Chapter Thirteen-Boilng Over

"How could you let her get so close?!" Duke glared at James.

"She asked to speak to him. You said to let her do as she wanted..." The servant lowered his head. "I am sorry..."

"Where is she right now?" Duke asked quietly.

"She's taking her piano lesson." He turned to leave. "The Ishtars will fight for custody."

"Let them fight." Duke replied, returning to his paper work. "Victoria has told them already she is satisfied living here."

"I lied." Victoria said softly. "I don't want to be here anymore, Duke. I need to go home." She was in the doorway of his office.

"What? I've given you every luxury and comfort. Why would you want to leave?" Duke looked up.

"Duke,something terrible's going to happen to Marik.....he rode off on his motorcycle rather quickly...." Victoria looked down at the tiled floor. "I have to go to him.."

"Very well. You must return to me though." Duke told her.

"Fine....." Victoria had her fingers crossed behind her back though. She would not return. She needed to be with the Ishtars. It's where she belonged. She backed out of his office, and ran for her moped, breathing heavily. She hoped her suspicions were incorrect, but she had found that her so-called instincts were normally right. She rode as fast as she dared to the Ishtars'.

"He looks so still,oh he will not awaken!" Ishizu sobbed over her brother's broken body. "That wretched wretched girl! I'll never forgive her for this!" She was little comforted when Rishid put a hand on her shoulder. "Why has she done this after everything Marik did for her?!"

"I do not know, Sister. I just don't know...." Rishid's voice was just barely steady. Marik had been lying still ever since they'd brought him home. Someone had called to report a beaten form on the side of the road near the canyons. The ID had said Marik Ishtar. They had picked him up as fast as they could get to the hospital. The boy had not moved since. "I know Marik, though. He will survive."

"I pray that you are right."

"Ishizu....Rishid.....is he....?" Victoria's voice broke into their grievance.

"He is alright...." Rishid said softly. "You may go now, Victoria. You've done enough."

"But....I came to see him....." She moved to go closer, but the eldest Ishtar stood to block her path to Marik.

"Leave here. And do not return." Rishid said to her. The words were sharp, and sounded unnatural to Victoria.

"You mean........the room, right?" Victoria swallowed hard, fearing what Rishid truly meant.

"This home." Rishid said.

"No! Oh please, don't put me out!"

"Why shouldn't we, you wicked thing?! Look at what you've done to our poor brother!!" Ishizu finally exploded, unable to control her anger. "We invite you into our home,we take care of you like a sister,and just look how you repay us! The rare hunters all but killed him!"

"I'm s-sorry.....s-so sorry....." Victoria began to back out of the room. Marik's bedroom door shut in her face. For a few minutes, Victoria knelt at the door,sobbing,as the reality of what had happened hit her like a ton of bricks. When she'd pulled it together enough, she got some things together, and fled for the Egypt Lot.

Meanwhile, Christien,Jonathan and Mokuba were discussing what to do about Victoria. Christien wanted to break up with her. Jonathan thought that would only make things worse, but he told his brother it was his choice. "I just don't believe Victoria would intentionally want to stay away from Marik and everyone."

"Well, that's what Kenny said she told Marik." Mokuba said.

"You know Kendra can exaggerate.." Jon defended his friend. "Anyway...I think we should just talk to Tori ourselves. Maybe she's being brainwashed."

"Well,here's our chance...." Christien said softly, as they heard Victoria's moped approaching. He went to meet her at the gate. "Hello."

"Oh....you guys are here......sorry." Victoria smiled sheepishly, pulling her pack in through the hole in the fence.

"We want to talk to you....."

"Now isn't a good time....." Victoria replied, before Christien could continue. "The Ishtars just threw me out."

"They didn't!" Mokuba was astounded. He'd know Ishizu and Rishid were upset, but it hadn't dawned on him that they'd actually be capable of throwing her out.

"Yes they did........" Victoria sat on the edge of her favorite fountain. "I.....I'm not going back to Duke's."

"Well,good! You don't belong with him anyway." Mokuba informed her. "We've all been really worried about you, Victoria."

"It was useless. Duke didn't hurt me." She said softly. "I hurt Marik though, and I can't erase that."

"You sure can't! And you hurt us by not telling us what was going on! We could've help you!" Christien exploded. "How do you think I felt,not knowing where my girlfriend was for two months?!"

"I tried to send you letters.....Duke kept intercepting them. Believe me,Christien, you're the last person I would ever lie to!"

"But you did lie! You told me you were fine! Look at yourself,Tori, you're a mess!" Christien came to sit beside her. "Was Espa right about you? Are you that insecure?"

"I need you..........." She said softly, reaching out to touch his shoulder.

"I can see that! Well, you're too late,Victoria. I won't be your crutch anymore." He got up now, and headed for the exit.

"CHRISTIEN! Please, don't do this to me!" She rushed over to him, clutching his wrist. "Please!"

"You're doing it to yourself. Give me a call when you've got your head back on straight." He jerked his wrist free of her grip, before walking out of the lot.

"Christien......." Victoria dissolved into uncontrollable sobbing. She thought nothing could've been worse than losing the Ishtars. She was wrong. Losing the person she loved so very much and needed was like being killed.

"Wow.....I've never seen Christien lose his cool like that....." Jonathan said softly. He walked over, and stood over Victoria. "He will take you back, don't worry. He's not like you." He went to join Christien outside. They waited for Mokuba.

"I'm sorry,Jon...I really am....I never meant any of this to happen!!"

"Of course you didn't." Mokuba replied icily. "If I were you, I'd get as far from here as you can possibly get."

"Good idea." She said stonily, as she picked up her pack. "You'll never have to be bothered with me again." She left the lot, and her moped, heading for Duke's store. She wasn't going on there though. She was going to the portal. It was time for her to go Home.