Chapter 11

Here With Me

Disclaimer: Of COURSE I own Yu-Gi-Oh! *shifty eyes*

Warning: Do you have tissues with you?

Kamilah: Enough said. ^_~

*REALLY REALLY IMPORTANT!!!!*

Is anyone going on a Disney cruise? I am, and I'm sailing on 6/29/03 on the Wonder. If anyone else out there is, please please please IM me!!!!!!!! My screenname's HyperYoukaiGrl

Mojobubbles: HELLO!!!!!!!! Oh yeah, someone else is here! *drags Marik into view*

Marik: ¬_¬ Get off me.

Mojobubbles: *sweatdrop* How to explain.....Malik is the Japanese version of Marik, and therefore doesn't speak English and only Japanese. So.....

Marik: *gestures to Malik* I'm here translating until they teach him English.

Mojobubbles: YUP!! ^_^U For some reason, Marik can understand and speak Japanese perfectly. *shrugs* Go figure.

Kamilah: Hey, Marik, didja tell Malik what happens in this chapter?

Marik: No......guess I will now: Isis-wa sho-ni shinu-masu.

Malik: *eyes get wide* Nee.....san.....? *about to cry*

Mojobubbles: MARIK! TELL HIM IT'S OK IN THE END!

Marik: Isis-wa owari-ni yoroshii-masu!!

Malik: *relieved* YOROSHII! Arigato, Mojobubbles. ^_^

Mojobubbles: SO KAWAII! *runs over and glomps Malik* Dunno if I mentioned it, but I'm now a Malik-fangirl. But just the Jap. version, mind you.

Malik: ERK!

Kamilah: We can't tell you what they said just yet.....it'd give away the entire chapter if we did.....course, if ya speak Japanese then I guess you'll figure it out.....^_^;;;;

Mojobubbles: ......

Kamilah: What is it?

Mojobubbles: I'm listening to Vanessa Carlton......I used to listen to this CD when I wrote my Monsters, Inc. fic which I have totally and utterly abandoned......but it was the whole reason I joined ff.net so I don't have the heart to take it down.......^_^U

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Review responses:

Ruby*Luna: Oops, I forgot to respond to your last review....I ish bad.....he does sound nice when he's pretending to be nice......in the Jap. he always sounds nice! ^__^

Blue Mystic Moon Warrior: Good for Naraku. And I don't know what Richard's smoking either. ^_^U

Daricio: KILLING PEOPLE IS FUN!! *ahem* That was random......well, almost killing them....the only times I ever permanently kill someone is in a songfic/one-shot or unless I state otherwise in the story. Yeah. ^_^ *glomps Malik* BUT I COULD NEVER KILL YOU!!!!

Malik: ¬_¬ Yeah, sure.....

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The mood was very tense, in the hospital waiting room.

(Ra/Kami/God.....they were just in a hospital a while ago because Kaya was suffering stab wounds.....now it's Isis' turn.....am I cyclic or what!? ^_~)

Malik sat in one of those hard plastic chairs, his face slightly pale after all the excitements of the day, drumming his fingers on the sides. It was a habit of Malik's, to be doing something with his hands when he was nervous. (Oh yeah.....now /that/ came out right....-_-)

Kaya and Joey were calling various other people, like Serenity, Mai (why the heck am I throwing her in? o.O), Shogo, and Duke.

The others sat, not daring to say a word. Well, almost everyone was sitting. It wouldn't be a dramatic hospital scene if no one was pacing back and forth, right? So Bakari and Yami began the act, which can be very annoying.

Tristan was the first to snap. "Would you stop that!?!?" he asked angrily.

Yami and Bakari just glared at him. Not wanting to be the reason behind the anger of two ancient spirits, Tristan shut up.

About 15 minutes later, the doctor came in. Everyone leaped up and stared anxiously. The doctor looked grim, and with two little words, turned the world upside down -

"I'm sorry."

(DUN DUN DUN! ^_~)

"W-what....?" Yugi could hardly make his voice louder than a whisper.

"It doesn't look good, not at all. I really doubt that......"

They all said nothing, the information sinking in.

"C-can I say.....goodbye?" Malik whispered, swallowing and burying his hands in his pockets.

The doctor hesitated, but nodded and motioned for Malik to follow him.

********************************

(Now in Malik's POV.....this should be veeeeeeeeeeeery angsty.........*grins evilly*)

That young woman in the bed.....it didn't look a thing like my sister.

My sister has flawless tan skin and wavy shiny black hair. This stranger was pale, with dark, scraggly hair that was pasted to her sweaty face.

My sister is always calm and so full of life. This girl was on the verge of death. But then, when her eyes opened, I saw the same deep blue eyes that always hold a special warmth when they meet mine. She smiled weakly, and in one terrifying moment I knew.....this /was/ Isis.

(I am having soooooooooo much fun with this!!!)

I crossed the room hesitantly, trying so hard to keep the tears from coming. I couldn't let her see how scared I was. I slowly sat down on the edge of the bed. She reached out and took my hands in hers. I lowered my head, choking on the tears.

"Brother...." she whispered. "What....?"

Can't hide anything from Isis.

"They told me, that you....they told me...." I couldn't form the words, try as I might.

"I know what they told you," she whispered. "They told me too."

(This scene inspired by "My Last Breath" by (surprise surprise) Evanescence ^^)

(Back to omnipresent third-person POV)

She slowly pulled herself into a sitting position.

"Isis," Malik said quietly. "You're not supposed to move around."

She said nothing, only pulled him into her embrace.

"I'm so sorry," she murmured. "I'm such a horrible person......"

"What are you talking about?" Malik asked, tears streaming down his face. "You're the best sister in the world."

"But I promised I'd never leave you......"

"It's not your fault, neesan!" he sobbed. She said nothing, only rested her head on his, her vision obscured by sudden tears.

~*~Flashback~*~

Malik is about 4 or 5. He is holding up a wreath of flowers, smiling brightly. "Take them, neesan!" he says happily.

*~*End flashback*~*

(I LOVE that flashback......it was that one I told you about that Isis remembered when she was thinking about random things in that BC blimp thingy)

"Malik......"

"Yeah?"

"I-I have to......."

"No, Isis!" Malik cried. "Please stay......stay here with me......"

She reached out and brushed the tears off his cheeks. "Be strong for me," she whispered.

And then she leaned back and was gone.

(BUM BUM BUM!!! - again.)

Malik jumped off the bed, his heart pounding in his ears. "No...." he whispered. "Isis......wake up...." He backed up into the wall.

"NO!" Malik screamed, turning and bringing his fist straight into the wall. Chunks of plaster and dust rained down on the sobbing figure, as he sunk down to the ground.

(^__________________^

Malik: Anata-wa warui.....¬_¬

Mojobubbles: He just said I'm evil! ^_^U)

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(And no, the following scene is not shounen-ai, just Bakura being caring. ^_~)

The group noticed that Malik had been gone for a long time. They were nervous, trying not to consider the lots of things that could have happened.

"I'll go and see," Bakura said softly, unable to take the silence any longer. He left the room and headed down the corridor.

//I don't like this.....I don't like this at all.....//

/What is it, Yami?/

//You fool, can't you sense it?//

/S-sense what?/

//Death.//

Bakura squeaked and began walking faster, his yami emerging from the M. Ring. His heart was pounding in his ears and his stomach was churning.

Finally they reached the room.

Bakura slowly pushed open the door, and knew he would never forget what he saw.

"Malik!" he gasped, running across the room and crouching down in front of Malik, who was leaning against the wall, sobbing. Bakari could do nothing. He just stood, shocked, surveying the tragic yet unforgettable scene.

Bakura put his arms around his friend. "She's gone, Bakura," Malik whispered, hugging Bakura back.

"I'm so sorry, Malik," Bakura whispered, swallowing tears of his own.

Bakari came and sat down next to them, looking rather pale.

"I-I'm sorry...." he murmured. "But sometimes......that's just the way that.....the way things are...."

Somewhere beneath the heartache he felt for his friend, Bakura felt a ripple of shock. Here was his yami, who thought emotions were a sign of weakness, getting choked up at the death of his friend's sister.

'Stupid Yami Malik!!!!' Bakura thought bitterly, his arms wrapped securely around Malik.

'It's all his fault....'

****************************************

It was rather late in the evening when the other found out.

Bakura had taken Malik to his house, and had forgotten to tell the others what had happened.

They found out by means of a rather snappish nurse, who came in to ask them what they were still waiting for.

"Visiting hours are over!" she said.

"Look, our friend went 'cause his sister got hurt and he never came back and our other friend went in to get him and he didn't come back either!" Kaya said.

The nurse sighed. "What room?"

"Room 458," Yugi answered. The nurse looked at him strangely.

"There's no one in that room - well, no one alive, at least."

(For the third time - BUM BUM BUM!!!!)

"Wh-what.....you mean that.....?" For once in his life, Yami was speechless.

The doctor from before happened to come by just then, and he nodded to the nurse. "Lyddie, your needed at the front desk."

Lyddie took one last look at the group and left.

(Heh....the NB crew would get this one.....)

Silence.

Finally, Tristan spoke up. "Did....Isis really....?"

The doctor nodded. "I'm afraid so."

"Poor Malik....." Tea sniffed.

The doctor looked at her. "Malik....he was her brother, correct?"

"She was all he had left, too," Yugi murmured.

The doctor shook his head. "Poor guy.....he's got to say goodbye by tomorrow at 5, though. Because we've got to empty that room to make room-"

Yami finally snapped.

"You can't do that!!" he shouted angrily, tears spilling over.

"I have to," the doctor said grimly, and left. "Goodnight."

Kaya looked over at her big brother, who looked rather lost. She walked up and put her arms around him. Yami willingly returned the hug, burying his head in her shoulder.

(*sniff* That was sad.....)

***********************************

Malik woke up that morning in Bakura's living room, wondering for a split second why he felt so sad when it was so beautiful outside. Then it all came back to him. He squeezed his eyes shut and buried his head in the pillow, choking back a sob, trying to keep from crying again. Everything had been so perfect....then his yami came back.....his yami.....it was all Y. Malik's fault! Malik felt the sadness be replaced with rage. He hadn't felt this angry in so long; he felt like he needed to go kill something.

So he settled for screaming into the pillow instead.

Feeling a teeny bit better, Malik flopped over onto his back and stared up at the ceiling. His thoughts drifted to back when he was stuck in the Shadow Realm, and he could feel Isis' emotions and thoughts. He remembered the day before they rescued him, when Isis and Kaya were talking about the possibility he was alive.....where were they.....he shut his eyes, trying to remember. Then it came back to him.

The cemetery.

Malik jumped off the couch and threw his shirt back on. (....so, he had his shirt off that whole time......yeah. ^_~) In the kitchen, he grabbed a piece of paper and a pen, and scrawled a quick note to Bakura so he wouldn't worry. With that, Malik darted out the door and headed down the street.

**********************************

(Very close to my favorite scene in the whole fic....)

The phone rang that afternoon at Yugi's house. Grampa picked it up, and stuck his head upstairs. "Kaya, it's for you!" he shouted.

She ran downstairs and grabbed the phone, wondering who it was. "Moshi- moshi?" She listened.

"Hey, Bakura. I guess you know what happened?" she asked, rather sadly.

"Yes.....I took Malik to my house, because...."

"'Sokay. You don't need to say it."

"Anyway, I called because......have you seen Malik?"

"What, you lost him?"

"No.....he left this morning, and he left a note that said not to worry, but...."

"You're worrying anyway. Well, I dunno where he is!" She paused. "But we've gotta find him, or he's gotta show up, within the hour 'cause Malik's gotta.....say goodbye....."

".....you mean that they have to empty the room.....?"

"Yeah."

"That's so unfair.....well, I guess I'll see you around......"

"'Bye." She hung up.

(Ok, that was the lamest phone conversation ever)

~~What was that about, Kaya?~~

~Bakura, he doesn't know where Malik is.~

~....~

~~What is it?~~

~Yami, are we the only ones with a connection like this? Was Malik able to connect to Isis?~

~~Yes, but why.....?~~

~So, he would've been able to sense her thoughts......~

~~Yes, but I don't......~~

~See ya later!~

With that, she darted out the door.

************************************

(Yay.....my fav scene in the whole fic, set to my favorite song (Well, favorite song that's in English....a bunch of my favorite songs are in Japanese ^_~)

'I wonder......' Malik thought, entering the cemetery. 'Would it still be here......?'

(Yes, Malik's at the cemetery, but I bet you don't know why!)

He walked along the gravestones, looking at them all. Then he found what he was looking for.

He crouched in front of the headstone, reading it, his breath caught in his throat.

Malik Ishtar, it read. Born: 1988, Died: 2003

'They thought I was dead.....'

'Were they wondering the same things that I'm wondering now?'

'Like, what do I do now? Will I ever feel the same? How can I go on.....?'

He blinked away tears. 'I just wanna leave it all behind......'

'I came to Domino, thinking I could leave the past behind, get rid of that lonely feeling....but now, I just feel as lonely as before.'

~~I'm so tired of being here

Suppressed by all my childish fears~~

'And I can still feel.....her. She won't leave.....I can't move on....'

~~If you have to leave, I wish that you would just leave

'Cause your presence still lingers here, and it won't leave me alone

These wounds won't seem to heal

This pain is just too real

There's just too much that time cannot erase~~

He sighed. 'I wanna move on, but the memories.....'

~~When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears

When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears

I held your hand through all these years

But you still have.......all of me~~

'Like, for example, I remember how much I admired Isis. Like, I gave her flowers.....and I wanted to spend time with her....'

~~You used to captivate me, by your resonating light~~

'She was so nice.....she promised me, after Battle City, that we would fix my mistakes. But now.....I dunno how I can face all the people I hurt without her.....'

~~Now I'm bound by the life you left behind~~

He realized he was crying, but made no motion to stop. He started when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned, but no one was there. Suddenly he smiled, and bit back a hysterical giggle.

'Oh, I get it. It was Isis, and now I'm going crazy.'

~~Your face it haunts, my once pleasant dreams

Your voice has chased away all of the sanity in me~~

He sighed and turned back to the headstone, serious again. 'I thought life was going to be so perfect......I was so wrong......'

~~These wounds won't seem to heal

This pain is just too real

There's just too much that time cannot erase~~

He looked up at the sky. "You said you'd always be there!" he said. "I was always there for you......"

~~When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears

When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears

I held your hand through all these years~~

"Ok," he muttered to himself, "so I wasn't always there. Sometimes I was just flat out mean. Like, how you were trying to help me during Battle City, and I wouldn't listen......"

He held out his hand, and could see hers grasping his.

"But Isis-"

~~But you still have.......all of me~~

"-I'll always love you."

The vision of his sister vanished, and Malik was utterly alone again. "D- don't leave me....." he choked, tears falling even faster now.

"I-I'm trying to go on, but I've never felt so alone in my whole life-!"

~~I've tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone

And though you're still with me, I've been alone all along~~

He felt years of pain and pent-up sadness finally escape. He felt years of confusion and anger at the world surround him......he felt like he was choking......Malik hugged himself and sobbed.

(We're about to find out just how angsty Vanessa Carlton music makes me ^_~)

*~*Flashback*~*

Pain.

Malik had never felt anything like it, in all his ten years on the earth.

And now he was just left with his pain; those who had inflicted it on him had left.

"It hurts....." he choked. "M-make it stop....." He felt panicky. No.....now the pain was worse; it was choking the very life out of him......he couldn't see......everything was blurry........he was going to die here......on the cold stone floor, blood running down his back.....

Suddenly, he felt a cool, damp cloth running against his back. It helped.....his vision cleared, and the pain eased a little. Not much, but a little. He turned, and when he saw who it was, he tried to smile.

"Nee.....san....."

*~*End flashback*~*

(Hm....Vanessa Carlton = ANGST!)

(That flashback was inspired by a real flashback in the series.....Malik had just gotten the ritual thingy done to him, and he was laying in his bed moaning, "It hurts.....it hurts...." Poor lil guy........;_;)

~~When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears

When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears

I held your hand through all of these years

But you still have.......all of me~~

Suddenly, he felt someone wrap their arms around him. Malik didn't say anything, glad for the comfort. He didn't even know who it was. The person didn't say anything, just sat next to him, letting him pour out his grief.

Finally, Malik took a deep breath and turned. He almost smiled when he saw who it was.

"Hey, Ky," he said quietly. She looked up, startled, and gave him a weak smile.

"You ok now?" she asked. Malik nodded.

"Better," he replied. "How'd you know I was here?"

"'Cause I realized that you must've been able to sense what Isis and me were feeling....so I just figured you'd be here."

He nodded.

"Bakura's worried," Kaya added.

Malik sighed. "Let me guess - he got the note and worried anyway."

"Yep."

They said nothing, just stared off into the horizon.

"Malik....." Kaya said suddenly. "I've gotta ask you something....."

He looked at her. "Nani......?"

She looked away. "The doctor at the hospital said that.....by tonight at 5......they had to.....empty out the room....and make room for other patients......and that you have to......"

"How.....how could they be like that?" Malik murmured.

"I don't know!" Kaya said, close to tears. "But I just wanted to let you know, because....."

He nodded, getting up. "L-let's go."

Something told Malik that this was going to be the hardest thing he'd ever done.

Including getting the pharaoh's memory carved in his back.

****************************************

(Hehehehehehehehehehehe......I know something you don't know!!!)

'Step, step, step, step.....keep breathing, you can do this.....step, step, step.....'

Malik felt as though he was going to be sick. 'Just keep breathing,' he told himself. His heart was pounding in his ears and sweat trickled down his face. 'I can do this.....'

He glanced over at Kaya, making the endless trek up the stairs to room 458. She didn't look as though she were taking it much better than him.

Finally, the reached the right floor and pushed open the door and stepping out of the stairwell. The whole gang was already there, but they looked so happy.....

Kaya looked just as confused. "Um, guys.....?" Then, the group parted, and someone stepped out to the front.

Malik sucked in his breath.

'No......Isis.....'

No....it couldn't be her......she had died.....he had seen it.....

"It's me," the fake-Isis was saying, her voice heavy with emotion. "I'm here....."

....but if it wasn't really Isis, then how come her eyes grew warm when they met his....?

And in an instant, he knew she was telling the truth. She held out her arms, and Malik fell into her embrace, sobbing.

"It's really you!" he choked. Isis smiled, tears running down her face.

"Yes, little brother. It is me."

(^__________________________^)

(C'mon, did ya'll think I'd really kill off Isis?! ^_~)

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The next morning, Malik got out of bed, feeling as though a huge weight had been taking off of his shoulders. Isis was already in the kitchen, sipping coffee. (ISIS ON COFFEE!!!! NYEAHAHAHAHA!!!!!)

He sat down across from her, and neither said anything, but both were smiling.

"You think things'll settle down now?" Malik said finally. (NOT IF I CAN HELP IT!!!)

"Hopefully," Isis sighed. They just sat for a moment, each watching the other.

Then, without warning, Malik burst out laughing. A moment later, Isis joined in, glad to be infected by his happiness.

A few moments later, when they had finally collected themselves, Malik got a pensive look on his face.

"Y'know...." he said. "I can't help feeling like we've forgotten something...."

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Meanwhile, in the Shadow Realm, a group of four girls had just encountered a real live Man-Eater Bug.

"Like, that thing was waaaaaay nasty!" one of them said.

"Totally, Sutashi," the one called Jisushika replied. One of them frowned and made a face.

"I wish I had had some French fries to throw at it...." the one who frowned, Bikutoria, said. (Heh, this is 'cause the 'real' Bikutoria used to throw French fries at us)

The last one, Rachiru, screeched.

"OHMYKAMI! I BROKE A NAIL!!!"

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Mojobubbles: Heh, I got inspired to write that last little bit a few days ago, and.....well, I wrote it! ^_^

Malik: I gotta admit.....that prep thing was pretty good.

Mojobubbles: Thank you! ^___^ Oh, and he can speak English now. Marik taught him. *nods*

Malik: But I still don't see why Isis had to die for a day.....

Mojobubbles: *shrugs* Eh, I got inspired to write that when I was reading 'The Disappearing Deejay Dilemma' by LuckyLadybug66. I thought I oughta have some near-death experiences too! ^_____^U

Kamilah: *sigh* This was the last real chapter......next is the epilogue, then it's over.....

All: *sigh with relief*

Mojobubbles: THEN IT'S PART 3!!!!!

All: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!

(Oh yeah: This is what Marik said at the beginning:

Marik: In this chapter, Isis dies.

Malik: ....big sister.....?

Marik: Isis is ok in the end!

Malik: OK! Thank you, Mojobubbles. ^_^)