Thank you all for reviewing and continuing to read this story! This chapter is longer than last with the total word count being over 2100. Please don't forget to vote for who you want Anzu to be with at the end. The poll will close after I post the next chapter. As it stands now, Atem is leading 6 to 1.

I own nothing.

Revenge

Chapter 13

Was it a dream or a memory?

Why was this deep pain in her heart?

She was disoriented and could not feel her body. It just felt heavy and cold. It felt empty. Her eyes refused to open no matter how many times she ordered her lids to open and try to peek at her surroundings. A baby cried somewhere in the room and the pain in heart intensified.

She couldn't lose her baby again.

Her fingers twitched at the thought. Again? How could she lose her baby again? Téa was her fist and only child.

The memory-dream returned. A dark skinned woman with short brown hair glanced downwards in a purple haze. Like in a movie, the vision focused on the woman's sad, blue eyes…Blue eyes that were identical to Anzu's…The vision panned downward to focus on a large baby bump hidden under her simple, white gown. A pregnancy that was lost forever.

Knowledge she didn't know she possessed told her that since the child had not been carried to term, its soul was lost. Making the situation worse was the fact it had been born out of wedlock. It was gone from earth and heaven forever.

It was a child born of sin.

The child she had let die 3,000 years ago.

Her fingers curled into an open, soft fist. She had lost Akefia's child, but she would not loose Atem's child.

The woman in her vision gazed up at her, the purple haze clearing. Her sorrowful eyes hardened and a small dagger appeared in her hand. Behind her, Bakura and Atem phased in to view. The dagger in Téana's hand began to change. Bile rose in Anzu's throat as rust encased the once pristine silver blade. The cloth covering the doppelganger's chest began to flower with blood. The first wound that Akefia had inflicted on her. A similar blood rose formed on the material over Téana's womb. The mark that had killed her baby.

"Anzu, you must save the child," the ghost whispered. She had a soft, tinkling voice. A voice that reminded Anzu of a childcare worker. Of a person that loved everyone and everything.

Why would she not save her child? Not even the calming voice could keep her from feeling anger at her past self. How dare she betray Atem?

However, as she thought of Téana's lies, Anzu felt shame cover her like a blanket. Who was she to accuse the ghost of anything? She had kissed Bakura. She had fallen for Bakura in this life, too. Was this their destiny? For Anzu's soul to forever be stuck between a king and a thief? And what of her child? Last time, it had been Bakura's…Now it was Atem's.

How do I fix this?

"You must follow your heart."

Sweet baby, Jesus. What was that supposed to mean? This was not some Disney movie where the prince would save the princess and everything would end happily ever after until some greedy suit wanted to make a crappy sequel with a child and a random villain suddenly appearing out of nowhere with ties to the villain previously fought. This was real life.

Or was it?

Despite the vision and the seriousness of the matter before her, she wanted to laugh. Her life was turning into a children's movie. Oh, if only there was some catchy song and an A-list actor.

"Focus, Anzu!" The doppelganger snapped, her voice rising in pitch and sounding harsh. "You must fight the drugs."

Drugs? What drugs? Anzu was suddenly hyperaware of the heaviness of her body. She tried to swallow but it was thick and her mouth tasted horrible as if she had not brushed her teeth in days. The baby let out another screech. And then it dawned on her.

Kesi had taken her away. Kesi had drugged her and that was where her memory ended. Where was Lapis? And the guards? Were Atem and Bakura aware of her problem?

"That's it. It's okay, Anzu. Don't force it."

What was Téana trying to tell her? Okay, calm down. Focus on what you know.

She had been taken by Kesi and drugged. She didn't know where she was or what day it was. There was a baby nearby and it was crying. She knew it was her baby, but she had no memory of giving birth. The drugs were wearing off. However, she was hallucinating about her past self and her lovers.

Oh, yes, and she suddenly remembered her past life perfectly. An effect of the drugs?

Anzu focused on the blood staining Téana's dress. Explain something, she asked herself. How do I know what my heart wants? Right now, I just want my baby.

Téana nodded wisely, a small smile gracing her lips. "Then focus on that thought. Your fight begins with one step at a time." She tossed the knife at Anzu and she heard it clatter somewhere behind her. "You must break the curse." She motioned again to Bakura and Atem. "The key lies with them."

And then they faded away and she was left alone in the darkness with a baby crying. Now what? The past princess had given her riddles to solve the overall problem, but not how to wake up. It was an odd sensation…her mind was slumping through a fog while her body seemed to slip out of existence.

Oh god. Was she dead? Was that why she had seen the past?

No, don't give up, Anzu. She repeated the words to herself and almost calmed her speeding heart to the point where she could regroup her thoughts. Speeding heart…

That was it! An Adrenaline rush! That would wash the toxins out of her body!

She hoped.

The baby cried out piercingly and she absorbed the sounds of her child down to her very core. She urged desires to waken that were buried in her DNA on a primal level. Her heart thundered and slammed against her ribs. Her hands twitched again and she forced them to close into fists. A heat rushed through her veins and awakened her.

Eyes snapped open as she gasped out. The world was fuzzy and blended together sickeningly. Anzu drooped her head to the side and waited for the ill feelings to pass.

Slowly, details of the room came to her. Crumbling walls of stone with ancient and faded carvings framed her line of vision. She could not make out the corroded pictures, but they were enough to inform her she was still in Egypt.

Flopping her pounding head to the other side, she found the source of the cries. A simple cradle carved out of wood stood beside her makeshift hospital bed. Her motherly urges had awakened and she wondered if her baby was protected against splinters. The edges of the cradle were high and blocked her view of the infant.

She licked her dry and cracked lips, her tongue barely moist enough to do much good. "Téa…" Her voice was a broken whisper that barely sounded to her own ears.

"Oh, you're awake."

She stiffened at the voice. At Kesi's voice. Anzu shifted her arm, attempting to reach for her child's crib, but her wrist would not move. She jerked both of her wrists this time much harder but got nowhere. She tried her legs. They would not even move a fraction. She could not even feel their weight on the table.

"Don't bother. We had to tie you down for the operation. Rehema had thought you might be a fighter when you woke up." Kesi came into view between Anzu and the cradle. "I thought it would take you much longer to wake up. I guess I lost that bet."

Anzu glared at the woman. Her form was covered by a purple cloak that had once signified the Rare Hunters. The hood was back and the Egyptian woman's black hair flowed freely down to her shoulders and framed her tiny face. Her eyes were cold. Whoever said eyes were the gateway to the soul must have been talking about Kesi.

The rude and wicked things Kesi had said before were not caused by stress or anger; they were her true personality. Bakura had tried to warn her, yet Anzu allowed Kesi to continue to come and had even attempted a shaky friendship.

And here Kesi was, tying her down and betting against her health.

"He'll stop you…"

Kesi sneered, a wicked laugh bubbling from her throat. "He? Which one? Are you still having mood swings? It doesn't matter anyway," Her grin grew, revealing her sharp canines. "We've almost won. Just one teeny, tiny obstacle and boom!" She gave Anzu spirit fingers. "Long live the king!"

"Zorc?" Anzu tried to latch onto who they were even fighting. "Anubis?" Yes…that was it. She had almost completely forgotten about why Atem was gone. Focus on the bigger goal now and her relationship problems later. If there was a later… "I want my baby."

Kesi shrugged. "You'll get your chance, so just hold your horses." She was totally nonchalant now. No bragging or sneering. "My Lord wants to speak to you first. Make sure you understand the rules."

"Rules?"

The devil nurse groaned. "Great. You're still slow from the meds." With a heavy sigh she turned; her back to Anzu as she reached into the cradle. "We had been hoping you would be able to nurse the kid now, but we can't if the drugs haven't filtered out yet. I'll get you on a fluid diet ASAP." She straightened and turned; a bundle of soft pink blankets in her arms.

Ocean eyes widened as Anzu observed her child squirming within Kesi's arms. The blankets obscured the baby's face from the mother's view. The face that Kesi examined. "What an ugly baby," she squawked. "I thought for sure she would look better after we cleaned her up. Aren't devils spawn supposed to be wickedly good looking?"

Devils spawn? Her baby was devils spawn? Her baby was ugly? "Shut up!" Anzu tried again to fight the restraints.

Kesi rolled her eyes. "I'm not lying. This brat really is devils spawn. It was created by magic from the devil Himself."

"What?" She thought back to her first night with Atem. Their time had been…well, not what her romance novels suggested. Something strange had happened. And the pregnancy itself was strange. Seeing as it hit almost immediately after certain events took place. And Atem's behavior that night had been off.

Could it be possible that for Atem to remain in the land of the living, he had to rely on the darkness in his heart? Had he reverted back to his darker self without her even noticing?

"No…" She loved Atem. She knew him inside and out. She knew what he was thinking by a turn of the head, a lift of the chin, or a flex of the arm. The only other person who knew him better was Yugi. And Yugi had not ever said anything to her. Had not dropped a single hint that Atem might be different.

"You're not talking about Atem." She decided. Atem was a being of darkness, but he was not evil. He was no devil.

"Never said I was, girl." Kesi rocked the baby in her arms to quiet its sniffles. "Let's just say that Anubis had a hand in this brat's conception." She pursed her lips and hummed to herself. "I don't see any point in hiding it anymore. He's the real shocker: Bakura is working with Anubis. Well, at least until he betrays him. Anubis doesn't need him anymore now that this thing's here."

Bakura…He'd betrayed her in Egypt. And now he betrayed her again? But, the way he had acted…"I thought…" Bakura had… "He loves me."

Kesi snorted. "Big act. He was to keep you from contacting Atem. Keep you two separated. He's the one behind all of this. He arranged for Anubis to return and your pregnancy." She hooted noisily. "Too bad he's never gonna get what he wanted."

What he wanted…Back then, he had wanted Téana. Did that mean he had never stopped loving her? That he regretted what he had done?

She recalled what her mother had said the day of her wedding. Their wedding drink had been given to Ryo. What if that had not been Ryo? What if it had been Bakura? Assuming that was true, Kesi was right about Bakura starting this. But, he had changed. She had seen him blossom. They had whispered secrets and celebrated holidays. He tried to make her happy. He had kissed her back that night on the temple.

Her lips pressed into a thin line. She would play the denial game for now. She would make Kesi and Anubis think she had given up hope, but she would hold firm.

Because she knew that Bakura and Atem were coming for her and Téa.