Home for the Holidays

Chapter: 9

Title: From Atlantic to Pacific

Disclaimer: There is absolutely zero chance that I could ever own Ranma or any of the characters seeing as Rumiko Takahashi already owns them.

"Mr. Saotome, why do we have to keep trying to break these cinder blocks?"

Ranma felt an amused smirk breaking over his face in spite of his efforts. Blowing his bangs out of his eyes and taking a thoughtful stance for a moment, he turned his gaze to the little, sandy-haired boy. "Well, if you want to be the best at something, you have to keep at it."

Meanwhile nearby other junior students in the class were also glancing over, sweaty but bright eyed from their morning practice.

"But what if we never get it?" Sandy hair only partially obstructed the view of his little furrowed brow. Ranma tried not to let his smile widen at this 7-year-old's worry. It wasn't an unfair question in the end. There was so much of his own life he was afraid he'd never get right. So many years wondering why things weren't falling into place like they should have.

"Hiroto, why don't you just let me worry about that part?" The little boy continued to frown for a moment as he considered this, and then, a relieved grin blossomed onto his face.

"Okay, sensei!" And just like that, he was cheerfully back to his cinderblocks. The smile Ranma had been suppressing now spread over his face.

He scanned the dojo filled with his other students and surveyed the time. Sunlight was pouring in through the dojo doors, a stripe of warmth streaming across the teak floors, and for a moment, his smile turned wistful as he was reminded of another time and another place— another morning in another dojo—where the first rays of sunlight were pouring in. He could almost feel the cool December air even now, filling his lungs and whispering to him the way that only memories can. And there she was— floating back into his thoughts as clear as day— blue tank top, black shorts, auburn eyes.

"Sensei?" A small hand was gently but fervently tugging on the edge of his gi. He looked down to see the youngest student in the class, dark locks framing round cheeks and brown eyes, and felt the wistfulness in his smile disappear.

"Yes, Meiko?" He blinked away the memory of that December day and tried to refocus.

"I think class ended 10 minutes ago." His head snapped up to the dojo clock.

"Ah.. yes. It did." He cleared his throat and announced, "Class dismissed, everyone." The bustle of little feet and chattering filled the hall, drifting out the dojo windows into the Nerima streets.

As the dojo cleared out, he stepped through the doors into the afternoon sunshine and looked up at the clouds floating by overhead. He saw a plane streaking its white tail across the cerulean of the sky and smiled at the thought of where it might be going and who it might be carrying.

He stopped by Mrs. Tanaki's office before leaving— which was a terrible idea because the old woman took up another 10 minutes of his time, profusely thanking him for filling in for one of her usual instructors who was sick this week. Fortunately, she paid him well enough to make up for such a delay- and the extra money couldn't have come at a better time since he recently found himself a little short on funds... Not that he was complaining of course. As his mother so frequently reminded him, "a man makes his own way in life"-- and so he would.

He hopped up onto the fence as he began his commute- a little bit for nostalgia's sake but more so because once you are used to a life less ordinary, it's hard to accept anything less. He smirked despite himself. They say to enjoy the little things in life, right? And with that, he took off in a sprint. After all, he had big plans for this beautiful Saturday.

It was already early afternoon. Ranma stepped off the train- the sound of jet engines taking off surrounded him, a blaring symphony of turbines and metal, shooting off into the sky. He followed the surge of people on the platform as the tide carried him to the arrivals waiting area. He leaned against one of the many white pillars in the room and checked his watch. He shoved his hands back into his pockets. He was here way too early. And now as the minutes went by he could feel himself getting more and more anxious. He found himself pacing the perimeter of the arrivals area. He had nothing to be nervous about. Right? He could feel himself starting to perspire despite the comfortable temperature inside the airport walls. And suddenly he realized they had already made the announcement over the intercom and he turned towards the arrivals doors. But she wasn't coming through the doors; she was right behind him, smiling that blissfully happy smile of hers- the kind that was so contagious it could make a person forget what one was so nervous about in the first place.

Akane Tendo. In the flesh.

He was a grinning, spellbound idiot until he remembered the reason he was there. He quickly stepped up to meet her. Suddenly feeling a bit sheepish and 100% the ball of nerves from 10 minutes ago, he decided to skip right over a greeting he felt sure he would fumble in this state anyway and reached for the suitcase she'd been wheeling behind her. "Let me help you with your bags. You must be beat!" He quickly steered a somewhat confounded Akane Tendo through the airport to the train terminal.

12 hours. She had spent 12 hours on a plane, crossing an enormous ocean, and Ranma Saotome hadn't even really greeted her. No 'hi'or 'hello', no 'so glad you're home' or even a small 'missed you' would have sufficed. He was fidgety and stiff in the train seat next to her so much so that she didn't know if her absence for another semester had totally undone all the progress of a Christmas gone by. Sure, she had gone back to school as planned- but things had been different! She had written and he had called and he hadn't gone running off to China as soon as her plane was wheels up. She didn't know whether to be hurt or just plain annoyed. Then again, what was she expecting? That as soon as she stepped off the plane he would be showering her with roses and kisses? She felt a touch of a blush even at the thought, considering they hadn't been physically in the same location since last Christmas.

"So .. finals all good and all that?" Conversation master he was still not. At least he had said something to her.

"Oh yeah- I mean I won't know for sure for a few days more... but you know." She couldn't believe this was the extent of the conversation as they pulled up to their stop. Ranma had barely even glanced at her when she replied, he was so distracted, checking his watch and the scrolling ticker announcing the train station.

He popped up so fast when the doors slid open, snagging her bags and smiling that boyish grin at her now. "After you," he said, back pressed against the train doorway.

Something was definitely up. Not that Ranma couldn't be courteous ever,but here he was carrying her bags and holding open doors and being all... chivalrous. She smiled to herself because in high school his idea of chivalry was not hitting girls or always stepping in to protect her even when she didn't need- much less want- his help. Maybe he just didn't know how to behave since last Christmas. Maybe he thought this was the kind of Ranma she expected: quiet, chivalrous, and basically anything but himself. She sighed and stepped onto the platform. Or maybe it was worse than that. Maybe he had changed his mind and just didnt know how to tell her. Suddenly she had a pit in her stomach the size of the airplane she'd just been on.

He was doing his best to steady his nerves but Akane wasn't really helping much in that category. She kept studying him and sighing while shifting in the seat next to him. It felt like ages before they arrived at the Tendo residence,and just when he thought he was home free, Akane's hand was on his shoulder, stopping him before he managed to swing open the gate.

"Ranma, wait-" she started with a very serious look on her face. His stomach started to churn. "If you're feeling differently about things since last Christmas, you don't have to worry." She stopped briefly to muster up the mature words she'd been mulling over since she stepped onto the train platform. She tried to keep the quiver out of her voice. "You're allowed to change your mind, you know."

She couldn't help it now, the sting of tears were forming in the corner of her eyes as she looked down at her shoes. This day hadn't gone at all how she had thought it would and she didn't know what the summer would hold at this rate.

".. change my mind, huh..." He sounded almost like he was mulling over her proposal. There was a pause until she heard him say, "you're right I guess... I have changed my mind." Maybe she thought it would be less of a knife to the heart if she gave him the out. But she was wrong about that. She felt like she had handed him the knife instead.

He hadn't wanted to do this here, standing outside the Tendo residence, a pile of luggage next to them and every member of the household waiting for them inside, but Akane had sort of forced his hand now.

"I don't want things to keep going the way they are." He saw her wince. "I dont want to spend another summer or another Christmas dreading the day you have to get back on a plane."He took her small hand in his, but she didn't look up from her shoes until he was lifting her chin with a calloused hand. "Akane, you know I'm no good at this stuff, but I know there's one thing I'll never change my mind about: I don't wanna be anywhere you aren't." He saw her eyes brighten, a smile splitting over her lips, and he couldn't help but smile back. "So I bought a ticket for the end of the summer. I'm coming with you." For a moment, she looked as if she didn't know whether to hug him or slap him for the torture he'd just put her through. Lucky for him, she was too relieved to do anything but the former.

She pushed open the gate now, remembering her whole family was waiting inside to greet her and anxious for a chance to get her bearings on everything that Ranma had just said. "But Ranma, how were you planning on getting a visa in such a short time?" She turned to just briefly glance back at him and stopped in her tracks. There he was. Ranma Saotome. Smiling that boyish grin of his again and looking so intently at her with those baby blues that she could hardly remember what she had just asked.

"Well I was hoping you might wear this so that part would get a little easier." A shiny object was flying through the air and she realized what it was the second before she caught it in her hand. In her palm was an engagement ring. When she looked up from her hand, he had closed the gap between them but wasn't looking nearly as confident now, hands shoved in the pockets of his pants, a tinge of red on his face as he took his own turn to study his shoes. "You know- only if you want to." He was practically stammering now.

This time it was her turn to smile even if he was too busy looking at his shoes to see it. Technically they were already engaged and technically he had no reason to ask- let alone give her an engagement ring.

"No," her voice was firm and he stiffened in shock. No?"Not unless you do the honors," she was smiling too brightly now to disguise it in her voice. Relief softening all his features, he could hardly stop himself from taking her delicate hand that somehow could crush cinder blocks, and slipping on the bank account emptying ring that he'd spent all semester saving for.

FLASH. CLICK.

A camera went off. Cheering erupted. Fans were waved. An audible "oh my!" was heard between the sobbing of old men.

But this time, it didn't ruin anything.

AN: Did someone call for an epilogue? :) Merry Christmas to you and yours! -SP