Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Baby of Mine ❯ Stranger in My Dreams ( Chapter 57 )

Thanks for all your feedback on my sequel, guys! For all those who are relieved that Ryou has escaped Steven….He hasn't….not yet. All I can say about the sequel is that it is going to be the last story with Steven in it. Let me just say that Steven crosses a line that shouldn't be crossed. Steven will learn you do not mess with Aria and Aten without justice from their fathers, Bakura and Marik.

Tiamat: Well, Steven is going to tick Marik and Bakura off. And he's lucky if he lives for five minutes under their fury.

Strangewind: I wasn't planning a kiss between Marik, Yami, and Bakura anytime soon. Yami and Bakura have always been enemies for thousands of years and their opposition is kind of funny. They are always trying to undermine each other. If there is a kiss, it won't be for a long long long time.

Lupusdragon: I'll make it as painless as possible.

Gralnak: Hmm…I'm beginning to think about an attempted lemon scene, but Ryou is going to stop it before it gets too deep.

Falling Leaves: It's not a dumb idea, it's a possibility.

Ryous Mistress: Bakura may try to get rid of the doll so Aria can't chew on it.

Dargondreamer: *snicker * Unkie Puppy…Joey's never going to live that down.

Danae: Aria was being controlled by Cinetti. Making the DM attack him was mean, but what a cliffhanger!!!

Stranger in my Dreams

Ryou brushed back Aten's hair and Marik sat on Aten's other side in the car. Bakura held Aria on his lap quietly looking down at the girl holding her Dark Magician doll, her trigger. She wasn't chewing on it as she happily watched the cars go by with a wide smile on her face. The yami watched his daughter closely, waiting for a sign of gnawing. She smiled and held onto him finally leaning against him yawning.

Malik drove the car, but it was obvious his concern wasn't for the traffic in front of him. Periodically, he would look back in the rear view mirror and at the unconscious boy in the back being cuddled and attended to by the other hikari. Yami somehow also fit in the back seat with Yugi on his lap. Malik wondered how or why no police were pulling him over for having his car filled beyond legal occupancy. Malik saw his yami bite his lip nervously watching the traffic out the window. Marik looked more withdrawn than usual.

When they finally arrived home, Ryou and Malik took Aten upstairs to the bathroom. They quickly gave him a bath. It was thought that it would make Aten sleep better and make him feel more comfortable. They put him in a clean pair of shorts and a shirt and put him in the bed that he shared with Malik and Marik.

Marik kneeled beside the bed holding his son's hand. In the drawer beside the bed they found Aten's heart medication.

"Strange," Malik said looking at the bottle. "Aten never forgets his medication."

"That's not like him," Ryou said looking down at his son.

Marik kneeled beside the bed whispering something neither Ryou nor Malik could fully translate. Bakura slowly began to mutter it, too, much to Ryou's surprise. When the yamis were done, Bakura turned to Ryou.

"Will he be ok alone for a while?"

"He'll be asleep for a long time. Those attacks hit me hard, too. I've never seen him have a panic attack like that. He had a real scare today, poor baby."

Bakura nodded and left descending the stairs. Malik put the toy monkey in Aten's arms and watched him smile in his sleep. Marik stood up and looked down at Aten. It wasn't an imposing presence that Marik emitted. It was one of devotion and protection.

"Let's go, Marik. Let him sleep. We have to handle Aria downstairs."

Marik sighed and kissed Aten. "Sweet dreams, son."

Marik closed the door behind them and walked downstairs holding Malik's hand. Bakura stopped by the door.

"Yami, what was that you and Marik were chanting?"

"It was a prayer, Ryou. An ancient chant for good health and speedy recovery….and…love."

Ryou looked at Bakura. "Love?"

"Marik loves his kid. Aten may not be mine, but he came from you as much as Aria. I love him, too, as if he was my own. We must find a way to stop Anubis. I don't want anything happening to either of the kids."

Ryou sighed sadly. "Me neither. They are my family. I don't want anything to happen." Ryou wrapped his arms around Bakura. "I'm scared, yami. I don't want Aten to….you know. It hurts that I can't do anything for him."

Bakura stroked Ryou's hair. "I know, tenshi. We have to handle Aria delicately. She is the one we have to keep a closer eye on. Ryou, look at me."

Ryou looked up into the other's brown eyes that matched his daughter's. "What, yami?"

"I love you. That will get us through anything. We survived your father, we survived Anubis' attacks before. That didn't tear us apart. Nothing will sever our bond, ok?"

Ryou leaned up and kissed Bakura gently outside Malik's bedroom. They knew they had to confront their daughter, but neither knew how.

Aria sat on the couch between Yami and Yugi. "Read it again, Auntie Yami! Read it again!"

Yami rolled his eyes. "I am Uncle Yami…not Auntie."

"Auntie Yami!" The chibi girl squeaked with laughter. "Read it again!"

"Must I?"

Ryou and Bakura came downstairs and saw Aria with her Dark Magician in one hand and her bunny plushie with the other. Bakura picked up Aria and the little girl giggled.

"Daddy! That tickles!"

Bakura brought Aria on his knee and she clutched the bunny plushie tightly. Ryou sat between Yugi and Yami.

"Aria, we need to talk."

"Auntie Yami was reading me a story and it was funny and I want you to read it to me before I go to sleep so I can have good dreams."

Good dreams???

"Aria, do you have nightmares?"

"Sometimes. And some guy talks to me. I don't know who he is."

Ryou leaned forward. "Has he ever given you his name? Anubis? Cinetti? Tom?"

Aria shook her head, her tiny spiky locks flying with her head. "No. All he says is that I have to grow up and be strong. I try to play with my dolls in my dreams and he gives me something else to play with. He doesn't let me play with my dollies. That's all I want," Aria said looking sadly at her bunny plushie.

"What does he give you to play with?"

Aria shrugged.

Bakura looked her in the eye trying to resist the urge to lose his temper. Punishing her would not get him the answers he desperately needed.

"He told me to not tell anyone. He says he would get angry."

"Please tell us, baby," Ryou almost pleaded.

Aria shook her head. "He said he would hurt Aten really really bad if I told you anything. I don't wanna hurt him."

Malik and Marik exchanged worried glances. "Hurt how?" Marik asked also sounding furious.

"He said this one time that he would hurt Aten's heart if I told anyone."

"We will protect Aten, baby," Ryou said trying to calm himself down. "What did this man give you to play with?"

"He gave me the Dark Magician doll. He told me to bite it. I didn't want to. I wanted to play with it. He told me to be mean and hate my brother. I love Aten. I don't want to hurt him…ever! He's my bestest friend."

Bakura shifted uncomfortably in the chair. "Why did you tell the Dark Magician to attack Aten this morning?"

Aria looked around the room at all of the adults looking at her angrily. Tears welled up in her eyes. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to! The man told me to do it!"

Ryou stood up and kneeled beside Bakura's chair. "Do you remember ordering him to attack?"

"No. I don't remember anything!" The little girl sobbed into her father's chest. Ryou stroked her spiky hair and sighed.

"What do you remember?" Yugi asked.

"I remember waking up and the voice telling me to go into Daddy Marik's room. I was told to beat him up."

Bakura's eyes narrowed. "Did you?"

Aria nodded sadly. "I didn't mean to. The man made me! He scares me, daddy! He scares me and I can't tell him to go away. I tell him he's a bad man and he laughs at me."

Aria buried her face in her father. Bakura suddenly felt sorry for Aria. She was so young, how could she possibly fight a force that is more powerful than she?

"Do you disobey the voice, Aria?" Yami asked.

"Sometimes. I try to fight him. I don't want daddy angry at me, but it looks like my daddy is angry at me."

Bakura rocked his little girl. "No, angel eyes. Daddy's not angry. Daddy loves you."

"He won't stop getting me into trouble! Daddy, I'm tired! He won't let me sleep! He won't let me play with my dollies! I wanna play with my dollies!"

Bakura put Aria on the ground. "Go play with your dollies, sweetheart. I love you, Aria." Bakura kissed his daughter on the forehead and she ran to get one of her dolls. She brought it over to Bakura and played at his feet combing and brushing the dolly's hair.

"Auntie Yami wanna play with me?"

"Bakura, what have you been teaching this kid?"

"Auntie Yami play with me! Do you want to be Angelica or Jessie?"

Yami growled. "I do not play with dolls."

Marik giggled. "Sure you do, Auntie!!!!" If Bakura and Marik could die laughing, they would die a thousand deaths.

Aria ran to Yami and put a long blonde haired doll in Yami's hand.

Aria mimicked the voice of her own doll. "'Hello, Jessie? My your dress looks nice today! Would you like to go to the park?'"

Yami sat silently holding the doll.

"Auntie Yami! Play with it! What does Jessie say to Angelica?"

"………….."

"Auntie Yami?"

Yami put down the doll. "Go play with your dad…umm…one of your dads."

"But I wanna play with you!"

Yami rolled his eyes. "'Hi, Angelica, I would love to go to the park.'"

Yami and Aria made the dolls "walk". Bakura and Marik exchanged glances.

"I knew it! The pharaoh likes dolls!" Bakura said laughing.

Marik, Ryou, Malik, and Bakura laughed. Yugi and Yami blushed.

Yami put down the doll. "We should be discussing how we will defeat Anubis, not playing with dolls."

Aria whimpered and Malik ran to her. "I'll play with you," Malik said grabbing "Jessie."

"It's going to take a strong force to defeat Anubis."

"I still don't understand how we managed to defeat him with that light coming from our Millenium Items."

"'A mother's love….that is how the voice said we can defeat Anubis," Marik said scratching his chin.

"We defeated Anubis with the Millenium Items before."

"But that failed, Bakura," Yami said crossing his legs. "We have to try something else."

"But what?"

The phone rang and Marik answered it. "Yugi, your grandfather wants you home."

Yami and Yugi got up and turned to Bakura. "We should get together tomorrow to discuss this further."

"Good idea," Yami said closing the door behind him.

Aria looked around. "Where's Aten?"

Marik sighed and went into the kitchen. "Sleeping."

Aria looked at Malik. "Is he tired?"

Ryou went into the kitchen with Marik hugging him.

Aria looked at her father. "Why is mommy upset?"

"Mommy will be fine. You just have fun with Malik."

Aria looked at Malik. "Thank you for playing with me, mom. I want to go see Aten."

Malik took Aria upstairs and found Aten still asleep. Aria walked up to the bed and rubbed Aten's arm, still pale and covered in sweat. She tucked her pink bunny plushie under the sheets with Aten.

She leaned over and kissed her brother. "I'm sorry, Aten. I'm sorry if I hurt you."

Next Chappie: The time has come