AN:
AN: Hey, it's been a while since I've updated. School is finally almost over! Woot! However, finals is next week… . Oh, well. Study hard, everyone with finals, and good luck!
Thanks to…
dragonlady222: Kaia is brave! I like her character in this story - And yes, you're right. Bakura needs to face his fears and do something about his father…though his father is scary. Thanks for reviewing! You were first! Woot!
The Vampire Prince: I liked the idea of the girl finding Ryou, too! And about Bakura…well, we'll see. Thank you for leaving a comment!
ONIX-21: I liked the part of Ryou being an angel, too! And yes, they're going to miss him… O.O Turn back, Bakura! Turn back! Thanks for the review!
bookworm3213: …They're going to miss each other. I find this part sad, too… Poor Ryou and Bakura. Thanks for commenting!
Bakura666: Haha, I'm glad you like the suspense and thrills! I finally found some time to sit down and write (not really – I have like, ten short essays due in three days that I have to start soon, lol) this chapter. Thank you for the review!
brunnehild: I'm happy to hear you like the story! And thank you so much for leaving so many reviews - I love hearing peoples' comments! Please continue to read on, and thanks for all the comments!
I Love Everything: School's going a bit better… Finals is next week, so I'm going to have to study like crazy this week. And then…SUMMER! Woot! And indeed – how will Bakura save Ryou now? Thank you for the review!
HikaritoYaminoKageJigoku: A new reader! Yay! Thank you for commenting. I can't wait to see what happens to Ryou and Bakura, too! Though they're going to miss each other… O.O
FlyingShadow666: Yup! Yup! It's Ryou! (And I'm glad you love the story! Ah, makes me happy -) Thank you for commenting!
Chapter Twenty Four: Fear
Father Josiah didn't believe in angels. At least, not in ones that supposedly appeared in the modern world today. He believed in the angels mentioned in the bible, in the angels the Lord God had in his court in Heaven, but not in the angels on the earth.
At least, not until he saw the crippled form of a snow-haired child lying next to the tracks of the shinkansen.
"Oh, my," the pastor breathed, stunned into silence at the broken beauty of the boy.
"Hurry, Father!" Kaia called, sprinting on ahead and kneeling next to the fallen child. "He won't wake up!"
Shaking himself out of his stupor, the pastor quickly joined the girl in trying to lift the angel up. A small groan escaped from the boy as Father Josiah hefted the kid into his arms.
"He's hurt, isn't he, Father Josiah?" Kaia asked worriedly, trailing right behind the pastor as the man hurried back into town. The man of God didn't answer as he studied the boy's form, calculating the damage done to his legs.
"Kaia, I need you to run to the soup kitchen and tell them that I can't make it today," the pastor quietly said.
The girl silently looked from the boy to the pastor, and back again. "I'll be right over to help you, Father," the girl sternly promised. Then, with a nod, she sprinted off as the heavyset pastor set a steady pace for home.
"I'll need to splint his left leg, and check for any broken ribs," the pastor mumbled to himself, his mind racing. "And fever reducers… If only I knew how long he's been like this."
With the thought of the importance of haste crossing his mind, Father Josiah pushed his weary legs even harder. He wanted to get home as soon as possible, to help mend this angel God had sent him.
Bakura forced down the urge to throw up as he stepped off the train, now in Tokyo. He felt his heart flutter in fear as the voice of his father echoed in his mind, mocking him. Get a grip, and calm down, Bakura reprimanded himself. As Marik and Malik joined him on the platform, he tried to breathe slowly. It was hard, since fear kept making his heart beat faster and faster.
"So where to?" Marik asked cautiously, watching Bakura carefully.
Bakura forced his face into a blank expression as he quietly murmured, "My dad's house."
Without another word, Bakura launched headfirst into the crowds of milling people, leading the way out of the station. Marik and Malik hurried after him, trying to keep the wild mane of wild hair in view.
For some reason, Malik couldn't shake off the feeling that something was dreadfully wrong. Bakura hadn't said a word on the train, and he seemed quite moody. Which is understandable, a part of his mind argued. He's lost his little brother. Malik felt a wave of irritation rise in his chest as he tried to tell himself that there was something more. Bakura was acting like…
Like he was running from something.
Malik finally caught up to Bakura outside the station, and placed a hand on the teen's shoulder. "Bakura, I've got a question," he started.
Bakura gave him one blank stare, and Malik suddenly lost the urge to speak. He sharply inhaled before turning away from the teen and stumbling away to hail a taxi. That void expression…Malik knew that something was terribly wrong.
Marik watched his brother struggle to get a taxi. He had seen the dead look on Bakura's face, and also knew that something was up. However, he wasn't sure whether or not he had a right to know. Would Bakura get angry if he asked him what was wrong? Would Bakura even tell him? Or would Bakura stalk off, leaving the two Egyptian brothers on the own in the middle of an unknown city?
A squeal of tires brought Marik back to the present. Shaking his head, the older twin quickly ushered Bakura into the cab before getting in himself.
"Where to?" the driver asked, as Malik slipped into the shotgun seat.
Bakura was silent for a moment, staring straight ahead. He could feel Marik and Malik waiting for him to spill the location. I could not tell them where it is, Bakura thought halfheartedly. Then I wouldn't have to face him again…Bakura grounded his teeth as he knew he was just , Bakura murmured the address of his house, and the driver took off.
Ryou… Bakura tried to keep his thoughts centered around his brother, but he was struggling. The slick face of the man he hated kept popping up into his vision, sneering. It was constantly saying, "I knew you'd come back to me." A shiver crawled down Bakura's spine as he tried to focus on the intention of his return.
Just grab Ryou and get of there.
But would he be able to do just that? Knowing his father, Ryou wasn't going to be given to him on a silver platter. Trying to swallow the lump in his throat, Bakura anxiously clenched and unclenched his fists.
Each second this cab kept moving, the closer he was getting to his father. The closer he was getting to that inhumane beast. His body started to tremble as his mind recalled things he didn't want to remember.
It was getting harder to breathe now. Bakura tightened his jaw, feeling his teeth meld together. Suddenly, a warm hand clasped Bakura's clenched fist.
With surprise evident on his face, Bakura glanced up at Marik.
"Calm down, will you? Nothing bad is going to happen. Ryou will be fine."
Very slowly, the words started to sink in. Bakura felt his body loosen as tension fled. Nothing bad is going to happen… I have to believe that. Bakura exhaled in a controlled manner as he reigned in his fears and tried to crush them.
Too soon, the taxi came to a stop and a new wave of fear washed over Bakura. However, as Marik paid the driver and they stepped out of the car, Bakura attempted to quell his qualms as he stood before the dark house he had grown up in.
"Is this it?" Malik murmured, stealing a glance up and down the empty street. The neighborhood was dead quiet, and creepily dark.
"This is…the house."
Bakura didn't move as he studied the squat building before him. Malik and Marik waited patiently for the teen, standing on either side of him. Then, without another word, Bakura silently walked toward the front door and knocked.
AN: Please review! Thank you for reading!