Chapter Four: Memories Don't Fade
Disclaimer: Lalalalalalala... I can't hear you...

a/n I made up the names of Tea's parents

o o o o o

Tea stretched in her bed, having just woken up to the lovely morning sun shining merrily through her window. She felt loads better after that nice long rest. It's a shame that she couldn't say that about the other two inhabitants of the household. Kaiba was probably back to his usual grumpy self. Quite different from the way he was the other day. But, what do you expect on a Monday morning? He was going to work, perhaps that was the reason? Mokuba had not woken up since yesterday, and she was absolutely dreading having to wake him herself.

She finally slipped out of bed to give Mokuba his wake up call. She knocked on his door, which was closed shut. There was no reply. She opened the door and peeked in. Mokuba was still in his bed, out like a burned lightbulb. She wasn't surprised since it was still quite early. Tea walked to his bedside and gently shook his shoulder.

"Mokuba, rise and shine," she said. "Time for another beautiful day."

The boy stirred, sitting up in his bed and rubbing his eyes. He looked through his mussed up morning hair and caught sight of her.

"Tea, you're alright!" he cheered, giving her a monster hug that winded her. He let go and proceeded to jump up and down on his bed singing "Tea's okay, Tea's okay, Tea's okay..." While the girl looked on, sweatdrop apparent.

'Funny how he just woke up and he is as hyper as he could ever be...' she thought.

"Yes Mokuba, I'm fine," she smiled. Mokuba leaped off his bed next to her. He crossed his arms, feigning seriousness, giving him a stunning resemblence to his older brother.

"Do you have any IDEA how worried I was? Seto was too. When he brought you in the house you were unconscious!"

Her eyes widened in surprise. Seto Kaiba actually DOES have a heart!' "Mokuba I want you to go and brush your teeth and take a bath for school. I'll get your clothes ready while you do." she ordered. He nodded obediently and went to his bathroom. She could hear the sound of running water behind its closed door.

"Now should I choose for him to wear?" she thought out loud to herself. Raiding his closet, she searched for a suitable shirt for him. She found one in a few minutes. A lovely cotton t-shirt, dark blue, with two lighter blue striped on either sleeve. She neatly set this on his bed, then excavated for a pair of jeans. Finding a pair of khakis, she laid that on the bed as well and looked quite pleased with herself. She then put a pair of socks and underwear next to them and went downstairs to prepare breakfast.

o o o o o

Seto woke up to the wonderful smell of breakfast. He changed, tossed on one of his designer trench coats, and walked down the stairs to see what was prepared. He was shocked that someone was cooking breakfast, for he had never hired a cook in fear of one poisoning him and his brother with cyanide.

He opened the door into the kitchen and saw a large and splendid breakfast laid before him.

There was crispy bacon, apealing scrambled eggs, fluffy pancakes, soft slightly toasted bread, hot tea, succulent sausages, and golden-brown waffles. The person responsible even made him coffee and the only person who ever had the nerve to make his coffee was...

Tea.

And no, not the drink.

Both Tea and Mokuba were both at the table. Mokuba was eyeballing the breakfast just like his brother, while Tea just sat there, rather pleased at the two's reactions.

"Are you two finished gawking? Because if you are, then I think you should tuck in and start eating," said Tea. "I've been waiting, and, quite frankly, I'm faint from hunger."

Seto shook his head to get him out of his stupor. He sat down at the table and reached for a serving spoon...and Tea promptly slapped his hand with a spatula. Funny...He didn't see it in her hands before.

"What the hell is the matter with you?" he shouted while nursing his injured hand. Tea stared at him incredulously.

"You think after all the time that we've spent waiting that I'd let you get the first bite? You must be joking!" she said.

Mokuba burst out in laughter at the comical expression on Seto's face, while Seto just mumbled something incoherent under his breath.

"What was that?" Tea asked nastily. He didn't say anything else. "I thought so," she smirked.

The rest of the meal was silent. Seto was trying to think of some witty retort he could say, but was having a wee bit of trouble making one up. Tea had a triumphant glower on her face as she ate, while Mokuba was trying in vain to not laugh while eating his eggs. Tea turned and looked at her watch. She gasped. "Mokuba, you need to get going, before you're late! Your jacket and your backpack are by the front door, and the limo is outside waiting for you."

Mokuba's eyes widened, and he dashed out to the main room to get his stuff. A faint "Bye Tea, bye Setoooooo..." was heard, and then a door closing shut.

Seto stared at Tea with surprise. He was shocked at how motherly she was to Mokuba. All of the other girls that had taken care of him didn't even bother to get his things ready before he left for school. He was jolted back into reality by Tea.

"Hey, Blue-eyes?" she asked. He sighed in psuedo-annoyance.

"What is it? Gardner, I don't have time, I need to get to work."

"Wow. You certainly have a way with words, you know that? I was just wondering if I have to wear some kind of uniform while I do this job. Or can I wear my own clothes? I don't really want to wear a maid's oufit."

Seto raised one eyebrow in amusement. "You just answered your own question, Gardner. If you don't want to wear one you don't have to."

She looked mildly surprised at this, expecting more arguing, but pleased at this. "Ok. So, as your personal maid, what kinds of things do I do? I mean, I know that don't just stand around every day answering to your every beck and call."

"I could arrange that, you know." he said with an evil smirk.
"No thanks," was her flat reply. "Just answer the question, alright?" Seto gave an apathetic shrug.

"You basically arrange my documents, make may bed, do my laundry, and clean my room."

"So how am I different from any other maid?" she asked, a confused expression on her face.

"Well, as you can see, I don't have many employees in my house. I cannot trust most people, mostly because they use my little brother to get to me. I do not allow any of the regular maids entrance into my room."

"So...you're saying that you trust me?" she smiled.

This seemed to hit a soft spot. Immediately, he rose from the table and stared at her coldly.

"Look, friendship girl, as much as I would love to finish this conversation, I have things to do, as do you."

"Kaiba..." Tea quietly said, seeming to be talking to the floor more than Seto. "Why is it that every time that I try to ask you something, you shrug off my question like it's nothing? Is it because you're afraid that someone will penetrate your barrier? I know that you aren't as hostile as you want people to think. I think I know what you're really like..."

Seto kept quiet. Every single word was felt like a sharp dagger piercing his heart.

"...So why don't you let anyone know? Is it that frightening to have people see the person inside of you-"

"SHUT THE HELL UP GARDNER!" he roared. The room practically shook from the sheer force of his voice. "You have no idea what I've been through! You're just a naive little kid!"

She was a bit surprised by the outburst, but she stood her ground. "Then what exactly have you been through? If you would tell me, then maybe I can help..."

"I don't need help from the likes of you."
"And...just what do you mean by that?" she murmured, afraid of what his answer could, and will be.

"You...being the girl always cheering about friendship and happiness, upbeat, happy. You couldn't possibly understand what I've been through in my life. More pain than you've ever endured. You've always had your parents beside you no matter..."

"Didn't you just tell me not to assume things about you?" Tea snapped. "Then how in the world can you assume that my parents have supported me?"

"Because I'm not blind, Gardner. I've seen your parents before at school meetings-"

"Don't...you...ever...act as if you've seen my parents before," her voice shook slightly as she spoke. Tears glistened in the corners of her eyes, but her face showed no true weakness. "You've never known my parents! They're...they're dead! Dead..."

She turned, her overflowing eyes throwing crystalline tears into the air, where they caught the morning light and sent little rainbows onto the walls. She ran, out of the kitchen, through the corrider, up the stairs, into her room...

o o o o o

Kaiba Corporations, 2:00 pm.

Seto drummed on his desk with a pen. His head was leaning on his free hand, and he stared into space. He just couldn't concentrate on his work. The incident at breakfast played in his head, a broken tape recorder in desperate need of fixing.

"Don't you ever act as if you've seen my parents before..."

What did she mean by that? He had seen her with both of her parents in the park about not even last year...Unless...she was adopted?

"You've never known my parents! They're...they're dead!"

Despite the seriousness of the situation, Kaiba couldn't help but snicker. The way she carried on, no one could have ever guessed. She had covered up her true emotions with a facade most unlike it.

"Dead..."

Seto slammed his pen down on the table. He was...interested...shall we say, about Tea's past. He wanted to know more about this, and if it was the only thing he would accomplish today, so be it. He pressed one of the many buttons on a machine next to his computer, and almost automatically, one of his employees rushed in.

"Yes, Mr. Kaiba?" The man stammered.

"Go and search for any information regaring Tea Gardner," Seto repliedd crisply. The man nodded.

"M-may I ask why?"

"No."

"I'll get right to work Mr. Kaiba," the man turned and walked out. He knew that pressing further could put his job in jeopardy.

By the end of the day, Seto had only three pieces of evidence. Tenshi Mazaki
The first was a rather short article clipping, with a picture of a girl with a striking resemblance to none other than Tea.

When Tragic Strikes

A man was found dead in a frigid river Thursday, after he apparently ran off of a bridge, authorities said. He is survived by his daughter Anzu Mazaki (age five).

Tenshi Mazaki, co-founder of Mazaki and Tungs Inc., was last seen Wednesday night, leaving his home. A search began later that night, and the body was found next morning near I-85.

Police infer from the alcohol level in his blood that he was under the influence before he died.

The next was another article.

Mazaki Girl in Good Hands

After two years of living in the hands of Social Services, Anzu Mazaki, daughter of late Tenshi Mazaki, has finally been adopted by a new family. Although many had desired the girl, after it was found that Mazaki's father's company was to be split up and Mazaki would not get a cent of the stocks, demand for her fell flat. But now, she will be placed in a loving new home. The names of the couple will not be disclosed for legal purposes.

The third and last piece was an old and rusted locket shaped like a heart. It had a picture of a woman with Tea's brown hair in one of the heart halves, but the other side was blank.

He was quite surprised when he finished examining these items. He would have never imagined that Tea Gardner and Anzu Mazaki were one in the same. The Mazakis were a wealthy family, and the "deaths" of the father and daughter was all over the news. He never looked into it too much at the time, since he was as young as Gardner when it happened. Although Gozaburo had told him about it, and how part of the company went to Kaiba Corp. because they had a business deal.

He sighed unknowingly. What confused him was how she was always peppy and cheerful when this happened to her. Why didn't she become cold and ruthless, like he did...?

o o o o o