i don't own tenchi muyo

i apologize i know these chapters are short, but i promise they will get longer!!

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"Ayeka" Tenchi interrupted hesitantly.

Ayeka unwillingly pulled herself from Sasami's embrace,

"Yes ten...um lord Tenchi" she realized that it she was going to get out of this drama of questions and answers she would have to start acting like her old self, and soon (Of course the early dilemma didn't help at all).

"Um... " Tenchi stopped for a minuet, he wanted to ask her many questions, but all he could say was, "welcome home Ayeka."

Knowing fully well that it was phony, Ayeka sweetly smiled at the welcoming.

"Fuck welcome home, what the hell is up with the sword to the neck shit?!" Ryoko protested loudly.

I can't do this! Please someone pull me out of this situation! As if reading Ayeka's mind Sasami quickly injected

"Ayeka you must be tired, you want to lie down or something."

Acknowledging her escape route Ayeka quickly nodded in agreement and headed for the front door.

"But," Ryoko's protest was quickly cut off as Washu quickly opened their link, shut the hell up Ryoko, and with that she closed the link and followed Ayeka and Sasami inside. The others followed soon after.

In the Sasami's and Ayeka's room

Sasami's P.O.V.

I'm so glad Ayeka's back, and I know the others are worried about her but I can see that she's just fine. I did notice that the front she puts on for the others was gone and I could fell that she was very open when she returned to us. The problem is that she only acts that way in front of me. What could have happened for her to be so unguarded like that? Hearing the shower stop and I knew Ayeka would be out soon. As the door opened I quickly collected my thoughts.

Out of P.O.V.

"What?" Ayeka asked noticing Sasami had a grin on her face the size of Texas when she came back out of the bathroom.

"You really like those clothes don't you Ayeka."

Ayeka looked down at what she was wearing: she had on some shaggy brown boots, her bottom half had one side stop a little past the knee and the right side short shorts. Her top half showed her belly and was low cut, showing off her womanly curves. She had a sheath for her gun strapped on the right side on her thigh, and a slanted double belt that finished her "Kick your ass" outfit. Blushing wildly, Ayeka found herself tongue tied, she'd been wearing outfits like that for so long she was accustomed to it; she even joked about wearing pants if she ever got back.

"Yeah, actually its pretty comfortable" she replied laughing.

"Really, you want to go shopping one day and get some clothes the humans wear?" Sasami said cheerfully.

"Yeah that's sounds like fun." Ayeka said smiling, she loved the way her sister knew her, really knew her.

"Ayeka?"

"Yes Sasami."

"Could I ask you something?"

"Of course Sasami, what is it?"

"What happened to you during the six months that you were gone?"

There was no reply, only a stunned expression frozen on Ayeka's face.

"Ayeka, what's the matter?"

Snapping out of her trance of denial Ayeka replies

"I'm fine, it's just... are you sure it was only six months here?"

"Yes, why."

"Well you see Sasami I've been gone for, five years."

Before Sasami could even react to the news a knock on the door interrupted the process.

"Ayeka I need you in the lab so I can do some test on you before dinner." Washu says stopping in the doorway.

Ayeka nods in agreement and follows behind Washu. Down stairs everyone watches as Ayeka passes through, questions still floating around in their heads. Ayeka sighs and goes into the lab leaving the air thick with anxiety.

In the lab

Ayeka is strapped down to a chair while Washu types.

"So Ayeka tell me what happened."

Stunned by Washu's forwardness at first Ayeka skips the "run around" and goes straight to the facts.

"I was there for five years, but Sasami tells me it's only been six months."

"I expected as much, everything's chance when dealing with dimensions. Are you going to tell the others soon?"

Sighing again Ayeka holds off her answer for a few seconds,

"Should I Washu?"

"It would only cause more drama if you hold off."

"I guess your right."

"Well then it's settled," Washu says jumping off her floating pillow.

"Everything's ok?"

"Yes your very healthy, I didn't find and unstable entities."

As Ayeka walked out of the lab solo she smelled that Sasami had already started preparing the meal. Not even trying to glance at the others, Ayeka slyly made her way upstairs. Looking out at the view of her window Ayeka tried to think of exactly what she would say to them. So much happened there, could she tell them everything. Hearing Sasami's dinner call Ayeka collected her thoughts a joined everyone downstairs.

Dinner was normal except for the fact that everyone was restraining themselves to yell out" WHAT THE HELL AYEKA, TELL US ALREADY", but no one did. Ayeka noticed that everyone was pretty much on the verge of finishing dinner, so she takes a deep breath,

"If you could all gather in the living room after dinner, I have something to say."

A with that statement made everyone finished up the rest of his or her's dinner rather quickly and flocked into the living room. Everyone's eyes and ears on Ayeka who's standing in the middle waiting for everyone to get settled, clearing her throat she started.

"As you all know I was stuck in a war dimension, although it has only been six months here I have been living there for five years." Everyone's eyes shot at Washu,

"I expected something like this since were are dealing with different dimensions, thus different time frames can occur too." Washu quickly stated her case.

"I suppose what you all really want to hear is what went on during those five years, (pausing) well...

The cool breeze of the night air made Ayeka's hair sway in the moonlight. Thinking over what she told everyone an hour ago, but mostly thinking about what she didn't tell them. Ayeka knew she would probably have to tell Sasami the rest later, remembering the look Sasami gave after the end of the story, somehow Sasami knew. Ayeka couldn't let the others find out though, not yet at least. "I wonder..."

"Ayeka", her thoughts interrupted by Tenchi.

Tenchi's POV

I stood there for a few seconds, I could tell she was deep in thought, but I had to tell her, I just had to. She opened her eyes softly after I called her name, for some reason I couldn't help thinking how graceful she was. I mean she was always graceful, being a princess and all but somehow it was different now, she was different now.

"Yes Ten.... Yes lord Tenchi?"

She fumbled again, smirking a little; I ignored it and decided to get back on track,

"Ayeka could I speak with you?"

"Of course."

Out of POV

Motioning to walk and talk Tenchi quickly led the way. After a little ways into the woods Tenchi slowly stopped walking, he'd been dancing around the subject this whole time, he needed to get straight to the point,

"Ayeka," he said clearing his throat,

"Yes lord Tenchi?"

"There's something I have to tell you, (Ayeka nodded and allowed him to continue) well you see during the six months you've been gone everybody was worried sick. Especially me, I couldn't help blaming myself for what happened. If you hadn't saved me I would've been in that horrible place. We were all depressed and blamed ourselves. And, you see during all of that Ryoko and I got to know each other during those six months, and since..."

Ayeka could tell he was getting nervous; she knew what was coming so she intervened.

"You to are together now."

Not really knowing whether it was a question or an answer Tenchi quickly replied,

"Yes, yes we are."

"I see."

"Ayeka I'm sorry and,"

"Tenchi don't be sorry if that's how you feel."

"Are we still friends?" Tenchi felt like a jerk for doing this to her.

"Of course." Ayeka replied.

Both Tenchi and Ayeka new that was a lie but Tenchi was so overwhelmed with relief he brushed it off and only heard what he wanted to hear.

Ayeka's POV

Ayeka lie awake in her bed tossing and turning. That ass, how could he ask me that?

"Are we still friends, Ha."

But I knew, I can't deny that, even before I left I knew. They would sneak off to do God only knows what. I even caught them one time, without there knowledge of course. I was devastated, but I knew even before then, I knew long before hand. The truth is I let her win, because for me it wasn't game. She was in for the kill to beat me, but I won in the end I truly did.

"Damn that demon bitch."

Sighing, but I can't deny that fact that I'm relieved, I can't be mad at him, or her. Soon he will know the truth, and then what,

"What will happen then?"

"Ayeka?"

"Sasami? What are you doing up?"

Damn I didn't know Sasami was up, she really is sneaky, I thought laughing to myself.

"I'm sorry." Sasami said sweetly in the dark.

"No it's ok" she knows I could never get mad at her.

"Ayeka?"

"Yea Sasami," I said thinking about how she should really get to bed.

"What happed, really?" pausing for a moment,

"I fell in love." I said softly to where only Sasami could hear.

Tenchi's POV

Tenchi reviewed the night's events over in his head. I wonder if Ayeka is ok from being in that world for so long. To think she could have died in a place like that, I still can't help but blame myself. Five long years she probably had to deal with monsters and demons, could Ayeka handle that? Well, she seemed ok I guess, hmm maybe I shouldn't have told her about Ryoko and I? Although I could tell she knew what I was going to say as soon as she saw me. I guess this means Ryoko and I can stay in the same room again. Hmmm, for some reason I keep getting this feeling that Ayeka is keeping something from me.

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SORRY, i know these chapters have been short(plzz don't stop reading), my next chapter will be so long it'll make your head hurt!(lol) anyways my next chapter will take a couple of days to get here(just givin you a heads up) so don't worry. the next chapter "The Arrival" is about mixed emotions and jealosy, but grom whom??

-slim