"Marik? Dear brother! You're coming back to us….Thank Goodness!" Ishizu held on to her younger brother's hand, as the Egyptian boy slowly awakened. "We were so very worried."
"Ishizu…. Sister….What happened?" Marik struggled to sit up. "Where is Victoria?"
Ishizu smiled gently. "She is in my room, asleep. Rishid took care of her pains when she woke up."
"H-how did we get back here?" Marik wanted to know. Many of the events after Victoria's final blast to his yami were lost to him.
"We're still not sure of what happened. One minute, you were gone, the next you appeared here in the room, with little Victoria attached." Ishizu was staring at him with her soft eyes.
"She was so brave, Sister. She stood up to my yami all by herself." Marik told her now. His heart went out to Victoria, for the fear she must've felt during that ordeal. "I must see her."
"You must both rest." His brother's kind, but firm voice replied from the doorway.
"Rishid! Oh Rishid, I'm so sorry to have put you both through this worry. I had to do what I could for her though."
"We understand, Marik. You have been through much in last few months. It's amazing how you are still resilient through it all." Rishid came to sit on his brother's other side.
"Yes, I know…" Marik sighed deeply. "Somehow, I don't think that we've seen the last of him though."
"Probably not. Victoria means a great deal to him. I only wish I understood why." Rishid shook his head sadly. "You mustn't worry about that right now though. Sleep is all you should be thinking about. She is safe, as are you."
Marik nodded. "Yes. I know." He laid down once more, thinking about everything that had happened. "Ishizu….will you bring her here to lay with me? I think she'd like that."
"I will get her." Rishid went across the hall to room Ishizu was sharing with the little girl. "Ishtar, I must take your sleeping companion." He picked up the sleeeping girl, and carried her back to his brother. He laid her gently beside him, and watched with a smile, as Marik gently pulled her close to him.
"Mawik….." Victoria whimpered softly in her sleep.
"Shhh…it is alright. I'm here." Marik soothed her gently. "We're safe now, Vicki."
Victoria curled up against her best friend, while Ishtar, who'd followed Rishid, jumped up, and settled between their heads. Marik smiled at this, and he too fell asleep soon enough.
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Later in the afteroon, the Ishtars were surprised when the phone rang. Rishid answered it. "Hello?" He listened to the person on the other end carefully. "Yes. I see." He looked over at Ishizu, his telling her that it was an important call.
Ishizu nodded, and watched. "It might be about a home for Victoria." She whispered to Marik.
"That would be wonderful!" Marik exclaimed. He glanced over at the other bed. Victoria was still sleeping fitfully. "Sister…Do you think she'll be okay?"
"There is really no telling. Your yami is full of unpleasant surprises. For all we know, he could be plaguing her with nightmares as we speak."
"Oh no! I don't want to even think about that, Ishizu!" Marik told her. "I want her to be okay. She's only a child. She's so much more of life ahead of her."
"That is true." Ishizu replied.
Just then, Rishid hung up the phone, and looked at his siblings. "They've found a family for her."
"That's fantastic news!" Ishizu said in excitement. "When does she go to them?"
"In the morning. We have to start preparing for our departure." Rishid studied the sleeping child for a minute. "It will not be easy. She is deeply attached to Marik."
"Then I will do it myself, Rishid. Just not right now." Marik had moved to comfort Victoria in her sleep. "She will wind up despising me for leaving her. I know it."
"She will understand in time, My brother." Ishizu replied softly. "You said to her yourself that would not be remaining with her."
"I know. But she is five years old. What child that age would understand things such as destiny and fate?" Marik picked Victoria up, and laid her head on his shoulder. "Shhh…..It's alright, Little One. I'm here."
"Mawik, no weaves me…." She clung tighter to him. Though she was asleep, Marik had the impression she was serious. This could be a problem. If I can't make her understand why I must go, this will wind up ending badly for us.
"She is in so much turmoil right now…" Ishizu said softly. She'd come to help Marik.
"Yes. That is why I fear leaving her will undoubtedly make it worse." Marik looked up at Ishizu sadly, as he held the young girl.
"There really is no help for it, Marik. She will have to be strong, like you." Rishid told him. "We don't belong here. We belong in our own world. "
"Yes…That she will be." Marik laid his young friend down again, once she's calmed down. She wouldn't be the only one to have a hard time saying good bye in the morning.
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"Why I haffa goes?" Victoria asked Marik. She'd awakened early the next morning, and had gone to wake up Marik.
"Mm…Because. A nice family wants to take you in, and take care of you, the right way." The Egyptian boy pulled her close to him, while he picked at his fruit salad. "You'll love it. I bet they'll have lots of toys to play with."
She grinned, happily. "You tan come toos and pway."
"No, Little One. I have to return to my own home." Marik told her softly. He'd tried several times the previous night to explain this to her. She didn't seem to understand. "I will be leaving after you're gone."
"I want you 'tay…." Her lower lip began to tremble again. Marik put his salad aside, and pulled her into his arms.
"I know you do. I would love to stay with you too, but I have to go home. I have other friends there that love me just as much as you do. Maybe we'll see each other again some day, hmm?" He held her tightly. "Come on now. You're going to make me cry now. That would be a sight for my siblings to see, wouldn't it?" He wiped her tears gently. "You've got to be strong, Young One. You can do that, can't you?"
"Uh huh…" She buried her face in Marik's neck.
Marik sighed softly. This isn't going to be easy. He looked up, hearing voices in the hall. "Victoria. I think your new parents are here."
"She's right in here." Rishid opened the door, and a young couple walked in, with another young girl.
The young woman smiled at Victoria gently. "Hello, Victoria."
Victoria regarded her quietly, her thumb in her mouth. She leaned back against Marik.
"She just woke up." Marik explained, standing up with Victoria in his arms.
"Oh, I see.." The young woman held out her hand. "I'm Magda Johnson. This is my husband, Eric, and this is our own daughter, Stacy."
Marik shook her hand, setting Victoria down. "I'm Marik Ishtar, and you've already met my siblings."
The man knelt down to Victoria's level. "Someone gave us a good tip off that you like ice cream. Is that right?"
"Uh huh." Victoria nodded slowly.
"Well, Victoria, we're were wondering if you wanted to come live with us. We're really low on ice cream eaters in our house." Eric said now.
She nodded again, with a slight smile. "What tind?"
"All kinds." Stacy stepped up now. "Vanilla, Chocolate Chip……Any kind you want." She ventured to pick the little girl up. "And we were also looking for a cat." She'd noted Ishtar watching them protectively.
"I habes a tat. Hims Istar." She pointed to the bed.
"Well then! It looks like you qualify alright." Magda smiled, scooping Ishtar into her arms. The cat purred gently. She turned to the Ishtars now. "Thank you for watching over her."
"It was no trouble at all." Rishid assured her. "Victoria is a dear friend of ours." He put a hand on Marik's shoulder. He knew this couldn't be easy on him.
Marik smiled weakly at Rishid, then walked over to Victoria now. "You behave yourself now, okay?"
The five-year-old looked at her best friend, swallowing hard. "Mawik….." She wanted so badly to ask him to stay, but her heart knew he'd say no again. She reached out her arms to him instead, and he hugged her tightly. "I wove you, Mawik…."
Marik felt a lump forming in his own throat, and he nodded. "I love you too, Victoria." He looked down. Then something caught his eye. He picked up her toy Rod, and handed it to her. "Hold on to this whenever you feel alone, and it will be like I'm there."
Victoria held on to it tightly, and then let go of Marik. "Bye bye, Mawik….." Her new sister picked her up gently.
"Good bye, little one. You'll always be in my heart." Marik and his siblings watched the Johnsons as they carried their young friend away. At length, he looked up at them, and sighed heavily. "I'm really going to miss her."
"I know, dear brother. But you did the right thing." Rishid put a comforting arm around his brother's shoulders. "Come. Shadi has also returned to send us to our own home."
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Moments later, the Ishtars found themselves back in their own house, with Shadi. Marik had been pondering something. "Shadi? Will the Johnsons wonder about us if Victoria goes to watch that cartoon again?"
"No. As soon as I returned you here, their memories were erased of that. They think they got Victoria from a foster home."
"Erased their memories? You didn't erase little Victoria's did you?"
"No. Hers I left in tact. You see, she is young yet, and to her, this could've all been her imagination, as far as their concerned."
"That does make sense." Rishid pointed out. "I hope she will be happy where she went."
"I'm sure she will be." Shadi comforted. "You all did so well taking care of her."
"It was mostly Marik." Ishizu returned. "He loved her."
"Yes. I can tell. I must be going now. I thank you all kindly for helping me in this manner." Shadi smiled at them. "Don't be sad, Young Marik. Your love will be carried on by her."
"I know." Marik stood up slowly from his chair. "I think I will go and see Mokuba now. I missed him terribly."
"Just be careful. It looks like rain." Rishid replied.
"Don't worry. I'll go slow." The Egyptian boy promised, before going outside to his motorcycle. He got on it, and rode off. Happy to remember this is how the whole adventure had begun.
(This concludes Snake in the Grass. Daisy, though I am the writer, your ideas helped immensely. Thank you for keeping me on my toes about characterizations, and all of that. And also, I'm glad you liked this, as it was originally written for you for you B-day. It's been fun to write!! Stay tuned for the next story, Return to Me.)