Seto slumped outside Tasmin's room. The doctor had bodily thrown him out. The baby was dead, and it had to be removed.

Even he shuddered at that thought. At least she was unconscious, and likely to remain so, with the drugs the doctor had given her...

He started and looked up as Mokuba sat down in front of him. "Mokuba..." He tried to sit up, and it took a lot more energy than he remembered it taking before. "Are- are you all right?"

Mokuba nodded, chewing his lip. "I... Niichan, I..." He stopped trying to talk and just lunged for him and hugged him and tightly as he could. Seto woofed as the impact knocked him back into the wall, but he hugged him back just as tightly. "Niichan I missed you so much and I didn't know what to do without you and he was so mean and he hurt me and I couldn't escape..."

Seto just held and rocked his little brother while the tears came and went, just stroking his hair and trying to be as soothing as possible. It had been many years since he had had to play the soothing big brother. He'd almost forgotten how.

But some things can never be forgotten... he reflected to himself as Mokuba huddled against him. I will never forget that I love Mokuba, that I will and have given up everything for him...

Finally, Mokuba pulled away and looked at him. "Will neechan be ok?"

Seto sighed. He'd been dreading this question. "I don't know. I hope so."

Mokuba worried his lip. "I'm sorry, niichan... you know about- about everyone, right?"

"Everyone is dead or gone, yes..." Seto said sulkily.

Mokuba shook his head. "It's more than that, Seto... Yugi and his yami are working around, but Yugi's grandpa died... oh, not long after you'd been put away... Last I heard, Ryou Bakura had been spotted in Cairo, but that was over a year ago, who knows where he is now... The Ishtars are gone, nobody knows where they vanished to... remember Jounouchi's mom? His little sister? Well..." Mokuba chewed his lip. "He... had them killed... because they were associating with the Ishtars... who knew too much about the whole... thing."

Seto rubbed his forehead. "Nice to know the bastard's moral sense never showed up," he said dryly, hiding his real emotion behind his mask. I'm responsible for people's deaths... again... just like before... dammit...

"It's ok... I mean... No one blames you, Seto... no one ever found out..." Mokuba rubbed the back of his neck. "We're ok..."

Seto just shook his head. He didn't want excuses for more blotches on his soul. "What about Jounouchi? Any news of him?"

"No..." Mokuba bit his lip. "Nothing, niichan. He's just... vanished..."

"So he's probably dead like the others." Seto's voice was flat.

"We don't know that, Seto..." Mokuba tried weakly. "He might just be hiding out..."

Seto just shook his head. I lose the only person who ever challenged me in a way that didn't hurt me... and I gain a person who may have challenged me, but is so broken, I don't even know if she can survive...

"I think he read your diary, niichan, that's why he did what he did to Jou..." Mokuba chewed his lip. "I... I'm sorry..."

Seto shook his head sharply. "Just... be quiet, Mokuba... be quiet and go play a game or something..."

"I'd rather sit here with you and wait for neechan to wake up..." Mokuba said very softly.

Seto bit back his reply of "Tasmin may not wake up," and sighed. "All right, Mokuba..."

His little brother curled up with him and sighed. "Thank you, niichan. I really want her to wake up... I'm worried..."

"I know," Seto said softly. I'm worried too.

Mokuba just held onto him and waited. Seto, without really realizing it, clung to him as well, and grew more and more concerned as time went by. Should it be taking this long? Did something go wrong? What if she died? Oh, God, what if she died? I hardly even know her, why should I care so much?

Because you, of all people, know what she went through... Seto's conscience spoke up. She went through everything you did and more...

After far too long of a wait for his liking, the door opened, and the doctor came out. Mokuba had fallen asleep in his arms, and he carefully shifted, standing and putting him on a small couch before turning to the doctor. "Well?" His voice was hoarse from disuse.

"She's unconscious, but all right." The doctor looked at him. "The child was, indeed, Mr. Kaiba's..."

"That's no surprise," Seto gestured sharply, "we were never intimate..."

The doctor nodded, rubbing his forehead with a sigh. "She has some residual damage... I'll have to check up on her later, but it's very possible that she may have problems having children in the future..."

Seto shrugged. "We'll work that out. The important thing is is that she'll live."

The doctor nodded. "Most definitely. She might have some vocal damage, she was being choked at some point, but it'll heal. She'll be just fine. Physically."

Mentally... Seto knew that was another story. She probably had more mental and emotional scars than he did. And that was saying something. "When will she wake up?"

The doctor shrugged a bit. "Probably tomorrow. I gave her a fairly heavy dose, to make sure that she was out. Someone should sit with her all night, though."

Seto nodded. "That can be done." He turned and gently shook Mokuba awake, then nodded to the doctor. "Send us the bill." His lips twitched a bit at that.

The doctor's did as well and he bowed. "Yes, Mr. Kaiba. Oh..." he glanced over his shoulder at him. "I've made arrangements for Gozabura Kaiba's body... it appears he had a heart attack..."

Seto controlled his expression with all the ability he had. "That would not surprise me. He did many unhealthy things."

"Mm, I see," the doctor nodded and turned on his heel and headed out.

Mokuba sat up, rubbing his eyes. "Mm... Seto, what is it?"

Seto gently picked him up and moved into the bedroom where Tasmin now lay. She was pale as the sheets she lay on, and her breathing was slow and shallow. "I want you to stay with her, Mokuba," Seto said softly. "I need to go out for a bit..."

Mokuba smiled slightly. "Just to be free?"

Seto smiled back. "Yes... and... I want to see if I can find him."

Mokuba bit his lip. "Seto... he might not be out there..."

"But he might be." Seto's voice was firm. "If he is, I owe it to him to find him... to explain why he's been living in a hell..."

Mokuba sighed and nodded. "I'll keep an eye on Tasmin..." He lightly brushed the unconscious woman's hair back. "I'll call if anything happens. Take a cell phone, please..."

Seto nodded and turned. "I'll be back later, Mokuba. Watch over her carefully."

"Be safe," Mokuba whispered. He didn't want his brother leaving right now, but he understood. Besides, his big sister needed him, and he could help her just by being here.

He liked helping the people he loved.

Seto smirked to himself and patted the Rod. Of course I'll be safe... I have this... And my yami...

:I am here for you, hikari-mine: Seth seemed much calmer now than before. :Let us find this Jounouchi person.:

:Yes: Seto agreed quietly. He had a lot to explain to the blonde...

Starting with himself.

A/N: ... This sucks. Of course, I've just had a very bitchy time with an old HS friend who told me "You can be assertive when it's important and agree with me when I'm right."

... Someone wanna tell me what the fuck that means? So, anyway, this chapter kinda sucks... next one will be better... and everyone's gonna get a starting glimpse into what my friend and I call "the big fivesome". : smirks:

Dark Magician Girl/ Hikaru: I don't mind double reveiws. Glad you like... hope you keep liking with the new twists... : prays:

nicolepurple: Bah! I still say "Voyage Home" is best funniest, but "Wrath of Khan" is best for seriousness...

AV0012: Umm... will Seth/Jou/Seto/Tasmin/someone else be ok? Trust me, yes, trust us...

leafzelindor: Yay: bounces: Chapter Five... ooooh... XD