Chapter 2

"Late evening conversations"

"I don't like it Tendo." Growled Genma. He filled his glass from the large bottle of beer on the table. He downed the entire contents of the glass in a single gulp. "Nodoka has gone too far."

"What can we do, Saotome?" Sobbed Soun. He held out his empty beer glass for Genma to fill. Genma filled Soun's glass, then his own. "My own daughters are against me as well." Tears fell freely from Soun's eyes. "Oh, where has a father gone wrong?" He wailed quietly.

Genma and Soun continued drinking. Nursing the hurts that the fates deemed necessary to throw their way.

"It's so unfair." They wailed together.

Another bottle of beer appeared at their table. Soun filled Genma's glass then his own. "We worked so hard to get those two together and now look what happened." Said Soun.

Genma sighed. "Well look on the bright side, Tendo." He said. "At least Ranma and Akane will marry."

Soun stopped crying. "That's true, Saotome." He brightened considerably. "And maybe once they marry they'll forget this foolishness with Ukyo."

"My thoughts exactly, Tendo." Replied Genma. "Send them on a honeymoon for a couple weeks without the Kuonji girl. They'll forget all about her." He laughed drunkenly. "It's a perfect plan."

Soun raised his glass in a toast. "To the uniting of our two schools."

Another bottle of beer appeared at their table. They were too drunk to realize they hadn't ordered another round or the previous three for that matter. They refilled their glasses.

Neither Soun nor Genma noticed the young man sitting a couple tables over. Nor did they pay attention when he pulled out a cell phone and dialed a number.

"It's Atsuro." He said into the phone. "You were right." Atsuro listened. "Yeah, I can do that." He listened some more. "Honeymoon for two for two weeks." He smiled. "No problem." He said. "Nabiki."

Nabiki hung up the phone and returned to the living room in the Saotome house.

"Who was that Nabiki-chan?" Asked Nodoka.

"An old friend of Kasumi's." Replied Nabiki. "Atsuro Hiramatsu. He owed me a favor so I asked him to watch Daddy and Uncle Genma." Nabiki smiled. "Don't worry they'll be too drunk to do anything tonight."

"Are those two planning something?" Asked Nodoka sharply. Nabiki nodded.

"About what you'd expect from those two." Said Nabiki. "Another marriage plan and a honeymoon for two."

Nodoka snorted. "As if that would change anything." She looked thoughtful. "Though I wouldn't mind them getting married."

"Them?" Asked Nabiki archly. "Which 'them' did you have in mind?"

Nodoka laughed then her expression turned serious. "Nabiki-chan, if it were possible I'd encourage Ranma to marry both of them."

Nabiki sat back and crossed her arms. "Well that would certainly be 'manly'." She said coolly

Nodoka flinched. "I'm beginning to hate that word." She said sourly. "Do you think he hates me, Nabiki?"

"Ranma?" Replied Nabiki. Nodoka nodded. Nabiki snorted. "Ranma doesn't hate anybody." She looked down. "Not even me." Nabiki shook her head.

Nodoka looked at Nabiki in surprise. She got up and went to the kitchen. When she returned Nabiki was still looking down. "Here Nabiki-chan." Nodoka said. She placed the tray she carried on the table then handed Nabiki a small cup.

Nabiki looked at the cup. She took it and sniffed the contents. "Sake?"

Nodoka nodded. "If anyone deserves a drink, we do." She said. She sipped from the other cup. After a moment Nabiki drained her cup as well. Nabiki refilled the cups for the two of them.

"Do you really think they'll do it?" Asked Nodoka curiously.

Nabiki barked a short laugh. "Why do you think I asked if I could stay here tonight?" Nabiki smirked at Nodoka. "I don't know about Ukyo, but I do know my little sister." She said. "For the past week, every time Ranma's turned girl, Akane practically salivated." Nabiki shook her head. "You know what's even funnier?"

Nodoka shook her head.

"I think the only people who don't know they're going to do this, is them."

Nodoka refilled the cups from the Sake bottle. "I see." She looked into the cup for a second before drinking. "I guess I'm not really surprised." She said. "The three of them have always had problems seeing the obvious."

"Auntie?"

"Yes, Nabiki-chan?"

"How do you feel about this?" Asked Nabiki. Concern was etched on her face. "Really?"

Nodoka refilled her sake cup. She didn't say anything for a long time. Finally she sighed. "My feelings don't really matter." She shook her head. "I gave up that right when I let Genma take him away." Nodoka looked into her cup. "I wish I could take credit for what he has become, but I can't." She said finally. She downed the sake. "That's partly why I made Ranma clan leader." Nabiki refilled Nodoka 's cup. "Maybe one day." She smiled softly at nothing. "But if you must know. I'm proud of him." Nodoka looked Nabiki in the eyes. "Now, how about you?"

Nabiki shrugged. "My little sister has smiled more in the last month than she has in the last ten years." Nabiki took a sip of the sake. "I love my sister, Auntie." She said simply. Suddenly she groaned. "I should never have made that bet with you."

Nodoka's face turned serious. "We still don't know if Ranma can stay female long enough."

"Don't worry, Auntie." Replied Nabiki. "You know Ranma." She said. "He'll probably consider it a challenge." She snorted. "Besides, I think Akane and Ukyo will want to have their children first." She took a sip from her cup. 'Just in case.' She thought to herself. No sense worrying Nodoka unnecessarily.

Suddenly Nodoka got a faraway look on her face. "Grandchildren." She sighed.

Nabiki nodded. "Something tells me there are going to be a whole lot of little Saotomes' running around pretty soon." She frowned slightly. "I guess it's too much to hope that they'd wait until after college."

Nodoka smiled. "It's not like they're going to have to raise children on their own." She said. "I've changed a diaper or two in my time." The faraway look returned to Nodoka's eyes. "Eee." She squealed dreamily. "I can't wait."

Nabiki pursed her lips. "Daddy and Uncle Genma still haven't started teaching." She said sourly. "That was part of the deal, you know."

Nodoka nodded. She smiled evilly. "Leave that to me." She said. "I bet Kasumi and I can convince them."

Nabiki laughed. "No bet Auntie. No bet at all." She sipped from her cup. It was empty. Nabiki held out her cup for a refill.

Kasumi and Ono were dancing slowly. More like swaying actually. They really hadn't moved from the spot they were in for some time. Kasumi sighed as she snuggled closer to Ono. The evening had been perfect. Dinner had been perfect. The conversation was perfect. Even the dancing was perfect. 'So.' Kasumi asked herself. 'Why am I so uneasy?' She shivered slightly. She knew she was deceiving herself. She knew perfectly well what bothered her.

"Ono?" She said softly.

"Yes my love?" He replied.

Kasumi laid her head against Ono's chest. She didn't say anything for a while. Finally. "Are we doing the right thing?" She said. "With them I mean." She hands balled themselves into fists against Ono's chest. "What they plan to do. It's. It's." She stopped.

Ono stroked Kasumi's hair. "It's something they have to do." He said quietly. "It's something they need to do."

"But." Protested Kasumi. "Oh Ono, I'm so afraid for them." She cried softly. "People can be so hurtful."

"Not all of them." Replied Ono. "Not the ones that count." He looked down at Kasumi. "They'll always have us."

Kasumi looked up at Ono. "Us, Ono?"

Dr. Tofu gazed into Kasumi's eyes. "If you'll have me." He said quietly.

"Ono?"

Ono took a deep breath. "Kasumi, for the longest time I was afraid I would never be able to talk to you, to touch you, without making a fool of myself." He closed his eyes for a moment as his shame overcame him. He resumed gazing into Kasumi's eyes. "Sometimes I still have to fight it." He admitted with a wry smile. Ono took both of Kasumi's hands between his own. "I've loved you for the longest time and I was afraid to tell you because I was afraid you wouldn't love me." He looked sadly at Kasumi. "I have been afraid of a lot of things."

"Oh Ono." She said. She looked up at Ono. Her eyes shone.

"I love you Kasumi Tendo and I wish to marry you." He said with a slight tremor in his voice. "Will you have me?"

The smile on Kasumi's face turned Ono's knees to jelly. "Oh yes, Ono, Of course I'll marry you."

Suddenly Dr. Tofu's glasses fogged up and Kasumi's breath froze in her throat. Ono let go of Kasumi's hands and slowly and deliberately he removed his glasses. He placed them in his front jacket pocket. Ono smiled at Kasumi and took her hands. "There, that's better." He said. "May I have this dance, Kasumi?"

Kasumi smiled. "Of course Ono."

Slowly and gracefully and to music only the two of them could hear. They danced a waltz.

End Chapter 2

Authors notes: You tell me.