I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of its characters and plots.

However the following characters (their powers and such) used in this fan fiction ARE mine:

Lady Aurora Phoenix

Lady Natara Fear

Lady Sapphira Star

Blaze

Chaos

Havoc

Now I know this will be different from typical stories thus the reason it is in the fantasy genre but I wanted to give Atem a family and have a way to keep an eye on him even while he was nothing but a spirit in the Millennium Puzzle... This way I could do just that. This is my first fan fic so forgive me if it is not to your liking.

"Slowly Moving On"

A tear lightly made its way down Lady Phoenix's cheek. She had no idea what she was doing there. She only knew she had to get out of her room. The cool air felt good at first, but now she shivered. She was missing Blaze's warm embrace.

"He is gone now, Aurora," she muttered to herself. "He is gone. And he wants you to move on." She sighed and stood. "And just how am I supposed to do that?" Lady Phoenix shook her head sadly. "No one can ever take your place." But someone is coming close, a small voice inside her head whispered. She looked around and up at the sky angrily. "Impossible! There is no way! I cannot be allowing myself to do this again." She took a deep and shaky breath. "There is too much at stake. My friends. This planet. It is all at risk." Closing her eyes, a vision came to her. Briefly, but with enough force that she gasped.

It was Atem. He was in a battle. Monsters called to a field. He was strong but he was weak from the long battle. A flash and she saw his puzzle. One second in one piece. The next instant it was shattered. She heard him scream as he seemed to be pulled into the pieces. Her eyes snapped open. Her heart beating harder against her chest. Her body tense. Her sense on high alert. Something bad would happen. She was not sure when but she knew it would not be good.

Just then, her senses picked up another presence. She was not alone. Her eyes narrowed as her Powers went to work to figure out who it was. An eye brow raised, she shook her head. She should have known he would come. She sighed to calm her heart. She did not think she could look into his eyes this time. She was afraid she would not be able to be anywhere near him. But at the moment she had no choice.

"So, are you going to just stand there and watch me, or do you have something on your mind, Pharaoh?" She asked, still not facing him. There was a pause before his deep and sensuous voice spoke.

"Please. Call me Atem." She swallowed hard again as she turned this time and without looking at him, knelt to one knee out of respect. "There is no need to bow before me, Lady Phoenix." She was glad she had her face to the ground so he did not see her expression as he stepped closer.

Please, do not come any closer, she pleaded veiling her thoughts from him. Somehow they had been able to communicate telepathically. She did not like having that close a bond with someone she did not know. Intending to cut him off, she stood. "As you wish, Phar… Atem." She still kept her head down.

"Why do you not look up at me?" He asked her. She could hear the tenderness in his voice. The emotion he was trying so desperately to hide. She realized he was as much in battle with himself as she was.

"It is not proper to look a royal in the eye," she answered calmly. Atem glanced down at his feet before looking back at her again.

"What if the royal wanted you to?"

"Why would the royal wish that?" she returned softly. He could hear the shakiness in her tone. She was trying so hard not to break. With every second that passed, her breaking point was nearing. But what will it reveal, Atem wondered. He struggled with himself as he debated trying to push her more.

"I guess it does not matter," he finally said. The softness and sadness in his voice startled her. He was just as confused as he was. He wanted so badly to help her.

Open your heart, Aurora… Blaze's voice was a demand in her mind. So much insistence was in his words that her eyes snapped open and her head swiftly lifted. She found herself engulfed in his catlike- crimson eyes. Her lips parted slightly and a small gasp escaped her throat. He could see her resolve melting. Tears formed at the rims of her eyes and fine tremors began to course through her body. Her lips moved as if trying to speak, but her voice was gone. Fear and confusion written on her face. Atem willed her to speak to him.

"Tell me, what is wrong," he pleaded with her. Her dark blue eyes made him feel as though he was falling through space. He felt her pain as deeply as he could see it in her eyes. Again she tried to speak and found she could not. "Please let me help you. I want to. Do not shut me out, I beg you." Tears spilled over her eyes and down her face. Finally her eyes closed and she collapsed before him. He gasped and reached to catch her before she hit the ground. This could not be the same warrior he had seen in his main hall. He stared down at her with wide eyes. She was weak and vulnerable. She felt utterly alone. She was a woman who never showed emotion. Always strong. And just now she was crying like a child whose puppy had run away. Sobs wracked her body and she clung to his royal gown, burying her face in his chest. The power of the Millennium Puzzle hummed in her ear.

Several moments passed before she finally calmed. They were still both kneeling on the ground, but somehow she fond herself curled up and pressed tightly against his body. Lady Phoenix was clinging to him as if her life depended on it. He said nothing as he gently held her and soothingly petted her hair. He stopped the comforting touch only when he felt her stir and begin to push herself away. She was embarrassed for carrying on like she had. She felt she had to get away.

"Please, release me, Atem," she whispered.

"As you wish, lady." Without a fight, he let her go. Slowly, she removed herself from his embrace and tried to stand as elegantly as she could. She was trying to uphold what ever dignity she may have had left. Her next words caught him off guard.

"Aurora." Atem looked quizzically at her as he stood.

"What was that, Lady Phoenix?" He was not sure he had heard her right.

"I said, Aurora. You may call me Aurora. But only when we are alone. Just as I shall only call you by your name when we are alone." Her gaze remained on the ground as she spoke. Atem nodded.

"All right, then. On one condition." When she did not answer him, he reached out to her, lightly taking her chin with his fingertips and gently raising her eyes to his again. "That you look at me from now on." His tone was kind and a small smile curved at his lips. Lady Phoenix blinked and swallowed her heart. His touched stirred so many emotions within her. Finally she nodded.

"Agreed." They stood like that for a short while. The moonlight reflecting off them. Lost in each other's eyes. Atem saw her nervously begin to chew on her lower lip. He had an incredible urge to take that lip with his own. He slowly tilted her head up to his and leaned in closer. Confusion filled her eyes at first. Then slowly gave away to understanding, and then acceptance. Her eyes closed as his lips touched hers in a soft and innocent kiss. Again, Atem felt her begin to tremble against him and he used his other arm to help support her against him. Her hands laid flat on his chest, but did not push him away. She had opened her heart again. She only hoped that Blaze knew what he was talking about. The instant Blaze passed through her thoughts, her lips stilled. Sensing her tension, Atem pulled back. He saw her eyes open wide and filled with shock and fear. He instantly regretted the kiss.

"I am sorry, Aurora. I should not have…" his words trailed off as she placed two fingers lightly against his lips and slowly shook her head.

"Do not say a word," she said softly. "Do not regret it. Please. My hesitation is not because of you. It is me. Among the friends of mine missing, there is one friend who will not be found. He is… was, my husband," she added, correcting herself.

"Blaze," Atem responded equally as soft. She looked at him, confusion filled her gaze again.

"How did you know... his name?"

"I believe we both have a small story to tell, here." Atem took her hand and led her back to the stone bench he had first seen her on. Silently, she sat and looked up at him.

"The night you arrived here, I had a vision. I saw a battle that had you and your friends against a common enemy."

"Lord Theron," Lady Phoenix, recalled with venom in her voice.

"Yes. During that battle, I saw the powers and the anger. I saw Blaze sacrifice himself to help you. Then he appeared to me. I felt a burning on my shoulder." Atem raised his deep purple cape away from his right shoulder. He heard her gasp and she stood to touch his shoulder at the sight there. A scar; a mark. It looked like a small set of flames. The mark of the Flaming Wrath that was once Blaze's Power.

"How is this possible?" her voice was barely above a whisper.

"He told me that he trusted me with them because of how much I had risked to help you. He wanted me to protect you and keep you safe. He said the Powers had to go somewhere. The war, he said, may have been over for him, but not for you and your friends. And not for me." Lady Phoenix was shaking her head.

"Blaze meant well," she said with a sigh. "But sometimes he just did not know when to back off. You have Powers of your own, do you not?"

"Yes, thanks to my Millennium Puzzle. Why?"

Taking a breath, she continued. "You also now have special abilities. Powers only a chosen few can ever have. I will have to stay and help you understand them. Help you use them. That way you know what you are capable of and what you can do."

"All right, I think I can accept that. As long as you allow me to teach you our dueling ways here." She nodded.

"If I am to stay, I do need to know your customs."

"We can help each other, then?" He asked. A small wistful smiled passed over her lips.

"Yes, we can, and will, help each other," she agreed. She found herself lost in the hopeful look she found in his crimson eyes. They both seemed to breathe a sigh of relief that they had been able to finally face each other and work the mysteries out. Atem saw her try to stifle a chill that swept through her body. He wrapped an arm gently around her.

"Come on," he prodded. "It has been a long day for both of us. Let us go inside and get some rest." Silently, she nodded and allowed him to lead her back inside the palace. They walked back inside in silence, just enjoying each other's presence. They failed to notice Set as he smiled at their passing before closing the door to his room. Isis, too, had noticed their return and raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. Mana let a huge grin plaster her face as she looked up at her teacher Mahado, who only nodded in acceptance.

At the door to her room, they paused. Slowly, Lady Phoenix turned to face him. They were only inches from each other again. She wondered if he would try to kiss her again. He opened her door but made no effort to enter this time. Things had changed between them. He knew it would not be right for him to enter. Not unless she wanted him to. Their eyes remained locked together as she began to move backward into her room. His hand tightened briefly on hers and she glanced down at them. When she looked back up, she was consumed by the crimson sea of his eyes as he leaned forward with one last tender kiss. She responded just as lightly, and her heart caught in her throat again as his lips went from her lips to her ear.

"Good night, Aurora," He whispered before pulling back and letting go of her hand. A shy smile was his response as she continued to retreat to her room. When her door was almost shut, he heard her soft voice.

"Good night, Atem." He closed his eyes and breathed deeply. The night went better than he had thought. His smile never left his face as he left her door and headed for his room, where he disrobed and climbed into bed. For the first night since she arrived, he sleep peacefully the entire night.

Lady Phoenix laid out her gown and cape for the morning, a smile still on her face as well. Looking at her outfit, she wondered if she could go into the village she saw from her balcony to gather some jewelry pieces to go with it. She suddenly felt like she had to look her best at all times. She wanted to look her best at all times. Her smile faltered when she looked down at the ring on her left hand.

"You wanted this, my love. I just hope you knew what you were doing. I will never forget you. But I will honor your wish to open my heart and go on." With that, she removed the ring from her left hand and placed it on her right. She laid down and closed her eyes. She never saw Blaze's spirit as he appeared one last time. He wore a sad smile.

I know you will never forget. I will always be with you, Aurora. But Pharaoh Atem will take good care of you, I promise. Blaze lifted a hand and removed a silver ring with a blood red stone. He placed it on the table beside her bed. With an airy kiss on her forehead, Blaze faded from the room. Take care, my love. There are hard times ahead. But you will be fine.