Sorry for the delay! Here's the next chapter!

Thank you to all who have reviewed! I really appreciate it. Someone mentioned adding more of Ryou, and that was a good inspiration for me, which brought about this chapter. Thanks so much! Again, I try to take into account everyone's opinions - so please let me know if you want more or less of something, or if there's something you would like to see happen. I have a good idea of what I want to happen, but any input or feedback is greatly appreciated and much loved!

Thanks!

The Truth

Wednesday seemed to creep slowly but surely upon her.

Jounouchi was in the hospital, in a coma. He had lost so much blood before anyone found him that he had gone into a coma and was barely alive by the time he was rushed to the ICU. Anzu had only heard bits and pieces from her parents, who hadn't known too much about the situation. She hadn't been notified about anything concerning him, most likely because Yugi and Honda were much too angry at her to want to talk to her.

What was worse, she had been suspended for skipping until the next upcoming Monday. She then knew that Bakura was waiting ever-patiently for Wednesday, she was sure, so that he could live out his possessive fantasies on her. Was it possible he had set it all up for her ahead of time? There was no way to know that. It seemed to be too good to be true that he would have her 'all to himself' for an entire week, uninterrupted.

His words constantly whirled in her head.

'You're mine, Anzu Mazaki. You'll always be mine, forever.'

Anzu's parents were upset, to say the least. Her father had been furious, taking away her cellphone and forbidding her to use it while they were away. She could use her friend Ryou's phone to call them, he said, and if she missed any more school while they were away – obviously excluding the week she had been suspended for – she would be on house arrest.

It was a bright and sunny Wednesday morning, despite the chill in the air; the complete opposite of what Anzu felt. As she rolled over, curled up in a ball from nausea, Anzu knew that the pregnancy test couldn't be lying. She had felt ill Tuesday, as well, but that had faded by noon. Now she was feeling the same way, but she was sure she'd be feeling fine by around the same time.

Suddenly she was vomiting into the trash can she'd conveniently placed by her bed. She tried to be quiet. If her parents found out, she would be so much trouble she didn't even want to think about it. She was going to have to wait until after they came back from their vacation. If she hadn't had any complications by then, she'd tell them – hopefully with Bakura so that he would have to bear the brunt of her parents' anger as well.

After the nausea had temporarily passed, she knew she was going to have to get up and pack some clothing. She'd be able to come back and get more later and she was going to use that as a good excuse to get away from Bakura, on the rare occasion that she would be allowed to.

Packing as modestly as she could, Anzu finally zipped up the duffel bag. She changed into casual sweats, not putting on any makeup or bothering even to brush her hair. Perhaps when Bakura saw her, he would somehow feel pity for her and leave her alone.

All she wanted was some peace.

"Oh, Anzu, did you just wake up? You know it's not healthy to sleep so much," reprimanded her mother. "We have a shuttle picking us up to take us to the airport soon, and if you haven't packed yet we won't be able to see you off to your friend's."

Anzu shook her head wearily. "It's okay, I didn't just wake up and I'm packed."

"Honey, it's time to leave! Our shuttle is outside!" called her father from the front door. Anzu's mother rose her hand at acknowledgment and looked at Anzu apologetically.

"Oh! Anzu, we have to leave. I'm sorry we can't see you off to your friends, I would have loved to have met him! You'll have to introduce us when we get back. Now come give your father and me a hug," said her mother happily. As they embraced, her mother said, "Thank you so much for doing this for us. Try to behave and please don't fall behind on school work."

Anzu nodded, feeling tears of anger, sadness, hurt, and disbelief all at the same time slip down her face. She hid them well and when she gave her father a hug goodbye, neither of her parents had noticed anything was strange.

How could her own parents not notice her distress? She was their daughter and they only saw what they wanted to see, obviously in some kind of denial. Was it so horrible for them to understand that she, like all other teenagers, could have issues? Was it so bad to know that their daughter wasn't perfect?

Knowing just how far from perfection she really was, Anzu couldn't blame them. Who wanted a child who had been raped multiple times, gotten pregnant, and had an evil spirit who was obsessed with her?

When the shuttle had departed and was completely out of sight, Anzu collapsed to her knees, sobbing. An aching in her chest seared through her heart and left her breathless with pain. Her head pounded as she rocked back and forth, not entirely able to curl up because of the small sign of her pregnancy.

Unexpectedly, she felt herself beginning to throw up and she quickly rose to her feet, stumbling as she only barely made it to the kitchen sink in time.

Only minutes after she finished vomiting, she heard a rapid knocking on her door.

Wiping her mouth quickly after gurgling water, she slowly approached the window to see who it was. If it was Bakura, she would have to answer it promptly to avoid any anger of his.

It was a white-haired boy, but it was not Bakura. Ryou stood on her porch, tapping his foot anxiously.

She opened the door hurriedly.

"Ryou!" she cried, almost too loud. He jumped, looking startled at her volume, and then quickly rushed inside, taking her hands in his. This shocked her just as much as he volume had him.

"Anzu! How are you?" Ryou sounded more than concerned. He gripped her hands tightly, pain written all over his face. "Bakura has told me so many things – I don't know what to believe. I was able to shut him away for a little while and I needed to come talk to you. I need answers, Anzu! What's been going on?"

Ryou looked upset beyond imagination. Anzu suddenly felt like she was the calmer one and the need to be levelheaded struck her. However, when she opened her mouth, tears were the only thing that could accompany her voice.

"I – I don't think you want to know," Anzu said, several tears rolling down her face.

"Tell me!" he whispered hoarsely. She knew he deserved to know, but she wasn't sure how the frail boy would take it.

"Bakura…he stabbed Jounouchi…" Anzu began, trying to bring the first and foremost information to the beginning. Ryou sagged hopelessly and she knew he would not take the rest of the news very well. "Jounouchi's in the hospital, in a coma. They – they don't know if…"

"I can't believe this." Ryou said softly, angrily. "I can't believe I – I knew he kept shutting me out for a reason! I can't believe – did he do anything else?" He asked with fear. Anzu almost didn't reply, but his eyes urged her on and she couldn't lie to him while he had that look on his face.

"He raped me," she replied weakly. Even though she had constantly thought about it constantly since the first time, the words out loud sounded horrible to even her own ears.

His jaw dropped, as if to say something. Before he could respond and the shock had a chance to wear off, she said the most horrifying words she had ever admitted to anyone other than Bakura himself.

"And I'm pregnant," she breathed.

Ryou simply stared at her. His jaw worked but no words came out, until he gave a strangled cry out. He released Anzu's hand and grabbed at his own hair, as though trying to pull it out. Ryou fell to his knees with a thud, Anzu attempting to grab him and ease the fall.

She could only imagine was he was going through, knowing what his body had done. Suddenly words echoed through her mind.

'You know, Ryou's wanted it for a long time, too, but of course he would never take what he truly wants.'

Had Ryou's thoughts instigated this whole mess?

She needed to know.

"Ryou…" she murmured softly. "Ryou…do you…care about me…that way?" The words were hard enough to get out of her mouth, but she had to know. She had to.

Ryou looked up at her with haggard eyes, but just as he was about to utter the telling words, his face changed. The evil eyes that had always terrified her took over and the personality shift was more than obvious.

"Of course I do," Bakura replied sweetly. He imitated Ryou's voice perfectly and for a second, Anzu doubted if the change had actually occurred. However, she knew it had when he gripped her hand and wrenched himself up using it. Anzu cried out and tried to back up, but instead of getting away, Bakura was able to hold her in place and grabbed her wrists tightly.

"How much did you tell me?" Bakura asked mockingly, still imitating Ryou's voice.

"N-nothing!" Anzu stammered. She was terrified. Who knew what he was going to do to her if he found out?

"Then why are there tears on my fucking face?" he demanded, pointing to the salty droplets on his cheeks. "I know Ryou is nothing but a child, but I didn't know he cried like a baby for no reason."

The venom in his words made her cringe.

"I – I don't –"

"I know you do, my little songbird," he growled. "If you tell me now, I won't hurt you too badly."

Anzu knew that this was her chance. "I – I told him what happened," she whispered, her voice barely above her breathing.

"Good," Bakura said smugly. "That knowledge enough will punish him enough until I deal with him. He should know better than to try and overpower me." He paused. "But as for your disobedience…"

She winced, shutting her eyes tightly in fear. Anzu was afraid he was going to physically hurt her, hit her or in the least something violent.

"I'm not going to hurt you, dear Anzu," he said angrily, taking her chin roughly in his hand. He forced her face to turn in his direction. "Open your eyes, songbird."

Slowly, she obeyed him.

"I'm not going to injure you," he told her, although the anger in his voice was more than obvious. "I won't risk hurting our child."

Anzu paled at his words. So he would hit her once she had the child, if she didn't listen to him. That didn't really give her much breathing room. Bakura was violent, that was a fact. But the fact that he would physically hurt her, and possibly her child, scared her more than she had ever expected it to.

"Either way, one of you is going to be punished. You still owe me a good night of fun, so Ryou will be the one to pay for this. I hope you're happy." Bakura smirked. "Let's go home. Have you packed?"

Anzu nodded numbly.

"Good. I just can't wait for tonight! Can you?"

Anzu could only nod again.