Chapter 3

As Tenchi sat on his bed considering his now girlfriend's response to her former rival's impending attack, Ryoko re-appeared in front of his door, her near-legendary grin on her face. He smiled back. "Sooooo… what did you do?" he asked playfully.

"Oh nothing much. I just made sure she was comfortable and put you room under quarantine to everyone but me," she said matter-of-factly.

He smiled broadly at her, shaking his head. "You're your mother's daughter," he chuckled.

"Should I take that as a complement or an insult?" she asked acting hurt.

Tenchi's smile became crooked, his eyebrows furrowing, as he thought about the answer. He finally offered, "You know… I'm not really sure."

Washu looked at her monitor with a grimace on her face and simply shrugged.

After Tenchi's reply, Ryoko faded out and re-appeared next to him. Not wanting to think too much about it herself she said, wrapping her arms around him, "Forget about it, doesn't matter anyway." His happy smile returned and he hugged her close.

Suddenly he felt chilled and shivered a little. "Is it just me or did someone open a window?" he asked.

She let go of him and stood up. "It's you, remember? You're sick. So you need lots of rest and plenty of personal care." She grinned evilly.

He let out a gulp and felt like he was on fire due to the massive blush on his cheeks. "Um... R-R-Ryoko?" he stuttered while backing up, unknowingly making it look as if he was 'getting ready' to do the very thing that was making him nervous.

She knew she wasn't going to try anything tonight… but he didn't. "First we need to get you into some sleeping clothes," she said sweetly.

His face took on a deeper shade of scarlet. "Th-that's okay, really, I can sleep in these!" he said tugging at his collar.

Ryoko ignored his protestations and began rummaging through his dresser. She pulled out a pair of boxers and an Okayama University shirt and tossed them to him. "Here, hurry up and change," she commanded with a hint of playfulness in her voice.

"I... um... that is..." he stammered wondering how he was going to get out of this perdicament.

"You have five minutes. Tick-tock," she giggled then faded out of view.

He let out a huge sigh, stood up and started to change. As he took off his shirt, a feeling came over him, causing him to smile slightly. He tossed his shirt toward his closet and started to take off his pants. Suddenly, with the speed of a ninja, he crouched, picked up a manga off the floor, spun around, and threw it at the door. The book stopped a foot from the door, and just as he had hoped, smacked an invisible Ryoko squarely on the nose, causing her to emit a "Hey!"

He laughed as the surprised and caught Ryoko revealed herself. Her expression is priceless! he thought and laughed even harder.

"What's so funny!?" she barked.

He finally got control of his laughter, and looked at her pretty but angry face. "You know, you're really cute when you're mad," he offered still laughing a little.

She tried to counter with an insult, but all she could manage were a few growls and finally, "goddamn it-." She then slumped her shoulders and let out a sigh. "Can't argue with you there," she laughed. After her laughing subsided, a question came to her: "Hey Tenchi, how'd you know I was still here?"

He sat down on his bed. She, once again, teleported to his side. "Well first of all it's something that you'd do," he chuckled receiving a smirk for his insight.

"That's not the main reason though. The real reason is kind of hard to explain." He paused for the right words. "I guess, you and I... well it seems we have a sort of... um... psychic connection. Nowhere near as strong as what you, Ryo-Ohki, and Washu have I think, but sometimes it seems that I do have something like it with you," he said.

She looked at him curiously.

Additionally, he offered, "I think that's probably why I kept going back to the cave. I must have felt you there without undersanding it."

Washu looked intently into her monitor, listening to Tenchi, her curiosity aroused. "I'm going to have to look into this," she said, a sly grin forming.

"Has it happened a lot, other than when I was in the cave?" Ryoko asked, still curious.

"It's happened a few other times I can remember," he told her. "Most of the time it was so subtle I hardly noticed it or thought that maybe I was just imagining things. There was one time though, that finally convinced me it was real. It was when Zero and Dr. Clay kidnapped you. I was down in Washu's lab when I thought I heard you call to me but didn't understand what was going on. Only when it was all over did I figure out what really happened. You had called to me..." He looked into her eyes. "and I heard you."

"Huh," she wondered. "How come you never mentioned anything to me, or even Washu?" Ryoko asked softly, hugging his arm and looking up at him. He sighed and looked into her eyes.

"What could I have said? I wasn't even sure why or how I was connected to you so strongly," Tenchi said calmly. "Besides, you and everyone else would have just over-reacted anyway."

"Oh Tenchi, you know I wouldn't do anything like that," she said innocently, while making little circles with her finger on his bare chest. He didn't say a word; he just looked over at her, his lips pursed and his eyes narrowed. "Well... maybe a little..." she said meekly. His expression didn't change. "Okay, fine... I would've," she huffed, folding her arms over her chest and looking away.

He smiled warmly at her, then slid behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, putting his chin on her shoulder. "One good thing that would have happened though, if I had said something," he said slyly. "I would have been able to do this a whole lot sooner."

She was stunned by his sudden boldness, "Do what?" she managed to choke out, as her entire face turned red.

"Realize who I loved," he answered. "What did you think I meant... oh." Noticing how was holding her, he blushed and let out a self-conscious chuckle. "Well, at least I know where you got that idea," he admitted. "Sorry." Letting go of her reluctantly, he then got up. "I still need to finish changing," he informed her, attempting to quickly change the subject.

"Who's stopping you?" she asked smiling.

He gave her a small groan and pointed to the door,

"Fine. You have two minutes now..." she pouted.

"And?"

"And I'll leave the room this time I promise," she said in mock annoyance. "Killjoy," she muttered and teleported away.

He smiled shaking his head and finished changing.

Meanwhile, Ryoko appeared outside his door and thought for a moment, coming up with an idea for something they could do together. She teleported to the kitchen and began rummaging through the draws and cabinets.

In the living room everyone was still recovering from what they had seen a few minutes ago, when they heard someone searching for something in the kitchen, and making a lot of noise in the process. Everyone assumed it was Ryo-Ohki since nobody had seen her around for a while, so Sasami got up and walked into the kitchen to see what the cabbit was doing. Sasami began speaking before opening the door, "No Ryo-Ohki you can't have any carrots-" she stopped when she saw Ryoko's rear sticking out of one of the lower cabinets, "Oh Ryoko it's just you... what are you doing?" she asked slightly confused.

Ryoko's head phased though the counter-top, looking quite cheerful, "Hello, Sasami." She teleported out of the cabinet and stood next to the stove. "I'm looking for 'the stash' " she said in a not too quiet whisper.

"What?" Sasami asked even more confused.

"You know the good stuff?"

"ummm..."

"The real deal?"

"Huh?"

This continued for another ten seconds or so.

Ryoko finally let out a frustrated growl, and took in a deep breath. "I'm looking for Nobuyuki's secret supply of his high-quality sake... you know, the stuff that he always keeps hidden from everybody," she said through clenched teeth.

Realization finally dawned on the little princess' face. "Ooh, that! Okay."

Ryoko's hopes came back. "So do you know where it is?" she asked eagerly.

"Nope," she stated simply and exited the kitchen, leaving a nonplussed Ryoko in her wake.

As Ryoko attempted to recover her composure, she started grumbling, and thinking about other places where Nobuyuki could have hidden it... Duh! she mentally slapped her forehead. The study, along with all the other stuff he doesn't want anyone to find. She quickly teleported into the study, and there quickly found a bottle and two sake cups hidden behind his 'magazines'. She held the bottle and slowly heated it up using her powers.

Meanwhile Sasami returned from the kitchen, back to the living room.

"So? Did you give Ryo-ohki some carrots or something?" Nobuyuki asked cheerfully.

"It wasn't Ryo-ohki, it was Ryoko. She said she was looking for some sake," she replied still thinking about Ryoko's behavior.

"Typical," Aeka spat. "She wants to get drunk while Lord Tenchi is sick in bed. She is so inconsiderate of others. That's it! I'm going up there and making sure she isn't trying anything with Lord Tenchi. And if she is...!" Aeka fumed then stormed off bound for Tenchi's room, leaving everyone with slightly fearful expressions.

Washu had been watching the goings on in both the living room and Tenchi's room since the princess' previous interruption. "Not this time Aeka," she mused with a wicked grin… and hit a button.

When the bottle of sake reached what she judged to be the proper temperature, Ryoko smiled and teleported back to Tenchi's room. Upon her arrival she saw that he had changed and was lying on his bed, holding the back of his head as he looked at the night sky thru his window. "That was the longest two minutes ever," he said as he turned his head to face her.

She grinned and held up the bottle and cups' "I had to find this. I thought we could drink it together," she said not sure if he would accept. After all, he doesn't like sake as much as me, she thought. He smirked at her and moved to one side of the bed patting the spot beside him. YES! she exclaimed mentally and teleported next to him. She handed him a cup and leaned against his side. As she was pouring from the bottle, he noticed its label.

"Hey, isn't that dad's favorite sake? Where'd you find it?" he asked suspiciously.

"Oh in the study, along with all his "other" private stuff, where else?" she replied, and started to sip her sake.

Tenchi started to drink his as well, Dad's never let me try any of his personal sake, I wonder how different it is... he thought.

They both took a sip, but didn't swallow. They looked at each other, then spit it back in to their cups. They looked into their cups, then at each other.

"Vinegar," Tenchi said and started laughing. "Dad was always protective of his sake."

"That's it! I'm going down there and make him give it up!" Ryoko roared.

Tenchi grabbed her wrist before she could fly off. "Don't bother. Besides, I'm getting kind of sleepy," he said giving a lopsided grin.

Aeka, meanwhile, stood before the door of Tenchi's room and reached out for it. Suddenly a sub-space hole open above the door and a Chibi-Washu puppet repelled down in front of her. "Quarantine, Quarantine, Room's under quarantine!" it announced.

A vein appeared on Aeka's forehead. I'll get Washu for this... later, she noted to herself. "Get out of my way you pesky thing!" she said and slapped the doll away toward the ceiling.

"I warned you!" it said as it somehow hovered on the string.

"Shut up!" she yelled at it, and reached out for the door. Her hand had almost touched it, when she got a small static shock. She reflexively drew her hand back. "What was that? Is that supposed to keep me out?" she cried angrily at the doll.

She reached out again and grabbed the door just as the Washu puppet started to speak, "No, that's just for identification." Suddenly Aeka disappeared and reappeared in the onsen, a few inches above its hottest waters. She seemed to hover there for a second or two, just long enough to realize where she was and let out a small "Eeeep." Then she was unceremoniously dumped into the water with a huge splash.

"Did you hear something?" Tenchi asked, looking at the door.

"Hear what?" Ryoko replied with her own question, a curious look on her face but inwardly smiling. She had heard Aeka's voice outside the door, and she also heard the Washu puppet talk about the new security system and the unmistakable sound of teleportation.

"Hmm... nothing I guess," he resolved.

Ryoko opened up her psychic link; "Thanks... Mom."

In the lab, Washu shed a single tear, "-no, thank you little Ryoko." She wiped away the tear and mentally scolded herself; A scientist shouldn't cry but… my only daughter just... called me mom... of her own free will... and meant it too. She couldn't hold back the many years' worth of tears any longer; she let them flow down her face and soak into her clothes. Some of them were tears of sadness, for all that Ryoko had endured, but most were tears of joy: Ryoko had verbally accepted her as her mother, was finding happiness with her one true love, and, Washu hoped, had a bright, wonderful future ahead of her.

Meanwhile Aeka, after her surprise bath, changed her clothes and walked back into the house to find everyone had already gone to bed. She walked upstairs to get some sleep and try to forget that she couldn't get into Tenchi's room to protect him from the 'demon woman' pulling another stunt like she had earlier. Damn that Washu! she mentally fumed. In his weakened state, Lord Tenchi might not be able to protect himself from Ryoko's advances. As she stopped outside Tenchi's room, she thought about trying to get in again, but she knew where that would lead. She stood there shaking with anger, then she mentally said a prayer for him; Lord Tenchi, please be well… both from the sickness, and that woman. She quickly bowed to the door and then walked off to her room.

In the room, Ryoko had her own concern, "Um... Tenchi?" she asked, sitting next to him. "Um, could... could I sleep with you tonight? I promise I won't try anything. I just want to be close to you tonight."

He was a little surprised. Then he smiled at her, "Sure Ryoko," he said as he hugged her. "I, uh, was kind of wondering if you were going to ask me that," he added sheepishly.

Her face lit up. She kissed him as they slowly fell back on the bed. As they separated they looked into each other's eyes. "Besides, when has me saying 'no' ever stopped you before?" he asked raising an eyebrow, half grinning.

"Good point." Returning the grin and poking his cheek, she stated proudly, "Mere words can't keep me away from you."

He smiled warmly at her, then noticed the clock on his dresser, "Wow, it's already 11:00."

"Then let's get to sleep," she said nuzzling his neck, "but first I need to change." she added coyly and rose to her feet beside the bed.

Tenchi's face turned a shade of pink as he sat up. He started to turn his head away, "Umm…"

She giggled at his reaction. "Now, now, no need for that." She faded out and faded back with a new wardrobe; Tenchi caught his breath.

Ryoko was clad only in a thin white T-shirt, one of his he realized, and a pair of panties; the light behind her easily displayed her shadowed curves beneath. He tried to say something, but all that came out were incoherent stutters.

"Did you say something, my Tenchi?" She asked, playfully cupping her ear and leaning towards him.

Finally capable of speech he said the first thing that popped into his head, "Damn... you're gorgeous," unconsciously looking her up and down.

She blushed uncontrollably at the new compliment. "Thank you," she whispered. Ryoko then popped over to the switch, turned off the light and popped back over to the side of the bed, the room now illuminated only by partial moonlight.

She leaned down kissing him once again. When at last their lips parted, Tenchi was the first to break the silence, "I love you." he said warmly.

"I love you too," she said with the same affection. Suddenly a dark thought appeared in her head as she sat next to him. "Tenchi? What are we going to do about Aeka?" she asked sadly.

He sighed loudly. "I don't know," he said, pausing. He was quiet for a moment, thinking. He finally said, "Until we can decide, maybe its best we act like nothing has happened… for now."

He saw Ryoko frown (deep in her lab Washu shared her daughter's expression).

Tenchi knew she wouldn't like that idea. He honestly wasn't too fond of it himself but he really didn't know what else to do at the moment. He just didn't want to hurt Aeka.

He looked into Ryoko's eyes, reflected in the diffused light coming through the window. "This changes nothing between us," he promised. "Nothing ever could. I'm in love with you, Ryoko, only you and that's never gonna change." His gaze did not waver. "Do you believe me?"

"I believe you," she said with a sad smile. "I love you too with all of my heart. I just…" she left the sentence unfinished.

He nodded, understanding. "Come on, let's sleep on it. Okay?"

"Okay," she replied with a little nod.

They got into the bed, Tenchi lying on his back, Ryoko snuggling against his right side, her arm over his chest, his arm around her shoulder. He turned toward her giving her a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"Goodnight, Ryoko," he whispered.

"Goodnight, my Tenchi," she replied just as softly.

They quickly drifted off in each other's embrace, soon each dreaming of the other.