I neither own nor profit from the characters in this story.

Warning: Despite the obvious set up this is not a lemon.

Lonely nights

By, Clayton Overstreet

Ryoko lay back staring at the ceiling. She could count every sliver of wood there. She hadn't slept since she had been released from the cave. Not at night anyway. And when she tried to sleep during the day she was yelled at and called lazy by that busy body princess. Nobody ever seemed to notice that she'd done her chores the night before. No, they just made her redo them every day. And she could never tell them, because then they would know... know how weak she was. Tenchi would know too. He would pick Ayeka.

Tears fell from her tired eyes. Washu had told her to sleep. Had even helped her a few times by telling the others she was performing some tests while Ryoko was asleep in her lab. Ryoko smirked after she realized that Washu probably did perform some tests.

Sometimes she would watch Tenchi sleep, envying him and loving him at the same time. Sometimes she used to sneak into bed with him at night. She felt safe there, could finally sleep. But that day he had found her there he had been so scared... and that was the end of that. She cursed Kagato every day for the things he did to her. Then she cursed herself for the things she'd done. Despite what she always said she agreed with Ayeka. She was a demon and Tenchi would never love her. But she wouldn't give up. Something in her kept her going.

Finally she decided to see if Tenchi could help her. Quietly she got down onto the floor. Walking up the stairs she sighed. She could not believe she was actually going through with this. When she got to the door to Tenchi's room she bit her lip and knocked. It wasn't just to disable the force field, she had forgotten all about that thing again. She had just felt like it was the right thing to do. After a minute or so the door opened. "Ryoko? Is something wrong?"

Ryoko looked at him meekly. "Well I was having trouble sleeping. I was wondering if I could stay with you tonight. I swear I won't try anything, I just don't want to be alone. If you want though I'll go sit in the living room and watch television if you want."

Tenchi thought about it for a second, then he smiled. "Ok Ryoko, come on in."

Ryoko's eyes lit up. "Really? I can sleep with you?"

Tenchi blushed and rubbed the back of his head. "Could you not put it like that? If one of the other girls heard you they might think..."

She smiled and winked. "They might think what Tenchi?" He blushed and went back into his room. "Just remember your promise Ryoko." She smiled and nodded. "I will Tenchi. But I just want you to know that if you want me to break that promise all you have to do is say so."

Tenchi covered up in his bed and scooted to the side leaving plenty of room for Ryoko. She phased into a nightshirt and panties and covered up next to him. Smiling peacefully she closed her eyes. Tenchi smiled at her and found himself looking over every detail of her face. When she was awake she always seemed so arrogant. But the way she had acted when she came to see him... He smiled at her and quietly whispered, "Goodnight Ryoko." Closing his eyes Tenchi went to sleep.

The next morning Ryoko had her arm draped over Tenchi's chest. At first he was scared, then he realized that she was simply sleeping. He kicked himself for thinking Ryoko would break her word. Smiling he got up and got dressed. Suddenly there was a knock at the door. Tenchi opened it and found Ayeka there. "Good morning lord Tenchi." She said bowing.

Tenchi smiled and greeted her, "Hello Ayeka. Is there something I can do for you?"

Nodding she held up the laundry basket. "Today is my day to take care of the dirty clothes. And I was wondering if you had any that needed to go out." Tenchi smiled and motioned for her to follow him in before he remembered Ryoko was still in his bed.

He closed his eyes and clenched his teeth when he heard the basket hit the floor. "What... what is she doing in your bed?" Ayeka yelled.

Tenchi turned and shushed her. "Please Ayeka keep your voice down. She was having trouble sleeping and I said she could sleep here. She promised not to do anything you wouldn't like and she kept her promise so will you please keep your voice down so she can get some sleep?" Ayeka bit her lip still glancing at Ryoko. She knew Sasami had come in here sometimes when she had nightmares and Tenchi never closed his door to her. She could not expect him to do any less for anyone else.

"Alright lord Tenchi. It's none of my business." Stiffly she picked up the basket and Tenchi deposited his clothes in it. He smiled at her and she shrugs, carrying it out of the room. "Sasami has breakfast ready." Tenchi smiled and went downstairs after her closing the door softly. Ayeka smiled pleasantly. At least Ryoko wouldn't be joining them for lunch so she could have some time alone with Tenchi. Once she got down stairs she dumped the clothes in the washer and sat down next to him smiling.

"Where is Ryoko?" Sasami asked.

Tenchi looked at her. "She had some trouble sleeping and came to my room. She's still asleep."

Sasami smiled and nodded. "I see. Well when you are done do you think you could take her food up to her?" He nodded and Ayeka frowned. This meant Tenchi was going to be alone with Ryoko more.

Ayeka smiled at Tenchi fetchingly, "Lord Tenchi, do you think that for lunch you'd like to go on a picnic?"

Sasami perked up. "Hey that's a great idea Ayeka. I'll pack us all something to eat and after Tenchi is done at the shrine we can all go on a picnic."

Tenchi smiled at them both. "I agree with Sasami. A family picnic would be great. Sasami you tell Washu and I'll tell Ryoko ok?"

Mihoshi smiled at Ayeka and said, "Wow Ayeka this was a great idea!" Ayeka frowned and bit her lip. She had been planning to get Tenchi alone.

Ryo-Oki hopped out of Sasami's lap and turned into her toddler form so she could help Sasami with the dishes. After they had put everything away Sasami gave Tenchi a plate to take up to Ryoko and disappeared into Washu's lab to tell her about the picnic. Tenchi took the plate upstairs while Mihoshi sat on the couch to watch television. Ayeka sat at the table looking off into space and frowning.

When Tenchi got to his room he found Ryoko still asleep. Quietly he shook her shoulder until she woke up. She yawned and looked up at him. "Thank you Tenchi. That was the most sleep I've had since I left the cave."

Tenchi frowned. "Really? You only got six hours at most. Why can't you sleep?"

Ryoko bit her lip, but after a minute she answered him. "I get lonely and can't sleep. The same thing used to happen when I was with Kagato."

Tenchi put his hand on hers and her breath caught in her throat. "Well you're here now. And any time you feel lonely just come see me alright?"

Ryoko smiled and hugged him roughly. "Oh Tenchi I knew you loved me!"

Tenchi smiled but pushed her off of him. "Now calm down. Remember you promised to behave yourself."

She smiled and nodded. "Alright... hey you brought me breakfast." Ryoko grabbed her plate and started shoveling food into her mouth. Tenchi smiled and laughed quietly. Ryoko frowned and looked at him. "What?"

Tenchi reached out and picked some food out of her hair and she giggled too. "Ayeka suggested a family picnic. We're going at lunch after I'm done at the shrine alright?"

Ryoko smiled and nodded. "Alright. I'll see you there Tenchi." Tenchi took her empty plate and walked down the stairs. Ryoko watched him go and sighed happily.

Tenchi finished sweeping the stairs and his grandfather was busy in his office with one of the shrine patrons. He put his broom away and changed out of his shrine clothes. Walking back to the house he saw the other girls except Ryoko heading out the door. "Where'd Ryoko go?"

Sasami grinned up at him and Ayeka frowned. "She offered to set the picnic up for us. She's a lot cheerier today."

Tenchi nodded. "It's probably because she got some real sleep for the first time in months. Where did she say she's meet us?"

Mihoshi smiled and told him, "She said you'd know. Something about a hot potato." Tenchi grinned and lead the way to the shrine. He remembered when he was a boy camping outside the cave. He had burned his fingers on a potato he had been cooking. But for some reason he couldn't remember when he had told Ryoko about it.

When they finally got there Washu was the first to see Ryoko. "Hey little Ryoko, it was so sweet of you to set up for us."

Ryoko smirked and responded, "Why thank you MOM." Tenchi looked at her smiling and stopped in his tracks. Ryoko was dressed in one of his mother's old kimonos. She saw him looking and blushed. "I hope you don't mind Tenchi. I promise to be real careful and not rip it."

He smiled and nodded. "It's alright Ryoko. You look great. Sleep must agree with you." She and he laughed at the same time.

Mihoshi turned to Ayeka. "What's so funny?" Ayeka was pretending she hadn't noticed how close Tenchi and Ryoko were acting when she and the others sat down on the picnic blanket, but it wasn't easy. She had this awful feeling that somehow Ryoko had gotten very close to Tenchi, and she had done it without trying to. That meant Ayeka couldn't stop it or fight back.

After they had begun eating Sasami and Ryo-Oki finished first. They ran off to play. Tenchi smiled and watched them nostalgically. Ryoko did to and made the comment that, "Tenchi used to play a lot like that when he was younger."

Tenchi turned to look at her surprised and swallowed the bite of sandwich he was eating. "Ryoko, you've said things like that before. I don't remember telling you that. Did you talk to Dad or Grandpa about it?"

Ryoko blushed and nibbled on her slice of watermelon. She mumbled a quiet, "No..."

Tenchi was not ready to drop the subject though. "Then how do you know so much about me when I was a baby."

Ayeka knew this story. She had heard it once in the baths. If Tenchi heard it Ryoko might get an edge up. That was why she had laughed and dismissed it with insults. The odd thing was that in all the fights they had had that was the only time she had made Ryoko cry. "Tenchi she obviously doesn't want to talk about it."

Tenchi blushed and looked down. "You're right Ayeka. I'm sorry I was so nosey Ryoko. You probably saw it in a photo album or something. I shouldn't have butted in."

Ryoko looked up at him and smiled. "It's alright Tenchi. If you really want to know..." Ayeka clenched her teeth. She had made a mistake and she knew it. "...I used to watch you when you were a child. I learned how to leave my body. Actually you used to be able to see me. But when your grandmother..." She stopped and bit her lip. Tenchi's eyes fell down to his food. He remembered that day all to well.

Mihoshi looked at them. "When his grandmother what?"

Tenchi looked up with a tear at the corner of his eye. "She died Mihoshi." Mihoshi covered her mouth and moved to apologize, but Tenchi stopped her. "No it's alright Mihoshi. You didn't know." Tenchi looked towards Ryoko. "You were there?" She nodded looking down at the watermelon in her hand.

Mihoshi smiled, "Well I think it is nice that you had someone to share it with."

Tenchi smiled for a second, then frowned again. "I seem to remember... but then you stopped coming. I couldn't find you anymore."

He looked up at Ryoko. "I don't know what happened Tenchi. I was there. I tried to hold you, to comfort you. But you couldn't see me any more." He nodded and looked down again.

Mihoshi saw that everyone was sad. Finally she looked up and said, "What kind of games did you two play before that?"

Ryoko smiled and stared off into the distance. "Well that depended on what Tenchi had been reading. I used to just do illusions for him at random when he was a baby, but he started suggesting games after a while." Tenchi grinned vaguely remembering. A bit more fell into place every time Ryoko said something. She saw him start to smile again and decided to go on. "Like that time you brought that book of fairy tales to the cave. You read some to me and I made lions and dragons for you to fight. Castles for you to get into." Tenchi gasped and his face broke out into a grin.

"Save the princess from the castle. I remember now." He looked at her and laughed. "Remember how I reacted when it came time to wake the princess up?"

Ryoko giggled and looked at him. "You were downright grossed out at it. I guess that's something you never grew out of."

Tenchi blushed. "Well I wouldn't say that." Ryoko blushed too.

Ayeka didn't like any of this one bit. Chewing on some potato chips she felt the urge to blast Ryoko into dust. The worst part was that if this game went like they said that meant that in Tenchi's eyes Ryoko could be a princess. That cut out Ayeka's main advantage over Ryoko. Of course Ayeka knew she was still prettier and a calmer person than Ryoko... but then again since she had woken up this morning Ryoko seemed a lot calmer. And her eyes were no longer ringed and bloodshot.

Sasami came around the corner holding an old net. "Hey Tenchi, what's this for?"

Tenchi laughed and looked at her and Ryo-Oki. "I used to use that to chase butterflies. You catch them with the net and when you've had a chance to look at then you let them go. But be careful and don't touch their wings ok?" Sasami smiled and nodded then she and Ryo-Oki disappeared into the forest.

Washu noticed that Ayeka was become more comfortable since Tenchi and Ryoko had stopped talking about his past. She'd obviously heard this before. Washu almost brought the conversation back that way, but decided to be a bit nicer to the princess because Ryoko felt so good. "You know Ryoko, your brother was a very cute baby too." Everyone turned to her.

Ayeka took the cue, as Washu knew she would. "You never talk much about him. Who was he exactly?"

Washu sighed and her form melted into her adult self. "He was rather adorable. I loved him and his father al lot. But I'd barely had him a year when my husbands family took them away from me." Tears fell from her eyes. It seemed her little conversation starter had backfired. "I miss him sometimes. Moran never even called me his mommy before he was taken." She looked up at Ryoko. "You were going to be my baby too. Not a replacement for Moran, but still my baby. But Kagato took you before you could call me mom too."

Tenchi, Ryoko, and Ayeka all reached out to touch Washu's shoulders at the same time. She smiled up at them. "Taro was the only baby that ever called me mom." She stopped talking having trouble breathing.

Ryoko looked at her and smiled. "Look Washu, I know it wasn't your fault. You didn't know what Kagato would do. I don't think I can call you mom like you want, but I know that you would have been a great one." Washu smiled back at her and nodded in understanding.

Mihoshi however was curious; "Did you say your babies name was Moran? That's funny."

Washu turned and looked at her, "Why is that funny?"

Mihoshi shrugged, "Nothing. It's just that that's my grandfather's name. You know the marshal. He's about twenty thousand years old too."

Washu looked at Mihoshi in shock. Could it be true? "Um, Mihoshi, what is your grandfather's last name?"

Mihoshi shrugged. "I don't know. I never asked."

Washu bit her lip. "What about your great grandfather? What's his name?"

Mihoshi shrugged. "I'm not sure. I think it was Mal... Something."

Washu bit her lip and whispered, "Was it Malcome?"

Mihoshi's eyes lit up. "Yeah that was it. Mom and dad never let grandpa talk about him, but grandpa always said he was a good man. How did you know his name Washu?"

More tears fell onto Washu's cheeks. "Because he was my husband."

Everyone gasped. Mihoshi looked at her and said, "Does that mean that you're..." Mihoshi paused and everyone looked at her expectantly.

Ryoko clasped her hand over Mihoshi's mouth before she could continue. "Think very carefully about this Mihoshi."

Mihoshi nodded and waited a minute. "Um... grandma?" Washu smiled and nodded.

Sasami peeked out of the bushes. "Hey that means Ryoko and Washu are related to Mihoshi. And since I'm Tsunami that means we are too. Wow!" Tenchi looked at the others who all stared at each other.

Ryoko grinned wickedly. Just because she had a little sleep didn't mean she'd changed completely. "Well Tenchi still isn't related to me by blood... yet."

Tenchi blushed and Ayeka turned on her angrily. "What exactly is that supposed to mean Ryoko?"

Ryoko smiled and said, "Well you're Tenchi's grandaunt aren't you? And I thought you loved Yosho. Just because he's old did you latch onto Tenchi?"

Ayeka's face grew red again and she summoned her logs to surround Ryoko. Tenchi quickly grabbed the master key and shut them off. Ayeka and Ryoko were surprised. Then Ryoko turned to Tenchi and yelled, "You could have turned them off like that every time she was zapping me?"

Tenchi nodded. "I guess. But usually you both tell me to stay out of it and seem to enjoy blasting each other. It's not like Ayeka can really hurt you that bad Ryoko." Ryoko sighed and shrugged. Tenchi turned back to Washu, but Ayeka stopped him before he could continue.

"What do you mean I can't hurt her?" She demanded.

Tenchi sighed and looked at Ayeka. "You and I have both seen her fight for real. I mean she only had that one emergency gem and Washu says that if she'd used her full power at that point she would have vaporized you. Now could you both stop playing around so we can get back to this?" Ryoko sighed and looked back at Washu, but Ayeka stared ahead and just nodded numbly.

"So Washu, " Tenchi continued. "What are you going to do now?"

Washu sucked her lip and looked back at Mihoshi. "Do you think you could give me your grandfather's number for his communicator. Mihoshi smiled pleasantly, still eating. Between bites of food she gave Washu the number. Without even bothering to return to her normal form she quickly ran back down the path to the house.

Tenchi looked at Ryoko. "Well it seems Mihoshi is like your grandniece or something."

Ryoko nodded and smiled. "Well that explains how she keeps getting into Washu's lab when she had DNA scanners all over the place. And... Hey! Mihoshi you just ate the last sandwich!"

After that they got up to leave. Tenchi and Sasami tried to pack the plates and things back up but Ayeka stopped them. "No, I'll do it. It'll give me time to think."

Tenchi grinned and nodded. "I know what you mean."

Ayeka turned to him in surprise. "You do?"

He nodded and said, "Yeah. Having Mihoshi being related to the royal family. I mean wow. And since Washu was a goddess who knows where that puts her and Ryoko in the royal family." Ayeka's eyes bulged out. She hadn't even thought of that. Now it turned out that Ryoko was a member of the royal family and descended from Tsunami's sister. But then again Tsunami was also Ayeka's sister. Suddenly her head started to hurt and she had to stop thinking about it. (Ok, the author is the one getting the headache with all these religious implications).

Ayeka instead started focusing on what Tenchi had said. He was absolutely right. Ryoko had single handedly brought the entire planet of Jurai to its knees. If Yosho hadn't chased her off the planet (and some say Tsunami helped him with that) then Kagato would have had her destroy the entire planet. There was no way that one Juraian without the master key could have even come close to her with all her gems. And with only one replacement gem if Ayeka hadn't been there Ryoko would have vaporized Kagato. And Kagato had managed to swat Ayeka away like a fly.

Through every fight Ayeka had had with Ryoko she had been using every ounce of power in her to fight. But Ryoko had only been playing. Even the guardians had been easily swatted away by Zero. All Ayeka's fighting, all her trying to teach Ryoko a lesson, trying to keep her away from Tenchi. In the entire universe only a handful of beings had power to match Ryoko and Ayeka wasn't one of them. Suddenly a horrible thought occurred to her. What if Tenchi gave Ryoko her gems back? No, despite her hatred of the space pirate she knew that Ryoko no longer had any interest in hurting anyone. She didn't even really want to hurt Ayeka.

Tears fell from Ayeka's eyes as she remembered what had started the last fight. 'You're Tenchi's grandaunt aren't you? And I thought you loved Yosho.' The words rang through her brain over and over. On Jurai it was no big deal to marry family. It was easy since there was already a bond to start with. But on Earth it was different. Like on many other worlds family doesn't marry. As she put the last plate into the basket her resolve strengthened. There was one piece of information she needed before she gave up.

That night when she arrived home she found Sasami cooking dinner. As she put the basket and plates away she casually asked, "Sasami, have you ever read any of these fairy tales?"

Sasami giggled. "Yeah, they're great. Hero's fighting monsters, talking animals, and all sorts of fun things."

Ayeka bit her lip. She wasn't sure how to ask this so just came out and said it. "And how do they wake up a princess locked in a castle?"

Sasami thought about it for a second. "I think the prince has to fight his way into the castle, then kiss the princess." Ayeka gasped and dropped the plate she was holding. Sasami looked at her worried and said, "What's wrong Ayeka?" Ayeka just shook her head and ran upstairs. On the way she passed Tenchi and the others in the living room. Tenchi and Ryoko were sharing more stories. Stopping she examined Tenchi and Ryoko's faces. He looked up at her and she saw it. A slight change in the light of his eyes. It didn't actually dim or fade. It just became... familiar. It was love, but it was the love she saw in Sasami's eyes when she looked at Ayeka and in her parents eyes when they looked at her.

She couldn't be mad at him or Ryoko either. Neither really wanted to hurt her and in reality neither had. Both of them loved each other and didn't even know it yet. Tenchi smiled at her, "Are you alright Ayeka?"

Ayeka nodded and smiled with tears in her eyes. "I'm fine. I just... have something to think about." Ayeka walked up the stairs crying and smiling at the same time.

Ryoko and Tenchi looked at each other. "I guess she wants to be alone." Ryoko said. Tenchi nodded his agreement.

Suddenly Mihoshi jumped up; "Hey it's time for DragonBall Z." Tenchi and Ryoko smiled and turned to the television.

Washu had just finished talking with her son. They had had a long and teary reunion. It turned out that Washu's husband had died a long time ago. Moran had grown up and tried to raise his own daughter right but the rest of the family had told her that Washu's marriage was a disgrace to the family. When her parents had died though Moran had raised her to be more respectful and kept her out of the family's way.

Washu smiled and nodded. "You did a good job, but she is a bit accident prone."

Moran blushed and shrugged. "Well she's considered one of the best officers on the force."

Washu agreed. "I have to admit she does some amazing things. I still don't know how she found Dr. Clay's ship. But for some reason she can't seem to do much right with her cube..." It went on like that for an hour as they traded stories until they ran out of things to talk about.

"Well mother, I guess I'll talk to you later alright?" Washu flipped the switch and sat back happier than she'd been in millennia. Looking over her adult form she smiled and decided to keep it.

Sasami tapped her on the shoulder, "Um Washu?"

Washu turned and smiled at the little girl. "What is it Sasami? You look worried."

Sasami bit her lip and said, "Ayeka got real upset earlier about some thing and I was wondering if you might know what's wrong." She told Washu about the fairy tales Ayeka had asked about.

Washu frowned and said, "Uh oh. I think she might be upset about a game Ryoko and Tenchi used to play. Do you want me to go talk with her Sasami?"

Sasami nodded and hugged her. "Thanks Washu. You're a great sister." Washu smiled and rubbed the girl's head. They walked out of the lab and Washu headed upstairs while Sasami went into the kitchen.

Washu knocked gently on Ayeka's door. "Ayeka, can I talk with you?"

Ayeka opened the door and said, "Oh, hello Miss Washu. What do you wish to talk about?"

Washu walked into the room and sat down on the bed looking around. "Sasami asked me to check up on you. She's very worried."

Ayeka blushed and covered her mouth. "Oh I'm sorry. I should have been more considerate. I was just..."

Washu nodded. "I figured that much out from what Sasami told me. Are you going to be alright?"

Ayeka nodded. "Yes. It was just a shock. I can't really be mad at them though or sad. We all care about each other and there is no way I can change how he feels so... I'm just going to be happy for them."

Washu lay back on the bed. "I am really surprised Ayeka. I thought you'd probably blow something up or be up here crying for weeks." Ayeka smiled and shook her head. Washu turned to look at her. "Not that I'd blame you though. I would have liked to marry Tenchi myself." Ayeka sat down next to Washu.

"I know. We all wanted to, but Ryoko won out in the end. Do you know the funny part though?" Washu shook her head. "They don't know it yet." Both of them broke out laughing. Tsunami disappeared from the mirror then to go tell Sasami.

That night Ryoko got into bed with Tenchi, once again promising not to try anything unless he wanted her to. Tenchi just grinned and lay down next to her. Neither of them fell asleep for quite some time. "You know Ryoko, if you want I'll give you your gems back whenever you want."

Ryoko turned and looked at him. "I know Tenchi. But I don't really care either way."

He nodded and bit his lip. "I just didn't want you to feel there was anything keeping you here if you wanted to leave."

Ryoko smiled at him. "Why would I ever want to leave?"

Tenchi shrugged. "I don't know. I mean you can go to any place in the entire universe and you stay here."

Ryoko smiled and said, "Everything I could ever want in the universe is right here Tenchi. Friends, family, this beautiful world, and the one person in the universe I love more than anything else." He turned and saw her staring into his eyes. He smiled back and blushed lightly. "Tenchi?"

"Yes Ryoko?"

She looked out his window staring at the night sky. "I know I tease Ayeka a lot, but every time I told you I love you I meant it."

He smiled at her. "I know that Ryoko. I love you too."

She couldn't believe her ears. "You mean it Tenchi?" He nodded. She smiled and hugged him. Tenchi smiled and hugged her back. Both of them fell asleep in each other's arms.

The end

Author's note