A/N: Here it is, the chapter you all have been waiting for is finally posted. Thank you for the reviews readers:
Karimah
Atem's Sister Atea
Koragirl
fantasia-49
CraziAznGirl
Tears Of Us All
Peaches16x3
OceanOfMemories19
MadameRhonaSynako
dancers of the night
Blackened Gem
Atemsgirls
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!
Summary: Five years have passed since Atem and Tea got married and had their twins; Yuki and Kimika, but there is a woman who is infatuated with Atem and is doing everything in her power to take Tea's place in his heart and his life. Will she succeed?
WARNING: This chapter contains severe angst, language and violence. Please take extra precautions when reading. In other words...grab the nearest thing that can hide your entire body from the major explosives. Oh, and don't forget to bring something delicious to snack on.
Chapter 15
Thunder was heard within the sky, water was cascading rapidly along the grounds and lightning was flashing like a flickering light bulb. Yes, there was an intense thunderstorm happening now in the city of Domino. Even in this tremendously, chaotic weather, a car was driving to its destination.
Inside was Joey behind the wheel, Yugi in the passenger seat and Tristan in the backseat. They all heard the news regarding Tea and the break-in that happened in hers and Atem's home. It was such a shocking thing to find out, especially when Atem mentioned the fact that Tea almost lost her life. Thinking about that brought a scare to them, but relief surrounded their minds after knowing Tea survived and is resting well.
Yugi hated that his family was put under yet another horrific experience. He can just imagine what his brother must be going through without Tea. The emotions that were spinning together like a cyclone...and the anger he must be carrying inside made Yugi decide to go and visit him. He was glad that his sister-in-law was making a slow, but full recovery.
Taking a look up at the sky, Yugi was worried by how the weather was now. It has been happening since last night. He thought that it was just a passing storm; figuring that he, Joey and Tristan would all wait until the rain stopped. Here it was seven in the evening and the rain has yet to stop. However, the rain fit the mood of how they all were feeling now. And Yugi felt that even with Tea being fine and resting all right, he could not shake off this strange sense that something was wrong.
For one thing, he was not able to reach Atem all day. Yugi wanted to inform him that he was coming out to check on him, but not once was he able to get his brother on the phone. It would just constantly ring until it went straight to voice mail.
Sighing again, Yugi hung up his phone. This wasn't like his brother. He was never without his phone and having him not answer it just made him worry more. His first thought was that Atem's phone could have died and with everything that has happened, he just did not think to recharge it again. But that thought just flew out of Yugi's head. No matter what could be going on, Atem always made sure his phone was working in case of an emergency.
So just what was keeping his brother from answering his phone? Did something else happen? Where were Yuki and Kimika? Were they also okay?
"Still didn't get an answer?" Joey asked.
"No...I just don't understand why Atem is not picking up." he said while trying to call his phone again, but alas, it went straight to voice mail.
"Hey, don't you worry about a thing, Yug. We'll just find out the reason when we get to Atem's. There must be something going on, but I'm sure it can't be any worse than what it already is." Tristan said.
Tristan could be right. But then...why wasn't his words making him feel any better? Why did it feel as if there was a missing part to this that would just suddenly blow up in their faces? When it came to these sort of feelings, Yugi did not question nor hesitate on those hunches. Especially when it came down to his family and close friends.
He had one last option. So, he quickly made a call to Katie in hopes of hearing any news that she has spoken to Atem. He didn't have long to wait because right after the first ring, she answered. "Hello?"
"Hey Katie, it's Yugi. Listen...I was wondering if you had heard from Atem. I've been trying to call his phone, but he isn't picking up. So, I was hoping that maybe you talked to him today?"
She sighed on the other end of the phone. He could tell now that something was wrong. "No...I'm sorry, Yugi. I have not been able to reach Atem myself." she said.
That was not the answer Yugi was hoping for, but he needed to figure this out. "You haven't? Well...have you been in contact with him at all recently?"
"Last night, I have. He stopped by to bring Yuki and Kimika over and we talked for a bit. I tell you, Yugi, he has been so depressed since Tea has been in the hospital. He hasn't even been sleeping lately." Katie stopped for a moment to sigh again and Yugi waited, patiently, for her to continue. From this little bit of information he has gathered from her, he knew that coming out here was the right thing to do. "Atem was suppose to have picked up the kids this morning because they were all going to see Tea again today...but, he never showed up. Trying to call his phone has not been successful either. I really hope he's not hurt anywhere. What if he is and we don't even know where he could be?" she said.
"Katie, calm down...I'm sure that Atem is okay. We just have to figure out his exact location." Yugi said, knowing full and well that his brother was fine...wherever he is.
"You're right, I'm just worried about him. And plus...Koji and I are doing our best to keep the kids calmed and occupied. Though, I think Yuki is catching on more than ever." she explained.
"Yeah, my nephew is very smart for his age. Hey, how about you take the kids to see Tea? I'll let you know the minute we hear anything from Atem." With that confirmed, they both ended the call and Yugi met the stares of Joey and Tristan. They didn't need to be told what Katie informed. Joey continued to drive, with each of them hoping to find a sight or a clue as to where Atem could be.
It had been close to forty-five minutes when they arrived in the city and there were still no signs of Atem. Their first stop was, of course, to visit the house. It was an automatic dead-end since no one was there. They checked everywhere; from the parks to the coffee shops, anywhere that Atem would usually go to whenever he was with Tea, the kids or just when he was by himself. They even searched places where Atem would not even think of going. Maybe to throw off anyone that would be looking for him.
Their search came to a temporary stop at a coffee shop. The whole atmosphere brought on a comfortable, quiet theme. The lights were dimmed, a guitarist was performing for the few people that were occupying a table. Some were talking amongst themselves while others were listening to the musician.
Joey took a sip of his cappuccino and sighed. "Man, I feel like we searched the entire city. It's like Atem disappeared off the planet...just where exactly could he be?" he asked.
"I don't know," Tristan said while pushing his mug gently back and forth, "but I just hope he's okay, wherever he is. Any luck yet, Yugi?"
"No..." That was all Yugi could say at the moment. He was trying to stay positive, but not hearing from his brother was becoming extremely impossible to do. Just one word from Atem and knowing that he was physically and emotionally okay would ease his worries. But what confused him the most was...what could possibly be keeping him from answering his family? Yugi knows that when it came to Tea and the twins, Atem was there...no questions asked. No matter what. He didn't pick up Yuki and Kimika like he said and from the information Yugi received from Tea's doctor, Atem did not show up to visit Tea today. If only he was able to get in contact with his brother. There was something definitely off in the situation.
"Well, I'm surprised to see the three of you here. Taking the day off from horse duty?" They all turned see Kaiba standing near their table.
Joey wasn't happy at the sight of him. In fact, he was down right annoyed. "Oh great, look what the storm blew in. Are you taking a break from being a rich snob?" he said in a sarcastic tone.
"Did you remember to shake before you entered inside, Wheeler? I don't want to step in a mess that you've made." Kaiba replied with a smirk, feeling satisfied with rattling Joey's nerves. Which was indeed working in his favor. Joey growled and would have leaped up from the table, if Tristan had not grabbed a hold of his arm. Which signaled Joey that fighting in a place like this was not a smart idea. Kaiba could care less of how Joey was acting towards him.
Yugi didn't pay mind to what was said between Kaiba and Joey. Things like this, was typically normal to him; it happens all the time. He was only focused on more important things. "Kaiba, Atem has told me what happened a few days ago. I was wondering if maybe you had heard from him recently."
Kaiba was a little shocked that Yugi asked him this, but continued to keep a stoic composure. "Not since that night. Why, don't you know where he is?" he asked.
"I haven't been able to reach him at all today. Tristan, Joey and I have been searching everywhere and there is no trace of Atem anywhere. Katie hasn't talked to him either. So, I had hoped that maybe he has contacted you...but I guess not." Yugi stared at his phone again. He wanted to try and call Atem, but he didn't want to feel the disappointment of hearing the constant ringing that would lead to the voice mail. "I know that my brother is okay, I don't have doubts about that. It's just..." Yugi gripped the phone tighter in his hand. "...we all know how Atem gets when something or someone upsets him. His personality changes...just like when we tried to stop him from the fight he was in with Renji. When he is provoked too much, Atem can be very deadly."
Joey nodded, "Yug's right. I mean, it took Tea to get Atem to cool down before he did anymore damage to that guy. And she wasn't even using any kind of physical strength."
"Yeah...and with Tea in the hospital, if Atem happens to go off like that again, well...I wouldn't want to be the guy he's lashing out at." Tristan commented. No one disagreed, it was indeed the truth. And they could understand the anger Atem felt whenever Tea or someone close to his heart was targeted.
Yugi was one of those people that was targeted. When they were little, he was always afraid whenever Atem was facing against one of the older kids that used to intimidate him. He has witnessed, countless times, of Atem on the brink of losing total control. So, Yugi didn't know of what the outcome would be when Atem sets his sights on Tea's attacker. Which was why he needed to find him.
"You know, it's just a guess, but I may have an idea of where he could be."
Yugi had almost forgotten that Kaiba was still present, but as soon as he heard him, he became hopeful. Anything and anyone was helpful to him in finding Atem. "You do? Please, tell me where you think Atem might be."
"The Mutou's company? Are you trying to send us on a wild goose chase, Kaiba? Because it's not funny." Joey said with a glare.
Kaiba did not respond, nor was he affected by how Joey was speaking to him. He just stared at the Mutou Inc. building, remembering the first time he entered inside and studying the competition. Though, this was not the case now. It was a search and if there was no sign of Atem anywhere that Yugi scouted, then this was the only logical place that he would end up.
"No, Kaiba could be on to something here, guys." Yugi was also staring up at his family's company. It has been so long since he has been here. He remembered coming here a lot when he and Atem were little kids. Their father bringing them by and showing them some of the things that makes his job successful. Yugi was fascinated, but not as fascinated as Atem was. In fact, his brother was the first to say that he wanted a chance to be apart of the family business one day. He, on the other hand, his calling was to take over the family ranch. His father always enjoyed keeping it full of life and excitement for whenever people came for a visit. Yugi wanted to keep his father's spirit alive.
"We haven't really thought about checking the company, and it makes sense. Since Atem is not anywhere else, then he has to be here." he said.
"Well then, no harm in checking it out." Tristan replied.
Going inside the building, they noticed that the lights were all turned off and there was no sign of the employers. Everything was so quiet that if you dropped a pin, you could easily hear it within these echoing halls. "Atem must have gave everyone the day off." Joey said.
Though it has been years since he has stepped into this building, Yugi still knew his way around. And if he guessed correctly, then Atem would be on the top floor; where his office was located. He took the lead and headed to the elevators. When the doors opened, everyone, except Kaiba, shielded their eyes from the light glowing from inside. After their vision was clear and used to the brightness, they all walked inside to travel to the top floor. Yugi pressed the number that corresponds to the correct floor they needed to go on. They didn't have to worry about the elevator stopping on any other floor, since they were the only ones there. But, it was still a long wait until they reached the top.
"Man, I didn't realize just how big of a building this is." Joey groaned.
"Is it becoming difficult for you to find your way around, Wheeler? I'm sure that the directory will give you some answers...that is, if you can read one." Kaiba said while leaning against the elevator wall.
That comment made Joey scowl and clench his fists in anger. "Why are you even with us anyway? Don't you have to go back to your own company? None of us asked you to come here in the first place."
"True, but it was my idea to check here. And admit it, mutt, my assumption is correct." Kaiba said looking up with a smirk. Joey was really itching to show Kaiba how his left and right fists work in a fight, but just when he was about to get that chance, the elevator suddenly stopped. Meaning that they were on the top floor. The doors opened to reveal the same dark halls as the rest of the building.
Coming out of the elevator only met them with the silence again. Office doors were closed and locked, desks were empty of papers and computers were completely shut down. If it had not been for the slightly, ajar door, Yugi would have thought it was just another dead end. Thankfully, he did not have to. He knew the others were behind him as Yugi led them over to Atem's office. Opening the door a little more, he sighed a breath of relief when he finally...finally, found his brother. He had to remember to thank Kaiba after all of this was over.
They all entered inside once Yugi confirmed that their search came to an end. There he was, sitting in his office chair and staring out of the window. Joey was about to speak, but Yugi had to gesture for him, Kaiba and Tristan to stay quiet. He wanted to be the one to speak with Atem first and he also did not want to disturb his brother's thoughts just yet.
Yugi did not walk far, but where he was standing, he could clearly see the way Atem was looking. A look of anger and hatred; from what, he did not know. However, it was not the first time seeing Atem like this. He remembered this same, exact look eight years back when Vivian was in his life. That is the night he would never forget. And knowing that Atem drove all the way out to the ranch, in a thunderstorm no less, Yugi had to make sure that his brother did not change his mind and decide to ride back into the city.
Just looking at Atem, Yugi had a feeling that there was something else more than what he knew. He didn't think it was just behind wanting to find out who Tea's attacker was. What could possibly be going through his brother's mind? He caught a glimpse of something in Atem's hand; a necklace that he had never seen before. There were too many gaps to what was known and what was being kept from him. But Yugi knew that Atem would tell him.
It was time now to get to the bottom of what has been happening; to fill in the blanks and understand just who was responsible for this incident. "Atem?" Yugi called out softly.
There was no response for a few seconds. He was about to call out again, when Atem turned to where his name was being called from. Everyone, except Kaiba gasped silently from the color of Atem's eyes. They held a tinge of crimson which was swirling around his usual amethyst color. Crimson looked as if it was trying to consume amethyst.
"Yugi..?" He had this raspy voice that was never heard before. Atem would have been shocked from out he sounded if his mind wasn't on other matters. Scanning the room, he noticed that Yugi was not alone. Joey, Tristan and Kaiba were also in the room. "What are you all doing here?" he asked.
"Atem...we have been looking everywhere for you. Are you okay?" Tristan said.
It felt like Atem's mind was in going back and forth between reality and an alternate universe. He could not even answer whether or not he was alright. After finding out the truth last night, it was much worse than just a blow to his head. He did remember telling Yugi what had been going on these past few days. So it was the whole reason as to why they all came out into the city, to make sure he, Tea and the twins were fine. Though, he could not lie or even offer a fake smile. "I don't know if I am." he said.
Yugi walked to where Atem was still sitting behind his desk and he took a seat at the corner part of the desk. There was really something majorly going on in Atem's head and he was worried from not knowing what it was. "Atem, where have you been all day? You haven't checked on Yuki and Kimika, Katie and I have been trying to get in contact with you and you haven't been with Tea either. Everyone has been worried sick about you. This isn't like you to just disappear without giving notice...what's going on?"
What could he say? Atem was still in the predicament of trying to figure that out himself. After finding out that his ex-girlfriend was responsible for almost killing his wife, there was just so many emotions running through his mind. Everything was scrambled up; his thoughts were not organized, and yet, he was still keeping up his composure. But he could only do that for so long. Atem knew exactly what would happen if he came face to face with Vivian again. No, not if...when. He was planning to confront her tonight.
Atem sighed and turned his attention back to his brother, who was still waiting for an answer. "I'm sorry, Yugi, I did not mean to make you all worry about me. There has just been so much that I needed to think about." he said in the same, raspy voice. Why was his voice sounding like this? Atem thought it was just from his silence for the last twenty-four hours. Was it really just that?
"Is it about Tea?" Yugi asked, and it was the same question going through everyone's minds.
"Part of it is about Tea, but another is on the one who did this to her." Atem glanced down to the medallion that was fist in the palm of his hand. He felt like he was holding an evil trinket that would suddenly float from his hand and find Tea to hurt her even more. He was gripping it tightly within his fist, feeling the pressure of his knuckles constricting around the item. "I wasn't able to protect her...what kind of husband am I to her?" His eyes clenched and squeezed shut, mentally beating himself for Tea's state.
"Whoa, whoa...hang on there for just a second there, buddy. I think you are beating yourself down way too hard." Joey said.
"That's right, Atem, you are a great husband to her. You didn't know what would happen that night, you had no knowledge of anyone planning to break into your house and harming Tea. But you did get her to the hospital in time to save her...Tea is okay now." Yugi said, trying to ease his brother's anxiety level.
"Tea WON'T be okay!" Atem stood up from his chair and went around his desk to where a table of small glasses and bottles of water were sitting. "She will not be okay...Tea will continue to be targeted and hurt by the person who is constantly trying to come after me." He placed a hand over his eyes, trying to calm the raging headache that was beginning to come. "I can't allow harm to come to Tea anymore. Not to her, to Yuki or Kimika...to anyone I care about...it is going to end tonight."
The whole room was filled with confusion. Just what did Atem mean by that statement, they wonder? "Hey Atem...is there something you're not telling us, bud? Do...do you know the guy who did this to Tea?" Joey asked. After the question was brought out, Yugi, Tristan, Joey and even Kaiba all stayed silent; anxious to find out the one responsible for Tea being hospitalized.
"I should have dealt with it more than I did before...but I didn't. And now, Tea is paying the price for MY mistakes."
"Atem, what are you talking about? You're not making any sense here." Yugi said. He was then surprised out of his wits when he saw Atem's eyes. They have turned crimson, but instead of seeing the fiery rage, there was also a mixture of sadness and pain; the same, exact way they looked when Vivian betrayed his trust. And the realization...hit Yugi like a ton of bricks fallen off of a skyscraper. "No...tell me it's not who I think it is."
"Is it becoming clear enough now? Yes, the person who broke into my house and attempted to kill Tea was Vivian. And before you ask how I know..." Atem showed everyone the medallion that was still clenched within his palm. The very object was sickening him whenever his eyes laid upon it. "I found this necklace on the floor last night. It does not belong to me nor Tea and I couldn't pinpoint to where I saw this before. It wasn't until I saw Vivian on a television interview, a few nights ago, wearing THIS medallion. And mysteriously, it shows up the night Tea was attacked."
"No way," Tristan begun to say, feeling shocked and angry as everyone else. "So, Vivian did this? Seriously, just how crazy is this woman?"
"I think crazy isn't even enough to describe her, Tristan. She's a raging psychopath!" Joey exclaimed.
"Which is why I need to face her." Atem set the medallion on his desk, where he also caught a glimpse of a picture frame holding Tea's photo inside. "I'm going to make Vivian admit to what she has done, without having to tell her what I know."
"But...are you going to be okay, Atem? I don't want you doing something that you could regret in the long run." Yugi said.
Yugi's words silenced Atem. It was true; he was never in complete control when it came to his anger. There were moments when Atem would think back to those times and wonder to himself just how he could have dealt with it in a different way. But how can he show mercy to the people who dare to cause harm to the ones he loves dearly? It sickened him whenever they begged and pleaded to be spared when they were faced with the consequences of their crimes.
But somehow, he was able to do just that. Because of Tea, he manages to stop himself from ever going too far.
Atem gave Yugi a reassuring look, letting him show that he was fine. "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. Listen, I apologize for not answering or calling any of you today. I can't imagine what sort of thoughts were going through your minds when you didn't know where I was. But it's okay now...or it will be. If you don't mind, I was wondering if I could ask a favor."
"Sure thing, Atem, what do you need?" Tristan replied.
Before he could give an answer, Atem reached into his pocket to take out his keys. On the chain, he unhooked the one of them and tossed it to Yugi. "The storm is still a bit crazy out there and I don't want you guys traveling back in this weather. I was hoping you could pick up Yuki and Kimika and take them back to the house. Also...you think you could stop by and see how Tea's doing?"
Joey chuckled and gave a thumbs up. "Hey, we can kill two birds with one pebble!" But then, the confident look turned into confusion mode. "Or..is it rock? Brick, maybe?"
"You idiot, the saying is 'Kill two birds with one STONE'. I swear, how you were able to get through high school is beyond me. You were never good when it came to metaphors." Tristan said while giving a sigh.
"Wanna say that to my face, pal?" As Joey and Tristan continued to duke it out, Yugi decided to finish where Joey left off in explaining the rest to Atem.
"We were actually planning on making a visit to Tea anyway. Katie is there with the twins right now, so we'll just take it from there. Brother listen, I never thought that Vivian would ever return in your life again. After what she put you through before, I would have figured she kept her distance with all the damage that she's done. Now this? It's like Vivian is repeating everything all over again; except this time, she has harmed Tea, hoping to get back with you. She is doing so many unforgivable things." Atem stayed silent. Everything Yugi said was true, so there was no reason for him to respond.
Yugi gave a comforting pat to Atem's shoulder. "Whatever you plan on doing, just be careful, okay? And try not to make Vivian's words get to you."
"I won't, thanks a lot, Yugi." Just for the fun of it, Atem took his arm and quickly put Yugi into a headlock without warning. He then gave his little brother something he had not given to him in a long time; a noogie to the head. "I guess I should be thankful to have a brother like you, huh? You annoy me sometimes, but it's your job, so I can't complain much." he playfully said with a smirk.
"Ow! Hey! Not so hard, I'm not a kid anymore, you know!" He managed to escape the clutches of Atem, and smiled knowing that things will be just fine very soon. Patience just needed to take its job, so of course, they all had to wait. But the wait will be worth it in the end when everything returns to normal again.
"I will get to the hospital just as soon as I finish confronting Vivian. Keep me posted in case there is any change on Tea." Atem watched as the three walked out of his office. The only one who was left inside was Kaiba, leaning against the wall with his arms folded. "Again...you manage to show up unexpectedly."
"Hn, I ran into your brother a while ago, asking me if I had seen you. Somehow, I knew this is where you ended up. Anyway, I did tell you before that I wanted to know the identity of the lunatic. It's no surprise that it happened to be your ex...so, I'll leave you to it." Kaiba left without saying anything further, but it wasn't out of rudeness or irritation. Kaiba wanted Atem to have more time to sort out his plan and thoughts. So, him being there was not going to be of much help.
Once again, Atem was left alone in his office. This dark, quiet office that he has spent his entire day in. It was a major difference how it was suddenly full of voices and now, the silence appeared again. Having Yugi and the others here made it seem as if things were the way it was before. It has only been a few days since he laughed, but to Atem, it felt like years. Long, agonizing years. And it was all because of that...woman.
Yes, Atem knew exactly what he needed to do. The words that were inside of him were bursting to come out like a shaken up bottle of fizzed soda. He was anxious to confront Vivian; to watch her squirm when she realized that her cover has been blown. How much she has been exposed and to show her the kind of liar that she turned herself to be.
He was drawn back to the photograph of Tea on his desk, picking it up and gazing at it with soft eyes. It was a beautiful picture of her underneath one of the most magnificent sakura trees in all of Domino. It was a perfect spring day, the breeze was blowing comfortably. Atem could even remember how it felt against his skin. It was the day after he found out the incredible news of Tea being pregnant. He wanted to do something special with her to celebrate their moment. So, he took her to out, as a surprise, to watch the flower petals dance along in the wind. Her eyes lit up from such a glorious site and they stayed the entire day to enjoy the occasion.
What he loved the most was the way the cherry blossoms sprinkled into Tea's hair. Atem thought she looked radiant, which was what made him take a snapshot of her. He wanted to capture her beauty and think back to it again and again whenever he had the chance. And he always made sure he did.
His hand gently glided along the frame, putting feathery touches on the picture as if it were alive. "I'm sorry that I did not come to you today, but there's a reason for that. Don't you worry, things will be just fine after tonight. I will never let Vivian hurt you again." He set Tea's picture back safely back on his desk. It was now time for everything to begin.
Grabbing his jacket, Atem headed his way out of the building. In the darkness, you can't tell from afar on the expression that he is carrying. But with the lightning striking from outside, it flashed his face, and his eyes were a deep, bloody crimson. He smirked at the thought of Vivian cringing with fear, but it was her own doing. No more will she interfere in his life again.
"What? Vivian did this?" Yugi, Tristan and Joey arrived at the hospital and Yugi was now finished with explaining everything to Katie. Since the twins were there too, Joey and Tristan decided to take and get them a drink, keeping them distracted from knowing what was going on at the moment. Katie was shocked, appalled and furious from what was told to her.
"Yeah, Atem figured it out from this medallion he found last night. He said that it belongs to her." Yugi said.
Katie felt like lashing out, but kept her cool because of the fact she was in a hospital and that there were other patients getting their rest; including Tea. So, she had to give her respect and stay calm. However, just the thought of Vivian doing what she has done made it really hard to keep her promise. "That tramp, I should have known that she was behind this. She did some terrible things in the past before, but this is the absolute worst."
"I know...but Katie we have to try and have clear heads here. Because right now, Atem's line of tolerance is on the brink of snapping."
"Well, that is no surprise, Yugi! Just look at what that witch has done to Tea!" Katie stared at Tea, who has yet to regain consciousness. Just looking at her friend in this position made tears leak from her eyes. How could someone with such a wonderful heart, who is so kind to others, be hurt this much? Why is it that the two people, who she sees as her brother and sister, could not just enjoy their life together without having a third person interfering and hurting them? "All I can say...I hope Atem is making her suffer greatly. She has hurt Atem once in the past, now she is hurting him again; with Tea in the crossfire. She needs to pay."
Yugi didn't have anything to say to that. What could he say? Even though Katie was upset and some of the words she said were clearly out of anger, she was speaking the truth. He just had to wonder how Atem was holding up now. Standing near the window, Yugi looked out at the pouring rain in silence. The only thing that was going into his ears was the sound of the falling water and the machines that were hooked up to Tea. Just looking at the woman who became his loving sister and thinking of how close he was to have lost her was extremely terrifying. So, he can't even begin to think what sort of emotions were running through Atem. But he still hopes that whatever is happening tonight, that things will turn out alright.
'Just don't do anything rash, brother...don't lose yourself within your anger.'
His office door was thrown open as he dragged in the person he was looking for. Atem had driven to Vivian's house without warning and prepared for the interrogation. He did not say anything to her during the whole car ride, but she was screeching her voice and demanding some answers as to why she was forced out of her home.
As soon as Atem shoved Vivian inside, he walked in after and watched as she scrambled to fix her hair. He stared in disgust; this same woman who caused so much pain in his life. He felt the feelings of anguish, betrayal and deceit...all over again. 'Heh, she has no idea what I have in store for her.' Atem smirked at his thought.
"Ugh, what is the meaning of this, Atem? You do realize that this is kidnapping, right?" she said.
Atem scoffed and walked over to his desk with a careless attitude towards her. It didn't matter to him how she felt about the situation. "Shut up, you're inside of a building, not the trunk of a car."
"Well, can you kindly tell me what this is about? I would have just went along with you if you had asked nicely."
"I need you." he said plain and simply.
Vivian was confused. Yes, her plans to seduce Atem last night did not go as well as she had hoped, but she had to wonder what brought him to just coming out and saying that to her. This was a sudden change that she did not expect from him. "You need me?"
"That's what I said."
"I knew it..." Vivian just smiled, feeling like everything was turning out just the way she wanted. "I knew if you would just let me back into you life, things would be so much better between us."
Atem just stood there, giving her a blank expression. "Are you nuts?"
"Look, it's nothing to be ashamed of, Atem." Vivian walked forward and took both of Atem's hands within her own. She remembered how these hands used to hold her, and touching them only made it more enjoyable. "You just started to care about me more then you thought you did. And now, you're realizing how much I mean to you. And it's okay...it's okay to let your feelings come out." She wrapped her arms around Atem, feeling herself burying into his chest the same way she did when they were dating. "Oh, it is so good to be in your arms again. Since I came back to Domino, I had dreamed that you would have feelings for me again. And now we are finally together. But, I understand that you have to care for Tea right now, for the children's sake. So, we can explain everything to them when the time is right." she said.
He couldn't believe it...Vivian was STILL thinking of herself, not having any remorse. Not caring about anyone or anything that mattered in Atem's life. His anger was coming closer to surface. It was to a point where it was uncontrollable to stop. His eyes couldn't be any more redder than they already were. He was at his breaking point and to be truthful...just like Vivian never cared, Atem did not care how he handled this. So, he grabbed both of her arms in a vice grip, feeling satisfied when he heard her wince in pain and pushed her forward until she landed in the chair by his desk. Atem was planning to give her every amount of hell stored inside him. "You really have lost your damn mind." he coldly replied.
She felt clueless, this was not what Vivian had expected Atem to say. "But...but, you just said you needed me."
"Oh, I need you for something far different than that, my dear." With that said, Atem reached into his pocket and pulled out the medallion he was carrying since he found it. "I need you to identify this item for me."
Vivian was clearly shocked when she recognized the necklace in front of her, realizing now that she was not wearing it. But she couldn't let Atem know it was hers. So, Vivian decided to kick in her acting skills. "It's a beautiful necklace, and it looks very expensive by the shade of the gold." she said.
"Yes, it is expensive. It's also a rare piece of jewelry too." Atem knew that she was playing dumb with him, which was something he hated with a passion when talking to someone on a serious note. But to make it interesting, he decided to play as well. Just to see how far he can go to get Vivian to crack under the pressure. "I did some research on this medallion. Turns out this necklace is from Italy. Only two of them were made. One is owned by someone who lives in Italy and the other was bought in an auction and was customized; which is the one I'm holding right now."
She had that nervous feeling creeping up within her spine. Yes, Vivian DID get that medallion customized herself. When she laid eyes on it, she wasn't pleased that it was not flashy and glamorous the way she wanted it. So, because it was bought by her and she could do whatever she wanted with it, Vivian hired an embroider to put in diamonds around the face of the medallion. Still, she kept up her poker face and continued to pretend not to know about the necklace. "Hm, this person has impeccable taste." she said.
"I bet you would know something about "impeccable taste", wouldn't you, Vivian? But the weirdest thing about it...and I can't seem to understand it. This medallion was found in my home last night. Now how can an item, that I have never seen and never bought, end up in my house?" Atem was enjoying they Vivian was squirming in her seat. She was making a lot of wise comments and trying to make herself seem like the innocent one. However, Atem worked in the corporate business long enough to tell when someone is lying to his face. "Come on, Vivian, I'm sure you can explain that to me."
"A-are you sure that it...wasn't Tea who bought it?" she asked, not clearly sure on what to say next.
The last shred of his patience snapped. Just by Vivian saying that one...little...comment, Atem was now in the mood of rampage. He placed the medallion back into his pocket and shoved Vivian backwards, making her chair hit the desk with brute force. "You must be extremely insane...if you think I will believe that load of bull shit. Just how fucking stupid do you think I am, Vivian? You broke into my house, you tried to kill Tea."
"Atem-" She tried to get in a word, but Atem refused to let her get the chance.
"Yeeaahh, I know what went down. And I have enough proof to know it was you." he said, daring Vivian to deny it again.
"I-I have no idea what you're talking about." she lied.
"I'm talking about my WIFE...lying in a hospital bed! With tubes and wires STICKING out of her!" Atem yelled out to her in pure, dangerous rage. "You and that twisted, demented mind of yours did that!"
"That's not TRUE!" Vivian yelled back.
"And you're going to continue to lie in my face? When I have the proof right here in my goddamn possession? You conniving, little bitch. You're a liar." Atem got her exactly where he wanted her. The way she was tripping over her words and trying to find any possible escape of getting out of this predicament, plus having his rage lashing out on Vivian was such sweet revenge. "Oh, and your little performance last night, trying to get me to bed. Playing your little seduction game, knowing that I would be in a vulnerable state. You really thought out your moves well, but you made one little mistake. You messed with the demon...and man, is he ever pissed." Atem knew that his eyes were so bloody red right now from the slight gasp he heard from Vivian.
"You have nothing on me, Atem! All you have is a stupid, little necklace that I have no recognition over! You kidnapped me to make me admit to something that I didn't do. Don't you know there is a law against kidnapping?" she screeched again.
"Yeah, and so is attempted murder, let's not get technical here, Vivian. But since you claim not to know anything about this medallion, why don't you just show me that little television interview you had a few nights ago?"
"That interview was live! How am I suppose to show you that?"
"True, it was live, but I know that whenever you are exposed on the screen, you're the first person to have it downloaded. Give me your cell phone." Vivian was really sweating now. She was frozen; and did not know what to do. Atem had his hand out as he waited for the phone to be given to him, but when Vivian was not making a move, his anger reached another level. "GIVE ME YOUR CELL PHONE!" he screamed, scaring Vivian into quickly grabbing her phone from her purse. When she took it out, Atem snatched it away from her.
Because he was excellent with computers and technology, Atem knew exactly where to go and pull up the videos that were saved in Vivian's phone. She had many, but he found the one he was searching for. Bringing it up, Atem watched the interview again; giving him a chance to see if there was anything he missed from the when he watched it the first time. Atem wasn't paying attention to what Vivian and the news reporter was saying, his eyes were mainly on Vivian's neck, where the medallion was clearly present.
He pulled out the necklace from his pocket, to confirm that this was indeed the same item. Everything was similar; the color, the jewels, the chain...it was a definite match. When he looked back at the screen, Atem sneered at the way Vivian was laughing and talking like she was the only person that needed to be recognized. It sickened him; her lies, her scheming plots...her obsession towards him. It was too much. So, now that his proof was confirmed, Atem did not even bother to give the phone back to Vivian. He threw it across the room, watching it crash and break to pieces.
"Just as I figured, it was you all along. The necklace was a perfect match...now, how are you going to worm your way out of this one, Vivian?" Atem's voice was so deep, you would think he was possessed by some unknown force.
Vivian was panicking, but she still tried to find a loop whole and turn this situation around in her favor. "No! N-no, that's impossible! Atem, you have to believe me! Someone is trying to frame me! There is no way I would do that."
"Lying again, huh? You just don't know how to stop, do you? Maybe I should show you just how serious I am." Atem was walking closer to Vivian, watching as she was trying to slide back into her seat whenever he took a step.
"Atem, listen...you don't want to do this. You won't do this. You're not capable of hurting me." she said, trying to reason with him.
"You don't think I have it in me...to hurt you, after what you did to Tea?"
"No, I don't!" Vivian stood up from her chair, finding the guts to look Atem straight in the eye. Though, right now, she was terrified inside. She never seen Atem's eyes like this before; not so full of hate, fury and coldness. It sent a shiver up her spine, but she had convinced that no harm would come to her. "You may not love me romantically anymore, but there is still a part of you that loves me enough not hurt me."
"Wrong again." Atem took a hold of Vivian and pushed over to the glass cabinet that was standing in a corner of the room. Vivian could feel the coldness against her cheek as Atem held her firmly to the glass. Judging by the way she was struggling, Atem could tell that Vivian was even more afraid then before. He leaned down to her ear, whispering menacingly to her. "You have no idea who you're dealing with. Because my wife...the woman I love...is in a hospital bed, where she almost died because of you." Atem squeezed Vivian forward, making her feel the pressure of the delicate glass that could break at any time.
"Atem..." she whimpered.
"And all I have to do...is think...about how Tea had to struggle to take a breath...how much pain she had to suffer through!" Vivian started screaming once more pressure was being placed on her as Atem was holding her against the cabinet. "And I get this overwhelming urge...to smash your FUCKING FACE IN! TELL ME THE TRUTH NOW, VIVIAN!" Atem screamed at her.
"ALRIGHT! I DID IT! I broke in and drugged Tea! I did it, okay? Now, let me go!" Atem quickly took his hands away and watched Vivian fall to the floor with a vicious glare upon his face. He was breathing heavily from screaming, but most of it was from the rage that was coming out at her. Just hearing her confession made him want to kill her right now. But he could not even stand to look at Vivian.
Atem's head was pounding, and it felt like bricks were being dropped non-stop, since it was hurting so badly. And because of it, he had to slide down to the floor and lean against the wall. How could she do this? He thought Vivian stealing from him in the past was terrible, but never once did he think she was capable of killing a person. She was inhuman.
"Are you happy now? You got what you wanted out of me, are you incredibly pleased with yourself that I confessed?" Even hearing her voice made Atem wish he would have just slammed Vivian's head into his glass cabinet. He threw another glare at her, but he wasn't ready to speak yet. "It was suppose to be me! I hate knowing that another woman has stolen you away from me. If it wasn't for Tea, you would have taken me back the moment you saw me again!" she exclaimed.
"Don't you SPEAK her name!" Atem hissed at her.
"Oh, why? Because I might kill her this time if I say her name? I didn't know that stuff I shot into her would cause her to almost die, but I wish it would have. It's so sickening to hear you talk about how wonderful and amazing she is. How much you love her and would do absolutely anything for her."
Atem was urging to go back over and continue his torture. "Shut...up." he growled.
"You've never showed those kinds of feelings for me that way. Yeah, I screwed up in the past, you don't have to keep reminding me that. But those years away from you made me realize just how much you meant to me! I was willing to come back and do whatever I had to do in order to get your love back again. To show you that there was more to me that changed, besides my image."
"No, Vivian...the only thing that's changed about you, is that you're an utter disgrace to every living thing on this planet. Tea doesn't deserve to be where she is right now." Atem looked outside and noticed the the rain continued to pour from the sky. It seemed as if it was the spirits above were crying for him. "You are going to pay for what you've done. You almost killed an innocent woman, the love of my life. There is no way in hell you're walking away without any penalties. I'm getting justice for Tea."
"Another thing that Tea needs? Is that all you can think about? What about MY needs, huh? But, I guess that doesn't matter to you. Well, I've got news for you, Atem. Things could go completely different and Tea could still die, even if the drug was removed from her system. So, if I can't have you for myself, then you can't have your precious, perfect Tea either." Saying that, caused Vivian to smirk victoriously.
He lost it; just hearing those words escape from Vivian's lips, watching her forming that sinister smirk and still plotting to kill his precious love. Even admitting it to him in his presence. He couldn't take it anymore, it has gone on long enough. So, despite how his head was feeling, Atem jumped forward and tackled Vivian to the ground, grasping his both of his hands around her neck. Vivian's breaths were coming out in short gasps as he was cutting off her air supply.
"Ye-yeah, go..for it...take it o-out on me!" Vivian said, straining through her throat.
"Shut. Your. Mouth!" Atem's voice was far from normal, it was much deeper and colder than ever before. His eyes were filled with such intense hate towards this woman and he was taking immense pleasure into watching her and hearing the wheezing sounds escape from her.
"No! N-no...this is what...yo-you wanted...to do the minute you...saw me stealing from you! Want to..kill me? Go...ahead, or do you have...the guts?"
Atem tightened his grip on her, which was keeping her from speaking anymore. This was now his chance to finally take her out. "Vivian...I. Wasn't. BLUFFING!" It wasn't about the past anymore. Atem used to let that bother him whenever Vivian was in his sights, but now all he has to do is remember all of the terrible things she has done to Tea and his children. The people she hired to help, when she stayed on the sidelines and watched them suffer from afar. It was now her turn to feel the suffering...and Atem would be the one to make sure she pays greatly.
But then...as he was choking Vivian, he felt something flow through him. Something warm, comforting; something he was not able to feel for a few days now. He missed it. He craved for it. She was right here with him. It was like he was being pulled into another place, and what he saw was the same sakura trees he brought Tea to watch. It was just like that day. Everything was the same, like he was reliving the moment again. He also noticed that he was sitting against one trees and the scent of sweet cherry blossoms was roaming the air. Just the scent of that comforted him.
Though, that was not the only thing giving him this warm feeling. Something was pressed against his chest, that familiar touch he longed for whenever something bad happens or when he just needed to feel better from a depressing mood. Atem knew that it was impossible, but he took a chance to look down and find out what was leaning into him. And it was just as he figured. There she was...resting peacefully in his arms. Looking as beautiful as the day he met her. She was cupping a sakura flower in her hand, delicately running her finger over the petals to feel its soft texture.
And it happened. Her rich, azure eyes looked up to him with such carefree happiness. His heart was pounding like a bongo drum, but it felt so good to feel it racing again. All the feelings of hatred, killing, anger...they all just evaporate whenever his eyes rest upon her, which part of him is relieved when they do. Because he never wanted her to see him lose control of his anger. His heart tugs whenever she starts to cry, and no matter how much anger he holds, Atem is willing to push it aside to care for his wife.
Coming back to reality, he realized...this was wrong. This was completely wrong of him to take a person's life away. He wasn't like this; despite of how Vivian has tortured him and his family many times, this being the worst of it all, he was not a killer. And he was not going to have those sinister thoughts running through his head like Vivian does. Because if he did, he would be exactly like her.
So, he took his hands away and allowed this wretched woman to breathe once again; watching as she consumed the air she did not deserve to have flowing through her lungs. Atem just left her be as he took some time to collect himself. Every part of his body was shaking. "Get out of my sight, just looking at you makes me sick. I warn you, however...if you ever think to come near my wife again, I will finish you off. Mark my words."
After a minute of silence, Vivian slowly stood up and left without another word. Everything that happened here tonight was still fresh within Atem's mind. He went through each single part over repeatedly. He wondered if letting Vivian go was the best idea, but after seeing his rage against her, he had doubts of her ever showing herself to him again. Though, it did not feel safe to let his guard down. He knew Vivian would be back, and when she does, Atem will be ready.
What was important to him now, was getting back to Tea. He has been away from her for the entire day and he felt so terrible because of it. Grabbing his keys, and minding his headache, Atem hurried as fast as he could to the hospital. He made a silent prayer that there is news on Tea that would be worth hearing.
When he opened the door to Tea's room, Atem saw that everyone was still here. He was relieved to know that Tea was not all by herself today, even if he could not be here at the time. His eyes landed on the twins first. Yuki and Kimika were sound asleep; Kimika resting on Katie and Yuki resting on Yugi. He was happy they were okay, at least. Looking over to Tea, he was feeling disappointed when there was still no change in her.
Yugi was the first to have noticed him entering inside. Judging by his facial expression, Atem must have really went through an ordeal in confronting Vivian. It worried him to what may have happened tonight. "You're back...are you okay?" he said.
"I don't know," Atem took the chair by the wall and pulled it over to where everyone was sitting. "My head feels like a whirlpool to even answer."
"The guys filled me in, I had no idea that Vivian would ever go this far. I suppose she denied it when you confronted her, didn't she?" Katie said.
Atem nodded. "Denied it, tried to cover her tracks, but in the end, I still got her to admit what she did."
"So...what happened after?" Joey asked, he and everyone else already knowing the answer when Atem did not speak right away.
"I tried to kill her...my hands were around her throat, cutting off her airwaves. I just wanted to watch her suffer, to make her pay a hundred times more for every minute that Tea has been in that bed. And I finally had that chance to do it too." His eyes moved back over to Tea, trying to tune out the beeping noise from the heart monitor and pretend that she was just sleeping. "But after thinking about Tea...I couldn't go through it. Knowing that I have a family to think about, I'm certain that that is what stopped me. No matter how much hatred I feel towards Vivian, killing her was not the answer. It's what I wanted...but not what I needed."
"Damn...I can't imagine what you must have been going through, man. And though we all think Vivian shouldn't even deserve to breathe, you did the right thing by making that decision." Tristan said.
Katie agreed. "He's right, boss...I mean, I despise Vivian with a passion, but not many people can do what you did tonight. If it were me, I wouldn't mind killing her myself. You told her, repeatedly, that you moved on with you life and here she is playing God with people's lives. She does not deserve to live."
"Well, it's over now. She could come back or not, I really don't care. As long as she stays away from me and my family, I really don't give a damn what she does." Atem checked his watch and noticed how late it was getting. The rain was letting up a bit, but it was still coming down pretty hard. "Listen, why don't guys head on home? I just want to have some time with Tea alone."
"Sure thing, bud. And hey, don't worry about Yuki and Kimika, they're out for the rest of the night." Joey said.
Katie gave Kimika to Tristan for him to carry her and walked forward to give Atem a hug. She knew that he had a very difficult night. "Please call us if you need anything, okay? And let us know if there is an update on Tea." she said.
"I will." After giving a small kiss on Kimika's forehead, he watched as Joey, Katie and Tristan leave the room quietly. Yugi, however, decided to stay for a moment.
"I was really worried about how you would be tonight...I knew it would come to it, but I'm glad that you were able to get back some control over your anger before you did something you regretted. I just felt like you needed to hear that." he said with a smile.
"That means a lot coming from you, Yugi. I couldn't ask for a better brother." Atem softly rubbed Yuki's hair and smiled when he heard his son sighing comfortably in his sleep. He was not able to to check on the twins today and he knew that they were very worried about him. He planned to make it up to them both soon.
So, he was now left alone with Tea. Instead of bringing a chair by her, Atem decided to sit next to Tea on the bed. He felt much more closer and it calmed him down just by being near her. He took her hand to hold and felt sparks run through his body from feeling her warm, silky touch. "You were there for me tonight, weren't you? It's like no matter how much I lost my temper, even if it's impossible for me to calm down, you are always able to bring me back. But I had to confront that woman for what she did to you." His hand reached over to caress her cheek. He was hoping to get a reaction from her, but sadly, he did not. "She almost made lose you...she almost made me lose the one person who taught me what true, pure love is."
Atem wondered how long it would be before everything was normal again. Why did it have to be so long? He was sick of hearing medical words from the doctor. He understands that Tea needed time to recover, but he just wanted to see her blue eyes open again. He just couldn't take anymore of how things were happening now. He needed Tea. He needed to embrace her, kiss her...love her. He needed her to talk to him, laugh with him, see her face light when their children greeted her. To watch her face blush when he whispers sweet words in her ear. To watch her lip pout when he playfully teases her, to curl up in bed with her and listen to the rain. Protect her when thunder frightens her.
"Come on, beautiful...just wake up for me. I know you're doing your hardest to recover, but I need you to come back to me." He did whatever he could to try and get a response from her and no matter how much he tried, it wasn't working.
Feeling useless and emotionally exhausted from today, Atem just wanted to hold Tea. So, he carefully moved himself until he was straddling her legs to gently pull her up into his arms. Her head was laying against his shoulder and both of his arms were around her like a security blanket. Even with her unconscious, Atem could still feel the same loving warmth she gives off. She was still here.
"I won't leave you...I don't care how long it takes for you to wake up, you won't be left alone, okay? I'll even help you if you need me to." His head fell within in the crook of her neck. And before he knew it, all of his frustrations of tonight...caused him to break down. He never cried like this before, usually his emotions would be caused by anger. But never has his anger created him to cry as much as this. Part of him felt a little better, since he was holding Tea, but it would feel even better just to have her arms around him.
But then...something happened. Atem felt a movement coming up around his back and tightened around him, like a hug. It was weak, but he felt himself being held. His heart was racing, his body was shaking and he let out a slight gasp. Could it be...?
"It's...okay. Please...don't cry, my love." It was the one of the most magnificent sounds he has heard recently. Atem felt like he would burst into tears once again, but not out of anger, out of extreme happiness. His wife spoke to him. She finally woke up for him. To make sure that it was not his imagination, Atem pulled back slightly...and his sight was set on two gorgeous, ocean orbs that were opening up. "I'm sorry...were you...crying because of me? What's wrong?" she asked in a tired voice.
Atem never thought he could get any happier than he already was. And he wasn't able to stop the tears he was trying to hold back. He pushed back some of her hair, just to see her eyes much better and smiled down at her. "Nothing's wrong anymore, honey. So, don't you worry, alright?" Atem held her even tighter, but not too much to hurt her. Just enough to know that she was here and talking with him again. "Tell me, are you okay?"
Tea nodded her head as much as she could. "I'm fine...my head just hurts. What happened?" she asked.
"I'll explain everything to you later. Right now...just let me hold you." Atem gently kissed Tea, feeling so much better to have her lips against his. It was the first time in days since he has been this relieved.
Never again will he let harm come to Tea or anyone else he cares deeply for. His focus now, was getting back to his life with this incredible woman he is holding. And if Vivian ever returns, then he would deal with it. She did not matter to him at the moment. But after what he said and did to her tonight, he had no doubt in his mind that she caught the first flight out of Japan.
He didn't care though, because after being trapped in a sea of dullness, Atem finally has his light back. And that was the best thing that could ever happen to him right now.
A/N: Okay everyone, the coast is clear. You may now remove all of your safety gear. Was this chapter intense enough for you? I sure hope it was what you were expecting; maybe more. Well, my work is done for now. It is your turn to do your part. Let me know how this chapter turned out, okay? We are only a few chapters away from the conclusion. I will update again soon when I can. Until next time, readers, Moon is signing off.