i don't own tenchi muyo

well here it is, enjoy

check out my other fics: "a rainy day to remember" and "one last breath"(a cowboy bebope fic)

-------------------------------------------------------

Washu's screams echo in the silent night's air, and it seemed that all was done. The sword's impact made a razor-sharp sound that still hung in the air. No words were spoken, all was a deadly silence. Tenchi's grip on the sword never changed, his body frozen in a kneeling position. The clattering sound of the sword hitting the ground boomed in the utter silence. With his hands hanging limply at his side, Tenchi slowly turned his gaze to the stunned Washu behind him. His face revealed his teary eyes, as the quivering of his bottom lip was seemingly uncontrollable. Taking a brave and bold step forward into the unknown Washu's eyes revealed the truth. Ayeka's body limply laid upon Tenchi's chest, taking a couple more bold steps, Washu could see clearly now. Her supposedly limp body was softly trembling.

"Look at her eyes"

Washu said her voice weak from the suspense. If she was right they just might have a chance. Gently lifting her head Tenchi beheld soft faded crimson.

"Tsunami, I figured out what she meant by, if the fall of death takes place before the truth, then the rain will not bring to her life but only death. The rain didn't give her salvation because she didn't know the truth, but it wasn't the truth we were thinking of, it was your truth Tenchi. All she needed to know was how you truly felt before she dropped the rose, which was the fall of death. I'm guessing you told her seconds before the rose hit the ground and the rain saved her afterwards."

"She's shaking"

Tenchi says holding her close to him as her trembling got worse.

"It's her body trying to expel the sprit, it's a painful procedure, but I don't know how she will do it"

Ayeka struggled to escape the pain, but Tenchi never released her. The rain softened as her body shuddered from the thick black fluid expelling from her mouth. Even through all this Tenchi never let her go, and as soon as all was expelled from her body, she collapsed into a deep state of ether. Distress couldn't help but appear on Tenchi's face, but a reassuring look from Washu told him not to try and wake her.

------------------

Three days have past and Ayeka is still unconscious in intensive care inside Washu's lab. Sasami sent a message yesterday asking us to tell Ayeka that Tara's real funeral will be held at the end of this week. Washu was able to locate whatever remains of the spirit that was important, and she has linked with Ayeka's mind to find out exactly where the spirit came from and want images or any other communication it had been sending to Ayeka. Tenchi waited outside anxiously, like a child listening intently for his mother's call.

"You can come in now Tenchi"

Washu said opening her lab door.

"Ayeka gave me permission to tell you anything you wish to know"

"Is she awake?"

Tenchi asked, his eyes full of hope

"I explained this before; I am mentally connected to her. She won't be awake for a while, but the longer she stays asleep the more worried I get."

"Yes, I remember. So what did you find out?"

"She met the spirit after the incident with you and Ryoko, they connected, but you already know that. The spirit, made Ayeka believe that if she trusted us she would end up like the spirit. You see the spirit was a young girl named Amy Yamamoto, who was killed by a young man she was involved with. He took her life because the woman he loved left him because she couldn't handle the pain they caused Amy. This tragic event was basically revised so that Ayeka would be convinced that, that was her fate as well. As I said before this was not the spirit's original plan, but the power corrupted it."

"What of Ayeka will she be alright?"

Tenchi asks taking a seat.

"Ayeka's body and mind is exhausted from this experience, it will be completely up to her whether she gets through this or not."

"Is there anything I can do?"

---------------------------

Tenchi's POV

It's been two days since Sasami's message and the day is Thursday. I stayed with Ayeka all day everyday late into the night, but there has still not been any change.

"Tenchi, you want me to change the water for you, the ice is melting?"

Washu's voice cut through my thoughts. Smiling in appreciation, I hand her the cloth along with the bowl. The door softly closes behind her, and I am thankful to be alone with Ayeka. It was around 11:36p.m. and I knew Washu would be checking out for the night. But for some reason, as I gazed at Ayeka's serene face something tells me that I should stay the whole night.

"It's getting late; we should both get some sleep"

And right on cue Washu comes in and says what she always says every night. I had to say something this time, something that she wouldn't argue against.

"I think I'm going to stay, just in case she has another nightmare. We don't want a repeat of Monday."

I'm good, especially the last part, I could see her mind contemplating.

"I suppose you're right, but don't stay up to late. You're useless if you tired."

O, yeah, got it in the bag.

"Don't worry about me"

And with that last statement the door closed for good this time. Grabbing the new bowl of ice water of the counter top I continue what I do every time I'm alone with Ayeka, I talk to her, in an attempt to console my weary conscious.

"So where did we leave off? I think was movies, you would really enjoy those. There are many different types and we could go together. Movies theaters are kind of like the television, except there are a lot of seats and the screen is a lot bigger, o, and instead of commercials there are previews…….."

I talked to her about everything, about how I want to take her to see all these things, and how I felt the first time I saw her, and basically every thought that popped into my head. It was getting late, but I didn't care.

"Washu said you should wake up any day now. You remember that day in the rain when I held you close to me? What I said, that I would gladly tell you how I feel if you just ask me. Well, will you ask me now? If you stay asleep to long you might not wake up, and I couldn't take that. So please, if you don't wake up for anything else, wake up and ask me so I can tell you how much I love you."

The sky was now longer consumed with the darkness of night, but parted into two. The sun was rising and the sky was flawless with its shades of purple, gold and pink intertwining together. The golden grace of the sky pecked over the horizon, and all seemed right in the world. But this time there was no seeming because in my world all was right at the sound of her tender voice.

"Say it again"

Her eyes slowly opened with the rising of the sun, and when I rushed over to her side, our lips connecting the sun shined its' grace upon us. Her lips, just as I remember, like a single cloud claiming the sky as its own. Our lips gently parted, and the smile on her face out shined any sunrise on this earth.

"Don't change the subject"

Laughter escaped my being, as I fought the urge to kiss her again.

"I love you Ayek-

Surprise to hold of me as she immediately kissed me at the sound of her name.

-------------------------

Ayeka's POV

Washu gave me the choice of wiping out any memory of this month's events, so that I wouldn't have any nightmares, but even though she protested by answer stood. I would keep them. My feelings, yes I could feel again, where neutral. I wasn't angry anymore, or happy that everything turned out alright, because nothing was alright. Tara was dead; Tenchi, Ryoko, and Washu still lied, deceived, and betrayed me. However, I forgive them. I know now a lot of the accusations I was putting on them weren't true, but that doesn't change the fact that there was some truth to them. But none of that mattered any more what mattered now was that as soon as I got dressed Tenchi and I would attend Tara's funeral. Wearing a solemn claret kimono, with my hair half up in a bun and the other half down, I said my good-byes with Tenchi by my side before we left for Jurai. Thanks to one of Washu experiments we got there in twenty minuets. There wasn't much conversation on the way to Jurai, which I enjoyed. But upon landing on Jurai Tenchi look and me intently and asked,

"You sure?"

Holding back tears I nodded my head and we walked the rest of the way. I wasn't sure if I would make it but Tenchi held my hand the whole way, and that gave me courage. My heart skipped a beat as the scene came in view. Sasami, mother, father and Auntie Funaho were all there paying their respects, as requested in Tara's will. Sasami was of course the first to notice I was here, and I almost didn't know just how much I missed her until she embraced me. I almost didn't let her go, but the rest of my family was waiting to give me the condolences. My father of course was very short and direct about it, and my mother was sobbing so much I could barely make out her words, partly because she was squeezing me to death. It was funny neither of them never knew her but I guess they were actually sad for me. Auntie Funaho was a totally different story, and when she approached me with her "everything's going to be okay" smile I almost broke down right then and there. I knew she could tell because she quickly clutched me to her, in a loving embrace. Now, there was only one thing left to do I had to approach Tara. Tenchi squeezed my hand gently in silent communication, and I reassured him that I was stable and that I had to do this alone. When our hands parted it was like I was alone and everyone behind me faded away. The royal Juraian tree she was buried under seemed to glow with beauty, and the breeze blew the jasmine petals all around me. I was there. I was in front of her grave, and just didn't have the strength to hold back the single tear that trickled down my face. The wind blew hard, swiping it away from my cheek. Kneeling down my frail fingers reaching out I had to will them forward. My fingers touched the loose soil, which was covered with fallen petals, and it was only then I let out the breath I'd been hold for what felt like forever. Releasing the breath was like freeing all, the pain I held for the loss of my friend, no……my life. But I know now that I was dying, and it was finally over. Because death is the beginning of life, and to live, to truly live, for that I was glad to have died. Tarra wasn't gone she gave me new life and with that life her undying love. I will always miss her, but I am finally content. Her words spoken so long ago flowed through me and tenderly kissed my cheek.

"Listen. I love you more than I love myself, I would die for you, and I would live for you too. You are a part of me forever, and we will always be connected. I love you so much little one; you are my family, my life, and my only love. You- my Ayeka, you are the one thing that is precious in this life, and the next. And I love you enough to let you live your life. So live Ayeka, live….. for me."

--------------------------------------------------------

thank you to all who reviewed. well it's finally done, the ending was kinda rushed but this crappy story is completed. i finished it for a reviwer who actually liked it enough to want to read the whole thing, so i hope they enjoyed the ending:) review if you want.

-slim