Chapter 34

Almost as soon as the Teen had left, Kaiba set out in search of Taylor. With his vision being the way it was, navigating the all too white corridors of the Mistresses Chambers wasn't exactly easy and he had to rely heavily on the Pure's intimate knowledge of the layout just to stop himself walking headlong into walls. But right at that moment in time he would have happily walked into a million walls just to know for sure his son was okay.

The sound of familiar voices prickled in his ears and helped guide him to the room his son was in. Although Lus and Drake's presence came as a little bit of a surprise to him, he was grateful to it on two scores: the most important being the protection they provided his son because the Teen didn't strike him as the type to make a move on multiple targets in one go.

Lus and Drake were saying their goodbyes to Taylor even before Kaiba had made his presence known. He didn't know if this was just good timing or if they somehow knew he was coming; which was more than possible since they could have seen him approaching long before they'd become blobs on his vision. Still, whatever the truth of the matter he was glad they were leaving; something told him the conversation he and his son were about to have wasn't one anyone else should be privy to.

'Tay…' he found himself hovering in the doorway long after the other two boys had left.

The blob which was his son appeared to perch on the edge of what had to have been the bed. There were then several loud patting noises and it was pretty clear his son wanted him to sit down. Hesitantly Kaiba moved himself into the room, but remained standing. The Teen's threats had him worried, but they weren't the only thing unnerving him right now.

'Taylor, did you ever… I mean…' he made a strange choking noise as he half prevented what he was trying to ask from coming out.

For a few long moments there was silent, then his son shuffled a little further along the bed and began patting it again. Kaiba edged closer, but still remained standing. Sitting would have made the situation too comfortable and Kaiba wasn't sure he wanted it to be comfortable.

'Taylor did you ever… did you ever miss the fact you never had a mother?'

There was silence. Of course there was silence. His son was currently a mute, too inexperienced with his own telepathic abilities to respond. He was also too far away for Kaiba to make out his expression.

'I…' Kaiba turned away from him, feeling completely insecure about everything, 'I mean, did you ever wish that I was… I mean, I should have been… Did you ever…?'

Suddenly he felt Taylor's hand on his shoulder, forcing him to turn his eyes back up towards him.

'You should have had a mother Tay; you'd have been able to talk to her about everything that was going on with you. About your feelings for Drake and… everything. And maybe if you had things would have happened differently and you wouldn't be…' he gritted his teeth and turned away from him again. 'It's my fault your like this; I should have been your mother.'

For a few moments there was silence, then Taylor once again forced Kaiba's gaze towards him. He was close enough now for Kaiba to see the smile sliding across his face. But it was more than just a smile, Kaiba could feel an overwhelming amount of love pouring out of Taylor towards him.

'You… you don't care, do you?' Kaiba wasn't sure how that made him feel.

Taylor's smile widened appeared to widen and Kaiba was hit by the sense of being the best parent in the world.

'I don't… I don't understand. I know… I've seen you in her room, so I know you miss her. I know you've missed having a mother.'

'But I had you,' Taylor's voice sounded with perfect clarity inside of Kaiba's mind, 'I had you and Parto and that was all I ever needed. And maybe I do wonder what she might have been like sometimes, but I don't see how having her around could have made my life any better than it already was. Mother, Father, Mum, Dad, Marana, Parto, these are all just titles; I have too parents who love me, what more do I need?'

'I shouldn't be allowed to have a son as good as you,' he thought back, before pulling his sixteen year old son back into his arms. 'Thank you Tay, thank you.'

Lus had seen Drake safely home, before making his way back to his own place. He had this feeling he was going to be in trouble for disappearing all day the way he had and strangely he was kind of looking forward to it. During his decline over the last few months his parents had acted as though he were incapable of doing anything wrong and that just frustrated him. Just because he was sicker than usual didn't give him the right to behave in the way he had and if anything not punishing him had just made things worse, not better. Still he was a lot more stable now and there was no reason for his parents not to punish him for his disappearing act.

Calmly he entered the flat, making no attempt to hide the fact he was coming in. What was the point, when he was aiming for a little parental overkill?

'I'm home,' he made his voice as loud as possible when no one came to greet him, 'sorry I didn't tell you I was going out, but I didn't think you'd care.'

It was a strange thought to know he was deliberately trying to antagonise his parents, especially when he knew his Mum was worried about his Dad and his Dad had other things on his mind. But he just wanted to be punished; it would be the ultimate sign that everything was back to how it should be. Okay so he was still sick and there was still a chance these fits of his would last for the rest of his life, but as long as they were under control again they really weren't that big of a deal. But even so this lack of any kind of response was really starting to get to him; because his parents never completely ignored him.

Feeling a bad move slowly move over him, he began stalking his way through the flat trying to find them. They were in the kitchen, talking quietly with each other; their faces filled with strange little looks. Lus instantly knew something was hugely wrong with the picture without either one of them having to say a word.

'What's happened,' Lus's voice was mute as he prepared himself to hear someone had died or something.

'Lus, we have something to tell you,' his mother was strangely calm, 'could you sit down please.'

'Look, if its bad news I can take it,' he remained where he was, 'you don't have to worry about me anymore; the fits are under control again, remember.'

'It's not bad news,' her strange expression turned into a strange smile, 'please sit.'

Edgily he did as he was told; his gaze flicking between his parents as he wondered exactly what it was he was that had happened. For a few long moments there was silence. Then a proud smile flickered across his father's face.

'We're going to have another baby.'

'What?' Lus leapt back up to his feet, knocking his chair over as he did.

'I'm pregnant,' his mother maintained her calm demeanour, 'you're going to have a little sister.'

'You're already far enough on to know the sex?'

'No,' she shook her head, 'I only found out that I was pregnant today. I have no idea how far on I am, but I have strong a feeling that it'll be a little girl.'

'Do you want it?'

'What kind of question is that?'

'What kind of question do you think it is?' Anger screamed its way through Lus's veins and out of his mouth. 'You didn't want me, remember, you wanted to get rid of me.'

'I want this baby Lus.'

At the sound of those words Lus could do nothing but stare in wounded anger. He then did the only thing he knew how to do when things got too hard for him.

'Come on Lus,' his father chided lightly, 'you're not a kid anymore, turning yourself invisible doesn't help anyone.'

Not replying to him and keeping himself out of their site, he turned and stormed out of the house. He couldn't believe his Mum could want another child when she hadn't wanted him. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair. IT WASN'T FAIR! As the anger continued to build inside of him he could feel the familiar twinges of pain which warned him a fit was on the horizon, but he really didn't care. If a fit happened now it would be all her fault and he would make sure she knew it.