Disclaimer: I don't own any of the following characters

No Need for Proof Part 3:

Tenchi's Proof

Morning:

Sasami happily began making breakfast, chopping carrots, stirring bowls, and watching how each pan boiled. It was one of the greatest joys in her life, to be able to cook for her friends. She loved the way everyone devoured her food, especially Tenchi. She looked at her friend and nearly constant companion, Ryo-Ohki.

"You know what Ryo-Ohki, I think one day Tenchi and I will be a couple." Ryo-Ohki meowed confused. "I know I'm still a little young, but I can't think of anyone else I'd rather be with all the time. He's so friendly and handsome. Of course if he picks Ayeka that would be good too, as long as I don't ever have to leave Tenchi." Sasami told Ryo-Ohki. "I never want to leave here."

In Sasami's mind as long as Tenchi picked her or Ayeka, she would be able to stay at the Masaki house, but if any of the others won Tenchi's love, then she would probably have to leave.

"What do you think?" Ryo-Ohki meowed encouragingly, hoping by agreeing it would lead to her getting a carrot. Sasami giggled, suspecting what her little friend wanted.

"Ok, but just one. You don't want to spoil your appetite for breakfast. Which reminds me, I need to get everyone up." Sasami looked at all the pots and pans as they boiled noisily in the kitchen. "I think I can get away for a little while. It shouldn't take more than a minute to get Tenchi up, then I can have him get the others for me."

Sasami happily skipped up the stairs to Tenchi's room. Sasami knocked loudly on his door, then threw it open. "Ready or not Tenchi here I come." The site that welcomed her brought horror to her smiling face. There laying in the bed, was Tenchi and Ryoko, and from what she could gather from her view, neither was wearing any clothes. Not to mention that it appeared Tenchi had Ryoko in his arms. Sasami's dream of staying with Tenchi shattered. Sasami staggered backwards, tears in her eyes.

"It's not what you think Sasami," Tenchi blurted leaping from the bed, revealing he was in fact not nude, but was wearing boxers. Sasami was about to run off, but Tenchi stopped her, putting his hand on her shoulder. "Sasami..." he said looking into her large eyes. Tenchi stopped, and sighed deeply.

"Tenchi, does this mean that we have to go?" she asked, her eyes pleading.

"What are you talking about?" Tenchi said very confused.

"Since you and Ryoko are together, does that mean that we all have to leave, so we won't be in the way anymore." Sasami was on the verge of crying, yet with all the composure she had learned on her home planet, Jurai, she held back the tears.

"No, Sasami, of course not." Tenchi glanced over his shoulder, seeing Ryoko drape herself in a sheet, as she too got out the bed. Tenchi looked at Ryoko and realized what he had to do. "Look Sasami. You and all the others, are welcome to stay with me as long as you want. If that's forever, then that's fine with me." He dried her tears with his finger, smiling at the young Jurain princess.

Sasami knew Tenchi would say something like that, but it was Ryoko she was worried about. If Tenchi and Ryoko were a couple, then Ryoko would most certainly make Ayeka leave, and then Sasami would have to go as well. However she had to know one thing before she truly believed that was the case.

"Why are you in Tenchi's room Ryoko?" Sasami stated, scared to hear the answer.

Ryoko looked at Tenchi, who had an intense look on his face, the kind that said, "be careful what you say to her." Ryoko smiled as she knelt beside him, putting one hand on Sasami's head as the other held the sheet around her.

"It's very simple Sasami. I was outside last night, and fell into the lake. I'd had too much saki, and I was going to freeze to death, but Tenchi had heard me splashing around out there, and came to my rescue. My clothes were drenched, so he threw them off me, and held me close all night so I wouldn't die from frostbite. Isn't that right Tenchi?" Ryoko lied looking at Tenchi to back up her lie.

"Uh yeah that's what happened Sasami." Tenchi said his face getting red.

"But why were you up so late at night Tenchi?" Sasami asked confused.

"I...had a lot on my mind last night," he admitted.

"Oh ok," Sasami sniffed looking at Tenchi with her large pink eyes. Sasami knew what had really happened. It was obvious. She smiled as she looked at her two friends.

"By the way Sasami is breakfast ready, I'm starving." Ryoko said in a loud voice.

"OH MY GOSH!" Sasami said jumping back from Tenchi, "I almost forgot!" Sasami made a mad dash toward the kitchen. As she ran to the kitchen she smiled as she thought about what really happened last night.

"Poor Tenchi. He must not know that Ryoko wouldn't freeze to death falling in the lake, she's too tough for that. He fell for an obvious ploy to get in bed with him." Sasami giggled. "Tenchi's kind hearted, but not to quick." Sasami's joyous thoughts were interrupted when she saw Mihoshi had came downstairs and was checking the pots.

"Mihoshi! No!" Sasami cried out. Then there was an explosion. Sasami sighed, it looked like she would have to try and salvage breakfast, then spend the morning fixing the kitchen.

"Sound's like Mihoshi is in the kitchen," Tenchi smirked as he shut the door. He looked at Ryoko. " Better shut this so no one else comes by and wonders what is going on. By the way that was a good lie, but one day we will have to tell everyone the truth. Still, the truth might crush Sasami. Did you see that look on her face? Oh yeah, of course you did." Tenchi was rambling.

Ryoko smile on her face faded. "So you are still ashamed to tell anyone about us, eh Tenchi. I thought you said you were going to prove your love to me, wouldn't that mean telling everyone about us?"

Tenchi had a superior look on his face. "Ryoko, go get ready for breakfast, I promise by the end of breakfast, you'll have proof. I never said I was ashamed of loving you Ryoko, the only thing I am concerned about, is seeing everyone else react like Sasami just did. If you want me to, I will come right out and say I love you in front of everyone!"

Ryoko looked at Tenchi's smirk. "You're up to something Tenchi Masaki. No, I don't want to see anyone have a look like Sasami had, but I do want you to prove you love me. So, ok, I'll see you at breakfast." Ryoko walked over and picked up her dress from the desk. In a blink, Ryoko disappeared, her sheet falling to the ground when she vanished.. Tenchi sighed, time to put his plan into action.

He reached for the door, then looked at himself. "First I better put some clothes on!"

A Short time later

Ryoko sat at the table in her dress she had worn the night before. [The one she always is wearing in the OVA, the blue and green striped skirt with a blue top.] She waited impatiently for everyone, specifically Tenchi, to arrive for breakfast. She tapped her fingers on the tabletop as she stared at the stairs. Mihoshi sat across from her, babbling on about some dream she had the night before. After what seemed like years, the others came down stairs, first Ayeka, who stared at Ryoko with eyes that seemed concerned. Then came Kiyone who noticed the damage to the kitchen.

"Mihoshi! What did you do this time!" Kiyone asked, it was so early in the morning, and yet her partner had still manage to make a mess. Mihoshi truly was amazing. Mihoshi began pleading her case to her angry partner who sat down beside her. Washu and Tenchi were the only ones missing.

"Ryoko, will you go get Washu?" Sasami asked, realizing her sister wouldn't go the until after her morning cup of tea, and getting either Kiyone or Mihoshi wasn't going to work right now.

Grumbling Ryoko stormed off to the entrance to the super genius, Washu's, lab. Throwing open the door with her usual ladylike grace, Ryoko plowed inside.

"Hello Ryoko. What can I do for you." Washu sat at her computer desk typing in data from her latest experiment.

"Aw come on Washu, you know why I'm here! Look at the time!" Ryoko complained.

"Hmm, is this about Tenchi and last night. If it is I told him nothing." Washu replied not looking away from the screen.

"No I'm not here about that breakfast is..." Ryoko stopped realizing what was just said. "What was Tenchi doing her last night?" Ryoko demanded grabbing Washu by the collar.

"He was going to ask me how to prove his love for you, I imagine, but I told him it was something he needed to do on his own." Washu said prying her daughters hand off her.

"How did you know about..." Ryoko spouted in anger, then remembered the answer, "Oh right, we're connected."

"So you say breakfast is ready!" Washu said dismissing the subject, "that's great, I'm starved." Washu walked merrily to the door, "Coming Ryoko?"

"Huh oh yeah." Ryoko followed Washu. It bothered her that Washu knew all her private information. It seemed like every time something happened between her and Tenchi, Washu was in the middle of it somehow.

Washu looked at her shaken daughter, "Ryoko, I am sorry for intruding on you. I promise I won't do it again. Okay?" Ryoko looked up and nodded. "I'll try my best to stay out of your personal memories." Washu offered.

Finally everyone was assembled at the table, and the food had been brought out. All the girls and Tenchi began to feast on the wonderful, although slightly charred thanks to Mihoshi, breakfast prepared by Sasami.

Ryoko shoveled dish after dish of food into her mouth. She was anxious to see what Tenchi would do as proof.

Ayeka set her bowl down, watching Ryoko eat always made her lose her appetite.

Tenchi looked at Ryoko, it was now of never. Ryoko swallowed down her latest bowl, wiping her mouth with her sleeve.

"Ryoko," Tenchi said flatly. Ryoko looked over at Tenchi wondering what he was going to say, her lips pursed to ask him what he wanted.

But Tenchi said nothing. He leaned over, and very gently, kissed her on the lips. It was a quick kiss, not nearly as passionate as the kiss she received on her birthday, but it was a kiss non the less. Ryoko felt her face turn red. He had done it, with out saying a word, that kiss had been the proof she was looking for, because everyone had seen it. There was no taking that back, no covering it up saying it was a slip of the tongue. Ryoko touched her face with both hands, then disappeared.

"Good idea Tenchi," Washu said as she picked up some more food. "That got rid of her. Now the rest of us can have some food. That girl eats like a...what was it you said she eats like Ayeka?"

"A hippopotamus," Ayeka said, with Ryoko gone her appetite had returned, "and though I am grateful I will now be able to eat without that disgusting woman sitting beside me, I am sorry you had to kiss her to get her to leave, Lord Tenchi." It took everything Ayeka had in her to suppress a smile.

"Well Ryoko, it looks like you got your proof," Ayeka thought, "I hope you can handle Lord Tenchi, because I'm not going anywhere. So if you can't keep him, then it will prove that he is right for me, and me alone." Ayeka knew that she might lose Tenchi to Ryoko, but in a way that didn't matter. She enjoyed being with Tenchi and all the other too much, even Ryoko, to allow who Tenchi was with to destroy their friendships.

Sasami laughed,"That's not why you kissed her is it Tenchi?"

"If he didn't kiss her to get her to leave, then why did he do it, Sasami?" questioned Kiyone.

"It's because of last night." Sasami answered. Washu and Ayeka stared stupefied at Sasami, had she discovered the truth?

"What are you talking about Sasami!" Ayeka demanded using her big sister voice.

"Welll..." she began, "last night, Tenchi saved Ryoko from Freezing to death after she fell in the lake. Ryoko had too much Saki, and fell in. Tenchi was up thinking late last night, and heard her splashing around out there. He rushed out and saved her life. So you were kissing her because you were glad she was still alive right Tench!"

Tenchi nodded, a huge sweat drop on his forehead, as he chewed his meal. "Oh that is so beautiful," Mihoshi said as tears flowed down her eyes like a river. Ayeka smiled holding her hand in front of her face, she would have to talk to Tenchi later about this.

The Roof

Ryoko laid on her back, her face beat red looking up at the sky. Her eyes were huge as she stared at the early morning. She lay there for many minutes, occasionally checking her own pulse. It had only been a little kiss, but still it had come as a shock to her. Ryoko had expected a poem, a gift in private, something like that, or even a confession of love done very poorly.



"But a kiss...,"Ryoko moaned. Tenchi never ceased to amaze her. That was one reason she love him. Everyday was new and exciting with him.

"In a few minutes, I'll go back inside. I just need to regain my composure." Ryoko laid on the roof until Sasami called everyone for lunch, and even then her face was still a little pink. Ryoko ate with everyone, but spent most of her day basking in the joy in her heart, away from the others.

"It's true, Tenchi loves me!" She told herself over and over as if it was news to her. In the end that was all she needed, as long as she had Tenchi, she would have no other needs.

From that night on, she and Tenchi would sleep in the same bed, and spent more time together. However, Tenchi still made sure to hang out with everyone else, and Ryoko and Ayeka still fought. Ryoko and Tenchi both knew one day soon it would happen, that they would have to tell the others about them. However for right now, the lie that Ryoko was afraid if she didn't sleep beside Tenchi at night, she would freeze to death. It seemed like a silly story, but then again, everyone either knew the truth, or just figured that poor gullible Tenchi was being sucker ed in every night.

Sasami watched Ryoko float up to Tenchi's room late one summer night. Sasami wasn't thrilled that Ryoko slept in the same bed as Tenchi, but then again Sasami had slept in Tenchi's room before, when she had bad dreams. She still did from time to time, snuggling between Ryoko and Tenchi. As she followed at the flying space pirate with her eyes, Sasami could only think, "Poor Tenchi, he's kind hearted, but boy, he sure isn't the quickest one among us." Sasami giggled, then yawned. It was time for bed. Tomorrow was going to be another day, and with it new adventures, challenges, and of course, battles between Ayeka and Ryoko, but as long as they were all together, what else really mattered?