Well this is it, the last chapter. I had to re-write it about 3 times cuse it was just wrong, and I knew how I wanted it and it refused to come out that way, gosh my stoopid brain. lol. Anyway I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, yeah. ENJOY and I'll warn you, one of my friends read this and cried, so if you cry easy I'd get a tissue, or two.
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Today was Atem's 19th birthday.
He didn't plan on celebrating, he wasn't in the mood but his guardians felt otherwise and had planned a celebration anyway. He lay silently in his bed staring at the cealing, maybe if he didn't come out everything would simply go away. He knew this wasn't going to happen but he planned on trying anyway, so he continued to lay in bed, un-moving, that is until someone knocked on his door.
"Atem it's Kiya are you awake?" She called from the hallway. Kiya tended to be the first awake, at least out of the three of them. Anu slept till noon most of the time and for the past year he only woke when his guardians woke him.
"Yes I am awake." He called from the bed, still un-moving.
"May I come in?" She asked, always polite.
"Sure it's open." He answered. She opened the door slowly letting light from the hallway filter in till she shut the door.
"I thought you said you were awake?" She asked standing just inside the door.
"Yes, I said I was awake, I didn't say I was up." He answered matter-of-factly.
"Funny dear, but you should really get up the celebration is starting in a few hours." She said perching on the side of the bed. Atem moved to sit up, leaning against the wall behind him.
"A celebration I didn't ask for. I didn't want any of this." He said with a sigh.
" I know dear." She said taking his hand in hers. Tara had always described Kiya as the mother of their group and she was right. Ever since Kiya had moved into the palace with Anu she was watching over Atem. He was grateful for it, the first few months were hard and he was glad to have Kiya there to help make sure he took care of himself. He was truly grateful for her kindness.
"It won't be so hard, your friends will be there for you." She said reassuringly, he nodded.
"Thank you Kiya." He said.
"Your welcome, now let's get going." She said standing up and making her way back through his door.
Atem stood up slowly and made his way to his closet and changed into the outfit his guardians had told him to wear. A regular white top and white bottom with a blue stripe through it. He pulled his violet cape on for good measure and then stepped over to his mirror. He fixed his hear which was a mess from a rough night of sleep, or little sleep. He hadn't actually slept peacefully in almost a year. He then placed his gold headdress over it. Her necklace was already on, he never took it off, and he pulled his own millennium item over his head to hang with her own millennium star. He figured that would be good enough and with a sigh he stepped out into the hallway only to be greeted by someone else calling his name.
"ATEM!" She yelled. He turned around and saw the pink haired Anu running towards him. She stopped just in front of him and smiled up at him.
"Goodmorning Tem." She said
"Goodmorning Anu." He answered back. She smiled and then stood on tip-toe to reach Tara's star that hung from his neck.
"Good morning Tara." She whispered to it. This was a daily rituial for them so he was used ot it.
"And happy birthday to you." She said in a singsong voice.
"Thank you Anu." He said offering her a hug. She accepted it and then slipped from his grasp.
"And thank you again for letting Kiya and I stay here." She said.
"It's no problem, you two have been a lot of help to me, I should be thanking you." He said.
"Well then your welcome." She said making them both laugh.
"Join me for breakfast?" He asked offering her his arm
"Sure." She said taking it and making their way to the dining room.
They ate breakfast together talking about the celebration and what was planned for the day.
Atem had given the girls the day off to enjoy the celebration with him so they wouldn't have to dance today which he was sure the girls were grateful for. After eating they made their way to the throne room that was richly decorated for the day. His guardians were at his side in an instant asking him his opinion on a tapestry, where he wanted a table to sit, if he'd eaten yet and where the food was. Anu laughed quietly at their worried faces, they knew everything was going to turn out okay in the end; it was just getting there that was the problem. Atem sat down on his throne hoping to relax if even for a moment before all 6 guardians were in front of him.
"Yes?" He asked.
"It's just that with all the commotion of getting things ready for today we forgot to wish you a happy birthday." Isis said stepping out from the group.
"Well thank you, all of you. I understand though, you want things to be perfect." Atem reassured them.
"Yes, but we also understand that this is a hard day for you so we wanted to make sure everything was perfect." Seto said stepping up next to Isis.
"Thank you again, I am sure I'll have a wonderful time." Atem said.
"Guests are beginning to arrive, we should all prepare ourselves." Shimon said coming to stand next to Seto, even though his height didn't compare.
"Yes, shall we?" Isis said. This was Atem's cue to leave. Even though it was his party he had to be announced so he left the room to stand in the hall and wait for his name to be called. He stood for about five minutes before he heard Shimon call his name. The small crowd of about thirty friends, family, and other invited royals cheered as he entered the room. He stepped in front of his throne and Shimon quieted the crowd with a wave of his hand. He then looked at Atem expectantly. He was to make a speech, that's what Shimon had told him. He kept putting off thinking about what to say, he was never any good at speeches. He figured he'd just wing it, so he took a breath and began.
"Well first I'd like to thank you all for coming. Shimon, my advisor says I am supposed to make a speech but unfortunately the gift of public speaking was not passed on from my father." He said jokingly making the crowd laugh, including Shimon.
"So I suppose I'll have to do this anyway. I know the past year has been difficult for us. with the threat of evil rising again and then vanishing into the night. We can only hope he's gone for good." He said in seriousness.
"Many family members were lost this year." He looked around at the faces in the crowd, he couldn't find Anu of Kiya, it was then he realized they were next to him, standing with his guardians.
"Friends were lost to, and loved ones." He said reaching up to touch the star and ring that hung from his neck. Kiya had wrapped an arm around Anu who he realized was quickly wiping tears from her eyes.
"But not everyone was lost. And we have to be able to lean on those we have left for support." He said.
"I lost someone especially close to me." He said and then took a second to make sure he could continue.
"It was hard at first, learning to deal with the fact that I would never see her anymore.' He said trying with everything to hold it together. Everyone knew who he was talking about so it didn't matter anyway.
"But I had some people to lean on, my guardians were there for me but so were two very special people." He turned to Anu and Kiya and motioned for them to join him. Slowly they made their way next to him.
"May I present Ifenanu and Kiya. Both girls were very close to Tara and are good friends of mine as well." He said offering them each a hug.
"So today I would like to celebrate them as well as me." He announced bringing shock to the girls faces.
"Enjoy!" He said letting the festivities begin.
People congratulated him on his birthday and on an exceptional speech.
Music had begun to play and people forgot that their was ever anything wrong and begain to enjoy themselves. Even his guardians looked like they were having a good time. Atem decided to take a break from the commotion and stepped out onto the balcony looking down at the rose garden; he let a smile come across his face at pleasant memories and reached up to touch the engagement ring that hung around his neck. That and Tara's millennium star were the only things he had left of Tara besides memories. He closed his eyes and pictured her standing beside him. She'd give him a kiss and wish him a happy birthday.
"Wow 19 whole years, you getting old." She'd probably say something like that. He laughed silently to himself. It's true he missed her terribly but he was trying so hard to move on but he knew he never would. Tara was his one true love and he was glad he got the change to be with her, even if it was shorter than he wanted.
"Well there you are." He turned around to find Anu and Kiya standing in the door of the balcony.
"How are you doing?" Anu asked moving next to him.
"I am doing okay, better." He said looking out to the rose guardian.
"You really didn't' have to do that today dear, this is your day." Kiya said putting her hand on his shoulder.
"I know but I didn't think it was right that Tara had her own day and you two didn't get recognized, you really helped me." He said. Tara was fully recognized as part of Egypt's history and a day of celebration in her name.
"We'll always remember her." Kiya said reassuringly.
"Why don't you come back in with us, have some fun before the party's over." Anu suggested pulling on his arm.
"Sure why not." He said laughing and following Anu and Kiya back in to the throne room.
The celebration lasted late into the night and Atem was the last to leave the throne room and make his way back to his own room. He changed slowly draping his cape over a chair and laying his shirt down next to it, heat in Egypt was just as bad at night. He lay down in his bed and turned on his side; he hoped to see Tara's blue eyes looking back at him but was greeted with emptiness instead. He closed his eyes and let out a sigh trying to get rid of the lump in his throat but it was no use, he let the tears fall anyway grateful that he was alone. He lay in silence for a while longer until he heard a sound behind him.
"Atem." It was a voice, but a voice he hadn't heard in a while and he was suddenly confused, he turned around and his assumptions were confirmed. There she stood, in the same beautiful white outfit she wore when he proposed to her.
"Tara?" He questioned. He wasn't sure if this was real or if he was hallucinating from to many nights without sleep.
"Happy birthday my love." She said stepping close to his bed. He sat up slowly leaning on his elbows.
"Is this real?" He asked looking at her.
"I am not alive my love, if that's what you mean." She explained sitting next to him.
"So then I am hallucinating?" He asked.
"No, well not really. I wanted to visit you." She said crawling over him to lay her head on his chest.
"How are you my love?" She asked looking up at him with her blue eyes. He wasn't sure what was happening but he was okay with it.
"I've been doing okay, better." He said wrapping his arm around her.
"And the girls?" She asked.
"Today was hard, for all of us. But there doing okay." He answered.
"I am glad they're doing okay." She said.
"I am sorry if I hurt you, it was never my intent, I only wanted to help." She whispered into his chest. The lump in his throat was back.
"I know you did, its okay." He said moving his hand to touch her cheek. She leaned up and softly kissed him.
"I've missed you my love." She whispered to him.
"I've missed you too." He said. She glanced down at the necklace that was now laying on his chest. She smiled as she lightly touched the engagement ring and the star.
"I never take them off." He told her. She smiled and a few tears fell on his chest. He pulled her close and let a few tears of his own fall.
"I am sorry." She whispered again, he kissed her head.
"It's okay my love." He said reassuringly.
They lay together for what seemed like hours, not talking just enjoying being together again. Tara slowly lifted her head from his chest and planted another kiss on his lips.
"I have to leave now my love." She whispered. His face fell and she could tell he was disappointed.
"I am sorry love, but remember even though you can't see me, I am always with you." She said pointing to the necklace. He nodded his head in understand. She kissed him again letting a few stray tears fall.
"I love you Tara." He whispered.
"I love you too Atem." She said giving him one last kiss and then she was gone again, but her last word floated around him.
"Forever." She said, he knew she meant it, they would always be together.
"Forever." He whispered into the night. Then he closed his eyes and for the first time in almost a year the prince of Egypt slept peacefully.
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THE END!!!!!
Yay!! I feel accomplished!!! Okay so I hope you liked it. I am pretty proud of it, it's better than the first 2 were, lol. So anyway that's it. and thank you for reading but please reveiw, just a simple 'hey that was good' is fine but it really let's me know how you all feel about it and I'd like to know. So thank you for reading and sticking with me through my 2 year writers block (Still hitting myself for that one) love you all!!!!!
~meg~