Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or "The Dollar" by Jamey Jameson.

The Dollar

Chapter 2

"Aaron, what are you doing up?" Seto asked as he lifted his son into the air. He gasped when Aaron wrapped his little arms around his neck.

"Daddy, you promised me that you'd stay home. Why are you working?" Aaron replied. He looked into Seto's deep blue eyes with his identical ones.

Seto sighed and hugged his son tightly. "Aaron, I have to work. Some adults aren't as smart as you.I have to go to work and fix the mistakes they make. I'll be back tonight." He set Aaron on the ground and ruffled his light brown hair. "I already told your mother, but remind her that I'll give you both a call later." He knelt down and gave his son a tight hug before leaving.

Aaron ran over to the bay window and climbed onto the seat. He pressed his little nose to the window and watched his family's black limousine pull out of the gravel driveway and disappear down the dark street. He waved as the taillights faded into miniscule dots. He was so focused in his father's departure that he didn't notice his mother come up behind him.

"Aaron sweetheart, what are you doing up?" Serenity cooed softly as she sat beside her son.

Aaron sighed and climbed into Serenity's lap. "Mommy, why does Daddy have to work so much?"

Serenity sighed as she tried to search for the appropriate words. "Aaron, you know that Daddy works at Kaiba Corp. right?" The boy nodded and Serenity continued. "Well, Daddy owns Kaiba Corp. That's why we have so many nice things. By working, Daddy makes money that we can buy nice things, like the decorations for your room and the nice big TV we have in the den." She kissed Aaron's forehead and ran her fingers through his soft chestnut hair.

"So…they pay him for his time?" the little boy inquired.

Serenity pondered for a minute. "Well, yeah I suppose you can say that."

Suddenly, Aaron sprinted up the stairs to his bedroom. He reappeared several moments later carrying a piggy bank in one hand and a small coin purse in the other. He sat at his mother's feet and emptied the coin purse onto the carpet to reveal a quarter and four dimes.

"Mommy, how much time can this buy me?" he asked.

Serenity was puzzled by her son's question. "W-w-what did you say?"

"How much time can sixty-five cents buy me? Is it enough for Daddy to take me to the park? Is it enough to have him play catch with me?"

Tears rushed to Serenity's eyes. She watched him shake his piggy bank out onto the floor. She counted thirty-five cents in nickels, dimes, and pennies. She watched her son count the change and smiled proudly when he announced that he had one whole dollar.

"Mommy, how much time will this buy me? Is this enough for just an afternoon, a day, or a whole week? If I'm a little short, then how much more does Daddy need to spend some time with me?"

Serenity smiled at her young son. She lifted him off the carpet and rested him on her hip. She walked over to the wall phone in the kitchen and set her son on the counter beside her. She put the receiver to her ear and dialed Seto's cell phone.

"Seto Kaiba."

"Seto, it's Serenity."

"Hey. Is everything alright?"

"Oh yes. Everything's fine. Aaron wants to talk to you." She handed the receiver to her son who put it to his ear.

"Daddy, I have some change saved up from the Tooth Fairy. I counted it all and I have exactly one dollar," he said proudly.

"Good for you, son," Seto said, thinking that his son had the knack for business. But what he heard next nearly made Seto drop the phone in shock.

"How much time can that buy me?"

"Huh?" Seto asked in a very un-Seto-like way.

"Mommy says that when you work they pay you for your time. So, how much time can I buy for a dollar? Is it enough for you to take me to the park or to get ice cream? Is it enough for you to play catch with me like Timmy's daddy does with him?"

There was a long silence from Seto's end of the line.

"Daddy?" Aaron inquired. "Daddy, are you there?"

"Aaron, let me speak to your mother," he said. Aaron handed the phone to his mother and sat patiently. When Serenity answered, a smile came to the CEO's lips. "Honey, you and Aaron get ready. I'm coming home."