Disclaimer: I do not own any characters represented in this story that are from Street Fighter. The characters, some places, and some terminology are owned by Capcom. If I did, I would own a few fancy cars… like a Maybach 57… ooooooh.

Note: Can't seem to get away from chapter breaks now. Oh well.

Chapter 10

Now is as good a time as any to tell him how I feel. Maybe it will sway his feelings for me. Maybe after hearing me he will want me around.

I don't know how long I have been up here in this tree but I know it's been a while. At least a few hours. I climb down the tree and head back over to the camp. Ryu is still awake. He has probably been thinking about our situation as much as I have. I hope he has reconsidered. I stand in my usual spot, across the fire.

"I don't care if you don't want to hear it, I need to tell you some things," I say to him with a stern voice.

He looks up at me, and then stands and then crosses his arms over his chest, waiting.

"I wanted to thank you. You may not think you need it, but the list of things to thank you for have been growing. So… thank you for teaching me, when you didn't really mean to teach. Because of you, I have learned so much about myself and what I can do, and all by watching you. Thank you for being patient with me, when you could have left me at any time but chose to stay instead. And also for slowing down when I fell behind." I start to well up again, my tears almost breaking in their pools to drip down my face. My voice becomes choppy and uneven. "Thank you for saving my life. That bastard had every right to kill me. I know there was no rule against it. He defeated me, even though it was dirty, and dishonorable. He should have killed me, but you didn't let that happen. You lost because of me. Because you wanted to save my life, when you didn't have to. And thank you… for making me feel the way I do for you. By your actions, you have shown that you care, don't tell me that you don't or never did. But it makes me feel the way I do."

I start crying uncontrollably now. I close my eyes and start to wipe my face with my arm. All of a sudden he grabs my arm. I didn't even hear him walk over to me. He pushes my arm down away from my face gently, and places his hands there again, like before, at the lake. Cupping my face, and wiping the tears away, while looking into my eyes. His face doesn't say anything to me. It's still expressionless. I don't care. His face is so close again. This time I take the initiative and lean forward to kiss him. He doesn't back away from me.

It feels like I am kissing stone at first. He doesn't attempt to kiss me back, but then also doesn't try to stop me. I lean in deeper in hopes to get more of a reaction. Something sparks in him and he wraps his arms around me, pulling me closer into him, and into the kiss. He opens his mouth slightly and passionately kisses me back. I open my mouth even further, and taste his lips with my tongue. I nibble on his wet bottom lip, but then go back for more, embracing his kiss. He is breathing heavily, his heart is pounding, and I am enjoying every second of it.

Unexpectedly, he breaks off from the kiss, places his hands on my shoulders and pushes me away at arms length, his hands remaining on my shoulders. He looks at me, the passion dying from his eyes.

"I can't do this."

I plead with him. "Why?"

"I don't feel the same way. I don't feel the same way you do. Nothing is ever going to happen between us. I am meant to be alone! I think you should leave. If you don't leave, I will."

He releases me from his grasp, and turns his back to me. He rushes to start packing his things. He never looks back at me. I stand there awestruck, but silent, and my salty tears stream down my face. He never looks back, as he leaves the clearing and goes into the forest.

I wake up. I am still in the tree. I fell asleep. It was all a dream. What I said, that kiss… It was all a dream. I look down to the clearing. I can still see the glow of the fire, which means he is still there.

Even if I had planned everything that happened in that dream, there is no way I can do it now. If everything that I have seen tonight is true, he really doesn't want me around, and nothing will ever happen between us. I fear the dream is a vision of the future, like the countless ones I have had before. If this is really what is going to happen if I confront him, I know that I really do have to leave him alone.

I can't face him to tell him my parting words. I am a coward. I get down from my tree and go to the clearing. He is sleeping on his bedroll. I quietly take out a piece of paper and a pencil from my backpack. I write him a letter. Before I leave it for him, I gather my things, and get ready to set out. I have no idea where I will go, I just know that I will respect his wishes. I leave the note under his bedroll, but sticking out halfway, so he can easily see it when he wakes up.

I hope he knows what he wants.

"Goodbye, Ryu."

RYU POV

I wake up slightly before dawn. Immediately I can tell that Renee is gone, and not in the immediate vicinity. I open my eyes and look around, just in case my senses are deceiving me. None of her things are here. I don't sense her in the tree anymore. She is really gone.

I sit up as I prepare to investigate the tree she was in, to make sure the reason I don't sense her is because she fell off the tree and died, when I see a piece of paper tucked under my bed. I pick it up, unfold it and read:

If you really don't want me here with you, then that is fine. I will leave. I am sorry if I have been an inconvenience and a distraction to you all this time. I am not trying to blame you, but you have been giving me mixed signals about whether or not you wanted my company. I realize that maybe you did that for my personal benefit to ease my own loneliness instead of yours. Thank you for doing all that you have done for me, whether it was by reluctance, or concern. I will forever remember what I have learned from you, and hope that soon, I will know my path. I wish you good luck in your future endeavors.

Renee

I think back to when she first made herself known to me. She was a nuisance. At first. Any normal person would think she is crazy for stalking someone, let alone for 3 years. But the more I thought about it, the more it impressed me. For her to be following me undetected for so long… It shows great potential. I don't know if I ever wanted to train her, considering that I don't think I am a master myself. But she showed persistence like no other I have met, and I found myself testing her. I was always amazed, and I still am to this day, that she learned what she could from just watching me.

I showed her eventually that I could be a real human being, and show compassion and expression. I know what I am, I know what I look like to her. I didn't have to show her, but I did. Was it because I enjoyed her company?

And when she almost died, I just about lost it. At first I imagined what it would be like without her. It made me feel… depressed… because she may never be around me again. She was always bright and positive when she didn't need to be. She has made me laugh and smile, and probably never knew that she could do it because I would hide my expressions from her. After a week with her at the hospital in the coma, I had to leave. Nothing good would happen if I stayed, so I thought. I had to continue my journey, to learn, and to fight. The fight is everything. I have to continue to fight, until there is nothing left for me to learn. But there is still a long journey ahead of me before I am a true warrior.

I remember I thought about her often. For the first time in my life, I had a difficult time focusing on my fighting skills. And when she started following me again, even though I told her not to, I found myself in high spirits, knowing that sometime she would be around again. I waited for her, I slowed down for her, because I knew that she wouldn't be able to keep up if she was still recovering. It was funny, but I sensed her faster than before. She was miles and miles away, and I knew she was coming. I thought at first that it was her Ki, but, she had weakened significantly from her injuries. I brushed off at the time the thought of it meaning anything else. That maybe there was a stronger bond. I am in the mindset to even do that now. I have hardly been known to show any type of attachment to anyone. The only people I have any level of attachment to is Master Gouken and Ken. The Master because he raised me, and was like a father, and Ken because he trained with me all those years. He is the only friend I have. Even so, I only see him once a year now, when we visit our old masters temple, to honor him on the anniversary of his death.

And the lake. Seeing her scars. Seeing her cry like that. I wanted to kiss her then, I was ready to. Her face was so close, and I could feel her heartbeat in the same pace and rhythm as mine. It almost happened, and the only thing that stopped me was fear. I fear attachment to her. Maybe because I almost lost her once, and I don't want something like that to happen again. I have been pushing her away because if she keeps following me, I fear she will die. But I also know it is also her choice to do so.

I realize everything I said was not true. I do want her near me. There is some type of connection, more than what it seems. Maybe this is another lesson that I need to learn. It's not that I can't be the person she wants me to be, it's that I don't know how. My mind has always been focused on one thing, the fight ahead of me, the journey. I don't know personal affection. This is something she will have to teach me. And I have some teaching of my own to do with her.

As fast as I can I gather my things and put out the fire. She isn't too far ahead, only having left a few hours ago. I have to catch up to her. I have to tell her that I am sorry for everything I said. And I have to tell her I will teach her the nameless art that uses Hadou.

Note: Am I the only one that thinks Ryu from Street Fighter Alpha is fricken hot for an animated character? God I hope not… maybe I will google it… I am sooo the typical anime fan girl.