Chapter 17

Evidence Doesn't Lie

Yugi was sound asleep on the pure white hospital bed. Yami and the gang laid around on top of mats on the floor. The room was quiet except for the singing of a couple of birds outside their window. The 5 year old slowly opened his eyes and turned his head towards the window. He smiled at a blue bird that sat on the window seal.

"Hi birdy. Pretty blue birdy." Yugi said softly. Alas heard he soft voice and opened her eyes. She grinned when she saw Yugi talking to the bird. Yugi then slowly sat up, propping himself with his arms, he looked around the room. He felt way better then he had last night.

"Good morning Yugi. Are you feeling any better?" Yugi turned his head towards the voice and smiled.

"Yep. All better." Alas smiled and stood up. She straightened her clothes and walked over to his bed. She sat down on the ledge and gently picked him up and placed him in her lap. "You had me scared, little one." She said hugging him close.

"I'm sorry." Alas smiled and rocked the small boy.

"It's ok. I'm just glad you're ok." Yugi smiled and hid his face in her shirt. Alas soothingly rubbed Yugi's back. She could feel the boy take in small breaths against her.

"When do we get to go home?" The muffled voice asked.

"I'm not sure. When ever the doctor says you're well enough." Yugi pulled back and looked up at Alas.

"I am all better." Alas caressed his smooth cheek and smiled.

"We just better make sure." Yugi nodded and leaned against her again. Alas laid down and held the now sleeping Yugi close. She had her arm around him and she would gently rub circles on his stomach. Humming softly she whiped some stray bangs out of his eyes.

A knock was heard.

"Hello? Ya in der Yami?" A voice came from behind the door. The blond slowly opened the door and smiled at the scene. "Aww...ain't that the cutest thing?" Joey said chuckling. This time Ryou and Yami were awoken by his laughter.

"Hm...Joey?" Yami asked.

"Hey der Yami. How are ya on this fine day?" Joey said smiling and helped Ryou and Yami stand. They both stretched and looked around the room. "I heard 'bout little Yug. Is he ok?" Yami smiled and nodded as he walked over to Alas and Yugi.

"I'm sure he is fine. He was just a little sick." Joey nodded and smiled.

"Guess what?"

"What?" Yami asked. Joey pulled out tapes from his bag. "What are those?"

"Der evidence tapes. It seems dat Yug's parents had some home videos. I'm supposed ta go over them and choose da ones dat will be used in da court. I thought you might want ta check them out with me." Yami smiled and nodded.

"Are you sure it's ok?"

"Yep already checked it out with da chief." Yami nodded.

"Yami?" Yami looked over at the bed. Alas had woken up.

"Morning. Have a good sleep?" Alas smiled and nodded.

"Has the doctor come yet?

"I don't think so." Alas nodded and looked down at the boy in her arms.

"When will this end?" She whispered. "He doesn't deserve this." She gently touched his cheek. "He's so young. What did he do to deserve this?" The gang smiled. Yugi moaned softly and snuggled closer to Alas. Yami chuckled and picked up his mat. Ryou picked up his jacket that had been tossed to the ground when they were helping Yugi.

"You don't have to stay here Ryou. I can take you home if you want." Yami said picking up Ryou's mat.

"No. No. I'd like to stay. I just want to make sure he's ok." Ryou said helping Yami with the mat. Yami smiled and nodded.

"You're a good friend." Ryou smiled.

"So are all of you." After they put away all the mats they sat around and talked about the case. Except for Alas who was holding Yugi.

"Good morning how are all of you?" The gang smiled and greeted the doctor. "Lets see how he's doing today." The doctor said walking over to the bed.

"Yugi? Time to wake up sleepy head." Alas said while gently shaking the child. Yugi groaned and rubbed his eyes with his tiny fists.

"Hey there little guy. How are you feeling?" Yugi looked up at Alas then back at the doctor.

"All better." He said softly. The doctor smiled. He took out his stethoscope and placed it under Yugi's shirt and over his heart. Yugi shivered. "It's cold." The doctor chuckled and pulled it back. He placed his hand over it and warmed it up. Then he placed it back over Yugi's heart.

"How's that?" Yugi smiled and nodded. "Ok Yugi can you breath in for me?" Yugi took a deep breath in and let it out. "I think you are almost cleared up."

"What is that? Yugi asked fingering the scope. The doctor chuckled and took it out of his ears. He then handed them to Yugi.

"Place them in your ears." Yugi did it. "What do you hear?"

"Thumping." The doctor nodded.

"That's your heart beat." Yugi looked up at him.

"Really?" The doctor nodded.

"Do you want to listen to mine?" Yugi nodded eagerly. The doctor chuckled and placed the metal over his heart. Yugi giggle as he heard the beating.

"It sounds the same as mine." Yugi said handing him the tool.

"Yep that's what every healthy person's sounds like." The gang smiled at the boy and the doctor. "He sounds really good. I'll give you a prescription that he will have to take. If there are any problems or if he starts throwing up again and can't keep the medicine down please call me." The gang nodded. The doctor removed the I.V. and stood up. "Oh yeah and he should be able to start eating more solid foods. Start slow and I'm sure he'll be just fine." The doctor said smiling and ruffled the boy's hair. "Good bye." The gang said there good bye's and they set up to leave. Yami picked up the boy and they headed to the front desk to sign him out. Once they singed him out they gathered in the car. Joey got into his saying he would drive over there after a quick stop at the pharmacy to pick up Yugi's medicine. Ryou and Yugi sat next to each other and were talking about certain topics. Once they reached the house Yugi opened the door and raced out.

"Yugi I want you to take it easy. If you start to feel bad again tell us ok?" Yami said to the hyper child. Yugi nodded and grabbed Ryou's hand tugging him away from the gang. Yami and Alas smiled as they made there way inside. Ryou smiled as he grabbed Yugi around the waste and pulled him to the ground.

"Ahhh...No the monster's got me!" The laughed and played in their front yards. Joey pulled up into Yami's drive way and smiled at Yugi and Ryou. "Hi Uncle Joey! Want to play with uncle Ryou and me?" Yugi asked.

"Maybe later I have ta show Yami these tapes." Yugi nodded and resumed play with his new 'uncle'.

"Hello Joey."

"Hey Yami. Here is da medicine for Yug." He said handing him a bottle.

"Thanks a bunch." Yami said placing it into the kitchen.

"No problem. Do ya want ta watch da tapes?" Yami nodded. Alas, Yami, and Joey sat around the t.v. Joey placed the first one in.

"Hey Danny honey why don't you go get mommy the wrapping paper?" A small boy, around the age of 5, ran into another room. Crying was heard. "When will that little bastard shut up!" The mother shouted obviously angry.

"I always tell you the only way to teach an idiot is to beat it into them." James said standing up. He left the room. The crying continued until a slapping sound was heard. The wails got louder until everything was quiet. "There." The man said whiping his hands together. "He should be out for a good couple of hours."

"Here you go mommy." The boy said.

"Thank you sweat heart." She said taking the paper.

"Mommy can I use the video camera thingy?"

"Ok but don't run the battery we are taping Christmas." The boy nodded and took the camera from his uncle, who was taping, and ran into another room. A giggling was heard from the boy holding the camera.

Yami fast forward through the rest since it was just the boy taping various things. Joey placed in a new tape.

The camera was looking out a window.

"Miss?" A small voice was heard.

"What now you stupid bastard?"

"Can I have a piece of bread?" The camera turned towards the voices. An even smaller form of Yugi was on it. He had a split lip and bruises all up and down his small body. He only wore tattered cloths which showed his thin form.

"No! Now get back down to the basement."

"Pwez...it's sew...cwold...an-and me sew...hungy..." The woman slapped the boy. Yugi's small form tumbled to the ground and looked up at the mother. He whimpered when she raised her hand.

"Go! You stupid bastard!" Yugi hurriedly got up and ran out of the room.

"That's my wife!"

The camera went blank. Yami fast forwarded it until some one popped on to the screen.

"Tell them how old you are." The boy on the screen nodded.

"I'm 6 and I'm starting kindergarten today."

"That's right. Mommy's little boy is growing up so fast." Danny, who was on the screen, nodded. "You stupid bastard get up here!" The woman shouted. Yugi raced into the room, from the basement, and stood in front of the mother. She gave the camera to her husband. Then she roughly grabbed the small child. "Look at this stop in the floor! God dammit!" She shoved him to the ground. "Does that look clean?" Yugi attempted to shake his head while it was being press against the rough carpet. "CLEAN IT UP!" The camera was diverted to Danny, who was trying to get attention.

"Noo...pweez st-stwop!" A slapping was heard. Screams filled the air.

Yami's fist tightened as he listened to another slapping sound and more of the child's screams in pain.

"Damn..." He growled.

"Why? How could anyone do this?"

"I only have one more tape. The rest are in my office." They nodded and Joey popped it in.

"Look! I got him at the orphanage today!" The woman shouted holding a bundle in her arms.

"What is his name dear?" The man holding the camera asked.

"Yugi." The camera focused on the small infant sleeping in the light blue blanket.

"Danny! Come here daddy has something to show you!" A small boy walked into the room. When he saw he's dad video taping he hid. The man chuckled. "Come here sport." The boy came slowly behind the wall and timidly walked towards the man. "Look here. This will be your younger brother, Yugi."

Everyone smiled as they showed another close up on the small infant. The small infant slowly opened his eyes and yawned.

"Look at him." Alas gasped in wonder. "He is perfect. How can anyone look into his eyes and hurt him?" Yami paused the screen. This beautiful baby boy on the screen is the same child he saw huddled on his front porch. He might not be alive if he hadn't seen him. This small baby is the perfect little boy playing in his front yard. This perfect little boy is the same child that suffered years of abuse.

The screen changed.

An infant cried in the back ground.

"Shhh...don't fear little brat. My friends wanted me to show them my child...now I'll show them everything." A drunken slurred voice came on. The camera swayed. Then he set the camera down so it faced the whole room. The room was dark except for three candles. The man lifted the child from the crib. "Shut up." He whispered. He grabbed his small sock and shoved it into the baby's mouth. He slowly peeled off the infants pajamas. The child whimpered and cringed from the man. Bruises and cuts were all over the small body. He moved his hands over the smooth skin of the child and chuckled when saw the infant's tears. "It's ok. Your daddy will make everything go away..." He pulled off the infant's dipper. "You're mine..."

Yami stopped the tape.

"No!" He stood up. This wasn't happening. They said there was no sign of sexual abuse. They couldn't of hurt Yugi that way. How? Why? An infant! Ra! A small defenseless infant! Alas stared at the screen in disbelief. Tears blurred her vision. Joey looked just as shocked. Yami ran outside. "Yugi!" Yugi turned and look to see who called his name. Yami ran over to him and hugged him close.

"Yami? What's wrong?" Yami pulled Yugi back and looked at him. His eyes, his innocent eyes. Yugi looked into Yami's crimson eyes and saw tears trailing down his face. Yugi reached up and whiped away his tears. "Don't be sad." Yugi said about ready to cry himself.

"No shhh...It's ok...I'm ok...everything's ok..." Yami said soothingly never wanting to see Yugi shead another tear. He pressed Yugi's over his heart. 'Yes everything is ok. They WILL pay.' (Hey I rhymed!)

I hoped you liked it! yeah errr...REVIEW!

Sorry about the bold on the last chappie! If you want me to take it off then tell me.

Thank you Sami Ryou's Hikari for the great poem. I'm really glad you like my writing. Thanks for the medal here I'll give you...looks around the room my last cookie! Enjoy!

Thanks to ...

Animefreak54

Mobileholmes

Hikari Skysong

Neverland's Sparrow

Love athrun

DragonHeart7-Thank you I hope you have a great spring break as well!

Daisy

Suekosa

and for everyone else that reviewed! I luv you all!