This fanfic was originally written by my friend and all the credit goes to her. I'm just posting it for her because she can't find time to post it.

Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh does not belong to Sandra. The only characters that she has rights to are Sandra Castro and Maura Matataki.

Chapter Twenty One

Sandra watched as Seto walked away. Walked away from her life and left her there to face her problems on her own.

She still saw a tiny glimpse of him walking down the dark street with Mokuba. Then she yelled, "You know what? Fine! Leave! I don't want you here anyway! Watch! You'll come back crawling! Crawling on your knees!" She dropped on her knees, started sobbing and said quietly to herself, "How can you leave me like this Seto?"

Yami quickly went over to her and comforted her. He hugged her and held her close. "It's going to be alright," he assured her, "Everything's going to be fine."

Feeling safe, Sandra stopped crying. "I know," she said, "I just wish I didn't feel so crappy now... Thank you... for everything."

Maura came by Sandra's side as she got up. "Are you okay?" Maura asked.

"You! Don't even talk to me!" Sandra yelled.

Maura seemed shocked and confused, "What did I do?"

"You can't be serious with that question! You ruined my life! You gave me all this information on my life, you didn't stop Marik sooner, you keep trying to interpret my love life, and thanks to you

my relationship with Seto is gone because of a story you told him about his past life. Need I go on?"

"Well, it's not like I did them on purpose... actually, some of them were on purpose. But I really think you should be thanking me too. I opened up Seto's mind, which is something that you always

wanted. I revealed the secrets of your childhood that you've been carrying on your shoulders since you were small. And yes, I could've stopped Marik sooner, but at least I did stop him. Now, you don't have to thank me... you have more important things to do like seeing your dad."

Sandra had completely forgotten about her father until now. She walked to get the remote that was on the floor. Then she said in a grateful voice, "Thank you Maura... and I'm sorry..."

"It's alright," she said to her.

Sandra saw instructions of where her father was being kept on the back of the remote. Apparently, he's in a room in the warehouse. 'Does that mean he heard everything that happened?' Sandra said, feeling a little insecure. Her father is not one to believe in ancient magic,

let alone hearing it in the next room. She sighed and began walking to the room when Marik suddenly regained consciousness.

"What happened?" he said, having no clue of what he did.

Maura walked towards him. "You were being possessed by the dark forces of the Millennium Rod again," she said as she helped him up. "Don't worry though, I took care of everything."

"Really? Thanks. What did you do?" Marik asked.

"I gave the Rod to Seto Kaiba, of course."

Anger and confusion was suddenly written all over Marik's face. "You what! How could you! The Rod belongs within the Ishtar family!"

"Yes, but it rightfully belong to Se-"

Before Maura could finish her sentence, Marik was at her. He kicked her, but Maura quickly dodged it. Marik then tried to punch her, but she grabbed his arm as it came towards her and twisted it. Marik screamed in pain.

"I'm not going to let go until you learn to behave!" Maura told him, "We're not kids anymore... you can't solve all your problems by sheer violence."

Marik screamed once more before saying, "Alright! Fine! I'll stop just let me go!"

Maura let go of Marik's arm. He rubbed his arm and apologized to her.

"Thanks," Maura said, "but I'm not the one you should be apologizing to." Maura looked at Sandra, hinting to Marik that he should apologize to her. Marik as caused Sandra a heap of hurt and the least he can do is say...

"I'm sorry,"

Sandra looked into Marik's eyes. There was no doubt that he really was sorry. His eyes were filled with regret and that's something Sandra can relate to. There was also something else in Marik's eyes that Sandra didn't quite notice to, but Maura did. Since he regained consciousness, Marik has had a sort of attraction towards Sandra. She felt completely enraged and jealous at the moment and tried her best to let it go, but then as Sandra walked towards the door that leads to her father, she tripped. Marik quickly caught her before she could hit the ground. He helped her up and held her for a while.

"I think she's alright now," Yami told him, in a protective voice.

Marik seemed to get back to his senses and let her go.

"Thanks for catching me," Sandra said, "I'll try to be careful next time."

"Maybe if you weren't so damn clumsy this wouldn't have happened in the first place." Maura thought out loud, but it was too loud. Apparently, everyone heard.

"What's that suppose to mean?" Sandra asked impatiently.

Maura tried her best to ignore it, but she bursted out with, "You just fell on purpose! You that was not accidental and that you wanted Marik to catch you like he did! Well, guess what! He's not interested so just back off!"

Everyone stared in astonishment. It was dead silent. Sandra didn't dare speak a word because she knew that once she got started, it'll be hard to stop. Accusing her of trying to steal

Marik? That's ridiculous! She just lost her boyfriend and she's not the type of girl who goes on the rebound to the next guy she sees.

Marik was really surprised. 'Why would she say that?' he thought to himself. 'She never gets that defensive unless she wants something for herself... no! Wait- no, it can't be what I'm

thinking because what I'm thinking is just not possible unless that's actually what she's thinking.'

As Marik got lost in his own trail of thoughts, Maura finally spoke, "I am so sorry about that," she looked at Sandra, but she was also talking to Marik. "Forget I even said anything... it was just a stupid outburst that came out of nowhere. Forgive me."

"Were you saying what I thought you were saying?" Marik asked her. "Because what I'm thinking couldn't have possibly been what you were saying because it would be just weird, wouldn't it?"

"Umm... what?"

"Oh come on, don't fool me. I've known you since we were kids. You never get as defensive like you did then unless you wanted something for yourself. Maura, how do you really feel about me?"

The question hit Maura hard. She looked into his eyes again and there was no sign of his attraction towards Sandra. All she saw in his eyes was her. "I- I-" she started saying, "Well, for a while now... I've starting feeling- actually they're more like thoughts... " Maura clears her throat. "I've been thinking about..."

Marik shushed her. He knew exactly what she was thinking and he knew exactly what she was going to say. "Me too," he told her. They hugged for a while, but then Maura quickly let go and turned to Sandra. "Now go see your father and stop letting us distract you. Marik and I have to go home, and don't worry, we'll take care of Noah."

Yami nodded in agreement. Sandra was about to take the ultimate step of her life. she just wished she didn't feel so empty inside. Hopefully, her father can fill the void that Seto left.

Maura and Marik left and they took Noah with them. Sandra was alone in the warehouse with Yami.

"Do you want me to stay," asked Yami, "Or would you prefer if I left?"

"I think it's best if I do this on my own."

"Alright, but know that I'm always here if you need me."

Sandra hugged Yami and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I know you are, and thank you."

Yami stared as Sandra walked into one of the rooms in the warehouse, then he left. Sandra stepped into the room. It was empty. There was another door in front of her. She tried opening it, but it was locked. She pushed the button on the remote and the door unlocked. Her heart raced. This is the day she hoped one day would come. She opened the door and inside was an old man. Time had not been kind to him. He sat at the far end corner.

"Dad?" Sandra said quietly.

"Sandra? Is that you?" said a deep raspy voice.

He got up very slowly. Sandra ran up to him and hugged him. She was so happy that she cried. Her father, however, seemed less enthusiastic.

"It's been so long!" Sandra said to him.

"Sandra... what the hell?"

"Excuse me?"

Her father's expression was hard to read. It was like he was sad, but self-confident. "I heard all the commotion that went on out there... can you explain what happened? Who were those people and why did they kidnap me?"

How was Sandra suppose to respond to that? Does she dare tell him that she was involved with magic, evil sorcerers, and a terrible break-up? "It's... complicated," she ended up saying.

"Are you in some sort of trouble? Because I don't want any part of this."

"Damn it! Would you just let me explain! Gosh! You haven't seen me in forever and the first thing you think is that I'm in trouble!" she bursted out.

"Don't yell at me!" he said to her firmly, "I am your father! You need to show your respect!"

"MY RESPECT! YOU ARE NOT MY FATHER! How DARE you! I come here wanting to catch up with you and you YELL at me!"

"I AM your father!"

"Fathers don't abandon their children!"

"They do if that child ruined their life!"

Sandra kept yelling. She could not stop. He couldn't stop either. She couldn't believe what was happening. So many years she waited for this moment, and for what? So she can scream her lungs out in anger? This wasn't the reunion she had planned. She doesn't want this. Why did she even bother trying to find her father? She didn't want him, she didn't need him... she had everything she could ever want. An awesome mom, a cool dad, and amazing friends. You know what...?

"Screw you!" Sandra said to him. She turned around and started walking out the door. her father stopped her.

"Don't you dare walk out on me!" he said to her, "Not until you tell me what the hell is going on! I have a right to know what's happening!"

"I don't have to tell you a damn thing. You know... I can walk out on you if I want... don't I have the right to do so? I mean, you did it to me, why can't I do it to you? I don't even know why I

bothered to help you out. You don't give a damn about me, and I don't need you! You want to know the truth about me? After you left, I was at the orphanage when I was 6. I then ran away from there, spent 4 years with a family that had inhumanly powers. Afterwards, my parents adopted me, took me to Egypt where i found a 5,000 year old artifact that had hidden powers, we moved here to the city of Domino, I had a boyfriend named Seto Kaiba, I found out my artifact had a spirit inside it who now shares a mind with me, and the two guys who kidnapped you were trying to get my artifact to use it for evil."

Sandra was practically out of breath, but she felt so relieved o get all of that off of her chest. She didn't notice it right away, but an awkward silence filled the room. The tension could be cut with a knife.

"Well, I'm sure you'll be happy to know that Seto and I broke up due to... uh... violent complications. Anyhow, it's all over now so you can go home. Eat, sleep, watch TV, and I'm sure that beer isn't going to drink itself. So... um... yeah, bye! Nice meeting you!"

Again, Sandra was walking out the door, but her father stopped her. "What do you want from me? What did you except you would get? Approval? Respect?"

Sandra paused. She waited, waited for the right answer to come to her. Finally she said, "It doesn't matter what I wanted. It was all an illusion. To have an illusion is to spoil the mind with untrue and superficial thoughts. I now know that's not for me... goodbye father. I hope the next time we meet we'll both be in better places in our lives."

She left him there. She walked of the warehouse and into the street. What to do now but to go home. But not alone. A friend would be nice right about now. Yami? No, Sandra felt like she bothered him enough as it is. Besides, she had someone else in mind.

Down the street and around the corner, she saw the building she was looking for. She goes in and gets in the elevator. To the top floor she goes, to the office in the corner. She knocks and goes in the office.

"Seto?"

He was sitting in his chair typing on his laptop. "Sandra! Wha- What are you doing here? You should be home right now... did you.. uh... how did it go with your father?"

Sandra quickly ran up to him and kissed him passionately. "I don't want him, I don't need him. All I want and need is my parents, my friends, and you."

"Sandra, you know why we can't be together."

"Oh, don't be a wuss. I can take care of myself since you can't take care of me."

"It's not just that... you're meant to be with Yugi."

She sighed and gave Seto a hug. "I love YOU, not Yugi. Yes, we were meant to be 5,000 years ago, but times have changed. Fate changes over time for the better. I love you now and forever will in this lifetime."

They kissed once more and then just held each other. Maybe destiny CAN change. She wasn't meant to find her father, she was meant to avoid him. She was meant to find the Millennium Item, to be adopted by her parents, to move to Domino City, to meet Seto when she was 6. There are so many mysteries revolving around her life, but she's glad Seto is now by her side helping her through it all.

Well that's it for this story. It is now completed. I will still accept reviews for it though. I will also pass the reviews onto Sandra. Thank you for reading and reviewing. There will be another story based off this one that I will write. So I hope you want to read that one as well. I would like to thank HakuTenshi for reviewing also would like to thank Shadowed Darkside for her excellent reviews and her support by reading this story. As for you other readers, you need to review.. I only got 2 reviews for Chapter Twenty.