Chapter 37

It had taken long enough, but finally the Veronsen had backed off far enough for the Kaibas to emerge from their basement hide. Almost instantly Tristan made his way towards the nearest hall phone. Because it was so important they never missed a call, Kaiba had set their phone up with a device which logged every number along with the time they'd failed to connect. It was more efficient than a standard answering machine and it was this Tristan had gone to check.

Whilst he did, Kaiba took the kids through to the kitchen. After spending so long in the dark cellar, they were both cold and hungry. It was Kaiba's prerogative to rectify the situation with something to eat. Slowed by his partial eye sight, he was still pulling things out of cupboards when Tristan entered. Kaiba could sense something wasn't right without even having to turn around; although he couldn't be sure if that was a telepathic thing or because the two of them knew each other so well.

'Are you okay?'

'Yeah,' Tristan's voice was slow and strange, 'it's just…'

'Just what?'

'The number…'

'Hmm?' Kaiba stopped what he was doing in order to focus his gaze as best he could on Tristan.

'It was your office.'

'What,' Kaiba frowned.

'You office. That's who kept calling us.'

'That's not unusual, they normally do.'

'I know, but…'

'But what?'

'It was from your number. It was your office calling.'

'You think it was them trying to trick us then?'

'I don't see how; they couldn't be in two places at once like that, could they?'

'Maybe it wasn't really my phone. Or maybe they used call forwarding.'

'Would they do that though?'

'Ulk Seto I really don't think my parents would have the sense to do something like that,' the lack of respect CiCi had for her birth parents was obvious from her tone. 'I mean, from what I could tell, they barely remember what its like to be human.'

'I have to be sure of that CiCi,' Kaiba sighed. 'From now on I don't want you or your brother to answer the phone, understand?'

'Okay,' she nodded.

'Tristan, I want you to get onto whoever it is we need to get onto in order to legally adopt CiCi and Damon. The sooner we do that the happier I'll be.'

'It won't stop Mokuba and Serenity from coming after them,' Tristan's voice was tight.

'I know,' he sighed again, 'but it will at least let CiCi and Damon know we really do love them.'

'That's true,' Tristan grinned, before scooping Damon up into his arms, 'but you already know that, don't you?'

'Mmhmm,' Damon nodded, then beaming proudly he wrapped his chubby little arms around Tristan's neck. 'Parto.'

For a few moments there was a stunned kind of silence, then CiCi gave a gentle laugh.

'Parto,' she repeated her brother's word, before moving round to hug Tristan.

Tristan gave an edgy little laugh as Kaiba did his best to make out the expressions they were all wearing. Not that it really mattered, of course, he could sense from the atmosphere around them this was something they all wanted.

'That's right,' Tristan broke the silence, 'I am your Parto now.'

'Which makes you our Dad,' CiCi moved towards Kaiba and hugged him.

'Yeah,' he nodded, 'I guess it does.'

'I'll start ringing round then, shall I, make it official,' Tristan laughed as he turned towards the door.

'This is a little weird for you, isn't it,' CiCi's voice was low, as Tristan carried Damon out of the room.

'It is and it isn't,' he tilted his head in thought, 'but it's not as though I haven't seen it coming, right?'

Slowly she nodded, before pulling from him. She then tentatively reached a hand out to touch his, but hesitantly drew it away before she did.

'What's the matter,' he frowned at her.

'I've been trying to avoid making skin contact with anyone,' she turned her head away.

'I'd noticed,' he did his best to study her.

'It's because I can't seem to control my powers like I used to. I mean, I can hurt people without meaning it.'

'I wouldn't worry about it CiCi, your powers are probably just growing,' he kept his voice as soft and sympathetic as possible. 'Once you get used to them I'm sure you'll be able to handle them again.'

'I'm not so sure,' she gave a heavy sigh. 'I mean, what if they keep getting stronger and I'm never able to control them because they're always too powerful for me.'

'Nobody is born with a power they're incapable of controlling.'

'What about Drake? He can't control his power, right? That's why he wears that thing to keep it sealed away. So what if I never learn how to control mine? What if I'm only ever meant to hurt people? What if…?'

'You're not a monster CiCi.'

'I am a demon though, aren't I?'

'No,' he shook his head before hesitating. 'Well… maybe technically you class as one, but you're not evil and you have a good heart.'

'Are you sure about that?'

'You and I are a lot alike, you know that CiCi. We've both had tough childhood with the potential to shape us badly. But neither of us want that, right?'

'The way I understand it, it was more like you had Tristan to save you from it.'

'Maybe,' a soft smile pulled at his lips, 'but I'm sure you'll have someone equally willing to save you.'

'Not if I can't touch them I won't,' she folded her arms. 'I already know I can't kiss anyone without it burning. And I can't work out how to control that no matter how hard I try.'

'You'll learn eventually,' he reassured her. 'Now why don't you help me make a celebratory lunch, hm?'

'I'm not five anymore… Dad,' the word sounded strange, but not force, 'you don't have to treat me like a kid.'

'I still treat Tay like a kid and he's almost seventeen now,' Kaiba half smirked, 'parents are always allowed to treat their children like little kids.'

At that she laughed and he was glad to see she was no longer worrying over her power problems. For now at least. But what she'd told him had worried him more than a little. He knew at heart she really was a good girl, but she had a temper to her and had no qualms about hurting anyone who upset her. Just the thought of her not having control over her most notable power could be a problem, especially in the highly likely event of her getting angry about something.

Still the only thing he could really do about it right now was keep an eye on her and hope she really was more like him than Mokuba. After all, the last thing they needed right then was one more Veronsen-Vii.