Chapter 3

Disclaimer is in Chapter 1

Every time Ryoga visited Ukyo, he found her sitting by the window looking out of it. When she heard the creak in the door which usually happened when you open 3/4 of the way, she would turn her head to him and give him a distant smile. Her eyes sparkled slightly and her cheeks would turn lightly pink as if embarrassed to be found looking out of the window. Ukyo talked a healthy amount, she would describe her counseling to him and excitedly told him that she would be leaving soon but she would still have to see her counselor. Ryoga found it easier to talk to her the more he visited and you could call them close friends even. Ukyo never mentioned any other visitors and Ryoga wondered if she had anyone at all besides him stop by to see her. That idea upset him at the same time as pleased him. He pitied the fact that she was completely alone like him. But the pleasing feeling of knowing that he was the only person she saw and she probably looked forward to seeing him. He understood that whenever she blushed when he brought her food was because the fact that she really looked forward to seeing him. He decided to pick up some American food for her to eat. He walked to her corridor and to her room. She was sitting in a chair, reading a novel.
"Hey Ryoga." She smiled but it seemed more distant than normal.
"I brought you food Ukyo." He handed her a bag and sat down with his own. They both ate with little talk other than Ukyo thanking him for the food. "You want to go on a walk?" Ryoga asked after she finished the last bit.
"I don't think I can, yet. I'm under suicide watch." Ukyo smiled as if she found it humorous. Ryoga couldn't find any humor at all, his brows knitted together in confusion and embarrassment.
"Oh, are there any books or movies I can bring by?" He asked and Ukyo turned her back to him. He never realized how long her hair really was. She must have let it grown since she arrived here, the ends nearly reach her bottom. It had darkened also, no longer a deep brown, it looked like smooth coal against her pale skin.
"Oh, I'm fine." She replied breaking his thoughts. She sat on her bed and faked a yawn. "I'm sleepy, Ryoga." He took the hint and stood up.
"I need to get going anyway, I'll be seeing you later." Ryoga picked up his things and slipped out of the door but not without catching one last glance of Ukyo. She lay in bed and stared at the wall which had nothing on it. Ryoga sighed and eased the door shut. Once he turned around, a stout woman stood behind him.
"Hello, Ryoga, might I have a word?" She asked as she made a motion with her head that they walk and talk.
"Sure." Ryoga replied while releasing the handle and walking with her.
"It's about Ukyo. I'm glad that her counseling is progressing although yesterday she made a request." Ryoga nodded.
"What?" The nurse breathed out loudly like she didn't want to say what she had to say.
"She doesn't want you to visit her." Ryoga blinked and his body tensed.
"What? Why?" Ryoga asked but it sounded more like a demand. The nurse frowned at his reaction.
"It's her right as a patient that while she heals, she can permit certain visitors and not others. You have to understand that she's in a very weak state and as a part of her recovery, she doesn't see it fit that you visit."
"I'm her only friend now, that makes no sense." Ryoga regretted that he spoke. He sighed before the nurse could find the words to explain. "You know what? I don't care. You can tell her that. I don't care anymore. No, don't tell her that. Tell her, I'll see her when she gets out." The nurse nodded.
"Of course." She left to work but Ryoga's feelings still felt hurt. He saved her life, wasn't that enough for him to be a part of her life? He then realized that she didn't want to be alive to begin with and he just complicated things. Ryoga shrugged and decided that it was best not to analyze the situation. He knew it would be a while before Ukyo could be released and even longer for Akane and Ranma to return. He decided that the best thing for him to do now is something he perfected over the years: wandering.
Ryoga stumbled on to Nerima around a month later. He found the Tendo Dojo easily enough and smiled once he heard the bickering newlyweds as he approached the lawn.
"Gee, Ranma! I'm sorry that I wanted a fixed roof over my head! I asked you last week to start and look at it! A helicopter could land in our bedroom!"
"I was working on the bathroom! What do I look like, the resident handyman? If you are so worried about it, why don't you fix it? You're man enough to do it!" Ryoga's smile grew.
"That's not what you said last night!" Ryoga internally winced.
"Hello?" He called to see if the couple would notice him. Unfortunately, they didn't. They continued to have a yelling contest so Ryoga decided to roam around Nerima and see if anything has changed. As he walked around, he smelt a familiar smell that made one part of him go run to it and another part hesitate. He pulled aside the curtain and found Ukyo behind the grill cooking. She looked up at the new customer and gave him a faint smile, a slight tug at the cheeks. He sat down and waited for most of the customers to leave before he approached her.
"Hello Ukyo." He greeted formally. Her slight smile turned into a frown and then back to a smile.
"Oh Ryoga, where have you been these last few days?" She asked.
"Around." Ryoga replied as Ukyo took a seat across from him.
"And you haven't stopped by?"
"You didn't want visitors, I was told by the nurse." Ukyo's smile transformed back to the frown.
"That was at the hospital. I wasn't in my right mind." She explained in a low voice.
"Well, that really bothered me." Ryoga surprised himself, he never had been so open with his feelings but it felt natural to tell her. He used to tell her everything, she would feed him and listen, though he got the feeling that she was scheming in her mind instead.
"Ryoga-"
"Why?" She stared at him and he saw that she tried to conjure the right words to say.
"I don't know." He sighed, clearly disappointed by the answer. He thought constantly about the reason, he knew beforehand that he would not be satisfied with any answer. Her answer, however, left him completely displeased. He stood up and gathered his things.
"I understand. I'll see you around." He decided he had no intention to see her again. They were no longer friends, by his standard, and he could care less if she decided to take her life again.
"Bye Ukyo."
"Are you sure you don't want-"
"Bye Ukyo." She understood what he meant.
"Bye Ryoga."

A/N: Don't worry, it's not the end! I'm just getting started!

RyoUkyo Fan: Thank you for reviewing and here it is, there's more on the way too!

Dark Master Schmidt: This isn't a really dark chapter but I'm going to stir up more darkness and drama between the two. I'll work on the formatting another day, yeah, I know it kinda sucks. I hope that you enjoyed this chapter! Thank you for reviewing!

a: Thank you again for reviewing! I only mentioned Ranma and Akane briefly in this chapter but I plan that they will have a major role yet to come.

Hououzaa: Thanks for reviewing! I hope that you enjoyed this chapter. Best wishes to you to!