Chapter 9:

The following morning the whole world knew about the death of Bison and the foundation of Shadowlaw began to crumble. Word spread fast about the defeat of M. Bison by the famous street fighters Chun Li and Ryu. Ken made sure to let media know so that word would travel like wildfire. Back at the Masters' hotel, everyone was in high spirits. Chun Li felt a heavy weight lift off her shoulders and she felt proud that her father's death is finally avenged. Everyone was out by the pool, Ken had a celebratory BBQ for everyone there. The doctor came up to Chun Li and inquired about the baby. He wanted to check on it to make sure everything was alright after the previous day's fight.

"Come over here, Chun Li, and I'll check on the baby," the doctor said. He had brought the portable equipment to the grand living room. She sat back and let the doctor put the fetal monitor to her belly. He searched around for a minute to find the heartbeat. Chun Li noticed the expression on the doctor's face change to one of worry.

"What's the matter, doc?" she asked.

"I'm just having some trouble with the equipment. Let me check it again." He left the room and called for Ken. A minute later, Ken and Ryu walked in and sat by Chun Li. The doctor checked her again, he kept moving around and around on her belly searching for a heartbeat.

"Ms. Li, I don't want to jump to any conclusions…I can't find a heartbeat for the baby." The doctor said. A cold chill ran down Chun Li's back, panic started to set in. "We need to go to the hospital."

Ryu and Ken stood up, "What did you say?" Ryu asked.

"I can't find a heartbeat for the baby. We need to leave immediately." In a rush, Chun Li, Ryu, Ken, and the doctor left to the hospital.

An hour later, it was confirmed the baby had no heartbeat. An emergency delivery was performed as Chun Li had to get the baby out of her body. In the recovery room, she laid on her side weeping, not wanting to talk to anyone. Ryu stayed back with the doctor in the delivery room.

"Ryu, we cleaned the baby up and wrapped him. I know this may be difficult, but would you like to see him?" the doctor asked. As much as it pained Ryu, he reluctantly agreed. He was handed the baby boy. Ryu felt as if he were only sleeping so soundly and quietly. He looked him over and noticed how much his son looked like himself. I'm so sorry, baby boy. Ryu cried and held the baby close to his heart, he had never felt such pain in his life. He gave the baby back to the doctor and left to go to check on Chun Li.

"Chun Li?" Ryu said as he entered the room. He saw her laying on her side crying, staring out the window.

"It's my fault, Ryu. It's my fault our baby died. I should have never come to this stupid tournament. I should have stayed home in New York and never come!" Chun Li said.

"No. This is my fault. I should have been stronger so I could have defeated Bison on my own. Don't blame yourself, I should have trained harder," tears flowed from Ryu's eyes.

"When I found out I was pregnant, I wished I wasn't. I didn't want to stop working, I wanted to continue fighting without obligations, and here I am. I got what I wished for…and it hurts. I hate myself for ever thinking those things."

Ryu went over to Chun Li and hugged her. "I love you so much." The two laid there, crying with each other.

"I don't know how I am going to recover from this, Ryu? How do I go on?" Chun Li's eyes were puffy and red, filled with such sad emotion.

"You'll be strong like you always are." He said. A knock was heard on the door.

"Ryu? Chun Li?" Ken said. "May I come in?" He walked in the room and saw the two lovers sitting on the hospital bed together comforting each other. "I'm so sorry." He hugged them both. The three fighters sat there for a minute, taking in the comfort of the other.

"I would've asked you to be our son's godfather." Ryu choked back his tears.

"I would have very much been honored by that," Ken said wiping a tear away from his eye.

"I wish I could use one of Rose's forgetful potions right now…" Chun Li said.

"No, Chun Li," Ken began, "You have to see the good part of what your son did." Chun Li and Ryu looked puzzled. He continued, "This baby…your son, brought you together again. I think the reason he was created was to bring you two together. Had you not of gotten pregnant, I wouldn't have told you about your relationship with Ryu. Had you not come here to Thailand, Ryu might not have won that fight with Bison. You see, you had to be brought together again to win the fight. Your son saved you two, the fact of his existence saved everyone! The doomsday Rose's cards predicted will never come true. Bison is dead. You never will have to hide again, Ryu! And Chun Li, your father is avenged. His soul can rest in peace. I can bet you right now, your father is taking care of your son somewhere up there."

Comforted by Ken's words, Chun Li and Ryu felt the air in the room lift ever so slightly. The beginning of recovery from the death of their child.

"Thank you, Ken. I know my father is watching over our son." Chun Li said.

"Your father and Master Gouken." Ryu added.

"I want to bury him with my father." Chun Li stood up and walked to the window. "I want to take him to Hong Kong and have him buried with my father."

"I would like that. He would be laid to rest next to his grandfather, an honorable man." Ryu cried again.

"I'll set everything up when you two are ready," Ken said.

A few days later, the two fighters laid their son to rest next to the honorable Dorai. It was a sad day, but they had a new passion for life, for living to the fullest. Ken made sure all the details went smoothly. Fei Long showed up and gave his farewell to his nephew. Chun Li felt comforted knowing he was there. Another week had passed, and Chun Li and Ryu were back in New York.

For the first time in her life, Chun Li didn't know what to do. She had always had a purpose and a drive, something to propel her forward but now, she felt aimless. She decided to take sabbatical leave from Interpol.

"What will you do now, Chun Li?" Ken asked while taking another bite of his burger. They had all met at an old-fashioned diner.

She shrugged, "I'm not sure. All I ever knew was fighting, getting revenge, working, and training. I think I might just want to do things a normal girl my age would do."

"You are anything but normal!" Ken laughed.

"Who knows? Maybe I'll pick up a signing career. Do you know any managers looking for a new starlet?" Chun Li joked.

"Now, that is one thing I would be your number one fan for!" Ryu smiled.

"Actually, I do. Chun Li, you're actually really good at singing, I could mention your name to him." Ken suggested.

"Oh, come on guys, I'm not that great. Plus, a life on the road touring different countries? I might as well call myself "Ry Li" (Combing her name and Ryu's).

"Chun Li, I'm serious, you are really really amazing at singing. Don't put it past yourself." Ken said.

"I agree with Ken," Ryu added, "That could be your next career path."

"I'll think about it." Chun Li smiled thinking about herself as a singer. She liked the idea but wasn't ready for it. She was suffering from mild post-partum depression.

"Anyway, guys," Ken began, "It was nice meeting you for lunch, but I've got to get back to the office." He got up from the table, excused himself, gave Chun Li a kiss on the cheek, and a fist bump to Ryu to say goodbye. Chun Li stared at Ryu for a minute, happy to be there with him not worrying about anything.

"What's on your mind, beautiful?" he asked.

"Just thinking about our son. What would we be doing if he were here?"

"I dream he's with us…but I know your dad and Master Gouken are taking good care of him."

Chun Li put her hands over her eyes, "Sometimes I think I still feel him kicking," she looked down and felt overcome with grief. "Can we please leave? I want to go home." The two lovers got up and left the diner. They walked hand in hand on the way. Ryu tried comforting her the best he could.

"Let's go through the park?" Ryu suggested. They walked through Central Park and made their way by Belvedere Castle. "Chun Li?" Ryu said.

"Yes, what is it?" she noticed Ryu looked a little nervous.

"After everything we have been through over the past 10 plus years, I think our timing is right now. I…I want to marry you." Ryu blurted out. The sadness Chun Li felt suddenly turned to joy, her eyes widened with happiness.

"After all this time and after everything we've been through…there is no one in the world I want to share my life with other than you. I want to marry you too."

Ryu bent on one knee and asked her, "Chun Li, will you do me the utmost honor of being my wife?

"Yes. Yes, I will!" she replied and bent down to kiss Ryu.

Suddenly, Ken came out from behind a tree with a megaphone and announced, "She said yes!" Then Eliza, Cammy, Guile, Julia, Fei Long, Master Gen, and more friends of theirs let our cheers. Chun Li was surprised. "Ryu, what's all this? Did you plan this?"

Ryu smiled and shrugged. "Come with me." He held his hand out for hers and she gracefully put her hand in his. He led her to Belvedere Castle where there was a piano and microphone set up. Everyone followed them.

"Ryu, what is all this?" Chun Li was shocked. She smiled from ear to ear.

"Play, Chun Li. Play a song for us," Ryu said.

"Play a song! Play a song!" their entourage of friends chanted.

"What could I possibly play right now?" she replied.

"Whatever comes to your heart!" Ken said.

"I can't believe you were in on this…but fine, I'll play something." She sat at the piano and adjusted the microphone.

As everyone was looking at Chun Li, Cammy lightly elbowed Ryu, "Thank you, Ryu. She needed this." Ryu nodded.

Chun Li began playing a few notes, then began a well-known song by Journey. She began, "Lying beside you, here in the dark. Feeling your heartbeat with mine. Softly you whisper, you're so sincere. How could our love be so blind? We sailed on together, we drifted apart, and here you are by my side. So now I call to you with open arms. Nothing to hide, believe what I say. So here I am with open arms hoping you'll see what your love means to me, opens arms."

A man in a suit near Ken asked him, "So this is the one you're talking about, eh?" She's pretty damn good."

"You're damn right, she is," Ken replied.

"Let's talk business, Mr. Masters" he said, "I want to meet her once she's done."

"I'll set up a meet and greet then!"

Ryu stared at Chun Li, struck by her beautiful vocals and song. As usual, he loved listening to her sing. A crowd gathered around as others heard her play. Chun Li turned her head to Ryu and focused on him for the next verse, "Living without you, living alone. This empty house seems so cold. Wanting to hold you, wanting you near, how much I wanted you home. But now you've come back, turned night into day. I need you to stay."

Once Chun Li finished, everyone clapped. Ryu went up to her and gave her a big hug and kiss. "You were amazing!" He bent down into the microphone and said, "this woman is going to be my wife! She said yes!" Chun Li was overcome with happiness. She couldn't believe what Ryu had planned for her.

"Let the wedding planning begin," Cammy said as she came over to Chun Li and hugged her congratulations.

Eliza and Julia both gave their cheers along with Guile and Fei Long. Chun Li and Ryu hadn't felt that happy in such a long time. After the celebratory gathering at the park, Chun Li and Ryu graciously thanked everyone who joined them in the park and afterwards went back to her apartment.

"I still can't believe you and Ken set all that up for me," Chun Li said.

"And I still can't believe we are finally going to do it. We're finally going to get married."

"Ryu, about that...there's something I want to talk to you about."

"What is it?" he asked.

"I got so caught up in the moment, I forgot about your path in life. Your drive, your travels? Akuma is still out there. I know you have unfinished business."

Ryu took in a deep breath, "You're right. I still have to train. Akuma is much stronger than Bison, and it took the two of us to beat him. But…I also just got you back, I don't want to leave you, especially this time."

"I don't want you to leave either," she replied.

"With my training for the control of the dark hadou unfinished, I can't stop traveling just yet. I'm sorry…" Chun Li looked down, but Ryu lifted her chin, "look at me. I am still going to marry you, even if I have to do it tomorrow. I promised you that when I was 19."

Chun Li sat quiet for a moment, then an idea struck her. "Do you remember the question you asked me all those years ago? If I would travel the world with you?" Chun Li asked.

"Yeah, and we got in a big fight after that, the next day, I think. Why would you bring that up?"

"I think you should go and continue to train for control over the dark hadou…and I think I will come with you…traveling across the world. I can continue to train and hone my chi…so I can protect you one day when you need it. I never want you away from my side ever again. No more going our separate ways, we stay together now. We'll get married and then we can leave, anywhere you want. I'd follow you anywhere!"

"I think.." Ryu was stunned, "that's the best thing you could ever say to me. I would love to have you travel the world with me. I feel like I could move mountains with you by my side." Ryu hugged her.

With renewed hope for their future together, Ryu and Chun Li went to bed that night feeling on top on the world. They were anxious to start a new life together. They had much to plan and prepare for their upcoming travels, but first they wanted to get married before anything else. They made passionate love that night and feel asleep in each other's arms.

The end…for now.

Stay turned for a new story about the wedding plans of Chun Li and Ryu and how they start their new life traveling the world together! Thank you for reading! 3