Thank you so much for the wonderful reviews! Yeah, I guess there's a little angst in the story, but it'll get better! Well let's get on with it, already!

Chapter 3

"More peanuts Miss?" the voice of the flight attendant pierced into my mind, shaking me out of my reverie.

"No, no thanks" I smiled, and she proceeded to go to the next person.

I thought.

I leaned my head back and wrapped the blanket I brought tight against me. The few days after my decision were tough as my mind once again revisited the past….

Seven years ago………………….

After Ranma walked out of the dinning room, both fathers got up and left me alone with my thoughts. Of course my victory over the head of both clans accepting my decision was bittersweet due to the reaction of my fiance. Ex-fiance now, isn't he?. My mind chose to remind me, I decided the only way to calm my doubts that were now plaguing me was to talk to him.

I walked out into the backyard feeling the soft, green grass under my feet, the sounds of Ranma beating up a dummy floating into my ears. As I got closer I slowed down and saw in wonder as he executed each move with such precision and control.

"What do you want Akane?" he said without turning around.

"I just wanted to see if you're doing okay" I asked.

He did a few punches and shook his head. "Why are you doing this?" the tone of his voice so soft I barely caught the question.

"I was just worried…"

"NO! I didn't mean why you came here to see me! I want to know why you're breaking the engagement off!?!?!" those steel blue eyes burned into mine, making me stumble backwards. Of course when I feel threatened I lash back with fury, "No more" I thought to myself as I stared back at him, calming myself down.

"Ranma….aren't you tired?"

"Tired of what?"

"Of everything…..I mean we don't exactly get along, we spend the whole time fighting"

"So that's why you broke it off, cuz we fight all the time"

"That's part of it" I bit my lip trying to put all the emotions of what happened at the wedding into words. "It's just that I can't force you to be with me if you don't love me. No matter how much I try to change myself or you. I just want my life back, all we do is fight, all I'm known for is being 'the uncute fiancee'. I need to look towards my future and you made it clear that we have no future together yesterday" the last few words came out as a whisper.

"Akane…."

"Yes, Ranma" he walked closer to me, so close that I could feel his body heat wash over me.

I looked up into his eyes, "Akane…. I..I-"

"AKANE! IS IT TRUE?!?" I whipped my head around and saw my sister Nabiki walking towards us.

I heard him sigh as he walked away from me. He turned around facing the practice dummy and said, "You'll change your mind, you always do Akane".

At that moment my sister was by my side, being quick on picking up tension she asked if everything was alright, I nodded my head and turned to walk towards the house answering Nabiki's questions along the way.

By the time dinner came around the whole household knew of the break-up, my sister Kasumi told me she was always there if I needed to talk and that she would respect my decision. Nabiki was figuring out how to make a profit from it, Ranma just sat in silence ignoring everyone around him.

The next day I woke up early for my daily run, got ready for school, and went to wake up Ranma. "what are you doing? He's not your fiance anymore" the thought came to me as my hand was about to open his door. I let go of the door knob and walked downstairs, with a feeling of loss creeping into my heart.

I went downstairs to eat breakfast and sat at my usual spot. My father reading the paper, looked up and greeted me with a good morning and asked if Ranma was getting ready for school.

"I don't know dad" I answered. Uncle Saotome made a noise as if to demand why I haven't woken his son, as I had since they moved in, but something clicked in his mind and he kept on eating. The rest of my family came down, except for Ranma who was still sleeping soundly and yet no one mentioned anything about him.

I finished breakfast and left for school. Arriving earlier than usual I had time to be with my friends, knowing that my sister will sell the juicy details of our breakup, I decided to tell them first. They weren't that surprised about it especially after the whole wedding fiasco and told me that I needed someone who actually appreciated me. We talked until the school bell rang and throughout the whole time I was scanning the school grounds for any sign of Ranma. I went into my classroom and sat down waiting for the teacher to start class when it hit me…..I'm actually in class on time, not only that I got a chance to be with my friends before class, like any normal teenager. I felt giddy and…..normal, I was actually happy for the first time. But my happiness was cut short when I saw Ranma come in ten minutes late and got punished for it, he picked up the water buckets and for one second our eyes met and what I saw there made me draw back as if someone punched me. It was a look of pain, anger, and betrayal. I was feeling guilty for not waking him, but my new resolve reminded me that I was looking out for myself now, not Ranma. Although I let myself believe that, the blanket of guilt was still wrapped around me every time I saw a glimpse of Ranma holding water buckets in the hallway.

As time went by I got more involved in my schoolwork and sports. Ranma and I fell apart so slowly that I didn't even realize when it happened. Eventually he moved out with his dad back to his mom's house. We still saw each other in school but it was not the same. My grades improved and I applied to college in the US. I heard from my friends that Ranma got into the local university for sports management. I got accepted at UCLA and my dad was against me going there, but allowed me to go at the end. He was very proud of me and set up a graduation party and the Saotomes were, of course, invited.

……back to the present

I snapped out of my thoughts not wanting to relive that memory. I noticed that we were getting closer to my destination and got all my belongings together. The plane finally landed and I couldn't wait to get out and stretch my legs. I grabbed my bags and hailed a taxi, the streets were quiet not unusual for a Sunday. The taxi stopped and I stepped out in front my destination. I ran my fingers through my hair, straightened up my jacket, breathed in the fresh autumn air, and rang the bell. I stood there for what felt like hours fidgeting until I heard the gates unlock, I couldn't wait to see my dad's face. I put on the brightest smile as the gate opened and then shock went through me.

"AKANE!!"

"RANMA!"

So yeah, I'm still here!! Whoo-hooo!!!! Sorry for the delay, it was winter season at the hospital which means lots of work. Hope you like this chapter, if there are any mistakes just note that I wrote this at 2am. Thanks for the wonderful reviews…you all rock!!!

-Colabear