Disclaimer - Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi, and is used without her permission. This is a Fan fic Folks so take it as such! Thanks to Datexan, my most excellent Prereader!

Redemption of Love

A Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction

By

Dennisud

"__"= Spoken dialogue '__'= Character's thoughts

Chapter 1:Journey to Renewal

Two Lonely Hearts

The battle with Saffron at Jusenkyo was over and a more subdued Nerima Wrecking crew was making their way home by ship from China. Ranma was keeping away from his friends, family, even Akane, who was not taking this so well. Ever since they left it seemed that Ranma had avoided her. She had a feeling why he was doing it; they did have that stupid argument after she had miraculously came back from the dead . in his arms.

"Damn Idiot! Can't he see why I came back!" Akane said to no one in particular. She's been holed up in the cabin she's been sharing with her sisters on the ship taking them back to Tokyo. It was taking them back to their chaotic life in Nerima.

Akane had sat in that room, leaving only to eat with the rest of her family and friends, that had accompanied them back from their terrible fight with Saffron. Throughout those meals, Ranma sat opposite her quietly, trying not to talk to anyone.

The Tendo's youngest daughter knew that she'd feel similar to him, the anger that could build up. It wasn't just the anger at losing someone, but to have someone die in your arms after such a hard battle. The fight had been long and hard as they had gone up against a demi-god, but the way she'd died. and then hearing him yell her name.

Wait how could she? 'But how could I have heard him, if I'm .dead', Akane thought as she left of her room to join the family for dinner. 'Oh I knew I was dead then. I had felt my chi leaving my body. I had even seen the aftermath of the final battle. But if I wanted to stay . with him, why was I floating away from him. I saw him crying, holding my limp lifeless body. That scared me. I was fighting desperately to go back but I drifted farther and farther away. 'Oh, Gods Ranma, .I don't want to leave you, I, I, Love you!'

Ranma then was yelling, as he was looking at her still body, "Akane Please come back to me. Oh, hit me with your mallet, send me to orbit, but please Akane, I need you back here, with me." He yelled again then said the most fateful words in any human language, "I. I. L. Lo . Love you Akane!" Yet her body didn't move or stir; though my spirit wanted to return. Then came the maga decibel yell!

"AKANE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

That guttural, primal scream that literally shattered glass windows was heard. It even shattered the glass in Mousse's wire rims; the words Ranma screamed yanked Akane back into her body, and to his shaking arms!

The memory caused Akane to shiver in her seat while they had dinner in the galley. Akane's hand had strenuously took hold of the table, causing many dishes to move. When Ranma saw this, he had a concerned look. She hid her surprise at Ranma's actions with a glare. Akane then got up and walked stiffly out of the ships' galley, leaving them all confused at her abrupt and unexplained exit.

As Akane was returning to her cabin, she thought of many things. 'How can he do this to me! He says he loves me. then that-that, that emotional heaven-shaking yell that caused me to go back to my dead body, and live again! Yet Ranma then goes and tells me that he didn't say it, and then he ignores me. for this whole trip back. Damn that Idiot!' Akane was so deep into her thoughts she found herself in front of her cabin's door when a hand touched her.

"Akane, What's wrong?"

She reacted purely by instinct and with a mallet that magically appeared, she sent him to LEO. The Low Earth Orbit's trajectory, she knew, would eventually have Ranma land back on the ship an hour later.

She shook her head and slammed her fist into the metal wall causing a dent to form. "Damn why did I do that!" Akane then slowly slid down to the floor now openly weeping cursing at her anger and impatience while wondering, 'Will he stay away from me now. forever?' Akane then slowly got up to wait for Ranma to return as he always had after one of her mallet shots. "I have to make it up to him, somehow," Akane said to herself as she stared up to the open sky, waiting for her fiancé to land.

A Confession of Feelings

When Ranma woke up, he felt like a ship had landed on him, not the other way around. Still, he groggily sat up in a now unfamiliar place. "Hey . this isn't my cabin? Where." Looking up, he was startled. Sitting near the bed he was in he noticed a figure .in a dress... and he knew who it was just by her silhouette.

"Akane why ja have to hit me so hard." He rubbed his head to calm the headache he awoke with. "All I wanted to do was see if you were ok." Ranma said still rubbing the rather obvious bruise he had on his forehead.

He then heard her crying quietly, her head was down so at first he hadn't noticed the tears.

"Akane . what's wrong now? Did I do something to." Before he even finished his question, he realized what the problem was.

"Yes", she said almost in a whisper. "You have been . ignoring me, and you also denied you said those, . those words that brought me back." Akane's voice steadily rose now to a normal but strained volume.

Ranma sighed, then held out his arm with his hand now raising the crying girl's chin. They stared into each other's eyes just like they had when Akane gasped her first breath of life after returning to her body. She remembered forever that smiling and crying face of Ranma Saotome. Her fiancé' and she knew now, her love.

Nothing was said, they just stared at each other unmoving and unblinking with Ranma's hand still under Akane's chin. Wants, dreams and desires passed between them, as their eyes seemed to speak volumes to each other. Most of all was a glowing feeling within their chests that seemed to grow with each second that they stared at each other. It seemed to them that they could stay like that for an eternity, but an end did come.

Then Akane broke the silence with these words.

"Ranma Saotome," She swallowed audibly. "I .love you." She stared at him nervously awaiting his response.

It didn't take long!

He rose from the bed still holding her chin delicately making her stand with him. She had to look up at him, as Ranma's male form was almost a head taller than she was. Then .swiftly .and delicately . he took her in his arms and held her to him, hugging her with as much warmth as he could muster. She responded by rubbing her face into his chest, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck, making her stand on her tiptoes. Ranma noticed her position and using his arms, he lifted her up slightly to take the strain off her feet. They stood there silently in this loving embrace, for several minutes holding each other.

Slowly, Ranma moved one of his hands and lifted her up so that he could look intently into her eyes again. Almost in a whisper he said to her, "Akane Tendo, I love you too, for now. and forever." Carefully He leaned down to her and kissed her lightly. He held his lips softly to hers as another minute of blissful silence passed.

When he tried to break the kiss, her arms forced his lips to remain against hers. Akane poured her love. her fear. her whole being into this one kiss. Doing this, she pushed the kiss from being one of tenderness and caring, to one of passion and love.

Akane then found herself literally swept off the floor by Ranma. Using his arms to cradle her, he carried her to the bed. Setting her down on it first, he then sat down beside her. They looked at each other as the effects of what they just did hit them emotionally, and physically, as both blushed profusely. Both then reached for each other's hands. After a few seconds of confusion, as they couldn't decide which hand to hold, Akane's right hand grabbed Ranma's left and both smiled, glad that bit of nervousness was over. Waiting for the other to speak they stared at the wall in front of the bed. That lasted a few more minutes until Akane's impatience got the better of her.

"Well, do you want to ask me anything?" She was now looking at him.

Ranma smiled nervously and then his other hand held his head as he tried to answer. "I Just want to know what . well why you didn't tell me .how you .felt." He gave her a goofy grin and rubbed the back of his head intensely.

Akane simply smiled at his discomfort. But instead of yelling at him or other such normal Akane like reactions she simply sighed and wrapped her arms around him. She then answered his question.

"When I almost lost you the first time my stubbornness and pride made me ignore the feelings of dread and loss if you had died. But then, when you called me back from the dead back at Jusenkyo, I knew what I felt and I wasn't going to let my doubts stop me from letting you know it. But you still denied what you said, and with how you were acting towards me since, it confused me. But now, . well you know!"

She tightened her hold on his arm as he smiled back without the nervousness he showed earlier, but a look of understanding.

He had her let go of his arm, which she did grudgingly, but he did it so that he could wrap it around her protectively. He took a breath and said, "I'm. gonna have ta get use ta this . lovey dovey stuff Akane. But can you do me a favor?"

"Ok, What?" Said a slightly peeved Akane, as she didn't like Ranma's description.

"Can we keep this under wraps. at least until we get home."

Though Akane saw the wisdom of what Ranma was saying, she didn't like the way that he was saying it. He had the nasty habit of saying things without thinking, not her, so she knew that she'd have to work to get him to not say something that would get them in trouble.

For some time, they sat on the bed talking about the past year and what it meant to them. It wasn't until later that they noticed it had been three hours since this talk of there's started. Both smiled and hugged each other quietly enjoying the moment and the triumph of them talking for so long, without an argument. Pulling out of the hug, both looked at each other, when they both had the same thought, and said in unison. "We're going to be home, tonight! Oh no!"



Next, Chapter#2: Planning an Escape When Akane and Ranma return to Nerima, they make a decision, which sets in motion a very unusual training trip. Stay tuned!