Dousing the Flame

He's Gone

A/N: As always, thank you very much for your support. I greatly appreciate it. Please vote if you like the chapter.

Jofisk Layla, for the most part, is a good girl. Just like any other child, she has her moments where she does something silly or disobedient and has to suffer the consequences. If she was my daughter, I probably would have grounded her for the rest of her life lol.

/Thoughts/

Meal times with the guests were always entertaining. Atem had to admit, he was surprised more food fights did not break out with Bakura and Marik present. The group sat at a large table littered with different breakfast foods including pancakes, muffins, ham, bacon, and eggs. Additionally, Atem and Yugi had one of the chefs working on omelets for anyone that wanted them. The smells wafting off of the table would make anyone drool.

Yugi paused, his eyes scanning the length of the long table and not seeing one person. A look of confusion apparent on his face.

"What's wrong, Aibou?" Atem whispered leaning closer to Yugi.

"Where's grandpa?" The petite man asked.

Atem's brows furrowed in thought, "I haven't seen him this morning. Now that you mention it, I haven't seen him since late yesterday afternoon. He said he was tired and wanted a nap."

Concern appeared within the depths of Yugi's eyes, "I'm going to go check on him."

Atem nodded, "Want me to come with you?"

"That's not necessary. I'll be back soon," Yugi stood and disappeared into the direction of the guest rooms.

Several minutes later a scream echoed through the halls of the palace. The table fell to complete silence. The pharaoh dropped his utensils and ran in the direction of the guest rooms; the others too startled and surprised to move.

Atem rounded a corner; peering into the guest room. Yugi was on his knees shaking like a leaf and screaming, "NOOOOOOO!"

The pharaoh's crimson eyes fell on the bed where an ashen colored Solomon lay. His tan face paled; Solomon had passed away in his sleep and Yugi had been the one to find him. Atem embraced his sorrow stricken husband, turning the petite man's head away from his grandfather's body.

Yugi's small body shook violently in Atem's arms, "He...he.....hh...he's gone, Atem." Yugi cried into the warm firm chest of his lover. Atem's heart broke for Yugi. He knew how close he was with his grandfather. The elderly man raised Yugi ever since he was a very young child. His tan arms tightened around Yugi, pulling the smaller man into his lap. The baritone voice was silent; he knew Yugi just wanted to be held. He didn't want or need words to comfort him right now. Words would do nothing for him. He needed to be held and to be loved. Yugi sobbed uncontrollably, clinging to Atem as his lifeline. He feared severing the lifeline would shatter his grasp on reality, plunging him into insanity.

Sleep eventually dragged Yugi out of the conscious world. His head resting on Atem's shoulder; his face buried in the crook of the tan neck. Atem glanced down at the sleeping form of his husband and gently lifted him into his arms. The Egyptian carried Yugi back to their room. Depositing him on the bed, he placed a soft kiss on Yugi's rose petal lips prior to taking his leave. Arrangements needed to be made. Yugi didn't need the additional stress or sorrow of planning for the burial or cremation.

\/\/\/

Yugi tossed and turned throughout the day. He woke up screaming several times to which Atem would appear at his side in a minutes. His chest heaving from sprinting across the palace. The pharaoh climbed into the bed next to Yugi, wrapping the petite man in a circle of comfort and love. The amethyst tear filled eyes opened and looked into the deep crimson of his lover's.