I know this has been a long time coming and I just want to thank you guys that have review me and stuck about waiting patiently for me to put my fingers to work with a new chapter for you all to read, but this chapter has taken me about three days to write, so here you go and I hope you enjoy it.

Warnings: Rating M, swearing, CHILD ABUSE! If this type of thing offends you then DO NOT READ! This is a fictional story ONLY and nothing more. This rating will be staying the same nothing will change, so please take note, as I'm very serious. (note) my frown and stern look.

Chap 19: Hope if for the Hopeful

Isis made her way down halls heading for Malik's room, though she had only met the little ones not too long ago, she couldn't help but call them all family and she had grow attached to them, as much as Marik had. Nephew, Nephews, a strange word that she had though she would never hear herself say so soon, neither of her brothers had been or looking for that one particular girl to call them, Wife… Speaking of such things, Isis pulled out her cell phone and found Elders number and pressed in a text message. The cell phone crashed on her. "Oh you cheap nasty bit of plastic." She hissed at it and tried again and this time it worked and she sent off her message to her friend and placed it into her pocket again. Just as she looked up she ran into someone quite hard and she would have been bumped off her feet and landed oh so graciously on her ass in front of the hospital staff, if it weren't for the hand that grabbed her arm and held her still on her feet. "Are you okay?" He asked.

"Yes, quite well, thank you." She said looking up at him and she straightened herself out. "I'm sorry I didn't see you." Well, for one thing he wasn't bad looking his dark eyes and hair and he was tall at that.

"The pleasures all mine." He purred looking her up and down. "Say, you wouldn't happen to be involved with anyone?" He stepped in towards her.

"Picking up young women in a hospital? I'm calling you creepy." Isis said with a slightly pleasant smile as if joking with him, knowing how to deal with all kinds of people, men, in her line of work, frowning she noticed that he had yet to let go of her arm and it was uncomfortable.

"They do say that the most prettiest women in the world work in hospitals, something about their caring and loving nature." He said moving his hand, running it down her arm, elbow, forearm, wrist and hand and held it in his much larger one and brought it up slightly as if to kiss it.

Isis didn't blush like most would have or even felt flattered by his words, instead she became anxious and her heart pounded in her chest in slight fear in needing a quick exit. She glanced about at all the faces in the hallway, looking for that one familiar face, but everything she looked at was blurred, hoping her quivering voice didn't show, she said as even as her nerves would let her. "I'm not in the market right now and I don't really care in looking for someone to involve myself in a none necessary relationship." She pulled her hand away from him and placed it behind her back, her whole body trembling now. "So if you don't mind I have nephews that I need to see, now."

"But you haven't given me your name?" He blocked her path and stopped her from moving; her eyes widened as she took a step backwards and looked about for her Brothers knowing they were here somewhere.

"Because I didn't give it." She said, letting out a breath of relief as Rishid approached them at a fast pace, the man towering over most in the hallway and was easily seen.

"Did you find them?" Her Brother asked and the other man backed up, a little intimidated by the new comers size. Rishid glared at him and towered over the man by at least two and half feet. Yes he was the tallest of the Ishtar siblings and the bigger build. The man backed up a little, Rishid was satisfied with the distance between the guy and his Sister and turned his attention back to Isis. "Are you alright?" He held out his hand for her.

"Yes, I was just saying goodbye." With that she lead her Brother away without a second glace.

He smirked as he watched her leave and found that he liked her as no woman before shut him down like that, he turned on his heels and walked down the hallway… Now, what room was Meg in?

Marik walked back into the room after his little talk with Tucker and found Ryou curled about Malik in hug and both seemed to be drifting off to sleep. Marik glanced down at his hip upon hearing the cell phone ring making both little boys look up at him. "Are you going to sit with us, Daddy?" Ryou asked lifting his head up off the pillow.

"Wait." Marik mumbled pulling out his cell and walking back out of the room, hearing a soft whine sound coming from Ryou.

'Ishtar, just how long do I keep this guy here in your garage for?' Otogi asked irritably, his voice shook and his teeth chattered together, he must have been cold.

"I'm on my way." Marik said, spotting his Sister and Brother walking towards him, he hung up placing the phone back into his pocket.

"How are they?" She asked looking into the room through the doorway.

"Fine, but I have to make a trip home real fast… I'll be right back." Marik walked into the room and explained to both the boys that he was going for a short time. Ryou and Malik were reluctant to let him go, until Rishid distracted them with the t.v and Ryou's favorite show, Malik just watched wide eyed as Ryou burst into the sing-a-long with the lady on t.v and encouraged him to sing too… all attempts failed.

Marik stopped in briefly to look in on Bakura and found him fast asleep, thanks to the drugs the Doctors had given him, he made a note to get Bakura some clothes as the ones that he had on before were in a bag wet from laying in the snow.

It wasn't long when Marik pulled up to his house and walked around the back to his garage, he opened the door and walked in. Otogi got up from his chair with a smile saying. "I'm frozen here." Marik threw him his keys to the house.

"Go warm yourself up." Marik's eyes were on the red headed teen cuffed to a chair before him.

"I don't think that's a good idea." Otogi said glancing from Marik to the teen, he wasn't sure what the other had planned to do with the teen.

"I'm only going to talk to him and he's going to answer me." Marik growled a little to make his point; the teen frowned at him and looked away.

"Just don't do anything until I get back." Otogi said as he left, Marik waited a few minutes until the other was gone.

"Now, the sooner you tell me what I want to know the sooner I'll let you go without arresting you." Marik took the seat that Otogi had been sitting on upon his arrival.

"You're a cop, aren't you duty bound to arrest me anyway?" Alistar asked with a sneer. "This is kidnapping you broke the law, I'll have your badge for this."

"Really?" Marik smirked, he knew more about the law then this kid ever will in his lifetime of petty crime. "I'm sure your record, if I look at it, isn't something of a model citizen." Marik narrowed his eyes. "Why were you after my boys?" The teen pressed his lips together and looked away refusing to talk. "I see." Marik said. "I have a few friends that sit on the bench who love nothing more then putting away punks like you, and by the time you see the outside world, it'll be a really, really long time."

"You swear to let me go?!" Alistar asked, Marik just growled. "I can't believe I'm doing this." He sighed, but orders where to get the money owning no matter what and if this guy cared then he might do something about it or hand Bakura and Ryou over to them.

"Why were you after my boys?" Marik asked again sterner and angrier.

"Bakura and Ryou owe twenty G large, to my boss for bringing them over here, Bakura skipped out on us and only came up with five hundred eight months ago, and refused the job my boss gave him so he could pay it back quicker."

"Where did they come from?" Marik asked, so it was the price of changing countries.

"Merry old London." Alistar snapped. "That's all I know, the boss sent us out to look for Bakura and give him a reminder that rides aren't free. He was already kind enough to cut the price down by half because he liked Bakura, if you know what I mean?" Alistar smirked as Marik fought to remain calm after hearing such things, his thoughts cut short when the teen spoke again. "So instead of it being forty G. Bakura's only got to pay twenty for him and his brother or we take the little one as payment… so let me go." He tugged on his cuffs, Marik got up.

"Fine." He pulled out his key and unlocked the cuffs and Alistar made a run for it, Marik stuck out his foot and tripped him over and he landed hard on the floor with a sharp gasp of pain. Marik grabbed him and pulled him to his feet and slammed him against the nearby wall.

"You tell your boss, five days from now to met me in the park on the eastside at noon, I'll have his money with interest and he never comes after Bakura or Ryou again." Marik gave him a shake. "You hear me?!" He growled

Alistar nodded his head. "I'll tell him, I will, five days from now at noon, eastside park, you'll have his money with extras." Marik stepped back letting him go, Alistar rushed from the garage as if the devil himself were after him and ran out of the yard and down the street going back the way he had came.

Marik walked into the house and explained to Otogi that the teen had told him what he wanted to know and he gave the teen a scare before letting him go. Otogi wasn't happy but he let it go telling Marik if he needed help he knew where to look.

Marik grabbed Bakura's clothes from the boy's room and saw Otogi to the door, and then got into his car and headed back to the hospital, Bakura has so much to answer for, but he wouldn't do it at the hospital he would wait until he had Bakura at home.

Since Marik was suspended he couldn't walk into work and help with the investigation in getting this killer and all he could do was wait for his cell to ring with information from Yami. His mind wondered to Elder and how she was going, she was sure taking her sweet time getting back… and strange though on how she hadn't called him since she left. Marik was going to fix that and give her a call tonight.

All three boys in his care were fine and able to be taken home just after a few days. Marik could barely hold off on asking Bakura questions, but he had managed to stay quiet.

So now Marik settled in for driving them home from the hospital, Ryou's soft voice came from the backseat. "A is for…" Ryou frowned hard in thought for a few seconds then gave up. "Daddy, what's A for?" He lent forward as much as the seatbelt would let him looking at the older male who was driving; Bakura sat beside Marik in the passenger's seat looking out the window and staring off into the white world.

Malik and Ryou were seated in the back in their booster seats. "Apple." Marik mumbled not taking his eyes off the icy road, the boy really needed schooling and t.v wasn't much help; Ryou smiled and turned his attention to a board looking Malik.

"A is for Apple… come on Malik." Ryou tugged at his hand, Malik shook his head no pulling his hand back. "Like the lady on t.v. A is for Apple." He paused again in his song and looked at Marik once more. "Daddy what comes next?"

"B, Ryou." Bakura mumbled, his elbow rested on the door and his chin in his hand.

"I wasn't asking you Kura!" Ryou snapped a little irritated that the wrong person answered him. "I was talking to Daddy, not you."

"You want an answer don't you?" Bakura growled at him. "Then what difference does it make on who gives it to you?"

"I wasn't talking you!" Ryou yelled at him again, Malik's eyes now wide as he looked to Marik to see what he would do.

"How about you just shut up, Ryou!" Bakura snapped back almost turning in his seat to look into the back.

"Enough!" Marik growled at them but was ignored.

"I don't like you!" Ryou squealed loudly, Bakura froze in his seat his eyes widened then narrowed at his little brother.

"Fine." He spat. "Then I guess you don't need me anymore, huh?" Ryou not really taking any notice of the words shot back.

"I have Daddy now." Ryou stuck out his tongue at Bakura; about this time Marik had pulled the car into the driveway and to a stop. Bakura was the first out, slamming the car door behind him and stood waiting at the front door.

Marik pulled Malik out of his seat and then helped Ryou out as well. "Don't fight with your brother." He said, Ryou pouted and crossed his arms over his chest and refused to look at anyone.

Ra had been the first into the house rushing for the kitchen, the puppy was yapping as she rushed through the house to greet them. "Come on Milly." Ryou ran with her through to the kitchen and out into the backyard.

Bakura went straight to the stairs, when Marik stopped him. "I want to talk too you later when the boys have gone to bed." Marik frowned as Bakura looked rather pale than normal as he stood frozen on the steps his body tensed up and his grip tightened so much on the staircase railing that his knuckles turned white. "Are you alright?" Marik asked noticing the boy had started to tremble.

Bakura just stared at him from over his shoulder, they were all the same no matter where he went, he always seemed to find them or they found him. He knew Marik wasn't any different that this nice personality was just for show… on the up side, he did take care of Ryou so well so maybe he could put up with it just for a while and maybe it wouldn't be so bad… "Fine." Bakura mumbled with his head down then without a word rushed up to his room and closed the door.

Marik sighed as he glanced at Malik. "I don't think that he's fine, do you?" He asked as he picked up a willing Malik. The boy shook his head no agreeing with Marik that Bakura wasn't fine at all. "Come help me make some dinner." He walked into the kitchen and pressed the rewind button on his answering machine and placed Malik down on the counter.

Ryou was alright as Marik could hear the boy's giggles in the backyard from where he was and with a turn of his head he could see the boy through the window and he would call him in, in a few minutes. The message machine beeped then played.

'Marik, its John, I haven't been able to get a hold of you.' He stopped as he had placed everything onto the counter, why would Eddy be calling him? He was suspended after all. 'Just thought that you would like to know that the house we were watching, turned out to be a shelter for some homeless people, a few kids and some adults, nothing much really.' Marik's face twisted up in confusion. 'I called it and it's been more than forty eight hours.' What was the point when this bastard kept slipping through his fingers and always seemed one step ahead of him? 'One more thing Marik, I think it might be best that you came down to the station to talk, something has turned up that you should know about.' It beeped as it moved on to the next message.

'This is Mai, you remember me, right? I wanted to let you know that I have managed to get the court hearing brought forward the day before Christmas eve, so I hope you pull your finger out and get those boys into a school and fast. I'll be coming around with a few people from the Social Services, just giving you a heads up, bye.'

It beeped again.

'Hey Mare, I'm not going to be able to make it over for dinner.' Came his Sister's voice. 'But I will see you some time tomorrow and I'll be bring Mom, maybe, I don't know. Work called and my load has doubled on me in the last few days and I've been called back, so much for time off… love you.' The machine ended with a beep.

"Well I'm just Mr. Popular today." Marik poked Malik lightly in the chest making the boy smile and push his hand away, he took Malik down off the counter. "Go get Ryou and tell him to come in." Knowing full well that Malik didn't talk, but Marik was making every effort to help the boy to do so. Nodding his head Malik walked to the back door and could see Ryou playing with Milly in the snow and opened the glass sliding door and stepped out into the chilly evening air.

Malik stood there near the door without a word and watched Ryou fall onto his back in the snow and Milly barked tugging on his trouser leg making him giggle. "Hi Malik!" Ryou waved at him.

Malik just stood there looking at him, Ryou was so strange, so talkative, always giggling at something that wasn't even funny and he would get angry at the smallest of things, and Ryou was so determined to make him talk. Malik sighed to himself as he bit his lip, it wasn't as easy as just opening your mouth to speak, oh no, punishment always came no matter where he was, in his room, bathroom, living room and even the kitchen. Sometimes when he thought his father wasn't around, he would speak or even smile at the pictures of nice smiling lady that used to be all over the house and with him in them, he liked her, but father would come out from nowhere and punish him for it, he was a ghost and waiting for him to mess up again. No, Malik shook his head, he couldn't risk it, what if he talked and his father came, he might hurt Marik or Ryou or even Bakura and himself.

Smack! Malik was hit, his thoughts no more as he stumbled backwards wiping snow from his face and glanced up as Ryou was in a fit of giggles. "You're it!" Ryou cried out as he was picking up another snowball.

Oh it was on! Ryou had been bugging him for days now to sing those stupid songs on t.v with a lady that couldn't sing, always tugging him about to play in the parks that Marik took them too, Ryou wanted to play, so be it. Malik rushed forward and gathered snow up in his hands as quickly as he could, but fell onto his side as a snowball hit him in his side.

Ryou was cackling with giggles that he could barely gather up another ball, he gasped with surprise as he was hit in the chest and fell down and glanced up at a smug grinning Malik. "Oh yeah?!" Ryou got to his feet and gathered up a snowball, Malik still grinning took cover behind the only tree in the yard. "That's not fair Mal…" Ryou's words cut short as another snowball hit him in the face, perfect aim by Malik.

Ryou got up, a snowball just missing him as he too made a run for that tree and hid on the other side of Malik. "This is war, you know?" Ryou giggled out, another snowball hitting him in his side answered him, and then another game broke out as Ryou chased Malik about the tree to give him payback.

Malik ducked about the tree and was always a few steps in front of Ryou and mocking the boy with his grin of 'I'm faster then you.' Ryou wasn't going to give up until he could shove all the snow in the backyard down Malik's top or at least hit him a few more times with a snowball.

The whole time the golden Retriever puppy just watched the two boys tiredly; Ryou had worn her out, again.

Malik shot out from the tree and ran to the driveway in front of the garage, Ryou hot on his heels and chased Malik down the driveway to the front yard. Malik stopped dead in his tracks, Ryou ran right into him with an 'oopffh' and both tumbled to the ground. "Why you stop?" Ryou gasped for air, Malik's now wide fearful eyes were stuck on the white delivery van across the road and the man standing at the back of it looking at their house. No, no this was not good, he knew that he shouldn't have been playing about like that with Ryou, because now his father had sent him. Malik hated him more then he did his father. "Malik what's wrong?" Ryou asked not seeing or not caring who was just across from them. "I'm getting Daddy." Ryou went to push himself up off Malik's back to go and get Marik and bring him out here, but Malik grabbed his arm and pulled Ryou back down onto his back, hoping they wouldn't be spotted.

Ryou gasped lowering his head a little and narrowed his eyes. "Is it a bad men?" He whispered into the others ear and Malik nodded his head. "We have to tell Daddy and he'll lock them all away, 'cause that's what Daddy does." Malik shook his head and stopped Ryou from moving, if they got up they would for certain be seen and that was the last thing Malik wanted.

"The bad men is leaving." Ryou pointed out and sure enough the delivery man walked to the front of his van and got in and soon drove off.

When Malik felt it safe enough to move, he got up and wiped the melted snow from his now wet jacket and turned to the garage and headed back inside. "Don't be sad Malik." Ryou rushed after him and fell into step at his side, brushing his short white hair from his eyes. "Daddy won't let anything happen to you and the bad men can't get in here, 'cause Daddy won't let them."

Malik's feeling of being safe here and out of his fathers reach was slowly seeping away, if Marik cared so much then why was he forced into that small room to see his father? Why did his father send that man to find him? Was his father right all along that there was no place in this world for him? "Don't cry Malik!" Ryou gasped pulling the other into a hug. "DADDY!" Ryou screamed out as loud as he could.

A few seconds and Marik came rushing around the corner of the house and approached at a very fast pace and was glancing about as if looking for someone before his eyes settled on the crying boy. "Malik." Marik scooped him up into a tight hug. "It's alright." Marik reached down and took Ryou's hand and led them into the house Milly followed them inside as well. "What happened?" He glanced at Ryou while Malik still cried into his shoulder.

All three now stood in the warm kitchen. "Malik saw a bad men." Ryou bit his lip and suddenly burst into tears himself. "I don't like Malik crying!" He wailed and Marik sighed as he got down on one knee and pulled Ryou into a hug as well.

Marik's mind raced with the possibility that whoever was after Bakura and Ryou might be watching his house, but then again Ryou's perspective of bad men, bad man, was just about everyone the child didn't know, but to have Malik so worked up like this, he had to consider that it might have been someone Malik knew himself.

"They're gone now." Marik lent back pulling both boys off him a little to look at them, glad that Malik hadn't stopped breathing, this time. "Listen to me both of you." Ryou wiped at his eyes with a sniffle glancing at Malik who was still crying but more to himself, his head was down. "I don't want you two to play out in the front yard anymore or play outside on your own, okay? No more going outside by yourselves." Ryou nodded his head, as did Malik. "Now, you two are very safe here and don't worry about these bad men, bad man." Damn Ryou and his miss pronunciation. "They aren't going to bother you anymore." He was more aiming it at Ryou than Malik, but what was he to say to the child. 'Sorry Malik, I can't get your father because he's a slippery bastard and I suspect him to be a Serial Killer, that has managed to kill girls all over the city for the last five years.'

"Hey, everything will work out." Marik took off Malik's wet jacket and rubbed the child's arms, Malik didn't seem too convinced. "It's just going to take time that's all." He may have solved Ryou and Bakura's problem, or so he hoped, but there was still the matter of Malik's father and Malik. "Why don't you two go get washed up for dinner? And get Bakura to as well." Marik brushed the hair from Malik's face and lifted his chin up and gave him a smile.

Ryou leapt forward and wrapped his arms about Marik's neck in a hug and pulled back giving the older man a kiss to his cheek and turned to Malik with a smile. "Lets go Malik." Ryou took Malik's hand in his and led him out of the kitchen.

Marik rubbed at his cheek, well, at least Ryou was so easily cheered up, but Malik on the other hand, had the child suffered so much that he may never get the boy to speak or ever open up to him? A lot could be done with just a few words from Malik on how his life had been before he took in the boy, sighing and getting to his feet he turned back to finishing up dinner.

A littler later, the dinner table was full of chatter from Ryou, who had indeed cheered up quite a lot and who had managed to get food in his hair, on his shirt and down it, on his jeans, and even in his shoes, how Ryou had managed it Marik didn't know, but Ryou fussed and squirmed in his chair over this matter and kicked his shoes off at the table. Milly who had been under the table got up and proceeded to get the food out of the boy's shoes. Bakura pushed his food about his plate and kept his head down without saying anything or making eye contact with anyone and as usual Malik was quiet the whole time.

Afterwards Bakura retreated back his room without really eating and had just made a big mess of his plate, Ryou and Malik headed upstairs for a bath. Marik's bathroom could pass for the dead marshes in Lord of the Rings, ahh yes, the epic journey of Malik and Ryou washing themselves and putting their dirty clothes in the hamper, fifteen minutes of cleaning, Marik found both little ones in his room.

"Daddy you need to get a night light." Ryou pointed out as he crawled onto the large bed, he didn't even make it all the way up when he was picked up along with Malik and carried out and into they're own bedroom across the hallway.

"You have a nightlight in your own room." Marik dropped Ryou down onto his bed then Malik onto his own. "I'm to old for a nightlight." He had to at least try and get them to use their beds and room.

"Really?" Ryou's eyes widened.

Just down the hallway a little Bakura stuck his head out and listened to the conversations in the next room.

"Really." Ryou asked as Marik tucked him in.

"If I'm this many." Ryou said holding out both hands with his fingers spread out wide as they could go and wriggled them a little. "And Malik too and Kura is…" Ryou pulled his knees up and pulled out his feet and wriggled all his toes placing his fingers with them. "This many… then you're…" Ryou blinked not having enough fingers or toes to work out Marik's age. "Daddy? How old are you?"

"Old enough." Marik re-tucked him into bed; he placed a kiss to Ryou's head and walked over to Malik.

"But what about birthdays?" Ryou asked rolling onto his side watching Marik and Malik across the room. "You have to have a birthday."

"I have one." Marik said as Malik wriggled down in his bed, he was relieved to have the boys back and unharmed, he ran his fingers through Malik's hair and kissed him on the head, Malik smiled at him and Marik was happy to see that smile back, maybe there was still hope.

"How many are you?" Ryou asked looking at his hands again wondering if he could count up Marik's age on one hand or two? Maybe he would need his toes as well?

"Night Malik." He said as he walked over and tucked Ryou back into bed, again. "I'm twenty five."

"Wow." Ryou gasped wide-eyed. "I don't have that many fingers and toes." Marik chuckled as he ruffled Ryou's hair. "Good night, Ryou." Marik flicked out the light and the soft glow from the nightlight filled the room.

Marik left the door open for them and headed for the stairs, but stopped on his way to knock on Bakura's door… not getting an answer he walked downstairs. He wasn't going to push Bakura right now though he wanted too, but he had told Bakura and the boy knew what he wanted and would come down soon enough… so Marik hoped he would.

Marik had everything cleaned up and turned off in the house and was laying on the couch, in nothing more then his long black pajama bottoms and top. Turning on the t.v to watch one of the many cheesy horror flicks in almost black and white, they were entertaining at some point and he didn't mind them at all. He settled down and relaxed, maybe this time off work and taking a break would put everything into perspective for him on catching this killer 'Malik's father.' Hopefully by that time, Bakura, Ryou and Malik would be more settled in their new life and take on the normal side of things and hopefully school would also help, and Malik would be at least talking, if not just a little, that was all Marik was asking for.

He had fallen asleep on the couch, not noticing just how tired he was until he couldn't keep himself awake or drag himself off to bed. It was the shifting of cushions under him that stirred his slumber a little and made him shift to get more comfortable, then a trembling hand up his shirt kneading his side and made its way to his hip, a thigh between his legs and against him as lips were pressed to his own as a comfortable weight almost laid on him.

Marik's mind was snapping awake fast as he hadn't had company that would turn out for something like this… very much alarmed Marik snapped his eyes open and his vision was filled with Bakura's dark eyes and white hair… Marik shoved him off and Bakura fell with a yelp onto the floor hitting the back of his head onto the coffee table as Marik sat up staring at him in disbelief.

Bakura held the back of his head with both hands, drowning both knees up to his chest, wearing pajamas of dark blue, long pants and his shirt was open. "What hell do you think you were doing?!" Marik finally found his voice and noticed that he was shaking.

Bakura glared at him his eyes narrowed, the only lighting was from the t.v and the Christmas tree in the corner of the room. "It's what you wanted, wasn't it?" He lowered his hands from his head as the pain dulled down a little.

"What?" Marik asked still in shock. "What did I want?"

"Sex." Bakura said as if it was the most normal thing for him to say.

"WITH YOU?!" Marik's voice had pitched a little too high and had just yelled it out, Bakura's glare narrowed even more with such a look of hatred that Marik had never seen on a boy as young as Bakura.

Bakura's voice was low and it trembled, not with tears, but anger. "Is it Ryou you want?" Those dark eyes narrowed and if they could have they would have dug Marik's grave right here in his living room and buried him alive.

Was he psychotic? "What's wrong with you?!" Marik yelled at him, he couldn't even think on the same wavelength as Bakura and didn't think he ever could.

"Don't be so shocked." Bakura snapped coldly. "It's what you all want and in time you'll take it, there is always something appealing to taking a killer such as myself."

Marik was still shocked in place on the couch, he couldn't move, was he even breathing? "What? A killer?" What the hell was Bakura saying?

"I'm offering this once, so if your going to do it, then do it with me here and now, just leave Ryou alone." Marik was on his knees in front of Bakura and had grabbed him with one hand and hit him with the other. The resounding hit had drowned out the soft noise of the t.v and Bakura's head was turned away as he was leaning downward due to Marik still holding him upright by the arm.

He pulled Bakura back up to face him and growled out angrily. "Don't say such things! I would never hurt any of you like that!" Marik's grip was tight on Bakura's arm and shoulder and he trembled in his own anger.

"You said you wanted to talk!" Bakura yelled at him, his face still twisted up in anger. "Isn't this what you wanted?" Marik hit him again he couldn't control his anger, Bakura cried out as he held his face.

Marik didn't know how to handle this situation, the things that Bakura said were shockingly frightening, even though Marik had dealt with such horrible men and women alike, nothing compared to it coming from Bakura and accusing him of doing or even thinking of such vile things. "Yes I wanted to talk with you, damn it! Bakura!" Marik yelled at him "What the hell happened to you to think that I would do or even think of doing such things?" Bakura looked away even though Marik gave him a shake by his shoulders. "Answer me?!" Marik raged at him again.

"Why?" Bakura yelled back. "You think you can save me? You with your fucking happy family bullshit and I can save the world and everyone in it, crap." Bakura shoved him, but Marik didn't move by the forced used. "Save it Marik for your cheap ass confessions to the priest on Sundays."

"I'm not…"

The slight movement by the door got both their attentions as Malik stood wide eyed in the threshold of the living room. Marik instantly let go of Bakura and got to his feet and approached him slowly, not sure if Malik had seen him hit Bakura… Marik inwardly winched now that he had come back to his senses. "Why are you out of bed, Malik?" Marik was glad that the boy gave no resistance in letting Marik pick him up. "Are you thirsty?" Malik turned his eyes away from Bakura and nodded his head. "Ok, lets get you a drink." Marik started to walk out of the room. He turned looking over his shoulder and said. "Don't you dare move!"

After putting Malik back to bed, Marik walked into the kitchen again and made himself and Bakura a hot drink as he used this time to get his thoughts together after his shocking ordeal with the boy before. Marik walked back into the living room with two cups in each hand, finding Bakura still sitting on the floor now facing the t.v, Marik walked up to him and lowered his hand and the cup for him to take. Bakura glanced up a little surprised and reluctantly took the mug.

Marik too sat on the floor with his back against the couch and facing the t.v, with Bakura's back to him and sitting only a few feet away. "I thought that, if I ran with Ryou then all my problems would just melt away." Bakura said softly. "Even coming to another country, it followed me, all over the news, the papers, but it wasn't my first time, my father was my first." Bakura's eyes never left the t.v screen. "The worst was the price I had to pay to come here and life may have been a little better, but it wasn't by much."

Bakura had his legs crossed and his head down as he held his cup in his hands and lap, Marik didn't move or say anything as Bakura turned to face him. "It all started just after my fifteenth birthday." He glanced at Marik the anger was now replaced with something sadder. "You'll think less of me if you knew." Bakura looked away.

"Try me." Marik said, his voice was low and calm.

Bakura heaved a deep sigh his head now down staring into his mug of hot chocolate. "It started with the late night visits and worked its way up to murder." Bakura's shoulders trembled. "It was all for Ryou."

TBC

Oh yeah, next chapter you'll get a good look at what Bakura and Ryou's life was like so most of it, if not all of it will be flashback, so review please and I'm hoping not to take to long in getting the next chapter up, (Love and Cookies)