A/N: Yes! I'm updating on time! Enjoy!


Malik looked to Ishizu, hoping that she would explain. She didn't return the glance but began to speak. "It began quite awhile ago."

Flash Back

Odion was sitting in the living room of the small apartment which the Ishtars called home. He looked up from the book he was reading when he heard the door open. Malik entered.

"How was your interview?" Odion asked.

"I think it went well," Malik smiled boastfully.

Odion nodded.

"Odion, what time is it?"

"It's 7. May I ask why you need to know?"

"I made Ishizu promise to be home at 7:30. She's been working really late lately, you know."

Oh, he knew. He stayed up for her every night. Sometimes she wouldn't come home until 12 o' clock in the morning.

"...Is that so...?" Odion asked sadly. Even though the siblings often kept things from him, it still upset him that he wasn't included.

"Man, I'm starving! I'm gonna cook dinner, okay Odion."

"Malik, allow me." Odion started to stand up.

Malik made him sit down, "No, Odion, I can cook just fine."

"Hmmm..." Odion nodded and promptly went back to the book he was reading. Malik walked to the kitchen to cook for the family of three.

An Hour and a Half Later

At 8:30 Ishizu had not returned home. Malik and Odion had already eaten their share of the meal.

"Why the hell isn't she home!" Malik shouted to Odion who was bearing the brunt of Malik's rage.

"I don't know," Odion responded calmly.

"I can't believe she lied to me!"

"Malik calm down," Odion said gently.

"How could I calm down? I'm gonna call her!"

Odion sighed as Malik punched in the numbers for her office. After a few minutes he slammed the phone down into the receiver. "I can't believe it! I bet she's ignoring me!"

"Malik I'm sure she's on her way home now," Odion said soothingly, "Lets watch a movie until she gets back."

"...Fine." Malik trudged into the living room, choose a video after a few moments, popped it into the VCR and pressed play. Then, frustrated, he cursed at the TV, turned it on and sat down on the couch. Odion watched this slightly amused and then sat down next to him.

Even though Malik was into the movie, Odion's mind kept wandering. First, he worried about Ishizu, and then he wondered if Malik was worrying right now. Finally, "I wonder if Ishizu and Malik would worry about ME..." he thought, "I really serve no purpose for them anymore. I'm just one more useless mouth to feed... Our budget is tight...that's why Malik got a job... but I can't because," he gently stroked the hieroglyphs tattooed on the side of his face, "And I can't remove it. It proves my loyalty to Mast- I mean plain Malik. If I were really loyal to Malik I would..." He shook his head and thought, "Malik wouldn't want that..." His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the door opening. Malik jumped up and ran to the door to greet Ishizu. Odion followed closely behind.

"Ishizu!" Malik shouted, "Where were you! You promised to be home at 7:30! I was worried about you!"

She smiled sheepishly, "Sorry I worried you little brother, but I got an unexpected call..."

Malik's mood instantly brightened, "From who, he asked curiously.

Ishizu grinned, "An old friend..."

Malik was grinning from ear to ear, "Come on, tell me who it was!"

Ishizu tilted her head, crossed her arms and said childishly, "I'm not telling."

Odion cut in, "Can I get you something to eat, Ishizu?"

"No, I'm not hungry."

"Ishizu tell me now!" Malik demanded.

Ishizu smiled, "Nope!"

One Week Later

It was Friday morning. Ishizu stared at her closet to try and find something suitable to wear to her date for breakfast. Malik was preparing for his job. Odion was cooking breakfast for himself and Malik.

A half hour later Malik was entering the kitchen just as the doorbell rang. Odion answered the door and moments later he shouted to Ishizu, "Ishizu, are you almost ready? He's here!"

"I'm coming," Ishizu called back as she strode to the door.

"Ishizu," Malik asked, "isn't your date not until 9?"

"It is 9, Malik."

"It is? Oh shit! I'm gonna be late!" Malik shouted as he jumped up.

"Malik, aren't you going to eat?" Odion asked.

"No time!" Malik shouted as he ran out the door.

"Bye, Malik!" Ishizu called as he ran out the door and left with her man.

Odion sighed as he started to eat alone. His mind wandered again. "Maybe they really don't need me..." He stood up and put his dishes in the dishwasher and walked out the door.

Hours Later

After what seemed like hours later, while wallowing in self-pity, his pointless journey took him to a cliff. The sun was setting. "What a beautiful sunset," he said sadly and tears fell as he thought, "Do I deserve to see it? I'm just a worthless servant. No one cares." He took a few steps closer to the edge. He stopped when he heard a scream. "Odion stop!"

He turned to see Malik and Ishizu running towards him. He stared blankly at them. "Odion...!" Malik cried as he grabbed on to his arm, "What do you think you're doing?"

"Are you alright?" Ishizu asked.

"I'm not alright. And I'm doing you a favor."

He shook Malik off his arm and turned towards the cliff over looking the sea and took another step forward. One more and it would be over. This time, both Ishizu and Malik grabbed his arms and held him back.

"Odion, stop!" Malik cried again. Odion was about to respond when suddenly, the sky clouded over and a huge gust of wind blew so hard that all three of them were knocked into the sea.

End Flash Back

"After that we struggled in the sea for hours until we couldn't see shore. We all must have passed out after that." It was after noon and the gang was circled in the shade of some trees. They all were silent, taking in what had just been told to them, until Malik asked, "Shouldn't we check on Odion. I mean, he hasn't woken up yet..."


A/N: That was long, wasn't it? Longer then normal for me I guess.Good for me. : )Anyways, I have a ...challenge for you all. The beginning part of the flashback, were Ishizu gets home late, was based on one of my previous written stories. If you can tell me the title of the story that's from and who the phone call was from, I'll update one week after the review. Get guessing!