Chapter Three-Reunion of Two Friends

"Can I 'tay wif you foreber?" I snuggled up to Marik the morning my new parents were to arrive.

"I wish it could be,Little One. But its not meant to be so." He hugged me tightly, setting his fruit salad aside. "You're going to like your new family. Rishid said they seemed really nice." He pulled me into his lap.

"I wants you come toos…." I replied with a whimper.

"I can't, Sweetie. You know that." He stroked my hair gently. "I will always think of you, Victoria. I love you."

"I wove you toos."

After that, my new family, the Johnsons came to take me away to my new family. That was the last I saw of Marik and his family. I was never meant to see them again.

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

Victoria walked slowly down the street that contained Marik's house. Her thoughts were muddled, and she was worried about how Marik and his family would react to her sudden appearance. She stopped outside of the Ishtar home, and stared at it for a minute. This is so unreal….I can't be here. I can't be standing outside of Marik Ishtar's house. He doesn't exist! One half of her mind taunted. But if Bakura and his Yami were real, why couldn't the Ishtars be real? Logic argued in response. Victoria shook her head, and walked up the driveway. She rang the doorbell with a shaking finger.

A few minutes later, the door opened, and Victoria found herself staring at a stunned Marik Ishtar. "Um…hi…"

"Victoria?! How….?" The startled Egyptian boy held the door wide open. "Come in." He smiled, but the confusion was still evident on his face.

"It's so good to see you!" Victoria told him, as Marik closed the door behind her.

"You too! I never thought I'd see you again, but we all often wondered how you had made out." Marik hugged her tightly.

"The Johnsons were a nice match, Marik." She assured him softly. So many things had happened since she last saw her best friend, that she didn't even know how to explain things.

"So what has brought you here, my friend?"

"I'm afraid He did, Marik. I tried to resist him, but I just couldn't. I'm so sorry…" Victoria could feel the wall of resistance breaking, and her will to be strong with it.

Marik immediately could see that things had not been as perfect as Victoria had tried to make them sound. He hugged her tightly again, and spoke softly. "Did he hurt you more after I left?"

"So much more…." Victoria just about whispered. "He couldn't control me anymore, but he found other ways of tormenting me. I don't want to speak of them now though."

"Of course." Marik replied, feeling sorry for her. I should've insisted she come with us! That would've been the better course of action. I should've known he'd be back for her. "I'm really sorry, Victoria. I should've been there for you."

"It's okay, Marik. I got through it." She looked around the house. "So, this is your house? It's nice!"

"It's home." Marik told her with a smile.

Just then, the two friends heard the back door close. "Marik, who was at the door?" Rishid walked in, and stopped, seeing Victoria in their living room. "Oh…." He looked from Marik to Victoria. "Victoria. It has been so long since we saw you."

Victoria nodded to the not so towering Ishtar. She recalled with a smile how intimidating he had been when she was small. "Rishid. It is so good to see you again."

"And you too." Rishid was curious as to what had brought the young girl to their door, but he decided either she or Marik would explain eventually.

Marik saw the questions in Rishid's eyes, and told him silently with his own that his Yami was responsible. The older Ishtar nodded quietly, and headed for the kitchen. "May I get you anything to drink, Victoria?"

"No thank you, Rishid. I just had dinner with Bakura." Off of Marik's surprised look, she added, "He and his yami are the ones who told me how to get here."

"I see." Marik was so happy that his young friend seemed well, despite her hardships. "How did you like Bakura?"

"He's just like I always imagined. Somehow, I don't think Rakura ever told him about us."

"You're probably right. He must've been so confused to see you there." Marik remarked.

"I made an idiot out of myself at Duke Devlin's though…" She admitted now.

"I'm sure it wasn't all that bad." Her older friend consoled her. "Do you know why he sent you here?"

"I wish I knew. I could actually thank him for it though. I was starting to lose it at home."

"Lose it? How?" Marik stared at her now in concern.

"That, too, is a long story, Marik. One that I will tell you in time." Victoria promised, as Rishid returned to the living room.

"Ishizu should be home very soon." Rishid told them as he sat down with a glass of water.

"Where is she?" Victoria wanted to know. She'd always assumed that they all stayed home all day.

"She works at the Domino City History Museum." Marik told her. "She's in charge of the exhibits on the Egpytian floor."

"Wow. I didn't even know they had a museum here." Victoria grinned. "I mean….I should've remembered. They had a couple of episodes with that.."

"I see." Marik grinned. "You will be surprised to learn also that we own a car."

"A car?" Victoria was surprised indeed! "Things really are different here…"

"Yes. And so you must be very careful with your actions." Rishid advised.

"Yeah…I know." She remembered with annoyance her actions around Duke Devlin. "Marik, do you think he'd be gracious enough to let me go home and duel? I have my first duel monsters tournament tonight, and I really don't want to miss it…."

"I doubt it." Marik replied softly. "I am sorry, Victoria."

The teenager sighed, and looked away. "I hate him so much. First for what he tried to do to you, and then because he can't ever leave me alone!"

Marik put a hand on her shoulder. "I promise you, I will never let him harm you again. He did one thing wrong. He brought you back to me. Now it won't be so easy for him to hurt you."

"No! Marik, I will not allow it! The last time you tried to help me, he almost killed you! I might not even be able to wield your Rod this time."

"There have been plenty of times when he's tried to kill me, Victoria. More than you saw on that television show. One more time will not hurt." Marik replied firmly, turning her to look at him. "You are my friend, Victoria. Friends help each other, no matter what the risk."

"I was afraid you were going to insist…" Victoria replied, swallowing hard. "I just don't now if I can let you."

Marik held her tightly, cursing his yami mentally for causing this poor innocent child so much pain. "I will help you, Victoria. There's no talking me out of it."

"He's right. Many times, Ishizu and I have tried talking him out of dangerous situations, but if his friends or we are in danger of being harmed, there is way of talking him out of it." Rishid put in.

"Oh….." Victoria sighed, and leaned against an armrest. "I'm so tired…"

"I can imagine this day has been exhausting for you." Marik told her. "Come. I will show you to a room you can sleep in."

She followed him up the stairs into a earth-toned room. "I like it!"

"I thought you might." Marik smiled. "Do you need anything?"

"Not right now. Just let me have a few hours."

"Alright." Marik watched her fall asleep almost instantly, then left to go back downstairs.