-Dream-
Seto dropped to the ground with a thud. He sat up, groaning as he did.
"You gotta watch that first step, it's a doozy." Came a voice in front of him.
He snapped his head in that direction and nearly faulted.
"What the hell? Aren't you dead?" He exclaimed.
"My you're not one to beat around the bush are you?" Malik asked with amusement.
"What the hell is going on?" Seto demanded
Malik sighed in annoyance. "Yes Kaiba I am dead but my spirit has yet to crossover because I have one thing left to do." He said.
"And what is that?" Seto asked.
"To make sure Anzu is taken care of. The fates have told me that they had a lot in store for her but they never intended for such an act to be repeated. You see, in Ancient Egypt, there was a man who lusted and craved for Anzu's incarnation, Teanna. This man was just like Marik. Teanna and my incarnation were friends, very close friends, just like we were now. When the man first approached Teanna, she thought him decent but after that first night she found she was wrong. Just as Anzu did, she kept it a secret from everyone because he threatened her life and the life of everyone she cared about. She would be gone for days at a time but no one cared to take notice…except one: the High Priest and Advisor to the Pharaoh, Seth."
Seto snorted. "And why are you telling me all this?" He asked.
"Because you were that High Priest now listen." Malik snapped then continued in a calmer voice. "At first Seth believed she was conspiring against the Pharaoh so he kept a closer watch on her. At the same time, the other priests and priestesses were beginning to have health problems. The Pharaoh knew that if Seth were to marry and father a child that by that offspring's sixteenth birthday, all of his powers would be passed onto that child. But because he didn't wish for whatever was harming his priestess's and priests to be passed on, he gave Teanna to Seth as a gift in hopes that she would be able to reproduce. One night when Teanna left the palace, Seth followed her. When she got a good distance away from the palace, Seth pulled her aside and demanded to know what was going on. He took her back to the palace and she fought against him the whole way, trying to break free. He tried using idle threats to get answers then moved to a bit more physical approach. When it became sexual he discovered she had been soiled. He threatened to beat her if she didn't tell him what he wanted to know. When he threatened to kill her, she spilled out all the plans that her rapist had and what he'd already done. With this new information he suddenly felt sorry for her. In shock that she not only endangered her life but the life of everyone else, she tried to kill herself but Seth managed to stop her in time. He promised her the man wouldn't lay another hand on her and that he would kill him. Unfortunately the man found out what Teanna had done and he kidnapped her one night from Seth's chambers where Teanna was sleeping. Seth found out immediately and went after them. He was captured and brought to a room where Teanna was being held. There he watched helplessly from the sidelines as the man tortured and raped Teanna; he eventually killed her. Seth became so angry he was filled with a strength he didn't know he had and he killed all of the men holding him down but he was slow and torturous with Teanna's rapist, giving him a painful agonizing death. In the short time Seth spent with Teanna he came to know her true nature. She was a kind and sweet girl who was very loyal to the Pharaoh and the other high officials of the palace. He had actually begun to fall in love with her. He took Teanna back to the palace where she would receive a proper burial. After a few weeks he had begun to feel the effects of his depression so he poisoned himself, making it seem like he had died mysteriously in his sleep. However unlike usual burials for priests and priestesses, they were buried together. Several decades have passed and now here we are." Malik explained.
Seto looked at him in slight shock, for once he couldn't think of anything to say.
"But now we've altered that with my death because without me, he cannot live. The fates did not plan for the man's reincarnation to be born inside of me. It's all over now but Anzu still has MUCH healing to do. I did love her as well but we could not be because she didn't feel the same and she was already promised to you. So I just let her go as I've done once again. I know you do love her so I know she will be taken care of but she doesn't know that and she needs to. She is so unsure of so much right now and that needs to be rectified." Malik told him.
He noticed that his body was beginning to fade away so he knew his time was up.
"Take care of her and help her…do NOT prove me wrong." He added and then he was gone.
Everything around Seto suddenly went black.
-End Dream-
He could feel something moving through his hair as he woke up but it was calm and relaxing so he didn't mind it. He was about to slip back into sleep until he picked up on a few familiar voices. He slowly opened his eyes, shifting a bit as he groaned and began to sit up. The voices suddenly stopped and whatever was in his hair was removed. Once his vision cleared, his eyes immediately focused on Anzu, whom of which he realized was now sitting up and must've been the one running her hand through his hair.
"I see you've decided to wake up." She said gently.
He groaned again as he sat up and stretched. He felt a slight flush creep up on his cheeks when he saw that her friends, including Mokuba, were there.
"Are you feeling all right?" He asked.
"As good as I'll ever be for awhile." She replied, shrugging her shoulders.
"Are you sure?" He asked.
She nodded. "Mokuba said you had something to tell me." She continued, her features creasing with her frown of confusion.
Seto turned his head to glare at his little brother who looked away innocently.
"Ok we're gonna go get something to eat but we'll be back later." Mokuba announced. Taking the hint, the other guys followed.
Seto turned his head forward and, closing his eyes, sighed. 'I taught him well…too well." He thought.
"Did the doctor tell you yet?" He asked.
"Um…no, they said he hasn't come in yet. What did he said?" She asked.
"Well you…you lost the baby but you are still able to conceive." He told her.
"I had a feeling that I did when Marik stabbed me but it's good to know I can still have children." She replied.
There was a brief silence.
"Somehow I get the feeling that…that wasn't what Mokuba was referring to……was it?" She said.
He didn't answer her right away. "No…it wasn't."
"Then what was it?" She asked.
He sighed deeply, finding his hands to be more interesting as he played with the sheet. His actions worried her a bit.
"Is everything all right?" She asked worriedly.
"No…no everything's fine." He began.
"Do you know when I'm to be released?" She asked.
"Today." He answered then sighed again. 'If I don't tell her now…I may never get to again.' He thought.
"I would like it if you were to remain at the house and not go back to yours." He began.
"But Marik is gone, there's no reason left for me to hide there anymore." She said.
"No I know but…I want you there…with me…" He said.
Anzu's eyes widened slightly and she felt her face warm. She swallowed hard. "Um…what are you saying?" She whispered.
"I like you…I have for quite awhile now. But I wasn't going to force you to stay if you didn't want to." He explained.
When he looked up at her, he was surprised to see tears in her eyes. He stood up so he could sit beside her on the bed.
"Anzu what's wrong?" He asked as he began to look for any sign of injury.
"It's nothing really I'm fine…I just didn't know you felt that way." She replied as she pulled his hands away.
"Well I would think that it was pretty obvious. I wouldn't let just anybody stay in my house even for one night…much less live there." He paused and put a finger under her chin, lifting her head so her eyes looked into his. "Nor would I let them sleep in my bed because they had a nightmare. I've only done that with Mokuba." He told her.
She felt her blush deepen as she looked into his eyes so she dropped her gaze as feelings began to stir inside her.
"I'm sorry…everything's just been so messed up. I've been so confused on so much." She said.
"I know and I understand…and I promise you that I won't let anything happen to you ever again. I wish I could've been there to take care of Marik instead of you. You shouldn't have had to do that. It wasn't fair." He said as he pulled her into his arms.
"I know but it was something I had to do. If I hadn't done it…he'd still be alive." She said and as she did she started to cry and she clung to him tighter.
He knew she was thinking of Malik when she said that. A knock came at the door, startling them both and they moved apart.
"Miss Mazaki?" The doctor began.
"Yes?" She asked, wiping her face.
"I've come to tell you that everything checks out and you are free to leave whenever you wish." He told her.
"All right. Thank you doctor." She said, mustering up a small smile.
He nodded to them both and left, closing the door behind him.
"Seto?" He turned his head at her call
"I want to go home." She said.
"All right. I had Mokuba bring you a change of clothes when he came by this morning." He said as he set the bag on her lap.
"How did you know I would be coming home today?" She asked.
"I wasn't sure really. I just told the doctor that if everything was fine by the morning, I would be taking you home. I also told him there was a doctor on the grounds so if anything were to happen he would be able to take care of it." He answered.
"Oh ok." She replied.
"Well I'll leave you to get dressed. I'll be right outside." He said as he stood and kissed the top of her head and left.
-
For the next couple of weeks Anzu had to stay at home as she wasn't well enough to attend school just yet. During the day she would work on the project she and Seto still had. It was due a couple days after she was to return to school. So far she had everything typed up and printed out…now all she had to do was all of the other schoolwork. She was halfway through her math and Literature work by the time she looked at the clock. 'Mokuba and Seto will be home soon.' She thought. She felt her self smile and blush at the thought of him. Then berated herself for acting like such a schoolgirl. She was so wrapped up in her work and thoughts that she didn't hear the front door open nor did she hear the conversation and she certainly didn't see or hear Seto come up behind her and hug her, resulting in her letting loose an ear-piercing shriek.
"Anzu calm down it's just me." He said.
Anzu turned and smacked him on the arm. "Don'tdo that. You scared the hell out of me!" She exclaimed.
"I'm sorry." He chuckled as he kissed her forehead.
"So are you working hard or hardly working?" He asked.
"Both?" She answered as she looked up at him.
He laughed as he straightened.
"Why don't you put it away for tonight and go play with Mokuba. He's wanted to play you a game for awhile but I wouldn't let him because of your condition. I didn't want to overexert yourself." He told her.
"Hmm…that sounds good, I think I'll go do that." She agreed and began stacking her stuff, setting it beside the couch then she went upstairs to Mokuba's room.
Later that night Seto was sitting up in his bed with his laptop and a few documents while Anzu was beside him reading a book. She tried sleeping in her own room the first few nights after she came out of the hospital but after the nightmares started up again Seto concluded she would stay in his room. She was a bit uncomfortable as first, not used to sharing a bed with a guy (not counting that one night before) but her nightmares stopped and she gradually got used to it.
"When do you actually sleep?" came her sudden question.
"At night." He responded then smirked knowing she was glaring at him.
"Smartass." She muttered as she set her book on her nightstand then stood up from the bed and stretched.
"I meant are you going to go to sleep anytime soon?" She asked as she began unbuttoning the flannel she was wearing.
"Yes I will. What are you doing?" He asked in sudden alarm.
"I'm removing my shirt. It's a little warm for this in here and I have a smaller shirt underneath." She answered as she laid the flannel on the board at the end of the bed then got back in bed.
"Will you please out that away and go to sleep?" She requested a few moments later.
He sighed. "Is it bothering you?" He asked as he looked at her.
"Yes because it's keeping you from sleeping. KaibaCorp's not gonna crash in the few hours you used to sleep." She replied.
He opened his mouth slightly to reply but shut it. He knew she was right but he wanted to finish what he was doing. Somehow he knew he wasn't going to win this argument so he saved his files, shut down the computer and slid it under his bed along with the documents that were spread out between them and then turned out his light.
"Happy now?" He asked, trying to force as much false disdain as he could.
His answer was the back of her hand on his forehead. He raised a brow in curiosity.
"Hmm…no fever. There must be something wrong because you actually listened." She mused. He smirked then knocked her back onto the bed, making her squeal in surprise and he pinned her beneath him. Her eyes were wide as she wondered what he was doing. A light blush crept onto her cheeks as she could feel his gaze on her face. He played with a few nearby strands of her hair, twirling the locks around his finger. Then he leaned down, placing a soft kiss on her lips. He pulled back a bit then did it again to see what reaction he'd get. When he kissed her again, she opened her mouth for him and he slid his tongue inside, preparing to wrestle hers out. After a few minutes they pulled away and laid out on the bed. At first Anzu didn't curl up against him like she normally would so he rolled onto his side, moving closer to her and wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight against him. He rested his head against hers, his face lying in the junction of her neck and shoulder. He breathed in deep, savoring the scent of jasmine and lavender wafting from her hair and skin. He knew right then that he would never let her go.