Dousing the Flame

Little One

A/N: Hello all! Hope you enjoyed the last chapter. I added about 500 words... give or take.. from when I first published it over on fanfiction.net so consider yourselves special and loved. I haven't added any of the updates to this story over there yet. *Winks.*

Thank you for your continued support. It is greatly appreciated!

Estrellover Lol! So happy to see you excited about the last chapter and this one.

VeronicaDelagadillo *Grins* Hope you like this one just as much as the last one. This opens up such an interesting and challenging new adventure for Atem and Yugi.

SyraTsukiano *Thumbs up* You so totally rock.

Jofisk Thank you! Glad you loved it so much. I greatly appreciate your feedback with the updates that are made.

Moving along, please continue to vote and comment. They are appreciated!

/Thoughts/

Yugi's screams reverberated throughout the palace. Pain dulled amethyst scrunched closed tight. Tears squeezed through the cracks and left moist salty trails on Yugi's red blotchy cheeks. Droplets of sweat formed thick beads that covered his lightly tanned flesh. Yugi squeezed Atem's hand with a death grip with every push.

"I can't do this, Atem. I'm so tired and this hurts so much," Yugi's struggled to say in between his contractions. His throat was raw and caused his voice to come out strained and cracked. Yugi's chest heaved, trying to catch his breath.

"Yes, you can," the strong baritone provided little comfort to Yugi.

"Here's another contraction, Yugi. Push!" the doctor ordered.

Yugi's hand instantly tightened around the strong sun-kissed bronze of his lover. A renewed wave of excruciating pain washed over him in the contraction. His tri-colored hair was drenched in sweat and stuck to his face. Yugi screamed with the feeling that he was being ripped in half. Then, a different scream filled the halls of the palace. The scream belonging to the new heir to the Egyptian throne. The daughter of Atem and Yugi.

She inherited Atem's mocha colored skin, brilliant amethyst eyes which had a hint of crimson when the light caught them just right, and curly pitch black hair with a blonde patch in front. The doctor had Atem cut the cord before handing the newborn to a nurse to be cleaned up. The crimson eyed pharaoh looked down lovingly at his husband. Yugi's normally light camel color skin was ashen and pale.

"You did it," Atem whispered and kissed Yugi's sweaty brow.

"Your Highness," the doctor called out trying to get the pharaoh's attention with no success. Atem caressed Yugi's flushed cheek and continued to whisper words of love and encouragement. "ATEM!" The doctor yelled daring to use the pharaoh's first name. The tri-colored head snapped up to meet the concerned look of the doctor, "Your Highness, I need you to call in more doctors."

"Why?" The baritone voice cracked; the cold fingers of fear wrapped around him.

"There was a complication during delivery. Yugi is hemorrhaging badly and I can't get it to stop. I need more help now!" the doctor's pale and worried expression brought in combination with the statement caused Atem's world to go crashing down. Tears burned the crimson eyes while immediately calling for more doctors.

Yugi cried and writhed making it nearly impossible for the doctor working on him to stop the bleeding. He paused only to give Yugi a shot full of a strong sedative, forcing the young man into unconsciousness.