"Oh I haven't slept that well since I came out of that damn crystal!" Washu had yawned while she gave a good long stretch, but soon the scientist went into a trance. Even though I had dreams of those wonderful times with my little Ryoko, I still had to have the one of that bastard taking her away. Washu held herself close, not getting the warmth and care she was hoping. Oh Ryoko, if only I could have seen ahead of time what t-that man would do to us…I could have saved you from all the pain you went through…

Caught in the guilt, it took Washu to realize that she was actually in her bed. "Wha? When did I get here? I don't remember going to my bed at all last night." Looking at the evidence, such as her still being in her clothes, Washu determined that someone must've brought her here, "But who would come in here? The only time people ever come to visit is if they need something or if there was a meal prepared." Her esteem lowered even more. I'm not that scary right? I mean, I guess I really just push them away by saying I'm busy or by freaking them out to the point where they're too scared to really bother me. She sighed. Even my little sunshine doesn't come to me when she has nightmares of her past. What kind of mother scares their child enough to have them not come when the desperately need comfort?

"Washu! Breakfast is ready!" Normally those words would just be a nuisance when she was working on a project, but right now those words sounded as if from her savior. Maybe eating with the family will cheer me up a bit. The little scientist quickly changed into fresh clothing and exited her lab.

As the morning had passed, so had the storm, allowing the sun to escape the cloudy confinements and brighten the world. The red flowers had opened their petals to absorb the warmth of the sun, while the dew on its emerald leaves shimmered brightly. It was an amazing sight to see how the sun had healed over what the storm had done just that night. There was one storm that hadn't been settled over yet.

For all of these years her mind had taken control of her and told Ryoko to stay away from everyone. If they stayed away from her because she was a demon, she would stay away from them. The dream though and the events after got Ryoko's brain in a stir. There was a new force that was affecting her judgment. Her heart was sending out a signal of feelings that she thought were only for Tenchi. The feelings were a tad different from those of Tenchi's. It was still the same, but different…

"Hey Ryoko! You're up early!" Chimed Sasami who now started to giggle as she watched the surprised Ryoko startle. "Breakfast is ready just so you know!"

Well I guess that feeling doesn't matter for right now…"Thanks Sasami I'll be right down." Ryoko beamed when she noticed the mischievous smiled that was on her underling's face. That kiddo is up to something. I wonder what though…Oh well! Food calls! And with that, Ryoko phased down through the floor and floated over to the table.

"Hey alright! My favorite!" She paused and looked over to the mischievous one before sitting down, "Wait…this isn't a trick is it?"

Sasami only laughed. "No silly! I just figured I would make it since we haven't had it in a long time. That's all."

"Where is Miss Washu?" Ayeka commented as she sat down. "Should we start without her?"

"I dunno where she is. I called for her, but I didn't get a response." Sasami looked over to Ryoko, "Do you what Washu is up to Ryoko?"

The kid's definitely up to something. I can tell now…"How am I supposed to know?" Ryoko claimed nonchalantly. "My guess would be that the brat over worked herself and she passed out at her little work station." She peered over to where Sasami was and she looked a little downcast for some reason. Did she spot me leaving the lab after all? Nah, she's probably sad that Washu's missing another meal of hers. "If you want I'll go and fetch her-"

"That won't be necessary Ryoko! I'm right here." Washu stepped out from her lab and walked over to the table with her smug look, "I'm sorry for being late. I guess I must've gotten too caught up in my work and dozed off."

"Told you," was somehow emitted from Ryoko's mouth as she shoveled in as much food as possible.

Washu seemed a little hurt by the rude comment of Ryoko, but shrugged it off. She was hoping that eating breakfast with Tenchi and the others would clear her mind, but everyone was so focused on eating that there were no real conversations arising, thus keeping Washu's dreams stuck in her head as she poked her food here and there. She was even too caught up in her thoughts to not see the sunshine gold eyes gazing and watching her every movement.

::Hey Washu::

Washu jumped and proceeded eating, ignoring the eyes that now all watched her. ::Oh sorry Ryoko. My mind was caught up on something::

Ryoko stared at Washu for a long moment. Her face was very ashen and she almost looked dead, but that didn't matter compared to her eyes. The emerald green eyes that always seemed to shimmer were a very dull forest green. It looked so unnatural for the usual perky scientist. ::Are you okay?::

::Huh me? Oh yeah I'm fine! This new research of mine just has me stumped is all! To think the greatest scientific genius of the universe stumped! Well I should get back to it so I'll have to chat later. Buh-bye!:: Washu then stood up and smiled at Sasami, "Thank you for the meal Sasami. It was amazing as usual." With that said, Washu excused herself from the table and entered her lab leaving a bunch of confused and worried faces.

"I wonder what's wrong with her…" Sasami said staring at Washu's practically full and abandoned bowl.

Ryoko smiled and ruffled the girl's head, "Nothing to be worried about kiddo. She's just frustrated 'cause some research is giving her a run for her money."

"Phew that was close!", Washu sighed in relief as she flopped onto her pillow, "Anymore probing and Ryoko would've figured out what I was really thinking about. Huh…now that's odd." When Washu had brought up her halotop, she noticed the folder she had left open last night was now closed. Whoever had brought her to bed had also seen Washu's most secret of pictures. And that was a problem. She needed to figure out who had seen these pictures because if it was someone like Ayeka, Washu might not live much longer. "Ayeka wouldn't use the pictures as a threat to Ryoko, would she?" She then remembered Ryoko and Ayeka's last fight over Tenchi.

-"Why would Tenchi want to marry a thief and a murderer like yourself? He doesn't want your sullied little paws around him you demon! Go find that little dank cave of yours and sleep for another 700 years and maybe that'll show you some manners!" The words that Ayeka had said to Ryoko still burned in Washu. They had hit Ryoko pretty hard too. Ryoko hadn't even put up a fight after that. She just teleported away and was missing for a day or two.-

Washu only sighed after remembering this. She didn't come to me…She didn't even want to talk with me and I wasn't the one who said such words…Of course I wasn't the one who stood up for her either…I'll find out who saw those pictures and this time I'll stand up for my little Ryoko!

It was now later in the day and all day Ryoko had sat on her rafter gazing at the lab door. The storm was occurring again and it was beginning to become a hurricane. At one point Ryoko was standing right in front of the door to the lab when she felt pangs of fear and guilt go through the closed link, but she soon phased back to her rafter when Sasami came into the room. "'Ey kiddo what've you got there?"

"Oh hi Ryoko! I figured I would bring Washu her lunch to her since she's so busy and all. Why were you at her door?"

"I uh, I…" Ryoko tried coming up with an excuse, but nothing was coming to her head. Ryoko only gave up and sighed, "I was going to talk to her about something, but since she's so busy I don't want to disturb her."

"Oh…well could you get the door for me please? My hands are full."

"Sure thing Sasami." She phased down to the door and opened it, but just as Sasami was about to thank her, she caught the tray that was slipping out of the girl's hands, "Why don't I take this to Washu, huh?"

Sasami smiled and gave a quick nod, "'Kay!"

"Hey Washu, Sasami made lunch for you." Ryoko placed the tray on a table that had entered the lab from sub space.

"Thanks a bunch Ryoko." Washu hadn't looked up as she typed away on her halotop, but after a few moments she still felt Ryoko's presence. She turned and looked at the edgy woman, "Do you need me for something little Ryoko?"

"Uh…well..." She grabbed her left wrist with her right hand behind her back, "I was just wondering… what research is so important that you're working on is all…" Her voice was very quiet and could be barely heard, but with how open Washu's lab was, Ryoko's voice managed to reach her ears.

"Oh it's not important at all. It's just nerve-racking is all."

"Well it must've been important…with the dreams that you had…"

Washu's typing stopped abruptly and she looked at the still nervous Ryoko, "Why don't you take a seat here, hmm?" Another cushion similar to hers appeared by Washu and Ryoko sat down timidly. "So my dreams leaked into yours huh?" Washu grabbed the kettle of green tea, "What do you remember?" She handed a cup of tea to Ryoko as well as a dish.

Ryoko could only smile at the offering, At this rate Sasami'll be better than me at my own games! I'll have to thank her later though… "Well…it was a really bad storm and…you um…you came in and sang this song t-to calm me down…" Ryoko was a lot more nervous than she had expected herself to be. Ayeka would have laughed at her now if she saw Ryoko in this way.

Washu only nodded a bit and took a sip of her tea before responding, "That was the night…before he took you away." Her voice was very frail and shaky just like Ryoko's, but even worse.

"I figured so…"

Washu looked up, confused, "Why do you say that?"

Ryoko really didn't want to tell Washu that she went into her lab, put her to bed, and looked through all her photos, but now she had no choice, "When I came and brought you to bed…" she blushed a little at the thought, "You were thrashing about and crying…in your sleep."

It was now Washu's turn to blush. She wasn't one who liked to show her weaker side like her daughter. Like mother like daughter in a sense. A good amount of time had passed before they had said anything more. Each was thinking about something else, but still around the same matter.

"Was I-…were we really… that happy back then?" Ryoko looked up to her mother half hoping that the pictures were fake, but half hoping they were real.

She smiled and looked down into her tea and nodded, "Yes actually." She gave a small laugh, "You actually wanted to be just like me at one point." She heard a little chuckle from Ryoko, but she felt anger seep through the link. Now or never I guess…"Ryoko I…I want to apologize."

Now it was Ryoko's turn to look up confused, "What for?"

Washu could only sigh, "For everything, for nothing, for not treating you like I should have, but mainly…for not protecting you." The tears were now welling up in Washu's eyes and so she quickly looked down to hide the tears from her daughter, but she knew Ryoko saw them anyways, "I couldn't protect you from Kagato and so now you've had a horrible past," The tears were really flowing now, "I couldn't even stand up for you when Ayeka said such horrible things to you the other day."

Ryoko sat there stunned and saddened all at once while Washu continued pouring this all out. Here was this small child who seemed happy each and every day, who was now sobbing about the long past this façade had.

"I should've stopped her! I knew where it was going, but I didn't do a damn thing! I'm sorry Ryoko! I'm sorry for being such an appalling mother I-" Washu stopped in shock when Ryoko lifted her head and stared into her emerald eyes.

"You're not an appalling mother at all. You gave me a great childhood."

"But Kaga-"

"Even though I don't remember it, those pictures will be forever engraved in my heart and mind." She brought Washu into a warm hug like the one in her dream, "and as long as my mother with me, the past won't matter...because I know I'm your sunshine."

Stunned at first, Washu returned the embrace and was glad to have her sunshine back, "Oh my little Ryoko…" a long while passed as they sat there, mother and daughter, but the serene silence was broken by Washu, "I could always try and return those memories back to you if you'd like…"

Ryoko pulled back and smiled, "That would be nice, but for now I'd rather look through the pictures and hear the stories."

She only nodded as she brought her halotop back up and went through the hundreds of pictures.

Sasami wondered how everything was going between Washu and Ryoko for they hadn't been out since she tricked Ryoko in. I wonder what Ryoko'll do to me when she comes out…She giggled, "Well it was a good trick, even she can't argue that!"

"You're right I can't argue with that!" Ryoko laughed as she scared the young girl when she phased in. She ruffled Sasami's head again, "Thanks though, I owe ya!" There was then a low gurgle coming from Ryoko's stomach and she laughed a little, "Um, could Washu and I possibly bring our food in the lab again?" She smiled when she saw Sasami already pull out the tray prepared for them, "Thanks kiddo. I'll wash the dishes when we're done. I promise!" After promising, Ryoko went back into the lab and Sasami went back to making the rest of the family their dinner, and as she did so she sang a familiar tune, "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine…"

A/N: Sorry for such a long update! I haven't had much time to do something for myself -grumbles- stupid school... but yesh this is the end of Sunshine and I hope you all enjoy it