Disclaimer - Mine = Keith, Sari, Erin, Heero. Not Mine = Everyone else.
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Mayhem, Chaos, And General Messes
Chapter 12
Parenthood
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The steady hum of the medical monitors and the drip of the IV were the only sounds in the room aside from Keith's and her own breathing. This wing of the hospital had basically closed down for the night, though one could occasionally hear the faint sound of sirens as a new patient was brought into the emergency ward on the other side of the building. She'd been in the hospital room since Keith had been brought in nearly twelve hours ago, despite her parent's protests. She had taken over the bed next to his in the room, and was currently trying, rather unsuccessfully to get some sleep.
Keith hadn't so much as twitched since she'd removed his bonds at the arena. The doctors had almost refused to treat him at first, but had quickly changed their minds after a brief, angry, encounter with the violet tressed princess. Washu had helped where she could, but had left the job mostly in the hands of the doctors.
"Sometimes experience is more important than intelligence, and this is most definitely one of those times." The diminutive redhead had said before leaving Keith in the care of the staff doctors so she could monitor her daughter's recovery more carefully.
The scruffy young man's condition was stable at this point, though he had been near death from a combination of pure physical abuse and drug overdose that had taxed his remarkable healing abilities past their limits. According to the doctors, his body had been basically eating itself alive to repair the damage, and it had been only through a hastily devised method of filtering the drugs directly out of his blood and the much more primitive method of force-feeding the comatose boy a series of high protein "shakes" that they had managed to stabilize him.
Now they... she, had to wait. There was apparently nothing else to do but make sure his body was getting the nutrition it needed to repair itself, and the IV was doing that.
So she waited.
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"I still find it hard to believe that a former member of the Imperial guard tried to kill my daughters," Azusa growled before sinking back into the plush chair he occupied with a tired sigh "but I can hardly deny the testimony you have presented to me. Unfortunately though, he seems to have made good his escape."
"What?" Washu growled in response. "How did that happen?" The red-haired scientist hated the blonde-haired man as badly as the king that was sitting across from her did, if not more so. Having ones daughter nearly killed tended to breed those kinds of feelings after all.
"I wish we had an answer for you Professor Washu," Funaho answered from her own seat "but the man seems to have planned for his escape very well. We will find him though, it will just take time."
"I hope you're right." Washu sighed, reigning in her frayed temper. The three sat in quiet contemplation for several minutes after that, sipping on the tea that the always-attentive palace staff had provided.
"Washu-chan," Funaho started, interrupting the silence, "would you happen to know why Ayeka is so intent on the fate and well-being of that Mayhem fellow? I understand that he and all of you have come to something of an understanding... but she refuses to leave his side even now." The queen hesitated briefly before adding, "And the boy knew at least one rather... intimate detail about her when we were... questioning... him before your rather spectacular entrance."
"As much as it always hurts to say this, I don't know." The scientist admitted with a shrug. "He seemed likeable enough before the group split up, but I didn't have much opportunity to watch them interact before that happened I'm afraid."
"Likable!" Azusa sorted in disbelief, "That murderer?"
"The kids no innocent your Majesty, that much I'll admit." Washu responded, meeting the fuming King's gaze, "He isn't a murderer though, and when he wakes up I think I can give you proof of that."
"We will see." Azusa replied evenly before going back to his tea.
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"How're you feeling Ryoko?" Tenchi asked, sitting down on the edge of her bed and taking her hand in his.
"Better." The cyan haired girl replied with a smile. And she was starting to look a lot better too. Under her mothers attentive care... and with access to the Jurian's sophisticated medical equipment and supplies she was finally starting to regain some of the weight that the injuries had caused her to lose. She was still much thinner than she normally was, but she no longer looked like she'd been in a concentration camp. Her hair had grown nearly an inch as well, and was starting to curl a little.
"So how long does Washu say you're going to be stuck in bed? The young prince asked after a short, comfortable silence.
"A few more days." Ryoko responded with a shrug. "Where's Mayuka?"
"Mihoshi volunteered to watch her for a while." Tenchi responded quietly.
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Ryoko drawled, a teasing smile on her lips.
"Eh, the both of them were falling asleep when I left, Mayuka should be safe." Tenchi chuckled.
"That's good." Ryoko returned, eyes twinkling. "So, when are we going to tell her?" she added, her voice turning serious.
"Huh?" Tenchi started, confused briefly by the sudden change of subject. "Oh... Ayeka."
"Yes, Ayeka." Ryoko confirmed, poking him in his side with her free hand. "You know, purple hair, kinda whiny, loves you almost as much as I do... Ayeka."
"I don't know." Tenchi sighed after a bit. "Can't we keep things secret for a little while?"
"Tenchi!" Ryoko snapped, irritated. "No! I am not going to run around behind everyone's backs like that. It's not fair to Ayeka, and it's not fair to us either." Tenchi winced.
"I know," the young man sighed, squeezing her hand, "you're right of course. It's just that..." he trailed off.
"She's not going to blow up Japan or anything because you chose someone else ya know."
"Are you sure about that?" Tenchi returned with a grin.
"Reasonably."
"Fine, I'll tell her..." Tenchi sighed, "Just not quite right this second." And with that he bent down to kiss her. Ryoko decided that was as good a place as any to end the conversation.
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"Sari?" Sasami whispered as she entered one of the palace's several-thousand guest rooms. "Are you awake?"
"Hmm?" came the tired reply from the oversized bed that dominated the center of the room. "What's up kid?"
"I'm worried..." Sasami started hesitantly, "and everyone else is already asleep or busy."
"Hop on up kid." The tiny blonde sighed, patting the bed beside her. "Tell aunt Sari all about it. Just be warned that I'm not all that good at this type o' sh... err... stuff." Sasami accepted the invitation, and was on the bed almost before Sari finished talking.
"I heard Father talking about Keith," the young princess explained, "he still wants to execute him."
"Can't say I'm surprised everything considered," Sari responded with a shrug, "Keith did kill his brother you know."
"He really did that?" Sasami asked woefully. "I was hoping that part wasn't true."
"I'm afraid it's true Sammy." Sari confirmed, giving the little girl's hand a squeeze. "It was in self-defense though, and to defend Talia. I'm afraid your Uncle wasn't a very nice man."
"He told you about it then?" Sasami asked, curious despite herself.
"Mmm-hmm. They were trying to escape." Sari began. "Thy had almost made it out of the palace when your Uncle caught them. More specifically he caught Talia and put his sword to her throat." Sasami gasped a little at this revelation, but didn't interrupt.
"Keith says he doesn't really remember what happened next, but Talia always said that he went completely berserk when your uncle threatened to kill her. He was across the room and..." Sari paused, remembering exactly whom she was talking to. "And you don't need to hear the rest."
"But..." Sasami protested.
"No." the blonde mechanic cut her off. "All you need to know is that Keith would never hurt anyone if he wasn't forced to."
"...Alright." Sasami allowed, searching the other girl's eyes for any sign of deceit and finding none.
"Anything else?" Sari asked after a brief pause.
"Well... I don't think my parents are going to be very happy if they find out that Ayeka likes him. Or if they find out they were kissing." Sasami whispered.
"Especially if they find out what else those two were probably doing." Sari thought, suppressing a groan as she the imagined potential consequences. Aloud she just said, "I guess we'll just have to make sure they don't find out for a good long while then, right?"
"Right!" Sasami replied seriously.
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She wasn't sure when exactly she had fallen asleep, but the clatter of someone dropping something or other in the hallway was more than enough to startle her awake. Wiping the sleep from her eyes, she glanced at the room's only clock and sighed. It was still rather early in the morning, but she could tell already that she wasn't going to be getting any more rest this day. Outside the window she could already see the sky starting to lighten.
In the bed beside hers, Keith lay unmoving, except for the comfortingly steady rise and fall of his chest under the thin blankets. The heartbeat monitor was still showing a steady rhythm, and it looked like someone had replaced his IV bad with a new one while she had been asleep. She couldn't really see any improvement in his condition... but she admitted that her knowledge in such areas was minimal at best.
"Kami I feel filthy." The princess muttered under her breath, running her hand through her long purple hair and grimacing when she felt the tangles and oils that had accumulated after too long without a wash. The clothing that she was wearing, the skirt and T-shirt Keith had made her wear to Rylos, was not faring any better. "I need a bath."
Glancing around the sterile room, she spotted the door to the compact bathroom and climbed out of bed, hoping that it at least would have a shower she could make use of.
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Misaki all but sneaked down the hospital corridor, not wanting to draw any attention from the staff or the prying eyes of Jurai's ever-present and somewhat over-eager press. While she normally didn't mind their prying all that much, accepting it largely as one of the prices of being Royalty, she didn't want those vultures descending on her or her family when they weren't ready to answer the questions that were likely to be asked. After all, it was one thing to be asked, it was another to be caught unprepared.
Slipping into the hospital room, the Queen immediately noticed the empty bed, and the sound of running water coming from the small bathroom a split second later. That half-formed question resolved, she turned her attention to the second bed and it's rather notorious occupant.
Looking down at his still form she had to admit that the boy was less than threatening, with the bruises and other injuries she and others had inflicted on him he actually managed to look rather helpless in fact. She had to admit that she felt the tiniest hint of guilt looking at him. Though that was largely negated by the fact that he had been trying to provoke her. Or at least that's what she thought he was trying to do.
From the small bathroom she heard the running water shut off and the sound of someone getting out of a shower, so she took a seat on the edge of the unoccupied bed to wait for her daughter to emerge. It wasn't a terribly long wait. Ayeka stepped into the main room still dripping, one towel preserving her modesty... though barely, and a second covered most of her head as she used it to dry her hair. As a result it took the girl a second to realize that her mother was there... more than long enough for the Queen to notice a faded, but still rather obvious bruise on the side of her neck.
"Please tell me that wasn't put there by the man lying in that bed." Misaki stated, straining to keep her temper under control, her finger leveled at Keith's sleeping form.
"Mother!" Ayeka started, the towel on her head falling to the floor as she slapped one hand over the offending mark, and the other went to the make sure that the other towel she had wrapped around her didn't join it.
"I'm waiting Ayeka." The blue-haired woman prompted with a glare, rising to her feet.
"It was him." Ayeka admitted meekly.
"Explain." Misaki said, her voice tight as she contemplated castrating the man sleeping in the next bed.
"I... we... I mean..." Ayeka stuttered, trying to think of an answer that wouldn't get Keith killed in his sleep. "He's really a good person Mother." She sighed at last. "A bit rough around the edges, but..."
"And do you let every man you deem to be a "good person" have their way with you?" Misaki interrupted, struggling to keep her voice quiet enough to prevent anyone in the hall from overhearing her.
"Mother!" Ayeka hissed, hurt by the accusation... even if it was not far from the truth. "He did not have his way with me for Tsunami's sake!"
"Then how did he know about your birthmark?" the queen all but growled. "It would take quite a bit more than some simple necking for him to have seen that Ayeka."
"I don't know!" Ayeka snapped back, trying desperately to think of a plausible story.
"Walked in on her when she was in the bath..." his voice was scratchy and quieter even than their whispers, but perfectly audible. "...managed to get away before she noticed apparently."
"Keith!" Ayeka gasped, all but leaping to his bedside, her towel staying in place more through luck than anything else. "Good timing." She whispered into his ear as she gave him a hug, barely resisting the surprisingly powerful urge to kiss him. He just grinned in response.
"How long have you been awake?" Misaki asked, glaring at both of them. "And your towel is slipping dear." Ayeka let out a reflexive eek and sprung back a few steps, hastily readjusting the offending piece of cloth as she did so.
"Since "He did not have his way with me..." I think." Keith responded, smirking a bit.
"And was she telling the truth?"
"Despite my best attempts to make her a liar on that one... yes." Keith grinned, managing to renew the blush Ayeka had been wearing since the start of the encounter once again.
"Keith!" Ayeka gasped in horror, glancing at her mother.
"Do you like pain that much Mr. Mayhem?" the queen asked, her voice deadly quiet. Ayeka could all but see the Jurai power building around her mother. "Because I can think of no other reason for you trying so hard to provoke me."
"Sorry." Keith responded with a tired sigh, the grin disappearing from his face. "Bad habit of mine... I tend to run my mouth when I'm feeling helpless like this. In all seriousness, I like your daughter. She is a vibrant, spirited, kind, and beautiful woman. We've kissed, I gave her a hickey... but that's about he extent of it." He turned his head to meet the queen's gaze. "That better?"
"It is a step in the right direction Mr. Mayhem." The queen replied, visibly relaxing, but not losing the deadly glare she had adopted whenever she looked at him. "But even with the new evidence presented to us in the form of Heero Karishima's betrayal... you still are responsible for the death of my brother-in-law." She paused, switching her glare to her daughter, "Your Uncle Ayeka."
"I'm aware of his past Mother." Ayeka replied, a bit more harshly than she intended.
"And you care for him despite the fact that he murdered a member of your family?" the Queen almost shouted, catching herself barely in time.
"I didn't murder him!" Keith hissed, but was drowned out by Ayeka's nearly simultaneous response.
"It was not murder! That much I am certain of, and we will provide you with the evidence to prove it as soon as Miss Washu and Keith are ready." The young woman took a deep breath to calm herself and gather her thoughts before continuing. "And for your information Mother, I do not know how I feel about Keith quite yet... we've barely known each other a week after all... but at the very least he is my friend. I will not abandon him simply because you do not approve of the friendship."
Misaki sat back down on the bed with a tired sigh, rubbing her temples as if to ward off a headache.
"So nothing I can say will change your mind about this Ayeka?" the blue haired woman asked, frustration evident in her voice.
"I am afraid not mother." was the less than apologetic-sounding response.
"Then I do hope you can provide the evidence you have promised, and do it soon." Misaki warned. "Otherwise your father and I are going to be executing your friend."
"Makes patching me up like this kinda pointless don't it?" Keith interrupted.
"My Husband and I think so." The queen Retorted coldly. "Fortunately for you, Ayeka and Sasami insisted." With that the blue-haired woman stormed out of the room, barely resisting the urge to slam the door.
"Well, that went well." Keith commented.
"How do you come to that conclusion?" Ayeka asked incredulously.
"Well for starters, she saw the hickey and yet I'm not a eunuch." He replied, only half joking. Ayeka just rolled her eyes at the comment, though she couldn't keep a hint of an amused smirk off her face.
"And...?" the young woman.
"Well... I got to see you dressed in nothing but a towel... that's always a plus." He added with a lecherous grin, reaching out to finger the bottom edge of said piece of cloth.
"Do not make me slap you when you are injured Keith-san." Ayeka warned teasingly through the resultant blush, reaching down pushing his hand away from the towel. "So is there anything else?"
"Just the fact that she did at least suggest that she'd let me go if we produced that evidence... assuming that wasn't just a bluff on your part that is." As he answered, he grabbed her hand in his as she pushed his away from the edge of her towel, giving it a comforting squeeze and pulling her closer.
"I hope it is not." Ayeka sighed, sitting down on the edge of his bed. "Though I suppose that in the end it is up to Washu's skills... and possibly whatever information that we can get from that girl."
"What girl?"
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Tenchi had been a little surprised to learn that Ayeka had spent the night in Keith's hospital room. The man had been stable and expected to recover when the rest of the group had eventually gone to bed, not to mention the fact that the hospital staff had been very firm about them all obeying the visiting hour rules and kicked the rest of them out.
"I guess being a Princess carries a bit of weight." The young man mused as he walked down the hospital's corridors. The building was just starting to wake up, and it was still several hours before visiting hours officially began, but he'd managed to get past the nursing staff without incident so far. They were either to tired or too busy to notice him this early in the morning he guessed.
"Now which way is it to the room again?" he muttered as he came to a fork in the hallway. He wasn't long in wondering.
"Keith! Come back here!" The shout echoed up the corridor on his left as the person in question rounded a corner into Tenchi's line of sight, pulling a Long sleeve shirt on, his chest and the mess of scars covering it visible for a brief second. The newest ones, still an angry red, were enough to make Tenchi wince in sympathy.
"You are not well enough to be wandering about yet!" Ayeka, hastily gathering her still damp hair into a loose ponytail, and dressed in a pair of slightly ill-fitting slacks and a blouse that wasn't buttoned properly, rounded the corner barely three seconds later.
"Hey, Tenchi!" Keith greeted, sounding more than a bit distracted. "Which way is it to the front door?"
"Err... down that hall and to the left." Tenchi replied, pointing. "But I think Ayeka's right, you should be in bed." He added, real concern in his voice.
"Stop him Tenchi-sama." Ayeka shouted, all but breaking into a sprint to catch up to Keith before he passed the young prince.
"I'll go back to bed right after I retrieve my daughter and make sure she's safe." The scruffy young man bit out, pushing past the other boy.
"Your daughter?"
"The sniper that Yosho captured at the stadium." Ayeka explained, storming past Tenchi in pursuit of the now jogging Keith.
"You're kidding." Tenchi replied, completely baffled, before following.
"I wish I was." she sighed.
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"Sir!" the prisoner is on the move." The young guard reported into his radio as Mayhem stepped into the lobby, moving at a fast walk.
"Well stop him!" was the immediate response.
"Stop right there!" the young guard shouted at the oncoming figure, thumbing his staff's stun option to the on position. His partner on his right quickly followed suit. Neither of them even felt the stun blasts that dropped them to the ground.
"Keith!" Ayeka shouted, "What in Tsunami's name do you think you're doing! And where did you get that gun!"
"I'm in a hurry." Keith growled back, "And the gun was in my bag. You know, the one you thought you were carrying." He added, holding up his multi-dimensional pouch so she could see it.
"Damned thief." Ayeka growled in response, glaring daggers at him as he exited the hospital seconds before she did.
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She had been abandoned. Used and left to rot. It probably would have hurt more if she hadn't expected it. As things were, she just felt a sort of heavy depression... and found herself wishing they'd just execute her and be done with it. At least she thought they were going to execute her... fuck, trying to kill your own father had to be an executable offense. Even if you'd only talked to the guy once. So far though, they'd just asked her questions between stints locked up in the plain cell she was currently occupying. She was idly tracing patterns in the knot-work of the wooden walls with a finger when she heard commotion outside her cell.
A lot of commotion.
She blinked, her silver eyes quickly adjusting to the sudden influx of light from the hallway as someone stepped into the cell with her. A someone that was starting to be familiar to her.
"So..." Keith hesitated, unsure of where to start as he looked at his new-found daughter.
"You're still alive." She stated flatly, unsure if she should be relieved, or upset, or... "What do yah want?"
"Not a clue." Keith replied with a sigh, sinking to the ground as the effort of the last hour or so sunk in. Ayeka had been right, he wasn't well enough to be running around like this yet. "I have a daughter, a part of my wife is still alive. Part of me is ecstatic at the thought. The rest of me is just confused."
"Welcome to the fuckin' club." The girl snorted, wrapping her arms around her knees. "I just found out I've been trying to kill my real father and the man I thought of as my father had me made just so he could hate me."
"I wish I could have stolen you from that bastard before he had a chance to hurt you." Keith sighed, his hands clenching into tight fists by his sides.
"Me too..." she whispered back, a tear rolling down her cheek.
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The crowd in the hallway had mostly dispersed, leaving Tenchi, Ayeka, and a pair of still very-confused guards.
"What do you think they are talking about Tenchi-sama?" Ayeka asked the young man standing next to her quietly.
"Dunno." Tenchi shrugged. "I mean their situation and mine with Mayuka are sort of similar from what little he told us... but you know him better than I do Ayeka."
"...he looked somewhat angry..." she started, worry obvious in her tone. "I mean... he's nearly as gentle a person as you are underneath that rough exterior of his but..."
"Do you trust him?" Tenchi asked, watching her expressions carefully.
"...Yes..." she answered after a long pause. "Yes, I do."
"Then keep trusting him."
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"You know you have a grandmother and a grandfather back on my home planet." Keith stated after a few minutes of silence.
"I do?" she asked, somewhat surprised by the new information.
"Yep." Keith affirmed, smiling slightly at the curiosity evident in her voice. "And an Aunt and Uncle... and probably a great-grandma too. You have a whole family waiting for you if you want them."
"A family..." she repeated wondrously. "Then..." without the combat armor and with the harsh expression she had worn during their last encounter she looked even younger than he'd first thought, at most fourteen, maybe less.
"Hmm?" Keith prompted gently.
"You want me to come with you?" she whispered, her silver eyes wet with unshed tears.
"You're my daughter." He smiled softly. "Even if I couldn't be there for you before, I want to be a part of your life from now on. I don't know if I can really be a father to you... but at the very least I want to be a friend." He could feel tears forming in his own eyes.
"I..." the girl started hesitantly. "I... I think... I'd like that."
"Good." Keith replied with a relived sigh, a happy smile forming on his face. "So... what's your name?"
"...Aiken..." she stated hesitantly, grimacing a bit as she told him the derogatory name she had been given by Heero.
"Aiken?" Keith repeated, grimacing as well. "That'll never do."
"Wha?" she looked up at him, confusion evident on her face.
"As my right as your biological father, I think I'm gonna have to give you a proper name." He explained with a grin. "...With your permission of course." He added. She just nodded dumbly in response, more than a little emotionally confused by their conversation so far.
"Hmm..." Keith thought, one hand idly playing with the goatee decorating his chin, as he scrutinized her. "Well Catherine or any variation thereof is out..." he muttered after a bit "... the Cat jokes would probably dive you nuts in a matter of weeks."
"Cat jokes?" she asked, unable to see what he strange word he had muttered had to do with neko's. He ignored her comment, still lost in thought.
"Ah! Got it!" Keith exclaimed suddenly, grinning at his newfound daughter. "Erin!"
"Erin?" she asked, testing the name out. "What's it mean?"
"Peace... I think." He answered with a shrug. "But that's not why I picked it."
"Then why?" she asked, now truly curious.
"It was the name of one of your great-grandmothers," the shaggy young man explained. "and she was a remarkable woman. She was an orphan and very poor growing up, but she managed to overcome every disadvantage she had and worked her way not only through college, but medical school as well. She was a top surgeon at a major hospital until she was seventy years old. And seventy is very old on my home planet."
"Ah." She responded in quiet understanding.
"Of course, if you don't like it we can always just started going through a baby name dictionary until we find something you do." Keith shrugged.
"No, I... I like it." She responded after a few seconds, a genuine smile forming on her lips for the first time that Keith had ever seen.
"Well then Erin O'Connor." Keith intoned formally, pushing himself back onto his feet and stepping over to the bed. "Welcome to the family." With that he leaned over and pulled her into a hug.
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"What is going on here!" Azusa seethed as he stalked into the hallway. "First I hear that that criminal Mayhem has broken out of his hospital room, my daughter in tow, and then he breaks INTO one of our high security prisons and locks himself in the cell of someone who tried to kill him! Explain this to me Ayeka."
"She is apparently his daughter." Ayeka responded tiredly from where she was sitting on the floor, her hand going to her neck to make sure the chocker hiding the faded bruise was still in place. "And while I apologize for you being disturbed from whatever matter you were attending to Father, there is little for you to get upset about in this."
"What I am upset about is that my Daughter, who was keeping watch over the man in question, not only did not stop him from escaping, but also was apparently aiding him in his escape." the regal man lectured. "It is bad enough that your brother allowed that reporter to circulate that story, but to have you seen helping a known criminal to the extent that you have..."
"What story?" Ayeka interrupted, curious.
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Mayhem, Chaos, And General Messes
Chapter 12
Parenthood
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The steady hum of the medical monitors and the drip of the IV were the only sounds in the room aside from Keith's and her own breathing. This wing of the hospital had basically closed down for the night, though one could occasionally hear the faint sound of sirens as a new patient was brought into the emergency ward on the other side of the building. She'd been in the hospital room since Keith had been brought in nearly twelve hours ago, despite her parent's protests. She had taken over the bed next to his in the room, and was currently trying, rather unsuccessfully to get some sleep.
Keith hadn't so much as twitched since she'd removed his bonds at the arena. The doctors had almost refused to treat him at first, but had quickly changed their minds after a brief, angry, encounter with the violet tressed princess. Washu had helped where she could, but had left the job mostly in the hands of the doctors.
"Sometimes experience is more important than intelligence, and this is most definitely one of those times." The diminutive redhead had said before leaving Keith in the care of the staff doctors so she could monitor her daughter's recovery more carefully.
The scruffy young man's condition was stable at this point, though he had been near death from a combination of pure physical abuse and drug overdose that had taxed his remarkable healing abilities past their limits. According to the doctors, his body had been basically eating itself alive to repair the damage, and it had been only through a hastily devised method of filtering the drugs directly out of his blood and the much more primitive method of force-feeding the comatose boy a series of high protein "shakes" that they had managed to stabilize him.
Now they... she, had to wait. There was apparently nothing else to do but make sure his body was getting the nutrition it needed to repair itself, and the IV was doing that.
So she waited.
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"I still find it hard to believe that a former member of the Imperial guard tried to kill my daughters," Azusa growled before sinking back into the plush chair he occupied with a tired sigh "but I can hardly deny the testimony you have presented to me. Unfortunately though, he seems to have made good his escape."
"What?" Washu growled in response. "How did that happen?" The red-haired scientist hated the blonde-haired man as badly as the king that was sitting across from her did, if not more so. Having ones daughter nearly killed tended to breed those kinds of feelings after all.
"I wish we had an answer for you Professor Washu," Funaho answered from her own seat "but the man seems to have planned for his escape very well. We will find him though, it will just take time."
"I hope you're right." Washu sighed, reigning in her frayed temper. The three sat in quiet contemplation for several minutes after that, sipping on the tea that the always-attentive palace staff had provided.
"Washu-chan," Funaho started, interrupting the silence, "would you happen to know why Ayeka is so intent on the fate and well-being of that Mayhem fellow? I understand that he and all of you have come to something of an understanding... but she refuses to leave his side even now." The queen hesitated briefly before adding, "And the boy knew at least one rather... intimate detail about her when we were... questioning... him before your rather spectacular entrance."
"As much as it always hurts to say this, I don't know." The scientist admitted with a shrug. "He seemed likeable enough before the group split up, but I didn't have much opportunity to watch them interact before that happened I'm afraid."
"Likable!" Azusa sorted in disbelief, "That murderer?"
"The kids no innocent your Majesty, that much I'll admit." Washu responded, meeting the fuming King's gaze, "He isn't a murderer though, and when he wakes up I think I can give you proof of that."
"We will see." Azusa replied evenly before going back to his tea.
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"How're you feeling Ryoko?" Tenchi asked, sitting down on the edge of her bed and taking her hand in his.
"Better." The cyan haired girl replied with a smile. And she was starting to look a lot better too. Under her mothers attentive care... and with access to the Jurian's sophisticated medical equipment and supplies she was finally starting to regain some of the weight that the injuries had caused her to lose. She was still much thinner than she normally was, but she no longer looked like she'd been in a concentration camp. Her hair had grown nearly an inch as well, and was starting to curl a little.
"So how long does Washu say you're going to be stuck in bed? The young prince asked after a short, comfortable silence.
"A few more days." Ryoko responded with a shrug. "Where's Mayuka?"
"Mihoshi volunteered to watch her for a while." Tenchi responded quietly.
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Ryoko drawled, a teasing smile on her lips.
"Eh, the both of them were falling asleep when I left, Mayuka should be safe." Tenchi chuckled.
"That's good." Ryoko returned, eyes twinkling. "So, when are we going to tell her?" she added, her voice turning serious.
"Huh?" Tenchi started, confused briefly by the sudden change of subject. "Oh... Ayeka."
"Yes, Ayeka." Ryoko confirmed, poking him in his side with her free hand. "You know, purple hair, kinda whiny, loves you almost as much as I do... Ayeka."
"I don't know." Tenchi sighed after a bit. "Can't we keep things secret for a little while?"
"Tenchi!" Ryoko snapped, irritated. "No! I am not going to run around behind everyone's backs like that. It's not fair to Ayeka, and it's not fair to us either." Tenchi winced.
"I know," the young man sighed, squeezing her hand, "you're right of course. It's just that..." he trailed off.
"She's not going to blow up Japan or anything because you chose someone else ya know."
"Are you sure about that?" Tenchi returned with a grin.
"Reasonably."
"Fine, I'll tell her..." Tenchi sighed, "Just not quite right this second." And with that he bent down to kiss her. Ryoko decided that was as good a place as any to end the conversation.
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"Sari?" Sasami whispered as she entered one of the palace's several-thousand guest rooms. "Are you awake?"
"Hmm?" came the tired reply from the oversized bed that dominated the center of the room. "What's up kid?"
"I'm worried..." Sasami started hesitantly, "and everyone else is already asleep or busy."
"Hop on up kid." The tiny blonde sighed, patting the bed beside her. "Tell aunt Sari all about it. Just be warned that I'm not all that good at this type o' sh... err... stuff." Sasami accepted the invitation, and was on the bed almost before Sari finished talking.
"I heard Father talking about Keith," the young princess explained, "he still wants to execute him."
"Can't say I'm surprised everything considered," Sari responded with a shrug, "Keith did kill his brother you know."
"He really did that?" Sasami asked woefully. "I was hoping that part wasn't true."
"I'm afraid it's true Sammy." Sari confirmed, giving the little girl's hand a squeeze. "It was in self-defense though, and to defend Talia. I'm afraid your Uncle wasn't a very nice man."
"He told you about it then?" Sasami asked, curious despite herself.
"Mmm-hmm. They were trying to escape." Sari began. "Thy had almost made it out of the palace when your Uncle caught them. More specifically he caught Talia and put his sword to her throat." Sasami gasped a little at this revelation, but didn't interrupt.
"Keith says he doesn't really remember what happened next, but Talia always said that he went completely berserk when your uncle threatened to kill her. He was across the room and..." Sari paused, remembering exactly whom she was talking to. "And you don't need to hear the rest."
"But..." Sasami protested.
"No." the blonde mechanic cut her off. "All you need to know is that Keith would never hurt anyone if he wasn't forced to."
"...Alright." Sasami allowed, searching the other girl's eyes for any sign of deceit and finding none.
"Anything else?" Sari asked after a brief pause.
"Well... I don't think my parents are going to be very happy if they find out that Ayeka likes him. Or if they find out they were kissing." Sasami whispered.
"Especially if they find out what else those two were probably doing." Sari thought, suppressing a groan as she the imagined potential consequences. Aloud she just said, "I guess we'll just have to make sure they don't find out for a good long while then, right?"
"Right!" Sasami replied seriously.
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She wasn't sure when exactly she had fallen asleep, but the clatter of someone dropping something or other in the hallway was more than enough to startle her awake. Wiping the sleep from her eyes, she glanced at the room's only clock and sighed. It was still rather early in the morning, but she could tell already that she wasn't going to be getting any more rest this day. Outside the window she could already see the sky starting to lighten.
In the bed beside hers, Keith lay unmoving, except for the comfortingly steady rise and fall of his chest under the thin blankets. The heartbeat monitor was still showing a steady rhythm, and it looked like someone had replaced his IV bad with a new one while she had been asleep. She couldn't really see any improvement in his condition... but she admitted that her knowledge in such areas was minimal at best.
"Kami I feel filthy." The princess muttered under her breath, running her hand through her long purple hair and grimacing when she felt the tangles and oils that had accumulated after too long without a wash. The clothing that she was wearing, the skirt and T-shirt Keith had made her wear to Rylos, was not faring any better. "I need a bath."
Glancing around the sterile room, she spotted the door to the compact bathroom and climbed out of bed, hoping that it at least would have a shower she could make use of.
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Misaki all but sneaked down the hospital corridor, not wanting to draw any attention from the staff or the prying eyes of Jurai's ever-present and somewhat over-eager press. While she normally didn't mind their prying all that much, accepting it largely as one of the prices of being Royalty, she didn't want those vultures descending on her or her family when they weren't ready to answer the questions that were likely to be asked. After all, it was one thing to be asked, it was another to be caught unprepared.
Slipping into the hospital room, the Queen immediately noticed the empty bed, and the sound of running water coming from the small bathroom a split second later. That half-formed question resolved, she turned her attention to the second bed and it's rather notorious occupant.
Looking down at his still form she had to admit that the boy was less than threatening, with the bruises and other injuries she and others had inflicted on him he actually managed to look rather helpless in fact. She had to admit that she felt the tiniest hint of guilt looking at him. Though that was largely negated by the fact that he had been trying to provoke her. Or at least that's what she thought he was trying to do.
From the small bathroom she heard the running water shut off and the sound of someone getting out of a shower, so she took a seat on the edge of the unoccupied bed to wait for her daughter to emerge. It wasn't a terribly long wait. Ayeka stepped into the main room still dripping, one towel preserving her modesty... though barely, and a second covered most of her head as she used it to dry her hair. As a result it took the girl a second to realize that her mother was there... more than long enough for the Queen to notice a faded, but still rather obvious bruise on the side of her neck.
"Please tell me that wasn't put there by the man lying in that bed." Misaki stated, straining to keep her temper under control, her finger leveled at Keith's sleeping form.
"Mother!" Ayeka started, the towel on her head falling to the floor as she slapped one hand over the offending mark, and the other went to the make sure that the other towel she had wrapped around her didn't join it.
"I'm waiting Ayeka." The blue-haired woman prompted with a glare, rising to her feet.
"It was him." Ayeka admitted meekly.
"Explain." Misaki said, her voice tight as she contemplated castrating the man sleeping in the next bed.
"I... we... I mean..." Ayeka stuttered, trying to think of an answer that wouldn't get Keith killed in his sleep. "He's really a good person Mother." She sighed at last. "A bit rough around the edges, but..."
"And do you let every man you deem to be a "good person" have their way with you?" Misaki interrupted, struggling to keep her voice quiet enough to prevent anyone in the hall from overhearing her.
"Mother!" Ayeka hissed, hurt by the accusation... even if it was not far from the truth. "He did not have his way with me for Tsunami's sake!"
"Then how did he know about your birthmark?" the queen all but growled. "It would take quite a bit more than some simple necking for him to have seen that Ayeka."
"I don't know!" Ayeka snapped back, trying desperately to think of a plausible story.
"Walked in on her when she was in the bath..." his voice was scratchy and quieter even than their whispers, but perfectly audible. "...managed to get away before she noticed apparently."
"Keith!" Ayeka gasped, all but leaping to his bedside, her towel staying in place more through luck than anything else. "Good timing." She whispered into his ear as she gave him a hug, barely resisting the surprisingly powerful urge to kiss him. He just grinned in response.
"How long have you been awake?" Misaki asked, glaring at both of them. "And your towel is slipping dear." Ayeka let out a reflexive eek and sprung back a few steps, hastily readjusting the offending piece of cloth as she did so.
"Since "He did not have his way with me..." I think." Keith responded, smirking a bit.
"And was she telling the truth?"
"Despite my best attempts to make her a liar on that one... yes." Keith grinned, managing to renew the blush Ayeka had been wearing since the start of the encounter once again.
"Keith!" Ayeka gasped in horror, glancing at her mother.
"Do you like pain that much Mr. Mayhem?" the queen asked, her voice deadly quiet. Ayeka could all but see the Jurai power building around her mother. "Because I can think of no other reason for you trying so hard to provoke me."
"Sorry." Keith responded with a tired sigh, the grin disappearing from his face. "Bad habit of mine... I tend to run my mouth when I'm feeling helpless like this. In all seriousness, I like your daughter. She is a vibrant, spirited, kind, and beautiful woman. We've kissed, I gave her a hickey... but that's about he extent of it." He turned his head to meet the queen's gaze. "That better?"
"It is a step in the right direction Mr. Mayhem." The queen replied, visibly relaxing, but not losing the deadly glare she had adopted whenever she looked at him. "But even with the new evidence presented to us in the form of Heero Karishima's betrayal... you still are responsible for the death of my brother-in-law." She paused, switching her glare to her daughter, "Your Uncle Ayeka."
"I'm aware of his past Mother." Ayeka replied, a bit more harshly than she intended.
"And you care for him despite the fact that he murdered a member of your family?" the Queen almost shouted, catching herself barely in time.
"I didn't murder him!" Keith hissed, but was drowned out by Ayeka's nearly simultaneous response.
"It was not murder! That much I am certain of, and we will provide you with the evidence to prove it as soon as Miss Washu and Keith are ready." The young woman took a deep breath to calm herself and gather her thoughts before continuing. "And for your information Mother, I do not know how I feel about Keith quite yet... we've barely known each other a week after all... but at the very least he is my friend. I will not abandon him simply because you do not approve of the friendship."
Misaki sat back down on the bed with a tired sigh, rubbing her temples as if to ward off a headache.
"So nothing I can say will change your mind about this Ayeka?" the blue haired woman asked, frustration evident in her voice.
"I am afraid not mother." was the less than apologetic-sounding response.
"Then I do hope you can provide the evidence you have promised, and do it soon." Misaki warned. "Otherwise your father and I are going to be executing your friend."
"Makes patching me up like this kinda pointless don't it?" Keith interrupted.
"My Husband and I think so." The queen Retorted coldly. "Fortunately for you, Ayeka and Sasami insisted." With that the blue-haired woman stormed out of the room, barely resisting the urge to slam the door.
"Well, that went well." Keith commented.
"How do you come to that conclusion?" Ayeka asked incredulously.
"Well for starters, she saw the hickey and yet I'm not a eunuch." He replied, only half joking. Ayeka just rolled her eyes at the comment, though she couldn't keep a hint of an amused smirk off her face.
"And...?" the young woman.
"Well... I got to see you dressed in nothing but a towel... that's always a plus." He added with a lecherous grin, reaching out to finger the bottom edge of said piece of cloth.
"Do not make me slap you when you are injured Keith-san." Ayeka warned teasingly through the resultant blush, reaching down pushing his hand away from the towel. "So is there anything else?"
"Just the fact that she did at least suggest that she'd let me go if we produced that evidence... assuming that wasn't just a bluff on your part that is." As he answered, he grabbed her hand in his as she pushed his away from the edge of her towel, giving it a comforting squeeze and pulling her closer.
"I hope it is not." Ayeka sighed, sitting down on the edge of his bed. "Though I suppose that in the end it is up to Washu's skills... and possibly whatever information that we can get from that girl."
"What girl?"
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Tenchi had been a little surprised to learn that Ayeka had spent the night in Keith's hospital room. The man had been stable and expected to recover when the rest of the group had eventually gone to bed, not to mention the fact that the hospital staff had been very firm about them all obeying the visiting hour rules and kicked the rest of them out.
"I guess being a Princess carries a bit of weight." The young man mused as he walked down the hospital's corridors. The building was just starting to wake up, and it was still several hours before visiting hours officially began, but he'd managed to get past the nursing staff without incident so far. They were either to tired or too busy to notice him this early in the morning he guessed.
"Now which way is it to the room again?" he muttered as he came to a fork in the hallway. He wasn't long in wondering.
"Keith! Come back here!" The shout echoed up the corridor on his left as the person in question rounded a corner into Tenchi's line of sight, pulling a Long sleeve shirt on, his chest and the mess of scars covering it visible for a brief second. The newest ones, still an angry red, were enough to make Tenchi wince in sympathy.
"You are not well enough to be wandering about yet!" Ayeka, hastily gathering her still damp hair into a loose ponytail, and dressed in a pair of slightly ill-fitting slacks and a blouse that wasn't buttoned properly, rounded the corner barely three seconds later.
"Hey, Tenchi!" Keith greeted, sounding more than a bit distracted. "Which way is it to the front door?"
"Err... down that hall and to the left." Tenchi replied, pointing. "But I think Ayeka's right, you should be in bed." He added, real concern in his voice.
"Stop him Tenchi-sama." Ayeka shouted, all but breaking into a sprint to catch up to Keith before he passed the young prince.
"I'll go back to bed right after I retrieve my daughter and make sure she's safe." The scruffy young man bit out, pushing past the other boy.
"Your daughter?"
"The sniper that Yosho captured at the stadium." Ayeka explained, storming past Tenchi in pursuit of the now jogging Keith.
"You're kidding." Tenchi replied, completely baffled, before following.
"I wish I was." she sighed.
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"Sir!" the prisoner is on the move." The young guard reported into his radio as Mayhem stepped into the lobby, moving at a fast walk.
"Well stop him!" was the immediate response.
"Stop right there!" the young guard shouted at the oncoming figure, thumbing his staff's stun option to the on position. His partner on his right quickly followed suit. Neither of them even felt the stun blasts that dropped them to the ground.
"Keith!" Ayeka shouted, "What in Tsunami's name do you think you're doing! And where did you get that gun!"
"I'm in a hurry." Keith growled back, "And the gun was in my bag. You know, the one you thought you were carrying." He added, holding up his multi-dimensional pouch so she could see it.
"Damned thief." Ayeka growled in response, glaring daggers at him as he exited the hospital seconds before she did.
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She had been abandoned. Used and left to rot. It probably would have hurt more if she hadn't expected it. As things were, she just felt a sort of heavy depression... and found herself wishing they'd just execute her and be done with it. At least she thought they were going to execute her... fuck, trying to kill your own father had to be an executable offense. Even if you'd only talked to the guy once. So far though, they'd just asked her questions between stints locked up in the plain cell she was currently occupying. She was idly tracing patterns in the knot-work of the wooden walls with a finger when she heard commotion outside her cell.
A lot of commotion.
She blinked, her silver eyes quickly adjusting to the sudden influx of light from the hallway as someone stepped into the cell with her. A someone that was starting to be familiar to her.
"So..." Keith hesitated, unsure of where to start as he looked at his new-found daughter.
"You're still alive." She stated flatly, unsure if she should be relieved, or upset, or... "What do yah want?"
"Not a clue." Keith replied with a sigh, sinking to the ground as the effort of the last hour or so sunk in. Ayeka had been right, he wasn't well enough to be running around like this yet. "I have a daughter, a part of my wife is still alive. Part of me is ecstatic at the thought. The rest of me is just confused."
"Welcome to the fuckin' club." The girl snorted, wrapping her arms around her knees. "I just found out I've been trying to kill my real father and the man I thought of as my father had me made just so he could hate me."
"I wish I could have stolen you from that bastard before he had a chance to hurt you." Keith sighed, his hands clenching into tight fists by his sides.
"Me too..." she whispered back, a tear rolling down her cheek.
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The crowd in the hallway had mostly dispersed, leaving Tenchi, Ayeka, and a pair of still very-confused guards.
"What do you think they are talking about Tenchi-sama?" Ayeka asked the young man standing next to her quietly.
"Dunno." Tenchi shrugged. "I mean their situation and mine with Mayuka are sort of similar from what little he told us... but you know him better than I do Ayeka."
"...he looked somewhat angry..." she started, worry obvious in her tone. "I mean... he's nearly as gentle a person as you are underneath that rough exterior of his but..."
"Do you trust him?" Tenchi asked, watching her expressions carefully.
"...Yes..." she answered after a long pause. "Yes, I do."
"Then keep trusting him."
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"You know you have a grandmother and a grandfather back on my home planet." Keith stated after a few minutes of silence.
"I do?" she asked, somewhat surprised by the new information.
"Yep." Keith affirmed, smiling slightly at the curiosity evident in her voice. "And an Aunt and Uncle... and probably a great-grandma too. You have a whole family waiting for you if you want them."
"A family..." she repeated wondrously. "Then..." without the combat armor and with the harsh expression she had worn during their last encounter she looked even younger than he'd first thought, at most fourteen, maybe less.
"Hmm?" Keith prompted gently.
"You want me to come with you?" she whispered, her silver eyes wet with unshed tears.
"You're my daughter." He smiled softly. "Even if I couldn't be there for you before, I want to be a part of your life from now on. I don't know if I can really be a father to you... but at the very least I want to be a friend." He could feel tears forming in his own eyes.
"I..." the girl started hesitantly. "I... I think... I'd like that."
"Good." Keith replied with a relived sigh, a happy smile forming on his face. "So... what's your name?"
"...Aiken..." she stated hesitantly, grimacing a bit as she told him the derogatory name she had been given by Heero.
"Aiken?" Keith repeated, grimacing as well. "That'll never do."
"Wha?" she looked up at him, confusion evident on her face.
"As my right as your biological father, I think I'm gonna have to give you a proper name." He explained with a grin. "...With your permission of course." He added. She just nodded dumbly in response, more than a little emotionally confused by their conversation so far.
"Hmm..." Keith thought, one hand idly playing with the goatee decorating his chin, as he scrutinized her. "Well Catherine or any variation thereof is out..." he muttered after a bit "... the Cat jokes would probably dive you nuts in a matter of weeks."
"Cat jokes?" she asked, unable to see what he strange word he had muttered had to do with neko's. He ignored her comment, still lost in thought.
"Ah! Got it!" Keith exclaimed suddenly, grinning at his newfound daughter. "Erin!"
"Erin?" she asked, testing the name out. "What's it mean?"
"Peace... I think." He answered with a shrug. "But that's not why I picked it."
"Then why?" she asked, now truly curious.
"It was the name of one of your great-grandmothers," the shaggy young man explained. "and she was a remarkable woman. She was an orphan and very poor growing up, but she managed to overcome every disadvantage she had and worked her way not only through college, but medical school as well. She was a top surgeon at a major hospital until she was seventy years old. And seventy is very old on my home planet."
"Ah." She responded in quiet understanding.
"Of course, if you don't like it we can always just started going through a baby name dictionary until we find something you do." Keith shrugged.
"No, I... I like it." She responded after a few seconds, a genuine smile forming on her lips for the first time that Keith had ever seen.
"Well then Erin O'Connor." Keith intoned formally, pushing himself back onto his feet and stepping over to the bed. "Welcome to the family." With that he leaned over and pulled her into a hug.
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"What is going on here!" Azusa seethed as he stalked into the hallway. "First I hear that that criminal Mayhem has broken out of his hospital room, my daughter in tow, and then he breaks INTO one of our high security prisons and locks himself in the cell of someone who tried to kill him! Explain this to me Ayeka."
"She is apparently his daughter." Ayeka responded tiredly from where she was sitting on the floor, her hand going to her neck to make sure the chocker hiding the faded bruise was still in place. "And while I apologize for you being disturbed from whatever matter you were attending to Father, there is little for you to get upset about in this."
"What I am upset about is that my Daughter, who was keeping watch over the man in question, not only did not stop him from escaping, but also was apparently aiding him in his escape." the regal man lectured. "It is bad enough that your brother allowed that reporter to circulate that story, but to have you seen helping a known criminal to the extent that you have..."
"What story?" Ayeka interrupted, curious.