Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh (that was obvious) and the beginning of this story was based on a story, Sirena, which I also don't own. Charis and Naeem are definitely mine though. XP

The lyrics in this chapter come from a translation of two Japanese songs by Utada Hikaru, Passion and Letters. Parts of lyrics from both songs have been ripped out, and put together rather disjointedly. It's modified by me slightly to suit the purpose of this story. Very sorry to those who think what I put together was just weird, and sorry to the singer of those two songs-I meant no shame on her work.

"Pharaoh Atem had returned to us! May he have eternal peace!" the crowds chanted. People fell onto their knees by the rows, kneeling to show their respect to the royal entourage passing the streets.

Atem had come back. After so long, he finally completed his mission on the mortal plane, gained what he needed, and defeated Bakura using his Ka, and my Ka, together. Now he was in the Afterlife, ready for some rest after his adventures.

I was amongst the sea of people on the streets' edges, trying to glimpse Atem. Somehow, with a lot of rather rude pushing and squirming with Naeem in my arms, I managed to reach the front of the crowds. The best row to see Atem! Oh, Pharaoh Atem. I was no longer personally acquainted with him, even if we used to be.

My heart however, would always be acquainted with his. My mind agreed, and would not drop its intimate habits.

"All hail Pharaoh Atem!" the crowd screamed. I fell to my knees in the same respectful bow as the rest of the people as the royal entourage-consisting of Pharaoh Akunumkanon, his kind looking Queen, his court, and Atem's court, including Mana as apprentice to Priest Mahado (some members I did not recognise, since they were older members of Akunumkanon's court)-passed by the section of street I was in.

At last, I spotted a glimpse of Atem. He was riding his white horse, Moswen. His shoulders were set majestically back, his hair moving slightly to a light breeze. His jagged blonde forelocks fell slightly over his sharp, tan facial features. His heavy, violet cape drifted about his shoulders, and his golden diadem gleamed on his brow. I felt admiration as well as agony over seeing him. He was so handsome, he looked almost completely unchanged-and yet he did not remember me, nor did he know he had a son.

I was surprised at the one thing I did not find familiar with Atem. There was a strange openness in his eyes, one that had never been there. It wasn't an openness of reading thoughts, more an openness to do with…friendship. He seemed more approachable then his stern self all those years ago. (Though he had been quite amicable to me when we first met. However, as I already thought up several times, I had been the one to save his life. He felt he might have owed me.)

Whatever had happened to Atem on the mortal plane, it had softened his exterior solitary, harsh aura.

"Mother, he might look like father!" Naeem whispered in my ear. I gently hushed him and told him not to say such things, even though it was true. Atem matched the vague picture Naeem had in his mind of his father. The hair was a large give away-for five millennia, to stop people recognising the hair, I had tied a head cloth over Naeem's hair. It had worked for many years, and it certainly worked now.

Atem seemed to sense my stare. He looked towards me, and I quickly tilted my head back to the ground. Oh gods, how rude I was not looking at the ground beforehand, but just gaping at him!

"I don't like this kneeling crouch mother. My legs feel funny," Naeem murmured.

"I don't really either Naeem. You're just not used to it dearest. It doesn't hurt as much when you're used to it," I replied softly, and took his hand blindly in mine. Naeem squeezed my fingers for some measure of comfort, and I squeezed back tenderly.

There was a disturbance in the entourage. I could hear it from the pattern of hoof beats-one set was becoming out of sync with the others. I could also feel the feelings of one horse-curiosity and familiarity. Why familiarity?

A shadow fell over me. I slowly looked up.

Atem's white horse stood over me, gazing at me curiously and resisting Atem's gentle attempts to steer him back on the right path. Moswen had ridden slightly left of his path. Slowly, Moswen lowered his head and blew past my ear. I kept still and calm-I was used to horses familiar with my presence doing that. Familiar being the key word. This horse should not be so familiar with me.

Moswen butted his head against my shoulder once, and an image transferred from his mind to mine. It stunned me.

"Come on-you can ride with me," he said with a composed smile. I blinked but followed him, as he led me to a radiant white horse.

"Wow-this one is yours?" I gasped softly, it was an attractive species. The horse sniffed me, and I kept perfectly still. It eyed me suspiciously, very intelligently, and then seemed to nod before butting my shoulder.

"Well, I know this one doesn't bite," I smiled at Atem. My dread for riding decreased.

Atem smiled and hoisted himself effortlessly onto the horse. I eyed his manoeuvre in confusion. Before I could try getting up myself, Atem swung me up by the arm, catching me a little awkwardly, but in seconds we were ready to go.

"Hold on," he warned.

"To what?" I asked in confusion, looking down.

Maybe it was just my imagination again, but I thought he looked a bit uncomfortable.

"To me," he said. At that precise moment, all the other horses began to gallop, and catching onto the other horses' excitement, Atem's charged to the front abruptly, almost matching pace with his father's. I grabbed onto the back of Atem's robes in shock. Atem held the reins, and shouted to me, "put your arms around my waist!"

I didn't hesitate, I was about to fall off. I wrapped my arms around him and held on tightly. My loose hair whipped about in the wind from galloping so fast, and spread like a cloud behind me-in future, I would have to remind myself to braid it, so it was out of the way mostly.

"Mother?" Naeem asked in a tiny voice. I gripped his hand tighter and bowed my head soundlessly to the ground again.

"Who are you?" a deep, sensual voice slid over my ears. I nearly choked at hearing it. Atem, it was so long since I heard your voice…

"A loyal subject, even if I am foreign, my Pharaoh," I said in reply. My voice was slightly muffled from my face tilting to the ground. I was nervous-the entire crowd had gone silent, eager to hear what was going on.

"Every subject here has their own name. So, again, may I ask yours?"

"…Charis," I said softly. My heart was pounding, as I slowly raised my eyes to brazenly look at his. Screw the rules of etiquette, I wanted to see his eyes again, have some respite from the ache that was growing stronger in my heart. An ache I thought I had subdued long ago.

Dark cerise met pale aquamarine, and the world seemed to stop. A bubble wrapped around us, as we stared at each other.

…You've kept half your promise Atem. We meet again. Yet now you are so far away, even standing right in front of me…

Oh gods-that went down our mental link! I could feel it in the way it echoed at the back of my mind…how?!

Atem jerked slightly. If I hadn't been watching closely, I would have missed the minute, shocked twitch of his shoulders. "Have we met before?"

My breath caught in my throat; a mixture of nerves and panic. "…No sire, I don't think so." My eyes dropped to the ground again, breaking the personal bubble we were in. Both of us realised we were being stared at by the crowd.

Atem dipped his head politely. "It was nice meeting you then, Miss Charis. Gods watch over you."

"May fate give you peace for eternity," I said. Atem managed to lead his horse back into line with the procession. Moswen was reluctant, but obeyed this time. The procession kept going, though there were many curious stared being directed at Atem and myself.

As soon as the whole procession passed, I scooped up Naeem and vanished from the crowd at record speed, arriving at our home. Hurriedly I entered and locked the door, before setting down Naeem and leaning against the front door.

This must be what a bird with a broken wing felt like. Seeing the sky above them, yearning to go into the sky…

But never being able to, because of its broken wing. The temptation was torture, and could eventually drive the bird mad.

"Mother? Are you alright?" Naeem asked in concern.

"Yes Naeem, I'm fine. Just shocked," I said weakly. I worried him when two tears slid down my cheeks. I sank to the ground, and Naeem climbed into my lap, patting small hands over my cheeks in a comforting, helplessly worried gesture.

"Mother! Mother sad!"

"Yes, mother sad. But also happy. The ones she loves-" as friends, surrogate family (Atem's father), son and lover "-are all happy. So mother is sad only for herself, and startled, at something. She'll feel better soon," I said, and hugged Naeem. Naeem hugged back tightly.

We drew control over composure and comfort from each other, just sitting there peacefully for awhile.

I couldn't understand how Atem's horse Moswen could remember me. Maybe Ra forgot to block my image from the memories of animals? Or maybe he couldn't be bothered because he thought they were harmless?

It wasn't much of a problem, because I never encountered any other animals that had memories of me. It was a relief-I didn't want to be bombarded with images of the past. Besides, I had other things to occupy my mind with.

During the day, Naeem kept me busy with all manner of activity a three year old did-he had so much energy I wondered where it all came from. I could keep ranting joyously on and on about how much of a blessing Naeem was-he was everything I existed for. I loved him with a mother's love so much it was hard to comprehend.

During the night though, what kept me busy were my dreams. I began to have dreams of the past again, only these times they seemed different. When I dreamed of past times, they weren't very clear-my face was the vaguest, I became a mere shadowy figure as I watched detachedly. Mahado and Mana were clear figures in the memories I dreamed, yet I wasn't. Any interaction between Atem and I became misty and uncertain…as if it was possible it did not happen…

It was as if I was no longer looking at my own memories, but someone else's memories of what happened in the past. Except the person could not remember very well.

Eventually I thought up a theory that sounded unlikely, but plausible. What if…Atem was remembering his true memories through his dreams? And that I was watching his dreams through our suddenly open mental link?

It seemed like an invasion of privacy to me, but I could not control what I received from the mental link. I only ever received dreams though. Many of the dreams I was a prominent figure, even if I was a shadowy one. Atem could only just remember my presence in his true memories.

I wondered…was it possible to overcome Ra's spell?

If it was, I wouldn't push it. If Atem was to recover his true memories, he could only do so on his own. It was either he would eventually, or he would never. Besides, what could I do to help him remember anyway? Nothing.

My dreams did not always consist of memories. Sometimes, I dreamed of an eagle with clever eyes-the eagle I summoned to put out the flames on the palace, long ago.

I dreamed that the eagle was flying into a golden mist that clouded these types of dreams. I followed that bird into that mist willingly.

That golden mist was warm-I could feel it. It made me feel warm and complete inside. It reminded me of the warmth of the person I loved. That was why I followed the bird with no hesitation. I wanted to immerse myself completely in that warmth, even if it was only temporary warmth.

I kept following that bird…and eventually got lost in that glowing mist. I found it impossible to panic though, because of all the emotions pulsing around me. That mist transmitted emotions. The emotions I felt emitting from myself were sadness, regret, sorrow, contentment and joy-all what I felt as I went with day to day life raising Naeem. Affection emitted strongly from my own aura in the mist.

The mist didn't just conduct my feelings-it conducted another's feelings. I felt serenity, happiness, a touch of sorrow, and confusion from this other person. I had a suspicion that maybe the emotions that weren't mine, belonged to Atem. Following that bird, I might have accidentally stumbled into our mental link and into a halfway point between both Atem's and my mind and souls. It was a beautiful place-both subtle and yet honest, with a huge spectrum of emotions between us.

This was a place I could feel close to Atem. I woke up each morning after having that dream with dried tears on my face. I could never pinpoint what I was crying for. Was I crying because Atem wasn't with me in reality? Because of the emotions I was surrounded with in my dream? I didn't know.

That dream place was ethereal, not just because of the emotions, but because of the form I took there and my own actions. I was beautiful and graceful in it-something I could never truly be in reality. The clothing I wore wasn't even normal for royalty-as if to make a mockery of my link to water, the dress I wore seemed to be made of water, a kaleidoscope of ever-shifting blues and wave movement.

I could never be this beautiful or ethereal in reality. But I enjoyed being somewhat elegant in my dreams-someone that might have suited to marrying Atem, had I not married him.

Atem was in my dreams too, in a dream form like I was. His features were perfectly visibly to me, his eyes standing out the most. He wore his kingly attire in my dreams, except the colours had changed from violet and white to violet and gold. The colours of his true soul-a user of Shadow Magic, a dark power; yet at the same time having a good, golden soul.

We approached each other in this strange vision. Neither of us could see each other clearly-our vision, or at least mine, was dimmed. Yet we could feel each others presences and emotions-it was intimate and touching, the very idea left me breathless. Atem and I were free in this dream to do whatever we wanted-and since we desired each others presence, we were often just embracing, or standing side by side, sometimes with hands or arms linked. We sent warmth and comfort to each other, a sort of love hard expressed in reality.

Here, in these dreams where we could meet and hold each other…our souls touched.

I faced a golden wall that looked solid and thick. However, there were thin, spidery cracks running through it, which undermined its impenetrable appearance. It was as if this strong wall had been battered against for a long while. I ran a finger along on crack, and jerked back when the it deepened.

That had not been a good idea.

I looked down at myself with a vague sense of detachment. I was in the water dress-so I was in one of those dreams again. Those dreams that touched with Atem's soul. I was glad I was going to 'meet' him again in this dream, but I wondered why there was an actual golden wall here. That had not happened before.

Something like a wince ran through the near tangible lines of emotions which wrapped this dream. It hurt when the cracked deepened. I had hurt Atem. I instantly felt remorse, and the response for that was soothing comfort.

The feeling of pain intensified from Atem. The crack in the wall ran deeper. I reached out a hand again, this time just hovering over the surface of the wall. Something tugged at my arm. I looked down, and saw Naeem was suddenly here, clinging to me. His eyes looked at me with a strange, expectant sort of wisdom.

"We don't have to wait for him much longer mother," he said solemnly-it was the first time that the silence of these dreams had been broken. It was also rather shocking that Naeem firmly believed Atem was his father, though it wasn't hard to figure out.

I opened my lips slightly, but instead of saying words, a small melody escaped me.

Startled, I closed my lips tightly. However, the air was suddenly very still, as if in shock. Atem's shock. He had heard me. Naeem smiled encouragingly at me, and morbidly curious at the effect I was having on Atem, I parted my lips and sang again. The song that escaped me was not one I had sung before, but one that had lingered at the back of my mind for a long while.

If we remember, that far far away
The future is shining somewhere
We can sleep forever
Under the eternal blue sky

Before we met
I was a child born unaware
Sometimes, I have doubts about
The things that started in the past
I will never ever forget
When you made my wish
Come true with a mere tender action
Now it's the things we can't do
That I long for so much

Walking on the warm sand
Towards the sea where sadness won't reach me
As the sun rises, and a new day begins
You are no longer here

This was how we ended

Apart.

Do you recognise my voice Atem? Recognise the person singing with such disgusting allure? Can you read the story behind that song? Does it make you long to remember your true memories? Because I was hoping it did. After all, you began to know me better after I first accidentally sung in front of you. You began to understand the part of me that was guilty. You then taught me how to forgive and move on properly.

The thin cracks in the golden wall deepened, and pieces began to fall away and vanish into air. I gasped; instinctively clutching Naeem's shoulder and pulling him back. We watched in fascination as the wall fell to pieces faster, eventually exploding in a blast of blinding light.

Tanned hands patted Naeem's head gently. Naeem smiled in delight and closed his eyes. The long fingers attached to the hand traced his features in what seemed like awe.

After awhile, the hands disappeared from Naeem. Naeem, content, vanished from this dream.

Those hands I glimpsed before brushed across my cheeks wonderingly, tracing my face a little more intimately than with Naeem. I could feel fingers gently sweeping over my fluttering eyelids, down my jaw, and (blush-worthily) tracing my lips with neat precision. A sharp inhale rewarded those wandering fingers.

I could make out the outline of the person touching me. Tears streamed down my face, yet I smiled.

"…Charis…" a dark voice whispered in awe. I breathed out in heart relief at the sound of his voice and stepped forward; giving Atem a light hug-he could refuse me if he wanted. I hadn't expected him to crush me so tightly and fiercely within his arms, so much so that I could barely breathe. Yet his embrace still remained tender and sweet. Gentle yet somehow searing, fervent lips covered my own. I sighed into the kiss in bliss, wrapping arms around Atem and responding.

"Atem. You kept your promise," I breathed, when we finally broke apart. I smiled tearfully.

"I always do. Especially for you. There is so much we must speak about…" Atem murmured distractedly. He seemed more focused with trying to re-memorise all of my features with his fingers, over and over. I smiled for his benefit, letting trace over that, and then stepped back, brushing remaining tears from the corners of my eyes.

There was no point in that action-I was nearly weeping in joy anyway.

"Come find me then," I said to him merrily. "I'm waiting for you in the Afterlife-been waiting for a long while. When you find me, we can speak together. And you can meet your son."

The images around me began to fade away like illusions, until I was sinking into nothingness. Yet I never stopped smiling or crying in joy. I floated light as a playful bubble instead of falling into wakefulness.

I waited a very long time for you Atem. I was patient, now it's your turn.

Search the city-come find me. Find both your wife and son.

Owari-this story is truly finished. Please leave a comment, and thank you for reading.