Chapter 28
Father and Son Reconciliation
With a great jolt Hari's eyes shot wide open and his mind was painfully alert. Immediately he knew something was wrong. It normally took him hours to wake from one of his drug induced sleep modes, but this time it was different. He was awake and aware.
He didn't move but instead let his eyes searched the room. He easily recognized the side room he was in by the blood stains on the walls. They were a souvenir left over from the 'games' Bakura would play with whomever was unfortunate to be lured into his web. Hari knew one day he might end up like those people, but for the moment Bakura needed him so his execution was delayed.
Along with his eyes he let his ears seek out information. There were no voices, no footsteps, nothing to indicate that Bakura was there. He thought it safe for him to move now. He used his weakened arms to push himself off the floor and onto his knees. Slowly he fought the pain and stiffness of his body and stood. He tried to use the walls to steady himself, but he still managed to stumble a couple of times. It was a few minutes before he was able to walk in a normal manner and freely leave the room.
The door made an eerie squeak as it opened. Like everything else in this place it cast a dark and ominous cloud over him. Upon entering the main room the first thing he noted was the bright sunlight shining in from between the wooden slats that blocked the window. It wasn't much light. Bakura wasn't too fond of having such cheery luminescence in his domain, so he boarded up the windows. Hari peeked out through the slats to the street below. He did this occasionally when Bakura wasn't looking. He didn't know why he did it, it didn't make him feel any better. It most likely made him feel worse seeing people go about their daily lives, watching children playing, spying couples walking together hand in hand. He understood what he saw but he could no longer relate to it, it was a beautiful foreign land and he was in a barren dessert.
Hari glanced up and down the street, nothing particularly interesting him, not until he saw the flash from the digital display on the corner. It was a typical bank sign that displayed the time, date, and temperature. It was the date that Hari found so intriguing. 'Tuesday the 5th?' He asked himself. 'That can't be right.' If the display was telling the truth then something had gone wrong. Normally the drug would cause him to sleep for a few days, but this time he had awoken in only a few hours. He wondered if perhaps Bakura hadn't given him a full dose or that he might be building a tolerance to it. Or worse, he was in the final stage. He would die soon.
He turned his head from the window. Sunlight he figured was not for the dead. Maybe that's why Bakura hated it. Like Hari, Bakura was also dead, but in a different way.
'Where did Bakura go?' He thought. 'He probably thought I would be out of it for a few days so he split. One day I'm going to find out where he goes when I'm asleep.'
His stomach grumbled with discontent. He was always very hungry after he woke, and Bakura never kept any food there. Thus Hari was dependent on Bakura to feed him, yet another way Bakura could control him. But at the moment there was no Bakura, and if Hari was correct he wouldn't see him for a couple more days. So he decided to venture out, perhaps he could scrounge up something.
Passing by the small beat up table he noticed that it was covered in papers. Upon closer inspection he saw that they weren't papers they were photographs. Hari didn't remember those there before he took his dose. Bakura must have got them out after he went to sleep and left them thinking that Hari wouldn't be awake to view them. But he was viewing them. His eyes went wide with panic as he saw the subject of Bakura's fixation. All the photos, every single one of them was of Isabella. He brushed them around the table, spreading them out to get a better view. Dozens of photos of her coming and going, to the office, to home, out for dinner, shopping, her whole life documented. Hari's heart jumped in his chest. Bakura had no intention of keeping his word, he was going to hurt Isabella and Hari couldn't allow that.
The echo of the door slamming followed behind him as he raced down the stairway and out into the streets.
Isabella peered conspicuously at the unwritten papers strewn across her desk. She rubbed her temples clockwise, hoping to alleviate the migraine soon on its way. Her mind began to wander, but it was forced to stop by an unexpected pang in her stomach. This being another small reminder of the unborn baby occupying her womb. She shook her head trying to shake the pain, now forgetting entirely about her migraine. Standing up from her chair and gathering her things, she decided to call it a day.
Before leaving the office the deal she made with her father reminded her to call her bodyguards. When she exited the elevator on the ground floor she was met by her escorts. There were two guards now, bigger and burlier looking than before. She wondered if these guys would be any better protection against Bakura. The last ones looked just as impressive but even they couldn't stop Bakura from getting to Brianna. It seemed that Bakura would always find a way around things, and if he wanted to hurt one of them he would. Their only defense now was to stay alert and not let their guard down. Which was quite difficult for Isabella at the moment as she tried to deal with work, Ryo, her father, and the baby. She was tired and not feeling very well, mostly she was becoming depressed. She desperately wanted something to cheer her up.
With a quick survey of the street outside, the two guards led Isabella through the front doors and toward the waiting car. This was their normal routine on days when Ryo was not driving her. And everyday it played out like clockwork, but not today. Before Isabella could step into the backseat of the vehicle a hand from the passing crowd reached out and grabbed her arm. She immediately tensed and swung around to see her assailant. But before she could get a look at him the guards were instantly upon him. One tackled him and then they both took turned punching and kicking him. The man did not fight back, he just lie on the ground and accepted his beating. It wasn't until Isabella got a good look at the man on the ground that she realized what a terrible mistake had been made.
"No, stop it!" She yelled as she pulled on one of the guard's sleeves. "That's my brother!"
The guards paused a minute, that was all the time Isabella needed to jump between them and protectively cover Hari's body with her own. After this display the guards ceased their assault and instead stood watch over Isabella and her brother as a crowd of spectators gawked.
"Hari, are you alright?" Isabella asked as she gently touched his bruised and slightly bloody face.
"Yeah." He said in a weakened and exhausted state.
With some assistance Isabella was able to get Hari into the vehicle and eventually into her apartment. She felt a little weird about being back in her apartment. It hadn't been lived in for almost two months now, not since she started living with Ryo at his place. She had only occasionally been back to pick up a few things, but never to stay. And yet she didn't know where else to take him. Ryo certainly would not have been happy to have Hari at his place. The two of them were complete strangers, and although Hari was family, Ryo would not have taken kindly to him there. Ryo wasn't comfortable around people he didn't know. And she absolutely couldn't take him up to her parent's apartment. Hari and her father were still feuding. Any attempt take him there would have resulted in him immediately taking off for parts unknown. And she wanted him to stay. So the only option she would come up with was her old apartment.
She shooed the guards away quickly and sat Hari down on the couch where she was able to clearly assess his wounds. It was nothing serious, mostly just some small cuts and a few bruises. The guards had meant to rough him up for attacking her, but not kill him. With some reassuring words she went to the bathroom and came back with some peroxide and gauze to clean him up.
Hari felt like the whole scene was surreal. He was sitting on the couch with Isabella and she was treating his wounds like she did when they were kids. He got into a few scrapes back then and she always tried her best to patch him up afterwards.
"We should have put them in a private school."
He heard his father's voice in his head. The memories were rushing back to him whether he wanted to remember them or not.
"Boys are going to fight no matter what kind of school they are in."
That was his mother's voice.
"At least the private schools would be more disciplined and keep him and these other boys out of trouble."
That's right, he remembered clearly now. His parents were in the hallway outside the room. They were speaking in hushed voices, but he could easily hear them.
"We agreed that for the boys to be properly socialized that they needed to attend a public school and not some institution for the privileged."
"If being beaten to a bloody pulp is what you consider 'socializing' then I think we're succeeding."
"Then why don't you teach him martial arts, at least then he could defend himself."
"I've tried, but you know what he's like…" There was a pause. "He's too nice to fight back."
Mother sighed. "Then what can we do? Going to the principle or his teachers will only cause him more problems. We don't want to make him a bigger target than he already is."
"Maybe we need to toughen him up a little."
Hari looked up at Isabella and he could tell by the way she was avoiding his eyes that she had heard them too. With small dabs she blotted the blood that dripped from his cheek. He should have been concerned with what their parents were saying outside the door, but he was more worried that he was getting blood on Isabella's bed as they sat there.
Isabella wheezed a little as she spoke. "You need to tell them whose been doing this to you."
He shook his head.
"But they can make it stop."
Hari shifted his eyes down toward the bed sheets.
"If you don't tell them, then I will."
"You can't." Hari snapped his eyes up to meet hers with intensity. Isabella's eyes where half hidden behind her dark hair that fell over her face in a messy tangle.
"Then you tell them."
"No." Hari said in a defeated tone.
"Do you want him to keep hitting you?"
"No, but I…"
"But what?"
"I can't tell on him."
"Why not?"
"Because he's my brother."
"Brother or not he's hurting you."
"He's the only family I've got left."
"What about me? Aren't I family?" Isabella's blue eyes peered out from between the strands of her hair. He could tell she was injured by his words.
"He shouldn't be in there. Isabella's not feeling well and she doesn't need Hari bleeding all over her."
Father's voice was clear and booming as he approached the door. As soon as he entered the room he was ushering me out saying that I wasn't helping her by being there. Mother had made her way to the bed and was insisting that Isabella lie back down and tucked her in. She promised that I could come back after I had gotten cleaned up, but I didn't. Isabella kept asking for me, but I pretended like I was too tired and went to bed. I was too ashamed to see her after what I had said. Yes, she was my sister, but not like Kureno was my brother. In many ways I felt closer to her than I did my own flesh and blood. She had always been special to me, but I could never express that to her properly. How could I tell her I loved her?
Hari met Isabella's eyes with his own. He was half expecting her to look woeful or sad, but instead she had a smile on her face. He looked at her puzzled.
"I can't help it." She said. "I'm so happy you're here."
He blinked twice.
"I was worried about you. At the funeral you looked so…well I don't know how to describe it, but I just knew you shouldn't have left. I wanted you to come back. And you did." She smiled bigger.
"Gee, you're easy to please." Hari said satirically.
"Only when it comes to you."
He gave her a little smile in return for her comment.
"Hey, are you hungry?" Isabella really didn't have to ask, just by looking at him she could tell he probably hadn't eaten in days. "How about I get us something to eat. Anything you want, my treat!"
Hari leaned back against the couch and gave out a pleased sigh. "Hamburger." He replied. "With everything on it. The bigger the better."
A giggle escaped Isabella's lips. "I'm going to find you the biggest juiciest hamburger on the planet. In the meantime…" Isabella stood up taking her medical paraphernalia with her. "I want you to take a bath and get cleaned up, because you stink." She said it in a pleasant almost joking way, but she meant it. Hari didn't like her saying it, but he knew it was true. His hygiene had been severely lacking since he hooked up with Bakura and he couldn't deny that at times even he considered himself pretty rank.
"I'll find you something to wear, but in the meantime I think there is still a robe in the bathroom you can use."
Getting up off the couch Hari walked toward the bathroom she pointed him toward.
"And don't be afraid of the shampoo!" She called after him.
Hari spent nearly forty-five minutes just scrubbing himself with soap, but no matter how clean he got he couldn't help but still feel dirty. That is what Bakura had done to him. The devil took a good young man and turned him into a savage animal. And worse now he was after the one shining light in Hari's life, Isabella. Hari didn't know how he was going to do it, but he swore to himself that he would protect her. He wouldn't let Bakura hurt her.
"Did you fall in?" Isabella's voice accompanied her knock on the door.
"No, I'm done." Hari had just finished dying off and had slipped on the bathrobe. He opened the door.
"Good." She smiled at him. "Because the food is here. And I found some clothes. They're Ryo's but you two are about the same size so…" She presented him with the apparel and he took it. "Those will have to do until we can get you some proper ones."
Hari glanced at the clothes quickly. There was a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt that he could sleep in and some slacks and a polo type shirt for tomorrow. Of course this was only the tip of the iceberg. He knew that when she said she would get him some proper clothes that meant that come tomorrow she would drag him to every shop in town. And knowing Isabella her shopping fixation wouldn't be satisfied until she had bought him a whole new wardrobe. He really didn't want that kind of attention, but he would do it in order to spend more time with her. At least if he were near her he could keep her safe.
Hari changed into his new clothes. The sweatpants were a bit too long, but otherwise everything fit well. He did feel a little weird wearing her boyfriend's clothes, especially since he had never met the guy.
The pair ate dinner in the living room. Isabella had ordered him three hamburgers with all the fixings as well as extra large fries and a drink. All of which he gobbled down as he if had never had a scrap of food in his life. Isabella had ordered herself a hamburger as well. She was glad Ryo wasn't there for surely he would have yelled at her for eating something too greasy. But her cravings had been so strange lately that the grease actually was quite appealing. She looked up from her burger to notice that Hari was glancing about the room with interest as he munched away on his last sandwich. She couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking. Was he homesick? Was he looking for something? Or did he just not like her choice in curtains? As Hari searched the room with his eyes he couldn't help but think how utterly strange this all was. Not so much that he was in Isabella's apartment or that he had ran from Bakura but because of what they were doing. Kaiba would have had a fit if he saw them eating in the living room. He was such a man of strict rules and order and he had a way of doing everything, including meals. Food was to be found only in the kitchen or dining room and never allowed into other areas of the apartment. Heaven forbid he ever catch you with a bag of cookies in your room or there would be hell to pay. And yet here they were, away from Kaiba, eating in the one place he hated to find a crumb or even a glass of water, and on top of that Isabella had her feet on the couch. 'Boy, the old man would flip!' he thought to himself. 'It's a good thing he isn't here or he might have a coronary.'
"I've been thinking." Isabella waited until Hari was almost done with his meal before speaking. "I'd like you to stay here."
"In your apartment?" He asked after swallowing the food he was chewing.
"I don't know what's been happening to you lately but I can't help but feel like there is something wrong. And I'm not going to pry into your life, I know how you hate that, but if you're here then at least I know that you're safe. That you have someplace you can come home to."
Hari thought this terribly ironic. He had come there to keep her safe from Bakura, but unknowingly she was making an attempt to keep him safe from Bakura also. And no matter how much he wanted to stay there, he wasn't sure if he should. "I can't put you out like that."
"It's no bother really." Isabella gave him a reassuring, if not hypnotic, smile. "It will be great having you here. We'll see each other all the time and we can hang out. It will be just like when we were kids."
"I...I don't…It's just…"
"Oh come on." Isabella said in a pleading whiny voice. "If you're worried about privacy don't be. I won't tell Daddy you're here and you'll have the place all to yourself so you can come and go as you please."
"What do you mean I'd have the place all to myself?" Hari interrupted. "You'll be here."
"I don't live here anymore." Isabella couldn't understand why she felt a little embarrassed by that. "I moved in with Ryo. We only maintain this apartment to keep up appearances so Daddy won't find out."
"You're defying the old man?" Hari said with shock. He wouldn't have ever imagined that the princess would revolt against the king.
"Well…" Isabella hesitated, she wasn't sure she should explain all of her reasoning to him just yet. "Things have changed lately, and it's best if I'm with him right now."
In Hari's mind there was only one reason that she would say that, her health had gotten worse. He was hoping that she was over most of that, she hadn't had a bad attack in years and the family was optimistic that the worst was over for her. But perhaps it wasn't.. Hari and Isabella both knew that if her health deteriorated that their father would force her to live with them again so they could take care of her. He was certain that was the last thing Isabella wanted. She was on her own now and seemed happy, she wouldn't go back if she could avoid it. That must be why she was living with this other guy. She could still be on her own, but she would also have someone to take care of her. It's the only thing that made sense to him.
"I want to help you, Sissy." Hari's voice dropped to a low and melodic tone. "If there is anything I can do…"
"Then stay." Isabella said quickly. "I feel so much better knowing that you're alright."
"I don't know how much time I have." This was true, Hari knew that the drug was eating away at him and that there wasn't much time left before he died.
"Then I'll stay with you for as long as you're here. I think it will do us both some good."
She smiled and he couldn't deny his wishes anymore. He above all things wanted to stay there with her, to be close to her once more. It was his fear of what she might discover about his recent life, or what the drug might make him do that kept him from saying yes. But now he was willing to take the risk. He might have to leave anyways, but at least he would have a few days of happiness with her.
He nodded and she grinned with glee.
In an instant, Isabella went into what Hari could only describe as a preparations craze. She called Ryo and left him a message telling him not to expect her. She refused to let Hari sleep on the couch, and he refused to take the bedroom from her, so they compromised with having him sleep in Isabella's home office. She called down to the apartment manager and had a futon brought up. Isabella found out a long time ago that when you have money people are willing to go out of their way to help you and she took advantage of that. It was late in the evening when Hari finally settled down into the soft futon and faded off into an easy sleep.
Hari awoke the next morning in utter contentment. He hadn't slept that well in years. Was it because he felt safe there or that the worries that often plagued him disappeared for one shining moment or because Isabella was just in the next room. He pondered that for a moment as he stretched and rubbed his eyes. Then the sumptuous smell of food caught him and his stomach rumbled again. He practically sprang to his feet and made his way to the kitchen, the aroma drawing him to it.
"Isabella, that smells really good. What are you…" Hari rounded the corner into the kitchen but stopped dead in the doorway when he realized it wasn't Isabella who was cooking, it was a man. They had never met, but Hari knew him, it was Ryo Marufuji.
The clang of something metallic sounding hitting the wall woke Isabella with a shock. She jolted up in bed and could hear muffled shouting in another room. Jumping out of bed she took off as fast as she could out of her room and toward the source of the noise. She entered the living room just as Hari bolted past her with a frying pan flying through the air behind him. Isabella stopped just short of being hit by it, instead it collided with the wall near her.
"Get out!"
The familiar voice directed her attention toward the frying pan assailant. Ryo was marching at full speed toward her and after Hari.
"What the hell's going on!" Isabella yelled.
"What's going on?" Ryo spoke in a loud and agitated voice. "What's going on is that I came here to make you breakfast because I knew there was no food in your refrigerator and I find a man in your apartment! How could you betray me like this!"
"How dare you!" Isabella shouted back. "That's my brother Hari not my lover!"
"How was I supposed to know that?"
"Why don't you trust me? You never do!"
"I trust you."
"No you don't! What about Simon? You thought I was having an affair with him that's why you won't even talk to him."
"Well what was I supposed to think? You disappeared for two days without any word."
"Am I required to tell you everything? You're not my father, I don't have to report to you!"
"That's the problem, you don't tell me anything!"
"Yes I do!"
"Then why didn't you tell me your brother was here?"
"Because it's a secret no one can know he's here."
"Why not?" Ryo voice and temper were calming down now.
Ryo's change in voice encouraged Isabella to lower her own. "Because if people knew he was here he'd get scared and he'd run, and I don't want him to go away again."
Ryo released a huge sigh. "Why couldn't you tell me that when you called?"
"I couldn't tell anyone in case word got back to Daddy. Hari would disappear quick if Daddy were to come looking for him. I want to help Hari, I couldn't take the risk."
"Couldn't take the risk?" Isabella knew she couldn't have hurt him more if she would have stabbed him. He shook his head and turned away. "Just get dressed and I'll take you to work."
"I'm not going to work today, I'm staying with Hari."
"Fine. I'm tired of arguing with you." He proceeded to the door and left.
As soon as the door was closed all the pain that Isabella was feeling flooded her and she crumbled over grasping her abdomen. Her stomach had starting hurting the minute she and Ryo begun fighting, but she was holding back showing it. The stress of the situation most likely the cause. She gripped onto the back of the couch trying to stay upright. Hari, sensing the coast was clear, cautiously emerged from the office. Seeing that Isabella was clearly in pain he rushed to her and taking a firm hold on her set her on the couch.
"Did he hurt you?" He asked.
"No, it's not that. I haven't been feeling well lately" Isabella groaned.
"Maybe you should take it easy. Can I get you something?"
"No, I'm fine, really. Give me a few minutes, it normally passes pretty quick. I just overworked myself, that's all."
"It's all my fault. I'm causing you problems, I should leave." He made a motion to get up but she grabbed his arm to stop him.
"Please don't go. I'll be fine, I promise. We have the day to ourselves, lets go out and have some fun." She gave him a weak smile and he nodded.
Isabella was correct in the fact that it didn't take her long to recover. In the time it took him to get cleaned up and put on the slightly oversized clothes she had given him, Isabella was in much better spirits. And she perked up dramatically as soon as she got him out of the apartment and into the nearest clothing store. Just as Hari had suspected, Isabella was delighted to be using him as her own personal dress-up doll. She picked out clothes galore, many he didn't like but he tried them on to amuse her anyways. It took every ounce of negotiating skills he had to keep her from buying out the shop for him. But he did come away wearing a new pair of jeans and a clean shirt, not to mention a few bags full of other miscellaneous clothes. And if he thought that was the end he was sorely mistaken. Now that Isabella had in her grasp she wasn't about to stop there. She wasn't satisfied until she had his hair cut, most of his piercing taken out, his face exfoliated and gotten him a manicure and pedicure. Isabella partook in the manicure and pedicure as well. Hari would occasionally glance over at her in the next chair. He thought that she looked tired, more than he remembered her looking when she over exerted herself. She smiled at him trying to cover it up. That disturbed him. It disturbed him more than the two guards that followed and loomed over them all the time. He wondered how she put up with that, but then he realized that it was no different than what he had been dealing with for the past year or so living in Bakura's shadow. You adjust, you survive, that's all either of them could do.
The two of them had been so busy that they hadn't noticed that most of the day had gotten away with them. It was now early afternoon and Isabella was showing obvious signs of fatigue. Hari could have kicked himself, he didn't realize that they had skipped lunch and although Isabella was not a big eater she needed some kind of nourishment. He forced her to stop at a little bistro and have an early dinner. Much to the guards dismay, Isabella insisted on sitting in the outdoor table area where she could feel the cool breeze that was so pleasantly blowing that day. The guards pressured her to sit inside where there was more cover but she refused.
"It's not like there are any snipers out there just waiting for me to show up at this particular café at this particular time. Geez, you guys are so paranoid." She huffed.
The guards begrudgingly took up posts on opposite sides of the table where they could get a good view of the surroundings.
"Could they be any more obvious?" Hari said as he buttered his bread.
"Yeah, they're pretty clueless." Isabella retorted. "But I've gotten used to them."
"All these people are staring at us." Hari said right before he bit into his bread.
Isabella mentally laughed. Hari never did like attention, he was happier going about life being invisible. "It is pretty annoying, but I guess it comes with the territory. People stare at me whether I have the guards with me or not. Especially at work. They talk about me behind my back too. I've become immune to it really. Ryo said I can't take it personally, and he's right. I have to go through life at my own pace."
Hari was looking sour fully at his plate of food. "I'm sorry if I caused you any problems this morning."
He didn't have to explain she knew he meant her scuffle with Ryo. "It's my fault. I didn't tell him you were there and well…he gets jealous really easy. He'll calm down and come back around. Then we'll make up and everything will be fine again."
"Are you sure about this guy?" He asked almost unsure of his own question.
"Of course I am. What kind of question is that?"
"It's just…I mean how well do you really know him?"
"We've been together for years and we live together. I think I know him pretty well, wouldn't you say?" Hari could hear the little bit of frustrated anger in her voice.
"I just want you to be careful. Make sure this is the right guy for you. I don't want you to get blind sided."
"Blind sided?" That word caught her interest. "By what?"
"The truth." He replied simply.
"What do you mean? Do you know something?"
Hari paused trying to find the right words. He knew if he told her what he had learned from Bakura that she would be upset, perhaps even heartbroken. But he couldn't let her continue this charade their father had set up. He opened his mouth to speak but another distinctly male voice cut him off.
"Fancy meeting you here." It said pleasantly.
Isabella looked over toward the sidewalk adjacent to the café's outdoor tables. "Simon!" She said with glee.
The guards recognizing him allowed him to approach the table. "Playing hooky again?" He asked with a sly smile.
"Yes I am." She announced proudly.
"I must have been a bad influence on you." Simon joked then looked over at her dining companion. "Hari?" He was a bit surprised at his discovery. "Wow man, it's good to see you." He extended his hand and they exchanged a hearty handshake. "It's been forever. Are you back in town now?"
"Back in town?" Hari was confused by the question.
"Your father told me that you were out of town on business, but he was hoping you'd be coming back soon."
Hari internally scoffed. 'He would say that. Most likely trying to cover for his disappointment of a son.'
"Yeah, I'm back. For a little while at least." Hari said aloud.
"Have a seat and we'll order you something." Isabella invited but Simon waved her off with his hands.
"I'd love to but I can't. I left early from work to run an errand and I haven't quite got it finished yet."
"Another time then?"
"Sure, give me a call. I'd love to catch up with you." He directed his comment toward Hari. Although Hari would have loved to have talked with his old friend Simon he wasn't sure what he would talk to him about. How could he tell Simon or Isabella that he just spent the last year in a drug induced stupor. "It's really good to see you again." Simon gave Hari a smile.
Isabella gave Simon a happy wave goodbye as he walked away. She smiled so genuinely at him, but then again, to Hari's recollection, she always did.
"I never would have recognized him." Hari said when Isabella returned her attention to him.
"He sure has changed."
"There was always something peculiar about him, something I couldn't put my finger on." A puzzled look encased Hari's face.
"What are you going to tell me he's an alien now?" Isabella chuckled in delight.
"No, nothing that obvious." Hari poked at the food on his plate while he thought. "Didn't you think it was weird how Dad never had a problem with us hanging out with Simon? I mean he hated Simon's dad."
"But he never had anything against Auntie Anzu." Isabella pointed out.
"Why do you think that was?"
"That's easy." Isabella said between bites of food. "She was Mom's friend. He couldn't be mean to her without insuring Mom's anger. He probably held his tongue and played nice to appease Mom and then when he got to know her better he decided she wasn't all that bad. You know how Daddy takes a while to warm up to people. Mom told me that even they had a very rough start when they met, but look at them now."
"But that doesn't explain why he was always so nice to Simon."
"Well he couldn't rightly treat Simon badly if he considered Anzu his friend, even if he did disliked Mr. Mouto. Besides, Simon was our friend too. We all practically grew up together. And I didn't have too many friends, so I'm sure Daddy didn't want to run off one of them. Especially one like Simon."
"It just doesn't sit right with me."
"Come on." Isabella protested. "Must you turn everything into a conspiracy? You were always suspicious of everyone. Everyone but Kureno that is. And now you're busting Simon's chops. Which isn't fair. Simon has always been good to you. He got you a spot on the track team in High School didn't he? And you loved that."
"Do you know why I liked being on the track team?" He asked. "Because Dad came to every one of our competitions. He was always there in the stands watching me. It was the only time he made me feel like I was special to him. Because his attention was on me. Not on you or Kureno or the business, it was me he was there to see."
"I think you underestimate how much attention Daddy gave you." Isabella said in a slightly pissed off mode. She hated when people talked bad about her father. "Just off the top of my head I can name at least twelve separate instances when he lavished attention on you."
"Yeah, maybe bad attention." Throwing down his fork he leaned back into his chair with a huff.
"What did you expect him to do, Hari? He's not the huggy feely type. Hell he doesn't even hug me, and I'm his flesh and blood." Isabella sighed. "He speaks through actions not words. Just sitting and talking with you is one of the few ways he can express his affection. I don't know what happened between you two, but I can tell you this with all certainty, Daddy cares a lot about you. And he's worried about you too. He asks me all the time if I've seen or heard from you. He wants make amends and I wish you'd give him the chance."
Isabella was afraid that her words were falling on deaf ears for Hari wouldn't look her he just stared off into space.
"Are you going to tell him I'm here?" He asked bluntly and with a little distain in his voice.
"No." She said plainly. "The way I see it he's tried to come to you, but you wouldn't listen. So the only way this is going to work is if you go to him. And you have to do that when you're ready. No one can force you."
"I don't want him to see me like this. He'll just be disgusted with me."
"Then I'll help you get better." Isabella smiled at him.
He wanted to smile back but he couldn't. Nor could he tell his sister that he would never get better. It only got worse from here.
For two days the pair existed in a relatively calm and content manner. Isabella was happy to have Hari around to talk and laugh with again. He had always been her best friend. But that didn't mean they didn't have their heated discussions during those days. Occasionally he would flare up into one of his rants about their father or the state of the world in general, but it normally subsided quickly and they'd go back to being peaceful again. Isabella wasn't the least bothered by this. He did it all the time as a child. She considered the reason to be that Hari was always so quiet and seemingly helpless. When something bothered him he never said anything, instead he let it build up inside of him until it boiled over. And it was always Isabella he spouted out to. If he didn't have her there in person he would call her at the academy or college and talk her ear off about whatever was bothering him. Isabella never minded she was pleased that he loved her enough to confide in her. She dared to say she missed that while he was gone. It was part of the emptiness she felt when he left.
Hari considered those two days as utter bliss. No one interrupted them, absolutely no one. No Kaiba, no Bakura, not even her boyfriend Marufuji, it was them. And on top of that he was feeling good. So much that he couldn't remember the last time he felt this healthy. The pains he usually experienced were gone, his spirits high, and he had energy to burn. It was strange indeed. He wondered if that was due to a weird reaction to the drug, or if he, by some miracle, might be free from the effects of the drug. He could only hope for the later. Time would give him his answer. But for the time being he was happy to be alone with Isabella.
The soft touch of a hand to her cheek made Isabella stir in her bed. When she felt the kiss to that same cheek is when she registered the weight on the bed next to her. She turned her head and cracked open her eyes to see who was there. It was still dark but she could make out the figure sitting on the bed and his hands brushing away her hair. He leaned down and kissed her on her now exposed lips. It was gentle and sweet and familiar.
"What are you doing here?" She asked half dazed.
"I couldn't sleep." Ryo said quietly. "I wanted to check on you."
She gave him a sleepy smile.
"How have you been?" He asked as he ran his hand across her forehead. Isabella knew that was his sly way of checking to see if she had a temperature.
"Good." She whispered back.
"Been having any trouble?" He said as he slid his free hand along her stomach indicating what kind of trouble he was referring to.
"Just a little morning sickness, but nothing bad."
"Is your brother still here?"
"I was wondering when you would get to your point." Isabella raised a sleepy eyebrow at him.
"I'm sorry I flew off the handle." Ryo said kindly. "But you know how I am. I can't stand to think of you with another man."
"You know I would never betray you." She flipped over on her other side so she could face him directly. "And I'm sorry too. I should have told you he was here. But you know what I'm like." She snickered at her own joke.
He gave her a gentle smile. Yes, he did know what she was like. And they were both very similar, both having flaws that were deep rooted and hard to wedge out.
"Now that I know you're alright, I think I can go home and get some sleep." He was beginning to lift himself off the bed when she touched his arm.
"Stay." She grinned hypnotically at him and he found he couldn't refuse her.
"I'm afraid I don't have any pajamas that aren't in use." He leaned over and touched the lapel of her nighttime apparel. She was wearing his pajamas.
"I won't mind if you don't wear any pajamas."
"Oh really?" He bent down and kissed her.
It was still early when Isabella awoke the next morning. The first thing her eyes searched for was her sleeping companion, but she didn't find him in the room. After stretching and reclaiming her pajamas from the floor she traveled into the other areas of the apartment hoping to find him. All she found instead was Hari sitting on the couch reading a book.
"Have you seen Ryo?" She asked a little hesitantly, she wasn't sure if he was still on edge about her boyfriend.
"He left more than an hour ago." He said flipping to the next page. "What was he doing here so late."
Isabella blushed slightly hoping that Hari hadn't heard any of the activities that went on in her bedroom. "He came to check on me."
"Check up on is more accurate."
"That's not nice."
"Nor is he."
"Just because he threw a frying pan at your head doesn't mean he's a bad guy."
"I'm not talking about that."
"Then what are you talking about?"
"You do realize he works for the old man."
By the way he called their father the 'old man' Isabella could tell Hari was already upset. Perhaps he didn't approve of the noises he heard last night. "Of course he woks for Daddy, lots of people do."
"Yeah, but not many people get the big cushy job and the corner office."
"Ryo has worked hard for everything he's gotten."
"He sure does."
"Stop being stupid."
"He's an informant Isabella." Hari said loudly as he looked up from his book. Isabella stared at him blankly. "Marufuji and the old man made a deal. He stays with you, makes sure you don't get yourself into trouble, then reports everything to the big man upstairs."
"Wha…no." Isabella's voice was so weak it could barely be heard.
"And in return Marufuji gets an executive level position and all the perks."
"That's not true!" Isabella shouted, her voice had returned to her in a fury. "I know for a fact that Ryo doesn't do that. There are things he would never tell Daddy." Of course she was referring to her pregnancy.
"It is true." Hari was trying to keep his head although his brain had been hurting for the past couple of hours.
"How the hell would you know?"
Hari couldn't come straight out and say that the madman Bakura had told him, he couldn't let her know of his connection to him. "Just because I'm not around all the time doesn't mean I don't keep an eye on you to make sure you're okay."
"So you're keeping tabs on me too?" Isabella's eyes were flames of anger. "Well you can go to hell because I don't believe you. Ryo loves me!"
"Fine." Hari said as he threw the book on the coffee table, Dr. Spock was never an interesting read anyways. "Believe me or not, but I warned you." He got up quickly and made a motion toward his temporary bedroom. But no matter how strong he appeared upon the first steps he obviously became weaker as he walked. He staggered just a bit and leaned against the wall when he could reach it. Observing his distress Isabella rushed over and helped to prop him up as he tried to walk.
"Hari, what's wrong?" She asked. She could feel the heat radiating off of him. "You're burning up." He attempted to wave her off as she tried to access his temperature with her hand to his forehead. "Why didn't you tell me you had a fever?" As she took a stronger grip onto his arm she happened to notice the small lines of red staining the back of his new white shirt. "And you're bleeding." She pulled up on his shirt to find the source only to lose her grip on the fabric when she was pushed away.
"No, get away!"
That didn't deter Isabella. She grabbed him again by the arm and with some gentle coaxing got him back to his room where he fell face forward onto the futon. She left him there for a minute while she went to retrieve washcloths, cool water, and the same medical supplies she had used the first day he was there. Placing the supplies and herself next to the futon she proceeded to peel up his shirt to which she received some protest from her patient.
"Listen, we can do this the hard way if you want. But no matter what this shirt is coming off, so you better cooperate and it'll go much smoother."
Hari knew Isabella was a strong willed woman and she when she said she'd take his shirt off she meant it. So he propped himself up on his arms and allowed her to pull the shirt up and over his head. Isabella wasn't prepared for the horror she was presented with. All along his back lay what looked like a hundred straight and slightly curved scratches. The lines had no apparent pattern, they zipped across his back in every conceivable direction, crisscrossing and overlapping. Some where long, other short. Most had been scabbed over by time, but the new fresher looking ones were cracked open and oozing a small amount of blood. Isabella had to hold her breath and her tongue, she was afraid that she was going to scream out of fright and anger. These marks were clearly done by another, there was no way he could have done this to himself. Her only question was whether he wanted this kind of torture, or if he was under the abuse of someone else. She wanted to ask, but she didn't. He was already shaking slightly and his fever was only getting worse. She couldn't see pressing him on this subject now. It could wait until he was better. So she cleaned and dressed his wounds as best she could, then tried to tend to his fever.
"Come." Seto Kaiba said as he acknowledged the knock on his door. He didn't look up as the young man entered the office, he was expecting him after all. "So?" He asked without looking up from his monitor.
"Hari's staying at her apartment." There was a calmness to Ryo's voice.
"Hari?" Kaiba looked up with amazement. "She found him?"
"I think he found her." Ryo politely made the correction to which Kaiba appeared to pay little attention.
"Have you seen him?" Kaiba asked. "How does he look?"
Kaiba's manner was fascinating to Ryo. There was a genuine look of concern on his face and in his voice. It was a thing that Kaiba rarely showed because he felt it was a weakness. "He's pale and thin. I don't think he's been eating well. He also appears sickly, most likely from the malnutrition."
"But my daughter's taking care of him now?"
"Yes, and she insists on doing it herself. She doesn't want you involved. She's afraid you'll scare him off."
"She's probably right." Kaiba said as he stared at nothing across the room. "I want you to keep me posted on everything. And alert me immediately the minute you think Isabella is in over her head. She's an intelligent girl, but sometimes she doesn't now when to ask for help. Especially when it comes to Hari."
Ryo nodded and left. As he walked back to his office he couldn't say that he was proud of himself. No doubt that when Isabella found out, and she would find out, that he told her father about Hari he would be serious trouble. But that was the fine line he walked between Isabella and her father. He couldn't please one with out angering the other. It was a matter of what was important to keep secret and what to expose. And unfortunately for Hari, his secret was not as important as others and he was sacrificed to help cover Isabella's condition. He was not in the best of moods when the doors of the elevator opened and he could see across the lobby area at his secretary's desk and the woman sitting near it. He did not want to deal with her right now.
"Your messages, sir." Said his secretary as she stood respectfully and handed him a small stack of papers.
"Those reports come in yet?" Ryo had his back to the woman sitting on the side chair. Perhaps he thought if he ignored her she would disappear.
"Not yet, sir. I'll call again and have them rushed."
He nodded and stepped toward his office.
"Excuse me, sir." The secretary interrupted him. "His lady was hoping to have a word with you. She says she won't leave until she speaks with you."
"Very well." Ryo huffed and went into his office. He was quickly followed by the woman on the chair. "Close the door." He commanded when she entered. She did as she was told and paused hesitantly. "What do you want, Mother?"
The woman's shyness peeled off some when she heard him call her 'mother.' It had been a long time since he had done that. "I'm sorry to bother you like this, but you're not working at night so I couldn't talk to you then."
Ryo now understood why she was dressed like she was. His mother wore most likely the only nice dress she owned, had her done up in a bun, and had on a tinge of makeup. Obviously she wouldn't dress so elaborately when she was working, but since the only way she could talk to him was during the day she had to make a good appearance so she wouldn't be turned away or looked any more suspicious than she already was.
"At least be quick about it." He said rudely. "I've got work to do."
She took a deep breath. "I saw your father a couple of weeks ago."
"What does that have to do with me?" He asked as he stood sorting through his messages.
"He would like to see you. He wants to make amends."
"I have no interest in seeing that man."
"He's not doing well. He's in the hospital." She could tell she wasn't getting through to him. He seemed more interested in the papers in her hand than in her story. "He's dying."
Ryo sat down in his office chair, a blank expression still on his face. "So which was it? His kidneys or his liver? That much drinking was sure to damage one or both."
"It doesn't matter." She said remorsefully. "The important thing is that he wants to make things right with you before he dies."
"I don't need his apologies. I moved on a long time ago. And I have no room in my life for his regrets. Now if that's all you have to say to me then I'd say our conversation is over."
"Don't you care at all?"
"What do you expect me to do? Cry? Ball my eyes out because I grew up in a living hell? I've got a new family now, I don't want that nightmare anymore."
"Ryo..dear…" She was unsure of what else to say. In a brief moment he confirmed all the fears that she had. He really did hate his family and most likely he would never reconcile with them.
"Please leave." He added as he started typing on his computer.
"I'll go, but…" She reached into her purse and produced a small piece of paper. "This is where your father is. In case you change your mind." He made no attempt to accept the paper so she left it on his desk. He continued typing as if the paper didn't exist.
Ryo didn't even give her a sideways glance as she left. But once she was gone he acknowledged the paper. He picked it up, gave it a quick glance, then threw it into the wastebasket. It was not worth his time.
Much to Ryo's dismay, the paper was once again on the corner of his desk when he came to work the next morning. He realized how stupid a move throwing it away was. Obviously his mother would have seen it in there when she was cleaning last night and saved it from the trash. He should have been smarter than that. This time he put the paper in the shredder. He doubted that she would find all the pieces and tape them back together. Although he was pretty sure this wouldn't be the last note that would mysteriously appear on his desk. He had a feeling his mother was going to be a problem in this area. She was always so passive aggressive, trying to get her children to do what she wanted by kind words or suggestions, but never coming straight out and ordering them to do it. Perhaps that's why he was attracted to the persona of someone like Kaiba. Kaiba was anything but passive. He knew what he wanted and he went after it with everything he had. No tip-toeing around people as to not offend. Kaiba was strong where his family was not. And Ryo wanted to be strong.
With the dread of more notes haunting him in the future, Ryo trudged through his daily work. He had sufficiently completed his tasks when he looked at the clock. Right on time. He packed up a few things for later and left work early. Ryo used his key and let himself into Isabella's apartment. The first thing he saw was Isabella semi-pacing the floor, wandering back and forward, as if she didn't know what way to go. She was carrying a cup of tea and seemed confused about what to do with it. She had a very anxious and worried look on her face.
"Is everything all right?" He asked.
She suddenly realized he was there. "Yes…no…" She said putting her fingers to lips as she contemplated her next move.
"How are you feeling?" He moved close to her and placed his hand upon her forehead.
"I'm fine." She said with some annoyance. "What are you doing here?"
He could tell she didn't mean to sound angry although she did. Apparently, something was weighing heavily upon her mind. "I'm here to take you to your doctor's appointment."
"Is that today? Oh I completely forgot."
Now Ryo knew she was troubled by something, Isabella never missed an appointment. "It's okay, we still have time. I'll wait while you get ready." He was hoping she'd take the hint about her state of dress. She was wearing sweat pants and a sweatshirt and had her hair pulled back in a ponytail. He could tell she hadn't put any consideration into her appearance today.
"I can't go." She said again with that worried expression.
"It's the obstetrician, you can't miss this appointment."
"But I can't leave Hari."
"I'm sure he'll be fine on his own for a couple of hours." Ryo said reassuringly placing his hand on her arm.
"No, you don't understand. Hari's sick."
A stern look overcame Ryo's face. "If he's sick then you need to stay away from him. You can't afford to be infected right now."
"No, it's not that kind of illness. I think he's having some kind of reaction to something. He's got a fever and yet he's shaking like he's cold. He's in constant pain and he can't eat anything. I thought I'd bring him some tea, but I don't think he'll drink it. I don't know what to do, but I can't leave him alone."
"Then I'll stay with him while you're at the doctor's." Isabella gave him a weary look. "You can't sacrifice your health for his. And you know how important this appointment is. It will be a month before we can schedule another one. We can't afford to miss this."
"Are you sure you'll be okay here with Hari?"
"Believe me, I'd rather be with you, but if you can't leave Hari alone then I'll stay."
"Are you certain about this?"
"Yes. Now go get dressed and I'll call for your car to be brought around."
With some reluctance Isabella prepared to leave. She gave Hari a quick check before she left and then hurried out the door. Ryo waited until he saw her from the window get into the car and it drive away before he dared go into the office to check on his patient. He cracked the door open slowly and peeked in. Hari was exactly as Isabella had described him, feverish, shaking, and obviously in pain. His face was sullen, more than it usually appeared and there were predominate dark circles under his eyes. Unlike Isabella, Ryo was aware of what he suffered from.
"She's pregnant isn't she?" Came a weak voice from the futon.
Ryo noted that Hari's eyes were slightly open and staring at him. He stepped into the room. "How do you know that?"
"The old man always said I was observant just not very smart. But I'm smart enough to figure out something he hasn't."
"And what makes you think he doesn't know?"
"Because you haven't told him." Hari winced in pain, but Ryo made no attempt to aid him. "That wouldn't fit into your plan, would it?"
"Don't even pretend to understand you know what I'm after."
"Just don't hurt her. If you do I'll…" Hari's voice drifted off a little as unconsciousness threatened to engulf him.
"Or you'll what?"
Ryo didn't get an answer, Hari was asleep. Stepping back into the hallway and closing the door Ryo pulled out his cell phone and dialed.
"I think you'd better come over here." He said when the party on the other end answered. "It's just like you said. She's in over her head."
Isabella hurried back through the door of her apartment a few hours later. She had just tossed her purse on a side table and was heading for the hall when Ryo rushed out of the kitchen trying to stop her.
"Bella, wait. There is something you should know."
But she didn't pay much attention. "Sure, give me a minute. I just want to check on Hari." Not stopping she went down the hall and quietly creaked open the door to her office. She was expecting to find Hari asleep on the futon, which he was. But what she didn't expect was to find her father kneeling by the futon dabbing Hari's head with a wet washcloth.
Shocked she could only think to back away as quietly as she entered. She shut the door and glanced down the hallway to where Ryo stood. She had never seen him look so guilty before. She marched up to him and confronted him.
"You told him?" She said in an angry whisper.
"It's not like…" He tried to touch her in a comforting gesture but she batted his hand away.
"How dare you."
"I was trying to help him."
"He doesn't need your help, I'm taking care of him."
"You can't handle this Bella, you don't know how."
"I'm tired of people telling me what I can and can't do. He's my brother and there is nothing I won't do to help him."
Finally fed-up with her self righteous attitude he blurted out, rather aphetically, the issue. "He's an addict, Bella."
She stared at him blankly.
By the look on her face Ryo decided she deserved an explanations of his actions. "You may have lived a sheltered life, but I didn't. I know what withdrawal symptoms look like and he's got them. And by the looks of it, he's into something heavy. That's why I called your father. Hari needs professional help, he needs to be in a hospital where they can treat his symptoms."
"When Hari first got sick he made me promise I wouldn't take him to a hospital. I intend to keep my word."
"You want to keep him here and let him suffer? Because that's what your allowing to happen. In a hospital or rehab center he'll get medication and treatment. He can fight this thing. But if you keep him here he'll only be in more pain. Going cold turkey may be his wish, but it's the much harder of the two paths, it might even kill him."
She turned her back on him. Isabella didn't want to face him or the horrible truth he placed before her. Once again someone was placing a wall in front of her, telling her what she couldn't or shouldn't do, never once considering what she wanted or how she felt. In so many ways Ryo was like her father. Always telling her to do what he wanted and disguising it as logic. Even now, Ryo seemingly gave her a choice. Keep him here and let him suffer or take him someplace he doesn't want to go and have him cured. It seemed so simple, like she only had one choice, but Isabella was smarter than that, she knew there was a third option. One that would help him and allow him to stay with her. This would be her choice. If they found out her plan than they would tell her she couldn't. But Isabella was getting tired of being told 'no'.
Warm hands wrapped themselves around her shoulders in a loving gesture. "I know you're being a good sister and that your family means everything to you, but you're not helping him by keeping him here."
"How would you know how much my family means to me. You won't even talk to yours. You act like they don't exist. So don't be that crap about family bonding, because you don't give a shit." She stepped away from him and his embrace.
He stared at her back for a moment trying to come up with some reasoning or excuse for his actions, but there was only the truth. "I didn't have a family like yours, Bella. My father told me he loved me by going into a drunken rage and beating me. And my mother was too scared to even lift her head up. They made me miserable. Even you couldn't blame me for trying to forget that, to make it all go away." He stepped closer to her. "I gave up everything because I didn't want to be like them. I wanted respect and dignity. And I couldn't have that with them hanging over my shoulder." Ryo gently touched Isabella's arm, hoping to sway her. "I would have given anything to have a family like yours. To have a father who cared about his children like yours does about you and Hari. That's why he's here. I knew he would want his son safe and happy again. I tried to give him that chance at reconciliation."
The conversation was cut off by the abrupt sound of someone clearing their throat. Ryo took a quick step away from Isabella and turned to see Kaiba glaring at him. He looked warily back, wondering how much Kaiba had heard. Isabella glanced at her father over her shoulder in a mean way so that he knew how upset she was with his presence there.
"I'm going to make arrangements to have Hari placed in a rehabilitation center." Kaiba spoke in his normal authoritative tone. "I'll have him picked up tomorrow morning. I trust you to make him comfortable until then." He made his way to the door, yet he could still feel his daughters glaring eyes on his back. "It's what's best for him." He said as he stopped in the doorway. "Marufuji, walk with me to the car, I want a word." Without saying anything else Kaiba left and Marufuji with him.
As soon as the door was closed, Isabella went back to Hari's make-shift room. He was still lying there where she had seen him a few minutes earlier. Wringing out the washcloth in more water she dabbed it to his head. He stirred a little and moaned slightly.
"I dreamt the old man was here." He spoke in a raspy tone.
"It was just a dream. I'm the only one here." She answered back in a loving tone.
"So real…"
"Hari?" Isabella could see he was about to drift into unconsciousness again, so she had to ask quick. "Hari, tell me what it is. Which drug?" He shook his head. "Please Hari, tell me what you're on. It's the only way I can help you. Otherwise they're going to take you away tomorrow. But if you tell me…then I'll get it for you. I don't care how illegal it is, I'll find it. Then you'll be alright again, and you can stay here with me. Look…" She reached into her pocket and pulled out a key. "I had this made for you. That way you can come home any time you want. It's yours." She placed the key into his hand and made his fist grip around it. "I want to take care of you, but you have to tell me."
"No." He whispered. "No…no…no…" Hari shook his head slightly and then faded off again into sleep.
She stayed there for a while, just dabbing his head, hoping that he might come back around, but he didn't. She was only stirred with Ryo popped his head in the door and asked quietly. "Do you think we can get him to eat some broth? I'm sure he could use something to eat."
She turned to look at him in the doorway. "I thought you left with Daddy."
"I told you before, Bella. I'm not going anywhere."
Hari awoke with a startle. His face was covered in sweat, his head was burning hot and his body was numb. He couldn't believe that his brain was even able to function with all the pain it caused to think. But he could think, barely. And the first and only thing on his mind was death. He knew it was close and would surely take him if he didn't get the drug. He knew that several days ago when the symptoms stared reappearing. In the beginning it was just a headache and some minor body aches, but by the morning he and Isabella had their fight over Marufuji it had greatly advanced. That's why he couldn't sleep the night Marufuji came to visit. He wished it had turned out differently, that some miracle had saved him so he could be free to live in Isabella's apartment and be normal again. But it wasn't to be. Now the only question remained was how he wanted to die. Above all he knew he didn't want to die there. If Isabella came in and found him dead she would never forgive herself. The grief might even make her lose the child she was carrying. He couldn't have that haunting him through eternity. And he didn't want to die in a hospital either. In a sterile white room with tubes sticking out of him and tons of people watching him, waiting for him to die. That was no way to leave this earth. It would be better if he just crawled off and died in a ditch somewhere. Maybe his body would never be identified and then Isabella wouldn't have to deal with the fact that he was truly gone. That might spare her some grief.
His muscles tensed as a wave of pain flooded him. His hands clenched and as they did he felt an object nestled in one of them. With much effort he was able to raise his hand up enough to view the item. It was a key. Now he remembered, Isabella gave it to him. She wanted him to stay. He realized then that staying was the last thing he could do. Distance or death would take him shortly. It was only a matter of which would get to him first.
Isabella woke early. Not that she was able to sleep well that night. The threat of her father retrieving Hari this morning danced menacingly in her mind and she couldn't rest. But halfway through the night she suddenly fell into a deep sleep. The exhaustion of the past couple of days finally taking it's toll. She got up quietly so as not to disturb her bedfellow and wandered to Hari's room. She crept open the door slowly and inspected the scene within.
"Hari!"
The scream woke Ryo like a shot. He sprang out of bed and chased after the sound. He found Isabella running about the apartment looking in ever perceivable location all the while screaming out Hari's name.
"What's the matter?"
"He's gone!" Isabella panicked. "Hari's gone!"
The room was dark as it always was, the devil didn't like light. But even through the darkness Hari could find his way through the small run down apartment. His legs dragged the floor and his arms were barely able to keep him steady along the walls. The pain was excruciating, but he had to keep moving. It took him all day to walk back there and if he stopped now he would never be able to take another step. Limply he pushed open the door to the tiny back room. It was the only place left, if he wasn't in there then he wouldn't be found. Then it was all over. Hari didn't have to hear the man who sat at the table, all he needed was to see the glint off the knife to find his goal.
"So the wayward son has returned home to Papa." Came the menacing voice. "Welcome home son."
As Bakura smiled at him, Hari held tighter to the key in his hand. It was told him what do to. That's when he realized that the only way to keep Isabella safe was to keep an eye on Bakura. Perhaps he could deter his plans. Hari prayed that he was doing the right thing.
Author's note: Co-author credit given to Tim on this one. He helped write a couple of paragraphs. Go Tim! Next chapter is going to be a tear jerker.
