' when the High Priest and High Priestess ask you if you consent to marrying this woman!" ordered Hecate.
"Absolutely, Kate, dear…"
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Part Six
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August, 2011
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Mai Valentine looked at Joey, on his knees before her with an engagement ring in hand. She smiled. "I thought you'd never ask, Joey…"
"Is that a yes, then?" asked Joey looking up at her pleadingly.
"Yes, Joey. I'll marry you!" Mai took the ring and slid it onto her finger before shooting a playful glare at Joey. "But if you ever call me a Crone, I'm killing you!"
"You won't ever be a Crone, Mai. Even when you're old and gray, you'll be a Wise Woman, never a Crone," said Joey smiling and embracing her. "You know this means you have to convert to Wicca and take my name."
"I'm not really religious now, so being called one religion over another doesn't matter to me. I'll convert," said Mai. "I would like that adorable sister of yours to be one of my bridesmaids…"
"Serenity?"
"Of course Serenity! How many sisters do you have?"
"Two sisters and one brother. Don't worry. I'll introduce you to them all before the wedding. You'll look so beautiful in white…"
"White? Can't I wear a nice lavender gown?"
"Mai… please don't fight me on that. You can have every other detail of the wedding your way. My sisters would probably love to help you plan every thing out so you get it completely perfect, but please don't fight me on the color of the dress. It needs to be white. It can have violet or lavender accents, but the main dress has to be white!"
Mai sighed. "Fine. I'll wear white… When would you like to get married? I'm thinking a fall or winter wedding would be lovely."
"How about right after the Wiccan New Year? Early November… The leaves should have retained some of their fall colors so they could be used in the decorations…"
Mai silenced Joey with a kiss. "That doesn't give us a lot of time. November's only three months away! You need to introduce me to your second sister and get a hold of Serenity. We have a lot of planning to do!"
"Okay. I'll call Lena and Serenity and have them meet us somewhere," said Joey pulling out his cell phone.
"I love you, Joey." Mai admired the ring on her hand and didn't notice if Joey responded to her declaration, but he didn't.
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Part Seven
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November 1, 2011
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Jolene Wheeler, Lena to her friends and family, leaned close to her date and whispered to him to explain the proceedings of the Wiccan wedding ceremony going on before them. "Mai was just initiated into the Coven at the Autumn Equinox. She'd already taken Wheeler as her last name when she did."
"Must everyone convert religions in order to marry one of you?"
"I've never asked… Jono married the Mother Priestess, and on our twenty-fourth birthday, he'll be initiated as the Father Priest. I'll be initiated as the Maiden Priestess, and Joey will be the Wise Man Priest. We have to marry Wiccans because we'll be religious leaders."
"So if I want to marry you, I have to stop being Catholic to become Wiccan?"
"I think so, but I'm not sure. I'll ask the High Priest and High Priestess after the ceremony," said Lena brushing a strand of her long blond hair back behind her ear.
"I want to marry you, but I don't want to convert," said the man slipping something into Lena's hand.
Lena opened her hand to look at the item within, and she smiled at the sight of the engagement ring. She slipped it on her finger and cuddled closer to her date. "I'll talk to them. We'll figure it out somehow. I want to marry you too!"
"What are they doing now?"
"They're doing a rune reading to see if Joey and Mai will have a happy marriage…" Lena's voice trailed off as she saw Joey, with lightning quick speed, remove one of the rune stones from the altar and slip it into his pocket. "Oh, Joey…"
"What?"
Lena whispered into her boyfriend's ear, "Joey changed the fortune. There must have been something unhappy in their future that he didn't want anyone else to know about…"
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Part Eight
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To: Lena-Sanders (a) yourmail. com
From: JKRawlings (a) yourmail. com
CC: JKRawlings (a) yourmail. com
Subject: 911
Date: March 15, 2019
Message: Hey, Lena. It's Jono, again… I told you in my last email about Joey being in a car accident. Well, the news has gone from bad to worse. His body is healing nicely, but he's in a coma. The doctor doesn't know if or when he'll wake up. He's clinging to life, so I don't think we have to worry about him dying… I don't know what to do. Serenity's still away at college trying to get her doctorate in child psychology. I don't want to pull her away from her schooling, but I could really use her emotional support! Kate and I are trying to help Mai and Holly out as much as we can, and Sephiroh has really stepped up as a cousin to become sort of a big brother for Holly. He's been keeping her busy and distracted. Mai's been crying a lot. One of us has been visiting Joey in the hospital on an almost daily basis. I've had us all make tape recordings for the nurses at the hospital to play for Joey on the days no one can go visit him. Kate thought it might be a good idea to just record general 'I love you. I miss you' messages. Sometimes, when I don't feel like talking, I play them for him myself. I've been reading books to him otherwise. I wish you could see him. I know he'd wake up for the chance to speak to you in person again. Love, Jono.
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To: JKRawlings (a) yourmail. com
From: Lena-Sanders (a) yourmail. com
Subject: re: 911
Date: March 15, 2019
Message: Hi Jono… How are you holding up? If you need emotional support… I know Serenity's just a phone call away, and you can always email me. I know we're not supposed to have any contact with each other since I was banished from the Coven, but you obviously don't care since you've still been emailing me. Heck you even made up a fake email account so you can talk to me! If you absolutely need to, and don't care about getting caught… My phone number is 568-528-7892. It's my cell phone so I have it on me all the time. Speaking of Sephiroh, how is he doing? You know, I never asked you why you named him after a Final Fantasy character. I didn't think you liked the game. Tell Joey he's loved and missed from abroad as well. Are you reading Harry Potter to Joey? He really likes those ones. I wish I could see him as well, but if I come back into town, you and Joey might also be banished from the Coven, and I can't do that to you! Love, Lena.
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To: Lena-Sanders (a) yourmail. com
From: JKRawlings (a) yourmail. com
Subject: re: 911
Date: March 16, 2019
Message: Hey, Lena. It's Serenity this time. First off, you know your banishment was complete bullshit! You fell in love and you wanted to marry that person. Banishing you from the Coven because you wanted to change religions, okay, I kind of get. But forbidding you from seeing your family ever again is complete and total fucking bullshit! Joey, Jono, and I all know that and we don't care about any consequences that talking to you might inflict. You are our sister and no religious assholes or Goddess-forsaken scumbag parents are going to tell us otherwise! Secondly, Joey needs all of us. Maybe especially you. Love, Serenity.
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To: JKRawlings (a) yourmail. com
From: Lena-Sanders (a) yourmail. com
Subject: re: 911
Date: March 16, 2019
Message: No cussing, Serenity. Thank you. You'll always be my sister too. Keep me updated on Joey's status… If he doesn't get better, we'll discuss what to do from there. Love Lena.
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To: Lena-Sanders (a) yourmail. com
From: JKRawlings (a) yourmail. com
CC: JKRawlings (a) yourmail. com
Subject: re: 911
Date: March 16, 2019
Message: No cussing, Serenity! Love, Jono.
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Part Nine
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August 15, 2019
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Mai buckled her five-year-old daughter into her booster seat in the back of the car. "Everything okay, Holly?"
"Where are we going, Mommy?" The little girl, Holly Wheeler, with blond hair and violet eyes smiled at Mai.
"We're going on a little trip. We're going to visit uncle Yugi in Tokyo," said Mai before getting into the driver's seat, "He's been very busy there with the new expansion branch of the Kame Game Shop, and I think we need to get away from Domino for a little bit."
"Will Daddy be there?" asked Holly.
Mai buckled herself in and started the car. "No, Holly, sweetie. He won't be there. He has to stay here in the hospital."
"Oh…" Holly looked sadly back at her mother and cuddled closer to her stuffed white dragon toy.
Mai pulled the car away from the curb and started the drive towards Tokyo, but she hadn't even gotten passed the high school when a car ran the red light right into the side of her car. She didn't even have time to react in any way.
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Part Ten
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To: Lena-Sanders (a) yourmail. com
From: JKRawlings (a) yourmail. com
CC: JKRawlings (a) yourmail. com
Subject: Emergency! Emergency! HELP!
Date: August 15, 2019
Message: Lena, Serenity, I don't know what to do! Mai and Holly were in a car accident. They're dead! Joey's still in a coma with no signs of waking up. And now when he finally does wake up… Nothing of his previous life remains! He doesn't have any reason to live anymore…
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To: JKRawlings (a) yourmail. com
From: Lena-Sanders (a) yourmail. com
Subject: re: Emergency! Emergency! HELP!
Date: August 15, 2019
Message: OMG, Jono… What do you need? Let me know, and I'll do it. Whatever it is. Whatever it takes! Lena.
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To: Lena-Sanders (a) yourmail. com
From: JKRawlings (a) yourmail. com
CC: JKRawlings (a) yourmail. com
Subject: re: Emergency! Emergency! HELP!
Date: August 15, 2019
Message: I don't know what to do, Lena! I don't know what I need! I need Joey to wake up! I'm at the end of my rope…
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To: Lena-Sanders (a) yourmail. com
From: JKRawlings (a) yourmail. com
CC: JKRawlings (a) yourmail. com
Subject: re: Emergency! Emergency! HELP!
Date: August 16, 2019
Message: Lena, Jono, I know what we need to do! I'll make all the arrangements, and I'll email you the details when I have it sorted out. Hang in there, everyone. Joey does still have a reason to live. He just needs to know that reason still exists. We're that reason. We need to be strong now more than ever! Love, Serenity.
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Part Eleven
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January, 2012
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Diana Wheeler looked at her oldest daughter with complete shock in her hazel eyes. "You want to do what?"
"I want to marry Justin," said Lena firmly.
"And he's agreed to convert to Wicca? We're very happy for you, Lena," said Joseph Wheeler, Sr. smiling at his daughter.
"Well, no. He hasn't agreed to convert." Lena glanced over her shoulder at the man sitting in the other room with her brothers and sister.
"What?" shouted Joseph.
In the other room, everyone turned to look at Lena and their parents, and Justin smiled at her. He looked at Lena lovingly while her family's expressions showed their compassion and understanding.
"He won't convert. He's a devout Catholic, and I love that about him. I won't ask him to convert," said Lena turning back to face her parents.
"The Coven will not allow this!" exclaimed Diana, "How could you go against your religion…?"
"I'm marrying him, and since the Coven will not permit a Priestess to be married to one who is not Wiccan… I will not be taking my place as the Maiden Priestess," said Lena.
Cold fire raged in Diana's eyes, and she slapped her daughter harshly. "How dare you, you insolent bitch!"
"Mom! Don't!" Joey rushed into the kitchen from the other room and stepped in between Lena and their mother. "She's in love… That's not being insolent!"
"Don't get involved with this, Joey!" exclaimed Joseph grabbing his oldest son and yanking him out of the way, "You don't want to go through with this, Lena…"
"Yes. I do. I want to marry Justin, and I'm going to," said Lena, "The High Priest and High Priestess said if I marry a Catholic, I have to leave the Coven. I've decided to convert…"
"GET OUT!" screamed Diana pointing towards the door, "Get out of this house and do not ever show your face here again! If you marry that man, you are no longer my daughter! Go! Exiled from the Coven, banished from our lives forever! Get out!"
"Mom…"
"Do not call me Mom! You are not my daughter! You are nothing but a stranger, now leave before I call the police!" exclaimed Diana.
"Mom, don't do this!" exclaimed Joey.
"Mom, this isn't right…" Jono stepped into the kitchen and tried to reason with their parents.
Diana glared at Lena.
Lena turned away from her mother and rushed into the living room to Justin. "Let's just go…"
"We'll talk some sense into them, Lena," whispered Serenity. She watched as Lena and Justin left together. Then she headed into the kitchen to join her older brothers in arguing with their parents…
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Part Twelve
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October 31, 2019
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The redheaded woman shuffled through the stack of letters just delivered to her desk from the company mailroom. She glanced at her desk calendar and the small pumpkin sticker placed on the date, and she shuffled through the stack again. The intercom on her desk buzzed, and she looked at it apprehensively. She pressed the button. "Yes, sir?"
The crisp reply sent shivers of dread through her entire body. "Has the mail arrived yet?"
She set the stack of mail on her desk and pressed the button to speak into it again. "No, sir. I'll call down to the mailroom to see what's taking them so long."
"And make it snappy!"
The woman grabbed her phone and dialed the extension number to the mailroom. She tapped her fingers impatiently. "Oh, hello! This is the executive office… Did you by any chance miss delivering anything up here…? I was afraid of that. Thank you."
The stack of letters seemed to taunt her as she lowered the phone receiver. She lifted the envelopes and stood. Steeling her nerves, she approached the closed office door and knocked lightly. She opened the door without waiting for a response, and she walked up to her boss's desk. She placed the stack of letters in his already upraised hand.
"It's about time. What took them so long?" The brown haired businessman looked at his secretary with blue eyes before turning them abruptly to the stack of mail in his hand. Seto Kaiba, famed CEO of Kaiba Corp and Duel Monsters Champion, frowned when a solid white envelope met his eyes, and he shuffled through the letters to see only white or manila envelopes. He looked back at his secretary. "Where is it?"
"It hasn't arrived yet, sir. I called the mailroom to confirm. There's no card…"
"Impossible!"
"Maybe it's just late. It could arrive tomorrow. You know how unreliable the mail can be…"
Seto slammed his hand on his desk and stood up angrily. "Cancel all my appointments today. I'm going out!"
"Yes, sir…"
Seto dropped the mail on the center of his desk, closed his laptop, and stormed out of his office with the device. He headed down in the elevator and to his car in the company-parking garage. He sat in the driver's seat for a moment and opened his laptop to shut it down before tossing it in the passenger's seat. He started the car and drove. He knew the way to the apartment building by heart, although he hadn't been there in many years. It didn't take long to arrive at his destination, and he parked the car before walking into the building's main entrance. He pressed the buzzer for the apartment he wanted.
A young woman's voice came through the intercom, "Hello? Can I help you?"
Seto glanced at the camera showing the woman who he was. "I would like to speak to Wheeler…"
"I'm sorry. There's no one by that name here."
"What?"
"I just moved in here last month. There's no one named Wheeler living here…"
Seto's eyes narrowed, and he turned away to leave the building. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed a number from memory as he walked to his car. He sat down in the driver's seat while waiting for it to connect. He listened as the receptionist answered in an overly cheery tone of voice. "I'd like to speak to Joey Wheeler in marketing."
"I'm sorry, sir. Mr. Wheeler hasn't worked for us in over six months. Would you like to speak to our new head of marketing?"
"No. It had to be him." Seto hung up the phone and started the car. He drove towards the next place where he might find the person he searched for, and he parked the car outside the Kame Game Shop. He walked into the shop accompanied by the jingling of the bell.
Yugi Motou looked up from the counter where he'd just finished helping a customer, and his violet eyes lit up with happiness. "Well, hello! It's been a long time…"
Seto walked up to the counter. "It hasn't been that long. If you remember, I did help you finance the Tokyo expansion…"
"Yes. And thank you…"
"But I didn't come here for a social visit," said Seto, "I need to speak to Wheeler."
Yugi sighed and looked away from Seto. He ran his hand through his spiky hair. "I'm sorry… If you want to see him, he's at Domino General Hospital. Room 205."
"Hospital?"
Yugi nodded. "He's…" His voice trailed off with the chiming of the bell telling him Seto had left.
Seto jumped back into the driver's seat and took off towards the hospital. He parked and headed inside and to the specified room. He stood outside for just a moment before raising his hand to knock.
The door swung open to reveal a nine-year old boy with shaggy blond hair and piercing blue eyes. His eyes met with Seto's, and he stood there staring.
Seto froze, not even lowering his arm. He simply stared at the boy standing before him.
"Dad… The CEO of Kaiba Corp is standing out here…"
An older blond haired man appeared in the doorway behind the boy.
Seto lowered his arm as his gaze switched to the older man. "We need to talk."
The blond blinked once in confusion. "Sure. Sephiroh, why don't you sit with your uncle for a bit while we have a chat?"
"Sure, dad." The boy, Sephiroh Wheeler, returned to the inside of the room.
The older blond closed the door. "What did you want to talk about?"
"I didn't receive your card this year…"
"Card? What card?"
"The card! The Halloween card you send me every year in the orange envelope!"
The blond gasped. "You! That envelope was for you! I saw it in the daily planner, but I didn't know what it was for or to whom…"
"What are you talking about? Have you lost your mind?"
"I think you're a little confused. Follow me." The blond opened the door and stepped into the hospital room.
Seto followed the man into the room, and his eyes immediately went to the occupied bed where a familiar looking blond lay asleep. He gasped as he recognized him, and he looked at the other blond.
"I'm Jono. Joey… Joey is my twin brother. He was in a car accident back in February. He's been in a coma ever since. I've been trying to handle things for him… send out some birthday cards to his friends, take care of his responsibilities… but I miss some things. Some of the things he's put into his daily planner were written in some sort of code I don't understand," said the blond moving up to the side of the bed. He brushed a strand of Joey's blond hair off to the side.
"A coma…?"
"Dad? Can I go to the cafeteria and get that cocoa now?" asked Sephiroh.
"Oh, yes, Sephiroh. But hurry back," said Jono.
Seto watched as Sephiroh walked out of the hospital room. "He's getting pretty tall…"
"Yes, he is. I don't know where he gets it from. Neither his mother or I are very tall," said Jono with a proud smile directed at the door, "and I swear he takes after his uncle Joey more than me…"
"He never told me he had a twin brother. Joey and I went to high school together. We had a kind of friendship."
"Yeah. We've had a pretty complicated family life. Joey hadn't told any of his friends about me. He and I are two out of three twins…"
Seto raised an eyebrow. "What?"
"I shouldn't have said that."
"Why isn't Mai here?"
"Mai and Holly died… Another car accident. Joey doesn't know yet. He hasn't woken after his own accident."
"When was it?" asked Seto sitting down beside Joey and looking at him.
"August," said Jono, "You know… the doctor's think he can hear us despite being in a coma. Why don't you go ahead and talk to him? I'll go join Sephiroh." He headed out of the room and closed the door.
Seto stared at Joey, and he reached out to gently place his hand on top of Joey's. "Wake up, Joey. Remember what you wrote in your Halloween cards? Your heart will always know the way home. Now you have to wake up… You need to go home…"
.
.
Part Thirteen
.
January 25, 2020
.
Serenity looked around the hospital room as she placed the small stuffed animal on the tray covering her unconscious older brother. She smiled. "Happy birthday, Joey. Your real present should be here soon, okay?"
The door opened, and Jono stepped into the room with a paper bag in hand. He smiled at Serenity. "I have everything you asked for."
"Thanks, Jono. I have everything here almost set up," said Serenity taking the bag from Jono and setting it on the nightstand beside a vase containing pine branches and Lilies of the Valley.
Jono looked at the stuffed animals on the tray. In the center, a Red-Eyes Black Dragon and a Blue-Eyes White Dragon sat together. Four other stuffed animals surrounded them: Baby Dragon, Flame Swordsman, Great White, and Crawling Dragon. "Great White? I thought you were going to get that Fisherman guy…"
"I was going to, but I couldn't find one. Every shop in town was sold out before the winter holidays, and I had Yugi order one, but it still hasn't arrived," said Serenity, "I know that one doesn't have as much meaning to Joey, but it should still work." She pulled the cup of coffee and small bowl of mixed melon out of the paper bag and set them down beside the vase. She tossed the empty paper bag aside. She lifted one of two necklaces nestled against the small jar almost hidden beneath the foliage flowing over the edges of the vase. She passed it to Jono. "Put that on."
"You're wearing one too?" asked Jono sliding the chain over his head.
"I'm wearing amazonite. You've got Apache Tear Drop. Joey already wears aventurine…"
"And that last one looks like carnelian. You've done a lot of research for this. The Coven elders would be proud of you…"
"Everything in this room should help stimulate Joey's conscious mind and promote healing," said Serenity, "Even this spice blend I brought to form the ritual circle. It's basil, sage, thyme, clove, and coriander. Hey, maybe if we have leftovers after this, we can treat Joey to some roast chicken!"
"I'm sure he would love that…"
Jono and Serenity both spun towards the door and the woman who'd spoken.
Lena stepped into the room and removed the hat hiding her blond hair from view. She smiled. "Jono, Serenity… It's been a long time. I've missed you so!"
Serenity threw her arms around Lena first and hugged her tightly. "We've missed you, Lena! Thank you for coming!"
"You said I could help you wake Joey. I'll do anything I can."
Jono didn't wait for Serenity to release Lena, and instead he embraced them both. "We'd best get the ritual started."
"Go easy on me, okay? It's been years since I've last been in a ritual," said Lena as her family released her from the embrace. She accepted her necklace from Serenity and wrapped it around her neck.
"Don't worry. We will," said Serenity, "This is a simple ritual." She passed the spice jar to Lena. "Do you want to sprinkle that around the room while I open the circle?"
"Oh, it has a shaker!" exclaimed Lena happily, "Perfect! I can do this…"
Serenity touched the Baby Dragon toy and said, "We call upon you, Baby Dragon, Guardian of the Element of Wind, to guard this circle and aid us in this task."
Jono watched as his sisters worked, one shaking spices around the room while the other touching various stuffed animals and speaking her invocation.
"We call upon you, Flame Swordsman, Guardian of the Element of Fire, to guard this circle and aid us in this task. We call upon you, Great White, Guardian of the Element of Water, to guard this circle and aid us in this task. We call upon you, Crawling Dragon, Guardian of the Element of Earth, to guard this circle and aid us in this task. We call upon you, Red-Eyes Black Dragon, Guardian of the Dark, and Blue-Eyes White Dragon, Guardian of the Light, to guard this circle and aid us in this task." Serenity looked towards Jono and nodded her head.
Jono pulled out some note cards and passed them around. He read the first part of the healing spell from the card in his hand, and Lena picked up the second part when he'd finished.
The scent of roses filled the air as the door opened, and Diana gasped when she saw the woman in the room with her three children. She dropped the bouquet of roses in her hand. "What the hell is the Banished One doing in my son's room?"
Lena gasped and turned towards her mother. "Mom?"
"Don't you dare call me that! How dare you come back here! You are not wanted… GET OUT!"
"Mom… this isn't the time or the place for this," said Jono, "Think about Joey…"
"He's dead! He doesn't care!" cried Diana.
"He is not dead!" exclaimed Lena, "And neither am I!"
Serenity continued to read the words on the card she held in her hand, completely oblivious to the arguing going on in front of her.
"What are you screaming about, woman?" asked Joseph stepping into the room behind his ex-wife. He saw Lena, and he glared at her. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to try to help Joey wake up," said Lena.
Serenity lifted the cup of coffee and took a sip before pressing her lips to Joey's forehead, spilling some of the coffee there. She pulled out a piece of melon and pressed it to Joey's lips, letting some of the juice moisten them as she chanted a quiet tune.
"You are a useless piece of shit!" exclaimed Diana, "How do you think you could help? You've never been anything more than incompetent!"
Serenity placed one hand on the stone pendant Joey wore and her other hand over her own pendent. She nodded at Jono for him to do the same.
Jono placed his hand over his stone pendant, and Lena saw him and copied the movement.
"I hate you… Get out of here!"
"No…"
Everyone froze and turned towards the bed.
Serenity's brown eyes lit up with happiness as she saw Joey's eyes flutter open and look at her blankly for a moment before coming into focus.
Joey smiled. He opened his mouth, and his voice came out broken and quiet, but the sentiment came out clear. "Serenity…"
"Joey!" Lena threw herself at Joey and wrapped her arms around him.
"Lena?"
"Yes, Joey! It's me!"
Jono rushed to the bed and pressed the button to call the nurse. He smiled happily and tears fell from his eyes. "You're awake, Joey! It's about time, big brother!"
A nurse rushed into the room to find out what was wrong. "Oh, my! He's awake! I'll go get the doctor right away!"
"Welcome back, Joey," said Joseph, "Happy birthday." He turned and left the room.
Joey simply blinked.
"We'll explain later," whispered Serenity.
"I'm going down to get a cup of coffee from the cafeteria. By the time I get back here, ALL of you had better be gone. You have all been forbidden to speak to the Banished One. Joey is the only child I have now," said Diana glaring at Jono, "I know this was all your idea, Jono. Well, enough! I know his living will left you in charge of his affairs, but no more! You're no longer my son, Jono, and you are no longer my daughter, Serenity. Leave this room, my family, and the Coven. You are hereby exiled. I'll be filing a restraining order with the police if you're not gone when I return!" She turned and walked away from the hospital room.
No one left the hospital room until the doctor came in and requested they leave so he could properly examine Joey.
.
.
Part Fourteen
.
May 10, 2010
.
Mokuba Kaiba straightened his tie for the fifth time. "How does it look now?"
"Now it's perfect, Mokuba!"
"Great!"
"Now, Mokuba. I want you to remember. This is your first date with this girl. Treat her like a gentleman," said Seto from his position sitting on the couch, "Holding hands will be acceptable if she allows it. A kiss on the cheek maybe okay too, but don't try for the lips…"
"And absolutely don't have sex with her! This is my little sister we're talking about!"
"Don't worry, Joey! I'll treat Serenity with the utmost respect!" exclaimed Mokuba smiling, "I've been trying to get her to agree to a date with me for almost a year! I'm not going to ruin any chances I have of a second date!"
Joey smiled at Mokuba and cuddled closer to Seto.
"What are you planning on doing tonight without me here to keep you two from arguing?" asked Mokuba.
"I think we can survive one night without you here," said Joey, "Besides… we've been getting along better with each passing day together!"
"Yes, I know you have. Have fun tonight, and if you want to be left alone, remember to leave a tie on your bedroom door!" Mokuba winked as Joey blushed, and he headed out of the living room. "I'll call if I'm going to be late getting home!"
"All right. He's gone now. Drop your pants and come here, Joey. I can't wait another second to feel you around me."
"Oh, Seto… I love you…"
"I love you more."
"I love you most."
Mokuba peeked around the door just long enough to see his older brother helping Joey out of his pants. He smiled as he really did leave the house and drove to pick up his date.
Serenity waited for Mokuba on the curb outside her mother's apartment building wearing a lovely spring dress and a white cardigan sweater. She didn't wait for the car to completely stop before she opened the door and hopped in. "You're right on time, Mokuba. Let's go!"
"Anxious, Serenity?" Mokuba smiled.
"You have no idea," said Serenity crossing her legs. She smiled. "I'm glad you finally asked me out."
"What? I've been trying to get you to go on a date with me for a year! If you wanted to go out with me, why didn't you agree before now?" asked Mokuba driving away from the apartment building.
"You asked me out with notes, or having other people ask me… This time you got the courage to confront me yourself. That's why I agreed. I've wanted to go out with you, but if you didn't have the courage to ask me out in person…"
"Oh…" Mokuba blushed.
"So where are we going?" asked Serenity.
"There's a new French restaurant downtown…"
"Mokuba, do you really want to go to a French restaurant, or do you want to go to Burger World?"
"Burger World."
"You don't need to impress me. Let's go to Burger World! Then we can take in a movie! There are some really good ones in the theater now."
Mokuba smiled at Serenity and made a u-turn to drive them to Burger World where they had a pleasant dinner before going to the movie theater. "Did you want any popcorn? A soda?"
"After such a nice dinner? Let's just grab some water! It's cheaper and healthier!" Serenity took the bottle of water once Mokuba handed it to her, and she grabbed his hand to pull him into their theater and all the way into the back where the lights had already been dimmed.
"I've had a very nice time with you tonight, Serenity," whispered Mokuba as they took their seats in the otherwise empty row, "but I'm not so sure about this movie choice of yours. It hasn't been doing well, and we're the only people in here…"
"We're not here for the movie, Mokuba," whispered Serenity. "Joey would kill me for doing this, so you can't tell him!"
"Huh?"
Serenity ran her hand along Mokuba's thigh and up to his pants' zipper. She lowered the zipper and allowed his half-formed erection to escape. "I'm still a virgin. I'm not a slut, and I've never even though about having sex on a first date before, but I've been waiting for this day for a long time…"
"Oh… Can I kiss you?" asked Mokuba wrapping his hand around Serenity's on his shaft to help her bring his arousal to full hardness.
"You'd better!" Serenity forced her lips against Mokuba's and kissed him fiercely.
Mokuba ran his hands up Serenity's legs and raised her skirt. He gasped when he didn't feel any underwear. "Oh, Serenity!"
Serenity pulled a condom from her handbag and opened the package to roll the condom down onto Mokuba's erection.
Mokuba threw his head back and moaned.
Serenity sat down on Mokuba's lap and sucked his erection deep inside her body.
Their lovemaking was rushed and frantic but enjoyable for both of them. They rearranged their clothing before drifting off to sleep cuddled close to each other.
The ushers woke Mokuba and Serenity as the end credits rolled, and they left the movie theater together.
A gunshot rang through the air.
Panic filled the area around the theater, and people screamed.
"Mokuba!" screamed Serenity as he fell to the sidewalk, eyes wide open and blood flowing from the hole dead center in his forehead. She fell to her knees beside him. "Mokuba! Mokuba!"
The ambulance sirens broke through Serenity's tears, and she grabbed her cell phone from her handbag. Her hands trembled too much. She couldn't make the call…
.
.
Part Fourteen
.
May 10, 2010
.
Joey Wheeler rolled over in his lover's arms as the phone continued ringing. He looked to the nightstand where the annoying sound came from. "Seto… your phone."
Seto Kaiba groaned and buried his face in Joey's neck. "I'm not here…"
"It could be Mokuba calling to tell us he's late…"
"Or it could be some moron at work!" Seto reached over and grabbed the phone. He looked at the caller ID and blinked himself awake. He pushed the 'talk' button. "Seto Kaiba…"
Joey looked at Seto and watched him pale.
"I understand. I'll be right there…" Seto snapped the phone closed and rose from the bed.
Joey sat up. "What is it? Where are you going?"
"The hospital. I need to identify a body."
"Body? Whose body?" Joey bolted from the bed and started yanking on some clothes.
"They think Mokuba. You'd better come with me. Serenity might be there as well," said Seto pulling on clothing haphazardly. He yanked up his pants backwards and struggled trying to zip them closed from behind for a second before realizing the mistake and pulling them off completely, turning them around, and pulling them on right.
"I'm ready," said Joey pulling the sweater over his head, "I hope it isn't him…"
"So do I, Joey…"
.
.
Part Fifteen
.
October 31, 2010
.
Seto Kaiba paced up and down the hospital hallway.
A door opened, and a man emerged carrying a wrapped bundle. "Mr. Kaiba?"
Seto spun and hurried towards the man. "Yes?"
"Congratulations, Mr. Kaiba. It's a boy!" The doctor placed the bundle in Seto's arms.
"And Joey?"
"He's still under, but the surgery was a success. He should wake up in about an hour. It seems everything has worked out perfectly. That new experimental procedure has worked like a charm. You're on the verge of making a lot of homosexual couples very happy," said the doctor.
"I only wanted to make him happy," said Seto looking at the wide blue eyes of the baby in his arms, "This little boy will be Joey's little bundle of joy and mine."
"We should take him to the nursery. You can carry him there," said the doctor. He turned to walk down the hallway with Seto beside him. "What are you going to name him?"
"I let Joey decide. He chose Jolene if the child should be a girl and Sephiroh if we got a boy," said Seto, "So his name will be Sephiroh…"
.
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Part Sixteen
.
December 15, 2010
.
Seto opened the black envelope and read the words neatly typed on the simple sheet of cardstock. We've already killed the one person who meant the most to you, and now you're ignoring us? You must have a lot of nerve! Since you refuse to listen to us, we'll have to take matters into our own hands again! Cease working on the project or we'll kill the next person you love most! Don't worry though. We'll let you watch as your mutt dies.
Joey walked into the living room holding their month old son. He smiled at Seto. "Hey, big daddy. Do you want to help me put Sephiroh to bed?"
Seto looked at Joey and clenched his hands into fists, crumpling the letter into a ball. "Joey…"
Joey walked over and passed the baby to Seto. "Hold him for a minute. I want to get a picture of you two together…"
"This isn't working…"
"Of course it is. Don't worry. You're holding him right!" exclaimed Joey pulling his camera from his pants pocket.
"That's not what I mean. I've gotten a letter from the people who killed Mokuba."
"Huh? What did they say? What did they want? Why kill him and then contact you?"
"They want me to stop a project. I've gotten death threats before. It's common," said Seto, "I haven't taken them serious before. No one's ever tried to kill Mokuba or myself before. But they did. And now they're threatening you…"
"I don't die that easily…"
Seto sighed and looked at the child in his arms. "I can't risk losing either one of you. If you died… I can live without you, but I would never forgive myself if you died because of me!"
Joey felt his heart clench at the intensity of the gaze staring straight into him, and he mentally pleaded to hear the words 'It'll be all right.'
"I wish it didn't have to be this way, but I don't know what else to do…"
"How can you possibly not know…?" A finger pressed against his lips to silence him.
"Don't speak. Please don't speak. You'll only make this harder on both of us."
Joey nodded his head even as he felt the tears start to form in his eyes.
"You're the only person I trust. I need you to do this for me. I need you to keep my secret safe…" Eyes pleaded with Joey with a desperation he never knew was possible from Seto.
Joey nodded his head again.
Tears filled Seto's blue eyes as he said, "And I need you to forget about me."
"I can't…!" Joey gasped and the tears rolled down his cheeks. This time it wasn't a finger that silenced him but a pair of lips giving him one last, lingering kiss good-bye. He felt something being placed in his arms.
"I'm sorry it has to be this way. I never wanted to do this… to either of us."
Joey clamped his eyes shut so he didn't have to see anything else. Watching would only hurt more so he didn't. When he finally did open his eyes, he stood alone in the room holding Sephiroh. He headed up to the room he shared with Seto, knowing full well his lover wouldn't be there, but he needed to pack. He lowered Sephiroh into the crib to sleep while he began his task.
.
.
Part Seventeen
.
December 21, 2010
.
Hecate "Kate" Wheeler stepped into the living room of the home she shared with her husband, Jono, and placed the tea service tray down on the coffee table. She passed out cups of tea to her husband and brother-in-law. "How have you been doing in your college studies, Joey?"
"Why don't we skip the chit-chat, and you can ask me the question you really want the answer to," suggested Joey as he ignored the cup of tea on the table in front of him.
"Very well then, Joey… Where did you get a child?" asked Jono, "And why don't you want to keep him?"
"I can't raise a child. I've been trained to be the Wise Man. I've been trained to be alone… I… Do you really have to ask why I don't want to keep him?" asked Joey, "I don't want him to turn out like me! I don't want to become abusive like dad! And I know it wasn't all the alcohol's fault. I'm not stupid enough to think that he wouldn't have been abusive if he wasn't a drunk, but abuse tends to run in families. The abused becomes the next abuser, and I don't want that to happen to me!"
"I understand, Joey."
"Where did you get this child?" asked Kate.
Jono placed a hand on his wife's knee. "That's okay, Kate. We don't need to know. Don't worry, Joey. We'll raise this child to be our own. No one has to know it isn't actually our blood. Thank you for granting us a child, no matter how you got it."
Joey nodded his head and looked at the sleeping child sadly. "No, thank you, Jono…"
.
.
Part Eighteen
.
February, 2019
.
Joey gripped the steering wheel tightly as he drove along the darkened road. He mentally cursed the light snowfall that had covered the world with a glistening sheen of white and made the roads slicker than he was used to. He'd opted to keep the radio tuned to a weather station and low enough not to distract him from his driving, but he wished he was already home.
Headlights rapidly approached from behind Joey, and he glanced at the vehicle through his rear-view mirror. He gripped his wheel tighter and looked forward again. "Damn idiots! Don't they realize it's slippery out?"
Another set of headlights appeared coming towards Joey from the front, and they almost blinded him with their intensity.
Joey flashed his high beams at the other car before realizing why they were so bright. The other car was driving straight towards him in his lane! He hit the brakes, but he started sliding on the slick road. He swerved off the side of the road and crashed into the side of a building. The seatbelt saved him from flying through the windshield. His head snapped forward before the airbag deployed with nearly explosive force and knocked more than just the wind out of him.
The two vehicles stopped, and the drivers emerged to approach Joey's vehicle.
"Is he dead?"
"It doesn't look like it. Yet, but it is pretty cold out here. He probably will die if he doesn't get to a hospital. It seems the tampering we did to the airbag worked wonders."
"Let's just hope no one can tell it was tampered with. This has to look like an accident."
"He's the only occupant of the car. We've missed the child."
"There's always next time. Let's go. He'll be dead soon enough. And good riddance. Maybe this time that bastard will take our warning seriously."
"If only…" The two drivers got back in their vehicles and drove away.
Joey might have died if not for an off-duty police officer taking the same road home almost an hour later. Instead, an ambulance rushed him to the emergency room.
.
.
Part Nineteen
.
October 31, 2020
.
Joey hobbled up to the front door of the Kaiba Mansion, his cane supporting his weight as he pushed the button for the doorbell.
"Are you sure this is what you want to do, Joey?" asked Jono coming up behind him, "I mean… aren't we trespassing?"
"Don't worry," said Joey, "I know him. This is fine."
The door opened to reveal a harried butler.
"Hello. I'm Joey Wheeler, and this is my family. We're here to speak to Seto Kaiba."
"Just a moment." The butler closed the door.
"Now we wait," said Joey leaning against the wall beside the door.
"What if he doesn't answer?" asked Kate, "If I remember correctly, you two didn't get along well."
Serenity blushed. "Oh, from what I remember, they were fighting like cats and dogs. But Mokuba told a different story…"
"Mokuba? Who's that?" asked Sephiroh.
"Mokuba Kaiba. He was Seto's younger brother, and my first love," said Serenity wistfully, "He died."
"Sorry, Aunt Serenity," whispered Sephiroh.
The door burst open, and Seto stepped out right past Joey. His eyes landed on Jono. "Joey?"
"Behind you, Seto…"
Seto spun around to look at Joey. His heart pounded in his chest. "You… You woke up!"
"Yeah, I did." Joey smiled.
"What are you doing here?"
"I want my old room back."
"What?"
"I said… I want my old room back. I've told you before. My heart will always know the way home. Now I'm here. I'm home again. Can I come back? Is it too late?" asked Joey, and all the happiness drained from his face. "Is there someone else?"
"No. Never anyone else," whispered Seto, "but you… I… I can't put you in danger again… The people who killed Mokuba…"
"Tried to kill me anyway, despite our separation. Seto, I didn't drive myself into the side of a building! I was run off the road!"
"Come inside," said Seto. He allowed everyone to enter the house before him, including Joey who used the cane for support. "A cane?"
"I was in a coma. Muscles atrophy if you don't use them, I guess. I've spent a good deal of time in therapy, both physical and mental," explained Joey, "I can walk without the cane, but it takes a lot out of me, and I tire quickly." He walked past everyone else in the entryway and led the way into the living room. He walked over to the couch and sat down in the middle.
"Why did you bring your entire family?" asked Seto.
Joey patted the seat beside him.
Seto sighed and walked over to sit down on the couch on Joey's left. "Joey?"
"Serenity, why don't you take Kate, Lena, and the kids into the kitchen and make up a snack and tea for everyone?" asked Joey.
"You don't mind, do you, Seto?" asked Serenity.
Seto's lips turned up in a small smile as he looked at Serenity. "Go ahead."
Serenity took the women and children out of the living room leaving Seto, Joey, Jono, and Justin alone in the living room.
"This is my brother, Jono Wheeler, and brother-in-law, Justin Sanders. Lena, Jono, and I are triplets," said Joey, "And you know I come from a Wiccan family, right?"
"You've mentioned it before," said Seto. He stared at Jono and Justin standing just inside the door, and he rubbed his temple. "You two can sit down."
"Thanks," said Justin walking into the room with Jono, and they sat down in two nearby chairs.
"Well, our parents were part of the Triple Moon Coven, and it's not common for triplets to be born to the Coven. So when we were born, our family and the Coven decided our entire lives for us. We would train the way they wanted us to, marry Wiccans, and take our places as Priests and Priestesses," said Joey, "but they didn't plan for us to be us." He reached out and took Seto's hand. "Lena… her name used to be Jolene. She changed it officially when she married. She fell in love with Justin, a Catholic who didn't want to convert. The Coven wouldn't allow the Priestess to be married to a non-Wiccan. It's all right for anyone else in the Coven to be married outside of the religion, but not a Priestess. So she decided to leave the Coven and become Catholic for Justin. Our Mom was very strict and radical. Every religion has some radicals. She disowned Lena and forbid the rest of us from having any contact with her."
"You ignored her of course," said Seto.
Joey smiled brightly. "You really do know me."
"I try."
"Right. But since we weren't supposed to have contact with Lena, and we brought her to the hospital while Joey was in his coma, our mother disowned Serenity and I as well," said Jono, "We had brought her in to do a ritual to try to help Joey wake up. Our parents arrived and interrupted the ritual, but Joey still woke up."
"I'm glad you disobeyed then," said Seto squeezing Joey's hand.
"After I was released from the hospital, I went into the country with the Crone and Wise Man from the Coven, and I completed my physical therapy there. Afterwards, I left the Coven too. We've decided as a family to start a new Coven, actually a Circle with a lot looser practices than the Coven. We haven't come up with a new name yet," said Joey, "I was thinking something about the Dragon Circle, but we're still deciding. I haven't got the others quite sold on the name yet, but I'm working on trying to convince them. Well, I lost my apartment and job because of my coma…"
"Not to mention your family. Jono mentioned the accident where Mai and Holly died."
Joey scratched his head with his free hand. "Yeah, about that… I was married to Mai, but Holly wasn't technically my daughter."
"What?" gasped Jono.
Joey looked down at his lap. "I married Mai because it was expected of me. All my friends thought I would marry her. She was willing to convert religions, on the outside anyway. She never really believed in anything religious. I hate to say it, but she was convenient. I didn't love her. She didn't love me, but we appreciated each other. She had financial stability through me, and she had her lover, Varon. He was Holly's father. I loved Holly, but she wasn't my daughter. I couldn't sleep with Mai."
Seto smirked.
"And so… I've lost almost everything. Jono and Kate lost their home because the Coven had been their employers. They were Priest and Priestess…"
"Bottom line is you all need a place to stay so you came to the local billionaire's house," said Seto releasing Joey's hand. He stood and walked away from the couch, moving over to the liquor cabinet and pulling out a bottle.
"Not really. Yugi offered Jono and Kate management of the Tokyo branch of the Kame Game Shop, housing included. Lena and Justin already have a home, and Serenity has a job and a nice apartment. I can live with Yugi. We don't need you. I only want you. I never stopped loving you, Seto…"
"So why did you come here with your entire family?" Seto poured up a glass of bourbon and turned towards Joey as he drank it.
"I thought it was time you finally met them all," said Joey, "I don't want anymore confusion, any more distrust or secrets… I'm laying my cards on the table for you to see. Now my only question is… Are you going to have your Blue-Eyes White Dragons wipe out my life points?"
Seto placed the empty glass on top of the liquor cabinet. "Have you kept my secret safe?"
"Yes, as you already know."
"No!" snapped Seto, "You didn't! You gave him away to a perfect stranger!"
"My brother is not a perfect stranger!"
"He is to me!" screamed Seto lifting the glass again and throwing it at Joey.
The glass flew past Joey's head and smashed into the wall behind him.
"What are you arguing about?" asked Sephiroh stepping into the living room with a tray containing four cups of steaming liquid, "This wouldn't happen to be about me being adopted, does it?"
Jono and Joey both gasped and turned to look at Sephiroh. "Who told you that?"
"No one," said Sephiroh walking in and placing the tray on the coffee table, "We did blood typing in science class. You're type B, Dad, and Mom is type O. I'm type AB. It's not biologically possible for me to be both of your children… And with Mr. Kaiba screaming about some 'him' being given to uncle Joey's brother… I sort of…"
"Put two and two together to get four. You're right, Sephiroh. Kate and I aren't your real parents. We were planning on telling you when you got to initiation age," said Jono.
"So who are my real parents?" asked Sephiroh looking at Joey, "You gave me to Mom and Dad, didn't you? You must know who my real parents were…"
"Sephiroh…" Joey gripped his cane tightly and stood.
"Who is my father?"
"I am," said Seto before Joey could even say a word.
Sephiroh's head snapped towards Seto. "You? You're my father? I thought… If you're my father, then who is my mother?"
"I think that's enough of a surprise for now," said Seto.
"Please! Tell me! I want to know!" exclaimed Sephiroh.
"I don't know how to answer that, Sephiroh." Seto sighed and looked at Joey. He walked over to Joey and set his hand on his shoulder to help force him to sit again.
"How can you not answer?" asked Sephiroh.
"He doesn't think you'd understand the answer," said Joey, "Besides, your mother is Kate. She's the one who raised you and cared for you all these years."
"Why won't you answer me, uncle Joey? I'll understand! I will… who was she?" asked Sephiroh moving to sit down beside Joey. He looked at the older blond with the cutest puppy dog eyes.
Joey placed a hand on his abdomen. "All right. Fine, Sephiroh. I'll tell you. You don't have a mother."
"Liar!"
"I'm not lying," said Joey, "There was an experimental procedure designed to allow homosexual couples to enjoy the wonder of children. I was a test subject for it. I gave birth to you."
"I don't get it. You are my mother?" asked Sephiroh.
Jono and Justin stared at Joey in shock.
Seto snickered.
"Hey! I like to think of it as being a second father!" Joey smacked Seto lightly. "It isn't funny, Seto!"
"You would think it was funny if he was calling me mother," said Seto sitting down on Joey's other side and reaching for the hand resting against his abdomen. He held it lightly.
Joey smiled. "You're right. I would think that was funny."
"Why didn't you raise him, Joey? Why did you give him to your brother to be raised?" asked Seto.
Joey leaned back against Seto. "I tried… I tried to raise him, but I couldn't do it on my own. I needed you. I'm a lousy parent. I'm sorry."
"I can't have children of my own," said Jono, "So Joey gave me a very priceless gift when he let me raise Sephiroh as my own…"
"Yes. He must love you very much," said Seto, "Sephiroh is your son… and our nephew. Neither of us raised him. We have no right to claim him as our own, but Jono, do not expect us to grace you with anymore of the children we bear. We won't give Sephiroh brothers or sisters, but cousins he'll get."
Joey looked at Seto hopefully. "You mean…?"
"My Blue-Eyes White Dragons won't destroy your life points today, or ever. You belong with me."
Joey cuddled closer to Seto. "I love you, Seto."
"I love you more, Joey."
"I love you most…" Joey's voice cut out when Seto kissed him.
"Ew! Kissing's gross!" Sephiroh stood and hurried from the room.
Joey pulled away from Seto and looked towards the door.
"It's not because you're both guys. He's just at that age," said Jono.
Serenity entered the room carrying a tray of finger sandwiches. She smiled at Seto and Joey. "So Sephiroh said you're back together now. That true?"
"Yes," said Seto.
"Congratulations. You were always really good for each other," said Serenity setting the tray down, "but please try to refrain from kissing and groping in front of the children. We're trying to set a good example."
"But cuddling is okay," said Justin.
"Fair enough," said Seto.
"I'll go help the others bring in the rest of the food and drink," said Serenity. She turned back towards the door. "Just do me a favor, okay? Name your next son after Mokuba."
"Yes," said Joey.
"That would be the perfect way to honor him," whispered Seto into Joey's ear. "I'm glad you came back."
Joey nodded and closed his eyes, resting against Seto. "I'm finally home."