Disclaimer can be found in Parts 1 and 2.

A/N: Thanks to the following people who have reviewed my story so far:

The little joobana

AnimeManiac09

DarthRoden

ni9htdreame12

And now let's get on with:

Memories Past

Part 4:

"Just put her on that examining table over there," Washu waved distractedly at Tenchi, when he walked in. She was busy working at a bank of computers, and muttering to herself softly. Ayeka was standing just to the right of Washu. As Tenchi entered the room she met his eye and she gave him a brief smile. Tenchi sighed in relief when he saw it, and smiled back at her.

Well, at least things seem to be okay with Ayeka. Tenchi looked down at Ryoko who was resting peacefully in his arms. Now if I only knew how things were going to turn out with Ryoko I'd be happy.

Looking around, Tenchi spotted the examining table Washu had first mentioned stationed in the middle of the lab. Tenchi walked over to it and set Ryoko down gently. Watching her as she slept, Tenchi felt the same overwhelming feeling that had caused him to kiss Ryoko's head the first time return. Only this time it wasn't just a feeling of protectiveness that gripped him. Another, stronger emotion was present. One he couldn't quite grasp, but it caused him to reach out with his hand, and run it along the smooth contours of Ryoko's face, then slowly reach up to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

Realizing what he was doing, Tenchi removed his hand, and looked up quickly, noting with relief that Ayeka was too busy talking to Washu to notice what was going on at the examining table.

Tenchi breathed a sigh of relief, then looked around for something to sit on. He spotted a stool a few feet away from him. Walking over to it he picked it up and carried it back over to the table, placing it by Ryoko's side, and sitting down.

Sitting there quietly, looking into Ryoko's face, Tenchi thought about his feelings for Ryoko which had been slowly changing over the past few weeks. It's so strange...at one time I would have never looked at Ryoko as anything but a friend...but over the past few weeks I've noticed that that's begun to change. I feel more drawn to her each and everyday...and it's just with her. I don't feel the same draw with Ayeka...it's still just friendship with her...but with Ryoko…my feelings have been changing...and I don't think I mind it...no...I don't mind it at all.

Smiling gently, Tenchi reached out and grasped one of Ryoko's hands, not caring if Ayeka saw him or not. He wanted to feel connected to Ryoko.

"Eureka! I've done it. I've found a way for us to help Ryoko. But of course there was never a doubt that I, Washu, The Greatest Scientific Genius in the Universe, couldn't do it." Washu shouted triumphantly, waving a small, square, translucent, black sheet in the air excitedly.

Ayeka smiled softly, happy that Washu had found a way to help Ryoko. She turned her head toward Tenchi, to tell him how happy she was, but when she looked over at him her words caught in her throat, and the smile on her face melted away, only to be replaced by a frown.

No, no…this can't be right. What is Lord Tenchi doing? Why is he holding Ryoko's hand and looking at her like that? He's looking at her almost as if he's…no…it couldn't be. He couldn't possibly have feelings for her. Lord Tenchi wouldn't betray the love that I have for him like that. This must be a mistake. I must be seeing things.

"Well you must have been seeing things for a while," a snide little voice in the back of Ayeka's head said. "Because you've been seeing that same look for weeks now. You've just chosen to ignore it."

That is true. I have seen him look at Ryoko in this manner before. Almost as if he's seeing her for the first time. Like she's something beautiful and new for him to admire. I decided to ignore it because I didn't want to think about what it could mean. What it would mean for my relationship with Tenchi. I could lose him. In fact, I've probably already lost him. I…I should feel heart-broken. I should feel as if my world is ending. But…and this is strange…I think I almost feel relieved. But that's not right. I love Tenchi. And he's choosing Ryoko over me. I should feel as if my heart is being torn out. But…I don't. What is wrong with me? Was my love for Tenchi not as strong as I believed it to be? Then why have I fought so long and so hard against Ryoko to claim him as mine? But could that have been it? Did I want something that Ryoko wanted, because she had taken so much from me? No! That is not true. I do love Tenchi. And not just as some prize I can claim from Ryoko. But now that I think about it. I mean really think about it, I don't believe I was ever in love with Tenchi. And maybe…maybe that's why the possibility of losing him to Ryoko, doesn't hurt as bad as I thought it would. And now that it looks like Tenchi has chosen, I believe that I can just let that part of my heart go and move on from there. It won't be easy. I've dedicated an awful lot of my time towards getting Tenchi, and it's not going to be easy to just walk away from all that. But…I believe it can be done. I just have one thing to say about Ryoko though. She better get well soon, so that my sacrifice is not in vain. I'll never forgive her if she doesn't make it.

Ayeka watched as Washu spoke excitedly to Tenchi about what she'd discovered, but remained where she was by the computers.

"Okay. Now listen up Tenchi. I believe I've discovered what is wrong with Ryoko."

"Really Miss Washu? What is it?"

Washu handed the black, translucent sheet, she'd brought with her to Tenchi. Turning it upside down, and looking at it from all angles, Tenchi finally just scratched the back of his head in confusion, and asked, "Ahh…What is it Miss Washu?"

"Why…It's a picture of the inside of Ryoko's head." Washu told Tenchi in surprise, looking at his head for the antennas that were sure to sprout from it. "Haven't you ever seen an X-ray before?"

"Uh…no."

"Alrighty then...okay just pay attention and I'll explain everything for you. It's all quite simple. When you placed Ryoko on the examining table, an invisible band wrapped around her head. That band scanned her brain and then photographed it. That is what we are looking at right now. A photographic image of the inside of Ryoko's head. And right here…" Washu pointed at a small, white spot on the left side of Ryoko's skull. "That is what is causing all the trouble."

"What is it Miss Washu?"

"It is a virus."

"A VIRUS!" Tenchi exclaimed in shock.

"A very lethal and well-crafted one I might add. There is only one other person I know who had assess to the kind of technology it took to create it. And who could get close enough to Ryoko to implant it."

"Kagato…" Tenchi said through clenched teeth.

"Yes," Washu confirmed. "It was Kagato. He was the only other person in the universe that I knew who could create such a deadly virus."

"But…but how? I thought that I had killed him," Tenchi exclaimed, his dark, brown eyes lighting up with anger. "How did he know how to create it? How was he able to infect Ryoko with it? And how come we're only finding out about it now?"

In his anger Tenchi jumped up off of the stool and in front of Washu, his fists clenching in and out.

"Well to answer the question: How was he able to infect her? The age of the virus, and the date when Kagato kidnapped Ryoko both coincide with each other. I am positive that that was when he did it."

"To answer your next question: Why are we only finding out about it now? Try to think of the virus as a bomb set on a timer. It is made to activate at a certain time. And when that time comes it detonates, causing major damage, and even total destruction if it's strong enough. That is what happened to Ryoko. The virus was set to go off at a certain time. And when it did it caused major damage, shutting down Ryoko's system. It nearly succeeded in killing her. We were lucky to save her this time. The next time, we might not be so lucky."

"And to answer your final question: How did Kagato know how to make it?" Here Washu looked down, and spoke softy, "I showed him how to do it. I was the one who taught him how to make it." Washu closed her eyes in shame.

"You Miss Washu. But…but why?" Tenchi asked softly.

"Because Tenchi," Washu began wearily, lifting her head, and showing Tenchi just how much this was affecting her. Her shoulders were hunched, and the bright, proud sparkle that usually lit up her eyes had dulled. "Kagato was my student. The two of us were the leading scientists of our time. It was only natural that we team up to expand our knowledge. So we traveled the universe aboard the Souja, during which time I taught him just about everything I knew. He showed so much promise. He was well on his way to becoming a truly brilliant scientist. Then he turned on me. He imprisoned me in a mound of pure, unbreakable crystal. And that is where I remained until the day Mihoshi freed me. By then he had caused irreparable damage to my daughter, the Jurian Empire, and countless others. I allowed him to take and almost destroy Ryoko once. I won't allow him to do it again," Washu finished, the fire and light coming back to her eyes.

"You're right Miss Washu," Tenchi exclaimed. "We'll find a way to beat this thing and bring Ryoko back to us."

"Well Tenchi, I'm glad you feel that way," Washu said, a sly smile on her face. "Because you my boy, are the one who's going to do it."

"Huh?" Tenchi said in surprise. "How am I going to do it?

"You are the only other person I know, besides Ryo-ohki and myself, who has had telepathic contact with Ryoko."

A small gasp came from the direction of the computers, where Ayeka stood. I guess that the connection between Tenchi and Ryoko went even deeper than I thought.

Tenchi frowned slightly as he looked in her direction. I completely forgot that she was there. Well now she knows. Ryoko and I are connected. I'll have to deal with this later.

Turning back to Washu, Tenchi asked, "So what is it that I have to do?"

"You have to connect with Ryoko mentally, and help her destroy the virus. After you do that I'll bring the both of you out of the link."

"Okay whenever you want to begin Miss Washu, I'm ready."

"Wait!" Ayeka cried out, walking forward, and coming up alongside Tenchi. "I want to help too. Please Miss Washu, you have to give me something to do too. Ryoko is my friend. I want her and Tenchi to…I mean I want her to get better too."

"That's great Miss Ayeka. You can be my assistant." Washu snapped her fingers and a nurse's coat appeared on Ayeka, complete with clear, white latex gloves for her hands. A doctor's lab coat appeared over Washu's clothes, her own set of gloves appeared on her hands, and a huge needle filled with some sort of green fluid, popped into Washu's right hand.

Gulping out loud when he saw the needle, Tenchi raised a slightly shaking hand and asked, "Wha…what are you going to do with that thing Miss Washu?"

"Oh…you mean this old thing?" Washu asked waving it gently in the air. "Well I'm going to inject you with it of course Tenchi."

"I was afraid you'd say that," Tenchi said with a sigh.

"The liquid in this needle is a special formula I designed that allows someone assess into another's thoughts and dreams. It will allow your consciousness to fly free and connect with Ryoko's...so are you ready to begin?"

"As ready as I'll ever be."

"Okay Tenchi...just stand right where you are and don't move.

Washu snapped her fingers again and another examining table, identical to the one he had put Ryoko on, appeared next to Tenchi.

"Hop on," Washu told him, flicking the side of the needle, and squirting out a little of the green fluid.

"Okay," Tenchi said climbing onto the table.

"Now lie down," Washu continued coming up alongside him.

"Miss Ayeka, you hold down his arm for me, while I insert the needle."

"Yes Miss Washu." Ayeka reached out and took a hold of Tenchi's arm, holding it down flat against the table.

"Now Tenchi," began Washu. "You'll probably experience a little discomfort when I first insert the needle. This however should pass quickly. After that you'll probably begin to feel drowsy. You'll want to close your eyes and go to sleep. When this happens, don't fight it. Just go with it. That is just your conscious mind letting go and seeking out Ryoko's. When you connect with her mind there'll be a seal that you'll have to break. Just dive right in. You'll understand when you see it. Now just close your eyes, and relax."

Taking a deep breath, and releasing it slowly, Tenchi did as Washu told him, closing his eyes, and relaxing his body. He felt a quick prick on his arm, and a small moment of discomfort, but it passed quickly. He could feel himself growing drowsy, and his eyelids began to droop. His ears felt like they were full of cotton. He could hear Washu and Ayeka talking about something, but he could only hear snippets of the conversation.

"…need…move closer…Ryoko."

"…come we have…move Tenchi?

"…closer they are…easier…transference."

"…let's…it."

Suddenly Tenchi felt the table move. Tilting his head to the side, Tenchi watched as Ryoko's body came closer to his own. Her face was turned slightly towards him, and as he watched, little puffs of air from her mouth stirred the hair that fell over her eyes.

She's so beautiful, Tenchi thought to himself. Wanting to touch her...to make contact with her, Tenchi reached across the tiny space separating the two tables and grasped Ryoko's hand. The silky smoothness of her touch warmed him to the core.

Her hands are so soft. I could (yawn) hold them forever…As Tenchi began to drift off he felt a slight pressure around his fingers, as Ryoko squeezed them slightly, even in her sleep.

Tenchi smiled slightly to himself, as he gently returned the squeeze. She knows that I'm coming for her. She knows that I'm coming to save her. I can feel it.

As Tenchi relaxed into sleep, and his mind reached out to connect with Ryoko's, his final thought was, I'm coming Ryoko. I'm coming…

To be continued…

A/N: Thanks again to all the people who have reviewed :-) I'm having a lot of fun with this story, and I hope that you all are enjoying it too...until the next chapter, ja ne :-)