Washu woke late the next morning. Everyone in the Masaki household had known the pressure she was under and left her to sleep. By the time she woke up Ryoko was already awake and pottering around. Washu had left them near a small kitchen and her daughter had managed to scrape together breakfast. Toast and jam, nothing to complex. Even Ryoko could cook that.
They ate together, Ryoko staying oddly silent. Washu respected that. Her daughter needed time to think. Time to sort out her emotions. Everyone needed time to think every now and again.
Once they were done Washu decided to leave Ryoko to herself, first making it clear where she was going and how should could be reached. Ryoko just nodded, not meeting her mother's eyes.
Washu hurt to see her like that. Who wouldn't? She stood and walked round the table, then pulled Ryoko into an embrace. Ryoko hugged her back for a second, then pulled back and went into her room. Washu watched here go. She wished there was more that she could do but, for all her intelligence, all she could do was be there.
She went out into the Masaki house to let them know she was still alive. Ryoko didn't want them to know where she was so Washu had no choice but to honor that request. She told them that she needed to be alone in her lab for a few days to search for Ryoko and she didn't want to be disturbed. Tenchi had the good sense to look embarrassed that he'd caused Ryoko so much pain.
Sasami seemed more worried for Washu, asking if she had food and such. Washu had assured that little girl that she would get by. After all, she had so far. Ayeka had complained loudly, claiming she needed Washu to monitor her baby. Washu had managed not to hit her, but had told her rather coldly that she would just have to get by. She left Sasami with a buzzer to contact her if anything went REALLY wrong then retreated back into the lab, taking the door out of the Masaki house as she did.
She pottered around with her inventions a bit, then fixed some lunch. She tried to get Ryoko to come out to eat but the other woman just insisted that she wasn't hungry. Washu left her. If you have been nice to be confided in but Ryoko still didn't completely trust her.
~*~*~*~
At Midday Tenchi was out in the fields. Just because he was going to be a father and had finally made a choice didn't mean that he got of work. It didn't matter. He didn't mind being out of the house and as far away from Washu as possible. Her accusing glare was really starting to get to him. It wasn't like he hurt Ryoko on porous.
Ok, so he hadn't believed her. How many guys in his position would? He was scared. It didn't matter now. He'd made his choice and he wasn't going back on it.
Ayeka needed him. She was having his child. What Washu said didn't matter, even if it was true.
But what if it was true.
It did matter. He hated that it did but it really did. He didn't want to have a child conceived in hate. He wanted a child that was loved. A child created by love.
He'd made the choice to stop the petty bickering and fighting over him. Ok, it hadn't worked. That wasn't the point. It could have worked. It could have stopped the fighting. It should have.
But Ayeka was pregnant. And if the greatest scientific genius in the world was to believe she had created the baby of her own free will in spite.
Mind you, it wasn't as if Washu wasn't tangled up in all this mess. She was as much a part of this as anyone. After all, one of the girl's in question was her daughter.
He'd hurt Ryoko pretty bad. Rejecting her like that. He probably should have thought this through more thoroughly.
But he'd made his choice and it was the right one for him. To go back on it now would only hurt more people and he would never do that. He loved Ayeka and they would stay together, have their child, and be happy.
~*~*~*~
By dinner Washu was starting to worry. Normally Ryoko didn't stop eating, today she had barely eaten anything. It wasn't the best idea at the moment. Still, there was nothing Washu could do. She made food for them both and left Ryoko's on the side with a note on his to use everything. She tinkered about for a while more but it was pointless really. She wasn't getting anything done, only wasting time. Instead of pottering about when went to lie down. This was it would be easier for Ryoko to find her.
It was close on midnight when the door opened, just a crack, and a gold eye appeared. Washu sat up and look over, smiling. A second later the door opened all the way and Ryoko entered.
Washu waited patiently as her daughter came over and sat on the bed. They looked at each other. Ryoko's eyes were red and puffy, she's probably been crying all day. Washu wanted to reach out and touch her but that might not be a good idea just yet. Better to wait.
"I've been doing a lot of thinking," Ryoko said, meeting Washu's eye. "What I did yesterday was stupid and selfish."
"No," Washu said instantly. "It was emotional. We all give in to out emotions some times. It wouldn't matter anyway, as long as you're safe."
Ryoko smiled a little. It's nice to be told your important.
"I don't know what to do mum," Ryoko whispered, looking down. "I just don't know…"
"It's ok. There's plenty of time to work it out yet…"
Ryoko smiled and leant forward, hugging Washu. Washu hugged her back quickly. Even after everything, Ryoko was still her baby and she loved her. They sat there for a while holding each other. Washu was about to suggest moving when she realised that Ryoko had fallen asleep. If there was one thing she knew for a far about her daughter it was that once she was asleep not a lot of things woke her.
Washu arranged them slowly, lowering her daughter so she was lying down and pulling the covers over them. It would be ok for them to be here tonight. Tomorrow they would have to have a serious talk. Ryoko would have to come to a decision soon.
The laws on abortion out there were very though. She would have to decide and go through with it within a week or it would be to late.
Back to part 3 * forward to part 5
Back to Tenchi muyo fanfiction * Back to the fanfiction main page