Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ The Arrangement ❯ Chapter Sixteen ( Chapter 16 )

The Arrangement

Chapter Sixteen

The room was dim, with shadows being cast on the walls from the few rays of sunlight creeping in through the closed curtains. Selina blinked a few times, focusing her vision as a yawn escaped her lips. As she began to stretch, the reality of what she had been told the day before hit her.

She sat up quickly, her mind processing the new information. Her father was going to die in thirteen days; Kaiba said he was falling in love with her; and she had a-

"You're awake!" Mokuba exclaimed happily, jumping on the bed and sitting beside Selina. "We were worried when you passed out. Seto said you were shocked or something. Anyway, Doctor Keito came and made sure you were okay, which he said you were," he rattled, bringing a smile to Selina's face. "I'll go get Seto!"

With those parting words, Mokuba raced from the room in search of his elder brother. Selina smiled softly at the partially open door before shaking her head. Well, Seto was right. Duke is a blood relative…but not directly. I mean, he's just my elder-brother-like-cousin. But…my grandfather? I never knew…

"Mokuba told me you were awake," a smooth voice floated to her ears, drawing her attention to its speaker. "How are you?"

"I'm fine," Selina whispered. "If I have a grandfather, why have I never met him? Or even heard of him?"

Kaiba shook his head, never moving from his place against the doorframe. "Keito tells me you need to rest, and that includes your curiosity. I agree with him; the shock of your father's oncoming death and the news of your grandfather were too much at the same time. However, as much as I agree that you need rest, I have brought you a visitor."

"You have?" Selina questioned, her brows furrowing as her mind began to think of who he could have brought. It's definitely not Joey, Tristan, Yugi, Tea, Mai, Serenity…maybe it's Duke.

"Selina, meet Chief of Domino Police, Riko Kenjin - your grandfather."

~*~*~*~

"And this was your mother when she was ten. You resemble her very much," Kenjin smiled softly as he presented an old photograph with wrinkles and a few tears to Selina.

Selina slowly accepted the picture and smiled down at it. She had been talking with her grandfather for the past two hours about how she had become the wife of a multi-billionaire. He had told her of her mother as a child and a teen and how she had come to know Darrin because of his job as a law enforcement officer.

She handed the picture back to her grandfather and watched as he gently placed it back in its rightful place. "I still want to know something. Why did my parents never tell me you were alive; I thought all my relatives were dead, except for my father of course, and my uncle, aunt, and cousin."

Kenjin took a quiet breath, a sad smile upon his face. "Your mother's relationship with Darrin created a rift in our relationship. I was against her having anything to do with him; she would not listen to me because she was…in love with him. At that time, I was just an officer whose wife was ill and daughter was rebelling…" Kenjin's voice trailed off, the pain never showing upon his face as he recounted the day he disowned his only daughter.

~*~*~*~

"I love him Daddy, why can't you see that!" a twenty year old Christine cried out in exasperation.

Kenjin rose from his chair and towered over his only child. "I forbid you to ever see him, or speak to him again! Am I understood?"

Christine remained silent, a the fire burning deep within her eyes subdued by silent desperation. Slowly, she began to shake her head before lifting her eyes to meet her father's dark orbs. "I've already promised myself to him Daddy. I love him!"

"I forbid it!"

Swiftly, Christine turned on her heel and began to ascend the stairs to her room. Without looking back, she spoke. "You know what it's like to be in love Daddy; you have mom. You'd do anything for her. Darrin loves me and I will be with him." With her final words, she ran to her room, slamming the door behind her and leaving her tired father to deal with his anger.

Kenjin lowered himself down into his chair and closed his eyes, his mind filling with thoughts of how to keep Darrin away from his daughter.He was about to drift off into a peaceful sleep when a loud knocking on the door woke him. Gruffly, he walked to the door, his face filled with anger towards the man before him.

"Uh, hi Officer Kenjin.I um-"

"Christine is none of your concern Darrin. Leave my property," Kenjin growled at the twenty-two year old man.

"Stop it Daddy," Christine's voice called as she struggled to carry her three suitcases down the stairs.

"What's this?"

"I love him Daddy and I'm going to marry him. Why can't you just accept him?"

"Because he is trouble Christine!Do you have to be so blind? If your mother were well-"

"Don't bring Mom into this! She wouldn't be so close-minded as you are!" Christine cried out, tears forming in her eyes. "I'm leaving."

Kenjin remained silent, his stern face set. "You would choose him over your family? So be it; you are no daughter of mine."

Tears began to spill from Christine's eyes as Darrin led her from the house. He returned for her last bag, leaving her father with quiet, pleading departing words. "I hope you'll reconsider Officer Kenjin. And if not for your daughter, for your grandchild."

For twenty minutes, Kenjin stared down the road they had departed on, his eyes clouded. His baby girl was pregnant? Impossible! Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he classified Darrin's statement as fallacy and closed the door to his home. Seven months later, he found the statement to be truth and himself, shut from his daughter and granddaughter's life.

~*~*~*~

"I loved your mother very much, but we were both stubborn. When I arrived at the hospital, she wanted nothing to do with me and refused to let me in your life; but who could blame her - I did disown her. A few months later, my wife died and I found no reason to remain in Japan - so I moved to America. I was given a high position and helped strengthen their national security.

"I heard about your mother's death, and although I was devastated, I was more than relieved to learn that you were alive and well; however, deep inside, I had wished it was your father who had died. When he called me with the news, I was close to leaving America, but I was in the middle of a project that would take years; and because of my contract, I had no choice but to complete the project. I decided that because you didn't know me, you wouldn't accept me and I feared you had been told terrible things of me - I chose to live my life in America until I died.

"But, as Fate would have it, the day I finished my project, a young man by the name of Devlin called me and told me I needed to return to Japan on account of an emergency involving my granddaughter. That same day, I was contacted by the old Chief of Domino Police with an offer for his job - which I accepted.

"When all the arrangements had been finalized, and I had finally made it to Japan, I met with Mister Kaiba on an issue of security for an event Kaiba Corporations was hosting. A week later, I learned of your marriage to Mister Kaiba and put aside all fear for you and the thoughts of entering your life.

"Last night, however, I was requested to come to the Kaiba mansion, and here I am." Kenjin finished his recollection, a soft smile upon his face as he gazed into the bright eyes of his young granddaughter. "And I hope I will be accepted into your life."

Selina grinned, her eyes sparkling with joy. "Mom only spoke good things about you. All my life, I wanted to meet you; but I thought you had died."

In a joyous jubilee, Selina embraced her grandfather, a bright smile upon her face. "You are welcome here anytime…Grandfather."

A silent tear slid down Kenjin's face as he returned the embrace, the missing piece of his heart finding its place. And all the while, Kaiba sat in silence, watching the exchange between grandfather and granddaughter with a pleased smile upon his normally cold face.

~*~*~*~

The bell over the door rang out for all within the small shop to hear. Yugi lifted his eyes off of his files and glanced at the visitor. A grin graced his lips as he stood to his full height, the chain around his neck jingling as he moved. "Tea's in the kitchen, I'll go get her."

Selina smiled as she made her way to the door behind the counter which led to Yugi and Tea's home. When she finally made it to her destination, she nearly collided with Tea.

"Thank you so much for having me over!" Selina exclaimed, hugging Tea like she may never see her again. "With Mokuba in school and Seto at work all the time, the mansion is so lonely. And of course, he doesn't want me to go anywhere or do anything because he thinks I'll faint again."

Tea's brow rose at this statement as her lips began to form a question. However, she was cut off by Selina raising her hand for silence.

"I'll explain it later," she sighed, slowly entering the house section of Yugi's game shop. "Yugi, while I'm here, do you have those status sheets for the prototype of the portable holographic Duel Monster and Dungeon Dice Monster fields? It'll save you the trouble of sending them to Seto's office."

"I'll give them to you before you leave. If you'll excuse me ladies, I see some customers," Yugi grinned, closing the door behind him and leaving the two women alone.

"Alright, what's going on?" Tea asked, seating herself on the soft cushions of the sofa in the living room.

Selina laughed slightly as she sat herself upon Yugi's leather easy chair. "I found out I have a grandfather. Apparently, my husband was digging up information on my father's past - as well as my own - and failed to tell me. Then, not only does he tell me I have a grandfather - whom I believed to be dead - but that my father is going to be killed in only nine days. And of course, right before that, he just has to tell me that he's falling in love with me!"

"What!" Tea exclaimed, her eyes dilating as she stared at her friend in disbelief. "Kaiba…in love?"

Selina shrugged as she began to chew on her bottom lip.

"What did you tell him? In response to him telling you he's in love with you," Tea questioned, a grin replacing her startled expression.

"I had the same reaction as you. I was sort of…surprised. Of course, the subject changed very quickly, and he hasn't mentioned it since. I'm as clueless as everyone else is."

"Well, I think Kaiba would be the most clueless. He knows everything, but when it comes to love, he's the most clueless person. But, because he's obviously never had the heart for love before, I think he's seriously falling in love with you," Tea mused aloud as she nodded her head in agreement with herself. "And what about you? What are your feelings for Mister Kaiba? Hmm?"

Selina laughed at her friend's antics before her expression turned serious. "I honestly don't know. There are days when he makes my heart soar and there are days I question my sanity on marrying him. He's the most confusing man I have ever, and I do mean ever, met. One day, he's this cold-hearted, egotistical, cynical jerk; and the next, he's offering you the world on a silver platter."

Tea just shook her head, hiding her own giggles. "So what's this about you fainting?"

"When he piled all this information on me, I guess it was too much. I was already feeling lightheaded when he told me about my father…but then to find I have another blood relative alive. That was the icing on the cake. He had Doctor Keito come to the mansion to make sure I was alright and now he has this silly notion in his head that if I don't sit still, I'll crack. He's forced me to stay in the mansion for four days. I couldn't take it anymore! He even had Roland standing outside the room to make sure I didn't go anywhere," Selina sighed, shaking her head at the thought.

"You snuck out?" Tea asked, her eyes widening once more.

Selina shrugged before a large grin appeared on her face. "I only believe in 'house arrest' for children and teenagers, but I am twenty years old! Besides, I plan on being back before they notice."

"I can't believe you!" Tea laughed, pictures of a multi-billionaire's wife sneaking out of her own home. "Through a window and down a tree, right?"

"Actually…no," Selina responded, a sly grin forming upon her face. "I was hoping he had finally told Roland not to watch the room, but of course, it was too much to hope. So, when I opened the door to find him standing there, I decided to ask him if he could get me a glass of water. Luckily for me, the reception on his radio was bad, so he had to walk down to the kitchen to get it.

"When I was certain he was gone, I slipped out of the door, locking it behind me, and headed out the back staircase to the gardens. I figured that when he knocks and I don't answer, he'll think I've gone back to sleep."

"I can't believe you," Tea repeated, shaking her head at her friend. "What if he decides to unlock the door with a key that I'm certain he has - and he finds you missing?"

"You know…I didn't think about that," Selina answered, pursing her lips together and hoping her plan would work.

~*~*~*~

"Miss Selina?" Roland called, tapping on the door a half hour after he had gone for her glass of water. When he had returned to the room, the door was locked and from the bottom of the door, he could tell the curtains had been drawn. It had entered his mind that she must have fallen back to sleep before he had returned.

But that was half an hour ago and Selina was not one for napping in the middle of the day. Fearing the worst he could, he unlocked the door and peered inside the darkened room. "Oh no," he mumbled to himself when he found the bed empty, as well as the rest of the room. "This is going to cost me my job," he moaned, picking up his cell phone and calling the dreadful CEO.

~*~*~*~

Kaiba yawned as another member of the board rose to give a short presentation, which of course, would turn into another hour. His eyes lazily drifted to the clock sitting near the exit of the room. He had been sitting in the same chair for two and a half hours and was bored out of his mind. I'd rather be with Selina's friends than here, he spoke to himself mentally, shocking himself - although the thought did come from his own mind.

"Excuse me, Mister Kaiba," his secretary called, opening the door to the meeting room. She began to shift feet the moment all eyes turned to her. Never before had a board meeting been interrupted. It was unheard of.

"What is it?" Kaiba growled, his eyes narrowing as he eyed the woman.

"T-there's an i-important call for you sir. O-on your private line," she stumbled nervously.

Kaiba immediately rose, snapping his briefcase shut and pulling it from the table. "You'll have to excuse me gentlemen. This is something I can not put on hold. We'll finish this tomorrow." With those words, Kaiba swiftly exited the room, his eyes still narrowed at his secretary. "Which private line?"

Without a word, the secretary handed Kaiba the cell phone he had left at her desk for the time of the meeting with instructions to answer only if the person called a second time.

"Kaiba," he growled into the phone, continuing his brisk walk to his office.

"She's what!" he yelled, halting suddenly and causing the heads of many of his employees to turn. The color from his face slowly began to drain as his eyes began to widened. "You have much explaining to do. Look everywhere for her! Now!"

"Kaiba, what's going on?" Duke called from behind, finally having caught up to his business partner. "Board meetings are never interrupted."

"She left when I gave her specific instructions not to go anywhere," he growled, his eyes flashing dangerously. "I have to find her Devlin. Put this in my office," he said, tossing his briefcase to Duke and disappearing down the hallway.

~*~*~*~

"So what's going on?" Tea asked the moment Selina hung up the phone.

"I've been found out," Selina stated simply, sitting down in one of the chairs at the kitchen table. "I'm sure I about gave Roland a heart attack. But I couldn't stay in that room another minute!"

"Room? I thought it was 'house arrest'?" Tea questioned, quietly nibbling on a cookie.

"Yes, room; I was under 'room arrest' via Seto Kaiba's orders," Selina muttered, a frown appearing on her face.

"So are you going back?"

"Soon I guess. Duke said he was calling Roland to tell him where I was."

"Uh, Selina," Yugi's voice called out. "There's someone-"

"Selina!" a cold voice called through the small game shop and echoed through the rooms.

Selina's eyes doubled in size at the instant recognition of the voice. "Oh no," she whispered, her fears confirmed when she noticed none other than Seto Kaiba entering the kitchen. Her eyes met his and she found herself frozen in the anger within them, yet melted by the relief hidden below.

"You're going home," he growled, advancing towards her and holding out his hand.

Slowly, she placed her hand in his and rose from her chair. "I'll call you later Tea; I had a great afternoon," she told her friend as she followed her husband from the game shop like a child caught doing wrong.

~*~*~*~

Silence had hung in the limousine as it drove to the Kaiba mansion with Selina and Kaiba sitting in the back; both with sour expressions upon their faces. All attempts at any conversation had failed.

"I'm sorry; I shouldn't have just snuck off like that," Selina apologized for what felt like the tenth time.

"You're right, you shouldn't have. Do you have any idea what you did?" Kaiba finally responded, turning his cold glare upon his wife's face. At her silence, he continued. "Do you know how much jeopardy you could have been in if someone who hates me saw you - alone?" His voice had been cold and distant, but slowly, had begun to rise.

"I-"

"Selina," Kaiba growled, his eyes narrowed and his voice angry. "You can't go sneaking around like that! You could have put yourself in danger!"

"I'm not a child Seto Kaiba! You can't 'ground' me to my room. If I had stayed in that room another minute, I would have gone mad!" Selina replied heatedly.

Her words sinking in, Kaiba drew in a breath before grasping her hands in his and lowering his voice. "Selina, you're not Selina Mazika anymore - you're Selina Kaiba and you have to realize that. There are people who despise me and will do anything to get to me and my business and money. That's why you have Roland - to make sure nothing happens to you."

Selina sighed, lowering her eyes to avoid looking into his. "I didn't think about that. I just…I couldn't stay there and I had to see Tea."

Kaiba cupped her chin and forced her to look into his eyes. "I don't want anything to happen to you."

"I'm sorry."

Kaiba smirked, his fingers tracing her jaw line. "I'll admit, you had me worried when Roland called to tell me you disappeared. Then I asked myself, 'If I were Selina, where would I go?' So I called Devlin and had him call you and Roland while I was on my way to get you."

"Are you going to fire him?" Selina suddenly questioned.

"Do you want me to?"

"No."

"Then I won't. Promise me you will never do this again."

"As long as you promise to never 'ground' me again," Selina smiled.

"Deal," Kaiba replied, sealing the promise with a gentle kiss.

~*~*~*~

Kaiba's hardened face and narrowed eyes were watching an elder man sitting in complete stillness and silence. He was certain that if it were not for the bars between them, the man would lunge for him and try to strangle him; the bars and the officer were both a good thing to have at the moment.

"Where is she?" the man grumbled, his dark eyes meeting Kaiba's icy ones.

"She is at home with my little brother who stayed home from school to keep her occupied so she wouldn't remember what today is," Kaiba replied coolly, never wavering from the darkness and evil within Darrin's eyes.

"Like she could forget what day her father will be executed," Darrin sneered.

"It's over; you might as well face it."

"I loved that little girl," Darrin began, his eyes softening slightly. "She was my world - her and Christine. The two most beautiful creatures to ever walk the earth. And then the heavens stole my wife from me! If angels aren't meant to be on earth, then Christine never should have been here!"

Tears began to form in his eyes as the man's life began to replay in his mind during his last hour alive. "Things were alright for a while - just me and my daughter. Until I lost my job! I just wanted to forget my wife's death! I just wanted to forget! But every time I looked at her innocent face…I drowned my pain the only way I knew how! She didn't understand…I was too drunk half the time to know what I was doing! She was so innocent…it wasn't her fault! Selina!" Sobs began to shake through Darrin's being as his past confronted him.

"When she got older, I was so lost and confused…she looked more and more like Christine! I just wanted to be free from the agony, the sorrow! Then she met you! You made everything worse than it was! When I was looking for money in her room, I found a picture of you!" Darrin's thin finger pointed at Kaiba in accusation.

"She had written on it 'Prince Charming: make me your Cinderella.' She didn't care what you were like, she was smart enough to realize you could give her security she needed from me! Then two years later, it actually happened! You didn't even know her, but you presented the idea of a marriage to her and low and behold, she accepted! It was all your fault! You can get me out of here! This is all your fault Seto Kaiba!"

Kaiba watched in silence as Darrin's voice quieted the moment two officers entered his cell, handcuffed him, and began to lead him down the hall. He listened quietly as Darrin pleaded with him to give a letter to his only daughter. And he watched and listened quietly as Darrin's life began to fade away.

"I didn't deserve Christine as a wife…or Selina as a daughter…she's the other angel…I loved that little girl…my little angel…"

~*~*~*~

There was a near complete silence in the solitude of the cemetery. The only sound that could be heard was the gentle ruffling of leaves. Kaiba's soft footsteps quietly led him to the place Selina had gone to twenty minutes earlier. She had told him she needed to do it alone, and he had promised to wait for her.

He couldn't wait any longer. He would have suffered in his grief alone when his parents died, had it not been for Mokuba. No matter how much Selina wanted to be alone, he couldn't let her - she needed him.

Silently, he walked on the narrow path covered in weeds to his destination - his young wife kneeling but 100 yards from him. Her soft voice began to float to his ears.

"You're finally together," she whispered as her fingers brushed the fresh dirt from her father's tombstone. "It's what you always wanted Daddy - to be with Mom. Don't think I didn't hear you crying late at night, because I did. I know that everything you ever did wasn't because you didn't love me…you were hurting - we both were. And Daddy, I do forgive you. Even after everything, I still love you Daddy. I need you Mom…" Crystalline tears began to form in Selina's eyes and trail down her face.

Two strong arms lifted Selina from her kneeling position and drew her close. "I'm here," Kaiba whispered gently, allowing her to cry on his shoulder. "You'll get through this," he said calmly, gently rubbing her back as the pain of her mother and her father's death hit her anew and fresh tears poured from her eyes.

Kaiba's own eyes glistened with unshed tears as the memory of his own parents' death returned to him. He had to be strong for Selina; she needed him now, more than ever. He wouldn't allow himself the luxury of tears at a painful memory. He was Seto Kaiba, CEO of Kaiba Corporations - he didn't have time for tears, only time for strength; strength for Selina.

~*~*~*~

The smell of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies wafted through the air and to Kaiba's nose as he walked into the mansion. In the middle of important business calls, emails, and meetings, a thought had occurred to him and had been pestering him since it appeared in his mind. And as much as he tried to push it from his thoughts, it would not leave him alone. So, he had left work early and was putting the thought into motion.

Knowing exactly where to find his wife who had taken to baking since visiting her parents' grave, Kaiba headed immediately for the kitchen, the smell of the fresh cookies beckoning him. Stealthily, he scooped up two cookies and devoured them in three bites before approaching his wife from behind and slipping his arms around her waist, which caused her to shriek from surprise.

"You-"

"Yes?"

"Don't do that when I'm baking," she replied, turning around and revealing a metal spatula. "And you may not want to leave any hint of stealing the cookies; it's not a very good business image," she frowned slightly, wiping the remaining crumbs from his face.

Kaiba merely smirked as he took the spatula from her hand and placed it on the counter. "Selina, I've been thinking-"

"You're always thinking," she interrupted, watching as he reached for another cookie.

"These are delicious. Anyways, I was thinking about us. And I realized that because of the strange way you and I were married…well, we never had a, uh…vacation."

"Vacation? I think you mean 'honeymoon.'"

"Right," Kaiba nodded, trying to hide the tiny tint of red that wanted to appear on his face. Blushing was definitely not something the CEO did often - or at all, but he was falling in love with her which was a new feeling in his hardened heart.

"And?"

"I did some thinking and the American islands of Hawaii sound like a nice place to visit," he concluded.

"But you have to work; you can't just take off work for a…how long?"

Kaiba smirked, unable to control the next words coming from his mouth. "A week or two. And if you'd miss your friends, why don't we just bring Yugi, Tea, Duke, and Serenity. Of course, Mokuba will have to stay here due to classes; but Ichigo will remain with him."

Selina eyed him warily, slipping out of his arms. "You just suggested a vacation-honeymoon trip, and now you're suggesting we bring some people you can't stand? What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing." Everything. I can handle Yugi and Tea more than your other friends, and as much as I still despise them, I've got to get you to do more than just bake. Besides, you need a vacation…and I need a tropical paradise to tell you-

"Sounds fun," Selina answered, kissing his cheek. "When do we leave?"

"Two days enough time to pack?" Kaiba asked, revealing the memo to his personal pilot from his coat pocket and dropping it when Selina squealed in joy and tackled him in a tight hug. "I'll take it that's a yes," he mumbled, receiving the kiss Selina was offering him.

It's a definite. Sometimes you make my heart soar, and sometimes I question my sanity on marrying you. This is definitely a time my heart is soaring. You never cease to surprise me Seto Kaiba…and I hope that never ends.

~*~*~*~

"So we're taking your private jet?" Selina clarified once more as she turned to look across the limousine at her husband.

"Correct," Kaiba smirked, watching her face closely. "Do you honestly expect me - Seto Kaiba - to fly on a commercial airliner?"

Selina merely rolled her eyes before turning her attention back to Tea and Serenity who had struck up a conversation revolving around names they would give their children. On the other side of the limo however, there was complete silence as Kaiba was sitting between Yugi and Duke.

Minutes passed in calm chatter between the females before they reached their destination. The door was opened and a hand was held out to assist the ladies on their exit from the limo. The site that met them was horrifying to the eyes of only one.

"Joey? What are you doing here?" Serenity gasped in surprise.

"Listen Wheeler, you're not invited," Kaiba growled, his eyes narrowed at the one who he would always see as the mutt.

"I wasn't coming to try to go with you. I came to tell everyone the good news before you left - 'specially my sister," Joey beamed, Kaiba's remark falling on semi deaf ears.

"What good news?" Yugi questioned, casually slipping his arm around Tea.

"Mai and I are getting married!" he exclaimed in excitement, grabbing his sister and spinning in circles.

"That's great Joey!" Yugi grinned, everyone giving their chorus of congratulations.

"It's not going to be a big wedding or anything. Just close friends…and Kaiba's invited too. But only 'cause he's married to Selina."

Kaiba just scoffed as he took Selina by the hand. "We have a schedule to keep," he grumbled, leading her to the plane.

"Bye Joey! Tell Mai we're happy for you and we'll help her plan when we get back," Serenity said, hugging her brother once more.

Joey nodded, his grin never leaving his face. But who could blame him; he had been in love with Mai for years.

Ten minutes later, the group of six were seated on the jet, seatbelts in place, and listening to a list of instructions from Roland as he went through the safety protocol. Another five minutes later, and the jet was taking off; it's destination: Hawaii, USA.

~*~*~*~

Please tell me we're almost there, Kaiba inwardly groaned as he booted up the tracking device on his laptop. A relieved half-smile appeared on his face when he found they would be landing in a few minutes. It had only been a few hours, but he was growing rapidly annoyed at being in such close quarters with one he would call his rival. It was lost to him what mindset he was in when he suggested bringing her friends with them.

"Almost there?" Selina asked softly as she returned to her seat after spending the last hour and a half talking with Tea and Serenity on a variety of subjects.

"Yes, thankfully."

Selina smiled, snuggling close to him on the couch-like seat. "I've never been anywhere other than Japan. This is exciting!"

At that moment, Kaiba's personal pilot came over the intercom, informing the occupants of the plane they would be in Hawaii, USA very shortly.

As the plane landed and taxied to it's assigned place, Selina's eyes were wide as she looked out the window at this new land. "This is only the airport…and it's beautiful," she whispered, snapping back to reality when she noticed Kaiba's outstretched hand. She gladly accepted it and rose to her feet, leading the way from the cabin of the jet. She was met by a native Hawaiian who presented her with a lei of a sweet aroma.

"I've arranged for a limousine to take us to the beach house we'll be staying at," Kaiba had told the group an hour earlier. The image that had passed through each person's mind was nothing like the image they were beholding.

Before them stood a mansion done in a light bamboo shade with a balcony connecting the outside of the second story and a porch leading to the warm Hawaiian sand.

"I think you've outdone yourself Kaiba," Duke said, shaking his head at the thought of a "beach house."

"To be honest, I was expecting an actual beach house, not a mansion," Selina laughed lightly, following Kaiba's silent frame into the mansion.

"There are ten rooms to choose from; however, two of those rooms are off-limits. Selina and I will be staying in the room which I have numbered '1' and the room numbered '5' is Mokuba's room here. There is a cook, butler, and a few maids. If you need anything, ask Daniel - he's the resident caretaker. I've made reservations for us at Pirate's Cove for seven, so feel free to relax until then. Welcome to my home-away-from-home," Kaiba announced to the group, handing them each a small wristwatch.

"These are waterproof, shockproof, fireproof, and sand-proof. The tan button will give you a display of where you are located in the mansion. The green button will give you a display of where you are located on the island and how to get where you want to go. The blue button is what you press when you want to speak to another person; but you have to tell it who. Each band is programmed with your name and has a voice activation. Keep it on at all times," he emphasized, eyeing each person in the group and signaling he was finished.

"Wait, before you all go find a room, there's something Tea and I want to share with you," Yugi began, intercepting the silence Kaiba had given them. "Tea and I are…having a baby."

While congratulations were given to the happy couple, Kaiba watched in contemplative silence. And let the week begin, he thought coolly to himself, watching the joyous smiles upon the faces around him. "Congratulations," he found himself saying as he offered Yugi a hand shake.

Selina smiled in happiness as she slipped her hand into Kaiba's. This would be one week she would not soon forget - Kaiba would make sure of that. Unbeknownst to her, he was planning something deep within his mind which would involve the two of them alone, some very tropical area on the island, and his confession. The only thing that could ever keep him from completing this plan would be some form of fear or nervousness; and Seto Kaiba never experienced those. But he had never been in love before either.