Riddles of the Heart
written by Atlantis
( 2002
Okay, you all have official permission to throw veggies at me. I'm horrible and I know it. It's been FOUR MONTHS since I've updated. *cries* I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for it to take this long!! Honest! I think I should stop babbling because there are only so many words for 'sorry'.
Thanks to ALL of you who reviewed me: Guardian Kysra, starkitty, Tara-hime, American BadAss, Dark Wings of Faith, Lynderia, Cranky Cathe, profiler120, Saiyan Rage, Quickening, and Anzu576. You all were so sweet and I'm entirely glad you liked the kiss. Those type of scenes actually take a good deal of work. All replies to the reviews will be at the end of this thing so as not to take away from your time of reading the actual story.
Well, I'm sure that you all want me to shut up and get to the chappy you've waited four months to read, so onto the disclaimer!
I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! and we all know that. However, if I ever become wealthy enough to buy it, I will first rub it in all of your faces and *then* share it. It's no fun to be greedy.
Rating: PG-13
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For I will turn their mourning to joy, will comfort them, and make them rejoice rather than sorrow.
Jeremiah 31:13
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PART 5
One of the few things in the world that could get Téa up in the morning besides school was knowing that she would see a friend, and Harry Jackson was most certainly a friend. More like family than anything else, he had been around since she was born as her father had told her, and was in fact, her godfather.
A week had passed since the earth-shaking moment between her and Kaiba and she missed him, but had to focus on more important things. Her parents' bodies were still in the morgue, waiting to be buried, and her sisters had appointments to attend now with a counselor to help them deal with the mental trauma. They had returned to school, at their own insistence, but Téa had decided to not return for at least another two weeks. There was just too much to do and she didn't want anyone else taking care of everything that revolved around her parents' death.
Tugging the jacket of her suit in place, Téa smiled softly in the mirror and went over her appearance. She certainly looked professional in her black suit, faint red pin stripes running down the length of the material. Opting to wear the pants rather than the skirt, Téa felt more comfortable and she moved her feet a little, encased in one-inch heels and black nylons. An almost metallic red shell was under her jacket, buttoning up to the top except for the last three buttons which she left undone. There was a simple gold chain that was around her neck, but she focused more on her hair after clasping it in place. Her light brown hair was up, twisted intricately to resemble a french twist, shining in the light that filtered through her window, with her bangs framing her face and stray pieces around her jaw to give her a softer, more feminine look. Small gold hoops hung from her ears and her nails had been done, covered in a clear- coat that emphasized the length of her long nails.
Altogether, she looked like a young businesswoman, trim and fit, and rather commanding in her suit. She put a small amount of lip gloss on before walking out the door of her room and grabbing her keys before locking the house behind her. For some reason, Téa didn't like going through the laundry room to get to the garage, though it was supposedly easier and she shrugged at her silly habit before clicking the button that opened the garage door. After climbing into her truck, she took off towards the restaurant where she was supposed to meet Harry and ended up getting held up at every red light between her house and the restaurant, The Lighthouse, before arriving nearly forty-five minutes after she left.
"Thank goodness for cells!" Téa sighed exasperatedly as she tucked her phone back into her pocket. She found a parking spot and got out of her truck hastily, making sure to lock it before heading into the restaurant. Her eyes opened in surprise when she found Harry standing there waiting for her. He looked impeccable as always, a black suit and a navy tie tied around the collar of his pristine, starched white shirt with matching black shoes that shone in the light. His greying brown hair was styled perfectly, the thick wavy hair parting off to the side naturally and tucking behind his ears. The old man smiled brightly at her and rushed forward, wrapping her in a tight hug. He stood back and took her hand and then led her to their table slowly, waving off the maitre'd, talking all the while about how his family was doing and how they had gotten a new puppy that the kids were just crazy about. Téa looked around at the posh dining room and marveled at it.
Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, the prisms casting rainbows all over the large room. Fine china was on each table, in addition to the many complete sets of silverware and crystal glasses and the chairs and tables were made of a fine wood, which looked to be cherrywood, polished and cushioned for the elite bottoms of Tokyo. Not too many people were there, but there were a few at tables dispersed around the room that were occupied with their laptops and briefcases covering the tables, obviously going over business transactions and whatnot. Téa snapped out of her reverie when Harry helped her into a chair and sat next to her, still grinning.
"It's been a long while since I've seen you Teeny Téa," the older man said. Téa giggled at the old nickname.
"Well, I must say that I've missed you Babba," she laughed back. "You've been one of the lifelines I've been clinging to since the accident," she added, eyes losing some of their light. Though she had come to grips with the reality of the situation, she knew that she would never be the same again. She looked up to meet Harry's eyes and he smiled warmly.
"I know what you mean," he whispered back, taking her hand gently. "It's been hard for me as well. Your father was my best friend. We went to grade school together." Téa patted his hand and was about to say something when he looked at her suddenly, his eyes lighter. "One of your lifelines? I suppose your sisters are the others?" he asked.
"Well of course, but also..." she trailed off, blushing slightly.
"Also?" Harry chuckled. "Please tell me that you've got a young man in your life now Téa." Téa nodded.
"Seto Kaiba," she said softly, biting her lip. Harry's eyes widened and he smiled a bright smile at her.
"You certainly don't settle for anything less than the tops, do you?" he joked. "He's a good man, a little moody, but powerful and passionate. You're just what each other needs. I was wondering why he seemed different at our last meeting."
"When did you last see him?" Téa asked, sipping on a glass of water that had been placed in front of her by their waiter.
"Two days ago. We were talking about the company and a possible merger." He laughed as Téa nearly choked on an ice cube. "Before your father died, he began negotiations with Kaiba Corp to make both companies more influential and powerful."
"That was very intelligent of my father. Merging with Kaiba Corp would be an excellent idea. But are you sure that we won't be creating a monopoly?" Téa asked as she set down her glass.
"If you're worried, don't be. We're going about this in a way that won't put either company in jeopardy and both Mr. Kaiba, your father, and I decided that we wouldn't make the same foolish mistakes that Microsoft did. They got themselves stuck in a corner and couldn't back out, but we're making sure to leave ourselves plenty of corporate and stock space. This merger is going to change the Japanese economy as we know it, Téa," Harry exclaimed happily. Téa smiled at him, knowing that he thrived on both the market and law. She had no doubt in her mind that he would see any lupeholes should any present themselves.
"And what about the name?" Téa questioned, resting her chin on top of folded hands. "Will you be creating a new name for the merging companies or is there going to be some kind of compromise?"
"I'm glad you asked because we decided to keep Kaiba Corp's name but use your father's insignia as the company's logo, in remembrance of him. What do you think about that?" Harry asked, biting his lips as though he was anxious.
"That sounds wonderful," Téa said, leaning back in her chair. "I like that idea very much. Is Kaiba aware that Mr. Hurikama was my father?"
"No, he's not even aware that your father is dead. I thought that perhaps he would find out the truth when you decided to tell the world. As of right now, your father's death is only known as the 'Gardener Accident' in the obituaries, but if you'll allow me to set up a press conference, you can set the story straight. Would that be alright?" Harry pulled out a small pocket planner and pen, ready to jot down anything that Téa suggested. Téa nodded.
"That would be fine," she said softly. "I think you should try to schedule it for tomorrow if possible so that the truth will be out before rumors can start circulating. I don't want my father's name sullied by any of that crap that those tabloids put out." Harry nodded.
"That's fine, I think I can arrange it for later in the afternoon so that it'll hit the evening news just in time. That should take care of getting the message out," Harry explained, looking up and ordering lunch quietly for both of them from the waiter that had appeared at his side. As the waiter walked away, Téa looked at Harry, her chin resting in a palm.
"So this is what my father wanted to talk to me about," she sighed quietly, casting her eyes down to the table where she traced designs on a burgundy napkin with her fingers. "To tell me about all of this merging and corporate changes." Harry coughed as he put his glass of water down, looking at her with wide eyes.
"You mean your father didn't talk to you about any of this before what happened?" he asked incredulously. Téa nodded. Harry blew out a breath. "Well this is just the tip of the iceberg. There's much more. Téa, your father was going to retire and pass the responsibility of managing the company to you. He would stay in the background to watch out for you and help you make the right decisions, but it was going to be your company. He was going to have you negotiate the merger with Mr. Kaiba and introduce the new product that he had just finished."
"My god," Téa breathed, leaning back in her chair as if physically pushed. "Wh... why would he do that?"
"He said he felt like you were old enough and I think he wanted you to feel important and needed. With him being gone from home all of the time, I think he thought that you were lacking in the attention department and that you were ready to handle a responsibility like this. He also mentioned to me that the company needed to be run by someone who was closer to Kaiba's level and could adjust to change and new ideas better than him. We had all of the paperwork completed before he went to London," Harry replied, closing his eyes painfully. "Damn if I don't miss that man with all of my heart," he added, a lone tear slipping down his cheek. Téa's eyes softened and filled with warm tears, some of them slipping down her jaw and into her lap. Leaning forward, she reached forward and took Harry's hand, squeezing it tightly. He looked up at her, noticing her already red eyes and quivering lip. Pushing his lips together in a tight line, he took in a breath and then looked at Téa, sending her a faint smile. They were sharing so much pain and felt like they were both missing crucial parts of their lives. No matter what happened or who came into their lives, it would be a long while until the memory of Kevin Hurikama Gardner was no longer painful.
***
Dropping into her leather recliner, Téa let her head fall back as she pulled her legs up to take off her heels. Lunch had been wonderful with Harry, even though they had cried a good deal of the time after they had started, and many fond memories had been shared between them. But as always, time flies fast and she was saying goodbye to her godfather, a tight hug lasting for a few minutes as she cried on his shoulder at her truck. Then, determined not to shed another tear, Téa had gotten into her vehicle and drove away after bidding her good family friend a very hearty goodbye.
Now, as the fan above her hummed calmingly and sent a breath of cool air down on her, all that she could think about was the press conference that would be released tomorrow... and taking a nap and seeing Kaiba. She wanted to talk to him. He had been calling her every day just to see how she was doing, but unfortunately hadn't gotten to come over. His company had just begun renovations in a few areas and he was in the process of firing some of his officers for attempting to embezzle company funds. He missed her, he said. She was the only person who treated him like a real person besides his brother.
Téa absently wondered what his little brother was like. Seto didn't talk about him, had only mentioned him in passing, but never named or described him. She guessed it was somewhat fair since Kaiba didn't really know her sister's names. He had met Arashi though, and the little girl was absolutely taken with him. That made Téa smile because at least now she knew that if a strong relationship began to grow between them, her sisters wouldn't disapprove. Kiri was going crazy wanting to meet the mystery man that her sister had met and whined about it jokingly every day, hoping that she'd be annoying enough to finally get Téa to bring him over again. Téa wished it was that easy.
Arashi and Kiri's therapy sessions were going well, better than the psychologist and counselor had hoped. They were, of course, scarred at the loss of their parents, but they depended on Téa so much and had spent so much time with her over the course of their young lives that they were handling the situation amazingly well. It was a comforting thought to Téa, who had refused counseling and was dealing with her feelings and bad dreams on her own. She hadn't even told Kaiba about the nightmares yet, but she was sure he suspected. He was also holding things back from her still, she knew, but that was only natural. They had only known each other a short time and didn't want to overload each other with information and emotional baggage. Kaiba had opened up to her a few times on the phone, but not often because he admitted that taking face-to-face was much easier when discussing the past and memories for him. Téa agreed wholeheartedly.
The clock high on the wall opposite Téa chimed musically and she glanced at the time. Eleven o' clock. It would be another four hours until the girls got out of school and then another hour until she picked them up from their sessions. She sighed. It was time that she went to her father's company and take up her responsibility. A corporation as powerful as her father's was rivaled by few others in the entire world and that gave her a sense of pride as she stood, empowered by the thought of continuing her father's legacy. Though she had stopped traveling so frequently with her parents years ago, Téa knew the tricks of the trade, how to hire and fire employees, and take care of a company. Her father's seemingly pointless conversations with her on the subject came rushing back to her and she pulled her shoes back on, and walked out the door.
***
"Miss Hurikama! I was not expecting you today!" the secretary, Margaret, called out as Téa stepped out of the elevator with a leather briefcase in hand that she had gotten from Harry after stopping by his firm, and striding towards her father's old office. She gave the hard- working secretary a steady smile and stopped at her desk.
"I'm aware of that, but a company can't run itself. I'll be in my father's office looking over personnel files all afternoon. This company needs an employee renovation," Téa replied smoothly, not even having to go over her words in her head before saying them. She was meant for this position. Moving to the door, she stopped abruptly when Margaret's hand on her wrist stopped her.
"You're not going to like what you see in there, Miss," she informed her quietly. Téa's eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "The partners are all in there discussing possibilities of what to do with the company. I don't think they know you're taking over. It sounded a bit like a drunken party in there a while ago." Téa's eyes flashed angrily and she nodded thankfully at Margaret.
"I'm going in there and I'm going to take care of them. If I buzz you, call security. I don't expect this to go easy. But how did you know that I'd be taking over?" she asked. Margaret gave her a little smile.
"Mr. Jackson called this morning informing me of the possibility. He advised me not to tell the partners so that you could see what they were really like. Kind of like 'when the cat is away, the mice come out to play' type thing. Go kick some butt Miss," Margaret said, her brown eyes twinkling.
"Just Téa please. And I intend to, kick some butt that is. Wish me luck." With that said, Téa pushed her shoulders back, held her head high and walked to the large oak double doors, opening them with confidence and striding in.
Numerous heads whipped in her direction as she stopped in the doorway, staring as if they'd seen a ghost. Téa held back a scream of rage. There they were, seven grown men, sitting around in plush chairs, laughing and each holding a glass of brandy in his hand. Her eyes turned to stone as she spotted a man in her father's chair, his feet propped up on the beautiful desk.
"Mister Janaki, if you wish to keep your job in this corporation, you will immediately remove yourself from MY FATHER'S chair and desk. And all of you will be pouring out that brandy instantly. As of this moment, drinking any alcoholic beverage on these grounds will result in immediate demotion and loss of benefits until I see fit to restore them," Téa growled, her voice low and deadly. The men simply sat staring at her, dumbfounded by her presence and confused at what to do. Only the man in her father's place moved, though slowly, and his face held a look of infinite terror.
"Who are you?" one of the men still sitting asked suddenly, courage racing through his veins in the form of liquor. "What business do you have bursting in here without clearance?" The oaf staggered to his feet and attempted to look down on her, but her hard gaze didn't waver.
"If you don't know, then you were certainly no friend of my father's. And I have clearance, more than you'll ever have. I am Téa Hurikama and I am taking my father's place in this company. If you have any objections, then I will have no problem writing up your formal resignation papers this very moment. I will tolerate absolutely no insubordinance from any of you, no matter how powerful and rich you think you are in regards to this company. This company has been left to me and I will manage it from now on. You gentlemen will no longer take part in business decisions. Instead, you can go and live in ridiculous wealth and brag about how well this company is doing. Is that understood?" Téa asked, moving slowly through the room so as to stare at every man directly before settling herself into the large leather chair behind her father's desk. Without another glance to any of them, she pulled her briefcase up to rest atop the desk and popped it open, looking over some random papers before speaking. "You gentlemen may all leave now, and please make sure to pour that fine brandy into that sink on your way out," Téa said authoritatively with a hard glance around the room.
Faint curses and unhappy grumblings met her ears but the men filed out slowly, watching almost forlornly as they poured the golden liquid down the sink before leaving the room. Téa blew out a breath after the last of them had left and sank back into her chair, pressing the intercom button lightly.
"Yes Miss Hurikama?" Margaret's voice asked through the device.
"Would you please call Harry Jackson and inform him that I need to speak with him as soon as possible to go over merger schematics and procedures?" Téa requested kindly as she massaged her temples. Putting seven grown men in their places and keeping a demeanor of complete control had been harder than she thought. "And bring me some Tylenol too please."
"Right away Miss." Silence quickly filled the room, excepting the quiet ticking of a small Victorian clock that sat at the right edge of the desk, its Roman numeral digits forcing Téa to adjust to them before accurately reading the time. Almost three hours had passed since she had left her house and she was weary, ready to take a nap and perhaps afterwards call Seto. She needed to hear his voice. Looking up as one of the doors to the office opened tentatively, Téa sent a small smile to the middle-aged secretary who was carrying a glass of water and several small pills in her hands.
"You are a sweetheart, Margaret," Téa joked as she was handed the glass and pills. Gulping them down, she heard the faint ring of a telephone and watched Margaret trot out to answer it, her optimistic voice sounding professional as she spoke. She came back in a moment later.
"Um, Miss Hurikama? There's a Mister Kaiba on the line. He wants to speak with you," she informed Téa quietly. Téa blanched.
"Oh my god. Does he know that I'm taking over the company? Who exactly did he ask for?" the brunette asked, suddenly gasping for breath.
"He asked for Téa Gardner. Would you like me to tell him you're unavailable?" Téa shook her head.
"No, go ahead and transfer it to this phone," Téa replied, straightening herself out shakily. She just wouldn't be able to deal with it if Seto had found out who she really was from anyone other than herself. "And call me Téa." Margaret nodded cheerily and returned to her desk as Téa waited for the light on the phone to show that the call had been transferred. The little orange light blinked at her and she took a breath before answering.
"Hello?"
"Téa! I've been calling all around for you. Where've you been?" Kaiba's voice asked through the phone. Téa felt herself melt. His voice was so sexy.
"Well, earlier I went out to breakfast with a family friend of mine and then... How did you know to call here?" Téa questioned suddenly.
"I didn't. I was speaking to a close associate of mine, Harry Jackson, your family friend I'm guessing, and told him I'd been trying to get a hold of you all morning. He told me that you might be at Hurikama Inc. By the way, what are you doing there?" he replied.
"Oh, I'm looking into a job here. I think I've got it for the most part, I just have to seal up a few loose ends," Téa told him, slowly sinking back into her chair.
"You should have told me you were looking for a job. I could've gotten you something in a snap. Maybe as my secretary or something. The one I've got now is a rather grouchy woman," Kaiba joked, his laugh reverberating through the line. Téa closed her eyes and listened to the sound, drowning in it.
"Sorry. I had a few connections here and thought about Hurikama Inc. first. But you know what, we'll still get to see each other. Maybe we can get together while there's a business meeting going on or something. There's a bit of a rumor here that Hurikama Inc. and Kaiba Corp. are going to be merging," Téa teased, knowing it to be a fact.
"Where did you hear that?" Seto asked. Téa could just imagine him perking up at the sound of the merger, wondering how she had gotten hold of priority information.
"I have my sources," was Téa's mysterious reply. She held in a giggle. This was just too fun messing with him like this!
"Yes well, I guess you'll have to find out won't you?" Kaiba's cryptic response whispered to her. "I've been wanting to see you so badly. I miss you," he admitted. Téa felt herself blush and smiled, suddenly feeling shy. "Do you think you can go out to dinner tonight?"
"Oh Seto I'd love to, but I can't leave my sisters. Not tonight. How about you and your brother and my sisters and I all go to dinner, say, Friday? I would love to meet him and you don't really know my sisters."
"Just the one who interrupted us," Kaiba chuckled.
"That would be Arashi," Téa informed him, laughing as well. She noticed Kaiba's voice drop to a lower tone.
"I wouldn't mind that again as long as there was something to interrupt," he whispered to her. Téa thought she heard him growl low in his throat but couldn't be sure. Nevertheless, she shivered delightfully.
"Well, in all honesty, I'd rather not have an interruption," Téa whispered to herself, then suddenly hoped that Kaiba hadn't heard. She had no such luck.
"I agree," came his throaty reply. "And that dinner idea is great, but I'd also like to have you to myself sometime soon."
"You're a greedy boy, Seto," Téa laughed.
"But I'm yours, so that's all that matters isn't it?" Kaiba shot back. Téa gasped.
"Do... do you mean that, Seto?" she asked tentatively.
"Téa, even though I've known you for such a short time, I can feel the barriers around me crumbling with every word you say. In a short time, you'll have all of my heart and I won't be able to hold back anything from you. I only hope I'm having a somewhat similar effect on you, beautiful," Kaiba replied in soft tones.
"You had me when you comforted me on the day my parents died, Seto," Téa admitted. "Maybe you could stop by the house tonight just to say hello."
"Now it's my turn to decline that wonderful proposition. I promised my brother that I'd spend some time with him tonight. Listen, I've got to go, but plan on that dinner Friday. It'll be nice to go out with someone who's not superficial or trying to yank me into an unwanted merger or whatever. Okay?" he asked.
"Sounds good," Téa replied. "Oh, Seto, I have a little bit of a surprise for you but you won't know what it is until tomorrow. I don't know if you'll like it or not, but try to be open-minded about it alright?"
"I'll try but if it's something weird, I can't guarantee," he joked. "What is it?"
"I can't tell you, but I'll just say that at about noon tomorrow, make sure you have your television set on KTLD 13."
"Whatever you say. Talk to you later Téa," he said, waiting for her goodbye.
"Yeah, bye Seto. Come and see me when you can," Téa responded quietly. When she heard the audible click of the other line, she put her own phone down and placed her chin on top of folded hands, staring blankly in front of her. What would he think when he found out what her surprise was?
***
"Harry, is the press ready?" Téa asked, holding her sisters' hands, one on either side of her securely. Harry Jackson nodded and handed Téa a glass of water, as well as Arashi and Kiri. He looked over them and smiled faintly. They had always been a handsome family.
Téa and the girls were dressed completely in black, the only other color being the white of Téa's blouse that barely peeked through her suit jacket. Her skirt was knee-length, and she wore black nylons and heels. The two girls that stood quietly at her sides were clad in black as well, Arashi the older in a skirt and button-up shirt with black tights and sandals, her hair pulled into a loose half-ponytail while Kiri had on a little dress that dropped almost to her feet with a satin ribbon around her waist, black tights, and shoes. Téa had decided to leave her hair down for the occasion and was holding back tears forcefully, the blue orbs glazed and threatening to spill over. Every once-in-a-while, one of the two little girls would sniffle, but then Téa would pull them to her side and shush them gently, hugging them tightly to her and comforting them.
"Are you ready Téa?" Harry asked the huddled bunch, feeling as if he was intruding on a private moment as Téa pressed a kiss to both Arashi and Kiri's foreheads. The young woman looked up, her voice locked up, and merely nodded, standing yet still holding to the hands of sisters like a lifeline.
***
Seto Kaiba reclined in his chair, watching the television as Téa had told him to, his most trusted advisor seated at his side.
"Sir, would you like to go over the papers concerning the merger with Hurikama Inc.?" the old man asked, the wrinkles around his mouth from years of smiles moving slightly with the words and his bushy white eyebrows raising slightly. Seto gave him a quick glance and smile but shook his head.
"After this. A very good friend of mine told me I had a surprise today and that I needed to watch this," he explained carefully. "Go ahead and place those papers down for a short while old friend." Jacob Hollman nodded and set them down on Kaiba's desk before leaning back in his own chair and watching as his associate Harry Jackson approached the podium on t.v..
"What is Harry doing?" Seto wondered aloud.
***
"Ladies and gentlemen, today we have called you all together for a press conference to bestow upon you some very grave news as well as a new season. I will not be giving this announcement but I would like to introduce to you a family friend of mine, as well as my goddaughter, Téa Gardner and her two sisters." Harry clapped and stepped aside and let Téa move up to the podium, letting go of Arashi and Kiri as Harry picked them up and held them in his arms.
"First of all, I thank you all for attending this press conference today. I will not waste time on pleasantries or an introduction because what I have to say can never be given words that can express the depth of the situation. I am aware of the rumors going around that speculate Kevin Hurikama has left the business, gone into seclusion, or sold his company and all shares to a rival company, all of which are so very far from the truth. I am here to clear that matter up immediately. My father and mother, Kevin and Tamoya Hurikama, were killed in a car accident almost a week ago. Two young men participating in a game they called 'chicken' were racing at each other from opposite ends of our street and struck their car, killing my mother instantly and shortly after, my father followed. The car was completely severed.
"I am sure that many of you do not recognize me or understand how I relate to all of this since my last name is Gardner, but that is only an alias my parents gave us so that we could have a chance at a normal life. But with their deaths, I now drop that name and reclaim my birth name, Hurikama, and with a heavy heart, take my father's position as owner of Hurikama Inc. I was unaware, until yesterday, that my father had meant for me to inherit the company and take control of it in a very short time since he was planning on retiring. I'd like to tell all of my father's friends and associates that whatever he was involved in or planning to begin will continue on in his memory. Thank you." Téa stepped down even as the questions exploded from the press and quickly took her sisters away from the mobbing press while Harry took care of the questions. There was no way she was going to deal with them now, not when her sisters were in tears and she felt like passing out. She only hoped that Kaiba hadn't gone into shock.
***
"Bloody hell!" Kaiba exclaimed as Téa claimed her father to be Kevin Hurikama. It was absolutely unbelievable. Kevin was gone. He hadn't even had the foggiest idea about why his soon-to-be business partner had seemingly disappeared. His outburst turned empathetic as he watched Tea's eyes glow with unshed tears and her voice cracking with emotion. He wanted to be there with her, to hold her and tell her she'd make it through alright. He needed to be there with her, for her! Standing up without a word and grabbing his jacket from the back of his chair, he raced out of his office, his mind focusing only on one thing: get to Tea.
***
End of Chapter 5. Well, what did you think? Was it long enough? This thing was a monster to write, and rightly justified in it's length since I took so long to update. I can't promise when the next chapter will be coming out, but I am sincerely praying that it will not be another four months. Please be patient with me, I'm juggling school, church activities, social interaction with friends (I can't very well be a hermit here!), AND writing.
If you'd like me to email you when I update, just drop me an email or simply leave your address in a review so that I know. I don't mind letting everyone know since I myself can't say when the updates will come.
Question of the week returns: What is your all-time favorite book? Fan-fic? I'm always looking for something to read that's good quality, either on the net or an actual, good old paper-back to get ideas or inspiration. Fan-fic wise, I'm looking for anything Yu-Gi-Oh!, Sailor Moon, or Rurouni Kenshin since those are the only animes I'm familiar with. Any and all suggestions are welcome! Also, if you know of any contests that I could enter with my stuff, let me know. I'd like to test my skills against other writers in the fanfic world.
REPLYING TO THE REVIEWS:
Anzu576 - Thank you! I always love a good review on how I'm doing. Lets me know that the masses enjoy my work!
Quickening - Sorry that Tea seems Marysue-ish. Yes her dad had a mansion built for her. But if you really want to get into it, Kaiba has an entire freakin' company at his beck and call as well as his own house and whatever else he has in reality. Not to mention whatever else I may add in this fic. However, I understand what you're saying and maybe I did go overboard a bit, but if I'm dumping myself over the edge, might as well go all the way, right? Your positive feedback was adored. Thanks!
Saiyan Rage - Your continued support is marvelous. You help to boost my ego a bit every time. *blushes* Thanks for the comments.
Profiler 120 - Thanks!
SeraphStar - Thanks!
Cranky Cathe - I'm glad someone out there doesn't think I'm a nerd. *adjusts her pocket protector... just kidding* Gracias for the kind words.
Lyderia - I'm pleased you like how this thing is shaping up. It's become more of a monster than I first thought. Your support is appreciated.
Dark Wings of Faith - You're still reading? I would have thought I'd scared someone off by now. Thanks for sticking around and your encouragement!
American BadAss - Arigato, especially for the sites.
Tara-hime - If I could give anyone a hug, you would definitely be at the top of the list. Your continued support from the very beginning continues to help keep me going and your lengthy (gotta love those!) reviews and questions make me blush and keep me on my toes. I am so grateful for your questions and suggestions!
Starkitty - Thanks!
Guardian Kysra - You would also be on the 'Hug' list. Since the first chapter, you've been there pushing me along with your kind words and I must say, you make me blush occasionally. I'm so glad the kiss lived up to expectations, or perhaps more. I aim to please, you know. Your critiques and sometimes analytical views, though all positive as of yet that I'm aware of, are truly helpful and appreciated!
Please review, I love reading your comments on my work guys! Or email, that's ALWAYS wonderful!
Atlantis *^_^*
If you ever want to talk fics or my work on a more direct level, you can IM me. Screen name: godscartungrrl
Okay, you all have official permission to throw veggies at me. I'm horrible and I know it. It's been FOUR MONTHS since I've updated. *cries* I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for it to take this long!! Honest! I think I should stop babbling because there are only so many words for 'sorry'.
Thanks to ALL of you who reviewed me: Guardian Kysra, starkitty, Tara-hime, American BadAss, Dark Wings of Faith, Lynderia, Cranky Cathe, profiler120, Saiyan Rage, Quickening, and Anzu576. You all were so sweet and I'm entirely glad you liked the kiss. Those type of scenes actually take a good deal of work. All replies to the reviews will be at the end of this thing so as not to take away from your time of reading the actual story.
Well, I'm sure that you all want me to shut up and get to the chappy you've waited four months to read, so onto the disclaimer!
I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! and we all know that. However, if I ever become wealthy enough to buy it, I will first rub it in all of your faces and *then* share it. It's no fun to be greedy.
Rating: PG-13
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For I will turn their mourning to joy, will comfort them, and make them rejoice rather than sorrow.
Jeremiah 31:13
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PART 5
One of the few things in the world that could get Téa up in the morning besides school was knowing that she would see a friend, and Harry Jackson was most certainly a friend. More like family than anything else, he had been around since she was born as her father had told her, and was in fact, her godfather.
A week had passed since the earth-shaking moment between her and Kaiba and she missed him, but had to focus on more important things. Her parents' bodies were still in the morgue, waiting to be buried, and her sisters had appointments to attend now with a counselor to help them deal with the mental trauma. They had returned to school, at their own insistence, but Téa had decided to not return for at least another two weeks. There was just too much to do and she didn't want anyone else taking care of everything that revolved around her parents' death.
Tugging the jacket of her suit in place, Téa smiled softly in the mirror and went over her appearance. She certainly looked professional in her black suit, faint red pin stripes running down the length of the material. Opting to wear the pants rather than the skirt, Téa felt more comfortable and she moved her feet a little, encased in one-inch heels and black nylons. An almost metallic red shell was under her jacket, buttoning up to the top except for the last three buttons which she left undone. There was a simple gold chain that was around her neck, but she focused more on her hair after clasping it in place. Her light brown hair was up, twisted intricately to resemble a french twist, shining in the light that filtered through her window, with her bangs framing her face and stray pieces around her jaw to give her a softer, more feminine look. Small gold hoops hung from her ears and her nails had been done, covered in a clear- coat that emphasized the length of her long nails.
Altogether, she looked like a young businesswoman, trim and fit, and rather commanding in her suit. She put a small amount of lip gloss on before walking out the door of her room and grabbing her keys before locking the house behind her. For some reason, Téa didn't like going through the laundry room to get to the garage, though it was supposedly easier and she shrugged at her silly habit before clicking the button that opened the garage door. After climbing into her truck, she took off towards the restaurant where she was supposed to meet Harry and ended up getting held up at every red light between her house and the restaurant, The Lighthouse, before arriving nearly forty-five minutes after she left.
"Thank goodness for cells!" Téa sighed exasperatedly as she tucked her phone back into her pocket. She found a parking spot and got out of her truck hastily, making sure to lock it before heading into the restaurant. Her eyes opened in surprise when she found Harry standing there waiting for her. He looked impeccable as always, a black suit and a navy tie tied around the collar of his pristine, starched white shirt with matching black shoes that shone in the light. His greying brown hair was styled perfectly, the thick wavy hair parting off to the side naturally and tucking behind his ears. The old man smiled brightly at her and rushed forward, wrapping her in a tight hug. He stood back and took her hand and then led her to their table slowly, waving off the maitre'd, talking all the while about how his family was doing and how they had gotten a new puppy that the kids were just crazy about. Téa looked around at the posh dining room and marveled at it.
Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, the prisms casting rainbows all over the large room. Fine china was on each table, in addition to the many complete sets of silverware and crystal glasses and the chairs and tables were made of a fine wood, which looked to be cherrywood, polished and cushioned for the elite bottoms of Tokyo. Not too many people were there, but there were a few at tables dispersed around the room that were occupied with their laptops and briefcases covering the tables, obviously going over business transactions and whatnot. Téa snapped out of her reverie when Harry helped her into a chair and sat next to her, still grinning.
"It's been a long while since I've seen you Teeny Téa," the older man said. Téa giggled at the old nickname.
"Well, I must say that I've missed you Babba," she laughed back. "You've been one of the lifelines I've been clinging to since the accident," she added, eyes losing some of their light. Though she had come to grips with the reality of the situation, she knew that she would never be the same again. She looked up to meet Harry's eyes and he smiled warmly.
"I know what you mean," he whispered back, taking her hand gently. "It's been hard for me as well. Your father was my best friend. We went to grade school together." Téa patted his hand and was about to say something when he looked at her suddenly, his eyes lighter. "One of your lifelines? I suppose your sisters are the others?" he asked.
"Well of course, but also..." she trailed off, blushing slightly.
"Also?" Harry chuckled. "Please tell me that you've got a young man in your life now Téa." Téa nodded.
"Seto Kaiba," she said softly, biting her lip. Harry's eyes widened and he smiled a bright smile at her.
"You certainly don't settle for anything less than the tops, do you?" he joked. "He's a good man, a little moody, but powerful and passionate. You're just what each other needs. I was wondering why he seemed different at our last meeting."
"When did you last see him?" Téa asked, sipping on a glass of water that had been placed in front of her by their waiter.
"Two days ago. We were talking about the company and a possible merger." He laughed as Téa nearly choked on an ice cube. "Before your father died, he began negotiations with Kaiba Corp to make both companies more influential and powerful."
"That was very intelligent of my father. Merging with Kaiba Corp would be an excellent idea. But are you sure that we won't be creating a monopoly?" Téa asked as she set down her glass.
"If you're worried, don't be. We're going about this in a way that won't put either company in jeopardy and both Mr. Kaiba, your father, and I decided that we wouldn't make the same foolish mistakes that Microsoft did. They got themselves stuck in a corner and couldn't back out, but we're making sure to leave ourselves plenty of corporate and stock space. This merger is going to change the Japanese economy as we know it, Téa," Harry exclaimed happily. Téa smiled at him, knowing that he thrived on both the market and law. She had no doubt in her mind that he would see any lupeholes should any present themselves.
"And what about the name?" Téa questioned, resting her chin on top of folded hands. "Will you be creating a new name for the merging companies or is there going to be some kind of compromise?"
"I'm glad you asked because we decided to keep Kaiba Corp's name but use your father's insignia as the company's logo, in remembrance of him. What do you think about that?" Harry asked, biting his lips as though he was anxious.
"That sounds wonderful," Téa said, leaning back in her chair. "I like that idea very much. Is Kaiba aware that Mr. Hurikama was my father?"
"No, he's not even aware that your father is dead. I thought that perhaps he would find out the truth when you decided to tell the world. As of right now, your father's death is only known as the 'Gardener Accident' in the obituaries, but if you'll allow me to set up a press conference, you can set the story straight. Would that be alright?" Harry pulled out a small pocket planner and pen, ready to jot down anything that Téa suggested. Téa nodded.
"That would be fine," she said softly. "I think you should try to schedule it for tomorrow if possible so that the truth will be out before rumors can start circulating. I don't want my father's name sullied by any of that crap that those tabloids put out." Harry nodded.
"That's fine, I think I can arrange it for later in the afternoon so that it'll hit the evening news just in time. That should take care of getting the message out," Harry explained, looking up and ordering lunch quietly for both of them from the waiter that had appeared at his side. As the waiter walked away, Téa looked at Harry, her chin resting in a palm.
"So this is what my father wanted to talk to me about," she sighed quietly, casting her eyes down to the table where she traced designs on a burgundy napkin with her fingers. "To tell me about all of this merging and corporate changes." Harry coughed as he put his glass of water down, looking at her with wide eyes.
"You mean your father didn't talk to you about any of this before what happened?" he asked incredulously. Téa nodded. Harry blew out a breath. "Well this is just the tip of the iceberg. There's much more. Téa, your father was going to retire and pass the responsibility of managing the company to you. He would stay in the background to watch out for you and help you make the right decisions, but it was going to be your company. He was going to have you negotiate the merger with Mr. Kaiba and introduce the new product that he had just finished."
"My god," Téa breathed, leaning back in her chair as if physically pushed. "Wh... why would he do that?"
"He said he felt like you were old enough and I think he wanted you to feel important and needed. With him being gone from home all of the time, I think he thought that you were lacking in the attention department and that you were ready to handle a responsibility like this. He also mentioned to me that the company needed to be run by someone who was closer to Kaiba's level and could adjust to change and new ideas better than him. We had all of the paperwork completed before he went to London," Harry replied, closing his eyes painfully. "Damn if I don't miss that man with all of my heart," he added, a lone tear slipping down his cheek. Téa's eyes softened and filled with warm tears, some of them slipping down her jaw and into her lap. Leaning forward, she reached forward and took Harry's hand, squeezing it tightly. He looked up at her, noticing her already red eyes and quivering lip. Pushing his lips together in a tight line, he took in a breath and then looked at Téa, sending her a faint smile. They were sharing so much pain and felt like they were both missing crucial parts of their lives. No matter what happened or who came into their lives, it would be a long while until the memory of Kevin Hurikama Gardner was no longer painful.
***
Dropping into her leather recliner, Téa let her head fall back as she pulled her legs up to take off her heels. Lunch had been wonderful with Harry, even though they had cried a good deal of the time after they had started, and many fond memories had been shared between them. But as always, time flies fast and she was saying goodbye to her godfather, a tight hug lasting for a few minutes as she cried on his shoulder at her truck. Then, determined not to shed another tear, Téa had gotten into her vehicle and drove away after bidding her good family friend a very hearty goodbye.
Now, as the fan above her hummed calmingly and sent a breath of cool air down on her, all that she could think about was the press conference that would be released tomorrow... and taking a nap and seeing Kaiba. She wanted to talk to him. He had been calling her every day just to see how she was doing, but unfortunately hadn't gotten to come over. His company had just begun renovations in a few areas and he was in the process of firing some of his officers for attempting to embezzle company funds. He missed her, he said. She was the only person who treated him like a real person besides his brother.
Téa absently wondered what his little brother was like. Seto didn't talk about him, had only mentioned him in passing, but never named or described him. She guessed it was somewhat fair since Kaiba didn't really know her sister's names. He had met Arashi though, and the little girl was absolutely taken with him. That made Téa smile because at least now she knew that if a strong relationship began to grow between them, her sisters wouldn't disapprove. Kiri was going crazy wanting to meet the mystery man that her sister had met and whined about it jokingly every day, hoping that she'd be annoying enough to finally get Téa to bring him over again. Téa wished it was that easy.
Arashi and Kiri's therapy sessions were going well, better than the psychologist and counselor had hoped. They were, of course, scarred at the loss of their parents, but they depended on Téa so much and had spent so much time with her over the course of their young lives that they were handling the situation amazingly well. It was a comforting thought to Téa, who had refused counseling and was dealing with her feelings and bad dreams on her own. She hadn't even told Kaiba about the nightmares yet, but she was sure he suspected. He was also holding things back from her still, she knew, but that was only natural. They had only known each other a short time and didn't want to overload each other with information and emotional baggage. Kaiba had opened up to her a few times on the phone, but not often because he admitted that taking face-to-face was much easier when discussing the past and memories for him. Téa agreed wholeheartedly.
The clock high on the wall opposite Téa chimed musically and she glanced at the time. Eleven o' clock. It would be another four hours until the girls got out of school and then another hour until she picked them up from their sessions. She sighed. It was time that she went to her father's company and take up her responsibility. A corporation as powerful as her father's was rivaled by few others in the entire world and that gave her a sense of pride as she stood, empowered by the thought of continuing her father's legacy. Though she had stopped traveling so frequently with her parents years ago, Téa knew the tricks of the trade, how to hire and fire employees, and take care of a company. Her father's seemingly pointless conversations with her on the subject came rushing back to her and she pulled her shoes back on, and walked out the door.
***
"Miss Hurikama! I was not expecting you today!" the secretary, Margaret, called out as Téa stepped out of the elevator with a leather briefcase in hand that she had gotten from Harry after stopping by his firm, and striding towards her father's old office. She gave the hard- working secretary a steady smile and stopped at her desk.
"I'm aware of that, but a company can't run itself. I'll be in my father's office looking over personnel files all afternoon. This company needs an employee renovation," Téa replied smoothly, not even having to go over her words in her head before saying them. She was meant for this position. Moving to the door, she stopped abruptly when Margaret's hand on her wrist stopped her.
"You're not going to like what you see in there, Miss," she informed her quietly. Téa's eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "The partners are all in there discussing possibilities of what to do with the company. I don't think they know you're taking over. It sounded a bit like a drunken party in there a while ago." Téa's eyes flashed angrily and she nodded thankfully at Margaret.
"I'm going in there and I'm going to take care of them. If I buzz you, call security. I don't expect this to go easy. But how did you know that I'd be taking over?" she asked. Margaret gave her a little smile.
"Mr. Jackson called this morning informing me of the possibility. He advised me not to tell the partners so that you could see what they were really like. Kind of like 'when the cat is away, the mice come out to play' type thing. Go kick some butt Miss," Margaret said, her brown eyes twinkling.
"Just Téa please. And I intend to, kick some butt that is. Wish me luck." With that said, Téa pushed her shoulders back, held her head high and walked to the large oak double doors, opening them with confidence and striding in.
Numerous heads whipped in her direction as she stopped in the doorway, staring as if they'd seen a ghost. Téa held back a scream of rage. There they were, seven grown men, sitting around in plush chairs, laughing and each holding a glass of brandy in his hand. Her eyes turned to stone as she spotted a man in her father's chair, his feet propped up on the beautiful desk.
"Mister Janaki, if you wish to keep your job in this corporation, you will immediately remove yourself from MY FATHER'S chair and desk. And all of you will be pouring out that brandy instantly. As of this moment, drinking any alcoholic beverage on these grounds will result in immediate demotion and loss of benefits until I see fit to restore them," Téa growled, her voice low and deadly. The men simply sat staring at her, dumbfounded by her presence and confused at what to do. Only the man in her father's place moved, though slowly, and his face held a look of infinite terror.
"Who are you?" one of the men still sitting asked suddenly, courage racing through his veins in the form of liquor. "What business do you have bursting in here without clearance?" The oaf staggered to his feet and attempted to look down on her, but her hard gaze didn't waver.
"If you don't know, then you were certainly no friend of my father's. And I have clearance, more than you'll ever have. I am Téa Hurikama and I am taking my father's place in this company. If you have any objections, then I will have no problem writing up your formal resignation papers this very moment. I will tolerate absolutely no insubordinance from any of you, no matter how powerful and rich you think you are in regards to this company. This company has been left to me and I will manage it from now on. You gentlemen will no longer take part in business decisions. Instead, you can go and live in ridiculous wealth and brag about how well this company is doing. Is that understood?" Téa asked, moving slowly through the room so as to stare at every man directly before settling herself into the large leather chair behind her father's desk. Without another glance to any of them, she pulled her briefcase up to rest atop the desk and popped it open, looking over some random papers before speaking. "You gentlemen may all leave now, and please make sure to pour that fine brandy into that sink on your way out," Téa said authoritatively with a hard glance around the room.
Faint curses and unhappy grumblings met her ears but the men filed out slowly, watching almost forlornly as they poured the golden liquid down the sink before leaving the room. Téa blew out a breath after the last of them had left and sank back into her chair, pressing the intercom button lightly.
"Yes Miss Hurikama?" Margaret's voice asked through the device.
"Would you please call Harry Jackson and inform him that I need to speak with him as soon as possible to go over merger schematics and procedures?" Téa requested kindly as she massaged her temples. Putting seven grown men in their places and keeping a demeanor of complete control had been harder than she thought. "And bring me some Tylenol too please."
"Right away Miss." Silence quickly filled the room, excepting the quiet ticking of a small Victorian clock that sat at the right edge of the desk, its Roman numeral digits forcing Téa to adjust to them before accurately reading the time. Almost three hours had passed since she had left her house and she was weary, ready to take a nap and perhaps afterwards call Seto. She needed to hear his voice. Looking up as one of the doors to the office opened tentatively, Téa sent a small smile to the middle-aged secretary who was carrying a glass of water and several small pills in her hands.
"You are a sweetheart, Margaret," Téa joked as she was handed the glass and pills. Gulping them down, she heard the faint ring of a telephone and watched Margaret trot out to answer it, her optimistic voice sounding professional as she spoke. She came back in a moment later.
"Um, Miss Hurikama? There's a Mister Kaiba on the line. He wants to speak with you," she informed Téa quietly. Téa blanched.
"Oh my god. Does he know that I'm taking over the company? Who exactly did he ask for?" the brunette asked, suddenly gasping for breath.
"He asked for Téa Gardner. Would you like me to tell him you're unavailable?" Téa shook her head.
"No, go ahead and transfer it to this phone," Téa replied, straightening herself out shakily. She just wouldn't be able to deal with it if Seto had found out who she really was from anyone other than herself. "And call me Téa." Margaret nodded cheerily and returned to her desk as Téa waited for the light on the phone to show that the call had been transferred. The little orange light blinked at her and she took a breath before answering.
"Hello?"
"Téa! I've been calling all around for you. Where've you been?" Kaiba's voice asked through the phone. Téa felt herself melt. His voice was so sexy.
"Well, earlier I went out to breakfast with a family friend of mine and then... How did you know to call here?" Téa questioned suddenly.
"I didn't. I was speaking to a close associate of mine, Harry Jackson, your family friend I'm guessing, and told him I'd been trying to get a hold of you all morning. He told me that you might be at Hurikama Inc. By the way, what are you doing there?" he replied.
"Oh, I'm looking into a job here. I think I've got it for the most part, I just have to seal up a few loose ends," Téa told him, slowly sinking back into her chair.
"You should have told me you were looking for a job. I could've gotten you something in a snap. Maybe as my secretary or something. The one I've got now is a rather grouchy woman," Kaiba joked, his laugh reverberating through the line. Téa closed her eyes and listened to the sound, drowning in it.
"Sorry. I had a few connections here and thought about Hurikama Inc. first. But you know what, we'll still get to see each other. Maybe we can get together while there's a business meeting going on or something. There's a bit of a rumor here that Hurikama Inc. and Kaiba Corp. are going to be merging," Téa teased, knowing it to be a fact.
"Where did you hear that?" Seto asked. Téa could just imagine him perking up at the sound of the merger, wondering how she had gotten hold of priority information.
"I have my sources," was Téa's mysterious reply. She held in a giggle. This was just too fun messing with him like this!
"Yes well, I guess you'll have to find out won't you?" Kaiba's cryptic response whispered to her. "I've been wanting to see you so badly. I miss you," he admitted. Téa felt herself blush and smiled, suddenly feeling shy. "Do you think you can go out to dinner tonight?"
"Oh Seto I'd love to, but I can't leave my sisters. Not tonight. How about you and your brother and my sisters and I all go to dinner, say, Friday? I would love to meet him and you don't really know my sisters."
"Just the one who interrupted us," Kaiba chuckled.
"That would be Arashi," Téa informed him, laughing as well. She noticed Kaiba's voice drop to a lower tone.
"I wouldn't mind that again as long as there was something to interrupt," he whispered to her. Téa thought she heard him growl low in his throat but couldn't be sure. Nevertheless, she shivered delightfully.
"Well, in all honesty, I'd rather not have an interruption," Téa whispered to herself, then suddenly hoped that Kaiba hadn't heard. She had no such luck.
"I agree," came his throaty reply. "And that dinner idea is great, but I'd also like to have you to myself sometime soon."
"You're a greedy boy, Seto," Téa laughed.
"But I'm yours, so that's all that matters isn't it?" Kaiba shot back. Téa gasped.
"Do... do you mean that, Seto?" she asked tentatively.
"Téa, even though I've known you for such a short time, I can feel the barriers around me crumbling with every word you say. In a short time, you'll have all of my heart and I won't be able to hold back anything from you. I only hope I'm having a somewhat similar effect on you, beautiful," Kaiba replied in soft tones.
"You had me when you comforted me on the day my parents died, Seto," Téa admitted. "Maybe you could stop by the house tonight just to say hello."
"Now it's my turn to decline that wonderful proposition. I promised my brother that I'd spend some time with him tonight. Listen, I've got to go, but plan on that dinner Friday. It'll be nice to go out with someone who's not superficial or trying to yank me into an unwanted merger or whatever. Okay?" he asked.
"Sounds good," Téa replied. "Oh, Seto, I have a little bit of a surprise for you but you won't know what it is until tomorrow. I don't know if you'll like it or not, but try to be open-minded about it alright?"
"I'll try but if it's something weird, I can't guarantee," he joked. "What is it?"
"I can't tell you, but I'll just say that at about noon tomorrow, make sure you have your television set on KTLD 13."
"Whatever you say. Talk to you later Téa," he said, waiting for her goodbye.
"Yeah, bye Seto. Come and see me when you can," Téa responded quietly. When she heard the audible click of the other line, she put her own phone down and placed her chin on top of folded hands, staring blankly in front of her. What would he think when he found out what her surprise was?
***
"Harry, is the press ready?" Téa asked, holding her sisters' hands, one on either side of her securely. Harry Jackson nodded and handed Téa a glass of water, as well as Arashi and Kiri. He looked over them and smiled faintly. They had always been a handsome family.
Téa and the girls were dressed completely in black, the only other color being the white of Téa's blouse that barely peeked through her suit jacket. Her skirt was knee-length, and she wore black nylons and heels. The two girls that stood quietly at her sides were clad in black as well, Arashi the older in a skirt and button-up shirt with black tights and sandals, her hair pulled into a loose half-ponytail while Kiri had on a little dress that dropped almost to her feet with a satin ribbon around her waist, black tights, and shoes. Téa had decided to leave her hair down for the occasion and was holding back tears forcefully, the blue orbs glazed and threatening to spill over. Every once-in-a-while, one of the two little girls would sniffle, but then Téa would pull them to her side and shush them gently, hugging them tightly to her and comforting them.
"Are you ready Téa?" Harry asked the huddled bunch, feeling as if he was intruding on a private moment as Téa pressed a kiss to both Arashi and Kiri's foreheads. The young woman looked up, her voice locked up, and merely nodded, standing yet still holding to the hands of sisters like a lifeline.
***
Seto Kaiba reclined in his chair, watching the television as Téa had told him to, his most trusted advisor seated at his side.
"Sir, would you like to go over the papers concerning the merger with Hurikama Inc.?" the old man asked, the wrinkles around his mouth from years of smiles moving slightly with the words and his bushy white eyebrows raising slightly. Seto gave him a quick glance and smile but shook his head.
"After this. A very good friend of mine told me I had a surprise today and that I needed to watch this," he explained carefully. "Go ahead and place those papers down for a short while old friend." Jacob Hollman nodded and set them down on Kaiba's desk before leaning back in his own chair and watching as his associate Harry Jackson approached the podium on t.v..
"What is Harry doing?" Seto wondered aloud.
***
"Ladies and gentlemen, today we have called you all together for a press conference to bestow upon you some very grave news as well as a new season. I will not be giving this announcement but I would like to introduce to you a family friend of mine, as well as my goddaughter, Téa Gardner and her two sisters." Harry clapped and stepped aside and let Téa move up to the podium, letting go of Arashi and Kiri as Harry picked them up and held them in his arms.
"First of all, I thank you all for attending this press conference today. I will not waste time on pleasantries or an introduction because what I have to say can never be given words that can express the depth of the situation. I am aware of the rumors going around that speculate Kevin Hurikama has left the business, gone into seclusion, or sold his company and all shares to a rival company, all of which are so very far from the truth. I am here to clear that matter up immediately. My father and mother, Kevin and Tamoya Hurikama, were killed in a car accident almost a week ago. Two young men participating in a game they called 'chicken' were racing at each other from opposite ends of our street and struck their car, killing my mother instantly and shortly after, my father followed. The car was completely severed.
"I am sure that many of you do not recognize me or understand how I relate to all of this since my last name is Gardner, but that is only an alias my parents gave us so that we could have a chance at a normal life. But with their deaths, I now drop that name and reclaim my birth name, Hurikama, and with a heavy heart, take my father's position as owner of Hurikama Inc. I was unaware, until yesterday, that my father had meant for me to inherit the company and take control of it in a very short time since he was planning on retiring. I'd like to tell all of my father's friends and associates that whatever he was involved in or planning to begin will continue on in his memory. Thank you." Téa stepped down even as the questions exploded from the press and quickly took her sisters away from the mobbing press while Harry took care of the questions. There was no way she was going to deal with them now, not when her sisters were in tears and she felt like passing out. She only hoped that Kaiba hadn't gone into shock.
***
"Bloody hell!" Kaiba exclaimed as Téa claimed her father to be Kevin Hurikama. It was absolutely unbelievable. Kevin was gone. He hadn't even had the foggiest idea about why his soon-to-be business partner had seemingly disappeared. His outburst turned empathetic as he watched Tea's eyes glow with unshed tears and her voice cracking with emotion. He wanted to be there with her, to hold her and tell her she'd make it through alright. He needed to be there with her, for her! Standing up without a word and grabbing his jacket from the back of his chair, he raced out of his office, his mind focusing only on one thing: get to Tea.
***
End of Chapter 5. Well, what did you think? Was it long enough? This thing was a monster to write, and rightly justified in it's length since I took so long to update. I can't promise when the next chapter will be coming out, but I am sincerely praying that it will not be another four months. Please be patient with me, I'm juggling school, church activities, social interaction with friends (I can't very well be a hermit here!), AND writing.
If you'd like me to email you when I update, just drop me an email or simply leave your address in a review so that I know. I don't mind letting everyone know since I myself can't say when the updates will come.
Question of the week returns: What is your all-time favorite book? Fan-fic? I'm always looking for something to read that's good quality, either on the net or an actual, good old paper-back to get ideas or inspiration. Fan-fic wise, I'm looking for anything Yu-Gi-Oh!, Sailor Moon, or Rurouni Kenshin since those are the only animes I'm familiar with. Any and all suggestions are welcome! Also, if you know of any contests that I could enter with my stuff, let me know. I'd like to test my skills against other writers in the fanfic world.
REPLYING TO THE REVIEWS:
Anzu576 - Thank you! I always love a good review on how I'm doing. Lets me know that the masses enjoy my work!
Quickening - Sorry that Tea seems Marysue-ish. Yes her dad had a mansion built for her. But if you really want to get into it, Kaiba has an entire freakin' company at his beck and call as well as his own house and whatever else he has in reality. Not to mention whatever else I may add in this fic. However, I understand what you're saying and maybe I did go overboard a bit, but if I'm dumping myself over the edge, might as well go all the way, right? Your positive feedback was adored. Thanks!
Saiyan Rage - Your continued support is marvelous. You help to boost my ego a bit every time. *blushes* Thanks for the comments.
Profiler 120 - Thanks!
SeraphStar - Thanks!
Cranky Cathe - I'm glad someone out there doesn't think I'm a nerd. *adjusts her pocket protector... just kidding* Gracias for the kind words.
Lyderia - I'm pleased you like how this thing is shaping up. It's become more of a monster than I first thought. Your support is appreciated.
Dark Wings of Faith - You're still reading? I would have thought I'd scared someone off by now. Thanks for sticking around and your encouragement!
American BadAss - Arigato, especially for the sites.
Tara-hime - If I could give anyone a hug, you would definitely be at the top of the list. Your continued support from the very beginning continues to help keep me going and your lengthy (gotta love those!) reviews and questions make me blush and keep me on my toes. I am so grateful for your questions and suggestions!
Starkitty - Thanks!
Guardian Kysra - You would also be on the 'Hug' list. Since the first chapter, you've been there pushing me along with your kind words and I must say, you make me blush occasionally. I'm so glad the kiss lived up to expectations, or perhaps more. I aim to please, you know. Your critiques and sometimes analytical views, though all positive as of yet that I'm aware of, are truly helpful and appreciated!
Please review, I love reading your comments on my work guys! Or email, that's ALWAYS wonderful!
Atlantis *^_^*
If you ever want to talk fics or my work on a more direct level, you can IM me. Screen name: godscartungrrl