A/N: I realize it's almost a month since my last update, even though I've had this finished for a while. I've just been really busy with finals and moving out things, trying to figure out where to store my things for the summer, among other things, but here is the next chapter. As a bonus, this one is a bit longer than usual! However, things might slow down a little more because the rest of the story is all going to be new material. The things up to now have all been written a few years ago, so it was kind of easy just to edit it.

As always, thanks for the reviews! Enjoy!

Chapter Fifteen

"What is that?" Amazed, Delia pointed to the temple rather stupidly. Of course she knew what is it was. Yet, how could it be? She barely touched the freaking statue. No, it has nothing to do with that.

"What did you do, Delia?" Marik asked with awe.

"I didn't do anything!" she retorted. Looking upward, she realized that they had fallen quite a way down when the wind blew. Strangely, they were in a rectangular space, as if someone had carved the space meticulously.

As for the temple, it was at least as tall as a four-story building. It was shaped like a pyramid, but without the tip at the top, instead it had a flat top. The structure itself looked to be in good shape with nothing missing from the outside. On one side, where she stood, two Anubis statues guarded the door, which seemed to be made from iron with hieroglyphics carved on it. On the other side, where Zaid was, she imagined there must be two Osiris statues, though she couldn't fathom why they'd need two gates.

"Hey, are you guys all right down there?" someone shouted from the top, where people were gathering.

"Yeah! Everybody's fine!" Zaid yelled back as he crossed over to her.

"Any idea why it just appeared like this?" He stopped beside her and asked Marik without giving her a glance.

"Not really. Do you want to go inside now or get back up?"

Zaid thought about it for a moment. "I'm going to ask them to bring some equipment down, then we'll take a look inside, if we can get past that door." He slanted a look to the iron gates.

Delia understood what he meant. The two gates didn't look so easy to open, unless they want to break them down, which she didn't think Zaid planned to do. Besides, wouldn't there be traps? There were always traps at places like this.

Zaid jogged away to get the equipments. Marik was directing some other men, so just like that, everyone went back to work as if nothing had happened. With nothing to do, she wandered around the temple. Carefully, she touched the stone. It felt rough against her palm and already hot from the relentless sun. Yet, as soon as the feeling registered, it changed. The stone suddenly felt as smooth as if it was new, as if it had not suffered from thousands of years of erosion.

Zaid returned in a few minutes with three flashlights and some other stuff that he handed to Marik and another guy named Zack.

"Let's go."

Delia followed them, knowing that Zaid probably didn't want her to go with them, but who cared? She was curious about the temple. For some reason, she felt like she had seen it somewhere before. Probably in a book I read.

"Look at this." Zack slowly traced the carvings on the gate. Marik and Zaid helped him to clear away whatever sand was left on the carvings with brushes. "I don't believe it!" Zack suddenly sounded as excited as a young kid being given candy. "It's a resurrection ritual."

"Resurrection ritual?" Delia asked. The name rang a bell.

"What are you doing here? You're not coming with us," Zaid growled.

Delia ignored him and asked Zack to explain, which he did. "Ancient Egyptians respected the dead, but like any human, some cannot stand the parting. In the records, it was said that the powerful priests attempted to resurrect the dead, but the records never mentioned if they succeeded or not."

"How fascinating."

She walked forward to get a better look at the carvings. However, they disappeared right before her eyes, as if sinking back into the stone. Her eyes widened in shock just as Zack exclaimed, "Damn! I can't believe the magic is still there."

Something was tugging her toward the door. It was like a compulsion from somewhere deep inside of her, telling her to go in, but why? Without knowing it, she took another step forward and reached out to touch the door. Before anyone could stop her, her hand touched the door.

The light was absolutely blinding. She stumbled back while covering her eyes. The carvings reappeared slowly on the door. Then, as the light slowly disappeared, she heard a loud creak. When she looked again, the double doors opened slowly.

"What did you do?" Zaid muttered behind her, but more with wonder than anger.

"Don't touch anything," Delia warned, but it wasn't really her. No, it was someone else, someone who knew this temple, knew the traps and dangers it presented. As she entered, the torches on the walls lit by themselves and illuminated the hallway that seemed to stretch on forever before her. To the others, they saw a temple that had been buried beneath the sand for 3000 years, but to Delia, she saw the temple in all of its glory, when it was still in use all those millennia ago.

Delia walked straight forward, oblivious of the other doors around her. She headed toward the farthest room ahead of them. Zaid, Zack, and Marik all heeded her warning and did not touch anything. Instead, they followed her while observing everything they saw and filing it away in their mind.

As they moved deeper into the temple, Delia felt her chest getting heavier and heavier. She had feelings and thoughts that weren't hers. She felt sad and heartbroken and was about to cry at any moment.

Yet, she held back her own feelings and headed toward where the body was. She had to do this, or he'd find her and stop her. The urgency she felt propelled her forward and suppressed the other feelings flooding through her.

It was against the law to revive the dead, but if he did not love her, it was the only thing she could do to make him happy. She knew she could do it. After all, her nickname in the Shadow Realm was Resurrection. The cost might be her soul, but she could and would do it, for him.

Delia was awed at the thoughts that passed through her mind while being both curious and scared of what was happening. She had a feeling that what she was experiencing must have occurred in the temple way back in the past, but whose thoughts were those? Why was this happening to her while nothing seemed to affect the others?

They finally reached the last door. Like before, Delia placed her hand on it, but this time she muttered something like a spell and the door swung open.

The others exchanged worried and amazed looks, but said nothing and followed her into the room. The torches lit up like they did in the hallway. The men saw a bed made of stone in the middle of the room. Against the wall was a statue of Osiris and Ra, the Sun God. The rest of the room was empty. On the walls were carved hieroglyphics and other pictures depicting Ra, Osiris, and Anubis. Everything was covered in dust.

"Man, I can't wait until we start working on this place," Zaid said in anticipation.

"I wonder…" Marik mused, his gaze focused on Delia, who stood right in front of the bed.

A girl lay on the stone bed. She had blue hair and extremely pale skin, so unlike the people of Egypt. Lying on the table in a blue dress, her body was preserved by the magic inherent in this temple.

She raised her hands high in offering. Deep inside, the magical chant came to her. Taking a deep breath, she began the words that would bring everything to an end.

"In this place of magic, where I regained my life and soul, I offer them once again for the return of this girl's soul into the world of the mortals." The girl's body floated up from the stone tablet and glowed an eerie blue. With more power in her voice now, she continued, "Take whatever she shall need from me and transfer it to her. I make this exchange freely, with no regrets, so hear me, Osiris, God of the Dead! Release the soul of this girl from your grip, and take mine in her place! Return her to the mortal world!"

A blinding white light filled the room as the exchange was made. She screamed as she felt something being ripped out of her. The pain was unbearable, like she was physically being torn apart. Yet, it passed as sudden as it came. When the light disappeared, she was still in the room. Nothing felt different, except Kisara was still floating above the bed.

Did it not work? Did I fail? she thought as she gazed at the girl. Then, she felt his present. Looking up, Seto stood before her.

What is he doing here? The shocked washed through her as Delia regained control of her thoughts and feelings.

What's going on? Seto thought as he walked the empty hallway lit by torches. He'd been here before, but when? Certainly not this lifetime. Um…What am I thinking? There are no such things as past lives. If I believe that, I'd be as loony as Yugi.

The hallway was dark despite the light provided by the torches. What's this? He saw that he was holding the Millennium Rod. What's this doing here? He wanted to leave it somewhere, but somehow, it felt right carrying it around with him, as if he'd always had it for as long as he could remember.

Soon, before him, a door loomed up. He walked up and opened it as if he had been there hundreds of times before. Once he was inside, he saw a girl dressed in a white robe with curly brown hair down to her knees standing in front of him with her back facing him. In front of her was another girl in a blue dress with blue hair who floated in the air while an eerie blue light glowed from her.

Kisara! Suddenly, he was no longer Seto Kaiba, but someone else who was driven on by desperation.

"Stop!" he shouted, but he was too late.

The brown-haired girl collapsed on the ground after a blinding white light flooded the room. Her dress pooled on the floor around her. Yet, when he looked at her this time, he could see through her.

What's happening? I've never seen her as transparent before, he thought, somewhat stunned.

Then she turned around and her eyes widened in shock. "Seto…" She struggled to get up, but collapsed back down. His heart broke from her helpless expression and gesture while at the same time an unreasonable anger took him in its hold.

"What did you do to Kisara, Layla?" Seto was shocked by the question. Layla's eyes widened as well. He suddenly realized that whatever was happening, Delia was just as aware of it as he was.

"I destroyed her, Seto. You'll never get her back!" Layla's eyes were cold and harsh. Even as anger surged through him at her actions, he saw a deep desperation in her eyes, as if Delia was trying to say that she was lying.

Outraged by her betrayal, he raised his Millennium Rod. The ancient words were familiar to him as he spoke, "From here on, I banish Resurrection from this realm into the shadows, where she shall wander by herself for three thousand years. None shall release her but the gods until her time has been fulfilled. In three thousand years, she shall return as a human and be judged again. I shall decide whether she is worthy of the living. Until then, be gone!"

A beam of light shot out from the eye of the Rod and consumed her. When it disappeared, Layla was no longer there. Behind him, he heard rushed footsteps heading her way. He walked up to Kisara, who had slowly lowered back to the stone tablet again.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, not only to Kisara, but to Layla as well. He had never meant to hurt either of them, but in the end, they were both dead because of him.

"Priest Seto!" He turned at the voice and saw Pharaoh Yami and his new Queen, Hara.

"Where's Layla? What did you do to her?" Hara shouted.

"I banished her. I'm sorry, my queen, but she has sealed Kisara's soul. I could not allow her to go free."

"What are you talking about?" Hara was literally in tears. "Layla wouldn't do that! She was going to resurrect her!"

The shock was like a blow to the gut. "No! That's impossible!" Even as he spoke those words, he knew he was wrong and was proved so in the next moment.

"Seto-sama?"

He whirled around, only to see Kisara sitting up from the stone tablet, her hair falling around her like a blanket as she stared at them in confusion.

"What have you done?" The pharaoh asked gravely.

What have I done? he repeated the question to himself. No, no, no nono! Layla…

"Layla!" he screamed her name to the heavens, wishing he could undo what he had done. But it was useless.

She was gone.

Delia! Seto bolted straight in bed, suddenly wide-awake. "Delia…" His breath came in short gasps. It hurt. His heart hurt, as if something had been brutally torn out of him.

Something wet rolled down his face. It took him a moment to realize they were tears. Shocked, he only sat there absorbing everything before he wiped them away angrily.

Delia… He needed to see her.

"Delia! Delia!"

She groaned as the sound of her name penetrated the haze in her mind. She tried to move, but her limbs felt as heavy as lead. The voice became louder and more urgent. Where was she? Why was everything so dark?

However, as tired as she was, she sprang awake when cold water was splashed over her.

"What…?" she spluttered as her eyes popped open. Looking around, she realized she was no longer in the temple. Instead, Marik was looming over her with concern written all over his face, along with Zaid, who held an empty bucket in his hands. That was when she noticed that she was soaked.

"What did you do?" She'd have liked to stand up and face Zaid, but she was still feeling weak. Her strength was returning by the second, so she'd get up in a minute.

"You fainted in the temple. I thought a little water would get you up." Zaid smirked.

Her cheeks heated. "I do not faint! Ever! And I didn't need the water!" She pointed to her shirt, which was completely soaked and clung to her body.

"It got you up, didn't it?"

"Yeah, it did!" She clenched her fist and leaped up. Her vision blurred for just a second before it cleared. "And I've wanted to do this ever since I met you!" Quick as lighting, her punch was out, and was an inch away from Zaid's face when he caught it.

"You want to be careful where you throw the punches, princess!" he snarled, looking every bit like a barbarian.

"You two-" Marik began.

"Shut up!" Both of them directed their anger at him. Marik closed his mouth with an audible snap and retreated, leaving them alone.

"What is it with you? Is it just me, or females in general? I didn't even do anything!"

"Just shut up!"

She ignored him and continued, "How come you don't act like a jerk in front of Isis or any other females? Or, do you just have something against Japanese? Or is it—"

To her shock, Zaid forced her to shut up, by planting his mouth firmly against hers in a fervent kiss. Astonished and angry, she tried to push him away, but his hands held her wrists like shackles, holding her in place as he ravished her mouth.

For so long, no one had kissed her other than Seto. She thought she would be disgusted, but instead, pleasure slowly flooded her, much as it would when Seto kissed her, just not as strong.

"I told you to shut up," he said huskily, his forehead leaning against hers.

Delia opened her mouth to make some pithy comment, but shut it again with a snap when she caught the dangerous glint in Zaid's eyes.

Silence and tension hang in the air as Zaid stepped away from her, his eyes focused intently on her. For a moment, she was filled with sadness and loss, but it was gone in a second. She wondered why.

"You want to know what's wrong with me, Delia?" he asked her calmly, but she sensed the anger and other less well-defined emotions he was suppressing by a thread.

She gulped and could only manage to nod soundlessly.

"You get to me. From the first moment I saw you, I wanted you." She gulped again. His lips curved into a humorless smile. "It was like getting the wind knocked out of me. Here you are, my boss's daughter, and while I'm working, all I can think about is you. It's better if you just leave."

"Oh hell." She was still too stunned by all this information. "Does the point that I have a boyfriend helps?"

Zaid's lips curved, not in sarcasm, but a grin. "Sorry, princess. Now that you know, I'm getting you no matter what, unless…"

"Unless?" she prompted.

"Unless you pack your stuff and get out of here on the next plane available."

It was stubbornness more than courage that made her walk up to him. Standing face to face with him, she barely reached his shoulder. "You'd better get used to those feelings, because I'm staying until it's over, especially after whatever happened in that temple! And stop calling me princess!"

"Yes princess."

She gritted her teeth, and a sound close to a growl rumbled out of her throat. She desperately wanted to smash his face and wipe away that grin. This was worse than before. She could've dealt better with him if he stayed insulting, but now she didn't know what to do with him. Clearly he didn't care whether or not she had a boyfriend. He was just like Seto, who would've done the same thing if their positions were switched. She was right in calling them twins, personality wise.

"Quit calling me that!" she fumed.

"You're adorable when you're angry."

Somewhat stunned, she just gaped at him. "Do you have a split personality or something?"

"No, you just haven't seen the real me before."

"I think I like the old you better," she grumbled.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing. Don't you have work to do?" She changed the subject, hoping to end the conversation. She looked around for the first time and saw that they were beside the trailer in shadow. The workers weren't far away since she could still hear them, but not see them.

"Yeah," Zaid said with a sign and the playfulness was gone, though no harshness replaced it. So now he was just acting normal in front of her. "Do you know what happened back at the temple? It was like you were…" he hesitated, "…possessed or something."

"Maybe I was." She thought back to all that happened within the temple. What was that? And Seto was there? Or was I just hallucinating? If not, what did it mean?

"What did you feel?"

"I don't know. It's like… I was aware of what was happening, but just that I wasn't the one doing it." She furrowed her brows as she tried to recall everything. "It's like I had to get to that room no matter what. It was so sad," she said, as the feelings returned to her.

"Sad?"

"Yes. Whatever—"

"Delia!" Marik's shout cut off the rest of the sentence, which gave her a jolt as she realized she was about to tell Zaid something so important. On a professional level, she knew she should, that he would help, but could she really tell him something so strange and bizarre? Wouldn't it just be better if she just pretended that nothing happened?

"Delia, here, it's for you." Marik handed her the cordless phone from the trailer.

"For me?" Who would call her? Nobody knew where she was… except for Seto. "Hello?"

"Hi, Delia." It's really Seto. She was both happy and confused to hear his voice. Isn't it the middle of the night over there?

"Hi, Seto. How did you find me?"

"You said you're going to the sight on Monday, so I used the operator to find the number."

"And?"

"And?" Seto repeated, sounding as puzzled as she did.

"Isn't it very late over there?"

"Yeah, but…" There was a long pause before Seto continued, "I found the things you asked about Anthony Atkins."

Hearing that, Delia glanced at Zaid and Marik. They were deeply involved in a discussion about the temple. She stepped away so that they wouldn't hear anything.

"Thanks, Seto. What did you find?"

"There wasn't much information on him, but it's true that he isn't Atkins' biological son." Her heart stopped for a beat and then picked up speed. "They adopted him from an orphanage in Romania. The orphanage closed down a few years ago." Here, Seto stopped again, as if weighing his words.

"Please, Seto, I have to know."

He sighed. It was sweet of him to consider her feelings, but this was too important to her. "Apparently one of the adopted children found his real parents and traced everything back to the orphanage."

The words hang in the air, but it was possible that Anthony Atkins could be her brother Tony.

"Thank you, Seto." The words sounded raspy even to her. She suddenly wouldn't mind fainting again.

"Delia, are you all right?"

"Yeah, don't worry. I'm fine."

"How can I not be worried?"For the first time, he showed his frustration.

Delia smiled wryly. "When did you become such a Mom, Seto? Besides, I'm great!" The overly cheerful tone had her wincing. "Did you stay up all night? " She suddenly had the urge to tell him what had happened to her, but held it back.

Seto would definitely think she was crazy.

If she knew nothing else about Seto Kaiba, she at least knew that he was not a big believer of the "paranormal", as she would call what had happened back in the temple. He wouldn't even believe it if he'd experienced it himself and would instead call it a trick played by the brain.

"Yeah, something like that. I couldn't sleep." He sounded tired even to her, which was a first. She wanted to be there for him, to take away his weariness. Her heart ached thinking he worked for the entire night.

"I miss you, Seto." I want to be with you. Yet, as she looked at Zaid, she knew she couldn't leave, because she needed to prove to everyone that she could do things on her own. Besides, she wanted to figure out what had really happened in the temple, even if she was hallucinating, she'd confirm that too.

"I know. I'll let you get back to work and call you later. Be careful out there."

"I will, mom. Won't you get some sleep? Don't work too hard."

"And you're calling me mom? But I'll try. Good-bye."

"Bye Seto."

Delia hung up with a sigh, wishing with all her heart that she could be with Seto right now.

"Was that your boyfriend?" She almost jumped at Zaid's voice.

"Yes."

"Must be some boyfriend, calling you in the middle of the day," Zaid drawled out. "Doesn't he have anything better to do?"

"Yes, of course he does! In fact, he has more work than you!" she gritted out defensively. How dare he talk about Seto that way? He wasn't the one managing a huge corporation at the age of fourteen! "He happens to run a corporation."

"Figures, you wouldn't go for any other kind." He shrugged off her argument. "So what does he do? Owning a corporation doesn't mean working in it. I own 25% of Kontar Enterprises, you don't see me doing 25% of the work."

"Unlike you, Seto does work for the company, and it's not physical labor that makes a person stink at the end of the day!" she hissed pointedly and sniffed with disdain. She wasn't sure that it had the intended effect since she was basically talking about herself.

"Seto?" Zaid asked thoughtfully. "You mean Seto Kaiba's your boyfriend? That arrogant, pigheaded, stubborn as a mule pompous asshole?" He made a sound somewhere between a laugh and a snicker.

"Look who's talking." She glared at him, sarcasm dripping out with each word like acid.

Zaid didn't take offense. Instead, he just laughed outright. "Oh God, I really can't see you with him." Then he suddenly stopped laughing and winked at her with a grin filled with mischief. "Well, it makes my mission easier."

"Mission? What mission?"

However, as soon as the words were out of her mouth, Zaid lifted her from the ground easily and slung her over his shoulder.

Her breath whooshed out of her. When she regained it, she screamed with outrage, "What do you think you're doing? Put me down, you Neanderthal! If you think this'll get you in my good graces, you're sadly mistaken!"

Nothing did her any good. Instead, it only caught the attention of all the workers, who didn't do a thing to stop Zaid but only grinned and cheered him on. It didn't take a genius to figure out what they were thinking.

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm helping you so you don't have to waste any energy on walking. And stop beating on my back with your puny punches. You'll only hurt yourself." Delia growled because he was right. "I can assure you I'll get in your good graces in time, just not now," Zaid continued with the most reasonable voice she'd ever heard from a guy, other than Seto.

She hung on his shoulder and looked on eagerly as the distance between them and the car shortened with each new stride. She tried not to notice how built Zaid was, or how strong, or how he didn't really stink but smelled rather nice.

Oh God, what am I thinking? Delia wanted to pull her hair out. This was not the time to think well of him, but she couldn't help it. What female wouldn't and she was definitely female.

If only he'd kept his big mouth shut! she thought grumpily. Then I wouldn't hesitate to beat him up.

Zaid set her on the ground like some precious piece of porcelain and reached past her to open the passenger door.

"I can do this myself. Thank you very much."

She slapped his hand away, yanked the door open angrily, and cursed when the door banged against her foot.

Zaid disguised his laugh smartly by coughing into his hand and walked to the driver's side.

She glared daggers at him, got in, and buckled up. Fuming, she stared out of the window. I will never say another word to him again if I can help it.

"I miss you, Seto."

Hearing her say those words, his heart lurched. He gripped the phone harder, unaware that his knuckles were white. He had the urge to drag her back, so that she'd be safe where he could see her, especially after that strange dream.

"I know. I'll let you get back to work and call you later. Be careful out there." He had to stop himself from saying something more, something that was far too demanding and out of line, something that would make her angry.

"I will, mom. Won't you get some sleep? Don't work too hard."

"And you're calling me mom? But I'll try. Good-bye." The light-hearted banter didn't make him feel better when all he wanted was to see her and hold her.

"Bye Seto."

Seto sank back in his chair and rubbed a hand down his face. He hadn't planned to call her during the middle of the night, but as worried as he was after that dream, he couldn't help it. In that girl called Layla, he clearly saw Delia. No, he didn't just see her. It was her. He was convinced of that as much as he didn't believe in those nonsense. However, when it came to Delia, he worried about her even if it was just some dream that made absolutely no sense.

Feeling restless, he jumped up and paced. Forget about the dream. What if something else happens to her? Knowing Delia, she could get into tons of other accidents. He knew almost nothing about archeology, but if they were underground, she could get trapped if the place caves in. The more he thought about it, the edgier he became.

Calm down! Think! Nothing will happen to her! She's perfectly safe. The dream means nothing!

He leaned against the window, welcoming the coolness of the glass panes and looked out to the crashing waves that mirrored his own emotions. Why did he have such a bad feeling about this? Why was he so worried about her? He couldn't so attached to her or care so much as to think of her day and night, not to mention that a dream could get him so worked up.

Oh, screw this!

He picked up the phone and dialed Saki's number.

"Hello? Who is this?" A sleepy voice answered on the other side.

"Saki, this is Seto," he said in his normal brisk business tone.

"Oh, Mr. Kaiba." Saki's voice cleared immediately. Seto didn't often called Saki this late at night, but working for him, Saki knew to expect the unexpected.

"Saki, I need you to cancel all my plans after Thursday and for next week," he said after a brief pause on the date, going through his schedule in his mind.

"But-" Saki protested immediately, obviously as familiar with his schedule as he was.

"Postpone them!" he said with finality. "I'm leaving the country on Thursday and probably won't be back for a few days, so I need you to do this."

"Yes sir." Saki had worked long enough for him to know that arguing was pointless.

"Good. Thanks. Good-night."

"Good night, Mr. Kaiba."

With that done, he felt better enough to go back to bed. If he couldn't convince Delia to come back to him on the phone, then he'd just have to go in person. He was going to make her come back no matter what, even if he had to chain her down on the plane.

A/N: Things are finally getting interesting... Honestly, I have no idea where this story is going, so just bear with me!

Please REVIEW!

Till next time!