Washu had pulled a floating stretcher out of one of her sub-space pockets, and with Tenchi's assistance was proceeding to push Hotsuma up towards the house.  Ryoko felt a twinge of panic as she trudged after them, but it seemed surreal, as if she was watching herself have these feelings from a distance.

'He's here,' she thought absently.  'The dream has finally come to pass, he's here to destroy Tenchi.'   Then she realized Ayeka was asking her a question.

"What?" she asked coolly.

"I asked if you attacked this man," Ayeka repeated, a touch of impatience in her tone.

"No," Ryoko said evenly.  Washu cut in before Ayeka questioned her further.

"I just completed the bio-scan," Washu called.  "He collapsed from dehydration and hunger."

"Will he survive?" Sasami asked anxiously.

"His pulse is very weak and his strength is fading fast, but it shouldn't be a problem for a genius like me!" Washu responded brightly.  They reached the Masaki house and were now leading the stretcher through the kitchen to the living.  Both Kiyone and Mihoshi were resting on the couch watching soaps. 

"Did you find Ryo - " Kiyone began, then stopped when she saw the stretcher.  Mihoshi continued to look at the TV blankly, not noticing the commotion.  But Kiyone rose and went over to study the man more closely.  "Who's that?" she asked curiously, but gasped sharply before anyone could answer her.

"What is it Kiyone?" Tenchi asked, "Do you know this guy?" Kiyone continued to study the unconscious man without answering him.  Finally she tore her gaze upward, and found herself staring directly into Ryoko's golden orbs.  Ryoko held her gaze for several intense seconds, before shifting her gaze to Tenchi nonchalantly.  Kiyone hesitated, then answered speaking softly.

"No, I made a mistake."  Tenchi stared at her oddly, then shrugged.

"Come on, Tenchi," Washu insisted, "We have to get him to my lab."  Ayeka and Sasami followed Tenchi into Washu's lab.  Only Ryoko and Kiyone remained in the living room, standing in front of the staircase.  Mihoshi was snoring loudly on the couch.

"What the hell is he doing here?" Kiyone raged in a low voice.  Ryoko shrugged and folded her arms, leaning against the wall comfortably.  "Don't pretend like you don't even care!" Kiyone warned angrily.  Ryoko frowned as she picked a piece of lint off of the sleeve of her dress.  "I know what he did to you!" she insisted, stepping closer.  Ryoko looked up in sudden anger.

"No you don't," she snapped.  "You haven't a clue."  Kiyone recoiled as if slapped, then paused, considering.

"No, I suppose you're right," she said quietly.  "But I know more than anyone else in this house.  God, he turned you against Tenchi!"  Ryoko stiffened and clenched her teeth angrily.

"He did not!"

"Ryoko, you fell in love with him -" Ryoko leapt forward and shoved Kiyone roughly.

"Don't you dare say that!" she hissed, shaking with rage.  Kiyone looked at her sadly.

"You have to tell Tenchi," she said finally.

"No."

"Ryoko!  He's a threat to everyone in this house!"

"If they find out, they'll kill him!" Ryoko shouted, then clapped a hand over her mouth in horror.  Was it possible that she still had feelings for that traitorous bastard?

"Oh, Ryoko-" Kiyone started, her voice thick with grief.

"Just shut-up!" Ryoko said, her voice cracking.  "I'll kill him myself, I swear it!" And then she was gone.  Kiyone sighed and ran her hands over her face tiredly.

Ryoko hid in the shadows, watching as Washu hooked Hotsuma up to a support system.  Tenchi and the others had left to eat breakfast.  Finally, after what seemed like hours to Ryoko, Washu stretched and yawned loudly, glancing at her watch.  She jumped off her floating pillow and exited the room whistling.  Ryoko waited a few more minutes, then stalked out of the shadows towards Hotsuma's still form.  His chest rose and fell steadily, and a twinge of color had risen to his cheeks.  Washu had replaced his glasses, signifying that she expected him to awaken at any moment.  Ryoko looked down and noticed that her hands were shaking uncontrollably. Letting out a whoosh of air, she sank to her knees so that her chin was level with the silver, metal table.  Why did he have this affect on her? She should be furious with him.  What was that he had said to Yugi, back at their second hideout?  At first she was interesting, but now I can see she's just a spoiled brat!  Nothing makes her happy…  Once this had made her absolutely livid.  Now it just made her question herself.  If she had acted differently, would things have better?  Did she deserve everything he'd said about her?

"Ryoko?" a voice called out weakly.  Ryoko stiffened, holding her breath.  "Ryoko, I know you're there…I can smell you," this last was accompanied by a soft chuckle, which immediately turned into a racking cough.  Ryoko stood up, looking down on him coldly, though her heart was pounding.

"Hotsuma.  Charming as ever I see."

"Oh, you know what I meant.  Your scent was always so unique…something like a stormy night.  You understand that, don't you?  We're the same, you and I -"

"No," Ryoko said sharply, "we're nothing alike."  How pathetic, she thought in a surge of her old aloof contempt, he's still trying to feed me that old, tired line.  Hotsuma was silent for several moments.

"Where am I, anyway?  Last thing I remember was standing at the foot of a pine tree.  You were up there, weren't you?  I could smell you then, too…" he trailed off.

"Washu's lab," Ryoko forced out.

"Washu's…You saved me then?" he asked, confused.

"I didn't," Ryoko snarled.

"But don't they realize who I am?"  Ryoko didn't respond.  "You didn't tell them," the answer dawned on him and he grinned delightedly.  "Afraid they might overreact, m'dear?  Hmm?"  Ryoko glared at him spitefully.

"I might have spared you for the moment, but that doesn't mean I won't kill you later," she snapped.

"Ahh, but you've already tried that, remember?  And as you can see, it didn't work."  Ryoko was curious, despite herself.

"How did you manage to stay alive?"  Hotsuma chuckled.

"Cocky Ryoko, too confident to even check for my pulse.  You may have drained the majority of my energy, but I was still alive, if barely.  And as I lay in the snow, I could feel the most amazing change taking place…"

"What was that?" Ryoko spat out finally, arms folded.

"I was becoming real."  Ryoko remained silent.  "I am no longer Yugi's shadow, I am my own man."  Then Ryoko laughed loudly, though it sounded forced, even to her ears.

"And you expect me to believe that?"

"It's true," Hotsuma said calmly.  "I believe it had something to do with that strange earth power-"

"That power is what should've killed you!"

"Ryoko!" Washu's voice rang out across the room.  She stood in the doorway, hands on hips.  "How did you get in here?  Are you bothering my patient?  He's still quite weak you know."  As she spoke, the pink-haired scientist crossed the room to the examining table.  She brought up her holo-top computer and began punching buttons rapidly.  "So do you two know each other or what?" she asked irritably.  Hotsuma gazed at Ryoko, grinning widely. 

"Know her?  No, I don't believe so," he answered lazily.  Ryoko growled and strode out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

"What a grouch," Washu said amiably.  "Well your stats indicate that you're improving nicely.  In another day or so, you should be ready to get out of bed."

"No, I feel fine," Hotsuma said, sitting up.  Immediately thousands of alarms began to blare throughout the lab.  Thick steel bars wrapped around Hotsuma's arms, legs, and midsection, forcing him back down to the table.  Washu smirked at him smugly.  "Or not," Hotsuma amended meekly.

Ryoko sighed and leaned against Washu's door heavily.  What am I doing? She wondered in bewilderment.  I'm…I'm…fraternizing with the enemy!  I've seen what will happen; I know he's here to hurt Tenchi…why can't I kill him?  She pressed the heels of her hands to her eyes, her throat constricting.  Why is it so damn confusing? 

"Ryoko?"  Ryoko dropped her hands to her sides and looked up quickly.  Tenchi was looking at her in askance.  "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," she said dully.  "Just swell."

            "Er - I wanted to ask you something," Tenchi said hesitantly.  Ryoko shrugged.  "About last night -- you said my murderer was someone you once loved."  Ryoko stared at him.  "So…I was wondering who you were talking about."  He spoke in an odd tone, and was looking at Ryoko intensely.  Ryoko appeared to be thinking seriously.

            "Hmm.  Well you know, Tenchi, that's none of your damn business."  She phased away, leaving Tenchi alone.

            "Oh."