My Dear Son
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh at all! . .
BE Dragon: Ahem! Hehehe. Thank you all that voted! It was a tight match between B and C! But you all might no which one won... .:whispers:. if I had a D, that would have won too... .:shifty eyes:.
This one review though, that I couldn't reply to caught my attention, and I really wanted to reply to this review.(If I didn't reply to your earlier reviews, I am really really really sorry! I promise to reply to your reviews from now on. I just forgot which ones I have replied to and which I haven't. Sorry again.)
S2Teenovelist: Your grandpa's a lawyer? My dad is one too. He works under child protection laws and such. He has had cases like these before and I have actually printed out the story(took out the bad dialog though) and let him read it so he could tell me how the case might have gone. He did read it and told me how the case went. It was raw though so I didn't get to actually see it. But he told me that the outcome I put would be the real outcome. I was shocked though because at first I though I might have to bend a few things here and there to make Atem lose the case or something.(which is something I didn't want to do.)
You pointed out the child gets an opinion. Sadly. The child has to be about six and up to be able to chose which home he or she would rather be in. Or at least five. In this fic, I put Yugi was four... which honestly was a mistake. I thought that I might have been able to put that Yugi had a right to say that he waned to go with Atem, but I was sadly mistaken.
Also to be able to prove that either family, or father in this fanfic, was eligible to be a caretaker for Yugi they would each need a witness that they were doing a good job of being a father. I sadly didn't have a character to go up as a witness on Mark's side except for maybe patients that he had taken care of, but that would have tipped it to Mark's benefit.
I know. The court case didn't go as planned. If I could have, I would have gone into an open child custody court case, but with school and stuff, I wouldn't have been able too. If I do get the chance to, I will re-write that chapter to make it more detailed and better. But for now, I had to stick with a second hand case.
Please, S2Teenovelist, I hope I haven't offended you or anything. I just need to point those things out. Loved your review as well as everyone else's. Thank you for your review. That was very perceptive of you and wouldn't have though anyone would have caught those same things you pointed out. You get a gold sticker for that! .:gives S2Teenovelist gold sticker:.
I have to go give my friend a rainbow sticker, and I'm running low on them now! Lol. Well you all go read the rest of this chapter! Again, s2Teenovelist, please don't be offended. If I sounded mean, I didn't mean to. I really really didn't want to... sometimes I sound mean, but I'm not even trying to be mean. Sorry if I did offend you. .:bows several times:.
On with the fic!
—One month later— December 10—
Mark Smith sighed as he watched his son sitting in front of the window like he always did during the days. Nothing seemed to reach out to the little boy. And he tried many things. He tried: movies, games, toys, books, everything! Nothing took the boy's attention away from the window where snow was falling outside.
He looked to his wife who was at the moment reading a book on parenting and other things. He smiled to himself, but it was a small smile. He looked back to his son and watched him a bit more before sighing again and getting up from the brown couch he had been sitting on. "I'm going to bed." he muttered as he walked up the steps and into his room.
Mekina looked up from the book and heard the door to her's and Mark's room close with a small click. She looked over to little Yugi who hadn't even noticed that his father left the room, probably didn't even hear Mark say anything either.
"Yugi?" she called to the him in a small voice. When she got no reply from the younger she pouted. "Yugi-itchi, you have to talk sometime. You can't just stare out the window all your life!" she told him. Again, no response. Her short temper was getting to her as she watched the unmoving boy. Her perfectly curved black eyebrows narrowed as she clutched onto her book. Her long bright neon green nails digging into the hard cover. "Yugi," she hissed. "Listen to me Yugi and turn the hell around."
Yugi turned his head slightly, his once vibrant amethyst eyes dulled to dark purple as he looked at her.
Mekina stared him straight in the eyes. "Yugi-love, go and play, don't just keep staring out of the window." she said, her hands stopped gripping the book tightly.
Yugi didn't say anything, he just turned back around and faced the window.
Mekina stood up from the red chair she was sitting in, threw the book onto the couch and reached out to Yugi and gripped his shoulders, spinning him around quickly.
Yugi stared at her fear-struck as she glared daggers into him with her flaring orange eyes. "Listen up Yugi. You live here with me and your daddy now. You have to listen to us and do whatever we say! Your little adoptive daddy isn't here anymore for you!" she smirked evilly. "Actually, he dumped you here because he didn't like you."
"Didn't... like me?" Yugi repeated.
"Yes, he didn't like you. He just felt sorry for you. He didn't need you in his life. Oh no. He just wanted to use you. But when he found he couldn't, he dumped you here with us. Now we are your parent. You have to listen to us and only us! Understood?"
Yugi's pupils grew small until they were just little specks as he took in what Mekina told him. His eyes watered up and crystal streaks slipped down his cherubic face. He nodded.
—February 9—
Yugi waited patiently outside Domino Daycare as he fondled with his backpack's rope strap. It had been an hour since the daycare closed.
Did daddy forget about me? He asked himself in his mind as he looked up at the dark grey clouds that hovered up above.
A few raindrops fell down, one landing between Yugi's eyes making him blink.
"Now look at that Jacob." A woman said as she walked up to Yugi.
Yugi stared wide-eyed at the woman who stood in front of him. She was tall and had long straight black hair. Her eyes were piercing blue and her form was thin. She wore a leather sleeveless shirt that showed her ivory skin with a black ribbon tying it together. She also wore black tight leather pants and a chain around two hoops and let it hang. High black high heels, big hoop earrings, silver ring bracelets and a gold promise ring.
The man behind hear shifted the cigarette in his mouth. He was dressed in black slacks, tight black tank top, black boots, and his hair was short cropped and black. His eyes were forest green as he looked down at Yugi.
"He is just a kid Fukayna," he said. "What would we need him for?"
The woman, Fukayna turned and shot a glare at said Jacob. "You know I have a soft spot for small children," she told him. "I think his parents might have abandoned him here."
"But Fukayna, we are going to a bar. That isn't a place for a little kid." he shot back quickly.
"He'll stay behind the counter with me," she said. She turned to Yugi with a soft smile. "Are you lost little one?"
"No, I'm waiting for my daddy."
"But Sweety, the daycare closed so long ago, I would think your daddy or mommy would have picked you up by now," she got down on her knees in front of little Yugi. "How about you come with me and my boyfriend here and then we find your home?"
Yugi thought on it. Atem had told him never to talk to strangers... but then again, Atem didn't want him anymore, would he care what Yugi did and didn't do?
"I don't know."
"See! He doesn't wanna come wid us!" Jacob yelled.
"Well maybe if you would shut up and let him speak!" Fukayna snarled at Jacob as she shot him death glare.
"I'll go." Yugi cut in quietly.
Fukayna blinked and looked at him. "Huh?"
"Can I go with you, please?" he asked in an innocent voice.
Fukayna smiled kindly at him again and picked up Yugi and hugged him. "Of course. But first, we have to go to mine and Jacob's work. You won't mind would you?" she asked softly.
Yugi shook his head and clutched her shirt feeling a little bit safer.
Fukayna smiled and she and Jacob headed over to the bar, still holding Yugi.
Yugi waited patiently as Fukayna passed drinks around and scurried about around the bar, sometimes leaving, but coming back quickly.
There were a lot of men, more men then women, and almost all of them were drunk.
The smell of heavy doses of alcohol, cigarette smoke, and smells Yugi couldn't even name wafted through the air making it heavy and hard to breath. The large dark room was humid with sweat and body perspiration, not only adding onto the smell, but making the room feel heavy. Lights flashed different colors every couple of seconds making Yugi's eyes dizzy and his head spin.
Fukayna smiled down at him. "I'll be right back." she said, trying to raise her voice above the crowd's and the loud music, but Yugi still didn't hear.
He started to feel very sick and his stomach started to do 360's and his head began to spin. He stumbled out from behind the bar and made an attempt to find somewhere he can breath.
"Hey little boy," a man slurred as he placed a hand on Yugi's shoulder. "Where do ya think your goin'? Stay for the party."
Yugi shook his head and yanked away. Now not only did he feel sick, but he felt scared. I want Atem! I want my daddy! He though in his head. No. Atem isn't daddy.. Atem hates me..
Yugi quickly wandered off and found the back door. Fumbling with the knob he opened it and slipped outside, gasping for clean air.
He looked up and saw the night sky, clouded with grey clouds. He looked around and saw he had stumbled into the ally. His eyes were wide with fear.
"I'm lost.." he whimpered as he walked down the ally, hugging his knees close as he looked around and stayed away from the shadows. "I'm lost... I wanna go home.." he whispered.
Yugi slowly made his way out of the ally and found himself looking at an old and ruined looking street. The houses and apartment had holes in the roofs and walls, most windows were shattered and some doors even had STAY OUT sprayed in red and green on the door.
Whimpering a little, Yugi walked down the deserted street.
I wanna go home. But...
Where is home?
His amethyst eyes glanced at the clock on a wall to the far right.
8:13.
"YUGI!"
He searched.. He searched and he searched but there was no sight of the small child.
Mark's heart sank as he sat in his living room. 12:30 beamed on the old grandfather clock.
"I lost him once already... but now... I'll never get him back..," he muttered, eyes fixed on the floor as he bit on his nails and one hand ran through his hair. "Oh my poor Yugi.."
A though occurred to him and his eyes slid gently to the phone.
"Maybe..."
He stared at the phone harder.
"Maybe... just maybe.."
He reached over and picked up the phone.
RRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIINGG!
Atem jumped at the sudden noise and looked over at his phone sleepily.
"Damn it.. Who is calling me at this time at night?" he muttered and leaned over to answer the phone.
"Hello?"
"Mr. Muoto..?"
"Arg.. Not you again. What did I tell you about calling me?" Atem yelled angrily into the phone.
"Mr. Muoto! Please hear me out!" Mark yelled back.
"I'll give you two milii minutes." Atem growled in a tired voice.
Mark gulped before speaking. "Mr. Muoto. I can't find Yugi. I went to pick him up after work and he wasn't there. I checked the neighborhood and a few neighborhoods after, but there is no sign of Yugi. Please help me look for him."
Atem's eyes widened. "What?" he yelled into the phone.
Anzu walked with a frowned. "Shut up! I'm trying to sleep!"
"Anzu! Yugi has disappeared," Atem said. "We need to go look for him."
Anzu blinked. "Om my god. I'll get dressed and grab some flashlights."
Atem nodded. "Mark. I'm telling you this now. If I find Yugi hurt, I will sure you fucking ass off!" Atem barked and hung up.
Mark smiled sadly into the phone. At least I'll have some more help.
Atem's sighed and yawned as he went through an ally five blocks away from Domino Daycare Center, making sure to look behind and under trash cans, boxes, and garbage bags, shining the flashlight at every thing that moved in the small ally.
"Ra damn it." he cursed as he started down the street after searching every inch of the ally. "Where could have Yugi gone?" he asked himself worriedly.
Yugi stumbled across a street. It was pitch black but he could still hear the barking of the large dog that had been chasing him.
Whipping tears away from his eyes, he looked down at his ankle that was leaking crimson red blood.
He winced feeling a pang of pain as he started back down the street, keeping clear of the sounds of barking.
He walked with a limp as far as his tired legs could take him. It wasn't long before he slipped down to the side of a dying tree, its branches dried up and the trunk looking like a dried up bone. Yugi sighed, sleep calling to him, but his senses standing up on end like the hairs on his neck.
A low deathly growl irrupted next to Yugi's ear making his eyes go wide with fear.
Letting out a scream he took off, stumbling every now and then as the dog barked after him.
Looking behind him to see if the dog was still coming, he slipped and slid on the concrete, ripping a hole into his jeans and scraping his palms and keens.
BANG.
With yelps searing off in the distance, Yugi looked back with tearful eyes. A small puddle of crimson spotted all the way that the dog ran. Looking up he let the tears slip as he stared at his savior.
Atem sat on the couch, elbows on knees and face in hands.
Where is he? Oh my poor Yugi-bozu. Atem let out a muffled sob.
Anzu came in from outside, sighing. She saw Atem on the couch. Her azure eyes lit up with concern and she went over to the other. Placing a soft hand on his shoulder she looked at him.
"Atem? Are you okay?"
Atem looked up, fighting to keep back the tears in his crimson eyes, he drew in a sharp breath. "Did you find him?"
Anzu sighed, letting her eyes slip shut. "No. I looked all over. I couldn't find him. Any news from Mark? Did you have any luck?"
Atem shook his head. "No. Mark nor I have found him either... but.."
"But?" Anzu looked at him with hopeful eyes.
Atem drew in another sharp breath. "We found his backpack.."
"And?"
"It was ripped up... and there were three dogs ripping it up... all of them had rabies." Atem's breaths became shallow and tears started to fall freely. "Wha-wha-what if one of those beast got Yugi? What if he got hurt? What if... we can never find him?" Atem looked at Anzu straight in the eye with those empty, lost, and confused eyes that she hadn't seen in years...
–Flash Back–
Sobs errupted from the living room of a small house as Anzu walked into the living room. Two adults were on the couch. Another was standing in front of them, he seemed to be an officer, wearing dark navy blue pants and shirt along with a badge and gun belt which held a black hand gun.
"Please miss, how does your daughter look?"
"-sob- black hair, -sob- blonde streaks and, and -sob-." the woman said no more as she started to cry even more. Her once sun kissed colored face now red and flushed. Her blue eyes were puffy as they were covered by here bronze hands.
The man next to her just stared down at the wood floor. Crimson eyes dulled to dark burnt brown. His short red hair short cropped.
"Sir?"
"..."
"Sir, I need a picture of your child. Do you have any recent ones?"
"..." the other male made no response, or even made any sign that the other was there or even talking to him. He just sat there, right arm around his wife. Other resting in his lap as he continued to stare down at the floor.
Anzu quietly slipped down the hall into the bedroom at the far end.
"Atem! I got your call! What do you need? What is that police officer doing here?"
Atem was sitting on his bed. Elbows resting on his knees while his hands hung down, fingers loose. "Nadia is lost... we can't find her anywhere." he murmured in a monotone voice.
Anzu gasped.
Atem looked up at her with lost, confused, and empty crimson eyes. "Where could she have gone?"
Anzu blinked back the memory and furrowed her eyebrows. She placed both her hands on his shoulders firmly and shook him. "Atem! How can you think that? This is Yugi we are talking about! Your son! Biological or not! You are more of a father to him in the time he was under your protection then Mark has been since he was born!" Anzu yelled at him, letting her hands slip from his shoulders, she let them hang at her sides. Her hands turned into fists. "Atem. I don't even know how you could utter those words. Remember when Nadia disappeared? You never gave up looking for her! Who found her? YOU. Who stayed up till one, six, the whole damn day just looking for her? You. But now... your giving up so easily... why?"
Atem eyes reverted down to the floor.
"Atem. Don't look at the floor like your father did. Don't stay at home and think that you will never see your child again."
Something flickered in Atem's eyes. "I'm going to make some calls." standing up, he shuffled through the small table's drawer next to the couch and picked up the phone.
Anzu smiled softly.
A lean white haired male stared down the small boy that lay sleeping on his couch. Menecing looking chocolate brown eyes glared at the younger and then went back to drinking the brown liquid in the dark brown bottle in his pale hands.
"Pfft. What am I going to do with this thing now?" he though aloud. An evil smirk gracing his features. "Maybe I can get him to go get me some more beer while I stay home? Heh." the male chuckled.
The click of a lock being unlocked and the squeak of a door opening.
Another white haired male entered the small apartment building with a sigh and small frown. Soft chocolate brown eyes glanced from the other male at the kitchen table to the small figure sleeping soundly on the couch.
"Oh my." the male said. Eyes widening a bit he went over to the boy and placed the back of his hand over the child's forehead. "Bakura, where did you find him?"
Said Bakura looked over and the other and his eyes narrowed. "A damn rabid dog was chasing him near the park. I was try to relieve myself of my headache, but the damn kid was screaming to loud and the dog was barking to loud also. So I shot at one of the dog's paws. I think te bullet only nipped it though. The kid fallowed me back here... and no I didn't do anything to him, Ryou. He just fell asleep."
The calmer looking male, known as Ryou, smiled. "I know. -sigh- But did you have to shoot the poor dog?"
"It was rabid. And as far as I know, if I didn't, it would have bitten me."
Ryou sighed and went into a near by closet and pulled out a quilt, covering the young boy he yawned.
"Well.. It is officially six in the morning. I'm tired. I'm going to bed now, okay? I think you should to." Ryou said as he went up to one of the doors. As his hand rested on the door knob he turned to Bakura and smiled. "You actually did something nice to someone other then myself. That is new. And I like it." Ryou flashed another smile and went into his room.
A slight blush crept onto the other's face as he snorted. "Pft. I said it was 'cause the dog was annoying me.." he grumbled in a whisper. He stared at the door Ryou had walked into. "Meh. Let him think I did something... 'nice' for once." he shuddered at the 'n' word. Throwing away the bottle, he locked the apartment door, shut off the light and went into his own room.
Atem laid down on his bed. 6:30 flashed in bright neon numbers. He sighed. Crimson eyes closed tiredly. Sleep danced around him in the darkness, but his mind kept them at bay. It was still wide awake and restless. Thoughts and worries about Yugi ran through his head... something in the back of his mind though... small as it was, kept telling Atem everything was okay.
Okay? Okay? Atem yelled in his mind. How could anything be okay? Yugi is out there lost and I can't help him... I can't keep him safe. Ra damn it! Smacking his head, Atem shook his head and sighed. I just need to sleep. Maybe that will help me a little...
Slowly.. The sleep pulled him in a lulled him into its clutches, letting his mind wonder into dream land.
BE Dragon: .:coughs:. Now you all know when I started writing this chapter... well... eh heh heh heh. "... v.v Okay I admit it. I stink at trying to update as soon as possible. My mind is going blank.
Thank the fever that enveloped me today! Then I might not have updated till like... two weeks or more later!
Review please!
