Nameless Memories, what a bizarre title, and you're probably wondering just
why it's called that. Truthfully, I don't know, and doubt I ever will, but
I couldn't think of a title and originally it had been named "Memories of a
Young Boy," but I wanted to change it to "Nameless" instead, and thus,
"Nameless Memories" was born! And I wanted to write a story that wasn't
action oriented or humorous like most of my other stuff. So the reason for
the title eludes me, and I'll probably regret it, but I'm not changing it.
Hey, maybe someone else will figure out just why this name got stuck in my
head!
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! or the characters of Seto and Mokuba Kaiba. But a couple in here are mine, so watch out before you start using the names.
Nameless Memories
Chapter One: The Birth
___________________________
She was celebrating her sixteenth birthday in the delivery room, and in all truth, it sucked. She has having contractions more frequently, and the baby would be here any minute. She should have been out, getting her damn driver's license instead of spending her day in the eighth ring of hell.
Her dark brown hair was wet from her sweat, and her bangs were plastered against her face as she tried to focus and push one more time.
"There you go, come on now, I see the head," the doctor reassured, "Everything's going okay."
"It better be okay," she panted, "That's my baby!" She pushed hard again, her muscles searing, and her back sore with pain. As a matter of fact, all of her was in pain, and the pain didn't decide to stop coming.
She felt she was going to tear in half when the doctor cried, "She's coming out, it's all right. We've got her." Twenty minutes later it was all over.
She fell back hard onto the pillows as she was handed her baby, and the doctor smiled comfortingly at her. "It's a girl?" she asked.
"Um-hmm," the doctor murmured, turning to the nurses, and then walking out. One of the nurses walked up and grasped the child, rinsing it off, and wrapping it in a blanket, handed her back to her mother.
She smiled down at the infant wrapped in a pink blanket in her arms. She was going to put the little girl up for adoption originally, but now, she couldn't bring herself to do it. She had been given this little angel, and it was her responsibility as a new mother to care for it. All of the hurt, the pain, the grief she had gone through for nine months had paid off in this small package, and it was worth it one million times over.
She grasped her baby's tiny hand in her own, and cooed softly. This was her beautiful baby, with her blue eyes, slowly closing into sleep. She kissed her forehead softly as the door opened with a faint click. She turned and looked at him with cold eyes, and he could not find the courage to look back at hers.
He walked up next to her bedside and grazed his finger along the child's soft cheek.
"She looks so much like you," he smiled at her.
She did not return his kind gesture, "You know the only reason you're alive is because you promised to stay with me."
"I didn't mean for it to happen."
"They never do," she said spitefully. "But just to make you feel better I'll tell you that you've ruined any chance I ever had at a life."
"I know. It is my fault," he sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Happy birthday," he kissed her head gently as a nurse came back in.
"Well, it's time to know this little girl's name," she said cheerfully, bringing out a piece of paper.
"A name?" she asked, taken by surprise, "I still haven't decided! Maybe Yukiko, or Raiha, Chiyo, maybe Ristuko, I don't know yet!"
"I know," he said, caressing the baby's face, "Her name is Nepenthe."
"Are you sure?" the nurse asked.
"Yes," he replied firmly.
"All right," the nurse replied, "And your names?"
"Mazaki Anzu," the girl whispered.
"Motou Yugiou," he said.
"So, her name is Motou Nepenthe?" the nurse asked.
"No, it's Mazaki Nepenthe," Anzu said harshly.
"Very well," the nurse said, and after asking several more questions on their address and similar information, left them alone.
"You make me pregnant, and then you name my daughter?" she asked, stunned.
"She deserves to be called Nepenthe," Yugiou responded calmly.
"And why? What makes you think you have the right to name my child?" she asked.
"Our child," Yugiou said. "And she, like the real nepenthe, will be our cause to forget sorrow."
She looked down the sleeping baby as he continued, "And you, why have you chosen to give her your name and not mine?"
"Because we will be moving our separate ways soon, and I do not want her to grow up not knowing where her name has come from," Anzu replied, tears welling at the corner of her eyes. "And I do not want you to grow with this pain as I have and will."
"You're telling me to leave," he said quietly.
She nodded her head slowly, unable to form words yet.
"Then I will go. Please take care of my daughter for me, and love this infant with all that I love her. She is a princess now, royal blood flows in her veins. She is the Daughter of the Son of Ra," he looked at her, his heart slowly withering, "And make sure that you protect yourself too, Anzu, because now will be harder than ever. And. . ."
She looked up at him slowly, as he tried to form the words that might have been his repentance, "I. . .I leave you now." He left then, and no one knew where he went. He never told anyone that night where he had chosen to go; he simply left.
She looked down at the baby sleeping in her arms, "I love him."
She remembered a night almost a year ago, when they had decided to commit to each other, and just how disastrous it had ended up. It was a mistake, but she had known that when it first happened.
The baby stirred gently, opening its eyes, and drifting them onto her. She kissed baby Nepenthe's cheek softly, as the tiny child's hand grasped hers firmly.
And for a second, between just the two of them, she knew it was going to be okay.
+~+~+~+
Yuugi walked up the stairs until he reached her floor. He could have taken the elevator, but he felt he needed to walk off some of his anger. Last night, Anzu had had a baby girl, and Yugiou had left her. The thought of them having been together, even when he had told Yugiou just how much he loved her made him ill, and still did. And now Yugiou was gone, and even Yuugi couldn't sense just where he had gone. But it didn't matter, Anzu had had a baby girl, and it would grow to be just as beautiful as she was. He rounded a hallway, and stopped. He looked at himself in the mirror, wondering just how ready he really was. How was he going to deal with this? He already knew he wouldn't be angry, but he felt so small all of a sudden. Anzu had just been through a pregnancy, and he had just started puberty. He stopped again when he suddenly realized he was at her door. He opened it carefully.
"Yuugi? Is that you?" came a quiet, feminine voice.
"Sure is," he replied cheerfully.
"It's really good to see you," Anzu smiled faintly. Traces of a long night could still be seen in her damp hairline, pale complexion, and the dark circles under her eyes. But she was still lovely, her brown hair loose around her shoulders, and her eyes the same shade of blue that made his heart leap every time he looked in them. She laid still on the bed, the child sleeping in her arms. "You got here just in time, I just finished feeding her."
"Then everything went okay?" Yuugi asked. He felt so much more at ease than he had thought he would. For him, it was just like the regular Anzu, except she was in a hospital with her own child in her arms.
"It was fine, considering what it was," Anzu smiled, a small giggle emerging from her dry lips.
"I'm glad you're okay, and I'm glad the baby is too," he grabbed her hand in both of his own.
"Thanks Yuugi," she said, "You were always there for me, you know? I don't think we would have made it without you," she added, looking down the sleeping baby.
"So, what did you decide on? For a name," Yuugi asked.
"He decided," Anzu said bitterly, "And he named her Nepenthe."
"Oh," Yuugi said, "Well, are you going to-?"
"Going to what?" Anzu asked softly.
"I know earlier you had talked about putting the baby up for adoption," he murmured.
"Yes, I had, but I don't think I will. I'm going to stick with this," she said.
"I'll always be there for you," Yuugi said, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze.
"I know you will," a small tear slid down her cheek. "You always will."
"You're right," Yuugi beamed, "Because there's no way I'd ever let anyone else hurt you."
Suddenly a familiar voice called out, "Hey there! It's Anzu! And a new baby girl!" He was next to Anzu's bed in a heartbeat, accompanied by another boy his age.
"Hey Jounochi," Anzu said, "It's good to see you. Both of you."
Jounochi looked at the baby with all the curiosity and innocence of a little child, "What's her name?"
"Nepenthe."
"That's cool," he said, "Hey Honda, her name's Nepenthe."
"Yeah, I heard, Jou," his friend laughed.
Jounochi pecked the little girl on the forehead, "She's so cute, I know Shizuka's going to want to come and visit you guys a lot. She loves kids."
"That'd be great, Jou," she smiled.
"So what are you going to do now?" Honda asked.
"I don't know," Anzu admitted, "I don't know if I could even go back to school."
"Of course you will," Yuugi said, "But maybe you'll need to find a new school. And your mother, won't she be willing to watch Nepenthe?"
"Of course she will," Anzu said.
"Then you can come back to school. And college too, you can always take night classes," Yuugi said, already thinking.
"Whoa, whoa, calm down, Yuugi," Jounochi clapped his hand on his friend's shoulder. "Let's let things play out for a bit, and then we'll think up how to do this."
"Um, guys? Yeah, hi. Do I get to help plan this at all, huh?" Anzu chuckled. Her friends laughed too, and for the first time in about a year, she was content.
From now on, she was going to have to work twice as hard as most people to achieve anything. But her friends had helped her through so much. When rumors started spreading around their school about her pregnancy, it was Jounochi, Honda, and Yuugi who had stood up for her. And even when it got worse, when rumors were confirmed and she was treated with nothing greater than disrespect, they had always been there. Once, when some guy had called her a good for nothing, she didn't even want to repeat it, it was so filthy, but when Jou got wind of it, he socked the guy right in the face, and was suspended from school for beating the crud out of the guy. When she talked to him about it in the office that day, he had smiled at her from behind his bloody nose and told her flat-out he didn't care he had a suspension.
"Well, you go home tomorrow, don't you?" Honda asked.
"What?" Anzu said, breaking out of her reverie.
"I asked if you went home tomorrow," Honda said.
"Oh, sorry. Yeah, it's tomorrow," she said. "Which is fine with me, I hate this hospital food." A nurse came in with a rolling tray, and Anzu pushed it away in disgust the minute she left.
"Aw, come on, it isn't that bad," Jounochi said.
"Then by all means, take it. It's yours."
"Are you sure?" Jou asked, reaching for a pair of chopsticks.
"Positive," she replied definitively. Immediately, Honda and Jou started attacking the food, slurping down undercooked noodles and ill-prepared sashimi like it was going out of style.
"This is pretty good," Honda remarked.
"Yeah, I don't see what's so bad about it," Jou added.
Yuugi smiled as Anzu stared in disgust as the two finished the dinner off.
"Well then, make sure you come back for dinner," Anzu said.
"Any excuse to come see you," Jounochi said, "And do you need a ride home tomorrow?"
"Jounochi!" she exclaimed, "You just got your license!"
He looked away sheepishly, "Well. . ."
"You haven't changed at all," she sighed, "But my mom's giving me a ride home." Suddenly, the baby woke up, and started crying. "Well, it's time to feed Nepenthe." She looked at them expectantly as they stood there, "Guys I have to feed Nepenthe."
"Oh," Yuugi said, "Right." He waved to Jounochi and Honda, "Let's go guys."
"Right," Jou said, "We'll see you tomorrow, Anzu."
"Bye," she called; opening her nightgown as they left and offering her baby her breast. Nepenthe must not have been very hungry because ten minutes later, she pulled away, and fell back asleep. Anzu readjusted her hospital gown, and fell asleep too, not really realizing they had forgotten it was her birthday.
+~+~+~+~
"Hey you guys! Guys wait up!"
Yuugi, Jounochi, and Honda turned and watched as a boy ran up to them, his hair askew.
"Hey Ryou, what're you doing here?" Yuugi asked.
"It's Anzu's birthday, isn't it?" he asked, holding up a bag filled with presents. "I got some things for her and the baby."
"Oh my God," the boys looked at each other, "We forgot!"
"You didn't!" Ryou cried, "You forgot your best friend's birthday?"
"Well, after the baby was born, and Yugiou left, it just slipped my mind," Yuugi admitted.
"Yugiou's gone? That still doesn't make an adequate excuse," Ryou protested.
"No, it doesn't," Jounochi admitted, "So let's go back and wish her a happy birthday."
They all jogged back to the hospital and back to Anzu's room, where she was fast asleep, Nepenthe crooked in her arm. One by one, they lay the gifts Ryou had bought out, and Ryou let them all sign the card he had bought. As soon as they were done, Ryou brought out a box of homemade cookies, and set them by her bed.
+~+~+~+~
"That was awesome!" Jou cried, "She's going to be so surprised!"
Ryou and Yuugi nodded their agreement and Honda pumped his fist in the air. Jou walked down to his car, and throwing open the door asked, "Anyone needs a ride, I can take ya home?" Ryou and Honda volunteered, but Yuugi decided to walk. He needed time to think anyway. He waved good-bye as the three pulled out, and took off down the street.
He walked silently, kicking a can down the sidewalk until he finally picked it up and threw it away. He had never been truly infuriated by anyone, except maybe by Kaiba or Insector. But what Yugiou had done. He had left her, and he didn't know why. He knew him so well, after all he would expect that, and Yugiou was not the person who would up and leave without reason. But yet, he had. And he had left Anzu, the night she bore his own child, and he couldn't forgive that. He walked on in stony silence, until another boy ran up next to him, about ten years of age.
"Hey Yuugi," he smiled, brushing his black hair out of his eyes.
"Mokuba," Yuugi asked, surprised. "I didn't hear you come up."
"That's okay," he shrugged. "I was just on my way back to oniichan's office when I saw you. Want to walk with me?"
"No," Yuugi apologized, "I'd like to walk on my own. Lost in thought, I guess."
"About what?" Mokuba asked.
"Lot's of stuff," Yuugi said evasively.
"What kind of stuff?" Mokuba pressed.
"Mazaki Anzu had a baby girl last night. Her name is Nepenthe, and she's Yugiou's child," Yuugi said flatly.
Mokuba's eyes went wide and his jaw dropped, "You mean you're friend Anzu? And the Yugiou? What? How come you never told me?"
Yuugi looked at him curiously, "You mean you didn't know? I'm sure your brother knew."
"Seto doesn't tell me anything."
"Then maybe you should ask him, I'm sure he'll know the story. And I'm pretty mad right now, so I don't know how good of company I can make," Yuugi admitted, walking off down another street.
Mokuba ran up to catch him, "Don't be mad at Anzu."
"I'm not."
"Then why do you look so mad?" Mokuba asked, pulling his hair out of his eyes again.
"Listen, I'm sorry, Mokuba. . ."
The boy cut Yuugi off, "If you were sorry, you'd tell me what's going on!"
Yuugi looked hard at him. Mokuba was wearing his typical outfit, blue jeans, red and white striped shirt, black hair covering dark eyes, "Yugiou left last night, Mokuba. And no one knows where he is. He left right after he named Anzu's little girl," Yuugi kicked a nearby stone, "That's why I'm so angry."
"I'd be angry, too," Mokuba said, then looked at his little Timex watch, "Well, I have to go."
"Bye Mokuba, I'll see you round sometime," Yuugi called as the boy ran off.
"Yeah, see you around!" he stopped, "Wait, did you say Anzu's baby was a boy or a girl?"
"A girl," Yuugi shouted back, "Her name is Nepenthe!"
"Thanks!" Mokuba yelled, and ran off into the crowd.
"See you," Yuugi muttered, turning and walking down the road to the Game Shop.
+~+~+~+~
"Listen, Isu-san!" the man cried, "I want their company on their knees at my feet by daybreak tomorrow!"
"Yes sir, I'll make the necessary arrangements tonight," the man named Isu stuttered, turning to leave.
"Very well, and if it's done," the man continued smoothly, "Stocks will go up again."
"Yes sir," Isu-san replied, more assuredly than before.
"You may leave," the man dismissed him.
Mokuba walked down the hallway, into his office, and smiled, "Another one bites the dust, huh?"
"Mokuba," he looked up surprised, "Shouldn't you be at home?"
"I came to see you," he said, "But if you want me to leave-"
"No, that's fine," he remarked, "Go ahead and stay. I'm here for another hour but I'll get Mameha to get something for you."
Mameha was his secretary, and he had been looking at her for the past week. Mokuba knew he had an interest in her, but didn't want to say anything, especially to him. Otherwise, he would have called her by her last name, like everyone else in the office. "Oh well," he thought, "She's really pretty, and fun too." But he said, "No, that's okay Seto. Actually I came here to know if I could go shopping for a little while. And then visit a friend."
"What friend?" Seto looked at him curiously.
"Mazaki Anzu."
"And she is." he looked at her.
"A friend of Yuugi's," Mokuba replied.
Seto winced at the name, "I see. I didn't know her last name was Mazaki. Is she one who's pregnant?"
Mokuba himself cringed at the disgust in Seto's voice when he made the remark, "Yeah, I thought I'd visit her, now that she had her baby."
"And she's still in this town?" Seto asked, curling his lip, "I'm surprised she isn't on the street yet."
"Seto," his brother said, "What are you talking about?"
"Mokuba, what she did was sick, and I have no remorse in saying it," his brother replied simply.
"May I go shopping now?" Mokuba growled.
Seto raised his brow and, reaching in his coat pocket, tossed a small card out to Mokuba, "Its credit is good."
Mokuba pocketed the small credit card, and turned to leave. He made sure he didn't say good-bye.
+~+~+~+~
She was shocked when she woke up. There were presents sitting in the chair, and on her bedside, a small card resting in her lap all with Yuugi, Jounochi, Honda, and Ryou's signatures on it. Looking at the presents she laughed, tears falling down her cheeks. Knowing her friends, Ryou had probably been the only one to remember her birthday and bring gifts, but of course he let the others give them to her. She sat up slowly, and positioning Nepenthe against her chest, reached for them one by one, nibbling on a homemade cookie. They had given her all of her favorite CD's, plus a new one from Matsui Keiko, one of her favorite artists. There were new outfits too, not one maternity outfit, all new clothing that Ryou had picked out himself. But then, that was a good thing; he had the best taste out of all of them. There were baby clothes, too, and even diapers. She giggled as she unwrapped them, waking Nepenthe up. Suddenly she was snapped back to reality and the weight of her situation fell back on her, and she lay back against the pillows, rubbing her forehead as Nepenthe started to cry.
+~+~+~+~
"Thank you," Mokuba said, as the sales clerk finished bringing up the total.
"That comes to 33, 505 yen, sir," she smiled.
Mokuba handed her Seto's card and her smile broadened, "What's your name, little boy?"
"Kaiba Mokuba."
She smiled knowingly, "Oh, I see. Well, have a nice day."
He wheeled his cartful out to his brother's limo, and a man in a simple black tux helped him put away his things. "Shall we return, sir?" the chauffeur asked as Mokuba climbed into the seat.
"No way," he replied, "I'm just getting started."
+~+~+~+~
An hour later, Mokuba had his driver pull up to the hospital and, after employing the help of several others, trudged up the stairs.
He peeped in and noticed Anzu was talking to a little pinkish blob that he guessed was her baby, and opened the door. It was uncomfortable for him to be there, and it wasn't just because he had never been in a hospital before by himself. And to see her sitting there, cradling her own baby was the worst of all. It didn't feel right, like she should be older, or like every other teenage girl, out with friends or at the mall. But here. . .
"Mokuba!" she cried, her face betraying the astonishment she felt, "What are you doing here?"
"Happy birthday!" he shouted, as everyone carrying something came in.
"Mokuba, you didn't!" she gasped, "Where did you get the money for all this?"
"Seto gave it to me. He doesn't know I spent it though, so don't tell him yet, please," Mokuba grinned.
"But this is, it's like a fortune!" she exclaimed.
"Not if you're me," Mokuba said.
"I guess you're right," she acknowledged, sifting through one of the bags.
"Can you take the baby home in this?" he asked, holding up a soft, white dress.
"I suppose I can," she said, holding it against Nepenthe, "She would look good in it, wouldn't she?"
"I think so," Mokuba nodded, "And look what I got for her." He rummaged through several bags before bringing out a small jewelry box. Opening it, he took out two necklaces with a small bunch of flowers carved from sapphire hanging from the chain. And on the back of the arrangement was engraved with each person's name. "There's one for both of you, this one says "Anzu," and this one's for Nepenthe. The store lady said that matching necklaces would be good, so I got them for you."
"Oh, Mokuba," she breathed, pulling the boy next to her, "Thank you so much."
"No problem," he gasped as she gave him a tight hug.
She fastened her necklace on, "Mokuba, this is so wonderful. You're such a good-"
He put his hand gently over her mouth, "No more friend speeches, please."
She blushed, "All right, deal. But thanks, it's not been easy with what's happened."
"I suppose we can see that can't we?" a voice said from the doorway.
"Seto!" Mokuba cried, "Have you come to visit Anzu?"
"Why would I waste my time on such a. . ." he looked at her in disgust, but his lips curved into a malicious smile. "He wouldn't even stay, you must mean so much to him."
"Leave," Anzu said, "If you have nothing to say, then leave." Tears sprung up again, and unknowingly, fell down her cheek. She wiped it away, hoping he wouldn't see, but of course, he had.
"I've said what I need to say. You may have friends here, but out in the real world, you're nothing but a thankless slut," he sneered. "Come on now, Mokuba, it's time to go."
Mokuba stared at his brother as he turned to leave. He had never seen Seto this way, never in his life. Seto wasn't the same as when they had left the orphanage those years ago, and now it seemed a stranger had taken his beloved brother's place.
"No."
"What did you say?" Seto turned around.
"I'm not going home until I'm done visiting Anzu," he replied stolidly.
"Mokuba we're leaving," Seto said, shading his voice.
"I'm not going anywhere," the boy said just as firmly, "Not until you apologize!"
Seto looked from Mokuba to Anzu to the child, and then back to Mokuba, then Anzu, "I have nothing to apologize for." And he turned and left.
Anzu glared hard at the far wall, "Mokuba, you'd better go."
"I'm not leaving yet," he insisted.
"Mokuba, please, you better go. Your brother might leave you."
"That wasn't my brother," he said, turning to the door. "Anzu?"
"Yes?"
"Will you be here when I come back tomorrow?" he asked gravely.
She looked up, stunned, "Of course, I will be."
"All right then," he said, "I have to go."
"Bye, Mokuba."
"Bye, Anzu."
+~+~+~+~
His brother was standing by the door to their limo when Mokuba walked out onto the parking lot.
"Brother, I don't understand you. I've never heard you like that before," Mokuba said, getting in the car.
"Do you realize what she did to conceive that child, and just how young she is, and just how wrong that was? And she didn't mind. Yuugi told me enough," his brother glared at the backseat.
"He didn't tell you enough then," Mokuba said, "Because-"
"Because what?" Seto replied ruthlessly.
Mokuba looked away, unable to hold his brother's gaze, "She didn't mean to."
"Yes, yes she did Mokuba, yes she did." His brother shot back.
They drove the rest of the way in stony silence.
+~+~+~+~
His words still echoed in her head, "You're just a thankless slut." And it hurt her, but what was the worst was that what he had said, all of it was true.
She whispered to the baby, "He's right. I'm nothing but trash. We both are." The infant stirred softly, and with every movement Nepenthe made, and every tear that slipped down her face, she hated herself all the more. Her thoughts were drifting and she felt herself on the verge of madness.
She let out a strangled cry, and slowly sat up, and lay Nepenthe still on the bed. She was so beautiful, sleeping so still. She was a good baby. Anzu got out of bed, and walked to a cabinet, Seto's words still playing in her mind, "You must mean so much to him." He was so bitter, so cynical, so right.
She rummaged through the cabinets, only able to find blankets and swabs. She opened a drawer and found a case for syringes, but it didn't do her any good when there was nothing to fill it with. Sighing, she set it aside and turned to another cabinet. More blankets and hospital gowns. She opened another frantically, and it was just a bunch of books. She pulled open one cabinet, but it stuck, and she noticed it was locked. She could see its contents though, and she needed what was inside there. It was about two inches of space, and she was just able to jam her small hand in there. She grabbed the tiny razor, cutting herself on the rough sides of the cabinet. Her hand free she pulled away the paper wrapping and held the tiny razor in her hand. It was so simple. Just one, two, three quick cuts across her wrist and it was done. She didn't deserve to really live anyway. But to leave Nepenthe. . .no, it was better for her this way. She would have a chance at a normal life, with a real mother and a real father. Yes, she deserved more of a chance than what Anzu herself had now.
She watched as her own blood started to pool on the ground, and she drew the razor over her other wrist. Nepenthe started to shift in her sleep, and slowly, let out several cries.
Anzu shushed her wailing, singing a soft lullaby as she floated out of consciousness.
"Hush little baby, don't you cry. . ."
+~+~+~+~
Yuugi ran down the hallway, into the emergency room. A nurse stood by the door, blocking it. He ran up to her, trying to push her away.
"Let me in!" he cried, "I've got to see her."
"She'll be okay," the nurse said, "Going in there's just going to unnerve the doctors!"
"I don't give hell about the doctors!" Yuugi shouted, "I care about Anzu!"
"Please, sir, sit down," the nurse said, "Or I'm going to have to call security." Yuugi slumped away, and fell into a chair, head in his hands, crying.
"Why did she do this?" he sobbed, "She said she'd be okay."
"Being a mother, especially a teenage mother, is very hard for her," the nurse said, patting his shoulder.
He jerked away, "I don't want to hear it."
The nurse nodded, "The doctor will come out to see you shortly."
Suddenly, the emergency room door opened and Anzu's mother walked out accompanied by a tall doctor.
"Oh Yuugi," she sighed, "Thank God."
"What's going on, Mazaki-san?" Yuugi asked, "What did Anzu do?"
"She tried to kill herself," her mother said.
"I know, but why?" Yuugi started.
Her mother looked away, "I don't know. She slashed each wrist at least three times, and she's lost a lot of blood. I don't know if she'll-" At the last part she broke off and sat down heavily in a chair, weeping.
The doctor that had accompanied her out continued, "Now, I understand you're a friend of Anzu's?"
"Yes, I'm Motou Yuugi."
"All right, Motou-san. In truth, Anzu isn't doing very well. She sliced through two main veins, and has lost a lot of blood. We've got her on a machine right now, but we're not sure she'll make it. We're doing everything we can. It's up to her now," the doctor said.
"And the baby?" Yuugi asked. Anzu's mother looked up, trying to wipe her tear-stained face with a tissue but instead smudged it.
"The baby's just fine, Anzu left her alone. She was only trying to attack herself," the doctor sighed, standing up and leaving for the emergency room.
"Doctor," Yuugi said. "Let me in the Emergency Room, please? I have to see her."
"Are you a relation?" the doctor asked.
"No, but I need to see her," Yuugi pleaded.
"I can't, I'm sorry," the doctor said.
"No doctor, let him in. If it's up to Anzu to decided whether or not she's going to live, she'll need Yuugi to be with her," Anzu's mother said.
"Thanks Naomi-san," Yuugi said to the woman.
"Save my baby," she pleaded.
"Very well. Come on," the doctor said, leading Yuugi down an empty hallway. It was painted white, and everything was blank. A cart was pushed by them, one wheel squeaking irregularly: a cold, clattering sound. He was overcome by the barrenness of the place, and how it contrasted with the love and understanding that doctors are so acclaimed for. Someone handed him a smock-like garment, and cotton mouth covering, and from there was taken into Anzu's room.
She was sleeping on the bed, bandages bound around one her wrists as a doctor finished suturing the other. He watched in sick disgust as the man worked, trying to keep a face of professional interest that he hoped didn't look as sick and phony as it felt. Finally, both of her arms were bandaged, and Yuugi had time to speak to her.
He pulled off the cotton mask, "Anzu, it's me-" he stopped as a nurse came in and fixed another IV in her arm. He looked away in repulsion, still sick with the though of his best friend's suffering.
As soon as she left he continued, "Hey Anzu, it's just me, Yuugi. I guess, I guess I'm going to talk to you for a little while, since that's about all I can do." She gave no response at all as he talked, "I know you can make it, and you can't hurt yourself for someone else's sins. Anzu, you can make up what you've done. All you have to do is raise that little girl. And then, you can forgive yourself, I've already forgiven you, if there's anything to forgive, and all of your friends have too. And who else matters? Who really is there? Who made you do this, Anzu, and why are you hurting yourself? Do you want Nepenthe to grow up without a mother? It's bad enough she doesn't have a father. I know what it's like to not have parents, and it's horrible to know that they're gone. You deserve a chance to live, please, Anzu take it. For me."
He squeezed her hand, and crying, said, "You know I love you Anzu, ever since high school started, and you told me you wanted to be a dancer. And I'm not going to stop loving you just because you have a little girl. You're beautiful, intelligent, funny, and I can't think of a time when you haven't been there for me. Your all that matters right now, and I want you to be okay." He pressed her thin hand against both of his, and stayed. He swore silently to her that he wouldn't leave her side, and he wouldn't until she was with him again.
+~+~+~+~
Whoa, whoa, whoa! Holy cow, I can't believe I just wrote that! Wow! Poor Anzu, look what I've done to her. Pregnant and suicidal! Yipe! And Seto, wow, he's evil! And he's my favorite character! Okay, I have a reason, mainly it being that Seto's at his best when he's at his worst. But all right, please review, this is a story I'm kind of curious to see just how it results. And go ahead, this might be one where I welcome flames.
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! or the characters of Seto and Mokuba Kaiba. But a couple in here are mine, so watch out before you start using the names.
Nameless Memories
Chapter One: The Birth
___________________________
She was celebrating her sixteenth birthday in the delivery room, and in all truth, it sucked. She has having contractions more frequently, and the baby would be here any minute. She should have been out, getting her damn driver's license instead of spending her day in the eighth ring of hell.
Her dark brown hair was wet from her sweat, and her bangs were plastered against her face as she tried to focus and push one more time.
"There you go, come on now, I see the head," the doctor reassured, "Everything's going okay."
"It better be okay," she panted, "That's my baby!" She pushed hard again, her muscles searing, and her back sore with pain. As a matter of fact, all of her was in pain, and the pain didn't decide to stop coming.
She felt she was going to tear in half when the doctor cried, "She's coming out, it's all right. We've got her." Twenty minutes later it was all over.
She fell back hard onto the pillows as she was handed her baby, and the doctor smiled comfortingly at her. "It's a girl?" she asked.
"Um-hmm," the doctor murmured, turning to the nurses, and then walking out. One of the nurses walked up and grasped the child, rinsing it off, and wrapping it in a blanket, handed her back to her mother.
She smiled down at the infant wrapped in a pink blanket in her arms. She was going to put the little girl up for adoption originally, but now, she couldn't bring herself to do it. She had been given this little angel, and it was her responsibility as a new mother to care for it. All of the hurt, the pain, the grief she had gone through for nine months had paid off in this small package, and it was worth it one million times over.
She grasped her baby's tiny hand in her own, and cooed softly. This was her beautiful baby, with her blue eyes, slowly closing into sleep. She kissed her forehead softly as the door opened with a faint click. She turned and looked at him with cold eyes, and he could not find the courage to look back at hers.
He walked up next to her bedside and grazed his finger along the child's soft cheek.
"She looks so much like you," he smiled at her.
She did not return his kind gesture, "You know the only reason you're alive is because you promised to stay with me."
"I didn't mean for it to happen."
"They never do," she said spitefully. "But just to make you feel better I'll tell you that you've ruined any chance I ever had at a life."
"I know. It is my fault," he sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Happy birthday," he kissed her head gently as a nurse came back in.
"Well, it's time to know this little girl's name," she said cheerfully, bringing out a piece of paper.
"A name?" she asked, taken by surprise, "I still haven't decided! Maybe Yukiko, or Raiha, Chiyo, maybe Ristuko, I don't know yet!"
"I know," he said, caressing the baby's face, "Her name is Nepenthe."
"Are you sure?" the nurse asked.
"Yes," he replied firmly.
"All right," the nurse replied, "And your names?"
"Mazaki Anzu," the girl whispered.
"Motou Yugiou," he said.
"So, her name is Motou Nepenthe?" the nurse asked.
"No, it's Mazaki Nepenthe," Anzu said harshly.
"Very well," the nurse said, and after asking several more questions on their address and similar information, left them alone.
"You make me pregnant, and then you name my daughter?" she asked, stunned.
"She deserves to be called Nepenthe," Yugiou responded calmly.
"And why? What makes you think you have the right to name my child?" she asked.
"Our child," Yugiou said. "And she, like the real nepenthe, will be our cause to forget sorrow."
She looked down the sleeping baby as he continued, "And you, why have you chosen to give her your name and not mine?"
"Because we will be moving our separate ways soon, and I do not want her to grow up not knowing where her name has come from," Anzu replied, tears welling at the corner of her eyes. "And I do not want you to grow with this pain as I have and will."
"You're telling me to leave," he said quietly.
She nodded her head slowly, unable to form words yet.
"Then I will go. Please take care of my daughter for me, and love this infant with all that I love her. She is a princess now, royal blood flows in her veins. She is the Daughter of the Son of Ra," he looked at her, his heart slowly withering, "And make sure that you protect yourself too, Anzu, because now will be harder than ever. And. . ."
She looked up at him slowly, as he tried to form the words that might have been his repentance, "I. . .I leave you now." He left then, and no one knew where he went. He never told anyone that night where he had chosen to go; he simply left.
She looked down at the baby sleeping in her arms, "I love him."
She remembered a night almost a year ago, when they had decided to commit to each other, and just how disastrous it had ended up. It was a mistake, but she had known that when it first happened.
The baby stirred gently, opening its eyes, and drifting them onto her. She kissed baby Nepenthe's cheek softly, as the tiny child's hand grasped hers firmly.
And for a second, between just the two of them, she knew it was going to be okay.
+~+~+~+
Yuugi walked up the stairs until he reached her floor. He could have taken the elevator, but he felt he needed to walk off some of his anger. Last night, Anzu had had a baby girl, and Yugiou had left her. The thought of them having been together, even when he had told Yugiou just how much he loved her made him ill, and still did. And now Yugiou was gone, and even Yuugi couldn't sense just where he had gone. But it didn't matter, Anzu had had a baby girl, and it would grow to be just as beautiful as she was. He rounded a hallway, and stopped. He looked at himself in the mirror, wondering just how ready he really was. How was he going to deal with this? He already knew he wouldn't be angry, but he felt so small all of a sudden. Anzu had just been through a pregnancy, and he had just started puberty. He stopped again when he suddenly realized he was at her door. He opened it carefully.
"Yuugi? Is that you?" came a quiet, feminine voice.
"Sure is," he replied cheerfully.
"It's really good to see you," Anzu smiled faintly. Traces of a long night could still be seen in her damp hairline, pale complexion, and the dark circles under her eyes. But she was still lovely, her brown hair loose around her shoulders, and her eyes the same shade of blue that made his heart leap every time he looked in them. She laid still on the bed, the child sleeping in her arms. "You got here just in time, I just finished feeding her."
"Then everything went okay?" Yuugi asked. He felt so much more at ease than he had thought he would. For him, it was just like the regular Anzu, except she was in a hospital with her own child in her arms.
"It was fine, considering what it was," Anzu smiled, a small giggle emerging from her dry lips.
"I'm glad you're okay, and I'm glad the baby is too," he grabbed her hand in both of his own.
"Thanks Yuugi," she said, "You were always there for me, you know? I don't think we would have made it without you," she added, looking down the sleeping baby.
"So, what did you decide on? For a name," Yuugi asked.
"He decided," Anzu said bitterly, "And he named her Nepenthe."
"Oh," Yuugi said, "Well, are you going to-?"
"Going to what?" Anzu asked softly.
"I know earlier you had talked about putting the baby up for adoption," he murmured.
"Yes, I had, but I don't think I will. I'm going to stick with this," she said.
"I'll always be there for you," Yuugi said, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze.
"I know you will," a small tear slid down her cheek. "You always will."
"You're right," Yuugi beamed, "Because there's no way I'd ever let anyone else hurt you."
Suddenly a familiar voice called out, "Hey there! It's Anzu! And a new baby girl!" He was next to Anzu's bed in a heartbeat, accompanied by another boy his age.
"Hey Jounochi," Anzu said, "It's good to see you. Both of you."
Jounochi looked at the baby with all the curiosity and innocence of a little child, "What's her name?"
"Nepenthe."
"That's cool," he said, "Hey Honda, her name's Nepenthe."
"Yeah, I heard, Jou," his friend laughed.
Jounochi pecked the little girl on the forehead, "She's so cute, I know Shizuka's going to want to come and visit you guys a lot. She loves kids."
"That'd be great, Jou," she smiled.
"So what are you going to do now?" Honda asked.
"I don't know," Anzu admitted, "I don't know if I could even go back to school."
"Of course you will," Yuugi said, "But maybe you'll need to find a new school. And your mother, won't she be willing to watch Nepenthe?"
"Of course she will," Anzu said.
"Then you can come back to school. And college too, you can always take night classes," Yuugi said, already thinking.
"Whoa, whoa, calm down, Yuugi," Jounochi clapped his hand on his friend's shoulder. "Let's let things play out for a bit, and then we'll think up how to do this."
"Um, guys? Yeah, hi. Do I get to help plan this at all, huh?" Anzu chuckled. Her friends laughed too, and for the first time in about a year, she was content.
From now on, she was going to have to work twice as hard as most people to achieve anything. But her friends had helped her through so much. When rumors started spreading around their school about her pregnancy, it was Jounochi, Honda, and Yuugi who had stood up for her. And even when it got worse, when rumors were confirmed and she was treated with nothing greater than disrespect, they had always been there. Once, when some guy had called her a good for nothing, she didn't even want to repeat it, it was so filthy, but when Jou got wind of it, he socked the guy right in the face, and was suspended from school for beating the crud out of the guy. When she talked to him about it in the office that day, he had smiled at her from behind his bloody nose and told her flat-out he didn't care he had a suspension.
"Well, you go home tomorrow, don't you?" Honda asked.
"What?" Anzu said, breaking out of her reverie.
"I asked if you went home tomorrow," Honda said.
"Oh, sorry. Yeah, it's tomorrow," she said. "Which is fine with me, I hate this hospital food." A nurse came in with a rolling tray, and Anzu pushed it away in disgust the minute she left.
"Aw, come on, it isn't that bad," Jounochi said.
"Then by all means, take it. It's yours."
"Are you sure?" Jou asked, reaching for a pair of chopsticks.
"Positive," she replied definitively. Immediately, Honda and Jou started attacking the food, slurping down undercooked noodles and ill-prepared sashimi like it was going out of style.
"This is pretty good," Honda remarked.
"Yeah, I don't see what's so bad about it," Jou added.
Yuugi smiled as Anzu stared in disgust as the two finished the dinner off.
"Well then, make sure you come back for dinner," Anzu said.
"Any excuse to come see you," Jounochi said, "And do you need a ride home tomorrow?"
"Jounochi!" she exclaimed, "You just got your license!"
He looked away sheepishly, "Well. . ."
"You haven't changed at all," she sighed, "But my mom's giving me a ride home." Suddenly, the baby woke up, and started crying. "Well, it's time to feed Nepenthe." She looked at them expectantly as they stood there, "Guys I have to feed Nepenthe."
"Oh," Yuugi said, "Right." He waved to Jounochi and Honda, "Let's go guys."
"Right," Jou said, "We'll see you tomorrow, Anzu."
"Bye," she called; opening her nightgown as they left and offering her baby her breast. Nepenthe must not have been very hungry because ten minutes later, she pulled away, and fell back asleep. Anzu readjusted her hospital gown, and fell asleep too, not really realizing they had forgotten it was her birthday.
+~+~+~+~
"Hey you guys! Guys wait up!"
Yuugi, Jounochi, and Honda turned and watched as a boy ran up to them, his hair askew.
"Hey Ryou, what're you doing here?" Yuugi asked.
"It's Anzu's birthday, isn't it?" he asked, holding up a bag filled with presents. "I got some things for her and the baby."
"Oh my God," the boys looked at each other, "We forgot!"
"You didn't!" Ryou cried, "You forgot your best friend's birthday?"
"Well, after the baby was born, and Yugiou left, it just slipped my mind," Yuugi admitted.
"Yugiou's gone? That still doesn't make an adequate excuse," Ryou protested.
"No, it doesn't," Jounochi admitted, "So let's go back and wish her a happy birthday."
They all jogged back to the hospital and back to Anzu's room, where she was fast asleep, Nepenthe crooked in her arm. One by one, they lay the gifts Ryou had bought out, and Ryou let them all sign the card he had bought. As soon as they were done, Ryou brought out a box of homemade cookies, and set them by her bed.
+~+~+~+~
"That was awesome!" Jou cried, "She's going to be so surprised!"
Ryou and Yuugi nodded their agreement and Honda pumped his fist in the air. Jou walked down to his car, and throwing open the door asked, "Anyone needs a ride, I can take ya home?" Ryou and Honda volunteered, but Yuugi decided to walk. He needed time to think anyway. He waved good-bye as the three pulled out, and took off down the street.
He walked silently, kicking a can down the sidewalk until he finally picked it up and threw it away. He had never been truly infuriated by anyone, except maybe by Kaiba or Insector. But what Yugiou had done. He had left her, and he didn't know why. He knew him so well, after all he would expect that, and Yugiou was not the person who would up and leave without reason. But yet, he had. And he had left Anzu, the night she bore his own child, and he couldn't forgive that. He walked on in stony silence, until another boy ran up next to him, about ten years of age.
"Hey Yuugi," he smiled, brushing his black hair out of his eyes.
"Mokuba," Yuugi asked, surprised. "I didn't hear you come up."
"That's okay," he shrugged. "I was just on my way back to oniichan's office when I saw you. Want to walk with me?"
"No," Yuugi apologized, "I'd like to walk on my own. Lost in thought, I guess."
"About what?" Mokuba asked.
"Lot's of stuff," Yuugi said evasively.
"What kind of stuff?" Mokuba pressed.
"Mazaki Anzu had a baby girl last night. Her name is Nepenthe, and she's Yugiou's child," Yuugi said flatly.
Mokuba's eyes went wide and his jaw dropped, "You mean you're friend Anzu? And the Yugiou? What? How come you never told me?"
Yuugi looked at him curiously, "You mean you didn't know? I'm sure your brother knew."
"Seto doesn't tell me anything."
"Then maybe you should ask him, I'm sure he'll know the story. And I'm pretty mad right now, so I don't know how good of company I can make," Yuugi admitted, walking off down another street.
Mokuba ran up to catch him, "Don't be mad at Anzu."
"I'm not."
"Then why do you look so mad?" Mokuba asked, pulling his hair out of his eyes again.
"Listen, I'm sorry, Mokuba. . ."
The boy cut Yuugi off, "If you were sorry, you'd tell me what's going on!"
Yuugi looked hard at him. Mokuba was wearing his typical outfit, blue jeans, red and white striped shirt, black hair covering dark eyes, "Yugiou left last night, Mokuba. And no one knows where he is. He left right after he named Anzu's little girl," Yuugi kicked a nearby stone, "That's why I'm so angry."
"I'd be angry, too," Mokuba said, then looked at his little Timex watch, "Well, I have to go."
"Bye Mokuba, I'll see you round sometime," Yuugi called as the boy ran off.
"Yeah, see you around!" he stopped, "Wait, did you say Anzu's baby was a boy or a girl?"
"A girl," Yuugi shouted back, "Her name is Nepenthe!"
"Thanks!" Mokuba yelled, and ran off into the crowd.
"See you," Yuugi muttered, turning and walking down the road to the Game Shop.
+~+~+~+~
"Listen, Isu-san!" the man cried, "I want their company on their knees at my feet by daybreak tomorrow!"
"Yes sir, I'll make the necessary arrangements tonight," the man named Isu stuttered, turning to leave.
"Very well, and if it's done," the man continued smoothly, "Stocks will go up again."
"Yes sir," Isu-san replied, more assuredly than before.
"You may leave," the man dismissed him.
Mokuba walked down the hallway, into his office, and smiled, "Another one bites the dust, huh?"
"Mokuba," he looked up surprised, "Shouldn't you be at home?"
"I came to see you," he said, "But if you want me to leave-"
"No, that's fine," he remarked, "Go ahead and stay. I'm here for another hour but I'll get Mameha to get something for you."
Mameha was his secretary, and he had been looking at her for the past week. Mokuba knew he had an interest in her, but didn't want to say anything, especially to him. Otherwise, he would have called her by her last name, like everyone else in the office. "Oh well," he thought, "She's really pretty, and fun too." But he said, "No, that's okay Seto. Actually I came here to know if I could go shopping for a little while. And then visit a friend."
"What friend?" Seto looked at him curiously.
"Mazaki Anzu."
"And she is." he looked at her.
"A friend of Yuugi's," Mokuba replied.
Seto winced at the name, "I see. I didn't know her last name was Mazaki. Is she one who's pregnant?"
Mokuba himself cringed at the disgust in Seto's voice when he made the remark, "Yeah, I thought I'd visit her, now that she had her baby."
"And she's still in this town?" Seto asked, curling his lip, "I'm surprised she isn't on the street yet."
"Seto," his brother said, "What are you talking about?"
"Mokuba, what she did was sick, and I have no remorse in saying it," his brother replied simply.
"May I go shopping now?" Mokuba growled.
Seto raised his brow and, reaching in his coat pocket, tossed a small card out to Mokuba, "Its credit is good."
Mokuba pocketed the small credit card, and turned to leave. He made sure he didn't say good-bye.
+~+~+~+~
She was shocked when she woke up. There were presents sitting in the chair, and on her bedside, a small card resting in her lap all with Yuugi, Jounochi, Honda, and Ryou's signatures on it. Looking at the presents she laughed, tears falling down her cheeks. Knowing her friends, Ryou had probably been the only one to remember her birthday and bring gifts, but of course he let the others give them to her. She sat up slowly, and positioning Nepenthe against her chest, reached for them one by one, nibbling on a homemade cookie. They had given her all of her favorite CD's, plus a new one from Matsui Keiko, one of her favorite artists. There were new outfits too, not one maternity outfit, all new clothing that Ryou had picked out himself. But then, that was a good thing; he had the best taste out of all of them. There were baby clothes, too, and even diapers. She giggled as she unwrapped them, waking Nepenthe up. Suddenly she was snapped back to reality and the weight of her situation fell back on her, and she lay back against the pillows, rubbing her forehead as Nepenthe started to cry.
+~+~+~+~
"Thank you," Mokuba said, as the sales clerk finished bringing up the total.
"That comes to 33, 505 yen, sir," she smiled.
Mokuba handed her Seto's card and her smile broadened, "What's your name, little boy?"
"Kaiba Mokuba."
She smiled knowingly, "Oh, I see. Well, have a nice day."
He wheeled his cartful out to his brother's limo, and a man in a simple black tux helped him put away his things. "Shall we return, sir?" the chauffeur asked as Mokuba climbed into the seat.
"No way," he replied, "I'm just getting started."
+~+~+~+~
An hour later, Mokuba had his driver pull up to the hospital and, after employing the help of several others, trudged up the stairs.
He peeped in and noticed Anzu was talking to a little pinkish blob that he guessed was her baby, and opened the door. It was uncomfortable for him to be there, and it wasn't just because he had never been in a hospital before by himself. And to see her sitting there, cradling her own baby was the worst of all. It didn't feel right, like she should be older, or like every other teenage girl, out with friends or at the mall. But here. . .
"Mokuba!" she cried, her face betraying the astonishment she felt, "What are you doing here?"
"Happy birthday!" he shouted, as everyone carrying something came in.
"Mokuba, you didn't!" she gasped, "Where did you get the money for all this?"
"Seto gave it to me. He doesn't know I spent it though, so don't tell him yet, please," Mokuba grinned.
"But this is, it's like a fortune!" she exclaimed.
"Not if you're me," Mokuba said.
"I guess you're right," she acknowledged, sifting through one of the bags.
"Can you take the baby home in this?" he asked, holding up a soft, white dress.
"I suppose I can," she said, holding it against Nepenthe, "She would look good in it, wouldn't she?"
"I think so," Mokuba nodded, "And look what I got for her." He rummaged through several bags before bringing out a small jewelry box. Opening it, he took out two necklaces with a small bunch of flowers carved from sapphire hanging from the chain. And on the back of the arrangement was engraved with each person's name. "There's one for both of you, this one says "Anzu," and this one's for Nepenthe. The store lady said that matching necklaces would be good, so I got them for you."
"Oh, Mokuba," she breathed, pulling the boy next to her, "Thank you so much."
"No problem," he gasped as she gave him a tight hug.
She fastened her necklace on, "Mokuba, this is so wonderful. You're such a good-"
He put his hand gently over her mouth, "No more friend speeches, please."
She blushed, "All right, deal. But thanks, it's not been easy with what's happened."
"I suppose we can see that can't we?" a voice said from the doorway.
"Seto!" Mokuba cried, "Have you come to visit Anzu?"
"Why would I waste my time on such a. . ." he looked at her in disgust, but his lips curved into a malicious smile. "He wouldn't even stay, you must mean so much to him."
"Leave," Anzu said, "If you have nothing to say, then leave." Tears sprung up again, and unknowingly, fell down her cheek. She wiped it away, hoping he wouldn't see, but of course, he had.
"I've said what I need to say. You may have friends here, but out in the real world, you're nothing but a thankless slut," he sneered. "Come on now, Mokuba, it's time to go."
Mokuba stared at his brother as he turned to leave. He had never seen Seto this way, never in his life. Seto wasn't the same as when they had left the orphanage those years ago, and now it seemed a stranger had taken his beloved brother's place.
"No."
"What did you say?" Seto turned around.
"I'm not going home until I'm done visiting Anzu," he replied stolidly.
"Mokuba we're leaving," Seto said, shading his voice.
"I'm not going anywhere," the boy said just as firmly, "Not until you apologize!"
Seto looked from Mokuba to Anzu to the child, and then back to Mokuba, then Anzu, "I have nothing to apologize for." And he turned and left.
Anzu glared hard at the far wall, "Mokuba, you'd better go."
"I'm not leaving yet," he insisted.
"Mokuba, please, you better go. Your brother might leave you."
"That wasn't my brother," he said, turning to the door. "Anzu?"
"Yes?"
"Will you be here when I come back tomorrow?" he asked gravely.
She looked up, stunned, "Of course, I will be."
"All right then," he said, "I have to go."
"Bye, Mokuba."
"Bye, Anzu."
+~+~+~+~
His brother was standing by the door to their limo when Mokuba walked out onto the parking lot.
"Brother, I don't understand you. I've never heard you like that before," Mokuba said, getting in the car.
"Do you realize what she did to conceive that child, and just how young she is, and just how wrong that was? And she didn't mind. Yuugi told me enough," his brother glared at the backseat.
"He didn't tell you enough then," Mokuba said, "Because-"
"Because what?" Seto replied ruthlessly.
Mokuba looked away, unable to hold his brother's gaze, "She didn't mean to."
"Yes, yes she did Mokuba, yes she did." His brother shot back.
They drove the rest of the way in stony silence.
+~+~+~+~
His words still echoed in her head, "You're just a thankless slut." And it hurt her, but what was the worst was that what he had said, all of it was true.
She whispered to the baby, "He's right. I'm nothing but trash. We both are." The infant stirred softly, and with every movement Nepenthe made, and every tear that slipped down her face, she hated herself all the more. Her thoughts were drifting and she felt herself on the verge of madness.
She let out a strangled cry, and slowly sat up, and lay Nepenthe still on the bed. She was so beautiful, sleeping so still. She was a good baby. Anzu got out of bed, and walked to a cabinet, Seto's words still playing in her mind, "You must mean so much to him." He was so bitter, so cynical, so right.
She rummaged through the cabinets, only able to find blankets and swabs. She opened a drawer and found a case for syringes, but it didn't do her any good when there was nothing to fill it with. Sighing, she set it aside and turned to another cabinet. More blankets and hospital gowns. She opened another frantically, and it was just a bunch of books. She pulled open one cabinet, but it stuck, and she noticed it was locked. She could see its contents though, and she needed what was inside there. It was about two inches of space, and she was just able to jam her small hand in there. She grabbed the tiny razor, cutting herself on the rough sides of the cabinet. Her hand free she pulled away the paper wrapping and held the tiny razor in her hand. It was so simple. Just one, two, three quick cuts across her wrist and it was done. She didn't deserve to really live anyway. But to leave Nepenthe. . .no, it was better for her this way. She would have a chance at a normal life, with a real mother and a real father. Yes, she deserved more of a chance than what Anzu herself had now.
She watched as her own blood started to pool on the ground, and she drew the razor over her other wrist. Nepenthe started to shift in her sleep, and slowly, let out several cries.
Anzu shushed her wailing, singing a soft lullaby as she floated out of consciousness.
"Hush little baby, don't you cry. . ."
+~+~+~+~
Yuugi ran down the hallway, into the emergency room. A nurse stood by the door, blocking it. He ran up to her, trying to push her away.
"Let me in!" he cried, "I've got to see her."
"She'll be okay," the nurse said, "Going in there's just going to unnerve the doctors!"
"I don't give hell about the doctors!" Yuugi shouted, "I care about Anzu!"
"Please, sir, sit down," the nurse said, "Or I'm going to have to call security." Yuugi slumped away, and fell into a chair, head in his hands, crying.
"Why did she do this?" he sobbed, "She said she'd be okay."
"Being a mother, especially a teenage mother, is very hard for her," the nurse said, patting his shoulder.
He jerked away, "I don't want to hear it."
The nurse nodded, "The doctor will come out to see you shortly."
Suddenly, the emergency room door opened and Anzu's mother walked out accompanied by a tall doctor.
"Oh Yuugi," she sighed, "Thank God."
"What's going on, Mazaki-san?" Yuugi asked, "What did Anzu do?"
"She tried to kill herself," her mother said.
"I know, but why?" Yuugi started.
Her mother looked away, "I don't know. She slashed each wrist at least three times, and she's lost a lot of blood. I don't know if she'll-" At the last part she broke off and sat down heavily in a chair, weeping.
The doctor that had accompanied her out continued, "Now, I understand you're a friend of Anzu's?"
"Yes, I'm Motou Yuugi."
"All right, Motou-san. In truth, Anzu isn't doing very well. She sliced through two main veins, and has lost a lot of blood. We've got her on a machine right now, but we're not sure she'll make it. We're doing everything we can. It's up to her now," the doctor said.
"And the baby?" Yuugi asked. Anzu's mother looked up, trying to wipe her tear-stained face with a tissue but instead smudged it.
"The baby's just fine, Anzu left her alone. She was only trying to attack herself," the doctor sighed, standing up and leaving for the emergency room.
"Doctor," Yuugi said. "Let me in the Emergency Room, please? I have to see her."
"Are you a relation?" the doctor asked.
"No, but I need to see her," Yuugi pleaded.
"I can't, I'm sorry," the doctor said.
"No doctor, let him in. If it's up to Anzu to decided whether or not she's going to live, she'll need Yuugi to be with her," Anzu's mother said.
"Thanks Naomi-san," Yuugi said to the woman.
"Save my baby," she pleaded.
"Very well. Come on," the doctor said, leading Yuugi down an empty hallway. It was painted white, and everything was blank. A cart was pushed by them, one wheel squeaking irregularly: a cold, clattering sound. He was overcome by the barrenness of the place, and how it contrasted with the love and understanding that doctors are so acclaimed for. Someone handed him a smock-like garment, and cotton mouth covering, and from there was taken into Anzu's room.
She was sleeping on the bed, bandages bound around one her wrists as a doctor finished suturing the other. He watched in sick disgust as the man worked, trying to keep a face of professional interest that he hoped didn't look as sick and phony as it felt. Finally, both of her arms were bandaged, and Yuugi had time to speak to her.
He pulled off the cotton mask, "Anzu, it's me-" he stopped as a nurse came in and fixed another IV in her arm. He looked away in repulsion, still sick with the though of his best friend's suffering.
As soon as she left he continued, "Hey Anzu, it's just me, Yuugi. I guess, I guess I'm going to talk to you for a little while, since that's about all I can do." She gave no response at all as he talked, "I know you can make it, and you can't hurt yourself for someone else's sins. Anzu, you can make up what you've done. All you have to do is raise that little girl. And then, you can forgive yourself, I've already forgiven you, if there's anything to forgive, and all of your friends have too. And who else matters? Who really is there? Who made you do this, Anzu, and why are you hurting yourself? Do you want Nepenthe to grow up without a mother? It's bad enough she doesn't have a father. I know what it's like to not have parents, and it's horrible to know that they're gone. You deserve a chance to live, please, Anzu take it. For me."
He squeezed her hand, and crying, said, "You know I love you Anzu, ever since high school started, and you told me you wanted to be a dancer. And I'm not going to stop loving you just because you have a little girl. You're beautiful, intelligent, funny, and I can't think of a time when you haven't been there for me. Your all that matters right now, and I want you to be okay." He pressed her thin hand against both of his, and stayed. He swore silently to her that he wouldn't leave her side, and he wouldn't until she was with him again.
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Whoa, whoa, whoa! Holy cow, I can't believe I just wrote that! Wow! Poor Anzu, look what I've done to her. Pregnant and suicidal! Yipe! And Seto, wow, he's evil! And he's my favorite character! Okay, I have a reason, mainly it being that Seto's at his best when he's at his worst. But all right, please review, this is a story I'm kind of curious to see just how it results. And go ahead, this might be one where I welcome flames.