May: Oh God! Chapter 8 at last!

Atem: Why so long?

May: Because of homework. Sorry I took so long to update.

Atem: Can't think?

(rolls eyes)May: Yeah,right. This is all about Atem's excitement to have a sister.

Atem:(rolls eyes)May does not own Yu-Gi-Oh!

May: They know it already. Please comment and review.

Chapter 8

Atem was happy about the news he had received last night from his mother. He was going to have a sibling and he wanted to be the best brother she or he could have. He went to his cousin Seto's bedroom to tell the latter the good news. When he got there, Seto was hunched over the scroll he was reading.

"Hi cousin! Guess what?" Atem asked, poring over the scroll his cousin was reading.

"What?" Seto asked, looking up.

"I'm going to have a sibling!" he told him, excitedly.

"Oh, goody." Seto told him, "Why are you so excited about this anyway?"

"Nothing."

Seto then stood up, took his cousin's hand and led him to the door. "Now is the best time that you should tell your friends about this." he said as he pushed Atem, carefully out to the hallway.

"Cousin, you are so stingy!" Atem told him while making a face. He then ran to the corner, "And I'll tell them how awful you sound like! Like a girl!"

'I didn't sound like a girl...' Seto thought then did a little monologue, 'Hmm...this doesn't sound like a girl.'

Atem didn't clearly get what his cousin was doing so he went towards him and shouted, "I'll tell them you snuck out the palace yesterday!" he said as he walked backwards.

"Wait...What?" Seto asked, he grabbed him by the shoulders, "What are you going to tell them?" he shook the Prince.

"I'll tell them you snuck out yesterday." he took off, running.

"Hey Wait! You wouldn't dare!" Seto ran after him, "Get back here! And I'll them you are gay!"

"I'm not!" Atem answered as he, turn at the corner.

They ran around the palace, saying some incoherent words to each other, with the servants and guards staring wide eyed at the two children. Atem, being wise entered the palace gardens and hid inside the vase. Seto came in a few minutes later. Searching the place for any tri-colored child.

"Where are you little brat?" he shouted, "I don't have time playing games."

Siamun then came up behind him. Apparently he heard what the two boys were saying to each other and he doesn't like what Seto was calling the Prince eventhough some of it was true indeed.

"Seto!" he shouted.

Seto then turned around and bowed, "Siamun...sorry I didn't see you."

"I heard what you two were saying to each other...and some of those aren't very accurate about the Prince."

Seto bowed his head, he knew he shouldn't have said those, but he just couldn't let Atem ruin everything. Even he couldn't let his secret be told: that he snuck out yesterday. He then looked at Siamun and with utmost sincerity he promised the old man that he would apologized.

"Are you sure about that, Seto?" Siamun asked, unsure, "You know the Prince is capable of turning things his own way."

"I'm sure, Siamun and I wanted to apologize for what I said to him earlier."

Siamun then nodded and left him to continue his search. Seto then sighed and looked again once more.

"Atem! Where are you?" he shouted, "I just wanted to talk."

Atem then shouted, "Are you sure?"

"Yes I am. So come out now because I wanted to apologize."

Atem came out from the vase and tiptoed near his cousin who sighed tiredly and sat on the stone bench.

"Are you lying?" he asked, as he hesitantly took a step closer, "Because you look like one."

"Atem." Seto said as he turned his head to look at his cousin, "I'm sorry about earlier. I shouldn't have shoved you away. You were waiting for a long while to have someone who could understand you about your status and I respect that."

Atem then looked at his cousin, confused on why he is acting like this. He then went real close, put his hand on his cousin's shoulder and patted him.

"I'm not angry at you, Seto. You see I was really used to you pushing me away when you are busy with something. And I'm sorry too."

Seto then looked at him, startled. He then stood up and took Atem's hands into his.

"Why are you apologizing? You are the Crown Prince for Ra's sake! You will be Pharaoh someday."

Atem looked at him, intently, used to the fact that whenever he does something, and tried to apologize the people would just say that he needn't not to. He is the Crown Prince anyway, and being in his status, he should be respected with whatever he does.

"No, Seto. I should apologize. I shouldn't have said those things to you and not dare to tell your secret, it was yours to tell."

Seto then shook his head, indeed his cousin was right. But he shouldn't have acted that way, he shouldn't have left the palace without anyone with him. And being older to Atem in 4 years, he shouldn't have done what is wrong, he should have been a role model to his younger cousin. He then decided to change the subject so that he could make up to it.

"So...you are excited to have a sibling?"

"Yep. Can't wait!"

"What do you want? a sister? or brother?"

Atem thought form awhile. He couldn't decide what he would want. A sister or a brother? A thought came to his mind.

"A sister!"

"Why would you want a sister?"

"I want someone to protect when I grew up to be a Pharaoh, someone like Father cares for and protects with all his life."

Seto raised an eyebrow; his cousin was talking about a wife not a sister. He decided to tease his cousin.

"You seriously are talking like you want a wife." he joked.

"I'm not!" Atem pouted, "I'm talking about a sister."

"Why not a brother? You said you want one."

"I don't want a brother anymore. So hard to take care of."

Seto understood what his cousin was implying so he asked him one final question before going back to his rooms to resume his studies.

"How did you know?"

"What?"

"That your mother was pregnant."

"Oh, she told me and my father a few weeks ago during my birthday."

"Did you realize you have to wait for nine months for your sister to be born?"

"Nine months?" Atem counted his fingers, and then mentally computed the weeks in his head, "But that would take almost a year!"

Seto nodded. Apparently his cousin didn't know reality to much well, he always spends it with his father, or mother, or even some of his friends inside here in the palace. That is the reason why he goes out secretly, to learn new things from commoners which Isis was seriously too busy to share with him.

"Are you sure about what you said?" Atem asked him.

"Sure I am, Prince." Not forgetting the title this time, "If you're not sure you could go and ask your parents about this."

Atem perked up, "That's a great idea, Seto! Glad you were here." as he took off running.

'I do hope he would stick to what he said when his sibling was born.' he thought sadly, 'I do have a feeling after nine months a life will be lost.'

Atem ran inside the palace, to his parents' rooms. He opened the door with a loud slam as he entered the room. His parents looked at him shocked especially his father who never thought that he would do this un-royal action.

"Atem. What are you doing here?" Aknankamon asked, "I thought you were with Mana and Mahad."

Atem then went up to his mother, "Mother is it true that I have to wait for nine whole months?" he asked.

His parents looked at each other, they couldn't possibly understand how their son came to know of this. Arsinoe then looked at her son, smiled at the very least and answered his question.

"Yes, you do have to wait for nine whole months. Who told you that?"

"Seto did."

"Son, why are you asking us this?" Aknankamon asked, curious.

"I'm just excited." Atem blushed.

"Can't wait to be a big brother, do you?" Arsinoe teased.

"YES!" he shouted, gleefully, "I can't wait."

His parents smiled. Aknankamon then knew in his heart that his son would protect his sibling with all his life. But then he thought, if his wife didn't make it through, will he change his attitude?

He then carried his son, in his arms grunting because of his weight,"Where this excitement came from?"

"It's because I will have someone who could understand me from what I'm going through."

"Going through what?" Arsinoe asked, "Atem...are you..."

"It'a not what you are thinking!" Atem squealed, "It's quite different than that."

"Then what?" they both asked.

Atem sighed, "I just want someone to talk to, about being me, being royalty."

"You could always talk to us if you have problems."

"No, it's not that. I just want someone who could fully understand me, someone who is going through with the same thing."

Aknankamon then asked, "What are you implying?"

"I just can't understand why I have to look like this." Atem gestured to the earrings and the tunic.

"Oh, a companion. I get it." his mother insisted, "Don't worry you will have one after nine months."

"I can't wait to see what she will turn out." he said as he jumped from his father's lap, "When she or he will be born I want to name her."

Arsinoe then chuckled, "What name are you going to give her then? If ever she was a girl."

Atem thought then smiled, "You will know after nine months."

Aknankamon then softly chuckled, "We'll see. Now run along now."

Atem then went out his parents' rooms and turned back, "I'm going with Mana and Mahad in case you came to search for me." he ran off.

Aknankamon and his wife went out to the balcony and saw their son, playing with his friends. All smiles and joys.

He then looked at his wife, "He sure is happy."

She grinned, "He sure is." then her smile wavered, "I'm worried too."

"Worried about what?"

"I'm worried about Atem. What if I didn't make it?" she held his hand into hers, "I don't want him to be angry with his sister about me."

Aknankamon then held her hand, "Don't worry. If you didn't make it...I'll make sure Atem wouldn't even dare lay a hand on her that would hurt her feelings."

Arsinoe rested her head on her husband's shoulder, contentedly. She said a silent prayer to the gods thanking them that they make it as her destiny to fall in love with the most powerful man in Egypt and to have such a caring husband. But what she is thinking now is the future...a future without her in it, her two children against all odds with each other and the fate that both of them would share.

Aknankamon meanwhile was thinking of the future as well. He somehow felt that his wife wouldn't survive. But could he do the job of being a Pharaoh, a father, and a mother at the same time? He then felt it that when his wife dies, his son's life will entirely change. He looked up at the sky.

'Oh, Ra, God of the Heavens. Please help me.' he thought, he then looked at his wife and smiled. Forgetting about the future, he put his hand on her shoulder and squeezed it lightly. He wouldn't think about the future yet, what he would think of now is the present. But then the gods heard his prayers and they are not happy about that.

May: Chapter 7 finished at last!

Atem: (smirks) Took you long enough.

(rolls eyes)May: Oh, shut up, Pharaoh.

(comes in)Bakura: What happens now?(comes close and reads the screen) Are you kidding me?

(giggles)May: Nope.

Bakura: Moneybags appologizing? That is so not Kaiba.

(comes in)Kaiba: What is it that I heard about me?

Bakura: You should check.

(comes closer to read the chapter)Kaiba: What the hell? There's no way I would apologize to him! (pointing at Atem) I'd rather be killed by Bakura in the story rather than apologize to my sworn enemy.

May:(sighs) Relax, Seto it's just a story. And by the way you and Atem were allies back then.

Kaiba: That was back then.(glares)I would rather have you erase this. Or else...

(stands up)Atem: Or else what Kaiba?

Kaiba: Or she will duel with me.

Atem: You will be dueling with me, in the shadow realm. (eye of Horus appears) Leave her alone.

Bakura: When did you become so protective of her?

Atem: Since she told me about the story, that she was my sister and she's planning to make you one Bakura.(smirks)

(groans)May: Atem , you ruined the surprise.

Atem:(smirks) Until then. Hope you enjoy! (to Seto and Bakura) to the shadow realm we go!