"But won't they wonder where we are?" asked Tenchi, dropping the short
distance from his window to the ground.  "We still have a party going on and
all.  You don't think we're being too sneaky?"
     Ryoko grinned and took his hand, biting gently on a fingertip.
"Perhaps, but for what I've got in mind, you and I are going to need more
soundproofing than this house can provide.  We're going to be making a lot
of noise..."
     Tenchi reddened slightly, even though he was used to Ryoko's amorous
nature by then.  She giggled and took his hand, then ran with him to the
cave that had formerly been imprisoning Washu.  As they ran, Tenchi's mood
began to lighten as he thought about what Ryoko said to him in their
bedroom.  Life was indeed far too short to spend in sadness, and if you had
someone who loved you, it was always best to make the most of your time with
them.
     At the mouth, they disengaged hands as Ryoko moved the heavy stone slab
away from the entrance(the awkward, chiseled kanji script on the surface,
'Danger!  Keep Away!' had been put there by Ryoko and Ayeka earlier that
year, part of their punishment for disobeying Grandpa's explicit
instructions to stay away).  When she finished, she took his hand and pulled
him into the darkness of the cave, lighting her way with a glowing ball of
energy.  Tenchi looked behind him warily and gulped, hoping no one would see
them.  Ryoko turned to him and smiled, slipping her arm through his and
pulling him close.
     "Aw, is poor little Tenchi afraid that someone will see him naked?" she
teased, leaning over and pulling on his earlobe with her teeth.  "Not to
worry, sweetie.  I'll keep your body well-covered with mine."  Tenchi
blushed again and grinned at her comment, indeed worried by the thought, but
also strangely excited by the prospect.  The longer he was with her, the
more his inhibitions seemed to slip from him.  He got closer to her and let
her lead him further down the corridor.
     The atrium of the cavern remained much the same as it was before, save
for the absence of the glowing central crystal that held the professor in
stasis for countless centuries.  The roof of the cave had been shattered,
allowing sunlight to come through and grass to cover the hard stone surface.
  As it was now late evening, the moon bathed the pair in soft silver light
as they gazed up at the clear night sky, enjoying the moment of peace and
tranquility together.  Ryoko pulled Tenchi down and and laid with him on the
soft grass, running her fingers through his hair and staring into his eyes
with loving need.
     "Tenchi my love", she said huskily, kissing his lower lip and tracing
the curve of his jaw.  "Do you have any idea just how much I need you?  Do
you have any idea just how badly I need to be with you...to feel your hands
on my body, to feel you kissing me, touching me?  Mm...wanting to feel you
inside of me?  Do you have any idea at all?"
     Tenchi shivered, her words sparking his need and arousal.  He looked at
her and touched her face tenderly, Ryoko turning it in his open palm and
kissing it softly, giving it a teasing lick as she did so.  He brought her
face down to his and kissed her, tasting the sweetness of her lips and
revelling in the hot softness of her mouth.  He broke away momentarily,
stroking her hair.
     "I want you too, Ryoko...more than anything in the world, and I love
you so much it hurts me sometimes.  But...what about the baby?  I don't want
to do anything to hurt our child."  Ryoko looked at him and smiled tenderly,
touching his face as if he were a delicate thing, rare and perfect and
valuable.  And he was all of these to her, and so much more.
     "Well...do you know what Washu said about the baby?" she said softly,
slipping his shirt up his chest and off his arms.  "She said that it's about
the size of a bean right now, so it's highly unlikely you have to worry
about putting dents in its head."  There was a pause, and then Tenchi
snorted a laugh.  They both began laughing then, and shared a tender kiss
afterwards.  They rolled on their sides and continued their caresses, then
broke apart.
     "Seriously, though" said Ryoko, kissing his nose.  "We'll be fine.
Just as long as it's comfortable for me, and there's no direct pressure on
my abdomen."  She grinned and kissed him lingeringly, running her hand along
his back.  "And that means, dear boy, that I get to be on top."
     Tenchi smiled, busying himself with the sash around her waist.  "I
doubt the time will ever come that I'll complain about that, my love" he
said, drawing the sash away and slipping her dress up her legs slowly.  She
giggled and purred roughly, watching him move up her body and loving the
warm, sure strength of his hands as they moved up her legs.
     She closed her eyes and moaned, a growing ache building between her
thighs.  She looked at him with her eyes half-lidded after he finished
removing her clothing, and began to kiss along her chest with the tiny,
firey little kisses she loved so much.  "Mm.." she moaned, chuckling softly.
  "Tenchi...mmm..I love the way you kiss me."
     She felt his lips growing into another smile on her skin, but he made
no reply.  His fingers slid up an inner thigh and gently moved through the
soft curls of silver hair they found between her legs.  She gasped and laid
her head back, curling her toes at the contact.
     "Ah.." she managed, slipping her fingers into his dark hair and
clenching them into slight fists.  "Tenchi..what did you mean..mm..when you
said that loving me hurts you sometimes?  Oh..God..mm..tell me..please?"
     Tenchi kissed her stomach and looked up at her, getting up and moving
along her body until he lay gently above her, his weight supported by his
hands and knees.  She could feel the hard heat of him pressing against her,
and she burned to feel him entering her body.  He leaned down and kissed her
lips, then followed it with another on her forehead, cheeks, and chin.  He
smiled and looked into her eyes.
     "Maybe it's because I'm getting older" he said, "or maybe it's the
change you've made in me, but time has become so precious to me, Ryoko.  I
think about how short life is, and how inadequate all the minutes in a given
day can be to show you how much I love you, and how much you mean to me.  It
hurts me because there are times that I can't be with you, and there is no
one in the world I'd rather spent time with than you, Ryoko.  If I could,
I'd stop time itself just so I could love you like this forever.  You've
given me the greatest joy I've ever known by coming into my life...I just
wish every moment of it could be spent at your side."
     Ryoko smiled, her eyes welling with tears as she rose up and kissed his
lips, gravity and emotion finally drawing her tears down her cheeks.  She
looked at him for a long time, sniffling occasionally, then kissed him again
and rolled him over on his back, kissing along his neck and shoulders.  She
kissed down to his navel and laid her head on his stomach, wiping her tears
away slowly.
     "I love you so much, Tenchi" she said at last, closing her eyes.  "I
swear, if you had existed when I first started out as a space pirate, I
would have snatched you up right then and would have been too content to
steal anything else.  You make me so happy, Tenchi.  Please don't ever
leave."
     Tenchi held her close to him and cuddled her, breathing in the scent of
her skin and hair.  "You'll never have to worry about that, my love" he said
softly, and leaned in to seal the vow with a kiss.
     It was then that the stars went out, and the gentle breeze grew into a
howling gale.
     The couple gasped in shock and rose up, staring at the sky.  It swirled
with thunder and lightning, centering at a point directly above their heads.
  To their further astonishment, a ship began to materialize out of the sky,
lightning flickering along its hull.  It resembled a royal Juraian
spacecraft, but its smaller size put its identification into question.
     "Is that..a Jurai ship?" asked Tenchi, pulling his clothes on with a
worried look.  Ryoko dressed as well and retied the sash around her waist,
examining the craft as she did so.
     "Ryuten or Jurai" said Ryoko, furrowing her brow.  "No escorts, unless
they're waiting on the opposite side of that dimensional gateway."  She
sighed, looking over at Tenchi with disappointment.  "They've got impeccable
timing too.  I wonder what the Hell they want?"
     Tenchi took her hand and ran his thumb over it tenderly.  "We should
head back and get the others.  I have no idea what this is about, but maybe
Grandpa will know."
     Ryoko shook her head and slipped her arms around him, lifting them both
into the air and flying over to the dock.  Washu, Sasami, and Grandpa were
already there, and were watching the ship's slow descent.  Ryoko watched it
as well and frowned, still annoyed at the interruption.  She kissed the back
of Tenchi's head and whispered into his ear.
     "Don't think they're going to get you out of tonight's lovemaking,
Tenchi" she said, smiling softly.
     Tenchi grinned and kissed her cheek.  "I wouldn't dream of asking them"
he said.  And then they settled down beside the others, and waited for the
ship to reveal its intentions.