Chapter 14: Bonding Time

November 2011

Atem looked up as Hali entered the living room, Sammie on one arm, a diaper bag on the other and the kids in tow. "You leaving me?" he raised an eyebrow.

"No Atem, I'm not leaving you. Luna just messaged me and wants to have a girls day so I thought I would take the kids to get them out of your hair." Hali lied and giggled.

Oh good, I was wondering whether the begging needed to start." Atem smiled.

"Atem! Oh look, what a total surprise Loretta & Marik are here" Hali said feigning surprise & shaking her head at Atems statement

"Did you set this up?" Atem narrowed his eyes at his wife. "That my sister would just 'show' up as you were leaving? You must be desperate to get us together. You could have just told me the truth."

"No honey I had no idea she was coming." Hali blushed waving her hands in front of her face. "Come on, kids, lets go. We should let Daddy and Auntie Loretta catch up." Hali giggled nervously backing out the door.

"Has it really been that long?" Atem asked as he looked up at his sister.

"Nice to see you too, Pharaoh." Loretta teased with a giggle.

"How's your pregnancy going?" Atem gestured to her now very visible bump.

"Not bad, considering I'm due in four months." Loretta huffed.

"Come get your feet up. If you're anything like Hali, you're feet must be kiling you."

"Thanks, yea my feet are a little sore. It was worse with the twins."

Atem scooted over to give her room. "What are we going to do while she's 'having a girls day'?"

"You know that was a lie right?" Loretta said giving Atem a knowing look.

"Oh right, I didn't do the air quotes." Atem made air quotes, grinning. "When you showed up it was really fishy."

"Excuse me, am I not allowed to come and visit my only Brother?" Loretta said folding her arms across her chest and glaring at him slightly.

"You are, but she doesn't have to lie about it. I may not have been born yesterday but I know when I'm being duped into something. She didn't need to go through all that effort to get us together."

"Maybe not, but all of your friends can see that you need a break. I know you love your family, Atem, but you and I both know that we need to spend some time together. You've been so wrapped up in this whole Bakura thing that I sometimes think I don't have a brother anymore" Loretta said sadly.

Atem looked down at his hands. "You don't understand how evil he is, Loretta. He almost destroyed the world years ago. It was only the efforts of my friends that helped me defeat him."

"I didn't have to be there to see how evil he was, look what he did to Marik." Loretta said, balling her fist. "Anyone that is evil enough to make someone as sweet as my husband go that crazy, I'd hate to see what else he capable of."

Atem looked up at her, eyes haunted. "He thought he got past that only to have it brought to the surface again in the worst possible way. Thinking he lost you. That's why I realized how much he loves you. That the idea of losing you drove the worst of him out of it. Reminds me of when I lost Yugi..."

"Im so sorry Atem, that must have been really hard for you. I've heard from the others about what happened that day and I wish I could've been there to help you." Loretta said placing her hand on his knee.

Atem gave her a weak smile. "I appreciate it. And I'm sorry for what Bakura did to you. Can we talk about something happier? This isn't helping my mood."

"It's not your fault, you did everything you could." Loretta smiled at her Brother and the giggled. "sure, sorry about that. So how are you liking Fatherhood?"

Atem grinned, enjoying the change of topic. "It's easier some days than others. Have I told you Sammie's psychic?"

"No, when did that happen?" Loretta said looking very surprised.

"At breakfast back in September. She touched me and I got an image in my head. It could only have come from her."

"Maybe she's picked something up from when you and Yugi were together."

"Maybe. That would explain it. We did have a connection. We have a sense for each other's emotions now but that's it."

"I really wish I could have seen you back then. You made some really great friends. I'm so proud of you Atem."

"Yeah, well, you being there would have been nice. I didn't know a thing about my Egypt connection other than there was one. I didn't mean Seth until I was going through my memories."

"I've heard about that too. Marik and I have been talking to Ishizu recently and she has filled me in on a lot of things that I never even knew." Loretta smiled.

"I wish I could have experienced the memory of you, not just remembered it. You know what I mean? My memories feel like I'm just remembering them rather than that I experienced them."

"I wish you could have been there too and remembered more of our childhood. Even though you were crown Prince you always made time for me some times to Fathers displeasure." Loretta giggled.

Atem smiled. "We were close?"

"We did everything together, even to the point of scaring the living Ra out of Mahad when he came looking for you."

"Maybe we can make new memories. Ones I'll remember fondly." Atem smiled. "Deal?"

"Deal. And you better not forget because now that back Im going to be keeping my sapphire eyes on you Atem Motou." Loretta giggled.