I do not own Tenchi Muyo. Please read the Prologue before continuing to read this story. Enjoy, and please please please R & R!!!!

I'll Never Forget


~*Chapter 1*~


It was silent in the Masaki home. The incessant plopping of water droplets from the storm outside seemed to echo in the quiet corridors of the house. For once the women were without words…speechless and could not even smirk or spite one another like the usual entertainment. Ayeka and Ryoko had amazingly been civil to one another. All their thoughts revolved around the sick man up stairs. Ryoko let forth another wave of tears as she thought back.

'I'm sorry, sorry I didn't love you enough,' his words echoed in her mind. The bright-eyed blonde beside her looked over curiously and titled her head.

"Ryoko, why are you crying again?" Mihoshi asked quietly. The light hit her huge blue eyes and gave them an almost idiotic tint. The woman next to her of raging amber eyes shot her an irritated glance.

"Why do you think?" Ryoko hissed. 'She really isn't as stupid as she looks…she's far more than I ever imagined possible.'

"Ladies, ladies, please," Grandfather said softly as he descended the staircase and entered the living room. His long robes swished behind him and the old man settled in an armchair in the center of the living room. Washu and the others quickly gave him their full attention. "It seems we have a bit of a predicament."

Ryoko jumped up, a fist against her chest, "Is he-is he alright?" she asked worriedly.

"Tell me, Grandpa! Is my dear Tenchi well?" Ayeka swooned with a dreamy look in her eyes. Ryoko glared at her, not out of anger but out of disgust.

'People think that Ayeka loves Tenchi more than life itself. Well, exactly how can that be when that hypocrite sits in her room at night and ogles at pictures of old flames? But then, during the day, she puts back on that ugly, bogus mask and dances around like a circus clown raving about her love for Tenchi. In fact, I even watch just to laugh on the inside at her insane gesture of love. Her love is artificial, more like infatuation. And she knows that I'm right. It's disgusting how phony she is,' Ryoko's mind wandered.

"Girls, please. For Tenchi's sake!" Washu sighed from the couch, watching the two women standing at different points in the room. Her normally light filled emerald eyes were dim with concern and her rosy cheeks had lost their happy, healthy pink glow.

"Mr. Masaki, Grandpa," Kiyone spoke, addressing the lone old man softly, "How is he doing?" Sasami sat close to the Galaxy Police woman and sobbed quietly. Kiyone's motherly instinct instructed her arm to wrap itself around the sobbing girl to comfort her.

"I will be honest…Tenchi, my grandson is not well. He is very ill with fever and his memory vague. I fear that things will become much worse," the man replied, his expression downcast and serious. Every face in the room dropped, their hope, and also their joy for Tenchi's recovery, had all vanished in seconds.

"Grandpa," the amber eyed, ex-space pirate spoke almost inaudibly. Ryoko was standing and approached the man sadly. "What do you mean that his memory is…vague?" Grandpa looked into her eyes an offered a forced smile, but to Ryoko it was less than comforting.

"My dear grandson does not remember where he is, or why he is here," Grandpa answered slowly. "He fell into a deep sleep before I could get anymore out of him."

"You mean-I don't understand!" Ayeka bawled and sunk to the floor. Tears poked at the corners of her eyes and sprung forth in exasperation. "My Tenchi…" she whispered.

"Miss Ayeka, I do not know the origin of this sudden event…yet what we can only do is hope and pray for his recovery." The old man's expression had softened but the sorrowful glint in his eyes never faded.

Ryoko's eyes filled with tears, as had the other girl's. 'My Tenchi…could this be my fault? He collapsed; my god…became ill in my presence. He admitted to a deeply wounding confession. Am I the cause of this?' Ryoko's mind screamed sadly.

"Tenchi!" Sasami cried out and sobbed harder into Kiyone's shoulder. The woman could only hold her close and muffle her sobs. Streams of dried tears adorned the little girl's satiny cheeks as more took their place and flowed freely. The usually joyous and optimistic glitter that shone in her eyes had faded to a faint glow.

"When can we see him?" Mihoshi whimpered, her eyes overflowing with tears. "I-wan-na-se-e-Ten-chi!" she choked out screaming.

"Mihoshi!" Kiyone exclaimed shrilly and smacked the girl on her head, "Hush, or you'll wake him!"

She sniffled upset, "Sorry, I just got so carried awayyyyy…" she trailed off overcome by another sobbing fit. Kiyone exhaustedly tried to comfort her while the others sat solemnly, most crying in silence.

"He is resting upstairs, though uneasily I must say. Perhaps later when he has calmed a bit and when his fever dissipates," Grandpa answered, shifting uncomfortably in his chair. The man was worried sick though he did not show it for his grandson. 'Tenchi, you are a Masaki. Be strong, my grandson be strong for these women. These women who love you and would die for you, be strong for them, Tenchi…Tenchi Masaki,' he thought miserably. Ryoko had meanwhile turned away and was staring off into space, trying to process and force out the unhappy memories that had just occurred. The rain was still falling outside, this she observed occasionally glancing out the window beside her.

'This is my fault. I don't understand, how can this be happening? He tells me the one thing I've waited an eternity to hear from him, and now he can't remember where he is?! What have I done to deserve this?!' Ryoko thought as her heart broke into rigid pieces by the second.

"What are you talking about, Ryoko?" Ayeka hissed in her usual irritated and superior manner. Apparently, her thoughts had accidentally been vocalized. "What do you mean, he told you the one thing you've waited to hear?" Ryoko almost blushed and instead let anger overcome her.

"Stay out of this, it does not concern you," she spat. Her long silver tresses swished as she approached the Jurai Princess heir, amber eyes glowing wildly. "Just leave him out of this."

"If it had anything to do with Tenchi, it is very well of my concern. He is of Jurai blood. I intend to-

"Will you be quiet you two?!" Washu scorned smacking a hand over each of their mouths.

"Washu is right," Ryoko backed off, "this is about Tenchi. We must all ensure he is well again, and that means putting aside our however petty and vengeful differences," she added eyeing Ayeka warily. The Princess nodded at her with a solemn glare and turned away to comfort her sobbing sister.

'Tenchi. You were my dear guinea pig…if that can be an affectional term,' Washu thought sadly, 'perhaps when you are well again my dear…perhaps when you are well again.'

"Washu, are you alright?" Grandpa asked quietly. The pink haired woman had wandered over to the window, her fingers pressed to the glass as she was enveloped in deep thought.

"Huh, oh," she replied slowly turning around, "I was just thinking about how Tenchi was my little guinea pig. Even though he wasn't always keen on my ideas…he was usually so courageous and eager to help a friend out. If anything happens to him…"

"Washu!" Grandpa exclaimed as the woman dropped to the floor, and buried her face into her hands. Washu's entire body shook dreadfully from the sobs that racked her body.

"I can't sit here and watch this," Ryoko whispered to herself and teleported from the room. 'I have to get away. I have to get away from this sorrow. I have to see Tenchi myself.' She rematerialized inside Tenchi's room. A new, salty wave of tears welled up inside her as her eyes settled upon his pale and silent form. The curtains were drawn completely a single ray of light escaped to the far corner of the room. Yet it was barely enough to make any difference in the vast expanse of his room. "Tenchi," she whispered almost so quiet it was silent.

His chest rose and fell rigidly, not like that of a healthy person who breathed gently and comfortably. Tenchi's handsome face was drenched with sweat beads and his cheeks were reddened and slightly swollen. He was beautiful regardless of his illness. Ryoko's fingers lightly traced his cheek and her body shook with sobs. She removed a small cloth from her long pale blue, sleeveless kimono and dabbed his forehead clean lightly. He suddenly jerked to the side, as if off in a torturous nightmare.

"Tenchi!" she whispered shrilly. "Fight it Tenchi, fight it for me. Don't give up, wherever you are." Tenchi was quiet again and Ryoko took a silent vigil by his bedside. She pulled his desk chair over to the bed and sat down beside him, while taking his hand, fighting back tears again. "If you meant what you said Tenchi. I want you to know, just knowing that you cared at all means that world to me." Ryoko vowed that nothing would make her leave his side…after all, how could she when in her heart…she truly believed she was the cause of his frailty. Slowly, she inched closer to him and kissed him lips gently. It was a sweet kiss, but one that was a result of sadness and a catalyst for future agonies in Ryoko's mind.

But now, she would not leave him. And a moment later, she lessened her kiss and sat back some. "I love you, Tenchi. Never forget that," she whispered sadly into his ear and closed her eyes…never letting go of his hand.