Disclaimer: I don't own this anime (Tenchi Muyo) or any of its characters.

Title: Fragile Heart

Chapter 4: Pain

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

INSIDE WASHU'S LAB

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

Ayeka kept on fighting the pain for the past 20 minutes. She ended up with beads of sweat on her face.

Washu sighed in relief. "She's sleeping. Thank goodness." Washu observed the unconscious Princess.

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

AT THE LIVING ROOM

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

Everybody waited for Washu to seek the Princess' condition. A couple of minutes later, Washu came out from her lab. The first one who walked up to her was Tenchi but before he could speak Washu cut him off.

"Before you speak, I tried my best to help her. It's all up to her, for now." Washu stated in front of the whole group.

"Is she going to be alright?" Tenchi asked, knowing that he has the right to know.

Washu sighed, knowing that Tenchi wouldn't stop asking. "Tenchi, to tell you the truth… I don't know. Let's just wait for her to wake up."

Everybody was taken aback from her statement. But that's impossible. Washu, the greatest scientific genius in the whole universe, doesn't know the Princess' condition. This made the group worry, especially Tenchi and Sasami.

Everything moved so fast, it was now night time. A time for dinner, which was flooded by silent tears and words. The only person that wasn't found in the dinning room, excluding Ayeka, was Tenchi. He stayed at Ayeka's side and watched her sleep through the night. He didn't want to leave her side. He wanted to be the first one she'll see once she opens her eyes. He felt a presence near by. He didn't turn around for he knew who his spectator was.

"You should probably eat; I'll keep an eye on her." Ryoko sat next to him.

"No thanks, I'll stay here."

Ryoko watched Tenchi move the pillows at Ayeka's side. "You really love her." She said.

Tenchi faced her. "I would be the biggest liar if I told you 'no'." He smiled back to Ayeka.

"Okay since you're too stubborn, I'll just ask Sasami to bring you your food." Ryoko teleported outside of the lab. She didn't know why, she felt warm tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Ryoko, are you alright? You seemed to be crying." Sasami said she held a tray of food for Tenchi.

"Oh… uh, I'm fine. I'm not crying. By the way, is that for Tenchi?"

Sasami nodded and headed straight to the lab.

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

INSIDE WASHU'S LAB

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

"How is she doing?" Sasami walked in with a tray of food.

"Still sleeping" Tenchi sighed.

"Tenchi, I've brought you your dinner. I'll just come back later for the dishes." Sasami said as she left the lab.

"Tenchi"

Tenchi turned around to see who called him. "Washu, you scared me."

"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you." Washu grinned at his actions.

"Washu, what did you meant when you said that you don't know what's going on, on Ayeka?" Tenchi asked with a serious look.

Washu sighed once again. "It's like this; I can't ask an unconscious person a question that only that person knows the answer on what I'm looking for. In short, I can't have enough information that only Ayeka knows. Got it?"

Tenchi just nodded. "Washu, can I sleep here just in case Ayeka wakes up?"

"Suit yourself, there's some futon, blanket and pillows in that closet." Washu pointed at the old compartment near the table. "I'll just finish my work and Tenchi, don't stress yourself, okay?" She said as she walked in one of her dimensional transporter.

- - - - - - - - - -

MEANWHILE

- - - - - - - - - -

Washu sat at her desk. She opened her laptop. The monitor viewed Ayeka's statistics. She shook her head at what she had discovered.

'But how? Why-why did it have to be her?' She buried herself at her desk. She couldn't stop crying.

'Mom, you're crying, are you alright?' Ryoko asked through her telepathic link.

'I'm fine, don't ask any further. I'm going to sleep now.' Washu didn't get any response.

Once again she looked at her laptop. This time it viewed everybody inside the house. She saw Tenchi with Ayeka, she pitied the poor boy. Then, Mihoshi and Kiyone, they were sleeping soundly in their futon. While, Nobuyuki and Katsuhito were sleeping as well just like Ryoko, Sasami and Ryo-Ohki.

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

TO BE CONTINUED

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

( - )

(T.T ) … . Thank you for reading and please review.

c.c.J