Disclaimer: Ranma ½ and all related characters are copyrighted by Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media and Shugakukan. All other Characters and concepts are copyrighted to their respective owners. This is a work of fandom and not intended for profit in anyway.

NOTE: sorry for update delay, been kinda busy and didn't want to half-assed this important chapter. Thank you for reading, and please comment.

BETA-Readers- Hmfan, Clicky2006, and DarkenedShadows

STARK REVELATIONS

Chapter 2: Loved and Lost

"Beg your pardon?" Nodoka asked, looking to Dr. Mizuno. "Of course Genma is his father. I haven't been with anyone except..." Then looking to the girls with wide eyes, "Oh no...Jacob."

"Auntie? Who is Jacob?" Kasumi asked, looking to Nodoka as the older woman took her seat.

"Well Dear, It was long ago, before I met Genma..." Nodoka started.

18 years ago, Nerima Japan

Nodoka, age 19, was walking through the park, watching cherry blossoms fall overhead. "So lovely." So lost in her revelry, she did not notice the young American that had come around the bend until they collided. Landing on her backside, Nodoka looked up at her obstacle.

The American was tall, with brown eyes, short black hair and a short well trimmed beard. With a smile he looked down at her, offering his hand and speaking in heavily accented Japanese, "Terribly sorry about that. Here, let me help you up."

Blushing, Nodoka reached her hand out and let him help her up. "Sir, you are a gentleman. So rare these days. I am Aoyoma Nodoka. And you are?" After standing, she straightened her kimono properly.

"Harris Jacob. Perhaps you'd let me take you to lunch to make up for my clumsiness, Aoyoma-san?"

"My, are all Americans so forward?" Nodoka laughed softly, hiding her mouth behind her sleeved hand.

"Only for exceptionally beautiful women." Jacob responded with a bow, " So?"

Nodoka nodded with a smile and offered her hand. "Very well, Harris-San. Lunch it is."

That day was the first of many encounters between the two. At first it was just polite outings amongst friends, then over the weeks they became closer and closer. It was a bright summer afternoon while sitting at a cafe that Nodoka and Jacob turned to more serious conversation.

"I am sorry Jacob-kun. But my father has informed me this morning, that I am to be married to the son of an old war comrade of his. I am to be introduced to him within the week. And married soon after." Nodoka was almost in tears as she related the story to him.

With a sigh, Jacob took a sip of his coffee, "Well, I wish I could say that I was happy for your engagement, but is there nothing we can do?"

"There is nothing. I cannot defy my family. It is a matter of honor that I marry Saotome's son." The tears finally started to flow, "B-but, I do love you, Jacob."

"Then tonight, will you let me be your husband? For one night can we pretend that we can be happy?" Jacob asked, placing his hand on hers. "Or better yet, come to America with me. I can.." he started, grasping at a solution.

"No. you said that your father would not approve, that you must hide your travels from him? Mine would not approve either. But for tonight... neither of them need know." Nodoka responded, longing in her eyes.

Present Day

"And we spent that night together, never to see each other again. I was wed to Genma a week after that. When everyone commented on how much Ranma looked like Genma's father, I did not even suspect that anything came of that night with Jacob. Though in hindsight, blue eyes were not common in Genma's family." Nodoka sighed, looking to the younger girls. "If Genma is not Ranma's father, then Jacob is... I have a number for him but..."

"Use my phone Auntie." Nabiki said, tossing a small cellphone to Nodoka. "Anything to help out the big lug."

Nodoka nodded, hoping against all odds that the number worked and that she could save her son. Taking a deep breath, she began dialing the foreign number.

New York City, USA

A red-headed woman stood in a spacious penthouse office overlooking the city when her cellphone started ringing. With a glance at the screen she sighed, "Re-channel, Harris? Great, another one of his covert liaisons." Grumbling to herself she stormed through the halls towards a high tech workshop.

In the workshop, two men were talking over a table full of circuitry and assorted parts. "I don't believe you. You have NEVER been in love. Lust, maybe... but not love." smirked the dark skinned man with the military haircut.

The other man, a tall man with dark hair, a cropped beard and a nostalgic smile, "I was. Once. If she hadn't turned me down, I would be happily married now. She was quite literally the one that got away."

"And all of the rest? The super models, actresses and super heroines?" The darker man asked, raising an eyebrow.

This was when the red-head walked in. "Yes Mr. Harris, what about them?" she said, holding the phone, "because this is likely one of them."

"Harris? I haven't used that name since... it can't be" he said, taking the phone in his hand then answering in Japanese, "Hello, this is Harris...No-chan? Calm down... yes... No, of course not. I can be there in the morning. Okay... bye." Hanging up, he looked to the others. "Pack up, we're going to Japan. NOW."

Nerima, Japan

Nodoka hung up and handed the phone back to Nabiki, "Thank you dear. Jacob said he would be here before morning. I hope that he arrives in time..."

Kasumi looked to Nodoka, "At least when he does, Ranma will have a father that is actually worth a damned."

"Kasumi! Language!" Nodoka admonished, soon letting a small smile creep across her face before replacing with a frown and a sigh. "Though yes, I suppose I should have expected Genma to run off."

Nabiki sighed, "So what now? We wait for this Harris guy to show up to save the day? Then what?"

"I do not know, it will all depend on Jacob and whether or not he wants to accept..." Nodoka started before she was cut off by the sound of a window breaking at the end of the hall. "What was..."

Several nurses ran into the hallway as if chasing someone, "This way! We have to get the patient back into bed!"

"How did she get out? She was in critical condition!"

"Force of Will? I don't know! The file had her listed as an S-Class martial artist!"

Nodoka approached the nurses, "Excuse me...would you be talking about Saotome Ranma?"

The nurse gestured for the others to search outside, "Ma'am, just sit tight. We'll get your daughter back in no time. She will be fine."

Nodoka looked to the Tendo girls, "H-he's gone..."

"Don't worry Auntie, I think I know where to find him. You and Kasumi wait here for him or his father. Kasumi has my cell number and I have the hospital number." Nabiki said, running off into the night. Her mind was spinning with how to resolve the issue with the minimal fuss, but it all came down to confrontations outside of her comfort zone. 'Dammit Ranma, you seem to be good at this...'

Nabiki rushed out to the old bridge, it was one place she was sure that he would be. The others may forget or overlook his quiet little thinking spots, but never her. Just as she expected, Ranma was huddled against the bridge, staring at the water.

Nabiki quietly approached, wary of spooking Nerima's famed Wild Horse. "You might as well stop trying Tendo-san, I know you are there." The red-head intoned without looking up, all semblance of life drained from her voice.

Nabiki flinched at Ranma's sudden formal address, "No Nabs? Seriously, how long have we known..." Nabiki started as she drew closer, only to be cut short by Ranma's pain-filled glare.

"Known what? Only reason you guys kept me around is cause of the engagement... Well I ain't a Saotome! I ain't nothing!" Ranma yelled, voice cracking with emotion. "just another ronin..." Ranma looked back towards the water, red locks obscuring her eyes.

Nabiki sighed, "Not just another ronin. Your Mother is worried, we all are..." she couldn't help but smile at actually admitting it, but she would miss the shape-shifting martial artist immensely if she were gone, "Your Father will be arriving in the morning."

Ranma looked up into the sky "A storm is coming..."

Nabiki followed her gaze, sure enough, dark clouds billowed on the horizon. "Yeah, but we can get through it together, like always"

Ranma shook her head, "No... Not this time. This time I am staying out of the way. Mom, you guys, everyone... they will all be better if I just vanish...Po...no, I can't call him that anymore... He just ran...didn't even say good bye after everything we went through...soon as I wasn't his responsibility... just like everyone else. Well whoever this FATHER is, I will save him the trouble."

This was not good. Ranma was never this introspective and most certainly never this depressed. Even when he attempted to master the Shii Shii Hokodan. Nabiki knew she had to do something to cheer him up, and that would likely mean giving him the gift she had been saving. "Ranma? Please. Come back to the hospital, let your father give you the transfusion. That way you will live and THEN you can leave if you want."

"Why? I will be fine, I have survived much worse...I think."

"Hole in the torso, and massive blood loss? Maybe, but not all at once. And if you stay out here, the rain will make it worse." Nabiki, almost shouted, "Please...I don't want you to die!"

"Me dying solves a lot of trouble, ya know, its the most honorable thing I could do ..." Ranma mused as she looked to the sky again, "If only I could be free..."

Nabiki sighed and dropped a envelope into the red-heads lap."Here, don't say I never gave you anything. Go back to the hospital, get fixed up and then be free..."

Ranma stared at the envelope for a while, before looking at Nabiki. "What's your angle Tendo?"

Nabiki smirked, "Something I should have done a long time ago. It's yours regardless, but I do hope you will go back."

"And if I say that I'm not?"

"Then I stay here and bug you until you do." Nabiki answered with a wide grin, taking a seat, "I have nowhere better to be at the moment."

"What does 'I'll go but I have some thinkin' to do first' get me?"

Nabiki seemed to think about it for a moment, "Promise me that you will head back before it's too late to save you and I can let it go at that. Saotome or not, everyone who bothers to pay attention knows that you are good for your word."

Ranma nodded as she stood up, "Okay, but YOU have to promise me something."

Nabiki stood up next to her, wondering what the shorter girl could possibly want. "What is it?"

"Kasumi..." Ranma said as if it were the simplest fact he knew, "She needs to be free as well. She has given everything to her family and if not helped, she will be sucked dry with a smile on her face."

"You want me to get Kasumi out of the house? That's it?"

"Yeah, send her to school, give her a personal vacation...Anything that gets her out of that kitchen and away from housework." Ranma looked at Nabiki with eyes she was all too familiar with. The eyes that have stared down princes, demons and worse without relenting. No doubt these eyes bore into the soul of Saffron before his death. This time, the piercing cobalt eyes fixed on her.

"There is only one answer for that" Nabiki said, holding out her hand, "We have a deal"

Ranma took her hand in a firm shake before turning and leaping away into the night.

Nabiki could only watch her go as the clouds overhead let loose their burden. With a sigh, she walked under the bridge and pulled out her phone. "Hello? Yes. Could you deliver a message to Tendo Kasumi, in waiting room 4B? Yes. Tell her that Ranma will make his way back soon and that Nabiki is heading home for some dry clothes. Yes. Thank you."

"Well Ranma, here's hoping you pull through like usual." Nabiki all but prayed as she headed home.

NERIMA GENERAL HOSPITAL

Nodoka reentered the waiting room to find a significantly calmer Kasumi, "I take it you have good news, Kasumi-chan?"

"Yes Auntie, Nabiki found Ranma and said that he will be returning soon. Any further word from Harris-San?" Kasumi was once again wearing her serene smile, though it was obvious that her heart was not quite in it.

"Yes, he and a friend have arrived in Japan and when I told them of what happened they have gone to look for Ranma. If he returns first, I have the number to call Jacob with." Nodoka sat down with little of her usual decorum, her nerves were frayed and face streaked with the remnants of tears. "I pray that my child is alright, I lost him once so long ago... I..."

Without a word, Kasumi moved to embrace the distraught woman as she broke into another fit of sobbing.

NERIMA SKYLINE

High above the streets of Nerima, two armored figures flew, with blazing palms and feet. One adorned with a heavy chain gun on his back and covered in gunmetal and silver, while the other was a crimson and gold build with no noticeable armament.

"Any idea where to find this kid, Tony?" The Silver warrior asked over the radio-ways, "I mean we don't have much to go on for searching a city."

Tony sighed, "Not exactly, Nodoka said that Ranma's 'cursed' form resembles her when she was young and that Ranma tends towards high places when troubled. Rooftops, cliff sides, stuff like that... So look for a pretty redhead in a hospital gown sitting on a rooftop I guess." Despite his casual tone, Tony was frantically checking several displays within his armor's helmet, hoping to catch a glimpse of his child. "oh and apparently he is a skilled martial artist with a higher than normal vitality..."

"If he wasn't on the verge of dying...or she.. or... whatever."

"I won't lose my child without even meeting them... " Tony starts before noticing an odd reading from atop a skyscraper, "Hold here, I think I found something..." Tony then slowed his armor's flight and hovered towards the building in question as his comrade remained in place. Coming around the other side, Tony was joyed to see a young girl siting on the ledge looking out over the city, seemingly unconcerned with the rain.

"Ya know, whatever is keeping ya up, is mighty noisy." The girl said calmly, not even bothering to look at him, "If yer here to talk, land... if you want a fight, best get lost... I don't feel like peeling you out of that thing."

Tony lands on the edge of the roof and walks over to Ranma, "Ranma?"

Ranma glances over at the armored visitor, "yeah, who wants to know? I really don't feel like another fight today."

"That's good, because I am not here to fight." Tony explains, his armor's face-mask retracting into the helmet, "My name is Anthony Stark, your mother knows me as Jacob Harris. I have been told that I am your father and that you need my help?" He then sat next to Ranma on the ledge.

"You have no idea what you are getting into." Ranma almost laughed, wondering what this stranger would say if he knew even a portion of it. "What if I toldja I change gender with water, barely keep up a the bottom of my class in school, am afraid of cats, and have more people that want to kill me than I can count.?"

"I'd say that I don't care about our curse... It think that is what your mother called it... anyways, I don't care about it beyond a bit of curiosity. We can find someone to help with the fear and school thing. And of course, I think I may be able to match you on the enemies front." then placing a hand on his daughter's shoulder, "How about I give you a lift to the hospital and we can discuss this more when you aren't leaking out what vital fluids you have left?"

"Leaking?Wha..." Ranma asked, looking to where her wound was bleeding again, "Guess I didn't notice in the rain...I guess. But I can just roof-hop there from here" Ranma smirked, standing and pointing down into the city. "The hospital is right there. I was doing some thinking after talking to Nabs."

"Nodoka mentioned that a young lady had gone looking for you. Lets head back, I'm going to signal my friend Rhodie to meet us there." Tony then gives some simple instructions through his helmets microphone before standing and closing his face mask. "Lead the way Ranma."

The red-head merely nods as she leaps off of the building, nimbly landing on the smaller one next to it and proceeding to run and jump across roofs. With a laugh, Tony followed in the air, "Guess she literally meant hopping."

When Ranma reached the hospital, she was quickly ushered to a room for evaluation and treatment. Nodoka and Kasumi, though much relieved at Ranma's return were still waiting nervously when Tony, now dressed in black slacks and a deep blue button-down shirt rather than the previous armor, joined them, "Ladies, I take it that Ranma is being seen to?"

Nodoka turned and lept into his arms, "Jacob! Thank you SO much for coming!"

"About that" Tony started with a grin, "Jacob Harris was just an alias I used back in the day to keep my father from tracking me quite as easily. My real name is Anthony Stark. But those close to me call me Tony."

Nodoka managed a forced laugh, "That doesn't matter, all that matters is that you are here and Ranma can be saved. I don't want to lose him again"

"You're gonna have to give me the full story here. Something tells me that it is a long one."

Kasumi smiled softly, "Most stories involving Ranma-kun tend to be. He is... the most interesting individual I have ever had the pleasure of meeting."

Nodoka pulled back, "Oh! Where are my manners. Ja..Tony, this is Kasumi Tendo. A wonderful young woman and Ranma's Fiance. Kasumi, I'd like you to meet Ranma's father, Anthony Stark."

"Former Fiance, I am afraid. With Ranma not being a Saotome, he has no need to marry me." the young girl sighed, looking in the direction Ranma had been taken.

"Another long story?" Tony asked, raising his eyebrow towards Nodoka, but before she could answer Dr. Mizuno approached.

"Mrs. Saotome? I take it that this gentleman is Ranma's father?"

With a grin , Tony nods and extends his hand, "Anthony Stark."

Shaking his hand, Dr. Mizuno gestured down the hall, "If you will follow me, Mr. Stark, we will being the required testing. Matching blood type and confirming relations. When the tests are completed we will start the transfusion."

Kasumi looked to the doctor, "So Ranma is still okay?"

"He is still alive and his wound has been tended to, but the window in which to perform the transfusion has been drastically shortened, so if you will excuse us, we must make haste." The doctor then led Tony down the hall.

It was several hours later when the Dr. Mizuno returned to the waiting room where Kasumi and Nodoka had been joined by Tony's companions, James 'Rhodie' Rhodes and Pepper Potts. "The procedures were a success. Father and daughter are resting peacefully. You can go see them but please, one at a time and be quiet. They need all the rest they can get."

Kasumi gestures for Nodoka to go first, her face adorned with a large smile. "Go ahead Auntie, you are family after all."

The older woman needs no further prodding as she follows the doctor to the room where Ranma and Tony are still hooked up to various machines. Ranma being asleep and Tony staring lazily at the ceiling. She walks in and takes a seat between them, "I am so glad that the two of you are alright."

Tony nods, looking over to her. "Ranma is indeed strong, the nurses are still expecting her...erh him, to make another break for it. Even in his current condition."

Nodoka looks to Ranma, "Yes. Though the cost was often greater than needed, I will give credit to Genma. He set out to make Ranma the greatest martial artist of his generation and many would say that at least in that, he succeeded." Then turning back to Tony, "So what now?"

"Will you marry me?" He asked, taking her hand in his.

"What?" Nodoka couldn't believe her ears, looking at Tony with wide eyes.

"Genma ran off. Marry me. You and Ranma can come back to new york with me and we can be together. Surely your family will not object? And if they do, I think you have done enough for them."

Nodoka blushed a bright crimson, looking between Ranma and Tony, "So you would just...?" she started, not sure how to ask the important question on her mind.

"Accept Ranma as my son and give him the kind of father he deserves? Of course. Nodoka, I have loved you for a VERY long time. I've tried to move on since you married Genma but it all seemed so empty. Please, give me this chance to do what I should have done all those years ago." Tony pleaded.

Nodoka looked at her hand, still held in his. "I would love to ...but... I don't want to make this kind of choice without Ranma, he deserves to..."

"Just say yes Mom. He's a nice enough guy and I ain't got nothing to lose." Ranma said with a yawn, eyes just barely cracking open.

"Ranma! You're awake!" Nodoka exclaimed, latching on to her son turned daughter.

"Can't...Breath..." Ranma choked out under her mother's embrace. Nodoka released her daughter and sat back down, a sheepish look on her face, "Sorry dear, I am just so glad to have you back."

Ranma slowly propped herself into a sitting position, "So..this is really my father?"

Nodoka nodded, "Yes, and the necessary transfusion has already been finished. Once you are cleared to leave then we can all go. In any case, Ranma...about going to America."

"Ain't got nothing here but messes in the Saotome name..." Ranma said sullenly, "Be best if we left. Ya know?"

"Then we can leave tonight, we can get there easily enough and we have more than appropriate facilities for any recovery that Ranma needs." Tony suggested, "All we would need to do is get your belongings."

"Mother has all of the ones I would care about, I can get her to ship them at her convience."

Ranma shrugged, pointing to the old travel pack in the corner. "Everything I own is in there and.." then searching her person, " I had an envelope..."

"In your bag dear" Nodoka answered calmly.

"Then next stop, New York City!" Tony exclaimed happily.