Riddles of the Heart
written by Atlantis
© 2002
I don't think I will try to apologize simply because I have been so busy that it is no fault of my own that I haven't been able to write or post. The strain of several AP courses has really been taking a toll on me lately and finals are next week, but I thought maybe a pre-Christmas gift to you all would make you feel better. I hope there are no hard feelings towards me; I really do try hard!
***GROUP GROUP GROUP GROUP GROUP GROUP GROUP GROUP GROUP GROUP*** I now have a Yahoo! group that all of you can join to discuss my fiction, write and post your own, or simply gab with other people. If you're interested, check out my profile since fanfiction.net doesn't allow direct linking. It will also be a place where you can read my stuff when fanfiction.net is down.
Thank you to everyone who reviewed on the last chapter: Azurite, kikoken, Evelyn15, hieiandbotan4ever, coolwriter5, Morning Mist, deity of death1, Lita Maxwell, Ana, Krystal_tears, Mystical Miyuki, BabyIce, stardreamer090, Guardian Kysra, Aaron, TeaFan123, kaz, Lynderia, Tara-hime, Card-Master, Serena4, AmericanBadAss, Ferret Girl, Thallein, DarkSetoKaiba, and DarkMagicianGurl89. As always, replies to the reviews will be at the end.
Disclaimer: I'm feeling too lazy to actually say that Yu-Gi-Oh! isn't mine, so I'll just go ahead and claim it and see if anyone actually does anything about it... meh.
Rating: PG-13
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In the same way, some think one day is more holy than another day, while others think every day is alike. Each person should have a personal conviction about this matter.
Romans 14:5
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PART 7
It was to the doorbell that Téa awoke to the next morning and she threw a pillow over her head in an attempt to drown out the sound. Her head was pounding in tune with the tick of her clock and the intermittent calls of the doorbell, proving to her that it was not a nightmare and that she really had to get up. Puffing her cheeks out with a breath of air and gradually opening her eyes, she managed to sit up and look somewhat conscious before Arashi opened up her door and peeked inside, big eyes wide with a question.
"Are you feeling better?" she asked shyly, moving into the room and to the bed when Téa motioned to her. Téa nodded and took the smaller girl in a hug, rubbing her hair motherly before leaning back against her headboard.
"Just a little sick, but getting better," Téa told Arashi.
"That's good to hear," a distinct male voice called from the doorway. Téa looked in surprise to see Yami and Yugi standing at the door, Kiri secure in the protective circle of Yami's arms, and Tristan and Joey behind them. Biting her lip and looking away, Téa pulled Arashi closer to her, suddenly more afraid of facing her friends than the press again. Arashi instead wiggled out of Téa's hold and ran out of the room with Kiri, screeching about marshmallow cereal and saying how Téa's friends were boring because they didn't say much. Téa watched them flee with some kind of horror and then shifted her gaze to her friends who looked broken and betrayed. Yami was the first to move forward, sitting himself on the edge of her bed and leaning on his arm over her legs. Yugi sat opposite Yami and Tristan and Joey joined the circle, sitting backwards on two of her chairs and leaning forward. Téa found she couldn't meet any of their eyes.
"I... huh, I have no idea what to say," she whispered, a tear creeping out of the corner of an eye.
"I don't either," Yami said softly. "I'm out of the country for a short while doing a few promotionals for new games and come back to find out the world one of my best friends has turned upside down and she never told me. It hurts Téa."
"Téa," Yugi began unsurely, "did you feel you couldn't talk to us about what happened? I mean, we may be goofballs sometimes, but we're right there when something really matters." The younger boy's violet eyes were wide and confused. Téa shook her head.
"It wasn't like that at all," she told them. "It was just... I really don't know what it was. The way I grew up, it was so different from all of you and the life I had established with you and I didn't want to relive it. Then suddenly my parents were gone and I was alone and had to take care of my sisters and found out I had inherited a company from my father and that I'm supposed to manage it... Sorry I'm babbling. I don't mean this to be any more confusing than it already it," Téa sobbed, burying her face in her knees.
"What I don' understand is why you couldn't come to us but all-a- sudden, hot-shot Kaiba's got priority," Joey spouted. At Téa's surprised face he added, "Your sisters gave us a play-by-play of what's been happnin' lately in about two secs and Kaiba's name came up."
"Why does that matter? He's a good guy and was around when I was hurting. We've got a lot of similarities in the loss area now and we just bonded. I don't have to get new friends approved by you, Joey Wheeler!" Téa cried, outraged. She made to get up but the quick movement and uneasy feelings still remaining in her head made her falter and almost topple to the floor had it not been for Yami's quick arms. Tumbling with a groan into his chest, she attempted to get the starch back into her legs but found it hard to stand on her own. Tears came unheeded from her eyes and she pounded her fists into Yami's chest, not in anger against him but against the world.
With a nod of his head, the other guys left the room so that Yami could comfort the person he was almost closer to than Yugi. He made a grab at her wrists to hold her still and found the carefully concealed bandages, letting out a sharp breath.
"Téa," he asked in a shaky voice, suddenly very afraid, "what are these from?" Téa wouldn't look at him and collapsed to the floor, still crying. Yami followed and knelt in front of her, keeping hold on her wrists and coaxing her into looking at him. "What happened here? And what happened here?" He pointed at her wrists and then at her heart. A fresh batch of tears came streaming down Téa's face and she pitched forward into Yami's embrace, shaking uncontrollably and breaths hiccupping.
"My life was... was over," she cried, muffling the words against the fabric of Yami's shirt. "They were gone, literally in front of my eyes. I love you... guys so much, but they were my family, my parents, my foundation. Without them, I'm just a little girl," Téa confessed. "I'm not done growing up and I can't take all of this on at once and watching my sisters fall apart was more than I could bear. I didn't want to leave them but I didn't want to watch their pain on top of my own. You don't know what it's like." Her head sank and her breaths came in little gasps and Yami pulled as close as he could, cracking sobs choking his throat.
"No. No, I have no idea. I had no idea. You had every right to keep this from us Sweetheart," he shushed into her hair. His hands rubbed over her back to remind her that he was there and that he was solid. "But regardless of whether I know what's going on or not, I want you to know that I'm here and you can fall down knowing that I'll catch you. I'm real and alive Téa, and I am your best friend."
"You can be my friend," Téa said with a sob, "but you and the guys can't be my foundation anymore. Only Seto can be that person, only he can fill that hole in me now. I know he can, Yami. I swear, when I'm with him, I don't forget, but I accept. That's what I need, now and for the rest of my life."
"You love him?" It was an odd question to hear and ask.
"How can I fall in love in less than two weeks?" Téa asked doubtfully, chewing on a nail as she continued to hiccup.
"I've seen stranger things."
***
The rest of the afternoon was spent crying and explaining and eating pizza in the living room. Téa, Yami, Yugi, Tristan, and Joey watched a chick flick, action-adventure, and a comedy, trying to settle the atmosphere a bit after so much discharging of emotion. Téa was settled in the center of her couch and was crowded on every size by grown-male bodies as they reaffirmed themselves in her life, leaving the past behind with their hurt feelings in order to heal Téa's battered spirit. When Arashi and Kiri trotted in carrying 'Finding Nemo', the crew had no choice but to laugh along with the antics of talking fish and surfer-dude turtles. After the movie, Téa was still laughing.
"Squishy," she said, sending herself into a fit of giggles again. Wiping at the tears in her eyes, she tried to quell the laughter then broke up again over the name 'Jellyman'. Her sisters told her she was crazy then proceeded to jump in her lap and squeeze her with hugs, the three of them a mass of high-pitched laughs and squeals. The guys all watched in satisfaction as their friend gained back some of her sanity and communicated through a shared look that they would have to do this type of thing more often. When the phone rang, Téa pushed her sisters away and grabbed up the portable, giving a cordial greeting to the other person before her face lit up even more.
"Seto," she said warmly. "How are you today? Me? I'm doing alright; still running a slight fever but the guys paid me a visit today and we've been having this odd day-long session of bonding. Too bad you can't be here, you could get to know them better," Téa said with a glance at her friends. Joey was practically glowering but the others gave her affirmative nods, which was enough for her. "Oh my gosh, next time we get together, you and your brother and me and my sisters are going to sit down and watch this movie called 'Finding Nemo'. It's an absolute riot... Oh don't be such a stiff. Honestly, when was the last time you watched an animated film? Yeah, that's what I thought. I'll talk to you later, okay? Miss you too." Throughout the entire conversation, which had lasted approximately five minutes, Téa had gotten up and paced up and down the hallway and around the kitchen, a smile constantly on her face, the guys only catching her sides of the conversation.
Yami gave Yugi a look that asked if the younger boy understood the depth of the relationship Téa had established with Kaiba. Yugi nodded and the other guys seemed to have picked up on it too because Tristan was smiling a little and Joey had stopped growling. The moment Téa hung up the phone, the four young men announced that they needed to leave; after all, Joey and Tristan worked nights, and Yugi had promised his grandpa he'd look after the shop. They all filed out of Téa's house, each stopping to give her an encompassing hug (Yami giving her a reassuring kiss on the cheek, too) before taking their leave. Téa watched all of them walk off from her living room window before heading to bed, making sure her little sisters were tucked-in and secure before allowing herself to have one of the most restful sleeps she'd had since the accident.
***
"I can't believe it's already Friday," Téa bemoaned, ringing her hands together. She, Kaiba, his little brother, and her sisters were supposed to get together for dinner and she couldn't help but feel slightly apprehensive. For the last two days, she and Seto had tried to find some time to spend together, either on the phone or otherwise, and every single time had been torn apart by intruding circumstances. Was it a sign, or was she just being paranoid? Her conversation with Yami about her feelings for Seto had stirred her up something awful and she could no longer tell black from white; not that she had done so before, but now it was unbearably difficult to focus on anything but the possibility that there wasn't a correspondence of feelings on Kaiba's part. Her sweaty hands rubbed up and down on her jeans, trying to keep them from shaking as she waited.
"Téa, Téa, Téa," Arashi sing-songed as she pranced into the room, her pink hoodie sporting an angel emblem and sparkly jeans throwing prisms onto the wall of the hallway. Kiri was just behind her, wearing an identical outfit except for the blue coloring of her hoodie and she latched onto her sister's arm, shifting from foot to foot in order to watch her shoes light up with the movement.
"When are we leaving?" Kiri asked, clicking her teeth together and eyes looking at everything at once. "Can we have pizza? Are there gonna be games? What about boys? I don't like boys."
"Me neither," Arashi chimed in. Téa lost some of her nervousness and gave a laugh, then knelt down in front of the two girls and gave each of them a kiss on the forehead. A hug followed and the three girls squirmed together, smiling. Téa fiddled with both of the girls' hoods so that they wouldn't be inside-out and then stood and took their hands, one on each side.
"We are leaving now," she informed them as they left the house, locking the door behind them. "Yes, you can eat pizza," she said as the garage door opened and they approached Téa's truck. After helping Arashi and Kiri in, Téa climbed in herself and made sure that everyone was buckled in before starting the truck. "There will be a ton of games for you to play," she added as they pulled out. "And you have to be good because there will be TWO boys." Téa broke out in laughter at her sisters' outrageous screams.
It wasn't long before the uproar had ended and the little girls beside Téa were singing along with the radio; granted, they were the wrong words, but they were singing all the same.
*I'd give anything to go back to the times when I made up my own lyrics,* Téa giggled to herself. Chewing on her bottom lip, Téa made a right turn onto the main street and watched the road carefully for bad drivers. Her parents' death had not only made her more acutely aware of how painful life could be, but her driving skills had sharpened and she had briefly wondered if she should be a traffic cop. That thought had been ridiculous of course, but nobody had ever said she couldn't entertain other ideas for her future. Bright lights of a nearby carnival flashed against buildings and the sky and Téa picked up on Arashi and Kiri's cries to go there soon and she had given them a non-committal answer which meant in Téa- terms: okay.
There were a series of three more rights, two lefts, another right and a left before Téa pulled into the parking lot of a pizza place, complete with play-place and arcade games galore. The girls next to her went crazy, jumping up and down in their seats, shoe lights going nuts and flickering madly against the floor mats as short legs waved in excitement. A large smile spread across Téa's face and she removed her seatbelt and keys from the ignition and made her way around the truck to let her sisters out, then locked the doors with the press of a button on her key chain before leading them inside.
Téa sent the two girls on their way after they had attacked her with two sets of pleading eyes after seeing the available entertainment, her eyes watching them disappear into the game room. It took her a few moments to realize why the place seemed so off as she had thought when they had arrived and it suddenly dawned on her that there was no one else there. Only several other cars were in the massive parking lot, two probably belonging to employees and the last... a black Porsche. Her eyes sought him out immediately and found him sitting with an arm over the back of a red- cushioned booth, a grin on his face. She went to him immediately, sliding in next to him and giving her a slight punch on the shoulder.
"You bought the place out!" she said, astounded. His grin was smug.
"Only for tonight. It's not like they're getting cheated; I gave them more than enough to make up for what they'd usually make on a night like this," he replied with a grin. His grin widened when he pulled Téa closer with an arm that had snuck around her waist. "Are you still sick?"
"No!" Téa said happily. "Actually, I..." The rest of her answer was cut off as Kaiba's lips landed on her own, soft and sweet. A sigh escaped Téa's lips and she threaded the fingers of her free hand through his hair and received a sigh from him as well.
"Missed you," he said almost with a sleepy tone when they parted, resting his forehead against hers. Téa rubbed noses with him and kept her hand working the back of his head and neck while the other remained planted on his chest.
"You saw both of them, right? My sisters?" Téa asked. Kaiba nodded and grinned again, leaning back.
"Quite a pair of little rabbits you've got, if I do say so myself. Have you seen mine?" Kaiba asked, his fingers tracing little patterns along Téa's side. She shivered and moved closer peering into his eyes and gave him a mock-threatening raise of her eyebrows.
"No, but I feel I must warn you, those hands better not have ill- intentions toward my side. I may have to take drastic measures against you if that proves to be the case," Téa warned him, batting her eyelashes so that his cheek was given butterfly kisses.
"Such as... Ah, you mean this?" Kaiba asked, suddenly tickling Téa mercilessly. Téa screeched and attempted to wiggle out of his arms but he held tight and kept working his fingers into her skin through the grey, hooded sweatshirt she wore with large DCU (Domino City University) lettering, lined in white. A master at multi-tasking, Kaiba continued to render tickle-torture on the young woman next to him while taking in her casual appearance which was, oddly enough, making him want her more.
She looked so comfortable, yet *edible* in tennis shoes, tight, washed-out boot-cut jeans, and that cuddly looking sweater. Her hair was up in a ponytail which touched the top of her shoulders and bangs were framing the softness of her face which was, at the moment, scrunched up in laughter. He could smell something akin to watermelon, though whether it was from lip gloss or perfume he couldn't quite tell. Her eyes had a light shining powder covering them, a thin strip of navy eyeliner and mascara which emphasized the endless blue of her eyes when she opened them to plead him to stop, tears of laughter trailing down her face.
Kaiba stopped abruptly and leaned forward to catch the tears with his lips, kissing them off of her face. Téa's eyes closed at his gesture and she hugged him, wrapping her arms around his middle, body slightly shaking from being tickled so much. Hearing a slight chuckle rumble in his throat, Téa turned and saw a grinning Arashi and Kiri and donned a suspicious look.
"We need tokens to play the games," Kiri piped up, big brown eyes hopeful, the flashing lights on her tennis shoes corresponding with her fluttering fingers. Téa laughed and sat up to retrieve money when Kaiba's hand stretched forward with a twenty, placing it in Arashi's hands. Both girls squeaked 'thank you' before scampering off into the game room to change the money into tokens. A yelp of victory could be heard from one of the virtual games and Téa guessed it was Seto's little brother, whom she had yet to see. Lips trailing along her neck startled Téa out of her ponderings and to the young man at her side, presently lavishing her with delicious attention. She smiled and pressed a smile in his hair, hugging him once again.
"I need to meet this brother of yours," she said softly as he kissed his way over her skin, slightly hindered by the massive sweatshirt. He shook his head and continued kissing her, pulling her up against his side. "Oh come on," Téa chided. "I need to see this little Kaiba if I am to know more about you." He pulled back and pouted.
"Can't this wait until pizza is served? I am involved in a little something at this present time," Kaiba said smoothly, his eyebrows raising enticingly. Téa gave him a glare and then moved to get out of the seat and pulled Seto along with her, her hand tightly holding his.
"Nope, I want to see this kid now. I'm excited, so at least play along and pretend you want me to see him," Téa teased him, brushing his lips with her own before pulling him behind her as she made her way to the game room.
"Very well," Kaiba said with a groan and a mischievous grin. "But I've got dibs on you later. This actually shouldn't be too bad, considering I'm proud of the kid. Sometimes I even like him," he added as they approached a small figure seated in a virtual pod. The small boy inside yelped and bemoaned a loss before the screen before him lifted and he glared at his older brother.
"Big brother!" he accused. "I was winning and you distracted me!" the small boy yelled, though not meaning it, as he stepped out of the machine. Téa's eyes widened as she recognized the large mop of black hair and big blue eyes.
"Mokuba?" she asked. The young boy looked at her finally and recognition flashed in his eyes as well. Seto, for one of the few times in his life, was confused and openly showing it.
"You two've met?" he questioned, wrapping his arms around Téa's waist from behind her and leaning his chin onto her shoulder, eyes wide in askance.
"Yeah," Téa told him, looking between him and his younger brother. "Fleetingly. How have you been Mokuba?" Mokuba, having realized Téa hadn't told his older brother the circumstances under which they had met, breathed a short breath of relief.
"Good. School's not as hard as it used to be and Seto's been letting me try out a bunch of his new products before distribution and sales. This model is actually one of his," he said as he waved his hand absently at the machine behind him. "Your little sisters are funny," he added as an afterthought, shoving his hands into his pockets.
"I know," Téa giggled, her hands closing over Seto's at her waist. "I was wondering something a little earlier and I think you may be able to help me with the answer. Why is it that you look casual and ready to play and your stiff older brother is still dressed in his work clothes?" she asked with a wink. Kaiba yanked her back against his chest, pushing some of the air out of her lungs and Mokuba laughed.
"Dunno. I tried to talk him into different clothes, but the guy doesn't own a single pair of jeans. I suppose he's just boring; can't even buy a t-shirt every once-in-a-while." The younger Kaiba shrugged and then gave an eep as Seto abruptly unlatched from Téa and lunged at his younger brother, chasing after the boy with a smile and narrowed eyes.
"You're going to pay for that remark!" he threatened jokingly as he closed in on the kid before swooping down and picking him up upside-down, then shaking him as his laughter rang out through the game room. Téa clutched at her sides, tears of laughter streaming down her face again as she watched the brothers interact, Seto letting loose for once. Her knees met the plush carpeting of the room as her sisters tackled her from behind, screaming and giggling as they tickled Téa and pushed her onto her back, trying to get in on the action too. Kicking her legs, Téa screamed as she was tickled, trying to get back at the little girls but unable to see past the tears in her eyes as she laughed so hard her stomach hurt. When she did open her eyes, Seto and Mokuba were standing off to the side grinning and laughing, but in a manner that made them seem like clones. That they were close didn't have to be said to be true.
Finally gathering her strength, Téa launched a counter-attack on the two imps still wreaking havoc on her sensitive sides, sending them running and squealing at such a high-pitched level that the two Kaiba's had to stop laughing momentarily and cover their ears. Téa, used to the breaking of the sound barrier, followed the girls quickly and gathered them both up in her arms just before they ducked behind Seto, holding them firmly at her sides. Giving Seto a wink, she backed away and then began to spin in circles, sending the two girls in her arms into hysterics.
Seto watched in amazement and wonder as Téa spun endlessly, enduring the screaming and the vertigo that must have set in some time ago. Her face was alight with joy and head thrown back as she continued to twirl, the two little girls still firmly in her grasp. Then... Téa dropped down to her knees and released Arashi and Kiri and they stood for only a moment before falling down, groaning and giggling and rolling around on the floor as they kept trying to get up. Shifting his gaze to the object of his fervent affections, he watched Téa with her head thrown back and eyes closed, breathing steadily and legs firm on the floor beneath her. She finally breathed out and gently shook her head, then opened her eyes, dark in their gaze as they landed on Seto.
*Wow,* Seto, devil-conscience, and good-conscience said simultaneously. Téa's position, dark blue eyes, and out-of-breath look had Kaiba's thoughts soaring into naughty territory with no hope of returning. *That has -got- to be what she looks like after...* good-conscience started, then blushed at the incredulous looks it got from devil-conscience and Seto. *Che, perv,* devil-conscience grouched, folding his arms over his chest. Seto shook his head clear of the extra thoughts and moved to Téa to help her up, making sure his hands made firm contact with her hips. Her eyes flew to his and he gave her a smirk before dragging her behind him and announcing that pizza was being served. This time even Mokuba joined in the yelling and gave a whoop before running to the other room, the girls trailing after him as they jumped into the booth where the pizza was set.
The girls had already set into their pizza when Téa approached the table and set her hands on her hips, upset, and pried Seto's hands off of her. "Have you two forgotten something?" she asked just as they were about to take their first bites. The slices stopped in midair and went back to the plates before the two girls' heads bowed and their hands folded together. Téa knelt next to them and gave a whispered prayer of thanks and a final 'Amen' before the girls began eating, smiling at Téa and apologizing. Mokuba shrugged and kept eating and Seto gave Téa a strange look when she stood back up, ushering her to another booth, knowing that once the kids finished eating they'd want to play and having two teenagers in their way wouldn't bode well.
"What was that all about?" Seto asked the moment he had settled into the bench across from Téa.
"I would think you knew a prayer when you saw one," Téa chided softly, a smile on her features as she served each of them two pieces of pizza. At Seto's silence she looked up and saw that he required more of an answer. "It's something the girls and I have picked up. My... Our father used to say them all the time and we just tuned him out, ignored him. Now that he and our mother are gone, we realize how much we've taken for granted. It's just a way to show that we're thankful for what we've got," she explained, taking a bite of her food.
"But don't you feel angry, betrayed by the powers-that-be for taking that away from you? For allowing their deaths to happen?" Seto demanded, not touching his food.
"Well," Téa paused, "who wouldn't? But you've got to get over it and realize that you can get through it as long as you've got people who love you and care for you. It's certainly not for everyone and I don't call myself a religious person, but I am certainly thankful that I have my sisters. It's just a way I express that gratitude." The elder Kaiba was silent a moment before he nodded his head.
"I can understand that. I've never looked at it from that perspective before," he confessed, picking up a slice of pizza half-heartedly.
"Hey," Téa said, reaching across the table and taking his hand, "don't feel like I'm condemning you or saying that you're wrong in what you've felt or feel. Everyone deals with situations like this differently."
"But I feel like I am wrong. Not because I don't pray but because I was, I have been angry at everything and nothing for so long. I love Mokuba more than my own life but I haven't been thankful for him. I guess that's what I'm trying to say."
"Then change that. Be thankful for him, for the time you spend with him, because you really never know how much time you or anybody else has left here, in this life," Téa added with a squeeze of her hand.
"You think there's life after death?"
"I haven't decided yet," she answered. "There are a lot of things I haven't decided yet. But I do know that I l... care for you a great deal. You've changed my life, in more ways than one Seto Kaiba."
"I lied," Kaiba said suddenly.
"What?" Téa asked, leaning forward. Seto gave her a soft smile.
"I'm thankful for you and have been since we became closer. I look forward to your smiles, to your laugh and the sound of your voice on the phone. It's more than just kissing you, it's the way you make me feel when you're kissing me, when I'm kissing you." Téa blushed.
"But what does... I mean, I'm just being me. You don't have to be thankful for..." Téa stopped as Seto held up a hand and then leaned forward so that his forehead rested against hers. She watched his beautiful eyes close, thick lashes falling against the tops of defined cheekbones as he took a steady breath. When his eyes reopened, there was a startling emotion residing in the sea of blue.
"I'm falling in love with you fast, Téa Gardner, and I don't think I want to stop."
***
The rest of dinner passed by like a blur. Téa's heart was in her throat, threatening to choke her as the only words she could hear were 'in love with you' over and over and over. She was sure she wasn't breathing, that she wasn't alive, that she had never existed with the whispering of those words. Oddly enough, she figured she must exist and that she was definitely alive because when she was able to refocus, her plate was cleared of any pizza, meaning it had either disappeared or she had eaten it in her hazy state of mind. She looked up to find Seto's eyes riveted on her; whether it was on her or on her messy eating habits while she was suffering from delirium she didn't know, but she also didn't care. Getting up from her seat, she slid in next to her boyfriend and hugged him fiercely, nuzzling his shoulder and shutting her eyes.
"Hey," Seto coaxed, trying to get him to look at her. "Hey, come on, let's go play." Gently pushing on Téa, he managed to move them out of the booth and met Téa's astounded stare as he led them into the game room where his brother and her sisters were already busy at winning tickets from every game in the massive arcade. Kaiba laughed and shook his head at their shrieks and yelps as he led Téa back to a corner and instructed her to take off her shoes. She followed his instructions dumbly, watching as he removed his shoes as well, absently noting that his derierre was pinch-worthy as he bent over to untie the laces. When they were both finished, Kaiba yet again took her hand and, grinning, led her through a tunnel that they had to stoop to enter before tumbling down.
Téa let out a startled yell before her body hit the softness of squishy balls, sinking into a multi-colored pool of soft plastic. Kaiba had led them into a ball-pit. Kaiba! And a large one at that, Téa added to herself. It had its own separate room, though not massive, perhaps twelve feet by twelve feet, and Seto was already busy tossing plushie balls in her direction. She ducked as several hit and bounced off of her head before she ducked into the balls, immersing her body after squirming around a second or two, then proceeded to then launch her own attack against the good- looking guy. They circled each other, hiding neck-deep in the pit and jumping up every now and then to hit each other, collapsing back into the balls and laughing ridiculously.
Coming up with a plan she was sure would work, Téa completely immersed herself in the balls and, crawling along the bottom, made her way towards Kaiba to hopefully catch him unawares. Unfortunately for her, ball pits are notorious for exaggerating every move made in the rainbow-ball soup and Seto knew exactly what she was up to before she had moved several feet. Grinning like the Cheshire cat, Seto sank down as well and laid down flat on the bottom, trying not to move as he waited for his unsuspecting prey. Watching the balls in front and around him move as Téa's body slid through the pit, Seto's body tensed in anticipation, waiting for the next move. This was far more thrilling than Duel Monsters, especially after taking into consideration the fact that the prize was much more aesthetically pleasing as well as being kissable!
He could tell the moment when Téa was over him, having risen in the balls so as to get a jump on him. But when she jumped into empty air, he heard her disappointed sigh and then the frantic turning of her body to find him. Reaching up and taking a firm hold on her waist, Kaiba dragged her down through the spheres to tangle with him beneath the surface, his blue gaze surrounded by a multitude of colors and his body almost shielded completely from view.
*What a shame,* Téa threw in mentally, regretting the fact that she couldn't look him over at this most opportune time. Her thoughts began to melt into puddles of unidentifiable goo though when Kaiba's fingers began to massage circles at Téa's waist, moving the slightly rough fabric of her jeans over her skin and in effect, sending shivers down to her toes. He tried to pull her closer but with balls everywhere, they simply couldn't touch. Pushing up from the base of the pit, Kaiba stood and brought Téa along with him, instantly pulling her to him with a harmless yank.
"Never try to hunt the hunter my sweet," he murmured before descending on her lips. Téa's eyes were shut before she felt his warm breath against her mouth, his soft lips following soon after and seeking immediate entrance. She gladly allowed him after dragging her hands up to sift through his hair, bringing him closer and proving that he wasn't the only one who was starving. Trying to step to the side in such a tight embrace proved to be difficult and their lips broke apart, breaths ragged, as they tumbled back down into the balls before struggling back up, lips seeking again and touching for only another brief second before a second fall. Growing slightly impatient, Kaiba stood and pulled Téa up before hefting her over his shoulder and wading through the balls back to the padded, and less colorful tunnel, thinking of comfortability as well as access. He couldn't have Téa, couldn't touch her, couldn't kiss her, with those silly balls in his way! He could only ignore his sexual frustration for so long and he was still a nineteen year old young man for god's sake!
"This is reallllllly attractive," Téa drawled from her upside-down place at Seto's shoulder. "You woman, me man, ug ug. We go to cave or I hit you with club, ug ug!" she grunted, sending herself into a fit of giggles. She choked on a laugh as Kaiba bounced her good-humoredly on his shoulder, giving her a bit of a jolt and sending her into more hysterics. For his jolt, Téa promptly reached down a pinched the self-proclaimed 'pinchable derriere' that she had been thinking about earlier and was rewarded with a little jump in Kaiba's step, causing her to laugh all the more. Her breath was gone from her in the next instant as Kaiba flipped her on her back onto the thick padding of the tunnel, settling his body over hers.
"You found that funny, did you?" he asked, sliding them further into the tunnel and away from the balls. Téa bit her lip and giggled awkwardly, still trying to get her breath back after being winded from the abrupt slam on the ground. Kaiba's forearms rested on either side of her head and made sure Téa's body was pinned securely beneath him as an elegant eyebrow rose. He gave his own dark little chuckle before bending to place a fleeting kiss at her jawline, trailing down with butterfly touches against her skin over her neck and then back up, over her eyes and nose, breathing slightly rough against her lips.
"What's the matter Seto? Forgot how to kiss a girl properly?" Téa teased before yanking on Seto's collar and crushing his lips to hers, probing them eagerly and instantly. Seto's lips were hard against her own the second she initiated the kiss, lips slanting and demanding, forcing her to open under his pressure. A low moan sounded in the back of Téa's throat as Seto's tongue mingled with hers, tugging and chasing playfully, yet darkly. She was delighting in it.
And damn the man for slipping himself a mint when I wasn't looking, she complained faintly in her mind. Téa was sure that her breath reeked of pizza, but as long as Kaiba wasn't complaining verbally, she certainly wasn't going to bring it up.
Kaiba's arms slipped beneath her back and lifted her slightly, moving her further into the tunnel and more fully onto the padding beneath them as her feet (and his!) were sticking out over the ball-pit from their haste. When they had moved again, his weight settled almost fully over her, held firmly in the circle of her arms and between her legs where he had just come to rest. Téa's hands crawled up into his hair, making sure to tickle and tease his neck before sinking into the thick, rich strands that she could wrap her fingers around. Wrenching his mouth from Téa's, Kaiba trailed fierce kisses down her neck, suckling and soothing the skin with nips and licks while his hands worked all over her body, brushing the sides of her breasts before traveling up and down over her waist and hips. Little murmurs of approval sifted into Seto's ears through the rumblings in his own throat and the vibrations in Téa's chest as she purred at his ministrations, and just as his hands began dragging over her skin under her shirt, he heard the one thing in the world he didn't want to hear.
"Big Brother!"
"Téa, Téa, Téa!" an adjoining voice called. Téa's purrs abruptly turned to laughter and her head hit his shoulder, her body shaking and hands gentling immediately.
"Bloody Hell," Seto cursed, resting his forehead against Téa's neck. "So f... so close!" he lamented. "Can't I bloody well have time alone with my girlfriend and kiss her properly without interruptions?" he continued to vent into her ear, his hands clenching and un-clenching into fists on Téa's shirt. The young woman beneath him only giggled more, tears streaking down the sides of her face and fingers soothing over her boyfriend's hair in an attempt to calm him.
"There'll be other times, baby," she crooned softly, planting a kiss on his cheek. Her eyes flew open in surprise when that tiny kiss triggered a nearly savage response from Kaiba as he roughly ground his body against hers and plundered her lips, hands holding tight to her hips before breaking away and sitting up on his knees, straddling Téa.
"There'd better be," he growled, shifting off of her and pulling her to a sitting position as well before sinking into her outstretched arms. "I just want you to myself for a while. Honestly, is that too much to ask for?" His dark blue eyes rose to search Téa's gaze for answers but, finding none, he sank again into her embrace.
"Seto! There you are!" Mokuba called out as he crawled through the swinging door into the tunnel. Arashi and Kiri were right on his heels.
"Yay! We found you Téa!" Jumping unceremoniously onto Téa, they knocked the elder Kaiba to the bottom of the pile, who found Téa laying all over him, chest to chest, as her sisters squealed and hugged her. A myriad of emotions fluttered over her face before she rolled over and let the little girls crawl over her, making sure she had one of Seto's hands interlaced with one of her own, giggling along with their antics and smiling at the mere sight of them happy. Taking delight in the atmosphere, though it had interrupted something rather important in Seto's view, he too laughed and pulled Mokuba close, giving the younger Kaiba a hug and ruffling his hair.
It was many hours before the laughter of children, all five of them, died out into the night, only to be replaced by dreams of hope and joy for the first time in a long, long while.
***
End chapter 7. So, you like? You know, I would appreciate it so very much if you all would leave a review! I'm actually over 100 now (which is ridiculously exciting for me) and I thank all of you for contributing to that number. I don't base my writing on the number of reviews I get, but it *IS* nice to know that people enjoy what I write.
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.
***GROUP GROUP GROUP GROUP GROUP GROUP GROUP GROUP GROUP GROUP*** I now have a Yahoo! group that all of you can join to discuss my fiction, write and post your own, or simply gab with other people. If you're interested, check out my profile since fanfiction.net doesn't allow direct linking. It will also be a place where you can read my stuff when fanfiction.net is down.
REPLYING TO THE REVIEWS:
Azurite: I am not EVIL! *hides tail and pitchfork* Why would you say such a thing? Naw, it's okay. Thanks for the comment. Getting it from you is a real honor since I've come to enjoy your work in such a short period of time. You write so much and update a hell of a lot more often than I do...
Kikoken: I'm glad this story made your day! Hope I can continue to get that kind of reaction out of you!
Evelyn15: I have a plot? *looks around confused* Hmm, I hadn't noticed... Thanks though - sometimes I feel like I'm just babbling when I write. (P.S. I like writing Téa as a strong, ablebodied businesswoman!)
hieiandbotan4ever: Thanks for the comment. Sorry I couldn't update sooner!
coolwriter5: Why would there be a sequel? I haven't even finished this one yet.
Morning Mist: Yes, I know, how time flies! *cries on Morning Mist's shoulder* Remember when it was such a little tyke? How my little baby's grown. *sniffle*
deity of death1: Well, I certainly wasn't able to update in a week as you can see, but I can promise you that I'm not suffering from writer's block. More like writer's overflow. Hope you liked this chapter!
Lita Maxwell: Unfortunately I didn't have Seto chase his devil with a chainsaw this time, but there's always the next chapter. And hey, if you need any help with your fic, I'll be happy to help. Just point it out to me or send it in an email and I'll be glad to give you some pointers.
Ana: Listen to your yami and calm down. It'll be okay. *^_^* I'm glad you enjoy the scriptures!
Krystal_tears: I would never just leave it like that. I'm hoping this chapter helped to allay some of your fears!
Mystical Miyuki: Thanks a bunch, and I'll *try* to update sooner. But no promises.
BabyIce: I'm one of your top authors? Moi? Wowza, thanks for the compliment!
stardreamer090: You're going through all of that trouble on your vacation just to read *my* fic? I'm utterly flattered. Thanks so much for giving me your first review. Those mean especially a lot to me!
Guardian Kysra: *is speechless* Girl, you go ahead and feel free to write that long of a review anytime. It was the most amazing thing I've ever read before and covered all of the bases. We've already discussed this, but when I'm feeling down, I read that review again and then everything suddenly seems right in the world again. Thanks for keeping up with me since the very beginning! *huggles Kysra*
Aaron: You're such a sweety! Thanks for the continuing support!
TeaFan123: It's quite alright that you forgot to review. I'm just glad you like this fic!
kaz: Thank you thank you thank you! Those words helped to make my day. I am hoping this chapter didn't disappoint you.
Lyderia: Gratzi for the feedback. Surprises? Cool, I didn't know I was surprising anybody. I'm glad you like the couple and I hope you'll keep reading!
Tara-hime: I turned up the Seto-torture a notch or two. How did I do, huh? And how 'bout the warm fuzzies in this chapter? Wook at da widdle famiwy! Awwww! I know what you mean about the bedside manners. *fans herself*
Card-Master: Yes, I finally updated. Sorry it took so long for this one though... *cringe*
Serena4: *Feverish*, huh? I'm going to take that as a compliment. It sounds like you liked the little scenes where he took care of her. I only hope that I continue to please.
AmericanBadAss: I'm not so sure it was worth the wait since it's been an obscene amount of time since the last update, but I'm glad you're still hanging on and reading. You've been there since the beginning!
Thallein: Well there went my "two and a half weeks past three months" goal. It's certainly bit a bit longer. Sorry 'bout that. Get your butt in gear and get to writing! I miss my beta-reader job! *cries*
DarkSetoKaiba: What's a sennen book? I inspired you? Hm, cool!
DarkMagicianGurl89: I'm not too keen on cliffhangers either, which is why I generally don't stop a chapter with them. I'm glad you like this fic!
Once again, thank you to all of my marvelous reviewers. This wouldn't be as fun without all of your inputs!
Atlantis *^_^*
Please review, I love reading your comments on my work guys! Or email, that's ALWAYS wonderful!
If you ever want to talk fics or my work on a more direct level, you can IM me. Screen name: godscartungrrl
I don't think I will try to apologize simply because I have been so busy that it is no fault of my own that I haven't been able to write or post. The strain of several AP courses has really been taking a toll on me lately and finals are next week, but I thought maybe a pre-Christmas gift to you all would make you feel better. I hope there are no hard feelings towards me; I really do try hard!
***GROUP GROUP GROUP GROUP GROUP GROUP GROUP GROUP GROUP GROUP*** I now have a Yahoo! group that all of you can join to discuss my fiction, write and post your own, or simply gab with other people. If you're interested, check out my profile since fanfiction.net doesn't allow direct linking. It will also be a place where you can read my stuff when fanfiction.net is down.
Thank you to everyone who reviewed on the last chapter: Azurite, kikoken, Evelyn15, hieiandbotan4ever, coolwriter5, Morning Mist, deity of death1, Lita Maxwell, Ana, Krystal_tears, Mystical Miyuki, BabyIce, stardreamer090, Guardian Kysra, Aaron, TeaFan123, kaz, Lynderia, Tara-hime, Card-Master, Serena4, AmericanBadAss, Ferret Girl, Thallein, DarkSetoKaiba, and DarkMagicianGurl89. As always, replies to the reviews will be at the end.
Disclaimer: I'm feeling too lazy to actually say that Yu-Gi-Oh! isn't mine, so I'll just go ahead and claim it and see if anyone actually does anything about it... meh.
Rating: PG-13
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In the same way, some think one day is more holy than another day, while others think every day is alike. Each person should have a personal conviction about this matter.
Romans 14:5
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PART 7
It was to the doorbell that Téa awoke to the next morning and she threw a pillow over her head in an attempt to drown out the sound. Her head was pounding in tune with the tick of her clock and the intermittent calls of the doorbell, proving to her that it was not a nightmare and that she really had to get up. Puffing her cheeks out with a breath of air and gradually opening her eyes, she managed to sit up and look somewhat conscious before Arashi opened up her door and peeked inside, big eyes wide with a question.
"Are you feeling better?" she asked shyly, moving into the room and to the bed when Téa motioned to her. Téa nodded and took the smaller girl in a hug, rubbing her hair motherly before leaning back against her headboard.
"Just a little sick, but getting better," Téa told Arashi.
"That's good to hear," a distinct male voice called from the doorway. Téa looked in surprise to see Yami and Yugi standing at the door, Kiri secure in the protective circle of Yami's arms, and Tristan and Joey behind them. Biting her lip and looking away, Téa pulled Arashi closer to her, suddenly more afraid of facing her friends than the press again. Arashi instead wiggled out of Téa's hold and ran out of the room with Kiri, screeching about marshmallow cereal and saying how Téa's friends were boring because they didn't say much. Téa watched them flee with some kind of horror and then shifted her gaze to her friends who looked broken and betrayed. Yami was the first to move forward, sitting himself on the edge of her bed and leaning on his arm over her legs. Yugi sat opposite Yami and Tristan and Joey joined the circle, sitting backwards on two of her chairs and leaning forward. Téa found she couldn't meet any of their eyes.
"I... huh, I have no idea what to say," she whispered, a tear creeping out of the corner of an eye.
"I don't either," Yami said softly. "I'm out of the country for a short while doing a few promotionals for new games and come back to find out the world one of my best friends has turned upside down and she never told me. It hurts Téa."
"Téa," Yugi began unsurely, "did you feel you couldn't talk to us about what happened? I mean, we may be goofballs sometimes, but we're right there when something really matters." The younger boy's violet eyes were wide and confused. Téa shook her head.
"It wasn't like that at all," she told them. "It was just... I really don't know what it was. The way I grew up, it was so different from all of you and the life I had established with you and I didn't want to relive it. Then suddenly my parents were gone and I was alone and had to take care of my sisters and found out I had inherited a company from my father and that I'm supposed to manage it... Sorry I'm babbling. I don't mean this to be any more confusing than it already it," Téa sobbed, burying her face in her knees.
"What I don' understand is why you couldn't come to us but all-a- sudden, hot-shot Kaiba's got priority," Joey spouted. At Téa's surprised face he added, "Your sisters gave us a play-by-play of what's been happnin' lately in about two secs and Kaiba's name came up."
"Why does that matter? He's a good guy and was around when I was hurting. We've got a lot of similarities in the loss area now and we just bonded. I don't have to get new friends approved by you, Joey Wheeler!" Téa cried, outraged. She made to get up but the quick movement and uneasy feelings still remaining in her head made her falter and almost topple to the floor had it not been for Yami's quick arms. Tumbling with a groan into his chest, she attempted to get the starch back into her legs but found it hard to stand on her own. Tears came unheeded from her eyes and she pounded her fists into Yami's chest, not in anger against him but against the world.
With a nod of his head, the other guys left the room so that Yami could comfort the person he was almost closer to than Yugi. He made a grab at her wrists to hold her still and found the carefully concealed bandages, letting out a sharp breath.
"Téa," he asked in a shaky voice, suddenly very afraid, "what are these from?" Téa wouldn't look at him and collapsed to the floor, still crying. Yami followed and knelt in front of her, keeping hold on her wrists and coaxing her into looking at him. "What happened here? And what happened here?" He pointed at her wrists and then at her heart. A fresh batch of tears came streaming down Téa's face and she pitched forward into Yami's embrace, shaking uncontrollably and breaths hiccupping.
"My life was... was over," she cried, muffling the words against the fabric of Yami's shirt. "They were gone, literally in front of my eyes. I love you... guys so much, but they were my family, my parents, my foundation. Without them, I'm just a little girl," Téa confessed. "I'm not done growing up and I can't take all of this on at once and watching my sisters fall apart was more than I could bear. I didn't want to leave them but I didn't want to watch their pain on top of my own. You don't know what it's like." Her head sank and her breaths came in little gasps and Yami pulled as close as he could, cracking sobs choking his throat.
"No. No, I have no idea. I had no idea. You had every right to keep this from us Sweetheart," he shushed into her hair. His hands rubbed over her back to remind her that he was there and that he was solid. "But regardless of whether I know what's going on or not, I want you to know that I'm here and you can fall down knowing that I'll catch you. I'm real and alive Téa, and I am your best friend."
"You can be my friend," Téa said with a sob, "but you and the guys can't be my foundation anymore. Only Seto can be that person, only he can fill that hole in me now. I know he can, Yami. I swear, when I'm with him, I don't forget, but I accept. That's what I need, now and for the rest of my life."
"You love him?" It was an odd question to hear and ask.
"How can I fall in love in less than two weeks?" Téa asked doubtfully, chewing on a nail as she continued to hiccup.
"I've seen stranger things."
***
The rest of the afternoon was spent crying and explaining and eating pizza in the living room. Téa, Yami, Yugi, Tristan, and Joey watched a chick flick, action-adventure, and a comedy, trying to settle the atmosphere a bit after so much discharging of emotion. Téa was settled in the center of her couch and was crowded on every size by grown-male bodies as they reaffirmed themselves in her life, leaving the past behind with their hurt feelings in order to heal Téa's battered spirit. When Arashi and Kiri trotted in carrying 'Finding Nemo', the crew had no choice but to laugh along with the antics of talking fish and surfer-dude turtles. After the movie, Téa was still laughing.
"Squishy," she said, sending herself into a fit of giggles again. Wiping at the tears in her eyes, she tried to quell the laughter then broke up again over the name 'Jellyman'. Her sisters told her she was crazy then proceeded to jump in her lap and squeeze her with hugs, the three of them a mass of high-pitched laughs and squeals. The guys all watched in satisfaction as their friend gained back some of her sanity and communicated through a shared look that they would have to do this type of thing more often. When the phone rang, Téa pushed her sisters away and grabbed up the portable, giving a cordial greeting to the other person before her face lit up even more.
"Seto," she said warmly. "How are you today? Me? I'm doing alright; still running a slight fever but the guys paid me a visit today and we've been having this odd day-long session of bonding. Too bad you can't be here, you could get to know them better," Téa said with a glance at her friends. Joey was practically glowering but the others gave her affirmative nods, which was enough for her. "Oh my gosh, next time we get together, you and your brother and me and my sisters are going to sit down and watch this movie called 'Finding Nemo'. It's an absolute riot... Oh don't be such a stiff. Honestly, when was the last time you watched an animated film? Yeah, that's what I thought. I'll talk to you later, okay? Miss you too." Throughout the entire conversation, which had lasted approximately five minutes, Téa had gotten up and paced up and down the hallway and around the kitchen, a smile constantly on her face, the guys only catching her sides of the conversation.
Yami gave Yugi a look that asked if the younger boy understood the depth of the relationship Téa had established with Kaiba. Yugi nodded and the other guys seemed to have picked up on it too because Tristan was smiling a little and Joey had stopped growling. The moment Téa hung up the phone, the four young men announced that they needed to leave; after all, Joey and Tristan worked nights, and Yugi had promised his grandpa he'd look after the shop. They all filed out of Téa's house, each stopping to give her an encompassing hug (Yami giving her a reassuring kiss on the cheek, too) before taking their leave. Téa watched all of them walk off from her living room window before heading to bed, making sure her little sisters were tucked-in and secure before allowing herself to have one of the most restful sleeps she'd had since the accident.
***
"I can't believe it's already Friday," Téa bemoaned, ringing her hands together. She, Kaiba, his little brother, and her sisters were supposed to get together for dinner and she couldn't help but feel slightly apprehensive. For the last two days, she and Seto had tried to find some time to spend together, either on the phone or otherwise, and every single time had been torn apart by intruding circumstances. Was it a sign, or was she just being paranoid? Her conversation with Yami about her feelings for Seto had stirred her up something awful and she could no longer tell black from white; not that she had done so before, but now it was unbearably difficult to focus on anything but the possibility that there wasn't a correspondence of feelings on Kaiba's part. Her sweaty hands rubbed up and down on her jeans, trying to keep them from shaking as she waited.
"Téa, Téa, Téa," Arashi sing-songed as she pranced into the room, her pink hoodie sporting an angel emblem and sparkly jeans throwing prisms onto the wall of the hallway. Kiri was just behind her, wearing an identical outfit except for the blue coloring of her hoodie and she latched onto her sister's arm, shifting from foot to foot in order to watch her shoes light up with the movement.
"When are we leaving?" Kiri asked, clicking her teeth together and eyes looking at everything at once. "Can we have pizza? Are there gonna be games? What about boys? I don't like boys."
"Me neither," Arashi chimed in. Téa lost some of her nervousness and gave a laugh, then knelt down in front of the two girls and gave each of them a kiss on the forehead. A hug followed and the three girls squirmed together, smiling. Téa fiddled with both of the girls' hoods so that they wouldn't be inside-out and then stood and took their hands, one on each side.
"We are leaving now," she informed them as they left the house, locking the door behind them. "Yes, you can eat pizza," she said as the garage door opened and they approached Téa's truck. After helping Arashi and Kiri in, Téa climbed in herself and made sure that everyone was buckled in before starting the truck. "There will be a ton of games for you to play," she added as they pulled out. "And you have to be good because there will be TWO boys." Téa broke out in laughter at her sisters' outrageous screams.
It wasn't long before the uproar had ended and the little girls beside Téa were singing along with the radio; granted, they were the wrong words, but they were singing all the same.
*I'd give anything to go back to the times when I made up my own lyrics,* Téa giggled to herself. Chewing on her bottom lip, Téa made a right turn onto the main street and watched the road carefully for bad drivers. Her parents' death had not only made her more acutely aware of how painful life could be, but her driving skills had sharpened and she had briefly wondered if she should be a traffic cop. That thought had been ridiculous of course, but nobody had ever said she couldn't entertain other ideas for her future. Bright lights of a nearby carnival flashed against buildings and the sky and Téa picked up on Arashi and Kiri's cries to go there soon and she had given them a non-committal answer which meant in Téa- terms: okay.
There were a series of three more rights, two lefts, another right and a left before Téa pulled into the parking lot of a pizza place, complete with play-place and arcade games galore. The girls next to her went crazy, jumping up and down in their seats, shoe lights going nuts and flickering madly against the floor mats as short legs waved in excitement. A large smile spread across Téa's face and she removed her seatbelt and keys from the ignition and made her way around the truck to let her sisters out, then locked the doors with the press of a button on her key chain before leading them inside.
Téa sent the two girls on their way after they had attacked her with two sets of pleading eyes after seeing the available entertainment, her eyes watching them disappear into the game room. It took her a few moments to realize why the place seemed so off as she had thought when they had arrived and it suddenly dawned on her that there was no one else there. Only several other cars were in the massive parking lot, two probably belonging to employees and the last... a black Porsche. Her eyes sought him out immediately and found him sitting with an arm over the back of a red- cushioned booth, a grin on his face. She went to him immediately, sliding in next to him and giving her a slight punch on the shoulder.
"You bought the place out!" she said, astounded. His grin was smug.
"Only for tonight. It's not like they're getting cheated; I gave them more than enough to make up for what they'd usually make on a night like this," he replied with a grin. His grin widened when he pulled Téa closer with an arm that had snuck around her waist. "Are you still sick?"
"No!" Téa said happily. "Actually, I..." The rest of her answer was cut off as Kaiba's lips landed on her own, soft and sweet. A sigh escaped Téa's lips and she threaded the fingers of her free hand through his hair and received a sigh from him as well.
"Missed you," he said almost with a sleepy tone when they parted, resting his forehead against hers. Téa rubbed noses with him and kept her hand working the back of his head and neck while the other remained planted on his chest.
"You saw both of them, right? My sisters?" Téa asked. Kaiba nodded and grinned again, leaning back.
"Quite a pair of little rabbits you've got, if I do say so myself. Have you seen mine?" Kaiba asked, his fingers tracing little patterns along Téa's side. She shivered and moved closer peering into his eyes and gave him a mock-threatening raise of her eyebrows.
"No, but I feel I must warn you, those hands better not have ill- intentions toward my side. I may have to take drastic measures against you if that proves to be the case," Téa warned him, batting her eyelashes so that his cheek was given butterfly kisses.
"Such as... Ah, you mean this?" Kaiba asked, suddenly tickling Téa mercilessly. Téa screeched and attempted to wiggle out of his arms but he held tight and kept working his fingers into her skin through the grey, hooded sweatshirt she wore with large DCU (Domino City University) lettering, lined in white. A master at multi-tasking, Kaiba continued to render tickle-torture on the young woman next to him while taking in her casual appearance which was, oddly enough, making him want her more.
She looked so comfortable, yet *edible* in tennis shoes, tight, washed-out boot-cut jeans, and that cuddly looking sweater. Her hair was up in a ponytail which touched the top of her shoulders and bangs were framing the softness of her face which was, at the moment, scrunched up in laughter. He could smell something akin to watermelon, though whether it was from lip gloss or perfume he couldn't quite tell. Her eyes had a light shining powder covering them, a thin strip of navy eyeliner and mascara which emphasized the endless blue of her eyes when she opened them to plead him to stop, tears of laughter trailing down her face.
Kaiba stopped abruptly and leaned forward to catch the tears with his lips, kissing them off of her face. Téa's eyes closed at his gesture and she hugged him, wrapping her arms around his middle, body slightly shaking from being tickled so much. Hearing a slight chuckle rumble in his throat, Téa turned and saw a grinning Arashi and Kiri and donned a suspicious look.
"We need tokens to play the games," Kiri piped up, big brown eyes hopeful, the flashing lights on her tennis shoes corresponding with her fluttering fingers. Téa laughed and sat up to retrieve money when Kaiba's hand stretched forward with a twenty, placing it in Arashi's hands. Both girls squeaked 'thank you' before scampering off into the game room to change the money into tokens. A yelp of victory could be heard from one of the virtual games and Téa guessed it was Seto's little brother, whom she had yet to see. Lips trailing along her neck startled Téa out of her ponderings and to the young man at her side, presently lavishing her with delicious attention. She smiled and pressed a smile in his hair, hugging him once again.
"I need to meet this brother of yours," she said softly as he kissed his way over her skin, slightly hindered by the massive sweatshirt. He shook his head and continued kissing her, pulling her up against his side. "Oh come on," Téa chided. "I need to see this little Kaiba if I am to know more about you." He pulled back and pouted.
"Can't this wait until pizza is served? I am involved in a little something at this present time," Kaiba said smoothly, his eyebrows raising enticingly. Téa gave him a glare and then moved to get out of the seat and pulled Seto along with her, her hand tightly holding his.
"Nope, I want to see this kid now. I'm excited, so at least play along and pretend you want me to see him," Téa teased him, brushing his lips with her own before pulling him behind her as she made her way to the game room.
"Very well," Kaiba said with a groan and a mischievous grin. "But I've got dibs on you later. This actually shouldn't be too bad, considering I'm proud of the kid. Sometimes I even like him," he added as they approached a small figure seated in a virtual pod. The small boy inside yelped and bemoaned a loss before the screen before him lifted and he glared at his older brother.
"Big brother!" he accused. "I was winning and you distracted me!" the small boy yelled, though not meaning it, as he stepped out of the machine. Téa's eyes widened as she recognized the large mop of black hair and big blue eyes.
"Mokuba?" she asked. The young boy looked at her finally and recognition flashed in his eyes as well. Seto, for one of the few times in his life, was confused and openly showing it.
"You two've met?" he questioned, wrapping his arms around Téa's waist from behind her and leaning his chin onto her shoulder, eyes wide in askance.
"Yeah," Téa told him, looking between him and his younger brother. "Fleetingly. How have you been Mokuba?" Mokuba, having realized Téa hadn't told his older brother the circumstances under which they had met, breathed a short breath of relief.
"Good. School's not as hard as it used to be and Seto's been letting me try out a bunch of his new products before distribution and sales. This model is actually one of his," he said as he waved his hand absently at the machine behind him. "Your little sisters are funny," he added as an afterthought, shoving his hands into his pockets.
"I know," Téa giggled, her hands closing over Seto's at her waist. "I was wondering something a little earlier and I think you may be able to help me with the answer. Why is it that you look casual and ready to play and your stiff older brother is still dressed in his work clothes?" she asked with a wink. Kaiba yanked her back against his chest, pushing some of the air out of her lungs and Mokuba laughed.
"Dunno. I tried to talk him into different clothes, but the guy doesn't own a single pair of jeans. I suppose he's just boring; can't even buy a t-shirt every once-in-a-while." The younger Kaiba shrugged and then gave an eep as Seto abruptly unlatched from Téa and lunged at his younger brother, chasing after the boy with a smile and narrowed eyes.
"You're going to pay for that remark!" he threatened jokingly as he closed in on the kid before swooping down and picking him up upside-down, then shaking him as his laughter rang out through the game room. Téa clutched at her sides, tears of laughter streaming down her face again as she watched the brothers interact, Seto letting loose for once. Her knees met the plush carpeting of the room as her sisters tackled her from behind, screaming and giggling as they tickled Téa and pushed her onto her back, trying to get in on the action too. Kicking her legs, Téa screamed as she was tickled, trying to get back at the little girls but unable to see past the tears in her eyes as she laughed so hard her stomach hurt. When she did open her eyes, Seto and Mokuba were standing off to the side grinning and laughing, but in a manner that made them seem like clones. That they were close didn't have to be said to be true.
Finally gathering her strength, Téa launched a counter-attack on the two imps still wreaking havoc on her sensitive sides, sending them running and squealing at such a high-pitched level that the two Kaiba's had to stop laughing momentarily and cover their ears. Téa, used to the breaking of the sound barrier, followed the girls quickly and gathered them both up in her arms just before they ducked behind Seto, holding them firmly at her sides. Giving Seto a wink, she backed away and then began to spin in circles, sending the two girls in her arms into hysterics.
Seto watched in amazement and wonder as Téa spun endlessly, enduring the screaming and the vertigo that must have set in some time ago. Her face was alight with joy and head thrown back as she continued to twirl, the two little girls still firmly in her grasp. Then... Téa dropped down to her knees and released Arashi and Kiri and they stood for only a moment before falling down, groaning and giggling and rolling around on the floor as they kept trying to get up. Shifting his gaze to the object of his fervent affections, he watched Téa with her head thrown back and eyes closed, breathing steadily and legs firm on the floor beneath her. She finally breathed out and gently shook her head, then opened her eyes, dark in their gaze as they landed on Seto.
*Wow,* Seto, devil-conscience, and good-conscience said simultaneously. Téa's position, dark blue eyes, and out-of-breath look had Kaiba's thoughts soaring into naughty territory with no hope of returning. *That has -got- to be what she looks like after...* good-conscience started, then blushed at the incredulous looks it got from devil-conscience and Seto. *Che, perv,* devil-conscience grouched, folding his arms over his chest. Seto shook his head clear of the extra thoughts and moved to Téa to help her up, making sure his hands made firm contact with her hips. Her eyes flew to his and he gave her a smirk before dragging her behind him and announcing that pizza was being served. This time even Mokuba joined in the yelling and gave a whoop before running to the other room, the girls trailing after him as they jumped into the booth where the pizza was set.
The girls had already set into their pizza when Téa approached the table and set her hands on her hips, upset, and pried Seto's hands off of her. "Have you two forgotten something?" she asked just as they were about to take their first bites. The slices stopped in midair and went back to the plates before the two girls' heads bowed and their hands folded together. Téa knelt next to them and gave a whispered prayer of thanks and a final 'Amen' before the girls began eating, smiling at Téa and apologizing. Mokuba shrugged and kept eating and Seto gave Téa a strange look when she stood back up, ushering her to another booth, knowing that once the kids finished eating they'd want to play and having two teenagers in their way wouldn't bode well.
"What was that all about?" Seto asked the moment he had settled into the bench across from Téa.
"I would think you knew a prayer when you saw one," Téa chided softly, a smile on her features as she served each of them two pieces of pizza. At Seto's silence she looked up and saw that he required more of an answer. "It's something the girls and I have picked up. My... Our father used to say them all the time and we just tuned him out, ignored him. Now that he and our mother are gone, we realize how much we've taken for granted. It's just a way to show that we're thankful for what we've got," she explained, taking a bite of her food.
"But don't you feel angry, betrayed by the powers-that-be for taking that away from you? For allowing their deaths to happen?" Seto demanded, not touching his food.
"Well," Téa paused, "who wouldn't? But you've got to get over it and realize that you can get through it as long as you've got people who love you and care for you. It's certainly not for everyone and I don't call myself a religious person, but I am certainly thankful that I have my sisters. It's just a way I express that gratitude." The elder Kaiba was silent a moment before he nodded his head.
"I can understand that. I've never looked at it from that perspective before," he confessed, picking up a slice of pizza half-heartedly.
"Hey," Téa said, reaching across the table and taking his hand, "don't feel like I'm condemning you or saying that you're wrong in what you've felt or feel. Everyone deals with situations like this differently."
"But I feel like I am wrong. Not because I don't pray but because I was, I have been angry at everything and nothing for so long. I love Mokuba more than my own life but I haven't been thankful for him. I guess that's what I'm trying to say."
"Then change that. Be thankful for him, for the time you spend with him, because you really never know how much time you or anybody else has left here, in this life," Téa added with a squeeze of her hand.
"You think there's life after death?"
"I haven't decided yet," she answered. "There are a lot of things I haven't decided yet. But I do know that I l... care for you a great deal. You've changed my life, in more ways than one Seto Kaiba."
"I lied," Kaiba said suddenly.
"What?" Téa asked, leaning forward. Seto gave her a soft smile.
"I'm thankful for you and have been since we became closer. I look forward to your smiles, to your laugh and the sound of your voice on the phone. It's more than just kissing you, it's the way you make me feel when you're kissing me, when I'm kissing you." Téa blushed.
"But what does... I mean, I'm just being me. You don't have to be thankful for..." Téa stopped as Seto held up a hand and then leaned forward so that his forehead rested against hers. She watched his beautiful eyes close, thick lashes falling against the tops of defined cheekbones as he took a steady breath. When his eyes reopened, there was a startling emotion residing in the sea of blue.
"I'm falling in love with you fast, Téa Gardner, and I don't think I want to stop."
***
The rest of dinner passed by like a blur. Téa's heart was in her throat, threatening to choke her as the only words she could hear were 'in love with you' over and over and over. She was sure she wasn't breathing, that she wasn't alive, that she had never existed with the whispering of those words. Oddly enough, she figured she must exist and that she was definitely alive because when she was able to refocus, her plate was cleared of any pizza, meaning it had either disappeared or she had eaten it in her hazy state of mind. She looked up to find Seto's eyes riveted on her; whether it was on her or on her messy eating habits while she was suffering from delirium she didn't know, but she also didn't care. Getting up from her seat, she slid in next to her boyfriend and hugged him fiercely, nuzzling his shoulder and shutting her eyes.
"Hey," Seto coaxed, trying to get him to look at her. "Hey, come on, let's go play." Gently pushing on Téa, he managed to move them out of the booth and met Téa's astounded stare as he led them into the game room where his brother and her sisters were already busy at winning tickets from every game in the massive arcade. Kaiba laughed and shook his head at their shrieks and yelps as he led Téa back to a corner and instructed her to take off her shoes. She followed his instructions dumbly, watching as he removed his shoes as well, absently noting that his derierre was pinch-worthy as he bent over to untie the laces. When they were both finished, Kaiba yet again took her hand and, grinning, led her through a tunnel that they had to stoop to enter before tumbling down.
Téa let out a startled yell before her body hit the softness of squishy balls, sinking into a multi-colored pool of soft plastic. Kaiba had led them into a ball-pit. Kaiba! And a large one at that, Téa added to herself. It had its own separate room, though not massive, perhaps twelve feet by twelve feet, and Seto was already busy tossing plushie balls in her direction. She ducked as several hit and bounced off of her head before she ducked into the balls, immersing her body after squirming around a second or two, then proceeded to then launch her own attack against the good- looking guy. They circled each other, hiding neck-deep in the pit and jumping up every now and then to hit each other, collapsing back into the balls and laughing ridiculously.
Coming up with a plan she was sure would work, Téa completely immersed herself in the balls and, crawling along the bottom, made her way towards Kaiba to hopefully catch him unawares. Unfortunately for her, ball pits are notorious for exaggerating every move made in the rainbow-ball soup and Seto knew exactly what she was up to before she had moved several feet. Grinning like the Cheshire cat, Seto sank down as well and laid down flat on the bottom, trying not to move as he waited for his unsuspecting prey. Watching the balls in front and around him move as Téa's body slid through the pit, Seto's body tensed in anticipation, waiting for the next move. This was far more thrilling than Duel Monsters, especially after taking into consideration the fact that the prize was much more aesthetically pleasing as well as being kissable!
He could tell the moment when Téa was over him, having risen in the balls so as to get a jump on him. But when she jumped into empty air, he heard her disappointed sigh and then the frantic turning of her body to find him. Reaching up and taking a firm hold on her waist, Kaiba dragged her down through the spheres to tangle with him beneath the surface, his blue gaze surrounded by a multitude of colors and his body almost shielded completely from view.
*What a shame,* Téa threw in mentally, regretting the fact that she couldn't look him over at this most opportune time. Her thoughts began to melt into puddles of unidentifiable goo though when Kaiba's fingers began to massage circles at Téa's waist, moving the slightly rough fabric of her jeans over her skin and in effect, sending shivers down to her toes. He tried to pull her closer but with balls everywhere, they simply couldn't touch. Pushing up from the base of the pit, Kaiba stood and brought Téa along with him, instantly pulling her to him with a harmless yank.
"Never try to hunt the hunter my sweet," he murmured before descending on her lips. Téa's eyes were shut before she felt his warm breath against her mouth, his soft lips following soon after and seeking immediate entrance. She gladly allowed him after dragging her hands up to sift through his hair, bringing him closer and proving that he wasn't the only one who was starving. Trying to step to the side in such a tight embrace proved to be difficult and their lips broke apart, breaths ragged, as they tumbled back down into the balls before struggling back up, lips seeking again and touching for only another brief second before a second fall. Growing slightly impatient, Kaiba stood and pulled Téa up before hefting her over his shoulder and wading through the balls back to the padded, and less colorful tunnel, thinking of comfortability as well as access. He couldn't have Téa, couldn't touch her, couldn't kiss her, with those silly balls in his way! He could only ignore his sexual frustration for so long and he was still a nineteen year old young man for god's sake!
"This is reallllllly attractive," Téa drawled from her upside-down place at Seto's shoulder. "You woman, me man, ug ug. We go to cave or I hit you with club, ug ug!" she grunted, sending herself into a fit of giggles. She choked on a laugh as Kaiba bounced her good-humoredly on his shoulder, giving her a bit of a jolt and sending her into more hysterics. For his jolt, Téa promptly reached down a pinched the self-proclaimed 'pinchable derriere' that she had been thinking about earlier and was rewarded with a little jump in Kaiba's step, causing her to laugh all the more. Her breath was gone from her in the next instant as Kaiba flipped her on her back onto the thick padding of the tunnel, settling his body over hers.
"You found that funny, did you?" he asked, sliding them further into the tunnel and away from the balls. Téa bit her lip and giggled awkwardly, still trying to get her breath back after being winded from the abrupt slam on the ground. Kaiba's forearms rested on either side of her head and made sure Téa's body was pinned securely beneath him as an elegant eyebrow rose. He gave his own dark little chuckle before bending to place a fleeting kiss at her jawline, trailing down with butterfly touches against her skin over her neck and then back up, over her eyes and nose, breathing slightly rough against her lips.
"What's the matter Seto? Forgot how to kiss a girl properly?" Téa teased before yanking on Seto's collar and crushing his lips to hers, probing them eagerly and instantly. Seto's lips were hard against her own the second she initiated the kiss, lips slanting and demanding, forcing her to open under his pressure. A low moan sounded in the back of Téa's throat as Seto's tongue mingled with hers, tugging and chasing playfully, yet darkly. She was delighting in it.
And damn the man for slipping himself a mint when I wasn't looking, she complained faintly in her mind. Téa was sure that her breath reeked of pizza, but as long as Kaiba wasn't complaining verbally, she certainly wasn't going to bring it up.
Kaiba's arms slipped beneath her back and lifted her slightly, moving her further into the tunnel and more fully onto the padding beneath them as her feet (and his!) were sticking out over the ball-pit from their haste. When they had moved again, his weight settled almost fully over her, held firmly in the circle of her arms and between her legs where he had just come to rest. Téa's hands crawled up into his hair, making sure to tickle and tease his neck before sinking into the thick, rich strands that she could wrap her fingers around. Wrenching his mouth from Téa's, Kaiba trailed fierce kisses down her neck, suckling and soothing the skin with nips and licks while his hands worked all over her body, brushing the sides of her breasts before traveling up and down over her waist and hips. Little murmurs of approval sifted into Seto's ears through the rumblings in his own throat and the vibrations in Téa's chest as she purred at his ministrations, and just as his hands began dragging over her skin under her shirt, he heard the one thing in the world he didn't want to hear.
"Big Brother!"
"Téa, Téa, Téa!" an adjoining voice called. Téa's purrs abruptly turned to laughter and her head hit his shoulder, her body shaking and hands gentling immediately.
"Bloody Hell," Seto cursed, resting his forehead against Téa's neck. "So f... so close!" he lamented. "Can't I bloody well have time alone with my girlfriend and kiss her properly without interruptions?" he continued to vent into her ear, his hands clenching and un-clenching into fists on Téa's shirt. The young woman beneath him only giggled more, tears streaking down the sides of her face and fingers soothing over her boyfriend's hair in an attempt to calm him.
"There'll be other times, baby," she crooned softly, planting a kiss on his cheek. Her eyes flew open in surprise when that tiny kiss triggered a nearly savage response from Kaiba as he roughly ground his body against hers and plundered her lips, hands holding tight to her hips before breaking away and sitting up on his knees, straddling Téa.
"There'd better be," he growled, shifting off of her and pulling her to a sitting position as well before sinking into her outstretched arms. "I just want you to myself for a while. Honestly, is that too much to ask for?" His dark blue eyes rose to search Téa's gaze for answers but, finding none, he sank again into her embrace.
"Seto! There you are!" Mokuba called out as he crawled through the swinging door into the tunnel. Arashi and Kiri were right on his heels.
"Yay! We found you Téa!" Jumping unceremoniously onto Téa, they knocked the elder Kaiba to the bottom of the pile, who found Téa laying all over him, chest to chest, as her sisters squealed and hugged her. A myriad of emotions fluttered over her face before she rolled over and let the little girls crawl over her, making sure she had one of Seto's hands interlaced with one of her own, giggling along with their antics and smiling at the mere sight of them happy. Taking delight in the atmosphere, though it had interrupted something rather important in Seto's view, he too laughed and pulled Mokuba close, giving the younger Kaiba a hug and ruffling his hair.
It was many hours before the laughter of children, all five of them, died out into the night, only to be replaced by dreams of hope and joy for the first time in a long, long while.
***
End chapter 7. So, you like? You know, I would appreciate it so very much if you all would leave a review! I'm actually over 100 now (which is ridiculously exciting for me) and I thank all of you for contributing to that number. I don't base my writing on the number of reviews I get, but it *IS* nice to know that people enjoy what I write.
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.
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REPLYING TO THE REVIEWS:
Azurite: I am not EVIL! *hides tail and pitchfork* Why would you say such a thing? Naw, it's okay. Thanks for the comment. Getting it from you is a real honor since I've come to enjoy your work in such a short period of time. You write so much and update a hell of a lot more often than I do...
Kikoken: I'm glad this story made your day! Hope I can continue to get that kind of reaction out of you!
Evelyn15: I have a plot? *looks around confused* Hmm, I hadn't noticed... Thanks though - sometimes I feel like I'm just babbling when I write. (P.S. I like writing Téa as a strong, ablebodied businesswoman!)
hieiandbotan4ever: Thanks for the comment. Sorry I couldn't update sooner!
coolwriter5: Why would there be a sequel? I haven't even finished this one yet.
Morning Mist: Yes, I know, how time flies! *cries on Morning Mist's shoulder* Remember when it was such a little tyke? How my little baby's grown. *sniffle*
deity of death1: Well, I certainly wasn't able to update in a week as you can see, but I can promise you that I'm not suffering from writer's block. More like writer's overflow. Hope you liked this chapter!
Lita Maxwell: Unfortunately I didn't have Seto chase his devil with a chainsaw this time, but there's always the next chapter. And hey, if you need any help with your fic, I'll be happy to help. Just point it out to me or send it in an email and I'll be glad to give you some pointers.
Ana: Listen to your yami and calm down. It'll be okay. *^_^* I'm glad you enjoy the scriptures!
Krystal_tears: I would never just leave it like that. I'm hoping this chapter helped to allay some of your fears!
Mystical Miyuki: Thanks a bunch, and I'll *try* to update sooner. But no promises.
BabyIce: I'm one of your top authors? Moi? Wowza, thanks for the compliment!
stardreamer090: You're going through all of that trouble on your vacation just to read *my* fic? I'm utterly flattered. Thanks so much for giving me your first review. Those mean especially a lot to me!
Guardian Kysra: *is speechless* Girl, you go ahead and feel free to write that long of a review anytime. It was the most amazing thing I've ever read before and covered all of the bases. We've already discussed this, but when I'm feeling down, I read that review again and then everything suddenly seems right in the world again. Thanks for keeping up with me since the very beginning! *huggles Kysra*
Aaron: You're such a sweety! Thanks for the continuing support!
TeaFan123: It's quite alright that you forgot to review. I'm just glad you like this fic!
kaz: Thank you thank you thank you! Those words helped to make my day. I am hoping this chapter didn't disappoint you.
Lyderia: Gratzi for the feedback. Surprises? Cool, I didn't know I was surprising anybody. I'm glad you like the couple and I hope you'll keep reading!
Tara-hime: I turned up the Seto-torture a notch or two. How did I do, huh? And how 'bout the warm fuzzies in this chapter? Wook at da widdle famiwy! Awwww! I know what you mean about the bedside manners. *fans herself*
Card-Master: Yes, I finally updated. Sorry it took so long for this one though... *cringe*
Serena4: *Feverish*, huh? I'm going to take that as a compliment. It sounds like you liked the little scenes where he took care of her. I only hope that I continue to please.
AmericanBadAss: I'm not so sure it was worth the wait since it's been an obscene amount of time since the last update, but I'm glad you're still hanging on and reading. You've been there since the beginning!
Thallein: Well there went my "two and a half weeks past three months" goal. It's certainly bit a bit longer. Sorry 'bout that. Get your butt in gear and get to writing! I miss my beta-reader job! *cries*
DarkSetoKaiba: What's a sennen book? I inspired you? Hm, cool!
DarkMagicianGurl89: I'm not too keen on cliffhangers either, which is why I generally don't stop a chapter with them. I'm glad you like this fic!
Once again, thank you to all of my marvelous reviewers. This wouldn't be as fun without all of your inputs!
Atlantis *^_^*
Please review, I love reading your comments on my work guys! Or email, that's ALWAYS wonderful!
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