Disclaimer can be found in Parts 1 and 2.

A/N: Well...this is it...the last chapter of this story...but is it the last part of Ryoko and Tenchi's tale...well...just read and you'll find out :-)

A/N 2: A final thanks to these awesome people who continually took the time to leave me reviews, which inspired me to keep putting out the best work that I could...THANKS AGAIN :-)

JL-neverdied

tenchigurl

LitoKyomi

Athina Dark-Angel of Death

Nercia Genisis

Ayeka's Heart

Tuppence

Lil'Mershu-chan

The little joobana

AnimeManiac09

DarthRoden

ni9htdreame12

Memories Past

Part 8:

"Tenchi…It's time to get up now…come on Tenchi...open your eyes…Tenchi…"

"Huh…" Tenchi slowly opened his eyes, and blinked several times, as he tried to get the image in front of him to clear.

There was a slight ringing in his ears, and his head felt heavy, as if he was suffering from a really bad head cold.

Tenchi closed his eyes for a couple of seconds, took a quick breath in and out, and then reopened his eyes.

The image in front of him was clearer now, and it slowly formed into the red-haired, green-eyed face of Washu.

Tenchi blinked his eyes again, shaking his head in mild confusion.

Wha…what's going on here?...I can't seem to remember anything…my mind is blank…the only thing that I can seem to remember is standing in a strange room…then suddenly being yanked backwards…and calling out someone's name...and then nothing...AGGHHH!...why can't I remember?...I know that it's important that I do...I have to try and remember...okay…I was standing in a strange room...and I think that the room was collapsing around me...then I was being yanked backwards…I was calling out to someone...and…oh no…that person…it was Ryoko!…Yes, I'm positive now!...It was Ryoko!...I was calling out to her because…OH NO!…I remember it all now!... The virus…the fake ship…the walls coming down on us…the kiss...Ryoko!...What happened to her?...Where is she?...Wait, wait...Washu!...Yes!...Washu will have all of the answers...she can tell me what happened to Ryoko!

Tenchi turned his head towards Washu, who had been watching him patiently, knowing that he was doing some serious thinking, as was indicated by the brainwave monitor set up at the head of Tenchi's bed.

Seeing that Tenchi was finished thinking, and had come to some sort of decision in his mind, Washu leaned forward so that she could hear what he had to say.

Tenchi saw Washu leaning towards him, so he tried to sit up a bit to talk to her...but his arms, and legs refused to obey him, and he ended up collapsing back onto the bed.

"Easy now Tenchi...your body isn't quite as responsive as it should be...you took quite a mental beating and it put a strain on your body...it needs time to rest and gain back all of the strength and energy it used up while you were battling the virus."

"What…ugh…what happened Washu?" Tenchi was surprised to hear how hoarse his voice was. He cleared his throat and tried to speak again.

"Washu, where's Ryoko? Is she all right? Did she make it? Is she…alive?" This last question was asked in a very hushed voice.

Washu didn't answer him right away...she instead crossed her arms, and turned her head slowly away from Tenchi.

Tenchi felt a cold lump fill his stomach as he continued to watch Washu.

"Washu..." Tenchi started to speak, but he had to stop and swallow hard, as his throat had become as dry as a bone.

"Washu..." Tenchi tried again, succeeding this time in getting the words past his still dry throat.

"Washu...did Ryoko...did she...did she...Washu...did Ryoko die!" Tenchi could barely get the words past his now parched lips, as he felt that his whole world rested on the answer that Washu would give...as indeed it did.

Washu released a deep, heartfelt sigh, and then she turned her head back towards Tenchi, and stared at him with huge green eyes.

Then slowly looking away from Tenchi, and towards a point somewhere behind him, Washu said, "Tenchi...why don't you ask Ryoko that question yourself?"

Washu then treated Tenchi to a very bright and very happy smile.

Tenchi's eyes grew wide as the meaning of Washu's words sank in.

Tenchi felt movement on the other side of his bed, so he turned his head in that direction, and his breathing all but stopped when he saw the vision standing before him.

Ryoko, her cyan hair seemingly shining from the light in the room, with her golden, feline eyes dancing with joy, and her lips curled upward in a happy smile, stood beside his bed.

When Ryoko saw that Tenchi was now looking at her, her smile became even wider, and she reached out a hand, and grasped Tenchi's own.

As their hands came into contact with each other, a slight jolt of energy passed through them, and into their bodies. They both gasped slightly when it happened, and squeezed the other's hand a little tighter.

Tenchi was beside himself with joy.

We did it!...We defeated the virus!...Ryoko's all right...she's really all right...

Ryoko stared down at Tenchi, equally happy to see him.

I'm so glad that Tenchi's all right now...he had me worried for a while there even though Washu told me that there was nothing to worry about...his body was just weak because it had used up so much energy helping me to fight off that virus...I barely remember what happened after Tenchi and I got separated in my mind...all I remember is waking up here in the lab with some kind of oxygen mask over my face, and Washu shouting at Ayeka to pass her some instrument or other, as they both worked to stabalize my body...I must have blacked out because the next thing I remember is Washu holding my hand, and gently moving some hair that was soaked with sweat off of my forehead...I remember her talking to me...her words had sounded so far away...it was like she was talking to me from underwater...but I do remember her saying that she and Ayeka had been monitoring both Tenchi and my brainwaves from the moment that he and I had joined minds...she said that when our brain activity had started to go crazy she knew that something had gone terribly wrong...so even though she didn't want to do it, because she was afraid of the damage it might do to our minds, she terminated our connection, and yanked us out of each other's mind...she then told me that while Tenchi had come out of it fine, his body just weak from lack of energy, my vital signs had begun to fall the instant I came out of the connection...she said that she and Ayeka had worked like crazy to try and stop the rapid decline of my system...there were a few scary moments when they thought that they had lost me...but then the monitor had come back to life, and she and Ayeka together were able to repair my system...I don't remember any of that happening…and I'm glad that I don't…I'm just relieved and happy that it's all over...we defeated the virus, and Tenchi and I got out of there alive...and the best thing of all is that Tenchi finally admitted his feelings for me...I finally won him from Ayeka…Ayeka!…Now she surprised me!...When I was finally able to stay awake, and actually focus for longer than a minute, Ayeka told me that she had decided to stop pursuing Tenchi...she said that it was quite obvious that Lord Tenchi only had eyes for me, and that while she loved Lord Tenchi with all of her heart, she had finally admitted to herself that she was not in love with him...that knocked me for a loop...but then she threatened that if I didn't take good care of Tenchi, that she was going to string me up to the front of her ship, and use me as a hood ornament…well...at least Tenchi and I can finally be together...

"Ryoko, I'm so happy that…" Tenchi began.

"Tenchi, you don't know how glad I am…" Ryoko started at the exact same time.

They both stopped, looked at each other, and laughed.

"You go first, Ryoko."

"No Tenchi, you go first."

"No, no Ryoko, you go ahead, I insist."

Washu, who had been sitting on her stool the entire time, rolled her eyes in exasperation, then cleared her throat loudly.

Two sets of eyes turned in her direction, and Washu was treated to a double dose of love struck, puppy dog eyes.

Rolling her eyes again, Washu mentally kicked herself for sending Ayeka out to tell everyone that Tenchi and Ryoko were all right.

Should have just done it myself and left her to deal with these two, Washu grumbled to herself.

"Okay!" Washu clapped her hands, and jumped off of her stool.

"You two obviously have a lot to talk about so I'll just leave you to it...but before I go I have a couple of instructions for you both."

"Tenchi...you are to remain in that bed for at least two more hours and let your body finish healing."

"Ryoko...because your system is different from Tenchi's you heal a lot faster...but you still need to rest...so grab a stool, sit down, and keep Tenchi company...I have some work to do in another part of the lab so I won't be far if anything happens...but I'm a genius...so everything is already perfect...so the two of you just get some well-deserved rest."

That said, Washu walked around Tenchi's bed, past Ryoko, and headed out towards the door...but before she could reach it she heard Ryoko's voice in her head.

Mom…mom…are you listening?

Yes Ryoko…I hear you...

Yeah...well...I just wanted to thank you for…for bringing me and Tenchi out of that mess alive...

There's no need to thank me Ryoko...I did what any mother would do if her child were in danger...

Yeah...okay…but I still want to thank you...and also...I'm glad that I…ah…have you as a mother...

Thank you...Ryoko…

Washu, trying to hold back the tears that she could feel coming, turned around, and left the room.

Ryoko had her eyes closed, holding back tears of her own, as she stood by Tenchi's side, tightly gripping his hand.

Ryoko then felt her hand move, and a feather-light touch brushed across her knuckles.

She opened her eyes to see Tenchi slowly move her hand away from his lips.

He was staring at her with such love and care in his eyes that it literally took her breath away.

When Tenchi saw that he had Ryoko's attention a very happy smile began to spread across his face.

Ryoko returned his smile with one of her own, and the tears that she had been fighting spilled out of the corners of her eyes.

The two of them continued to look at each other until Ryoko felt Tenchi tugging her down towards him.

Ryoko dipped her head down, and her lips came within inches of Tenchi's own.

Their lips were now so close together, they were breathing the same puffs of air.

Ryoko looked into Tenchi's warm, brown eyes, and saw the same love that she felt for him shining back at her.

Ryoko released a deep sigh of happiness, closed her eyes, and gently pressed her lips against Tenchi's...and when their lips met in that tender, sweet kiss, two lonely souls that had once flown separately...now came together to soar as one.

One month later, in a secluded area near the Masaki Shrine, two young lovebirds were enjoying a quiet picnic together...
"Tenchi stop…you'll get crumbs all over the blanket."

"Well...better the blanket than you."

"Hmm, you do have a point there…hey, what's that!"

"Huh…what's what…oof…hey...no fair...now you've got crumbs all over me!"

"Hehehe…I got you that time Tenchi."

"Ha…I'll get you back for that…come here."

"Huh…oh no, no, Tenchi…It was just a joke...hahaha...stop...that tickles...Tenchi...please stop...hahaha."

"Do you give up?"

"No!"

"You don't huh...how…about...now!"

"No…haha…yes...yes!...I give up…I give up!…you win Tenchi!…you win."

"Good…that'll teach you to get crumbs all over me."

"Mmmhmm…Tenchi…"

"Yes Ryoko…"

"I love you…"

"I love you too…"

"…………"

"Ryoko…"

"Yes Tenchi…"

"Will you marry me?"

"Yes Tenchi…I will..."

The end…
A/N: A HUGE thanks to everyone who read my story...it was really fun writing it for you all :-) I have an idea for a sequel...so let me know if anyone wants me to write it...thanks again...love ya...ja ne :-)