Chapter 3:
Five Days: Home Sweet home

Serenity quickly took home Sakura and the suitcase after gathering herself together from the ground. She let Sakura do all the carrying of the case. She didn't dare touch it for it gave her too many memories to cooperate with.

The car ride home was silent while Serenity's face watched the blur of trees and bushes fly past from the window. She was confused beyond all. Come to think of it, she has never been this confused in her life. Of course she got confused at who was going to take over Kaiba Corp., but Serenity and Mokuba figured that out he would take over until Sakura reached the age of eighteen; then she will take over the billion dollar making company.

Discomfort came to Serenity as she sat in the car. It felt like the whole world was against her since Seto's death. First Sakura was born without a father to grow up among. Joey and Mai had finally gotten married and lived a happy life...but the downfall: He moved to America for a college degree at Harvard University. Who knew he was that smart?

Serenity smiled to herself. She would have loved to see the demise and anger in Seto's face once he realized Joey was going to one of the top ranking schools in America. The once grin that appeared on Serenity's face left when she realized that he was gone...And that she'll never see the face that will want to kill Joey for actually doing something with his life.

Tea and Yugi moved to New York so Tea could fulfill her dream as a dancer. Yugi had also had a growing spree and now reached above Tea's height. Unfortunately for Yugi, he got into dancing as well and was accepted to the same University as Tea. Together, they made a good couple...and not to mention a great dancing couple!

After Joey, Tristan had actually joined the FBI in America too. Serenity hasn't seen him in almost four years or his number one question: (How about you ditch the arrogant jerk and go out with me?). He always asked her this whenever they met. But the last time was for the funeral of her husband...He never once mentioned the question and she didn't think he will ever ask again since he too got married to a girl name Amanda.

She frowned at the name of Amanda. The two never got along with each other. She remembered the first meeting they had; it was about five years ago before Serenity knew she was pregnant with Kaiba's daughter.

"Good evening Mrs. Kaiba...and let me say you look lovely tonight." Tristan greeted Serenity at the door of the Kaiba mansion as Kaiba sat angrily at the back of the living room where everyone would be. Serenity blushed the same crimson red as her silky spaghetti strap dress that fell just below her knees. Her matching high heels made her taller than she really was which a great advantage was because she was almost the same height as Kaiba while wearing them.

Serenity decided it was about time to have a reunion before all of them left on their separate ways. That meant that Joey was going to be there too which Kaiba wasn't as happy as Serenity would have hoped.

"Why hello Tristan...I believe that this will be the last time I'll see you..." Serenity's face fell when she mentioned the thought.

"No...We'll see each other again... Oh, I almost forgot! This..." He motioned behind him as a woman of his age appeared beside him in the moonlight of outside. Her black dress illuminated her blue eyes and blond hair. She linked arms with Tristan as they both stepped into the house. "...Is Amanda, my fiancé."

Serenity's eyes widened at the woman before her. Jealousy crossed her face but disappeared as fast as it had come. "It's nice to meet you." Serenity held out her hand to Amanda before walking them to meet the CEO of Kaiba Corp.

Amanda stood beside Tristan and stared at the hand Serenity held out to her. She looked at it with disgust, "Pleasure." She sneered with disapproval as she watched Serenity drop her hand and motioned for them to follow her to the living room.

The rest of the night was filled with laughs from Joey, Tristan and Ryou. Who would have though Ryou to become one of the comedic types?

Yugi and Tea had the night to celebrate, for Yugi had the bliss of purposing to the young brunette.

Bakura? Well he was a different story. He and Yami had the night with anger and fighting over the smallest thing, until someone spilled wine all over the two. That shut them up and surprisingly...they became friends and left for Egypt the next day to find out more about their past. Interesting: is what everyone said that night.

The whole night made Serenity happy. Seto Kaiba even had a good time after he got drunk and was actually able to communicate with Joey without arguing about something. But one thing made Serenity uneasy the entire night: Amanda. She kept starting her down until Tristan and she retired the night to go home. But before the woman left she replied to Serenity before leaving the house forever. Her words etched its way into Serenity's mind before she had the courage to forget it with Kaiba's help.

Amanda walked up to Serenity in the round parking lot of the Kaiba mansion. "It was nice to meet you Amanda." Serenity curtsied before the blond. "And thanks for coming."

Rolling her eyes, Amanda replied, "Tristan always talked about you...but by the way he commented things, I always knew you were a bimbo...or whore in other words. You were just out for his money. And we all know it."

She left Serenity marooned in the dust as she got into Tristan's car and he drove off not knowing what she had said to Serenity. No one had ever called her that before. It was the first time and how could she forget something like that? Serenity was trembling in anger before Seto had come and calmed her down. He had heard everything and tried to convince her to forget it.

All Serenity wanted was her husband back. Was that so much to ask for? It would complete her life and the life of her daughter's. The one wish she wanted, she knew would never come true.

But she never knew how wrong she was...

The ride home jerked to a stop before Serenity unbuckled the now sleeping form of her daughter. She got out of the car with Sakura in one arm trying to balance with the suitcase in the other. She had finally gotten the courage from her the sleeping girl in her arms to tangle with touching it. Serenity looked up at the Victorian Mansion before her, "Home sweet home." She thought.

It felt like one-hundred stairs leading up to Sakura's room as she quietly as possible took on step after another to get to the top.

Serenity finally reached Sakura's room and gently laid her on the bed of purple sheets. She quietly lifted the covers and covered the little girl, so she could sleep peacefully. Serenity smiled to herself and made her way to her own room. It used to be occupied by two human beings but, one of them was no longer with the family.

She opened the door and stood in the entrance of the doorway, engulfing the sight before her. The same bed that she had slept in with her husband at her side was cleanly made. The same dresser that her husband used was still in the same spot. She hadn't had the confidence to get rid of it. The same desktop that Seto Kaiba used to have papers and contracts all over was cleaned, but had the same pens and pencils on it. Even the same stapler was still there.

Serenity walked over to the desk and put the suitcase on top before trotting over to the bed and hopping onto it. Exhaustion hit her like a wave of salt water. She closed her eyes while listening to the still full silence of the room.

Birds chirped outside along with the leaves that wrestled to fall off the tress. Autumn was coming but the dreadful coldness of winter was coming too.

The unburned haired girl listened to the sounds outside before a faint whispered entered her straining ears, "Wakeup my love."

His voice... His voice seemed to have a soothing melody to it. A thin smile appeared on her lips while she held her eyes closed. She didn't want this dream to end. That is, if it was a dream. Tears lined her closed eyes; she hadn't heard his voice in such a long time, it sounded almost heavenly. Serenity knew she wasn't dreaming when she heard it again, "Serenity...wakeup."

She felt something on her cheek before opening her eyes. Chocolate orbs met depressed sapphire eyes for a split second.

ME: well I guess we can say "freaky"! REVIEW PLEEEeeZ!

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