A Life Fulfilled

Chapter 6

The Swimming Lesson

The sound of Washu's computer rang throughout her lab. The transparent laptop interested Taro and, like his last visit, was waving his hand through the keyboard. Washu couldn't help but blush when remembering Tenchi's words.

~" I thought I would go for a swim, care to join me?"~

" What am thinking? He just wanted me to teach Taro how to swim, nothing more."

Washu looked through a catalogue on her computer, a swimsuit catalouge! She searched for one she could wear and she came across a two- piece that was completely gray. It wasn't like the normal swimsuits she had seen, but she liked being different. She clicked a key on her computer and the outfit appeared on her. The swimsuit was mush different than any thing Ryoko would wear, the top looked like a normal tank top with a piece covering her neck. It stopped high up on her stomach but not too much so that it revealed anything, and the bottom was like a normal two-piece.

" Now, to find something for you!" Washu laughed.

She found a pair of white, blue, and green striped swim trunks for Taro. With a click of a key, the two were ready to go. They walked out of Washu's lab, completely unaware of Ryoko and Ayeka watching them, and walked outside. The sound of splashin could be heard, so Washu followed it. She walked down one of the long wooden planks that stretched from the house and found Tenchi a few feet away from her, in the water of course.

" Oh Tenchi!" Washu called.

" Hey Little Wa...." Tenchi couldn't continue, he was blushing beyond all belief and was stunned at how beautiful Washu looked.

" Shu," Washu said cheerfuly.

" Bless you!"

" No!" Washu laughed. " You said Little Wa and then you stopped, so I finished it for you! Little Washu, get it?"

" Oh, sorry!"

" That's okay! You wanted to teach Taro how to swim, right?"

" Yeah!"

" Then could you give me a hand?"

Washu was holding two towels, a floating dragon toy, some floaties for Taro's arms, and Taro himself. Tenchi took Taro out of Washu's arms and watched as the scientist placed the rest in the water. She sat down on the edge of the plank and lowered herself into the water.

" Um...Little Washu, you forgot to tie your hair up!"

" Oh crap! It'll take me forever to dry this! Wait, I'll just us my computer, no problem!" Washu laughed.

" Washu, should we start his lesson?"

" Alright, have him kick his legs, and you lead him to me."

Tenchi followed the instructions Washu had given him, but Taro had nothing to keep him afloat Washu threw two of arm floaties and watched as Tenchi showed Taro how to kick and then how to put the action to good use. Washu waited for Taro and when her arrived, she taught him how to use his arms to swim. She guided him to where Tenchi was and smiled at his improvement each time he practiced. It wasn't long before he could swim without their assistants.

" Look at him!" Tenchi cheered.

" Yeah, he's awesome!"

Tenchi's mind ran wild and the next thing he did caused Washu to chase him. He pulled both arms back and, with as much force as possible, pushed them forward, letting a large wave of water crash down on top of the helpless scientist.

" TENCHI!" Washu screamed after surfacing. " I'LL GET YOU FOR THAT!"

" Heh, you wish you could keep up!" Tenchi swam away from her.

Determined to win, Washu changed into her adult form and waited to see Tenchi's reaction. Instead of continuing his swim, Tenchi stopped and stared at the women before him. 'Wow' was the word he mouthed as Washu swam to where he was waiting.

Even when she next to him, he couldn't help but stare at her, he didn't realize she was going to pay him back. Instead of a splash, Washu kissed Tenchi on the cheek and watched him turn bright red before dunking his head in the water.

" Hey!" Tenchi yelled after he surfaced.

" Okay, we're even! Now, where's Taro?" Washu laughed.

" He was right over…" Tenchi saw that the place he was pointing to was now empty. " there."

" AH! Where did he go?! TARO!" Washu screamed.

" Mamma!"

Washu turned her head and saw Taro, without his floaties, swimming toward her! He was swimming, he was actually swimming! He was so young so how was this possible?

" Taro?" Washu called in disbelief.

" Washu, did you find….WHAT THE HELL?!" Tenchi's jaw dropped when he saw Taro swimming.

" At such a young age, and so soon, how?" Washu murmured.

" He is one strange baby!" Tenchi caught Washu off guard and pushed her down in the water.

Washu shot up screaming, " What the hell was that for?!"

" I just had to do that!" Tenchi laughed swimming over to Taro, placed him on a boogie board, and faced Washu with a devilish grin on his face. " Oh Washu!"

She screamed as Tenchi swam after her and tried her best to escape him. Tenchi's chase soon turned into a game as the two switched back and forth, a game of tag in the water. Tenchi was "it" and he intended on ending the game by catching Washu. His speed increased and he soon caught up to her. Tenchi wrapped his arms around Washu's waist and hoisted her upward.

" I win!" Tenchi cheered.

" No far!" Washu whined and turned to him while he still held her in his arms.

Washu placed one hand on his chest and watched his face turn a shade of red. The water on her hand cascaded down his muscular chest. She rested her head against him and she could here his heart beat faster.

" Am I making you nervous?" Washu asked, not bothering to look up.

" Well…um…do I have to answer that one?" Tenchi stuttered.

" Let's go in Tenchi, it's getting late."

" Yeah, let's get Taro and go!" Tenchi released Washu and they swam to where they left the small boy.

" Not again!" Washu sighed.

" Perfect," Tenchi said sarcastically.

Washu scanned the area but found no trace of the child. If he wasn't above water, he was under the water. Washu dove into the lake and searched for Taro until she heard a splash from behind her, it was Tenchi. The two looked for where Taro might be hiding, but found no trace of him. What happened?

" What could have happened to him?" Washu spoke sadly after resurfacing.

" I don't…"

" Mamma!" Taro's voice interrupted Tenchi.

Taro was sitting on the boogie board laughing his little head off. It would seem that he had tricked the two of them and had gotten a kick out of their little games.

" Taro!" Tenchi picked the boy up off the board and held him in his arms.

" Papa! Papa!" Tenchi was shocked.

" He called you…"

" Mamma! Papa!" Taro squealed in excitement.

Tenchi and Washu looked at each other, he thought they were his parents even after the time he had spent with his real mom and dad. Washu liked the idea but Tenchi was unsure if his feelings and was still shocked that Taro called him papa.

" Let's go inside," Washu suggested.

" Yeah, before anything else happens."