This is the final time you'll see me rewrite this. I can promise you that I got all the errors out this time. If this is your first time reading go ahead and enjoy. For everyone that put up with the first two. I'd like to thank you for not hunting me down and beating me with a proper grammar book. I'd like to thank Steven Cornett inparticular, for corrections that he sent me. And all the others out there that gave me their help. Okay, I'm not much of a romantic, but I thought it would be a nice change of pace. I was offered a challenge to write a fic about Kiyone and Nobuyuki. This stems from a friend of mines regular storyline. His name is Seion and he writes the TM Television series. You can find that at GenSao's Tenchi Muyo Fanfiction website. It's a good series. Anyway, enough of the advertising. Oh yeah, if there is any possiblity that I missed a mistake. Feel free to flame me. The only thing I should let you know about before you start reading is, Kiyone and Nobuyuki are married in this storyline. *Once again, it is based on Seion's TV series.* You'll see the name Seion throught out this. He is Kiyone's brother. *He's pretty much the louse of the family, but he's a good hearted guy. Oh yeah, he is Mihoshi's boyfriend.* Well, that just about sums the the basics up. So enjoy. ******************************************************* The air in the Tenchi household was filled with love as Valentine Day was only a day away. Aeka, Ryoko, and Sasami were going crazy, as they tried to out do each others gift for Tenchi. Mihoshi was flat broke, but she wanted to do something nice for Seion. Washu didn't want to be apart of the love frenzy so she confined herself to her work in the lab. She was busy tracking the progress of one of her experiments anyway. This was going to be the first Valentine Day that Noboyuki and Kiyone spent together since they got married. She was hoping that everything would be perfect. She had planned a romantic candlelight dinner for just the two of them, and a cozy night in front of the fire. Nobuyuki was not feeling too festive. He was sitting on the porch sipping some tea, when his peace was disturbed by a conforting pat on his shoulder. He looked upward, to see the smiling face of Yosho. "So, what is on your mind? You look a little troubled with thought." "Oh... It's nothing. I was just thinking." "About what?" "This is the first Valentine I'm going to be with somebody besides Achika. I love Kiyone, but I still miss her so much." "I see. This could hurt Kiyone's feeling if she found out." "I know. I've been trying to avoid her lately. I think if I'm around her too much, she would begin to suspect that much." "Hm... This can be dangerous. Tell me, honestly; do you love her?" "Yes! She has been that thing that I needed to fill the hole in my heart. That is why I don't want to hurt her. "I think it would be best if you go make amends to Achika one last time. This is the only way you will be able to let her rest. You will not be able to truely love Kiyone, as long as you carry a torch for my daughter." "You're right. But letting her go completely will be hard." "I know... There hasn't been a night that has gone by that I did not think about her." Nobuyuki sipped his tea once more and the place his cup down. Within seconds he was on his way to his former wife's grave. ***** Washu was typing away at her holo-pad as one of the dimensional doors opened behind her. She didn't waste any of her energy turning around. Instead, she continued to look forward as her hands steadily worked on. "Whoever it is, go away! I'm busy with a very important expirment. " "Washu." "I said I'm busy! I've been tracking the occurance of a rip in the space-time-continuim. That means, LEAVE ME ALONE!!!" "Washu... I don't feel to good. My head hurts an my stomach is all quezzy." "Sasami! I said..." At that moment Washu turned around to see a very sick looking Sasami. She rushed over and caught her as she started to topple over. With the flip of a wrist, Washu summoned a hover table and placed her ill friend on it. She quickly began to examine her vital signs. But, as she worked, her computer alerted her that the rip was begining. "Hold on. I have to check this and I'll get back to you." "Washu... Don't leave me." "I'm not going anywhere. I'm right here. Just hang in there okay." Washu turned toward the holo-monitor and began to decipher the results. At the same time she kept her hand on Sasami's head. The small child head was burning with fever. She was practically on fire. "These reading can't be right. The rip is 99.9% complete. And it's size span is larger than this city. That gives it a radius greater than the rip in the Bermuda Triangle." "Washuuuu..." "I'm here Sasami. Listen to me. I need Tsumani's help here. There's something very wrong going on. Sasami, do you hear me? Wake up! Washu began to shake, Sasami vigorously in a feebable attempt to wake her. She then turned her face upward as she screamed out for help. "Tsunami! Where are you? I need your help. TSUNAMIIIIIII!!!!!!!! ***** Nobuyuki stood before the shrine at his wife's grave. He was caught up in deep thought, as he tried to find the right words to say. Inside of him was all the pent up emotions that he had hid from everyone. Not even Kiyone knew how he truely felt. He stood there silently for a while then he walked up face to face withe the shrine. He placed one of his hands on it, and dropped down to a knee. "I can remeber the first time I met you. I thought that you were the prettiest girl in our class. I knew that someday that we would get married, and have a wonderful kid together. I can see your beautiful face everytime I close my eyes. I can't let you go. You meant so much to me. Loosing you was the worst thing that ever happened to me. I wish you were still here. I want to tell you how much I loved you, just one more time." Nobuyuki closed his eyes as a tear began to stream down the side of his face. It was like a cold river. There was moment of quiet as the wind carressed his cheek. The water on his face shifted to accomodate the wind. It was almost blown completely off. The little wettness that remained was removed by a hand that came from behind him. "And I still love you too." "That voice.... Achika!? Is that you?" He turned around to see the smiling face of his late beloved. He reached out and touched the side of her face. Her warmth was real. Her body was whole from head to toe. Nobuyuki stood in awe as his eyes were fixated on her. "You look as beautiful now as I remember you." "Thank you. Has my father been eating well." "Yes." Nobuyuki then pulled his hand back as a the full complexity of what was happening hit him. "Wait, how are you here!? Did you come back to haunt me." "No. Why would I do such a thing? I don't know how or why I am here, but I am. I thought you would be happy to see me." "I am! Forgive me. I don't know why I said that. Hey, come with me!" Nobuyuki grabbed Achika's hand and they both ran back to the house. There was a joyous look upon his face. They both ran with spirit in their step as the approached the house. Nobuyuki swung the door open quickly as he entered. "YOSHU!!! TENCHI!!! Come down here! I've got a surprise to show you!" "I'm coming Nobuyuki. There is no reason to scream out like that." "Yeah dad, I could hear you over the TV in my room." The two of them stopped in their tracks, as they entered the living room. Both were struck by the site before them. "My Achika..." "Mom... Is that really you" "Yes, it's me. I've missed you so much. You've grown so big." "Mom, I... I...." Tenchi ran over and hugged his mother. It was a big bear-like hug. As if he wanted to make up for all of them that they had missed over the past few years. Yosho staggered over and stood before them. He didn't quite know what to do. The logical side of him said that something was wrong, but the part of him that was a loving father dominated his judgement. Achika and Tenchi finally broke their hug. She looked forward and saw her father. He looked thinner than she remembered. She extended her arms out and met him. They hugged much liked Tenchi hugged. It was like Yosho didn't want to let her go of her again. He'd lost her once, but now he would not let anything take her away. "It's really you. I can't believe it, but you are real." "Yes daddy. I'm real, and you look like you've been starving. I knew you wouldn't be eating right." At that moment Seion and Mihoshi entered from shopping at the mall. There was a tower of gifts in Seion's arms, which upstructed his view. Mihoshi guided him into the living room. "Thank you for my stuff I can't wait to try everything on." "Sure..... No problem. Ah, can I put this down now!?" "We're almost there. Hey, we've got company. Hi my name is Mihoshi." "Hi I'm Achika." "Wait that name... You look like.... Nah, you can't be." "Yes I am..." before Achika could finish, Mihoshi gave one of her usual responses." "Your the lady from the perfume booth." The room paused for a second as everyone got quiet. Achika was about to respond, but Yoshu grabbed her shoulder and shook his head. His body language told her not to try, as if her effort would be for a lost cause. Seion was at the point that he couldn't hold the boxes anymore. He dropped them down and looked at the lady that seemed to be the center of attention. "Hey! What a babe!" His words brought an instant change in Mihoshi. He thought about what he had just said, but before he could rectify it Mihoshi planted her fist dead square in the center of his face. Followed by a knee that was strategistically aimed to remind him that she was the only babe for him. The other guys wenched as Seion dropped to his knees. After a second or two, Tenchi walked over and helped him to his feet. They started toward his room as he groaned out. "My poor unborn children..." "Your not gonna get any sympathy from me. That's what you get for saying that about my mother." "Your mother!? OOOooooo" Nobuyuki walked over and placed his hand on her shoulder. Achika smiled as she turned around to look at him. The two walked out of the living room through the front door. They went out on the porch and saw Ryoko and Aeka fighting over a gift package in the frontyard. "This is an inappropriate gift for lord Tenchi! I can not allow you to give it to him." "This is my gift and I'm gonna give it to him!" The two of them stopped pulling and stared in dissbelief. They both released the box at the same time. It feel to the ground and a pair of silk boxers popped out of it. Aeka and Ryoko both blushed as Achika watched the unusual gift sail through the air. "My dear, my little Tenchi HAS grown; hasn't he." "Achika!?" "It can't be. I mean she's..." "No girls, I'm alive. I don't know how, but I'm here. And I would like to thank the two of you." The two girls looked at each other then back at her. They both had the same reply, which the spoke in unison. "Thank us for what?" "My Tenchi has grown up strong and knows love because of you both. I knew that you two would be there for him when I could not. For this I am in your debt." "No thanks are needed. I take great pleasure in being by lord Tenchi's side." "Yeah, it was my pleasure being there for him. Hey, wait a minute! What are you doing here, I bet Washu is the cause for this. She's always screwing with reality." Ryoko teleported away. Aeka picked the boxers up and put them back in the its container. Just as she put the lid back on the box, it was teleported out of her hands. She gritted her teeth and ran toward the door that lead to Washu's lab. Nobuyuki and Achika followed behind her. As they ran, Tenchi saw them. He followed right behind, so that he could find out what was up. Yoshu noticed the camossion and followed them. They all entered the lab together. What they saw was as amazing as seeing Achika again. Sasami was lying on a holo-table. Her body was covered in wires, that were connected to several machines. Washu and Ryoko stood over her as the machines regulated her vitals. "She's stabled out. I was afraid that things would get worst, but she seems to be out of the trouble zone." Washu looked over to the group of people that had just burst in. She saw Achika and almost jumped out of her shoes. Before, anyone could say anything, the little mad scientist summoned a holo-pad and began to type. "Achika. How did you get here?" "I don't know. I can't remember anything, all I know is I heard Nobi's voice and I followed it. When I got there. I was back here. Do I know you?" "Don't worry about that, I'm just the locale little genuise. You must have come through the rip. How long have you been here?" "I'm not sure. It hasn't been too long." As she spoke, the dimensional door opened. Kiyone walked through it. "Hey, can anyone tell me why my brother is lying on the floor in the fetus position? I was wondering where everyone was." She looked forward and saw Sasami. "What happen to Sasami!?" As she stepped inside she looked back at the group and saw Achika... Her mind froze. She could not speak. All she could do was stand there and stare at the once dead wife of her husband. "Hello, I'm...." "Achika...... I know who you are." "Have we met before?" "Once... My name is Kiyone and I... I'm one of the Galaxy Police Officers assigned to protect this sector of the universe and the Masaki members of the Jurian royal family." She strained her emotions as she looked down at Achika's hand. She was clutching Nobuyuki's hand in her's. Nobuyuki tried to say something, but Kiyone cut him off. "Washu, what is wrong with Sasami?" "I'm not exactly sure. I haven't been able to pin point it. She is showing signs of an illness. But it is nothing like I've seen before." "Okay, everyone clear out. Your standing around gocking isn't going to help Sasami any. Everybody please leave out now." She pushed everyone toward the dimensional door. When they were all out she stepped back over to the holo-table that Sasami was lying on. She placed her hand on the small childs forehead. "Washu, is she going to be all right." "She is stablized. I can only wait and see how she is going to change. I'm certain that Achika's precense is tied to it. The question for now is are you going to be alright. " "I'm fine. Why would something be wrong with me?" "Your husband's dead wife just came back. I think that would fit into the "something wrong" section." "Washu. I don't want to talk about it. Just keep your concern on Sasami." "Okay, but your feelings can be seen." ****** The night went by, and Nobuyuki barely left Achika's side. It was like they had never been seperated. He got that happiness that he could not find anymore. But at the same time there was an emptiness that he could not understand. It was very late in the night. The two had dozed off in front of a fire. Achika had waken up first. She freed herself and stood up. There back on the couch was the man she once loved. The one that she had given a child, and would have never left if she had the choice. She knew that she should have been completely happy, but something was not right. Her presence was not meant to be. She stood there and looked at him. Her concentration was disturbed by, the sound of someone crying. She followed the sound to one of the rooms down the hallway. When she got to the room of it's orgin, she saw Kiyone. "Are you okay?" "Oh. Achika, I didn't hear you come in." "The names Kiyone, right?" "Yeah. I didn't mean to bother you. I know that you and Nobuyuki want to be together." "Why are you crying? Is something wrong?" "No, I'm just a little upset. That's all. I lost someone that I loved." "I see. I lost someone that I once loved. I know how much it can hurt. By the way, how long have you known Nobi?" "I've known him for a while now. Why do you ask?" "He said your name while he was sleeping. I noticed that he is wearing a new wedding ring. It matches the one that you're wearing." "I... I didn't mean to..." "Wait. I'm not blind. I can see that you love him too. He loves you also." "I never meant to come between you two." "I don't suppose to be here. My presence is merely accidental. You have taken the job of protecting my son. And you also love my Nobi. You are the one that took my role in my absence. I owe you my gratitude." "Achika, I can't take your place." "Then don't. Make your own place in this world. In his heart." ***** Nobuyuki had woken up and walked down the hallway. He had stumbled across the two of them talking. Their conversation made him feel funny. He didn't want to interfere, but at the same time he didn't want to be quiet. He couldn't take anymore, so he walked outside to get a breath of fresh air. The night sky was a reasurring sight. He looked upward at the stars that twinkled back. He noticed that someone was coming up behind him. That person made himself known. It was Seion, and he wasn't too happy. "What do you plan on doing?" "What can I do? This is not a simple matter?" "Yes it is, all you have to do is the right thing." "I wish the answer was thay easy." "Look! Do you love my sister?" "Yes. I love her and you know that." "Then you stay with her. Kiyo deserves that much. Leaving her for someone else is completely disgraceful!" Seion had grabbed Nobuyuki by the collar by this point. The anger that he had was evident on his face." "Do you love Mihoshi?" "What!? What does that have to do with this?" "Do you love her; yes or no!?" "Or course I do!" "Then you want to spend the rest of you life with her. You want to be by her side. There to protect her, and care for her. Right!" "Yes..." "Have you ever thought; what would you do if you ever lost her? What if she was taken from you? How would you handle it?" Upon saying that Nobuyuki jerked from Seion's grip. "I know that you loved Achika. I can't help but know that she meant alot to you, but I'm not the one that is important now. Kiyo and you are." "I loved Achika more than anything. She was my world. When she died, part of me died. I thought that I could never love anyone like that again. Until... Until I met Kiyone. She made me feel what I had lost. I love her too, but the feeling I have are equalled amongst the two." "You're no different than Tenchi." "I guess not. Like father , like son. Hey, what's going on..." Nobuyuki began to fade away. He looked around and found himself teleported inside of Washu's lab. Achika was inside of the lab, standing in front of Sasami. Washu was typing away at her holo-pad. Nobuyuki walked over to her and asked why she had brought him and Achika to the lab. "I have located the cause of Sasami's illness. It is the rip in the space-time-continuim. The rip has torn her away from Tsunami. She is losing more and more of her remaing lifeforce as the rip remains open." "Why don't you close it?" "I can't. The rip would have already closed if everything was back to its correct order." "Then you mean?" "Yes. Achika has to go back to the other side. I can't force her. She has to do it of her own free will." Nobuyuki looked as if he was about to have a heartattack. He turned away from Washu and walked over to Achika. She was still facing toward Sasami. "Achika. I... I don't think I could live with loosing you again." "Don't be silly. I should have never been here in the begining. This innocent little girl is suffering on my behalf." "I still love you. You still mean so much to me." "I know, as do you to me. But you have to let me go. I haven't been able to go back to the other side because of you. Your feelings have ancorred me here." "Is that so wrong? You meant the world to me." "I love you, but my time came. You were able to move on. Kiyone is a good person. I couldn't ask for a better person to watch over our son. Or you..." "Achika." "You love her. I know this Nobi. I can see it in your eyes, and I can feel it in your heart. I can't be with you, but she can." "I can never love anyone like I loved you." "Don't compare me to her. She is not me. She is the one that you love now. Once you understand that you can move on. You don't have to forget me, but you do have to extinguish that torch you've been holding for me." The two were in each other's arms now. They stared into each other's eyes. Nobuyuki clutched her tightly, as tears began to come from his eyes. He could feel her body begining to get softer. She was fading away. Nobuyuki pulled back and looked at her face one last time. "I will always love you." "As I will always love you. Tell Tenchi and my father goodbye." "I will..." "Goodbye.." Achika became translucent and then she became a ball of light. It hoovered in front of Nobuyuki for a second and then it darted into Sasami's body. The machines that she was hooked to began to beep and go off. Sasami opened her eyes and looked around. "Washu... What am I doing in the lab?" "Getting better. Stand still so I can check you out. Nobuyuki, I know... Nobuyuki???" He had already left out of the lab. He was making his way up the stairs and down the hallway to his room. Along the way, he stopped and looked inside of Tenchi's room. He peered in at their son. He then continued to his room. Kiyone was asleep in the bed. He walked over and got into it. In an effort to not wake her, he placed his arm around her. He then kissed her on the back of her neck and quietly whispered into her ear. "Happy Valentine Day. I love you honey. Please don't ever go." She turned around and kissed him on the forehead. "I won't, and I love you too." ******************************************************* I hope you all enjoyed this. And I'd like to apologize for he first two drafts I sent with the mistakes in them. I'd also like to thank everyone that responded with helpful critism.