I hope you all had a nice break over the festive period. We had the usual quiet family Christmas at home. I took a week off from writing and editing, and then lost my mojo and could not get back into it. This is the penultimate chapter, so I hope it is worth the wait.

Chapter 11.

Family.

It was seven in the evening when Yugi left Kame Game.

Sugoroku watched him drive away, and then locked the door and went upstairs to the living quarters above the shop.

Finding out from Yugi that he had a son he never knew existed was a shock on its own. To learn what had become of his son was devastating.

A tear pricked his eye and he wiped it away.

He had done many questionable things in his younger years, and the brief affair with Farida was one of those questionable things he had regretted. But he had never once considered it might have resulted in a child!

If he had treated Farida with more respect, and not given her a false name to ensure there was no chance of her finding him. If he had checked to ensure she was okay when he returned to Egypt the following year and discovered she had left her job at the hotel, he would have found out about Atem and Atem would not have grown up not knowing his father. There would have been no need for him to travel to a foreign country in search of someone called Tux.

He would never have crossed paths with Marik. He would still be alive!

It might be forty five years too late, but he would like to meet Atem and apologise for all the anguish he had caused.

::::::::::::

Yugi felt bad leaving Grandpa on his own, but it was not a good idea for Grandpa to meet Atem without prior warning – the spirit would not handle such a surprise very well.

Yugi glanced at the clock on the dashboard; he had promised Anzu he would be home for dinner by seven and it was now twenty minutes past that.

Pulling onto the driveway, he turned off the engine and took a moment to compose himself. The last two days had left him feeling drained, both emotionally and physically, and he still needed to tell Anzu and Atem about Grandpa being Atem's father.

Deciding to put it off until morning, he got out of the car and went up to the house.

As he opened the front door and stepped inside, the wonderful aroma of beef cooking in aromatic spices greeted him.

Kicking off his shoes, he followed the aroma into the warm kitchen, where Anzu was sitting at the table reading a fashion magazine, with the radio playing music quietly in the background.

Usually such an inviting scene would lift his spirits, but it did little to lighten his mood.

"Hey, Yugi!" Anzu said, looking up from her magazine and smiling. "I was getting worried, I thought I might have to send a search party for you!"

In response Yugi managed to force smile. "Sorry," he said, going over to kiss her. "I went to see Grandpa. My parents are away and he didn't want me to leave. Anyway, what's that lovely smell?"

Anzu was concerned by his tired, worried face. "You okay? You look burdened."

This could have been an opportunity to explain, but he let it go. "I'm exhausted. Yesterday was tough," he said, letting out a tired yawn. Anzu gave him a sympathetic smile and reached out for his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"Well, I've made a nice nourishing stew, with beef, vegetables and spices. It's…." she blushed "..Atem's recipe. In Egypt he said they use lamb, but I've used beef instead." Yugi perked up slightly.

"Really?!" he was amazed. "Well, I'm starving and it smells delicious!"

""I knew that would cheer you up!" she said, standing up and giving him a quick peck on the lips. "You sit down while I dish up."

Yugi went to the sink to wash his hands and get himself a drink of water. "Talking of Atem. Where is he?" he asked, looking around.

"I think I wore him out," Anzu said, giggling. "He helped me clean the house and tidy up. Then we chatted – he's really nice once you get to know him," she beamed. "Oh! And the bed arrived. I got the guys to carry it upstairs for me, and I assembled it, so it's all ready for us to sleep in."

"Thanks," said Yugi, ultra relieved that he did not have to go up and put the bed base together after dinner. "Was it easy to assemble?"

Anzu nodded. "I could have done it on my own, but Atem insisted on instructing me. I think he was frustrated that he couldn't actually do it for me, but it's a bit too fiddly when he can't actually handle the tools."

The easy banter was taking some of his tension away and Yugi gave her a warm smile. "I'm glad you two are getting along okay. Did he tell you much about himself?"

She shrugged. "He didn't say that much, apart from telling me he used to be good at D.I.Y and cooking. But I didn't push him; I think he finds talking about himself painful. He wanted to know all about you and me though."

Yugi was intrigued. "Like what?" he asked. She shrugged.

"Where we met, when we got married, what we both do for a living. He's particularly fond of you; he wanted to know all about your family, and if you have any brothers or sisters, uncles, aunts, etc..."

Yugi nearly choked on his mouthful. "Really?!" he said, face flushed. Atem must have guessed they were related, which would hopefully make explaining about Grandpa easier. "I er… told Grandpa about him. Grandpa would like to meet him." Should he tell her everything now? But if Atem showed up halfway through, only to hear part of the story, he might get upset and become destructive, so he decided to wait.

"We should probably be careful who we tell about him, we don't want our home to become a tourist attraction," Anzu reasoned. Yugi agreed, he definitely did not want people flocking to see the ghost who was murdered and his body buried in the basement.

::::::::::::

After such a warming, hearty meal, Yugi felt a bit better. "I needed that," he said, patting his full belly. "I will thank him for telling you the recipe, when I see him."

"You can thank me now, Aibou!" said Atem, appearing right behind him. Yugi jumped, shivering at the sudden cold draft that touched the back of his neck.

"I wish you wouldn't do that!" he snapped, half teasing, half irritated.

"Aibou!?" Anzu exclaimed, hiding her snicker behind her hand. Yugi looked embarrassed.

"Did he tell you he calls me, Other Me?"said Atem, with a wicked smirk on his face. Yugi looked even more embarrassed.

"I can explain," he said, grimacing.

Anzu smiled warmly and reached across to squeeze his hand. "I think it's cute. A budding bromance," she said, winking. Both spirit and living man cringed at the reference.

"Actually," Yugi said, brushing his wife's teasing aside, "there's something important I need to tell you both." He paused, assessing their reaction. They both looked intrigued, and slightly worried.

"Well! We're waiting, Aibou," Atem said impatiently, emphasising Aibou. If Atem was corporeal Yugi would have kicked his leg. Instead, he rolled his eyes.

"You might want to sit down, Other Me, as this concerns some important news about your… your father's side of the family." He paused to gauge Atem's reaction, and was relieved to see the spirit looked hopeful and eager rather than ready destroy the house.

"I'm fine standing. Go on," Atem urged. Yugi nodded.

"Right. So." He took a breath. "When I went to see Grandpa today, I asked him a very awkward question: I asked him if he ever had an affair while he was in Egypt. He denied it at first, until I showed him these." He placed Atem's birth certificate and the old school photo on the table. "I've had a feeling we might be related from the moment I saw how alike we are, so I was determined to investigate and find out who you were." adding bitterly, "-that's how I ended up encountering Marik." Atem hovered closer to see them.

"Where did you get these?!" he said, sounding mortified. The air around him chilled. His eyes flashed with crimson flecks and he looked unstable. Yugi was concerned.

"Are you okay, Atem? I'll stop if you're not."

Atem closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them again they were sparkling amethyst. "I am fine. I need to know the truth. Continue."

Yugi nodded, and did just that.

"I got these from Ryou Bakura; they were obtained from the Egyptian authorities as part of the police investigation into identifying you... your….er.." Yugi faltered slightly.

"My remains," Atem interrupted sharply. "You can say it. I'm not offended."

"Sorry. Your body," Yugi said, awkwardly clearing his throat. "Anyway, Grandpa recognised your mother's name on the birth document and confessed to knowing her during his stay in the Winter Palace Hotel. My Grandfather... is your father, Atem."

Silence filled the room. Anzu looked between the pair with her mouth agape, while Yugi waited anxiously for Atem to lose his temper and start one of his mini whirlwinds. But nothing happened. Instead Atem nodded in understanding. "I sensed there was a connection between us," he said quietly. "But I wanted to hear it from you first."

"Are you absolutely sure Yugi?" asked Anzu. He nodded.

"About as sure as I can be. But I gave a sample of my DNA to Bakura, and he's testing it against DNA from Atem's body, just to be certain. He's rushing it through, and the result should be back in a few days. Assuming we're a match, how do you feel about me being your nephew?" Yugi asked gently. Keeping a calm exterior, Atem smiled.

"I would have preferred half brothers, but I'm fine with being your uncle."

Yugi let out the nervous little laugh he had been holding in. "I was worried you might be upset and smash the house up, like you did last time you were angry."

"Why would I be angry when knowing you and I are family warms my soul? I no longer hold the rage I once did, and I thank you for that, Yugi," he said gratefully.

Yugi smiled at him. "I just want to help you," he said.

"Erm.. guys. I was wondering…." Anzu said tentatively, "Now that your body has been found and Marik has been arrested for your murder, and you two have discovered your family connection, what happens next?" she asked.

Atem shrugged, "I still can't leave," he said. "There is something else I need for me to find closure."

"Grandpa," said Yugi. "I mean, your father" –it felt strange calling him that. "Would you like to meet him?"

Atem's reply was immediate. "Yes," he said, with certainty. "Does he want to meet me?" he added, With a little less confidence.

"He definitely wants to meet you," Yugi said reassuringly. "But I told him I would talk to you first."

Atem was quiet for a moment. Yugi and Anzu gave him time.

Eventually, he replied. "If you will excuse me, I would like to be alone for a while. I'm sure you two would like to be alone as well." His form started to turn to shadow.

Yugi called out, "No! You don't have to go!" but Atem's shadow was already drifting up through the ceiling.

::::::::::::

"Are you sure you're okay Grandpa?" Yugi asked, as he parked the car on the driveway. That morning, Atem had confirmed he was now ready to meet his biological father. Yugi had gone to get him. And although Grandpa was keen to meet his long lost son, he had been very quiet during the drive over.

Sugoroku nodded. "Yes, my boy, I am," he said resolutely. But then his confidence faltered slightly. He let out a sigh. "I recently found out I have a son I never knew existed, only to then be told he was murdered twenty five years ago." He turned to fix Yugi with a serious look. "You were just eight days old when Atem was killed." He swallowed. "We were busy rejoicing your arrival into this world and had no idea he even existed, let alone his fate," he said sadly.

Yugi reached over and squeezed his shoulder. "Please don't blame yourself Grandpa. You weren't to know."

Sugoroku glared at him."If I had been truthful and not given Farida a ridiculous false name he would have found me. We would be part of Atem's life and he would still be alive," he responded sharply.

"Yeah, well it's no good regretting what you can't change," Yugi snapped back. "The important thing is that you both get closure."

Sighing, Sugoroku nodded slowly. "Yes. Yes, I know. I'm sorry. You're right, Yugi." He reached over and squeezed his grandson's hand. "Thank you for being so understanding about my shady past."

Yugi smiled sadly. "C'mon, let's go inside."

::::::::::::

Atem watched from the upstairs window, as Yugi got out of the car and walked up to the front door. An elderly gentleman got out of the passenger side and followed him. Even though Atem knew he was his father he felt less emotion than he had anticipated.

The man with Yugi was short –shorter than Yugi– and stocky. Thanks to his mother, Atem had always held the image of a tall, strong, dapper man wearing a smart black suit and a fedora. The man with Yugi was wearing a pair of unflattering green overalls, a beige shirt with the sleeves rolled up and a bandana tied around his head. Strands of grey hair poked out from underneath the bandana, and his grey beard was neatly trimmed. He was a bit of a disappointing sight.

But Atem realised he should not be that surprised, because his father must be well into his seventies now.

A slight smirk tweaked at the corner of his mouth and he suppressed a chuckle. As a spirit, he could make himself appear any size he wanted, but in life he had been around Yugi's height. Seeing his biological father made it obvious as to where they inherited their vertically challenged stature from.

He heard the front door open and Yugi called out, "Anzu! Atem! We're here!"

"Hey! Yugi, Grandpa Muto, I'm afraid Atem's done one of his vanishing acts," Anzu replied.

A gust of wind blew through the house, but Atem did not appear. Yugi and Anzu looked at each other. "Atem, are you okay?" Anzu called out, but there was no response.

Yugi turned to his grandfather. "Just give him time to process you being here. He'll come when he's ready."

Sugoroku shifted nervously on his feet. "Well, in the meantime, why don't you and Anzu show me around your new home?" He was feeling nervous, so no doubt Atem was too.

Atem had keen hearing and could hear perfectly well what they were saying. This was proving harder than he thought.

::::::::::::

After a brief tour of the house Atem was still a no-show, so Anzu suggested she should make some tea while they waited. "Sorry about the grotty kitchen," she said, feeling embarrassed by the state of the tatty kitchen units. "This time next week it will be ripped out and a new kitchen will be arriving."

"Oh, it's not that bad," Sugoroku said politely. "You should have seen the first place I lived in!" He chuckled at the memory of the dirty shared facilities.

"You two wait here," Yugi interjected. "I'll be back in a minute." Leaving them, he went upstairs to the small front bedroom that used to be Atem's –he had sensed him in there when they showed Grandpa round, but did not say anything. "Atem?" he called quietly. A shadowy figure materialised by the bedroom window. "What's wrong?" Yugi was concerned.

The shadowy figure hung his head. "I don't know if I'm ready."

If Yugi could have gone over to put his hands on Atem's shoulders and give him words of encouragement he would. "He doesn't bite, Atem. He's really keen to meet you," he said gently.

Atem nodded. "I know. It's just, meeting him will give me the closure I desire. You do know what will happen once I get closure, don't you?" When Yugi looked at him blankly, he sighed.

"There will be nothing holding me here."

"But you don't have to leave if you don't want to, right?" Yugi said anxiously. Atem shrugged.

"I have no idea what will happen. For all I know a big black hole will open up in the floor and pull me down!"

Yugi refused to believe that. "Or a big golden stairway to heaven will guide you," he corrected.

Atem snorted. "You've been watching too many corny movies."

"Only Ghost," said Yugi.

"Ghost?" Atem asked, confused.

"Yeah.. It's a move. It's a bit after your time, but Anzu loves it so I've had to watch it a few times. Anyway, only the bad guys went down the black hole. The good guy went to heaven. You're definitely a good guy."

"Okay, I'll take your word on that. But, seriously, what if I have no choice and I'm forced to leave, either way?"

"Do you want to leave?"

With a big sigh Atem shrugged. "I don't know." He had only just started to get to know Yugi, and now had the chance to meet and get to know his father.

Nodding sympathetically, Yugi tried to offer a smile of encouragement. "None of us know what will happen, but you have to do what you feel is right for you. Grandpa won't be offended if you don't want to meet him today."

Atem didn't answer, so Yugi turned and went back downstairs.

"Did you find him?" Anzu asked anxiously, as he walked into the kitchen. Yugi nodded.

"He's in the small bedroom at the front. He's… got a lot on his mind. He'll be here when he's ready."

"You're welcome to stay here tonight, Mister Muto?" said Anzu. "It's not luxury, but we can put the futon up in the spare room for you."

"Thank you for the offer my dear, but I don't want make Atem feel pressured by me being here," replied Sugoroku. "Perhaps I'll stay a little while longer, and then get you to run me home Yugi, if you don't mind?"

Of course Yugi didn't mind. But he was disappointed that Atem decided to do a no show.

::::::::::::

Atem screwed his eyes tight, and was about to let out a roar of frustration, but checked himself; a banshee like howl would probably shake the house and frighten everyone within its walls, and he had promised himself that he would stop doing things like that to his new found family and friends.

But why could he not bring himself to meet the father he had always been so desperate to find?

He could hear movement downstairs.

"Are you sure, Yugi? I can get a bus." said Sugoroku.

"Of course I don't mind Grandpa! I just feel really bad you didn't get to meet Atem," replied Yugi.

Sugoroku smiled, but deep down he was hurt. "No need for you to feel bad my boy. It's already been forty five years, a few more days won't do any harm," he said, doing his best to sound chipper, even though his heart was sinking.

Atem opened his eyes. True, a few more days would not do any harm, but there was no time like the present.

Before he had time to chicken out again, he dropped down through the ceiling, landing so close to Anzu their shoulders merged.

At the sudden sensation of ice touching her bare arm she jumped out of her skin. "Eeek! Don't do that! I almost had a heart attack!" she scolded, clutching her hands over her heart.

Atem jumped too – he had not given any consideration as to who he might land on when he dropped in.

"I'm sorry," he said. If a ghost could blush his face would probably be scarlet right now.

Sugoroku and Yugi were putting their shoes on and immediately stood up to face their sudden new arrival.

Yugi's smile was full of relief. "Atem! You came after all."

Too emotional to say anything coherent, Sugoroku stared, jaw slack and eyes glassy with forming tears.

Atem stepped forward, as close as he dared. "Hello father. We meet at last," he said, forcing down his emotions; if he let them out now all hell would break loose, and he could not let that happen.

"Hello, son. I… er…" Sugoroku choked on his words.

"Why don't we all go back into the kitchen?" Anzu suggested. Yugi nodded.

"Good idea," he said. Nodding, Anzu gestured for Atem to follow her, and Yugi steered his grandfather back to the kitchen.

Sugoroku was trembling. There was so much he wanted to say to Atem, but did not know where to begin.

A strange tension hung in the air as they all tried to think of what to say.

Yugi looked at Anzu, and she made a silent gesture at him to be the first to speak.

He caught Atem's eye, and just as he was about to open his mouth, Atem found his voice, "I have been waiting for this moment for a long time. I was beginning to lose hope of ever finding you within your lifetime, but now I have I'm lost for words," he admitted.

Sugoroku gave Atem an anguished look. "I'm sorry I was not there for you while you were growing up, Atem. I wish… I wish I had done things differently."

"It's too late to be sorry," Atem said, a little more briskly than he intended. "We cannot change the past." He had had many years to contemplate the 'what ifs'.

"No. Sadly we can't," said Sugoroku. "But decisions I made back then resulted in you not knowing who your father was, and as a result you crossed paths with Marik. I can't help thinking that happened to you is my fault." He started sobbing.

There was silence. Yugi and Anzu looked at each other, and Yugi went over to comfort his grandfather.

Only Anzu noticed the mass of red and black swirling in Atem's eyes, and the smoky tendrils of shadow curling off his fingertips.

Although afraid of him in this state, she went over to him. "Atem? Are you okay?" She put a hand on his arm, but it passed straight through. Ice and fire, light and dark, touched her soul. But although she felt his pain, she also felt his humanity reaching out to her. "Talk to me, Atem?" she pleaded.

Through contact with her, Atem felt her loving kindness and concern pulling him back from the brink. His crimson eyes flickered as they met her worried gaze, and slowly his eyes turned back to a deep, plumb/violet with sparkly flecks of amethyst.

"Thank you, Anzu," Atem smiled gratefully, and drifted over to Sugoroku, who had also managed to compose himself a little. "I do not blame you for my death," said Atem. "You did not know that your actions would lead to me ending up like this. Just as I did not know that my coming here to find you would lead to me being killed."

Sugoroku forced a smile. "You have a kind, forgiving heart Atem. Thank you." Atem may not blame him, but Sugoroku would always blame himself.

Atem smiled. He was finally getting closure and would soon be able to move on. But….!

There was only one problem. He was no longer sure he wanted to leave.

Thank you for reading. Please leave a review on the way out as knowing people are reading gives me encouragement and makes me smile.