Confessions

By: Tima, Yami's wife

I don't own YuGiOh, just the new characters.

Chapter 25: A trip of solitude

A week later, Tiki was a little better. She was still very depressed but she was getting through everyday without thinking about what happened all the time. She let Kaiba come back into their room but she still wasn't ready for anything romantic. Kaiba would often remind her that he was not like the fiend. But she would always respond, "I know. But you're still of the opposite sex and they make me think of him."

Kaiba was very hurt to hear that comment from her. One day Tima came to visit them and he told her what Tiki had told him. "This is getting very painful. I hate it that she is comparing me to her rapist."

Tima said, "This response is not unusual from a rape victim. After the event, they only see their rapist in every male person. It doesn't matter if the man is a stranger, a family member, or even a loved one. All they think about is that they are men and that reminds them of their rapist."

Kaiba didn't like to think about that. "Is there anything I can do to make her remember that not all men are like that?"

Tima shrugged. "We can only do so much. But she has to remind herself that you would never do anything to hurt her."

Kaiba agreed. He looked up the stairs and hoped that he could help his wife so that she would return to the happy woman he knew and loved. He figured that giving her counseling and constant loving would help her break out of her shell. He was right for one point but he thought that he would give her the help that she didn't. He was wrong; a completely separate group would help her instead.

---

One rainy night Kaiba returned home from work a little later than usual. He knew that Tiki would give him a teary lecture for being late since he was also late when she was raped. But he was prepared for what Tiki would give him. 'Well…may as well just take the lecture quietly. After all…no one can blame her for freaking out like she does.'

But when he opened the door, Tiki wasn't waiting for him. Instead Lily was there, looking like she was ready to burst into tears. Kaiba immediately became worried. "Lily, what's wrong? What happened?"

Lily held up a note and choked out, "Mom…is…is…is…"

Fearing the worst, Kaiba asked, "Mom is what?"

Lily couldn't answer at first. She just collapsed into his arms and cried her eyes out. Kaiba comforted his daughter until she settled down a little. He then said, "Now, breath slowly and answer my question. Where's your Mom?"

Lily slowly shook her head as she murmured, "She's gone…"

Kaiba's eyes grew a little wide when she said that. "Gone? What do you mean, gone?"

Lily looked at her father and said, "I don't know. She just left without any explanation."

Kaiba still wanted to know that Tiki was alright so he asked, "When you say 'left', do you mean as in a trip or as in—"

Lily pulled back shocked. "I mean as in a trip! She just came downstairs with a suitcase, handed me this note, told me she loved me and good-bye, and left! What do you think I'm talking about?"

Kaiba was torn. Half of him was relieved that Tiki was still alive and didn't kill herself. But the other half was greatly confused. Remembering the note, he said, "Let me see the note."

Lily wiped her eyes and handed him the note. Kaiba noted that the note was in Tiki's handwriting and read what it said.

"Seto, I'm sorry but I have to leave for a while. I happened to overhear you the other day and realized how you really feel about me. Unable to face that type of future, I've decided to make the process a little easier for you. After a while, I may tell you where I am but I can't tell you right now. Until then…Tiki"

Kaiba was even more confused by Tiki's note. "What does she mean how I really feel about her? I love her!"

Lily said with attitude, "Maybe she had doubts right now."

Kaiba snapped, "Don't state the obvious! And go to your room!"

Lily was greatly angered by his outburst. "What did I do? I tell you that my Mom is missing and you take your anger out on me? That is not fair!"

Kaiba looked at her hard and said plainly, "Life isn't fair. Now just…go to bed."

Lily sighed and headed upstairs. Kaiba stayed in the hallway and felt his anger boil in him. Finally he headed upstairs and into his room. Seeing all of the trinkets that reminded him of Tiki, he took all of them and stuffed them in his closet. "If she wants to forget about me…then I'll forget about her!" he growled.

As he was saying this, a few tears escaped. He roughly wiped them away and looked outside, watching the rain bang against the window. But doing that reminded him of the night that he proposed to her and when they became one. Turning to the side a little, he punched the wall. Massaging his hand, he quickly went to bed.

---

The next morning, Kaiba got up as if nothing was wrong. But there was a dramatic difference in his attitude. He had turned back into the miserable, angry soul that he had when he was a teenager. He went into the bathroom and took a long look at himself. "Yes…this is better. Forgetting her is the best thing I can do," he convinced himself.

After getting dressed, he headed down and found his daughter sitting in the kitchen. Seeing her father, Lily immediately got up and bowed her head a little. "Dad, I'm sorry I snapped at you last night. It's just…with Mom gone and everything—"

"Don't mention her again," Kaiba said monotone. Lily looked at him in confusion. "What?"

Kaiba turned back to Lily. "Don't mention your mother ever again as long as you live in this house. That is the new rule that will be in play as of now."

Lily was shocked. "Dad, what is wrong with you? Mom is—"

Kaiba pointed at Lily. "I thought I told you never to mention her again."

Lily was on the verge of erupting. But she kept her feelings inside. "Dad, why do you want to forget…her? She is missing and we need to find her! Aren't you going to do anything?"

Kaiba glared at his daughter, which made Lily back up a little. "What would you propose I do? She has made it very clear that she doesn't want to be found! Since that's how it is, I'm not going to do anything about it!" With that, he stormed out and slammed the door on the way out.

---

From that day on, Kaiba continued to act like he did before he met Tiki. But now it was even worst than before. He would yell at almost everyone who "bothered him". He hid everything that reminded him of Tiki. He continued to forbid Lily to speak of her mother. He was literally trying to forget her. But he didn't know that something would happen to make him realize how stupid he had been acting.

What event will bring Kaiba to his senses? Find out next time!