Washu woke late the next morning. She felt warm and happy. Warm. Warm and squashed. Slowly she opened her eyes to find Ryoko sprawled across her. It was nice. Waking up holding her baby. She reached up and stroked Ryoko's hair.
Apparently Ryoko was already awake as she stilled under the light touch and yawned. Washu smiled and waited for her to move but Ryoko only snuggled closer.
Washu relaxed back. It was nice to actually finally have a daughter. She might have been able to fool herself before but Ryoko was her daughter. There was no denying it. And it was nice to have a daughter. Nice to have a family.
She should have had this a long time ago. Should have had a husband and a son. They were gone though and no amount of living as a 12 year old would change that. It was about time she stopped hiding and got on with living.
Ryoko yawned and sat up slowly. Washu let her, yawning herself. Ryoko smiled a little and climbed up.
"Thanks mum," she said slowly, then disappeared out of the door.
~*~*~*~
The Masaki household was eerily quiet and Sasami didn't like it. She was missing the presence of the bubbly space pirate and her mother. And Ryo-Oki. She didn't like being without her best friend for so long.
When she'd told Ayeka this she'd been told not to worry. Ayeka had reminded her they could stay here on Earth as long as they wanted now and soon enough the baby would be here and she could help with that and everything.
Sasami was pretty sure Tenchi was nervous about how quiet it was to. He was spending a lot of time out in the fields lately. Always making an excuse to be out of the house.
Ayeka had gone insane. She spent every moment cleaning and had convinced Sasami to teach her to cook. She kept saying that now Tenchi had picked her she had to work hard to be the perfect housewife. To make Tenchi happy then he would never regret his decision.
Mihoshi didn't seem all that affected by it all. As long as she wasn't getting kicked out. Ayeka had tried to get her to help with the housework for a while but she soon discovered all the reasons that just wasn't a good idea and took even more on herself.
Sasami worried. But, then again, she always worried. She just didn't like the quiet.
~*~*~*~
The lab was getting to damn loud. Ryoko seemed to have perked up a lot today. She had disappeared and Washu had left her to it until something got broken. It seemed like the entire day was constantly spoilt by the sound of something breaking or Ryoko screaming or Ryo-Oki's 'Miya'.
Washu had tried to work for a while but soon she gave up. She tinkered a bit but couldn't get anything serious done. She was still worried, even if Ryoko seemed to have forgotten. Her daughter had a choice to make and soon. She couldn't just go brushing it of.
By dinner time, Ryoko had worn herself and Ryo-Oki out enough. She actually sat down and ate. It was the first time in two days.
Through dinner they talked of inconsequential little things. It was nice, normal. It left Washu wondering what their relationship would be like if she hadn't been forced to give Ryoko to Kagato.
Once everything was clean again after the meal she knew she had to talk to her daughter. Ryoko may not like it but they had to talk and a decision had to be made.
"Ryoko," she called out. Her daughter looked up. "We need to talk."
"Can't it wait until tomorrow?" Ryoko asked.
"You know it can't."
Ryoko nodded and sat down. Washu sat across from her. They were silent for quite a while. Washu didn't quite know how to start the conversation. She just knew they had to have it.
"What are you going to do?" she asked eventually.
"I don't know," Ryoko whispered. Washu reached out and took her hand, squeezing it.
"I know this is hard," Washu whispered. "But you haven't got much time. Whatever you choose to do I'll still love you."
"I don't think I can take care of a baby on my own…"
"I you need help then I'm here," Washu said softly. "You know I am."
"Yeah. What kind of life will that baby have though. I can't go most places. I don't have a home. I have to rely on other for everything.
"But can I give it up? In any way! It's Tenchi's child. I still love him."
"I know," Washu whispered.
"But he left me. For Ayeka. And he didn't trust me…"
"This isn't about Tenchi," Washu interrupted softly. "It's about your baby."
A tear ran down Ryoko's cheek and Washu immediately moved to wipe it away.
"I don't think I can keep it," Washu whispered. "I can't give it the life it deserves. It's just going to make me miserable. I can't bring a child into the world that I can't care for and love properly."
"It's ok. Are you sure?"
"I'm positive," Ryoko said. Washu moved around the table and hugged her. She knew it had been a hard decision but it was over now. They would take care of it tomorrow and it would all be ok.
~*~*~*~
The house was spotless. Everything was wonderful and in place. It was all shinny and bright. Tenchi could walk into this house and see what a good job she'd done and be glad he hadn't picked that lousy lazy space pirate.
Ok, she may have got worried and, in a moment of panic, created a child that weren't ready for. She had panicked. She couldn't loose Tenchi so soon after she'd finally got him.
One day she could tell him and he would understand. When they were happy in their home with their baby and everything was good. Then she could tell him. Once they were all happy and settled down.
~*~*~*~
Tenchi stood staring up at the stars. He couldn't help thinking of Ryoko. He wished he'd believe her. Instead he'd just hurt everyone. That was the last thing he'd wanted.
He hadn't wanted to believe Washu about Ayeka but it was looking more and more likely. He didn't want to think that Ayeka had just created that child out of hatred for Ryoko buy it was a real possibility.
He sometimes wondered…
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