I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh in any shape, size or manner. Reviews of the story, critiques on writing ability and suggestions are more than welcome, but debate about Christianity and other religions are not. Thank you.

14.

The rest of the afternoon Saturday was spent at the seashore enjoying the hot sun and cool breeze. Pegasus had carried Rachel out to a blanket with matching umbrella, made sure she was comfortable and handed her book to her. Once she was settled in, he ran out to play in the waves like a child.

Rachel watched as over the next hour her friends slowly broke up into groups. Yugi and Tea had gone for a beach walk, Tony was helping Mokuba boogie on a board, Pegasus and Kirii were facing her, laying on their stomachs, half in/half out of the water, but deep in discussion. Seto, well, he was headed her way, drying his hair with a towel, as he went. Her eyes remorsefully took in the numerous scars on his lightly tanned body – scars she had given him. His expression acknowledged her look and silently responded – don't worry about it. He snapped the towel out and laid on his stomach close to her.

She had returned her gazed to Max and Kirii, but felt Seto's eyes looking at her and waited patiently for him to speak up.

"It took me a while to understand your bandana, Rachel," he said quietly.

"That's funny. You're from Japan and it took you a while to understand it?" she said in a teasing way.

"Ha ha ha," he said dryly. "I can read it just fine. It is the symbolism of it that took me a while."

"And just what do you think it means, Seto?" Rachel glanced at him.

He reached over and traced the symbols and said, "Jesus …" he slowly pulled the bandana up and away from her forehead revealing the word etched there, "… covers our sins."

"You know what's really funny," she said as she held out her hand for her bandana.

"Tell me," he said as he looked back toward the sea.

"It wasn't until I came to America that I realized what took you only a day to figure out. I made the bandana not only as coordination therapy for my fingers and to cover the word on my face, but I knew I would be going to America and was pretty sure that I would be asked what the symbols said. Thought it would be a good way to start a conversation about Jesus. The first morning after arriving in America I put it on and that thought came to me."

She paused a moment as she put the bandana back in its place. "Do you know that Pegasus forbade me to speak the name of Jesus when we first met? Pretty useless if you ask me seeing I wore His name across my forehead. Every time he looked at me was a reminder."

"What brought him around?" Seto asked curiously.

"Not exactly sure, but I think the start was a couple months ago when I died."

Seto jerked his head back around to face her again.

"Yeah, I died … just for a minute or two. I was revived and the first thing I saw was Maximillion on his knees, eyes closed, and whispering furiously."

"Bet he didn't appreciate seeing you see him."

"You can say that again. He refused to speak to me about it.

"I guess one of the few true arguments we ever had brought him around the rest of the way."

"Tell me about it."

"It was my first day back to work, just about quitting time …"

Pegasus strode into the department like he had murder on his mind. While the evidence was only hearsay, it was good enough for him. He also knew Rachel had had trouble with this woman before. I'm sure Rachel will appreciate seeing her would-be killer put in her place, he thought to himself. There's Ms. Mullin. How dare she stand so close to Rachel? How can Rachel not sense her deviousness and chat so calmly with her?

He increased his speed as he saw Peggy lean down to whisper something in Rachel's ear. Firmly, he grasped her shoulder and pulled Peggy away from Rachel.

Rachel, seeing the anger in his eye, started saying, "Mr. Pegasus, wait …"

Completely oblivious to Rachel's attempt to get his attention, Pegasus made sure he was between Rachel and Peggy and told Peggy in no uncertain terms, "You stay away from Rachel. Matter-of-fact, get out! Collect your stuff and leave. You're fired."

"Please …," Rachel again attempted to get his attention.

"You have no ground to fire me, sir," said Peggy, her face red with anger.

"Peggy …," Rachel this time tried to get the woman's attention.

"Concern for the safety of the company's employees is my grounds and that is all I need." Pegasus leaned closer to her face.

"You have no evidence connecting me with any wrong-doing?" Peggy pointed at him with her finger.

"Stop it," Rachel pleaded.

"How about your boasting to a friend overheard by one of the security guards?"

"Lies and rumors, Mr. Pegasus. You can't base your evidence on hearsay," she snapped loudly back at him.

"I can't if I was trying to convict you of it … but I don't have to do that. Industrial Illusions is an at-will employer and you don't have an employment contract with us. Therefore, I can terminate you because I just - don't - like – you," Pegasus emphasized the last four words by getting louder each word.

"Will both of you please cut it out?" Rachel's voice increased in volume trying to be heard over the combatants.

"You, stay the hell out of it!" both of them screamed at Rachel.

A pin-drop could have been heard on the carpeted floor as they both watched Rachel's face flush pink. She tried to speak a few times, but decided better of it. Quickly, she wrote her contact information on a Rolodex card and handed it to Peggy. She finally found her voice. It was calm and quiet as she said, "Call me if you wish to talk."

She then looked to Pegasus. "You already have my contact information if you have anything you wish to discuss with me. It is after-hours and I am going home."

"Oops!" Seto said.

"Yeah, well, that was nothing compared to our argument when we met up later." Rachel shook her head at the memory.

"She tried to kill you!" Pegasus had started up with her as soon as he arrived.

"You think I don't know that. She was the only one who could have."

He looked at her for a moment in stunned silence. "Then why did you let her anywhere near you again?" he snapped at her.

She looked back at him and said, "I doubt she will attempt anything like that again."

"I think you are being naïve."

"Perhaps."

"Well, she definitely will not be attempting anything as she is now fired and her access to you is cut off."

"Yeah, that was so intelligent, Max. I now don't have access to her either. How am I now supposed to let her know I don't hold it against her? How am I supposed to share Jesus with her?"

"You're not! Are you totally insane? She tried to kill you! I will not allow her to get within 1000 ft. of you and you are not to have any contact with her – ever!" His voice had raised quite a few levels and with the last words he pointed his finger at her.

Rachel's chin rose proudly and, as all sign of her usual playfulness disappeared from her face, she said calmly, but forcefully, "Listen and listen well, Maximillion Pegasus. You may feed me, clothe me, house me, provide me with needed medical treatment and a great job; but you have absolutely no authority over whom I contact or what I say. I am not your child. I do not need your boundaries to keep me safe. Those boundaries are set by my Lord and Him only. If you cannot accept this, then I will leave."

Pegasus barked with unkind laughter, "You're going to leave this?" and he gestured at the beautiful surroundings of her wing. "How long do you think you would last away from here?"

"As long as my Lord allows, obviously. These are your trappings, Pegasus, not mine. Don't ever forget that. I never asked for this. I accepted it because I had no other option at the time."

"Pray, tell me where you would go."

"I don't know, but I will leave."

"Did you?" Seto looked at her amazed.

"Yup, left that night. Of course, I did go in to work the next day, so it wasn't like he couldn't find me. I know he called my boss to see if I was there then left me alone for a few days. It was quitting time on Friday and he was waiting for me as I left the building. He told me I could talk to whomever I pleased and he wanted me to come back." She looked at Seto with a satisfied smile on her face. "I could feel the difference right away. I wish I had been privy to that spiritual encounter," she said with a bit of wonder in her expression.

"Though I won't tell you the story now, there was another reason why I went back. Another incident which happened during that time that convinced me I wasn't to leave." Seto looked at her inquiringly. "No, a story for another time," she insisted.

The two of them were quiet for a few minutes and they looked out to see what the rest of the group was doing. Yugi and Tea were climbing on the rocks far down the beach; Tony and Mokuba had given up on the boogie board and Mokuba was burying Tony in the sand; Pegasus and Kirii were still lying side by side in the wet sand and laughing at some witticism. Seto watched Rachel's lips turn up into a soft smile as she watched Pegasus and Kirii.

"Hmmm, I think he likes her."

"Jealous?" he teased her.

Her whole body shook with genuine laughter, and it took her a few minutes to answer, "Heavens no. Max is very dear to me; perhaps as maybe a brother, but nothing like you seem to think." She looked at Kirii again, "What is she like?"

"Nuh uh, I'm not going to get into that," he said as he turned over onto his back, closed his eyes and relaxed in the warmth of the sun, not seeing Rachel childishly stick her tongue out at him.